《The Most Powerful Characters In The World Are Obsessed With Me》 Chapter 0 Imperial Pce of the Frederic Empire¡¯s training ground. The knights there held their breath before the presence of the young man in front of them. The young man even at a nce without a doubt, is a handsome man with round eyes. However, even though there was no wind, his silver hair fluttering freely in the air made them feel something strange. His sea-colored eyes were zing with rage.(*t/n: actually the direct trantion is ¡°His sea-colored eyes were burning blue with rage¡±. But it sound weird so I left out the ¡®burning blue¡¯ part) The knights took a step backward, pointing their swords at the young man. Their eyes were filled with dismay. ¡®We¡¯re in trouble.¡¯ It was a major ident that happened unexpectedly. In this world, there is a being called the Transcendent. Each of the four Duke families produces one person from each generation, who excels in all aspects and has a special ability because of enormous mana. But they also had weaknesses. That is, the more power gained through the ¡°magic blooming,¡± the more corrupted their soul bes, and the more out of control they will be. There is no way to get them back to normal. They just have to wait for another transcendent to show up and help. Soon, the empire¡¯s number one transcendent, the emperor, Alexandro Duncan Michelio II, wille to defeat the young man. They just have to hold out until then. ¡®¡­¡­but will we be able to hold out?¡¯ He¡¯s about to swallow up the whole ce. Sweat soaked the knights¡¯ backs. Then. ¡°Oh my goodness! Brother!¡± The voice of a girl who did not match the seriousness of the situation at all resounded in the training hall. The knights looked back in surprise. A girl with gray hair and eyes of the same color as the young manes approaching with quick steps. The knights were so startled that they could not even think of stopping her. Before they knew it, the girl went right in front of the young man and squeezed his cheek with both of her hands. ¡°I mean! Didn¡¯t I! Already told you! Do not overdo it! Don¡¯t!¡± Something more surprising happened then. The young man¡¯s presence, who was about to break everything around him, began to fade away. The blue glistening eye also gradually faded away, leaving behind a small afterimage. Slowly, the light returned to his eyes. He spoke gloomily, holding the girl¡¯s hand on his cheek. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry, Dalia.¡± It has never been seen before that a transcendent who went berserk regains his reason by someone else. At the incredible sight created by the girl called Dalia, the knights could not shut their mouths. * * * Dahlia, who hadpletely calmed her brother, sighed. ¡®What is all this about? ¡® The emperor, who appeared btedly, appeared with a bouquet instead of a weapon to stop her brother. ¡°This is a gift from my heart.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡± Then the emperor became sullen and went back. ¡®Everyone¡¯s not doing their jobs¡­.¡¯ Then, a man stood in the way of Dalia again. Tall with a firm chest. A handsome man with dark curly hair and brown skin. It was Meldon Artus, from the house of Artus, one of the four Dukedom of Frederick, who is also another transcendent of this empire. Meldon pushed her against the wall and said with affection. ¡°Mydy. I think it¡¯s time to decide.¡± ¡°What, what decision?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Then someone roughly grabbed Meldon¡¯s shoulder and separated Dalia from him. ¡°If not with me, then who else would you go to the ball with, Miss Dalia?¡± It was a blonde with blue eyes knight with a physique like a huge mountain, wearing cloak and armor. He is from the Duke of Blueport family, Lewayne Blueport. Of course he is another transcendent. Dalia sighed heavily. She¡¯s been sighing more these days. ¡°I¡¯m not going with you two.¡± Then the two looked at the Dahlia with hurt expressions. ¡°Then, is it with Sir Cedric again?¡± Meldon said with a tant dislike. Cedric is the second prince of the Empire and the sessor to the emperor. Dahlia shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then who is it?¡± Lewayne asked with a tearful look. Dalia raised her chin up. And said proudly. ¡°I¡¯m going with Adrisha this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Both replied in an absurd voice. ¡°Dalia!¡± Then, at the end of the hall, a woman ran towards Dalia with a happy expression. She hugged Dalia and looked at the other two warily. ¡°This time Dalia decided toe with me. She doesn¡¯t need anyone else.¡± Adrisha Beniter, the protagonist of the game that Dalia reincarnated to . The original work was obviously a devastated story in which she was subjected to the excessive love and obsession of these crazy transcendentals¡­¡­ ¡®It¡¯s fortunate that Adrisha didn¡¯t suffer with such a thing¡­¡¯ Dahlia pondered on how things had be like this. Chapter 1 Dalia Pesteros remembered her past life when she was thirteen. She was often told that she was unique even before she remembered her past life. She was the only one who felt ufortable in a world where it was natural to have servants. But I swear I¡¯ve never thought that I will remember my past life or that I might havee from another world. But she suddenly remembered it. That this world is going ording to the plot of , an otome game she yed in her previous life. And that meant Dalia¡¯s life was ¡®on the verge of ending¡¯. There are two reasons for this. First, was a game about a 19-year old woman who has no dreams or hopes.[1] Second, her brother, Hikan Pesteros, whom she had never seen even once for 13 years, was the most insane viin among the numerous male main characters in the original work. Even if you are his family, if you offend him, he can kill you right away without hesitation. In that sense, how fortunate was it that he was the only son in the original? ¡®But then, why?¡¯ So why, in this world, has Dalia be his sister, who suddenly appeared out of thin air? ¡®I¡¯m doomed.¡¯ There was definitely no such character in the original! In the original book, which Dalia remembers, Hikan Pesteros was the only child of the Duke of Pesteros. However now, the Duke of Pesteros had two children. Hikan, and Dalia. In other words, it means that she herself is like a seasoning that was suddenly added to the original work .(*t/n: the raw tranted to seasoning/spices. So i just put it in) Everything else is the same as the original, then why did she suddenly fall into the position as the younger sister of the final viin that she wasn¡¯t even confident of being.(*t/n: a bit confused with the wording here) In fact, I didn¡¯t really want to know. Because of his misdeeds, the Duke of Pesteros will be exterminated in every route in the game. So it was certain that, as his sister, Dalia, will also be on the death row with him. Fortunately, when Dahlia discovered the truth of the world, it was long before the original work began. Hikan Pesteros is only sixteen years old now. His mind began to break down after his 18th birthday when his mana started to manifest, so there was still plenty of time left. ¡®Magic blooming.¡¯ This setting is the main culprit that leads the story of . In the Empire, there was a founding legend that a great dragon blessed the four Duke families and the imperial family, that one child per family with mana, will be born. However, among themoners, there were very few people with mana because of the promiscuous sex life of the emperors and dukes.(If all the male protagonists were nobles, it wasn¡¯t fun, so it seemed like an added setup.) Those who were born with such powers are called the ¡®Transcendents¡¯. This magical power varies from person to person. For example, Dalia¡¯s brother, Hikan, he alone, with only one sword, will be able to face the knights if he uses the ¡®Magic Blooming¡¯. If you think about the game setup, some are specialized in assassination, and some can read people¡¯s thoughts by making eye contact, so it¡¯s roughly like this. However, this has a fatal drawback. The more the transcendents use their power, the more they lose control and go berserk. Moreover, it was also a problem as there was no way to restore their consciousness to normal. The male lead candidates, who were originally half-turned, risked their lives to get rid of other candidates, to start a war, in a mana rush¡­ ¡­That¡¯s how crazy it is.(*t/n: i¡¯m not sure what it means by ¡®half-turned¡¯. Half crazy maybe(£þ¡«£þ;)) And among them, Hikan Pesteros, who is originally a sociopath, is the first and the most crazy one. ¡®It¡¯s really crazy.¡¯ I wish I could have been born in a more gentle world if I were to be reincarnated. The only difference from this game setting was Dalia¡¯s own existence. ¡®¡­¡­Maybe, if Hikan sees his cute sister, he will decide to live a healthy life?¡¯ But Dalia removed such naive delusions from her head right away. This is an absurd idea that you can never do when you think of him in the original. Hikan had lived with a rtive¡¯s family for some reason. Thanks to this, Dahlia has never met him for 13 years. So, she had no idea how the final viin is in the current state. Dahlia thought maybe she could live like this forever. However, Hikan and her meeting came sooner than expected. * * * It was when she was munching on the bread for a snack and doing the assignment given by the tutor. Suddenly, it became noisy outside, and she heard the voice of the imploring nanny. ¡°Young Master, you can¡¯t! If youe in like that!¡± Dahlia had already prepared her mind by that time. Ah, he¡¯s finallying. As expected, her door opened wide, and a boy came in. An incredibly handsome boy with silver hair and blue eyes. That¡¯s her brother and the final viin in this game, Hikan Pesteros. Although he is still young, his eyes were fierce enough to make an adult feel chills. Dahlia was nervous and swallowed the bread in her mouth. ¡®I think, I¡¯m going to get indigestion.¡¯ The mana wouldn¡¯t have manifested yet, but that cold attitude seemed to make people believe that it had been manifested long ago. Well, transcendents are different from others from birth. From intelligence to arrogance that does not care about the rules set by others as they are much higher than ordinary people. Such a typical transcendent figure was felt from Hikan as well. A bewildered nanny followed behind him. ¡°Thedy still isn¡¯t ready yet¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Ready?¡¯ Dahlia opened her eyes round and looked at Hikan. He also looked at her with a look of indifference. ¡°Father is dead, Dalia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She nced at the nanny. The nanny is in tears. ¡®Poor nanny.¡¯ She seemed to have been fidgeting all day, wondering when to tell Dalia. But it wasn¡¯t so shocking for Dalia, who regained her previous life¡¯s memory. Besides, my mother died shortly after I was born, and my father was too busy to be in the mansion, so I didn¡¯t feel particrly sad. ¡®Did you be crazy like that because you didn¡¯t get love from your family?¡¯ Besides, I remember clearly because I had thoughts like that while watching Hikan in the game. I wasn¡¯t that sad, but since it¡¯s my father, for the sake of my nanny, should I pretend to be sad? That¡¯s what I was thinking, when I could feel a gaze. It was Hikan. He was looking at her. As if to observe. With cold eyes that have no affection. Dahlia, a quick-witted person, noticed immediately. Now Hikan was weighing her use. Where and how can I use this child, named after Pesteros,ter? I¡¯ll see how she reacts when she hears that father is dead, and I¡¯ll decide on how to use her. People¡¯s personalities are mostly determined in their childhood, so they think there¡¯s nothing they can do about it. ¡®What kind of humans is this!¡¯ Dalia froze and stared nkly at Hikan. ¡°¡­¡­..You don¡¯t cry.¡± At Hikan¡¯s low voice, Dalia shook her head hurriedly. Now is not the time for this. Dalia is now in front of the original story¡¯s greatest viin¡¯s childhood. Now that I see it, Hikan¡¯s personality has been in that shape since he was a child. In the original work, Hikan¡¯s family will be exterminated. She¡¯ll also be shoved away as an added bonus. So unconditionally, I had to run away from this family as soon as possible. Whatever ending Hikan had as the final viin, it was his karma. At that time, Dalia should not be put on the death sentence with him. ¡®Now that it¡¯s like this, I need to lower his guard and find a way out.¡¯ Dalia quickly set her position. Be an innocent, stupid little sister who knows nothing! So the goal was to make Hikan think, ¡®She is not worthy of my concern.¡¯ Then aim for that gap and run away. To do so, Hikan should not have been wary of her at all. I must be branded as a naive and foolish sister. ¡®How can such a foolish person be a human being?¡¯ Hikan approached her step by step. My heart sank with nervousness. Then, the leftover bread in Dalia¡¯s hand suddenly came to her mind. It was the bread that she eat as a snack while doing homework. There was nothing more to think about. She suddenly holds it out to Hikan. Chapter 2 ¡°¡­¡­What is this?¡± There are frowns in the middle of Hikan¡¯s forehead. His steps toward her also stopped. ¡°To, tofort you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are, are you alright brother?¡± ¡°Y, you must be sad that father passed away¡­¡± Dalia stuttered. An anecdote in the book I read in my previous life crossed my mind. A spy infiltrated the enemy troops and tried to kill an enemy he met, but instead, the enemy gave him the bread he had left, and the spy returned without being able to kill him. It is an anecdote that shows how good humanity is. ¡®Humanity! Something that Hikan doesn¡¯t have! What Hikan thinks is the most stupid thing! How is it!¡¯ Judging from his reaction, she changed her judgement. ¡°¡­..Ha.¡± Hikanughed as if dumbfounded. Then he grabs the bread in her hand. ¡®¡­¡­Do you want to throw and crush it on the floor!¡¯ Then the n is a sess. Don¡¯t pay attention to me! Dalia bit her lips and put her hands together, looking forward earnestly. Seeing this, Hikan¡¯s expression became ambiguous. He held the crumpled bread in his hand and turned around. ¡°¡­¡­The funeral is tomorrow.¡± Leaving only those words. ¡®¡­¡­? Did I seed?¡¯ Hikan left. Dalia finally rxed. At the same time, however, it urred to me that I should run away from this house as soon as possible and get ready to start a new life. She turned her head in astonishment as she faced the nanny who suddenly hugged her. Dalia had memories of her previous life. That era was a much more sophisticated andplex world than it is now. Of course, she knew how much process and money it would take to abandon the status of a nobledy and live with a new identity. ¡®I need money.¡¯ There is a limit to saving money from dresses or jewelry. Unless the family is extremely poor, which noble family would wear the dress that others used to wear? It is unknown how much it is if the jewels are reworked and sold again, but their value is bound to decrease. And what¡¯s left is, I know the secrets of the male lead and what¡¯s going to happen to this world. It is up to Dalia on how to use that information. ¡®But it¡¯s impossible to do anything with such a young body anyway.¡¯ She¡¯s only 13 years old. Whatever I do, obviously, 100% I will be ignored or cheated. I had to stick to this mansion until I saved enough money. So what can she do now? To consistently look naive to my brother and n for the future. For now, she decided to concentrate on Hikan. And focus on tomorrow¡¯s funeral. * * * The coffin descended slowly into the pit that had been dug beforehand. Above it, Hikan was the first to sprinkle soil. Next was Dalia. There were no tears. ¡°Oh, my poordy¡­¡­.¡± The nanny kept wiping her tears with a handkerchief beside Dalia. She seemed to be concerned about what Hikan did yesterday. ¡°I¡¯m fine, nanny.¡± Instead, Dalia sped the nanny¡¯s hand tightly. The nanny shed tears again, as if Dalia¡¯s serene appearance was remarkable. The nanny was the only person Dalia could trust in this mansion. ¡®Shall I ask the nanny if she knows anyone who can make fake identity?¡¯ It¡¯s obvious, she will fall ill. She endured for the nanny¡¯s mental health. I could hear the voices of the rtives behind me. ¡°¡­¡­. The sessor is still only 16 years old¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­As expected, one of us¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­then Julio¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­ No. How can I take such a big position¡­¡­¡± Julio is the cousin of thete Duke Pesteros, who recently stood out for his sess in the logistics business. Even so, it was funny that they were yielding among themselves, even though they already count the chickens before they are hatched.(*t/n: means that they are getting ahead of themselves. They already discussing about the position when there¡¯s no decision about it yet) As they said, the Duke passed away so early, leaving his position vacant. Originally, Hikan was supposed to take the position, but it is absurd for a 16-year-old to be a duke. A proxy is needed until he is eighteen, legally able to inherit the title. ording to thew, it was right for one of them to be a proxy. But ording to what she heard from the conversation between her nanny and the maid, these rtives were people who would take advantage of their positions as soon as they became the duke. Hikan, a higher-ranking member than her, can¡¯t be unaware of it. Maybe he¡¯s already trying to get the duke title. Dalia nced at Hikan. Hikan was staring at the coffin, which was being buried in the soil. Is he really sad, or is it acting? Not even Dalia could know that. ¡®We¡¯re supposed to hold hands at times like this.¡¯ If it¡¯s a naive sister. Dalia knew she would stick to her purpose. In the original work, he regarded good and warm-hearted people as foolish and tactless humans. Dalia should also look that way to increase the sess rate of escape. The purpose is to lower his vignce as much as possible. Dalia carefully approached Hikan¡¯s side and held his hand. Hikan¡¯s hands were cold. Perhaps Hikan feels her hands warm. ¡°Brother¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t be childish, Dalia.¡± Hikan spat out coldly. But he didn¡¯t bother to take out his hand. It was clear that Dalia was regarded as a nuisance to the point where it was annoying to shake off her hand. ¡°Young master, mydy, I have something to tell you.¡± That voice is the voice of one of the rtives that Dalia had just heard. Hikan briefly said, ¡°Ha.¡± He groaned, and turned back, violently shrugging off her hand. Dalia followed suit. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Hikan¡¯s cold atmosphere scared everyone, regardless of age. The rtive, whose name he couldn¡¯t even remember, barely managed to speak by keeping his distance. ¡°I¡¯ve been talking to the familywyer, and I think we¡¯ll need a family proxy until you grow up enough. As a result of our consultation¡­¡± ¡°Why do you guys discuss our family affairs among yourselves? Are you a Pesteros?¡± Hikan cut him off sharply. The rtive flinched. He hit the mark. He didn¡¯t expect that he¡¯d get this kind of criticism from a sixteen-year-old. ¡®But Hikan is a transcendent.¡¯ Even if the only sessor is sixteen, it¡¯s a different story if he is a transcendent. They were much clever and more ruthless than ordinary people, and they did not need guardians or proxy. Of course, other Duke families, who maintain a smooth rtionship with the rtives, set up a proxy for courtesy. But the next Duke of Pesteros is a transcendent. He¡¯s also the ultimate viin. The rtives must have known that he is a transcendent, but they are stillcent. ¡°Bu, but young master! Isn¡¯t thedy still young? I don¡¯t know about Young Master Hikan, but Young Lady Dalia needs protection. Adult¡¯s protection.¡± The other rtives also did not retreat easily. She could feel Hikan ncing into Dalia¡¯s face. Dalia felt a cold sweating from her back. She can¡¯t believe they¡¯re using her like this. This is a bad sign. As I said earlier, Hikan is a person who could get rid of her from the world anytime if she is being a nuisance. It may be annoying to be so sweet, but you won¡¯t hate it enough to kill me. There was a knack for slipping before it came to such a state.(*t/n: sorry I also didn¡¯t understand this part) However, if I continue being a hindrance to Hikan like this¡­ ¡®Are you going to get rid of me?¡¯ No way. He¡¯s still sixteen, and he¡¯s not crazy. Still, it is much better to remove the cause of the problem. Dalia quickly grabbed Hikan¡¯s hem and hid behind him. Hikan seemed somewhat dumbfounded, but now is not the time to nitpick about it. ¡°I don¡¯t like anyone elseing to my family other than my brother.¡± ¡°But mydy¡­¡± ¡°My brother is my guardian.¡± About to cry, she said firmly. The eyes of Hikan and all rtives turned to Dalia at the same time. Dalia said, wiping away her tears with her deadly acting. ¡°I don¡¯t know your name or your face. You didn¡¯t even show your face once when father was still alive, so shamelessly¡­¡± At the same time, their expressions subtly changed. Hikan looked happy when the rtive¡¯s face became distorted. It was fortunate though. ¡°And now it¡¯s my father¡¯s funeral. Can¡¯t you tell the time and the ce?¡± When she welled up with tears again and spoke with a trembling voice, the rtives left, taken aback. It was Dalia¡¯s victory. ¡®Huu, this is a load off my mind¡¯ They¡¯lle back soon, but for now, one crisis has passed. Dalia looked up at Hikan with an expression that said, ¡®I did a good job, right?¡¯ But contrary to what she expected, his expression seemed bitter. ¡°Dalia¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s really just the two of us.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand why you repeated what I said yesterday. Do you mean that soon it will be only one? But without a moment for Dalia to read his face, he called the nanny and immediately entrusted her with him, and returned to the mansion.
Trantor Note: And¡­.dies and gentlemen¡­this is the moment!!! Your n backfired Daliabtw, this chapter is really hard to tranteI lost a few braincells from tranting this chapter ( ¨i¦Ø¨i ). I¡¯m still not sure when I will upload next chapter..probably on Friday?anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Chapter 3 A month has already passed since the funeral. In the meantime, the rtives often visited with awyer because of proxy problems. They have a very strong will to make a living out of the Pesteros Dukedom by any means. As soon as they all came, they all looked for Dalia. Since they know that they can¡¯t convince Hikan. But Dalia was also desperate. When she grabs Hikan¡¯s ankle, there is a dark cloud right in her future.(*t/n: Idiom ¨C To be tightly tied to a certain task and unable to escape from it.) So every time, she repeated the same thing like a parrot. ¡°I don¡¯t want anybody else except for my brother.¡± ¡°I like it when my brother bes the head. I absolutely hate it if others do it.¡± As a result, there have been widespread rumors in society that the Duke of Pesteros¡¯ sister cannot live without her brother. It was a bit unfair, but considering the original purpose of lowering Hikan¡¯s vignce, it was rather good. Eventually, due to Dalia¡¯s active opposition, they failed to get a proxy. Dalia could now be relieved of this problem. Thanks to this, she was able to y and have some tea at the residence of a madam that she¡¯s close to after a long time. ¡°Goodness, Dalia. So that¡¯s what happened while I was away.¡± The Duchess of Blueport said warmly. Dalia watched her pour tea into a teacup with a very graceful movement. She¡¯s now in her early 40s and has very beautiful brown hair. In addition, she is also a transcendent, as one of the four duke families. I hear her ability is the power to create a huge barrier that blocks everything. However, before she was able to use her abilities, she suffered burns and lost her husband in a fire ident. Perhaps because of the trauma, Duchess Blueport always wears gloves and a mask with only her mouth and chin exposed. She¡¯s also very reluctant to touch people. Not to mention that she stayed out of the society, and even though Dalia had known her for a long time, she never held her hand. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sad because your father died?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t feel anything strange.¡± ¡°It can happen. It¡¯s okay.¡± The duchess smiled softly and pushed Dalia the freshly poured tea and sweet chocte chip cookies. Unlike the nanny, Duchess Blueport used to put sweets into her mouth whenever Dalia looked sad. ¡®She¡¯s a really nice person.¡¯ Dalia took a bite of the chocte chip cookies and smiled. Even though they were the same transcendent, Hikan and Duchess Blueport were very different. Dalia had never seen the duchess be nervous or angry. Besides, to Dalia who has no mother, her rtionship with the duchess is very precious. When the Duke of Pesteros almost abandoned the infant Dalia in grief for losing his wife, the duchess began to take care of her. The rtionship continued until Dalia was 13 years old. Besides, there was one more reason why she was so precious. Duchess Blueport is a character who never appeared in the original work like Dalia. Thanks to this, Dalia was able to build up an inner intimacy with the duchess alone. Of course, she¡¯s not apletely new character that was not in the original like Dalia. Because her first son, Lewayne Blueport, is one of the most important male characters in the original game. I wanted to meet him because I was curious about him, but the duchess said that he¡¯s now in the Blueport Dukedom territory and had no ns toe to the capital in four years. When Lewayne appeared in the original, it was as the Duke of Blueport, and it means that the current duchess in front of Dalia now will step down before that. ¡°How do you feel seeing your brother after 13 years?¡± The duchess asked with a smile. Dalia brooded over it a little and secretly whispered to her ears. ¡°It¡¯s very scary. Really.¡± Then she made a shape with her fingers on both sides of her head.(*t/n: she did the devil¡¯s horn) The duchess burst intoughter as Dalia¡¯s funny actions. ¡°To begin with, ordinary people are a bit afraid of the transcendents. There were actually a couple of idents.¡± Dalia nodded. The general public feared the transcendents because they had strong powers and were always at risk of being ¡°out-of-control.¡± In general, it was concluded with the imperial intervention (mostly the emperor), the strongest transcendent, and the four major families were also actively trying to prevent the transcendents from losing control in order to preserve their social image. But there were times when it wasn¡¯t. A typical example was the terrible ident when Duke Artus went crazy 30 years ago and wiped out all the royal magicians. The people who are originally already feared the transcendents became infuriated after the incident got covered up. Naturally, there was also public opinion that the transcendents should be driven out of the empire. In order to calm the public opinion, the previous emperor set up a special force for the transcendents. He also added dozens of mandatory uses to thew, including reporting on the status of the transcendent¡¯s emotions regrly. Thanks to this, there have been no transcendents that lose control since then. So far. However, ording to the , there will be a transcendent who will lose control soon. It is not well-described what happened or exactly when it was, but it is only known that a transcendent loses control at a certain party. Starting with him, the mana rush of the transcendents is elerated to the point where even the imperial family cannot stop it. ¡®So watch out for your transcendent son, duchess.¡¯ Dalia warned inwardly. Unaware of what Dalia is thinking, the duchess just smiled softly. It¡¯s lonely to know the future of the original work alone. Dalia pouted her lips. ¡°But Duchess Blueport is not scary. I¡¯m afraid my brother¡¯s going to sell me somewhere.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°What if I marry a man with a pot belly? Or, I became a tool to bring a son-inw into the Pesteros family and give birth to a transcendent¡­¡± The duchess put down the cup that she was drinking from. She seemed to be in a great shock. She looked at Dalia as if she had heard something that she was not supposed to hear. ¡°Where, where did you hear such words at such a young age? Is it from the maids?¡± Of course, it was a thought that came directly from Dalia¡¯s brain. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s not like that¡­.¡± She murmured. Is my thinking too impure? But given Hikan¡¯s misdeeds, it seems possible. Dalia nced at the duchess for a moment before she revealed her true feelings. ¡°So I made a n. When I be an adult, I will run away on my own.¡± Duchess Blueport seemed a little bewildered, perhaps not knowing that Dalia was thinking this far. ¡°No matter how scary your brother is, isn¡¯t it too early to think about running away from the mansion? You¡¯ve only been together for a month.¡± Dalia sighed. ¡®As expected. This is the normal reaction.¡¯ When she saw her depressed, the duchess quickly patted Dalia¡¯s hand with her gloved hand. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry. I guess since I¡¯m transcendent too, I understand Hikan¡¯s position.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It might be like that. Dalia regretted her carelessness a little. ¡°But being a transcendent is like being in a very lonely ce. I want Dalia to be close to your brother. Instead, if you need my help getting close to your brother, just tell me.¡± It was a warm word. But can I really get close to Hikan? Even now, just looking at his eyes, my chest seems to be tight from being nervous. Dalia didn¡¯t give an answer. * * * In the meantime, the rtionship between Hikan and Dalia runs without much trouble. Maybe because Hikan knows that Dalia is loved by the Duchess of Blueport. ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a surprise.¡± When he said that in passing, there¡¯s shiver ran up my spine. Thanks to this, I have one more reason to use in case of emergency. Of course, just because there were no problems didn¡¯t mean that the rtionship got better. Hikan is incredibly annoyed at her. Because, in the meantime, Dalia has been doing so many things. It was the wrong move from the beginning. A pure, foolish sister who likes her brother. To y such a role, I had to keep showing that I liked my brother. ¡®Really¡­¡­ I¡¯m scared to death.¡¯ Dalia sighed heavily. The ¡®Magic Blooming¡¯ didn¡¯t happen yet, but Hikan doesn¡¯t feel like a human already. It seemed like he could get rid of something like Dalia right away with just one finger. ¡®But I can¡¯t think of any other way to lower Hikan¡¯s vignce¡­¡­¡¯ While Dalia was shedding tears inside, she continued to smile on the outside and shower Hikan with affection. Even when she learned origami from Madam Mashu, her tutor, she folded a turtle that can grant a wish and brought it to Hikan first. To show her sincerity. Wasn¡¯t there a saying in my previous life, that if you fold 1000 origami cranes, your wish will be granted? ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Madam Mashu says, this will grant your wish! Brother¡¯s wish¡­..¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any wish. Get out.¡± Of course I was rejected. Dalia made a wish at the turtle, hoping that Hikan would fall on the road in front of people. Sadly nothing happened. Next, she learned painting. She did her best to paint Hikan and then excitedly showed him the painting. ¡°What is this? Did you paint a devil?¡± She couldn¡¯t say that she painted Hikan, so Dalia returned feeling lonely. Chapter 4 ¡°Brother! Did anything happen today? How have you been?¡± Furthermore, she bothered Hikan like this at every meal. There was almost no answer, and even if there is, it was such a short answer. ¡°Be quiet.¡± Hikan is not a friendly person at all, he gets up and leaves on his own after the meal, or leaving the young Dalia to eat alone because he was busy. However, for Dalia, who knew about his misdeeds in the original, this was very good. Hikan, though she was being annoying and irritating, did not seem to intend to sell her anywhere or kill her, as Dalia imagined. Either way, her n to lower Hikan¡¯s guard seemed to be working sessfully. ¡®Hoo-hoo. As expected, I¡¯m great. ¡® Dalia, proud of her own greatness, finishing the flower crown that she has been working on. This garden is Dalia¡¯s favorite ce in the Pesteros¡¯s residence because she could lie freely in a dress. No one else came except for Dalia, so the whole garden is like a ce only for her. So she could sit on thewn and make a flower crown with the flowers that she picked. ¡®I¡¯ll give this to my brother as a gift. ¡® This is also part of Dalia¡¯s big n to escape. I¡¯ll throw it away or put it somewhere. Dalia trembled as his cold face appeared before her eyes.(*t/n: she imagined his face) ¡®¡­¡­What if he doesn¡¯t like it?¡¯ If not, I was going to ask someone else to pass it on this time. ¡°Oh my, Miss. Now you¡¯re making something for the young Duke?¡± Then, the gardener Bucky smiled and talked to Dalia while bending his knees. Dalia nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Bucky smiled dly. ¡°Miss, you really love your brother.¡± ¡°Of course! Will my brother like this, too?¡± Dalia smiled with her arms wide open. If you want to deceive, you have to deceive everyonepletely. Unaware of her true intention, Bucky nod his head. ¡°Of course, since it¡¯s from you, miss.¡± Dalia was popr among the employees. Even though she is ady of the Pesteros family, who is said to be directly under the Emperor, she did not insist on her identity or be harsh on her employees. ¡®Oh! It¡¯s crooked.¡¯ Dalia, who lost her concentration, identally broke two flowers on her flower stalk. She pondered it for a moment, then handed it over to Bucky. ¡°I¡¯ll give one to Bucky, too.¡± ¡°Me, me too?¡± ¡°Yes. You helped me pick the flowers. Come here. I¡¯ll put it on you.¡± Bucky bowed his head, deeply touched. Dalia put the flower crown directly on Bucky¡¯s head. His dirt-stained face, his overalls, and flower crowns were unexpectedly harmonized. Dalia said unknowingly. ¡°It¡¯s pretty, Bucky.¡± As sheughed, Bucky scratched his earlobe, not knowing what to do. While making it, she also made a wreath as a present for the Duchess Blueport to hang on the door of her mansion. After making it, it became more fun and she can also improve her skills. She also put flower crowns on some of the butlers and maids who passed by. She also wears one. Now the only one left is Hikan¡¯s. But Dalia¡¯s excited hand stopped in the middle. ¡®Oh,e to think of it, brother.¡¯ Dalia recalled Hikan¡¯s top secret from his secret route in the original . He is allergic to pollen. ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ I shouldn¡¯t have made it. Dalia looked at the flower crown and just put it down on thewn. I worked hard on this, I started making it when the sun was high, but now the shadow of the tree began to grow long. ¡®It¡¯s alright.¡¯ I¡¯ll make him something else next time. Dalia got up, brushed her bottom and returned to her room. Without even dreaming that her figure could be seen right from Hikan¡¯s room. ¡°You must be happy to have a cute little sister.¡± The butler standing beside Hikan said delightedly. On top of his head was a flower crown made by Dalia. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s not even funny. Put that flower crown out of my sight right now.¡± Hikan said coldly. He imagined the flower crown on his head. It was terrible. Dalia Pesteros. His only little sister. The ¡®normal¡¯ child the previous duchess desperately wanted. When he first came into the mansion, he was going to clean everything up without any rumors if it bothers him. If he had seen her acting smart or used her head, he would have made a decision right away, but Dalia, who he¡¯s seen so far, seemed to have no such ns. All she does everyday is to chat with him without getting bored of it or make a flower crown in the back garden like today. At this level, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to leave her as a card forter use when needed. But it was a little irritating to keep being around her radius. Pretending to be close by giving useless gifts. Hikan looked down at where Dalia had left. The flower crown that had been made remained on thewn. ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ He was staring at it without knowing why. Then he turned his head in a hurry. * * * In Dalia¡¯s mind, the n to appear naive to Hikan is going very well. All that remains now is to raise money for independence. She already had her own n. First of all, she will sell some of the dresses and jewelries that she doesn¡¯t need. Dalia grabbed the nanny¡¯s hand who came to visit her before her bedtime. ¡°Nanny. Nanny will always, always be on my side, right?¡± The nanny smiled and said without any doubt. ¡°Of course! If not Miss, then whose side would I be on?¡± ¡°As expected of my nanny!¡± Dalia sped her cheek, cuddling at the nanny. The nanny smiled and hugged Dalia. She didn¡¯t miss this time and said, ¡°Nanny, I need a secret fund.¡± The nanny¡¯s expression hardened for a moment. ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± Dalia exined her n. Just in case, if she said that she wanted to run away from the family, she thought that nanny would try to stop her like Duchess Blueport. So Dalia changed her words a little. The nanny almost cried when she said that she wanted to save pocket money in case Hikan kicked her out of the familyter. ¡°My poor Miss. I¡¯d like to tell you that the young Duke won¡¯t do that, but I resent myself for not being able to. How can I help you?¡± Dalia was moved. She expressed her grand ambition. The nanny listened and gave realistic advice. ¡°It¡¯d be nice to sell them all, but you¡¯ll be caught soon as the maids always check the inventory.¡± The nanny took only a little bit of Dalia¡¯s dress and jewelry without being noticed and sold them. However, it did notst as long as the nanny predicted. The maids are starting to check inventory one by one, saying that the young miss¡¯ items seem to be missing these days. ¡®I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡¯ If they do it again, the situation may get worse as the maids try to find out who the culprit is. I didn¡¯t want an innocent person used of being the criminal. I won¡¯t be able to make money this way anymore, but I still have some money. ¡®Thank you, nanny.¡¯ Dalia deeply thanked the nanny in her heart for all her sacrifices. Then she gathered the money that she saved and put them in the bottom of the box, and looked at them several times, feeling proud. ¡®How do I make money now?¡¯ Not wanting to increase the burden on the nanny, Dalia visited the Duchess of Blueport again for consultation. The Duchess heard her ambitious aspirations, and this time again, she choked on her water. ¡°Goodness. Creating a secret fund. Dalia, how much more are you going to surprise me?¡± Dalia looked eagerly up at the Duchess with her hands together. ¡°It¡¯s really, really important to me, Duchess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I heard that there are many valuable books in the study of the previous Duke Pesteros. Try to look into it.¡± The Duchess reluctantly opened her mouth. Taking the advice, from that day on, she looked at the book in the mansion study. Dalia¡¯ste father loves to read. Perhaps there is an expensive rare first edition in the study. She¡¯ll secretly hide it and sell it at a premium priceter! Dalia made a secret list of expensive-selling books after eagerly reading the journal¡¯s list of auction houses. And while Hikan was away, she sneaked into his study during lunchtime. The study was quite spacious. Sunlight wasing into the library. ¡®I have to take care of it quickly before hees.¡¯ She looked around hard, but there were not many expensive books in Dalia¡¯s eye level. She couldn¡¯t reach the one above her height. Then Dalia saw a foldingdder leaning against the wall of the study. She took thedder and put it in front of the bookshelf. It was higher than she thought. The tallestpartment was more than twice the height of Dalia. It was a little scary, but she plucked up her courage and climbed up to the bottom of one of the highestpartments. Then she quickly looked at the title of the book, which was originally out of sight. Sadly, however, there was no book that seemed to be so lucrative. Most of the books on the shelves were about ¡®Transcendents¡¯. Strangely, it was also a warning of the transcendent¡¯s mana rush or their danger. ¡®Is it because of my maternal grandfather?¡¯ With a sigh, she quickly scrolled through the titles and found a book. <> The title was very interesting. Dalia climbed up thedder and picked out the book with a whimper. When she opened it up, luckily, it was the first edition. First editions can be expensive. ¡®I should sell this one.¡¯ She put the book on her side and carefully descended thedder step by step. And when only onest step is left- ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡± Suddenly, surprised by the sound of a voice heard from somewhere, Dalia startled and lost her footing on thedder. She missed the book and fell to the floor. Fortunately, there was only one step left, so she didn¡¯t hurt much, except for the torn knee which was a little painful. Dalia raised her head with tears in her eyes. Beautiful silver hair that stood out everywhere came into sight. An inhumanely beautiful appearance. And needless to say, the owner of an inhuman personality. Hikan stood right in front of Dalia looking down at her. For some reason, with a colder expression than usual. He picked up the book she dropped without caring about the injured Dalia and turned the page over. With no expression at all. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d like to sneak in.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± He seemed to have no intention of listening to Dalia. Instead, he stopped at a page of the book. ¡°They can¡¯t even be called human beings. Basically they are different from us.¡± He read a passage from the book in a low, cold voice. Then he looked at Dalia with a grave look on his face. ¡°¡­¡­is what it said. Do you think so too, Dalia?¡± Chapter 5 Clearly, he was waiting for her answer. A cold sweat broke out behind Dalia¡¯s back. ¡®I, I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ I thought things were going smoothly these days, but as expected, an ambush has hit me. But why of all things, such contents that you take from that book? Dalia had a hunch. If she says something wrong now, the rtionship between Hikan and Dalia will be over. She worked hard in pretending to be the innocent sister, but then suddenly looking at the book that said transcendents are beings that are different from us? ¡®Even I won¡¯t believe in me either.¡¯ ¡°Well, I¡¯m friends with the Duchess of Blueport. I wouldn¡¯t think like that¡­¡± Fortunately, she remembered to make an excuse. She put her best smile. ¡°And I just wanted to know more about the transcendent. I want to understand my brother more.¡± ¡°Understand?¡± Hikan frowned his eyebrows. Dalia nodded eagerly. However, her enthusiastic response did not change his expression at all. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± He pushed the book to the chest of the fallen Dalia. ¡°This book is right, Dalia.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You and I are different beings. Even if you die and wake up again, you¡¯ll never understand me.¡± Dalia shook her head hard this time. Even if she thought about it, it was a tearful effort. However, Hikan looked at her for a long time with an unknown look. Normally, he would have gone right back, but instead he took a step closer to Dalia. As a result, Dalia¡¯s body became stiff. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t understand. Do you know how our beloved maternal grandfather, the previous great Duke Pesteros died?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He was killed in a mana frenzy. It was a story that was hard to tell even though she knew it. Hikan said such a story casually and coldly. ¡°He blew up all this Pesteros mansion. He tried to kill his own daughter. Our mother.¡± Dalia looked up at him nkly. Hikan also saw her. He still had a cold face with no expression on his face. ¡°So, mother handed over the title of Pesteros to father. It was so disgusting that she couldn¡¯t handle it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Our mother saw me and her father as being the same in nature. A man who will one day try to kill her. He was a transcendent and stronger than anyone else, but she couldn¡¯t get out of it all her life. So she drove me away from the mansion. Then how about you, Dalia?¡± His question came in at an unexpected point. Dalia looked at him, blinking quickly. Hikan also stared at her with a grim expression. ¡°I asked how about you.¡± For some reason, I felt like I had heard a story that I shouldn¡¯t have heard. Hikan¡¯s background, which did not appear in the original work. I never knew Dalia¡¯s mother had kicked him out because Hikan is a transcendent. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve never seen him at the Pesteros mansion? But this is not the time to worry about that. If she keeps her mouth shut here, Hikan will consider Dalia to think the same as the previous duchess. She stuttered. ¡°I¡­..I don¡¯t think so. Brother, is my one and only brother¡­..and a good person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Yes, I guess.¡± It sounded sarcastic, and it just sounded weak. Hikan¡¯s gaze turned away from Dalia and looked in the distance. As if it doesn¡¯t matter what Dalia says. Perhaps Dalia¡¯s desperate words did not reach Hikan at all. Hikan left Dalia alone and left the study. Dalia stared nkly at the spot where he had left. My heart still thumped. On the other hand, strangely enough, I remembered the words of the Duchess Blueport that I heardst time. ¡°Being a transcendent is a solitary and lonely ce.¡± Is it because Hikan, who asserts that Dalia will never understand him, seems lonely for some reason? Dalia recalled a scene from the original. It was a conversation between the two after Hikan kidnapped the original female protagonist, Adrisha. ¡¸It¡¯s not toote yet. Everything can be turned around. We understand each other and¡­¡¹ ¡¸No, nothing can be reversed. You loving me or understand me, it will never happen.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­..¡¹ ¡¸So this is the only way left.¡¹ It was only when I was ying the game that I swore with excitement saying that he was an unconventional icon. I only thought that the original female protagonist who showed sympathy for him was an angel. But¡­..did he have that expression back then too? Somehow Dalia¡¯s mind gotplicated. While limping out of the study and walking down the hallway, she met her nanny. The nanny was startled and took Dalia to the nearest room, the drawing-room. She had the maid bring a bandage and disinfectant to treat Dalia¡¯s knee wound. ¡°Ah, it stings.¡± Dalia shed tears. The nanny knelt down. ¡°How did you get hurt like this?¡± ¡°I fell while ying with adder in the study. ¡° ¡°Goodness, Miss, you¡¯re lucky that you got hurt only this much.¡± Of course, the nagging continued for a while. Even after treatment, the nagging was not over. Daliaughed and listened in one ear and out the other. Then, the nanny stopped talking for a while, as if she had an idea. ¡°Wait, I just saw the young Duke Hikane out of the study, perhaps¡­?¡± It was a good point. Dalia couldn¡¯t make up a lie this time. The nanny¡¯s eyes changed. ¡°Did he see you got hurt and just go away? He¡¯s too cruel.¡± From the way she spoke, it seemed like Hikan had deliberately pushed her off thedder. Well, to nanny, Hikan¡¯s first impression was a man who pushed recklessly into the room and told Dalia of her father¡¯s death. The nanny, who is on Dalia¡¯s side, naturally hated him. ¡®I don¡¯t like him either.¡¯ Dalia grumbled inside. But somehow she couldn¡¯t me him because she remembered his lonely expression earlier. She defended him unknowingly. ¡°My brother is a good person.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Someday, if I work hard, there will be a day when my brother will like me, too.¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t want this. ¡°My poordy¡­¡­¡± The nanny dabbed her tears. Dalia was soothing her and saw someone pass through the half-open door of the drawing room. ¡®Did he hear that? I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t curse with the nanny.¡¯ Thinking that it might be Hikan, Dalia exhaled a breath of relief. The book that I brought was also hidden in the secret diary box. I couldn¡¯t believe that I had to suffer just because of this one. * * * ¡®¡­¡­I did something useless.¡¯ Hikan regretted. At first he was just going to scare her from doing something useless. But when he saw the big eyes looking up at him, he talked nonsense. ¡°Someday, if I work hard, there will be a day when my brother will like me, too.¡± And I heard useless words. Even when he tries to ignore it, Dalia keeps on bothering him. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but from one day Hikan often thought of her. Maybe from the day I first met her. On the first day, there was a heartfelt desperateness in Dalia¡¯s eyes, holding her hands together and looking up at him when he tried to throw her uninteresting gift, on the floor. A girl who didn¡¯t care a bit when she heard that her father had passed away. Hikan has never been so desperate for anyone. So the look in her eyes made him feel weird. But he shouldn¡¯t. He had to hate Dalia. There were plenty of reasons for that. The family had been destroyed for decades just because they were transcendents, and Dalia was the sess of the family after the failures. He turned his head and looked at the portrait of his mother in his study. She was staring into space with a gentle smile. Even after she died, she didn¡¯t see herself.(*t/n: I¡¯m not too sure about this part.) One corner of his mouth twisted up. It¡¯s just as he told Dalia. His mother, the previous duchess, hated the very existence of transcendence after her father became like that. Enough to deny her own identity. Of course she didn¡¯t want her child to be transcendent. Since the child didn¡¯t have to be smart and didn¡¯t have to be upsetting, she just wanted him to be normal like everyone else. But her first child is a transcendent. Hikan grew too fast to fit into their fantasies, too clever, and also independent and cold. From the moment the Duchess began to ovep Hikan with her father, the destruction had already been expected. Since then, the Duchess hasined to the Duke that Hikan is not like a child, that his eyes are scary, and that he is looking down on her. Hikan is smart, so he knew what his mother wanted him to do. However, he didn¡¯t feel the need to adjust to it. What¡¯s more, he had a tendency to return what he had received. When Hikan was three years old, his mother¡¯s friend¡¯s son hade to visit the mansion. The whole time he is in the mansion, he keeps on messing with Hikan¡¯s temper. He tried to push the Hikan down and intentionally destroyed his favorite toy as a joke. After a small scuffle, Hikan pushed him away. He rolled down the stairs and break his leg. He could have died, but was lucky to stop there. However, her mother began to despise and reject Hikan even more, iming that it was nned. And Dalia was born. I don¡¯t know how she was able to conceive a new child after she was diagnosed sterile after having him. However, mother thought that it was a blessing from God. And she wanted to get rid of him, the only stain in the family. In the end, Hikan was ousted to a province¡¯s branch family estate as part of his experience as sessor. He lived there for more than a decade even after his mother died. Like a ghost attached to this mansion, she still had a terrible influence on Pesteros even after she died. She was very meticulous. Enough to convince her husband so that he will not let him in the mansion again. So only after both of his parents died could he return to the Pesteros mansion. On his return he made up his mind. He will never forgive this family for abandoning him sopletely and thoroughly. ¡®Yes, never, I¡¯ll never love her.¡¯ It was like he was brainwashing himself. Chapter 6 It¡¯s been almost half a year since I¡¯ve been with Hikan. Dalia still continued her desperate love attack against Hikan. She was still a little, a little bit scared, but¡­¡­he hasn¡¯t been as sharp on her as he used to be since what happened in his study. But recently, she also has a concern. She had no more ideas. She has to keep showing off her image as the kind, innocent and foolish younger sister, but herck of imagination now hit the limit. She secretly went to the butler. ¡°What do I do to make my brother happy?¡± The butler looked at her pitifully and squatted down in front of her. ¡°Even now, Miss Dalia is doing well enough.¡± ¡­¡­I think I bought the butler¡¯s delicate heart. Dalia gave up asking him more questions. This time, Dalia visited the Duchess Blueport. She greeted Dalia with a warm smile. ¡°What should you do for your brother?¡± Dalia nodded eagerly. The Duchess was pleased with her response. ¡°This is much better than asking how to create a secret fund likest time, Dalia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hehe.¡± Daliaughed, gently scratching the back of her head. Duchess Blueport pondered for a moment and spoke to the servant. ¡°Bring me a pen and some paper.¡± Duchess Blueport wrote Dalia a document and gave it to her. Then she exined to Dalia, whose eyes were wide open. In order for Hikan to be a real Duke of Pesteros, the approval of another transcendent was required. Another transcendent who will prove that he¡¯s not crazy and has a sound mind That¡¯s what Duchess Blueport has done for Dalia now. ¡°N-no!¡± Dalia stopped her in surprise. Knowing the future, she knew that Hikan would never be able to think straight, even for a joke. That could have put the Duchess in a difficult situation for her approval. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s a formality and it doesn¡¯t mean much.¡± Duchess Blueport smiled and handed out the documents to Dalia. ¡°I hope this will make your rtionship with your brother better.¡± In fact, it was not necessary to get along, but Dalia was about to cry because she was really grateful for the Duchess¡¯s heart for thinking of her. However, it took some courage to return home and give it to Hikan. Suddenly using her brain for no reason, what if he gets suspicious? She held it out to Hikan, hesitating. ¡°Brother! I did a good job, didn¡¯t I? The Duchess of Blueport is an old friend of mine¡­¡± ¡°I was approved by His Majesty the Emperor yesterday. I don¡¯t need this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Come to think of it, Hikan was close to the emperor in the original book. Of course, since the emperor is also a transcendent, he could have made a document that would confirm him as a duke. Dalia was really depressed. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I thought you¡¯d like it¡­..¡± Hikan, who looked at it, coldly snatched the paper out of her hand. ¡°But this might be useful for something else. Get out of here.¡± What is that useful thing? Dalia was worried that Hikan might be trying to use the Duchess¡¯s signature for other dangerous things. It¡¯s not a guarantee, is it? But it didn¡¯t seem like the family had no money. In addition, the butler once told her that Pesteros did not need the signature of another head of the family for most things except for the recognition of the transcendent. ¡®So where are you going to use it then?¡¯ Dalia became anxious and peeked through the door gap looking at Hikan doing the paperwork. ¡®Huk¡¯ He was staring at the papers, chewing his lips so gently that she wondered if he was okay. People might think that you didn¡¯t ask for it, but forced it to take it. Then he sighed and threw the document on the back of the book. Still, for some reason, she was anxious, and when Hikan was not there, she went into the library and secretly took the documents given by the Duchess Blueport back. Strangely, Hikan seemed unaware that the Duchess¡¯s documents were missing. If so, she doesn¡¯t know why he asked for it from the beginning. * * * Contrary to the Duchess Blueport¡¯s wishes, Hikan remained indifferent to Dalia after that. But maybe it¡¯s because Hikan hasn¡¯t done anything to her or anyone else yet. Dalia felt a little less afraid of Hikan. While in a daze with her own thought, Dalia¡¯s door suddenly burst open. ¡°Kyaa!¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s me.¡± The tiger appeared when he was spoken of, and it was Hikan.(*t/n: it¡¯s a korean saying that means when you talk about someone, he(she) will appear.) It was the first time he had visited her room. Dalia looked at Hikan with her eyes wide open. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, brother?¡± Hikan spoke expressionless as usual. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has approved the request for an audience.¡± He was thest gateway for Hikan to be a Duke. Instead of the previous Duke, the Emperor leads him to the title of the Duke. For that reason, it seemed that the application for a meeting a few days ago had finally been approved. That¡¯s a good thing, but were we even in a rtionship close enough to talk about that? Dalia blinked quickly, bewildered. ¡°¡­¡­Congrattions?¡± Did he feel Dalia¡¯s eyes saying, ¡®Did youe to tell me that?¡¯? Hikan added: ¡°He asked you toe with me. Imperial Pce, 12 o¡¯clock the day after tomorrow. Get ready.¡± ¡°M-me too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It¡¯s Hikan who will get a title, then why her too? But Hikan was urging her to answer with his eyes. She nodded her head without realizing it. Hikan left the room as soon as he heard the answer he wanted. She really hated it whenever he did that. ¡®Go out and fall down, fall down.¡¯ Dalia prayed hard, but nothing happened as usual. Anyway, it was the Emperor¡¯s order. She called her nanny and said she was going to the Imperial Pce the day after tomorrow. The nanny was startled and made a fuss about buying a dress. Two dayster. Dalia wore a pinkce dress to go to the Imperial Pce. The light gray hair was braided in several braids, tied up, and fixed with ribbon pins. Ribbon? It¡¯s a style she will never try even if she died in her previous life, but the 13-years old Dalia, is cute and lovely no matter what she did. A clear sea-colored pupil, same as Hikan, stared at Dalia in the mirror. ¡°You¡¯ll be a real beauty when you grow up.¡± The nanny said, gently sweeping Dalia¡¯s cheek. Dalia thought of the ordinary appearance of her previous life and nodded in agreement. This is a face full of potential. ¡®The question is whether I can survive until then.¡¯ Hikan had alreadye out in front of the carriage and was waiting for her. It was a little unexpected that he waited without getting on the carriage. She gave a beautiful smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± Of course you won¡¯t hold my hand, will you? Dalia took the coachman¡¯s hand and climbed up. Then Hikan looked at her for a moment and followed her into the carriage. ¡°So, why did I get called too, brother?¡± But instead of answering, Hikan looked out the window all the way. Her hands were full of strength when she grabbed the handle in case something bad happened. Dalia seemed to have heard an ominous thud from the handle. Why did I feel bad again? She grumbled inside and looked out of the window like Hikan. They arrived at the Imperial Pce shortly. When getting off, the Hikan who was near the door got off first. She got off holding the coachman¡¯s hand as she did when she got on. ¡­¡­For some reason, it seemed that Hikan took one step back. Is he also nervous about being at the Imperial Pce? ¡°¡­¡­Follow me quickly, Dalia.¡± His lowered voice seemed to reflect his difort. So, the two entered the Imperial Pce along the path guided by the imperial staff. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± The Emperor, who has his back turned, turned slowly. Alexandro Duncan Michelio II, the current emperor. He¡¯s a young emperor, just in his mid tote 30s. With a beautiful appearance with blond hair and red eyes, he is also a transcendent who appeared in the original. He is not one of the male leads because he loved the empress very much and is old. His ability is to read a person¡¯s emotions through physical contact. At the same time, he can read out the kindness or malice he or she harbors. Naturally, politics doesn¡¯t work for him. Even in the work, he appears as a person who can¡¯t guess the inside out. He was one of the characters who maintained his rationality until his death because of his excellent self-control. Dalia greets the Emperor using the imperial court etiquette she learned from her tutor. The Emperor¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen a lot on one side¡­¡­and I¡¯ve never seen this side before. Miss Dalia Pesteros?¡±(*t/n: not sure about this one) ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal. Isn¡¯t Miss Dalia also a Pesteros? Of course I thought you deserved toe to the Pesteros¡¯s ceremony, so I called for you.¡± Such a gracious talk. Dalia smiled lightly and lowered her knees slightly. The Emperorughed while watching her. ¡°Yes, how¡¯s your one and only brother? Does he treat you well?¡± Her gaze inadvertently reached Hikan. He wasn¡¯t even looking at her in the first ce. Things that have happened have passed through her head. A lot has happened in four months. ¡®I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not a bad person here¡­¡­¡¯ Dalia forced a smile. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s good. Since he¡¯s really my one and only brother¡­¡­I rely on him a lot.¡± ¡°Hmm. Maybe because you don¡¯t know fear. He¡¯s not exactly the right person to rely on.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hikan stood silently. The back of Dalia¡¯s head suddenly itches for no reason. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a blessing to have a cute younger sister anyway. My siblings won¡¯t be able to put up with it.¡± Perhaps not expecting an answer, the Emperor smiled and called Hikan closer. Hikan quietly went closer. The Emperor handed him a document bearing the imperial seal, which seemed to have been prepared by his aide. And without sincerity, without even putting his hand on, Hikan was blessed on his shoulders and forehead. ¡°Now, you are the Duke of Pesteros.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m behind in my work, so let¡¯s get it done quickly. And our Miss Dalia? Youe here, too.¡± ¡°Ye-yes.¡± Dalia went and stood awkwardly in front of the Emperor. The emperor smiled, held his chin, and looked at Dalia with a smile. ¡°How did youe to be loved by such a cute and lovely sister, Hikan?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You tter me.¡± Dalia withdrew slightly. The Emperor smiled involuntarily. ¡°Others may not know, but the life of the transcendent is originally solitary and lonely. Miss Dalia must have beenforting Hikan¡¯s heart unknowingly.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The sound of Hikan clenching his teeth can be heard from behind. But the emperor smiled and said, ¡°Such a thing, I feel it, too. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s a delusion, Your Majesty.¡± Hikan refuted right away. ¡°Well. Let¡¯s just see.¡± Dalia only looked at the emperor, not understanding what their conversation meant. She just thought that he was saying something simr to what the Duchess Blueport once said. The Emperor smiled and extended his hand as if asking Dalia to shake hands. ¡°Thank you foring far, despite my whim, Miss Dalia.¡± The Emperor always shakes hands when the audience is finished. It is said that it is to create a light atmosphere instead of formality, but in reality it is to read the other¡¯s feelings through this. She can¡¯t refuse the Emperor¡¯s handshake. Dalia had nothing to lose, so she held his hand together. She held the hand lightly and shook it. It was time to let go of the hands naturally. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But no matter how long she waited, the Emperor¡¯s hand did not leave her. Taken aback, she looked slowly up at the Emperor. The Emperor was looking down at his hand as if he could not believe it. Chapter 7 ¡°¡­¡­Your Majesty?¡± When the Emperor heard it, he hurriedly let go of Dalia¡¯s hand, as if he hade to his senses. But he still looked at his palms with a surprised look. Dalia nced at Hikan. Even he seemed a little flustered. ¡°¡­¡­No, it can¡¯t be.¡± The Emperor muttered to himself and regained hisposure. He smiled again at Dalia. ¡°Sorry, Miss Dalia. I guess I was mistaken for a while.¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s okay.¡± She doesn¡¯t know the reason, but Dalia shook her head. The Emperor looked at Dalia, touching his chin with a strange expression. ¡°By the way, a cute girl like Miss Dalia still doesn¡¯t have a fiance yet. What about my son?¡± Daliaughed because she thought it was a joke. ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joke. I¡¯m being serious.¡± But the Emperor answered in a serious tone unexpectedly. Dalia¡¯splexion, which met his eyes head-on, gradually grew pale. ¡®Uh, uh, eehh?¡¯ Dalia was thrown into confusion. Why all of a sudden? Why is the conversation jumping this way all of a sudden?¡¯ ¡°One of my sons is about the same age as Miss Dalia¡­¡­yes, there¡¯s Leonard and Cedric. Of course you know Leonard, the Crown Prince, right? He¡¯s a little silly, but he¡¯s a good kid. Cedric is my second son. He¡¯s not a bad kid, even though he¡¯s a wanderer.¡± Of course her mind thinks it¡¯s a joke, but the Emperor¡¯s expression was so serious that it could not be dismissed as a joke. ¡®Wha-wha-what? Are you being serious? Am I really going to get engaged like this? Can you do this easily?¡¯ No matter how young the nobles in this world get engaged, but by her standards, this is ridiculous. Dalia felt like her head was spinning. Suddenly, she was conscious of Hikan standing behind her. ¡®If it¡¯s real, there¡¯s no reason for my brother to refuse.¡¯ It¡¯s a great opportunity to marry off the useless little sister to the prince and get rid of her. But¡­¡­if she gets engaged to the prince, her face will appear in the newspaper. Then the n to run away and live with a new identity will be impossible. It seemed that her life ns are bing moreplicated. ¡°Well, it-it¡¯s too much for me¡­¡± ¡°Dalia.¡± Hikan stops her from behind with a firm voice. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s hopeless now.¡¯ Now, the only future left is when my head flies with my brother. Dalia shut her eyes tightly. ¡°She will not have the engagement, Your Majesty.¡± Hikan¡¯s calm voice rang out in the audience room. ¡®¡­..Huh?¡¯ Dalia slightly opened one eye that had closed tightly to the unexpected situation. ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t want to be engaged.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, absolutely not.¡± Hikan¡¯s bad way of speaking has never been more wee than today. Dalia looked back with tears in her eyes. But Hikan didn¡¯t even look at her sparkling eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, personally, I don¡¯t think I want that either.¡± The Emperor¡¯s gaze went to Dalia. She couldn¡¯t bear to nod, but her eyes gave her assent. Then the Emperor sighed sadly. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I wanted to see Miss Dalia be my daughter-inw.¡± ¡®So it was a joke after all.¡¯ Why are you making a joke with such a serious expression? Only Dalia felt bitter inside. Hikan greeted the Emperor when the conversation was roughly settled. ¡°¡­¡­Then we¡¯ll be going.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Emperor gave a nod indifferently. Dalia, who had ovee one crisis, also gave her greeting. ¡°Your Majesty, thank you for your generous offer and your considerate thoughts.¡± Strange as it was, the Emperor looked at Dalia for a long time as if he¡¯s in regret. Then he smiled gently. ¡°Yes, Miss Dalia. See you next time. Hikan, you too.¡± That¡¯s how the royal audience ended. Dalia and Hikan left, closing the door of the audience room. The Emperor looked back at his hand after Dalia left. ¡®As expected, am I mistaken?¡¯ Everyone envies the Transcendents. Because of their superior intelligence and special abilities. However, the life of a transcendent is like swimming forever in endless suffering. Is it because the power of non-human is being imnted in humans which is different in nature? Every time you use power, reason bes blurred, and only the desire to destroy all the things that are inconvenient to your eyes bes stronger. He has endured well so far. He yed the role of a kind and friendly Emperor. Because of the humans that he loves, because he didn¡¯t want to see this world destroyed. He will have to endure endless suffering forever in exchange for love. But the moment he held Dalia¡¯s hand, he felt his head clear for the first time. It felt like he went back to the time before the ¡°Blooming¡±, when he knew nothing. From the child¡¯s hand to the head, it felt slowly but surely like his soul is being purified. But, as everyone knows, it was impossible to return a soul that was once tainted with mana. ¡®I stayed up all night yesterday and I guess I was confused.¡¯ For now the Emperor just dismissed it over. He nced at the ce where the two siblings had disappeared. ¡®By the way, I¡¯m a little worried about those two.¡¯ Sensitive to human emotions, the Emperor quickly noticed the conflict within Hikan. No matter how much he pretended to be an adult, he was old enough to hurt something precious just because he didn¡¯t want to admit his feelings. ¡®He¡¯ll make a big mistake and regret it.¡¯ The Emperor clicked his tongue. * * * Dalia opened the audience room door and came out. Hikan was walking ahead without waiting for her. But now she was grateful. ¡®Heuk heuk, I¡¯m alive.¡¯ I really thought my life would end by marrying someone I didn¡¯t know. I was d it was a joke, and I was d Hikan defended me there. Dalia caught up with him and greeted him. ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to get engaged.¡± ¡°His Majesty is always saying that to anyone. If you react seriously to it, you¡¯ll be ridiculed for life. Usually, very stupid people fall for it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®You won¡¯t hear nice words from his mouth until the end.¡¯ Dalia pouted her lips out of his sight and followed behind him. ¡°But it was surprising that you said you didn¡¯t want to. Doesn¡¯t everyone usually covet the position?¡± Hikan said indifferently. Dalia walked faster to catch up with him, choosing what to say in her head. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­I¡­¡­if possible¡­¡­because I want to stay with brother longer¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hikan nced at her. The expressionless face, as usual, was hard to know what was on his mind. The answer came back after a while. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. I wasn¡¯t trying to help you, I just didn¡¯t want Pesteros to be treated like a fool.¡± Dalia hangs her shoulders like a dead puppy. ¡°I-I see. I¡¯m looking forward to nothing¡­¡± Was it wrong to force myself to speed up? At that moment Dalia¡¯s shoes broke. ¡°Ah.¡± With a little scream, her body tilted sideways, and fell right on the floor on her bottom. ¡®Why are you doing such stupid things today?¡¯ Dalia sighed heavily and raised her head. Hikan, whom she thought would go right away, stopped in front of her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hikan breathed a short sigh. ¡°Just what the heck are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I, I can get up on my own!¡± In vain, Dalia stretched her arms forward. But then, Hikan grabbed her waist without a word and lifted her up and put her on his shoulder. Dalia was never so small as to be lifted at once like this. He was only sixteen years old, but Hikan was really strong. Dalia pped her legs in surprise at the feeling of floating. ¡°Stay still.¡± Hikan grabbed Dalia¡¯s leg with the hem of her dress. Dalia held on tightly to Hikan¡¯s neck so that she wouldn¡¯t fall. Then Hikan¡¯s body stiffened for a while and loosened again. Dalia felt a little strange. She recalled Hikan¡¯s handsome blue eyes carrying her. Although he is a viin with a terrible and mean personality, he helped Dalia today. ¡®What if I get attached to you?¡¯ He won¡¯t hold her like this in ten years. If the n worked then, she¡¯d already be somewhere else. If it is in 10 years Hikan will be 26 years old? Dalia, who was thinking of Hikan¡¯s figure, said casually. ¡°I think my brother will grow a lot.¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± She can¡¯t say that she knows the future, so she just speaks vaguely. ¡°I just want to say it once.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± Hikan started walking again. Dalia was excited for no reason. It was the first time that the atmosphere between the two was so good. ¡®It would be nice if we could always be this close.¡¯ With a little wishful thinking in mind, Dalia also started cosying her cute and dainty little sister antique like a habit. ¡°It¡¯s really nice to have my brother hugging me.¡± She kept on talking. ¡°If I continue to like my brother like this, you¡¯ll love me someday, right?¡± Then, inadvertently, I crossed the line. The line I didn¡¯t even know was there. Hikan¡¯s steps came to a standstill. Chapter 8 ¡°¡­¡­I like you?¡± A cold and dark voice. The mood sank sharply. Dalia felt it, too, and noticed Hikan. Hikan roughly put her off his shoulder. Dalia sank to the floor. She sat down and looked up at his face from below. Hikan¡¯s face was colder than usual and had no warmth at all. She couldn¡¯t even find out where the warm atmosphere just went. ¡°Dalia.¡± ¡°Yes, yes?¡± Dalia replied in surprise. ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll like you.¡± Hikan, still not looking at her, said in a cold voice. ¡°You¡¯re nothing to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that.¡± She really didn¡¯t say anything and didn¡¯t even open her mouth, but she was suddenly given a warning. Dalia blinked in confusion. ¡®Who said anything?¡¯ I¡¯ve never thought like that before, but I don¡¯t know why I get mistaken when talking to myself.(*t/n: sorry, not too sure about this part) The atmosphere that was good just now ispletely broken. Bet that 10 yearster, she will feel so stupid when she recalled herself feeling sentimental thinking about him. Somehow she felt heat surge from her heart. Dalia forced a smile. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, brother.¡± ¡®I hope you stepped on the banana peel on the road and broke both knees.¡¯ Dalia gets up and brushes off the hem of her dress, while constantly imagining it in her head. Then she passed Hikan and went up to the carriage first on her own. Originally, Dalia¡¯s seat was in the direction of the coachman, but this time she sat on the opposite side. There was also less motion sickness and it was a seat for the head. It was Dalia¡¯s little rebellion. ¡®No matter how narrow-minded you are, you won¡¯t kill your sister for sitting at the seat for the head.¡¯ Hikan also hopped into the carriage without a word. He would have known that she was sitting at his ce, but he said nothing. He really seemed to at least have a little conscience. The carriage set off. For a long time even after the departure, both Hikan and Dalia looked out the window. She feels that it¡¯s unfair. ¡®I really didn¡¯t do anything.¡¯ When I was in the studyst time, I was even caught carrying a strange book. ¡®Or I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re mad at me for being a nuisance.¡¯ It was strange because the atmosphere was nice and then suddenly it became scary. I didn¡¯t know the reason, so it was hard to deal with it. I feel like I¡¯m back to square one. So, can I safely say goodbye to my brother? Crack. Then, suddenly, there was a sound of something breaking in the carriage. It sounded a little simr to the sound that Hikan made when he held the handle, as if it were breaking. No, it¡¯s a little bit more than that. Crack. The second sound. Hikan, who was looking out the window, responded to the sound and looked at Dalia. She also stared nkly at Hikan. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me? Crack crack. The third sound. I think I¡¯ve heard somewhere that the strength of the transcendent was enormous enough to break the handle of the carriage in half. She raised her hand and saw the handle she held. The hard wooden handle was cracked in half along the long side. She turned back to see how far the crack went. That was a mistake. The crack stretched over from the handle to the wall behind the carriage. As soon as Dalia turned around, the back wall of the carriage, that had been holding her back with its weight, opened wide along the crack. At the same time, Dalia had the illusion that her body was floating. Sadly, the couch on which Dalia sat was also close to the back wall. As if the door were opening, the carriage couch, where Dalia was sitting, was torn out along with the back wall and fell backward. The outside wind, leaking through the gap, scratched Dalia¡¯s cheek badly. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Dalia grasped the back of the couch with both hands. Every time the horse stomped, the couch shook backwards and Dalia¡¯s body also shook. If I made a mistake, I thought I would be thrown out there. There was only one person who came to mind now. I was resentful just now, but now that the situation hase to this, he was the only one I could think of. She looked at Hikan with only her head turned, while holding the back of the couch tightly. ¡°Br-brother!¡± In the chaotic situation, she met Hikan¡¯s eyes. If he pulls Dalia out of here, she can live. She unknowingly reached out to him in the midst of the shaking. And he. Dalia looked into his eyes. She couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. An ominous feeling engulfed her mind. ¡®Why did I believe that brother will save me?¡¯ He hates Dalia. Why does he have to do that? Really, would she be of use to him? Enough to reach out to her in this situation? Maybe the hate is bigger in his heart? Then the rattling back wall fell offpletely. The couch also reclined back. She could see the sky outside, which was not supposed to be seen indoors. All that¡¯s left is to fall. ¡®No, what kind of ending is this?¡¯ Dalia smiled in vain. Just in case, I held out my hand like a fool, I must be out of my mind. She raised her head. I saw Hikan. I made eye contact with him. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I wanted to say something, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. I just thought I was going to die now. At that moment a cold hand grabbed Dalia¡¯s hand. As she felt the shock as if her arm was falling out, she felt her body pulled toward Hikan. His other hand caught Dalia¡¯s back. It was as if he had been hugged by Hikan. ¡®Did you save me?¡¯ In an instant my heart was filled with relief. My head was spinning. Dalia loses her consciousness. * * * Not knowing whether it was a dream or reality, many thoughts passed through Dalia¡¯s head. Among them were meaningful thoughts, meaningless thoughts, happy thoughts, unhappy thoughts, joyful thoughts, and depressing thoughts. Of course even if she pretends she didn¡¯t know, Hikan saved her. Maybe it¡¯s because he thinks that she, who has the name of Pesteros, is useful? But I was d that he saved me. I lived because of that. She thought that if one day he would be the final viin, she would only help him once. Just once. Of course, he will never try to get help, but she will help him once. Then his expression would be worth seeing. Preparations to escape will continue. ¡®Good sister, good sister.¡¯ Dalia hooked on the word and kept thinking it over and over again. Once her consciousness returned, she opened her eyes wide. She was lying in bed in her room. Her heart was pounding as if she had been crushed with a paralyzing nightmare. Hikan was sitting beside her bed. His eyes looked down at Dalia, cold as the winter sea. He was a man of no possibility. She was originally the one who wandered between dream and reality. His good looks added more to the confusion.(*t/n: not sure about the first part) Before his lips even moved, Dalia first raised her upper body and put her back upright. And stared him straight in the eye. Still in a flood of confused thoughts, she didn¡¯t even know what she was doing. Then she sped his hand with both of her hands and said in a daze manner. ¡°¡­¡­Even if brother hates me, I will like brother. ¡° Oh, I said it wrong. I have to tell him I¡¯ll help him. Leaving that word behind, she fainted again. * * * Hikan looked back at Dalia, who had fainted. He realized that his hands were shaking a little as he tried to touch his forehead. He still felt the vivid feeling in his heart with what she had said while looking straight at him. The feeling of the hands that she held tightly. ¡®You knew.¡¯ Before he caught Dalia falling from the carriage, he hesitated. And Dalia Pesteros knew that Hikan hesitated. ¡®I thought you were just not thinking about it.¡¯ Since when did she know? That he hates her. You knew that, but you kept smiling whenever you saw me? No matter how scared and poorly she behaves, she always looks straight at him. ¡°Even if brother hates me, I will like brother.¡± And she said it while looking at him in the eye without changing her expression. He felt a headacheing. The moment Dalia fell, he thought. He can just let her die like this. Does he have to save her? He didn¡¯t want her to make him waver anymore. He never wanted to have any hope for his family again. But the Emperor said his feelings were shaken because of her. His head may say that it can¡¯t be, but the Emperor¡¯s ability to read emotions couldn¡¯t be wrong. He really hates to admit it, but this is something that has to be done. When Dalia got on the carriage, he was taken aback when she turned away from him, when he thought that she would naturally hold his hand. And he was even more bewildered by the fact that he was taken aback for that reason. Originally, he intended to get rid of her right away when he returned to this family. But he couldn¡¯t. Did he have a weak heart because she is rted to him by blood? He might have thought that since she was his only sister. If so, he can get rid of that kind of mind. All he has to do is let her fall. When he saw her falling, he thought so. But in the end, he couldn¡¯t let it go and grabbed her hand. Did Dalia Pesteros read all that ugly agony and hesitation? He stared at the sleeping Dalia¡¯s face for a long time. When she wakes up¡­¡­how should he treat her from now on? He was confused. Chapter 9 The next day, Dalia woke up in her room. The sun was high. She seemed to have fainted since yesterday¡¯s carriage ident. It was so ridiculous to think that Hikan came, so she thought that seeing Hikan was all a dream. ¡°Did you wake up?¡± Then she heard a friendly voice. Dalia saw the Duchess Blueport sitting by her bedside. She was knitting naturally as if she were waiting for Dalia to wake up. ¡°Duchess!¡± Dalia raised her upper body in surprise. A smile appeared on her face without her realizing it. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried that Dalia might have been in big trouble.¡± Duchess Blueport smiled slightly as she adjusted the position of her mask. Dalia was relieved at the usual sight. Indeed, the fact that there is Duchess Blueport here means that Hikan has never been here. It was obvious that she had a dream. It was fortunate that it was a dream. If it were real, it would have been too embarrassing. ¡°The Young Duke Hikan is now the Duke of Pesteros. How¡¯s it going with him?¡± Dalia shook her head. She gave an impassioned speech about what Hikan had said to her from the moment they walked out of the pce. Hikan might hear it likest time, but she really wanted to say this.(*t/n: not so sure about thest sentence) ¡°But this time, brother saved me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I really thought I wouldn¡¯t be saved because he seemed to be contemting about it until thest minute.¡± Duchess Blueport was listening to Dalia with a serious expression. Then, she smiled once Dalia finished talking. ¡°This generation Duke Pesteros, even if he says he doesn¡¯t like it, he¡¯s not being honest.¡± Dalia looked up at her, asking for an exnation because she didn¡¯t know what the Duchess was talking about. The Duchess said in a gentle voice, sweeping her lovely brown hair aside. ¡°You know, for the transcendents like me. We¡¯re very good at dealing with the world in terms of efficiency. If he really saves you because you¡¯re useful just as you said before, then you don¡¯t need to worry about it because it¡¯s still within his realm of rationality.¡±(*t/n: i tried my best for this part) ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It must have been his pure will to save Dalia, not because you were useful. So Dalia too, don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± She didn¡¯t expect it at all. Dalia felt strange. It felt simr to when she first saw Hikan¡¯s lonely face. Duchess Blueport seemed to understand everything. ¡°Dalia, I also used to have a very strong personality.¡± Dalia replied in surprise. ¡°Goodness. You¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Even so, Duchess Blueport with a bad personality like Hikan sounds totally absurd. ¡°I¡¯ve changed since I met my husband. People can change. So Dalia, don¡¯t forget that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Dalia saw the Duchess smile. The Duchess¡¯s gaze at her was really warm as if she were looking at her own child. Even though most of her face was covered with a mask, she still could see it. It was a smile that always made her happy, but now she feels sad for some reason. ¡®But I know the future of this world.¡¯ She knows what happens to Hikanter. But Dalia could not say that. It is lonely to be the only one who knows the future of the world. Dalia looked at the Duchess Blueport. Why it feels so sad, in fact, she knows why. Watching Hikan inherit the Duke¡¯s title, she recalled one possibility she had foolishly missed out. ¡®Why, 4 years from now, the Duchess of Blueport is not there?¡¯ At the beginning of the original work, the Duke of Blueport was not the one now in front of Dalia¡¯s eyes, but the male lead, Levine Blueport.(*t/n: she means the head of the Blueport family.) So, what happened to the Duchess Mary Blueport when the original started? Why did she change her mind after four years and pass the title to her son? Maybe¡­¡­maybe Duchess Blueport was already not in this world? ¡®No, it can¡¯t be.¡¯ She must have been mistaken. No matter how many times she yed the original game, she didn¡¯t know the whole situation. Among all the text that I¡¯ve roughly flipped through, it must have included the life of the Duchess Blueport, who lives happily in her hometown. Surely it must be like that. Dalia pushed the thought back to the corner of her head. The Duchess smiled. ¡°Soon, since the Young Duke has be the Duke, so there will be a ball to celebrate the ascension of the new Duke of Pesteros. I¡¯ll also be there then to take a look.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Dalia was delighted. Since she always confined herself at home, she appeared at a ball only once a year. ¡°Yes. Since Dalia would be bored without me.¡± Such a kind word. Dalia smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to send you an invitationter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t draw it yourselfst time. Even though it¡¯s cute, it looks silly.¡± The twoughed facing each other. * * * Hikan would have known that Dalia had woken up, but he did note to visit her. Still, he was at the dinner that day. She wasn¡¯t very upset in particr. Listening to the story from the Duchess Blueport, Dalia decided to open up to him a little, just a little. She still couldn¡¯t believe it, but Hikan saved Dalia by his own will. That is something that she needs to be thankful for. Besides, Dalia doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s her illusion, but Hikan wasn¡¯t as cold as he used to be. Sometimes he flinched a little when she smiled. Therefore Dalia thought. ¡®This is the chance. Let¡¯s get rid of Hikan¡¯s doubtspletely.¡¯ She made up her mind to gather all the cuteness that she never had in her previous life until now and decided to pour it out on Hikan. It was a little easier because she hated Hikan less than before. Most of their conversation took ce at this time, as the only official ce to see Hikan was during the mealtime. ¡°Wow! Brother! This is so delicious! Enjoy your food, brother!¡± Dalia smiled and put her portion ofmb on Hikan¡¯s te. In fact, it was a secret that she hatedmb. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hikan ate, avoiding only the parts that Dalia cut. ¡®¡­¡­Ah, no. I won¡¯t give up.¡¯ Dalia clenched her fists with a firm determination. Just then, Hikan saw her. Then for some reason Dalia seemed to have a strange face, as if she had pumped her fist to hit her brother who was not eating what she had given him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hikan looked at Dalia with a slightly perplexed look. ¡®Ah, no!¡¯ She raised both her fists above her head and made an awkward little heart. Hikan¡¯s expression became even more strange. He looked indifferent as if he was looking at his younger sister who seemed to have hurt her head a little, but his eyes were filled with warmth. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He sighed heavily and picked up the meat Dalia had put on the te and ate it with a fork. Dalia feels like she wanted to disappear right away. As soon as Dalia returned to her room, she looked in the mirror immediately and tried again the heart she did to Hikan. Because she had to know the reality of what the hell it was like. However, the results were different from Dalia¡¯s expectations. ¡®No, it¡¯s a little weird. How can this not be cute?¡¯ As a matter of fact, the 13-year-old Dalia was just as cute as she could be. Dalia went to the butler wondering if she was too confident with her appearance. ¡°Oh my, Miss Dalia, what are you doing here¡­¡­¡± ¡°Butler! I really love you!¡± Dalia made the same heart as she did to Hikan. The butler stood there nkly for a while, and then sat down with one knee in front of Dalia. ¡°Mi-miss! You should never do it in front of anyone else!¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡®As expected, is it not good?¡¯ ¡°Because it¡¯s so¡­¡­you may be kidnapped!¡± Judging by the reaction, what he couldn¡¯t say as a butler is either ¡°cute¡± or ¡°lovely. Dalia¡¯s self-esteem has gone up. ¡®As expected, I wasn¡¯t the one who was weird!¡¯ Dalia went around the mansion excitedly, shooting hearts to the gardener, nanny and maids. Everyone was taken down without being able to fight back. ¡°Kyaa! Miss!¡± ¡°Goodness¡­ how can a lovely person like that¡­¡± This mansion was at Dalia¡¯s feet. Dalia became more ted and went about the mansion with her chest high. Then she bumped into Hikan who was turning around the corner. It was when Dalia was shooting hearts at a maid who was begging to show her one more time. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­You seem to have a strange hobby these days.¡± Hikan¡¯s expressions at that time couldn¡¯t be expressed with Dalia¡¯sck of vocabry. A look of disappointment, with an indifferent and cold face. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so full of love to anyone.¡± ¡®Yo-you don¡¯t have to be so disappointed.¡¯ Dalia awkwardly lowered the hand that was shooting hearts. I think it would be better to stop doing cute things that don¡¯t suit your constitution in the future. Chapter 10 While Dalia was spending her time doing pointless things, Hikan continued to work on the overdue family rted work in earnest. However, there was still an indispensable event, and as the Duchess Blueport said earlier, it was the ball to celebrate the ascension of the new Duke. The mansion was already noisy because of the preparations for the ball that will be held in a month. Dalia, who was free because she had nothing to do, was busy learning new dances from her tutor. During the break, while Dalia was sitting on her nanny¡¯sp drinking ice tea, the nanny said. ¡°By the way, you¡¯ll need ady-in-waiting when you go to the ball.¡± ¡°I like nanny the most. I want to go with nanny.¡± ¡°M-miss¡­¡­¡± The nanny hugged Dalia tightly with a touched expression. Dalia smiled and buried her head deeper into the nanny¡¯s chest. ¡°Is it really necessary? If it doesn¡¯t work, Madam Mathieu will go with you.¡±(*t/n: previously in chapter 3 I used ¡®Madam Mashu¡¯) Besides, Duchess Blueport is alsoing to this ball. Madam Mathieu was Dalia¡¯s tutor and dance teacher. In principle, the four Duke families who produce transcendents are treated the same as the distant royal family and havedy-in-waiting.(*t/n: basically they are treated like the royal family but lower than the current ruling family and higher than normal noble. Hence distant royal family(since I can¡¯t find better term), kinda treated like brother/cousin of the king) Usually, peers from a family of lower rank are chosen. However, sadly, Dalia had no friends of her age. The mother, the family¡¯s madam, usually the one who came forward to help make friends, however Dalia had no mother. Her father, who was supposed to do it instead, was also busy and not interested in her. What if Duchess Blueport came forward and took care of Dalia instead? Still, since there are only four Duke families in the country, there will be many people who want to get close to them at the ball. She didn¡¯t worry much. We¡¯re all going to be strangers if she leaves the family anyway, so what¡¯s wrong with having friends? ¡°But still, I¡¯d like to see Miss go to the ball with a pretty friend.¡± The nanny whispered as she ran her fingers through Dalia¡¯s hair. Dalia felt her heart tinged as she felt the sincerity in her words. She rubbed her face in her nanny¡¯s embrace. ¡°Then I¡¯ll talk about it with my brother.¡± Was what she said, but she didn¡¯t want to give the busy Hikan any more work. She rather talked about it to Madam Mathieu right away. The nanny had a slight smile as she believed in Dalia¡¯s words. ¡°Alright, Miss.¡± ¡°Now the break time is over. See youter, nanny.¡± Like a ghost, Madam Mathieu, the tutor, appeared. She drank the rest of the tea and got up, leaving the cup to the nanny. ¡®The first dance will be with my brother.¡¯ It was difficult to make Hikan¡¯s feet bruised. Maybe this time, the rtionship that has be as good as a rat¡¯s poop might end again.(*t/n: it means fragile, i think) She was motivated to be udylike. She needs to learn hard to achieve that. * * * ¡°Good job, Miss Dalia! Now, for thest time, one, two, three!¡± Dalia made the final turn as Madam Mathieu held her. At the same time, the music ended. It was the first dance that she did to the end without making a mistake. ¡°Goodness, good job!¡± Madam Mathieu was more delighted than Dalia. Dalia was actually weaker in dance than other subjects. Even if they don¡¯t show it on their face, they probably have some spasm trying to control their expression because of Dalia. Dalia smiled bashfully and looked at Madam Mathieu who smiled at her broadly. ¡°How could you show such a wonderful dance only when the Duke came!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Huh?¡± There was a slight twitch at the end of Dalia¡¯s lip when she smiled. She looked back. Hikan was standing at the door. ¡°Ah, ah, brother! W, what brings you here?¡± Since thest ¡®heart¡¯ incident, Dalia has been feeling awkward whenever she sees Hikan. She couldn¡¯t get back to acting cute. Instead of answering, Hikan walked over and stared at her. It was embarrassing to see such a handsome face. She was worried about her sweaty hair, so she flipped back a few strands of hair that had escaped under her ponytail. ¡°Oh, since the Duke is here, why don¡¯t you two try to practice together?¡± Madam Mathieu said in a bright voice. Dalia shook her head inwardly. She was afraid of the aftermath if she stepped on Hikan¡¯s foot. ¡®Brother Hikan wouldn¡¯t want to dance with me, either.¡¯ She looked up and made eye contact with Hikan. And with glistening eyes, she sent out a lot of signals asking him not to do so. Hikan¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. It was clear that what she said in her mind got through him. He hesitated for a moment, then sighed and said. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡­I guess the mind can¡¯t be conveyed easily anyway. She decided to just bite the bullet and hold Hikan¡¯s hand. Madam Mathieu yed the phonograph again. The music started. Hikan and Dalia moved step by step. Madam Mathieu was looking at the two with a happy smile. Well, on the surface it is a dance of the 16 and 13-years-old. Of course, Hikan is much bigger than his peers and he¡¯s not like a child, but when he dances, you can¡¯t see his mood and expression. His burden of leading a family at this age must have been heavy. ¡®No matter how different a transcendent view the world is, he is still a 16-year-old Duke.¡¯ Dalia couldn¡¯t think of what she did when she was 16 in her previous life. At that time, her biggest concern was how to run away during the night self-study and eat ramen for ate night snack. Hikan danced better than expected. No, if you recall him from the original, it would be faster to find what he can¡¯t do. He did everything well. Except for one thing, not being able to restrain the lingering affection for the heroine. ¡®Come to think of it, when did the heroine appear?¡¯ Perhaps 3 years from now, when the original will begin with her debut in society. From that time on, it seems that I will start working with the male protagonists in earnest while carrying out various tasks.(*t/n: sorry,,not sure about this) ¡°Ah.¡± I thought of something else for a while and did the wrong move right away. Instead of stepping back, Dalia hit her forehead into Hikan¡¯s chest. It was also a bonus that she step on his feet. ¡°¡­¡­S, s, s, sorry!¡± Dalia was surprised and stopped dancing right away and removed her feet. In fact, Hikan didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The silence was rather ominous. Dalia said goodbye to the rest of her life. ¡®This is the end of Dalia Pesteros¡¯ short 13-year of life.¡¯ Dalia asked carefully. ¡°D, doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Think about it before you say it. If it were you, do you think it hurts?¡± ¡®You said I¡¯d never understand you.¡­¡¯ In disbelief, Dalia looked up at him. Hikan¡¯s body flinched, perhaps reading the thoughts through her eyes. However, instead of saying something, he immediately did the next step without changing his expression at all. Dalia followed his lead. Fortunately, I came to my senses this time and didn¡¯t make any mistakes again. After the final step, Madam Mathieu pped her hands with a very satisfied expression. ¡°It¡¯s really, really nice to see. There¡¯s nothing that the Duke can¡¯t do. ¡° It was not pretentious, but sincerity that can be heard from her voice. Of course, as soon as Hikan looked at Madam Mathieu, he avoided his eyes immediately. Madam Mathieu¡¯s gaze moved to Dalia. ¡°Miss too, you¡¯ve really improved a lot. If you practice a little more, you won¡¯t make any mistakes.¡± ¡°Th, thank you, Madam Mathieu.¡± Dalia smiled awkwardly. Madam Mathieu said she had nothing more to teach today. Only Hikan and Dalia left in the room. She awkwardly looked at him and grabbed his hand. But before Dalia could offer an apology, Hikan removed his hand and opened his mouth bluntly. ¡°If you¡¯re going to apologize, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± Dalia smiled sweetly. Hikan¡¯s expression became somewhat subtle, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°By the way brother, what brings you here?¡± You probably didn¡¯te all the way here to see me dance. ¡°I¡¯m here regarding the matter of yourdy-in-waiting.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Nanny told me already.¡± ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has appointed someone to be yourdy-in-waiting.¡± Dalia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve looked everywhere too, but the one His Majesty has chosen is better for you.¡± ¡°Whaatt?¡± She said in a more surprised tone. Hikan frowned his brows. ¡°Why do you be more surprised?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± ¡°Then did you think that I¡¯d send someone who has the Pesteros name to the ball without ady-in-waiting?¡± ¡®Just now¡­¡­did you call me Pesteros?¡¯ It was obvious, but I never thought I would hear from him. Dalia was feeling a little weird. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s the person that His Majesty has chosen. Mind your manners.¡± Hikan said indifferently. He looked no different from his usual self. But Dalia had a small suspicion as she looked at his side. Perhaps, as the Duchess Blueport said, Hikan is changing a little bit? But even before her thoughts expanded further, Hikan said. ¡°You will meet for the first time at this ball. She asked me to tell you that she was sorry for noting to see you in advance due to circumstances.¡± Then she will enter the ball with Madam Mathieu. She didn¡¯t really care who she went with. Dalia nodded. Hikan casually resumed his words. ¡°Thedy-in-waiting¡¯s name is Adrisha Beniter. The Beniter family is a Viscount family that is not particrly strong. But I think there must be a reason since she was chosen by His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡®Huh? Adrisha?¡¯ The moment she heard the name, Dalia froze. Because ¡®Adrisha Beniter¡¯ is the name that appears most of the time as the heroine¡¯s disguise. Adrisha Beniter, the heroine of . Her real name is Yustia. Thedy-in-waiting that the Emperor attached to Dalia through Hikan was¡­¡­the heroine of the original! Chapter 11 ¡®That¡¯s ridiculous!¡¯ Dalia screamed inwardly. She quickly reviewed the plot of the original story. Adrisha is from a local province called Canyon. Canyon is a famous coastal area, but at the same time, it was a city where criminals camped out because of its harbor. Adrisha was raised as an assassin by Berix, the most vicious ruler of all, and was rescued shortly after the Emperor¡¯s first relief mission that was sent to the country. After that, she follows the Emperor like her father. She became the shadow of the Emperor and entered the society as a nobledy named Adrisha Beniter, while at the same time taking on various duties. In the process, she meets several male protagonists, and they all show their terrifying obsession with Adrisha¡­¡­that¡¯s what the story was about. ¡®But in the original story, she entered high society 3 years from now.¡¯ The 3 years schedule has been pulled forward¡­¡­ ¡®Is it because I appeared in the original?¡¯ It was a probable theory. The Emperor was a man who clearly separates private matters from politics. Now that Hikan has be the new duke, he must have wanted to have at least one of his own people attached to the Duke Pesteros to watch his movements. However, ady named Dalia who needed ady-in-waiting appeared. ¡®Because I didn¡¯t exist in the original work, so there¡¯s no basis to put Adrisha in the Pesteros.¡¯ However, she appeared, and the Emperor gave her Adrisha as thedy-in-waiting¡­¡­ ¡®Even if it¡¯s the butterfly effect¡­¡­¡¯ My head hurt. As the original heroine became Dalia¡¯sdy-in-waiting, she will eventually meet Dalia¡¯s brother, Hikan. If Hikan and Adrisha meet 3 years earlier than the original, how will the future unfold? Dalia recalled Hikan¡¯s story from the original. Hikan¡¯s mana will bloom 2 yearster at the age of 18. For the next year, he bes overly obsessed with raising his honor as the head of the family and uses excessive mana. Looking back now, perhaps he wanted to show his worth to the family that abandoned him. However, as a result, he meets Adrisha when his mind is at its limit, and at the same time feels strong love and hatred for her who sympathizes with him. But the current Hikan is before the ¡®Magic Blooming¡¯ happened, so he couldn¡¯t overuse his mana, and of course he wouldn¡¯t go mad. I have no idea how things will turn out when the two of them meet. Dalia was somewhat excited but at the same time worried. It was a very rare opportunity to see the original heroine, Adrisha, with her own eyes in real life! In fact, Dalia¡¯s favorite character in was Adrisha. Now that she¡¯s in the game, shouldn¡¯t she at least fulfill her personal desires? Yeah, the future is a mystery anyway. While being in confusion, Dalia waited for the uing ball. 2. Duchess Mary Blueport The date for the ball was just around the corner. The day to see the original heroine was also approaching. Dalia has been feeling a sense of crisistely. I was rtively calm since it was still long before the original work began, but with the appearance of the original heroine, I felt the need to remember and organize the original plot a bit more. That¡¯s because the death g does not take a rest in , since it was after all an exhausting reverse harem game.(*t/n: not too sure..sorry) Although there are still 3 years left until the original work begins, however as Adrisha appeared earlier than the original, we don¡¯t know when, where, or what will happen. Dalia brought paper to her desk by herself and tried to write the names of important male characters. There are a total of 3 male protagonists in this game. Including Hikan, there are four. [ The first male lead. Aceras. ] ¡®He¡¯s the leading figure.¡¯ In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that the organization started because of Aceras.(*t/n: not sure what does it mean with the ¡®organization¡¯ here..Maybe it means something else.. Dictionary not helping ??) Because after Hikan, Aceras is the next mad man in and is the only male lead in the capital city currently. ¡®I have to be very careful. Asterisk.¡¯(*t/n: asterisk is this symbol ¡®*¡¯) He is the Emperor¡¯s attendant and you may wonder how an attendant bes the male lead, but it turns out that he is also a transcendent who hid his identity. Uniquely, he acquired enormous divine power, an attribute opposite to magic, as his characteristic through the ¡®Magic Blooming¡¯. Usually, the divine power can save the transcendents which are opposite to each other, so he leaves the Frederic Empire and bes the Pope of the Holy Empire. But in the end, he couldn¡¯t restore back the depraved mind. He uses his divine power too much in order to be the Pope, which makes him the fastest of all the male characters apart from Hikan who went mad. ¡®Maybe we¡¯ll meet in the near future?¡¯ He¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s attendant, and he¡¯ll show up at every ball in the imperial court. ¡®Ugh, I don¡¯t like it.¡¯ Aceras has always appeared as a viin in routes other than his own, and since it was a war of kidnappings to get Adrisha, he has often appeared as an element of conflict like Hikan. It was somewhatplicated to think that I would meet him first this time. She stared at the name and lowered her gaze. [ 2nd male lead. Meldon. ] The next sessor to the organization that Adrisha previously joined. (Note that this was the hardest route.) [ 3rd male lead. Lewayne Blueport. ] (Son of the Duchess Blueport. The route difficulty is the same.) I omitted number 2 and 3 because they are not in the capital now. In the original, each male lead route began three yearster. Lewayne ister than this. However, as Adrisha debuted in the social world so early, no one knew what would happen in the future. ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Dalia ink-painted the paper so that no one could read it, then crumpled it and threw it away. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to Hikan, the most important final viin in this world, but what about the male lead? I thought it would be nice to see Adrisha at the ball, and see what was going on around her. Since then, she haspletely erased her thoughts from the original work and remained calm. On the other hand, she did not miss the opportunity to make money from the ball preparation. She spent all the money that Hikan had allocated to her and bought only highly convertible gold jewelry. Now I¡¯ve given up selling it little by little likest time, and I¡¯m going to pile it up and thenter when I run away, I¡¯m going to take it all and run away. ¡®One more step to get away with this!¡¯ Dalia smiled as she thought of a jewelry box full of gold ornaments. ¡°¡­¡­Why are you smiling?¡± Hikan, sitting across from me, said in a dumbfounded voice. ¡®Oh, I forgot it was the mealtime.¡¯ Dalia hastily managed her expression. Then switched to apletely bright smile and looked at Hikan. ¡°Because I¡¯m looking forward to the ball! It¡¯s my first time going to a ball¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Instead of criticizing more, Hikan lowered his gaze silently. He would¡¯ve rebuked me if it had been before. Dalia looked at him and pondered. ¡®Certainly¡­¡­he has changedtely.¡¯ He weakened. Just a little bit. ¡®Is my lethal cuteness working?¡¯ It¡¯s never going to be that. But it is true that he has changed. He tried to find ady-in-waiting for her, and he didn¡¯t look down at Dalia as cold as before and didn¡¯t say any sharp words. Although she was satisfied with this much, she felt a little sad. In no time she became attached to him, Dalia also liked Hikan. When I thought of the future where he would be the final viin and hurt many people, I felt a sore prick in a corner of my heart for some reason. ¡®Someday I¡¯ll have to leave my brother.¡¯ The absolute rule is that the soul of the transcendents bes more corrupted the more they exhaust their mana. If this was not resolved, Dalia had to run away from Hikan at any time. No, from afar, I had to leave the capital where the main events of the original work took ce. The plot of the original version is that there will soon ur an event where a transcendent will experience mana surge at a ball. There was no guarantee that the ball would not be this Pesteros ball. It is not possible for Hikan, who is still not awakened to his ¡®Magic Blooming¡¯ to appear as the final viin of the original, but since it¡¯s a Duke¡¯s crowning ball, the other 3 Ducal families will also send people. ¡®Well, how many balls are held throughout the year, so maybe this time?¡¯ Dalia thought about it in a carefree manner and smiled at Hikan. Hikan turned away pretending he hadn¡¯t seen it. Chapter 12 Before I knew it, it was the day of the ball. The Ducal household, which had been in a festive mood for the day, has been busy since dawn. The ball will be held in thergest hall of the Pesteros mansion. Dalia, who is ready from head to toe, sent away the busy maids. Now she just has to stay in her room alone and wait for someone to escort her in ¨C perhaps Madam Mathieu. Bored with nothing to do, she opened the secret diary box where she kept the money she had saved. Worried that it might be gone. She took the diaries out then put it beside her and looked at the bottompartment. Fortunately, Dalia¡¯s precious money and although it¡¯s not very rare, a fairly expensive book was well contained in the box. Dalia gave a wry smile. Then, her gaze went to the stacked diary. ¡®I used to write my diary diligently.¡¯ After remembering my previous life, I was afraid that someone would read whatever I wrote, so I never wrote it again. Dalia reminisced about her memories, so she opened thest page of her diary which was the most recent one that she had written. What did she think of on thest day before she remembered her past life? ¡®Huh?¡¯ Dalia opened it thoughtlessly and she was taken aback. In thest page, there was a sentence written that she had no memory of. It wasn¡¯t even Dalia¡¯s handwriting. [There will be salvation wherever you reach. I hope you will save many people with that power.] Dalia stared at the sentence. The first thing that she thought of was. ¡®Did someone sneak a peek?¡¯ It was a good thing that she didn¡¯t keep a diary after getting her memory. But who the hell was it, no one around Dalia had this strange way of speaking. Still, it was fortunate that it was not a curse but a blessing. Seeing that the books and money are still intact, he must not be a thief. For Dalia, who is having a hard time taking care of herself now, salvation seems a little over-exaggerated. Then. Creak. The door opened without being knocked. Dalia was so startled that she quickly covered the diaries that she had taken out of the box. She threw in more than 10 books, but there was one left in her arms. ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was Hikan who showed up. He appeared in formal wear, looking perfect as the main character of today¡¯s ascension celebration ball. Dalia looked up nkly, forgetting this confusing situation in which a strange man appeared instead of Madam Mathieu, who was supposed toe. ¡®Wow¡­¡­you¡¯re so madly handsome.¡¯ How does that look like a 16-years-old? It was a shining appearance that made her forget the situation. Seeing Hikan properly dressed in a tailcoat, she realized that he was really handsome. Thebination of neat, fine features and silver hair with sea-colored eyes and clear white skin was perfect. Dalia looked at him in a daze. Hikan frowned at the diary in Dalia¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Huk.¡± Dalia quickly hugged her diary. If he saw the words of salvation or anything, it will be ridiculed anyway. She nced in the box and all the important things were covered by her diary. ¡°¡­¡­Do you think I¡¯m interested in your diary?¡± Hikan said in a dumbfounded tone. So was it. But Dalia, wary of him, put her diary in and closed the lid of the box. I¡¯ll be in trouble if I get caught hiding books and money by mistake. It¡¯s been a long time since she forgot the enigmatic words written on thest page. She asked him in bewilderment. ¡°What, what¡¯s the matter, brother?¡± ¡°Why do you ask about something obvious?¡± Rather than answering, Hikan frowned. Then he beckoned Dalia to get up. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to enter. Come here quickly.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Dalia still didn¡¯t understand why he burst into her room and asked her to get up. She asked even though she knew it would sound stupid. ¡°But Madam Mathieu hasn¡¯te yet?¡± Hikan sighed. ¡°¡­¡­Dalia Pesteros. Who else did you think I¡¯d go to the ballroom with?¡± Does that mean that Hikan will make her as his partner? In an instant Dalia¡¯s head feels dizzy. ¡®Wow, that will be crazy awkward¡­¡­¡¯ Was what her inner self said. ¡®Don¡¯t make it obvious that you don¡¯t like it! Smile!¡¯ Both her inner self crashed. So Dalia, unable to cry orugh, just stared nkly at Hikan with her head empty. Hikan flinched, as if the expression she had is strange. ¡°¡­¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, yes!¡± Fortunately, the second inner self won. You have to smile at times like this. She got up, ran and held Hikan¡¯s hand tightly. Then she looked up at him, and smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯m happy, brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t stick so close.¡± But Hikan only said so, he did notpletely shake Dalia off. * * * Hikan and Dalia were already in the ballroom. It was the first ball that Dalia ever attended. Since her mother died and her father was always busy working, this was the first ball that Pesteros held even before Hikan returned. Naturally, it was the first time to have arge-scale ball like this one. Thanks to this, she felt a little nervous. The ballroom was packed with people even before the sun had set. This ballroom was thergest hall of the Pesteros mansion. It has all the fanciness that a ball should have, such as colorful wall decorations and lighting, sparklingrge chandeliers, champagne sses, and arge orchestra. Indeed, it is a ball that all the employees of the Pesteros have been busy preparing for a month. ¡°Wow¡­¡­¡± With her eyes wide open, she stared nkly at the ballroom. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡­¡± There was a huge difference between what you see in text and CG in the game and what you actually see. Hikan led Dalia while she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off everything. While he was receiving the congrattory wishes from those who approached, Dalia looked around with her arms folded. It seemed that the original female lead had not arrived yet. ording to the setting, she had straight ck hair and red eyes, and even after looking around, she could see a lot of ck hair, but she didn¡¯t see any red eyes. Then Dalia saw the Duchess Blueport who was alone in the distance. She wore a dark-toned dress, the usual mask and gloves. She gently refused the youngdies who shyly approached and tried to talk to her, and was sipping champagne by herself, standing against the wall. Then Dalia and her eyes met. Dalia smiled while waving her hands. Duchess Blueportter approached both Hikan and Dalia. When the Duchess appeared, everyone left their seats. Hikan stiffly showed courtesy to the Duchess Blueport. In an elegant manner, she allowed Hikan to kiss the back of her hand. ¡°Congrattions, Duke Pesteros.¡± ¡°Thank you for the wish.¡± ¡°Please take good care of your pretty sister in the future.¡± No one would notice, but it contained a subtle warning that only those who were near could feel. Dalia looked at the Duchess Blueport with a half-assured and half-worried look. Contrary to expectations, Hikan gently nodded. ¡°I will.¡± They exchange a few formal greetings. It was a rather gentle atmosphere. Before leaving, Duchess Blueport winked at Dalia and gave her a look as if she wanted Dalia to go out with her. Dalia, who understood the meaning, tapped Hikan, who was listening to others in an indifferent manner. Then she pointed to the Duchess Blueport who was walking away. Hikan immediately understood Dalia¡¯s intentions. ¡°You¡¯re thinking of going to the Duchess Blueport, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She thought he¡¯d let her go right away, but Hikan hesitated for some reason. Dalia, unaware of the meaning, looked up at Hikan and only blinked. Hikan said, forcibly avoiding her gaze. ¡°The first music ising soon.¡± Dalia realized what Hikan meant. Originally, it was customary to dance the first dance with the partner. Therefore, what Hikan meant was for her to dance the first dance with him, not with anyone else. Dalia, who had never dreamed he would say this, covered her mouth in surprise. ¡°¡­¡­Re, really?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve heard something great.¡± Hikan said coldly. Dalia¡¯s reason returned only then. ¡®Yes, because I¡¯m his partner¡­¡­this is a given. You don¡¯t have to think tooplicated.¡¯ At that time, the servant next to Hikan whispered quietly to him. ¡°Your Grace, due to the orchestra¡¯s circumstances, the first music has been postponed for an hour.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Hikan replied one beatte. But for some reason, his voice doesn¡¯t sound good. Chapter 13 He looked down at Dalia with a hard look on his face. ¡°That¡¯s what happened. Don¡¯t go outside the ballroom. Because I have to introduce Adrisha Beniter to youter.¡± ¡®As expected, she hasn¡¯te yet.¡¯ Dalia was inwardly relieved. She greeted Hikan, and left him for the Duchess Blueport. ¡°Thank you foring so far.¡± Duchess Blueport was greeted calmly. And she spoke in a gentle voice. ¡°I heard that Dalia now has ady-in-waiting as well.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s Lady Adrisha Beniter. Have you heard of her?¡± Dalia asked if she could get some information about the heroine. However Duchess Blueport shook her head. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never heard of her.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been out of society for a while. More than that, did you hear that? I heard yesterday that the Second Prince ran away again.¡± ¡°What? Again?¡± Dalia covered her mouth with surprise. The Emperor has two sons, the first is Crown Prince Leonard and the second is Prince Cedric. Crown Prince Leonard is an ordinary average child and less noticeable than other people. However, Cedric is an extraordinary transcendent who stood out even before the magic blooming. Moreover, he is a handsome man no matter what modifiers you add, so I heard that he has many passionate followers in the pce.(*t/n: not sure what it means by modifiers..dictionary said modifier so i just put it) However, the Second Prince Cedric did not appear as the male lead in the original . Apart from the ordinary Leonard, Cedric is not even a candidate for the male lead, which many yers thought was unexpected at the time. Dalia also thought that it was unusual because in other games, whether it is the Emperor or the Prince, usually the most powerful is the number one candidate for the male lead. ¡®He was so handsome, but he didn¡¯t have a route and he wasn¡¯t the male lead, so the original fans were going crazy asking for his route to be made.¡¯ However, Cedric had a fatal problem. He made a fake identity and lived asmon people when he said that he was tired of living in the imperial pce. His mana has not even blossomed yet, but he always disappears suddenly that it was necessary to mobilize manpower to find him every single time. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor must have a lot of trouble too.¡± Dalia talked with the Duchess about this and that. When she realized, a lot of time had passed. Then, the entrance suddenly became noisy. Dalia turned around and looked. ¡®Is it Adrisha?¡¯ However, the original heroine, Adrisha Beniter, was not a person who would be bewildered with all the attention by people. Maybe they¡¯re just looking at her because she¡¯s so pretty. ¡®Well, I kinda want to see that.¡¯ At that time, Duchess Blueport spoke to Dalia, rather displeased. ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What brings the Emperor here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Did hee to look for the Second Prince? The Emperor? Dalia stared at the entrance with her eyes wide open. Of course, the majority of the 4 Ducal families participated in this ball, whether they sent the sessors or came in person, but the Emperor was different. It was very, very rare for him to participate in a ball other than the one held in the Imperial Pce. ¡®In addition, there was no notice that he wasing.¡¯ However, it was the Emperor that I metst time who emerged from the crowd. He was smiling, but he looked very upset. And he was receiving countless greetings from the people around him with one hand. What follows after- ¡®Heok.¡¯ Dalia swallowed her breath when she saw him. The man who followed the Emperor was Aceras, the Prince¡¯s attendant and one of the original male leads. ¡®My goodness.¡¯ Even though I didn¡¯t like him very much, it was my first time seeing a male lead with an official route. My heart was pounding for some reason. Aceras had brown hair and green eyes, like in the original. His eyes were big and his eyes¡¯ shape were down, so he looked like a very cute boy. There was a soft smile on his lips. However, unlike his gentle appearance, Aceras¡¯ personality was on the verge of copse. He was a transcendent who had already finished the magic blooming and still possesses divine power. In terms of time, he was the fastest-growing genius among the male protagonists. The reason why he has not yet gone to the Holy Empire and remains a servant of this empire is probably because he has a secret plot. It was then- ¡®¡­¡­..Wow.¡¯ It¡¯s Adrisha. The heroine Adrisha Beniter was following the Emperor. Straight ck hair like it¡¯s been iron, eyes that red like blood under the long eyshes, and she looks like a porcin doll that shines like a fairy tale princess. Even though she¡¯s only fifteen this year, she¡¯s really beautiful. Adrisha took the hem of her skirt with impable manners and walked through the ballroom following the Emperor. Boys her age secretly looked at her. She works under the Emperor, using her assassinations and intelligence skills she had learned in her hometown. I didn¡¯t expect that she¡¯ll appear so tantly as a close aide to him. ¡®What, no matter how much a person has blessings, like this at once¡­¡¯(*t/n: sorry, not sure about this one) Now I realized that I really entered the game world. Dalia secretly looked at the two alternately. ¡°Dalia Pesteros!¡± At that time, Hikan called Dalia. Dalia turned to him. He was walking to the Emperor at a rapid pace. She hastened a bit and quickly caught up with him. Hikan took her hand and went in front of the Emperor and gave him a formal courtesy. Then said in a calm voice. ¡°Why did youe here without any notice?¡± ¡°Of course Hikan, I¡¯m here to congratte you on your ession¡­¡­but unfortunately, I don¡¯t have much time. Take this while you¡¯re here. ¡° Then Aceras, who was standing behind him, handed Hikan a rolled scroll. When I saw the imperial seal stamped, it seemed like a congrattory letter. ¡°Then now both of you do your own thing for a while. Later, Adrisha will greet Lady Dalia separately.¡± Aceras bowed and left. Adrisha smiled softly at Dalia before she left, and lifted her skirt¡¯s hem to greet her. ¡°Hello, Lady Dalia. I¡¯m Adrisha from the house of Viscount Beniter. I¡¯lle to visit youter.¡± Then she turned her steps and went away. Dalia¡¯s heart pounded as she watched her back. ¡®So, so beautiful.¡¯ At that moment, I remembered the past when I had a keyboard battle all night with Adrisha¡¯s malicious fans in my previous life. In fact, this game was closer to the growth period of a person named Adrisha rather than dating. She grew up learning assassination and espionage techniques under criminal organization. However, she refused to be influenced by them until the end, and she tried to survive and constantly try to cleanse her past sins. All of the main characters of the game express their interest by harassing her. But no matter what they do, she doesn¡¯t break. While she hated the male leads, she eventually reached out her hand. Although sometimes misunderstood, she was the only ¡®real¡¯ good person in . ¡¸Stop it! Adrisha is an angel!¡¹ ¡¸You guys¡­¡­have a nasty temper¡­¡­you don¡¯t seem to understand¡­ good people like Adisha¡­¡­¡¹ So Dalia often fought with yers on Adrisha¡¯s behalf. ¡®¡­¡­But I¡¯m d I can see her with my own eyes.¡¯ It was the first time I felt happy to fall into the world of this game. Of course, Dalia can¡¯t stop her from going through countless hardships¡­¡­ ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Dalia looked at Adrisha¡¯s back with glistening eyes, with a fan heart mixed with guilt. Then I remembered Aceras, which I had forgotten. He was within the crowd, lifting a ss from the champagne tray held by a servant, and eagerly observing as he shone within the light. ¡®Would he be interested in that as well?¡¯ Aceras is always smiling sweetly in the original work, but he¡¯s always scheming secretly from behind. Maybe he was looking for an excuse to destroy the Pesteros family. He knew how to do interference by strangely mixing his divine power with mana. As if the cathode and the anode meet and converge to zero. Not only did he manage to avoid the Emperor¡¯s ability to read the emotions in the original book, he also steals confidential information and brings it to the Holy Empire. ¡®Ummm. As expected it¡¯s ufortable.¡¯ Dalia thought, looking at Aceras. For some reason, it seemed that he shouldn¡¯t be allowed to walk around the ballroom. Chapter 14 ¡®Should I talk to him?¡¯ However then, the Emperor lowered his voice. ¡°Now we¡¯re the only ones left. Miss Dalia, you can stay here.¡± The Emperor said so, and she couldn¡¯t bear to say that she would go to see Aceras for no reason, so Dalia turned her gaze and looked at him. The Emperor covered his face with a grim look as he was telling a hard story. ¡°I¡¯m too ashamed to tell you, but ording to what my attendant has told me, Cedric is hiding here. If you don¡¯t mind, please allow me to take him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Then Hikan¡¯s face darkened. He looked like he sympathized with the Emperor. ¡®If even brother looked like that, I guess he¡¯s really unreliable.¡¯ Dalia thought. ¡°Please do so.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± The Emperor smiled with a relieved look. Then he looked around with a sharp look on his face. The air around him changed. To put it in words, it sank very low. When Dalia felt that and flinched a little, the Emperor said affectionately as if to appease her. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a harm to the surroundings, so rest assured. Maybe he used magic to change the color of his eyes and hair to hide, and he¡¯ll have to consume mana. If I intentionally control the flow of mana, I can tell where he is.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± To put it lightly, it was a tremendous ability to be able topletely control the flow of mana in such arge space. Dalia also learned about basic magic in liberal arts, so she knew that much. ¡°All right, he¡¯s right there.¡± The Emperor said briefly and then strode off somewhere. Dalia was confused and her eyes followed his back. The Emperor stopped at one wall of the hall. At the end of his step was a boy. It was definitely someone she hadn¡¯t seen before at the ballroom. Seeing him dressed as a servant, he seemed to have changed his face and disguised himself. Dalia covered her mouth shut as the color of his hair and eyes gradually changed. It was the Second Prince Cedric. Straight, honey-blonde hair flowed over the handsome, high nose bridge. Dalia couldn¡¯t deny that the boy was really handsome. He seemed to be the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. Even after receiving the Emperor¡¯s fierce eyes, Cedric only smiled nonchntly. ¡°You took a while this time, Father.¡± ¡°Yes, you have disgraced this family. Change your clothes first.¡± The Emperor sighed heavily. Cedric flicked his hand lightly. Then the clothes he wore changed into a suit instead of the servant¡¯s outfit. He held out his hands like he¡¯s being arrested. The Emperor sighed and waved his hands. And took him to Hikan. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. I¡¯m sorry for ruining the ball.¡± Cedric next to him spoke to Hikan in a friendly but somehow sarcastic tone. ¡°Hello, Hikan. Aceras, I wish I could have kept that moron¡¯s mouth shut a little more¡­¡­¡± ¡°Cedric!¡± The Emperor sternly called him. Cedric smiled and closed his mouth. Dalia recalled the information flow from the original. Aceras was the Emperor¡¯s servant, and on the surface he was like an angel, so he was on good terms with most people, but not with the Second Prince Cedric. Aceras, who still dislikes him, must have spilled out Cedric¡¯s tracks. Although Aceras was madly twisted as the male lead of the original work, Cedric was also formidable. In the original, Cedric Vercelona Michelio did not have his own route, so he sometimes appeared as the supporting character in the route of other characters, and because he was so handsome and strong, he was oftenly asked to be a target character. However, he is basically a person who views the world like an ant house or a puppet game. He doesn¡¯t feel attached to others, and he doesn¡¯t care what happens to others because of him. A typical arrogant transcendent with no empathy. In other words, a sociopath. He has no inner deficiency, so he doesn¡¯t show a maniacal obsession with the heroine like Hikan or any other target character. ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Dalia kept looking at the handsome Cedric¡¯s face. I¡¯ve never seen such a handsome man in my life. Then, Cedric felt her gaze and turned to her side. Dalia covered her eyes in surprise. And then she realized how stupid she would have look like. ¡®¡­¡­I¡¯m an idiot.¡¯ She awkwardly lowered her hand, which had covered her eyes. Cedric looked at her and said with a smile. ¡°So you¡¯re Hikan¡¯s little sister.¡± Perhaps he was not asking for an answer, he immediately turned his head. ¡®¡­¡­Embarrassing.¡¯ Dalia felt like her cheeks were getting hot, so she cooled them with the back of her hands. Cedric followed the Emperor immediately. When things seemed to be resolved, Aceras stopped what he was doing right away and approached the Emperor and Cedric. Adrisha didn¡¯te to stay at the ball for the rest of the day. Then the Emperor turned back to the entrance. ¡°Take care, Hikan. I¡¯ll see you next time.¡± ¡°Have a safe trip, Your Majesty. And Your Highness the Prince.¡± Hikan called the servant to guide them. * * * After the storm passed, people returned to the ball. Hikan also seemed a little tired, but he recovered quickly. However, I¡¯m not in the mood to dance. ¡°Next is the dance.¡± Dalia nodded. At that time, Adrisha came. She lifted the hem of her dress and greeted me ording to the etiquette. ¡°Nice to meet you, Miss Dalia. I will be Miss Dalia¡¯s maid of honor. I look forward to work with you.¡±(*t/n: previously I used dy-in-waiting¡¯, but then I think maid of honor is more suitable) The thing that Dalia was so worried about finally happened. The meeting between Hikan and Adrisha. In the original, Hikan yed the role as the final viin, showing the best obsession to beat the male leads. Now that they¡¯ve already met, it feels like Dalia¡¯s death g has been moved up a notch, let alone dancing with Hikan.¡­.. ¡®Ah, just like this, in the end¡­¡­¡¯ Dalia looked up at Hikan anxiously. Trying to see if Hikan feels a maniacal obsession with Adrisha from the first meeting, or maybe he can¡¯t get his eyes off her. Hikan also looked at Dalia as he felt her gaze. He didn¡¯t give Adrisha a nce, he only looked at Dalia. Then she frowned her eyebrows a little. ¡°¡­¡­You don¡¯t like it?¡± It was aimed towards Adrisha. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Dalia thought she heard it wrong. Isn¡¯t it too cold to talk about the original heroine who he was so obsessed with like that? Dalia¡¯s expression changed subtly. Dalia shook her head hurriedly. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s not true!¡± ¡°Alright, then that¡¯s okay.¡± Hikan went elsewhere without even looking at Adrisha until the end. Dalia was awkwardly left alone with Adrisha. ¡®No matter how much the situation has changed¡­¡­but to be this uninterested?¡¯ In the original, the opportunity varies depending on the route, but as soon as he sees Adrisha, Hikan is strongly drawn to her even though he knows that she is someone that he should not be attracted to. But now Hikan wasn¡¯t like that at all. No matter how well your mind is before the mana blooms, how can you not be interested in the person who you¡¯d be so happy to die for? ¡®Let, let¡¯s wait and see for now.¡¯ If Hikan remains not obsessed with Adrisha in the future, one of the biggest conflicts in the original story will disappear altogether. ¡®Then my death g will be resolved.¡¯ Dalia¡¯s eyes glistened at the first sight of hope. Then Adrisha, still waiting for her reply, entered Dalia¡¯s sight. She greeted Adrisha in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miss Adrisha. I was thinking about something else¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, Miss Dalia. If you don¡¯t like me, I¡¯ll try harder to make you like me.¡± Adrisha chuckled quietly. It was a smile that made the hearts of those who see it feelfortable. ¡®As expected, she¡¯s my favorite!¡¯ At that moment Dalia felt proud. Her favorite game character was alive and breathing in front of her eyes. Many of the original scenes shed across Dalia¡¯s head at the moment. My heart can¡¯t take it, how is this possible! Dalia grabbed Adrisha¡¯s hand tightly and shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m really, really d you came. Please call me Daliafortably.¡± Adrisha made a slightly puzzled expression and soon smiled. ¡°Thank you for saying so, Dalia. You can talk to mefortably.¡± ¡°Oh, then, I¡¯ll call you Adrisha.¡± Thus, Dalia had a reliable maid of honor, the original heroine. Dalia suddenly remembered the Duchess of Blueport. She wanted to introduce Adrisha to her. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can youe with me to greet Duchess Blueport?¡± Adrisha gently smiled and nodded. Dalia looked around and found her. Duchess Blueport was leaning against one wall in the hall. But it¡¯s strange. The Duchess was leaning against the wall, staggering unlike before. No matter how sick and tired she was, she always maintained a noble attitude. Chapter 15 In the first ce, Duchess Blueport was a transcendent, so she rarely got sick. Dalia walked quickly in surprise. Adrisha, who followed her side, was watching the Duchess Blueport with a serious look. ¡°Duchess? Are you alright? Are you sick?¡± Dalia grabbed the Duchess¡¯s hand and looked up at her. She was covered with a mask, but her exposed jaw was visibly pale. Even her red scar looks white. Because of the cold sweat, her fine hair was wet with sweat. Her hand was trembling so badly that it even shook Dalia¡¯s hand. Duchess Blueport pulled Dalia¡¯s hand out. A hoarse voice managed to emanate from her throat. ¡°¡­¡­Dalia, don¡¯te near me now. Stay away.¡± ¡°Duchess?¡± ¡°The thing that I thought would happen one day¡­¡­.¡± Duchess Blueport lifted her brow and spoke incoherently. Dalia was confused and just looked at her. At that time, someone pulled Dalia¡¯s arm away from the Duchess. Thanks to this, Dalia lost the opportunity to think deeper about the incident. Looking back, it was Adrisha. She looked back at the Duchess Blueport with a serious expression and stepped back. ¡°Dalia,e here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± Adrisha couldn¡¯t tell the reason. Dalia read the hidden words behind it. A transcendent sweating and shaking hands for no reason was a sign of congestion. After the terrible maniacal ident of Duke Artus, a never happened before phenomenon, the Transcendent Congestion was now about to take ce in front of Dalia¡¯s eyes.(*t/n: This is the best word that I can find. Even the dictionary said congestion, so¡­) ¡®Wh, why all of a sudden?¡¯ She just couldn¡¯t understand. Then, she reached a certain possibility. A possibility that she never wanted to think about. In fact, it is a possibility that she has forcibly ignored it even though she knew it wasn¡¯t hopeless. She knew there would soon be a transcendent going berserk. It is not clearly stated what happened, but it is only known that a transcendent was in a mana rush at some party and caused an ident. Duchess Blueport is no longer a Duke in four years.(*t/n: means that she no longer the family head) The position is being filled by her son, Duke Lewayne Blueport. ¡®A transcendent.¡¯ The transcendent who went out of control at the party¡­..was it actually the Duchess Blueport? ¡®But the Duchess is here for me. Without me, the Duchess would not have been here.¡¯ It was beyond herprehension. In the original, the transcendent who went berserk was Duchess Blueport. If so, does it mean that the event that should happen in the original will happen regardless of the existence of Dalia? Looking at the first meeting between Adrisha and Hikan, Dalia thought that maybe her presence could be a variable to change the original. But then¡­¡­ will Hikan be obsessed with Adrisha again as he did in the original someday? ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Dalia moved a step back along with Adrisha. Before they knew it, the two were about ten steps away from the Duchess Blueport. Not only the two but everyone also felt something strange, and people were slowly moving away from the Duchess Blueport. At that point Adrisha realized the seriousness of the situation. She sent Dalia behind her and looked for Hikan right away. ¡°Your Excellency, Duke Hikan Pesteros! Call the Emperor right now! He probably hasn¡¯t gone far yet!¡± Hikan hurriedly gave orders to the servant. Dalia looked at him nkly. I¡¯ve never seen him make such a serious expression. This meant that the situation was so serious. Hikan had not yet had the magic blooming, so he did not have the power to stop the Duchess Blueport alone. ¡®However, calling His Majesty the Emperor means that the Duchess Blueport¡­¡­ will die here.¡¯ Because there is only one way to stop the transcendent¡¯s berserk, that transcendent needs to die. Dalia felt sad. She only had Duchess Blueport. Her parents passed away, and Hikan, the only blood rtive, was too far from her. ¡®Now she¡¯s alone again.¡¯ Did she feel like this when the Duchess lost her husband in the fire ident? Dalia knows that this incident will end quietly without causing any casualties. But she will never see Duchess Blueport again. Dalia turned her head again and looked at the Duchess. She now seemed to be having a hard time trying to hold out. The moment the Duchess scraped the wall behind her with her fingernails, one side of the ballroom wall copsed. Boom! In an instant, the ballroom became a mess. People screamed in panic. Everyone knew how terrible the consequences of the Transcendent Congestion were. Slowly, the mana flowing from the Duchess Blueport¡¯s whole body began to change the air around her. It was a sign that the congestion was not far off. ¡°Argh!¡± A young man who ran out of the ball stopped screaming. He fumbled in front of him. An invisible wall was in front of him. In addition, many people were looking at each other with a puzzled look due the wall that had sprung up in front of them. When the transcendent began to experience mana rush, their special abilities would manifest randomly as they do now. The power which originally intended to protect others, was rather preventing people from evacuating. ¡°Everyone calm down. If you get stuck, you can go in the other direction.¡± Hikan was the only one who kept hisposure and calmly evacuated people. Adrisha hurriedly turned to Hikan while protecting Dalia in her arms. He was on the porch about 50 meters away from them, trying to evacuate the people. ¡°What about His Majesty the Emperor!¡± ¡°They said he¡¯ll be here in a minute.¡± Hikan answered with a loud voice that could be heard from a distance, but still in a hard tone. It was a voice that didn¡¯t have any personal feelings such as love or obsession. Nevertheless, it was surprising. Adrisha looked down at Dalia. She seemed quite confused about the situation, but she smiled for Dalia, who was younger than her. Even though she¡¯s only 15 years old. ¡°It¡¯s our first day and a lot of bad things happen, Dalia. Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± ¡°What about Adrisha?¡± Instead of answering, Adrisha smiled. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to watch the state of Her Excellency Duchess Blueport closely. Dalia, will you get out of here first?¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°I am a person who serves His Majesty the Emperor, so this is my duty.¡± In principle, yes. It was one of the Emperor¡¯s duties to stop the berserking transcendent. But what can a 15-year-old youngdy do? Knowing that it was suicidal to keep close to the berserking transcendent, Adrisha seemed determined to do so. To prevent further damage. Even this was like the original heroine that Dalia liked. ¡°Dalia,e here. It¡¯s dangerous there.¡± Hikan also called her. Eventually, Dalia turned toward Hikan. That¡¯s right. There¡¯s nothing that Dalia can do here. Besides, if Duchess Blueport really meets her end here¡­¡­Dalia didn¡¯t have the confidence to see it. The tip of her nose was cold and she was tearing up. The phrase in the diary that she had seen beforeing here came to mind. [There will be salvation wherever you reach. I hope you will save many people with that power.] But Dalia was too weak to save others. It was hard for her to even take care of herself. So she tried to run away from the original. She knows all the events in the original, but she knows that she can¡¯t stop it. But if she knew that the most precious person to her now would be victimized by the original incident. If so¡­¡­what could she have done then? Even so, she couldn¡¯t help it. She turned back and walked one step at a time toward Hikan. ¡°Dalia.¡± Then, she heard a voice from behind. It was Duchess Blueport. She called her in a voice small enough to be heard only by Dalia, but strangely clear. ¡°I have something to say to Dalia.¡± Her trembling heart strangely calmed down. Her rationality came. Perhaps there is no friend in the world who can move forward in this situation. ¡®If this is the ident that happened in the original work, then there will be no casualties.¡¯ In addition, if the main event of the original will happen unconditionally as Dalia predicted, then the heroine would not die before the beginning of the original work. She¡¯s much closer to the Duchess Blueport than Dalia is now. ¡®And this energy¡­¡­.¡¯ The magic of Duchess Blueport was neither aggressive nor destructive at all. Rather, it felt very peaceful and soft. ¡®Perhaps.¡¯ Maybe it¡¯s okay. Dalia stopped walking. She could feel Adrisha¡¯s bewildered gaze. ¡°Hikan! Damn it, what¡¯s all this about?¡± At that time, the Emperor who had left returned hastily. His expression was also serious, as he didn¡¯t anticipate this kind of future. The Second Prince and other employees were all sent back and he returned alone. The Emperor turned Hikan toward him and spoke in a harsh tone. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand. Duchess Blueport was extremely stable a week ago. There¡¯s no reason for this to happen all of a sudden. Have you tried to calm her down?¡± Hikan looked at the Emperor, leaving the white sphere behind. He briefly reported the situation and said,(*t/n: the white sphere is the barrier that the Duchess unconsciously put up) ¡°Her special ability is a barrier. An invasive attempt is meaningless¡± ¡°Okay, it¡¯s not too much firepower anyway. Instead, it¡¯s going to be that hard to deal with.¡± At that time, the Emperor¡¯s gaze turned to the back of Hikan. His eyes widened and immediately a loud voice came out. ¡°Hikan! Your sister is still there¡­!¡± At the same time, a tremendous amount of energy which was iparable to before began to flow from Duchess Blueport. The momentum is so strong that Hikan, who turned against the sphere, can feel it without looking back. He looked back. The tremendous energy flowing from the Duchess Blueport quickly consumed the space around her. As if a huge dome was formed around the Duchess, her energy turned white wherever she stretched out. From a distance it was like arge white sphere. The nearest Adrisha went first into the sphere, and then. Just behind Dalia Pesteros is the Blueport¡¯s white spheres. Chapter 16 She was on the verge of being sucked into it. Hikan¡¯s face was distorted by the totally unexpected ident. Dalia and Hikan¡¯s eyes met. ¡®Why on earth! You didn¡¯te and are still there¡­¡­!¡¯ In fact, Hikan was also in a dangerous situation. Before the magic blooming, the transcendent do not know how to use mana, so he keeps the enormous power within himself. If it collides head-on with the mana of another transcendent, it could cause a major catastrophe more than the congestion, so it had to be avoided unconditionally. But when he saw Dalia, standing as if her legs were stiff, for some reason, he felt a pain in his chest. It was strange. Hikan really seemed to regret if he missed her again this time. Anyway, he caught his heart that he was just trying to die, so it¡¯s really okay to do that now.(*t/n: I don¡¯t know about this part, sorry) ¡®Although I know everything.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know why she is looking at him to the end. Are you testing yourself to see if you¡¯ll be saved again? He hates tests. People who don¡¯t expect anything from him anyway will test him and giggle as it was expected. Like a mother who abandoned him for not apologizing for breaking a friend¡¯s leg by mistake. But as soon as the white light came right behind Dalia, Hikan thought that it was okay. His body moved first. He ran and grabbed Dalia¡¯s little hand. She was on the verge of being eaten by the light. Now, all he has to do is pull her. He didn¡¯t hesitate this time. He saved Dalia Pesteros. It didn¡¯t matter if she tried to test him. Dalia was very close. Seeing her up close, she was smaller and younger than Hikan thought. Dalia, who he thought would be deeply moved, just smiled awkwardly for some reason. She gently pushed him back. Taken aback by the unexpected situation, Hikan missed Dalia. She said silently, mouthing the word. ¡®It¡¯s all right.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯te.¡¯ And she smiled slightly. The white light swallowed Dalia in front of Hikan¡¯s eyes. Hikan stared nkly at the scene. The sight of Dalia being eaten by the light in front of his eyes was totally unrealistic. ¡°Even if brother hates me, I will like brother.¡± Why do I have to remember this now? Dalia herself told him not toe. Did she want to say that he didn¡¯t have to save her on purpose likest time? If you want her to disappear, you can just let her go? ¡®How the hell can you say that?¡¯ Whenever Hikan looked at Dalia, he felt as if he were looking down at ake so deep that he could not even guess the depth of the water. No matter how long I observed her, I couldn¡¯t understand her. Did he actually want to tell Dalia at the time that he didn¡¯t hate her? It can¡¯t be. It¡¯s true that he hates her, but that¡¯s his intention. Hikan unwittingly tried to reach into it. But before that, the Emperor hurriedly grabbed his cor and pulled him back. ¡°Are you crazy right now? It¡¯s deadly to be swept away by that force for a pre-blooming transcendent like you!¡± But Hikan didn¡¯t understand. He just called his sister¡¯s name to the sphere. ¡°Dalia Pesteros!¡± There was no answer. Hikan spat out curses. ¡°Damn it, Dalia!¡± As soon as the sphere swallowed the Dalia, it stopped expanding. The Emperor raised and drew his sword, but not a scratch was found. ¡°As expected¡­ ¡­the ¡®protective wall¡¯ has been activated. This whole sphere is a huge barrier. There¡¯s no way we can pull this off.¡± The Emperor sighed deeply. Now no one knew what would happen in that sphere. Hikan only red at the sphere with bloodshot eyes. * * * ¡®Whoa, that was a close call.¡¯ Dalia was greatly relieved. This ce seemed to be inside the ¡®protective wall¡¯ where the Duchess Blueport¡¯s special ability was activated. It was a white space close to nothing. I was nervous about what would happen when I came in, but all my limbs were attached and I didn¡¯t feel any pain. As Dalia predicted. This was not the ce where the Duchess Blueport built to hurt others. Dalia thought nkly. She didn¡¯t expect that Hikan woulde to save her. At the same time, she felt fortunate that he was not affected by the Duchess Blueport¡¯s mana. ¡®By the way, is Duchess Blueport okay?¡¯ It was wise toe in here¡­¡­right? Dalia looked for Adrisha in worry. As she walked through the white space, Adrisha was also close by. ¡°Dalia! As I thought¡­¡­¡± Adrisha looked at Dalia and held her hand tightly, with a sad expression on her face. ¡°I have to protect others, but I¡¯m sorry. You came in here with me.¡± ¡°No it¡¯s okay. And for some reason here¡­.I think it¡¯s safe.¡± Adrisha nodded. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Usually, the transcendent congestion causes a lot of victims. The barrier around us has never gotten bigger.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Then Hikan¡¯s innate mana will not collide with the Duchess Blueport¡¯s. Dalia sighed again in relief. ¡°But¡­¡­there¡¯s a problem.¡± Adrisha said cautiously. ¡°Here, it¡¯s getting smaller.¡± Dalia opened her eyes wide. ¡°¡­¡­Re, really?¡± ¡°Yes, the wall was getting closer, so I kept backing away because I thought I shouldn¡¯t touch it.¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡­¡± I hated being crushed to death. ¡®I thought it wasn¡¯t a ce to hurt others¡­¡­¡¯ When Dalia¡¯s expression darkened, Adrisha spoke brightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. There must be a way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been thinking, why don¡¯t we go see the Duchess Blueport?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Once the congestion begins, the Duchess¡¯s condition will get worse. If the sphere gets smaller like this, we¡¯ll meet anyway, so wouldn¡¯t it be better to meet before that?¡± For some reason, it seemed to have a point, but it was a strange remark. Dalia contemted for a moment and agreed. As Adrisha said, there was nothing else they could do in this situation. And she wanted to meet the Duchess Blueport, too. No matter what, she was her friend. Dalia and Adrisha began walking towards the center of the sphere. ¡°Dalia is¡­¡­amazing. Even at times like this, you are brave. I couldn¡¯t do this when I was Dalia¡¯s age.¡± On the way, Adrisha spoke in a somehow impressed tone. When she calmed down a little, Dalia was amazed at the reality that she was walking alone with the person that she adored. It would have been better if this was not their first meeting. ¡°Adrisha is even better.¡± ¡°What? Not really.¡± Adrisha burst intoughter in embarrassment. Nevertheless, Dalia clearly remembered Adrisha¡¯s attempt to stop the transcendent without hesitation. She asked cautiously. ¡°Adrisha said that you served the Emperor, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What exactly do you do?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really do anything. It¡¯s just that I respect him and follow him, and he doesn¡¯t throw me out. Wouldn¡¯t it be the closest thing to a servant?¡± Even in the original version, Adrisha always answered like this whenever she was asked about her rtionship with the Emperor. ¡°But you¡¯re not a transcendent¡­¡­weren¡¯t you scared?¡± ¡°Someone has to do it. Although I couldn¡¯t protect Dalia in the end.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Amazing.¡± Dalia expressed her heartfelt admiration. Adrisha smiled awkwardly. ¡°¡­¡­Thank you for your kind word.¡± While having a trivial talk, the two met Duchess Blueport after a while. She stood still with a serene, sad look on her face. The gloves and mask on her face were ripped off, perhaps due to the influence of the mana rush. Her dress was torn in several ces, and thece and decorations were separated. Wearing a messy dress and showing her scars, she looked as weak and sad as a prey being chased by predators. Nevertheless, she was still as graceful and elegant as a deer. Dalia tried to reach her first, but Adrisha hurriedly stopped her. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, Dalia. If you touch her, she might explode.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Wasn¡¯t it Adrisha who asked toe here to find her?¡± Dalia asked, confused. Adrisha had a slightly troubled look on her face. ¡°That¡¯s also true. But I¡¯m a little nervous when I see the Duchess right in front of me.¡± While the two were talking, the Duchess Blueport¡¯s eyes lit up. She slowly raised her head and looked at the two. Adrisha, who noticed it first, pushed Dalia behind her back. Duchess Blueport speaks in a restless and feeble voice. ¡°¡­¡­Miss Adrisha Beniter. Are you here to protect Dalia?¡± Adrisha nced at Dalia behind her and nodded. Duchess Blueport forcibly raised the tail of her mouth and drew something like a smile. ¡°This is a space to restrain me. People are not allowed to enter the walls here, but you can leave freely except for me.¡± The words made Dalia feel sad again. This is because she knew why there were no casualties during the congestion event in the original. Duchess Blueport was incredibly thoughtful even when she was about to die. ¡°Then¡­¡­what about the Duchess?¡± Dalia said in a trembling voice. The Duchess replied with a sour but mild voice. ¡°There¡¯s no turning back the soul that has started the congestion. I¡¯ll wait here slowly until my walls finish me off. ¡° Dalia knew why the walls slowly approaching this way. The Duchess is trying to crush herself. Chapter 17 Dalia¡¯s face turned white. Adrisha, on the other hand, was calm as she had guessed the Duchess¡¯s decision from the first time she heard the exnation about the wall. ¡°¡­¡­Miss Adrisha, I would like to spend myst time with Dalia while my reason still allows it. Would you mind leaving us?¡± Adrisha¡¯s hesitation can be seen on her face. In the first ce, Dalia came here to talk to the Duchess Blueport, and although the Duchess was still holding on to her reason, it was impossible to leave the transcendent in congestion and ordinary people alone. However, it was also true that her situation was unusual. Dalia quickly grasped Adrisha¡¯s hands tightly as she wrapped them in her own hands. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Trust me.¡± After much thought, Adrisha nodded. She lingered to thest minute and eventually hugged Dalia tightly and said sorry. ¡°See youter, Dalia.¡± Adrisha walked towards the wall of the white sphere. She will soon meet the Emperor and exin the situation. Maybe Hikan¡¯s there with him. ¡®Will my brother be sad if I die here?¡¯ He tried to catch Dalia at the end. It must have been dangerous for him too. He¡¯ll probably feel sad a little. But if Dalia dies, andter Hikan¡¯s mind is pushed to the limit as the original, will he remember her? Dalia frowned for no particr reason. ¡°Dalia.¡± Then, the Duchess called Dalia in a peaceful voice. ¡°Shall we sit down?¡± Duchess Blueport sat on the floor wearing a dress. Dalia sat right along. Perhaps it is hard for the Duchess to stand now. ¡°Did youe here to find me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why? It would have been dangerous.¡± ¡°I miss you.¡± Duchess Blueportughed out loud. What signal did she take theughter as her muscles flinched for a moment and sank back. She could see how fierce the fighting that was going on inside her.(*t/n: sorry not sure about the first sentence) In a more sour voice than before, the Duchess Blueport said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have much time. ¡° ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Dalia, I once said that transcendents are lonely and alone, right?¡± Dalia nodded. ¡°I used to think that when I lost my husband in the fire ident, I felt that I lost everything in the world. There¡¯s no hope in life, so I thought that maybe I should just go wild and wipe it all out. Of course, it was before the mana blooming, so I couldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But I changed my mind after I met Dalia who was still a baby. Dalia is so lovely and cool that I thought she might be a hero and save the worldter.¡± It was the phrase that she saw in her diary. Dalia was in tears. ¡°Hikan is also fortunate to have Dalia, so he must be happy because of you, I¡¯m sure he would think so. It¡¯s a pity that I couldn¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I am not confident about that.¡± Dalia spoke quietly. The original work cannot be changed. The corruption of the soul of the transcendent cannot be prevented. Although Hikan is good now, he will eventually go mad and be the final viin, and Adrisha whom he likes the most will suffer and be lonely no matter which of the three male protagonists she chooses. In her previous life, she indirectly enjoyed this world in the name of games. But now that this world has be a reality, she wasn¡¯t confident to deal with all of it. When she knew that there was no way to stop it, she just wanted to run away. ¡®But this is the result now.¡¯ To lose Duchess Blueport before her own eyes. Dalia was sad. She buried her head on her knee and slowly looked up at the Duchess Blueport. ¡°To me, the Duchess was my mother. I¡¯m so sad that I can¡¯t see you anymore. Can I hug you?¡± Duchess Blueport silently opened her arms. She was extremely reluctant to touch others because of her burn mark. So, even Dalia had never hugged her. It would be the first and thest. In her original form, without gloves or mask. Someone may be reluctant to look at it, but that wasn¡¯t Dalia. She grabbed and hugged the Duchess Blueport. She could feel the sensation of the scar. She felt like she was holding a dear family. [There will be salvation wherever you reach] If so, Dalia eagerly hoped that she could save the Duchess. Duchess Blueport¡¯s hand quietly touched her back. Their warm hug continued for a while. It was time for Dalia to leave. But at that moment, something unbelievable happened. The white space surrounding them began to gradually copse from the ceiling. The white ceiling changed to the ceiling of the ballroom, and gradually, the space itself changed into the panoramic view of the ballroom. There was also the wall that the Duchess had destroyed. After that, Adrisha, the Emperor who was stiff in surprise¡­¡­ and Dalia¡¯s brother, Hikan. At that moment, the body of the Duchess Blueport, which Dalia was hugging, fell helplessly. The Emperor strode along with a wide stride to hold the fainted Duchess andy her to the floor. Holding the Duchess¡¯s arm and neck, he murmured in disbelief. ¡°She just¡­..fainted. The flow of emotion is also too normal for her to be in a congested state.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Is this possible? How do you stop the transcendent congestion like this?¡± Adrisha muttered, as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. First of all, block all the outsiders. Until we solve this problem, it¡¯s a secret between us.¡± Adrisha nodded and went to look outside. There was no one else in the ballroom because of what happened. Whether that fact is true or not, Dalia was not entirely sure. But the congestion¡­¡­seemed to be over for the Duchess Blueport. ¡®Wha, what is going on?¡¯ In the original, the transcendent congestion did not stop this way. It ended with one person¡¯s death without any other fatalities. ¡®The original has changed.¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know why the original was changed, but the fact that the Duchess Blueport did not die made her happy enough now. ¡®That¡¯s a relief.¡¯ She looked at the Duchess Blueport who had her eyes closed. The Duchess was asleep peacefully as if nothing happened. ¡°Dalia!¡± Hikan grabbed Dalia¡¯s shoulder and turned her around. He was making an expression that she had never seen before. ¡°Are you hurt¡­! Did you get hurt anywhere?¡± Dalia shook her head. Hikan bit his lips. ¡°How on earth-¡­. how¡­. why did you¡­¡­¡± His expression slowly distorted. As if he was in distress. Dalia still felt dazed. She put her hand on his cheek because she felt like she should soothe him. Then Hikan¡¯s expression became more distorted. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry. Were you worried?¡± Hikan shut his mouth. His eyes shook. As if he heard something that he could hardly admit. As a result, there¡¯s a slight pressure on his hand that was holding Dalia¡¯s shoulder. Her eyebrows were wrinkled because of the pain. ¡°Ouch¡­..¡± Hikan immediately released his hand in surprise. He said something unbelievable. ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry.¡± Goodness, she can¡¯t believe that she can hear Hikan say sorry in her lifetime. Dalia was so shocked that she forgot about the current situation. ¡®Maybe, as the Duchess said..¡­¡¯ At that time, the Emperor who had fully understood the current state of the Duchess stood up. It was unbelievable, but he looked quite happy at the first precedent of the fallen soul of the transcendent returned. He smiled and stopped Hikan. ¡°Come on, Hikan. Miss Dalia is surprised. Stop ande here.¡± He came in between Hikan and Dalia and bent his knees to meet her eye level. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Dalia. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to hear an exnation of what happened in there. It will be impossible today, but can youe to the pceter?¡± Dalia nodded. The Emperor smiled. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°When I first saw Miss Dalia, I thought that you were a delicate little girl, but it seems that I¡¯m wrong. I apologize for that. Will you ept my apology?¡± It was unusual for the Emperor to apologize. But he smiled casually and asked Dalia to shake his hand. Rather, is it because he has the absolute power, that¡¯s why he has the freedom to do anything? Dalia hesitated for a moment and held his hand. The Emperor held Dalia¡¯s hand tightly for a while. Then he raised his head and looked at Dalia with a confused expression. ¡°What is¡ª¡ª?¡± Simr to the previous situation, Dalia only blinked her eyes. The Emperorughed and let Dalia¡¯s hand go. This time, he put his hand on her shoulder and closed his eyes. As if trying to feel something from her. He opened his eyes and shook his head. ¡°I see. With direct physical contact like me¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The Emperor calmly took his hands off her shoulders. ¡°Miss Dalia, do you still have no ns to get engaged?¡± ¡°What?¡± Dalia¡¯s eyes widened at the words that were out of context. The Emperor¡¯s suggestion of the engagement reminded her of the past when he had a fierce conflict with Hikan. ¡®By any chance, this time too?¡¯ Dalia¡¯s eyes shook violently. Then the Emperor quickly changed his attitude. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Next time, I¡¯ll see you next time.¡± His voice sounded desperate for some reason. Dalia, who wanted to erase the topic of engagement as soon as possible, immediately nodded. The Emperor smiled, turned around, put his hand under the Duchess Blueport¡¯s knee and lifted her who was unconscious. Dalia ran to his side. ¡°The Duchess¡­ she¡¯s okay now, aren¡¯t she?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not totally sure, but it seems like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­¡­¡± Only then did the tears that she had been holding back pour out. The tip of her nose was dyed red, and the Emperor swept her bangs with a warm hand. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Miss Dalia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Since the rtionship between both of you is so strong, I believe that an unprecedented ¡®miracle¡¯ has happened.¡± A ¡®miracle¡¯. Dalia recalled the phrase in her diary. Does the salvation really happen due to her prayer? She hopes so. Really. For the first time, the oue of the original has changed. That alone was very meaningful. She thought. Perhaps, wouldn¡¯t she be able to contribute to other things that she thought wouldn¡¯t change? Maybe it¡¯s possible to stop Hikan from bing the final viin? The Emperor quickly left with Adrisha. Dalia was still wiping her tears in her seat. Hikan approached her. Feeling like she needed the presence of another, Dalia hugged his waist. Then she buried her face in his arms and cried. Hikan quietly put his hand on her back instead of shaking her off as usual. He didn¡¯t say anything, but Dalia wasforted by the calm response that she had never felt before. Chapter 18 Adrisha hurriedly opened the carriage door. The Emperor put the fainted Duchess Blueport on the opposite side and flopped down on the sofa. Adrisha followed after. He looked down at his hand that held Dalia earlier. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it.¡¯ Duchess Blueport, obviously, has returned from the congestion. Her emotions through the contact were so stable that she could not be considered a congested transcendent. On the contrary, her soul seemed to have be more refreshing. It is beyond theoretical exnation. He has never seen something like this in historical books that he has read so far. Just as her extremely stable mind suddenly went mad and led to a rampage ¨C yes, this was strange too. ¨C When she came back, she came back in a sh. The Emperor got the clue for the first time when he saw Dalia Pesteros looking down at the Duchess with tears in her eyes. When he first held hands with Daliast time, he felt like his soul was clearing up. At that time, it was just a suspicion, but now that he has seen the Duchess Blueport, he was convinced. ¡®How can such a power¡­¡­?¡¯ The degradation of the souls of the transcendents is a responsibility and indispensable task in ordance with the immense power that they received. He had never heard of a way to reverse it. But it was real. In addition to that, she even restored the soul of the congested transcendent. With her, the only danger in this Frederic Empire could be eliminated. He never wanted to let her go as it was. He wants to bring back the previous engagement suggestion and keep her in the imperial family somehow. He is also a transcendent. Conscience andmon sense are not the driving force behind his behavior. However¡­¡­ the moment he brought up the suggestion of her engagement and Dalia¡¯s emotions fluctuated, he felt the energy of purification flowing from her weakened. Perhaps her ability was rted to the favorability she had toward her opponent. Its potential was strong enough to restore the soul of the Duchess Blueport, whom she was more close to than anyone else, from the congestion. ¡®Then it¡¯s more important to get her favor.¡¯ He has to dig carefully and remain a trustworthy person. Nevertheless, it was regrettable that he needed to do this. He was confident that he was a very disciplined man. If even himself would do this, what about the other impatient transcendents? ¡®Her presence may lead to a rift among the transcendents.¡¯ He thought of a few people and shook his head. With the exception of a few, such as the Duchess Blueport, transcendents have a strong desire of ¡®mine¡¯ possessiveness by nature. Since she can be the purifier of their soul, she would run into one of them and they¡¯ll try to own her. ¡®Besides, the condition for purification is the feelings that Dalia has towards the other person.¡¯ There is too much room for abuse. There may be someone who wants to brainwash her. Or try to forcefully buy her favor, or kill everyone but herself if the rtionship goes awry. ¡®But I¡¯m d Hikan was aware of his feelings.¡¯ He pretended that he wasn¡¯t interested before, but this time he acted like he was out of his mind when Dalia was sucked into the sphere. His expression was beyond description when she returned. He doesn¡¯t think that Hikan is showing much in front of his sister yet¡­¡­but as the Emperor who reads emotions, he can see the future. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll overprotect her like a madman when he finds out.¡¯ In order to protect Dalia, Hikan had better speak at the right time.(*t/n: not too sure about this) ¡®First of all, should I send a small gift to Miss Dalia?¡¯ ¡°Adrisha.¡± Adrisha looked up. The Emperor knew that this child was more honest than anyone else and had a pure soul. He could entrust Dalia¡¯s protection to her. The Emperor told her about Dalia¡¯s ability from what he had experienced. Adrisha¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Now that you¡¯re her maid of honor, please help her. Don¡¯t let anyone touch her. I¡¯ll think of a way.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Adrisha bowed her head with a determined look. The Emperor looked at her and asked a question. ¡°What kind of person do you think she is?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Adrisha lowered her long eyshes. After serious consideration, she raised her head again. ¡°She is a very resolute and wonderful person. I wish we could be friends.¡± She meant it. She refused to protect herself for the sake of thest conversation with her friend when her life may be in danger. That appearance remained as a strong image for Adrisha. 3. Adrisha Beniter Duchess Blueport regained her consciousness two dayster in the secret room at the Imperial Pce. The Emperor confirmed that her soul had really been purified, no, it was better than before the congestion. It was unbelievable. ¡®That¡¯s how strong the bond between the Duchess of Blueport and Dalia.¡¯ Frankly, he envied the Duchess Blueport. The power that the Emperor received from her was enough to relieve his headache. They¡¯re not even that close. But their bond is so strong that she can restore the soul of the congested transcendent. He asked the awakened Duchess Blueport to exin the situation and to keep it as a secret. He didn¡¯t n to tell Dalia about her own abilities. The Duchess too, seemed to have guessed what would happen to Dalia if this ability was known. ¡°When Dalia hugged me, I realized. How much Dalia loves me. And how much I value her. And¡­..the headaches that gued me all my life went away, and I felt so happy. I thought for a moment, I don¡¯t want to lose this child forever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I think I have achieved some degree of maturity in my soul. Even I have be like this, what about the children who are younger and weaker than me¡­..¡± She closed her eyes and recalled for a moment. She then looked at the Emperor with a gentle expression. ¡°But it¡¯s a little surprising. Of course, Daliaes first, but isn¡¯t your empire more important? Then it would be better to calm public opinion by announcing Dalia¡¯s ability.¡± ¡°And if there¡¯s an ident, what if Miss Dalia mes me?¡± The Emperor is also one of the transcendents, and buying Dalia¡¯s heart is the first priority. Duchess Blueport seemed to understand. ¡°I¡¯ll keep this a secret for now.¡± ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you go back to your territory now?¡± Transcendents returning from the congestion, a miracle, no matter how much they try to avoid it, they will not be able to avoid the noise from all kinds of newspapers and gossip magazines. It would be better to leave the capital. The Emperor intended to exclude the story of Daliapletely, but not as much as the Duchess Blueport. She was the one who went on the rampage just now. Duchess Blueport nodded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. Although I¡¯ve been away for a long time¡­¡­I¡¯ve got the courage to go back there now.¡± The Duchess stopped visiting thend because of the unfortunate fire ident. However, after going through the congestion incident, the Duchess took the tragedy deeply. She thought that it would be okay to go back there now. ¡°But I still want to meet Dalia before I go.¡± ¡°Of course you should.¡± The Emperor smiled. The Emperor came out after talking with the Duchess. Aceras was waiting for him. The Emperor took off his coat and handed it to him. Aceras was a beatte. The Emperor smiled lightly and med him. ¡°You¡¯ve made a lot of mistakestely.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Aceras quickly apologized. The Emperor didn¡¯t really care about it. However, it was true that his beloved servant sold his mind elsewhere these days. ¡®What are you thinking?¡¯ He lightly touched Aceras¡¯ shoulder and read his feelings. Aceras was always the same, calm and gentle. ¡®It must have been tiring.¡¯ But even after the Emperor passed, Aceras¡¯ eyes were still fixed on the Duchess¡¯s room. Green eyes, whose false gentleness had been removed, shone darkly. He was amoner without a surname, however he had several secrets that no one knew. For example, people can¡¯t read others mind by cleverly building a barrier with divine power. ¡®¡­¡­That was unexpected.¡¯ Transcendent who returned from congestion, who did it? Aceras was always taking a step back, watching, hearing, and observing everything. He was counting everyone who had evacuated from the ballroom at the time, so he knows who was left. Among them, there was only one person who was neither a transcendent nor an imperial family. Dalia Pesteros. Adrisha Beniter couldn¡¯t totally rule out the possibility, but the odds were low. ¡®I need to find out more.¡¯ Just in time, there was an imperial ball scheduled for a monthter. There was a strange expectation in his crazy eyes. Chapter 19 Two dayster, Dalia was summoned by the Emperor to the Imperial Pce. This time she was alone without Hikan. The capital had already been turned upside down by the news of the Duchess Blueport¡¯s congestion. Furthermore, the transcendent congestion caused no casualties, and the return of the affected party to its pre-berserk state was a huge sensation. It could only be described as a miracle. Only the Emperor and Hikan were officially present at the scene. Dalia and Adrisha were left out of the story. It is said that it is better to stay low to prevent it from bing noisy. And Dalia agreed with that. The Emperor greets Daliafortably in his office instead of in the audience hall. ¡°Thank you for the trouble foring here, Miss Dalia.¡± It was obvious to everyone that he was smiling very brightly. As if he¡¯s very d to see Dalia. At the unexpected hospitality, Dalia bowed to the Emperor in half embarrassment and half joy. ¡°Here,e and sit down.¡± The Emperor kindly guided Dalia to her seat and then continued to look at her with a very happy face. ¡°So tell me what happened that day. ¡° She told the Emperor roughly what was happening that day. However, the same was true that Dalia could not understand the situation. She met the Duchess Blueport, talked to her, and gave her thest hug, and suddenly the Duchess¡¯s congestion stopped and her reason returned. This was all she knew. The Emperor, who had been listening for a long time, nodded. ¡°Of course, there is nothing that can be exined except for a miracle. I guess that Miss Dalia¡¯s love for the Duchess Blueport reached God.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Is that so?¡± The Emperor smiled and nodded. There was no way for Dalia to know about her ability unless she¡¯s a transcendent like the Emperor. So Dalia herself had no choice but to believe the word ¡®miracle¡¯. There¡¯s nothing that can be exined. Just vaguely, she thought the words in her diary [There will be salvation wherever you reach] might have something to do with this. Looking at Dalia who was deep in thought, the Emperor said softly. ¡°Miss Dalia, I think this is entirely due to Miss Dalia. ¡° ¡°¡­¡­Tha, thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being serious. For the first time, I see the possibility of the transcendent to recover from the congestion. It may be an opportunity for the public opinion to change favorably. Now that I have seen the light thanks to Miss Dalia, so next time if you have something to ask of me, just ask for it. Even when you have business with me, don¡¯t put in the request for an audience, juste and see me.¡± Ask the Emperor if you want anything. Has anyone ever heard such a statement? It was a very unconventional remark. However. ¡®He¡¯s not joking likest time, is he?¡¯ Dalia looked at the Emperor half in doubt. The Emperor spoke nicely as if he had read Dalia¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry aboutst time. Dalia was so cute that I wanted to tease you. But this time, I¡¯m not kidding. Come when it¡¯s really convenient. Would you believe me if I gave you my pass?¡± Dalia stood silently. After reading the meaning of her silence, the Emperor really took out a file and gave Dalia a pass that allowed her to freely enter the Imperial Pce. You must always receive what you received and live. Only then did Dalia give a big smile. After that, the Emperor guided Dalia to the Duchess Blueport. She lost weight a little, but when she saw the Duchess Blueport, who returned to her original state, Dalia held back her tears again. Instead, she ran to her and hugged her. ¡°Duchess! Really, I was so worried¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dalia.¡± The Duchess patted Dalia in her arms. The two talked for a long time. ¡°I¡¯m about to go to my territory. Since this happened, I think I should hand over the position of Duke to my son. He just had his magic blooming.¡± ¡®Ah, so this is how it happens.¡¯ No matter if the current Duchess Blueport dies or not, the future of Lewayne Blueport bing a Duke did not seem to change. ¡°Ah, we¡¯re just going to do the Duke¡¯s coronation ceremony at the Dukedom.¡± The direct descendants of the Duke of Pesteros spent most of their lives in the mansion in the capital for generations. Most of thend was left to self-government, and the owner of thend only went on business trips asionally. The Blueport family, on the other hand, had considerable influence on thend, and did note to the capital unless it was during social season. The current Duchess of Blueport, who continued to stay in the capital, was an exception. ¡°When Lewaynees to the capital one day, let¡¯s meet him then. I¡¯ll tell him about Dalia.¡± Maybe it will be 4 yearster. Dalia smiled awkwardly. The original male lead is also burdensome. ¡°When we meet next time, call me Mary. I won¡¯t be the Duchess of Blueport then.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little tacky, isn¡¯t it? So I didn¡¯t talk much.¡± Duchess Blueport slightly smiled in embarrassment. Dalia shook her head. ¡°Dalia was one of the most precious people I¡¯ve ever met in my life. See you again. I¡¯ll visit the capital from time to time when things get sorted out. I hope the next time we see each other, we¡¯ll both be happier.¡± The Duchess patted Dalia on the back and said that. Dalia also smiled. And that was her farewell with the Duchess. It¡¯s always sad to say goodbye, but she was happy with the fact that the Duchess was alive. * * * When the Duchess Blueport left, it was Adrisha who filled her vacancy. Since Adrisha became Dalia¡¯s maid of honor, she often visited the Pesteros mansion. Dalia weed her with enthusiasm. Now that there was no immediate concern, all she could do was to fangirling over the original character. Of course, it was not that there was nothing on her mind. The Duchess Blueport incident went well, but Dalia still had one concern on her mind, considering what happened that day. Clearly, Duchess Blueport was in a very stable condition when she spoke to Dalia. But can her condition deteriorate so bad enough for the congestion to happen in a matter of hours? When she thought of the original story, the male characters didn¡¯t suddenly be, ¡®Ta-da! I¡¯ve gone crazy!¡¯ not like this, but they¡¯ll get more sensitive with the continuation usage of their mana, and then they¡¯ll be in congestion. But that¡¯s not what happened with Duchess Blueport. ¡®¡­¡­It¡¯s weird.¡¯ Dalia also told Hikan of her thoughts. He also said that the Blueport and the royal family are currently working together to investigate as they had the same suspicions. But they didn¡¯t have any clue. Well, the culprit was not identified because it was a simple incident in the original story. But she couldn¡¯tpletely get rid of it from her mind. She wanted to protect the Duchess Blueport. For a very long time, the Duchess was her only friend. ¡®But the person who will scheme such a thing in the original¡­¡­is it brother?¡¯ Of course it¡¯s not Hikan. If it¡¯s not him. ¡®Aceras?¡¯ Dalia thought of him reflexively. As far as Dalia knows, among the people who were there, Aceras was the most cunning person. ¡®But I can¡¯t think of him as the culprit because of that one thing.¡¯ Dalia bowed her head sullenly. The four Duke families have many enemies. Just thinking about the Pesteros right now, the family members are still circling around trying to rip off Hikan and Dalia. The more privileged and stronger the power someone has, the more humans who seek them gather. The Blueport family is no different. If they¡¯re looking for the culprit, it¡¯s right to start investigating the surroundings of the Duchess Blueport first. ¡®Let¡¯s not think too much about the original. This is also a prejudice.¡¯ Therefore, she had no choice but to wait for the results of the investigation. In the end, all that remains is to y with Adrisha. She didn¡¯t do anything great. It was fun to just chat and y while drinking tea. The day went by quickly when she saw her favorite character breathing and talking in front of her eyes. Through this Blueport incident, Dalia¡¯s affection for Adrisha, which was already deep, had deepened. Because of such a situation, she was worried and concerned about Adrisha¡¯s future. She was always lonely despite receiving the love of the three male protagonists (including Hikan¡¯s love) that everyone would envy. Dalia knew that Adrisha was always thirsty for affection while ying the original game. There is nothing that Dalia can do with herck of strength, but she wanted to relieve Adrisha¡¯s loneliness as much as possible before the time came. So she acted cute to Adrisha twice as much as she did to Hikan. ¡°Why is Adrisha so pretty?¡± ¡°¡­¡­In my eyes Dalia is prettier.¡± At first she panicked by Dalia¡¯s attack of affection, however she quickly copsed. Thanks to this, the two quickly became friends. While they drank tea together, Adrisha shared rumors of noble children around Dalia¡¯s age. Dalia had no friends of her age, so it was fun to hear everything for the first time. When the ball was about a week away, Dalia and Adrisha were drinking tea at the garden in Pesteros mansion. Again, Adrisha came with an incredible story. ¡°So, as far as I can see, it¡¯s clear that Lady Peggy has a crush on the Crown Prince.¡± Dalia shook her head in surprise. ¡°Goodness, but I was surprised that His Highness was so popr. I saw him once and he¡¯s not really my style.¡± ¡°Oh, where did you see him?¡± ¡®Ah, my mistake.¡¯ Dalia immediately shut her mouth. Of course Dalia had never seen him in person. Leonard didn¡¯t show up at thest ball, and he stopped joining social activities such as tea parties. She saw him in the game. Her expectation was high since he was the Crown Prince, but from the standing CG, he was not that good. Even though his face was like that, his personality was not very attractive. He¡¯s also immature. ¡®Rather, His Highness the Second Prince was much more handsome.¡¯ Dalia recalled Cedric, whom she met at thest ball. He was really handsome. To the point she wants to see him again. Anyway, Dalia replied vaguely. ¡°Well¡­ I just heard the rumor.¡± Chapter 20 ¡°I see. He¡¯s not my style too, actually.¡± Adrisha covered her mouth with one hand and whispered softly. Dalia burst intoughter. Adrisha alsoughed. ¡°Dalia isn¡¯t very curious. ¡° ¡°Of what?¡± ¡°Of where do I hear all this from?¡± Dalia flinched. ¡®Do, do I have to be curious about this thing usually?¡¯ Maybe she got suspicious because Dalia didn¡¯t ask anything? What if she suspects that Dalia did a background check on her? In the original, she was most afraid for people to discover her past. Dalia asked back naturally. ¡°Huh? Why is that?¡± ¡°I used to be the maid of honor of anotherdy, and she was angry. She asked me why I don¡¯t try to talk about myself to other people then.¡±(*t/n: I¡¯m not too sure about 2nd sentence..because the raw quite confusing) ¡°¡­¡­.There¡¯s someone like that?¡± Dalia asked in confusion. Adrisha shrugged andughed. ¡°Well, it was my fault.¡± Even if she says so, her heart hurts when she recalls her in the original. Come to think of it, Adrisha had no female friend in the original. More precisely, the women hated her. It wasn¡¯t the childish reason because she was pretty and popr with men. It was a case where the bad prejudice that urred in the beginning continues to thete period. Adrisha did not know that other people could take the words she had conveyed with goodwill as malice. It was her absurd innocence that she believed that someday her heart would be conveyed if she treated people sincerely. Adrisha was raised as a spy until she was rescued by the Emperor. One of their specialities is collecting rumors. Exposing some of those rumors to the people that she favors must have caused bacsh. Additionally, Adrisha was now a veiled figure in the society. Some people knew that she¡¯s working for the Emperor, but no one knew exactly what she did. The Beniter family itself, which the Emperor designated as her adopted family, was an ordinary Viscount family, who have no territory and can be considered as good as the humblemoner, she was also used of being insensitive and being obsequious to the Emperor.(*t/n: this particr paragraph is hard to trante, i¡¯m not that sure) Anyway, she was a girl who people felt ufortable to leave as a maid thoughtlessly. Dalia knew Adrisha¡¯s background, so she heard whatever she said, but the previous person didn¡¯t. ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll did it too if I didn¡¯t know any better¡¯ It¡¯s not that the one who misunderstood was wrong, but Dalia felt bad because Adrisha was depressed because of it. Dalia grabbed Adrisha¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m on Adrisha¡¯s side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will continue to like Adrisha even if you talk about me to someone elseter.¡± It may be a little bit of a constion, but for Adrisha, who has low self-esteem, thefort of ¡®I¡¯m fine with whatever you do¡¯ worked well. Adrisha¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, then folded gently. It was an enchanting eye smile. ¡®Ah, pretty¡­¡­¡¯ The day Dalia saw this smile for the first time, Dalia immediately understood why so many male protagonists had fallen for Adrisha. When she thought of the male protagonist, Aceras naturally came to mind. ¡®Come to think of it, what is the rtionship between Adrisha and Aceras now?¡¯ Seeing them enter the ball together before, they seemed to know each other already. I wonder how Aceras feel about Adrisha currently. His obsession towards his crush was terrifying. Dalia recalled the original Aceras route. At the beginning of the original game, Aceras had a slightly higher affinity for Adrishapared to other male protagonists. The reason is that Aceras had already been interested in Adrisha even before the original game started. The trigger was the mission that the two were in charge of at the Emperor¡¯s order. The two, who only knew each other¡¯s faces, became the first to coborate. Naturally, Aceras, who has personality disorder, and Adrisha, an angel, collide in everything. In front of the great predicament that he encountered during his mission, Aceras says. ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about a man who¡¯s not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Miss.¡¹ Then Adrisha replied. ¡¸I¡¯m also born with a poor background. But people can change.¡¹ And he overcame the crisis by himself. It was at that point that Aceras first became interested in Adrisha. Once she knows whether the two of them have done the mission together or not, then she will also know how far their rtionship is progressing. Dalia pondered for a while and started talking about Aceras. ¡°By any chance, the one who came with the Emperor and Adrisha at thest ball. Brown hair and green eyes.¡± Adrisha understands it right away. ¡°You mean Aceras.¡± ¡°Are you close?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very close. You could say, I just know his face?¡± ¡®That¡¯s a relief.¡¯ Dalia thought to herself. ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± ¡°Oh, just out of curiosity.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a little ufortable. Stay away from him.¡± Adrisha said with a frown, which is rare for her. Dalia agreed. ¡®Yes, he¡¯s the one who¡¯ll kidnap and abuse youter¡­¡­ don¡¯t get involved as much as you can¡­¡­¡¯ As expected, the wise Adrisha already knows how to see people. ¡°Dalia.¡± Then, she heard Hikan calling her. She looked back to find Hikan was approaching her quickly. Adrisha stood up and bowed to Hikan. ¡°Nice to meet you, Duke.¡± Hikan nodded slightly. And spoke coldly. ¡°You may go now, Miss Beniter. It¡¯s quitete.¡± Adrisha bowed her head gently. But there was a sense of regret in her eyes. Dalia also feels sad inside. ¡°¡­¡­I wanted to talk to you more but it¡¯s a pity Dalia. Can Ie over again tomorrow?¡± ¡°Of course, goodbye.¡± Adrisha approached Dalia and gave her a light farewell hug. Dalia hugged her tightly too. Hikan, somehow displeased, was staring at Adrisha¡¯s back until she disappeared. Three weeks have passed since Adrisha became Dalia¡¯s maid of honor. In the meantime, Hikan and Adrisha rarely spoke, let alone sparks of love and obsession. Just by looking at Hikan using honorifics, she can see how awkward they are. No, it wasn¡¯t an awkward level, but to Dalia, the two seemed to hate each other. Dalia recalled Hikan from the original. When Adrisha tried to kill Hikanter in the game, Hikan disarmed her alone and held the knife in his hand. However right now¡­.. ¡°Shees and goes everyday. Be careful. Everything Adrisha Beniter sees and hears will go to the Emperor.¡± ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ There was some silence. Adrisha was her friend, and Hikan was her brother, whether he was good or bad. To be honest, she also wanted the two to get along well. But considering the original story¡­.. Would a better rtionship between both of them can help Adrisha, Dalia and Hikan? No, only mine and my brother¡¯s neck will fly away. As expected, it would be better for those two to have a bad rtionship as they are now. Still, Dalia made a timid protest out of loyalty. ¡°Adrisha is a good friend. Now that Duchess Blueport has left, I don¡¯t have any friends¡­¡­¡± Hikan had aplex look on his face and said in a slightly weakened voice. ¡°¡­¡­You can make friends quickly. Because you¡¯re a Pesteros.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Dalia bowed her head obediently. But Hikan somehow seemed to be more offended by it. ¡°For a maid of honor that you only know for 3 weeks, you¡¯ve been calling her name without any hesitation¡­¡­¡± Hikan stopped talking. There seemed to be something more that he wanted to say. But he immediately turned and went away, not being able to do it. Dalia thought nkly as she looked back. ¡®¡­¡­So why did youe?¡¯ Is he trying to send Adrisha out? Dalia stared at her brother¡¯s back, who came and went without any reason. Hikan, who was actually strange, has been even more strange these days. Last time, Dalia noticed that he was eating the carrots that she filtered out during their meal. Chapter 21 In fact, it wasn¡¯t yesterday or today that Hikan became weird. To be exact, it was the day when the Duchess Blueport had mana congestion, when he saw Dalia returned. Now when they were together, he would hold the door or escort her silently whenever Dalia passed by. In severe cases, he even held her hand when she got on the carriage. It was hard for Dalia to adapt to the sudden change. She even shot him a heart because she thought that if she acted too cute, he would go back and frown like before. However, instead of looking at a crazy person as before, he kept looking at Dalia for a long time, making her more embarrassed. ¡°Wah! Brother! I love you!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay. ¡° This time, that kind of reaction. ¡®It¡¯s, it¡¯s too much pressure.¡¯ Dalia worked hard to figure out why he did that. ¡®No way, is he feeling guilty that he couldn¡¯t save me during the Duchess¡¯s rampage?¡¯ Dalia did that on purpose because she had something to talk to the Duchess Blueport. Now she felt sorry for making him feel guilty. But it was still ufortable. As a result, the strange scenery of Dalia avoiding Hikan was created. He didn¡¯t say much, but he seemed quite dissatisfied with Dalia for that. To speak in a more simple way, it seems like he was being sulky. ¡®¡­¡­Goodness.¡¯ Did the miracle of purifying the Duchess Blueport invade Hikan¡¯s mind that day? It was beyond Dalia¡¯sprehension. So she gave up trying to guess Hikan¡¯s deep thoughts. Howfortable is Adrisha, on the other hand? A normal and warm friend who epts everything Dalia says. Dalia looked at her with new precious feelings. Adrisha spoke kindly, pouring tea in a very graceful manner. ¡°Come to think of it, there will be a ball in the Imperial Pce in a month.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Is it the birthday ball for the Crown Prince¡­¡­?¡± ¡°So he was born in autumn.¡± ¡°Yes, His Highness the Second Prince was also born in the autumn.¡± Dalia looked at the calendar again. Nearly half a year has already passed since Hikan entered the Pesteros mansion. ¡°The Duke didn¡¯t say anything, but he¡¯ll probably be there. Dalia will go with him too.¡± It will be her first time to be at the ball in the Imperial Pce. Thest ball held at the hall of the Pesteros mansion was spectacr, but this time it will be more than that. She was looking forward to it. ¡°It¡¯s your first time to attend a ball that¡¯s not hosted by your family, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, right?¡± ¡°Then it¡¯ll be a good idea to have a tea party before the ball. You¡¯ll be less nervous when you know someone.¡± Adrisha made a sudden suggestion. ¡°Well¡­.I don¡¯t know anyone, but if I invite them, will theye?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there the Pesteros name to use in this case?¡± Dalia pondered over it. The idea of a tea party itself did not seem bad. It¡¯s not that she¡¯s picky about the day, but she didn¡¯t have the confidence to be in a seat with dozens of strangers. In addition, the chef in charge of desserts at Pesteros was one of the best in the Empire. However, since Hikan hated sweets, Dalia was the only one who could taste the chef¡¯s skills. Just once a week to prevent cavities. ¡®It¡¯s an insult to the cook and a loss to the universe.¡¯ She wanted to serve the dessert of Pesteros to the guestsing to the tea party. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll love it. The chef¡¯s shoulders will also be high.(*t/n: means be proud) ¡®But¡­¡­¡¯ Dalia¡¯s expression became somewhat dark. ¡°Then I should tell my brother too, right?¡± ¡°Of course. He¡¯ll send them the invitation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Is that so?¡± ¡®What if he tells me to do it on my own because he¡¯s busy?¡¯ When she thinks about Hikan¡¯s image in her memory, she still remembers it. He¡¯s been really busy every day since he became a Duke. Even Dalia, who didn¡¯t work in the same office also can feel it. He deals with the inheritance issues that have not yet beenpleted, and even various legal documents. Even if he says he¡¯ll do it, wouldn¡¯t she just give the busy Hikan one more burden? ¡®What should I do if he is annoyed for being bothered?¡¯ Such primitive fears still lingered in Dalia. Perhaps the concern was revealed on her face, but before she knew it, Adrisha came to Dalia¡¯s side and smiled, tickling her cheek with her index finger. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The Duke will be rather pleased.¡± ¡°¡­¡­He¡¯ll be pleased?¡± ¡°Yes, because¡­¡­¡± Adrisha nced at the maid standing behind her and gestured to Dalia toe over. Dalia brought her ear close to Adrisha¡¯s mouth. ¡®The Duke likes Dalia more than you think. And now he¡¯s jealous that Dalia and I are close.¡¯ So now, if Dalia asks him to do something that Adrisha can¡¯t do, for sure that he¡¯ll be excited to do it. Was what Adrisha said. Then, she acted as if she hadn¡¯t said anything. Dalia thought that she had misheard it for a moment. ¡®Brother is jealous?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t jealous because of Adrisha, but the opposite? It was unexpected. Dalia stared nkly at Adrisha. Adrisha tilted her head as if she was asking why. ¡®He¡¯s jealous?¡­¡­no way.¡¯ But when she thought about it, it might be because of his behavior that has gotten a little weird recently. ¡°For a maid of honor that you only know for 3 weeks, you¡¯ve been calling her name without any hesitation¡­¡­¡± She remembers Hikan blurring his words. Until then, she was wondering what was wrong with him. ¡®That was because of jealousy?¡¯ Did he want Dalia to talk to him? Is he trying to be a normal brother and sister like everyone else? Well, Dalia also had a brother in her previous life. Dalia imagined herself kicking Hikan in the air, calling him ¡®brother baby.¡¯ It was beyond her imagination.(*t/n: not sure about this sentence) Still, after a few self-denials, Dalia finally came to a conclusion. Hikan Pesteros is jealous of Adrisha now! Because Dalia is closer to Adrisha than him! All circumstantial evidence has been pointing to that. My goodness. Dalia¡¯s face suddenly became feverish for no reason, so she fanned it with her hand. ¡®Th, that¡¯s cute!¡¯ When she thought of Hikan about half a year ago, it was unimaginable. ¡®Yes, I did it!¡¯ Dalia lowered Hikan¡¯s vignce within half a year, and even seeded in winning Hikan¡¯s favor! ¡®Bu, but why?¡¯ Is it really because he feels sorry that he couldn¡¯t save Dalia? No, maybe shooting hearts to the fullest worked best. Dalia was satisfied with herself, believing in the least likely reason. She had no idea that Hikan¡¯s change of mind was due to the carriage ident. The things that she thought she said to Hikan in her dream while in half-asleep are actually being said to the real Hikan. ¡®By the way, then¡­ what should I do now?¡¯ Running away from this mansion? Dalia¡¯s thoughts stopped there. Perhaps, when Dalia disappears, the big flow of the original may return to its original form. Like the Duchess Blueport eventually handing over the Duke title to Lewayne Blueport. Then Hikan will eventually die, and Adrisha will be harassed by all the male protagonists. ¡®Is it okay to end it like that?¡¯ Dalia couldn¡¯t answer to her inner voice easily. Unknowingly, she was giving Hikan some affection. Such emotions piled up one by one,plicating Dalia¡¯s mind. ¡®Someone with the name Pesteros.¡¯ Clearly he said that about Dalia. Yes, now Hikan really thinks of Dalia as his sister. ¡®Sh, should I just not run away?¡¯ Dalia¡¯s thin ears began to flutter rapidly. Perhaps because of Dalia, Hikan will not be the final viin. The development of the original has changed as Dalia has already appeared. Adrisha appeared much faster, and Hikan had no interest in her. She doesn¡¯t know yet, but Hikan may not be a viin, just as the Duchess Blueport suddenly found her reason during the congestion. Then if she ran away and saw the Pesteros flourishing and thriving, she may regret it, ¡®Ah, I should¡¯ve just held on. My delicacies, my desserts, my money.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­Let¡¯s wait for a few more years!¡¯ It was a verypromised judgment with reality. Dalia was satisfied with that. With a lot of thoughts in her mind, Dalia took another bite of the cake. It¡¯s delicious. If she throws away the Pesteros name, she will never eat this again. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s too wasteful to run away.¡¯ Dalia rationalized herself, trying to catch Hikan¡¯s heart. Instead, she made another n. Chapter 22 That evening, Dalia carefully knocked on the door of Hikan¡¯s office. It was because she wanted to make sure that Hikan really opened up his heart to Dalia enough to be jealous of Adrisha. This is the first time she visited his office for personal reasons. Hikan opened the door himself. It was clear that he knew that it was Dalia just by hearing the sound of the knocking. Hikan had a slightly dark circle under his eyes, perhaps because of fatigue. ¡°Come in.¡± He asked Dalia to sit on the sofa and went back to his desk and signed a mountain of papers. The amount was enough to make Dalia¡¯s mouth open wide. ¡°So, why did youe?¡± In the original story, he became an excellent swordsman at the age of 18 when his magic bloomed, and in recognition of his ability, he became the head of the Imperial Knights. However, in Dalia¡¯s view, Hikan¡¯s ability now was not that, but the ability to process documents ten times faster than others. Hikan worked all day while Dalia was ying chess or board games with Adrisha, eating dessert or rolling around. She felt a new sense of guilt because of that. ¡®I didn¡¯t know you were so busy.¡¯ It seems the reason why he went back to his room right after meal time every day was not because of he was not interested in Dalia. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She can¡¯t tell him. She can¡¯t bring herself to tell him. ¡®I can¡¯t ask you to do the tea party here.¡¯ Dalia wiped her tears inside. For the first time, she felt sorry for Hikan. If it¡¯s a Duke¡¯s job to do this for the rest of his life, it¡¯s better to not have such a position. Also, it¡¯s notmon for the younger siblings of a Duke to have fun and eat like Dalia. She might be thrown out in front of dozens of people at the ball one day. The poor dessert chef may be knitting in the kitchen because he has nothing to do. Now, due to her guilty conscience, she couldn¡¯t bother Hikan any more. Dalia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just missed you br¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already taken care of the tea party. You can hear the details from the butler.¡± ¡®Uh, huh? You already figured it out?¡¯ Dalia opened her mouth at the unexpected remark. ¡°Well, uh, how did you know?¡± ¡°Because our employee heard it when you talked about it with Adrisha Beniter. She delivered it to me.¡± ¡®How¡­¡­?¡¯ Was the maid that Adrisha nced at that time actually listening to the whole conversation? Dalia looked at Hikan with round eyes. He shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing much then continued to look at the papers. ¡°You must be busy because of me¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not. I don¡¯t want someone who has the Pesteros name to act like a fool at the ballroom.¡± No, that¡¯s a lie. Dalia seemed to understand why Hikan had to work too hard. ¡®That¡¯s when¡­¡­I said that.¡¯ ¡°Adrisha is a good friend. I don¡¯t have many friends¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­You can make friends quickly. Because you¡¯re a Pesteros.¡± It was clear that he was paying attention to the conversation at that time. She felt strange. She doesn¡¯t know why, but Hikan has changed. Surely he has now opened up to Dalia. ¡®I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d care so much.¡¯ She was sorry that she was doubting the person who took care of her just because of the original story. She approached Hikan unconsciously and hugged him by the arm. ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What is this? Never mind. It¡¯ste, so go to sleep.¡± Hikan spoke bluntly and pulled out his arms. But Dalia felt too sorry for her to just go like this. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll study next to brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Up to you.¡± Dalia dragged a tall chair and ced it in the vertical direction of Hikan¡¯s desk. The desk was very spacious, so there was still room left. The office was also a study, so there were many books to read. Dalia picked out a history book rmended by Madam Mathieu and put it on the desk. And as she¡¯s trying to climb onto the chair¡­¡­ The chair that was fitted to Hikan¡¯s leg length that was too high for her somehow looked a little short on him. Dalia barely managed to climb up, with her feet hanging in the air. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hikan was watching the scene with a pathetic expression. Dalia muttered in embarrassment. ¡°Well, brother was like this too when you were my age¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even back then I was taller than you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Then when you were nine years old¡­¡­¡± Hikan chuckled as he signed a new document. Dalia wanted to say something more, but she decided to shut up because she saw Hikan smiling for the first time. The two were now silently focusing on each other¡¯s work. Dalia read the book, and Hikan handled the documents. Soon, only the sound of the quill pen and the sound of the pages flipping filled the quiet office. * * * After a while, Hikan stopped working and turned his stiff shoulders back. Looking aside, Dalia was already sleeping with one cheek on the desk. She was not used to staying up all night, and it was hard for her to hold back her sleep since it was over an hour past her bedtime. ¡®You didn¡¯t have to do that though.¡¯ Hikan looked at Dalia¡¯s face, who was still sleeping. The cheek that was pressed against the desk looks silly. No, he was not in a position to call anyone a fool. These days, he was surprised to know that he had such a foolish side in him. When the Duchess Blueport has the mana explosion, Dalia¡¯s image of shaking off his hand and entering the light bothered him for a long time.(*t/n: after reading some manhwa and saw the term that the trantor chose to use for this word,,I decided to change from ¡®congestion¡¯ to ¡®explosion¡¯. That sound better haha, why I didn¡¯t thought of this before lol) In the end, he had to admit it. His world has been empty for a very long time. However, a few months ago, a younger sister suddenly appeared and casually pushed her way into his world. He believed without any doubt that her rtionship with the Duchess Blueport has led Dalia to work miracles. His younger sister was someone who could do that. ¡®That¡¯s why, it¡¯s unsightly to be jealous of Dalia¡¯s friend.¡¯ Hikan thought to himself. Then he heard a knock. When asked toe in, Dalia¡¯s nanny came in with a tearful face. ¡°Your Excellency, Miss Dalia is missing¡­..oh my god!¡± The nanny was surprised to see the sleeping Dalia with her face on the desk. Well, the nanny¡¯s first impression of him was that he pushed his way in and gave Dalia the news of her father¡¯s death. It is natural to think that Dalia and him cannot be close. That¡¯s the attitude of amon-sense person, but why is his sister¡­..? He has no idea. Just as Dalia gave up understanding him, he also gave up understanding Dalia¡¯s mind. He got up from his seat and held Dalia who was sleeping at his desk, in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I called for you, but it seems that the message was not delivered.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s, it¡¯s okay.¡± The truth is Dalia hase in at random, but if he says so, Dalia will be in trouble with the nanny tomorrow. He looked at the nanny. Although she was quite strong, it wasn¡¯t enough to carry Dalia all the way to her room. At 13, she was a bit smaller than her peers, but not small enough to be carried by another woman. ¡°I¡¯ll take Dalia to her room.¡± The nanny bowed to him with an expression as if she¡¯s at a loss, and left the room. Suddenly he remembered that he once had a nanny too. The nanny didn¡¯tst long and left the mansion before he was three years old. ¡°The life of a transcendent is a lonely one.¡± That was what the Emperor once said to him. He has lived adjusting to loneliness so far, but now he didn¡¯t think that it was strange. Chapter 23 ¡®Of all things, why did I sleep there!¡¯ As soon as the next morning came, Dalia has been tearing her hair out. ¡®Just how ridiculous she looked like when Hikan saw her?¡¯ She had no choice but to win over his mind, hoping that it would bring a littleugh in Hikan¡¯s busy life. ¡®¡­¡­.But now my brother has changed, right?¡¯ Dalia was convinced because of yesterday¡¯s incident. He is different from the final viin in . She doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen after the magic blooming, but anyway, that¡¯s what happened now. The nanny, whom she thought would scold her for disappearing without a word, said nothing unexpectedly. She felt sorry, so she thought she should be better towards nanny next time. The butler informed her of the schedule for tomorrow¡¯s tea party during breakfast. Even though the Pesteros sent the invitation yesterday, all the recipients expressed their intention to attend. Adrisha came to visit after hearing the news. Dalia managed to convince Adrisha and brought her to her room. It has been three weeks since they met, and it was hard to meet at the garden in a dress every time she came here. The two rolled back in bed together wearing the indoor clothes lent by Dalia. Adrisha even untied her carefully tied hair. She said she wasfortable in her dress no matter where she was, but it was funny when she straightened her posture.(*t/n: sorry, I¡¯m not sure with the second sentence -.-) Daliay down on Adrisha¡¯s belly and looked through the attendance list. ¡°They¡¯re alling with their mother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s usually the case. Thedies from high society don¡¯t want their children to get along with just anyone.¡± It was Adrisha¡¯s sharp analysis. However, when shey down and loosen her hair and said that, for some reason it felt somewhat less convincing. Dalia giggled. The only person on the attendance list who did not bring her mother was Adrisha. Naturally she could not bring her. Perhaps the real Viscountess Beniter is living happily in the manor that she received in return of having a fake daughter. Adrisha taught Dalia several things about thedies whose names were on the attendance list. Whose child has close age to Dalia, how close are the children with their mothers, who has the upper hand and who has a good rtionship with who and vice versa. Adrisha sat up in bed, pointing to Dalia one of the names in the lists. ¡°Thisdy wanted to send her daughter as Dalia¡¯s maid of honor. I heard that she appealed strongly to the Duke.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Everyone would want to send their daughter to be the maid of honor to the Pesteros family. Among the 4 ducal families, they are the closest to the Emperor and have a lot of money.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Dalia recalled Hikan, whose all his property was confiscated and was sentenced to death by the Emperor himself in the original story. ¡®¡­¡­ Power is a fleeting thing.¡¯ ¡°But in the end, I became the maid of honor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I like Adrisha the best.¡± Of course. I don¡¯t even know the rest of them, but one of them is my favorite person in the original. However, Adrisha must have been so touched, she hugged Dalia tightly andy down on the bed. ¡°No one else but Dalia would think so.¡± ¡°Think what?¡± ¡°Because everyone else doesn¡¯t like me. They would ask me how I was lucky enough to get the position.¡± ¡°Then bring them to me. I¡¯ll scold them.¡± ¡°I like Dalia the best too.¡± Adrisha rubbed against Dalia. ¡®She¡¯s like a puppy.¡¯ Dalia honestly didn¡¯t care about Adrisha¡¯s reputation. It was natural that she, the main character, shines the most, but it was a pity that she didn¡¯t. The two of them ate bear-shaped jelly together on the bed while having a silly chat for the rest of the time. Then she got caught by the nanny and got scolded. On the day of the tea party. The remaining preparations were made by the employees, and all Dalia had to do was drink tea and chat while eating something sweet. Since it was a simple asion held within the mansion, so she settled on the dress and essories that she had. Likewise, Adrisha came to the mansion in a simr manner as she normally does. In line with them, the attendees also came in clothes that did not stand out. As she learned, Dalia calmly expressed her gratitude and greeted those who attend the tea party. ¡°Hello, Madam Patricia, Miss Rose. Thank you foring.¡± ¡°Goodness. Rose, thank thedy. She knows your name!¡± ¡°Ah, hello, Miss Dalia.¡± She did not forget to memorize their name and face in advance, as Adrisha advised. If Dalia does that during their first meeting, she said that the lower subordinates who are hungry for power will feel impressed. She was a little worried about dealing with thedies that are older than her previous life, but all the attendees were kind, probably because of the Pesteros name behind Dalia. As a result, Dalia was able to proceed with the gatheringfortably. Adrisha also helped her from time to time. Of course, there were people who wanted to look as good as anywhere else. It was Mrs. Hanley whom Adrisha mentioned yesterday. The one who tried to send her daughter to Dalia as the maid of honor. ording to Adrisha yesterday, she was quite close to thete Duchess Pesteros. Mrs. Hanley is said to have worked very hard to get acquainted with the Duchess, who doesn¡¯t like to appear in high society. Eventually, she seeded, and she was very excited to be connected to one of the four great ducal families. However, the Duchess died before she could make good use of thework. So Mrs. Hanley wants to have a little reward for her efforts. Originally, she was going to take charge of Dalia and raise her, but the Duchess Blueport came forward for Dalia first. In any case, it was regrettable for her that she could not take ce as Dalia¡¯s maid of honor, but she kept talking openly to Dalia to look good. She was also seen poking her timid-looking daughter to make her talk to Dalia. ¡®I don¡¯t like this.¡¯ Dalia thought to herself, not letting it show on her face. And finally, the tea party is halfway through. It was the most anticipated time for Dalia. It¡¯s time to eat the dessert, which is the pride of Pesteros. The chef showed his artistic soul to the fullest during the dessert party. From non-sweet healthy vegetable biscuits for adults, chocte-coated snacks with whipped cream inside, strawberry Montir, and more. Thedies all took a bite and covered their mouths with their eyes wide open. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s really delicious.¡± ¡°The chef¡¯s skills are really good.¡± Since I wanted to show you this, that¡¯s why I invited you all the way here. Of course it¡¯s good. Dalia¡¯s nose got high because she was proud. Thedies smiled happily, as if it were obvious. The children had forgotten their duty and werepetitively eating the desserts. It was a happy time for Dalia as well because she ate a lot of sweets after a long time. Finally, the tea came out to rinse their mouths. Now everyone talkedfortably. What do you usually learn from your tutor these days, and was it difficult. There was a talk about the y that can be enjoyed every season. ¡°Miss Dalia, if you have time next time, let¡¯s go to theke and go boating together.¡± ¡°It will be fun to team up and y croquet among us.¡± The children all made various suggestions with excited expressions. It all seemed to be fun. ¡®It would be nice if brother Hikan can join us.¡¯ Of course, if it¡¯s games, Dalia will go to all of it. Then Mrs. Hanley suddenly spoke. ¡°I used to go boating with thete Duchess Pesteros.¡± In an instant, the surrounding area became quiet. The story of Dalia¡¯ste mother was not a topic to be brought out in such a ce. It wasn¡¯t the appropriate ce to show off her friendship with thete Duchess. ¡°Thete Duchess said then that if she had a daughter, the four of us would definitely meet and y¡­¡­¡± But Mrs. Hanley ended her speech as if she were grieving. ¡°But someone else prevented me from doing that.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if that was true or not. Anyone with a normal sense could see that she was ming Adrisha for taking her daughter¡¯s ce. The atmosphere was further subdued by the untimely attack. ¡°Wait, something urgent came up. I need to go.¡± Adrisha still stood up with a smile. She was trying to leave Dalia¡¯s seat so that it is not ufortable. Dalia took Adrisha¡¯s hand as she was leaving. But she said ¡®It¡¯s okay.¡¯ then smiled and went away. Adrisha left, and the otherdies were whispering among them. Surprisingly, it was not Mrs. Hanley, but otherdies who brought girls of Dalia¡¯s age. ¡°No matter what, it¡¯s thedy of the Pesteros family, the Beniter family¡­¡­I¡¯m a little disappointed.¡± ¡°I hear that His Majesty the Emperor will grant any of your favor. Perhaps, if Miss Dalia talked about it.¡± She can¡¯t believe that they brought this up the moment Adrisha was gone. When she saw the otherdies talking about this, she could see what everyone thought of Adrisha. Dalia suddenly got angry while thinking about what Adrisha said yesterday. She smiled and looked straight at the face of thedy who had spoken first, and replied. ¡°But she was the one that His Majesty himself has chosen, so I¡¯m always grateful for his decision.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°His, His Majesty the Emperor?¡± Mrs. Hanley interrupted in surprise. Not only her but also everyone else looked bewildered. ¡®This must have been something that no one knew?¡¯ Dalia thought to herself. She was still a little angry. Everyone knows Adrisha is working under the emperor, but they probably didn¡¯t know that the rtionship between the two was deep enough to designate her as the maid of honor of a Duke family. So there must be a rumor in the high society that Adrisha is flirting with the Emperor. These people ignore Adrisha because they think she has nothing. The Beniter were only a small local lord whose name was barely on the noble list. ¡°Yes. My mother passed away without saying anything about my maid. So my brother asked for rmendations from the Emperor. Miss Adrisha, who was rmended, came to me.¡± Mrs. Hanley¡¯s face turned red. The otherdy, who noticed that Dalia had be ufortable, spoke quickly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the Beniter family had such a close rtionship with His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°Yes, and now they have a connection with the Pesteros family.¡± The meaning was clear. Everyone shut their mouths and looked at Dalia. ¡°I had a good time today. It would be better for us to part now.¡± Dalia cut off the conversation with determination. Chapter 24 Everyone seemed to have felt the awkward atmosphere, so they left their seats. Halfway through the end, they personally apologized to Dalia. All of them were the unluckydies and children who did not say a word about Adrisha. Dalia epted the apology and promised to visit their mansion next time. Only then, a warm atmosphere was created. Although there was some mishap, the tea party ended satisfactorily. Dalia returned to the garden and sat down again. She¡¯s still upset. At that time, someone quietly hugged Dalia from behind. It was Adrisha. She thought that Adrisha had already gone, but she seemed to have been waiting for the tea party to end. She whispered softly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Dalia¡¯s heart warmed up. Nobody said anything anymore, but that was enough. She¡¯s pretty sure that both of them feel the same. * * * Adrisha came out of the front door of the Pesteros mansion. For some reason, she felt like she was going to cry. Standing there, calming her mind, she began to walk again. ¡®I¡¯m d to have Miss Dalia here.¡¯ Adrisha has been trying. She has been trying for her whole life. To be a good person. When she was raised as an assassin under Verix in her hometown, she rebelled with all her might, and after the Emperor rescued her, she decided to do anything for him.(*t/n: previously I used Berix, but then I feel like Verix sounds better) But even then and now, Verix was still alive and well, and the children in her hometown were eventually scattered. The noble children that she met at the ball despised her. She could not bear to say that to her former master nor to the Emperor. That¡¯s why she understands the meaning of the gazes that were directed towards her. This pain was something that Adrisha had to endure alone. But Dalia was different. She was more dignified than anyone else ever since they first met, and for the first time in her life, someone had told her that she is a ¡°good person.¡± Dalia likes her without any strings attached, everything was alright with her. And she even gets mad in her stead in front of everyone else. ¡®So I have to protect her.¡¯ It was also what the Emperor wanted. The day after the tea party is the day that she needed to give him the regr report. Adrisha headed to the Imperial Pce in the carriage that was waiting not far from her mansion. Last time in the carriage, the Emperor told her about Dalia¡¯s ability. ¡°The soul of a transcendent can¡¯t return once it¡¯s broken.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°But Miss Dalia can do that. Probably the only one that was capable of that in this Empire no, in this world.¡± The condition is that it needs to be through physical contact. And Dalia¡¯s affinity for the contact target also influences her ability. If you kidnap her and try to force her, it will be useless. ¡°How chaotic would the continent be if this became known? Can you imagine?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even if we didn¡¯t imagine that far, Verix¡¯s adopted son, who made your hometown like that, is a transcendent.¡± Her reminiscence stopped there. Adrisha frowned on the memory that she wanted to forget. Although the Emperor took her out of that hell, Verix was still alive. The next heir was told that he approached a noble who was addicted to gambling, forced him to adopt him, and then he pretended to be a noble.(*t/n: i¡¯m not sure about this one, the adopted son of Verix maybe¡­.) You never know when and where Dalia will meet him. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The carriage stopped. She went to the Emperor¡¯s audience chamber. The Emperor stood by the window, looking at the garden, and looked back. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yes, I have arrived.¡± ¡°Come here, sit down. Any news?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no problem yet.¡± The Emperor burst intoughter and shook his head. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be a problem right now. I don¡¯t have to go out of the house yet. Anyway, yeah, keep up the good work.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The Imperial Ball will be held soon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce my son to Miss Dalia at the ball.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Are you serious?¡± But he was serious. The moment she epted that it wasn¡¯t empty words, she recalled an issue he had asked before. ¡°Yeah, keep her safe. And if possible¡­..put that precious child in our hands.¡± She knew why the Emperor wanted Dalia so badly. There was a transcendent among his sons. Even if he continues to butter his life like this, he would want his child to live without such pain as his soul crushing. The person who tries to hide Dalia¡¯s ability because he is afraid that there will be more people who are after her, ironically, wants Dalia for his own child¡¯s happiness. Nevertheless, such contradictory love shows that he is still a human. ¡°Then His Highness Prince Cedric¡­¡­?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to introduce Leonard. It happened to be his birthday ball. ¡° ¡°The, the Crown Prince?¡± What surprised her is that she thought that His Majesty wanted to introduce the Second Prince. Rather, it was the opposite. If he wants to win Dalia¡¯s favor, he has to send the Second Prince Cedric. In addition, if Dalia works well with either side, it was much better to work well with Cedric, the transcendent. He¡¯ll be able to use the power that Dalia has more efficiently. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s more likely that he¡¯ll do that.¡¯ She recalled Dalia, who was somewhat ufortable when talking about Leonard. ¡®He¡¯s not that bad looking, but..¡­¡¯ The second child is much more handsome that she naturallypares them. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°Why so¡­..?¡± ¡°Cedric ran away from the pce again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± The Emperor breathed a somber sigh. Adrisha could hardly find words tofort him. It¡¯s been less than a month since he escapedst time. In the meantime, Cedric went out again. ¡°Then, no way, as the Crown Prince¡¯s partner¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Is it possible in the first ce? Besides, Hikan won¡¯t let it be.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± ¡°Leonard¡¯s partner is you, Adrisha.¡± ¡°¡­¡­are¡­¡­you serious?¡± Adrisha doubted her ears. The new identity that the Emperor created for her is as the daughter of a local lord. Right now, her status as the Duke¡¯s younger sister¡¯s maid of honor is being questioned as well. To be the Crown Prince¡¯s partner is too absurd¡­¡­ ¡°And yesterday I bestowed the House of Beniter with the status of the Count. Now you are a daughter of a count ¡± Her status was raised at once. She was puzzled. The Emperor is a good man, but he did not give gifts to his people for no reason. ¡°Why¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Miss Dalia came to see me yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°When I met her before, I said that she coulde without requesting for an audience, but I didn¡¯t expect her to use it right away.¡± ¡®No way.¡¯ The Emperor continued as he swept down his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about women affairs. My wife Mikan, who was famous when she was young, had the same status as you, so I was wondering. Why didn¡¯t you tell me in advance if you were treated like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°No matter how insolent they are. You should not be treated like that because you are a capable person.¡± The Emperor recalled yesterday afternoon¡¯s sudden guest. Last time, she was a child who trembled and embarrassed to even make an eye contact, but now she speaks quite well. It was also a good decision of her to lean back to hide her trembling hands. Although he could see it well because of the difference in their eye level. ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion, but Miss Dalia, what do I get from doing that?¡± It was cute when she turned red. The Emperor chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll grant you a wish. Anything but an engagement¡­..with the limited thing that I can give you¡­¡± ¡®Oh, really. I almost identally patted her head.¡¯ He never thought that he would feel regret for not having a daughter among his children. If shees to the imperial family, he will give her everything she wants, and he will find everything that is good for her. Knowing that Dalia¡¯s favorability affects her ability to manifest, he had no choice but to ept her request. The Emperor immediately bestowed the House of Beniter with the new status. And he asked for a hug as a wish. ¡°Because I don¡¯t have a daughter.¡± What if she misunderstands him as a pedophile? It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t worry about it, but the embarrassed and cautious hand that held him was much more refreshing than before. The feeling of his mind clearing has also be stronger. Her favorability towards him has grown. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can live without that power anymore.¡¯ The power to purify your mind the moment you touch it. The Emperor was clearly feeling his change. The terrible headache that he had every morning disappeared, and the desire to kill and break things periodically decreased. The sudden irritation whenever the thought about the Empress crossed his mind also disappeared, so he was pleased. As their trust built up, the effect of purification will be greater. ¡®It would be nice if she kepting to see me.¡¯ The Emperor smiled satisfactorily and looked at Adrisha. Dalia did a pretty impressive job, and her eyes were a bit red. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s what happened. Then, please take care of my son at the ball.¡± At the moment, her moist expression hardened subtly, but the Emperor pretended that he didn¡¯t notice it. Chapter 25 Adrisha left the pce with gloomy steps. Her head hurts when she imagined attending the ball with Leonard. It wasn¡¯t that she hated himpletely. But she was tired. Deep in thought, Adrisha did not see a boy walking from the other side and bumped into his shoulder. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Adrisha looked up hurriedly. The boy who she bumped into was Aceras. He said with a nonchnt smile. ¡°You have a dark expression, Mdy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ something very bad happened.¡± Adrisha sighed heavily. Unlike others, she was strangely ufortable with him. He didn¡¯t do anything wrong. ¡°Aha, it¡¯s about the uing royal ball, isn¡¯t it?¡± Perhaps, it¡¯s because he guessed it right. Adrisha shrugged her shoulder. Fortunately, Aceras did not pry on it anymore and passed by with a smile. He was now distracted by other ideas that were more important than Adrisha. At the uing royal ball, he will meet Dalia Pesteros. However, there was still ack of evidence. More¡­¡­he needs more evidence to be sure that the incident is because of her. ¡®What would be good?¡¯ A soft smile appeared on his mouth, who had been thinking about various ns. He sincerely looked forward to the moment they would meet again. 4. Imperial ball It wasn¡¯t long after the tea party, but now she had to attend another ball again. The amount of pressure increased. Dalia was nervous as it was her first ball, that was not held at her mansion. In addition, thest tea party ended in an awkward atmosphere, so she was worried about how to treat them again today. Still, it was good that Adrisha became thedy of a Count family. In addition, she became the Crown Prince¡¯s partner this time. (This was unexpected even for Dalia.) Although Lady Peggy¡¯s jealousy because of her liking the Crown Prince bothered her, the wise Adrisha will get through it well. ¡®Now no one can ignore Adrisha.¡¯ Now we have solved one challenge. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing that I visit His Majesty.¡¯ It was a very impulsive decision to visit him. She thought that Hikan would never allow her or scold her if he knew, so she begged the coachman and went secretly. Fortunately, Hikan didn¡¯t catch on because of his busy schedule, and the results were very good. ¡°What will this Emperor get in return to do this favor for Adrisha Beniter?¡± She was a bit suspicious back then. Why is the Emperor so nice to her? Dalia doesn¡¯t know much about politics yet, but she knew that it was not simple to promote a family to the Count position and set her as the partner for the Crown Prince. Even if that person is the Emperor. There is no favor without reason. That¡¯s why she offered to grant his wish, but the Emperor ended it with a hug. ¡®I wonder why?¡¯ Even if he¡¯s being nice to the younger sister of a Duke, he won¡¯t get anything. Dalia tilted her head. ¡®Anyway, I can¡¯t wait to meet Adrisha and get apliment.¡¯ Meanwhile, the Pesteros¡¯s employees were nervous about her first royal ball for a different reason than Dalia. The employees knew that Hikan now immediately approves all the expenses for Dalia. So they put together the dress and essories from the most expensive boutique. All that¡¯s left is Dalia¡¯s styling. It was worth noting that they even have a short meeting on how to tie Dalia¡¯s hair in the most beautiful way possible. The funny thing was that Hikan sometimes gave the final confirmation. He said that if they couldn¡¯t make a decision until the end and brought the final candidates to Hikan, he would choose the one that suits Dalia best. Although he usually chooses the most expensive one and finishes it. There was only one thing Hikan responded favorably at first sight, a diamond bracelet that runs from the wrist to the back of the hand. As much as he liked that intricate one, it was almost the price of a house. Therefore, the maids gave all kinds ofpliments to Dalia, saying that it was a gift from Hikan. After several meetings, the maids found the best style for Dalia and best suited her. Now it was time to make that style into reality. While Dalia was left in the hands of the maids, Adrisha arrived around lunch. She came into her mansion,pletely dressed from head to toe. Although she was originally beautiful, now she has be more beautiful that made people gasp. Later, when she bes an adult, she will be a beauty that would dominate the social world with only her face. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, Adrisha.¡± Dalia said with a smile. She said it without much thought, but tears suddenly formed in Adrisha¡¯s eyes when she saw her. Dalia took out her handkerchief in surprise and handed it to her. ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­..it¡¯s nice to see you.¡± ¡®You¡¯ve heard it from His Majesty.¡¯ But she didn¡¯t know that Adrisha would cry. The original Adrisha has a strong mentality, so you couldn¡¯t see her tears unless she was physically and mentally drained. She wiped her tears with the handkerchief, hugged Dalia carefully so that her clothes wouldn¡¯t get ruined, and then said. ¡°If Dalia grows up, you¡¯ll be much prettier than I am. ¡° ¡°Eyy.¡± Dalia looked at Adrisha, waving her hands yfully. But she was a little embarrassed because Adrisha was looking at her with such sincere eyes. ¡®Didn¡¯t, didn¡¯t you favor me too much?¡¯ Even so, this person blinded with love is serious. Dalia¡¯s hair was decided to be done in half ponytail as a result from thest meeting. While the maids tied Dalia¡¯s hair with ribbons and curled her untied hair with a heated iron rod, Adrisha talked and held hands with Dalia. ¡°Are you not nervous? Do you feel nauseous?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay since I have Adrisha.¡± As she said that, Adrishaughed bashfully. ¡°Adrisha didn¡¯t go to His Highness? You¡¯re his partner right?¡± Adrisha¡¯s expression became slightly hardened. ¡®I guess you don¡¯t like it.¡¯ ording to Dalia¡¯s memory, Crown Prince Leonard had unrequited love for Adrisha in the original. However, he was not nominated for the male lead, as he had no exceptional appearance or personality except for his background. Instead, he was just as clingy as the ex-boyfriend who called Adrisha at 2 a.m. whenever he had a chance. ¡°¡­¡­just need to go an hour earlier, to the pce.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Dalia decided not to talk about that. Adrisha naturally changed the subject. ¡°You¡¯re going to dance the first dance with the Duke, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, probably?¡± ¡°Will you dance with me next time?¡± Dalia was surprised for a moment and then realized. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right. Women and women can also dance together here.¡¯ Although it¡¯s only for the younger teenagers usually. Dalia imagined herself and Adrisha dancing in her head. It will be pretty and cute. Of course, it¡¯s thanks to Adrisha. If Hikan and Adrisha dance, they will look like a beautiful couple. But since it couldn¡¯te true, Dalia was satisfied with only her imagination. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Adrisha smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Oh,e to think of it, I have a gift for Miss Dalia. ¡° ¡°Gift?¡± ¡°Yes. Because I¡¯m really grateful.¡± Adrisha took out a beautifully wrapped whitece glove for children from a small purse. ¡°I chose the design. Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty, but¡­¡­¡± Dalia quietly looked at the maids. Does this glove go well with Dalia¡¯s hair style, dress, and essories? If not, no matter what Adrisha gave her, she can¡¯t wear it. Fortunately, the answer was ¡®It suits you.¡¯ Everyone nodded. Only then Dalia smiled. ¡°Thank you, Adrisha.¡± Adrisha smiled. ¡°I thought it would suit well with Dalia.¡± She put the gloves on Dalia¡¯s hand. It fits Dalia¡¯s hand perfectly, makes Dalia wondering when she measured it. She didn¡¯t let go of her hand right away, but looked at Dalia¡¯s gloved hand for a long time with a stiff expression. She then said softly. ¡°This will protect Dalia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­but it¡¯s just a glove?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a gift I chose myself?¡± There is nothing to say when she says it cutely like that. Still, the gloves were very pretty. Chapter 26 Adrisha dawdled until the end, but only before it was toote that she left for the Imperial Pce at Dalia¡¯s urging. Unlike Adrisha, whose partner is in the imperial pce, Dalia still had some time to spare. She had to wait for Hikan in the waiting room. ¡®But when this is over, brother Hikan will have some free time right?¡¯ Suddenly, she missed Hikan. After the embarrassing incident when she slept soundly in his office, she hardly met him except during mealtime. Still, it¡¯s fortunate that they¡¯ll be able to talk a lot today. Then, she heard a knock. Hikan is already here. Dalia got up and went to greet her brother. Seeing him during this chaotic situation has reassured her a little. It was just as she feltst time, but Hikan¡¯s beauty during the ball was 10 times more handsome than usual. Is it because the unique silver hair color and blue eyes go well together? Hikan also looked at Dalia longer than usual. Recently, considering Hikan¡¯s rxed attitude, Dalia made a perfectly reasonable spection. ¡®Is it because I looked cute?¡¯ Dalia looked up at Hikan, anticipating with sparkling eyes. He replied matter-of-factly. ¡°No, I was surprised that you were so small.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®He¡¯s been saying that I¡¯m small sincest time. He¡¯s small too. ¡® Dalia thought to herself. Of course, he¡¯s only about as tall as any other adult men. ¡®What did I expect?¡¯ No matter how much Hikan has changed, it was too much to expect such a word from him. Or maybe that she¡¯s too confident? Hikan reached out his hand to Dalia, who was embarrassed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ye, yes.¡± She took his hand. Hikan dragged her toward him and asked indifferently. ¡°So did you make a lot of friends?¡± It was about the tea party. Dalia understands it right away. ¡®¡­¡­should I be honest or should I lie?¡¯ Should she say that the talk about Adrisha made the atmosphere be gloomy? Anyway, since we made a connection with each other at the end of the day, should she call it a sess? After much consideration, Dalia decided to be honest. ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s¡­¡­¡± She was sure that he would not like it. Rather than making friends at the event that he worked so hard for, she ruined the mood. And it¡¯s happened because of Adrisha, who Hikan hates. She was sorry because she knew how hard he had worked for it. ¡°That¡¯s what happened. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± However, Hikan¡¯s response was unexpected. Dalia asked back in surprise. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only way to make those fools understand. It¡¯s good to give them a warning once.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Mrs. Hanley was close to mother. I wonder how they met.¡± Hikan smiled sarcastically by raising one corner of his mouth. There was a cold hatred in his eyes. She remembers Hikan talking about their mother in the study before. Their mother, who was hurt by the mana explosion of their maternal grandfather, simply couldn¡¯t ept Hikan, who is also a transcendent and sent him to the duchy. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sure this has earned you the favor from Lady Adrisha Beniter. She seems to be very trusted by the Emperor, so there¡¯s nothing bad about you being close to her.¡± ¡®You don¡¯t think like that though.¡¯ He looked at Dalia and said in a calm voice. ¡°Besides, you are above them. Because you¡¯re a Pesteros.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And, if you manage to make even one person be your people, then it¡¯s a sess. Good job.¡± And Hikan¡¯s hand came up above her head. He¡¯s not stroking it, just lightly put his hand¡¯s weight on it. And then, as if nothing had happened, his hand fell right away. As she couldn¡¯t believe it, Dalia stared at Hikan¡¯s handsome face nkly. ¡®Brother¡­¡­you¡¯ve really changed. I guess you really like me now.¡¯ It was unbelievable. The fact that the final viin can like his sister like a normal person. Only then did Dalia realize. Maybe she also likes Hikan quite a bit too. Until now, he has been forcing himself to turn a blind eye to the people he hates, but now he is different. Suddenly she was conscious of the hand that she was holding. Hikan¡¯s hand was still cold. However, the feeling the temperature brought waspletely different from during the funeral when she first held his hand. ¡®I¡¯ll do it well.¡¯ Holding that hand, her worries disappeared and gained strength instead. Dalia followed her brother with a smile. People came to greet Hikan and Dalia. Some of them gave gifts to Dalia, saying that since she didn¡¯t have a birthday celebration so they had no chance to see her. After asking the servant to move the gift box to their designated room, Dalia smiled merrily. ¡°I hope that it¡¯s a big doll that I can hold and sleep with.¡± ¡°If you needed that, you should have bought it earlier.¡± ¡°Doll is the best when you get it as a gift. ¡° Suddenly, Dalia realized that she didn¡¯t know when Hikan¡¯s birthday was. ¡°When is brother¡¯s birthday?¡± ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hmm, can brother guess why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s okay.¡± Dalia smiled bashfully. It was surprising that she and Hikan were talking like this casually. ¡°My birthday is in winter. It¡¯s autumn now. There¡¯s a long way to go, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°My birthday is¡­¡­¡± ¡°I know, it passed a while ago. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t take care of you then.¡± Dalia¡¯s birthday was in June. How does Hikan know her birthday? Dalia looked at Hikan in surprise. He pretended not to know, as always, as if nothing had happened. At that time, a married couple came to greet Hikan and Dalia. They said that they came from the duchy. They greeted Hikan first and expressed regret for what happened at thest ball. They were the first to directly mention the ball¡¯s mana explosion incident. Dalia was a little bewildered by their casual behavior. Then the two made a fuss when they saw Dalia who were holding Hikan¡¯s arm. ¡°Oh my, Miss Dalia really sticks to her brother like a glue.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cute. The Duke must be happy.¡± Dalia felt that her good mood subtly deteriorating in an instant. It seemed that the rumors that Dalia couldn¡¯t live without Hikan were still circting. ¡®That¡¯s the very, very early thing¡­¡­that I did in order to live.¡¯ Thanks to that, she was living with Hikan this way, but it was a little unfair to be regarded as such a person. But in her own way, she¡¯s also a member of the Pesteros Dukedom. She also asked the Emperor to make the Beniter be a Count. ¡®I tried to be charismatic at the tea party.¡¯ It seems that it did not reach the duchy. Even so, it was rude. They¡¯re saying that she¡¯s cute to someone they¡¯ve never met before, or that she doesn¡¯t know how to be away from her brother. But she didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood. Because in any case, Hikan was the main character not her. So Dalia only gives a short smile instead of answering back. People with that much sense won¡¯t talk about it anymore. However. ¡°Why are you being rude, Viscount?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Dalia looked at Hikan in confusion. His expression was cold. ¡°You¡¯re not there during the Duchess Blueport¡¯s mana explosion incident in the first ce, and now you¡¯re saying that she¡¯s cute and all that to my sister. Are we in a position to hear this from you?¡± She already knew that once Hikan had that cold expression, it means that he¡¯s angry, he looks really scary. Dalia pulled his sleeve slightly to stop him. However, Hikan did not look back at Dalia and only red at the couple. The atmosphere around them suddenly became cold. The Viscount and his wife were conscious of the atmosphere and hurriedly apologized. ¡°We, we¡¯re sorry, Duke, Miss Dalia. We were careless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Be careful next time. Come here, Dalia.¡± Hikan spoke coldly and pulled Dalia. She greeted the married couple awkwardly and hurriedly followed him. Hikan still looks angry. He spoke sharply to Dalia. ¡°Did the other families talk to you like that?¡± ¡°N, no.¡± ¡°Tell me if someone ever made fun of you like that. I¡¯ll never let theme to the mansion again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡± ¡°As I said earlier, you¡¯re a Pesteros. Don¡¯t just leave that behind. When Adrisha Beniter was insulted, you get angry and why¡­¡­!¡± Dalia now knew that this was Hikan¡¯s ¡®jealousy¡¯. ¡®I wish you¡¯d tell me that you¡¯re angry because you¡¯re ignoring me at times like this.¡¯ But still, that¡¯s Hikan. Dalia looked up at him and suddenly smiled. Hikan frowned and looked at Dalia. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± ¡°I was worried. I¡¯m afraid that brother might me me for being angry at the tea party.¡± ¡°¡­¡­but?¡± ¡°But when brother got mad at someone else, I thought that¡­¡­.it was stupid of me to worry about that¡­¡­¡± ¡®I can¡¯t say that it¡¯s funny because you tell me that it¡¯s okay, but you¡¯re reacting the same way as me in the same situation.¡¯ And I was touched by that. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Dalia buried her head in Hikan¡¯s arm and whispered in a small voice to hold back herughter. ¡°What if other people think that we siblings are always angry¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Tell them to think that way. They¡¯re the ones who¡¯ll regret it anyway.¡± Hikan replied bluntly, perhaps embarrassed now. Daliaughed again. To think that Hikan got mad at others for his younger sister. If she told this to the person who yed the original game, it was obvious that everyone would think that it was nonsense. With him, there was hope that everything would be fine in the future. She smiled. Chapter 27 Feeling better, Dalia looked around again while holding Hikan¡¯s arm. The edge table just came into her sight. There was food that could be eaten with hands. Fruit hardened with sugar syrup, chocte with jam inside, salmon sandwiches skewered with toothpick and more. ¡°Brother, can I eat that?¡± ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Dalia grabbed Hikan¡¯s arm, picked up the jam chocte, and put it in her mouth. It melts as soon as you put it in. Dalia smiled in response. ¡°Do you want to try, brother?¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± She even put what she picked up for Hikan¡¯s share in her mouth. This time, there was lemon jam in it, so it tasted sweet and sour. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s great.¡¯ Dalia, who liked sour candies like Aisho(???) in her previous life, was d to taste it after a long time.(*t/n:???is sour candy in Korea. It has many type, jelly, gum, and hard candy. I don¡¯t know how to spell it in english haha) But the third one was blocked by Hikan. He took a handkerchief out and handed it to Dalia. ¡°It¡¯s all over your mouth.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± That was embarrassing. Dalia wiped her mouth thoroughly. Dalia thought that it was fortunate that she didn¡¯t wear any makeup. ¡°Thank you.¡± Dalia returned the handkerchief. Just then, it was time for the first dance. People all posed with their partners. Hikan also put his hand on Dalia¡¯s little body. Last time, she couldn¡¯t dance because it was dyed due to circumstances and things broke out. It was Dalia¡¯s first official dance. ¡®I¡¯m not stepping on your foot this time.¡¯ Is it because Dalia was nervous? Hikan leaned down and said in a small voice. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt even if you stepped on my foot anyway.¡± ¡®If you say it like that, it makes me want to do it.¡¯ Dalia thought to herself. Of course, she didn¡¯t have the guts to do it on purpose, so when the dance started, she started to take steps calmly. Maybe the dance was more familiar than she thought, and she rxed, her body moved on its own. Dalia talked to Hikan while continuing to take steps. ¡°Is this your first ball too, brother?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Somehow I thought so.¡± ¡°Why did you think so?¡± ¡°For some reason, brother look good in everything you do for the first time. No matter what you do, you just like ¡®This is nothing¡¯ .¡± Dalia purposely made a stern face to imitate Hikan. Hikan looked like he didn¡¯t know how to react. Because of the unexpected response, Dalia burst intoughter. Then he frowned immediately. ¡°¡­¡­Why are youughing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to dance together.¡± Actually, it was because it¡¯s fun to tease him. Hikan stopped at the answer. Thanks to this, Dalia stumbled together, and missed the step and stepped on Hikan¡¯s foot. Very hard at that. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hikan¡¯s brows narrowed softly. No matter how transcendent you are, it seems to hurt if you were stepped on the front nose of your shoes. In addition, these shoes were made of very hard material. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡®I think it hurts though.¡¯ Dalia had a sphemous thought. She also did not forget to rationalize that this was not because of her, but because Hikan stopped. Whether it really hurts when stepped on properly or not, Hikan sighed as he looked down at his foot. ¡°You¡¯ve found something you¡¯re good at.¡± Dalia tilted her head at Hikan¡¯s unexpected words. He said indifferently. ¡°I mean stepping on the man¡¯s foot while dancing.¡± ¡®Wow, my God. My brother is joking too.¡¯ Maybe it was because she was shocked by the fact, but this time it was really funny. Dalia forced herself to hold back herughter and identally stepped on Hikan¡¯s foot one more time. The first dance is over. Dalia was scolded for making a fuss about treating Hikan¡¯s foot. And it was time for the second main character of this ball to appear. Hikan breathed a small sigh and pulled Dalia¡¯s arm in. ¡°His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is here. Let¡¯s go give him our greetings.¡± Somehow he looked tired. Not only because of Adrisha, but also because the next Emperor of the Empire is here, many people are crowding. Then the entrance to the ballroom opened, and Adrisha and a boy entered. That boy was the Crown Prince Leonard, who turned 16 this year. Leonard Ormith Michelio. She heard a lot about him, but it was her first time seeing him in person. He had the same blond hair and red eyes as his father. Although he had boyish freckles at that age and was shorter than average, he was not as ugly as the standing CG that she saw in the game. He wore an imperial uniform with gold-colored tassel and decoration medal. Adrisha dressed the same as she was seen during the day, but her shining appearance shone even more when she was under the colorful lights of the ballroom. Her jet-ck hair was more mysterious because it wasn¡¯t the color often seen in the Empire. Hikan went to Leonard to greet him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you foring so far, Duke.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. The ball hall is beautiful enough so it was worth it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a littlete right? I¡¯m sorry. My partner has such a good conversation skills.¡± Leonard was full of smiles as he was excited. Adrisha had a clear, wless smile next to him. It was a really impressive social skill. ¡°¡­¡­¡­That¡¯s good.¡± Hikan seemed tired and wanted to end the conversation quickly. It feels like the conversation is spinning around for some reason. Feels like Leonard is just saying what he wants to say? However, such courtesy would have been irrelevant for someone in Leonard¡¯s position. ¡®It¡¯s okay if you know what you¡¯re doing, but you don¡¯t seem to know¡­¡­¡¯ ¡°Anyway, congrattions on being a Duke. Wow, you¡¯re the same age as me, and you¡¯re already a Duke. I also want to quickly be the¡­¡­¡± ¡°Congrattions, Duke Pesteros. And congrattions to the Crown Prince for your 16th birthday.¡± Adrisha hurriedly cut off Leonard¡¯s words. Dalia was relieved. Perhaps everyone else in this ballroom felt the same at this moment. What Leonard just said is the same as saying that he wishes for his father to die sooner. ¡®I can see why the Emperor feels awkward whenever he talks about the Crown Prince.¡¯ If Cedric was a little more greedy and the pce was a little more brutal, Leonard would never have been crowned as the Crown Prince. However, because the Empress strictly prohibited fighting between the brothers, the Emperor who loved her the most in the world had no choice but to appoint Leonard as the Crown Prince. Leonard seemed a little offended when Adrisha blocked him, but when she looked back and smiled, his attitude changed. ¡°Oh, my father is going to be a littlete today because of some circumstances. He wants me to tell you that you worked hardst time. And he hopes that Miss Dalia will always be filled with happiness and peace.¡± ¡®I think the words for me are longer than for my brother.¡¯ As if she wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so, Hikan¡¯s gaze came and fell on Dalia for a while. Now it was Dalia¡¯s turn to show her gratitude. Leonard looked at Dalia¡¯s whole body with a very interesting look. She could bear it because it wasn¡¯t a dirty look, but she was a little worried about the future of this country because of his rude attitude. In the original work, Leonard bes the Emperor after the Emperor dies in an ident. However, she remembers that Cedric, the Second Prince, was the one who managed everything that was important. ¡®The Second Prince escaped again, didn¡¯t he?¡¯ Really, where is this Empire going? Then Leonard opened his mouth. ¡°I see. Mdy is the rumored little sister.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do well together in the future. As the poor people who have a transcendent brother. ¡° Leonard reached out his hand for a handshake. He shook hands and said. ¡°What on earth did you do to my father? My father keeps on praising My Lady saying that he wants a daughter like you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. You tter me.¡± ¡°My father told me to look good in front of My Lady, but I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡®¡­¡­Can he even say something like that?¡¯ Adrisha looked flustered. Like the Emperor, Leonard was nervous about holding hands for a long time, but his hands fell right away. Leonard¡¯s gaze was only on Adrisha. Poor Adrisha. Still, Leonard is still in the darkpared to other male lead candidates. He doesn¡¯t hurt Adrisha, and even if another man and Adrisha meet, he secretly puts on nkets and sniffles at home. It was time to greet Adrisha. She showed her bright eye smile as if she had waited for Dalia. ¡°Dalia, you look so pretty today. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t see you all dressed up.¡± Dalia shook her head. Adrisha smiled at her once and then greeted Hikan. ¡°Hello, Your Excellency the Duke.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Miss Beniter.¡± Hikan replied stiffly. He still uses honorifics. His determination to not really get close to her was outstanding. They didn¡¯t say a word anymore. Leonard took a peek at his watch. ¡°When is our next dance?¡± He seemed eager to do his first dance with Adrisha quickly. The servant next to him hurriedly lowered his head. ¡°Shall I y it now?¡± ¡°Yes, then.¡± Leonard turned his head and looked at Adrisha. His ears were red, sticking out through his golden hair. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± Adrisha took Leonard¡¯s hand and went to the stage hall. And she looked back and said to Dalia in the shape of her mouth. ¡®You didn¡¯t forget our promise, did you? Let¡¯s do the next dance with me.¡¯ Dalia nodded with a smile. Adrisha took Leonard¡¯s hand and went to the middle of the stage. She kept talking on the way and was a little tired. Perhaps it was an excuse that Cedric ran away, and Leonard wanted to take him away, so it seemed that it was something like this.(*t/n: sorry I don¡¯t really understand this part) He kept talking to her while dancing. Since when did she learn to dance, did she think that he¡¯s being ridiculous? She gave him a rough answer as soon as she thought of it. ¡°Oh, yeah, I heard that story.¡± ¡°What story?¡± ¡°Hikan¡¯s sister, Miss Dalia, she has special abilities?¡± Adrisha doubted her ears for a moment. Unless His Majesty the Emperor is out of his mind, he wouldn¡¯t tell Leonard that kind of thing? ¡°¡­¡­what ability?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the power to bring the Transcendents back from the mana explosion.¡± Adrisha bit her lips. ¡°Who said that?¡± Leonard replied with a bright smile, d that she showed a serious interest in his story. ¡°Aceras.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But strangely, he didn¡¯t know where she went after the ball.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Adrisha felt dizzy. How the hell did Aceras know that? ¡°Well, after the dance is over, I have a ce to go for a while.¡± She had to find Aceras right away. Chapter 28 When Leonard left, Hikan looked as if he had removed a nuisance. ¡°Shit, if only he¡¯s not the Crown Prince.¡± Dalia looked around and covered Hikan¡¯s mouth in surprise. Fortunately, no one heard it. ¡°I can even say that in front of His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­But still.¡± Dalia said to Hikan. ¡°Brother, I have make a promise for the next dance.¡± ¡°¡­¡­A promise?¡± ¡°With Adrisha.¡± Hikan¡¯s puzzled face immediately turned into a look of distrust. ¡°Did Adrisha Beniter suggest it first?¡± ¡®Why do you always call her by full name?¡¯ She honestly thought about it, but didn¡¯t show it. She just nodded her head. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, it¡¯s not that you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡­?¡± ¡°If you go with Adrisha, then I¡¯ll have to be with him again until youe back.¡± Hikan really didn¡¯t want to be with Leonard for another minute. Well, it was even more strange if he and Leonard were close. Even if they barely get close, one of them cannot stand it and will definitely fall apart. ¡°¡­¡­No. All right, go ahead. Come as soon as the dance is over.¡± Hikan sighed and gestured for her to go. If a person like thates again, anyone will feel weak. Dalia thought while racking her brain. ¡°Then shall we stay away for a while? Until the Crown Prince returns?¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have a lot of friends.¡± Dalia smiled. She thought that she had to slip away once anyway. Hikan is a Duke, so he would have to talk about business with people, but to do so, Dalia couldn¡¯t stay next to him. In this world, a 16-year-old transcendent is treated more like an adult, but Dalia is younger than him and has nothing. However, Hikan seemed to be reluctant to leave her alone. Since she¡¯s still young. Dalia pushed him on the back, saying that she was okay. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll go to the balcony and get some fresh air until the second dance is over.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay. When you split up with Adrisha,e to me right away.¡± For some reason, it seems like Hikan thought that she and Adrisha would escape somewhere else. He emphasized many times that she had toe right away. Dalia only got permission after convincing him for a long time. Maybe because he really didn¡¯t want to be with Leonard, but Hikan hesitated for a long time and eventually left. It was a little disappointing, but this is for the best. Dalia went out to the balcony by herself. She could have talked to thedies she met at the tea party, but then Adrisha woulde in the middle and she didn¡¯t want to let her meet them. It was a day when the night wind was strong. Dalia went to the balcony, held the railing with her fists and pressed her head carefully so that her tied hair wouldn¡¯t fall out in the wind, and looked at the garden below. Rustle. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Then, Dalia heard a strange sound from the tree above her head. Dalia looked up at the unexpected sound. At that moment, the wind blew strongly. Dalia grabbed her head thinking that her hair shouldn¡¯t be ruined. However, the bracelet that had been hanging on her wrist fell under the railing. Dalia was surprised and tiptoed to look below. ¡®That¡¯s¡­..my brother chose it for me.¡¯ It was a rare bracelet that he liked. Fortunately, the ballroom was on the second floor, so it wasn¡¯t far below. It fell into the grass right under her feet and it was in the topmost view. However, it was so expensive that she was worried that someone would take it away in the middle. ¡®¡­¡­I¡¯ll bete for the appointment with Adrisha if I go down now.¡¯ Thinking about it, Dalia looked at the tree that made the sound again. ¡®Is it a squirrel?¡¯ However she saw a young man squatting on a branch. It turned out to be much more than a squirrel. No, it was a human being. He was a boy of Dalia¡¯s age, or a little older than her. Under the ck sky of the night, blond hair swaying in the wind with calm red eyes. It was a boy that Dalia had seen before. She admired the appearance, even though she knew what those red eyes meant. ¡®I heard you ran away again, but this time you were closeby.¡¯ It was Cedric Vercelona Michelio, the Second Prince. She couldn¡¯t see anything when she looked up a moment ago. It seemed that he was hiding with magic before, but this time he deliberately revealed himself. He smiled calmly and looked down at Dalia with his chin¡¯s up. ¡°Did it fall because of me?¡± Dalia nodded as she watched his appearance nkly. ¡°Since it¡¯s my fault, I¡¯ll pick it up. Don¡¯t tell them I¡¯m here either.¡± With those words, Cedric pointed to the bracelet caught in the bush. Then, the bracelet floated in the air and flew right in front of Dalia. ¡°Th, thank you!¡± Dalia looked at the bracelet and Cedric alternately in surprise. ¡®Is he a mage?¡¯ She remembered faintly from the original that Cedric is also a transcendent, and his characteristic was multiple attribute magic. He ran away from the pce, but why is he back here? She wanted to ask, but the two were not close enough to even talk about it. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not going inside?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. There¡¯s too many people so it¡¯s quite nauseating.¡± He smiled and said that, but there was nothing more to say. A manner that looks kind on the outside but an attitude that builds a clear wall. Dalia awkwardly avoided his gaze. He¡¯s a difficult person. She opened her mouth while worrying. It was disrespectful, but she thought as a Pesteros, she could say this much. ¡°Many people are looking for you. It¡¯s your birthday soon, so isn¡¯t it a pity that the birthday ball won¡¯t be held?¡± Cedric smiled nonchntly, tilting his head. ¡°No. Because nobody wants to celebrate my birthday anyway.¡± It was a cynical answer that didn¡¯t go with his smile. Dalia opened her eyes wide. Cedric was a member of the royal family and loved by the Emperor and Empress. The nobles also wanted to get along with him. Cedric shrugged as if he had read Dalia¡¯s thoughts. ¡°My personality is a bit terrible.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Everyone is pretending in front of me, but it¡¯s obvious what they¡¯re thinking of.¡± At the end of his sentence, Cedric turned around to the ballroom with the expression of no interest. Dalia also looked over casually. ¡®Should I just go in?¡¯ As Dalia was contemting, she heard someone trying to enter the balcony area. As she got closer, she could hear a conversation, and there was a voice that Dalia was familiar with. ¡°To Sir Leonard¡­¡­¡± ¡®It¡¯s Adrisha!¡¯ Did shee looking for Dalia? Or something else to talk about? Anyway, she was going to say hello and move away from the balcony, but there was another voice. It was the voice of an unfamiliar boy. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ Dalia was about to open the door in worry, but suddenly Cedric called Dalia. ¡°Dalia, you¡¯re Dalia right?¡± Dalia looked back in surprise and nodded. ¡°You stay with me for a moment. Don¡¯t go out now. ¡° It was a friendly way of speaking, but somehow there was a pressure that made it hard for her to refuse. Dalia opened her eyes wide and nodded again this time. Then Cedric smiled helplessly. At the same time, Dalia¡¯s body was floating. ¡®Gasp!¡¯ Dalia closed her mouth tightly with her hands, thinking that she should not be caught by others. Cedric sat Dalia next to the branch where he sat. After that, she felt like there was an invisible wall in front of her. Cedric said kindly. ¡°You can talk now. Don¡¯t be too loud.¡± ¡°Ah, ah, yes. But why am I¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Because it seems that they¡¯re talking about something serious.¡± Dalia leaned over and looked down at the balcony. And she looked again after rubbing her eyes. Brown hair, green eyes, handsome and give off a cute vibe. It was Aceras. ¡®¡­¡­Why both of them?¡¯ Upon closer inspection, Adrisha was questioning Aceras with a terrifying look. Dalia inadvertently leaned forward a little. Then Cedric reached out to block her and said warmly. ¡°If something goes wrong, you¡¯ll fall.¡± Chapter 29 ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Dalia pulled back in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Cedric replied as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. He seemed to be interested in their stories. He was holding his chin with his eyes shining. Didn¡¯t he say that he didn¡¯t get along with Aceras? Dalia recalled the information from the original. Cedric muttered at that moment. ¡°No wonder. I was suspicious of him when he sold me out at the ball.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about our Aceras, I don¡¯t know what it is, but he got something up his sleeve. I¡¯m going to get my revenge this time.¡± Cedric said with a grim smile for some reason. The two seem to have a really bad rtionship. Then, she heard Adrisha¡¯s enraged voice. ¡°What the hell are you thinking while spreading those rumors?¡± Aceras smiled without batting an eye. ¡°What do you mean I spread it. I only said it to His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Looking at youing to see me in such a rage, I guess it is ¡®her¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.What?¡± ¡°There were two candidates. You and her. You¡¯re so kind that I thought you¡¯d be trying to exin that you did it if she were med because of someone else. But it seems that I have hit the nail on the head and as you don¡¯t give any exnation, so it means that¡¯s her doing.¡± Adrisha¡¯s expression slowly turned from confusion to bewilderment. She looked as if she had realized her big mistake. Acerasughed and added more. ¡°I¡¯ve learned something, but isn¡¯t this too low?¡± ¡°You¡­¡­ are really crazy.¡± ¡°Can you talk to me like this? It seems like the imperial family wants to keep this strictly confidential¡­¡­¡± Dalia seems to not understand what they were talking about. What was certain was that Aceras was mocking Adrisha, rather than falling for her. And Adrisha seemed very angry. ¡®¡­¡­Is this my fault too?¡¯ It seems the original plot has ruined. Adrisha, who was supposed to be loved by the three male protagonists and Hikan, was already fighting two of them. Well, it was a terrible story that deserved to be ruined. Then, Aceras said. ¡°In the end, it means that she is the one who brought the Duchess of Blueport back from the mana explosion.¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± Dalia hurriedly closed her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s about me!¡¯ The talks that the two continued to heat up was what happened to the Duchess Blueport. And of course the person they were talking about was Dalia. ¡®¡­¡­How does Aceras know that?¡¯ She was sure that the Emperor said he kept it a secret that she was there. ¡°Ahh, this is about the Duchess of Blueport. It¡¯s my first time hearing such news, it¡¯s amazing.¡± At that time, Cedric calmly added a reply. Only then did Dalia remember the existence of the person next to her. ¡°Y, yes it is.¡± ¡°Who is ¡®her¡¯? Do you know who that is?¡± Dalia, who was looking at the two, became stiff as a rock after listening to Cedric sitting next to her. Then she shook her head. Cedric, who was looking at her, sounded somewhat depressed. ¡°Aha.¡± Then he turned his gaze back to them. No matter who looks at it, he has the ¡®so you know¡¯ expression on his face. Still, he didn¡¯t seem to be that interested in the Duchess Blueport case. That¡¯s a relief. Dalia, who knows the character of the original Cedric, who is not interested in anything other than his own business, breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®By the way, what do we do about Aceras?¡¯ In no time, Adrisha left the balcony huffing and puffing. All who remained were Aceras. He was such a wicked human being. Dalia disliked him more and more, the feelings that had been umted ever since she yed the original work. ¡®What are you going to do now that you figure it out?¡¯ If there is something that Adrisha and Aceras misunderstand is that, the incident is not something that Dalia did on her own will, but a miracle that even the Emperor cannot exin. There¡¯s no guarantee that it will happen twice¡­¡­is this information so valuable to find out? Dalia stared at Aceras and fell into her own thoughts. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡± At that time, Cedric told Dalia and dropped a small piece of quartz into her hand. Dalia took it in the moment of confusion. ¡°You, you¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve had a rough idea of Aceras¡¯s n, there¡¯s no reason to stay here any longer. If you break this, it will drop you over there.¡± Cedric grinned. The quartz piece was the best tool to hold mana, so it was often used in magical items. Cedric seems to be a mage too. Dalia looked at the piece in her hand with curious eyes. She looked up to express her gratitude, but Cedric was already gone. ¡®He¡¯s really fast.¡¯ He was a very interesting person in many ways. Dalia lowered her head again and watched Aceras, who was still lost in thought. She then ovepped her other hand on the piece of quartz in her palm. It should be cold because it¡¯s a piece of stone, but she felt a warm energy due to the mana. She was fascinated and fiddled with it. Crack. Then the quartz split in half. ¡®¡­¡­Huh?¡¯ Dalia looked nkly at her palm. ¡­¡­The quartz piece was cut in half. ¡®Is, is this thing easy to break?¡¯ Wait, it¡¯s broken. Dalia just thought about Cedric¡¯s words. ¡°If you break this, it¡¯ll drop you over there.¡± Which means¡­ Dalia¡¯s bottom is floating. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡®No! Aceras is still there!¡¯ But it was useless. Dalia was forced toe down from the tree and settle down gently on the balcony, even though she knew that Aceras was looking at her in surprise. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There was a moment of silence. It was Aceras who broke the long silence. ¡°¡­¡­Miss Dalia?¡± Dalia wanted to die. No matter who sees it, it looks like she got caught while eavesdropping. * * * The two didn¡¯t say anything for a while. Aceras was looking at Dalia with a cold gaze as if he were measuring something. ¡°Did you hear it all?¡± Dalia swallowed her words for a moment in shame. However, when she thought about it, this wasn¡¯t right. So this situation is¡­¡­ ¡®You got caught talking about me behind my back!¡¯ One thing is clear here. It was not Dalia but Aceras who had to be cautious. So Dalia can be more confident in this situation. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± Of course, in this case she shouldn¡¯t say that she listened to everything. Even nobles could not speak freely to Aceras, a servant under the direct control of the Emperor. Of course, with Dalia¡¯s status, it can give her some leeway but it still was a little ufortable. Although she lied, for some reason Aceras didn¡¯t seem to believe it. Even when she was with Cedric earlier, it seems like people can tell when she lied. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯mte to introduce myself.¡± At that time, Aceras bowed down for his greetings. Dalia secretly looked at his round parting under his rich brown hair. Looking at how calm he is, it was unbelievable that he was just fighting hard until now. ¡°I¡¯m Aceras, His Majesty¡¯s direct servant, Miss Dalia.¡± ¡®I know.¡¯ Dalia thought so to herself. And she bowed her head awkwardly and received the greetings. ¡®Let¡¯s be careful. There¡¯s a ck snake in there.¡¯(*t/n: as in wicked/ck hearted) Chapter 30 She nced sideways at Aceras¡¯ face. ¡®As expected of the original male lead.¡¯ Looking up close, handsome people will always be handsome. His drooping puppy-like eyes, thick upper lip, and even without any expression, his mouth corners always curled up. He looked good, but somehow she can feel something dangerous from him. However, it was frustrating because she couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. Dalia, who knew Aceras¡¯s personality before his breakdown, slowly began to feel anxious. Didn¡¯t he did something suspicious this time, such as digging up Dalia¡¯s behind-the-scenes information? ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to go quickly?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s an honor to see Miss Dalia in person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Did you remember my name?¡± ¡°Yes, ash gray hair is notmon, and you¡¯re so famous.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There were meaningless conversations. Aceras was still looking at her with a harmless smile. It would be nice if he could tell her that he was talking about himself, but it was hard to treat him recklessly because she knew that he would be the pope of the Holy Empire in the future. There was only one thing that Aceras kept on thinking about. ¡®I think she heard it, but how far did she hear?¡¯ He needs to learn more about Dalia¡¯s ability. It doesn¡¯t seem that she knows much about the value of her power yet. The power to bring the frenzy transcendent back to normal. It was the opposite of what he was going to do in the future, and at the same time, it was the power that would be more helpful than anything else if he used it well. He was going to destroy this empire in the future. ¡®It would be nice if I could convince her to be on my side.¡¯ However, he got caught in the most important scene. Even if he thought about it, it was pathetic. ¡®Well, let¡¯s fix it first.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve heard the conversation before, haven¡¯t you?¡± Aceras said with a gentle smile. Dalia shook her head again with a look as if she was the most wronged person in the world, but it was obviously a lie. It was hard to tell how far she had heard, but Aceras decided to throw a small question first. ¡°You¡¯ve seen an embarrassing scene. We didn¡¯t get along very well. ¡° If he said this, he can pretend that the words that he said at that time were him actually trying to hurt Adrisha¡¯s feelings, and that he didn¡¯t actually mean it. ¡°¡­¡­Is that so?¡± However, strangely, Dalia¡¯s expression changed even more when she heard it. With an expression full of suspicion. Aceras checked again what he said just now, but he couldn¡¯t find out the problem. ¡®What is this?¡¯ He smiled more gently, but contrary to his intentions, Dalia¡¯s expression hardened. ¡®¡­¡­As expected, she¡¯s not easy.¡¯ He ignored her because she was young, but she remained vignt. Maybe she knows more than he thinks. But he had to find out what she knows. If Dalia Pesteros has the power to restore the frenzy transcendent, she may be able to ¡®prevent¡¯ the mana explosion by purifying the fallen soul itself with mana. Then he can use his power as much as he wants without worrying about the mana explosion. It was a force that all transcendents would be tempted to own. The strength that can make the entire continent to fight for it. ¡®The way to know, probably through a handshake maybe¡­¡­?¡¯ If that clears his soul, who has undergone the Magic Blooming and is degenerating, it will show that this is not just a fluke. Aceras looked at Dalia secretly. She had already noticed from his words that he was lying naturally. ¡®Who are you kidding, didn¡¯t get along.¡¯ Adrisha clearly said that she had never spoken properly with Aceras. ¡®Suspicious, as expected! What are you nning!¡¯ Dalia red at him, full of doubts. Aceras finished his long observation and reached out his hand. ¡°Miss Dalia, if you don¡¯t mind, can I ask for a handshake?¡± Dalia¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected request. ¡°A, a handshake?¡± Why does everyone here like to shake hands? She was sure that when she learnt from the tutor, people don¡¯t usually ask ady for a handshake. Dalia thought to herself, but there was no reason to refuse, so she held his hand. At least, she was wearing the gloves Adrisha gave her as a gift, so she felt slightly less repulsed. Aceras squinted and looked down at his hand. It wasn¡¯t until a long timeter that he finally released his hand. For some reason he looks like he has lost interest. ¡°Is there any problem¡­?¡± ¡°No, I guess my expectations were too high.¡± Aceras lowered his eyes and spoke in a sad voice. ¡°I thought that Miss Dalia wasn¡¯t really a human¡­¡­ that¡¯s what I thought. But it seems that it¡¯s not until that degree though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.You really had high expectations.¡± Unable to know his intention of speaking that, Dalia¡¯s mind became nk. Are you scratching people¡¯s hearts like this? It was hard to know whether he was being sarcastic or not, so she didn¡¯t even know whether she had to feel bad now. Then, another round of music ended. Adrisha probably soon noticed Dalia¡¯s absence at the ballroom. Dalia didn¡¯t want to see this man and Adrisha meet again after the fight just now. So Dalia was desperately racking her brain, and just outside the balcony, she heard Adrisha¡¯s voice asking a servant. ¡°Have you seen where Miss Dalia Pesteros is?¡± ¡®As expected.¡¯ Aceras heard the same thing, then he looked at Dalia. His expression became a little awkward. ¡°I still have a lot of questions to ask you¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Miss Dalia also still has more questions to ask me, right?¡± ¡®How did he know?¡¯ Dalia asked with her eyes. Aceras grinned. ¡°Strangely, I can see everything you think of from your face.¡± ¡®How annoying.¡¯ That¡¯s what transcendents were supposed to be like. In addition, Aceras was twice as meticulous. But Dalia also had her pride too. For some reason, she didn¡¯t want to lose to him. She walked toward the door smiling. ¡°No, after thinking about it, I think we can meet again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡®Sure, it¡¯s fine if you want to stop me from going to dance. I can just say that I need to talk with Aceras.¡¯ As Dalia walked without hesitation, Aceras blocked her way with an expression of ¡®this is not it¡¯. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about it again?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to think about. I¡¯ll call Adrisha. Get out of the way.¡± For the first time, the smile disappeared from Aceras¡¯s face and reced with panic instead. Dalia smiled because she was in a good mood. ¡°Or if you ask me specifically not to go out, I will do that.¡± Aceras¡¯ expression was distorted. Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s still young, but he seemed to be more naivepared to the original. Aceras said after a while. ¡°¡­¡­I beg of you, mydy.¡± Dalia answered proudly. ¡°Since you said that, I¡¯ll just stay here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay.¡± Aceras looked as if he had lost somehow. It made Dalia feel even more pleasant. But then. ¡°Dalia? Are you there?¡± Adrisha knocked on the balcony window. ¡®Oh, did we talk too loud?¡¯ Only then did Dalia feel like she was out of her mind. Aceras and Dalia made eye contact. He even said ¡®please¡¯, but are they gonna get caught because of her? Aceras breathed a short sigh. Then he tilted his head and smiled softly. ¡°Since you¡¯re doing me a favor, could you forgive me for a little rudeness?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I will.¡± However, Adrisha was already ready to open the door ande in. What can you do here? Then, something unbelievable happened. Aceras grabbed Dalia¡¯s waist and hugged her, and immediately jumped right out of the railing. Dalia held back the scream by covering her mouth tightly with her hands. Her hair loosened and the hair tie flew away in the wind. She thought that they would fall like this, but Aceras took Dalia¡¯s waist with one hand and grabbed the edge under the railing with one hand. It is true that transcendents are said to be ahead of ordinary people in all aspects, such as strength and intelligence, even before the blooming. No matter how much smaller Dalia is than Aceras, but this¡­¡­ ¡°Dalia?¡± Adrisha¡¯s voice can be heard right above them. Aceras shook his head at Dalia. Dalia nodded with her eyes wide open. ¡°¡­¡­¡­I definitely hear her voice here.¡± Adrisha seemed to look around instead of going out right away. Then she made an ¡°Ah¡± sound as if she had found something on the floor. ¡°¡­¡­Dalia¡¯s hair tie is here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Dalia made eye contact with Aceras. Just looking at their eyes, they were both thinking of the same thing. Adrisha opened the balcony door and stormed out. Her voice, that was always soft, resonated. ¡°It¡¯s an emergency! Where¡¯s the Duke of Pesteros?¡± We¡¯re doomed. Things have gone wrong. Chapter 31 Aceras hugged Dalia and fell behind the bushes. He seemed to have judged that it was better than climbing there. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t hurt at all. As you¡¯ve know, Aceras is a transcendent, so he¡¯ll be fine. The disturbance at the ballroom has already spread to here. The Duke¡¯s sister is missing from the pce, so everyone will mobilize all their resources to find her. People were already running to the garden below. This is why Aceras will be misunderstood if they go out together. It¡¯s even worse since he just fought with Adrisha. Fortunately, there is a ratherrge space behind the bushes, so it would take a while unless they look closely. If caught, it would be faster for Dalia to lose her position and get revenge on the angry male lead than for Adrisha to be imprisoned. It was fortunate that Dalia did not suggest it. As soon as Aceras came down, he sighed deeply. ¡°I made a stupid mistake, too. To think because of the hair tie.¡± The words sounded like Dalia was ming herself. As a result of observing him for a short time, Aceras could have thought that way because he had no conscience. Dalia didn¡¯t want to be the target of revenge for the future male lead, so she pondered on how to ovee this. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if we tell the truth and ask for forgiv¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you will be alright, but no one¡¯s gonna believe me. I will be decapitated by the angry Lady Adrisha and the Duke.¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha.¡± She couldn¡¯t deny it at all. Dalia turned the subject around. ¡°Why are you doing something that shouldn¡¯t be caught? What happened with Adrisha?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± This time, Aceras became quiet. After a long time, he sighed and turned his head to her magpie nest-like hair. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll tell you everything that happened. Miss Dalia, I have a n.¡± She knew she shouldn¡¯t believe in Aceras¡¯s ¡®honesty¡¯ at face value, but Dalia nodded pretending not to know. ¡°What n?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a small ember¡­. It¡¯s small, but because it¡¯s surrounded by fields, it¡¯s likely to spread extremely quickly.¡±(*t/n: for those who didn¡¯t understand what he means here, it¡¯s an analogy. So the ember/fire here = rumor. I¡¯m pretty sure the fields here = the stupid chatterbox crown prince. Since he can¡¯t keep his mouth shut, so the rumors can spread quickly.) ¡°¡­¡­You can¡¯t possibly like watching fire, aren¡¯t you?¡±(*t/n: basically it means that he likes to watch the drama/chaos the rumor caused..like this) Aceras nodded shyly. ¡®So you¡¯re trying to spread that I was responsible for the Duchess Blueport incident?¡¯ Dalia widened her eyes in bewilderment. ¡°But there was someone who seemed to put out the hard-earned embers right away. So I¡­¡­¡± Aceras spoke with a hazy look. On the other hand, Dalia cooled down. ¡°Get out.¡± Dalia pushed him with her foot. Aceras was confused and grabbed Dalia. ¡°What are you doing, Miss Dalia!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like Aceras. Now pay for your sins.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t do that.¡± Aceras begged with his good and beautiful face. He was so proud of himself when he said, ¡°I beg of you¡± before, now where is he?(*t/n: the difference in his tone and choice of word. Because previously, the ¡®i beg of you¡¯ or also can be tranted as ¡®please¡¯-it was in a more formal tone (just a slight nod will do while saying this), but now he¡¯s literally begging) ¡°So why are you talking behind someone else¡¯s back?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry, Miss Dalia.¡± Dalia couldn¡¯t bear to push him awaypletely and vaguely pulled back her foot. ¡°Why do you live with such bad thoughts? What¡¯s wrong with getting along with others?¡± Due to the situation, Dalia has now reached the point of lecturing the original male lead. Aceras shrugged his shoulders. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do with those of poor origin, Miss.¡± ¡®Ah, this line appears here.¡¯ Now is it ¡¸I was born with poor origins too. People can change.¡¹ Dalia¡¯s turn to say this? Of course, Dalia didn¡¯t intend to receive Aceras¡¯s love by using Adrisha¡¯s lines here. The love from Aceras will only cause a messy aftereffect. Dalia¡¯s life was as precious as Adrisha. So Dalia nodded. ¡°Th, that¡¯s right. There¡¯s nothing we can do about that. ¡° ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ve never heard anyone say like that before.¡± Aceras said as if he were dumbfounded. She chose to keep her mouth shut because Dalia thought that it was nonsense. Aceras looked away from Dalia and looked around. Dalia nced at him secretly. Honestly, the more she stays with him after seeing him and Adrisha fighting, the more she thinks that he has already be the seed of a great viin. From digging for information behind Dalia¡¯s back¡­ to the fact that he knows she was at the ballroom during the Duchess Blueport incident. ¡®Maybe I should just hand him over to brother now?¡¯ She felt weak looking at Aceras¡¯ handsome side face, but considering the future¡­¡­ However, Dalia shook her head recalling one of the original events. In fact, in one of the Aceras routes, he was once imprisoned in the underground prison of the imperial pce after his scheme was discovered. At that time, he eventually seeds in breaking out of prison, releasing all prisoners there to avoid being caught. That¡¯s why Adrisha yed a big part in the pce trying to capture the prisoners, and eventually ran into Aceras and exchanged such harsh words¡­¡­ The route eventually became the love-hatred bad end route. If she tries to lock him up again for no reason this time and he breaks out of prison and burns his anger toward Dalia, she will be in trouble. She wanted to live a long and peaceful life. ¡°If Aceras is caught¡­¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± It seems that her thought came out of her mouth on it¡¯s own. Aceras next to her looked at Dalia with an absurd expression. Dalia quickly found a way to fix it. Fortunately, she came up with an idea quickly this time. Dalia put her hand on his shoulder and nodded her head. ¡°I will make sure that you can get out of here.¡± ¡°¡­..I¡¯d rather not be caught.¡± Before they knew it, time went by while they were talking. People still haven¡¯t found them. ¡°No one¡¯s ever found us. What if the misunderstanding gets worse?¡± ¡°I agree with that.¡± ¡°The longer we spend time here, the worse the situation will be.¡± Dalia was just about to say, ¡®Let¡¯s get out.¡¯ But then, a shadow fell over Aceras and Dalia. ¡°Yes, Dalia. The situation is already strange.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Dalia replied in confusion. Dalia just heard the voice above her head. It was a blunt and arrogant voice that she knew very well. Dalia looked up with trembling eyes. Hikan Pesteros, with a disorganized look, whose hair was untied and his cor crumpled, was looking at the two with a cold gaze. Why, at this timing. However, she felt guilty not because Hikan was angry or waiting for her to confess her sins, but because he was looking at her with a tired look on his face. ¡°How do you exin this situation?¡± A somewhat hoarse voice. When Aceras sighed and tried to open his mouth, Hikan growled. ¡°You keep your mouth shut.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You tell me, Dalia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± Dalia nced at Aceras. And she saw her exhausted brother. How can she exin this in the best way? After much consideration, Dalia opened her mouth. ¡°¡­¡­well, the bracelet¡­..that brother gave me¡­..fell down¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I almost fell off while trying to pick it up, but he caught me. But it was toote¡­¡­and we fell together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Why didn¡¯t you just call us?¡± ¡°I was worried that others might misunderstand. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hikan was silent. His gaze stayed on Dalia. After a long time, he looked back at Aceras. ¡°Thank you for helping my sister. You can go now. I¡¯ll make it up to youter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, then I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡± Aceras hesitated as if he had something to say when he saw Dalia, then he left. Hikan sat with his knees bent in front of Dalia. Dalia apologized again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t apologize. In the future, don¡¯t try too hard to pick up something like that. You¡¯re hurt.¡± His gaze was on Dalia¡¯s knee. She didn¡¯t even know that she was injured, but it turned out that she got hurt from the bushes. ¡°The ball is over. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Hikan bent over and hugged her. He didn¡¯t put her on his shoulder like before, and carefully held her in his arms as if she was something precious. It was a really strange night. She can¡¯t even dance with Adrisha, and one of the male characters fell in the bushes. ¡®As expected, Aceras is someone that I need to watch out for.¡¯ Still, it was nice to be with Hikan at the end. She hugged his neck tightly. Chapter 32 ¡°Well, everything¡¯s fine.¡± Leonard clicked his tongue and climbed into the carriage. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you make such a loud noise.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s okay. We¡¯ve seen something interesting. Did you see Hikan¡¯s face? Hey, one of the kids is gone for a second and that¡¯s how people¡­¡­¡± He didn¡¯t see Hikan often, but it was the first time he looked so lost. He leaned against the back of the carriage with his hands behind his head. ¡®Not only father, even Hikan and Adrisha too, why are they so anxious about that kid?¡¯ Well, she is small and cute. She speaks in a friendly way. ¡°Will I be like that if I have a cute little sister? Ah, I want to get my brother and bring him here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Adrisha lowered her eyes and said nothing. Leonard nced at her secretly. ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s wrong? Is there something bothering you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Sir Leonard.¡± Leonard was surprised as if he was burned. This is because Adrisha put her hand slightly on hisp. She looked up at Leonard with a pitiful look. ¡°Dalia is an ordinary child, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to talk about something that is not true. Can you not tell anyone what that attendant said? For me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Leonard guaranteed. Only then did Adrisha feel satisfied and raise a hand over her chest to thank him. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s been a while since you call me that.¡± After Adrisha was rescued, she was his secret maid for a year. Leonard was the title that she called him back then. At that time, the Empire was in a precarious situation because they were on the brink of war with the Holy Empire. Adrisha protected him several times from the assassins of the Holy Empire who came to kidnap him. That¡¯s why he fell for Adrisha. ¡°Back then, didn¡¯t you promise to grant my wish? This is my wish, so you have to keep it.¡± Adrisha said with a serious look. Leonard also became serious and nodded eagerly. * * * ¡°Ouch, it hurts!¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± Dalia held back her tears. At first, she thought that it was okay because she didn¡¯t have a drop of blood, but as time went by, blood started to flow out of the wound and it started to hurt. On top of that, she was in a lot of pain when applying the disinfectant. She couldn¡¯t move even when she tried to pull her leg back because Hikan was holding it tight. Hikan wrapped the bandage skillfully. This world does not have band-aids, so she needs to use a bandage even with a wound like this. It was just a scratch, but it was funny because she looked like someone who broke her leg. When Daliaughed with tears in her eyes, Hikan looked at her sharply. ¡°Are youughing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­But.¡± ¡°The Crown Prince told me everything. I heard you went to see the Emperor to raise Adrisha Beniter¡¯s status. Why didn¡¯t you tell me that?¡± ¡®Gasp, I got caught.¡¯ Dalia recalled the Crown Prince¡¯s face nkly. Really, no matter how light his mouth is, he can¡¯t tell him that! ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re grounded for a month. Stay at home.¡± ¡°B, but¡­¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let Adrisha Benitere either. Reflect on yourself.¡± That¡¯s too much. No matter how much she¡­¡­she¡­¡­ The thought of the sin shemitted, made her shut her mouth. Still, Dalia expressed her dissatisfaction. Hikan sighed looking at her and swept her cheek with the back of his hand. ¡°How long are you going to upset me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I realized today. I¡¯m now¡­¡­¡± He blurred his words. Dalia didn¡¯t know what he was going to say, but she couldn¡¯t say anything because of the atmosphere. * * * That night. Adrisha dragged the royal guards into Aceras¡¯ room. He was already packing up and getting ready to go out. This was also within her expectation. ¡°Now you¡¯re going to go on a night trip?¡± She spoke harshly. Adrisha approached without hesitation and sat with one knee in front of him, not worrying of her dress. Then, with the other hand, she grabbed his jacket and pulled it in front of her own eyes. ¡°You really¡­¡­what are you doing? Are you selling confidential information to the Holy Empire?¡± Even though he was grabbed by the cor, Aceras smiled without panicking at all. ¡°I¡¯ve felt it from before, but you speak like a very nobledy. It¡¯s weird, we¡¯re from the same bottom level, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Yustia?¡± Adrisha¡¯s expression hardened. Yustia was her real name before receiving this status. Aceras pped her hand and cleared his way. ¡°This wasn¡¯t bad, either. The arrogant Emperor doesn¡¯t think that anyone else can hide themselves from him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Emperor¡¯s ability is to read other people¡¯s emotions through physical contact. Until now, he has used that ability in the right ce to remove the unscrupulous forces early on and strengthen the imperial power. The Emperor¡¯s attendants were also those who had passed the strict tests. And yet, the fact that Aceras learned the secret of Dalia, and that he was hiding all this time without being caught¡­¡­ It means that he cleverly avoided the Emperor¡¯s ability, which means that he permeated the imperial family secretly and meticulously. Adrisha realized how terrifying the boy in front of her was. Aceras smiled casually. ¡°But I thought I got something big, so I was looking forward to it a little bit.¡± ¡°You¡­ really¡­¡± ¡°But what a letdown. She¡¯s nothing, she¡¯s just a kid.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Aceras shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll disappear as you wish. You don¡¯t have to worry about it anymore, Miss Adrisha.¡± Adrisha chewed on her fine lips. ¡°You think I¡¯m gonna let you disappear?¡± She raised her hand. She¡¯s going to call in the royal guards from outside. Still, he¡¯s a man who is quick to think. ¡®I¡¯d rather be with that girl more¡­¡­¡¯ He thought of the girl with the gray hair for a moment. But he quickly erased the idea and flicked his hand. A small pre-installed bomb that responds to a special sound exploded in the hallway outside the door. There was amotion. Adrisha was also distracted for a while. Aceras took advantage of that moment and went to the window. A giant bird created with divine power was waiting for him. He didn¡¯t waste any more time and got on top of the bird. ¡°Aceras!¡± Aceras heard Adrisha¡¯s scream, but he didn¡¯t care. He didn¡¯t even feel like mocking the loser. Sitting on the bird¡¯s back, he looked down at the panoramic view of the Imperial Pce from the sky. It may seem beautiful to others, but it was just boring to him. It¡¯s not fun. The world is boring. Perhaps that¡¯s why he always craved for conflict, fighting, destruction, and a sea of fire. He wanted to see the Empire burn up. The hatred that had been deeply hidden, grew bigger as time went by. ¡®Good thing Dalia Pesteros didn¡¯t see that.¡¯ She¡¯s caught a lot of things, but there¡¯s only one thing she hasn¡¯t. If even that was caught, Dalia would never forgive him. At the ball held at the Duke of Pesteros¡¯ mansion, he sprinkled his divine power on a ss of champagne for the Duchess of Blueport. When divine power is mixed into the liquid, it turns into a substance that is close to holy water. Champagne is no exception. The divine power would continue to be the opposite of the transcendents with mana, and sometimes, like the rtionship between plus and minus, would remove the mana of the transcendents for a while or leave their minds nk. It has already been proven by several experiments. He thought. Perhaps this could bring about a violent sh of power and mana, leading to a forced outburst of the transcendents? Of course, he didn¡¯t expect to seed. It was just an experiment. ¡®No, was it really unexpected?¡¯ Didn¡¯t he dream of this for a very long time? The destruction of this empire and all the transcendents. Nevertheless, if the Duchess of Blueport had really killed hundreds of people, something inside his heart would have changed somehow. But that didn¡¯t happen. Because of Dalia Pesteros, who has the ability to bring back the transcendent from the mana explosion. If she¡¯s in his hands, he¡¯ll be able to get the Empire, no, even the entire continent. He thought he could burn the Empire this time¡­¡­ ¡®Then¡­¡­¡¯ The handshake didn¡¯t work, so he was going to dismiss that day as a coincidence. While hanging on the railing with Dalia, her arms brushed against his face as she struggled. At that time, a certain energy was conveyed subtly. The power that let his dizzy head back to normal and make his old headache disappear. And the strong possessiveness that he wants to get his hands on her. It showed that Dalia Pesteros can not only return the frenzy transcendent to normal, but also had the power to purify the soul that is corrupted by mana. Dalia Pesteros is not a ¡°kid who has nothing¡±. She has the power to control the continent. Chapter 33 ¡®Dalia Pesteros is an old friend of the Duchess Blueport.¡¯ She will never forgive him if she finds out that he was the reason behind the Duchess Blueport¡¯s mana explosion. ¡°If Aceras is caught¡­¡­I will definitely get you out.¡± He remembered what she said unaware of what he did. ¡®But not now.¡¯ Aceras thought quietly to himself. Dalia of that timees to his mind. With her messed up hair and torn dress, she was talking to Hikan Pesteros. ¡°I almost fell off trying to pick it up, but he caught me before I fell. But it was toote, so¡­¡­we fell together.¡± Foolish girl. But at the same time, she was also the only one to notice the little servant¡¯s dream that no one else was interested in. ¡®Now that this is the case, I must go to the Holy Empire earlier than expected¡­¡­¡¯ He¡¯s already awakened. With this power, those foolish beings will glorify him, believe him as the messenger of God, and put him in the highest position. Then he will find Dalia Pesteros again. He will take her by all means and drive the continent to war. That way, he can rationalize himself. What kind of expression will she make at that moment? He was already looking forward to see that. 5. Mana Blooming Summer has passed three times before she knew it. Dalia turned 16. Her height increased 20 centimeters too! But she was still a little smaller than her peers. Daliaforted herself by saying that she was growing a little slower than others. There has been one more incident recently. A new Pope has been appointed at the Holy Empire. Of course, it was Aceras. It was supposed to happen yearster ording to the original , but it was not known why he had already gone to the Holy Empire and became a Pope. It would not have been easy for amoner or a foreigner to be a Pope. The news stirred the capital for a while. He became a Pope from being the Emperor¡¯s servant. It is a story of a life reversal that can be hard for anyone to believe it. However the smarter people are beginning to see the other side of the situation. Aceras¡¯ ascension as Pope was due to his enormous divine power. A rigorous investigation also revealed that the source of his power was in fact has the traits of a transformed transcendent. Then he would have ¡®bloomed¡¯, so why was he still satisfied with the position of the Emperor¡¯s attendant with such power? And why did he suddenly change his mind and go to the Holy Empire? Countless spies and aides of the Emperor were running day and night to find the answer to this question. During the state meeting, the Emperor did not mention the past when Aceras was his attendant at all, but only referred to him as the ¡®new Pope of the Holy Empire¡¯. If he had been a fool, he would have obsessed over Aceras¡¯s past status and tried to kill him, but the Emperor now knew that it meant nothing. On the other hand, Dalia, who knows the flow of the original work, was having apletely different dilemma from them. ¡®But since he went to another country right before he fell in love with Adrisha, do I still have to worry about Aceras route?¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t rx easily. In the Aceras route, after bing a Pope, he used up his divine power and gradually went crazy. ¡®I¡¯m not sure if his obsession towards Adrisha is going to happen again this time.¡¯ In the original, he showed a strong hatred towards the Frederic Empire. The original didn¡¯t tell his past story in detail, so she doesn¡¯t know all of it, so she just assumed that something had happened. Dalia briefly asked Hikan about how Aceras was doing, but he replied that he¡¯s too busy to know that and now he will only care about his country¡¯s problems. Well, since he¡¯s not from the Holy Empire, it¡¯s hard to establish a power base even after he bes a Pope. Dalia decided to rx for now. Anyway, she had three birthday parties in the meantime, and received a lot of presents every time. The room was full of dolls and was about to burst, so Dalia banned dolls as gifts, instead of expanding the room as Hikan suggested. Hikan was still 18 years old since his birthday hadn¡¯t passed yet. His face, which was originally handsome, shone brighter as time went by. He also has soft hair, so it became a habit to fiddle with his hair in his office whenever he was bored. The Westerner¡¯s ¡®16 Devils¡¯ section seems to have gone awry.(*t/n: I don¡¯t really understand thest part ??) And the day after tomorrow, he turns 19. It was the time when the ¡®Mana Blooming¡¯ would soon begin. ¡®Mana Blooming¡¯. The moment when the magical power hidden inside the transcendents first manifests itself as a specific special ability. Instead, she was told that blooming is a very difficult and exhausting process for both the person concerned and the people around him. Mana Blooming has note to him yet. In the original, since he was ten years old, he prepared himself every day, but surprisingly nothing happened. Dalia rather hoped that her brother would never bloom his magic. Hikan didn¡¯t seem to be too nervous either. Anyway, let¡¯s stop worrying about things that haven¡¯t happened yet. ¡°So, what should I give my brother for his birthday?¡± Dalia began consulting with the people that were close to her. The nanny gave a troubled look at the annual question. ¡°The Duke will like whatever you give him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­But still.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Adrisha replied while sipping the tea. ¡°How about not giving him anything? That would be a fresh gift.¡± ¡°¡­¡­well, that¡¯s a little bit¡­¡­¡± It¡¯s been 3 years, but there¡¯s no sign of improvement between Hikan and Adrisha. This was the limit of Dalia¡¯s narrowwork. She made a few other friends from several ball and tea parties, but she¡¯s not close enough to consult with them. In the end, Dalia had to deal with this challenge alone. Dalia made a firm resolve. ¡®I can do it!¡¯ Hikan held Dalia¡¯s birthday ball every year, but not his own birthday ball. ¡°I hate it when pretentious peoplee and give me a fake smile and a fake congrattion.¡± Still, every year she is surrounded by many people and celebrated, and Hikan always cared about spending his birthday alone with her. ¡®I¡¯ll give you a nice present again this time!¡¯ Dalia ambitiously made an appointment with her nanny to go out. She also got permission from her brother. She has also collected pocket money for this asion. All she needs to do is to go buy something. Dalia and her nanny got into the carriage and went to the downtown area. She was thinking of looking around several ces slowly, so she asked the coachman toe in three hours. Dalia¡¯s first birthday gift candidate is a fountain pen. For some reason, Hikan still sticks with the quill. The quill has an old fashioned look, but a fountain pen is much morefortable. But still, he will use it since it¡¯s her gift. Dalia was proud of herself and headed to the fountain pen shop. Now that she¡¯s taller than the counter, she didn¡¯t have to ask the nanny to deliver what she said. She was a little proud of the clear evidence of her growth. ¡°I¡­¡­I want to buy a present for my brother.¡± The elderly clerk looked at her with a happy expression. ¡°Which type would you like?¡± ¡°The one that is good for beginners.¡± ¡°Well, what about this?¡± While the clerk leaned over, another tall man stood next to Dalia. ¡°Is it for Hikan?¡± ¡®¡­¡­Huh?¡¯ Dalia looked up at the familiar voice. ck hair, ck eyes, in suit. His hair color and outfit have changed, but that face¡­..! It was clear that he¡¯s the Empire¡¯s Emperor, Alexandro Duncan Michelio II. Although he was nearingte 30s, he still retained histe 20s appearance. Dalia was so surprised that she almost jumped from her seat. ¡°Your Ma¡­¡­¡± ¡°Shh.¡± The Emperor brazenly put his index finger on his lips. Then the clerk who lifted himself looked curious. ¡°Your Ma?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Dalia shook her head quickly. The Emperor naturally stepped before her and held out money. ¡°Give me this and that together. Gift-wrapped.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The clerk left to wrap up Dalia¡¯s precious gift that the Emperor chose. The Emperor smiled. ¡°That¡¯s my gift to Hikan.¡± ¡®¡­¡­I was going to give it to him.¡¯ Dalia pouted. Then she recalled who the man in front of her was and hurriedly covered her mouth. How dare she pout just because the Emperor took away her gift. ¡°Well, Your Ma, no¡­¡­¡± She can¡¯t call him ¡®Your Majesty¡¯, so Dalia just blurred out her words because she didn¡¯t know what to address him as. The nanny, who was quick-witted, quickly noticed the Emperor¡¯s identity and had no idea what to do like Dalia. The Emperor smiled and gestured at the nanny. ¡°I¡¯ll escort Miss Dalia well and send her home. You can go ahead.¡± ¡°B, but¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to give orders as the Emperor here¡­¡­¡± ¡°Goodbye!¡± The nanny left Dalia alone and quickly disappeared. She btedly reached behind her nanny¡¯s back, but she had already left the store. ¡°Haha, there¡¯s no need for her to do that.¡± ¡®It¡¯s because of you, Your Majesty!¡¯ Dalia shed tears in her heart. It¡¯s ufortable. It¡¯s too ufortable. The rtionship between Dalia and the Emperor was as good as a manager and a new employee. They are not close enough to buy her brother¡¯s birthday present together. ¡°Wh, what brought you here?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± The Emperor scratched his cheek as if in trouble. ¡°It¡¯s been more than a month since Cedric escaped. But the people underneath me are so annoying¡­¡­.¡± Second Prince Cedric is now seventeen. He is a transcendent who just finished blooming. He was a man who broke through the security even before the mana blooming, but now that he has bloomed, no ordinary man can find him. ¡®That¡¯s why youe here yourself.¡¯ It¡¯s a tearful love between father and son. At the same time, Dalia was in tears because of the awkward time with the Emperor. ¡°But why am I¡­¡­?¡± Dalia asked carefully. ¡°There¡¯s a very important reason for this.¡± The Emperor said with an extremely serious expression. Dalia asked because he got so serious. ¡°Why is that?¡± Chapter 34 ¡°That¡¯s because Miss Dalia hasn¡¯t visited me for a year.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She felt like she lost strength in her body. ¡°You didn¡¯t even send me a love letter.¡± ¡°How dare I, towards Your Majesty the Emperor¡­¡­¡± ¡°Quietly.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°If you feel ufortable, just call me Mr. Alexander.¡± ¡®¡­¡­I won¡¯t call you that even if I die. ¡® Dalia made up her mind. The Emperor grinned and reached out to her. Like an escort She hesitated for a moment and didn¡¯t put her hand on it. ¡°Anyway, Hikan is an old friend of mine. If you¡¯re choosing a birthday present, I¡¯ll help you.¡± It was the most hopeful news she has heard ever since she met him. Since Hikan received Dalia¡¯s gift unconditionally, she still had no information about what he liked. She nodded, her eyes shining. * * * The Emperor knew a lot about Hikan. He rejected most of Dalia¡¯s birthday gift candidates. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t rmend clothing and misceneous goods. Hikan has a deep knowledge of clothes. Even if you give something ufortable¡­ Well, if Dalia gives it to him, he¡¯ll wear it every day, but he¡¯ll shed tears inside.¡± ¡®I gave him a broochst year¡­¡­¡¯ She thought that he liked it since he wore it every day, but was he actually crying inside? Dalia is now depressed by the truth that she has just realized. ¡°Ah, the brooch Dalia gave himst year was definitely his cup of tea. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± Dalia looked up at the Emperor with an earnest look. He nodded his head confidently. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then this year¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± It was a firm tone. Dalia became more depressed after realizing the Emperor¡¯s efforts to conceal the truth. ¡°Then how about a music box?¡± ¡°If it was a recording of Miss Dalia¡¯s voice, he would love it.¡± This is also rejected. There are no more candidates left. Everything was dismissed. She was flustered and came up with a proposal that was not originally nominated. ¡°A ph, phonograph?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay. He¡¯s not an opera-obsessed person. And the phonograph is as expensive as it can be but the performance is good.¡± It was a positive answer for the first time. ¡®But¡­¡­¡¯ But she is short of money. Dalia thought about her budget. Pesteros had a lot of money, and Dalia received much more pocket money than her peers. So, she could choose all the gifts without asking the price, but the phonograph had a different unit than the usual gift. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°How much do you have now?¡± Dahlia opened the bag she had brought and showed them to the Emperor. The Emperor raised one eyebrow, counted the money in it, and nodded. ¡°That should be enough. You can buy the best one.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Sure. There¡¯s a store that I know started a sale yesterday.¡± Dalia¡¯s expression brightened up. She can¡¯t do anything until next month if she buys this. But since it¡¯s Hikan¡¯s birthday, she wanted to give something to Hikan¡¯s taste as much as possible. ¡®Let¡¯s do it¡­¡­!¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you there.¡± The Emperor naturally escorted her. Dalia looked at the Emperor, who had been with her for two hours. ¡°Wh¡­¡­when will you go to find the Second Prince?¡± ¡°Well, he will appear when the timees.¡± ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ Isn¡¯t that too irresponsible? At that moment, that thought struck Dalia¡¯s mind, but she quickly erased her disrespectful thought. The phonograph store was on the corner of the downtown, so she thought she would never be able to visit it alone without the Emperor. Dalia thanked him in a small voice. ¡°That¡­¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°What are you thankful for?¡± ¡°No one helped me this much when I was choosing a birthday present¡­ but thank you for bringing me here.¡± ¡°Miss Dalia is also very polite. The Emperorughed. ¡°I¡¯m happy just to be with Miss Dalia like this.¡± He was 100 percent sincere. ¡°Soe visit the Imperial Pce more often. I won¡¯t lock you up in the same room as Leonard.¡± Dalia smiled awkwardly. It seemed like he was no longer joking about her engagement. Fortunately. A clerk at the phonograph store rushed out when he saw Dalia and the Emperor. Instead of the Emperor, he looked directly at Dalia and said, ¡°Good morning, Miss. What brings you here?¡± Is it because Dalia¡¯s dress is more luxurious? Dalia didn¡¯t see the secret eyes exchange between the Emperor and the clerk, and she just thought so. Since it was her who had business anyway, Dalia spoke confidently. ¡°I¡¯d like to buy a birthday present for my brother. The best one.¡± ¡°Ah, the best thing is thetest metal blue iron. Would you like that?¡± It seems expensive just by hearing the name. Dalia grabbed the hem of her skirt and asked carefully. ¡°The price is¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 490 dillon.¡± A dillon in this world costs about 2,000 won.(*t/n: around $2) Based on the previous world standard, it was about 1 million won. It was much cheaper than she thought. In addition, it was just the right amount of money Dalia brought. Dalia said with delight. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it!¡± ¡°Yes, where should I ship it to?¡± ¡°To the Duke of Pesteros.¡± Surprised by the unexpected high position, the clerk¡¯s eyes widened. He hurriedly looked alternately between the Emperor and her and went inside. ¡°Please wait a moment!¡± He went inside and brought the purchase confirmation and delivery documents. ¡°You can sign here.¡± There was a ck paint on the acquisition part and the letter ¡®490 dillon¡¯ was written below, which seemed to have been written urgently. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s because the products are on sale these days so I wrote a new one.¡± ¡®Is it because it¡¯s new discounts?¡¯ It was a very reasonable question, but Dalia was in a hurry to buy her brother¡¯s birthday present. She opened her bag, counted a total of 490 dillon, and handed them to the clerk. ¡°Thank you. I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± After greeting, Dalia left the store. The Emperor seemed to whisper something to the clerk before going out. ¡°What did you ask?¡± ¡°I asked when it would be delivered. If it doesn¡¯t get there by the day after tomorrow, it¡¯ll be a trouble.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± She didn¡¯t think of that. ¡®Like a fool.¡¯ Dalia med herself. ¡°Well, it¡¯s okay. Anyway, I bought a birthday present, and now I just need to ship Miss Dalia home.¡±(*t/n: yea,,the original word is indeed ¡®ship/deliver¡¯) It was a silly joke, but it was funny. Dalia smiled. ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± The two set out in a carriage brought by the Emperor. It was a very ordinary carriage on the outside, but it was very spacious andfortable inside. ¡°By the way, Hikan hasn¡¯t bloomed his mana yet. It¡¯s a little slower than his predecessors.¡± The Emperor said that while stepping into the carriage. Dalia nodded because she was thinking about it these days. ¡°It will start within this year at thetest. Once the mana blooms, the person bes very destructive for a month. We can say that it¡¯s a reaction because a powerful force burst from the inside at once?¡± Dalia also knew that. It¡¯s from the original. Dalia¡¯s expression became heavy. The Emperor gave an understanding smile. ¡°Well, every transcendent goes through it, so don¡¯t worry too much. If he goes too crazy, run away to the Imperial Pce. Come and I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­thank you.¡± The Emperor is reliable because he was the strongest of the transcendents. Dalia thanked her helplessly. The Emperor held his chin and fell into his thoughts. ¡°Well, if not¡­¡­yes¡­and it¡¯s time for Miss Dalia to know the truth when she¡¯s sixteen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­what?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The Emperor smiled softly even though he uttered something inaudible. The next word was even greater. ¡°There¡¯s the easiest way. Give Hikan a hug of love from Miss Dalia. Then he¡¯ll get well. The power of love is great.¡± Daliaughed. Of course the Emperor was not joking, but she didn¡¯t know that. When they almost arrived in front of the main gate of the Pesteros mansion, the Emperor asked. ¡°Well, we¡¯re here, anyway, did you have fun today?¡± ¡°Yes, totally.¡± It was a day when Dalia¡¯s internal assessment of the Emperorpletely rose vertically. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± The carriage stopped. The Emperor stepped out first, looked back and reached out for Dalia. ¡°It was a fun day, so would you grant me a wish?¡± Although he was too old to be hugged, Dalia, who knew what it meant, stood and lightly hugged the Emperor after holding his hand. At the same time, she could hear a faint cough. Hikan was waiting for her at the front door. Chapter 35 ¡°¡­¡­ Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Hikan. It¡¯s not good to overprotect your sister like that. Why don¡¯t you just go home?¡± ¡°I came out because for some reason, I feel like Your Majesty will try to steal.¡± ¡°Hmm, I can¡¯t say no to that.¡± Hikan gently pulled Dalia toward him. Dalia felt like she was being handled like a package from the courier service. ¡°Have you found the Second Prince?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m going to find him from now on.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for you. Also, thank you for bringing my sister.¡± Grind.(*t/n: I¡¯m not sure what is the onomatopoeia for grinding teeth hehe) For some reason, it seemed like that sound came from Hikan¡¯s teeth. The Emperor greeted with a smile. ¡°Bye, Miss Dalia. Come and see me again next time.¡± ¡°Yes! I will.¡± The Emperor rode the carriage again and left. Then, Hikan only looked at Dalia. She was afraid that he might get angry with her, but Hikan just reached out to her. Dalia held his hand. She thought that it was a much more enjoyable outing than she expected. And the next day, Dalia learned that the phonograph was originally priced at 5,000 dillon, exactly ten times the price she paid. * * * Hikan¡¯s birthday was held in a simple manner with just the two of them. The employees collected money among themselves and bought gifts, but Hikan refused to refund as he did every year. Dalia¡¯s gift arrived in time. Hikan went out to look at it and his expression becameplicated. ¡°Y, you don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, I like it.¡± However, it was an expression that certainly bothers him. ¡®Why is that?¡¯ Dalia¡¯s question was quickly answered by her nanny, who was surprised at the gift. ¡°My goodness, Miss. How did you buy that?¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s, the price¡­¡­¡± The nanny whispers to Dalia the approximate real price. Dalia¡¯s expression turned white. If it¡¯s 490 dillon, it¡¯s about 1 million won worth of money from her previous life. So she thought that would be enough, but it was ten times more. ¡®H, His Majesty¡­¡­has paid for me instead!¡¯ There seems to be some kind of conversation between the clerk and the Emperor. Dalia should have been suspicious of him from the time he spoke to her as soon as he saw the two of theming into the store. That means the whisper was¡­¡­ Hikan nced at the nanny as if he was asking why she said that. The nanny hups. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it. His Majesty has a lot of money. This is a gift from you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®It¡¯s¡­¡­really okay to think like that right?¡¯ Hikan patted Dalia¡¯s head when he saw Dalia still had aplicated expression. And he showed the light smile that can only be seen almost once a year. ¡°This is what I wanted. Thank you.¡± Dalia¡¯s thoughts disappeared seeing that rare smile. She forgot all the worries and had fun with the rest of the birthday celebration. This year, she finally seeded in putting the party hat on Hikan¡¯s head. This wonderful scene must be recorded, but it was regrettable that it could not be left as a picture as there is no photography technology in this world. Dalia took off the hat from Hikan¡¯s head after some time as she knew that he hated it. Hikan brushed his hair roughly and said. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m d nobody¡¯s here.¡± ¡®Maybe this is why we don¡¯t have a birthday party?¡¯ Dalia thought. It would be nice if only this day continued. She thought so before going to sleep. But at the same time she thought that things wouldn¡¯t go that easily. Hikan still had one hurdle left. ¡°It will start by the end of the year at thetest.¡± The Emperor said so. Mana Awakening. In the original, it happened when Hikan was 18. It¡¯s alreadyte by a year, so it wasn¡¯t strange if it started anytime now.(*t/n: I change Mana Blooming to Mana Awakening cuz it sounds better hehe) Dalia fell asleep while preparing her heart for the disaster that woulde one day. * * * Hikan was preparing for his mana awakening. He could feel how close it was. There was no need to worry untilst year, but as of this year, the flow of mana in his body has increased remarkably. He had about three months to spare, but it would be better to be prepared in advance. He guessed that he would be the same as others, from his experiences seeing those around him. Since his temper is worse, he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be that much less than others. Stress is the biggest factor in mana awakening. So he¡¯s been cutting back on his workload and deliberately staying away from the annoying news these days. Now the next step. He called in the butler to ask how they controlled the transcendents of the Pesteros in the past. But the butler¡¯s answer was unexpected. ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s¡­¡­there¡¯s no records left.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because of the explosion caused by the former Duke of Pesteros¡­¡­all the relevant records were burned.¡± He ran into the first obstacle. At this time, he can only contact the one he can trust, the Emperor. The reply arrived shortly. [Busy with work. Figure it out yourself.] He crumpled the letter. Unexpected stress hit him. Stress is the most effective trigger for mana awakening. He barely managed to calm down and left only a few instructions for the butler. However¡­¡­a month after Hikan¡¯s birthday party. Dalia nkly looked around thepletely ruined study. ¡®Goodness, no matter how much I have prepared my mind.¡¯ The chandelier fell to the floor and the pieces of the crystal sculpture were everywhere. The bookshelf was thrown out of the window, the windows were burned, everything thrown out, and even the garden was ruined. The sofa was broken with the cotton inside bursting out, and the wooden table was split in half. And in the middle, Hikan stood with an expressionless face. ¡®You don¡¯t have to start this fast, do you?¡¯ Dalia screamed inwardly. * * * It was a week after the birthday party that Hikan¡¯s abnormalities were first observed. ¡°Miss, please stop the Duke.¡± The nanny cried andined to Dalia. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to get neurosis because of that horrible phonograph every day.¡±(*t/n: neurosis: a rtively mild mental illness that is not caused by organic disease, involving symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, obsessive behaviour, hypochondria) but not a radical loss of touch with reality.) ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡± Dalia turned her gaze away in guilt. In a way, that gift was Dalia¡¯s fault. The sound of the phonograph was really good for an hour or two as it was expensive, but Hikan left it on almost all day. The noise was causing theints from employees to grow day by day. ¡®But¡­¡­¡¯ Dalia, who knows that Hikan has be especially sensitive these days, was cautious. Maybe she had a little bit of luck yesterday. ¡°It¡¯s not the surroundings that are noisy, my head is.¡± Hikan said so with a gloomy look. It was not an atmosphere where she could say anything more. By that time, Dalia had already figured out the reason. ¡®It¡¯s almost time for the mana to start to awaken.¡¯ She really thought about visiting the Emperor, but he hasn¡¯t gone crazy yet. So Dalia decided to wait a little longer. ¡®¡­¡­a hug of love?¡¯ She¡¯s thinking of cheering for him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, nanny. I think my brother¡¯s mana is about to awaken.¡± ¡°¡­¡­it, it must be that, right?¡± There was fear in nanny¡¯s eyes. Transcendents were still terrifying in the eyes of the ordinary people. Public opinion has improved a lot since the current Emperor¡¯s ascension, but even she is sometimes scared when Hikan is angry. ¡°Yeah. Tell that to the others too. Stay away from my brother for a while. ¡° She quietly soothed the nanny. And another ten days have passed. ¡°Butler, the pile of papers is crooked.¡± Hikan put the paper he was reading on the desk roughly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ve said it three times. Do I have to tell you again?¡± Hikan raised his voice. Dalia looked at him, startled. He looked at her, sighed and touched her forehead. ¡°Forget it. Get out.¡± The butler went out quietly. Hikan looked at the papers again while gritting his teeth. For ten days, Hikan¡¯s symptoms got worse. He has now turned off the phonograph, but that doesn¡¯t mean the symptoms have improved. It was rather the opposite. Now even if they can or can¡¯t hear the music, it¡¯s the same. His annoyance got worse, and now Dalia stayed in his office all day, worried that he would hurt the employees. Hikan was a little weak whenever he saw Dalia. But Dalia wasn¡¯t exactly what she used to be. Just in case the hug of love would work, she crept up from behind to hug him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Because I¡¯m not sure if I can stand it.¡± He spoke coldly and avoided her arm. Dalia did not give up immediately just because she failed once. However, Hikan¡¯s mood should not be stimted too much. He¡¯s holding it in because of Dalia, but she can¡¯t let him explode. Chapter 36 After sending the butler away, Hikan stopped working and went to his bedroom because of a terrible headache. Dalia thought that it was her opportunity. ¡®I need to go see His Majesty.¡¯ Normally, without a nanny, she couldn¡¯t go out without Hikan¡¯s permission. However, the coachman must have recognized the seriousness of the situation and took her directly to the Imperial Pce. ¡°Please tell His Majesty the Emperor that Dalia Pesteros is here.¡± The Emperor called her directly to his office instead of the audience chamber. Recently, the Emperor was troubled by the diplomatic issues due to the new Pope appointment at the neighbouring Holy Empire. In the office, the Emperor wore small business sses and reviewed the documents, then when he saw Dalia, he took off his sses and put them down. ¡°Nice to meet you, Miss Dalia.¡± Somehow he greeted her with an awkward smile than usual. ¡°Now that Miss Dalia is here, Hikan must be about to begin his mana awakening.¡± ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m guilty of this. At that time, I was so busy¡­¡­.¡± Dalia tilted her head at the unexpected confession. The Emperor waved his hands. ¡°No, I gave him a little stress. Anyway, let¡¯s say that¡¯s what happened.¡± After beckoning Dalia toe closer, the Emperor began to exin by writing it on a nk paper with a fountain pen. ¡°There are three stages of mana awakening. Before, start, end. People be sensitive and violent before they start. It goes for about three weeks, and when they start the awakening, they lose their mindpletely and start smashing everything they see. This is for a week. It¡¯s a month in total. And when they are done, they go around repenting for their sins and apologizing to those around them.¡± Dalia tried to figure out when Hikan started to be sensitive. Approximately one week plus ten days, it¡¯s already been more than two and a half weeks. Does that mean it¡¯s not strange if Hikan starts to smash everything anytime now? This is hopeless. Even now, she¡¯s having a hard time, then what about when the awakening starts? The Emperor smiled slightly when he saw Dalia¡¯s expression. ¡°I taught you the best way, but I guess you haven¡¯t used it yet.¡± ¡°The best way?¡± Dalia looked at him with sparkling eyes. The Emperor smiled brightly and showed both of his palms to Dalia. ¡°A hug of love.¡± Dalia became depressed immediately. ¡°¡­¡­¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be possible¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I was going to try itst time, but he was angry and asked me to not touch him.¡± ¡°Well, maybe it¡¯s because the love hasn¡¯t been delivered properly?¡± The Emperor¡¯s expression was serious. It didn¡¯t seem like a joke, but Dalia shook her head because she didn¡¯t dare to try again. The Emperor seemed to understand too. ¡°Yeah, what if you get hit by angry Hikan while trying to do it? If Miss Dalia gets injured, it will be a national loss.¡± Although thankfully, Dalia did not think that the entire empire would be sad just because she was hurt. ¡°Then this is the only way.¡± The Emperor gestured. ¡°Alfred, bring Miss Dalia ¡®that¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± An aide gave Dalia a pamphlet. The title of the pamphlet was¡¶How to Sessfully Prevent Mana Awakening Damage for Transcendent ¨C At The Beginning of The Awakening¡·. Dalia read the pamphlet carefully. [1. Remove all sharp weapons from the mansion. Pay particr attention to the kitchen. 2. Get the non-transcendent people out of the mansion. It is rmended that tasks, such as preparing meals, be handled outside the mansion as much as possible. 3. Love and support are not helpful. Sometimes a beating is a medicine.] ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ Dalia looked at the Emperor with a suspicious look. ¡®I¡¯m sure you said a hug of love would make everything better¡­¡­.¡¯ [4. If there is no other transcendent in the family to beat the person, provide sufficient drinking water and food, seal the door of the mansion using a high-end magic scroll, and wait for everything to pass.] ¡®¡­¡­ What kind of beast are they treating!¡¯ Dalia shook her head in astonishment. ¡°I, I can¡¯t treat my brother Hikan like this. For a week¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not Hikan. It¡¯s a beast. If you need a magic scroll, I¡¯ll give one to you that the imperial wizard made.¡± The Emperor was smiling, but he spoke with a determined tone. Dalia¡¯s pupils began to shake violently. ¡®F, for now, I¡¯ll take it.¡¯ Dalia nodded her head. ¡°And I¡¯ll write you a letter of appointment so that Miss Dalia can do some of the work for the Duke Pesteros for a month. Hikan won¡¯t be able to think normally for a while.¡± The Emperor took a form, wrote it, and stamped his seal at the end. ¡°Once you get the employees out, make a copy of the work documents and move them somewhere else. I won¡¯t have to specify it here, but considering Dalia¡¯s age, I rmend you not to touch anything else. The butler of the Pesteros estate ispetent, so if you ask him for help, he¡¯ll solve it. Later, when Hikanes to his senses, he¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Dalia took the documents and bowed. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Why does this happen when there are only two Pesteros left. If you can¡¯t stand it, you can always take refuge here.¡± The Emperor smiled softly and put on his sses again. Dalia still felt reassured by his presence. Dalia returned to the mansion with a magic scroll. Still, she found a solution. She nced at the scroll with aplex pattern on it, rolled it up and stored it. Now it was time to go to see the butler. Fortunately, he was waiting for Dalia at the front door of the estate. ¡°How¡¯s everything at the estate?¡± ¡°Yes. Nothing has happened so far.¡± Dalia gave the butler the pamphlet given by the Emperor. He read it carefully and nodded. ¡°The Emperor granted me some authority over the Pesteros Dukedom for a month. First, make a copy of the document and give the employees a month off. Including the butler. Do me a favor.¡± ¡°Yes, most of these are also the instructions from the Duke.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, I was wondering when I should tell you¡­¡­ I¡¯m so d that you went to see the Emperor at the right time.¡± Dalia nodded her head. The butler leaned over and whispered to her. ¡°I am relieved that you have received one from the Emperor, but there are two more scrolls behind the library¡¯s bookshelf. Really, really, just in case you need to know.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­.thank you.¡± Really, please, she hopes that she doesn¡¯t need to use it. Dalia thought deep within her heart, swallowing tears. The butler looked at her helplessly. ¡°In the first ce, this is not something that Miss should handle¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m a Pesteros too. This is my responsibility.¡± Despite Dalia¡¯s confident words, the butler seemed uneasy. He is constantly struggling with worries. He slowly opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­¡­the former Duke to the current Duke¡­¡­ No, he hasn¡¯t taught Master Hikan how to deal with this at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Master too, because he hated the previous Duke and the Duchess.¡± Dalia recalled her father, whom she could hardly remember. She didn¡¯t feel anything. The butler quietly told the story between Hikan and their parents. After hearing the story, Dahlia felt an indescribable emotion. The story that Hikan simplified as if nothing was wrong, and the story she heard objectively from a third party¡¯s mouth was so different. How did he feel when he was abandoned by everyone at that young age? She never thought deeply about why Hikan was crazy in the original. But now, she knows too well why it happened. Dalia regretted her past thoughts. ¡®He must be crazy because he didn¡¯t receive love from his parents.¡¯ She shouldn¡¯t have thought of it, no matter how lightly it was. Absolutely not. ¡°Miss, shouldn¡¯t you evacuate with us too?¡± The butler spoke cautiously. Dalia was silent. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll take care of that. Is my brother still sleeping?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Then take care of everything today. I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be in the second stage.¡± Dalia was determined. Hikan opened his eyes the next morning. Even though he slept all day, he still had a splitting headache. Strangely, the mansion was quiet. After a long time, he felt peace in silence. But the moment of peace was cut short, as he felt a severe thirst. There was a hot fireball in his head and stomach that seemed to burn both his brain and organs. ¡®Shit.¡¯ Mana awakening has begun in earnest. The voices that he had not heard for a while began to be heard again. ¡¶Everyone¡¯s going to abandon you. Just like your parents.¡· ¡¶No one is there for you. You¡¯re creepy. You¡¯re not even human.¡· ¡¶How much longer will Dalia Pesteros stay by your side?¡· ¡°Shut up.¡± He emptied all the bottles of water next to the bed. But he was still thirsty. He rings the bell calling for a maid. No one showed up. He rings the bell even harder, while repeating swearing. But he could not ovee his strength and throw the bell to the ground. nk! A loud noise rang. Hikan raised his head as he gritted his teeth. Then the door opened and his eyes met Dalia who was standing in front of the door while holding a tray holding a water bottle. She was stiff with her rabbit eyes wide open. He didn¡¯t believe this situation and spoke stupidly. ¡°Dalia?¡± Chapter 37 ¡°Hello, brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­what are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m brother¡¯s daily maid today.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Hikan dashed up from the bed. He left Dalia behind and went out into the hallway. There was no one. The lights in the hallway were also off. All the employees of Pesteros estate have disappeared. Dalia¡¯s quiet voice was heard from behind. ¡°I dismissed the employees. I¡¯m afraid that brother will be a threat to them.¡± ¡°With whose order? I¡¯m the owner of this ce.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Pesteros too. His Majesty has given me permission. And brother also told me to do the same.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He had nothing to say. Hikan bit his lips and sat back on the bed. Dalia said quietly. ¡°His Majesty told me. It¡¯s because of brother¡¯s mana is awakening. He said we¡¯ll just have to put up with it a little longer.¡± ¡°I know that too.¡± He knew the manual when mana was awakening. Everyone knows. The problem is that you can¡¯t do anything when the situationes. His head was telling him to get angry, but he couldn¡¯t feel angry when he heard that voice. He covered his face and said. ¡°What is this all about? If that¡¯s the case, why aren¡¯t you leaving and staying here instead?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t leave my brother alone without saying anything¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡¶She¡¯s lying!¡· ¡¶Get lost! Tell her to get lost!¡· Hikan closed his eyes tightly because of the headache. Dalia looked at Hikan¡¯s troubled expression, which was holding back various emotions. After hearing the butler¡¯s story yesterday, she couldn¡¯t possibly evacuate with other employees and leave him alone. She didn¡¯t want to leave Hikan alone twice. Dalia came forward and tried to hold Hikan¡¯s hand. It was herst attempt. However, Hikan shook it off in the air too. As he swung his hand in the air, there was a sharp bursting sound. ¡®What?¡¯ After a while, Dalia realized what the bursting sound was. Damn it. Blood drained from Dalia¡¯s face. Unaware of her expression, Hikan gestured. ¡°That¡¯s enough, now go. Did you get the scroll? Come back in a week.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Well, I brought water and food to the dining hall.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He shook his hand as if he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. Dalia quickly got out of the room. Click. The door closed. Dalia put her back on the closed door. Then she took out the magic scroll with trembling hands. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ The magic scroll had already broken into pieces. When Hikan shook her hand away, a runaway mana broke through him and even broke the scroll. Hikan, whose mana is just about to awaken, could not control his power yet. Just knowing this, she was going to escape too. If the door is not sealed by the scroll, a catastrophe may ur when a man that can¡¯t control his mana is released into the street. ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ What to do now? ¡°I am relieved that you have received one from the Emperor, but there are two more scrolls behind the library¡¯s bookshelf. Really, really, just in case you need to know.¡± Does she have no other choice but to take it? The problem is, she already heard a loud sound of something breaking inside. And the study is connected to Hikan¡¯s bedroom. Will Hikan wait for Dalia to go back in and take the scroll out of the back of the bookcase? ¡®I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ Dalia was deeply troubled. She didn¡¯t have the courage to go in, so she sat there for a long time, doing nothing. However, the sound inside was getting louder as time went by. She can¡¯t just hold on like this forever. She made her mind and walked to the side and stood in front of the door of the connected study instead of the bedroom door. By the time she opened the door, the study was already a mess. Dalia stared nkly at the bookcase, which had already been thrown out of the window. Scrolls flew over the sky too. In the middle of the study, Hikan stood with an expressionless face. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Daliamented. His mana awakening has already entered the second stage. And now Dalia didn¡¯t even have a scroll. How on earth should we solve this situation? Dalia stood there absentmindedly, making eye contact with Hikan. * * * Two hours ago on the same day. The Emperor, who had been working at the pce all night, snapped his fountain pen. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± The aide was flustered and handed him a new fountain pen. Instead of receiving it, the Emperor punched the desk. Thanks to staying up all night, there was a crack on the desk to show that he can¡¯t control his strength well. ¡°What, what do you mean?¡± ¡°What if Miss Dalia gets hurt because of that punk Hikan? Can I bear the guilt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­oh.¡± The Emperor held his head. The aide hesitated for a while and carefully presented a new document. ¡°Y, you still have to take care of other things¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t go. Should the Emperor pay attention to every single one of these things?¡± ¡®I think you¡¯re paying enough attention right now.¡¯ The aide had a thought that he couldn¡¯t get out of his mouth. The Emperor shook his head. ¡°Yeah, this kind of thing bothers me, and it¡¯s not working. There¡¯s a good resource for this.¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°The sinner who wasted my precious time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Send the 2nd Prince Cedric Vercelona Michelio to the Pesteros estate right now. We go with method number three.¡± Sometimes a beating is a medicine. It is questionable whether Hikan will get hit smoothly. It was his duty to stop Hikan first and save Miss Dalia who stayed. * * * Cedric the Second Prince put his chin on the carriage window. He was the only one who did not have any connection with Adrisha in any of the original routes. At least, Leonard married Adrisha in the game-over-ending event. He pointed the road ahead and smiled softly. ¡°My father is too much. Why would he leave the task of stopping a transcendent to another transcendent of the same family? No one wants to do such a crazy thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much to make me do that? And the Duke of Pesteros awakenedte, so he¡¯d be in a worse condition.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t kill him, right? He said the frightening words casually, but no answer came back. Cedric sighed and looked back. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. Will you please stop crying, Adrisha?¡± He handed her a handkerchief. Adrisha continued to wipe her tears with the handkerchief. She was so distracted by the recent Aceras ascension as Pope that she paid little attention to Dalia. The one who know Dalia¡¯s secret are actually a transcendent who hid his abilities and have risen to the position of Pope of the Holy Empire. Thanks to this, Adrisha and the Emperor were paying close attention to him. Moreover, Dalia didn¡¯t say anything to her. So of course she was relieved, but she didn¡¯t expect this to happen. Dalia has not yet escaped from the estate, which is said to be in a mess. Adrisha felt dizzy when she thought of Dalia in it. ¡®No, crying won¡¯t solve anything.¡¯ Adrisha stopped crying and started to hup. ¡®It¡¯s pathetic.¡¯ Cedric shook his head and tried to use his mana. ¡®I¡¯m not in a good condition.¡¯ He used too much magic at the end in order to avoid getting caught by his father. Cedric can freely use magic with multiple attributes. This time, it was going to find Dalia, who was still in the mansion, put her to sleep, attack Hikan and knock him out. ¡®It¡¯s easy to say, but I don¡¯t know if it works.¡¯ Still, he wondered if it would be dangerous for Hikan to shield his sister like that. ¡®It¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve met her.¡¯ Rarely, Cedric remembered her because she was someone who is ¡®nothing to read¡¯.(*t/n: maybe because others approached him with ulterior motives, and Dalia had no such desire) Before he knew it, the carriage arrived at the estate. As the situation was urgent, he had to do it quickly. Cedric quickly entered the mansion and began to look for Dalia. The mansion was constructed with open structure on the 1st and 2nd floor, and the 2nd floor consisted of only corridors at the edges. Fortunately, as soon as he opened the front door of the mansion, she was right in sight. Right in front of the study on the second floor. The problem is that the door of the study is wide open, and there is almost a 100% chance that Hikan is in the study. ¡®I need to be quick.¡¯ He jumped straight up to the second floor with the power of the wind under his feet. Dalia looked at him in surprise. Cedric smiled and spoke to her. ¡°Hi, long time no see. You are Dalia right?¡± Chapter 38 Dalia nodded her head. Without a drop of tears, determinedly. As it has been before, again, Cedric liked her very much this time. ¡°I¡¯m Cedric. Can you sleep for a while? I¡¯ll get you out of here in a minute.¡± He decided to put her to sleep before she got caught up in anything more dangerous. There was a sofa in the hallway. He magically pulled the sofa and flicked his hand lightly on her forehead. Dalia fell right on the sofa. He turned his head with a smile. ¡°Now, it¡¯s just the two of us. Long time no see, Hikan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°As always, you¡¯re really annoying.¡± Hikan looked at Cedric with a cold gaze. ¡°Your Highness the Second Prince, are you trying to take that child away from me too?¡± He had a clear sword made up of mana in his hand. ¡®Aha, he uses a sword?¡¯ Sadly, Cedric was vulnerable to closebat. * * * When Dalia closed the door and left, Hikan¡¯s inner voice began to explode. Starting with the curse that asks him to go and kill her and say that she¡¯ll abandon him someday. But when nothing worked, they turned around. ¡¶No one can take her out of here!¡· ¡¶It¡¯s too dangerous out there! They¡¯re gonna kill her!¡· That¡¯s right. That was the right word. Dalia was the only thing in his life that was given to him. Everyone left him, but she didn¡¯t leave him. But she wasn¡¯t a transcendent, she was a human being, and when she fell to the floor, her knees scraped. He had to protect her. ¡®Then¡­¡­what should I do?¡¯ When he came to his senses, Dalia opened the door of the study and looked at him in surprise. He wanted to say something. He wanted to say that it¡¯s okay. But at that moment, she fell on the sofa. Cedric, the Second Prince, appeared next to her. ¡¶Look! He¡¯s trying to kill Dalia too! Do you know what you have to do?¡· There was no time to think further. He rushed to Cedric with a mana sword. * * * Dozens of moves followed. Hikan attacked Cedric with all his might. But Cedric couldn¡¯t even use half of his power. He stepped back with a frown. Now something was approaching from the end of the second floor hallway. In the first ce, those who are willing to kill and those who don¡¯t, have a difference in the attack power itself. ¡®This is why I have to leave it to my superiors.¡¯ Cedric sighed. It urred to him that maybe his life would be hanging on a thread. There is no such thing as die in vain while preventing the awakening transcendent.(*t/n: i tried my best ??) But if he uses mana here indefinitely, his mind will be ruined first. Cedric took after his father and knew how to tell when to use his strength or not. It was such a waste to use up all his mana for this kind of thing. Eventually, mana, which had been operated passively, quickly showed its limit. As Hikan twisted the flow of the sword, it tore the hem of Cedric¡¯s shirt. At the same time, Hikan¡¯s mana broke down one side of the second floor railing. Cedric was notpletely safe either. The bnce of power was broken, and the magic that was putting Dalia to sleep was lifted. ¡®Oh no, it¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Luckily, Dalia was behind Hikan¡¯s back, so it didn¡¯t look dangerous right away. Cedric saw that Dalia slowly waking up behind Hikan. She looks between Hikan and Cedric alternately in shock. She has to run away immediately. Cedric gave her a light smile to reassure her. Only then did shee to her senses. ¡®Yeah, run away now.¡¯ ¡°Br, brother! What are you doing? Stop it! You¡¯re going to be executed! Please!¡¯ However Dalia didn¡¯t run away. Instead, she called out to Hikan in panic during this bloody battle. It was when Cedric was worried about putting defensive magic on her. Hikan¡¯s body flinched. Whether it¡¯s because he really loved his sister, he responded to Dalia¡¯s voice. In doing so, he has a gap in his posture. When Cedric was chanting thest word of the spell with the intention to knock him out. ¡°D, don¡¯t do it! You lunatic!¡± Dalia, who ran behind Hikan¡¯s back, grabbed Hikan¡¯s long hair and pulled him back. Hikan and Dalia simultaneously lost their bnce and fell backwards. Towards the railing that Hikan just broke. ¡°Oh no!¡± Cedric looked down at the railing in surprise. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Throughout her life, there were many things that happened, and Dalia thought that it was unfair. When she came to her senses, Hikan and Cedric were already fighting like crazy. At first nce, Hikan was fierce as if he¡¯s trying to kill Cedric. On the other hand, Cedric seemed to be trying to get past this moment somehow. ¡®If this continues, brother will kill the Second Prince.¡¯ The original story came to her mind. Hikan, who loved Adrisha andmitted all kinds of evil deeds, and was eventually executed. No matter how hard she struggles, in the end, she can¡¯t change the big flow of the original? Hikan¡¯s going to end up dying after all this hard work? Such worries made Dalia lose her reason, and eventually she did something ridiculous. In that brief moment of falling, Dalia met Hikan¡¯s eyes, who turned his body. ¡®You stupid brother. You¡¯re the reason why I¡¯m having such a hard time in this broad daylight.¡¯ He had finallye to his senses and his eyes were alive. Dalia hugged his neck. Hikan also hugged her small body. He turned over in that short time. Now the one below was Hikan. And she saw the first floor right in front of her. Thud! ¡­¡­She couldn¡¯t hear any sound. It didn¡¯t hurt at all. Cedric finally chants the magic to protect them. A long time has passed. It was as long as an eternity had passed. The two were stillying on the floor, and Dalia was in Hikan¡¯s arms. That fact gave Hikan an infinite sense of security. He embraced her stronger in his arms. After a while, Hikan whispered to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I won¡¯t talk to brother for a year from now.¡± Dalia said bluntly. Hikan could feel the very soft and good energy transmitted from Dalia from the parts that were in contact with her. The noisy voice disappeared, and all the inner pain and physical pain were pushed away like a tide. At that time, Dalia, who was hugging the Duchess of Blueport in the falling white sphere, came to his mind. Was Dalia sharing the same feeling that she did to the Duchess of Blueport? He felt a sense of tranquility. He didn¡¯t believe in God, but he could see for sure that she was the greatest blessing given to him. * * * ¡°¡­¡­ Adrisha.¡± 30 minutes after entering the estate, Cedric returned to the carriage with empty eyes that seemed like it had lost its soul. Adrisha grabbed Cedric in a hurry. ¡°H, how did it go? Can I go in?¡± ¡°No, not a chance. They¡¯re in their own world. It¡¯s settled, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Only then did Adrisha feel relieved. Even if now is not the right time, she can visit themter. When her senses returned, Adrisha noticed that Cedric was still in a strange state. He had a nk look on his face as if he had just woken up from a dream. ¡°You know, Adrisha. What did you think of someone, who is not a transcendent, running towards a mad transcendent?¡± ¡°¡­¡­what?¡± ¡°And what¡¯s more, it¡¯s not because of their own safety, it¡¯s just because they¡¯re worried about him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­It must be hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a human being in my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I should have known that since thest time we met¡­¡­Why am I so stupid?¡± Cedric looked at Adrisha with a bewitched look. Ominous goosebumps formed all over her body. ¡®No, don¡¯t tell me, no way, I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ Adrisha turned pale. Not as much as that. Because she knew what Cedric was like. But didn¡¯t they say that ominous feeling always hit the mark? Cedric tilted his head gently and said in a trembling voice. ¡°Adrisha, for the first time, I think I¡¯m in love.¡± Chapter 39 - 6. Cedric Vercelona Michelio 6. Cedric Vercelona Michelio Hikan¡¯s mana awakening, which was supposed tost a week, ended in a day. He felt sorry since even though he hade to his senses when they fell from the second floor, his heart was full of hate. Instead now, he had a severe fever as the effect of the mana awakening. He was sick from that very evening. It ismon for the transcendents to suffer from fever after their awakening. ¡®Why is there nothing goode from this guy¡¯s mana awakening?¡¯ Dalia cursed inwardly. If there¡¯s anything good thates from this, it will be when Hikanpletely recovers, the Emperor will give him a position worthy of his ability. ording to the original story, he¡¯ll probably be the Commander of the Imperial Knights. It was cool to imagine Hikan wielding a sword with his silver hair tied tightly, so Dalia wanted to see it quickly. ¡®I should thank His Highness the Second Prince.¡¯ When Hikan and her fell at that time, he saved both of them. Dalia was so focused on Hikan at that time, so she couldn¡¯t afford to pay any attention to Cedric. However, someone with a high position of a prince came to stop the awakening transcendent and even saved them. Of course, it was the right thing to thank him. ¡®When we met at the ball three years ago, I thought that he wasn¡¯t a good person¡­¡­.¡¯ Dalia was mistaken. He is a very nice person. ¡®I¡¯ll just go when my brother recovers.¡¯ Dalia touched the towel that she had ced on Hikan¡¯s head. It seemed to be lukewarm. She dipped the towel in cold water again, squeezed it out, and put it on his forehead. ¡°Stop and go to sleep.¡± Hikan spoke in a low, hoarse voice. This is the 10th time he has said this. Dalia showed Hikan the words ¡®No¡¯ written on the notepad. He groaned. ¡°¡­¡­You really won¡¯t talk to me for a year?¡± When hearing him say that, her heart feels weak. Still, she showed Hikan the page that she wrote ¡®Yes¡¯. Hikan wrinkled his eyebrows and took the notepad with his weak hand and hid it under the covers. Eventually, Dalia looked at the clock and let out a sullen voice. ¡°It¡¯s only 8 o¡¯clock, what do you mean, go to sleep?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± Dalia pouted her lips. ¡®I really didn¡¯t want to talk to you for a year.¡¯ However, his touch, as he continued to stroke Dalia¡¯s hair was so soft and warm that the feeling still lingering on her head. Besides, it¡¯s cheating to get sick. It was obvious that he was faking illness to sway her heart. ¡°I¡¯m not going. Since it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°But it bothers me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Hikan closed his eyes as he didn¡¯t have any more energy to speak. Dalia picked up a fairy tale book that she brought and showed it to Hikan. ¡°Do you want me to read it for you to sleep?¡± ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s enough.¡± When she said it yfully, a low voice replied. Dalia chuckled. After a while, Hikan speaks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For everything. I don¡¯t know what to do with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Brother did everything wrong to me.¡± Dalia replied to him yfully. However, Hikan¡¯s closed-eyed expression was still serious. It was only 8 o¡¯clock and with this peaceful atmosphere, it feels like there¡¯s only him and Dalia in the world at this moment. He spoke quietly. ¡°All the thoughts that I had about you when I first saw you¡­¡­. I regret those things now. Although that doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lie when I said that I don¡¯t like you. I¡¯m sorry, Dalia.¡± It was a long time ago when she heard that, she didn¡¯t even remember about it anymore. However, it seemed that she had a glimpse of the many thoughts, worries, and feelings that had been in his mind, so instead of answering, she patted his chest that was being covered with a thick nket. Hikan soon fell asleep. Dalia stared at his sleeping face, then secretly pinched his nose and left the bedroom. * * * The next day, as soon as she opened her eyes, Adrisha finished all the preparations and headed to the Pesteros estate. With a heavy step. ¡°Shall I call Miss Dalia?¡± She shook her head at the familiar servant¡¯s question. ¡°No, today I¡¯m here to see His Excellency Duke Hikan Pesteros.¡± Most of the Pesteros¡¯s employees knew that their rtionship was not very smooth. However, the servant did not ask anything as per their strict work ethic and informed Hikan of Adrisha¡¯s arrival. Hikan had not yet recovered from his fever. But when he was informed of Adrisha¡¯s arrival, he immediately dressed up and came out to the drawing room. Because he roughly can guess what she wants to say. Adrisha sat on the sofa in the drawing room, tidying up the hem of her dress while waiting for Hikan. As soon as he sat, she went straight to the main point. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about what happened yesterday. Now the Duke must have noticed right? The ability that Dalia has.¡± Hikan nodded heavily. ¡°I know it roughly.¡± ¡°Dalia can purify the soul that has been tainted with mana. With Dalia, you can be free from the terrible headaches, the desire to destroy, the anger that all the transcendents cannot avoid.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So when they find out, everyone will try to take her. Wouldn¡¯t that be obvious?¡± Hikan closed his eyes and put his hands against his face. Yesterday, when he fell from the second floor and hugged Dalia, he felt the infinite power flowing into him. Once he felt it, he knew that there was no turning back. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°We have to protect her. So she will not be noticed by anyone in the future. Even now, there are too many people who know about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me very much. What I¡¯m suggesting is an alliance for Dalia.¡± Hikan agreed with her. His sister Dalia is too weak and small. There must be so many people who want that power. ¡°Then please give your words now. I know you want to keep your distance, but I¡¯m also ufortable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Sure.¡± Adrisha thought about talking about Aceras for a moment, but then decided not to. This agenda is not a simple matter to be discussed here, but to be discussed separately with the Emperor. In addition, Aceras will now be busy establishing himself in the Holy Empire. That¡¯s not the problem they¡¯re facing right now. ¡°First of all, you should never reveal this power to His Highness Prince Cedric.¡± She spoke with a determined look. Adrisha didn¡¯t even want to imagine how he, who had never been obsessed with something, would change if he knew of Dalia¡¯s power. She told Hikan of what Cedric had said to her in the carriage. Hikan¡¯s expression hardened. No matter what, never get caught by Cedric. He could see that they were both thinking of the same thing without having to say it out loud. * * * ¡°Oh, Miss Dalia? Miss Adrisha is here. Didn¡¯t you see her?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The maid who was passing by saw Dalia and asked with an odd expression. Dalia blinked at the news that she heard for the first time. ¡°Adrisha is here but she didn¡¯t find me?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I think there must be a mimunication somewhere. I believe she¡¯s in the drawing room.¡± ¡°I see, thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Miss. His Excellency the Duke has improved greatly thanks to you.¡± Their vacation ended earlier than expected, but all the employees liked it. It seems that she was not the only one who was worried about Hikan. ¡®If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have liked it if my employer was someone like my brother.¡¯ Still, she heard that he sent a gift of apology to the poor butler. The third stage, which the Emperor talked about, began to apologize to those around him. ¡®Good, as he should.¡¯ But thinking about what she heard yesterday, her heart was strangely tickled. It¡¯s good to apologize, but he doesn¡¯t necessarily have to say it like that though. Anyway, knowing that Adrisha is here, she was naturally excited to see her. It¡¯s because it¡¯s been so long since they saw each other because they are both too busy these days. ¡°Adrisha?¡± She quietly opened the door to the drawing room. And unexpectedly, she saw Hikan and Adrisha sitting across the table. ¡®Huh? I¡¯ve never seen them together like that.¡¯ Strangely, the eyes of the two had a sense of simrity like they sharedmon goals unlike before. Dalia tilted her head and approached Hikan. ¡°Brother, are you all better now?¡± Hikan still had a fever. At first nce, the areas around his eyes and cheeks were red. Dalia was surprised when she touched his forehead. ¡°You need to rest when your body is like this. Why are you here?¡± ¡°Dalia.¡± He spoke in a rather hoarse voice, perhaps because of the fever. Adrisha continued to speak after him from the back. ¡°It¡¯s time for Dalia to know.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Dalia asked nkly. Something seems to be going wrong. Chapter 40 ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Dalia pondered whether what she heard was really right. ¡°So you mean¡­¡­your soul purifies when you touch my hand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Both of them answered at the same time. Although they had a bad rtionship, they were both in sync. Dalia was taken aback and covered her mouth. ¡°No, what¡­¡­ is there such power in this world.¡­..?¡± But the more she thinks about it¡­¡­all the strange incidents finally make sense. The ridiculous exnation of ¡®miracle¡¯. Why the Duchess of Blueport recovered from the mana explosion after being hugged by Dalia. Why did the Emperor try to listen to everything that Dalia asked. Why did he ask her to give Hikan a ¡®hug of love¡¯ during the awakening. Why Adrisha gave her gloves during the ball. And¡­¡­why Hikan¡¯s mana awakening, which was supposed tost for a week, ended in just one day. At the same time, Dalia shuddered. ¡®That means¡­¡­¡¯ It can be changed. Hikan¡¯s future. Now his soul is no longer corrupted. He¡¯s not crazy. He can continue, as he is now, as Dalia¡¯s brother¡­¡­. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Dalia said unknowingly while sighing. Although she tried to forget about it, however, deep in the corner of her heart, she kept feeling anxious. Maybe this rtionship will end one day? Even with Dalia here or without falling in love with Adrisha, isn¡¯t it just slowing down the process and they are still running to the fixed ending? But it wasn¡¯t. Everything is fine now. She was the key to solve everything. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Quietly, a lot must have been piled up in her mind. Tears dropped from Dalia¡¯s eyes. Adrisha hugged her in surprise. Dalia looked at Adrisha¡¯s face in tears. Adrisha wasn¡¯t happy until the end no matter which route she took. Dalia hugged her tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you from now on, Adrisha.¡± If you are going to meet a man, you must have a happy rtionship with a normal person. By the time the moving time had passed and Dalia had stopped crying. The tearful expression on Adrisha can no longer be seen and instead was reced with a more serious look, she squeezed Dalia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No, we will protect Dalia now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°First from Cedric.¡± For some reason, there was fear in her eyes, and Dalia became confused. Dalia knows the original Cedric. He is someone who didn¡¯t pay a single attention to Adrisha, whom everyone loved. He has no interest in others. Not even the faintest interest. ¡°¡­¡­Why would such a person show interest in me? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°I wish it is, but unfortunately it¡¯s not a misunderstanding.¡± Adrisha said so and put on a long arm-length glove for Dalia. Hikan, with his arm folded, agreeing with her in silence. ¡°From now on, always wear gloves and keep your distance from him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too..¡­.¡± Adrisha looked up at her with a tearful face. ¡°Even when I¡¯m begging you like this?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. I will.¡± She gradually felt that Adrisha was using her tears as a weapon. In the original, she was straightforward and sincere¡­¡­still, Adrisha is much better now but¡­¡­ Adrisha also knew Leonard and Cedric because she worked in the pce ever since she was rescued by the Emperor. Then what makes her so scared of Cedric like this? Dalia tilted her head. * * * Hikan fully recovered two days after Adrisha¡¯s visit. The Emperor called for him as if he had been waiting. Dalia went together since she had something to thank the Emperor for. As soon as the Emperor saw Hikan, heughed and spoke viciously. ¡°When I think about what I¡¯ve suffered because of you this time, I will always wake up during my sleep.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it anymore if you have any guilty conscience¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Why didn¡¯t you tell me about Dalia¡¯s abilities earlier?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been less than a minute since you said you¡¯re sorry, and now you¡¯re arguing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Hikan, who had nothing to say, remained silent. The Emperor touched his head. ¡°I was thinking about when the right time to talk about it. Didn¡¯t you deliberately treat your sister poorly before? This time, I felt that Dalia might be in danger because of you, so I had no choice but to take the risk and have her hug you. Did that exin everything?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Thanks to this, Hikan feels like he was a trash. Dalia stood by and watched the conversation between the two. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m d it ended well. Besides, thank you for making my son suffer. He needs to get his act together.¡± Although he said that, the Emperor bestowed Hikan the title of Commander of the Imperial Knights, which had been vacant for some time. Originally, when transcendents awakened, it wasmon to give them proper status to prevent outside force. Nevertheless, Hikan is a good example. ¡°Will the ceremony be held separately? Or do you want to make it short here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it short.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Emperor pulled out his sword and ced it on Hikan¡¯s shoulders. Several formal oaths followed, and soon it all ended. It was much simpler than Dalia thought. Now the Emperor called Dalia, who was waiting behind. ¡°I heard from Adrisha. Now you know what you¡¯re capable of? ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re not going to give me a hug anymore?¡± The Emperor softened his eyebrows down with a sad expression. Dalia smiled and went to hug him slightly. No matter what his purpose was, he was the one who could have forced Dalia. Without him, both Hikan and Dalia would have had the worst oue. The Emperor received her hug with a happy look on his face. ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation. Tell me whatever you need.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± ¡°Now that you know what you¡¯re capable of, are you still interested in getting engaged?¡± The Emperor asked with a light tone. Dalia took a step back in bewilderment. ¡°No, never.¡± Hikan replied firmly. The Emperor responded nonchntly. ¡°That¡¯s you. I¡¯m asking for Miss Dalia¡¯s opinion.¡± The Emperor said with a serious look. ¡°Now that I¡¯m telling you everything, my son is also a transcendent. Knowing the pain of being a fellow transcendent, I wish he could use some of Miss Dalia¡¯s power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to say it myself, butst time Miss Dalia saw him, right? Cedric is pretty handsome. Besides, he has a bright future. Personality¡­¡­even if it¡¯s not that good, it¡¯s probably better than Dalia¡¯s brother. He¡¯s worse than him.¡± Hikan was very keen to refute, but he seemed to endure it because he was in front of the Emperor. ¡°But Miss Daliaes first. Cedric has no idea of Miss Dalia¡¯s abilities yet. If you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t tell him. What do you think?¡± In fact, there was nothing to think about, but Dalia pretended to hesitate for a long time because she couldn¡¯t refuse immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been thinking about it, but I want to have a marriage out of love¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Re, really? A love marriage?¡± The Emperor seemed more flustered by Dalia¡¯s words of love marriage than the refusal of the offer. At the moment, countless anguish passed by on his face, but he barely managed to control his face and said. ¡°Yeah, I can tell by the look on your face. That¡¯s fine, then I¡¯ll keep Miss Dalia¡¯s ability a secret from Cedric. Tell me whenever you change your mind.¡± He must feel regret. Although Dalia feels sorry, she couldn¡¯t get engaged to Cedric. So she just smiled slightly. The Emperor beckoned her toe closer. ¡°And I have a gift for Miss Dalia.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The Emperor¡¯s little consideration was felt when he gave the gift and did not talk about her engagement anymore. Dalia smiled. She liked gifts. Anything free was the best. As Dalia approached the Emperor, he gently tapped her forehead. Soon the spot he touched became as cold as a piece of ice. The Emperor blew on that spot. Then, as it warmed back, she could feel an indescribable energy flowing through her whole body. Dalia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This¡­¡­what is this?¡± Chapter 41 ¡°It¡¯s not strange that you don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not an easy skill to develop.¡± The Emperor said proudly. Dalia tilted her head. ¡°In short, I lent you some power. It¡¯s an interference to prevent Dalia¡¯s power from being manifested to anyone. You can¡¯t be wary of anyone you touch when you don¡¯t know who you¡¯re going to meet right?¡± The Emperor took a in-looking silver ring from the drawer and gave it to Dalia. ¡°It¡¯s power is connected to this ring. If Miss Dalia wants to purify your brother or me, you can take off this ring and touch us.¡± ¡°Th, thank you!¡± Dalia immediately took off her gloves and put the ring on the second finger of her right hand. It was really a necessary item for her. She was frustrated since she couldn¡¯t take off the gloves even during the hot summer. ¡°Hikan can¡¯t make anything like this right?¡± Contrary to his yful tone, the Emperor¡¯s gaze was warm. He stroked Dalia¡¯s head a few times and looked at Hikan while raising one eyebrow. Hikan couldn¡¯t say anything this time either. The Emperor looked down at Dalia again. ¡°You¡¯re going to greet Cedric, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ll tell the servant, so you can follow him. Hikan, you stay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I can¡¯t let Dalia go alone.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m doing this because I want the two of them to get closer? I need to talk to you about something else, soe here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Hikan looked at the Emperor suspiciously. But can he disobey the Emperor¡¯s orders? Dalia tapped Hikan on the back and signaled him to go. And before he could say anything, she hurriedly bowed to the Emperor and left the room. As Dalia closed the door and walked out, Hikan¡¯s expression became cold. ¡°Are you trying to tie them together this way?¡± He touched his forehead in frustration. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe it, but Cedric is not the man who can seed in a love marriage in the first ce. From the moment Miss Dalia said so, the engagement is a failure. I have to find another way to save my son.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That child, he doesn¡¯t have the emotions that normal humans should have.¡± The Emperor seemed to have no idea that Cedric had already dered ¡®I fell in love for the first time¡¯ towards Dalia. Hikan decided to keep it a secret forever. ¡°Cedric is¡­¡­.¡± Meanwhile, the Emperor began to tell Cedric¡¯s story, which Hikan did not ask, maybe it was his parents¡¯ instinct that eager to talk about his son. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t a bad story to hear. Instead of stopping him, Hikan focused and began to listen to the Emperor. * * * Dalia followed the servant to the Imperial Pce¡¯s greenhouse. There was no need to wear gloves anymore because of the ring given by the Emperor. But even if that¡¯s not the reason, it was difficult to guard against a person who did not go mad or imprisoned in the original. Besides, he even helped Dalia and Hikan. Cedric was reading a book inside the greenhouse. Then he looked at her and closed the book. Dalia was amazed looking at his appearance. Last time, she was so distracted that she didn¡¯t realize, but being surrounded by ivy circling from under the greenhouse¡¯s pirs and flowers hanging on the branches, he looks so unreal as if he was a figure in a famous painting. ¡°Hi, Dalia.¡± ¡°Hello, Your Highness Prince Cedric.¡± When Dalia tried to show her courtesy, he held her back. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Back then¡­¡­ thank you for your help.¡± Cedric smiled furtively. ¡°Really? That¡¯s not a big deal. Anyway,e sit down. I¡¯ll have them bring something sweet that you¡¯ll like.¡± He called for a servant and gave the instructions. Then he looked at Dalia and said. ¡°Because all the chefs at the pce have their own job.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± She needs to refuse. ¡®Adrisha told me to not get close to this person.¡¯ However, Cedric¡¯s attitude wasn¡¯t different from what she saw before, and it was just refreshing. ¡®Adrisha is not someone who would misunderstand¡­¡­.¡¯ But it¡¯s not polite to turn down the dessert the Prince gives her. In this situation, Dalia slightly hated herself for trying to rationalize just for dessert. But it¡¯s been too long since she had something sweet, as recently her nanny worried about the cavities and has strictly restricted sweets. Besides, the Imperial Pce¡¯s desserts are of the highest quality.¡­..it¡¯s going to be delicious! The dessert was really delicious, it made her want to cry. Although it was small enough to fit in one bite, it was Dalia¡¯s favorite. Dalia ate everything in no time, from chocte with whipped cream to sour sherbet with lemon scented. Cedric continued to read the book that he was reading before while Dalia was eating dessert, and smiled slightly when he confirmed that she had finished. ¡°Do you want more?¡± ¡°N, no. It¡¯s okay!¡± There was silence again. Cedric went through the book again. ¡®Was it a misunderstanding¡­¡­?¡¯ Dalia suddenly felt embarrassed. Feeling like she had to talk to him for some reason, she spoke first. ¡°The book that you¡¯re reading¡­¡­may I ask what book it is?¡± Cedric looked at Dalia. And he nced at the cover of the book and replied. ¡°Ah, this one? It¡¯s a romance novel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­what?¡± It was apletely unexpected answer. Why would he read a romance novel? Cedric said, flipping through several pages. ¡°I used to wonder what kind of stupid people do that¡­¡­ I think I know now.¡± ¡°Re, really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cedric looked at Dalia and showed his eye smile. Then he closed the book he was reading and put it down. Somehow she thought that she had asked the wrong question. An ominous feeling crept up on Dalia¡¯s back. She really wanted to run away, but she couldn¡¯t get up right away since she ate the dessert. Cedric said with a still refreshing smile. ¡°Dalia, there¡¯s no time to lose, so I¡¯ll tell you right away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Marry me.¡± Dalia stiffened. ¡®Adrisha! You were right!¡¯ This guy is weird! Daliaughed awkwardly and immediately pulled back her hand. ¡°I, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Cedric said with a look of pure ignorance. ¡°I want to have a romantic love marriage.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the premise of marriage always apanied by love?¡± When he said that with a smile as if he had no idea, her mind was in a daze. Dalia had a hunch right away. She can¡¯tmunicate with this person. If it doesn¡¯t work, she has no choice but to speak straightforwardly. ¡®Can I do that to the prince?¡¯ Suchmon-sense questions arose, but Dalia quickly shook her head. ¡°Th, the Emperor is on my side!¡¯ No matter what she says here, he¡¯ll take her side. Dalia concluded and said to him. ¡°Prince Cedric is not my taste.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your taste then? I¡¯ll fix it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She was speechless again. As Cedric tried to open his mouth again, Dalia hurriedly cut him off. She has to describe a man who can¡¯t be Cedric! ¡°I, I like people that are like humans!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Human?¡± For the first time Cedric frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means. Can you give me an example?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ fi, first!¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°You have to know how to see other people¡¯s pain and know how to share it together!¡± One of Cedric¡¯s eyebrows went up. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°And if you think a child will be hit by a carriage, you should save him instead of just watching it.¡± ¡°When he has nothing to do with me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Cedric had a look on his face that shows that he didn¡¯t understand. Dalia continues on with this momentum. ¡°And you have to know how to love others!¡± ¡°Love? Is it okay if I love someone other than you?¡± Honestly, she wondered what was wrong with him, but Dalia tried to talk to him so that he could understand as much as possible. ¡°N, not like that, but human being¡­¡­together¡­¡­ more like transcendent¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cedric¡¯s expression was still ambiguous. But there¡¯s nothing more to say. Dalia swept her chest with ease. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡®¡­¡­Of course you are.¡¯ Dalia thought to herself. Cedric will never understand such a thing. As the original suggests, hecks many things that a normal person should have. ¡°So that¡¯s why, prince is not my¡­¡­ ¡± ¡°So you can teach me from now on.¡± ¡°¡­¡­what?¡± ¡°Tell me what living like a human being is, from now on.¡± Cedric rested on his chin and grinned. Chapter 42 Dalia nkly stared at him. ¡®This person is¡­¡­totally obstinate.¡¯ A wall that doesn¡¯t change no matter what you say. Dalia really missed Adrisha. ¡®No, Adrisha is not here.¡¯ There is no one to save her. This was a challenge that Dalia had to solve on her own. Dalia sprang up from her seat. Cedric looked up at her while sitting down. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you what human beings are from now on.¡± And she confidently reached out her hand toward Cedric. Cedric stood up looking a little bewildered and held her hand. In the meantime, Dalia¡¯s posture became more straight because of her pride that she managed to make him feel flustered for the first time. ¡°¡­¡­So where are we going?¡± ¡°To the Imperial Pce Library. Please show me the way.¡± Dalia strode forward while holding his hand even though she didn¡¯t know the way. Cedric followed suit, while keeps on alternating between his hands and Dalia¡¯s back. The pce library was much, muchrger than Dalia thought. She looked up at the tall library, stunned. This is why she can¡¯t find anything. Dalia was looking around for the librarian. Cedric saw her and asked. ¡°What book are you looking for? I¡¯ll find it for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Do you know all the books here, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Just call me Cedric. And you can use magic here.¡± She had never heard of magic being used that way. When Dalia looked at him in surprise, he said nonchntly. ¡°Multi-attribute magic can be used in many ways, depending on its use. Anyone can do it.¡± ¡®No, that¡¯s because you Sir Cedric is a genius.¡¯ However Dalia wasn¡¯t looking for any specific book. ¡°Just five or six books regarding human conscience.¡­.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to go to the humanities section.¡± Cedric took her to Zone 8 of the library. Of course, there were many books there. Cedric used magic to pull books out of the shelves that are far above his height. ¡°¡¶What is Human Being?¡·, ¡¶The Source of Conscience¡·, ¡¶The Beginning of Human Being¡·¡­¡­.¡± It was picked out of her sight, but as per Dalia asked for, it was all books that contained the keywords of conscience or human beings. Dalia looked at Cedric with admiration. ¡°It¡¯s not much of a deal.¡± Cedric said quietly. He picked out about seven books, he then stopped and looked back at Dalia. ¡°That¡¯s enough right? I did choose but¡­¡­what does this mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very important.¡± Finally, the time hase. Dalia looked at the books in Cedric¡¯s arms dearly. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s homework.¡± ¡°What do you mean homework?¡± ¡°You asked me to teach you about humanity, didn¡¯t you?¡± Then, I¡¯m a teacher now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cedric nkly stared at Dalia. She put her hand on her waist and looked up at him. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, teacher.¡± Cedric replied obediently. Dalia nodded her head. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to read this ten times and write five reports per book and get tested by me. Don¡¯t evere until you¡¯re done with your homework!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± Dalia did not answer his question. She left Cedric with his eyes still wide open and quickly fled the pce library. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Sir Cedric.¡¯ I¡¯m the one who looked for you, but I returned your kindness in this way. But Dalia had a feeling. If she doesn¡¯t do this, she¡¯ll end up getting involved with him. ¡®No! I can¡¯t get engaged!¡¯ The marriage system in this world was never eptable to her, who still had memories of her past life. ¡°Dalia!¡± Hikan, who was looking for her, called her in surprise. Dalia was able to escape the pce safely under his escort. * * * ¡°¡­¡­Sir Cedric?¡± The day after Dalia came to the Imperial Pce, Adrisha, as usual, came to report to the Emperor regrly and witnessed an unbelievable scene. Cedric waspletely immersed in his study. In a study room linked to the Emperor¡¯s audience room. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You must be free, Adrisha. Since you have the time to talk to me.¡± Cedric knitted his eyebrows and smiled. Although the way he speaks and his outfit is different from usual, it is Cedric. Cedric had never studied since the awakening. He didn¡¯t have to. Since he was able to handle multi-attribute magic freely means that he have a high-level intelligence. Adrisha sometimes suspected that his twisted personality was due to his excessive intelligence. Adrisha nced at Cedric¡¯s side and looked at the stack of books. ¡¶What is Human Being?¡·,¡¶The Source of Conscience¡·,¡¶The Beginning of Human Being¡·¡­¡­. All of them were books that he wouldn¡¯t read even if he was born again. ¡°Why are you here¡­¡­?¡± ¡°My father, when he saw me read these books, he was moved to tears. Will you go now since I have answered your question?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But Adrisha has seen it. On the top of the paper that Cedric is working hard on, it says ¡®Book Report¡¯. ¡®What the hell is going on with Sir Cedric?¡¯ She wanted to ask, but she thought that he¡¯d really be angry if she said one more word. She turned around carefully and tried to leave the study. ¡°Adrisha,e here.¡± But Cedric called her just before she left. Adrisha also obediently went to his side following the sad fate as the subordinate. ¡°Can you exin this sentence? No matter how hard I look at it, I don¡¯t understand it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Conscience is what makes human the most noble.¡± It was not until he spoke that she realized he didn¡¯t want an answer. Adrisha watched as Cedric chew on his lips and shake his head in irritation. To be honest, it was fun. ¡°It¡¯s not because they¡¯re good that people didn¡¯t kill young animals. It¡¯s just that they feel ufortable. Why is it most noble to ignore rational judgement and follow emotion?¡± Still, he leaned his head on his hand and wrote another line on a piece of paper that said ¡°Book Report.¡± Adrisha thought, looking at him. ¡®Yes, he was this kind of person.¡¯ Why did he fall in love with Dalia, when he doesn¡¯t believe in conscience or humanity at all? And why is he looking at that book without even understanding it? She just couldn¡¯t figure it out. Cedric sighed and shook his head. ¡°Love is really hard, Adrisha.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very difficult.¡± Anyway, it was clear that he wasn¡¯t normal. Adrisha looked at him with her eyes narrowed, then made an excuse and left to see the Emperor. Cedric, who knew she didn¡¯t like him from the beginning, began to write the report regardless. There are three books left. The other seven books were read 10 times each and he already wrote a full book report. Reading the same content ten times was more like torture for him, who memorized the whole book even after reading it five times. Still, he did. Because he cannot deceive love. Dalia would have thought that it would take a month, but she tended to take his love too lightly. ¡®Well, she wouldn¡¯t trust just anyone.¡¯ Cedric was more of amon-sense thinker than he thought. ¡®So I have no choice but to say it over and over again until it works.¡¯ He also was more crazy than he thought. Suddenly, he let go of the pen while he was writing and looked at his hand for a moment. It was the hand that Dalia held before. He stared at his hand for a long time and clenched his fist again. ¡®I¡¯ll tell her not to hold hands from now on.¡¯ The back of her casually dragging him seemed toe back to his mind. He blinked, and thought while holding the pen again. ¡®Because if she do that again, my heart will beat too fast.¡¯ When will Dalia believe in his love? That was his greatest concern now. Chapter 43 Hikan returned to the study alone and touched his forehead. Cedric¡¯s story disturbed his mind. Cedric is too much for a small child like Dalia to handle¡­¡­. Well, it is now over anyway. Transcendents are more tolerant with fellow transcendents. This is because they share different perspectives than others and know the same pain. There are only five to six transcendents in one era. Although they often be enemies because of their arrogant and self-deprecating personality, those who have once shared friendship remain friends for as long as possible. Of course, there were many cases of marriage. There was a certain consensus between Hikan and the Emperor, so they could be close regardless of their age and status. Cedric, on the other hand, was not on good terms with Hikan even though they were both transcendent. Before meeting Dalia, Hikan¡¯s personality was worse than it is now, but Cedric was never innocent either. Cedric smiled as Hikan became more sensitive at a social gathering after he was expelled from the family.(*t/n: sorry not sure about this one) ¡°Well, isn¡¯t crying about being kicked out of the house is a challenge to ovee for a five years old?¡± He can¡¯t have a friend because he talks like that. There was already a famous incident where he set fire to the entire residence of a noble after he rudelymented ¡®it¡¯s like it¡¯s on fire¡¯ when he saw the Empress ming red hair. There was also an incident that was often talked about in secret when he offered a nk check to a devastated noble and asked him to im damages on his own. He also heard some stories from Adrisha. If a subordinate makes a mistake, no matter how trivial it is, he or she will be fired right away. If they invade his personal space or ask a few personal questions, they¡¯re fired. It doesn¡¯t matter even if the person has worked there for 10 years or 20 years. A smiling face is just a mask to hide his contempt, Adrisha said with confidence, that he clearly despises everyone. How did such a person like Cedric end up falling in love with Dalia? It was moreplicated because he couldn¡¯t think of any idea at all. He recalled what he heard from the Emperor today. Surprisingly, Cedric wasn¡¯t like that from birth. Rather, he heard from the Emperor that he was softer and milder than the average transcendent. But there was a problem. It was because of Cedric¡¯s unusual constitution. For whatever reason, the Emperor¡¯s ability as a transcendent was partially manifested in the young Cedric. Emperor Alexandro Duncan Michelio has the ability to read other people¡¯s emotions through physical contact. However, Cedric had that power from birth,pared to the Emperor who gained his ability after he was 17. It waspletely different from Cedric¡¯s innate power as a transcendent ¨C the multi-attribute magic. Moreover, it was slightly different from the Emperor¡¯s power. He could read emotions without necessarily touching them, and he can perceive bad emotions more sensitively than the good ones. Furthermore, the Imperial Pce is always filled with people with various purposes. Rather than a good person, a person with the desire for power or ambition visits this ce. Combined with several factors, Cedric knew the darkest side of human beings before his rationality was established. ¡°It would be better for the world if Count Smander died.¡± ¡°Huh? Why is that?¡± ¡°He looks at me with animosity.¡± The five-year-old Cedric frowned and looked with contempt with a corner of his mouth raised. It was an expression that a child of that age shouldn¡¯t make. The Emperor immediately investigated the Count and found out the huge underworldwork behind him. Heunched a massive rescue effort in the area to rescue Adrisha. However, he did not manage to save Cedric¡¯s already crooked heart. ¡°Do all human beings live with that thought?¡± No matter how good a human is, they also have bad thoughts sometimes. Jealousy-like emotions exist in any normal human being. However, no matter how much the Emperor says so, Cedric¡¯s prejudiced view of the world did not change easily. Even the Empress could not escape. During a ball, she poured all sorts of criticism inside because of the bad breath of the nobleman she was talking to. At that time, Cedric looked up at her with a strange expression, and the Empress shed tears for three days and nights. But it didn¡¯t work. The energy of negative emotions is much stronger than positive emotions. After all, most of the humans that Cedric saw were full of negative emotions. In order to break through such barriers of mind, it took intense and purely positive power. However, such feelings are notmon. Thanks to that, the Emperor gave up halfway and just told him to stop getting into an ident. But maybe Dalia had a strong, tremendous energy to break through that deep barrier. And she just happened to be in front of Cedric. ¡®Since when?¡¯ Until that point, Hikan didn¡¯t know. But it didn¡¯t surprise him at all that Dalia had a soul strong and good enough to make Cedric fall in love. Even when he looked at her, he often wondered where someone like Dalia came from. Because it was harder not to love someone like Dalia who loved others for nothing. In any case, nothing changes even if his intentions are pure. He needs to somehow stop Cedric from approaching Dalia. Hikan was determined. * * * [I¡¯m done with my book report, Dalia. Come check it out. I reserved the fourth room of the Imperial Pce Library.] Three dayster Dalia received a letter from Cedric. She folded the letter nicely and put it back into the envelope. After that, she tore her hair off and buried her face in bed. ¡®Ahhhhh¡­¡­¡¯ She¡¯s doomed. She¡¯s screwed. Why didn¡¯t she think this would happen? Did she think it would be over if she took one step ahead and escaped from the pce? No, it wasn¡¯t her fault, it was Cedric¡¯s. How would she know that it would take him three days to finish it all instead of a month? ¡®What should I do if I really need to get engaged?¡¯ Besides, Cedric is so handsome. Since she is weak to handsome face, he might push for the engagement and she may be already at the ceremony once she managed to get a hold of herself. She mmed her head into the bed. It was so soft that it didn¡¯t hurt at all. ¡°Dalia, please, just what is this about?¡± Outside, Hikan was banging on Dalia¡¯s door. As soon as she saw the letter in the dining room, she ran to her room with a pale face, so Hikan¡¯s worry was natural. But what would she say to him? ¡®I pretended to be a teacher to His Highness the Prince, but he finished the assignment.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He¡¯s not some kind of idiot. But now that they¡¯re here, she can¡¯t hide it anymore. Dalia opened the door to Hikan with a pale face. And she showed him the letter she received. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sitting side by side on the bed with Dalia, Hikan touched his forehead after hearing all the exnations. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I want to stay with brother.¡± Dalia clung to his arm with a desperate look. Hikan¡¯s face deepened further like the depth of the water. He patted her on the head and said. ¡°For now, go first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you go, I¡¯ll do something no matter what.¡± His expression was serious. Hikan couldn¡¯t have been more reliable now. Dalia nodded eagerly. Dalia went into Room 4 of the Imperial Pce Library, wearing the ring the Emperor gave her and a yellow dress, carrying several books from Hikan¡¯s study. The structure of the room was simple. A long table that could fit eight people was in the middle, and a chalkboard upied one side of the wall. Cedric came first and was waiting for Dalia. He spoke casually as soon as he saw Dalia. ¡°I¡¯ve done my homework, teacher.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t give me anypliments?¡± ¡°G, good job!¡± Dalia put the book on the desk while saying so. And she got the book report from Cedric. It was very thick and dense. ¡®He really finished it all.¡¯ Dalia felt guilty. She ordered that to buy time. She didn¡¯t mean for him to actually do it. Dalia apologized in a small voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would do everything so quickly. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Cedric replied casually. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you should be sorry for.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I worked hard to impress you.¡± He smiled at Dalia as he closed his eyes. Chapter 44 Usually, when a handsome person like a flower smiles like that, the surroundings will look dazzling. The bombardment of the handsomeness throws Dalia¡¯s mind into confusion. If Hikan is a calm and cool-headed handsome man, Cedric had a gorgeous appearance. He stands out more due to his unique blonde hair and red eyes. Still, Dalia tried not to be bewitched. She doesn¡¯t know why this person suddenly fell in love with her, but there must be a reason why Hikan and Adrisha are strongly against it. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s so out of the blue.¡¯ They¡¯ve only met once. For now, Dalia sat across from him and began reading the assignment. ¡®His handwriting is pretty.¡¯ The nobles were all educated and had pretty handwriting, but among them, Cedric¡¯s handwriting was particrly old-fashioned. ¡®But the content is¡­¡­.¡¯ Dalia saw ten pages of rubbish with clear handwriting, neat logic and rambling. Although it¡¯s all garbage, the topic is¡­¡­. The report was full of vicious contempt and usations that would make the writer cry and break their pen. ¡®Sir Cedric is not a sociopath.¡¯ Dalia realized. ¡®He¡¯s just¡­¡­don¡¯t like human beings¡­¡­.¡¯ 1. People who believe they are good just because they feel ufortable when they throw away trash on the street are annoying. 2. Even so, people who openly live like garbage and people who tell others to throw away their hypocrisy are both disgusting. 3. So they¡¯d better all die. This was themon topic of all ten book reports. She knew why Adrisha would pass out every time she talked about Cedric. He was theplete opposite of her who believed in the good side of humanity until the end. ¡®I can see why he¡¯s never been obsessed with Adrisha.¡¯ At this point Dalia had no choice but to ask a really reasonable question. ¡®Why is this person, towards me?¡¯ Just how did you fall in love with Dalia? ¡®Did he notice my power?¡¯ That was the most rational reason Dalia could think of. But for that matter, Cedric didn¡¯t care whether he touched Dalia or not. Even the Emperor wanted to hug Dalia whenever he saw her. ¡®I, I, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Amidst her confusion, Cedric affectionately spoke to Dalia. ¡°Have you read it all?¡± ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡± ¡°Are you going to give me homework again?¡± Dalia stared at that serene, soft look for a while. Should I ask or not? Should I ask or not? ¡®No, I hate feeling stuffy.¡¯ ¡°That¡­¡­, Sir Cedric.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°Sir Cedric hates all human beings.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it, but it¡¯s annoying. Yeah, anyways.¡± ¡°But why do you like me?¡± She knew from her pitiful experiencest time that Cedric needed a fastball like this to make him understand. Cedric looked at Dalia, a bit perplexed. Embarrassed to the point of death, she did not back down from asking the question, and looked at him straight in the eyes. Cedric¡¯s expression grew increasingly confused. He doesn¡¯t know why she is asking this. Or, he didn¡¯t seem to know what to say either. He slightly opened his mouth after licking his lips for a while. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ho, ho, ho. Good to see you two.¡± The conversation was cut off. Cedric and Dalia looked back at the door at the same time. There was an uptight-looking grandfather with a book on his side standing there. ¡°It¡¯s an honor for such high-ranking people to want to take a lecture from me. I am Baron Wales.¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ It was a chaotic mess, but Dalia did not panic, and nced over the front page of Cedric¡¯s book report. ¡®There is, Baron Wales.¡¯ She roughly understood the circumstances of the situation. On the other hand, Cedric, unaware of the situation, opened his mouth with a smile. ¡°Lecture? To do business in this messy way these days¡­¡­ ¡± Dalia jumped out of her seat and hurriedly covered Cedric¡¯s mouth. ¡°I, I¡¯m the one who called him!¡± Cedric tilted his head and looked at her. Dalia looked at the Baron in a hurry. ¡°By any chance¡­ did my brother¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, the Duke of Pesteros said that Miss Dalia has specially invited me¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Ah, brother Hikan. Is this how you prepared it?¡¯ Tears came to her eyes when she thought of Hikan, who must have squeezed his head toe up with this idea. Trying not to somehow leave her alone with Cedric¡­¡­ So she should do her best to match Hikan. Dalia turned her head back toward Cedric. ¡°That¡­¡­Shouldn¡¯t we listen to the author now that we¡¯ve read the book?¡± And she btedly released the hand that covered his mouth. Cedric nced at Dalia¡¯s face, blinking. He¡¯d think she¡¯d call more people because she¡¯d be ufortable alone. She felt sorry for some reason. But he didn¡¯t add anything else. She just smiled softly as if she knew nothing. ¡°Yes, then.¡± * * * ¡°So human beings are¡­¡­the elements that make it up¡­¡­.¡± ¡®This is crazy.¡¯ Dalia thought to herself. She has never had such a sleepy lecture in her life. Madam Mathieu, the tutor, was a great lecturer who will go down in historypared to him. And he was so uptight, so if she lowered her head a little bit. ¡°Miss Dalia, you must not fall asleep.¡± She got thisment. It was like going back to high school in her previous life. Besides, the content was so bad, so she has been trying to concentrate and saying the same thing for an hour. She felt more sleepy as time passed by. She really wants to sleep. Dalia also felt sorry for Cedric for letting him listen to this garbage lecture. But Cedric was still looking at the ckboard with his chin on his face. She had no idea what was on his mind. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Dalia apologized inwardly. He has been reading all those books and writing book reports for her, and she¡¯s letting him take this ss just in case she gets stuck alone with him. In her sleepy consciousness, the words wandered freely. ¡®Is he such a bad person to be this vignt?¡¯ ¡®My stomach feels twisted.¡¯(t/n: not sure about this one) ¡®Still, he¡¯s nice to me.¡¯ ¡®He wants to marry you. So you¡¯re going to marry that person?¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s not it. But I¡¯m sleepy.¡¯ Dalia could not ovee her heavy eyelids and lowered her head again. She always slept like this before. After that, the back of her neck always ached. But this time, strangely, something seemed to support her chin. Something like fluffy air. It was a strange exnation, but that¡¯s the only way she could express it. ¡®If I get caught again, I¡¯ll be scolded.¡¯ Thinking so, Dalia really fell asleep this time. * * * Baron Wales looked back, proud with his lecture. Strangely, Dalia was found dozed off, her eyes closed with her head fixed in the air. It was an unbearable humiliation for him, who also had a history of lecturing at the academy. He endured trying to throw the white chalk he had used to write on the ckboard. This is because he heard that Duke Hikan Pesteros greatly cares for his sister. ¡®I, I¡¯ll make it half so it doesn¡¯t hurt¡­¡­.¡¯ He cut the long white chalk in half and made it very small. Then slightly, just slightly enough to wake her up, he drew a parab and threw the chalk at Dalia¡¯s head. Without overshadowing his career, the chalk moved well toward his goal in a very pretty way. Shortly before reaching Dalia¡¯s head, it was engulfed in a blue me and disappeared from the air. ¡®Huh?¡¯ There¡¯s only one other person here. Baron Wales unconsciously looked at Cedric. And he made eye contact with Cedric who was looking at him with a smile on his face. Cedric was obviously smiling. But in those eyes, the Baron read a certain meaning. It meant he could kill him right now and he wanted to kill him, but he wouldn¡¯t. ¡®Stop paying attention and keep talking.¡¯ To put it bluntly, this. The Baron turned around as if he hadn¡¯t seen anything. ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ Scary. He suddenly wants to pack everything up and go home quickly. Chapter 45 The Baron immediately left the room half an hourter without being asked. At least it was the most meaningful thing he had ever done in his life. Cedric left the room and extended the reservation time. When he returned, Dalia was still sleeping with her eyes closed, supported by the cushion he had made. Cedric sat next to her and slightly adjusted the cushion to fit her chin height. A strange sense of satisfaction that even himself could not understand filled his heart. He smiled unconsciously. ¡°Sir Cedric hates every human being. But why do you like me?¡± To say such a thing casually, she has no idea that he can¡¯t help but like her. Willing to sacrifice herself even though she didn¡¯t understand. And the fluttering gray hair and the little body. The scene from that day is like a world that he¡¯s never seen before, and he fell in love with it. ¡®You don¡¯t understand.¡¯ Even now, he wanted to be alone with her, but she called someone else. He quietly rested his chin on the desk, thinking mischievously. The sun was setting. He decided to wait until Dalia woke up. * * * Dalia only opened her eyes when the sun was setting. ¡®Gasp. How many hours did I sleep?¡¯ She slept for at least two hours. How can she sleep this much while sitting down? But strangely, she felt like she slept like a baby. For some reason, she still felt something soft supporting her chin. Thinking that it was odd, Dalia lifted her head and pressed her hand against the spot where her head was. There really was something in the air! Strangely soft like a bag of water¡­¡­. ¡®Ah.¡¯ The pockets burst and disappeared in the air. Dalia looked around in surprise. Then she found Cedric reading a book next to her, where the sunlight came in. Cedric¡¯s hair was dyed red as the setting sunlight shone through the window, and his face was darkened by the shadows. He said calmly as he turned the pages of the book. ¡°It will explode if you stimte it too much.¡± ¡°Ah, ahh¡­.¡± Cedric made it. Dalia somehow felt ashamed. She can¡¯t believe that she was sleeping on a magic pillow made by someone else. The ss must have ended long ago, but he must have been unable to leave because of her. ¡°You were drooling in your sleep.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Dalia wiped her mouth in surprise. Cedric smiled as he closed the book. ¡°It was a lie.¡± She was deceived. She pouted her cheeks with her mouth covered. He smiled and arranged the book and stood up. Dalia¡¯s mind went wild when she thought of him who had been waiting for her untilte. ¡°The Baron¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Already left.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did you call him because you were ufortable with me?¡± Cedric asked with a nonchnt face. She didn¡¯t expect him to ask this right away. Dalia looked at his face nervously, not knowing what to do. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± It was such a soft voice, as ifforting Dalia. Cedric briefly stopped in front of Dalia, holding the book in his hand, and looked at her. Dalia thought again, that he was really, really handsome from this angle. The red color from the sunset just now and his splendid face were in perfect harmony. ¡®Don¡¯t be fooled.¡¯ Is it because of the atmosphere or because she was half awake? It really felt like she was going to cross the river of no return. Cedric¡¯s eyes gently closed as he smiled.(*t/n: damn that eye smile¡­i¡¯m melting) ¡°Instead, teach me yourself next time.¡± Dalia nodded unconsciously. Cedric smiled and nodded together. ¡°Okay. See you next time, Dalia.¡± Shut. After leaving only a brief greeting, the door closed. Dalia sat absentmindedly for a long time in the ce where he left. Her head was bursting with heat because of all kinds of thoughts running through her mind. Her soul that went out had no sign of returning. When she came to her senses, she was leaving the library, and when she came to her senses again, she was in the carriage, and when she came to her senses again, she was at the door of the mansion. Hikan was waiting for Dalia with a worried look. Looking at his outfit, he must have juste back from the Knight Order. His uniform was clean, and there¡¯s no signs of sweating, as if he just washed up. Hikan grabbed her arm as soon as she got off the carriage. ¡°Did anything happen? I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s the only way I can think of¡­¡­.¡± Dalia nodded nkly. Hikan quickly noticed something strange about her. ¡°¡­¡­¡­Something did happen.¡± Dalia awkwardly avoided his eyes. ¡°N, no. Nothing¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That son of a b¡­¡­.¡± Harsh words are about toe out of Hikan¡¯s mouth, Dalia¡¯s bewildered look made him stop his words. ¡°¡­¡­sorry.¡± Dalia shook her head to indicate that it was fine. Hikan hugged her shoulder and entered the mansion. * * * Hikan didn¡¯t ask more about what had happened, but there still seemed to be an ominous feeling. Even though he asked her to wash up, he didn¡¯t know how to let Dalia go and kept hesitating as if he wanted to say something. Dalia wanted to tell him what was going on, but somehow she was too ashamed to say anything. ¡®No, what am I ashamed of? Nothing happened, right?¡¯ She thought so in her head, but somehow her heart didn¡¯t. ¡®He tried to seduce me.¡¯ And Dalia was halfway over there and then back again. Including her past life, there are a lot of Dalia!(*t/n: i don¡¯t know this part huhu) This is embarrassing. He was so handsome and knew how to twist people around. Even though he is still that young, she cannot imagine what he would evolve into when he grew up a few yearster. At that time, even if they were together for five more minutes, she would be thinking, ¡®Oh, maybe it¡¯s okay to get engaged to someone like this?¡¯ In particr, he was the number one person she needed to be cautious about. ¡®Besides.¡¯ Dalia had a gloomy thought and lowered her eyes. There¡¯s one more reason to watch out for him. The reason why she should never fall for him. Cedric ends up dead in every route of the original. As if the original author strongly insists that he will never be included in the male lead route. Cedric¡¯s ending is always the same in every route, no matter which male lead route she takes. The reasons are different for each route, but there is something inmon with every death. Each time he dies alone quietly, without shedding any tears or begging for sympathy. Neither despairing nor depressed about dying, just as usual. Maybe even his own life, like everything else, meant nothing to him. ¡®Of course, Sir Cedric is telling me that he loves me right now.¡¯ Anyway, such a noble appearance yed a part in increasing his fan base. Because Dalia liked him too. Many of the original stories have changed. Maybe there will be no war and nobody will go crazy. Cedric may also live in peace until the end. But it was true that it was bothering her somehow. ¡®Yes, not Sir Cedric.¡¯ No matter how good he treats Dalia and tries to charm her with his handsome face! She will surely meet her long-lived husband and live happily ever after. She was determined. She didn¡¯t even realise that Hikan was watching her from the side. Chapter 46 After dinner, Dalia sat at her desk and finished her homework given by Madam Mathieu. And after chatting with the nanny for a bit, brushing her teeth and washing her face, shey down on the bed in her pajamas. ¡®It¡¯s been a long day.¡¯ It¡¯s really been a very, very long day. Shey down but couldn¡¯t sleep, so she looked up at the ceiling. Knock knock. It was then that someone knocked on her door. Dalia opened the door with a puzzled look. Standing there is¡­¡­ Hikan with a book by his side. Dalia asked in surprise at thepletely unexpected person. ¡°Brother, what are you doing here at thiste at night?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I have something to say.¡± For some reason, Hikan¡¯s eyes looked more sunken than she had seen in the afternoon. He also looked like someone who had made a big decision. Dalia tilted her head and guided him inside. ¡°Were you about to sleep?¡± ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s okay since I can¡¯t sleep anyway.¡± ¡°No,y down. You can talk next to me.¡± Hikan dragged a chair from the desk and brought it next to Dalia¡¯s bed. Not knowing what he¡¯s trying to say, Dalia quietlyy back on her bed. Hikan pulled the nket up to her neck and patted Dalia¡¯s chest slightly. Her heart feels warm. She turned her body and looked at Hikan. He also looked at Dalia. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± ¡°If His Highness Cedric has done anything to you, I will officially file aint against this matter, even if it means against the Imperial Family.¡± Dalia shook off her nket and jumped out of her seat. ¡°Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden!¡± Still, Hikan¡¯s expression was serious. ¡°There¡¯s no way that damn bastard can leave you alone after talking about his first love.¡± Dalia unknowingly covered Hikan¡¯s mouth from his profane remarks. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to take Dalia¡¯s hand off and just lowered his eyes in mncholy. ¡®No.¡¯ It must be because he was too tired from work with the Knights. ¡®But you¡¯reining to the Imperial Family. I have something else to say.¡¯ Dalia hugged his neck and patted his head. Then she pushed his shoulder back and said. ¡°Well, is your head clearer now? It¡¯s hard to control your magic power because the other knights are watching¡­¡­¡± ¡°My mind is more normal than ever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Dalia awkwardly returned to the bed. ¡°Brother, nothing really happened to me.¡± ¡°This is how I will feel at ease.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But you¡¯re sending an official letter ofint to the Imperial Family. This is different from just grumbling to the Emperor. It really means that the issue will be highlighted as a political issue. Although the Emperor and Hikan were close, it cannot guarantee that their rtionship would be the same after he crossed the line. It was even more so for Dalia, who had personally seen the Emperor give Hikan the death penalty in the original game. As if reading her thoughts, Hikan spoke softly. ¡°If I could hear what happened from your own mouth then I might not.¡± Eventually, Dalia opened her mouth. She did not leave out a single detail of what happened. Hikan must have calmed down now that he knew nothing had happened. Dalia nced at him. As expected, he certainly looked more calm than before. ¡°So it¡¯s really dangerous. I think I have to work hard to not be bewitched.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I think so.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re supposed to meet again next time, but I don¡¯t know what to do with this. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want to see me again soon likest time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It was fun though. I think it would be fun to meet again. Nothing happened. So you¡¯re not going toin anymore, are you?¡± Hikan nodded heavily. Dalia looked at him with a smile. ¡°Thank you for your concern. Are you going now?¡± ¡°No, since I¡¯m already here, I¡¯ll stay with you until you fall asleep.¡± Heid Dalia down again and tucked her in. Dalia was desperate. ¡®I hope I don¡¯t need to kick the nket again.¡¯ Then, suddenly, her mind went crazy at the book he brought. ¡®What was that?¡¯ She turned her body vertically. And she was so bewildered to see him holding a fairy tale book with a big picture on the cover. ¡°Wh, what is that, brother?¡± ¡°I brought it because I thought you liked fairy talesst time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± When he was bedridden with fever, Dalia¡¯s attempts to tease him were nowpletely backfired. Although Hikan was sincere. He opened the cover even though Dalia tried to dissuade him with sorrowful eyes. ¡°Four centuries ago, in a certain territory, there was a demon king¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Oh my God, in the end he started reading it.¡¯ Dalia resigned and closed her eyes. Then she began to listen to the old tales by Hikan. All the fairy tales in this world didn¡¯t make sense to her because they were about angels or demon kings. She used to read fantasy novels when she was younger. But such a story,bined with Hikan¡¯s low and deep voice, sounded very usible. ¡®¡­¡­it¡¯s quite good?¡¯ As expected, she fell asleep better than she thought because she likes his voice. The warmth of a person nearby gave her a sense of security more than she thought. Dalia opened only one eye and looked at Hikan, who was concentrating on reading. He doesn¡¯t have to wear sses now, but he¡¯ll be wearing them for work in a few years. Transcendents have far better eyesight than ordinary people, but in return, they have hyperopia as they get older, and they usually wear sses for work. Like the Emperor. He is still handsome now, but if he wears sses then, he will look really cool. She was happy that she could think of his future now. Dalia reached out and held Hikan¡¯s empty hand on hisp. It must be hard these days, so she thought that she should at least clear it up, and she wanted to hold his hand. Hikan held her hand without hesitation. The still quiet voice continued. Shortly after, Dalia fell asleep. * * * Hikan looked at the sleeping Dalia. The paper that he was holding in his hand was quickly crumpled. Crumpled. Dalia furrowed her eyebrows at the sound. Hikan was bewildered and opened the paper gently so that it wouldn¡¯t make a sound. Then, carefully removing her hand that was holding him so as not to wake her, he put the nket over her neck again, and quietly left the room. As soon as he left the room, his steps elerated. Soon he strode out the front door of the mansion with a big stride. The coachman rubbed his sleepy eyes and brought the horse out. ¡°Where are you going at this hour¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be right back, so wait for me.¡± Hikan hopped onto the horse and headed somewhere. He arrived at the townhouse in the capital of Beniter. Count Beniter and his wife did note to the capital, so Adrisha was the only one who lived here. Adrisha quickly came out of the mansion with a look of annoyance. It was clear that she wanted to settle it right away without letting him in. ¡°What brings you from so far tonight¡­¡­¡± ¡°I must separate Dalia from His Highness Cedric.¡± Adrisha¡¯s eyes widened. She immediately led him to the drawing room. After hearing all the exnations from Hikan over a light tea, her expression darkened terribly. ¡°How did that happen¡­.. I can¡¯t give Dalia away to such an inhuman person.¡± ¡°I totally agree.¡± ¡°He¡¯s so clever that he¡¯ll buy Dalia¡¯s heart soon. We need to separate them as soon as possible.¡± Hikan nodded in agreement. ¡°But how¡­¡­?¡± Adrisha was troubled as she bit her nails and shook her legs. It was far from behavior befitting of a noble, but neither Hikan nor she had the time to care about such things. After a while, she put her hand down. She dered with a very determined look. ¡°I thought of a way.¡± Chapter 47 The next day, Dalia was surprised to find Hikan reading the newspaper leisurely instead of preparing for work during herte breakfast. ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you going to work?¡± ¡°I took a vacation.¡± Dalia was even more surprised by his nonchnt answer. Hikan folded the newspaper, put it on the table, and looked at Dalia. ¡°Why all of a sudden¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, we have never traveled together before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Despite Dalia¡¯s confused voice, Hikan spoke without hesitation. ¡°Adrisha decided to go with us. She wants me to tell her wherever you decide you want to go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Our estates are all over the Empire. If you want to see the sea, let¡¯s go to the sea, and if you want to see the mountains, let¡¯s go to a ce with a beautiful view. There are ces where your favorite seafood is a specialty.¡± Hikan brought a map of the Empire and spread it out in front of Dalia. There were round marks all over the map, he probably didn¡¯t even sleep when he made the n, and organized all the attractions. ¡®B, brother¡­¡­.¡¯ It was touching. And. ¡®You really didn¡¯t like it when Cedric and I met¡­¡­.¡¯ A bted realization came. It would have been better to omit half of yesterday¡¯s story. However¡­¡­. ¡°It will be just the three of us for a while. It¡¯s going to be fun.¡± Hikan looked up at Dalia with a rather desperate expression. She felt weak when she saw that face. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t think of Cedric at the moment. Still, let¡¯s think about the beach, delicious specialties, and a good time for the three of us to go around all day¡­¡­. ¡®That sounds fun¡­¡­.¡¯ Still, Dalia¡¯s priorities were far ahead of Cedric¡¯s, Hikan¡¯s and even Adrisha¡¯s. ¡°All right!¡± Dalia said with a big smile. Hikan then smiled vaguely. He seemed to have worried a lot. 7. First Trip Dalia fell into a happy contemtion with arge map in front of her. ¡®So where should we go?¡¯ The trip was decided, and now all that remained was Dalia¡¯s choice. Dalia picked up a pen and began circling it again, one at a time, at each mark indicated on the map. Hikan was sitting next to Dalia while resting on his chin, watching her while she chose a ce. ¡®As expected, the sea would be great.¡¯ Winter was over and spring wasing. It¡¯s not the best time to see the sea, but Dalia originally liked to feel the cold wind while walking on the beach during winter. There were about three ces left when she selected the ces for the beach. I think I heard the nanny rmend which one of the three is the bestst time. Dalia stared at the three remaining names. ¡®Vesta¡¯, ¡®Alstein¡¯, ¡®Cannon¡¯. For some reason, all three names were familiar. In particr, the name Cannon stood out the most. ¡®Was that where the nanny rmended it?¡¯ Dalia, who had been staring at the name, after pondering for a long time, finally remembered where she had seen it. ¡®That¡¯s Adrisha¡¯s hometown!¡¯ To be precise, it¡¯s the ce where Adrisha was raised as a spy and assassin. If she went there, she would only trigger Adrisha¡¯s trauma. Dalia removed it from the candidate list. Somehow she had an ominous feeling about that ce. ¡®The two remaining ces are somehow¡­¡­ I think there¡¯s something there.¡¯ On second thought, it was strange. Dalia roughly learned the geography of this Empire in ss with the tutor. All the important names remain in her memory. However these names are simply tourist attractions and not particrly importantnds, so why are they so familiar when she hasn¡¯t even studied hard? It must be in the original. In particr, the name ¡®Vesta¡¯ felt the worst. I think I will remember it if I look at it more¡­¡­. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t matter which one, let¡¯s go here.¡± Then, all of a sudden, Hikan pointed his finger at one ce. Dalia followed his fingertips in surprise. He pointed to¡­¡­ ¡®Vesta¡¯. ¡°D, does it have to be here?¡± Dalia asked unconsciously. ¡°His Majesty gave me a vacation, but I need to do something in exchange.¡± Hikan replied with an annoyed voice. However, as for Dalia, who still has a modern perspective, was convinced by the task the Emperor entrusted. ¡®Well¡­¡­ he can¡¯t just give brother a vacation when it¡¯s been less than a month since he started working¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you like somewhere else. But we will have to be separated quite far during the trip.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t want that.¡¯ Dalia stared at the name absent mindedly. But she does not remember anything even when she¡¯s staring at it. She would rather not go if she could remember what happened, but she couldn¡¯t just say no because she doesn¡¯t know what happened there. Besides, the Emperor told brother to do something. ¡°What did the Emperor entrust you with?¡± ¡°That¡¯s top secret.¡± Hikan just cut it off and said that. There was no use in asking more when he said that. Dalia once again confirmed Vesta¡¯s position on the map. It is a coastal city that borders the vast sea, but has few other characteristics. It was also the territory that was the farthest from the Holy Empire. If it¡¯s close to the Holy Empire¡­¡­. ¡®Isn¡¯t it also rted to the Holy Empire?¡¯ If you think it like this. A Commander of the Imperial Knights is a position where you can be a soldier in case of an emergency. The Empire and the Holy Empire were in a rtionship that was on the verge of war seven years ago. Their rtionship has been restored. But they were still on guard against each other. Since Aceras was appointed to the Holy Empire, it was natural to strengthen their vignce. But this was in the opposite direction of the Holy Empire. Dalia tilted her head. Furthermore, it still does not exin why the name ¡®Vesta¡¯ felt so familiar to her. After much thought, Dalia eventually shook her head. Shortly after realizing she was reincarnated in the game, Dalia worked hard to recreate most of the main events of the original route. And yet, looking at the fact that she doesn¡¯t remember the name, it meant that at least it wasn¡¯t rted to such an event. ¡®Do we need to discuss this and that when we¡¯re on a trip?¡¯ Dalia decided to think only about the journey ahead. She smiled happily at Hikan. * * * Of course, Cedric, who caused the incident, was also btedly informed that Dalia was going on a trip. He immediately became aware of Hikan¡¯s obvious intention. He heard that Hikan took a month off. What could be the reason he took a year worth of vacation and used it all up this month? At first Cedricughed to himself. ¡®What a fool. Even if you leave, I will find you.¡¯ But Hikan¡¯s n didn¡¯t end there. ¡°I¡¯m d, my son! I didn¡¯t expect that you woulde to my office for a month.¡± Cedric was bewildered at first when the smiling Emperor came to him with an armful of anthropology. ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°I heard you even took the author¡¯s lecture. Adrisha told me everything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Seeing that bright smile, it was obvious that even if he told him the truth, the Emperor wouldn¡¯t listen anyway. Whether Adrisha¡¯s words are lies or truth, somehow the Emperor will take this opportunity to firmly educate him. He knew that the two of them usually surrounded Dalia, but he didn¡¯t know that humans who had never danced together and spoke respectfully to each other would have colluded to stop him. It was already toote when he heard that the three of them were going on a trip together. Thanks to this, he was able to enjoy a friendly office date with his father. But he didn¡¯t give up. He was the one who managed to escape from the Imperial Pce several times after avoiding his father¡¯s surveince. It will be no different this time. He was well aware that Dalia was still ufortable with him. They might think that it was rather good for the both of them to be apart. It¡¯s not enough to keep up appearances and whisper sweet words every day, and if they are separated for a month, Dalia willpletely forget him. Although his ability resembles his father¡¯s, he is not capable of reading all human emotions. Sometimes intense emotions just prate into his mind. So he couldn¡¯t figure out Dalia¡¯s mind. It made him feel nervous for the first time. He devised a form to create a warp portal that could move within a kilometer outside the Imperial Pce in his spare time, taking advantage of the Emperor¡¯s time while he was concentrating on his work. While skillfully dodging the power to keep his spell in check. By the way, when the form was almostplete, Cedric received a letter. In the sender¡¯s column of the envelope, the name of the letter was clearly written. [Dalia Pesteros] In the recipient column, more powerful letters were written. [To His Highness the Second Prince Cedric Vercelona Michelio] He could see that she would have written it nervously. Cedric opened the letter and read it. [Dear Second Prince Cedric Hello, Prince. We were supposed to take ss together but I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t tell you earlier that I¡¯m going on a trip for a month. Instead, when I came backst time, I took a lot of books to study hard. This time, I didn¡¯t pick randomly like before. I picked after getting advice from many people. I¡¯ll write down the title below. I think it¡¯d be nice if the Prince could read it with me. I¡¯m going to write a book report with Prince this time. I think it¡¯ll be good to read andpare it together after Ie back. It is not necessary for Prince to understand human beings, but I hope you do. I guess I¡¯m thinking about bing a real teacher now. So don¡¯tugh at me(this sentence was painted ck several times as if she were trying to erase it. But Cedric could see everything because of the crumpling of the paper.) Will you be a great student? -Sincerely, Dalia Pesteros] Cedric stared at the letter silently. The inside of his chest tickled enough that he wanted to take it and throw it away. ¡°Haaa.¡± With a long sigh, he cancelled all the forms he was making. Instead, he called in the Grand Chambein to bring the books listed by Dalia, papers and fountain pens. Chapter 48 ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s the sea!¡± After a two-day long carriage trip, the open sea now can be seen beyond the horizon. At the same time, Vesta¡¯s famous silver sand beach appeared. It is said that a special mineral from the Vesta underground mine mixes with the sand and produces such a beautiful silver color. Even though the trip was long and tiring, Dalia¡¯s eyes began to sparkle as soon as she saw the clear winter sea and the beautiful silver sand beach. She hung herself from the carriage window and looked outside frantically. Hikan looked at Dalia while patting Adrisha¡¯s back, who was feeling motion sickness. For a moment, his expression darkened as he remembered the task entrusted to him by the Emperor. Anyway, he was happy to see his beloved Dalia. It would have been better if Adrisha had less motion sickness. Adrisha seemed to get sick every time, even though it was not her first time traveling by a carriage. But when she saw the delighted Dalia, a faint smile appeared on her lips. ¡°Miss Dalia must have never seen the sea before.¡± Dalia was startled by her weak voice and clung to Adrisha¡¯s side. ¡°Oh my God, Adrisha. Are you feeling sick again?¡± ¡°No, everything is fine now. It will be over soon.¡± There was an indescribable relief in her voice that the end of this journey was near. ¡®Should we use a warp portal on the way back?¡¯ Long-distance warp portals have cost issues, but have not yet been poprized due to their stability. Out of the 100 animal tests, only one of the upper and lower bodies was moved. In other words, one in every 100 people who use the portal will be transported sessfully. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t use it unless she was in a hurry. However, for Adrisha, the probability of dying from motion sickness seemed greater than the probability of only half of her moving using the warp portal. Fortunately, before Adrisha could die, the three of them arrived at the Pesteros vi. Adrisha¡¯s condition was so bad that she decided to lie down and rest for two days. Dalia put her hand on Adrisha¡¯s pale forehead. ¡°How much motion sickness did you get Adrisha, for your forehead to be burning like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°If you had told me in advance, I would have picked a closer ce.¡± ¡°But if Dalia likes it, I like it too.¡± Adrisha smiled and held Dalia¡¯s hand. ¡®Sobs, Adrisha.¡¯ How can you live in this difficult world when you are so kind? Dalia was seriously worried about Adrisha¡¯s future. At that moment, Adrisha said with a determined expression. ¡°I will definitely protect Dalia on this trip.¡± ¡®From what?¡¯ It can¡¯t be¡­¡­Cedric? Dalia broke into a cold sweat inside. From that determined look in her eyes, it seems that her concern for Adrisha was groundless. Adrisha¡¯s hands lost their strength. She ced both of her hands on her belly and closed her eyes. ¡°Then go out and have fun. I¡¯m going to get some sleep.¡± Adrisha quickly fell asleep, probably from exhaustion. Dalia looked at her worriedly and left the room. * * * She was relieved after putting Adrisha to sleep, so Dalia looked around the vi properly. The vi was newly purchased and was in a very good condition. All of the employees were friendly, and it was so pretty because of Hikan¡¯s arrangement, the ce was decorated with fresh flowers everywhere. Dalia¡¯s room had arge balcony, overlooking the sandy beach, and it was so pretty that it was a pity to stay for only a month. Dalia rested her chin on the balcony railing and looked outside. The winter wind blew her hair. It was warm inside the vi, so the coldness was still tolerable. The gray-blue sea, which has lost all the vitality and the color of summer, has be almost achromatic. The sandy beach facing the sea was also gray. Vesta was said to be a more popr vacation spot in winter than summer, and she seemed to understand why. Dalia seemed to be cold, so Hikan came out to the balcony with a thick nket. Dalia pulled his arm in excitement over the nket. Hikan, who was a bit flustered, was dragged in a gentle manner. ¡°Isn¡¯t it so pretty, brother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hikan replied, wrapping a nket around Dalia¡¯s body. Somehow it was an insincere answer. Still wondering why he came all the way here, Dalia took off a fewyers of her nket and rolled it up like bacon and gave it to Hikan. Hikan held the nket he received, with a helpless look. Dalia wasn¡¯t too small, but it was too big for Hikan to wear it. ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ No, what did her brother eat for him to grow up to be this big? Dalia never thought she might be smaller than her peers. Um, no way. It¡¯s just that the people around her are just too big. Dalia pretended not to know and turned around again to take the nket. Hikan then opened his mouth as if nothing had happened. ¡°Count Williams has invited us. He asked us to join him for dinner. Since he¡¯s the owner of this territory, he will show you a lot of nice ces.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I heard that other nobles who havee for vacation in this area are alsoing. Do you want to go together?¡± As Vesta is more famous as a winter resort, there were many nobles who came here at this time. Nobles with famous resorts also used this as a method of expanding their connections. Among them, Count Williams was a fairly prestigious nobleman. There was absolutely no reason to refuse. Dalia nodded his head. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s great. Then Adrisha¡­¡­?¡± ¡°She probably can¡¯t go together. I¡¯ve told the maid to prepare porridge for her.¡± Dalia nodded her head. Then, when the soft nket touched the tip of her chin, her face burned with embarrassment. As Hikan was about to furrow his brow and ask why her face was like that, Dalia said, ¡®Oh, the nket is so warm,¡¯ and went inside. * * * Count Waliams¡¯ mansion was on a hill. Dalia and Hikan mistook the location and arrived at the mansion earlier than scheduled. The Count, with a well-groomed mustache, smiled warmly and introduced the mansion. Since there was nothing to do, the two decided to tour the mansion before dinner. Sculptures and paintings were hung all over the mansion, showing that the Count had a hobby of collecting artworks. The Count had about three or four famous resorts, and the money from these resorts alone would be huge, so he would probably be very rich. Still, it¡¯s not as much as Pesteros. Dalia looked at the painting while holding Hikan¡¯s arm. Since she was educated as an aristocrat, she had her own eye for art. Some were tasteful and some were not, but they all seemed to be worth the money. However, in one section of the mansion, there were paintings in a very different style from other artworks. A feast of primary colors that hurt the eyes, it seemed to mimic a human face with lines and shapes drawn at will. ¡®¡­.In a good way, it¡¯s like an abstract painting.¡­.¡¯ To be honest, it was like children¡¯s graffiti. Dalia nced up at Hikan. He had a doubtful expression on whether he was thinking the same thing. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Dalia was confused and couldn¡¯t take her steps further. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a picture drawn by the children I sponsored.¡± Before she knew it, the Count suddenly appeared from behind and smiled happily. Dalia said in surprise. ¡°Sponsor?¡± ¡°Yes, do you happen to know thendslide that happened a while ago on Vishe¡¯s territory adjacent to ours?¡± ¡°Oh, I saw it in the newspaper. But it wasn¡¯t such a big ident¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I thought so too.¡± The Count¡¯s expression sank sadly. It was amazing that the beard sank as well as the facial expression. ¡®How do you do that?¡¯ Dalia focused her gaze under his nose. ¡°The newspapers in the capital always focus on the affairs of the capital rather than the regional territory. Even though I¡¯m also from a regional area, I¡¯ve forgotten about that fact for too long.¡± ¡°So¡­.. the children that you are sponsoring are thendslide victims?¡± ¡°Yes. Arge number of children who lost their parents moved to this territory, which is a good ce to beg because of therge number of tourists. Now, they are receiving the support of our estate, so there is no need for that.¡± He¡¯s a good man. Dalia looked up at the Count, deeply moved. ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡± He blushed in embarrassment at such apliment. ¡°No, it¡¯s all thanks to a certain person that I was able to do this.¡± ¡°Thanks to a certain person?¡± ¡°There was a young master who came to this territory for recuperation a month ago. He brought the wounded children to me, saying he couldn¡¯t leave them alone. I have no interest in other territories, but I feel sorry for the children. Looking at his kind eyes, I willingly decided to help those children too.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°He¡¯s alsoing to dinner today. Why don¡¯t you try to talk with him? You¡¯ll be surprised at his extraordinary insight of the world regardless of your title.¡± The Count seemed to have a great deal of faith in that man. What kind of person is he? Dalia looked forward to the dinner a little. As dinner time approached, people gathered one by one. There were usually many people who came in groups of families or young couples. But there were others who did not. Dalia looked at someone who was particrly out of ce. Under the circumstances, it seemed that this person was the young master who came to recuperate. He introduced himself as Arthur. He was a tall, pale-faced, ck-haired handsome man with sses. He was in his early to mid 20¡¯s and had a calm and carefree smile on his lips. However, there was a strange sense of alienation in his impable manner. Chapter 49 Then, Arthur looked at Dalia. When their eyes met, his eyes slightly nt upward and smiled softly. Dalia was startled and averted her gaze. Soon the dinner began in earnest. Due to the nature of the travel destination, it was an unfamiliar ce where people who never met each other gathered. However, the Count naturally led the conversation so that no one would be left out. As someone who owns several resorts, she could feel his years of leadership experience. Count Williams rmended must-visit ces or souvenirs to buy, introduced specialties, and served dishes made from the specialties in a timely manner to enjoy the meal. Everyone wasughing and chatting, and the atmosphere of the dinner was brightened up. ¡°Goodness. We didn¡¯t know that Lady Pesteros was already this tall. I¡¯ve been so busytely that I¡¯ve rarely been to a ball.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment, madam.¡± Daliaughed softly. The madam turned her head to Hikan and said, ¡°The Duke must have been worried since she is so beautiful.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Hikan replied indifferently. She could feel the madam¡¯s bewilderment by his hard way of speaking. Dalia knew that answer was Hikan¡¯s best. However, if you are a good sister, you should know how to manage your brother¡¯s reputation. Dalia poked Hikan¡¯s thigh under the table. It happened a few times today. Hikan closed his eyes and clenched his knife once more, then answered again in a softer tone. ¡°In the name of Pesteros, we are doing our best to protect her. But Dalia¡¯s free will is the most important thing.¡± ¡®¡­¡­Really?¡¯ Then somehow, the story went to the children the Count was sponsoring. The young master, Viscount Arthur Pendleton, who was still smiling, spoke for the first time. ¡°They¡¯re unfortunate children. What would have happened without Count Williams¡­¡­.¡± He lowered his eyebrows sadly. ¡°Goodness! Is there any way we can help?¡± A girl who has already been bewitched by him sadly put her hands together. Arthur said as if he had been waiting for it. ¡°It would be a greatfort if someone as beautiful as Miss Taras could show your face there. I¡¯m still short of hands.¡± Taras¡¯ cheeks turned red. ¡°Oh my, father. Then why don¡¯t we all go together?¡± ¡°Well, if you want.¡± ¡°The children are in the church by the cliff near the sea. I¡¯m there most of the time, so if you¡¯re not busy, pleasee and see me. The more people, the better.¡± ¡°Th, then why don¡¯t we all go together?¡± Taras looked around the others and asked. Since volunteer work has recently emerged as a new skill of the aristocrats, it was fine to subtly refuse if one person actively pushed for it. ¡°What will we do if we go?¡± A madam asked a perfectly reasonable question. Arthur replied as if he was waiting for it. ¡°Children have developed a hobby of drawing these days. If you are good at drawing, you can watch them painting, prepare meals for the children, and there are many things you can do.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The madam nodded her head. The church where the children are now staying was an old-fashioned building and a tourist attraction in itself thanks to its location on a cliff by the sea. It was a good ce to take a look as they were going to go sightseeing anyway. So it seems like everyone who came to dinner today will be going to the church. The date seemed to be set immediately as Taras strongly insisted that they need to strike the iron while it¡¯s hot. Hikan looked at Dalia naturally. Unlike other people whoe and go for about a week, Dalia will be here for a month. Vesta was not arge territory and had limited attractions, so there was no need to rush. On the contrary, it was a problem because there was nothing to do for a month, but it was a good thing because there is something to do now. It was a bit awkward, but there was no reason to refuse, so Dalia epted it. In fact, there was something that she wanted to see. On their way back, Dalia said to Hikan. ¡°Are youing too tomorrow, brother?¡± ¡°Because I can¡¯t let you go alone.¡± ¡°Brother, have you ever yed with children before?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No.¡± Hikan replied gloomily. That¡¯s it. Dalia smiled at the thought of Hikan being at a loss while being surrounded by children tomorrow. ¡°The way I see it, one person will cry tomorrow because of brother.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°You have to smile if you don¡¯t want them to be scared. Brother, look at me and smile. Now,e on.¡± Dalia stopped in front of Hikan and grabbed both of his hands. And she smiled as if asking him to imitate her. As if wanting to make her flustered, Hikan stared at Dalia¡¯s smiling face and smirked and pressed Dalia¡¯s head with his hands. ¡°No, not this¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Her enthusiasm dies down. Dalia grumbled and returned to the vi with Hikan. On the way, she thought to herself. ¡®Just what on earth is Sir Arthur Pendleton nning?¡¯ ording to Dalia¡¯s hunch, there was definitely something he was hiding. Besides, the name ¡®Vesta¡¯ is familiar for some reason. The two intertwined andplicated Dalia¡¯s mind. * * * And just like that, the day to go to the church came. She thought about taking Adrisha with her, but then she did not want her to overdo it just for volunteer work, so she let her take another day off. Hikan and Dalia left for the church with a box of cookies in the carriage that they had requested from the employees yesterday. It was meant for the children. In addition, they also give personal donations. It was customary to provide a certain amount of care when a nobleman went to volunteer work. The church was crowded with visitors. Among them, Taras stood out. She was very active in carrying things and helping people. There was a strange aspiration in her eyes. The children were eating bread from other madams and gentlemen here and there, or being taught by the younger one. There was a wide range of children who learned letters and numbers to children who learned painting. Some were writing letters that appeared to be addressed to the sponsors. ¡°The children look very happy, don¡¯t they?¡± Dalia looked back in surprise. She doesn¡¯t know when he arrived, but Arthur Pendleton was standing there. Even when viewed up close, the unique sense of alienation was still there. He greets Dalia by kissing the back of her hand. Dalia nced at the Emperor¡¯s silver ring on her second finger. Looks like its good. She greeted him in return without showing any difort. ¡°Some of them are about the same age as Miss Dalia Pesteros.¡± There were many different age ranges than she thought. Dalia said, a little perplexed. ¡°I, I see. Are you helping all these children?¡± ¡®Just because you met them by chance while recuperating?¡¯ She swallowed something she couldn¡¯t bear to say. Arthur smiled. ¡°Yes. However, I am entrusting the pastor of this church with regards to donation for an honest fundraising.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± Dalia felt sorry, wondering if Arthur had done it for the purpose of donation. Dalia lowered her eyes, and in the meantime, she didn¡¯t notice his strange look. When she raised her eyes again, Arthur smiled as if nothing happened. ¡°How do you want to help the children today¡­¡­?¡± Dalia said what she had been thinking. ¡°I brought a bunch of beads. I¡¯m going to sew it together with the children, and give it to them as a gift.¡± ¡°I see. Children who like to create things and paint¡­¡­.yes, it must be over there.¡± Arthur pointed to one side. At that time, a girl ran out of the church smiling with charcoal on her hands. Then she started a sword fight with another boy, banging the charcoal in the air. ¡®Uh, huh?¡¯ Didn¡¯t he say they were interested in painting? As Dalia was staring nkly at the two of them, she heard a voice from behind. ¡°Oh, yes. I see. But I¡¯m sure they like paintings¡­¡­?¡± ¡°True artists know how to use a variety of tools.¡± ¡®¡­¡­Suspicious! As expected, it¡¯s suspicious!¡¯ Dalia narrowed her eyes and looked up at Arthur. Arthur smiled nonchntly. ¡°Sally, Aiden.¡± He called the two children who were ying with charcoal. The children stopped ying and came this way. Arthur smiled at Dalia. ¡°Can you take care of these children?¡± Dalia was sixteen. She was old enough to take care of someone younger. Even the children looked a little younger than Dalia, and they were about the same height. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I will.¡± Dalia hesitated for a moment and epted. ¡°Gasp, thank you!¡± They bowed down and greeted each other. Then the three sat down at their desks and began to thread beads. Chapter 50 After 10 minutes, Dalia realized her mistake. ¡®It¡¯s boring¡­¡­¡¯ It can¡¯t be fun to simply thread beads. ¡®I¡¯m here to y.¡­..¡¯ When she asked the employees at the vi, they all suggested this, but she didn¡¯t know why they chose this. Dalia looked at the boy and the girl sitting to her left and right. Everyone is working hard. But Dalia knows that no one dares to make it obvious that they didn¡¯t like it when a noble girl was sitting beside them. What should she do? Why did the employees rmend this? Dalia thought for a while and finally realized why. She was so delighted and called the children. ¡°Umm¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two of them raised their heads with military discipline. Dalia looked at the two alternately and said, ¡°Beads that you thread like this are in fashion these days and you can make it as dress decorations at the boutiques.¡± The two tilted their heads, unaware of Dalia¡¯s intentions. ¡°So this¡­¡­maybe you can take it to the boutiques and sell it. Because there¡¯s also the cost of the beads¡­¡­maybe one dillon for every 30 beads.¡± ¡°R, really?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll leave everything that I brought today. Let¡¯s work hard together.¡± The reason why the employees rmended this. It was because it could be sold immediatelyter, there is also some left over. It was then that the children¡¯s eyes showed true enthusiasm. The speed at which the beads were threaded was different. Dalia also started to work hard because of thepetition. The more she did, the more she became addicted to this bead threading. There is a unique fun in this simple work that has no meaning. She remembered when she was in elementary school during her previous life, she collected items by catching 1,000 monsters in RPG games. Rather, the younger you are, the more energy you have to carry out that obsession. Before they knew it, Dalia and the two were in a trance threading the beads. She didn¡¯t even realize the sun was going down. Before she knew it, she could hear Hikan telling her to go home after work. The n to see Hikan make the children cry has already gone. ¡°I¡¯ll just finish this bunch and go.¡± Dalia said, with her reddened eyes. ¡°¡­¡­Alright, then I¡¯ll wait in the carriage.¡± Even after everyone left, the three of them were still absorbed in threading beads. The three of them would have earned 30 dillons already. * * * After confirming that all the visiting nobles had left, the young Viscount, Arthur Pendleton entered the church. At a nce, there were only simrly small children. It was a sight that he had always seen. He erased his gentle smile and left nail marks on his face. Surprisingly, the skin was torn like paper. He ripped the skin off his face and threw it off to the floor. The face that appeared was at most a young boy in his mid tote teens. His tall height and dark hair seemed to belong to him. When he removed what was attached to his shoulder and shed his body like a dog in the rain, the thick chest muscle, broad shoulders, and strong arms and veined wrists that had been hardened bybor were revealed. After removing the fake skin on his arms and neck, instead of pale, he had dark skin. ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t use this because it¡¯s so stuffy.¡± ¡°You¡¯reining about using something that¡¯s horribly expensive. Pick it up, wash it, and use it again tomorrow.¡± Taras, whom he thought had left, appeared and scolded him. Her real name is Mary, and she was one of the aplices in the young Viscount Arthur Pendleton fraud. She was kind of a flirt, pretending to have a crush on Arthur. He took the envelope and counted the insides, while still brushing off the skin on his arms and legs. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s pretty savory, isn¡¯t it?¡±(*t/n: it¡¯s a ng I guess¡­) ¡°A lot of rich people havee this time. Duke Pesteros put in the most.¡± ¡°The younger sister got a good hunch. I had to be careful.¡± Come to think of it, was his sister with the Duke Pesteros when he left? Somehow, his memory was hazy. ¡°I robbed them once anyway, so I should keep my mouth shut for a month.¡± ¡°Well, you should.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying. You were gonna rob the Count one more time, weren¡¯t you? I know you want to escape from your dad, but you tend to be too hasty, Meldon.¡± The boy with the name of the second male lead in the original story, smirked and thenughed. Then, pretending not to hear, he turned to the children and pped the envelope. ¡°Guys, thank you for your hard work. You guys made money this time, so let¡¯s get something delicious¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why are you all frozen?¡± The eyes of all the children turned to one ce. Meldon followed their gaze. And his body stiffened. ¡°Damn.¡± Only then did Mary realize the situation, muttering that behind his back. Then, she fainted. Meldon managed to get Mary¡¯s body as she copsed without looking back. He then stared nkly at one of his guests who hadn¡¯t left yet. ¡®I should have been careful since she was the same height as the others here.¡­..¡¯ A 16-year-old girl and smaller than her peers, she was invisible even among the children. The fact that the dress she wore at the resort was not as fancy as the dresses of other aristocrats also contributed to the illusion. Dalia Pesteros was looking at Meldon with a stiff expression. Still holding the beads that were threaded in one hand. ¡°¡­¡­I guess I have a good hunch.¡± Dalia put the bead down. * * * At first, Dalia was going to report to the guards right away without hesitation. ¡®What, good hunch?¡¯ It¡¯s unbelievable. But the children who had been with Dalia all day grabbed her feet. ¡°M, miss! Please! We were all wrong!¡± Dalia¡¯s heart was weakened when they said that, crying and grabbing the hem of her clothes. She sat down again. Besides, after thinking about it, the name ¡®Meldon¡¯ is¡­¡­isn¡¯t he one of the original male leads? Following Hikan and Aceras, the original male lead appeared again. Dalia looked at him with a slightly strange feeling. He¡¯s handsome. And he was a lot younger than what Dalia remembered when she yed the game. He is about two or three years apart from Adrisha, so he must be neen to twenty now. ¡®Meldon, it was my favorite route.¡¯ Because it¡¯s the hardest. Dalia lowered her eyes, recalling the days when she was not so innocent. Meldon Artus. It¡¯s probably not Meldon Artus now, it¡¯s Meldon Verix. Now he¡¯s the adopted son and the heir of Verix, the ruler of the underworld who persecuted Adrisha. However in the Meldon route, heter bes Duke Artus after being recognized as a transcendent and the illegitimate son of Duke Artus. After that, he carried his identity on his back and became more¡­¡­our Adrisha¡­¡­. For some reason, she felt that she was sexually harassing a real person, so she stopped thinking about that. In any case, it has not happened yet in this world. ¡®But why is he in Vesta now¡­..?¡¯ At that moment, a lightning bolt of realization struck Dalia¡¯s mind. ¡®R, right! Vesta!¡¯ She was wondering why this name was familiar, and it was a name associated with his past that was briefly mentioned in the Meldon route. It seems that this route was the most fun. Even the name that appeared for a while is familiar enough for her. This is where he swindled around to raise money. Under the circumstances, Meldon could not devour the innocent and frugal Count Williams, but he turned him into a partner and chose to devour and swindle the nobles. To save this money and get away from his adoptive father, Verix. ¡®Why was that?¡¯ She didn¡¯t remember the reason. However in the original, he bes more brutal than his adoptive father as he reunites with Adrisha and begins to covet her. Meldon, who was originally not a very innocent human being, has since taken the path of corruption and crime. ¡®¡­¡­ Adrisha, run away.¡¯ Perhaps Adrisha doesn¡¯t really want to meet him either. For Adrisha, her past rted to Meldon must be a secret she wants to bury forever. Meldon was the only male lead in the original story who knew the young Adrisha. Furthermore, Adrisha who terribly hated Verix, and his adopted son, Meldon, couldn¡¯t have been on good terms with each other. To be exact, she remembers that they were close at first, but when Adrisha found out that Meldon became Verix¡¯s adopted son, they hurt each other and their rtionship became irreversible. While Dalia was reviewing the original work, Meldon, who quickly regained his calm expression, swept his hair back and sat in front of Dalia. To be more precise, he politely knelt down. ¡°Cough.¡± Dalia coughed in surprise. Meldon knelt down and looked up at Dalia calmly and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Dalia. You were so small that I didn¡¯t realize your presence.¡± ¡®¡­¡­Are you making fun of me now?¡¯ Whether or not Dalia made an absurd expression on her face, Meldon continued his smooth talk. ¡°I made up my face to look a little sickly for circumstances, but I am indeed the young master of Viscount Pendleton. These children are also poor children who have lost their parents. But if you want, I will give you the money back.¡± That title must have been taken from a noble in need of money somewhere. Dalia knew that his real name was Meldon, not Arthur. Dalia answered coldly. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll continue to be respectful to you since you¡¯re calling yourself the young master. But that¡¯s not the problem. This is outright fraud.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Where did all these childrene from? Sally, Aiden, you answer me.¡± She and the children who had threaded the beads together looked at each other, and the girl opened her mouth first. ¡°We, we¡¯re from the capital¡­¡­.¡± ¡°F, from the capital to here?¡± ¡°There are more kids like us out there. It¡¯s getting morepetitive¡­¡­He, ah, Arthur Pendleton, the young Viscount, brought us here. Thanks to him, we weren¡¯t hungry.¡± The child lifted her eyes gently and chose words that evoked sympathy. She was a very clever kid. Dalia wasn¡¯t confident in saying that two years ago if she was in that position. Perhaps Hikan was aware of this fraud. As he said on their way back yesterday. ¡°That¡¯s weird. As far as I know, there were no casualties in thendslide on that territory.¡± Still, since Dalia was with him, it was clear that he pretended not to know because he was considerate of her feelings during the trip. Dalia spoke seriously. ¡°If you¡¯re this sloppy, you¡¯ll be found out soon enough, even if it¡¯s not us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What are you going to do if you get caught next time?¡± He probably won¡¯t get caught. If you think about the original story. There are so many holes, but she doesn¡¯t know how they didn¡¯t get caught in the original. Meldon smiled awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s?¡± ¡°I¡¯m personally acquainted with the Second Prince. We can just cover it up with that..¡­.¡± Second Prince Cedric Vercelona Michelio. ¡®¡­..Why is that nameing out here?¡¯ It¡¯s getting more fantastic.¡­¡­Dalia felt dizzy. Chapter 51 There was no need to ask for more details, so Dalia decided to just keep her mouth shut. Instead, Meldon decided to clean up all that he had been doing and to end his rtionship with Count Williams. And each of them will go back to their hometown or leave to another area. ¡®Yeah, leave quickly.¡¯ Don¡¯t stay here and run into Adrisha. She can¡¯t get the children who thanked her until the end out of her mind. In addition, simr to Aceras, Meldon is a transcendent and willter be a duke. There was no need to be enemies with such a man. No, but why are you on your knees? She doesn¡¯t know why he did something she didn¡¯t even ask. ¡°You owe me. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Dalia. Someday, I¡¯ll repay this favor twice as much.¡± Somehow, it didn¡¯t sound that sincere. Dalia nced at Meldon. ¡®You want me to report you now?¡¯ Dalia seriously thought so, but then shook her head. ¡®I¡¯ll let it slide because I used to like you a long time ago.¡¯ Then, she was terrified when a sudden realization shed across her mind. ¡®Goodness, if His Majesty hadn¡¯t given me the ring, I¡¯d be caught right away.¡¯ Dalia recalled shaking hands with Meldon while serving in the morning. Seriously, why is it that the transcendents who are said to be only five being born in each generation appear so often in front of her? She looked down at her ring. Her mind becameplicated because of the original story that she had forgotten. ¡®Or, since Meldon is a male lead too, for the sake of the future, should I purify him in advance?¡¯ Dalia lifted her head and looked at him. He nodded his head naturally. Although she managed to prevent Hikan from bing the final viin as in the original story, there was still the possibility that the other male leads such as Aceras and Meldon went crazy and started a war then kidnap Adrisha and threaten her. Indeed, if the world flows ording to the original route, thend will be ruined by the raging transcendents. She had forgotten about it all this time. That the fundamental foundation of this world was a devastating R-19 reverse harem game. ¡®For now¡­¡­it¡¯s still okay.¡¯ The Meldon route begins in earnest with the reunion of Adrisha and Meldon. The two haven¡¯t met yet, and looking at him joking around like that, Meldon seems to be in a good condition. ¡®By the way, why do Sir Cedric and Meldon know each other?¡¯ At first, of course, she thought it was a lie. But Dalia, who knew of the original, knew that he had never been caught with such a sloppy fraud for years. If Cedric is behind him, the mystery is solved. Meldon and Cedric. It¡¯s abination that seemspletely opposite to each other no matter who sees it. Actually, Cedric doesn¡¯t get along well with anyone. There was no mention of Cedric and Meldon being close in any of the original routes. Even when Cedric dies fighting him on the Meldon Route, the two don¡¯t show any signs of them knowing each other at all. ¡®Did they pretend to not know each other?¡¯ Since it¡¯s the first backstory that doesn¡¯t appear in the original, she thought it would be good to know. ¡®I¡¯ll ask Sir Cedric about itter.¡¯ For now, Dalia stepped back first. Meldon couldn¡¯t see her off because of his different appearance, so Aiden and Sally took her to the carriage instead. Aiden spoke to her with an earnest look as he reached out his hand to get her on the carriage. ¡°That¡­¡­thank you, Miss. He¡¯s a really good person. He saved our lives.¡± ¡°¡­¡­yeah.¡± ¡°And you saved our lives too, Miss. Thank you.¡± Aiden bowed deeply. It¡¯s kind of annoying when Meldon bows, but she felt sorry for the children. Dalia became more disgusted with Meldon, who was cheating on these innocent children. She said, holding him and Sally¡¯s hand before leaving. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I brought you something boring. Let¡¯s do something more fun next time.¡± Sally, who understood the meaning of the word first, raised her head in surprise and looked at Dalia. Dalia smiled and waved her hand. The two also waved their hands. ¡°Whew.¡± And just like that, the carriage started to move leaving the church behind. Dalia sank down exhausted. Hikan put down the pile of documents that he was looking at while waiting for her. Dalia nced at the document. She can see there was the Holy Empire name written for some reason. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother. I¡¯m veryte right?¡± ¡°I was going to go find you if it was a littleter.¡± Hikan said sternly. Somehow she really thought he would do that, so Dalia smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say anything to you. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the reason for the dy.¡­because I know the situation roughly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Should I go ahead and report those swindlers now?¡± ¡°N, no!¡± Dalia covered Hikan¡¯s mouth. Then she gave a rough summary of what happened to her. She hesitated for a while and opened his covered mouth. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You know, about my power.¡± Hikan¡¯s body visibly stiffened. Dalia slowly speaks. ¡°I want to help others too when they¡¯re in trouble someday, not just brother and the Emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What should I do in that case?¡± ¡°Is Viscount Arthur Pendleton a transcendent? Why are you saying that all of a sudden?¡± Hikan sharply asked. Dalia flinched in surprise at his response. Hikan saw that and bit his lips. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Dalia.¡± Hikan swept over his face, removed the cushion on hisp, and sat next to Dalia. She was a little surprised by his sudden behavior. ¡°Can you take off the ring on your finger?¡± She was a little surprised, but in case he needed a purification, she simply took off her ring and put it on the cushion next to her. Then he ced her hand over Hikan¡¯s. Hikan looked at their hands. ¡°If I touch you like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you away from me forever.¡± It sounded embarrassing and awkward at first nce. But that¡¯s not what he¡¯s trying to say. He looked straight into her eyes as he put the ring back on Dalia¡¯s finger. ¡°And whoever can feel your power, whoever holds your hand will feel the same.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Transcendents are born selfish and cold-blooded, even if their souls are not corrupted. I don¡¯t want you to suffer because of them. That¡¯s what I mean.¡± It was heavy, but surely, his heart was conveyed. Dalia couldn¡¯t say anything more. He was right. It is dangerous to use her power recklessly without any preparation. Perhaps it will only cause the original male leads¡¯ obsession shifting from Adrisha to Dalia. ¡®Then there¡¯s only one way.¡¯ Actually, being a transcendent doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re crazy. There are two reasons why the male leads in the original went crazy. First, they are transcendents. Second, they were madly in love with Adrisha. They didn¡¯t treasure their life to the extent that they pushed themselves into infinite destruction. So she just has to get rid of the second reason. To prevent the male leads from obsessing over Adrisha by blocking the main turning points of the original. Dalia looked up at Hikan determinedly. ¡®Brother is my only sess.¡¯ Someone who, despite having met Adrisha, does not show any obsession towards her, nor goes crazy. She will analyze the reasons for sess through Hikan, and make all three remaining male lead candidates do the same. Dalia¡¯s eyes were filled with determination. 8. Adrisha¡¯s Secret While Dalia was meeting Meldon, Adrisha removed the towel from her head and stood up. Now she has recovered her physical strength enough to move. She looked out the window. For some reason, she felt a gaze looking at her from somewhere. It kept on bothering her. ¡®Am I being too sensitive?¡¯ But it¡¯s better to be overly sensitive than to be too obtuse. Adrisha has seen the consequences of a moment¡¯s carelessness as she has been on several missions. She patted a small gun on her thigh. From the beginning, the Emperor assigned her to protect Dalia. So now is the time to do her part. She opened the window, pretended to ventte it, and jumped down. It was the second floor, but that was not a problem for her. It was done in the hope that the hiding person would be surprised and disturbed his breathing, but there was still no clear sign of a presence. Adrisha, however, leaned back against the wall and approached the back garden, pulled out the gun from her thigh and held it. After a while, she took a deep breath and ran outside. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There¡¯s no one. Only an empty back garden was weing her. ¡®¡­¡­ Was it my imagination?¡¯ Adrisha put the gun back in ce. All of a sudden, sadness came over her. ¡®What am I doing right now?¡¯ But this is her true self. She is neither a noble nor anything. When she was young, she learned to kill people. And now she¡¯s deceiving everyone and naturally pretending to be a nobledy. Will Dalia continue to like her even if she knows who she really is? ¡®Who would like someone like me?¡¯ She bit her lip. No, this is not the time for her to be sentimental. Aceras has be the Pope. He is the only person who knows Dalia¡¯s ability. You never know when he wille after Dalia. She sighed and swept over her face. Chapter 52 Dalia had no idea what Adrisha was worrying about, and instead she was anxious that Meldon and Adrisha might bump into each other. Fortunately, not long after, Adrisha has fully recovered from the motion sickness. Just in case, Dalia didn¡¯t bring up the fraud incident to her. But now that Meldon is leaving Vesta, Adrisha will never see him again. She hopes that they won¡¯t see each other again forever. If the reunion doesn¡¯t happen, then the Meldon route won¡¯t start. When Meldon disappeared, Dalia went around freely with Hikan and Adrisha by her side without any worries. She visited all kinds of tourist attractions, and she ate seafood dishes to the fullest starting with crayfish and crabs. Although her face seemed a little rounder these days, Dalia pretended to not notice that. She couldn¡¯t swim since it was winter. However, she slightly dipped her ankles in the sea while taking a walk on the beach. After such a peaceful time, three weeks had passed since the trip started. She wrote the book report in her spare time to exchange it with Cedricter, and eventually she could see the end. She also received a reply to the letter that she had sent beforeing here. When Hikan took the leave, he also wrote down the location so that he could get a reply right here in the mansion. The letter was stamped with the imperial seal and was not very long. [Dear Miss Dalia Pesteros. Hi, Dalia. Did you see the silver beach in Vesta? It¡¯s a pretty ce. I hope you have fun ande back soon. I hope you don¡¯t get sick and have a safe trip. I enjoy reading the books that you mentioned. It¡¯ll take a long time to read, so take your time ande back after doing everything you want to do. I¡¯ll be waiting. ¨C Cedric Michelio.] The letter smelled fresh and clean. It has a simr scent as Cedric. It was as if he had sprayed his perfume on the paper. ¡®Where did you learn all this?¡¯ As expected, he¡¯s a dangerous person so she should not let her guard down. There was also a small gift. A quartz piece. Dalia had received it once from Cedric when she first met him, so she could recognize it immediately. ¡°It¡¯s a magic that can cause people to lose consciousness. It¡¯s good for self-defense.¡± Adrisha, who looked into the quartz piece, nodded while saying so. ¡°Besides, it has the ability to erase the memory of thest 20 minutes or so. It makes the opponent forget the fact that you met.¡± Dalia was surprised. It¡¯s hard to believe that you could create such aplexbination with magic. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Yes. Sir Cedric must have been very worried about Dalia.¡± Dalia took a paper and wrote a reply. She thought that it would be burdensome for her to write a long reply, so she only wrote a simple greeting, and sent Vesta¡¯s silver sand in a small ss bottle. And she added a little bit of content as a postscript. [P.S. Do you perhaps know the young Viscount Arthur Pendleton? I¡¯m asking you because I met him by chance and I think he knows the prince.] Anyway, Vesta was such a nice ce. At first, she thought it was just and with nothing to see for a month, but now she always has a new ce that she wants to go to. Right now, the three of them were on their way to the night market festival. They changed into in clothes because they didn¡¯t want to be seen and hide their identity. Dalia looked like a snowman with a scarf wrapped around her and with the coat on. As the three of them were walking down the street, people passing by kept staring at them. Maybe it¡¯s because of Adrisha¡¯s gorgeous appearance, but¡­¡­. Dalia looked back at Hikan in vain. ¡°If we get caught, it¡¯s because of brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Brother¡¯s hair color stands out too much.¡± Adrisha agreed silently. Hikan frowned. In fact, his silver hair shimmered even more at night, making him as pretty as a star. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a shooting range.¡± At that moment, Dalia¡¯s footsteps stopped in front of a stall. It was a typical structure where you hit a moving target with a gun and the prizes are given ording to the number of hits. ¡®Usually shooting is the flower of the night market!¡¯ Dalia looked at the first prize. It was a big box of Vesta traditional confectionery that was as tall as her. They gave you 20 bullets, but you had to hit all 20 to get it. ¡®Not a doll, but a traditional confectionery?¡¯ She had never seen such arge box of cookies before. Besides, it¡¯s Vesta¡¯s traditional confectionery that were made with candied sugar, so they were incredibly sweet and incredibly delicious! The second ce had to get at least 18 out of 20, and the prize was a very strange-looking sheep doll. The eyes were mismatched and the cotton inserted was uneven, making them lumpy. ¡®Who wants that¡­¡­?¡¯ And there were no prizes for 3rd ce onwards. ¡®That¡¯s so extreme¡­¡­¡¯ It was meaningless if you didn¡¯t get first ce. Either you have it all or you don¡¯t have one. Perhaps that¡¯s why, unlike other stalls that were crowded with people, this stall was especially quiet. But still, she wanted that box of snacks. As she stared at the box, Adrisha put her hands on Dalia¡¯s shoulders and softly smiled. ¡°Do you want that, Dalia?¡± Dalia nodded her head. ¡°Do you want me to get that for you? I¡¯m good at shooting.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m better at shooting than the Duke.¡± Hikan, who was standing still, looked at Adrisha while frowning. ¡°What does that mean all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect you to hear that.¡± ¡°Never mind. Dalia, I¡¯ll win that box of snacks for you.¡± Hikan first approached the stall and picked up the gun, exuding a chill aura. His pride must have been hurt. At that time Adrisha winked at Dalia. She must have intentionally provoked Hikan to induce him to win that box of snacks. ¡®As expected, Adrisha is amazing.¡¯ ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a handsome young man.¡± The chubby owner of the stall was noisily pleased, he filled bullets, handed it over and collected the money. It was a pretty high price for just one game. Hikan paid without saying a word and tied his long silver hair back with a hair tie in his mouth. Then, he loaded the bullet and put the rifle gunstock to his shoulder.(*t/n: The back portion of a long gun that provides structural support.) His handsome profile was more visible when he took the firing position. It was so pretty that Dalia unknowingly admired it. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s get started.¡± As soon as he said that, Hikan¡¯s gun fired. The target was moving, but the speed of each line was constant, so if it was Hikan¡¯s skill, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t hit. Besides, he¡¯s a transcendent. He hit each target with excellent stability. He got all 19 targets in no time, and only one target was left. Hikan pulled the trigger without any hesitation at all. However, as soon as Hikan pulled the trigger, the target that was moving slowly suddenly stopped. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Naturally, Hikan¡¯s bullet, which calcted and shot the next course, cut through the air. ¡°Oh my, unfortunately you missed thest one. Congrattions! Still, you¡¯re in second ce!¡± Without a chance to refute, the owner of the stall shook the bell quickly to announce the winner of the second ce. He cleared the bullets and the perforated target, then gave Hikan the ugly sheep doll at an incredible speed. ¡°No, wait a minute¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you only have one chance. You can¡¯t do it twice.¡± ¡®That¡¯s a scam!¡¯ Hikan was staring nkly at the sheep doll he had received. It seemed to be a big shock to him. It was amazing for him not to get angry, but strictly speaking, it was a foul to have a transcendent participate in such a trivial game. He trudged and handed Dalia the ugly sheep doll. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s quite cute if you look at it closely¡­¡­¡± ¡°My daughter made it!¡± The stall owner stepped in from behind. Dalia red at him with a hateful gaze. She could see why there were no customers here. He¡¯s cheating like that. The first prize was just a bait. At that moment, Adrisha picked up the gun that Hikan left behind. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± ¡°Oh, you would?¡± The stall owner smiled more brightly, perhaps thinking that another pushover hade. He put the target back in ce and, likewise, gave the 20 bullets and received the money. Adrisha smiled and picked up the gun. Of course, her posture was not as sophisticated as the standard of those who learn it officially. The target started moving again. It looked like a constant speed, but it was a troublesome target that moved at will from the moment you hit everything. ¡°Then, you can start over!¡± Adrisha fired the gun. And it¡¯s all over. ¡­¡­It was at a speed that made her speechless. Bang! Bang bang! Bang bang bang! The firing and reloading were almost simultaneous. It¡¯s like she is pulling the trigger without aiming. Dalia couldn¡¯t even catch up with her eyes with how fast it was. One bullet prated two targets. When she came to her senses, all 20 targets were on the floor. The stall owner didn¡¯t even have time to cheat. Chapter 53 ¡°Wow, I¡¯m in the first ce.¡± Adrisha smiled nonchntly at the dazed stall owner and put the gun back down. And then he looked back with a regretful look on his face. There was a clear sign of embarrassment on his face. Hikan spoke in a clearly surprised tone. ¡°¡­¡­you¡¯re pretty good with guns.¡± Even from the point of view of a passing by child, that skill was not at the level that amon nobledy would have. Where did she learn that? Of course she learned it back home. Home was a kind of trauma for Adrisha. It was where she was forced to learn the art of assassination. Looking back on the original story, Dalia remembers that Adrisha hid her past so that she would never be found out.¡­.. ¡®You must be really angry.¡­.¡¯ Meanwhile, there was a strange tension between Hikan and Adrisha. There were many nobles working under the Emperor, but their main field of activity was as informants, not as shooters. Of course there was suspicion in Hikan¡¯s eyes, who considered her as one of them. Dalia didn¡¯t miss it. She immediately hugged Adrisha to cover up the situation somehow. ¡®No! Even if the country is buried!¡¯(*t/n: I¡¯m not sure about this one) ¡°Wow, Adrisha! Congrattions! You got first ce!¡± Dalia received arge box of traditional confectionery, as the stall owner bit the bullet and handed it to her.(*t/n: bite the bullet: decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating over.) Hopefully he will not deceive people from now on. ¡°Ta-da, brother! It¡¯s snacks! It looks delicious, right?¡± But he didn¡¯t fall for it easily. ¡°Where did you learn to shoot? It wouldn¡¯t have been easy for a nobledy to learn that level of marksmanship.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­.¡± Adrisha lowered her eyes, blurring the end of her words. And chewed her lips. ¡°Can we¡­¡­not talk about that?¡± Adrisha¡¯s expression was not so good, so Hikan did not ask further. However, he still looks at her suspiciously. On their way back, Hikan spoke as he took Dalia¡¯s box. ¡°You¡¯ll definitely eat it all in a day. Eat as much as the maids give you as a snack.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so mean! Brother was not the one who won it!¡± Then, since Hikan became visibly depressed, Dalia quickly apologized and handed him the box. The same was true for Adrisha. Even after winning the first prize for Dalia, she was depressed all day long. Thanks to this, the night market tour ended with a box of the first-ce traditional snacks and three gloomy people. Hikan, Adrisha, and the swindler stall owner. The only achievement was that there were plenty of Vesta snacks to eat even if they returned to the capital. The day ended badly. Now only a week left before their trip ends. Within that time, there was an event that Dalia was looking forward to. It was the uing Vesta folk festival. It is said to be the biggest festival of the year in Vesta. There was a unique rule that everyone who participated in the festival had to wear a mask. Since names and identities were prohibited, there were often romantic events, such as young aristocrats andmoners falling in love unexpectedly. ¡®But I won¡¯t be allowed to y untilte at night.¡¯ Dalia became sullen. With Hikan¡¯s personality, there¡¯s absolutely no way he will allow that. She¡¯s only 16, so she¡¯s not expecting any romantic rtionship with anyone, but this is the best time to hang out. Even Adrisha sided with Hikan this time. Humph. Anyway, even if she returned before 10pm, a festival is still a festival. It was fun to think about going out to y. * * * On the day of the festival, Hikan presented Dalia with a cute white rabbit mask that she did not know where he had bought it. And then he- ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t go because I have something to do. Go with Adrisha.¡± Said that. Hikan has been really busy for the past three days. Dalia guessed that he was busy solving things that he couldn¡¯t do while ying with her at thest minute. He looked at documents all day, pounded on the calctor, and went out at night to explore, and then came back at dawn. So these days, Dalia hangs out with Adrisha rather than with Hikan. ¡°I wanted to go with you today though.¡­..¡± Dalia looked disappointed. Then Hikan¡¯s eyebrows went down. Dalia was the only one that could make him show that expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Then maybe for another hour¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not allowed. Be sure toe back by 10 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It doesn¡¯t work. Dalia pursed her lips. Hikan did not stop there and continued to speak with a serious expression. ¡°Never go with a stranger who asks you to follow him.¡± Dalia put her hand on her serious brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­¡­ Brother, I¡¯m 16 years old.¡± Just how old did he think Dalia is, eight years old? Anyway, he has to work so hard even when he¡¯s on vacation. Dalia forgot the thoughts she had when she first came here and felt sorry for Hikan. But still, it was mean of him not to yield an inch. Anyway Dalia, who reached an agreement with Hikan, took the coachman¡¯s hand and climbed into the carriage. Adrisha has severe motion sickness and since it¡¯s not too far away, she gave up the carriage and rode on horseback in riding clothes. Since Hikan was not here, Dalia was the only one in the carriage. Dalia watched the changing scenery outside the carriage and Adrisha who was also incredibly beautiful in her riding clothes rode the horse. Naturally, several thoughts came to her mind. ¡®It feels empty without brother here.¡¯ ¡®Would he like it if I gave him a gift?¡¯ Forgetting the sad memory of thest phonograph, Dalia wanted to do something more special this time. ¡®Would he like it if I baked him some cookies?¡¯ This festival has a few more small entertainments besides wearing masks. One of them was to give a loved one cookies with unusual ingredients that were sold only at the stalls. ¡®What would be good?¡¯ She have to give it to Adrisha too, so she can¡¯t ask her. After thinking about it, the market where the festival was held is getting closer. Adrisha who got off first reached out to Dalia, who just got off the carriage. As the festivities drew near, she wore a in white mask that covered half of her face that was hanging around her waist. They were supposed to wear the mask after the sun went down instead of now. Dalia took out the cute rabbit mask Hikan gave her from her bag just to try it on. Adrisha lent her a hand mirror. The rabbit mask that Dalia wears reflected in the mirror was too cute. Dalia, who wanted to wear something in like Adrisha¡¯s, was embarrassed for no reason. ¡®Just how old did my brother think I am?¡¯ But when she looked to the side, Adrisha was looking at Dalia with a big smile on her face. ¡°Dalia is so cute, what if someone takes you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®There¡¯s a lost cause here too.¡¯ Dalia sighed deeply. But then, Adrisha suddenly turned her body back. And her eyes scanned through the alleys one by one. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, I must have been mistaken.¡± Adrisha smiled again as if nothing had happened. Dalia also smiled and asked jokingly. ¡°Why? Are you afraid someone¡¯s gonna take me?¡± Adrisha¡¯s expression hardened. ¡®Really¡­¡­?¡¯ Dalia had a strange feeling. She patted Adrisha on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous. Who will take me?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m sure someone¡­¡­.¡± Adrisha nced behind her with anxious eyes. Dalia smiled yfully, pressing her cheeks with both hands. She couldn¡¯t even imagine that there was someone who was watching her. He hid himself between the trash cans in the alley, and then carefully stood up after the two left. Then he kissed the cross hidden on his chest. ¡°For the Holy Empire.¡± And said in a smaller voice. ¡°For His Holiness.¡± He hid himself within the crowd again. Chapter 54 The festival was quite big. The fancy festive music was yed everywhere, and there were beaded lines that were hung connected to each stall¡¯s tent. Even though it was just starting, it was crowded with people. In fact, everyone was wearing a mask. Dalia looked to see if there were any masks that were cuter than her. Fortunately, there were a few. ¡®After all it¡¯s during festivals that everyone dresses up a little more than usual.¡¯ Only then did she feel relieved. Count Williams, the host of the festival, went up to the podium to give his greetings. He looks a little thinner than before. It seems that he had not yet recovered from the shock of the young Viscount Arthur Pendleton leaving with the church children overnight. To deceive such an innocent man, Meldon was so in the wrong. ¡®But still, now that he¡¯s been stabbed in the back, the Count will understand the reality now.¡¯ With those cruel thoughts, Dalia looked for ingredients for Hikan¡¯s cookies. The first thing that she saw was a stall with a banner saying ¡®It¡¯s really spicy! Vesta Spicy Pepper!¡¯. ¡®Why the hell are they selling that at the festival stall?¡¯ Eventhough they said to put unusually unique ingredient in cookies¡­¡­? But isn¡¯t that too spicy? Dalia looked at the stall next to it. They were selling mustard seeds. ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ Now Dalia seemed to know what this festival¡¯s cookie gift meant. It was an event designed with the purpose to annoy the recipient. ¡®It seems fun.¡¯ Dalia¡¯s eyes sparkled. Adrisha had an interesting look on her face as she happened to see the same thing. ¡°Do you want to make cookies together?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to make Adrisha¡¯s too, so keep that in mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make Dalia¡¯s first.¡± The two giggled and walked toward the stalls disying various ingredients. As she was contemting on what to put in the cookies while looking around at all kinds of exotic vors and ingredients from foreign countries, Dalia saw a stall crowded with people at the end of the alley. The stall had arge banner hanging on it. [Magic Materials] [Make cookies that make you be younger when you eat them] [Duration: One day] It was a phrase that anyone could not help but be tempted by. She could see why it was so crowded in front of the stall, since everyone had the same thought. Dalia imagined Hikan bing younger than her. Hikan, who can¡¯t even climb on his chair, grunts, and is much smaller than her, so she can hold him up. ¡®It will be so cute!¡¯ She has to buy this. The sound of Dalia¡¯s wallet opening can be heard. Adrisha¡¯s eyes were wide as she saw the same ce. ¡°Gosh, they sell things like that too.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go see¡­¡­¡± Then Dalia¡¯s gaze fell on the stall. At the same time, her mouth snapped shut. ¡®¡­¡­Huh?¡¯ Dalia rubbed her eyes just in case she saw it wrong. No, even if she looked again, she was right. ¡®No, why are you here?¡¯ A handsome young man with a wild beauty that cannot be hidden even under the shadow of the tent. ck hair, olive skin, tall, broad shoulders. It was Meldon who was not in disguise as he wasst time. ¡®You said you were going home!¡¯ He was selling unidentified powder to people with a smile on his face. She felt a bit sorry to see him doing that by himself, it seems like he really sent the children back home. ¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ Dalia quickly looked at Adrisha. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to have noticed who the street vendor was yet. What if Meldon runs into Adrisha? She deliberately told him to go somewhere else to avoid that, but they really ran into each other. Dalia recalled how their reunion proceeded in the original story. ¡®¡­¡­it was definitely very bad.¡¯ It was like sprinkling salt on the emotional gap between the two of them. Meldon scoffs and Adrisha retorts. In the Meldon route, the emotional goal between the two was the biggest reason why Meldon became obsessed with Adrisha. They should never reunite. ¡®No.¡¯ Dalia made up her mind. ¡°A, Adrisha!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adrisha turned to her. Dalia said, pointing to any stall that she could see. ¡°Can you get me the ¡®hottest powder in the world¡¯?¡± There are so many people over there that I don¡¯t think I can get in.¡± Adrisha turned her gaze along Dalia¡¯s finger. Unfortunately, the stall happened to only have flies flying around without a single customer. Adrisha furrowed her eyebrows as if she didn¡¯t understand. But there is no time to seek for understanding here. She had to turn Adrisha¡¯s eyes away for a moment and kick that Meldon out of here. ¡°Q, quickly! People areing soon! I¡¯m sure!¡± Dalia pushed Adrisha¡¯s back. Adrisha had a puzzled expression on her face, but quietly went to buy the world¡¯s hottest powder, as Dalia told her to. ¡®Whose cookie is she going to put that in?¡¯ That thought crossed her mind for a moment, but she didn¡¯t have enough time for this. Dalia quickly made her way to Meldon¡¯s stall. She avoided Adrisha¡¯s eyes and went to the front of Meldon stall. And using her small stature, she quickly prated through the crowds and approached the stall. It was just when another madam was cing an order. ¡°Give me one. How much is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 50 dillons.¡± It is about 100,000 won if converted to the currency of her previous life. Considering the promotional text of being young for 24 hours, it was a cheap price. However, considering Meldon¡¯s previous fraudulent history, the authenticity of the powder to be young was also questionable. In her past life, she has been deceived several times by bizarre health foods that can make you look 10 years younger if you take them for a month. The tragic memory of going to a refund believing that it would be a full refund since it didn¡¯t work, and only hearing nonsense such as ¡®how are you going to prove it doesn¡¯t work?¡¯ or ¡®you don¡¯t know from the outside that you¡¯re getting younger¡¯¡­¡­ Dalia trembled with anger as she recalled her past as a pushover. Meldon raised his head as she was standing there without ordering anything. He was speechless as soon as he saw Dalia¡¯s face. ¡°¡­¡­Miss¡­¡­Dalia? This time, he called her ¡®Miss¡¯ instead of ¡®Lady¡¯ likest time.(*t/n: actually the term he called her here is ¡®???¡¯ which can be tranted as ¡®youngdy/miss¡¯, and before that he called her with ¡®?¡¯ which also tranted to ¡®miss¡¯, the difference between this two term is ¡®?¡¯ usually used in formal setting. Since it¡¯s hard to show the difference in english I just used the word dy¡¯ here for ¡®?¡¯) ¡®Lady¡¯ ismonly used by nobles to nobles, but ¡®Miss¡¯ was used by quasi-noble andmoners. To swindle here again meant that he gave up. ¡®Well, what kind of young Viscount would sell magic powder at a stall ?¡¯ Meldon¡¯s face showed an expression that he was busted. He seemed to think that Dalia was trembling because of him. (Technically, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.) Dalia leaned over to the stand and whispered, lowering her voice. ¡°What the hell are you doing here when you said that you were leaving?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me again. What¡¯s this powder?¡± ¡°This is real. I¡¯ll just give it to you.¡± ¡°What kind of bribe is this? I¡¯m not taking it.¡± While saying so, Dalia took the pocket that Meldon had offered her and put it in her bag. It was her principle to never refuse what people give. She took what she received, but Dalia did not forget her business. She leaned over the stand as if to grab Meldon by the cor. ¡°Hey, unknown Viscount. Now is not the time to do this, let¡¯s get out of here and leave¡­¡­¡± At that moment, a familiar hand grabbed Dalia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Dalia, you were here? I didn¡¯t know where you went, so I looked for you for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I bought the hottest powder. I guess it¡¯s a spice from a foreign country. You¡¯re not gonna put it in mine, are you?¡± That bright voice that seemed to know nothing was Adrisha even if she didn¡¯t look back. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ In fact, Dalia¡¯s ns were ruined so often that it was toote to even say that each and every one of them was ruined. ¡®It¡¯s enough to say that I¡¯m unlucky¡­¡­.¡¯ Dalia looked back. As expected, Adrisha¡¯s gaze was already on Meldon rather than Dalia. She stood stiff with her hands in her riding jacket¡¯s pocket, looking quite shocked. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Meldon¡¯s gaze also reached Adrisha. At the same time, the corners of his lips rose with a sneer. ¡°This is¡­¡­ a first.¡± ¡®This crazy.¡¯ She knows of Meldon¡¯s impudence in the original, but this was a bit harsh. They are not strangers at all. As evidence, Adrisha¡¯s expression was rotting in real time. One of the waiting customers from behind shouted at Adrisha. ¡°Hey, Miss. Stay in line. Is it okay for you to cut in line just because there¡¯s someone you know?¡± Adrisha simply turned around and looked at the man without saying a word. Once he saw the glint in her dark blue eyes, the man immediately lowered his tail. ¡°Ah, th, that was possible. Yes.¡± He flinched and immediately disappeared from his ce. Soon after, the customers who had gathered there seemed to have sensed the unusual atmosphere and dispersed in an instant. ¡°The business is ruined now.¡± Meldon murmured cynically. Chapter 55 ¡®It a scam anyway.¡¯ Dalia thought to herself. However, the situation right now was not to be passed so easily. In the original work, the reunion of the two is an event that held a significant weight. How bad the rtionship between the two here determined some of the turning points in the original story, because Adrisha never forgave Meldon after she found out that he was Verix¡¯s adopted son. Also, she wanted to run away from him who symbolized her past, forever. Meldon couldn¡¯t understand why Adrisha, the only one who survived together in their hometown, denied her past and turned away from him. The two were on a parallel line where they could never ept each other. The original yers even said that avoiding ces where Meldon is located was the tip for maintaining his favorability. ¡°Let¡¯s, let¡¯s go.¡± This time too, since they have already met, she need to separate the two as soon as possible. Dalia awkwardly pulled Adrisha¡¯s arm. Adrisha didn¡¯t pull away her arm. But her gaze was still fixed on Meldon. ¡°Did that person bring Dalia all the way here?¡± Dalia widened her eyes and shook her head to indicate that it¡¯s not true. But Adrisha didn¡¯t seem to believe it. Instead, she pushed Dalia behind her as if protecting her. ¡°You have to be careful with strangers. Because they might put Dalia in danger.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Especially people whose identity is uncertain.¡± It was a cold tone. She continued to re at Meldon. ¡°Before I came just now, Dalia¡­¡­ You said that he is a Viscount right? Dalia shook her head vigorously again. However, Adrisha seemed to have noticed that Meldon was the young Viscount Arthur Pendleton, who swindled and ran away. There¡¯s no way that Adrisha doesn¡¯t know that Meldon wasmitting frauds all over the country. ¡°That¡¯s great. I found a scammer, so I¡¯ll have to report him to the guards.¡± Of course, Meldon was not going to just stay still. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in that position either. May I ask what is the name of thedy who suddenly wants to denounce me as a fraud?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re not going to say Adrisha Beniter, are you?¡± He said without hiding his sarcastic tone at all. It came out. His unique sarcasm that turned Adrisha¡¯s mood upside down several times in the original. Dalia grabbed the back of her neck. Adrisha bit her pretty lips and couldn¡¯t say anything. Meldon, who had the advantage, smiled smoothly and opened his mouth. ¡°Miss Dalia, did you know this? You are actually¡­¡­¡± ¡°Shut your mouth.¡± Adrisha pronounces it clearly. It is said that when anger reaches its peak, you can feel the cold sensation and Adrisha¡¯s voice just now is just like that. If Meldon said one more thing, she would kill him right away. Dalia knew what Meldon was trying to say and what Adrisha was afraid of. Adrisha was not originally a nobledy. She infiltrated to Dalia¡¯s side with a fake identity. She was ordered by the Emperor and was actually adopted into the Beniter family, so strictly speaking, it was not apletely fake identity. However, it was natural for people who didn¡¯t know to feel betrayed. The atmosphere was like walking on thin ice. Even Dalia who was not directly involved, was getting overwhelmed, Meldon didn¡¯t blink his eyes and calmly tried to open his mouth again. ¡®That, that mouth!¡¯ Dalia speaks loudly without realizing it. ¡°Both of you stop!¡± The two looked at Dalia at the same time. She sighed and touched her forehead. ¡°Now, what are you two doing in front of me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Stop it, both of you. And especially you, be quiet.¡± Dalia pointed exactly at Meldon. He looked at her in confusion. She looked at him straight in the eye and spoke in a fierce tone. ¡°If you say anything more, I¡¯ll really get mad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­if Miss said so.¡± Meldon lowered his eyes in a calm demeanor. Dalia now looked at Adrisha standing next to her. ¡°Adrisha too. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s your problem with this guy, but you shouldn¡¯t do that in front of me when I¡¯m just staying still. Just what are you doing?¡± She closed her mouth as if she was about to cry. Only then did the atmosphere calm down a little. Considering the brutality of their original reunion, this much can be considered quite peaceful. ¡®If it¡¯s the original, Adrisha ¡­¡­probably had pulled out her hidden dagger.¡¯ She hopes that such a situation doesn¡¯t happen in front of her eyes, please. Dalia grabbed Adrisha¡¯s hand and looked at Meldon. ¡°Anyway, young Viscount Pendleton. Please stop talking rudely to my maid. And I said I¡¯d overlook your fraud once, but I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d do it twice.¡± ¡°No, what I¡¯m selling this time is real, not a scam¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important!¡± Dalia raised her voice. Meldon flinched. Adrisha next to her also slightly shook her shoulders. Dalia calmed down again and lowered her voice. ¡°I told you to leave herest time, but you are still there. That¡¯s the problem.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Meldon politely apologized. Dalia nodded to ept the apology. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I don¡¯t know this time again. Then, you owe me twice. You didn¡¯t forget, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Meldon replied. Dalia was relieved. ording to the original, Meldon had a personality that had to pay back the grace he had received. If there is an unavoidable confrontation with Meldon, it will be useful to pay off the debt at that time. ¡°Please hurry up and go now. Adrisha, let¡¯s go out now.¡± Adrisha nodded with a downcast expression. Meldon also packed his luggage without saying anything more. She was worried since he was the main character who showed his obsession towards Adrisha from the beginning, but fortunately, this reunion seemed to have ended well except for him scratching her temper. When she thinks of the original work, wouldn¡¯t there be weapons flying towards each other? Dalia sighed. What crime did shemit that she should be mediating between the original female and the male protagonist now? Anyway, only bad things happen when the two are together. Dalia hurriedly dragged Adrisha out of the alley. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Adrisha apologized in a small voice as they left the alley. Dalia looked at her because she felt bad for her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Adrisha didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You know that person¡­¡­ right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± After saying that, Adrisha kept her head down and didn¡¯t say anything more. Her apology will not be just for this time. To Adrisha, Meldon is like the past she had been trying to escape from all her life. She hated everything that reminded her of her past. So she was never proud of herself until the end. And Adrisha has never told Dalia anything about her past. Of course, including her ¡®real identity¡¯ as well. Dalia recalled Adrisha, who couldn¡¯t say a word until the end at the shooting range. Even if it is not intentional, a lie is still a lie. But on the other hand, she understood her. She heard that even with the status of a Viscount, it was insufficient to be a maid of the Pesteros. Moreover, it was not easy to say that she was raised as an assassin in the past. ¡®Although I don¡¯t mind.¡¯ After all, it was information that she knew while ying the original. But she can¡¯t tell Adrisha that she knows everything about her past. ¡®If I told her that I knew who she was from ying games in my past life, I would be treated like a crazy person.¡¯ Dalia sighed. Actually, there was one thing that bothered her. Dalia had an ominous thought that did not disappear after Meldon and Adrisha reunion. Although it was much faster than the original, Hikan and Adrisha met anyway. Aceras eventually went to the Holy Empire and became the Pope. This time, no matter how hard Dalia tried, she eventually met Meldon and Dalia. Perhaps the main event of the original will inevitably happen someday? It was a very depressing hypothesis. But that didn¡¯t mean that Dalia couldn¡¯t change anything. Because she actually seeded in saving Hikan. ¡®If I can¡¯t avoid Meldon and Adrisha from meeting each other.¡¯ There is no other choice but to improve the rtionship between the two. Adrisha doesn¡¯t hate Meldon because he betrays his hometown colleague and bes Verix¡¯s adopted son. It may have been like that at first, but not anymore. She was looking at her past that she wanted to forget through Meldon. That was why she hated him. Meldon hates Adrisha because she hates him. If Adrisha epts her past, wouldn¡¯t the rtionship between the two improve? But what she can say in this situation is. ¡°If Adrisha doesn¡¯t say anything, I can¡¯t say anything either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But anyway, you are you¡­¡­ it¡¯s okay.¡± That was all. It¡¯s okay whether she¡¯s Adrisha or Yustia. Dalia held Adrisha¡¯s hand. This time, she did not avoid it, she gently held Dalia¡¯s hand, but tightly. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 * * * Dalia took Adrisha to thergest bakery in Vesta¡¯s festival grounds. And the sweet desserts made her stomach burst. (Actually, Dalia ate a little more than Adrisha.) Adrisha was still gloomy. Still, thanks to the power of the festival, she seemed to be feeling much better in the evening. Dalia pressed the back of her fork toward the tip of Adrisha¡¯s nose. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°You fool.¡± Dalia smiled faintly. Adrisha smiled as well. In fact, although she pretended to be okay, this incident bothered Dalia, though not as much as Adrisha. Meldon is fine for now, but it was only a matter of time before he went crazy the moment he entered the full-fledged love and hate route. Moreover, as Meldon was someone who worked in the underworld, he often solved the problem by using his own mana. ¡®The more you use mana, the more your soul degrades.¡¯ In other words, even before meeting Adrisha, the corruption of his soul has already taken ce. He¡¯s such a sly person that it¡¯s hard to tell. Dalia let out a sigh. In the original route, Meldon never harassed Adrisha alone. It was also verymon to touch the people around her to inflict pain on her. Dalia was perfect to be the victim because Adrisha is her maid and she also had a bad rtionship with Meldon. Of course, Hikan won¡¯t stay still if she gets involved. Then this will be a battle between the transcendents. Even by just imagining it, it seemed that Dalia would likely die from stress. ¡®Is this the only way?¡¯ Dalia looked down at her hand. ¡®Hu¡­¡­I tried not to use this power until just before the end of the world¡­¡­¡¯ Dalia quickly changed her thoughts because she thought her hands and feet would be squid while trying to set the mood for no reason.(t/n: probably a ng but I can¡¯t find the exact meaning for that..maybe means weak or cold or something..) Naturally, she didn¡¯t n to be caught by Meldon like a fool. If Dalia is really going to purify Meldon¡¯s soul, she should do it secretly so that she doesn¡¯t get caught. ¡®Let¡¯s wait for a chance.¡¯ ¡°The festival will start soon, right?¡± Adrisha nodded and took Dalia¡¯s handbag then pulled out her rabbit mask. ¡°Please wear this. Let¡¯s go to the festival together.¡± ¡°Would you be able to go?¡± ¡°Of course. Because I promised Dalia.¡± Dalia thought for a while then nodded her head. Looking at Adrisha¡¯s condition, she thought it would be better to just go home, but when you¡¯re depressed, it¡¯s better to go out and y. Besides, it was her most anticipated festival, so she wanted to be a little greedy. She wanted to try dancing with strangers wearing a mask, and she wanted to watch the amazing parade. ¡°Oh, but I must have lost that mask.¡± Adrisha said in a hurry while looking through her bag again after leaving the store. ¡°Since it¡¯s a festival, I think they¡¯ll sell it everywhere..¡­.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be right back. Do you want toe with me?¡± ¡°No, go ahead.¡± Adrisha nodded, but she looked a little anxious. ¡°That, just in case, make sure to bring what the Second Prince gave you.¡± Dalia tilted her head and realized a momentter. Ah, that quartz piece with the stun magic for self-defense. She brought it with her but forgot about it. ¡®I should have knocked Meldon out earlier¡­¡­¡¯ Regret btedly poured in, but it was already toote. While Adrisha rushed to another store, Dalia was standing alone fiddling with the quartz piece given by Cedric. It was a transparent color. There was nothing special on the surface, but it was fascinating. ¡®I am very grateful to Sir Cedric for many things.¡¯ And then. ¡°Now you¡¯re finally alone.¡± A very viin-like line was heard from behind her. ¡°Wh, wh, what!¡± Dalia looked back in surprise. Standing there¡­¡­ was Meldon. ¡®Why are you here again?¡¯ Dalia couldn¡¯t figure out why he came to meet her instead of leaving. But even before Dalia could raise a legitimate question, the quartz piece broke in her surprised hand. It felt like cold sweat was running down her back. ¡®I¡¯m, I¡¯m doomed.¡¯ Is this the right way to use it? Only then did she have an ominous feeling. If Dalia is the one who faints instead of Meldon, there is nothing as foolish as this. However she couldn¡¯t reverse what she had already done, so she held out her hand containing the broken quartz pieces in front of Meldon. He stared at the pieces of quartz with a puzzled expression, and then leaned back against the wall with a resigned expression as if he had identified the identity of the pieces. ¡°Why on earth¡­¡­?¡± She didn¡¯t do that on purpose either¡­¡­. However, Meldon couldn¡¯t utter the rest of the words, slipped on his back, and fell asleep with his head down as if he were sitting in an alley. ¡­¡­He looked like a fighter who died from a fight. Dalia looked at him with a sense of guilt. ¡®So what were you trying to say?¡¯ But there was no time to wake him up and listen to the story. This was the roadside. The people passing by were looking this way in surprise. Besides, Adrisha will be back soon. ¡®Adrisha will be distraught again when she sees him.¡¯ Based on the extremely reasonable reasoning, Dalia dragged Meldon¡¯s cor and pulled him into the nearby alley, and she hid in the alley for a while. It was less than 10 meters away, but she almost died of exhaustion. He was really damn heavy. ¡®Why are you here?¡¯ Fortunately, even 20 minutes of memories will be gone, so he won¡¯t even remember the fact that he met Dalia. ¡®Should I purify him now?¡¯ After thinking about it carefully, it seemed like a good idea. The fact that the Meldon route was hard was also due to the fact that his soul was corrupted by magic from the beginning of the route. Hikan was worried about Dalia, but Meldon won¡¯t even remember meeting her anyway. Cedric¡¯s quartz piece would definitely wipe away his memories about her. Dalia looked down at Meldon with apletely different feeling than before. ¡®This is quite good?¡¯ Isn¡¯t this a great opportunity to never get caught and even crush Meldon¡¯s route g? ¡®If I¡¯m going to do it, let¡¯s do it before Adrishaes.¡¯ Dalia hurriedly took off the ring the Emperor gave her from her hand. She was a little nervous, but she lowered her head and quickly ced her hands on Meldon¡¯s exposed neck. Seeing him sleeping helplessly, she felt a little revengeful. Why does she have to worry about this because of him? She pressed hard on Meldon¡¯s neck and contributed to his neck disc 10 yearster. After a while, Dalia hurriedly removed her hand and straightened her back. Since the level of purification was not clearly visible, she had no idea how long it would take to remove it. But Adrisha will soon find Dalia. ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯s purified enough by now, right?¡¯ His memory is gone, so he doesn¡¯t know who did it. Dalia put on her ring again. And she looked down at Meldon. Somehow, his sleeping face looked more peaceful and gentle than before. ¡®With this, I hope you reconciled quickly.¡¯ Or you can forget about Adrisha and leave Vesta. That would be the best. Dalia put her hands together and prayed earnestly for Meldon. For about 10 seconds. ¡®First, I should run away before he wakes up.¡¯ Dalia hurriedly left the ce. * * * After a while, Meldon wakes up. ¡®Why am I lying down in this dirty alley?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t remember a thing. Obviously, he¡­¡­ what did hee to do again? He shook his head and as he stood up, he noticed something strange. His body feels unusually light and refreshing. His head is not heavy, his fatigue is gone, and above all. The dirty and stinky feelings that always annoyed him, the indescribable betrayal and anger he felt when he met Adrisha before, didn¡¯t make his heart beat as intensely as before. For some reason, he felt strange as if one of the main parts of the cogwheel was missing. At that moment, a boy as translucent as a hologram appeared in front of his eyes. He said with a smile. -Did you do everything as ordered? Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Seeing that, Meldon remembered what he was doing. But he couldn¡¯t tell whether he had done it or not. He doesn¡¯t even remember. He scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°About that¡­¡­.¡± -¡­¡­ Was it that difficult to convey a word? The boy was still smiling, but he spoke in a tone full of irritation to anyone who heard it. ¨C Just what the hell are you doing here? ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I was sleepy for a bit.¡± -¡­¡­. The boy had a contemptuous expression on his face as if he wanted to throw Meldon away at any moment, but contrary to Meldon¡¯s expectations, he quickly controlled his emotions. -¡­¡­I was worried because there was a magical reaction here.¡­. ¡°What?¡± -No, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. ¡®That person¡¯ responded calmly, as if he was annoyed. Meldon felt more ominous because of the smile. For some reason, he seems to have offended the person. Regardless of what Meldon did, Cedric sighed deeply. ¡®I have to tell her to take care of herself.¡¯ It would be nice if he could appear right in front of Dalia, butplex conditions were required to be able to appear from such a long distance. A high-level magical device and both the sender and recipient need to have mana. Thanks to that, he had to call and ask him to tell her, but it was frustrating that he couldn¡¯t even do that one thing. Dalia is now exposed to danger. ¡®So, I¡¯ll be going to meet you soon.¡¯ Cedric turned off the call without saying anything to Meldon. * * * Fortunately, Adrisha obediently believed in Dalia¡¯s improvised excuse. However, she added several times that she was very worried. Now that she had solved the problem that she was worried about, it was really time to enjoy the night festival. The festival site was already dark as the sun had set, and everyone on the street was wearing different masks. Among them, there were really strange designs that she had never seen before, and there were people dressed almost like a costume. It seemed like they had been preparing for this festival for a year. Hundreds of lights that were lit using magic floated high in the sky. It was a beautiful sight, like antern festival. Dalia and Adrisha looked at the sky together from the festival square. When the parade begins, the people gather in the square to dance with people they see for the first time, regardless of gender and status. It didn¡¯t have a grand meaning like breaking the ss system, but it was just for people to enjoy the day. So she was able to enjoy it morefortably. Soon, the parade began. Arge decorative train was moving slowly across the square. There were decorative dolls standing on the train that were twice as big as those who were waving their hands. As they passed by, they scattered wrapped chocte or candy to the people enjoying the parade. The children were delighted and rushed to the side of the train. Dalia was not greedy because she ate a lot with Adrisha earlier. People held the hand of the person close to them and started dancing. Adrisha also reached out to Dalia. ¡°Do you remember when you couldn¡¯t dance at the ball?¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember.¡± Dalia smiled and took Adrisha¡¯s hand. Unfortunately, their dance was very short. The dance at the festival was a dance in which the next person became the partner in the blink of an eye. Under the lights of the night, Dalia danced with the crowd. As she turned and held hands with the next person, the skirt flew and the music grew louder. Then Dalia held the hand of a young boy who was as big as her. At the end of the turn, the boy held her hand tightly and gave her a note before the partner changed. The surface was bumpy as if there were something inside. ¡°M, miss! Please stay healthy!¡± The boy spoke hurriedly and disappeared into the crowd. That voice sounded familiar somehow. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Dalia was surprised and forgot to change her partner, stopped at her spot, and opened the note she had received. There was a small piece of quartz in the note. [Dear Miss Dalia, I¡¯m sorry for the rudeness earlier. I have aplicated rtionship with Miss¡¯s maid, but I don¡¯t want it to go any further. Anyway, thanks to Miss, the situation was covered and I owe it to you, so I¡¯ll have to repay you even a little bit. If Miss leaves Vesta, we¡¯ll never see each other again. But if you need help at Vesta, break the enclosed. May you always be happy. P.S. That powder is not fake. P.S 2. Cedric says to take care of yourself. Why didn¡¯t I say this to Miss?] This was another unexpected harvest. Dalia, half flustered and half excited, kept the piece of quartz inside the ne and hung it on her neck. ¡®It looks just like Sir Cedric¡¯s.¡¯ Looking at the postscript, there really seemed to be some kind of rtionship between Cedric and Meldon. It was also interesting to track down these small rtionships that were not revealed in the original. Meldon said this piece as if it were a gift from him. Since he said so, it¡¯s probably true. ¡®¡­¡­ It¡¯s good, right?¡¯ As expected, it seems like the purification worked. Besides. In the short letter, Dalia read the strange flow of emotions that Meldon felt when referring to Adrisha. In the original work, Meldon hated Adrisha, who did not see him and tried to force her into his control. But the current Meldon seemed to have moreplicated and difficult feelings rather than just hating on her. Anyway, it was quite hopeful. ¡®But first, Adrisha has to open her heart for everything to be solved.¡¯ It was strange but crueler than she thought. The solution to this rtionship is that Adrisha, the victim, needs to ept the past. Is it so cruel that Adrisha never forgives Meldon in the original story? What should Dalia do to get her out of her past? ¡°Excuse me, aren¡¯t you my partner?¡± Someone spoke to Dalia, who was lost in thought. Shepletely forgot to stop dancing. Dalia looked up in surprise. He was quite tall, so she had to lift her head a bit. And Dalia made eye contact with a young man wearing a mask that only covered his right face with silver hair tied together. In an instant, an indescribable happy smile spread across her face. ¡°Brother!¡± He said he couldn¡¯te because he was busy with work, so how did he get here? ¡°It¡¯s an on-site investigation. I have something to check for myself.¡± It was as if he had read Dalia¡¯s mind. Dalia narrowed her eyes and looked at Hikan yfully. ¡°Hmm, so dancing with me is also part of the investigation?¡± Perhaps it was an unexpected counterattack, Hikan hesitated and replied. ¡°¡­¡­No.¡± ¡°Oh, then what¡¯s the asion?¡± Hikan looked down at Dalia with a dissatisfied expression as if he had noticed her teasing. She smiled brightly. Hikan, who was staring at that smile, blurted out. ¡°I just wanted to dance with my sister.¡± When Dalia finally heard a satisfactory answer, her cheeks were pinched. Why is Hikan more willing to hear the sound of her pinched cheeks than just saying it? It¡¯s a weird thing. ¡°Are you done with your work now?¡± ¡°No. But the urgent work is over. I¡¯ve set all the coordinates.¡­.¡± Hikan also told her a few more things. Dalia missed the timing to change her partner several times while listening to the story. Hikan didn¡¯t even raise an eyebrow even after he saw all the people walking away from them. Dalia, noticing her brother¡¯s intentions, quietly hung out with Hikan until the music was over. ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s what happened.¡± As soon as the music ended, Hikan¡¯s story ended there, as if it was nned. While still holding Dalia¡¯s hand. Only then did Hikan look at Dalia with a satisfied gaze. She stared at his gaze and thought. ¡®I guess he¡¯s sulking because I only yed with Adrisha these days.¡¯ It was a very reasonable reasoning. The story was over, but Dalia didn¡¯t understand all of what he was talking about. ording to the magic taught at the liberal arts level, there seemed to be a vague form rted to tracking magic. ¡®I¡¯m sure that brother uses swords, but how did he manage to even deal with magic forms?¡¯ In the original work, Hikan was able to use intermediate-level magic with his outstanding brain as a transcendent. However, his main job was swordsmanship. ¡®Is it because of the Emperor¡¯s orders?¡¯ Dalia looked pitifully at Hikan, who was working hard doing all sorts of things to earn money to feed the family. Of course, even if Hikan goes on strike from now on, and Dalia is crazy about luxury and buys one boutique a day, the Pesteros Dukedom will still be in good shape. ¡®Will there be any damage if I buy two instead?¡¯(*t/n: she meant the luxury. Like, will there be any damage if she buys two boutiques a day instead) A shocking remark fell in Dalia¡¯s ears as she was thinking meaningless thoughts. ¡°Dalia, I¡¯m leaving here today.¡± Chapter 58 ¡°¡­¡­what?¡± Dalia raised her head in surprise. She thought that it was a joke, but Hikan¡¯s expression did not change at all even with her surprised gaze. ¡°What do you mean, all of a sudden?¡± It¡¯s not ¡®we¡¯, but ¡®me¡¯. There are only five days left for the trip, so it makes sense if they need to leave sooner due to circumstances. However, what he said means that he would leave alone and leave Dalia and Adrisha here. ¡°I have something to do. But if you are in danger, or if you call, I will definitelye.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going far, then how¡­¡­?¡± Hikan indifferently pulled a piece of parchment with a unique texture that had been folded a couple of times out of his inner pocket. ¡®They always use parchment these days right?¡¯ Dalia casually opened the parchment she had received without showing any expression. There was a peculiar smell, like crushed and burned medicinal herbs. At the same time, her eyes widened. ¡°If you need me, tear this up. It¡¯s synchronized with mine, so what I have will be torn together.¡± ¡°This is¡­.. a portable warp portal.¡± Dalia also learned magic as a basic liberal arts. If you want to use high-level magic that is higher than your skill level, draw a magic circle using this magic powder to fill in thecking parts. She knew that this peculiar smell and the subtle color of the powder was a portable warp portal magic circle. Hikan nodded silently. Dalia hurriedly handed over the parchment to him like a person who had touched something she shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Wh, who uses this on people?¡± The warp portal for humans eventually failed in the finalmercialization process. With a 1% probability, the upper and lower limbs are halved, so there is no way that anyone will move at the risk of that probability. No, even if there is, the Empire will not grant permission. ¡°Cut in half! Brother, you¡¯re going to be cut in half! Hikan¡¯s expression changed subtly at her violent remark. ¡°¡­¡­1% is not a very high probability.¡± ¡°Then I can use it.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Hikan widened his eyes. At the expected response, Dalia heaved a sigh and touched her forehead. ¡°Can¡¯t we just go together? Are you going back to the capital?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go together, but it¡¯s true that I¡¯m going back to the capital.¡± Only five days left before they return to the capital. Just what on earth did the Emperor ask him to do? Dalia received the parchment Hikan gave without a choice. Hikan looked somewhat rxed and gently swept her forehead with the back of his hand. ¡°The nned trip was for four weeks. There¡¯s only a few days left anyway. You go to the ces that you haven¡¯t been to with Adrisha and rest for the remaining days.¡± She couldn¡¯t argue more when he said that. Dalia just nodded helplessly. ¡°Dalia.¡± At that moment, Hikan ced both of his hands on her shoulders. Unbelievable words came out of his mouth again. ¡°During the five days when I¡¯m not here, something will happen to you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Those whoe to you may threaten you or try to take you away.¡± Dalia¡¯s eyes widened at the words she couldn¡¯t understand. Who, why, for what purpose? Why does Hikan leave this ce if he knows that? There was a little guilt in Hikan¡¯s eyes. ¡°There will be people who will help you. But I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be by your side.¡± It waspletely iprehensible. Dalia grabbed his hand again as he was about to pull away. ¡°Who is trying to take me?¡± With all her attention focused on the new male lead, she didn¡¯t know yet. That she made a threat towards herself right away. Hikan¡¯s eyes began to tremble slowly. He answered with a distorted expression. ¡°Pope Aceras.¡± Dalia¡¯s eyes widened at the name she had forgotten for a very long time. The man who escaped abroad a few years ago and the one who knew Dalia¡¯s ability. He is now starting to move slowly. * * * At the same time. Holy Empire Pope¡¯s audience hall. This is the most splendid space of the Cathedral Pce. Marble sculptures modeled after the saints stood along both walls of the audience hall, wearing all kinds of holy relics. The ceiling was in the shape of a round dome, and it was decorated with borate and fancy torches. There is a red carpet at the center of the white marble floor that extends to the Pope¡¯s chair. Aceras sat at the highest seat. He was wearing a clerical cor, while leaning his head against the cane that was standing on the floor. It seemed far from the authority or dignity that a Pope should have. But how many human beings can maintain their dignity in the face of this maddening headache? Is it because he used too much of the power of the transcendent? It¡¯s getting more and more annoying. He wants to slit the throat of the annoying servant in front of him, stab everything that catches his eye, and ughter them. Only then, this stuffy feeling would be relieved. Last time, he put this idea into practice almost halfway. It was only after he saw the face of the servant who had be blood-stained, that he btedly came to his senses. At the time, it felt pleasant for a while, but it was short-lived. Rather, the brain, which had once tasted violence, sought stronger stimtion. He looked at the servant who was kneeling before him and trembling in fear, with a smirk. ¡°Right, what else did our nobleman want to say?¡± ¡°¡­¡­If Your Holiness the Pope extends his hands of salvation to the Eastern territory¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, it seems like the Duke of Winston is faltering again.¡± Aceras chuckled. It costs a lot for foreigners, especiallymoners, to be the Pope. The transcendent ability that Aceras possesses is the power to save humans on the brink of death. By sacrificing some of his own lifespan, he can extend the lifespan of other humans. After leaving the Empire, he saved the sick by pretending to be holy and pure for several years. That¡¯s how he got the titles of ¡®Apostle of God¡¯ and ¡®Saint¡¯. Until the nobles could no longer ignore his existence. Next was the nobility. He was given citizenship and nobleman status in exchange for extending the life of a senior nobleman by one year. There have been several simr deals, and that¡¯s how he got here. But still, he needed more time. For the Holy Empire to be fully in his hands. As a result of thorough calctions, the path that can consume the least life and the least power was chosen. This is the best. However. ¡®¡­¡­ Damn it.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t ovee the rushing headache and frowned. He knows that this headache, this great desire, is the greatest darkness cast over his future. The moment this desire for destruction ovees the desire for power, he will experience the path of downfall that countless transcendents have gone through. That can¡¯t happen. Just how hard it is for him to get to this position. ¡°How many of our believers left at Frederic?¡± This time, he asked the people at the back. The answer came quickly. ¡°It¡¯s three. They are the best one. They haven¡¯t been caught yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°All those who get caught take their own lives, so there is no fear of being caught.¡± Even after hearing the news of the people who died for him, Aceras¡¯ expression was always empty. All his attention was focused on only one person. ¡°What about those three?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve already surrounded the location of Dalia Pesteros. They will enter as soon as Hikan Pesteros is away.¡± Dalia Pesteros. Just hearing her name seemed to calm his head a bit. Yes. He had a way to end this eternal longing. It was something he could not dream of because he was tired of the internal power struggle, but now was not the time to choose the means and methods. ¡®I need to bring her here right now.¡¯ This maddening headache forcefully pulled his wandering mind and ordered for her to be found again. ¡®I need that power.¡¯ The power that was clearly transmitted even in that short moment when their body touched during the fall. The power to purify the soul of the transcendent. He needed Dalia. She has to stay with him forever and save him over and over again. There was a time when he wanted to go to Dalia Pesteros and see her innocent expression distorted. ¡®¡­¡­Hold on, was that really her?¡¯ For a brief moment, confusion crept into Aceras¡¯s head. Was she really the one he was trying to find and bring back? For some reason, he felt like something went wrong. However, Dalia was the only one who came to his mind. It¡¯s not just because of her ability. The girl who lied while awkwardly ncing sideways to protect him. As he recalled that scene, a strange feeling seemed to creep up from the bottom of his heart. It was a feeling simr to the guilt he had forgotten a long time ago. Aceras forced himself to shake off his emotions and stood up from his seat. ¡®Right, she¡¯s a direct descendent from one of the four Ducal families of the Empire. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to kidnap her.¡¯ The n had to be meticulous. He clenched his teeth. Chapter 59 Of course, the Emperor couldn¡¯t have not known of Aceras¡¯s movement. 3 weeks ago, when Hikan visited the Emperor for the vacation, the Emperor greeted him with a sly attitude as always. ¡°It¡¯s been less than a month since you started working, and now you¡¯re going on vacation. It seems that I chose the wrongmander.¡± The Emperor exaggeratedly touched his forehead and shook his head. Of course, Hikan didn¡¯t raise a single eyebrow. ¡°For a month?¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s a necessary vacation. You can order me to do something as a business trip if you want.¡± ¡°Really? You know what I¡¯m going to order, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ve received your order.¡± The Emperor rested his chin on his hand. The ruby eyes that Cedric inherited sank into the murky light. Hikan knew from his experience. The Emperor looked like that whenever something that posed a great threat to the Empire¡¯s safety happened. For example, when he heard that Aceras, the Crown Prince¡¯s attendant, was actually a transcendent and he then became the Pope of the Holy Empire. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It seems that the rats of the Holy Empire have infiltrated the capital.¡± Even though he already knew it, Hikan¡¯s eyebrows were distorted once again. There is a considerable difference in the weight ss of the Holy Empire and Frederic Empire. By simply looking at the size of the territory alone, Frederic is about 1.5 timesrger, and the existence of ¡®transcendents¡¯ that far exceeds normal human strength also ys a part in widening the weight ss between the two. However, throughout history, the war between the two Empires always ended without any gain on either side. It was due to the terrifying healing power of the Holy Empire Pdins and the extreme loyalty of their underground fanatic group. The fanatics of the Holy Empire will use any means necessary. They were famous for their intelligence and assassination, and they were also the one who devised Leonard¡¯s countless assassination threats seven years ago when they were on the verge of war. The worst thing about them is that they kill themselves the moment they are caught. Therefore, the process of obtaining information from them was not easy. They hid poison bottles deep in both thighs and forearm muscles. There is no problem when it receives external shocks or forces, but if you apply the force skillfully, the bottle will break and they will die immediately. The animosity between the two Empires seemed to have waned as their rtionship improved, but it seems to be on the rise again as Aceras bing the Pope. ¡°What are they aiming for? That is the most important issue.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Emperor frowned and scratched the end of his eyebrows with the tip of the fountain pen. ¡°Aceras is someone who has been hiding that he is transcendent while working under me who can read emotions for years. I can¡¯t read what he¡¯s thinking.¡± ording to the data analyzed by his aides, more than ten fanatics of the Holy Empire have infiltrated the capital. What on earth were they thinking to infiltrate the Empire with so many people? To prepare for the war? To simply gather information? All of those reasons didn¡¯t make any sense. His aides have long analyzed the movements of the fanatics. As a result, they came to the conclusion that they were persistently tracking one person. Dalia Pesteros. Why on earth did Aceras put so much manpower into finding only one young girl? It was obvious. ¡°Aceras talked to Leonard when he was his attendant. There¡¯s something special about Dalia Pesteros.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A shadow fell again in the Emperor¡¯s eyes. ¡°ording to our calctions too, Aceras¡¯s soul has already been pushed to the limit due to the excessive use of ability.¡± As expected, he was the one who would want Dalia the most right now. Hikan touched his forehead with an expression of anger and other mixed feelings. His head was about to explode from all kinds of thoughts. The Emperor let out a long sigh. His face was filled with fatigue which was umon. ¡°This is not simply my mistake, but a failure. It¡¯s the most disastrous failure among the failures, since he has caught onto the one thing that should not be caught. But you know, regrets are meaningless to me as an Emperor.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°There will be no second failure. So now you know what order I¡¯m going to give you, right?¡± Hikan lowered his eyes, then looked up again. Unlike before, his heart was heavy. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that I should take Dalia and leave the capital for a while.¡± ¡°Yes. Until we catch all the fanatics who came to the capital. Going to the opposite side of the Holy Empire would be better.¡± ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°In a month.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s something you have to do for me in the future.¡± The Emperor gave him an order in a low voice. Hikan listened to the order with trembling eyes. And now, three weekster, he was standing in front of Dalia again and bid his goodbye before leaving. The Emperor¡¯s orders have been carried out almostpletely as of today. All that¡¯s left for him now is to leave. However, the thought of leaving Dalia behind kept bothering him. If he ever loses her, then he¡­¡­? The anxiety engulfed his mind. Without realizing it, he reached out and touched Dalia¡¯s cheek. She looked surprised, then smiled brightly. He looked at her for a long time. To not forget and lose this soft feeling of her cheeks that touch his hands. Hikan desperately wished for it. 9. Meldon Verix Hikan really packed up that evening and left alone. ¡®Traitor.¡¯ Dalia was so sad and kicked the nket. But it¡¯s no use. The person who left had already gone, and now there were only Dalia and Adrisha, two servants, and three of the imperial wizards called by Hikan in the mansion. Adrisha noticed her disappointment and sat on the bed and stayed close to Dalia. ¡°As expected, I need to eat something sweet.¡± ¡°You ate a lot of sweets yesterday, so you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°So mean!¡± Wrapped like a cocoon with the nket, Dalia struggled with only her legs. Since she didn¡¯t have good physical strength, she was quickly overwhelmed with strength. She let go of her nket and looked at the ceiling. ¡°¡­¡­okay. I did think that I ate as much as I could yesterday.¡± She didn¡¯t even want to eat that much. It¡¯s just that her heart is empty. Aceras is aiming for her. Although Hikan didn¡¯t say it out loud, there was only one reason why he suddenly wanted her. ¡®That¡¯s when we¡¯re touched.¡¯ When she fell off the railing of the first floor with Aceras. If he noticed her ability as he touched her then, then everything makes sense. She can see why Hikan was so mad with his words a while ago. There is someone named Aceras who aims for her as soon as he realizes her power. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯m the one who will take the Aceras route, not Adrisha.¡¯ However, Dalia didn¡¯t want to see Aceras¡¯ true ending. For real. Although it was unlucky, thest time she saw him was 3 years ago, it wasn¡¯t to this extent, but it seems that his soul degradation has progressed a lot in the meantime. It was not surprising at all considering the original Aceras. He confined Adrisha and killed the chef if she didn¡¯t eat, and killed the seamstress if she didn¡¯t wear the dress he bought. Considering that time, at least it should not have been taken to the Holy Empire. Hikan said Vesta would be the safest. Since this is the farthest territory from the Holy Empire. ¡®So from the beginning, brother¡­¡­.¡¯ She stared nkly at the ceiling. Then she got up and pped her cheek. She can¡¯t help it that she was already caught. It¡¯s time to stop thinking about depressing things. If she is kidnapped, she can run away. There are people who wille to her rescue. ¡®Yeah, let¡¯s do what we can.¡¯ Even if the world is destroyed tomorrow, she will nt an apple tree. She checked today¡¯s date and asked Adrisha. ¡°Is there any letter from Sir Cedric?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go ask now.¡± It¡¯s been a while since she sent the letter to Cedric. In thest letter, Dalia wrote to him asking if he knew Meldon. Perhaps for the first time, the rtionship between Meldon and Cedric, which did not appear in the original, may be revealed. Adrisha, who had left, immediately came with a letter. It was a letter with the imperial gold leaf seal. Dalia opened the letter. This time too, it smelled like Cedric. [To Miss Dalia Pesteros. I¡¯m d that you¡¯re having a good time. By the time this letter arrives, it¡¯s hard to say now because I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. Anyway, I want to tell you to always take care of yourself. Did you meet Viscount Arthur Pendleton? I heard that he went to Vesta. We do know each other. I¡¯m telling you this because I don¡¯t want to lie to you. But don¡¯t get along with that moron as much as possible.If he approaches you(this back part waspletely erased with ck paint). No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll see you soon. I have a lot of things I want to say, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to convey them all through a letter, so I¡¯ll meet you in person. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you again. Always be careful, and I hope Adrisha will protect you properly. Take care. P.S. I received the sand well. It was pretty. I also put another gift in it, so I hope it¡¯ll be useful. The gift is for¡­¡­.] However, the back of the postscript was wet with water and the ink was smeared, so she couldn¡¯t tell what he was talking about. Chapter 60 ¡°The maid must have spilled water by mistake.¡± Adrisha added from the side. Dalia thought while quietly looking at the letter. ¡®¡­¡­Somehow, it sounds like you¡¯re on your way, but it¡¯s probably an illusion, right?¡¯ Ey, I don¡¯t think so. Dalia shook her head and shook off her thoughts. ¡®What is the gift?¡¯ Since she received something usefulst time, she was looking forward to this gift as well. ¡®If it¡¯s a piece of quartz again, it could really be used for self-defense this time.¡¯ Dalia shook the envelope to see what the gift was. A small crimson bead settled on the soft nket. It was a bead this time instead of a quartz piece. While Dalia was staring nkly because she couldn¡¯t understand the situation, Adrisha, who was next to her, was more surprised and started to speak. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a magic orb. It¡¯s my first time seeing it in person.¡± It was only then that Dalia could recall the identity of the item. ¡®Magic orb.¡¯ Dalia nkly stared at the bead. asionally, she heard that high-ranking wizards can condense magic and put it into beads so that ordinary people can use it. It is much more stable and has a stronger condensation. However, it was a tool that was several dozen times more expensive than quartz pieces, took a long time to condense, and it was disposable, so it was not used much. In the first ce, the number of wizards who used high-ranking magic was extremely limited to the point where they had to abandon the quartz pieces and choose beads. Seeing Adrisha surprised like that, the magic orb was a special item even for her, who is ustomed to the world of magic. No, is it because she knows it¡¯s true value? The color of the bead also changes ording to the magical properties. What kind of magic is that crimson color? ¡°¡­¡­this is magic for killing.¡± Adrisha quietly said next to her. Her admiration disappeared and herplexion darkened. ¡°In addition, it is the finest product that can only be admired by the talent of the creator.¡± Dalia turned to look at Adrisha in shock. Her expression was serious. It means that it¡¯s not a joke. ¡°¡­¡­how, how powerful is it?¡± ¡°If this breaks, probably everyone around Dalia¡­¡­¡± She pretended to cut her own neck. Dalia covered her mouth with both her hands. ¡°Just in case, keep it with you. If something dangerous happens¡­¡­ for emergency¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Kill them all?¡± Dalia spoke in vain. Adrisha avoided her gaze. No matter how worried she was about Dalia, it seemed too extreme to tell her to kill all the people around her if she was in danger. ¡®Sir Cedric¡­¡­.¡¯ It seemed that it would take a very long time for him to understand humanity. ¡°What did you write to Sir Cedric that he sent you this?¡± Adrisha asked. It wasn¡¯t a reproach, it seemed like she was really curious. Dalia hesitated for a moment and decided to tell her the truth. Since Meldon talked about Cedric, she asked Cedric because she was curious about their rtionship. As she said that, Adrisha¡¯s expression changed. She smiled, putting the bead in Dalia¡¯s hand. ¡°Then it turned out well. In times like these, this might be necessary.¡± For some reason, it seems that both Adrisha and Cedric want her to use this to Meldon. Is she mistaken? No, whoever it was, Dalia wanted to put off the killing unless it was a really, really unavoidable situation. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°This powerful killing magic is usually hard for you to avoid. He still thinks of Dalia a lot, but I don¡¯t think he would have just put this in.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Still, Dalia was lost in thought with the mysterious bead in front of her. Guessing the contents of the missingtter part of the postscript, it seems that there is some use here, but she can¡¯t figure it out right now. She was already feeling uneasy because of Aceras, but receiving an unknown gift made her feel moreplicated for some reason. ¡®Since he wrote in the letter telling me to be careful, I¡¯m sure Sir Cedric knows.¡¯ If a person like that even sends magic for killing, this situation¡­¡­does that mean it¡¯s going to get serious? However, as she does not refuse anything, she changed the pendant to arger one and ced both Meldon¡¯s quartz piece and Cedric¡¯s gift inside. These are from two of the transcendents that are said to be only five in one generation. In an instant, her anxiety went away and her heart felt reassured. Of course, Cedric¡¯s gift is too excessive¡­¡­it was dangerous. ¡®Come to think of it, there was also the powder from Meldon.¡¯ Thinking about it, she pulled out the pocket that had been tucked into her bag. It would be a fake anyway, and the person that she wanted to give the most was already not here. But since she has received it, she wanted to bake some cookies and put it in. Meldon is a scammer, but he is not a murderer. Even if it didn¡¯t have any effect, he wouldn¡¯t have sold poisoned powder to hundreds of people. ¡®Of course, after this situation ends.¡¯ Dalia roughly threw the powder on the desk. Small Adrisha. She thought that Hikan would be very cute too. Since it¡¯s impossible to tease Hikan, that¡¯s a bit unfortunate. Dalia turned to Adrisha. ¡°Shall we make cookies together?¡± She¡¯s going to put in the spicy powder that she told Adrisha to buy. Adrisha brightly smiled and nodded without knowing Dalia¡¯s wicked thoughts. * * * And two hourster. Dalia walked around the middle of the basement kitchen, not knowing what to do, with a red face. Even though she emptied one bottle of water, she was still out of her mind. ¡°S, spicy! It¡¯s really spicy!¡± After eating the cookies Adrisha gave her, she became like this. Adrisha had secretly kept the spicy powder that Dalia had asked her to buy. She said that she put only a little, but it seemed like a lie. She has tried all kinds of cookies in her past and present life, but it was her first time eating spicy cookies. Dalia¡¯s cheeks were covered with tears. After the spiciness gradually subsided, she could finally taste little by little. ¡®¡­¡­It¡¯s quite addicting?¡¯ The taste of the spicy stir-fried noodles that shocked Dalia in her previous life came to mind. At first, she cursed at who was eating this, but soon after, she bought it in five bundles and stored it in the cupboard. ¡°Is it that spicy? I don¡¯t know.¡± Adrisha, on the contrary, asked while munching on the cookies that Dalia had carefully made. Dalia¡¯s cookies also contain the powder that Adrisha bought, so in the end, they both contain the same ingredients. However, Adrisha was eating it too casually, so Dalia thought that she put too little of the powder, so she picked up one of her own cookies and ate it. It was equally terribly spicy. Originally, she said she eats well regardless of anything, but this was not the realm of a human being. Dalia nced at Adrisha and pushed the cookies she had made to her. It was addicting, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to eat more. However, Adrisha could not finish it either. Dalia packed the leftover cookies to give to Hikanter. She wanted to see Hikan¡¯s pale white face turn red. ¡®But it really changed my mood.¡¯ At that moment, she heard a bell ringing from the first floor. The maid, who was helping to bake cookies, asked as she rubbed her washed hands on her apron. ¡°May I go upstairs?¡± She was the maid that has been with her since she first came to Vesta. Originally, she had a very bright personality, but today she bowed her head half-way because she had something on her face. Dalia gives her permission. The maid walked up the stairs from the basement kitchen. Now there were only Dalia and Adrisha in the kitchen. ¡°Who is it?¡± Dalia tilted her head and looked at Adrisha. She was staring at the stairs where the maid went up. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Boom! Boom Boom! Adrisha¡¯s words were cut off in the middle due to the strange sound. ¡°¡­¡­ Huh?¡± Dalia couldn¡¯t believe the sight in front of her. There was a sound like some cheap sound effect, and Adrisha¡¯s body was surrounded by unknown fog. After the fog was cleared¡­¡­ Adrisha, who is now around six years old, opened her eyes at a much smaller eye level than Dalia. Chapter 61 Fortunately, the clothes were shrunk to appropriately fit her current height. Adrisha nkly stared at her cute hand in disbelief. ¡°Huh?¡± Adrisha and Dalia nkly looked at each other. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± After a brief silence. Adrisha spoke with a lisp. ¡°By, by any chance¡­..is the powder on the desk a different one¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I thought it was the same thing, so I mixed it.¡­..¡± She now figures out what had happened. ¡®So it wasn¡¯t fake¡­¡­¡¯ So there were times when Meldon told the truth. As soon as she figured out the situation, her hands were moving on their own. ¡°Kyaa! So cute! Adrisha is so so cute!¡± Dalia lifted up Adrisha, who had shrunk to her waist height and held her in her arms. The six-year-old Adrisha was slender and thinner than her peers. The surprised Adrisha was held tightly in Dalia¡¯s arms. ¡°Da, Dalia..¡­.¡± She¡¯s cute even when she talks! Small hands, small feet, and plump cheeks! Adrisha, who was originally pretty, was as pretty as an angel when she went back to her child form. Dalia, who was excitedly rubbing her cheek on Adrisha¡¯s cheek, btedly thought of something else. ¡°¡­¡­Since I ate a bit. Won¡¯t I also get smaller?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Dalia will be fine since you only ate a little. This kind of powder is triggered only when you consume more than a certain amount.¡± ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right.¡¯ Dalia was excited that she didn¡¯t need to worry that she would be like Adrisha herself too, and shook Adrisha in her arms. Adrisha tried hard to maintain a serious expression, but her lips twitched as if she was in a good mood. Then, with her small hand, she hit Dalia¡¯s chest and said. ¡°Dalia! This is magic right? You bought it from that person right?¡± The quick-witted Adrisha seemed to have already remember the powder that Meldon sold at that time. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to figure out what kind of spell was used, but soon gave up and shouted again. ¡°Th, this is not the time for this!¡± ¡°Huh? Wh, what?¡± ¡°How many employees do you think we have left since that child went upstairs?It¡¯s suspicious!¡±(*t/n: not sure about this one) ¡°Huh? Is it that important?¡± Dalia didn¡¯t think too much of it. Adrisha shook her head vigorously in frustration. ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s weird. There are a few people working here, but the mansion is too quiet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the weekend, so most of them went home.¡± Employees also had to rest, so during the weekend the mansion was operated with minimal manpower. But Adrisha shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s quieterpared tost weekend.¡± She clenched Dalia¡¯s cor with her small fist and spoke with a serious expression. Dalia closed her mouth for a moment and listened to the various sounds of the mansion. ¡®It¡¯s definitely quiet.¡¯ She thought it felt empty because the ce where Hikan left was big, but when she heard it, the mansion itself was quieter than other times. The small Adrisha bit her fingernails nervously. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to say it at first¡­¡­but there are people who are after Dalia.¡± ¡°People aimed for me¡­¡­?¡± It must be regarding the Holy Empire. Come to think of it, Adrisha doesn¡¯t know that Dalia has already heard from Hikan about Aceras. Adrisha looked nervous. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve be like this, I can¡¯t protect Dalia. So I think it would be better to make sure of at least one thing.¡± Adrisha motioned to let her down. Dalia bent her knees and let her down. The small Adrisha waddled and held out her hand against the ceiling with her back against Dalia. A faint blue light shed in her hand. In an instant, an borate magic circle was drawn in the empty air. There were traces of light-blue colored light in every spot where Adrisha¡¯s hand passed. She knew how to use magic. It is also at a high levelparable to that of an imperial wizard. She also learned this in her hometown when she was raised as a spy and assassin. Dalia knew it from the original, but it was the first time that she saw it in person. Usually, there were very few nobledy who know how to use magic, so Dalia just pretended to looked surprised. ¡®Wait a minute, if she knows how to use magic, can¡¯t she also remove the magic on her?¡¯ It was a reasonable question, but that was not the point right now. After a while, the back of the ceiling, where Adrisha drew the magic circle, turned transparent and some of the first floor was revealed. The maid who had just gone up was opening the front door to the guests who had just passed through the front door. The guests were two men. One was tall and the other was short, both seemingly havemon face that could be seen everywhere. Dalia quickly noticed something strange. Both the maid weing the guests and the iing guests were expressionless. As if they knew each other and had nothing to introduce and greet each other. At that time, another servant approached the two guests in confusion. From the shape of his mouth, it seemed that he was asking who the guests were. At that moment, the maid¡¯s hand moved like lightning. The servant, who had been hit in the nape of the neck, mmed against the wall and slid down. There was nothing more to see. Small Adrisha turned to Dalia with a pale face. Dalia muttered. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ignore my words just because I¡¯m a kid!¡± Adrisha said as if she was wrongly used. She looks so tremendously cute that it did not suit this situation. ¡°What about the imperial wizards?¡± ¡°Looking at the situation, seems like they already¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If I am right, they are the elite. It¡¯s probably hard to stop them unless you¡¯re a transcendent.¡± ¡®I see. This is the danger that brother mentioned.¡¯ Dalia pondered for a while, and took out the quartz piece that Meldon gave her from the pendant. ¡®If Meldon is really purified because of me, he will definitelye again this time.¡¯ But she was worried that he had already left Vesta. This quartz piece seemed to be usable only at close range. There wasn¡¯t much to believe. Dalia turned away from Adrisha and secretly grabbed the quartz piece with her two fingers and gave it strength. The quartz piece surprisingly broke easily and the powder flowed down between her fingers. Since the suspicious magic powder was real, so this too must be real. The meeting between Adrisha and Meldon should be avoided as much as possible, but she couldn¡¯t help it in a situation like this. Small Adrisha spoke in a serious tone. ¡°¡­¡­When the situation is sorted out, I¡¯ll exin everything to you then.¡± However, there was no sign that the situation will be resolved. Bang! Bang bang! Before she could finish speaking, she heard loud noiseing from upstairs. Adrisha, who came to her senses first, rushed to the basement door and tried totch it. However, she was small and couldn¡¯t reach thetch. Instead, Dalia pulled herself together and barely managed to lock thetch. After a while, the men who arrived at the door checked the locked door and whispered among themselves. Soon after, she heard another person climbing the stairs. And the other¡­¡­. Bang! He crashed hard against the door. One seemed to have broken the woodentch with his body, and the other who climbed seemed to have gone to find something to cut the locked chain. The force was so strong that the woodentch broke in no time. The man outside the door didn¡¯t move, he was probably going to wait for his colleague instead of doing more. In the meantime, Adrisha drew some magic circles and chanted spells, but she sat down with a depressed expression as if the results were not good. Dalia came close to her and patted her shoulder as ifforting her. ¡°¡­¡­Adrisha, you know how to use magic, but you can¡¯t remove it?¡± ¡°I would remove it if I could, but this magic is too high-level. We have no choice but to cast a reverse-attribute magic after the validity period expired.¡± Dalia felt sorry. Why did she ask to make cookies today..¡­. ¡°Sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Dalia didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Small Adrisha frowned as if she was about to cry and tapped her eyes with a handkerchief. Dalia was surprised. ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong Adrisha? Are you scared?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I have to protect you, but I¡¯m upset that I couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. We¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°It would have been different if Sir Hikan or Sir Cedric was here. I wish I was a little stronger at times like this.¡± I didn¡¯t know you were thinking like that. Dalia looked at this world¡¯s heroine, who was sobbing. For some reason, she thought that her small appearance might be closer to the real Adrisha. A point in the past where she stopped.(*t/n: not sure about this one too) Adrisha, who pretended not to know Meldon until the end and was wary of Dalia, came to mind. Adrisha was like that in the original. She was buried in the past, and always resents herself for being weak. But she liked Adrisha because she was a weak and ordinary person, not a transcendent. Because she tried to be a good person in the end without losing to anyone under any circumstances. Dalia hugged Adrisha, who was smaller and more delicate than her. ¡°That¡¯s not true. That¡¯s why you¡¯re special.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Adrisha is like the main character of this world.¡± Small Adrisha looked at Dalia with a crying face. Then she put her in her arms and hugged her neck. She could hear a voice squeezing tightly. ¡°I¡­¡­ I¡¯ve lied to Dalia all this time.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Adrisha didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. Then she said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Will Dalia continue to like me no matter who I am?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m not the kind of person Dalia thinks I am?¡± ¡®Ah, no way.¡¯ Dalia looked at Adrisha in her arms in surprise. She looked determined as if she had made up her mind. Something that never happened in the original work. No matter how much pain she suffered because of it, she did not admit it to the end. Adrisha was about to confess her past. ¡°Later, I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­yeah.¡± ¡°And now I will protect Dalia. No matter what happens from now on, please don¡¯t be surprised.¡± At that moment, the small Adrisha escaped from Dalia¡¯s arms and went to the door. She then began to draw a blue magic circle on the door. Chapter 62 At the same time, part of the door became transparent and the person beyond was visible. Looking closely, he was just an ordinary person. Just like Meldon, there was an awkward feeling on his expression as if he had put something on his face. Looking back, the maid who went up to open the door continued to put her face down. Perhaps she is also an outsider disguised as the person¡¯s face instead of the original person. She can¡¯t believe that such a thing was happening at the Pesteros¡¯s mansion. At that time, Adrisha stuck close to the door. And shouted loudly at the iron door. ¡°¨D¨D¨D!¡± It¡¯s anguage that Dalia didn¡¯t understand. However, the face of the man beyond the door was distorted as if he had heard something he shouldn¡¯t hear. Adrisha stepped back from the door with a cold expression on her face. ¡°As expected, he¡¯s from the Holy Empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What was that just now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the dialect of the northern regions of the Holy Empire.¡± The Holy Empire and this Empire basically speak the samenguage. However, the Holy Empire had a unique dialect that was frequently used in each region because of the unification ofnguages that was notplete. ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°I just asked if my parents were doing well.¡± Adrisha smiled brightly. It was the innocent smile that children of that age would show. Dalia, who enjoyed ying online games in her previous life, has also met a lot of kind people who asked about her parents¡¯ well-being. ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Dalia was sweating for some reason. Adrisha¡¯s first step to ept her past was really cool and amazing. But¡­¡­it was somewhat unfamiliar. Adrisha started talking as she continued to look outside the door. ¡°The one who is targeting Dalia right now is Pope Aceras of the Holy Empire. Have you ever met him before?¡± She then told Adrisha of what happened with Aceras at the ball three years ago. Now that she knows about the fanatics of the Holy Empire. All the figures Adrisha has identified so far have been arrested but there were also people that she couldn¡¯t figure out, and it seems like they were three people who broke into this mansion. ¡°But this is thest one. As long as we get past this, you can feel relieved for the time being.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s small, but I still can use magic. I¡¯ll be able to deal with up to three people.¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t you say at first that only the transcendent can deal with the elites?¡¯ How can Adrisha, who has be smaller, be able to beat the three that can¡¯t even be defeated by many of the imperial wizards? ¡®You¡¯re really strong, Adrisha.¡¯ There was a reason why Hikan left Adrisha behind. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡± Adrisha said firmly as she ced her hand over Dalia¡¯s. She seemed worried that Dalia might have been shocked. But Dalia, who had anticipated this before, was not so surprised. Still, it would be better to rule out one possibility in advance. She knew it didn¡¯t make any sense herself, but Dalia said just in case. ¡°Is there any chance that they came to take Adrisha?¡± ¡°What?¡± Adrisha looked at Dalia as if she had asked something impossible. She was rather embarrassed looking at Adrisha¡¯s bewildered expression. ¡°So there¡¯s none.¡± ¡°Yes, probably.¡± Then, on the contrary, what is the possibility that his obsession with Adrisha is directed towards her instead? Unfortunately, it seemed very high. Of course, it¡¯s not love, but his greed to use her power to purify his soul. ¡®Isn¡¯t that the worst then?¡¯ Dalia became distraught. She looked at the man who was wandering over the door. Fortunately, no one has yete to this mansion with something to cut the chains. ¡®Meldon has toe quickly.¡¯ Once she was taken to the Holy Empire, it was certain that there would be serious problems with Dalia¡¯s n for peaceful life . However¡­¡­ This is Vesta, which was on the opposite side of the border of the Holy Empire. Do they think they can kidnap a member of Pesteros and get out of the empire safely? Dalia shared her thoughts with Adrisha. She also agreed. ¡°That¡¯s why the Duke chose this ce. However¡­¡­they¡¯re here, I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re thinking either.¡± Dalia pondered. With what confidence did they have to chase her here to Vesta? If she thinks a little more, maybe something wille out. At that time, something passed by Dalia¡¯s mind the moment she made eye contact with the anxious Adrisha. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡­could it be a warp portal?¡± The parchment that Hikan gave to Dalia. He said it was ¡®synchronized¡¯ with his own, so if she tore it, it would rip his too. In other words, the real thing is what Hikan has. This means that if they force Dalia to grab and tear the warp portal, she will go to the designated ce. Perhaps to the designated ce in the Holy Empire, that is, in Aceras¡¯s arms. Adrisha stood up with a surprised expression. ¡°That¡¯s right! Why didn¡¯t I think of that sooner!¡± If they also use the warp portal, it is possible to return from here to the Holy Empire without any interference. Then the only time left for Dalia and Adrisha is until they cut the chain of this iron door. However, after hearing Dalia¡¯s guess, Adrisha had a happy expression on her face. ¡°It¡¯s rather good.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I am smaller now. Do you still have the powder you put in the cookies?¡± Dalia brought the powder pouch that she had ced on the kitchen counter. She used half of it to make cookies, but there was still some left. Adrisha smiled brightly and took the pouch with a small hand the size of Dalia¡¯s palm. ¡°Do you still have the bead you got from Sir Cedric?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ that¡­¡­killing magic?¡± Adrisha nodded. She had no idea what she was thinking, but Dalia opened the pendant and showed her the bead. Adrisha took that too. ¡°Magic has a reverse property. If used properly, it is also possible to dispel magic. The magic that makes up the warp portal is the opposite of these two types of magic.¡± Adrisha covered her hands with the powder in the middle of drawing aplex magic circle in the air. Dalia was not sure what method she used, but Adrisha pulled out a few threads from the bead and put them into the magic circle. Whenever her hand touched it, the color of the magic circle changed. At the same time, outside the iron door, the man who had finallye down brought a saw with a huge de. It is used for special purposes in the garden. ¡°If they are really fanatics of the Holy Empire, they cannot learn magic because they have divine power. That warp portal must have been purchased through some sort of path. There¡¯s nothing they can do about it once you negate it.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m small so I won¡¯t be noticeable. I will hide and when they try to use the portal, I will nullify it.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± Adrisha looked at Dalia. She smiled awkwardly. ¡°Dalia, I actually¡­¡­I¡¯m not a noble. Like the people out there right now, I¡¯m someone who specializes in this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So I can do it well.¡± For the first time, Adrisha told her real story. Dalia felt happy for some reason. Although the chains were being cut with a saw outside, and they have no idea whether the n will seed or not when this door opens, but her mind was still in peace that it did not make sense. But then, the strange peace was shattered. Come to think of it, both Dalia and Adrisha have forgotten one person. The maid who opened the door. Behind the transparent wall made by Adrisha, she was now seen staggering down the stairs. The problem was her appearance. There was nothing inmon except that she wore a maid¡¯s uniform when she just opened the door. In addition, she was somehow out of bnce. She seemed to be much bigger than before, and one shoulder was raised. The other shoulder waspletely down, and her face was strangely pulled to one side. The other two men were also shocked by the changed appearance of their colleagues, so they stopped sawing and stood nkly. She staggered down the stairs and punched the first man standing in front of her. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Unable to withstand the strong punch, the skin of the woman¡¯s lower forearm was torn in half. Then, the shoulders that had been lowered went up and the arms were finally bnced. Under the torn fake skin, copper-colored skin and hard arm muscles were revealed. The other man, who finally understood the situation, rushed in, but the fist of the one in the maid¡¯s costume was faster. He knocked the two men down on the floor and started turning humans into blood clots with just one fist. It was a terrifying violence that made those who saw it freak out. To the point where she wondered if it would look like that if she could describe the word violence. Dalia immediately recalled Meldon¡¯s ability. ¡®Body strengthening.¡¯ He had the power to knock the lion down with one hand. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s frustrating, it¡¯s driving me crazy!¡± The man wearing the maid¡¯s mask stopped his arm in the middle and peeled off his crooked face. The long wig fell to the floor, revealing short ck hair. After smashing a man¡¯s head with his fist as he was trying to stand up, he ripped off the skin of his leg. Then, a strange scene was created in which a giant man well over 180cm wore a maid¡¯s uniform with his chest button on the verge of bursting at any moment andce stockings. Adrisha covered Dalia¡¯s eyes with her hands so that she wouldn¡¯t see anything. However, the scene has already been deeply imprinted in Dalia¡¯s mind. Bang! At the same time, Meldon ripped off the iron door of the basement with his hands while spitting out various swear words. Bangg! The entire basement ceiling where Dalia was at flew away. Now Dalia was on the first floor, which was rather low.(*t/n: which means since the entire basement ceiling gone, it¡¯s no longer ¡®basement¡¯, it became the ¡®first floor¡¯) ¡°Hi, Dalia.¡± This voice is¡­¡­ Dalia raised her head. Gorgeous blonde hair was flying in the air. Beautiful red eyes, a beautiful face that looks like it has been sculpted. Cedric was floating in the air, looking down at Dalia. With a calm smile, as if nothing was wrong.
Trantor Note: Hehehe Cedric is here!!! I wonder how Hikan will react to know that once he left, Cedric immediately appear by Dalia¡¯s side?? Chapter 63 The situation goes back to three days ago. At 10 o¡¯clock at night, the Emperor¡¯s office was filled with only dark silence, with even his aides retreating. The Emperor was reading the report that Hikan had just sent. He frowned slightly. ording to the analysis of the officials, Aceras¡¯s soul is currently on its limit. Evenst week, he had used his powers to extend the lifespan of a nobleman¡¯s elder. There is only one existing way to purify a fallen soul. Naturally, he will target Dalia, his only hope. But even if Aceras were to get Dalia, he won¡¯t get anything. There¡¯s one fact that only the Emperor knew regarding Dalia¡¯s ability. He only learned about this because of his ability to ¡®see¡¯ other people¡¯s emotions. ¡®Miss Dalia Pesteros¡¯s ability is influenced by the feelings she has toward the person she purifies.¡¯ The more anxious she is, the deeper her hatred for the other person, the less effective the purification will be. Previously, when the Emperor made physical contact with Dalia and brought up a story she hated, he felt Dalia¡¯s emotions fluctuate and the energy of purification that was conveyed weakened. What if Aceras finds out about the fact after forcibly taking her? With his mind driven to the limit, will he really keep Dalia alive? The Emperor was most afraid of the consequences. At one point, he cherished Dalia Pesteros not only for her ability. Her emotions that he felt every time he touched her hand were always upright and transparent, and it always came as a fresh shock to him who was ustomed to the intricate human rtionship in the imperial pce. He was lost in thought for a moment. At the same time, Cedric, who was searching for books in the connected room, appeared in the office. After confirming that the Emperor was absent, he naturally entered the room. His father, who was exhausted from the recent arduous work, often seemed to forget that he was studying in the next room. Although he was wary of outsiders¡¯ intrusion, he was not wary of his own children. ¡®To do that to his own child, he¡¯s too mean.¡¯ Cedric looked through the documents scattered around the Emperor¡¯s desk without much thought. He received Dalia¡¯s letter yesterday. The letter arrived in the morning, but he saved to read it until the evening to concentrate. After a moment of mental preparation, he finished reading the letter. The contents of the letter could not have been more perfect. He also took care of Vesta¡¯s silver sand that Dalia gave him. However, the postscript continued to get on his nerves. Viscount Arthur Pendleton. His real name is Meldon Verix. Didn¡¯t he say that he abandoned thest name Verix? Cedric doesn¡¯t know because he quickly forgets things that he¡¯s not interested in. He was the person who Cedric met when he escaped from the imperial pce and the one who created a fake identity for him. He had quite a few abilities even at a young age, such as forging ID cards and establishing hiding ces. However, the reason Cedric was particrly close to him was because he was a transcendent who had already awakened. There is currently only one Ducal family that has lost its transcendent line. In the end, Artus¡¯ blood flowed into the back alley and appeared in the wrong person. ¡®This is why you have to keep your body clean.¡¯ Cedric thought of the current Duke Artus, who pretended to be good-natured but full of disgusting lust inside. Even worse, he was even under suspicion of secretlymunicating with the Holy Empire. Since he and his children were particrly unlucky, Cedric intended to use Meldon to pressure him politicallyter. It would be a good thing for both of them if Meldon became the head of the Artus Ducal family. Thanks to this, Cedric turned a blind eye to his ridiculousness several times and sometimes even sent magic supplies that he asked for to suit his absurd business ns. Some of them were ridiculous failures, so rather than being marketed, Cedric only created unpleasant connections between him and Meldon. He doesn¡¯t know what brought him to meet Dalia, but it was certain that being associated with such a bad influence would have a bad effect on Dalia. In any case, it¡¯spletely different if he¡¯s there for some business.(*t/n: sorry not sure about this) There was a document that he was looking for. He saw Hikan¡¯s name written on the file and took it without thinking too much. ¡®It¡¯s not like Hikan to go to the countryside for no reason.¡¯ Obviously, there was some hidden reason for Dalia¡¯s trip this time. Perhaps, the reason was rted to Dalia. He sent the quartz piece containing self-defense magic just in case, but he was uneasy to just leave it alone. ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll go see her in person.¡¯ He had already made up his mind halfway. He looked through the contents. There was no information about Dalia¡¯s ability. The information about her was confidential, so he was not sloppy enough to leave it in a document like this. What was written there was just a n from the Holy Empire that Hikan had predicted and the countermeasure. ¡®¡­¡­ Why does the Holy Empire want Dalia?¡¯ For Cedric who was unaware of Dalia¡¯s ability, he could not understand why. As he was frowning, the Emperor who had been away, returned. He looked a little perplexed at the unexpected situation. ¡°Are you interested in government affairs?¡± ¡°Yes, sometimes.¡± Cedric put down the document with an indifferent expression. He couldn¡¯t even talk to the Emperor about Dalia. It was a secret that they were meeting separately and having sses, and it was also a secret that they were exchanging letters. He knew the Emperor well. He sees Cedric as a cking¡¯ person, and at the same time, he loves his child more than anyone else.(*t/n:cking inmon sense) Therefore, the moment Cedric says anything about Dalia, the Emperor will put Dalia by his side no matter what. He didn¡¯t want that kind of oue. He didn¡¯t know before, and he still doesn¡¯t understand now. ¡°Why is the Holy Empire aiming for Dalia Pesteros?¡± The Emperor shrugged. He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of answering. Cedric turned to the document again. ¡°Well, Hikan Pesteros is pretty good too. If it¡¯s in Vesta, the only way for the fanatics to take her is through the warp portal.¡± The n wasn¡¯t bad. But Cedric wanted it to be¡­¡­ more safe. ¡°It¡¯s surprising that Hikan trusts Adrisha and leaves her alone, but it¡¯s a littlecking to keep her alone as insurance.¡± The Emperor looked at him with apletely shocked expression. Cedric smiled and added, fearing that he would be caught. ¡°Since I have some personal resentment with Aceras, I¡¯ll help you with this one.¡± Well, it wasn¡¯tpletely wrong. * * * ¡°¡­¡­The gift I sent you has the reverse attribute of a warp portal. That¡¯s what I was aiming for.¡± Cedric slowly descended in front of Dalia. Then he frowned slightly when he spotted Adrisha and flicked his two fingers. Again, fog surrounded her body, and in an instant Adrisha returned as an adult. Dalia breathed a sigh of relief. Although it was written that the duration was one day, she was worried that Adrisha might not return tomorrow. Cedric looked at Dalia softly. ¡°I heard roughly from my father. Were you surprised?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I was surprised. Because of him.¡± Dalia raised her hand and pointed to Meldon, whom she could not see with her eyes open. Upon hearing the remarks aimed at him, Meldon¡¯s face stiffened. He was trying to exin something, but he seemed to quickly realize that whatever he said would sound ridiculous. He covered his face, sighed, went up, and came back after a while in normal clothes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too harsh to someone who came to help you, Miss Dalia?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m thankful but¡­¡­¡± It must have been quite a shock. Meldon also read the message in Dalia¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll understand if you hear my exnation.¡± ording to him, he first decided to dress up as a maid and deal with the fanatics who infiltrated here. And he said he was going to use the skin that he had disguised as and pretend to be her and dig information from them. But he didn¡¯t know. Since he has always disguised himself as a man of his physique, he needs to have the right size to dress up as a woman. It was a sad story that he had no choice but to appear in front of them like a monster, after spending a long time forcing into the fake skin that didn¡¯t fit. ¡°Besides, Sir Cedric said that it¡¯s going to fit because it¡¯s customized¡­¡­¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°No, right, no.¡± When Cedric smiled and asked that, Meldon wriggled his lips and smiled. His gaze rested on Dalia for a moment, then turned towards the space. ¡°Hmm.¡± A peculiar sound came out of his mouth. After a while, he gently smiled and slightly bowed his knee toward Dalia. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve repaid the favor Miss Dalia. However, I¡¯ll ¡®especially¡¯ help you one more time, so feel free to contact me if you ever need me.¡± Saying so, he took out a small pendant and gave it to Dalia. When she opened it, there was a small piece of quartz again this time. ¡®¡­¡­But he¡¯s not this kind of person?¡¯ Anyway, free things are good. Dalia tried to get it quickly and take¡­¡­it. ¡°I will help you if you need it. Don¡¯t ept help from strangers.¡± Cedric snatched the pendant mid air and put it in his chest pocket. Dalia alternately looked between her empty hands, Cedric and Meldon. ¡®What is this situation?¡¯ Dalia reached out to grab the pendant that Cedric had taken. But on the contrary, he looked rather sad. ¡°Do you really need help from that kind of person?¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s not that¡­¡­¡± Meldon was looking at Dalia with twinkling eyes as if he knew something. At that moment, Adrisha, who was quietly observing the situation, opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s all good, but over there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Dalia¡¯s heart tightened at the moment. ¡®Is it because of Meldon?¡¯ Come to think of it, there was aplicated rtionship between Meldon and Adrisha. She looked at Adrisha because she thought she was going to fight again here, but her gaze was toward the basement stairs, instead of Meldon. She pointed her finger towards it. ¡°He¡¯s about to get up.¡± Dalia looked back in surprise. The man who was beaten to the point of almost dying by Meldon was staggering.
Trantor Note: How shocking was Meldon in maid outfit??..I need to see it (£»£þ§¥£þ) Chapter 64

Chapter 64

He looked at the situation and determined that it was impossible to continue his mission, so he took out the parchment he had kept in his pocket. It looked like he was going to run away. ¡®Is that a warp portal?¡¯ However, neither Meldon nor Cedric did anything even after seeing him trying to escape. Rather, Meldon looked at Dalia in the midst of this and made an ¡®oh¡¯ sound, and kindly raised his hand to block her view. ¡®I¡¯ve already seen everything though.¡¯ The man eventually tore the parchment. His whole body was enveloped in green light and disappeared in the blink of an eye. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cedric asked Meldon sharply, who had covered Dalia¡¯s eyes. He answered ndly as he lowered his hand. ¡°No, just in case he got cut in half.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The side effects of warp portal. It can separate the upper and lower limbs with a 1% probability. Dalia was grateful. If it had happened right in front of her eyes¡­¡­ she didn¡¯t even want to think about it. ¡°Ah, no, by the way¡­¡­why do you let him run away?¡± Cedric, who was pulling her towards him, smiled at her question. The smile looks chilly for some reason. ¡°I¡¯m sure he will meet Hikan by now.¡± She didn¡¯t know what he meant by that. However, Cedric didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of interpreting his words right away. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter. More than that, Dalia.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°But, should you leave them alone?¡± Cedric pointed toward Meldon and Adrisha with his chin. ¡®Oh, I forgot about that side.¡¯ Dalia looked over the other side in fear. She doesn¡¯t know when, but both Meldon and Adrisha were staring at each other fiercely. The tension between the two was high as if it would break at any moment. Adrisha spoke to Dalia without taking her eyes off Meldon. ¡°Dalia, did this person help Dalia?¡± It was a calm and gentle voice. No matter how bad their rtionship was, she couldn¡¯t say that he didn¡¯t help her when he actually did. Dalia nodded awkwardly. ¡°Yeah. I asked for his help.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°There is nothing Dalia should be sorry about.¡± It was a clear voice. Meldonughed and asked in an openly sarcastic tone. ¡°Unknowndy, I saved your tenacious life as well. Isn¡¯t this kind of treatment too much?¡± ¡°Meldon.¡± Adrisha called him. Meldon¡¯s body stiffened hearing his real first name. Perhaps he was surprised by the fact that Adrisha called his name. Dalia also looked at Adrisha in surprise. Regardless of the two gazes on her, Adrisha spoke calmly. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°We know each other.¡± Meldon¡¯s expression hardened. It was the first time she had seen him like that. But it¡¯s only for a moment, he soon calmly smiled then turned away from Adrisha and turned to Dalia. ¡°I¡¯mte to introduce myself again. As the miss¡¯sdy-in-waiting said, my real name is Meldon. As you might have expected, Viscount Arthur Pendleton is the name that I bought.¡±(*t/n: I use dy-in-waiting¡¯ instead based on thement suggestion from the few previous chapters hehe.) ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This is what yourdy-in-waiting wants¡­¡­ ¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ¡®yourdy-in-waiting¡¯, I¡¯m Yustia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Shit. You are really crazy.¡± Meldon spat out swear words and turned his head around to stare at Adrisha. Yustia was Adrisha¡¯s real name in the past, which had not appeared for a long time. Dalia looked at her in surprise. She faintly smiled. ¡°We¡¯re friends now, right?¡± Her heart felt strangely proud. Dalia smiled and nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± This is fine. Dalia was somehow convinced of that. Meldon looked at Dalia in disbelief. His gaze did not fall off easily and continued to cling onto her. While she was slowly feeling burdened under his gaze, Cedric cut Meldon¡¯s gaze by covering Dalia¡¯s face from behind. And he said with a soft smile to Dalia who had turned around. ¡°The two of them must have a lot of things to talk about separately, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Dalia quickly nodded. Cedric smiled as if he had been waiting for that response. ¡°Then, shall we go? If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to look around this mansion. I heard that you can see the silver beach well from the balcony?¡± ¡®¡­¡­Does anyone who wants to look around the mansion blow up the entire floor of the first floor?¡¯ However, she held it in because it didn¡¯t seem polite to the person who hade to save her. She gave up going to the stairs because of the other one that was still sprawled out in front of the stairs going up to the first floor. Instead, Cedric cast a flying spell on her. He held Dalia¡¯s hand as he stood behind her, and said. ¡°Lightly stamp your feet.¡± Dalia did as she was told. Her body soared in an instant. She lost her bnce and stumbled. ¡°Kyaa!¡± Cedric, who flew together, smiled and gave strength to the hand he was holding and helped her to bnce. Thanks to this, the two settled in the hallway on the second floor. ¡°Is it okay to leave them alone?¡± Dalia looked down. She left because she thought that it was okay, but it bothers her for some reason. ¡®No, Adrisha has changed, so it¡¯s okay.¡¯ Didn¡¯t she just say it herself about her past that she never tried to admit before? Now, there is a high possibility that it will not be like the original. If their emotional gaps don¡¯t deepen, Meldon won¡¯t be obsessed with Adrisha and the story won¡¯t go the way it was. Besides, there¡¯s Cedric to prevent any situation. ¡°Both of them will need some time alone.¡± Once he said that, Dalia asked with her eyes wide open. ¡°Do you know what their rtionship was?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then how do you know if it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s a lie.¡± It¡¯s an absurdly quick confession. Before Dalia could say anything, Cedric smiled at her. ¡°I was just annoyed when I saw Meldon looking at you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He stops Dalia from speaking more like this again. She then changed the subject. ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°Of course I came to save you.¡± Why did she ask such an obvious question? Somehow, she was relieved to hear that. Dalia looked at the boy who eventually died on all routes of the original work. Never loved anyone on any route. He came to save her. That fact evoked indescribable feelings for Dalia. She thought he was going to say something casually again, but unexpectedly, Cedric just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything more. Then- ¡°Dalia, I¡¯m sad.¡± His words shocked her. * * * ¡°Kyaa!¡± After Dalia and Cedric disappeared leaving with only her scream, only Meldon and Adrisha were left in the basement, which was now the first floor. Meldon turned to Adrisha, gritted his teeth. ¡°Did you go crazy while we haven¡¯t seen each other? You said that you would give up the name from your hometown and us for the rest of your life, but now you¡¯re saying that name in front of me again?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I just realized that running away is meaningless.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Meldon chuckled. The ¡®us¡¯ he refers to were the children from Adrisha¡¯s hometown where she grew up as a child. Among them was Meldon. Together, they grew up under Verix. Some were sold to other countries, some died, some went missing, and some were rescued by the Emperor¡¯s relief work. Meldon chose to be Verix¡¯s adopted son in order to survive early. Adrisha didn¡¯t understand him who chose the easy path. For betraying their colleagues, she despised his choice and said that she would break ties with him. She said that she would fight back even if she had to die. However, instead of dying in the fight, she survived through the Emperor¡¯s relief work and lived with a false identity under the Emperor. Only both of them that were still bound by their hometown. When they met again, he resented and hated her, but acted like a stranger. He despised her for surviving shamelessly and used him of betraying everyone. At the same time, he turned away from her. Pretending to not know her past at all and living a new life alone. But now she¡¯s going to ept the past? The woman named both Adrisha and Yustia looked up at him. When he saw her again at the folk festival, he didn¡¯t want to make eye contact with her. He couldn¡¯t figure out what on earth happened in that short time. ¡®Dalia Pesteros.¡¯ Perhaps that girl changed her. It was certainly that. ¡®What kind of person is she?¡¯ How could Cedric look at her like that, and even get jealous of her talking with other people? Then, Adrisha said. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven you yet.¡± ¡°Who asked for your forgiveness?¡± ¡°But I know that I¡¯m not a proud human being.¡± At her words, Meldon shut his mouth. He felt something strange. It feels like he has been back for a very long time to hear these words. Or, he felt like he had to go back. Adrisha¡¯s calm words continued. ¡°We came from the same hometown. We used to be close. But not anymore.¡± Adrisha closed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯ste, but I¡¯ll admit it.¡± With thosest words, there was no more word between the two. Meldon thought of Dalia Pesteros. The person who smiled casually and made Adrisha brought up her past. He wanted to know what she was like. At that moment, Meldon¡¯s gaze, which had been wandering on the floor, stopped somewhere. There were red marbles that were randomly thrown over the magic circle that Adrisha had drawn. ¡®Did Yustia make it?¡¯ It looks like some high-level magic that has been condensed.
Trantor Note: So um..Cedric..are you sad bcs Dalia went for the trip without you??? ¡î¡Ð(©f¡£?) Chapter 65

Chapter 65

* * * Dalia realized what she had done wrong and her face turned pale. The bead, the gift from Cedric, the one that Adrisha left on the floor when she was using magic.¡­¡­ ¡°Th, th, that, that was¡­¡­¡± ¡°I was with Meldon when you broke that quartz piece.¡± ¡°¡­¡­that¡­¡­¡± ¡°You cherish the quartz piece that Meldon gave, and throw the bead I gave you on the floor?¡± Cedric was just talking calmly, so why was her heart aching? He looked at Dalia with a sad expression. ¡°I¡¯m hurt, Dalia.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean to do that¡­¡­¡± ¡°As expected, you didn¡¯t want to receive a gift from someone who gave you a bead with killing magic, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might be dragged away by those fanatics¡­¡­ It contained the maximum amount of my reverse attribute magic¡­¡­.¡± Cedric lowered his eyes sadly. ¡°Sir, Sir Cedric!¡± Dalia blocked his path and grabbed Cedric¡¯s hand with both of her hands. His gaze reached Dalia¡¯s hands so quickly that she didn¡¯t even notice, and returned to her face. Moves. Unexpectedly, Cedric didn¡¯t say anything, then he put some strength to his hands to pull them out. Dalia became nervous. Because he had never done anything like this to her. ¡®He must be really angry!¡¯ She held his hand tighter as he tried to escape. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cedric lost strength in his hands. Driven by the momentum, Dalia held his hand tighter and said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not precious, it¡¯s just that the situation was so urgent¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s okay, so let go of this¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is there anything I can do for Sir Cedric?¡± Dalia leaned her upper body toward Cedric. His eyes shook. He looked alternately between her eyes and his caught hands then lowered his head. ¡°Alright, do whatever you want.¡± His voice somehow sounded weak, so Dalia looked at Cedric. Then she found his ears that peeked through his golden hair, were slightly pink. ¡°You always put me on the spot.¡± Thanks to this, Dalia also turned red. The atmosphere was awkward, and since there was no other ce to go, Dalia took Cedric to her room. He followed her lead. Dalia pointed to her bed and said. ¡°Please sit here.¡± The two sat side by side on the bed. After some time, Cedric went out to the balcony without saying a word and came back after a while. Now he looked fine as if nothing had happened. Havingpletely regained his usual attitude, he folded his eyes beautifully and sat next to Dalia with a smile. ¡°So, what are you going to do for me now?¡± Dalia was in awe. ¡®Sh, should I say that he¡¯s brazen?¡¯ He turns red even by just holding hands¡­¡­ ¡°Right, I have something for you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Put your hands together.¡± Dalia put her hands together in front of her chest as he instructed. Cedric smiled and showed Dalia his palm. A radiant light shed on his palm as a transparent piece of quartz floated up. Dalia eximed with admiration. It was amazing and beautiful. ¡°What Meldon gave you was what I made for you. If you break it, it will send the signals to the owner.¡± Cedric said calmly and turned his hand over once. Then the floating quartz fragments increased to five. ¡°Okay, now.¡± Cedric looked at Dalia. Dalia quickly reached out her hands. Cedric dropped the pieces into Dalia¡¯s hands. ¡°I can make even 100 of these for you. I don¡¯t do things and give anything with shallow tricks like Meldon.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t change his tone, but he looked sulky for some reason. He continued to speak. ¡°I can use magic and have more people who can use it than him. In any situation, it is more helpful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can make it in any color you like.¡± Dalia couldn¡¯t hold back and burst intoughter. Cedric looked at her, frowning. ¡°You¡¯re mean. I was being serious.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just¡­¡­¡± ¡°So don¡¯t take what Meldon gives you. You will do that, right?¡± Dalia hesitated and nodded. In fact, it was an act that didn¡¯t suit her, whose motto in life was to ept what was given. But it was five versus one. Of course, she had to choose several. Cedric smiled. Then he pulled out a bunch of paper that had been folded several times from the inside pocket of his shirt. ¡°Book report, I¡¯m here to get tested. We were supposed to exchange it, right?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It was what Dalia had written in the letter before she came here. It seemed he remembered it. ¡°You¡¯ll see it when youe back anyway, but I¡¯ll show it to you first.¡± Dalia somehow felt like she was receiving a letter, so she received the bundle of paper. Again, it was very thick and the handwriting was very pretty. She was a little scared of what might have been written in those pretty letters again this time, but Dalia smiled with the paper in her arms. ¡°I¡¯ll read itter. Ah, mine too¡­¡­.¡± She also read while dozing off, but she had a book report that she wrote from time to time. She went to her desk and rummaged around for a while until she found what she had written and gave it to Cedric. As soon as he received it, he turned to the first page. Dalia was surprised and covered it with her palm. ¡°Re, read itter!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± It feels like she wrote a lot of embarrassing words in the middle, but still! In addition, the pen slipped while she was dozing off in the middle, leaving marks everywhere. ¡°Really? Then, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Cedric gently covered the cover. He smiled as he smoothed over the title and name of the book report written in Dalia¡¯s handwriting on the cover. ¡°Your handwriting is so cute because the tip is curly like a pig¡¯s tail.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You are not teasing me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I mean it.¡± Unless he¡¯s teasing her, there¡¯s no way you can call a human¡¯s handwriting a pig¡¯s tail. Dalia narrowed her eyes. However, Cedric kept a satisfied smile on his face, and held Dalia¡¯s book report in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s like having a diary exchange. I heard that you do such things with your close friends?¡± He smiled with his eyes gently. Goodness, diary exchange. Dalia was taken aback because it seemed like it was the least suitable word in the world for him. ¡°¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t know that Sir Cedric would want to do diary exchange.¡± She wondered if it was too straightforward, but Cedric looked at Dalia without any hesitation. ¡°I¡¯d like to do it with you. Do you want to?¡± ¡°Uh, uhh, I need some time to think¡­¡­¡± Cedric turned to Dalia and smiled. ¡°I just changed my mind.¡± Dalia was terrified every time Cedric was like this. Her shoulders stiffened and she looked at him. ¡°Wha, what changed?¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s too early to get married from the first meeting.¡± ¡®Did you only realize that now?¡¯ Dalia did not have the courage to say that to the prince. Instead, she smiled awkwardly. Cedric slightly leaned his upper body towards her. As his marble-like handsome face came close, Dalia felt her face heat up for some reason. As expected, it was a face that was bad for her heart. ¡°Let¡¯s be friends first.¡± ¡°Yes, yes?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll think about it then. What do you think?¡± Dalia, who was too deep in thought, couldn¡¯t properly hear what he was saying. She asked back awkwardly. ¡°What is¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°Bing friends.¡± ¡°Ah, sure!¡± ¡®Yes, friends are good, friends.¡¯ Dalia had a thought. It¡¯s much better than using a handsome face like just now and fluttering like crazy. Besides¡­¡­(*t/n: yeah I don¡¯t get this part) ¡°Even now, I think of Sir Cedric as my friend.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you evene here to help me.¡± Dalia smiled and nodded. Cedric lowered his eyes. It seems like he was a little shy. A warm atmosphere was created that warmed the hearts of those who saw it. No, it¡¯s only Dalia who thought that. But then, Cedric raised his head again and ced his hand on Dalia¡¯s. ¡°Since we¡¯re friends now, can I go to your house whenever I want, just like Adrisha?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, because we¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®I think I just said something wrong.¡¯ Dalia had a thought then. To never rx her guard against Cedric. Dalia vowed once again.
Chapter 66

Chapter 66

* * * At the same time. Hikan stepped out a little behind from the center of the huge hall. He looked at the center of the hall with a gloomy and somber expression. Starting from the center of the hall, strange patterns and unknown characters surrounded it. At the same time, countless threads stretched out of Hikan¡¯s hand and intertwined the entire hall like a spider web. The ability he gained through the mana awakening wasmonly known as swordsmanship, but in fact, it was actually moreplicated. Its essence was close to being able to control the movement of every object in his reach. The Imperial Magic Tower, where the most elite wizards of the Imperial Pce gathered, recently developed a special use of this ability. It is theplete restraint of human beings. At that moment, the center of the hall was dyed with a green light. Then a man with a swollen and bruised face appeared there. He was the man who had just escaped from the Pesteros vi in Vesta . Hikan moved his fingers smoothly and tightly pulled the thread. At the same time, the pattern on the floor of the hall rotated around the center with a brilliant light. ¡°Gasp!¡° The man¡¯s limbs were pulled tightly as if they were tied to a thread, and soon his body soared into the sky. His face was in shock. This wasn¡¯t where he was supposed to return. In a hurry, he tried to chew the poison inside his mrs. If it doesn¡¯t work, he¡¯ll try to die by cutting off his tongue. But unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t move his jaw or tongue. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ He still has ast resort. He tried to break the poison bottle lodged in his muscles by exerting all his strength on both his arms and legs. However, there was no strength in his limbs. Now he couldn¡¯t even blink. Hikan walked in front of him, who was still in the air with an indifferent look. As he moved one finger, the man¡¯s mouth opened on its own. His hidden poison rolled out of his tongue. Hikan looked at it with disgust and looked at the man again. ¡°His Majesty must have had a lot of trouble since they would die whenever he caught them.¡± The spy of the Imperial Family has so far captured almost all the fanatics who have infiltrated the capital. However, they didn¡¯t manage to get any useful information from any of them. Because they allmitted suicide. The Imperial Family and Hikan have researched for a very long time on how to capture them without killing them. The result was this. From the moment they went to Vesta, he had expected for them to use a warp portal to kidnap Dalia. Using it in reverse, the Imperial Magic Tower created a magic circle that invested a tremendous amount of time and manpower. By forcibly fixing the coordinates of all warp portals activated within this Empire into this hall. Since the warp portal was a dangerous magic, there was no need for the innocent ordinary people to get caught. The day the magic circle waspleted was yesterday, the day Hikan left Vesta. However, this n had its weaknesses. That Hikan is absolutely necessary here. So he had no choice but to stay away from her, knowing that Dalia would be in danger. Instead, Hikan also entrusted Adrisha with a warp scroll. To summon him if there¡¯s an unavoidable situation. Cedric also volunteered to step up. Hikan epted him because he desperately needed his help this time. And there was only one fanatic who came over here. The n waspletely sessful. Looking at his condition, fortunately, Dalia appeared to be unharmed. ¡®Then.¡¯ Hikan narrowed his eyes. Now, after a long time, the most elite manpower of the Holy Empire has finallye into the hands of the Imperial Family. If they had simply focused on preventing Dalia from being kidnapped this time, the same thing would have happened again twice and three times. However, as long as the fanatic was in Frederic¡¯s grasp, Aceras could never move as he did now. He moved his hand again. Then the man¡¯s hair was pulled back, revealing his face. He had a humiliating expression on his face. ¡°Now confess.¡± Hikan spoke grimly. The man¡¯s face slowly grew terrified. What he feared more than any pain or death was betraying the Pope. And Hikan had no intention of understanding the man¡¯s situation. This made it clear. Aceras wants Dalia Pesteros. ¡°And tell His Majesty that he is ready.¡± However, no matter how many times he repeated it, no matter what sins he buried with his hand, he was determined to protect Dalia. * * * Adrisha and Cedric roughly organized the situation in the mansion. Adrisha said that she had received Hikan¡¯s power of attorney for this mansion just in case something like this happens. No, it¡¯s not exactly the power of attorney¡­¡­. ¡°¡­¡­ Now this vi is mine, Adrisha?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Hikanpletely handed over the building and all the employees¡¯ contracts in Dalia¡¯s name. Dalia recalled what he had said in the past. ¡°If you like this ce, I will officially proceed with the acquisition of this territory. Under your name.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡± ¡°Now that you have reached this age, you should have at least oneterritory. I¡¯ve already put some of the Dukedom¡¯s possessions in your name.¡± ¡®Wh, when?¡¯ She didn¡¯t think that she could get allowance from Hikan forever, but she was grateful that he was already secretly working on such a n. Still, she politely refused Vesta. Anyway, Dalia wrote a letter of attorney with her name for the first time. Adrisha was in charge of managing and cleaning up the now ruined mansion. Except for one of the fanatics who fled, the remaining two were still unconscious. They were taken by the imperial knights who arrivedte. The maid who the fanatic disguised as is currently being searched, but has not been found. Everyone was quiet, but Dalia knew that there was little chance of seeing the maid again. However, Dalia also said nothing for those who kept their mouths shut in consideration of her. Fortunately, the imperial wizards were only held captive by the fanatic¡¯s divine power, and they were still alive. The floor of the first floor that Cedric removed and the iron door that Meldon broke were being repaired. There may be something toe next, but when that timees, the original vi will be waiting for Dalia again. ¡°Hikan should be in the capital. I think we¡¯d better go back right away.¡± Cedric briefly exined to Dalia why Hikan left Vesta and what his duty in the capital was. ¡®That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t stop him from running away.¡¯ Rather, it was a situation where they had to let them run away. Upon hearing Cedric¡¯s exnation, Dalia btedly nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s why¡­¡­brother left Vesta.¡± ¡°Yes. He probably seeded in capturing him alive.¡± Cedric gives an odd smile. ¡°I wonder what they will talk about.¡± Dalia felt strange for some reason and shrugged. She realized that this was not a simple incident, but a great deal that would lead to a dispute between the Holy Empire and this empire. And that¡¯s all because of Dalia¡¯s own abilities. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m entangled in something incredible.¡¯ In the original Aceras route, there was also a war between the Holy Empire led by Aceras, who had gone crazy, and the Frederic Empire. However, it happened at the end of the bad ending route, so it was impossible to know exactly what happened after the caption ¡®war broke out¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Even if the war really breaks out, protest letters and international criticism will drag back and forth, and it won¡¯t happen until about five yearster.¡± Meldon spoke warmly next to Dalia. Is this really the original male lead of the hardest route? It was awkward, like a person wearing clothes that didn¡¯t fit. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s not a very helpful constion.¡± Besides, the words that he says seem to mean that he cares¡­¡­ but like she said before, it didn¡¯t make any sense. Dalia looked at him smiling radiantly. Then a very reasonable question came to mind. ¡°¡­¡­ But why aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡± ¡°I have to take care of something else. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Meldon spoke naturally. It was difficult to deal with him because he was an iron wall in a different sense than Cedric. It was difficult to speak casually because he was the original male lead and she knew that he wouldter be Duke Artus. ¡°Dalia, just ignore him ande here.¡± Fortunately, Cedric was still blocking Meldon. But why is this person like this. ¡°I have something to do at the capital, so can I escort Miss until then?¡± Why are you suddenly hanging around Dalia like this?
Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Naturally, she didn¡¯t want to go to the capital with Meldon. Even now, she¡¯s dying of awkwardness, but how awkward will it be if they go together? However, she felt somewhat sorry to refuse him openly. So for situations like this, Dalia hase up with thest resort. ¡°Adrisha!¡± Adrisha, with a ballpoint pen behind her ear, who was working on drafting a budget estimation with the repairman from a distance, was surprised and ran to Dalia. Dalia pointed to Meldon without saying a word. He protested as if he was wrongly used. ¡°You¡¯re so mean, Miss. I just did it purely out of favor¡­¡­¡± ¡°What is it, Meldon? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Damn it.¡± Meldon sighed and disappeared into the distance. Adrisha still looks like she is dying of difort. Adrisha, who had defeated the enemy without knowing the reason, looked down at Dalia. Dalia shrugged. ¡°I guess you¡¯re still ufortable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fair because he doesn¡¯t like me either.¡± Adrisha responded cynically. She doesn¡¯t know what happened that day, but their rtionship seemed to have improved to some extent. However, it seemed that the awkwardness and their dislikes of each other were still the same. But this was enough. Because the most important g of the Meldon route has been crushed. ¡®Then there¡¯s only Lewayne Blueport that hasn¡¯t appeared yet, and then Aceras?¡¯ Lewayne Blueport¡¯s character was the closest to how a protagonist should be in the original . Therefore, he appearedst. When she asked Hikan a while ago, it seemed that he still seemed to have no intention to leave the territory yet. So she doesn¡¯t have to worry about it. Aceras route¡­¡­.don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s think about itter. Dalia looked at Meldon¡¯s back as he moved away, and secretly turned her wrist and nced at it. ¡®If you¡¯re going to be like that, why did you give me this gift?¡¯ Meldon also had a side that was not quite honest. Dalia recalled what happened yesterday. Dalia was sitting in bed covered with a rolled nket in her room, when she heard a knock and Meldon entered. ¡°I have sorted it well with yourdy-in-waiting.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± Dalia was genuinely relieved. Meldon smiled a little awkwardly. ¡°What did Miss say to her¡­¡­ I know that it had an impact. Maybe that¡¯s why it didn¡¯t get any worse.¡± Dalia was a little surprised because she didn¡¯t expect him to say something like this. ¡°As a token of my gratitude, I will show my sincerity in my own way.¡± Meldon approached her and gestured for her hand. Dalia obediently reached out to him, but hurriedly pulled her hand. ¡°No quartz piece.¡± ¡°¡­..I guess Sir Cedric told you not to take what I give you?¡± Dalia¡¯s conscience was pricked. Meldon raised a corner of his mouth as if he knew everything. ¡°I thought so too. I¡¯m not giving you anything, so don¡¯t worry.¡± At his words, Dalia quickly reached out her hand again. Instead of grabbing Dalia¡¯s wrist and putting something in her palm, he touched her inner wrist with his thumb. Tickled, Dalia shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s done.¡± After a while, Meldon released her hand. Dalia looked at the wrist he had touched. A simple ck rune pattern was drawn. ¡°Try hitting your wrist twice. Then it will disappear. If you hit it twice again, it will appear.¡± Dalia did as she was told. The pattern was really gone. When she hit it again, it appeared. Amazed, she kept on tapping it quickly. Then, when she realized that Meldon was looking at her with slightly pitiful eyes, she hurriedly hid her hand behind her and raised her chin gracefully. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then she asked again after a while. ¡°But what is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite long, so to speak. You probably don¡¯t need it, but just in case.¡± He lifted the inside of his wrist, showed it to Dalia, and tapped it twice. Then the same pattern as on her wrist appeared. ¡°When Miss cannot use Pesteros¡¯s name for some reason, and if you think someone is being rude, show them this emblem. There¡¯s a 50/50 chance that it will work, and if it does, that person will even kiss you in the foot.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t need that much.¡¯ Still, it was a good gift. It would be even better if it was useful even if she were taken to the Holy Empire. This pattern did not appear in the original, so there was little information. They always terribly hated each other in the Meldon route, so there was no need to exchange these gifts. ¡°You can¡¯t get this no matter how much you pay for it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s difficult even for your brother too. I¡¯m just giving it to you because I feel like it.¡± For some reason, it sounded like a little boy bragging about his toy. Dalia raised her head. He smiled with his handsome face. Dalia stared down at her now empty wrist. Even if he pretends to be a light and inconsiderate person, at times like this, she seems to understand why Meldon was the male lead in the original. His personality of giving back whatever he receives and his subtle weak heart. Even if it was slightly different from the reason why he became Dalia¡¯s favorite route, she likes him better now. It was also good that the route was crushed, so she didn¡¯t have to pay attention to his every move. ¡®What part of me did he even like?¡¯ Well, it¡¯s better to be liked than be hated. Dalia decided to think positively. * * * Perhaps he was reluctant to go with Adrisha, Meldon did not appear in front of Dalia until they reached the capital. Upon arriving in the capital, Cedric left for the Imperial Pce, leaving a message to contact him to schedule a ss for the next time. Adrisha also said that she was not feeling well due to the motion sickness, and that she had to go first because she had other business to do. ¡°If there¡¯s a problem¡­¡­you know, right?¡± Cedric looked at Dalia before leaving and asked. The quartz pieces he gave her were kept well. Dalia smiled and nodded. The carriage almost arrived in front of the Pesteros mansion. Hikan also came out and was waiting for Dalia toe. Dalia looked out of the window to look for him. He was biting his lips as if he was very nervous. ¡®Is it because he overworked himself this time?¡¯ It was a convincing thought. Dalia took off her ring and put it in her pocket. ¡®I need to hurry up and purify it for him.¡¯ And the carriage came to aplete stop. ¡°¡­¡­Dalia?¡± Even before the coachman got off, Hikan came up to the carriage, opened the door to find Dalia first. She greeted her brother with a smile. ¡°Brother, howe your face looks like this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you hurt? Wasn¡¯t it scary?¡± Hikan rushed over to Dalia and touched her arms. His eyes ran from Dalia¡¯s face to her whole body, trying to make sure that she was okay. Finding no signs of injury, he breathed a sigh of relief and covered his eyes. ¡°It was a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have left you alone like that¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I was worried that you might get hurt or that something serious might happen to you, so even after I left, I was worried about you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Adrisha was there, and Sir Cedric was there too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­For now,e down first.¡± Hikan realized that Dalia had traveled by carriage for two days and immediately dropped her off the carriage. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ After riding the carriage for five hours without a break, she had a headache from motion sickness. Dalia stumbled a little. Hikan was surprised and immediately grabbed her. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He hesitated for a moment, then knelt down, grabbed her back and under her knee, and lifted her up. Dalia screamed in surprise and clinged on his neck for dear life. ¡°Y, you don¡¯t have to do this!¡± Does he think that she¡¯s a porcin that breaks whenever it is touched? Moreover, this side was more dangerous than walking on two feet. ¡°No, you¡¯d better rest first. Take a bath and go to sleep.¡± Hikan was persistent. Dalia was forced to hang on to his body and thought. ¡®Since I need to have physical contact in order to purify him anyway, it¡¯s okay to do both at the same time, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m really okay¡­.¡­ Is the purification okay?¡± Hikan nodded. She couldn¡¯t help it if he said that it was okay. Dalia gave up. In addition, it wasfortable because someone moved her even if she stayed still. Dalia nced at Hikan. Looking closely, there was a shadow under his eyes. It was a n that the tower constructed for several months. It was not easy topletely restrain a human being in the first ce. As a result, it seemed that he used a lot of energy and consumed a lot of his mental power. ¡®His Majesty is really¡­¡­What are you going to do if my brother goes crazy like this?¡¯ Even though Dalia will be there to avoid that. ¡°Is brother okay?¡± ¡°Nothing happened.¡± ¡°But your face doesn¡¯t look like nothing happened.¡± ¡°Back at you, are you okay?¡± Dalia nodded her head. What¡¯s the reason to not be okay? She survived, no one was hurt, and the n was sessful. ¡°You¡¯re not okay.¡± However Hikan¡¯s words were different. Dalia¡¯s eyes widened and shook her head. They arrived in front of the bedroom and Hikan dropped her off. Dalia tried to exin that she was really fine, but Hikan spoke first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You must have been scared. You must be tired, and you will be worried about your future. I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t say anything other than that I¡¯ll protect you at times like this.¡± Hearing those words, her heart felt heavy, as if she had swallowed a strangelyrge stone, and not a single word came out. Hikan rolled up her bangs and stroked her forehead. ¡°For now, go in and rest. Everything will be fine once you wake up.¡± Dalia went into the room without saying a word and soaked herself in hot water. Strangely enough, she cried a little in the bathtub. For some reason, it felt like a lump in her heart was released. From then on, she really got better.
Trantor Note: So¡­umm¡­how do I get my own Hikan? extra (based on true story):: Mom: *open the door and saw me tling* How much do you get paid for doing this? Me: *dumb smile* I get paid with unrealistically high standard from hot characters that doesn¡¯t exist Mom: *had enough of me and close the door* Me after a while: *send the image of 2d characters aka husbandos to my mom in group chat* your son-inws Mom: ¡­¡­ She had enough of my crazy antics????
Chapter 68

Chapter 68

* * * ¡°Your Holiness the Pope, we cannot do this. The nobles do not want any more conflicts with the Frederic Empire. It is aplete defeat for us at the point when our followers have already been captured.¡± Aceras put his head in front of the kneeling messenger. His head was epting his words, but his heart was different. Instead of releasing their followers to the capital of the Frederic Empire, Aceras gave more ¡®favor¡¯ to the nobility. As his lifespan was getting shorter, his mind was being driven to the edge. Dalia Pesteros. When he left the capital, he seemed to have wanted to show Dalia Pesteros for some reason. The image of him surrounded by brilliant light and praised by everyone. But what does he look like now? Everything he had nned failed. Cedric Vercelona Michelio, because of that damn second prince! He grinded his teeth. The marble handle that he holds breaks and turns to powder in his hand. Now he can¡¯t even control his own power properly . ¡®But it¡¯s best to step back for now.¡¯ Aceras held his breath. He knew that the next might be hisst chance. He should never make a mistake in haste. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll step back for now.¡± It was only then that the messenger openly showed signs of relief. Aceras forced a smile. His position in the Holy Empire was slightly damaged by this failure. First of all, it is time to reinforce it. At the expense of sacrificing more of his life expectancy. Now that his most loyal followers have been captured, it is impossible to n to kidnap her again. Then. ¡®If she doesn¡¯te, I have no choice but to go.¡¯ He will wait for some time. And after that, he will directly go to the Frederic Empire to find Dalia Pesteros. Although it¡¯s difficult to go to the enemy territory, there were several seeds that he and the Holy Empire had sown. He decided to put his hopes on it. 10. The Fourth Transcendent ¡®It can¡¯t be like this.¡¯ Half a year has passed since the kidnapping incident. Dalia has changed a little. Not only did she think so, but others thought the same as well. ¡°Somehow you look more mature now?¡± ¡°Your way of speaking sounds cooler too.¡± She turned 17 after her birthday in June. She became a little taller, so everyone who sees her now says she looks like an adult. However, Dalia didn¡¯t be like this just because she got older. She woke up. Realization. She realized now that since the situation has be like this, she can¡¯t always suck honey just because she¡¯s surrounded by her brother and the people around her.(*t/n: I can¡¯t find the exact meaning but it¡¯s probably an idiom or smth simr. Probably means ¡®she can¡¯t always livefortably by depending on the ppl around her¡¯. ) The Aceras route was already approaching the future, with the target changed from Adrisha to herself. Since Adrisha did not know the development of the original work, she was dragged around believing that Aceras¡¯s recovery was near. But Dalia was different. Knowing the ending of the original work, she knows that the Aceras¡¯s recovery was absolutely impossible. Rather, it was better to fight against him. Therefore, from now on, she has to actively use the information of the original work to lead the situation in a way that would benefit her somehow. It¡¯s been half a year since she made that decision. In the meantime, she has made several ns. First, she started by looking at her situation objectively. First of all, Dalia overcame the first crisis. Since the n to kidnap her failed and a fanatic was captured, Aceras will not be able to move properly for the time being. She heard that his political position in the Holy Empire was not perfect either. Having experienced such failures, it was time for him to stabilize his internal position. However, if Aceras really believes in Dalia¡¯s purification ability, the second time wille unconditionally. Then, Dalia could not stay still. She had to prepare for an attack that mighte a few yearster. Of course, Cedric, Adrisha, and Hikan are reliable, but this was between countries. If there¡¯s a war like the original, sacrifices will be unavoidable. Dalia wanted to prevent war as much as possible. However, no matter how desperate she was, there was a limit to what Dalia could do right now. At first, she decided to start by developing the strength to protect herself. ¡®How about swordsmanship?¡¯ Dalia asked Hikan to teach her swordsmanship. ¡°It usually takes a year to get the basics right.¡± But when she heard that, she gave up right away. Next was magic. As for magic, she has at least a minimum of general knowledge from the lessons that she took for basic magic. So she thought that it would be better. However, after learning for about three months, she gave uppletely. Dalia realized. She has no talent in magic at all! ¡®But I should try to ask Sir Cedric if there¡¯s an easy way to learn next time.¡¯ In addition, Dalia has tried several methods. However, again, in a world where there were transcendents, an ordinary human struggle from now on does not yield any meaningful results. Finally, Dalia found herself contemting about learning even the espionage skills from Adrisha. This really wasn¡¯t it. So she decided that her n to increase her strength would be just that. ¡®This doesn¡¯t work.¡¯ So Daliapletely changed the direction of the n. It was to interfere with Aceras¡¯ path. The only way was to use the content from the original. Come to think of it, Dalia was not able to fully utilize the immense power of having read the original work. If possible, it would be nice if she can establish a rtionship in a positive way, that can help her to solve the problems. ¡®If I were to be more greedy, it would be better if they were rted to the Holy Empire.¡¯ And they were the characters in the original. This n was meaningful only because Dalia knew the original work, the characters and their background. There was only one person like that. Veord Mershain.(*t/n: the way I struggled trying to decide the spelling for her name??) She was the only female transcendent whose name appears in the original work and was the head of the Mershain Dukedom until five years ago. She was also the Empress¡¯s older sister, that is, Cedric¡¯s aunt. In the original Meldon route, Veord greatly contributed in making him the Duke of Artus, and in the Aceras route, she betrays the Empire and joins the Holy Empire side. She moves thoroughly only for her own gain, so her actions werepletely different depending on the route. Her biggest feature was that she always maintains her early to mid-20s appearance due to the curse of not getting old. Perhaps her mind did not age as well, she always revealed herself as she was, and was a person who moved regardless ofmon sense. The reason why she stepped down from her position as the head was because she was involved in a violence incident. ¡­¡­ Of course she was the assant. As soon as she was stripped of her position as the head, she said that the aristocratic society was frustrating, then cut her hair short and disappeared into the underworld dressed as a man. She still hasn¡¯t returned until now. However, ording to the original, the reason she disappeared was to find a way to lift her curse. In the Aceras route, Aceras asks her to cooperate in return for using his self-healing power to lift the curse. Ignorant of conscience and reason, Veord immediately betrays the Empire and sided with him. It was this situation that Dalia was trying to stop. The ability that Veord Mershain received through mana awakening was ¡®nullification¡¯. It nullifies all magic, divine power, and healing power in the vicinity. Although there were restrictions that it cannot nullify the ability of fellow transcendents, it was still the most troublesome power if she became enemies. There were conditions to make Veord be on Dalia¡¯s side. Of course, she has to find a way to lift her curse without Aceras. The methodes from the original Meldon route. That was also the reason why Veord made him the Duke of Artus in the Meldon route. ¡®Okay, I¡¯m using that method.¡¯ But there was something on her mind. If Dalia uses that method instead, then how about Meldon, he wouldn¡¯t be the Duke of Artus then? ¡®¡­¡­No, there will be another way when the timees.¡¯ In fact, Meldon had the blood of the Duke of Artus. After thinking of several ways to prove it, Dalia was relieved. If it doesn¡¯t work, she¡¯ll think of another way again. Having made up her mind, she began to n in earnest. In order to release Veord from the curse, she must first need to know why she was cursed. Why did she get cursed when she had the ability to nullify everything in the first ce? It started with a very trivial event. At the age of 14, Empress Siord, Veord¡¯s younger sister and the Emperor¡¯s fiancee at the time, was worried about her future as she would grow old like a normal human beingpared to the Emperor, the transcendent who would age slowly . Then she went to a fortune teller in the back alley that developed a drug that will let her to never age. She knew that it was a scam, but still, the Empress was willing to be deceived and paid a lot of money to buy the drug. Then she shows the drug to Veord, who came to visit her. Veord was annoyed that her sister wanted to be young just because of her fiance. She med the Empress for buying such a drug, and drank it herself. At that time, Veord was 16 years old. The problem was that the drug was real. There was no problem at first. Because it was a drug that let people to not age, Veord who was still growing at that time, grew up very well. However, no matter how much time has passed, when there was no change in her 20-year-old appearance, it was only then that Veord realized the problem. The bigger problem was that when Veord realized the fact, her mana awakening had already ended. The antidote developed by the Imperial Pce Magic Tower had no effect in front of her ability to ¡®nullify¡¯. She tried to inquire from the fortune teller who manufactured the drug, but he had already died. Veord, who had lost all hope, wielded a personality that was not as good as it was before, then gave up and went to the underworld. And there, she was looking for a way to lift the curse. However, ording to the original work, it will be difficult for her to find a way on her own. Eventually, she went to Aceras or got help from Meldon. This time, Dalia will be the one who will help her. To do that, she had to find someone. The fortune-teller who was thought to be dead, the one who sold the drug to the Empress.
Trantor Note: When I first saw Veord name, I was like¡­¡¯how the heck do I spell her name??¡¯, then I use trantor to see how it spelled in english, it gave me ¡®Beard¡¯, and I was like ¡®huh??¡¯, and it also gave me ¡®Beorde¡¯, so in the end I just list down name that sound simr and choose ¡®Veord¡¯??..Thene my second crisis, her family name..at first I spelled it as ¡®Merchane¡¯ but then I changed to ¡®Mershain¡¯ since the previous one feels like ¡®merchant¡¯ for some reason??how about you guys? Which one is better? Merchane or Mershain? **oh I change to a darker theme..it doesn¡¯t feel like reading with holy light background anymore????
Chapter 69 Chapter 69 ¡°You know, what should I do if I want to find someone?¡± Dalia asked Adrisha a question during tea time. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­someone who pretends to be dead and lives in hiding?¡± Adrisha tilted her head at the ambiguous answer. She took a sip of her tea, put down the tea cup, and casually replied. ¡°Do you want me to find him for you?¡± ¡°Can you find him?¡± ¡°Yes. But I can¡¯t find people who live on the mountain.¡± Adrisha smiled faintly. Ever since Adrisha honestly revealed her past, she has never lied to Dalia anymore. So sometimes she was too straightforward. Dalia couldn¡¯t figure out what to say. Adrisha easily told her story. In the meantime, she has done several things that a spy would do under the Emperor¡¯s order. However, she said that her specialty was not in the field of forgery or crime, and that she had very little to do with ¡®them¡¯. ¡°But still, I can use some rough methods if necessary.¡± Adrisha said while smiling brightly. Dalia gave up the thought of entrusting the work to her. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I think it will be fine.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly looking for someone?¡± ¡°Well, for no reason. Everyone is working hard, but I also think I can¡¯t just stay still like this.¡­¡­¡± ¡°Dalia doesn¡¯t have to do anything¡­¡­¡± Adrisha drooped down. However, she seemed to be thinking hard about the solution to Dalia¡¯s question in her own way. At times like this, she realizes that a lot has happened between them both. ¡°If he went into hiding, he probably has a fake identity right? There are some famous informants and counterfeiters in the back alley. It would be best to ask them there. Counterfeiters probably would keep quiet because security is important.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a ce where Dalia should go, so I canmission it for you.¡± It was a tempting offer, but Dalia refused for now. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll think about it first. Thank you.¡± She pondered for a moment, and showed the pattern that Meldon had left on her wrist. ¡°What if I use this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Meldon must have given it to you.¡± Adrisha¡¯s voice drops immediately. Her eyes were terrifying too. She was a little scared, but Dalia stood firm and showed her wrist. ¡°I hate to admit it, but what he gave you is a favor that he doesn¡¯t usually show. He seems to like Dalia quite a bit. Cunningly.¡± Adrisha softly smiled. It was a smile that was not sincere to anyone who saw it. ¡°But I don¡¯t think this will really help you to find anyone.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to go into details, but Meldon has quite a name in the underworld. This is a sign that Dalia is under his protection. But just because you¡¯re protected doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re going to take the initiative to find someone.¡± It was understandable. In any case, it wasn¡¯t really necessary in the current situation. She was looking forward to it, but it was disappointing. Dalia tapped to erase the pattern again. Adrisha looked closely at her wrist and said anxiously. ¡°But be careful when you use it. There is also a function that connects it with Meldon, so whenever you show it, Meldon will know. He can probably track your location even during sleep.¡± ¡°R, really?¡± Meldon has never told her that. Just like Adrisha said, he was a cunning human being. ¡®The patterns are useless, so how will she find the fortune teller?¡¯ Dalia sighed. Adrisha said after thinking for a while. ¡°Or you can try to ask Sir Cedric.¡± ¡°Sir Cedric?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like him being close to Dalia¡­¡­ But now is not the time to be fussy about that. What would have happened if he hadn¡¯t been therest time?¡± Adrisha said depressingly. Dalia patted the back of her hand. ¡°In the past, he used to run away from the Imperial Pce every day and lived there, so he¡¯s probably closer to the people over there than I am.¡± That was right. He was the only chance that she has now. She had to schedule the next ss with Cedric. In the meantime, she had several more sses with Cedric to read books and exchange opinions. There wasn¡¯t much progress. ¡®I¡¯ll send him another letter again.¡¯ After Adrisha left, Dalia wrote him a letter. Then she remembered the book report he gave her, and read it again. The book reports were better than before, but for the most part it was like this. [Honestly, I don¡¯t understand] [But I¡¯ll try to understand it as much as possible because Dalia says so] [But still, this is a bit..¡­.] ¡®Haa¡­¡­¡¯ Even when she read it again, this was serious. Still, it was a positive change in that he started trying to understand. At this point, Dalia was genuinely curious. ¡®Will Sir Cedric really understand humans?¡¯ It¡¯s already been more than half a year since she started the strange ss with Cedric. Dalia imagined a human-like Cedric. Cedric whoughs, cries, smiles and talks kindly even to strangers. She couldn¡¯t imagine it at all. Perhaps Cedric was the most like himself now. Maybe she¡¯s asking too much from him. Even in the original, Cedric doesn¡¯t even understand the letter ¡®hu¡¯ of humanity until the end. Thinking of the original, Dalia felt ufortable. She shook her head to drive the thought away. There was still a lot of time left until his ending. ¡®I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s do what we have to do first.¡¯ The sses with Cedric weren¡¯t all bad. Thanks to this, Dalia was also gradually umting humanities knowledge as she read the books together. She took out a paper and wrote a letter to Cedric. She simply told him some of the dates that she was avable to do the ss and end the letter. And she sent the letter to the Imperial Pce by passing it to the maid. Two weekster, when autumn arrived, the two met again. Cedric opened the library door and looked at Dalia as she entered. She wore a light green dress today and had her gray hair curled and tied up. She had severalrge books in her arms. Dalia turned 17 after spending one season, so she was at an age when she dressed up like an adult. No matter how much people said it, he did not want to admit it, but Dalia was a beauty. When she has no expression, she looks cold, but when she smiles, she gives off a bright and refreshing feeling because of her mouth shape and natural eye smile. When Dalia showed up at the ball in a blue dress duringst summer, everyone in the ballroom looked at her. It was then that Cedric understood a little bit why Hikan was overprotecting Dalia. He looked at Dalia and quietly thought. ¡®If Dalia was older than me.¡¯ It would have been nice if she was about five or ten years older than Cedric. And if they had met 5 yearster. So that, if Cedric was about 20 years old and Dalia was about 25 or 30 years old. Then he could have used his young appearance to entice her more aggressively. Cedric seriously regretted it. ¡°Sir Cedric!¡± Dalia found him and walked towards him with a smile. He hid his dark thoughts inside and smiled softly. ¡°Hi, Dalia.¡± Dalia smiled without knowing what Cedric was thinking. She ced the book she was carrying across from Cedric. She then dragged her chair and sat down right next to the desk he was sitting at. It was narrow as their elbow almost touched. ¡®This is kind of close?¡¯ She didn¡¯t realize it until she sat down. Cedric has grown a lot during thest half a year, and now he¡¯s as tall as most adults and has broad shoulders. So, as time went by, she became more conscious of their distance. But she couldn¡¯t change her seat now. She took out the pen she brought and Cedric¡¯s book report and put it side by side. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve read the book report. Thank you for being honest.¡± As soon as she said that, she was speechless. What kind of feedback should she give after reading that? While contemting, she struggled to find the merits. ¡°But Sir Cedric is amazing. I couldn¡¯t understand this part no matter how much I thought about it. After reading the report, I understood it.¡± Dalia said while pointing to somewhere in the folded part of the book. Cedric pretended to listen and pay attention, but he seemed distracted. ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re not listening, are you?¡± Daliained. Cedric immediately apologized. ¡°Sorry. I was thinking about something else.¡± ¡°Sir Cedric.¡± She crossed her arms over the table as she lowered her eyebrows. She was contemting whether taking this ss would be meaningful or not, and Cedric was distracted. Dalia seriously pondered what the significance of this ss was. Cedric lowered his eyes as if he were reflecting on himself. Dalia waited for a moment and said. ¡°If Sir Cedric doesn¡¯t want to change, it¡¯s okay as it is now.¡± As if he thought that she would scold him, there was a slight surprise in Cedric¡¯s expression. However, Dalia was serious. She came here to say this in the first ce. Dalia deeply sighed. ¡°I¡¯m the one who asked for something weird in the first ce, right? I¡¯m also reflecting on myself right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even now, Sir Cedric is good to me in many ways, so you don¡¯t have to take these sses too hard because of me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Even now, you¡¯re saying this in consideration of me too. Sir Cedric is a good person.¡± ¡®Yeah, what if you hate people?¡¯ After much deliberation, this was the conclusion Dalia came to. If Cedric wants to understand people, Dalia will do her best to help. But if he didn¡¯t want to, it would be right to quit here. At least for her, the current Cedric wasn¡¯t bad either. No matter what others said, he continued being nice to her. She didn¡¯t want to force him more. Cedric looked at Dalia, a bit perplexed. Is it because she said something shameful? Dalia suddenly felt embarrassed for no reason. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°No, I have never heard that I¡¯m a good person in my life even from my mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why I was a little surprised.¡± What kind of life has he lived so far? Dalia couldn¡¯t even imagine. ¡°¡­¡­ So what do you think, Sir Cedric?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Whether I should continue this ss or not.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll make any progress just by reading books like this.¡± He held his chin and spoke in a low voice. Still, she didn¡¯t know that he would give such a straightforward answer, so Dalia looked a little hurt. ¡°Then for the next ss¡­¡­ I think it would be better to stop.¡± Since Cedric being honest like this, it would be right to stop this ss here in any way. She struggled to suppress the feeling of regret that she felt. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± But Cedric suddenly denied it. ¡°What? But just now¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The ss must go on. Otherwise, I¡¯ll spend less time with you.¡± Trantor Note: So umm Cedric..I¡¯m older than you¡­I¡¯m willing to be *cough* seduced *cough* (? ?? ?)? Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Cedric¡¯s direct way of speaking still often bewildered Dalia. While she was in a dumbfounded state, Cedric rested his chin on his hand and said with a smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t we change the teaching method a little bit?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Change how?¡± ¡°From now on, we will read books and discuss for a long time, share our daily life with each other, eat together, and write letters to each other often¡­¡­.¡± That seems like they were getting closer to improving friendship rather than trying to understand humans. Cedric wedged Dalia, who was flustered. ¡°No more meetings with the author.¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s¡­.¡± She can¡¯t believe he brought it up here. She didn¡¯t know what to do and looked confused. Cedric yfullyughed. ¡°Then, for the next ss¡­¡­let¡¯s try a different method.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡± She finally managed to escape from that topic. That was the result when she listened to Cedric¡¯s own opinion. Now there¡¯s only one thing left. ¡°Sir Cedric, I have a question.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Dalia opened her lips. ¡°How to find someone?¡± Cedric¡¯s expression changed to a serious one after hearing the brief exnation of the situation. ¡°Adrisha does say useful things sometimes. I¡¯ll have to thank herter.¡± ¡°She always says the right things.¡± Dalia protested timidly. Cedric gave a short apology before he got into trouble again. ¡°You can¡¯t tell who you¡¯re looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you¡¯re looking for someone, go to 59th Street Winston. That¡¯s where people who hid their identity and disappeared gather. Of course, there are many counterfeiters and mercantile agencies.¡± 59th Street Winston. 59th Street Winston. Dalia repeated the name several times to memorize it and wrote it down on the paper she brought. ¡°I can go with you if you really want to. Like Adrisha said, I have a rtionship with a few people there.¡± However, the reply was not as relieving as expected. There¡¯s something that was bothering her. Dalia raised her head and asked. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Cedric answered with a pause. ¡°Of course it¡¯s good for me to go with you, but I don¡¯t know if going with you will be of any help in terms of the sess rate.¡± She didn¡¯t understand what he meant. Fortunately, Cedric exined it further. ¡°I didn¡¯t end things well with the people there. They are probably afraid of me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t end things well with most people.¡± Cedric looked depressed with his eyes lowered. It was the first time she saw him looking sullen. Dalia wants to tease him for some reason. But he looked so seriously sad that she held it in. ¡®Just what did you do?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t surprising. Cedric hates humans. It would have been more disappointing if he got along well with criminals without any hesitation. ¡°Why don¡¯t you change your face like Mr. Meldon?¡± ¡°People in the back alleys have good eyesight. They can tell when you put on a disguise. You can even change your hair color and eye color. If you go, I will help you with that.¡± It was luck among the misfortunes. Dalia¡¯s gray hair was notmon. If she made a mistake, she might be caught. ¡°Anyway, I want to be with you, but I think it would be better to not go with you for your sake.¡± Cedric lowered his eyes with a serious regret. ¡°I rmend not taking Adrisha either. It will be bad. She can¡¯t stand injustice and is very sensitive about certain crimes.¡± It was a very strong point. Cedric probably doesn¡¯t know Adrisha as well as she does. ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll send someone who can help you. Go with him.¡± ¡°Oh, is that okay?¡± Cedric gave a beautiful smile. ¡°I¡¯m different from people like Hikan. I think you should go if you want to.¡± Even though Cedric mentioned her favorite person, she couldn¡¯t refute it this time. He smiled vaguely as if he knew Dalia¡¯s heart. ¡°Go. Tell me what happened after you came back.¡± ¡°Thank you. Really, truly.¡± ¡°Then will you allow me to kiss the back of your hand?¡± Daliaughed inside. What does he mean by kiss? He was someone who turns red just by holding hands. She confidently held out her hand. Cedric¡¯s long fingers intertwined with hers. His fingers went in between her fingers, and before she knew it, she was interlocking with him. Cedric sped her hands, pulling her hands so that they touched. Instead of bowing, he pulled the hand he held, turned it around, and kissed the back of her hand briefly. The texture of his lips remained on the back of her hand without gloves. Everything happened too quickly and naturally. In an instant, blood rushed to Dalia¡¯s cheeks and ears. Even without looking in the mirror, she could tell the color on her face right now. Cedric¡¯sughter could be heard over Dalia¡¯s ears, which were iparably redpared to thest time. ¡°I knew you¡¯d do this, so I practiced too, Dalia. I no longer blush to this extent.¡± Dalia couldn¡¯t say anything more. As if swallowing a whole hot stone, the fever rose vigorously to the depths of her heart. Cedric was a grown up like her. She suddenly realized that fact. * * * It was embarrassing enough to die, but anyway, after arranging the date with Cedric, Dalia set the date for the visit sometime next week. That afternoon, she secretly coaxed the coachman to hide her destination from Hikan and went out. She was caught going out secretly by the Emperor in the past, so the coachman was very reluctant at first. ¡°Miss, if I get caught again this time, I¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Then I¡¯ll take responsibility for Hans¡¯ter years.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Dalia secretly slips something into his pocket. Perhaps he saw hister years from the money she gave him, and the coachman went on without a word. Dalia stopped the carriage at the meeting ce where Cedric told her. There was really someone waiting there. He was a tall man with strong features. As soon as he saw Dalia, he said a predetermined code. As soon as she said the code, he immediately knelt down and showed courtesy. Fortunately, he skipped kissing the back of her hand like Cedric did because she didn¡¯t wear gloves. Just remembering what happened back then, Dalia¡¯s face became feverish again. He handed the coachman a letter that seemed to have been sent by Cedric and sent him back. And he guided Dalia to another carriage. ¡°You can get in here.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± ¡°You can speakfortably.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still someone from the Imperial Pce..¡­.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s morefortable for me.¡± Even if he couldn¡¯t go, he would attach a spy belonging to the Imperial Pce to Dalia. Dalia was about to cry at Cedric¡¯s kindness. This person was Wayne. He was a serious and talented spy whose name appeared several times in the original. Besides, Cedric was the one who sent him, so he must be reliable. Dalia swallowed the edible magic bead made by Cedric with water. After a while, her hair, which flowed down over her shoulders, turned to in brown. She checked the color of her eyes with a hand mirror. Her eyes had also changed to the same brown color as her hair. ¡®Amazing.¡¯ He said that it wouldst for about 5 hours every time she ate one, and he gave her plenty of them. Dalia checked the time with a pocket watch and put it back. ¡°You said that you¡¯re looking for someone who¡¯s hiding under the guise of being dead. If so, he must be a person who can report death and falsify his identity at the same time. As far as I know, there is only one person who can do that in the capital. We¡¯ll go to him.¡± He drove the carriage himself and took her in front of an old house. For some reason, her heart was pounding as if she had be the main character in a crime movie she had seen in her previous life. Wayne knocked on the door several times with a unique rhythm and after a while, the door opened. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 He went in first and held the door for Dalia. Thankfully it was just an ordinary house. What¡¯s unusual was that the door was definitely open from the inside, but no matter how much she looked at it, there were no traces of people? ¡°Please wait for a bit.¡± Wayne searched every corner of the house as if he were familiar with it, and pulled the lever to reveal the stairs leading to the basement. ¡®The basement is a little scary.¡¯ But now wasn¡¯t the time to argue about that. Dalia went down the stairs with him. It wasn¡¯t just one floor, it was very deep. After going down nearly 100 steps, arge hidden room appeared. One side of the room was full ofrge bookshelves, with old scrolls and stacks of paper piled up on each shelf. A man was sitting at a desk in front of the library. She felt awkward about her face as she had disguised herself like Meldon. Seeing that everyone with good eyes knows, it seemed that even if the viewer knew it was a disguise, hiding their face was a priority. The man who was sitting raised his head and looked up at Dalia. A strange hoarse voice came out of his mouth. ¡°What brought you to this shabby ce, Miss?¡± ¡°The youngdy has nothing to say to the insignificant you.¡± Wayne stepped up. Dalia raised her chin like an arrogant noble girl. Soon, a predetermined lie flowed out of Wayne¡¯s lips. ¡°The youngdy wants to find someone who pretended to be dead and created a new identity.¡± ¡°Goodness, you¡¯re talking about something big. Trust is the most important thing in this world. If I blew it here, who¡¯s going to give me jobs next time?¡± ¡°We will pay you. Money that you will never earn in your lifetime.¡± ¡°There are a lot of people whoe here and say that. They all went back empty-handed.¡± ¡®Of course they would.¡¯ Wayne nced at Dalia. She nodded. He walked in front of the man and continued his words calmly. ¡°The youngdy recently learned the secret of her birth. She is not the child of the person whom she had believed to be her father, but that she was born from her mother¡¯s rtionship with another man. If she can meet her real father, the youngdy is willing to pay as much as you want.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sad story. But like I said, it¡¯s meaningless to say it here¡­¡­¡± ¡°His previous name was Bellium Cadic. I ask for your leniency.¡± Obviously, the man flinched for a moment when he heard the name. Wayne, an experienced spy, could not miss it. He spoke again with emotion. ¡°Please, I beg you. She cries every night because she wants to find her father.¡± Then the man looked at Dalia with piercing eyes. He then spoke in a voice that seemed to hide his bewilderment. ¡°That¡­¡­ with all due respect, what is the family name¡­¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s top secret. But the youngdy said she was willing to disclose her name if she could find her father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The man bowed his head with a clearly troubled face. Wayne looked at Dalia and nced at the man. There was nothing more to listen to now. Still, Dalia decided to wait a little longer out of courtesy. ¡°¡­¡­Alright. I can¡¯t pretend not to know when you¡¯re so desperate. Then I¡¯ll look into it¡­¡­ arghh!¡± However, Wayne¡¯s personality was a little more impatient than Dalia¡¯s. He immediately grabbed the man¡¯s neck, pushed it to the desk, and sealed his arms. The man quickly tried to activate the secret device, but Wayne¡¯s knife was faster than that. With only a one-handed knife and very precise hand movements, he destroyed all the main parts of the mechanical device the man was trying to grab. As soon as the man saw it, he lost all his will to fight and slumped. All of this happened in less than 10 minutes. Dalia sighed. At the same time, she was happy. Because she doesn¡¯t have to worry about needlessly looking elsewhere. ¡®Whew, I¡¯m d I found him right away.¡¯ Dalia gave Wayne a signal. Without hesitation, he immediately removed the man¡¯s disguise skin, revealing his original face. Even though a lot of time has passed since then, a face that still retains the appearance of a man in his 20s appeared in front of Dalia. Uncharacteristic auburn hair and eyes. Dalia seemed to know who he was. It was the fortune teller she was looking for. * * * This method was used by Meldon to find the identity of the fortune teller in the original work. She felt a little guilty, but in life, the winner was the one who hit first. This was the man who sold the drug that will not age to the Empress and made Beolde drink it.(*t/n: I changed Veord to Beolde, since that name exist hehe) In fact, it was true he was both a fortune teller and a pharmacist. Sadly, however, he was an ipetent swindler. When he was young, he sold fake medicines by pretending it was a love potion. asionally, he spent the night with an innocentdy who came to buy medicine because she was broken-hearted. Needless to say, he was a very handsome man that even people who did not like him have to admit it. If the tail is long, it will be stepped on, and eventually, ady who was about to get into political marriage was pregnant with his child. He was in a hurry to take care of her somehow, so he scammed the Emperor¡¯s fianc¨¦e. But how would you know? He was ipetent and a quack, and didn¡¯t know that was the first drug he seeded in. As a result, he was chased by the worst madman in the history of the Mershain ducal family. To make matters worse, thedy hid the fact that she was pregnant and just proceeded with marriage. Unable to believe this, he disappeared into the underworld. Still, he was smart. No counterfeiter will ovee the pressures of the Imperial family and the Mershain ducal family and keep his trust with them. So he became a counterfeiter himself, forged his death certificate, and created a new identity. It was unexpectedly suited to his aptitude, so he took it as a new job. After all, it was customary in the industry for counterfeiters to hide their faces. Perhaps he was still scared of Beolde, so he also drank the drug he had given to the Empress himself. More than 20 years have passed since that incident, and there are not many people who will doubt a young man in his 20s. However, he also had an unfulfilled desire for a family. Thanks to this, won¡¯t he fall for the ridiculous story of ¡®nobledy looking for her real father¡¯? Bellium Cadic was not his real name. It was the fake name he told thedy who was carrying his child. Dalia felt a little absurd for him to be shaken by his daughter who was looking for him now when he didn¡¯t even tell his real name. In fact, if the daughter finds out about his existence, she will search for an assassin to erase the only stain in her life. Anyway, Dalia was now at an age where she wouldn¡¯t lookpletely young. Since he had never seen his daughter before, she thought that she was at a simr age. ¡°The Mershain ducal family offered 100,000 Dillons to capture this man. And yet you immediately found the man no one else couldn¡¯t.¡± Wayne said in pure admiration. Dalia became embarrassed and touched her cheek. It felt like she was being praised for things that someone else did. ¡°I have something to say to this person. If it¡¯s okay with you, can you give us some space?¡± ¡°Yes. Scream if anything happens.¡± Wayne quietly left the room without asking anything. Dalia crossed her arms and looked down at the fortune teller. As soon as the restraints were released, he sped his hands together and bowed to Dalia. ¡°I have sinned greatly! I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°So you know it.¡± ¡°Please! If you¡¯re not from the Mershain ducal family! Please! Please keep this a secret! I¡¯ll give you that much money.¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­Do you think I came all the way here because I was upset about the money?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m sorry!¡± It was apletely servile attitude. Being dragged by Beolde seemed terrifying to death. ¡®Is she that scary?¡¯ Five years ago, she was famous enough to shake the social world for her notoriety, but when Dalia debuted, she had already disappeared, so she couldn¡¯t figure it out. Dalia squatted down to reach the fortune teller¡¯s eye level. ¡°Well, I¡¯m here because I have something to ask you. If you tell me that, I¡¯ll continue to pretend not to know.¡± ¡°Is, is that true?¡± ¡°Then, would I lie?¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± The fortune teller grabbed Dalia¡¯s hand and looked up at her with a hopeful expression. There must have been a pathetic 40-year-old man inside, but his face was so good-looking that it was such a waste. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re asking, but I¡¯ll answer sincerely! Ask me anything!¡± ¡°Then teach me how to break the curse of Beolde Mershain.¡± The man¡¯s hopeful face stiffened. If she didn¡¯t know the original work, she would have mistakenly thought that there was no way to break the curse. ¡°If, if it¡¯s an antidote, I can make it. But as you know, Lady Beolde is the type of person who is immune to any drugs, curses, or blessings. But how can I¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I know. I know everything.¡± Because Meldon interrogated him here and figured out the way. ¡°The drugs used by fortune tellers, not by doctors, is a kind of curse after all. Every curse has its own remedy. Only fortune tellers know that. Should I tell you everything I know here?¡± No new curses or antidotes work for Beolde, who has awakened the ¡®nullification¡¯ trait. Instead, it is possible to make the initial cursepletely gone. However, it was only the fortune teller who knew the method. That¡¯s why Beolde had been looking for him so much. Dalia purposely put on a scary expression on her face. It was an expression that had never worked in her life, but fortunately it seemed to have worked for this terrified man. He hesitated, then barely opened his mouth. ¡°Yes, there is a way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But it is a method that Lady Beolde can never use.¡± ¡°Just tell me for now.¡± The fortune teller beckoned for her toe closer. He looked genuinely worried. As if he couldn¡¯t predict what his future will be like if this bes known. ¡®Just what is it?¡¯ Dalia listened carefully. The fortune teller whispered in her ear. The way to do it was¡­¡­ Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Dalia left the fortune teller¡¯s house with Wayne. A piece of rolled parchment was in her hand. ¡°Miss, what is that thing in your hand¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Huh? This? Nothing, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Dalia shook her head and stuffed the parchment into her bag. The things that she just heard were still lingering in her mind. Did she really hear it right? Perhaps her ears were deaf, there was some hidden metaphor in the fortune-teller¡¯s words, or was there a big difference in the way the twomunicate? Anyway, the dice has been cast. Now that she met the fortune teller and heard the way to do it, she had to meet Beolde. ¡®But when we meet, what should I say?¡¯ She was confused. Wayne escorted her home safely. He had a hard time following her all day today. ¡°Thank you so much for today.¡± ¡°No, it was fun.¡± It wasn¡¯t a fun schedule even if it was a joke. Wayne answered the question from Dalia¡¯s obvious expression. ¡°How does such a youngdy like Miss know such a world so well?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be my new research goal.¡± Hit by the nail on the head, Dalia tried to give a bright smile with so much effort. The next time she goes to see Beolde, she will have to take him with her, and it seemed that she could not help but raise his suspicions again. ¡°¡­¡­ His Majesty the Emperor has told us before.¡± ¡°Wh, what?¡± ¡°From now on, we must regard Dalia Pesteros as one with His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That means if you are in danger, the first priority is to defend you, Miss.¡± ¡®Your Majesty¡­¡­¡¯ It¡¯s really touching, but where did the Imperial Emperor¡¯s dignity go? Dalia seriously agonizes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know why at the time, but I think I know now.¡± Wayne gave a subtle smile. ¡°Please call me again next time.¡± For some reason, it seemed that there was a huge misunderstanding. * * * Anyway, she knew how absurd the way to break the curse was. Now Dalia had to make ns to find the Beolde. But this wasn¡¯t an easy task either. Transcendents were far superior to ordinary people in all aspects other than their awakened abilities. Such a person has decided to disappear in earnest, it can¡¯t be easy to find. Even the Emperor needed toe out to find the 17-years old Cedric. ¡®How should I do it?¡¯ ¡°Dalia, the soup has be cold.¡± After putting a spoon in the soup and stirring it for a while, she came to her senses only after she heard those words. Hikan was staring at Dalia. ¡°Do you have no appetite?¡± ¡°No. I just thought about something else for a second.¡± Dalia gave a bright smile. However, Hikan¡¯s gaze was still fixed on Dalia. ¡°You seem to worry a lot these days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It seems to be difficult to tell me, so I won¡¯t ask.¡± He went back to eating. Dalia realized a fact that she had missed out on for a moment. ¡®Come to think of it, brother knows better than me about the chaotic rumors regarding Lady Beolde at that time.¡¯ ¡°Brother, can I ask you a question?¡± Hikan nodded. ¡°What kind of person was Lady Beolde Mershain like?¡± The cherry tomatoes Hikan was trying to take with a fork were crushed badly. He looked clearly perplexed. ¡°¡­¡­ Why are you asking that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± ¡°Do you have no idea what kind of person she is?¡± Dalia shook her head. Hikan pondered for a moment before opening his mouth. ¡°Ten years ago, there were often bear attacks on local estates. Among them, once every 100 years, a giant bearparable to a monster would appear. Such bears were ughtered and they were named in honor and recorded.¡± ¡°Why are you talking about bears all of a sudden¡­¡­?¡± ¡°At the time when Beolde Mershain was active, all the giant bears that appeared were given her name or nickname. I think that would have been enough exnation.¡± Upon hearing that, Dalia also remembered one of her nicknames that she had forgotten in the original. ¡®Frederic¡¯s giant mad bear.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Dalia lost a little confidence in finding Beolde. Still, Dalia mustered the courage and asked. ¡°Do you happen to know where she is right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t tell me, are you trying to find her?¡± It was a very obvious question. She couldn¡¯t help but get caught. Dalia nodded. ¡°Just why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡­I just want to see what kind of person she is.¡± Hikan made a slightlyplicated expression. It sounded like she just made up the reason. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I know you¡¯ve been dealing with many people that others can never handle. But she will be as difficult.¡± Dalia felt the same way too. But still, Dalia had to find her. She had to take Dalia¡¯s side unconditionally. Otherwise, she will be the one who would go over to Aceras and sell the Empire right away. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I have to find someone for this reason.¡¯ Dalia became sad. Hikan sighed. ¡°But if you really have to find her, there¡¯s a way.¡± Dalia¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected words. Hikan said as he tiredly swept his hair. ¡°Since I have a job to do, I have no choice but to find out. She¡¯s a subject of surveince in many ways, so we need to keep track of her location.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not going to go there in person, are you? You¡¯re sending someone you can trust, right?¡± At that moment, a sharp gaze fell on Dalia. Naturally, she felt like she was stabbed, but she nodded naturally. The ambiguous acting usually does not work for Hikan. Fortunately, he seemed to believe it. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to go in person, so I¡¯ll send a suitable person. I¡¯m still busy with work to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Is it because of that work?¡± He agreed silently. ¡°They are still under interrogation.¡± Previously, Hikan used his own ability topletely confine the fanatics who had invaded the Pesteros vi. Several months have passed since that day, but the interrogation still continues. There was a lot to gain, and it will not be easy to break the fanatic¡¯s bizarre beliefs. Dalia felt sorry for Hikan. If he had been born in Dalia¡¯s previous world, he would have been a freshman by now. A person who should have a happy life while drinking alcohol for the first time then ck out, and date someone in his department, but now that person was indefinitely interrogating people. Of course, she knows that the age of a transcendent cannot simply be viewed the same as the age of the general public.¡­¡­ After the meal, Dalia held Hikan¡¯s hand tightly as she was about to leave and said. ¡°Tell me if you¡¯re having a hard time. Okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay.¡± For some reason, his reply sounded dubious. However, there were always many circumstances for every person. Isn¡¯t she lying to Hikan right now too? Instead of questioning further, she just smiled. * * * Dalia met Wayne again through Cedric. Cedric obediently obeyed once he heard the news that she had found the person she was looking for and asked to borrow Wayne again. ¡°Are you saying that this time, you want to track down the person your brother monitored?¡± Wayne rarely showed reluctance. Withstanding her apologetic heart, Dalia nodded. She couldn¡¯t help it. Dalia was betting a lot on Beolde. The more insurance she has, the better it will be. Hikan knows Beolde¡¯s approximate location, but he will never tell Dalia. That means that if Hikan fails, it will be over without any clues. ¡°Or¡­¡­can you find Lady Beolde Mershain¡¯s location yourself?¡± Wayne¡¯s expression darkened. For him who in his early 30s, the name will remain a vivid horror. ¡°I will try both. But, in my honest opinion, I¡¯d like to stop either way. She will be difficult for Miss to handle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I know, but it¡¯s still something that I have to do.¡± Wayne didn¡¯t ask what was going on. His loyal and tight-lipped personality has been praised several times in the original work. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll see you again when I get a clue.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always grateful to you.¡± Dalia lowered her eyebrows and expressed her sincere thanks. Wayne politely declined. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. If I dare to say, if you tell this to Prince Cedric instead, he will like it even more.¡± It was true. Dalia wrote a letter of thanks to Cedric. The reply came back a few dayster. It was a sweet and friendly tone as always. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Three weeks after that. Dalia often met with both Cedric and Adrisha during her spare time and they studied in various fields, that was when Wayne came to see Dalia in the carriage. He seeded in following Hikan¡¯s subordinate and finding the traces of Beolde Mershain. ¡°I found her easier than I thought. That person doesn¡¯t really¡­¡­hide her track.¡± It meant that she was living as recklessly as she could regardless of whether she would get caught. Wayne recounted what he had found about Beolde. What he said was truly shocking. Beolde was said to have formed her own organization in the underground world and have criminals as the members. Of course, she did not openly act under her real name. However, she did not show any intention to hide it. ¡®So brother also¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡°She¡¯s a subject of surveince in many ways.¡± If she was the head of a criminal organization, she would indeed be a subject for surveince. Dalia finally understands what he meant now that she knows the true meaning of those words. Even though she worked on it explicitly, the current Duke of Mershain couldn¡¯t admit that his older sister and former head of family was a criminal, so he was in a rush to hide it. She was sorry to say this to a stranger, but she felt sorry for him. Since she was a transcendent and the head of a Ducal family, she desired nothing, whether it was money or power, but there was no other exnation for the fact that she turned to that direction except that crime was suitable for her. ¡®¡­¡­Scary.¡¯ ¡°Then, since it would be impossible to approach her, should we just wait until brother secretly goes and meets her?¡± Dalia said with a weak voice. But Wayne shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t rmend that.¡± It was an unexpected firm tone. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Lady Beolde will respond to Duke Hikan Pesteros¡¯s request. It seems that the Duke has already noticed the person she has attached to him and is contemting whether to kill or save him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Goodness.¡± She needs to meet Beolde as soon as possible before an ident urs. Dalia urgently asked. ¡°Then can Wayne connect her to me?¡± Wayne gave a heavy nod after a while. ¡°There¡¯s a way to do that.¡± ¡°When will we be able to meet?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Are you really going to be okay? I am truly concerned about Miss. She is not someone who will cover and change her behavior.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have a way. Trust me.¡± It was unknown whether it would work or not, but the probability of sess was close to 80%. Dalia was confident. But if she were in Wayne¡¯s shoes right now, it would be impossible to trust her. But in the end, Wayne gave up. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll trust the wit that Miss showed mest time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a week, at 6 p.m. at the same ce asst time. Just in case, I¡¯ll be prepared for any situation.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Wayne silently left. That night, Dalia opened up the parchment paper given by the fortune teller, preparing for the big event. As it was a n that she had worked hard on, she hoped that it would be sessful if possible. She tried to simte what she would do in the case of all kinds of unexpected situations, and then went to bed with confidence. Before she knew it, the day that Wayne promised for her to meet Beolde had arrived. Dalia arrived at the ce where she was supposed to meet Wayne with nervousness. She arrived more than 30 minutes earlier than expected because she was very nervous. She pondered for a bit and decided to send her coachman back. She didn¡¯t want to let him spend dangerous time with her for nothing. However, she was worried about pickpockets now that she was alone. Dalia was contemting and held the bag in her arms. She was waiting for Wayne alone with her bag in her arms when- Suddenly, she felt a heavy shock as if someone had hit her from behind. ¡°Cough!Cough cough!¡± She coughed because she couldn¡¯t breathe properly for a moment. She covered her mouth with one hand. Perhaps he was aiming for when she was caught off guard, but a hand sprang out from behind and grabbed Dalia¡¯s bag. As she came to her senses, she put strength to her arms so that it would not be taken away. ¡®In, in just a short time?¡¯ She realized that she had underestimated the dangers of this back alley. But she should never lose this. The person holding the handle of the bag from behind Dalia came to the front, as it would not work as it was. Still, if he had been an adult man, he would have taken the bag right away, but fortunately the pickpocket that appeared was a boy a little younger than Dalia. ¡°Eeek!¡± He clenched his teeth and tried to remove the bag from Dalia¡¯s arms. She put all her strength into the bag and endured it with all her might. If this was taken away, she needs to say goodbye forever to the possibility of lifting Beolde¡¯s curse. It was then that she remembered the pattern that Meldon had given her. ¡°When you can¡¯t use the Pesteros¡¯s name for some reason, show them this pattern if someone is being rude.¡± This was all that she could believe in now. Dalia loosened her hand holding the bag. When the strength that had been holding out suddenly disappeared, the boy fell to the floor. Before he came to his senses to pick up the bag and ran away, Dalia hurriedly tapped her wrist twice. And without the time to look around, she showed it to the boy. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The boy stared nkly at Dalia¡¯s wrist. Did she show him an empty wrist? Dalia took a nce at her wrist. Fortunately, she was safe. He should have seen enough by now. She hid the pattern by tapping her wrist twice again. ¡®¡­¡­Did it not work?¡¯ Then the boy slowly moved. He picked up the bag that had fallen on the floor, dusted it off, and politely held it to Dalia with both hands. ¡®It worked.¡¯ Dalia quietly received the bag. The boy searched his pocket and handed it over to Dalia. It seemed to be his entire fortune, but it looked light at first nce. ¡®¡­¡­ I don¡¯t need this much!¡¯ It would be better to take candy from a child. Dalia shook her head and refused. ¡°Apologize instead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± The boy, who quickly hid his pocket, perfectly bent his waist. ¡°I¡¯ll ept any punishment!¡± Then, Wayne appeared just in time. Realizing the strange situation, he bowed to Dalia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should havee earlier.¡± Before she knew it, Dalia received two apologies. With a sigh, she told both of them to stand up and pointed to the boy. ¡°¡­¡­.It¡¯s a pickpocket.¡± ¡°You did not get hurt?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was just a little surprised.¡± In fact, her back was throbbing a little. However, if she said that she had a bruise on her back, neither the boy nor Wayne would be safe. Fortunately, she did not fall so there were no visible injuries. ¡°Should I hand him over to the guards?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­. if it¡¯s okay with you, let¡¯s find out who¡¯s behind this as well.¡± There was usually arger organization behind these children. If it¡¯s from the original, the one behind this was probably Meldon¡¯s stepfather, Verix. She didn¡¯t expect much for him to be caught, but she thought that it would be better to say something. ¡°I understand.¡± He whistled in a quiet pitchless tone. Soon arge hawk flew and sat on his hand. Dalia¡¯s eyes widened at that sight. ¡°It¡¯s a hunting hawk. The ws are sharp, so it will be difficult to escape until the guardse.¡± The boy looked calm as if he had epted his fate. Although it troubled her, Dalia was also in a hurry. She quickly climbed into a new carriage, leaving the boy under the hawk surveince. Wayne gave her the clothes he had prepared in advance and stood outside the carriage door. Dalia changed into the clothes Wayne gave her in the carriage. She thought that it wouldn¡¯t hurt, but when she leaned on the carriage to take off her stockings, it really hurt. Seems like she has a bruise. She kept her back straight. ¡®Still, this pattern is more effective than I thought.¡¯ There seemed to be many ces where it would be useful in the future. Originally, she was going to send a signal to Meldon by now, but thanks to the appearance of the pickpocket, everything worked out. ¡®¡­¡­It would be nice if Mr. Meldon showed up soon.¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know if he¡¯ll understand Dalia¡¯s signal ande to her. Dalia has changed all her clothes. The clothes that Wayne gave her was a in linen dress. As soon as she was done changing, she also changed her hair and eye color with the magic beads Cedric gave her. He said that it was better not to show that she was a noble when she went to meet Beolde. This was because she terribly hated the noble¡¯s pompousness. This time, Wayne will meet her under the pretense of a business transaction. It seems that Dalia will intervene there. Dalia opened the carriage door slightly when she was ready and signaled Wayne to depart. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Once they arrived at the meeting point, Wayne got off first. From now on, Dalia had to pretend to be the attendant who followed him. Wayne has apologized and asked for understanding from Dalia several times because of this. ¡°Also, I really didn¡¯t mean to be rude¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will never tell Sir Cedric.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Thank you so much.¡± That also happened. Dalia sometimes needs to run a bit to catch up with him who walks in front. Even looking from his back, she could see why Wayne belonged to the Imperial Pce. From the way he walked to his gestures, he looked like apletely different person. He turned around at the end of the alley and stopped in front of a five-story building. It seemed to be the meeting ce. Dalia looked around. She was expecting it just in case, but even after a while, Meldon showed no signs of appearing. In fact, she didn¡¯t have much expectation that he would appear in front of her just because she showed the pattern once, but her heart was hoping that it would happen somehow. She needed to deal with Beolde, a formidable transcendent, but she was somewhat uneasy to go without a transcendent with her. However, she couldn¡¯t call Cedric who had a bad reputation here. Hikan waspletely out of the question. So, she bet on the other possibility just in case, but it seems that it didn¡¯t work after all. ¡®No, let¡¯s do it well even on our own.¡¯ Wayne opened the door to the building. The person waiting inside saw him and raised his chin toward the upper floor. ¡°She¡¯s in another meeting right now, but it¡¯ll be over soon. Go up first. Or just wait.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go up first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the kid behind you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m illiterate. I brought someone to read for me.¡± ¡°Idiot. Go.¡± Fortunately, they passed without a doubt. Dalia went up to the fifth floor with Wayne. Wayne whispered in a low voice on their way up. ¡°It seems that the previous negotiations are not going well.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Normally, negotiations here get longer when that happens.¡± So that¡¯s the reason. Dalia didn¡¯t know well, so she just epted it. There was only one room on the fifth floor. The two stood in front of the door in the hallway. Wayne took a tool out of his pocket and stuck it on the door as if he was familiar with it. It certainly looked like a wiretapping device. ¡®He¡¯s really thorough.¡¯ Wayne looked at Dalia and shook his head. As expected, something didn¡¯t seem to go well. He quickly retrieved the device and put it in his pocket. After a while, the door mmed open. It was a middle-aged man in his 50s who came out. He seemed infuriated. He couldn¡¯t ovee his anger and shouted back inside. ¡°Do you think your family will be safe if you do this?¡± Instead of an answer, she heard a cheerfulughter. The man stomped on the floor and when he found Dalia and Wayne, he hurriedly adjusted his expressions. ¡°¡­¡­Ahem, lowly things.¡± Why were they the one who gets called lowly when he¡¯s the one who gets caught getting angry? Dalia had a very reasonable question. Then, when she met the man¡¯s gaze, she hurriedly bowed her head. He seems like a noble, she will be in trouble if he finds out who she was if they meetter. ¡®His face looks familiar¡­¡­.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t think of who he was right away. However, the man seemed to have interpreted Dalia¡¯s behavior strangely. With a somewhat satisfied expression, he took out his wallet and handed her a business card. ¡°You look cute. Contact meter if you want.¡± She really didn¡¯t want to receive it, but she needed to see Beolde first, so she shouldn¡¯t make a fuss. Dalia took the business card as she looked closely at Wayne, who looked like he was going to kill people with his eyes. The man smiled in satisfaction and put his hand as if he was trying to pet her head¡­¡­but his hand was twisted. ¡°Aaargh!¡± The man grabbed his broken hand and screamed. She was wondering if it was Wayne, but he also had a bewildered expression on his face. When she turned around, Meldon was standing there with a bright smile. He took the business card in Dalia¡¯s hand, tore it in half and threw it out of the window. He was a person who appeared in a really unexpected situation. ¡°¡­¡­ Mr. Meldon?¡± Dalia called out his name involuntarily and covered her mouth with both hands in panic. And he shook his head vigorously, telling her not to say his name. Meldon nodded to see if she understood. Dalia nodded as well. ¡°Wh, what is this!¡± She heard a sharp voice. Looking back, the man was screaming at Meldon while holding his broken hand that would take at least eight weeks to recover. Even Dalia looked at Meldon with the same sentiment. He has a familiar face, and seeing that he mentioned her family to Beolde, this man seems to be from a high-ranking family, but even though Cedric was behind Dalia, was it okay to just leave it like this? But the man who was screaming suddenly shut his mouth when he saw Meldon¡¯s face. ¡°¡­¡­How can you be here¡­¡­? No, more than that, what have you done¡­¡­!¡± Meldon broke into a smile. ¡°No, even though you are my father, seeing you behaving so ugly makes me feel a little¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Father?¡¯ Dalia¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected words. If so, it meant that the man was Meldon¡¯s father, Duke Artus. When she heard that, she remembered what party she had seen him at. He saw Dalia when she was very young and hasn¡¯t seen her ever since. So he didn¡¯t seem to recognize her grew up. ¡®What is Duke Artus doing here?¡¯ Dalia looked at Wayne with her head still bowed. Wayne quickly pushed Dalia behind his back to block her from the man¡¯s gaze. He didn¡¯t seem too surprised to find out that the Duke of Artus had an illegitimate child. Unlike Dalia, he probably knew right away who Duke Artus was when he first saw him. Duke Artus quickly hid his emotions and spit them out like a politician. ¡°Father? There are all kinds of crazy people.¡± Even if he spoke harshly, he seemed to know that it was his loss to exchange words with Meldon. He grabbed his hand and hurried down the stairs with his knight. It was like seeing a member of the National Assembly running away from reporters on political news in her previous life. Meldon followed the Duke¡¯s back with his eyes, then immediately leaned down and whispered in Dalia¡¯s ear. ¡°How did the young miss of the Pesteros family end up here like this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­There¡¯s a reason for this. Anyway, how¡­¡­?¡± This was Beolde¡¯s base. He didn¡¯t join before they arrived, nor did he make an appointment separately, but how did he manage toe up to the fifth floor? Meldon began to exin calmly. ¡°Didn¡¯t Miss show the pattern to someone 30 minutes ago?¡± That was what Dalia intended. She nodded her head. ¡°I can track your location for 30 minutes after showing it. But since Miss came to a ce like this, I was wondering if you were involved in something bad again.¡­.¡± ¡®Ah, I guess he thought I was being kidnapped again.¡¯ Dalia was bewildered by the unexpected rescue signal she had sent. Meldon chuckled. ¡°But I¡¯m d that you¡¯re okay. I feel sorry for the people downstairs.¡± Looks like everyone was beaten. Dalia inadvertently looked at Meldon¡¯s hand. Fortunately or unfortunately, there was no blood on it. On the other hand, she was wondering if Beolde would let them go safely even if the negotiations went well. ¡°Let¡¯s go in first.¡± Wayne told Dalia. She looked at Meldon. ¡°Since you¡¯re here¡­¡­ Do you want to go in with me?¡± Even if it was a misunderstanding, he chased Dalia all the way here, but it didn¡¯t seem polite to send him back now. Besides, it will looked strange for him to go down here again. How awkward would it be to meet Duke Artus again downstairs? Originally, she thought that it would be reassuring to have at least one transcendent to apany her when she met Beolde. When she looked at Wayne to ask for permission, he also nodded. It seems that Wayne didn¡¯t want Beolde to misunderstand that he broke Duke Artus¡¯ wrist. ¡°I¡¯m okay with that.¡± As expected, Meldon smiled mischievously. Anyway, the group, who had grown from two to three, entered Beolde¡¯s room. In that room, a boy was half lying on a chair with his two long legs on a desk and his hands on his stomach. He was a very handsome boy. A porcin like white forehead could be seen under the short golden hair. The half-closed purple eyes had an alluring glow that did not suit the age. A few buttons were loosely undone on the oversized shirt, and on the contrary, the pants fit properly. Only after seeing the boy for a long time did Dalia realized that it was Beolde. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a boy.¡¯ They said her growth stopped at the age of 20, but she was almost like a teenager of Cedric¡¯s age, perhaps younger than most 20 years old. ¡®I think she looks a bit like Cedric since she is his aunt.¡¯ Then, Beolde raised her eyes. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not here for business, are you? Are these crazy bastards trying to mess with other people¡¯s work?¡± Even her voice was husky like a boy. Dalia was stunned by the harsh profanity. Meldon, the culprit of the situation, simply smiled and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°These crazy people. The reason I didn¡¯t kill you now is because you broke the wrist of the annoying bastard who just left.¡± That was such a relief. Beolde got up from her seat and went up to Wayne. Then she noticed Dalia hiding behind him and her eyes widened. ¡°Now what¡¯s this? You look quite cute?¡± She stroked Dalia¡¯s hair without permission. Fortunately, Cedric¡¯s magic remained and her hair color did not change. Wayne spoke, secretly blocking the gap between Dalia and Beolde. ¡°Sir Beo, you can talk to me¡­¡­¡± ¡°Be quiet. I¡¯m talking right now.¡± What followed was more shocking than Beolde¡¯s insincere alias. She crudely pushed Wayne away. Although it looked like she pushed him with no effort, Wayne was pushed far to the back, unable to stand right away and staggered by holding onto the wall. Beolde nced at him. ¡°Wayne, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with the Emperor¡¯s dog, but I know everything about you in the first ce. I just called you because I was curious about what you were going to say. So just say what you want and get lost.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Beolde grabbed Dalia¡¯s wrist and pulled her. Then she crossed her arms around her neck and ced her chin on the top of her head. She knows in her head that she¡¯s actually a woman, but Dalia was a little shaken because she looks like a handsome blonde boy. ¡°And you.¡± Beolde looked at Meldon, still resting her chin on top of Dalia¡¯s head. A beast-like growl was heard from her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re that Artus¡¯s illegitimate bastard right? I have a good impression of you but you messed up my workce. I heard that you had a falling out with Verix. Do you think you¡¯ll be able to continue doing business here with me too? I¡¯ll let you live for now, but be prepared to break an arm.¡± ¡°Can you even break it?¡± Meldon smiled and provoked Beolde. There was a grinding sound above Dalia¡¯s head. Just by listening, she could hear an ominous and chilly voice. ¡°This crazy bastard¡­¡­.¡± Dalia felt some huge energy gathering above her. Dalia¡¯s hair floated in the air as if there was static electricity with tremendous force. There was no magic flowing, it was a phenomenon that was created solely by Beolde¡¯s intense force. Dalia hurriedly unraveled the magic on her hair and eye color and escaped from Beolde¡¯s arms. The auburn color of her eyes and hair gradually faded, and her original gray hair and blue eyes appeared in an instant. Beolde¡¯s attention turned to her at that moment. The vicious atmosphere around her subsided in an instant. ¡°Now what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the littledy of the Pesteros aren¡¯t you?¡± Taking advantage of the moment, Dalia quickly held her skirt and bent her knees to show courtesy towards Beolde. ¡°Hello, Lady Beolde. I¡¯m Dalia Pesteros.¡± ¡°Hmm. I saw you when you were a baby. You¡¯ve grown a lot.¡± Beolde crossed her arms and said in a rxed tone. It felt ipatible when she said that with the appearance of a blonde boy. ¡°I asked Wayne to find a way because I wanted to meet Lady Beolde. Please don¡¯t me him too much. And what happened downstairs¡­¡­it¡¯s from a misunderstanding caused by me. That was my fault too.¡± Dalia continued on politely. Beolde quickly calmed down. In the original, she was hot-tempered. ¡°It¡¯s fine. What¡¯s going on anyway?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to teach Lady Beolde on how to break your curse.¡± At the same time as she said that, Beolde¡¯s expression, who had the appearance of a pale young boy, gradually disappeared. An ominous feeling ran down her spine. She had thought that this would be the case to some extent, but Beolde¡¯s reaction was much more intense than expected. The force from before erupted from Beolde again. It was much more powerful, iparable from before. ¡°What you just said¡­¡­you¡¯re mocking me even when you know what that means to me?¡± Once a transcendent outraged, the army would have to be mobilized, and she could see the reason for that. Dalia, who received the force head-on alone, was likely to copse like this. Wayne also found it difficult to stand up. Only Meldon stood up to that force and gently held Dalia¡¯s shoulder just enough to keep her from falling. She would have fainted right away if it¡¯s not for his help. If she falls here, Beolde will not meet Dalia again. Everything will go in vain without any reward for her efforts. ¡®Meldon was able to win her support because he held out here.¡¯ But will she, who was not a transcendent, be able to endure until then? At that time, cold energy flowed in from one side of her wrist. Dalia nced at her wrist. The pattern that had obviously disappeared before was now glimmering softly. It was clear that Meldon was helping her. Thanks to that, Dalia barely managed to gain the strength to speak out against the force. ¡°¡­¡­Lady Beolde, you won¡¯t regret it once you hear it. My proposal is real.¡± ¡°Then show your will. Exin it here like this. How do I break my curse?¡± As if to show her wrath, Beolde¡¯s pupils were almost as small as dots. But no matter how angry she was, isn¡¯t this too much? Dalia was here to help this person. ¡®This this¡­¡­ future¡¯s traitor! The Crazy Bear!¡¯ Dalia poured out all kinds of criticism against Beolde in her mind. Relying on the energy that Meldon gave, she barely managed to open the bag she had brought. The parchment that she tried so hard not to lose was inside. It was given by the fortune teller. She reached out her trembling hand to hand it over to Beolde. Surprised that she was still holding on, a little light appeared in Beolde¡¯s eyes. She approached and took the parchment from Dalia¡¯s hand and read it. As Beolde¡¯s force eased a little while she was reading, Dalia was able to barely breathe properly. ¡°¡­¡­What is this? You¡¯re saying that the bastard justpletely handed over to you the right of the curse?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about what it means?¡± Dalia responded provocatively. She was a little angry with this treatment too. Fortunately, instead of getting more angry, Beolde followed Dalia¡¯s advice. She was lost in thought. She soon understood the meaning of the smart girl¡¯s words. Beolde¡¯s force weakened a bit more. Dalia did not miss the moment and continued to speak quickly. ¡°Lady Beolde, I found the fortune teller who made the drug that you took. You¡¯ll know by looking at the name written there. I heard the conditions of the curse from him. Originally, he had to monitor you to fulfill the conditions, but now I¡¯m the monitor.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the condition for that?¡± Finally, it reached this point. Dalia was sure of her victory. Now, upon hearing this condition, Beolde has no choice but to side with her instead of Aceras. She opened her mouth as she stared straight at Beolde, who was looking at her eagerly. ¡°That is¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is?¡± ¡°Ah, I suddenly feel dizzy¡­¡­!¡± Instead of answering, Dalia pretended to faint with her hand on her forehead. Meldon went along with it and caught her copsing. ¡°Oh no, Miss! You must have a hard time! How can this be¡­¡­!¡± ¡°No, so what was it!¡± Beolde burst into anger. Dalia nced at Beolde through the gaps in her hands and cried out in pain even more. ¡°Ugh, hearing the loud noise gave me more headache¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, poor Miss Dalia¡­¡­¡± Meldon wiped away fake tears. Beolde who was watching was going crazy. There were two ways to annoy people the most. One was to stop talking¡­¡­. Beolde had never been in a situation like this before in her life. It was clear why Dalia, who had been holding out well so far, was acting out like this now that she has gained strength. It means that she wants an apology. But she didn¡¯t want to do that. She had never apologized even once in her life. Even after beating up an annoying tutor, afterpletely broke off the legs of a young master of a noble family during an argument, after stealing her sister¡¯s drug and getting cursed to not grow old, or even when she was deprived of her title, she came all the way here to run a criminal organization and cause the blood pressure of her family to rise! Not even once! Dalia pretended to faint. Meldon, who was holding her, was now acting like she was about to die, covering her face with a handkerchief. Seeing that, Beolde¡¯s patience has reached its limit. ¡°Okay, sorry. Shit! I said I¡¯m sorry!¡± Then Dalia opened her eyes with a twinkle. She did something crazy. However, now that she was this far, Beolde had to listen to the end unconditionally. She also didn¡¯t want to go all the way to the annoying Pope of the Holy Empire. It was a hundred times better to please that Pesteros littledy. Then, what was the way to end this damn curse¡­¡­? ¡°The condition is to do 100 good deeds.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°Of course, that good deed can only be recognized with my approval.¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a way. But that¡¯s a method that Lady Beolde can never use.¡± Do 100 good deeds. That good deeds must be recognized by the fortune teller. Even under such conditions, he did not dare to manipte Beolde, the swindler fortune-teller was a person with innocence that did not suit him at all. He just handed over the authority of the curse in exchange for her overlooking his existence without any proof. ¡®Besides, he thinks that she can¡¯t do it.¡¯ Just what kind of monster did he think Beolde was? Just until yesterday, Dalia intended to take advantage of his innocence and solve Beolde¡¯s curse in a good way. But now she changed her mind. She will use these 100 good deeds tenaciously. With that determination, Dalia really groaned in pain. She understood why people in the past would get sick and die just by encountering a tiger. Beolde was literally a beast. It was not a force that ordinary people could bear. Fortunately, there was a bed on the fourth floor because it was a renovated inn. In a small room, Beolde, Meldon and Wayne all gathered and surrounded Dalia, who was lying in bed. It looked like someone on the deathbed with a limited time left to live. Dalia tried to chase someone away with her arms outstretched, but was disappointed when she realized that there was no one being chased out. ¡°Is that¡­¡­true?¡± Beolde pulled a chair around her and sat backward. Then, she put her hands on the chair¡¯s back and buried her face. ¡°No, that¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Actually, I lied when I said that it was a lie.¡± It was the first time Dalia realized that she was such a mean person. She smiled as she looked at Beolde. At that moment, the back of the chair that Beolde was holding turned to dust in her hand. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Dalia erased her smile and turned to the ceiling as if she had seen something she shouldn¡¯t see. As expected, it¡¯s better to do it moderately. Beolde rose from the seat while brushing her hair. ¡°Damn it. I¡¯m going to organize my thoughts.¡± She kicked the chair she sat on out of anger and left the room. The part of the chair where Beolde sat was cave in. Now only Wayne and Meldon were left in the room. Wayne knelt down at Dalia¡¯s bedside with a miserable look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. I couldn¡¯t keep my order to protect you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, it¡¯s okay.¡± It was Dalia¡¯s fault for underestimating Beolde. Instead of the seemingly useless trait of ¡®nullification¡¯, Beolde was exceptional in all aspects. It was unbelievable that she managed to drive people to the brink of fainting only with her force. Is that a human being? A beast. A big bear. Damn bear. Dalia criticized again on the inside. Thanks to this, her headache returned and she frowned. Wayne hurriedly put a cold towel on Dalia¡¯s forehead. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I have reflected.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that I can¡¯t stand the force that even such a young person can endure it head-on.¡± Dalia quickly blinked. In fact, there was a secret here. Her gaze very subtly moved to Meldon and reached him. When their eyes met, he scratched his cheek with a shy expression on his face. ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ This time, he strangely doesn¡¯t look like he was being cheeky even if he acted like that. ¡°And I was amazed.¡± When he said that, she looked at Wayne again. His eyes were strangely stained with respect and aspiration. ¡®Huh?¡¯ It seemed that he had somehow instilled a strange illusion of her. ¡°How did you endure her force alone with such a weak body. I also thought that I had transcended the limits of human beings once, butpared to Miss, I am still far from it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No matter how much the Mershain ced the bounty, no one could find the fortune teller¡­¡­ I should have noticed how extraordinary Miss was when you found him at once.¡­.¡± ¡®Uh, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ She just copied what Meldon did. However, Wayne¡¯s misunderstanding only deepened. ¡°Did you know how to break the curse from the beginning? From the moment you found the fortune teller, did you expect everything to be like this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even predict how far Miss is looking at.¡± Dalia turned her head awkwardly and nodded. ¡°Uh, huh¡­¡­¡± ¡°Miss, I¡¯m¡­¡­¡± Wayne was about to say something again. However, if he opened his mouth again, Dalia would turn into a squid. She hurriedly stopped him and pointed to Meldon.(*t/n: probably some korean saying but I can¡¯t find the meaning) ¡°I, I have something to say to this person. Can you give us some space?¡± ¡°Yes. Excuse me.¡± Wayne immediately bowed silently and left the room. Meldon¡¯s eyes widened and he pointed at himself with his finger. ¡®With me?¡¯ That was what his eyes were saying. She couldn¡¯t stand it, so she let Wayne go, but it was true that she had something to say to Meldon. She nodded her head. Meldon pulled the chair and went closer. First, she needs to thank him. ¡°¡­¡­Thank you. For following me ande all the way here.¡± ¡°No, if I leave this alone, I will die in the hands of Sir Cedric.¡± Those words seemed sincere. He doesn¡¯t seem to think too much about giving strength to the pattern. Dalia pointed it out. Meldon shrugged as if it were nothing. ¡°Anyway, it wasn¡¯t really a big deal, was it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re bold.¡± ¡°And it was funny. I¡¯ve never seen the Mershain crazy bear apologizing. As expected, you have to live a long time to see this.¡± He seemed genuinely happy when he said that. He held his chin and looked down at Dalia with his eyes narrowed. ¡°It seems that interesting things keep happening around Miss.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°So please let me join in from time to time.¡± Meldon tapped his wrist indicating to call him if necessary. Dalia gave a little smile. She knows that it¡¯s a location tracker.¡­.she will never use it anymore. ¡°Mr. Meldon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you not interested in the Artus Dukedom?¡± A momentter, Meldon answered. ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re saying something dangerous.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done this without Mr. Meldon. So, I¡¯ll give to Mr. Meldon about ten of Lady Beolde¡¯s good deeds.¡± Dalia¡¯s words were generously sincere. In the first ce, she discovered the fortune teller and Beolde were all thanks to Meldon in the original story. Dalia only followed what he did. Just in time she had an appropriate excuse, since she was also nning to make him the Duke of Artus with this opportunity. It wasn¡¯t just because she felt sorry for Meldon. The original consists of three routes. Aceras route, Meldon route, Lewayne route. However, the only way for Meldon to be the Duke of Artus was only during the Meldon route. Why can¡¯t he be Duke Artus on another route? Lewayne route has no particr reason, but there was a clear reason why he could not be the Duke of Artus in Aceras route. That was because the current Duke of Artus, whom Dalia had just met, was secretlymunicating with the Holy Empire. So, the current Duke of Artus ys an active role in kidnapping Adrisha to the Holy Empire on the Aceras route. In the end, in order to stop Aceras, she had to get rid of the Duke of Artus quickly. At that time, Meldon asked Dalia. ¡°When did you know that I was a transcendent of the Artus family?¡± Dalia frowned and looked at Meldon. He still asked that even after calling the Duke Artus as his father and killing a man in front of her eyes with that fist? Thinking about the same thing, Meldon awkwardly shut his mouth. ¡°The person who gave me the business card was Duke Artus. Do I need to say more?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Lady Beolde Mershain will returns to the society, and with her support, Mr. Meldon will have a say. If the three other families except Artus acknowledge that Mr. Meldon is a transcendent, you can be incorporated into the family.¡± There are two ways for an illegitimate child of a family to enter the family with transcendent traits. Originally, the family should recognize him on their own, but if this was not the case, if the transcendent of the other three families acknowledges that he was the transcendent of the family he imed to be, he will be incorporated into the family naturally. This was because every bloodline of the transcendent greatly contributes to the national power of this empire. In fact, after he convinced Beolde like the way Dalia did, he forcibly wins the approval of the Pesteros and Blueport families under the full support of the Mershain family. In fact, it was difficult to deny him as part of the Ducal family when he had the transcendent traits. ¡°However, Artus wouldn¡¯t want me to be the head.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re confident.¡± Dalia said casually. Meldon smiled awkwardly as she hit the mark. After that, his eyes gleamed with a different light than before. His lips drew a belligerent smile. This side of him was the closest to his nature, which he has been hiding so far. ¡°Miss strangely seems to know me too well. We¡¯ve seen each other a few times at best.¡± ¡®¡­¡­Did, did I make a mistake?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t know. Didn¡¯t Mr. Meldon shows interest whenever you see me?¡± Dalia hid her embarrassment and responded naturally after Meldon. Fortunately, Meldon liked it andughed once more. Then, Beolde kicked the door and came back to the room where the two of them were. ¡°Shit. I¡¯m ready now.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡­?¡± ¡°As you said, I will do 100 good deeds that are not even funny.¡± It was good news. Dalia removed the wet towel from her head and raised herself up. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ She didn¡¯t realize it when she was lying down, but the bruised spot started to hurt. Meldon was staring at her. ¡°What should I do first? Yeah?¡± ¡°First of all¡­¡­ Why don¡¯t you clean this up and go back to the Mershain family?¡± As if she had expected it, Beolde showed dislike, but did not refuse. She nervously sat on the chair that she had kicked. Then the chair tilted as if it were copsing. Beolde stood up again while swearing. At that time, a man hurriedly appeared in front of the door with a surprised expression. ¡°Sir Beo! Some bastard has devastated the headquarters¡­¡­ !¡± Astonishingly, it was three hours after Meldon had appeared in the building. He probably was out and came back just now. Beolde looked at him pathetically and gestured with her chin. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re the owner of this ce. I¡¯m retiring.¡± The man made a stupid expression. Dalia expressed her condolences to the dark future of this organization. Until now, the head was Beolde, and the Mershain family protected them even if something happened, but now there will be no protection from neither Beolde nor Mershain. The man looked happy without knowing his future, which had only a downhill path. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Beolde tore a piece of paper and wrote Dalia the address of her mansion. The address was the residence of the Duke of Mershain. She contacted the head of the Mershain informing that she would now return home. Dalia recognized this as one good deed. There were 99 left now, Beolde was pleased. ¡°I will report to you whenever I do something good in the future, so just wait.¡± ¡°That¡­¡­you know the standard for it to be called good deeds, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. So I¡¯ll just try it all. Something will work.¡± Beolde shamelessly answered. Even when Dalia looked at her again, her good-looking face shone brightly. It¡¯s hard to believe that she¡¯s in her 40s. If she could, she wanted to tell her to keep up with her age.(*t/n: means Beolde¡¯s mental age is not on par as her actual age.) ¡°Anyway, bye.¡± Beolde asked Dalia to shake hands. Without thinking, she took the hand. But at that moment. Crack. For a moment, Dalia thought her hand was broken. But the sound was noting from there. It was precisely the sound of the ring on her finger breaking. ¡°Huh?¡± Beolde looked down at her hand with nk eyes. ¡°¡­..Nul, nullification¡­¡­now?¡± Dalia had goosebumps all over her body. Beolde¡¯s power can nullify all except for the ability of the transcendent. Although the ring given by the Emperor to Dalia has his power, but, his ability as a transcendent was ¡®the ability to read people¡¯s emotions¡¯. In other words, the Emperor¡¯s power in the ring was of a kind that could be nullified by Beolde. When the Emperor¡¯s power was released, Dalia¡¯s ability was activated. Her power to purify the soul of the transcendents. ¡®But it was okay when she hugged me earlier?¡¯ That was when Cedric¡¯s magic of changing hair and eye color was at stake. Cedric¡¯s ability was ¡®multiple attribute magic¡¯. Therefore, Beolde could not nullify it. So it seemed that Beolde¡¯s power did not reach the ring. Beolde looked at her with a more shocked expression than when she knew how to lift the curse. ¡°Who are you?¡± Meldon raised one eyebrow and looked at them alternately. He seemed to have noticed that the situation was strange. ¡®No! I can¡¯t ever get caught by Mr. Meldon!¡¯ She can¡¯t face the Emperor if both of them find out. Dalia immediately fell into Beolde¡¯s arms to stop her from talking. ¡°Goodbye, Lady Beolde! I¡¯ll miss you!¡± ¡°Ye, yeah.¡± Beolde awkwardly hugged her, nced at Meldon then looked at Dalia in her arms. Her eyes gleamed. She whispered into her Dalia¡¯s ear. ¡°Yeah, I get it roughly. You have quite an amazing power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Since I didn¡¯t say anything about it, acknowledge it as one good deed.¡± ¡®¡­¡­Just how simple is this person?¡¯ She nodded her head in a hurry. Beolde hugged her, lingering for a while, and finally let her go. It was like seeing a giant leopard clinging to a human. ¡°Please do it again next time.¡± Leaving a meaningful remark, Beolde left in the carriage sent by the Mershain. ¡®Fortunately, it went well.¡¯ She was d that Beolde was a simple person. Now it was time for Dalia to return. Then Meldon put her coat around her shoulders as she was about to leave. It felt heavy for some reason. ¡°Huh?¡± Dalia looked back at Meldon. He smiled and greeted her. ¡°See you next time.¡± ¡®Perhaps, did he notice?¡¯ It felt ominous, but she nodded. Then she took Wayne¡¯s hand and climbed into the carriage. The carriage soon departed. Dalia habitually leaned her back against the seat and flinched. It wasn¡¯t because of the bruise on her back. It was because there was arge, soft cushion on the back of the coat that Meldon had wrapped around her. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Meldon didn¡¯t notice. He was just being considerate of her. ¡®I looked like a fool.¡¯ She smiled bitterly. And she looked out the window with her back leaningfortably against the seat. 12. The Second Ball Dalia went to the Emperor the day after she met Beolde, sharing the now familiar hug. As soon as he saw Beolde who just returned, and Dalia¡¯s broken ring, he seemed to have noticed immediately what had happened. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t expect that Miss Dalia would go to see Beolde.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, Miss Dalia. Come here and eat something delicious.¡± When the Emperor heard that Dalia likes desserts, he separately asked the imperial pce chef to set up a dessert tea set on one side of the office. Dalia held the fork with tears in her eyes at his consideration. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did, but Miss Dalia did a very good job at keeping Beolde¡¯s mouth shut. So I think you can rest assured. Strangely, Beolde seems to be stuck with Miss Dalia¡¯s words.¡± The Emperor created a new ring in the air and gave it to Dalia. ¡°It¡¯s good that you got caught. It¡¯s a new ring that excludes Beolde altogether. This will be able to protect Dalia without being affected by the Beolde. Instead, having contact with Beolde will not stop you from purifying her soul.¡± Even then, she was d that things didn¡¯t go too seriously. Dalia breathed out a sigh of relief. * * * Wayne escorted Dalia until she arrived at the mansion. He smiled as he dropped Dalia off at the mansion. ¡°This is really the end of myst mission.¡± He looked a little sad. Dalia felt grateful to him again. ¡°You¡¯ve worked so hard so far.¡± How could they find the fortune teller and meet Beolde without him? With this, everything really came to an end. There was a mishap in which Beolde knew Dalia¡¯s ability, but rather, this might be a good excuse to bind her to this Empire. Then all that¡¯s left now was to help Meldon to be the Duke of Artus through Beolde? Wayne faithfully helped Dalia until all this was sessfully ended. Just because he belongs to the Imperial Pce and because of Cedric¡¯s request¡­¡­. ¡°It¡¯s not hard.¡± Wayne grinned. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t think that way if you knew how much Sir Cedric paid me in exchange for helping you with this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± For a moment, Dalia thought she had heard it wrong. She looked up at Wayne, surprised by thepletely unexpected remark. Seeing the satisfaction in his eyes, it seemed that he had been taken care of without regret. ¡°Did, did you get paid?¡± Wayne looked at Dalia as if she had said something unexpected. ¡°The only person we are loyal to is His Majesty the Emperor. Originally, we didn¡¯t take requests from anyone else, but we received it since it was the Prince¡¯s request and it was rted to Miss.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°We should at least get paid for the mission. If we don¡¯t, we will be disciplined by the imperial family.¡± Dalia med herself for trying to get help from the Imperial Pce for free. Moreover, since he was a member of the Imperial Pce, she did not think that the money woulde out of anyone¡¯s pocket. However, looking at the situation, Cedric certainly seemed to have paid a huge amount of money on behalf of Dalia. Did he say that another job wille after one job? Her face went pale at the unexpected situation. ¡°Wh, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Wayne looked at Dalia in confusion. She quickly shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I, I see. You did well. Goodbye.¡± She forced Wayne to leave because she was worried, and immediately wrote a letter to Cedric. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Three dayster, she went to the Imperial Pce¡¯s garden, where Cedric was waiting. ¡°¡­¡­Sir Cedric!¡± ¡°Yeah, Dalia. Did your work finish well?¡± He smiled calmly at Dalia. She bluntly asked him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cedric really didn¡¯t seem to know the reason for her visit. As evidence, Dalia¡¯s favorite dessert was prepared in advance. Now was not the time to eat these things, but to figure out the reason why he didn¡¯t say a word about this matter. However, Dalia¡¯s body automatically sat in front of the delicacies spread in front of her. She came to her senses while eating the mille-feuille on the first floor of the tray as Cedric led her. ¡°No, wait a minute. I didn¡¯te here to eat this!¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°How much did you give to Wayne?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Aha.¡± Cedric quickly realized why Dalia was doing this. ¡°I forgot to tell him to shut his mouth. I thought he wouldn¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Of course you have to. I asked for help because I needed it. But why did Sir Cedric pay for it?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t take privatemissions. They wouldn¡¯t have received your request no matter what. So I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°Then you should have told me!¡± Dalia looked very upset. Cedric seemed perplexed since he didn¡¯t expect that she woulde out like this. She immediately felt sorry because she was angry with the person who did her favor for no reason. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Anyway, tell me how much you paid Wayne. I will pay you back.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°No, I have to do that.¡± Dalia was always grateful to Cedric for treating her well. But paying for her work was apletely different matter altogether. She had to be very strict about this. Cedric continued to hesitate. ¡°¡­¡­ Can you pay it back in some other way instead of money? An Imperial Prince¡¯s instructor receives quite a lot of money. Think of it as a tuition fee.¡± ¡°No. I have to give it to you in cash.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cedric stared into the air, sighed, then he took out the pen from his chest pocket, and wrote the numbers gracefully on the napkin. Then he handed the napkin to Dalia. Dalia prepared herself. He was a spy belonging to the Imperial Pce. Of course it¡¯s extremely expensive¡­¡­. ¡°Oh my God!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Dalia rose about 10cm from the chair. Cedric gently grabbed her by the shoulder and sat her back. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s why I said you didn¡¯t have to pay me back.¡± Cedric sighed. Dalia carefully folded the napkin a few times, as if it were a check, and kept it inside her bag. Her hands trembled. ¡°H, h, how did you get this much money?¡± Dalia roughly knows it. The portion of the budget allocated to an Imperial Prince that can be used as his personal allowance was very limited. This wasn¡¯t the money that woulde out from the level of that allowance. ¡°People need secrets to be attractive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you are someone like me who has to look good to others, you have to hone your little charms.¡± He never meant to say anything. Dalia sighed deeply. ¡°I will pay you back. Is it okay if it takes a little longer?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay me back, but it¡¯s okay if it takes a long time. Either way, do itfortably.¡± Cedric gave a calm smile. Talking with him normally like this made her feel reassured that she had ovee a big hurdle this time. ¡°So, did you finish your work well?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s all thanks to Sir Cedric.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were looking for my aunt.¡± Dalia looked at Cedric in surprise. Did Wayne tell him? However, the contents of the duties assigned were always top secret. She doesn¡¯t think anyone who knows that well would have told Cedric. Cedric made eye contact with Dalia and shook his head. ¡°I just took a guess, but it seems that I was right.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± No matter how much time passed, it was impossible to deceive Cedric. She became sullen. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard that my aunt returned to the Mershain family. My uncle almost cried because he was so happy.¡± He would be happy if his older sister, who had be a criminal after giving up her position as a noble, was rehabilitated and returned. ¡°It¡¯s really great. It was a pity for a transcendent like her to rot in such a ce. But¡­¡­they left her alone because there was no way they could stop her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But you did it. That¡¯s amazing, Dalia.¡± Cedric smiled beautifully as he folded his eyes. The corners of her mouth twitched without her realizing it. Dalia didn¡¯t want to show that she was excited to be praised, so she took a bite of orange pudding for dessert. ¡®Goodness, it¡¯s so delicious.¡¯ When she came to her senses, only the cup that used to contain the orange pudding remained. She heard Cedric¡¯s voice as she looked at the empty cup in despair. ¡°Come to think of it, a banquet will be held at the Imperial Pce soon. Lady Beolde wille too, would you like to go with me?¡± It was a natural proposal to be a partner. She almost said yes right away unintentionally, but then stopped. ¡°I will discuss it with my brother first.¡± If Dalia chooses a partner at will, Hikan will be disappointed if he finds outter. ¡°By the way, what kind of banquet is it? I didn¡¯t receive any invitation.¡± ¡°My birthday.¡± Dalia choked for a bit while sipping the tea. ¡°B, but there¡¯s some time left until your birthday?¡± Fortunately, Dalia remembered his birthday. There was still over a month left. ¡°Yeah. This time, since my aunt also came, I decided to pull it up a bit.¡± That¡¯s a relief. If she had forgotten, she would have been in big trouble. Dalia wiped her mouth with the handkerchief handed over by Cedric, in cold sweat. ¡°If it¡¯s a birthday banquet, it¡¯s a special day.¡± When Cedric was young, his birthday banquets were often canceled because he ran away so much. The angry Emperor changed Cedric¡¯s birthday banquet to be held once every five years. ¡°It¡¯s a special day. So you shoulde as my partner.¡± Cedric grinned. He always attacks Dalia like this when she¡¯s confused. This time, she gave up and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± Cedric was rather bewildered as he didn¡¯t expect that she would ept it easily. However, since it was Cedric¡¯s birthday banquet, it seemed right to do what he wanted. ¡°Yes, really.¡± Dalia nodded. Then Cedric smiled. It was a clear and transparent smile and the tone of the surrounding background added more to the ambience. A truly rare ¡®real¡¯ smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± When she saw such a smile, there¡¯s a strange tickle in the corner of her heart. * * * ¡°Are you going to be Sir Cedric¡¯s partner for this ball?¡± Adrisha was delighted. Naturally, Dalia thought that she would hate it, but she was a little flustered to see her opposite reaction. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then who is the Duke going with?¡± Since Dalia¡¯s partner has always been Hikan, so Adrisha¡¯s curiosity was natural. ¡°Probably¡­¡­hasn¡¯t been decided yet.¡± ¡°Then can I go with him?¡± However she didn¡¯t expect that. Dalia was in great shock. ¡®No way?¡¯ No way, is Adrisha towards Hikan¡­¡­? ¡°Adrisha¡­¡­really, with my brother..¡­¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t have to be Sir Leonard¡¯s partner this time!¡± Aha. So that¡¯s the reason. Dalia immediately understood Adrisha¡¯s strange reaction. Adrisha has been Leonard¡¯s partner for years. She said that she had enough of it. Crown Prince Leonard was not a bad person, but he was tactless and stupid, making Adrisha often burst into anger. In addition, he even liked her. He tried to hide it, but it was not properly hidden. He¡¯s a bad match for the banquet, by any means. ¡°I have to ask His Majesty the Emperor. There are many youngdies who are seeking the Crown Prince after all.¡± Adrisha said as she swept her attractive ck hair over the nape of her neck and tied it up. As the original female lead, she became more and more beautiful. White neck, smooth nose, and sparkling eyes. Just like Dalia who just had her birthday not long ago, she is now 19 years old. In other words, it meant that the flow of the original work hadpletely begun. ¡®What will happen to Adrisha¡¯s love rtionship this time?¡¯ Please, she hopes that Adrisha can have a happy rtionship with a normal person without getting involved with the original male leads. Dalia suddenly wondered. ¡®Who will take our pretty Adrisha?¡¯ It would be nice if she could live next to her all her life. She hesitated to say her wish. Because, to put it bluntly, she really thought Adrisha would stay next to her without getting married. ¡®Dalia¡¯s decision is the most important thing to me.¡¯ While saying things like this. ¡®Of course, that won¡¯t do.¡¯ Adrisha had many days to live in the future. Even so, she thought in her heart that if it had to be continued, she hoped that it would go well with Hikan and she can stay by Dalia¡¯s side. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Shortly after, Adrishaa¡¯s partner was decided. Fortunately, Adrisha decided to go with Hikan instead of Leonard. The Emperor seemed puzzled that Dalia had unexpectedly be Cedric¡¯s partner. Adrisha couldn¡¯t even tell the truth despite being asked by the Emperor. However, he spected that it was due to when Cedric came to Dalia rescue at that time and that¡¯s how they were connected. Fortunately, the Emperor seemed to fall for that excuse. On the other hand, Hikan unexpectedly epted Dalia¡¯s banquet partner calmly. ¡°I just thought that you couldn¡¯t just go with me forever.¡± Dalia was even more confused by the gentle acknowledgement. ¡°But be careful. Always be cautious with Sir Cedric. You might fall for his acting because you¡¯re weak-minded.¡­.Don¡¯t get confused between juice and alcohol.¡­. And definitely be home before 10 o¡¯clock¡­¡­.¡± But after that, as the nagging bombing poured out, she was rather relieved. As expected, this is how her brother is. In fact, Dalia continued to care about Hikan. He continued to look depressed after the incident. Dalia was worried about him. However, she couldn¡¯t help it because he didn¡¯t tell her the reason. Purifying sometimes was the best thing that she could do. Soon it was the day of the birthday banquet. Dalia greeted Hikan and went to the Imperial Pce early. Today, her hair was braided and hung to one side, and she wore a light hairband. essories were omitted as much as possible. Because what she was going to brag about today was the dress. Today¡¯s dress was a design that Dalia boldly chose. It was a dress that came out while she and Adrisha were choosing dresses for each other while looking at the catalog from the boutique, and Adrisha fell in love with it as soon as she saw it. ¡°This is it.¡± ¡°In, in what sense?¡± ¡°With this, Dalia can dominate the world with your beauty.¡± Adrisha¡¯s sillyments were increasing day by day. Dalia looked at the dress she had chosen with ambition. As soon as she saw it, she was so happy that sheughed until she fell on her back. ¡°Oh my God! What is this?¡± On the surface, it was just a moderately trendy dress. In line with the autumn season, the color was also decided to be light purple. But there was a small twist, and that was the fabric on the back. It was a design that splits in half when it is worn, half of it was cut and the other half is not. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t too low considering Dalia¡¯s age, and it was a very small exposure that usually came only to the top of the brassiere.(*t/n: brassiere = bra) Still, she enjoyed the deviation at this age the most. Dalia closed her eyes and chose it. And when the finished version came, shepared it with Adrisha¡¯s and put it on herself, causing another stir. Madam Mathieu saw it and gave advice. ¡°Goodness, because of this one thing. People might think it¡¯s a transparent dress.¡± But for Hikan, this dress will be no different from a transparent dress. Dalia even camouged it by attaching two fabrics pretending like it had not been cut when she showed it to Hikan. She will surprise him by showing him the real dress at the banquetter. ¡®No, in that case, I might be taken home immediately.¡¯ But it¡¯s already toote. Dalia was already on her way to the Imperial Pce in a dress that shows her half back. Dalia got off the carriage and went to the waiting room as the attendant led her. Adrisha couldn¡¯te with her since she will being with Hikan. Soon Cedric arrived. Dalia was shocked as soon as she saw him. Of course, since he¡¯s so handsome. Cedric was now 19 years old. In the meantime, he became more handsome. He was slim and tall, with a sharp nose, and added strength to his sharp jawline that was full of boyish beauty. Still, the mysterious and beautiful atmosphere was still there, and he was bing more and more handsome enough to threaten Dalia¡¯s heart. In addition, when he was dressed in the royal robes, she felt the majesty of the imperial family. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t we bepared if we went out together?¡¯ Dalia looked up at Cedric with a sad expression on her face. Instead of saying ¡®Hi, Dalia¡¯ as always, he looked somewhat awkward. ¡°Hello, Sir Cedric.¡± ¡°Yeah, Dalia. Was there anything ufortable on the way here?¡± But at the following words, Cedric smiled casually. ¡°It¡¯s a bit chilly since it¡¯s autumn, right?¡± He strode over, took a nket from the corner of the waiting room, and draped it over Dalia¡¯s shoulders. She must have looked cold because of the back. Dalia slightly regretted her choice that didn¡¯t take the season into ount. But she had so much fun while choosing, so it was okay. The two had a simple conversation until the banquet began. When Dalia said she wanted Hikan and Adrisha to do well, Cedric raised an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t seem to agree. It was time to go to the banquet. Dalia pulled down the nket, rolled it up, left it in the corner of the sofa, and stood up. ¡°Are you going¡­¡­like that?¡± Cedric asked in a tone that felt somewhat cautious. Dalia naturally nodded. He stared at Dalia with a somewhat agonizing look, and brought his lips toward her ears with a firm determination. ¡°Dalia.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this just to be cautious¡­¡­ Please know that I have no strange intentions.¡± ¡°Yes, please tell me.¡± ¡°Your dress¡­¡­, I think the fabric on the back is wrong. I can see your back because it¡¯s split in half.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I was going to tell you earlier, I¡¯m sorry. I was so surprised that I couldn¡¯t say anything until now.¡± Cedric continued on rambling, saying that he would call someone to fix it, or even postpone the banquet. Dalia stared at him and burst intoughter. ¡°Sir Cedric! This is how the dress is supposed to be.¡± She swept her braided hair to one side and turned around. She then looked over and smiled as she looked at Cedric. ¡°Look, isn¡¯t it pretty? Adrisha and I worked together to make today¡¯s most groundbreaking¡­¡­.¡± Cedric was silent. Dalia looked up at him. He was looking at her with a pretty frown and bit his lips. The corners of his eyes are slightly heated and it extends to his temples and ears. Dalia was mesmerized for a moment because he was so beautiful and looked like a person who had cried. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yeah? What?¡± Dalia asked in bewilderment. Cedric grabbed her shoulder and put her back on the sofa. Then, after putting her hair to the side, he folded the part of the fabric showing her back and covered her. As he ran his hand across the centerline of her back, the separate fabrics merged and the clothes were sewn together. Dalia was lost on the sight of Cedric¡¯s shocking appearance, and only then did she realize the situation and was shocked. ¡°No, the dress! The dress is sticking!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°This is no different from other dresses! Adrisha and I worked so hard to choose this!¡± ¡°This¡­¡­can¡¯t you do this after you turn 20?¡± ¡°When that timees, I will do something a hundred times more shocking than now!¡± Cedric¡¯s expression became more disturbed. Dalia was so upset that she almost cried. She was looking forward to show off this dress, but now it was sewed badly behind her. Cedric looked genuinely sorry. However, Dalia vowed not to forgive him no matter what he said this time. ¡°Dalia, are you angry?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Dalia did not respond and turned her knees to sit down on the opposite side of Cedric. Cedric sat with his knees bent in front of the sofa and followed her. ¡°Sorry. Instead, you¡¯ll shine the most at the banquet today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­How?¡± Dalia softly asked. Cedric hesitated and brought a small box from above the firece in the waiting room. Then as if proposing, he sat next to Dalia and opened the box then showed it. A bright light emanated from within. ¡°¡­¡­ Wow.¡± Dalia¡¯s attention was stolen. Even she, who doesn¡¯t know much about jewelry, knew this. This was therge diamond ne that the Empress wore to a banquet a few years ago. There was a lot of buzz about the first appearance of a diamond of this size, and the Emperor bought it for ten times the highest price in the auction and gave it to the Empress. Dalia couldn¡¯t go to the banquet at that time due to circumstances, so it was the first time that she saw it in person. It was surprisingly more beautiful in person. ¡°I told my mother that you have made a great contribution to the return of Lady Beolde. As a token of gratitude, she said she would lend it to you if you wanted to.¡± ¡°Goodness.¡± Come to think of it, Beolde was the Empress¡¯s older sister. But she didn¡¯t expect to receive such a gift from her. ¡®But.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t wear this. Even if it¡¯s a gift, who on earth would go to the banquet wearing the Empress¡¯s ne with such a famous anecdote? ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Then Cedric closed his eyes and smiled. He waved his hand once in the air above the ne. ¡°My mother told me to do this too.¡± Then the appearance of the nepletely changed. Everything from the workmanship of the central diamond, to the type of string, to the arrangement of the small jewels surrounding the central diamond. Trantor Note: Ahhh nooooo!! The dress!! I was hoping for this kind of scene though: Dalia: *walk into the banquet with half backless dress* Others: *stare at her in awe* Hikan & Cedric: *giving death re and taking note on the men who looked at her so that they can quietly kill themter* Side note, if that was me, if the dress that I spent time and have fun choosing, was really happy with it and really excited to wear it, to be ruined just like that *cough* bcs of jealousy *cough* I will really bawl my eyes out. 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