《The Villainess Became A Mother》 Chapter 1.1 At that time, I understood that I had been reincarnated and the memories of my previous life were gradually coming back to me. So without knowing the full plot of the ¡®original story¡¯, I was living quite happily and ignorantly. Until I met ¡®him¡¯, the person who would trigger everything. ¡°Laure. Say hello. This is the Duke of Rochester. He¡¯ll be your fianc¨¦ in the future.¡± ¡®D-Duke of¡­ Rochester?¡¯ A handsome, young boy with golden hair and blue eyes that resembled the autumn sky was standing in front of me. The moment I saw him, I was awakened by the truth like a thunderbolt. This world where I was born in was a fictional world inside a novel, and the fact that I was reborn as the ¡°villainess¡± of the original story. And that boy, who will become my fianc¨¦, is the ¡®male lead¡¯. ¡®No way. That¡¯s a lie. This can¡¯t be true.¡¯ My knees gave up, I slid down to the floor with a thud and burst into tears. Both my father and the young duke were so taken aback that they didn¡¯t know what to do. Even with their futile attempts to pacify me, I just wouldn¡¯t stop crying. ¡®Who wouldn¡¯t in my situation, I was destined to be executed and killed at the age of twenty!¡¯ And now, I only have 10 years left to live! It was so unfair. So far, I¡¯ve never done anything bad or cruel, I was planning on being a good-hearted person in the future too, like I¡¯ve always been. ¡°Laure. Stop crying. Hmn? Dad already made up his mind about this engagement. Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Hic¡­¡± While I was eating the chocolate cake that my dad gave me to soothe my crying, I made a promise that day¡­ In order to survive, I will never, ever associate myself with the ¡®male lead¡¯. However, life never goes the way you want it to. ¡°Haaah¡­¡± I sighed. In the mirror set in front of me was a cute-looking woman, wearing a white dress with long pink hair and her eyes were filled with melancholy. Laure Ecree. The youngest daughter of Marquis Ecree. It was me. 11 years have passed since I first met the male lead. Tonight, I¡¯m going to spend my first night with my fianc¨¦, the Grand Duke of Rochester. Much to my dismay, everything is going according to the original plot. ¨C Laure. Won¡¯t you spend the night with me? I couldn¡¯t refuse him as he asked me so intently. Because, even if I knew it was downright stupid, I already came to like him. ¨C Y-Your request, I¡¯m willing to accept it. ¡®Ah! Really! Why did I do that. All I had to do was shut my eyes and say no. I shouldn¡¯t have looked him in the eye then.¡¯ ¡°Haaah.¡± Sighing for the thousandth time, I stepped out in front of the mirror. My fianc¨¦, Grand Duke Calix Rochester, was the main character of the novel ¡°The Devilish Man.¡± There was no one who made eye contact with him for more than three seconds that did not fall in love with him, and there was no one who could ever resist him once they heard his sultry, low voice. He was a very handsome and capable man. And with the Duke¡¯s family name, he could possess everything he wanted. He is someone without any shortcomings. But even to a seemingly-perfect person like him, there was one thing that proved he was also human, and that was trauma, he got it after his family died in an accident when he was seventeen. The Grand Duke of Rochester, Calix, used to have nightmares during those times. The horrible sight of his family members dying before him made the simple action of closing his eyes burdensome. The young man, who was left alone after losing his family, lived in great solitude and remained very lonely in his vast castle for quite a period of time. It was me who stood by his side during those sad and empty times, Laure Ecree. As his fiancee, I visited Rochester Castle almost every day, and in the summer I spent my vacations there. At first glance, Calix seemed unapproachable, but in fact he was actually a fairly friendly person. Even though I hadn¡¯t yet invested some feelings, while taking care of him during those times, I slowly grew to like him. Despite the fact that I strived to never like him, my heart was naturally drawn and I couldn¡¯t do anything. Eventually, I fell in love with him, and managed to survive to this point in time. I still had a chance. ¡°Should I just run away now?¡± I muttered, and with impeccable timing, Calix appeared. ¡°What does that mean?¡± He walked out of the bathroom and was only wearing a blue gown. Through the loosely tied front, a hard-chested torso could be seen slightly. ¡°Laure.¡± He approached me slowly as he called my name. ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t really like this.¡± He said with uncertainty. ¡°T-That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡®Damn, I answered reflexively without realizing it. This was a great opportunity to refuse.¡¯ ¡°If you don¡¯t dislike this¡­ then, are you nervous?¡± Calix brushed his hair backwards gently and asked. I nodded, trying to calm my pounding heart. Y-Yeah. Let¡¯s say it like that. Though there are other reasons that can explain my anxious behavior. ¡°I¡¯m nervous too, Laure.¡± And then Calix laughed softly, his laugh was as sweet as cotton candy. Ugh, this is foul play! You shouldn¡¯t be this handsome. No matter how much of a male lead you are! I wholeheartedly resented the writer even though I personally didn¡¯t know who they were. It¡¯s all that writer¡¯s fault that I fell in love with Calix. If only even 0.1% of Calix was not likable, if only even 0.1% of Calix was not my type¡­ But what¡¯s the point of thinking about this now? There¡¯s no use crying over spilled milk. ¡°Laure.¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± Hearing the sweet voice of Calix, I answered a little feebly. Calix stared at me with his beautiful but sad sapphire eyes. He looked just like a haplessly rain-soaked puppy. ¡®Ugh, it¡¯s not good for the heart. If you look at me like this, I¡¯ll have no choice but to give you everything you ask.¡¯ To be honest, when the heroine of the novel ¡®Sia¡¯ appears in the future, I was planning on quietly giving the seat next to Calix rightfully to her. According to the original story, Laure Ecree, who was wrapped up in jealousy, committed all kinds of evil acts, threatened Sia¡¯s life, and ended up being executed. I didn¡¯t want to die like that. I can¡¯t the blessing of my second life go down the drain just like that. Though my feelings for Calix were sincere, they weren¡¯t in a deep enough stage that would make it unbearably impossible for us to break up. Fortunately. If I had loved Calix enough to sacrifice my body and soul for him, like the original Laure, I would definitely suffer. So, Mr. Male Lead, this beautiful night shall only be left as a pleasant memory. I smiled softly at Calix. ¡°Calix, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little nervous. Y-You know¡­ it¡¯s my first time¡­¡± ¡®Ah, how embarrassing.¡¯ Looking at my cute blushing face, Calix laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle. Laure. I won¡¯t let you get hurt.¡± ¡°I, I believe you¡­¡± My voice turned into a hushed whisper towards the end and I could feel the nape of my neck burn. Calix¡¯s hand touched my cheek. I thought his hand would be cold to the touch, but instead his hand felt very, very warm. Thanks to this, my heart pounded even more. ¡°I like you, Laure.¡± ¡°I like you too, Calix.¡± ¡®I know that your heart will change once ¡®Sia¡¯ appears.¡¯ However, for the time being I¡¯m grateful that your heart is mine. Suddenly, tears welled up in my eyes for no reason. I smiled broadly, wiping the water from the corners of my eyes as Calix held me tight. Translator: Mae Editor: Lys Chapter 1.2 I felt so thirsty as soon as I woke up. I removed the stupid blanket that covered my body and rubbed my half-closed eyes with my hands. Usually at this point, a maid would bring me water, but I didn¡¯t sense any signs of activity outside my room today. ¡®Mmm, why is that so?¡¯ As I opened my eyes questioningly, a glass of water popped out before me. ¡°Aarck.¡± The one who handed me the water was none other than Calix. ¡®W-Why is C-Calix here?¡¯ In bewilderment, I blinked my eyes and looked up at him. Calix smiled. ¡®Ugh, why are you smiling all of a sudden? That¡¯s bad for my heart!¡¯ ¡°Laure. Good morning.¡± ¡°Y-Yes? Ah, Yes¡­¡± ¡®What, what is it? What the hell happened yesterday? Calix¡¯s mood is very unusual. Something seems peculiar and weird¡­ Ack!¡¯ I suddenly remembered. I almost dropped the glass of water he gave me. ¡®I, I, y-yesterday with Calix¡­ kkaaak!¡¯ I gulped down the water, returned the glass to Calix, and swiftly hid under the blanket. The memories of last night kept flashing through my mind, so my heart was palpitating and my face began to burn. ¡®I¡¯m sure I look like a bright red tomato right now. Ah, it¡¯s embarrassing. Really!¡¯ ¡°Laure.¡± Calling my name with a warm, gentle voice, Calix attempted to lift the blanket. I desperately held the blanket and resisted. ¡®N-no! I don¡¯t want you to see my messed-up, ugly face right now.¡¯ However, Calix was much stronger than me. Eventually, the blanket fluttered like a feather and flew over the bed, ¡°Woaaahh¡­¡± As I was exposed, my body curled up like a defensive armadillo, And then I realized I wasn¡¯t wearing anything. ¡®Aack, I must be crazy!¡¯ ¡°Laure.¡± I felt his gown brush against my shoulder. Before long, my body seemed to float, and when I finally came to my senses, I was already in Calix¡¯s arms. ¡°Ugh,¡± I let out a groan as I tried to compose myself. Calix was looking down at me from under his nose. ¡®Keuk, why do you look so handsome? I think there¡¯s a halo that shines brightly from your back.¡¯ ¡°Is your body feeling okay?¡± Calix asked tenderly. I answered with a hushed ¡®yes¡¯. He smiled and hugged me, then headed to the bathroom. ¡°E-Excuse me? Calix?¡± ¡°Hmmn, Laure.¡± ¡°I, I can wash by myself. This is a little¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know if he intended to help me bathe. Calix put me down in a bathtub full of warm water, and rolled up his sleeves. As my body flushed red up until the back of my nape, I avoided Calix¡¯s gaze. ¡®I¡¯m aware that we¡¯ve already seen everything there is to see with each other¡¯s bodies. Still¡­ this is¡­ quite embarrassing, isn¡¯t it?!¡¯ As I glanced up at Calix timidly, he gave me a benevolent smile, which was as warm as a spring breeze. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel burdened. Laure.¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting married soon anyways, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡®O-Of, of course. But soon, you will fall in love with the heroine, which will then cause you to abandon me.¡¯ ¡®And once I get overwhelmed with jealousy, I will commit unimaginably evil deeds and inevitably suffer the consequences.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been very cautious so far. Fighting my urge to like you¡­¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ll have to eat more than usual from now on, Laure.¡± ¡®You¡¯re acting so kind like this, that¡¯s why my heart keeps wavering!¡¯ ¡®Heuk, but what can I do? It¡¯s already like this.¡¯ I placed my head on the surface of the water and turned my face away from Calix. ¡®You don¡¯t even know how I feel, you bastard. You future traitor!¡¯ I patted the bath water, splashing it about, and it subsequently bounced in all directions. I could feel Calix staring at me with a perplexed expression. At a loss for what to do, Calix stroked my shoulder helplessly. His hands, that caressed my shoulder, were so soft and tender that tears welled up in the corners of my eyes. ¡®Calix, you sinful man!¡¯ Translator: Mae Editor: Lys Chapter 2.1 ¡®Ugh, it¡¯s very embarrassing. Even if we¡¯re going to get married, you can¡¯t just give a person a bath?!¡¯ ¡°Our Laure is really just like a little puppy.¡± ¡®Aah¡­ I look like a puppy to you. Is that why you gave me a bath, dressed me, and fed me?!¡¯ ¡®I have a hand, too. Look, it¡¯s not even a paw, it¡¯s a hand. Callix?¡¯ ¡°Ah¡­ we¡¯re already here.¡± As I stared at him, Calix peered out the window and muttered regretfully. Before we knew it, we had already arrived at our house, the Ecree Marquis. Calix exited the carriage first and assisted me with getting off the carriage. He hugged me as he lifted me up from the door of the carriage, which almost made the servants-in-waiting die of embarrassment. ¡®You, you¡¯re too shameless, aren¡¯t you? You know there are so many eyes watching!¡¯ ¡°Then take care on your way home, Calix.¡± ¡°Wait, Laure.¡± I said farewell to him and was about to turn around, when Calix grabbed my hand. ¡®What is it?¡¯ As I looked up in doubt, he touched my cheek with his fingers. ¡®Hmn?¡¯ ¡°Are you not forgetting something?¡± ¡°W-What¡­?¡± ¡°The right way to say good-bye between lovers.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡®What kind of valediction? But I¡¯ve already said my goodbye, right?¡¯ I tilted my head and blinked my eyes. Calix smiled slightly. ¡®D-Don¡¯t suddenly smile like that. My heart is going to drop.¡¯ ¡°N-Not¡­¡± Not outside! I was about to say that but the rest of my words got caught in my throat. In the blink of an eye, Calix¡¯s lips overlapped with mine and he pressed down so hard that I thought my lips would fall off. I looked up at Calix with a rubescent face. Calix chuckled, then smiled. It was a breathtakingly handsome smile. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll say goodbye to me like this from now.¡± ¡°I, I beg your pardon?¡± Embarrassed by his impudence, I couldn¡¯t refute and just kept my mouth shut. Calix gently raised me up as he hugged me, then walked me to the main entrance. ¡°Then make sure to take a good rest today. Laure.¡± Calix kissed me on the forehead. Then, he looked up at me with warm eyes that seemed to imply I was very lovely and adorable. I couldn¡¯t bear it and my face heated up. As if running away, I entered the house and leaned against the closed door while taking a deep breath. My heart was beating erratically, causing my breathing to become ragged. In my mind, I could see Calix¡¯s handsome face, his golden hair, and his blue eyes that resembled the autumn sky. I could even smell a subtle scent of him. ¡®Haa, Calix. You¡¯re really a devilish male lead of that novel.¡¯ I sighed heavily. 11 years of trying not to fall in love with Calix. That long endeavor shouldn¡¯t go in vain, like a bubble disappearing into nothing. From now on, I should set boundaries and stay away from him. That¡¯s the only way I can survive. ¡®If you fall in love with Calix like this, you might become a real villain, just like the original Laure.¡¯ I smiled sadly to myself. Calix is a very attractive man, but the person that should be beside him in the future was not me. ¡®That¡¯s why I have no choice but to expunge my feelings little by little.¡¯ I¡¯ve made up my mind. Translator: Mae Editor: Lys Chapter 2.2 Recently, a letter from him came, saying, ¡®Laure, I miss you. I¡¯d like to meet with you. Are you doing well?¡¯ I just refused his request, saying that I wanted to rest quietly. It had been the same ever since. Calix would somehow wish to meet with me, but I would refuse his request every time. Nevertheless, he sent me flowers every day; not once growing tired, nor failing to send his daily gifts. Now my room was full of flowers and I was just about ready to suffocate from the fragrance. If it had not been Calix who sent the flowers, I would have thrown them all away. ¡®Indeed, I still must have lingering feelings towards him. Given that I can¡¯t even throw away those stupid flowers he keeps sending me.¡¯ ¡°Miss Laure. We¡¯ve just received more flowers and letters. They were sent by the Grand Duke of Rochester¡­¡± ¡°Again?¡± I freaked out and asked. How many times was this already? Recalling the amount of times he sent me gifts, for today alone, this was already the fifth time. ¡°I guess Calix intends to kill me by burying me in an abundance of flowers.¡± ¡®Is this some kind of retaliation for not allowing him to visit?¡¯ I was handed the flowers and the scent wafted to my nose. The smell of fresh flowers made me feel better. ¡°Give me the letter.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I also accepted the letter, opened it up and read it. The elegantly shaped letters of Calix¡¯s handwriting seemed somewhat dreamy and vague. ¡®It¡¯s crucial for me to let go of my feelings for him, but my heart always aches whenever I recall the memories I¡¯ve made with him.¡¯ ¡®But there¡¯s nothing I can do. It¡¯s time for us to part now. We were never meant to be together.¡¯ [Laure, How are you? Are you doing fine? Every single day, every minute, every second, I keep worrying about you. I want to meet you soon. I will wait for your reply. Laure. I love you.] ¡°Ugh,¡± I grabbed my chest and cried out. ¡®Calix¡­ Why are you being like this!¡¯ ¡®As far as I can remember, in the original book, Calix wasn¡¯t this interested and affectionate with Laure¡­¡¯ ¡®Perhaps I had altered something by possessing Laure¡¯s body?¡¯ ¡®However, even then, even if that was the case, the most significant parts of the plot would not have changed.¡¯ Calix¡¯s destined partner, his soulmate appointed by God, was ¡®Sia¡¯. Not me. I was the wicked villain who was jealous of Sia, harassed her to death, committed unforgivable sins, and ultimately, was executed. I¡¯ve never forgotten that fact for the last 11 years. It¡¯s always in the back of my mind when I wake up in the morning, go to bed at night, and even the moments I meet with Calix¡­ ¡°Are you going to respond, Miss?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not going to reply. Please burn this letter. The other things too, all of them.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?!¡± The maid asked back in surprise. My abrupt instructions might have made the maid a little perplexed. But this was the best that I could do. If I wanted to sever ties with Calix, this was the only way. Once again, emphasizing my words, I said it clearly. ¡°I told you to burn everything. And from now on, don¡¯t accept any gifts from Grand Duke Rochester.¡± ¡°Laure. What¡¯s going on with you these days? By suddenly avoiding Grand Duke Rochester¡­ It¡¯s not like you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± I couldn¡¯t answer immediately to my father¡¯s worried question, and just kept on staring at the teacup in front of me. It¡¯d been three weeks and three days since I decided to avoid Calix. Just a few days ago, I started rejecting all his letters, gifts, and requests to meet with me. Nevertheless, Calix persistently wrote letters and even came to my house, but I was able to avoid him completely. My heart was breaking because I felt that I was hurting him, but for the two of us, this was the best way. ¡®If I keep ignoring him like this, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll give up on me. The engagement will be broken, and in a month the heroine, Sia, will appear.¡¯ When that time comes, Calix will completely change his feelings for me and concentrate on Sia. ¡®That¡¯s certainly going to happen. The number of days he toils after me will be extremely short, and by then, he¡¯ll have Sia next to him¡­ Yeah, I¡¯m sure it will¡­¡¯ ¡°Haaa¡­¡± ¡®Why do I feel so stuffy? Was I attached to Calix more than I thought?¡¯ ¡®But even though my heart¡¯s like this, the fate set by the original author will not change. All throughout my second life, I have felt that premonition deep in my bones.¡¯ No matter how hard I struggled not to like Calix, or how determined I was to turn a blind eye from his loneliness, fate persistently intertwined him and me. As a result, we got engaged, and not so long ago, we had our first night together. In the original work, Laure Ecree believed that she would live happily ever after with Calix. She never thought that he would betray and break up with her in the future. Then one day, a woman, named ¡°Sia,¡± appeared. Sia was an exotic beauty with hair and eyes as dark as the sky on a vacant night. She captured people¡¯s hearts with her unique youthfulness and wit, and even Calix fell in love with her. If Calix¡¯s feelings for Laure were only in a degree of comfort and favorability, then his affection for Sia was tantamount to true love. Because, Sia and Calix were a pair destined by God. Nevertheless, Calix hid his infatuation for Sia and built an impregnable wall around his heart. It was because he was already engaged to Laure. Perhaps it was the writer¡¯s intention to deflect criticism from the male lead, so Calix tried to be faithful to Laure. Until the ¡°oracle¡± came crashing down. [The true companion of the divine child, Sia, is Calix Rochester. Only when these two people are united will the whole continent be enriched and peace will dwell in the land.] When such an oracle was received, everything changed. The emperor and nobility council forced Marquis Ecree to annul the engagement between Laure and Calix. Marquis Ecree was worried about his grieving daughter, but he had no choice. Because this was the ¡®Will of God.¡¯ Eventually, the engagement was broken, and Laure collapsed from shock. And the day after she woke up, Laure, who would visit Calix frequently, saw him and Sia interacting in a friendly manner. [He looked genuinely in love. She¡¯d never seen him like that in her whole life. Laure Ecree was in great confusion. It was natural that sooner or later a feeling of betrayal would start to grow in her heart.] Everything was described in great detail in the original story on how Laure Ecree, who was an ordinary woman, became a vicious villain. That was why readers voted on Laure as the ¡®villain with a reason¡¯. I too felt sorry for her. But I didn¡¯t know that I would eventually become that Laure Ecree. Why did I not possess the female lead, but the villainess? ¡®Ugh, even in the past, I¡¯ve never had the luck to win lotteries. It seems that it¡¯s the same when it comes to reincarnation, too.¡¯ Click. I put down my teacup and looked up at my father. My father stiffened as if he were nervous when he saw my serious expression. My father¡¯s eyes were filled with worry. I was very apologetic to my father, who had always cared for me, but my resolve had long been firm. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth. ¡°Father, I want to annul my engagement with Duke Rochester.¡± When my father heard my announcement, his eyes widened and he dropped the teacup he was holding. Fortunately, there was a thick carpet that covered the floor, so the teacup didn¡¯t shatter. The maid bustled in hastily, picked up the cup, and cleaned the carpet. I glanced at the mess, then turned my gaze back to my father. My father dropped his hands on his knees with a stunned expression on his face. Chapter 3 ¡°Yes.¡± My father breathed a heavy sigh. ¡°What the hell happened with you and Grand Duke Rochester? You¡¯re not the type of person who just arbitrarily avoid someone¡­ Did that guy do something to you?¡± ¡°T-That¡­ that¡¯s not it.¡± My words faltered. What do you mean ¡®did HE do something¡¯? WE did do something! And we both acquiesced to it! It was a very mature and consensual night. But by all means. I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯ll be a lifetime secret to my father. Damn it. Feeling embarrassed, I raised my cup again and drank tea. My father looked at me in a scrutinizing way, as if he knows I was hiding something. ¡°By any chance, did that guy failed to hold himself back and get it on with you?¡± ¡°Father!¡± I jumped out of my seat with a start. F-Father! What are you talking about in the presence of the servants?! Moreover, ¡®get it on¡¯, that¡¯s a very vulgar expression. Calix politely asked me for my permission. We¡¯re both consenting adults! Even at that night, that crucial moment, in a very affectionate voice he asked, ¡®Are you going to be okay, Laure?¡¯ When I heard that, I thought. Oh, my God, what kind of man is this guy? He¡¯s a completely unique ¡®Benz-guy¡¯. The problem is, he¡¯s not mine.** ¡°Laure.¡± My father wakened me in a grave voice. I got out of my own thoughts, sighed deeply, and retort. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Father. Nothing happened like that with Calix. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Just what?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± I bit my lips. What should I answer to make him understand? My father in this life, Marquis Ecree, is a gentle and easygoing person, but he was never a pushover. He was the type that is soft on the outside but hard on the inside. What excuse would such a father accept? I was thinking about what to answer when I heard a knocking sound from outside the living room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well¡­ T-That¡­¡± At my father¡¯s question, the butler couldn¡¯t answer immediately and hesitated. What¡¯s wrong with him? I leaned up and looked at the door. Soon, the butler¡¯s tense voice rang out outside the door. ¡°The, the Grand Duke Rochester is here! His Grace, Duke Rochester is asking for an audience with Miss Laure! He mentioned that if the lady doesn¡¯t meet him, he¡¯ll keep standing outside¡­!¡± ¡­What the? I turned my head around and looked out of the window. Outside, torrents of rain was pouring down and it seems that in a blink of an eye, it will deviate into rainstorm. ¡°No!¡± I bolted to the door with a scream and ran out. There was no time to think back and forth. It¡¯s currently late autumn. It was a perfect season to catch the flu or pneumonia. If he stay in the rain for too long, he¡¯ll get sick and his health will definitely suffer! What the hell is Calix thinking, getting rained on in this weather! As soon as I reached the front door, I pulled the doorknob without hesitation. A blister of rain and wind squeezed in through the gap. And there he was, standing in front of the door, Calix. ¡°Laure.¡± Recognizing me, he smiled bitterly and hesitated to approach. He stretches out his arm as if he wants to hug me, then lowers it. Perhaps he realize that I might get wet because he was already drenched with rain. He was not even wearing his coat. Oh, my God, he must be crazy. ¡°Calix! Are you crazy? What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± I cried out, grabbed Calix¡¯s sleeve and pulled him inside. He was effortlessly dragged inside like a paper doll wet with water. I had the maid bring me dry towels, blankets and warm tea, and then I led Calix to the drawing room. My father, without any intention of interfering, was just observing the two of us from a distance. I nodded toward my father with an apologetic look, then proceeded to the drawing room. After depositing Calix in an armchair near the warm fireplace, I gently wiped his hair and body with a towel. Oh, my. What the hell is this? He looks like a person who fell in the lake. Drops of water dripped from his golden hair. Enchanting blue eyes under moist long lashes, straight nose and captivating lips¡­ Aack! So, so handsome! No, you can¡¯t be tricked by his beauty. Let¡¯s stay calm, Laure Ecree. What are you imagining in this situation?! I was playing a star-studded play alone in my head when Calix suddenly grabbed me by the wrist. ¡°C-Calix?¡± I blinked, looking up at him in embarrassment. Calix¡¯s blue eyes, staring down at me, were somehow strange. Up until now, he looked like a puppy in the rain, but now he looks completely different. The expression ¡®I picked up a puppy on the road, but it turned out to be a wolf!¡¯ came to mind. The Calix in front of me right now definitely wasn¡¯t like a puppy, but like a scary beast. ¡°Laure.¡± Calix called to me in a low voice. Why, why are you suddenly changing the mood? You¡¯re being scary! I swallowed my saliva with nervousness. Then questions burst one after another. ¡°Laure, do you hate me? Don¡¯t you like me anymore?¡± [Calix threw a fastball! Laure suffered 99+ damage!] A game system-like message seemed to have suddenly popped into my head and disappeared. A fast ball all of a sudden, Milord Calix! Please stop! Laure¡¯s HP is already at zero! ¡°Laure.¡± ¡°It, It¡¯s not¡­¡± As I try to respond, ¡®It¡¯s not like that,¡¯ I¡¯ve decided to just shut my mouth. To completely get rid of Calix, wouldn¡¯t it be the best to say, ¡®Yeah. I hate you.¡¯ What should I do? Should I just nod my head? As I was struggling, Calix suddenly rose from his seat and drew near me. ¡°C-Calix?¡± I took a step back and looked up at him. Calix was about one head taller than me. I was on the small side for a well-fed noble lady, and Calix had a very good physique, quite the opposite of me. By comparison, a tiger and a rabbit? Normally, Calix had a soft atmosphere when he was dealing with me. So despite the difference in physique, he didn¡¯t look scary¡­ but, what is this? He¡¯s a little bit scary right now. Calix, you¡­ Your aura today was colder than the usual. Are you really the Calix I know? Or are you in fact a devil pretending to be him? As I nervously glance at Calix, he stretched out his arm towards me, then changed his mind and draw it back. Eventually, he began to take off his clothes. ¡°C-Calix?! What the hell are you doing?!¡± Aaahh! I covered my cheeks with my hands, screaming inwardly. My face and neck were burning to the point of madness. Calix, who threw off his top, stretched out his arms to me again, and embraced me. I stiffened momentarily. ¡°It¡¯s the clothes. They¡¯re wet so I took them off.¡± Calix whispered with his lips glued next to my ear. His hot breath trailed my earlobe then fell through my nape into the clavicle. Thump thump. My heart started making an uproar. Ugh¡­ Oh, my God, I¡¯m going crazy. I can feel Calix¡¯s hard chest, abs and forearms vividly, I couldn¡¯t get myself together. You¡¯re actually a pervert, aren¡¯t you? This shameless Laure Ecree! ¡°Laure. Your heart¡¯s beating fast.¡± ¡°Agh¡­¡± I, I got caught. ¡°And yet, you¡¯re trying to say you hate me?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± I quietly lifted my head and looked at Calix. As soon as our two eyes met, his earnest gaze mesmerized me. I gulped. What, what should I answer? I mean, I don¡¯t hate you, but I want us to stop seeing each other? It doesn¡¯t make sense, does it?! ¡°If it¡¯s not the person that you don¡¯t like then¡­¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Calix¡¯s eyes suddenly became cold. ¡°Perhaps, Laure you¡­ you didn¡¯t enjoy that night? Was it bad?¡± ¡°¡­W-What?!¡± I was so perplexed I made a loud noise that I¡¯m sure could be heard outside the drawing room. Agh! What if my father comes running after hearing my scream¡­ I can¡¯t be embarrassingly seen like this. I closed my mouth automatically. No, more than that, Calix! What the heck are you talking about? In, in broad daylight at that! Red-faced, I answered Calix¡¯s question, ¡°T-That was a night spent with you! How can it be bad?!¡± I replied. ¡®Uack, I made a mistake. I should¡¯ve just said it wasn¡¯t good. Damn.¡¯ Huhu, stupid Laure Ecree! Hearing my answer, Calix gave me a smile that reached his expressive blue eyes. Ugh, what sort of man has this kind of mesmerizing smile¡­?! I tried my best not to clutch my chest. Calix, you devilish man. This is foul! ¡°That was a very wonderful night for me.¡± ¡°Ah, me, me too¡­¡± Once more, I answered on impulse. I¡¯m screwed. I bawled inside my heart. I was completely swept away by Calix¡¯s pace. I can¡¯t just drift along like a leaf floating in a river like this¡­ what should I do? What am I supposed to do? ¡°I like you so much Laure.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Calix confessed without a warning. I have this impetuous urge to cover my ears. I, I don¡¯t want to listen. If I hear more, I will feel guilty and I will not be able to part with him. ¡°All of you. Everything about you. I like all of them.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°So please don¡¯t push me away. Laure.¡± Calix hugged me fiercely. My chest tightened and I felt a little suffocated. I took a deep breath, I was at my wit¡¯s end and had just let my hands drop at the side. I never imagined this would happen¡­ I didn¡¯t expect Calix to pitch a flying fastball like this. Ah, what to do? What should I do? I glanced up and saw that the corner of Calix¡¯s mouth had been pulled up in a long smile. Uahh¡­ He must¡¯ve heard my irregular heartbeat. Heeuuuk. I¡¯m screwed. How can I say ¡®Calix, I don¡¯t like you anymore. Let¡¯s break up.¡¯ Now? Calix released his arms that were holding me tight, then lowered his head. Afterwards, he rubbed his cheeks against my shoulder. The appearance of a man much larger than me hanging like this was like as if I had tamed a ferocious beast. I let out a deep sigh and stroked his head. Then Calix murmured a pleased sound. ¡°Laure.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± I felt so complicated in a loss of how to tell him about the things that should be spoken, but surely will hurt him nonetheless. ¡°Our wedding is finally approaching.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Y-Yes?!¡± I stared down at Calix with a question mark on my face. He lifted his head and looked up at me then smiled mysteriously. What, what is it? What is with this wicked smile? The Calix I know is not like this. No, what do you mean we will have our wedding soon? Our wedding is in two months. ¡°Our wedding is in two months, right?¡± ¡°It was. Until yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± W-What does that mean¡­? Anxiety suddenly struck me. C-Calix, you bastard. Did you do something without letting me know? Chapter 4 ¡°I told His Majesty the Emperor that we will move up our wedding schedule. Thankfully, he gladly grant it without even a bit of hesitation. I¡¯m sure the Marquis also knows. I guess he didn¡¯t say anything to surprise you, Laure.¡± ¡­What kind of bullshit is this? I stared at Calix blankly with my mouth open wide. He looked at me and laughed charmingly. Then he lowered his head and gave a fleeting kiss on my forehead. He then lowered his lips on my cheeks, chin, and nose, and finally stop on my lips. The arm around my waist tightened. He hugged me affectionately, and whispered in a low voice. ¡°Our wedding is in a week. Laure. Isn¡¯t it great?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± I could feel a tremendous obsession in Calix¡¯s voice. It¡¯s as if his words were saying, ¡®You dare to avoid me? I¡¯ll tie you up to my side in a week.¡¯ What, what is this? This is scary! The real Calix won¡¯t do something like this to Laure! L-Let¡¯s calm down first. Let¡¯s put the thought that Calix is being weird behind for a moment. How can the wedding be held so soon? So what will happen when Sia shows up in a month¡­? What happens to me then? Oh, my God, am I getting divorced?! ¡°No!¡± I unceremoniously shouted. I shut my mouth immediately, but the words that had been said already couldn¡¯t be taken back anymore. As I glance up and look at Calix, he had a very strange expression on his face. He seems to be angry, and he also seems to be hurt, but he also seem¡­ somewhat, terrifying. ¡°¡­..¡± A long silence passed. I felt overwhelmed and suffocated. Calix was still holding me tight, and I had given up after trying a few times to get out of his arms. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d let me go anyways. No, what are you saying ¡®release¡¯. I could feel as if he wants to swallow me whole. His eyes shows that he really wanted to do just that! Uaah, what the hell is going on! ¡°Laure.¡± D-Don¡¯t call my name with your deep voice. Why are you doing this, it¡¯s not like you! Why are you acting like the obsessed male lead?! This is not the correct setting of the original story! Not even to Sia, but to me? I¡¯m the kind of existence which you think comfortably like a childhood friend. Why the hell are you looking at me like that? It¡¯s as if he wants to devour me right this moment¡­ Gulp. There was a loud sound that came out of her throat. ¡°Laure. You.. Don¡¯t want to marry me?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± I was very distressed. I don¡¯t know what to answer. Neither what to do in the future. I don¡¯t know why Calix is doing this, but all I know is that there is only a month left for me to wait, just for a month. Until then, if I don¡¯t get marry and endure, wouldn¡¯t everything go back according to the original story? R-Right. I¡¯m sure it will. Today was a bit unexpected, but the fact that I became Laure was the first thing that altered the original story, right? So this kind of development can also happen. When that time comes, Calix will think it was rather fortunate. He¡¯ll be glad he didn¡¯t marry me hastily¡­ He¡¯ll realize that his fated partner was not Laure Ecree, but the lady named Sia. So this was for all of us. You and I would be a bit hurt, but it was way better than going through rough times ahead. I¡¯ve been trying so hard to avoid the fate of becoming a villain. I can¡¯t let all my efforts be in vain. So Calix, please understand. This is the best decision that I can do. It¡¯s for the best for all of us. I raised my head and looked into Calix¡¯s eyes. His blue eyes glistened faintly, which made my resolve waver briefly, but I was exuberant. After a great deep breath, I took courage and declared, ¡°Calix, let¡¯s annul our engagement.¡± Calix¡¯s pupils shrank as if he received a great shock. He blinked as if what I have just uttered was very unfathomable. Calix stiffened, I slipped carefully out his my arms, then stood away from him. Anxiously waiting for his answer, a momentary flare rose from Calix¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°Did you just say annul?¡± He strode towards me. I stepped backward and nodded. I raised my hands with an expression asking him not to come any closer. Calix halted. I stood close to the wall and stated, ¡°Calix. It may be all of a sudden, but I don¡¯t want to get married with you.¡± ¡°Why? If it¡¯s not that you hate me, then for what reason? Why are you suddenly doing this, Laure?¡± Calix reached out to me. I stepped aside and avoided his hand. Calix grasped the air and murmured as he lowered his arm. ¡°After that night, you suddenly started avoiding me.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°There should be some excuse. I know you¡¯re not the kind of person to do this for no reason.¡± You say the same thing as my father. I laughed bitterly. He must¡¯ve misunderstood my expression, Calix¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened. He seemed to have realized something. No, what the hell? Doubtful, his wounded voice blurted. ¡°As expected, do you want to be the Crown Princess?¡± ¡°What?¡± What rubbish are you spouting all of a sudden? Crown Princess? I was so taken aback that I couldn¡¯t answer properly and just kept on staring silly at him. Assuming that he hit the bull¡¯s eye, Calix groaned and grabbed his hair. My heart felt a sharp sting as I look at his tormented appearance. After a long moment of silence, Calix continued. ¡°I know that you have been confessed by the Crown Prince.¡± What? My jaw dropped. That happened more than a month already. It¡¯s been a long time since I turned it down. Of course, even after that, the Crown Prince kept on pursuing me. But no matter how much he was the heir to the throne of the empire, he won¡¯t be able to move my heart. No, even if he is the Crown Prince, what kind of person is stupid enough to confess to a woman with a fianc¨¦ in the first place? But how does Calix discovered I¡¯ve been confessed? Where did you dig it up?! ¡°I heard it from Allen.¡± Unbelievable, the culprit was my brother! Gaah, he never help me in anyway. Just try to come home later, I¡¯ll just, ugh¡­! ¡°Laure. Do you think I¡¯ll just give you up?¡± Calix¡¯s voice dropped even lower. I held my hands together and glanced up at him. He slithered over, as if a leopard locking at his prey, trapping me under his shadow. I nervously stood firmly against the wall. I, I feel like I¡¯m going to be devoured like this. ¡°Laure Ecree.¡± W-Why are you suddenly calling me by full name?! ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± What? ¡°I¡¯ll never let you be taken away by anyone, not even by the Crown Prince.¡± Suddenly, seeing Calix claiming ownership of me, I didn¡¯t know what to do. What do you mean I¡¯m yours? What kind nonsense are you spewing? I¡¯m nobody¡¯s. I own myself! ¡­is what I want to say, but I don¡¯t think the way Calix stares at me at the moment seem normal. Nice, awesome! Imperial people! Grand Duke Rochester turned mad! ¡°You can never get away from me. Laure.¡± Calix caressed my cheeks then declared. His eyes were tangled with familiar tenderness, low-line possessiveness, and obsession. Those feelings were explicitly subjected to me. Good lord. This is driving me crazy. What do I do now? Should I just run away at night? As I groan inside, a laugh came out of Calix¡¯s lip. ¡°Come to think of it you¡¯ve been acting like that since before.¡± W-What have I been doing since before? ¡°You were with me, but you were strangely distancing yourself, pretending you didn¡¯t know nor see my feelings for you.¡± T- That¡¯s reasonable. Because you¡¯re the male lead. I just wanted to avoid the fate of being involved to you somehow. Now that I think about it, it¡¯s all useless¡­ But what do you mean ¡®feelings¡¯? W-Was he? Has he really been showing how he feels for me all this time? I really don¡¯t know¡­ Am I really the dense type of person who doesn¡¯t even have the slightest idea when someone was showing me their affection? ¡°However, Laure.¡± Calix grabbed me by the shoulder, gathering me into his arms. Settling down in his embrace without resistance, I looked up at Calix with troubled eyes. Calix, you shouldn¡¯t be like this¡­ I¡¯m not Sia, you shouldn¡¯t be obsessed with me. ¡°You¡¯re going to marry me. It¡¯s fated to happen.¡± ¡®¡­W-What?¡¯ I suddenly froze. The word ¡°fate¡± from Calix¡¯s lips hit me hard. My head pounded as if it had been hit by a hammer. As though ice water was poured out, my heart cooled down. I bit my lips. Fate? You¡­ Do you even know what that word means to me? You don¡¯t know anything¡­! ¡°Calix, let this go.¡± I said, pushing him away. With my head down, I tried to keep my face from being seen by him. My facial expression must definitely be a mess right now. For no reason, memories of the past kept on springing up in my mind, I resent that damn thing called ¡®fate.¡¯ If it weren¡¯t for fate, I wouldn¡¯t have had to reject Calix. I could have dreamed of a happy future with him. Calix, you idiot. You don¡¯t even know how I¡¯ve lived my life. ¡°Laure?¡± I kept pushing Calix away, but he wouldn¡¯t let me go. Rather, he seized my chin and lifted it up. Thanks to this, I had tears in my eyes when both of our gazes met. N-No. You shouldn¡¯t see me with this kind of expression. ¡°Laure, why¡­¡± Calix¡¯s voice trembled with concern. He hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand to wipe out my tears. Then he hugged me tightly. The hand caressing my back, patting my shoulder, was so gentle, that I felt even sadder. Tears streamed down incessantly. ¡°Laure. Did I scare you¡­? I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Laure¡­¡± Calix kept me in his warm embrace and continued on comforting me. I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve heard him apologize. In retrospect, he is always like this. Ever since we first met, he has always been a compassionate guy to me. That¡¯s why I fell in love with him. Even though I know I shouldn¡¯t. I suppressed my sobs and opened my mouth. ¡°Calix, please forgive me.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry¡­ But when the time comes, you¡¯ll understand everything. That¡¯s why¡­¡± I wiped my face with my sleeves and pushed him away. Calix Rochester. A person who was always compassionate, gentle and kind. He was the most irreproachable person in my eyes. However, I¡¯ve already decided to cut off my relationship with him, and now is not the right time to be indecisive. Because it will be very ungrateful for the kindness I¡¯ve received from him. So I have to proceed to do what I¡¯m meant to from the beginning. Either way, we have to break up some day¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t marry you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, Calix. Please, let¡¯s get¡­ annulled.¡± Chapter 5 I won¡¯t allow it, Laure. Calix left the Ecree mansion, leaving those words. No, it wasn¡¯t just mere words he left. He also left a long, intense kiss, as if marking his territory. To the point that I became dizzy. As I start feeling suffocated by the searing kiss, I tried to push Calix away, but he applied more pressure holding my wrists and even intensified the embrace. However, his kisses was soft and not a bit harsh at all. Trapped in his arms, I was I felt so sad that I kept crying. Like coaxing a small animal, he gently stroked my eyes and cheeks, as Calix whispered again and again. I love you. Laure. I won¡¯t let you go. ¡°Haaaa.¡± I groaned on the bed, flipping over and hitting my pillow. I said, ¡®Let¡¯s annul the engagement, I don¡¯t want to marry you,¡¯ but Calix didn¡¯t even slightly listen. Rather, he regarded me with an arresting gaze. Showing a terrifying obsession, as if he was about to lock me up somewhere on top of a tall tower. That Calix Rochester is obsessed to none other than me, Laure Ecree¡­ It must be a dream. My brain must have been damaged. ¡°Is this even real¡­¡± I feel so uneasy. If we keep going like this, we¡¯ll end up getting married. No, it really can¡¯t happen¡­ It¡¯s alright for a fianc¨¦ to change his mind. But divorce¡­ I¡¯m destined to be divorced. This is too much! Does this world¡¯s God, Phoenix, actually loathes me? Otherwise, he would not have let me follow the footsteps of ¡°The Villainess Laure Ecree.¡± Once, to change a predetermined outcome, I¡¯ve tried doing this and that. But it was all useless in the end. An important event in the original story still happened somehow. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s also the same case this time around. I¡¯m trying to avoid Calix, that¡¯s why this kind of colossal development transpired. It¡¯s as if fate is saying, ¡®you¡¯re destined to become the evil woman who fell in love with him, eventually hate him, and end up being burned to death¡­¡¯ What should I really do? I don¡¯t want to be the villainess who got divorced by my husband overnight. It was all the more discouraging to know that I will be executed in the end. ¡°As expected, is running away at night the only solution?¡± I was seriously beginning to think about running away when I heard a knock outside the door. ¡°Miss. I brought you some snack.¡± It¡¯s a maid who brought me some late-night snack. I sat up straight, then said, ¡°Come in.¡± This evening, I had no appetite and could not have dinner together with father. But if I do not eat anything, my father would be worried, so I told him I¡¯d eat a late night snack later. Though I don¡¯t know if the food¡¯s gonna go down my throat¡­ Haaa. I sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve prepared some snacks that the lady likes. Your stomach is empty so something light was arranged. I hope it suits your taste.¡± The maid put the covered tray down on the table and said, bowing. I curtly replied with a nod. ¡°Yes, thank you. I¡¯ll call you later. You can leave.¡± ¡°Yes. Miss.¡± After the maid left, I got up and headed for the table. When I sat down in the chair and removed the cover, it was made up of my favorite foods. Cucumber sandwiched on bread with cream cheese, some steamed meat with raspberry sauce, sweet pumpkin tulle and pancakes, vanilla pudding, and a warm tea! After putting some honey and milk, I took a sip of my favorite tea. Haaa. I feel much better. I guess I was famished. As expected, because of that stupid jerk, Calix, my mind feels so restless. Anyway, people have to eat well to live. I took another sip of the tea and picked up a cucumber sandwich, then devoured it. Wow, it¡¯s delicious! Our chef is really the best! I grabbed the fork and knife while thinking of the chef with admiration. I¡¯m actually craving some steamed meat with raspberry sauce, thank God it was included! I cut a tiny piece of the steamed meat then put it into my mouth. After chewing for a long time, the meat tasted somehow strange. ¡°¡­..?¡± What is it? Is it rotten? I frowned and spat out the meat on a napkin¡­ the next moment, I felt a sudden nauseous feeling rising up. ¡°¡­Urk!¡° I quickly ran to the bathroom, grabbed the toilet, and threw up. Foods that I¡¯ve just recently eaten poured out. Huff, huff. I hold onto the wall and pick up my breath. As I tried to head to the sink to wash up, my head spanned and my vision darkened. With both palms on the cold bathroom tiles and her hair tousled, she was caught up in an impregnable shock. Don¡¯t tell me¡­? No, it can¡¯t be! That¡¯s ridiculous. It was just one night. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s just an upset stomach?¡¯ But it¡¯s so sudden. And I haven¡¯t been stressed out lately. ¡°¡­..¡± First of all, these weird symptoms suddenly came up, it¡¯s impossible to just overlook and ignore it. Just in case, I needed to check my condition accurately. I staggered up and headed to the sink. I rinsed my mouth with water, and as soon as I came out of the room, I called for the maid to clean up the leftover food. The maid noticed my pale complexion and looked very worried, but still acknowledged my request not to tell anyone or my father. After the maid left the room, I went to see Alice, the personal doctor of the Ecree Marquis. I couldn¡¯t tell this matter to my father first. I don¡¯t know what would happen if I he discovered. If I¡¯m really pregnant, I¡¯m sure my father will be outraged. First, let¡¯s pray that it¡¯s just nothing. I hope I¡¯m not pregnant. It doesn¡¯t make sense that I¡¯m carrying Calix¡¯s child. I¡¯m not, right? It¡¯s just because I¡¯m not feeling well. Right. Pausing in front of Alice¡¯s door, I took a deep breath, then lightly knocked on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± A strange sounding voice came from inside the room. I approached the door and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s me. Laure.¡± ¡°Miss Laure? What concern do you have for you to come looking for me at this time of the night?¡± In spite of asking suspiciously, Alice opened the door. Scared of someone seeing me, I snuck in as soon as the door opened. Observing my overly cautious behavior, Alice was first dumbfounded then laughed. ¡°I-it¡¯s not like that.¡± I stammered in embarrassment. When I was young, I used to always look for Alice when I had nightmares. As I grew up, I no longer had nightmares, but¡­ Reminiscent of my childhood, I snuggled into Alice¡¯s bed. Noticing something unusual in me, Alice¡¯s face darkened. Sitting carefully next to me, she asked, ¡°Laure, do you have a problem?¡± ¡°¡­Alice, I.¡± ¡°Yes. You can tell me.¡± ¡°T-That¡­ I think I¡¯m.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I, I, I think I¡¯m pregnant!¡± As soon as I blurted out those words, a chill stayed in the air for a brief moment. The shock gradually spread over Alice¡¯s face. She looked at me with her eyes unbelieving. ¡°My lady, don¡¯t tell me¡­ did you and Grand Duke Rochester?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± I nodded quietly at Alice¡¯s inquiry. Astounded, Alice¡¯s mouth dropped wide open for a moment then clasped my shoulders. ¡°Miss! Even before your wedding?!¡± ¡°W-Well, T-That¡¯s what happened! Somehow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something that can happen somehow! Did the Marquis know?¡± Alice pressed me. I hesitated to answer. ¡°I. I didn¡¯t tell my father. Alice. I¡¯ve just had morning sickness for the first time today. And it¡¯s also possible that I¡¯m just not feeling well? I¡¯ve been taking great care of myself lately though¡­¡± ¡°¡­..¡± To sum up my words, it was like, ¡®I may not be pregnant, so please do some tests.¡¯ Alice easily recognized my intention and shook her head. A heavy sigh flowed out of her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s not morning sickness, it¡¯s also probably some stomach disorder caused by stress. Even if I am pregnant, it¡¯s still too early to start having morning sickness. I know it¡¯s different from person to person, but¡­ let¡¯s please do some test first. We should be certain with these kind of serious situations.¡± After that, a thorough examination has been carried out. The first was pulse reading. After that, all kinds of inspection methods used in the Empire. And lastly¡­ ¡°This is a magic tool. It was recently released, and it can be considered the most accurate tester. Do you see this mana stone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If my lady drops her blood and it turns red, there¡¯s a 99% chance¡­ that my lady is pregnant.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Gulp¡­ I nervously swallowed. Alice dropped a grain of my blood, which had been collected beforehand, on the mana stone with a grim expression on her face. 1second, 2 second, 3 second¡­ Time passed by like an eternity. Tens of thousands of thoughts run into my head while waiting for the results. What if I¡¯m really pregnant? What if I really have Calix¡¯s child¡­ the mere thought of it left me in the dark. He was destined to meet Sia and fall in love passionately with her in just a month. What will happen if I shackle him with a child? And what if I had a child and got divorced, then I, I think I might actually ludicrously resent Calix and Sia. Like the original story, I might truly become the villainess, Laure Ecree¡­ Ruminating the worst case scenario, I might lose my life with an unborn child, or I would die, leaving the child alone in the world. ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¯ I grasped the hem of my skirt with my hands. How come series of developments that weren¡¯t even in the original story kept arising, though I¡¯m not really sure if the male lead, Calix, has somehow become discordant¡­ If I¡¯m really pregnant, then it was no longer just me. Because my child and I have become a union made traversing fate. I looked at the mana stone with anxious eyes. It was both funny and sad that the color of that mana stone would determine my destiny in the future. Everything that I struggled with trying to survive since the beginning felt futile. On the other hand, I had regrets why I didn¡¯t use contraception properly¡­ I hadn¡¯t even imagine this to transpire. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d get pregnant so suddenly. This didn¡¯t even happen in the original story¡­ ¡°Haaa.¡± As I sigh and close my eyes, I felt Alice flinch. I opened my eyes wide in a flash. My heart pounded. The results must have finally come out. But I couldn¡¯t see it because it was covered by Alice¡¯s hand. I called to her with a sense of urgency. ¡°Alice?¡± ¡°Miss Laure¡­¡± Alice looked back at me in a puzzled state. Just by looking at her expression, I already had my hunch. As I slowly lowered my gaze, the mana stone in Alice¡¯s hand came into sight. Red. The mana stone, which was originally blue in color, was dyed red. ¡°I, I think you¡¯re pregnant¡­¡± ¡°¡­..¡± It was confirmed by Alice¡¯s words. The result is positive. I¡¯m pregnant. That night, I had a nightmare. The dream was so vivid as if someone were shooting from the side with a projector. It was the dream that I had always dreamed of since I was a child. The only difference is, I was holding tight a tender little hand of a child with an unrecognisable face. In my dream, I couldn¡¯t see ¡®my child¡¯s¡¯ face. But I knew for sure that the child was my daughter. It is because that child called me ¡®Mom.¡¯ with a soft voice. Mom. Um, Mom¡¯s here. Mom, please mom. Don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t leave me. The child tried to reach out for me. But someone hugged her from behind. Then I was dragged away with my arms chained by soldiers wearing iron armors. Through my disheveled hair, I can see the two of them standing together. Calix and Sia. The two of them were wearing a wedding ring. Chapter 6.1 The two of them were staring at me, one with mournful eyes and on the other hand, eyes that were full of bitterness. While being held by Calix, my child burst into tears. Mom! I want to go to my mom! Then Calix¡¯s mouth moved. I clearly heard every painful word that he said. That woman is not your mother. After that, Sia dipped her head down toward the child. Her black hair fluttered in the wind. Smiling with a beautiful face like a fairy in the night, Sia whispered. Child, I¡¯m your mother. ¡®No!¡¯ In my dream, I was already the wicked villainess who was written in the novel. No! I¡¯m her mother! Calix and Sia turned to face me. I can see the raw emotions in Calix¡¯s emerald-blue eyes. They display stifled anger, hatred, and disgusts that was undoubtedly pertained to me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. My heart sank. Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes as my heart shattered. For I couldn¡¯t bear the grief any longer, I burst into tears and screamed, Sia. If only, if only you didn¡¯t exist¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! If only you¡¯re dead. I wouldn¡¯t have been like this! It¡¯s all your fault! It¡¯s all because of you! If only you hadn¡¯t suddenly shown up! It was all mine. My happiness, Calix¡¯s affection, and my lovely daughter¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. You took everything away from me! Sorrow passed over Sia¡¯s face. But soon after. ¡®Why is that my fault?¡¯ As if mocking her, Sia raised the corners of her lips. ¡®I¡¯m the blessed woman who received the oracle from God, Phoenix. Both Calix, and the happy future with him, were all mine from the start. None of them were yours. You¡¯re just stupidly mistaken. Poor Laure.¡¯ Then, I clearly saw the soundless words her lips mouthed. Yu. Ri. Joo. The moment I recalled the name Sia discreetly whispered, my whole body froze. I don¡¯t even have any idea. Sia knew me. Not Laure Ecree, but me in my previous life. She knew Yuri Joo. The soldiers pulled me roughly then knocked me down on the platform. Wearing a dirty dress ripped in different places and a messed up pink hair with hollow-dead emerald eyes. The citizens booed the evil woman, Laure Ecree. Somebody threw some stones at me, and the other one threw some eggs. I was just absent-mindedly being beaten by them. I was in a state of shock that my brain doesn¡¯t function anymore. Lies¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. You¡¯re lying. How could you know me? As if reading my inquiring eyes, Sia scoffed coldly. Once again, she spoke only by opening her mouth, ¡®Stupid Yuri Joo. That¡¯s why you should¡¯ve recognized me earlier. You brought it all on yourself.¡¯ Ah, Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! A miserly groan came out of my mouth. My head hurts as if it¡¯s going to break. ¡®The accident where your daughter almost died? I did it.¡¯ ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡¯ ¡®And the fact that Calix misunderstood it as your carelessness, it was all done by me.¡¯ ¡®You, you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡¯ As I tried to stretch my arms toward Sia, I made a distress groan, and the soldiers who were holding me down spit out with looks of disgust. They raised my body and dragged me to the center of the platform. There, a burning stake was in place. I stand upon the thorny firewood half-unconscious. The soles of my feet pierced by thorns hurt. However, nothing registers in my brain anymore. Shocked by my stupidity, tears overflowed. After the soldiers tied up my body onto the stake. A trumpet¡¯s sound came from somewhere, and the priest slowly climbed up the platform, with the sacred fire in his hand. The wicked woman who dared to harm God¡¯s blessed daughter should be purified with a sacred flame. Only then can we avoid God¡¯s anger. That was the verdict of the Temple of God. Afterward, the branches of thorns that were piled up under my feet caught fire. The bluish fire slowly crawled up, burned the hem of my cloth, and started to wrap around my body. It¡¯s hot¡­ It hurts so much¡­ The more I struggled with pain, the more painful it was because of the thorny branches on my feet¡¯s soles. I could see him through the fluttering flames. Calix was looking at me with no emotions in his eyes as he watched me burn. You said you love me, and that you wouldn¡¯t let me go, all the words you whispered before, at the moment, seemed like it was all just a dream. It was hard to believe that a person¡¯s heart could change instantaneously. Feeling betrayed, my blood boiled, and my heart trembled. Even before I was burned to death, my heart ached so much that in my mind, I wished to end this suffering immediately and to just die quickly. I desperately cursed him and Sia. I will never forgive the both of you. I will become a wandering soul, and torment you until you die. After you both die miserably, I will tear your souls apart and swallow them that they cannot be held in the arms of God! I won¡¯t forgive you, I¡¯ll never forgive you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! I hate you, Calix! In the last moment, before even her eyes start to burn, and the acrid smoke choke her, she struggle in pain and looked at her child¡¯s face for the last time. As soon as the two of their gazes met, she saw the child moving her lips¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Mom.¡¯ Mom, please don¡¯t cry. Mom, I¡¯m going to save you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Ugh! The moment I felt my breath cut off, I woke up from my dream. I sat on the bed and breathed heavily. Cold sweats rolled from my body and my heart pounded. It was a terrible nightmare. I shook my head. I wanted to get rid of this bad dream quickly. But on the other hand, I thought that I should never forget that dream. However, the more I retraced every content of my dream, the more cloudy it became as if I was in the water. I left the bed with a throbbing headache. I poured some water into the glass, and as I tried to gulp it down, my hand suddenly lost its strength. Crash! The glass hits the floor and splits into pieces. The maid, startled by the sound, opened the side door and came in. ¡°Miss! Are you alright?!¡± ¡°Mm¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Please keep still! I¡¯ll clean it up for you immediately!¡± I nodded. Did my hand suddenly lose strength? An ominous feeling suddenly struck me. I abruptly threw my gaze into the hallway. I could see the attendants busily coming and going. What is it? I leaned my head in wonder. It¡¯s still six in the morning. My father, a bureaucrat of the Imperial City, attends the meeting from nine o¡¯clock. ¡°Miss, you can move now. I¡¯ve cleaned everything up.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you. But what¡¯s going on? Why is everyone so busy? ¡°Ah, That!¡± The maid opened her eyes wide as if she had only thought of it. And as if she was happy to be the first to deliver this news to me, the maid smiled widely. ¡°A Divine Lady appeared!¡± Chapter 6.2 He hadn¡¯t slept well due to a very troubling dream, but he accidentally broke his most treasured ornament as soon as he woke up. An angel statue made of glass It was a gift from Laure on his 12th birthday. ¨C One of Phoenix¡¯s seven angels, Epirion. They said it would help you have a good dream if you put it in your bedroom. He remembered earnestly accepting the gift that the girl was hesitatingly handing over. At that time, Laure was only ten years old. Long before that, on the day they first met, that girl also sat down and cried incessantly, trying to avoid him with all her might. If he even says a single word, she will be startled and will run away immediately. If you accidentally had eye contact, she will instantly dodge her eyes. Calix thought that Laure must have hated him. His young heart was a little hurt then because he liked the girl. Pink hair like spring flowers and green eyes that sparkle like jewels. She was a girl who felt like her scent would permeate the air when you touch her. Calix Rochester has had a dull, dry personality since childhood. So, he has heard a lot of people saying that he doesn¡¯t act like a child. Such a person rarely admired and liked someone. Laure was the only one. When he first saw her, he was secretly pleased. The fact that such a pretty child is his bride. He wanted to get close to Laure. For that reason, he did his best to be a kind person. Although he was far from being tender or gentle, there was no other way to get close to the little girl who burst into tears when she first saw him. People with a temperament like Laure needed to be tamed slowly. So Calix worked very hard for a very long time. He became a kind person only to her; he hid his dark inner self in front of her and acted coquettishly. To get her attention and make her open her heart to him, he deliberately appeared injured or soaked in the rain in front of her. The twenty-two-year-old Calix Rochester thought that his schemes were very effective. A smile hung around his lips. A smile that, if seen by people who really know what kind of person he actually is, they would have been frightened. Calix¡¯s affection was only for Laure. If he needed to capture her, he would devise a trap, use a rope to carry her and bind her. Laure didn¡¯t have to know that fact. For her, he just needs to be a friendly Calix Rochester. That¡¯s why I entirely tamed Laure Ecree, should be looking only at me, and never leave me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯ll give her the name Rochester so that she can be by my side until the day I die. To be buried side by side even after our death. Yeah, it was that perfect future. It was such a perfect plan. However, ¡®Where did it go wrong?¡¯ Calix leaned against the back of the meeting room chair and closed his eyes. As his eyelids cast a veil on his eyes, Laure¡¯s face floated and repeatedly disappeared on the wall¡¯s dark-red clock. Looking at him with a wide smile, a shy face, flushed cheeks, and a tearful and pleading eyes. His throat suddenly felt dry. Calix grabbed the armrest. He wanted to run to her right now, hug that little body, and kiss her. He wanted to leave his marks on her body without missing a single place. She¡¯s entirely mine. ¨C His Highness, the crown prince, confessed to Laure the other day. Didn¡¯t you know? Every time I recall that moment, my blood boils, and my anger intensifies. How dare that bastard. How dare you covet my woman? She has been my bride for a long time ago. All you are is a scarecrow who is proud to be a part of the royal family. ¡®I¡¯m gonna have to warn him.¡¯ The bond between the Grand Duke of Rochester and the Imperial Family is strong. It¡¯s the two giant pillars that supported the empire. But when it comes to which of them is more preeminent, of course, it was definitely the Rochester¡¯s. A family with a power that even the royal family cannot efficiently deal with. That was the Grand Duke of Rochester. ¡®Laure. Whatever you are thinking, you will not be able to escape from me anyways.¡¯ Calix knew the power he has in his hands. It was effortless to manipulate. Even if she changed her mind, even if she tried to run away from him, it would still be him who will be victorious in the end. There was no doubt that she would be his. That was her fate. That¡¯s what Calix believes. She cannot run away. I¡¯ll never let go. Even if you try to fly away like a bird, I¡¯ll break your wings to keep you by my side. I¡¯ll lock you up where no one can find you and make you sing only for me. Laure. My woman, my bride, the one I love. Calix is in a state of agony. He wants to see Laure as soon as possible. But he was caught in a goddamn meeting and couldn¡¯t do anything. Chapter 7 He sighed. The meeting, which began early in the morning, was expected to continue into the evening. They were having a short break at the moment. However, it was only Calix who was sitting in the meeting room and relaxed. Except for him, all the high-ranking nobles of the empire were in lieu of war with the Great Temple to have an audience with that so-called ¡®Divine Lady.¡¯ It was because of that divine lady that the meeting was held today. This old tree has been guarding the Great Temple¡¯s successors for over a thousand years. The tree is said to be a spiritual passage between this world and God¡¯s world. A girl was found under the old tree. Though she seems to be around 19, it is still unclear whether that information was accurate as she has not yet woken up. I¡¯m not sure about anything, but the priests were making a fuss, saying a divine lady had appeared. If it¡¯s a divine lady, then it¡¯s something that deserves to be celebrated by the empire¡¯s inclination and even the continent. But Calix was not interested. His full attention was all on Laure. Laure. Laure. Laure. The only thing that fills my mind was the thought of her. I miss Laure. I want to touch, hug, and kiss her. I want to lock her up in my arms. Struggling and sobbing with her slender body against mine, she¡¯ll definitely look adorable. A new groan or sigh flowed out of Calix¡¯s lips. He hoped for this awfully dull time to pass quickly and always imagined the not-too-distant future, where she will be entirely his. ¡®Laure Rochester¡¯ A relaxed smile hung on his lips as he slowly pronounced the name. * * * A Divine Lady has appeared! I almost fainted when I heard that. Hadn¡¯t the maid caught me when I staggered, I would have hit my head on the floor. Once I calmed down, I sat down on the table, then ordered the maid to serve me some tea. C-Calm down. Let¡¯s calm down. I didn¡¯t forget that I was pregnant. For the baby, we should keep our mind calm, think only of relaxing thoughts, that¡¯s¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Bullshit, of course, that¡¯s impossible! The divine lady, Sia, appeared. This is so fast! My heart feels so restless and anxious. I couldn¡¯t just stay calm. I can¡¯t believe the heroine, who was supposed to appear a month later, just abruptly show up. Even if the original story was now a bit awry, wasn¡¯t it too contorted? Moreover, I felt dizzy because of the nightmare I had at dawn. The damn nightmare faded as I tried to remember it. I only remembered being executed and that my child appeared in my dream. Argh, what is this? I put the teacup aside and discarded it on the table. I¡¯ve always resented God, but I¡¯ve been more and more resentful recently. Why on earth are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong?! ¡°Ha, life¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The moment I first realized that I had reincarnated came to mind. At that time, I was delighted to live as a noblewoman and live a comfortable life without knowing even in a dream that I was destined to be burned to death before long. Haaa, I sighed loudly. What will happen in the future? What am I supposed to do? What about my child? Should I let Calix know that I am pregnant? ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Informing Calix of the child¡¯s existence, recklessly was very dangerous. The same goes for the others. Though Alice knew I was pregnant, she was an exception. She promised to keep this a secret, and in the original story, Alice was the only person who took care of Laure until the end, who turned her back on her family. Alice has always been on my side. She could be trusted. However, Calix can¡¯t be trusted because he¡¯s meant to betray me in the future. Now that Sia made her appearance, there will never be a marriage between the two of us. What could he be doing right now? Has he met Sia? Did he fall in love with her at first sight? He should be, right? Because they are half of the same soul. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I bit my lips. I¡¯ve always thought that my feelings for Calix were never so deep, but it was heartbreaking and frustrating to think that he will be taken away by someone else. What on earth is the meaning of this? I¡¯m the one who pushed him away and hurt him this whole time. You¡¯re silly, Laure Ecree. ¡®Would Calix abandon me?¡¯ Was I the only one to you? Or¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± My mood sank. I got up from my seat with a deep sigh. I¡¯ll go to see Alice first and discuss what to do in the future. Alice is the only one I can rely on right now. After taking off her pajamas and changing into her casual clothes, she put on her flat shoes. She brushed her hair down and was about to head to the door when she heard a knocking sound from the window. What is it? I turned my head around. Knock, knock. Something kept knocking on the window. I approached slowly, a little nervous. As soon as I reached the window, I lifted the curtain, and the thing where the sound originated was immediately identified. Knock, knock, knock. The thing that kept knocking on the window monotonously was none other than a bluebird made by magic. ¡°It was you!¡± I smiled unknowingly and quickly opened the window. The bluebird came in, singing with a tweet, and circled me. Then it sat down on my shoulder. So, so cute! Chu~ the bluebird pecked my cheek with its beak. Like a kiss. My cheeks flushed red, and my heart warmed up. I gently stroked the bluebird. It was Calix who made this bluebird. When I was a kid, he learned that I had nightmares every night. As a result, Calix would make bluebirds like this and send them my way. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of Calix¡¯s bluebird, but the nightmares I kept having stopped one day altogether. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤However, I had another nightmare last night. I stroked the bluebird in a sad mood. The bluebird cried sadly as if my heart had been conveyed. Oops! I took my hand off quickly. This bluebird was a naughty guy who delivers my feelings to Calix in real-time. There¡¯s nothing good about him knowing I¡¯m depressed¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ the bluebird quickly flew away. The bluebird tweeted as if discontented then vanished into the blue sky. It returned to its master. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± As I fell into a daze staring at the spot where the bluebird had disappeared, I got lost on my thoughts. I never imagined Calix would send a bluebird. By now, I thought he would be meeting Sia¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. But he sent me a bluebird? By any chance, have you not forsaken me yet¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. My heart pounded. And my expectations rose. ¡®Perhaps, Calix to me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ The fact that Calix sent me a bluebird, or that I had his child was not in the original story. So maybe. Maybe it¡¯s possible for things to flow differently from the original story. No law says reality will necessarily be the same as how it goes in the novel. Hope, who was crouching in the dark, gently raised its head. ¨C I love you. Laure. I won¡¯t ever let you go. Is it okay to believe his words? Can I trust you, Calix? That you won¡¯t betray me, and that you will stay beside me all the time, can I believe those words? I clasped my hands together. Then I closed my eyes and bowed as if praying. Thump, thump. I heard my heart beating erratically. The fact that there is another life within me came to me vividly. Maybe this child is a symbol of good luck. Perhaps it¡¯s a sign that it is possible to change my fate. So far, I had pushed Calix away and always believe that half of him was not mine¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Just once, just for only one time.¡¯ I want to hog him all to myself. I want to hear it definitely from him. Promise me he won¡¯t abandon me forever. That¡¯s all I want, Calix. I raised my head. ¡®Let¡¯s meet him.¡¯ Yes, this is probably the last crossroad in Laure Ecree¡¯s life. Although there¡¯s still an anxiety element about trust remains, I feel like I could dare disobey God¡¯s will if Calix chose me. Let¡¯s meet Calix, then decide what to do next. Let¡¯s meet him first. I¡¯m going to tell him. The truth is I¡¯ve been lying all this time. I like you, I want to be with you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. And if he gives me assurance¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Then I¡¯ll be able to tell him about our child, and about the secrets that have plagued me for 11 years. ¡®If that happens, then there is nothing to worry about anymore¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡¯ At some point, water droplets formed around her eyes. She smiled softly and wiped away her tears. Once I finally made up my mind, I couldn¡¯t be lighthearted. Let¡¯s go see him, right now, let¡¯s meet him and talk to him. ¡®Calix, I¡¯m coming.¡¯ Please, don¡¯t let go of my hand. My steps hasten. * * * To have the desire to meet Calix and patch up things with him, to the point that she almost stumbles while walking fast, was alright. However, ¡°Damn, what shall I do?!¡± As soon as I entered the Imperial Palace, I got lost. Laure Ecree, are you stupid?! Oh, my gosh, you¡¯re already 20 years of age, how can you get lost?! You¡¯re already a lady! She cried out, leaned her head down, then pulled her hair. She heard that His Majesty¡¯s has this bizarre hobby, but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I didn¡¯t know it would be this bad. What kind of garden is this? This isn¡¯t a garden; it¡¯s entirely a jungle. ¡°Uh, what the hell? These vines¡­¡± I pushed forward through the vines using my parasol. The vines were so thick that I wonder if this was really inside the Imperial Palace. Did I just move to another dimension without me knowing? Vine plants are hanging like nets among the growing trees, and the floor was covered with weeds, making a mess of her shoes and skirt. ¡°It¡¯ll take me forever to find my way like this¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± Anxiety struck her. What if I get MIA here? No one knows that I left the mansion¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I should have brought a maid. I can¡¯t believe a noble lady wanders around without a single attendant. Why the hell did I do that¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! ¡®It¡¯s all because of the memories of my past life!¡¯ Having lived in a liberal society, I sometimes do things that don¡¯t fit my status. Once, on a rainy day, I went out alone without anyone knowing that I wanted to eat sweets. Or when I secretly pack my luggage because I want to go on a trip outside the island. I got caught by my father and got grounded inside the mansion for a week. Pondering those days, Calix said, ¡®Laure is unique.¡¯ Teasing her. His face, smiling at me as if it were cute, came to mind when I closed my eyes. Calix, my sweet guy. My fianc¨¦. I¡¯ve never coveted him ever since we met 11 years ago. I can¡¯t wait to meet Calix and tell him. The fact is I like you too, and you¡¯re the only one I¡¯m going to marry. But why can¡¯t I see the end of this forest? I hurried my steps, swinging my parasol like a wooden sword. It¡¯s crucial to meet Calix, but it was also an issue that I¡¯m carrying a child right now. It¡¯s not good to stay in these woods for a long time on a cold autumn day. I need to get out of here quickly¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Ah, really. Why did I run out alone! Just like a fool. How much did I wander around like that? Finally, the light began to appear from the front. It was an exit. I finally found it! I hurriedly headed over. Chapter 8 After meeting Calix, I¡¯m going to file an appeal to His Majesty, the Emperor. I need him to do something about this damn forest¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Although he might not take seriously the appeal raised by the daughter of a nobleman. In fact, I was more of a problem than the forest or the emperor. I can¡¯t believe I walk around without a servant even though I knew I¡¯m pregnant. How outraged would Calix be if he knew? I feel dumbfounded with myself too. ¡®I¡¯m gonna have to take extra care of my body from now on. I must never forget that I am pregnant.¡¯ I sighed with a belated resolution. After clearing the last vines and entering the light, a normal flower garden, not a forest, unfolded. Oh, finally! I felt relieved and kept walking forward past the flower garden. As I looked around, I saw a building in the distance. But what kind of building is it? I don¡¯t know because I haven¡¯t been to the Imperial Palace for a long time. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be someone there. I strode towards the building. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤But the closer I got to this building, the more familiar it becomes. A snow-white roof and pillars, it seems like a temple¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ No, it really is a temple! Oh, my God. It¡¯s good to find a way, but I¡¯ve come near the Great Temple. W-What if I run into Sia? But will Sia already go outside? She must¡¯ve been staying inside the temple safely, right? Tens of thousands of thoughts ran through my head, when I heard a voice from afar. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤His Grace is¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤That¡¯s not true.¡± Huh? Her ears pricked hearing the familiar voice. This voice¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ It¡¯s Calix¡¯s! Calix was close by. My mood was plummeting down little by little as I try to approach carefully. Strangely, my heart was pounding. Though, I know it was different from feeling any excitement. Right now, the person talking to Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤You¡¯re such a nice person. The Grand Duke is.¡± Finally, I could see the two of them clearly. Fearing that I might get caught, I hid quickly behind the flower bed. My heart was thrashing like crazy. It seemed that the sound could resonate all the way up there. The person facing Calix right now¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°You¡¯re just mistaken. Divine Lady.¡± Sia. It was her. Black hair and eyes. A face as pale as the moon. So beautiful that you could get blinded just by looking at her, she was there. By Calix¡¯s side. ¡®Sia¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Sia met Calix. They¡¯re laughing¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ while talking with each other. At the moment, my head was dizzy. I felt so woozy as if I was going to faint. It was different from imagining it and seeing it in person. Seeing them standing face to face and looking in each other¡¯s eyes, I felt suffocated to death. My heart aches so much. I grabbed my chest then lowered my head. Cold sweat flowed all over my body and my hands and feet became very cold. The moment I raised my head again, ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± Sia fell into Calix¡¯s arms. Calix faltered back in panic but did not push her away. The next moment¨C ¡°Ugh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Sia and Calix¡¯s lips overlapped. I quickly bowed my head, turning away from them. I felt suffocated. As if salt was being sprinkled on the wound, my heart starts to burn. Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t like Calix so much, that¡¯s what I thought, but now I felt like I was falling into an endless pit seeing that I was losing him. What the hell is this? What are you really planning to do, Laure Ecree. I already forgot that I had something to tell Calix. Lost in her thoughts, the two person¡¯s voices grew smaller and farther away. I carefully lifted my head up and looked at Calix and Sia. Two people walking side by side, looking in each other¡¯s eyes. Sia pointed to the sky and said something, and suddenly Calix laughed. The smile he used to show me, the funny, and his cute smile¡­ He was now giving that smile to Sia. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± My heart sank. I plopped myself down on the spot. My eyes seemed to heat up and tears gradually filled up. Her field of vision blurred. And the hot liquid ran down her cheek. Drip, drip. Tears soaked the fabric of her clothes. As she just sat there blankly. And soon I realized. That the scene I just saw, exactly matches the first meeting between the two in the original story¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®In the end¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¯ In the end, I guess it was meant to be like this. As expected, there was nothing I could do. Like what has been repeated all this time¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I couldn¡¯t change my destiny. And it will continue to be¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ No matter how hard I struggle, I can¡¯t escape. I can¡¯t get away. I¡¯m fated to lose everything to Sia. Stupid. Stupid, Laure Ecree. What do you expect? This is the reality. You¡¯re the villainess, and you¡¯re not the main character of this story. ¡®Then what about my child?¡¯ What about my child with Calix? This child, what the hell is this then¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I held my upper body in my arms. Then bowed my head and sobbed. A promise never to forsake each other. Calix couldn¡¯t have given that to me. What did I stupidly expect? It was fated to be like this from the beginning. He was destined to love her. He sent me a bluebird simply because it was before he met Sia. It¡¯s not that his feelings didn¡¯t change. It was just that. Before meeting Sia¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ In the original story, there¡¯s no part that Laure and Calix had a child. Then, what does this child mean? A child who will be criticized as illegitimate. In addition to that, a child who may be called the child of a wicked woman. ¡®However, this child.¡¯ It was my child. I don¡¯t know her face or her voice yet, but she was the child I have to give birth to, raise, and take responsibility for. ¡®I have to protect this child.¡¯ I finally came to my senses. So far I have been desperately avoiding fate. But it all failed. However, I couldn¡¯t give up like this. It¡¯s not just about me anymore. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s it.¡¯ I hugged my stomach tightly. ¡®I have you.¡¯ My eyes grew hot. ¡®I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Mom, will protect you.¡¯ You¡¯ll never be pointed out or killed for being the child of Laure Ecree. Amidst being in great grief and sorrow, she promised. She vowed again and again. No matter what, she¡¯s going to protect and keep this child. Never, I¡¯ll never let anyone take you away from me. After a firm resolution, it was not difficult to make a plan. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re gonna be okay? Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± At Alice¡¯s anxious question, I smiled and nodded. We are now packing our luggage. Originally, I was thinking of leaving alone, but Alice stepped out, saying she would go with me. Saying I didn¡¯t know anything about living an escapee¡¯s life, no matter how much I refuse, she was still relentless. That she can¡¯t let me go alone. Tears welled up my eyes. There will always be a sliver of light even in the midst of darkness. I thought I was alone, but I was thrilled to have someone who was willing to sacrifice her comfortable life just to be with me. ¡°Thank you, Alice.¡± I hugged Alice and said. She then quietly patted me on my back. Like a long time ago, just like my late mother did. ¡°Laure, I believe in you, that¡¯s why I¡¯m helping you do this, but someday you have to tell me. Why you should run away, and why you can¡¯t tell the Grand Duke the truth.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I will.¡± I answered in a small voice. Even I can hear the uncertainty in my tone myself. The secret that has been plaguing me for 11 years, will there be a day when I can confide it with someone else? I thought that if I would ever tell someone my secret, the first person to know should be Calix. But the moment I saw him with Sia, something inside me fell apart. I feel so desperate beyond resuscitation Now all I had left was this child in my stomach. To protect my only child, I will leave the Imperial Capital. For this child to grow up happily, there was no other way but to get out of here. The flow in which the Divine Lady and the Grand Duke fell in love with each other, and the wicked woman, due to jealousy commits all kinds of evil deeds. If the original story is so, I can leave here even before the story unfolds. I will leave the Imperial Capital and become a character who doesn¡¯t appear in the story. ¡®Calix.¡¯ My thoughts went to him. The many days I spent with him. The words he whispered to me. The promise he¡¯ll never let go. By that time, will he miss me at least once? When he thinks of me, will it hurt him for even a little? ¡®I¡¯m sorry I left like this. Contrastingly, I hate you, but I know that things can¡¯t be helped because it¡¯s fated. Thank you for liking me all this time.¡¯ I pressed my reddened eyes with the back of my hand. And crushed my sorrowful heart and lingering regret. From now on I have to be stronger. I have to be tough. Because I¡¯m not alone. Because I have a child to protect. Let¡¯s not be weak-minded. For the child who has no family in this world but me. I slipped out of Alice¡¯s arms and raised my head. To her with a worried look on her face, I said with a big smile. ¡°Alice, I¡¯m fine.¡± I chanted like a spell to myself. I left a letter to my father, brother, and Calix. Perhaps the letters will be found this evening at the earliest, or tomorrow morning if late. I looked around, pressing my hat deeply. I hid my pink hair in case anyone recognized me. And a scarf was wrapped around me like a mummy. Not sure whether my appearance looks suspicious, passers-by glance once in a while, but I smiled at them as if unconcerned. Alice and I packed up and came to the train station. If you take the mana train that crosses the Arisia continent, you will be able to reach the kingdom of Alona in the east. After getting off there, we have to take a carriage. Alice and I decided to go to the Jura Peninsula, the easternmost part of the continent, where the train routes do not go. The Jura Peninsula was the so-called ¡°World¡¯s Edge.¡± It was said that it was not a good place for people to live in because of the storm from the eastern sea, and there were many pickpockets, fraudsters, and pirates. However, it was a better place to hide for a long time than anywhere else. ¡°I¡¯m glad people that I know were there. They took care of me when I was a kid, but now they¡¯ve settled down and lived in the port city of Canello.¡± Said Alice, looking carefully at the map. I smiled and shook my head. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s really fortunate. I hope they¡¯ll not dislike me.¡± Then Alice folded the map and smiled. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Every time I see Lady Laure, I always want to give you something to eat and keep you in a warm room.¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± ¡°Of course. Our lady is very cute.¡± Uh. Stop saying something embarrassing. I blushed and diverted my gaze. Alice laughed as she looked at me. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you hungry? I saw they sell crepes over there. Should I get some?¡± Alice asked, pointing to the crepe stall. I think for a moment and nodded. I was just getting hungry. I can¡¯t make a grumbling noise inside the train cabin. I don¡¯t want to advertise that I¡¯m hungry. Alice grinned and said before turning, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get it. Please wait a little longer. Scream when someone approaches!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I nodded with a solemn look. I have to be careful in such crowded places. If a weirdo approaches and talks to me, I¡¯ll kick him in the shin right away. And if I scream promptly, Alice will come running and save me with magic. While watching the surroundings and staying alert, there was a disturbance on the other side of the station. Chapter 9 As I turned my eyes, passers-by were whispering and glancing in one direction. If one looks closely, there are people gathered in one place who appears to be uniformed knights, and in the middle of them¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± I was momentarily stunned. Then my body immediately got rigidly frozen. My mind went blank, and I couldn¡¯t think of anything. A man with a brilliant blond hair and blue eyes, who caught the eye of everyone around him just by standing, was definitely someone I knew. Calix. Why is he here¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? Thump, thump. My heart started beating fast. Complicated thoughts tangled inside my head. What is Calix doing here? Has he read my letter already? That¡¯s why he came after me? Perhaps¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Did he come to catch me? ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± Foolishly, expectations rose from within me. Maybe he¡¯s trying to get me back. That maybe, he hasn¡¯t forgotten his promise to never let go¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. However, it didn¡¯t take me long to realize that it was just one of my wildest fantasies. ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s up with those high-ranking officials¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± From the side came the noise of some travelers talking. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? A Divine Lady has appeared! There was a great uproar in the city because of it that¡¯s why they¡¯re strengthening the train security. Looks like they¡¯ve just finished their security check.¡± What?! A Divine Lady?! The man¡¯s cry of surprise echoed through the whole platform. The silly me sighed softly. Indeed. There¡¯s no way Calix could have come after me. ¡®They¡¯ve already even kissed. What am I expecting?¡¯ I felt empty as if my heart had been pierced. Stupidly expecting and getting disappointed time and time again, I really never learn. I laughed at my pathetic self. The only thing I need to keep and protect is this child, that¡¯s the road I have to take. ¡®We should not be discovered, let¡¯s get on the train quietly.¡¯ I sorted out my thoughts and tried head to where Alice was. Then someone accidentally collided in me trying to pass by. ¡°Ugh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± The shoulder where that person bumped throbbed. The passerby didn¡¯t even utter a simple apology and just left. What kind of mannerless human is that? As I wrap my arms around my body while groaning, I heard Alice calling me from a distance. ¡°Laure!¡± ¡°Ali¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± I responded reflexively and lifted my head, then paused immediately. Is it just my imagination? Or can I really sense that someone¡¯s blue eyes were currently gazing at me? I looked back unconsciously. Then immediately had eye contact with him. ¡®Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡¯ Thud! My heart sank as if it were falling into a cliff. I couldn¡¯t move in place, my body turned stiff like a wooden statue. Alice rushed towards me then wrapped her arms around my shoulder. A buzzing sound reverberated in my ears. ¡®Laure?¡¯ He certainly called my name. His expression gradually hardened. Realization seemed to pass over his bluish eyes, and soon fiery glints of flame rose in it. I suddenly felt a chill down my spine. The feeling overrode me violently. I stumbled back. I had this premonition that he would try to catch me. At this rate, if I stand around like this, I will definitely be caught. ¡®No, I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ I¡¯ve decided to run away from this place, the setting, where the original story will take place. Me and my child. It¡¯s the only way for the two of us to be happy. It was clear that if Calix catches me here, the story would flow like the original story. And I don¡¯t have the confidence to endure the fate of the original Laure. I don¡¯t have the confidence to trust Calix, and to confide my secrets to him. Because I wasn¡¯t the heroine of this novel. If I was just brave like a heroine, I might have chosen to stay by his side and fought to win him. But I was someone who¡¯s extremely timid So, I could never be the main character in this story. And that epiphany pestered me desperately. I can see him taking a step towards me. He was walking straight towards me through the dizzying crowd. His appearance was like a predator chasing after its prey. Then a long sound of a horn heralded to signal the departure of the train. I hurriedly grabbed Alice¡¯s arm. Then told her quickly, ¡°A, Alice! Run! Now!¡± ¡°Laure? ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Ugh!¡± Only then did Alice¡¯s eyes opened wide, as if she had noticed Calix. She immediately wrapped herself around me and began to run for the train. There was no time to look back. But I knew it clearly. Calix was definitely chasing after me. The thought that I shouldn¡¯t be caught dominated my mind. I hurried up to the train with Alice and looked back. Five steps. It was only five steps. As he ran, his arms stretched out, and his golden hair fluttered in the strong wind. I saw his face. The face of a man who cannot believe what was taking place. The face of a betrayed person. Calix shouted. ¡°Laure!¡± ¡°Alice! Close the door!¡± Alice quickly locked the door. Just in the nick of time, Calix¡¯s body slammed into it. With solid, bam! The door shook with the sound. Calix stood holding onto the train¡¯s door, knocking hard on the windows as if they were going to break in any moment. Calix screamed in a loud voice that will forever leave a scar to my heart. ¡°Laure! Laure! Why, blasted why!¡± I cried as I stepped back. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m very sorry, Calix.¡± Calix¡¯s blue eyes shook like an ocean that was hit by fierce waves. He would have known by now. He must have realized it clearly. That I am trying to get away from him. I clenched my teeth and tried to turn my back. But Calix¡¯s words stopped me. ¡°Laure. Did you think that I¡¯ll leave you alone?¡± Calix¡¯s eyes flashed fiercely. At that moment, I could see the raging emotions spilling over his eyes. Obsession, madness, desire, and betrayal. I had goosebumps in an instant. I felt scared. It seemed like a real, serious thing would happen if I get caught by him. Calix, at the moment¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ He seemed out of his mind. I can¡¯t understand. You even kissed Sia, and you smiled, laughed, and looked at her with loving eyes. Do you even know how I felt back then? You don¡¯t even know how I feel about having to leave now¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡°You¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ How did you know?¡± My eyes grew hot. Then my vision blurred with tears. Calix¡¯s expression immediately swayed. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re going to hold on to me! You¡¯re going to abandon me anyway!¡± I ended up shouting. Words spilled out my mouth on impulse. The emotions that I¡¯ve been suppressing. The sorrow and pain that have accumulated all these years. ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Regret came late. Why did I say such useless things? I stared at him with a confused expression. Calix¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°Laure, what are you talking about? Come on, open this door. Get out of there, now!¡± He grabbed the door and jerked it wildly. I shook my head. ¡°Let¡¯s end it here.¡± ¡°What¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°This will be the last time. The two of us, let¡¯s break up here.¡± ¡°What are you saying¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± ¡°Just think of me as someone who doesn¡¯t exist in your world. Don¡¯t look for me. You¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I couldn¡¯t speak well due to my eyes were filled with tears. I breathed heavily and continued. ¡°You should be happy with her.¡± I turned around. I fought the urge to glance at his face for the last time. Trying to keep myself under control, I never looked back. Alice hastily followed me. After finding a cabin room, I asked her for a favor. ¡°Alice, can you seal off all the doors of this train using magic?¡± ¡°That will not be hard but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Laure, are you really going to be fine?¡± Alice asked anxiously. I looked into her worried eyes and smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯ve already prepared myself for this situation anyways.¡± The train started to leave. Alice blocked all entrances at my request. I asked because I was worried that Calix might also board the train. Though I don¡¯t think he¡¯s someone to do such a reckless thing¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I sat in the room and looked out the window. The distant scenery of the Imperial Capital passes by quickly. I quietly closed my eyes and recollected all the memories I had accumulated since I was young. However, there was a flashback that was mixed up like an uninvited foreign object in those beautiful memories. The scene where Calix and Sia¡¯s lips met¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Remembering that moment breaks my heart. I sat quietly with my eyes close for a while. Hiding my pain and sorrows. That¡¯s how we left the capital. To get to our destination, we would have to take several detours. For I know that Calix and his tracking team will follow. Fortunately, Alice was not only a doctor but also a brilliant wizard. Thanks to this, we could easily get out of their track. There were checkpoints everywhere that he will need to pass by, but if Calix uses his connections, he could pass by through them easily. I had a vague belief that we would arrive at our destination safely. Somehow it felt like this is my destiny. And my intuition was right. It took us half a month to finally reach the Jura Peninsula. The edge of the world where strong rain and wind always blows. The land of sailors, merchants, and pirates. This was where I, my child, and Alice, had to live from now on. Upon arrival, I abandoned the name Ecree. Instead, I used Alice¡¯s surname, Winterwood, and pretended to be her sister. The pink hair that Calix liked, that he said looks like a spring flower, due to it being a very noticeable color, was dyed plain brown. Alice and I moved secretly to avoid people¡¯s attention. Then we arrived at the port city of Canello before long. The weather was clear, and the sea was calm and still. Sunlight poured down since we reached the entrance of the city. It was as if the bright sun was welcoming us. ¡°Welcome. I¡¯ve already heard from Alice. You are Miss Laure, right?¡± The Osborne¡¯s, Alice¡¯s acquaintance, welcomed me with open arms as soon as I met them. Their warm welcome made me felt really grateful. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to secretly hide a suspicious aristocrat who had fled from the Imperial Capital. ¡°I will try to stay as unnoticeable as I can so that I do not become a bother to you.¡± I threw away all my status as an aristocrat and bowed politely to them. Mr. Osborne and his wife seemed to get very perplexed. ¡°Ahyu, you don¡¯t have to be so cautious around us, just be comfortable. But first of all, let¡¯s get inside. We were just having lunch¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Do you like seafood?¡± The Osborne couple hurried us into the house. Led us to the table and gave me warm tea, and put this and that on the plate, attentively asking if I was hungry. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The unexpected hospitality brought tears to my eyes. Eventually, I burst into tears with the food in front of me, and I had the Osborne couple feel quite embarrassed. Alice and the couple were at a loss of what to do to calm me down. But my tears kept on flowing. I was scared¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Alice said that they were her acquaintance but I doubted if they were really good people. I doubted if I can get through everything. I doubted if I will be able to protect my child. I¡¯ve been worried about it countless times¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. The small town on the coast where we just arrive was so warm, and the people who will be with us in the future were very kind. As if to be rewarded for the pain of the past. I vowed to live happily here. I will raise my child, who is more precious than anything else in the world, without lacking all the things that she needs. I¡¯ll be a strong mother no matter what. Chapter 10 Oh my, Alice. Did you play a prank with the lady while on your way here? You¡¯ve been such a tomboy since you were a kid¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?! No, I¡¯m not!¡± Alice¡¯s hysteric voice made me slightly laugh. I wiped the corners of my eyes with my sleeves and raised my head. I smiled brightly as I faced each of the people who are looking at me worriedly. No, I tried to. But my lips trembled and my smile shook. The image of Calix when I last saw him at the train station was stuck in my head like a thorn. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t laugh properly. His pleading voice still lingers in my ears, and a feeling of pity and regret continues to grow in my heart. However, there was no turning back now. Calix, I know you¡¯ll be looking for me for a while, but as time goes by¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll eventually forget me. Because Sia will be there beside you now. And my disappearance was the best decision that I can make for all of us. Trying to shake off the pain that was squeezing my heart, I smiled casually pretending to be fine. ¡°Thank you so much for accepting me. I will be in your care from now on.¡± The edge of the world, a small town on the coast of the Jura Peninsula. I descended here like a seagull tired of its long flight and rested. It was the beginning of our long secluded life. * * * * * * * Calix suddenly came to his senses. For an instant, it seemed that his consciousness had blurred. And he felt like his lips grazed over something¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Was it just my imagination?¡¯ He frowned and then grabbed the woman¡¯s shoulder in his arms. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What are you doing?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I suddenly felt dizzy¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± He feels like a bug was crawling all over his body at the moment and that he needs to hold on to something in order to stand still. Despite this, Calix struggled to politely push the woman away. I can¡¯t believe this woman suddenly jumped at me and hugged me. What the hell is going on¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. He strode ahead without hiding his displeasure, but the woman soon followed. Regardless, he just looked ahead and walked inadvertently, then he suddenly smelled something acrid and frowned. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Are they burning waste nearby? But I couldn¡¯t see any smoke or anything. ¡°Are you feeling all right? Your complexion doesn¡¯t look good¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± As the woman sneaked up to his side and tried put her hand on his shoulder, he stepped backward, avoiding the woman¡¯s touch and replied grumpily. ¡°I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s just that there¡¯s this pungent smell all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I think I smelled something like that, too¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The voice of the woman who calmly agreed with what he said somehow sounded strange. In some ways, it felt quite suspicious. However, he thought it¡¯s just because of his personal displeasure of the woman, that¡¯s why Calix didn¡¯t dwell on the thought too much. ¡°Did you know, somewhere in the world there is a place where the earth and sky connects.¡± Then, the woman said, pointing to the sky. Calix, who had been frowning, smiled unknowingly. It wasn¡¯t because of this woman, the Divine Lady who appeared after a hundred years. But because he remembered his most beloved person, who told a story similar to what the woman had just said. Laure. ¨C Imagine a lake full of salt. During the day, it reflects the azure blue sky, and at night, it is filled with stars and it sparkles dazzlingly. ¡°Where I lived, they call it a salt desert or a salt lake. Is there something like that here, too?¡± Calix has not been listening to the divine lady. He¡¯s thought was with Laure. With her sparkling green eyes, she said that it was her dream to see the salt lake at least once in this lifetime. Like a child with a cheerful and lovely voice. -Calix¡¯s eyes are as blue as the sky. So I always thought that it was very pretty. I¡¯m talking about it now, but¡­ He couldn¡¯t erase the smile that¡¯s on his lips. It was always the case when he thinks of her. ¡®I can¡¯t wait to see you. Laure.¡¯ Stay where you are. I¡¯ll be there soon. A rare gentleness surfaced over the face of the man who thought of his lovely fianc¨¦e. And the divine lady, who was watching him coldly, had a very sinister glint in her dark eyes. * * * * * * * ¡°Why are we the ones who are supposed to do this train inspection? It¡¯s not even related to us. Don¡¯t you think so, Your Grace?¡± Calix lightly ignored his knight¡¯s grumbling beside him. He couldn¡¯t wait to finish this bothersome task and go see Laure. It drives him crazy when he doesn¡¯t see her even for just a day, and he¡¯s sick of her avoiding him these last few weeks. ¡®If only that god-damn divine lady had not appeared.¡¯ If it weren¡¯t for that divine lady, I wouldn¡¯t have been this busy. Then I must have been beside Laure by now. Then the afterimage of the divine lady came to Calix¡¯s mind. He frowned with displeasure. It seemed that she kept on talking about nonsense things just to get my attention. ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve told you very clearly. I have a fianc¨¦e. Did you even understand me?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know what her intention was, but I don¡¯t intend to just let it slide. Calix pressed his temple with his fingertips. Then the knight whined beside him. ¡°Can¡¯t we just withdraw, your grace? It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s really any danger.¡± ¡°All right. Then the next time¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix was about to give his orders to his knights when¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Laure!¡± He heard a name that he shouldn¡¯t be hearing in this place. Calix turned his head in the direction where the sound came from. And spotted her. The only person in the world he¡¯s so eager to see, his one and only fianc¨¦e¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Why is she here?¡¯ That question came first thing to his mind. A simple inquiry that hasn¡¯t developed yet into suspicion. Not long after, she turned around and their eyes met. ¡°Laure?¡± Calix saw Laure stiffen. Her eyes gradually tinged with muddledness. Something was not right. Calix felt anxious. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¯ Doubts spread like paint. No way, is she trying to run away? No, it can¡¯t be. Why is she¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. -I can¡¯t marry you. I¡¯ll say it again, Calix. Please, let¡¯s get¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ annulled. His suspicions evolved into certainty in no time. Calix believes in his intuition. Realization flashed through him like lightning. Laure is¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Trying to run away from me. Now, on that train that¡¯s just about to leave. I could hear something breaking inside my head. Chaotic images spun through his mind. He felt outraged. He never imagined she would run away. You wanted to get away from me that much? Why? Why, how come it came to this? He was determined to give her everything that he has. He totally believed that she was his person, he never doubted it even once. He believed that she could not be taken away, and that he would be in his life forever. But, why. The world he had built up so far seemed to crumble down in just a blink of an eye. Calix glared at Laure as if he was devouring her. Frightened, she retreated back. It was not something difficult. He has confidence in himself. I¡¯m going to catch her permanently, hold her tight, and tie her to my side. To prevent her from running away forever. I will completely bind her, and she will only be painted with my own color. It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize that I was just being arrogant. ¡°Alice! Run! Now!¡± The sound of the horn announcing the departure of the train rung out loudly. Next to her was Alice Winterwood, the physician of the Marquis of Ecree. That woman¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. That woman was a wizard. I was distracted by anger. When I realized that fact belatedly, my anxiety soared. Calix ran frantically. Laure¡¯s hat came off while running, and her beautiful pink hair fluttered. He ran desperately and stretched his arm. Five steps. Five steps ahead, she looked back at him. Calix climbed onto the train and saw her eyes looking down at him. Her beautiful emerald eyes were filled with resignation and guilt. The moment he saw the emotions swirling in her eyes, Calix realized. She¡¯s going to leave him. She¡¯s throwing him away. The fact that she didn¡¯t even ask him for any consent, didn¡¯t even explain, and the fact that she¡¯d just decided to throw him out of her life at her own will. Fever rose all over his body. It seemed that lava, not blood, was flowing in his veins. ¡°Laure!¡± ¡°Alice! Close the door!¡± Bam! At the same time as the door closed, Calix slammed hard against the door and stumbled for a moment. He lifted his head again and looked at her with anger, betrayal, and despair. Beyond the windowpane of the tightly closed door, Laure had a pale face. Calix knocked on the door like a mad person. If I could just stretch my arms just a little more, I will be able to reach her, I will be able to embrace her, I can¡¯t believe I can¡¯t reach out to her just because of this freaking door¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Laure! Laure! Why, blasted why!¡± He shouted as loud as he can. This reality was absolutely unbearable and unbelievable to accept. He can¡¯t believe she betrayed him. He can¡¯t believe she¡¯s throwing him away and is leaving him. It seemed like a lie. He wished for this to be a terrible nightmare. I tried to give you everything. You¡¯re the only one I have. You are the sun shining in the east every morning, you are the stars that brighten up my night, and you were the sky that embraces my every little thing. Laure, you are my world. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m very sorry, Calix.¡± My heart felt like it was breaking into tiny million pieces. Laure, please. Please¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. He looked at her mournfully as if he was holding on to his last string of sanity. Then he firmly closed his eyes. Like he doesn¡¯t want to accept the fact that he won¡¯t be able to see her anymore. He could feel his throat burn. Calix gritted his teeth to keep himself from trembling. The sense of betrayal shook him to the core, and indignation rose. The fact that she had abandoned him came so painfully that it felt like it will bring him death at any moment. It seemed as if salt was sprinkled over the peeled skin. However. However, I won¡¯t let go. Even if I have to die. No, even in death. Towards her whose turning away, he said. ¡°Laure. Did you think that I¡¯ll leave you alone?¡± Then she paused and looked at him. Anxiety and fear appeared on her face. ¡°You¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Laure, who had been silent for some time, finally opened her mouth. ¡°You¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ How did you know?¡± Calix was suddenly perplexed by the unexpected words. What¡¯s Laure talking about? Without knowing anything about it, she cried out in resentment. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re going to hold on to me! You¡¯re going to abandon me anyway!¡± What the¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Calix felt dumbfounded. What do you mean I¡¯m abandoning you? He couldn¡¯t understand. It¡¯s her who betrayed him, so why is she saying that words to him now with a wounded expression? Calix looked at Laure confusedly. Her eyelids trembled, and tears, which had been forming drops around her eyes, fell. He opened his mouth and cried out, begging. ¡°Laure, what are you talking about? Come on, open this damn door. Get out of there, now!¡± Laure shook her head. Stubbornly refusing. He thought that he might get crazy if this keeps going on. ¡°Let¡¯s end it here.¡± ¡°What¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°This will be the last time. The two of us, let¡¯s break up here.¡± ¡°What are you saying¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± ¡°Just think of me as someone who doesn¡¯t exist in your world. Don¡¯t look for me. You¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± She paused, crying. The short time it took her mouth to open again felt like an eternity to him. And the words finally spoken were¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°You should be happy with her.¡± Before he could even ask her what that meant, she turned around. She went away without even looking back. Calix stared dazedly at Laure¡¯s disappearing back. It felt as if sand were slipping out of his grasp. ¡°Your Grace! That¡¯s dangerous! Hurry and get down. Please!¡± One of his knights hugged him and pulled him off the door of the train. As soon as he fell from the door, the train began to run fast. But Calix could not think of anything else. ¨C You should be happy with her. What the hell does that mean? What does she mean ¡®her¡¯? Don¡¯t tell me she thinks I¡¯m having an affair? Who inserted that bullshit into Laure¡¯s mind? He seemed to have picked up a messy piece of a puzzle. However, Calix realized one thing. The fact that Laure seemed to misunderstand him. To leave him because of such a ridiculous misunderstanding. ¡®Why didn¡¯t she believe in me?¡¯ I¡¯ve been sincere to her over and over again. All the time. I¡¯ve told her countless times that I love her, and when we finally spent the night together, I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I thought I was the happiest man in the world. ¡®Why, why the freaking hell.¡¯ Laure. Calix swept his face with one hand. Feeling terribly hopeless, he thought only of her. Laure, why don¡¯t you believe me? He kept asking himself questions that will never be answered. Mae¡¯s Notes: We have a witch! I¡¯m not sure, too, but damn! That Sia-bitch is doing something to our Calix! ???? Chapter 11 Over time, he gradually calmed down. He remembered that he has to take his actions as fast, and as swiftly as he can. He turned to the knights who had pledged allegiance to him and gave orders. ¡°Track the train.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Y-Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Tell our people to strengthen the inspection at each station. Tell them they have to keep in mind not to miss out every little piece of detail, even if it¡¯s trivial.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The knights, who were ordered, gave a salute and began to move in haste. Calix watched the scene quietly, then shifted his gaze to the long railway where the train had just disappeared. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± If you thought you could get away from me with a train or anything, you¡¯re terribly mistaken¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. A laugh of ridicule came out of his mouth. She seemed to overestimate herself too much. Do you think I won¡¯t be able to find you? Really? You can never get away from me. You¡¯ll eventually, come back to me. Laure. Calix¡¯s blue eyes glowed haughtily. He had no doubt that he could get her back. I will find her, pull her back into my arms, completely lock her up, and then make her unable to escape again. A cool smile hung over his thin lips. Calix was confident. He¡¯s sure he¡¯ll be able to find her in no time. But it didn¡¯t take him long before he realizes, It was only just his arrogance. * * * * * Nearly seven years have passed since I left the Imperial Capital. I realized here that time could flow so fast. Before her child was born, time seemed to be dreadfully slow. But after I had my cute daughter, the years passed by as if it was tied to a speeding arrowhead. ¡°Mom, Mom!¡± The child who came down the stairs snuck into my arms. Then a big smile surfaced on my lips. Tomorrow, Letizia will turn six. She speaks well because she is smart, and she also reads children¡¯s books really well. Not long ago, when she started learning a foreign language, she immediately memorized a whole sentence. Isn¡¯t my daughter a genius? ¡°Mom! Look at this! Letty drew a picture!¡± ¡°Wow? Really?¡± Letty popped out her sketchbook. And I accepted it with an admiring look on my face. On a white drawing paper, there was a picture of Letty herself holding hands with two angels. ¡°The angels came out in my dreams and congratulated me!¡± ¡°Really? What felicitations did you get?¡± I asked pretending not to know. Letty frowned, then pouts her cute lips. The child asked with a sullen look. ¡°Mom, do you know what day tomorrow is?¡± ¡°Tomorrow? What day is it tomorrow? Mom doesn¡¯t know?¡± As I shudder, keeping myself from laughing, Letty increasingly became tearful. She knows she shouldn¡¯t keep on teasing her. But Letty¡¯s sulky face is so cute. As I made an expression that I really didn¡¯t know, Letty said in a resentful voice. ¡°I hate you, mom.¡± ¡°Hey, my daughter! I¡¯m just kidding.¡± Letty pretended to still be sulky and turned her head. In the end, I stopped teasing and hugged her tightly. ¡°Mommy was just kidding. Why will I forget what day it is tomorrow? It¡¯s our Letty¡¯s birthday!¡± Then, Letty pulled out my arms and looked at me with his head out. An inquiring smile appeared on her face making sure that I¡¯m not just lying. Oh, how can my daughter be so cute? As I look at her with eyes full of affection, Letty asked. ¡°Is it really true that you didn¡¯t forget Letty¡¯s birthday?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Of course!¡± I didn¡¯t reply immediately in order to tease her more. My cute daughter, she¡¯s so cute that I keep wanting to make fun of her. I embraced Letty and rubbed her cheeks. Letty huffed, then exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ll let it go only this time.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. Princess.¡± I hugged Letty up. The child¡¯s blonde hair fluttered gently. Letty resembles me and Calix fifty-fifty. However, her round face and emerald-green eyes looked just like mine, and anyone who sees would be able to recognize that she was definitely my daughter. ¡°My daughter, what would you like mom to buy as your birthday present?¡± ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t have money.¡± ¡°Of course not, I have the money to buy my daughter¡¯s present!¡± I answered confidently, but Letty glanced at me with a glint in her eyes that implies she didn¡¯t really believe what I said. This, this kid! You¡¯re embarrassing your Mom! It¡¯s a secret to Letty, but I¡¯ve actually ordered her gift since a week ago. All she has to do is go find it later. But this little kid doesn¡¯t believe in her mother. I gave Letty a kiss on the cheek. I was about to say that I prepared a surprise gift for her, but Letty opened her mouth first. ¡°Letty wants mom to wear a pretty dress and put on a hairpin.¡± Letty fiddled with my brown-dyed hair. I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected remark. I asked you to tell me about what you want as a birthday present, but your mom was the first thing that came to your mind? I felt so touched that I almost cried. I felt so proud that tears surfaced at the corners of my eye. Gasp, or is that it? Is she embarrassed that I don¡¯t dress myself up? Was our Letty old enough to care about something like that? I looked at Letty timidly. ¡°Letty is sad! Mom is the prettiest in our neighborhood, but Mom only wears weird clothes!¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± ¡°Un!¡± Letty seemed to mean it. But my daughter, mom doesn¡¯t have the money to buy clothes¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I¡¯ve already used up all the money I secretly stashed from the Ecree Marquis while raising you. There are still a few dresses that I wore in the past¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ But they were already out of fashion. ¡®Should I wear those clothes after repairing them¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ It¡¯s made of expensive materials and the color is still quite good. ¡°Anyway, Letty doesn¡¯t really need a gift.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Ye~es.¡± It was so funny how mature Letty was. I desperately blocked the leaking laughter out of my mouth. As if noticing my expression, Letty narrowed her eyes. Oh my, you scare me. You can be the pirate king if you want to with just the way you look. I turned my head, pretending not to know. ¡°But Letty, why is this angel here¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ wearing a horse mask?¡± I pointed to the angel in the picture drawn by Letty. Like an angel, she had four pairs of wings, but somehow she wore a horsehead mask that covered her entire face. ¡°Oh, that.¡± My palpable delusions were raging, and Letty said in a calm voice. ¡°Angel Hippos is so timid that she can¡¯t talk to other people without wearing a horse mask.¡± ¡°Uh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. And the angel with deer antlers here, this is Angel Elafi, I met her for the first time in my dream last night.¡± ¡°Oh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I see.¡± As I listened to Letty¡¯s story, I tried not to make a serious expression. What Letty is talking about at the moment was the names of Phoenix¡¯s Seven Angels. The Osborne couple is quite a devout believer, so I¡¯ve taken Letty to the chapel a few times. However, Letty¡¯s story was outright specific to be just picked up by barely going to the chapel. Is it just my child¡¯s superfluous imagination? But do you usually make your imaginary friend an angel? ¡°Angel Peristera said that mom was a fool.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What?!¡± The unexpected words brought me to my senses. I laughed with a puzzled look on my face. The angel in Letty¡¯s dreams called me stupid? D-Does that mean my daughter always thinks of me as an idiot¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Yeah, I know I¡¯m a little lacking for a mom, but isn¡¯t that a bit too much?! ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind what she said, mom. Because Letty thinks that you are a genius!¡± ¡°Huh?¡° What, what is it? I¡¯m confused. Ting, the door of the shop opened with the sound of the bell. ¡°Auntie Rose! Letty!¡± A little girl came in with her curly-red hair flying. It was Nana, Letty¡¯s neighborhood friend. ¡°Sister Nana!¡± Letty slipped out of my arms and ran toward Nana. I looked at Letty with a slight sense of betrayal. Do you like your friend more than your mom! Can you rely on yourself alone anymore¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! ¡°Auntie Rose, good morning. You think I¡¯m being an annoyance again, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What the hell is my image to the kids in this town? In her moment of anguish, Letty asked in an excited voice. ¡°Mom, can I go play with Nana and the other older brothers and sisters?¡± ¡°Well¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ who will be there?¡± I looked at Nana and asked. Letty was still young to wander outside without a guardian. But I thought it would be okay if children around 14 years old were with her. They wouldn¡¯t even go far anyways. It¡¯s not that dangerous these days. ¡°¡±My older brother Hans and older sister Harriet is coming with me. Oh, and also Clara!¡± ¡°Hmn, is that so?¡± I nodded after thinking for a moment. Well, I guess that much would be fine. Hans, the oldest of the children in the neighborhood, was a smart and quick-witted kid. If Hans is around, he¡¯ll able to take care of the kids who came with him. ¡°Go out and come back safely, okay? Listen to your older brothers. Don¡¯t go anywhere alone. If a suspicious person talks to you, wear the ring that Aunt Alice gave you! And last but not the least, you have to come back home before five o¡¯clock, do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, mom! Bye! See you later!¡± Letty waved her hand to say goodbye then ran out like the wind. She was as fast as a flying squirrel. I looked inside the shop, feeling betrayed again. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Sniff, my daughter. You used to only play with your mom when you were a kid! You said your mom was your only one! But when you made your own friends, you¡¯re always so excited to hang out here and there. I began to clean up the shop, wiping away tears that I had not shed. This shop I¡¯m helping and working with belonged to the Osborne couple. It was both a house and a shop at the same time, a two-story house with a yard in the back, and the store is on the first floor, facing a large street. The items we¡¯re selling are magical items and mana stones engraved with magic. Mr. Osborne and his wife were also good at repairing things using magic. I also started learning it since five years ago, but my aptitude is not that great that¡¯s why I can only do simple things. Still, I am quite good at engraving magic. Is it my inborn talent that I didn¡¯t know? These days, I used to feel quite proud because there were so many customers looking for me. ¡°When the stormy sea~ Once it calmed down~ Will you come today~ across the sea¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± While humming folk songs from the Jura Peninsula and organizing things, the door opened once more with a jingling sound. Is it a customer? She raised her head and smiled broadly. ¡°Welco¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Her smile faded even before finishing the greeting. Ah. God damn it¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°-come¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Your Excellency, Baron Camnell.¡± Why did this jerk come again? It¡¯s been quiet these days. I tried my best not to reveal an ugly expression on my face. Baron Camnell smiled his creepy smile at me. Uh. I feel nauseous just looking at his face. ¡°Hello, Rose. My gorgeous flower.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Crazy jerk¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Struggling to keep the curse out of my mouth, I smiled synthetically. ¡°I heard you singing. Are you humming while waiting for me to come?¡± ¡°Haha¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. How is that possible? I was just singing.¡± Why would I wait for you, you crazy bastard. ¡°Even today, your fresh green eyes are sparkling like jewels¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. But why are you alone?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. My father-in-law and Wall went to the market for a while.¡± ¡°Hmmn¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Really?¡± James Camnell looked at me with disgusting eyes as he touched his chin. Then slowly began to approach. Argh, he¡¯s so annoying! You crazy bastard! I quickly moved behind the counter and asked Baron Camnell. ¡°What¡¯s your purpose for coming here, by the way?¡± ¡°What do you mean purpose? Of course, I came to see you.¡± This jerk really doesn¡¯t get tired of it. Am I the only woman in the world? Why do you keep on flirting with this single-mother? Chapter 12 ¡°Rose, you¡¯re too gorgeous to rot in a place like this.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Are you really going to refuse my offer? Think about it carefully. What¡¯s so good about a guy like Will Osborne?¡± ¡°Well, that guy is a good husband.¡± ¡±Husband my foot. He¡¯s just a scarecrow you¡¯ve attached to yourself because you¡¯re a single mother!¡± Stabbed in the right direction, I flinched unconsciously. Then Baron Camnell sneered at me as he saw my apprehension. With the counter in between, he tilted his upper body then leaned towards me. ¡°Although you¡¯re a commoner and even have a child since you¡¯re quite pretty, I¡¯m giving you a chance to be one of my mistresses. I¡¯ll build a detached house for you. What do you think? It wasn¡¯t such a bad proposition, right?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Tsk, I want to kick this cretin out¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. No, should I just push this jerk off the coast and feed him to the fish? If not that, then it would also be good to tie him up with a rope and throw him into a pirate ship. How great would it be if he went across the ocean, all the way to the other side of the continent just like that? This damn bastard! ¡°I apologize, your excellency. But I like my ordinary life.¡± ¡°Humph, stupid. Let¡¯s see how long you can hold out. If you keep turning me down like this, it will only be your loss.¡± I nodded my head apathetically. James Camnell clicked his tongue and turned his back. As soon as he was about to open the door, the Osborne father and son returned from the market. ¡°Your Excellency, Baron Camnell? For what reason are you here again¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Asked Sean Osborne, who pretended to be my father-in-law, but Baron Camnell ignored what he said and just passed by. Wretched bastard. Glowering at the back of Baron Camnell¡¯s head with a loathsome expression, Will Osborne asked as he approached me. ¡°Lau- No, Rose, are you okay? What did that scumbag say again? I shook my head and answered. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. His remarks never change anyway.¡± Will and Sean both wore an anxious expression on their faces. ¡°No matter what, I guess I¡¯ll have to stay close to you for a while. Wherever you go, make sure you don¡¯t walk around alone, do you understand?¡± Will said, putting down his luggage at the counter. I smiled softly and nodded my head. Will was a very kind and friendly person. And I¡¯m really grateful to him and his father, that¡¯s why I feel guilty because I couldn¡¯t return his feelings for me. ¡°Anyhow, what did you buy today? What¡¯s for dinner?¡± I asked, alternately shifting my gaze between Will and Sean. I wanted to change the mood that had become gloomy because of that bastard, Baron Camnell. Noticing my intentions, Sean replied with a smile. ¡°I bought a giant octopus. If you boil this with herbs and serve it with mayonnaise, it will taste great. Ah, by the way¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Sean rummaged through the basket and suddenly pulled out a bouquet. It was pink tulips, similar to my original hair color. ¡°Wow! Thank you!¡± I smiled wide and accepted the bouquet. The fresh scent gave off a pleasant feeling. ¡°I¡¯m glad you liked it.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for always taking care of me like this all the time. Ah! And the tea that you make every morning! Thanks to that, I feel like my head is clear all day.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s nice¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Sean responded with a slightly cloudy voice. ¡°By the way, Rose¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± His expression suddenly became grave. The same was for Will, who was standing next to him. What¡¯s going on? I tilted my head and looked at them. Then Sean and Will exchanged glances and said in an anxious tone. ¡°We heard it at the market earlier¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ it seems that people from the capital came.¡± * * * Letizia hated hide-and-seek. Because she wasn¡¯t very talented at hiding. Even now, it was just like that. She has to hide quickly before the number goes up to 30, but she can¡¯t really figure out where to go. ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Therefore, she merely just sat down on the street. Her mom told her not only to sit anywhere! But the sun-warmed bricks feel good. Besides, beautiful wildflowers were blooming next to it. Purple violets and yellow dandelions. Letizia¡¯s eyes twinkled as she looked at the bunch of wildflowers. ¡®I have to pick this and give it to my mom!¡¯ Letizia began picking flowers diligently, forgetting about hide-and-seek. Her head was only full of thoughts of bringing flowers to her mother. Finally, Letizia, who made a fair bouquet, sprang up from her seat. Then she started running towards the direction of their house. Letizia was a smart child who remembers her way well. It was barely about three blocks away. Crash! ¡°Ouch!¡± Letizia, who bumped into a tall mister, raised her head in tears. The mister she bumped into was very tall, and his shoulders were extremely wide. Her mom feels soft and fluffy, but why does this mister feel like a rock? Is he made of stone? Letizia had a tearful look. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Are you alright?¡± The man asked in a very gloomy voice. Leticia flinched unconsciously. Looking closely, the mister¡¯s eyes were downcast, and his cheeks were hollow. His complexion was also as white as a ghost. Letizia asked with curiosity in her eyes. ¡°Mister, are you sick?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because mister looks very ill! Shall Letty tell you where the hospital is?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The man looked at Leticia with a mysterious expression. His eyebrows seemed to frown slightly, and for an instant, his eyes flashed. As if he suddenly discerned something. Instinctively threatened, Letizia stepped back. ¡®This mister is somehow strange!¡¯ My mom told me not to talk to anyone suspicious! As she thought that she shouldn¡¯t have talked to this mister and was about to run away, the man approached her then suddenly grabbed her by the shoulder. ¡®Huh?¡¯ At that moment, Leticia froze. Rather than being scared of being caught by a suspicious person, it was because she suddenly felt strange. If you look closely, this mister somehow looks familiar¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Thump. Thump. Her heart fluttered. Leticia clenched her fist, raising her hand to the pit of her stomach. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤You.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The man¡¯s lips twitched as if he were looking for something to say. Leticia stared at the mister¡¯s blue eyes, which were shaking violently, and was showing a very sorrowful expression. ¡®Mister must be really sick¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡± The sudden question was bizarre. Why is he suddenly asking about my age? Letizia leaned her head, frowned, and then answered. ¡°Letty is five years old today and will be six years old tomorrow.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said I would be six years old tomorrow!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤six years old.¡± Letizia tottered her head. No! I¡¯m five years old today! Then as if suddenly remembering something outrageous, the mister laughed. ¡°Right. It¡¯s been more than six years.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m not yet six years old! Mister is such an idiot!¡± ¡°What?¡± The man was astounded as if to have heard such a harsh word for the first time in his life. Letizia sighed pitifully. Perhaps this mister has never had anyone in his life to tell him the truth! Leticia said in a sad voice. ¡°My mom said that an adult is stupid if he couldn¡¯t count. Mister is stupid.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The man gaped at Letizia as if he was struck dumbfounded. ¡°Your mom taught you wrong. There are many people in the world who can¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Letty can count from 1 to 1000. I¡¯m quite amazing, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re very amazing.¡± The man threw up empty words and stroked Leticia¡¯s head. Then suddenly stopped. As if what he did was unexpected. Then the man sighed. ¡°Do you live around here? Who are your parents?¡± In response to the continuously flying questions, Letizia¡¯s eyes narrowed. Letizia met the man¡¯s scrutinizing gaze without backing down. The man raised his eyebrows as if it was surprising that a little child did not get intimidated in front of him. Crossing her arms, Letizia said. ¡°If you want to ask Letty, you have to tell her your name first!¡± ¡°Did your mother teach you that, too?¡± ¡°My mom told me not to talk to anyone suspicious. And mister is being very suspicious. But you look sick, so Letty wanted to help you.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤yes, you¡¯re a very nice kid.¡± The man stroked Leticia¡¯s head and said. ¡°My name is Cal¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Cal Roch.¡± ¡°Wow, mister¡¯s name is so weird!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Letizia giggled. The man, who was ridiculed by the little girl, showed a defeated expression. ¡°So, your name is Letty? Who¡¯s your Mom and Dad?¡± Leticia frowned. This suspicious mister is very persistent. Why is he so curious about who her mom and dad were? Leticia glanced at the man with an apprehensive gaze. Then she stepped back and answered. ¡°My name is Letizia, which means happiness. My mother gave me that name because Letizia is her mother¡¯s happiness. My mom is Rose Osborne, and my dad is William Osborne.¡± The man who heard the answer seemed to contemplate something, then, after a while, opened his mouth. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤How old is your mom?¡± ¡°Why do you ask, mister?¡± Leticia asked back. The man paused for a moment, then smiled. Somehow, the mister¡¯s smile seemed very unnatural. Letizia¡¯s suspicions deepened. ¡°I¡¯m just curious, that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Mister, you have a fake smile on your face.¡± Letizia declared frankly. In the child¡¯s head, the man is ¡®a sick but a very suspicious person.¡¯ Letty thought she should get away from the man immediately. Before the man could even do anything else, Leticia quickly turned her back. Then ran straight and shouted. ¡°Letty doesn¡¯t want to speak with mister anymore. The hospital is over there! Bye!¡± ¡°Wait¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The man raised his hand in an attempt to catch the child, then sighed. There was a dark shade on his tired face. Dressed only in black from head to toe, his visage was like a corpse that had just been dug out from its grave. ¡°Should I chase after her?¡± A woman approached the man¡¯s side and asked. She was wearing pants and a sword, looking like a wanderer or a traveling district attorney. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have a clue anyway.¡± The man responded briefly, then passed by the woman. Following after him, the woman added in a low voice. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I hope you find her this time.¡± ¡°I will.¡± He will do whatever it takes just to find her, even if it¡¯s selling his soul to the devil. The dead eyes of the man flashed dangerously as he muttered inside his head. * * * ¡®Don¡¯t worry too much. Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡¯ Alice said that the guests from the capital were mere tourists and that she didn¡¯t have to worry. But somehow she feels very anxious. She just can¡¯t calm down. Thanks to that, she broke some mana stones and was told by the Osborne father and son to rest for the day. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m causing inconvenience. ¡°Haa¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± She sighed quietly. Letty was fast asleep next to her. Letty, who went to play during the day, passed out as soon as the sun went down. She must have been exhausted¡ªlittle thing, where¡¯d you run around again. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Come to think of it, Letty said something strange. ¨C Earlier, I saw a handsome mister, he¡¯s as handsome as an angel. Though he looked very sick, indeed, I should have taken him to the hospital! She asked what that meant, but Letty just mumbled and fell quickly asleep. ¡°It¡¯s just nothing, right?¡± She murmured unconsciously, as she fixed the few strands of hair that had flowed down on the child¡¯s small face. ¡®What hunch, you just imagine things.¡¯ ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Yeah, it¡¯s probably just her imagination. There¡¯s no way Calix is looking for her. Chapter 13 Rumors of Grand Duke Rochester wandering through the entire continent with terrifying tenaciousness have long since dwindled. Only the activities of the Divine Lady in the capital turns up from time to time. And although such news surfaced, the world had been revolving peacefully without much trouble. But the part I can¡¯t understand is, ¡®Why didn¡¯t Calix and Sia got married?¡¯ They should have gotten married by now. But there were no rumors of a magnificent celebration or a grand wedding of the Divine Lady held was heard. Just in case, I asked merchants going to and from the city, and they all said the same. ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯ Has something changed in the fate of Calix and Sia? The two of them¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Have they fallen in love with each other?¡¯ ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Every time my contemplation comes up to this point, I bitterly sneer at myself. There¡¯s no use speculating about it anymore. It doesn¡¯t matter to me anyway. I¡¯m currently Rose Osborne and was not Laure Ecree, who was heartbroken because I loved Calix. It was all in the past now. ¡°My daughter, I wish to greet you a happy birthday but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. You¡¯re sleeping serenely like this.¡± I stroked Letty¡¯s cheek and smiled. She is the most precious thing to me. As long as Letty grows healthy and well, there is nothing more I could wish for in life. ¡°Phew. Why do I feel so uneasy today?¡± I stood up and stretched. I had to find Letty¡¯s birthday present, but it was delayed because I got lost in my thoughts. It was already getting dark outside when I looked over the window. Even though it was spring, the time when the sun was up in the sky was never too long. It might be a little dangerous to go out now, but if I wear the ring with Alice¡¯s magic, I think it would still be safe. I pulled my coat out of the closet and put it on. Just in case, I wore a hat and left the room after leaving a kiss on Letty¡¯s forehead. As I went down the stairs and checked, Osborne¡¯s father and son were still preoccupied with their work. Magic repairs or engraving were quite an elaborate task, requiring a high degree of concentration. I didn¡¯t want to disturb them, so I went out quietly. The outside air was cold and chilly, perhaps because of the weather. I pulled the collar of my coat then wrapped it around me snugly. Whoo. White steam floated out of my mouth as I exhaled. Ugh. It¡¯s so cold. I should hurry up and come back. Therefore, I hastened my steps. I walked for about a dozen minutes and arrived at my destination, the toy store. I hurriedly opened the door and went inside. My body that was frozen from the cold wind was gently relieved due to the room¡¯s warmth. ¡°Please come in¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Huh? Rose! You¡¯re finally here!¡± Harold, the owner of the toy store, greeted me happily. ¡°Yes. I came to pick up my gift for Letty.¡± ¡°Ah, right, there¡¯s that. I¡¯m sorry, but can you wait for a minute? It still has a little bit of touching up to do.¡± It¡¯s been a week since I ordered, but it hasn¡¯t been ready yet? I was a little dissatisfied, but I gave a gentle nod. I didn¡¯t want to look bad for anything in this small neighborhood. ¡°Yes, then please wait a minute!¡± Harold yelled, then went back straight at the workshop behind the counter. I sat on a guest chair on the corner of the store. As I was looking at the toys displayed on the shelves, someone opened the side door and entered the shop. ¡°Oh, my. Who do we have here?¡± It was Lucy, Harold¡¯s sister. She was one of those people who hated me in this city. No matter how careful you are, you won¡¯t be able to avoid incurring human hatred. Not everyone will be kind and friendly to you. And Lucy, in particular, hated me very much. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Rose, who suddenly showed up with a child, has an unknown identity, and finally seduces an innocent man?¡± The woman erupted with sarcasm as soon as she laid her eyes on me. ¡°What are you talking about, Lucy? Letizia is Will¡¯s daughter.¡± I boldly said. After living for seven years as a single mother of a child, her insults were nothing new to me. ¡°Hmpf, how shameless.¡± Lucy rolled her eyes at me and pulled the money out of the checkout counter. After seeing the sweet smile, I blatantly directed her way, Lucy¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°Would you mind letting go of poor William? You¡¯re thinking of becoming the lover of the feudal lord¡¯s son anyway.¡± What nonsense is she spewing again this time? I blinked, implying to her that I had no idea of the bullshit she¡¯s talking about. There is only one feudal lord¡¯s son in this town, and that is Baron Camnell. The bastard indeed came to tempt me not just once or twice, but I never accepted his proposal. However, it seemed that a ludicrous rumor had started to spread somewhere. I answered in a carefree manner. ¡°Well, I¡¯m pretty popular. To the extent that even Baron Camnell chases after me.¡± Lucy burst into laughter. Indicating that my retorts were mere ridiculous words to her. Before she could say anything, I quickly added. ¡°But I have no intention of becoming his lover. I have a husband, and that is Will. I hope you remember that, Lucy.¡± I seriously warned her, but Lucy just laughed it off. ¡°You speak very well. But do you think that I didn¡¯t know what kind of a vile person you are? Humans like you always betray the person who cares about you eventually. So leave Will Osborne alone!¡± Lucy closed the drawer, glared at me, and walked out of the store. Exhausted from dealing with her, I sighed. The reason Lucy and the others didn¡¯t like me was because of Will. Strangely enough, a lot of troublesome guys get entangled to me all the time. To get rid of them, Will reached out his hand. After agonizing about it for a long time, I finally accepted his offered help. So although we weren¡¯t a real couple, Will and I got married. Most of the city¡¯s people knew about it. No matter how we disguise that Letizia was Will¡¯s daughter, no one ever believes it. People thought that I, a single mother of unknown origin, was using Will. And despite that, there were also other reasons why Will and Sean were willing to put up a fake marriage; they were not willing to reveal their secret, that¡¯s why people¡¯s misunderstandings deepened. My reputation was getting worse by the day, but I couldn¡¯t deal with it properly because I was distracted by raising Letizia. As a result, I had to be subjected to all sorts of ridicule whenever I encountered someone who hated me. Though, it doesn¡¯t bother me that much. ¡®It¡¯ll die down as I get older anyway, right?¡¯ Since I¡¯m still young, it can¡¯t be helped that I will be the topic of gossip in town. But by the time I get wrinkles on my forehead, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all settle down. It¡¯s a problem that only time can solve. I¡¯ll just let it pass like that. ¡®Ah, but when will Harold come out.¡¯ I grumbled, touching the floor with my toes. Is this also part of the bullying? But I didn¡¯t know that even Harold hated me? At the same time as suspicions about him grew, the curtains of the workshop were lifted, and Harold appeared. ¡°Sorry! Rose! Did you wait long? I did quite a lot of polishing¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Haha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t wait for a long time.¡± Actually, it¡¯s been over twenty minutes, but I pretended to be generous and smiled. ¡°Here, it¡¯s the item you asked for. It¡¯s a gift for Letizia, right? Tell her happy birthday for me.¡± Harold smiled shyly and took the box out. He was still feeling sorry for being late. I thanked him and accepted the box. The weight of the stuff inside was quite heavy. I hope Letty likes it. A proud smile surfaced on my lips. When I came out of the shop with the present in hand, it was already dark outside. The dark indigo blue sky had a round moon, and the stars hidden in the clouds twinkled. Suddenly, the wind blew violently. Grrr. It¡¯s so cold. I think it¡¯s going to rain tomorrow. I walked hastily, fastening the hem of my coat firmly. Is Alice still in the Feudal Lord¡¯s Castle? Recognized for her abilities by Feudal Lord Canelo, she has been doing herbal research in the castle for several years now. Since Canelo¡¯s port city is a place where pirates frequently invade, knights here were often poisoned. That¡¯s why the feudal lord was tearfully clinging to herbal medicines. In fact, it was thanks to Alice that James Camnell, the son of the feudal lord, was annoying me but could not directly harm me. The feudal lord was greedy, but he was a person who knew how to be conscious. He wanted Alice, a very talented person, to be in his territory; therefore, he needs to make sure that Alice¡¯s family, which is me, would have no trouble living here. If something happens to me, Alice will definitely leave Canelo. ¡®But James Camnell, that jerk doesn¡¯t know how to give up¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Why on earth is he so obsessed with me? In this city, besides me, there were many women who could stand out in his eyes. Besides, he already had a fianc¨¦e. Phew, what a real bastard! Yes, he is the son of a small town lord, but I don¡¯t know where he gets his overflowing self-confidence. There were also rumors that he harassed a pirate¡¯s daughter. I shook my head. Sooner or later, he will definitely be caught by those pirates. ¡°Is our Letty still sleeping?¡± I mumbled shivering. It would be a problem if she woke up and cried, making a fuss that I¡¯m not beside her. Come to think of it; I think I was also like that when I was young. Every time I woke up from my nap, I would cry because I couldn¡¯t see my mom. But was it a memory from my previous life, or a memory from the present? Sometimes when a thought like this passes through me, I feel really confused. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Because my life before becoming Laure Ecree is already over. Besides, I was now free from the original plot flow and was living freely without any worries. If I have to worry about anything, I think it would be on how to would Letty grow up healthy? And although I sometimes feel anxious about what will happen once Calix finds me, nevertheless¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡®It¡¯s doubtful to happen.¡¯ It¡¯s been seven years, and he¡¯s already got Sia by his side. ¡®I have to keep in mind that this is the place where I belong to now.¡¯ I have my life; he has his. We¡¯re both like diagonal lines that passed by each other but will never ever cross¡ªjust a mere connection. And maybe, it¡¯s a miracle that Letizia was born between us. That¡¯s why, for me, the child was my luck, my happiness, and my joy. My Letizia. ¡®Mom will swiftly be right there beside you, baby. I also brought my gift. Please wait a little longer, my daughter.¡¯ A smile formed on my lips as I walked quickly. After walking for about five blocks, ¡®Hmn?¡¯ All the street lamps were off. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What the hell? Are the street lamp¡¯s mana stone¡¯s broken? All of them?¡¯ I looked at the dark road, hesitating to move forward. I somehow felt very ominous. It could be said that it feels like I¡¯m going into the mouth of a black monster. However, if I didn¡¯t pass this way, I have to make a long detour. What should I do? I was wetting my dry lips when something wriggled in the dark. Taken aback, I instinctively retreated. I had a bad feeling. I think I need to turn around and run away right now. But is it because of fear? My legs are frozen, and I cannot move. ¡®What¡¯s that¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Upon closer inspection, you will notice that there was a human figure that was wriggling in the dark. But it wasn¡¯t a whole person. It¡¯s a dark shadow, pitch-black as if made of ink. I was immediately seized with fear. No way, is it an evil spirit? It wasn¡¯t the first time I had seen an evil spirit, but I had never seen it this close. Maybe that¡¯s the reason why my legs were shaking, and my chin was quivering. The shadow came slowly towards me. Then it abruptly ran¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Suddenly, the hem of a black coat fluttered before my eyes. Chapter 14 There was no time to know what had taken place. Everything happened in an instant. Someone in front of me pulled out a sword like a thunderbolt, swung it, and the dark shadow, which was hit directly, scattered like fog, screaming. I blinked my eyes. The mysterious knight elegantly sheathed his sword and looked back at me. I couldn¡¯t see him well due to the man who was standing in the dark. However, the moment he opened his mouth and muttered to himself¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°How can that kind of thing appear here¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± I became more terrified than before. Thump, thump, thump! My heart was beating wildly. Like it was about to jump out of my rib cage at any moment. He asked me as he looked around. ¡°Are you all right?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer. He approached me as if trying to verify my identity. I slowly stepped back. I felt like I was going to collapse. That voice¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°I asked if you were all right.¡± For the past seven years, it was a voice that I have never forgotten for even a single moment. ¡®There is no mistake.¡¯ The person in front of me right now. It was him. Calix. Thud¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I thought I heard something fall on the floor as I stood in my place frozen stiff. Step, step¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. As the distance between the two of us gradually narrowed, I quickly bowed down and hid my face. It was by good fortune that I came out wearing a wide-brimmed hat. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± The moment he was about to take another step. Whoosh! Suddenly, the light of the streetlamps turned brightly. I was so frightened that I quickly turned my back. After that, I didn¡¯t take my time thinking about anything else. I ran frantically down the street. It seemed to be the first time I had run so desperately like this since the train station incident seven years ago. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to follow. Upon finally arriving in front of the Osborne store, I stood there for a moment, trying to catch my breath. ¡°Haah, haah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± As soon as I calmed down a little, I opened the door and went inside. The Osborne father and son were still working. And I still can¡¯t see Alice around. I went up the stairs making the sound of my footsteps as lightly as possible. That¡¯s when I realized. I dropped Letizia¡¯s birthday present on the street. ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± At that moment, I lost all my strength. My whole body felt drained out of energy. After sitting down on the stairs for a while, I finally managed to return to the room. Letizia was still asleep. Tears welled up when I saw my child¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Letty¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I wanted to see your happy face. The carousel music box that I intend to give her as a birthday present was something that Letty had long wanted. Nevertheless, she said that she shouldn¡¯t ask for purchase because her mother doesn¡¯t have money, and Uncle Will isn¡¯t her birth father. She never complained about it even once. She¡¯s such a good daughter. I felt so sad and sorry that tears streamed down my eyes out of guilt. I sat in the chair next to the bed and lowered my head. My head was filled with anguish, and my mind was cluttered with anxiety. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ I can¡¯t believe Calix came all the way here to Canelo. This place was so far east that it was called the edge of the world. And geographically aside, I never imagined that he would have been looking for me for seven years. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤or perhaps his reason for coming is not me?¡¯ It could also be for sightseeing or work. However, he wasn¡¯t the type of person who would go sightseeing on these outskirts. My gut feeling was telling me he had come to find me. ¡®I ran away all of a sudden, so he must be suspicious¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Thankfully, I don¡¯t think he has seen my face. But then I dropped the toy box¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ He might accidentally pick it up, check the label, and visit Harold. It will take about 30 minutes to get information from Harold and get to the Osborne store. I glanced at the clock on the wall. About 15 minutes have passed since I returned to the store, so now I only have about 10 minutes left to spare. ¡®If we plan to run away, this is the only time.¡¯ I can just contact Alice later. The Osborne¡¯s could hide me, but it was clear that the house would be searched. Then we¡¯ll be apprehended in no time. ¡®If we get caught, the Osborne father and son might also be embroiled with our problems and get harmed.¡¯ I can¡¯t understand what Calix was thinking, chasing this far. Does he still have any feelings left for me? Even though it¡¯s already been seven years? But Sia was supposed to be beside him now. I shook my head. I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up that he might still have any affections for me. I don¡¯t want to go back to being Laure Ecree, who tried not to love him, but was troubled by the desire to do so¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®And there are people here who have been like a family to us.¡¯ Will always wanted to have a family. But unless they adopt a child at an orphanage, it¡¯s impossible for the Osborne¡¯s to have a new family member. When Sean passes away, William will become alone. Somewhere out there, there should be a kind-hearted woman who would want to marry him. However¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ that kind of person wouldn¡¯t be ordinary. Even if he adopts a child, he has no confidence raising them, Will said. Regardless, I cannot erase the fact that I was helped by him, even if he himself was having those kinds of problems. I can¡¯t repay Will¡¯s kindness towards me, but I still wanted to live together with them and be a part of their happy little family. ¡°Furthermore, haah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± It¡¯s been seven years. I thought we¡¯d never come across each other again in this lifetime¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Seven minutes left¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Suddenly, the people of Ecree Marquis, who would be in the capital, came to mind. When I think about my father and brother in this life, I always felt peculiar. It was strange to see the characters I first met in the book become my family. Still, the family was family. I always wished they were doing well. I got up from my seat and then quietly began packing. For now, I need to take Letty with me and leave this place. We need to hide somewhere¡ªafterward ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. What to do next. Our future looks bleary. My heart constricted. Can we come back here again? Can we still be family with Will and Sean? After confirming that I¡¯m not here, Calix might go back. However, the investigation would reveal one or two suspicious things, and he would definitely not miss it. He¡¯ll probably leave his men behind. And if we come back and the man¡¯s eye catches us, that will be the end of it. ¡®We need to get out of here as soon as possible.¡¯ Let¡¯s think about the present for now. Let¡¯s swiftly pack up our bags, wake Letty up, and tell the Osborne¡¯s a brief account of the situation¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Go outside, grab a carriage, and then head anywhere. ¡®We won¡¯t be able to go that far because of Letty. There¡¯s no choice but to go to the nearest place from here, which is Brooks.¡¯ Brooks was a coastal village near Canelo. There are a few inns worth staying at, and I¡¯ve been there once before, so we don¡¯t have to wander the streets. ¡®Let¡¯s wait for Alice there.¡¯ Once she realizes something has happened, she will undoubtedly come to find me in a hurry. After I finished packing our luggage, I closed the entrance of the bag firmly. Then I approached the bed and gently woke Letty up. Abruptly woken, the child whined in a hazy voice. ¡°Uum, moomm¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. The angels in my dreams¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Letty, let¡¯s talk about the angels next time, okay?¡± ¡°Why~?¡± My heart throbbed as I watched Letty blink her sleepy eyes. I suddenly bit my lips in fear of tears coming out. She¡¯s at the age where she should be having a lot of fun, and I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m making her live a life like a refugee. I couldn¡¯t help hating myself for lacking as a mother. I cleared my throat and said. ¡°You¡¯re going on a short trip with mom.¡± ¡°Trip~?¡± ¡°Yes. But we¡¯re going to Brooks first, we¡¯ve been there before, do you remember?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes! The beach with beautiful pebbles!¡± As I comically spoke to her, trying my best to hide and suppress my raging emotions, Letty smiled broadly, immediately liking the idea. ¡°You¡¯ll go ahead with mom first, spend the night there, and when Aunt Alice comes, let¡¯s go see the beach together, is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes, ~! Mom, can I pick up some pebbles, too?¡± ¡°All right, but it¡¯ll be heavy, so don¡¯t pick up too much.¡± ¡°Okay! I really like the pebbles over there because they sparkle so prettily!¡± ¡°To your mom, our Letty is even more pretty.¡± I hugged Letty tightly. Then Letty worrilessly smiled brightly. I want to protect this smile. Since Letty is my happiness, I wished we could continue living contentedly in this place¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. But I never knew that the ruined peace could taste this bitter. ¡°Let¡¯s go, my daughter.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I put the straps of my bag on my shoulder and held Letty. Letty yawned as if she was still sleepy. I left the room, patting the child on her back. Just in case, I went down the stairs carefully, when I heard a voice downstairs. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤please take your leave.¡± ¡°Everything I¡¯ve told you is the truth. My wife¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The door leading from the corridor to the store was slightly open. To get out of the back door, I had to pass through it. I signaled Letty to be quiet, and then I walked slowly and quietly. Swish, swish¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Only the low sound of the hem of my dress brushing against the floor could be heard. ¡°You should tell us who you are first. And your reason for discourteousness at this late hour.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I¡¯m afraid it will scare you if you learned who I am.¡± ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡¯ My footsteps froze at the newly heard voice from the door. With my whole hardened body, I peeked through the gap. Will and Sean stood side by side, confronting someone. And of course, that someone is¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Did you just call her Osborne? You guys are ready to take responsibility for what you just said yourself, right?¡± Calix, it was him. My heart was pounding, and I couldn¡¯t calm down. I struggled to keep myself from collapsing on the ground. My legs were shaking as I pushed myself to relax. No, please. We have to get out of here! ¡°I don¡¯t know if the rumors have spread all the way here to these outskirts, but I¡¯ve been out of my mind for a long time.¡± ¡°Who the hell are you to do this to a good citizen?¡± ¡°You guys are the type of human beings I can easily take care of silently without even the rats or birds knowing.¡± I bit my lips tightly as I slowly moved my trembling legs. And at that very moment- Flap! Was it because I was too scared? My feet twisted, and I fell backward. I hugged Letty tightly in my arms as I fell down. When I opened my eyes and checked, thank goodness, the child seemed to be unharmed. ¡°M-Mom.¡± Letty said in a quivering voice. ¡°Mom, your nose is bleeding!¡± ¡°Argh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I felt so dizzy that the images in front of me kept on spinning. Perhaps it was due to stress. My head was ringing, and I think my vision was slowly becoming dark. I tried to get back on my feet, catching my breath. I¡¯m sure we¡¯re discovered. There was a sound of falling, and Letty¡¯s voice could also be heard¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. We¡¯d be caught. We have to run away, right now! But the moment I instinctively looked over the door¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. My gaze met a set of penetrating blues eyes. Chapter 15 Deep-set blue eyes, as if it holds the cloudless autumn sky within it. Its beautiful sparkle is the same as how I remember. But somewhere somehow, darkness loomed over it, and his penetrating blue eyes seemed like an empty eye of a doll made out of clay. Despite this, his eyes instantaneously sparkled upon seeing me. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± My breath hitched. The moment his eyes sparkled seemed to make every notion very, very slow. As if recognizing me immediately, his blue eyes opened wide and were immediately filled with indescribable emotions. And in the midst of it, a familiar madness could also be seen. I couldn¡¯t bear to continue looking at his unabated gaze¡­ ¡°Ah, aah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± My whole body trembled. I could feel Letizia looking anxiously at me, but words just can¡¯t come out of my lips. I could feel the pulse on my neck, pounding. And the blood that flowed through my lips permeated inside, and it tasted fishy. At that moment, I suddenly came to my senses. We shouldn¡¯t get caught! On the other hand, I also thought that we shouldn¡¯t just run away. I was the only person here who could sort out the lies that the Osborne¡¯s made. But the moment Calix strode towards me, my mind went blank. I hugged Letizia and ran as hard as I could. It was a short distance to the back door. My heart thumped with fear; I was so scared. I couldn¡¯t think of anything and could only shed tears. I was afraid to face him again. Calix, why are you looking for me? It¡¯s already been seven years¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Could I have misunderstood you? ¡®But¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ But¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ At that time, I¡¯m sure I saw Calix kiss Sia in the Imperial Palace¡¯s garden. And rather than pushing her away, he smiled at her like they were lovers. As a result, it made me aware of my situation and decided to flee from the plot of the novel¡¯s story to escape my tragic fate. Seven years. I couldn¡¯t bring those years back anymore, nor could I abandon the people who have become my new family. Clang! The back door opened. Then I rushed into the pitch-black darkness of the night. And the voice calling for me from behind my back resonated heartbreakingly. ¡°Laure!¡± * * * I ran with all my might. And I don¡¯t know how far we¡¯ve come. But despite my mind being in such a mess, it seemed that I have instinctively taken the getaway route that we prepared in advance just in case something like this happened. And we seemed to have safely escaped from Calix. As I threw my gaze toward the main street, I could see that the lights were still active. It means there will still be a carriage if we want to go now. As I headed there in a hurry, Letizia hugged my neck tightly. ¡°Mom, mom, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry, my baby.¡± ¡°The mister earlier, his name was Cal Roch.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°How does Mister Cal know Mom¡¯s real name?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤That.¡± I couldn¡¯t answer and could only moisten my lips. And at the same moment, we had entered an alley leading to the main street, I had to run into a very unwelcome person. ¡°Oh, my. Who is this?¡± Baron James Camnell. I tightened my arms around Letty. ¡°Where are you going in such a hurry at this late hour? Huh? You even brought your kid¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Oh, by any chance, are you fleeing in the middle of the night? Did you just hit Osborne in the back of his head? Huh?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I frowned. The smell of alcohol grew stronger, as Baron Camnell approached. Seeing that he was not walking correctly, he seemed to have been drinking until he was irrationally drunk. ¡°Don¡¯t come close. If you don¡¯t want to get hurt.¡± I said, showing off the ring Alice gave me. Camnell only glanced at it and chuckled. ¡°What can you even do with that? Are you going to attack me? This James Camnell? Arrogant bitch. I liked you, but you didn¡¯t even know how to be grateful¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Haa.¡± I looked at Camnell with a fed-up expression on my face. These obnoxious guys always take the stick and wrap it up, saying, ¡°I liked you.¡± Even though the person concerned was scared to the point of feeling personally threatened. That¡¯s why I had to accept Will¡¯s helping hand. ¡°If you touch me, Alice won¡¯t stay still. Then the Lord will surely be furious, are you certain you don¡¯t mind living in a small house?¡± I warned in a harsh voice. But Camnell was utterly indifferent, and he just continuously came closer towards me with a grotesque laugh. ¡°Conceited wench! Even though my father doesn¡¯t like me, did you really think he¡¯s going to punish me for messing with just one boring bitch like you?¡± As soon as Camnell was about to reach his hand out to me. Light flew from somewhere and hit him straight on the forehead. Afterward, Camnell fell to the floor with a thud. I stumbled back. Seeing that he was completely knocked out. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ I looked around, and a familiar voice relieved my anxiety. ¡°Rose! Are you all right?¡± ¡°A, Alice!¡± It was none other than Alice who fired the light. It was a fainting spell that Camnell was hit by. Alice said that she felt a commotion while passing by the street and came this way. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect Rose to be here. And that you were also caught by this bastard¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. What the hell is going on in the middle of the night? Why did you bring Letty out?¡± ¡°That¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I briefly explained the situation to Alice. She soon nodded as she understood and asked anxiously. ¡°Would you be okay like this? Without even trying to talk with his grace? What if¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ you could have just misunderstood something.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I¡¯m scared, Alice.¡± I said, lowering my head. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been afraid of all my life. But I couldn¡¯t tell anyone. Because I¡¯m sure, no one will believe it.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Seven years have passed, but that fear still hasn¡¯t disappeared. After leaving the capital and staying here, I gained peace, but there were still times when I had nightmares that I couldn¡¯t even remember once I woke up, and I feel terrified.¡± ¡°Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Furthermore. Now, we have to go all of a sudden. I feel sorry for Will and Sean, who were already like a family to me.¡± I sighed. Alice put her hand on my shoulder and patted me gently. ¡°They won¡¯t be angry even if you suddenly go and come back. They¡¯ll welcome you instead. But first, since it¡¯s so late at night, let¡¯s find a place where we can stay. It¡¯s cold.¡± I nodded. When I told her I was going to Brooks, Alice held the carriage door, saying, ¡®Let¡¯s do that.¡¯ I was afraid Letizia would be shocked. Looking anxiously at the child, Letty smiled as we made eye contact. ¡°I¡¯m glad Aunt Alice came to help. Because Letty can¡¯t do anything yet.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Is that so.¡± I felt a strange sense of incompatibility with the child¡¯s words. Letty was innocent and childish, but sometimes she doesn¡¯t act her age. I guess it¡¯s because he¡¯s a smart kid, and maybe, she¡¯s really just particularly special. ¡®She¡¯s certainly not just like any six-year-old.¡¯ I smiled at the child, hiding my awkwardness. Whatever the case, Letty is my daughter. But Letty¡¯s following words surprised me even more. ¡°Mom. The angel in my dream, she said that I¡¯m going to meet my dad today.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What?¡± I opened my eyes wide with surprise. Then Letty continued talking. ¡°By the way, the angel said to be careful, because¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Rose, Letty! Hurry, get in!¡± Letty¡¯s words were cut off, and we could not continue the conversation. Looking back, Alice was waving her hand beside the carriage. It had something to be repaired for a while, and it seemed to be over soon. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the carriage, for now, Letty.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Letty smiled broadly and nodded. She must have been excited to go to the pebble beach in Brooks. I hid my sorry expression and headed for the carriage. We were about to get on the carriage when, Neigh! ¡°Uh, uh, what¡¯s wrong with these guys?¡± The horses suddenly went wild. The horseman panicked and grabbed the reins tightly. However, the horses could hardly calm down and could only continuously give off some brays. ¡°Alice?¡± I looked back at Alice, which has been quiet for a while. She¡¯s somehow standing still for no reason. ¡°Ali¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± It was the moment I was about to reach out to her. Whick! Like a strong wind, or like a lightning bolt, something passed by between us. No, it was a sword. An invisible blade that can only be used by a knight who has risen to a master swordsman level. And it cut the horse¡¯s throat in a blink of an eye. I quickly covered Letizia¡¯s eyes. Letty complained that she was frustrated, not knowing what had happened. But it¡¯s not possible for me to show the child the gruesome sight in front of us. I managed to swallow a scream that was about to burst out¡ªSomeone¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Someone killed a horse with a sword. To stop this carriage from leaving. Who it is, I already had a hunch. Alice inhaled loudly next to me. She caught her stomach and gasped, looking in one direction. My eyes naturally turned there, too. In the darkness where the streetlights could not reach, he walked out. His appearance was like a messenger from the underworld¡ªthe reaper who came to take my soul. Dressed only in dark clothes from head to toe, he approached our way, flashing his dead blue eyes. ¡°Cal¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ lix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± His name flowed out like a groan through my lips. Calix laughed crookedly as he looked at me. It was a horribly decadent smile. ¡°You¡¯re very good at running away.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such a knack. I had no idea. No, is that the magician¡¯s tricks?¡± He strode towards me and finally stood in front of me. He glanced at Letizia, whose eyes were still covered, and looked at the horse with the severed head. Then he took something out of his pocket and threw it into the horse¡¯s body. Soon, a fire flared up, and the dead horses were swallowed up by the flames. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I was dazed by the thought that he was considerate of Letizia. No, if he had thought about Letizia, he wouldn¡¯t have cut the horse¡¯s neck in the first place. I asked Alice to take care of Letty, and stood face to face with Calix. My heartbeat with fear and my whole body trembled. I clasped my hands tightly. Trying to push down the desire to run away. Alice is right. I shouldn¡¯t have tried to disappear without even having any conversations with him, who came this far just to find me. Besides, I had to deal with the lies made by Osborne¡¯s because of me. If I don¡¯t step up, Calix will not let them go. ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen. The reason they lied is because of me.¡¯ Calix, who was staring at me, slowly said after a long time. ¡°It has been seven years.¡± He looked calmer than I thought. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤No, he was just raging quietly. Like a typhoon that was silently brewing above a vast open sea. His blue eyes glanced over me slowly. My body trembled at the touch of the glare. ¡°Who told you to run away as you please?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I thought I was going crazy. No, I have gone crazy.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Your face comes to my mind all day long, and even in my dreams, there would be none but you. Even up to this moment, I¡¯m doubting if what was standing before me was not just made of my imagination. Is what I¡¯m looking at real? Is it you?¡± Calix reached out his hand. Trying to confirm that I¡¯m not just one of his fantasies. He came close, holding my cheek. As soon as our skin touched, I flinched for a moment and remained silent. Then suddenly, he called my name. ¡°Laure.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Laure, answer me.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± Calix lowered his head and slowly looked at my face, intently. His big hands weren¡¯t as warm as I remember. It was as cool as a dry autumn leaf and as rough as sandpaper. Mae¡¯s Notes: It¡¯s just a reader¡¯s guess, but I think Sia was a witch or a devil, and Letizia was an Angel sent by Phoenix to save Laure and Calix. What do you guys think? Chapter 16 I raised my lowered gaze. Only then did I see his face in detail. The reality, which had been hidden by fear, peeled off one by one. Shadowy eyes as if they were not sleeping properly, hollowed cheeks, ghastly pale skin, blue lips, and¨C A precarious look as if he was about to collapse any time soon. ¡°Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± His voice cracked. ¡°Laure, Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Why¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Why did you left me?¡± His lips trembled. I couldn¡¯t believe it even when it¡¯s already in front of my eyes. His blue eyes that were overflowing with emotions seemed to be a lie. A drop of tear flowed down Calix¡¯s cheek. ¡°Why, did you abandon me?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Because you think I have an affair? Did you think I¡¯m gonna betray you? That, that¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Does that make sense? How can you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± ¡°Calix, I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°How can you not trust me?! How!¡± Calix cried out, screaming. There was a storm brewing in his cold blue eyes. With an unfathomable depth, a sea filled with all sorts of emotions could be seen in there. * * * Calix could lay his life for Laure if she wanted him to. However, he didn¡¯t want to die while looking for her. Even if he has to die, he will die after finding her. That¡¯s why, not yet. He can¡¯t die just yet. Furthermore¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¨C You know it. The fact that I¡¯m the only one who can save you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Are you going to keep rejecting me? There¡¯s no way he would fall for that woman¡¯s tricks. Calix clenched his fist. Almost looking like a corpse, only his bluish eyes shone distinctly. * * * At first, Calix thought it wouldn¡¯t take him long to find Laure. But as it passed a week, two weeks, and a month, he began to become excessively anxious. What if I continuously can¡¯t find her? At this rate, what if I lose her forever? No. That can¡¯t be. He squeezed his arms, pressing down his soaring anxiety. His fingernails pierced sharply into his raw flesh, resulting in a red abrasion. It was a self-inflicted habit that he had developed after Laure¡¯s disappearance. Thanks to this, his arm was mottled to the point that it looked like it had been bitten by an animal, or like a rag doll that was made by sloppily patching up. Even if those worried about him encouraged him to rest, Calix could only shake his head. It has already been three days since he hasn¡¯t been able to sleep. His eyes were hollow and his complexion was ashen. He¡¯s tired of the rough journey and he had no strength in his body because he couldn¡¯t even eat properly. However, Calix couldn¡¯t rest. For him, it was such a waste of time to go to sleep and to just sink into a sea of oblivion. What if, what if while he was asleep, his men found a clue about her whereabouts and missed it because he was foolishly sleeping? How could he dare sleep when these kinds of thoughts fill him with unease? However, having her in his dreams also wasn¡¯t bad. Though he wasn¡¯t sure if it¡¯s a dream or a nightmare. In his dreams, Laure was laughing charmingly while the cherry blossom petals scattered all around with the wind. And even if it is, for him it was a very sweet nightmare. Because in there, he was able to see her. He was glad to catch a glimpse of her. After waking up from his dreams, he always shed tears. He felt so happy, so in love, so desperate and so hopeless. ¡®Laure.¡¯ Laure, Laure. He has lived by calling that name all his life. From some point, his world started to revolve around her. She was the gravity, the sun, and the light that embraces him. Without Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. He didn¡¯t feel like living even for a single moment. His world is without color. He felt like he was going to dry up and die. ¨C Calix, I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I couldn¡¯t help you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save them¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m very, very sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. When he lost his parents in an accident, Laure said so, hugging him tightly. Why she was sorry, Calix couldn¡¯t understand. He just agreed with her. Because she¡¯s a compassionate, gentle, and a warm-hearted person, so she feels responsible for things her power doesn¡¯t even grasp. ¨C I¡¯m sorry, Calix. What was he thinking then, hugging Laure blankly? There¡¯s not much he remembers. Because during those times, he was in great shock with the despair of losing his own family. And in that bleak darkness, she was his only ray of light. So the seventeen-year-old Calix Rochester grasped onto Laure Ecree¡¯s ethereal light. ¨C Then, if you do¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Please always stay by my side, Laure. Don¡¯t abandon me, don¡¯t leave me. Always. He said so without knowing what he was talking about. Just because he doesn¡¯t want to miss that light. In retrospect, it was from then on that he started feeling possessive of Laure. He wanted to be the only one to monopolize her, and he was also hoping that she would never take her eyes off him for even a single moment. Whenever she gave a glance to another man or even talked with him, he felt like his insides were turning upside down. He wanted to kill the guy who caught her gaze, take Laure, and lock her up in a place that no one else knew. If only he could, he wanted to label her heart. A label that will prove that Laure is only his. He wanted to put a shackle on her that she won¡¯t be able to remove forever. His love for her wasn¡¯t innocent and fragile. It was very oppressive and vicious. Perhaps it was similar to madness. No, it may already be madness. So¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. So if it continues like this, that he can¡¯t find her. If he spends a month, a year, or ten years without her¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. He¡¯ll go crazy. ¡®If I get more screwed up than this, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do when I see you again.¡¯ So, please. Please don¡¯t break me more than this. Calix sighed and buried his face in his hands. In his dark vision, Laure¡¯s image repeatedly appeared and disappeared. Her voice rang in his head. ¨CPlease be happy with her. Calix laughed. ¡®What do you mean ¡®her¡¯¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ you believed that crap? You¡¯re the only one for me. There was no one else but you.¡¯ After growing up and becoming quite manly, there have been many women who tried to approach him. The ladies who just need a man to be their lover for a night, the courtesans which are full of thoughts of capturing and exploiting the Grand Duke of the Empire. Sometimes even the noble ladies who purely adore him. However, Calix didn¡¯t have any interest in them. He even wondered if there was a problem with himself. Even when attractive women tried to arouse his lust, there¡¯s really, not even a tiny excitement that had taken place. But every time he sees Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Even if Laure, which was two years younger than him, doesn¡¯t change the lousy t-shirt she likes to adorn. Whenever he sees her wrist that is slightly exposed under the cuffs, her slender nape, and her feverish pink lips that are partly open¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ His insides boil and it felt unbearable. Instead of kissing her cheek, he wanted to bury his face on her clavicle and ravage it. He developed and cultivated superhuman self-control. He bit his lips and pressed his desire to covet to his heart¡¯s content. Because she might get surprised and run away. She was already scared of him, and he still could feel some sense of distance from her, he didn¡¯t want to ruin the relationship that he had made with difficulty. All his efforts shouldn¡¯t be put in vain. And because Laure will be his bride anyway. There was no need to rush. With that kind of mindset, two years have passed patiently. At the age of twenty, Laure bloomed beautifully. She doesn¡¯t seem to know herself, but when Laure smiles softly, curving her eyes, nine out of ten passers-by catches their breath. To those hoodlums who approached and tried to catch a glimpse of her beauty, the fact that Laure Ecree was the fianc¨¦e of the Grand Duke of Rochester was not very important. ¡®Isn¡¯t it just a political marriage anyway?¡¯ Such gossips also played a part. ¡®Grand Duke Rochester said it was difficult to hold her hand. It doesn¡¯t seem like they have a very close relationship.¡¯ Stupid bastards. Calix jeered at them. The reason why he finds it difficult to touch Laure is that he¡¯s not confident he¡¯ll be able to control himself. Just by grabbing that slender shoulder a little, no, even by just looking at it. His patience always seemed to reach its limit. But to distort it like that was very outrageous. Calix felt the need to claim Laure as his own. He could no longer tolerate seeing those bastards approaching her. It was unbearably unpleasant. Without knowing their place, how dare they¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. So he approached Laure and held her hand. Kissed the back of it which was wearing lace gloves, looked straight at her eyes, and asked. ¨C Laure. Won¡¯t you spend the night with me? The look she made at that time. He couldn¡¯t forget it no matter how time passed. The look of surprise and beguilement. ¨C Your request, I¡¯m willing to accept it. The voice that answered eventually was slightly trembling. At that time, he thought it was simply because she was afraid of having her first night. But looking back, it didn¡¯t seem to be just that. She has indescribable anxiety. ¡®Laure, what are you so afraid of?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand why she didn¡¯t trust him. Why did she think that he would abandon her, why she assumed that he had betrayed her, and as a result, left him. He had a throbbing headache. Calix led his tired body to the place where his suitcase was. He took out a headache pill and swallowed it, then heard a knock on the door. He glanced at it and said, ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Yes, your grace.¡± Click. It was Tess Rumbury, Calix¡¯s knights¡¯ deputy commander, who opened the door. She was his faithful knight, but she was unhappy with this trip- no, to be exact, she was unhappy with Laure¡¯s sudden departure. Hiding his fatigue, Calix asked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought back some information from the kingdom of Alona. Shall I read it for you?¡± ¡°No, leave it. I¡¯ll read it myself.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tess responded gently and handed over the documents. But before leaving the room, her eyes were full of worries as she looked back at Calix. Perhaps even anger. Although she didn¡¯t dare express it. ¡°What are you doing? Get out.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± As a subject who pledged a knight¡¯s oath of devotion, she dares harbor personal feelings towards her master, which she should not, and even if she does, she won¡¯t be able to express it for the rest of her life. Tess resents Laure for abandoning her master and running away. While being loved so much. While receiving an overflowing and infinite affection. From a very young age, ever since she entered the infantry, since she was still holding a feather duster and not a sword. Tess knew how rare Calix¡¯s affection was. His cold blue eyes were gentle only when he looks at Laure Ecree. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤His grace was very expressive with his feelings. So how could she not know his sincerity? Tess bit his lips with a dark expression. Calix was concentrating on the papers, never giving Tess a glance. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± After observing him quietly, Tess left the room without a single sound. It has been a month since he went on a trip to find Laure Ecree. Chapter 17 ¨C Come to think of it, the Miss was somehow strange that day. After hearing the news that the divine lady appeared¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ She was terribly shocked that she collapsed. I did hold on to her, but it was really a close call. It¡¯s really weird. Why would she react like that? I wonder if the news of the divine lady¡¯s appearance was that surprising¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Of course, it¡¯s a surprise, but the lady¡¯s reaction is a bit¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Calix remembered what the maid of the Ecree Mansion had said. Before he started earnestly looking for Laure, he investigated who told her the bullshit that he¡¯s having an affair. However, there wasn¡¯t a single person who was identified as the culprit. Laure¡¯s brother, Allen, who was rather light-mouthed, was the most suspicious, but it wasn¡¯t even him. So who the hell was it? How did Laure come up to such a misunderstanding? He felt like he was gradually falling into a labyrinth. Then one day, He saw the Imperial Palace¡¯s entry records. Her name was written on it. Laure Ecree. It was the day that the divine lady appeared, the same day that Laure left on the train. Calix has this peculiarly strange feeling. It was like a sense of deja vu. Something he should have known but didn¡¯t realize¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ He felt like he missed something important. Why he felt that way, he couldn¡¯t figure out himself. Clearly, there is some connection between the appearance of the divine lady and Laure¡¯s sudden flight. What it was, only Laure herself could tell. ¡®Yes, but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡¯ Calix recalled a woman dubbed as the divine lady. Black hair and eyes, darker than night, and a face as white and fine as the moon. She quickly captivated many with her mysterious beauty. Now that the high temple has stepped forward and held a ceremony that proved that she possesses divine power, there¡¯s no doubt that she is really a divine lady. But there was one questionable part. It was said that the priest who first discovered the divine lady under the old tree of the temple unexpectedly said this. ¨C Is she really a divine lady? I can¡¯t feel any divine power from her. And then he went and change his words later. ¨C It seems that I got confused because I was so distracted at that time. Lady Sia surely was a blessed daughter of God. Since then, the divine lady herself has demonstrated her divine power, so there was no need for further doubt. However, it was somehow dubious. That priest, the temple, and that so-called divine lady. They were all suspicious. Though he doesn¡¯t have any clear evidence¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®If the cause of Laure¡¯s unexpected departure is really the divine lady¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Is it too far out of speculation? Though they were doubts that were difficult to shake off. ¡®In any case, I can¡¯t trust that woman.¡¯ A woman who claims to have been called by God from another world. From the day they first met, she has been persistently trying to seduce him. She even came to the city where he was staying just to find him. ¨C Is your body okay? I¡¯m afraid your health will be compromised because of long travel. At the time, Calix was staying at an inn. His room was on the fourth floor. And the divine lady got a room on the third floor, but that night she tried to climb onto his bed. And her lame excuse was she freakingly mistake it for her room. ¨C What the hell is the meaning of this? ¨C Oh, I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! I mistook the room. But it¡¯s too cold so¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I don¡¯t want to go out into the hallway right now. Then he made a disgusted expression. No matter how someone looked at it, it was obvious that the woman deliberately wore a nightdress with loose shoulder straps. ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯ Calix had sincerely thought so. He could hardly understand why she was so obsessed with him. Moreover, she didn¡¯t seem to like him. He could tell by her eyes. Sia is simply¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. It seemed like she just wanted to steal something away. Just as a child covets the toys of her playmates, she ¡®wanted to have¡¯ him. Calix became displeased, and despite knowing that it was rude, he harshly kicked her out. ¨C Don¡¯t do this again. I will not tolerate this twice. ¨C ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤So what if you don¡¯t tolerate it? What could you do? I¡¯m an existence that was loved by God. ¨C ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Calix didn¡¯t answer and slammed the door. He was annoyed all the way to the tip of his head. It occurred to him that he was caught by a completely insane woman. He was already having a hard time. It has already been six months and he still couldn¡¯t find any trace of Laure. He doesn¡¯t know what happened but somehow, not even a single small clue of Laure¡¯s whereabouts could be found. It¡¯s probably done by that wizard, Alice Winterwood. He thought it was only an old saying that a wizard could move mountains if they wanted to¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Why was that kind of powerful wizard working as a physician at the Ecree Marquis? How ridiculous¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. There¡¯s something about that woman.¡¯ It was also suspicious that she helped Laure escape as if she had been waiting all this time. Calix sighed. They¡¯re all suspicious human beings. He can¡¯t trust anyone, even the subordinates that were staying by his side. He believes only in himself. It has been so since a long time ago. ¡®However, you¡¯re the only one¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ You¡¯re the only I¡¯ve ever trusted. Calix¡¯s eyes deepened as he thought of Laure. He was not the type of human being who completely believes in someone. But he believed in Laure. He was so convinced that she would not abandon him, that it was their fate. Laure, why did you abandon me? Why don¡¯t you believe in me? Why¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. There were countless questions that could not be answered. And the only thing that came back to him was empty echoes. Calix felt that he was getting sick. As the days go by¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ As the days passed without her repeatedly, he gradually broke down. ¡®I can¡¯t live a single day without you.¡¯ Do you want me to die like this? Do you hope for me to die and not find you forever? Do you really don¡¯t care? Even if I¡¯m sick like this, even if I¡¯m having a hard time, do I really not matter to you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. He felt a hot thing got caught up in his throat. The sense of betrayal and anger shook him to the core. Calix pressed down his reddened eyes with the back of his hand. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely find you. Laure.¡¯ With his eyes shining like a lion left hungry with nothing but poison, Calix swore. Agan and again. * * * A month later, rumors spread that the Grand Duke of Rochester was probing the whole continent. A year later, rumors spread that the Grand Duke was wandering the whole world like a bum. 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 5 years, 6years¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Occasionally, the Grand Duke of Rochester was seen returning to the capital, and there was a rumor that he was already completely insane. And again, another year has passed. * * * Thud! The hand that was trying to hold onto the table slipped. Then Calix fell to the floor and heaved. From the pit of his stomach to the top of his head, a piercing pain devoured him. ¡°AAUGH, GAWK¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ AAARGH¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± He grabbed his collar, trying his best to endure it, and clenched his teeth. But at one point, when the unbearable pain came upon him, he began to scream. ¡°UAAAGH! ARGH! AWK!¡± Bang! ¡°Your Grace!¡± Tess, his deputy commander, who entered by violently opening the door, tried to raise him up in a hurry. However, Calix was engulfed in agony and could not hold himself out. He frantically scratched the carpet like a madman and smashed the floor until his hands and elbows bled. ¡°GU, AARGH! AAAK!¡± ¡°Your grace! Please¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! Oh, God!¡± Seeing him writhing in terrible pain, Tess could do nothing but pray to God. Please save him. Please let this moment of pain pass by quickly. Please. ¡°KU, HEUUK¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. UGH, AARRGH¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± After a long time, finally, the pain subsided and the cramps stopped. Calix caught his breath, lying face down on the floor. His body trembled weakly. ¡°Your grace, are you all right?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix barely raised his head. His eyes were red, and his deathly pale face was covered with cold sweats. ¡°Your grace, please have some water first¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Tess hurriedly passed along the water to Calix. And Calix took the glass with his trembling hands. Gulp gulp. A stream of water trickled down his throat. Calix handed Tess the empty glass with a weary complexion. Quickly accepting it, Tess offered him a dry towel. Calix wiped his sweaty body casually. He wanted to take a bath with his whole heart. But he didn¡¯t even feel like he has the strength to stand up. He¡¯s expecting it to be like this for the next hour or two. ¡®I prefer to just rather die.¡¯ He even had such weak thoughts. But he really doesn¡¯t want to die. Because he has someone he must find. He was determined that he would not die or be buried until he found her. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤When we meet again, what kind of expression will you make when you saw me like this? What would you feel.¡¯ Would you feel sorry for me? Would you cry for the man you left behind? Or will you turn away, saying I didn¡¯t matter to you in the first place? Calix mocked himself. As much as he was sick and tired, he hoped for her to be the same. To be hurt and tormented. He wanted her to be ruined thoroughly. He wanted to tie her hands and feet and lock her up so she won¡¯t be able to go anywhere. He wanted to break her wings. He wanted her to cry while being shackled by him. It didn¡¯t matter if she looked at him with resentful eyes. She brought it all on herself. Because she made him go completely crazy. ¡°Laure, where are you hiding? Where the hell did you go hide so painstakingly¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Tess flinched at the low murmur. She looked terrified of the mad eyes of her master and soon put on a sad expression. It has been seven years. Calix Rochester wandered the whole world in search of his runaway fianc¨¦e. A lot has happened since then. The matters in the duchy were being safely carried out, thanks to their knights¡¯ commander Dorian¡¯s handling, who was in charge, but the Grand Duke of Rochester himself was so damaged. There was once a time that Tess thought he was a dazzling snowfield. A cold and clean snowfield. A decisive existence one cannot dare to step on. He was truly a cool and perfect master. But it was different now. Now he was just like a ruin with nothing left. A scene of being shattered, broken, and was now totally messed up. His orphaned blue eyes lost their light, and all they contained was madness and sadness. Therefore. Therefore, this ¡®letter¡¯ definitely had to be handed over. She understood it in her head, but her heart kept stopping her. Tess wanted Calix not to find Laure. ¡®Why can¡¯t you forget?¡¯ Seven years was a long time to forget. Wasn¡¯t love an emotion that blooms when the spring breeze blows and falls like falling leaves in autumn? It¡¯s such a fragile and fleeting feeling. She¡¯s sure it was the same for everyone. ¡®So, why can¡¯t you,¡¯ Why can¡¯t you forget her as you get sick, have nightmares, and suffer every day? Why, even if you¡¯re already reduced to this state¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Why¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Can¡¯t you let go of her. Tess weighed down her surging resentment. ¡°Your Grace.¡± She called him in a tight voice. Then a set of empty eyes looked back at her. Tess pulled the letter out of her pocket with a forced smile.` ¡°I have some news you might get happy with.¡± Chapter 18 ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What is this?¡± Calix¡¯s face frowned as he accepted the letter. Tess responded with a trembling heart. ¡°Please look at the sender.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± Calix turned the envelope upside down, crumpling the middle of his forehead. As soon as he checked the letters written there, a spark rose from his eyes. [ A. W. ] He roughly tore open the envelope, threw away the ripped and crinkled paper casually, and unfolded the letter to check the contents. [Canelo Port City, Jura Peninsula.] A single one line. That was all. But it was sufficient for him. It was enough of a clue to find her. Calix staggered up. Stopping the approaching deputy commander who tried to support him as he hurried to the bathroom. The destination has been set. He has to depart as soon as possible. Calix looked at his reflection in the mirror and realized the fact that it¡¯s been a few years since he last smiled. ¡°Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Contrary to what he remembers, it was somehow a twisted smile. With the hope that he could finally find her, due to joy, a rare smile emerged on his face, but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ The appearance of himself in the mirror was distorted. But it doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°Laure, wait for me. I, I will come to see you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± She will still love him even if he becomes like this. No matter how terrible looking he¡¯s become, no matter how many years have passed, she¡¯ll still definitely love him. Calix laughed with joy. He¡¯s not too sure if he had put too much force on the hand that was holding the mirror, but a piece of the glass broke through his fingertips and bleed. However, it doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t even hurt. The thought of the upcoming moment of reunion was so sweet that Calix kept smiling. ¡°Ah, Laure.¡± Her figure was reflected in the mirror. ¡°How much I love you.¡± I can finally show it to you properly. Calix smiled brightly. Then he grabbed his chest. As though if she tells him to give up his own heart, he would do it. * * * A drop of tear flowed down Calix¡¯s cheek. ¡°Why, did you abandon me?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Because you think I have an affair? Did you think I¡¯m going to betray you? That, that¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Does that make sense? How can you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± ¡°Calix, I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°How can you not trust me?! How!¡± Calix cried out, screaming. There was a storm brewing in his cold blue eyes. With an unfathomable depth, a sea filled with all sorts of emotions could be seen in there. I felt like I was sinking into that cold sea¡ªthe feeling of drowning and dying over and over again. I felt so choked up, I couldn¡¯ say anything. I have to tell him anything, whatever excuses, but my voice couldn¡¯t come out. ¡°Laure. Answer me.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Please explain¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Help me try to understand.¡± ¡°I, I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The voice I finally conjured out of my mouth was a little shabby. Stained with fear, I didn¡¯t even have the strength to listen to myself. What¡¯s the use of talking about a twisted relationship when we¡¯ve already come to this point? The only thing I could say to him was this. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I recalled the time when I tried to save his parents and failed. It was when I was fifteen, and he was seventeen. I was a little confident then. I didn¡¯t have nightmares, and my relationship with Calix seemed to have developed to more than a childhood friend, so I thought maybe I could change the original story. But it was just my arrogance. Destiny came cruelly as if laughing at me. The accident could not be prevented. ¡®The incident¡¯ took place, even though the Grand Duke couple delayed their inspection of the duchy by one day. The only difference is that I was there. The wall that was protecting us was destroyed, and an evil spirit invaded. And the men stationed in the northern mountains were starving that they were consumed by madness. It was too late when the trumpet sounded to signal an invasion. The wall collapsed, and a pile of fallen stones hit the Grand Duke and his wife. We found them in a pool of blood within the hazy dust. Originally, it was a scene I shouldn¡¯t have witnessed. But fate showed me that event as if to tell me ¡®this is reality.¡¯ ¨C Ca, lix, run¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¨C Father, Mother¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! The death of his parents was etched into the boy¡¯s blue eyes. He removed the rubble of stones with his bloody hands, hugged them, and sobbed. The evil spirits repeatedly rushed in, trying to hurt him. The knights grabbed him and begged desperately. You have to flee now. Your grace, you at least have to survive. Please, please! The knight forcefully dragged the still half-hearted Calix by the hand. Not being able to stand the sight of a demon devouring the bodies of the Grand Duke and his wife, I closed my eyes. I¡¯m not sure when I passed out. But when I woke up again, I was already in a cold room inside the fortress. Reinforcements from the Capital came after some time, and soon, the situation was over. However, many knights and¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ The Grand Duke couple lost their lives. ¨C Why¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Calix was sitting next to my bed. ¨C Why, to me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. He muttered, losing his breath. He looked so pained. I felt my heart breaking as I watched him. As a result, I forgot I had to keep my distance from him. It was done by the heart, not by the head, to reach out to him and hug him. ¨C Calix. ¨C ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¨C Calix, I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save them¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m very, very sorry, ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I remember myself trembling as I was holding him in my arms. I remember hugging him with more and more strength from my tired body. ¨C Then, if you do¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Please always stay by my side, Laure. Don¡¯t abandon me, don¡¯t leave me. Always. His uneven voice whispered. Looking back, I think it was from then on that everything started to go wrong. The moment I reached out to him, made a promise I couldn¡¯t keep and embraced him with so much sympathy. I turned a blind eye to all the misfortunes that the future will bring. If I know the future, if I¡¯d just think about the nightmares that recur almost every night, I shouldn¡¯t have done so. I should have turned away even if I felt sorry for him. Pretend I didn¡¯t know him and keep my distance from him. I¡¯d rather he¡¯d hate me. Or maybe, the truth is I wanted to be loved by him. It seems that I have had such a childish and flimsy dream like the heroine in the novel, a dream of receiving complete and eternal love. I¡¯m not even the female protagonist, but the villain. How could I dare to dream? I feared that I would not be able to escape my fate, fearing every passing moment. And the same was true even now. I was still afraid and terrified of fate as I face Calix. ¡°Calix. I¡¯m sorry.¡± That time, my greed for him got the best out of me, and even if I know I shouldn¡¯t, I reached out my hand to him. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t brave myself to become wholly greedy and still chose to run away. I¡¯m such a coward¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. That¡¯s why ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tears filled my eyes. After seven years of accumulation, the raised walls collapsed, and tears poured down from my eyes like a stream. I gasped for breath. My heart ached so much that I wanted to die. It¡¯s so unfair that this, this is reality, I loathe the fate that was given to me to the point that it¡¯s driving me insane¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I wished that all of this was only a dream. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Y-You¡¯re sorry?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s just say you¡¯re sorry but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Ca, lix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Seeing you cry breaks my heart.¡± His blue eyes were so empty that my breath hitched. And in there, the only emotions that could be seen were the reflection of hazy madness, longing, and anger. In the last seven years, it must have been the only emotions he has felt countless times. Emotions that I knew he bottled up inside without sharing with anyone. And now, they were about to overflow. ¡°Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. What¡¯s wrong with your hair? I think your original hair color is much better.¡± ¡°This¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± He hugged my waist and pulled me close, sweeping down my dyed brown hair. Then he stroked my cheek and smiled faintly. My heart sank at the smile for a moment, and then, I suddenly felt our lips overlapped. He hugged me so tight that I was immobilized, and began to deepen the kiss. A kiss that, even though it is devouring, rough, and persistent, was still soft and gentle at the same time. The long kiss continued unceasingly. After what seemed like an eon, Calix finally parted our lips then looked at me satisfactorily as he catches his breath. Then he buried his face at the crevice of my neck as if trying to inhale my scent. ¡°Laure, my most beloved person.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back. It¡¯s time we end this long trip.¡± ¡°Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°When we get back, let¡¯s first return your hair color to original, and then¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ you¡¯ll have to fit a new wedding dress. The previous one is already old-fashioned. You would like your tiara to be platinum gold, right? For your hairstyle¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Calix, stop.¡± I sighed and pushed him away. Calix surprisingly fell off effortlessly, then he looked at me with a somewhat shocked expression on his face. ¡°Laure, why-¡± ¡°Calix, it has been seven years.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°How could I just go back to that time seven years ago? Can I just casually go back to the capital, meet my family, and then marry you? Besides, I am now¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I stopped speaking for a moment and looked back at Letizia. The child was looking alternately at Calix and me, blinking her round eyes. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I now have a daughter. I have a husband¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix was silent without any response. His quiet stillness made me even more afraid. The moment I glanced up at him stealthily, Calix smiled a twisted smile. ¡°Yes, I know. Laure.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤You know?¡± His answer was so unexpected that I hesitated slightly. Calix strode towards me, grabbed me by the shoulder, and softly looked down on me. ¡°I can take responsibility for your daughter. However, that wretched husband of yours¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Yeah, I¡¯d better kill him.¡± ¡°What, what did you just say?¡± ¡°Did that bastard touch you?¡± ¡°What are you talking about!¡± ¡°Then we better cut that hand off the first¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Calix!¡± I pushed him away roughly. But this time. This time it was different. Calix did not back down. He grabbed my wrist, pulled it, and suddenly put something on it. Click. The heavy ringing sound was horrifying. I forgot how to breathe and looked down at my wrist. At first glance, handcuffs similar to bracelets were fastened. But the jewels embedded in the silver rim were indeed mana stones. Upon closer look, there were undoubtedly magic formulas engraved in it. My eyelids trembled. ¡°What, what is¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift. Laure. Do you like it?¡± He hugged my waist, put his lips in my ears, and whispered. Goosebumps ensued. Chapter 19 Thump-thump, my terrified heart beat frantically. Calix gently looked at my wrist and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you liked it.¡± ¡°You, you¡¯ve really gone cra¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Crazy? Ah, yes.¡± Calix continued my unfinished words as he looked straight into my eyes. I shuddered like an aspen leaf, trapped in his arms. ¡°So all this time you thought I was gonna be fine? You were my everything. But you¡¯ve thrown me away. You were my world, Laure. And you thought I was gonna be fine, living my life abandoned by you? ¡°Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°However, I understand.¡± Whispering in a loving voice, Calix kissed my cheek. ¡°You too, also must have had a hard time while you were away from me. Because I know deep inside, you love me too, Laure.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°For the past seven years, while I¡¯ve been searching for you, I¡¯ve realized. That I did not give you full confidence to trust me. That I didn¡¯t show you enough how much I love you.¡± He wrapped my cheek with one of his cold hands. Then leaned his face at a very close distance that the tip of our nose touched. So close that every detail of his bluish iris was visible to my eyes. ¡°So from now on, I will make sure to show it to you clearly and properly.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I love you. Laure. You¡¯re the only one I¡¯m destined for. You¡¯ve always been the one for me.¡± Calix gently kissed my lips. And the next moment, I felt a chill on my wrist where the bracelet is on. The sensation that began like electricity spread throughout my whole body, and soon made me unable to move. Only my lips and my eyelids trembled. I couldn¡¯t even lift a hand. Calix smiled and lifted me up. Then Alice¡¯s astonished voice was heard. ¡°What are you doing! Put her down!¡± ¡°Shut up, wizard. Just be glad that I didn¡¯t kill you. If it weren¡¯t for that letter, you¡¯d already been dead.¡± Letter? What letter? I was seized in shock that the situation was even more complicated than I thought. What does that mean? Alice¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ sent a letter to Calix? Don¡¯t tell me, that¡¯s how¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Calix found me after all these years?¡¯ I looked at Alice in disbelief. Then she flinched a little and bit her lips as if having regrets. Her expression was saying as if. I didn¡¯t expect it would result to this. As she strode towards Calix, Alice said. ¡°What did you do to her? Paralysis Magic? You shouldn¡¯t take Laure away like this. Your Grace, please.¡± My eyes were fixed on Letty. The child was watching us with a puzzled expression on her face, holding Alice tightly on the hem of her dress. The fact that I am showing this scene to Letty made me feel terribly guilty. And afraid. Afraid that I¡¯ll have to part ways with my daughter. No. Please¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I looked up at Calix and pleaded with my eyes. Please, I¡¯m begging you. Please don¡¯t separate me from my child. Calix, please¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. However, Calix just smiled coldly. ¡°I will be the one to decide what I¡¯ll do with Laure.¡± ¡°Laure has her own free will. Your Grace, you didn¡¯t even asked Laure for the reason why she had left.¡± ¡°Is that what you¡¯re going to say after exposing Laure¡¯s location?¡± ¡°That¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± Alice clenched her fist. ¡°That, I also had an unavoidable situation. Your Grace. I know you can¡¯t understand right now but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix continued, laughing at her. ¡°Your role ends here. Wizard. If you don¡¯t want to die, you should immediately get out of my sight.¡± Then Calix glanced at Letty and said. ¡°Ah, of course, I¡¯ll also take the kid. I have something to confirm.¡± ¡®something to confirm?¡¯ ¡®?¡¯ At his words, Alice and I flinched almost at the same time. What does he mean by saying he has something to confirm with Letty? Did he notice that Letty was his child? If by any chance Calix finds out¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. What if he tries to bind me up with him forever, using the fact that Letizia is his biological child. In the worst-case scenario, I might even lose Letty¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®N-No. Letty¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Letty¡¯s the only one I have, please.¡¯ Suddenly, a sense of feeling as if I am being burned began to crawl up my ankle. I always unexpectedly have such hallucinations. If something pulls the trigger, or when I¡¯m at the point of agitation, fear, or stress, it will start as if I had been swallowed up in a nightmare. My whole body trembled like being hit by the north-western wind in the middle of winter. As though Calix noticed my condition was unusual, he flinched and looked down at me. I looked back at him with eyes full of fear. Then Calix got momentarily agitated. ¡°Luche ? Ventus ? Vinetern!¡± A spell abruptly poured out of Alice¡¯s mouth. In an instant, my body flew up and moved towards her. Then I harshly landed in Alice¡¯s Arms. ¨C Kkyaaaaak! Suddenly, screams rang out from all sides. At the same time, someone jumped off the roof. I immediately recognized the person. Tess Rumbury. Grand Duchy of Rochester¡¯s Deputy Commander of the Knights of Ains, guardian of Glaston. She came running to where we were and huffingly said. ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s an attack. From the sea, there¡¯s¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Creatures of darkness?¡± ¡°Yes, the knights of Lord Canelo are now¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± It was the moment that Tess was about to report the situation that¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. The two, no, even Alice, flinched at the same time and looked in one direction. From there, ¡®something¡¯ that had crawled up from the floor bolted like a fleeting arrow and ran precisely to my ankle. ¡°Laure!¡± Calix¡¯s screaming voice roared, and the moment he stretched out his arm to grab me- ¡®It¡¯ attacked Alice and at the same time wrapped around my body and snatched me. My vision dissipated in an instant. The sudden movement made me dizzy for a while, but my body, which floated up into thin air, crashed incessantly. Splash- The cold seawater was the first to hit my head, wetting my clothes and dragging me deep down under the sea. I kept sinking, and sinking, and sinking¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I can see the lights of Canelo hover over the water. When suddenly, the silver bracelet that was hanging at the end of my weak paper-doll like arm sparkled. I couldn¡¯t even move a single finger. * * * ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤re.¡± I could hear someone calling me. ¡°Laure, open your eyes, please¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± My consciousness that had sunken to the bottom of the sea gradually lifted up. I coughed as I let my breath out. My chest ached and it throbbed. As I gently lifted my heavy eyelids, I saw Calix¡¯s worried face. ¡°Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± ¡°Ca, lix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°Laure, have you come to your senses?!¡± He asked desperately. I seemed to have lost consciousness shortly after I fell into the sea. During those moments I was wondering if I would die just like that because I couldn¡¯t even budge a single hand. But it seemed that Calix had saved my life. I took a peek at him. He looked as if he had fallen into the water. The thick black coat he was wearing was now wrapped around my body which was shivering due to the cold wind. As a result, Calix embraced me tightly. ¡°Where¡¯s Letizia¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? Where¡¯s my daughter?¡± I asked weakly. And as if to give heat, Calix unceasingly caressed down my body, then answered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The wizard took her to a safe place.¡± ¡°Oh, thank God¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The moment I heard him say those words, I felt relieved. I know Alice would take good care of Letty. Though I have to ask her why she sent a letter to Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m sure Alice wasn¡¯t the kind of person to do it for no acceptable reason. ¡®Please stay safe, Letty.¡¯ My child¡¯s face flickered in my mind. Has it already passed midnight? Letty¡¯s birthday is on the 15th of every 4th month. I¡¯m supposed to bake her a cake, hug her and tell her I love her but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®What kind of mess is this? A monster all of a sudden¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡¯ My thoughts got even more complicated. Come to think of it, it was strange that on the way back after buying Letty¡¯s gift, an evil spirit suddenly popped out of the street. Of course, such creatures appear unannounced, but Jura Peninsula was a region with few evil spirits. In the last seven years, this has never happened. As it seemed to be a prelude to something ominous, I felt extremely anxious. ¡®Anyway, first of all, we should¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ I looked up at Calix and realized that his head was leaned down. Is he crying? I gently called his name. ¡°Calix? Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Please stop saying sorry.¡± Calix looked into my eyes and bawled. I was surprised that he was crying. His body trembled as he sobbed then he hugged me tightly. The bracelet that had been fastened on my wrist had fallen off casually nearby. Calix seemed unwilling to pick the thing up again. ¡°Laure, I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤That¡¯s not true.¡± I patted him on the back to appease him but I can¡¯t put strength into my hands. It seemed that it was just once again one of my futile gestures. Then Calix shook his head down. ¡°I deserve to die for putting your life in jeopardy by giving you stuff like that.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m al¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°To you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ how could I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I must really be crazy¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± He clasped his neck as if he was being suffocated. And the intermittent cries that burst out of his mouth sounded extremely sad. I stretched out my arms to hug Calix. After trying and slipping a couple of times. I barely embraced his neck and said. ¡°Calix, it was the evil spirit that attacked me. It¡¯s not your fault. ¡°Laure, Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Calix. I¡¯m fine¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Laure, I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± He held me in his arms and continued to apologize. And occasionally, words of love were also mixed in. His whispering voice sounds so desperate that I could feel my heart sank. ¡°The seven years I spent without you was like hell.¡± ¡°Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Without you, I don¡¯t even want to live any longer¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ If something happened to you, I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Hot tears dripped down and soaked his cheeks and nape. I couldn¡¯t quite understand why he was feeling so sorry for me, or why he was beating himself so hard for trying to force me to go with him. The Calix in front of me right now looks terribly unstable. It seems that his anger and affection for me was already at its limit, and the storm of emotion seemed to be devouring itself. What should I do with you? How can I make you feel better? This time, is it possible to make a decision that I¡¯m sure I will not regret in the end¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? ¨C I won¡¯t expect anything from you. I just want to take care of you and Letty. I think I¡¯ll be alone forever if my father dies anyway, and it¡¯s enough if someone gave me strength even for just a while in this kind of country. That¡¯s what Will said. He said he doesn¡¯t want anything in return. It was impossible for me to like Will as a man. Because even if I want to admit it or not, Calix is always here in my heart, and there¡¯s no room for anyone else to come in. So I wanted to be at least a family to Will. I wanted to repay him in that way at least, who was deeply considerate to me and Letty. Though he was the first to hold out his hand, It was my decision to hold and grab that hand anyway. I wanted to take responsibility for my decisions. But then, Calix appeared. After seven years, he found me. And he was terribly ruined by my wrong choice. The result of another decision I was responsible for, was right in front of my eyes. I was once again at the crossroads of choices. What is the right answer? What path should I choose to proceed without making a mistake and falling over? What should I choose to avoid hurting anyone? Why do we always have to choose only one? Seven years ago, I did something unforgivable to him, and as a result, our relationship was now badly twisted. Even if he forgives me, or even if the time came when my fears fade, I felt as if I can¡¯t go back to the way I used to be. But I can¡¯t just run away forever. I will have to face reality sooner or later. I bit down my lips. Bracing my complex thoughts and worries in my heart in the meantime, I decided to think first of about what to do in the present time. For now, it should be our priority to get out of here. It was said that the evil spirits first attacked from the sea, so this place definitely was not safe. Chapter 20 I lightly touched Calix¡¯s cheeks and said. ¡°Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. You¡¯re going to catch a cold at this rate. Let¡¯s go back to the city for now. Okay?¡± I was worried about him. He was soaking wet from head to toe, it was early spring, and the night air was chilly. Moreover, Calix doesn¡¯t look so well. I don¡¯t want him to break down more than he currently is. I looked up at him eagerly. Then Calix nodded and stood up. I looked around our surroundings while I was in his arms¡ªa serene beach with stars pouring down from the night sky. It was a beautiful place where there seemed to be no particular danger. However, by nature, no one knows where those creatures would suddenly pop out. ¡°Calix, be careful.¡± Calix quietly blinked, implying that he understood. He seemed relatively calm, so I was a little relieved. We don¡¯t know how long the evil spirit¡¯s attacks will last or to what extent it will be¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. But first, we need to go back to the city and make sure that Letty, Alice, and the Osborne father and son were safe, and then¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®I¡¯ll have to talk to you.¡¯ I shouldn¡¯t run away any longer. It¡¯s not right to leave him behind when he¡¯s already this ruined. We definitely must have misunderstood each other. Sia¡¯s appearance, the oracle¡¯s descendance, and the story¡¯s rightful development where they got married to each other. I thought it was irreversible; that¡¯s why I was here. I thought that no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, it will never change. It will be impossible to alter. Long before, just like I couldn¡¯t save Calix¡¯s parents, I thought that the wheel of fate would always go back to its rightful place. However¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ It changed. Though it didn¡¯t change altogether, But what has changed is Calix¡¯s heart and the turn of events of the original story where he fell in love with Sia and ends up being together. I gently gazed at Calix¡¯s blue eyes. ¡®At that time, I saw you kissing Sia.¡¯ Why didn¡¯t you marry her? Did the oracle come down? What¡¯s the current situation in the Imperial City? I was cooped up in this outskirts, I didn¡¯t know anything. I had lots of questions. I wonder how had he been for the past seven years, or if the people of the Ecree Marquis were safe, and what¡¯s happened all these years. And somehow¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ How did you become like this? Calix¡¯s condition looks extremely terrible. It makes me deeply scared and anxious. ¡®Calix, you¡¯re not sick, are you?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask and could only gaze at him. As I continuously stare at him, Calix smiled faintly. It was a heartbreaking smile. ¡°Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± He softly called my name. His blue eyes contained immeasurable words. ¡°Laure, I missed you.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± My throat choked up, and I couldn¡¯t answer as my eyes grew hot. ¡°Don¡¯t abandon me anymore.¡± Hearing his quiet but desperately begging voice, my heart sank. Calix lowered his head and kissed me on the forehead. I stroked his cheek with trembling hands. It was the moment when he was about to lower his head a little more, and when our lips were about to meet. Screech- From somewhere, I heard something like the sound of iron scraping the floor. Calix stiffened and abruptly stopped, then quickly became alert and drew out his sword. Screech-! The sound gradually became clearer and more apparent. I turned my head in the direction of the sound. As I nervously kept my gaze at the place, a dark fog suddenly crawled over the floor like a snake. ¡®It¡¯ stopped in front of us. Then it slowly rose into the air, and soon it took on a complete form. At a glance, there seems to be a human figure in the midst of it, and it¡¯s bulging red eyes were wide open. I gasped for breath. Long vertical pupils, blood-red iris, and blue-gray eyeballs¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. It was undoubtedly a dangerous, high-level superior kind of evil spirit. ¡°Laure. Make sure not to get separated from me. Hold on tight.¡± Calix¡¯s arm that was holding me tightened. The very next moment, the black arm of the evil spirit reached out towards us. The evil spirits, which do not have a specific form, usually were influenced by its surroundings, and it always changes its appearance continuously. Sometimes in response to people¡¯s malice, and sometimes to despair, it will shape like a person¡¯s nightmare. However, we couldn¡¯t know where did the evil spirit attacking us at the moment reacted to and why it looked that way. The shape of its limbs was excessively long compared to its upper body. Then one arm split into several pieces, creating dozens of hands. It was like a form that responded to someone¡¯s greed. Swish-! The evil spirit¡¯s hand passed right by us. The greedy hand continued to reach. Calix simply dodged them and narrowed the distance with it. Even though he was holding me with one of his arms, he still moves at an astonishing speed, closing the distance with his sword. Blow! Screeeeech! As Calix¡¯s sword pierced the eyes of the monster, it screamed and retreated. The evil spirit staggered in agony and soon scattered away and disappeared. Only then did I remember that Calix¡¯s sword was a ¡®holy artifact.¡¯ A keepsake from a saint. It was said that it was embedded with the sacred power that has the capability to defeat the devil. To be exact, the magic formula engraved on the sword¡¯s blade was a holy relic. ¡°Calix, are you all right?¡± I asked anxiously as his complexion doesn¡¯t look good. Calix nodded and replied. ¡°We have to get out of here immediately.¡± It was when he¡¯d already run for about ten steps with me in his arms. We haven¡¯t even left the coast yet, but dozens of superior monsters like the one before unceremoniously came out and surrounded us. It¡¯s a very imminent situation. My heart thumped with fear. I wondered if there was anything I could do. But all I had was a magic ring that could simply make a person faint. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤If I¡¯d known it would be like this, I would have made a lot of offense magic tools. However, it was quite unexpected that such a group of evil spirits suddenly attacked. It was also a very unnatural phenomenon. The demons slowly approached us. It was the moment when Calix held me tightly in his arms and raised his sword. Whoosh-! An immense light suddenly flashed from all directions. As if several stage lights were lit at the same time. The dazzling light devoured the evil spirits all at once and then quickly dissipated them in a flash. It only took a blink of an eye¡ªsuch tremendous power. ¡°This¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Disconcerted, I wettened my chapped lips. This force was, no doubt, divine energy. And this capacity will certainly not come from just any ordinary priest, ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡¯ ¡°Oh, thank God!¡± It¡¯s the cheerful voice of a woman. My heart dropped as soon as I heard it. ¡°What a relief! You¡¯re safe!¡± She appeared with black hair that flutters gently like silk and a smiling eyes and lips through the gradually fading light. ¡°Calix!¡± Calling his name, Sia¡¯s eyes glistened as if looking at her beloved lover. ¡®Why is Sia here?¡¯ My heart beats anxiously. Sia¡¯s appearance was as unexpected as the attack struck by the evil spirits. The presence of the divine lady was very priceless. So unless it¡¯s a special case, she won¡¯t be just recklessly moving around. But to be here, coming all the way to the Jura Peninsula, which is also called the edge of the world? ¡®Perhaps is it because of Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡¯ Is he a special person, enough to violate the rules of the temple¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? As I was restlessly thinking to myself, Sia strode and approached our way. ¡°I was so worried, Calix. I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay.¡± Sia smiled as she sweetly looked at Calix. Her smile and the way she looks at Calix makes my heart feel sore. For seven years, they must have gotten a lot closer. The moments I don¡¯t know how Calix was doing¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Sia must have spent it with him. As I was about to feel endless melancholy, I suddenly heard Calix¡¯s chilly voice. ¡°Why are you here?¡± My eyes opened wide in surprise. Then I lifted my head and looked at Calix; he looked genuinely displeased. ¡°Of course, I came here to save Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ In fact, a few days ago, I received a revelation. This city is going to be in danger. God, Phoenix told me.¡± At Sia¡¯s words, Calix ridiculously laughed as if what the woman had just said was too preposterous. ¡°What a great coincidence. Of all places, to what extent is there a possibility that this region is where the monster attack will be, specifically this city.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought so too. I was anxious. Because I knew that Calix was going to visit this city.¡± ¡°I remembered I¡¯ve told you to stop monitoring my movements.¡± All of a sudden, Calix growled at Sia. I winced at his sharp reaction and the word ¡®monitoring.¡¯ As if noticing my inner reaction and agitation, Calix paused and embraced me tightly. As if to reassure me. ¡°Monitoring? I¡¯m just worried about Calix.¡± When Sia spoke in a voice as if she was treated unfairly, Calix gritted his teeth and replied. ¡°In case you don¡¯t have it in yours, in this world, we also call that ¡®stalking.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh my, what do you mean, stalking? That was a very stern expression. Can¡¯t you just think of it as my interest and affection for Calix?¡± ¡°Ha¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. You haven¡¯t changed at all in seven years.¡± Calix annoyedly swept his hair, and Sia just giggled as she watches him. She looked as if she didn¡¯t care about his reaction at all. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re okay. I was concerned that something wrong might happen to Calix. I was so anxiously worried.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your concern.¡± I watched them silently and asked questions in my heart. It was as clear as day that Sia has feelings for Calix, but he seemed to be¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Loathing her so much to the extent that it seemed a bit excessive¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡¯ ¡°Please, I¡¯d like you to stop involving yourself in my life.¡± The other person is the divine lady. Is it okay for him to talk to her like that? I was concerned that Calix might get caught in a conflict with the temple. But at the same time, my heart pounded at the coldness of his reaction to Sia. Calix seemed to dislike Sia genuinely. It was very unexpected, but frankly, I was happy. ¡®Then seven years ago, what was the scene I saw in the Imperial Palace¡¯s garden?¡¯ I bemusedly gazed at Calix. He was growling while glaring at Sia. He looked like a beast that warns it¡¯s opponent not to come any closer. Sia, on the other hand, was smiling leisurely like a weasel. She seemed to have the confidence of reversing whatever Calix feels and thinks about me. My heart felt stuffy for some reason due to her attitude. What do you call this feeling? Irritation¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? That¡¯s right, I was somewhat irritated at her. That smile she displays towards Calix and that gaze, I didn¡¯t like it one bit. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤As expected, Laure Ecree must have been a villainess.¡¯ I swallowed a sigh in my mind. Even though I¡¯ve only seen Sia for a short while now, I was already terribly jealous. If I go further from here, I will come to hate her. But is there a possibility that it was also the same for Sia? Does she hate me, too? I glanced at Sia. She was only looking at Calix without giving me the slightest attention. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤She¡¯s been completely ignoring me for a while now.¡¯ What do you think of me? A sack of barley? Though it would be the most appropriate words to use to infer to me. A sack of barley because I couldn¡¯t help Calix at all and be just being heavy baggage to him. As I get depressed and lowered my head down, I heard Calix¡¯s shrill voice. Chapter 21 ¡°Divine lady. Whether you crawl into my bed or dance in front of me naked, I will not be interested in you for even a damn bit, so could you at least try to behave yourself properly.¡± Did, did Calix just say those words? I couldn¡¯t believe it even if I¡¯ve heard it directly from him. The Calix that I know, though a bit cold-hearted, was not a man who would use such an abusive language to a lady. ¡®Do you hate her that much? Sia?¡¯ It¡¯s already surprising that he doesn¡¯t like the heroine, Sia, but I can¡¯t believe that he even hates her this intensely. It was a series of surprises. ¡°I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± It was the moment when Sia, who moistened her lips, was about to say something. ¡°What kind of rude words was that to the divine lady?¡± From somewhere, I heard a stinging voice. Then I sensed something coming our way. I turned my eyes. Then I saw a man with blue hair, dressed in a white priest¡¯s uniform. At a glance, his physique looked so slender and nice that you would mistake him for a woman. He stopped right in front of us, and then he rolled his eyes around as if skimming the surroundings. Then his eyes fell on me. The eyes similar to the color of his hair were suddenly smudged with a different glint. The man seemed to recognize me immediately. A contemptuous smile lightly crept upon his lips. ¡°Oh. Is she that woman?¡± Did he just call me ¡®that¡¯? The same moment I flinched at the rude reference, Calix ferociously glared at the priest as if he would kill him and retorted. ¡°How dare you call her ¡®that¡¯ do you have a death wish?¡± The priest mockingly laughed. Then he slightly narrowed his eyes and looked sarcastically at me. ¡°Oh, pardon my terms. You¡¯re the great fianc¨¦e, who made this man here, the Grand Duke of the empire, search the whole continent for the last seven years, right?¡± ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What a very arrogant attitude. I¡¯ve never imagined being ridiculed in this way. And by the priest who I¡¯ve met for the first time at that. I bit down my lips. ¡°Brill, don¡¯t be like that.¡± Unexpectedly, the person who immediately scolded the priest was Sia. She patted the priest¡¯s shoulder named ¡®Brill,¡¯ then looked back at me and said. ¡°You were embarrassed because Brill was a little rude, right? I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s because he cares about me so much.¡± Sia smiled kindly. It was the smile of the divine lady whose love encompasses everyone. I blinked wildly in a fluster. After ignoring me all this time, her sudden change of attitude was too absurd. Is she paying attention to that priest¡¯s eyes? I glanced at the priest, then looked at Sia again and answered. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°You have a beautiful heart.¡± Then Sia narrowed her distance with me and grabbed my hand. I shuddered at the contact. Sia¡¯s hands were icy. It bothered me more than the fact that she suddenly held my hand that it somehow felt stiff and awkward. Sia looked at me and smiled with her eyes folded like a crescent moon. When I couldn¡¯t respond to a smile that seemed somewhat taunting and impolite, Calix stepped back and widened the distance between Sia and me. He embraced me tightly, and as if showing off, kissed me on the forehead. What, what¡¯s wrong with him all of a sudden? I looked up at Calix as my eyelids jitter. Then Calix revealed a fierce expression and smiled. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± My mind seemed to blank out for a moment. I couldn¡¯t quite understand what was happening all of a sudden. ¡°Tsk.¡± Amidst all the confusion, the sound of the priest clicking his tongue was heard. He glanced past us and said. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back. The city was also almost sorted out.¡± The first person to respond to the remark was Sia. She clapped her hands and said with a big smile on her face. ¡°Yes! I can¡¯t wait to go and rest! Calix, I heard that the local specialty here was delicious. Have you tried it?¡± Once again, Sia changed the subject, subtly ignoring me. But there was no time to feel bad about her attitude. It was because Calix¡¯s answer, which came shortly after, was very exhilarating. ¡°Could you stop talking to me?¡± Not knowing exactly what to feel, I could only roll my eyes. Calix seemed to abhor Sia so much that you would think he somehow turned misogynistic. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What the hell did Sia do? I was frowning as it feels that I was falling into a labyrinth more and more when suddenly I felt Calix¡¯s gaze on me. As I looked up, he smiled gently and asked in a soft voice. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Laure.¡± ¡°No, nothing¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I furtively avoided his gaze, and reluctantly replied. I¡¯m not quite sure if I should just like it or worry about his intense reactions to Sia. Perhaps dissatisfied with my answer, Calix hugged me tightly and made me face him. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Erm¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of running away¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± I shouted reflexively. The glint in his steely eyes was horrifying. As if he was ready to seize me and lock me up somewhere. Is it now confinement after handcuffs? As I swallowed hard due to nervousness, Calix smiled softly, loosening his expression. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤His extreme behavioral transitions were terrifying. ¡°Please stop running away, Laure.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± I nodded gently, as it seemed that he would kidnap me while he was holding me in his arms. Calix smiled as if he liked my answer and kissed my lips lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve heard, but I¡¯ve been out of my mind for a long time.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t try to throw me away for the second time. Laure. If you ever abandon me again, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do then.¡± ¡°Alright¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Only then did I realize. That his insanity is more severe than I had expected. * * * ¡°Mom~!¡± As soon as I arrived in front of the Osborne¡¯s Shop, Letty immediately came rushing in. But when she saw Calix holding me, she hesitatingly paused, and then she stepped back. Then Letty raised her round eyes and stared at Calix. ¡°Please give me my mom.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Oh, alright.¡± Calix seemed to be a little disconcerted, which was very unlike him. As he put me down with an embarrassed expression, Letty jumped into me. ¡°Mom, I was so worried about you!¡± ¡°Oh my, did you?¡± I stroked Letty¡¯s head and patted her on the back. Then the child peeped her head out of my arms and suddenly sniffed. ¡°Mom, you smell like the sea!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I can¡¯t say that I almost died from drowning in the seawater, so I roughly looked around. ¡°I tripped while running and fell into the sea.¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re an idiot! How could a grown-up fall into the sea!¡± ¡°Exactly¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I nodded, quietly agreeing to Letty¡¯s scolding. Letty blows a bunch of air into her cheek and then folded her arms as if showing her discontentment. Then suddenly asked. ¡°Mom, what time is it now?¡± ¡°Uh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± As I stretched the end of my word, I glanced at the wall clock hanging inside the store. ¡°Oh, my goodness, it¡¯s 11:50! It will be our Letty¡¯s birthday soon!¡± Deliberately speaking in an admiring voice, Letty smiled and shook her head. ¡°Letty will be six years old in a little while.¡± ¡°Wow! Our Letty is finally six years old?¡± ¡°Ehehe.¡± Letty seemed to be very proud to be six years old. ¡°But what shall we do¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± I made a sad expression on my face. ¡°Your mom lost her gift for Letty¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I bought the carousel music box that Letty wanted to have, but that night I accidentally met Calix and then dropped it on the street and ran away. I¡¯m sure Calix have picked it up, but there¡¯s no way he¡¯d keep a child¡¯s present on him until now¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Would you like to celebrate your birthday in the morning and go buy a present with your mom?¡± I suggested an alternative. Then Letty smiled broadly and nodded as if she didn¡¯t care a bit for the lost gift. ¡°I would like to go to buy presents with mom!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As I felt like I was about to cry, I bit the flesh inside my mouth. How could our Letty be this nice? She is a very extraordinary child. Whatever I say to her, she will say she knew, and she always tries to understand. She would always think about the bright and positive side of everything. She was much better than an adult like me. Hugging Letty tightly, I said. ¡°Our Letty is an angel.¡± ¡°Huh? No, Letty¡¯s not an angel.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re such a nice kid.¡± ¡°Yes, Letty¡¯s not an angel but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Whether she wanted to explain something, Letty frowned. But as if she couldn¡¯t think of the right words to say, she just shook her head. ¡°Oh my, who is this child? Is it Laure¡¯s daughter?¡± Smiling brightly, Sia approaches our way. We¡¯ve never spoken to each other, yet she¡¯s already calling me by my name, pretending to be close? I was so taken aback that I could only blink my eyes. However, what was even more surprising was Letty¡¯s reaction upon seeing her. Letty got startled and immediately hid behind me. Then little by little, she only peeps at Sia. Sia¡¯s expression after seeing Letty¡¯s reaction to her seemed a little stiff. I took my eyes off her and looked at Letty again. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Letty? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Letty¡¯s expression was bizarre. It is the same as when Letty saw a caterpillar for the first time in our house¡¯s yard, like meeting her most hated enemy, Letty shouted, ¡®Mom! There¡¯s a weird creature in here!¡¯ Letty was on guard against Sia as if the woman was awfully strange. ¡°Huhu, you don¡¯t have to be so scared.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Sia said, slightly lowering her upper body. But Letty just stared at her with her mouth shut. As Letty continued to remain unresponsive, Sia smiled shamelessly and backed away. Then her black eyes briefly passed at me. She seemingly flashed a particularly mysterious smile, and the next moment, Sia drew close to Calix. ¡°Calix! Aren¡¯t you hungry? Oh, first of all, you need to take a bath.¡± Sia spoke in a friendly voice and put her hands around Calix¡¯s arms. Calix¡¯s face frowned as if a nasty object grazed him. He annoyedly shook off Sia¡¯s arm and was about to say something when. Tap-tap-tap! Toinks! ¡°?¡± All of a sudden, Letty ran into Calix, bumping her head on him simultaneously. ¡°Le, Letty?¡± My mouth opened wide in surprise. Then I quickly ran over towards them. It turned out that Letty was hugging Calix¡¯s leg with both of her arms, and Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ seemed to stiffen as a statue. ¡°Le, Le, Letty!¡± Out of embarrassment, I immediately tried to get Letty off of Calix, but Letty only mumbled a long, ¡®No~!¡¯ and stayed stuck to Calix like a cicada. Calix¡¯s face turned pitifully pale. I was so embarrassed by the situation that I couldn¡¯t figure out what to do. Why is Letty acting this way all of a sudden? ¡®Don¡¯t tell me?¡¯ No, it¡¯s impossible¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ there¡¯s no chance that Letty would know the fact that Calix is her father. Is it something like intuition? ¡®Or perhaps she¡¯d unconsciously accepted Calix as her dad¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ As I was pondering that idea, Letty stretched out her arms and said to Calix, ¡°Hold me!¡± ¡°What?¡± Baffled by the unexpected demand, Calix stumbled like a weed swaying in the wind. It¡¯s the first time in my life that I¡¯ve ever seen him make such a silly look. ¡°Hold~! Me~! Give Letty a hug!¡± ¡°No, why would I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± As Calix blinked helplessly, not knowing what to do, Letty jumped, stomped her feet, and made a fuss. ¡°Hug me~! Hmm? Please hug Letty!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix¡¯s gaze turned to me for a moment. At his questioning look that asks what the hell was going on, I could only reply with a smile and shrug my shoulders. For I, too, don¡¯t know why Letty is doing this all of a sudden. ¡°Haa¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix looked at Letty with a puzzled look on his face and breathed a deep sigh. Then he bent his upper body, and with both of his arms, he hugged Letty and lifted her. Chapter 22 ¡°Wow!¡± I chased after him by calling his name. Then I surreptitiously looked behind me, and saw the priest with an intrigued expression on his face and Sia with a fierce glint on her eyes. As our two eyes met, Sia flinched and immediately unraveled her facial expression. Then she made a very unnatural smile. And with a slight frown on my forehead, I looked back at Calix and Letty again. ¡®Something doesn¡¯t seem right¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ It seems that something is going on in Sia¡¯s mind. As if she plans to hurt Letty¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ No, that can¡¯t be. She¡¯s still the Divine Lady, that¡¯s impossible. The look in her eyes just now must be towards Calix. Why would she glare at an innocent child who doesn¡¯t know anything? ¡®However, it¡¯s much better to be careful.¡¯ There¡¯s nothing wrong with being cautious. Deciding that I should be vigilant against Sia moving forward, I went and stood on Calix and Letty¡¯s side. It was none other than in front of a travel carriage pulled over on the street where Calix headed with Letty. The exterior is neat and simple but it looks luxurious, it should be the carriage that Calix and his group had used on their journey. Calix put Letty down for a moment, then went into the carriage and brought something out. After immediately recognizing what it was, my eyes instantly opened-wide. It was the birthday present of Letty that I carelessly dropped! I was doubting about it from the beginning, but Calix really kept the gift. Calix looks indifferently at Letty and handed the gift box. Letty apprehensively accepted the gift, and asked with twinkle in her eyes. ¡°Is it a gift for Letty? Is mister giving this to me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s from your mother.¡± At Calix¡¯s stern response, Letty smiled broadly and looked back at me. ¡°Thank you, Mom!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wecome, my daughter¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I answered in a daze, alternately looking between Calix and Letty. The two infallibly look like father and daughter. Their hair color is also comparably similar. Letty unwrapped the gift on the spot. Oh, you should open it on your birthday celebration! I tried to stop Letty belatedly, but to no avail. Letty, who quickly pulled out the music box, gave out exclamations as she looked through it. ¡°Wow, Mom, it¡¯s so pretty! I love it!¡± ¡°No problem¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I¡¯m glad she likes it. Since the gift was delivered safely anyway, I smiled thinking that everything ended up well, however, Letty put the music box back on it¡¯s package then came up to me. ¡°Mom, take care of Letty¡¯s present!¡± ¡°Huh? S-sure.¡± I answered reflexively and when I came back to my senses, the present is already in my hands. Letty? As I raised my head while calling the child¡¯s name, I saw Letty stretching her arms toward Calix. ¡°Y-You want me to carry you again?¡± ¡°Yes~!¡± ¡°I¡¯d just gave you a present.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not really mister who gave it to me!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Hold Letty! Then let¡¯s go home and celebrate Letty¡¯s birthday together!¡± Even I, Letty¡¯s mother, was surprised by my daughter¡¯s shamelessness. In the end, after failing to convince Letty, Calix had no choice but to walk to our house while holding Letty in his arms, as if she were a princess. Upon arriving home, Alice and the Osborne father and son gave us a warm welcome. But for only Letty and me, of course. Because when the three saw Calix, they had a wry look on their faces. It¡¯s natural that their impression of Calix won¡¯t be good¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®There¡¯s no helping it.¡¯ I first went into the bathroom and washed myself. I can¡¯t make a birthday cake wet with seawater. I didn¡¯t know until I washed up, but there was a bluish bruise on my ankle that was grasped by the evil spirit. What do I do with this? It would heal over time, but it was unsightly. I don¡¯t want to worry anyone. Thinking that I should wear long socks that would go up to my calf, I came out of the bathroom. I was yawning while wearing a loose gown, when a black figure, sitting on the bed suddenly came into view. Ugh?! I was so frightened that I almost fell backwards. ¡°Ca, Calix?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The identity of the black figure who was sitting on my bed was none other than Calix. And as if he had just washed up, drops of water were still dripping from his hair, and somehow this time, he was once again dressed only in black. Doesn¡¯t he have any colored clothes¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®But I don¡¯t remember Calix liking black¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡¯ I was befuddled and when I glanced at him, I saw Calix¡¯s tenacious gaze brushing over me from top to bottom. ¡°Why¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± I followed his gaze and looked up and down my body. And realized. The gown I¡¯m wearing was half-unfasten. Ugh! I screamed and quickly adjusted my collar. Calix looked at me with a dumbfounded expression on his face. As I could feel my cheeks burning, I furtively avoided his gaze. Then, Calix slowly strode towards me. ¡°What are you so ashamed of?¡± ¡°O-Obviously becau¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we already seen everything there was to see between each other? Laure.¡± Calix said in a low captivating voice. ¡°No, but still¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± He pulled me close to him and held me in his arms. Ahh.. A moan naturally flowed out of my lips. The strange atmosphere stifled me. B-But I need to bake a cake. ¡°Laure.¡± ¡°Yes¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix put his lips on the nape of my neck and whispered. ¡°Is it true that he¡¯s not your real husband?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤That.¡± How did he¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? As I gasped for breathe due to the sudden question, Calix continued with a cool smile on his lips. ¡°Every citizen passing by says Letizia is not Will Osborne¡¯s daughter and you¡¯re a single mother. How would I not know?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°So I asked him myself, and he confessed everything. That he¡¯s disguising himself as your husband just to protect you and your daughter.¡± I tilted my head down, moistening my lips. I knew it was something that Calix would definitely found out someday, but I didn¡¯t know he would discover it this soon. And since earlier he¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Ca, Calix, stop!¡± I tried to push him out of embarrassment. However, I couldn¡¯t move while he was holding me so tight. His hand, touching my bare skin, didn¡¯t halt. From the small of my back to my waist, and then¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Ahhh, Calix stop! We have to prepare for Letty¡¯s birthday!¡± I kicked him out of desperation. Though it only hurt my feet, Calix backed off with a look of regret on his face at least. Then he gazed at me as if was going to eat me and said, growling. ¡°I¡¯m starving. Laure.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you thought that I would have already slept with another woman because I couldn¡¯t overcome my desires, don¡¯t you? Laure. You¡¯re the only one I want. You¡¯re the only one I need.¡± ¡°I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ wouldn¡¯t think of such thing.¡± Alarmed of his intense expression, I stepped back. Then, Calix softly sighed. He swept his hair backwards and said. ¡°I¡¯m about to go crazy because I want to hold you. Right here, right now.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°But the birthday celebration of the child should come first. You should get dressed, Laure.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Thank you.¡± I approached the closet with a sigh of relief. As I hurry to get my clothes out and change, the whole process was watched closely by Calix. Whether he knew my determination to hide in shame or not, he just sat there in a relaxed, sentimental way, enjoying the view. ¡°Do you have any salve to apply on your ankle?¡± Calix asked out of the blue. My bruised ankle seemed to be bothering him. This will get better in time after all so it doesn¡¯t bother me. I shook my head and answered. ¡°No, but this should quickly heal soon. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix gave a sidelong scowl at me as if disapproving, then he took out something out of his trousers pocket one by one, and said. ¡°Get all your clothes on, then come here for a moment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fine.¡± ¡°Yes~.¡± I don¡¯t want to get into an argument with him, so I quietly agreed. As I approached with all the buttons on my blouse fastened, Calix pulled my arm and made me sit next to him. ¡°It will sting, so you have to hold on for a bit.¡± The items he took out were ointments and bandages. Calix put my ankles on his lap and began to apply medicine gently. When the sticky ointment covers the bruised area, a burning sensation was suddenly felt just like as he said. But it was bearable. I smiled at Calix as we make eye contact. He was quietly checking if I was okay. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± With the bandage wrapped neatly, Calix sat me upright. Then when I tried to put on my socks, he snatched them quickly and knelt on his knees. ¡°Calix, I can wear it myself¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Stay still. Laure.¡± He retorted calmly and began to put the socks on my feet. But I am not kid. Somehow, the situation was embarrassing and my face was burning. After Calix finished putting my socks on and lifted his head, my face must be as red as a ripe tomato. ¡°Cute.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± I muttered, and Calix gently kissed me on the cheek. Then he took out my shoes from under the bed, put them on me himself, and lifted me up. I shuddered in surprise. ¡°What, what is it? I can still walk!¡± ¡°We have to go down the stairs, so I will only carry you down to the first floor.¡± ¡°Haa¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± What if someone sees me like this? I was so embarrassed that I buried my face in the palm of my hands. Then Calix let out a pleasant laugh and strode out of the room. ¡°Ha, it¡¯s¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ done!¡± I put the last decoration on with my trembling hands. At last, the birthday cake is complete. All right, now everything¡¯s perfect! It¡¯s now five o¡¯clock in the morning and Letty is fast asleep. Only the adults stayed up all night like owls to make a birthday feast for Letty. ¡°I would like to thank everyone for your hard work. Though it¡¯s been a crazy day.¡± I said, looking back at Will, Sean, and Alice. They nodded and smiled weakly. They looked exhausted from cooking all night. I made an apologetic expression. I¡¯ll just have to take care of everyone¡¯s dinner for the time being¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Oh, but on the other hand. I glanced at Calix in the corner. He was wearing dark clothes from top to bottom like a child of darkness and was sitting in the shade. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤We can¡¯t keep staying here like this.¡¯ Calix will definitely take me back to the capital. Even if I didn¡¯t want him to, there was no mistake that he will do it. Furthermore, I felt the need to be by his side. He was the second most precious person in my life after Letizia. I couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to Calix, who was in such a broken state. I had to take care of him. ¡®Would Sean and Will understand?¡¯ We¡¯ve been doing great like a real family, they would probably be extremely devastated if we suddenly left. However, leaving the island with Calix was the only option that I have. If I refuse to go because of Will and Sean, their safety will definitely be in danger because Calix won¡¯t allow it. If he had been as rational as before, talking to him might actually work. But right now he¡¯s¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I recalled Calix¡¯s mad eyes and his voice saying he¡¯s out of his mind. He doesn¡¯t even know that I was in a much more distressed state right now than I could ever be. He seemed to be holding back because I promised not to run away, but still, I could sometimes see a dangerous impulse cross his eyes, while he was looking at me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I could see he wanted to grab a hold of me and keep me locked up. ¡®Nevertheless, I¡¯m more scared of my fate going back to it¡¯s original path as the novel once I go back to the capital.¡¯ Calix didn¡¯t know what I was afraid of because I never told him. And I don¡¯t even know how or where to start confessing. The truth is, I¡¯m actually living my second life, and this is a fictional world inside a novel, and somehow, the gruesome contents of the novel I¡¯ve seen in my previous life appears in my dreams and torments me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I wonder if he¡¯ll believe me. Everyone will think it¡¯s just an absurd story. They¡¯ll just think I¡¯m being crazy. ¡®However, I was a little relieved.¡¯ Calix¡¯s attitude towards Sia¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®I thought it¡¯s inevitable for Calix to fall in love with Sia.¡¯ My heart was pounding. Could it be possible to change the fate that haunts me? No, hasn¡¯t fate already left its very own trajectory of destiny? Chapter 23 I can¡¯t just foolishly hope for something that I know is impossible. But still, I want to dream, even just for a little bit. ¡®But first, we have to celebrate Letty¡¯s birthday.¡¯ I can¡¯t believe the evil spirits chose to attack the same day as Letty¡¯s birthday. With a sigh, I put the cake down on the center of the table. I thought as I neatly put the candles on the cake. How come did the evil spirits suddenly appear? Furthermore, Sia and the priest went to Lord Canelo¡¯s castle, is it okay for Calix not to go with them? As soon as I picked up the last candle while I was still dizzy with my thoughts, a little doll stepped into the kitchen. ¡°Mmm, Mom¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Oh my, Letty! Did wake up?¡± Letty rubbed her eyes and yawned. Then I rushed to her and picked up the child. ¡°Oooh, it smells delicious.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, Your Mom, aunt Alice, and your uncles cooked it. We made all the food Letty likes.¡± ¡°Wow! I¡¯m so excited!¡± And as if to prove that she¡¯s already wide awake, Letty¡¯s eyes glistened as she smiles. Will and Sean arranged for Letty¡¯s seat. Then I put a kiss on the child¡¯s cheek and sat Letty down. Mom, I like it so much! As I watch Letty, who hugged my neck tightly and spoke in a very cute way, a smile naturally spread around my lips. Then I suddenly felt a piercing gaze boring through me and Letty. I gently rolled my eyes towards the direction and saw Calix staring at us with a strange look on his face. Goosebumps crept all over me in an instant. No way, hasn¡¯t he realized that Letty is his and my child? Up to now, I thought he¡¯s already discerned the situation¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I kept glancing at Calix, wondering what¡¯s going on in his mind, however, I couldn¡¯t read his expression at all. ¡®His attitude towards Letty makes you feel like he¡¯s already noticed something¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Whether about the gift, or the time he had difficulty with little Letty, or when he was being oddly friendly¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®If the time comes he asks if Letizia is my daughter, what should I answer?¡¯ Sooner or later, I¡¯ll have to convey to him the truth¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. but the problem is, how would I explain to him the reason why I still chose to run away even though I¡¯m already carrying his child. To do that, I have to disclose to him that I have recollections of my previous life¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Will he believe me?¡¯ Far from believing it, he might treat me as an insane person. But I won¡¯t be able to clear the misunderstanding without saying anything. ¡®That¡¯s why I have to tell Calix the whole story¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ It was at that moment. ¡°Ugh.¡± Suddenly, I felt dizzy and everything turned black in front of me. I tried to support myself by grabbing the table. ¡®What¡¯s this, What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ I held my hands together and took a deep breath. And after a while, fortunately, my condition calmed down. I sighed and moistened my throat with water. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I must have been too stressed out. ¡®For now, let¡¯s focus on Letty¡¯s birthday party, then let¡¯s think about it again later whether I¡¯m going to tell Calix my secret.¡¯ Even if I tell Calix the truth, Sia was also a problem. She certainly has feelings for Calix. And when she finds out that Calix has a child¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ she might try to harm Letty. Even if she is the divine lady, she is also just a human being. There was no way she would not have any malicious feelings such as jealousy and hatred. ¡®Technically speaking, a Divine Lady is different from a Saint. Even if they were said to be chosen by God, they¡¯re still not some extraordinary human beings. Aside from the fact that there seems to be something wrong with Sia somewhere.¡¯ It¡¯s not just because I¡¯m annoyed with her. But the person, Sia herself, somehow felt dissonant. Oh. Did Letty feel the same way as I did, that¡¯s why she was so wary of Sia? I gazed at the child. Letty was wearing a birthday hat. It was a bit funny because the hat was a little big, and it seems that it was biting the child¡¯s head. I smiled while looking at Letty. ¡°Happy birthday, my daughter.¡± ¡°Yes! Sing me a happy birthday song!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± We sat around the table and sang a birthday song together. And because Letty insisted that we should invite him too, even Calix attended the birthday party. He clapped his hands awkwardly, and it was so funny that I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. My goodness, the Grand Duke of Rochester singing on a child¡¯s birthday! If the nobles of the capital had seen it, they would have been greatly astonished. But Calix¡¯s suffering did not end there. ¡°Mister! Let¡¯s go buy Letty¡¯s gift!¡± That¡¯s what Letty demanded with her arms stretched out at him. Calix blinked his eyes in a daze. With that look on his face, Letty runs to him while jumping, and Calix, although hesitating, still hurriedly grabbed her when Letty almost fell. Eventually, he carried Letty and took her to buy a present. ¡°I guess she knew it was her Dad by instinct.¡± While wiping my hands after washing the dishes, Alice came up and said. I nodded my head, quietly agreeing with her observation. Other than William, all the other adult men were with Letty, looking out for her. Even Sean was somewhat uncomfortable. I can¡¯t believe Letty¡¯s behaving so friendly to Calix, whom she¡¯s never seen before. It was quite amazing. Does she know he¡¯s her dad? And Calix too, perhaps¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Laure, I need to tell you something.¡± Alice¡¯s voice interrupted my thoughts. What does she mean? I turned to Alice with a puzzled look on my face, and the moment I saw her eyes, I had a hunch. ¡®You want to tell me the reason why you sent the letter.¡¯ The reason why, while we were hiding so well until now, she suddenly chose to send a letter exposing our location to Calix. Alice and I really had something to talk about. I answered back with a nod. ¡°Sure. Do you want us to talk here?¡± Then Alice glanced toward the living room and grabbed my arm. ¡°No. Not here. Let¡¯s go to my room.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Alright.¡± I glanced at the living room where her gaze was directed. Sean and Will were sitting on the couch and taking a nap. Is it something that the two of them shouldn¡¯t hear? I looked at Alice again. Her face was somehow rigid as she climbed up to the second floor with me. And until we got inside her room, she didn¡¯t utter a single word. Thud. Click. Alice, who locked the door, turned around to me. I sat on her bed and stared at Alice blankly. What does she need to say so privately that she even has to lock the door? ¡°Laure, this is something I only learned a while ago.¡± ¡°Okay¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I nodded my head, calmly persuading Alice that she can continue with her explanation. Alice bit down her lips, then came over next to me and sat down. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy researching in the Lord¡¯s Castle all these time, and Sean¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ it¡¯s my fault that I trusted him too much. I shouldn¡¯t have forgotten that everyone has darkness in their hearts.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? What¡¯s wrong with Sean?¡± Alice¡¯s gaze, which was directed down at her hands all these while turned to me. She stared at me with infinitely apologetic eyes. Then Alice¡¯s lips, which were trembling as if she were hesitating, opened gently. ¡°Sean, he makes tea for you every morning.¡± ¡°Yes¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°The tea was poisoned.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤What?¡± I could only blink for some time because Alice¡¯s words wouldn¡¯t register to my mind. Then my frozen body soon began to turn slowly. Sean¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ was poisoning my tea? Every morning? ¡°T-That¡¯s impossible. Why would he? Sean wouldn¡¯t do anything like that¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± My heart was stricken and my eyelids trembled. It¡¯s inconceivable that Sean would do something like that to me. I could never believe it. He was like an uncle or a father figure to me. He was a kind and warm-hearted guardian. Why would that kind of person¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Think about it, Laure.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°No matter how generous Sean is, Will is more precious to him than you. He is his only son.¡± Alice spoke calmly, touching my shoulder. ¡°Sean wanted to get ahold of you. Knowing your real identity, he probably thought you might also leave one day. That¡¯s why he fed you this poison¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡®Torum¡¯ little by little to make you addicted.¡± Alice pulled out a small crystal bottle from her pocket and shook it. It contained a light green liquid. ¡°This poison is not fatal, but long-term consumption makes the person addicted to it infertile.¡± ¡°Gasp¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I swallowed my breath. I couldn¡¯t believe it at all. Infertility, I can¡¯t believe Sean¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ tried to make me infertile. ¡®Why, why would he do such a thing?¡¯ I squeezed my trembling hands tightly. I leaned my head down and just looked at the floor. I could feel my vision darkening. Then Alice¡¯s voice continued to be heard. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Having a successor is a very important matter in aristocratic society. If you¡¯re declared infertile, the idea of going back to your former fiance would be highly impossible. That must be what Sean had thought.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I can¡¯t believe it.¡± I muttered. ¡°How could, Sean, to me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± My teeth trembled at the sense of betrayal. It was really true that you could trust no one in this world. Feeling like my tears would come out, I clenched my teeth. ¡°He treated me so well, and he cared for me like a real family¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Alice patted me quietly on my back. After a few minutes, I heard her say in a cluttered voice. ¡°I haven¡¯t told you so far, but Sean was like that kind of person from the beginning.¡± Alice¡¯s eyes deepened as if staring into the distant past. ¡°He¡¯s a virtuous person but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ his blood and flesh are more important to him than the others. An old man who can do anything for his only son. That¡¯s why I also left this city. I didn¡¯t want to be tied to Will¡¯s side for the rest of my life. Though that¡¯s what Sean wanted.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Why would Sean approve of you and Will¡¯s fake marriage in the first place? It¡¯s because he knows there¡¯s a possibility that Will might be left alone someday. He felt so bad for his only son, it¡¯s driving him crazy, he was trying to take advantage of you.¡± I nodded silently. Because that¡¯s what I thought too. Sean wouldn¡¯t have accepted me with the best intentions. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect that he would try to poison you. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I don¡¯t think he has any intention to cause you harm. But trying to make a healthy person infertile, that is by no means, unforgivable.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I stayed quiet for a while, and then implicitly brought up the question I kept having in my mind. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Is that why you sent a letter to Calix?¡± Alice replied, honesty could be seen in her eyes. ¡°Yes. I was hoping Grand Duke Rochester would come looking for you. It¡¯s also partly because of Sean, but¡­¡± She halted for a moment and stammered. As if hesitating to bring the topic up. But soon she said with a determined expression. ¡°I work in the Lord¡¯s castle and I sometimes receive news from the capital. I haven¡¯t told you, but rumors are rampant among the nobles that Grand Duke Rochester has gone completely insane and is traveling all over the continent.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Why would he go crazy roaming around the world? It¡¯s all to find you, Laure.¡± I didn¡¯t have a hard time figuring out why Alice hesitated. She was worried I¡¯d feel guilty about leaving Calix behind. I wavered and opened my mouth. ¡°Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± But the moment I was about to pour my heart out, Thud! We heard something fall outside the door. Then Alice and I hurriedly rushed towards it to see what made the sound. When we looked down on the floor, Will sitting in the hallway came into view. Will, with a pale complexion, bit his lips and asked. ¡°What, what are you talking about? Did my father really poisoned Laure?¡± Alice and I exchanged glances. A silent signal went back and forth between the two of us. After a while, Alice replied on my behalf. ¡°It¡¯s just as you heard. Your father, Sean poisoned Laure. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Probably for about 15 days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s imposs¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Will seemed terribly shocked. He lowered his head and swept his face with both hands. The gray eyes that were seen through the fingers were filled with guilt. And when he lifted his head again and looked back at me, he said in a quivering voice. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m very sorry, Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Why should you be sorry, Will.¡± I shook my head. It was Sean who poisoned me, not Will. Nevertheless, Will seemed to feel responsible. He staggered to his feet and apologized again. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. No, I beg your forgiveness. My Lady, Marquis of Ecree. What my father did¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ can¡¯t be forgiven by any apology.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Will.¡± I held his hand and dried it which was damp with his tears. Will lowered his gaze and didn¡¯t dare look straight into my eyes. ¡°Suddenly treating me like a noble¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Please don¡¯t. For the last seven years, I¡¯ve already considered you as my real family. Please don¡¯t be like this, hmm?¡± Will bit his lips in anguish, but after a while, he finally opened his mouth. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I understand. I mean, okay¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Finally, the eyes that eventually looked up at me were expressing thank you and sorry at the same time. Then I smiled at Will with sorrow in my eyes. Chapter 24 Will said that Sean has gone up to his room. He¡¯s probably sleeping by now. Talking with him can be done a little later. Alice went out to pick up Letizia, and I came down to the living room with Will. We sat face to face and talked. ¡°Alice said that I don¡¯t have to worry about infertility because it hasn¡¯t been long since I took the poison. That¡¯s why¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ you don¡¯t have to worry too much, Will.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I tried to comfort Will. However, his face was still full of guilt. He had reached out his hand to me to help me, but by making such an offer, he seemed to think that he¡¯d just put my life in more danger. ¡°Will, it¡¯s not your fault. And don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not planning to inform Cali¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Lord Rochester anything about this incident.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to tell Calix. Because we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen if he ever finds out. In the worst-case scenario, he might try to kill Sean¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I didn¡¯t want that kind of ending. Sean may have only made a wrong choice, but it¡¯s a fact that he and Will had taken good care of me. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Laure. I have nothing to say. It¡¯s all my fault¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Will bowed his head and apologized repeatedly. I felt sorry for him. How was this his fault? I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t know either. It was clear from his expression and reaction. Will would have never dreamed that Sean would do such a thing. ¡°Will, it¡¯s not your fault. So don¡¯t blame yourself. Okay?¡± ¡°Laure¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± His wet gray eyes looked up at me. And with a sad smile, I recalled the first time I learned Will¡¯s secret. -It was when I was nineteen. I received a request from a noble lady to solve her husband¡¯s sexual dysfunction problem, and I made a fatal mistake while manipulating the magic formula. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤That¡¯s how I ended up not doing my duty right and as a consequense¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ -¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. -The lady threatened that I should not reveal any details of her request, no matter, and wherever I am, I shouldn¡¯t tell anyone. Or else my life will be at stake. And as it turns out, infertility caused by a magic accident is incurable. At that time, Will even tried to reassure me by revealing his private part. That even if we enter a fake marriage, he won¡¯t ask anything more than that. His honesty made me feel so much empathy for him. That¡¯s why I trusted them with my whole heart. Will, and his father, Sean. ¡®But I never imagined that Sean¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ would do something like this.¡¯ It was not that I couldn¡¯t understand Sean¡¯s motives. He feared that one day, his son would be alone after he dies. That¡¯s why he wanted me to stay by Will¡¯s side. ¡®However, he shouldn¡¯t have done that to me.¡¯ I heaved a sigh. When I came back to my senses and looked at Will again, he carefully brought up a question. ¡°Laure. You¡¯re thinking of leaving here, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Perhaps¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I think so.¡± I said vaguely. It was because there were still some disturbing things that were troubling my heart. I¡¯ve decided to be by Calix¡¯s side from now on, but I¡¯m worried if Letizia would be able to adjust well. Wouldn¡¯t it confuse the child if the environment suddenly changes? The most important thing in my life right now is Letizia. And I always consider Letizia first in my every decision, before I had to act it out. Even if I could go back to the past and go back to that night, I would make the same choice. Because living my life without Letizia, was truly unimaginable. Letizia was the light, joy, and hope of my life. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to leave, Laure.¡± Will said in a low voice. I got out of my thoughts and listened to his words. ¡°As you know, I have a body that was impossible to produce a child. So unless I cultivate a student or adopt a foster child, there¡¯s no way there will be a new member of our family.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It was my greed that I offered to be your husband and to keep Letty as my daughter. What other options would you have had then? Strange guys keep getting attracted to you, and you can only rely on Alice. You¡¯re a single mother who was on a run from some distant place, and the people around ostracize you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ You made the best choice for Letty and yourself. Laure.¡± Will looked at me and smiled faintly. ¡°I want you and Letty to be happy. That¡¯s all I want. If you want to leave, you can leave whenever and however you want. You¡¯re always free to make your own choice. Your life is yours anyway.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Thank you.¡± This time, a Will with a bright, clear smile rose from his seat. He approached me and reached out his hand. I held that hand and stood up. With a smile on his face, Will said. ¡°Over the last 7 years I¡¯ve spent with the two of you, mother and daughter, I¡¯ve gained a bit of confidence.¡± I lifted my head and asked. ¡°What confidence?¡± Will replied with a slightly shy face. ¡°I used to be like that before, hasn¡¯t I? I used to be not sure if I can raise a child well. But I think I can do it now. So I¡¯m going to seriously consider adoption later. All thanks to you and Letty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± I smiled at Will. The expression of feeling sorry reappeared on his face, then Will said in an apprehensive voice. ¡°I was genuinely sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ for what my father did, Laure. I¡¯d do anything you tell me just to compensate.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Though I have to talk to Sean, I don¡¯t want you to take any responsibility, Will. I¡¯ve already told you many times, but it¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Thank you, Laure.¡± I was astounded to see Will¡¯s eyes who answered me suddenly turning red, and in an instant, tears rolled up from his eyes. The moist gray orbs looked at me. I blinked in bewilderment. W-What do you expect me to do crying all of a sudden¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Rub, rub. Will wiped away his tears off with his sleeves, then he smiled as he looked at me. Remorse, regret, and sadness. It was a smile concealing those feelings. Pity filled my heart. ¡°Will¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Laure. Could you do me one last favor?¡± ¡°Yes. What is it? If it¡¯s something I can do¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± As I accepted his request with a nod, Will smiled a little brighter. And the next moment, Will suddenly embraced me unceremoniously. I was startled then immediately turned stiff. After being frozen for some time in that position, I furtively pushed him away. But Will did not let go of me. ¡°W-Will¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Is this what you¡¯re asking for? It¡¯s so abrupt¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°For only a moment¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I want to stay like this for a moment, Laure. Please. It will be the last.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Will¡¯s voice was tinged with a snivel of tears. And I had no choice but to stop pushing him away. ¡®Oh, but if anyone sees this¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¯ It might be misunderstood. No, this can¡¯t be. I tried pushing Will again and put some strength onto the hands that were lifted on his shoulders. However, at that very moment, Thud- The sound of something falling on the floor was heard. Then I shifted my gaze towards the direction of that sound. And at the open door, the person standing blankly in front of it and was incessantly glaring at the two of us was none other than, Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ It was him. ¡°Ca¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I was about to call him, but my words halted. It was because my whole body was frozen with the terrifying glare of his blue eyes. Worried that Calix might¡¯ve misunderstood the situation, I pushed Will away in a hurry. But that seemed to have caused further misunderstanding. ¡°Did I just caught you in a very crucial moment? Is that it?¡± I was stunned speechless for a while. Crucial moment? What the hell is he talking about? I shook my head quickly. ¡°Calix, you¡¯re misunderstanding¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Except me, you were uncomfortable with the touch of the opposite sex, Laure.¡± ¡°That¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± That was already seven years ago. I was about to say that, but Calix suddenly snatched and pulled me, that I accidentally bit my tongue. ¡°Ugh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± There was a fishy taste of blood in my mouth. Calix hid me behind his back and strode towards Will. Then grabbed Will by the collar. ¡°Ca, Calix! Stop it!¡± I hurriedly tried to block him. However, what I did cause only more misunderstanding. ¡°Hah, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re defending this bastard¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not defending anyone! Please, can you just listen to my words¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± Will gasped as if being suffocated. I was afraid Will would die at Calix¡¯s hands, so I tried to separate him from Calix. I eagerly pulled and pinched Calix¡¯s arm, but he didn¡¯t budge. I shouted desperately. ¡°Calix, it¡¯s a misunderstanding! I just said goodbye to Will! I and he are not the way you think we are¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± Calix suddenly let go of Will and turned to me. As he approached, I stepped back without even realizing it. That reaction seemed to have provoked him even more. Calix¡¯s eyebrows wriggled and his expression turned grim. He growled out. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you all this time, I longed for you over and over again until it turned me insane. But with this jerk, without even thinking twice, you¡¯re always willing to stand by his side. Even in front of my eyes¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± His eyes flashed with madness. He was completely carried away by hatred, and I don¡¯t think he would listen no matter what I say. I sighed and shook my head. ¡°Calix, you¡¯re out of your mind.¡± ¡°Yes, finally you¡¯ve said something right. I¡¯m no longer sane, Laure. Do I have to demonstrate it properly for you to even realize?¡± And the next moment, suddenly, my body was lifted. There was no time to comprehend what had taken place. With a blink of an eye, I was fling on Calix¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ca, Calix! What are you doing?! Put me down!¡± He quickly exited the living room, and I kept shouting. I stomped my feet and slammed him on his back. But Calix only ignored my trifling struggle. ¡°Calix! What are you going to do!¡± ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it. If you don¡¯t want to provoke me any more than this, you should know to be quiet, Laure.¡± ¡°What the¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I sighed as I kept myself from causing more blunders. It seems that Calix still had some remaining reasons, but I was scared that he would try to lock me up. So I closed my mouth and stayed still. It was certainly dangerous to provoke Calix beyond his current condition. I just have to wait for him to calm down. Calix took me into the travel wagon. Then he sat in the seat while holding me tight. He buried his face in my shoulder and took a slow, deep breath. His appearance was like a bruised and wounded beast that I felt sorry for for some reason. ¡°Calix¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I called his name in a baffled tone. Calix remained reticent without any answer. I gently stroked him. I felt like I have to say something, but nothing comes to mind. So I just soothed him quietly. ¡°Laure.¡± I¡¯m not sure how long the silence has passed but Calix first opened his mouth. ¡°I know that you don¡¯t trust me.¡± ¡°That¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± I tried to answer that what he said was not the case, but I stopped, feeling so frustrated with not knowing the right thing to say. I felt so distressed as if something was squeezing my heart. ¡®What is it?¡¯ I felt so embarrassed for I can¡¯t figure out the reason myself when I heard Calix¡¯s cynicism. ¡°Do you really think of me as someone who is not trustworthy?¡± ¡°I, I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I tried to say anything. However, the more I did, the more my throat choked and my heart constricted. I pressed my fist down over my heart. It was as if my whole body was shouting, ¡®Do not trust him.¡¯ ¡®Why is it like this?¡¯ As I breathe in confusion, Calix¡¯s words continued. ¡°Okay, fine.¡± He had a resigned look on his face. Making an expression that it doesn¡¯t matter to him anymore. That even if I don¡¯t believe in him, even if I could not trust him, his face is making an expression as if saying¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ there¡¯s no helping it. ¡°The most important thing is the fact that you are with me.¡± His abysmal longing seeped through his eyes. The longing to restrain me beside him completely. Revealing the impulse to do whatever he wants and to just entirely ignore my opinions. My body trembled for some reason. Probably because of fear. I was scared of him when he behaves like this. He has become so mercilessly cruel. Was my tremor transmitted? Because Calix¡¯s expression loosened, then he gently kissed me on the forehead. His big hand slowly swept down my back. Soon after, he softly whispered. Chapter 25 ¡°I won¡¯t be mad at you for not trusting me.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even ask what you¡¯re hiding. I¡¯m just going to wait until you decide to tell me your secrets first. However¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± Calix paused for a moment and then raised his head. And like the clear sky after the rain, a set of blue eyes stared at me gently. I stifled by such a transparent gaze. ¡°You can never get away from me.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me. Unless you want to see my soul being ripped to shreds.¡± The fierce glare of his eyes was terrifying. His eyes seemed to say, ¡®I won¡¯t allow any next time.¡¯ As I swallow, feeling extremely on edge, Calix¡¯s hand stretched out and gently touched my face. Then he slowly lowered his head. As soon as our lips touch and the kiss was about to deepen¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Knock, knock! Suddenly there was a knock outside. ¡°Your Grace. It¡¯s Rumbury. A message came from Lord Canelo.¡± What an impeccable timing. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix crumpled his forehead irritably and rose from his seat and with me held in one arm. As I was flustered for a while due to my vision suddenly got high, we were already outside in just a blink of an eye. My face flushed with embarrassment and awkwardly greeted Tess Rumberry. ¡°Good Afternoon¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± She glanced at me in Calix¡¯s arms and looked at me with a knowing expression. ¡°What message is it?¡± Calix asked with a sour look. I pressed down on his shoulder firmly, signaling him with my eyes to drop me down. However, Calix remained still. Rather, he hugged me even tighter. As I try to pinch his forearm in embarrassment, Tess Rombury¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Lord Canelo sent an invitation. Perhaps the divine lady informed the Lord that you¡¯re here in this island¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°That woman¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix frowned as if he¡¯s having a headache. Then his blue eyes burned with hostility toward Sia. It felt peculiarly strange as I watch his reactions. I was still unfamiliar with the sight of the male lead Calix Rochester antagonizing the heroine Sia. ¡®Still, I shouldn¡¯t be too relieved.¡¯ I haven¡¯t heard anything about the oracle yet. That¡¯s why I always have this foreboding feeling. A feeling that a Pandora¡¯s Box will suddenly open without any forewarnings. ¡®Or it could also be just my misgivings.¡¯ If the oracle had come down, the news would have spread all the way here. It is extremely unlikely that it would be kept confidential. ¡®I have no choice but to just pray for things to flow differently from the original story.¡¯ Looking back, the timing of Sia¡¯s appearance was also different from the original timeline. But for what reason? It was unforeseen that I would have a child, or that Calix¡¯s feelings would not change, however Sia, her existence was also rather quite strange. ¡®It seems that her personality is different from the original character.¡¯ I was seriously pondering about that notion when Calix suddenly began to stride while carrying me in his arms. ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± ¡°Stay still. I¡¯m not going to kidnap you.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I¡¯m not really worried about him capturing me. It¡¯s just that Calix had this twisted way of thinking. The same as his misunderstanding between me and Will¡¯s relationship¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®I feel like he¡¯s always not in his right set of mind whenever the subject is related to me.¡¯ He called me his world. His everything. That I¡¯m the most important to him, but I¡¯ve chosen to throw him away¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®However, all this time, I thought I was the one who was abandoned. When I saw you with Sia then¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ The words that I couldn¡¯t bring out of my mouth hurts like thorns in my throat. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to throw you away¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ I was afraid I¡¯ll lose you to her. I was afraid I¡¯d die of jealousy because of her. I was afraid of losing Letty¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. As sentiments swirl inside my head a dozen times, we have arrived home before I even knew it. ¡°I can walk myself to my room.¡± I timidly said to Calix when we reached the front door. Calix looked down at me and soon nodded. Finally letting me down. ¡°Phew¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The moment I sighed as soon as I stepped on the ground, Calix looked at me unfathomably. And soon after, his eyes were filled with unrelenting coldness. Calix grabbed me by the shoulder and coercively said. ¡°If by any chance, I came back from the castle and you weren¡¯t here¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t run away.¡± I interjected weakly. It was obvious even without hearing the end of what he was trying to say. He¡¯s going to arrest the Osborne father and son then he¡¯s going to tear down their home and shop, is probably what is he going to convey. ¡®How did Calix ended up hating Sia? Why did he come after me? Is it because of some lingering feelings? Why is he obsessed with me? I can¡¯t understand a single thing¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ With a look of exhaustion suffuse all over my face, I opened my mouth. ¡°I will not run away¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I will never leave your side, that¡¯s why you don¡¯t have to worry anymore.¡± After I finished speaking, I raised my head and looked at him. Waiting for an answer, Calix made a condescending expression then smiled wrily. I realized in that reaction. The fact that he also doesn¡¯t believe me. ¡®Like the way I don¡¯t trust him.¡¯ Our relationship is already twisted to the point of ruin. Calix asked in a cold, sarcastic voice. ¡°You can¡¯t trust me, and now you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll stay with me?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Isn¡¯t that what you want.¡± I answered, avoiding his gaze. He drew himself close to me, grabbed me by the chin, and made me face him. His blue eyes gleamed with madness from a nose-diving distance. ¡°Promise me, Laure.¡± ¡°Promise what¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°That you will never leave my side until the day we both die, and even in death, promise me we would be buried side by side.¡± ¡°That kind of thing¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll release you.¡± Our lips suddenly came in contact. And the moment I opened my mouth in surprise, he bit my lips and his tongue delve inside. His kisses this time were obscenely unkind. Even if I try to evade, he would relentlessly chase and capture my lips, making me utterly breathless. Every now and then, whenever our lips separate for a brief moment, I gasp for breath. The strength in my legs disappears and my head went numb. Soon I was completely leaning on him. Even if I tried to push him with both hands, my powerless grasp would only slip. Calix held my waist tightly with one arm and held the back of my neck with the other, preventing me from moving. It was the first time he¡¯s ever been like this with me. Treating me so rough. Unreservedly witnessing his obsession and madness, my heart burned and tears emerge. The moment the tears running down my cheeks moistened his lips, Calix finally let me go. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I shut my mouth tight so as not to burst out crying. I couldn¡¯t lift my head. It was extremely painful seeing him. I feel like it would tormentingly break my heart. The moment the arm that was keeping me in place barely loosened, I pushed him away and turned on my back. ¡°I won¡¯t run away, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± I said, chewing my words as I open the door. I went inside, closed the door, sat down in front of it, and cried for a while. No matter how much I cried, my tears would not stop. I could not trust him completely. I can never have faith in him. Our love-hate relationship, which has been twisted beyond belief. To the point where trust for each other was barely left. Was indescribably sad and painful that it can¡¯t be expressed in words. ???? ???? ???? When I came back to my room after getting myself together, Will was waiting for me. Then he handed me a paper bag. ¡°Grand Duke Rochester dropped it before he left.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Letizia¡¯s with Alice. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Then¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I¡¯m going now. You should take some rest.¡± Will left the room quietly. His unquestioned consideration for not asking what had happened moved me immeasurably. I sat down on the bed, pressing my sleeves against the side of my eyes which was starting to tear up again. Rustle. I took out what was inside the paper bag blankly. And then¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Gasp¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Tears dripped down my cheeks once again. Drip, drip drip. Drops of tears continuously fell on the ¡®thing¡¯. Calix would have brought this because he wanted to show it to me. After several times of hesitation, I couldn¡¯t help but hold it in my hand. He must have suffered hundreds of times just to bring it this far. Would everything be okay if I give her this? Will Laure remember¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. He must have had those thoughts in his mind. ¡ªThen, if you do¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Please always stay by my side, Laure. Don¡¯t abandon me, don¡¯t leave me. Always. It was evident that he had not forgotten the promise. ¡°heuk, heueueuk¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± *continous bawling* I hugged it and sobbed. It¡¯s just like my broken heart, or like his delicate fragmented heart. What Calix tried to give me was a little blue bird brooch made of glass. However, there was a distinct crack in the fragile bluebird, as if it had suffered an irreparable scar. ???? ???????? Thinking back, Sean occasionally wears a shadowy expression. Every time that happens, Sean¡¯s gaze was always directed at Will. According to Alice, Will¡¯s mother, Sean¡¯s wife died as soon as she gave birth to their child. Sean, who was left alone with his child, raised Will with the utmost attention. Like the most precious treasure of the world. For his precious child to be in such an accident, Sean must have just made some wrong judgments for a moment. No matter how good a man is. There¡¯s will always be a dark side to everyone. ¡®I understand that in my head.¡¯ However, when I looked at Sean, the words that I would forgive him wouldn¡¯t come out of my mouth. Sean sat across from me, unable to lift his head with his head down. Regrets and resentment could visibly be seen on his face at the same time. Did you have to poison me? Those questions hovered at the tip of my tongue repeatedly and then disappeared. On the other hand, I understood him. Because I¡¯ve also made some wrong choices in my life. I sighed and said. ¡°You didn¡¯t even make any excuses.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Sean neatly admitted his mistakes. And didn¡¯t even make any excuses. He simply said that he was sorry multiple times, that what he did was shameful, and that he was willing to take any punishment. I just smiled in defeat. Punishment? I¡¯ve never thought of anything like that. Although it ended on a sad note, I¡¯ve already accepted Sean in my life as a family. How will I be able to punish him? It¡¯s just heartbreaking. The fact that we have to leave each other¡¯s side, hurt and wounded. I could only say in a low voice. ¡°Sean. Punishing you is not what I want.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°How could I do that to Sean, to Will? To those who have helped me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± It was a situation where we were caught in the ax of faith, but I didn¡¯t forget that I was indebted to them. ¡°I will not let this matter leak outside. All I want¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ is a sincere apology from Sean.¡± After listening quietly for a moment, Sean finally opened his mouth. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Please forgive me.¡± I smiled bitterly. ¡°You seem to be sincerely sorry, so I don¡¯t feel sad anymore.¡± Sean¡¯s face was full of regret and guilt. That¡¯s why I knew. That he feels terribly guilty. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤It¡¯s all because of my foolishness. I¡¯m one of those persons who truly know your situation, that¡¯s why I should¡¯ve treated you much better¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have the right to ask for forgiveness. If you want to blame me, or criticize me, do it. I will also accept any punishment you will bestow.¡± I shook my head. If I blamed him and poured out grudges, it would rather hurt my heart. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can forgive you or not.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°But I understand. I¡¯ve also made some wrong choices.¡± Sean raised his head and looked at me. His gray eyes, resembling Will, were full of guilt. ¡°So I¡¯ll try to forgive you.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Because I know that Sean isn¡¯t really a bad person, he¡¯s actually a righteous person.¡± Sean¡¯s eyes turned misty. He kept his mouth shut as if he were holding back his tears, then he soon dropped his head. The drops of tears that fell quietly moistened the hem of his clothes. ¡°I¡¯m¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Really sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I sat motionlessly still, until Sean¡¯s tears finally stopped. Chapter 26 My heart felt so heavy as a lump of lead. Because although the issue with Sean has been settled. I still have more problems to solve. The matter of my relationship with Calix. And most of all, the anxiety about the unknown future. ¡®Calix must be in the lord¡¯s castle right now.¡¯ What face should I show him when I confront him again. When we meet, what would be the right thing to say¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Welcome banquet.¡¯ I sat upright on the bed and sighed. A few hours ago, the Lord sent an official letter to the city announcing that he would hold a banquet to welcome the Divine Lady and the Grand Duke. Every citizen across the country without exception was ordered to greet the Grand Duke and the Divine Lady. I was pondering if I should go too, but the Lord sent a separate invitation to Alice. Telling Alice herself, as well as her family, that we must definitely attend. ¡®I never thought that Alice¡¯s good performance in the lordship would bring about this result.¡¯ Come to think of it, have Alice told the lord that she was leaving Canelo? ¡®I guess not yet. It¡¯s been a hectic couple of days.¡¯ The lord wouldn¡¯t want Alice to leave. But she was originally from the Ecre¨¦ Marquis. If Alice says she¡¯s going back there, the Lord will have no choice but to let her go. ¡®That¡¯s right. We don¡¯t have to worry too much about that.¡¯ I got out of bed and headed for the closet. For now, the most urgent problem was the banquet. We even received an invitation from the Lord himself, so we had to go, but I¡¯m not sure myself, if I have the courage to look on Calix¡¯s face, and I didn¡¯t even have clothes to wear. ¡®There are still some few dresses but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ I opened the closet door. Then I looked for the dress I had buried deep inside and pulled it out. It was the dress I wore long ago when I was still in the Ecre¨¦ Marquis. It was a design that was already way out of fashion even during those times. In addition, the fabric was slightly faded and the white lace had turned yellow. No matter how I look at it, it was an old dress. However, there was nothing else to wear other than this. All I had was a few blouses, a skirt, and two coats. Regardless of how many commoners attend the banquet, they would probably dress up and go, and it would be too embarrassing to just wear casual clothing. ¡®If I had known this would happen, I should have at least kept a neat suit.¡¯ Mom always wears weird clothes! Letty¡¯s voice seems to ring in my head. I placed my dress on the bed and began to wonder with a long face where to start mending it. ?©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ???? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤? ¡°Mom will just say hello and come back. You have to be good with your grandma and play nicely with your friends, okay? Eat and listen well, do you understand?¡± ¡°Okay~! But mom, your clothes are weird!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Um-hum.¡± Mom knows too. I replied at the child with a bitter smile. Then Letty shook her head as she made a complicated expression on her face. ¡°Mom is pretty, but your clothes are all weird. Later on, once Letty made a lot of money, I will buy you many beautiful clothes!¡± I purposely put on a look full of anticipation. ¡°Wow! Really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± I smiled lightly and patted the head of the squealing child. Then Letty stared at my chest and said. ¡°But the bluebird is good!¡± ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Mister Cal gave it to you, correct?!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Ah, correct.¡± My smile faded at the thought of Calix. Worried that Letty might notice my sadness, I immediately put on a bright smile. Fortunately, Letty did not seem to notice because she was fervently looking at the bluebird brooch. ¡°Mom. Letty¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Letty looked up at me. Then suddenly said in a serious tone. ¡°Letty likes Mister Cal!¡± ¡°Oh¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! I like mister so much! Just like my dad!¡± My heart sank at Letty¡¯s last words. I couldn¡¯t answer and could only bite my lips, then Alice¡¯s voice was heard from behind. ¡°Rose! We¡¯re going to be late!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± I turned to her and answered, leaving a kiss on Letty¡¯s forehead. Then the child burst out giggling saying it tickles. ¡°Mom will be right back.¡± ¡°Yes, goodbye!¡± Letty smiled and waved her hand. Her other hand was holding the hem of Mrs. Marivone¡¯s clothes, the grandmother at the neighbor¡¯s house. ¡°Thank you for this favor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it and go.¡± Mrs. Marivone responded in a distinctive lyrical voice. She was one of those few people who liked me. I heard that she also raised her child alone when she was young, so it seemed that she felt sorry for me and Letty. ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± ¡°What Madam¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ quickly go ahead!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Afraid that the tiger-like Mrs. Marivone would yell at me, I rushed to the carriage. Alice was already seated inside. Alice was wearing a magician¡¯s suit. Then she glanced at my outfit and said. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤It didn¡¯t look better even though you¡¯ve already mended it, Laure. I told you it¡¯s best if I buy you new clothes, but you vehemently refused¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± My cheeks blushed as I turned my eyes around. Then I saw myself over the windowpane. Dressed in an old shabby dress. A dress that was extracted of all it¡¯s distinctive laces and was now only left with a rustic rose pattern fabric. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I thought it didn¡¯t really matter, but now that I was wearing it, I feel extremely embarrassed. ¡®I don¡¯t have to stay long anyway.¡¯ I just have to say hello and leave. There won¡¯t be anything to talk with Calix in the banquet hall. On the surface, he and I are nobles and commoners. ¡®And it doesn¡¯t matter what other people say.¡¯ Even though that was what I keep saying in my mind, I still feel intimidated for no reason. Having the thought that Sia will definitely look very beautiful tonight. ?©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ???? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤? Lord Canelo¡¯s banquet was glamorous, extravagant, and crude. But this was never his cup of tea. Calix has been in a bad mood ever since he stepped into the banquet hall. The city lord was trying to gain the divine lady¡¯s favor, while desperately consuming the bean curd on the table. What a very greedy man. And the son of the lord had been drinking a lot since the beginning of the banquet, and now he¡¯s completely wasted. The maids on both sides were laughing and making a fuss at him, it was ridiculous to think that such a man was a member of the high society. ¡®No matter how far this place is, or even though it¡¯s called the edge of the world.¡¯ Calix sighed with an extremely fatigued expression on his face. He¡¯s pouring a strong drink into his mouth when someone approached his side and sat down gently. What is it? Calix frowned and turned his head. Then a thick scent whiffed his nose. ¡°Hello. Your Grace. Nice to meet you. My name is Amelia Keimnell.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Keimnell was the name of the lord¡¯s family. If so, this woman must be the daughter of lord Canelo. Calix looked up at the woman and poured alcohol into his glass. In the meantime, the woman drew closer to him. ¡°And your purpose for approaching me is?¡± As Calix perplexingly push the woman away, the woman suddenly put on a cold expression and whispered. ¡°Because my damn father ordered me to do it.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Please. Please pretend you are interested. Otherwise, that man¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ No. The lord is going to be furious with me later. He¡¯s going to say I¡¯m not being useful to him.¡± ¡°Ha! how convinient¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix glared at Amelia Keimnell with a cold glint in his eyes. But the woman just laughed lightly and suddenly grabbed Calix¡¯s hand. ¡°What the¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t eat enough, you¡¯ll get drunk. Then my father will bring the Grand Duke into my bedroom.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± This family really makes him speechless. Calix shook his head. Amelia Keimnell grinned and poured whiskey on his glass. Then gulp. She swallowed everything in the glass in one gulp. Calix asked in a rare astonished voice. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. They call me the walking drunkard.¡± Then Amelia Keimnell poured another drink on the glass and Calix looked at her with a disgusted face. ¡°However, Your Grace.¡± Amelia, who had put down the wine glass, whispered. Calix made a frown on his face, showing signs of annoyance. ¡°The divine lady has been staring at me since earlier as if she wants to kill me.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Once the banquet ends, please let her know. Amelia Keimnell was only told by her father to do it.¡± Calix threw his fork and sighed loudly. He doesn¡¯t want to share even a single word with that damn divine lady¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. But if he didn¡¯t say anything, it seems that Amelia Keimnell would be harmed. Sia was the type of woman who might actually do that. ¡®A divine lady with that kind of personality, the world must be ending soon.¡¯ Calix glanced at Sia. As his eyes met with her, Sia smiled. The extremely pretentious smile made him feel disgusted. Calix, who seemed to see something ridiculous, turned his head and looked away from Sia. By the time the banquet was at its peak, the citizens stepped up one by one and entered the venue. They bowed down to Sia and Calix then hurried out. It was obvious that they had come reluctantly because of the lord¡¯s order. Calix wears an annoyed expression, and the city lord was anxious that he would have been offended. It seemed that the Lord himself did not think that he was the main culprit who ruined Calix¡¯s mood. The lord could only glare at his useless daughter. Calix sat with his arms crossed, hoping that the time would pass quickly. All he could think of was Laure. He felt restless, anxious, and his heart was in terrible pain, he felt like he could die of suffocation. Ò»I won¡¯t run away, so don¡¯t worry. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Haa.¡± It was the moment he sighed closing his eyes, reminiscing the frail back he saw last time, ¡°This is Alice Winterwood and Rose Winterwood Osborne.¡± The moment he heard those words, Calix opened his eyes. ?©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ???? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤? My cheeks were burning hot. When I arrived at the Lord¡¯s castle and met Lucy and the others, I mean, the faces of those people who hated me, ridicule was visible in their eyes. Perhaps it¡¯s because of my shabby clothes. I tried not to care. It¡¯s only for a short time anyway, and I¡¯ll be leaving this city soon. But after entering the banquet hall. And the moment my name was called. The eyes of all the people sitting on the seat of honor were focused on me. Then my mind went dizzy for a moment. ¡°Oh. Our Canello¡¯s talent is finally here!¡± The lord greeted Alice with a warm welcome. And I stood there like a scarecrow with my head down. Please don¡¯t let anyone be interested in me. From the front, I felt a sharp gaze pricking at me, but I didn¡¯t want to look at it. Because I didn¡¯t have to see who it was. Calix. At first glance, he was sitting side by side with Sia at a table in the middle. I couldn¡¯t see the details, but Sia was wearing a robe as white as snow, and in contrast, Calix was wearing a black robe. If I would just raise my head and stare straight ahead, it occurred to me that I would be able to see the figure of two people, so perfect together as if they were taken out from a picture. My heart felt depressed for no reason. Even more so than the time after I badly parted with Calix. ¡°Come on, say your greetings, and sit over there.¡± ¡°We intend to only say our salutations and go.¡± ¡°What a sad thing to say! You and your sister should also graze the seats! Maids!¡± ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡¯ As I stealthily turned my head at the unexpected words, my eyes made contact with Calix. As a result, I quickly bowed my head. Then my heart pounded wildly. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I guess we don¡¯t have any choice. Rose, I think we have to sit for a while and go.¡± ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Alice looked back at me and said. I gloomily bowed my head as Alice wrapped her arms around my shoulder and headed for the head of the table. Chapter 27 As we stood side by side and made formal greetings to one another. Calix¡¯s sharp gaze was onto me the whole time, but I just kept my head down pretending not to notice his unwanted attention. In fact, he wasn¡¯t the only one staring at me. All the way back to the guided table after giving greetings, James Camnell¡¯s hazy drunken eyes were also glued to me. It was such an unpleasant stare that gave me goosebumps. If I could, I would have immediately run out of this place. However, we were in the presence of not just anyone, but the Divine Lady who was also called God¡¯s representative, that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t just do as I please. And I know it would be the same even if I came here as Laure Ecr¨¦e. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯ve decided to stay!¡± Lord Canelo said in an excited voice. Then I and Alice bowed our heads in gratitude. The Lord seemed to be extremely pleased that the Divine Lady and the Grand Duke decided to come to visit Canelo. His clear intentions to build connections using this opportunity was remarkably apparent. ¡®I guess he doesn¡¯t plan to stay as a simple Lord in this faraway border forever.¡¯ Even though Canelo was a relatively wealthy port city, it was not a very notable background for any aristocrats who want to rise into power. Even the previous lord who ruled over the city for the longest time only stayed for 20 years. And the current lord has already completed his 12th year of service this year. ¡®Viscount Camnell is a greedy man, he would want his career to advance somehow. However¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ This method wouldn¡¯t work for Calix.¡¯ I furtively glanced at the seat of honor. Sitting with his arms crossed, Calix looked awfully irritated. And I didn¡¯t realize earlier, but Amelia, the Lord¡¯s daughter, was stuck closely beside him. Seeing it, I was a little surprised. Because it was not in Amelia¡¯s character to do something like this, she extremely dislikes those persons who try to curry favor with those in higher positions. The reason I knew this was because of Alice. While working at his lordship, Alice had several interactions with Amelia, and during those times she seemed to have learned one thing or another. And as I heard it, it seemed that Amelia extremely hates her family. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I¡¯m sure the Lord ordered her to stay next to Calix.¡¯ That must¡¯ve probably what happened. Because even though Amelia has a smile plastered on her face at the moment, the glint in her eyes was very cold. ¡®She¡¯s such a great person.¡¯ I was impressed as I watched the woman. She didn¡¯t cower and still looked amazing even in front of the high-profile guests. Though, of course, the lord with a sly smile on his face and his son who¡¯s also a high-ranking noble looked great in their own way as well. I dropped my eyes back to the table. It was because I was afraid I would make eye contact with Calix if I kept on glancing their way. And even if I didn¡¯t, he¡¯s been keeping an eye on me anyway. The blue glare that was stuck on me unceasingly was scathing. Alice and I were seated at the far end of the long table. Nevertheless, the banquet table was luxurious. It seemed that the Lord was determined to spend some money. Honey pickled seasonal fruits, barrel-roasted boar cut into bite-size pieces, chicken stew boiled with wine, and even freshly caught seafood. They were all sumptuous delicacies. However, I didn¡¯t feel like eating anything at the moment. I feel like I might get indigestion if I eat it right now. I could only keep on sipping water like a thirsty cat. When will this banquet ever end? I wonder how Letty was doing. I think Calix¡¯s still staring at me¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. As all kinds of thoughts passed by, the band entered the banquet hall. Dressed in colorful eye-catching clothes, they greeted exaggeratedly and soon began to perform a dance piece. The melody that started as cheerful gradually changed into a calming rhythm. It was the ceremonial music that was usually played for the first dance of such a banquet like this. Every time this song rang out in the past, Calix and I would naturally partner up and begin to dance. My first dance was always with Calix. And he would always leave no room for others to step in. However, dancing was a kind of social activity, so I used to dance with others sometimes. Because it was not polite to refuse all requests. But in the end, I always go back to Calix¡¯s side. The beginning and the end of all my dances were always his. -Calix, you look uncomfortable. -Is that so? ¨CYes. A lot. Calix hated it when I dance with another nobleman. All the young men who danced with me ever since had to receive a glare from Calix. Every time. I have to take Calix to the balcony to cheer him up. And when the two of us were finally alone again, he would become like a gentle domesticated beast, so docile that it would seem that he didn¡¯t just have growled at the man I danced with at the dance floor. Listening to this dance piece after a long time reminded me of the past. Maybe that¡¯s why. A little dazed, I unintentionally looked at Calix, and my eyes met with his immediately. His intense blue eyes held my gaze. Then he rose slowly from his seat without taking his eyes off me. And slowly approached this way. My heart pounded with every step he took. No, it¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking, right? A feeling of uneasiness lingered for a while, and before I knew it, Calix was already in front of me and reaching out his hand. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Not a single word was said, but the meaning of his action was significantly clear. He¡¯s asking me to dance. Like a long time ago¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I hesitated and surreptitiously looked around us. The knights who attended the banquet and the vassals were all whispering while glancing over our direction. I moved my gaze a little more and stealthily looked at the seat of honor, the astonished Lord and his son, Amelia with an excited look on her face, and¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. In a fleeting moment, I saw Sia with a nefarious look on her face. ¡®It looks like she wants to tie me up and throw me into the sea¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ It was a very fierce expression like she would not think twice about killing me anytime. This was the first time Sia had openly expressed her hostility towards me. All this time she hides her ill feelings behind a smiling mask. ¡®She must¡¯ve hated me because I¡¯m Calix¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦, right?¡¯ I¡¯m quite sure that was the case, however, it felt like there was more reason for it than beyond that grounds. Although it¡¯s a baseless intuition¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®It¡¯s also not possible to ask her directly why she hates me.¡¯ If I ask her that, she might only counter it with a pretentious smile and say, ¡®What do you mean I hate Laure?¡¯ and rather guise me as a bad person. It was just my hunch, but I think that she¡¯s the kind of person who smiles when she¡¯s in front of you and blows a knife once she¡¯s behind. That woman. ¡®I should just smile in front of her too.¡¯ I think It¡¯d be better not to reveal my feelings in front of her. She¡¯s a Divine Lady, that¡¯s why she would be reluctant to just recklessly do things anyway. ¡®Oh, and by the way, What about the dance?¡¯ I looked again at Calix. He was still waiting patiently, with his hands out. His blue eyes were peacefully calm, and it made me feel a sense of guilt. Was it a feeling of guilt for that last time? ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I sat still and stared at him. One second, two seconds¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ That¡¯s how a minute passed. The longer I dragged on, the louder people chattered. I breathed a sigh. I don¡¯t have a choice anyway. I dressed up as a commoner, I can¡¯t dare refuse the Grand Duke¡¯s request. I got up from my seat and took Calix¡¯s hand. Then he gently wrapped my hand around his. He guided me around the table, came out to the center of the hall, and then he pulled me close. A faint smile was plastered all over his pale lips. As if recalling old memories, his blue eyes momentarily deepened. Our bodies moved according to the song that resonated gently. The clamor that mingled here and there created dissonance. ¡°Who¡¯s that young lady? It¡¯ll be big news that the Grand Duke asked someone to dance first. When I went to the capital last time¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°What ¡®young lady¡¯? She¡¯s Rose Winterwood. She¡¯s just a single mother who suddenly appeared here in our town seven years ago, pregnant. She was married to Osborne, the magic merchant, but no one knows if they were really married¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°A single mother?¡± ¡°Why would the Grand Duke, to such woman¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, seven years ago¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°The reason why the Grand Duke came to such a periphery¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I heard he¡¯s crazy for his missing fianc¨¦e¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Sir Brahms, watch your words! Everyone can hear you!¡± There was a loud chatter going on around us, but Calix wears a languid expression as if he didn¡¯t care at all. He would just glance across a few tables with an irritated look. But collectively, he was relatively calm. To be precise, his attention was altogether focused on me. ¡°Calix.¡± I quietly called his name. Then Calix smiled, like a black-and-white painting suddenly covered with a total natural color. Or a smile that seems to be breathed into a lifeless statue. It was a smile filled with affection that was created only for me. We looked into each other¡¯s eyes. I could see myself reflected in his beautiful blue eyes, and I¡¯m sure it was the same as mine. The people¡¯s voice and the sound of music gradually fade away, I had the illusion of being wrapped up in a warm cozy silence. Where it seemed that both of us were the only ones left alone in this world. At least at this moment, I felt like I could get away from reality and do anything. I thought I could reveal any secret. A complete peacefulness without fear of anything. But soon, the fantasy was broken, and the music that was gently falling died down. Clap clap clap! Ceremonious applause suddenly burst out of the auditorium. That was a great dance. How about dancing to a song with my daughter next? For a moment, the sound of the lord¡¯s flattery was heard, when someone suddenly came up our way. I turned my head. And the person who finally stopped before us was none other than Sia, it was her. Sia gave a sidelong scowl at me and smiled softly at Calix. ¡°Calix. I didn¡¯t know you were such a good dancer. You always danced roughly when you were with me. You¡¯re so unfair.¡± The moment I heard those words, my heart sank. ¡®Calix danced with Sia¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ They probably have. Since Sia is the divine lady, it would have been difficult to refuse her request. I understand that in my head, however¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®He must have felt the same way too when he had to watch me dancing with some nobleman.¡¯ My heart felt stuffy and bitter. Up to this time, I believed that Sia was his destiny, and every time I have to face her like this, it will be painful for me. Sia pushed me away and stuck firmly beside Calix. Because of that, I unknowingly stumbled and stepped back. Calix instantly grabbed my waist tightly and drew me close to him. Then he distanced himself from Sia and glared at the woman. Either way, Sia didn¡¯t budge a bit. She smiled enchantingly and said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you dance with me this time? Calix.¡± Calix laughed openly, and then tilted his head and struck back. ¡°And why should I do that?¡± Sia answered in a perfectly natural voice. ¡°You¡¯re not asking because you don¡¯t really know that, are you? I¡¯m God¡¯s representative, and you¡¯re the head of the family that supports the empire. It¡¯s a banquet held after defeating the evil spirits, so shouldn¡¯t we set an example?¡± Calix¡¯s eyebrows wriggled. Judging from his reaction and Sia¡¯s words, some unknown circumstances were seemed to be hidden from the public. What is going on in the capital right now? No matter how powerful the temple is, Sia¡¯s reckless demeanor seemed abnormally excessive. Has the power of the temple become much stronger than it was before? ¡®Is it related to the appearance of the monsters in Canelo?¡¯ No matter how much I think about it, something was definitely strange. Sia said she received a revelation that monsters would appear in Canelo, however¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Why does it have to be Canelo? Why did the monsters suddenly appear here? In the city where I¡¯m hiding from the fate of the original story, even at a perfect time when Calix visited me. It was extremely bizarre to be just a coincidence. ¡®If this is really God¡¯s will, it is as if God is telling me to die.¡¯ That night, as I think about it again, it was strange that the monster ran specifically for me. Wouldn¡¯t there be a reason for the monster to pick me up and attack me even if I was among so many people? Such a question suddenly came to my mind. ¡®At that time, I was so distracted that I couldn¡¯t dwell about the matter properly¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ As I struggle with my restless emotions, I suddenly heard Calix¡¯s sharp voice. ¡°I¡¯ve already performed my obligations just by attending this banquet. What more do you want me to do? Furthermore¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Calix suddenly grabbed me and held me in his arms. I opened my eyes widely and looked up at him. ¡°As for dancing with the Divine Lady, there will never be such a thing again. I have only one person in the world to dance.¡± Chapter 28 Calix didn¡¯t say who it was, however, I could infer enough that the other person he¡¯s referring to was me. And just as expected, rumblings immediately erupted everywhere. And those quick-witted persons had a surprised expression on their faces as if they had finally noticed my identity. Unexpectedly, the one who seemed to be the most shocked among them was James Camnell. He was staring at me with his blurry eyes and reddish neck. I frowned and avoided his gaze. Then I heard Sia¡¯s voice laughing, with a hint of mockery in her tone. ¡°Really¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Your Grace. You¡¯re such an amazing guy.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still wrapped around your runaway fianc¨¦e even though she fled after throwing her engagement away, didn¡¯t kept in touch for seven years, and even married another man.¡± ¡°You¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±. Calix growled. However, his voice was buried due to the buzzing of the people around us. ¡°What does she mean?¡± ¡°What is the Divine Lady talking about?¡± ¡°Then, you mean that woman was the Grand Duke¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡± Sia looked around the audience with a satisfied smile. Then her gaze stopped at me. Her face, which was smiling contentedly a moment ago, suddenly turned cold. Her gaze, which is as cold as winter, seemed to tell me, ¡®You don¡¯t deserve to be around him.¡¯ The feeling of guilt invaded me and I momentarily shrank. However, soon after, injustice soared through me. Why is it my fault? Do you all think I wanted to leave? My life¡¯s dreaded fate is finally unfolding before my eyes, and I¡¯m not even alone, I have a child¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I want to live somehow. I want to protect my child. I just chose the safest path that was given to me. ¡®You are loved by God, and you even have great powers.¡¯ There was not much I could do because I have nothing. Laure Ecr¨¦e was just an ordinary aristocratic lady born and raised as a daughter of a marquis. I only had the memories of my previous life, I neither have the power to change my fate nor the gift of magic or swordsmanship. The same was true of the original Laure Ecr¨¦e. She wanted to drive Sia away and get Calix back. She blamed him for abandoning her but still continued loving him. But she doesn¡¯t have any other way. So what she grabbed¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ was a force that she should never have grasped. [¡°Give me strength, too. It¡¯s not fair that only Sia has everything! I¡¯m so weak¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ What can I even do when I¡¯m this powerless? If you¡¯re really a God who cares for all things equally, you should give me strength too!¡±] Laure shouted in front of the old tree. However, her malice failed to reach Phoenix and wounded up on something else. Another powerful being offered Laure a helping hand, and it was not Phoenix. Nevertheless, Laure agreed. Because for her, it was better to be evil than to stay being helpless. She would accept everything even if it¡¯s a power that came from malice and hatred. All the splendor that was hers from the beginning, she will get everything back¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. [¡ªEven by holding hands with the devil.] A nameless God whispered. [¡®I will be your father. All lights are beyond darkness, Your hope is your despair, Wisdom is immorality and immortality is death, Love is hate, and everything godly is corrupt, serve me and be victorious, help me destroy the righteous. You, you will receive my key. And you will open the door to the abyss with it.¡¯] That way, Laure Ecr¨¦e became an evil woman. A villainess. By possessing the power that was suitable for it. And I didn¡¯t want to be that way. Holding the hands of something that shouldn¡¯t be held, and opening doors that shouldn¡¯t be opened. By the time I came to madly hate Sia, and if my heart eventually surrenders, I¡¯m not sure if I could make a different choice than Laure. I¡¯m already having doubts, even by just looking at her now, ¡®Why am I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Why am I so irritated at you? Is it because of that day, I saw you hugging and kissing Calix? Because you like him? It was incomprehensible to feel this way simply for that reason. ¡®It¡¯s as if Sia and I are fated to oppose each other.¡¯ As the word fate comes to mind again, my heart throbbed unnervingly. ¡°I already know everything you¡¯ve just said, and I don¡¯t think I remember asking you to account it further for me.¡± Calix¡¯s voice came through my dizzy mind. Then he lifted me up and turned his back without giving anyone time to be surprised. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for more of your nonsense, so I¡¯ll get going. Everyone knows I¡¯m not sane anyways. I¡¯m sure the temple will understand my act of madness. Isn¡¯t that so? Divine Lady.¡± He looked back at Sia and said. Then Calix kicked the door open before the attendant even opened it and walked out. Then the sound of people¡¯s clamor resonated loudly behind us. I looked up at Calix blankly. What did just happened? It happened so quickly that I was perplexed. I don¡¯t know if he understood my expression, but Calix, who glanced at me stealthily said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay in that place any longer too, right?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤That¡¯s true but¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± I don¡¯t know if the temple will accede to his excuse of leaving the banquet early and just understand because he¡¯s out of his mind. So far, it looks like he¡¯s been considerably courteous with the temple, however, Calix seemed to be avoiding them ever since he found me. I quietly thought while still being held in his arms. ¡®Let¡¯s calm him down a little and send him back.¡¯ It was still much better to give farewell salutations properly and come out. No matter how far away this border is, he still disrespected the Divine Lady in front of the nobility. If the temple learned about this, Calix may be put in trouble. But for now, I watched quietly where Calix was headed. Passing through the long corridor and exiting the hallways, the place where he finally stopped was in the middle of a moonlit garden. ¡®I was worried he would go straight to the carriage, fortunately¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ I sighed softly. All those times, Calix was just gazing down at me. He seemed to have no intention of dropping me down. Then I gently yanked his shoulder and said. ¡°Calix, I think you can drop me off now¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Aah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± He nodded as if he had just realized our position, then carefully put me down. As I finally got my feet down on the ground, I surreptitiously looked around us. Small flowers were in full bloom in the garden. I couldn¡¯t imagine that this was according to the Lord¡¯s preference. He will surely plant flowers like colorful roses or digitalis. So these flowers must be according to the gardener¡¯s or Amelia¡¯s preference. As I approached the flowers and tried to smell their scent, Calix suddenly sticks close to me, hugging my waist. I felt strange because it seemed that a large dog was begging me to pet him. Does Calix know that he looks like a big dog at times he acts like this? Though he transforms into a beast every time he growls and gets angry. ¡°Calix, it¡¯s okay.¡± I habitually patted his back and soothed him. And then Calix put his chin on my shoulder, peeked at me through the side of his eyes, and replied. ¡°What is okay, Laure?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I became speechless as I look at the gloomy expression on his face. It seemed that he got quite annoyed with Sia. I blinked and rolled my eyes around as I think for an answer then responded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me what anyone or Sia says.¡± ¡°You¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s the truth. That I¡¯d just suddenly disappeared¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± This time, Calix blinked as if he had lost his words. He too would have blamed and criticized me hundreds of times in his mind. And even if it¡¯s just empty talks to annoy me, I can¡¯t deny that it is really what happened. And I had no intention of telling him to take my side either. I quietly looked at Calix. I hesitated several times in my mind for a few minutes, and when I finally found the courage and opened my mouth- ¡°I have something to tell you-¡° ¡°Last time, I was-¡° The two of us spoke at the same time. Calix and I looked at each other with round eyes and spat out laughter. I tried to tell him again, however, this time too, ¡°Calix first-¡° ¡°You first-¡° Words came out of our lips at the same time once more. Fortunately, after that, before I could even open my mouth, Calix first struck a word. ¡°You can speak first, Laure.¡± Then he sighed softly. I looked at him quietly with a faint smile on my face. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I don¡¯t know where to start.¡± After a long moment of silence, I finally brought up the subject. ¡°I want to confide my secret to you¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± At that moment, I suddenly felt dizzy, like I did at Letty¡¯s birthday party last time. As if to hinder me from confiding my secrets¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I picked my breath for a while and then said. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I don¡¯t think I can do it now. But I can promise you one thing. Someday, when I¡¯m ready. You¡¯ll be the first person to know my secret.¡± After saying that, the dizziness immediately disappeared as if it was washed away. I was extremely puzzled, but I couldn¡¯t show it in front of Calix. I was extremely confused inside. Then Calix sighed softly, took me to sit on the bench, then took off his coat and put it around my shoulder. His body temperature that was still permeated into the hem of his clothes was warm. I trembled violently like a leaf in the middle of a storm. Then Calix pulled me in and held me in his arms. ¡°I know. Laure.¡± He patted me on the back and said calmly. ¡°That I should give you confidence, too. It¡¯s not just about making up your mind and being courageous. I might not know completely, but I could vaguely understand.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite not sure, however¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ it¡¯s probably because of the Divine Lady.¡± I flinched violently at the unexpected remark. I don¡¯t know if my reaction convinced him, but the next moment, Calix said in a strange voice. ¡°It must be something related to the divine lady¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ A fact that only I didn¡¯t know.¡± My heart pounded. I had never imagined that Calix would be suspicious of Sia. I¡¯d just thought that he hated her. ¡°I will wait until the day you finally find the confidence to confide in me, Laure. Forever and ever.¡± Calix turned his body slightly and looked into my eyes. His pupils were no longer dark. Although the shadows were still there, it was once again as blue as the autumn sky. Just the way I remember it. ¡°What I want¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± He touched my cheek and whispered. ¡°Is for you not to leave my side. That is all I want.¡± Then he slightly smiled. A glimpse of gut-wrenching pain and craziness was shown through his smile. Like the smile he always wears ever since I first met him again. With a twisted and distorted form of affection. My heart ached and I bit my lips firmly as I shook my head. Seeing his smile hurts me inside. Calix grabbed me by the chin and raised it to face him. Drops of tears flowed through my eyes without ceasing. ¡°Why-¡° I asked in a sobbing voice. ¡°Why, why did you hugged and kissed the divine lady then?¡± Then, Calix made an expression that he couldn¡¯t understand what I¡¯m saying. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I saw it that day. I saw you hugging and kissing the divine lady.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Calix had a face of disbelief. I frowned. Why is he making this expression? Why is he acting like someone who doesn¡¯t know what happened that day? ¡°And you¡¯re smiling while looking at the divine lady. That¡¯s why I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Laure, what the hell are you talking about?¡± Calix sighed and roughly swept his hair. ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything like that.¡± ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m just imagining things?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know. Think about it carefully. Laure. If something like that really happened-¡° Calix spoke without hesitation in his words, then suddenly shut his mouth. As if something suddenly came to his mind. Soon a faint glow came over his face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, that thing that time¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I couldn¡¯t understand what he¡¯s trying to say, so I leaned my head down and frowned, then Calix annoyingly ruffled my hair and said. ¡°I think I know now what you¡¯re talking about. However, you¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± ¡°Misunderstood?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t remember in detail for some reason, but I can say this one thing for sure. Ever since a long time ago until now, it was always you in my heart, Laure.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I paused. Can I trust his words? I might get hurt if I believe in him for no reason. However, I¡¯m not the only one hurt. ¡®What if it¡¯s really a misunderstanding.¡¯ He must¡¯ve been hurt too for being suddenly abandoned by his fianc¨¦e one day, ¡®I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to fully trust his words that I¡¯m the only person for him¡¯ But I could promise only one thing. ¡°For seven years, it must have been hard for you.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°And it was the same for me too. It was painful because I couldn¡¯t forget you.¡± I raised my head that had been bowed for a moment and looked at his face. ¡°It will take a long time for us to regain trust with each other, right?¡± Calix silently agreed. Then I smiled faintly and said. ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll go back to the capital with you. I will never run away.¡± Then, Calix smiled bitterly as he carefully murmured to me. He embraced me in his arms and muttered as if talking to himself. ¡°Alright, even that¡¯ll be enough.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°As long as you stay by my side.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Then, I have nothing more to wish for.¡± Sorrow could be heard in his voice. The tears that I was holding burst and hugged him as tight as I could. Tears flowed from my eyes and pain from the wounds. It seemed like it would never stop. The wounds that were dug through the years were so deep that it seemed that even time could not heal it. ¡°I¡¯m, sorry.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t cry, Laure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Calix.¡± Calix sighed and took a handkerchief out of his vest¡¯s front pocket. His face, while wiping away my tears, looked very distressed. I bit the flesh inside my mouth to hold back my tears, then hugged Calix tightly. Chapter 29 And like two people who totally missed each other, without caring how much time has passed, we¡¯ve been hugging for some time, The moonlight deepened, and the temperature became colder. And my heart which was boiling earlier had now quietly calmed down even before I knew it. Then I leaned my body a little and looked at Calix. He looked calm. Like the distant sea where the typhoon passed and briefly gained tranquility. The faintly smiling lips were slightly blue. Then I spoke softly, worried about him. ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold if we stay here outside a little longer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t catch colds.¡± Calix answered haughtily. I scowled at him with a frown on my face. ¡°Calix often catches a cold since childhood, so Tused to take care of you, remember?¡± As far as I know, he has a constitution that easily catches a cold. But when asked, with a blink of an eye, Calix somehow avoided eye contact. What is it? Was I wrong? As I closed my mouth and ponder, Calix cleared his throat and said. ¡°In the past¡­¡­ it used to be like that. But not anymore.¡± Uh, is that so? I passed it off insignificantly. Not paying much attention to his somehow odd reaction. Well, it could be like that also. Then I sighed at the notion that came to my mind. ¡°But now I have a bigger problem. My identity has been revealed here¨C.. Don¡¯t tell me, Si¡­.. No, I didn¡¯t know that the Divine Lady would bring it up.¡± I, who almost called the Divine Lady, ¡®Sia¡¯ hurriedly changed the title. I was worried Calix had noticed something, as cold sweat runs down my back. Then Calix stared at me ¡®mysteriously and spoke calmly. ¡°There will be no rumors about you spreading. I will tell the lord to give a gag order to all those present at the banquet.¡± ¡°¡­.. Thank you.¡± I smiled bitterly. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Calix, it was because I knew that the rumors would spread anyway. It was also possible that the servants of the lordship have already run their mouths everywhere. Sia, it was clear that she would also spill stories about me when she went back to the capital. Because Sia doesn¡¯t seem to like me. ¡±There¡¯s no helping it.¡¯ We might experience some hardships because of some criticisms and ridicule, but even that was a matter for me to endure. Because I decide to stay with him. Just like embracing future instability. I faintly sighed and said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to the lord and ask for a favor just for me. Calix.¡± ¡°But¡­..¡± ¡°The rumors will spread anyway.¡± I smiled bitterly. Calix looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. I gently reached out and lightly touched his cheek. Then, a large hand wrapped around mine. He closed his eyes for a moment and leaned his cheek against my hand ¡°If it¡¯s your will.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± Calix opened his eyes and looked at me. I smiled at him, meaning I was okay. Then Calix sighed deeply and hugged me tightly. I patted him on the back and asked. ¡°By the way, Calix. Is it okay not to go back to the banquet hall?¡± Calix answered, snuggling further into my arms, like a cat looking for warmth. ¡°I¡¯ve already shown my face. To that degree, I¡¯ve kept my manners as a sign of respect to the temple.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true but¡­¡­¡± I was worried. Isn¡¯t this going to be a disadvantage to Calix and his estate? What if evil spirits appear in Glaston, and the Knights Templar does not dispatch Paladins. It will be a big problem. If you¡¯re a lord of a territory and offended the Temple, you¡¯ll be excluded from the blessings of the God Phoenix, which you can receive every year. The temple had every means to wield power. Furthermore, with the appearance of a Divine Lady, the power of the temple must have skyrocketed to the skies. And Sia¡¯s unseeming attitude was proof of it. As expected, I shouldn¡¯t just let it pass over like this. I think it would be better for Calix to leave the banquet properly.¡¯ After making such a decision, I carefully pushed Calix away, and as if asking why, his blue eyes that were filled with discontentment looked at me. And his expression seemed to be begging. He was like a dog whining because he didn¡¯t want to get away from its owner. My heart wavered, but I came to my senses right away and brought up the main point. ¡°Calix, I think you¡¯d still better go back to the banquet hall.¡± ¡°NO¡­..¡± ¡°Do it, please? Go and end it well. I¡¯ll be waiting here.¡± Then Calix frowned his eyebrows. ¡°Where am I supposed to go, leaving you alone? And in the middle of the night like this¡­.¡± My eyes opened wide and soon a smile appeared on my lips. Does this person still think of me like a little puppy? I wasn¡¯t a dog or a child, and above all, this was the courtyard of Lord¡¯s Castle. The soldiers were always on patrol, and the walls were guarded by knights, which proves that this place was not the least bit dangerous. And I couldn¡¯t go back to the banquet hall with Calix either. Because it would be like giving a pretext to Sia, who seemed to extremely hate me. I was expecting that the other people¡¯s eyes wouldn¡¯t be pleasant either. ¡®We shouldn¡¯t make things more complicated than it already is.¡¯ I slightly put on a smile on my face and said. ¡°It¡¯s the castle, Calix. What dangerous thing can happen here?¡± ¡°lf a monster suddenly appears¡­..¡± I shook my head. ¡°I heard it on my way earlier. The Divine Lady decided to surround the lordship with a barrier.¡± ¡°Yes, she did.¡± Calix sighed, not knowing how many times it might already be. And as if reminded of Sia, his eyes, which temporarily blurred, were full of disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t trust that woman.¡± ¡°But still, she¡¯s the Divine Lady.¡± Or maybe, there¡¯s also the possibility that the Divine Lady is one with the evil spirits. No, it might be just one of my absurd paranoias. Sia was certainly able to use divine power. I personally saw that. ¡®There¡¯s no doubt that Sia is a Divine Lady, there is no doubt that she has divine powers.¡¯ And although she hates me, she won¡¯t be able to do anything to me at the moment. Because a crowded banquet hall is not a good place to use shallow tricks. ¡®It might be like that for now, but I have this ominous feeling that she¡¯s going to put her evil plans into actions someday when the opportunity comes. Because sia doesn¡¯t seem to be merciful like the Divine Lady from the original story. ¡±But how could that be?¡¯ I was mulling over that perception when suddenly I saw a person rushing our way. That man was the attendant of the lord. And soon after, the servant who arrived in front of us bowed down and informed. ¡°Your Grace, the Divine Lady is looking for you.¡± 11¡­¡­¡± Calix¡¯s face crumpled at that moment. He rubbed his eyes with an irritated look and muttered, ¡°Damn it¡­..¡± Then he looked back at me and said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Laure. I¡¯ll be right back as soon as possible.¡± Inodded and held out my right hand at Calix. And a ring engraved with Alice¡¯s magic was placed on my index finger. After recognizing that, Calix¡¯s eyebrows warped. I smiled and said. ¡°I¡¯ll use this in the meantime, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± However, Calix continues to procrastinate, as if extremely reluctant to go. I stood tall at my decision and threw bomb-like words to him. ¡°Please consider the people in your territory, Your Grace.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It will be a big problem if you don¡¯t get support from the temple later.¡± Then Calix¡¯s blue eyes sunk darkly. I understood how he felt. He would have felt guilty for disregarding his territory and traveling for seven years. No matter how rumors circulate that he¡¯s crazy, and even though he says himself that he¡¯s not in his right set of mind. Callix Rochester was the ruler of his territory and a pure-blooded aristocrat. He cares for the residents in his fief. Calix looked down at the floor with a mixed expression on his face, then raised his head a moment later. Looking straight at me, he said. ¡°You¡¯re right, Laure. I¡¯ve been acting like an idiot all this time.¡± ¡°Neglecting my responsibilities.¡± The shade on his face darkened. Then I held his hand tightly as my heart aches for him. ¡°We can just go back to where we were from now on.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± Calix smiled weakly and put my hand to his lips. And with his lips on the back of my hand, he said. ¡°If you just stay by my side¡­..¡± ¡°I will.¡± Tanswered without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here for you. Calix. When you come back ¡ª- Let¡¯s go back to the capital with Letty and Alice.¡± After that, Calix¡¯s reaction was strange. When Letty¡¯s name came out, he seemed hesitant for some reason. And as I look at him suspiciously, I heard Calix¡¯s mysterious voice. ¡°Right, your daughter¡­¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s a very lovely child.¡± Topened my eyes wide with surprise. I never thought that such words would come out of Calix¡¯s mouth. Being perplexed by the unexpected situation, Calix gently kissed my forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, Laure. And about last time¡­..¡± He suddenly avoided my gaze, then blinked rapidly. Then he said in a small voice, after smacking his lips several times, ¡°I apologize¡­..¡± Last time? Ah ¡­ Timmediately understood what he meant, so I laughed. Calix¡¯s cheeks flushed gently. He couldn¡¯t look at me as if he were truly sorry, but left a kiss on my cheek again and turned around. ¡°I won¡¯t take long. I¡¯ll try to get back before an hour passed.¡± ¡°Okay. See you.¡± Calix looked worried like a person leaving a child away near the water. And as he walks toward the hall, he looked back dozens of times, until at last, we could not see each other completely. I sighed and sat on the bench. The air moistened by the mist of the night touched my cheeks. Looking at the sky in the distance, the fog that ascends from the sea was somehow hazy. ¡®It¡¯s foggy today The weather has been amazingly nice recently, but will there be a late typhoon coming? I was worried if the ships anchored in the harbor would be all right. Of course, the people here were used to the bad weather, so they rarely suffered serious damage due to it. ¡­¡­.But aside from the weather, I¡¯m more worried about the guests lurking on a foggy day like this. On thick foggy days, hidden pirate ships with flags often entered the port and plundered. In the past, the damage caused by pirates was large, but as the lord started bribing the pirates, the frequency of plundering decreased. However, pirates also have their principles, so there were those righteous outlaws who only aims for the treasure of the lord without touching ordinary citizens, while there were those who looted citizens¡¯ wealth Among them, the worst pirates were those who committed arson and murder. They were famous in origin, so there was no one who didn¡¯t know them, nor did they play tricks to hide their flags and pretend to be ordinary ships. They proudly invade the country with its unique and terrifying pirate flags. Firing bombs from a distance. Thave lived in Canelo for 7 years and have seen such a group of pirates three times. When the noise of the canyons began to be heard from the direction of the harbor, the soldiers who would rush to the port would readily evacuate the citizens first. Thanks to this, the damage was minimal, but it was said that it has been less than 10 years since such an evacuation system was established. ¡®Although the lord is a greedy man, he¡¯s not bad at what he does.¡¯ However, what was unfortunate was that his son, James Camnell, was the one to inherit his position and was a total failure. ¡®If I were him, I¡¯d have Amelia as my successor¡­ Well, is this place still conservative because it¡¯s on the outskirts?¡¯ The lord hated not only his son but also his daughter. James, the eldest, is a big drinker and a big troublemaker. And the second daughter, Amelia was unruly and rebellious. It¡¯s true that James Camnell has been doing some detestable things that¡¯s why the Lord doesn¡¯t like him, but I don¡¯t understand why he hates Amelia. I¡¯m sure there was a reason why she doesn¡¯t listen to the Lord. And one of the obvious facts is that the Lord is the worst kind of father ever. ¡±I heard it from Alice, and it seems that Amelia wants to get out of the family¡¯ There were only two ways to do that. Either marry and leave or abandon your name and status and get expelled from the family. Of course, if you want to lead a comfortable life, it will be the former, but if that will only be an extension of the days when you were persecuted by your father. I will choose the latter. I think Amelia was a person to choose the latter rather than the former. Because she was a clever and bold person. Looking at the stars in the night sky, I prayed for some luck in her future. Then I sat there blankly for a while and felt chilly. I still had Calix¡¯s coat around my shoulder. I pulled on the hem of the coat tightly and wrapped it around me. The fog that covered the horizon was getting thicker. ¡®When will Calix come?¡¯ Tput my feet on the bench and sat down like a rolled shrimp. Is Letty asleep by now? I said I will just say hello and will try to return quickly ¡ª- She¡¯s not crying because her mom isn¡¯t coming, right? No, Letty must be the one soothing the crying children rather than the one crying. And as I looked down at the ground with a soft smile, I heard a rustling sound.