Chapter 3

It was a deep night, so still that not even the sound of insects could be heard.

‘Will Evan believe me?’

There was no way he would blindly run away just by taking her word without any evidence. Alice couldn’t sleep from worry. Should she have gathered more proof before trying to persuade him? She lay there with her eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling with her hair disheveled. Then—

Thump!

She jumped at the loud noise coming from the door. It sounded as if someone had kicked it hard.

“Phew, there they go again.”

Looking toward the door, she let out a deep sigh. It was a sound that repeated every night. At first, she had woken up several times, terrified by the mysterious noise, wondering if it was a ghost. But now, she knew exactly why it was happening. The source of the noise wasn’t a ghost; it was a human.

Every night, a servant was kicking the door to Alice’s room. It might have been one person, or perhaps several.

‘They sure are diligent at this hour.’

The servants who had been Karina’s lackeys had been moved to the annex—essentially a demotion. Therefore, those remaining in the main building were people who had been disliked by Karina. Yet, for some reason, Alice continued to stay in her original room in the main building. Once Karina’s standing in the Duchy had completely plummeted, the servants turned their target toward Alice. Three days had already passed since they began kicking her door out of spite.

“I wish they’d just move me to the annex instead,” she grumbled with a dissatisfied face. At this point, she wanted to ask the Duke what he was plotting. ‘Though, far from an intention, he might just not be thinking about it at all.’

If the Duke happened to find her and ask, “Since when have you been in the main building?” she felt she would only get more frustrated. For her own peace of mind, Alice chose not to make the request to the Duke.

“Ah, seriously…”

Sleep had vanished completely. Those kicks didn’t happen just once a night. Even if she fell asleep, she would be woken up again. Waking up every thirty minutes was more exhausting than simply staying awake.

“So childish to do this to a kid.”

Since they kept doing it, she started to feel a sense of defiance. Even in this situation, she wanted to sleep well and greet them with a refreshed face and a smile. She couldn’t even manage a scoff at the sight of grown adults taking their anger out on a child. Alice buried her face back into her blanket and fell into thought.

It was a distant memory, but she recalled her time in the orphanage. That place wasn’t much different from here. The adults there were so busy lining their own pockets with donations that they neglected the children. Consequently, conflicts among the children intensified. It was common for them to steal from each other to get more of the limited snacks. Eventually, it would lead to physical fights, and some ended up in the hospital. She remembered the director, who had to pay the medical bills, shouting at her, asking why she wasn’t keeping the other kids in line.

‘At least here, I don’t have to struggle over something like snacks.’

Even if a dull thud echoed through the room occasionally, compared to those days, the present was much better.

***

“Good morning.”

Alice greeted Edwin with a bright smile as he came by for his morning greeting. Ever since the incident where Alice had left the castle, he came to her room every morning to check on her.

‘Was it really such a big deal?’

She, who hadn’t thought much of it, gave a sheepish smile. Edwin’s red eyes meticulously scanned her condition. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like she had gone anywhere. Edwin’s mouth pressed thin. His gaze went toward her feet.

He was anxious. He feared she might leave his side without a word, just like last time.

‘If I tie her with chains here, would she be unable to run away? Just like I couldn’t escape the tower.’ Edwin cleared his thoughts at Alice’s subsequent words.

“What are you thinking about?”

The look Alice gave him was full of goodwill. Edwin wondered if she would continue to like him like that even if he locked her up here. He didn’t speak those thoughts and said something else instead.

“You look tired. Did you not sleep well?”

His ruby eyes, framed by thick black lashes, studied her pupils intently. Alice felt shy under Edwin’s profound interest.

“A little… I had a nightmare.”

“What kind of nightmare?”

Alice thought for a moment before answering. She hadn’t expected him to be interested in the content of her dream. “…Well, just a dream where someone hated me.”

‘If only that were just a dream,’ she thought. Alice felt regret over the cold reality. The red eyes watching her filled with a puzzled light.

“Why would they hate you?”

He looked as if he truly couldn’t understand. Alice was momentarily speechless at his innocent question. “Maybe because my existence is bothersome?”

Since it wasn’t a real nightmare anyway, she figured it was better to give a vague answer. However, Edwin still looked at her with a face that suggested he didn’t understand her meaning.

***

“I can’t keep living like this.”

After Edwin left, Alice, alone in her room, muttered with a determined expression. No matter how much of a homebody one was, being in a situation where you can’t go out would make one’s whole body itch. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being trapped in a prison that wasn’t a prison.

After agonizing over it, Alice made a firm decision and got out of bed, swallowing hard. ‘In times like these, a person has to be bold.’ Even if she was pointed at and cursed as the daughter of a murderer, she couldn’t stay locked up here forever.

Creeak.

She opened the door and took a small step outside. She crept down the hallway, taking one careful step at a time. She had decided to be bold, but her steps were incredibly timid.

“Oh?”

For some reason, no one was in sight. Shouldn’t they be busy working at this hour? Even the most thick-skinned person would find it painful to be showered with indiscriminate glares of accusation. So she had come out with a lot of resolve, but there was a hollow lack of people.

‘Did something else happen?’

It was strange that there were so few people, but it was a good thing for her. Thus, she quickly reached the garden. In the garden, spring flowers were in full, beautiful bloom. Alice sat in front of them and watched the flowers for a while. She hadn’t been one to like flowers this much, but today, flower-watching felt particularly enjoyable. She savored the scent of the blossoms.

“Alice.”

A familiar voice called from behind her as she was sniffing the scent of freedom through the flowers.

“Oh, Edwin!”

Alice was startled to find Edwin there. Why was he here? As if reading her questioning look, he spoke.

“I was practicing swordsmanship in the garden.”

“Wow, you’re already practicing swordsmanship?”

Alice looked at Edwin in wonder. He was indeed holding a wooden sword. But the wooden sword was cracked, looking like it might break at any moment. Was that… blood? Noticing where her gaze was, Edwin spoke.

“I went on a short hunt.”

To be precise, it was a human hunt. Edwin’s face, omitting that explanation, was perfectly normal. Alice was surprised that Edwin had gone hunting.

“You’re already hunting?”

Being a protagonist, he seemed to progress quickly in everything. She looked at his hands and said, “I can’t believe you’re learning swordsmanship and hunting with these small hands.”

As if possessed, she overlapped her hand with his small one. He stayed still, not taking his eyes off their hands. Perhaps because he hadn’t eaten much while locked in the tower, Edwin had a smaller frame than Alice. Thus, her hand ended up enveloping his.

‘Come to think of it…’

These hands had snapped chains in an instant. Alice flinched and set his hand down. At that, Edwin tilted his head to the side.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Are you free this evening too?”

“Yes. A visit?”

“That’s right. Oh, how was Michael?” Alice asked, taking the opportunity. She hadn’t been able to bring it up in the morning because he had left after a brief greeting.

“…How was he?” Edwin looked like he didn’t understand what she meant. She quickly explained.

“I mean, your first impression.”

“…”

There was no word from Edwin. Alice waited for his answer with sparkling eyes. For the first time, he looked troubled and shifted his eyes.

“I don’t know.”

At that, Alice’s face fell slightly. In fact, Edwin’s answer was a lie. But he couldn’t very well say that he wanted to get rid of him in front of her, could he? At least Alice seemed to like Michael. A gentle smile soon appeared on the lips of Alice, who was unaware of that fact.

“It’s okay. You usually don’t know at first.”

“Yes.”

Edwin didn’t know what Alice was talking about, but he nodded faithfully. He opened his small lips, which looked like they were holding a ripe cherry.

“Alice, can I ask you one thing?”

“Of course.”

“Do you miss your mom?”

“U-Uh?”

Alice’s shoulders flinched. She hadn’t even expected him to ask such a thing. He approached her slowly and whispered.

“If you miss her, you can see her.”

Alice was flustered by his words.

“See her?”

‘He doesn’t mean he’ll let me see her on the way to the afterlife, right?’

Her pupils shook slightly.

However, reading the sincerity in Edwin’s calm and expressionless face, Alice shook her head. Anyone could predict Karina’s reaction upon meeting her daughter.

‘She’d either blame me or cling to me, begging me to plead with the Duke to save her.’

Neither was a sight Alice wanted to see. Edwin tilted his head.

“You don’t want to see her?”

At those words, Alice met Edwin’s eyes. It was hard to see what those deep, blood-red eyes were thinking. Alice looked at the sky and said, “Not anymore.”

The original ‘Alice’ probably wouldn’t have held onto someone who tried to harm her either. Edwin, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Alice’s face, followed her gaze to the sky.

“Oh, right, is it okay for you to be out like this? You’re weak to sunlight.”

The curse he possessed was incompatible with sunlight. Recalling that, Alice studied Edwin with a worried face. His pale skin was already flushed red.

“Oh dear, that must hurt…” Alice frowned deeply, as if she were the one injured.

“It hurts a little, but I’m okay.”

“It does hurt, doesn’t it? Let’s go inside quickly.”

In truth, it didn’t hurt at all. He was generally insensitive to most pain. Edwin lied on purpose because he didn’t mind the attention she was giving him. Seeing Edwin, who wasn’t moving, Alice misunderstood again.

“You can practice indoors too, so let’s go in quickly.” She grabbed his arm and walked toward the main entrance.

Edwin, moving as Alice led him, looked up at the Duke’s castle. The fifth floor. If he fell from there, even he wouldn’t be able to move for a few days. Edwin realized that since his treatment, she hadn’t been looking for him. She no longer checked if his wounds were healing well, if he was eating well, or if he was sleeping well.

‘Should I fall?’

If he were injured, Alice’s attention might return to him. Alice looked at Edwin, who wasn’t coming inside, with a frustrated face. His hand was already swollen red!

“Edwin! Come in quickly!”

Watching Alice beckoning to him, Edwin slowly moved his feet.

***

‘It’s quiet this time too.’

The two were on their way out of the castle to see Michael and Evan. Just like yesterday, during the busiest morning hours, not a single servant was seen in the hallways. Alice scanned her surroundings with suspicious eyes.

‘Is there some banquet or party being held without me?’

It was good not to have to worry about the servants’ glares, but this felt strangely unsettling in its own way. She asked Edwin, who was beside her.

“Don’t you notice there are no people in the castle?”

He rolled his ruby eyes to look around and then nodded. “You’re right.”

“What could be happening… Do you know anything?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know either, Edwin.”

Then it probably wasn’t anything big. Alice chose not to worry about it further. Arriving at Evan’s house, Alice smiled upon seeing a fully recovered Michael. But Michael got annoyed as soon as he saw them.

“Why are you here again!”

Michael was nothing but irritated, though it wasn’t clear what was bothering him. It wasn’t surprising for Michael to be irritable, but there was one thing that bothered her.

‘Did something happen between them?’

Why was he glaring at Edwin like that? In the original work, their first meeting also started with an argument, which eventually led to Edwin’s obsession with Michael. ‘Though that process was a bit long.’

Thinking of the original work, it wasn’t such a strange reaction. Michael’s personality, being sensitive to others’ energy due to his innate holy power, was naturally prickly. Edwin spoke first.

“Nothing happened.”

“Really…?”

Was it really true that nothing happened? Michael kept his mouth shut, though his expression said he had much to say. Alice looked around the room and noticed something strange.

“But that flower crown…”

“What?”

“Never mind.”

The flower crown Michael said he had made for her was gone. On one hand, Alice felt a bit disappointed. Had he just thrown it away because it had withered? She would have been happy to receive anything Michael made, so it was a pity to think it had been discarded.

Michael, looking very angry, watched Edwin and recalled what happened yesterday. It happened after Alice had left the room, saying she had something to say to Evan.

“So this is the flower crown you were going to give to Alice.” Edwin had said in the room where they were left alone.

At the eerie voice, Michael flinched and looked at him. He was a boy with black hair and red eyes who looked like he belonged in the underworld of a fairy tale. But he was fiddling with the dried flower crown Michael had made for Alice. It happened in an instant.

“Then you won’t be needing it.” Edwin turned the flower crown into dust with an indifferent face.

“What are you doing!” Michael had huffed in anger. “Why are you touching and ruining someone else’s thing?”

“Because you tried to touch mine first.”

“What? When did I?!” Michael had huffed with a reddened face, glaring sharply at Edwin in disbelief.

Edwin slowly brushed the broken flower pieces from his hand. He lifted the carpet and pushed the remains of the flowers underneath with his foot, perfectly hiding what he had done.

“You’d better not say a word about this.” A chilling aura flowed from his red eyes as he looked at the silver-haired angel.

Michael got angry just thinking about that moment. But Alice was just standing there smiling, oblivious to him. Her carefree appearance made him even more furious.

“You two should get along from now on.”

To make matters worse, she said something so nonsensical. Michael snorted at those words. But then, that crow-like fellow said something even more skin-crawling.

“Yes, I understand.”

“I don’t want to! Just both of you get out of my house!” Michael shouted irritably.

Alice’s eyes widened in bewilderment, not expecting such a strong rejection. Edwin stood by and watched the scene. Alice first tried a conciliatory approach to soothe Michael.

“Would you like some cookies?” She slid a basket of cookies toward him. They were cookies she had secretly taken from the kitchen of the Duke’s castle. It had been possible because there were no people in the kitchen either. However, Michael’s sharp gaze still didn’t soften.

‘Why is he so grumpy?’

Something must have happened between them while she was gone. Evan also tried to stop his brother with a troubled face, as Michael was being particularly sharp.

“El, you shouldn’t act like that to guests.”

“Hmph, you don’t know anything, Brother.”

“If I knew what was in your heart, wouldn’t I be a fortune teller instead of a doctor?”

“Hmph. Anyway, I don’t want to!”

Evan couldn’t hide his embarrassment and apologized to them. “I’m sorry. Young Master, Alice.”

“It’s okay. He looks healthy, which is good,” Alice said. Michael had already crawled back under the blanket and hidden himself completely. She stole a glance at Evan.

‘I wonder if he’s made a decision by now.’ It was awkward to bring up that topic directly here. Alice said subtly, “I won’t be able to come to Evan’s house for a while.”

“I see. It’s almost that day.” Evan realized what she was saying, and his face darkened instantly. To an onlooker, he looked like the one going to trial. “It will be hard to see your face for a while.”

“Why?” Michael asked, unaware that she was to attend a trial. She answered.

“I’m going up to the capital for a bit.”

Duke Esteban’s castle was about four to five hours away from the capital by carriage. It was a distance that could be traveled in a day if one set their mind to it, but Karina’s trial was certain to be lengthy. After all, it was a serious crime—killing a Duchess.

I hope both of you run away before I come back. Alice said it with that meaning, but Evan’s expression remained ordinary.

“The capital?” But Michael’s green eyes sparkled. His eyes were full of curiosity. “I want to go too!” he said, looking at Alice. “I can go too, right?”

“Uh, well…” She should have said a firm no, but looking at Michael’s eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

As she stammered and sent a pleading look to Evan, he immediately spoke to his brother with a stern face. “El, no. The capital is too dangerous.”

“I don’t care, I want to go! There are knights there too!”

Was there no exception even for a protagonist? Eventually, he started doing what children typically do when throwing a tantrum.

“I want to go too! I want to go!”

“El!”

He started rolling on the floor and making a scene. Evan was breaking a sweat trying to stop him. It felt like watching a protagonist’s shameful past, but what did it matter? ‘Even throwing a tantrum is cute.’ From the moment she first saw him, Alice had been looking through rose-colored glasses. But not everyone there was in the same state as Alice.

“Be quiet,” Edwin whispered in a low voice. Surprisingly, Michael stopped his behavior instantly at those words.

Evan’s eyes went wide. It was a sight he had never seen before. Usually, Michael listened to Evan well, but once he started a tantrum like that, it would take at least an hour for him to stop. But now, not even five minutes had passed. Alice took this chance to say to Michael.

“I’m sorry, but you have to stay here. Like Evan said, the capital is a dangerous place for Michael.”

Dangerous? Was the capital the only dangerous place? This place was equally dangerous right now. “Right? Evan.”

“That’s right.” She gave Evan a meaningful look. She hoped he would realize this was an extension of yesterday’s conversation, but she wasn’t sure if he didn’t notice or was pretending not to.

However, Evan had already long since realized what she was saying. His long silver eyelashes lowered diagonally. At this moment, he had no choice.

***

After saying goodbye to the Elga brothers, Alice pulled her hood down low and left the house. On the way back to the castle, they took a hired carriage. Since the events at the Duchy were widespread throughout the territory, using the family carriage would draw everyone’s attention.

Sitting side-by-side with Edwin, she looked out the window. A newspaper boy was walking around.

“Latest news on Karina Garnet is out! Buy a newspaper!”

If it was new news, it was likely about the trial. The stories of the incidents at the Duchy over the past few days had spread quickly through the territory like a hot potato. This was exactly why she was hiding her face with a hood now. Alice’s face had also become known through the newspapers. Ever since then, Alice wore her hood low whenever she went out. It wouldn’t be good if someone recognized her.

Watching the boy selling newspapers, she spoke cautiously. “Edwin, do you have… any money?”

“Yes, why?”

“I think I should buy a newspaper.”

Edwin nodded and handed her some money. “A—A gold coin.”

Alice looked at Edwin, surprised by the large amount. Was he giving such a large sum because he was still a child and didn’t know the ways of the world? She worried a bit if she should teach Edwin about economic concepts beforehand.

‘I’ll teach him later.’

To the current Alice, every penny was important.

Stopping the carriage, she handed the money to the boy and bought the newspapers. “Give me every newspaper related to Karina Garnet.”

“Yes, ma’am—”

Sitting in the carriage, she opened a newspaper. It was uncomfortable because the carriage kept rattling, but reading the contents wasn’t difficult. As expected, the new news was about the trial. Since it was full of information that wasn’t particularly new, she folded the newspaper and opened another.

The other newspaper was packed with accounts of how cruel and heartless Karina was. Seeing as there were informants, it was clear that the sources of this newspaper were servants or maids who had been fired from the Duke’s castle. Alice kept leafing through the newspapers.

‘There’s no news about Michael eating poison.’

It was a relief, if anything. It wasn’t something that would be good if it reached the Duke’s ears.

“Edwin, I have a request.” Edwin quietly looked into her eyes. “I want you to keep it a secret that Michael was sick.”

Edwin didn’t know yet that Michael had eaten the poison in her place. He only knew that Michael was sick because of a major illness. However, it wouldn’t hurt to be careful in advance.

“Okay.” Edwin quietly nodded at her request. Alice tilted her head.

“You’re not asking why?”

“Not really. I’m not curious,” Edwin said. He had no intention of refusing Alice’s requests, but he had no interest in things that weren’t related to her.

“…I see.” The indifference written on his face was sincere. Seeing that, Alice said thank you with a bashful face. Since she would have been in a difficult position if he had asked why, it was better for her not to press further.

On the other hand, seeing him not have even a shred of doubt, she thought that it would be hard for an ordinary person to get his interest. She would probably be no exception.

***

“My Lady, please have your breakfast.”

Ena, her brown hair neatly tied back, was holding a bowl of soup. Alice blinked her sleepy eyes. Looking out the window, she could see a clear sky.

“Breakfast?”

Alice didn’t usually eat breakfast. Noticing her confusion, Ena spoke.

“Today is the day, My Lady.”

“Oh, right.”

Only then did Alice recall what day it was. Today was the day of the trial.

‘Of all days, why did I have to have such a dream today?’

She felt uneasy due to the unsettling dream, but physically, she felt refreshed. Recently, no one had been kicking her door, so she had been sleeping soundly every night. In fact, she wondered if anyone else besides herself, Edwin, and Ena was even left in the Duke’s castle. Whenever she asked Ena, she would just offer a vague smile and brush it off, saying everyone seemed busy.

‘Am I… being ostracized?’

It wasn’t exactly a new realization, but she couldn’t understand why the people who used to harass her by kicking her door were now avoiding her.

She put on the outdoor clothes Ena gave her—or rather, she tried to.

“What is this?”

Alice couldn’t hide her embarrassment at the complicated process of putting on a child’s formal attire. As Alice struggled with the clothes, Ena let out a faint sigh and stepped closer.

“Uh…”

Ena began to help her dress. Alice’s face turned slightly red.

‘It’s a relief I reincarnated as a child.’

If she had reincarnated as a full-grown adult, this would have been incredibly pathetic.

Having successfully changed with Ena’s help, Alice stepped outside the castle. Four-wheeled carriages bearing the crest of a black snake were lined up in a row. It was an eerie sight, almost like a funeral procession.

However, someone was standing in front of the carriages who absolutely shouldn’t have been there. A man dressed in white linen, with silver hair tied to one side and draped over his shoulder. Alice immediately approached him.

“Evan, you’re just here to see me off, right?”

Please don’t say you’re coming along. Her silent plea went unanswered. Evan let out a soft sigh and shook his head.

“I have been ordered to accompany you.”

“Ordered?”

It sounded as if he were going by someone else’s will, not his own.

“I’m going too!”

Michael popped out from behind Evan. Not a speck of worry could be seen in his bright smile. Alice almost envied his carefree attitude.

“How did this happen?”

“I’m not sure myself. We received a message this morning and just arrived.”

Alice was flustered by Evan’s words. Her throat began to feel dry.

“A message? Was it an order from the Duke?”

“Yes. The order was to look after you so that your health doesn’t suffer during the journey to the capital.”

“…Is that the only reason?”

“Yes, that is what I was told.”

Alice’s mind went blank as a single hypothesis crossed her mind. ‘Could he know about the holy power?’

She asked urgently, “Did he tell Michael to come along too?”

“No. It’s just that… I felt uneasy leaving him home alone.”

Michael, already seated in the carriage, looked perfectly happy. It seemed he had fully recovered.

“Sigh, Evan.”

She let out a deep breath from the bottom of her heart and leaned in close to whisper.

“Did you not take my warning to heart?”

“Alice.”

Evan whispered back with a serious face.

“Even if what you said is true, I cannot leave my patients behind. There are still many people here who need my help.”

His gaze was fixed on Edwin. Edwin—someone who truly couldn’t live like a normal person without holy power. Seeing Evan’s radiant smile, Alice felt her own corrupted heart being purified. Having run out of things to say, she fell silent. Seeing Alice looking pouting, Evan comforted her.

“Don’t worry too much. It’s likely just a measure taken by His Grace because he worries about you.”

“As if.”

If he were worried, he wouldn’t have left her in the main building surrounded by people who hated Karina. Every time she was in the main building, she felt like she had been thrown into a den of monsters. She couldn’t understand the Duke’s true intentions. Since he was already at the Imperial Palace, she couldn’t ask him directly, which was frustrating.

‘Well… maybe he really did this because he worries about me…’

There was not a shred of possibility, but right now, she wanted to believe in even that tiny chance.

***

Admitting that her judgment—that Evan would abandon Edwin and run away—was a total error given his nature, Alice let out a sigh. Her heart was heavy.

“Everything has become so tangled.”

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Oh, by the way, Edwin. What happened then? When you were alone with Michael.”

Because Michael had insisted he didn’t want to ride in the same carriage as Edwin, Alice and Edwin were riding alone together. She couldn’t contain her curiosity about what had happened between them in her absence.

“He just seemed a little scared of me.”

His expression was the same as usual, but he looked strangely dejected. Alice was taken aback by his answer.

Michael was scared? She thought he had just been annoyed with Edwin over something trivial, but she never expected this to be the reason.

“Are you scared of me, Alice?”

“Um…”

‘Actually, the answer is yes.’

Struck by the truth, she couldn’t answer immediately. Edwin’s long, dark eyelashes over his pale skin fluttered pitifully. He kept his gaze down and waited for her answer. Feeling sympathy for Michael, Alice wanted to avoid answering. But the moment she saw Edwin’s face, she felt as if she were committing a great sin.

“Of course not! Why would I be scared of you!”

Though she felt a pang of guilt, Alice denied it vehemently with a wave of her hands. When she first saw him, she was so scared she didn’t even dare to go near him. Back then, her pride had been slightly wounded by the fact that she was intimidated by a seven-year-old.

“Really?”

Edwin smiled as if he were truly happy. That smile was so beautiful that Alice stared at him, mesmerized.

‘This kid already has such potential…’

Alice shook her head. If she stayed like this, she felt like she would be the first one to be charmed by Edwin.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

Edwin already had someone he was destined for. Since things had already turned out this way, she decided she should think of ways to advance their relationship. Perhaps because she had read the original work, or maybe she had a devil in her head, the first method that came to mind was ‘physical intimacy.’

‘I must be crazy.’

That method was at least ten years too early. Besides, her thinking like this in the first place meant she was probably beyond help.

Some time passed. The scenery outside the window changed. The carriage had entered the capital. The quiet forest path was gone, replaced by neatly paved streets and shops. Since it was the height of spring, many flowers were visible on shop stands. There were many soldiers and people, giving it a bustling feel.

Passing them, the carriage headed quickly toward the tribunal. Before long, the carriage came to a halt.

‘So this is where high-ranking nobles are tried.’

The blue-walled building had a quiet beauty rather than being flashy.

“Is this the tribunal? It looks like a palace…”

Edwin answered her mumble.

“It actually was a palace 300 years ago.”

“Really?”

300 years ago—wasn’t that when holy power had disappeared? Or more accurately, when it was hidden.

“It was originally the palace of Grand Duke Delphious, but after he committed treason and was beheaded by the Emperor, the palace was turned into a tribunal.”

Beyond the tribunal, a towering arched ivory castle was visible. That must be the Imperial Palace. Fitting for a building that used to be a palace, the central tribunal was not far from the Imperial Palace.

“Wow, you know everything, Edwin.”

“It was written here.”

Edwin lightly waved the book in his hand. Ah, that was the booklet she had bought with the change she received from Edwin upon entering the capital! She had been so preoccupied with looking at the city that she had neglected the book she bought.

“Haa, are we finally here?”

A clear child’s voice could be heard from a distance. Michael stretched and looked around. Then he spoke with sparkling eyes.

“Where are the knights?”

“El, it’s dangerous to come out of the carriage like that!”

Leaving Evan’s shout behind, Alice looked around for the entrance to the tribunal. Then she saw the carriages parked in a row. The carriages with each family’s crest were all luxurious, but there was one carriage that was exceptionally magnificent. The exterior of the carriage was ivory, like the Imperial Palace visible in the distance, and the frame was elaborately decorated with gold.

“That’s…”

It was the Imperial carriage. Why was an Imperial carriage here? Alice was looking at the carriage with a puzzled expression when someone tapped her shoulder. It was Edwin. He pointed somewhere with his other finger. At the end of his finger was a large door that looked like the entrance to the tribunal.

“Ah, it’s there.”

After taking a couple of deep breaths, she opened the door and walked in. At that moment, she got goosebumps. As Alice stole a glance around, she saw that most of the people in the hall were looking at her. It was a silent, quiet gaze, but somehow it felt heavy, as if they already knew who she was. Since there was likely no one in noble society who didn’t know about this incident, they probably knew who Alice was as well. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

“That child is…”

‘Yes, I am the daughter of that sinner, Karina Garnet…’

“That is the Duke of Esteban’s son.”

“His hair is truly black…”

Eh? Alice looked at the nobles with a bewildered gaze. They were looking at Edwin, not her.

‘Right, I do lack a presence. Haha. This is actually good.’

Since Karina was so famous, Alice had thought she would be too, but she was mistaken. Surprisingly, no one gave her any attention. Some nobles were staring at Edwin with mesmerized faces, as if looking at a beautiful jewel. That was definitely the look of someone falling for Edwin’s beauty. Alice nodded to herself. If you could remain calm after seeing that face, you weren’t human.

She was able to sit in the witness stand with a lighter heart.

“Edwin, are you okay?”

“About what?”

“People are staring at you. Don’t you feel pressured or shy?”

Children often get scared by people’s attention. Sometimes even adults do. That’s why Michael, upon entering the tribunal, had long since buried his face in Evan’s arms due to the pouring gazes of the nobles.

“Not really. I don’t know.”

Edwin answered with an indifferent face. Oh, is that the composure a protagonist should have? Unfortunately, Alice had a condition where she got goosebumps whenever a stranger paid attention to her.

‘I’m definitely not cut out to be a protagonist.’

Alice scanned the interior of the tribunal. She thought she would see something like a revolutionary tribunal from the Marie Antoinette era, but it was closer to a modern one than she expected. The tribunal was divided into the first and second floors. On the second floor was what appeared to be a VIP section—and sitting there was an old man who seemed to be declaring, “I am the Emperor.” And next to him was Duke Esteban. It only appeared that they were talking, their lips moving.

It was a strange sight to see the Emperor conversing like a normal person. In the setting ten years from now, he was barely different from a beast walking on two legs. Long-term drug addiction had destroyed his brain cells, and his judgment was completely clouded. That must be why he committed such a reckless act against Edwin.

‘I wonder what exactly he bought and took so much of from Stella.’

Despite being in his fifties, his face was as aged as a man in his seventies. His eyes were unfocused, like someone who had been drinking heavily. He was definitely not someone she wanted to be near.

‘Huh?’

Locking eyes directly with the Emperor’s golden pupils, she quickly lowered her gaze. Her heart thudded in fear that she had been caught staring too openly. But soon, the Emperor turned his gaze away at the sound heard in the hall.

“Bring in the prisoner!”

A man who appeared to be the presiding judge sat with a solemn face and shouted. It wasn’t a loud voice by any means, but there was no one in the hall who didn’t hear him. Silence fell instantly.

Clank.

Then a door to the side opened, and Karina entered, bound in chains. The nobles whispered as they saw her.

“Oh my…”

“Hmph, she’s in a pitiful state.”

“Silence!”

At the judge’s voice, silence returned. Alice slowly took in Karina’s appearance. Her red hair had completely lost its luster and was disheveled, and her face, from lack of sleep and food, was haggard and pale. Alice didn’t know how to react to this unfamiliar sight, something she had never seen before.

Meanwhile, the trial was proceeding steadily.

“Witness, Alice Garnet. Are you present?”

“Yes.”

Alice answered with a nervous face. The judge then recited Karina’s misdeeds and the incident one by one and asked: “Does the witness admit to all these facts?”

“…”

Witness? For a moment, Alice wondered if the judge had mistaken the defendant for the witness, but then she was flustered by the stinging gazes. Was he really asking me, her daughter, to admit to her crimes? She quickly looked around. The nobles were looking at her coldly, and Evan was holding his head with a look of pity.

“Yes…”

Alice had no choice but to nod. Because all those crimes were true. Karina remained with her head bowed the entire time. Even when the judge asked if she wished to make a defense, she just shook her head.

‘It’s strange.’

Alice couldn’t take her eyes off her. If it were the usual Karina, she would have made a scene, claiming she was innocent and being framed.

‘Why?’

Alice couldn’t shake the feeling that Karina was acting out of character. Now it was time for the judge to bring down his gavel. Since the prisoner’s admission was faster than expected, it seemed the trial would end early. A man approached the judge as he was about to strike the gavel. The judge conversed with the man in low tones several times and momentarily looked flustered. However, he quickly regained his composure.

Bang, bang.

“Karina Garnet shall be exiled from the Empire. Karina Garnet may never set foot in the Empire again, and her status as a citizen of the Empire is hereby revoked.”

At the judge’s verdict, the nobles buzzed loudly. The judge immediately exited the hall. Alice was also flustered.

‘I thought she would die.’

Karina didn’t die. What was happening? Everyone must have thought she would be sentenced to death, being a commoner who killed a Duchess. But that obvious verdict wasn’t given. Alice looked toward the second floor at that moment. There, the Duke and the Emperor were watching the hall and talking with expressionless faces.

‘What is this…’

She recalled that her question of why the Emperor was at this trial remained unresolved. It wasn’t a trial directly related to the Imperial family.

‘Could there have been external pressure from the Emperor on this verdict?’

Alice was shrouded in even more mystery. She couldn’t even guess why the Emperor would care about this trial.

At that moment, someone shouted in the hall.

“I cannot agree with this verdict!”

The one who stood up in opposition to the result of the trial was the brother of the deceased former Duchess. He grabbed the collar of the exiting judge with a face full of fury. He shouted that he couldn’t accept this trial and would formally appeal. The judge’s face hardened.

“The trial is adjourned, so if you wish to appeal, submit a petition to His Majesty.”

Marquis Caliwood, the brother of the former Duchess, grit his teeth and let go of the collar.

‘It’s a complete mess.’

Even Alice was surprised that Karina had escaped the death penalty, so how much more so for these people? She pulled down the hood she had brought. Usually, in such situations, the anger would fall upon the daughter of the prisoner. Indeed, several people were looking at Alice as if she were the most wicked person in the world.

Alice tried to slip out of the hall. But her arm was suddenly grabbed by someone.

“Where do you think you’re running to! Do you think I don’t know you’re trying to escape because you’re in league with your mother!”

“Eek!”

It was Marquis Caliwood. A startled Alice screamed, but a louder scream followed right after. It was Marquis Caliwood’s scream.

“Aaaargh!”

He was screaming as his other arm was twisted behind his back. Alice stepped back in shock.

‘Edwin?’

He was holding the Marquis’s arm with a cold gaze.

“Y-you crazy brat! L-let go!”

To Edwin, who could be seen behind the Marquis spewing pain-filled curses, Alice signaled him to stop. At that, Edwin let go of the Marquis’s arm. Did he… grab that with one hand?

Whether from grief over losing his sister, anger at the unreasonable trial, or the pain in his arm, the Marquis grit his teeth with a resentful face. Perhaps it was the shame of being overpowered by a mere child. He glared at Edwin for a moment, flinched, and then shouted at the judge.

“I will never forget this. Watch your back at night, Judge!”

“I’ll see you at the appeal.”

As if used to such threats, the judge nodded bluntly and left the hall. The Marquis glared sharply at them and then exited with heavy footsteps.

‘He is technically his uncle, though…’

If he cared for his sister that much, wouldn’t it be right to be a bit warmer toward her biological son, Edwin? Alice was a bit taken aback. She briefly recalled the original work. What was Marquis Caliwood like in the original? There, too, the Marquis was shown to be very angry over the death of his sister, Eliza. But the reason for that anger was a bit different. He was more enraged by the fact that the source of the Duke’s funds that had been flowing into the Marquis’s house had been cut off, rather than the fact that his sister had been innocently murdered. True to his nature, later when Edwin became the Duke, he was promptly eliminated after making a scene demanding money from the Duchy.

‘His goal was money.’

As expected of a dark fantasy with no dreams or hope, all the characters were incredibly faithful to their own desires. Except for Evan and Michael, of course.

“Alice, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Evan approached her and asked with a worried face. Looking at his complexion, it seemed as if he were the one who had gone through the ordeal, not her. But as the gazes began to gather, Alice felt she should leave soon. Truly, it’s dangerous outside the blanket.

“Lady Garnet.”

Someone called her from behind and stopped her. He was a man she had seen several times. Kaden, the Duke of Esteban’s aide and the eldest son of the Bradley family. He was a lukewarm person who showed neither goodwill nor hostility toward her. For some reason, he still treated her with the formal etiquette due for a noble. But she could see it. That he was someone who wanted to remain strictly as a third party in the private matters of the Ducal family. However, since his attitude was consistent before and after the incident, he was relatively easy for her to deal with.

“His Grace is calling for you.”

“Me?”

Alice looked toward the second floor with a bewildered face. The Emperor and the Duke were nowhere to be seen. When Edwin tried to follow her, Kaden stepped in his way.

“He asked for her to come alone.”

“…”

Edwin looked at Kaden without a word. Receiving that gaze, Kaden was momentarily flustered. He felt an overwhelming pressure, as if his entire body were being tightly bound by a snare. A gaze so full of murderous intent that it was unbelievable for a young boy. Kaden recalled the story that the young master had knocked down several knights. He concluded that it was a look that deserved the description ‘threatening’ rather than ‘extraordinary.’

“I’ll be back soon.”

When Alice spoke, Kaden felt the suffocating gaze instantly release. He unconsciously let out a faint sigh.

‘This is the first time I’ve felt such pressure from anyone other than the Duke.’

It was a different kind of pressure than what he felt before the Duke. If the Duke felt like looking at a cold, solid, high wall, the young Duke felt as if he had his opponent’s windpipe in his hand and was manipulating it.

The room that appeared to be the VIP room was not far away. Alice was extremely tense.

“It is Kaden. I have brought Alice Garnet.”

Kaden knocked on the door of the room they arrived at after a short walk and announced their arrival. After a moment, a voice from inside told them to enter. It was the Duke’s voice.

‘Why is he calling me here?’

He wouldn’t call me just to have a leisurely tea time. Kaden opened the door and signaled her to enter. She was flustered. Wasn’t he coming in too?

“Then I will wait outside.”

As she entered the room, Kaden bowed slightly and closed the door.

“…”

Dammit. Alice was flustered upon entering the luxurious room. The Duke wasn’t the only one there.

“So that child is Alice Garnet.”

In front of where he was sitting, an old man with golden eyes was also seated. Locking eyes with him, she sighed inwardly. He was the Emperor of Elgorth. He looked extremely tired, but he didn’t take his eyes off her. To be more precise, it was an observant gaze.

“She truly resembles her.”

She didn’t like how the Emperor spoke as if appraising her, but regardless, Alice needed to consider his words. Who did she resemble? Karina Garnet? But even objectively speaking, Alice didn’t have a face that resembled Karina’s.

“Alice Garnet.”

The Duke called her. He gestured with a cold gaze.

‘Ah, I should greet him?’

But Alice, coming from a commoner background, had never learned etiquette at the Duchy.

“Ah, Your Majesty. I hope you have been at peace during the night. It is an honor for my family to meet you like this.”

‘Though I don’t have a family.’

Borrowing a line she had heard somewhere, she bowed deeply with a polite posture. But there was no answer.

‘Was something strange?’

It was while she was swallowing dryly with her waist bent. A laughter like the sound of scraping metal fell over her head.

“Is this a new form of etiquette taught at the Duchy?”

“…It is also my first time seeing it, Your Majesty.”

Oops, the greeting seemed to be strange. Could it be that even here, bowing from the waist was a greeting that only worked in the East?

‘Why did they put in this kind of historical inaccuracy unnecessarily?’

Resentment toward the original author flared up. Instead of historical accuracy, they should have added more of other things. For instance, a feast of flesh*…

[*T/N: Here, Alice is referring to r18 scenes in romance books. Basically fanservice.]

The Duke looked at her from top to bottom. She hesitated and then knelt down. Then the Emperor gestured.

“That’s enough. Sit here.”

“Yes, I am deeply moved.”

At the Emperor’s words, she sat down in front of him with a side-step. He spoke as he drank tea. A unique scent came from the tea.

“A child should be raised as a child, Duke. The problem with the Ducal family is that they raise children to be old men. It reminds me of your childhood, Duke.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Alice saw the soulless gaze of the Duke. It seemed that the boss’s ‘old man’ tendencies were no exception here. For a moment, she felt pity for the Duke.

‘No, who is pitying whom?’

The moment she returned to the Duke’s castle, she was the lowest of the low to the Duke.

Alice thought hard as she looked at the people in front of her. If the Emperor was here, there was a high probability that the business with her lay with the Emperor. It already didn’t look good.

“How old are you?”

“I am seven, Your Majesty.”

“I see… Still a long way to go.”

“Yes, it is a long way off.”

She didn’t know what was a long way off, but whatever it was, it was an early age. She played along appropriately. The Emperor chuckled and spoke.

“Do you know what I am talking about?”

“My lowly mind does not know, Your Majesty.”

“Your way of speaking is quite interesting.”

The Emperor was looking at her with a chuckle. She also stole a glance at the Emperor with narrowed eyes. He looked like a neighborhood grandfather, yet he accepted a person as an offering for a single superstition. It was like a scary ghost story. But here, the ghost story was reality.

She briefly recalled the original work.

‘He was also killed by Edwin.’

In the original, the Emperor’s actions could be described as nothing less than jumping into hell of his own accord. Knowing about the holy power, he tried to kill Michael, but failing, the Emperor was instead nearly killed by Edwin. By a stroke of luck, he barely survived using an escape route created by the Duke. However, after the Duke and Alice died, in the process of Edwin usurping the throne, he was eventually reduced to a state where his five limbs were separated.

‘Now that I think about it, no one survives.’

Every new person she met was destined to be killed by Edwin. She wondered if Edwin’s other profession was a grim reaper.

The Emperor set down his teacup and spoke. “Hmm… how many years are left?”

“In terms of years, about ten years are left.”

“Ten years is too long. It’s too dangerous to keep her in the palace. But to keep her outside the palace as well…”

As if expecting those words, the Duke spoke. “I will keep her at the Duchy until everything is certain.”

Until everything is certain? Alice instinctively realized those words had a meaning related to her.

“This child at the Duchy?” The Emperor looked thoughtful.

Alice just rolled her eyes, not knowing what was going on. They were clearly arguing about her whereabouts, but she had no idea why.

‘And what do I have to do with the Emperor?’

She wanted to remain someone who would never have anything to do with the Imperial family, but looking at the current situation, that wish seemed destined to remain only a wish.

“Then I suppose she must. What choice is there?” There were enemies everywhere in the palace.

Adding those words, the Emperor chuckled and drank his tea. It felt as if even the small amount of alertness he had earlier had vanished. Was there medicine in that tea?

‘But all three are the same tea.’

She had just taken a sip because her throat was dry, and fortunately, it was normal tea. The Duke was also drinking the same tea as her.

“Then I shall see you in ten years, child.”

Somehow, she felt she understood the situation. Though not explicitly mentioned in the original work, the Duke had also plotted treason. Then was the Duke currently drugging him from the side? Alice’s mouth felt dry, as if she had chewed on sand.

***

As Alice stepped out of the room with the Duke, Kaden was waiting by the door. The Duke immediately began discussing his schedule with his aide. Since she hadn’t been dismissed yet, Alice stood there awkwardly, listening intently to their conversation.

Noticing her late, the Duke’s eyebrow arched.

“What are you still doing there?”

“You haven’t told me I could go yet.”

A look of disbelief flickered across his face.

‘There it is again, that face.’

His arrogant expression almost made her own face sour. Looking down at her, the Duke spoke.

“How did you know that man was His Majesty?”

“Pardon?”

“I am asking how you recognized the Emperor when you have never met him before.”

His gaze was dry and chilly as it swept over her.

‘Ugh, why is he constantly suspecting me?’

She seriously considered advising him to look into whether he was suffering from clinical paranoia, but she held her tongue.

“I figured the only person who would speak so casually in front of Your Grace could be His Majesty.”

“Simply for that reason?”

“Yes. I just took a lucky guess, and fortunately, I was right.”

Alice nodded. She didn’t feel the need to give a sincere, detailed answer to every single question.

‘Whenever I try to think too hard, I feel like my every move is being read.’

She had learned from their last encounter that sometimes it was best to just give the Duke a casual response.

“A coincidence, then.”

The Duke let out a hollow laugh at her bold reply, his lips curling into a slow, relaxed smirk. He was actually smiling at her.

‘This man, who is obsessed with the family’s glory, is smiling?’

It felt incredibly ominous, yet his handsome face kept drawing her eyes toward him. The gravity of a beautiful man is truly a force to be reckoned with.

“By the way… Your Grace,” Alice said.

The conversation the Emperor and the Duke had been having about her earlier was weighing heavily on her mind.

“You… do know I’m only seven years old, right?”

It was a terrifying thought—one she didn’t even want to imagine. However, she had been anxious ever since the meeting, fearing her suspicions might be true. The Emperor loved superstitions and, like many rulers before him who shared that trait, was obsessed with eternal youth.

‘That’s why he was so interested in Michael’s holy power.’

There was no ingredient more attractive to the Emperor than the existence of holy power. Knowing this, the Duke had tried to offer Michael as a tribute in the original story, only to be executed by Edwin. Thinking back to the original plot, goosebumps broke out all over Alice’s body.

‘Is he planning to offer up my blood?’

If that horrific assumption was true, it explained why the Duke hadn’t kicked her out and was feeding her so well. The Emperor’s suspicious interest in her also made sense. She looked at the Duke with a face full of dread. He looked handsome and arrogant as ever.

‘Surely he isn’t such a shameless scoundrel that he’d sell a child to the Emperor just for power?’

Regrettably, based on the original novel, the Duke was exactly the type of man who would do such a thing. The Duke met her gaze. Alice felt incredibly uncomfortable under his expression, which seemed to say he knew exactly what she was thinking.

While a normal person would have been outraged at being seen as such a madman, the Duke remained perfectly composed.

‘Is this what it takes to be a villain?’

Instead of an answer, he threw back another question.

“Why do you say that?”

There was a hint of curiosity in his eyes. She immediately regretted asking.

‘Ah, I shouldn’t have poked the beehive.’

“You know why…”

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you think I know.”

Watching him feign ignorance just to test her made Alice clench her fists.

‘My life is on the line here!’

However, the moment their eyes met, she forced a harmless, awkward laugh.

“It’s a bit difficult for me to say it out loud…”

“One shouldn’t bring up things they can’t finish. Don’t you agree?”

“T-that’s true.”

Aaaargh!

Alice barely suppressed the urge to scream in the Duke’s face. Seeing her face turn red with annoyance, the Duke gave a short laugh.

“I don’t know what you’re imagining, but if a wild bird causes a ruckus, it becomes quite a headache for me as well.”

He chuckled lowly and walked past her.

‘A wild bird causing a ruckus? Who was he calling a wild bird…? Was it me? When did I ever cause a ruckus?’’

She stood there dazed, staring at his back as he walked away, once again leaving her with a riddle. Alice finally let her tense shoulders drop and exhaled a long sigh.

“Phew.”

In any case, it didn’t seem like he intended to sell her off as the Emperor’s bride.

“Oh, right.”

She clicked her tongue. She had forgotten to ask the most important thing.

‘I should have asked why he brought Evan here.’

Even if she had asked, she doubted the Duke would have given her a straight answer.

***

“It seems Lady Garnet has caught your interest, Your Grace.”

Kaden, walking through the palace alongside the Duke, was the first to speak. It was his first time seeing the Duke engage in such a long personal conversation with anyone other than the Emperor.

“Well, she is an interesting conversation partner.”

Kaden was startled by the reply; he hadn’t actually expected one. The Duke then asked with a blank expression: “So, did you find them?”

Kaden’s neck immediately stiffened. The Duke was asking about the peddler who sold the tea known as ‘Rube.’

“I failed to find them. It appears they have already fled to another country by ship.”

“This is your second failure.”

Under the Duke’s cold gaze, Kaden immediately bowed his head in apology.

“I will rectify this and move forward.”

“What about the contact with the Vatican?”

“I sent word four days ago, but they seem unwilling to cooperate.”

“Who is the candidate for the next Pope?”

“It is Saint Raphael.”

The Duke immediately thought of the high-ranking devotees at the Vatican.

“Another old man.”

“The Vatican is a place where people live, after all. It seems unavoidable,” Kaden remarked, indirectly referring to the power struggles within the church.

“They’re making such a fuss because they lack holy power.”

With that, the Duke quickened his pace. He was right. Three hundred years ago, the Papacy was a special honor and position given only to those born with holy power. Among them, only those who possessed the power to bring someone back from the brink of death could become Pope. The power of one who could save the dying was as immense as the ability itself. Furthermore, only a possessor of holy power could verify the unique supernatural abilities held only by the Imperial family.

At the peak of the Vatican’s influence, the Pope even held the power to select the next Emperor. However, three hundred years ago, Grand Duke Delphious—who had been designated as Emperor by the Pope—was murdered in a rebellion led by his elder brother.

The Vatican’s status became precarious after that event.

As soon as the elder brother, who had been passed over by the Vatican, ascended the throne, he purged all possessors of holy power within the church. The charges were ‘Deception of the Imperial Family and Lèse-majesté’ On the surface, the reason was that he could not tolerate the Vatican, a mere outside entity, interfering in matters of the throne… but in the end, it was merely an excuse to purge his opposition. It was nothing more than a reign of terror to wipe out those who did not support him.

Arriving at his private office in the palace, the Duke sat down and lit a cigar. Now that there were no other ears to listen, he asked his question in earnest.

“And the plan for conciliation?”

“Since a holy power user appearing could threaten their own authority, I don’t think they will help us easily.”

“Any other way?”

“There is the option of commissioning the Magic Tower, but I don’t know how long it will take. Holy power has a completely different nature from mana, so the process of identifying its presence is likely to be complicated. Furthermore, since this news must not reach the Vatican, the research must be done in secret, which I suspect will cost more time and money.”

The Duke frowned in silence at the skeptical conclusion. Kaden shared his concern. It was inefficient to pour astronomical amounts of money into the Magic Tower and wait for an uncertain result regarding a holy power detection spell. In fact, was it even right to proceed with all this based solely on the assumption that holy power was involved just because the young master was cured? What if the conclusion was that Evan Elga did not possess holy power?

While Kaden was skillfully weighing the gains and losses, the Duke was preoccupied with a different concern. To him, the cost was not the issue. The issue was the information leaking out. The current Vatican maintained a close relationship with the Emperor. If news reached the Vatican that he was searching for a holy power user, it could be misconstrued by the Emperor as a plot for treason. Unless an already famous holy power user appeared right before his eyes, moving to find one was dangerous.

“I’ll have to keep him close and observe for a while longer.”

The Duke concluded that there was more to lose than to gain in the process of exposing a holy power user. Kaden asked: “Is that why you brought Evan Elga to the capital?”

“No, that is for a different reason.”

The Duke had heard through the grapevine that Alice had suffered a severe bout of flu a few weeks ago, hovering between life and death.

“That child cannot be allowed to die yet.”

Leaving behind those mysterious words, he exhaled a long cloud of smoke.