Chapter 8. The Owner of the Cage (1)

‘Wow.’

The expensive dollhouse did not disappoint Iella. The door to the study was larger and more ornate than even her bedroom, eliciting an involuntary exclamation.

‘This is beyond extravagant; it’s almost terrifying.’

How perfect did they want this cage to be?

At this point, she could understand why Ailexia kept causing trouble. The obsessive perfection was overwhelming, even to her.

She began to suspect that Ailexia might have gone mad from the pressure of this perfection.

‘But wasn’t leaving the secondary palace an option?’

As she shook her head, Iella wondered why Ailexia stayed despite such treatment. However, she couldn’t find the answer and soon set the question aside, turning her attention to the empty hallway.

She had sent the still-fidgeting maid away as soon as they reached the door, so she was alone.

The stillness wrapped around her like a blanket.

‘I didn’t run into Vanessa on the way.’

There were other paths she could have taken, so they might have missed each other. Or perhaps the thick doors blocked out any noise.

Finishing her thoughts, Iella turned her gaze to the ornate gold handle. She grasped it firmly, and the door opened smoothly without a sound.

A strong scent of paper met her nose first. As if to confirm, a vast interior unfolded before her eyes. The sunlight filtering through the tall bookshelves added to the beauty of the scene.

Momentarily forgetting her original purpose, she stepped inside, and the door closed quietly behind her.

Her tense body relaxed in the warm, inviting atmosphere.

She began to explore the nearest bookshelf, her movements becoming more natural.

From a young age, Iella had lived with books. With no peers to play with in her modest estate, she naturally turned to solitary activities.

Although her family’s finances limited the variety and frequency of new books, she didn’t mind. Sitting between her parents, listening to them read the same books night after night, was a joy. This fostered a deep love for reading, extending even to the books in her father’s study.

Thus, this place was like heaven to her. Given its size, it might even contain a variety of old books, her favorite.

Her eyes, bright with anticipation, scanned the shelves quickly but carefully. The shelves were filled with books she had read and many she had never seen before.

Her eager steps led her deeper into the room. Eventually, she stopped at a bookshelf further from the door.

Her eyes landed on a shelf filled with books similar to the old ones she had seen in her father’s study.

Iella immediately crouched down and pulled out a book, beginning to read. It was about ancient history.

“Under the fingers of rejection and condemnation, the one who shall not be rejected created the world…”

Her slender fingers followed the ancient script as she read. It was a habit she had developed while teaching herself the old language.

Many old books, even those translated into the Empire’s language, contained passages in the original language. Important parts or those that couldn’t be properly conveyed through translation were often left in the original. Studying and learning these passages had become a habit.

When she finally closed the thick book, a heavy thud echoed. At the same time, a tingling sensation spread through her legs.

She had been so engrossed that she hadn’t noticed the discomfort in her legs. Realizing how excited she had been, Iella remembered her original purpose.

With a regretful look, she returned the book to its place. However, she hesitated and then pulled out the book next to it.

‘It wouldn’t hurt to take at least one with me to read.’

It was hard to resist the sudden desire. She was actually starting to appreciate being in Ailexia’s body for the first time.

“They’re meant to be read anyway.”

Having rationalized her decision, Iella stood up. She planned to quickly find a useful book and read it back in her room. This reignited her determination to find a new destination. Fortunately, her numbed legs only wobbled slightly and didn’t cause her to fall or prevent her from standing.

“Phew.”

However, the tingling sensation still traveled up her legs with each step, making it difficult to move immediately.

Iella paused, taking deep breaths to calm herself. But as the tingling began to subside, a large shadow loomed over her, as if about to swallow her whole.

Curious about the shadow’s source, Iella turned her head back while holding the book close to her chest.

The first thing she saw was a meticulously dressed uniform and a broad, solid chest beneath the fabric. Then, she noticed a badge on the left side of the chest, featuring a complex emblem with an eagle spreading its wings.

Blinking, Iella slowly raised her gaze. Her deep pink eyes traveled up a sharply defined jawline to a firmly closed mouth. At that moment, the person lowered his head to look down at her.

As he moved, a heady, seductive musk enveloped her, making her feel dizzy.

Instinctively holding her breath, she stiffened as his long arm reached out to grasp the bookshelf beside her, trapping her. She had no choice but to meet his eyes.

His eyes, a deep blood-red, gleamed like those of a predator eyeing its prey.

“How curious.”

His low voice, reminiscent of a growling beast, flowed lazily.

“I thought you’d ignore me again for some trivial reason.”

His piercing gaze felt like it was burning her skin. The chilling intensity of his red eyes swallowed Iella whole.

Just a single word and a glance from him made the previously calm and serene atmosphere feel heavy and oppressive. Iella’s lips clamped shut as if they were glued together, unable to respond or react.

“Or did you decide to personally intervene today?”

But the man seemed to interpret her silence differently. He smirked cynically and continued.

“After all, it’s about time. You always ignored me from behind your maid, but occasionally you’d come to stir things up yourself. Isn’t that right?”

“……”

Iella still couldn’t speak. While the oppressive atmosphere played a part, she was also unsure how to respond.

Noticing her continued silence, the man seemed to sense something amiss. He narrowed one eye and then withdrew the arm that had trapped her.

With the distance between them increasing, the pressure on her body lessened. Iella resisted the urge to take a deep breath. The man, now standing straight with his arms crossed, continued to look down at her sharply.

He tilted his head lazily.

“Did you not hear the news?”

His eyes relaxed slightly as he asked, seemingly deep in thought.

Iella awkwardly turned her head back slowly, trying to think quickly. The man spoke again from behind her.

“That impudent maid came looking for me again, as if to spy.”

This triggered a memory in her mind.

[“She said she would be quick. It’s not the first time this has happened, so you needn’t worry too much…”]

Vanessa, who had suddenly gone to organize the study. The maid mentioning it wasn’t the first time. And the man she met in the study.

The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together. The subject omitted from the maid’s words, and what Vanessa was supposedly organizing—it seemed to be this man.

However, there were still too many blanks to be certain. She didn’t know his identity or his relationship with Ailexia.

Acting rashly and arousing suspicion would be problematic.

Iella bit her lip in frustration. Then, she heard a short clicking sound from behind. She tightened her grip on the book and turned to face him.

Ignoring him would be ideal, but that was no longer an option. All she could hope for was that her actions appeared natural.

‘I am Ailexia. I am Ailexia.’

Iella repeated to herself like a mantra. She thought about how Ailexia would have acted. Ailexia would have been confident with anyone. She needed to be at least that bold to maintain her reputation.

Iella straightened her body and lifted her chin. The red eyes still instilled fear, but she couldn’t show it.

The man raised an eyebrow at her changed demeanor and let out a deflated laugh.

“Of course. That temperament wouldn’t change.”

He then slightly bent down and extended his hand, clad in a black leather glove.

His index finger lifted her chin. Surprisingly, the touch felt as soft as the leather against her skin.

“You haven’t let that beggar into your bedroom lately, have you?”

Though his words were anything but gentle.