Male Lead, Don’t Follow Me! - Chapter 34

Come to think of it, it was a childish act, and dwelling on it might make me seem even more narrow-minded.

“I added the flower that Lady Kiara bloomed earlier, it should relieve your fatigue.”

“Ah! So the healing flower was added.”

I finally realized why my body felt lighter.

Indeed, the power of capital…

To have us drink tea with a flower that’s not easily obtainable. I suppose the amount of flowers I bloomed earlier was quite substantial.

Ephelia also seemed to enjoy the tea, savoring it silently.

Watching her maintain such a calm demeanor always gave me a sense of stability.

“It’s delicious.”

Helia smiled brightly at Serna as she sipped her tea.

She seemed to be around my age, but her actions were so adorable that she felt like a younger sister.

‘No! Look at you, getting charmed again.’

I shook my head vigorously to snap out of it.

But why did Helia go there alone?

“Helia, didn’t you have something to tell me?”

“Ah… Actually, I heard a voice. It told me to go there.”

“A voice?”

My hand trembled at her words.

Whose voice did she hear? I was quite worried about what would come out of her mouth next.

It felt like I shouldn’t hear it. Isn’t it strange how everything seems to fit together so perfectly?

Perhaps it’s just my excessive imagination, but there’s no guarantee that there are no villains here.

I quietly listened to her words. Helia glanced at me once, then closed her mouth.

“I don’t think I should talk about this just anywhere.”

“Helia, it’s okay here. These people are spirit users too, so wouldn’t they be able to help?”

Serna comforted her with a gentle voice. It seemed she was quite experienced at this.

Helia seemed to ponder for a moment, then put down her teacup as if she had made up her mind.

The tea in her cup rippled gently.

The wafting scent of tea was pleasant. However, my body remained tense regardless.

“Actually, for some time now—”

Just as Helia was about to speak, Bishwaltz entered. As if on cue, everyone closed their mouths and looked at him.

As the attention shifted to him, his eyes wavered slightly.

He’s flustered. I inwardly chuckled at Bishwaltz’s expression. It was rare to see such a face on him, so it was enjoyable when it appeared.

“…It seems I’ve interrupted something.”

“Ah, no! Please, have a seat.”

Helia hurriedly stood up. She pulled out a chair for him, smiling. She was clearly showing him goodwill.

‘Well, he does have a face that would naturally make anyone want to show kindness.’

I didn’t attribute any special meaning to her actions. If I didn’t know what kind of person he was, I would have acted the same way as Helia.

“Thank you. I saw unfamiliar flowers blooming out front.”

“Ah, Kiara did that.”

Ephelia glanced at Helia as she spoke. I looked back and forth between the two and shrugged.

“Well, in a way, I did do it…”

“It’s hard to believe, but if Lady Kirin says so, it must not be a lie.”

“…Duke? I wonder what you really think of me.”

“Do you want to hear it from my mouth?”

“No. I think I’d rather not hear it.”

I immediately turned away and took a sip of tea.

Helia’s eyes shone even brighter than before. Her lips, which had been mumbling, finally opened to continue the story she had started earlier.

“I hear voices. Since before, like premonitions telling me something is going to happen.”

“…An oracle?”

That can’t be. I frowned. Oracles didn’t exist. How could there be an oracle when there was no one who believed in gods here?

Moreover, there was no existence of a saint, was there?

No matter which part of the novel I tried to recall, I couldn’t remember any character with such a presence. So what Helia was saying must be a lie.

“I’ve never heard of a saint appearing in the Empire.”

“That’s right.”

Bishwaltz responded calmly to my words. But his behavior made me even more uneasy.

“Besides, an oracle for a spirit user doesn’t make sense, does it?”

“Umm, I never said it was an oracle. I just said I heard voices.”

Helia looked at me with a subdued voice, carefully gauging my reaction.

What happened to her earlier confidence? Had she transformed into a pitiful woman before my eyes?

I stifled a laugh that threatened to escape and fixed my gaze on her.

“I’d appreciate if you could describe in detail the kind of voice you heard. It’s a matter of considerable importance, you understand.”

Bishwaltz appeared to be cooperating in an effort to extract information from Helia.

Naturally, this situation itself could be of great significance to him.

“Actually, the reason I went to the Sorendel region was because I heard the voice.”

“What kind?”

“I heard a voice telling me to go and purify because it sensed an unauthorized power.”

“You mean black magic.”

Considering Helia’s power, it didn’t seem to be a lie.

She really did possess the power of purification, and it was true that the aura of black magic diminished when she used her power.

“But why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“That’s… I thought no one would believe me.”

She hesitated and put down her tea. I noticed her bowed head and slightly trembling body.

I just stared at her without taking any particular action.

“In all regions, the trust in Lady Kirin was almost the same as that of a saint.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“There has never been a saint in the Empire until now. So even if I said I was a saint now, who would believe me? I can’t control spirits freely like Lady Ephelia.”

That was a natural statement.

Knowing the original story, I had never seen anyone as proficient in spirit arts as Ephelia.

If there had been, it would have been her rival, and in a way, it would have been a balance breaker.

Since everything was given to the female protagonist, it wouldn’t make sense for someone to appear to counter her.

But now, such a sign was appearing before my eyes.

And through someone who suddenly appeared and we didn’t even know properly.

“So, you’re saying you heard the voice and went to purify?”

I asked Helia.

It was difficult to distinguish what was true and what was false. Maybe it was all a lie from beginning to end.

“Yes, from a few days ago. It hasn’t been long. I only recently realized my power.”

“Helia, can you prove your identity?”

Bishwaltz asked her gently. To take her to the imperial family, an accurate identity was needed.

Since she graduated from the academy late, hardly anyone knew of her existence properly, and even if Serna vouched for her, it would be hard to believe.

Since she hadn’t been watching her since childhood, objectively speaking, evidence that could be accepted was needed.

“Of course. I am Helia Telphone, daughter of Viscount Telphone.”

“The Telphone family?”

He pondered deeply about something. I racked my brain to recall the word ‘Telphone’.

“I’ve heard of the Telphone family.”

Ephelia smiled gently while looking at Helia.

Was there a family that I couldn’t remember?

Ephelia had almost all the people memorized, so if she knew, it would probably be correct with 99 percent certainty.

“Then the story will be easy. Couldn’t we just go to the Telphone family and get confirmation?”

“That would probably be difficult.”

Ephelia shook her head. I couldn’t hide my puzzlement at her words.

If we know about them, can’t we just go and find them? Why is she saying it’s not possible?

Helia also didn’t refute Ephelia’s words and just smiled faintly.

She looked at us with a face that seemed somewhat sad, or rather like there was a story behind it.

“Lady Serna probably knew, so she remained quiet at Your Grace’s words. The Telphone family fell from grace a few years ago. The parents couldn’t bear it and committed suicide, and I heard they had one daughter.”

Serna nodded at Ephelia’s words. Her face was full of sympathy.

“Due to poverty, she probably couldn’t even make her debut in high society. So very few people might know her. Even if we try to confirm, it would be difficult to properly reveal her identity. Isn’t that right, Lady Helia?”

“…Yes, that’s right. Unfortunately, my family has already fallen, and there’s nothing left to reveal my status. Except for one seal that my parents left behind.”

She took out a seal from her bosom.

It had the crest of the Telphone family along with some letters.

“This seems to confirm her identity.”

Bishwaltz didn’t add anything else. There was no evidence more certain than that.

He seemed to be thinking of going up to the capital with her right away.