Volume IV

Chapter 4. I Acknowledge My Feelings

“Fine, do as you wish, Master.”

Kai sighed, decidedly giving up.

As the only being who knew both Adelia’s past and present lives, he wasn’t unaware of her feelings.

It must be painful for her to see the original story, which had been her only support during those difficult times, changing because of her.

However, from Kai’s perspective, the future didn’t look that dark. The situation was actually better than the original. Adelia’s future had especially completely changed.

Though it was difficult to predict the dark mage’s power, it couldn’t defeat white magic, which was God’s power.

‘The one concerning point is that Master can’t use her power fully.’

Due to her soul and body having different colors, Adelia could only use about half of her power. Not the intensity of power, but the total amount of power she could use was significantly less than other white mages.

If her soul and body’s colors became one, she could use her full power.

Until now, it hadn’t been a big deal since there was no danger, but with the dark mage’s appearance, they couldn’t stay idle like this anymore.

‘I’ll have to stay here for a while.’

He felt uneasy about leaving his disobedient master.

Though she was smart and strong, she always seemed somehow empty.

Sometimes she looked so precarious that it made him feel sorry and worried. Until now, he had roamed outside at Adelia’s request, but now he felt the need to stay by her side.

“If your mind changes someday, I hope you’ll tell me then, Master. I’ll help you.”

“You’re really kind after all, Kai.”

“It’s because if Master dies young, I won’t be able to travel either.”

When Adelia hugged Kai tightly with both arms, Kai grumbled but slowly moved into her embrace. He made a pleased sound while resting his large head on Adelia’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Kai.”

“If you’re thankful, hurry and go borrow the holy sword from its master.”

“Ugh…… Wasn’t this supposed to be a touching moment?”

“We can feel touched after the work is done. Hurry up and go, Master.”

“You’re so mean, Kai……”

* * *

Adelia stayed cooped up in her room for days completing the magic formula. She postponed even her usual tea time with Ariana and focused everything on the magic formula.

She believed that if this succeeded, she could get the deviated future back on track.

There was only one chance. If this failed, they would have to wait for the next opportunity. If the King of Silentium returned to his country, the wait for the next chance would become endlessly long. Since they didn’t know what he might plot during that time, they had to kill him during this opportunity.

“Done! It’s done, right Kai?”

“Yes. It’s finished. Now we just need to borrow the holy sword.”

“Whew…… I’ll go borrow it right away today. I want to finish this quickly.”

Before knowing he was a dark mage, she had created a magic formula that would only harm his body. She had planned to just scare him enough to keep him quiet during the founding ceremony.

But from the moment she learned he was a great danger, she had no intention of letting him live. With his death as a premise, there was no reason to delay.

‘But why do I feel so uneasy……”

Borrowing the holy sword shouldn’t be difficult, and the magic formula was perfect.

But an inexplicable anxiety bloomed in Adelia’s heart. Even going through all the processes again, the preparation was perfect.

Though there was nothing to be anxious about, the uneasy feeling kept rising.

‘I’m just feeling troubled these days, I should hurry and borrow the holy sword.’

Adelia shook her head repeatedly as she got up.

Thinking that the future would become happy again once she had the holy sword, she headed toward the Crown Prince’s palace.

“His Highness the Crown Prince isn’t here?”

“Yes, he just left.”

“Is that so? Where did he go?”

“Probably to the Imperial Princess’s palace……”

But Adelia couldn’t meet Lucian.

Since it was time for him to work, she had gone to the Crown Prince’s palace. There she met only his aides, not Lucian.

Hearing that Lucian had gone to the Imperial Princess’s palace, she went there but…

“Huh? Brother was here until just now…… Where did he go?”

Even Ariana could only tilt her head, not knowing Lucian’s whereabouts. Though she asked around the palace people and searched here and there, she couldn’t even catch a strand of his hair.

“His Highness the Crown Prince isn’t here?”

“He was here until just now…… Where did Bother go?”

Even the Prince she met at the training grounds didn’t know Lucian’s whereabouts.

Exhausted, Adelia let out a deep sigh.

“Ah…… I guess there’s no choice. If you happen to see His Highness the Crown Prince, please make sure to catch him,”

“Alright, Sister.”

“I’ve been looking for him because I wanted to meet him quickly, but at this rate I should have just waited until the banquet……”

“Uh…… Brother said he would skip today’s banquet……”

“What?”

Upon hearing those words, Adelia grabbed the back of her neck.

He was clearly avoiding her.

‘I thought we just kept missing each other, but that wasn’t it.’

After walking around the palace all day, her feet were throbbing and her legs were trembling.

The thought that he was avoiding her while she was suffering like this made her blood boil.

“I really didn’t want to do this……”

Adelia smiled wickedly while lifting her trembling lips.

Muttering in a low voice, she turned sharply and walked out of the training grounds.

Just in case, Adelia stuck close to Ariana until the evening banquet.

She thought that though Lucian was avoiding her, he might come to see Ariana.

But only His Majesty and the Prince visited, while not even a strand of Lucian’s hair was seen.

As the Prince had said, Lucian didn’t appear at the evening banquet either.

“Haha…… Why didn’t His Highness the Crown Prince come?”

“He said he was busy with work. I don’t know if that’s true though.”

When she pressed His Majesty about Lucian’s whereabouts, he brushed it off with an indifferent answer.

Even when she asked persistently, he only said she should ask Lucian directly.

After the seemingly peaceful but tension-filled evening banquet ended, Adelia headed straight to the Crown Prince’s palace.

The person who greeted Adelia was Lucian’s aide. He immediately broke into a sweat upon seeing Adelia.

Seeing him for the fifth time just today, Adelia narrowed her eyes.

“His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Well……”

“He’s not here again?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The aide’s answer was still the same. When she emphasized ‘again’, the aide flinched.

Though Adelia wanted to press further, she closed her mouth seeing the aide troubled between two superiors.

“I understand. When His Highness returns, make sure to tell him I came by.”

Though she couldn’t meet Lucian, Adelia withdrew quietly.

The aide who watched Adelia walk away clicking her heels without lingering let out a deep sigh.

“Your Highness……”

He knocked on the door with a whimpering voice. The large door slowly opened at his weak knocking.

Red eyes flashed through the slightly opened gap.

“Did she leave?”

“Yes…… I somehow managed to cover it up but…… Her Highness the Crown Princess seemed suspicious.”

“I see, you may go.”

When Lucian waved his hand, the aide bowed deeply and quickly left.

Getting caught between superiors was the most terrible thing for an employee. Moreover, since those superiors were imperial family members, it felt like his life was hanging by a thread.

When the aide disappeared, the entire space became quiet.

Lucian, who disliked unnecessary noise, didn’t usually keep servants nearby, and since no one dared to harm him, there were no guards around either.

Once completely alone, Lucian opened the door and came outside. Though it was just right in front of the door.

“She must be suspicious?”

Lucian leaned against the doorframe and gazed at the corridor where Adelia had disappeared.

The entire time Adelia was here, he had stood in front of the door just listening to her voice. Though he hadn’t seen her, just hearing her voice made her image vivid in his mind.

Lucian closed his eyes and let out a low sigh.

“Damn……”

The place where Adelia had been still held her scent.

It was the subtle fragrance of freesia, not the fresh fruity scent she often wore. The flower scent he had despised so much was now fragrant simply because it was her scent.

Lucian rubbed his face. Between his fingers, eyes mixed with complicated emotions were visible.

He couldn’t meet her without finding the name for these complicated feelings.

Though he buried himself in work to keep his thoughts at bay, it didn’t last long—His Majesty had already stripped him of most of his responsibilities, leaving little to do.

He had already finished reviewing the ledger Adelia had mentioned.

With time to spare, his mind became complicated again. Though Adelia had been busy too and hadn’t shown herself for days, today, she moved around looking for him everywhere.

At first he meant to meet her, but the moment he saw her back, his stomach churned.

“I can’t avoid her forever……”

He was afraid to see Adelia. Somehow, he felt that if he faced her again, he would know the name of this emotion. But he hesitated to meet her, feeling that if that happened, his life would change completely.

Lucian turned sharply. Messing up his neat hair, he went back into the room.

After evening passed and night came, the room was filled with soft moonlight. With all the magic lamps turned off to give the illusion that the room was empty, only the soft glow of moonlight illuminated the space.