“Your Majesty.”

A gentle voice crosses the quiet room.

At that moment, the old man, Emperor Bertio’s eyes snapped open.

His golden eyes gazed into space before finally turning to Celestina.

Celestina, who had drawn back her veil, addressed the Emperor with a calm smile.

“How are you feeling?”

No sooner had those words ended than powerless tears flowed from the Emperor’s eyes.

It was such a frail appearance that it was hard to believe he was the monarch leading the empire of Lagranacia.

He barely parted his lips.

“Saint…….”

An honorific of the highest respect escaped from the Emperor’s mouth.

“……Please save me.”

His weak voice pleaded desperately.

Celestina quietly looked at the Emperor like this, then raised her hand to gently stroke his forehead.

A dazzling golden light shone under Celestina’s hand.

“Your Majesty is doing well.”

“…….”

“The time is near. The Goddess is watching over us.”

“Ah…….”

At the gentle whisper, the Emperor trembled and closed his eyes.

Celestina merely looked down at the Emperor with warm eyes.

***

The priest with the vile fox face had given me a trap card.

‘If you’re going to give something, give something proper.’

Actually, it’s much better than having nothing, but I kept grumbling out of disappointment.

I looked at the invitation, lost in thought.

Anyway, the conclusion is one.

“I need to find a partner…….”

But there’s no one around me who could be a partner.

Moreover, even if I somehow found a partner, if that person didn’t have an invitation, mine would be useless too.

In short, I need someone who has a baptism invitation and can also act as my partner.

‘Such a person…… does exist.’

But the problem is whether that person would help me.

‘I have no choice but to try and see.’

After taking a deep breath, I left the room.

***

“What brings you here, Livia?”

In the end, the person I sought was Lemon.

He was coming down from the second floor, perhaps having finished organizing books.

I quietly watched Lemon slowly descending the oval staircase.

Once again, really…….

‘It’s hard to believe he’s the master of that Rune Information Guild with that appearance.’

From his light-colored long hair to his snow-white skin without a single scar, long eyelashes, lemon-colored eyes, and not-so-thick body line.

Knowing that the Rune Information Guild doesn’t always gather information legitimately, it was hard for me to match the image.

Well, I suppose one needs to be that good-looking to extract information through seduction.

“Livia?”

“Ah.”

Momentarily lost in thought, I snapped back to reality and spoke to him.

“You, you’re working hard, aren’t you?”

It was a somewhat reflexive comment, but it was also sincere.

Even though it’s probably just a job for gathering information, he seems to be working hard whenever I see him.

Lemon responded with a faint smile.

“I’ve been formally hired, so I’d be fired if I slack off.”

“I suppose…….”

Cardien is more than capable of doing that.

I still find it amazing that he even left Lemon inside the house.

“So, what brings you here? The deadline shouldn’t be up yet.”

“Ah, I have a different matter today.”

“I see. A different matter…….”

Lemon’s eyes curved like crescent moons for a moment.

He spoke with a gentle smile.

“I’m glad. That Livia would seek me out for something other than work.”

Swish, swish. If he had a tail, it would probably be wagging gently right now.

Seeing him smile as if genuinely happy, I pressed my lips tightly.

Soon, I spoke quietly.

“Isn’t seduction unnecessary now?”

You don’t need to use that when I’m giving you information on my own.

Lemon then spoke with a seemingly disappointed expression.

“I’m being sincere.”

I’m sure you are.

I responded roughly in my mind and moved to a seat.

Lemon followed me. We naturally sat down facing each other at our designated seats.

“So, what’s this matter other than a request?”

At his question, I hesitated before pushing a white card towards him.

Lemon looked at the card with interested eyes.

“It’s an invitation to a baptism ceremony.”

“Oh…… That’s quite precious.”

“It is.”

I nodded.

As he said, the baptism ceremony invitation is precious.

However…….

“It’s not just an invitation…… it’s a partner invitation.”

“A partner invitation, meaning you need a partner to enter, right?”

Lemon said, neatly summarizing.

That’s why it’s even more gloomy.

“As Lemon said, I need a partner to attend the baptism ceremony. So…….”

I looked at him.

Lemon was already smiling faintly as if he had guessed what I was about to say.

I took a small deep breath and said.

“I’d like Lemon to be my partner.”

“Hmm…….”

He tapped the invitation thoughtfully with a pretend pondering face.

Finally, he parted his lips.

“But Livia, isn’t there someone more suitable to be your partner than me?”

“…….”

I closed my lips at his words.

Lemon added.

“Duke Cardien Mercedes. As far as I know, he should have received an invitation to the baptism ceremony too.”

“…….”

“Wouldn’t the Duke be a bit better if you’re looking for a partner?”

Certainly, Lemon’s words had a point.

It might be quicker to ask Cardien, who had received an invitation, rather than coming to him and asking him to be my partner.

When the priest of the vile fox statue handed me the invitation, I had already anticipated that he would have given an invitation to Cardien as well.

But…….

“It won’t work.”

I shook my head firmly.

For a brief moment, a strange light flashed in Lemon’s eyes.

“What’s the reason?”

Reason?

‘Because I can’t let Cardien and Celestina meet.’

Knowing how Cardien changes after seeing Celestina for the first time at the Emperor’s birthday banquet, I couldn’t allow Celestina and Cardien to meet.

Not only that.

“His Grace won’t attend the baptism ceremony anyway.”

To Cardien, who hates the temple, the baptism ceremony would feel like a sewer crawling with cockroaches.

There’s no way he would go to such a place.

I looked at him with certainty.

Lemon looked at me with interested eyes before nodding.

“I understand.”

Surprised by his more willing response than I had expected, I asked again with a shocked expression.

“You’re agreeing? This isn’t a request, you know.”

Then he answered with a gentle smile.

“I told you before. That I repay favors.”

“Ah…….”

I immediately understood what ‘favor’ he was talking about.

‘It’s repayment for letting him dream about his mother.’

Although it wasn’t intentional, it’s fortunate anyway.

After discussing more about the schedule, I stood up.

As I was about to leave the library, Lemon suddenly spoke.

“But is it okay?”

“What do you mean?”

He pointed his finger in a certain direction.

It was the direction of the main house.

“Is it okay to decide without telling the Duke?”

“Ah…….”

Well, certainly.

I nodded.

“I should talk to him.”

Right, strike while the iron is hot.

I should tell him right away now that it’s decided.

I immediately started walking.

***

Winston was taking a break, savoring some green tea.

‘It’s peaceful…….’

The mansion maintained its usual quietness, but the atmosphere Winston perceived was a bit different.

‘The servants are less wary of the master.’

It’s not that Cardien particularly intimidated them, but the servants had been naturally frightened and kept quiet due to his cold gaze.

But at some point, his gaze started to change a little.

‘He’s softened a lot.’

It’s still cold, but no longer emanates that icy atmosphere that seemed to freeze one’s soul.

‘It’s all thanks to the Tutor.’

Winston knew exactly who had caused such a change in him.

Livia Pellington.

She, who seemed to be just a home tutor, had somehow changed Mercedes.

But soon Winston’s expression darkened.

‘Terminal illness, they say…….’

How shocked he was when she first coughed up blood and collapsed.

Not just Livia, but Cardien’s expression as he held the collapsed Livia…….

‘The master doesn’t seem to be aware of it, but.’

At that time, Cardien’s face looked as if he would kill anything that dared to approach.

Since he had been by Cardien’s side, it was the first time he had seen such a fierce look.

Even Winston himself dared not approach carelessly.

That’s not all.

While Livia was unconscious, Cardien didn’t sleep a wink and kept watch by her side with his lips tightly sealed.

‘What is the Tutor to the master?’

At one point, Winston vaguely thought that Cardien had taken a liking to Livia.

‘But that wasn’t it.’

Before going to the festival, Cardien was clearly suspicious of Livia’s true intentions.

Then what about now?

‘To the master now, the Tutor is…….’

It was then.

Knock knock.

Suddenly, a knocking sound was heard.