《I will not die a Villainess&#x27;s death》


 Chapter 1 1: A Bad First Impression

    "Lady Elysia Raffle, meet the crown prince and your future fiance - Adam. I pray you two get along with him in the future and live happily ever after."

    The words rang inside Elysia''s mind like a curse. She had done everything in her power to make sure this moment never arrived. She had been an obedient child and had done everything that had been asked of her.

    She had attended every prayer and managed to ace every ss that she had been a part of.

    In other words, Elysia had done everything she could to solidify herself as an invaluable asset in the eyes of the head priest to avoid this situation.

    So why? Why did she have to face this situation again?

    "Elysia, hurry up and greet the crown prince. You should not keep your future husband waiting."

    The head priest pushed Elysia ahead to make her stand in front of the other six years old.

    Cold blue eyes looked back at Elysia with a scrolling face. The crown prince did not look happy to see Elysia and she could understand why.

    Even she would not have been happy if she had been dragged out of her bed at the crack of dawn to greet some insignificant people.

    It would be better for Elysia to make a good but nonsting first impression. Elysia did not want to get herself on the crown prince''s radar after all.

    If the prince did not pay any attention to her then she could easily ask him to break their engagement once they grew up.

    So Elysia did not speak despite being probed into replying.

    And seeing as how she was not replying, the guard that had apanied the crown prince decided to edge him to make the first move.

    "Your highness, perhaps thedy is shy? Why don''t you make the first move and offer her your hand?"

    Elysia could see the disgust in the crown prince''s eyes at being ordered around. The proud child did not want to lower his head in front of a meremoner.

    And the crown prince was not happy with how things had progressed this morning. He had been dragged away from his precious swords dragged over to the temple at the break of the dawn.

    He had not wanted toe but his refusal had gone unheard by his retainer.

    But what could he do but obey his retainer? If he did not do as he was asked and made a bad first impression, then his father would punish him instead.

    It would mean having his allowance cut off and his precious weapons confiscated.

    So he would be civil to the dirty ck-hairedmoner in front of the adults and make sure this visit would be thest one he will have to endure.

    "Hello. My name is Adam Von Benefiel, the crown prince of this empire. It is a pleasure to meet you, mydy."

    The small child did as he had learned in his ethics ss. He could tell that his retainer was happy with his manner and so was the head priest.

    The only one who had a pinched expression on her face was the girl that had been introduced as his ''fiance''. She was weirdly looking at him the six years old did not like.

    But even if he could tell that the girl did not like him, he had no other choice but to extend his hand toward her. The adults were still looking at him after all.

    "Elysia, go on and take his hand. You children should enjoy yourself while we adults have a nice and long talk."

    The crown prince could tell that the girl was not happy to be sent away. Her face had a sour look on it but she did notin.

    Perhaps she was in a simr situation as him. Perhaps she was being forced into this situation as well?

    She certainly did not look happy to take his hand.

    Adam''s retainer waved his hand which was a signal to ''piss off.'' Adam hated how his retainer refused to respect him despite him being the only crown prince of the empire.

    ''I will make him pay one day.''

    Were his thoughts as he tugged the taller female after him.

    "Hey, s-slow down and let my hand go. I can walk on my own."

    The girlined but Adam did not let go until he was as far away as he could be from his retainer and the head priest. Only once he was out of their hearing range did he decide to open his mouth andin.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "This is all your fault. Why did I have to be dragged here this early in the morning? I want to go home too but I cannot. And it is all because of you and your ugly face."

    _____________________________________

    Elysia had no idea what she had done wrong. She had just been minding her business when the crown prince had started to drag her away. She quickly nced toward the head priest for help but the man pretended not to have seen her struggle.

    ''Traitor. I will not forgive this insult.''

    But no matter how much Elysia cried out in her mind, she could not stop herself from being dragged after the older boy.

    For someone shorter than her at age six, the child was really strong. It had to be because of the strong royal magic flowing through his blood.

    "Hey, s-slow down and let my hand go. I can walk on my own."

    Elysia''s arm was going numb from being held too tight. This y was no longer fun for her. She wanted to go back to her bed and sleep.

    Suddenly, the elder child stopped and turned toward Elysia with a furious expression. The burning intensity in those blue eyes made her take a step back in fright.

    But the crown prince took one ahead for every step she took back.

    "This is all your fault. Why did I have to be dragged here this early in the morning? I want to go home too but I cannot. And it is all because of you and your ugly face."

    The crown prince''s outburst was unexpected and it hurt Elysia''s feelings.

    An older person might have understood that the crown prince''s outburst was because of his suppressed feelings and in-the-moment annoyance. They would have understood that he had not meant it.

    But Elysia was a six years old child with thoughts and feelings of a six-year-old. She might know human understanding but that did not give her the maturity needed to handle these things.

    So when faced with such overwhelming negative emotions, Elysia did the only thing she could - she punched the crown prince in the face.

    The white-haired child fell back from the impact and the shock of the sudden punch. Elysia could see tears forming in the prince''s eyes.

    "CROWN PRINCE? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

    Her actions had brought the other two adults over. She could see horror fill the head priest''s eyes as blood started dripping out of the crown prince''s nose.

    Wide blue eyes looked back at her with an unknown emotion inside them but Elysia was rooted to her spot.

    "I-I did n-not mean t-to-"

    She was not even able to finish the sentence before she felt the ground give way beneath her feet. The shock of her actions hit her suddenly and it was too much.

    The way the head priest and the retainer were looking at her felt bad and itching. They were certainly ming her for this injury she had inflicted on the prince.

    "Elysia, go back to your room. You are grounded for the time being."

    This was the first time Elysia was being grounded but it certainly would not be thest one. After all, her life was bound to get worse as long as she met the crown prince.

    The consequences of not keeping away were already starting.

    But Elysia knew thatining right now would not solve anything. It was better for her to head to her room and not show her face for some time now.

    "I am sorry for what happened here. The temple, no, I will take responsibility for her actions."

    "No, there is no need to bow your head, head priest. I am sure the youngdy did not mean to do this. But now that things hade to this, I will need to consult the royal family on what to do next."

    That was all Elysia heard before she disappeared behind the walls of the temple.

    She had not wanted to hurt the crown prince but he had been annoying her. Her first step toward survival might have failed but it had yielded some benefits to Elysia as well.

    Now that she had injured the crown prince, he would leave her alone in the future at least. And how knew, maybe the engagement might even get called off soon enough.

    Besides, pretty sure the female lead Eve would arrive in this world and the true story would begin. And then Elysia would be able to take her leave from this story.

 Chapter 2 2: The Female Lead Arrives Early

    Ever since her birth, Elysia Raffle knew a few secrets of this world. First, the world she had been born in was a book and Elysia was the viiness in that book. She was destined to be in by Adam on her 18th birthday and the day of their marriage.

    She had no idea why or how she knew this. But Elysia believes this to be the truth of this world. Every time she visited the holyke and cleansed herself, the images of a possible future filled her mind.

    Maybe it was the goddess curse that made Elysia aware of what was going to happen to her but she was thankful.

    Because if she knew what was going to happen, Elysia could prevent herself from going down the wrong path.

    The Elysia in those dreams was a naughty child who was sold to the royal family because that was her only worth to the temple. But she had ended up falling in love with the crown prince.

    To get his love, Elysia had pretended to be a sweet and innocent girl who had tormented the female lead, Eve.

    As a result, Elysia was killed on her 18th birthday and the day of her wedding.

    The images of the distant future had scarred the young girl. Every time she viewed the future, she was haunted by pain and suffering.

    It all started with the arrival of the male and female lead in Elysia''s life and it ended up with them killing her off.

    But even so, the six years old could not think of a solution to her problem except to stay away and behave differently from the child in her visions.

    Surely if she behaved herself and proved her worth, she would not be sold off to the royal family? Surely she would be kept around.

    So the six-year-old had done everything she could to prove her worth. She had studied hard, she had taken up and soaked every skill she could.

    She had even started participating in prayers to make herself seem more mature than before.

    But it had all ended up in smoke the second her powers had manifested.

    You see, unlike the healing powers of the church, Elysia was gifted with every offensive power imaginable. Her power was strong but useless to the church fraction and could only be used by the imperial fraction.

    But even the imperial fraction would want nothing to do with her once the female lead arrives on the scene.

    Once the male and female lead met, it would be the end of Elysia''s easy life.

    _____________________________________

    Elysia had not even been grounded to her room for even a single hour before the head priest decided to visit her.

    She had only met one of the key members that would contribute to her harsh life and it was already going off-track.

    His face held a look of disappointment and regret. It burned Elysia worse than any anger could. She had strived so hard to make this man happy that seeing him look at her in disappointment hurt.

    "Elysia, I hope that you know I am not angry at you. I am just disappointed to see you lose your temper. I don''t understand why you hit the crown prince so can you exin your reasons to me?"

    The gentle tone of the old man caused Elysia to break out into cold sweat.

    She did not want to admit that the only reason she had hit the crown prince was that he was annoying and she wanted nothing to do with him.

    But the disappointed look being aimed her way was something Elysia wanted to avoid.

    "H-He is not a good person for me. I feel like I will die if I stay with him."

    Elysia decided to tell the truth to the head priest. She had never opened up to him like this before so she was not sure how much of her words he would believe.

    But there was no harm in trying. The man had raised Elysia as his daughter so surely he would listen to her.

    "I know you feel unsettled because a crown prince is an unfamiliar man but you''ll soone to appreciate him. He will turn out to be a handsome man in no time and then you will feel different."

    The head priest''s words would have worked on anyone else but Elysia. But because Elysia had an idea of what was going to happen, she felt even more scared of the future.

    What if she identally fell in love with the crown prince and ended up as the fated viiness?

    "I don''t think I want to like him. He is not my type."

    "Elysia, you are too young to have a type. Now rest for the time being. We will have guests tomorrow. I heard that my brother picked up an unusual girl on his way here. ording to him, she emerged from ake and speaks an unknownnguage."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Unknownnguage? Would it be the same one Elysia something ended up speaking when she slipped up?

    Suddenly, the thought of facing the darkness of her room no longer felt daunting to her. Elysia could not wait for the guests toe.

    Her excitement even made her forget a key factor - the only one who should be able to speak the strange tongue as Elysia would be the female lead.

    _____________________________________

    "Now Elysia, I know you made a terrible impression on our guests yesterday so I want you to be on your best behavior today. My brother does not have the best temper and he might judge you because of yourck of healing powers."

    Elysia frowned once she heard thest part.

    She did not understand why people did not like her powers? Her power was unique and beautiful. It could make nts grow and ice fall. It could even make fire if she concentrated.

    The only thing it could not do was heal. And she was the only one who had been tested for the holy attribute but held no healing powers.

    "He''s here. Now, Elysia, stand straight and do not look my brother in the eye."

    The head priest sounded worried but Elysia was not that worried. Her visions showed the head priest''s brother as a virtuous man who helped the female lead at every step of her journey.

    He was a nice man with a hard exterior and was often misunderstood. Elysia was sure everything would be alright even if she did end up meeting the man''s eyes.

    "Brother, you are finally back home. I heard that you picked up a straymb on your way here."

    The head priest sounded happy to see his brother again. There had not been many instances where Elysia had heard him sound this happy.

    It made Elysia want to pick her head up and look at the man''s face but she had been asked not to.

    "That I did. Eve is someone who has a lot of potential and her powers are much stronger than anything we have ever seen. She is not a disappointment to the church''s name unlike someone else I can name."

    Elysia could feel someone staring at her neck. The burning stare was harsh and Elysia did not dare pick her head up and see. Suddenly, she did not want to be in that room anymore.

    "Brother, don''t be like that. Elysia is still young and she is learning slowly to manage her powers. You should not discourage the children like that."

    Thankfully, the head priest was on Elysia''s side. His calm and loving words made Elysia feel better.

    But even they could not stop the cold sneer of the head priest''s brother.

    "We shall see about that. I am sure my child will outdo yours pretty soon. Ah, I have yet to introduce you to her, right? The child I picked up. Eve,e here please."

    Elysia heard the harsh tone soften as soon as the man called the other girl''s name. Elysia''s heart hurt to see that she was the only one who received the harsh words.

    "Father, you called for me?"

    Elysia picked up her face to look at the girl in front of her.

    Beautiful would be an underestimation to describe the wless ivory-skinned girl. Red hairs flowed down her back like flowers and her grey eyes looked like jewels.

    She was a unique child who would turn out to be a beauty in the future.

    But something about her name and her looks bugged Elysia. She felt like she had heard the name ''Eve before.''

    "Elysia, go and take Eve to y with you. My brother and I need to have a small chat."

    ''And please be civil this time.'' Went unheard but Elysia heard it.

    Not that she intended to be rude anyway. Eve was a beautiful girl and her purity shined through her innocent nature. Elysia wanted to be her friend.

    "Hello, my name is Eve Rosemary. It is nice to meet you, Elysia. Is it alright if I call you Elysia, right?"

    The second Elysia heard the girl''s full name, she remembered why it had sounded so familiar to her.

    This was the female lead of this world. But what was she doing here as a child? She should not be in this world for another three years at least?

 Chapter 3 3: A Huge Misunderstanding

    "Hello, my name is Eva Rosemary. It is nice to meet you, Elysia. Is it alright if I call you Elysia, right?"

    Elysia felt her mind go nk at the introduction. She was not ready to face the female lead of the novel yet.

    She did not even have a n on what to do if she ever met the female leadter down the line, much less right now.

    "H-Hello? It''s nice to meet you as well. You can call me E-Elysia if you want to."

    Elysia was nervous. She was so nervous that even her voice did note out properly. What could she do in this situation?

    Her hesitant agreement caused a smile to bloom over Eve''s face. The smile Elysia got was blinding and happy.

    "I am so d to meet someone my age. All the other children were too afraid of me and my powers so I was lonely."

    Elysia felt bad for Eve. She had seen the female lead spend her childhood in a lonely state for the most part.

    When the female lead arrived and her powers had been revealed, it led to marginal istion and bullying. Children who had been training since young and belonged to noble families found Eve''smoner blood offensive.

    In their eyes, she did not deserve so much of the goddess''s holy powers.

    It was a simr case with Elysia who had a lot of destructive power. People did not want to approach her despite her noble heritage. They were too afraid of her to even talk to her.

    "You should ignore those people who do not want to get to know the real you. They will regret it one day."

    Elysia spoke with a conviction that took Eve aback. Elysia''s voice had been strong and much more biting than any six-year-old.

    Since Elysia was destined to be a viiness, their instincts of being mean and scary came naturally to her even at such a young age. It was a constant struggle to keep them under check.

    "N-No. I''m not particrly bothered by those people. Y-You see, I just want to make a friend and I want to make friends with you."

    "Of course, I will be your friend if you want me to be one. No one should be lonely in their childhood."

    Elysia wanted to take back the words she had spoken in a hurry. She had gotten caught up in the moment and babbled those words.

    "Are you sure you want to be my friend?"

    "Y-Yes. I am sure."

    But one question from Eve was enough to make her reconsider.

    Actually, the real reason Elysia had agreed to Eve''s request was because of her visions. In her visions, Elysia had seen herself jealous of Eve and her powers.

    The Elysia of her visions had worked hard to establish herself as the ''top-bitch'' (her adult form''s words) so when Eve arrived, it had threatened Elysia''s spot as the most powerful.

    What''s more? Unlike Elysia, Eve had healing powers more suited to be the next head-priest.

    The then-head priest, Eve''s guardian also favored Eve over Elysia. That just fueled the mes of revenge brighter inside Elysia''s heart.

    But those visions were something Elysia wanted to break away from. She wanted to not end up as she had in her visions.

    So maybe being friends with Eve would be a good option?

    "W-Why are you crying? D-Don''t cry."

    Eve''s eyes were moist with tears. It looked like she would end up crying any second now.

    "I n-never had a friend before. T-Thank you for being my f-friend."

    "N-No problem. P-Please stop crying or I-I''ll end up crying too."

    Elysia was trying hard to console Eve. Herck of attention must be the reason she did not hear footsteps approaching her from behind.

    She was about to hug Eve to console her when she felt someone take a hold of her arm. The grip on her fragile arm hurt and Elysia cried out in pain.

    "You wicked girl. I knew you were in trouble when I first saw you. What did you do with Eve to make her cry?"

    Cold grey eyes met Elysia''s. The frost in that man''s expression chilled Elysia to her bones and she even lost her voice.

    "Brother Yohan put the child back down or you''ll hurt her. You are going to crush her arm at this rate."

    Silent tears were running down Elysia''s face but she could not make a sound. Her survival instincts were telling her to keep quiet and not anger the predator in front of her.

    Apparently, the head priest''s brother, Yohan, did end up taking the offered advice and shoved Elysia away. It was only Elysia''s magic that stopped her from getting gravely injured.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I d-did not do any-"

    She quickly looked toward the head priest to plead her innocence. But the look of disappointment that was leveled her way caused Elysia to flinch.

    Saying anything now would not save her.

    "Elysia, I am disappointed in your behavior. I asked you to behave yourself and you ended up causing trouble once again. Now, go back to your room and reflect on your mistake. You will not be getting food tonight."

    The Elysia in her vision would have pleaded with the head priest to listen to her side of the story as well. She would have tried her best to get out of this punishment.

    But she decided to gracefully ept her punishment. This dose of reality was a good reminder to her why she should not get involved with the main characters of this world.

    All that remained for Elysia were pain and suffering.

    "Elysia, did you not hear me. Go back to your room and reflect."

    "Yes head priest."

    Elysia''s voice was dull and lifeless. She quickly picked herself up and headed toward her room. There was no getting out of her punishment now.

    "N-No, wait. It is not her fault that I cried."

    "Hush! You keep quiet, Eve. Do not defend your bully in front of me because I won''t stand for it."

    Priest Yohan''s re was like poison. The more Elysia tried to evade it, the more she became aware of it.

    But Elysia decided to risk ast look toward her first-ever friend. Eve looked worried and sorry for Elysia.

    Her eyes were pleading with Elysia to not hold this against her. And Elysia would not since she could see that the other girl had tried her best to rify the situation.

    But it was Priest Yohan''s unwillingness to hear her out and the Head priest''s unwillingness to believe in her.

    It hurt but Elysia could not do anything in this situation.

    _____________________________________

    "Your bully is gone now. Can you tell me what made you cry now? I can have that girl locked forever if you want me to."

    Once Elysia had left the scene, priest Yohan looked at the girl in his arms. The poor unfortunate girl he had picked up had ended up bing precious to him.

    But because of her tremendous powers and lowly background, she was often discriminated against and bullied.

    And the girl his brother had picked up looked exactly like a snobbish nobledy who would bully others. She even had those disgusting powers to back up her im.

    If she dared to touch his child he would make sure that Elysia girl would not live to see another day.

    "Dummy Yohan. I cried because she agreed to be my friend. But then you got her into trouble. I hate you. What if Elysia refuses to be my friend after this? I wanted to be her friend."

    Unfortunately for him, the real story was something that could not be further away from his imagination.

    The anger Eve was disying was real and something that often came out when she was irritated with him. She did not seem to be lying to her.

    "So she was not bullying you and we misunderstood the situation? I apologize for that."

    Priest Yohan was soft for the red-head in his arms. He could not see her crying face and stay calm. Nor could he see her angry at him.

    "Why are you apologizing to me? Go apologize to Elysia so that she can be my friend. I will not talk to you until you do that."

    Priest Yohan tried to maintain his hold on Eve but she managed to slip past him.

    "Eve, wait,"

    But the child was gone before he finished this sentence. All he could do was reach out to the girl who was no longer there.

    "It seems like we misjudge the situation quite heavily. I will go and talk with Elysia to exin this misunderstanding. Are you going to apologize to her as well?"

    The head priest sounded sorry which was not surprising. He had raised Elysia from a little girl after all so he had a soft spot in his heart for her.

    But unlike Yohan, the head priest was kind to everyone and could also be strict when needed to be. He was more like a guardian than a parent.

    "I will see what I can do. My priority is to soothe Eve after all. She is someone who will be our savior along with the crown prince. That is what the prophecy says anyway.

 Chapter 4 4: An Unfriendly Encounter

    "Elysia, can you open this door for me? I know my words hurt you but I didn''t mean to be so harsh. It was just because Even was crying that I decided to help her out. Please forgive me."

    The head priest knocked on Elysia''s door in an attempt to console her. His voice was low so no passer-by could hear what he was saying.

    After all, he was the head priest and he could not lower himself to bow in front of anyone. Even if that ''anyone'' happened to be the child he adopted.

    "Elysia? Are you in there?"

    The head priest tried again before deciding to enter the room forcefully. The rooms in the church could not be locked unless it was done with magic.

    So when he felt the resistance when he tried to open the door, he was left with no other means but to break in with magic.

    Unfortunately, misfortune decided to strike at the wrong time and he heard footsteps headed his way.

    Before he knew it, a church Sister had taken a turn and the head priest had to catch his step to not appear like an intruder.

    "Head priest? What are you doing here? Aren''t you suppose to be in a meeting with Brother Yohan? I saw him looking for you earlier. Are you here to scold Elysia again? Don''t worry because we, Sisters, took care of it. She won''t be misbehaving anytime soon."

    The Sister sounded confused but also proud of her achievement. Her eyes looked at the head priest in a clear expression of - ''praise me.

    "You scolded Elysia? But I never asked you to do this?"

    The head priest was confused at the sudden turn of events. He had sent Elysia away to make her stay alone, not to be harassed unnecessarily by the Sisters.

    "Oh, you did not need to tell us to scold Elysia. If we don''t correct her bad behavior now then she will grow up to be a wicked person. I heard that she injured the crown prince as well. What if her attack was serious? After all, Elysia''s magic is not like ours. It''s dangerous to everyone around her."

    The Sister sounded serious when she spoke. Her words left the head priest at a loss of words.

    He had never realized that people around thought of Elysia like that. After all, they had never done her wrong before when he had been watching.

    "Sister, are you afraid of Elysia and her magic?"

    "Afraid? Not yet but I''m afraid of the future Elysia. One day she will realize how dangerous her power is and lose control. I don''t want her to hurt innocent people when that timees."

    The head priest was tongue-ties again at the Sister''s words. He could not say anything against the Sister since these concerns were the ones he was often gued with as well.

    But that was also why he had wanted to be calm and patient with Elysia. To show her that she had people who supported her.

    "Honestly speaking, I think the head priest is too lenient with her. He didn''t even punish her when she caused the incident with the crown prince. What will happen to us if the royal family took this as an insult and decided to cut us off from the funds?"

    The Sister''s concerns were valid. The more she spoke, the more the head priest''s resolve crumbled.

    Equal amounts of guilt and resignation circled inside the head priest''s mind. He could not even bring himself to protest against the Sister''s words.

    "I guess it will be better for me to go out and take a walk. It will help me cool my mind. Anyway, Sister Rosa, make sure you give Elysia food in a few minutes. I asked her not toe to dinner but I don''t want her to starve."

    "Alright. I will make sure to give her dinner when the timees."

    The head priest still had doubts inside his mind but he decided to not linger any longer in the hallway.

    Right now he had only been caught by one Sister so it was easy for him to get out but anymore and he would not be able to talk his way out anymore.

    He still wanted to clear the air out with Elysia but there was no opportunity to do so. He would have to wait for the morning toe and then have a talk with his ward.

    And who knew, maybe Elysia would forget what happened when the morninges. Children had really small attention spans and six was an age where their minds constantly changed based on their feelings.

    "Let''s cross one bridge at a time. I should first address the royal family and write an apology letter about the crown prince incident. It will not be good if our funds do get cut off."

    The head priest had his own concerns and responsibilities and he was sure Elysia would understand his point of view.

    She was a smart child after all.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    _____________________________________

    The Sister gave off a happy smile to the retreating head priest. Her face was a happy mask thatsted as long as the head priest was in her line of sight.

    Once he was gone, the gentle smile on Sister Rosa''s face faded into an indifferent expression. Her nk eyes moved toward the closed door and a sneer appeared on Sister Rosa''s face.

    "I don''t know what the head priest sees in a monster like you. You can''t even heal anyone properly. But if this foolishness of the head-priest continues then you will end up in a high position and cause all of our downfall."

    Sister Rosa sounded serious. Her eyes did no traces of deception or being controlled. She looked like a businesswoman evaluating the worth of a product and not finding it worthy.

    "Even thatmon girl Brother Yohan brought is better than you in terms of power and personality. I would rather see her seed. But then again, both of you don''t deserve your position and will soon learn your ce."

    This was the scene Eve stumbled upon.

    Actually, the young girl had heard everything the Sister had said and it frightened her to see such double-faced people.

    She had met Sister Rosa in the afternoon when she had been trying to hide from Yohan but the Sister had apletely different attitude then.

    "Who''s there? Come out now."

    Eve tried to contain her hups but she failed to suppress them. She was too scared to open her mouth but she kept her face neutral of any expression.

    ''I need to smile. I cannot show that I know Sister Rosa is evil.''

    "Ah, it''s you? What are you doing here? Do you need me to bring you back to Brother Yohan? He loves you very much."

    And just like before, the attitude of Sister Rosa changed in an instant. She went from that cold-spokendy to the warmest of persons.

    Her sudden shift in personality scared Eve but she did not know how to deal with it.

    "N-No thank you. I was h-here to look for E-Elysia. We h-had a misunderstanding and I-I wanted to apologize."

    The more she spoke, the more stressed out Eve became. She was vibrating with nervousness.

    "Oh, is that so? But I''m afraid that meeting Elysia will not be possible right now. You see, Sister Elysia did a bad thing so she''s being punished right now. You should not seek bad kids out or you get corrupted as well."

    For some reason, the gentler Sister Rosa acted, the more demonic she looked. The sudden personality change was also a contributing factor.

    "O-Oh. Is that so? Then I-I should leave this corridor now."

    "Yes, you should leave this ce now. You should also make sure to seek out betterpany than Elysia if you want to seed and make bother Yohan proud. I know, I will introduce some people to you who can be your friends."

    The offer was tempting for someone who had no friends and Sister Rosa expected Eve to take it.

    "T-Then I will like to meet them. I should get going now,"

    Eve quickly felt the corridor and thanked every god that Sister Rosa went the other way. But something inside her still worried about leaving Elysia alone with Sister Rosa.

    ''I should check back. Just in case Sister Rosa tries anything. I want to make it up to Elysia.''

    The six-year-old child had really simple and pure thoughts. She wanted to help her friend out even if it meant facing Sister Rosa.

    But she lost confidence when she saw the Sister entering Elysia''s room. For some reason, Eve had a bad feeling about seeing all this.

    She wanted to enter the room as well and take a look at the situation herself but her newly acquired fear of Sister Rosa held her back.

    ''I should wait for Sister Rosa to be done with Elysia first. I don''t want to disturb them.''

    This might be an excuse but for the six-year-old Eve, this was the only thought that made this situation bearable for her.

 Chapter 5 5: The Unexpected Visitors

    Once you get used to the darkness and silence, it was not too bad. Rather, it could be a calming source and the vastness of the darkness could allow you to breathe better.

    The real fear could only be felt once the calmness of the dark was broken by a sound. The fear of that ''unknown'' could make even the strongest of people crumble, never mind six years old.

    For Elysia, the sound of the door being forced open was simr to her visions.

    In her visions, the person behind the prison door was the crown prince who hade to drag Elysia to her death.

    But the hand that reached inside the current door was slimmer and smaller than the crown princes. It looked rather feminine and delicate to belong to any male.

    ''D-Did the vision change? Am I even dreaming right now? I don''t remember going to sleep,'' Elysia''s mind was a mess.

    Her emotions were already unstable from her day encounter. But the familiar face of Sister Rosa made Elysia rx a little.

    "W-Why are you here? The head priest said that I am grounded and no one is allowed to meet me."

    Elysia''s voice was heavy with emotions. Sister Rosa was not her favorite person but she was the only one who would treat Elysia the same even in the future.

    In Elysia''s visions, she had seen people turn away from her once she fell out of the emperor''s favor and was certified as a viiness.

    Only Sister Rosa did not change. She had treated Elysia as a monster from the start and continued to look at Elysia like a monster.

    "I''m just here to see what a monster looks like. Even if the head priest asked me to feed you secretly, I won''t follow his orders. You better go to sleep if you don''t want to feel hungry tonight."

    "Oh,"

    Elysia was not sure if she felt happy or disappointed to hear that news.

    On one hand, she was not getting any food tonight which sucked. But on the other hand, just the fact that the head priest had thought of her was enough. It meant that he still liked Elysia and was concerned for her.

    Also, she knew that sister Rosa did not like her but she still took time out of her schedule to let Elysia know this.

    These small things might not mean anything to most people. But for the six-year-old Elysia who had seen visions of true loneliness and disparity, these moments were more than enough.

    "S-Sister Rosa, wait. I have a question to ask of you."

    "What is it?"

    "C-Can I join the prayers tomorrow in the morning? It is the eclipse tomorrow and we always offer prayers to the gods on that day."

    Initially, Elysia had wanted to ask something else. But the frosty eyes looking back at her forced Elysia to stay quiet.

    "You are free to do what you want to. But I will advise you to not show your face near the special prayers held at noon time. The royal retainers will be here along with the next crown prince. I''m sure he will not want to see someone who injured him before."

    "Oh. But then my part of the prayers-"

    "-Will be handled by Brother Yohan''s ward. That girl has more holy power than you so you do not need to worry about it."

    Oh, so that was it. It was about time ''that'' scene happens.

    As far as the visions were concerned, the first meeting between Adam and Eve took ce during Eve''s first temple prayers. Even if it was happening a few years early, the condition of the meeting did match.

    ording to Elysia''s visions, the meeting took ce during the sr eclipse. Eve ends up recing Elysia due to brother Yohan''s insistence on her to prove herself.

    In a fit of jealousy, Elysia ends up doing the taboo and causes a devil to appear which attacks the crown prince.

    It was also the time Eve''s strong holy magic activates and saves the crown prince.

    That was how their first meeting was detailed in Elysia''s visions. It was a dangerous incident for everyone which would not happen this time because Elysia would avoid the holy prayer this time.

    It seems like being grounded had its uses. No one would ask for her presence in the prayer anyway since they all knew she was grounded.

    As a bonus, Elysia would be able to avoid the crown prince and the royal retainers as well. It was a win-win situation for everyone.

    _____________________________________

    Eve watched Elysia''s door finally open after a long time and sister Rosa exit it. The sister looked unconcerned about being seen venturing in and out of Elysia''s room thiste in the evening.

    It was only after sister Rosa was truly gone did Evee and stood in front of Elysia''s door.

    She hesitated before gulping down her fear and knocking at the door. She needed to apologize for what happened in the evening.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    No one answered her and no one opened the door. So Eve decided to be brave and force the door open.

    There was some resistance at first but the door slid open pretty easily after the first resistance. The magical locks on the door had been broken already.

    "Sister Rosa, do you need something?"

    The room was dark so Eve could not tell where Elysia''s voice wasing from. It seemed to be echoing all over the room.

    It was a creepy effect but not one that would scare Eve away.

    "I''m sorry that I am not sister Rosa. I am just here to apologize to you for what happened before. Did Yohane here to apologize -"

    Eve felt someone push her outside the door instantly and the door was closed with a bang before she could even finish her sentence.

    The push had not been hard, just enough to send Eve out of the door.

    "You should not be here. If someone finds you here then you will get into trouble as well. You cannot get in trouble before the ceremony tomorrow."

    Elysia''s voice was muffled but clear through the door. It did not sound angry or even sad to Eve.

    It made Eve feel a little better about her situation.

    "It will be alright. But did Yohan apologize to you? I asked him to apologize to you or I won''t talk to him again. I hope we can still be friends."

    Eve had been riddled with guilt the entire day. Her only friend had been threatened because of her and that did not sit right with her.

    Eve already did not have a lot of people on her side in this unfamiliar world so she did not want to lose anyone else important to her.

    "Apologise? Ah, I don''t need an apology since I already forgave brother Yohan. It was a misunderstanding so I''m not angry either. We can still be friends."

    Eve''s heart felt light once she heard those words. Now she wanted to be Elysia''s friend.

    "I-If we are friends, then, can you open this door for me? Talking through the door is a bit weird for me."

    "I cannot do that or you will get into trouble. You should also head out now since it''s time for an evening check. Take the right corridor so that you do not get caught on your way out."

    Eve wanted to spend more time with Elysia but she could hear footsteps headed her way.

    For behind an abandoned part of the temple, there were sure a lot of people who passed through this corridor.

    Eve managed to turn the corner just in time before she heard the footsteps stop. She quickly snuck her head past the corridor to take a look.

    It was Yohan who stood in front of Elysia''s room. His face held an expression Eve had never seen before but she could not bring herself to get out and confront him.

    Yohan had been good to Eve. He had taken her in when no one else had and he had cared for her. He was a gentle and kind man who cared for people.

    "Let''s get this over with. It is alreadyte."

    The man gave a single knock at Elysia''s door before he entered the room.

    ''He must be here to apologize. He did not look happy but I''m sure he wille to like Elysia soon. And then we can be friends for real.''

    Those might be Eve''s native thoughtsing to the surface. Or it might be her wishful thinking. But she was sure things would be alright in the future.

    That day, Eve left Elysia''s corridor with a happy look on her face, unaware of the thing she had neglected to check.

    Inside her room, Elysia was disturbed for the third time that day. But this visit would be the one that would change everything.

    Two pairs of unfamiliar eyes met across the room and Elysia felt her breath get caught in her throat.

    For the first time in her life, Elysia felt fearful of a human. And that human was brother Yohan, the female lead''s guardian, and biggest supporter.

    To a future viiness like her, he was the biggest reason contributing to her death apart from the crown prince.

    "Come, sit down. I have some things I need to discuss with you. Don''t worry, I won''t harm you yet so just listen to me for now."

    Elysia took in a deep breath to calm herself before sitting down in front of the man. And then the staring match began anew.

 Chapter 6 6: Make Yourself Useful

    ''As expected. There is something unpleasant about this ce. Just looking at this door is enough for me to feel like leaving."

    Yohan had always been a rational man. He had prided himself on being a calm and collected figure and that was why he had been awarded powers beyond human control.

    To tell you the truth, he did not remember who his parents were or who had raised him until his teen years. All he remembered was that he grew up in an orphanage funded by the temple.

    And that was the reason he had entered the temple''s services. It was all to help the ''children of god'' to seed.

    His fellow brothers and sisters had called him a fool for believing a prophecy that had faded away. No one even knew what the real words of that oracle even were.

    All they knew was that the world would see new light when the descendent of the dragons will be born and he will be helped by a force from another ce.

    Everyone had mocked him and his devotion until the crown prince had been born.

    When Yohan had first seen him, he instantly realized that the crown prince had been special. There had been an inhuman aura around him that no one else but him could feel.

    And he knew that the time for the fulfillment of the prophecy hade atst.

    The second time Yohan had felt the same power was when he had found Eve. Just like the crown prince, he had felt the same desire to protect the girl and he had submitted to those desires.

    So when he had seen the girl head priest for the first time and felt that dooming aura, he knew she would be trouble for the future.

    His instincts were telling him to get rid of her right in this instance. To suffocate Elysia so that she would not be a problemter on.

    ''She needs to survive until it''s the right time. She is six years old and she has not done anything yet. I cannot kill her without reason.''

    Yohan knew in his mind that the desires and the thoughts running in his mind were not right. The child was innocent for now.

    But the more time he spend in Elysia''spany, the more Yohan wanted to run away. Even standing in front of her door was enough for him to want to turn away.

    ''Someone is in the other corridor. Who?-Eve? Was she here to see Elysia? I will have to tread carefully in the future and make sure Eve stays away from this evil.''

    Yohan was sure the red hair he saw could only belong to Eve. That girl had a presence he could never mistake for anyone else.

    ''It seems like she is determined to make friends with Elysia. In that case, I have no other choice but to deal with this situation quickly.''

    Yohan gave a single knock at the door before finding the door open. He doubted it was Eve or Elysia who had been able to break open a magical lock. They did not have enough control over their powers.

    ''So someone was here before me? But that person was not the head priest since he was with me. Did this wicked girl have allies? I doubt it.''

    The man quickly entered the almost-bare room but he refused to feel any sympathy for the little girl.

    Her ck hair and light-blue eyes were irritating to look at. Just one look at them and Yohan could feel the dark feelings in his heart rise.

    "Come, sit down. I have some things I need to discuss with you. Don''t worry, I won''t harm you yet so just listen to me for now."

    The child looked startled and clumsy. At that moment she looked simr to Eve and Yohan found himself unable to look at the child.

    "What are you afraid of? It''s not like I am going to kill you. I just want you to know your ce in the temple hierarchy."

    Yohan''s voice came out more frosty than he had anticipated it to be. The harsh tone even took him aback.

    Despite his cold and unfeeling attitude, Yohan had never been harsh to people who did not deserve it. And despite his feelings, the girl in front of him had not done anything yet.

    "My ce?"

    The question was filled with hesitation but also curiosity. The twin pair of light blue eyes sparked in his direction with curiosity.

    Yohan steeled his heart to not fall victim to those eyes. No matter how much they looked like Eve''s, they belonged to an evil creature.

    "In the start, I wanted to keep you away from Eve and the Crown Prince for her safety. You must have realized that they are special and your presence will harm them."

    "But you are already engaged to the Crown Prince and Eve considered you as a friend as well so we cannot go down that route. Instead, you will have to be their shield. Only then will your cursed powers have any meaning."

    Yohan was conflicted about his n but this was the best course of action.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Just as his instincts had told him that Adam and Eve were precious and this girl will turn evil, they also told him that their destiny was interweaved already.

    And if that was going to be the case, then it was better to be safe than sorry.

    "Be their shield? But I want nothing to do with the Crown Prince. And I e-even punched him so we don''t have to get married."

    Ah yes, the famous incident. Yohan had heard about it from the head priest.

    Not that it meant anything. The royal family had not retaliated against the girl''s action yet which meant that they had no intention of canceling this future marriage.

    It seemed like the royal family was desperate to have a superpower in their hands and they were even willing to sacrifice the Crown Prince to get that power.

    "The royal pce decided not to break the engagement over such a small issue so you better behave yourself in the future. A second mistake will not be tolerated from your side. Understood?"

    Initially, Yohan wanted to break off the engagement and have Adam be engaged to Eve. they were each other''s destinies after all.

    But then he had held himself back from doing that.

    He did not doubt in his mind that the crown prince will fall in love with Eve and this issue will conclude itself. But the opponents of the crown will put the royal fiance in trouble.

    He did not want his sweet Eve to be subjected to such scenes. So it was better if Elysia held on to that position for the time being.

    "A-About being the s-shield. What do I need to do? Can I be Eve''s friend if I agree to be her shield?"

    Yohan was surprised to see Elysia agree to his proposal. Any sane person would not have even considered putting his life on the line for someone else.

    ''Then again, she is six. My instincts are confusing me to see her as the absolute evil she will eventually be. But this is also alright. Maybe there is time for me to save her as well.''

    "What you need to do is simple - follow my orders and everything will be alright. Hand your life over in my hands and you will be able to live."

    Something changed in the girl''s eyes after he spoke those words.

    Had Yohan not been paying attention, he would have missed the small spark light that lit inside Elysia''s eyes.

    "I will be able to live? I-Can I trust you? You will keep me safe?"

    The child was looking at him with trusting eyes. But this unconditional safety was not something Yohan will be able to promise the kid.

    After all, there will be chances where he will have to choose between her and Eve and his answer will always be Eve.

    Still, he did decide to answer her words.

    "I voe to protect you as far as I can. As long as it doesn''t conflict with my interests, you will be able to live."

    The child looked relieved at his words. He was not able to understand why a six-year-old kid had concerns about her life.

    Maybe someone else had felt her ufortable aura and decided to threaten her? Not that it concerned Yohan.

    He had just gotten the most vicious guard dog he could for Eve and he had tamed it for her. But if this dog ever became ferocious and bit its owner, he would end her life.

    "It''s good that you understand what you must do. Now, go to bed and be ready for tomorrow''s ceremony. I wanted to have Eve participate but she''s not ready to y a part yet. So you will have to take over your regr duties tomorrow."

    The child quickly looked up at him with hope. It was irritating to be looked at by those unpleasant light-blue eyes.

    "T-Then, I will do my-"

    "Don''t misunderstand. The mercy I am showing is for Eve''s sake. The day you be useless to her, your life will end by my hands."

    With those parting words, Elysia''s door was closed for thest time that night. This time, the closing was apanied by a timed spell that would keep her door closed until morning.

    The night sky was the only one who witnessed this exchange but it left Elysia restless for the rest of the night.

    And when the sun finally rose in the sky, the six-year-old pulled herself from the bed with much difficulty.

 Chapter 7 7: Before The Trail

    "Young master, you don''t have to go to the ceremony if you do not want to. I am sure your parents will understand if you want to skip the ceremony today."

    The crown prince gave his retainer a dismissive frown. The man had been trying to make him back down from going anywhere near the temple grounds since yesterday.

    After he had been punched and left in shock, the crown prince had been quickly sent home by his retainer.

    He had been asked to sever times what had caused his future wife to injure him but Adam had no answer for them. His retainers had even suggested that his parents break off the engagement to such a troublesome person.

    The king had refused that offer. No other child in the crown prince''s age range showed such potential as that young Eve. And she also had the added benefit of having noble blood in her veins.

    ''She''s the one who will web my son and I will not have any of you say otherwise,'' was what the king had decided on and no one could change his mind on this topic.

    Not even his wife''s words swayed his decision.

    The only one who could get the kind to agree to break off this engagement was the crown prince. And that was what the retainers were trying to do - get the crown prince to back off.

    "Young master, thatdy is not suitable for you. I''m sure your father would agree with you if you want to skip this ceremony."

    The crown prince heard the same purpose for the eighth time that evening. His face still supported the redness of getting punched.

    "I am no coward. If that girl punched me to get me back down, I will not let things go her way. No one has ever been rude to me before and I will make sure she will be thest one to do so."

    "But my lord, there are better ways to make sure someone pays for their crimes. You can always get that girl assassinated. I know of a few decent assassins that will do the work without leaving evidence and-"

    "Don''t you dare! She is my prey and only mine. You are not allowed to mess with her."

    Being a royal retainer, the man had seen a few dangerous things in his life. There were things in the royal family that needed to be kept secret and every inner-pce retainer had a spell of secrecy ced upon them.

    As such, the young retainer could boast of having seen all kinds of scenarios but none had filled him with such fear.

    The golden-eyes child no longer had his round pupils. Instead, they were narrowed in slits, not unlike a lizard. But something about them took the retainer''s breath away.

    He had known that the royal family members had dragon''s blood inside them but this was the first evidence the loyal retainer had seen.

    As far as he knew, even the current king was not able to ess the dragon''s power in the royal blood. The crown prince was different indeed.

    "Hey, did you understand my words? Or will I need to look for another retainer? Remember, I am not a patient, so don''t make me repeat myself."

    "I understand. I will make sure other retainers leave thedy alone."

    "You better do. I don''t like people ying around with my prey."

    The child looked satisfied after the promise. The retainer could not help butpare him to a satisfied cat who had gotten its way after misbehaving.

    Having seen the crown prince grow up, the retainer could tell that thedy had caught the crown prince''s interest. This was the first time he had seen the crown prince take interest in anything beyond his weapons and magic.

    ''I pity the child who has to be the objective of Adam''s obsession. I hope she will be able tost long enough to make him lose interest.''

    The retainer could only prey on the youngdy but he was not going to stick his neck out for her. Adam was scary for a six-year-old brat. And he was just going to get stronger from here on.

    _____________________________________

    The morning sky was dark. Clouds dominated the sky and made it impossible to see the sun.

    But it did not matter to the temple attendants who had already prepared for the sr eclipse ceremony.

    "Elysia,e and have your breakfast. The royal retainers will arrive here soon so you need to be prepared beforehand."

    Elysia quietly took the offered seat beside Eve but her appetite was gone. She had not been able to get a good sleepst night and it reflected on her face.

    "What''s wrong? Are you scared? Or tired? If you are tired then I can take over your part for you. Yohan has been teaching me for some time now so I can be of help."

    Elysia quickly picked up her head at Eve''s reassuring tone. But not because she was happy to hear those words.

    She could feel Brother Yohan''s scary re being aimed at her. The man was telling her to choose her words wisely and not make Eve worry needlessly.

    "A-Ah, I am not worried. I was just excited and a little hungry. See, I am alright after I have eaten a little."

    Elysia forced herself to sound cheerful. It was not difficult for her since being happy came naturally to her as a child. Her face looked natural even when stered with forced emotions.

    "Ooooohhhhhhh. Here, you can have this as well if you are hungry and-"

    "Eve, sit down and eat your food. Elysia can ask for more food if she feels hungry. You do not need to share your food with her."

    It was Brother Yohan who interrupted Eve''s overly enthusiastic actions. His frowning face was full of disapprovement.

    "But she''s hungry and I can help and-"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "It''s alright. See, I am eating and I''ll take more mashed potatoes."

    Elysia made a big show of taking more food into her te. She did not have an appetite but she forced herself to finish under Eve''s and Brother Yohan''s watchful eyes.

    She excused herself with the excuse of ''preparing'' herself only once she was finished eating.

    Surprisingly enough, Brother Yohan stopped Eve from following after her when she told the duo she was headed toward the purification pool.

    "But why can''t I go with Elysia?"

    "You cannot go there because you are special and pure. You are different from everyone else which is a good thing-"

    Elysia left the duo before Brother Yohan could finish his exnation.

    She did meet the head priest on her way out but his expression was filled with sympathy when he met Elysia''s eyes.

    However, he did not stop her from leaving the hall and Elysia did not stop moving either. It was clear to her that the head priest did not want to risk talking to her in an open space like the dining hall.

    She watched the head priest call out to Brother Yohan but she did not stick around to find what they were talking about.

    After all, Elysia had a ceremony to prepare for and it would require a lot of time for her to get ready.

    _____________________________________

    Brother Yohan saw the head priest head his way with aplicated expression and he knew it was about yesterday.

    A few sisters had seen him exit Elysia''s room, so he knew that the news must have also reached the head priest.

    This was a talk that was bound to happen sooner orter so Yohan dismissed Eve before she could get caught up in this mess.

    "Eve, go and fetch my files from my room. I will meet you in the prayer hall."

    "Alright."

    The head priest did not question why he had sent Eve away. He just took the recently emptied chain and put up a silencing spell.

    "You want to know what I talked to Elysia about yesterday? You do not need to worry since I did not threaten her life. I merely told her the reality of how special Eve is and what she should do for Eve."

    "I did not ask you anything. And Yohan, Elysia is also a six-year-old child. You should not treat her like a threat."

    The head priest had a heavyweight in his voice. But Yohan could hear the cracks in his voice.

    "You say that but even you feel uneasy around her and her aura. And you are not the only one who sees her and thinks ''evil.'' I am just trying to ensure a bright future for us all by leashing that beast early on."

    "Yohan, she is a kid, not a monster. You are not even trying to see her as a human."

    The head priest sounded angry but he did not take any action.

    "No, it is you who refuse to see her as a monster she could be. All you are doing is repeating the same mistakes of the past. We will all be in danger if she turns out to be anything like her parents. This country was almost annihted because of them and-"

    The head priest stopped Yohan from finishing his sentence. His raised hand stopped Yohan from making any morements.

    "I know that I will not be able to change your mind Yohan, but I still want to ask you one thing. Give her a chance to be human and be happy. I need you to promise me that you will take care of her properly if something happens to me."

    The head priest looked dead serious in his words. His eyes shined with a knowing light that gave Yohan a bad feeling.

    "Don''t talk like you are nning to die. I won''t ept your death under any circumstance. You need to live on, alright?"

    "I will try my best to live but life is unexpected. That''s why I want this promise from you. I will take care of Eve as well if something happened to you so it''s not a one-way deal."

    The head priest was fighting dirty and he knew it. Still, Yohan decided to humor him this time and make the promise.

    "Alright. Stop trying to be this stubborn. I promise you to look after Elysia if something happened to you."

    The head priest gave off a devilish smile before he took out something from behind him. The stack of papers was unexpected but Yohan understood what it was as soon as he saw it. They were emergency custody papers.

    "Good, now sign these papers and we are done."

    "When did you even prepare them? Did you have this idea from the start?"

    Yohan was suspicious but he took the offered papers anyway. It was also insurance for Eve''s future since he knew that his brother was not one to discriminate. Eve will be happy with him if something happened to him in the future.

    And with that, the pact was sealed.

 Chapter 8 8: Breaking The Taboo

    ''It''s alright. I can do this. I have done all this before so I can do this now as well.'' Elysia felt nervous about the ceremony. She was so nervous that she wanted to hide away and not attend it.

    But she could not run away. Brother Yohan will never forgive her for ruining his first ceremony.

    "Elysia, where are you going? Weren''t you grounded?"

    Elysia felt her blood run cold when she ran into sister Rosa and her sharp tongue. Out of everyone out there, Sister Rosa was the one Elysia wanted to run least into.

    "I-I was asked to perform the ceremony today since E-Eve doesn''t know how to."

    Sister Rosa looked back at her with nk eyes. Those eyes were always judging Elysia but they were not warm.

    Right now, Elysia would have even taken fake kindness over this indifference.

    "I see what Brother Yohan was thinking. But honestly, they should not be using you at all. Relying on children when they have capable adults to do work is just shameless."

    "It''s not shameless. B-Besides, no one else had as much power as me or Eve." Sister Rosa''s re caused Elysia to falter but he continued, "I-I want to be of help."

    Sister Rosa''s stare did not go away. It was something Elysia was hyper-aware of and she wanted to escape it.

    "Is that so? Then do what you want to. If those idiots want to take a risk by involving children in these rituals then it is their choice. Good luck out today."

    Elysia stood there frozen as Sister Rosa passed her.

    ''S-She wished me luck? Why did she wish me luck today of all days?''

    Had it been any other time, Elysia would have been ted to have been wished luck. But for some reason, all it did was make her sick to the stomach.

    "I should not have eaten today. My stomach aches."

    Elysia felt like she was sick but she did not want to get it confirmed. If she turned out to be sick then she would have to sit the ceremony out.

    ''I cannot get sick now. I should hurry up with the cleansing.''

    Thankfully, Elysia met no one else on her way to the cleansing pools. No one else except the people involved in a ceremony was supposed toe here and the male and female parts had a barrier built in-between.

    Currently, Elysia was the only one who was supposed to be in the female part of the bath.

    "I hope I don''t have a vision today."

    Elysia hoped for the best but she was sure that something was about to happen as soon as she entered the pool.

    She had only been in this pool when necessary and she had always left with a vision. And since she had alwayse here alone, she could not even ask anyone else what she saw.

    She had once asked the other people involved in the ceremony if they saw anything after entering the pool. But they all had looked at her with pity and told Elysia to not worry about her dreams.

    ''I can do this. I just need to step in and out. It will be done soon.''

    Elysia pushed her foot ahead and quickly entered the water. It was as cold as usual and it felt soothing as soon as she entered it.

    But the calmness was soon overtaken by grief and a feeling of fear.

    [Elysia could see a monster heading her way but someone was covering her body. Her eyes had a filter of red and everything had a red tint to it. It almost looked like she was seeing the world through a film of red.

    Elysia''s hand came up to her face to wipe something itchy off. But something sticky was stuck on her hand.

    "Hurry up and contain the monsters. Make sure they do not harm anyone else," voices were getting louder and louder inside Elysia''s head. Someone must be speaking from her side but it was difficult for Elysia to make it out.

    She quickly looked around for other people and instantly spotted two figures huddling together.

    "Your highness, Eve, get out of the way," the monster attacked but it was toote for anyone to stop them.

    It was going to kill those two but that could not be allowed. The prophecy could not allow that to happen.

    So something was bound to happen. The second the monster headed toward the main pair,  a thought came to Elysia. ''This vision is different. The protagonists have never been in danger like this, right?''

    There was no way they were going to be killed.

    And they were not. As soon as the monster neared the pair, he stopped and turned directions. He had turned toward Elysia and he charged.

    No, not at her. But at the capsule that was lying near Elysia. She would be killed because of a silly little capsule she did not even remember touching.

    But that was not possible. It was not time for her to die and she could not allow that to happen at all costs.

    "Elysia, wake up," before the monster could attack her, someone covered her body.]

    "Elysia, wake up. Are you alright? I thought you drowned or something in here. I was worried."

    Red obstructed Elysia''s vision again. But it was different from the blood that had made her see the world in red before.

    This time, the red belonged to Eve''s hair that was obstructing her vision.

    The elder girl was holding on to Elysia''s body and trying to pull her back up. But her six-year-old body was not able to pull Elysia up.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Not that Elysia needed it since she was not drawing. She had gone into a trance where she did not need to breathe.

    "Eve? You should not be here. Bad things will happen if you are caught here."

    Elysia felt her calm mind go into a panicked state as soon as she spotted Eve in the cleansing room.

    It was taboo for anyone else other than the ceremony performers to step into this room. That taboo had been implemented quite forcefully until now.

    "Huh? But why am I not allowed here? This is just a bathing house, right? It doesn''t matter if I get a little wet in here."

    Elysia was not able to exin why she felt panicked but she wanted Eve out of here.

    Something inside her did not want to have the elder girl in the same room as her for now. She could not help but feel like things would be bothersome if Eve remained in here.

    "I cannot exin right now but go should go. I am alright and I was not drawing. It is just a part of my cleansing process so you should not have interfered. Also, do be careful once you go out and do not tell anyone you were here, alright?"

    "H-Huh? Alright? But why? Are you angry at me for being here?"

    Eve sounded a little confused. All the information that had been dumped on her went a little over her head and it must be making her head spin.

    "Eve, please go for now. I promise I will not be angry with you but you cannot be here. I-I might get in trouble if someone finds you here with me."

    Elysia''s panic was real and Eve looked like she understood.

    "Alright, I will leave now. You should rx and have fun as well. This will be our secret."

    Eve finally left but Elysia''s panic did not subdue. The taboo that had been kept for a long time was broken today and somehow, Elysia could not help but feel like something bad would happen.

    "I hope it''s just my feeling and nothing happens. But for some reason, I feel afraid of the ceremony today."

    _____________________________________

    Eve had not wanted to barge in on the ceremonial pools but she had just found her way there.

    She had been looking for Elysia and had heard some sisters mention her heading toward the ceremony pool. So Eve had headed off there as well.

    But when she had reached the pool, some kind of light had been shining through the door which had made Elysia curious.

    So she opened the door, only to find an open area with a lot of trees and a natural pond in the middle of the space.

    The pond was the ce where the light wasing from and there was only one small body inside the pool.

    Elysia was glowing like a divine entity and Eve felt awed to see that. But Elysia''s unresponsiveness also worried Eve.

    The younger but taller girl was not moving at all. She was just stuck in her ce and glowing.

    "Elysia, are you alright?"

    The girl didn''t even move an inch when Eve called out to her and fear filled Eve''s mind. Her only friend was drowning and she might even be dead if she did not breathe soon.

    ''I need to get her out,'' panic was all Eve felt until she somehow managed to knock Elysia out of her dream.

    But her friend had not been happy with her and that worried Eve. In the end, she had even been pushed out of the room because she had broken a rule she had not even been aware of.

    ''I got Elysia into trouble again. I need to make it up to her now. I don''t want her to be in trouble because of me. I will keep quiet about this incident and it will be a secret between us both.''

    For some reason, sharing a secret like this felt good to Eve. It made her feel closer to Elysia in a way she was not even closer to Yohan.

    "I want to be a good friend to Elysia. Closer than anyone else. I hope I get to spend more time with her in the future."

    Eve was so into her mind that she did not even notice the pair of cold golden eyes looking back at her in contempt.

    Had she looked, she would have recognized a rival she had for her new ''friend''s'' attention. But since she did not, she missed meeting the crown prince of the empire for the first time.

    On the other side, the white-haired youth red at the girl who dared to approach his ''prey.''

    He did not like her and something inside him recognized her as a threat to him. He should make sure to stay as far from as he could.

    She was powerful and her powers were also a direct contrast to his. Not to mention, she had his ''prey''s'' scent on her body. He hated that mixture of smells.

    "Your highness, do you need me to approach that girl and ask her to apany us? It seems like you are interested in her."

    The retainer looked between the new girl and the crown prince. It seemed like he was interested in her.

    "Don''t ask her toe here or she''ll end up dead. Just her scent makes me want to rip her apart."

    At first, the retainer looked taken aback at the joke but he soon realized that the crown prince was not joking at all.

    ''How did the young prince end up hating the only other candidate for his wife at the first nce? The emperor would not like this development at all.''

    But there was nothing else to be done. A dragon''s instincts were strong and they hardly ever changed their opinion.

 Chapter 9 9: The Dreaded Eclipse - Part 1

    Elysia''s body felt stiff after the bath. But she knew she could not show her tired face to anyone or they would make fun of her.

    People already thought of Elysia as a disposable unit so she could not afford to make any more bad impressions on the people.

    Especially on the royal family and retainers who were present during the ceremony.

    Elysia could still feel the heavy stare of those golden eyes being aimed at her back. The crown prince had decided to attend today''s ceremony and he had not stopped ring at Elysia for even a single second.

    The more he stared, the more Elysia felt like snapping back at him.

    But she held her feelings inside. She needed to be a good girl and make today''s ceremony sessful.

    Because as much as those golden eyes scared her, the ones belonging to Brother Yohan were even scarier.

    "Hurry up, Elysia. You''re wasting time by looking around. I thought you''ve done this before."

    Brother Yohan was standing at Elysia''s back, his eyes looking at Elysia do her part of the preparations.

    The symbols needed to start the ceremony needed to be drawn with the help of divine energy. The more energy one had, the better these symbols will be received and the smoother this ceremony would run.

    Brother Yohan had a decent amount of divine energy so he was able to finish his part with ease. He was much faster than the hear priest who was getting on in his age.

    But unlike him, Elysia''s small limbs could only go so fast and urately. She was much slower than brother Yohan but her arms were not shaking much.

    Her symbols were clear and filled with her divine energy.

    "Let it go, Yohan. Elysia is still young so she should take her time to do this. You should go and make ast check over the other preparations."

    Brother Yohan looked unhappy but he did not contradict the head priest''s words. He chose to honor the orders he had been given and look around the ground.

    No one paid much attention to this interaction since they were all too busy to look at the grand ceremonial sedan filled with offerings.

    The gate to the divine world would open once the eclipse hit the summit and then these offerings would be given in exchange for the divine blessing.

    "Elysia, good luck. I know you will be killing it today."

    "Eve, I don''t want to kill anything. And you should not be so close to the ceremonial stage."

    Elysia quickly stopped Eve from touching the stage. Generally, there should have been no problem even if someone did touch the stage but Eve had broken the taboo just a while back.

    Since there had been no such incident in the visions Elysia had seen, she was at a loss of what to expect.

    Not to mention, the killer re she was being aimed at by the crown prince made Elysia''s instincts stand on edge.

    She knew that it had been first-meeting love for the crown prince and Eve, but had he fallen for her this fast?

    And did he have to be jealous of Elysia? It was not like she was close to Eve or even spending time with her.

    "You don''t want me here? Then I will go stand at the back to not disturb you."

    "No, Eve, wait-" but the elder was gone before Elysia could exin to her that it was not Eve''s fault but the ceremony requirements.

    Elysia had not wanted to hurt Eve''s feelings, nor made her feel rejected but sending Eve away had been a necessity.

    "Are you done yet? The time of the eclipse is almost upon us."

    "I am done. Should we wear our masks now to protect our face?"

    Since the re from the eclipse was potent if one looked at it directly, there were special masks designed for such asions. Only the people performing the ceremony were allowed to wear those masks.

    The rest of the followers were to be blindfolded to protect their eyes. Those were the rules of this ceremony.

    Even Elysia, who had massive divine power, could not risk exposing her eyes to the eclipse directly at that time.

    Only someone who had the eyes of a dragon would be alright if they looked at the sun during the eclipse.

    ''Maybe Eve would be alright as well since she''s the female lead. Not that we will need to find this out.''

    And Elysia was thankful for that. The sun was already starting to darken and the symbol on the ground were starting to shine brighter.

    Everyone else was wearing their blindfold but Elysia''s eyes moved toward the back.

    ''What is that idiot doing? Is she not going to wear her blindfold? Don''t tell me, no one gave Eve one?''

    Eve did not have anything in her hand and Elysia could see her panicked expression.

    The idiot was even staring at the sun directly and she was going to go blind at this rate. Elysia needed to do something to prevent this from happening.

    "Brother Yohan, Eve doesn''t have a blindfold. I will go to her and give her one."

    "What did you say?"

    Brother Yohan looked shaken at Elysia''s words but before he could do anything, Elysia took off. The ceremony had started and it no longer required Elysia''s help to maintain itself.

    Elysia quickly made her way to Eve but there was no blindfold near the pair. She had only one option left with her.

    ''I will not go blind if I keep my eyes closed.''

    Elysia quickly unfastened her mask and pressed it against Eve''s face.

    "Keep your eyes closed for now and everything will be alright. Stay here and do not look up at all costs."

    Since Elysia was a little taller than Eve, she could block the sun out. Her eyes were closed as well but she could still feel the burn of the eclipse.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    It was clear to her that her eyes would sustain some damage even if she did not go blindpletely.

    "Elysia? What are you doing here?"

    "Taking care of you. Why did you not take a blindfold with you if you were going to be here? Did not one tell you about it?"

    "No,"

    Of course, no one told Eve. the only person except Elysia who talked with her was busy in the preparations.

    "Hurry up and let''s hide in a safe ce. The ceremony is about to be over anyway."

    Elysia tugged on Eve toward a safer zone. The ceremony had progressed quite far and nothing had happened.

    It seemed like the vision Elysia had was not going toe true since she had changed a lot of things already.

    But the bad feeling Elysia was having was still making her worry.

    "What are you doing, exposing yourself like this? You will go blind if you look at the sun now."

    Small hands covered Elysia''s eyes but not fully. She recognized the person speaking behind her back but she did not want to believe who it was.

    ''Why? Why is he here? Did he see me talk with Eve and decided to investigate? Or, is he here to take revenge?''

    "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

    Eve was brave to speak up like this. This fearlessness of hers was something that had attracted Adam in her visions.

    He would take his hands off Elysia''s face any second now and pay attention to Eve. Elysia could easily escape once they were both upied with each other.

    Only, it did not happen. Elysia held her breath but the small hands did not let her go. Instead, his grip tightened just a little more over Elysia''s eyes.

    "What I chose to do with my future wife is none of your business. You are the one who is being a nuisance anding between us right now."

    "Huh? What did you say? I did nothing. In fact, Elysia chose toe to me out of her wishes. She likes me more than you."

    "That is only because she had not spent much time with me yet. Once she does, she will see that I am much better than you."

    "Oh, is that so? But, didn''t you get pped by Elysia before? See, she doesn''t like you at all so you should let her go."

    Elysia was feeling a little dizzy from the constant push and pull. The protagonists were fighting over her like she was a toy doll.

    Why were those two fightings? Was this some new kind of way to pull each other''s ''pigtails''?

    "Stop it. Stop pulling me or you''ll break my arms. We should head toward the resting area to get me a new mask. I know the priests keep some in case of an emergency."

    Elysia''s words instantly made the other two let go of her arm. It was getting numb so it was nice to have some blood circting through her arms again.

    "Y-Your highness, can your live your hand from my eyes? I won''t be able to walk like this."

    "I don''t want to. Besides, if I let go now then you will go blind for sure."

    As much as Elysia hated to admit it, the crown prince was right. It was only because of the dragon essence in his body.

    "Hey, if you''re going to be like that then I want to help out as well. Elysia, I''ll lead you to the tent. Here, hold my hand."

    Eve didn''t give Elysia a choice in that matter. She decided to pull her arm and drag her along toward the other side of the camp.

    Elysia was being dragged between the two bodies like a doll. She didn''t have any control over her moments but the trio somehow made their way toward the tent.

    But before the trio could reach their tent, something heavy shed against the tent and caused it to break down.

    At the same time, chaos broke out in the clearing. Pained cries could be heard all over the ce.

    "W-What is going on? Eve? Anyone?"

    "T-The gate opened but it''s not the divine gate. The gate is connected to the demon world. We are under attack."

    It was not Eve who answered, but the crown prince who did. He sounded shaken as well and Elysia didn''t even want to think what he was seeing to make him sound like this.

    "I-I need to go. I need to find Yohan before he is killed. Stay here because I will be back soon."

    Eve, the brave idiot she was, decided to head toward the chaos and Elysia knew she could not allow that to happen.

    "Eve, wait. Don''t be an idiot. Eve,e back here."

    Elysia quickly shook Adam''s hands off her face and ran toward Eve. She looked up at the huge shadow looming over her and Eve and instantly covered the elder girl.

    Behind the monster, thest rays of the eclipse reached Elysia''s eyes and they burned.

    Adam was being held back by some smaller monster and his retainers had reached him to protect him.

    And Elysia was sure that she was going to die today. Her death was staring her right in the face.

    And the familiar voice of her future self reached her ears.

    ''This is your punishment for trying to change the course of destiny. You should not have tried to change the future in this way. All that awaits you is despair and guilt for breaking the taboo.''

    It almost felt like her initial vision but with a major change. She had not been the one to summon these monsters, the broken Taboo was.

 Chapter 10 10: The Dreaded Eclipse - Part 2

    ''This is your punishment for trying to change the course of destiny. You should not have tried to change the future in this way. All that awaits you is despair and guilt for breaking the taboo.''

    The voice was as clear inside Elysia''s head as the sound of a loud bark and something tearing apart. But her eyes were in too much pain to open properly.

    "HEAD PRIEST? EVERYONE RUN! THE HEAD PRIEST IS DEAD"

    Elysia could not make out who spoke those words but she felt something warm and stickynd on top of her body.

    It happened before a heavy bodynded on top of her and squished her. Eve seemed even more ufortable at being squeezed beneath two unresponsive bodies.

    "Oi, get off me. You are heavy and I cannot turn around to see what is happening." Eve''s voice did not sound as fearful as Elysia would have expected it to be.

    "Don''t look up."

    Elysia tried to move away but the body on top of her was too heavy. Elysia could only make out familiar features of the man that had protected her body.

    ''Don''t think about it. He was bound to die anyway. Don''t think about the head priest and his dead eyes.''

    Elysia tried to calm herself down but even the knowledge of a certain death did not help her mentally prepare to face one.

    In her visions, every death had happened off-screen. She had never seen someone die in front of her eyes before, nor had Elysia felt the heat of drying blood.

    It was too much for her to handle.

    "Hurry up, this way. I can see thest monster here. It is advancing toward the children. Sister Rosa, get the kids out of there."

    Elysia felt someone pushing the heavy body off her. But the burden she felt all over her did not seem to have lightened at all. Elysia could not move even when she was pulled back to her feet by Sister Rosa.

    "So useless. Oi,e back to your senses and run away if you know what is good for you."

    The words entered Elysia''s ears from one side while they exited her ear from the other. But the magic was binding Elysia.

    She could hear and see everything that was happening but she felt like a stranger rather than an active participant.

    "Elysia? Hurry, we need to run. Elysia?"

    It was not till Eve touched her that Elysia knew what was wrong for certain. The chaotic energy was resting inside Eve''s body since she had broken the taboo.

    And it reacted with Elysia''s offensive magic, causing an uncontrolled surge of mana influx.

    "Fuck! Shit! She''s lost it."

    Sister Rosa quickly pulled Eve into her arms to protect her against the influx of frightening magic.

    The magic was strong enough to tear apart thest of the monsters. But it didn''t stop there and only continued to brew stronger by the second.

    "What horrifying powers. Is she a six-year-old? None of us can even step close to her in our current state."

    The one whomented on this was the royal retainer. Despite his terrifying words, he had a small grin on his face.

    His words had not meant to provoke anyone but the people around him took them in the wrong way.

    "W-Well be killed", "We need to stop her now", "H-Hurry, bring the army. Hurry up."

    The people around the magical eruption were rooted in their ce, not even trying to run away. These people seemed to have lost their confidence in getting out alive already.

    The only one who was not concerned about Elysia was Eve and the crown prince. Eve tried to move toward Elysia but Sister Rosa held her back.

    The sister had blooding out of her eye and her torso also supported a lot of wounds but she held on to Eve tightly.

    "Let go. I need to get Elysia out of there. I know my magic can help her." Eve tried to get out of the arms but Sister Rosa refused to let her go.

    "Yohan would have my head if anything happened to you. No one cares about Elysia''s life as much as yours. You must live."

    "But Elysia?"

    "She will be alright. Brother Yohan had ns for her so he will take care of her."

    Eve wanted to protest more but she was knocked out before she could make any move. She only had one thought in her mind when she was losing consciousness.

    ''It is my fault. I broke the taboo so I must be the one to face this punishment. Why did Elysia have to go through it?''

    But nothing came out of her mouth when she went ck in Sister Rosa''s arms.

    _____________________________________

    Yohan hurried toward the influx of magic he could feel. The feeling that magic gave off was one filled with taboo, but no one else but him should be able to feel it.

    "Brother Yohan, the head priest is dead and his ward has gone out of control. What should we do now?"

    The one who asked this question was a lower-ranked priest who had likely gotten his position because of nepotism. These types of priests weremon in the temple but they could not be counted on in case of emergency.

    "Ask the soldiers to lead the people out. I will deal with the magical influx."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Brother Yohan tried to remain calm but he could not remain calm. He has cast protective magic on Eve but it had activated.

    There was only one reason for it to activate and it was if Eve was targeted by dark magic. This meant that the taboo magic had tried to attack Eve and it was only possible if Eve broke a taboo.

    Thankfully, his protective magic had caused the taboo to bounce back to someone else.

    And by the degree of magical influx, he was feeling, there could only be one person it had affected - Elysia.

    ''This was why I did not want them to hang out together. That girl is trouble and she will harm Eve in the future.''

    But even if he said that Yohan was bound by a contract to look after Elysia now. He could not ignore the contract he had signed just that morning.

    "Eve, are you alright? Sister Rosa, report the situation to me."

    The soldiers were trying to evacuate the ce. People had already suffered a heavy injuries and the eclipse had finally passed safely.

    "Don''t you have eyes to see? We are in a dire situation. I don''t think even your magic would be able to pass through this influx of magic."

    Sister Rosa was right. The magic wall was too much for him to handle. It was too much for a normal body to handle.

    But someone needed to go in and calm Elysia down before her powers could be sealed. And there was only one person capable of doing this.

    "What is it? Why are you looking at me with that disgusted stare of yours?"

    The crown prince was much more perspective than people gave him credit for. It seemed like his soul had carried over the ancient wisdom of the dragon race when it had reincarnated.

    It was the man his Eve was supposed to end up with in the future. The one who would adore her beyond sky and earth.

    And yet, the way he looked at Yohan did not sit well with him. The man was making his displeasure known with a single gare aimed his way.

    "Your highness, I know I have no right to ask you to step into our problem but you are the only one who can brave this magical storm. So I want to ask you to-"

    "-Go on and kill her, right? You want me to kill her off to stop this magical storm?"

    Yohan fell silent at the dragon''s words. He knew that saying anything here would only make this situation worst.

    "No, you can''t kill her. It is all my fault so don''t kill Elysia."

    Eve chose that moment to wake up as well. Her panicked moment caused Sister Rosa to almost drop her down.

    Yohan wanted to console her and tell her that sealing off Elysia''s powers was the only solution they had. Even if it ended up killing Elysia, that was all they could do to save her.

    "We don''t have any other choice Eve. Elysia is a danger to everyone, especially you. She has to be killed off. Even the crown prince will not be able to endure this magical influx with his powers long enough to reach Elysia and snap her out."

    "B-But then,...no��..I will save Elysia then. My magic powers are healing and buffing so I can do it, right? I can reach Elysia without dying."

    "No, you cannot. Your body will notst long enough."

    While the father and daughter were busy having their one-on-one, the crown prince''s concern was growing.

    The beat inside him was not pleased to see his prey in this much danger and pain. No one was allowed to bully her but him.

    "Be quiet. If you can heal and boost from a distance, then do it on me. I will drag her out,"

    "After all, she''s my fiance so she''s ''my'' responsibility."

    The crown prince did not give the pair a chance to retaliate before he entered the magic storm. He ignored the

    The magic cut at his body but he did not care. His dragonic nature and instincts were strong even in his young body. They were leading him deeper toward the center.

    His wounds hurt, but not for long. Someone was casting healing spells on him from outside the magic influx. It was weak but still did enough to keep Adam going.

    ''Tch, she''ll be a pain in the ass. But I will not lose my prey to her.''

    Adam pushed ahead, his small body braving the wind and finally catching Elysia''s arm. Half-open eyes looked at him but they held almost no light.

    It was possible that Elysia was no longer able to see anything due to the after-effects of the eclipse. And all this because she wanted to help someone who did not deserve help.

    "You are a pain in my ass but you are my prey. I won''t let you escape until I am satisfied with you."

    Adam almost yelled but he had a feeling that Elysia had not heard a word he said.

    Still, he pulled her out of the magical influx and toward safety. The magic resisted his moment and there was only one thing Adam could do to make her magic submit.

    "This is your fault things came to this."

    Sharp ws bit into Adam''s hand and blood flowed out of his m. He quickly positioned it toward Elysia''s mouth to make her ingest it before wiping the ess of blood off.

    "Now, calm down and let your magic rest."

    The unconscious body obeyed and Elysia finally went limp in his arms. At the same time, the storm that was brewing around the pair calmed down into nothing, and pretty soon they were surrounded by people.

 Chapter 11 11: The Aftermath

    It took two days after that incident for things to calm down. Two days where fear ruled the kingdom and a lot of rumors began flying around.

    Rumors about the temple, about the royal family, and about the abnormally powerful child who had been the center of all this destruction.

    But despite all that, some things were not relieved. For example, the breaking of the taboo and the bacsh.

    No one knew what the real story was and the condition of the conversation just became more and more absurd.

    Two dayster, Brother Yohan was given the title of the head priest to rece the previous one who had sacrificed himself to save the others.

    And slowly, things went back to normal under the guidance of the new head priest. He controlled the damage and also made ns for restoration.

    He also met up with different noble fractions and calmed them down. The royal family also supported this new change.

    Everything seemed to be going well on the surface until that evening when Elysia finally opened her eyes

    _____________________________________

    "I-Is she awake? Can I go in and see her now?"

    "Of course not. You might trigger her curse if you woke in now so you should wait outside."

    Eve wilted at the crown prince''s harsh word. They both had been forced out of Elysia''s room by the worried healer.

    Head priest Yohan looked toward his small ward who had dark circles under her eyes. She was losing sleep over her injured friend''s condition.

    The healer had told them that Elysia was about to gain consciousness at any second and Eve had insisted to be there when Elysia was finally woken up.

    Head priest Yohan looked toward the fated pair sitting at his side. They were not looking at each other, both more concerned about the ck-haired female inside the room.

    ''How wonderful. That devil is not even here but she''s still ruining Eve''s future with her fate pair,'' the thought was sudden but it was powerful.

    It soured the head priest''s already bad temper and he wanted to break something to let it all out.

    "Head priest, she is about to wake up any second. You shoulde in now, but alone. There are things I need to tell you that children should not know."

    The healer was trying to be considerate of the children but the crown prince did not look amused. His sharp senses must have picked up every word that was being said.

    "We should discuss this inside." Yohan turned toward the kids next, "Eve, take the crown prince somewhere nice to rx. I will have a talk with the healer inside Elysia''s room. I call you once it is safe."

    He could read the reluctance in the crown prince''s eyes. He looked ready to fight.

    "Let''s go. It''s for Elysia''s safety so we should go."

    The crown prince backed down at Eve''s words and let himself get dragged away. But his eyes were ring the whole way.

    "How cute. They both will make a great couple and you should think about getting your adopted daughter engaged with the crown prince instead of Elysia. Especially considering her current condition. We can''t send someone crippled into the royal family."

    The healer''s first words hit Yohan hard but his second words hit Yohan even harder.

    "Exin properly. What do you mean by crippled?"

    "W-Well, it''s nothing physical or noticeable either but I noticed a problem with Elysia''s eyes when I was checking her. She might have been affected by the eclipse and lost the use of her sight. But she might not be fully blinded yet. We''ll have to check once she wakes up."

    The healer sounded nervous when Yohan leaned closer to her. But it did not sound like she was joking around.

    "Is that all? Is her health ok?"

    "Her body is alright but her powers are being suppressed by something odd. It''s something I have never felt before and I cannot remove it. It shouldn''t hinder her from using her magic though so it should be alright for her-"

    "Get out"

    "Excuse me?"

    "Get out of here. I can take things from here so you should leave now."

    The healer sounded surprised at the suddenmand and the head priest gentled his tone. He did not want to scare the healer or give her anything to gossip about.

    "A-Ah, right. I should get going now."

    The healer quickly fled the room as soon as she could. She didn''t even take a look back to see her patient.

    Head priest Yohan quietly took his seat at Elysia''s side and waited for her to open her eyes. It was not going to take long for her to wake up.

    He could already feel Elysia''s magic surging out of her body and pulling her up.

    "Took you long enough to wake up. Did you have a nice sleep after causing all the panic after the ceremony?"

    Head priest Yohan knew that it was not Elysia''s fault. It was more Eve''s fault than the ck-haired girl in front of him.

    But he still wanted to see her reaction to this news. He needed to know how much of a danger she was. If she dared me Eve, then he would remove her without any second thought.

    If not, then she might still be useful. Losing one''s sight partially was not such a big deal and one could be trained to ignore the loss.

    "I-I''m sorry. It was my fault this happened. I should not have tried to-"

    "Enough. What happened cannot be changed and it will not erase what you did. Your sin was grave enough to even get you killed. However, you can atone for your sins by helping Eve and the crown prince out."

    "Tell me, do you want to live?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The six-year-old nodded her head. Her desire to live was strong and it would be even stronger in the future.

    But she needed to be the sacrifice needed for the betterment of this world. It needed to be done and Yohan refused to feel guilty about what he was going to force the girl to do in the future.

    "I don''t want to die. Please, help me out."

    This was the second time the girl had told Yohan the same thing. And now he knew that her fear of death was genuine.

    "Then, make an oath to me. An oath to protect Adam and Eve even if it cost you your life. If you do, then I will save you."

    "An oath? H-How do I make it? W-Will it change this cursed fate of mine if I protect them?"

    The child sounded scared but determined. Fate was not a word Yohan had expected to hear from one so young.

    But he did not pay much attention to the words of a six-year-old child. He just wanted her to take the oath so that he could be insured about the future.

    Even if something did happen in the future, the oath would make sure Eve and the crown prince lives happily.

    "You don''t need to worry. I will make the preparations. You just need to follow my words."

    And so, the oath was sworn that day. An oath that would change the story of the world and twist the rtionship between three people.

    _____________________________________

    And just like that, ten years passed and the three children grew closer.

    Elysia trained in the arts she was being taught to help out Adam and Eve better. She absorbed all that was thrown at her and her powers grew.

    However, no matter how hard she tried, she was not able to heal herself. She was only capable of offensive magic.

    On the other hand, Eve grew up as a proper saintess candidate. Her healing powers were uncontested and no one could even hold a candle to her strong presence.

    The two were like day and night in the temple but unlike Elysia, Eve''s poprity soared after her powers awakened a weekter after the eclipse disaster.

    The crown prince also continued to pay regr visits to the church and spend time with Elysia and Eve.

    The day Eve found out about Elysia''s partial blindness, she cried. Adam''s expression screamed that he already knew this was going to happen. Neither looked happy at the news but they could not do anything about it.

    Things got busy after that. Life returned to normal and so did the world. Elysia continued to get the disturbing visions and she made sure to keep them to herself.

    The trio continued to grow closer with each other, just as it had in Elysia''s visions.

    But due to the nature of Elysia''s schedule, she was often unable to apany the crown prince that left him alone with Eve. It sparked rumors of forbidden romance and a lot of people liked this idea.

    All except those who did not want to see the crown prince be married off to amoner with doubtful roots.

    Those outspoken nobles were the only reason Elysia''s engagement with the crown prince was being held together still.

    That and theck of interest the royal family showed in annulling this engagement. Every time this topic came up, the royal family forcefully changed it to something else.

    Even the crown prince refused to say anything about it. But everyone knew it was because if he did break the engagement, then he would lose the reason to visit the temple and spend time with his fiance''s friend.

    And just like that, the news of the decade arrived. The crown prince''s sixteenth birthday ball was about to approach and it was going to be a monumental day.

    Not only would the crown prince be eligible to take the throne and be the ''real'' crown prince, but the temple would also make its big announcement - the candidate for the next saintess.

    There were also talks about the royal family finally annulling the engagement between that devil Elysia and the respected crown prince and finally giving the ce to its rightful owner, the next saintess.

    Everyone was happy with the news except the two people who were part of this news. Crown Prince Adam and the Next Saintess Eve had the biggest frown on their faces as they sat in the middle of the royal garden that evening.

    Both of them had the same concern on their mind - the context of the rumors and how to prove them wrong.

    "I''ll say this outright, I am not marrying you. I don''t even like guys in the first ce and even if I did, you were not my type."

    "I don''t like you either, you witch. I don''t know why they always direct me to you when Ie to the temple to see my fiance."

    The crown prince and Eve butted heads, their face a mask of repulsion. There was no attraction between the pair visible but still, the onlookers had a different viewpoint.

    "How attractive. They both really suit each other, don''t they?"

    "They truly do. I can''t wait until that devil is out of the picture and those two can be happy with each other."

    Thankfully, the servant''s words were not heard by the two concerned parties and that was why she was spared a painful death.

    There was only one concern on the pair''s minds.

    "Where''s Elysia? She was supposed toe with you, right?"

    "She was and that''s why I hurried up here. But father said he needed Elysia to do some work for him so he took her away. What kind of work does a half-blind person even need to do? And why didn''t he ask me?"

    Eve questioned and Adam remained quiet. He had an idea what kind of work Head priest Yohan needed Elysia to do. But he did not want to say anything without proof.

    And proof he would find before exposing the Head Priest. And he will not involve Eve until then since she would be a liability for Elysia. He would not risk Elysia''s safety to make Evefortable.

    He was not that charitable for anyone escape his prey.

 Chapter 12 12: The Decision Is Made

    "Hey, watch where you are going. Can''t you see that someone is in front��." The man trailed off as soon as his eyes fell on the nk blue eyes of the cloaked figure.

    Those eyes help no light inside them, indicating that the girl could not see much of anything.

    And as soon as the realization hit, the man''s demeanor instantly changed from using to gentle.

    "A-Ah, I''m sorry miss. I did not know your circumstances," having realized his fault, the man quickly bowed down. He could feel various eyes aimed at his back, judging him for themotion he had caused.

    This was not something the noble had nned to face when he decided to visit the temple today. But the girl was taking a long time to respond which made his situation even moreplicated.

    Whispers broke out as soon as he bowed. He quickly looked up at the nk eyes of the female in front of him and instantly realized his mistake.

    Of course, the girl had not asked him to stand back up from how to bow. She had not seen him bow at all.

    His silence and all the whispers must have clued the girl in on the situation because she flinched and quickly bowed back.

    "N-No, the fault lies with me. I should not havee here today. Kindly forgive me for this shameful behavior."

    The noble instantly calmed down as soon as he heard the girl''s voice. It was a gentle and kind voice that rxed him.

    However, the looks and whispers being aimed in his way did not stop. It took the noble a few minutes to realize that thosemoners were not looking at him, but rather at the cloaked girl in front of her.

    Their eyes held fear when they looked at the blind girl and the noble felt realization drawn on him.

    ''Ah, so she is ''that'' child, Elysia? She looks younger than I expected her to. She also doesn''t look like she could hurt anyone. But looks can be deceiving.''

    As soon as the man realized who the sixteen-year-old in front of him was, he quickly gave another bow.

    "Greetings to the fiance of our crown prince. I hope I did not cause any problem for our future empress or it would bring shame to the Cross name."

    The noble could feel the res that were being aimed his way. The temple had too manymoners who supported the next saintess as the candidate for the future empress.

    And had that ''Eve'' girl been born as a noble, he would not have minded it so much. But how can amoner without any background be allowed to marry the royal family when they had another candidate?

    Even if the crown prince was in love with the next saintess, the noble fraction could not support that marriage.

    "A-Ah, thank you? I-I should get going now. I am not supposed to be here."

    The girl was shy and sounded submissive as well. She was easy prey that the Nobel was sure he could subdue.

    So if he pushed a little more, then he could make that girl fall on his side and use her for his rise.

    No matter how little the crown prince cared for his fiance, she was still his fiance.

    "Why so soon, mydy? I would like to ask mydy to apany me to the gardens, if possible," the noble cheered the exact moment Elysia gave in to his demands.

    He could see her fragile defense breaking apart as he probed more and more but he missed the dark re that entered the girl''s mind.

    Those from the tower who knew what the girl was capable of flinched while the general public sneered at the loose girl.

    Elysia had the most diverse image among different masses but neither liked to interact with her much. She was too much of a danger for both sides - be it the Tempel or themon people.

    "Elysia, the head priest is calling for you. If you arete again then you will be punished with another time out."

    "A-Ah, I should leave then. It was nice knowing you, Noble Cross. I hope we get another chance to talk again."

    The Noble looked on awkwardly as the girl left him behind. He wanted to be angry but he could not show his emotions. So all he could do was re at the eye-patch earring sister in front of him.

    Sister Rosa could just sigh at the foolish man who had fallen prey to the head priest''s schemes.

    He would be lucky to survive this night with the amount of poison Elysia had managed to get into his veins.

    And the worst of it all was, that no one would be able to find the source since Elysia had used untraceable magic to perform that task.

    Only someone with stronger magic than Elysia would be able to detect this magic and the only one who fitted this criterion was the crown prince.

    And Sister Rosa knew that the crown prince was not going to admit to it. If he had overlooked everything else Elysia had done this far, then he was not going to betray Elysia now.

    _________________________________

    Elysia''s facade fell as soon as she exited the room. She did feel sorry for the noble but not to the point of saving him.

    After all, between him and Eve, Elysia already knew which one she was going to choose and save.

    Her eyes could not make out much of anything in front of her but Elysia had been spared the fate of being blind. She could still make out vague shapes and differences in the light around her.

    But she mostly relied on her magic to read the room and her surroundings. That was her most powerful weapon and also something Elysia relied on exclusively on.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    She had also been able to carry out today''s mission in rtive peace because of her delicate mastery of magic.

    "May you find peace in your next life," with thatst prayer out of the way, Elysia made her way toward the Head Priest''s office.

    It was not often that Yohan called for her anymore. Nor did he ask her to do a lot. ording to him, it was not yet time for Elysia to make herself useful in the most important ways.

    She had only been tasked to clear out some monsters from the demon world and aid Eve''s peace campaigns thus far.

    Oh, and to take out thepetition.

    Over the years, Elysia had been slowly but surely clearing those who were opposing the royal family and the next saintess candidate.

    It had been difficult for Elysia to be able to hide this side of her from herpanions but she had somehow managed to get away this far.

    Eve likely suspected something but the crown prince let Elysia be. He didn''t even question her when he found her in the weirdest of ces.

    Elysia was afraid that the crown prince knew something about her ''true'' work but since he had not said anything, Elysia did not pry too much into it.

    She quickly knocked at the Head Priest''s door and braced herself.

    "Come in," the door opened and the atmosphere changed as soon as Head priest Yohan saw her enter.

    That was something that never seemed to change in her life. The ufortable feeling that prated the space around Elysia every time she was in Head Priest''s presence never failed to catch her off-guard.

    "Sir, the mission was a sess. Noble Cross will die by the end of today and his son will take over his position pretty soon. Since his son is young, we can make use of him for our ends."

    "I know. You did a good job so I feel like I can entrust you with another. Since you are sixteen already, I feel like you are finally ready to take on heavier responsibilities."

    Elysia felt happy at being acknowledged. Those words were ones that she had wanted to hear for a long time now.

    She did not even care that those wordse with some strings attached to them.

    "I will be happy to take on any responsibility you impose on me, my lord."

    Those words escaped Elysia''s mouth without any hesitation. She knew that the Head Preist might not like her, but he needed her.

    And that was why he would not give Elysia any task that would put her life at risk for now.

    Not unless it was necessary and would put Eve on the brink of death.

    "Since we have cleaned out most of the domesticpetition, we don''t need to worry about Eve''s path to the saintess candidate. However, we are still missing an important figure in our ns - a powerful backer."

    "Since the royal family needs to remain neutral in this conflict, it falls on us to find another powerful backer to take their ce. And I can only think of one house capable enough to do that."

    Elysia felt her breath stop as soon as she heard those words.

    Surely she had heard wrong? Surely the Head Priest was not suggesting what she thought he was? Elysia had to be mistaken in her assumption.

    "M-My lord, are you sure? S-Surely you jest when you propose this. S-Surely not that family?"

    Elysia felt her blood run cold. Out of everything she could have expected, she had never considered returning to ''that'' family before.

    None of her visions had shown her anything about ''that'' family either so Elysia was not sure how she felt.

    "No, you heard me right. I am asking you to go back and im your birthright. As it stands, we cannot let that monster be in charge of the second most powerful family in this empire. So, Elysia Darce, it is time you go back and reim your birthright."

    With those words, Elysia felt her fate finally get cemented in a way she had never expected to.

    "What''s wrong? Don''t you want to live? If you go back to the Dirac family and demand your birthright, no one will be able to touch you again. Not even the royal family will be able to kill you off. Didn''t you want to live?"

    Elysia did want to live. She wanted to live so badly.

    But something inside her was terrified of the unknown if she stepped into that ce again. She had been born in the Dirac estate but Elysia had no memories of it.

    "Elysia, your answer doesn''t matter. I have already sent the letter so the Dirac family would be expecting your arrival tomorrow. Go, pack your things and head out early tomorrow. And be ready since things would be getting busier from now."

    Since the letter had already been sent, Elysia had no other choice but to agree to go. Dirac''s family could not be meddled with easily.

    If Elysia did not show up after the letter, then the Dirac family might feel offended enough to retaliate and that would spell disaster for everyone.

    Especially for Elysia. She would certainly die if the Dirac family came after her. So she had only one option left in the end, to cooperate.

    "I understand my lord. I will return to the Dirac family tomorrow morning."

    Elysia''s easy life wasing to an end but she will do anything for her survival. Even if it meant stepping into hell and struggling there.

 Chapter 13 13: Let Me Accompany You

    If someone was asked what the most mysterious ce in the empire was, most people would not hesitate to point toward the Dirac estate.

    It was rumored to be a ce full of wildlife and magic. One where dreams coulde true and magic was in abundance.

    Those were the rumors themon people liked to tell when talking about the Dirac family.

    However, those who had even a little bit of knowledge about the underworld and the politics would tell you otherwise.

    They would tell you to never offend a Dirac or would disappear without a trace. The most powerful family in the empire after the royal family was Dirac without any doubt.

    But the source of their power or their wealth was not known to anyone. Anyone who tried to abuse the Dirac wealth or name for themselves ended up dying of natural causes. Even the magicians were not spared.

    And above all this power stood only one man, the current head of the Dirac family and the only member of the line currently alive - Lucas, the immortal.

    The only person to have survived the family tragedy and beaten the Dirac curse.

    No one know how he looked or even his real age. He rarely stepped out of his mansion and his work was mostly carried out by his proxy, a distant rtive who was equally recognized in the kingdom.

    People tried to get close to the truth of the young master. Ladies flocked toward him when social events came but he never paid attention to anyone.

    But everyone agreed that he was dangerous.

    _____________________________________

    "Hector, have you prepared everything I asked you to prepare?"

    The cool and heavy voice belonged to no one other than the Lord of Dirac house, Lucas. His aplishments were many and his name was known far and wide in the empire.

    But despite his enormous fame, he was but a man in his early twenties.

    His features were delicate but they did not possess fragility. His body was lean but strong, a sign of a swordsman who had practiced the art but not spent all his time on it.

    But despite his pretty-boy looks, there was an aura of danger around that man which told the looker not to mess with him or they would regret their decision.

    Lord Lucas was a dangerous but attractive young man who many would love to marry. And yet he had stayed single to this day and not even looked toward anyone.

    The family butler, Hector, who was kneeling in front of his master was worried about his young master.

    ''So young and still single. And now he decided to take that problem child back in the family as well.''

    "Everything had been taken care of, master. The staff has been warned to not mistreat mydy once she returns home."

    The butler wanted to look at his master''s expression but he did not dare. Master Lucas had been in a weird mood the past few days, and his temper was vtile.

    "Out with it, Hector. Say what you want to say and don''t beat around the bush anymore."

    Hector took a deep breath before facing the music. He had been caught by his master already so there was no point in hiding his emotions any longer.

    "My lord, are you sure you want to call ''that child'' back? You have heard the rumors that are circting Lady Elysia. If we take her in then your reputation would only sour further. Not to mention, people will believe that you support her and the crown prince''s union. Please do not let the temple pressure you into making this decision-"

    Hector had only wanted to say a little on this topic, but once the dam had broken, words had spilt out of his mouth.

    The butler dared to look up for only one second before he flinched and looked back down.

    The look in his master''s eyes was not one he had ever seen before. That rage and darkness swirling in his master coupled with the uncontrolled magic made the butler shiver in fright.

    "You still don''t understand what is going on so do not run your mouth unnecessarily. The decision to bring Elysia back was mine, not the Temple''s. As for supporting her union with the crown prince? It''s the opposite. Those who wanted this union to break would jump at this opportunity to cause a mess."

    The butler could not understand his master''s thought process at all.

    "Don''t try to understand what is going on Hector, you won''t get it anyway. All you need to do is to obey mymand and you will live. Now, if that is all then leave this room. I need to make some ''personal'' preparations to wee my younger sister back."

    The butler shivered as he left Lord Lucas''s office. Thest thing he saw on his face was a smile that did not look right.

    Whatever his young master was nning, it hurt someone in the end. It was better to stay out of his way.

    Those who oppose the Dirac family never got good ends. And Hector, who had served this family for generations knew when to keep his head down.

    It seemed like the young miss Elysia would be a ticking time bomb once she arrived here. He would have to make sure nothing happens to her.

    _____________________________________

    Elysia found herself unable to sleep well at the night. Her mind kept shing back to the news that had been dumped over her all of a sudden.

    ''Back to that family home? Somehow, I can''t fall asleep at all.''

    Elysia twister and turned in her bed, her sleeping in broken intervals that she did not even remember.

    The morning greeted her with a tired and aching body along with an unclear mind. Elysia didn''t have the willpower to get up from her bed.

    "Time to get up. Head Priest asked me to make sure you reach your destination without any problem," it was Sister Rosa''s voice that broke the thin vile of sleep over Elysia.

    Since someone hade to pick her up, Elysia could no longer pretend to be asleep. She forcefully dragged her body out of bed and walked toward the bathhouse.

    ''I least it''s not the ceremonial pool. I don''t think I can handle seeing a vision today.'' Elysia continued her walk and quickly washed.

    The less time she spent on her preparations, the less time Elysia would have to think over her circumstances.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Sister Rosa was waiting for her when she came back. The indifferent look Sister Rosa gave her along with her injured eyes filled Elysia with guilt.

    It had been her fault Sister Rosa had been injured like that in the first ce. And Elysia knew how tough it was to navigate this world with limited vision.

    Elysia and Sister Rosa might not have identical situations but they were in a simr enough boat for Elysia to feel connected with her.

    "I send your luggage to our cart already. You should head down when you are ready. We will have breakfast in the town."

    Elysia was thankful for the time Sister Rosa was giving her to say goodbye. There were not many people Elysia needed to greet but she did feel like she needed to say something to Eve before leaving.

    ''Eve will also tell Adam about me so I will not have to worry about him either. I hope things go alright between them even without my intervention.''

    Although Elysia knew she had nothing to worry about when it came to those two, she still could not help but worry.

    For two people who were destined to be with each other, they surely did like to keep their differences. But maybe being away from Elysia would be good for their rtionship.

    Elysia knocked at Eve''s door but no one answered. It was unusual for Eve to not answer her door and Elysia almost opened the door when she was stopped.

    "Here for Eve? She''s not here today. She was asked to get materials ready for the crown prince''s birthday so she already left. Seeing her doing ''someone else''s'' duty sure is weird but I support her."

    Elysia ignored the jab that was made at her ''position''. The sister who had just spoken had done so to humiliate Elysia.

    These sisters knew that they could get away with humiliating Elysia, so they did just that. And Elysia chose to ignore them in return so that she did not have to break her mask if a meek bi-stander.

    "O-Oh. Then I should get going as we-" Elysia had not even taken one step ahead when she collided with something solid.

    Thankfully, she did not lose her bnce or it would have been humiliating for her.

    "Why are you dressed like this? Are you going somewhere? I was looking ahead to spending the day with you," the familiar whisper spoke directly in Elysia''s ears.

    Elysia shivered as soon as she felt the cold touch of Adam''s breath and her body lost all the energy it had.

    For some reason, her body refused to move as soon as Adam touched her. Elysia always ended up leaning on him for support when these things happened.

    "M-My lord, shouldn''t you let Lady Elysia go? S-Someone will misunderstand if they saw you like this," the sister from before was brave enough to speak up.

    Elysia was not even looking toward Adam but she already knew he had a re on his face.

    "What kind of ''wrong idea'' will I give out when I am supporting ''my'' fiance? Don''t open your mouth uselessly."

    Adam sounded pissed. He was even pulling Elysia tighter against his body to prove a point and it made Elysia''s heart skip a beat.

    "I-I mean she''s not��.if anyone��..I''m sorry. I should take my leave now."

    The sister that had tried to drive some sense in the crown prince''s head made a quick exit. Elysia could only see blurs of a passing figure but she was sure the sister would not be seen again.

    "Adam, you can let me go. I will not trip again."

    "Are you sure?"

    The crown prince''s voice sounded like it doubted Elysia but he still let go after thest squeeze. Elysia took a few breaths to calm her racing heart down before she faced the crown prince.

    She wanted to ask him why he was there but she didn''t get to speak before the crown prince opened his mouth.

    "Elysia, where were you thinking of going? You were not present during our weekly meeting yesterday, nor before that. It feels like it''s been ages since Ist saw you. Don''t tell me that you were trying to cut me off."

    ''He sounds mad. Why is he so angry?'' Elysia had no idea what had pissed the crown prince off. She had even been considerate enough to give him some alone time with Eve so that he could make a move on her.

    "There is nothing wrong. I was just a little busy these past few weeks."

    "Busy? Busy doing what?"

    Elysia opened her mouth to confess but then closed it the very next second. She did not know whatpelled her to even think of confessing, but Elysia quickly squished those traitorous thoughts out of her mind.

    "You do no-"

    "Lady Elysia, please hurry up. We need to leave now if we want to get to our destination in time. We should not keep Lord Dirac waiting."

    "Lord Dirac? Your elder brother? Seems like an interesting story I would want to hear. Won''t you allow me to apany you both on this journey?"

    It did not surprise Elysia to see Adam know about her real family. This topic had onlye up once and that was also by mistake but Adam was just the kind of man to not anything goes.

    Of course, he had dug up everything avable on Elysia''s past to useter.

    "Y-Your highness? Ah, sorry, I did not see you. But surely you are too busy to apany us? You should be helping outdy Eve in her preparation."

    Sister Rosa sounded as taken back by Adam''s presence as Elysia felt. She also seemed to be trying her best to make the crown prince go away but the younger just smiled at her instead.

    "Of course, I am not busy. I always have time to apany ''my'' fiance to her family home. I would also like to meet my future inws. As for Eve? She can do her assigned tasks on her own. She doesn''t need my help."

    In front of the crown prince, even Sister Rosa''s sharp tongue did not work. The duo did not stand a chance to go against his words.

    "Now, let''s hurry up and leave. Dirac estate is a little on the outskirts and we should not waste any more time here."

    Elysia could only sigh at the uing long trip. This was either going to be great or aplete disaster for her.

 Chapter 14 14: The Journey Is Hard

    ''This stress is going to kill me. Why doesn''t Adam say anything? Is he angry at me? Happy for me? Or, does he find apanying me on this journey bothersome?''

    ''And why? Why does he not let me go? Is it important for him to hold me in such an intimate position? I''m starting to feel ufortable.''

    Elysia''s thoughts kept her busy. They kept her busy enough to make her forget her current predicament of being held in the crown prince''sp.

    The once shorter boy had grown up rapidly and now he stood far above Elysia in height. Even Eve had grown taller than her and now Elysia was the shortest of the trio.

    "Elysia, is something wrong? Are you feeling ufortable anywhere? You know you can tell me about it, right?"

    Someone must have tampered with the crown prince''s food otherwise there was no reason for him to behave like this.

    While Adam often liked to hug Elysia and drag her on top of him, the behavior was seldomly done in private. It usually happened when Eve was in the vicinity to see it.

    And every time it happened, Eve got angry enough to drag Elysia away and curse Adam.

    But since Eve was not here right now, there was no reason for Adam to do this to Elysia. It was not like Adam would be able to get Eve jealous when she was not even there.

    Maybe he wanted this news to get back to her and make her jealous that way? It was difficult to know what the crown prince was thinking for real.

    "Your highness, it would be best to let Lady Elysia retrieve to her seat. The journey is long and keeping such a heavyweight in your person can be detrimental for your help."

    Sister Rosa''s words were a sharp cut to the tense atmosphere Elysia felt. She was not sure if she felt ttered for the help or if she wanted to curse Sister Rosa for the insult.

    "There is no need for that. Elysia is not that heavy anyway. And you should also focus on the journey ahead, Sister Rosa. I should also remind you that it is you who is breaking the social conduct by traveling in the same carriage as a member of the royal family without notice."

    The more annoyed Adam sounded, the tighter he held Elysia. His grip was gentle but it was getting annoying.

    Even more so since there was one part of Adam''s body that was enjoying this trip a lot more than it should.

    Had it not been for Sister Rosa and Elysia''s mental purity, she would have called Adam out on his obvious physical reaction.

    ''I know that he''s at the age where boys get excited over the smallest of things, but did Adam have to get heard while I am in hisp? His hardness is poking me ufortably.''

    Every time the carriage bumped, Elysia could feel her bottome in contact with the crown prince''s hardness. It must be painful for the crown prince was well but that bastard was not doing anything but smiling at Elysia.

    ''He didn''t even have the decency to be rmed or shocked. Does he not feel ufortable?''

    Elysia was not sure if Sister Rosa knew what was going on with the pair in front of her but Elysia feverishly wished the answer was a solid ''no'' in her favor.

    Otherwise, Elysia would not be able to look the sister in the eye ever again.

    "We''re here atst. Everything beyond this point is the property of the Dirac family. You both, wait here while I go and wee our guide."

    Sister Rosa looked relieved as soon as the carriage stopped. Her face showed clear difort at being in the same space as the future royal couple.

    Adam also rxed as soon as Sister Rosa left the carriage and he finally let Elysia escape his arms.

    Elysia also did not look the gifted horse in the mouth and she sprang toward the other side of the carriage.

    She almost expected Adam to follow after her and demand release from her but he did note after her. Instead, he rxed his body andid down on the carriage seat.

    "Finally, she took the clue and left us alone. I thought I would have to spell it out for her that I wanted her to leave us alone."

    Adam looked far more rxed now that Sister Rosa was gone. Elysia wanted to ask him about his condition but she was not able to bring up that embarrassing topic.

    In the end, all Elysia could do was change the topic to something else.

    "Why did you decide to follow me here? You must be busy with your crown ceremonying up."

    Adam looked at her like she was a fool. But this look was nothing new.

    He often looked at her this same way so it didn''t tell Elysia anything. And Adam realized it pretty quickly as well.

    "I just felt like following you."

    "You just felt like it?"

    "Yes. I had a feeling that I would have regretted it if I did not follow after you. So I decided to listen to my instincts and stalk you. Why, don''t you like having a handsome and dashing prince-"

    "Stop. Don''t speak anymore. Did you follow after me because I am partially blind?"

    Elysia quickly covered the crown prince''s mouth with her hand to quieten him down. She did not want to listen to him speaking any more than he already had.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    But the bastard crown prince didn''t even allow Elysia to spend her peaceful time.

    She could feel something wet and slimy licking between her fingers and she instantly let the crown prince''s mouth go.

    The golden-eyed youth just smirked back at Elysia with hooded eyes and azy smile. Had it not been for saliva still present on Elysia''s hand, no one would have been able to tell who the real offender was.

    "Y-You! What are you nning to-"

    Elysia never got to finish her words. The door to her carriage was yanked open by an irritated Sister Rosa. Her eyes screamed murder and Elysia instantly knew that the news she was about to receive was not a good one.

    "Sister Rosa, is something wrong?"

    Elysia quickly changed her focus of attention from the crown prince to the eldest. The crown prince did not look happy at this sudden change andck of attention, but he did not say anything to Elysia.

    As far as the ck-haired girl knew, this counted as a victory in her book.

    "Nothing is wrong. Lady Elysia, your luggage is being transported to the Dirac family carriage which will take you from here. Lord Dirac only permitted you to enter the estate and no one else."

    Elysia instantly knew why Sister Rosa was in a bad mood.

    Sister Rosa likely wanted to make a good impression on the Duke and get on his good side. He was a powerful chess piece and just being acquainted with him was a big deal.

    But whatever Sister Rosa wanted to do did not matter to Elysia. She had not been ordered to take Sister Rosa with her so Elysia was not going to bother with these changes.

    "I understand. Then, I will be changing my carriage now."

    Elysia quickly got up to change the carriage before she felt someone following behind her. She had a vague idea who it could be but Elysia preyed hard that it was not the case.

    "Your highness, where you going? We need to start heading back now," Sister Rosa sounded panicked when she called out to Elysia''s shadow.

    "Don''t want to. I will follow after my fiance so you can go back. I can just ask Lord Dirac to lend me one of his carriages when I need to return. It shouldn''t be a problem, right?"

    The Dirac guard seemed a little taken aback.

    As the crown prince, Adam''s word could not be refuted. But Lord Dirac''s orders were absolute and could not be challenged in the Dirac estate.

    Such a big conflict of interests left a lot of room for misinterpretation and the guard was unfortunate enough to be caught in the middle of this conflict.

    In the end, there was only one person who could handle this situation and the guard turned toward hisst hope.

    "Mydy, what is your decision?"

    "My decision? I am not qualified to make one in this situation since it involved politics." Elysia did not want to get into this dispute but she could also not ignore Adam''s begging look, "However, if the crown prince is here as my fiance, then it should not be a problem inviting him inside, right?"

    Elysia''s face burned as she admitted that fact. The guard and Sister Rosa looked taken aback at her words.

    Even Adam looked taken aback at her words before his face broke out into a sincere smile and he took Elysia''s hand in his own. (Not that she could see that clearly but she could just feel it.)

    "I am here as a family so there should be no problem with meing in, right? I will treat yourdy well."

    The guard looked as pained as Elysia felt at Adam''s actions. But there was nothing else anyone could do.

    A single mistake here could lead to a fatal war between the crown and the Dirac family. It was better to indulge the crown prince a little.

    "If that is what thedy wants then we shall wee the crown prince in our estate as well. Kindly step into the carriage we have prepared for mydy. The crown prince must wait here for a few minutes while we prepare another carriage for him."

    Elysia almost opened her mouth to purpose sharing the carriage before she remembered where she was and what she had done.

    Since she had purposed this visit as a ''fiance'' visit rather than a ''friendly'' one, sharing the carriage was asking for trouble.

    The crown prince seemed to have understood that as well because he did not push his luck. He let Elysia''s hand fall out of his own but not before he pulled it up to ce a gentle kiss on the back.

    "Mydy, I shall see you soon."

    Elysia looked back onest time to see Adam wave her off before she got on the carriage.

    She had a feeling that arranging this meeting between Lord Dirac and the Crown Prince was like courting disaster but Elysia still could not stop her decision.

    ''I hope everything turns out alright. The fear of the unknown scares me but I must live on. I cannot die. At least not like how I die in those visions.''

    Elysia would live and she would also make sure everyone else live as well. That was all the reason she had endured all these years of suffering.

 Chapter 15 15: Long Awaited Talks - Part 1

    The crown prince of the empire watched the carriage carrying his fiance leave with critical eyes. He could tell that his presence made the Dirac guards stand on the edge.

    The royal family and the Dirac family did not have the best rtionship so such hostility was to be expected.

    "I hope your majesty does not find it insulting that he had to wait."

    The butler tried to smooth over the situation but Adam could tell that even he did not have much respect for the crown prince. He was merely trying to appease him for his status.

    ''How insulting to be treated like this. If not for that man, I would have killed them all and taken Elysia away,'' the crown prince cursed inside his mind.

    Even though he did not show it, he was nervous abouting face to face with young Lord Dirac. His instincts warned the crown prince, again and again, to be cautious in the presence of the young lord.

    ''How absurd. A predator like me is afraid of a mere human like that lord. But I also need to show respect to him now. He is my dear Elysia''s elder brother and n head.''

    This was regrettable but not wholly unexpected.

    "M-My lord, your carriage is here. However��..", "Move. I do not wish to bete." The butler was still speaking when the crow prince forced him to move.

    Such useless talks were not going to benefit anyone, least of all the butler. If he kept trying to block the crown prince''s way, then he would find himself on the receiving end of the holy sword.

    "I was not aware that the crown princecked basic social antiques. I''m spectacle about letting you marry my little sister now. Maybe it will be better if this engagement is broken off."

    ''Speak of the devil and he shall appear,'' Adam hesitated to enter the carriage but he seemed to have no other choice in the matter.

    The carriage that hade to pick up the crown prince had none other than Lucas Dirac sitting inside it. If Adam refused to enter then it would serve as an insult to the Dirac name.

    "Surely Lord Dirac jests. Topics like marriages are heavy and cannot be decided at one''s convenience. Also, I don''t wish my engagement withdy Elysia to be broken off."

    "Is that so? My lord, pleasee in then. We have much to discuss regarding future events."

    Had Adam gotten a choice in this matter, he would have never considered entering that carriage or sharing the same space as Lucas Dirac.

    But he no longer had a choice in this matter. Not if he wanted to marry Elysia and make her his queen.

    ''I''m doing this for Elysia and no one else.''

    That was the mantra Adam deployed when he made up his mind and entered the carriage of the young lord.

    Magical seals descended all around the carriage as soon as he sat down but Adam did not allow himself to panic.

    "Lucas Dirac, what are you nning? Why did you call Elysia back all of a sudden? And this close to my establishment as the future emperor? Do you want power? Influence? Funds?"

    As soon as they were alone, the mask of polite indifference fell from Adam''s face. His eyes turned to slits like a cat and his face had scales.

    His agitate state had caused his human facade to drop ever so slightly and his draconic features to be made known.

    A lesser man would have trembled in fear and begged for his life, but not Lord Dirac. He just started the agitated crown prince in the face with a calm look.

    "You ask why I did what I did? I did it so that Elysia can live. Her life thread is dangerously thin. Any more time in that prison and I was afraid that she would have been killed off by that head priest."

    Those words were delivered with such a cold sincerity that even Adam was taken aback. The more the thought those words over, the less they made sense.

    "Exin to me what is going on. I think I missed some parts in your exnation."

    "It is as I said, I did this for my sister. Dirac family has always been associated with death and the afterlife and I am no exception. But my sister was different from our family. Her magic was a mixture of ours and divine energy. But not everyone liked such a change in our family and things ended up happening."

    "Long story short, she was sent to the temple to be safe but it seemed like the wrong choice now. Her fate managed to follow her there as well and send her down a path that would kill her. So I decided to pull her out before the inevitable could happen."

    Adam heard all that but most of it went over his head.

    "I can see that you don''t understand my words. It is expected since you do not know the full truth. But I do not have the authority to tell it to you either."

    "So, you mean to say that Elysia''s life was in danger and you pulled her out before she could be killed? If that is the case then I am thankful for your intervention. She is my precious person and I would do anything for her."

    The crown prince''s words were bold but filled with sincerity. Most sixteen-year-olds would never be able to make this promation but the dragon was different.

    Dragons mated for life and Adam had his choice made a long time ago.

    "I see. So you made your decision, huh? I guess I don''t need to worry about anything happening to Elysia at your hands at least."

    "Of course not. I will protect her with my life if I need to. She is ''my prey'' and no one else."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I see. But if that''s the case then I need you to do one thing for her - keep her away from the temple and those vultures. The Dirac name will protect her, and so will her powers. But I won''t be able to protect her forever."

    "Then, I will protect her. I and the future saintess will be responsible for keeping Elysia safe so you do not need to worry about her."

    The Dirac Lord did not say anything after that, nor did Adam. But he still felt like he had reached a point of understanding with the elder.

    "My lord, we are here."

    The carriage finally stopped and Adam finally exited that tense atmosphere. Lord Lucas did not exit the carriage after Adam but he had a feeling he was still being watched by the elder.

    _____________________________________

    On the other hand, Eve was busy shopping for various things she would need in the future. The list was long and tiring to buy thought but Eve was determined to get it all done.

    ''I wish I had brought Elysia but I cannot ask this of her. It would just remind Elysia of what she had lost because of me.''

    "Mydy, this much should be enough for now. We should bring the crown prince with us next time to get his opinion as well."

    The sister who had volunteered to apany Eve sounded far too cheerful when she brought up the crown prince.

    For some reason, everyone was convinced that Adam and she were in a ''secret'' rtionship and the only reason they could not be together was Elysia was that stupid ''engagement.''

    "I don''t need Adam''s help in buying things. Besides, he will hold me back and make mete for my tasks," and then Eve will be in trouble. Adam would be the scum to make Eve look bad in front of Elysia.

    It had always been like this from the start. Adam knew about her crush on the ck-haired girl and he did everything in his power to drag Elysia away from her.

    "Don''t say that, Sister Eve. Anyone can see how much the crown prince loves you. He even ditches his fiance to spend time with you." Eve wanted to gag at the obvious tone of ttery.

    These people had no idea what went on during her and Adam''s alone time. They either fought or ended up talking about Elysia.

    But for some reason, Elysia managed to find her way out of most gatherings while leaving him and Adam alone.

    "It''s enough. I don''t want to talk about Adam anymore. Thinking about him puts me in a bad mood."

    Eve quickly turned her head away from the present conversation when her eyes fell on a familiar color.

    It was a ne with a blue gem that reminded Eve of Elysia''s eyes. She wanted to buy it and gift it to Elysia as a token.

    After all, Eve had not been able to gift Elysia anything on herst birthday since Elysia was out cold due to a fever.

    ''I hope she''ll like it.''

    "Who is it for?" the sister that had apanied Eve called out in a cheerful tone. Eve could already tell that the sister wanted the answer to be the crown prince.

    "It''s for Elysia. I forgot to get her something for her birthday so I want topensate." Eve almost stopped talking as soon as she saw her air.

    The sister had tears filling her eyes and her face was flushed with a sympathetic frown.

    "You are so good, sister Eve. You are even showing kindness to a deviless like Elysia who decided to take away your fated love from you and refuses to let go. How can a devil like herpare with a saintess like you? But at least you''ll no longer have to see her face in the temple."

    Eve felt her body go cold at those words.

    "What did you say? Why won''t I be seeing Elysia at the temple anymore?"

    "Oh? Haven''t you heard? That devil, I mean, sister Elysia was recently asked toe back by her family. Since her social debut ising, the Dirac family wanted her to go back. Isn''t it such a piece of great news for us all?"

    What happened? When was it decided? And why did Elysia not tell Eve about this?

    Did Elysia not trust Eve enough to tell her this news? Or was there something wrong? Was Elysia being threatened to go back to her family?

    "Sister Eve? Where are you going? Sister Eve?"

    "I am going back to the temple for now. I have something to ask my father, I mean, the head priest. Please finish up for me here."

    The Sister Eve had left behind looked confused but she did notin.

    Not that Eve would have listened to anyone even if they didin to her right now. She needed answers and Head Priest Yohan was the only one who could give her the answers she required.

 Chapter 16 16: Long Awaited Talks - Part 2

    "Father, I need to have some words with you��."

    Eve opened the door without knocking, only to end up in an awkward spot. Head Priest Yohan was not alone in the room and the man who was keeping himpany did not look like a decent man.

    There were scars all over that man''s face and his body was also built like a stone.

    But it was the stone-hard magical aura around the man that put Eve on high alert. This man was not an ordinary man, he was dangerous.

    "Ah, Eve? Give me a minute to conclude my talks with Sir Joseph Elliot and I will be with you shortly."

    Eve nodded and closed the door. She knew who Joseph Elliot was but it was a surprise to see him here. Everyone knew that the head of the royal knights avoided the temple with a passion ever since head priest Yohan had taken up his post.

    The pair did not talk for long before the door opened and the head of the royal guards left. He did not spare Eve a single nce while he was heading out.

    Not that she needed it.

    "Eve, you cane in now. Is there something I can help you with?" Her father looked a little tired and on edge.

    Eve didn''t want to disturb him in this situation but she also needed to ask him this question. She felt like she needed answers or she would do something drastic.

    "Father, what happened to Elysia? I heard the sisters say that she went back home. But this is her home, right?"

    Her father took in a deep breath before sighing in disappointment. It seemed like talking about Elysia in front of him was not a good decision.

    For some reason, her father had never liked Elysia or even gotten to know her better. The way he looked at Elysia also did not sit right with Eve but she ignored it for the most part.

    ''At least father just ignored her before and did not cause any trouble for Eve. But if he sent Elysia away on purpose then I cannot forgive him.''

    Eve knew her feelings for Elysia were transparent and her father knew about them. So she could not understand why he had done this to her.

    "So this is about Elysia, huh? You found out much earlier than I anticipated, but it is good that you did find out early. It was something that was bound to happen eventually."

    "What do you mean?"

    "It was Lord Dirac who requested Elysia, his younger sister, to return home and uptake the family responsibilities before hering of age and her social debut. There was nothing I could have done to prevent this from happening."

    Eve wanted to call bull-shit. There was so much the temple could have done to prevent Elysia from leaving. There were so many excuses the head priest could have made.

    But he did not and that mean her father had no intention of stopping Elysia from leaving before.

    "Just so you know, I did give Elysia a choice if she wanted to return or not and she chose to return for your sake. She said that she wanted to back your backing from a powerful family and there is no better choice than the Dirac family."

    Elysia said that? For some reason, Eve could believe this ridiculous im. After all, Elysia had always told her that she would help her out.

    ''Eve, you have the power and potential to be a saintess and help the people out. I will do anything I can to help you out,'' these were the words Elysia had told her a long time ago.

    ''I never thought she would do it so literally. I cannot help but be mad at her. She and her father, both. Did Adam know about this and not tell me? Won''t it cause his engagement with Elysia a lot of problems as well? Surely he won''t stand for this.''

    Eve hated to depend on her love rival for help in such a condition but she had no other choice. If Elysia had already returned to the Dirac estate, then only the royal family could make her return.

    "If you want to help Elysia, then work hard to be the saintess and gain the royal family''s favor."

    "Alright." Eve had no choice but to agree with her father. She had a clear goal in mind, one she had not wanted to achieve before because she had not wanted to leave Elysia behind.

    "It''s good that you understand. Here, take this case. Helping solve this will help your public image even more and earn you more points toward your goal. This is what the head of the royal guards was here for."

    Eve took the offered document with a suspicious look. Generally, her father kept her away from serious cases.

    But if he was allowing Eve to participate this time then it must be serious.

    ''The case of dehydration in Kalvin town''

    There were a few pictures attached with the case file of skinny people who looked like they had no drop of blood left in them. Their skinny-dead bodies caused Eve to look away from the report.

    No matter how she looked at it, it did not look like dehydration.

    "These people are��."

    "Dying of supernatural means. For now, help them out as much as you can and cooperate in this investigation."

    Eve nodded and left the Head Priest Yohan''s room with a heavy heart.

    _____________________________________

    Elysia quickly got out of the carriage in a hurry. She almost stumbled on her way out of the carriage due to herck of eyesight.

    Thankfully, the Head Butler was nearby and he managed to catch Elysia before she could hit her head.

    "Ah, I''m sorry for this disgraceful disy."

    "No, it is quite alright. Head Preist Yohan did tell us about your condition andck of eye-sight but it seems to be serious."

    From the Head Butler''s tone, it seemed like he did not like Elysia very much. It was understandable since Elysia was an unknown variable in their stable life.

    ''I was also raised in the temple and the Dirac family doesn''t have the best rtionship with them.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Mydy, would you like to head to your room now?"

    "I would rather wait here for the Crown Prince and Lord Dirac. Can you show me to themon room? You can shift my luggage into my new room for now."

    Elysia had a feeling that the Head Butler and the maids were not happy with her decisions. They were being too obvious about her dislike of Elysia.

    But they all straightened themselves out as soon as the second carriage pulled itself into the driveway.

    Elysia took a step ahead to wee Adam but she stopped short as soon as she felt the second presence inside the carriage.

    The feeling Elysia got from that new person was familiarity andfort. As soon as she felt that aura, it felt like all her worries were melting away.

    "Who is inside the carriage with the Crown Prince?" Elysia''s curiosity took over her mouth and she ended up asking.

    The Head Butler sounded annoyed but he did answer her question calmly.

    "Lord Dirac decided to apany the Crown Price today. I hope thedy doesn''t mind this new arrangement."

    "Why would I mind it? Lord Dirac can do whatever he wants to do and so can the Crown Prince."

    Elysia felt the Head Butler rx beside her as the sound of the carriage door opening reached her ears.

    Her faulty vision made out a vision of ck and whiteing out of the carriage. One could easily recognize the bright silvery-white hair of the Crown Prince.

    ''So the ck-haired man must be Lord Lucas Dirac. We seem to be sharing a lot of features.'' Even though Elysia could not tell for sure, she knew this fact to be true.

    "....."

    "....."

    The sibling pair could only stare at each other once they were in front of each other. This was their first meeting in forever and neither had anything to say.

    But they both felt the tug of familiar magic trying them up and the bond of the Dirac family snapping in ce.

    "Hector, make preparations for dinner. Elysia, entertain the Crown Prince for now. I will have a long talk with youter."

    For some reason, Elysia wanted to stop Lord Dirac from leaving her alone in this unfamiliar environment. She wanted that familiar presence to not fade away from her vision.

    But Adam''s familiar hand on her shoulder snapped Elysia out of her zone and made her focus on him instead.

    "I''m sure you will get the time to connect with your brotherter. I can tell that he is a good man and he wants to help you out."

    Elysia let her hand fall at Adam''s words. It was clear that Adam and Lord Dirac had exchanged words about her.

    But Elysia was terrified to know what was being said about her. She also knew that her eptance into the Dirac family put Adam in a difficult situation regarding their engagement.

    ''I''m sure he will break this engagement off soon and go to Eve. It will hurt but it is the right thing to do.''

    Elysia was sure she would feel disappointed and hurt but it won''t be a shock to her. This was something she had anticipated happening her whole life so it won''t hurt much.

    "Mydy, since I''ve been here before why don''t I show you around? I''m sure the butler would give you a more in-depth tourter but I want to spend some time with you before I leave."

    Elysia knew she should say no. Memories like these hurt the most once you decided to let someone go.

    But Elysia was unable to form a clear ''no'' with her words. She did not want to let this opportunity go. All she could say was one word -

    "Alright."

    Adam was an awkward talker when he was not confident in his words. That side of him was cute but one Elysia was used to.

    Even their joined hands were a familiar sight and she could feel the workers look toward them with judging eyes.

    Adam finally dragged the pair into the rise maize. The huge walls of the bushed concealed the pair from praying eyes and Elysia were tugged close toward Adam''s body.

    "Elysia, I hope you know that this does not change anything. Your decision to go back to the Dirac family will not affect our engagement in any way so don''t think it is over."

    "Stop sprouting non-sense. Just because I have not hit you in a while does not mean I will not hit you if you do not stop your mushy talk."

    Anyone other than her would not have been this rude to the Crown Prince or even threatened the Crown Prince. Even Eve was not bold enough to make such threats openly and follow through.

    "Of course, you will. You are the only one who has ever gotten away with hurting me and you will also be the only one ever to do so. So don''t ever change."

    Of course, nothing would change. Elysia never hand anything, to begin with so she would not lose anything in the end.

    "Of course not. Whether I am the temple''s Elysia or from the Dirac family, I am still me. And I am going to do what I believe is right."

    The Crown Prince only chuckled at Elysia''s words as acknowledgment. The silence was enough to convey his sincere feelings.

    The pair separated as soon as the talk was done and the footsteps of the guards reached Elysia''s ears. The rest of the walk was held in presence of the Dirac guards who followed the pair throughout the day.

    The day finally ended when the Crown Prince ran out of time and had to ultimately leave.

    And then it was finally time for Elysia to face the one person she had been dreading to face this whole time - Lucas Dirac.

 Chapter 17 17: Get Yourself Settled In

    To say that Elysia was nervous would be an underestimation.

    Lord Lucas Dirac was a name she had heard a lot through her line of work but she had never seen the man. The man was not someone who was supposed to be in life and yet, here he was.

    "Elysia, take a seat and make yourselffortable."

    Lord Dirac had a nice and cool voice. Anyone would have been charmed to have heard it.

    Anyone except Elysia could hear the undertone of charm magic in his voice. It didn''t seem like Lord Dirac was doing this on purpose either.

    And then there was his aura which was brimming with magic. Lucas Dirac had so much magic that it was impossible to suppress. It almost rivaled Elysia''s own but hers was being suppressed by external means.

    Head Priest Yohan had said that it was due to the special medicine she took that helped her suppress her magic. It was tailor-maid for her and Elysia always took it in routine.

    "Is something wrong? Is the chair not to your liking? I can ask Hector to get it changed."

    "N-No, that won''t be necessary. I was just having trouble making out the arrangement of the furniture around me but the chair isfortable."

    To prove her point, Elysia quickly sat down on the huge chair. The soft cushion sank under her weight, causing Elysia to almost drown in the cushion and disappear.

    The softness of this cushion was ufortable and Elysia disliked it immediately. She preferred her sitting surfaces to be a little harder than this.

    ''Adam''sp was nice and firm. So is Eve''sp...and I should stop thinking these weird thoughts now.''

    "Does it cause you problems often? Yourck of vision? Have you gotten it checked out at the hospital?"

    Lord Dirac''s voice snapped Elysia out of her thoughts and made her focus on her brother. She could not make out his expression or his aura by looking at him.

    Her blurry vision did not make things easy for her but Elysia could not show weakness.

    "I can go about my day easily even with my hazy vision so it''s alright. I did get it checked out when I had my ident of losing my vision but the hospital could not do anything due to its magical nature. Please don''t worry about me being a liability because of my vision."

    Elysia quickly assured Lord Dirac about her usefulness. She could not let Lord Dirac think of her as a useless burden and then be tossed aside.

    Elysia needed to gain Lord Dirac''s trust and favor to support Eve''s position as the saintess.

    "I don''t care if you be a burden or not. Since you carry Dirac blood inside you, you are a part of the family and will be treated as such. And I''m also sure you know why I called you back to the family."

    Elysia could not say anything for certain but she did have an idea why she was called back to the family.

    "Is it because of mying-of-age?"

    Elysia never had hering of age in her visions. The Dirac family was never concerned with her and they didn''t care about her.

    The one who sponsored hering of age was the royal family in her past life. Since she was the crown prince''s fiance, they made sure she got the best treatment.

    ''I wonder what changed in this life for Lord Dirac to call me back. I''m sure I took care to follow the path along with my visions.''

    "Youring of age is one factor but there is more to it. But I will tell you more about it once you have settled down in the family. Let Head Butler Hector know if you need something and he will arrange it for you. He will also hold your allowance so don''t hesitate to ask him for money."

    "Oh. Thank you, Lord Dirac, for showing me your favor."

    Elysia bowed her head in gratitude. She did not particrly like money but it was handy to have.

    But Elysia was not sure she would be able to ask for it. The Head Butler did not seem to like Elysia and his tant rejection felt cutting to Elysia.

    "There is no need to thank me since we are siblings. You should also call me Lucas and not Lord Dirac."

    "I understand. I will try."

    Elysia would likely not be able to call Lord Dirac by his name anytime soon but he did not need to know about it.

    It was not like Elysia would run into him a lot and she would also be independent once hering-of-age was over.

    "Get some rest tonight. When you feel like taking up the family duties, let me know. I will arrange for you to do something." Elysia did not know what to say to that.

    She was being dismissed but Lord Dirac''s words did not make it seem like that. There was something about his voice that Elysia found to be sincere.

    Even as she exited the room, Elysia''s thoughts were full of questions. Lord Dirac had not asked anything of Elysia and he had not forced her to do anything either.

    He was allowing Elysia to settle down and take up her responsibility at her own pace.

    "Lady Elysia, should I show you to the dining hall and then to your room? Lord Dirac had his dinner already since he needs to head tonight."

    It was the Head Butler who suggested this and Elysia nodded in agreement.

    As much as she wanted to hide away in her room and not show her face tonight, she knew she could not hide.

    The dinner was tense and Elysia felt like she was being judged throughout the dinner. The servants were looking at Elysia and her table manners.

    Too bad that they were not going to find anything wrong with her table manners.

    Her room was sparsely decorated which helped Elysia navigate around easier. But it still radiated a feeling of wealth andfort.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Considerable effort and thought had been put into designing her room. Elysia liked this attention to detail.

    The only thing she hated was the extra-soft mattress that made her sink as soon as sheid down. But Elysia could notin about it.

    She had to endure it for the sake of her mission.

    That night, Head Priest sent Elysia a letter about Eve and her new mission. It seemed like Elysia was going to get busy very soon.

    _____________________________________

    Once Elysia was settled in, the Head Butler made his way toward Lord Dirac''s room where he was waiting.

    Hector had been asked by the young lord to report to him once Lady Elysia was settled down and went to sleep.

    "Hector,e in. don''t bother knocking on the door."

    Head Butler Hector took in a deep sigh before opening the door. He knew that the cold voice of Lord Dirac had spelled doom for him and the maids.

    "My Lord, is something wrong?" The Head Butler sweated bullets when he felt Lord Dirac''s gaze aimed at his face.

    Lord Dirac was looking at him Hector with an offended gaze. It spelled doom for anyone it was aimed at.

    ''What did I even do?'' the Head Butler cried out inside his mind but he kept his face neutral on the outside.

    "Hector, rece all the cushions in our home with harder cushions. Also, rece Elysia''s mattress with a harder one as well. And control the servants or I will have your head. Don''t you dare think that I cannot see the looks you give her when I am not there?"

    Head Butler Hector felt his heart stop when he heard that cold voice.

    He had not expected Lord Dirac to pay this much attention to what was going around Lady Elysia. It had not even been a full day and Lord Dirac was already mad.

    ''I knew that Lady would be trouble for us. But I did not expect she would sway Lord Dirac so easily in their first meeting.''

    However, Hector kept his thoughts to himself. He was in enough trouble already. He did not want to make life any more difficult for himself.

    "Understood, my lord. I shall do as you wish."

    Hector felt his breath fasten when Lord Dirac''s eyes met his own. But thankfully, Lord Dirac seemed to have calmed down considerably and his mood also seemed better.

    Lord Dirac''s eyes shifted from Hector to look outside his window. Hector followed his gaze, only to see a familiar Golden Eagle the temple used for exchanging letters.

    Someone in the Dirac territory had gotten a letter from the temple and there was only one person that fitted the bill.

    "Hector, is there any case in our territory where the temple is trying to get involved?"

    Lord Dirac''s words shocked Hector. His master had never cared about the temple and its moments as long as it did not cause him trouble.

    For him to ask this question was a big deal and Hector was all too happy to tell him about the cade.

    "There is one such case. The official title for it is - ''The case of dehydration in Kalvin town''. The temple decided to interfere because one of their sisters fell victim to it. The current person heading the case is Sister Eve, the candidate for the next Saintess and Head Priest Yohan''s adopted daughter."

    "Eve, huh? I should have guessed it was something like that. I guess we will be getting involved in this case, after all."

    Hector was all too happy to narrate this information for his lord.

    As much as Hector did not like the temple and Head Priest Yohan, he did find his adopted daughter ofmon birth, Eve, to be quite a lovelydy. He had run into her a few times and he found her capable.

    In his opinion, ady like sister Eve was a perfect match for his Lord. But anytime he brought it up, his Lord refused to even hear him out.

    ''But it seems he is finally getting interested in Lady Eve. I can finally get them to meet each other. Even if Lady Eve already has the crown prince, I''m sure she will not be able to see how great Lord Dirac is and fall for him instead.''

    "My lord, shall I prepare all necessary documents rted to this case for you? I can even contact Lady Eve toe here in person."

    Lord Dirac''s mood fell as soon as Hector made that offer but the Head Butler did not take it to heart.

    His Lord''s love life was about to bloom about now.

    "No need to call the next Saintess over. I''m going to hand this case over to Elysia as soon as she gets settled down. I have a feeling she would like it as well."

    Head Butler Hector felt his dream-paradise break at his lord''s words. He wanted to hand this case over to Lord Elysia?

    "B-But my lord, aren''t you interested in Lady Eve and why she was assigned to this case? She must be a remarkabledy to be able to head a case this big, right?"

    "I don''t care. I already know this was nned by Head Priest Yohan and why he send the next Saintess over to head this case. And I also know that Elysia will want to participate in this case so I''ll give her a hand."

    Hector wanted to cry at his broken pairing. His ship had not even sailed and it already crashed to the bottom of the sea.

    Lord Dirac watched his Head Butler leave his room with a frown on his face. He could only shake his head at his butler''s misunderstanding.

    "Just where does he get these ridiculous ideas from? Love? I''m incapable of feeling that for anyone except your sister now. I know this is what you would have wanted from me as well when you gave me this life, Ash. I shall treasure her well."

    The only witness to these words was the moon outside the window and the Golden Eagle which flew back out in the night sky with a new message.

 Chapter 18 18: I Have A Request

    ''Go and help Eve out with the Kalvin town case. It is not something she is ready to handle alone but we need the public support it would provide her with.''

    The note burned as it was thrown into the fire. Elysia watched the fire consume the note until it was no more.

    Then she used magic to scatter the ashes away so that not even magic could retrieve them. She was going to eliminate any trace of hermunication with the temple.

    Head Priest Yohan had warned Elysia about keeping a low profile and not to let the people know that she was still in contact with the temple.

    The Dirac house was known to not get along with the temple. If Elysia was found out to be involved with the temple then it would make her standing in this family difficult.

    She might even lose Lord Dirac''s favor altogether.

    "Worrying about it would not do me any good either. I should just sleep my nervousness off and tackle this problem in the future."

    Lord Dirac had asked Elysia to ask him for work once she was settled down. A night was enough time for others to believe that Elysia had settled down and she was using work to distract her mind.

    The main problem would be to convince Lord Dirac into letting Elysia take this case. Surely he would not agree with her without question.

    Elysia went to sleep with her head full of weird thoughts. And maybe that was why she dreamed such a dream that night.

    ((((

    The ally Elysia''s body was running through was darker than the night. She could hear someone following behind her on all fours.

    Every time the person behind her moved, Elysia felt the moment of footsteps following her.

    "P-Please let me go. I d-didn''t do anything. I d-didn''t see anything either."

    Elysia was sure that the sound she was hearing wasing out of her mouth. Her throat and her mouth were moving but there was no sensation of the moment.

    "I-I''ll give you anything you want. P-Please, let me go."

    Elysia''s body was shaking and her vision could not see anything. It took her a few seconds of clearing her mind and disassociating herself from the body to realize that this was not her body.

    Elysia''s vision was messed up but she was not blind. She could still see the colors of magic around her.

    But her current body could not sense anything, not even a hint of magic. It was of a regr magic-less human.

    ''What a weird dream this is. It almost feels like the one I have when I am in the purification pool. Even the pain feels real.''

    Elysia was too distracted by her thoughts that she missed her body saying things and begging for her life. She tried to take control of that body but she failed to do so.

    Elysia had never been able to take control of the body in such dreams so she was not sure why she even tried this time.

    "P-Please, let me go." That was thest plea before Elysia felt something stab into her heart and yank it out.

    Glowing green eyes and a familiar voice yelling ''Sara'' reached Elysia''s senses as she watched her life fade away.

    ''Ah, it''s Eve. Why is she here? She will get killed as well since her magic is healing magic? But she''ll be saved by Adam, right? That was how this story goes.''

    Elysia''s consciousness faded away but her fear did not fade. She knew for a certainty that Eve would get killed if Elysia did not do something.

    Elysia could not feel Adam anywhere and Eve was in danger. She had to move her body to save Eve.

    ''I n-need to move. It hurts but I still need to move.'' Elysia tried to move her hand but it refused to move. Elysia was choking on her blood and it hurt. It hurt badly.

    "Ah, I see. I am dying. This is quite a familiar sensation."

    ))))

    Elysia didn''t even gasp when she woke up from that dream. The pain from her dream was fading away slowly but the familiarity of that sensation had made Elysia numb to its after effects.

    It was testimony about how much Elysia had been desensitized to the pain of dying. It almost felt like second nature to her now.

    But still, the intensity of that dream took her back.

    ''It felt too real. It almost felt like I was back in the purification pool again; even the pain felt real. But this is also the first time I dreamed from a perspective that was not of Eve or my own.''

    That was the only confusing part Elysia''s sleep-riddled brain could notprehend.

    Now that she thought back to her dream, she could not figure out why she had dreamed of such a scenario.

    The only thing that Elysia could use as a context clue was Eve''s presence but even that had been faint.

    Never before had anyone an unknown person been the center of her dreams. But it seemed like this ''Sara''dy was someone that had managed to be an exception.

    ''I wonder how important thatdy will be to Eve and Adam to appear in my dreams like this. It kind of feels lonely to know there will be someone else important to them in the near future other than me.''

    Elysia would not call herself selfish but even she had needs and desires to monopolize her important people''s attention.

    ''No, don''t be selfish like that. That''s how you be a viiness and die.''

    "Mydy, have you woken up yet? Breakfast will be served soon."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia had not taken off the curtains from her windows which was why she failed to realize howte it had been already.

    It had not seemed to be that long when Elysia had been dreaming but there was a different flow of time in her visions.

    "I will be out for breakfast soon. Will Lord Dirac be joining us?" Elysia quickly pulled herself together when she forced herself to reply to the Head Butler.

    Her vision-like dream had thrown Elysia off track but she could not allow it to distract her from her real mission.

    The real music was still to be faced by her in the form of Lord Dirac and his permission.

    ''I need to focus. I need to get on this case for Eve''s sake.''

    _____________________________________

    "Is something wrong? Do you not like the dishes our house prepared for you? I especially gave the order for the kitchen to not put any milk product anywhere near you since you are allergic toctose. If you prefer to eat anything else, let the kitchen know and they will prepare it for you."

    Elysia tried not to flinch when Lord Dirac talked with his cold voice. She had gathered her courage to ask him a favor but Elysia was not getting a chance to start that talk.

    Every time she looked up, sharp blue eyes red her back into submission. It was even more difficult to ask Lord Dirac something than to ask the Head Priest.

    "N-No, there is no need to go that far. I like the dishes the kitchen had prepared so far. They are delicious."

    There was no change in Lord Dirac''s expression but his aura did soften a bit at Elysia''spliment.

    "I see. If there is anything else you need then let me know though Hector. I will be busy for a couple of days starting tonight but I will make time for you if you want something from me."

    Lord Dirac mighte off as harsh at first but his words were filled with sincerity.

    The more time Elysia spend in his presence, the more rxed she felt. The familiarity of the bond she shared with Lord Dirac finally gave Elysia enough courage to ask him the question.

    "Lord Dirac, I have a favor to ask you. There was a case I was interested in solving even beforeing to the Dirac house. I was wondering if you would allow me to participate in it."

    Elysia almost choked in nervousness when she spoke those words.

    She was almost thankful for not being able to see Lord Dirac''s expression clearly because of her faulty vision. She was sure she would have flinched due to the intensity of the re she could feel being aimed at her.

    Not only Lord Dirac, but the Head Butler seemed to be ring at her after Elysia had spoken.

    "What kind of case is it?"

    Lord Dirac finally asked Elysia this question but she could not make out what his voice indicated.

    Since Elysia was half-blind, the Head Preist had trained her to rely on her other senses. And Elysia had learned through experience that you could tell if a person agreed with you or not based on his tone.

    Elysia had used this method many times to set the mood for her request and make connections in high society. That was why she had a lot of support from the nobility who wanted a noble to be the next queen.

    But no matter how much experience Elysia had, she could not pick up anything from his voice.

    Elysia glumped her nervous down and finally spoke what she had wanted to since the start.

    "This case is titled - ''The case of dehydration in Kalvin town''. Since Kelvin town is a part of our territory, I feel like it would be an alright ce to familiarise myself with the locality of our territory."

    Elysia had prepared various excuses to validate why she wanted to take this case. She had different scenarios present for different cases and she had even thought up of what to do if Lord Dirac falt-out refused her.

    The silence that spread in the dining room finally caused Elysia to pick her head up and look at Lord Dirac.

    Again, his expression did not give his thoughts away but Elysia was sure her request was going to get rejected.

    ''Looks like I will have to sneak around after all.''

    "Alright. I will hand this case over to you but on one condition."

    "Condition?" Of course, there was a catch. Elysia had expected to be asked something in return for her request and she decided to brace herself for anything.

    "I can allow you to take this case but I cannot allow you to go alone. Since you are not familiar with our territory, I will send someone with you who can protect you and show you around. Eat your dinner and I will take you to your new guard."

    Elysia almost dropped her fork in shock at the answer she got from Lord Dirac.

    She had expected to be questioned or even interrogated to let out the information about the temple.

    She had never expected the condition to be an additional guard for her protection.

    ''Maybe this guard is not for my protection but to keep an eye on me. It makes more sense if I think about it like that.''

    Elysia ate her breakfast in silence after that. Her mind was riddled with too many questions she wanted to ask but she did not dare to ask them.

    Once she was done with the breakfast and the servant took the dishes away, it was time to head out.

    Elysia silently followed Lord Dirac when he lead her toward the backside of the estate and out into the open wilderness.

    Whatever kind of guard Lord Dirac was preparing for her, Elysia was sure they were not a normal human for sure.

 Chapter 19 19: The Enchanted Forest - Part 1

    It was said that the Dirac estate was surrounded by thergest magical forest in the empire and no one had everpletely uncovered it.

    The magical forest was one of the biggest resources of the Dirac family and the empire but it was also one of the most dangerous ces one could venture into.

    If someone walked in there unprepared, chances were that they would never be able toe out alive.

    These rumors were just a few Elysia had never paid attention to. In her defense, there had never been a need to pay attention to such trivial matters when she had to focus on saving her life.

    ''I never thought I would ever get a chance to see this magical forest. It gives off a terrifying feeling.''

    Elysia wanted to move but her body was frozen by the intensity of magic she could feeling out of the forest. The magic around the forest was so dense that even breathing was difficult.

    But if Elysia ignored all that, she could feel the gentle familiarity reaching out to her. The forest''s magic seemed to be weing her, calling out to her as a parent did to their lost child.

    "Don''t fear the magic, let it embrace you. You have the Dirac blood inside you so you are a child of this forest as well."

    Elysia was mesmerized by the forest''s magic. She was lost in the feeling of being pushed and pulled by magic. It was even embracing her all over.

    The only part that felt different was where Lord Dirac was touching Elysia. That was the only thing that kept Elysia grounded in reality.

    "Don''t allow yourself to be swept away by magic. You need to focus if you want to follow me inside and meet your guard."

    It took considerable willpower for Elysia to pull herself together. It was difficult due to how lovingly the magic embraced Elysia.

    ''No! Can''t get distracted by my feelings. I need to maintain focus if I want to survive,'' Elysia''s head felt light and airy but she could finally concentrate.

    "Good. Drag yourself out of the fog. The more youe here, the easier it will be to resist the pull of magic here. The first time is always the most difficult."

    She felt someone tug her further into the forest. Elysia had not even been aware that she was walking further into the forest.

    She quickly looked around but she did not find anyone but Lord Dirac around her. The elder was tugging at Elysia''s arm to get her moving.

    "Didn''t the Head Butler follow after us?"

    Elysia was sure there were better questions she could have asked but her mouth decided to fire a random question.

    "He can''t follow us in here. The magic of the forest will not allow him toe in here since he doesn''t share the Dirac blood. Yohan will die if he tried to follow after us."

    Oh, was that so? Was that why no person ever returned alive from this forest?

    There had been a time in history when people had imed to have entered this forest but they had all been killed by unnatural means pretty soon.

    As more and more such cases came ahead, the ims were reduced as well. Now, no one even as much dared to utter the real name of this forest. It had been lost over time.

    Perhaps the only ones who remembered such a name were the members of the Dirac family. But Elysia was too much of a coward to ask about this to Lord Dirac.

    "Lord Dirac-"

    "Call me Lucas or I will not answer"

    "-Lord Lucas, where are we going?"

    Never let it be said that Elysia could not improvise on the spot. Her blurry vision did not allow her to get distracted by the scenery of the magical forest.

    So instead of focusing on the passing trees, Elysia chose to gather her thoughts and get a rough idea of what was going on.

    "We are going to see the Lord of this forest. It had been a long time since a new member of the Dirac line entered this forest so we need to go and get his blessings. Once we are done with that, I will ask the Lord to bestow upon you a familiar as your guard."

    ''Huh?''

    ''WAIT, WHAT?''

    Did Elysia miss something or did Lord Lucas talk about getting Elysia a familiar?

    "Lord Dirac �C" a re was Elysia''s answer so she quickly correct her form of address, "Lord Lucas, that is not a good idea. The temple would never agree�C"

    "I don''t care if the temple agrees to it or not. You are a member of the Dirac line so your safety falls under my jurisdiction. If the forest lord agrees to provide you with a familiar you will get one."

    Elysia was not sure if she was in the right state of her mind. Everything Lord Lucas said sounded like gibberish. No matter what Lord Lucas imed, Elysia was still a part of the temple.

    ording to thew, high-ranking nobility was allowed to keep magical familiars if they passed the affinity test. But only the Head Priest and the people holding the title of ''Saint'' or ''Saintess'' were allowed to get familiars.

    Since Elysia was still a part of the temple circle, her getting familiar would be frowned upon.

    Not to mention, the nobility would have a fit over Elysia''s ties with the Dirac family. Elysia would no longer be able to deny being a Dirac if she tied herself with a familiar.

    "Lord Dirac, I am not registered as a high-ranking noble yet. I cannot get a familiar until that is done. Besides, my magic is too destructive for any normal creature to handle-"

    "The child is right, grave keeper. Her magic is not something a mere beast can handle."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia wanted to gasp as soon as she felt the new magical signature. It was so powerful that it even pierced the magical aura of the forest around Elysia.

    However, Lucas did not look happy at all to hear the new addition that was standing behind Elysia.

    All she could make out was the huge shadow that was blocking the sun but she could not tell what kind of creature it was due to the trees distorting the shadow.

    "Lord Ashton, we are here to see the Forest Lord today. Can you lead us to him?"

    Lord Lucas finally allowed Elysia out of his protective embrace. Elysia was only able to turn around once she was let go.

    The creature she saw in front of her had no way of being described by mere words. It had a fox-like shape but its body was covered in visible magic that gave it a smoky appearance.

    Elysia could instantly tell that this was no mere beast but making out any further detail was impossible for her limited visibility.

    For Elysia to be even able to see this much was only possible because of the strong aura that the magical beast had.

    "Sorias would be d to see you too Grave keeper so let me take you to him. I feel like you never visit us after our previous lord died."

    "I''m quite busy these days so I cannot visit as often as I could. I am sure Lord Sorias knows about this as well."

    For the first time since Elysia hade to know Lord Lucas, she heard a hint of emotion in his voice. But Elysia did not have enough confidence to be able to categorize that emotion.

    Lord Lucas was a difficult one to read and Elysia was convinced that she would not be able to talk him out of any decision he made.

    ''I guess I only have one option left. I must make the forest Lord dislike me enough to not grant me a familiar.''

    Elysia had done some stupid things in her lifetime. Most of them had been done deliberately in an attempt to help Eve out.

    But despite all that, Elysia was sure this was the riskiest and stupidest thing she had ever done. Even attempting assassination in broad daylight came nowhere close to what Elysia was about to do now.

    ''First, I need to find a way to separate myself from Lord Lucas and Lord Ashton. Then I can try looking for the forest lord on my own and make a bad first impression.''

    It was akin to suicide to go off alone in a magical forest with her limited eyesight but Elysia was sure about her potential and magic.

    It was only in these scenarios that Elysia was happy to have destructive magic and she red her aura to scare off some smaller animals.

    Her small burst of magic was enough to startle Lord Ashton and Elysia felt her hand being let go. Green fog covered the area due to Lord Ashton''s defensive actions and Elysia instantly lost vision of the other two.

    ''It''s now or never,'' Elysia vaguely remembered the direction Lord Lucas was in so she made sure she walked the other way.

    By the time Lord Ashtone managed to contain the fog, Elysia had disappeared from the clearing.

    "She did that on purpose to startle me. Lucas, what kind of game are you ying by bringing someone like that cursed person here? She bears such heavy karma on her soul but none of it is her own."

    Lord Ashton did not sound angry, he just sounded resigned. He knew that nothing would change even if he tried to reason with Lucas over this topic.

    Still, Lord Ashton believed it to be his duty to warn Lucas of any possible danger.

    "I know about Elysia''s circumstances better than you ever could. She is the one my beloved wanted to save but the karma she bears is a result of all our actions. I cannot allow Elysia to pay for something we all did a long time ago."

    Lucas sounded bitter when he spoke those words. Lord Ashton did not doubt that Lucas med himself for what happened in the past.

    "Lucas, we all managed to reincarnate in this alternate timeline because of our lord''s decision and his sacrifice. We all got to live again so we should honor his sacrifice by living happily."

    Lord Ashton sounded like he spoke from experience. The years he had spent in this new timeline had taken their toll on him as well."

    "You are right. But I cannot help out still worry about the future. I tried reading Elysia''s fate but all I can see is death and despair in her future."

    " I tried to get her away from that fate but this world is not ready to let her go. I want to stay beside her but my current position and responsibilities will not allow me to do so."

    Lucas sounded angry at himself but also resigned. It was unlike him to give up this easily.

    "So that''s why you wanted a familiar for her? It is a good idea if you want to keep Elysia safe at all times but her power does make it difficult to match her with someone."

    Lucas looked even more sullen when he heard those words. Lord Ashton was reminded of the kid the previous forest lord had cherished and fallen in love with.

    "But you know Lucas, there is one person out there who can match your sister in terms of powers. And if your sister is anything like you, I am sure it will not take long for her to charm that stubborn bastard."

    "I am sure Elysia would be able to charm Sorias but that''s what I''m worried about. That kid is far too much trouble already. I don''t know if I want him anywhere near Elysia or not."

    Lucas sounded like he was in pain but Lord Ashton knew that no one would be more relieved than Lucas if Elysia managed to get Sorias as her familiar.

    "Everything will be alright Lucas. We won''t let things happen as they did in the past. Unlike back then, we have power and authority now."

    "I know and I hope it is enough to not let the worst pass this time."

 Chapter 20 20: The Enchanted Forest - Part 2

    ''I somehow managed to shake them both off. I hope they don''t try chasing after me anytime soon.''

    Elysia hurried through the forest, her exposed arms getting various cuts in the process. Elysia was moving in a state of blind panic but she had no other choice if she wanted to get away.

    She knew she was casing trouble but she was doing it on purpose. It also helped that the forest was helping Elysia mask her aura.

    Since Elysia was running around without any destination in her mind, it was easy for Elysia to stumble on her way.

    She was not able to tell if it was a rock or a fallen log that caused her to lose bnce but she did notice the huge body of blue she was about to fall into.

    "Hey, watch it. What if I got injured due to your foolishness?"

    The question silent panic Elysia''s mind had descended over in her haste to get away. But it could not stop Elysia''s fall into theke in front of her.

    For some reason, oxygen was a scarce product in the water and Elysia tried to breathe in the water without the aid of her magic.

    The panicbined with her sudden action caused Elysia to choke on water and her body started to lose strength.

    ''I am sure I will survive this. This world won''t let me die this peacefully,'' Elysia tried to move her body but she was unable to.

    This incident was another one Elysia had never seen in her vision before. It meant that it was not significant enough to mention.

    ''Or, the future changed and this incident happened as a result.''

    One''s mind tended to drift everywhere when it was on the verge of unconsciousness. But Elysia was sure her numbness andck of pain also contributed to her present state.

    Her eyes could not even tell if Elysia was sinking or floating upwards. All she could see around her was the cold embrace of water that was numbing her body.

    "Oh, for fuck''s sake. Can''t you even pull yourself out of the water? Your weight almost drowned me as well."

    Elysia tried to breathe once she was out of water. Her first gulp of pure air kick-started her body''s fight or flight response and the pain came mming back into her.

    Along with pain came the rity to be able to think and rationalize her current situation.

    There Elysia was, lying on the grass in her wet clothes. Wet clothes that were bing almost transparent in appearance and were certainly showing off more than Elysia wasfortable showing in public.

    And then there was the male voice that was annoyed at Elysia for something. The owner of the voice was likely looking at her as well.

    Elysia''s brain decided that she was in danger and her body moved on auto-pilot to preserve whatever modesty she had left.

    ''Should I kill him? Who is it? Lord Dirac said that the only humans that cane into this forest are from the Dirac family but there is no one else left in our family except me and Lord Dirac.''

    "Hey, calm down. I need to make sure you are not injured and...��..holy shit. Y-You, don''t need to do that. I will back down if you want me to."

    But it was toote for Elysia to be able to stop the massive wave of water she had borrowed from theke.

    In her haste to defend herself, Elysia''s magic had managed to cause the water in the nearbyke to rise and it mmed into the owner of that male voice at a decent velocity.

    The sound of water hitting the ground was as loud as a roar of lightning. Even Elysia had to flinch once the water made that sound.

    ''I didn''t end up killing that man, right? Am I a murderer now?''

    Elysia quickly picked her body up into a sitting position and instantly gave a bow toward the man she had most likely killed.

    "I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt you. I''m so so sorry."

    "Darn right. You should be sorry for what you did. I almost got severely injured due to your magic that was mixed up in the water. What even are you to be able to hold so much magic inside you?"

    Elysia wanted to breathe a sigh of relief as soon as she heard the familiar voice. The owner of that voice did not sound like he was heavily injured which made Elysia feel better.

    She had not ended up killing that man, no, boy.

    Now that Elysia could make out the owner of that voice a little better, her defective eyes picked up the shape of a young body around the age of eight.

    "What are you looking at? Are your eyes defective?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The owner of that mature-sounding voice was the small boy in front of Elysia. She could not make it he was a dwarf or if he genuinely was a kid in appearance but something inside Elysia was convinced that the owner of that mature voice was a kid.

    "A-Ah, my eyes are partially blind so please ignore my staring. I was just amazed to see someone young like you be able to defend against my panicked attack."

    Elysia realized that she might have misspoken once she was finished speaking. Head Priest Yohan had warned her about her big mouth too many times but it was a hard habit to control.

    But now it seemed like her big mouth had even managed to offend the young kid she had just met.

    "Are you underestimating me? What right do a thing like you even have to doubt me? It would be kinder for you to die than to live with an evil trace like that."

    The kid was rude but it didn''t seem like he was saying anything with a conscious mouth. Elysia wanted to be angry at the kid who was judging her at her first meeting but she could not even mutter the energy to do so.

    After all, did it matter what the kid thought of her? He was not the first person to dislike Elysia at their first meeting.

    Most people who met Elysia for the first time ended up disliking her. Unlike Eve and even Adam, who could charm anyone Elysia had to try extra hard to make connections.

    So when even a kid from the magical forest ended up disliking her, Elysia knew it was her fault and not of the humans.

    The only ones that liked Elysia were the animals but maybe it was only limited to the normal animals.

    "Ah, sorry. Forget what I just said to you since I didn''t mean it. This world is such a pain in the ass, always trying to dictate our actions. But what did you even do to it to get hated with this ''corrupted'' aura? Must be something big if you managed to piss it off this much."

    The more Elysia heard the kid talk, the more she was convinced that he was not right in his head.

    Who talked about the world as if it was a living entity? This was the first time Elysia had heard of the world being mentioned in such a way and Elysia was someone who had seen all kinds of things in her life.

    "Fuck, I forgot that you are a normal human and likely have no idea what I am talking about. Forget everything I said till now. Just tell me who you are and how did you even get in here?"

    The conversation was moving too fast for Elysia to keep up with. She had not gotten one question sorted in her head when another one was added.

    But she did know that this kid was someone impressive and she should not make an enemy out of him if she could help it.

    "My name is Elysia��..Dirac. I entered this forest with the Dirac family head, Lord Lucas Dirac but we got separated due to an incident."

    Elysia gave the shortest introduction she could without flinching. She had not been advised by Lord Dirac on how to address herself or if she was even able to the Dirac name.

    But since Lord Dirac had requested Elysia to be back, she could only assume that she was allowed to have this name.

    "Dirac? Lucas''s sister? Wasn''t she dead? Did you manage to survive back then? But how? No, don''t answer. You cannot answer my questions even if I asked you to. I will ask Lucas once he decided to visit the Forest Lord''s residence. You want toe with me?."

    Elysia just gave a hollow smile back to the kid. It seemed like he was in a world of his own where Elysia was not weed.

    "Ah, what are you going to do now? I''m sure I have offended you enough by now so I should head back home. If you see Lord Dirac please let him know that I went back home."

    Elysia breathed a sigh of relief atpleting her mission.

    If she asked the kid to deliver her message to Lord Dirac then she did not need to meet him today. By tomorrow, Elysia would be busy enough with the case and Lord Dirac will not be able to force her toe here again.

    Elysia would be able to get out of this situation without a familiar and she would not have to endure the Head Priest''s disappointed re.

    "Kid, I don''t think I want you to head home in your condition. I''ll feel morefortable if you came with me to meet Lucas. He must have a reason to bring you here."

    "H-He did not. I should really...��Woah."

    Elysia never got a chance to make an excuse before she was picked up by the back of her dress.

    The ce where the kid had stood just seconds ago was upied by a fox-like beast. Elysia could see a lot of fluffy tails fluttering in the wind behind the beastzily.

    That was all Elysia got to see before the blurry scenery around her disappeared in a sh of speed.

    The beast was running toward the forest center with Elysia still hanging from his mouth. This was the most nerve-wracking yet exciting thing Elysia had done in her life.

 Chapter 21 21: Acquiring A Familiar

    Elysia could feel the wind hitting her face as she did her best to keep holding on to her clothes. The fast-moving wind had caused her clothes to dry but it did not ease up the irritation Elysia felt at her current predicament.

    Had it been any other asion, Elysia would have enjoyed her current situation more. But as things stood, Elysia could not help but struggle to be let down.

    "Let me downnnnnnn."

    Elysia cried out, her voice filled with fear. Getting dropped from such a height would hurt a lot. The beast giggled Elysia around, enjoying her panicked-filled yells.

    Elysia was sure her voice was loud enough to wake up even the dead. But the paid did not encounter any such obstacle in their journey toward the center of the forest.

    The beast shook Elysia in its grasp causing her to snap her attention toward the mass of colors in the far distance.

    ''It must be the center of the forest,'' Elysia''s dizzy brain made the connection as she tried to get herself under control.

    The faster the beast went, the more Elysia felt like hurling her breakfast out. Thankfully, Elysia was let down before she could let her breakfast out of her body.

    The beast''s magical aura and the fur also faded from around his body as soon as Elysia was let down. In the ce of the mystic beast stood the child once again.

    "So, did you have a fun experience? I tried to be as gentle as I could but humans have a weak stomach."

    ''Weak stomach? You did that on purpose to make me sick. You just wanted to see me suffer.''

    Elysia had a feeling the kid had enjoyed causing her trouble. It seemed like Elysia had managed to leave a negative impact on the kid.

    ''Now only if I can leave a sour impression on the Forest Lord as well. I hope I get banned from this forest forever.''

    "Oi, are you alright? Don''t tell me you are sick. You''re not that weak, right?"

    The kid was hovering around Elysia. He reminded her of a small but annoying fly that she wanted to swat away.

    ''Control yourself, Elysia. You don''t want to cause unnecessary trouble. Think of Eve and the mission.''

    Elysia took in deep breaths to calm herself down. The more she ignored the kid, the more she was able to get her muscles to rx.

    "Hey, are you ignoring me? I don''t like being ignored-"

    "Lord Sorias, so this is where you were? I need your help in finding some��..one." Elysia panicked as soon as she heard Lord Dirac''s voice. The man sounded as cold as ever but Elysia was sure he was angry with her.

    She had not expected to run into Lord Dirac so soon and Elysia was not mentally prepared enough to face her situation.

    Her eyes met Lord Dirac''s impassive blue ones and Elysia could read her doom in them. It seemed like she had failed her mission to gain Lord Dirac''s trust already.

    "Lucas, so you did decide to visit. The girl told me she was your family member."

    The kid, no, Lord Sorias was the one who replied. Elysia''s shock just worsened once she realized who her savior had been.

    To say that Elysia was lucky to still be alive would be an underestimation.

    "Elysia? She''s my younger sister but we were separated due to circumstances and she was raised by the temple. I asked her toe back recently but things are a little moreplicated than I would like them to be."

    Lord Dirac''s voice sounded frustrated. Elysia did not doubt that this change in tone was rted to her circumstances.

    ''Has Lord Dirac caught on to my actions? He is suspicious of me so I need to be careful.'' Elysia quickly reminded herself of her reality.

    "Complicated? I can see why you would say that. And? What do you want me to do about it? I''m sure you have a reason to visit me today. You never visit me without a reason anymore."

    Elysia might be overstepping her boundary in saying this but she was sure that Lord Sorias was pouting when heined.

    Elysia wanted to rub her eyes to make sure that she was not hallucinating but it did not seem to be the case.

    "Sorias, please take this situation seriously. I do need your help with Elysia so I hope you will hear me out."

    Elysia wanted to tell the kid not to hear Lord Dirac out. But the window of opportunity for doing such a thing had already passed.

    ''Things are not so bad. I am sure I made the worst possible expression on Lord Sorias. There is no way Lord Sorias will agree to Lord Dirca''s request.''

    This was the only good thing that hade out of Elysia''s attempt in running away.

    "Out with it Lucas. What do you want me to do?"

    "I *need* you to find a familiar for Elysia. There is a dangerous case she wants to participate in and I cannot apany her myself. I need someone to look after her while I am not able to."

    There it was, the elephant in the room. The forest seemed to have fallen quite as soon as Lord Dirac made his request.

    Elysia could not read the atmosphere around her to make an urate guess about what would happen next.

    Her vision was not good enough to be able to read other people''s expressions and the magic surrounding her was distracting Elysia from being able to focus.

    Still, she was sure she had made a bad enough impression on Lord Sorias to be denied this request.

    "That will not be easy, Lucas. Her magic level is too much for a normal beast to be able to handle. There is only one best in this forest that can handle this amount of magic and that is ''me.''"

    And Elysia was sure there was no way the Forest Lord would enter a contract with her. Elysia was safe now.

    "So, you will deny my request?"

    Elysia braced herself for the happy news of rejection to reach her ears. It would be any moment now.

    "Of course not. Since the request came from someone I respect, how can I deny it? I will enter the familiar contract myself. It''s been a long time since I''ve been able to leave this forest."

    Elysia felt her heart fall as soon as she heard Lord Sorias''s excited voice.

    When she looked back at the kid, he seemed to be looking back at her. Elysia had a feeling that the kid had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    ''He''s agreeing on purpose. He knew that I did not want to be forced into this contract but Lord Sorias still decided to form one anyway.''

    Elysia had thought that making a bad impression would get her out of her problem, notnd her right into it.

    "Sorias, I am warning you. Do not think of this contract as a game you can abandon anytime. I won''t be able to forgive you if something ended up going wrong under your watch."

    Elysia was sure Lord Dirac was saying this to save face but her chest still felt warm at hearing those words.

    No one except Adam and Eve had ever cared about her safety and wellbeing. But those two were someone Elysia could not get close to on purpose.

    However, Lord Dirac was a different case. He was family but also a stranger that had no reason to care for Elysia except for sharing the same blood.

    Even if he was making this threat to preserve the family image, Elysia could not help but be happy at hearing the worry in his voice.

    "Lucas, I am not ying around. I almost got ttened by Elysia earlier so I know how vtile her magic is. Besides, I took a liking to her so I will do as I please."

    Lord Dirac''s face looked a little green at Lord Sorias''s admission. He looked like how Elysia felt at the suddenness of that confession.

    Moreover, hearing the confession from the mouth of someone who looked about 8-9 years old was beyond worried.

    "I can see that you like her Sorias and that''s what worries me. But it also pains me to admit that you are my only option right now. I will leave Elysia in your capable hands."

    "Sure, leave her to me. Ely,e here and I will teach you how to make a familiar contract."

    Elysia wanted to protest at the sudden change of her name. She wanted to tell the people not to call her ''Ely'' but her mouth could not move.

    There was too much enthusiasm in the voice that was calling out for her. No one had ever called out her name in such confidence and joy.

    The closest one who had ever called Elysia with such affection was Eve, but even she tended to hold back because of years of conditioning.

    Adam was a different case and his way of calling Elysia was either too formal. He seemed to also be holding himself back every time he talked with Elysia. There was an awkward air around him.

    "Y-Yes. What should I do to make a contract with you?"

    Elysia was so taken aback by the nickname that she even forgot to protest against the contract.

    By the time Elysia realized this, it was toote. She was already in the middle of the contract ritual and she could feel the bond with Lord Sorias snapping into ce around her magic.

    Elysia was sure Lord Sorias could feel her magic inside him as well.

    The ritual did not take long and it did not require too much effort either. It was a simple process since both sides were in agreement and they were not trying to reject the bond.

    "Now that the bond is in ce, we should address some key things."

    Elysia tensed as soon as she heard Lord Sorias''s voice. His initial agreement with the bond made much more sense now, he had likely agreed to it because he had something to gain.

    Why would anyone agree to be with Elysia otherwise?

    Lord Dirac''s re warned Lord Sorias to be careful of his next words but Lord Dirac was also bound now.

    Lord Sorias was a familiar of his house and Lord Dirac was responsible for him. Lord Dirac could not foolishly make decisions based on his personal feelings.

    "Lucas, my conditions are not that bad. Just hear me out first."

    "Fine, say it."

    Lord Dirac relented in the end. Elysia felt bad for forcing Lord Dirac into this situation but she was even more amazed to see Lord Dirac agreeing to back down.

    There was no need for Lord Dirac to do that for Elysia''s sake.

    "First, I want to roam around in human form unless it is necessary. This is non-negotiable. It is up to you what you tell the world about me and my identity."

    "Alright, fine. I will prepare a room adjacent to Elysia for you but you will prove your identity as a magical beast when it is called for"

    Elysia was surprised to see Lord Dirac agree to that request. It seemed like he was dragging his words out.

    "Now, the second condition is for Elysia."

    "For me?" Elysia was surprised at being addressed but she should not have been. Of course, the Forest Lord would want something from her.

    Elysia braced herself for the request. She was sure it would be difficult toply with.

    "Call me Sora. Sorias is too long and calling me Lord would cause problems for us all. In return, I will call you Ely, alright?"

    "No. You will call her Elysia. This is non-negotiable. She''s also spoken for."

    "I don''t mind. I just want a little sister. Besides, it is her decision and not yours Lucas so keep out."

    The pair in front of Elysia was mock-fighting. It looked serious but Elysia had a feeling that it was not serious at all.

    But she was surprised at the request she received. No one had ever asked permission to call Elysia by a nickname before.

    But surprisingly, it did not seem bad. Actually, Elysia really liked this new experience. It made her feel nice enough to open her mouth and utter an ''alright'' to the request.

    "See Lucas, shove it. She agreed to it so there is no taking back."

    Lord Sorias, no, Sora looked a little too smug at Elysia''s agreement while Lord Dirac had a sour face.

    And watching this scene, all Elysia felt was a sense of warmth. She really liked this atmosphere.

 Chapter 22 22: Getting To Kelvin Town

    Elysia felt listless as she was carried out of the forest on Lord Sorias''s back. The deal had been made and the contract had been signed already.

    ''I cannot back out of it now,'' Elysia could only moan about herck of foresight as she exited the magical protection of the forest.

    "Lord Dirac, you are bac..."

    Head Butler Hector''s voice stopped as soon as he caught sight of the huge beast following his lord. Elysia was sure that the situation would have been funnier had she been able to see the Head Butler''s face.

    For some reason, Lord Sorias had decided to spend his first day in his beast form rather than his human one.

    "M-My lord, have you finally decided to take a familiar? You should have told me about this earlier and I would have helped you��"

    "Hector, you talk too much. Just shut up for a second." the Head Butler clipped his mouth shut before Lord Dirac continued, "Prepare the room adjacent to Elysia for upancy. Lord Sorias is her familiar and will stay near her."

    Elysia watched as the Head Butler tried to wrap his head around the new change. She could see that the Head Butler was not happy with this news.

    "B-But��my Lord��..Surely thedy doesn''t need a familiar? Lord Dirac must be the first on in line to get a familiar and.."

    "Hector, did I stutter in my words? If you have a problem with my decision then you should address it to me in private. For now, do as I asked you to."

    Elysia felt bad for the Head Butler. It was clear to her that the Head Butler was not trying to make things difficult for her but he was genuinely trying to follow the rules set forth by the nobility.

    Generally, the first one to get a familiar in the noble house should be their house head. Lord Dirac was disregarding all the rules for her sake. (Not that anyone would say anything to him. They were too afraid to lose their lives.)

    "Don''t mind Hector''s words too much. He is a little sensitive at times."

    Elysia wanted to say that she would not mind the Head Butler''s words but it would be a lie.

    So she chose to remain quiet instead. The silence was often the best way to mask the truth and make everything seem like it was alright.

    "Seeing you both trying to be careful around one another is tiring. Lucas, I am taking Elysia inside and we are going to sleep. From what I gathered, we will be leaving for Kalvin early tomorrow."

    "Do as you wish."

    Elysia watched as Lord Dirac left the scene soon after. She didn''t even get scolded for the stunt she had pulled in the forest before but it could also be because it was already thiste.

    The sun was already setting in the sky and Elysia felt her body starting to ache from all the extra activities she had done today.

    "Lord Sorias��er, Sora, should we go in as well?" Elysia corrected her way of calling her familiar halfway.

    Lord Sorias''s encouraging smile made Elysia feel better about the informal way she had called the great beast.

    "Let''s go in. I am hungry and I want to wash my fur off. I should also take my human form now so that I don''t startle the people inside." Elysia had nothing to say as she watched the Forest Lord transform into his human self.

    The rest of the evening was uneventful and Elysia did not have a familiar dream in the night. Things were as quiet as she had expected them to be.

    But the feeling of unsettlement Elysia felt inside her heart could not be shaken.

    _________________________________

    When Elysia woke up in the morning, she felt like she had been hit by a carriage. There was ayer of sleep still making Elysia''s senses feel doozy.

    But it had nothing on the headache brewing at the back of Elysia''s head. It felt like something was probing her with a needle and it was irritating Elysia a great deal.

    The sun was still not up in the sky when Elysia woke up but she pulled herself out of the stump she was in.

    "Ely, are you up yet? We need to get going soon if you want to reach Kelvin town today. I heard from Lucas what is going on already so I don''t need a briefing from you."

    Sora''s loud voice reached Elysia through the door. It was as clear as she remembered it being and it helped Elysia make up her mind and finally head toward the bathroom.

    "Lord��..Sora, kindly head downstairs if you have freshened up. I will be down shortly."

    Elysia''s footsteps echoed in the empty room and she quickly headed toward the washroom. The cold water should be enough to wake her up.

    Elysia did not hear Lord Sorias''s retreating footsteps, nor did she hear his verbal confirmation but she was sure that the Forest Lord would follow her words.

    After all, standing in front of a door for who-knows-how-long was not something a Forest Lord was used to. He would get bored easily.

    So Elysia decided to take her time in the bathroom. She was not sure how long she took in there but it could not have been any less than half an hour at least.

    Elysia opened her door without paying attention, only to stumble upon something small in her way.

    "Ely, you are half-blind. Pay attention to where you are headed and stop trying to squish me all the time." Elysia tried to stop the scream that was building up in her throat but a little sound escape her mouth.

    In Elysia''s defense, she had not expected anyone to camp outside her door and wait for her. She had been so sure that Lord Sorias had left for breakfast already.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I-I''m sorry? I will pay attention next time," Elysia was sure that no amount of apology could make her situation better.

    She had almost hurt Lord Sorias again and she was sure the Forest Lord will be angry this time.

    "Don''t apologize for the smallest of things. You need to harden yourself if you want to live well in the future."

    Elysia heard Lord Sorias''s words but she did not pay any special mind to them.

    In the first ce, Elysia was doing everything she could to survive. The timing for her death had not passed yet so Elysia had to get past that first.

    ''But Lord Sorias also has a right to worry. He did make a pact with me so he''ll suffer after my death as well.''

    Elysia had not registered the gravity of what she had done before in her defense, she had not been in her right mind and no one had even given her a choice in the matter of getting a familiar.

    But now that her life had been bound to Lord Sorias''s, Elysia felt like she should tell him about the uing danger.

    "Lord Sorias, I want to-"

    "Save it forter. We should head to breakfast now and focus on getting our bellies full. Anything else you want to tell me, you can wait till we are in the carriage."

    Elysia felt the words in her throat die down at Lord Sorias''s serious tone. He did not seem like he was going to back down and let Elysia finish her words.

    So Elysia just sighed and went along with him.

    Breakfast was just as unpleasant as it had been the day before. The Head Butler and the maids still did not pay any special attention to Elysia and she still avoided the milk-made dishes. (They had increased in number this morning whenpared to before.)

    Lord Dirac was not at the table since he had work to do and Elysia finished her breakfast in silence.

    Elysia finally breathed a sigh of relief once she felt the Dirac mansion. The second Elysia''s back touched the carriage seat, Elysia felt the tension in her body drain away.

    "Finally, we are away from that darned ce. I don''t know how Lucas handles living in that gloomy atmosphere all the time. I could swear that those servants were ring at me that whole time. They don''t even respect you, the one who shared Lucas''s blood. Lucas should fire them all and get new staff in ce."

    Elysia almost chuckled at Lord Sorias''sints. The more heined, the more rtable Elysia found him to be.

    To be honest, many of the points Lord Sorias were raising were ones Elysia had grief about herself. But Elysia was not in any position to say anything about it.

    However, Lord Sorias was different. He had a different rtionship with Lord Dirac and Elysia was sure Lord Dirac would take his words much more seriously.

    "You should ask Lucas to deal with those problems."

    "I cannot do that. My rtionship with Lord Dirac is not deep enough for him to take my side against the servants who had served his family for generations. Besides, I am going to stay in the Dirac family only until mying of age so I can bear to deal with this behavior for some time more."

    Elysia was not sure why she decided to tell Lord Sorias this. Maybe it was because of his babish face or maybe because Elysia felt a kinship with him.

    But Elysia regretted opening her mouth the second she was done. It would not be good for her if her words reached back to Lord Dirac and caused internal strife.

    "Don''t worry. I won''t go babbling to your brother about the things we talk about. But you should think about your future. You cannot allow these fools to walk all over you like this."

    Elysia was stunned to hear Lord Sorias''s words. No one had said anything like this to her before.

    The Head Priest had always asked Elysia to keep her head down and not attract trouble. This was also how Elysia had lived this far.

    To change her lifestyle all of a sudden in a few words was not Elysias''s style. She was also happier to fade into the background than to show her face out front.

    "I don''t think I have it in me to fight against this injustice. I am happy to sit back and live my life as I want to."

    "So, you are alright with being taken advantage of? You are surprisingly weak mentally but I don''t fault you for it. But I am warning you, I am not one to sit passively and I won''t stand for being belittled."

    Elysia heard those words and she had a doomed feeling.

    Lord Sorias''s eyes were shining with magic and his words almost seemed like a promise. Elysia was afraid that his presence in her life would spell the doom of her calm life.

    But for some reason, Elysia did not feel scared. Instead, she felt excited about the uing future.

    "My Lady, we have arrived in Kelvin town. Should I call the temple''s representative over to us?"

    The driver who had apanied Elysia to her destination asked. He was one of the outer Dirac guards so he was not that aware of Elysia''s situation.

    "No need. You can go back now. I will return to the estate in the evening so you can pick me up from here as well."

    Elysia got off the Dirac carriage in the middle of the empty za and made her way toward the temple''s residence in the town.

    The real work was about to begin and Elysia was sure this would require her full concentration.

 Chapter 23 23: An Apology Is Demanded

    At first nce, there was nothing special about Kelvin town. No residual energy clung to its building and no citizens were out and about doing any harm.

    It was asmon a city as you could find anywhere in the empire. It made one wonder why this ce had been chosen as the ce to be cursed.

    The more Eluysia read about the case, the more she was sure that it could be nothing more than a curse.

    ''Dehydration'' or in this case, ''being sucked the blood out of'' could only happen if a vampire was involved. But such supernatural beings could not exist naturally.

    There had to be a medium somewhere that was facilitating the conception of such creatures.

    "Sora, let''s head to the inn first and regroup with the temple''s team. I am sure they will be able to brief us better about this issue."

    Elysia was not sure if the temple would have more information avable than the Dirac''s soldiers but that was not Elysia''s main objective in heading toward the temple''s inn.

    To be honest, Elysia could care less about the avable information. All she needed to do was to wait for the next kill to happen and then take care of the enemy.

    The main reason Elysia wanted to head toward the tower''s inn was to meet Eve. It had been ages since Elysia hadst seen Eve and the Head Preist''sst letter had left Elysia worried about the red-head.

    ording to the Head Preist, Eve was refusing to eat more than one meal a day and it was causing her performance to suffer.

    Elysia was not sure if it was due to her suffering from a disease or just because of stress. But Elysia needed to do something before this condition became fatal for Eve.

    "Are you sure you want to do to the temple''s inn? We came all the way here and you''re heading straight to work?"

    Since Sora was a kid, his childish words matched his tone. Elysia could see a real kid asking this question to her and it caused her to chuckle.

    "I am quite sure. If you want to go out and explore, then you can go on your own. I will call you back if I need your help."

    Elysia could see that Sora was getting bored. Moving around would do him some good.

    "Nah, I will stick around for now. I still don''t know what to make of these ''temple'' people so I would rather not risk things going south."

    "Nothing will go ''south''. I have lived in the temple my whole life and they are like family to me."

    Elysia assured her familiar but she could tell that he would not bulge at her words. She had no other choice but to bring Lord Sorias along to the temple''s inn.

    For some reason, Elysia felt nervous to face Eve again. She had known Eve forever but this meeting felt different.

    ''Is it because I have a new identity now? I wonder how Eve would react to me now?''

    The inn was visible as soon as Elysia turned the corner. She quickly approached the door and handed the Dirac insignia to the gatekeeper.

    "I am from the Dirac house, here to join the investigation under the Duke''s orders. Is the temple''s investigation team still inside?"

    Elysia tried not to sound off as she handed the insignia over. The man at the door didn''t even spare her a polite greeting when he stared her down.

    There was visible tension between Elysia and the guard before the guard let out a sneer.

    "I''ve heard about you. What? The temple was not good enough for you that you had to run to the crazy duke? But maybe your kind should stick together. Anyway, go in."

    The insult brushed off Elysia without even registering. She had heard such words too many times to even let them register on her radar.

    But just because she did not care, did not mean no one else did.

    Before the gatekeeper knew it, he was being held upside down and Lord Sorias''a stood in front of his face with a re.

    "I dare you to insult my master again. I will make sure to give you a slow and painful death as a result."

    "A k-kid? Where did youe from?"

    The guard seemed to unhear the warning he was getting from Lord Sorias. Instead, he turned his head toward Elysia in an attempt to mock her more.

    "Really? A kid? I heard you got a familiar but a kid? How low will you falllllllllllll"

    The guard did not finish his sentence before Lord Sorias''s tightened his hold over his legs. Elysia could hear the sound of bones cracking and the guard let out a pained cry.

    Elysia wanted to help the guard out but Lord Sorias''s eyes warned her not to move. And Elysia did understand the message he was trying to send her.

    ''It is for Lord Dirac''s honor. I cannot interfere.''

    As much Elysia did not mind being ridiculed, she had forgotten an important fact. She was a Dirac as well. Any insult dealt to her was also an insult dealt to the Dirac name.

    Lord Sorias likely acted on his own to defend her due to this connection. There was no other reason for him to act like this for her.

    "Hey, what is going on? What is the matter here? H-Hey, let Joseph down."

    The interaction did not go unnoticed. The temple''s team arrived on the scene pretty quickly and most of them seemed shocked to see the disy.

    But Elysia''s eyes were focused on Eve. The girl looked like she had lost weight and she even had dark circles under her eyes. It seemed like the case was taking its toll on her.

    "Hey, who are you? Why are you treating Joseph like this? What gives you the right to do this to a temple''s guard?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The sister who stepped up was brave for doing so. Elysia had only seen her face before but she already knew this confrontation would reach the Head Preist''s ears.

    "I am just doing what I must. This guard tried to insult my master so I must punish him."

    "Oh, and who is your oh-so-great master? I will talk with him myself and make sure you receive the punishment for hindering our work."

    The sister was really stupid if she could not even see Lord Dirac''s coat of arms on Sora''s clothes. She would likely not live long.

    "I will let Lord Dirac know what you think about me. I am sure he would be all too happy to hear from the temple as well."

    As soon as Lord Dirac''s name was dropped, everyone went quiet. The bold sister also went white with fear at the name of the fearsome duke.

    The temple might have its influence and the royal family''s support but they had nothing on Lord Dirac and his mystic powers. He was someone no one wanted to anger.

    "I-I understand that you are angry but please let Joseph down. I am sure this is a misunderstanding. He would never insult Lord Dirac since he respects him so much."

    Now that the mistake had been made, the sister tried to smooth over the situation. But nothing she could say would make the situation any better.

    Lord Sorias was not in a mood to let the guard go.

    "Let me handle this. My lord, I am sorry for the misunderstanding that happened but can you let our guard go? We still need him."

    Lord Sorias looked toward the shining red-head that stood in front of him and he instantly knew who she was.

    ''Ah, she must be the chosen one of this world. Should I try and end her life now? Otherwise, she would be a problem for Elysia. She might even end up getting Elysia killed.''

    "I don''t want to let him go. This man might respect Lord Dirac but he doesn''t respect him enough not to open his mouth and curse out his younger sister. Any insult made to my master is an insult made to me as well."

    Lord Sorias''s words caused everyone to quieten down. All eyes turned toward him and then toward Elysia who was still standing stiff behind him.

    Elysia had not said anything yet but Lord Sorias could feel her intention to flee away.

    "Elysia? What are you doing here?"

    For the first time, the voice of the world''s chosen one broke. Lord Sorias did not know what to think about this development but it did confirm that the hero and the viin of this world knew each other.

    "I-Ah, I was assigned to this mission by Lord Dirac so I decided to join the temple to exchange information. But since Lord Dirac did not want me to go alone, he appointed Lord Sorias as my guard and familiar."

    Everyone looked stunned to see Elysia. The sisters were eying the duo with contempt as well as hate while the hero had an unexinable emotion in her eyes.

    "I see."

    That was all the chosen one said. The guard struggled in vain while the conversation took ce and lord Sorias could see many people going pale.

    "L-Lord Sorias, please let Joseph go. I will apologize in his stead for anything he did but please let him go."

    The sister that had been brave enough to stand up to him begged. She looked white on the face and her eyes were filled with tears.

    If this was a way for the sister to gain his sympathy, it was not working. The more she begged, the more she irritated Lord Sorias.

    "If you want forgiveness then ask it if my master."

    "I u-understand. I will send a message to Lord Dirac as soon as possible-"

    "Wrong. My master is Elysia Dirac. Since the guard insulted her, the apology should be addressed to her as well."

    Elysia wanted to stop Lord Sorias from making a mess of things. This was the kind of behavior Elysia had tried to avoid all her life. These actions were what the ''Elysia'' in her vision was used to.

    It was also what caused Elysia''s end.

    Elysia looked at the sister in front of her who looked unwilling to even entertain the idea of speaking with Elysia. The hate and contempt in her eyes were like sharp needles digging into Elysia.

    She wanted to ask Lord Sorias to stop this at once but she could not. Lord Sorias''s aura was agitated and triggering him could cause a bigger incident.

    In the end, it was Eve who stepped up to rectify this situation.

    "Lady Elysia, I apologize for any insult our staff from the temple might have issued you. I hope you will take my apology and let this matter go."

    Lord Sorias looked toward Elysia for an answer and Elysia nodded toward him to let the guard go. She had already caused enough trouble for the temple.

    "I ept your apology. I would also-"

    "No, the fault lies with us so you don''t need to apologies to us. Kindlye in so that we can talk our differences over tea. I will make sure no one else, not even the sister will be able to disturb us."

    The sisters and others from the temple protested but Eve refused to hear them out.

    Lord Sorias watched as Elysia had no other choice but to ept the hero''s invitation. But there was a weird air around the duo which made Lord Sorias curious about their rtionship.

    But one thing was clear to Lord Sorias - things were about to get amusing around him.

 Chapter 24 24: Agenda - Part 1

    Elysia tried to keep her mouth shut in this situation but the silence was too much for her. Eve hardly ever ignored her and she never ignored Elysia in thepany of other sisters and temple members.

    But the current situation was different from their usual norm. Elysia was not a member of the temple but a noble of the Duke''s family.

    "Eve, are you not going to ask me anything? I can see that you have questions for me."

    Elysia decided to be the first one to break the ice. She felt like it was her responsibility to take the first step toward establishingmunication.

    After all, it was her fault this awkward situation urred in the first ce. Had she not gotten involved, this conflict would not have urred between the Dirac house and the temple.

    "I''m sorry Lady Dirac, but I am just trying to establish boundaries between us. It will not be proper for someone of my status to talk with you directly."

    Elysia tried not to flinch at the formal address. She had never been treated like this by Eve before.

    "Eve, there is no need to be this cold to me. We grew up together so there is no need for such formalities between us."

    Elysia could feel Lord Sorias''s disapproving re being aimed at her. She just needed to turn her head to read his message - ''Don''t lower your head against anyone else.''

    But Elysia could not change her instincts when it came to Eve. She did not like to fight with Eve and she also knew she needed to make up with her as soon as possible.

    ''I need to smooth things over before the mission starts tomorrow. Otherwise, Eve will not ept my help.''

    Elysia knew Eve quite well and Eve had a massive ego when it came to her work and missions.

    If she had epted this mission then Elysia was sure Eve would do anything to see it get fulfilled because of her. Outside help was not appreciated by her or the temple.

    ''But the Head Preist asked me to do this so I must help Eve out.''

    "Oh, so now we are close friends. I was not aware Lady Dirac considered me such a close friend and still keep such massive secrets from me."

    As soon as Elysia heard those words she knew that Eve was not mad at her about the earlier situation. She was likely mad at Elysia''s untimely departure from the temple.

    Elysia had left the temple all of a sudden without any exnation. And from Eve''s perspective, it did sound like a betrayal of her feelings.

    "I''m sorry Eve, I did not have much time or choice before I was asked to return to the Dirac estate. But it should only be for a year or two. I will be back once mying-of-age ceremony is over." Elysia assured her friend.

    This was something Elysia was certain about but she could read doubt and suspicion on the other sister''s faces.

    They were not saying anything in front of Eve but Elysia could read their eyes. These sisters did not believe that Elysia would leave the luxury of the Dirac house if she had a choice.

    "I see. So you were called back because of youring-of-age. Sometimes I forget that you are a member of the Duke''s family. You always seemed like a normal person to me but it is times like these that remind me how big of a social difference is between you and me."

    Elysia knew that Eve did not mean her words maliciously, but she also knew these words meant something else for everyone else.

    As expected, the sisters surrounding Eve jumped on the opportunity to make Eve''s words be something they were not.

    "Don''t worry, sister Eve. Social status doesn''t mean anything in the eyes of god. No one would be able to question you once you take the saintess title. Not even the noble will be able to bully you."

    "So true. Once you be the saintess, the world will finally know who the real ''noble''dy is."

    Elysia ignored the provocation in the sister''s words. It did not matter to her what they said. Nothing was going to make them like Elysia anyway.

    "Huh? When did I say that? I never��"

    "You don''t need to defend yourself, Sister Eve. God is always watching us all and he will be our final judge."

    "But there are things even God cannot interfere in. Personally, I would be more careful to poke the danger if I can help it. You never know who you might offend with your words."

    The sisters jumped as soon as Lord Sorias spoke. Since he was in the form of a child, everyone ignored his existence.

    Even if they had seen his powers in action, no one paid much attention to a familiar like him. No one knew his real form or his power level so he was no threat in the people''s eyes.

    Only Eve looked a little skeptical of the child, her eyes hard and focused on Lord Sorias''s words.

    Whether Eve could tell if there was something special about Lord Sorias or if she was acting on her instincts to vary of him, Elysia could not figure it out.

    Finally, the silence was broken by Elysia. She had just managed to rify the situation. She did not want another misunderstanding to form.

    "Sora, I think we should retire for the night. I am quite tired and I also want to go over the case before we start the investigation tomorrow. Eve, you can find me in my room tomorrow if you want to talk. I will send the case data over to your room so that you can look over it tonight."

    Elysia decided the best thing to do for now would be to leave the room and gather her thoughts.

    "Elysia, wait. I still want to talk with you��." guilt was visible in Eve''s eyes. Elysia could tell she felt bad for how the situation had turned out.

    "Eve, let''s do this tomorrow. Everyone is too on edge today and I also need to report back to Lord Dirac about my arrival. I am sure you have work you need to finish as well tonight."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia knew she was running away by pretending like she had work. But her excuses were genuine and she also needed to give Lord Sorias time to calm down.

    Her familiar was in a bad mood and Elysia did not want him to snap at Eve. She wanted the pair to make a better first impression of each other.

    "Alright, I will let you go tonight. But I want you to myself tomorrow afternoon. Keep your schedule clear."

    Eve finally agreed with Elysia over his topic. Not that Elysia had thought Eve would force her right now.

    "Afternoon? If you buy me to lunch then I will think about it."

    "Alright. Then, it will be a date."

    Elysia shook her head at Eve''s familiar actions. She had gotten used to it a long time ago so she did not even consider those words to be serious.

    But when she turned back to Lord Sorias who had an amused expression on his face.

    "What''s wrong? Your grin looks creepy." Elysia was not to let Lord Sorias''s grin get to her but it was difficult to not pay attention to him.

    "Ohhhh nothing. I just think I discovered something super fun right now. Don''t mind me and my creepy grins since you will be seeing a lot of them in the future."

    Elysia had a lot to say about this topic but she decided to keep her words to herself. In the end, she did not want to draw Lord Sorias''s attention to meaningless details.

    Not when she was nning to sneak out tonight and go on an adventure on her own.

    Time passed and night came far early than anyone anticipated.

    Elysia quietly jumped out of her window. The dead of the night made it easy for her silhouette to be hidden from the public eye.

    She had made sure to give Lord Sorias strong sleeping medicine before sleeping out of the room. She did not want to be discovered by anyone tonight.

    Elysia had not wanted toe out initially but she also knew that this was her best opportunity to gather information.

    Besides, Elysia had tried falling asleep but sleep won''te for her tonight. There was a restless air tonight and Elysia had to go out to know more about it.

    She quickly made use of her magic to lighten her steps and jumped out. A pair of beautiful ck wings sprouted out of Elysia''s back and helped her gain flight.

    This magic was aplicated spell that had taken Elysia a long time to perfect. But she had ended up seeding in the end.

    ''If anyone saw me now they would think I am a demon out to take their soul.''

    ck wings were often associated with the devil but Elysia was not able to change her wing''s colors no matter how much she tried.

    In her vision, she knew that Eve will end up sprouting white wings while Adam would have the traditional dragon wings one day. Those shining wings will make Elysia''s inferior copy pale inparison.

    But it was a topic for another day. For now, Elysia had to make do with what she had and quickie makes her round around the town.

    _________________________________

    "She is a fool to think human medicine will work on me. I let her get away with this because I thought Elysia might try to escape tonight. I guess I will be following after her now."

    Lord Sorias had woken up as soon Elysia had left the room but he had waited to not be discovered.

    His mouth still had the residual vor of the sleeping medicine. It was a futile attempt but one that was well executed.

    Lord Sorias went to follow Elysia before his sharp eyes caught another set of moments in the corner of his eyes. A shadowy figure was running through the town and they seemed to be in quite a panic.

    That was what would appear to a normal person. But Lord Sorias could see past the fog of illusion surrounding the street and saw what was following the running figure in the street.

    "Oh, a mutt? I guess I will not be following Elysia tonight after all. This incident looks far more promising to me."

    Lord Sorias jumped down from the window and into the mist. He made sure tond near the ce he had seen the figure run, and then he trusted his nose to lead him ahead.

    But he soon discovered that he was not the only one with this idea in mind.

    "You? I thought it was time for humans to sleep."

    It was the chosen one who had stepped in Lord Sorias''s path. She did not look happy and she had a weapon pointed at Lord Sorias''s throat.

    "What are you nning? You should be guarding Elysia, not running through the streets. What are you ying at?"

    It seemed like Lord Sorias was not the only one who varied from this world''s chosen one. The chosen one was equally suspicious of him.

    And it was all connected to the person this world was trying to fuck over. How ironic was that?

 Chapter 25 25: Agenda - Part 2

    Eve was not having a good time; it all had to do with Elysia and her new societal position.

    Initially, Eve thought she would be able to ignore the new divide that had opened up between her and Elysia due to Elysia''s new status as the Dirac nobility. But she soon discovered that it was her wishful thinking.

    Not only did Elysia have a new life, but she also had new people who were important to her. She even had a familiar to protect her now.

    ''I guess she never needed me to protect her in the first ce but it still sucks. I don''t want Elysia to find a new best friend. I cannot let someone else take this away from me as well.''

    Eve was already sore about the fact that she was not the one Elysia was engaged to. Adam, that bastard, never forgot to remind Eve about this fact.

    ''And now my spot as the best friend is in danger as well. Man, I want to warp this case up and spend some time with Elysia.''

    Eve wanted to do so much more than spend time with Elysia. Her actual desire was to date Elysia but that was easier said than done.

    She could note out and say what she wanted to Elysia or her friend would bolt out of her life. Even joking about this topic put Elysia in a weird mood. Not to mention, there was something weird going on between her father and Elysia.

    ''I am sure they are hiding something from me and I will get to the bottom of what they are hiding from me. But first, this case.''

    Eve finally decided to open the case file Elysia had handed to her. It belonged to the Dirac guards who hadpiled this information.

    Generally speaking, the Dirac guards were better equipped to handle this case than the temple was. This territory also fell under their jurisdiction so it would not be weird for them to take over the temple.

    Even so, they had only sent one person to handle this case: Elysia. Anyone could tell that the Diracs were up to something.

    Eve would have been unconcerned about what was going on if Elysia had not decided to intervene.

    "Now let''s see what I can find. Ah, it is a night case as I suspected. I guess I will be going out to patrol the streets tonight."

    Eve decided to leave her room early in the evening. The weird air in the streets made Eve feel more in danger.

    Eve knew something big was going to happen tonight, and she needed to be there to make sure no one got hurt.

    The streets were empty and silent.  But it was not the natural silence that came with the night.

    Eve was sure that there was something unnatural about the streets tonight but she could not point out what it was about tonight that bothered her so much.

    Footsteps broke the silence of the night and Eve decided to follow them. This might be foolish of her to do so but these footsteps were the only lead she had about her case.

    "You? I thought it was time for humans to sleep."

    Eve came to a standstill as soon as she saw a familiar silhouette of the child blocking her way.

    Sora was what Elysia had called the kid but even Eve could tell that this was no ordinary kid. He had introduced himself as a familiar in the morning and Eve could finally see why that was.

    With the short stature and weak-looking human body, no one would take the kid''s im seriously. But now that Eve was seeing him under different circumstances, there was something dangerous and mystical about the kid.

    Maybe it was the glowing eyes the kid had or the aura of danger and magic around him, but Eve felt threatened by the kid.

    Still, she did not the option to back out and let the kid be. He was a package deal with Elysia now and Eve needed to figure out what he was nning.

    "What are you nning? You should be guarding Elysia, not running through the streets. What are you ying at?"

    The kid looked amused at Eve''s questions. She could tell that the familiar was not taking her seriously at all.

    ''He knows he can kill me and no one would look at him as a suspect. But if this familiar think I am an easy target then he is sorely mistaken.''

    Eve knew how people viewed her as. As the best candidate for the Holy Saintess, Eve had trained in healing and support arts her whole life.

    People often looked at her and saw a fragiledy but she was much more than that. What people did not realize was that even the softest persons turned dangerous when they were threatened.

    And Eve was always under the threat of losing Elysia. So she had trained hard and even gotten Adam to teach her how to defend herself and Elysia if needed to be.

    She could and would kill if it served her purpose.

    "Why are you so tense? Are you afraid that I will do something to you? You should not be so worried about yourself. This world adores you so you will be alright in the end."

    The kid sounded serious when he made that im. But this was not what Eve was worried about.

    "I don''t care about myself. I am worried about why you agreed to be paired up with Elysia. I won''t forgive anyone who hurts her."

    The kid cracked up at Eve''s words. What was so funny about them that he had tough this hard? The more Eve thought about this topic, the less she understood the kid.

    But still, if it came down to it then Eve would fight this familiar for Elysia.

    _________________________________

    ''It''s been a long time since I''ve seen something this amusing. I wonder what the world thinks about this mishap? Its chosen heroine in love with its chosen, viin? How hrious. I love teen dramas.''

    ? The more the chosen one and Lord Sorias conversed, the more he was persuaded that she preferred Elysia to her buddy. She had a certain quality that suggested she was "in love."

    But love and interest were not always a good thing to have.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Don''t worry about my interest in Elysia. I agreed to this deal because Lord Dirac asked me to. I have no intention of making any move on her since it will be like making a move on my sister."

    The chosen one went red at Lord Sorias''s words. It seemed like he had hit the bullseye.

    What the chosen one was worried about was not about how he was going to use Elysia but whether her spot in Elysia''s life was going to be taken away or not.

    ''I don''t understand humans but they sure are interesting.''

    And it also helped that this fucked up situation was going to make this world rage. This chosen one''s interest in Elysia would make the poor girl''s life harder but that was where Lord Sorias came in.

    He would protect her and make sure the world regrets messing with them.

    "I never said anything about...�� never mind. You should still not be out here thiste at night. Hurry up and go back to Elysia''s side."

    The chosen one was trying hard to wrap her head around what was going on.

    ''She''s young as well. Too young to shoulder all this responsibility and��..darn it. The world is trying to fuck with me again.''

    Lord Sorias could feel feelings like sympathy and willingness to help the other bubble inside his mind. He could tell that these were not his emotions.

    The world was trying to force Lord Sorias to feel these emotions for his chosen one.

    "I was trying to go back to Elysia''s side. You see, my master decided to leave her room in the middle of the night and I am trying to find her before someone else does. So I would appreciate it if you let me go now."

    "Elysia did what? But why did she leave her room at night? Her vision is already faulty in the daytime, she would not be able to see anything at night."

    The chosen one did sound distressed at the notion of Elysia having taken off like that.

    "Elysia didn''t tell me why she left so abruptly, nor do I care to ask her why she left alone. She can do what she wants to and I will do what I want. And what I want right now is to find Elysia and keep her safe."

    "Wait, I wille with you. You know how to find Elysia, right?"

    Lord Sorias did not feel shocked when the chosen one decided to apany him. He had let the chosen one know of his ns because he knew that she would follow after him.

    It was nice to see that Lord Sorias still knew how to read other humans.

    "Hey girl, what''s your name?"

    Lord Sorias could not keep calling the red-head as chosen one forever. It was better to cultivate a closer working rtionship with her since they had the same goal.

    "My name is Eve."

    Eve, huh? Somehow it fitted the girl. But Lord Sorias was not going to waste much time thinking about her.

    He could feel Elysia''s link slipping further away by the second. She was traveling at a decent speed and her path seemed to be almost linear in motion.

    "Hey, is it only me or is the fog getting thicker by the second?"

    Lord Sorias had not paid any attention to his surroundings until now but he did notice the oddity once it was pointed out to him.

    The fog surrounding the street was increasing in density. Lord Sorias''s eyes did not have a problem with this but it must be different for human vision.

    "Hey human, how much can you see in this fog?"

    "I don''t know about seeing but I do hear something running our way. And it is quite a heavy body that is heading our way."

    It took Lord Sorias a second to concentrate to be able to hear the sound of running that was headed their way.

    It was a wonder that the human had even been able to hear this before him but it did not matter in the grand scheme of things.

    "Human, get down to the floor. I will take care of this problem."

    "Hey, I have a name and it''s Eve. Why did you ask for my name if you were not going to use it?"

    Eveined but she did follow Lord Sorias''s orders.

    It did not take much effort for Lord Sorias to shed his human skin and revert to his beast form.

    For some reason, the fog made it easier for Lord Sorias to shift into his beast form and he quickly used his massive size to pin the other creature beneath his front paw.

    It was a creature made up of shadows. There was no mass and exerting a little weight caused the creature to disperse back into the shadows.

    ''A shadow Bauk? Seems our target is not a mere vampire. Things could get difficult for Elysia.''

    "Hey, what is it? What kind of creature did you capture?"

    Lord Sorias did not give Eve any time to sate her curiosity. He took her cloak into his mouth and jumped on top of the roof.

    He needed to catch up with Elysia as quickly as he could.

 Chapter 26 26: The Mystery Of Kelvin Town - Part 1

    ''Is it just me or is the air getting colder? I think I should have worn a few moreyers before heading out.''

    Elysia knew thatining would get her nowhere but she still wanted to express her displeasure. It was not like she could have worn moreyers to keep herself warm anyway.

    Wearing more would obstruct her wings from functioning properly. It would also make navigation more difficult.

    ''As if I don''t have enough problems on my te already. I cannot spot anything from this height.''

    Elysia cursed her eyes as she lowered her fight''s altitude. As much as she did not want to get spotted by humans, she also did not want to miss any obvious clues that might ur due to her inability to see.

    ''I guess I shouldnd in a back ally now. I can cover the rest of the distance by foot.''

    Elysia was not sure if it was her faulty vision, but it looked like the town was covered with a thin fog. It was not too noticeable yet but the more time Elysia spend outside, the more noticeable it became.

    And it was not only the fog that was triggering Elysia but also the sweet smell it gave off. It was subtle but Elysia''s sense of smell was stronger than a normal human.

    That was why she was able to pick up the subtle provoking smell hidden beneath theyer of fog.

    ''Someone went to great lengths to conceal the smell. I wonder what their objective was.''

    Elysia could not think of any reason one would spend so much money to hide the subtle smell unless it had an objective.

    But since Kelvin town had no incident of wild animals running on the rampage, Elysia was not sure what to make of the situation.

    More investigation would be needed to make the situation clear.

    Elysia was just walking through the empty town without much care. Her vision was not picking up any clues and the fig seemed to be getting denser the further Elysia walked.

    It seemed like she was alone in the world at that moment.

    "Hey, you. Yes, you Please stop and give me a second of your time."

    The whisper was subtle and Elysia almost jumped when she heard the voice calling out to her.

    So far, Elysia had been convinced that she had been alone but it seemed not to be the case. The existence of that voice proved that there was at least one other person out here with her right now.

    "Are you talking to me? I''m sorry but I cannot see you. The fog is a little too thick for me to make anything out. Can youe out so that I can see who you are?"

    "Oh! Are you not afraid of me? Or the fog? People often cry in fright when they get lost but you seem to be rather calm."

    Purple eyes. That was the first thing Elysia registered when the female stepped ahead.

    The girl was wearing a cloak over her head, making it impossible for Elysia to see anything but her eyes.

    But something about that voice and that hand screamed ''familiar'' to Aurora. She could tell that she had seen a hand like that before.

    "Excuse me, but have we met before?"

    Elysia was more nervous than she had first thought herself to be. It was not until the question was out of her mouth did she realize how her words might sound to someone else.

    "My! I never expected you to be this bold. You could have just said that you were interested in me."

    ''But I did not mean it like that.''

    Denying that usation was no longer a wise decision on Elysia''s part. It would be like fanning the mes. Keeping quiet would ensure this storm to pass.

    "So, what is a girl like you doing in these parts of the town? You don''t look like someone who would be interested in such things."

    "Such things?"

    "The ck market. Did you walk in here without knowing even that much?"

    Ahhhhh, Elysia had not been aware that Kelvin town had a ck market. The area she had walked into looked no different from the upper town where she hadnded in the morning.

    Had thedy not informed her where she was, Elysia would have likely never known her whereabouts.

    "Ah, I identally walked in here. I should get going now. Please don''t tell anyone you saw someone like me."

    Elysia was not sure how much of her face was visible in the fog. Knowing her luck, the other female would be able to see her face.

    If the news of the Dirac noble venturing into the ck market got out then things would get difficult for Elysia.

    "Someone like you? Sure, I don''t mind. A lot of people make the same mistake. But I was more impressed to see you out at night. Weird things are going on around in this town."

    Elysia was about to turn back but she stopped when she heard the female speak.

    As much as Elysia did not want to get involved with this new female, Elysia also knew she was her best source of information.

    "Can you tell me about it? About the weird things going on in this town?"

    Weakpulsion magic was mingled with Elysia''s voice. Elysia had no trouble learning dark magic like this, but she was not a big fan of using it.

    ''I guess my calling is really of a viiness. I have all the talent to be one.''

    Thankfully Elysia did not want to be a viiness and stunts like these were not ones she needed to pull quite often.

    "I knew I should have stayed indoors today." The female in front of Elysia mumbled before she spoke more strongly, "You don''t need to usepulsion to get my help. Follow after me and I''ll tell you what you want to know."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia felt embarrassment creep up her face at being caught doing such a thing. She was not aware that herck of practice had caused her technique to derogate.

    "You don''t have to look that embarrassed. I only knew what you did because I knew it was a possibility. Come, follow me and I''ll tell you what you want to know."

    If Elysia was interested before, she was hooked now. Not only her interest but her desire to know more had been triggered.

    It might be dangerous to follow after an unknown person on such a dead night but Elysia would not let such a lead slip out of her hand.

    _________________________________

    "You can sit wherever you want to. Don''t mind the mess because I will not be clearing it anytime soon."

    When most people said this to you, they usually pointed to a clean room. However, Elysia would not describe her current surroundings as a ''disaster'', but rather as an ''abomination.''

    Not only clothes but nts and chemicals of all kinds covered the floors. It would be easier to find a clean spot than to find an unclean one.

    How did Elysia know all this despite not being able to see the room? The magical aura was everywhere. It was so heavy that Elysia found it difficult to even breathe.

    "Is it really alright for me toe in? I don''t want to step on something unintentionally and set off a reaction."

    Elysia did not have much experience with magical substances. The Head Priest had not wanted Elysia to venture into that field and risk causing an ident.

    As such, Elysia only had elementary practical knowledge about magical substances. Even if she knew how to use a substance, Elysia would not be able to recognize it.

    "Don''t worry. The ce might look like a mess but I did neutralize it to not explode. I know my habits and I won''t risk harming my guest."

    Elysia was skeptical of the female but she finally entered the room.

    "By the way, my name is Sara. you can say that I am a part-time alchemist, a part-time frencer. It is nice to finally meet you officially."

    "Excuse me, you are a saying? Officially meet me? My name is Elysia"

    "Ah, yes. You see, I had a dream a few days ago about meeting someone who looked like you. I guess it came true, right? My name is Sara and it''s nice to meet you"

    A dream that told the future? Didn''t it sound rather familiar to an ability Elysia had?

    Did that mean Sara had the same ability as her?

    "Does it happen often to you? Seeing dreams that tell the future? Have you ever had such a dream before?"

    Elysia knew she was being pushy. Sara looked ufortable to have her attention but Elysia could not back down.

    The chance of finding someone simr to her was so rare that it made Elysia not practice caution at all.

    "No, of course not. This was the first time and I was too out of it to notice when I fell asleep that day. Actually, I have no memory of that day so I cannot be of any help to you."

    Elysia''s enthusiasm droned as soon as it had risen. It seemed it was a coincidence that Sara had a prophetic dream. Maybe it happened the same day Elysia had her first future vision outside the ceremonial pond.

    ''In retrospect, the name "Sara" did conjure up memories. I wonder where I first heard that. Was it seen in a dream?''

    Suddenly it struck Elysia where she had heard the name ''Sara'' before. It had been in a vision.

    ''No wonder those hands looked familiar to me. I saw them in my vision yesterday. How could I have forgotten them?''

    "Sorry that I cannot be of any more help to you about my dream. But I was not kidding when I said I will help you out regarding the Kelvin town issue."

    Now that things hade to this, Elysia knew she could not back down. Sara was someone that was bound to be important to Eve pretty soon. So Elysia needed to do her best to keep Sara alive and well.

    "Any help you can give me will be well appreciated. I will also find some way to pay you back for all this."

    Elysia made that promise to Sara. This was the least she could do and Elysia did want to help Eve out.

    "Alright. I will call you for help when I need it. But before that, you should know a few things about Kelvin town and what kind of case you are diving into."

    Elysia opened her mouth to assure Sara that she could handle any kind of information but closed it as soon as Sara''s hood fell.

    The person standing in front of Elysia was not a human, but a mixture between human and beast. Elysia could still feel human magic on the female but the ears on top of her head belonged to a fox.

    "Are you cursed or a mixed human?"

    "I''m not cursed. Why does everyone ask me this? Is it that rare to see a mixed breed like me?"

    Elysia could only node as she was asked this question. Rare would be an underestimation in these circumstances. It was more along the lines of unheard of.

    Half-beasts rarely lived past the age of 16, much less grow into an adult. And the female in front of Elysia was an adult.

    ''No wonder she was being targeted in my dream. Her heart and her blood would be premium ingredients."

    "You had a tough life this far, right?"

    "You have no idea. Those fuckers already turned this town upside down to search for me. You see why I had to make use of this mist?"

    Ah, things were finally starting to make sense for Elysia. She had one of her culprits in front of her.

 Chapter 27 27: The Mystery Of Kelvin Town - Part 2

    "So, someone decided to hunt you down for your blood and the first thing you did was to run into a human settlement to try and lose them? Did you not think that you would cause problems for all these innocent people?"

    Elysia was still trying to wrap her head around what she had discovered.

    "Hey, I am a victim of my circumstances as well. Sometimes a girl gotta do what she can to survive in this world."

    There was no guilt or remorse in Sara''s eyes but Elysia could still not find it in herself to me Sara for everything that happened.

    How could Elysia do that without sounding like a hypocrite herself? She had also killed a lot of innocent people just because she wanted to survive past her death g.

    "What? Did knowing the truth suddenly make you lose interest in me? If you don''t like me then you should shout it to my face. Don''t worry, I will be able to take it."

    As she attempted to bluff her way out of this situation, Sara''s voice trembled.

    Elysia was aware of the anguish that might result when someone shuns you when you''re in need. Elysia wanted to contact Sara because she recognized a lot of herself in her.

    Yes, there was a chance that Sara might rece Elysia in Eve and Adam''s life but that was a concern forter.

    For now, there was someone who needed Elysia''s support and would also help her solve this case.

    "I was never interested in the first ce but I don''t find you disappointing. I think it was brave of you to try running away from certain death. And I am also d I found you tonight."

    "Are you for real? I just told you that this town is suffering because of me and you chose to console me instead of getting rid of me? You are weird."

    For once Elysia had no idea what to say in this situation. She was not feeling sorry for the town since she had no connection to it.

    "Would it make me a bad person if I said I did not care for it? I only came here to help solve this case because my superiors wanted me to."

    Elysia was not sure why she was speaking the truth. It was dangerous to open herself like this in front of a stranger.

    If the news got out about Elysia''s real character, then it would be difficult for her to be able to survive in the noble social circles. She would not be able to help Eve out in those cases.

    ''But I guess it would finally give people an excuse to nullify my engagement with Adam.''

    But those things were beside the point right now.

    Currently, Elysia had aughing female in front of him. Sara''s body was shaking due to the force of herughter and Elysia had no idea what had set her off.

    "Man, I do like you. I would have offered to be your familiar but you already reak of someone strong and possessive. I am not going to set off a possessive familiar and risk my life."

    Sara''s words were interesting but they were not something Elysia wanted to look further into. Elysia had a habit of overthinking and she did not have a lot of time to overthink currently.

    Not when she was feeling weird all of a sudden.

    Rot was detectable in the air. Even the subdued sweetness of the fog Sara had used to cover her tracks couldn''t withstand its power.

    Elysia was now certain that the fog had some sort of magic to keep people off the streets at night, but it didn''t seem to have any effect on extraterrestrial species.

    "Shit, it is here already. Elysia, we should start running now. It would not be a pleasant experience for us to be caught by that Dhampir. It''s been chasing me forever and I cannot get rid of it."

    Sara sounded distressed but tired as well. It seemed like it was not her first encounter with the beast following after her.

    Elysia wanted to get rid of the Dhampir following after them but she noticed a problem immediately.

    The houses in Kelvin town were too close. Elysia could not risk fighting here since it would cause massive property damage.

    But like the other regions ruled by Dirac, the Kelvin town was encircled by the enchanted forest. It would be impossible to fight there.

    ''And I cannot take Sara to the forest as well. It would be too dangerous to venture in there.''

    Sara might be a half-beast but she seemed not to have a lot of knowledge regarding her specie. And if she had not entered the enchanted forest yet, that meant that she could not do it.

    "Should we take the Dhampir out of Kelvin town? I can deal with it for you."

    Rarely did Elysia volunteer to murder something. Looking back, I can see that there had never been any request where Elysia had offered to kill something for someone.

    The Head Priest had meticulously nned each of her murders to advance Eve or the temple.

    ''I guess there is a first time for everything. Sara will be important for Eve in the future so I want to make sure she is alright.''

    "A. that''s sweet of you to offer me a kill but it won''t work. I''ve killed the Dhampir more times than I can count but it keepsing back."

    Sara sounded happy but her voice dropped to a disappointed tone pretty soon. It did seem like she was speaking from experience and not making up things.

    "A master is therefore in control of the Dhampir and reviving it. We now know why the residents of Kelvin Town are having their blood drained from them, I suppose."

    "Right, now you get it. So, any ideas? What should we do about this case?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia had to take some time to think over her options. But there was nothing she could immediately do to solve this situation.

    For now, there was only one thing the pair could do.

    "Let''s get out of here for now and find a way to detain the Dhampir. We will have to purify the spell cast on the Dhampir to ensure that it doesn''te back. Unfortunately, I am useless in this regard. But I know someone who can help us out."

    It was shameful for Elysia to admit this fact. Healing and purification were the core principles of the temple but Elysia''s magked both properties.

    She could only count on Eve to help her out with such a task.

    ''Somehow, this works out better than I would have expected it to. I was asked to help Eve solve this case and I hand over the important step to her.''

    The case will be deemed solved by Eve as long as she put a purifying spell on the town and no additional cases appeared in the following instances.

    Elysia could take this time to seek out the real mastermind and eliminate them so that this case ends on the right note.

    "Shhhhh, it''s here. Hurry, follow after me. We need to get out of here before that Dhampir spots us."

    It sounded like Sara had a lot of experience. She even managed to cast under her breath as she led Elysia out of the danger.

    Elysia did not put up much of a fuss when Sara led her toward the chimney and pushed her to climb up.

    "Hurry up and climb. I never used the chimney so it should not have any soot inside it."

    That was not what Elysia was worried about but she decide to humor Sara by taking the front watch.

    It was only because of Sara''s guidance that Elysia knew where she was going. Sara was narrating to her what she should and should not do.

    Somehow, Sara was making the most difficult part of this journey easier without even knowing it.

    Elysia expected to find herself on top of the roof once she exited the chimney but she found herself in the middle of a pathway.

    "Move out of the way. I need to get out as well." Elysia quickly gave Sara the way to be able to exit the chimney. As soon as the half-fox was out, the hole disappeared into the ground.

    ''The chimney must have some kind of magic spell cast on it. I wonder what kind of spell it was and who enchanted it.''

    "Don''t ask me who did the enchantment work. It was already like this when I bought the house so I have no idea. And before you ask - No, I cannot read minds."

    Elysia had not asked the question but it must be showing up on her face that she was curious.

    Sara just looked amused as Elysia went red at being caught thinking the same question she had answered.

    "Are we out of danger now?" Elysia asked, trying to divert the attention to another topic. It was beyond humiliating to be caught like this.

    Thankfully, Sara decided to let this topic go and focus on what Elysia was asking.

    "We have a head-start but I''m afraid we are not out of danger yet. I managed to throw the Dhampir off our tracks but I did not manage to wipe our tracks from my home."

    So the Dhampir would be after them again soon. That did not sound good at all.

    Ideally, Elysia would like to kill the Dhampir and be done with it for tonight. But it would be a better alternative if she somehow managed to capture it alive.

    "Sara, on a scale of 1-10, how intelligent is this Dhampir?"

    "Huh? Why would that thing have any intelligence? It''s made up of a dead human and doesn''t have a brain capable of functioning. Still, near 3-4 if I have to guess?"

    That was low but perfect for Elysia to be able to capture the Dhampir in a trap. Had the Dhampir had no intelligence, it would have been difficult to lure it into a trap.

    "So Sara, how do you feel about luring the Dhampir into a trap and capturing it alive? It would help our temple friends a lot if we managed to get them a sample of what they are dealing with, right?"

    "Well, I guess it would make it difficult for the controller to send any more creatures after me if one of his creations were to be caught. So, what do you have nned for tonight?"

    Elysia did not have a solid n yet but she was beginning to form one in the back of her mind.

    All she needed was a little time toy out a veryplicated spell somewhere abandoned.

    "Take me to an abandoned part of this town and I will show you what I am capable of. I have a feeling our meeting was pre-determined for a reason."

    Elysia felt like her meeting with Sara was not a coincidence. It might not be a vision from the ceremonial pool but it had been in a future vision for sure.

    Whether this meeting would help her out or bring doom to Elysia, was something she still had to decide.

    For now, she would trust her instincts and help Sara out. Any repercussions that might result because of this, Elysia would deal withter.

 Chapter 28 28: The End Of A Night

    "Will this pce do? No one lives in these parts of town anymore so we won''t cause anyone disturbance if weid the trap out here."

    Elysia nodded as she observed the ce. She hated to admit it but Sara had brought her to a perfect ce to carry out her n.

    There were no indications of human presence in the vicinity, and nobody could be seen.

    In actuality, the za was only home to dpidated, ancient buildings that were no longer safe for anyone to live in.."

    "Well, there was some strife between the previous lord of this town and the current lord. This area just ended up getting caught in the crossfire and had to be evacuated. Do you know, the one who evacuated this area was called the ''Guardian Angel of Kelvin town.'' People say she was a beautifuldy."

    "Some even say she was about to be rewarded by the temple but she ended up being poisoned."

    The more time Elysia spent with Sara, the more of an enigma she found the elder to be. Sara''s mannerisms and her words painted her as a person of the middle ss.

    No noble-born but the knowledge of state-kept secrets she knew was far too prominent.

    Normally, people would say that a hero died, not positioned for such cases. For a known ''hero'' to die was a piece of big news.

    But what was even bigger news was that Elysia had never heard of such a ''hero'' before. No one in the temple had ever mentioned Kelvin town before.

    For such important decisions, permission from the central temple was required. So Elysia should have heard of such an incident if it truly happened.

    So Sara''s words made Elysia suspicious.

    But for some reason, no matter how Elysia tried to justify her suspicions, they refused to form when she looked at Sara. It was like some greater power was preventing her from thinking ill of the half-human.

    ''It''s simr to how Eve feels but much less noticeable. I wonder if this is how people feel when they look at me. Thispulsion is not easy to shake off.

    It was only due to Elysia''s incredible willpower that she was able to keep herself in check.

    "You seem to have a lot of knowledge about Kelvin town despite only being here for a few days. I also wonder why you said the ''hero'' was poisoned rather than her ''dying.''"

    Elysia had not spoken the words to corner the other female but she still felt Sara flinch.

    ''It seems like I hit a sore spot. I should not press any further in this matter.''

    "Ah, I apologize for my words��."

    "No need. You are right to be suspicious of me and I understand why you asked me all these questions. Ahhhh, I always knew my big mouth would bring trouble to me."

    Elysia felt herself breathe easier once she heard Sara speak. It seemed like Sara was not angry with her.

    Rather than angry, Sara looked relieved that Elysia had realized all that about her.

    "I am aware of all of this because my mother was ''that hero. I witnessed her poisoning death and stood by helplessly as the current lord of Kelvin Town got the rewards. To ensure that he met his objectives, he murdered his sister."

    Sara''s voice was detached as she delivered those words. She almost sounded like she was narrating someone else''s story rather than her mother.

    The trace of admiration was still present in Sara''s voice but it was an admiration for a great person rather than a mother.

    "Is that why you did all this? Is that why you also sealed me out? Because I am from the Dirac house?"

    Elysia had her doubts but she could only ask these questions. She would get her answers soon enough.

    "What the heck? How is this and that rted? Look, I admired my mother but I did not love her. She and my father were too in love to pay any mind to me so we never got close. I don''t have any desire to take revenge and put my life in danger."

    Either Sara was a really good actress or she was entirely serious. Elysia had a feeling that it was the second one this time.

    "I understand the situation now. Sara, I think the person who orchestrated all this is not after your blood but your life. I think someone wants to silence a threat."

    "A threat? You mean my uncle is the one behind all this?"

    Sara genuinely looked shocked. Elysia did not feel bad for doubting her since it was better to be safe rather than sorry.

    "Nevertheless, he is the main suspect. Once we drive him out, we''ll soon be able to identify the genuine offender."

    But it was also a gift that Elysia had been able to narrow down her list of prospective suspects so rapidly. It would be easier to move swiftly, and Elysia could start her post-case work earlier.

    Things would beplicated if the Kelvin town''s mayor got involved. In a situation like this, one just did not dip their hands.

    "Ummm, can we do the thinkingter? I can feel the Dhampir closing in on our."

    Sara sounded stressed. Elysia could also hear the beast closing in on their location. They only had so much time before Elysia would have to brute-force her way through this situation.

    "Give me some space and do not move. I won''t be able to guarantee your life if you failed to stay still."

    "S-Surely you are joking? Elysia, tell me this is a joke."

    Sara''s face went white at Elysia''s warning and she froze in ce. This was good and it gave Elysia an opportunity to work her magic.

    As expected, such skills came easy to Elysia but she also knew how explosive her magic was. She could not afford to mess up this time.

    The Dhampir looked, unlike anything Elysia had ever seen. She could only make out a wolf-like shape with a pair of glowing green eyes.

    A pair of familiar glowing green eyes.

    ''It''s the beast from my vision. So the vision was about Sara after all.''

    It felt good to have her suspicions confirmed but now was not the time to sit back and rejoice.

    The Dhampir jumped into Elysia''s circle without hesitation and the magic activated. The ground was lit purpled as sparks covered the whole space.

    The sparks jumped around, leaving no ce untouched. The only safe spot was near Elysia where Sara was standing.

    "Ugh, I don''t think the magic is working on the Dhampir. It doesn''t exactly have the organs to be affected by such a spell."

    Sara did not have to point out the obvious thing. Elysia could see that her magic was not working against an undead creature.

    It might be because her magked divinity, but Elysia knew she would have to change her approach.

    "Shit. I guess there is only one way left to resolve this situation."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia did not want to start a fire but it was the only way to purify something without holy powers.

    ''Next time, I will keep a sk of holy water on me. It would be so useful in these situations.''

    Elysia cursed as she readied her magic. She did not want to light the district on fire but there was no other choice.

    Not if Elysia did things on her own.

    But she suddenly felt the spark of hope ignite inside her chest. She could feel Lord Sorias heading her way.

    Elysia had no idea why he was out tonight or how he even got up after the heavy dosage of medicines she had forced him to drown but she was d to feel her familiar.

    "Umm, Lady Elysia, shouldn''t we do something? Like, light that creature on fire? I do want to live to see another day you know."

    Sara sounded worried but she still refused to move. Elysia was impressed at the half-human survival instincts in such a situation.

    Sara likey knew what her current situation was and how she had to act. She truly was a born and bred aristocrat. It was in her instincts to observe a situation and chose the winning side.

    "Don''t worry Lady Sara, help is on the way. But it will be better if you disguise yourself as a human somehow. I assume you know how to do that?"

    "You want me to use magic now? What if it reacts with your spell and causes a bacsh?"

    "That won''t happen. On the count of three, I will drop my spell. Make sure you get your disguise up in time."

    "3��2��"

    "Wait! I''m not ready��."

    "1��and go"

    Before Lady Sara finished, Elysia''s countdown ended and the spell came down. Magic saturated and the Dhampir realized that this was its chance to get to its prey.

    *Hic?* "I don''t want to die. Save me, Lady Elysia."

    And entirely human Sara jumped on Elysia as soon as the spell came down. It caused Elysia to lose her bnce, making her incapable of dodging the Dhampir.

    Elysia, however, had estimated this and rxed her body.

    The Dhampir was impaled in front of the two by a gigantic shadow that suddenly descended in front of the paper.

    Lord Sorias was finally here.

    "Elysia, are you alright? That thing did not hurt you, right?"

    ''What is Eve doing here? Did she follow me out? How am I going to exin this situation to her?''

    Elysia''s mind drew a nk as soon as she heard Eve''s voice before going into a panic drive. She had no idea what she should do to salvage this situation.

    She was not supposed to be out tonight but Elysia had felt the need to go out tonight.

    "Calm down and breathe. Do you need me to take you away from here?"

    Sara''s voice in her ear reminded Elysia that the half-human was still clinging to her. Sara''s current position on top of her was also rather suggestive but her leaning in to whisper thosest words did not help rify the situation.

    Elysia did not even get to give a reply to Sara''s question before she felt something embedding itself into the ground right on Elysia''s side.

    ''A few inches to the left and Eve''s staff would havended right in my face. I guess Eve is angry with me right now.''

    "Get off and get up. How long as you going to continue this indecent behavior right in the middle of a public za? You might not care about your reputation but you should think about your partner''s reputation."

    Oh?

    Oh!

    ''Eve is worried for Adam''s reputation. Of course, how could I forget that I am a public figure.''

    Eve''s words were effective and Sara instantly got off of Elysia. She looked sheepish but her bodynguage did note off as guilty.

    "Sheesh, cut me some ck. I was just too shocked so I ended up hugging Elysia. But I don''t think I offended her. Right, Elysia?"

    Sara''s tone was light and joking. She was asking Elysia to y along and Elysia saw no reason to deny her.

    "Sara''s right. I did not feel offended in the slightest but I will be more mindful of my actions in the future. We cannot have my actions sully Crown Prince Adam''s name."

    "No, that''s not what I��Nevermind. Let''s go back to the inn for now. We can discuss this tomorrow after our lunch outing."

    For some reason, Eve looked ufortable addressing Elysia after she assured her of her intentions.

    But since Eve was letting this issue go, Elysia saw no reason to hold on to this conversation. Elysia decided to follow Eve''s lead and walk toward the inn along with Sara.

    But it seemed to have irked Eve for some reason.

    "Why are you following after us?"

    "Huh? I need to stay close to Elysia. She promised to help me out and I don''t have anywhere else to go."

    "You can''te with us. The ce we are going is reserved for the temple employees. I cannot let a suspicious person in."

    For some reason, Eve and Sara''s first meeting had gone bad. Elysia could not help but feel like it was her fault.

    And she needed to straighten things out right this instant.

    "Eve, we should let Sarae with us. She is an important witness and I think we''ll need her help to solve this case."

    "Elysia, even you?....Fine, she cane but I will keep an eye on her tonight."

    Eve finally conceited but Elysia had a feeling she was not happy with this decision.

    ''It doesn''t matter if they don''t get along now. I am sure they will be able to bridge their differences soon enough.''

 Chapter 29 29: No Space For You

    "Hey, where do you think you are going? You will be sleeping in my room tonight so I can keep an eye on you." Eve was not in a good mood currently.

    Why was she so annoyed? Because of a damned human named Sara who dared to make a move on Elysia in front of her. Eve had no idea how she had been able to hold back her anger on their way back.

    So far, Sara had taken every opportunity to touch Elysia. Sara had done it all, be it a hug or even holding hands.

    And the worst part was that Elysia had allowed that to happen.

    ''I''m sure Elysia didn''t even realize Sara was flirting with her. She''s far too innocent in these regards.''

    However, Eve persevered throughout it all because she understood how little time she would have with Sara and Elysia. Eve would have a justification once they arrived at the inn to split up Elysia and Sara.

    Or, at least, such was the situation previous to Sara standing up and convincing Elysia to let her spend the night in her room.

    "But I don''t want to stay with you. You are scary and I don''t like you. I would prefer to stay with Elysia over you."

    Sara was whining and clinging to Elysia''s arm like a parasite. Her breasts were flirtatiously pressing against Elysia''s arm.

    ''Get your hands off my woman, you bitch.'' The more Eve saw the more pissed she looked.

    The only bright spot in this situation was that Elysia seemed to sense Sara''s terrible attitude and tried to separate herself from her.

    "I think you should remain with Eve tonight, Sara. My room will not have empty space because Sora will be staying with my familiar."

    "ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

    Eve''s relief vanished like water in the sun when Elysia said.

    Having Elysia''s familiar in a room with her overnight was no better than having Sara. the familiar might have taken a childish human form but he was far older than Elysia in reality.

    ''He''s also a male and really cute. Even I can tell that Lord Sorias''s adult form will be a gorgeous male. I cannot allow Elysia to fall for him. They are too close as it is.''

    The Crown Prince was already enough as a rival. Eve did not want topete with a familiar as well.

    Especially since most familiar-master also ended up as lovers in the end. This topic could not be spoken about in public so not a lot of people knew about it.

    One had to go out of their way to find information like this. And children born from those pairs either ended up dying or were bornpletely humans.

    "Eve, are you alright? I know you are worried about this case and you don''t trust Sara but we will need her help. Try and get along with her for now."

    Eve had never had an urge to get Elysia to shut up before. But Eve really wanted Elysia to shut up before she ended up doing something regretful.

    "I have a solution for us all. You human, stay together with Elysia tonight. I will keep an eye on the half-ling. I need to have a few words with her so it all works out."

    The only help in this situation came from the most unlikely source. Eve had not expected Lord Sorias to help her out.

    But this was the perfect opportunity for her to spend some uninterrupted time with Elysia.

    "Whatttttt??? No, I don''t want to...Elysiaaaaa please do not make meeeeeee."

    "Sara, I think it will be better if you cooperate with us for now. It''s only for a few hours so you''ll be alright."

    Thankfully, Elysia finally gave up on trying to pair Sara up with Eve and epted this new arrangement. And Sara could also not get out of this arrangement since she had no authority.

    The beasts'' faces dissolved into indifference as they watched the humans flee the area.

    As soon as they approached the threshold of their chamber, the air around them altered and froze over.

    Sara didn''t even flinch when she felt the seal lock itself in ce around her. She knew she was trapped in this room and she will remain trapped here for as long as her lord wanted her to be.

    "Seeing as how you are not trying to break my seal, do you know who I am?"

    "Of course. No beast in this world will not feel an instant pull when faced with you, Lord Sorias. I can recognize you even if this is our first meeting."

    There was no humor and joy in Sara''s voice. It was as cold as ice and matched Lord Sorias''s tone.

    It was the tone of a beast who knew it was in danger.

    "I can smell the residual of bestial energy on you but you also smell human. You are a half-ling? Where are your parents?"

    "Dead. My parents died long ago so I am alone in this world."

    Lord Sorias nodded before he let the seal fall. It didn''t seem like the half-ling meant him any harm. She had not tried anything dangerous so Lord Sorias decided to cut her some ck.

    As soon as Sara was let go, she let her body fall to the ground and rxed her body.

    "Man, you sure are a scary king. Father did say you were scary but I never thought I would feel like this in your presence. My blood felt like it was freezing."

    Sara''s joyful personality returned as soon as she was released go, and the first thing she did wasin.

    Her blood had seemed frozen in her veins, and her body had shuddered in horror.

    "I find you unique as well. You are a beast but your body doesn''t carry the same taint as ours. I would even go as far as to say that this world favors you and has blessed your life."

    There was a feeling about Sara, one that asked Lord Sorias to protect her. It was quite like the world''s chosen one.

    Lord Sorias had never expected to find a beast that this world liked.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Somehow I don''t feel very blessed right now. My life had been nothing but trouble this far. First fighting to get acknowledged and not being hunted by unknown people."

    "And yet, you survived it all and made your way to people who can help you out. Would you not call it luck?"

    Sara scoffed at Lord Sorias''s words. Her eyes held bitterness inside and her tone was t when she answered.

    "There are no coincidences in this world. The only reason I made it this far was that someone anonymous temple helped me survive this far. They also pointed me toward Elysia''s location."

    "And before you ask, I.DO.NOT.KNOW.WHO.THEY.ARE. So do not ask me anything more. I will go to sleep now."

    For someone afraid of Lord Sorias minutes ago, Sara was showingmendable courage by falling asleep in front of him.

    She knew that she could be killed off but she was choosing to believe in Elysia and her promise of help.

    Lord Sorias also did not do anything to her that night. It passed quietly with nothing more to add.

    _________________________________

    The morning sun was bright. There were no clouds in the sky and the outdoor temperature was perfect for an outing.

    In short, it was a pleasant (not good) day for Eve.

    She might haveid down in the same bed as Elysiast night but sleep had been impossible to get this night.

    Since the bed was not big enough, the pair had to snuggle against each other to make space. This had led to Eve touching Elysia in ces she had never dared to before.

    Her chest could still feel the warm imprint of Elysia''s breasts against them.

    As children, the pair had quite often slept in the same bed but it felt different now that they had grown up.

    But Eve could tell that it was only her that was having insomnia due to this proximity to the object of their affection. Elysia was sleeping the night away without worries on her part.

    ''I can''t tell if I''m in heaven or hell right now. I wish this night never gets over.''

    But no one could stop the passage of time and the night came to an end. Eve had to regrettably pull away from Elysia and gain a head start on her day.

    "Sister Eve, there you are. We were looking around for you the whole morning. We saved a portion of breakfast for you."

    Eve nodded as she followed along to the breakfast table.

    As promised, her portion of food was assembled on the table. It had gone cold but Eve did not mind eating leftovers.

    "Did Elysia and herpanions eat already? Elysia was not in the room when I came to check up on her after freshening up."

    Eve had gone to check up on Elysia roughly after an hour of walking up but Elysia had not been in her room. She must have woken up at some point and decided to start her day.

    "Well, we only had one serving left by the time their party woke up and decided toe down for breakfast. So naturally, we asked them to eat out in the town."

    Eve felt her heart sink when she heard those words. At the same time, her expression darkened.

    She hated how the temple treated Elysia for something that was not even her fault. But no matter how much Eve tried to help Elysia out, the people never listened to her.

    "A-Ah! That reminds me. That de-I mean, Elysia did leave a message for you. She asked you to meet her in the town za for your afternoon engagement."

    The sisters flinched as soon as they saw Eve''s darkening expression.

    The sisters liked Eve since she had aforting aura. There was just something about her that gripped everyone as soon as they met her.

    She was different from Elysia in that regard who only gave out a revolting aura.

    But there were times when Eve looked demonic as well. It was at times like these when Eve lost her temper that she no longer looked like a cmity.

    Thankfully, mentioning Elysia usually knocked Eve out of her mood.

    "I see. I guess I should head out now so that I do not miss Elysia. I will eat out as well so don''t wait for me."

    The sisters watched Eve go back to her room. Her foody on the breakfast table, untouched.

    "What should we do with all this left-over food now? Should we donate it to the poor of this area?" the first sister asked.

    ? They had lied to Elysia when they had said that they had no food left. But no one wanted to show kindness to Elysia.

    "Don''t be stupid. Kelvin has no poor sectors. They were all resettled when this town was rebuilt. It''ll be better for us to reheat the food and eat it in the afternoon."

    They did not hear the halted footsteps, nor did they notice Eve who had decided to listen in on their conversation.

    ''These people! I cannot believe their audacity. But will deal with themter. I should go out and apologize to Elysia for their behavior.''

    Eve knew it was not her fault. She knew that she could not control how people behaved toward Elysia.

    But she still wanted to let Elysia know that she had Eve on her side.

    And then there was a date that Elysia needed to take Eve out on.

 Chapter 30 30: Duo To Trio

    "I can''t believe how rude those ''sisters'' were. Did they think we could not smell the food they were trying to hide from us? How can they be called ''god''s'' people?"

    Elysia heard Sarain as she tore into her food. The half-human seemed famished by seeing her eating habits.

    On the contrary, Lord Sorias ate in moderation but even he looked frustrated at the situation.

    Elysia had not thought that her situation was that bad but herpanions seemed to be daggering.

    ''Maybe I am the problem. I seemed to have gotten used to expecting such behavior from the Sisters but Lord Sorias and Sara are outsiders. They should not be treated like this because of me.''

    For the first time, Elysia feels bad about her situation. It was causing other people difort which was not something she wanted.

    "Seriously, you cannot keep those people letting get away with treating you like this. Have some self-esteem."

    "Sure. I will talk with themter."

    Elysia nodded along with Sara''s request, knowing that she was not going to follow it. No amount of words would make the temple change its opinion over Elysia''s situation.

    Eve had tried and so had Adam to an extent. Heck, even the Head Preist had asked people not to treat Elysia like a monster but people had continued to unhear those words.

    At some point in time, you learned to roll with your circumstances and not pay any mind to them.

    "Elysia, I know you don''t mind your situation but you need to consider your standing a little more now. You are a Dirac. How many times will I have to remind you of this fact?"

    Lord Sorias finally spoke up. Somehow, Elysia already knew he was going to say this. This was the most effective way to make Elysia feel guilty.

    Elysia was about to reply to Lord Sorias when she felt the familiar magical signature head her way. Lord Sorias and Sara seemed to have felt that as well.

    ''Eve is on her way. She arrived far sooner than I expected her to. Did she even have breakfast?''

    Elysia felt worried for Eve. Eve had gone to bed after her but had gotten up before Elysia. Did she even get enough sleep the night before?

    "Elysia, there is some cream on your lips. Let me wipe it off for you."

    "Huh��"

    Elysia wanted to turn around and wee Eve but she did not get a chance to do that. Sara had a hand on her mouth and it seemed to be rubbing right at her lips.

    It was an ufortable feeling that made Elysia lean back. But she could not fully pull back due to the presence of the chair behind her back.

    "Sara, I don''t think there is something on my��"

    "What are you both doing? Do I have to remind you that this is a public ce?"

    Eve''s words came out cold. Elysia did not need to see her expression to know that Eve was pissed off about something. Elysia had no idea why Eve sounded like this but she needed to do something about it.

    But to do that, Elysia first needed to pull her face out of Sara''s grip. The half-human was holding Elysia''s face hostage with a creepy grin.

    "Huh? I don''t think we are doing something indecent thought. I mean, I am just helping Elysia clean up her face. Do you have a problem with it?"

    "Yes, I do. You are blocking my ess to the seat."

    Elysia finally felt Sara release her face with a pout. But even the half-human could not defend herself against this usation.

    Sara''s arm had been blocking ess to the seat adjacent to Elysia.

    "Fine Let me change my seat so that you can have my��"

    "No need. I will sit beside Elysia for now. What have you ordered for breakfast?"

    Eve quickly slid into her seat. Elysia watched it all happen silently.

    Even if she wanted to say anything, Elysia''s instincts asked her to stay quiet. She should not egg Eve anymore than she already had.

    ''What has gotten into Eve today? I feel like her mood is fluctuating a lot.''

    "Elysia, let''s go. I promised you an afternoon date and I want to honor my promise. Lord Sorias, can I count on you to keep an eye on Sara today? We will be back in the evening?"

    Elysia begged Lord Sorias not to agree with Eve.

    It was not like Elysia did not want to spend time with Eve, but there were more important things their group could be doing.

    The main festival had not started but there was plenty to prepare to hold the purification rite. There were ruins to be drawn and Eve also needed to concentrate her magic.

    Being along with Elysia would just distract her and Lord Sorias knew that as well.

    But despite knowing all this, Lord Sorias decided to be a traitor and agree with a simple, "Have fun. I will take care of things here."

    "No, wait. We should be getting ready for the....."

    _________________________________

    "...Ceremony."

    Eve heard Elysia''s words but she did not pay much attention to them. Instead, she decided to drag Elysia behind her toward the main festival za.

    They had passed through the same ce yesterday but there had not been a hint of festivity then.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Somehow, the town seemed to have been transformed overnight with the help of magic. But it had to be people''s hard work that made all this possible in the span of a few hours.

    "It''s beautiful. I always wanted toe to a festival with you but you alwaysined about being busy. I had to go with that damned Crown Prince every time and have a miserable time."

    Eveined as she dragged Elysia behind her. She was not going to give Elysia any opportunity to run away. Not this time at least.

    It was not like Eve did not have fun going to the festivals with the Crown Prince but it was more of a choir than a fun trip.

    Both she and the Crown Prince hardly had anything inmon when it came to interests. The only thing connecting them was Elysia''s presence.

    And it irked Eve a lot when people took her and the Crown Prince as a couple and belittled Elysia.

    There was always a fear in the back of Eve''s mind that Elysia would choose to believe those rumors about her and Adam and then resent them for this.

    ''I don''t care if Elysia hated Adam, but I know I won''t remain sane if Elysia came to hate me.''

    Eve was sure about her feelings for Elysia and now she only needed to find the right time to tell the other female about them.

    After all, Eve had been asking Elysia about her feelings on the topic of two females being together in a romantic sense and had concluded that Elysia would not be opposed to this idea.

    "Elysia, I missed spending time with you."

    Pulling Elysia''s body against her own felt familiar and rxing. Eve''s heart was beating a mile an hour and she could feel Elysia''s heart beating faster as well.

    The ck-haired, blue-eyed female was redfaced and her mouth seemed to be trying to make out words but failing.

    It was quite an adorable picture that Eve wanted to bury inside her mind.

    "I missed you as well Eve. I wanted to talk with you more but never got a chance before things happened. I am sorry I did not tell you about me moving back to the Dirac estate."

    Elysia''s apology seemed heartfelt. Her words were clear and they pricked at Eve''s consciousness.

    She had not realized that Elysia was still worrying about this topic. Eve had forgotten all about it a long time ago.

    "It''s alright. I understand why you did not tell me. Father exined to me how sudden this decision was. But are you alright with it? I have heard rumors about Lord Dirac and they are not pretty."

    Lord Dirac was a rather infamous man. His name was enough to get people to back off but it also made Eve nervous to see Elysia relying on such an unpredictable man.

    "Eve, please don''t say that. Lord Lucas is a good person and he is nice to me. Besides, I am not someone who should be saying anything about those rumors."

    Eve flinched at Elysia''s words. In her hurry to get Elysia to reconsider her decision, she had forgotten some important facts.

    "Ah, sorry. I did not mean to make a jab at you and��"

    "Don''t worry. I know you were just worried about me. But can you let me go now? We are in public, you know? People will get weird ideas."

    "Then let them get weird ideas. I just want to stay like this a little longer."

    Eve felt calmer than she had in months having Elysia in her arms. She wanted to enjoy this moment for a little longer but it seemed like luck was not on her side.

    She could feel a familiar magical signature heading their way. It was worst than having Lord Sorias and Sara crash their date.

    Eve was sure Elysia felt that familiar magical signature heading their way as well because she quickly pulled away from Eve like a guilty girlfriend caught cheating.

    "Oh! Fancy seeing you here Eve. I knew you were assigned this case but I did not know you have this much free time on your hand."

    "I am not happy to see you, Adam. Can you like, piss off now? I and Elysia are in the middle of something here."

    Elysia would like for Adam to go away now but the man seemed to not consider Eve''s words as important.

    Instead, his eyes moved toward Elysia and Eve realized that she made a mistake.

    "I think I should take my leave now. You both should enjoy some alone time together. I need to find Sora and Sara anyway. I have their funds on me."

    Eve realized with a jolt that Elysia was trying to slip away. She was going to leave Eve in thepany of the Crown Prince and that did not sit well with Eve.

    Nor did it seem to be sitting well with Adam. Eve recognized the frown of irritation on his face and she instantly knew he was going to take action.

    "There is no need for you to go, Elysia. It''s a first for all three of us to have time to enjoy a festival. We should take advantage of this situation and have some fun. I will send someone else to deliver your funds to yourpanions."

    Elysia''s desire to speak was clear but she could not do that. The Crown Prince had already spoken and Elysia could not do anything to refute him now.

    Eve had never felt more d to have Adam with him, although it was his fault that Elysia was trying to flee in the first ce.

    "Fine. I guess I can spare some time today."

    Elysia agreed with a reluctant node and Adam stepped up on her other side to catch her arm.

    Eve felt annoyed to have Adam with her on her date with Elysia but she could make thispromise. It was better than having Sara with them anyway since Elysia seemed not to be aware of Adam''s advances.

    ''But I''ll show Elysia today that I am a better match with her than Adam. I don''t know how or why Adam found out about today but I will not give in to him.''

    The duo turned trio became the center of attention pretty quickly but only one person seemed concerned about this.

    And it was that one person who could not do anything about this situation.

 Chapter 31 31: From Three To One

    "Look at her. She thinks she''s one of them."

    "She''s so shameless, walking between the Crown Prince and Sister Eve. Can''t she see that she''s the third wheel?"

    "Of course, she can''t see. After all, that monster is blind."

    "Shhh, keep your voices down. I heard that the Dirac family took pity on her and took her back in. You can get in trouble if she hears you."

    "Well, what do you expect from a monster like her? Only that monstrous Dirac family can handle her. Even the temple gave up on her in the end."

    People were unnecessarily cruel when they wanted to be. Elysia heard each and every word that was being spoken about her but she did not react.

    These people already thought of her as a monster so any action she took would paint her more ck in their eyes.

    It was better for Elysia to pretend that she could not hear those words and discreetly try to edge her way out. She already felt ufortable standing between the fated pair.

    "How noisy. It seems like people don''t have manners nowadays. Elysia, do you want me to deal with them?"

    Unfortunately, all her efforts to remain calm and unbothered went down the drain as soon as Adam spoke.

    Elysia could read his foul mood and knew that the whispers were setting him off.

    ''Adam would lose face if he does not defend me now. Besides, we are friends so he is obligated to protect me.''

    Elysia tried not to take Adam''s actions as an indication of interest in her. They were likely made for the sake of his reputation.

    Even the action of taking Elysia''s hand in his own and asking her this question seemed to be calcted. Adam was growing up to be quite the diplomat after all.

    ''Just like in my visions, Adam knows how to use a situation to portray himself as the perfect gentleman. Eve would have her hands full trying to keep other girls away from him.''

    As the Crown Prince, Adam would be the prime target for every person in the kingdom to get closer.

    "Huh, did something happen? Adam, you did not make a move on Elysia, right?"

    Eve''s annoyed look returned as soon as her eyes fell on Elysia''s and Adam''s copsed hands.

    As soon as Elysia realized what Eve was looking at, she tried to pull her hand back. But Adam tightened his grip on Elysia''s hand, not letting her pull away.

    "Even if I make a move on my fiance, what is it with you? People who have no chance with others should back off."

    Eve''s face went white and then crimson at the jab. It seemed like Adam''s words had hurt her a lot.

    ''Adam likely wanted to make her jealous but can he not use me as the medium? The people are looking at me with a disapproving nce.''

    It was true that the people were judging the trio. Despite Elysia being the rightful finance of the Crown Prince, she felt like an outsider.

    The nces looking at Elysia were telling her to ''fuck off'' and leave the love birds alone.

    ''Believe me, I would love to leave them alone as well but I don''t have a choice in this matter.''

    Elysia''s one arm was being gripped by Adam and the other by Eve. She felt like a ragdoll being fought over by the lovers.

    ''Is this some new kind of y I was unaware about? I need to make them let go before they tear my arm out.''

    In normal circumstances, Elysia would have used her magic to get out. But she could not risk hurting Eve and her magic did not affect Adam''s weird constitution.

    "Wow, teenagers are so energetic nowadays. Is this what being young looks like? But you don''t seem to be having a good time, Elysia. Want me to whisk you away?"

    Elysia''s eyes instantly turned toward Sara and Lord Sorias. The speaker of those carefree words could have been no one else but Sara.

    The purple-eyes female had an amused smile on her face. She was enjoying Elysia''s misery. Elysia felt the grip on her arms loosen at Sara''s sudden promation.

    Everyone looked surprised at the sudden and informal form of address Sara had used in front of the royalty.

    "Sara," Elysia was not even aware that her voice was filled with relief when she saw her and Lord Sorias in front of her. And she suddenly had a brilliant idea to get out of this situation.

    ''Fuck. If I can''t defeat her, I may as well use her to my advantage.''

    "Sara, thank god you are here now. I know I promised to help you but I got busy and was not able to send you a message till now. Why don''t I help you out right now while Lord Adam and Sister Eve enjoy this festival?"

    Elysia could feel the approving nods being sent her way. The royal guards seemed happy to see Elysia take the initiative to go away.

    They were the biggest supporters of the Adam and Eve coupe after Head Priest Yohan.

    "Huh? When did I��..Ah, yes. Now I remember. And I did promise to whisk you away to it works out."

    Sara changed her tone as soon as Lord Sorias whispered something into her ear. Her confused face turned into a mischievous grin when she looked toward Elysia.

    Any other day, Elysia would have run as far as she could have when she saw that grin. But today she could not run or hide.

    "Elysia, you promised to spend the afternoon with me. Are you going back on it now?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Eve''s voice sounded heartbroken and betrayed at the sudden change in events. But Elysia knew she could not let it get to her.

    "But I did spend the afternoon with you. We were together for so long and I know you must be getting sick of mypany now. So I will take my leave now and wait for you back at the inn. Enjoy your day out."

    "Elysia, wait��"

    But Elysia was gone before Eve could finish her words.

    The Crown Prince had a pinched look on his face as well but he did not protest against Elysia''s decision to leave him alone with Eve.

    "You know, it''s all your fault everyone misunderstands our rtionship. Would it kill you to reject Elysia''s words once in a while and try holding her back?"

    As soon as Elysia was out of hearing range, Eve turned her rage toward the Crown Prince. She hated his carefree attitude when it came to Elysia.

    Just because he knew that he would get Elysia in the end due to that damned engagement, he did not even try to win her.

    ''This bastard is not even afraid that he would lose Elysia by being this inactive. It would serve him right this engagement brakes off.''

    But as much as Eve wanted to break Elysia''s engagement with the Crown Prince, she also knew that it was safer for Elysia to be with Adam for now.

    There was too much danger around Elysia and it was her political situation that was saving her. If this marriage disappears then Elysia would be in danger.

    ''But then again, she has Lord Dirac now so I think she''ll be alright.''

    It was still better to be safe than sorry. And this was also why Eve decided to give Adam a final piece of advice.

    "You know people are looking for ways to break your engagement with Elysia because they think you are in love with me, right?"

    Calm golden eyes broke their mask for the first time and Eve felt her breath stop for a second at the intensity of emotions she saw in the other''s eyes.

    "That won''t happen. Elysia is mine and has been for a long time now. The world can try all it wants to take her away from me but I won''t allow it to happen."

    Adam''s words were dark and not entirely human. It almost seemed like he was trying to hold himself back to get those words out.

    Eve knew she should have felt fear looking at such an inhuman disy in front of her. But for some reason, all it did was irritate her more.

    "Elysia is not an object to be owned. She can and will make her own decisions and we both can''t stop her. As much as I want her to be mine, I know that this is something she has the right to decide. I won''t be able to force her against her wishes and neither can you. If she chooses to leave you then you are done for as well."

    For a second, Eve was convinced that Adam would hurt her. He certainly looked ready to bury her in her current ce without any remorse.

    Eve even braced herself for that to happen��

    ��But Adam never made a move. Instead, a brave soldier interrupted the moment, and the privacy spell that Adam had likely cast around them fell.

    "Your highness, you need to get back to your room. We will do something about this crazy crowd. Please do not worry about it."

    ''What happened out here? It feels like a warzone.''

    People were running all around the pair in panic. It seemed like they were trying to get away from something and Eve quickly noticed the abnormality.

    There was something shadowy in the middle of the crowd and it was heading their way. It felt just like the creature Lord Sorias had crushedst night.

    "Oh fuck. We need to do something about these people or this mass panic will spread."

    Eve could see the people panicking due to the sudden rush. Many of them might get injured as well so first aid will also be needed.

    But the temple''s people seemed to be nowhere to be seen. This situation was not looking good.

    "Adam, we need to do something."

    Eve turned toward the Crown Price who seemed to have gone white in the pace. His face had an expression Elysia saw for the first time in her life.

    Fear

    "Elysia. I need to find Elysia right now."

    The Crown Prince seemed to have lost it. His wide eyes along with a worried aura scratched at Eve and caused her to take a step back.

    "Adam, you!!!!!!"

    But the other teen did not hear Eve''s words as he took off toward a random situation. Eve had an option to stay back but her worry over Elysia caused her to ignore the situation and follow her heart.

    "Guards, look after this area and get everyone to safety. Get the sisters to help the people out."

    The situation seemed to have escted enough for the Dirac guards to get involved. Eve could see them taking care of the shadows discreetly and she finally felt relieved enough to leave.

    ''Things will be alright here. I should hurry and catch up with Adam.''

    After all, Adam had a way of finding Elysia no matter what the situation was. And Eve trusted him to lead her to Elysia this time as well.

 Chapter 32 32: The Plaza Explosion

    ''I need to escape. I need to escape. I need to escape. I need to escape.'' Elysia''s mind was filled with these thoughts.

    People were looking at Elysia and they were judging her for her actions. Their gaze felt far too heavy on Elysia''s back.

    ''It''s just the residual trauma from the past. The people are not looking at me and they do not care what I do now. I am no longer that small kid and useless kid I was.''

    But it was difficult to convince her mind of this fact. Even though Elysia knew that she was safe and with a trusted party, her brain could not understand that in her current state.

    That was why she hated to be in the same ce at the same time as Adam and Eve. she always became the object of criticism as soon as she stepped near them.

    ''I love them but this feeling makes me hate them as well. I just want my brain to shut down for a minute.''

    "Are you alright? You looked pale before but your face looks white now. Do you want me to go and bring you something to eat?"

    Sara''s words were the knife that cuts through Elysia''s mind. Sara''s voice was familiar enough to reach Elysia but unfamiliar enough to not cause her distress.

    The clearer Elysia''s mind became, the more aware she became of her surroundings. (And also of the hand she was clutching tightly in her grasp.)

    "Ah, sorry. Did my grip hurt?"

    "Hurt? Elysia, I am bleeding because of your grip. I think it''s a little past hurt at this point."

    Sara''s words were teasing but Elysia could feel the wetness under her hand. The red was standing out quite prominently over the light grey of Sara''s clothes.

    Seeing the red spread over Sara''s arm caused Elysia to feel sick and she even swayed on her feet.

    "Woohhhhh, sit down now. I don''t think you are alright at all. Lord Sorias, please get us a bottle of water right now. Elysia looks to be sick."

    Sara''s concern shined visibly through her eyes. Her whole body was expressive and earnest.

    ''I can see why Sara became important for Adam and Eve in my visions. She expressed herself and is earnest. She''s not like me.''

    Elysia felt a surge of jealousy but even that was not enough to curb the nauseating feeling she was feeling.

    "I am not a servant who will do your bidding. But I will follow along with you just once."

    Lord Sorias seemed to be in a tense mood. He seemed agitated and Elysia had a feeling it was because of her.

    A familiar was innately connected with their master. As such, Elysia''s current situation would affect Lord Sorias as well.

    "Yeah, I get it. Now hurry up and go fetch us some water."

    Elysia heard a muffled ''Darn youngsters. They have no respect'' but it faded as Lord Sorias walked further and further.

    Once he was out of range, Sara turned toward her and finally helped Elysia sit in an upright position.

    "I won''t ask what happened to you all of a sudden since I have no right. But you should tell me if something is wrong with your health. I don''t want my chances at freedom to be impacted because you were too sick to carry out our n."

    "How sharp. Aren''t you worried about me?"

    Elysia could tell that Sara was putting up a front to hide her worries. But Sara''s words were also earnest in their desires.

    The girl was worried about Elysia but it was not enough to out Elysia''s well-being over her own life.

    "Don''t be foolish. I''m worried about you because you are my ticket to freedom. We don''t know each other enough to develop personal feelings yet."

    ''How earnest of Sara to admit it. Most people would have tried to console me by telling me that they cared about me.''

    False words were more often heard than not in these situations. A kind word said in one''s time of need went a long way to establish a connection.

    And Elysia was sure that Sara knew all that but the elder still chose to be honest.

    ''I like this honesty. I wish everyone was this honest with me and did not try to hide their feelings. False hope hurts much more than cold indifference.''

    Elysia''s mind was wandering all over the ce. Being able to focus was a difficult task.

    That was why Elysia was startled when Sara''s body broke out into a growl. It was finally enough to kick start Elysia''s instincts and her focus snapped into ce.

    Elysia was finally knocked out of her temporary state of uselessness.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Elysia asked the question just as she felt the familiar sweet smell of the rot around her. It was not quite prominent but it was not easy to hide either.

    Wild animals had started to break at the subtle change in smell around them but the humans were unaware of the danger they were in.

    "That madman is making a move in the daylight. Everyone present in this za is in danger."

    Sara''s words were apanied by a low growl in her voice. Her purple eyes were peaking from behind her dark-brown locks and looking at the side ally.

    Elysia could barely feel the start of a magic spell forming inside that ally and it instantly piqued her interest as well.

    The mastermind was taking a huge risk by attacking in the broad daylight like this. It made Elysia curious about his end intentions.

    "Sara, I am going to check it out. You should follow me after a few seconds."

    "No, I should be the one to go. You are still not feeling 100% and sending you in there would be akin to suicide."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia could understand Sara''s worry about sending her in there alone. Elysia was a ticking time-bomb most of the time but she was the better alternative out of the two present choices.

    "Sara, I understand your worries but don''t forget who the real target is here. We need to make sure that the mastermind doesn''t get his hands on you."

    Elysia could see Sara finally backing down. Elysia''s words made too much sense for her not to back down.

    But that did not mean Sara was totally on board with this idea. She still felt worried about sending Elysia in her stead.

    "Worrying unnecessarily about me won''t change a darn thing. We still need to be careful in how we handle this situation because there are too many people around. Don''t worry, I will send a word to the Dirac guards to assist us."

    Elysia seemed to have it all figured out already but Sara was still worried about the oue.

    Lord Sorias was still missing from their group and the guards seemed unaware of what was going to happen.

    "Fine. I will give you five minutes before Ie after you. Do not keep me waiting."

    Sara finally agreed and gave in. She knew that once Elysia had made up her mind, there would be no going back for her.

    That was the worrisome thing about stubborn teenagers - they never listened to reason and waited around. And no matter how much Elysia tried to pretend to be an adult, she was a teenager.

    ''I should try and find Lord Sorias in the meantime. I have a feeling I would need his help.''

    Sara finally decided to leave her post and find the elder beast. She could pick up on his scent from even this far away.

    But Sara did not make it very far before she felt her surroundings get hazy.

    ''No, not hazy. Someone is releasing some kind of fog. I better be careful.''

    The fog almost smelled like the one Sara had developed for survival but it was not quite the same.

    Various shadows had started to move around the za, but there was a considerable difference between these shadow Bauks and the one Sara had faced before.

    "M-Monster. Hurry, run away."

    These Bauks could be seen by humans as well which caused a mass panic. People were running around, uncaring who they were knocking over in their haste.

    There was no longer anyw or order in the area and the guards looked stunned at the rudeness of this action.

    "Fuck this shit."

    Sara could feel the shadows zoning in on her location and she quickly took off toward the direction where Lord Sorias was.

    ''The guards better take charge of this situation soon. I don''t think I can run away from these Bauks anymore.''

    Everything inside Sara was calling for her to retaliate. She knew she could take these monsters with ease ande out victorious but it would also cause a lot of property damage.

    Even normal people might get caught up in any raged spell magic Sara would need to deploy.

    "Lord Sorias, we need to do something."

    Sara cried out as soon as she was in an audible range. Any normal person would not be able to pick up her voice but it was quite loud for a beast.

    And as expected, Lord Sorias did hear her and his eyes sharpened with anger at seeing her.

    "Where is Elysia? Did you leave her alone?"

    Those were not the first words Sara expected to hear when she reached Lord Sorias. The forest lord didn''t even seem concerned about anything other than Elysia.

    ''Wow. I knew that bonded familiars cared about no one else but their masters but isn''t this too extreme? A lot of lives are at stake here and Lord Sorias can think of only Elysia?''

    "Elysia went after the mastermind. She asked me toe after her soon but we need to take care of this situation before we go after her."

    "Don''t care. Lucas''s stupid guards can get this situation handled without my help so I will follow after Elysia."

    Lord Sorias''s uninterested attitude rubbed Sara the wrong way. For some reason, she could not help but feel like she should resent him for putting Elysia first before the normal people.

    But as soon as the thought passed through Sara''s head, it also gave her a pause.

    ''That was not my thought. It felt like someone was trying to influence my thinking. I''ve never cared about the normal people before.''

    This was true. Sara had even put normal people at risk with her actions in the past so she had no right to speak to Lord Sorias like that.

    But there was a presence in the back of Sara''s head that was still trying to argue against letting Lord Sorias follow after Elysia.

    ''Shut up. I will do what I want to do. And right now, I want to save Elysia.''

    Sara knew very well that Elysia was the key to her freedom. Eve had only agreed to help her out because of Elysia. And the mastermind could also use Elysia against her by making everyone her enemy.

    Besides, the Dirac guards and the royal guards have already started taking charge of the situation.

    "Lord Sorias, let''s go and find Elysia now. We cannot let her get hurt."

    Sara''s mind reminded her that she was being selfish but she did not care. It was her life and she did not owe these people anything. Sara was a victim as well in this scenario.

    ''Besides, the sooner we find this mastermind, the sooner these people can live in peace.''

 Chapter 33 33: High Emotions

    "What is a young and cute thing like you doing here? I am sure my target was supposed to be older than you."

    Elysia took small and hesitant steps into the alley, only to hear the voice taunting her. The dark alley made it impossible to see more than a few meters ahead, but that was not all.

    The darkness also hid the feeling of magic surrounding Elysia. She knew that there was magic around her but Elysia could not ess any of it.

    Heck, she could not even ess her magic.

    "Oi, what should we do now? Should we kill her? Master would be so angry that we failed to capture our target."

    Elysia had to guess where the speaker was standing but it was next to impossible. The alley was echoing the voice all around, making it difficult to track the source of that voice.

    "Kill her? Of course not. We should capture her and take her back. We cannot go back empty-handed or master would kill us." The same voice yelled back.

    To Elysia, it seemed like someone was having a one-man conversation. The same voice was asking questions and answering them at the same time.

    "You idiot! At least ask if she knows that halfling before you go and make a n like that. Master would not be happy to have a random tool brought back to him."

    The voice argued back and Elysia finally gathered enough information to make an educated guess.

    She had a small knife in her hand which had been hidden carefully in her braid before. It was a small and delicate thing but it was deadly enough.

    Elysia aimed at and let it go. It siled past the mist and made an impact.

    "Wooooo, be careful. Look, she almost managed to stab us even in this mist. Even if she''s not connected with that halfling, she is still a danger. We should eliminate her right now."

    Elysia did not like how this sounded. The smoke around her made Elysia''s senses dizzy.

    Not only that, but it also made her stomach protest. She felt like she was about to vomit her breakfast at any given second.

    "I will have to agree. We cannot leave such a dangerous person to walk out of here alive. Let us end her now."

    Elysia saw the fog part but she was unable to keep up with the attack.

    It was one thing for her mind to know that an attack wasing, it was another for her body to react in time.

    ''Darn it. The fog is making my reflexes slow down. My body also feels hot and feverish.''

    "Got her."

    Elysia tried to dodge the next attack but it made contact with her side and send her flying. Her arm hurt at the impact but nothing seemed broken in her body.

    But Elysia had not gone down without fighting. Her knife had managed to gaze at her attacker''s arm and managed to get him bleeding.

    Currently, both he and Elysia were injured and bleeding.

    ''A precaution. In case my blood doesn''t work as a target for tracking spells.''

    Elysia threw away the small knife in hopes that it would be discovered soon enough. Lord Dirac would have to send people after Elysia since his reputation will be on the line after Elysia went missing.

    "Fuck this bitch. I cannot believe she managed to hurt me even in this state. But it shouldn''t matter for much longer. Her body has taken in too many heat pheromones and she would not be able to hold on for long before begging us."

    The man who had Elysia in his grip did not sound like a decent man.

    Elysia realized that she might have messed up by letting herself be captured by such a man but she could not regret her choice. Especially not when it meant saving the life of someone important to Eve in the future.

    "We should not linger around here. I can feel a fatal scent-marking on this girl. Hurry up and give her the suppressant before we are found."

    Elysia opened her eyes, only toe face to face with a familiar green. The man had the same green eyes as the thing in her vision.

    "Shit, there are here. We need to leave."

    Darkness took Elysia over at the same time she felt the drug knock her out. Thest thing she heard was a cry of her nameing out of a familiar pair of lips.

    "ELYSIA��." Eve''s cry was lost in the wind as darkness obstructed everyone''s vision. The spell that had been used was a basic one but the suddenness of it took everyone by surprise.

    It only took a single second to dispel the area but it was already toote. Elysia had disappeared from the area.

    _________________________________

    "What should we do now? We need to save Elysia at any cost."

    Eve felt her mind panic as soon as she reached the empty alley. Elysia had been taken in front of her eyes and it was still difficult to believe how fast it had happened.

    But Eve was not the only one who was taking this matter with a heavy heart. Adam had gone stiff as soon as his eyesnded on the empty alley but Eve could feel his body vibrating with anger.

    ''Adam is going to explode soon. I need to calm him down and fast.''

    Eve felt horrible but she could still control herself. She was lucky that she was a human and has such an advantage.

    However, Adam''s half-dragon nature made his emotions a ticking time bomb. Eve knew he was dangerous but he had never felt this close to erupting before.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "She was not the intended target. I could hear them talk but my magic did not work in this fog."

    Adam''s words came out as growls. Eve understood his feeling of frustration and pain but she also knew wallowing around would not help.

    "Fortunately, Elysia is smart and left us with clues on how to find her. You need to calm down or you will be of no help to her. Or, does the only thing you know how to do is to growl fruitlessly."

    Adam''s growl was a testament to how much that statement got to him. But the jab did not go unnoticed by him as well.

    It was a testament to his willpower and his desire to help Elysia out that managed to calm him out.

    Frankly, Elysia''s familiar had managed to arrive at the right time and stop Adam from exploding all over the town. No one would have been safe if Adam''s massive amount of magic had managed to pour itself over this town.

    "I don''t want to hear thise from a useless familiar like you. You didn''t even manage to keep her safe."

    Adam''s words still had a hint of growl but they came out normally. However, Lord Sorias did not even flinch at the usation that was made against him.

    "I admit that I am also at fault here for following along with Elysia''s wishes. She will not get another chance to trick me."

    Lord Sorias''s words sounded serious. The man was not ying around and his serious tone finally calmed Adam down.

    But that did not eliminate the danger Elysia was in. They still needed to find her as soon as possible.

    "It is as we expected. I cannot track Elysia even using her blood. Something is blocking me from being able to reach her. Our enemy is likely a magical beast as well who can block magic."

    Eve had not noticed but Sara was nearby as well. The elder female seemed to be trying to get her magic working on the pool of blood but it seemed to be unreactive.

    Eve was surprised to see her speak without her usual joy but the situation didn''t exactly call for a cheerful response.

    "I can always torch the whole vige up and we can force our culprit our that way."

    "You are joking, right? You do know that you are a Crown Prince and responsible for these people''s lives? You will risk them all for one person?"

    Eve had to say that Sara had some balls to talk back at Adam even when he was in such a bad mood. The teen was practically foaming at the mouth.

    But Eve knew that Adam was not joking. If they did not give him a solution soon then he would carry out his threat.

    "Anyway, you should calm your hormones down now or this fog would trigger your rut. Besides, Elysia left us with a parting gift so it will be rude of us not to use it."

    Lord Sorias was the lord and savior of this situation. His hand had a small needle with a hint of blood on its surface.

    But unlike the bloodstain from before, this time the needle seemed to be reacting to the spell.

    Eve was not an expert in tracking magic but even she could tell that the spell had taken effect.

    "Oi human, you take care of this dragon kit and make sure he doesn''t go into a rut. Pump him with healing magic and sedatives to keep him under. Meanwhile, I will go and retrieve Elysia."

    Eve did not need a reminder to do that. She knew Adam and she knew how he thought in these situations.

    It would be impossible to hold him back so all Eve could do was try and calm his hormones down a little. She did not want any unfortunate ident to happen when they reach Elysia.

    "No, I won''t stay back. I will be going after Elysia whether you want me to or not."

    Adam did not even wait until Eve was finished to snatch the knife and make it off. Eve somehow managed to keep a hold on to him and her body got transported along with him.

    The fog had affected her as well, making her body feel hot and bothered but Eve would manage to hold out for some time.

    And she would also make sure Adam doesn''t do anything unwanted to Elysia. (And if something was going to happen then Eve wanted to be a part of it. She would not let Adam have Elysia alone.)

    Meanwhile, the other two could only watch the chosen pair do what they wanted to.

    "They took away the knife with them. How are we going to follow them?"

    Sara almost cursed before she stopped herself. Now was not the time for her to be showing her spectacr vocabry.

    She did feel guilty to be the cause of this mess but she also knew that this was the best-case scenario.

    It was fortunate that Elysia was the one who got taken instead of her. Sara would not have had enough presence of mind to leave a clue like this behind.

    "Those impatient teenagers have no idea what they are doing and I will kill them if anything happens to Elysia because of them. But they are a hundred years too young to trick me."

    Lord Sorias opened his hand and it contained a smallpass made of blood. It seemed like he had a few tricks up his sleeve as well.

    "Let''s find Elysia before her brother decided to make an appearance. Lucas is not someone we can handle and I refuse to hear his lecture today."

    The beast pair left the alley and headed toward their next destination.

    Meanwhile, the Dirac guards were busy evacuating the Kelvin town in an emergency-case scenario. It was going to be a battleground soon enough.

 Chapter 34 34: The Reasoning

    Elysia''s brain decided it wanted to go on a break today. It felt muddled and clouded with ayer of arousal.

    ''I hate getting drugged. I tried building resistance against them so many times but it''s a bust every time I try''

    When the Head Priest had offered Elysia a way out of her certain death, he had made sure she had all the necessary training for her intended purpose. That had included training Elysia to resist magic and drugs to a certain extent.

    But no matter how much Elysia had tried to build up an immunity, the best she had been able to do was to resist their impulse after the initial shock had passed.

    ''I should be able to start moving around soon. Am I being held in a dungeon right now? The surface feels too soft to be a dungeon floor.''

    Elysia felt beneath her body, only for her hand to sink into the surface.

    If she had to guess, she would say that she was lying on top of a mattress right now. The softness beneath her hand was too familiar to be something else.

    ''The room doesn''t have enough light for me to see where I am. I can''t even make out the basic shapes around me.''

    Either her captor knew about Elysia''s handicap or they had gotten extremely lucky by turning the light in Elysia''s room at such a low setting.

    Elysia was sure she would have been able to get out of this room if she could make out anything around her.

    ''I cannot ess my magic either. Whatever drugs that man gave me were sure strong. I guess that confirms the identity of my kidnapper.''

    The drugs that suppressed magic were rare and only a handful of people were able to ess them.

    There should only be one person in Kelvin town who was capable of pulling this feat and that was the mayor of the town. Only he had enough money and power to influence the town to note out at night and buy such expensive drugs.

    ''Although, something still doesn''t feel right. These drugs are not longsting. I should have started to feel my magicing back by now.''

    Elysia''s magic was too strong for the drugs tost more than a few minutes in her system. This was a fact most kidnappers found out only after they had messed up with her.

    But this person had taken precautions against her.

    "Don''t make your situation worse by struggling against your binds. Even someone like you who has the power to go against the world''s will would not be able to get out. Besides, the more you ignore the drugs in your body, the worse it will get for you."

    Elysia''s struggles ceased as soon as the cool voice reached her ears. The speaker sounded like he was close but Elysia could not feel anyone around her.

    It caused her struggling to get worse and something wrapped around her body, tightening instantly.

    "I told you to not struggle. I don''t want to hurt a poor soul like you unnecessarily since you are in the same boat as me but I won''t sit back and see you tarnishing my ns we well."

    Elysia''s body could not move. The invisible bindings were rubbing against ces on her body that made Elysia''s body heat up.

    ''The drug mixed in the fig is still affecting me but I cannot give in to it. I just need to bide my time and wait for Lord Sorias toe for me.''

    Normally, Elysia would not count on anyone else to save her. It would cause too much trouble for the other party.

    But things were different with Lord Sorias. He was Elysia''s familiar and he had a responsibility toward her.

    "Good, that''s it. You need to calm down or you will end up hurting yourself. I don''t want Lord Sorias to rip me a new one for harming his master so I won''t harm you. So please sit here and not cause any trouble for me."

    The man finally entered Elysia''s vision range and she had to blink her eyes to make sure she was not seeing wrong.

    The man had the same brown hair and purple eyes as Sara which eliminated any doubt about them being rted.

    But there was a pair of translucent fox ears on the man''s tall head. The reminded Elysia of Sara''s pair.

    ''Is this man possessed? I wish I could ess my magic to check for sure.''

    "Why are you going after Sara? Do you want to kill her? Use her blood for something? Why are you possessing that body?"

    The man looked shocked for a second before his breath calmed down. Various emotions surged through the man''s eyes before they settled on abination of cold indifference.

    "You have no right now know, nor is there a need for you to know. You might have gotten yourself involved with my case identally but that doesn''t give you the right to know what I want to do to my daughter."

    ''So it is a case like this. The mayor is possessed by the lingering spirit of a beast.''

    Cases of possession were not as umon as people believed them to be. 1/10 people in this world were possessed by one spirit or another.

    Usually, a possession happened when a lingering spirit was unable to pass on and has unfulfilled desires. But they did not have enough power to take someone over which caused a lingering effect.

    Most people could go through their whole life being possessed by a spirit and never even realize it.

    ''But this spirit is too strong. He must have a really strong lingering desire.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Desire gave strength to a possessed spirit. But most spirits did not have an anchor to keep them sane. It was a testament to this spirit''s mental strength that he managed to hold on to his sanity for so long.

    "What is keeping you in ''this world'' for so long? Is it revenge? But you are possessing the body of the man who killed your loved one. So why do you want to involve Sara in your revenge n? It doesn''t make much sense, right?"

    Elysia could just not understand this situation. Things were spiraling out of control and the simple case was getting more and moreplicated by the second.

    "Don''t think too hard. If you are that curious then I might as well tell you why I am doing what I am. It''s not like I have a lot of time left."

    "The simple reason I decided to take over this man and take Sara away is that I want to throw a wrench in destiny''s n. The world is a cruel master, making people suffer for things they never did."

    "I refuse to be his tool a second time around. Whatever future ''this world'' has nned for, I will not allow it to happen. And to achieve that, I need to take Sara away. My wife was a huge devotee of the gods and she could see things others could not."

    "She told me that Sara was special. Despite being born a beast, she had the blessing of ''this world'' on her side.  I wanted to believe her but then she left me behind. The world has it out for people like us. We are not meant to be happy."

    "And if we are not meant to be happy, then why would I allow the people ''this world'' favor to be happy? We all should be equally miserable."

    The more Elysia heard the man speak, the more she was convinced that he had lost his marbles.

    Elysia did understand his initial reasoning since they were not so different from her own. Elysia wanted to prevent her death and this man wanted to change the future by adding a variable.

    But the paths they had taken toward the end were too different. If Sara did end up missing from the future, then an important key piece would go missing from the puzzle that was the future.

    ''Its'' dangerous. What this man is nning is madness. Such a big change would end up causing a disaster.''

    Elysia had tried to change the future once when she was little and it had ended up causing more death and destruction. The feeling of her powers going out of control on that day was still vivid in Elysia''s mind.

    "Do you think this is the right thing to do? We can try to change the future all we want but the world would try to set it right. In the end, it would create even more death and destruction in its wake. It''s better to make smaller changes and work toward the bigger picture."

    Elysia tried to reason with the man but she could see that her words were falling on deaf ears.

    "You are right. My decision to make such an abrupt change would cause a lot of death and destruction. But why should I care? None of these people are my adorable wife so they can all die."

    "I thought that you would understand my reasoning and fears since we are in the same boat but we could not be more different."

    The man seemed exhausted all of a sudden and so was Elysia. Her mind was already a mess and now the drugs were finally picking up in intensity.

    Elysia''s body was getting hotter but she could still ignore it for now.

    "Don''t worry, I will not kill Sara since she is my adorable daughter. But everyone else is a fair game for me. I will watch this world burn when the timees and the gods will cry the same tears we all did when they burned down our home."

    Elysia was sure that there was a story behind this man''s pain and suffering. His words about ''the world'' and ''destiny'' were also simr to Sara''s and Lord Sorias''s.

    ''These people know something I don''t. I need to know more about my situation before the real trouble starts for me.''

    Elysia was left in the room alone with her thoughts after that. It was a prime opportunity for her to escape but Elysia found it difficult to move.

    But she could make out the key to the room lying in front of her in the drawer. The room came into focus and everything looked sharp and right.

    ''My vision! It''s back? B-But how?''

    Elysia blinked her eyes, her visioning to her clear and without dy. It seemed like she had recovered from her curse.

    "The drug is blocking all magic inside me. So it affects even the curse on my eyes? I need to make use of this opportunity and right now."

    Elysia walked toward the drawer, her body dragging itself to do her bidding. It was a difficult process but Elysia managed to make her way there and pick up the key.

    Elysia made it outside the door before her body gave way and fell to the ground. Her breath wasbored and hard, her body heating up as a result of the drug she had.

    "Ohhhhh, look who we have here. So you did manage to escape from your room after all. You should have stayed in there and you would have been safe. Now, your life and your body are free for me to take."

    It was the man from before, the one who had captured Elysia and she felt annoyed to see him.

    ''Fuck this shit. I no longer care to be a prim and properdy.''

    Elysia took the opportunity and managed to jump the man with a knife. The lifeless body of that man fell to the ground in front of Elysia and she threw the bloody knife away.

    "You bitch. I am done being nice to you." The man stood up again, his body having no heartbeat.

    Elysia had forgotten but the man had been dead since the start.

 Chapter 35 35: The Rescue? - Part 1

    "You bitch. I am done being nice to you." The man looked pissed off at Elysia''s actions. His dead eyes were scary but they did not intimidate Elysia in the slightest.

    This man mighte off as scary but he was nothing in face of the Head Priest''s angry expression. Elysia knew she should be scared for her life but her brain refused to find this situation scary.

    "I will kill you. I will enjoy watching your blood spill as I separate your bones from your flesh and feast on them."

    The dead man was beginning to resemble a non-human more and more. His face was breaking out into fur and his facial expressions had a distinctive wolf-like structure.

    If Elysia had any doubt about the creature''s humanity before this, it was as good as gone now.

    "Master did not say we can kill you but he did not instruct us to keep you alive either. He just said that you were off-limits as long as you stayed in the room."

    The dead man was still going on, his monologue getting longer and longer by the second. The green of his eyes was piercing and radiating an inhuman light.

    Elysia was thankful for her vision''s restoration. She would not have been able to keep up with her falling body''s response otherwise.

    Usually, Elysia had to count on her instincts to dodge attacks aimed her way. Her blurry vision could only give her a vague idea of where her attacker was.

    But that was not the case this time. Elysia could easily predict where the Dhampir''s ws wouldnd and dodge ordingly.

    ''It would be easy to take this monster out if I had my magic. I should try finding an antidote for myself first.''

    "You think you can get away from me? I think you are overestimating yourself."

    The Dhampir yelled, his ws making a dent in the floor where Elysia had been seconds before.

    This was not the first life and death scenario Elysia had found herself in, but this was the first time she felt so vulnerable.

    ''I need to find a shield. If those ws get on me then I''ll be as good as dead.''

    The Dhampir looked obsessed with wing Elysia up. The bleeding wound on the Dhampir''s face was as good as gone but the blood was still visible on his face.

    Even that small amount of blood was enough to bring out the vivid madness in the Dhampir''s eyes.

    "There is nowhere else to run for you. Why don''t you let me have my way with you and I will find the antidote for you? Isn''t it ufortable to walk around this castle without your magic?"

    The Dhampir taunted. Elysia did not take his words to heart.

    Even if the Dhampir knew where the antidote was, Elysia did not trust him to lead her to it. She did not trust the man one bit.

    She would rather hide from the beast than pay attention to his words.

    "Ah, here you are. Now, let''s begin the carving session."

    Elysia felt her heart drop as soon as her eyes met the man''s green pair. Therge body was hovering above her, the green eyes having a mad shine to them.

    The man was out for blood and Elysia could only prey to survive this ordeal and somehow make it out in one piece.

    "Hey ugly, she said she doesn''t need your help."

    The voice sounded so sweet and familiar in Elysia''s ear that she could cry. (Of course, Elysia did not cry and anyone who said otherwise was a liar.)

    Sara''s purple eyes brought relief to Elysia but she did not put her guard down. An invisible force snapped into the Dhampir''s side which dragged him away from Elysia but the undead managed to shake it off pretty easily.

    But the beast did not get a chance to make aeback before a heavy foot mmed into his body and the former man dissolved into a smokey shadow.

    "So irritating. I will have to clean up my original body because of this idiot. This odor of the undead is so unpleasant."

    Lord Sorias had arrived as well, his bigger and fluffier body making a displeased expression.

    The wave of relief Elsia felt at this arrival was unlike anything she had ever felt before. This was like a dreame true for her.

    Never had help arrived so fast for her in these situations. Elysia had to take care of the problem herself when she was assigned one.

    So this sensation of having people worry for her was a new one. So was the feeling of arms cradling her body tightly.

    "I''m sorry. This happened because of me and it is all my fault. I should have never agreed to send you to that alley alone"

    Sara did sound sorry but there was more sadness in her voice. It reminded Elysia that Sara did not have people on her side before all this either.

    ''She must have had a lonely life as well.''

    Elysia''s arms hesitated to reciprocate the hug. It was weird to have her body surrounded by that foreign heat.

    Sara''s smell and the feeling of her hands was something, Elysia was not used to but it was not as bad as she had expected a foreign touch to feel.

    It was not like Elysia was close-minded when it came to love and rtionships. To her, gender did not matter as much as the person she was with. In simpler terms, Elysia was pretty sure she was bi-sexual but that had never mattered much.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    People found her odd or scary so they kept their distance. And Elysia was also too preupied with trying to stay alive to ever give rtionships a chance.

    But maybe she should try. The only two people who ever interacted with Elysia outside of her family were Adam and Eve. But they were off-limits to her so Elysia didn''t even try to like them.

    But Sara was an option. She was important to the chosen ones but she was not involved with them. That left her as an option for Elysia and none of her visions ever showed Sara having a partner.

    So maybe Elysia could try getting together with Sara? The half-human was not bad looking and she seemed interested in Elysia as well.

    "Oi, get off. I have tolerated you hugging Elysia for too long but you are starting to piss me off. She is ufortable with you hugging her as well."

    Just as Elysia made her decision to reciprocate Sara''s hug, the elder was pulled off her by Eve.

    Elysia hadn''t even realized that the other had been in the room with her. But the thought of being seen by Eve in such a state caused Elysia''s brain to stop functioning for a few seconds.

    "Aw, you killjoy. And just when things were starting to get good as well. I cannot believe you pulled me off just as I was about to seduce Elysia and...epppppppppp."

    Sara trailed off in the end, her tone going from flirty to nervous. Elysia was not sure why Sara was behaving like her tail was on fire. Eve lookedpletely normal to her baring her poker face.

    "Sara, it would be better if we take care of this mess. We should let the children ride out the drug''s effects alone."

    Lord Sorias finally interfered. Elysia was sure his sensitive nose had picked up on the usage of drugs and her condition as well.

    A familiar contract made things easier for Elysia in this situation. She did not have to exin to Lord Sorias what was wrong with her.

    "Fine, I aming with you. I feel like I will get killed if I stay in here any longer."

    Sara agreed easily as well. She did turn to give Elysia an uneasy and worried look but Sara did not stay back.

    Not when Eve was trying hard to hold herself back.

    As soon as the pair left, Eve''s poker face fell and she sank near Elysia. Her face and eyes conversely just how worried she had been for the other female.

    "You scared me. Ely, please don''t disappear like this again. I don''t think my heart can take it if you disappear like this."

    Eve sounded wrecked. Elysia had never seen the other girl sound or make a face this loss.

    "Hey, I could not help it. Even I could not predict that this would happen to me. Besides, why did you decide to follow after me? You did not have to put yourself in trouble for me. Sora and Lord Sorias would have taken care of this eventually."

    Elysia felt warm inside when she saw Evee for her but she also knew the Head Preist would tear her a new one for this.

    Elysia was supposed to help Eve, not put her in more danger. She had failed in her tasks.

    "Ely, don''t say that. I wanted to help you. Do you think I am a child who cannot take care of myself? You could try to keep me away all you want to but I will not stay away."

    Elysia shook her head at Eve''s words. Eve was acting like a child but it was cute.

    Still, Elysia had to make it so that Eve did not pull a stunt like this again. This was not safe for her or the future.

    "Eve, please. You are someone important to me. If this happens again to me then stay away and prioritize your life over mine."

    Elysia needed the other female to understand that life was not a game. Eve needed to live because she was the ticket to Elysia''s survival.

    Besides, Adam would tear Elysia a new one if something happened to Eve. Elysia did not want to get Adam''s bad side with her actions.

    "No. I will do this again if you get taken away in the future. I don''t think you understand just how important you are to me Elysia, so it is time you understand. I won''t apologize for what I am about to do next so don''t overthink this."

    Elysia''s confusion turned into a shock as soon as she felt a pair of lips covering her own. It almost felt like a dream to have Eve kissing her.

    ''What is this? What is happening? Is this a dream?''

    Elysia''s brain decided to short-circuit after Eve''s lips met her own. A tongue tried to pry Elysia''s lips open and she decided to give it entry out of shock.

    ''I''m being swallowed by Eve.''

    The feeling was so foreign and Eve''s enthusiasm left no room for Elysia to think of anything else but the other female in front of her.

    Elysia didn''t even hear the door open and close. She did not notice another body sinking by her side and a pair of arms circling her body until her face was pulled away from Eve''s kiss.

    Hazy eyes met golden before Elysia was devoured by another pair of lips.

    But unlike Eve''s careful pressure, this one was overconsuming and caused Elysia''s body to heat up.

    And it was finally enough to break the hold Elysia had over her self-control. The effect of drugs finally hit her full force and her body sank into the heat she was feeling.

    At the same time, the chest behind Elysia gave a pleasure-filled growl as that mouth continued to devour Elysia''s own.

 Chapter 36 36: The Rescue - Part 2

    ''H-Huh? W-What is going on here?''

    Elysia''s mind was a mess but her body seemed to be enjoying her current predicament. It did not help that her body felt the heat''s effects.

    The deeper Elysia was kissed, the more she felt her mind sinking into that empty darkness of before. It made her want to pull the person kissing her closer.

    "Adam, that''s not fair. You need to let her breathe."

    The man kissing Elysia did not let go. He deepened the kiss, not allowing Elysia to break away or to even breathe.

    ''I''m going to suffocate.''

    Elysia knocked on the chest behind him to be let go. Her neck was being held at an awkward angle that made breathing difficult for Elysia.

    Not to mention, it was embarrassing to be kissed like this in front of Eve.

    ''I��this shouldn''t be happening. I need to make Adam let go.''

    The growls that wereing out of Adam''s mouth sounded inhuman. Elysia was more than sure that the smoke from before had affected hismon sense as well.

    ''Maybe he''s feeling the same heat I am. That must be why Adam is like this.''

    Theck ofmon sense coupled with those instincts must be the reason Adam had jumped at Elysia like this. She was likely the first thing he saw to relieve himself.

    But there was no need for Adam to behave like this toward her. Not when he had Eve with him to help him out.

    Elysia had not seen thising in her visions but she had known that Adam and Eve were supposed to begin developing feelings toward each other near this time period.

    "Adam, she''s turning blue. Let her go now."

    Elysia''s mouth was released in an abrupt manner, herck of breathing forcing Elysia to take gulps of oxygen.

    "Stop bothering us. Can''t you see that I am busy right now?"

    Even Adam''s voice had the inhuman growl present in it. A normal person would have backed down with fear but not Eve.

    She stood her ground in front of the Crown Prince, her eyes zing. Elysia half-expected Eve to cook Adam right then and there.

    But the taller female did not do so. Instead of raining down on Adam for his unfaithfulness, Eve chose to pull Elysia up and cup her face.

    Elysia couldn''t even put off resistance against Eve''s hands. Nor could she turn away from the burning blue of Eve''s eyes.

    "Darn. Did that smoke affect you as well? If you give me such seductive eyes then it will be difficult for me to hold back either."

    "Hey, I can help her out. Outsiders need not butt in our rtionship. I am the one engaged to her, not you."

    The two voices reached Elysia''s ear one after the other but it was difficult to make much sense of what they were saying.

    All Elysia knew was that her body was boiling and Adam seemed to be suffering from the same heat.

    ''I should leave them alone. I need to find the antidote for myself.''

    Elysia tried to stand up on her own but her legs gave in. Her body sank to the ground but her head did not hit it.

    Instead, Eve found herself being pulled into a soft ce.

    "I made it in time. Elysia, you need to stop scaring me like this."

    Eve was the one holding on to her body. Her familiar and soft hands massaged Elysia''s shoulders and it felt really good.

    Everywhere the hands touched, a wave of coolness seemed to be seeping in. It drove away the heat Elysia was feeling.

    Maybe that was why Elysia let out a moan which caused the other two to pause.

    "..."

    "..."

    Two pairs of heated gazes met Elysia and her mind nked out. She reached out toward Eve''s face to pull her down but their lips never met.

    Before Elysia could initiate the kiss, her brain reminded her of a few facts.

    ''I cannot kill Eve again. This is not right. I need to leave right now.''

    The sudden stroke of clear-headedness was like a ray of light in a dark tunnel. It finally reminded Elysia about the reasons she could not allow herself to sway.

    Getting involved like this with Adam and Eve was asking for disaster. It was a sure-about way to die a painful death and Elysia needed to avoid it at all costs.

    It took everything Elysia had to pull her body away from the cold wave Eve was pouring into her body. But this was a luxury Elysia could not allow herself to experience.

    "Elysia, what are you doing? You cannot leave this room in your current condition."

    Eve''s sounded angry and worried. It was nice to see someone showing such emotions for Elysia but she hated the reason Eve had ended up here.

    Elysia refused to look at Eve or Adam''s burning eyes at her side. The man might have kissed her outright and with passion but that was likely a fluke.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia needed to give the fated pair some room to figure their feelings out.

    ''They''re just confused right now. I should leave them alone.''

    "Eve, you should help Adam out with his problem. I still have some work to do as the Dirac representative so I will leave first."

    "Elysia, you are in no condition to.."

    "Let her go. We cannot force her to stay here if she doesn''t want to."

    Eve started to protest but Adam stopped her before Eve could finish her request. The Crown Prince''s eyes were burning into Elysia, asking her to back down.

    But Elysia would not allow herself to. It was not right for her to be with the fated pair at such a delicate time.

    The pair watched Elysia run away from the room in a hurry. But no words were exchanged until Elysia was gone from the room.

    Only once she was gone did Eve turn toward Adam with a mad expression.

    "What did you do that for? Elysia needed our help. She is as bad a shape as you are."

    Eve''s thunderous voice echoed inside the room but it did not seem to be phasing the Crown Prince.

    Instead of looking intimidated, Adam looked thoughtful.

    "She did not reject our touch so she must not find us disgusting. I do not want to press her into anything she doesn''t want to do. But I have noticed that Elysia seems hesitant to close the gap between us and her."

    Eve had a few words to say but even she quietened down at Adam''s words. This was something she had noticed as well but did not know how to bring up.

    Every time Eve tried to bridge the gap between her and Elysia, the ck-haired girl just made excuses to put even more distance between them.

    It had been challenging at first but it was just annoying now.

    The worst part of it all was, that Eve could see that something was bothering Elysia a lot but the other girl never came to Eve with her problems.

    It was like she did not consider Eve trustworthy to help her out.

    "Sooooo, what are we going to do now? Hey, don''t give me that look. I am offering to help you for Elysia''s sake so don''t get any twisted ideas inside your head."

    Adam had a disgusted look on his face at Eve''s offer. He did not have to look at her like that since Eve was not asking him to cooperate for the fun of it.

    Had it not been for Elysia, Eve doubted if she and Adam would even see eye-to-eye on any matter.

    "Fine. I will take this tentative truce for now. But the second you be a burden to me, I will end this truce."

    "Fine by me. I have no intention of ying nice with you my whole life as well. And also, d something about that erection of yours. Looking at you is making me ufortable."

    Eve got a poisonous re for her efforts and a fierce ''Get out'' before she felt the main door of the room close behind her.

    She had an idea what the Crown Prince would be doing to help himself out but Eve had no intention of staying behind to wait for him.

    They might be cooperating, for now, to figure out why Elysia was breaking away from their friendship but that did not mean they were in it together to woo her together as well.

    Eve did not want to share Elysia with Adam and the other teen likely had the same idea as her.

    ''I should use this time to find Elysia. Herplexion did not look good when she left the room. She might need my help with her condition.''

    For a second, the image of that heat-flushed gaze shed across Eve''s eyelids and her face went red. Her lips tingled at the reminder of the kiss she had shared with Elysia as well.

    She could still not believe that had happened. Everything had happened so fast that Eve had not even gotten to bask in the moment before it had been pulled away.

    But if she found Elysia right now, then maybe it could lead to something more and deeper. Maybe Elysia would allow Eve to help her ride out the drugs?

    ''Don''t think useless thoughts. We need to solve this case first. The people of Kelvin town are counting on us to save them. We cannot disappoint them.''

    Eve found her mind torn between duty and desire. But in the end, she decided to help solve this case before anything else.

    She knew that would be what Elysia want from her and Eve did not want to disappoint her.

    _________________________________

    Meanwhile, Elysia ran through the corridors without any purpose in mind. She could not feel where she was going without her magic.

    And that made navigation much more difficult for her. She had no idea what kind of ce she was in and what kind of difficulties she would face.

    Elysia did have an advantage over the others in her situation and that was her body. Elysia was so thankful for the Head Priest''s harsh training that allowed her to still stop the small trick and attacks that were trying to stop her.

    And it was because of these fast reflexes that Elysia managed to twist her body in time to stop the Dhampir''s teeth from sinking into her arm.

    The knife Elysia was using was bloody and embedded in the Dhampir''s jaws. But the creature just pulled it out and gave Elysia a bloody smile.

    "I am back. Did you miss me?"

 Chapter 37 37: Foolish Decisions

    "I am back. Did you miss me?"

    Elysia groaned as soon as she heard the familiar voice. The Dhampir had been resurrected and hade back for revenge.

    But Elysia was not in any mood to have a face-off against the man. She needed to lose him but herck of magic did make things difficult for Elysia.

    "What is wrong? You can still beg me to spare your life."

    "Why don''t you beg for your life? Hearing your voice gives me a headache."

    Before the Dhampir could react, Adam''s familiar magic washed all around Elysia. The Dhampir never stood a chance to fight against him.

    The Crown Prince looked like a mess, his hair ruffled and his eyes tired. His body still looked tense and Elysia was sure that Adam had not taken advantage of the opportunity Elysia had made for him and Eve.

    ''This stupid prince and his gentleman ways. Is he seriously waiting to marry Eve before jumping her? Just how much self-control does this teen have?''

    Elysia had to give it up to Adam for having a will of steel. He had not taken Eve in a fit of lust but had chosen to walk away instead.

    "Adam, you need to go back. You are in no condition to be walking around."

    "I want to go back as well but I am in no condition to sit around. I will go mad if I don''t move around."

    Adam sounded sour but Elysia just shook her head.

    "Adam, can you take care of this Dhampir? I will go ahead and look for Sora. I am sure he must have found the antidote for me by now."

    Elysia knew that she was asking a lot from Adam but she wanted to keep him out of trouble for now.

    Neither Adam nor Eve had anything to do with this mess Elysia had trusted herself into. It was not fair on them to be enduring the brunt of the final battle.

    "Fine, I will back down for now. But you better be alright by the end of everything."

    Elysia shook her head at Adam''s words. The teen was speaking too much in the heat of the moment but Elysia did not me him for that.

    It was clear that Adam was getting confused between her and Eve because of the situation he had been ced in. His body was sending him mixed signals and Elysia did understand why that was happening.

    Still, Elysia was not nning on doing anything stupid or worrisome so she agreed easily enough.

    "I''ll be careful so don''t just concentrate on me. Keep Eve safe for me and we''ll be even."

    Adam''s frustrated growls were Elysia''s answer. It was funny how frustrated Adam got as soon as Eve''s name was brought by in any conversation.

    ''It''s so cute how Adam and Eve pretend not to like each other. They suit each other perfectly. I wish I had a love like theirs. It''s so pure.''

    Elysia shook her head at the outrageous idea. Love was for those would afford to spend time on it.

    People like Elysia were too busy trying to survive in the first ce. Love was a concept that was too far away from their grasp.

    And the world reminded Elysia of this fact when she found herself saving Sara a few minutester.

    Her body moved on its own to cover Sara from the powerful spell''s effect and her stomach erupted in pain.

    ''Ah, I am bleeding fatally. But strangely enough, I don''t care anymore. Is this death? It''s far more peaceful than I expected it to be. I want to close my eyes and sleep.''

    Someone''s voice kept on waking Elysia up. The strange peace she felt was being overpowered by the feeling of pain.

    That pain was not letting Elysia sleep and she cried out without meaning to.

    "That''s it. You need to keep your awareness. Elysia, you cannot allow the sleep to get you or you will never wake up."

    Every waking moment was torture. Elysia was fighting to go to sleep as she wanted the sweet embrace of that calmness back in her life.

    But the torture continued and so did the feeling of agony.

    _________________________________

    "You can back out now if you want to. I won''t me you if you have no courage to face your father. You do know that he is likely the culprit behind everything that is happening in the Kelvin town, right?"

    Sara gave Lord Sorias a conflicted smile but she did not back down. It felt like cheating to back down now.

    A lot of people had already paid the price for Sara''s cowardness so it was time for her to step up. Everything inside Sara was asking her to take charge of this situation.

    "You don''t have to listen to the world and face this situation if you don''t want to. I will be able to handle this situation on my own."

    Sara wanted to take Lord Sorias''s offer so badly. She wanted to run and hide from this situation.

    But s, it would not solve anything for Sara. she would just be bound by her past forever, never being able to break away from her chains.

    "Nah, it''s not the world that is making me do this. I just this it is time I step up and do what I should have a long time ago."

    Lord Sorias remained silent. But she waited for Sara to open the door, which she appreciated.

    Sara desired to control things at her own speed and to begin this new chapter of her life with her own hands.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "You both kept me waiting for so long. Hurry up and say what you want to. We don''t have all day to talk."

    Sara swallowed her trepidation as her gaze met the familiar pair of purple eyes. Her uncle had the face, but her father had the eyes.

    Sara had only seen her father once or twice before he abandoned her and her mother. His death hade as a shock, yet it had not devastated Sara.

    "What are you trying to do, Andrew? You are making a whole town suffer for your revenge. That is no better than what happened to us back then."

    Lord Sorias sounded angry but her father ignored that ire. Her father''s purple eyes turned toward Sara and they kept her bound to her ce.

    Sara wanted to move but the familiar face ring at her with those unfamiliar eyes caused Sara to lose all strength.

    "Don''tpare me to those who tormented us. I am being careful not to kill unnecessary people in my revenge n. All I want to do is to remove a key piece in this world''s n."

    Sara felt her breath hitch as she felt her father''s magic aiming at her. Lord Sorias''s quick actions saved Sara''s life.

    "You are taking things too far and causing too much damage in the process. And you, halfling, get moving if you don''t want to die."

    Sara snapped out of her shock at the sudden yell. Lord Sorias were blocking her view of her father and that finally allowed Sara to pull herself together.

    The next attack was parried away by Sara''s own hands but it tingled when she did that. She had not realized it but Sara had been shaking quite violently.

    "I do not care how you exact your revenge against this world but you dared to pull my contractor in your schemes and that is pissing me off a lot."

    "That was not my intention. Your contractor was the one who decided to step into this situation without consideration. You cannot possibly me for this situation."

    Her father and Lord Sorias were having a back-and-forth debate while exchanging blows. Lord Sorias had even returned to his adult form to be able to keep up better with her father.

    It was quite difficult to say who was winning currently. Both sides were holding their blows back but Sara knew she had to do something to rectify this situation as well.

    She had not heard what she needed from her father and until this situation became clear to her, she did not want to see her father die at his formerrade''s hand.

    "Lord Sorias, wait a minute."

    The forest god stopped but her father did not have the same consideration.

    "I wanted to lock you up and mess up the situation that way, but I can see that it is no longer possible. Then, why don''t you die right now and fulfill my promise to my fallenrades."

    It was a shock to see her father''s angry eyes trained on Sara. those eyes had always been indifferent toward Sara so this hate was new.

    Even Lord Sorais could not stop the bold lightning that had been thrown toward Sara. It was just toote to save her now.

    ''I just wanted to know why. Why did you give up on me and mother?''

    Sara closed her eyes, bracing herself for the hit.

    But it never reached her. Something hard and heavy mmed into Sara and she felt a body copse on top of her.

    Blood sttered across Sara''s face as silky ck obstructed her vision.

    "I m��ad��e it i..n t..i..me."

    Elysia''s body copsed against Sara''s chest, blood oozing out of the wound in her stomach. The younger was losing blood quite fast.

    "Why? Why did she interfere? She, out of everyone, should have enough reason to keep away from those favored by the world."

    "YOU! I no longer care about your reasons. Your life would end here and now."

    Sara felt numb at that very second. The shock of her father''sst cry did not rouse her from the despair that was brewing inside her mind.

    ''Things were not supposed to be like this. I was supposed to confront my father and ask him the reason why he abandoned me. We were supposed to resolve our differences, not end up like this.''

    "Oi, stand up and open your eyes. Elysia, this is not funny at all. I need you to open your eyes and look at me. Your friend would kill me if you don''t open your eyes. So please, open your eyes. Open them for my sake."

    Sara could feel the ragged breath of Elysia''s chest. The younger female was not dead yet but it was a close call.

    "Move aside. I will get Elysia to stabilize but not if you keep on being in the way."

    Sara''s body was shaken away from Elysia''s body. Lord Sorias pulled Elysia in his arms, his magic working overtime to stabilize Elysia.

    But the beast familiar was no healer and it was taking everything in him to keep Elysia stable.

    "Go and find that stupid human with healing powers right now. She''s the only one who can save Elysia''s life."

    Sara''s brain kicked in gear at those words and she instantly took off. She did realize that her father was alive for now as well but Sara''s brain could notprehend that information.

    She had a one-track mind for now and it was to find Eve.

    ''If only I could use my powers fully, I would have been able to help as well. I should have allowed myself to form a contract. No, I will form a contract and train myself to use my powers. I need to repay Elysia for this debt.''

 Chapter 38 38: Helplessness

    "Where do you all keeping from? You don''t even have a brain to respawn on your own but you sure are annoying."

    Eve rarely cursed someone out but she was getting annoyed after being jumped for the third time in the span of a few minutes.

    These annoying shadowy creatures were easy to deal with but were also time-consuming. Every time Eve tried to move toward a new location, these annoying blobs of shadows caused her to change location.

    "I wish I had a map for this ce. It would make things so much easier. Why does Adam get a built-in Elysia radar and not me?"

    Eve was still annoyed at the fact that Adam could sense Elysia from even far away. As long as Eve had known the pair, that had been the case.

    Those two might not be close physically but there was a mental connection they shared and it made Eve jealous.

    ''Then again, I get to spend more time with Elysia so it''s a fair trade-off.'' This had been a topic that had made Adam turn his head away.

    Elysia used to feel closer to Eve than she did to Adam.

    "Are you still not done here? These Bauk do not take long to die. Just how weak are you to find them troublesome?"

    ''Think of the devil and he shall appear.''

    Adam''s taunting voice caused Eve to lose control of her spell. Light energy shed all around her and eradicated all the shadows.

    Eve had been trying hard not to kill all these shadows off just in case she would need er as evidence.

    But that n went down the drain as soon as Adam stepped up in her line of vision.

    "Somedays, I cannot help but wonder if the gods send you down to torment me. My ns never go the right way when youe along."

    Eveined as she tried to calm her temper down. Getting angry at the Crown Prince would not help her out.

    The situation was as bad as it could be. Eve had lost sight of Elysia a long time ago and she was lost in the castle as well.

    "By the way, do you know where Elysia is? Can you sense her now?"

    "Not yet. Elysia needs to recover her magic for me to be able to sense her. But I do feel somewhat uneasy about things. It would be better for us to hurry up and find her."

    Just as Adam finished speaking, Eve felt a panicking figure make her way toward the pair. Eve readier her staff to defend herself but there was no need to.

    Sara''s face shed in front of the pair and the female stopped all of a sudden as soon as she saw Eve.

    "Hey, are you alright? You need to take in deep breaths and calm down first."

    Eve tried to talk Sara out of her panic but nothing seemed to be working. Instead of calming down, the elder grasped Eve''s sleeve and her desperate eyes looked back at Eve.

    "Elysia needs your help. Please, you need to hurry up or she''ll bleed out."

    Eve felt a wave of coldness submerge her. Her ears rang with what she had just hearding out of the other female''s mouth.

    Elysia was going to what? Surely Eve had heard wrong?

    Her body felt powerless and Eve felt her legs give way beneath her. She knew she needed to move if she wanted to help Elysia but her body was in shock.

    Strong hands picked Eve up and she felt her body being thrown on top of someone''s shoulder.

    "Pull yourself together. You need to be in your right mind if you want to heal Elysia. I won''t forgive you if you let her bleed out due to your weak mindset."

    Eve wanted to protest and tell Adam that she did not have a weak mindset. But that protest felt almost hollow when she considered her current circumstances.

    Eve could not even pull her head up to look at Adam or her surroundings.

    The first thing she felt after being dropped in front of Elysia''s body was a deep-seated feeling of fear. She did not want to lose Elysia but the possibility was bing more and more certain.

    "Eve, pull yourself together. You need to look at Elysia to heal her."

    ''Look at her? Yes, I need to look at Elysia. B-But the blood?''

    Eve''s hand shook as she reached toward Elysia''s unconscious body. She identally jerked her harder than it was needed and instantly felt two growls aimed her way.

    "D-Don''t push me. It''s not easy for me to see Elysia like this as well."

    Lord Sorias quietened down but Adam''s stare did not lighten up. He was judging Eve and seeing how well she would perform.

    As for Eve, she finally pulled herself together to not fumble her spell. It was still difficult for her to cast magic on someone this close to dying but Eve was sure she was making progress.

    "Good, the bleeding stopped. Elysia should be able to survive now."

    For some reason, it took everything Eve had to heal Elysia. No other person had been this difficult for Eve to heal.

    It had almost felt like Elysia''s body was a ck-hole and constantly draining the magic Eve poured into her.

    "W-What do you even mean? Elysia has not healed up fully yet. I need to heal her further-"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Don''t waste your energy on her. You won''t be able to do any more than this with your light magic. I will take Elysia back to Lord Dirac''s mansion to heal up."

    Lord Sorias picked up Elysia''s unconscious body. The usually strong female looked small and fragile in Lord Sorias''s adult arms.

    "Wait! You should hand Elysia over to the royal family. She''s still my fiance and she needs to be looked after by the Royal Physician."

    When Adam stretched out to Elysia, his eyes glowed. Lord Sorias did not allow Adam to touch Elysia, but he also did not allow the youngster to kidnap Elysia.

    Eve was sure that sparks were flying between that pair before Adam finally backed down.

    "The Royal Physician won''t be any help for Elysia -  is that what you want to say? Fine, I will hand her over to Lord Dirac for now. But she better be alright by the end of this week."

    "Physically, Elysia would be good to go in a few days but I don''t know when she will wake up. Her constitution is unique so all we can do now is to wait."

    Eve felt her heart sink into her stomach at those words. She had not expected this small mission to turn into such a huge problem.

    Sara was still waiting outside the door, her bright presence mocking Eve. Elysia had chosen to help Sara over taking care of Eve.

    ''When did Sara be so important for Elysia to risk her life? What did I miss?''

    Eve could not help but curse inside her mind at herck of attention. She had never thought she had taken Elysia for granted but it seemed to have been the case.

    Every time Elysia had canceled on her or Head Priest Yohan had taken Elysia away, Eve had never questioned their actions. She had blind faith in the other two.

    But it was clear that they were hiding things from her. There should have been no reason for Elysia to be on this case with her without someone''s orders.

    ''Did father ask Elysia to take this case up for my sake? I need to check with him.''

    "For now, you both go back and tell the people that things will be alright again. I will take Andrew back to the Dirac estate and get him to confess. I hope the Royalty will  not have a problem with this arrangement since this is the Dirac territory?"

    "The credit for this task would have to be given to the church since we cannot reveal the truth of what happened here. And we should also keep Elysia''s name out of this mess for now. Eve, you will need to take credit for what happened here."

    Eve felt guilty for being made to take credit but she did understand why things hade to this.

    Both Adam and Elysia''s involvement in this case would get people talking. Adam was not supposed to be here and Elysia was a newly established noble who should not be heading cases this grave.

    That meant, only Eve was left with enough credibility to handle this case.

    "You should know that I am not happy with this oue."

    It stung to have solved the case like this but this was Eve''s most optimistic oue for her future.

    "Your happiness doesn''t matter in this situation. Just take the credit and move on. And onlye to visit Ely when things have calmed down. We don''t want people talking about this incident this close to the uing Dirac feast."

    Eve wanted to protest but Adam held her back. The helplessness in his eyes was what convinced Eve to finally drop this topic.

    If even Adam could not do what he wanted in this situation, then Eve would also not be able to do anything.

    "I will make this clear now. I am only following along with your orders because that is what is best for Elysia. For now, she needs undisturbed rest. I will handle any clean-up that will be needed to be done so you both should head out now."

    Lord Sorais nodded at Adam''s words and he handed the leash controlling the city lord over to Eve.

    As soon as Eve took charge, the unconscious body on the ground flinched and then gave off a smallugh.

    "You fell for the world''s trap and ended up helping its chosen one. Tell me Sorais, is this your betrayal toward us? Did you forget what the gods did to us? Why are you choosing to help these people?"

    "Stop yelping unnecessarily. I told you before that I don''t care about this world or its chosen ones. I am only concerned with my master''s wellbeing."

    The forest lord walked in front of the bound man, his expression neutral before he leaned closer to the man.

    Eve could not hear what was said but Adam heard those words loud and clear.

    And the bound man had the most shocked look on his face as soon as he heard Lord Sorias''s words.

    Even as he was dragged away by Eve and handed over to the Dirac guards, that look of shock and wonder did not disappear from his face.

    It was only once the doors of the prison were locked behind him and Lord Sorias chose to visit him that the possessed man finally dared to ask.

    "What do you mean the world''s ns are already a mess? Its chosen people found each other and are well acquainted with each other. Won''t that make your ''master'' fall in danger as well?"

    The possessed man was not wrong and Lord Sorias did agree with a lot he had heard. Still, he could not deny what he had seen happen in front of his eyes as well.

    "The chosen ones will not let anything happen to Elysia and I know it for a fact. After all, they both fell in love with the ''viiness'' of the world. And that information is enough for me to believe that things will be alright in the end."

    Lord Sorias had faith and that was what he was betting the future on. He was betting it on Elysia''s shoulders and her desire to survive.

    After all, desperate people were the most dangerous in the world.

 Chapter 39 39: That Decision

    Just like that, things fell quiet after a while. The credit for solving the case went to the temple, just as nned.

    As the temple representative, Eve received recognition for this case. Her fame went up in the eyes of normal people and even the nobles had to give her credit.

    The royal family''s help could not be kept out of others'' ears but no one knew just how involved they were in this case.

    And the Dirac guards took over the case and the culprit in the end. This was how this case ended. But the real truth did note out into the open and the Dirac estate closed its gates for the time being.

    "Eve, you should smile. The people here have gathered today for your sake. They are waiting for you to bless them."

    Eve sighed as she faced the well-meaning but useless sister sitting at her side. The temple was holding a wide-scale ceremony today as a post-ident procession.

    The ceremony was headed by Eve since her powers as the next saintess were wildly proimed. People were looking ahead to her performance. Even nobles hade to keep an eye on her.

    ''What power? What influence? I was not even to help out that one person I really wanted to. In the end, all my training went to waste when it had mattered the most.''

    Eve had not been able to visit the Dirac estate for the past 5 days. That was how long it had been ever since the case finished. Her only source of information was Adam who had gone to see Elysia a few days ago.

    The ck-haired girl had yet to wake up but Eve had no opportunity to look at Elysia herself. Her duties were keeping Eve busy.

    "Sister Eve, the general public is waiting for you. You should hurry up and enter."

    Eve sighed, knowing she would not be able to get out of this ceremony. Her father had ignored all the questioning letters Eve had sent her and he was also choking to note to her.

    This was the worst situation for her and it made Eve feel empty.

    The day felt like it was being dragged over. Blessing so many people in a single day was exhausting and demanding. It took a toll on Eve''s mental strength and left her no energy to worry about other things.

    By the time the ceremony was over, the sun had already set. The world was basking in the soft glow of the moon and the chamber was empty.

    "Sister Eve, you should start heading home now as well. Tomorrow will be another busy day so hang in there."

    Eve groaned as she remembered that the ceremony was tost for two more days. It was the same deadline that was given to Elysia. Eve had to finish her work on time and visit Elysia once she woke up.

    ''And Elysia would wake up. Any other oue would not be permitted.''

    "Ah, have a nice day. I will head back to my room in a few minutes."

    The sister that had been keeping an eye on Eve finally left. Eve was finally able to take a deep breath once she was alone and away from the prying eyes.

    ''Well, not quite away from all prying eyes. I wonder what she wants now?''

    Sara had not sought out anyone ever since this mess had finished. Eve had tried to seak the other female out to know what happened but Sara had duped her.

    Of course, Adam had filled her in on what happenedter but it would have been nice to hear all this from Sara''s mouth.

    "You shoulde out now. I can feel your presence nearby, Sara."

    The girl didn''t linger around for long. As soon as Eve asked her toe out, Sara appeared in front of her.

    The half-human didn''t even hide her inhuman form in front of Eve. This was a new and weing addition to her as well.

    "What do you want to say? If you are here to apologize then you havee to the wrong person. You should hurry up and find Elysia if you want to apologize to her."

    Eve let her dismissal be known to the other female. She had no interest in the half-beast but she could not dismiss her outright as well.

    After all, this was someone Elysia had thought highly of. How could Eve be heartless enough to turn her away.

    "No, that is not why I am here. I am here because I have a favor to ask of you. Eve, you are powerful and you''re also the only one I can ask this of. So please, form a contract with me."

    "Huh? You want me to do what with you?"

    Eve had not thought that her voice had been this loud. But it echoed into the empty hall.

    Sara didn''t even flinch at the loud noise. Her eyes did not look away from Eve when she asked this huge favor of her.

    "I cannot go on like this any longer. A beast like me cannot use the full scope of its powers without a familiar contract. But you''re the only human I can ask this of as well. I intend to atone for what happened back there so I need your help."

    Had it been anyone else, Eve would have shot them down without even hearing the full story.

    But this was about Elysia and Eve never took things lightly when it came to the other female.

    "So, you are doing this for Elysia''s sake? I don''t like it. I don''t like it at all that you are showing interest in someone who belongs to me."

    Sara opened her mouth, ready to assure Eve that she did not mean anything weird with her deration. But Eve finished her words before Sara could word out anything more.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Alright, I will form a contract with you. Elysia liked you enough to put you first and I cannot look away from her desire. So I will allow you to form this contract."

    "But you better be ready to dedicate your life to Elysia from this point onwards."

    Eve sounded serious and Sara gulped their nervousness down. Eve might have looked angelic but her words and the atmosphere made her look demonic.

    Sara almost felt like she was signing her soul to the devil by agreeing with Eve. But in the end, Sara did not care.

    Be it God or the Devil,  Sara would choose her side based on her needs. And right now, she needed Eve''s help to achieve her end goal of gaining power.

    _________________________________

    "Should the Crown Prince being to the Dirac estate this many times in the span of a week? You are just asking for rumors to spread at this rate."

    Lord Sorias faced Adam''s re heads on. He had lived far longer than the dragon''s descendent and faced far more dangerous foes.

    One day, this child would be the most powerful person in this world but that day had yet toe. And until that time came, Lord Sorias had no intention of bowing to this kid.

    "It is alright. I came here while being careful so no one should know. Besides, even if people know it won''t matter. I am just visiting my fiance at her estate. Is it that odd?"

    The kid was good with words but not good with actions. He might not see the problem but Lord Sorais was sure that things would not be alright if such a rumor spread.

    ''No, the kid knows what will happen if a rumor of him being fond of the Diracs spread. The temple will not stand for this union.''

    The Crown Prince had an expression that said that he did not care. But he had to be aware of what his actions could lead to.

    "Kid, go home and hang out with your other friend for now. You being here will not help Ely gain consciousness. We are doing our best to wake her up."

    By ''we'' Lord Sorias meant Lucas. The elder man had yet to leave his office as he sorted through various books on that topic.

    Truthfully speaking, using Eve''s magic on Elysia had been a gamble. Her body had so much ''karma'' fed by this world that it was bound to reject this word''s blessing.

    But leaving her to bleed out would have resulted in certain death.

    "Sorias, hurry up. I found a way to remove the foreign magic from Elysia''s system and��..Ah, you are still here Lord Adam? You should be heading home now."

    Lucas, that bastard finally left his office. After 5 days of constant worrying and struggle, he finally seemed to have a solution.

    But his expression was clear. As long as the Crown Prince was there, he would not be revealing the method that he had found.

    "Lord Dirac, is something wrong? Please continue what you were talking about."

    The Crown Prince did take the hint but he refused to follow it. Things were bing more and more troublesome as time went on.

    "I am afraid that this is not something that can be discussed in the presence of someone from outside the family. I would have to ask Lord Adam to leave the estate."

    Those were the wrong words to say. The Crown Prince looked pissed off and in no mood to tolerate Lord Dirac''s bullshit.

    The tension was so thick that Lord Sorias was sure he could serve it with his ws. The shing eyes did not want to give in to each other.

    "Adam, go home for today. You being here would just hinder us even further. It''s not because of you since we would also ask that church girl to leave. It''s just, that the magic will not work if you are here to witness it."

    It was brave of Lucas to say this much. His words spoke that the magic was ''dark'' and ''forbidden'' in nature.

    Lord Adam should have realized as well his and Eve''s bodies were special. They repelled anything that was considered ''wrong'' or ''tainted''.

    Elysia was lucky that she was a human or she would have felt that pressure even more with her situation. That was what having the favor of this world meant.

    "Fine, I will leave for today. But Elysia better wakes up in two days or I will have the Royal Family take over this case without asking first. It is no longer up for debate."

    The Crown Prince left the estate with an irritated growl. All he got was a friendly smile until he disappeared behind the gates.

    Only once he was gone did the smile fade away from Lord Lucas''s face and was exchanged with a grim smile.

    "I''m sorry Sorias. Things have finallye to this and I find myself in a bind. I will no longer be able to protect you all. I wish you will take care of Elysia in my stead."

    Lord Sorias knew what Lucas meant but he did not work it out.

    The only way to save Elysia must be to take her taint in and cleanse her up. And the only one who would be able to do that was Lord Lucas. But it would end up putting Lord Lucas on a timer as well.

    Still, knowing the elder, he would do what he wanted to anyway.

    "Do what you must. We decided to start this journey together so we''ll definitely see the end to it. We will have our revenge against this world."

 Chapter 40 40: A Cry For Help

    One''s subconsciousness was the most private thing one could have. In that sense, Lucas was taking a big risk in approaching Elysia.

    She likely had secrets she did not want to share with Lord Lucas and the man would try his best to respect Elysia as much as he could.

    But he had to recognize the underlining truth behind his actions as well. He was a selfish man who would do anything for his goal.

    "Lucas, you are taking a big risk. Death is inevitable if you do that but if you fail then you will die immediately."

    Lucas heard those words with one ear and let them out with another. He knew the risk of what he was doing pretty well so Sorias did not need to remind him of this.

    "Lucas, I am sure there is another safer way to do this. You don''t have to make the same mistake my brother made a long time ago."

    Soria was a persistent beast. He was like a brother Lucas never had and the term also fitted well with the current rtionship they both shared.

    Sorias''s elder brother had been Lucas''s partner and familiar. They had also been lovers but it had ended up as a tragedy. But his beloved had seen Elysia as a little sister when Lucas had been unable to in the past.

    And his beloved had also paid the price for saving their lives.

    "If there was another way then he would have found it by now. I am not going to waste my time any longer."

    Lucas focused his mana on Elysia''s unconscious body. There was some kind of barrier protecting her soul but Lucas would need to prate it to drag her conscious out.

    "Lucas, you are mixing obligation with love. Don''t put yourself in danger because of what my brother did. He would not have wanted to see you in such despair -"

    "Don''t mock my feelings. It might be true that my care for Elysia started because of my partner but you cannot keep on observing someone for this long without forming a bond. I am a human as well."

    Sorias fell quiet at the admission, his eyes widening at Lucas''s words. He had never seen Lucas this agitated before.

    ''I should not have said all that. I knew how Lucas was and what Elysia meant to him. I should not have pushed him like this.''

    And since Sorias knew Lucas, he knew that no matter what he said, Lucas would do what he had set out to do.

    "Good luck. I hope you both make it back safe to me."

    Lucas heard those words and he treasured them. But he did not reply.

    He could not reply because the magic was taking over for him. It was pulling Lucas''s consciousness into Elysia''s own and it would not be long before their magic interacted.

    ''Good, we both have simr cores to each other. It makes the flow of magic easier to maintain.''

    The magic was flowing like a downhill river. There was no obstruction in its path and Lucas was d to see that.

    And why would there be when Elysia had his familiar''s core inside her as well? Lucas''s partner had ced it inside Elysia to keep her safe a long time ago.

    At the same time, he cursed her with a burden she was not meant to carry in this world.

    "I missed you a lot but please let me in. I need to take my sister out of here so that she can live her life."

    Lucas knocked on the barrier of magic that was stopping him.

    Just as he recognized the magic, the magic also recognized him. But it was still trying to be careful of the foreign magic he possessed.

    This was a new world after all and no matter how little Lucas has changed, his magic was bound to be a little different.

    ''Familiar magic. Familiar rhythm. Should we let you in?''

    "Please let me in. I promise to leave soon as well."

    To Lucas, it felt like a pair of familiar gold was looking back at him. The magic surged around him and it felt so liberating.

    And then all of a sudden, as soon as the rush hade over, the world around Lucas began to dilute. He felt his body bnce break and his body crashed into a hard one.

    "Hey, watch it. You could severely injure someone by falling on top of them."

    The voice was small but familiar in Lucas''s ear. It felt like it had been years since he had first heard it.

    By all means, it should have been impossible for Lucas to hear again since Elysia had far outgrown that age.

    But his ears didn''t lie and something sharp bit into Lucas''s leg. He was about to st that offending thing away when a small pair of hands stopped Lucas''s rampage.

    "Noctis, no! Bad boy. You don''t bite people like this without knowing where they are from or what kind of diseases they carry. What if you get infected? Brother will be angry with me if that happens."

    For some reason, the line brought a pang of nostalgia to Lucas''s mind. Lucas picked himself up and instantly saw the familiar face Elysia had.

    The female, no the teen looked far younger than she had in the real world. The one in front of him looked to be around twelve years old, an age Lucas had never seen her before.

    ''Not true. I''ve seen Elysia look twelve before, just not in the current world. But then again, I was never really attentive to her back then as well. I mostly left her with my partner...''

    Lucas trailed off, his eyes moving toward the beast that was looking back at him with knowing eyes.

    "What is going on here? Elysia, I told you to stop ying around and study. Do you want to fail tomorrow''s exam? Go back to your room now."

    The more Lucas heard, the more he realized that he was in the memories of Noctis''s core. Elysia should have no memories about this time but this ce has none of Lucas''s essence as well.

    It had to be Noctis''s core that managed to create this ce to prevent the magic from interfering with Elysia even more.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Ah, I''m sorry brother. Noctis, I need to go now. C-Can we y againter if brother allows it?"

    Elysia''s voice was hesitant in asking this. Even without Lucas''s past self-present on the scene, she seemed to be feeling the pressure of his existence.

    "Elysia, don''t make me repeat myself."

    It was odd hearing your own voice almost�Cyell at someone else. If possible, Lucas would have stopped himself from yelling.

    "By mister who looks like my brother in the future. I hope you have a nice day."

    Elysia''s voice was so pleasant. She was speaking like she had done so in the past when they still shared a rtionship. (Not that it had been much of one back then as well)

    But this was neither his memories nor his illusion to control. He was all but a bi-standard here as well.

    He tried to reach out toward Elysia, trying to pull her soul back but the girl was unexpectedly stic and managed to get away.

    It suddenly hit home for Lucas that this might be a memory for him but this was a foreign ce for Elysia of today.

    And that flexible soul that had managed to escape from Lucas was the Elysia of this world.

    Beside him, Noctis gave a muffledugh. The beast seemed to be enjoying watching him suffer like this and a wave of nostalgia washed over Lucas.

    This past was something he had left behind in his brain. But it had never really vanished from his heart.

    Maybe Lucas could also stay here for some time and enjoy this.

    "What do you think you are doing? I thought you came here to help Elysia out. What kind of weird thoughts is your brain cooking up?"

    Lucas tried not to jump once he heard Noctis''s familiar voice. It never failed to surprise him and make Lucas melt in its presence.

    "So I am not allowed to want for anything even here? Have youe to hate me that much Noctis?"

    "Of course now. But you do make me frustrated. You never knew what your priorities were or how to approach your emotions. I had to do all the work and it looks like I will have to do all the work this time as well."

    Lucas knew Noctis''s spirit was teasing him but it was still difficult to not rise at the tease.

    "Go after her. Your time with me is over but it''s not toote for Elysia. You came here to help her, right? Do what should be done."

    And suddenly Lucas knew that Noctis had realized what he was about to do. It was weird to be read so thoroughly by the spirit.

    "I know. And I hope I get to see you soon as well."

    The spirit nodded before disappearing. Lucas did not waste his time looking around either. He hurried his footsteps and followed Elysia.

    He had an idea about her current location and he was d to see that he was right.

    The girl was standing in front of his office door, her eyes looking between the handle and the floor in a worried expression.

    And then Elysia finally decided to open the door. It was also how Lucas came face to face with his past self who had an angry expression on his face.

    "I''m sorry I waste. It will not happen again and-"

    "Don''t make excuses since they will not help you better your performance in the future. Instead, spend your time studying. I had these books'' memories by the time I was your age. Why can''t you do the same?"

    The girl flinched and so did Lucas. He had not realized how harsh his words had been back then.

    Back then, Lucas had no idea how much of a freak he had been. For him, his learning curve had been normal and something everyone should have been able to do. No one else had ever said to him otherwise as well.

    That was why Elysia felt like such a disappointment to him.

    "I��.am sorry? I will try my best to be better."

    "Try your best. Trying your best is not sufficient. You need to show results and��."

    "But for what? No one will care about those results and you always yell at me no matter what I do. I cannot do anything."

    Seeing this scene, there was only one thing Lucas could think of.

    ''Ah, this happened. I remember how frustrated I felt when she said that. The pressure of society back then was something but I should not have pushed her like this.''

    The child in front of Lucas also huffed at the disy.

    "She is going too far. Does she consider me as ''no one'' as well? I should let her calm down before talking to her again."

    Both Lucas and Elysia had been kids back then and their mental states had not been the best. This argument was also a result of that mental gap they had.

    But as much as Lucas wanted to help out, he knew he could not do that anymore. The past had already happened and this was all but an illusion.

    The only thing Lucas could do for now was to talk with Elysia and convince her toe back with him.

    The rest they could think ofter.

 Chapter 41 41: Come Back - Part 1

    There was something surreal about seeing yourself taking something this badly. Even now Lucas remembered the feeling of frustration he had felt at seeing Elysia run from him.

    At that time, he could not understand why Elysia behaved like his demands were unreasonable.

    "Are you not going to go after her? Don''t worry, I will keep your pastpany."

    The familiar brush of the tail was all it took for Lucas to snap out of his thoughts and run after Elysia.

    The friendlyyout of his home brought a wave of nostalgia to Lucas.

    He had modeled the current Dirac estate after this ce. But no matter how much he had tried or how urately he had gotten the stone, something had always been missing.

    It had taken a long time for the Dirac estate to feel like home to Lucas.

    "Elysia, are you there?

    The sound of those soft sobs was getting louder and louder by the second. The closer Lucas got to Elysia, the more he hated the sound of that cry.

    It made him wish that he had Sorias with him right now. Elysia''s familiarity would have been a better choice to console her.

    "Go away. I don''t want to see anyone."

    It was the typical cry of a child. It was something Lucas had never heard from Elysia before.

    His sister had been too prim and proper to talk like this to him. Lucas had brought her up carefully and taught her to hide her emotions.

    Such behavior was not bing one in their family, this was what Lucas had told Elysia in the past.

    It seemed like the wounds on her soul had remained even after everything else had been reset.

    "Elysia, pleasee out. I want to take you back home."

    There was a sound of leaves moving before Lucas saw Elysia''s bodye into focus. Her expression was one Lucas was sure he would never forget as long as he lived.

    "Home? But I am home already. Are you going to send me away again?"

    "Elysia, your brother is not going to abandon you-"

    "I am not asking about him of the past. I am asking about you. Will you abandon me again?"

    For a second Lucas was confused about what Elysia was saying. At this point in his past life, Lucas had never sent Elysia away from home.

    He had been too paranoid that she would cause some kind of ident and mess things up. It would have ended up getting Elysia into trouble she would not have been able to avoid.

    ''The soul remembers what Elysia could not before. Then, does it mean her memories of the past are locked inside her as well? Are they waiting for a time to explode out of her?''

    The thing had that not been a concern before was suddenly bing a real concern now. Lucas had been relieved to know that Elysia had no memories of her past life but this new development caused him to reconsider all he knew.

    This was dangerous. This one answer could make or break Elysia''s rtionship with him.

    "Elysia, no one is going to abandon you. Neither me nor Sorias. I don''t think your friends are going to abandon you either. They are still waiting for you out there."

    Everything on Elysia''s face said that she did not believe Lucas. And she did have good reason to distrust him as well.

    As much as Lucas had wanted to avoid hurting Elysia, he had caused an irreversible scar on her soul.

    "You are a liar. I don''t want to see you anymore."

    Lucas felt the wind pushing his body away. He tried to reach out to the young teenager in front of him but his hands never reached her.

    Before he knew it, he had been thrown outside the estate.

    _________________________________

    "He''s gone so you cane out now. You know, I can just have him thrown out of here so that you don''t have to face him."

    The teen Elysia''s face broke out into a passive smile as soon as she finished throwing the intruder out.

    The person she was talking to just heaved a sigh before her familiar face came into focus. It was the older Elysia, the one whose body was lyingatose outside in the Dirac mansion.

    "I feel guilty doing this. I don''t remember any of this happening. I''m sorry that I cannot remember who I used to be or who you are."

    Elysia did sound sorry. She even felt sorry for the person she used to be and everyone present in her past. It felt like she was killing them by not remembering them.

    "It''s a good thing that you don''t remember what happened since it allows me to exist inside you. Your guardian ced me inside you for a reason and it was to protect you. Be it from yourself or your memories."

    "But of course, that stupid dragon had to interfere and block my ess to you. Listen carefully Elysia, you are free to choose anyone in the world but that stupid dragon, you understand!"

    Elysia almost broke out into a giggle at the anger her ''younger self'' was showing on her behalf.

    She did understand that the projection of her younger self was all but an illusion of magic. The magic had taken this form because it wasfortable.

    Still, the magic was able to do something Elysia had always wanted to do once in her life - Curse Adam out.

    (Somewhere in the real world, Adam sneezed out loud which startled his advisors enough to stick him in bed for a whole day. Just what was might enough to even make the dragon prince ill?)<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "You need to calm down now. I am sure Lord Dirac would give up soon enough and return before his consciousness gets damaged. This ce is not good for him."

    As long as Lord Dirac did not do anything dangerous, Elysia could make his spirit go back without sustaining any damage.

    It would take a toll on Elysia''s reserves but she was sure she had enough control to make that possible.

    A second dive into her soul won''t be possible for a long time though. Elysia would be too fragile for that.

    "I don''t understand why you like Lucas so much. All he did was ignore you your whole life. He even handed you over to someone else to raise."

    "He did that but I cannot fault Lord Dirac for that. Lord Dirac must have been young back then as well. And no matter what happened, I was happy in my new home and with my new people. I will always be thankful to Lord Lucas for that."

    Even if the end of this road was covered in spikes, Elysia could notin about the life she had.

    She had managed to meet Adam and Eve in the end and even Sara and Lord Sorais. That alone had made life meaningful.

    "You are an idiot but I cannot contradict your words. The magic would not allow me to go against yourmands and-"

    Just as the spirit was about to finish, she felt the wave of magic crashing into her. It was familiar and it dominated even her spirit.

    It should have been impossible for that magic to feel familiar but the spirit still felt the same wavelength of power in it that made up her core.

    "You! What are you doing? Master put you here to look after Elysia, not to attack her. Are you turning a traitor?"

    The spirit cried out, her body unable to move for a second.

    That second was all it took for Lord Dirac to jump behind her and close his arms around Elysia. The other female let out a startled gasp before her face was grabbed into her brother''s hands.

    "Come back with me. Please,e back with me. I don''t want to lose you again so please don''t do this to me."

    Those words had real emotions in them but Elysia seemed stiff in those arms. Her arms were hanging limply around her and her expression was dazed.

    _________________________________

    Lucas took a moment to gather himself.

    He had been thrown out of his home by Elysia. No, not Elysia. That spirit had her face but its essence felt different from the girl Lucas had seen before.

    ''She must be a guardian that was ced in this space. I need to get past her if I want to reach my sister.''

    Things had gotten a littleplicated now but Lucas was still sure he would be able to pull it off.

    No, not able. He had to pull it off at any cost. Leaving Elysia in here was not an option.

    "HAHAHA, you seriously got thrown out? I never thought I would see the day. But I guess I should expect that. That spirit got all of my stubbornness after all."

    The familiar voice of Noctis was so refreshing. It gave Lucas a ray of hope.

    He had promised himself that he would never ask Lucas for anything if he ever met him again. Lucas had been so sure about himself and his promise back then.

    But when faced with the circumstance, Lucas had no other choice but to break his promise.

    ''Really, only you can make me break my promise, Elysia.''

    "Noctis, please help me get Elysia out of here. I beg you to help me this time."

    The beast had a regretful expression on his face. Lucas felt his heart sink as soon as he saw that.

    "Hey, don''t look so dejected. I know I cannot help you but I know someone else who can."

    "Someone else?"

    Lucas asked, parroting Noctis''s words. For that, he got a tired and irritated sigh from behind his back.

    "To think that I will turn into such an individual in a few years. How outrageous but fine, I will help you this time since it''s for Elysia''s sake. Don''t expect my help again."

    Lucas watched stunned as his younger self spoke.

    His words were followed by a familiar tidal wave of magic and Lucas felt himself being carried over to the ce he had just been at.

    There were two individuals there, just as Lucas had expected. And his eyes sought out the one he wanted to bring back immediately.

    "I''ll stun the spirit. You go and reim Elysia."

    Lucas nodded and their counter-attack started. The spirit was taken by surprise at seeing them but she could not resist.

    Before he knew it, La''s arms closed around Elysia''s body and she went limp in his arms.

    "Come back with me. Please,e back with me. I don''t want to lose you again so please don''t do this to me."

    Those were the most honest words Lucas had ever said in his life. He hoped that their sincerity would carry over to Elysia.

    All he could do was wait and support her. And Lucas was willing to wait however long he had to in this ce for his sister toe around.

 Chapter 42 42: Come Back - Part 2

    "Come back with me. Please,e back with me. I don''t want to lose you again so please don''t do this to me."

    The words echoed inside Elysia''s mind like a curse. She had never heard someone plead with her in that earnest voice and it caused her desire to remain in this peaceful illusion to waver.

    Those words were enough to make Elysia want to go back since they sounded so sincere.

    ''Are you going to allow yourself to suffer out there again? Didn''t the Head Priest say that he needed you as well? Look where it got you. You got cursed and trapped in here as a result.''

    The voice was a subtle whisper in the back of Elysia''s mind. It had been with Elysia as far as she could remember it being.

    But it had never sounded this clear to her before.

    ''I am a part of you as well. I am the part you sealed away because you were jealous of Eve and the others but didn''t want to admit it. I am the ''real'' you. Why don''t you let me out? I am sure you''ll feel better.''

    The voice was so tempting to follow. It knew what to say to make Elysia feel better.

    She did not want to admit it but she had a desire to harm Lord Dirac verbally for something here. If her words could make him back down from his foolishness then it was good, right?

    Maybe that was why Elysia allowed that sealed part of her to break out just a little from its seal.

    "Go back you loser. I don''t want anything to do with a person like you." Those words escaped Elysia''s lips but it was not her will to speak them.

    Lord Dirac looked stunned hearing Elysia speak and she instantly realized that it had not been ''her'' who spoke.

    Someone else had used her body to utter those words.

    "I am��sorry. I��that was not me."

    No matter what Elysia said now, nothing was going to make things any better now. Words once spoken could not be taken back. That was why humans were advised to think before they speak.

    Misunderstandings could arise from the smallest of failures to control oneself.

    "Is it a voice asking you to take over? Ely, you don''t need to listen to it, nor do you need to turn toward it to feel better. I will always listen to you no matter what you want to say. So please, give me a chance."

    Lord Dirac''s tone was patient and indulging.

    By all means, he should have been furious with Elysia for her words. He should be cursing her out and leaving her in here to rot.

    But he was still here, right in front of Elysia. He was not leaving her alone and he had even called her ''Ely''?

    "I��Why? I am not a good person. I don''t want to show you my real self because-"

    "Because I will feel disgusted and leave you? Elysia, we are very simr. No matter how dark and corrupted your ''real'' self is, I am confident that I can handle it. No part of you can make me turn away from you. After all, you are the only sister I have."

    ''Bold words from someone who threw you away. Lucas sure knows how to sprout nonsense. Don''t believe him or you''ll get betrayed by him. Even your precious Eve threw you away, right?''

    Elysia''s body tensed at thest usation. That was the straw that broke the camel''s back for Elysia.

    ''Eve did not betray me. She tried to help me and I will not hear otherwise. Neither against her nor Adam. Now I am convinced that I need to get away from here.''

    Lord Lucas was still standing in front of Elysia, his hand on her face and his eyes meeting Elysia''s.

    Now that her head was cleared, she was easily able to see past his emotions. And Lord Lucas looked desperate.

    ''Hehe��hehehehe! Do you think you can escape me or your destiny if you have someone protecting you? Stop fooling yourself. Just who do you think you are to deny your fate? Sooner orter, you will face your retribution."

    The voice turned hostile once it knew it had lost its favor in Elysia''s eyes.

    But the ck-haired female chose to ignore the voice. Instead, she met Lord Lucas''s eyes with her confident pair.

    "Although I cannot say I feel confident to call you my brother just yet, I do believe you, Lord Lucas. I hope we can have a real rtionship soon."

    The man looked stunned at Elysia''s purpose. She had never seen someone''s eyes go that wide before.

    Lord Lucas didn''t even look like he had pupils in his eyes. If there was any proof Elysia needed about her importance in Lord Lucas''s life, she had it all.

    This man did adore Elysia as a sister right now. Even such a simple confession from Elysia made the man go loose-legged. His body staggered against Elysia as if he had lost all strength.

    "Thank god you are alright. I would have never forgiven myself if anything happened to you."

    Elysia attempt to give a genuine but happy smile to Lord Lucas, no, to her brother. It had been such a long time since Elysia had smiled that her body found it awkward to do so now.

    But it didn''t hinder Lord Lucas from pulling her into a hug.

    "Let''s get out of here now. Don''t worry, I will keep my promise this time. I will protect you until I die and then even after death. But I assure Elysia, you will have so many people loving you from now on. You will be happy this time."

    That was a heavy promise Lucas was making to her but Elysia had a feeling that he would be able to keep it.

    "Yes, I understand. Then, I will look forward to the future from today onwards."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia felt someone pulling her out. The dream around her was disappearing back into her body.

    Her eyes sought out the remaining magical power contained in the ce. She had only been here for a short amount of time but it hurt to part from here.

    Elysia''s eyes met the spirit that had taken the form of her kid self. Her pouting lips and annoyed eyes said that she was not happy.

    Elysia mouthed a small ''sorry'' toward the spirit and watched as those angry eyes softened just a little bit.

    Someone ced their arms around the spirit''s shoulders and puller her into a side-way hug. It was the beast spirit Elysia had often seen around the property.

    He seemed to have a good rtionship with the Elysia look-alike.

    But the most shocking person Elysia saw down there was the Lucas-look alike. Elysia had avoided him at all costs, both her and the younger spirit.

    From what Elysia had observed here, she could tell that she did not have a good rtionship with that spirit.

    But now watching that younger Lucas walking up toward younger Elysia and pulling her into aforting hug erased all those doubts in her mind.

    ''I don''t know what this ce is but I want my future to be like this. To be surrounded by my loved ones. The only ones missing here are Adam and Eve. I might not have been able to leave if this ce had illusions of them as well.''

    Elysia could leave anyone behind but she could not leave those two behind. They had been her guiding light this whole time.

    Abandoning them would be like abandoning a part of herself. And Elysia could not do that.

    "Elysia, stop thinking and let''s go back. Don''t be afraid and close your eyes. I will take on any residual energy you cannot handle."

    "But-"

    "This is something I resolved to do when I came in here. Please don''t fight me on this."

    Elysia closed her mouth with a sigh. Lucas was resolved to take this burden and his resolve reminded Elysia of her past self.

    Lord Lucas broke the barrier and the bacsh hit the pair. But Elysia didn''t feel any of it. Her brother had protected her while still absorbing the hit''s power.

    Not only that, but he was even taking in the unholy power inside him. It would be impossible for a devouter of the god to absorb but Lord Lucas still managed to bear with it.

    "Just for the record, I never wanted you to feel any pain. I just thought it would be better for you to be away from the mess that is my life. But I am so d that you decided toe home with me. And, fuck this world and its unreasonable demands. We will live how we want to."

    "Idiot. Look ahead and move forward. We can talkter when we are both safe."

    Elysia''s fear caused her to lose control of her polite tongue. This might have been the most informal she had ever been and it drove a chuckle out of Lord Lucas''s lips.

    The man was ash-white already and Elysia could no longer sit back and watch.

    Her power added to her brother''s and helped elevate his burden. The man looked startled to see that but he never got the chance to scold Elysia before the world converged into a small ss bead and threw the pair apart.

    _________________________________

    "She woke up. Hurry up and get a healer here to check on the Lord and the Lady."

    There was a fury of moments around Elysia when she felt her eyes open. The clear world was no longer in front of her.

    ''I''m back to my own body. The blurry world is so nice to see again.''

    Since the world was blurry again, Elysia had ess to her magic now. She could even feel it coursing through her body now.

    ''It feels so good to be back. But I feel like I am missing something important.''

    Elysia clutched the hand in her own, her fingers feeling something firm but soft in her grasp which caused Elysia to be alert instantly.

    But herck of danger and ease stopped Elysia from feeling that awkwardness. The hand in her own felt familiar and safe to Elysia.

    "Back with us now? Lucas took a really big gamble to help you and now he''s exhausted. Let the doctor take a look at you for now and then you can go back to sleep."

    Lord Sorias''s presence was familiar as well. His connection to Elysia was pulsing strong and with fondness.

    This was the moment that made Elysia''s hard-kept lock on her emotions erode and her eyes leaked with tears. Her tears fell on the hand in her grasp which caused her brother to wake up instantly.

    "W-What is wrong? Elysia, stop crying. Did Sorias say anything mean to you? Should I throw him out? Or d-does it hurt? Sorias, get the doctor in-"

    "It''s alright. I am just happy. I''m so d I came back with you. I never realized-" ''how much I missed this.''

    Elysia didn''t finish that sentence and no one forced her to either. It was an overall happy moment until the doctors stormed the scene and shooed the boys out for a full body checkup.

    Lord Lucas was not exempted from this formality as well which caused him to re at the un-phased doctor.

    The scene was hrious enough to bring augh to Elysia''s lips. Life was indeed very blessed right now for Elysia.

 Chapter 43 43: He Wants Me To Do What?

    The much-awaited reunion happened after the 7-day mark passed. Elysia managed to wake up in time to receive guests and Eve also kept her word of visiting her.

    As soon as the redhead saw Elysia''s eyes open, her arms closed around Elysia''s shoulders and she was pulled into a tight hug.

    "I thought I lost you. You were sleeping for so long that it felt like you will never wake up again. I am so happy to see you finally wake up."

    Elysia''s head was spinning in the hug, her senses still trying to make sense of what had happened to her.

    All she could remember was the feeling of darkness and being pulled out of it by a familiar and cool hand. It had taken some time for Elysia to sort through her memories after she had woken up and even then, Elysia was sure her brain did not remember most of what

    Theck of memory Elysia had about her unconscious days was a matter of worry. But it didn''t feel like a topic she had to explore right now.

    "Eve, I am alright. Rest was all I needed to wake myself up."

    Even though Elysia said this to reassure Eve, her mind was not assured at all. Losing memory was not something Elysia liked to experience.

    What if she had an important dream or a vision that could help her out in surviving? What if there was something she was supposed to remember but she didn''t?

    "Eve, give Elysia some room to breathe. You''re suffocating her by hugging her this tight."

    Adam was another person who had been there when Elysia woke up this morning. From what she had heard, the prince had visited her every day for the past few days.

    ''He must consider me a good friend to visit me this often. I will have to find a way to break off this engagement soon and to set him free.''

    Adam, who was standing behind Eve made for a striking image. Both him and Even in the same frame gave the sense of ''being together.'' Elysia could see that she had no ce in that picture.

    It stung to realize that you were the odd one out in your close group but Elysia was used to feeling like this.

    "Ah, that reminds me. I still have to receive a reply from you about the ball the royal pce will be hosting this week. It''s for the temple''s charity event. Initially, you needed toe for the dress fitting today but your condition doesn''t permit it. That puts us in quite a bind."

    Adam''s voice sounded neutral when he brought up this topic. Balls were a touchy subject between the three of them.

    Every time Elysia went to a ball, something bad happened which caused the ball to halt. Most of the time it was a rudement from an influentialmoner toward Elysia that struck the nobles too close to home.

    No one ever said anything to her but Elysia could read the atmosphere that she was not needed in the ballroom.

    "Ah, I don''t think it''ll be possible this time."

    If Elysia pushed herself, she could make it to the ball in time. She recovered enough and she also had enough energy to y around.

    But since this was a charity event, Elysia wanted it to go well. The best way was to eliminate the variable that was ''her.''

    Eve would be alright from the noble criticism due to her recent achievement and the silent word of having Lord Dirac''s support.

    "I understand. I will ask the temple to postpone the ball to next week. I don''t want to be the target of those hungry eyes watching me."

    "You cannot do that. There is too much at stake here."

    Adam''s words were instantly refuted by Eve. Her serious tone left no room for argument and Elysia found herself agreeing with Eve in this regard.

    This charity ball was important for their people. The royal family could not just change the date for it whenever they wanted to.

    "But I don''t want to put myself in a position to be other''s toy. Most of the unmarried children will head toward me to try and tempt me away. It''s so ufortable. I am not going to the ball without a partner I trust."

    Adam''s disgust was clear on his face. Elysia did understand why he was being like this.

    Elysia had seen a lot of marriages break and families fall due to a scandal issue. It was standard practice in this world.

    But a scandal involving the royal family would be on a different level. It would be the talk of a town and it could also make the future difficult to predict.

    "Adam, you don''t have to go alone to the ball. You have another option nearby that you can trust."

    "I do?", "He does?"

    Those two voices asked the question at the same time. Elysia wanted tough at the synergy those two showed.

    Elysia just gestured toward Eve and Adam''s face bore a look of disgust. He instantly jumped back as if he had been scorched by fire.

    "Elysia, no! I refuse to be this idiotic Prince''s partner. People already misunderstand our rtionship as it is. I don''t want to fan the mes.''

    Eve denied the request. Her expression looked bad which made Elysia feel regretful that she was going to miss out on the ball.

    But this was for the future development of their rtionship. Elysia had to show them that she was not an obstacle.

    That way, the biggest hurdle in her path which was misunderstanding would be blown away.

    "No. I would rather go to the ball alone than go with Eve. Maybe I should take one of my retainers with me? I am sure they will be able to keep the unwanted eyes away from me."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Adam plotted out loud. The man was not even looking at Elysia when he was suggesting this alternative.

    ''It''s cute how hard they both are ying to get. But this needs to stop now. I am tired of being the third wheel.''

    "You both should think more over this. Won''t it be a beneficial partnership for you both?"

    Elysia was all but begging the two now. Eve''s red face indicated that she had as good as agreed with Elysia but it was Adam who was the real challenge.

    His face was still turned away but his eyes were softer than before.

    "Adam, please think this over. It would ease my mind to know that you have a trusted partner with you during this difficult time. I trust Eve with you.''

    ''Although it would be nice if you both made a move on each other. It''s about time already.''

    Elysia sighed once she realized that the pair in front of her was wavering. Just a little push more and they would both agree with her.

    "Fine, I will take Eve with me. Stop giving me those puppy eyes. I can''t take them anymore."

    Elysia''s heart gave a painful pang as she heard Adam agree to her request. She knew she had no right toin when she had all but forced Adam to agree with her words but she wished that Adam had denied her a little longer.

    ''No, this is good. It is the right thing to do.''

    Elysia calmed her heart down as the conversation shifted from the heavy topic of the ball to more mundane topics.

    The more Elysia heard the pair talk, the calmer she felt. It had been a long time since the three of them had been together like this.

    It was in the evening when Lucas Dirac arrived in Elysia''s room, his face twisted into an unhappy frown.

    "Alright, this is enough of the interactions. You both should go back and prepare for the uing charity event. Elysia also needs time to learn Dirac family traditions so give her a few days of peace."

    There was an almost-growl in Lucas''s words. The man did not look happy to see Elysia getting along this well with Adam and Eve.

    ''Was the work that tough today for brother? His dark circles are getting prominent by the day.''

    It had been a few days since Elysia hade back with Lord Dirac and their rtionship was improving slowly and steadily. It had gotten to a point where Elysia could even call him ''brother'' without feeling awkward.

    She was sure that the thing that had happened when she had been sleeping helped her get closer to Lucas.

    "Brother, are you done for the day? I thought you were busy with the urgent paperwork."

    The other two people surrounding Elysia jumped at her new form of address. They looked between her and Lord Dirac with surprised expressions.

    "Since when did the two of you get so close? I thought you both were going through your awkward perio��hey, what did you do that for?"''

    Eve stopped Adam from speaking more rude words but she looked upset at the new development as well.

    As for Elysia, she did not catch that small detail but Lord Dirac did.

    "Don''t worry. Work is not as bad as it used to be so I can still handle it pretty fine. What about you? You should go to sleep as well. I will wake you up in time for dinner."

    This was a clear dismissal of the guests if Elysia had ever heard one. But she chose not to go against Lord Dirac''s words.

    She had just started getting along with the elder and she did not want to hamper her progress this early.

    "I understand Lord Dirac. We should get going now since we have a lot of work to do as well. Elysia, I hope you feel better soon."

    Eve stood up and dragged an unwilling Adam after her. Elysia felt bad at seeing them go but she also felt relieved to see them go.

    She lived with her friends but they were too much sometimes.

    "I see that you turned down the Crown Prince''s invite for the charity ball. Did you do it to force him to get closer to your other friend?"

    Lord Lucas was sharp. He had even caught that small detail Elysia had been nning.

    "Don''t they look cute together? I want them to live happily in their lives and they can only do that with each other. They belong together."

    ? Elysia was convinced of this face and no one could tell her otherwise. Lord Dirac looked to be in deep thought after Elysia''s words but he smiled at her instead of asking more questions.

    "I see. I can see why you would think that. But Elysia, don''t you want to go to the ball as well? You''ll be bored at home and I wantpany as well. So, let me suggest something."

    "Apany me to the ball as my escort this time. Girls would leave me alone if I take my sister with me, right?"

    Elysia watched unfolded as her brother''s reached her ears. And then her face went white at what she heard.

    ''He wants me to do what?''

 Chapter 44 44: A Typical Outing

    ''How did I find myself in this situation? I can feel the eyes ring daggers into my back even from behind the window curtains.''

    Elysia flinched as the needle came too close to piercing her body again. This was already the tenth time she had been pricked because of her body''s reaction.

    "Lady Dirac, you need to rx. Your dress will not sit well on your body if you move around too much."

    The olddy who was fixing Elysia''s dress somehow managed to prick Elysia again. She was being extremely patient with Elysia which made it easy for Elysia to ignore these small mistakes on her part.

    But Lord Dirac, eh, Lucas didn''t seem to think the same. He was ring at the olddy, daring her to prick Elysia again.

    ''Brother has a powerful re. I am sure it must be making the shop owner even more nervous.''

    Elysia wasn''t sure if it was because of the nervousness or her frigidity that was causing so many mistakes today but Elysia knew better than to me a third party.

    "No matter how much you re at me my lord, I cannot work any faster than this. Perhaps you should leave the room if you are going to distract me from working on readjusting My Lady''s dress."

    The olddy got an even more acidic re for her efforts. The expression on the shopkeeper''s face did not change but Elysia did feel her hands shake a little.

    ''I guess even other people get nervous in brother''s presence. Should I ask him to give me a little privacy?''

    It would not be odd for Elysia to ask for a little privacy. Despite how well things were going between the siblings, Elysia was still nervous to be in the same space as Lord Lucas for a long time.

    Sora had returned to the enchanted forest for a few days to gather information which had also left Elysia along with Lucas in the mansion. (There were maids and butlers around but they didn''t count)

    "Lord Dir- eh, I mean, Bother Lucas, can you give me and the shop owner some privacy? I need her to adjust some parts that she cannot if you are standing in here."

    Elysia made sure her voice was as unoffending as she could make it. The olddy let out a relieved sigh nearby.

    Her nerves must be off the roof while being red at by Lord Dirac.

    "Elysia, I thought you were on my side? But even you are throwing me to the sharks? I will be assaulted and taken advantage of as soon as I step out of this room. Can''t you feel those eyes on me? Those predators are waiting for me toe out alone."

    The olddy looked startled at Lord Dirac''s weird behavior but Elysia was getting used to it now.

    It had been startling to see his behavior at first but it did not take long for Elysia to adjust. Maybe because she had no real friends outside Eve and Adam, Elysia''s expectations when it came to these things were a little weird.

    But ever since Lord Lucas had helped Elysia out, he had seemed a little more rxed than before.

    "Brother, please go. You''re also making the shopkeeper scared. She can''t possibly work like this."

    ''She can''t work in front of me? Then, she need not work for me,'' that was what her brother''s face was saying to Elysia.

    But he likely read Elysia''s worried face as well and decided to take his leave which Elysia was grateful for.

    She did not want to change in front of her brother and she had not lied when she said that there were some ''private'' changes she wanted to be done to the dress.

    "Excuse me but can you add more ck to the dress? And a Dirac crest on the back will be nice as well if you can embroider it."

    Now that Elysia had decided to work toward formally annulling the engagement, it was time to start taking those steps.

    Usually, Elysia''s dress needed to carry the crest of the royal family since she was the Crown Prince''s fiance. But this time it would not be needed.

    As Adam''s partner, Eve''s dress would carry the royal crest. Elysia could not publicly wear the royal crest despite her position so normally her dress should be devoid of any crest.

    But she was a noble representative of the Duke''s house this time. So as per customs, her dress needed to carry the house crest on it.

    "The Dirac crest? Are you serious, mydy? Won''t that be a crime-"

    "Why would it be a crime for me to wear my own family''s crest on my dress? I am a full-blooded Dirac as well, right?"

    Elysia felt annoyed at being asked the question. She did not originally want to cause a fuss but she could also not let this matter rest.

    ''Sora would scold me again if I don''t say anything now. I don''t want him to be disappointed in me.''

    Elysia knew she was taking a risk by asking for this but she did not care so much. Once her engagement was broken the death g that was brewing on her head would go away.

    "If this is something mydy wants then I will try to incorporate it. But I will need to run it by Lord Dirac first before I make any changes. Please be ensured that it is not because of mydy but as a standard protocol we must follow."

    Elysia wanted to say something about this ''standard protocol'' she had never heard anything about. But she also did not want to fight with the olddy unnecessarily.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Despite her words and actions, the olddy had been nothing but courteous with Elysia. She had not outwardly shown hostility toward the ''new'' Dirac.

    Elysia was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

    "I understand. I will be waiting for good news then."

    Elysia had nothing else to say after that. The shopkeeper looked a little ufortable at being along with Elysia after that disagreement so Elysia decided to take her to leave.

    Her brother was waiting in the waiting lobby of the Saloon, her body tense and guarded against the attention he was receiving.

    A lot of eyes had already sought him out as an eligible target to try and seduce. Elysia was not surprised to see her brother''s poprity.

    After all, he was a handsome and young rich noble. Being a Duke was a big position and a huge attraction for mostdies.

    "Lord Dir-eh, I mean, brother, I am done here. Let''s go back home or we''ll bete for dinner."

    All eyes in the saloon turned toward Elysia as one to make her take those words back. It was the same as being bullied by the owners of those eyes.

    Elysia had always hated seeking attention from these people so having their eyes on her was a huge pain.

    "Finally! Are you sure you don''t have anything else to do? You can always bug me to take you out. You don''t have to be so polite all the time with me."

    ''I don''t think I have the luxury of doing that. These people already look ready to eat me alive just for being with you. I don''t think I will survive if I behave any more informally with you.''

    It was not only the females who were eying Elysia with disdain for taking their ''future'' position. The proof of Lord Dirac''s favor painted an even bigger target on her back.

    "Ely, you need to be careful and avoid these people. They would try to take advantage of you if you let them. So you need to know when to cut them off."

    Lord Dirac''s voice was not low when he suggested that. Most of the faces turned red at the indirect jab being made at their expanse.

    But the others darkened at being insulted because of an ''unknown'' person. People were not willing to ept Elysia so easily into their ruling household.

    There were mainly three kinds of people at this saloon - those who ignored Elysia''s existence, those who found her an eye-sore, and the third kind,

    "Umm, Lady Elysia, hello. My name is Sharon and I''m Count Erwin''s daughter. I heard that you had a problem with your eyes so I was wondering if I could help you as a friend. Won''t you like to be my friend?"

    Lady Sharon looked like a sweetdy with brown hair and green eyes. Beyond that, Elysia could not tell what she looked like.

    She was a prime example of the third kind of people present in the saloon - those who wanted to use Elysia to get closer to Lord Dirac.

    Most of the nobles here were young and had only heard about Elysia from an external source. To them, she was a naive young girl who fell into their world blind.

    ''She thinks of me as an easy target. Does she think I cannot tell who her real target is if she keeps on ncing toward my brother like this?''

    It was true to an extent. Elysia could not feel the pressure of Sharon''s eyes on her. The elder girl seemed more interested in watching her brother than waiting for Elysia''s response.

    "Brother, I am feeling faint and I want to go home now. Can you please escort me? Ah, I''m sorry Lady Sharon but I''m feeling quite unwell right now. I guess I over-exerted myself today."

    The poor girl looked taken aback by the sudden address. It was clear to even the half-blind Elysia that Lady Sharon was not paying attention to her.

    "Ah, is that so? If that''s the case then I should help you at home. Right, Lord Dirac. Isn''t that what friends do for -"

    "There is no need for Lady Erwin to escort Elysia home. I shall do it myself since she''s my sister. Tell the shop owner toe to my home with the dress in two days and make any changes my sister wants. No matter what she asks, it shall be done without question."

    The olddy who had just exited her room went red and then white at the subtle threat. Elysia had a feeling that her dress would have the crest she requested from the Lady.

    "You didn''t have to make such a fuss in there. What if this negatively affects the Dirac house in the future?"

    Elysia was not worried but she still felt concerned about her brother''s future. He had no diplomatic value and made enemies left and right.

    He was so easily triggered as well which was a big concern Elysia had.

    "Don''t worry about the future so much. These people are no threat to the Dirac house and I''ve had a talk with the crown prince as well about a possible future coboration. We are as safe as we can be."

    Despite Lord Dirac''s reassuring words, Elysia could not help but feel worried still. She did not know why but the future looked too uncertain for her liking.

 Chapter 45 45: Making Plans - Part 1

    Once Elysia had gone to sleep, Lucas also retreated to his room. He could feel Hector''s disapproving nce staring into his head but Lucas didn''t spare him a look.

    After all, he already knew what the head butler was worried about.

    "Hector, if you are worried about Elysia wearing the family crest at the uing charity ball, then you should calm yourself down. She has my full support to do what she wants to."

    Lucas had said those words to reassure the Head Butler but the man looked even more pissed off and worried for some reason.

    For whatever reason, Hector refused to look past the world''s taint on Elysia and continued to cause trouble for her.

    Lucas already ignored the staff''s various mistakes when it came to Elysia but generally turned a blind eye to it all.

    After all, Elysia would not like it if Lucas soured his rtionship with his staff for her. But sometimes the temptation to say ''fuck you to his staff was too much to handle.

    "But my lord, I cannot look past her deeds this time. For her to even suggest wearing the Dirac crest when you have never worn it. How is that fair to you? Won''t it be like throwing salt into your wounds?"

    ''Just what kind of thoughts is this butler cooking up in his brain now? Why would my sister wearing the family crest be a taint on my name?''

    There was something Lucas was missing in this context but he was not sure what it was. Lucas was well aware that he had different views about loyalty and honor than a normal person.

    ''Let''s just hear what Hector has to say before I dismiss him. He doese up with a few good ideas once in a while.''

    There was no real reason for Lord Dirac to take advice from a servant but Lucas was a little liberal with his staff. That was a reason the staff liked working for him.

    "My lord, I know you want to indulge Lady Elysia''s demand but it is illogical for her to wear the Dirac house crest before the actual house head does. It will send the wrong message out to the people."

    By the wrong message, Hector likely meant that people will think that Elysia was the actual house head.

    Under the current Imperial rule, only the House head and his heir could permit someone to wear the Nobel crest on their clothes. And that was only when they were wearing the crest.

    And since Elysia was neither the next heir nor the family head, she should have no business wearing the family crest.

    Not if Lord Dirac was not willing to wear one as well.

    ''I guess wearing the family crest for Elysia''s sake is not the worst oue. It could boost her reputation among the nobles.''

    "Fine, I understand the situation. I will deal with it ordingly."

    "You will? Then, should I contact the dress shop which is customizing the Lady''s orders, and ask them to not add the crest?"

    "Of course not. Ask them to add the crest to my clothes as well. Make mine and Elysia''s sets matching ones since we will be representing the same house."

    The happy expression on Head Butler Hector''s face instantly froze.

    There was a constant shift between happiness and dread on that man''s face and it was amusing to watch.

    "B-But my lord, are you sure? You were neverfortable with wearing the crest. You should not let Lady Elysia''s desires sway your wants."

    For someone who had done everything in his power to get Lord Dirac to wear the family crest, Hector was being dismissive this time.

    Was Elysia''s presence this off-putting to him?

    "I am doing this all out of my own free will. Elysia has nothing to do with this so don''t bring her into this fude. You are also dismissed for the day."

    The Head Butler looked like he had a lot more to say about this topic.

    But he stopped his mouth from uttering any word when the main door was knocked upon. It seemed like Hector had a few words to speak with Lucas in private.

    "Oi Lucas, hurry up and open the door. I have important news for us."

    But it could all wait after Lucas was done talking with Sorias. The beast had decided to retreat into the enchanted forest along with Andrew (Sara''s father) to try and get him to speak.

    The beast have been gone for a day now but his urgent tone indicated that his words could not wait.

    "My lord, should I let the intruder in? His behavior is not reassuring and you could be in danger."

    Hector did have a point. Sorias''s voice did sound very threatening to those who did not know him. And even now it seemed like he was threatening Lucas.

    "No need. I''ve known Lord Sorias since I was a kid and he is Elysia''s familiar. I am sure I can handle myself for now."

    The Head Butler sighed out loud at his dismissal tone. Lucas ignored hisining ''that''s what I''m worried about the butler muttered under his breath.

    The Head Butler was even brave enough to have a stare-off with Sorias when he left the room but soon there were only two left in here.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "This guy gives me the creeps. You should be careful around people like him since they are easily influenced by the world."

    Lord Sorias sounded bitter as he entered the room. The stare-off had ended in a stale mate for both sides which must be irritating Sorias a lot.

    The younger was always a dominant one and wanted to have things his way. Being evenly matched like this by a no-name person must be getting to him.

    ''Just let Hector''s behavior slide this time. I know how hees across but he''s a good man overall. We don''t need to be concerned about him."

    Or at least, they did not have to be concerned about Hector right now. Some too many other enemies needed Lucas''s attention.

    And it was nice to have someone like Hector around who was vignt and could also be shrewd when the time called for it.

    "Well, if you are sure he''s a decent man then I''ll take your words for it. But remember, we beasts see humans differently than you. So when I ask you to be careful of someone, I am not saying it lightly."

    Lucas knew that but he did not want to doubt Hector. The man had been with him for a few years now.

    "Anyway, that is not what I was here to say. I wanted to talk to you about the Kelvin town case and the results we found."

    Lucas''s focus instantly shifted to the talk in front of him.

    The Kelvin town case was not something Lucas had paid enough attention to at first but he could no longer turn a blind eye toward it.

    Especially since one of the ''beast'' people were concerned with it.

    "Was it the same Andrew we knew? Didn''t he go missing when we arrived in this world?"

    When their world had ended, not everyone had been fortunate enough to survive the shift. It was impossible to count the innumerable casualties that had resulted. Those who had ended up dying had their existence re-moved from everyone''s consciousness.

    The only reason people even know of this erased existence was through the things left behind by those people.

    But not everyone had been fortunate enough to be forgotten. Some people had simply gone missing when their world had merged into this one and theirws had changed.

    "The forest managed to clear some of Andrew''s emotions and he finally confessed. ording to him, he had not chosen to go missing of his own ord but someone has dragged him and several others away from our group,"

    "He said that this person felt familiar so he didn''t protest much against them. As for how this person looked or how he sounded, he doesn''t remember at all. He just remembered that the man said something about ''revenge'' on this world and shit."

    Lord Sorais sounded as frustrated as Lucas looked. The more they dragged their feet into this case, the more it tangled up.

    To involve the world''s favorite in a scheme was a big thing. The world would not have allowed such a thing to happen unless he had no other choice but to do so.

    "We won''t be able to solve this case with only so few clues. We will need to revisit this caseter again. For now, I will keep an eye on things while you keep Elysia safe. I have a feeling she will get involved in all this sooner orter."

    Lord Dirac would give anything for Elysia to not get involved in things but the world didn''t work like that.

    The world had chosen Elysia as a ''viin'' so it would do its best to continuebeling her as such. Maybe this was also a ploy to get Elysia into trouble.

    "Lucas, are you going to the charity ball this weekend? I think we should avoid making any public appearances for now. Things are too hectic right now."

    Lucas knew that Sorias''s words made sense. But he could not follow them because of his current position.

    He was ''The Duke'' and his disappearance during such an event would be a hot topic.

    Not to mention, it was too close to Elysia''s initiation into the Dirac house and her incident. A lot of people will be out to get them at this time.

    "I want to stay out of the public eye as well but now is not the time. Elysia needs this public appearance to show that she had my support."

    Lord Sorais gave a suffering-filled sigh but then smiled soon enough.

    "I had a feeling that you would say that to me. Alright, do what you need to do. I am looking forward to the ball as well. I wonder how funny those nobles will look when they see you and Elysia in your family crests."

    "Yeah, I cannot wait for their reaction either. It is going to be amusing, right?"

    Lucas knew how much trouble it would cause for Elysia to show up in Dirac crest and colors instead of the royal ones.

    It would also likely anger that Draconic Crown Prince of theirs and cause trouble. But honestly, Lord Dirac was looking forward to it.

    The Crown Prince was all but talk thus far and if the annulment of this engagement was what it took to get him moving, then that was the hand Lord Dirac would y.

    "Do what you feel right Lucas but also be careful. Fire gives warmth but it can burn you as well. y with it safely."

    "There is no safe way to y with fire. All I can do is hope and contain it. I guess we will see what will happen once the ball arrives here."

 Chapter 46 46: Making Plans - Part 2

    "It''s nice if you finally find the time to see me, my dear daughter. I heard that you took care of the Kelvin town case. So, how was the experience leading the team?"

    Eve had not wanted toe back to the temple this soon. Instead, she would have preferred to spend the day with Elysia now that she was finally awake.

    But the charity ball was a big event that Eve could not afford to mess up. This was where her reputation as the next saintess would be coined.

    ''And then I can openly state my intentions toward Elysia. I need to stay focused until that very end.''

    Eve knew she was no match for the Crown Prince just yet but soon she would be. She would have the power and influence to match him.

    "Father, why did you ask Elysia to help me during the Kelvin town case? I could tell that it was your doing even if she didn''t say anything to me."

    The Head Priest didn''t even look startled at being found out. Eve hated this about her adopted father.

    No matter what kind of situation he faced, he was always calm and collected. He never lost his temper with her, nor did he ever tell her the full truth.

    "Ah, I asked Elysia because she was your friend. I knew she left very abruptly and you didn''t get a chance to talk to her beforehand so I thought I should give you this opportunity. Besides, she was a big help to you, right?"

    That did make sense in Eve''s mind but she could also not help but doubt her father''s intentions.

    ''He didn''t lie but he didn''t tell me the whole truth as well. I don''t want to suspect that father is the culprit behind anything that happened but he is making it difficult for me not to notice his odd behavior.''

    "Eve, you are happy to solve this case right? I heard that the people of Kelvin town are calling you a ''little angel'' after your week-long ceremony. And not only them, but the othermon folks are also praising you as well. I even heard that the Crown Prince asked you to be his partner for the charity ball this weekend because he realized what a gem you were."

    Eve almost choked at thest sentence.

    "Excuse me but what? I and Adam don''t have that kind of rtionship with each other. I am just a stand-in for Elysia since she cannot make it."

    Eve knew that everyone else was misunderstanding this situation but she had hoped that her father would be better.

    He had raised Eve ever since she was a child so he should know better than anyone else who Eve liked.

    ''Unless he is teasing me but I don''t find this joke very funny.''

    "Eve, you don''t have to hide how you feel from me. There is a weird aura around you wherever you go out on those outings of yours. And who else could make you feel like this but the Crown Prince?"

    Eve wanted to correct this misconception right now.

    If she swung the right way then her target of affection might have been Adam. The guy was tall and handsome. Not to mention, rich and had a lot of influence on this empire.

    Objectively speaking, he was the perfect man anyone could have asked for. But Eve did not swing that way.

    ''Or rather, I only swing one way and that is Elysia.''

    And then there was that personality of the Crown Prince and his obsession with Elysia as well. Anyone other than Eve would not be able to keep up with him.

    ''In a way, I can see why people might think we make a good couple. But they don''t know that we end up talking about Elysia every time we meet.''

    "Eve, just know that I am on your side no matter what happens in the future. You can ask me for help anytime you need it."

    Those words touched Eve a lot but it also meant that there was no room left for her to clear up the misunderstanding between her and Adam.

    ''I missed my window of opportunity. Oh well, I will have a few more chances to clear my name in the future.''

    Eve just ate her food in silence. As long as she didn''t admit to liking anyone then no one could say that she liked Adam for real.

    Eve would always have the usibility of denialter. (If only things worked this way.)

    "By the way, will you be heading toward the Royal Pce today for your fitting? You should take a few gifts from the temple''s side aspensation."

    Eve wanted to refuse but it would be rude of her to show up empty-handed. In the end, she decided to follow the Head Priest''s lead and take a holy artifact with her to the Royal Pce.

    The queen liked Eve quite a bit and Eve wanted to give back the love she received from her.

    ''And maybe this way the Royal Family will support me when I ask them for Elysia''s hand. The queen knows that the one I like is Elysia, not Adam.''

    That was the only nice part about all this. The queen always had a goodugh whenever Eve and Adam ends up fighting over Elysia.

    _________________________________

    The Royal Pce was a noisy ce and that was why Adam didn''t often like it.

    But as a prince, he had no choice but to stay here and lead the subjects. He had a duty to look after his people.

    Besides, he also needed a cozy nest for Elysia once she married him and there was no other ce with better funds than the Royal Pce.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Usually, Adam could tolerate the Royal Pce and all the nonsense it came with but not today.

    ''Did you hear? Our Prince finally asked the next saintess out. I always knew they would make an adorable couple.''

    ''It was about time as well. Don''t you see them making those lovely-dovely eyes at each other every time they meet?''

    ''It was a given that this would happen sooner orter. I mean, have you not seen that gloomy fiance of the Crown Prince? Every time I look at her, I get an unsettling feeling.''

    ''You are right. On the contrary, I feel refreshed when I look at the next saintess. I am sure she''s the best match our prince could have asked for.''

    The more Adam walked through the garden, the more such words he heard. And the more he heard, the more pissed off he got.

    "Don''t mind them too much my Lord. These people have no idea how nice Lady Elysia is."

    The aid walking beside Adam was the same one who had served him a long ago. Unlike normal people, he knew how his master felt about ''newly'' crowned Lady Dirac.

    He could not say that he approved of the match but he would not be the one to suggest otherwise either.

    The aid did value his life quite a bit and he did not want to lose it by angering the Crown Prince.

    "Of course, these people don''t know Elysia. And I prefer that these people don''t know Elysia as well. I don''t want Elysia''s ears to be tainted by their bullshit. Now, what time will that demon be here again? I need to know when I should make my exit."

    The aid sighed in pain at his master''s cruel words.

    The ''demon'' in question was referring to Eve. His master didn''t want to spend any time with her.

    He was already pissed off that he would have to wear a matching outfit with Eve and be a ''couple'' at the Charity ball. He did not want to add to that irritation by spending more time together as well.

    "You cannot do that, my lord. As your partner, you have to escort Lady Eve to the Royal Boutique and then sit through the fitting. You both also need to have a matching set of the Royal Family crest on your clothes to make it official."

    ''Ouch, that was the wrong thing to say.''

    The aid flinched at the intensity of the eyes that were ring at him for that suggestion.

    "I don''t want it to be ''official''. Eve is not my fiance and I would like to keep it as such."

    "From how hard you are denying it, one would think that you are trying to hide something. But don''t worry, you are not to my taste as well. We are both doing this as a favor for Elysia so let''s get it over with."

    The aid sighed in relief as soon as he saw Lady Eve make her way toward his master.

    If there was one person who could keep up with him, it was Lady Eve. Lady Elysia would just make his master surrender since he was a simp for her.

    "It''s so noisy out here. Won''t you escort me inside now my lord? I feel a little faint out here."

    Lady Eve made a falling motion and the aid watch his lord''s eyes fill with disdain as he had to catch her.

    "Stand still woman and have some dignity. We are under watchful eyes."

    Lord Adam''s voice was just loud enough for the three to hear. For those who saw this scene at a distance, it mighte off as romantic.

    But the tight grip her lord had on Lady Eve''s arms and the mocking grin Lady Eve gave in return ruined any chances of this being a sweet moment.

    "Ah, what pity. Elysia would not haveined if I did this with her. Why do you have to bitch so much when ites to me?"

    "Well, I won''t haveined so much if you were Elysia either. Now stand straight since we have work to be done."

    The Crown Prince helped Eve stand up and the aid was sure that this news would spread all around soon enough.

    By the evening, a new tale of ''young love between the Crown Prince and the saintess'' would circte and dampen his master''s mood.

    And that would give rise to a very crappy week for the aid.

    ''Lady Elysia pleasee back soon. It is so much easier to handle these two when you are here. You are the only hope of our empire''s sanity.''

    The aid cried out in his heart as he followed after the Crown Prince and his ''temporary'' partner.

    Somehow the aid had a feeling that a storm was approaching and it would be all because of this current arrangement Lord Adam and Lady Eve had.

    ''Lady Elysia, please hurry back here.''

    Somewhere in the Dirac mansion, Elysia sneezed for the fifth time in a matter of minutes. She had a feeling that someone was thinking about her very seriously and begging her toe back.

    But since it was just a feeling, Elysia didn''t think much of it. She had many more important things to worry about than a random feeling.

 Chapter 47 47: A New Teacher - Part 1

    "Wahhhh, look at this skin tone and thatplexion. And then add that gorgeous red hair of yours. Everything in here wouldpliment mydy so much. Which one do you prefer? The red shades or the ck ones?"

    The over-zealous Royal Tailor seemed to be in a great mood today. Her eyes shined at seeing her new customer who entered the shop with the Crown Prince.

    She, along with her assistant had served the royal family for generations but never had the Crown Prince ever brought anyone in here.

    Even when Lady Elysia hade for her previous fittings, she hade alone. This unusual behavior from the Crown Prince could only be because of his ''true love'' for Lady Eve.

    "Anything simple would do. I don''t want to take up too much of your time Lady Florance. Besides, I am just here as a substitute for Elysia."

    ''Oh, this poor girl is in for a hard time. She is trying too hard not to sound disappointed but I can hear it in her voice. Lady Elysia is an evildy to stand in the way of this true love.''

    Lady Florance felt tearse to her eyes as she watched the next saintess tough her feelings out.

    The poordy was in a bad spot but she was still notining at all. Instead, Lady Eve seemed to have epted her fate and was resigning not to cause problems.

    ''I want to support this true love I see in front of me. And I will make the best dress possible for my Lady so that the Crown Prince won''t be able to take his eyes off her.''

    "Don''t be sad my Lady. By the time I''m done with you, you will be the most dazzlingdy of the night."

    Lady Florance was not saying those words lightly. She was making a promise she would hold up at any cost.

    And then she would be hailed as the ''Lady of Love'' by everyone who heard the story in the future.

    "NO! That''s not something I want. I just want to get the night over with."

    The poor girl was still trying to be considerate of the ''fake'' fiance the prince had. It was such a heartbreaking thing for the elder to see.

    "My Lady, you are so kind and gracious. I will make sure the Royal Crest shines brightly on your clothes during the ball."

    The Royal Tailor had a lot of ideas on how to make that happen. She had designed the clothes for the royal family so she knew her way with the stuff that was being used.

    "What? No! You cannot just mark any clothes with the Royal Crest. Besides, she''s my fiance''s ''temporary'' stand-in. There is no need for you to mark her with my symbol."

    "Yeah right. I don''t want your stupid symbol on my body either. I am just doing this as a favor for Elysia anyway."

    Seeing the couple fight brought a sob to Lady Florance''s throat. She could not believe how much they must care about each other to fight over this stuff.

    ''This cannot be allowed. I will not allow such a good couple to break up because of soem stupid misunderstanding.''

    Lady Florance had dealt with some tough people in her life. Two unreasonable teens were not something that bothered her at all.

    "Prince Adam, Lady Eve might not be your ''fiance'' but she is someone who is apanying you. It would be better for her to have the Royal Crest on her clothes to mark her status. Think about Lady Eve''s reputation."

    Lady Florance nodded after she finished speaking. She knew that if she framed it like this then the Crown Prince would have no other choice but to go along with it.

    "And why should I care about her ''reputation?'' I am sure Eve is more than capable of doing that."

    Lady Florance was shocked at the admission. Where had the charismatic Royal Prince gone? He was never like this when Lady Elysia was around.

    ''M-Maybe Lord Adam is showing his true colors because he is with someone he trusts. Yes, that must be it.''

    Lady Florance refused to admit that she was wrong. She had seen something like ''fate'' between the pair so she was willing to believe her senses.

    "Is something going on here? I thought I heard some fighting. You are not bullying Eve, are you Adam?"

    Lady Florance breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she heard that voice.

    Finally, someone who could side with her and get Lord Adam to see sense had arrived. Even Lord Adam hardly refused the orders of his mother, the queen.

    "Lady Von Benefiel, please talk some sense to Lord Adam. You are the only one who can make him see sense here."

    The queen looked surprised at the sudden request before moving her eyes toward her son and the next saintess.

    "So, what is the problem here?"

    All this while there was only one thing the Crown Prince''s aid could think. He could see the mischievous smile Her majesty had on her face and he felt scared for what was about toe next.

    ''I hope you were here Lady Elysia. You are our only saving grace in these trying times.''

    _________________________________

    In the Dirac mansion, Elysia sneezed for the sixth time that day. The sun was still high in the sky and there was no dust flying around to pin the me on dust allergies.

    ''Is it the pollen? Am I allergic to it all of a sudden? Or am I getting sick?''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Ely, is something wrong? You''ve been sneezing quite a lot today. You should go and see a doctor if you''re feeling sick."

    Sora''s voice sounded worried. Those childish eyes were wide and filled with concern as they staredElysia down.

    Lord Sorias had gone back to his kid form once he had settled back into the Dirac mansion. This was easier for him to get by in human society.

    "It''s likely the pollen in the air but nothing big. I will go and see the doctorter. For now, we should head toward the central hall. I heard that brother has something special nned for us."

    Elysia was excited and worried about what Lord Dirac had nned for today.

    It was nice to finally spend some time with family but Lucas was a tyrant when it came to teaching staff.

    He skipped over exnations when he picked up a topic and he was also prone to get agitated fast.

    As good as Elysia was at learning stuff, she was just not good enough to get it after only one exnation. It caused some tension to arise between the pair.

    Thank god Lord Sorais was there to keep Lord Lucas''s temper in check or Elysia would have been chewed out once or twice already.

    "Elysia, Sorias, you finally made it. I would like to apologize for the past few days and how unreasonable I was. I should just expect that I am not a good teacher for Elysia."

    The Head Priest had said to Elysia that geniuses never made for a good teacher because they were not on the same level as everyone else.

    The more time Elysia spend learning from Lucas, the more she felt as if those words were true.

    The steps Lord Lucas skipped in his exnation were not necessarily important but they did build up the base for learning. It made the future lessons tougher for Elysia to not know those smaller steps.

    "So you finally decided to look back at your actions. Now, what solution have youe up with?"

    Sora sounded pissed off but d as well. He was the one most frustrated with her bother''s behavior.

    Elysia was used to harsh and tough love. Not being able to meet Lord Dirac''s expectations was not something new to Elysia. (Though theck of punishment for failing was new.)

    "I wasing to that Sorias. Since we don''t have much time to teach Elysia everything before the Charity Ball, I asked a acquaintance of mine to help me out in teaching her. Don''t worry since he''s a good person and a good teacher as well."

    Lord Lucas sure sounded confident in his im.

    "A teacher? Hoh, I wonder how many acquaintances you''ve got whom I don''t know about. How did you rope someone to help you out?"

    "Believe it or not, but the person volunteered himself. I also thought it was a good idea to let him and Elyisa get acquainted with each other."

    By the way, her brother spoke, Elysia had a feeling that his ''acquaintance'' was going to stick around for a long time. But Elysia could not think back at any such connection in her memory.

    She had spent a lot of time memorizing the names and connections between various noble houses when she had been in the temple.

    But she did not remember the Dirac house having such an amazing connection.

    "You cane in now Victor. It is time you meet my sister officially."

    The person who walked into the room looked simr to the Head Butler but he was infinitely younger than the Head Butler.

    He was also a little taller than Elysia''s brother and had a smooth face.

    But for some reason, the more Elysia stared at him the harder it became to remember the man''s face. It almost felt like magic but not quite.

    "Hello, little miss? Hasn''t anyone told you that staring is a rude habit? And yourpanion looks ready to rip me apart as well. Oh my, I don''t think I feel quite safe here."

    Elysia got a weird feeling when she looked at the man. she did not feel safe with him but Elysia was still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

    For all she knew, the man could turn out to be the gentlest person Elysia knew.

    "Victor, this is my younger sister, Elysia. You must have heard about her from your uncle Hector. I need you to take her in and teach her the basics of what is needed."

    The man''s smiling face froze for a second before Victor''s eyes snapped toward Elysia''s own with a sly smile on his face.

    Sora took a few careful steps to ce himself in front of Elysia but it was far from enough to hide her from that tall man''s staring.

    But finally, the man extended his hand out to Elysia, his palm open and inviting Elysia.

    "Mydy, it is so nice to meet you. May I have the honor of making your acquaintance?"

    Elysia gulped but she knew she was safe in her brother and Sora''spany. That was the only reason she gave the man her hand.

 Chapter 48 48: A New Teacher - Part 2

    "Mydy, it is so nice to meet you. May I have the honor of making your acquaintance?"

    There was a tense silence as Victor asked for Lady Dirac''s hand. Even the servants had quitened down to look at the scene.

    "Victor, what are you doing? I specifically asked you not to cause a scene but here you are, ignoring my words. Do I need to rethink my decision of hiring you?"

    Lord Dirac''s voice was ck with rage and regret. Even Elysia had to take a step back at the unexpected reply she heard.

    The only ones who did not look on edge were Lord Sorias and the man Victor who was being addressed.

    Victor even had the audacity tough out loud at Lord Dirac''s threat, immediately invalidating any and all threats made on his person.

    "A, don''t be that stiff with me Lord Dirac. You know I was just joking around with the littledy here. There is no way I will make a move on someone this young. I don''t want to die at your hands."

    The manughted those words out loud, the tone light and friendly. He was good at bringing the tense atmosphere down.

    However, his actions had looked anything but joking to Elysia when she had been faced with the man. She could not say anything about the expression but Victor''s bodnguage had been serious.

    But Elysia chose to keep that fact to herself for now. She did not want to cause a false rm over nothing.

    "I know what kind of man you are Victor and I also know that I would have never taken you in if your uncle had not begged me to. Your current position is all thanks to him."

    Elysia had never seen anyone talking to her brother like this except Lord Sorais. But then again, Sora was a different case.

    But seeing as how this man had not only gotten away with being this familiar with her brother but also not fired yet, Elysia could only conclude that the man was someone close to her brother.

    "Now,e on Lord Dirac. There is no need to be that rude to me. Didn''t we grow up close as brothers? You''ve known me since forever now. And you even called me a friend earlier, right?"

    "Not frind but an acquaintance. And now I''m regretting my decision. Hurry up and get out of my vision. Elysia, he shall be your new teacher for now. Despite how Victor liked to behave, he is a professor at the central academy. He is more than qualified to teach you."

    Elysia doubted it at first but since it was something Lucas was willing to vouch for then she didn''t have a problem.

    "I understand. Then, I shall meet teacher Victor in themon room after I change my clothes. Please excuse me."

    As soon as Elysia left the room whispers broke out all around the room.

    People did not know what to think of this new development in the estate and how to swallow this pill.

    "Cute sister you''ve got there. I think I''ve heard about her before from some of my students. A ''demon'' is what they call her, right? Hey, watch it."

    The talk of ''Victor'' and his swiftness would be heard all around the Dirac estate by the end of the evening.

    After all, he had set a new record of causing Lord Dirac to lose his temper and still live to tell the tale. This single moment had made Victor into a legend.

    However, all that did not matter to Victor. He would regret this moment in the uing days and fervently wish that he had kept his mouth shut.

    "Be respectful of what you say about Elysia or you will not live to see anothee day. And keep your hands where they could be seen. Sorias, keep an eye out for Victor and you have my permission to kill him if feel the need to."

    But in the heat of the moment, he only took it as a joke and yed along with Lord Dirac.

    After all, just what could a kid who looked to be 9 years old do? He would be easily overpowered by Victor and allow him to achieve his mission.

    "My Lord, if you would excuse me then I would like to settle in my new room as well now. I shoudl get changing for my future lessons as well."

    The man with the long brown hair tied behind in a low ponytail finally left the room.

    "Someone, lead him to his new room Hector prepared. And also make sure Victor had what he needs to live in this housefortably. He is a guest after all."

    The man waved his hands as he finally left the room to unpack. He had quite a few items to take out anyway.

    "He''s a weird man. He feels simr to Elysia but I can''t bring myself to like him anyway. There is something about his bodynguage which is not genuine."

    Lord Sorias knew he had no room toin about this new man. He could be just like Elysia, an unfortunate soul who was caught in this ''world''s'' scheme.

    But the man did not behave like that.

    "I would have never allowed Victor to set foot in here if it was not for Hector''s request and my pre-approval. I made the mistake of not running a back-ground check on him since he was a childhood acquaintance of mine."

    Lucas looked tried right now and Sorias found it hard to me him.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The poor guy was already fighting with the noble oppression already. Add the burden he took off Elysia and the long hours he pulled in the office, one had to wonder how Lucas was even alive right now.

    "I can see why you were so desperate to get Elysia a famir now. That girl is a touble ma for now apparent reason. This world sure has it out for her."

    If not for the fact that he chose this oue himself, Sorias would have raged for the unfairness of everything he was facing.

    He was getting involved with all kinds of unnecessary shit he didn''t know could happen.

    "Thank you Sorias. Just your presence at her side eases my worry a lot. This week is going to be a crucial one for Elysia and I am d that you will be by her side."

    By the way this sentence was framed, Sorias had a feeling that something troublesome was going to happen this week.

    He wanted to take back his words as soon as they were out of his mouth but Sorias felt conflicted at the trust he saw in Lucas''s eyes.

    "I know I would regret to ask this, but what is going to happen this week?"

    "The soldier drills. We will be leaving to clean the areas around the enchanted forest from the recent resuragane of mosters and as a member of the Dirac household, both I and Elysia would have to participate in it."

    Sorias sighed at what he heard from Lucas. He instantly regretted asking the man the weekly schedule.

    _________________________________

    "Victor, it is nice to see that you made it here safe and sound. How is the Lord treating you? I hope he doesn''t have too high expectations of you."

    Victor gave his best smile to his uncle. His uncle Hector had always helped him out in his time of need. He had all but raised Victor when his father had died.

    So naturally, when it came time for the Dirac family to get a tutor, Hector had not hesitated to get his nephew the spot.

    "Lord Dirac was as cheerful as ever. But he did treat me fairly this far which I am thankful for. And Lady Dirac also looks like a decent person to be around. She''s not as bad as rumors make her out to be. Lord Dirac sure treasures her a lot."

    Victor''s words caused the elder to sigh tierdly. As soon as Victor had brought up his uncle''s mood fell.

    "Thatdy again? I can''t see what is so great about her. How can anyone like a gloomy kid who get''s into trouble all the time? She will be a parasite on Lord Dirac sooner orter."

    Victor heard his uncle go on a rampage with an amused look on his face. His uncle was unstopable once he got started.

    And it seemed like the topc of Lady Dirac was one that hit a little too close to home.

    "So she''s a problem for you Uncle? Why don''t you just get rid of her then?"

    "Oh, believe me that I will if I could. But that girl is too securly looked after in here. Not only does Lord Dirac keep an eye on her, but he also got her that guardian dog from who knows where."

    "Guardian dog?"

    "Ah, the kid you saw before is the guardian dog, or as is moremonly know, Lady Dirac''s familiar. I can''t even approach Lady Dirac before that beast gets aggressive."

    Those words gave Victor a pause. This was a new piece of information he had not been privy to before.

    But now that he knew it, it was time to change his ns.

    "I see. So that littledy had a famir by her side. Thatplicated things for me but it is nothing I cannot handle right now." Victor''s words were muffled under his breath.

    "Victor, did you say something? You need to be louder is you want me to be able to understand you."

    "No, nothing uncle. You don''t need to worry about me at all."

    Victor gave his uncle a disarming smile which finally calmed the man down. It was nice to see that his uncle trusted Victor more than he trusted Lady Dirac.

    It would make the mission Victor had been entrusted with much easier toplete.

    "Sorry, littledy. But it seems like your easy times areing to and end. I wish to help you as well but that man will not let me."

    "In the end, it is your life against mine and I love myself very much. I have no other choice but to make things interesting around here."

    The day was just entering busy hours but there was a wave of unrest brewing in the distance.

    The waves of disaster were being set into motion and it would soon befall the whole kingdom.

 Chapter 49 49: The Outdoor Drill - Part 1

    <anno data-annotation-id="f35642c7-9bf4-46a5-456f-69f3f301b801">"Let''s start with our first lesson of the day, the history and antique section. Lord Dirac has told me that there is no need to engage you in weapon practice or magic techniques. So we shall start with what is important next."</anno>

    Elysia nodded as her teacher took a seat on her left.

    The man had a gentle nce but something about his attention was disturbing to Elysia. She wanted to creep away from him as far as she could.

    And it was not even about his ''evil'' aura. Something about the man was just ''off'' to Elysia''s senses.

    "You need to start from here and then progress slowly through��woohhhh, be careful with that knife. It could have just hit me."

    Elysia flinched as a knife embedded itself between her hand and her tutor''s. Sora''s ring face forced her teacher to straighten his back with a forcedugh.

    "You are here to teach so don''t make unnecessary advances. Do not forget your ce."

    Sora''s mood was vtile today. And it was also not the first time he had tried harming Victor and this didn''t look like thest either.

    Truth be told, Elysia was also not a big fan of the excessive body contact her tutor was used to. She was just thankful that he was not doing it actively.

    Tying to touch Elysia''s hand once or cing her finger at the right spot seemed like an unconscious action on the man''s part.

    He was also quick to apologize once he was caught. Like right now, the apologies were flowing out of Victor''s mouth.

    "I''m sorry I slipped again. I will try hard to control my actions next time. It''s just, Lady Dirac is beautiful and I am a sucker for beautiful things."

    ''Wow, what a smooth talker. I think it would have made anyone else''s heart skip a beat.''

    The man had a silky smooth voice that excluded charm and power. But it was too bad that Elysia was not attracted to him at all.

    She had lived her life knowing that she would need to dedicate it to her survival and the ''chosen pair''. So she was not interested in pursuing anything romantic.

    "If you continue like this then your face will suck soon as well. Do not test my patience or I will leave you to the wild beasts once the petrol starts."

    Sorias''s annoyed voice was back. It was also apanied by a re and a lightning spell right behind Elysia.

    Victor yelped as he forced his arm away from behind Elysia. She had not even realized that her tutor had an arm behind her like that.

    The maids that looked on from afar were gossiping about this incident between themselves but they quietened down as well when Sora turned his attention toward them.

    "Ouch, this hurt. I think I will need to step out for a few seconds."

    Victor forced a smile on his face as Elysia watched him leave. She knew that she should not be d to see someone hurt but Elysia felt relieved to see the man leave her side.

    "You should tell Lucas about Victor and what he is trying to pull. I can see that you feel ufortable with him so you should speak up. I am sure your brother will not ignore your words."

    Well, it was not like Elysia would need to speak with Lucas. Sorias would take that honor himself and see to it that this man was thrown out of the house asap.

    Victor was already crossing boundaries he should not and Elysia was just ufortable at this point.

    "I don''t think now is the best time to do so. I mean, Victor is someone rmended by the Head Butler and if I use him without any proof then it might sour the rtionship between my brother and the Head Butler. I don''t want that."

    Ah, so it was not about trusting Lucas but about his well-being? This did make more sense to Sorias even if he did not agree with Elysia''s thinking.

    But then again, the thing about proof would be a big issue. The maids were turning blind eye to everything that happened with Elysia. Lucas would believe them but the Head Butler might not.

    And the rumors would be a problem for Elysia if the servants did not control their tongue. But still��..

    "I am sure your brother would rather see you beingfortable than save a doomed rtionship finally falling. You should notpromise on matters such as these."

    Elysia just sighed at her familiar''s words. She did acknowledge that fact in her heart but her head was more sensible.

    "I can still endure and I am sure that nothing bad would happen to me with your around. All we have to do is to stick together for this week and we will get through this mess."

    Elysia was not one to be optimistic but having someone at her side did massively for her confidence.

    Things would be alright. Things had to be alright.

    ��..

    Things were not alright once the Soldier''s drill started that evening. Everything was disorderly and it consumed all of Lucas''s time and effort. Sorias had hardly seen him moving around the ce.

    And then there was the mess with the living arrangement. Whosoever had made the room assignments would find himself six feet under the ground once Sorias was done with them.

    They had not only ced Elysia at the far corner of the camp which was a vulnerable area, but they had also not ced any servants nearby.

    Compared to Elysia, Sorais and Lucas have their camps near the center of the establishment with other soldiers.

    It would have been one thing if Elysia would have been ced with the female soldiers but she was put even further from the servant quarters.

    She had been isted on purpose and it was obvious why.

    Everyone was hoping that something would finally happen to her and she would die. The soldiers and the servants, everyone seemed to be in on the n.

    But not on Soriass''s watch. He would not allow their n to go through.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    _________________________________

    "Lucas, are you looking at this shit! How did this manage to get past our noses."

    Lucas was nursing a small headache inside his tent when Sorias barged in on the scene. The familiar had a pissed-off expression which indicated that something had gone extremely wrong.

    ''What is it now? I swear that these servants are getting on my nerve. There are too many mistakes this time around.''

    The military drill was a yearly event and the servants knew how to handle and budget it. Heck, Hector could take care of this event on his own as well if it was needed.

    Then where in the world were these mistakesing from? Mismanagement of numbers, food supplycking, and even people quitting left and right.

    Someone was deliberately messing around with their arrangements.

    "What happened now? Things could not get any worse at this point."

    "Look at this."

    At that point, things began to deteriorate. For so long, Lucas had been preupied with other matters that he had forgotten about the tenting arrangements and had left them to the soldiers.

    And what did he get for his trust? Utter failure toplete his orders.

    "These are the same camping arrangements fromst time. Did they dare to push Elysia to the outskirts like this just because it would be extra work for them to make space for her near me?"

    Lucas wanted to tear apart the quarter map he held in his hand.

    He did not need to recheck the map to know that Elysia had been ced right on the outskirts of their camp. It was the more vulnerable position one could be in.

    "That''s not all. That *bastard*, I mean Victor''s tent is nearby her as well. Didn''t we specifically ask for that not to be the case?"

    Lucas sighed as he put the paper down. This was something he needed to address immediately.

    "Call the Head Butler here as soon as possible. I need to have a word with him."

    As much as Lucas did not want to fight with Hector, he had to make things clear to him. He had trusted his Head Butler to look after things but this was a breach of trust.

    If the man could not even be trusted with this small matter of housing arrangements, then how could Lucas ever ask him to look after Elysia?

    "Lucas, you need to calm down and deal with this situation with a calm head. We don''t know who was responsible for this mess."

    It was hypocritical of Sorias to say this when he went off the rail as soon as the Head Butler entered the tent.

    "YOU! EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THIS TO ME?"

    The paper was snatched out of Lucas''s hand and handed over to Hector in a matter of seconds.

    The Head Butler looked surprised to have the paper suddenly in his hand but he soon had a face of understanding when he looked at his Lord.

    "I can exin what happened Lord Dirac-"

    "I don''t want an exnation, I want this fixed. Locate Elysia near mine and Sorias''s tents in the next hour or I will fire you."

    The Head Butler had a pinched expression on his face. Lucas was sure that his demand must be looking quite childish to Hector but Lucas did not care.

    What did these fools know of the ''real'' him? All they saw was the mask of the ''perfect'' duke he put up for their sake.

    "My Lord, you need to calm down. The reason we separated Lady Dirac from you was that she causes your emotions to fluctuate. I''m afraid that the drill will not go smoothly if she''s nearby."

    "My emotions have nothing to do with this drill. Hector, do you think I am so ipetent to not be able to control myself? Don''t look down on me."

    Lucas knew that he was not disying the most stable behavior and he was only proving Hector''s point.

    But surely he was not in the wrong here. These people had dared to iste Elysia and that was an offense to the Dirac name as well as Lucas''s pride as an elder brother.

    Hector''splicated expression made it seem like it would not be possible to do.

    "My lord, we are mostly males here. I am afraid that the central clearing is not a ''safe'' ce for my Lady''s reputation. And the female camp side is already over-flowing. We cannot make any space there as well."

    Lucas had to give it to these servants. They had made this n work out wlessly.

    "Then, let me relocate near Ely. I can see that Victor''s tent is nearby her so I am willing to change with her. Won''t it be alright with you, Head Butler? Lucas?"

    Sorias''s suggestion was outrageous as well but it was marginally better to have him near Elysia than to have Victor near her tent.

    "That is something that can be arranged. Then, I will go and make preparations soon."

    Lucas took on a deep breath as he heard the Head Butler agree with him so easily. So this was why Hector had yed along with the servant''s ns.

    He wanted this oue to happen from the start.

    <annotations style="disy: none;"><ol ss="tinymce-annotation-container"><li data-annotation-id="f35642c7-9bf4-46a5-456f-69f3f301b801">For anyone wondering how Elysia is able to read her despite not having a good vision - she''s using brail here for now. She learned to adapt.</li></ol></annotations>",

 Chapter 50 50: The Outdoor Drill - Part 2

    "You sure have one hell of a butler in your household. He nned for this oue to happen."

    Sorias spoke about what Lucas had been thinking about. And as much as Lucas wanted to refute that im, he could not.

    "It seems like Hector is a little too pushy when ites to his nephew''s well-being. He wants to push Victor closer to me."

    Lucas had a feeling that Hector was trying to foster a friendship between Victor and Lucas by making them stick together. It was simr to the tactic he had pulled in the past when Lucas had been younger.

    There had been a time when Victor hade to live in the Dirac mansion. At that time Hector has done his best to make Victor stick with Lucas but that did not work at that time.

    But it seems Hector had not given up on his attempt just yet.

    "It''s one problem after another. I don''t understand why these humans won''t see Elysia for who she is. All they want to see is the puppet this ''world'' wants them to see."

    Lucasined about that fact but he knew in his heart how tough it was to go against the world. For a normal human, the word of the ''world'' wasw.

    ''I wonder if I would have even cared about all this if Elysia was not involved in this mess.''

    Knowing himself, Lucas knew that the answer would have been ''no''. He would not have cared, nor would he have tried to even change things.

    "Humans are such creatures so you don''t need to beat yourself up over this. For now, just know that you did what you could have."

    "And I should go back and pack my stuff up. I have a new tent to get used to now."

    Lucas sighed at the mess. His headache had not gone away and now he had more things to check over.

    The soldiers were not going to have a good time with the drills he will be heading toter. But that was the price they would pay for going against his back and participating in this mess.

    _________________________________

    "S-Sir Victor, you are here!"

    Victor shed the flustered maid a grateful smile as he neared her. The maid swooned at his closeness which made Victor''s smile evenrger.

    "You did well Emily. Thank you for arranging my tent so close to mydy. I was afraid that something would happen to her in the wildness out here."

    "Ah, no need to than me. The list was just there so it was no problem. But are you sure you want to stay near the outskirts? Isn''t it dangerous being this near Lady Dirac in this wilderness?"

    The maid went red as soon as she realized what she was suggesting to Victor. But the maid did seem genuinely concerned for him.

    ''How hrious. I know the people call Lady Dirac a demon but she''s not that impressive in real life. She cannot even see properly, much less be a threat to me.''

    Victor was confident that he could defeat Elysia if they fought. From what little he had seen of Elysia''s magical capabilities, all she had was control and no power behind it.

    It made the rumors he had heard about Elysia''s powers feel like lies. He could easily overpower her when it came to fighting.

    "Lady Dirac is just a lonely soul and I am trying to help her out. You don''t need to be worried about me so much. I am much stronger than I look. Rather, you should look after yourself, Emily. Have you lost weight in the past few days?"

    The girl flushed at hearing those words of concern. It was so easy to get people on your side when you had a good-looking face and magic.

    "N-No, I am just on a new diet. U-Um, Lord Victor, do you have some time in the evening? I was thinking-"

    "Victor, I need to talk with you. Oh, Emily, what are you doing here? Do you need to talk to Lucas?"

    ''Impecible timing Uncle. You just saved me a lot of trouble.''

    Victor turned toward his uncle immediately after shing a regretful smile to Emily. He knew what Emily had been about to say and it was fortunate that his uncle stopped her.

    The image Victor had set for himself would not have allowed him to refuse thedy a date. And that would have been a big loss in time for Victor.

    Not to mention, the rumors that would arise due to this would jeopardize his chances with Elysia.

    "A-Ah, Head Butler H-Hector? I-I��.I''m sorry. I should head to work now." Emily had an almost guilty expression on her face as she fled from the scene.

    As soon as she was gone Victor took in a deep breath.

    "Victor, pack your things and move to your new tent. I managed to get you the nearest tent to Lord Dirac so make sure you deepen your rtionship with him."

    Any good mood Victor had felt as soon as he heard those words.

    In a single sentence, his uncle had managed to undo all his hard work. Victor had been working hard to be near Elysia and now he could not be further away.

    "Uncle, why did you do that? I never asked you to help me get closer to Lord Dirac. I was already working on getting Lady Dirac to like me."

    Victor could not hold back his voice once he heard what his uncle had done for him.

    Why did he not ask Victor before pulling a move like this? Better yet, why was he interfering in Victor''s work when Victor had asked him not to?<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Victor, are you not seeing the bigger picture? Even when Lady Dirac''s marriage with the Crown will fall apart, she will have a lot of prospects to choose from. It is futile for you to chase that fish, nor does it have a future."

    "Lord Dirac on the other hand is the only Duke of this kingdom. He is just basking in the glow of being a brother but that novelty will wear off soon enough. You need to get close to him if you want to seed in life."

    Victor did not understand why his uncle did not see the bigger picture? Even Victor could see that Lord Dirac''s favor was no ''novelty''.

    Not only had Lord Dirac allowed Elysia to wear the Dirac family crest, but he had also chosen to wear the crest for the first time.

    This was not the behavior of someone who was known to be quite a ruthless and cold-hearted person.

    Besides, Victor had seen Lord Dirac in Elysia''s presence, and those feelings he had for his sister were real. This rtionship will not fade away.

    But Lord Dirac''s position was absolute and he was too powerful. As his only weak spot, Elysia would be the key to everything the Dirac household had.

    Once the Royal Family realized that, it would be toote to stop them. They would push for this match despite the noble''s protest.

    It was better if Victor managed to solidify his position before that and make himself the only candidate worthy of Lady Elysia.

    As for the age difference? It was not the biggest out there and Victor could make it work.

    "Uncle, you are the one who is not seeing the bigger picture. But fine, you win. I will try getting closer to Lord Dirac in the future."

    Victor did not feel a need to tell his uncle any of his ns. If his uncle felt wanted to be in control then Victor will give him the illusion that he was in control.

    But Victor will follow his path. And that path was to take advantage of Lady Elysia.

    _________________________________

    Elysia patted her new bed in a worrying motion. She had realized pretty early that she had been isted by being ced in this part of the camp.

    There was no other tent nearby baring her tutor''s and that made Elysia even more nervous.

    Elysia did not want to be near that man during the camp but the current arrangements left her no other choice but to do so.

    ''I wonder if I should talk to my brother about these arrangements.''

    Elysia just made up her mind to do so when the tent to her cabin opened. The sudden motion caused Elysia to be alert but she soon rxed at the familiar magic she felt.

    "There is a change in ns. I am shifting into Victor''s quarters while he will get mine. Finally, I can get some peace."

    Lord Sorias pushed his small body through the door with an irritated look. The maid who had led Lord Sorias to Elysia flinched and quickly left the room as soon as her eyes met Elysia''s.

    This was a prettymon urrence by now and Elysia was tired of seeing it happen again and again.

    At this point, she had simply stopped ordering the maids to not flinch when they met her eyes. It was an impossible order anyway.

    "They are still afraid of you? These people should use their brains a little more than their mouths. Maybe then they will be able to see the truth in front of their eyes."

    "Sora, what are you in my tent? Shouldn''t you be out there unpacking? And how did you manage to change tents too fast? Didn''t changing amodations require a lot of paperwork?"

    Sora shook his head in a motion that said, ''don''t worry about it.''

    "Things happened that made it all possible. Besides, I would have just camped in here if I was denied that switch. I don''t feelfortable leaving you out here all alone."

    Elysia felt touched by Sora''s concerned voice. It was rare for people to be worried about Elysia this openly.

    This concern touched her heart and even caused Elysia''s eyes to get wet.

    "Oi, don''t start crying now. If you have a problem with me then I can leave you alone now."

    "NO! No, that''s not it. Something just fell into my eyes that is causing them to get wet. There is no need for you to go anywhere."

    Elysia quickly refuted Sora''s words. She did not want to be alone right now. This forest was not enchanted but there was weird wild energy in here.

    Elysia was sure that it belonged to the wild beasts that were around the forest. Elysia had often dealt with these wild and dangerous beasts as training but she always felt uneasy about them.

    Now that she thought about it, their magic seemed as ''unnatural'' to her as well. But Elysia never had any vision about them so she had never cared.

    "I see. Then I''ll stay here for now. Will you be going to sleep?"

    Elysia was not tired right now but the day wasing to an end. She should really sleep now but something inside her was afraid of falling asleep.

    But in the end, it didn''t matter as Elysia fell asleep anyway.

 Chapter 51 51: That Grey Lady [Pt1]

    Elysia felt the sensation of detachment for the first time in a while. She did not know if she was d to be in a dream or disappointed to be back here.

    It had been some time since she dreamed about the future like this. Thest time Elysia had felt something like this was when she dreamed about Sara.

    ''But that was a different case. This dream feels simr to the one I always have in the Cleansing pool.''

    The dream Elysia had about Sara was more like an out-of-body experience for her. She had seen that dream from Sara''s point of view which was different from how she usually saw these visions.

    The way Elysia was current reflected more of the usual pattern.

    Elysia instinctively knew that the body she was in was her one. The hallway she was walking out of was the royal pce.

    Elysia had yet to walk through this corridor in real time physically but her vision had made her more than aware of how this corridor looked.

    And she knew what awaited her at the end of the corridor. The contents of that always changed but the oue was always the same.

    It ended with Elysia lying dead on the floor with Adam''s eyes staring her down. Eve was always there as well, sometimes in the background and sometimes nearby.

    ''I wonder what it will be this time? A swift stabbing? Or would it be drawn-out torture this time?''

    It hade to a point where Elysia didn''t even feel afraid of being in pain. Knowing that this was a dream helped a lot.

    ''Time to face the music. I wonder what will happen next.''

    Elysia finally stepped into the familiar courtroom she had seen hundreds of times. There had been a time when Elysia tended to break out in tears as soon as she stepped in here.

    But it was a long time ago. This ce had left its scars on Elysia''s soul.

    ''I wonder what Adam would say if I tell him the real reason I refuse to step into the royal pce? I bet he would offer me to tear the courtroom down.''

    But Elysia could not let that happen. This courtroom was a much-needed element of the future.

    "Elysia, why did you do that to me? I thought we were friends and you also said that you did not want the Crown Prince ''that way."

    ''Ah, so it is Eve this time? Is it just my imagination or does she sound different than before?''

    This was not something out of the norm for Elysia to face. There were visions where Eve used Elysia of doing a lot of bad stuff and it ended with Adam giving Elysia a swift out.

    This was one of the better visions Elysia had where things ended peacefully for her. A quick death was all she could ask for at this point.

    ''It''s almost time. Eve will make me face her and then Adam wille.

    Elysia''s body was turned around, just as she had expected. She opened her eyes wide in hopes of catching the vivid blue of Eve''s eyes.

    Her eyes met a pair of purple instead.

    "So why? Why did you betray my trust in the end? Was it for that bitch Eve''s sake? Was she the reason why you did that? What did I do wrong?"

    ''She''s not Eve? Then who is she?''

    Elysia took a hesitant step back but she felt something sharp pierce her abdomen. Her eyes met shadows and a burst of crazyughter spiraled out of the unknown girl''s mouth.

    Now that Elysia took a better look at her, those grey hair and purple eyes were familiar. Elysia was sure she had seen them before but briefly.

    "Elysia, my poor dear Elysia. Did you think your life will be better if you avoid getting killed by your precious friends? It''s quite regretful for me to tell you but there is no way out for you. You could not save yourself, just as you were not able to save me."

    The blood was flowing from Elysia''s wound faster and faster. The sword in her abdomen was twisted and it forced in deeper.

    ''This should not hurt me this much.''

    The visions had never hurt Elysia quite like this. But Elysia was sure she could feel a vivid hand squeezing her side and the wound was pulsing.

    "W-Who are you? Do I know you?"

    Elysia questioned, her consciousness trying to hang on to what little it could.

    But the crazy girl in front of Elysia did not answer her question. Instead, her eyes had a hint of sympathy for Elysia.

    "Do you know me? Isn''t that toote to ask that? But anyway, I can die happily now since I get to take you along with me. Then, let''s have a nice afterlife together."

    Elysia tried to reach out toward the grey-haired female''s pain-filled face. Seeing that face forced a wave of guilt down Elysia''s throat.

    ''Is it my fault this happened? Should I have not interfered?''

    Elysia wanted to know more but her body gave out. It always did give out at the end of these visions.

    All Elysia remembered when she woke up was a feeling of guilt that choked her as well as the look of regret on that female''s face.

    ''I should not have left her alone. I should have tried harder to prevent this.'' But the Elysia in the vision could not change anything now.

    All she could do was clutch her side as her body finally gave out.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    For the second time in her vision, Elysia was killed by someone who was not Adam. and also for the second time in her life, Elysia saw a new face in her vision that connected to her death....

    ...��.

    ...��..Finally, Elysia''s consciousness could no longer hold on to the vision and forced her body awake.

    Her side could still retain the sensation of the pain that vision had forced Elysia to feel but there was no wound on her body.

    ''Another death g? Where do they keeping from?''

    Elysia had tried so hard to remain in a neutral role in her life. She had kept away from people and tried not to offend people.

    "Why did I never dream about these things while in the temple? I would have been much more mentally prepared for all this if I had known beforehand."

    Elysia''s feelings could no longer be held in check. Her body was tired despite all the sleep Elysia just had,

    "What kind of dream did you have to make you say this? Now you make me want to know more about it."

    For the record, Elysia did not jump into the air as soon as she heard the voice. She was just a little startled to hear Sora''s voice.

    Her familiar''s hair was rusted with sleep but his voice was amused. He was still in the same clothes as yesterday.

    "Sora, did you never go back to your tent?"

    Elysia quickly changed the subject, knowing that she should not tell about her visions to anyone.

    She did trust Sora and her brother but there were some secrets Elysia wanted to keep to herself for now. It was a matter of self-preservation after all.

    "Ah, that! I did want to go back but then I fell asleep as well. I just woke up seconds before you so I will be heading out now. We don''t have a schedule today so what do you want to do?"

    Elysia sighed in relief as Sora dropped the touchy subject. She was thankful that him taking a kid form came with such surprises.

    "Since we don''t have a schedule we should take this time to tour the surrounding area. I want to know more about this ce."

    "You just want to ditch the prying eyes. These servants are annoying, right?"

    Elysia did not want to admit that the looks she was getting and the words she was hearing about herself were the reason she wanted to get away from the camp.

    But as she expected, Elysia was not able to hide it from Sora. Her familiar knew her well and he could see how ufortable Elysia was with the soldiers.

    "Well, that too. But I am genuinely curious about this forest and the wild beasts that live here. I''ve read about them and not all of them are harmful."

    It was more like Elysia hade across some smaller beasts when she had been out on petrol before. And these beasts were friendly and kind to Elysia back then.

    They had made her feel epted to be out here. And for that Elysia wanted to visit them again.

    "Read about them, huh? So, is my spot as your familiar going to be taken away?"

    "Of course not. No one will be recing Sora now and forever in my life."

    Elysia could see that Lord Sorias had more to say but he stopped there. Elysia''s confession had been unexpected but truthful.

    "I see. In that case, I should let you change so that we can head out."

    Elysia shook her head at her familiar''s excited chatter. It was clear to her that Sora wanted to change into his original form and run around the forest as well.

    Being in a human body all the time must be restrictive. Elysia did not want that for someone who was bing like a brother to her in recent years.

    For a millisecond, Elysia felt like someone was watching her. The sensation was brief and easy to miss which confused Elysia as well.

    Generally, she was sensitive to such a brief look but something about this one had alerted Elysia to pay attention.

    ''Let''s forget these problematic things for now. I should hurry up and freshen up. I don''t have the luxury of maid right now so I will have to use magic to meet my needs."

    No matter what anyone said, Elysia was happy to not have maids around her now. Their presence hindered Elysia''s magic-usage.

    The Head Preist had asked Elysia to keep a low-profile and that meant not using her stronger magic much.

    ''It''s such a hindrance but I guess it has its uses at times.''

    Elysia hurried up her routine before she headed out. She wanted to report to her brother before heading out to the forest and the excitement was getting to her.

    But it all went down the drain as soon as Elysia entered Lucas''s tent with Sora at her side.

    A familiar vision of purple engulfed Elysia''s eyes and her breath hitched.

    "So, Lord White, allow me to formally introduce you and your daughter to my younger sister, Elysia Dirac. Elysia, this is Lord White and his daughter Emma White. Emma is a year younger than you so you both might run into each other a lot."

    "I hope you both be good friends in the future."

 Chapter 52 52: That Grey Lady [Pt2]

    "I hope you both be good friends in the future."

    The words echoed inside Elysia''s ears but they did not register in her mind. Elysia was in too much of a shock to reply to her brother''s request.

    That girl, Emma White was still staring at Elysia with a curious look in her eyes but it was saner than anything Elysia had seen in her vision.

    ''I should stay away from her. Getting involved with Lady White is not a good idea if I want to live a long life.''

    Elysia had not been able to escape Adam and Eve but she could try her hardest to escape Lady White.

    After all, if Elysia didn''t have anything to do with her then Lady White will have no reason to kill Elysia off as well. It was all for her self-preservation.

    "Elysia, is everything alright? You look a little pale."

    "No, everything is alright. In fact, everything is fantastic and I am so happy to meet Lady Emma White as well. Now if you will excuse me! I wanted to look around the forest today and the sun is already so high up. I should head out now if you don''t have a problem with it brother."

    Elysia was sure she did not even breathe as she forced it all out in one breath.

    Lord Dirac looked confused but he only gave Elysia a ''go ahead'' in response. She was fortunate that he did not ask Elysia the reason behind her little freak-out.

    "Sure, you can go ahead if you want to. Lord White is just here on some business so I''ll apany him. Would you like to spend time with Lady-"

    "I gotta go, brother. Hope you have a nice day."

    Elysia felt guilty for cutting her brother off but it was nothingpared to the crushing guilt she felt when she looked at Lady White.

    The words and feelings Elysia had felt in her vision were still bothering her and now they were affecting her real life as well.

    Elysia was sure that Lucas had a lot of questions about her current behavior but she would face themter when once she had gathered her thoughts.

    ''What a disaster of a day. I wish it does not get any worse than this.''

    Elysia knew she was running away from her problem but what other choice did she have? Getting involved withdy White was a death sentence for Elysia.

    But if only things were that easy for her.

    "E-Excuse me, Lady Dirac. Lady Elysia Dirac. Hey, Elysia, stop right there."

    It seemed like Lady White had not taken Elysia''s little freak out that well. There was a sour look ondy White''s beautiful face as she followed after Elysia.

    ''Why did she follow after me?''

    Elysia freaked out in her mind but she kept a calm expression on the outside.

    "Ah, do you need something from me, Lady White? I am sorry but I am kind of in a hurry."

    Elysia knew that she had been found out. She was not hiding the fact that she was avoidingdy White.

    "Did I offend you somehow Lady Dirac? Whatever I did to you, I apologize for that. I actually apanied you here today because I wanted to be friends with you but I see that it is not possible."

    Elysia opened her mouth but then closed it. She had a lot to say but nothing sounded appropriate for the moment.

    Lady White had caught Elysia off-guard with her words.

    "F-Friends? Ah, sure. But why does Lady White want to be friends with me?"

    Elysia had her doubts but she was sure it was mainly because of her standing. Her status as the ''Royal fiance'' was a big factor fordies to approach them.

    You see, native girls had a fantasy where they tried to befriend Elysia to meet the Crown Prince. Many of them thought they once they met Adam, he would fall for them instead and discard Elysia.

    This had happened quite a lot in the start before Eve had taken the ce of Adam''s lover in the rumors. Once that was over,dies had stopped approaching Elysia with that intent.

    "Why do I want to be friends with Lady Dirac? Why does it even matter? If you don''t want to be friends then think of me as an ally. Don''t you know what kind of battleground the high society is? It would do well for mydy to consider her situation."

    Now that Lady White had said it, Elysia did know she needed reliable people to help her out.

    "I see. If that is the case then I will consider your offer and form a tentative alliance with you. But whether it develops into a friendship or not, only time will tell."

    To Elysia, it was clear that Lady White would not back down. From her bodynguage to her voice, everything was posed like a predator.

    It was in Elysia''s best interest to keep her distance from thatdy. Elysia would not be her friend but she could be an ally for now.

    ''Just for now. I will use this to keep an eye on Lady White. It doesn''t look like she''s aiming for the Crown Prince yet but as soon as she does, I will dip my hands out.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia nodded in her mind at her brilliant (stupid) n.

    "Ah, now that we have an alliance, can I ask mydy to apany me for today? I am afraid that I don''t know what to do in a base like this but I want to explore the ce as well."

    Elysia gave a reluctant smile back to her ''partner''. She did not want to spend any more time in Lady White''s presence than what was necessary.

    But the younger one was taking this decision out of her hand. And it was even more out of her hand when Sora arrived at the scene.

    "Are we getting another person to join us? I heard from Lucas that Lady White will be joining us today."

    "Ah, is this your famous familiar Lady Dirac? Doesn''t he look a little young to be one?"

    The words triggered Sorias enough to make him transform into his real form. His majestic coat dream a lot of eyes from around the camp but it was the shine in Lady White''s eyes that worried Elysia.

    Her stare was hungry as she looked at Elysia''s familiar. That kind of hunger generally never ended well for anyone.

    "Lady Dirac, can I ask you a favor? Can your familiar be my bodyguard for today? I have heard that Lady Dirac is an excellent fighter and can hold her own out there but I am not as able to. Won''t mydy do this favor to me?"

    Elysia stood there stunned at Emma''s words. She was not even sure if she had heard those words right or not.

    Lady White''s proposal was scandalous. A familiar contract was an intimate rtionship between the people. A familiar was supposed to prioritize his owner above all else.

    If Elysia''s familiar prioritizes anyone above her then it would be a hit to Elysia''s reputation. It was alright to ask in secret or alone but Lady White had not done that.

    Instead, she had asked that question right in the middle of the gathering and it had attracted a lot of curious eyes.

    ''What should I do now? I cannot refuse Lady White since she''s my brother''s guest but I cannot possibly agree as well. This is a difficult situation to be in.''

    Elysia was stuck. She had no idea what she should do in this situation but agreed.

    But before Elysia could answer Lady White, Sora decided for her. He ignored Lady Whitepletely as he draped himself behind Elysia''s back in a silent motion of ''don''t you sare.''

    His hostility was quite clear in his motions which caused Lady White to instantly back down.

    "I don''t think Sora likes that idea much Lady White. But if you are worried then we can take a few guards with us?"

    Elysia tried to offer an alternative but the other female looked irritated and disappointed. Her re was acidic before the girl masked it.

    "No need to. I am sure an aplished person such as Lady Dirac will be able to keep me safe on her own. I don''t want to take unnecessary guards with me."

    The guards flinched at the harsh tone. Elysia could see them seething in anger but they did not do anything else after that.

    ''This is so awkward. How did I end up in this situation? Can I take back my offer of the alliance now? I don''t think it will work out in the end.''

    Elysia felt like she was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. The more she tried to ignore the feeling of doom, the faster it approached her in the form of Lady White.

    Why did Elysia have to have that dream today of all days? It would have been so much easier to deal with all this if Elysia was living in an unaware world like before.

    The trio left for the forest but they were not the only ones who did. There was one more person who was thinking of taking advantage of this sudden opportunity.

    Victor watched the scene happen in front of him and his mind instantly started nning.

    Lady White''s sudden appearance was a surprise but it was a weing surprise. If he used her right then he could tear apart Lady Elysia and her familiar.

    Currently, that familiar was the biggest obstacle he had in conquering Lady Dirac. The familiar tended to stick to hisdy as glue and foil any ns Victor had.

    But if the familiar had another priority in the form of Lady White, then not only would it create a rift between the existing pair but also provide Victor with an opportunity to make a move on Elysia.

    ''But first, I need to get out of this camp. My uncle is a big pain in my n since he''s keeping an eye on me this whole time. How do I go about getting rid of him?''

    There were a few things Victor could try to do to solve this situation. But he chose the easiest way.

    "Hey Emily, do you think you can do me a favor? Can you distract uncle Hector for me? I need to get out of here for a few seconds."

    Emily looked startled at being addressed so suddenly but she only gave a small smile in return.

    "Of course, I will help you out. Leave distracting your uncle to me."

    ''Oh, poor Emily. You are so easy to take advantage of. Keep being like this and help me out.''

 Chapter 53 53: A Forest Incident [Pt1]

    "Ouch, I fell again and it also seems like I sprained my ankle. Won''t you help me out, Lord familiar? I don''t think I can walk anymore."

    The foreign girl was at it again. Maybe she thought that Sorias could not see through her act and that was why she was acting like this.

    But one thing was for sure, whatever reason this ''White'' girl was acting for, Lord Sorias was not going to fall for it.

    The younger girl had already fallen twice and made excuses of being injured to get Sorias to let her close. But he could not smell any sort of pain or distress in her scent. This White girl was faking her injury.

    "Maybe you should help her out, Sora. Lady Emma is a guest and we cannot allow her to get injured for real."

    Sorias growled at Elysia''s suggestion, letting her know just how disappointed she was in her decision. Why was she pushing Sorias into the lion''s den so openly?

    Sorias could tell that even Elysia had caught on to this White girl''s ways, but Elysia was still letting her get away with uselessints. This submissive attitude did not suit Elysia and it also made Sorias nervous.

    As for this Emma girl, she was still trying to touch Sorias and lean against his furry body. The greed in her eyes was as apparent as the sun in a could-less sky.

    that stare of adoration and lust creeped Sorias out. It creeped him out enough to make him run behind Elysia and growl at Emma White.

    "Ouch, this fall hurts. Why did your familiar move all of a sudden Lady Dirac? He scared me."

    Lady Emma looked anything but scared. She looked more disappointed in Sorias''s sudden retreat than the scratch she got for her useless effort to gain Sorais''s favor.

    "Please forgive him, Lady White. Sora is just easily startled by human contact since it puts him on edge. I can always call for the guards to escort you back to the camp."

    Elysia was making an apologetic face toward Lady Emma. Her scent was a mixture of embarrassment and concern.

    Lady White seemed to have caught that mixture of expressions as well because her face had a cruel smirk stered all over it. Just seeing it put Sorias on edge and he almost tried to take a bite out of Lady White''s arm.

    "Of course he does. After all, Lady Elysia must be so unfamiliar with the familiar culture that she must be having a hard time. It makes me feel sad for Lord familiar who has to guide you through it."

    If someone had heard Lady White''s tone, they would have agreed with her in a heartbeat. Her voice sounded sorry for Sorias.

    And it just pissed him off. What gave this bitch the right to advise Elysia on her rtionship with her familiar? If this was a ploy to get Sorias''s sympathy then it was backfiring.

    Hearing all that made Sorias even worse. And he would have acted on his instincts to attack if not for Elysia''s interference.

    Lady White was a lucky person because Elysia managed to stop Sorias in time before he attacked her.

    "Lady White, I appreciate your concern about my familiarity but please keep yourments to yourselves. Neither I nor Sorias appreciates them very much."

    Sorias only calmed down after Elysia took a stand against the usations being made against her.

    But her words seemed not to deter Lady White at all. Instead of looking threatened, she looked aloof and betrayed.

    ''Look at her acting like the victim here. I wish Elysia allowed me to show this bitch her real ce''

    If it was left up to Sorias, he would have chewed thedy up for trying to tarnish his honor. But since it was up to Elysia, she just let her go with a warning.

    "Hmmm, I''m sorry for offending you, Lady Dirac. I would mind my words from next time."

    Lady White finally backed down after getting a rebuttal from Elysia. Something sharp shed across her eyes but it was too brief for Sorias to know what it was.

    He turned to have a look at his contractor instead but her gaze was fixed at Lady White instead. There were heavy emotions in Elysia''s eyes but none of them were positive.

    There was an almost guilty scenting off Elysia which bewildered Sorais.

    ''Now what''s wrong with Elysia here? She did nothing wrong so what does she have to feel guilty for?''

    Sorias wanted to wait before asking Elysia this question but he knew it would nevere up if he let it go now. He should try and clear the air between himself and Elysia as soon as he could.

    "Ely is there something-"

    But before he could finish Elysia raised her hand in a ''hush'' motion. It was also then that Sorias heard the rustle of the leaves around the clearing.

    But that was not all. There was a scent of rot in the air which signaled death. The monsters wereing for them right now.

    "Lady Emma, stay close to me. I can sense the presence of monsters in the vicinity."

    Sorias wanted to take Elysia away and back to the camp as soon as possible. She did not need to deal with these monsters in her current hurt condition. Her body had not yet fully recovered from thest assault.

    But there was a teeny-tiny problem and that was Lady White''s presence.

    True to her words, Lady White went pale and then sweaty as soon as she heard Elysia''s words.

    "D-Don''t be absurd. No monster would daree this close to a h-human camp. It would be like death to them."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Lady White tried to sound certain but she did not sound certain. Her voice was shaking as she tried to make sense of her reality but her body was shivering as well.

    The first monster that stepped into the clearing looked like a deformed lion. And then a second stepped ahead and then a third. There were about a dozen monsters all around them currently.

    "Sora, I need you to do me a favor. Take Lady White back to the camp and get help. I will be able to defend myself for some time if I am alone so make sure you hurry."

    Sorias did not want to follow that order. If it was left up to him, he would have said ''Fuck Lady White. She can die for all I care.''

    But it would affect Elysia''s reputation as well. Elysia had made this decision knowing full well what she was doing and Sorias had to follow hermand.

    "N-No, stay away from me. Don''te close to me. NOOOOOO!"

    Lady White cried out as a monster stepped too close to her. Elysia made a motion that said ''hurry'' before she raised her hand to form a barrier.

    It instantly took effect but it was too weak. But that made Sorias''s resolve strengthen and he quickly picked up Lady White by the back of her dress.

    He held her in-between his jaws like he had held Eve before and took off toward the camp.

    ''The sooner I reach back, the sooner I can get help. Man, this sucks. I know this bitch was bad news.''

    _________________________________

    Elysia watched her familiar carry Lady White away right in time for her barrier to fall apart. Her familiar had really good timing to flee since Elysia would not have been able to keep the barrier up any longer.

    "What a time for your monsters to show up. My magic is still not fully recovered and my physical condition is also not the best due to a week of unconsciousness. I guess I have no choice but to keep hanging on until back-up arrives."

    Elysia sighed as she dodges the iing huge fist.

    Usually, she would have stopped it with magic and let an electrocution spell take off the monster but Elysia had to try her best to strengthen her body for now.

    Since her body had not recovered all the magic she had lost, Elysia could not perform simultaneous spells.

    ''Darn. Why are there so many monsters? I cannot stop to chant for spells either.''

    Elysia had no time to drop her strength magic and chant for a more destructive force. Every time she tried to do that, a monster or another took a swing at her.

    It was like a never-ending cycle right now.

    Elysia dodged the fist of the w that was aiming for her head as she broke another arm trying to smash into her.

    The monster cried out in pain but it''s regenerative powers kicked in at the same time.

    Fighting so many beasts without the aid of wide-range magic was a pain.

    ''I guess I have no other choice but to go for it. Man, this is going to hurt.''

    Elysia had only one chance. She was going to drop her strength magic and cast a wide-range fire spell. It would take care of the monsters but the after-effects would be difficult to control.

    The monsters roared and charged toward Elysia as soon as she dropped her magic.

    But they flinched as the heat began to pick up the pace and the fire shot out like a viper from around Elysia. It was a fast and destructive spell.

    Elysia had no holy magic so her mes could not purify the monsters. But they could make it so that the monsters could not stand up again.

    It was not a pretty scene for one to stumble upon but it was highly effective inbat

    "Now, that should keep you down for the time being. Brother will take care of the rest for me."

    Elysia her strength leaves her body. The spell had taken more out of her than she had liked it to.

    Her body swung and Elysia saw the ground approach her face at a rapid pace.

    ''Ah, looks like I will have a broken nose during the Charity Ball. I hope I heal well.''

    Elysia''s body lost consciousness before it hit the ground. That was why she missed the arms taking hold of her body and a sinister grin aimed her way.

    "Well, that was rather convenient. You gave me the perfect opportunity to get my name out, Lady Elysia. And now because of you, I will also get to curry favor with your brother. I knew you were the right person to follow all along."

    The speaker was none other than Victor, Elysia''s tutor. He quickly managed to make use of his holy magic to purify already down monsters.

    Elysia''s assault had made it convenient for him to his job. And just in time for Lord Dirac to arrive with his soldiers as well.

 Chapter 54 54: A Forest Incident [Pt2]

    The more time Emma spends with Lady Dirac, the more she was convinced that the elder was an idiot. She allowed anyone and everyone to walk all over her with a smile.

    Emma could not figure out if this was because Lady Dirac was just that weak or if she was ying some kind of game with everyone.

    ''She''s so soft. I wonder how she will react if I push her along.''

    Emma would never admit that she found Lady Dirac interesting and that was why she was trying to push her buttons. This was a secret she would take to her grave.

    And then there was her familiar. At first, Emma had ignored him since all she saw was a child. But her perspective changed as soon as the familiar had transformed.

    That huge and majestic bodybined with a heavenly aura that was excluding his body was all too attractive to Emma. The feeling of power was enough to make Emma drunk on it.

    ''I want to possess it. I want to take it into my grasp and never let go. I want that familiar to be mine.''

    Emma knew that these thoughts were wrong to have. To have her eyes on someone else familiar was taboo. But Emma could not resist the pull she was feeling inside her heart.

    After all, the forbidden fruit was the sweetest one out of all.

    That was why Emma tried several ways to make the familiar notice her. Some were juvenile while the others were a little too extreme for even her taste.

    She could tell that she was making both Lady Elysia and her familiar ufortable but Emma could not back down now.

    She hade too far, even insulting Lady Dirac to her face. She even tried to get the familiar''s sympathy so that she would get chosen but it was all in empty hope of getting something she could not.

    ''But if I have this familiar as mine then I won''t need to be afraid for myself. Myck of fighting capabilities would also not be something I will be mocked for.''

    Emma could see it in Lady Dirac''s eyes that she was going too far. Thedy had not flipped yet but that did not mean that Lady Dirac would take it all lying down.

    ''Ok, I should back down now.''

    But just as Emma thought that it happened. The monster''s frontal attack happened so fast that it left Emma no room to think.

    Before she knew it, she was surrounded by a dozen monsters from all sides.

    "D-Don''t be absurd. No monster would daree this close to a h-human camp. It would be like death to them."

    Emma tied to rationalize what had happened but her brain could not keep up with it. Why? Why was this happening to her and now of all times?

    "N-No, stay away from me. Don''te close to me. NOOOOOO!"

    She needed to run away as far as she could. All she could see were the monsters closing on around her and her iing death.

    But it was also then that happened. It was the second Emma felt her heart beat faster and she fell in love.

    It was all because of the handsome man that saved Emma. She did not know who he was or where he came from but there he was, a lovely vision right in front of Emma''s eyes.

    And then that man was gone, reced by Lady Dirac''s famir the next second. That adult-human-like after-image almost felt like a distant dream to her.

    The huge beast picked up Emma by the back of her dress and ran away. Emma felt the barrier fall as soon as she managed to escape.

    ''Lady Dirac saved me? H-Hey, this is her familiar. Her reputation would be in shatters if he returns with me instead of her. Isn''t she risking too much?''

    The more Emma thought about it, the more it did not make sense in her mind. Just what kind of noble was Lady Dirac to prioritize Emma''s life above her honor?

    Emma would have never made that choice in her life.

    ''And yet I want to cherish this moment. I do not want her familiar to return to Lady Dirac''s side.''

    Emma''s emotions were all twisted up inside but her selfish desire was evident for her mind to see.

    _________________________________

    Sorias transformed into his human form as soon as he sat Lady White down on the ground. He could not wait around when Elysia was in danger.

    "Oi Lucas, we have a problem."

    Several disapproving eyes turned toward him with hostile expressions. They did not like his way of addressing Lord Dirac and many were even ring daggers into his back.

    ''Too bad that I don''t care for you all.''

    The only one Sorias cared about was Lucas who hurried out after hearing his loud voice. Lucas''s annoyed expression turned into a concerned one as soon as his eyes locked on the girl near Lucas.

    "Whare''s Elysia? Did she note with you?"

    There were more than a few snickers as people started paying attention to Sorias. Most of the servants were pointing toward him and then toward Lady White in a suggestive manner.

    These people were too ideal to even realize the gravity of the situation Elysia was in.

    "Ah, Lord familiar, is there something important you want to tell us about? Perhaps something that will go down in the history books as important?"

    Lord White had followed after Lucas as well but his expression was rather suggestive.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The way he looked at his daughter was a proud but suggestive look. The way he nced between Sorais and his daughter was vile and it made Sorias want to w at him.

    And the look was loud enough that even Lucas could not stay quiet and let it damage his sister''s reputation.

    "Sorias, I hope what you are about to say is worth the trouble. I am not in a good mood right now."

    Lucas''s eyes were ring daggers at him. They were asking Sorais why he had left Elysia behind and brought Lady White with him.

    ''Ah, I will die by Lucas''s hand if I did not say anything. I should hurry up and clear this misunderstanding.''

    Sorias opened his mouth to tell what happened but he was beaten to it by the very girl he had saved.

    "M-Monsters. We were attacked by monsters and Lady Dirac ordered her familiar to save me. W-We need to hurry and help her out."

    Emma White looked confused at her words. It was clear that she had not meant to say that out loud but it was toote to take it back.

    Lord White had an annoyed look on his face at the admission. Now that his daughter had made the situation clear, he could not make suggestivements about their rtionship anymore.

    "Oi Lucas, don''t sit around like that. We need to hurry up and go after Elysia now."

    Lucas seemed to be in a trance but he snapped out pretty soon. His eyes shed with anger and the soldiers took a step back from him.

    "Hurry up and assemble. We need to go monster hunting right now."

    From what Sorias knew of Lucas''s powers, he would have been enough to take care of the monsters but it would be better to have more witnesses.

    Not only would it solidify Lady White''s story but also clear out Elysia''s name. It was not a bad proposal at all.

    The soldiers jumped to attention as soon as Lucas snapped at them.

    "Then I should take my leave for today as well. I can see that Emma is a little traumatized by today''s experience and I want her to rest and get better. I will find another day to visit you, Lord Dirac."

    Lord White took a quick retreat. He did look at Sorias for a little longer than necessary but Sorias stared right back at him.

    And the noble retreated as soon as he realized that the familiar had no interest in either him or his daughter.

    "Sorais, lead us in. We cannot keep Elysia waiting."

    Sorias nodded, his body recalling the path it had taken before. He could still smell Elysia''s smell lingering but there was a weird smell mixed with her as well.

    It made Sorias angry for some reason.

    "Sir, I see it. I see the clearing but it looks like someone is purifying the monster corps."

    "What about Elysia?"

    Lucas hurried up ahead of the group. He wanted to reach his contractor as soon as possible and to make sure she was alright.

    After all, he had taken a great risk in leaving Elysia behind. Even if it was on her terms, Sorias still felt guilty for doing so.

    "That is��It''s Victor and I think he had Lady Dirac in his hold. It looks like Victor saved ourdy from the monsters."

    The guard who reported this sounded relieved but the news was a little hard for Lord Sorias to swallow. His mind was hearing the fact and it made a lot of sense but somewhere in his heart, it seemed impossible.

    Had that man saved Elysia today? Did he risk his life fighting this may monster at once? He had never seemed this powerful to Sorias before.

    "Lord Dirac, thank god you managed toe here on time. You see, I saved Lady Elysia but she-"

    "Give her here. You are dismissed for today. I can take care of things from here on."

    "Ah, alright. I understand that Lord Dirac is on a little edge right now because his sister was in danger. But know that I am d that Lady Elysia is alright. Oh, and Lady Emma as well."

    Victor had a shrewd smile on his face. It made Sorias want to scratch his face out but he held himself back.

    He could not just attack the man out of the blue like that or it would be bad.

    "I see. Then you have my thanks. I will make sure to properly reward you for thister."

    Victor had a satisfied look on his face when he handed Elysia over to Sorias. Those eyes held challenge and Sorias had to try his hardest to contain his growl.

    He did not want to seem ungrateful in front of Elysia''s savior but it was tougher than he had imagined it to be.

    Every time Sorias saw Victor, he wanted to rip him apart.

    "Not now Sorias. We need to take care of this attack first and then we can try figuring out why Victor thought he could cheat us out. There are traces of Elysia''s magic all around us but none of Victor''s"

    "Plus, none of Victor''s spells can conjure up destructive fire magic of this caliber. That man tried to take advantage of Elysia and I want to know why."

    Lucas was in a bad mood and he was letting it show on his face.

 Chapter 55 55: The Charity Ball [Pt1]

    Emma flinched as she watched her father''s mood fluctuate. She knew she had messed up and made her father angry.

    "Emma, what was that performance in the end there? You had a perfect opportunity to smear the mud all over Lady Dirac''s reputation but you fumbled."

    Ah, there were those words Emma had dreaded hearing as soon as she had realized her mess up. She should have kept her mouth shut back there.

    But something about Lord familiars'' disapproving re had caused Emma to open her mouth and blurt that out. Now the regret wasing pouring back.

    "I-I''m sorry. But it was a matter of life and death back there and I panicked. Besides, I can use this opportunity to lure Lady Dirac into a sense of false friendship and then find a way to get close to the Crown Prince that way."

    The n had been simple from the start. Emma had to befriend Lady Dirac, the Crown Prince''s fiance, and then use her to meet the Crown Prince and also tarnish Lady Dirac''s reputation at the same time.

    And then Emma had to seduce the Crown Prince and gain his favor. Once she had that, she would no longer need to fear anything.

    It was a well-known fact that the Crown Prince did not like his fiance romantically but was involved with her best friend instead. But unlike most people, her father believed that it was just a passing infatuation and nothing more.

    ording to her father, the Crown Prince did look that happy in Lady Eve''spany thest time he had seen them together. He was likely getting bored of that simple female.

    So naturally, if Emma offered him a way to spice things up, he would fall for her. That had been the n.

    But Emma had messed up. As soon as she had seen Lady Dirac''s familiar another n entered her mind.

    A n that would allow her to gain freedom and power. She did not need to rely on anyone''s favor if she had a familiar as strong as Lady Dirac''s.

    But she had been ignored and snubbed the whole evening. She had even ended up falling in love with the familiar somehow.

    Now that was a forbidden romance if Emma White ever saw one.

    "Emma, I can forgive you this time but there will be no more chances for you. Use the Charity Ball to get close to both Lady Dirac and the Crown Prince. You need to prove your worth."

    Emma sighed as she heard the same words for the hundredth time. They were beginning to lose their efficiency by now.

    ''At least it is not my mother who is disappointed in me this time. Mother is 100 times scarier than father for sure.''

    _________________________________

    "Take her to the healing ward and look after her. I will handle the aftermath of what happened back here."

    They were back at the camp now, having dealt with the first wave of monsters already but it was only the start of a long fight.

    Lucas handed Elysia back to Sorais as he ordered his people to clean the ce up. A lot of holy energy would be required to dispose of the monster corps so that they do not regenerate.

    The monsters had attacked out of nowhere and the defense wall Dirac soldiers had maintained was damaged already.

    Lucas would have to head out into the battle himself pretty soon.

    But before he did that, he had something to take care of. And that something had the name ''Victor.''

    The man was already eying Lucas eagerly and a lot of servants had stopped to see what would happen next.

    The rumor of him having saved Lady Dirac had already spread across the camp so Lucas had to address him publically for Elysia''s sake.

    "Victor, you did me a great favor back there. Is there something I can help you with in return?"

    Lucas did not want to own any favor to this man so she decided to end things as soon as he could with Victor.

    The longer he let it hand on, the more chance Victor would get to use this favorter.

    "Anything you can help me with? Well, nothing immediatelyes to mind. Ah, but there is one thing you can do for your sister and I will consider your favor repaid."

    Lucas tensed as soon as he heard Victor''s words. For some reason, he did not want the older one to continue speaking publicly.

    But Lucas could no longer take his words back so he had no other choice but to stand there and let Victor speak.

    "You know that Lady Elysia did not get to choose her life partner and I know that you cannot find anyone better than the Prince, but I want you to take her feelings into consideration as well."

    "What I mean to say is that when Lady Dirac happens to fall in love then you must break off her engagement with the Crown Prince and let her live her life in peace."

    It was quite an innocent request on Victor''s part but the implications were not so innocent.

    ''He''s suggesting that Elysia is cheating on the Crown Prince. Victor might not have said that out loud but this is the conclusion that people would draw.''

    Lucas was in a bind now but he could not disagree with Victor. He had given his words after all. But if he agreed then it would put fuel to the fire.

    In the end, Lucas had to agree with the request anyway.

    "Fine. If and only If Elysia falls in love with someone other than the Crown Prince, I will ask the Royal Family to break their engagement. The same goes for the Crown Prince falling in love. But that is a topic for future conversations. Now leave me alone because I have work to do."

    Victor had the biggest smile on his face after that agreement.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Now Lucas was extra sure that Victor was nning something. The man was bing a problem very fast.

    ''Now, should I send the Crown Prince a letter about what is going on here? I am sure he would not let this engagement break from his side.''

    Adam was a sensible man and also head-over-heels in love with Elysia. So Lucas was sure he would not break his promise to look after Elysia.

    "You all, head toward your post. I will check up on Elysia and then join you."

    It was only the first day of this training drill and a lot had happened. Hopefully, the rest of the week will not be this hectic, and will pass away in peace.

    And that is what happened as well.

    Elysia woke up from her sleep on the second day of being unconscious. She was not in any grave danger this reassuring time and the week also passed without any major activity after that.

    The only bad thing that happened was Elysia''s subtle development of a cough that refused to go away. Things were finally going well in the Dirac house.

    Sorias had stered himself against Elysia''s side and refused to leave her alone. Even Lucas had taken up a routine that involved checking up on Elysia twice a day to make sure she was alright.

    The servants were also instructed to not leave Elysia alone with anyone at any time and her door was magically locked at night.

    The week passed and then the time for the main event came. It was finally time for the Charity Ball to take ce.

    _________________________________

    The Dirac carriage pulled up into to Royal Pce''s gateway and Elysia''s heart skipped a beat.

    If possible, she wanted to be anywhere but in here right now. This Royal Pce was the ce that would be Elysia''s grave if she was not careful.

    "You don''t have toe with me if you are too tired Elysia. You have not recovered fully and that rpse caused your infection to worsen. You still have time to go back home."

    Elysia wanted to take her brother''s advice but it was no longer possible. The crest on her back reminded Elysia that she had chosen this oue for herself.

    "No, I need to do this. I said I would apany you and I will."

    Elysia took in a deep breath as she took her brother''s hand. She straightened her back and nked her expression.

    She needed to match Lucas tonight or she would hold him back. Elysia needed to show that she was a Dirac through and through to these people.

    "Don''t worry about making a mistake. I will cover for you if you are ever in trouble. Besides, you will have your friends Adam and Eve here as well. I am sure they will help you out if you get into trouble as well."

    Elysia paled as soon as she heard those names. Of course, those two would be here as well.

    Elysia had forgotten this very important fact and she had also forgotten to inform her only two friends about her n to apany her brother.

    "If I see them then I will run away as fast as I can. Adam will not be happy to see me here today after I ditched him like that."

    Elysia had told Adam that she could not make it and that was why he was forced to find a new partner. She did not want to imagine how hurt he would feel if he saw Elysia in there with her brother.

    ''But maybe he would forgive me since I hooked him up with Eve? Wasn''t Adam super possessive about Eve in my visions? Surely having her wear his family crest would make Adam happy?''

    "Don''t think too much and don''t leave my side today. You will be a prime target today so stay close."

    ''I wish I could stop thinking as well but it''s impossible for me. I hope nothing goes wrong today.''

    But Elysia should have known better than to ask for something. As soon as she entered the room all eyes turned on her.

    However, two pairs of eyes held Elysia''s attention. She had been spotted by the very pair Elysia had wanted to not be seen by and now it was time to face the music.

    "Announcing, Lord Lucas Dirac and his partner, Lady Elysia Dirac from the Duke''s house."

    ''I forgot about this part.''

    Elysia cursed herself in her mind and she took in a deep breath and allowed her brother to pull her along.

    What was done was done. For now, Elysia needed to keep her head up and make her way toward the Royal family for the greeting.

    This was the thought part and Elysia fervently wished that she would not see Adam with his parents.

    But her wish was not fulfilled. Not only was Adam there, but Eve was there as well. The Royal Family''s crest shined brightly on her clothes but it was barely visible with all her decorations.

    Still, it suited her.

    They both suit each other and Elysia realized a cruel fact.

    ''I have no ce with them. I never did.''

    That truth hurt but Elysia was not even sure why she was hurt. If things were supposed to be this way then why did Elysia feel like her expectations had been hurt?

 Chapter 56 56: The Charity Ball [Pt2]

    Adam currently sat on the side-thorn, his eyes setting as he red across the hall at the gossiping nobles.

    Eve looked ufortable at his side, her eyes darting around in an attempt to get away from the prying looks as well. Her dress attracted too much attention with the small Royal creat it held.

    ''It''s all Eve''s fault I am being made the bad guy here. How many times do I have to yell out that I don''t like Eve for these people to get it?''

    It was not only the nobles who were gossiping about their current arrangement. Themon people seemed to be loving the idea of Adam and Eve being a couple as well.

    "I''m so d Elysia is not here to hear all this. I would never be able to look her in the face again."

    The only thing that made this situation bearable was Eve''s expression of difort.

    Too many people hade to congratte her on "finally getting her rightful ce at the Crown Prince''s side" for her not to be angry.

    "Adam, are you not going to do anything about all this gossip? I am sure Elysia would be sad if she heard these people talking about your engagement with her like that."

    "Well, Elysia is not here right now so I don''t care."

    That one sentence summed up Adam''s mood. Eve''s disgusting look aimed his way was one Adam was familiar with. But even it could not bring Adam''s mood up.

    Not when he could hear his servants being happy for this ''true love''.

    "They look so good together. I knew Lady Eve was the best choice for Prince Adam."

    ? "Can you see, she is even wearing the Royal crest. Then, isn''t this an official couple blessed by the Royal Family? I am so d Lady Elysia is finally out of the picture."

    "I heard that she''s noting today. Even I would choose not toe if this happened to me. Lady Elysia sure had her pride."

    Adam almost burned those babble mouths alive but Eve''s hold on his arm kept him in check. Her healing magic was a warning for Adam to control himself or she would knock him out.

    However, to the onlookers, this was just another sweet gesture between the ''unofficial'' couple.

    "Aww, how cute. Aren''t you happy to be with the Prince, Lady Eve-?"

    The sister who was speaking trailed off as soon as she met Eve''s dark smile. That smile was enough to make the sister back off with a frightened eep.

    The Royal couple smiled happily at the hall but there was a dangerous air around them.

    "Let''s just find mother and father. I am sick and tired of this ball already."

    Adam wanted to retire early. Without Elysia here he did not want to spend much time in this uselesspany.

    And especially not when everyone was dissing Elysia and talking about how good he looked with Eve at his side.

    Are you enjoying yourself alongside Eve, Adam? Although I understand your disappointment that Elysia is not present, you should also consider your other possibilities. You won''t have the opportunity to experiment once you get married to Elysia. Who knows, you might end yourself falling even more in love with someone else. "

    At his mother''s remarks, Adam scowled.

    He had known her all his life and knew she was joking when she said that. She was already aware of his draconic nature and that no one else was suitable for him.

    Elysia.

    However, the queen''s abruptments caused the hall to start moving.

    Everyone whose daughters met the requirements to marry into his n started to move in his direction when the Royal Family stated it aloud.

    Help me out or you''re going to die,

    Eve, who appeared to be about to take off and leave Adam alone, heard Adam spit forth those words.

    Eve was forced to submit to him and stay with him when she was in his death grasp. The finest remedy, in Adam''s opinion, was her distressed face.

    However, it did not take long before the hall went quiet. And it was all because of one statement.

    "Announcing, Lord Lucas Dirac and his partner, Lady Elysia Dirac from the Duke''s house."

    The announcer''s voice echoed in the hallway and Adam instantly pushed thedy in front of him aside to have a look.

    He did not want to believe his ears and his eyes but there was no way Adam would ever mistake Elysia for anyone else.

    Her ck hair and blue eyes were the same as ever but her unfamiliar dress and her get-up were what drew Adam''s eyes to her. She looked different from normal but still like the Elysia he knew

    She presents well. She may have even worn a dress bearing the Dirac family crest.

    In response to Eve''spliment, Adam felt a snarl rise in his throat. Elysia had always been fine in his eyes, but the absence of her garment was ttering.

    "She does look good and I don''t like it. She''s painting herself to be an easy target tonight."

    This was Elysia''s first appearance as a noble and there would be many eyes on her tonight. Adam hated the fact that he was not the one at her side right now.

    Even though he was aware that her brother was the furthest thing from a threat, his instincts did not grasp this.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    They wanted him to sever Elysia''s rtionship with her brother in order toy im to her body. Adam had to try to resist the need to mark their territory even though his teeth were aching.

    "Your lip is gushing blood. You must exercise self-control or you will show that youck it.

    Adam nearly pushed Eve away in annoyance when her breath brushed across his ear. He was currently irritated by everything and yearned to grab Elysia and drag her away.

    "Keep your distance and stop bothering me."

    "Too bad for you but you do need to control yourself. Elysia and her brother are headed this way so you might want to get yourself under control."

    Adam frowned at Eve''s words but it was true. He could feel Elysia''s energy nearing his direction.

    People parted to allow the Dirac couple to walk toward the Royal Family and Adam''s eyes instantly found Elysia''s blue ones.

    She looked in his direction, her eyes going dark as she took in his and Eve''s rtive closeness before they went nk.

    ''Not good. Elysia misunderstood what is happening here. I need to say something."

    Adam opened his mouth but the window of interference had passed. The Dirac duo was giving their greeting to his parents before they turned toward him and Eve.

    "You and Lady Eve make a lovely couple, my lord. I am sure you both are making a lot of people jealous today."

    Elysia sounded normal when she spoke it and Adam wanted to reassure her that nothing was going on between him and Eve.

    At the same time, he felt rage build up inside him at the realization that Elysia had lied to him about not being able to make it to the ball with him.

    "Come on Elysia, you know it is not like that between me and Adam. And if you ask me, I think you look much better than anyone else tonight. Don''t you agree, Adam?"

    Eve''s nudge snapped Adam out of his mixed thoughts. Her re was full of disapproving anger it took a few seconds to realize why that was.

    ''I spaced out. How much time did I miss?''

    "You look good today but you always look beautiful anyway. But you should have told me if you were going to make it after all. I won''t have to take someone else with me here today."

    Eve gave a tired sigh at Adam''s side and even his mother looked disappointed. They only gave such reactions when Adam messed up but he could not tell how he had messed up.

    But he must have because Elysia had a bitter look on her face for a second before she masked it with a polite smile.

    "Ah, I think we''ve taken enough of your time, your highness, Lady Eve. We should take our leave now."

    Adam took a step to follow Elysia before Eve''s hand on his arm stopped him from leaving.

    "What''s the big deal? I am just going after Elysia."

    Eve''s irritated look inted at his answer and now she looked pissed off instead. Adam could tell that the nobles were looking at them and Eve realized that as well.

    So she made the sensible decision of dragging him toward a secluded spot to talk things out.

    "Hey, what are you doing? There would be even more rumors because of what you just did."

    "As if you are not making matters worse already. I knew you were bad atpliments but you should not have put Elysia on the spot like that. You went quiet for a few minutes and all you could say to her was that she ''always looks beautiful'' and then process to grill her out. At least wait until you are alone to pull that stunt."

    "Why are you so insensitive? At least look at the ce and time before you cause trouble."

    Eve sounded angry at him and that made Adam angry as well. Why did he have to care about the feelings of those insignificant people? They never cared about his feelings before when they gossiped about him.

    "Why should I? It doesn''t affect me-"

    "But it will affect Elysia''s standing. Do you want her to be troubled by all this?"

    "Of course not. Why would Elysia need to be troubled by all this?"

    "Adam, I don''t know if I should pity you or feel angry at you. Why don''t you get human emotions? Is it because of your draconic nature that makes you blind to what is happening? Listen, you might not get hurt by what is being said but it will bug Elysia. So calm down and think about her feelings."

    Those words were like water on the fire and they instantly calmed Adam down.

    Of course, he knew that Elysia felt troubled by something all this time but he had never thought it to be the people''s talk.

    But it was true that Elysia''s mood tended to change once in a while when she heard people talk about Adam and Eve being in ''love.''

    "Why does she feel troubled by it? I love her not you. Isn''t it the same for you with her?"

    "I know. I love Elysia too. But I am sure Elysia doesn''t know. Sometimes, one cannot know what the other is feeling unless it is spelled out to them. I am afraid that this is the same case."

    Adam''s shoulders were hunched at Eve''s words and his face twisted into a frown before he opened his mouth to let a whine.

    "Feelings are troublesome."

    "They are but that is also why they are precious to us."

 Chapter 57 57: End Of The Engagement [Pt1]

    People began specting about possible causes as soon as the Crown Prince and his ''significant other'' left the hall.

    "It must be because of Lady Dirac''s arrival. Maybe the Prince could not stand looking at her any longer."

    "Right. He was so desperate to get away from his fiance and spend time with his lover that he ditched us all."

    "Why did she have toe? Not only did she drive away the Crown Prince but she''s also hovering around Lord Dirac. How will I ever approach Lord Dirac now? He''s turning away everyone since he has his sister with him."

    People were not sensitive enough to what they were saying, nor were they quite enough to keep their talk to themselves.

    Elysia could hear them talking about her and it hurt to hear these things about her. She had managed to get bad-mouthed by simply standing around.

    ''This is so awkward. When will I be able to leave this Charity Ball? Brother needs to stay here for a few hours but I wonder if he will allow me to return home alone.''

    Elysia had wanted to bring Sora with her but her familiar had rejected her invitation.

    ording to Sora, such ces of forced mass social gatherings did not agree with him and something would happen if he tagged along.

    In the end, Lucas saved himself from the headache and allowed Sora to stay behind.

    ''I should have stayed behind with Sora as well. This is so awkward.''

    People were giving Elysia the ''stinky'' eye and she could read the message loud and clear - ''get away from Lord Dirac. We cannot approach him if you are there.''

    These were the most prominent kind of looks she was getting and they were creeping Elysia out.

    It did not help that her other senses were sharper due to her bad vision and she could feel the other''s ill-will even more urately.

    "Elysia, you look a little pale. Do you need to sit down for some time?"

    Elysia was proud of herself when she did not cry out at her brother''s touch. The feather-light touch had been enough to snap Elysia out of her mind''s mirage.

    But that touch was apanied by even harsher res that were dragging her back.

    ''Sheesh, he''s my brother. Why are these girls so insecure? They can approach my brother-''

    "Excuse me, Lord Dirac-"

    "Let''s get you some rest Elysia. I am sorry but I am not free to talk right now."

    A girl finally gathered enough courage to talk with her brother and Lucas turned her down without even thinking.

    And of course, the girl med Elysia for that. Elysia could feel that dagger-like re tearing into her.

    ''Why are you ming me? me Lucas who does not want to deal with you.''

    But these words remained inside Elysia''s mind this whole time. She could not open her mouth to say anything.

    What she could sense was the familiar presence of the Head Priest Yohan nearby.

    "Lucas, is Head Priest nearby? I think I should go and greet him."

    It had been a while since the Head Priest had any sort of contact with Elysia and thatck ofmunication made Elysia worried.

    Had she been abandoned by him? Or was there a reason he had not contacted Elysia in a while?

    "The Head Priest? Ah, he''s nearby the Royal Table. Let me apany you to pay those respects. I still need to thank him for taking care of you all this time."

    "No, that is��."

    Elysia wanted to go alone since she knew that Head Priest Yohan would not say anything in her brother''s presence.

    But she had no excuse to make to not take him along.

    "Alright, let''s go."

    Lucas took Elysia''s hand as he dragged her toward the center table. The whole room was looking at them right now. Their eyes were stabbing daggers into Elysia''s back.

    ''How does Lucas not feel all these interested stares? Or does he simply not care for them? That would be too much like Lucas to do that as well.''

    Elysia was happy to see that her brother was not bothered by anything that was happening around them. He looked happy and that was it.

    However, there was one annoyance that decided not to sit back around and make his move as well.

    "Ah, Lucas, it is nice to see you and little Elysia again. Was there something you needed from me?"

    The one who addressed them first was the king. Elysia could feel Head Priest Yohan''s curious re asking her ''what she was doing'' but he did not mouth them to her.

    ''It must be because Lucas is here with me.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    There was so much Elysia wanted to tell the Head Priest but she did not have words to start. That was why she stayed quiet so far.

    "Your highness, it is my pleasure to greet you again. But I am afraid my purpose of this visit is not you but to thank the Head Priest for looking after my sister this long. I wanted to talk aboutpensation for the same with him."

    Lucas did not even falter when he was questioned like that by the king. One could see how much confidence he had.

    "I see. It is fortunate of Lord Dirac to find us because I have something to request of him as well aspensation and it concerns your sister, Lady Elysia Dirac, and her engagement with the Crown Prince."

    "As you know, the current arrangement of this engagement was suggested as a sign of trust between the temple and the Royal Family but it is no longer possible with the currently engaged pair. So both I and his highness were trying to brainstorm a way to get over this problem."

    Elysia felt her blood turn cold at the words she heard. So it was finally time for this to happen.

    Head Priest had promised that he would do everything in his power to annual this engagement and let Adam and Eve reunite. So this was something that was bound to happen.

    ''But why do I feel so bitter about it? I don''t want to break off what I have.''

    If you ask Elysia if she loved Adam or not, she would not be able to answer. The same was the case for her feelings for Eve.

    She did love them but Elysia had never thought about it in-depth. So she did not know why this break-up hurt.

    They were not together in the first ce and Adam had seldom shown interest in romantic things.

    "So you want me to agree to break off this engagement? It is not an impossible request but I don''t feel like it''s appropriate for me to decide on Elysia''s and the Crown Prince''s behalf. Their feelings should be taken into consideration"

    Lucas''s words felt like a ray of hope to Elysia even when they should not have. This was an engagement that could notst.

    "I know my son''s feelings. He''s fond of Lady Elysia but he''s also really fond of the next saintess. And I feel like he would agree once we tell him who his new partner would be."

    The king justughed this matter off. Elysia could see the queen sighing from the corner of her eyes and pleading with Elysia to not take it all to heart.

    But what was there to take to heart anyway? This had always been the desired oue of this world.

    "I know this is a hard-hitting truth for the Dirac house but the Crown Prince indeed loves the next saintess and no one here would dispute this fact. Shouldn''t we give him his happiness?"

    The Head Priest''s words felt like a sharp jab at Elysia. She had never expected a rejection to hurt this much.

    ''Would it have hurt more if it was Adam who rejected me instead of everyone else?''

    Elysia was not sure what to think anymore. Her head and heart, both hurt at what was happening.

    Moreover, she could feel people pointing at her and whispering behind their hands, andughing at her.

    Elysia had forgotten that this was a public setting and people could hear what was going on around them.

    And so had the king. His face was flushed a little red but he looked determined to end things right now.

    "Lord Dirac, please take your time to think things over."

    The king seemed to want to end this matter for the public for now. This was a delicate issue that involved two of the biggest powers in the empire so it needed to be handled delicately.

    However, no one was going to get their wish today and it was because of the new arrival at the scene.

    "Lord Dirac, shouldn''t you let the Crown Prince go? After all, you did make a promise to us about it. Now that the Crown Prince had fallen in love with someone, you should let this connection go."

    Elysia felt like she should not be that shocked to see Lord White stepping up.

    He was someone who knew her brother well and was likely looking out for him.

    ''Or maybe he is pissed after what happened with Lady Emma. Does he me Lucas for her injury?''

    Whatever the case was, it did not matter. Lord White had an impassive look on his face when he looked at Lord Dirac and her brother also had a closed-off face.

    The stare-off continued for a few seconds before Elysia pulled at her brother''s sleeve to get him to back down.

    There were too many people eying Lucas currently. He was not safe here and they needed to go home.

    "Well then, if you cannot conclude then we should have the rted party make the decision. What do you think about this engagement, Lady Dirac? The one who would be most affected by this is you so I would like to hear your opinion."

    It was the Head Priest who asked that question, his eyes were warning Elysia not to mess it up or she would regret it.

    ''It''s now or never.''

    "I think it would be better to end this engagement. Neither I nor Adam is in love right now, nor is there a political gain here. It would be better for us to end this rtionship. Besides, I feel like Eve and the Crown Prince would make a better pair."

    Elysia finished, only to catch two startled pairs of eyes. Adam and Eve had entered the hall together with twin expressions of shock on their faces. Their hands were clutched together tightly as well and it convinced Elysia.

    ''I made the right decision. They are made for each other.''

 Chapter 58 58: End Of The Engagement [Pt2]

    There was a moment of silence between Adam and Eve after their conversation ended. It just did not feel right to say anything anymore now that their feelings about this topic were out in the open.

    However, before the atmosphere cleared up, Adam decide to move. All Eve could do was to keep on looking before she realised what had happened.

    "Hey, where are you going? Are you going to storm back in with such an engry expression? You will make people misunderstand what is happening."

    Eve cried out, her hand raching out to try and stop the Crown Prince from making a mistake.

    However, her strength was no match for the dragon prince who dragged her along for the ride.

    "Adam, what are you nning on doing?"

    Eve asked again, wanting just an answer to make her worries go away. She had a bad feeling about what Adam was about to do.

    "What else can I do? I will confess how I feel to Elysia and make it clear that she''s the one I like. After all, weren''t you the one who said that she would not get it until I make things clear to her?"

    Eve opened her mouth but closed it like a fish the next second.

    Yes, she was the one who had said all that but she had never expected Adam to take her words seriously.

    He had never taken anything she had said seriously before so why was he considering them now? Eve could not help but feel like she had struck her own fortune.

    ''Calm down. There is no guarantee that Elysia would agree to Adam''s proposal even if he confesses. I still have a chance with her.''

    It no longer seemed possible to stop Adam from confession but Eve was not going to give up. As long as Elysia did not say ''no'' to Eve, she still had a shot of stealing her away from Adam.

    But the atmosphere in the Charity Ball was something entirely different than what Eve had left it as.

    There was a certain tensity in the air that increased once everyone spotted her and Adam entering back.

    But before Eve could ask what this was about, she felt Adam clucth her hand in a crushig grip. Her had a ferocious grip on Eve''s hand and it felt like it would break apart under that force.

    "I think it would be better to end this engagement. Neither I nor Adam is in love right now, nor is there a political gain here. It would be better for us to end this rtionship. Besides, I feel like Eve and the Crown Prince would make a better pair."

    Elysia''s words hit Eve''s heart like a nail. They had a certail finality to them and her eyes looked swollen and ready to cry as well.

    It might not be obvious to everyone watching but Eve could see that it hurting Elysia to speak those words.

    "What is going on here-"

    "Ah, Adam. You and Lady Eve have the perfect timing possible. You see, we have something to announce that will make you happy. You no longer have to hide your rtionship with Lady Eve."

    Those words felt like sharp knives to Eve''s heart. She tried to catch Elysia''s eyes but the other girl was not looking at her.

    Instead, Elysia had her hands fisted at her side and her face had a bitter but resigned smile on it.

    ''Does Elysia believe that we are in love as well? Why and how did that happen? How long has she thought that for?''

    Elysia could feel Adam''s disblief as well. His hand in Elysia''s felt cold which caused Eve to subtly let it go.

    But she could tell that Elysia and everyone else had seen that as well.

    "What do you mean ''hide our rtionship''? We don''t have any rtionship outside of being acquanitces."

    Adam''s denial was sharp but Eve could see that no one believed him. Did everyone believe thay she and Adam were in love with each other?

    "Now don''t be shy. After all, you both are getting engaged now. I was just having a talk with the Head Priest and we agreed that it would be better to have you get engaged to Eve rather than Elysia. It also takes into ount the promise that was made by the temple to the Royal Family. Isn''t this a happy asion for us all?"

    Adam looked devastated at the news. His eyes moved from the Head Priest to his father and then even to Elysia in a questioning manner but no one seemed to answer him.

    Eve could feel the rage bubbling in his magic. If nothing was done soon then he would erupt.

    "Adam, calm down. We can still talk it over and thene to a conclusion."

    Eve tried to calm down while also shooting helpless looks toward Elysia''s direction. The other girl was beginning to look sick as well.

    "Mother, did you agree to this ridiculous oue as well? How could ''you'' of all people do this to me?"

    "Don''t look at me like that. I had nothing to do with this and I was not asked this either. I am just as baffled as you are at what happened."

    The queen did looked ufortable and angry at what had happened as well. The hall was already full of rumors about what was happening.

    And all Eve could do was to look at Elysia who was looking more and more ufortable by the second.

    "I reject your proposal. I will not dissolve my engagement with Elysia."

    Adam''s words were loud and clear but they were not well received.

    Most of the people in the hall were leveling Eve with looks of pity while ring at Elysia. They were not happy at Adam''s refusal to dissolve his engagement with Elysia.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Eve had always known that people preferred her over Elysia when it came to be the queen but she had never known that the friction was this much.

    "Why are you being shy now, Prince Adam? We all know how much you love our Eve. Even Lady Elysia sees it and has agreed to this break-up. Isn''t that so, Elysia?"

    Eve had never heard her adopted father sound like that. She had not even known that he could sound that forceful.

    ''Would Elysia have any other choice but to agree if you froce her like this?''

    This was what Eve wanted to yell out but she showed restrain. One madman was enough on the scene.

    "I��don''t feel so good. Brother, can we go home now?"

    Elysia really did not look good. Even her voice was barely hanging on and she was clutching her chest in an awkward way.

    Eve wanted to run over and held Elysia but there were too many eyes on her.

    However, Adam seemed to have no such restriction. He pulled Elysia''s arm and forced her to face him.

    "Elysia, I want to hear what you say. Is this really something you want to subject me to? I promised you that I won''t-"

    "MOSNTERS. SOMEONE HELP. MONSTERS WERE SPOTTED NEAR THR BORDER."

    ''Now of all times? What is going on here?''

    The yelling snapped through the tension causing a mass panic to break out. As soon as the nobles heard about the presence of mosnters, they begna panicking.

    Even the crown and the temple did not know what to do.

    However, even among all this Adam and Elysia did not bulge and Eve finally made her way to the pair. She needed to hear what they had to say as well.

    "Adam, let her go. Elysia, it''s alright now. You can say what you want to and we will listen to you. You don''t have to be afriad of what will happen next."

    Eve''s voice was gentle and kind. She could see Elysia''s worry melting into relief and she finally opened her mouth when she was interrupted again.

    "Lady Dirac, we need your presence at the south gate with your brother. Kindly hurry up ande."

    Eve had a feeling what would happen next and so did Adam.

    The Crown Prince reached out toward Elysia to stop her but she was much more slippery than he expected her to be.

    Before the pair knew it, Elysia had disappeared in front of thier eyes.

    "This is not the end. I said I won''t let her go and I mean it. I won''t lose her to anyone."

    Adam sounded pissed off and Eve knew he would do something foolish soon. He always had been like this.

    "I know you don''t want to let her go but it is what she chose for herself. Even if it was something that was not of her own vition, I don''t think Elysia would change her mind."

    Eve knew how Elysia thought and how pressure affected her. Eysia was afraid of something and Eve was now sure that it involved both her and Adam.

    "I don''t understand why she''s convinced that there is something between us."

    That was a good question to ask. Eve had observed that as well but she had never drawn attention to it before.

    But it made one thing certain for Eve and that was that Elysia would rather not chose any of them than to chose one of them.

    "Hey Adam, don''t kill me here but I have a suggession for you. You said you don''t want to lose Elysia, right? And I don''t want to lose her either. So how about we share her? It would be easier to reel her in like that."

    Eve had to admit that her idea sounded crazy at second hearing but she was serious about it.

    But from Adam''s expression, he seemed to find it excessive as well.

    "Have you hit your head? Why would I agree to share Elysia with the likes of you?"

    Adam sounded repulsed but not entirly off board. Eve had a feeling that she would be able to convenience him if she yed her cards right.

    "Well, it won''t be any trouble off your skin and Elysia won''t have to chose. Besides, the only baby Elysia have this way is yours. I have no intention of having a rtionship with you so it''s a win-win for us both."

    Adam looked intrigued and Eve could see him perking up at the mention of ''baby''. He really was like an animal sometimes and having those instincts.

    "I never said anything about being interested in getting Elysia pregnant."

    "Good, because Elysia is still to young. I would be worried if you were interested in that for now. So, what do you say? Do we have an agreement?"

    Adam scrowled but he did not refuse Eve outright. That was as good as an agreement from his side.

 Chapter 59 [Bonus ]59: End Of The Engagement [Pt3]

    There was a phantom pain in Elysia''s chest that did not feel like hers. Something was actively squeezing around Elysia''s core and cutting her magic off.

    It was painful and hurt even to breathe properly.

    "I��don''t feel so good. Brother, can we go home now?"

    Elysia was surprised that she could even squeeze those words out of her mouth. Adam''s eyes and his voice was the only thing Elysia could concentrate on but even that gave Elysia an ufortable feeling.

    She knew he was speaking something to her but Elysia''s ears rang.

    "Elysia, I want to hear what you say. Is this really something you want to subject me to? I promised you that I won''t-"

    Adam stopped halfway as panic erupted around the hall. The noise was enough to drown out what Adam was currently speaking about.

    Elysia wanted to focus on what he was saying to her but that was impossible. And so was to keep her weight stable.

    Lucas was subtly carrying Elysia''s weight and keeping her upright but Elysia would not confident she would be able to maintain her expression neutral for long.

    Adam was still looking at her even when this chaos erupted. For a second it felt like they were the only two people in the world before reality came crashing down on them.

    "Adam, let her go. Elysia, it''s alright now. You can say what you want to and we will listen to you. You don''t have to be afraid of what will happen next."

    Eve''s voice was a knife to Elysia''s mind. It reminded Elysia of every reason why she should not hold on to Adam and run away.

    But even saying that Elysia could not find it in herself to move. Eve''s eyes were looking at Elysia in a mixture of worry and relief.

    They looked at her like Adam looked at her and it made Elysia melt.

    However, all good things muste to an end and so did this majestic moment. It was broken up by the arrival of a panicking guard asking for her and her brother''s presence.

    A brother who was still standing behind Elysia with a quiet and cold expression.

    "Lady Dirac, we need your presence at the south gate with your brother. Kindly hurry up ande."

    Elysia wanted toment but the hand on her shoulder returned all of Elysia''s rationality to her.

    ''I cannot make a scene here. It would be a problem for Lucas if I say something.''

    So despite everything inside Elysia telling her to open her mouth and confess how she felt, she decided to step away from the newly formed couple.

    It was just shocking that were making them act this attached to Elysia and chase after her. Once they both settle down, they will see that they were better for each other. Elysia had no ce between that pair.

    "Elysia, are you alright? You are sweating too hard. Have your injuries opened up again?"

    Lucas finally asked Elysia this question once they were far enough from those prying eyes.

    The Dirac soldiers that surrounded them currently eyes Elysia with suspicious gazes but they did notment on her.

    Even they could see how bad Elysia looked currently.

    ''Are they going to pity me as well? Or will they congratte me for finally letting the Crown Prince free? I no longer know what to think.''

    Elysia wanted to believe that she did the right thing. She had to have because everyone looked so happy.

    Everyone except the main couple Elysia had left behind. Their eyes had looked betrayed and even hurt at what Elysia had done.

    "Brother, do you think I did the right thing letting them go? It was suffocating to be bound to them but I don''t feel free even when I let them go."

    The chain around Elysia''s heart was getting even tighter. It was choking her badly and Elysia even broke out into a cough as a result.

    "Letting go is not easy but it does get better for us. Besides, I will help distract you once we go back home. You just won''t have enough time to think about all this once you start your magical training."

    Elysia finally smiled at her brother''s attempt at distracting her. It was nice of him to try this hard and even makeup excuses.

    But something felt wrong. The guards around Elysia had gone deadly quiet and were even eying Elysia with eyes full of pity.

    ''He will not actually kill me, right? Lucas was just saying that to make me feel better right?''

    Elysia wanted to ask Lucas but his smiling face made Elysia falter in her quest. Suddenly, she did not want to ask any more questions from him.

    ''Why do I feel this fear at seeing Lucas smile? I suddenly don''t want to return home.''

    _________________________________

    "Finally, we managed to get these monsters under control. But we will need to investigate where they came from. They managed to cause a hugemotion and even frightened the nobles. We will need to contain any kind of bacsh that results from this."

    The remaining soldiers and guards nodded at the Head Preast Yohan''s words with respect.

    He had been the biggest contributor to managing and purifying these monsters after the Dirac army and had even chosen to stay behind and participate in the aftermath.

    People had nothing but respect for him and his deeds.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    But for Eve it was a different feeling. For the first time in her life, she felt annoyed at seeing her father surrounded by so many people.

    All Eve wanted was to drag him away and demand an answer from him. Her brain refused to erase the image of that Eve from before.

    ''Why did he pull that stunt so suddenly? It is because of him I had to make a deal with Adam and agree to share Elysia.''

    But there were just too many people around for Eve to make that happen.

    She shared a helpless look with Adam who had finally calmed down enough to not attack someone at a hat''s drop.

    The Crown Prince had already taken out his frustration at the unfortunate monsters he had crossed paths with and now he seemed much calmer.

    "We are thankful for all the help you and the temple give us. Now, why don''t you stay here for now and I will provide you with amodation in the Royal Pce? I am sure little Eve would like to know how it feels to live in her future home."

    Eve flinched at Adam''s growl at her side. The Prince was looking at her in a way that said ''do something about it'', but what could Eve do?

    It was the king who had suggested this arrangement so it would be next to impossible for Eve to refute him without any good reason.

    "I''m thankful for this generosity but I don''t feel like it is a good idea for Eve to be here for now. I know that Adam is a good person but he''s still a teenager right now. It would not be ''appropriate'' for them to be nearby."

    Eve''s face flushed at her father''s words.

    "That''s true. Men are truly a beast at that age. I guess it is better to separate them for now."

    ''D-Did he just suggests that I and Adam might-? E, no. Bad thoughts.''

    Eve didn''t even dare to look at Adam''s face right now. There might not be a bigger insult one could throw his way right now.

    After all, dragons were monogamous creatures and took family bonds very seriously. Adam could kill someone over this insult.

    "You! Stop this childish behavior right now. This is not an appropriate ce for discussing such things. For now, everyone should return to their rooms and sleep the fatigue away."

    Everyone sighed a sigh of relief as the queen made that decision. The king seemed to be the only one who looked disappointed at the news.

    "Alright, if you say so dear. Then, I would like to meet Lord Yohan tomorrow. We''re going to be inws soon so I would like to spend more time getting to know you."

    Eve wanted to be happy for her father but she felt nothing but numbness and betrayed by his actions.

    Why had he not asked Eve before getting her engaged with Adam?

    "I would like that as well. But I should return to the temple for now. I am sure Eve is more than tired at this point.''

    Head Priest Yohan finally looked toward Eve with a proud look. He also eyes Adam who finally stormed off but his main concern was Eve.

    It was not until they were finally alone in the cabin that Eve dared to ask her questions.

    "Why? Why did you break off Elysia''s engagement? Did she do something wrong?"

    Eve wanted to know why her father had even suggested such a thing. He was the one who agreed to send Elysia back to her family so he should have known that this fall-out was a possibility.

    Then why did he not say anything back then? Why now?

    "Ah, that? Everyone knew that Elysia was just a stand-in until a better candidate came. Besides, aren''t you happy Eve? Adam is finally yours and you can be together with him as is fated."

    ''Fated? What bullshit.''

    "I don''t even like him, much less love him. Why do I have to marry him? I told you this before but you never listen to me. You, Elysia, and everyone else. Why are you all convinced that I and Adam like each other?"

    Eve was pissed off but she tried to hold it in.

    If only she could get an answer from her father then she would be free of second-guessing why things were happening as they were.

    Just where had she gone wrong to give off an impression that she liked Adam of all people?

    "Eve, you are just confused now. Everyone can see that you and Adam are made for each other. Even the gods have foretold this a long time ago. You both might not see it now but you are each other''s destiny. You will be happy with each other and Elysia knows that as well. That was why when I asked her to back down, she agreed with me."

    ''He sounds like he believes that bullshit. But wait, is that why Elysia backed down? Not because she wanted to but because her father asked her to. Did he tell Elysia all this as well?''

    Eve wanted to say that it was not like that. But the more she thought back at it, the more it made sense to her.

    Elysia had not always been aloof from her and Adam but the more time she spend with the Head Priest in training, the more she closed herself off.

    ''I don''t want to believe it but is it your fault all this is happening?''

    This man, her father, was he the real culprit behind what was happening around Eve?

    "Father I-"

    "You are just confused for now Eve but one day you will see. Now I don''t want to talk about this issue anymore. You will marry Adam even if it''s not something you want to do."

 Chapter 60 60: A New Start [Pt1]

    When the engagement was eventually dissolved, Elysia had thought she had avoided thergest red g that had been hanging over her head.

    But for some reason, the relief-filled feeling did note to Elysia. There was a restlessness that had taken ce inside Elysia''s heart.

    She did not know what to do next and she had no direction to aim at either.

    The pain that was guing Elysia''s chest was a constant reminder that something had gone wrong and Elysia could no longer feel her magic as sharply as she could.

    That night, Elysia took a walk around the calm Dirac estate, her useless eyes not performing any better than they usually did.

    ''My magic dulled but my vision did not get any better. The world is indeed not fair when it came to rewards.''

    Elysia''s feet took her all over the ce but it was still not possible to feel any whisk of sleep. Elysia''s mind was working in an overdrive currently, reminding her of all that happened today.

    ''Adam looked like he was in shock and Eve looked no better. But hopefully, they will have a bright future ahead of them.''

    Elysia knew what would happen next. She would get a few letters from Eve confirming if she was alright or not.

    Eve would feel guilty and try to reverse the situation and give Elysia her spot back but Elysia would not allow it. That was a big death g and one that would resolve with Elysia''s death.

    She could just not afford to take any chances.

    "It''s a pleasant surprise to see you out here, mydy. Were you trying to seek me out by any chance?"

    Victor''s voice was unpleasant to hear but his presence was a surprise. Elysia had not felt him approach, nor had he been in the area when she had scouted it.

    The man had all but appeared out of thin air and it made Elysia nervous to be near him. She did not get any good vibes from him.

    "I think I''ve taken a long enough walk today. I should head in and rest now."

    Elysia turned quickly to flee from the scene. She did not want to entertain this man since she could not figure out what he wanted from her.

    She could tell that the man had no good intentions toward her. But he also did not try to get close to her brother when given the chance.

    Why go after Elysia and not her brother? This was something Elysia could not figure out.

    Had she been a few years older or Victor a few years younger then it might have been obvious what he was after. But there was too much of an age difference between them to make a rtionship work.

    Not if the man wanted to be respected in the world''s eyes.

    "Now where are you going, Lady Dirac? Why don''t you stay with me and let me apany you tonight? There is no better way to mend a broken heart than some good wine and lovingpany."

    Elysia''s wrist burned where the man had touched her. It was not a tight grip but it still sent a shock down Elysia''s system.

    "Unhand me or I will make you regret ever touching me. Let me go and I will never speak a word of our encounter today."

    Elysia did not want to give this man a chance but he was Head Butler Hector''s rtive. And if Elysia said anything against him then it would strain her bother''s rtionships.

    As such, it was better for Elysia to maintain her distance and look after herself.

    "Now why would I risk that? Am I doing anything but chatting with you under the moonlight? I just think my room might be a morefortable ce to talk about it all but if you disagree then I cannot do anything about it."

    The man said all that but he still did not let go of Elysia''s wrist. It was getting extremely painful now.

    His touch burned and Elysia was about to cry out in pain when she felt someone yank her hand out of Victor''s hand.

    "Did I not tell you to keep your hands to yourself? I should give you a demonstration about what would happen if you keep going against me."

    Sora''s familiar voice was what cut through Elysia and that man.

    Her familiar had a thunderous look on his face as he forced Victor to let his grip fall. The tutor looked stunned but he quickly stepped back.

    "And the mutt is here." Victor''s words were clear even as he muttered them before he gave a graceful smile toward Sora.

    "Why of course. I was not trying to do anything here, justfort little Elysia after the disaster that happened today. But now that you are here Lord Sorias I can leave without worrying."

    Sora gave the silver tongue man a deadpan expression before he took Elysia''s hand and dragged her away.

    If looks could kill then Victor would be lying six feet under the ground by now.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Well, that went surprisingly well. I guess seducing that nativedy will be easier than I thought."

    Victor''s voice echoed in the empty garden but there was no one there to witness his deeds. The only two people who had seen him were gone now.

    Unknown to him, a shadow saw his actions from above but that man had a troubled look on his face.

    After all, how could the Head Butler believe what he saw his dear nephew do? And what should he do about this information that could get Victor killed?

    ''Oh Victor, you are ying with fire. You should stop before your actions cross a boundary you would not be able toe back from.

    _________________________________

    "Listen well Emma because I have a job for you to do. Do you remember Lady Elysia? I need you to befriend her and gain her trust."

    Emma White could not find a more shocking moment in her life. Her father, the one who had called Lady Dirac a failure, was the one who suggested this. And now of all times when Lady Dirac had no value for them.

    ording to what Emma had heard, Lady Dirac was no longer engaged with the Crown Prince so it was of no use to appeal to her.

    It would be better to gain that new ''fiance''s'' trust than to y along with Lady Dirac.

    "Don''t question what I am saying Emma and don''t trust everything you hear. You might now know this but this annulment was not the decision of the Crown Prince. He pretty much did not get a choice in this matter at that time."

    "I see. But still, wasn''t this expected? After all, the Crown Prince holds no affection for Lady Dirac."

    This was what Emma had gotten to know from all her sources.

    It came as no surprise to anyone when the engagement got canceled but the timing had been rather abrupt.

    "No affection, huh? Somehow I find it hard to believe. You did not see the kind of face Prince Adam made when he received the news that he had to break up with Lady Dirac. He looked like a man who lost all hope."

    Emma found it a hard pill to swallow. Their Crown Prince was known as a cold-hearted man. He never showed expression in front of people.

    Because of how simple it was for people to assume that he liked Lady Eve. In fact, she was able to coax irritation and rage from him.

    Emma did not, however, have the impression that her father had misled her in any way. He appeared to sincerely think that what he saw was real.

    ''Could father be mistaken in what he saw? Maybe he is misremembering?''

    But think as she might, Emma had a feeling that her father was convinced about what he needed to do.

    And Emma had no problem fulfilling his order since it gave her an excuse to meet that familiar again. This time she would surely manage to seduce him to her side and make him hers.

    "Emma, I have a feeling that our n to seduce the Crown Prince would no longer work so we will work on getting Lady Dirac''s good side. If nothing else, then at least she is good friends with that new Royal Fiance so we win either way."

    Her father looked satisfied at the oue he had nned. Emma did not want to burst his bubble by reminding him that he had already messed it all up by making a poor impression on Lord Dirac.

    It was his problem and Emma would not give him any excuse to take his order back.

    "But how are we going to get close to Lady Dirac? I am not sure we will be weed in the Dirac Mansion after the stunt you pulledst night."

    Emma had heard the role her father had yed in the engagement''s breaking and she was sure that Lord Dirac was angry with her father.

    "Don''t worry so much about it. I did some digging around and found out that Lady Dirac''s schedule. She will be there at the academy volunteering the day after tomorrow and I will ask them to add your name to that list as well."

    "All you need to do is to help her out with certain bullying problems she will be facing and you will naturally get close to her."

    ''So it''s the same tactic over and over again. But somehow I don''t think it will bother Lady Dirac much.''

    From what Emma had seen of it, Lady Dirac faced bullying constantly to the point she was semi-immune to it. The level of bullying her father applied in these situations won''t really work well this time.

    But Emma would not be the one to tell him this. She would not do anything to get her chances revoked by her father.

    "Anyway, you go and get prepared to leave for the academy. I am sure there are things you need to do."

    This was the sign for her dismissal. Emma did not want to stay around her father when he was in a mood either.

    Anyway, she had a lot of things to look forward to so she would notin.

 Chapter 61 61: A New Start [Pt2]

    "Elysia, how are you feeling today? You know that you don''t have to go to the academy tour if you are not feeling up to it, right?"

    Lucas sounded worried about her and that warmed Elysia. But she also understood why he was so worried about her.

    After that midnight encounter with Victor, Elysia had locked herself in her room and refused toe out yesterday.

    She might have said that she was to do anything yesterday and people had bought it. They had likely felt too sorry for her to even confront her.

    Only Sora had dared enter her room but her familiar had known the real reason Elysia had locked herself in her room. The marks on her arm where Victor had gripped her had been too vivid.

    A day had not been enough to heal them fully even with the help of magic and potions but it had lightened those marks enough so that no one would ask questions about where they came from.

    Especially not if Elysia hid them well with make-up and other essories.

    "I am alright and feeling much better today. I guess a day was all I needed to bounce back. I am ready to take up my duties now."

    Elysia smiled the biggest and most carefree smile she could. She had practiced this smile a lot to fool other nobles.

    And she knew that this smile worked most of the time. No one had ever said anything against it and even the Head Priest had acknowledged it.

    "I understand so you can stop trying to act tough. But I also agree that going out today and distracting yourself might be a good idea."

    ''Ah, so Lucas could see past my fake smile. I guess everyone else was too polite to say anything when they saw me smile like this.''

    It was disheartening to realize that people were only indulging Elysia most of the time. Had she ever been taken seriously by others her whole life?

    The more Elysia discovered, the less likely it seemed to her.

    "Oh, and take Sorias with you everywhere you go. Something about these recent monster attacks is not normal and I don''t want you to be in danger."

    Elysia pushed at her brother''s tense tone. He sounded serious about this issue and Elysia did not have the heart to refuse him.

    Not that she needed to. Sora was familiar and Elysia liked hispany.

    Lucas watched his sister leave with that unsure look on her face. He wanted to talk everything out with her but even he knew that now was not the best time.

    The letter of annulment that had been forwarded by the temple currentlyy on his desk with a personal threat from the crown prince to not even consider doing what was asked of him.

    "What should I do next? I doubt Prince Adam will leave Elysia alone even if I sign the canction letter that the Head Priest send me but it would be the right thing to do."

    This letter was all but a formality. The empire had epted the next saintess as thewful queen already so there was no ce for Elysia there.

    It would not be fair for Elysia to be bound in this marriage and fall victim to these people''s talks.

    But at the same time, Lucas could not bring himself to sign that letter. Not after he had read the crown prince''s heart-felt sorrows in his letter.

    He genuinely did seem to love Elysia and that was something that Lucas would have difficulty findingter on.

    But despite this choice and the difficulties he was facing, Lucas was not too out of it to not realize the foreign presence in his room.

    "Stop trying to hide from me. I can smell a beast like you from miles away. Now,e out and tell me what you want from me."

    The presence felt familiar but it wasced in this world''s favor. Whosoever this person was, they were quite liked by the world.

    "I am sorry for intruding like this, my lord. My name is Sara and I am Lady Eve''s familiar. I am here on behalf of her to offer you a deal."

    Sara, that name was familiar to Lucas. He had heard about her from Sorias and what all had gone down in thatst case.

    Somehow Lucas could not find it in himself to be surprised to see that two people favored by this world had decided to form a contract with each other.

    But what surprised Lucas was that they had decided to seek him out to talk.

    "Sit down. I will hear you out before deciding whether you get to live. Ally or not, you did break into the Dirac estate uninvited."

    A sh of fear shed across the half-beast''s eyes before she calmed herself down and took a seat across Lord Dirac.

    Her eyes hardened as she took a look at the letters that Lucas had opened in front of him and he instantly knew that the girl was here for matters regarding this contract.

    "First, I would like to apologize on mydy''s behalf. She wanted toe here personally but I talked her out of it since she was being closely watched."

    "Secondly, I want you to have a look at this. It took some time to find but I think you should have a look at the documents I found. You are the first one I am showing this to so take it as my sign of trust."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Lucas extended his hand out and took the papers in his hand.

    As soon as he touched it, he felt a static go through his body. He instantly retreated his hand and realized with a jolt that the familiar in front of him was wearing leather gloves that canceled magic.

    "This is-"

    "A prophecy. I found it in the Head Priest''s chamber but I cannot make heads or tales out of it. But one thing is clear, he did not get this on his own because thisnguage does not exist in this world."

    Lucas was not sure what Sara meant by it until she opened the page and it turned out to be empty.

    No, it is not empty but written in a way no creature could understand it.

    "It''s written in the god''snguage. There is no way for anyone to know what it says."

    "Yeah, that should be the case normally but I heard the Head Priest say that he knew what it meant. Apparently, someone read this prophecy out loud to him a long time ago."

    "That should be impossible? Even if it is a lie! No, a person cannot lie about the prophecy. The rules of the gods would not allow them to do that."

    Sara looked worried as well but Lucas paid no attention to her.

    Whatever was in this prophecy seemed to be important enough for it to shake apart the temple''s roots and to make them y dirty.

    "Anyway, I have a feeling that this is not what you are here to talk about. You said that your master had a proposal for us. Well, let me hear what it is."

    This prophecy was an issue but it was not the immediate one. Sara had looked at the temple''s letter with a burning hatred so Lucas had an idea of what she was worried about.

    "Ah that. Well, apparently Eve and Adam talked it out and send me here to ''inform'' you that they will be taking Elysia. And by that, they meant that they will ''share'' her. I don''t know what that means and I am not going to ask as well."

    Sara had an ufortable look on her face. Just seeing it made Lucas want tough it out loud, never mentioning the words he just heard.

    ''How ironic for things to end up this way in the end? I wonder how things ended up being this way? Was it because someone was looking after Elysia?''

    Lucas wanted tough out loud but he held it in. Everything was getting tangled up but the world was still a big problem.

    It was getting more and more difficult to predict the future but Lucas felt calmer for some reason.

    Both Adam and Eve falling in love with the same person might be the biggest fuck you this world could have gotten.

    ______________________________

    The academy was the heart and soul of the empire. One could even say that it was the real breadwinner and resource factory for the empire.

    It was mainly divided into the physical and the magic section and only took a selected few students each year.

    The entry bad to get in was high and only those who passed the talent qualifiers could enter the gates.

    It was a ce both Elysia and Eve had been eligible to get into if not for that ident with the ceremony long ago. It had hampered any chances they had (well, for Elysia. Eve still could go but she refused to).

    It was a dreame true for Elysia toe here and finally have a look.

    The only irritating thing currently with this arrangement was the person who had decided to apany her and Sora on their round.

    "Teacher Victor, I told you there was no need for you toe along with us. I am sure you were quite busy today."

    "That''s alright. I am a teacher at this academy and I can show you around better than a tour guide can. Won''t it be better to see this ce from a local''s perspective?"

    Victor just smiled back his bright smile when Elysia asked him a question. He was refusing to take the hints Elysia was giving him about staying back.

    The more she tried, the more that man pushed ahead.

    "Parasite. Why can''t I kill him off here and now."

    At least it was not only Elysia who was feeling annoyed and angry at the man. Sora seemed to be fuming as well.

    If eyes could kill then Sora''s re might have ended Victor''s life right there and then. How could this day get any worse than this?

    "Lady Dirac, Lord familiar, it is nice to see you both again. What a coincidence that we are both here on the same day."

    Never mind, it just got worse in a single instant. Lady Emma White had decided to visit the academy as well and now their trio had turned into a group of four people.

 Chapter 62 62: A New Start [Pt3]

    Victor had a n. A n that he had been hitching for a long time now and it was finally time to put it into action.

    The whole world knew about Lady Dirac''s break-up with the Crown Prince and it was a delicate time for her.

    What he had pulled a few nights ago, Victor was sure he had already made Lady Dirac conscious of him and his presence. That was the first step in his n.

    Now that Lady Dirac was conscious of him and his touches, it would be easier to seduce her and make her think this feeling was infatuation.

    After all, what did an inexperienced brat like Elysia Dirac know of romance and romantic feelings? He knew that she had no experience and would be easy to confuse.

    It was a simr concept to bullying to get attention but more subtle and hard-core. It might seem idiotic at first, but girls at Dirac''s age liked rebellious men. And Victor would give her the illusion of that ''forbidden'' feeling that attracted people.

    The only problem would be the presence of her familiar but it seemed even that was going to be taken care of for him.

    "Lady Dirac, Lord familiar, it is nice to see you both again. What a coincidence that we are both here on the same day."

    God was on Victor''s side as Lady White walked toward the group and subtly wormed her way between Lady Dirac and her familiar.

    It left her on Lady Dirac''s left and Victor on Lady Dirac''s right.

    "Lady White, it is nice to see that you recovered now. You look just as lovely as Ist saw you."

    Victor was the one who acknowledged her presence. He wanted her to stick around and to take the familiar''s attention off Elysia.

    That way he could whisk Elysia away and spend some time alone with her.

    "Thank you, Mister Victor. I did not suffer any injury in the first ce and it was all because of Lord Sorias. He has my eternal gratitude for it and I will repay this favor I owe him."

    Emma White''s eyes shined as she looked at Lady Dirac''s familiar. There was a hungry in those young eyes Victor recognized and he instantly knew that he could use Lady White to achieve his goal.

    She was a shrewd young girl but she was a child in the end.

    "Lady White, why don''t you join our group for today? I am sure Lady Dirac will be delighted to have a friend apany her."

    Victor only made this offer after seeing how awkward Elysia looked with the newpany they had.

    It was a given for Elysia to be on edge since Lady White had managed to separate the familiar-master pair quite well.

    And it was not like Lady Dirac could ask Lady White to move away because it would be rude. She had to keep up her reputation and that made certain actions hard to execute.

    "Heydy, can you give me some space? It is rude to stand like this in between a familiar and their master, you know. You are getting quite on my nerves now."

    "Sora, be polite. I''m sorry Lady White, Sora was just joking right now. I assure you that he meant no insult to you."

    "No, I assure you that I did mean to insult you. Now go away."

    Victor watched the fallout happening from the sidelines. The more that familiar spoke, the more red Lady White got.

    How much she would be able to hold in, even Victor did not know. But it must not be much since Lady White had a nasty temper. The rumors about her temper were legendary and made Victor curious if she would explode right here and now or not.

    "N-No, I am sure that Lord Sorias did not mean any insult with his words and I was being a little rude with my earlier actions. Ah, if it is not too much to ask, then can I join your group for today?"

    ''Wow, she held it all in. I should stop underestimating kids like here.''

    Victor was impressed by the self-restraint Lady White showed. Maybe she will be able to hold out until the end after all.

    "S-Sure you cane along with us if you want to. There is no need for Lady White to feel bad about her decision. I will enjoy herpany as well."

    That was all Elysia said but her ufortable bodynguage was showing clearly. She was not happy about thispany.

    But things were working out in Victor''s favor and it was nice.

    ______________________________

    Elysia hated how the day was shaping up to be. Not only was she being apanied by Victor of all people but Lady White had decided to join in as well.

    Now, normally Lady White would not have been a problem to get along with but now was not the best time for Elysia to be happy about it.

    Especially since there seemed to be an air of dislike around Sora. He seemed tense and ready to flee.

    He was even flinching in-between sometimes and that just betrayed how ufortable he felt with the current situation.

    "Are you alright Sora? We can change ces if you want to."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Since she was in a simr ufortable situation, Elysia offered her familiar. Elysia was disturbed by Victor''s hand lightly touching hers.

    It took everything in Elysia''s power to not tear the elder''s hand apart when she was certain that he had attempted to grab it a few times as well.

    "Let''s head toward the cafeteria first. I neglected to have breakfast and now I am famished. Let''s hurry up so that we are notte."

    Before Sorias could reply to Elysia, someone took his arm and dragged him away. Despite being in his teenage form, the shock of that sudden action was enough for Lady White to sessfully make away with Sorias.

    Elysia could only watch in wonder as that all took ce in front of her eyes. She had not even realized that Lady White was capable of something like that.

    "They must like each other to run away like that. Isn''t their love wonderful, Lady Dirac? I''m sure you must be cheering up on them as well."

    Victor had a whistful expression on his face as he watched the pair disappear. It could almost make one think that he was reminiscing some memories he had of his past.

    "Like? It looked more like Sora was being dragged along for the ride."

    "Is that so? I guess Lady Dirac is still too young to see how love looks and feels like. Have you ever been in love before, Lady Dirac?"

    Victor made an almost ''tsk'' sound when he corrected Elysia. His tone sounded overbearing and his hand closed around Elysia''s in a teasing manner.

    Elysia instantly pulled her hand out of that man''s hand and took a step back. She was almost afraid that the man would try and pull something more but he did not.

    Instead, Victor stepped back with a closed-off expression.

    "I might not have fallen in love myself but I have seen what it looks like when other people fall in love. And that doesn''t look like love to me."

    When Elysia said that, she did not just mean Adam and Eve. If anyone had to ask Elysia, she would not even say that those two were in love yet. But it was surely a work in progress.

    No. Elysia was talking about those couples who came to the temple to get married. Many of them had been in love.

    And they were also the reason Elysia believed in love and marrying for love over duty.

    "Is that really so? Then maybe it is perhaps me that requires a lesson in love or two. Won''t mydy teach me what love looks like?"

    That ufortable feeling came back as Elysia felt the older man take a lock of her hair and twirl it in his hand.

    The more she tried to ignore him, the closer he seemed to being to her. People were starting to turn around and gossip about them as well.

    Elysia had thought that she was free for now because there were too many people around. She had been sure that Victor would not try to pull something like this with so many people around them.

    But it seemed as if she had been mistaken. The man was shameless enough to try and push Elysia along.

    "I am not interested. Perhaps the teacher should find someone more of his age to show him all this. Things like love and like don''t interest me in the slightest. Now if you will excuse me, I need to find my familiar and Lady White."

    It might have been rude of Elysia to push Victor away like that but she could no longer take this harassment.

    The man looked a little taken aback by Elysia''s bold actions before he let her go without much trouble.

    He seemed to have realized as well just how many eyes there were on the pair and his face became impassive.

    But luckily for her, he did not force hispany onto Elysia for now. So Elysia ran away from him and into the deeper parts of the campus.

    She knew where the cafeteria was from her memory but finding it in real life was a little more difficult than Elysia expected it to be.

    The worst thing was the older students of the academy who were roughly the same age as her.

    She could hear their biting words and gossip reaching her ears. They were talking about her and her broken engagement.

    But the worst part was that her reaction from before had gathered their attention as well.

    "Look, there she is. Did you see her? Just because she could not get the Crown Prince, she went after our professor."

    "For real. I guess it was a real fall from grace for her."

    "I would say that she could do better but apparently ''Lady Dirac'' doesn''t think so. Even her familiar left her to go with Lady White."

    Those words were biting but they did not hurt. After all, how could they hurt when they were so mild?

    ''I guess practice does make one endure more. These insults don''t even feel that sharp anymore.''

 Chapter 63 63: A Sudden Confession

    "Stop dragging me around like that. You know you are being rude so stop it."

    Sorias felt irritated as that small and young human dragged her around as she pleased. Even Elysia did not behave with him like that and she was his contractor.

    The audacity of this small human baffled him a lot.

    "Ah, I am sorry if my behavior upsets you but I could not just help it. After all, Lord Sorias refuses to pay attention to me otherwise."

    "Have you thought that it''s because I don''t like you? And you acting like this is not helping you improve your impression."

    Sorias pulled his arm out of Lady White''s hands. Or, at least he attempted to but thedy kept holding on to his arm.

    Her eyes were narrowed and piercing as they looked at Sorias. They were clear and strong as well which made him turn his head to the side.

    "Does it matter what kind of impression I leave on you? You never had the thought to take me seriously in the first ce. And you also have no intention of hearing me out, right?"

    Sorias wanted to deny those usations before realizing that he did not need to do that.

    He did not owe this human anything more than politeness, but she refused to even take that from him.

    "That is right. I have no intention of keeping in contact with you or any other human who is not my contractor. Now please let me go before I make you."

    Sorias tried to pull his arm out again but he was denied again. He had thought that he would be let go this time but that did not happen.

    ''What is the deal with this human? Why does she refuse to let go of me?''

    "Why?"

    Sorias paused at the question. For a second it seemed like the girl had read his thoughts and she was answering him before she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.

    "Why would you not give me a chance? I fell in love with you and I want to make you notice me. So why won''t you? Is it because I am not your contractor? But I can be. Name a price and I will pay it for you-"

    "It is not about being bought but about a promise being made. What do you think a family is? I am not a thing that can be bought. Nor am I an object you can possess. You say you love me? What do you even know about me to say that? You aren''t even trying to understand me so how can you call this love."

    "How long have you known me for to throw words like ''love'' around? It is not such a cheap feeling. It''s aboutpromises and understandings. You should not say that with such a light feeling."

    Sorias only realized that he had let his feelings go after he saw the tear-filled young eyes looking back at him.

    ''I was too harsh on this child. I lost control of my feelings.''

    Sorias wanted to take what he had said back but it would defeat the purpose of saying all this in the first ce.

    Lady Emma White was too young to understand the gravity of her words and what she was feeling. Her current feeling might be closer to possession or obsession than love.

    "For now you should step a little back from me and think over what you feel again. Who knows, you might find your feelings fading away faster than you think possible. And you should not say words like ''love'' out loud unless you are ready to make an effort for it."

    Just saying ''I love you'' to someone was not the end. It was a start of a long journey ofpromises and putting others'' needs first.

    Too many marriages ended not because people fell out of love but because they could no longerpromise.

    This was what Sorias wanted the child to learn.

    "Then I will learn and I will adapt. But I won''t give up on you. You might say that what I am feeling is not love for you but I know my feelings better than anyone else. Let me prove my feelings to you through my actions."

    Lady White''s words surprised Sorias. He had thought that the child would give up after he let her down but she unexpectedly decided to take up this challenge.

    It only betrayed how young and innocent she really was.

    And she really was young. Sorias was over centuries old at this point. To him, Lady White was all but a child right now.

    "No, that is not the only problem. You are too young for me to feelfortable with you. I will feel like a cradle robber if I ept you and-"

    "That is not a problem. My body will mature shortly and I will also grow taller and more to your liking. As for my mental maturity and my desire to make effort, I will prove it all to you. Lord Sorias, just wait. I will show you how serious I am about you."

    "That was not what I-"

    But Lady White had said all she had to. Sorias wanted to discourage her but her eyes said that she would not listen to anything he said.

    This was what Sorias hated about children. Sometimes they were too stubborn to listen to their elders when the advice was good for them.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    In these times it was best to let them tire themselves out and then close the topic.

    "Fine, do what you want to. As long as you do not cause trouble for me or my contractor then I won''t stop you."

    "Thank you for this chance. I will make sure not to disappoint you."

    Sorias had to look away from the smiling face that was beaming up at him. What made it awkward right now was that he was in his teenage body which made him look a simr age to Lady White.

    Had anyone walked in on the pair they would not have found it odd to see a Lady confess her feelings to the handsome male. And Sorias was objectively good-looking.

    ''And speaking of being walked-on isn''t Elysiate in following after us? She should have been here by now.''

    Sorias had felt Elysia follow after him but he had lost track of her a while back. Even that scum, Victor entered the mess hall before Elysia did and looked around.

    "Look here, isn''t this Lord familiar and Lady White? But where did Lady Dirac go? I thought she followed after you both."

    "Follow after us? I don''t think she did. Do you think she got lost?"

    Sorias asked that question but Lady White went stiff at his side. Her face betrayed her anxiety and he was sure that she knew something regarding this issue.

    But he did not want Lady Emma to say it in front of that scum Victor. Knowing him, he would use it against them in the future. How knew what he might ask in return for this favor?

    "Lady White, can youe with me for a second? There is something I wanted to ask you about. Victor, can you look around for Ely again here? I am sure she will be roaming around here somewhere."

    Emma White looked startled at being called so suddenly but her eyes looked determined once they met his.

    She had realized that she was being given a chance to make things right and to get into his good grace.

    ''Hopefully, she''ll make the right decision. As for Victor? He doesn''t seem like he has any hand in this situation so I will let him go for now.''

    As much as Sora did not like Victor, he could not get rid of him for now. His priority was finding Elysia and Lady White was the key to that.

    "How cold of you to kick me out of your budding romance Lord familiar, but fine. I will try my best to find Lady Dirac for you. After all, she is the bestpany for me and I am sure I will be able to ''thoroughly'' entertain her."

    It was official that Sorias did not like Victor. His tone had almost dropped to a suggestive whisper when he spoke thatst line.

    Sorias did not doubt that Victor harbored ill intentions toward Elysia and was a danger to her.

    "That man��..He doesn''t seem to harbor good intentions toward Lady Dirac. I noticed that before as well but he was touchy with Lady Dirac before. What does he n to do with her?"

    "The same thing you want to do with me."

    Lady White went red in the face at the Sorias said. But she recovered rather gracefully and coughed to hide her embarrassment.

    "Right... Then, we should try and find Lady Dirac before that man finds her. I will help you out since I am sure it is my father''s fault we are in this mess."

    "Your father? I am not sure I am understanding what you mean."

    Sorias had a feeling he knew what Lady White was saying but he wanted to hear it out of her mouth. He did not want to make usations out of the blue and to someone who would affect Lucas.

    But at the same time, he could not allow anyone who was a threat to Elysia to roam around free either.

    ''I hate politics. We did not have this problem in the beast society.''

    But then again, the beasts had problems of their own so that was not much of aparison.

    "Lord Sorias, I told you that I would prove my worth to you and I will keep my words to you. And I hope you will take my confession and feelings into ount after that. You don''t have to answer me but I hope you will not ignore them."

    Sorias wanted nothing more than to ignore the whimsical whispers of a child but that bridge had crossed.

    Lady White believed that what she was feeling was love and no one would be able to snap her out until she realized her feelings for herself.

    Until then Sorias would have to hand it in there.

    "Fine. Now tell me what you meant that it is your father''s fault."

    Unknown to them, Victor heard their conversation and his expression turned interested. This was an opportunity he did not want to miss.

 Chapter 64 64: A Failed Kidnapping

    "Wait, this is not the way to the cafeteria. Did I happen to get lost on my way?"

    Elysia had known that she was walking in the right direction but had she taken a wrong turn anywhere on her way and somehow ended up in this deserted part of the campus?

    She was not aware that she had even left the main path because she had heard people chatter around her.

    But looking around her now, there seemed to be no sign of any kind of life form. Elysia was alone wherever she had ended up at.

    Footsteps were closing in around Elysia but she could neither see nor feel any human presence around her.

    "Look at her, so helpless. She does have a gorgeous face as that noble said. Do you think we can have some fun with her before we hand her in?"

    The words were spoken right against her ear as a hand sped around her waist and pulled her closer to the body at her back.

    Elysia''s defense mechanisms kicked in at the right time and she stepped on her kidnapper''s foot.

    Even if she could not see the man or feel him, he could still harm him. And it was evident from the way she had been abruptly let go of as soon as she had hurt the man.

    "Fuck you bitch, that hurt. I was thinking of letting you off easily but now you have pissed me off."

    The man growled threateningly in Elysia''s direction but theck of visual made Elysia not as fearful as she should have been.

    ''I need to calm down and focus. I can narrow him down by his voice.''

    Elysia carefully aimed her magic to hit a broader area and heard the voice curse. She instantly wanted to make another move when she felt someone''s fist close around her arm and yank her down.

    "Don''t be too hasty now or you will get hurt. We were only asked to keep you alive, not to make sure you were alright. We will be forced to take some heavy measures if you don''tply with us."

    This was a new and heavier voice that spoke in Elysia''s ears. The pressure on her wrist increased and Elysia felt it break.

    Despite everything Elysia had gone through in the past, she could never remember feeling the agony of having her bones broken.

    She was sure she had broken bones before but she had never been conscious throughout it. Even thest time when she had been hurt, she had been knocked out and woken up exhausted.

    The feeling of having that pain coursing through her body was a new one.

    "Enough of this. Do you have that medicine we were given to stop her magic? I can begin it start to bubble up and I don''t want to be caught in the residual explosion."

    The calmer voice asked his partner. Elysia tried to pull her hand back but the man squeezed his broken hand in warning to not even try.

    Elysia tried to st him with electricity but another squeeze and her magic fell apart.

    ''Darn it. If only I was recovered and fully ready to go. How did I fail to pay attention to where I was going?''

    Elysia could not believe the mistake she hadmitted. She had allowed herself to get distracted because of Victor''s irritating attempts and now had ended up here.

    "Well, I can give it to you if you promise me that you will allow me to y with her. It is not often we get such cute dolls on our hands."

    The first man''s voice sounded lustful and just hearing it made Elysia feel dirty. She did not want that man anywhere near her body.

    ''Please don''t let him.''

    Elysia''s breath picked up in speed and she was sure her heartbeat was audible as well. Her body felt cold at the threat and she hoped that the second man would make up an excuse for his partner.

    But nothing of that sort happened.

    "Fine, now give it here. But you''ll have to bring her back to the base yourself. I won''t stay here and risk getting caught by someone."

    "Aye aye captain."

    The first one snickered as Elysia felt the cold stone-like feeling entering her body. She did not know why but everyone seemed to be in possession of magic-blocking drugs these days.

    It was already Elysia''s second time facing this situation.

    "Hey man, are you really going to leave me alone with her? Don''t you want a taste of this snack?"

    Elysia tried to push the heavy body away from her but it was really difficult to do with only one hand and the man justughed at her attempts.

    "Aww, how cute. But you should just ept your fate and let me have my way with you. After all, you no longer have any value now that the crown prince threw you away."

    The manughed into Elysia''s face as his breath neared her before Elysia managed to smack his leg and make him drop to the ground.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Even in her current state, Elysia was no damsel in disaster and she could feel that the drug she had been given was temporary.

    If she managed to rise it out then it would be her win.

    "Aggg, I was going to make it easy for you but I no longer want to treat you well. Just remember that you asked for this."

    Elysia felt her hair being clutched in that man''s hand while she reached out to take out her emergency knife.

    Her reach was not enough to harm the man but she could still make him let her go.

    Elysia''s hand barely grazed the man''s arm before he retreated and the knife met her hair. It must be an uneven mess now and Elysia would have to cut them short once she was free from here.

    "How dare you. To think that I thought of you as cute before but no more. Your face, I will ruin it for you. Then let''s see how proud you are."

    Elysia''s heat hurt as she felt the impactnd on her arms. She had sessfully managed to save the punch fromnding on her face based on her instincts alone.

    But that would not be enough to solve the situation. Elysia needed to get out of here and find help.

    "You got lucky this time-"

    "My, what horrible person you are to try and harm ady''s face like that? I wonder what Lord Dirac would have to say about your attempt on this matter? Now, I also wonder what reward he would give me once I hand you over to him."

    Elysia did not know if she should feel relieved or worried hearing Victor''s voice. The air was finally fading away to show the face of her kidnapper

    It was an unfamiliar face, just as Elysia had expected it to be.

    "You? Don''t try to be a saint now. You are no better than me when ites to behavior. You tried to make moves on her as well, I saw you back then. And now youe here to try and be a saint? I see through you man. You and me, we are the same."

    The kidnapper used Victor, his voice going from scared to happy and amused.

    "Are you talking about me? I am sure you''re mistaken. I am just a respected teacher who is worried about his student. See, I even came out here to find her when she waste and this is the wee I get."

    Elysia did not believe the act Victor put up but he was her only source of support in front of that man.

    Her kidnapper let out a startledugh of disbelief as he looked Victor over. His eyes looked crazed and righteous as he pointed toward Elysia.

    "Do you even believe what that man is saying right now? You might now know it but you look like someone had their fun with you and then left you here hanging. Do you think your reputation will escape intact if I die? You will be ruined-"

    "Oh, will she be? But nothing happened except we caught a criminal here. Now, I would advise you to not make any sudden moment or we will be forced to retaliate."

    Elysia felt a sigh of relief escape her mouth as soon as she noticed Sora and Lady White enter the scene.

    Victor had an annoyed look on his face which made Elysia sure that his n had been foiled. Had he expected to take advantage of this situation? Most likely.

    Her kidnapper looked surprised at everything that happened, his eyes looking right at Elysia as he spoke.

    "You cannot let them kill me or something bad would happen. He told me that I was an important person who will y a pivotal role in the future. You cannot just let me die here or things would change."

    "You, of all people should know what I am talking about Elysia Dirac. You cannot let them kill me off or what you know would happen for sure."

    That came out all of a sudden. Elysia did not even know what to believe anymore. Her kidnapper seemed like he knew something about her and her ability to see the visions.

    But it should be impossible since Elysia had not told anyone else.

    "And you, you need to be careful if you want to not be caught. Not everyone is blind to what you are-" before the man finished, he was dead. He was struck by Victor''s fist but the man seemed unapologetic about his actions.

    "Oops, my hand slipped. I apologize for what happened here."

    Victor looked anything but apologetic about what he had done. In fact, he looked more satisfied after killing that man.

    But Elysia felt a little numb. Things had happened too fast for her to know what had happened.

    She had been kidnapped, tried to take advantage of, and then saved, only for Victor to kill the person who might have really important information.

    Things were venturing into unknown territory.

    "We cannot stay here any longer. Victor, you go to the administration office and tell them what happened. We will go home for now and report to Lucas about what happened. We need to gather all our thoughts and decide on our next course of action."

 Chapter 65 65: An Invite To The Ceremony [Pt1]

    "Should we seek out a doctor for your injuries? You need to get your hand looked at. I am pretty sure it is bent at an unnatural angle."

    Victor clicked his tongue as he watched Lady White fret over Elysia''s hand. Their interruption has been too timed for him not to be annoyed.

    And that kidnapper, he had been too close to letting out his secret to the party. Victor had not worked so hard to cultivate his rtionship with Elysia to let it all go down in drains.

    He did not mind letting Elysia know since he could always manipte her into thinking that he was helping her out. Besides, she was too meek to say anything to her brother.

    The mere fact that Victor had managed to remain unscathed so far was a testament to this fact. As long as she kept her mouth shut, no one would be able to make usations against him.

    ''Still, I cannot depend on her staying quiet forever. I need to create a situation where she is indebted to me and remains quite under my control. She is my key to the Dirac fortune.''

    Victor had a n before where he could not see the end. But now he could see the beginning of the road he had to take.

    The kidnapper had been right in saying that a ruineddy was of no use to anyone. So if Victor somehow managed to ruin Lady Dirac''s reputationpletely, then he could have her.

    At that point, even Lord Dirac would have no other option but to give her to Victor.

    "We cannot stay here any longer. Victor, you go to the administration office and tell them what happened. We will go home for now and report to Lucas about what happened. We need to gather all our thoughts and decide on our next course of action."

    Victor snapped out of his thoughts as he felt those sharp eyes looking toward him. That bastard familiar hade running around soon enough and Victor knew he no longer had a chance.

    So he needed to retreat and then think over his options again.

    ______________________________

    "That man got off too easily. If only Victor did not kill him, I would have had that man captured and tortured to know who ordered him to kidnap you. Man, this sucks."

    Elysia wanted tofort Sora and say that it was alright but it was not alright to her as well.

    She could guess who was behind this fiasco from Lady White''s ashen face and Elysia felt bad for the other noble.

    Thedy and she had started on a bad foot but the current Lady White did not seem to hold the same feelings of hate for Elysia.

    "It doesn''t matter anymore. Let''s go back and have my hand checked up. I am sure brother would be surprised to see us back so soon."

    "Surprised? More like worried and ready to murder. Were you just as bad at taking care of yourself beforeing to us or were you always this ident-prone?"

    Sorias seemed to be babbling right now. It showed how scared he was and how much he cared about this situation.

    But Elysia''s eyes were fixed on Lady White''s face. She looked in awe at seeing the worried expression on Sorias''s face. There was a small blush on her face as well which betrayed her feelings.

    ''Ah, did the youngdy have a crush? It''s cute but futile I guess.''

    Elysia knew that the right thing to do would be to discourage Lady White before she got hurt. Sorias was too old and too devoted to looking at her.

    But Elysia could not find it in herself to stop Lady White''s feelings. Just because she had needed to confide her feelings did not mean other people needed to as well.

    ''But isn''t it good? Lady White died in my vision because she went after the Crown Prince. But if the object of her voice changed then won''t she be saved?''

    It was just a passing thought but that was all Elysia could focus on.

    Suddenly, she had a way to help Lady White out and Elysia wanted to take that chance. It might end up in a disaster for Lady White but she would be alive.

    "Sora, let''s go home. Lady White, do you want to apany us back to the Dirac Estate? I am sure brother won''t mind if you stay a night. You might get targeted again so it is better to stay safe than sorry."

    Lady White looked surprised at Elysia''s sudden offer but she did not take long to agree with her.

    The excitement in her voice sounded real enough to convince Elysia that she had not been wrong about the younger''s crush on her familiar.

    Familiars often ended up mating their contractors but it was not a hard and solid truth. If Sora managed to fall in love someday then Elysia would let him. He deserved that much at least.

    ______________________________

    The Dirac mansion was as cold and dark as ever but it was bing like home to Elysia. She entered the mansion with her hand clutched close to her body.

    As expected, it had been broken but it was a clear break. She would recover soon enough with the hold of the potions and other things.

    But as things seemed, Elysia was restricted in what she could do.

    "Look at Lady Dirac! Do you think she identally ran into a wall and broke it since she cannot see?"

    "Don''t be a fool. She likely did it deliberately to gain the Crown Prince''s attention. All she knows is how to cause trouble."

    The maids were as rude as ever. No matter how many times they were changed, these topics did not stop.

    Her brother had intended to fire them all but Elysia had stopped him from making that mistake.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    No matter who came to serve them, these words and rumors would not change. Humans liked to gossip by nature and there was nothing that would stop them.

    But the maids did shut up and go pale as twin re headed their way. Elysia was surprised to see Lady White join her familiar in his pursuit to stop the maids from talking.

    "How rude. Such servants would have been beaten until they bled back and blue at the White Estate. I don''t know how you manage with such rude servants. Why don''t you hand them over to me and let me deal with them, Lady Dirac? I am sure I can get them in shape."

    The maids that had been gossiping suddenly seemed to have realized how loud they had been talking.

    Their face lost all color as they watched Lady Emma white heading their way. The dark look on her face dragged out a yelp from the maid''s lips.

    Their helpless faces looked over to Sora before theynded on Elysia''s face. There was a soundless plea for help.

    "Hey, what are you looking at? I am the one talking to you and you dare look away? Do you not care for your lives?"

    Elysia would have felt bad in any other given situation but her body was too tired to feel much of it right now.

    Lady White was acting like a typical viin and the maids seemed to be scared of her.

    "But since Lady Dirac is not well today I will let you two go. If you beg for your lives then I will spare you."

    The maids looked sick at that order before they realized that no one was going to help them out. Elysia was just not conscious enough to pay attention to them.

    "I-I''m sorry. It will not happen again."

    The maids looked scared when they said that. Their eyes looked at Emma the whole while as they begged but it seemed to be enraging Lady White even more.

    "Not to me, you idiots. You need to beg Lady Dirac for offending her."

    The maids instantly changed their target to her but Elysia was not in much of a mood to entertain them.

    "You are free to go. But there won''t be the next time."

    The maids seemed to be startled at her cold tone, their hearts freezing. They had likely never seen their meek nobledy say such strong words.

    The words would be out about Elysia''s current mood by tomorrow and her carefully cultivated reputation would take a hit. Head Priest would make Elysia hear an earful as well.

    But despite all that, Elysia found herself not caring much about anything.

    She would have gone directly to her room to sleep the day''s tiredness away if not for the whistle that stopped her short.

    Sora''s annoyed groan was all Elysia needed to know that the one who had whistled was someone she knew well.

    "That was hot Ely. I knew you had that cute and cruel side to you and I missed that so much. I won''t mind if you show more of it to me and-"

    "Calm down half-ling or I will be forced to throw you out. You are testing my patience with your excitement. I cannot handle this much and let her go before you make Elysia''s injury worse."

    It was a shock to feel someone hug her out of nowehere. Elysia almost lost her bnce before the taller one stabilised her.

    "Sara, what are you doing here? I did not see you after the Kelvin town incident so I thought you went away."

    It was only after Elysia finished speaking did she realize how dumb she had been to say that. Of course, Sara would not go away when her future was connected to Eve.

    It was more likely for her to have been near Eve than to visit Elysia.

    "Hahaha, so funny story. I had nowhere to go after that incident so Eve offered to bond with me in a familiar''s contract. Head Priest Yohan was annoyed to see me but he let it finally go yesterday and let mee out."

    Sara made it sound like a small deal but Elysia knew that this was anything but small.

    Head Priest Yohan was surprisingly possessive when it came to Eve and how he let her close to her. As such, his eptance of Sara just solidified her position and importance in Eve and Adam''s life.

    And it also stung to realize that Sara had been epted by him in a week while Elysia was still fighting hard to gain his recognition. The world was so unfair sometimes and Elysia was not even sure why she was getting hurt over this.

    She should be all but numb from what she had experienced but it never stopped hurting.

    "So, what are you here to do?"

    Sorias asked, seeing as how Elysia had stopped talking.

    "She is here to give us an invite. The temple is asking the Duke''s house to pay a visit and to hold the next ceremonial feast. Elysia, he wants you to take��..would someone like to tell me what happened here?"

    Lucas came out as well and froze as soon as he saw Elysia.

    "Hahaha, so you see, it''s a long story��."

 Chapter 66 66: An Invite To The Ceremony [Pt2]

    "Hahaha, so you see, it''s a long story. Elysia will tell you all about it. Right, Elysia?"

    "Huh? Don''t point it toward me. I had nothing to do with it. W-Well, not nothing but it''s the same principle. A-Anyway, what were we talking about? A-Ah yes, that invite. Sara, weren''t you telling us about that social invite?"

    Elysia felt flustered at the sudden shift of focus on her. Her brother''s piercing eyes were looking at her with judgment.

    The more intense Lucas looked, the more Elysia felt like hiding. Why was this situation so awkward all of a sudden? And why were all eyes on Elysia?

    "Anyway, the person who attacked me is dead so it is done and over with. I don''t want to think anymore about it."

    Everyone sighed in union at her nature. But Elysia was unwilling to back down.

    "Why does this sudden nature of yourse out at these weird times? Anyway, we can hurry this talk for now and revisit itter if you want to."

    Elysia had no problem agreeing with that condition. Knowing her brother, he would forget all about it soon enough. This issue will never be picked up again.

    ''And that is for the better. I don''t want any extra fanfare about my condition.''

    Elysia was happy to forget all about this issue. She never wanted to think about what could have happened back then.

    ''It''s over and done with. I do not need to think over what happened back there.''

    Elysia knew that she had braved a dangerous situation that could have impacted more than herself at that time, but she was just d she made it out alright.

    "You all are such party-poopers but if you insist then I wille to what we just discussed. As you all know, the winter is approaching and the time for the Light ceremony is drawing closer. It marks the official starting of the winter season and the temple has sent me to invite Lord and Lady Dirac as the official sponsors of this event."

    Anyone who would have heard this news would have scoffed at the intent behind it.

    It might sound like an honor to most but the real meaning behind this invite was anything as such. In reality, this was all but an insult to the Dirac name.

    The temple was asking them to show their face in public and announce that the annulment of this engagement had not impacted their ties to the empire.

    It was a clever trick and it would impact the Dirac house negatively if they did not show up.

    After all, it was quite a public event.

    "Frankly speaking, no one would be surprised if you guys don''t show up. The temple did snob you out of a golden opportunity by breaking your engagement out of the blue and in such a public manner-"

    "We should go. Lucas, we need to go and sort this mess out. As much as I would rather not show my face out again, we cannot let any negative stigma get attached to the Dirac name."

    Elysia would rather sit back and rx. But some too many people depended on the Dirac name and influence to get by.

    The main Dirac business of their districts was reliant on their name and good reputation. Dirac''s name was more than a family name, it was an entire region''s identity.

    And the one who understood this better than anyone else was Lucas.

    "You are right. As much as I want to massacre the Head Priest for what he did you too, I don''t want this to affect you or our people in the long run. Then, tell the Head Priest that we will be there tomorrow. He should have our rooms present."

    Elysia felt relieved to see Lucas agree with her. For a second there, she had been so sure that he would refuse her.

    But he did not do that thankfully and Elysia was able to take everything in stride.

    "Well then, I got your message. I will go out and inform the Head Priest of your decision. And I will also wait for you toe to visit us in the temple. I am sure Eve would be happy to see you again too."

    Now that was something Elysia was not sure about. Eve had not tried to contact Elysia these past few days so she had no idea how Eve felt about all this.

    Knowing Eve, she must feel guilty for what happened to Elysia. But that was not something she needed to worry about.

    "Just go half-ling. You will see us soon enough."

    Sorias shooed the taller girl who finally went out of the estate. Elysia was sad to see Sara go but she also knew that the elder girl had work to do.

    The robes Sara was wearing belonged to the temple''s messenger so she likely had a lot of work to do.

    "Now then, I see that we have a guest in our midst. What brings you here, Lady Emma White? I hope it is not something that would displease me."

    Emma looked startled for a single second before she schooled her features and turned to face Lucas.

    "Of course not. Lady Dirac was worried about leaving me alone so she offered me amodations for tonight. I hope housing me for tonight will not be a burden for you."

    Lucas''s nce was empty of anything Elysia could use to know his mood. He was like a nk sheet of paper that was impossible to read.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "You! Get a guest room ready for Lady White as soon as possible and attend to her tonight. I will write a letter to your father about you being here so do not worry."

    Lady White did not look worried, but rather satisfied. And then the day was finallying to end.

    ______________________________

    Lady White retreated to her home once the morning came and Elysia sat in her room, her maid helping her get ready.

    The time for the temple visit was finally here. It would be Elysia''s first visit to the ce she had grown up in after she hade to the Dirac Estate.

    So much had happened in such a short amount of time that Elysia had forgotten to even visit the temple this far.

    "Elysia, are you ready? You don''t have toe with me if you feel ufortable."

    Lucas, being the good brother he was, gave Elysia an out she refused to take. She could not let herself be beaten away by such easy challenges.

    The real challenge had yet toe and that was the whispers Elysia was sure to hear.

    "No, I am alright. I told you that I wanted to do this together with you so I will do it. Besides, it''s just a visit to the ce I grew up in. I am sure everything would be alright in the end."

    Elysia said that but her hand shook at the thought of going back to that cold, dark room she had once inhabited.

    Even if she was a noble now, Elysia still had a room in the temple and a promise of being epted if she ever came back.

    That was herst tie to the temple bearing Eve''s presence there.

    "Fine, if you want to go, then I won''t stop you. But don''t push yourself unnecessarily. It would be better for you to take things at your own pace."

    Lucas extended his hand out to Elysia. It was such a friendly gesture that it instantly made Elysia let her guard down.

    Lucas knew how to help her rx and it was a wonder how it had happened in a month.

    The temple looked the same as ever and it was such a relief to see. Elysia felt like a kid returning home after a long walk outside.

    She could make out the sisters waiting for them at the temple door, waiting to lead the nobility in. This used to have been Elysia''s job once upon a time.

    But now the sisters standing at the door were unfamiliar and new. Elysia was not sure if they even heard about her but they must have because the first thing they did when they looked at Elysia was to re at her.

    "Elysia, you are here. I knew Sara said that you woulde but I didn''t expect you to show up. And-"

    *Cough*

    "It is nice to meet Lord Dirac as well. Wee to the central temple of the empire."

    Head Priest Yohan hade outside to apany the Dirac heir as well. The man had an intimidating face but no one seemed to find him scary except Elysia.

    She bowed her head as soon as the elder looked in her direction before fixing his gaze on her brother.

    "Lord Dirac, Lady Elysia, it is nice to have you both present here to discuss things for tomorrow''s ceremony. Please follow me inside so that I can talk things out with you. A guest is waiting for us inside as well."

    Lucas nodded for the elder to show them the way. They easily fell in step behind the Head Priest but Elysia could see Eve turning around to look at her a few times.

    Her long-time friend had something to say to her but Elysia could not figure out what it was for the life of her.

    Eve gradually allowed herself to fall behind so that she could walk adjacent to Elysia''s side but Elysia did not realize it until she felt Eve take her hand.

    "Elysia, please stay behind once we are done discussing things for tomorrow. I want to talk with you about something important."

    Elysia knew she would not talk with Eve right now. It would be like inviting a lot of problems at once and it would get the rumor mill talking.

    But on the other hand, Eve looked desperate to talk with her and Elysia had always been weak to her pleas.

    As such, Elysia made the decision to ignore themon sense she had and agree with Eve''s demand.

    "Alright, we can talkter. I have a few things to say to you as well."

    Elysia had a few things to say as well. It was for her own survival in the end.

 Chapter 67 67: A Belated Confession [Pt1]

    Eve wanted to pay attention to what Head Priest and Lord Dirac were discussing but she could not bring herself to pay attention to them at all.

    Instead, her eyes strayed toward Elysia and her tired body. Her eyes threatened to drop once or twice already which was an indication of just how tired she currently was.

    ''Look at those dark circles. Even the make-up cannot fully hide them. And her hair, when did she cut it that short? And why?''

    Whosoever had helped Elysia get ready this morning had not done a good job. Anyone could tell how bad she currently looked.

    There was ament to be made about her shorter hair but Eve could not bring herself to say anything about it.

    Eve wanted to head over to her friend and help her out but her father had warned Eve to not create a scene today.

    "Then, this is how we will do things. I hope you don''t have a problem with our current arrangements, Lord Dirac?"

    Eve looked toward her father who looked on in satisfaction from the king''s side.

    The ''special guest'' Head Priest had mentioned before was the kind of this empire and Adam''s father.

    He had shown up out of the blue in the morning iming to be here to help sort out the tension between the temple and the Dirac house. Adam had looked sullen at his side but Eve knew why he had shown up today.

    He had been ignored thus far by Lord Dirac so the Crown Prince had finally taken the initiative to approach him directly.

    But Eve had stopped him before he could make such a bold move. Lord Dirac was a dangerous person but even Eve had seen the influence he had over Elysia.

    If he wanted to keep Elysia away from her and Adam then he will not have to try very hard. And this was something Eve was worried about.

    She could already see her father attempting to stop her from interacting with Elysia. She did not need more obstacles in the way.

    "Father, if the talks are over, then can I take Elysia back to her room? I had it cleaned out and aired as well-"

    "Of course not. Eve, I told you that we will need to scrap that room and have it reallocated to someone new. Did you not hear my words? Lady Dirac is a member of the nobility and she should be treated as such."

    ''Oh, Father should not have said that.''

    Eve could see tears building up in Elysia''s eyes at those words. Eve had known what that room had meant to Elysia. It had always been a ce toe back to for her friend.

    That was the only reason Eve had tried so hard to have it preserved and not re-allowed. But Yohan was doing everything he could to drive Elysia away.

    "Then, is that room still avable? I don''t think Elysia minds staying there tonight and I won''t mind her staying there either. It will also be nice for her to be able to let go of her past now."

    Surprisingly, it was Lord Dirac who suggested that. And everyone looked rightfully startled at his suggestion.

    Normally, the nobility did not like to stay in the shabby rooms the temple had. Lord Dirac, who was the head of the nobility should not have agreed to such an outrageous request either.

    But his one move showed that he favored Elysia''s opinion over the noble customs.

    "Then it''s up to you to decide, little Elysia. Where do you want to sleep tonight? Might I say that you look dashing in your shorter hair as well."

    Elysia looked caught between a rock and a valley. Her eyes darted from her brother to all around the room before settling on Eve.

    "If it is possible then I would like to spend onest night in that room. It contains a lot of memories for me."

    Elysia finally made that decision and Eve sighed in relief. It seemed like she would get a chance to talk with Elysia tonight after all.

    And not only her but Adam would get to talk as well. He was waiting currently inside Eve''s room for the pair toe back.

    "Then I will show her the way back", "But I know where-", "Hurry up ande with me."

    Eve did not give any time to finish her sentence as she dragged her away. Elysia looked to be in pain when Eve clutched her hand and Eve wondered how it took her this long to realize that there was a bandage warped around Elysia''s wrist.

    "Elysia, when did that-"

    "Let''s hurry up and go. You were about to show me the way, right?"

    Eve wanted to say that there was no need for her to do that when she caught Elysia''s desperate eyes. And despite hermon sense telling her not to do it, Eve agreed with Elysia''s silent request.

    "Of course, I was about to show you the way. Hurry up and keep up with me."

    Since it looked like Elysia was hurt in the wrist quite badly, Eve sped her hand over Elysia''s lightly.

    She did not want to hurt Elysia even more.

    The journey to Elysia''s room passed in the blink of an eye. But instead of entering Elysia''s room, Eve dragged her into the one where Adam was waiting for them.

    "Eve, I know I haven''t been here for some time but I don''t think this is the right room��."

    Elysia trailed off at the end as soon as her eyes fell on Adam. The Crown Prince looked startled as well before he gathered his bearing and stood up.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Eve saw the second Elysia was about to bolt from the room and obstructed her. It gave Adam just enough time to take hold of her arm and pull her back.

    "Is this some kind of joke you both are ying on me? If so then I would like to be excused now."

    Elysia looked ufortable at being caught in-between Adam and her. Her eyes darted around, likely looking for an escape but she was not going to find one.

    Eve had gone to great lengths to ensure that no one disturbed them this evening. And it had included a few bribes and a few threats.

    "Elysia, calm down. You are going to drive yourself in a panic."

    Adam sounded calm but Eve could tell that he was getting more and more upset. His eyes were turning a more reptilian shade and his scent seemed to be getting stronger.

    The more time Eve spend near him, the more unpleasant the experience got for her. She had to constantly remind herself that she was doing this for Elysia''s sake and no one else.

    She needed to endure for her or else things would go further than she wanted them to.

    "Adam, let go. It is not alright for me to be here alone with you two like this."

    "And it was alright for you to decide to break off with me alone? How was that fair to me."

    "What do you mean? I was just giving you your freedom back. Was that not what you wanted from me? Why are youining about it?"

    "Huh? When did I ever say I wanted to break up with you? What gave you the right to make assumptions about my feelings like that?"

    ''This is bad. They are both getting too heated up.''

    Eve could see the disaster that was about to take ce right in front of her eyes. Both Adam and Elysia were too stubborn to listen to her, much less put their differences away for now.

    So that was why Eve knew she had to do something to make things right. Adam and Elysia would end up making things bad otherwise.

    "Adam, stop it. What did I tell you about doing before we came here? You have tomunicate with Elysia if you want her to understand why you are mad at her."

    Eve''s voice calmed Adam down. He suddenly looked too exhausted to be having this conversation but it was an important one.

    "Right, we had that talk. I need to use my words and not my actions. Then, Elysia, I want you to listen very carefully to what I am about to say to you alright."

    Eve watched Elysia swallow her nervousness before her face closed down. From experience, Eve could tell that Elysia would try to flee.

    ''Shit, I need to do something drastic to make Elysia stay. What can I do right now?''

    Elysia''s mind was in a panic but her body worked faster than her mind.

    Before she knew it, she had Elysia held in her grasp and her mouth met Elysia''s. It was a clumsy second kiss without anything aiding them but their feelings.

    Or well, Eve''s feelings. She had no idea how Elysia felt about her. The other girl had frozen beneath her lips.

    "Oi, what are you doing? Weren''t you the one who said to give her space? Oi, let her go."

    Eve could tell that Elysia was shocked. The girl looked at Eve with wide eyes, her brain likely, not able to handle what just happened.

    "Elysia, let me say this before you stop me. I love you and I have for some time now. I hope you give me a chance."

    Adam growled lowly in his throat, not liking Eve''s ways of taking advantage of the situation. It was a given that he was pissed about this situation.

    And he also realized that he did not like watching Eve take charge of the situation.

    "Elysia, snap out of it. Don''t fall for the devil''s charms. You need to stay strong for me. I love you as well so don''t you dare fall for her tricks. You are promised to me. ME. Don''t fall for her because of that kiss."

    Elysia seemed to being around rather slowly. Her eyes blinked slowly as if waking up from a dream.

    She tried to focus but her eyes were not steady.

    "Fuck it. I tried talking already but it doesn''t seem to be working out for me. I have no other choice but to take action now."

    Eve knew she should stop Adam from what he was about to do but she had no right to do that anymore.

    Not when she had pulled the same things a while back.

    So she watched Adam pull Elysia into a heated kiss but this one was far different from the innocent pecks of before.

    Adam was all but devouring Elysia this time Elysia was turning red. It was also then that Eve realized something about herself.

    ''Holy shit, that''s hot. I guess I like seeing them go at it after all.''

 Chapter 68 68: A Belated Confession [Pt2]

    Elysia was having a crappy day. Not only had she forced herself toe to the temple, but also was being dragged around by anyone and everyone.

    Even Eve was doing what she wanted and dragged Elysia into her room. Did she think that Elysia would not notice what she was doing?

    And then the worst thing of the century, no, Elysia''s life had happened.

    Those confessions came out of nowhere. It was beyond messed up to make Elysia feel that much hope for a prank.

    Eve had kissed her so softly that it had made Elysia forget who she even was.

    And then Adam hade in and Elysia found herself unable to breathe or even think. Even his tongue was as block-headed as him and mapping out Elysia''s mouth.

    She had been kissed. She had been kissed twice by them both but this time, there was no external stimulus involved.

    This kiss was initiated out of Adams''s willingness to do so and he was not holding back on Elysia. He was stealing all of her oxygen and Elysia felt faint.

    It was a miracle for Elysia to even be conscious when she was let go.

    "-ot funny."

    "What did you say, Elysia?"

    "It is not funny. Why are you doing this to me? Both of you? Is it fun to see me suffer like this because of you two? Or is it a new y?"

    Elysia could not understand where things had gone wrong for them all. How had they ended up here, with both of them thinking that they loved ''her'' instead of each other?

    Was this a new ploy for the world to screw her over because Elysia was not ying how it wanted her to?

    "This is no y. We do love you. Both of us do. We love you enough to even agree to share you."

    Eve sounded like she believed what she was saying. Her voice was strong and full of confidence. But she was not the only party currently involved in this fiasco.

    Elysia needed to hear from Adam as well. For all it was worth, he might just be humoring Eve and thinking of ways to have Elysia killedter.

    "Adam?"

    Elysia had not even realized how breathless she sounded until this moment.

    "What is there to say? I poured all my feelings out into the world and actions. What more is there for you to misunderstand."

    Now that Adam said it like that, Elysia did find it an easier pill to swallow. Neither he nor Eve were people who kissed others when they felt like it.

    But still, it was impossible for Elysia to even imagine being in love with them both or having a rtionship with them.

    "I-can I get some time to think this over? I also don''t think it''s a good idea to take this thing further but I can see that you both are serious about this."

    This was dangerous in many ways.

    Elysia wanted to believe that these two would end up with each other someway or another without her but it would be impossible to do if they kept on chasing after her.

    ''So, am I the reason they have not gotten together yet? Is my interference in their love this necessary that they both even believe that they are in love with me?''

    Personally, Elysia did not believe that they were in love with her. Maybe they had mistaken their feelings for each other and thought that they were jealous of each other.

    It was a far-fetched possibility but it was always there. Even more so since this world had a pre-determined fate.

    Not to mention, there was the danger of that prophecy and how the Head Priest had warned Elysia not to y around.

    ''The Head Priest. He would know what to do in this situation.''

    The thought of the Head Priest sobered Elysia and also knocked her back into her rational brain. She needed to inform him about what happened here and the conclusion that was reached.

    If there was one person who could help Elysia out, then it would be him.

    "Elysia, I know it is hard for you to swallow this pill but we are not lying to you. We will give you time, as much time as you want us to even. But please don''t take our words lightly and dismiss them."

    Eve''s face was serious. She hardly ever made that face and it was a testament to how much this situation was affecting her.

    Even Adam''s hands on Elysia''s arm were clutched tight. He looked desperate to hold onto Elysia as if she would disappear if he let her go.

    This was just too much for Elysia. It was a little too much for her to be feeling this way about anything and everything.

    It brought back the hope she had buried deep within her heart.

    "I should go back to my room for tonight. I will think over what you said today and try to answer you soon."

    Elysia bowed her head and walked toward the door. Suddenly, she had a lot she needed to think about.

    But she had not crossed the threshold of the room yet when she heard Adam speak up from behind.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Just so you know, even if you reject us that does not mean we both will get together. We have no intention of sharing any rtionship unless you are in it. You are what binds us Elysia, and don''t you dare forget it."

    Elysia made the mistake of looking back at the pair. They both looked serious but there was also a glint of desperation in their eyes to get Elysia to believe them.

    "Short hair suits you as well. you look just as lovely as ever." Adam''s words were full of affection and that was the breaking straw for Elysia. She could not see back anymore.

    Even Eve''s face told Elysia that she was in agreement with Adam and would do as he had just said.

    ''They are both mad and they are going to take me down with them.''

    Elysia wanted to feel afraid but for some reason, she felt anything but afraid. Somehow, she had a feeling that things would not be alright in the end.

    She had a lot to think about. And also, she could still not believe that she had been kissed by her childhood best friends.

    Both of them.

    Adam Elysia could still understand since he was a guy but Eve? Did she swing that way? Was that even possible?

    ______________________________

    "Do you think she believed what we said? Her reaction was rather luke-warn."

    Adam wanted to be happy but he felt more worried about what had happened. He had thought of a lot of scenarios in his head about how this confession would go.

    But Elysia had taken it quite well.

    A little too well to not be concerning.

    "I think she was not only shocked but also in denial. Whatever issue Elysia has, it goes deeper than we expect it to. But at least we issued her a warning so we won''t need to hold back that much."

    Eve was sure that Elysia was confused right now but that was a given.

    They hade off rather strongly onto her and all of a sudden as well. It was bound to confuse anyone.

    "Hey, just so you know. I agreed to cooperate with you over this issue but that does not mean I will let you win. If Elysia chooses me alone then it is also alright, right?"

    "Of course. But the same goes for me as well, right?"

    Eve felt amused about Adam''s confidence in himself. He was acting too cocky and it was pissing her off.

    But at the same time, she knew that she needed his help in this regard. Both her father and the king were beginning to get ideas about how to progress their rtionship.

    "By the way, mother is on our side so we have one ally in the high court at least. But we still cannot take our time. You need to hurry up and make your saintess debut."

    Eve knew what she had to do. This game they were ying to keep Elysia near to them was dangerous and had a lot of hidden dangers.

    To prevent Elysia from getting hurt, they both needed power and authority unmatched in the world.

    Adam already had that but Eve needed to make an effort to get her standing.

    "Don''t worry. I am working on it. And by the way, how is the progress on stalling out our engagement is going? The letter had not yet been drafted, right?"

    "It should not be. But we cannot stall it out forever. We can no longer hold back on not showing our favor for Elysia in front of the public. And we shall start on the annual grant hunt that ising up."

    The grant hunt was a bigpetition with a lot of people and eyes. It was the best ce to let someone know about their feelings because of the dedication system.

    "What a sly man you are. You refused to participate in the previous hunts because you did not want to be misunderstood but you will win for Elysia this time? How can Ipete with it?"

    Eve was just teasing Adam for now.

    Of course, she knew that she could not participate in the hunt herself but that did not mean that she was helpless to just watch.

    Knowing Elysia, she was going to go along with her brother to the hunt and not sit around. And since Elysia was going to be a participant of this hunt, it naturally meant that Eve could bestow her with a gift to show her favor.

    Now Eve just needed to prepare the best gift possible and things were set.

    But Adam did not need to know that about Elysia.

    "By the way, this room had only one bed and it''s also rather small. So where are you going to sleep tonight? Are we going to have to share the-"

    "No need. I will be taking my leave now. Being in yourpany without Elysia is unbearable. And you also smell rather bad so take a shower."

    "Hey, I do not smell. Your inhuman nose is just too sharp to mistake a good smell from bad."

    Eve retaliated back but the man was already away. But Eve was not disappointed in the least.

    As Adam had said before, Elysia was the only point of simrity they had. And without her, Adam and Eve would have no reason to stay together in this life.

 Chapter 69 69: What Is The Solution? [Pt1]

    Sleeping after what she had been told before was an impossible feat for Elysia. Her mind just kept on jumping back to the time she was confessed to.

    But it was really difficult to take that confession seriously knowing what was to happen in the future to her.

    ''Is there no way for me to get away from them in this life? Then, am I doomed to die in the end?''

    No matter what kind of future vision Elysia had before, she always ended up dying. The clear way to remove this death g was if Elysia was no longer in the equation.

    And that was what she had tried to do but ended up failing in the end. But this single confession had changed the course of things for her.

    ''I should head out to seek the Head Priest now. I did send him a letter so he must be expecting me to show up.''

    Elysia sent that letter in a panic so it likely sounded like gibberish to anyone who read it. But the Head Priest had known Elysia long enough to realize that this was not a prank but rather an emergency.

    It felt like he since Elysia had snuck around in the temple''s hallways like this. She used to sneak out a lot when she was in the temple.

    Head Priest Yohan had a lot of work for Elysia to finish and a lot of training for her to do in secret.

    But those were happier and simpler times. Back then Elysia only needed to worry about training and avoiding people.

    She did not need to worry about being liked by people who would be the reason for her death.

    ''I wish I could turn back time. If I could then I would know when to avoid that stupid pair and thier confession to me. I could have turned them down-''

    Elysia realised with a jolt that she could have turned the pair down and that would have been the end of everything.

    If she had said ''no'' back then instead of staying quite then she would not be in this mess at all.

    Then why hand''t she? Why had Elysia waited around to hear them out and left without denying them this stupid chance?

    ''But Adam had looked really hreat-broken and Eve had looked sad as well. I could never deny them anything when they look like that.''

    Elysia knew she had a big weakness but she hade to terms with it long ago. She could no longer deny it and she knew it.

    ''I don''t think this is love. At least not yet for me but I cannot let it grow any further as well. I guess that maintaining my distance from them is the best idea for now.''

    Elysia was sure that Head Preist Yohan would agree with her on this regard but she was not 100% sure.

    That was why she decided to pay him a visit tonight. She needed to make things clear with him and ask him what they should do next.

    "Realx. You have been in and out of this room a lot before. Nothing would happen even if you enter this room. He has no reason to be angry at you."

    Elysia prep-talked herself before she knocked on the door.

    However, it opened before she could even touch it and a hooded figure stood in front of Elysia.

    The person in front of her was tall and thin. Every part of his body was covered with a hood, including his face. It made it impossible to tell who he was and what he looked like.

    Actually, Elysia was not even sure if that person was a man or not but she had a gut feeing about it. That was the only reason she decided to address that person of ''him'' in her mind.

    "You arrived here rather early Elysia, but doe in. My guest was just about to take his leave now so you don''t need to be bothered by him."

    Elysia nodded as she felt the man observe her. The unknown man seemed to realise that he was staring rather hard at Elysia when she fake-coughed because he instanly turned his head to leave.

    But he did spare Elysia ast nce before he left. There was something familiar about that man but Elysia could not put her hands on what it was so familiar about him.

    "Stop looking at that man and hurry up inside. We cannot let people know that you visited me thiste at night."

    Elysia wanted to say that it had never been a problem before tonight before she realised that she was no longer a part of the temple''s forces.

    Of course things were different now whenpared to before.

    Elysia could not afford to be careless anymore about her actions. And she could also not roan around the temple as she liked.

    She was all but an outsider now.

    "So, what is it that you want to tell me? It better be something important if you came to visit thiste at night."

    Elysia hesitated about how to bring it up. But she had to bring it up somehow. The Head Priest looked rather curious right now.

    "The thing is, I got confessed to today and it was by both Eve and Adam��."

    Elysia spoke what had happened before. And the more she spoke, the more she felt the Head Priest pay attention to her words.

    He was all but closed-off by the time Elysia finished speaking.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I see. So this is what ended up happening after all. I''m afraid that it is as you fear. The world is trying to entangle you into it''s chosen couple''s affair but I''m afriad we cannot let it go this time."

    Elysia felt shocked at the admission. Maybe somewhere in her heart, she had been holding onto the hope that those feelings had been genuine and not a bi-produce of the world''s influence.

    But Head Priest Yohan seemed certain about the fact that this was fate''s way of making sure that things happened as they were suppose to.

    Was Elysia not going to escape her fate of death after all.

    "So, what should we do now?"

    ______________________________

    Head Priest Yohan did not have this particr visitor often. But whenever this person came to visit, Head Priest Yohan made sure to be prepared to meet his every need.

    After all, this person was the one who had shown Yohan the true meaning of this world and what the fatey in store for the future race.

    In many ways, this man was a god himself.

    "Are you afraid that things are changing and going down a different route then in the prophecy? You should not be that worried."

    "But still. I cannot see any signs of Eve falling in love with the Crown Prince. Rather, she says that she is in love with that Elysia. How can that be even possible."

    Just that morning, Eve had given him an earful about her love for her best friend. It had been a shocking statement to know but Yohan had not taken it seriously enough.

    After all, Eve was still young so it was entirely possible for her to mistake her feelings.

    But still, something in his mind seemed ot be nagging him. He could not stop the feeling of things crumbling down around them.

    "Well, things like these happen. Eve is human so curiosity is a thing for her. As soon as she has sated her curiosity she will see the truth. But for now, push her toward what she desires. I am sure it will repair her rtionship with you."

    The man was wise but somehow his current advice did not sound right.

    But Head Priest Yohan did not get to reply back to the man before his door was kocked and the man stood up.

    "Think over what I said. Curiosity should be sated as soon as possible or it will end up as an obsession. And once things came to that, it will not be possible for us to control things."

    The man sounded like he had experience and Yohan could not longer ignore him.

    Elysia looked rather startled to see the man suddenly open the door but she soon recovered. But Yohan was more curious about the man staring Elysia down for longer than it was necessary.

    He had not even taken this deep a look at Adam or Eve when Yohan had pointed them out.

    "You arrived here rather early Elysia, but doe in. My guest was just about to take his leave now so you don''t need to be bothered by him."

    Elysia flinched but soon entered the room. The door closed behind her but Yohna could still tell that the man was watching Elysia''s every move.

    "So, what is it that you want to tell me? It better be something important if you came to visit thiste at night."

    Yohan did not have a lot of free time on his hand nowdays. The ceremoney was draining him and so were the preperations for the next banquet that was going to be help soon,

    It would be held after the huntingpetition and would seek to invite foreign parties as well. It was an important event that could not be messed up.

    But it all felt Yohan''s mind once he heard Elysia speak.

    Suddenly, that cloaked man''s words echoed inside Yohan''s mind and he realised that that man knew this was going to happen.

    So was this something determined by fate as well?

    "So, what should we do now?"

    Elysia sounded as hopeless as Yohan felt. He did not want Elysia to be an obsticle in Eve''s future, or a dark strain on her name.

    But he also remembered what that man had said about lingering curiosity and obsession. And currently, both Eve and the Crown Prince were on the verge of falling into that hole.

    "You give them what they want. It might be their curiosity over you that is fuling them and they will calm down once you give them a chance to."

    "So you are saying that-"

    "Tell them that you will ept their feeling temporarily but look for a way to get them together. It is only something you can do now."

    Saying this left a bitter taste in Yohan''s mouth but it had to be done. And the sooner this curiosity was sated, the better.

 Chapter 70 70: Whats The Solution [Pt2]

    ''I head wrong. Surely I heard wrong. Or maybe, this is all a dream and I will wake up tomorrow feeling like a fool.''

    When Elysia hade to the Head Priest to look for a solution, she had never expected to be handed another problem instead.

    Out of everything he could have suggested Elysia do, he suggested the one thing Elysia least wanted to do.

    "Tell them that you will ept their feeling temporarily but look for a way to get them together. It is only something you can do now."

    Elysia felt those words enter her mind but not register in it. She was rather numb right now trying to make sense of what she had just heard.

    "Excuse me? I think I heard wrong-"

    "No, you did not hear wrong. I am asking you to let both Adam and Eve sate their curiosity about you so that they can get together. You are like a novelty to them for now, a thing they cannot possess, and that makes them chase you."

    "However, once they get used to you it will wear off. It will also be safer for you to let it all y out."

    Somehow, what the Head Priest said made sense to Elysia. It was not supposed to but it did make sense to her.

    If she considered what was supposed to happen in the original future, Elysia had been a constant presence that both Adam and Eve had outgrown.

    But it was not like that with the current situation. Elysia had used every opportunity to avoid them so it did make sense why they were curious about her.

    "It doesn''t feel right to lead them on like this though."

    Elysia''s mouth said that this was for Adam and Eve but she knew that she was talking about herself.

    There was a high chance that Elysia would be the one who ended up hurt by the end of all this.

    Elysia knew there was a high chance for her to develop feelings if she pretended to humor her two important people.

    But it was worth it in the end, right? At least Elysia would get to live until the end.

    "Right or not right, this is what we have to do. Think of why you are doing this and what it means for the future. And Elysia, do not forget your responsibility and debts. You cannot let your emotions sway you away."

    Head Priest Yohan was right. Emotions were dangerous as they could sway you in different directions than the one you wanted to go in.

    And Elysia had a lot more to protect now than before. She had her brother to think about as well.

    "I will let them know then. But how long would I have to pretend to be in this rtionship?"

    "As long as it takes to get them to marry. I have made all the preparations to establish Eve as the next saintess on the day of the Royal Banquet that will be held for the foreigners. That will be our first step toward the future."

    That was Head Priest''s signal for Elysia to drop the talk. They had concluded.

    Elysia felt as struck as she had before she hade to visit the Head Priest. This was not a rtionship she wanted to start but now she felt like she had no other choice.

    Her feet took her all over the temple in a daze until she ended up in front of the ceremony pool.

    This was a ce she had all but forgotten in her memories. This was where all her misfortune had started.

    Elysia was sure that if it was not for this pool and the visions of the future it showed her, Elysia would have lived her life in blissful ignorance.

    "It is all your fault I am in this situation. I wished I never set foot in here."

    Elysia felt the bitterness rise in her heart as she looked at the pool. Things had been done wrong because of this ce so many times and yet Elysia somehow ended uping back here.

    And it was not like she could ignore this ce either. Elysia would have to visit here again once it was time for the ceremony.

    She was the one who would be heading it this time so she had to clean herself up.

    "You know you don''t have to go in if you don''t want to. I''m sure your brother would let you skip out on your duty. Besides, your hand is still broken and it won''t magically get better by tomorrow. I guess even Eve could not heal you?"

    Elysia tried not to jump as she heard footsteps behind her.

    When she turned around, a familiar face looked back at her.

    "Sara, you scared me. This hallway is often abandoned so I thought you were a ghost."

    Elysia was not a superstitious person but she was also sure that she had seen a ghost roam this corridor once or twice when she had been young.

    She had outgrown that fear once she had grown up but sometimes she still felt that chilling presence inside her sometimes.

    "Hey, nice to meet you again out here. So, what are you doing around here? Anything I can help you out with?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Sara did not sound concerned which was nice to see. Just feeling her presence made Elysia feel better about herself.

    Sara was somewhat of a friend to Elysia. Well, more like she was a person who did not avoid Elysia outright so it was nice to be in herpany.

    And maybe Elysia could also ask Sara for advice. Sara was quite close with Eve so if there was one person who would know about Eve, it would be Sara.

    "Hey Sara, do you think Eve is confused about how she feels about me? She told me today that she was in love with me and-"

    "She did? Finally, it''s about time."

    Somehow, Sara did not look surprised to hear Elysia confess that. Sara''s expression looked more like she was saying ''it''s about damn time'' which surprised Elysia to see.

    Was it something that obvious? If so, then how had Elysia missed it all this time?

    "No, I wanted to ask you if isn''t more like an obsession or curiosity than love? Eve never showed obvious signs of being in love with me but I also cannot help but doubt her intentions."

    Sara finally looked interested in what Elysia was talking about. Her eyes sharpened as her expression turned thoughtful.

    "An obsession, huh? I never thought of it like that but it is possible. But well, you won''t know it unless you try to give her what she wants and let her get bored of it. This is how obsession usually is - once it is sated, things go back to normal."

    ''So there was no other choice for Elysia but to let herself be used by those two.

    She had not wanted to believe Head Priest''s advice but it seemed like it was been true all along.

    ''If this is the only way for the thing to go back to normal then I have no other choice but to follow along. I hope I don''t end upmitting a mistake with this.''

    Elysia was afraid of what would happen but she knew she had to also make up her mind.

    ''It''s now or never.''

    Elysia used her magic topress what she wanted to say into a magical paper. It could only be opened and read by the person it was intended for.

    If anyone else tried to force it open then it would end up destroying itself.

    Even Elysia could no longer take her words or decision back after she had made it.

    "Sara, give it to Eve when you go back. And also ask her to not look for me this week. She will understand why once she reads my letter."

    Elysia knew she was taking a big risk that would end up being bad for herself. But she could not figure out why it was a bad thing in the first ce.

    ''There is no point in overthinking it all.''

    Elysia had made up her mind and she would follow through with it. Even Sara''s concerned expression could not change her mind now.

    "I will be going to sleep now so have a good night''s sleep. We will meet during the hunting feast next so show me what you got then."

    Sara''s cheerful reply was like a soothing balm over Elysia''s heart. It was enough to make her forget the bad things that were about to happen.

    But once she was gone, Elysia felt the same chill she used to feel when she was a kid.

    She could feel the presence of eyes on her, looking at her and judging her worth. Elysia was still not sure whether those eyes belonged to a friend or an enemy since she had never found the source of that presence.

    "I guess I should go to sleep as well now. It won''t be good for me if I am found out here by sisters. This area is off-limit to me for now."

    Elysia walked away, trying to find her way out. But for some reason, her feet led her back to the ceremony pool again and again.

    No matter how many times she tried to walk away, Elysia somehow ended uping back here.

    ''Is there really no escaping for me from this nightmare? Why is it that is trying to pull me in here? Should I respond to my feelings?''

    Elysia was afraid to enter the pool. But she was even more afraid that she was not able to step back from it.

    The more she tried to get away, the harder she was pulled near the Ceremonial pool.

    "Lady Dirac, what are you doing out here? Should you not enter the pool now and get ready for the ceremony?"

    The sister''s abrupt presence scared Elysia but she also realized with a jolt that it was morning already.

    She had wasted the whole night away trying to get away from the pool, but it was all for nothing.

 Chapter 71 71: A Future Unseen

    "Lady Dirac, are you not going to head in now? I thought you wanted to have a ceremonial bath and that is why you came here."

    Elysia wanted to cry at hearing that voice but all she could do was smile and show that she was not worried about going into the Ceremonial pool at all.

    ''I hope nothing goes wrong. We cannot afford for today''s ceremony to go wrong at all costs.''

    There was a big reason behind Elysia''s thoughts and it was the winter feast sacrifice.

    The sacred power that would form as a result of today''s ceremony formed an animal that would be a subject of the hunting festival.

    The objective of the hunting festival would be to let the sacred animal find the eternal pool and cross over to the godly realm. In return, gods would provide their world with abundant knowledge and magic power.

    That was the belief of contract that resulted in the birth of this ceremony. It was a sacred festival that was being held for a long time now.

    "Lady Dirac, are you not going to enter? Is everything alright?"

    "Huh? I was lost in thoughts there for a sec. Of course, I am going in now. Why won''t I go in now?"

    Elysia quickly entered the Ceremonial pool''s bounds to escape the eyes that were looking at her sharply.

    People were eying Elysia and her dy, likely looking for her to mess up and give them a chance to catch her in the act.

    Not only were they excited to see Elysia mass up as herself but also as the Lady of Dirac house. There was no love lost between the Dirac house and the temple.

    ''It has not changed a bit. I wonder how the ce feels to Eve when she uses it. She''s the only other priestess who regrly uses this ce.''

    Elysia wanted to procrastinate and then go out without taking a dip in the bath. She would feel so much better if she did not have to follow the customs.

    In the end, Elysia had to enter the Ceremonial pool and surrender her body to it. The water covered her body and Elysia found her consciousness drowned in the water.

    It was a familiar sensation and one Elysia was used to. The water was dragging Elysia into its depths.

    It almost felt like shackles were holding Elysia down. But she could not even feel afraid since this sensation was rather familiar.

    ''I feel so sleepy. I wonder if it''s alright to go to sleep now. Will my dream be a familiar one of me dying? Or will I see another ce again?''

    Elysia''s body hit the pool''s end rather abruptly but she did it even realize it.

    She had all but stopped breathing as soon as she had entered the pool. Her body was suspended in the air and the water was rushing all around urgently.

    And then Elysia felt her consciousness suspend itself in a familiar embrace.

    ......��..

    The feeling of ws on her neck was familiar. The way her body was being held close to that well-developed chest was familiar as well.

    ''You tried to trick me, but that was not enough. Do you think you will seed?''

    "You tried to trick me, but that was not enough. Do you think you will seed?"

    A familiar voice and familiar tone. This was a vision Elysia often had. So naturally, she was also familiar with the owner of that hand on her neck.

    Any second now, Even would enter the scene as well and talk to Elysia. It would be any second now.

    "Where are you looking at? Ah, maybe you want to have ast look at the world and yourself before you die? Won''t you want to see that?"

    "I-let me go,"

    ''T-That is not my voice.''

    But it was familiar. The scenes in the vision were so familiar but the contents had changed again. But why and how?

    "Look at the world. None of them care for you, just as they don''t care for me. So why should we care for them?"

    ''Nononono, this is different. Adam never said that in the original script. Why were the contents of her vision different when everything else was the same.''

    "Let me go."

    Elysia released with a jolt whose voice she was hearinging out of her mouth. Of course, Eve had note in.

    It was because the body Elysia was upying belonged to Eve. She was Eve currently and this vision was seen from her perspective.

    But then what happened to her? What happened to Elysia and what time frame was this?

    "Adam, where is Elysia?"

    This vision has felt familiar before, likely because Elysia had been in this situation before. Maybe it was Elysia who was supposed to be here instead of Even initially but something had gone wrong.

    "Don''t say her name. She betrayed us and escaped. She''s far gone beyond my grasp."

    "So can''t you just follow after her? You''re half-dragon. Surely you can do that?"

    Elysia tried to make Adam snap out of the mood he had gotten in. She suddenly realized that this was perhaps a vision in which Elysia had managed to live.

    ''Am I alive? Did I run away? What about Lucas? And Sora? Did theye with me?''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia was at a point where knowledge was power. If she could guess what had happened then she could know how she had gotten away and to where.

    She could not let this chance step by. This was the payoff to everything Elysia has been building up toward.

    A future where she had managed to live.

    ''I need Adam to speak up. Wait! What is he doing? He needs to get down right now.''

    "Adam, get down from there. Whatever you are thinking of doing, don''t do it. You don''t need to take such a drastic action like-"

    "But you''re the one who said I should follow after her and that is what I am going to do next. Even, perhaps he was right in saying that I was a coward but I can still make my wrongs right."

    Adam was standing in front of the window, his back to Elysia so she could not guess his expression.

    But he likely looked bitter until the end as he jumped down the window.

    Elysia followed behind him, her body loving before her brain could. But she forgot one thing and that was that she was not in her one body.

    Even as she reached Adam, she could not pull him back up.

    "What are you doing? How did this all happen?"

    ''How did things end up this way? The more Elysia thought over this issue, the more she realized that she had no idea.''

    But one thing was for sure, Elysia had not expected Adam to try and kill himself over her disappearance. Or at least make a suicide attempt.

    Elysia wanted to know how things ended up this way. What had happened to make things this depressing?

    "Why?"

    "Don''t you recall how it all happened? It''s all his fault but he escaped as well."

    "Who-?"

    Elysia asked it her words were lost in the wind. She could not see Adam anymore as frost started to rise from the ground.

    No, not the ground. There was ake underneath Elysia and Adam''s falling bodies and they were going to crash into it soon.

    "The fault is yours, so will you take responsibility for your actions?"

    Elysia''s mouth was open in a silent scream but there was nothing that came out of her mouth.

    But there was a pounding sound that resonated around Elysia''s ears. It was bringing her closer to consciousness.

    ......��..

    The pounding did not stop even after Elysia woke up from that sub-space. It was clear that the one knocking on the door was present in real life and not in her vision.

    ''What a nightmarish world I saw in my dreams. I hope I never have to face it again.''

    Elysia was more than aware of how rigid fate was. It had refused to change anything even after Elysia had begged and begged for things to change.

    But was changing things really for the best now?

    "Lady Dirac, how long do you need to stay in there? It is almost time for the ceremony to start."

    The speaker was loud enough to get Elysia''s attention this time. It was quite a desperate knock as well, dragging Elysia out of the visionpletely.

    It was also then that Elysia felt her breath start again and water filled up her lungs. Her body jumped into an over-drive and Elysia broke through the surface.

    The first gulp of oxygen felt like a breath of fresh air for her and Elysia took it in like a greedy child.

    It was like a sweet taste Elysia had missed before and now she could not get enough of it.

    "Lady Dirac, are you alright? Do you need me toe in and help you out?"

    The door to the Ceremony Pool was knocked twice before Elysiaprehend enough brain power to realize what a bad idea it was.

    Someone opening the ceremony pool door was asking for trouble. Especially considering what happenedst time someone dared to enter this sacred ce unannounced.

    "DON''T COME IN. WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT DARE COME IN. I WILL BE OUT IN A MINUTE SO JUST WAIT OUTSIDE."

    Elysia''s voice was rough and used, but it was enough to get the maid to back down. That was one trouble out of the way for Elysia.

    The next thing on her agenda was to exit the pool and find some time for herself.

    The vision of the future she saw was unlike any Elysia had before. Adam had not looked that good and Eve had also been rather dismissive.

    Elysia was sure that had she not been in Eve''s body, Eve might not have even taken an initiative to stop Adam from being foolish.

    But there was one clue Elysia did have and it was that it all linked back to her disappearance and a mysterious ''he.''

    That reminded Elysia that this was not the first instance of this ''he'' she had heard. But what it meant, she had no idea.

 Chapter 72 72: Change In Plans

    Elysia tried to drag her body out of the pool but forgot an essential fact during her trial run to pull her body out: her still-broken hand.

    It was painfully throbbing and Elysia suddenly realized that she was not supposed to get her bandages wet.

    Now not only had she disobeyed her doctor but she also made her condition significantly worse than before. Why had she forgotten to ask Eve to cure her hand? And, would it have even mattered in the end?

    "Lady Dirac, your one minute is up. Should Ie in and help you-"

    "STAY OUT THERE. YOU WILL MAKE THINGS WORSE IF YOU COME IN NOW."

    Elysia knew what shouting at the poor maid would do to her reputation but she did not have a good reputation anyway.

    The least she could do was to throw her dignity as a peaceful person away to divert an iing disaster.

    Seeing as how the maid did not offer again, Elysia was sure that her message had gotten across to her. And the person on the other side of this door had to be a maid because no sister would have even dared to offer Elysia a helping hand.

    The poor maid was still standing in front of the Ceremonial Pool''s door with a frightened expression when Elysia came out.

    The maid was not from the Dirac estate but held a royal crest on her clothes. This was someone from the Royal Pce.

    ''Great. Now the whole Royal Pce would gossip about the ''rude Lady Dirac'' and how d they were to be rid of her.''

    Elysia did not even realize how bitter her thoughts were but she did take a deep gulp of breath to steady herself.

    "Did the Head Priest send you here? Is it time for the ceremony already?"

    Elysia tried to get the maid to rx but it was pretty clear to her that her image had been set in the maid''s mind.

    She was sure that rumors about this confrontation would be out by the next morning.

    "Y-Yes. Head Priest Yohan send me to fetch you while another maid was sent to fetch Lord Dirac. You need to get fitted in the ceremonial garbs so that we can start."

    ''Ah, that! I forgot that it was a thing that we should be doing to check the clothes sizes. But surely there was no need to call for me since I''ve not outgrown any of my previous grabs.''

    As a temple member and the resident person to take over ceremonies for Eve when she could not attend them (or was not in a mood), Elysia had her own set of ceremonial robes.

    However, if she had been asked toe then she would not question this decision.

    "Understood. Let''s go now."

    Elysia did not speak up in the way and the maid leading her did not try to rify anything either.

    The hall Elysia was led to was mostly empty but there were a few familiar faces as well. Most noticeably, her brother was already in the room along with Sora.

    Sara was there as well but her face was covered and she was standing near the guards and then there was the Head Priest standing near Eve.

    But the most noticeable person in the room was the king and the Crown Prince.

    "Elysia, hurry up and join my side. The Head Priest will tell us what he needs us to do."

    Elysia quietly joined her brother''s side. She refused to look at either Eve or Adam this whole time.

    She could feel their stare digging into her skin but Elysia knew she could not look at them right now. They had gotten her message so they should have expectations from her.

    And those expectations were ones Elysia could not fulfill right now. She had not braced herself to face them.

    "I briefed you both on what to do yesterday but I''ll give you a quick run-down today as well. A Holy Chalice is an object that can store holy power. Every year, different noble houses form a union to fill it because it required too much magic."

    "This time, the responsibility will fall onto the Dirac house and the temple''s representative. Since Elysia is someone who stayed in the temple, I would like for her to be our representative. As for the Dirac House, it would be Lord Dirac, right?"

    Head Priest Yohan quickly summarised what Elysia had missed yesterday. She was surprised to hear about her appointment as the representative of the temple.

    But it also made sense in a way. Filling up the Holy Chalice was not an easy task. It required a bond of trust and dependence.

    And since they could not trust Lord Dirac not to hurt anyone else, Elysia was the natural scapegoat they had.

    Not that Elysia minded much about this offer. She trusted her brother to keep her safe.

    "I have a better idea. Why not let me do it instead of Lord Dirac?"

    However, the person who spoke up right then was the unlikeliest person to have objected.

    Everyone looked at Eve as if she had lost her mind but Eve refused to back down from her im.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I''m sorry to say but Lady Dirac is a person of the Dirac house now and we cannot ask her to represent the temple anymore. But since I and Elysia have been friends, I am sure I will be able to carry this duty out with her."

    "Of course not. Little Eve, you need to wait around in the back and do your part with the Crown Prince. You know you cannot participate in this ceremony-"

    The one who objected was the King. He was the only one as well but his words carried the most weight in the room.

    "Can''t Prince Adam carry out the after-math part alone? It won''t be right for me to do that with him when the formal paperwork for his engagement has not been processed properly. And Elysia cannot do that as well since she is needed in the ceremony."

    Eve''s words did have a point but the kind looked far from happy. Anyone who looked at him could tell that this was not what he wanted to happen.

    "Little Eve, the whole world knows about the annulment of the engagement. No one would fault you even if you did show up with Adam. Adam, why don''t you say something to make Eve agree to go with you?"

    Now all eyes were on Adam who looked bored with everything. Elysia could spot the feeling of annoyance in his eyes at being forced to speak up.

    And she could even see the spark of something negative in his eyes as he stared Eve down. Meanwhile, Eve had a trump look on her face that whole time.

    "I can do my part alone. I told you all that I am not giving up on my engagement and I have no regard to unt your forced engagement either. Eve can do what she wants to."

    The king looked surprised at Adam''s words. Elysia saw something like doubt enter his eyes for the first time but then it was gone in the next moment.

    "Fine, do what you all want to. No one listens to me anyway."

    The king let out a dramatic sigh but no one took it as anything but a disappointment.

    "Perhaps it is you who don''t listen to people. We won''t be in this current situation if you have listened to me before."

    Elysia had a feeling she knew what Adam was talking about and she was 90% sure it had her as a subject.

    ______________________________

    Eve gave Adam a smirk as she pointed toward Elysia with her eyes. She was letting Adam know that she was winning Elysia''s favor.

    Eve was getting to do something Adam had not been able to do with Elysia. She was going to perform the Holy Chalice ceremony with her.

    Even if both Eve and Elysia had been a part of the temple ceremony team, this would be the first ceremony they would be undertaking together.

    Usually, a ceremony did not require more than one person from the temple and even if there were more needed, it was never Elysia and Eve.

    Head Priest Yohan had not taken any chances of things happening after that first incident. But it seemed like he was finally letting things be.

    And Adam looked annoyed to see that happen.

    ''Look at me. I am the one who gets to spend time with Elysia now.''

    Eve knew she was ying a dangerous game by egging Adam like this but it was so much fun.

    They both had red Elysia''s letter to them asking them for a little more time to get her emotions under her control.

    Not only that, but she had also asked the pair to only approach her during the hunting festival that was going to be held soon.

    But now there was a prime opportunity for Eve to stay together with Elysia without contradicting the conditions set forth.

    "Head Priest Yohan, will it be alright on the temple''s side? I don''t mind stepping down to let Elysia have my spot."

    If possible, Eve would have jumped down and hugged Lord Dirac right then and there. He was one person who seemed to understand what Eve needed and how good she was for Elysia.

    The only w the man had was that he was equally impartial toward Adam. But beyond that, he was the perfect brother material.

    ''And he will also be my brother-inw one day so I must get along with him.''

    Eve instantly turned toward her father, giving him the eye. He would not refuse her this small favor because he promised her.

    "It is alright form the temple''s side as well. It was a good opportunity to introduce the next saintess to the mass and show that there is no conflict between the temple and the Dirac house."

    ''Father, I am willing to temporarily forgive you for anything bad you did to me. This is so much better than any birthday present I ever got.''

    Eve felt delighted as soon as she heard the confirmation.

    Her father might have agreed with her because he wanted to improve her reputation but it did not matter to Eve now.

    What did matter was that she had permission to be with Elysia for the duration of the ceremony.

 Chapter 73 73: The Deal

    "Elysia, let''s do our best today. I will respect your wishes of giving you time to think but I don''t want this to affect us in the future."

    Elysia looked at Eve''s serious face with a sigh. She suddenly felt all her tirednesse running back to her. Just looking at Eve was a hard task right now.

    And then there was Adam who was ring daggers into the pair''s back. Every time Elysia looked over in his direction, she was reminded of the dream she had before.

    The madness in his eyes was not there currently but the possibility of it returning terrified Elysia a lot.

    "Now then, if we have all agreed we should return to our preparations. The ceremony will start shortly so you all should take your ce now."

    Elysia followed with a numb feeling in her chest. Her hand had also started to throb as well. Elysia had been asked specifically to not let it get wet but she had.

    Eve still had that sweet and innocent smile on her face that Elysia liked and that was the only thing that was getting Elysia liked about this situation.

    "I didn''t want to say this back there in case they took you out of the ceremony but you don''t look well right now. Is everything alright with you?"

    Eve stopped right in front of Elysia and that started Elysia enough to make her crash into Eve''s back.

    ''Ouch! It hurts. Why does Eve have such a firm back? Isn''t she supposed to be all soft and harmless?''

    Not only did it hurt Elysia''s nose to bump into Eve but also her hand was jolted around by her sudden stopping. Her flinch did not go unnoticed by Eve, nor did Elysia''s brief action of steading her hand.

    "Does it hurt? I know you injured your hand but I did not realize it was severe enough to cause you pain. Did you get it looked at properly?"

    Elysia sighed as her n to hide her injury was foiled. It was too much to ask people to not butt into her business.

    And now Eve was getting all worried over something that she should not. This was not good in the grand scheme of things for Elysia.

    "This small injury is nothing. It just hurts a little because I identally got it wet when I was not supposed to. It''s no big deal and it will heal soon enough."

    Eve looked anxious as soon as she heard that. When her hand came down to hold Elysia''s injured hand, she did not protest against it.

    Even if it hurt to touch, Eve was being careful and delicate with Elysia right now. That action was enough to make Elysia grit her teeth and ept the pain she was feeling.

    "You should tell me when you are injured. What use are my healing powers if they don''t even help those I want to? Now let me see how I can heal you."

    Warmth flowed inside Elysia''s body as the magic tried to repair her broken hand. The soft golden glow of Eve''s magic attracted a lot of eyes.

    Head Priest Yohan''s disapproving eyes were a part of that party, and Elysia got his message loud and clear.

    She needed to stop Eve from using any more of her powers.

    "Eve, it''s alright now. I did get treatment and the healer said that I will be alright in a day or two. Your magic aided my recovery as well so my hand is alright now."

    Elysia did not pull her hand back but rather, she closed her fist around Eve''s hand. It was her way of assuring Eve that she was alright now.

    Eve still had a look of suspicion in her eyes but Elysia''s disy seemed to have convinced her otherwise.

    Elysia also breathed a sigh of relief as her hand was let go. She had started to feel nervous while holding onto Eve''s hand for so long. Everyone had been looking at her and Eve with weird looks in their eyes.

    "It is nice to see that you are feeling well now. I feared you would be too injured to continue the ceremony. I am also happy that I was of help to you."

    Eve''s happy face made it impossible for Elysia to tell her the truth.

    Eve''s magic had made no change in Elysia''s injured hand. It was still throbbing and painting her like before.

    Just as any other time before, Eve''s magic had failed to heal Elysia. But Elysia would take that secret to the grave than see Eve feel disappointed in her.

    "You know, afterst time I was really afraid that my magic would not be able to heal you. It gave me thoughts of what would happen if you were injured someday and in need of healing."

    "If I''m unable to help at that time then I would feel too pathetic and worthless of you. But thank god it is not like that. My powers would not have any meaning if I could not help you and-"

    Elysia stopped Eve before she could make an irreversible mistake and ruin her reputation any more than she had already.

    She quickly eyes head Priest Yohan, only to see his relieved face at Elysia''s quick actions. Eve''s thoughtless actions had been about to ruin everything that Elysia had tried to build for her.

    One word of carelessness was easy to rify, but if it kept happening too many times, no one would be able to clean up this mess.

    "Eve, I am ttered that you think of me this way but please keep quiet right now. Think of where you are right now and what you are saying."

    Elysia''s words were a whisper before she spoke out aloud.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I am so ttered that mydy thinks of me as such a precious friend. I am sure this empire is ttered to have such a caring Saintess who would use her powers for people''s benefit."

    "That-amdmfmfmfmff"

    Whatever Eve wanted to say, Elysia did not allow her to. She took her hand and dragged her out of the hall before anything else can happen.

    Although there was no danger in the hall, one could not be sure who was listening in on this conversation.

    As the saying went, even the walls had ears. One needed to be careful about what they were saying if they did not want to suffer heavy consequences.

    "Elysia! I would like you to know that I was quite serious back there. I do want to use my powers for your benefit."

    "But that is not something you can decide on your Eve. Eve, listen to me. You are the face of the temple, the one they all depend on, and also the next saintess. You, out of everyone, cannot say that you will be selfish. Even if that is something you are going to do, you cannot say your feelings out aloud."

    Elysia knew she was demanding a lot out of Eve.

    After all, Eve was a human as well and even she had desired and greed she wanted to chase after.

    But still, Elysia had worked so hard to secure Eve''s future and for her eptance. She did not want to see her handwork go down the drain.

    "Is me being a saintess such a big deal for you, Elysia? Am I worthless to you if I am not the saintess-"

    "It''s not like that. I will like Eve no matter how she is. But this empire needs a saintess and it''s something only you can do. I want you to reach your full potential and-"

    "Alright, I understand and I will do as you say if you do one thing for me."

    Elysia felt relief fill her heart as soon as she heard Eve''s words. If Eve was making a promise like that then she would keep it.

    "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

    No matter what it was, Elysia was sure she would be able to do it. She did not fear much and she was also determined to carry out her orders.

    "Then kiss me. A proper one like Adam kissed you yesterday. If you do that for me then I will do my best to fulfill your request."

    ''Nevermind. Can I take my words back? Eve can do what she wants to.''

    Elysia felt disappointment and excitement hit her at the same time. She was not even sure that it was possible to feel those two emotions at the same time but here she was.

    Eve was still looking back at her with an expecting face that Elysia could not ignore.

    ''Fine. I might as well humor her just this once.''

    "Eve, I will kiss you but it will be a small peck. I don''t feelfortable-"

    "Alright. I will take what I can get."

    Eve seemed to not be worried about not getting what she asked for but Elysia felt relieved. She had not sorted out her feelings yet but she still knew she would follow through on the request Eve made.

    That brush of lips was soft and hesitant. Elysia was not sure how much she could press in before it got too much for Eve.

    She wanted to open her eyes and have a look at what face Eve was making when she felt Eve''s hand on her head and she was pushed into the kiss even more.

    Eve''s tongue came out to poke around and Elysia hesitantly opened her mouth to let her in.

    If being kissed by Adam felt like she was being consumed then Eve''s kiss felt like she was being sucked out.

    Fireworks were going off inside Elysia''s stomach and her head spun by the force of that kiss.

    And just as easily as it had started, it ended as well. Elysia almost leaned in to continue that kiss before realizing just where she was and what she was doing.

    "Man, that felt really good. Elysia, I am ready to face the challenge head so let''s hurry. People are waiting for us to start the ceremony after all."

    Elysia had some words to say regarding what just happened but her brain went empty as soon as she thought of something.

    She no longer knew what to say or make of anything.

    ''What just happened? How did I allow myself to be in this position?''

 Chapter 74 74: The Other World [Pt1]

    Thankfully, nothing much happened after that and things returned to normal.

    Or as normal as they could for someone in Elysia''s position. She could still feel all the eyes on her as Eve held her hand close. That grip hurt but Elysia knew she had to endure it for now.

    She could not let her expression of pain show up on her face or Eve would realize that Elysia lied to her and then get worried.

    That was a scenario that should be avoided at any cost. The ceremony needed to go off without any hitch.

    "Elysia looks, the Hoy Chalice is here. It is my first time being this close to the actual thing. What about you?"

    Eve had the look of an excited kid on her face currently. Her eyes all but sparkled as she took in the Holy Chalice.

    "I saw it a few times before when I participated in this ceremony as the temple''s representative. But I guess it will be my first time facing the chalice from the other side. I guess it makes me nervous as well."

    Elysia could feel her heart beat faster and faster as the Holy Chalice came nearer and nearer.

    Truthfully speaking, Elysia was not feeling nervous because of the Holy Chalice''s presence but because of Eve''s presence.

    The vision from that morning had already put Elysia in an alert mood and now the magic oozing out of the Holy Chalice was distracting her. Eve was reaching out for the Holy Chalice when a very important fact urred to Elysia.

    Had Eve taken the necessary precautions before attention to the ceremony? Had she even visited the Ceremonial pool this morning?

    Somehow Elysia already knew the answer to that question was ''no.'' things had happened so fast that they had skipped everyone''s mind.

    "Eve, don''t touch it. You have not visited the Ceremonial Pool today-"

    But the deed was already done. Elysia was toote in getting that Chalice away from Eve''s hand before she felt the tug of magic pulling at her.

    "Eve, you need to let go-"

    But Eve seemed to be in a trance. The magic of the Holy Chalice was trying to take control of her again and people seemed to have realized that something was wrong.

    ''Shit, I need to distract them all from the disaster that is about to happen.''

    "The holy Chalice is reacting to the Saintess and trying to pull her into another world. Someone hurry up and interfere-"

    Head Priest Yohan''s voice broke apart the tense silence and everyone let out a small scream of fright.

    But Elysia''s focus was on the Holy Chalice and its magic. It was trying to pull Eve with her to another world.

    "Elysia, what are you looking at? Hurry and pull her away."

    Adam''s voice came from right behind Elysia. He had a tight grip around her middle to prevent her from getting caught up in this mess.

    "EVE, LOOK OUT."

    Sara seemed to have joined the struggle as well but even theirbined magic was not enough to fill the chalice.

    "Oi, everyone let go of the Chalice at the count of three. I will seal it away."

    Lucas''s voice was loud and pierced the tense silence. Both Sara and Adam instantly let go but Elysia did not.

    She had a feeling that Eve would disappear if she let go of the Chalice now.

    "Elysia, you need to let go. If you do not then you will be swallowed in as well.

    Her brother''s handnded on her arm right in time for Chalice''s magic to fluctuate and the fabric of space to be ripped apart.

    "Brother, you take hold of Eve. I will be back soon."

    "No, you are not."

    Elysia had intended to go through the portal on her own but Adam of all people realized what she intended to do and his hand reached out to grip Elysia''s arms.

    However, the ripped fabric of the space tore open right beneath the group''s feet, not giving them any time to process what happened.

    Eve''s body lost its footing and her hand lost its grip on the Chalice. Luckily, Sara dove for her and caught her right in time to shield her.

    As for Elysia, she shook off Adam''s hand and reached out for the falling Chalice. She had a feeling that the Chalice was going to be important and that was not an item they should lose.

    ''Just a little more. I am almost there.''

    "ELYSIA, GET THAT CHALICE AT ALL COSTS." Lucas''s loud voice encouraged Elysia to keep on going.

    Elysia stretched her hand out to catch the Chalice when she felt someone''s hand close around her arm.

    Those arms held Elysia close as she finally reached the Chalice.

    "You are more trouble than you are worth. It''s a miracle that you are still alive."

    Adam''sining voice was filled with relief. Somehow, Elysia had a feeling that she would find his eyes full of irritation if she turned around now.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Brace yourself. We will bending soon."

    Elysia closed her eyes as she felt Adam''s magic surge around them. Her vision ovepped with her reality and her heart felt like it would explode out of her chest but Elysia still held on to the arms around her.

    She knew Adam would not let anything happen to her.

    And then they hit the surface of the water. It was a hard fall and Elysia cried out in pain as her hand experienced the sensation of being broken again.

    When they broke to the surface, the world seemed to have changed once again. The forest looked destroyed and in front of Elysia stood a familiar gate she had seen when she had gone unconscious.

    It was the ce she had seen in the memories she had no recollection of.

    "So this ce did exist. I thought I was dreaming back then."

    But there was an acute difference between the ce Elysia saw in her memories and the one she was in right now.

    The ce in Elysia''s memories was full of life and vigor. It was green and had a lot of life.

    While the ce in front of her eyes was all but destroyed. Everything had an air of abandonment circling it.

    "Where are we?"

    Adam asked the question Elysia was wondering about.

    ''Yes, where in the world did we end up at?''

    ______________________________

    "Lucas, this ce is-"

    "Our home world. We are back here atst. What a bittersweet feeling it is to be back here for so long."

    Lucas took in the ruinedndscape of the ce he had once called home. This world used to be such a vibrant ce before its curse had beenid down.

    In the end, no one survived the aftermath of that curse and they had to relocate to a new world.

    "I wonder how we ended up here. The Holy Chalice was supposed to be a one-way door to bring the magical sacrifice out of the Gold''s realm but why did it connect to here?"

    This was a loaded question and it had a lot of answers.

    It could be that this was an ident, a mistake on someone''s part, or even a deliberate attempt to cause harm. Theck of information made it impossible to know what was going on.

    "So, how do we go back from here? Thest time we opened up the sync portal, it exhausted most of the world''s magical resources. How will we manage to open up the portal this time?"

    Sorias had a point when he said that. Opening a one-way portal was difficult enough, but to open it in reverse was even more bothersome.

    The only stroke of luck they all had was that Elysia had managed to get her hands on the Holy Chalice in time before it cracked. Lucas had seen his sister reach toward their ticket home.

    "But that is another problem altogether. We will need to find our otherpanions before we can even think of going back. Luckily, finding that half-ling will not be a problem. Elysia on the other hand. I cannot feel her magic so I think she...."

    "Will not be a problem. The Crown Prince was the one who reached Elysia which was lucky for us. I am sure his draconic senses will lead him right toward the only treasure thisnd holds."

    "You mean-"

    "He would head toward the Dirac mansion that holds the only active magical crystal thisnd had left. So that is also what we will head toward now."

    ''As for the sacrifice for the gods, well, that is something that we will see aboutter.''

    Lucas was sure that this mishap would have caused a massive disaster back home. But a small investigation would reveal that this was someone''s cruel trick to cause the ceremony to fail.

    Personally, Lucas was looking ahead to going back home and dealing with the person who had dared cause this mess for him. He was also interested to know what kind of person sent them back into this world.

    "I bet ''that world'' is pissed that its favorites escaped and somehow ended up here. It would do its best to get us back so we shouldn''t worry so much."

    After all, if Lucas was right about the prophecy and its meaning, then that meant that ''their new world'' would do its best to get both Adam and Eve back.

    Somehow, their interference had turned out to be for the best. It gave them a fighting chance.

    "Anyway, we should start gathering up oxygen cores we see and process them. The level of oxygen present in the atmosphere will notst forever with all the trees gone from this world."

    "And this time when we bid farewell to this world, it would be forever. I am afraid that it would not survive any longer."

    Maybe it was a coincidence that they had ended up back here, maybe it was fate. But one thing was for certain, this ce won''tst.

    "Perhaps this is a warning for us to not interfere with things once we go back or things would end up like this."

    Maybe Sorias was right and this was a warning. But even if it was, Lucas knew he would not take it to heart.

    For all their sake, he would fight back and win this time.

 Chapter 75 75: The Other World [Pt2]

    "What kind of ce did wend in? It looks like deadnd all around us. I still cannot believe that someone tried to sabotage the Holy Chalice like this. Did they want everyone in the hall to die in the explosion?"

    Sarained as she dragged down the old and decaying branch blocking her path. The whole forest looked kind of dead and empty of any sort of life form.

    Eve was kind of dead weight on her back right now but at least she was not hurt badly. Now Sara only wanted Eve to wake up and tell her what happened.

    "Huh? Where are we? And where is everyone else? Weren''t we just in the Ceremonial hall of the temple? When did wee out?"

    Eve woke up without any warning, her eyes looking around to seek out Elysia instantly.

    Or that was what Sara gathered.

    "There was an ident and we ended up here as a result of it. We all also kind of got separated so I''m trying to find other people nearby. Do you not remember what happened?"

    Sara was not surprised to hear that Eve had no recollection of what happened back there. Eve''s eyes looked like they were in a trance.

    "Not a thing. My brain is as nk as a white paper."

    "So nothing out of the usual, right? I guess I cannot even call it a case of brain damage."

    "Hey!"

    Eve sounded offended but Sara could tell that she was not really offended by what she heard. This was not the first time Sara had called Even empty-headed but the reaction was the same as any other time.

    Eve''s words sounded clear and strong so Sara risked letting her walk on her own. The first few steps were wobbly but Eve gathered herself by the end of her first five minutes of walking.

    "By the way, who is ''everyone'' you were talking about before? I just realized that I don''t know who else could havee here with�CWait, did Elysia fall in here with us as well? Did I somehow drag her in as well? Oh god, what should I do now? What if Elysia hates me as a result of this?"

    Eve was driving herself into a corner with her imagination. Her needle had stopped at Elysia and refused to move ahead.

    This was a very familiar scene to Sara and she no longer felt surprised when she saw it.

    "Eve, calm down. Crown Prince Adam will take care of Elysia for now since they fell together. We should concentrate on finding Lord Dirac and Lord Sorias for now. They will be able to help us out."

    Eve''s face turned toward Sara with an annoyed expression. She seemed to only have heard the first part of what Sara said.

    "That bastard fell together with Elysia? I am sure he will use this chance to score brownie points with Elysia. Don''t tell me! It was all a part of his n?"

    "Likely not. Even a half-dragon doesn''t have enough magic to pull six people through the dimension like this. We should look for others before we draw any conclusion-"

    There was a rumbling feeling beneath Sara''s feet. The earth that had been quiet until now had started to feel alive.

    "W-What is happening? Is the ground shaking?"

    Eve''s surprised face showed what Sara did not say out loud. This was an unexpected development.

    Wasn''t this ce supposed to be abandoned? Then why was the earth-shaking like this?

    The earth spilled apart beneath Sara''s feet but both she and Eve were fast enough to avoid being dragged to the ground.

    Far away from the pair, the sky lit up with spots of red. The huge rocks seemed to be falling from the sky into random spots.

    "Fuck, it''s a volcanic eruption. We need to look for a ce to rest and hide so that we don''t get caught up. Let''s head toward the mountains and wait this out."

    Sara was quick on her feet, her years of experience staying alive finally kicking in and leading her toward a safe spot.

    Eve looked stunned to be in this situation. No amount of training could have prepared her for such a unique situation at hand.

    "Ugh god. This is too much excitement for a single day. My feet are beginning to kill me now."

    Sarained as soon as she touched the cave''s floor. The outside world was still rumbling and it would continue to rumble for some time.

    They both did not notice a pair of excited and happy eyes looking back at them. The child who looked almost six years of age crawled out at the first sign of human contact he saw.

    But his eyes looked far older than six years old.

    "Excuse medies, but what are you doing here? I was not aware that this world had any more people in it. I thought I was the only one alive."

    The pair did not jump up in a fight but the child did find himself on the wrong side of staff and a pair of ws.

    It was the worst first meeting one could have asked for but the child did not look scared at all.

    Instead, he had a smiling face and a knowing look in his eyes.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    ______________________________

    "Are you sure it is safe to enter this mansion? We might run into some anti-theft traps and lose our lives if we are not careful."

    Adam seemed to be in a joking mood today. Elysia was not sure why he was in such a good mood despite having ended up in a dangerous situation.

    Actually, Elysia knew but she actively refused to remember the details. She did not want to be reminded of Adam''s confession.

    Every time she remembered, Elysia became hyper-aware of her surroundings and how close Adam was to her.

    And every time that happened and Adam did not do anything, Elysia felt guilty before feeling Adam''s presence nearby again.

    It was a non-ending cycle that continued to torment Elysia throughout her walk to the front gate of the Dirac mansion. And every time that happened, Elysia felt guilty for treating Adam like that.

    This was not the reaction Elysia had toward Eve so why was she so hyper-aware of Adam? Was it because he was a guy and fundamentally different from Elysia?

    Somehow the answer seemed to be a firm ''no'' for Elysia. She had a feeling that it was not the reason why she was so hyper-aware of Adam.

    She could just always feel where he was and his presence was rather loud in Elysia''s receptors as well. There was almost a connection between them that made Elysia so aware of him.

    "I am sure this mansion is safe to enter. I told you before that I saw this mansion in my dreams, right? I have an idea how we can enter it now. There should be a switch that acts as an emergency exit. Let me see��"

    Elysia had a vague feeling that the switch existed and where to find it. The more she tried to look around, the more simr this ce got to the ones she had seen in her memories.

    "Is it because this ce looks a lot like the Dirac mansion that you are thinking that? I almost thought we were back at the Dirac mansion just a second ago as well."

    Now that Adam had pointed it out, this ce did look a lot like the Dirac mansion. But there were slight differences that made this ce different from her home.

    There was a subtle texture difference beneath Elysia''s hands and the warmth this ce produced was entirely different.

    It was difficult to exin how this ce was different from Elysia''s home but she knew the difference in her feelings and heart.

    "This home doesn''t look simr to Dirac mansion to me. I don''t know how to exin it all but I feel sad seeing this ce while I never felt such a feeling back home."

    Back home, Elysia did not have time to feel anything. Every day had been busy and people needed Elysia for one thing or another.

    Besides, there were people who were waiting for Elysia toe back home there. But this ce? This felt old and abandoned by everyone and left to rot.

    "Anyway, get ready now. I am hopening up the door."

    Elysia pushed the front door open with the help of the emergency device. There was a pause before the wall fell apart and allowed the pair entry.

    Elysia entered the ce without any hesitation. The ce might have been abandoned but it still gave off a safe feeling.

    "I think we should wait here for my brother and Eve toe and find us. I am sure they will�C Adam, are you alright?"

    Adam was growling at empty air, his eyes having gone reptilian-like at what he was smelling.

    Elysia could smell a barely-there sweetness in the air. Whatever it was, it was making Elysia''s head feel lighter.

    If she was feeling the effect of this smell so strongly, then surely Adam must be having a harder time with it. He was the one with the actual animal-like smelling power.

    "Elysia, get down. There are undead in the vicinity and you are in no condition to face them."

    Adam forced Elysia''s head down as the smell got worse. It was also then that Elysia saw the first semnce of life in this cursed ce.

    And it was in the form of the most mal-nutrition person she had ever seen. But that was not all. There was more than one person like that currently heading toward Elysia and Adam''s location.

    "These dead bodies are being drained of their magic. We should avoid getting caught by them if we want to make it out alive. Do you think you can freeze them all if I provide you with water?"

    "Yes, I can."

    Adam had a feral grin on his face as he cast his magic. It had a familiar undertone to it but Elysia could not remember where she had felt this warmth before.

    It was addicting and made Elysia want to surrender to it''s power and -

    "Elysia, attack now. I have them immobilized."

    Elysia let out her magic and it joined Adam''s to freeze the surroundings. The first danger had finally been braved.

 Chapter 76 76: The Collapsing Ground [Pt1]

    Once the undead had been immobilized, only then did Elysia brave to have a close look at what they were. They looked vaguely human but no human would have been able to move a whole being that dry.

    Magic or no magic, their bones would have given in way before that. So it could only be a curse that was keeping them going.

    "Did you find anything by observing these dead bodies? Anything we can use?"

    "No. I cannot tell what these things are but they don''t have any body organ inside them. They are like a husk that looks like a human, walks like a human but is not human."

    The arm in Elysia''s grip broke into the sand as soon as she applied even a little bit of pressure. It now made sense how or why this thing had been able to move.

    "But how is that even possible? There is ack of magic in this world. How can the curse even sustain itself for this long? Even the trees have withered away."

    "I don''t know. And at this point, I''m too afraid to ask. I have a feeling that no one was supposed to be in this abandoned world. Then why did we end up here?"

    This world was beyond saving and was copsing even now. Why would someone want to send them here when there was no purpose in it?

    "Let''s head deeper into the mansion. This is our only clue about this ce."

    When this word had copsed, it had taken everything but the Dirac mansion with it. This was the only ce that had been protected by thest of this world''s magic.

    There should be a crystal inside that held huge amounts of magic in it. If Elysia was able to stimte it, then she could transport everyone else home.

    ''Wait! Why do I know all this? Agh, my head hurts.''

    There was a small throbbing headache behind Elysia''s closed eyes. Thoughts and memories flowed in her mind that was not her own.

    But she felt like she was supposed to know all this anyway.

    "Inside? But my instincts are telling me that we should head south from here. I can sense an unusual energy source there. It''s calling out to me and it''s really difficult to resist its call."

    Asam sounded like he was torn between following Elysia or following his instincts. If the energy source was really as grand as he was making it out to be then there could only be one thing he was feeling.

    And that is their end goal.

    "Adam, lead us to that source right now. It is our ticket home."

    "Well, I could but I won''t do it for free. Won''t you agree to give me something in return?"

    "What do you mean by ''for free?'' Don''t you want to go back home as well?"

    Adam stared at Elysia with a straight but dumbfold face. Elysia could not figure out why he was looking at her like this.

    Did he not realize what kind of situation they were in right now?

    "Elysia, I was trying to��. never mind, you have always been thick-headed when it came to my actions. I cannot believe how right Eve was when she said I need to speak up if I want you to understand."

    Even Adam''s voice sounded like he was trying his best to suppress his irritation. Why did he never say things clearly and out loud? Did Elysia have to guess every time about what he wanted?

    "Elysia, I was asking for a kiss in exchange for helping you out. Are you even conscious of the fact that I said I was in love with you? Or are you just ignoring my feelings? I have never been treated like this before."

    ''O-Oh, yeah��.so that did happen.''

    Elysia came to a stop as soon as she heard Adamin to her. To be honest, he had never spoken like this to her after that first time which had ended up in a disaster.

    Adam had been all but a gentleman toward her but had maintained his true self in front of Eve. Elysia had taken it as a sign of indifference back then.

    ''But what if he just didn''t want me to hate him and that was why he changed? Or well, pretended to change. I don''t know how to feel about it.''

    "I-You tell me that you like me Adam but I don''t know anything about you or Eve. I thought I knew you both but the more I uncover, the more I realize that you both never showed yourself fully to me."

    "You ask me to consider your feelings but have you ever considered mine? How can I even know if I like the ''real'' you or not if you don''t show it to me?"

    The more Elysia said the more she had a feeling that she should keep her mouth shut. She was digging up her own grave right here.

    But words wereing out of her mouth all on her own.

    "You are saying that? YOU? After all, you hide from me and Eve, you don''t have a right to say it. Did you think I would never notice who it was that was paving the way for the next saintess? But I kept quiet because I didn''t want to overwhelm you like that. But now I see that I was a little too lenient on you."

    Elysia felt her heart sink as soon as she heard all that.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    How long had Adam known and not said a thing? Then did that mean that all of Elysia''s effort was in vain all these years?

    Who else knew? And how much danger were they all in-

    "Calm down. I am not telling this to you to threaten you. I love you, Elysia, and I want no secrets between us anymore. We can postpone this conversation for now but I assure you that I won''t hold back once we reach back home."

    "I will stop holding my desire and my true self back because you asked me to. And I am sure that Eve wille to a simr conclusion once she knows what happened here."

    For a second Elysia was stunned that Adam say that he would tell Eve. But the more Elysia thought about it, the more it made sense to her.

    Adam and Eve could deny their rtionship all they wanted but there was no hiding the thin line of fate that was binding them together.

    Even if they both said that they loved someone else, they were still being tugged together.

    "H-Hey-"

    Elysia called back to Adam but he had started walking again. He looked dejected by Elysia''s words and actions and it made Elysia''s chest feel heavy.

    She did not want Adam to be angry at her or to look away from her. She was ashamed to admit that she liked Adam in ''that'' as well but she also held love for Eve.

    Eve just did not want to overstep her boundaries here but the more she was trying not to, the more she ended up hurting the people around her.

    ''I hope he forgets all about this conversation and his promise by the time we get back home. That is all I can ask for at this point.''

    ______________________________

    It was an awkward silence when Elysia followed after Adam. Adam was not behaving as if anything had changed but Elysia found it even harder to look at him.

    Every time Adam''s familiar attitude put Elysia at rest, his words came crawling back into her mind and she jumped up and away from him.

    It hadnded Elysia in trouble once or twice due to her inattentiveness in this matter. Did things have toe to this?

    "We are here. Whatever I am sensing is located deep in this cave but I don''t think I can make it down there due to my bulk. You are slimmer and smaller than me so you might be able to slip right past the hole and check inside."

    Adam eyes Elysia up and down, his eyes almost holding a hungry stare before they went back to his usual gaze.

    "I s-see. I guess it is up to me to go down there and bring that source out. You just wait here for me toe back. Also, keep an eye out for my brother and Eve''s group. I am sure they will find us soon."

    Even though Elysia could not feel her familiarity in this world. Somehow, the bond that was even supposed to trample the test of times and death was effortless to block off.

    And every time that happened, Elysia felt more and more tired of the lies she had been fed since childhood.

    "Hurry up and go in. We cannot be sure how long we have before a disaster strikes. Thend is too deprived of magic and would start to consume itself soon."

    There was an unknown pain in Elysia''s heart at hearing those words but she could not do anything about it.

    This world was fated to die and there was nothing Elysia could do about it but to let it happen. The timeframe to save this world had passed a long time ago.

    ''I hope this doesn''t happen to our world as well. I must be careful in how I approach the future.''

    Elysia walked through the hallway before she reached the final chamber. There was no more corridor in front of Elysia but just a door for her to pass through.

    She knocked at the door to be let in and the door opened without any effort.

    Inside was a carefully stored box that emitted strong magic from inside and a diary of sorts that had a lock ced on it.

    Elysia picked them both up before she felt the cave start rumbling and the sky ceiling came crashing down.

    "Look out."

    Adams''s familiar voice spoke in Elysia''s ears before she felt the world go dark around her.

    The ceiling had copsed right on top of her and there was a heavy weight on her chest that knocked the air out of her.

    And all around her was darkness which was pressing against Elysia''s chest.

 Chapter 77 77: The Collapsing Ground [Pt2]

    ''It hurts. Something is pressing against my ribcage and it''s inconvenient to breathe.''

    Elysia opened her eyes, only to feel something red drop into them. It burned her and turned the world into a shade of red.

    "Y-You are alright, right?"

    Adam''s voice sounded right beside Elysia''s right ear and his hand also cupped Elysia''s face to rub the blood away.

    ''B-Blood? Oh god, Adam is hurt. What should I do now?''

    The more Elysia came to her senses, the more she realized that the weight pressing down on her was not the rocks but Adam.

    The Crown prince had protected Elysia by putting his body in harm''s way.

    "W-We need to get the rocks off. You are bleeding and we need to do something about it. M-Medicine. I might have some medicine in my bag and -"

    "Calm down Elysia. This much bleeding will not cause me to faint and my body will recover soon as well. I am just d I was able to reach you in time. You would have been squished otherwise."

    Elysia wanted to say that she was not a bug and it would not be easy to squish her like that. But she had no heart to say any of that to Adam right now.

    Not when the Crown Prince had taken a huge injury for Elysia.

    The pair somehow managed to shake off the rocks from the Prince''s back but it was in a bad shape.

    "Hey Elysia, can I get a kiss now? I know that the timing is not right but I did take an injury for you. Surely I deserve something in return."

    Elysia could feel that Adam was joking when he said those words. He was likely in pain and trying to distract himself from it.

    But still, his words made Elysia''s heart skip a beat. Even now he was thinking about her and how to make her feel better.

    It made Elysia believe that maybe, just maybe he did love Elysia after all.

    "What''s with that serious face? Come on, smile or you''ll be stuck in this boring pose forever. If it is Elysia, I would rather see you always smiling. Your smile puts my heart to ease and-"

    Elysia knew it was an impulsive decision but she decided to do it anyway. Her lips met Adam''s cheek before she cupped his face and kissed him full on.

    The Crown Prince looked frozen in shock, his eyes zing over before he was taking charge.

    The force he used to kiss Elysia took her breath away and she found herself on her back with that now-familiar weight pressing her down. Something hard rubbed against her as well which made her gasp.

    And that just gave Adam an excuse to go even harder and deeper into her mouth. His tongue was mapping its territory, its rough texture stimting ces that Elysia had never even felt before.

    And just when Elysia felt like she was about to run out of oxygen, she was let go of it.

    "Don''t tempt me like that out of the blue. Fuck, it''s really difficult to hold back right now but I cannot take you here and now. I don''t have the necessary supplies and you are not ready as well. Just go out of this cave and give me a few minutes alone."

    Elysia was confused why Adam asked this of her. What could it be that he wanted to do alone?

    But just a small shift of Elysia''s body made her brush up against that hardness of his and Adam looked away from her red-faced.

    ''Oh? OH! OF COURSE, IT IS THAT. S-Should I offer to help him out?''

    "Elysia, out now. Don''t offer me something now because I will not be able to stop once I started."

    That was all Elysia needed to hear to make her way out. She had heard things about sex and intimacy that made her decide that now was not a good time to even think about it.

    This world was dangerous and there was a real danger of everyone dying here. They could not afford to get sick or in disposable.

    "I-I''m leaving now. Please tell me once you are done here."

    Adam watched Elysia run out of the cave with a pained face. He had realized that Elysia had meant to offer her service to him.

    But how could Adam except to take her up on her offer when she was not even ready yet? Her body beneath his hand had been soft but delicate. It would need to be prepared before she could take him.

    Adam looked at his hand in wonder, remembering the soft skin under his hand. His other one moved toward the hardness in his pants and took it out.

    All his brain could remember was that soft and warm body that belonged to the one he loved. His hand moved all around his hardness, stimting it as his brain remembered the face of his mate.

    ''I r-really wanted to let her touch. Her hand would have felt so nice on my hardness. Would have made mee instantly.''

    Adam''s body was feeling hot but it felt even hotter as he imagined those small and soft hands stroking his penis.

    His body shuddered as his hand stimted his sensitive cockhead as he imagined another part of Elysia taking him in.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    ''I wonder how her mouth would feel down here.''

    Adam had no idea where the image of Elysia taking him in whole into her tiny mouth came from. But he knew that she would choke.

    He could even see her ck hair bobbing up and down as Elysia tried to take him deeper into her mouth.

    ''She would have trouble taking me in. I wonder what kind of face Eve would make once she sees me with Elysia like that. I know she would be jealous or maybe she''ll be turned on to see Elysia getting fucked? She did look interested before and -''

    Adam came into his hand. He had not even realized where his mind had wandered but he came to a sudden realization.

    He did not mind sharing Elysia with Eve if it meant that he could mark Elysia up as his own. He still had no romantic or sexual interest in Eve but had to admit that she was good with Elysia.

    If it was for her sake then Adam would give the three of them a chance.

    But still, the most difficult person to convenience would be Elysia. But she''lle around eventually.

    "Ugh, I''m all sticky now. Now let''s see what I can do to take care of myself."

    ______________________________

    There was a kid in the cave. The kid looked to be six years old and not healthy. But the kid was alive and kicking which was all that mattered in the end.

    "Eve, stay back. We don''t know what kind of powers this kid has at his disposal-"

    "Nononono. Please don''t mind me. I am not a suspicious person at all. I am a friend or well, I hope to be one with the saintess of light and her familiar. You are Eva Rosemary and Sara, right? Whoa, I never expected to meet you here in this world."

    The child was proving himself more and more dangerous by the second. Every time he opened his mouth, he spoke something he should not know about.

    Not to mention, he was the only person who was alive in this world. And for that very reason, Eve did not trust him.

    "Who are you and what is your goal? How do you know about us? Did you send us here? Speak or you will die."

    Sara seemed to have reached a simr conclusion as well because her sword was held at ready to kill the child.

    But the child panicked seeing that and quickly hid himself behind the nearby rock. He didn''t seem to be particrly powerful in that regard.

    "N-No, don''t kill me. I am harmless and I don''t mean any disrespect to you all either. A-Actually, I am in the same boat as you. I somehow ended up in this deserted reality and I have no way to go back home."

    The kid didn''t seem to be lying but Eve could not take his words at face value. She might be softhearted but Eve was not an idiot. She would not be tricked this easily.

    "Let''s just assume that you are telling the truth. But you don''t feel like someone from our world either since you don''t have any magical reside on your body. Then how do you know who we are?"

    "T-That? You see, our world had a v-visual nov...no, I mean a story about your adventures and your world. It''s not really famous or anything but you people are rather recognizable by your description. I only heard a part of it but I know who you are already."

    The kid tried to exin his reasoning behind trusting Eve and Sara but it sounded rather weak even to their ears.

    To trust someone based just on a story was ridiculous. But the kid seemed to have no intentions of hurting either of them.

    "Fine, I get it. So, what do you want to do now? Do you want to go back to your home?"

    "I can''t. The person who dropped me here said that I could only go back home if I find him. He said that there would be people who wille to this ce and go with them to their world if I wished to return home. I was really afraid before but now I am not."

    "Because you people came to find me. But aren''t you missing someone at your party? The story in my world said that the Crown Prince always apanied the Saintess but I don''t see him anywhere."

    Eve wanted to cry out at the question. Why was the kid asking about Adam as well?

    ''Does that mean that I am paired up with Adam in that otherworldly story as well? Why is this happening?''

    "Hey, then what about me? Am I in that story as well?"

    "Of course you are. You are a big supporter of the Saintess along with Lord Dirac. You both were really important, Lady Sara."

    Sara looked happy to hear that but Eve was curious about something else.

    "Then, what about Elysia? I want to know about Elysia."

    The kid looked surprised to hear that question but Eve felt equally surprised to hear his answer.

    "Elysia? She''s dead. She died on her eighteenth birthday if I remember right but it is not something you should worry about."

    Eve''s blood ran cold at hearing those words. How could she not worry about what she had just heard?

 Chapter 78 78: A Shaking Truth [Pt1]

    The pair had been moving through the desertednd when they felt the earth shaking and a familiar bolt of magic reached their senses.

    "Looks like we found Sara. We should hurry up and reunite with them as soon as we can."

    Sorias had a bad feeling about everything that was happening. Everything felt so hopeless and out of control that it was even difficult topare what was happening.

    To be back in this pce was akin to a nightmare for the due.

    "Let''s hurry up then. The longer I stay in Avalon, the more those bad memoriese rushing back into my mind. I just hope that Elysia does not remember anything about this."

    It had always been a fear of Lucas which seemed to be bing a reality. Even when he and his people had left this pce behind, this ce seemed to not let them go.

    "You are right. I think Sara is in one of those caves in the Balck forest. I guess an active volcano erupted and they decided to take shelter from it."

    Sorais knew the terrain of this world the best. The volcano of the ck Forest had always been a mess to deal with.

    That was why no one had been allowed to go near that forest for centuries. But there was no way for Eve or Sara to know that.

    "Look, the cave is in front of us. We should enter it now before the Volcano decided to go off again."

    Lucas hurried toward the cave before the Volcano showed any signs of eruption again. It was a timely cycle where the volcano showed moments so Lucas knew that they had a small window to work around with.

    The first thing that Lucas''s eyes focused on was Eve and her bright red hair. The other thing was Sara and then the small kid in front of the pair.

    The kid did not look like someone who was from their world. His clothes were too foreign and unprotective to be from Avalon.

    And he had note along with them. Lucas would have remembered him if that happened.

    ''Then, where did this kide from? Is he the culprit behind using here?''

    Lucas had a lot of questions but no answer. Sorias was growling lowly as well, his eyes sharp and threatening.

    "He''s not from either of our worlds. I don''t know why he is here or how he got here but he is an existence that should not be left unchecked in this world.

    Sorias sound certain of this fact. Lucas would have agreed with him to let the kid die a peaceful death but then he heard the kid''s next words that made him change his mind.

    "Elysia? She''s dead. She died on her eighteenth birthday if I remember right but it is not something you should worry about."

    The kid knew his sister?

    "Sorias, wait! Don''t kill him because I need to question this kid a little about what he knows."

    The kid seemed to have gone pale under Soria''s huge paw. He looked back at Lucas with awe-filled eyes, not even a hint of suspicion in them.

    "Holy hell, you are the Grand Duke Lucas Dirac. I never thought I would ever get to see you again. I am your biggest fan and it''s an honor to meet you. But, ugh, can you let me go for now? I feel like my ribs are getting crushed under your familiar''s massive weight. And where did this familiare from? You never had a familiar in the original story? Is this a branch-off? Or a new addition to the series? And-"

    The kid was babbling a lot. Normally, Lucas would not have heard him out but he felt like he had to.

    A lot of words that the kid had said about this being a story sounded familiar. They were the words Noctis used to say a long time ago when they first met.

    ''Is it possible that this kid is from Noctis''s world? Noctis did not remember much when he came here but this kid seems to be different.''

    "You kid, are you from ''earth''? Did you read about our world in a novel as well?"

    Lucas could have beaten around the bush a little but he chose to be upfront about what he knew.

    That started and taken aback expression was all Lucas needed to know about that kid. His lies were not going to work on Lucas anymore.

    "Hahaha, what? Of course not. This world, a novel? Don''t be ridiculous. You are all real and well. No way you are following a script-"

    "We are not and the ending of a world you read about can be changed as well. Avalon is a prime example of that. So I will ask you again, are you from ''earth'' or not? Your answer will decide whether you live or die."

    The kid finally seemed to be understanding his position as he felt the small wound bleeding on his neck.

    Lucas was not ying around. He had seen his world being destroyed because of the ''novel'' bullshit. It was only after everything had finished that they realized that the ending could have changed if they had tried.

    To know that their new world was in a simr situation as well? What a coincidence.

    But this time Lucas was not going to sit around and watch things happen. This time he would fight against that fate and make sure they all survived.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Fuck, alright chill man. I will tell you what I know. I never yed too far into it but I did hear things about the original novel since it was so popr. I only know that Adam and Eve are the chosen heroes of that world and there is a prophecy about it."

    "Lord Dirac and Lady Sara were both prominent characters in the novel. Elysia Dirac was a viin who was destined to die by either the ML Adam or MC Eve''s hand. How or why I don''t know but this is all I know. C-Can you let me go now?"

    "A-And one more thing. I don''t know why but the person who send me here gave me a warning. He said to never reveal this truth to church or Elysia or something horrible would happen to the world. P-Please doesn''t tell Elysia or the church about it. I beg of you."

    The kid was begging now.

    After dropping such a huge bomb of information on their group all he could do was beg for his life.

    Both Eve and Sara had gone pale hearing those words but Lucas did not feel surprised in the least.

    It all made somewhat sense now. Why Elysia had that ''evil'' aura, and why the world was targeting her as the viiness?

    It was because she had been destined to be one since the start. And just like all the other viinesses, she was destined to die young.

    What a mess of things.

    "Hey, does Elysia know about all this? Does she know she is going to die? Or that I am Adam are destined like this? Is that why she behaved like this?"

    Eve sounded worried and scared. Her behavior did not look odd to those who knew her but the kid looked surprised to see her act like this.

    "Why are you so worried about Elysia? Isn''t she an annoyance in your path? I am sure you don''t even like her and-"

    The kid barely survived the blow. A few centimeters to the right and the kid would have lost his head in that attack.

    "H-Hey, be careful. You are the kind-hearted Female Lead. you could have hit me for real. Think of your reputation if I had been hit."

    The kid looked shook at his near brush-in with death. He looked over the group to try and get some sympathy but he was not going to get any.

    As for his kind ''hearted female lead'', well she had a few things to say to him.

    "Tsk, I slipped. I won''t miss my target next time."

    "Hey, even Elysia can aim better than you and she is almost blind. Do better if you don''t want to lose her to your rival."

    The kid looked scared and confused at the same time. His expression clearly said that he had no idea what was happening.

    "Confused kid? You have not even seen the start of it all. Also, I would keep any negativements about Elysia to myself for now. We all are too fond of her to hear anything against her."

    "Oh, and I think you''ll find that the world you are about to enter is a lot different from any story you have read about before. Do try and keep an open mind."

    Sorias did not feel good about this child who had made a series of usations about Elysia without knowing what the real story was. But he did understand where the kid wasing from.

    After all, his brother Noctis had been in a simr situation a long time ago. It had taken nearly the end of the world and his brother''s sacrifice to drive the fact home that Noctis had been telling the truth about him being from another world.

    "Wait, what do you mean by that? What do you mean things have changed? Can fate even be changed? What about the prophecy? It is something written in stone and bound to happen. Are you saying that it all doesn''t matter?"

    The kid sounded too old and too young at the same time. It was like he was learning that the earth was round for the first time in his life.

    "It does matter but only if you let it. As for us all, we will fight against fate as we always had. All of us are determined to change the future just as we changed the past."

    "So you better prepare yourself if you are going toe with us. Things are not going to be easy for you. Also, forget the future you know as well. It won''t serve you well."

    The kid looked at the determined party in front of his eyes and he could not help but get chills at the look in their eyes.

    None of them were ready to give up and ept the destiny but he wondered how much it would matter in the end.

    "Hey kid, what''s your name? We should know since you will be hanging around with us more."

    "My name? It''s Enma."

    "Then, wee to the team Enma. I hope to have a good partnership with you in the future."

    Enma felt chills go down his spine as he looked at the fearsome smile on the Lord lucas''s face. He knew he was in trouble but he had no way to go home.

    ''Just what did that witch Elysia do to get them all on her side? I am sure she had no such powers in the original story.''

 Chapter 79 79: A Shaking Truth [Pt2]

    "How is your body feeling now? What about the wound on your back? Do you want me to check it for you-"

    Elysia''s hand was brushed off even before it could touch Adam''s back. It would have been an insulting gesture if not for Adam''s flushed cheeks and his inability to look at Elysia.

    And with that expression came the memory of what happened back in the cave and Adam''s sudden confession.

    "Leave it be. It''s thought enough for me to resist without you touching me. I won''t be responsible for my actions if you made a foolish move now."

    It was taking everything in Adam to admit that. Elysia could see his hands shaking with effort and she instantly backed off.

    She did feel sorry for Adam but now was not the time for it. Even more so because Eve was not here with them to discuss things.

    Even if Adam and Eve assured Elysia that there was nothing between them, Elysia''s brain refused to believe that fact.

    ''You will be left behind by them once they realize that they love each other. Then why even take a chance to get hurt by them?''

    Elysia wanted to say that she was not afraid of that possibility but it would be a lie to do so. In actuality, Elysia was terrified of being left behind.

    "What''s that in your hand? Where did you find a diary and an energy crystal in this god-forsaken ce? Is it even safe for you to handle it?"

    Adam pointed right toward the crystal in Elysia''s hand and the Diray she had picked up.

    Elysia did not know why but she found herself hiding the diary from Adam''s gaze. Something in her was telling her not to let Adam ever open this diary or things would happen that wouldpromise everyone''s safety.

    "This diary? It was just something I stumbled upon. You don''t need to worry about it. Moreover, look at this crystal. Isn''t the energy resource inside it familiar? I think this is what will be a sacred animal this time around."

    Elysia held the crystal out toward the Crown Prince. The familiar energy of the Sacred offering shined brightly from inside the crystal.

    "To find something like this in a ce which had ack of magic is beyond suspicious. I don''t think we should take it back with us. Who knows what will happen."

    "But if we don''t then this ceremony would be called a burst. Winter would be dangerous for us all without god''s blessing. We have no other choice but to take it with us."

    Elysia saw the reluctance in Adam''s eyes to not take the thing back. And Elysia did understand his fear of being caught in a trap.

    But even he had to understand that Eve''s position as the Saintess would be shaken up if things went wrong on the way.

    After all, Saintess was not an inherited position but a title bestowed by someone. Once it was given it could not be taken back.

    But until then, everything was fair game.

    "You are right. Then, I guess that rules out the possibility of this being a foul y against the Saintes''s sessor. The person who did this would not need to send us this sacrificial crystal if that was the case."

    "For now, let''s head back to the estate. I am sure that my brother is heading toward the same location as us."

    Elysia was sure that Adam had memories of this world as well. When he had entered her mind, he had walked around this ce like he knew where he was going and what he was doing.

    Elysia believed that he had a connection with this world but she would not push him to reveal his secrets.

    "If that''s what you want to do. Come here, I will take you back since it will be difficult for you to climb back up. You don''t want to exhaust your magic, right?"

    Adam held his hand out toward her and Elysia hesitated. That did not stop Adam from grabbing a hold of her arm and hauling her into his arms bridal style.

    "A-Adam, what are you nning? Whatever it is, you should think twice before making a move and ahhhhhhh-"

    Adam had lept up and wings broke out from his back. Elysia did not even have the presence of mind to notice what kind of wings they were or why it was possible for Adam to have them.

    And why even question these things when the world had magic in it? Things like these were quitemon after all.

    ______________________________

    "Look, we are almost there. We can go back home as long as we can gather enough magic power. And I am sure we will be able to manage something between all of us. Even if some of us can''t, I am sure we will be able to cover for them."

    ''He said that to me, right? How can someone be so rude to someone they just met? And not to mention that this kid is a no-name character in the novel world as well."

    When Enma had died, he had not thought much of it. It was simply his time and he had enjoyed his life so far.

    The only regret he had was not being able to get a girlfriend when he died in histe 20s. He had died a virgin and that was something he even regretted during his death.

    And then the light had shined all over his body and a hand had reached out to him before he had been pulled into a vortex.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    He did not remember much about what happened in that light. The only thing he remembered was that someone had asked him to help out in correcting a world''s destiny because it was all messed up.

    If he did, then Enma would get his one wish fulfilled no matter what it was.

    And Enma had agreed without much thought. After all, what did he have to lose at that point? He had already died.

    That was when that person in the light told him about the world he was being sent into. It was a world he was familiar with since he had yed the Visual novel a little.

    The world was titled, ''The Saintess and the Crown Prince.'' It was a straightforward love story between the sweet and innocent Saintess Eve and Crown Prince Adam who were star-crossed lovers.

    And of course, like every love story, there was a viiness in this story as well and it was Elysia Dirac, the only younger sister of Duke Dirac but she was abandoned at birth and brought up in the temple.

    And there she had been engaged to the Crown Prince since young and was a constant obstacle in the budding romance of the Crown Prince and the then-Saintess candidate, Eve.

    It was safe to say that she was the first viiness of the story and now he was about to meet her for real. He wondered how scary she would look.

    "-Oi, are you even paying attention? Hurry and keep up or we will leave you behind."

    The no-name kid yelled back toward Enma with a proud grin. Seeing that smirk irritated Enma but he held his temper in check.

    ''I should not get angry at a kid. I am the elder one here so I should be the bigger man and let the kid go.''

    "I''ming. By the way, what is this ce?"

    As a reader who knew the spoilers of the game and the character''s past, he knew that this ce was the original Dirac mansion. It had been mentioned only once in the route where Elysia had been killed off by Lord Dirac.

    There was a small shback of her time being neglected here but that was it. It had not left asting impact on anyone and it had never been mentioned in the sequel either.

    "Look, there they are. Hey, I missed you both."

    At that moment, Eve looked like the young and naive heroine of this series in Enma''s eyes. The look she supported was none other than her love-sick one which was seenter on in the story.

    ''To think that things had changed so much in this story for their love to have progressed this much already. I guess I should not have underestimated the power of�C''

    "ELYSIAAAAA. I MISSED YOU."

    Enma trailed off as soon as he saw Eve''s target. She pouched on the female partner that stood on Crown Prince Adam''s side.

    "Eve, calm down a little. I am alright and so is the Prince. How about you? Did you suffer any injuries that need to be treated? I don''t care that you can heal yourself, I just want to know."

    The new voice was calm and melodic without any undertone of malice. His brain was still having problems associating that kind voice and beautiful face with the same viiness he saw in the visual novel.

    Elysia had never been shown on-screen. She had always been a darkened space in the novel to allow the readers to picture her as they wanted.

    So Enma had never thought that she would be so beautiful or look so dignified.

    "Get off of her. I think Elysia''s had enough of your clinging habits. Look, she''s about to turn blue already."

    That was the Crown Prince for sure who said that. His white hair and Golden eyes were impossible to miss.

    He was the most striking character in the story after all. And he also held Eve back by her dress quite roughly.

    The sweetness and delicateness he showed Eve in the original novel were nowhere to be seen currently. It felt like Enma was looking at apletely different story than the one he had read until now.

    ''I-WHAT-HUH? Is this the world of ''The Saintess and the Crown Prince?'' Maybe that person who send me here made a mistake? That surely must be it. Or maybe it is because we are in another world right now. Things would go back to normal once we return to the original world.''

    The more Enma tried to reassure himself, the more he was convinced that it was the case. After all, how could the Viiness Elysia be such good friends with the��

    ''N-No way. Did the heroine just kiss the viiness? I-I am sure I just saw it wrong. I think something is wrong with my eyes.''

    "Close your mouth before something enters it by mistake."

    The other kid closed Enma''s jaw without even missing a single beat. He looked almost used to this scene.

    ''Are you telling me that this is somethingmon to see? Oh god, what in the world happened here? Have I gone mental?''

 Chapter 80 80: Finally Back Home Again [Pt1]

    To say that Eve was pissed off would be an underestimation of the century. How dare that little kid say all that bad things about Elysia without even knowing her?

    It was not that upsetting to know that the kid didn''t like Elysia because he knew her personally and found fault with her behavior. It was upsetting to know that the kid didn''t like Elysia because of something he ''read''.

    The kid, Enma, might believe that Eve''s world was a novel with a ''fixed'' ending but Eve refused to believe so.

    Because if that was it then Eve was going to lose it and end everything herself. No fate was going to decide who Eve did and did not end up with.

    Under the sun with the rays of light shining over her head, Elydis looked like an angel. Her ck hair was matted dirty and her dress had spots of dirt on it as well.

    But her eyes still had their radiant shine and her arms still looked inviting.

    "ELYSIAAAAA. I MISSED YOU."

    It took everything in Eve to not do anything inappropriate to Elysia but she could still not hold back her feelings of wanting to express herself fully. Elysia''s lips felt soft and inviting under her own.

    And they also responded shily to Eve''s searching tongue. For the first time, Elysia was kissing her back and it felt fulfilling to have her love returned in such a way.

    And then that moment had to be broken by a pair of hands separating Eve''s lips from Elysia''s.

    "Alright, that''s enough. We will have plenty of time to do this once we return home."

    Adam looked jealous of her interaction with Elysia. Eve could see how much visible effort it took for Adam to not shove her outright as he pulled her arm.

    ''Sheesh, he could afford to put a little less effort into snapping my arm. I bet my arm will bruise where he is holding on to me.''

    Eve was in pain but even that could not stop her from clinging to Elysia. And the best part about it all was that Elysia was not even pushing her away right now.

    She finally had Elysia in her arms and that was all that mattered at that moment.

    "Wow, someone is jealous of me. Adam, you were alone with Elysia for so long and you didn''t do anything? How unfortunate that you didn''t manage to make any progress with her."

    Adam looked red in the face but he stared Eve right down.

    "Progress? I am the reason Elysia is not pushing you away right now. And don''t *you* dare tell me anything about progress. You were with her for over ten years but never managed to convey your emotions to her. You don''t get to-"

    "But that was in the past and-"

    "Pffhahahah"

    The pair stopped as soon as they heard Elysia''sughter. The girl hardly everughed like that so every joyous sound was a miracle to hear. It stopped the argument from happening in front of her in an instant.

    Both Adam and Eve had soft smiles on their faces as they watched Elysia trying to control herself and failing.

    The soft atmosphere helped everyone rx but it could notst forever. It was disturbed by the earth quaking and both Eve and Elysia lost their bnce.

    They fell back at the same time and Eve felt Elysia hold her closer as if to protect Eve from the pain of the impact.

    Which never came since Adam managed to make Elysiand on his chest with Eve on top of her. Elysia was as good as sandwiched in between them both.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Be more careful", "Look after yourself."

    Twin voices scolded Elysia who looked to be in a daze before realizing what had happened and then she went red in the face.

    "Sorry, I reached out by instinct. I hope you did not get hurt and��Adam, get up. Your wounds, we need to get your wounds treated."

    "I am alright. My wound healed a long time ago."

    Adam said that but Eve could see the hint of red on his back. It seemed like Adam''s wound had reopened and he would need a lot of help getting it stitched back up.

    There was also a chance that it could get infected and leave Adam out ofmission for good. And normally Eve would have weed it, but not right now.

    "Move over and let me see. Just so you know, I am doing this so that you don''t worry Elysia, and not because I want you to be alright. You better be grateful to meter on and let me have my sweet time with Elysia."

    "No need to treat me. I told you I am alright �C hey, don''t touch me so freely."

    The pair bickered but there was no animosity in their fight. It almost felt like seeing a pair of siblings duking it out.

    Most of the people in the vicinity were used to seeing this side of the pair so they didn''t even bat an eysh.

    All except the new face who looked gobsmacked at the disy happening in front of his eyes.

    "I would have never believed that they had this kind of rtionship had I not seen it with my own eyes. I guess there was some truth to what you all were telling me about. I will try to keep an open mind from now on."

    The kid whom they had picked up on the way here looked ufortable but he could also not keep his eyes away from the trio.

    More specifically, from the smiling face of Elysia. Eve quickly positioned herself in a way that hid Elysia''s body behind her own.

    And it was not difficult to do either since Elysia was shorter than her in height.

    "Alright, enough paying around. I checked out the reactor and it is ready to operate. But we will need to power it up so that we can finally go home. But this uing year will be difficult to deal with since we don''t have the sacrifice with us."

    Lord Dirac finally entered back into the room. Eve had not even seen him leave but his hard expression said that everything was under control.

    "Ah, about that. I found this Crystal core in the area where the main power crystal was. Isn''t this the real power source behind the sacrificial animal that is brought forth by the Holy Chalice?"

    Elysia''s hand did have a crystal and a diary which had gone noticed all this time.

    It was beyond suspicious for this crystal to have ended up in this dested world without magic but it was what it was.

    With this in their hand, they had sessfully managed to procure their objective and now they needed to return.

    "Elysia, we will talk about the dangers of handling unknown objects once we reach home. And we will have a talk about it soon."

    Elysia flinched at hearing those words but that talk would have to wait.

    Before that, Eve had a few words she needed to have with both Elysia and Adam.

 Chapter 81 81: Finally Back Home Again [Pt2]

    "The machine needs to get a hold of all our powers and then it will suck us all back into our world. But be careful because the resulting bacsh can also blow you away if you are not careful enough."

    Elysia knew that her brother was talking about all this from experience. His hand worked too expertly in forming the sealing pattern on the ground for it to be anything else.

    She was sure that Adam and Eve looked confused as her brother made the rest of the preparations but surprisingly enough, the new kid they had brought back with them did not look surprised at all.

    Instead, he looked like he had expected this to happen.

    He was an odd kid as well. A little vary from her and her brother but his eyes shined with knowledge and age.

    ''Enma looks like how an old soul trapped in a young body would look like. I wonder what kind of experience he''s had to end up like that.''

    Elysia was curious to know but at the same time, she did not want to approach the kid. She had a feeling that it would end up in a disaster if the kid told her anything.

    "What is wrong Elysia? You''ve been staring at Enma for a while now. Even he''s starting to be ufortable."

    It was true. Enma looked like he was having a hard time not turning around and confronting Elysia.

    But Adam was ring at the kid and that kept Enma away.

    "It''s likely noting. I was just surprised to see a kid alive in such a ce. He must have had a hard life this far to make it."

    "He''s a brat and in a situation simr to ours. Don''t pity him too much and don''t stay alone with him either if you can help it."

    ''It''s rare for Eve to be this agitated with someone and this person is even a kid at that. I wonder what happened to set her off this much.''

    It made Elysia curious to know more about the kid since Eve reacted to his words and actions more than she ever did.

    And it was not the same teasing tone she used with Adam or even with her other friends. This was a chilling indifference that Eve used on those elders she did not like.

    Just what had this kid done to make Eve feel this?

    "Eve, about you and that kid. What happened-"

    "Oh look, Lord Dirac is done with his part. Let''s go and check out what we should do next."

    Elysia never got to ask her question because Eve took her hand and pulled her along. It felt like Eve was avoiding answering that question as much as she could.

    Even Adam had picked up on this face because he only gave Eve a raised eyebrow but did not ask her anything.

    Those two had an almost tactical understanding to not ask anyplicated questions in front of Elysia

    "Sara, how is the arraying alone?"

    "Better than expected. We will be done in a few minutes and then we can go back home."

    Sara sounded relieved and she had a right to be as well. She should not have been in here in the first ce and Elysia felt guilty for some reason.

    There were no visions of such a future happening so it must have been the result of Elysia''s interference that caused such a riptide effect.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    So in that way, she was the one who was responsible for them all being here today.

    "We are done. Keep hold of each other or the whirlpool will blow you all away. Also, keep away from the sidelines or your safety could not be guaranteed."

    Lucas sounded cold when he spoke but his eyes also looked pained. All Elysia could do was to keep on looking at him as he started the machine.

    Once they were home, Elysia would sit him down and they would talk. (if she was not chewed out about being careful before that)

    The world disappeared from beneath Elysia''s feet just as everyone else fell as well. Her eyes quickly looked toward everyone when she noticed that new kid slipping toward the outskirts.

    He was going to slip out of bounds and the only one who was near enough to catch him was Elysia.

    "Hey, kid. Quickly hold on to my hand if you don''t want to die out here. You are headed toward the edge."

    Elysia called out as she held her hand out. The kid looked hesitant to take her hand which made Elysia decide to take action.

    She only had one hand empty and she had to stretch a lot to get to the edge herself but she managed to get a hold of the kid''s hand.

    "Hey, what are you doing? You will slip out of the bounds as well."

    The kid looked started at being caught. Elysia could see his eyes widening in shock at her bold actions but she had no time to reassure him that everything was alright.

    "I know the risk I am taking but it will be better for you if I am here with you. I know Lucas will not let me stay out of bounds and he will also do his best to find me if I slip out of bonds but I cannot say the same for you."

    Elysia''s heart gave a painful tug as she said that. Those words had slipped out of her mouth without her meaning to.

    But she also realized that she believed that fact. Out of everyone here, she trusted her brother and her familiar toe after her the most.

    At the same time, the ''destined pair'' saw Elysia about to slip out and their expression turned into a panicking mess.

    "Adam, keep a hold of me. Elysia, that idiot is doing something dangerous again."

    Eve''s voice held real fear in it and Adam''s eyes rted that fear at that exact moment. They had just managed to get Elysia back and now she was pulling this stunt again.

    This was not allowed to happen.

    "Eve, go and grab her. We are going to show her why she should not put herself in danger once we get back. I promised her I will not hold back anymore so you should let your true self out as well."

    "Adam, not now. But I do like your idea. Now, help me out here."

    Eve extended her body out as Adam kept a hold of her leg. It was a difficult stretch but Eve managed to get a hold of Elysia''s back before she slipped out of the bondspletely.

    "Ely~si~a~. What do you think you are doing? You better prepare yourself because I will not let you go once we reach back home."

    Eve did not know whether Elysia could tell what she meant or not but she did shiver in fright at the look in Eve''s eyes.

    ''Well, looks like I am fucked here.''

 Chapter 82 82: A Sudden Disappearance

    The temple hall lit up with bright light as the floor stitched itself back. It also forced open the rift that had been closed this far and vomited out the party that had been sucked into the void.

    However, instead of six peopleing back, the void threw out seven. So naturally, everyone''s attention was focused on the kid with sun-lit hair and forest-green eyes.

    Such features were not only rare in the empire but also coincided with the holy god''s image. People could not help but gasp out loud as he stood in front of the portrait of the holy god.

    They looked almost like twins.

    "*Well fuck, that hurt. I''m gonna kill the person who sent me flying like this. And you all, what are you fuckers looking at, huh? Have you never seen a man?*"

    The kid spoke in anguage no one else knew. And he didn''t even seem to have realized that he was speaking that foreignnguage.

    Not until someone in the crown pointed toward him and called out - ''God''s envoy. The holy one has returned to us. It''s a miracle.''

    And then the temple broke out into a furious whisper and a range of motion. It even drowned the worry and conflict that had been felt as the rift first opened.

    "Your holiness, can you read these words?"

    Someone shoved a notebook toward Enma''s face which confused him but the familiar words written in Sanskrit looked back at them.

    The only reason he knew thatnguage was because his family had a background in it but he did not know much.

    But still, Enma could not help but spoke those words out loud as soon as he recognized them and the whole hall lit up at once.

    The one most surprised to see him seemed to be the one in the Head Priest''s grabs. He had a sour look on his face as he came forward.

    "It seems like the world had blessed us with an enjoy. But we still cannot be sure if you are the Holy Enjoy sent here by god or not. Yourck of magic is also a concern right now. Please follow me for now so that we can confirm your identity."

    Enma looked shook as he was leveled by that cold stare. Head Priest Yohan was described in the story as a gentle and kind man. But he looked anything but gentle now.

    Every instinct in Enma''s body was telling him not to be alone with him or he would die. As a result, Enma''s eyes ran over to everyone present in the party behind him to gather support.

    He needed someone toe and save him.

    "Let me apany you as well, Head Priest Yohan. There are things I need to discuss with you regarding what happened back there and how someone was able to tamper with the Holy Chalice. We were lucky that we ran into the sacrificial crystal on our way out or things could have gotten messy."

    Enma felt relieved to have an alley with him. Suddenly, his chances of surviving were looking good.

    "I also need to make sure our ''God''s envoy'' is telling the truth to us. We cannot have him go and lie now, can we?"

    The relief Enma felt at having an alley evaporated in an instant. Lord Dirac was noting with him to save him but to ensure that he kept his mouth shut about what he knew.

    And Enma knew that if he disobeyed him then he would end up dying for real. Between the Head Priest and the Lucas Dirac, thetter was surely the more formidable opponent and one needed to look out for.

    Enma would have to watch himself if he wanted to make it out through the day.

    ______________________________<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia felt her heart shudder in fear and anticipation as the arms around her tightened up. The trio hadnded in the same position they had ended up in - Adam at the bottom with Elysia in the middle and Eve on top.

    It would have not been that awkward if that had been it.

    But there was a certain hardness pressing against Elysia''s ass while her hands were certainly feeling a hard nipple under the hand that was lying on Eve''s breast.

    And then there were those puffs of breaths that were hitting Elysia''s ear and her neck from both sides.

    They were making her get wet as well. But this was not the time or the ce to be getting aroused like this. There were things to be done.

    "Eve, get off. People are looking at us weirdly."

    People were looking at them with judgmental eyes. Well, they were looking at ''her'' with judgmental eyes for ending up in this weird position.

    And that bare moment of Adam''s hip behind her was even weirder.

    ''Don''t think about it. If you don''t think about it then it didn''t happen.''

    But the more Elysia tried not to let herself get aroused, the more she felt her body heat up. She was more than sure that her face was red and her eyes were moist.

    "Elysia, don''t make that face or I will end up taking you right here and now. I don''t have enough patience to hold myself back."

    Eve panted those words out into Elysia''s neck. Elysia felt Eve''s lips touch her neck and suck. The wet sensation of that tongue made Elysia buck back right into a hard chest.

    "Eve, not out here. I don''t think Elysia will even look at us if we took her apart in public like that."

    "But no one is looking anyway. Let me have at least this."

    Elysia was beyond red at this point. Her face was borderline petrified and trying to make sense of things.

    And Eve finally relented at feeling Elysia stiff under her hands and pull back.

    "Fine, I will let her go for now. But only until we reach my bedroom. Then I am not holding back."

    Elysia wanted to protest but Adam did not give her a chance to. He took the crystal and the book in her hand and threw them toward Sara.

    "Here, take hold of these things for now. We''ll be looking after Elysia''s wounds so don''t disturb us for now."

    Sara opened her mouth to protest but then shit it up as twin res were aimed her way.

    "A-Alright. Enjoy your alone time while I take a peak into this book and�� what the hell? Whatnguage is this book written in?"

    But the trio was not concerned about her words. They had something else concerning them and they soon disappeared from the hall.

    Elysia also found herself lost in her thoughts and emotions as the hands on her body pulled her apart. Her mind was nk te full of pleasure and she wasing undone by two pair of talented hands on her body.

 Chapter 83 83: My Turn [Pt1]

    A talented tongue mapped out Elysia''s mouth. It was making her melt into the body the hard chest behind her back.

    Adam''s hips were bucking into her ass while Eve''s hands were mapping all over her breasts.

    Elysia wanted toin and ask them to stop ying with her body but all she did was moan out loud once and directly into Eve''s mouth.

    "Oi, that''s enough hogging. Let me kiss Elysia as well."

    "And what if I don''t? Look, Elysia is enjoying this so much that she is soaked down here."

    Eve''s hand touched Elysia''s damp panties. She had long ago lost her shirt as well as her pants and she was not only in her undergarments.

    But she was not the only one who was like that. Eve had lost her clothes on the way to the bed as well.

    Adam had only lost his shirt but his hardness made it tough for Elysia to forget what kind of monster he was packing down there.

    "E-Eve, let me go, please. I don''t think we should be-"

    "You speak too much. Just let yourself feel our desire for now. I promise we will make it good for you."

    Elysia didn''t get to finish as her face was cupped in Adam''s strong hands and she was pulled back into a soul-consuming kiss.

    "You''re so beautiful that you make me wet as well. Look, I''m soaked as well and it''s all because of you. I need you to take responsibility for getting me like this."

    Elysia wanted to say that she was wet as well but all she could do was open her mouth even wider and allow Adam deeper into the kiss.

    And what a kiss it was as well.

    Eve''s full breasts were rubbing against Elysia''s soft chest at the same time, her hands ying with Elysia''s hard nipples.

    It was an overload of sensations and Elysia found herself unconsciously chasing for more when Adam pulled back.

    "Do you want more? Then, why don''t you do something for me?"

    Elysia''s hands had been ideal this far but Adam pulled them into hisp. Her handsnded on a hard penis and Adam let out a small chuckle as she pulled back in surprise.

    "It''s alright. You need to take it out anyway to make me feel better."

    "As much as I hate to admit it, Adam is right. Should I show you how to please Adam?"

    Eve was too close to Elysia. She turned Elysia around so that she was facing Adam while Elysia returned to massaging her pussy with one hand while extending Elysia''s hand toward Adam''s penis with his other.

    "Here, I will allow Adam to be touched by you. But I still want to be the first one to make youe undone."

    Elysia did not want to touch Adam but his heated re was making Elysia''s body move on its own.

    She needed to touch him to make him feel better.

    "That''s a good girl. You are doing great."

    Eve''s praise was making Elysia feel a certain way she had never felt before. It was making her body hot and bothered.

    Her mind was empty as she reached out toward Adam''s hardness and pumped it a bit. The cock got even harder in her hand.

    "You can go ahead and lick it if you want to. As much as I want to be the first one to enjoy your mouth, I can see you salivating at the thought of taking Adam in here. Don''t you want to feel that as well, Adam? If you don''t speak up then I won''t let Elysia such you off."

    ''It''s so humiliating. I don''t want to be here anymore.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Eve wanted to run away but Eve''s words were making her body feel even hotter than before. Eve''s fingers had also found Elysia''s mouth and had reced Adam''s tongue.

    Elysia found herself unconsciously sucking onto that fingers but Eve took them out pretty soon, leaving Elysia with a lingering feeling of emptiness in her mouth.

    "Adam, what do you have to say to Elysia? If you don''t speak up then she won''t know. We talked aboutmunication before, right?"

    Elysia had never realized how talkative Eve was. Especially when it came to sex and such situations.

    There had never been a need to know it all before.

    "Adam?"

    "Y-Your mouth. Please suck me off with your mouth."

    Elysia felt like Adam was nervous when he spoke those words but his face looked impassive. The only difference that could be felt from his usual face was the subtle biting of his lips.

    And the re in his eyes. His eyes were so sharp and ring as they looked into Elysia''s soul. It made her want to get him off his cool state and into a desperate one.

    The cock in front of her was inviting Elysia to take it in and make Adam''s face go ck in pleasure. And Eve''s hand on her head did not help her in this regard.

    Elysia took the first lick of Adam''s cock before mouthing at the opening and taking a little of it in.

    "Elysia, get ready now."

    Eve whispered those words as she pushed Eve''s head down over that hard cock all of a sudden. At the same time, Adam bucked his hips right up and his huge cock hit Elysia''s throat.

    Elysia felt like she should gag but her throat had no such reflex. But it was a strain to get her mouth warped around that thick and long cock.

    Even with Adam''s sudden buckling motion and his cock hitting the back of Elysia''s throat, she could feel that she had still not taken all of him in.

    "Not even a gag reflex, huh? Your body sure is begging for it. Tell me, how does it feel?"

    Elysia was barely able to breathe with that huge cock in her mouth but Eve''s hands on her body helped her rx.

    All up until the pressure on her pussy increased and Eve''s finger entered her lower lips. Her mouth unconsciously groaned around Adam''s cock and he moved as well.

    "Shit, it feels too good. I don''t think I''ll be able tost any longer."

    The cock was twitching inside Elysia''s mouth and she barely managed to pull out when she felt Adam explode all over her face.

    His expression had gone ck and boneless ating apart like this but his cock was still hard and leaking.

    "Tsk, look at you. It looks like you''ve gone into a rut. How are you still doing hard?"

    "Don''t touch me or I will go soft. It''s only because Elysia is here that I am feeling like this. Thest 10 years were hard to hold back since Dragons reach sexual maturity before humans. And don''t ruin the mood-"

    Elysia was too out of it to notice much of what she was doing. Eve had not stopped fingering her yet and Elysia wanted to feel more.

    ''I''m doing this to get Adam to shut up. He will hurt Eve''s feelings if he keeps on speaking like that.''

    This was how Elysia justified her kissing Adam at that time and the cock beneath her body hardened again.

    But before she could get to it, she was turned around and her eyes met Eve''s dark pools of desire.

    "My turn."

 Chapter 84 84: My Turn [Pt2]

    "My turn."

    Eve''s voice was dark and sensual. It washed over Elysia''s whole body, almost caressing her ears before she felt Eve move her mouth toward her wetness.

    "You know, I felt quite lonely that Adam got to have all the fun with you. You need to give us both fair treatment, Elysia. You understand what I mean, right?"

    Elysia tried to push her head up and look at Eve but Eve refused to move her hand from Elysia''s head.

    She held it in front of her leaking wetness, giving Elysia the illusion of choice whether to continue or not. And Elysia did take the first hesitant step toward that wet pussy and pushed her tongue against it.

    Eve''s body shuddered at the feeling of having a wet tongue licking her intimate area and a moan slipped out of her mouth.

    "F-Fuck, this feels so good. I feel like��I coulde��.from this feeling alone."

    Elysia''s tongue picked up force as she heard Eve moan more and more. It felt good to hear Eve talk to her and encourage her.

    But Adam decided to not sit ideal during this time as well. His hands came up to support Elysia''s body and move her into a half-kneeling position.

    "A-Adam? What are you-"

    "Continue to eat her out. I will help myself to your virginity right now. I can no longer wait around."

    Adam''s hands were squeezing Elysia''s breasts while Eve''s hands held Elysia in her original position.

    The musking out of Eve''s pussy was making Elysia feel dizzy with need and she went back to eating her out.

    She shuddered as she felt a wet finger enter her body. It was already stretched a little because of Eve but Adam was not merely as gentle.

    Elysia''s tongue breaches Eve''s pussy, causing the girl to tighten her hold on Elysia''s hair as she felt a hot thickness probing her opening.

    "Don''t tense up now."

    That was the only warning Elysia got before she felt her body stretch beyond its limits.

    ''It''s too big and too much. I c-can not take it.''

    Elysia felt open beyond reason. Her pussy throbbed at taking something big inside it for the first time and the first thrust was painful.

    It was knocking against something shallow in Aurora''s body and the cock broke her hymn which caused Aurora to moan out in pain.

    "Focus on me Aurora. Let Adam do what he is while you focus on my voice and my hands. Good girl. Now, go back to what you were doing before."

    Eve''s voice was a good distraction from the stretched-out feeling Aurora was feeling. Everything hurt but it felt so good as well.

    Especially when Adam moved his cock in and out of her body. Her walls were sticking to that massive cock, trying to keep a hold on to him.

    "Fuck, she''s so tight and wet inside. I don''t think I''m going tost for long."

    Adam sounded wrecked and Elysia only got a glimpse of his blown-out eyes and lost expression before she was pulled up into a kiss by Eve.

    Eve''s tongue was fierce as it mapped Elysia''s mouth out. Her hands roamed all over Aurora''s body, pinching and ying with her hard nipples as well.

    Adam''s thrusts had finally stabilized and Elysia felt her mind go nk with pleasure. All this was too much for her body to be able to handle.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "You are doing great. Just let yourself go and let your body feel pleasure. You are going to be ruined for anyone else by the time we are through with you."

    Elysia''s mouth opened in a silent scream as she felt herselfe. Adam was close to his release as well but he managed to pull outst second. (Eve pulled Elysia off his cock before he coulde inside.)

    Elysia felt all the strength leave her arms as she was pulled off and then held in Eve''s arms.

    Eve''s wet pussy rubbed against her own quite desperately but Elysia had no energy to continue.

    Her body was still feeling turned on and her pussy throbbed with a need toe but Elysia had no energy in her arms to continue.

    "Don''t worry. I will take care of everything this time. You just need to sit back and rx."

    Eve continued to thrust her hips into Elysia''s. It was so good and Elysia was already lost to the pleasure. She came with a small sob, her body overstimted but she was not let go of it.

    Instead, Adam pulled her back into his semi-hard cock but he did not enter her this time which Elysia was grateful for.

    Instead, his thick cock rested between Elysia''s thighs as he rubbed against them in shallow thrusts. Every time he moved his cock, it brushed up against Elysia''s clit and her body felt shocked to go through it.

    She was dead tired but she still could not help but get wetter and even more turned on.

    The trio continued their dance for the whole day, taking turns to sate their hunger with Elysia. It was a rough and long day for the poor tired-out noble but she was finally allowed to sleep around the time the sun was setting.

    Her body was a canvas that had been painted quite beautifully with marks and the releases of her partners.

    It was only after Elysia fell asleep did the other two slow down.

    "You do realize that Elysia will try to run away once she realizes what happened here, right?"

    Eve asked the Crown prince who cradled Elysia''s sleeping body in his arms. His expression finally looked satisfied and easy.

    But his arms tightened around Elysia as he heard those words and his eyes turned fierce as he red Eve down for even daring to say it.

    "What? You know that what I am saying is true so don''t even deny it. Besides, I think I have an idea about why Elysia thinks like that. Now, hear me out before you make any decisions on your own."

    Eve told Adam what she had heard from Enma in that other space and the more he heard, the more disturbed he looked.

    He was all but growling in the end, his nails digging into Elysia''s arms in the process.

    "Adam, I know what you''re thinking but leave Enma alone for now. He can be someone who is a source of knowledge for us in the future and we might need him."

    Eve could see that Adam was trying hard to control himself and it was working to some extent. But his eyes still held a storm in them.

    "How could Elysia keep something this big from us? And she knew about her eventual death, right? That is why she is trying to distance herself from us. How did she even know about it in the first ce?"

    Adam was not wrong but Eve had a feeling that it was something deeper about Elysia''s secret than merely knowing about her death.

    "I don''t know but I don''t think we should ask her this question as well. Enma stressed about not letting Elysia know this and I think I agree."

    Eve could see that Adam did not agree with her but he was willing to listen to her for now.

 Chapter 85 85: Why Did I Not Finish?

    "And that''s all that happened in the other dimension. We got quite lucky that we managed to find this crystal in time."

    Lucas Dirac held the crystal out toward the Head Priest to take and Yohan looked at it with a critical eye.

    But no matter how he looked at the Sacrificial crystal, it did not turn into a fraud one at all. It was the real deal and Yohan had to admit it.

    "I guess we should count ourselves lucky that nothing happened in the other dimension. Losing our future Saintess and the Crown Prince in one go would have been a devastating blow."

    Yohan breathed out a sigh of relief as soon as he watched Adam and Evee back. They still held that Dirac girl in between them but that was a temporary infatuation.

    "Yeah, listing *only those two* would have caused a lot of problems for us all. Now then, should we get on to the next major issue there? Enma, can you read this script in front of you?"

    Yohan heard the sarcasm in Lucas Dirac''s voice but he let it go for now. This man held an influence over Eve right now which Yohan needed to take care of.

    ? Until then, he could not touch this man in any way, shape, or form.

    "Of course, I can read this but not well enough to be called an expert. But why does it matter?"

    "It matters because it''s the sacred script of thisnd that only the god''s envoy can read. It seems you are more special than you first realized."

    The kid looked stunned before looking back at the text in his hand.

    ''From his ridiculed expression, it does seem like he can read it.''

    Normally, Yohan would not have cared about this ''God''s envoy'' bullshit when he had a prophecy to see fulfilled. But the timing of his arrival was too coincidental.

    He had arrived when everything was going downhill so maybe he was here to help straighten this world and its destiny out.

    Yohan did not want to jump to conclusions this early so he will need to capture that man alone to be sure.

    But for that to happen, he needed Lord Dirac to let him be alone with the envoy.

    "About the envoy''s residential needs-"

    "I will take him with me for now. I know that the temple is short on rooms and staff but the Dirac estate had enough room to house the envoy for now. It will also promote good faith between the temple and the nobility if we do this. Enma agrees with me as well, right?"

    The kid looked between Yohan and Lord Dirac before nodding swiftly. It was clear to Yohan that Lord Dirac was trying to cut off his ess to the envoy.

    ''This envoy must be special. I need to get my hands on him at any cost. I cannot let him be a doom g for Eve''s sess, be it political or spiritual.''

    It was quite lucky that the envoy had no magic of his own or Yohan would have been forced to remove him. Otherwise, he would have be a danger to Eve''s position as the Saintess.''

    "It''s quitete in the day so we should retire for tonight. Have a good night ahead. I will send you a letter about the huntingpetition and how to process it this year shortly. After all, we do not have an animal but a crystal this year so we will need to make some adjustments to the schedule."

    Yohan watched that cocky noble leave his office. What did that young man even know of the world to make jabs at Yohan''s expanse?

    "H-Head Priest, you are bleeding. Should I get a healer? Or perhaps, Lady Eve to heal you? Epppp"

    The sister let out a startled yell as Yohan''s eyes met hers. He must be looking quite angry for thedy to be this scared of him.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "No need to bring anyone here since I am alright. I am a priest of light as well and I have strong healing magic. Please leave me alone for now and let no one enter this room. I have a lot to think about today."

    He had a lot of ns to make and a lot of truths to uncover.

    Yohan was more than sure about what Adam and Eve were doing right now and it was a step in the right direction. Even if they were sharing this intimate time with Elysia right now, they would soon wean off her.

    And if not, then Yohan would forcefully wean them off her so that the future does not derail anymore than it already had.

    ______________________________

    "So, how was your experience meeting Head Priest Yohan? Did he live up to your expectations from the novel?"

    Enma looked startled at hearing the kid talk to him. He had been so sure that he would be ignored the whole time he was in here with Lord Dirac and Sorias.

    But it seemed like Sorias was taking an initiative to talk with him. It was odd but touching at the same time.

    "I was scared to even look at him. Man, does nothing in this world the same as it was in the novel? How am I even supposed to process all that?"

    Enma had read stories about people transmigrating into a novel and how they changed their life stories.

    But even in those stories, they were usually the main characters or held enough influence to change things.

    Right now Enma did not feel like he could change anything. The story had derailed too much already to even make sense after all.

    No, this world had never been a story, to begin with. Everyone in here was living, breathing humans who were doing their best to live and get by. Saying that they were characters in a novel would be an insult to them.

    "Anyway, I want nothing to do with the temple or ''god''s envoy'' rted things now that I am here. I just want to live a happy and safe life."

    "That would be a little tough. The temple will not let you go so you better brace yourself."

    Enma sighed as he felt hopeless.

    Suddenly, he bumped into someone and fell. The other person was a hooded figure and all Enma was able to see were orange eyes looking back at him before the taller person ran away.

    It was such a sudden encounter that no one knew what to make of it. But something about those orange eyes bothered him. He felt like he should know about them but his brain refused to remember.

    "Hey, are you alright? Did the fall hurt? Weird, that person who bumped into your disappeared as well. I wonder why they were in such a hurry?"

    Orange eyes. Orange eyes?

    Orange eyes!

    Now Enma remembered what was so weird about those orange eyes. It was the sign of a curse. But which one, Enma did not remember at all? Why had he never finished ying all the routes in that visual novel?

    Now he felt like he had screwed up his future fate and his welfare.

 Chapter 86 86 : Lets Go Back Home

    "Don''t even think about running away from us. I won''t allow you to pretend that yesterday did not happen."

    A pair of arms dragged Elysia back into a soft chest. Eve''s voice sounded low and sensual in her ear.

    Adam was still lying fast asleep in front of the pair, his face showing its young age for the first time since Elysia had known him. She even dared to say that he looked happy right now.

    "He''s not the only one who is happy right now. Waking up with you in my arms felt like a dreame true for me. I can tell you how long I''ve wanted to do this."

    "Looking back at it, it feels like I''ve always been in love with you for as long as I can remember. So please don''t deny what happened between us."

    Elysia''s heart skipped a beat at hearing Eve''s pleas. She knew she should give in to her but Elysia still felt herself melt into the twin body behind her.

    "What are you doing awake? Go back to sleep."

    Adam''s eyes opened up at the disturbance he felt happening in front of him. He opened his arms and Elysia couldn''t help but feel like this was a test for her.

    She had a feeling that she would not be chased after if she denied the pair right here and now. Right now, they were all seeing that most vulnerable part of each other.

    Elysia could have put an end to this rtionship but she didn''t. Her body burrowed itself in Adam''s embrace without any input from her brain.

    Eve''s arms closed around her body as well and Elysia felt sleep take her.

    In the morning she was gone without any notice or even re about her whereabouts. But neither Adam nor Eve looked too worried about her sudden disappearance.

    They expected Elysia to run away but the very fact that they had not been rejected outright spoke volumes about their chances.

    ______________________________

    Elysia walked up to her brother and his party while pressing a yawn. She was too tired to exin why she had not been in her room yesterday. (Not that her brother asked her about it .)

    But what was surprising to see was the kid, Enma''s presence joining her brother and Sorias. He was white-faced and panicking as he looked around.

    "I am telling you that it was no person I bumped into yesterday but a cursed person. Did you not see those orange eyes? They still send chills down my spine and -"

    Emma mped up tight as he watched here near. The kid seemed scared of her for some reason.

    ''I know I should stop getting sad about getting this reaction but it still catches me off-guard sometimes.''

    Elysia knew that it was not the kid''s fault that he was hyper-aware of Elysia''s presence. And he was not the only one who felt like that either.

    "Are we going back home now? Will it be alright to leave when nothing has been resolved yet?"

    Elysia approached her brother and her familiar with audible footsteps. Now that she had been discovered already, she did not mind letting her presence known outright.

    The unfamiliar kid flinched as Elysia stepped behind him before his expression turned neutral. Elysia passed him a bright smile to let him know that everything was alright but he turned his head away from her.

    And that was Elysia''s cue to not address him again.

    "We already handed the case over to the temple, so we no longer need to dip our feet into this situation. It would be better for us to remain as non-suspects."

    Sorias quickly exined the situation to Elysia as her brother finished his final farewell to the emperor.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The man seemed to be in a joyous mood today for some reason but Elysia chose not to look too deeply into it.

    Once the emperor left the scene, Head Priest Yohan joined the scene. His eyes met Elysia, causing her to freeze in her ce.

    The look he gave Elysia said it all - he was not pleased how yesterday had ended and he was especially crossed with her.

    "Elysia, can youe and see me before you leave for this Dirac estate? There are some important *temple* matters I need to see you about."

    The Head Priest sounded as calm and kind as always. But Elysia had known him since forever so she could tell that he was pissed off.

    ''Of course, he is. The Head Priest asked me to get Eve and Adam together and to distance herself in the process to make them lose interest. But Ipletely failed.''

    Elysia did not remember much of what happened yesterday but even then she knew that she had been the focus of attention yesterday for both of her partners.

    They had all but ignored each other which was not alright in Head Priest Yohan''s books.

    Elysia took an unconscious step toward the Head Priest before her way was blocked by a solid and wide back.

    "I am afraid that this talk will not be possible right now. We need to leave the temple for some important work and I cannot leave my sister behind under any circumstances with people that have no rtion to us."

    ''Lucas, don''t make it worse for everyone. We need to show a unified side with the temple.''

    Elysia wanted to say that out aloud and even Enma looked like he had swallowed a lemon when hearing those words.

    On the other hand, both Sara and Sorias looked like they had expected this to happen a long age ago. Sara slid a little toward Elysia''s side in a show of silent support.

    "Hey, do something. It is not right for the Dirac house and then temples to fight this openly. This is making things worse."

    Emma hissed out from Elysia''s side. He looked between the Head Priest and Lord Dirac in a worried and knowing manner.

    It made Elysia suspicious to know what exactly he knew. The world knew about the bad rtionship between the Dirac house and the temple but Enma''s tone made it seem like what was happening was something unnatural.

    Perhaps he knew something about this world and the future Elysia saw in her visions but she was not willing to risk asking him that. (The rtionship between the temple and the Dirac family was only good in her visions and only because they both backed the new Saintess Eve.)

    "What can we even do? They are not going to listen to us anyway. We can only sit here and wait for this fight to end."

    Sorias sounded like he was used to it happening all the time. But Elysia knew that this was his second time seeing this passive aggression as well.

    And she also knew that this was not to end until someone made it end forcefully.

    And that someone would have to be Elysia. Lucas was unlikely to listen to anyone else.

    "Brother Lucas, we should return home for now. We have too much to do and we left a lot of work undone due to this sudden shift in schedule."

    Elysia did not look at the Head Priest until the very end. She had no courage to face him but she knew that she would hear from him soon.

    And that thought terrified Elysia a lot right now.

 Chapter 87 87: Desperation For Help [Pt1]

    As Elysia had expected, she got a letter from the temple that night. But the timing could not have been more unfortunate for the messenger bird to have arrived.

    Because itnded right in front of Elysia on the dining table and eyed her food with a keen eye. It looked famished after having worked for the whole day.

    Elysia felt bad for the bird but she could not sympathize with it right now. Not when everyone present in the room was eying the letter in her hand with interest.

    "Eve sent this to me. I''ll read and reply to itter."

    Elysia quickly turned the letter over so that it only showed the temple seal. This was, it would be impossible to tell who the sender of this letter was.

    That was what Elysia was thinking right now when she hid the letter. The more she rxed, the better she would be able to hide her secrets.

    "So Eve sent you a letter? It is sweet of her to do that but you should put it down for now. We will be having a really important guest today so make sure you remember their faces."

    It was rare for her brother to say that and it made Elysia curious about their guest''s identity.

    "A guest? We are going to have another one? Isn''t one brat enough?"

    "H-Hey you cannot talk to me like that. I am a guest of this house and it''s not like I wanted toe here in the first ce. Don''t me me for things that are not my fault."

    If two people had an explosive start to their rtionship, it was Sora and Enma. Every time they met they took jabs at each other.

    Elysia wanted to ask them both to stop fighting but she was just ignored by one side which pissed off the other even more. Somehow Elysia had ended up being the reason for their fight without even meaning to.

    "Stop fighting and behave yourself. I won''t tolerate anything going wrong and take care to not make their kids feel neglected. Those kids are somewhat special."

    Lucas sounded certain of his words about the kids. It made Elysia curious to know just how ''special'' those kids were.

    And also, what age range were they talking about again? But Elysia''s question never left her lips because a familiar face entered the room and disturbed everyone.

    "Lord Dirac, our guests are here. Should I lead them in here directly or should I make them wait? Our presentpany is not exactly��.suitable to receive guests. My nephew is always ready to help you out in this regard."

    Who else could it be but the Head butler who gave the gathering in front of him a disapproving frown.

    "Hector, what have I told you about correcting your behavior? I do not like how you talk to my sister and our esteemed guests."

    Of course, Lucas was not in a mood to listen to anyone''s bullshit, much less the Head Butler who had no idea what kind of circumstances they had endured.

    "My apologies then. But Master, we should not keep our guests waiting without anypany and we don''t know if they would appreciate having an ''invasive'' audience-"

    "Ahhh, you look like Lord Lucas. She does, doesn''t she, sis?"

    "Of course she does. But there is a gloomy aura around her. You should smile more often or end up digging an early grave. Don''t you agree with me, brother?"

    Twin pair of eyes probed into Elysia''s and she jumped back in fright. She had not even realized when those small bodies had managed to crawl near her and almost ended up in herp.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    And neither had Sorias because he tensed up and almost ended up hurting those kids in Elysia''sp.

    His ws missed Elysia''s leg by a centimeter as heshed out by reflex but the twins were even more impressive as they managed to evade that w rather cleanly.

    "Susan Pheros, Mars Pheros, you both stop right where you are. I will not tolerate any more of your nonsense right now."

    Thedy who barged into the room did that rather elegantly. She looked very simr to the eight-year-old twins in front of her.

    "I am so sorry Lord Dirac. I try to control them but these two terrors refuse to listen to me. You both, hurry up and apologize to Lord Dirac and Lady Dirac right now."

    Thedy had dark circles underneath her eyes as she tried to control the twins but they seemed to be ignoring them.

    It was clear to even Elysia that these three were rted in a familial way.

    "N-No need to apologize to me. No harm was done anyway and kids are meant to be energetic. It is nice to see such a healthy pair of twins alive."

    "Y-Yeah. Twins run in the family. And Lady Dirac is a child herself so she doesn''t need to worry about adult matters. A-Anyway, I am here for that matter we discussedst time Lord Dirac. I am finally ready to ept your help in negotiations."

    Thedy seemed nervous when she answered Elysia but her tone sounded desperate when she turned to face Lucas. In a single breath, she had managed to belittle Elysia and divert the topic as well.

    It was evident that something was wrong right now with thatdy. It made even Elysia feel sorry for her but at the same time, she cannot help but feel neglected as well.

    Elysia might be sixteen but she had seen a fair bit of the world. She should not be dismissed that easily.

    "Please take a seat Lady Pheros and we shall continue our discussion. However, would you mind if Elysia sits in our discussion as well? My sister knows a fair bit about things like these so she would be able to help us out. She was raised in the temple after all."

    Lady Pheros went white and then pink at the reprimand Lucas gave her. She raised her head toward Elysia but did not say anything.

    The shame of being told off must be too much for her to bear but Elysia knew better than to console her. Anything she said now woulde back to bite herter.

    "If that is the case then I will hand myself over into Lord and Lady Dirac''s care. B-But please help me keep my kids. They''ll die if they enter their father''s family."

    Lady Pheros''s voice held real worry and fear for her kids. It made Elysia''s irritation over her earlier behavior fade away.

    In the end, Lady Pheros was just a poor mother who was here to beg for her children''s safety. But Elysia could not help her without knowing the whole story of the matter.

    "Lady Pheros, I know I told you before but we cannot interfere if Baron Pheros makes it a legal battle. He does have more support in the court and we have no proof of his misdeeds."

    Thedy looked crushed at the news but Elysia could see that the Lord was not done yet.

    "But I did find a way that could help you take custody of the children once and for all along with the Baron''s fortune. Of course, the choice is yours to make."

    Lady Pheros pales and Elysia was sure she was thinking the same thing Elysia was.

 Chapter 88 88: Desperation For Help [Pt2]

    To be hos, Elysia found herself a little lost in what the situation was. But she could tell that it was serious enough to make Lady Pheros look on the verge of copsing.

    Luckily for her, Lucas was here to let her know of the situation without making it awkward.

    "Baron Pheros is the person in charge of our military affairs and recruiting people. But there is a rumor that he practices illegal means to do that. That is why we were investigating them when we came across a terrified Lady Pheros and her children. Someone was trying to have them killed so that they can get out of way of the session."

    ''Ah, so it is that case. It is quitemon in such noble households, right?''

    As much as it broke Elysia''s heart to admit, this was not the first such case she hade across.

    In fact, it was somon that it was even difficult to even keep count at this point. But Lady Pheros seemed distressed.

    "Won''t it all be solved if these children renounced their right to the session? I am sure no one would target them then."

    Elysia''s suggestion was met with a frantic smile.

    "I''m afraid that it would not be possible. I had this talk with Baron Pheros before but he is adamant about getting one of my children to seed him. He would just not let them go. And every year I am more and more afraid for them. He is determined to have them killed in his stead."

    Lady Pheros''s voice had taken a shrilling tone now. Her eyes were getting wider and wider with each passing second.

    She looked no different than a ghost and it was scarring Elysia a little.

    "So I am assuming that he has begun to transfer the curse to these children then? Bring them here because I would like to check on their condition."

    ''A curse? What is this about?''

    Elysia wanted to ask the question but she knew that it would not be the right thing to do in front of Lady Pheros who was already distressed.

    Her brother likely thought the same as he asked thedy to give them some space. And Elysia proved to be right because her bother quickly exined the situation to her once Lady Pheros was gone from the room.

    "Pheros household deals with the military might as well as curses. As a result, they usually don''t live long lives but the current Baron has lived quite long. ording to Lady Pheros, he did this because of a forbidden art that allowed him to extract magic and life force from his blood rtives and add those years to his own."

    "Of course, there is no proof about this but I cannot let this matter stand as the Duke. Lady Pheros brought it up to me a few years ago but we have not found any proof yet."

    That exined a lot to Elysia. The twins she had seen before had been full of life energy and magic.

    "Is that why he is going after these twins? Their magic was particrly strong for their age, not to mention the resonating effect is still possible with them."

    Resonance referred to the practice of amplifying magic but it was only possible when the two sources of magic were the same.

    As such, a normal person could not possibly resonate with their magic but it was different for a pair of twins who had the same origin.

    Theoretically, one could harvest an infinite amount of magical power using this method but a human body would notst that long.

    "But even so, how are we going to investigate Baron Pheros''s household now if you failed to get anything this far? Do you have a n?"

    Elysia was curious about what her brother had nned. And he must have nned something if he was this confidence that he would be alright.

    She had no idea why she thought like this, but Elysia had confidence in herself.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "It''s because we have you this time with us. The Baron is a firm believer of the temple''s forbidden dark arts and I am sure he would not refute a visit from you. There is a rumor that he was very interested in you right after that incident when you were young."

    Elysia knew exactly which incident her brother was talking about. And as much as she did not want to admit it, it had gained her some fame in the wrong circles.

    It seemed like this Baron was just another one of those ''bad seeds'' who wanted to study Elysia for their gain.

    "You don''t have to do this if you don''t want to. I am sure we will be able to figure someone else out in our own time."

    Lucas said that but the situation must quite dare for him to suggest using Elysia. And truthfully, Elysia did not care that much about what people thought of her either.

    If she could help those children then she would like to do that anyway.

    Lady Pheros entered the room with her children once again. The children''s twin smiles looked radiating and pulled Elysia toward them.

    They had such a bright future in front of them that Elysia wanted to help them out.

    "Susan, Mars, please behave yourself now. We don''t want anything to happen to you again, right? Papa will be angry with you if you managed to get yourself hurt."

    The children calmed down as soon as they heard those words. It seemed like they held real fear for their ''papa'' and tried their hardest to not anger him.

    "Lady Pheros, I know that the situation is quite dire but I hope that you came here without telling anyone of your visit today."

    "Yes. The servants know that I am out in the town today so it will be alright."

    "In that case, I want you to do something for me. I want you to invite Elysia to your home so that she can investigate everything."

    Lady Pheros looked uncertain and turned toward Elysia with pity-filled eyes. It was making Elysia ufortable to be looked at like this but she endured it for now.

    "W-Will it be alright? My husband is not a morally upright person and Lady Dirac has a lot of magic. I am sure he would try to do something-"

    "I know. But that is a risk we have to take if you want to save your children. Besides, I am sure Elysia would be able to handle it nicely."

    Elysia nodded to show that she agreed but Lady Pheros still looked uncertain. But in the end, she relented and gave in.

    It all seemed to be over when Enma raised his voice as well, his eyes shining with new knowledge.

    "Ah, I just remember. Hey, can I apany you as well? I need to check a few things in Baron Pheros''s home. I knew I was forgetting something right now."

    Elysia wanted to refuse on principles. Enma was too young to get involved in such a tough case and he would be a prime target for kidnapping.

    But her brother thought differently.

    "Sure you can. That is if Lady Pheros doesn''t have a problem."

    Of course she did not have one.

 Chapter 89 89: A Visit To Pheros [Pt1]

    Enma knew he was forgetting something but it did not hit him what it was until Baron Pheros''s household was brought up.

    It was in the original story, right? He cursed his two children to slowly harvest their magic powers to add to his life. This was also the start of Lord Dirac''s fondness for Eve.

    Eve had found Lady Pheros roaming the town in a desperate cry for help and she had approached thedy.

    Due to circumstances that no longer exist, Baron Pheros had been openly interested in Eve and her powers, believing that they could help him live a long life.

    Lady Pheros who had known about it had brought Eve into her household to save her children and to rece them with Eve.

    But of course, it had all backfired when Lord Dirac had gotten involved and busted the whole thing. It also brought the Royal Household into this mess and finally got Adam and Eve engaged so that nothing like this happened again.

    It had been such an important event but the light novel had brushed over this incident.

    Now that Enma tried to remember back, he found his memorycking any significant incident that took ce.

    Did he have such a bad memory or was the original light novel such a drag that it did not have such details?

    All he remembered was that there was an artifact in Baron''s household that was rumored to be from another dimension. That was what Enma wanted to get his hands on and see.

    He had a feeling it was something from his world.

    "Are you sure you want toe with us, Enma? You don''t need to put yourself in danger like this."

    Elysia tried to make him back out of this mission again but Enma turned her down again. He needed to be on this mission to ensure that he retrieved that ''other worldly'' artifact.

    "Nothing you say will make me back down girl. I am here because I need to check out a few things. Treat me as invisible air if you can."

    Enma assured Elysia, wanting her concerned gaze away from him. She gave Enma a weird feeling every time he looked at her.

    He wanted to like her but something about her aura was off-putting. She was soft-spoken and did note across as a viiness but Enma was not convinced that she was a good person just yet.

    ''I need to keep away from the Viiness if I want to live a decent life. I cannot be caught up in the crossfire that will happen when Elysia will be killed off by the main pair.''

    That was a firm belief Enma had. No matter how good or peaceful a story was, a Vininess needed to be taken care of in the end. Otherwise, the story will feel satisfying.

    Enma was certain that Elysia would not have a happy ending, whether or not this world was a fictional one.

    Who knew what else would ur, after all, an urrence from the first book had already managed to make an appearance.

    "Oi fool, just so you know. We won''t be saving you if you get into any trouble so you better keep yourself out of it. Don''t waste mine and Elysia''s time with your foolish actions."

    Elysia looked ufortable at her familiar''s words and that had been another surprise for him.

    The Viiness, Elysia had familiar with her. This was unimaginable in the original story. And it was such a formidable one at that as well.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Enma had heard Lord Sorias''s origin and how he was the lord of the enchanted forest. He was one of the other world''s magic users and was formidable. He was not someone who belonged to the Viiness''s side.

    But he had joined Elysia anyway and it egged Enma a lot. He knew he should treat Lord Sorias with respect but he could not find it in himself to do that.

    "I won''t need anyone to save me anyway. Besides, I am not a target this time because I have no magic. You better keep an eye on your partner to ensure that she doesn''t get into any trouble this time. God knows she needed a caretaker with her all the time."

    Enma was sure he heard Sorias mutter a ''don''t I know that'' under his breath, before he straightened himself with a calm look.

    "You don''t need to butt into our business since we will take care of it. You should just focus on-"

    "I think he gets the point Sora. Now let''s hurry up and go. I am sure Lady Pheros is quite worried about us."

    Enma was sure that Sorias wanted to chew him out but stopped himself short before he could. He was obedient to Elysia.

    Not that Enma did not understand why that was. The bond between a familiar and a master was sacred and could not be broken so easily.

    "Thank you for doing me this favor, Lady Dirac. I assure you that I will do everything in my power to repay you once my kids are safe."

    Lady Pheros bowed down to Elysia and Enma wanted to stop her from doing that. Lady Pheros had been a big help to Eve in the noble circleter on but it no longer seemed possible to maintain.

    However, Eve was not entirely in danger because she still had Lord Dirac on her side and the Crown Prince. (And maybe Elysia as well but it was up for toss due to the storyline.)

    "You need not repay any favor and you should also save your gratitude for when we managed toplete this task for you. It might take some time but we should be done before the annual huntingpetition."

    "Otherwise, we will need to postpone this n for some time since it is not an event we can miss."

    Lady Pheros looked like she understood where Elysia wasing from. And so did Enma since he knew the importance of the annual hunt in the main story.

    Now that he remembered, wasn''t there an incident that took ce there? Something about a possible assassination? Well, he would try to remember more before bringing it up anyway.

    "Enma, are you alright? You seem to be deep in your thoughts."

    Elysia''s voice snapped Enma out of his thoughts. He unconsciously dodged her hand as she tried to console him and then he looked back at her awkwardly.

    "Yeah, sorry. It''s a habit to overthink but I will try not to do that anymore. Ah, are we ready to leave now? Let''s go and im a spot. I don''t want to sit with those terrors so let me bunk in with you."

    Elysia looked confused at his attitude and Enma knew that it was bound to happen anyway. He had no idea how he felt about all this himself, much less how to make others understand how point of view.

    Sorias''s gaze stabbed into Enma''s back like aser and he tensed up with a need to cry.

    ''Why did I agree to this? I knew I should have stayed home that day. That way, I would not be getting caught up in this mess.''

    But it was toote for regrets.

 Chapter 90 90: A Visit To Pehros [Pt2]

    The Pheros estate was located in one of the out-skited towns in the Dirac territory. It was stationed far outside so it could be immobilized in case of a border emergency.

    As such, it was a piece ofnd that was important for the empire''s safety so Elysia could see why her brother did not want to cause anymotion about its safety andpromise the peace.

    The Perrusia empire that bordered the Pherosnd was a tiger lying in wait to ambush the empire if they showed weakness.

    The empire was powerful but it was not the onlynd of power in this world. As such, everything that had to do with the Pheros had to be done in secret and with uttermost carefulness.

    For her brother to have given Elysia this delicate task and told her how much he trusted her and her ability, Elysia would have to find a way to repay that trust somehow.

    "I am very thankful you agreed to do this favor for me, Lady Dirac. This means a lot to the kids and me."

    Lady Pheros did not shy away from praising Elysia either and it made her shy and nervous. Lady Pheros was going out of her way toe and meet Elysia as well.

    She had her carriage which she had chosen to take with the twins but Lady Pheros still walked toward Elysia once they decided to get off.

    "Finally, thend is beneath my feet once again. The carriage made me feel sick to my stomach. I never knew I could even get motion sick."

    Enma''sining voice came from behind Elysia. He was currently trying his best to not vomit his lunch but it seemed to be unsessful.

    His green-tinted face was evidenced enough of how bad he felt.

    "No, it''s nothing Lady Pheros. I am happy to help out in any way I can."

    Elysia wanted to go and help Enma but she had a feeling that her help would not be appreciated by him. He was still on the outlook when it came to her.

    So Elysia had no choice but to signal for Sorias to do it in her stead. Her familiar looked disgusted but he did not fight her on this either.

    For all hisining and talks about not liking Enma, Sorias was rather soft-hearted and would help him out.

    And her familiar did help Enma out. Elysia could see them interacting right behind her back but she only asionally nced at them. She did not want to interpret their moment and whatever was budding between them.

    "Umm, Lady Dirac, I think there are things you should know before we reach my home. And I also need to tell you to be careful with my husband. He is not exactly a stable man."

    Lady Pheros sounded both bitter and angry as she said that. But fear was mixed in her voice as well which made Elysia finally sit down and listen to her. It seemed like an important story.

    "As everyone knows, I am not my husband''s first wife. Rather, I am not even his second or third but his fourth one. All the earlier ones ended up dying for unknown reasons. The only reason I ended up marrying him was that I was carrying his children before marriage."

    "B-But that''s not what I wanted to tell you. You see, my point is that - anyone who married the Baron ended up dying within a few years. To think I managed to survive this long is a miracle in itself. So please be careful while you are there."

    Elysia nodded to show that she understood. The Baron was a dangerous man who would not hesitate to kill even his wife if it came down to that.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    It was something Elysa had expected to hear but it still surprised her somewhat.

    ''If three women ended up dying before the current Lady Pheros, then I can see why she is so worried about herself. There is a lot of reason to be careful.''

    It was nice of Lady Pheros to warn Elysia about this beforehand. She will share this news with Sorias and Enma once they were alone.

    While Enma might be a child, he was far more intelligent than people gave him credit for. Seeing him reminded Elysia of her childhood when she was misunderstood by people who saw her as simply a ''child''.

    "Oh, and I am sure my husband will not dare to touch someone of such high standing as Lady Dirac but still, be careful once you arrive at my home. I do not want to see Lady Dirac suffer under any circumstances."

    Lady Pheros was a brave one to say all that and Elysia appreciated the warning. It eased her mind to have someone like Lady Pheros on her side.

    But it was time to end this talk science both Enma and Sorias were heading their way. Enma''s face still looked green but much better than before.

    "Are you feeling alright now?"

    Elysia asked the kid who gave her a death stare before nking his face. His eyes read, ''do you think I am alright, but he did not say anything to her.

    All he did was a nod to show that he was alright and sat in the corner with a nk face. He looked pitiful and even Lady Pheros took pity on him.

    "Don''t worry too much. We will arrive at the Pheros estate in a short while and then you can rest. I can ask the chefs to prepare a secret recipe for you to elevate any difort you are feeling because of these long travels."

    "I am sure the Perrusia remedy will be to your liking and effective as well since they use magic in their potions."

    Elysia expected the kid to feel better but he looked even worse after hearing the news. His face which had been green went white with fear and he looked up rmed.

    "Perrusia? PERRUSIAN EMPIRE? Hey, is it toote to turn back now? I-I am suddenly not feeling good at all. How did I forget that the Pherosnd was located at the border? Oh god, this is bad��."

    The kid was panicking badly now, his breathing out shallow and ragged. He would drive himself into an early grave if he did not stop and correct himself right this second.

    But before Elysia could make a move, someone else did and pped Enma on the back. It was none other than Sorias who did that.

    "Stop panicking and listen to us. We are not going to Perrusia, nor will we be having any dealing with that empire. You do not need to panic running into anyone from that empire on the way."

    Soria''s words finally hit the mark as the child calmed down. But he still looked a little ufortable because of his small attack.

    ''Maybe this kid is from the Perrusian empire and running away from home? Maybe that is why he is so scared all the time and cares to look around his surroundings. I will try not to press him too much if that is the case.''

    Elysia would keep her distance for now and the kid will be alright.

 Chapter 91 91: An Unfriendly Household

    They were finally here, right in front of Baron Pheros''s mansion. It had only taken a day''s travel time and an upset stomach to get this far.

    And why would it not when Enma knew what kind of bomby in waiting right in the heart of the Baron''s mansion? He was still kicking himself for not realizing what kind of danger he hadnded himself into.

    Not that Baron Person was a problem this time. He was a small-time viin who was just there to further the original plot and introduce a mystery character in the novel who the Female lead met.

    That unknown character fell in love with her gentleness at the first sight andter was known as a major viin in the story.

    But the only problem was - Enma never yed his route. All he knew was that the character was someone important from the Perrusia Empire and he caused a lot of trouble in the future.

    He had even offered Elysia a hand in some of her schemes against Eve to drive Eve into his hands.

    But now there was no Eve here, but Elysia. This would change the future a lot and Enma did not want to be here when that happened at all.

    If it kept on changing like this, then what would happen to Enma? Would he end up dying? He was not supposed to be here in the first ce.

    ''No, stop thinking like this. I will be alright. Is anything else than sticking close to the main cast that will help me? No one important dies in these stories anyway except the viin. But wait, am I not on the path to bing a viin since I am sticking close to them?''

    Enma''s forehead broke out into a nervous sweat at the thought. He had not paid attention to hispany this far but Elysia was a viiness.

    ''Stop thinking negative thoughts. I will be alright.''

    Enma shook his head as he entered the gothic mansion. He kept his steps slow and steady to not be noticed by anyone.

    All this while, be observed Elysia see what she would do next. Just because she had not done anything significant yet did not mean she could not.

    He knew how powerful she was beneath her cute and fragile exterior and he refused to be taken in by her gentle looks.

    "Mydy, you are back? L-Lord Baron asked to meet you�C, Oh, do we have guests? What should we do now? The Baron will be angry��.."

    The servant here looked as rude as the one in Dirac mansion but it was not Enma''s ce to say anything. He did not mind being talked to like this but he could tell that it bothered Lady Pheros.

    The twins ran past the maid with a vicious cry and disappeared inside the mansion. They did get a lot of stinky eyes from the staff but no one said anything to them.

    It seemed like Elysia was not the only noble not liked by their staff.

    "You do not need to worry about my husband and his mood since I will talk with him. For now, show our guests to their rooms and make sure theyck nothing. They are important guests from the Dirac house."

    The servant''s look changed in an instant at hearing the name ''Dirac'' and her face broke out into a natural-looking smile.

    Had Enma not seen these people''s real faces with one eye, he would have never believed that this smilingdy was the same one from before.

    ______________________________

    "Lady Pheros, let me apany you in greeting Baron Pheros. I need to pass my brother''s regards toward his excellent contributions and I want to have a chat with Lord Pheros as well."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    For some reason, the maid looked bashful when Elysia praised Lord Pheros. The adoration in her eyes was not one a servant held toward their master but something different.

    "Lord Pheros is admirable for sure. He is an excellent person to work for and live with. I am sure mydy will find him to be a good human as well."

    Elysia quickly looked back toward Lady Pheros''s clenched fists and closed-off expression. That was all she needed to see before deciding to butt out of this mess. It was better to not get caught up in this affair.

    And this was an affair. As slow as Elysia was in the matter of hearts, she was no estrangement to the matter of desire.

    She did not need to be involved to be able to tell that this maid felt far more strongly toward her master than even Lady Pheros.

    ''What a mess of a household. But I cannot say that as well since my situation is just as bad when ites to the servants of the Dirac household.''

    But there was a big difference between Elysia''s situation and Lady Pheros''s. The servants in the Dirac household might not like Elysia but they would never say it out aloud now.

    Or would they act on it since Elysia had her brother''s support and her powers to defend herself?

    But it did not seem like Lady Pheros had anything of that sort avable to her. And that was a huge disadvantage for the Noble Lady. It seemed bad enough that even normal servants were walking all over her.

    "I am sure Lord Pheros is a lovely person and I would like to meet him as soon as possible. Can you take us to him?"

    The maid looked caught off-guard and her expression closed off to see Elysia''s enthusiasm. She was finally looking at Elysia like she was a threat and Elysia found it hrious.

    Enma sounded like he was dying behind her while Sorias''s low-voiced mutters asked Elysia to back down.

    But what was done was done and Elysia did not mind ying a role she was hinting at.

    "Of course, mydy can meet Lord Pheros. I will go out and inform him of your visit right now. But please don''t be too disappointed if he refuses to see you right now. Lord Pheros is a busy man and he needs his time."

    The servant now talked like Elysia was a kid and did not know what was right and wrong.

    It was a good tactic but it would not work on Elysia who had seen far more than she should have at her age. She just looked back at the servant calmly which made the servant finally take action and run away to call Lord Baron.

    "You do know that she will try to stall your meeting with the Baron? She might not look like it but she is the head maid."

    "I know. But I am counting on the Baron''s greed winning over his affection toward his head maid. I am sure we will be called in soon."

    And it was just like Elysia predicted. The maid exited the parlor room with a sullen face as she called the group to head inside.

    Elysia could tell that she was not happy to be doing this but had no other choice.

    She gave both Elysia and Lady Pheros a stinky eye as she opened the door and gestured them to enter the parlor.

    "My lord is waiting inside."

 Chapter 92 92: Hushing Some Mouths [Pt1]

    Baron Pheros was not an impressive-looking man. He was neither tall nor muscr. He was average in all specs that counted except the feeling of his magic.

    ''Fuck, he doesn''t look like the main character at all. How did this man y an important role in this arc by being this ne?''

    That was the first thought that crossed Enma''s mind before he forced himself to remember that this world was no longer fictional but a reality for him now.

    The rules of a novel did not apply in such a world and he needed to separate his past self from his present self.

    ''Still, seeing him make those sick eyes at Elysia and checking her out feels gross. How did I endure it in the novel?''

    There had been more than a few odd people who had made a passing remark about Elysia''s beauty and being attracted to her but it had never hit home to Enma before. He had felt nothing when that happened to Elysia.

    However, when that had happened to Eve there had been criticism and even annoyance. After all, Eve had been the heroine who wanted everything to go well while Elysia was the viiness who deserved everything.

    That was how he had thought before he had been thrown into this world. And now faced with such a situation, he could not help but feel disgusted.

    But there was one person who was even more pissed off than him and that was the familiar at his side. Sorias looked like he would kill the Baron where he stood right then and there. And that made Enma afraid for his life as well.

    After all, if Sorias went on a rampage then his next target would naturally be Enma.

    "Calm down, it''s alright. Elysia can take care of herself if things came to that."

    Enma knew Elysia could take care of herself but she seemed to be having a hard time dealing with the Baron right now. He could see how ufortable she looked even from this far off and it made him want to help her out.

    ''Why do I have such a bleeding heart? I wish I could turn my feelings away.''

    That was just Enma self-praising himself and warping things from his perspective. He knew that he was selfish and not a good human. He just wanted to open his paths in this new world and Elysia''s safety was necessary for that.

    ''That and I don''t want Lord Dirac to kill me because something happened to his sister. Man, who did he turn out to be a sis-con of all things? What happened to the original plot of not caring about Elysia even at her death doors?''

    Who knew what went on in the mind of one Lord Dirac? Enma certainly did not know and he was too afraid to even guess at this point.

    "I will break every bone in that man''s hand if he touched Elysia one more time. I cannot believe he dared to ask her for a hug this openly."

    Sorias''s words caused Enma to quickly do a double back and then flinch at what he saw. Baron Pheros had his arms around Elysia and he was sure he could see him cing it all over her back.

    It looked wrong for a sixteen years old girl to be felt up like this openly but even Elysia was holding on to her temper which made things awkward for them.

    Elysia''s patience andck of counter-attack meant that she did not want them interfering with her work. But that did not mean that they had to like what they saw.

    Especially Lady Pheros looked ready to murder her husband. He was not letting Elysia go even when more than appropriate time had passed.

    But the most unique expression was held by the maid who had led them there. She was clenching her fists and her eyes held fury and betrayal in them.

    She did not look happy to see her Lord behaving like this with someone else who was not her. How shameful of her to show her emotions so openly.

    "Lord Pheros, you should let Lady Dirac go now. I am sure she is tired because of the journey she underwent and now wants to rest in her room."

    Lady Pheros interfered as soon as things started to venture into really unsafe territory. Her hands came down to stop her husband who looked a little taken aback at being interrupted before he smiled his ''perfect'' smile.

    "Of course. La, make sure you show Lady Dirac to the best room in the mansion and send someone to take care of all her needs. I want her to feelfortable in this mansion."

    The servant, Layle had a sour look on her face that went unnoticed by the lord but she did bow toward the group as she lead them away.

    Enma had a feeling that thisdy was going to be trouble for them and he vowed to keep an eye out for her.

    ______________________________

    It had been an awkward meeting for Elysia and she tried to calm her nerves down and make her magic settle.

    Lord Baron''s request for a handshake had taken her aback and his request to hug had been a downright terrifying thing to be faced with. It had left Elysia in a bind about what she should do.

    But she had granted those requests in the end and Lord Pheros had taken liberties with his boundaries while engaging in such physical contact.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Had it not been for Elysia''s habit to keep her temper in check, she would have cracked his head open a long time ago.

    In fact, she would have killed him off as soon as she felt his hands venturing down her body like a pair of slimy appendages.

    ''I feel so dirty. I just want to take a shower and get the feeling of that magic out of my body. I cannot believe that Baron Pheros dared to check my reserves using his magic.''

    Lady had said that her husband had been obsessed with magic but he was taking his obsession to a whole new level.

    When his magic had touched Elysial, it had felt unnatural and repulsive. Elysia had taken a step back as soon as she had been faced with it.

    Not only was there something unnatural about his magic, but it had been riddled with so much miasma that Elysia had been surprised to see him even alive.

    Such impurities usually ended up killing someone way before their time. That man had too many magical signatures inside his body for it to be healthy.

    How had he managed to condemn himself like that, even Elysia had no idea. Nor did she want to know if given the chance.

    "Elysia, are you alright? I can end that man if you want me to."

    Sorias looked pissed off as well. He had picked up on Elysia''s ufortableness and was showing open support. If there was one person who understood her, it was Sorias right now.

    And Elysia was thankful for his support.

    However, no matter how much Sorias offered to help her out, there were things Elysia could not allow him to do and this was also one of them.

    Baron Pheros''s position in the defense border was too important to risk over a personal beef like this. She needed to think in the border terms if she wanted to not risk pissing people off.

    "I ampletely fine. Nothing significant happened and we will not talk about it. Also, make sure that none of what happened reaches Lucas''s ears or we will all be held responsible."

    Sorias opened his mouth as if to say something before stopping with a thoughtful look on his face. It faded into a full-body shudder as he mped shut hard.

    "Why would we��.Oh yeah, we should be quiet about it. For a second I forgot how dangerous your brother was."

    Elysia wanted to defend Lucas but there was nothing she could say that would make this situation better. Lucas was a problem most of the time anyway and he was dangerous.

    It was better that people feared him than to walk all over him. He just gave off that feeling of superiority.

    "Fine, we won''t tell Lucas. But I assure you that he will find out about it and he will not be happy. Then we will all die."

    Sorias seemed like he had epted his fate to die already. Elysia could see his eyes already epting the reality of the situation and she felt bad for him.

    ''Poor Sorias. Even he knows that he will be the first victim of my brother''s anger if this news gets to him.''

    Elysia felt bad for Sorias. He was just doing his job but everyone else was making it impossible for him to live his carefree life. And Elysia was not someone who could say anything since she was the prime source of his stress.

    "Anyway, what''s done is done and there is no use crying over spilled milk. Let''s focus on what we can do for now and that is to crack this case open."

    Elysia was not sure how Lady Pheros had managed to handle her husband for so long even with his ways. He was far more creepy than anyone had given her credit for.

    "Uhmmm, here is your Lady Dirac. Please let me know if you need something else. I will do my best to offer you our best service."

    La''s voice was dry and could be best described as uninterested. She had no intention of helping Elysia with anything. Her attitude matched the Head Butler in the Dirac estate and Elysia knew that she was in for a rough ride.

    The air had turned awkward and Elysia was sure that the maid had heard every word that was spoken here and would soon report about their conversation to her master.

    Well, this was a grave oversight.

    "Do you think Baron Pheros would notice if we offed one of his maids? I don''t think so."

    Sorias said that jokingly but Elysia had a feeling that he was anything but joking. There was a mean look in his eyes that made even Elysia take a step back.

 Chapter 93 93: Hushing Some Mouths [Pt2]

    She had never seen Sorias bloodthirsty before but she imagined his eyes to be like this if she ever did.

    And even the poor maid seemed to be taken aback by the sudden rush of emotions that were aimed her way. Elysia could see her body shudder at the sudden feelings of eyes that were looking her up and down.

    "I-I didn''t hear anything. Excuse me, I should go now."

    The maid hurried to get away but she was not able to take a lot of steps when the chandelier broke off and fell on top of her head. It happened so suddenly that no one was able to say anything.

    Even the maids who were looking from afar seemed taken aback by the suddenness of what happened before chaos erupted around the room.

    ''Sorias did that on purpose. I don''t know how but I am sure he was behind this attack.''

    The self-satisfied smirk on Sorias''s face could not be attributed to anything but having gotten away with murder in broad daylight. A better person would have turned Sorias in for such a feat but not Elysia.

    She was not going to say anything if she was not required to. Sorias was too precious to her to get him in trouble.

    ''Besides, I am not normally normal as well. The maid would have died by my hands if she did not die right now. She would have ended up dead today anyway. It''s just better for us that this happens way sooner than it should have.''

    The only person Elysia felt sorry for was Enma. The poor kid looked like he was facing a crisis.

    ''Did he realize what Sorias did? Should I be worried about him opening his mouth as well?''

    Emma might be in their party right now but he was all but a stranger to Elysia. And even she was not kind enough to let such a big risk exist in front of her eyes.

    "I did not see anything and I won''t tell you either. But if you tried to take me down then I will take you down with me."

    Enma sounded 100% serious when he said that. A normal person would have disregarded a kid''s talk but not Elysia. She knew what she was capable of doing at that age so she was not going to disregard anyone else as well.

    "You better sleep with one eye open tonight. I am not in a good mood and cannot guarantee your safety tonight. Who knows��.maybe you will get a secret visitor tonight."

    Now Elysia could tell that Sorias was joking around. His mood looked much better after killing someone and Elysia could not help but shake her head at that notion.

    How the hell did someone like Sorias end up in a human settlement? He was not good for anyone''s heart.

    "I understand, alright. You don''t need to threaten me twice. I will keep my mouth shut."

    Enma backed down as well, his eyes looking at Sorias in a scared manner. He seemed to have finally realized that Sorias was not a person he could tangle with carelessly.

    At the same time, themotion in the hallway seemed to be reaching its peak. It was bad enough to even get the servants talking and that finally dragged out Baron Pheron in the open.

    "Oh god, what happened here? Who is this servant and why is she lying here like this? You should get this ce cleaned up before you sully our guests'' moods. Lady Dirac, I am sorry you had to see such an unbearable sight. I will have it all cleaned up in no time."

    Lord Baron had nopassion at all toward his dead employee. In fact, he did not even remember who his employee was

    ''To even forsake someone so loyal to him. How big of an idiot was this person?''

    The more Elysia found out about Baron Pheron, the more she disliked him as a person. She could even go as far as to say that he was the most unlikable person she had met this far. And Elysia had met her fair share of assholes.

    Somehow, this one person was ranked the highest on her already high list.

    "H-How did this happen? W-Was it my f-fault? B-Because I wished her to no longer be here? Did this happen because of me?"

    Lady Pheros looked to be the most shocked one. Her eyes were wide and unseeing.

    She was not even paying attention to her two kids who were peaking into the corridor with curious eyes.

    "Lady Pheros, pull yourself together. idents like these happen once in a while and no one can ount for them. It is no one''s fault that this happened."

    Elysia quickly reassure thedy before she could have a heart attack. The lie felt heavy on her tongue but Elysia forced herself to say that anyway.

    And it worked like a charm. Lady Pheros finally seemed to be calming down after hearing Elysia''s words. Her breath was stilling out loud and irregr but it was no longer in the dangerous category.

    It was only once she stabilized that Elysia felt confident to leave her alone and follow the maid that was leading them to their room.

    This had kind of happened all of a sudden but it had ced the whole house into alert mode.

    Elysia knew that it was not Soria''s fault that things ended up happening that way but now they had to be even more careful than before.

    ''But still, for a master to even forget the face of his maid that easily. Just how is that even possible?''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia did not understand what went on inside Baron Pheros''s head. Nor did she want to know what happened back there now.

    "I''m sorry for causing this mess. I will be sure to be more discrete next time."

    Sorias apologized with a sad face. He seemed to be beating himself over what happened back there but think like these weremon.

    "Don''t be. We managed to wrap it all under the guise of an ident so it is good for us. Just be careful next time."

    "Oh god, there''s going to be the next time? Why are you both like this?"

    Enma sounded and looked like he was about to have a stroke. His face was pale and lifeless as he stared ahead.

    He was the only one who seemed to be feeling some kind of uneasiness about what they had done. But he had enough of a head on his shoulder to keep hisments to himself.

    "There is going to be a second, third, and likely a fourth time as well. Which attempt would you want your life to be?"

    Enma went paler at Sorias''s words. He quickly looked away with a, ''no need, I''m good.''

    Elysia knew she should not find this situation funny but it still dragged augh out of her mouth in response.

    And then it was time for dinner. It was as ufortable as the first round of introductions had been. But this time, Elysia made sure she was sitting as far away as Baron Pheros as possible.

    He did not insist for Elysia toe near him, nor did he engage in the endless chatter that most nobles ended up doing during eating hours.

    No, he was the example of a prim and proper noble with his face impassive.

    And then the night fell and it was time to start investigating the manor. Everyone else was sleeping so that meant that the mansion itself was quiet and abandoned at this time of the night.

    The night staff looked alert but Elysia had too much experience sneaking around for them to even notice her. They walked past her without even giving them a second look.

    She was sure that Sorias was looking around the mansion as well but the one she was worried about was Enma.

    Knowing how scared and lonely the kid was, it was unlikely for him to venture out all on his own. He would be a sitting duck for any attack.

    ''And he should be scared as well. Sorias did make a threat to kill him but I know he won''t.''

    Elysia quickly ducked back into the hallway she had originated from as soon as she noticed the shadow heading her way.

    The security in the mansion seemed to have been tightened after the ident that happened before and Elysia tip-towed around carefully.

    For now, she had decided to follow the specs of weird energy she had felt when she first stepped inside the Pheros castle.

    It was a vague feeling of difort that lead her further into the castle and she began to notice some irregrities in the staff around her.

    For some reason, they were moving around in fixed patterns of the moment. No one walked too far or too close to their chosen route.

    Elysia had even walked past one or two maids identally and then held her breath but they seemed to not even have noticed her moment.

    These maids looked more like dolls than humans which Elysia found suspicious.

    But they felt like humans and they had magic like humans so it was difficult for Elysia to imagine what was going on without drawing hard conclusions.

    Again, the conclusions she drew were not something she could take at face value. Calling these servants ''human-doll'' would have implications Elysia was not ready to make yet.

    ''And then there is the whole situation about having to inform the royal family about this situation. I kind of doesn''t want to bother Adam with it.''

    That and Elysia still found it hard to think of either Adam or Eve without being reminded of what happened between them. Her body heated up and her face med as she remembered how she had been yed like a flute that night.

    ''A-Anyway, let''s not bother then unless I have to. I can still investigate this situation on my own.''

    Elysia thought as she followed after the maid''s route. There was nothing suspicious about this maid but Elysia still decided to follow after her.

    And then she ended up in front of a wall with the maid nowhere in sight. She had lost her way so easily and now she did not know where she was.

    Footsteps could be heard heading her way and Elysia pressed herself against the wall��

    ��only for it to split open and she fell behind the illusion.

 Chapter 94 94: The Corridor Of Secrets [Pt1]

    Elysia''s surroundings spun around her, giving her whish. The world was broken down into darkness and Elysia reached out before she could fall.

    As soon as her hand caught a thin pipe-like structure, the hallway lit up. The wall had some kind of luminous spell embedded in it that made the hallway shine brighter.

    Elysia held her breath in fear, quickly looking back to see if she had been discovered or not. But thankfully, that didn''t seem to be the case. No one entered the corridor even after Elysia had lit the whole ce up.

    ''I��I got lucky. But where did this cee from? I am sure I tried to lean on the wall, only to fall through it.''

    Elysia straightened her spine before she could fall down the flight of stairs that had exposed themselves due to the sudden lighting of the corridor.

    Her face pales considerably as soon as she realized what kind of danger she had just avoided unconsciously.

    "I g-got lucky. Now, to pull me back up."

    Her arms shook as she pulled herself back up but Elysia kept going at it. She wanted to not fall t on her face.

    Once she sessfully managed to pull herself back up. Elysia breathes a sigh of relief and took in the corridor she was in.

    It was a dark and gloomy ce. Even the light that illuminated the space seemed to give off a lonely feeling. If possible, Elysia did not want to venture deeper into the corridor but she had no choice.

    Now that she had discovered this corridor, it was her duty to see whaty at the end of it. That sinking feeling she got near Baron Pheros was rather prominent in this corridor which made Elysia believe that it had something to do with him.

    She walked down the corridor before stopping in front of the only gate avable to her. A coppery scene assaulted Elysia''s senses as soon as the door opened and a dark room appeared in front of her poor eyes.

    It was a scent Elysia was both familiar with and had a close encounter with before. It was the smell of blood that had gone stale.

    Somewhere in the room, someone was storing a considerable amount of blood. But where and how was the real question?

    This got answered rather quickly as Elysia''s foot hit the dark floor and almost sank into the cavity.

    Elysia''s poor eyesight made it impossible for her to be able to figure out where the cavity had been.

    ''I-I got saved by my reflexes.''

    Elysia was thankful for the fast bodily reaction that managed to save her in time but her foot still had a little stain of blood present on it.

    Thankfully, it did not seem to be infected blood or even poisonous. Elysia quickly picked up a vial she kept on her person at all times and scooped up a sample.

    Although the blood seemed ordinary to her, there had to be a reason it had been gathered like this here. Elysia would need to test out its properties.

    And she might also need to visit this ce again in the future. Which meant that she had to remember where this ce was.

    The sound of footsteps could be heard heading her way so Elysia quickly looked around for a ce to hide. But there seemed to not be many ces avable to her. The only ce Elysia could think of hiding was behind the huge bookshelf so that''s where she hid.

    Her body was smaller than an average female which had been a point of concern for Elysia most of her life but she was rather thankful for it right now.

    She did not dare use magic to hide just in case the blood on her body reacted to it and caused a problem.

    Her eyes could not pick out anyone in the dark but her ears did not have the same problem as that. Elysia had to strain herself a little but it made it possible for her to be able to hear the conversation that was taking ce in front of her.

    "How are the preparations doing? Are the dolls taking care of our guests alright?"

    Who else could be the speaker but Baron Pheros? Elysia wanted to say that she was shocked at this turn of events but it would be a lie to say so.

    "Of course. Everything had been prepared as you wanted it to be, my lord. The only unfortunate thing is that we lost a great helper today."

    The second voice sounded female for sure but it was not one Elysia recognized right away. But she was sure she would be able to recognize it if she heard it again.

    "Did we lose someone today? I did not even pay attention that much. So, do we need to get a recement?"

    Baron Pheros did not even seem to remember who had died which made Elysia mad. She had no sympathy for the maid but even she could understand how devastating it would have been to forget like that.

    ''Does this man have no sense of responsibility? How dare he y with people''s lives like that?''

    Elysia fumed as she tried to calm herself down. It was difficult but not impossible for her to do.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Still, it helped her convention to bring Lord Pheros down sooner.

    "My lord, you do not need to care about a measly maid when you are trying so hard to bring someone precious to you back. All you need to do is to follow the instructions and everything else will work out."

    Now, this was a new piece of information Elysia did not have before. ording to Lady Pheros''s testimony, Baron Pheros seemed to be doing this for himself and to extend his lifespan.

    But if what Elysia heard right now was the truth, then that meant that Baron Pheros had another target he wanted to bring back to life. And this target might be the main reason he was doing all this.

    ''Still, that does not give him the reason to kill people off as he pleases. I need to get him arrested as soon as possible.''

    But it was going to be next to impossible without evidence and it was not like Elysia could just march out of this room and bring an officer back here.

    She would need to get this man to self-destruct somehow. But it was going to be tougher than Elysia expected.

    And to pull all this off, Elysia needed to first get out of this space and into a condition where she could contact people outside of the Pheros castle.

    Knowing Baron Pheros, he might have cut off all external connections to the outside world already. It was not impossible to do and Elysia would rather be safe than be sorry for underestimating the man.

    "I understand. I cannot tell you how grateful for all the sacrifices you made for my sake. I will surelypensate you greatly once I achieve my goal."

    Elysia felt shocked as soon as she realized that Baron Pheros''s voice did sound grateful. It was a foreign tone and it did not suit him.

    But he still spoke like that to the person standing with him.

    "Oh, by the way, what should we do with Lady Dirac and herpany? Lady Dirac''s magic is potent and perfect for our usage. I checked it out already but I did not get to check the other two. Even then, the new ''God''s Envoy'' was a little different. I could not check his magic level at all."

    ''Of course, you could not. Enma had no magic to speak of.''

    But of course, this was not something Baron Pheros knew. If he did then he would have crossed out Enma from his lists of potential candidates a long time ago.

    "Is that so? Then, I will check him out. But what should we do about the mole in our ranks? We have been trying to catch the worm for ages now but he somehow managed to escape us every time."

    "Let him be. If that mole had not done anything this far despite us giving him opportunities to do so, then that just means that we don''t need to fear him. Instead, we should focus our energy on more urgent tasks."

    Baron Pheros''s voice was clear and strong. He believed in his words but Elysia could feel the doubt in his partner''s voice.

    She wanted to see more but Elysia did not feel safe leaving her hiding spot.

    And it was for good reasons as well. She had a feeling that someone was looking right in her direction and it made Elysia tense up.

    "Let the hounds out in these corridors for protection tonight and every other night until we manage to make use of our guests. We cannot allow the secrets of this ce to be exposed. Anyone who finds out about this ce needed to die, be the friend or enemy."

    Elysia wanted to be surprised but she was just shocked at the in voice she hearding out of Baron Pheros''s mouth. He spoke about murder like he was speaking about the weather.

    He left the room and Elysia knew that it was her window of opportunity to leave as well. Facing the hounds did not seem like a fun thing to do.

    Especially when she had a restriction on her magic.

    Elysia could not afford to destroy this castle even in self-defense because it would expose her location. It was a double-edged sword that Elysia was going to have trouble with.

    ''I can do it. I can make it back without being discovered.''

    Elysia repeated those words inside her mind as she exited the room��

    ��and came face to face with the very hound she had been trying to avoid running into.

    And what was worse? The hound didn''t even take a second to start chasing after her. Its huge jaw could break Elysia clean into two and it dented the floor.

    ''Well, fuck it. I need to get away somehow.''

    Elysia could not use attack and offensive magic but that did not mean she was suddenly useless. She had a n and Elysia knew what to do.

 Chapter 95 95: The Corridor Of Secrets [Pt2]

    The hound gave chase as soon as it smelled Elysia''s scent. The darkness made it difficult for her defective eyes to be able to see properly but Elysia could guess what kind of hound was following after her - the bloodhound.

    They were particrly vicious and annoying to deal with. Thre only way to kill them off was with fire but Elysia was in no condition to do that right now.

    After all, how could she even risk starting a fire in a closed-off space such as a corridor? It would be like telling the world that she was here.

    ''So annoying to deal with. How should I get out of this now? I need to distract these hounds somehow.''

    Thankfully, it was not as difficult as Elysia was making it out to be. She had a vile of blood on her person for such asions. She had learned from her previous hunting mistakes and was now in a habit of carrying a few of these cases.

    She quickly broke off one of them and threw it toward the other corridor.

    As expected, the bloodhound chose to go toward the vile''s way and not chase after Elysia. But if she even got the barest of cuts then it would be over for her.

    Just as Elysia was sure she had managed to escape, it happened. Someone sprang out of the shadows and managed to catch hold of her arm and pull her.

    The hand felt tiny and weak but the grip on her arm was surprisingly hard and fierce. Elysia had half a mind to pull her arm back and eliminate the person who chased after her but she did not.

    "Shhhh, don''t make any unnecessary noise. We will help you get out of here because Mr. Fairy said that we can help you out.", "But you need to be quiet and obedient for that."

    Elysia was sure she had heard those voices before. But what were these twins doing all the way here in this dangerous corridor? Did they not realize what kind of situation they were in?

    Or, had someone put these kids up to this situation? They had mentioned a ''Mr. Fairy'' but it could very well be an alias.

    "What are you both-"

    "Shhhh,e after us quickly. Those bad dogs are almost here and they will kill us if they find us."

    Elysia felt like she had no other choice but to follow after Susan and Mars. These kids had appeared out of nowhere in this dangerous corridor so Elysia could not leave them alone

    They were in much more danger than she was and Elysia was the adult here. She could not abandon kids to their own devices right now.

    The kids led her through a secret passageway directly outside into the back garden which was abandoned. It was suspicious how well these kids were able to lead her around.

    "We''re here. Mr. Fairy said he would meet us here once we lead you out. I am sure you will like him as well.", "Yeah, he is super nice to us and he also takes care of us when our mother is not there to take care of us. He is super cool too."

    The twins were singing praises for their ''Mr. Fairy'' and it made Elysia more and more curious about what kind of person this man was. He would have to be super close to the Pheros family to gain ess to the kids and the castle.

    ''Maybe Mr. Fairy is an informant? Or a spy? Or maybe I am getting too ahead of myself again.''

    Elysia sighed as she finally stopped walking. She watched the kids look around for their friend and her thoughts strayed to the pool of blood in that secret corridor.

    Now that she knew that the blood pool was there and ready for use, she could no longer ignore it. The temple needed to know about this malpractice before it evolved into something bigger.

    Baron Pheros seemed to have no intention for that blood pool beyond harvesting eternal life but it could not be said about everyone else involved in this operation.

    ''If this blood pool managed to get in the hands of a destructive force then they can use it to ce a really powerful curse over the empire. This situation just got a lot moreplicated.''

    Elysia had not been thinking right before but now that she had time to think, it did seem like the right idea to let the others know as well.

    Both the Dirac house and the Pheros household would take a massive hit in their reputation due to this but it did not sit right with Elysia to keep this to herself.

    "I better send a letter to Lucas as well. He should know what I am about to do."

    "What are you about to do? I find myself curious as I stare more and more at your beautiful face. What secrets are you hiding, I wonder?"

    Elysia tried not to jump up scared as she heard that voice whisper in her ear. She turned around and held her magic at ready to attack.

    She would defend herself now that she was out of the danger zone��

    ��or so was the n before her eyes fell on the familiar orange eyes and ck hair. The man looked harmless at the first nce but there was something achingly familiar about him.

    ''No, it''s not him but his aura. It''s repulsive and dangerous like mine. He might be simr to me in that regard.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Regret and loneliness, this was what Elysia felt when she looked at the ck-haired man. He might be smiling right now but there was something defeated about the air around him.

    "Why did you ask these kids to help me out? How did you even know where I was in the first ce?"

    Elysia needed answers from this man. No matter how much he seemed to be like her, Elysia still could not afford to let her guard down.

    The man seemed not to be offended by her questions either. Instead, he had a soft smile on his face that told Elysia that he liked being questioned.

    "Mr. Fairy showed up one day near the forest.", "Right, he saved our lives and took us back home.", "Mr. Fairy is a good person."

    The kids frowned at Elysia''s questions, their eyes filled with a protective light as they tried to block their ''Mr. Fairy'' with their tiny arms. It was an adorable scene, if not for one major fact - Elysia still did not have any idea who this ''Mr. Fairy'' was.

    Surely his real name was not Mr. Fairy and he had given his alias out on purpose to not let his real name be known.

    "Is there something on my face, Lady Dirac? I am sure I am not that good-looking to be stared at all the time. I heard that I have nothing on your fiance''s beauty."

    Elysia knew that she should feel offended at the jab but even she could tell that it was unintentional on the man''s part.

    His words had been teasing but they had not been malicious in the least. It was the effect of his aura that made him seem this way.

    "I think you are mistaken about some facts, Mr. Fairy. I do not care about your appearance but I do care about an unknown man breaking into Lady Pheros''s house and sneaking around at night. As for my fiance. Did you not hear the news?"

    The man looked taken aback at the crude words Elysia spoke to him. His face was tinted red in embarrassment at being called out like that but he sobered up quickly.

    "I see��.What about the engagement? News travels slowly in these parts. Ah, I am sorry if I offended you just now. People often tell me that I should watch my words because I speak without thinking."

    The offending part was not likely because of this man''s words but the effect of that strange aura around him. Even Elysia felt like she should be offended but she was not.

    Naturally, there was no need for her to answer the man any further but she still decided to do so anyway.

    "I am not offended by your words. People say the same thing about me so I guess I understand what kind of situation you are in. as for my engagement, I guess this is why it did not work out in the end."

    Elysia knew that her words and her aura were not the prime reason for her break-up with Adam. even if Adam said he ''loved'' Elysia, he was meant to be with someone else in the end.

    It was just how fate worked in the end. It was foolish for Elysia to me anyone for things they could not control.

    "*I see, so it is true. So your engagement broke off. How unfortunate* A-Anyway, you are not offended by my words? That��.but why?"

    The first part was not meant to be heard by Elysia but she ended up hearing that anyway.

    The man did not sound sorry for Elysia at all. In fact, he sounded a little relieved and even d at hearing her words before he changed his tone and the flow of the conversation.

    Elysia knew that he did it on purpose but she allowed him to do that anyway.

    "What is there to me? I know you asked the question out of curiosity and nothing else. I answered because I wanted to as well. That is it. Now, you should tell me what you are doing here and how you got here before I report you to Baron Pheros."

    The man paled at Elysia''s threat. His eyes trembled as he begged to be spared with his eyes.

    But Elysia did not bulge even a little bit. No matter how cute this man was, he would not be able to get away after breaking such a huge rule.

    "I��I mean I��.Look there, a hound."

    Elysia knew it was foolish of her to look away but she had to take the risk. And as expected, she was fooled by that call.

    She quickly turned back to catch the man but he was gone already. He had somehow managed to get away in a matter of seconds without alerting Elysia.

    "Did you see where he went to?"

    Elysia asked the kids who looked back at her with amused smiles but shook their heads. They were on ''Mr. Fairy''s'' side after all.

 Chapter 96 96: Restless Night

    Somewhere inside the mansion Baron Pheros smiled as he thought about the day he would gain the world. He had done a lot for this day toe and he had made countless sacrifices to find a way to immortality.

    He had even let that ''witch'' near his beloved treasure and had risked losing everything just for a glimpse of attention and fulfilling his goal.

    Many people might think that he wanted to gain immortality for the sake of living forever but that could not be further away from the truth.

    In reality, Baron Pheros did not seek immortality but a resurrection to bring his most important person back. He wanted to revive the only human to have shown him kindness, his stepmother.

    His stepmother had been a person of a low birth his father had brought in when Baron Pheros''s mother had died. He had still been young and had not understood why people had not liked the gentledy.

    His new mother had been a youngss of around 18 years old then. It had been a disgraceful marriage and had left Baron Pheros awe-struck by his stepmother''s beauty.

    He had fallen hard for that face and that gentle smile that said that everything would be alright. Baron Pheros had ended up giving in to his desire around the age of fourteen and that had gotten his stepmother killed.

    Because Baron Pheros was thest Baron''s blood-rted son, he had gotten away untouched because these people needed a sacrifice to keep their family line going.

    None of the family branch wanted to inherit the curse of the Baron''s house but they wanted to reap the benefits. So they had pushed the ''stupid kid'' to take on the burden. Once he was dead, his kids would take on the burden, and so on.

    That had been their n all along and Baron Pheros had followed along without showing his true colors. He needed his extended family to befortable before he started snapping away at them.

    It had not taken long for them to arrange a noblewoman as his consort and he had taken her in. He had tried loving her but nothing had filled in the hole he had inside him.

    The person he wanted was dead and her body was being preserved by Baron Pheros with the help of a magic spell.

    The poor woman who had been his first wife had tried hard to love him as well but he had not made it easy.

    In the end, she lost her life during an experiment and her life added a few years to Baron Pheros''s life span.

    It had also been the time when the magician from Akatsuki had arrived. Their neighboring kingdom was famous for magicians and extremely dangerous magic so it did not surprise Lord Baron when he had been caught.

    He had been prepared to be turned in and serve his sentence when the magician had made an offer to him. The magician wanted to study the effects of magic and the blood pool. He also said that Lord Baron could resurrect the dead if he did as was being told to him.

    Lord Baron had been skeptical at first but he had nothing left to lose anyway.

    So he followed as the magician had said and created a blood pool. At the same time, his wives and staff members began going missing one by one. They were adding to the blood pool and their bodies were being upied by shadow puppets.

    In the end, no one knew what was happening around the Baron''s mansion and no one would until his mother makes aeback.

    But by then, both Baron Pheros and his mother would be immortal and no one would be able to tear them apart.

    ______________________________

    Sleep was hard toe by that night for Elysia. She kept on remembering the owner of those orange eyes. They held a sadness to them that was heart-wrenching and Elysia found herself unconsciously thinking back about them.

    Was that how she looked to people around her? Most of them would not have cared too much but it did make sense why both Adam and Eve had focused on her back them.

    Maybe their love had been born out of sympathy for her pathetic self rather than it being a genuine feeling?

    Elysia wanted to talk to them and clear things out but she also felt afraid to do so. The other two had bared themselves to her and she had run away from them. Elysia was sure that they would be angry at her.

    ''Just a little more time. I am sure I will be ready to face them in time for the hunting festival.''

    Elysia was not sure if she wanted to face her fears so soon but the time was running out for her.

    And just like that, the night passed away but Elysia did not look any more well-rested than before. If anything, the dark circles under her eyes were even more prominent than before.

    She used magic to erase them for now but that did not stop one from seeing how tired she was.

    "Elysia, have you woken up? Isn''t it too early?"

    Sorias knocked at her door as soon as Elysia was done getting ready. He seemed to have woken up only seconds ago and was still yawning.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia felt envious of his ability to have such a full-filling sleep when she was out here worrying about herself. But then she felt bad about thinking like that.

    It was not Sorias''s fault that Elysia had such a hard time sleeping yesterday night. It was all ''Mr. Fairy''s'' fault.

    Elysia would show him how things were done once she met him again in the future. And she was sure that they would meet again.

    She had a feeling that the other man had recognized the simrity between them and he would be curious to know more as well.

    If nothing else, Elysia would use her magic to track the man down for no other reason than to satisfy her curiosity. She was sure her brother would be interested in that man and his circumstances as well.

    "G-Good morning. How did the both of you sleep? I slept fine, really well. Thank you for asking."

    Elysia turned around, only to find someone who had an even worse night than her. Enma had dark circles and his face was pale as well.

    Theck of sleep was making his body sway a little and he was barely managing to walk straight as it was. His body was even shivering due to theck of sleep and it made Elysia feel bad for him.

    the poor kid seemed to be going through something and it was hitting him hard. She hoped to help him but she had her problems to face.

    "I see that you did not have a good sleep yesterday night. Did something keep you up?"

    Sorias sounded amused as he asked Enma this question. Elysia had a feeling that he was enjoying teasing Enma more than he let on.

    And Elysia could kind of see why Sorias had a nice time teasing Enma like this. Enma gave the most amusing reactions to his words, his face going red at the provocation but he did not have enough energy to retaliate back.

    "Fuck you. I will speak back to you once I am a little more alert. For now, I really want food to stuff my face with. I am so hungry."

    Now that Enma had said that, Elysia felt hungry as well. Yesterday night had been a rollercoaster of emotions and activities. How Elysia''s hunger had gone unnoticed until now was a mystery to even her.

    Enma''s stomach growled at the right time and the kid went red before he excused himself to go and freshen up.

    It was only once he was gone did Sorias turn toward Elysia and his eyes turned serious.

    "You went out yesterday night, right? Did you happen to find something of value?"

    Sorias sounded serious when he asked that and Elysia blurted out most of what happened. For some reason, she kept the presence of that ''Mr. Fairy'' a secret from Sorias and even she was not sure why she did that.

    But she wanted that man to be a secret that only belonged to her and no one else. Elysia had never felt possessive over a person''s presence like this and she did not like it one bit.

    "I see a blood pool. It is a much bigger problem than we first thought. Have to written to Lucas yet? You should just be safe and he will make a report for us."

    Elysia did not argue with Sorias on this topic. She knew that she would have to inform Lucas about what was going on down here sooner orter. And the sooner she did, the better.

    She had already send her report to the temple so she was covered on that topic.

    Just as Elysia was about to make ament, the door to their room was knocked and then opened without any warning. A maid entered the room and bowed to show her courtesy. But her actions were anything but courteous.

    "Baron Pheros had invited Lady Dirac and herpany for breakfast. Kindly let me know when the Lady will be ready. Baron Pheros would also like to know the Lady''s preferences beforehand for next preparation."

    Elysia was ready to head down but Enma was still taking a bath and freshening up. She did not want to leave the kid in this mansion alone. Not after what all she had seen in here already.

    It was not safe for the kid to have to go through everything on his own.

    "I will be down shortly. You can take your time and arrange what you want to. Also, we are not picky about food so anything you make will be good for us."

    Elysia quickly dismissed the maid as she felt those sharp eyes on her. These maids were beginning to give her the child and she could not even imagine what they liked in their Baron.

    "They all have blind loyalty for the Baron. Such fools they are."

    They were but Elysia was sure they had their reasons for doing so as well.

 Chapter 97 97: So We Meet Again [Pt1]

    ''Fuck it all. Why do I have to be stuck in here with such a tense atmosphere? I feel like I will choke.''

    Enma''s innerment went unnoticed by everyone else around him. The maids put food on his te but the neon green of that food shade made something in his stomach churn and threaten toe back up.

    "I hope that the food is to your liking. I know my staff worked hard to prepare it for you."

    Baron Pheros''s sugar-sweet voice reached Enma''s ear and he almost gagged at the tone. He had to swallow down his words to not say anything triggering.

    He looked toward hispanions, only to notice that they had stopped eating. In fact, Elysia was the only one who was trying to swallow the food. Sorias had not even touched it.

    On the other hand, Lord Baron was enjoying his meal. He even reached out to take a second serving of the food which only served to make Enma even sicker.

    How was he even digesting all that food and where was it going? Even Elysia was beginning to look a little green in the face and she was someone who rarely showed her emotions on her face.

    "The food is...something. Although I cannot say that it is to my taste, I can tell that the cooks have tried their best to pour their love into this dish."

    How Elysia managed to speak those words about this repulsive food was anyone''s guess.

    "More like, cook this dish with poison. I can swear I saw my spoon melt a little while I was testing this food out."

    Enma''s skin broke out into a sweat as he heard Sorias speak like that. Sorias''s words caused Lord Baron''s beady eyes to turn toward him and humm.

    "Excuse me, but did you say something youngd? I didn''t quite catch what you said."

    Baron Pheros repeated his words slowly which caused Sorias to swallow his words and not say anything in return. The amount of willpower it took to make this happen was enormous but he somehow held his words in his mouth.

    Meanwhile, Elysia knew she had to change the subject right now. And she had a perfect way to do so as well.

    "Baron Pheros, I noticed that Lady Pheros and the kids are not eating breakfast with us. Did anything else happen yesterday night?"

    As Elysia expected, the focus shifted toward her question and Sorias was let go. Her familiar gave Elysia a thankful look but he did not seem to be regretting what he had said.

    "s, my wife and kids are not feeling that well this morning so I allowed them to sleep in. Please don''t mind their behavior and enjoy yourself to your heart''s content."

    Baron Pheros sounded more annoyed than sorry about his circumstances and Elysia made a point to visit Lady Pheros as soon as she could. She had a feeling that the otherdy would need her help.

    "I see. So that''s what happened. In that case, I should pay a visit to Lady Pheros as soon as I can to take a look at her condition. I am no doctor but I did spend some time in the temple so I might be able to help her out."

    Elysia was just making up excuses at this point. She had zero points of recovery magic and even the remedies she prepared were useless in most cases. All she was doing right now was buying time for herself and Lady Pheros.

    Baron Pheros looked like he was not going to agree with her suggestion but he did agree in the end.

    "Alright. I can allow you to visit my wife and I am sure she would like yourpany as well. Emily, take our guests to my wife as soon as they are done eating."

    The maid bowed toward Baron Pheros before her beady eyes looked Elysia up and down. The feeling of being judged by those eyes was so prominent that Elysia did not even feel a need to hide.

    "I understand. I will also inform the madam that she will havepany today."

    The maid, Emily, spoke before she disappeared behind the dining room wall. It almost seemed as if she had melted into the shadows and Elysia forced her head away from the interesting scene.

    She could not seem to be too interested in the servants of this ce or she would be caught.

    But she did wonder if the man she had met yesterday was a servant as well. He was peculiar like a servant but he did not give off the feeling of having worked under someone before.

    Elysia forced her food away from her te and dposed it using magic as soon as Baron Pheros''s eyes were not looking at her. She could not force herself to swallow that green blob that had been ced in front of her.

    Forget about it being ''healthy'', it did not look safe for consumption. Elysia had a taste earlier and she had almost given up on her taste buds forever.

    After breakfast, the maid leads them through the unfamiliar corridor and toward a separate tower. There she knocked on the door and opened it without getting any answer.

    ''Wow, so no one in this ce waits for the reply from the other side before opening the door. They are all rude.''

    Elysia made this observation while flinching at the loud noise the door made as it was forced open.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Lady Pheros sat on the bed in the middle of the room, her eyes lost in thoughts before she realized that she had a visitor and straightened her pose.

    "Lady Pheros, you have visitors today. I will take young lords to their lessons right now while you entertain these guests. It is Baron Pheros''s orders."

    Lady Pheros looked like she wanted to say something but she snapped her mouth close the very next second.

    Elysia could read her expression that said ''help me'' and Elysia feltpelled to help her out.

    "Excuse me, but can I trouble you to bring the kids, Susan and Mars here as well? I am sure they can afford to miss their sses for one day and I want to spend time with them as well."

    The maid, Emily looked like she was not going to agree initially but then her expression changed and she nodded.

    "Of course. Master has permitted so I will bring the young masters here as soon as I can."

    Lady Pheros''s relieved expression was beyond grateful at this point. She almost broke out into a sob as soon as the maid was gone.

    "Oh thank god you came here to visit me today. I was so afraid after what happened yesterday to that maid that it was even difficult for me to sleep. Hey, do you think it was my husband who caused that maid to die? She used to be his favorite but he did not seem to be appreciating herpanytely."

    Lady Pheros was having a mental breakdown which made Elysia feel sorry for her.

    "I am sure it had nothing to do with Baron Pheros and was only circumstantial. You do not need to fear for your life."

    Elysia assured thedy who looked to be in pain. But her eyes were still gentle as she took in Elysia''s appearance.

    Her eyes had tears building up in them and Elysia was afraid that they would fall any second now. She would not be able to take a weepingdy and soothe her. It was not her forte.

    "I��.was afraid for you. I was so afraid that my husband somehow caught up to what we were doing and targeted you. I felt sick thinking about this possibility that I even had trouble sleeping."

    Lady Pheros did seem like she had trouble sleepingst night. Her eyes had dark circles and her skin looked pale.

    Elysia felt touched by the feelings she felt from Lady Pheros. They might be originating from the guilt she felt about cing Elysia in such a situation but they were strong enough to even make her lose sleep.

    To be the objective of someone''s strong feelings like this was ttering for Elysia. She had never felt like this before and that feeling of longing made her feel bad.

    Maybe she was not too far off from being a viiness with these feelings and demands.

    "You are thinking too much. Baron Pheros is too interested in my well-being right now to kill me. However, I did discover something in your home yesterday night which you should know about. Also, I think you should take your kids and get away from this ce for some time. Go back to your parent''s home or something."

    Elysia issued the warning to Lady Pheros who seemed to have gone pale at hearing those words. Her eyes trembled as she tried to hide her emotions.

    "I-Is the issue really that big that you need me to go away? W-Will it affects Susan and Mars as well?"

    Lady Pheros''s concern for her children was touching and it made Elysia that much more determined to take care of her.

    "The issue is not that big but I don''t want you all to be caught up in it if it did blow up in the future. The more you limit yourself, the better it will be for you."

    In the end, Lady Pheros trusted Elysia and chose to go back to her parent''s house. The kids did protest but they were convinced easily enough.

    However, they did Elysia a knowing re which she ignored. Even their eyes were trying to tell her something but Elysia was not getting it.

    Her brain was lost in thoughts while walking back toward the main castle when she felt someone take hold of her arm and pull her into the ally she did not even know this pce had.

    Her body felt cramped as it was forced to lean against the wall and a stronger body was pressed against her in that narrow ce.

    Elysia was going to fry the person who dared touch her like this when her magic red out at seeing those familiar orange looking back at her.

    "Hello, did you miss me?"

    It was the man from yesterday.

 Chapter 98 98: So We Meet Again [Pt2]

    "Hello, did you miss me?"

    The orange-eyed man grinned at Elysia''s surprised expression, his eyes shining with satisfaction at seeing his prey freeze at his actions.

    His face looked rather proud at having been able to take his target by surprise but Elysia was not going to have it.

    Unknown to the man, her fight and flight instincts were quite sharp and the man never saw that kick aiming for his leg. As a result, he managed to lose his footing and fall on his ass.

    But that was not the end of his humiliation. The man was forced to look at Elysia''s eyes as she pointed a polearm in front of his neck.

    "H-Hey, put that thing away, please. I am sure we can talk our differences out and -" the sharp end of the spear was dug deeper into his neck.

    One wrong move would be enough to get his neck served forever and he would bleed out even before he could get any help.

    Unless this man was a master-level healer, he won''t be able to survive such an attack.

    Truthfully speaking, this man could be a healer who was hiding his colors, making Elysia''s threat useless against him. But the panic he was showing plus the aura around him made Elysia think of him being a healer as unlikely.

    "Stop messing around. Tell me what you want from me before I decide to end your life. Oh, and a warning. Even if I let you go, my familiar is not that forgiving so make sure your words are not nonsense."

    Those orange eyes shined at the word ''familiar'' but the man did not make any demands of Elysia.

    "I-I fell for my Lady''s beauty. I swear I had no other intentions behind approaching you, My Lady."

    What he did end up saying was utter bullshit and Elysia was not going to have any of it. If this man thought of Elysia as a sheltered blushing virgin then he was wrong.

    To prove her point of not believing that man, Elysia''s spear dug even deeper into that fragile neck in front of her and a line of red broke the surface.

    The man was bleeding now and Elysia was sure his wound would also take some time to heal.

    It made the man go pale and he put his hands up in a ''surrender'' position.

    "Alright, I admit that I had intentions when I approached you. I knew you were rted to Lord Dirac and I wanted him to take action on my behalf. This man has been causing all kinds of inconveniences for our people so I want him out of my hair."

    The flirty expression was wiped off from that young face and a hardened warrior stood in its ce.

    Those dark and gloomy orange eyes were finally visible to Elysia in all their glory and looked simr to her even more now.

    "Are you someone from one of the local viges? Is that why you decided to take action on your own?"

    Elysia decided to get the basic actions out of the way first. The more she looked into this situation, the worse it seemed to be.

    The initial intel said nothing about external ces being affected by Baron Pheros but it kind of made sense.

    The amount of blood that could be safely harvested from a human body was minuscule. Even if Baron Pheros killed off every servant in this mansion, it would still not be enough to create a blood pool of the size Elysia saw in that corridor.

    However, it would make sense if the man was taking humans from outside as well. It also made sense why this man would head out secretly to investigate the Baron like this.

    "Local, huh? I am not a local but this situation does concern me. Since I could not investigate this situation myself, I decided to get help from those kids. People tend to underestimate kids and speak in front of them without thinking."

    It was true. Elysia had deployed the same strategy of using her charms as a kid to get many missions done.

    People often did not realize how much a kid could hear and get away. And they were also easy to gain the trust of.

    As much as Elysia hasted this method of work, it was surprisingly effective in the long run.

    "I would appreciate it if you did not use those kids any longer to carry out dangerous missions in here. If you need someone to look around in there then use me instead. I am sure I will be much more useful to you."

    The kids were great but Elysia had a clear advantage over them. She had strong magic at her disposal so the chances of her being in danger were much lower (not that it had protected her this far)

    The ck-haired man looked taken aback at Elysia''s offer. She could see his lips opening and closing as if trying to make sense of what he heard right then.

    "You want me to use you instead of those kids? Are you out of your mind? Why would you offer such a thing to a stranger like me?"

    The man had a point when he said that. There was no need for Elysia to use him to get her way but she had made a promise to help Lady Pheros and her kids.

    She could not allow those kids to put themselves in danger for no apparent reason.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I am not asking you to trust me. Nor am I going to trust you. It''s a mutually beneficial rtionship where we both benefit from it. I have a feeling that it would bear fruits for us."

    "Fine. I will agree to this contract since you managed to convenience me. But I still cannot see what kind of benefit this arrangement contains for you. I just feel like I am taking advantage of you by doing this."

    The man had a suffering look on his face but he did agree in the end to this condition. Elysia could see the gears in his brain turning.

    He extended his hand out toward Elysia which she took. She expected her hand to be shaken but the man turned her arm around to expose her arm''s lower side instead.

    "Don''t get startled. I am just pouting a ruin on your arm that will allow us tomunicate easier with each other. We should keep in constant contact now that we are cooperating."

    The rudeness of that action had startled Elysia at first but she had to agree with that man now that he had exined himself.

    And on that note, Elysia still had no idea who that man was. She should rectify that much at least.

    That had been Elysia''s intention but the ck-haired man was already leaving the scene.

    "Hey wait a minute. At least tell me your name so that I know whom I am talking to. I cannot keep on calling you ''hey'' all the time."

    The man almost miss-stepped and fell at Elysia''s random yelling. She could see the annoyance filling up his eyes but then they softened as they looked back at her.

    "Find out yourself, partner."

    The man gave a salute before he was gone. Elysia was left looking after his disappearing image before she huffed and turned around as well.

    ''Fine, don''t tell me now. It''s not like I am interested in you or anything.''

    With that, Elysia left the scene as well. Neither she nor the orange-eyed man noticed the figure hiding in the garden.

    Or did they notice that their conversation had been heard by someone?

    And that was how Enma managed to avoid another near-death by hiding away. And another mystery was added to his never-ending questions about this world.

    All he had wanted to do was to have a nice day. It had already been ruined by that horrible breakfast and then Elysia had gone missing which had set Sorias off.

    Enma had agreed on going to look for Elysia himself to avoid Sorias''s angry mood but he had never expected to run into a coboration between the two viins of this novel world.

    And he was more than sure that the ck-haired man he had seen had been Chrome Akatsuki, the prince of the neighboring empire.

    The story had changed so much but his circumstances seemed to not have changed at all. His orange eyes still looked as if they had been cursed recently and there was no light in them.

    ''Let''s not think about it for now. I do not need to get involved in any of this mess as it is not my ce.''

    This was Enma''s motto now and he would abide by it until the end. He wanted to get away but as soon as he walked out of his hiding spot, he felt a pair of eyes looking back at him.

    "You knew who that man with Elysia was, right? Give me the name and I will dispose of him right here and now. I won''t allow anyone to put Elysia in danger."

    It was Sorias who seemed to have seen everything as well. And he had rightfully guessed that the ck-haired man was dangerous.

    ''But I cannot allow Prince Chrome to die like this. It would take away any chance of the story progressing naturally."

    This was Enma''s biggest concern. He still needed Prince Chrome to start the event that happened during the hunting festival that would cause the main pair of this world to be close and that was the beast release incident.

    "Sora, Enma, since when were you both here? Ah, sorry that I disappeared all of a sudden. Something came up so I had to take care of it."

    ''Don''t say that. Sorias saw that man so you better confess.''

    This was what Enma wanted to say but he controlled his mouth. The man sitting at his side was already pissed off, he did not want to give him any more room to get angry.

    But contrary to Enma''s beliefs, Sorias did not blow up on Elysia. Instead, he took in a deep breath and took out an invitation from god knows where.

    "We got a reply from the royal pce. They will be sending the next saintess candidate and the Crown Prince to investigate this incident. They will arrive here tomorrow."

    ''Oh finally, things were going on track.'' That was all Enma could think about. But he did not know why he had a bad feeling about the future.

 Chapter 99 99: Before They Come [Pt1]

    "M-Master, what is wrong? Do you want me to kill those intruders for you? Or do you want me to order a special service for you?"

    Baron Pheros felt his head hurt as the shell of his maid showed him concern. It was all artificially created by him, these maids being long dead for the blood pool.

    Now even looking at them filled the Baron with disgust but he allowed his body to be pulled into the maids''p for now. He was too tired to deal with everything right now.

    The letter that made the Baron flip was lying innocently in front of him on the table as if it had done nothing wrong.

    But it had managed to change the Baron''s life in a single move. It told the Baron that he could no longer afford to sit back and rx as he had been until now.

    "Call that stupid guest we have been housing for some time now. I want to discuss something with her. And make sure nothing reached Lady Dirac''s ears or I will kill you all."

    The maid didn''t even finch at the threat he gave her. She was incapable of reacting now that she was dead. The concept of pain did not even matter to her anymore.

    "Understood. I will go and ask the priest to meet you as soon as possible."

    "Not soon, but now. If he wants to carry out his research then he better show up right now."

    Baron Pheros yelled back toward his maid''s back but she did not show any indication that she had heard him out. In the end, Baron Pheros has left alone in the room with his letter in hand.

    The small piece of paper that had managed to change his mood bore the royal seal of the temple and the royal family, informing Baron Pheros of a surprised inspection of his home andnd.

    Why this was happening all of a sudden, even he had no idea but he knew that the presence of that blood pool would be impossible to hide from the temple.

    Not only that, they had even agreed to send the Saintess candidate and the Crown Prince respectively to represent their fractions. And if they managed to find something then he would be royally screwed.

    He needed to carry out his ns as soon as possible and that meant using Lady Dirac''s magic to activate the blood pool. She was the only one who could do that anyway.

    "Why do you look so scared? You should learn to rx and take better care of your health. Look at your skin, how dry has it gotten?"

    The priest entered the room with her usual air of mystery. But Baron Pheros was not in a mood to tolerate it anyway. He wanted to get a solution to his problem, not add to it by this female''s silly words.

    "Here, check things out for yourself and then tell me if I have a problem or not. I cannot believe that those central bastards are trying to do this right now when we are so close to our goals."

    Baron Pheros could not understand where the sudden interest in hisnds and his home came from. The central had never pushed hisnds for inspection before today.

    It was like everyone was suddenly made aware that he existed and that was putting him under extreme stress.

    "Well, that had to be expected after Lady Dirac arrived here yesterday. Everyone knows that the temple doesn''t trust her actions. So maybe they are trying to catch her off guard and we just got caught up in the way?"

    That was possible. Even Baron Pheros had heard the rumors of the temple not having a good rtionship with Elysia Dirac. As a result, they tend to keep an eye on her often enough.

    And her visit to Baron Pheros''s home was suspicious enough to cause people to look at them.

    "What should we do now? We cannot let this situation stand as it is. We need to make sure we are not caught."

    Baron Pheros had heard the rumors about what happened to people who used forbidden arts and he had no intention of witnessing the same fate as them.

    He would rather kill himself to join his beloved than being caught red-handed.

    "Calm down for now. You said that we still had time until the arrival, right? Then why don''t we make an even bigger mess of things to distract those people? This way we will get time to pan things out."

    "And how do we do that? I am sure you have a n if you managed toe up with this much nning."

    Baron Pheros asked with a suspicious voice. He had known the priest for some time and he knew that she did not speak empty words when she promised something.

    As her current smile assured Baron Pheros that she had a n brewing inside that mind of hers and it was something he was going to like.

    "Well, how about we make Elysia Dirac disappear and distract these people that way? I am sure that they will be much more concerned to see what she is up to pay any attention to us."

    Surprisingly enough, this n was not as bad as it sounded at the first hearing. If the rumors turned out to be true, then he could pin the me on everything on Elysia Dirac before he used her.

    And if not, then the disappearance of a noble would cause a big enough rush for people to not pay him any attention. It was a n that kept on giving until the very end.

    There was only one problem with this n.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "What should we do about her familiar? I am not sure we will be able to separate them from each other very easily."

    Baron Pheros had tried to make the three go their separate ways but nothing had worked. He could not even use seduction on those two brats because they were just too young to fall for such a trick.

    And they also seemed to have no interest in any of the childish things children their age seemed to have. He was in a bind about what to do now.

    "You should leave them to me and focus on Elysia Dirac. Capturing her is the most essential thing right now."

    As much as Baron Pheros did not want to trust this priest, she was his only ally and had stayed with him through all the difficult situations he had faced in his life. He had no other choice but to trust her words.

    "Fine, I will leave them to you. But remember, we are both in it together. If I get caught then you will not escape unscathed as well."

    Baron Pheros was making a threat against the female but she only smiled back at his words. She did not look concerned at all, just amused.

    "Of course. Then, I hope you have a pleasant day today."

    The priest left soon after that with her happy smile while Baron Pheros was left behind to think his option over. There was little he could do to save himself after he was caught but maybe he could negotiate with Lord Dirac if he had his sister''s body.

    ''Fuck it. This bitch is turning out to be more trouble than she is worth."

    ___________________________

    Elysia sneezed as she ate the food that had beenid in front of her. It had gone cold long ago but the vor was something Elysia could still appreciate.

    Especially after the disaster that had been served for breakfast, Elysia found it easy to devour this food.

    "Is the food that good? I was not sure if you would like my cooking or not. My kids neverined about it but I just thought that it was because they were good kids."

    Lady Pheros looked much better now. Herplexion was finally back to its right color and her eyes were shining as well.

    Even the food she had cooked had been full of vor and juicy. It was melting inside Elysia''s mouth. (Or maybe she was just hungry after everything that had happened)

    "The food is really good."

    "So true. It is 100 times much better than what they served for breakfast. I thought I would barf if I had to eat that food again."

    Both Sorias and Enma were full of praises for the food as well and Lady Pheros finally cracked a smile at their genuine enjoyment.

    "Oh, thank you. I am so d you like my food."

    She did look thankful for the people who were enjoying her food but this calmness was notst for long.

    The door to the pce was forced open and a panicked soldier entered the room.

    "W-We need help. Y-Young masters were abducted from the garden by unknown assassins and we don''t know how to chase after them. T-There were two of them and they went into separate directions."

    Both Elysia and Sorias jumped to their feet, their eyes wide in understanding. It was notmon for noble children to be kidnapped for ransom.

    The only one who looked pained was Enma. Lady Pheros on the other hand had gone into shock and her body copsed after hearing the news.

    "Enma, look after Lady Pheros. I and Sora will give chase and see what these people want from the kids. Sora, you go after the right one, I will chase after the other one."

    Sorias looked like he wanted toin about these arrangements but then thought better of that. He could always finish his work quickly and then join Elysia.

    And she had magic at her disposal as well which made things even for her. There was no need for him to worry.

    "Alright, but be careful out there. I have a bad feeling about this chase."

    "I will be careful. You should be careful as well."

    Sorias nodded before he took off after the assassins. He easily caught up to the assassin but the man had no kid with him. That assassin had been marked by the soldiers of the Pheros estate.

    So either both the kids were with the other assassin or they had been lied to.

 Chapter 100 100: Before They Come [Pt2]

    Elysia followed after the assassin without much thinking. Her body was moving on its own, following the familiar moment of the figure she was chasing.

    It was thanks to the magic amulet that the assassin was being tacked at all. His arms looked light and he doesn''t seem to be carrying anything of interest.

    But Elysia knew better than to underestimate the man. She hurried after the ck-d assassin, her eyes trained on the lean body.

    Lightning cracked in her hand as Elysia let her magic flow. The assassin managed to dodge and Elysia had to cancel her spell to not injure the ordinary people down there.

    She was currently chasing after the assassin while running on top of the roofs and her feet were having a hard time maintaining her grip on those rooftops.

    It almost felt like someone had cast magic on the tiles to ensure that Elysia''s feet does not stick to the rooftop.

    ''Ugh, so annoying. How is the assassin managing to flee away so fast? It''s not like he has any assistance.''

    Elysia was annoyed at her circumstances but there was nothing much she could do but follow behind the assassin.

    The assassin turned to look at her for just a second and that was enough for Elysia to realize that something was wrong. The assassin was far too rxed for someone who was being chased for a crime.

    ''Oh no, it''s a trap and I fell into it.''

    The realization came toote and Elysia was a goner by that time. She did not see the spelling her way, nor did she feel it making any contact with her body.

    But she did remember the feeling of wind in her hair as they were ruffled by it and Elysia''s bnce was lost.

    A pair of soft arms caught her and Elysia remembered the magic taking over her consciousness.

    "Go to sleep, the one forsaken by this world. By the time you wake up tomorrow, the deed would be done and you would be one of us. Then you brother would have no choice to either forsake you as well or protect us all."

    The one who was speaking sounded far too calm for Elysia''s nerves. She did not sound how Elysa thought an evil person would sound. Nor did she feel particrly ''evil'' to her.

    Actually, the person who had caught Elysia did not feel like anything. She was a nk canvas in the stream of other feelings.

    Her presence created a hole in the magic surrounding her and yet the female remained unharmed.

    "W-Who��What are you? Are you even human?"

    Elysia managed to ask that question before she lost consciousness. She had no idea if she managed to get an answer or not from the figure before she was out like the light.

    People stopped even breathing as they watched a high-born noble fall from the roof and be caught by a questionable person the very next second.

    Thedy had appeared out of the air and attempted a daring rescue.

    "E-Excuse me, but shouldn''t we take that person to the hospital? I mean, she could be quite hurt."

    Someone from the crowd called out. The eyes of the savior were hidden behind shadows that made it impossible to see what they were thinking about but the female still felt herself take a step back.

    "You will forget about everything you just saw. Nothing happened here."

    A translucent mist apanied those words and the vige people''s eyes went dazed. When they came around after some time, no one knew why they had gathered in the vicinity.

    No one remembered a thing that had happened and Elysia''s existence was forgotten by that vige.

    In the meantime, the priestess who had saved Elysia stood still in the shadows to make sure nothing had gone wrong. Once she was assured that nothing had gone wrong, she picked Elysia up and took a step into the portal made up of shadows.

    And with that, she was gone and she had also managed to kidnap Elysia sessfully.

    As for the assassin? He dissolved into the shadows as well. That person had never truly existed and now he was back to his original form - the shadows.

    __________________________

    When Elysia woke up next, she was in a dark room with no source of light. A coppery smell reached her nose and it took her a second to realize that it was blood she was smelling.

    And it was blood in huge amounts that were even covering her body. The liquid she had been thrown in was tinted red and it made her body hurt just by touching it.

    Elysia struggled to get out of the binds that had been forced on her body but it seemed next to impossible in her condition.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    She could neither feel her magic nor her body''s strength to help her out.

    "Resistance is futile. I not only managed to seal off your magic but also managed to trap you in the sacrificial array. The more you try to struggle, the more magic you will feed it."

    Aurora stopped struggling, her face looking up at that voice only to see the familiar face of that priest grinning back at her.

    The other female was sitting on the heels of her feet. That made her face even-leveled with Aurora''s who was submerged in the blood pool.

    "Where am I? Why am I here?"

    Aurora had an inking of why she was here but she wanted to confirm her feelings on this topic. It would not be good to jump to conclusions so soon.

    "You should know very well why you are here. You are the catalyst to starting our reaction. You see, we tried so hard to gather all the ingredients but we were still missing the main energy source."

    "Luckily, you managed toe to us as if it was your destiny to help us out. Now we are going to use you for your intended purpose."

    Aurora frowned at the exnation, not liking it one bit. Why has she considered a sacrifice against her own will?

    And had been her destiny then Aurora was sure she would have seen it in a vision way before today.

    The priest was more than likely delusional and was on her way to justify her immoral actions with the talk of ''destiny.''

    "What''s wrong? Why do you look like you do not believe me when I said that it is your destiny to help us out? After all, we are both deemed as ''viins'' by this world so why should we help keep it safe? You should thank me for providing you with an opportunity to take revenge on it."

    Elysia''s blood went cold when she heard the first part. But the more she heard, the more she calmed down.

    This priest seemed to not know what she was talking about. Her talk was more akin to a mad person barking than a person who knew something.

    "Release me. You will not gain anything by trying to take revenge on this world. Neither you nor I needed to try hard to fit into the role that was ''given'' to us. We are our people who can make our own decisions."

    Aurora felt sympathy for the priest. She seemed to be in a bad situation as Elysia herself. But unlike Elysia, she seemed to have given up already on her destiny.

    The priestughed out loud at Elysia''s words, her face twisted into a joyful smile.

    "You are as foolish as you are pretty. Do you think that your destiny is something you can run away from? Both you nor I do not have a choice in this matter. You will realize just how helpless it feels to go against destiny soon. Look, even your body had begun to betray you."

    The priest''s words rang true as Elysia felt a burning sensation in her heart spreading all over her body.

    She was heating up and her magic was seeping out of her a little at a time to mix with the blood pool.

    It was an unconscious action that Elysia was not even aware of but it was happening so fast that it made her afraid. It still flowed out even when Elysia tried to close the lid of her magic.

    "See, you can no longer control yourself. It was always in your nature to be evil and your magic knows it. That''s why it is trying hard to take over your senses to make you do what you should have a long time ago."

    Elysia struggled to unhand herself but it was seemingly impossible. Her magic was holding her hostage and not allowing Elysia to do what she wanted to do.

    For the first time in her life, Elysia experienced what helplessness was like and she did not like it a bit. She wanted to gain freedom but her body refused to grant this to her.

    ''Someone, save me. I don''t care who you are, just save me.''

    Elysia prayed in her mind as her body began to sink into the blood pool. She no longer had any energy to keep her head up and her eyes closed as a result of herck of energy as well.

    "Enjoy yourst few moments as a human. Once you wake up you will no longer be a part of this living world."

    The priest sounded far too happy as she said that and Elysia''s body sank even further into the blood pool.

    She tried onest time to reach out to the priest but it was futile. The otherdy refused to help her out.

    However, Elysia did watch the priest copse just as her head went under the blood pool, and the shadow that had struck the priest ran toward her. Elysia''s hand was the only thing visible in the pool by the end as that new person tried to reach for her.

    But even that seemed to be futile as Elysia''s hand escaped that grip inches away and no one could see her anymore.

    Elysia would either die here or her magic would be dissolved into the blood pool and be a part of it. Both options sucked but they were the only ones she had.

 Chapter 101 101: Where Is She? [Pt1]

    Elysia''s body felt heavy as it sank into the tar-like blood. Her eyes were covered with blood as well and she had a feeling that her end was near.

    And just then someone''s hand dove in after her and caught her arm in a tight grip. The warmth of that hand felt soforting around Elysia that she allowed herself to be dragged out.

    A single yank was all it took to drag Elysia''s light body out of the blood pool and she took in a huge gulp of air to clear her lungs. Once that was done, Elysia felt her sight go back to normal.

    And by that, she meant that it was functional enough to get by for now.

    Her eyes picked up the shade of ck and orange in front of her but they were swimming around still.

    "Just what kind of luck have you got to be caught in such an experiment? If not for me then you would have been killed by now."

    It was the mysterious orange-eyed man she had met before. The one who had given her the mark formunication.

    His voice sounded worried as he looked Elysia right in the eye. But Elysia was in no condition to reply to his concerns.

    She still tried to open her mouth but no words came out of them. The near-death experience made Elysia lose her voice in the process.

    "Don''t force yourself to speak if you don''t have to. Your throat needs some time to recover. I''m guessing that your magic is incapable of healing, right?"

    Elysia agreed as she closed her mouth. She was thankful to not be asked to speak.

    "Let''s get out of here for now. I saw the royal carriage pull into the driveway so I am sure they will take care of you. But you will be in trouble if you are caught in here."

    The man was talking about things Elysia had no brainpower toprehend but she just nodded along to his words.

    But the words - royal carriage did drive home the situation in Elysia''s mind. It was likely that both Adam and Eve were heard already.

    And if that was the case then Elysia could leave everything to them and rx in the meantime. That very thought made her muscles rx and her eyes closed.

    "Hey, don''t fall asleep. We don''t know how that magic in that blood pool will affect you. For all we know, you might not wake up again if you fell asleep now."

    Elysia felt a pinch at her side that woke her up instantly. It did not make her fatigue go away but it did make her feel like she could stay awake for longer.

    There was the sound of footsteps in the hallway but they did not sound like they were human. They were far too heavy and dyed to be human footsteps.

    "Shit. Looks like the hounds are here. Listen, you wait around here for someone to find you while I will do my best to distract those hounds away."

    Elysia was surprised to hear those selfless words. The more she watched this man, the more that ''evil'' aura around him did not make sense.

    Just how in the world was this man supposed to be a viin? And how was he able to make such dangerous decisions so easily?

    Even Elysia would have hesitated to put herself in danger but this man seemed to have no hesitation.

    Elysia''s body moved on its own as it reached out to hold that man''s hand. It had been an impulsive decision and Elysia''s eyes went wide as soon as she realized what she did.

    Even that man looked taken aback by what had happened and he was likely waiting for Elysia to take her hand back.

    But that did not happen. Instead, Elysia tightened her hold on that hand to pull the man back. The concern must be showing in her eyes because that manughed it off with an easyugh.

    "Don''t give me that look. I am quite strong so I will be alright. You just focus on yourself and make sure you blow any monsters out if theye here. We will meet again soon real and at that time it will be official. Who knows, you might even get to know my name."

    Her savior pulled his arm out of Elysia''s grip quite easily. In the end, Elysia was not able to hold him back.

    The sound of footsteps rushed after that man and there was silence around her once again.

    And then after a matter of minutes, the doorhandle jerked again and Elysia braced herself and her magic for a full-out attack.

    "Elysia, don''t be surprised. Everything will be alright now."

    The familiar voice caused Elysia''s body to rx and the tension bled out of her body. It was Eve''s voice that spoke to her and the door opened to show her familiar face.

    Elysia finally felt safe again.

    __________________________

    "It has been some time since west saw Elysia, right? I hope she is doing alright. You are interested to see her as well, right?"

    Eve''s excited voice rang through the carriage and her sudden motion almost managed to topple the carriage over. Luckily, Adam managed to correct the weight bnce before the cart could go over.

    His annoyed expression snapped Eve back into her rightful mindscape and she gave a sheepish smile back to the Crown Prince.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Site down properly or we will both be in trouble. How did I get scammed intoing with you again?"

    "Because you wanted to see Elysia as well?"

    "Well yes but that was not what I was asking. I should have taken a separate carriage from you to get here. At least I would have been spared that way."

    Eve pouted at the unnecessary criticism she got but she held herints in her mind.

    They were all but pulling into the driveway of the Pheros mansion right now and the whole house hade out to greet them.

    Baron Pheros was the one who was leading his party and Eve could see his face breaking out into cold sweat at seeing them approach.

    This man was hiding something big and Eve wanted to know what it was. She had a bad feeling that it concerned Elysia and that made her feel agitated.

    "Wee to the Pheros mansion Crown Prince Adam, Saintess candidate Eve. We are pleased to wee you all here. Please follow along for now and someone will show you to your rooms."

    Baron Pheros made an exaggerated gesture to wee the pair into his home. But theck of anything in his voice made Eve frown.

    The man looked ''fake'' to her and Eve hated how he was behaving.

    Beside her, Eve felt Adam freeze as soon as he heard the man and a subtle grow was building up in his chest.

    Eve hurriedly ced her hand on his arm to soothe his aura using her magic. It was a rather waste of her powers but it was better than having an ident here.

    Especially when Aurora was stuck in here with that man as well.

    "Baron Pheros, thank you for inviting us here. But I heard that you have more guests with you here as well. Did they note out to greet us as well?"

    Eve wanted to believe that Elysia would not do that to them. Thest time they had seen each other was when they ended up having sex but it had been so good for Eve.

    She was sure that it had been good for Elysia as well but the other had not reached out to either of them after that.

    It was a shame but there was nothing Eve could do about it either but to wait around for now.

    "A-Ah, about that. There was a small emergency in the morning and our other guests are not avable at this moment-"

    Lady Pheros went pale at Baron Pheros'' side. Her eyes darted around, not being able to concentrate on anything but she had her luggage at her side.

    It seemed like she was prepared to leave and something told Eve that it was Elysia who asked her to do that.

    So whatever was happening here, Lady Pheros was not a part of it. It was nice to know.

    "You look like you are in a hurry, Lady Pheros. You should get going now."

    "A-Ah, yes. Thank you for your consideration and eptance. May you both have a good time here."

    Lady Pheros left in a hurry, the twins walking behind her. They gave Adam and Eve curious looks but they felt innocent as well.

    "They are not involved in this. They don''t have the smell of blood on their body. As for the Baron, he''s covered in the bloody scent and it is annoying for my nose."

    Adam admitted as he whispered it in Eve''s ear. Eve watched as the maids swooned at the gesture before they rightened themselves.

    It seemed as if they were also mistaken about the rtionship between herself and Adam. but Eve did not care enough to rify this misunderstanding now.

    "Let''s meet up with Elysia before we do anything else. I am sure she is missing us as well."

    Eve realized back before separating from Adam. She had not taken a single step inside the pce when they all felt a storm of magic approaching them.

    Both Adam and Eve instantly recognized the magic as Lord Sorias''s and he felt pissed off.

    Before they knew it, the beast was in his adult form and was holding Baron Pheros up by the cor of his shirt.

    "What did you take Elysia? If you tell me truthfully then I might be inclined to spare you. Otherwise, you will die here and now."

    Everyone looked taken aback at the sudden change in mood. No one had expected the usually calm beast to do something like that.

    But the one who looked the most fearful was Baron Pheros. He seemed to not only have lost his soul but also his ability to speak. Now standing between life and death, he could not help but curse his weakness.

    However, he refused to speak anything and time was ticking out slowly.

 Chapter 102 102: Where Is She? [Pt2]

    A lot of things happened at the same time. Soriasshed out with his fists, leaving a red imprint on Baron Pheros''s face. That startled everyone and caused everyone to realize that he was dead serious.

    But he was not the only one who acted out. Adam reached out to fist Baron Pheros''s shit from the back and yanked that man toward himself.

    Baron was a tall person, easily breaking the 6-foot even. He was taller than Adam, who was still in his growth period. But their positions made Baron pheros seem shorter than he appeared to be.

    Meanwhile, Eve managed to hold the servants back as they tried to rush toward Baron Pheros and the Crown Prince. Her powers managed to make a physical barrier between herself and the center party.

    Baron Pheros''s eyes were wide with fright and he looked ready to piss his pants off. It was a good look on his face but it was not going to stop Adam from demanding answers from him.

    "You know where Elysia is, right? I know it is your fault her link to me disappeared like that. Where did you take her? What did you do to her?"

    Sorias was not past his fury just yet. His sharp ss was out for the world to see and his temper was ring quite brightly. He looked like a demon ready to tear its victim apart.

    "I-I have no idea what you are talking about. Did something happen to Lady Dirac?"

    Eve had to give it to him. The man did sound a lot more innocent than he was. No one could tell that he was at fault just by looking at his face.

    But those pleas of innocence just served to make Sorias even angrier.

    "You mean to tell me that the assassin I chased after to get the kids back was not sent by you? But he had your magic signature and the soldier was sent by you. You threatened our wife to keep quiet as well, right? I saw your kids safe and sound when I came back."

    Sorias was inches away from ending this person''s life when he was stopped short by Eve. In fact, she was the only thing keeping him and Adam from killing Baron Pheros.

    Adam looked annoyed at being stopped by his subtle attempt at choking Baron Pheros. The man had started to turn blue without anyone noticing him.

    "Don''t kill him right now. We still need him to give us statements and records of what is happening here. Let''s hand Baron Pheros over to the royal guards while we look around for Elysia�C"

    Perhaps Baron Pheros had realized that he was fucked or maybe he had finally given up. But hisughter rang through the area and it started everyone.

    His face broke down into an insane smile and his body all but phased out of Adam''s grip.

    "You are toote. Unfortunately, you will never meet Lady Dirac again in this lifetime. Her body must have dissolved into the blood pool by now. I can feel strong magic taking shape around us."

    The wind was starting to pick up around the clearing. It was the earliest sign of a magic storm that was approaching. The air was cracking with magic and it was repelling everyone outwards.

    Someone was chanting a powerful spell with human catalysts fueling them and Eve very much doubted that Elysia was the handler.

    "It''s not Elysia who is responsible for this. I can feel her magic being dormant right now. Baron Pheros must have a helper with him."

    "You''re toote. Toote. She wille back and then we will be together."

    Baron Pheros looked beyond help now. He wasughing insanely and that freaked everyone around him out.

    But this new piece of informationplicated things. Not everyone could go to find Elysia now.

    "Let''s spilled up. Whosoever finds Elysia first should inform the others about it. Adam, you stay here tomand the royal knights."

    "But I can-"

    "I know you can help but you will end up destroying the pce if you go into a rage. Do you want to bury Elysia under all that rubble?"

    Eve could see it on Adam''s face. He wanted to deny her words and talk back to her but he had nothing to say in his defense. He had lost this argument even before it had started.

    "Fine, I will stay here. But you have half an hour to bring her out. Otherwise, I will head in there and save Elysia myself."

    Eve did not acknowledge Adam''s words but she did hear them.

    However, she was not going to give Adam any time to show up as Elysia''s knight in shining armor. That pleasure would go to Eve this time.

    She took off in a flutter to follow Elysia. Sorias followed in her step, his steps not even making a sound as they made contact with the ground.

    Adam watched them all go out, his expression turning even sourer at having to stay back.

    It was at times like these that he was reminded of his position and how it was a hindrance more than it helped him out.

    Why did he have to stay back just because he was the crown prince? He wanted to find Elysia as well and take her in his arms.

    "S-Sir, what should we do with the maids? They are resisting our arrest-"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Take them in by force then. Don''t forget that they are aplices and you will be held responsible if they managed to escape us."

    "Y-Yes, sir. I will see to it."

    This was the problem with these humans. They don''t see the bigger picture here and their insignificant noses could not even pick up the rotting smell from these maids.

    They were dead shells already being controlled by magic. But in these human''s eyes, they were no different from normal humans.

    "How troublesome. I should have argued more when Eve asked me to stay back. That woman is the bane of all my happiness and stress-free life."

    __________________________

    Eve hurried through the corridor as she followed after the only faint of un-corrupted magic that she could find.

    She could not confirm whether it was Elysia or not who used this magic but she still decided to follow it anyway.

    Her light magic was a nice counter to the bloodhounds on her way. These creatures had a weakness that Eve easily exploited as she ran further inside.

    There was a very strong odor of blood and decay in the air that made Eve take a step back but she stubbornly pushed forward anyway. She was not going to let a little thing like some smell keep her away from finding Elysia.

    Eve hurried through the corridors, her eyes trained on the trail of magic in front of her. Her steps were moving without her knowledge and then she arrived in front of the door where all that metallic smell was concentrated.

    And somehow she knew that Elysia was behind this door. If she wanted to get to Elysia, then she likely needed to neat this door down and enter the room.

    With that in mind, Eve tried to know the door down but it seemed to have been locked with magic.

    Seeing no other out, Eve decided to push the door open with all her might. She ran as far back as she could and rammed into the door at her full strength.

    Of course, she used magic to force her body and the door gave way under all that brute force.

    "Sess."

    Eve cried out but her joy turned into horror as soon as she saw the blood-soaked body of Elysia lying on the ground.

    She still had some consciousness left in her mind to be able to look Eve in the eye and smile at her. But that vibrant face went dull pretty soon and Elysia lost consciousness as soon as Eve reached her body.

    As for Eve, she was hesitant to even touch Elysia''s body. She did not want to cause any more harm to her, not to mention, she did not want the female to be hurt even more.

    But there was no other choice but to touch Elysia to check over her condition.

    Thankfully, the diagnostic spell revealed that Elysia was not hurt or bleeding which filled Eve with relief.

    But Elysia was cold and her magic seemed to have been sucked out of her. And behind her was the blood pool from the reports they had received.

    It was vibrant and the blood pool had treated gold mixed in it. Somehow Eve knew that it had activated some kind of spell and was about to go out of control.

    ''This ce is going to blow up. We need to get out of here.''

    Eve picked up Elysia''s bridal style and ran through the corridor. Behind her, the blood bubbled before it began to increase in volume and escape its container. It was following after Eve and Elysia.

    ''Just a little more and we will be finally safe. I can see the light outside already.''

    Eve wanted to curse her inability to use offensive spells. Such a thing would have been so useful for asions like these.

    But she never made it out because a ck-d figure stopped her in her steps. She had no presence, nor any indication of being on any side. And yet Eve''s instincts told her to be careful with this person.

    "Leave her here and run from this ce. Seal it as soon as you get out. Now that the blood had gotten a taste of this magic, it will chase after her no matter where she goes. This is the curse she had to bear for uncovering this secret."

    The voice was female and not from this nation. That was all Eve could pick up from this mysterious person before she felt the wind being knocked out of her body.

    She dropped Elysia in shock and instantly reached out for her.

    Only to find the ck-d person having picked up her friend instead. And she was walking away with Elysia without any worry.

    Eve threw a beam made up of light magic at this intruder but nothing happened. And she had a feeling that the ck-d person gave her a sad smile.

    "I am doing this for your good. People like Elysia Dirac cannot be allowed to live. The royal family should not have such connections and neither should a Saintess like you."

 Chapter 103 103: New Interests [Pt1]

    Eve felt a ring unlike she had ever felt before bubble up inside her body. She wanted to tear the ck-d assassin apart.

    This emotion was one she had never felt before and it scared her. Rage was something Eve was familiar with but never in herself.

    As someone with a vast amount of holy magic, these kinds of emotions were difficult for her to feel. And yet she was feeling rage.

    Rage not only at the person who was talking Elysia away from her but also at her helplessness at not being able to help her partner out.

    ''It''s all because I am a coward who refused to stain her hands with blood. I made excuses to myself that I cannot hurt anyone with light magic. I also spoke myself into limiting myself to healing magic because I was afraid of what my father would say. I am a coward in the end.''

    Eve''s thoughts were all over the ce but she finally acknowledged what she had feared for so long.

    It was not that the light magic could not be used offensively but that Eve had never even tried to learn it in such a manner.

    Elysia had liked her as a gentle person who was good at healing and that was the part Eve had cultivated.

    She had never wanted to show Elysia her darkness but in doing so had suppressed her talent and instincts.

    And the umtion of all that was facing Eve right in the face right now.

    ''I need power. Power to protect Elysia and take her home. Grant me that power right now. I don''t care that I have to stain my hands with blood or anything else. I just want to save her.''

    Eve healed herself as she made that wish.

    She remembered that a fortune teller had told Eve that she would get things if she asked for them and that she needed a little bit of greed in her body to reach her potential.

    Of course, her father had scoffed at that and asked Elysia to ignore that foolish man. In his words, the man had no idea what he was talking about.

    But that fortune teller had just smiled at the pair with a knowing smile and Eve had been sure that he knew about the darkness brewing inside her heart.

    That possessive and jealous feelings she had wanted to keep tucked in the depths of her heart were out for him to see.

    But he was not judging her. Instead, he was asking him to embrace those feelings and do what was needed.

    Eve had ignored that part of her for so long that it was difficult for her to evenpare what she was about to do.

    But she had no other choice if she wanted to save Elysia. She needed to use offensive magic and take care of this unknown person.

    ''I will ask for forgivenesster. For now, Elysia is the one who is most important to me.''

    Eve could feel the wind picking up speed around him. It was no longer a stagnant force but a full-flushed typhoon she was getting sucked into.

    Her magic was rising at a rapid speed and it was all raw and uncontrolled. But it still caressed Elysia''s skin gently.

    Even in her rabid state, she did not want to hurt Elysia. It was a testament to her love and devotion to others.

    The sudden st of magic took that ck-d priest off guard and the force sent her flying. She dropped Elysia right in time for Eve''s magic to secure her.

    Eve brought Elysia into her arms using magic as he eyes stared down the figure in front of her. She needed to get rid of this filth as soon as possible.

    "Fuck, you did it! You used offensive spells to hurt me despite being a part of that light fraction. And to think that ''he'' said that you cannot use offensive spells at all."

    Eve raised her hand and the magic followed her movement. Then, she turned her hand inside out and the magic rushed toward the ck-d priest.

    However, this person was not a noob either. Her knife managed to parry every wind de she sent that way.

    The priest was also managing to make her way toward Eve and Elysia slowly which could not be allowed.

    With a single burst of huge magic, Eve managed to serve the priest''s head off and feel the flood ticking down her arm.

    When she looked down, one of her hands had bitten into that neck and served it off. But Eve had not even felt herself do it.

    It was like she had zoned out and her body had been controlled by an external force.

    Most people would have found it disturbing and worth consideration but somehow Eve was not worried but relieved that she did not have to face the consequences.

    Elysia was beginning to stir in her arms and a wave of desire crashed into Eve as she watched those rosy lips trying their best to suppress a moan.

    She touched those lips with her finger and they instantly started sucking.

    The wetness around her finger and the gentle sucking motion made something warm tingle inside Eve''s belly and she felt herself lose control.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    She quickly knocked the door of a room open and then sued a spell to secure it close.

    She did remember Adam''s warning in the back of her mind but she no longer cared. It had been so long since she had been alone with Elysia and there was no way Eve was going to let it go just like that.

    Eve''s eyshes fluttered as if she was about to be fully awake any moment and Eve waited patiently for that to happen.

    As soon as Elysia was awake, however, all bets were off. Eve''s lips pressed against Elysia and her body covered the shorter one.

    Eve was beyond wet at this point and the proof of her desire was rubbing against Elysia''s wet pussy, making her body respond as well.

    Eve finally broke that kiss, her tongue licking across Eve''s lips in a desperate attempt to chase her taste. It made Eve frown but she did not push Elysia away.

    Instead, she pulled her closer but she still looked surprised.

    "E-Eve? Is everything alright?..... What is that blood on you?"

    Eve did not give Elysia any time to get answers as she pressed the other female harder into the floor. Her body was molded against Elysia''s in a flushed manner where it was difficult to tell where one begin and the other ended.

    There was nowhere for Elysia to run, or to even push Eve away.

    But instead of doing anything of that sort, Elysia pulled Eve closer to her body and connected her lips to the other female in an attempt to slow things down.

    But Eve was desperate as her lips ate Elysia out. Her tongue was battling against Elysia and Eve was dominating thispetition right now.

    All Eve could do was moan into herpanion''s mouth as she allowed herself to be devoured.

    Eve also made shallow thrusts against Elysia''s wetness, their cores rubbing against each other but their clothes were in the way. They were hiding Elysia''s perfect body from Eve''s eyes and her breasts looked quite tightly bound as well.

    One of Elysia''s hands slipped inside Eve''s shirt and fondled her breasts. Eve instantly leaned into her touch with a moan of appreciation and it fueled Eve even more.

    Her hand pinched and grabbed at the rosy nipples, her desire to lick them even more prominent.

    Eve brought one of the breasts close to her mouth to take a lick.

    The reaction was instant. Elysia''s body arched off the bed in an attempt to chase after that wet sensation on her nipple again. Eve licked here and there again to provide even more pleasure.

    It was a gorgeous disy to see Elysia lying on the ground, her face red and her body ready to receive more pleasure.

    It was a shame that Eve did not have any of her toys here to y with Elysia. It would have been nice to see her fucked off expression once she was done breaking her in.

    But for now, there were other things Eve could try to make Elysia lose her mind. She had her hands and mouth to make the other feel better.

    So she let go of that nipple finally and moved down the body toward that wetness she could feel rubbing against her own.

    "E-Eve, do you need help?"

    Eve''s heart swelled with love as she heard that hesitant voice. Elysia was beyond turned on now and she must be ufortable as well. But she was still prioritizing Eve above herself.

    And that could not be allowed.

    "No, I am alright. You should sit back tight and enjoy what I am about to do to you right now."

    Elysia did not take her words seriously enough and Eve ended up forcing her moans out as she licked and sucked against those thighs.

    She had not even started doing anything and Elysia was alreadying undone.

    "You have such a sensitive body. I wonder if I can make youe without even touching your pussy or clit. Hey, want to try and find out right now?"

    "T-That is not possible. Eve, we should go out right now. What if people are worried about you? We need to reassure them-"

    "I don''t care about anyone else right now. I have you where I wanted you for a long time now. Why would I care for anyone else right now?"

    Elysia blushed a bright red at hearing that. She knew that it was the heat of the moment the speech Eve was making and that she did not mean it like that.

    But it was still nice to hear about being desired.

    And then that feeling turned into pleasure as Eve gripped her thighs tightly. It hurt but the more Elysia focused on it, the more pleasure she felt. And it seemed as if her interests had not gone unnoticed either.

 Chapter 104 104: New Interests [Pt2]

    It stroked Eve''s ego to know that Elysia was beyond wet for her. It was something that Eve had wanted to do for some time now but she had never let her self-control go enough to make a clear move on the elder.

    But it seemed as if it was finally time to fulfill her desire. Eve looked too cute beneath her body, her face flushed and her chest heaving at the effort it took to breathe.

    Elysia''s attempt to get away was pushing her chest even more on disy and her full breasts were rubbing against Eve''s.

    "I wish I had a mirror here to show you how beautiful you look in this moment. All flushed up and red-faced. You are like my desiree true."

    Eve continued to speak those soft words even as her lower body kept on rubbing against Elysia. She could feel the stimtion getting her closer and closer to a release.

    And from Elysia''s face, it seemed as if she was not far away either. Her mouth was open in a silent scream but nothing came out of it.

    All there could be was silence and nothing else. Elysia was too overwhelmed to even speak right now. It was a matter of pride for Eve and she smiled a gentle smile at her partner.

    "D-Don''t think we are done just yet. We are just getting started. I will make you feel so much better."

    Eve picked up Elysia''s unresponsive legs and raised them. This allowed their cores to meet more properly and the connection was that much more intimate.

    Their wet cores were rubbing against each other and the pleasure was peaking now. Eve could no longer hold herself back from leaning in and kissing Elysia.

    She had to taste those lips and know how much different Elysia tasted in these times of passion.

    "I-I am close��."

    Elysia panted, her eyes close and her chest red at the effort it took to say it all. Elysia wanted to hide her face in her hands but she was not given a chance.

    As if recognizing her intentions, Eve caught Elysia''s wrist in her hand and kissed her hard. Her tongue was licking around Elysia''s mouth until she was granted ess.

    It was total one-sided domination on Eve''s part. Elysia did not even put up a fight against her. It was all likely due to the suppressed personality Elysia had toward Eve.

    She had always been a little restrictive and submissive when it came to her. And this time seemed to be no exception.

    However, this time things were different as well. Instead of being totally submissive and lying there like a doll, Elysia was responding to Eve''s passion.

    The first touch of Elysia''s tongue on her own felt electrifying to Eve. it made her shiver and her toes curled up as she responded with the same passion.

    She could not believe that something like this had happened. Elysia was taking initiative to get closer to her on her vition.

    It fueled Eve and her kisses became even harsher. Elysia tried to push back but Eve refused to let her go.

    In the end, it was not until the pair ran out of oxygen that Elysia was let go of.

    "S-Stop being a bully. You are enjoying this too much."

    Elysiained, her energy all sucked out of her body. Even just lying there was tiring for her now and her magic seemed to be exhausting.

    However, it was far from enough for Eve. Her true nature had been suppressed for too long and it seemed as if nothing could hold it back now.

    She carved Elysia like a drug, she wanted to possess the other female and she did not care what she had to do to achieve this goal.

    "You areining only because you don''t know how sexy you look right now. I am so d I am the only one who gets to see this side of you."

    Eve was d. d that Adam did not get to see this side of Elysia for now. She wanted to lock Elysia so that this side of hers was for Eve''s eyes alone. It was only the fear of being hated by Elysia that kept her cardinal desires at bay.

    She did not want to give Elysia any reason to hate or despise her. And that was why she backed off when Elysia gave her a disapproving smile.

    But then as if sensing her sorrow, Elysia''s eyes lit up and she pulled Eve into a filthy kiss. This was the first time Elysia had taken the initiative to close the gap and it took Eve by surprise. She was so surprised in fact that she did not know where to even put her hands.

    As a result, they stood there rather awkwardly at her side. Her brain had stopped working as soon as Elysia had started mapping her mouth out.

    ''Is this a dream? If so, then I don''t want to wake up at all.''

    Eve pressed her lips against Elysia harder, her desire taking shape and her brain reminding her that she needed to do something and not stand still there.

    However, it was far too short of a kiss and by the time Eve realized what was going on, Elysia had already pulled back.

    "I like Eve just like she is so she doesn''t need to suppress herself or her emotions. I can take a little aggressiveness if it is Eve or Adam who is responsible for it. But for now, we cannot stay here for long. I am sure people are looking for us."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Eve was stunned. She wanted to pull Elysia closer and have her way with the older one right now.

    But then she heard the second part of the sentence and she groaned. It had been such a perfect opportunity for Elysia to go more and to press for more but the moment was already gone.

    Not to mention, the door to this room had been banging for some time now and it finally gave way under that brute force.

    And who else could it be but Adam to ruin their moments? He had a pinched expression on his face, likely not happy to be excluded from this bonding moment the female pair had gone through.

    Eve wanted to stick her tongue out and tease the crown prince for getting some alone time with Elysia but she did not.

    Mainly because Elysia had gone quiet already and now her face was beyond red. There was an awkward stutter in her voice as she tried to bow in her position.

    "C-Crown Prince��"

    "Don''t be like that Elysia. I don''t want you to be awkward with me. Just call me by my name."

    Adam''s happy expression turned sour in an instant and Eve gave him a triumphant smile in return.

    Elysia was trying to draw boundaries with him while she had not done so with Eve. It was a sess in her book.

    She got a hateful re and a sour look directed toward her face when her eyes met Adam''s but Eve pretended not to see that. If she did not see that then she did not need to help him out.

    Adam finally turned his look toward the root of all his problems instead.

    "Everyone, search this whole ce upside down and make sure you seal it up once you are done. And make sure to record all the evidence so that we can make a case."

    Anyone could see the Crown Prince''s desire to get things done already so no one dyed their tasks.

    Everything was happening so fast that Elysia was unable to keep up. Nor did her body have much strength left in it. She closed her eyes and fell asleep before she knew it.

    The next time she woke up, she was in a carriage with both Adam and Eve. her head was lying in Eve''sp while Adam had given up his seat to sit on the floor and rest his head on her stomach.

    It was afortable fit despite theck of space and it made Elysia feel safe and tingly in her stomach.

    Now that she paid attention, there was a weird sensation near her thighs that felt vaguely like a hand and it was too near her initiative area.

    Adam''s eyes met hers when she looked down and the mischievous smile on his face seemed to be spelling doom for Elysia.

    Someone was massaging her lower lips rather boldly and Elysia did not have enough face to speak up and draw attention to what Adam was doing.

    "A-Adam, what are you doing?"

    In the end, she could not hold herself back when that rough finger came too close to her opening and almost dipped in. it also made her realize that there was ack of undergarments on her body.

    Even her dress had been pushed down to show her breasts at full disy.

    Anyone looking inside the carriage would get a show of her body.

    "What I am doing? I am taking my fill of what I could not before because I was held back. But since we cannot go the whole way in this tiny carriage, I settled on the next best thing there is."

    Adam sounded as if he was pained to admit it. His hand even moved faster and that rough finger finally managed to breach Elysia''s body. The suddenness of that action surprised Elysia enough to make her tense up.

    And she could also feel her body leaking fluids. She was still sensitive from her time with Eve.

    Speaking of Eve, she was here as well but Elysia was unable to look her in the eye or anywhere else.

    Since Eve was sitting rather docile and not touching Elysia, it felt embarrassing for her to even be in herpany.

    Elysia looked up to see Eve biting her lips and holding back her desire. It seemed like she wanted to touch as well but did not want to overwhelm Elysia any more than she already had.

    "Eve��"

    "Don''t worry, I will hold back for now. I don''t want you to break."

    As if Elysia would break with a little touching. But she did not like Eve holding back either. So she pulled the other female into a kiss and for the first time, she took the initiative to make others participate.

 Chapter 105 105: New Interests [Pt3]

    "Pay attention to me. I was the one who got neglected before when you both had your ytime. I wantpensation."

    Elysia tried holding back her voice as sharp teeth bit into her thigh. Those teeth were going to leave a mark on her body for sure but thankfully it will be in a ce no one will be able to see.

    However, Adam was far from done after making that. That sucking motion on her wound felt weird and it hurt as well. But Elysia''s body also felt pleasure mixed in with pain.

    Maybe it was something Elysia enjoyed or maybe it was because Adam was the one who was doing this to her, but Elysia''s moans were not being contained.

    The only thing that was keeping them from spilling out loud was Eve''s fingers that were in her mouth. Elysia did her best to suck on them to distract her but Adam was not letting her forget his existence.

    His finger was poking at Elysia''s wetness, almost breaching her core in a single motion. Her not wearing panties made ess to her core easy.

    "Here, keep this up. I want to taste you properly."

    Elysia did not have to ask what Adam meant when he handed her a part of her skirt. Her bottom half was bare for the world to see and Elysia was beyond red.

    She tried to force her skirt down but Adam''s head refused to budge.

    And then she forgot all about it when his tongue made a wet sweep across her core. It was divine and made electricity run through Elysia''s spine.

    Her back arched off the cabin chair and she saw stars.

    "If you cannot focus, thene here. I will help you keep your focus for now."

    Eve bargained as she held Elysia''s face straight before kissing her full on the lips. Her tongue once again yed tango with Elysia''s.

    It was a dual assault from both sides and Elysia''s resistance was breaking. She could not even remember why she had been against all this in the first ce.

    Now all she could feel was a pleasure and more pleasure.

    "This is good. But this is not enough. Elysia, can I enter you? I promise not to go deep this time. I just cannot hold myself back."

    Adam''s pleading voice did it for Elysia. She could not hold her release from hitting her.

    Eve''s smile was evident against her lips as she smiled and finally pulled back. She gave Adam a superior look before turning Elysia''s dazed face toward him.

    "I am sure Elyais won''t mind even if you decided to fuck her deep. I mean, look at her. She looks too far gone now. Come here and take her."

    Eve''s fingers spread Elysia''s pussy. Somehow, it was stretched enough after being eaten out two times and ready to take a hard cock in.

    Elysia''s brain was not working properly, to pleasure ridden to be able to think. Otherwise, she would have protested knowing what kind of ce this was.

    However, since she was turned on and her body was sensitive, she unconsciously reached out toward Adam.

    And that was what broke Adam''s resolve. Before anyone knew it, Adam thrust inside Elysia''s body with an impatient thrust, and Elysia''s head was knocked back further into Eve''sp.

    That rocking motion made all three of them moan out loud. But Elysia seemed to be the only one who felt it much more than usual.

    "It''s too f-full. I feel weird."

    Despite saying that, Elysia''s hips were moving to pull that cock deeper into her body. It was carving for fiction toe again.

    She could have sworn that she had not been that greedy before but now it seemed like her body was carving for human touch.

    "Ely, think you can suck me again? I am too turned on by seeing you get fucked that I am leaking."

    Elysia could feel wetness beneath her head which was suspicious. Eve''sp was soaked and it was an impossible task to turn around.

    The gasp that Elysia gave when she felt Adam turn her around on his hard cock was something and it drove the next thrust in her body even deeper.

    That huge cock was knocking at ces it should not.

    "I feel like I cane so deep in your body that it neveres out. You will forever be able to feel me in here."

    Adam''s hot hand on Elysia''s stomach was hot. It almost felt like he could touch his cock inside Elysia''s body.

    "Don''t lose your focus. Come, suck me and make me feel better as well."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Eve took this opportunity to pull Elysia closer to her own body. She wanted to take Elysia away fully but she did not wish for Elysia to be deprived of this pleasure either.

    In the end, Elysia was like a rag doll, fucked from both sides and her body was enjoying this experience.

    Her pussy tightened around that hard cock inside her as she felt Adam spill inside her body. At the same time, Eve also came in her mouth and Elysia felt her mouth being cupped and then kissed.

    She had no other choice but to swallow whatever she had in her mouth.

    When she was let go, she did not even have enough strength to keep herself up. Both of her sides were wet with questionable fluids.

    "Shit, you came in? I need to stop any idents from happening." Eve did not sound happy when she turned Elysia around.

    Her hand rested on Elysia''s stomach and a soft light came out of it. Elysia''s body rxed into that light and allowed herself to fall unconscious.

    It felt perfect but something also felt wrong with her body. There was a feeling of loneliness and displeasure that surrounded her and Elysia felt her mind being lost in that haze.

    She unconsciously felt herself responding to Adam''s low growl with a sound of her own that sounded inhuman.

    Eve looked startled before she increased the intensity of her powers and Elysia fell asleep.

    Once she did, the other pair enhanced meaningful nces until Adam turned his head away.

    "What was that? Elysia looked like she was projecting a protective feeling over a possible pregnancy. Those were not normal human behavioral patterns."

    The only reason Eve knew this was because she had seen a lot of pregnancies in her time and had helped out many people.

    As such, she could easily see the abnormality in Elysia''s behavior and it worried her a lot.

    Was this something dangerous that needed to be taken care of? What could Eve do to help Elysia out?

    Adam just looked in embarrassed as soon as Elysia pointed it out. It made Eve feel like this was something that was not supposed to happen and was unintentional.

    "Out with it. You know what this is about, right?"

    Eve asked and Adam turned his head away again. He did know what this was about but he felt too shy to say it.

    In the end, he gave in to Eve and told her the truth.

    "She was likely being influenced by my pheromones. Dragon mates are fiercely protective of any cubs they might have in the future because they are too precious and too few. Elysia was just exhibiting normal mated behavior."

    Adam did not look at Eve when he said that. His face was not only red but too flushed to be able to look anyone in the eye.

    Eve''s eyes twitch at the shy voice she heard from her friend but she did not say anything to embarrass him further.

    In reality, she was jealous. Jealous of how Adam was able to influence Elysia''s body and state of mind like that when Eve had nothing to hold on to.

    It was unfair but this was just how things were. Elysia would have to adjust in her own time and make sure she did not cause a problem for herself by being jealous of Elysia''s bond with Adam.

    "Anyway, we need to find a way to clean this ce up before we reach Dirac estate. I have a feeling that Lord Dirac will grill us both alive if we showed up with an unconscious Elysia on our hands."

    Eve''s words caused Adam to shudder as he considered the feeling of doom he was feeling.

    Lord Dirac was a fierce opponent and even Adam was not sure he would be able to survive that fury if it was directed toward him.

    All he would be able to do would be to pray that he survived to see Elysia another day.

    "Hey, do you think we should leave Elysia in front of the mansion door and go away quietly? Surely we will be able to survive that way?"

    Adam offered, trying to find a way to save his skin.

    For a second Eve looked like she would agree with him and he had hope. But then she shook her head and Adam knew they could not run away.

    "It''s better to face the music now and get it over with. We have a lot of eyes on us right now so I doubt Lord Dirac would do anything drastic."

    Adam gave in but the feeling of fear in his heart did not lessen at all.

 Chapter 106 106: The Aftermath Of The Investigation

    It was a tense silence where no one spoke anything.

    Mostly because both Adam and Eve were doing their best to avoid Lord Dirac''s eyes as he red them down. Elysia was lying in front of them unconscious and her body was a little too pale.

    There was also an unnatural flush on her face and somehow the pair had a feeling that lord Dirac knew exactly what had happened to her body.

    "You both better start exining what happened back there to make my sister like this. Otherwise, you both will not be allowed to see Elysia again."

    The pair flinched at the threat, not wanting to be separated from Elysia right now. Adam found it especially difficult to let go of his newly mated person as his instincts roared at him to defend her.

    But he forced that feeling down as he faced Lord Dirac heads-on.

    Or well, he attempted to but one look was enough to force his head down again and make him look ashamed.

    "I-It was the result of a curse and we were just helping her out. I swear that nothing else happened. Well, maybe things did happen but we did not do anything to harm Elysia in any way."

    Eve quickly exined, even correcting her lie as soon as she realized that Lord Dirac was not going to sit back and take it like a fool.

    That re that was simr to Elysia''s forced Eve to quickly change her tone and speak as if she was not at fault here.

    She had resolved herself to ask Lord Dirac for his blessing to be with Elysia but it seemed to be more and more difficult to do by the second.

    Even the strong-willed Adam had fallen quite behind her which was a first.

    "A curse, huh? But I am sure a curse did not give Elysia this many marks on her body. Now, you both bettere out and speak the truth before I am forced to take drastic measures."

    In the end, both Eve and Adam carved and told Lord Dirac the truth. As much as Eve wanted to hide the crude parts of what happened, her mouth spilled everything as she began speaking.

    In the end, she could not even see Lord Dirac''s expression once she finished. Everything had gotten quiet and serene.

    "You both, get out of here right now. You knew you were not supposed to touch a noble like that until marriage, right? What would happen once Elysia wants to marry now? No one would ept her-"

    "She''s mine. She''s my fiance and she''ll be my wife. I will ept her no matter what happens."

    Adam broke into that conversation before Lord Dirac was finished speaking. He sounded convinced and pissed off that someone had dared to speak against his marriage with Elysia.

    Eve knew that he was sensitive when it came to this topic and he also had a big fight with his father over this topic.

    That was the only reason the royal family had not been able to announce the other engagement news that had been prepared for some time. It was all because Adam refused to cooperate with them over this issue.

    "You might think that she''s yours but that is not the case in other''s eyes. Besides, Elysia is a human being, not an object. Unless you fix that habit of yours, you are not allowed to be here."

    Adam looked like he would protest against that order but Eve ced a calming hand on his shoulder.

    As much as she hated to admit it, Lord Dirac had a big influence over Elysia''s actions right now. And if he told her to do something, Eve was sure Elysia would do it in a heartbeat.

    Even breaking contact with Adam and her, for the time being, was not entirely off the table for her.

    "Adam, you go for now. I will inform you-"

    "You need to go out as well. For now, stay away from here and do not approach Elysia unless you both have rightened your temperament toward her situation. You both might be free to do what you want to but that is not the case for Elysia. I hope you understand what I mean."

    The thing was, Eve did know what Lord Dirac was talking about.

    If this news of them three being in a rtionship got out then Elysia would be the one to me. The public had an unfair opinion of their rtionship which Eve had never bothered correcting before.

    And this thing which had never been a problem before was suddenly appearing to be a problem now.

    "I am not leaving Elysia alone right now. She needs our support-"

    "What she does need is some peace for now. We also need to do a lot of damage control and strengthen the border line so that our neighboring country does not attempt to attack us right now."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Neither the crown prince nor the Saintess candidate has any time to waste here."

    Eve flinched at those words because they were true. They were too busy to be taking personal time off like this.

    Even if it was for friends and family, the public would not understand.

    "Also, I heard that the royal family of our neighboring country was invited to the next seasonal hunt. You both should focus on that for now. We cannot afford to have a war on our hands."

    Eve knew that Lord Dirac was right. That was why she did notin. Adam wanted to but Eve stopped him as well.

    They should not fight with Lord Dirac right now since it would only serve to make things even more difficult for them all.

    What they needed to do was to keep away for some time and allow things to calm down for now. Only then should they approach Elysia and talk things out.

    _____________________________

    Lucas watched as the royal couple backed down once he talked things through with them.

    They were not bad kids really, but they did tend to cause a lot of problems by not thinking things through.

    And they were also not aware of how many eyes were keeping an eye on their activities. They were being watched and they had no idea about it.

    ''Besides, Elysia is in no condition to be handling all this stress. I need to let her rest.''

    That was true. Elysia had gotten so much weaker physically in a short amount of time. She needed a lot of rest and time to get herself back on track.

    "Lord Akatsuki, huh? I wonder what he was doing in our territory? As far as I know, their royal family was supposed to arrive a weekter."

    Of course, Lucas had heard the news and felt that power. He was the one who was most aware of what kind of power the royal family had in their neighborhood wielded.

    But for their crown prince to be this free as to even walk into their empire and cause trouble was unnatural.

    There had to be more to this than Lucas had first thought of. Besides, it seemed that Elysia had managed to get herself into another messy situation for now.

    "Lady Pheros said that the estate was under her control now so that is something at least. But I cannot help but still be worried. What happened at the time we all lost contact with Elysia? Even magic could not find her."

    It was not only magic but also other methods that had been rendered useless when Elysia had gone missing.

    Lucas had panicked before he had forcefully calmed himself down to not alert people that something was wrong.

    But that feeling of hollowness and worry still refused to go away.

    There was a cough building up in Lucas''s throat that he allowed passing. His condition had started to show as well as a result of that forbidden spell he had used to bring Elysia back.

    There were traces of blood on his hand that he ignored as he held Elysia''s hand. She was bound to wake up soon and then they will have a talk about what happened.

    ? Lucas knew that Elysia had a few things to say to him regarding what happened and she might have also seen things she was not supposed to.

    "Elysia, you need to be brave for now and for the future as well. This road we have taken is not easy to navigate but it is the safest for us. I just hope that you do not fall victim to anything in our way."

    Lucas whispered as he held Elysia''s hand in his own. His sister did not show any signs of waking up but he kept on holding her hand tightly.

    She would wake up one day and need his help. Lucas could not allow himself to fall until then.

    But he did have a pair to interrogate and get more facts out of. Not to mention, Baron Peros was alive as well and being kept in the Dirac mansion for now.

    Lucas also had a score to settle with him.

 Chapter 107 107: Akatsuki Royalty [Pt1]

    Elysia woke up the very next day and found herself unable to look Lucas in the eye. She did remember what had happened and her brother must have realized that as well.

    "Is there something you should tell me? Something that happened between you and that royal couple?"

    Elysia turned her head away with nervousughter as she heard Lucas ask that.

    ''Oh shit. He does know what happened and he is not going to let it go. How should I lie about this?''

    Elysia was not sure how flexible Lucas would be about her being intimate with people before her marriage. He seemed so open-minded most of the time but there were things he was strict about.

    "Well, you see��.that is��."

    "You don''t need to justify your actions to me. I just want you to not be hurt in the end. As for anything else, you are free to do what you want to. But do tell me if any ''unexpected'' idents happen in the meantime."

    Elysia paled as soon as she realized what her brother was hinting at before she went red in the face.

    Her first instinct had been to deny that im but she held her voice back. She did not have a face thick enough to deny those usations outright.

    ? "Alright. I will tell you if anything does end up happening."

    Elysia stared back at Lucas but that stare-off did notst long. She was too ashamed to see him in the face even if she had ''techinically'' done nothing wrong yet.

    "Rest for today. The preparations for the seasonal hunting festival will begin tomorrow. You will need to be present there, unfortunately."

    Elysia wanted to sink into the bed and not wake up again. Her body was aching quite badly and her head was beating her up pretty badly.

    ''Alright. Let''s sleep today and face the world anew tomorrow.''

    Elysia''s eyes closed as her body gave in to her desire to have a good sleep.

    The next time she woke up, Elysia was swept away by work. The workers were ruthless and they did not care if Aurora had any time to rest or not.

    They needed her to carry out various tasks as the Dirac and the temple representative so Elysia worked to the bone.

    It was all happening too fast. Elysia had no time to rest her body either.

    And the day before the seasonal hunt was busy for Elysia as well. Currently, she was busy with the ceremony. This time, she was being apanied by Sorias and for the first time, she had also been joined by Enma as well.

    The guest from the Akatsuki kingdom wasing to their estate first before heading toward the central together. Elysia was in charge of receiving them so she had a lot to do before that.

    Currently, the whole household had been gathered outside the Dirac estate to wee their guests.

    Lucas Dirac was the one who was heading the meeting, his back standing straight. With Baron Pheros out ofmotion, the Pherosnd was under Lucas''s direct control. It was a huge responsibility as well a huge burden.

    Elysia wanted to suggest to Lucas to not take this burden if that was too much for him but she could tell that he would not listen to her.

    They were very simr in that regard to Elysia did not even try.

    Sorias tensed up at her side as she watched the carriagese closer to them. His eyes widened just a fraction which meant that he had smelled something familiar.

    "Is everything alright? You seem a little freaked out there."

    Elysia asked as she turned toward her familiar. She could see the disapproving frowns being thrown her way by the people who did not like her. But she chose not to pay attention to them.

    The one who needed her was Sorias and Elysia wanted to give him her attention for now. And she was going to do that even if it meant that she would be thought of as irritating.

    "No, it''s nothing. I was just a little taken aback by the scent of familiarity I felt. But most likely it is nothing."

    Sorias turned away from her, his mind more concerned about the people and what they were talking about.

    Now that he had turned his attention back in front, Elysia also had no other choice but to divert her attention there as well.

    But as she did that, her eyes fell on the nervous figure that was Enma. The poor kid looked like he was struggling not to have a heart attack. Elysia''s heart went out to him in such a condition.

    This processing was not something a kid like Enma should be subjected to. But he was still being affected because he was a part of their household for now.

    But as much as Elysia wanted to help him out, she had no way of breaking formation for now. Not if she did not want to insult the other royal party.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    So she held her position and prayed to the gods so that Enma would be alright in the end.

    _____________________________

    ''Fuck! Shit! What the hell! Why is that beasting here first? Did something major change again? Of course, it did. He never met Eve so that idiot Crown Prince never fell in love.''

    Enma cursed his mind as soon as he realized what kind of fucked up situation he had ended up in.

    Of course, the Crown Prince of the neighboring country woulde to the only ce Enma had managed to hide. It would be such a fictional thing to do and Enma was more than likely a ''transmigrated protagonist'' to not be a part of such things.

    He had read enough ''isekai'' to know why all this was happening. It was because he was the likely ''main character'' right now.

    ''Fuck this all. Why did it have to be the Dirac household of every avable one that had to take me in?''

    Even though Enmained, he also knew how lucky he had gotten to be epted by the Dirac house. They were one of the most influential families when it came to this world.

    Not only that but there was a secret tied to their origin that made them important to the crown of not only this empire but the neighboring ones as well.

    But it was never exined what that power was in the source. It had finished way before it was revealed in the first installment and the second one had never focused on the Dirac house.

    So despite Enma knowing a lot about them, somehow he knew nothing about them as well.

    ''Ugh, so irritated. And it''s so early in the morning as well. I just want to go back to sleep.''

    Enma did want to sleep. Or more likely, his brain wanted to sleep. But his constitution would not allow that.

    Once he was awake, his body could not fall back asleep and that sucked big times.

    "Enma, are you alright? You look a little pale. You can go in and rest if you are not feeling well."

    The maids turned as one to re at Enma as soon as Elysia said that. He could read the message that said, ''stay put and don''t embarrass me'' clear in their eyes.

    And the thing about Enma was, he did not intend to make any enemies while he was here. So he was meek and timid when faced with such situations.

    "N-No need. I am really alright here. You can sit back and stop worrying about me already."

    Enma insisted as he took a few steps back. He was wavering off the concern that Elysia felt for him and suddenly, everyone approved.

    It was weird how the only thing that was eptable about him was his coldness when it came to Elysia.

    The girl had done so much for the staff but they had still not warmed up to her. Even the new and innocent staff had been corrupted to be baize against her.

    ''And then there is that creep. He does realize that he is almost twice her age. To see such a grown man making heart eyes toward a teenager gives me creeps.''

    Of course, Enma was talking about no one else but Victor. The man was looking directly at Elysia with hunger visible in his eyes.

    How it was going unnoticed by everyone was a mystery to Enma. But he was sure that a few maids had noticed but they intent to do nothing about it at all.

    Thankfully, before Enma could get any more grossed out, the Akatsuki family carriage arrived in front of the Dirac house in all its glory.

    It was iid with jewels as well as other magical devices. It was a lot more decorative than it was practical but it still ran smoothly.

    The curtains parted but no one came out. In fact, the carriage that faced them was empty, and the crown prince seemed to have disappeared into the air.

    Somehow, Enma expected the other side to break out into panic but that did not happen.

    Instead of panicking, they just looked resigned before the main guard bowed down to Lucas Dirac with an apologetic smile.

    "I am so sorry for my master''s disappearance. We will find him soon and give you a proper greeting then."

    However, that was not all. Now that Enma took a look around, something else was different as well. There was someone missing.

    ''Huh, where did Elysia go?''

 Chapter 108 108: Akatsuki Royality [Pt2]

    "The Dirac house wees the delegates of the Akatsuki empire and the Crown Prince of the kingdom. Can I talk with the Crown Prince before we begin if you do not mind?"

    Lucas gave a low bow to the delegate who had a suffering look on his face. Somehow, there was a bitter smile on that man''s face but that was not directed toward Lucas or their kingdom.

    "I am afraid that it would not be possible for now. Our Crown Prince is a little tired after traveling all this way alone. I hope you understand that he needs rest for now."

    The servants immediately begin gossiping about the rude gesture Lord Dirac was met with. Lord Dirac was someone even other nations held in high regard.

    Even the servant looked nervous as he delivered the news but did not sumb to the pressure. It seemed like there was no way for Lucas to be able to meet the Crown Prince right now.

    "I understand. In that case, you should take your Crown Prince to rest right now. I will visit himter."

    Lucas gestured toward his back and the delegate gave a low but grateful bow. Lucas could tell that he was genuine in his gesture.

    He extended his hand inside the carriage and a strong hand grabbed the servent''s hand as the Crown Prince exited the carriage.

    The servants were the ones who were most excited to see the Crown Prince''s face. ording to the rumor, Crown Prince Chrome looked very simr to Lord Lucas. And that had to be given since they were rted from their mother''s side.

    But all these were rumors and the hungry servants were eager to be able to confirm their theory.

    But all their hopes were dashed as the Crown Prince exited the carriage covered from head to toe. One could not even see a strand of his hair in that get-up.

    "Y-You see, his highness is a little shy and does not like to show his face often. I hope you understand and forgive him."

    The servant immediately tried to cover the mishap that was happening. As more and more eyes turned disappointed, his sweat became that much more prominent.

    The only one who did not look taken aback by this happening was lord Lucas himself. His expression said that he had expected something like this to happen.

    And so far, nothing was outside his calctions.

    "I know how Chrome is. Since we are only a few years apart, I was forced to grow up with him. It is no problem if you want to go in and rest for now."

    For some reason, everyone could see both the servant and the Crown Prince heave out a sigh of relief. They both looked to be troubled by this.

    Lucas lead them inside, keeping his distance from his ''cousin'' and the man did not make any move to close that gap either.

    As for Lady Dirac, no one even remembered who she was or whether she was there or not. The servants could not care less and Lucas did not draw attention to that fact.

    The only two people who noticed this were Sorias and Enma. But both kept their mouths close for different reasons.

    _____________________________

    Elysia tried to fight back against the hand that was dragging her away. The shock factor of being dragged away in such a manner had rendered Elysia useless for a second.

    Before she knew it, she had been taken out of the group she had been standing in and behind the densely condensed bushes.

    "I will make you pay if you did not let me go right now."

    Elysia was not making an empty threat but the man likely took her words as such. And for that, Elysia decided to throw him over her shoulder with ease.

    The man looked stunned, his orange eyes widening at having been dealt with so easily even without magic.

    Had it not been for that familiar face, Elysia would have ended up hurting the man even more badly.

    "You! What do you think you are doing right now? Can you not see how dangerous what you just did was? What if I had somehow killed you?"

    Elysia was freaked out as she helped the man stand. Her benefactor justughed her concern off with an easy smile.

    She could not understand what that orange eyes man was doing in the Dirac estate but the thought of him being caught in her home scared Elysia a little.

    "So, did I surprise you? Are you in awe of my powers and charisma? Does your heart beat a little faster after seeing me again?"

    Elysia was not amused at the carefree disy that was happening in front of her. The man was taking this all far too easily.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Did he not fear his life being threatened? How dare he juste out and make himself known to Elysia like this?

    Elysia''s body moved on its own, her anger not being able to take it any longer. She took the man''s arm in her hand and threw him over her shoulder.

    The only reason Elysia managed to do this was that she had full confidence that the man would be able to defend himself from her attack.

    And as expected, that man managed to catch himself before his back made contact with the ground.

    They both ended up being at an awkward angle to each other.

    "Hey, be careful. My back is too important to make it give out like this. How will you manage topensate me if I get hurt like that."

    Elysia did not want to stop for such a reason but she felt like she should stop for now.

    After all, she did not know the true identity of this man and it would be troublesome if he turned out to be someone important.

    There was the sound of footsteps hurrying their way that made Elysia tense up. But she did not need to move as she felt the feeling of a spell falling on her head.

    It was the invisibility spell that the other ck-haired man had ced on her.

    He gestured for Elysia to keep quiet for the time being. It seemed like the man had recognized the footsteps and that was why he had asked Elysia to keep quiet.

    "Your highness, you cannot run away like that. Do you know how bad it would be if someone realized that you were not the one in that carriage? It would have caused an international incident and��"

    "You are too loud. If you do quiet down now then even those people who should not know about it would end up knowing."

    The servant quickly closed his mouth in horror. He looked terrified of having let that secret out but the person he had called ''his highness'' looked utterly unconcerned.

    The shock Elysia heard at knowing that man''s real identity was unimaginable. Elysia had to take in a sharp breath to stop her scream froming out.

    However, her voice was still loud enough to attract the servant''s attention.

    "Huh, is someone there? Lord Chrome, I think we should take care of this rat before it gets troublesome��"

    "How many times do I have to tell you not to open your mouth unnecessarily? You might trigger someone you should not."

    As soon as Elysia heard that name, she knew who this man was and why he was so confident all the time. He had to be confident to lead a country.

    But why the Crown Prince of the neighboring nation wanted to help Elysia out or even found her interesting was beyond her.

    "Crown Prince Chrome, please stop it. You know that we cannot afford to start something right now. We are facing a lot of problems on our end."

    The servant that was saying all this sounded like he was about to cry. Elysia wanted to hear more about it but Chrome did not want to tell anything more.

    His eyes met Elysia''s as he spoke the next words.

    "This is something we will talk aboutter. For now, keep it all to yourself and your head down. I will see you soon."

    Even though Chrome said that to the servant, Elysia had a feeling that those words were meant for her. She quickly nodded to show that she understood before realizing that Chrome will not be able to see him.

    As the Crown Prince walked past Elysia, she ced her hand on his arm to show that she understood his words.

    Chrome looked surprised for a single second before he gave Elysia an understanding look and walked out with his servant.

    The poor guy looked back at Elysia with a confused look on his face. It must be weird for him to see his lord interacting with empty air like this.

    But Elysia did not envy him or his experience. She was too busy with her thought process. And she was too deep in her thoughts to realize that she was not alone either.

    "So you knew Chrome as well? This seems like an interesting story to hear. So, do you care to share with me?"

    It was Lucas who hade for her and Elysia was torn between lying and telling him the truth.

 Chapter 109 109: What Is The Teacher Doing On This Floor? [Pt1]

    "So you knew Chrome as well? This seems like an interesting story to hear. So, do you care to share with me?"

    It was Lucas who hade for her and Elysia was torn between lying and telling him the truth.

    "I��.well��that is��."

    Elysia was not sure what to say to her brother regarding this matter. She had not even known who Chrome was when she had first met him. Nor did she know his real identity right now.

    But it seemed like Chrome had known all about her and her real identity.

    What''s more, he seemed to know her brother quite well as well. It was rare for her brother to call people by their names after all.

    "You don''t have to be nervous with me Elysia. Remember, I am on your side no matter what happens. So you can tell me anything you want to."

    That was reassuring and that was the reason Elysia chose to open her mouth and tell her brother everything.

    If there was one person who deserved to know what happened in the Pheros estate, it was Lucas. He was the one heading the investigation anyway.

    "I see. So Chrome helped out that time as well. But I can understand his concerns as well since the disappearing cases were beginning to affect Akatsuki as well. But he could have at least informed me of all this in advance. I would have helped him out��"

    Lucasined about this situation but he had a fond smile on his face. It seemed like this rtionship with Chrome was good enough.

    "Oh, that also reminds me. Chrome is rted to us by our mother so treat him like a brother. People also say that we look alike for that reason."

    Truthfully, Elysia could see why people said that. The shade of ck they had for their hair and their facial shape was simr to each other. But there were too many differences in their faces to truly call them simr.

    Her brother was much better looking than Chrome.''

    ''But then again, maybe it is my bias talking here. I have known Lucas for longer.''

    "I see. I had no idea we were rted to the Akatsuki royalty this closely. Doesn''t it cause an issue of duties for us?"

    Elysia was interested in this new rtionship she had just discovered.

    It opened up a new gate for her to run away if things ever got difficult for her back home. She was sure even Adam would not be foolish enough to start a war just to kill her.

    ''I should stop thinking like that. I am sure I will avert that future and not die at Adam''s or anyone''s hand. I need to live my life out.''

    "A-Anyway, I wanted to tell you that you could go to Chrome for help if you ever need it and I am not there. He had promised to look after you."

    Elysia did not like the tone Lucas had used just now. It was distant and distracting. It made Elysia feel afraid for some reason.

    "And where are you thinking of going? You are not going to leave me alone, right?"

    "No, no. Of course, I am not leaving you alone. But just in case something does end up happening to me, I just want you to know that you should go to Chrome for help."

    That did not make Elysia feel better but she did not say anything. Elysia could tell that it had taken a lot out of Lucas to say that and she did not want to argue with him.

    "Alright. I will consider if a time like thates in the future. But for now, you should apany me for a cup of tea. I am sure you need to take a break as well."

    The look of surprise on Lucas''s face was worth everything. He seemed taken aback by Elysia''s sudden action of holding his arm and dragging him away.

    Elysia wanted tough out loud at the amusement she felt at having surprised Lucas but she held herughter in her heart.

    "Let''s hurry up. Sora is waiting for us and I do not want to see himin if we arete. I also heard that Lady White is here today. I am sure Sora is in an even sour mood with her around."

    Sora always made a weird face whenever Lady White was mentioned so Elysia was sure that something must have happened between her and Sora.

    But Elysia did not ask her and her familiar did not tell her.

    ______________________________

    ''Gosh. This is awkward. Why did I agree to apany this foolish familiar? And why is he using me like a shield? I feel like my face would melt from thisdy''s re.''

    "Enma, would you like another cup of tea? How about a slice of cake? Don''t you like pineapple cake?"

    "A-Actually I am��.nevermind, I will eat it."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Enma took the offered cake from Sorias''s hand and that purple re increased in intensity even more.

    Enma knew who Lady White was. And he was not impressed by the young girl sitting in front of him. He was even being red at by her for no apparent reason at all.

    ''What is this girl''s problem? Does she not like the Crown Prince? Why is she acting like she is jealous of me? What did I even do?''

    Enma forced his nervousness down as he yed around with his cake. He had no intention of eating that pineapple cake since his stomach did not agree with this vor.

    He would have yed with the cake forever if not for being called out.

    "Are you not going to eat that cake? Lord Sorias gave it to you. Not eating it is the same as not respecting him. Hurry up and eat it."

    Lady White stabbed the piece of cake on her te and Enma had a feeling that it was his head she was imagining instead of the cake.

    He did not want to eat the cake but he did not seem to have a choice.

    ''Sorry, my beautiful stomach but you need to be my sacrifice for today. I cannot afford to lose my life right now.''

    Enma took in a deep breath before his fork came up to his mouth.

    The cake was not bad in vor but his stomach did not agree with him. As soon as the bite went in, his face turned pale and he stood up while holding his mouth.

    "Hey wait. Enma, are you sick? Are you allergic to the cake?"

    Sorias stood up from his seat as well with a worried look and followed. In the end, even Emma followed with a worried look.

    She had just wanted to intimate the child, not make him sick. It would be really bad if this got back to the temple that she had managed to harm their person.

    "Hey, wait for me. I can use some healing magic and cure you."

    Emma ran after the pair as well and waited outside the bathroom. She did not want to enter the bathroom which was upied by two guys. Even if they were kids, it was not the right decorum.

    When the kid finally came out, he looked so much better than before. But his skin was still paler than before which made Emma guilty.

    Both Sorias and Enma watched Lady White with suspicious eyes as she just stood there. Neither of the three knew what to say in this situation.

    "I''m sorry. It was immature of me to make you eat unknown things that you showed a dislike for. House White will do anything��"

    "No, I''m alright. I don''t me you or anything��..ugggg"

    Enma gave out a groan of pain as he clutched his stomach. It seemed like he was not done feeling better just yet.

    Emma just felt sorry for the child but there was nothing much she could do. Not unless the footsteps heading toward them belonged to a maid who could help them out.

    "I think someone ising this way. Do you think it''s a maid we can ask help from��."

    Emma did not finish speaking when a familiar person made a turn toward Elysia''s bedroom. It was someone who was not supposed to be here at this time.

    "Isn''t that Victor? What is he doing here?"

    Sorias asked as he gritted his teeth. He did not like this man and he would rather see him rot if he had his way.

    But of course, Lucas had to be a kind person and deny killing this man outright.

    "Oh, it''s this man again. Did you not fire him after what happenedst time? He was taking too many liberties with your young miss. I would have burned him by now."

    "Believe me that I want to. But there are things in the way."

    Sorias was annoyed and Enma felt a need to distract him before someone ended up dead. And by someone, Enma meant him. He was the person Sorias had a death grip on and Enma felt like his arm was about to break.

    "That all is alright but shouldn''t we follow him and see what he is up to? I am sure he is not supposed to be up here."

    The other two jolted at his words and Enma was let go.

    "You are right. We need to follow after him. Let''s hurry up and follow him right now."

 Chapter 110 110: What Is The Teacher Doing On This Floor? [Pt2]

    "You are right. We need to follow after him. Let''s hurry up and follow him right now."

    That was an idea and a half as the trio followed after Victor without making any noise. He was really fast and meticulous with what he was doing.

    The way he opened the doors and used magic left no apparent residue and it was also faint enough that it was bound to disappear in minutes.

    Had the three not seen Victor loitering around these parts, they would have never known that he was even there to begin with.

    "Hey, I know this is a little questionable but isn''t he heading toward Elysia''s bedroom? I''m pretty sure that area is off-limits to him��..don''t look at me. I only know this because the maids told me all that."

    Sorias stared hard at Enma before giving him the benefit of the doubt.

    He had forgotten for a second that the maids liked Enma because he was from the temple and he did not like Elysia.

    In their eyes, an enemy of my enemy was a friend.

    And not to mention, he was a royal guest for now and that also warranted this royal treatment. It annoyed Sorias but not as much as it used to in the beginning.

    He was slowly getting used to it.

    "Why is Lady Dirac''s tutor looking for her in her room at this time of the day? Does he want to create rumors about her? Won''t it put him in a weird situation?"

    Lady White was right to say that. As a nobility, Elysia was more likely to get a slip on the wrist and be let go than Victor.

    But Victor was smart enough to know that and he had stille to this chamber out of his own will. That must mean that he had a n.

    "I don''t trust this man and anything he does. I am going out to confront him and��"

    "Shhh, wait here. Look, he is putting something in front of Lady Dirac''s room. We should wait for him to leave before investigating what it is."

    Sorias did not want to wait but even she saw the wisdom in Lady White''s words. It would be better to stop Victor than to catch him in this act.

    "But I still don''t like this man being this near Elysia''s rooms. I will inform Lucas about��.Now, what is that man doing here? Who is he anyway?"

    Sorias hissed as a ck-haired man walked toward Victor as well. From this distance, that man looked vaguely like Lucas did but they had different eye colors and different ways to carry themselves.

    The servant that was trailing after that ck-haired man looked annoyed but also used to it.

    "I want to hear. I will cast a spell on us for now so do not make any noise."

    For the first time since Sorias had known her, Lady White managed to prove her worth. Her spell made their hearing much sharper than before and it also managed to pierce through the spell that was woven over the area.

    Sorias turned around to give Lady White a thankful look but she turned her head around. There was a strip of red around her cheeks which was adorable but in a kid''s sense of the way.

    "See, I can be of help to you��."

    Lady White was saying something but Sorias''s attention snapped toward the two men in front of him.

    They had seen each other as well and Victor looked startled to see this new person. Fear and excitement shed in his eyes before he gave a low bow of greeting.

    "Your highness, the crown prince of Akatsuki, Chrome Akatsuki. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    ____________________________

    ''Fuck this. How is this my life now? ''

    Enma cursed his luck as his eyes fell on the pair in front of him. Out of everyone he expected to see in the Dirac manor, the Crown Prince of their neighboring empire was never a choice.

    "Your highness, the crown prince of Akatsuki, Chrome Akatsuki. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    Those cursed orange eyes narrowed toward Victor''s location before they turned toward the vile on the ground and then back up.

    The servant who was running behind the crown prince panted as he tried his best to keep up with the younger.

    He looked annoyed but also resigned to his position. Enma could not help but feel sorry for the servant who had to take care of such a willful crown Prince.

    "It''s a pleasure for sure. But, ehh, who are you again? Do I know you?"

    Chrome Akatsuki had been a fascinating character in the light novel. He was only second in poprity when it came to the main cast and was liked for his milk manners.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    As far as viins went, he was decent but powerful. He was the one who started a lot of messes that could end the world.

    And now that very person was in front of Enma''s eyes.

    "My lord, he''s Lady Dirac''s tutor, Lord Victor. I am sure we went over all this before."

    The servant whispered in Lord Akatsuki''s ear but the crown prince seemed to not care much for it.

    "Oh, I see. Sooo, what do I do with this information now? I don''t care much for this useless man and I don''t want to waste my time here. I just want to know if Elysia is in here or not."

    ''Shit. How does this man know Elysia? Had their alliance been formed already? But why? As far as I can see, Elysia does not need to do that.''

    It was the truth. The original alliance had been made because they both wanted to separate the royal couple and it was so far into the story that it did make sense.

    But as things went, Lord Chrome had not even met Eve so there was no way he could have fallen in love already with her.

    And Elysia also had a good rtionship with the royal couple and she did not look in love with Prince Adam.

    So their alliance did not make sense.

    "I had no idea your highness knew Lady Dirac. Is your highness interested in Lady Dirac as well?"

    ''He asked the question! Victor freaking asked that question!''

    Enma could not help but gasp out loud as soon as he heard those words. And he was not the only one to do that either.

    Lady White looked excited at the prospect of hearing this juicy gossip while Sorais looked ready to murder both men in front of him.

    As for Lord Chrome? He just looked amused and snickered at the question.

    "Me? Liking Elysia, huh? Well, Elysia is young and beautiful. She also had a pure heart and is not afraid to do what she needs to do. So I guess I do like her after all. Why? What is it to you?"

    Enma stopped Sorias before he could jump out and harm Chrome Akatsuki. That confession hade out of nowhere but it did not sound fake.

    The tone Lord Chrome had used might have been amused but there was a note of sincerity in his tone as well.

    ''Shit. How did this happen? Why are all these big shots going for Elysia Dirac, the viiness, and not the Main character, Eve? How is this world deviating so much?''

    Enma no longer knew what would happen next. But the world did not give him an answer for his troubles.

    "I s-see. Then my lord likes Lady Elysia too. I will keep that in mind."

    "Too? Why? Does someone else like Elysia as well?"

    Victor panicked at the question and even Enma could hear the lies his next words were.

    "N-No. I mean, a lot of people must like Lady Dirac because of her status. A-And her powers are also very nice...And would you look at the time? I should get going now."

    Victor made a haste exit from the corridor, leaving the vile behind on the ground.

    Lord Chrome picked up the vile and inspected it. Neither of the three people shadowing him knew what he discovered but he turned toward his air with a serious face.

    "Get that man killed as soon as discreetly as possible. Make his death seem natural so that people do notin and get it done today."

    "B-But my lord, you should not say that all out aloud. What if someone hears you talking?"

    "Then they would hear me talking about killing a good-for-nothing man. And I am sure they would keep their mouths shut if they know what is good for them."

    Enma knew for sure that they had been discovered already. But they were being given a chance to save themselves and he was not going to look a gifted horse in the mouth.

    Sorias would keep his silence for a different reason since he wanted Victor gone. And as for Lady White? She did not care for anything that was happening so she had no reason to babble.

    That was how their first encounter with the Crown Prince of the neighboring nation went.

    And all Enma could think was - viins are scary when they get going. Thank god I did not make Elysia angry at me yet.

 Chapter 111 111: The Spring Of Joy [Pt1]

    It was finally time for the seasonal hunting festival to start. Everyone was in high spirits but Elysia was feeling rather nervous about it all.

    It was not her first seasonal festival but it would be her first time as a member of the high society and the world had different expectations for her.

    And that even included the way she dressed and handled herself. Usually, Elysia had no problem keeping up with the guards and even beating them in the races but not today.

    Her dress was too heavy and restrictive for her to be able to movefortably. It was all for show and fashion without any durability. The multipleyers of her dress also made it impossible to walk the property.

    But every person Elysia walked by had their jaws dropped as they saw her. It was likely the result of the make-up she was wearing.

    Even Lucas looked taken aback to see her. Chrome had a small blush on his cheeks at her brother''s side but his eyes were positioned rather respectfully.

    "Wow, I never knew she could look so good if she dor herself up. I can see now how people fell for her. She''s rather bewitching."

    Enma''s words were spoken softly but Elysia easily heard them.

    And so did Sorias who elbowed him to make his face go nk. They both were bing such good friends that it was impossible for Elysia not to be happy for them.

    "You look really beautiful Elysia. I almost don''t want to take you out today so that no one can see your beauty."

    "L-Lord Lucas, don''t say that. Lady Elysia needs to be there today since she participated in the pre-ceremony for us. We cannot afford for her to miss this time."

    The aid from the temple spoke as soon as she heard Lord Lucas''s words. She was not able to catch the yful tone of his words.

    Truly, no one knew whether Lucas was joking or not half of the time but Elysia was sure that even he would not try to mess up this ceremony.

    But the disappointed look on his face did look real enough to make Elysia ufortable.

    "Let it go, man. You need to let go of your sister sooner orter. What will you do once she starts getting courtship letters? Will you chase them all away?"

    Chrome tried to console the unhappy Duke but it backfired on him as soon as he felt that deadly re turn toward him.

    He flinched as he was dragged down to Lucas''s level and Chrome raised his hands to show that he was harmless.

    "Elysia is not getting courted right now or ever. Get that foolish thought out of your mind and you might get to live another day."

    "Yes, I understand. No talking about courtships or anything rted in here."

    Chrome gave in way too easily, but he shot Elysia helpless looks, which she also decided to ignore.

    He had brought her brother''s fury onto himself so he needed to take responsibility.

    "A-Anyway, we should start heading out now. The Royal carriage and the temple''s carriage are both there already. Everyone is waiting for Lady Dirac to arrive now."

    It was customary for the noble family to arrive a dayter when the feast started. And once Elysia stepped outside this house, no one was supposed to see her face until the ceremony began.

    These were just some of the rules she had to follow and she quickly put her veil up to hide her face.

    They all walked toward the two carriages that had been prepared for them and Elysia got into the same one as her brother and Chrome.

    The other two took another carriage as was customary and then they were off to the Hunting grounds.

    The ceremony would be a long one and the security was even tighter this time around. It was an inter-kingdom alliance thing and Elysia had to make sure nothing goes wrong.

    ____________________

    "Why are you looking so nervous? Don''t fidget around and sit down. Otherwise, you will look like a fool in front of Elysia."

    Ever wanted to get angry at Adam but she was afraid of what exactly he was saying to her. She knew that Elysia was not a shallow person and would not shun Eve just because she did not look dazzling right now.

    But Eve had wanted to dress up and match with her. Customarily, Elysia would have to wear the Dirac ck while Eve was stuck with the pain and pure white.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Don''t give me that talk. You are an example of the over-the-top right now. And why did the royal design feel the need to make your clothes match mine? I don''t like it."

    Just as Eve had said, Adam was dressed in a full white getup as well. But unlike Elysia, he had managed to sneak in a touch of ck on his dress.

    It was his way of rebelling against the choices and matching with Elysia even if in a small way. She was jealous of him and his freedom to choose while she was stuck in her in dress.

    "Hey, it''s not like I wanted to match you. But this was the only thing the council agreed upon. It is all your father''s fault in the first ce for suggesting for us to match. We are not even engaged and he is trying to control me."

    Adam sounded pissed off about that. He had not wanted Head Priest Yohan anywhere near him but his father had made him respect the other man''s opinion.

    Their king was too blind in his devotion and that was why Adam liked his mother much more than his father. At least she had a brain unlike his father and she knew how to use it as well.

    "Yeah, about that. I am sorry about what he is making you go through. I tried talking to him as well but he refuses to listen to me. I am at a loss as well here."

    Eve was sad that her father did not even take her words into ount when making decisions about her life. It was like he did not trust her or something.

    But Eve was not going to give up. Not when she knew that she had a chance with Elysia at least.

    The way their bodies hade together thest time they had been together had been amazing and Eve could not help but want more of that.

    The only problem had been Adam''s presence but that had been tolerable as long as Elysia was there.

    "Lady Eve, Lord Adam, you are being called for."

    The maid who called for them almost let out a giggle but she did note in. Eve had no idea what thoughts she was cooking up in her mind but Eve had no intention of feeding her delusion.

    She parted the curtains and walked out confidently. Adam followed her with a re but did not say much to the maid.

    That smile on the maid''s face looked rather awkward at being dismissed like that. And she did not even have any gossip to feedback to her friends about the royal pair.

    They had looked too meticulous to be doing anything indecent and their gazes did not even hold any passion about each other.

    It made the maid daring and her brain even cooked up thoughts about herself and the crown prince.

    ''What if the Crown Prince is not in love withdy Eve like we all thought about? What if he''s free to be taken but no one believes this to be true? Does that mean I have a chance with him?''

    While the maid was cooking up her delusions, Adam just walked past everything without any care in the world. He was tired of keeping up with everyone and he just wanted to get out.

    "Eve,e here. Prince Adam, you as well. You both need to know things before the ceremony and what role you will y."

    It was Head Priest Yohan who came personally to escort them both. The royal pair froze as they watched him approach but they did not say anything.

    ''Shit. Why is he here?''

    Adam cursed his mind for thinking like that but he did not show his irritation externally. But Eve did not have the same mindset as him. Her thoughts were showing on her face clearly and so was her annoyance.

    "Can we do thister? I am a little busy and��"

    "No. We cannot dy this talk anymore because I need you both to seed this time. If you do then Eve can finally be recognized as the Saintess at the next hoy ceremony at the start of the year."

    Head Priest Yohan was insistent and the pair had no other choice but to listen to him.

    After all, as much as they did not want this man''s favor, they needed it to be able tobat everyone else for Elysia. He was a necessary evil for them.

    "Fine. Speak what you want to and hurry up. I don''t have time or patience for you since I want to meet Elysia soon."

    Head Priest Yohan looked sour but he did not cut the prince off again. He seemed to be epting that this was a condition he would have to consider.

 Chapter 112 112: The Spring Of Joy [Pt2]

    "Lady Dirac, you shoulde with me. Alone."

    The helper who hade to take Elysia red at Sorias who tried to follow after her. He was in his human kid form again which made the helper vary of him.

    Elysia understood why the helper was so on edge around the kid. He was baring his teeth toward the helper.

    But Elysia also knew that she could not afford for Sorias to get into trouble. That is why she shot an apologetic smile toward Sorias as she followed after the helper.

    The helper had an annoyed frown on her face as she led Elysia away. It was clear that she did not want to walk with Elysia. And it was ufortable for Elysia to walk after such a person as well.

    Fortunately, Chrome seemed to have sensed Elysia''s uneasiness and came to help her out.

    "Hey, wait. You are going to meet the crown prince, right? Do you think I can apany you as well? I want to meet someone my age."

    Chrome''s smiling face caused the female helper to stumble. Her face said that she did not want the Crown Prince to follow after her. But she could not refute the Crown Prince of their neighboring kingdom.

    If he somehow took offense then it could result in a fude that they could not solve in this life. Either that or she would have to pay with her life.

    And since the helper knew that, she did not want to say anything against the crown prince of Akatsuki.

    As for Elysia? She could only stare at the man and shoot him helpless looks. She had no idea why he had decided to help her out but she was thankful for hispany.

    "By the way, I have heard that this temple has a long history with the empire. It belonged to the Akatsuki before it was given over to the empire as a gift, right? I think I learned about it in my history ss."

    Chrome''s words caused the helper to flinch and she almost dropped the thing she was carrying in her arms.

    "I d-don''t know about that. As you can see, I am just a humble servant of the gods. Such talks are not something I can know more about��."

    The healer let out a nervousugh to distract the Crown Prince. She was afraid that she would say something offensive.

    But Chrome did not take her nervousness into ount. He kept on speaking about things that were forbidden and could get the helper into trouble.

    "Oh, you don''t need to know about it at all. Why don''t I tell you all about how this temple ended up here and��"

    The helper made a quick stop before knowing low in front of the Crown Prince.

    "I am sorry but I suddenly remembered an urgent work I had to get done. Lady Dirac, I hope you will be able to show Lord Akatsuki the way in."

    The helper left before Elysia even acknowledged her. It was beyond rude for amon person to do that to a noble.

    Chrome had an unsatisfied look on his face and his eyes followed the fleeing form of the helper with anger.

    But when he turned toward Elysia, his face was calm and smiling as ever. It was impossible to tell that he had been angry about something at all.

    "Calm your temper down. Don''t forget that you are in the territory of the empire. Any trouble you cause here woulde back to bite your nation."

    Elysia''s tone was scolding but her heart was not in it. Even she could tell that Chrome had spoken to the maid like that for her sake. He did not want the maid to make Elysia feel ufortable so he made her feel ufortable first.

    It was beyond childish but somehow it had a charm of its own.

    "I don''t have a temper and I am perfectly calm as well. It is not my fault the servants here don''t know how to behave in front of their master and are so insensitive."

    Chrome pouted, his expression bing wronged. But Elysia kept a straight face and did not fall for him.

    She had seen through Chrome''s innocent facade and she could feel his mischievous energy.

    "Anyway, what happened cannot be changed but make sure to behave yourself in front of Eve and Adam. I don''t want you to create any problems with them."

    Elysia warned as soon as she felt that familiar magic rushing toward her. Both Adam and Eve were already there but Elysia was nervous to face them.

    Thest time she had met them, Elysia had all but been unconscious or in the middle of sexual pleasure. Before that had also ended simrly.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    So Elysia was not sure if she would be able to keep her face straight this time as well.

    ''But I need to keep a straight face if I don''t want to be caught blushing. I cannot let Chrome feel like something is wrong.''

    That much was true. Even if Elysia was not herself and had no rtionship with Adam or Eve, she still could not afford to show weakness in front of Chrome.

    And it was all because she was a Dirac. They were the most prominent noble family and Elysia needed to uphold that honor this time as well.

    "Hey, are you alright? You are shaking. You don''t need to go in if you don''t want to. I know it must suck to meet your ex again and��" Chrome''s hand reached out toward Elysia''s shoulder but it never reached it.

    Chrome was in the middle of talking when he twisted Elysia''s body behind his back and intercepted the magic attack that rushed at him.

    The very next second, he parried away the sword that was aiming for his throat. The sh of swords caused friction to rising and sparks to fly.

    It happened so fast that Elysia had no other choice but to step back for protection. She could not believe that she had been attacked so openly and in such a violent manner.

    "Elysia, hurry up ande this way. Adam will take care of that intruder."

    Eve''s familiar voice rushed over Elysia''s senses but she felt dread instead of relief as soon as she heard what Eve said to her.

    The smoke from their surroundings cleared a little to show Adam''s silver hair as well as Chrome''s ck ones near each other. They were both trying to parry each other''s attacks but were not sessful.

    Eve''s hands closed around Elysia who had frozen in shock to see that sh before she began to drag her away.

    "Hurry up. We need to leave here and find shelter. Adam will keep that intruder busy and��"

    Elysia not only flinched but also pulled her arm out of Eve''s hands. She had a feeling that Adam would kill someone if she did not stop him right now.

    While Adam was using his strength, Chrome was still holding back. He looked a little confused but his eyes moved to speak Elysia out.

    As soon as he found her rtively unharmed, he rxed a little. But that did not go unnoticed by Adam who increased his force.

    "What is he looking over here for? Is he threatening you even from afar?"

    It was Eve''s words that made Elysia realize that a misunderstanding had arisen as a result of herck ofmunication.

    Not only Adam, but Eve had thought of Chrome as an intruder who was here to harm Elysia.

    It was a funny situation but the killing intent in the air right now was nothing to joke about. The thicker it got, the more Elysia found herself in need of something to do about it.

    "Eve, help me out. We cannot allow Adam to do foolish things like kill the Crown Prince of Akatsuki. It would result in a war if that happened."

    Elysia''s heavy breath was an indicator that she was feeling tense. Panic was rising inside her chest and Elysia felt like she was about to explode.

    It was Eve''s calm nature that helped her keep a grip on reality.

    "Wait, what are you talking about? Isn''t that person an intruder?"

    Eve asked in a questioning voice. Of course, Eve did not know who Chrome was. Just like Elysia, Eve had never seen him before.

    ''But Adam should have recognized him. Adam had met Crown Prince Chrome before.''

    Elysia was sure of that. But she also knew that Adam tend to forget things he found problematic or tedious. (And humans were really in that category for him)

    Adam made a dangerous swipe toward Chrome that made him bleed and Elysia knew she had to do something now.

    Things were getting too dangerous now for this to be any kind of y fight. Elysia finally pulled her arm out and tried to intercept the next sh.

    Two swords rushed toward her but Elysia stood between them bravely. She was going to force them to stop fighting each other.

 Chapter 113 113: A Misunderstanding [Pt1]

    Those two attacks were going to crash into Elysia for sure. She had no way to avoid them without using her magic.

    But using magic here would be opening a whole new can of worms. All because their magic could resolute and cause an explosion.

    This was what happened when three offensive-type magics crashed into each other. The best way to pacify someone in this situation was to make them calm down.

    "Adam, stop. right there. There has been a misunderstanding-"

    Somehow, Elysia instinctively knew that Adam would be able to stop if she pushed herself between those two bodies.

    And as she had expected, Adam did manage to control the force of his magic and divert his attack the other way. The force of his magic ended up shattering the magic-restraining pir that the temple was standing on.

    Thankfully, it was only one of them that got destroyed. It halted the copse of the temple.

    "Elysia, don''t push yourself in between those who are fighting like that. I thought I would end up hitting you."

    Adamined as his body sagged due. The tension left his shoulders as his body copsed on top of Elysia''s shoulder.

    All his weight was pushing Elysia back and it was really difficult to maintain her bnce right now.

    Chrome moved to support her buckling weight but Adam''s re stopped him from moving. Seeing how Adam did not want Chrome closer, Elysia also took a step back with an apologetic smile.

    She did not want the two Crown Prince to fight since it would cause friction between their territories.

    Once Adam was sure Elysia was alright, he let her go. But not before nuzzling her neck to surround Elysia''s smell with his own. It seemed like an unconscious action on his part but anyone worth their eyes could see what his priority was.

    "Elysia, are you an idiot? Why did you shake my hand off like that and run away? What if you had gotten hurt? And what if��.."

    Eve also copsed on Elysia''s other side with a tired sigh. Her strength seemed to have left her body as well once she took Elysia in her arms.

    All her energy seemed to have been sapped out of her body after she was done scolding Elysia.

    The poor Dirac girl seemed to be the only one who had no idea what was going on. Her confused expression betrayed how she felt about right now.

    "I don''t think this is something you need to be so concerned about. After all, I am alright and no one got harmed. But you both should think before you attack someone. It could have ended up being an international problem."

    Elysia''s scolding made Eve look guilty but Adam looked like he was hearing her words from one ear and taking them out from the other.

    His expression was utterly nk and he was not even paying attention to Elysia''s scolding. He looked content to stand there was hug Elysia for as long as he could.

    And as soon as Elysia realized it, she could no longer hold back her irritation. She might not have been able to make a visible move on the crown prince, but she sure could make him take responsibility.

    Even if Adam did not want to apologize to Chrome, Elysia had to make him exert a little effort to look guilty. If not for himself, then for the empire.

    "Adam, I don''t think you need an introduction but I will give you one anyway. This is Crown Prince Chrome Akatsuki. I am sure you know who he is."

    Now that Chrome''s identity was revealed, Elysia could see Eve eying him with suspicion. Her eyes were cool but interested.

    Elysia could tell that something in the man had aroused Eve''s curiosity which made her panic for the royal couple.

    But Eve refused to move from her current position which finally made Elysia''s senses calm down.

    ''Right. Why would Eve consider any other man when she has Adam? In terms of looks, they are both simr but Eve prefers Adam and she always had.''

    Their short fight had brought other people over as well. It had caused a ring of servants to form around Elysia and the others.

    Soon gossip would start and Elysia felt disapproving eyes looking at her. It was then she realized that she was in Adam''s arms and Eve was also surrounding her from the back.

    ''I should handle the situation first. It would be bad if rumors begin circting.''

    "W-We should head toward the ceremonial hallway for now. I am sure it will befortable enough to get our talks over with."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    No one else as much as moved an inch even after Elysia said that. Both Adam and Eve were ring toward the new ck-haired addition to their team.

    Adam''s weight made itself even more apparent and Elysia felt like she was the only thing keeping him upright. And Eve''s hand on her shoulder was keeping her steady on her feet as well.

    Elysia looked toward Chrome to ensure that he was alright when she saw it. She was not sure why or how she recognized it, but there was a glint of mischief in Chrome''s eyes.

    ''Please don''t do anything funny. Please don''t make this situation worse for me somehow.''

    Elysia pleaded inside her mind as she smiled a charming smile on the outside. But somehow she had a feeling that all her pleas would go unheard.

    She might have only known Chrome for a few days but she felt like she had known him forever.

    And she felt a shiver go down her spine as soon as Chrome opened his mouth. Somehow Elysia knew that whatever he was going to say was not going to be good.

    "Elysia promised to help show me around since I am new here. I would appreciate it if you let my partner go. You see, her and I�C"

    "She''s not your partner or your anything. Don''t say words that you cannot handle or I will make you swallow them back."

    Yup! Adam''s mood was really bad. He was fuming and Elysia could even feel his magic going out of control.

    Somehow, it made Elysia''s magic react as well but that might as well have been the danger of the situation that was making her react in this way.

    A shiver went down her spine and Adam''s attention snapped toward her in a second. As soon as that happened, both Eve and Chrome looked concerned as well.

    "Let''s get out of the public eye first before discussing more. We also need to stop dying the ceremony since a lot of people are counting on us."

    Elysia was not lying. There were a lot of soldiers and other nobles who were waiting for the signal to go off before they could begin their part of the ceremony and begin hunting.

    But most of all, Elysia wanted to avoid Chrome meeting Head Priest Yohan. She had a feeling that they would both sh with each other and it would not be good for the diplomatic rtionships she was trying to cultivate between the two nations.

    ''It will be better for me as well since it doesn''t seem like Adam liked High Priest Yohan that much.''

    Adam looked like he would protest but Eve took matters into her hand as soon as she realized that Elysia was serious.

    Luckily, Eve realized that she needed to do something to make the situation a little less tense and she took Adam''s arm to drag him away.

    That caused Adam to lose his bnce and almost fall. Luckily, he had both Eve and Elysia to keep him upright.

    But there was a small blush on his cheek that caused servants to chuckle.

    "Fine, fine. I aming so you don''t have to drag me like this. The next time you try anything like this with me, I won''t be this lenient with you."

    Adam spoke under his breath but Elysia no longer cared for his words. Her eyes looked over toward Chrome. He looked a little ufortable but gave Elysia a smile that reassured her.

    The grip on Elysia''s arm tightened as soon as she turned her head back toward Adam. The white-haired prince refused to look at Elysia but he kept on holding tightly to her arm.

    It was weird to be escorted like this by both Adam and Eve. Even Chrome, who was the crown prince and their guest, was not getting such treatment.

    Elysia felt ufortable with the eyes that were looking at her. There were too many and they were all piercing into her.

    And just as Elysia decided not to pay any attention to those eyes, she felt something big and warm being draped over her head.

    It was Eve''s cloak that was often worn by high members of the temple. Even Elysia had never gotten any since her holy power had been weak.

    "Are you feeling better now? I know those eyes bother you a lot."

    Elysia had felt ufortable before but now she felt good. Eve was good to her and Elysia was thankful for her every day.

 Chapter 114 114: A Misunderstanding [Pt2]

    Chrome was the crown prince of Akatsuki. And as per his position, he boasts the best informationwork that was avable to anyone in this world.

    It did not help that his kingdom was entitled as thend of wizards and it had all the privileges that came with the title. His people were capable and swift in getting all kinds of information.

    But even he could not say that he got all the right information all the time. And the proof of that was happening in front of him.

    "Adam, you can let me go now. I swear that nothing would happen if you let me go."

    He watched the white-haired crown prince''s finance (now ex-fiance) try to get herself out of his grip.

    He had heard a lot of rumors about Elysia''s rtionship with the other crown princess and the priestess-to-be. Some of what he had heard seemed to be true while the other part could not be further away from the truth.

    It did seem like these three knew each other very well and there was a love-triangle brewing between them.

    But the target in the news Chrome got seemed to have been wrong. Even an idiot could see that both Crown Prince Adam and saintess-to-be Eve were fighting for Elysia''s favor.

    ''Though Elysia seems ufortable by all this. Does she know what is going on here or is it her instincts making her look that way?''

    Whatever the truth was, Chrome wanted to help Elysia out. But every time he ever tried to take a step toward Elysia, either Adam or Eve blocked him.

    Their res were asking Chrome to keep his distance and they seemed not very fond of him.

    "Let me stay like this for a while. I''m afraid that I will end up doing something bad if I am let go now. My instincts are too awake to not be dangerous right now."

    Adam panted these words out as he rested his head over Elysia''s shoulder. He had assumed the same position as before even after sitting on the sofa.

    Elysia looked like she wanted to say something but she ended up sighing in the end. However, instead of letting Adam do as he wanted to, she signed Eve to move near her and positioned Adam''s head in Eve''sp instead.

    "If you want to lean on someone then use Eve, please. I have too much work to do and I also need to meet Head Priest Yohan before we head out. He needs to hand over the Holy Grail to me."

    Elysia reminded as she stretched her limbs. It was difficult to make out any of her body shape in her dark dress. It was made forfort and not a show-off. But the pair in front of Chrome were unable to take their eyes off her.

    ''How did this not reach my ear? Is everyone in this kingdom blind? There is so much adoration in those eyes that it is making me sick to see.''

    Chrome had never seen such a scene before and he suddenly felt the need to munch on some snacks while enjoying the scene.

    "B-But we just met."

    Adam''s whine went unheard as Elysia pretended like he did not exist. The half-dragon did not waste any time in picking his head up from the shoulder he had been forced on and stood up as well.

    So did Eve who refused to look at Chrome.

    "Why don''t I apany you to meet father? I want to have a talk with him as well about some important matters before we head out. I hope it won''t be a problem for you?"

    Elysia had a troubled expression on her face. It seemed as if Elysia seemed not too thrilled at the idea of having Eve apany her.

    Chrome waited for the refusal toe but it did note. Instead, Elysia just sighed before giving Eve an indulging smile.

    "Of course. Let''s head out before we miss Head Preist Yohan. I don''t want to keep everyone else waiting for the ceremony."

    Chrome watched Elysia leave with a detached expression. She had not refuted Eve''s offer even when she had been ufortable with the other female. She had not even refuted the Crown Prince''s unnecessary demands.

    Had it been any otherdy, they would have not even listened to someone who abandoned them and broke off their engagement. Elysia was a little too passive in these matters.

    "Is it always like this? It seems like Elysia is a little too submissive when ites to your demands."

    Chrome was only making an observation but the reaction that he was able to pull out of the other Crown Prince thrilled Chrome.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    It was a chilling re that dared Chrome to say even a single word more and he would die. Chrome found himself swallowing his saliva unconsciously.

    He knew he was ying with fire here but the danger of his situation made his blood pump faster inside his veins. Chrome felt alive as he faced off against the other prince.

    "I am warning you to watch your words. You might be a guest here but this is not your nest. You will die if you don''t watch whom you are offending."

    ''Oh, a threat all of a sudden? It seems like I struck more than a few nerves.''

    Chrome swallowed before he decided to continue the game. None of that nervousness was showing up on his face though.

    "But it is true, right? If you asked Elysia to jump, do you think she will ask ''how high?'' Hey, do you think she would follow my demands like that as well? I want to��"

    Chrome''s life shed in front of his eyes as he dodged the me that wasing from his hands. He was lucky that he had sensed that danger at the right time.

    He looked up at the other prince but Adam did not look like he felt any guilt about what he had just done.

    But it was his eyes that were asking Chrome to watch his words even more carefully.

    "Are you interested in her? If you are then you should curb your desire right now. I am sure your life is much more precious than egging me is."

    ''Oh, so he did realize that I was trying to get a rise out of him.''

    Chrome was satisfied with the reactions he had managed to pull off this far. He had even gotten a warning for his efforts which was unfortunate but not as unlikely as one would think.

    But all this was excellent information Chrome had missed before. It seemed like Crown Prince Adam did not ''dislike'' Elysia but adored her to a point where it was impossible to get out of.

    There was possessiveness and obsession in his eyes that was unrivaled.

    ''Well, not quite unrivaled. It seems like hispetition is the very person these words ship him with. What a twist of fate this turned out to be. I wonder how it will affect the future.''

    Chrome was curious about how things would unfold. Especially when he knew that Elysia Dirac would leave for Akatsuki sometime soon.

    It was something their oracle had foretold ever since Chrome had been little and it had increased his curiosity about the Dirac family. It was also why his family had encouraged him to befriend Lucas Dirac.

    "Oi, I am warning you. You might be living with the Dirac for now but don''t try to get closer to Elysia than it is necessary."

    "I will try to stay away. But my dear prince, there are things we can and cannot control in this world. And as for Elysia and me being closer? This only time can tell."

    Adam''s eyes narrowed as he heard those words and Chrome felt threatened by his aura.

    The magic inside the room was thick enough to cause many people to faint. Even Chrome was only able to hold out because of his sheer massive willpower.

    ''It seems like I found the anger spot of Crown Prince Adam. I am d to be on the same side as him. But man, how can a human body hold this much power inside it?''

    The more Chrome saw of the trio, the more he was impressed by them. He knew that they would be invaluable allies to him.

    His initial purpose behind this visit had been to make friends with Lady Eve since she was close to Crown Prince Adam and then foster friendship. Elysia had not been a part of the equation.

    But it seemed like Chrome would have to adjust his ns a lot.

    ''Sorry, Elysia. I mean you no harm but I do need your help. It is a matter of my kingdom''s safety and prosperity.''

    Chrome heated to pose as the viin but he had no other choice now. He would do anything for his people. And that did include Elysia as well.

    If he had his way, then Elysia would be well out of danger once the real waves started.

 Chapter 115 115: That Sword

    There was a tense silence in the air. Even if Eve was smiling, Elysia got a feeling that her friend (possible lover) was not smiling at the moment.

    There was a tense air around the pair and it was making Elysia nervous. She was walking in front of Eve and the constant presence of Eve''s eyes on her back was making Elysia miss her steps.

    She had already misstepped more than twice and had to catch herself before she stumbled. But that was not the odd part.

    The odd part was that Eve had not moved to help Elysia out a single time that happened. Usually, Eve was all over Elysia by this point but not today.

    "Eve is everything alright-"

    "You and Crown Prince Chrome seemed closer. You even tried to take Adam''s attack for him. Elysia, do you like him?"

    Eve''s voice was sharp and clear-cut. There was no room for lies or disagreement in her voice. It made Elysia shudder to hear.

    She was not sure what had ticked Eve off this time but she was pissed off for sure. That was the only time her voice became like this and that heavy presence that was suffocating Elysia was proof of Eve''s anger.

    "What are you talking about? I met Crown Prince Chrome only a few days ago. The reason I helped him out was that he was a guest of Dirac''s house. If something had happened to him then the reputation of our house would be in shambles."

    And the nation would also be in danger because of the threat of war. But Elysia had a feeling that Eve would not appreciate this reason.

    Somehow, it was dangerous to keep on guessing Eve''s mood like this but Elysia had no other choice.

    "Hah, I see. The reputation of your family? Then, are you sure you have no other reason to care for that man in such an intimate way?"

    "There is nothing *intimate* between me and Crown Prince Chrome. Dispel all these rumors out of your head and focus on right now."

    Eve pouted after hearing Elysia''s words but she seemed marginally happier than before. There was a beaming smile on her face and theck of that anger finally made Elysia look back.

    She missed the next step due to her carelessness but Eve decided to help her out this time. Eve''s arms stopped Elysia from falling and Elysia allowed Eve to hold her for now.

    Truthfully speaking, Elysia could have stopped her fall anytime she wanted but she allowed Eve to hold her for now.

    ''I guess this means that everything is alright now. I don''t know why Eve even felt jealous of me in the first ce when she has a lot of people after her. I guess I will never know the minds of those who are well-liked.''

    Elysia was taking the whole jealousy thing the wrong way but it did not ur to her that Eve was not jealous of her but of Chrome.

    The pair reached Head Priest''s temporary quarters in the temple hand in hand. Elysia did try to pull back but Eve''s grip made her unable to.

    All she could do was follow after Eve as she was dragged into the room.

    "Father, are you done with my gift for the ceremony? I told you that I could handle it but you had to go ahead and take that decision out of my hand."

    Head Priest looked at Eve with a doting expression of a proud father before that smile faded away into a frown at seeing Elysia being so cozy with her adopted daughter.

    Elysia tried to pull her hand back as soon as she was faced with that indifferent look but Eve refused to let go of it.

    In the end, Head Priest Yohan had no choice but to ignore his daughter''s actions as he focused on taking the box out of the safe he had kept in.

    "There is a reason I asked you to let me choose the gift. Since this year was *unique*, I felt that it was appropriate to prepare a grand gift just in case. The Royal Family also agreed with me and decided to part with their family gift."

    Head Priest Yohan pulled the cloth away from a familiar-looking sword. It was one Elysia could not even forget even if she tried to.

    This sword had cut across her neck so many times in her vision that it was not even funny.

    Elysia unconsciously found herself breathing harder and harder which was noticed by Eve.

    "Is everything alright Elysia? Is it the sword? Is a weapon making you feel nervous?"

    As soon as Eve had noticed Elysia behaving abnormally, she pulled the cloth back over the sword and rubbed her hand against Elysia''s back.

    The more contact Elysia had with Eve, the better she felt. But that did nothing to hide her nervousness and Lord Yohan noticed it pretty quickly.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    As someone who had trained Elysia to be able to handle all kinds of weapons, he was confused about what had happened to make Elysia behave this way.

    But Elysia was unable to say what she had been thinking. It would be too much to voice it all right now.

    "I am alright. I think I am just feeling a little sick due to the fasting."

    Elysia lied but it seemed to have worked. Eve still looked worried but there was no urgency in her eyes now.

    "Oh, so that''s it. Let''s hurry up and finish this ceremony already."

    Eve seemed concerned now which made Elysia feel guilty. It was not Eve''s fault that Elysia had ended up being in this condition.

    She was bound to not feel well anytime she saw that sword anyway. It was just lucky that she saw it when there was no more dangerous than to see it on a battlefield and be blown away by it.

    But why was the sword here now? Was it not supposed to be passed down to Adam when the timees? Was it alright to use it during the ceremony?

    "Eve, let Elysia go for now and hold this sword. I need to hand something to Elysia as well and have a talk with her regarding what she should and should not do."

    Eve looked like she would follow Head Priest Yohan''s words but then she changed her mind all of a sudden.

    Instead of moving out of the room, Eve rested her bundle on the chair and looked in the Head Priest''s direction with a neutral expression.

    "You can hand her the Holy Grail in front of me. And I am sure there is nothing you both cannot talk about in front of me. Now hurry up and finish your talk."

    Eve seemed to have no intention of going out and giving Elysia any free time. It seemed that she was still a little tense from before.

    Head Priest Yohan signaled for Elysia to do something to make Eve go away but Elysia was hesitant to follow through.

    She was not sure why but she had a feeling that she should not push Eve away for now. And Elysia decided to listen to that feeling and ignore the scary look she was getting.

    Head Priest Yohan was smiling but there was malice behind his eyes that Elysia could only read after years of experience.

    "In that case, here. Be careful with the Holy Grail and make sure youplete this ritual. This time, we cannot have a harsh winter because it will be critical for the temple. By the end of this season, we shall have a new Saintess among us."

    Head Priest Yohan''s voice was a little mean but it was still within excusable margins. He just seemed a little tense.

    But even Elysia knew how important his words were. And she gave a small nod to show that she understood the words he did not see.

    ''Make sure nothing goes wrong. And if possible, protect Eve if anything does happen.''

    This was something Elysia was hoping to do anyway. By the odds that were present, it was clear that something could do wrong.

    One incident or another always urred at the season''s hunt and no one was expecting this time to be any different.

    "Eve, let''s head back. We need to regroup before we head for the forest."

    Elysia gave a small bow to Head Priest Yohan before she took Eve''s hand to move her. Eve barely had time to pick up the sword before she was following after Elysia.

    They were being waited upon by Adam and Chrome when they arrived back into the waiting chambers and then they left for the real ceremonial grounds.

    Chrome tried to follow after Eve and Elysia but Chrome stopped him from entering.

    "You cannote across this point since only people rted to our empire can enter here. You should stop before you get hurt."

    Adam warned but Chrome side-stepped him and entered after the two girls.

    "Well, I don''t mind getting a little hurt in the process if it is to help my people. Now, how long are you going to stand outside like this? Are you noting after us?"

    Adam frowned but he followed after as well.

 Chapter 116 116: The Journey Of A Mile [Pt1]

    "Well, I don''t mind getting a little hurt in the process if it is to help my people. Now, how long are you going to stand outside like this? Are you noting after us?"

    ''Adam, don''t be a fool and lose your temper. Please don''t embarrass us in front of Elysia.''

    Eve tried to pass the message on to Adam with her looks but the Crown Prince was not looking at her. His focus was entirely on the Akatsuki heir who stood there with a grin o his face.

    Looking at that face, Eve could understand why Adam was getting so triggered. Some people were born with a face asking for a beating and Lord Chrome was one such person.

    Despite knowing this, Eve had held her desires in check which wasmendable. She should be rewarded for her excellent behavior.

    But Adam''s actions pushed things a little too far and would force Eve to take a stance she did not want to take.

    "Lord Chrome, is it really alright for you to apany us in our sacred ceremonial grounds? I don''t think it''s a good idea to take you with us when even the servants are noting."

    Adam forced those words out calmly. All the servants were looking toward this scene with anticipation of a show. They likely wanted to see the two Crown Prince fall apart.

    People might hate war but they loved drama. And the higher the person who was involved, the better it was for them in terms of entertainment.

    Not that it mattered to Adam even a little bit. The only reason he was able to hold back was that Elysia was looking at him right now as well.

    He did not want to show his disgraceful side to Elysia like this. His ugly side should never be seen by his loved ones.

    "My lord, maybe you should take Crown Prince Adam''s advice. Their traditions seem important to him."

    The servant that had apanied Crown Prince Chrome spoke softly but Adam could hear him. That made Adam''s favourability for the servant rise even more than before.

    He already had to share Elysia''s precious time with Eve, he did not need any morepetition. And especially from someone outside their empire and who was in a high enough position to rival his own.

    Even the servants looked ufortable at the thought of Elysia leaving them for a foreign country. She was too valuable to lose as a potential weapon.

    "B-But I was looking ahead to this trip. I know! Elysia, you won''t make me go back, right? Lady Eve already has Crown Prince Adam to apany him. Won''t you be lonely all by yourself? I can be your knight since Sorias cannot apany you inside."

    Elysia had a shocked expression on her face. This sudden wave of interest had taken her by surprise and she no longer knew what to say.

    She generally made sure to keep her distance from such political talks but now she could no longer take a neutral stance.

    "I��do you have to be here Chrome? You should visit Lucas��"

    "Nope. I''ve spent too much time with Lucas already so now there is nothing more to know about him. I would rather spend my time getting to know you since we will be working *very* closely in the future. Aren''t you going to visit my home after this festival?"

    It was Adam and Eve''s time to look shocked at the news. They turned toward Elysia as one, their expressions asking the same thing - when did this happen?

    "That has not been decided yet so don''t go and run your mouth unnecessarily Chrome. Besides, it is up to Lucas since he''s the family head. Whatever business that will be happening will be handled by him in the future."

    Elysia confirmed and shot down Chrome''s words in a single sentence. This might have been the most she had ever spoken in a noble-like manner and she could see the servants talking and pointing her out.

    Elysia could have pretended to be unaware of anything and gotten by but she wanted to avoid the talk that was happening behind her back.

    This was the best decision to minimize the damage that would happen to the Akatsuki family. By being a little rude to Chrome, it would only Elysia''s name would be affected. Chrome would get away freely.

    "Oi, oi oi. This still doesn''t solve the issue. Lord Chrome, it will be better if you head back now. I remember that my father was looking for you. Besides, we cannot let an unchecked man on these holy grounds. As the Saintess candidate, I won''t be able to overlook it."

    Eve interfered in between those talks. She positioned herself between Elysia and Chrome to break their line of contact.

    It pushed the Crown Prince but the impact was too light to be noticed.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia wanted to help Chrome but Eve was not making it easy to look at Chrome right now. She was also giving off a vibe that said not to mess with her for now.

    It calmed Elysia''s enthusiasm to help Chrome and she did not try again.

    "Hey, I am not a stranger. Are you ignoring what I am saying? Do you think I won''t follow��hey. Don''t leave me here alone��.and darn. I got left behind."

    The servants turned their heads away as soon as they realized what they had seen happen in front of their eyes.

    The fear of a war breaking out was real now and the servants did not want to be caught in this discussion.

    Only the servant that had apanied Crown prince Chrome could tell how amused he found it all to be. There was a small grin on Chrome''s face that spelled trouble for everyone.

    "Crown Prince Chrome, was it necessary to trigger them? We are in no position to face off against the empire. There is too much internal conflict in our territories��"

    "Stop worrying so much. How long have you known me? Have I ever been anything but careless? I already asked the magicians to take care of these servants'' memories. They won''t remember what happened here."

    The servant could do nothing but sigh at his Lord''s words. This was nothing new to him and Lord Chrome pulled this stunt once in a while. The magicians had been trained specifically for this task.

    "You are such a harsh master. Now, are you going to meet Head Priest Yohan right now? You do know that he did not call for you, right?"

    Chrome''s servant asked as soon as he realized that he was alone with the Crown Prince. The clear annoyance in his voice was music to Chrome''s ears.

    Since he did not want to harm people, letting lose by irritating his retainers was the only thing Chrome could do. And since it did nothing to harm anyone, no one couldin about his methods.

    "Meet Head Priest Yohan? Sure, why not. After all, it was his ''dear'' daughter who asked me to so how can I turn this opportunity down? We should also take Lucas with us for now. I am sure he must be getting bored by now."

    To say that Lucas was less than thrilled to join Chrome would be an underestimation. He kept on ring toward both Chrome and the Head Priest.

    This was a rare time Chrome had seen Lucas get awkward and not be in control and this made his mood rise.

    It would have been an even more hrious situation if not for the additional forces that had joined them. And the girl sitting beside Elysia''s familiar was amusing as well.

    She was currently ring daggers into the six-year-old kid''s skull. Her intention was written clearly on her face.

    "Hello, there little miss. I am not we have met before. May I have the honor of knowing your name?"

    Chrome tried to be as gentle as she could with the younger girl. But the girl did not even pay any attention to him and continued to stick to Elysia''s familiar.

    He could see how this attention was making Elysia''s familiar ufortable. It was a wonder how the familiar had not thrown thisdy''s hand away and run out.

    ''Must be because Sorias can see how that would make thedysh out. She seems just like the violent type as well.''

    "My name is Emma White, daughter of the House, White. This is all your highness needs to know of me."

    Thedy shot Chrome down even before he could say anything to her. Not that he had any intention of courting ady this young. Emma White was too young for Chrome to even think of using.

    Instead, what he wanted to know was thetest news she might carry with her. Besides, it made that ''famous'' Head Priest ufortable so it was a plus in Chrome''s book.

    "My lord, is it really alright to torment them all like this?"

    His retainer asked but all Chrome did was smile. He was having fun even in this tense atmosphere so he had nothing toin about.

    On the other hand, the atmosphere was just as tense between Adam, Eve and Elysia. But unlike Chrome, they were not enjoying this in the least.

 Chapter 117 117: The Journey Of A Mile [Pt2]

    The trio walked toward their destination in rtive silence. Both Adam and Eve had a lot today to Elysia but they could not bring themselves to.

    As for Elysia? Her mind was filled with thoughts of what she had to do. She was still a little worried about being able to y her part right but she had to do her best to support Eve.

    "I think we are deep in enough to release the Holy Grail and the sacrifice. Fathe-I mean, the Head Priest gave me a spell that will turn this sacrifice into a beast."

    Eve recalled once she stopped walking.

    Aurora took a quick look around with magic but there was no one in their vicinity. They truly were alone.

    "Then hurry up and release the beast. We arete to the meeting time already."

    Adam reminded them as he pushed his hand ahead to cast the spell. He was aware of the initiative he had to take to work things out.

    As the only heir to the Royal Throne, Adam had to undergo this ceremony too many times. He was present with every pair ever since he had turned 11 and he was well-versed in ins-and-outs of this forest.

    Eve had a sour look on her face when she looked at Adam. His attitude was something that made Eve want to hit him but she held herpulsion back.

    "Fine, let''s get this done. Elysia, meanwhile you��."

    "Should go and get changed. I have the ceremonial robe with me that was provided by the sisters. Don''t worry about me and go ahead with this ceremony."

    Elysia reminded the pair as soon as she saw Eve trying to get up. Eve looked ready to apany Elysia while changing but that would break the serene moment that was taking ce right now.

    Moreover, Elysia just wanted Adam and Eve to spend a little time together in the forest. This ce was special after all.

    "I will be back soon so make sure you take care of yourself and the sacrifice."

    Elysia reminded the pair before disappearing behind the trees. And as soon as she disappeared, the gentle expression on the royal pair''s faces disappeared.

    Cold ruthlessness entered their eyes as they looked at each other and a silent understanding.

    "We need to deal with that ''Crown Prince Chrome'' as soon as possible. I don''t get a good feeling when I look at him. Every time he opens his mouth, I feel like crushing him and��"

    "Calm down Adam. I know what you are thinking and feeling but we cannot take things too fast. You know how Elysia is. She will surely feel burdened and me herself if we are too direct with our demands."

    Eve reminded the Crown Prince who was sulking in his seat. Having known Elysia for longer, Eve could guess how she would think and act in certain situations.

    And most of it was not as positive as Eve was hoping for. Elysia had quite a negative outlook on things most of the time.

    ''But then again, it''s one of her charms. Love does make one blind after all.''

    The more Eve thought about Elysia, the more lost in her thoughts she got. Thankfully, she had Adam to keep her on track and bring her mind back to the present.

    "Oi, pay attention. We cannot be cking right now. We need to show Elysia that we''re the only ones who are right for her."

    Adam reminded Eve. He did not even try to push her away and im Elysia for himself. This was an actual improvement for him since Eve knew that Elysia would not choose between them, no matter what.

    "I know what you are thinking but we cannot make any hasty move. We need to be subtle about the tricks we will be pulling so that it doesn''t result in an all-out war and the first thing we need to do is to stop Elysia from visiting the Akatsuki kingdom��"

    Eve trailed off in her words as soon as her eyes fell on the vision that was Elysia. She had not announced her presence but somehow Eve still found her eyes seeking the other female out.

    And she was not the only one whose jaw had dropped to the ground to see Elysia in her given attire. Adam looked equally shocked and speechless.

    "I��did someone make a mistake with her outfit? I thought you checked it, Adam?"

    Eve asked in a daze as her eyes looked at the almost exposed breasts that were spilling out of the tiny dress Elysia had on.

    It was not even long enough to cover her thighs and every time she moved, it showed her private parts which were covered by a thin slip of clothes.

    These clothes were not even worthy of being called inner clothes and yet Elysia was there, wearing them in an open space.

    "I did check them but I did not realize Elysia would look like this once she wears them. I think I made a mistake."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The only ''mistake'' Eve could see was the boner Adam was supporting. But she could not fault Adam in this case.

    ? Elysia looked too good to pass up.

    "I think someone made a mistake when they handed this to me. What should we do now?"

    Elysia''s voice was shy and barely loud enough to be heard. She looked afraid to attract attention to herself in her current get-up.

    The forest was empty except for the trio and the magic that was taking shape into a magical animal.

    "W-We have no choice but to continue like this. We don''t have another outfit for you and it would also take too long to go back and��"

    "Elysia, you look fantastic right now so there is no need to change. Besides, I don''t the gods would mind you looking like that. They don''t even care for virgins so I am sure an outfit will not cause any problem."

    Eve finished Adam''s words, knowing fully well that he was finding it hard to speak right now.

    Not that Eve did find it hard to speak as well. Elysia''s outfit was too revealing with all its see-through material falling all around her body in gentle waves.

    It made Eve''s hands itch to hold Elysia and to mark her throat with bite marks. She wanted everyone to see that Elysia was hers.

    And the possessiveness in Adam''s eyes was different from hers.

    Eve wanted to parade Elysia around, full of her bite marks and being thoroughly imed but Adam looked like he wanted to lock Elysia up so that no one could see her again.

    Their desires were so simr but so different at the same time and there might be a conflict between them one day.

    But that day was not today and the royal pair swallowed hard as they locked up their desires behind a tight lock.

    "So, did the sacrifice spell work?"

    "Not yet but we are.."

    Eve was in the middle of answering Elysia when the magic exploded and took the shape of a small fennec fox.

    It was pure white and gave off a strong sense of magic. It was cute and worth every point of magic they had poured into it.

    Eve reached out for the fox but it dodged both her and Adam''s hands before burrowing itself under Elysia''s breasts.

    Elysia reached out to catch the fragile body and cradled the fox into her arms. When Adam tried to reach out for the fox, it burrowed itself back into Elysia''s arms and pressed harder against her breasts area

    It rubbed its small head in-between those perky mounds on Elysia''s chest while giving a superior smile back to Adam and Eve. it was challenging them and marking Elysia at the same time.

    "This little...I am going to kill him."

    Adam seethed silently in his ce which reflected how Eve was feeling on the inside. Even their magic was obsessed with Elysia and wanted to be closer to her.

    And Elysia was even obliging theirbined magic in her arms without a care. She looked happy to be holding the fox and treating it like a baby.

    ''I guess Elysia will look good with a baby to hold on to. One that has both my and Adam''s magic inside its tiny body. It will be an ultimate form of proof that Elysia is ours.''

    Eve imagined the scene and felt hot all over her body. She wanted to hold Elysia close and fuck her right then and there but she had to control herself.

    ''Once the ceremony is over I can do that. I just need to hold on for that long.''

    Eve''s thoughts were clear but that did not mean it was easy for her to keep her desire in check.

    Surprisingly enough, it was Adam who pulled himself together first and turned away.

    "Let''s hurry up and get rid of the sacrifice. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can take care of ourselves."

    Elysia''s red face was worth looking at. It seemed like she had not missed the intention Adam had shown with his words and Eve was looking forward to it as well now.

 Chapter 118 118: The Journey Of A Mile [Pt3]

    Elysia could feel their eyes on her body. Both Adam and Eve were looking at her with interest, which made Elysia feel shy.

    To be honest, she did not mind being in that transparent robe in front of her childhood friends since they had seen her at her worse, but it was still a little embarrassing to be looked at like this.

    "Elysia, are you sure you are alright? The temperature has gotten a little colder, so walking in should be ufortable only that."

    "N-No, I''m alright."

    Elysia assured Eve, knowing fully well that she would be killed by Lord Yohan if she caused any problem during this ceremony.

    This was thest step toward Eve''s pre-Sainthood training. The younger girl might not realize it, but she would be appointed as the Saintess after this ceremony.

    She would also be engaged formally to the Crown prince and Elysia could finally end this twisted rtionship with the pair.

    As much as both Adam and Eve imed to love her, she was sure that they would be faithful to each other.

    ''And maybe I can take Chrome up on his offer afterward to visit the Akatsuki empire. I always wanted to travel outside the empire.''

    It had been impossible before because Elysia had been too worried about the future but it should be alright once things were back on track.

    "Elysia, look out."

    Elysia stumbled in her steps, not looking where she was going and both Adam and Eve reached out toward her.

    They managed to catch her but Elysia felt a light squeeze on her breast as well as her hips. And the pair was also holding on to Elysia a little tighter than necessary.

    "Y-You can let go of me now. I don''t think I am going to fall again."

    Elysia reminded, causing both of herpanions to blush red. But the hold did not lighten. Instead of being let go of, both Adam and Eve circled her waist and stood on each side of hers.

    Elysia had not realized it before but she had been left behind in the height department. Even Eve had managed to grow taller than Elysia, almost catching up to Adam and her body was well-built as well.

    As she ran her hand all over Eve''s firm stomach, Elysia could not help but marvel at the toughness she felt under her hands.

    "Elysia, don''t feel me up if you don''t want anything unfortunate to happen right now. I won''t be able to control myself if you tease me like this."

    Eve warned and that husky and wet voice caused Elysia to let go instantly. She looked up to see a flushed face and wet eyes looking back at her.

    "I��that was not my intention."

    "I know but you better be careful. I am not the only one who finds you sexy and I don''t think Adam will be able to hold himself back if you tease him like this."

    Elysia jolted away from Eve''s body as if she was on fire. She turned around to see Adam staring at the pair with hardened eyes.

    But the fire of desire was burning inside his heart quite brightly. His eyes showed what he could not with his mouth or his body.

    "I understand. W-We should get going now since the sun is about to set."

    Elysia pointed out toward the sky and both Adam and Eve had no choice but to give up for now.

    The ceremony could only be held as long as the sun had not set so they had to hurry up toward the pool space.

    Elysia had not been here for some time but she felt the cold feeling of familiarity seeping into her bones.

    Just by being near the water, she could feel the essence of the ceremonial pool surrounding her. It was the same source of water after all.

    "Give me a break. Why did you have to choose the most revealing robe for Elysia? I cannot concentrate."

    Eveined before Elysia but it felt like Elysia was hearing her from behind a thin wall. The voice was not clear inside her ear.

    "I know I made a mistake but I am not sorry for it. I always wanted to see Elysia in something like this, but I felt she would notply with me under normal circumstances. You should be thanking me for this opportunity."

    Adam''s words caused Elysia''s cheeks to flush. The fox quickly jumped out of Elysia''s arms and touched the surface of the pool with his nose.

    Both the sacrifice and the weapon that had been chosen were to be sent into the water where they would cross to the other side.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia also took out the Dirac present that had been prepared by her brother andid it out at the shore.

    From here on it would be a matter of time before the gate opened up and swallowed the offerings. Then it would offer something in return and the ceremony would be over.

    Elysia waited and the gate finally opened. The fox jumped through the gate at once and then the sword was dragged through.

    It was time for the pendant in the end and Elysia waited with her breath held tight for it to be taken away.

    And the waves of magic finally connected with the pendent and began dragging it away.

    But then the magic changed course. It warped around Elysia''s arm and yanked her into the pool as well.

    She tried to fight against the waves that were swallowing her up but it was difficult to do. Her senses were being overtaken by a familiar sensation of a vision.

    The ceremonial pool was trying to show her something as it connected to the god''s realm and it made Elysia afraid. This had never happened during any ceremony before and Elysia had no idea what to do now.

    Outside, she could faintly make out the people who were calling for her toe back. And Elysia did want to go back as well. But it was like a dream.

    She did not even have enough energy to even be able to reach out to the surface of theke right now.

    ''My lungs are burning. What happened to the fox? Did it die as soon as it drowned?''

    Usually, those sacrifices were alright since they had the protection of the holy grail but who knew what would happen this time?

    It was not the magic of the holy grail but the humans that had caused it to transform. Elysia knew she should have expected something to go wrong because of this change but she did not.

    And so she sank even deeper.

    She thought she heard a fox''s purr in her ear before she was yanked through the water. Her lungs were burning as soft arms warped around her middle and brought her to safety.

    The people who had been looking from the outside could tell the exact second Elysia disappeared from the pool along with the other sacrifices.

    This was the first incidence of the ceremony picking a human as a sacrifice so no one knew what would happen next.

    ____________________

    Outside the forest, Lucas''s cup had a crack all of a sudden as he took a sip of his tea. The crack caused it to break apart and Lucas looked at it in shock.

    He was not the only one who found that scene to be uneasy. Everyone looked toward Lucas with shocked faces.

    "Lord Dirac, are you alright? It is unlike you to lose control of your magic like this."

    Chrome was the one who came to the rescue, his eyes looking at the paleplexion Lord Dirac supported.

    Anyone could tell that Lord Dirac was going through a hard time right now.

    "Huh? Ah, this? I am alright. I was not feeling well today so I lost control of my magic for a second there. There is no need for you to panic like this."

    Lucas assured as he picked up the broken cup fragments. Even if she said that he was alright, he knew that he was not alright.

    His symptoms wereing back and he was losing the function of his body and magic. It would not be long before his end came but he had to keep on pushing until the veryst moment.

    "I think my cousin needs to go out for a walk. We will be back soon."

    Seeing Lucas''s bad state, Chrome made the decision all on his own. But Lucas was not feeling well enough to stop him or react to his selfish desires.

    He just followed after Chrome with a detached expression.

    Those who watched the leave could tell that something big was going to happen. They were also afraid of a possible betrayal by the Dirac house.

    But no one was more suspicious than Head Priest Yohan was looking at the pair with his eyes narrowed. He did not like this new turn of events since they were a danger to Eve and her position.

    He needed to do something about his new emerging power and soon.

 Chapter 119 119: The Confrontation [Pt1]

    "Give me a break. Why did you have to choose the most revealing robe for Elysia? I cannot concentrate."

    Eveined as she walked a little way away from the grand pool with Adam. There were some things she needed to prepare before offering her part in the ceremony.

    "I know I made a mistake but I am not sorry. I always wanted to see Elysia in something like this but I had a feeling she would notply with me under normal circumstances. You should be thanking me for this opportunity."

    Adam seemed not to be even a little concerned about his actions. If anything, he looked a lot more pleased than guilty about what had happened with Elysia before.

    It was not like Eve did not understand why he behaved like this. Because dressing Elysia like this was something Eve also wanted to do.

    But there was a time and ce for everything.

    ''Elysia doesn''t even have our bitemarks to show off. What is the use of just exploding her like this? What if someone identally saw her like that without our im and-''

    "Turn the gears in your brain down. There is no way I would ever allow anyone else to see Elysia in that condition. And if they do, then they would end up dead so it is not a problem."

    Adam''s words might sound crude but Eve had confidence that he was not lying. It was something he was capable of doing and weirdly enough, Eve was sure that she would help him out.

    ''Spending this much time with a psychopath like Adam is not good for my mental health. I should find some alone time with Elysia.''

    Eve had a lot she wanted to do with Elysia alone and she would finally have time once this ceremony was over and she would be appointed as the Saintess.

    And then she would also have enough power to protect Elysia from the unnecessary nder that she was forced to endure.

    "Elysia, are you done with your part in the-"

    Eve turned around but Elysia was nowhere to be found. Neither she nor the other sacrifices and offerings were in the pce where they had been left.

    Adam''s tense form behind her told Eve that something had gone wrong. Growls wereing out of his mouth that Eve had never heard before.

    They were not only loud but frustrated. His eyes had turned into slits as well which showed his draconic nature.

    "Something was just here. Something powerful and otherworldly dragged Elysia into the pool. I can no longer sense her presence in this world."

    The ground felt like it was breaking apart underneath Eve''s feet. She could no longer maintain her bnce upright and copsed on her knees.

    When and how did this happen? Elysia had just been there, right in front of Eve and now she was no longer there?

    "What do you mean not in this world? When did that happen?"

    Eve asked as he took Adam''s cor in her hand and yanked him closer to her face.

    She could ept that she had missed the chance to save Elysia but how could Adam miss that change as well?

    He was the one who had always boasted about being close to Elysia and having a ''bond'' with her. So how could he not sense when some ''other-worldly'' things came in and snatched Elysia away?

    "I don''t know. I did not sense anything. Even now I cannot feel the part where Elysia is in my connection. It''s not a gaping hole likest time but feels as if it never existed. I cannot even remember what that bond feels like."

    To be fair, Adam looked even more shaken up than Eve at the news. His hands were shaking quite badly.

    Eve did not look at Adam because she wanted to me him for what happened here and his ipetence in protecting Elysia. She knew that if she looked at Adam in the face then she would lose it as well.

    She would be forced to admit that it was not Adam at fault for losing Elysia but herself as well. She was the one who chose to look away from Elysia.

    "Fuck. Lucas is going to kill us. How do we even report it back to him?"

    "You idiot! Now is not the time to be thinking about it. We need to find Elysia before we get killed off. We own her this much."

    __________________________

    "Brother Lucas, calm down. Why are you in such a hurry?"

    Chrome followed after Lucas who had started running at a speed that a sick man should not have been possible.

    He was still coughing and all this running would likely make his lungs much worse than before. But Lucas did not slow down or stop despite knowing this.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The feeling in his heart was getting worse and worse.

    "Y-You felt that energy as well, right? It was the same as what was felt that day. It was the same force as way back then."

    Most people would have called Lucas a fool for chasing after a power that had not been seen for so long but Lucas knew what he was doing.

    "I k-know what you mean but you need to calm down. Even if this power feels like the same one who killed off the Dirac family, what can you do against it? Are you even confident in making it out alive in your condition? Your lungs would copse at this rate."

    Chrome''s words had some truth in them. No matter how hard Lucas tried to push himself, even he could not fight against this curse that was eating him from the inside.

    But even when he knew all that, he still did not want to give up.

    "Look, you are worried about Elysia, right? But she has those two ''chosen ones'' with her so she should be alright. I am sure the world will not allow anything to happen to her."

    Chrome was trying to make Lucas feel better but somehow his words seemed to have backfired.

    If Lucas had looked afraid before, he looked downright terrified right now. His steps that had stopped to take a short rest started moving again as he ran toward the ceremonial forest.

    "M-My lord Dirac. You cannot head in there right now. The ceremonial grounds are not free for visiting-"

    The servants tried to stop Lucas but they were no match for his might. He was like a hurricane that was blowing everyone away.

    And it was not like he had no right to be on the ceremonial grounds since he was the Dirac head. They were the representatives this time around.

    "What is with all this noise? Lucas Dirac, what are you-"

    "Not now your majesty. I have some things to take care of and I won''t stop even if it''s for your sake."

    Lucas managed to avoid all the guards that tried to hold him down. His only goal was to reach the central pool and ensure himself that all his fears were for nothing.

    He reached the forest gates and held on to them just as they opened from the inside.

    "Lucas Dirac, stop causing such panic for no reason. I am sure everything is-"

    But even the king felt his words stop short in his throat as he watched the worried and pissed-off expressions of Adam and Eve on the other side of the door.

    They looked startled to see Lucas on the other side and then their expressions turned ufortable and even guilty.

    But there was a noticeable difference between them then and how they had walked inside. There was a feeling of loss surrounding the pair.

    "What is wrong? You both arete and also filthy. Hurry up and take a bath before��.Eve, is something wrong?"

    Eve could no longer contain her tears from falling. Crystalline drops fell from her eyes as Eve''s body shook. But despite that, Crown Prince Adam did not attempt to help her out.

    His expression looked like he was heartbroken and everyone had a faint feeling that something big had happened.

    "Eve, is everything alright my child? You can tell me what happened and I will help you out. Was it someone who bullied you? Did you get hurt? I asked Elysia to take care of you but I see that she did not do a good job with her-"

    "Don''t speak her name with your mouth or you will end up dying. You have no right to say her name with your filthy lips."

    The hall fell silent as Adam''s words resonated in the empty space of the hallway they were in.

    "Adam, what kind of tone are you-"

    The king tried to scold Adam but he flinched and took a step back as soon as he saw the anger that was aimed his way. He had never seen his son look at him or anyone else in such a wild way.

    It was a madness that a human was incapable of. It was only possible because of the dragon blood that was carried by the Royal family.

    For a second, no one knew what to say. But it was Lucas who finally stepped in and asked the important question.

    "Where is Elysia? What happened to her and why is she not here with both of you?"

 Chapter 120 120: The Confrontation [Pt2]

    Elysia was getting tired of falling unconscious all the time. Somehow, she could not feel as if this was a reallymon urrence in recent times.

    She had fainted more times in thest year than she had in all her years of training. And it felt like that number was rapidly increasing each week.

    "Ouch, my head hurts. What the hell even happened back there?" Elysia tried to remember what had happened but her memory was hazy. She could recall bits and pieces of how she had fallen into water but nothing concrete.

    At first, Elysia did suspect it to be because of magic that her memories became hazy. Some kind of magical energy had tried to interfere with her after all.

    But the more she tried to feel her magic, the more she realized that there was nothing to pull on. Even that faint feeling of restriction was gone.

    The only thing that was left to Elysia that indicated that she had magic at all was her poor memory. The world was visible to her in blurry shades.

    And one such shiny but blurry shade was heading toward Elysia at an incredible speed. She tried to get out of the way, only to realize that she had no magic.

    The metal construction was about to hit Elysia head-on when she closed her eyes. Surprisingly enough, no collision took ce.

    All Elysia heard was a loud horn and an angry shout at her.

    The creature that got out of the metallic construction looked human but he had the weirdest shade of hair Elysia had ever seen. His yelling was also too loud and it made Elysia''s ears hurt.

    Whatever he was saying, Elysia could not understand thatnguage at all, and trying to cast a spell did not work.

    The man, no, the creature with rainbow-colored hair seemed to be getting even angrier at herck of action and finally moved toward Elysia. His anger looked to be visible on his face.

    This situation would not have been a big deal had Elysia not been rendered useless. She was also in a very revealing dress that showed a lot of her assets.

    So she did the only thing she could do in such a situation. Elysia ran away as fast as she could.

    She could see everyone looking at her as she did. Somehow, the more she saw the female-looking creatures and how they were dressed, the less exposed she felt. Her dress still covered the main private features she had but some of the females out there looked like they had nothing to hide.

    Elysia could have stopped to look more had the man not taken off behind her. He looked too pissed off and Elysia knew that she was not going to be let go of that easily.

    She ran toward the empty alley, knowing that she had an advantage there. She had trained her body as well as her magic just for cases like these.

    So she knew that she would be able to take the man if she was able to iste him.

    Unfortunately enough, the man gave the chase up halfway through. He seemed to have realized that it was not worth it to run after an unknown person he will not be able to catch.

    Elysia felt relieved as well as disappointed as soon as she realized that the chase was over already.

    On one hand, she was safe. But on the other, she had lost her source of information and would not have to look for a new one. Fortunately, that would not be a problem for her.

    But the deeper she walked into the alley, the more she realized that this was not a safe ce for her to be in.

    There was no one around but the sense of danger was still present in the air. If she had her magic then there would have been no need for her to be this fearful.

    But she did not have her magic. And it was also such an unfortunate time when she came across ''the situation.''

    "Hey kid, hold still. You do not want to harm your pretty face, right?"

    A bunch of adults had ganged up on a kid who was barely seven years old. The poor child was struggling to get away from his would-be kidnappers.

    Naturally, Elysia knew that she should leave the kid alone and not get involved in such a situation. She also had enoughmon knowledge to know that this was not an eptable situation even in this culture.

    But she had no idea who to contact any kind of agencies in this world who could take care of this matter.

    She would have to somehow take care of this situation while also trying to hold her own.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia positioned herself behind the huge metallic box which contained ck bags and picked one up to distract the would-be kidnappers.

    She knew that if she somehow managed to divert these kidnappers'' attention then she could help the kid out.

    Elysia threw the ck gab toward her left side as she made her way the other way around.

    "Boss, there is someone here. I heard something falling."

    A kidnapper exined, doing exactly what Elysia wanted him to do. Unfortunately, this was where her n began to fall apart.

    "Search the whole alley. We cannot risk anyone finding out what we are doing here or it will all be for nothing. We cannot afford to have the police find us or we are all dead."

    The man who was likely the ''boss'' yelled out suddenly. Elysia knew she needed to get out of the way of that search but she was not sessful.

    "Boss, there is a girl here. What should we do with her now? Should we kill her?"

    Elysia took this small window of opportunity to kick the nearest grunt to her right. The man went down but he did not go down without a fight.

    He managed to make Elysia lose her bnce as he stuck out to attack her. Elysia managed to dodge him but the other grunt got her good in the stomach.

    Elysia did not break any bone, nor was it a heavy attack. But she still felt like all the wind in her lungs had been knocked out.

    She quickly clutched her stomach as the pain took over her senses. These people had sued some kind of trick since Elysia could feel some kind of residual energy left on her body.

    "Well, let me have a look. The girl is beautiful, almost too much to belong to any of our groups. I can even feel a little bit of mana in her body but it is too little for her to be of a noble n in this world. Pack her with the brat and pick her up as well."

    Elysia wanted to fight more but her body was not cooperating. Moreover, she did not understand anything they were talking about.

    It was clear to her that this world had a power system of its own which was different from magic. However, Elysia had no idea how to use their power or if she was even able to in the first ce.

    "Let her go. She has nothing to do with all of this so don''t involve a bystander."

    The child yelled suddenly, his soft face twisting into anger. Elysia felt a pang of emotion go through her body as she felt a feeling of familiarity flow all over her body.

    ? Something about that boy looked so unique and familiar to Elysia that it made her feel like crying. She wanted to reach out to him and hold him close.

    But her body was feeling too heavy and the kid was also not in a position to receive Elysia''s well-wishes.

    "Shut it, kid. I have no beef with the girl but she tried to save you and got herself involved in our business. Whatever happens to her is her fault. Besides, it is not like anyone is going to find out either her or you, so what does it even matter?"

    The kid looked even more pissed after hearing those words. His small body was shaking with unsuppressed rage.

    There was an aura around the kid that made even Elysia flinch once she felt its intensity. It was like looking at Adam when he was letting his powers go.

    But the kid never managed to do anything with his aura since the kidnapper''s boss snapped something in the boy''s wrist.

    As soon as it went around that thin wrist, the mad aura went quiet and the child could only pant in exhaustion.

    Elysia was sure that it was some kind of suppressor for their kind but she did not know how that worked.

    "You are a fool if you think you will be able to get away with doing all this. No noble family will let your tyranny go."

    The kid yelled, his voice serious. But the boss onlyughed out loud at those words.

    "Oh, kid! You poor and delusional kid. I have already gotten away with everything. No one will search for you anyway."

 Chapter 121 [Bonus ]121: A New Reality [Pt1]

    "Oh, kid! You poor and delusional kid. I have already gotten away with everything. No one will search for you anyway."

    While this scene was going on in front of her, Elysia was waiting for her chance to break her bonds and deal with these kidnappers. They might be good but Elysia could see a lot of breaks in their defenses.

    It was also a plus that these people were not paying any attention to her or her state of undress. It said that they did not hold any sexual desires for her.

    ''Just a little more. I know I can get myself up if I try hard.''

    Elysia did not have her magic so she had to try and ignore her pain by sheer willpower alone. It was not an impossible task but it was really difficult to do.

    If not for her experience in dealing with pain in her childhood and Head Priest Yohan''s terrifying training, Elysia would not have been able to endure such wounds.

    Elysia managed to get her body under control at the same time the ''boss'' decided to teach the other kid a lesson. The kid was lucky that Elysia managed to get free in time and knock the boss over.

    "Let''s hurry up and run."

    Elysia was the only one who was not surprised to see the boss go down like this. Everyone else seemed to have been shocked straight at what was happening.

    The one who looked most surprised was the kid Elysia was trying to help. Elysia had to all but drag him out after herself.

    "O-Oi, they are running. Hurry up and catch them. Do not let that kid get away or we will all die."

    Elysia only realized that she might have chewed more than she could swallow once she was halfway out with the kid in her arms. These people did not seem to be normal.

    From their moment to their usage of their bodies, everything looked trained and enhanced. But it was unlike any form of magic Elysia had seen before.

    ''Darn it. If only I could use my magic. What should we do now?''

    Elysia knew she needed to find a way home and fast but she also needed to see this kid reach safety first.

    "Do you have a n? Where are you taking me? Are you here to kidnap me as well?"

    The kid looked suspicious now and it was for a good reason. Even Elysia could tell that no normal human could have taken that boss down.

    Truthfully, it had not been easy for her to take such an action as well but she had done her best to follow through and save a kid.

    "Which organization do you work for? Did my caretakers send you? But why would they send such a useless person like you after me? You don''t even have any mana in your body."

    The kid questioned, his voice getting scarier after every word. He was looking back at Elysia with suspicion filling his eyes.

    "I don''t have any idea what you are talking about. I identally ended up in that alley and I identally ended up helping you out. I will also never see you again once I leave you in the hands of the local police."

    Elysia wanted to see the kid be alright but even she knew that she would not have much time on her hand.

    "Shhh, hide right now. I can feel someone chasing after us. We need to get to safety right now."

    The kid took Elysia''s hand as he dragged her behind him. It seemed all too easy for him to lead her away but Elysia doubted that things were that easy.

    She could still tell that the kid did not trust Elysia but he seemed confident in his ability to suppress her if she became a danger. At the same time, he was leaving himself open for an attack to happen and he was testing her out.

    This kid did not behave as a normal kid did and that made Elysia feel ufortable. Looking at this kid''s back was like looking at her childhood once again.

    "Listen, you don''t need to take me with you. I can take care of things��."

    "Get in and don''t make any unnecessary moves."

    Elysia''s mouth fell shut at themanding tone. She was shoved into arge warehouse that looked mostly empty.

    ''No, not quite as empty as I was thinking of it being. I can feel a lot of energy in there.''

    "I don''t think we should head in there. That ce is not safe for us."

    Elysia was not sure why she wanted to protect the kid like this but she issued a warning to the kid as well. She did not want the kid to get hurt in the crossfire.

    But the kid only looked confused at her words.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Not safe? Why won''t it be safe? Everyone knows that this safehouse belongs to our family and��"

    Elysia blocked the attack that was meant for the kid. She had managed to pick up a small piece of metal on her way and she pushed with her body weight to block the small knife.

    Metal met metal, sparks ringing around the pair as they fought. Meanwhile, the kid who had just been protected looked shocked again before his face was filled with rage.

    "Stop it. She''s my benefactor whom I trusted and brought here. How dare you attack her like this."

    The kid was loud and clear. His voice caused Elysia to feel warm in her heart.

    But it seemed not to be enough. The attacker continued their attack and Elysia''s sluggish body was losing under the pressure.

    A well times jab was all it took to make Elysia lose her bnce and fall. The knife came toward her face at a lightning-fast speed, its silver trail visible to everyone''s naked eye.

    ''Ah, it''s going to hurt. I should brace myself for that.''

    Elysia was ready to lose her limp anytime since she actively participated inbat. And it seemed like the time had finallye for her.

    __________________________

    "Where is Elysia? What happened to her and why is she not here with both of you?"

    Lucas''s words were met with a silence that was thick enough to be cut with a knife. Neither Adam nor Eve knew what to say in the rage of Lord Lucas.

    The man also had a right to be angry at what was happening. He had just lost his sister after all.

    "Lord Dirac, you need to calm down. If you yell like that then we won''t get to know what happened during the ceremony."

    Lucas was already mad, but he was furious at Head Priest Yohan''s words.

    The Head Priest had an annoyed look on his face as well but Lucas could tell that his prioritiesy at a different ce.

    He did not care anything about Elysia or what would happen to her. He was concerned about what this particr matter would mean for Eve and her position.

    "Let''s take this matter inside and think about how to resolve this situation. Unfortunately, little Elysia was taken away by ident during the ceremony but we cannot do anything about it."

    It was the king who decided to interfere this time. He had a regretful look on his face as he spoke of the news. But even that was only a front he was putting up.

    Lucas knew how happy the king was to see the Dirac family''s influence lessen over time. He was even ready to embrace the temple in an attempt to do that.

    "No need. I will look after Elysia alone and I don''t want to have anything to do with this rotten kingdom anymore. I will do things my way."

    Silence descended over the clearing once Lucas was done speaking. No one could even move as much as a muscle or make a small noise.

    Even the king and Head Priest looked frozen in their ce as their duke made that decision.

    "D-Duke, surely not. You cannot do what you want without thinking of the consequences it would bring to everyone else. Your actions would cause smaller houses to lose face and-"

    "Why should I care about those smaller houses when they never cared about us before? I have no affection for this kingdom or its people. So don''t expect me to take your side when a conflict arises."

    The king looked shocked and even enraged to hear those words. Lucas knew he was digging his own grave.

    But he did not care. It did not matter what he did as long as he got the freedom to investigate on his own.

    "Fine. if you''re going to be like this then I will withdraw all the support I offered thus far. You will be on your own lord Dirac."

    "Father, you cannot��"

    "Your majesty, you cannot��"

    Both Adam and Eve looked shocked a the decision but Lucas was not. He already knew that the king was in Head priest Yohan''s hands and he should not expect anything from him.

    That was why he had another trump card he could use. Lucas did not need these insignificant and useless people with him if they were a danger to Elysia.

 Chapter 122 122: A New Reality [Pt2]

    The tension in the hall was thick enough that it could be cut with a knife. Everyone looked shocked at what just took ce in front of their eyes.

    But the one person who was most affected by this looked calm. Lord Lucas Dirac''s expression was calm and serene. It was the face of someone who had finally attained peace atst.

    "I always knew things were going to end up like this. That''s why I knew taking measures against this kingdom was necessary."

    Lord Dirac took a long breath and his following words left the whole corridor worth of people speechless.

    "The Dirac house with all its territories and its assets will be leaving the empire. And before you say anything foolish you should know that it is awful procession. The sheet was renewed just a few years ago."

    The emperor had his jaw hanging after the announcement. Never in his life had he expected this moment toe.

    He quietly looked toward the Head Priest but his panic was clear. If the Diracs left this empire then its influence would lessen. And as the emperor, it would be a direct hit to him.

    "Now, let''s calm down and talk about it, Lord Dirac. I can understand that you are getting rather emotional over the loss of your sister but you need to consider this rationally. Do you think that the Dirds will be able to survive without outside help?"

    "Most of your food and other supplyes from outside your territory. If you refuse to cooperate with the royal family, then it would be a problem for you as well, right?"

    Head Priest Yohan''s words had some sense in them. Dirac estate and its rulingnds were not supposed to handle themselves.

    They needed support from outside and that was a big risk to take for the current estate which only had a young owner.

    No one spoke anything but Lucas''s anger was clear to see. He was not going to back down. Head Priest Yohan''s words were only making it much more irritating for him to bear.

    Finally, the silence was broken by one person no one expected to speak up in this situation and that was the Crown Prince of Akatsuki. Even his retainer looked like he wanted to kill his prince when Chrome opened his mouth.

    "We can take in the Dird if they ever decide to be independent. Everyone is well aware that Lord Lucas''s mother had ties to our imperial family. ording to the unifiedws and the agreement signed, we are well within our rights to help them out."

    The tense silence became even tenser. This was quickly going from a domestic dispute to an international one.

    Had Dirac been a small house with a mediocre estate, the kingdom would have had no problem letting them be.

    But Diracs were too powerful and too influential to be left alone. Their presence was shaping the politicalndscape of the two nations.

    "S-Surely this is not needed. L-Lord Dirac, you are fond of Lady Eve and the Crown Prince, right? Surely you will not leave them alone in such hard times?"

    The emperor tried to reason with Lord Dirac. Everyone could see his desperation as he tried to hold on to thisst rope.

    But Lucas was not going to be swayed by those pretty words.

    The emperor had no idea what he was done wrong in the first ce and that was his problem. He was more concerned about keeping Diracs under hismand than resolving the situation.

    "There is no need for your majesty to step in like this. I might be ''fond'' of these two but I love my sister much more than that. And if you are not going to help me get her back, then I do not need you people."

    The sound of teeth grinding could be heard clearly in the room. As things stood, there was no way Lord Dirac was going to stay with the empire.

    "Lord Dirac, I need to say something to you before you leave."

    The corridor fell silent at their Crown Prince''s voice. This was the first time Adam had said anything since the talks of Dirac house leaving the empire had started.

    Everyone was eager to hear what he had to say because they were all convinced that he would be able to stop lord Dirac.

    "I won''t stop you if you want to leave now but I need a promise from you. Once I take the throne and drive all the forces out, you have toe back. I will only be able to wait for that long."

    No one expected these words toe out of the Crown Prince''s mouth. These were as close to treason as one could hear from his mouth.

    "ADAM, DON''T BE RIDICULOUS. YOU CAN NOT-"

    "Shut your mouth, you old man. Just because you gave birth to me doesn''t make you my ''father''. I tolerate you this far because this was what she expected of me but I no longer have a need to care for a puppet like you."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Everyone could feel the consequences of the Crown Prince''s anger. It was making the building around them shake.

    "Eve, you need to calm the Crown Prince down right now. I know that you are worried-"

    "I don''t want to. I don''t think anything Adam said was wrong. On the contrary, I want to join lord Dirac once he leaves."

    "Eve, what are you saying?"

    To say that Head Priest Yohan was shocked would be an underestimation of how he looked right now. His face had lost all color and his eyes looked haunted.

    Eve felt sorry for her father figure but she could no longer support his actions and his double nature. That change in her father made Eve ufortable.

    The silence that followed Eve''s deration was even tenser than when Lord Dirac spoke about abandonment.

    To lose both their Saintess and their most influential Duke in one go was a tragedy for the empire.

    However, Lucas was not as hard-hearted as he was appearing to be. He did want the people who had bullied Elysia to pay but that did not mean he wanted the empire to copse.

    "I''m sorry to say this but we can only take Lord Dirac for now. Your holiness would need to say in the empire since we don''t have enough resources for her. Also, we will house Lord Dirac only for a few years until the Crown is passed to the next person."

    Chrome looked apologetic when he said that but anyone could see that he had said those words knowing fully well that they would cause even more friction between these different parties in the empire.

    Chrome did not benefit from any sort of struggle the empire went through since the Akatsuki kingdom was not looking to expand right now.

    But it did help his ns to bring lord Dirac back to Akatsuki and get his help in the Crown war going back there.

    "Well then, it''s time I head back and make preparations to look for Elysia. I hope you will keep me informed about anything happening on your end as well."

    "Of course, we will-"

    Lucas did not even hear the emperor''s words. As soon as he got a nod from Adam and Eve, her turned around to leave.

    With one person in the Royal forces and another in the temple forces, Lucas knew he would be as well-informed as he could be. But that was still not enough.

    If Elysia had disappeared during the ceremony then there was only one ce she could have ended up at.

    But entering or even opening a way to that realm would require too much effort and power. No power in this world could guarantee an easy passage to that side.

    ''This means I will have to call in ''that'' favor. Luckily, I have Sorias with me to ease the negotiations or I will be run out before I even make it there.''

    Lucas knew it was a big risk he was taking by going against the empire but it would all be worth it in the end.

    And it was not like the empire could do anything against the Dirac family either. They needed the Dirac family if they wanted to control the enchanted forest.

    "Everything will be fine in the end. Even the empire knows that nothing can be gained if they drive you out. Meanwhile, the Akatsuki will help you out."

    Chrome followed after Lucas, knowing that he needed to pull the elder together.

    As much as Lucas had denied being soft for Elysia, he still was her brother and there was a genuine bond between that pair.

    And besides, Chrome had already taken a step to interfere so he will have to see it through. That was the only chance he had to take control of his nation and seed in the inheritance.

    "Chrome, don''t think that I do not know what you want from me. But I will help you out since you are the only one who raised your voice for me. I will make you the next emperor."

    Chrome felt guilty for tricking Lucas but he did not feel as if he was wrong. This was what he had to do so Chrome did it.

 Chapter 123 123: Fate Is A B*Tch [Pt1]

    ''Ah, it''s going to hurt. I should brace myself for that.''

    There was no way the knife was going to miss Elysia at this small range. Her face was bound to be scarred if she tried to dodge but if she did not then she would die for sure.

    It was a difficult decision to make but Aurora decided to save her life in exchange for her life''s safety. Her face was much less important than her life.

    ''Besides, maybe my scar will keep Adam and Eve from getting interested in me any further. I should not care that much about it.''

    The knife made an impact with something and made a tearing sound but Elysia had somehow lost her bnce before it hit her.

    Elysia looked behind her, only to find the kid smiling harmlessly at her while also holding his hand in a weird pose.

    The person who had attacked Elysia also seemed to have copsed in front of her. The knife that should have hit Elysia was somehow lodged inside the attacker''s hand.

    "L-Lord Lexus, please have mercy. I was just following orders and-"

    "And you disobeyed me when I gestured for you to step down. I can see just how much you respect me through your actions. I wonder, would you have done the same thing if my brother Noctis was alive and here with us?"

    There was the pressure that was emitting from Lexus''s body that made even Elysia stand around in surprise. The kid was far too powerful for someone this young.

    It reminded Elysia a lot of her situation in the past. But unlike her, this kid seemed to not know the meaning of restraint.

    "P-Please forgive me. I did not know that thedy was someone the young master knew personally. I-I will make it up to thedy-"

    "And how will you make it up to her?"

    "I-I will-"

    The attacker started but Lexus seemed not to be in the mood to hear her. Elysia only realized that she had missed her first window to interfere when she heard the sound of bones breaking.

    "You should let her go since I am alright. Besides, isn''t this person your guard? He has a right to be worried about you if he sees an unknown person with you."

    Elysia was not an idiot and she knew that she was digging a grave for herself by interfering.

    But she could not allow the guard to die for something he was supposed to do. Lexus did not seem like a bad kid but he was misled in a bad way.

    "Are you telling me what to do? You might have saved me from those kidnappers but you are someone I don''t know. And you do bring up a good point. I should take care of you before you be a problem to me."

    Lexus''s eyes had a different kind of pressure when they were aimed at Elysia. It was difficult to tell that the owner of those red eyes was a seven-year-old child.

    Elysia found herself unconsciously taking a step back before she stopped. There was no need for her to be scared and yet she was.

    ''This kid! Just what kind of monster is he?''

    "Are you thinking about what kind of monster I am? Don''t give me that look. I did not read your mind. It''s just something everyone thinks when they first meet me so I am used to it."

    There was a bitter smile on the kid''s face that Elysia used to have at one point in her life. It was only after she had things exined by the Head Priest that Elysia understood what she needed to do.

    "If you are a monster then I am a monster as well. But that is not a conversation we are close enough to have. I don''t care who you are since it''s not like we will meet again."

    Elysia could not spend a lot of time with this kid. She needed to find a way to get back home.

    "W-Why? Are you leaving? Where are you going?"

    Suddenly, Lexus looked anxious to stop Elysia from leaving. His eyes were wide and his face was pale.

    Elysia was not sure what happened but it seemed as if a switch had been flipped inside Lexus''s mind and his power felt unstable.

    "You cannot leave. Not after I just found you. Please don''t leave me and stay here with me. If not, then you should die to atone for your sins."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    In a matter of seconds, the atmosphere had gone from calm to distort. There was a dense cloud of energy surrounding Lexus that was heading toward Elysia.

    It was sticky and holding Elysia down. Her senses were dull, almost like she was submerged underwater.

    But Elysia was desperate to survive as well. She needed to live and make her way back home. She needed the power to make it all happen.

    And as if reacting to her wishes, Elysia''s power begins to move again. Her magic was sluggish at first but it seemed to be escaping the hold it was under. The more Elysia struggled against the holding, the more she was able to use her magic.

    But that was not the only energy she was feeling brewing inside her body. There was a different energy mixed in with hers.

    There was a feeling of a presence beside Elysia but she could not see who it was. Every time she looked around, she found herself to be alone.

    "D-Don''t go away Brother Noctis. You just came back home and I missed you so much. You do not need to do anything or fear anything. I don''t even care that you came back in a different body. I just want you to stay with me."

    Those words pierced Elysia''s heart and she felt pained to hear them. But at the same time, Elysia could feel that the pain was not her own.

    The pain she was feeling had a different owner and a different set of emotions. That was the feeling of the presence Nictis had left behind in her body.

    ''I see. No wonder the kid felt familiar to me. I guess he must have felt brother Noctis''s energy from me.''

    It did make sense in a way why the kid had been so quick to trust Elysia despite her questionable origins. It seems like he was rted to Noctis.

    And that Noctis was the same Noctis Elysia knew from her dreams (memories). This did not seem like a coincidence but it certainly was one.

    "Lexus, you need to calm down. I am not Noctis but I did know your brother. You need to listen to me and-"

    "You are trying to run away. Why do you always try to leave me behind? I won''t allow you to go away this time. You even protected me twice so you care about me as well. Why are you trying to go away?"

    The more Elysia tried to calm the kid down, the more he seemed to be getting enraged. This was bad in a lot of ways.

    Not only did this put Elysia into trouble but it also increased the chance of them being discovered.

    For all she knew, those kidnappers from before might find them and take them away again. This was not a risk Elysia was willing to take.

    ''Is there nothing I can do? All the magic spells I know are offensive or not appropriate for this situation. And, would my magic even work in this foreign world?''

    Just because Elysia could feel her magic did not mean she could perform it well here as well. The absence of any external magic also limited Elysia a lot.

    She gestured toward the hurt guard to leave but he seemed reluctant to do so. His eyes were looking at Lexus with concern but there likely was not something he could do about this.

    "Lexus, listen to me. You need to calm-epppp"

    Elysia was not able to finish her word since she had to use her magic to stop being attacked by Lexus.

    As she had guessed, Lexus did have a lot of energy in his small body. The pressure of his abilities was greater than Elysia had expected and it was difficult to stop them under normal circumstances.

    But Elysia was not normal as well. She was someone who had a lot of magic and now had this weird energy flowing through her body as well.

    She knew she was not going to lose if it came down to exchanging blows. The only thing that made it difficult was the desire to not hurt Lexus.

    Elysia was forced purely on the defensive with her magic strengthening her abilities and stopping major injuries from urring in the first ce.

    ''Ugh, he is not going to listen to me. I will need to knock Lexus out first before exining things to him. I will ask for his forgivenesster.''

    Elysia felt bad for Lexus but she needed to secure her life first. And to do that she had no other choice but to make an offensive move.

 Chapter 124 124: Fate Is A B*Tch [Pt2]

    So, Elysia had a n. It was not a great one but it was a n nheless. But the biggest problem with her n was how to get it started.

    ''Ugh, he is not going to listen to me. I will need to knock Lexus out first before exining things to him. I will ask for his forgivenesster.''

    This was easier said than done. With the dense influx of mana around Lexus, it would be a miracle if Aurora was even able to reach him anytime soon. She would likely be torn to shreds even before she took a single step ahead.

    Elysia wanted to create some distance between herself and the seven-year-old kid in front of her but she could not move.

    Elysia did try to follow her advice for the most part but she was caught before she could even take a single step back. Lexus was in front of her in seconds with her wrist in his small hands.

    "Where do you think you are going? I won''t allow you to leave."

    Elysia gulped down her saliva as she stopped her body from flinching. The kid was too on edge to make any sudden movements.

    ''Don''t move. I need you to follow my instructions from here on. Once you are done, give your body to me for a few minutes.''

    Elysia did not want to be possessed by anyone but there seemed to be no other choice avable to her. She might not remember what Noctis had done for her but she knew that he had been important to her and her brother.

    As such, this request of his was thest way Elysia could pay him back.

    ''Please don''t do anything funny with my body. I don''t want to exin to the kid what happened.''

    Elysia begged before she suddenly embraced the kid. Lexus looked startled at the sudden action, his power lessening dramatically and Elysia felt her control slip on her body.

    She was thrown into the backseat of her mind as her body moved under the control of her possession.

    In the real world, Lexus looked up into the familiar pair of red eyes on Elysia''s face. Those gentle shade of red was so familiar that they brought everything to a halt.

    "B-Brother, are you back? Did you finally remember me?"

    Lexus seemed to be breaking down with his tears flowing down his cheek but Elysia''s body did not move.

    The only thing it did was to keep on looking toward Lexus with a gentle expression.

    For a few minutes, it genuinely seemed like nothing would happen but it was alright with Lexus. It would take it over his brother leaving.

    But then the female body his brother had acquired finally pulled back from his grasp. And his next words broke down Lexus''s emotional barriers.

    "Lexus, I know that you miss me but you need to let me go. I cannote back to you now."

    The voice that came out of Elysia''s mouth was melodic but also masculine. It was not her own and Elysia''s hand came up to her throat to check for damage here.

    She had not expected her body to follow hermand but it did anyhow.

    "Are you alright? Do you feel ufortable somewhere?"

    Lexus asked, his sadness being reced by concern and dread as he looked at Elysia. He looked like a lost child who had no idea what was going on. Looking at him made Elysia feel bad for him.

    Despite everything, Lexus was just a child who wanted his brother back. And it was something Elysia could understand since she loved her brother as well.

    "You disappeared one day, leaving me behind here and now you expect me to not wee you back? Why are you doing this to me? Juste back home and-"

    "Lexus, I cannote back. I know you can feel it as well. That I am dead and there is no ce for me in this world. In fact, I am not here as a whole. I am just a part of residual magic left in this body."

    Lexus looked shocked at the news and his eyes looked angry at the news. Elysia did not need to know Lexus personally to know that he did not believe anything he was being told.

    "I don''t believe you. I never believed that you were dead when you were not here. So how can I believe you to be dead when you are standing in front of me like this?"

    Lexus was in denial and for good reasons. Elysia understood what Lexus was going through but she did not agree with his methods like this.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    She tried to pull her body back but Lexus''s strength kept Elysia in ce. She was stuck in ce with nowhere to go.

    "Lexus, I am dead and you need to let me go. Don''t let the past hold you back. You need to look around and see that you have more people looking out for you and-"

    "Don''t joke with me. I only have one brother and that is you. I don''t want to believe anything else and I refuse to let you go."

    This was not working. Elysia could feel the strain on her body worsening as she tried hard to maintain her current power level. If this continued then her body would give out and Elysia would die.

    ''This is not working. Lexus doesn''t look like he is going to listen to me or you. I will need to knock him out.''

    Since Elysia could feel her magic now she knew she could make use of it to knock Lexus out. It would be easy for her to do so as well.

    Noctis''s feelings of fear and regret told Elysia that he did not agree with her decision but even he could see that there was no way out for him right now.

    With a heavy heart, Noctis receded and Elysia had full control of her body again. Her magic rushed around her like a protective nket and surrounded both her and Lexus.

    The second this change in power urred, Lexus looked at her with a betrayed expression. But Elysia could not answer him.

    "Sorry kid but you heard him. I am not your brother and I can never be him. But I will help you out because that is what Noctis would have wanted."

    "No, don''t go��."

    Lexus could not hold on until the end. Elysia had used very strong magic and it had taken everything she had to keep him down.

    But she did not regret her decision in any way. She knew that she had done what was right and she was happy about it as well.

    She took Lexus''s unconscious body in her arms once he fell, her arms carrying the kid and cradling him close to her body.

    The poor child looked exhausted and just looking at him was enough to make Elysia feel bad for him. He had tried hard to make things work but they were not meant to be.

    "I hope things go well for you in the future."

    Elysia put the kid down and stood up to go when she was pulled back. She looked down, only to see her sleeve being pulled back by Lexus''s tiny hands.

    The kid was unconscious and still trying to hold on to thest memory of his brother. This bothered Elysia a lot but she also knew that there was nothing she could do about it.

    She did not want to use her magic and risk waking up the kid. So there was only one thing left for her to do - she had to wait for Lexus to wake up naturally and let her go.

    "How did things turn out this way? I was so sure that things were going alright and I would get to go home soon."

    Elysia had been so sure about everything and now she was not sure about anything. She did feel sorry for Lexus but not to the point of staying behind for him.

    After all, Elysia had her work to do and her worries to take care of. She could not stay in this world for long.

    "And yet, here I am still being bound by obligations. I don''t know why this happened to me."

    Elysia was fascinated by this new world but she also knew that she could not stay here for long. All her important people were back in her original world, waiting for Elysia toe back to them.

    And then there were those future visions of hers that needed her presence to solve. Who knew how her absence would shape the future of her world?

    ''And I miss Lucas. I wonder how he is fairing without me there?''

    Elysia knew that Lucas had spent years without her but they had also gotten used to each other. And her brother had a temper that was difficult to curb.

    ''I hope he is not causing any problems back home.''

    Elysia hoped for this but even she knew that it was wishful thinking. Lucas would be causing trouble and it would make a lot of people ufortable.

 Chapter 125 125: A Bond [Pt1]

    Elysia finally rxed once Lexus was knocked unconscious by thebined efforts of her magic and Noctis''s aura. A crisis had been averted because of her quick thinking.

    It was only after things began to calm down that other people started approaching them. The first one toe back was the same guard who had attacked Elysia before.

    Seeing hime back, Elysia could not help but feel like he cared about Lexus''s wellbeing. His eyes screamed concern and his bodynguage was tense as well.

    He was ring at Elysia even as he clutched his injured hand to make sure it did not get any more injured because of his moving around.

    "Don''t worry. I just knocked Lexus out and nothing more. He will wake up in a short while and things will be calmer then."

    Elysia was not saying this out of the blue. She was saying this because she knew that this would happen.

    When she had saved Lexus, a small part of Noctis''s magic had flown out of her body and entered Lexus''s. Elysia was sure that it was Noctis''s conscious that had made contact with Lexus.

    That consciousness would be able to calm Lexus down and exin to him what was going on. That was the only chance Elysia had to resolve this situation anyway.

    ''And it''s not like I can leave Lexus right now. He had too tight a grip on me for me to leave without hurting him.''

    This was another problem but not as big as the first one. Elysia had tried to pull back a few times already but she had been unsessful every time. The more she pulled back, the more Lexus tightened his grip on her sleeve.

    "Mydy, please hand over Lord Lexus to me. He is the sessor of our noble family and we need to get him home."

    The guard had likely noticed the predicament Elysia was in. But he had still asked for Lexus to be returned. It likely meant that Elysia was not trusted by the guard just yet.

    Elysia did understand what the guard was thinking when he made that request of her but she could not help but still feel hurt by that gesture.

    ''Hey, I was the one who risked her life by saving Lexus. What right do you have to demand him back?''

    Elysia wanted to ask the guard that but she held her temper in. her questioning would not help solve anything. And she also felt a little relieved to not be held responsible outright.

    "You know, I would love to give Lexus back to you but there is a tiny problem. I don''t think I can make him let me go."

    Elysia raised her sleeve that was in Lexus''s grip. The only way for her to get out was to strip and change into another pair of clothes.

    And that option was not very appealing right now. She did not want to show off her body to anyone just like that.

    As expected, the man blushed a crimson storm as soon as he realized what Elysia was gesturing toward. His red face was amusing to see but Elysia also felt bad for teasing the guard like that.

    "I-I see. This is truly a predicament then. I guess we have no other choice but to ask mydy toe back with us. May I know your name so that I can convey it to everyone else in our group?"

    ''Ah, he wants to do a security check to know if I am a danger to him or not. Lexus really has a lot of decent people looking out for him.''

    Elysia was not sure if the fondness she felt for Lexus was because they had just escaped a life-or-death situation together or if it was because of Noctis''s feelings influencing her own.

    But one thing Elysia knew for sure was that she felt fond of Lexus and wanted him to be alright. If it meant that she had to go with him back to his base then she was ready to take up that duty as well.

    "My name is Elysia Dirac but I doubt you will be able to find anything about me in any o your records. You see, I am not a human of this world."

    Elysia informed the guard but he did show any signs of having heard her. But Elysia was aware that her words had been heard and they would be noted down as well.

    As for how long it would take for the truth toe out, even she was not sure.

    _______________________

    The modern-looking house she was taken to was not something Elysia had seen before. Its nting roofs as well as wooden design was not a practice their empire had ever taken up.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    If anything, these building designs in front of her resembled the ones in Akatsuki more than they did in her one kingdom.

    "Wee to the Decapri estate. Make yourself at home once our young master lets you go."

    The guard led Elysia toward the back of the mansion and then into a secretive passage. It felt like she was being led to a prison which made Elysia gulp down in nervousness.

    She had followed the guard this far but she could not help but feel as if she had made a mistake. She was not sure if she would be able to break free of this ce on her own or not.

    Lexus had also finally let go of her sleeve and Elysia quickly put him down on the small bed in the middle of the room.

    "Mydy, kindly head toward the right room to rest. There is a bathroom and other necessities provided for your pleasure."

    The guard gestured toward the right door which was thick and gave off a weird aura. Elysia had a feeling that she should not touch the door.

    But the guard was still looking at Elysia was a calm and expecting expression. She had no choice but to open the door and go inside.

    She expected to see something, but the room was empty. She could also not see any other door in the room which made her suspicious. She quickly turned around to head out again but the door closed behind her back.

    No matter what Elysia did, she knew that she would not be able to make it out in time. But she still tried to use her magic and failed. The door finally closed with an audible sound and Elysia''s magic collided with the closed door.

    "What are you doing? Let me go. Let me go right now."

    Elysia cried out, using what she could to break the door down. She needed to be out of here if she wanted to be home.

    "I don''t know what kind of magic you used on the young master but we cannot allow him to rpse. He is the future of our family, the one who is supposed to lead us to greatness. If we have to remove every obstacle in our path to make that happen then we will."

    It was the guard''s voice which was full of regret as the door locked up. Elysia felt the pressure surrounding her increase and she fell to her knees.

    Her vision was going in and out of focus. It was really difficult for her to be able to concentrate. Her sweat was covering her face and body, and her mind going numb.

    But despite all that, Elysia still kept her mind sane. For the first time in her life, the harsh training Head Priest Yohan had put her through wasing to use.

    Her body felt like it was breaking but Elysia was still able to strategize. She knew she had tost for a little longer before she would be able to leave.

    If nothing else, then Lexus woulde to seek her out. It was the most she could ask for at such a time. She needed to just hand on onto her consciousness for that long.

    Outside the door, the guard picked up Lexus''s unconscious body and took him away. He could tell that the girl his master had picked up would be trouble.

    He had already suffered because of that girl so he did not want to suffer another day because of what happened.

    Even the elders would not be happy with his master''s desire and it woulde to bit the guard back in the asster on.

    "I''m sorry child. It is not your fault that you are in this mess but there are things we cannot help you with."

    With ast mournful sound, the guard left the room with his precious bundle. Lexus''s face gave a worried expression as he was taken deeper and deeper into the building.

    The further the guard went, the more Lexus felt bad. However, there was nothing the guard or Lexus could do about it.

    "My lord, please wake up soon. I cannot keep the elders at bay for any longer."

    The guard whispered as he put the young child down.

 Chapter 126 126: A Bond [Pt2]

    Elysia was in a constant state of wakefulness and unconsciousness. Every time she nked, the space in front of her got distorted a little. It was a sign of her spirit getting weaker.

    Elysia should not have been driven to this cliff this fast since she was a powerful magician but she had a part of her power sealed away when Noctis''s spirit had left her body.

    It needed to return to Elysia if she wanted to gain her full power and not feel like crap all the time. But for that to happen, she needed to be close to Lexus who currently held that part of Elysia.

    The biggest problem in achieving all this was the huge door in front of her. It was blocking any attempts Elysia made to get out of this room.

    "Let me out. I am begging you to let me out."

    Elysia was getting weaker by the second. Her body was currently like a leaking tap, unable to hold her energy inside her body. This room was sucking everything she had out of her.

    The more time that passed, the more Elysia found herself losing hope. The clock on the wall told Elysia that it had been a full day since she had been locked in here.

    Finally, her energy gave out and her hand stopped their knocking motion. She slid down to the ground and her body could not even pick itself up.

    She had been utterly defeated and it was all because she had trusted the wrong person.

    Her eyes were heavy with fatigue and Elysia just wanted to rest them for a minute. She would wake up soon and then try to get out again. She just needed a single minute of sleep.

    She was so sleepy that she was even beginning to hear and see things that were not there. Like the door finally opening again and a familiar silhouette of Lexus looking at her with a worried expression.

    "Don''t sleep or you won''t wake up again. Stay with me."

    Even his voice sounded the same as Elysia remembered. But she also wondered why she was seeing Lexus in her illusions.

    Should it not have been Lucas or even Adam or Eve who appeared? She had not known Lexus long enough but it seemed like she had formed a bond with him already.

    "What are you looking around for? I need you to pick her up and take her in right now. If you want to live out your life then you will follow mymand."

    Lexus barked out those orders and the familiar guard standing behind Lexus jumped up in the air.

    "It makes sense that I am seeing you in my illusions. You did lock me up here. Are you here to irritate me now?"

    Elysia asked, her body shrinking away from that guard''s touch. The guard flinched at her words as well but he did not back down.

    If anything, his attempts to grab Elysia became even more desperate.

    She thought she could see Lexus''s re but that had to be all because of this illusion they were under.

    Finally, the guard caught Elysia and his arms felt real. That sense of touch helped ground Elysia and break her out of the trance she had been in.

    It finally made her realize that it had not been an illusion she had been under. Everything that happened to her had been real since the start.

    "Elysia, don''t fall asleep. You have inhaled too many drugs and your body is shutting down right now. We will start the detoxification process right this minute so don''t you dare sleep."

    Elysia was only half aware of what Lexus was saying but she did understand hismand to not fall asleep.

    She was tired but she wanted to follow Lexus''s words. Her body was conditioned to follow themand of anyone who was dominant at the moment and Lexus did tick off a lot of her criteria.

    The guard who was carrying Elysia out did not look happy. He often flinched as he shifted Elysia in his arms and he looked to be in pain.

    Elysia did remember his fingers being broken as a result of his foolishness but her brain did not have enough power topare all that.

    "The world is spinning. I think I am going to be sick."''

    Now that the pressure on her soul was receding, Elysia started feeling sick. Theck of fresh drugs in her system also contributed to her current condition.

    She heard Lexus curse behind her which caused her face to break out into a smile. Unknown to her, her body was reacting to the stimulus it was getting.

    "You! You are so dead once I get Elysia to safety. How dare you do things without my permission around here?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Lexus sounded mad. It was not good for his body to sound like that so Elysia tried to make him feel better by reaching out for him.

    As soon as her hand touched Lexus, she felt a shock go through her body followed by relief.

    The familiar feeling of magic she had been missing came rushing back into Elysia''s body and she embraced that energy inside her. The more it rushed through her, the better Elysia felt.

    She would not go as far as to say that she was 100% better, but it was a start for her. The aura that had been missing from around her wasing back slowly to Elysia as well.

    Her back could not feel how hard or soft the bed she was now lying on was. The drugs had likely made her body go numb.

    "Hurry up and bring the drip. We need to give her supplements right now. The drug is still in her system."

    "Hey, the body is rejecting the external drug. It is a severe reaction so we''ll need a healer."

    "An aura cleaner would be good as well. Contact the hospital and get the best one here. Tell them to hurry as well."

    There was too much fuss around Elysia for her to feelfortable. The only thing she could focus on was Lexus''s fear-struck face that was calling out to Elysia.

    Somehow, she knew that Lexus was afraid for her and she could also objectively guess what was happening.

    ''Ah, am I finally dying a slow death? How many times has it been that I almost died? When will this nightmare end?''

    The more Elysia thought about it, the more tired she felt. She wanted to sleep through all this pain she felt but her body refused to sumb to her desires. She had been asked to stay alive so she needed to do her best.

    "Good, the drugs have started to flush out of her system. Her body condition is getting normal now. We should allow her to fall unconscious and start the cleansing."

    The doctor''s words were like a second voice in Elysia''s ears. She knew she needed to sleep but she could not fall asleep.

    Her mind would not allow her to fall unconscious because of Lexus''smand. She needed to try her best to stay awake.

    "Darn it. She is not falling unconscious. It will be too painful for her if she''s awake for this treatment."

    The doctor warned and Elysia heard it all. She wanted to fall unconscious but she was unable to. Her conditioned body was under too much stress for her to make any decision.

    So all Elysia could do was make eye contact with Lexus as she held on to her consciousness.

    Lexus looked sick at Elysia''s problem. She was in pain but she was still trying her best to stay awake.

    "You should go to sleep now. I don''t want to see you in this much pain."

    And just like that, those words had been enough to snap Elysia out of whatever was holding her back. Her eyes closed and her body let go of the tension it had been under.

    Everyone looked confused as well as shocked to see her go unconscious in a matter of seconds but that was nothing.

    The doctor''s expression melted into relief as soon as she realized that Elysia was not dead, merely sleeping.

    "It''s a miracle. We can finally get to do some real work."

    A doctor exined just as the door to the hospital room opened. Medics rushed in and so did the specialists.

    The waited-upon aura cleanser finally arrived as well and Elysia''splexion looked better every minute.

    It was clear that she was out of danger and in the safe zone. And no one was more relieved than Lexus. He finally felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and they sagged with relief at this new development.

    "Thank god everything is alright. I cannot believe she gave me such a heart attack. I want to kill her for this."

    Lexus''s words were contradictory but they conveyed how happy he was to finally see Elysia rx. She was going to be alright from here.

 Chapter 127 127: Collapsing Grounds [Pt1]

    After a demanding and bothersome operation, Elysia was stable again. Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief as soon as the results of Elysia''s examination came up.

    It was not because everyone liked her or found her to be pleasant. But because of a bundle of rage that would have exploded had anything happened to Elysia then and there.

    "L-Lord Lexus, you should head back to your room now. The patient will be alright and we will make sure that she-"

    "No, I won''t go back. You people are too much and I don''t trust your judgment. My guard even locked up my guest in prison as soon as I was not looking. So I will stay here and keep guard for the time being."

    It left the attendants speechless to see their boss acting this way. They had never seen such a scene before.

    As far as the attendants knew, their boss did not tolerate anyone being in his personal space. So to see him caring about a human being like this was a new experience for them.

    Lexus was adamant in his decision. It seemed like nothing was going to stop him from being in that room.

    The tense silence was only broken when the door to the operation room opened and the doctor walked out. Lexus was the first one to reach him once the news of Elysia came out.

    "She''s out of danger for the most part but her brain is still in a suspended state of action. I am afraid that I cannot clear her for active duty for now."

    The doctor''s words were to the point and not positive for the most part. But there was one thing Lexus could make out of them.

    "She''s going to live, right? Then that was all I wanted to know. You can leave now."

    The doctor looked a little cross with Lexus''s attitude, not liking one bit how the kid was talking down to him like that.

    But in the end, even he could not say anything against their n head''s decision. Whatever he said had to be absolute and there was nothing to be done about it.

    "Oh, and one more thing. Keep what happened here a secret from the elders and the other people looking around. If any news of this spreads out then I won''t be held responsible for your well-being."

    Everyone present in the room gulped down in fear as they felt an invisible pressure pressing down on their head.

    Lexus was like an invisible beast looking forward to devouring them at the first sign of weakness they showed him.

    "You all can leave now. I want to be able with my guest."

    Initially, every guard and even the doctors present in the hall had reluctant expressions. But Lexus had made his wishes known publically and defying him won''t be a wise move. Lexus was not someone who had a lot ofpassion for others in the first ce.

    Tired red eyes watched the people leave around him as he took in deep breaths. It was finally done and Elysia had been saved.

    Truthfully, Lexus was still not convinced about everything that had happened this far. Not only had he gotten to talk to his brother again but he had also gotten to know that Noctis was dead.

    And that had been a big blow to Lexus. He had always betted on his brothering back alive and them being a family again in the future.

    Now all he had to show for his efforts was a broken promise and a girl who did not even belong to this world.

    "I did as you asked Noctis. I saved her life. Now, what should I do next? Am I going to lose the only link I have to your spirit if I let Elysia go back home?"

    Lexus knew that he could not keep Elysia with him in his world. It would not be right and it was also not something Elysia wanted to happen. She wanted to live a quiet and carefree life.

    He had seen a lot in his brother''s memories and his spirit had shown a fondness for Elysia as well.

    ''I guess I will wait for you to wake up first before nning anything more. I can see that you are struggling in your way as well.''

    As bad as Lexus felt for Elysia, he would not lose his brother''s spirit without a fight. He would wait for Elysia toe around first and then discuss things with him.

    ________________________<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Oi oi oi, are we going to the Akatsuki kingdom? I know that Lucas made up his mind but is it really alright for us to follow along with his wishes? The enchanted forest is here and so are the vows you took."

    Enma tried to get Sorias to see sense. There had never been an instance like this in the main story where Elysia had disappeared or Lucas had thought about the dissertation.

    In fact, if Enma thought back to the main story, he was sure that Lucas Dirac would not have cared about anything Elysia did. No matter how good their rtionship was, Lucas should have still been partial to the main couple than his sister.

    "Enma, if you want to stay behind here then you can. But I will be going with Lucas to get my contractor back. Nothing you say will keep me back."

    "Won''t my presence make you hesitate?"

    Enma turned around with ashed face. He knew he had sensed Emma White nearby but he had not wanted to make his presence known to the public.

    But now that the female had decided toe out on her own, Enma had no other choice but to make his presence shrink.

    "Mrs. White, I know that you like me but I am not obligated to reciprocate your interest. Please head back to your home and be safe."

    Emma looked like she had swallowed a particrly bitter lemon. The harsh lines on her face were visible and she looked years older than she actually was.

    ''Wow! Stress can even make beauty look ugly. At least she has a nice body, if not a little underdeveloped��.and I should get my head on the right track now.''

    Enma''s way tobat stress was to let his mind wander around. And it often lead to thoughts that were less than desired by him.

    "Enma, are you going to head to Akatsuki with Lord Dirac and Lord Sorias as well?"

    Enma, who had just been put on the spot like that could only stare awkwardly. He had no other choice but to go with the Diracs.

    As much as Enma wanted to stay behind in the empire, he had no one he could trust. He was sure that both Adam and Eve would take responsibility for him. And his trust in Head Preist Yohan was weening as well.

    "I don''t think I can stay here. I need Elysia back in this world for my safety."

    Emma''s face was twisted in a calm expression but Enma had a feeling that she had made a decision he would not like.

    "If you both have decided to go then I will go as well. This empire has nothing left for me anyway."

    Both Enma and Sorias had shocked expressions at Emma''s deration. They had not expected her to say anything like this. For a noble like her to forsake their empire was like the death penalty for their family.

    "Are you even aware of what you are saying? Your family will be held ountable for all your actions. I am not worth it when I cannot even return your feelings. You should break yourself away from me."

    Sorias almost yelled those words. He did not want Emma to sacrifice anything for his sake as he did not want to feel obligated for his decisions.

    "Don''t tter yourself this much. I might love you but my decisions are based on my rationality. Besides, you will need someone to look after the kid and I am the prime specimen for that."

    Enma was speechless after that was said and done. He did not know what to say to such confidence. Even Sorias was speechless but he adapted quickly.

    "Fine, you cane along. But you will have to talk with lord Dirac yourself and I will not take any responsibility for what you do. I will not help you even if you are about to die."

    If those words were spoken to scare Emma then they did not work. She looked even more pumped up than before once she heard them.

    "You don''t need to worry about me. I will take care of myself. Besides, I am interested in the Akatsuki kingdom and I even have an excuse prepared in the meantime."

    Emma was prepared as she too could leave this forsaken kind this kingdom. She wanted to chase after her destiny, be it for love or revenge.

    Enma could see it all clearly, the plot copsing in front of Enma''s very eyes and he was powerless to stop it.

 Chapter 128 128: Collapsing Grounds [Pt2]

    When Elysia woke up, she felt like she was hit by an angry beast and then healed using crappy recovery items. Her head was ringing and her torso hurt a lot.

    ''It''s just my luck. I cannot be instantly healed even in this new world. Looks like the fault lies with me rather than the words.''

    Elysia had always known that there was something wrong with her. But now she was realizing how right she had been while lying on the hospital bed.

    She carefully moved her head to the side to have a look at Lexus''s sleeping face. He was lying at her bedside with his arms crossed over her torso. His calm and sweet face made Elysia calm down as well.

    But her moments woke him up and Elysia''s heart skipped a beat in fright as his red eyes blinked up at her.

    "You are finally awake. How are you feeling now? You were in quite a bad shape when we brought you in for treatment but the doctors said that you will recover."

    Elysia''s whole body hurt but she still held herself upright in front of Lexus. She did not want to be seen as weak in front of the child.

    "Your guard certainly did a number on me. I don''t know if I should be d that you have such a reliable guard or afraid for my life. Will there be another attempt on my life soon?"

    Elysia tried to lighten the situation by joking around but Lexus''s expression said that he did not find these words as funny.

    Just as Elysia had gotten a big shock, Lexus had also gotten a terrifying shock. For Elysia to even be joking about her health was something Lexus could not stand for.

    "You don''t need to worry about that guard again since I fired him. I also fired all those who did nothing as you suffered. You do not need to worry about your security anymore."

    Lexus sounded certain of that fact and Elysia should not have felt as reassured as she did by his words. He was just a kid so Lexus should not have been worried safety of a guest like Elysia.

    But she was d that Lexus hade to ept her. Her face did not know how to express her feelings so she only smiled an empty smile at the kid.

    "Don''t look at me like. I should have done this before you got hurt. I talked with my brother and finally came to terms with him all thanks to you. So don''t look at me like I did something unreasonable."

    Lexus red up a little before controlling his expression. He seemed sorry for havingshed out like that.

    Elysia was touched by the sincerity in his voice but she also felt a little hollow as soon as she realized that the concern was not purely because of Elysia but due to the influence of the spirit inside her.

    It was a saddening fact that Elysia decided not to linger on. She needed to snap out of the despair she was in.

    "Lexus, I know you don''t want to hear me say this but I need to go back home. Lexus must have told you that I am not from this world. People are waiting for me back home. Oh, but I will leave a little of Noctis''s spirit back so that you can have a reminder of him and��"

    "Don''t pity me like this. I have no intention of ignoring my brother''s wish for me to move on so don''t even joke about it. If you want to go back home then say it with your whole heart and don''t talk about makingpromises."

    Elysia''s thoughts were stuck in her throat as Lexus stared her down. Her nervousness was a given since she had just offended the kid with her words.

    She did not know what part of her thought that Lexus would like it if he could be with his brother forever, even if the other party was dead.

    ''Lexus is much stronger than me mentally. I should not project my insecurities onto him''

    Elysia took in a deep breath as she gathered her courage. She needed to ask Lexus to help her out even if it would separate him from thest fragment of his brother''s soul. She needed to do it for Adam and Eve and even for Lucas.

    "Since it''s you who asked me this favor, I can agree to your request. What can you tell me about your world that can help me locate it? I need a starting point."

    Lexus''s deduction was reasonable. Without a starting point, there was no way to know which world Elysia hade here from. So naturally, there was no world to send her back to.

    But Elysia did not have any such thing in her possession that should be exclusive to her world.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Yeah, about that. Any idea what kind of ''start point'' you are looking for?"

    Elysia asked, wanting to be useful to her circumstances. She needed to take initiative if she wanted to go back home.

    "I don''t know what you need but having your energy samples would be a good start. We have a way to detect energy but it might need reworking to detect energy across the world. You will need to be patient until then."

    To hear a kid say all this was depressing. Elysia got a glimpse of the kind of childhood Lexus might have lived this far.

    "I will be counting on you for the time being. Hopefully, my brother will be looking for me in the meantime as well. If there is one person who can defy any logic, it is Lucas."

    That and the world would try to bring Elysia back as well. Her various struggles had told Elysia that the future was nned out already.

    So her abrupt exit from her world would send the world''s order into chaos and then it would try its best to correct it.

    "Nice. In the meantime, why don''t you learn some of our local teachings? I am sure that they will be of use to you in the future."

    Lexus offered and Elysia had to admit that she was curious about what she could learn here. She had always been a little more inclined to foreign teachings than books and her physical powers were not bad.

    "Yeah sure. I will take you up on that offer since I have nothing else to do."

    ________________________

    "They all just piss me off even more. Father even forbid me to leave the temple for the time being. I had to sneak away to evene to the castle. You better not waste my time."

    Eve was agitated at having to sneak around like this. Everyone and everything was asking for a beating for not cooperating with her.

    Not only was the temple deciding to stay out, but even the royal family had also chosen to ignore the situation surrounding Elysia and the Dirac family.

    They pretended as if Lord Dirac''s warning about leaving did not mean anything. They were not taking him seriously and that was going toe back and bite them in the asster.

    "The situation is simr on my ount. Father said not to do anything but mother helped me out. She''s the only one on our side for now."

    Adam was salty about this fact as well. He had known that Head Priest Yohan had some kind of beef with Elysia but he had never thought that it ran this deep.

    The Head Priest would rather see Lucas Dirac leave than help Elysia out and that engaged Adam. The only thing saving Head Priest was the fact that he was needed to keep the temple structure.

    "I asked the temple to postpone my installment as the Saintess but they did not agree. I will need to run away at this rate to get my point through their thick skulls."

    Not that Eve would not run away on a regr day. But this was too much for even her to handle all the things happening around her.

    "I''ll see what I can do, but you can only hold on if you ask Lord Dirac for help. I will be going to him before he leaves as well. I need to strike a deal with the Akatsuki kingdom regarding the assets."

    Adam had considered what he could do on his end to help Elysia out on their side. And as it stood, more information needed to be researched regarding this issue.

    The texts in the royal pce did not have anything regarding this issue and the temple was refusing to open its library to check. Akatsuki kingdom was the only other source of information they had left and Adam wanted to take all of this into the ount.

    "I need to head back now. Father will start looking for me anytime soon. I need to be present so that no suspicion is drawn toward me."

 Chapter 129 129: Collapsing Grounds [Pt3]

    "Lucas, you cannot be serious about leaving the empire and conspiring with the Akatsuki kingdom. Your sister is not worth all this and have you lost your mind? What do you think will happen to the Dirac fortune if you give it to the Akatsuki kingdom? You will be ruined."

    Lucas did not even acknowledge Victor''sments. He had no desire to associate with the other male any more than necessary.

    If possible, Lucas would have killed him off and then gone on his merry way. But it would be a bad move since this man was rted to Hector, his head butler. That was the only reason Victor had survived this long.

    "I made my decision. I don''t care what happens to my fortune and you should not care about it as well."

    Lucas made his stand known. He did not need to be on guard with Victor since that man was not going to get anything from Lucas.

    "You might not care about it but I, I-I mean, others do. They will rip you apart once you decide toe back to the empire and you will also lose your stand. And what if you died? Who will be in charge of all the Dirac fortune andnds? You didn''t marry or have an heir and-"

    "So this was your n? Since you could not get Elysia to marry you, you areing on to me now to make sure I name you as my heir. It is a foolish n."

    "N-No. don''t be foolish."

    Victor flinched but he was quick to deny it. But Lucas was not fooled by his facade. He had seen through Victor''s mask a long time ago and he even knew that Victor was aiming to die.

    Lucas would have celebrated it hard had Elysia killed off this filthy man.

    "Anyway, you do not need to be worried about the Dirac family. We don''t have any immediate members but we do have rtives. The Akatsuki family line is rted to my mother so they will inherit the Dirac fortune anyway."

    "Y-You can''t be serious about it. It belongs to the empire and the next sessor-"

    "I''ve heard it all from those old fools who call themselves the noble council before and I don''t intend to hear it again. You should leave before something unfortunate happens."

    Victor looked pissed off but he did leave in the end. Lucas''s harsh eyes and his angry aura left Victor no other choice but to turn tail and leave.

    Lucas''s blue eyes looked at that retreating back before he turned toward his side and gestured for his aid toe out.

    "You know what to do. Make his death seem like an incident so that we don''t have to clean up after him. Victor had far outlived his purpose ."

    The aid nodded before disappearing into shadows. As soon as the aid was gone, Lucas broke off into a bloody cough.

    He knew that he should not be using his magic like this but he could not help himself. Victor had made Lucas feel nauseated and he wanted to rid the Dirac estate of any threats before Elysia came back.

    "Time is ticking out for me now. Elysia, will you be able to return before I die? Or will I never see you again?"

    Lucas questioned out loud but there was no answer to his words.

    He was worried about Elysia because she was in a realm where things were different. And Lucas had no idea where or in what condition Elysia was currently.

    Even Sorias could not connect with Elysia, much less Adam or Eve. And both the royal family and the temple were treating this thing as a joke.

    "My lord, all the preparations have been made. Lord Chrome is waiting for you to join him downstairs. He says he is ready to head back now."

    It was Head Butler Hector who entered the room. His face was impassive to reflect his master''s worry but Lucas could see that he was satisfied with Elysia being gone.

    In fact, most of the staff seemed to see it as a peaceful sign that Elysia was gone and Lucas was so irritated that he had fired most of them on-spot.

    The only one who had been spared was Head Butler Hector and that was because of his loyalty to the house.

    "Master, is it necessary for you to try so hard for someone like Lady Elysia? Maybe she went away because she wanted to and-"

    "Silence. If you don''t have anything nice to say, then don''t say anything at all. And tell this to all the servants, they better keep their mouths quiet if they want to live. I am not in a good moodtely."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Lucas''s words caused Head Butler to flinch as he schooled his expression. He quickly realized that his master was also counting him in that number.

    Lucas released a frustrated sigh as this was dealt with.

    "Elysia, hurry up ande back. This world is not the same without you in it."

    Lucas spoke softly before he walked out of the room. Chrome was waiting for Lucas with good news and that was all that mattered. Lucas would see and steal anything he was asked to if it meant that Elysia would get toe back soon.

    ___________________________

    "Concentrate. You need to release your power from the core, not from your surroundings. You are doing it wrong again."

    Elysia stopped in her half-finished position as she was called out again. It was the tenth time in the same session that she had been asked to stop.

    "You know, it would help me out a lot if you exined to me what a ''core'' was. You keep on saying to release energy from my core but you never exined what it meant."

    Elysia pointed out the obvious as she rxed back into a neutral pose. She needed to start again now that she had stopped once. It was such a pain but something that had been told to her as ''necessary''.

    It had not taken long before Elysia had started moving around as a recovery. Her body was still hurt but the doctors had said that it would be good for her to move around now.

    And since a message had been passed on to Lexus as well, he had taken it as a ''go ahead'' to start on her training.

    Any instructors that were found decent had been recruited and Elysia had been given a short course before being thrown into the practice aspect of her training.

    "You don''t even know what a core is? A core is a core so I don''t know what to tell you. No one had to exin what a core is since everyone instinctively knows of its presence like breathing."

    Lexus''s exnation did not help Elysia in any way, shape, or form. In fact, it ended upplicating what she already knew and caused her to mess up again. She did not even wait for Lexus to tell her to start over.

    Lexus made it sound so easy but he was forgetting one critical fact - Elysia was from a different world. Things that might seem like facts to him were foreign concepts to Elysia.

    "Ugh, how do I exin what a core is to you? I know that you did use it before when you were under the influence of my brother''s shadow. Ah, I know. How about I show you how it feels again? Maybe that will help?"

    Now, this was something that could end up helping Elysia. She was much better at the practical aspect of magic and familiarizing herself with the sensations of casting something did help her out.

    "Take in a deep breath and clear out your mind. Good. Now, can you feel my energy through your body and circting through a center point? That is your core."

    Elysia did feel that energy move and expand inside her body. It was such a powerful sensation to feel that it took Elysia''s breath away.

    But Lexus''s words brought her concentration back and Elysia tried to move her energy on her own.

    Lexus pulled back immediately and the connection was cut off abruptly. The energy that had been abundant before was difficult to control now and it fizzled out soon enough.

    Elysia tried to chase after that feeling but it was futile in the end. She had lost concentration and it had caused her to flinch.

    "Don''t do that or you will hurt yourself. Forcing your flow is not something you should do at your level or it could end up damaging your core. But you did get to feel it, right? Your core?"

    Elysia nodded in agreement. She had gotten to feel her core and it had reminded her of a familiar feeling.

    She was sure that she would be able to feel it again if she tried to. It meant that she would be able to use her energy in the future.

    "Good. That takes care of one thing. Now for the next, you need to control it slowly. Hurry up and start now."

 Chapter 130 130: Winds Of Rebellion [Pt1]

    "It has been a year. A whole year with Elysia missing. When are you going to take action? At least allow me to solve your mess if you are incapable of it. You cannot keep me locked up in here forever."

    The servants passing by the Crown Prince''s room flinched at his toxic tone. But they had long gotten used to his rants and easily ignored him.

    No one tried to go inside Adam''s room even when they heard the sound of crashing. Everyone knew that he was in one of his violent tantrums again and the person who would go in next would be a victim of that temper.

    Their only hope was to get Lady Eve to sedate Crown Prince Adam but even she had been acting weird since the day Elysia Dirac disappeared.

    After finally being crowned as the Saintess, Lady Eve was hardly ever seen outside of the temple, and even when she did, she was always apanied by a lot of guards.

    The rumor said that the temple was hiding Lady Eve because she had been cursed by someone. And it did make sense for Lady Eve to be the object of everyone''s envy.

    *Crash*

    Another vase broke at the Crown Prince''s hand and it was only thanks to the special enhancements made around his room that no one fainted from his aura.

    "Should we get the king here? I''m afraid that the crown prince would hurt himself at this rate." One of the maids whispered as she frowned at the neglect.

    "Are you an idiot? Crown Prince Adam hates the current king. You would be asking for death if you did that. We should call for the queen instead."

    The other maid who had worked for the Royal Family much longer answered. She sympathized with the Crown Prince since he had lost his friend but even she thought that his behavior was too extreme.

    Not only was he causing everyone trouble but also ignored Lady Eve''s circumstances and her current condition. What if Lady Eve ended up hurt because of this neglect?

    "I know that Lady Elysia was his friend but isn''t this behavior too extreme? It''s not like Lady Elysia is dead or something. She''s just missing and��"

    The maid who had opened her mouth just now only managed to get out alive thanks to her fast reflexes. The painting that had been hanging behind her suddenly fell and broke into pieces.

    The noise of the ss breaking attracted everyone''s attention. It happened quite often as well in the hallways, things getting damaged for no reason and then falling off.

    "Geeze, that scared me. This pce is no less dangerous than a warzone. We have a crazy prince here and things falling off on their own. Who knows, we might get a ghost in there next."

    The maid said it jokingly and even chuckled at her own words. It even caused the others around her tough which made the maid feel better about herself.

    However, unknown to that maid, someone unknown had managed to slip inside this pce. That ck-d figure easily averted his presence from everyone else''s eyes as they made their way inside the Crown Prince''s room.

    At the same time, the clock finally struck 4:30 which meant that there needed to be a change of guards and staff around the pce.

    "Let''s hurry up and get out of this gloomy ce. We should head to the temple today to pray for better times. Recently, there has been a tense atmosphere in here and it feels like there will be a war taking ce soon."

    Even the maids knew that the empire was in a dire state ever since Lord Dirac had left it.

    Not only had the monster attacks increased, but the political structure had also gotten unstable.

    But the biggest hit had been to the empire''s medical section. The enchanted forest was an important ce that supplied a lot of material and familiars to the nobility. But Lord Dirac''s refusal to cooperate had caused that ce to be closed off as well.

    "It''s just one thing after another. We are facing constant monster threats and fear of war while the Akatsuki kingdom is finally announcing its next king. Their internal struggle for the throne finally came to an endst week."

    "Who knows what will happen in the future? But I do know that we all will need to find new jobs if we do not hurry up right now. We still need to report for the shift change."

    The maids ran ahead all of a sudden and their panic was visible on their faces.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    All this bad news hitting the empire one after the other caused the royal military to be stricter and impose harsher limits. More and more people were beingid off from work due to the smallest of things.

    "But now that I think about it, isn''t it all our current emperor''s fault for refusing to help find Lady Elysia Dirac? She might be a monster but she is still a nobility and raised by the temple. This situation could have been avoided had his royal majesty bowed down to pressure."

    "Shhhh, don''t say that or you will get killed. Things might change in the future but that does not mean that you can say all this in open. I told you to keep your head low if you want to live."

    With a final warning, the maids left the hallway as another batch came to rece them. But the Crown Prince was silent this time.

    __________________________

    "So, what news did Lord Dirac send for me? Did he sessfully manage to find Elysia? Do you think she''ll be back before her 17th birthday?"

    Adam asked as soon as the shadowed figure bowed down to him. The purple cloak hid a faceless mass of ck energy that could not speak or see.

    All it could do was write its thoughts down and convey the message it was meant to. He handed Adam an expected but disappointing letter as a reply to his worries.

    ''Nothing had been found yet but we might be getting close to the answer soon. We finally managed to track down that damn magician who is said to be able to cross dimensions.''

    "Tsk, still nothing. How long is it going to take to get Elysia back? If only I was not stuck in here like this. I guess Eve is stuck inside as well right now?"

    Adam did not need any confirmation for his words. Both he and Eve had messed up when they had met up a little while ago.

    It had been their n to sneak into the temple''s sacred text area to find more information but they had been betrayed by a guard Adam had trusted to keep his secret. And ever since then they had been separated and locked up.

    Adam had threatened and demanded to be let out a lot of times but no one had listened to his words. And due to the ancient magic being cast on his door he could not escape.

    Even when he was let out of there, he needed to wear a special sealing bracelet that sapped him of his strength.

    "Does Lucas have a n about how to proceed? You said that the n was to rece the current emperor and have me sit on the throne. But it won''t be easy, right?"

    Despite Adam''s father being an idiot most of the time, he was a mighty warrior and was difficult to ovee most of the time.

    Even Adam had a hard time beating him in a fight because of the dragon''s blessing. But that did not mean that there was no way to defeat him inbat.

    The shadow handed Adam another note which caused him to chuckle. Even reading that note felt ridiculous.

    ''Are you going to be alright with fighting your father? You can sit back out of this uprising if you want to and we won''t mind it. He is your father after all.''

    "Who does Lucas Dirac think I am? A dragon can mostly bond with one parent at the time of birth and even then, to have a connection with them beyond a certain age is rare. As for me? I never had any in the first ce with that man. If it had been mother instead, then it would have been a different case."

    Adam had made a decision so he quickly handed the hastily written note back to the shadow aid in front of him.

    The shadow aid gleaned at the note to confirm that it was indeed alright. That empty face could not read a single word that was written but he still nodded and left the room.

    He handed the note directly to Lucas Dirac who could only chuckle at the message he received.

    ''I will take the throne and I will bring Elysia back at any cost. If you think of excluding me from this n then don''t me me for destroying everything. I am only sitting in here patently because we both have the same goal.''

    "It''s nice to have someone like that on our side. Now then, let''s start the first part of our n and that is to get Saintess Eve on our side."

 Chapter 131 131: Winds Of Rebellion [Pt2]

    A year was a long time. It was how long it had been since Elysia had fallen into this new world and had been forced to adapt to its strange customs.

    It had been tough to get used to it since everyone had avoided Elysia. But it had not been something she was not used to.

    In the end, it just pointed out how ''wrong'' Elysia''s existence felt no matter which world she ended upnding in. She was an invasive specie no matter what world she ended up being in.

    The only difference was, no one here knew who Elysia was and they were not afraid of her. As such, they openly showed their hostility to her.

    But many hade to like as over the year as well. Elysia finally felt like a normal human being.

    "Are you ready to go to today''s hunt? Your progress has been massive for someone who only began to study a year ago. You might have broken the record for the fasted graduate as well."

    Lexus''s praise felt good but it was also embarrassing. Especially with all the eyes looking toward her with envy and annoyance right now.

    "It was not all my effort that made it possible. I am a lot older than a normal academy student so I had an advantage over everyone else. Plus, I also had a great teacher."

    Elysia replied, trying to keep her reply normal and truthful. She did not want any credit she had not earned.

    But her words awarded Elysia with even more envious res from the students around her. They all wanted to get to know Lexus since he was a legend and the head of a noble family,

    ''It is the same look people used to give me when I was engaged with Adam. They are envious of me for a reason that doesn''t even exist.''

    Elysia had given up taking people out of this misunderstanding. For every thread she untangled, a lot more sprouted up in its ce. It was a mess no matter how much Elysia tried to keep it simple.

    "Elysia, focus. Do not get lost in your thoughts like that or you will make me angry."

    Lexus snapped his fingers in front of Elysia''s face to snap her out of the daze she was in. Elysia blinked a few times to clear her vision due to the sudden action.

    It had scared her and her reflexes had gotten the better of her. She managed to snap Lexus''s hand away from her face and saw his proud smile.

    He had gotten Elysia into a habit of reacting out of reflex whenever she felt threatened and Lexus could not have been more proud of this fact.

    Lexus was so proud that he always reminded Elysia of this fact and gloated over her.

    "I am focusing the best I can. It is not my fault that everything is so distracting for me. Besides, I am not entirelyfortable being the only one in herte teens. Even our caretaker is younger than me so it makes me worry."

    "Hey, I might be young but I am much more powerful than you. Do you want me to show you how much better I am than you? Huh?"

    As expected, Lexus took offense to Elysia''s world but in a mocking and friendly manner. It was how Elysia had imagined siblings to be with each other.

    Not that Lucas was not great. He was the best brother Elysia could have asked for but he was not particrly friendly with her.

    His being Elysia''s brother but being older made it so much more distant and difficult to get close to. But it was not the case with Lexus here.

    "Alright everyone, pay attention to me now. As you know, the one in charge of your group will be Lord Lexus so pay respect to him and listen to his words. You are free to go out and tackle any monster you want to bute back alive. Now, go out and make us all proud."

    With that mechanical order in ce, Elysia left the group to join the hunt. It would be a good experience for her and she was sure that she would be able to keep up with the others.

    She had trained hard in this new method she had learned and Elysia would take it back to her world to help her brother and Adambat the uing disasters.

    ___________________________

    In the early hours of the morning, the royal pce of the empire heard the sound of marching. No one paid much attention to it at first since many such drills were being conducted regrly by the soldiers.

    There were talks of an uprising taking ce in the kingdom since the normal civilians were not happy with how the country was being handled.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    And ever since Lord Dirac had left and the monster attacks had be more frequent, the anger of the normal mob was too much.

    As a result, hearing such noise in the morning was not such a rare incident.

    What should have alerted the guards was the location of that march. It was headed toward the temple rather than the royal capital. But the temple was a holy ce so the thought of it being the destination of this march crossed no one''s mind.

    The soldiers reached the temple and stopped to rest. No one bothered them anyway since they wore the imperial uniform.

    Everyone knew that the temple and the Royal family had excellent rtions. It was thick to the point of even the Saintess getting engaged with their Crown Prince.

    Just because there was no news of such a happening did not mean that it was not real. Everyone already knew about that marriage that was going to take ce soon.

    The news of the soldier''s arrival reached Eve''s ears as well but she showed an uninterested face. She did not associate with the royal soldiers no matter how much she was asked to.

    "Mydy, you should reconsider your decision not to show up. Head Preist Yohan said that it would serve you well if you cultivate a good image in front of these soldiers. N-Not that you don''t already have one."

    The sister who was in charge of Eve today tried to get her to go out. Head Priest Yohan had promised her a generous reward if she managed to get Saintess Eve to mingle with other people.

    But as always, Saintess Eve seemed not to listen to her words and chose to ignore her again. This was amon enough scene at this point that the sister did not take it to heart.

    Saintess Eve only appeared for the official ceremonies that required her and for nothing else. She was an aloof figure.

    "I don''t want to mingle with the soldiers. They can die if they want to but I won''t heal them unless the royal family agrees to listen to my words and aid me in finding Elysia."

    Eve had tried everything she could. The only thing she could not try was the methods of summoning present in the hidden library of the temple.

    But it was not a ce even the Saintess could walk in easily. She needed a lot of permissions and a lot of convincing to be allowed in.

    And that was where Lucas Dirac''s n came in. He had promised to allow Eve entry to that forbidden section if she followed along with what he wanted her to do.

    Eve would have agreed with his idealogy even if he did not promise her the forbidden area but it was a pleasant bonus nheless.

    ''Now that I think about it, wasn''t the agreed date today? Then, could those soldiers be the ones who are supposed to ''get me out of this ce?''

    It was likely not the case but Eve felt hopeful. And she wanted to take this chance if she could.

    "Mydy, please reconsider your stand. No one had seen your face for a long time and.."

    "Alright, fine. If you are so desperate to get me out of here then I willply with you. Now, hurry up and prepare for me to go out."

    Eve finally agreed to that request she had not wanted to before. The sister looked startled but also d to have Eve''s cooperation in this matter.

    She could see her promised reward shining right in front of her eyes now. She would finally be able to buy the ne she had been eying.

    "Of course, mydy. Do you need me to get Head Priest toe along as well? It would be good for your reputation to be seen together with him."

    After all, it was what the head priest had asked the sister to do.

    "No need. I want to show up alone and take initiative. If you call father then I won''te out with you."

    The sister backed away as soon as she heard that. She wanted to follow orders but her greed was much more prominent than her desire to look good.

 Chapter 132 132: Winds Of Rebellion [Pt3]

    "Oi, It''s your lucky day. I heard that the Saintess is headed this way right now. Aren''t you lucky?"

    The guard looked around happily, not letting it show that they were here to kidnap the Saintess. Lord Lucas had given them strict instructions to not let themselves be caught until it was time.

    As such, the guards had to act carefree to not attract attention. Otherwise, even death was not out of the bag for them.

    Currently, a few of their men were mixed in with the normal royal army and were acting as messengers for Lord Dirac.

    "Still, you did bring the symbol we have to gift her with, right? You will die a horrible death if you forgot to get that."

    The first guard asked, fear seeping into his voice. No one could see the terror-filled expression he supported at the notion of not being able to carry out his mission.

    "Of course, I brought it with me. I have no intention of dying."

    The guard brought out a gift envelope usually used to make huge amounts of donations. It was their ultimate trump card against the tower''s defense.

    Now they only had to wait for the Saintess to show up and their part would be finally over with.

    "Look, the Saintess finally came out. Hurry, gather the gifts we need to give her. Hopefully, we will be able to please her."

    Someone from the actual army whispered those words. The guard felt bad for him since all his hopes were going to be dashed once the Saintess runs away.

    These soldiers were innocent and were just trying to live in peace. But their foolish lords had no idea what kind of world out there was.

    As such, these soldiers were going to end up as war casualties soon enough.

    "Let''s hurry up and get this bomb off our hands."

    The guard whispered to his partner as he held the envelope up. The Saintess spotted them and luckily headed toward them.

    "Is this a special donation? Can I know the name of the generous gentleman who decided to make this contribution?"

    The Saintess gave off a warm and powerful feeling which made the guards look away from her. Her presence made them feel like they were not worthy of her attention.

    Still, the first guard managed to gulp down his fears as he looked toward the priestess.

    "The sender did not give us a name when he asked us to deliver this to the temple. He just hopes that the Saintess can findfort in this offering and bless the lord."

    The guard did as he had been instructed to and waited for any sort of confirmation toe his way.

    Lord Dirac had said to not make it obvious that he was eager for a response but the guard could not help it. It was his life on the line here.

    "I see. I think I know which generous lord asked you to give this to me. I will make good use of it."

    The Saintess did not linger around for long as she left the gathering. Her short yet impactful presence caused everyone to hold their breaths.

    They finally felt like they could breathe again once she was gone.

    "Finally, our part is done. We will live to see more days."

    The guard whispered happily as he marched out again. His work here had been done and over with.

    _____________________________

    "We got a generous donation today. Here, give it to me so that I can hand it to the treasury."

    The sister who had apanied Eve spoke with greed in her eyes. It was not often that such generous but hidden donations were given to the temple.

    And since the sender had not given a name for it, no one could prove its existence. Even if someone came forward to im it, the temple would have an excuse to deny it.

    As such, it was a prime target for the sister to keep her eyes on. She could steal the money inside and then use it for her gain.

    "I cannot give it to you. Since it''s the temple''s donation, I will hand it over to the authorities myself. You should stay here for the time being."

    Eve made the show of taking the envelope and putting it into her bag. But she let the donation slip from the bag on purpose.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    She could see that the greedy sister had her eyes aimed at the envelope in an attempt to steal it. And it would not take long before the sister would leave her alone.

    "D-Do you need me to apany you?"

    The sister asked as she positioned herself above the money envelope. She might think she was being sneaky but she was falling right into Eve''s trap.

    "Ah, no need. I will just take one of these royal guards with me for protection. It won''t be a problem then, right?"

    Eve asked and the sister did not hesitate to agree. Her mind must be full of all the riches she would get once she sold off the donation inside.

    ''Poor fool. The temple keeps all tracks of donations, even the hidden ones. Once this donation is noted you will be in a lot of trouble.''

    Eve had been fed up with these sisters who were there just to keep an eye on her. So, to take revenge on them felt rather sweet for now.

    "Can someone apany me to the treasury?"

    Eve made a show of asking but she did not ept anyone''s help. The guard who had been elected to follow after her did so out of his own ord and that was how Eve knew that this was one of the royal guards.

    She managed to knock him out rather quickly and then hid his body in one of the hidden passages that were around the temple.

    Once that was done and over with, it was finally time for Eve to escape. She made her way to the royal cart that the soldiers hade out of and looked around for the symbol that had been agreed upon.

    Eve''s hand rested on Elysia''s handkerchief that she had given to the older female some time ago. And Eve instantly knew that this was the right cart.

    Soon the soldiers came marching back and Eve braced herself for the confrontation that was to happen. There was a security post approaching and Eve knew it was her cue to leave.

    The wagon stopped and Eve got out of the basket.

    The guard who saw Eve leave just gave her a nod to show that he was on her side all along. And Eve made sure to remember his face so that she could thank himter.

    No other guard tried to reach for her which meant that Eve was safe for the time being. It was easy to sneak around the soldier''s group as well.

    From here on, Eve needed to head toward the Dirac estate that was abandoned in the capital. That was where Lord Dirac had gathered his forces and asked Eve to head toward.

    "Remember, this is all for Elysia''s sake. Soon she will be back where she belongs and that is with me."

    Those words were what had kept Eve going even when everything had felt wrong and gloomy. The outside world gave Eve a taste of freedom she ahd missed greatly.

    "Now then, let''s get this show started."

    Eve quickly broke an orb to turn her bright red hair into a dull shade of brown and then she was ready to head out.

    The Dirac estate was in a state of abandonment and itcked care. But Eve did not allow it to hinder her progress. She knew she needed to go in since that was what Lord Dirac had asked her to do.

    At first, she saw no one in the vicinity. But then she felt a familiar presence rushing toward her.

    Eve quickly invoked a defensive shield but it did not work against Sara''s tight hug.

    "You are finally here. I am sorry. I am so sorry that I was of no help to you. I tried to fight against the temple but they banished me instead and��"

    "I know that it was not your fault I ended up being locked and I also know that you tried your best to free me. You are my familiar so of course, I know you the best. So believe me when I say that it is not your fault."

    Eve''s eyes were filled with tears at seeing that familiar face in front of her. She had missed Sara a lot.

    She had missed everyone a lot, even Adam (though she would never admit that fact.)

    "Now hurry up inside. We have the n to save our captured princess and Lucas needs you to be an integral part of that n."

    Sara exined and Eve finally stepped inside the Dirac grounds.

    The real fire of rebellion had started to blow. And Eve was in the center of it all, ready to ignite it.

 Chapter 133 133: You Are A Grown-Up [Pt1]

    Eve stepped into the Dirac inner grounds with a nervous face. She had thought that she was ready to face whatever happened and whatever punishment she got from Lucas Dirac for losing his sister.

    She was afraid to face Lucas Dirac and be judged as ipetent. Lucas was Elysia''s brother and Elysia held him in high regard. So if Lucas asked Elysia not to ever speak with Eve again once she was brought back home, then Eve was sure that Elysia wouldply.

    And that would end u breaking Eve''s heart in the process. She did not want that to happen to her.

    ''No, I should not be thinking like this. Elysia won''t shun me for something that was not my fault.''

    "You don''t have to be too nervous Eve. Everything would be alright. Lucas is a decent person and he won''t fault you for Elysia''s disappearance. Besides, he asked for your help because he believed in your innocent."

    Sara''s words brought littlefort to Eve. She would not be able to sake this uneasy feeling until she came face-to-face with the Dirac heir.

    With a heavy heart, Eve stepped into the inner corridor of the pce and immediately came to a halt.

    The shade of familiar ck that she saw took her aback. With that white skin paired with a dark clothing style, there was no doubt in anyone''s mind that Lucas was rted to Elysia.

    It had been a year since Eve had seen Elysiast and she had not even realized that she had begun to forget the simpler details about Elysia''s look.

    But looking at Lord Dirac brought all those thoughts back to Eve''s mind. It made her eyes sting with tears as her brain recalled various precious memories she had made with Elysia.

    "You are finally here. Good, this means that we can finally begin our strategy."

    Lucas signed for Eve toe closer and she did with a nervous smile. Those blue eyes that were looking back at her certainly felt like they were judging her every move.

    Eve also had blue eyes but it was different to look into the shade of blue Lord Dirac had. It just made Eve miss Elysia.

    "You are looking better than I expected you to be. It is nice to see that you are taking care of yourself. I won''t need to wait for you to recover this way."

    Lord Dirac''s words made many of the nearby soldiers frown at the tone he used. Eve might be an alley but she was still the Saintess. Many of the soldiers here adored her and liked her as well.

    They certainly wanted Lord Dirac to be careful and not lose the Saintess''s support.

    But while everyone else thought that, Eve heard something different. She heard the underlining relief and her body rxed all on its own.

    Suddenly, breathing became easier and Eve felt calmness fill her heart.

    "I am alright so there is no need to stop this n for me. We need to get Adam to the throne as soon as possible. I heard some things and it seems like the war is inevitable at this point."

    Eve was not saying this out of the blue or due to the rumors she had heard. She had seen the temple holding on to the firearms to repel an attack.

    And the temple was thest line of defense this empire had. If even they were preparing for war, that meant that it was all but agreed upon to form the empire into one.

    "This is terrible news. Thankfully, we will not let thingse down to this. So, here is the n we will be following. I will be counting on you to take charge, Saintess Eve."

    Eve was startled by the sudden address but she happily epted the responsibility she was being handed.

    She had been waiting to be the center of the rebellion for some time and it was finally time.

    ''With this, I should have enough power to protect Elysia once shees back.''

    ___________________

    Elysia was having fun participating in her first official hunt. It was different to be with a lot of people who were younger than her and trying her best.

    Elysia had been on solo hunts with Lexus before but that experience was different. It was focused on honing one''s skills and increasing one''s level while this one was more based on teamwork.

    This was Elysia''s first time participating in a group activity. It was a pity this was being held in this new world and not in Elysia''s old one.

    But it also made sense to Elysia why that happened. These people did not know what kind of monster Elysia was so they had no reason to fear her. She also had Lexus''s backing which made people think twice about speaking ill of her.

    "Elysia, take team 3 with you and corner the beasts from the backside. I will attack from the front to earn the needed points."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The leader of team 1 spoke those words, causing massive unrest among the other students. These points were very critical to cing nicely on the final scorings and only Elysia had enough credit score not to need them.

    Even if she did not kill a single beast in this hunt, she would still graduate in the top 10s of this year due to all the extra work she had done.

    But that was not the case for others in her team. Most of them were dependent on this hunt for their final scoring.

    Many of her team members looked at Elysia with hopeful eyes. They did not want her to ept these ridiculous conditions and fight for equality.

    And that is what Elysia would have done under normal circumstances but she did not. There were times a person could bend and times when they could not.

    And Elysia''s team currently had no member except herself who could take on high-level beasts.

    "I understand. We will take the back route but any discovery and herbs we gather will count for our points."

    Elysia could hear the dissatisfied yelling from behind her. Her group did not understand why they had to be the bait.

    "Then, we should split up here and do our assigned task. Team 2, you take care of the runaway monsters. This way, we will be done much sooner."

    Even team 2 did not look happy with their assignment but they did notin. If theypeted with team 1 for resources then both of them won''t get enough points.

    It was better for them to earn little than to earn nothing.

    "Why did you agree to those ridiculous conditions? We will all fail because of you."

    "Yeah. Just because your position is secure does not mean we are all that lucky. What will we do if we fail to score well?"

    "So true. I don''t have money if I don''t earn my schrship this semester. Will you take responsibility for your actions?"

    Elysia had a lot of fingers pointed toward her right now. Many of them were justified as well since Elysia did rob them of an opportunity.

    But she had an exnation for that.

    "Do you think that we can kill all those elite monsters on our own? I know I can but what about you? None of you know the basics ofbat so how can you expect to gain points back there."

    "Instead, you should focus on gathering what you can so that you have enough points. You can always take care of the smaller beasts in your way as well."

    There was a secret to this test and that was to save time.

    Yes, beatingrger monsters would get you more points but there were several other ways to gain points during the hunt.

    For her group, Elysia knew that the best way was to keep out of sight and work in the shadows. And Elysia could see that those who had potential understood her words.

    But some people wanted to cause trouble for her or did not like her at all. One such person was thedy who had made the fuzz about Elysia''s unfair dealing.

    She looked unimpressed and dissatisfied even after Elysia had exined things to her.

    "Well, I don''t care what you thought we should do or what our capabilities are. I want to take the top score so I will go and kill thoserge beasts on my own. Those who agree with me should follow."

    "Y-Yeah, right."

    "We should not let a grown-up tell us what to do."

    The children in front of Elysiained. They seemed to have unified into two different groups - one that agreed with Elysia and those that did not.

    "Grown-ups are all problematic in their way. What did you think? That being four years older than us would make you smart and all-knowing? Well, guess what? I do not care. I will be hearing out now."

    With those parting words, the troublemaker left with her group. Seeing that scene gave Elysia a bad feeling and she knew she had to do something.

 Chapter 134 134: You Are A Grown Up [Pt2]

    Elysia watched as the troublemaker kids boldly left her group. They did not even look back to confirm the other''s safety as they fell from Elysia.

    ''I never thought that the reason I was not able to click with these children was that they considered me an adult. And I guess I am a ''grown-up'' for them."

    Since Elysia had a limited experience with children, she did not know what was normal for them and what was not. So Elysia found it difficult to treat them right.

    Her childhood at this stage in life had been concentrated on getting stronger and learning more. Head priest Yohan had also started sending Elysia on missions at this point but they had been solo.

    Elysia did not have a rebellious phase in her life but she had heard that young teens generally had a hard time epting decisions made by others.

    "Don''t take Serina''s words to heart, leader Elysia. Serina is only behaving like that because she used to be the oldest before you came around and she had a lot of authority as the oldest. Your presence all but dethroned her."

    "Yeah, that is right. But we also like your decisions better. Serina often takes unneeded risks and it causes a lot of injuries on our part."

    As the children tried to make Elysia feel better she could not help but find them to be cute. They all were good children, unafraid of a monster like Elysia.

    "Yeah, I get it. You all should start heading toward the back and gather what you can. We have a limited amount of time so hurrying would be the best."

    Elysia hurried the children up to go to the test site. She genuinely wanted them to do good and pass on their first try.

    Elysia would be keeping an eye out for dangers since she was the most powerful person in their group.

    "We will be heading out now but what about you? Won''t you being along with me?"

    "I am worried about the group that just separated from us so I will go out to see if they are alright or not."

    The children asked Elysia and she could not help butpare them to tiny chicks who were following their mother''s instructions.

    ''Although I know that these children are only pretending to like me because I am beneficial to them for now, I cannot help but be happy. How pathetic of me to feel happy from this.''

    Elysia would have taken these smiles for real delight had she not heard their conversation beforehand.

    Many of the students who had sided with Elysia were also the ones who had criticized her at first for agreeing with the decision to be the back group.

    Not only that. Elysia had heard many children present in front of herughing out loud at Elysia''s age and the fact that she had to go to school like them.

    "Oh, I see. Then you should take care to not overdo it. You also need toe back alive so that we don''t lose points."

    Her teammates did not try to stop Elysia. They could not be bothered to help someone like her who had Lexus''s back.

    "Tsk. Who does she think she is? What gives her the right to act all high and mighty like that just because she is a little older than us and Lord Lexus has her back."

    "Right! Not to mention, her powers are so weird. Have you seen her use her core? It doesn''t seem like she even has one when she pulls the power from it."

    "She''s creepy but Elysia is someone with connections. We should just y nice with her for now so that we can reap benefitster."

    Elysia did not leave all at once when she had said that she would. She had started walking when she stopped to hear those words being uttered.

    Elysia was angry at these words but there was nothing much she could do about them. These children had already formed an opinion about her and there was nothing that could change their perspective about Elysia.

    ''Not like it matters much to me. I will be getting out of this world soon enough and going back home. These kids mean nothing to me.''

    Elysia tried to convenience herself of this fact and it worked for the most part. But there was still a part of Elysia that felt hurt and annoyed by those words that these kids had uttered so easily.

    They did not know how these simple words could end up crushing someonepletely.

    "No, don''t think about it. I should concentrate on finding Serina and make sure nothing happens to her."

    Serina might not like Elysia''s interference but Elysia did find herself to be fond of Serina. Mainly because Serina did not bother showing a false front to Elysia.

    ''Compared to these dishonest children, someone like Serina is far better. At least she doesn''t pretend to like me so that she can reap benefits from me.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    It might be shallow of Elysia to feel like this but her feelings were pretty much set at this point.

    ___________________

    "That stupid bitch. How dare shee out of nowhere and join our ss all of a sudden. And not only that, she had to be good in her sses as well. She took my top spot due to her sudden appearance."

    Serina bitched about how she felt about her group. Most of the kids who had followed after her were ones her family-owned.

    As a noble herself, Serina had a lot of advantages and one such advantage was to have a lot of other families in her debt.

    The children of those families had stuck to Serina like glue and that had made Serina''s position in the academy solid.

    "Ugh, Serina! I regret to inform you that you were never in the top 10s ever and��.I''m sorry."

    Serina refrained from hitting the foolish idiot who spoke without thought. But Serina held her temper back. She would not hit the foolish child.

    Yet.

    But that did not mean that Serina should not educate this poor and ignorant child.

    "I might not have been in the top 10 yet but I was on my way there. I was so sure that I will earn a top spot this semester for sure but then that bitches out of nowhere and secured the top spot in a single test. Do you know how frustrating it was for me to witness?"

    Serina had been dumbfounded when it had first happened but she had understood pretty easily that Elysia was a prodigy.

    ording to the rumor mill, Elysia had only started practicing with her core a year prior and did not know what a core was before then.

    The story was that she had been picked up by Noble Lexus from a back-ward tribe who had no concept of what a core or soul energy was.

    For such an ignorant person toe out on top was akin to insulting the very system their society was based on.

    And Serina could not ept this insult on her honor.

    "Serina, are you sure we should be doing this? Elysia was right when she said that we are not ready to take on these beasts on our own. We all might die if we try."

    One of her followers finally decided to open their mouth and speak about what they wanted to for a long time.

    Frankly, Serina was surprised that it took this long for him toe out and say those words.

    And it was also time for Serina to tear him a new one. Once she put this kin in his ce, no one would question her again.

    "You are free to go back if you want to but you likely won''t graduate this year if you do not get enough points. And isn''t your family really poor? Can they afford to send you to school if you don''t earn a schrship?"

    The child panicked hearing Serina say all that. He knew his family''s condition better than anyone else.

    And they really could not afford to send him to school if he failed. So he had to grind his teeth and take this chance.

    "I guess no one else has anyints about apanying me now? Good, then we should hurry up and get moving now. I can feel the monsters nearby."

    By feeling, Serina meant that she could hear the sound of the monsters battling it out on the other side of the bush.

    It was generally difficult to kill these monsters but it was possible if these monsters ended up injured first. This was what Serina was counting on.

    "On the count of three, we will attack the beast and take its head. Then we can split the points between us. Are you all ready to��"

    There was no noiseing from Serina and that was her first clue that something was wrong.

    She turned behind, only to see everyone freeze up at seeing a high-level beast ambushing them all of a sudden.

    ''O-Oh no. We are all going to die.''

 Chapter 135 135: You Are A Grown Up [Pt3]

    Serina was frozen in fear as the huge beast headed her way. She was not ready to take on such a big challenge alone.

    She might have suggested going after the bigger prey in the surroundings but that did not mean that Serina could handle them herself. She had been counting on everyone to contribute to taking beasts down.

    But this sudden change in momentum caused her to falter.

    ''I-I am certainly going to die here. I can see those huge jaws separating my head from my body if I close my eyes.''

    Serina had a vivid imagination ever since she had been young. It had been a cause of her joy as well as sorrow.

    But right now, all it gave her was a deep-rooted sense of fear that she could not shake off.

    Those huge canines were heading toward her and Serina closed her eyes. Maybe if she did not see the deathing then it won''t hurt that much? It was wishful thinking but that was the best Serina could do right now.

    Despite her mature behavior and thinking, Serina was a child where it mattered and it showed in her current thinking process.

    Thick liquid dripped onto Serina''s body and she waited for the bite toe and end her current life.

    A few seconds passed when nothing happened but Serina did not count her lucky stars yet. But when a minute passed, she could no longer ignore her curiosity. She finally decided to open her eyes.

    Warm blood was coating her face and her body. It was thick and unlike any blood Serina had seen before.

    The beasty dead in front of Serina''s body, its huge ws separated from its furry body inches away from Serina''s face.

    "W-What happened? How am I still alive right now? Who saved me?"

    Serina had a lot of questions and she only needed to look around to get answers. But her body was paralyzed due to the near-death experience she had suffered from. She could not even lift her head to see the face of her savior.

    Whosoever had managed to kill this beast in a matter of minutes could not be a normal human being.

    "Serina, snap out of it. You are the only person who is conscious right now so you will have to help me gather everyone up."

    Elysia''s familiar voice snapped from Serina''s right and she felt tears of relief hit her eyes. She knew who had saved her and Serina could finally let go of her fears.

    She was safe.

    "I-I did not mean for this to happen. I j-just wanted to prove myself to everyone and��."

    "Serina, it is not time to be crying. Your regrets can waitter but these kids cannot. We need to take them to a safe ce or they will be food for other creatures."

    Serina knew in her heart that Elysia was right and she was not saying all this to make her feel bad. But her emotions could still not take all that scolding.

    Tears ended up falling down Serina''s face even as she picked herself up. Guilt circled her mind while sorrow circled her heart.

    "Serina, I know that you are feeling bad but your feelings can wait for now. These people likely cannot wait around. That beast was venomous and these people will die soon."

    Serina quickly snapped out of her daze as soon as she heard that threat of death. She had never wanted someone to die by following along with her n. She had just wanted recognition from the elders.

    "W-What should I do now? H-How can I help."

    Serina was still a little out of it but she finally seemed to being around. She was ready to do what was needed.

    She might have a dislike for Elysia but Elysia was also the only one she could rely on for now.

    "First, calm down and follow along with me. Your core magic specializes in defense, right? Create a barrier around the group and I will defend you all in the meantime."

    "B-But, what about-"

    "It will be alright. We have our guides looking after us if something does go wrong. I am confident that Lexus will be able to take care of any life-threatening threat."

    Serina felt her nerves calm down as she heard Elysia''s words. Serina had never liked adults or those people who behaved like adults.

    In her experience, adults never came in handy and only liked to unt their authority because of their age. They were not worth considering.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "H-How can you remain this calm even when the situation is like this? Do you not feel afraid of the unknown or that things could go wrong? How can you be so confident that everything will be alright?"

    Serina questioned as she felt her heart give a painful tug. This situation was getting more and more out of control of her emotions.

    "Calm? I am far from being calm right now. I feel stressed and worried about what would happen as well but I cannot allow it to take hold of my feelings. That is why I emptied my mind of any worry. It''s all because I am the adult here."

    Even Serina knew that Elysia was not an adult by any means. Calling her an adult had just been a way to insult her for being older and so mature.

    But maybe it was not her age but her actions that defined Elysia as an adult. It was so reassuring to have her with them right now.

    "Serina, barrier up. Put the barrier up right now."

    Serina pulled her barrier up without paying attention. Her body put out as much energy as it could afford to save everyone.

    The energy filled Serina''s being and she felt lighter than she ever had before. Unexpectedly, she was having a breakthrough in this matter of crisis.

    "Serina, are you alright?"

    Elysia asked as she dashed through the enemies like they were made out of paper. Her lightning-sharp moments managed to cut through them all in a matter of seconds.

    Serina had never believed in the rumor about Elysia''s skills but she had to admit it now. Elysia was too good at whatever she did.

    The energy was shining around her body as lightning snapped around her. The beasts seemed too scared toe close to her and the others.

    Serina tried to feel Elysia''s energy to know more about what kind of core Elysia had. But the energy felt neutral to her probing.

    It was behaving unlike any kind of spiritual energy Serina had ever seen before.

    Soon, the end of the test approached and the bell rang. But the monsters did not leave. Serina was drained of all her energy but she still tried her best to keep the barrier up.

    Her vision went in and out of focus as she tried to force more energy out. She was on the verge of a deviation already but Serina could not allow herself to fall.

    "It''s alright now. You can allow yourself to rest. The test is over so I will take care of these annoyances soon."

    Serina wanted to ask how Elysia would do that. Did she even have enough energy left to cast more spells?

    As Serina''s vision blurred and her mind forced her to rest, she watched Elysia being covered by light. It was spreading around the ground and killing off the beasts.

    It was strong and it should have been scary. But all Serina felt was warmth and safety. She felt like she could leave everything in Elysia''s hands from here on.

    "Y-You better be alive by the end. I won''t forgive you if you di��ed��"

    In the end, Serina lost the battle to sleep and her eyes closed. Elysia watched that happen as the clearing was devoid of any external beasts.

    She knew that it was only a matter of time before Lexus woulde here and scold her for releasing her power carelessly.

    "But still, wasn''t these beasts not supposed to be here? It was too much for a kid candidate to handle."

    The only reason Elysia had gotten started on theserger beasts was that the smaller ones did not like to approach her. They were already afraid of her predator aura and liked to avoid her.

    That was also the reason she had been assigned to team 3 as the leader.

    The elders of the noble families might not like Elysia but they did acknowledge her.

    "This incident was not normal. I better tell Lexus about it."

    Elysia had a feeling that all these idents were not actually idents but deliberate attempts to harm them. And as such, this was of utter important for Lexus and the elders to know.

    "Elysia, I got your signal and I saw the recording as well. I cannot believe these beasts managed to slip past our notice. I wonder what is making this world so agitated to birth these monstrosities."

    The thing was, Elysia had an idea why these beasts were showing up and she didn''t like what she was thinking about.

 Chapter 136 136: Freedom At Last [Pt1]

    "It''s noisy out there today. Is there some kind of festival I was not told about?"

    The emperor asked as he took part his seat on the throne. He was having a hard timetely with all the riots taking ce and preparing for the war at the same time.

    He had sent a messenger to the Akatsuki kingdom but that messenger had yet to return and that worried the emperor. He was afraid that the war foretold by the Head Priest was inevitable.

    ''This war was not supposed to happen if I did as Head Priest Yohan asked of me. I even invited beef with my son because of his words and this was the reward I get?''

    The emperor was seething in anger as he remembered all the wrongs he had deliberately done to make sure Eve and Adam would end up together.

    He had even ignored Lord Dirac as he had neglected Elysia as a possible match. All to make sure this situation does not arrive in the future. If Lord Dirac did not have a connection to the royal family, he could not use it to threaten the emperor.

    That had been the n but somewhere things had gone wrong and even Adam had ended up against him. Everything was falling apart at his end.

    "Call for the Head Priest to meet me right now. I need him to answer a few questions for me right now."

    The emperor called out to his air, hoping to get a positive answer. He had been denied an audience with the Head Priest for a week now and now he was pissed off.

    As the emperor, he had never been so neglected by anyone. And the primal part of his being was furious at the tant disrespect shown to him.

    "S-Sir, we did. B-But the Head Priest refused to allow us entry. The S-Saintess has gone missing since yesterday so he is busy looking for her."

    The slider who had be the bringer of that bad news felt his life sh before his eyes as he felt the pressure their emperor was exerting on him.

    His insides were chilled and he found it difficult to breathe. All he could do was keep on sitting there waiting for his death.

    "M-My lord, Prince Yohan has gone missing as well. We went to take a look at him since Lady White was with him but when we went to check on them, they were not in his castle. We don''t know where they went."

    The emperor''s heart sank as soon as he heard the guard''s words.

    If there was one person who could match the emperor in raw strength, it was his son. Lady Elysia Dirac and Lucas Dirac were the only other two candidates who coulde after his throne.

    "Find my son right now or you will all die. Hurry up and take your forces out right now."

    The emperor''s order was above anything else. The nobles were afraid to see their emperor so angry at them.

    He was a joyous man by nature and was hardly ever angry. So to see him driven to the brink like this was a new experience for his court members.

    "L-let''s go and find the Crown Prince right now."

    "Y-Yeah. The sooner we find him, the sooner we will be able to secure our lives."

    The guards and the other members of the court left quickly with their tails tucked between their legs. The anger of a dragon was too much for them to bear.

    The emperor watched it all happen with a heavy heart.

    He knew that whatever was happening was his fault to a degree but he had not anticipated things to end up like this. It made him wonder if what he had done was even worth it in the end.

    "I should have never listened to that stupid Head Priest no matter what he said. He might have the prophecy on his side but that did not mean he knew the future."

    The emperor moaned as soon as regret hit him. He had messed up heavily.

    "So you are willing to admit your faults now? It seems like you still have a chance at redemption if you tell me everything you know."

    The emperor looked back with a startled expression. It was Lucas Dirac who had stepped inside his room in all his glory.

    Lucas Dirac was not someone the emperor had expected to see again in his life. And especially more so after thatst mishap he made.

    "Y-You? How did you get in here without anyone knowing? Are you looking to seek your death?"

    The emperor asked, suddenly all alert. Here was one of the only dangers to him in this world, standing in front of him like he owned the castle.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    But contrary to his beliefs, Lucas Dirac did not move in for the kill. The second he had decided to reveal himself, it had been clear that the emperor''s death was not his end goal.

    "You should sit down, for now, your majesty. There are things we need to discuss. After all, you do not want your empire to be conquered by another nation just because you were too stupid to listen to me, right?"

    No matter how calmly Lucas said those words, they were ultimately a threat to the emperor. He had no other choice but to sit down and listen to Lucas out.

    "Fine then. I can now guess who was behind the kidnap of Saintess Eve and who helped my son escape his pce. As such, I will hear you out for their sake. But you better not waste my time."

    The emperor tried to maintain his authority by making the meeting on his terms. He wanted to ensure that he still held some stakes in this meeting.

    However, both parties involved in this exchange knew who held the real power here.

    "I am sad to see you being reduced to this state, your highness but this is something you chose for yourself so I have no right toin and neither do you. Now, sit down so that we can discuss things further."

    The emperor had no choice in this matter. He had to bow to the Dirac lord and listen to him out.

    ________________________

    "My lord, you have a guest waiting outside for you. Would you like us to invite Lady White in?"

    Adam had all intentions to refuse his guest entry until he heard Lady Emma White''s name. He remembered her as an associate of Sorias so that was why he allowed her entry.

    "She cane in. And also make sure that no one disturbs us for the new few hours."

    Adam could hear the maids giggle at his order. He could just imagine what their small minds were thinking while they watched their Crown Prince wee a female into his pce.

    With a re aimed their way, the maids left the corridor and it was empty all of a sudden. Emma White entered the hallway, carrying with her a familiar scent.

    "Greetings to the crown prince. I brought with me what Lord Lucas asked me to. Here, I am sure it wille in handy."

    Adam picked up the small ball-like divide he had been sent. He looked it over to see what it was before he felt around it with his energy.

    Massive amounts of energy met Adam''s and he grinned.

    For the first time in his life, Adam was d to have an ally on his side. Lord Dirac was surprisingly resourceful.

    "I cannot believe this is a mana stone Lucas sent me. Isn''t this thing really valuable?"

    "I don''t think Lord Lucas cares about how costly it is. If it helps bring his sister back then he will do anything he can. Even I stood no chance against his persuading and had to head back home."

    And that was the only reason Emma White had been able to approach Adam in his pce. His father had not paid much attention to her since she had seemed unrted to Lord Dirac after almost a year of observation.

    "So, when are you breaking out of here? Can you do it after I am gone from here? I don''t want to waste my hard-earned freedom helping you out."

    Adam had to give it to her. Emma White had the guts to snap at him. Most people would not even have dared to utter a single word in presence, never mentioning a wholeint.

    But Adam was not a considerate person so he did not care if Emma had to give up her freedom or whatever.

    "Sorry to say but I cannot wait around any more. I am breaking from here right this second and you will have to be an aplice to me."

    Adam apologized before he blew up the wall. The mana stone helped him in this regard and he was finally free.

    All Emma could do was to look at that happen with a pained expression.

    "I knew this was going to happen. Why did I agree with Lord Lucas to be the delivery girl?"

    But despite saying that, Emma had a satisfied look on her face.

 Chapter 137 137: Freedom At Last [Pt2]

    "Adam, over here. Brother Lucas asked us to collect in the garden. He said that he would deal with the emperor on his own and not disturb him."

    Eve called out to Adam with her annoyingly familiar voice. Even a few months of separation had not made her act any different.

    Somehow, Adam had thought that he would feel something different after seeing Eve for a long time. But nothing of that sort happened. All he felt was a familial friendship for her and nothing else.

    ''What was I expecting to happen? For my heart to skip a beat or to feel something deeper? Doesn''t this just prove that I have no feelings for her? I should fire all those stupid maids who made me self-conscious.''

    Adam followed after Eve with a bitter smile. He could still not believe that he had doubted his feelings for even one single second. He needed to rethink his priorities right now.

    "Since when did you start calling Lord Dirac ''brother?'' Are you sure he agreed with it?"

    "Yup, he did. Doesn''t this mean that he epts my rtionship with Elysia? That is one point for my side."

    Eve sounded far too happy to get this small victory over Adam. she wanted to take what she could since she would also miss out on a lot of things when it came to Elysia.

    Like, having kids. It was a shame that she and Elysia would never be able to have one between themselves.

    ''But maybe the forbidden section will have some-''

    "Stop thinking useless thoughts and let''s go in. As much as I trust Lord Dirac, my father is not someone who can be easily subdued in battle."

    Adam had faced his father inbat so he knew that the elder emperor was a tough cookie to crack. It was near impossible to make him give up his sword once he held it.

    Lucas would have to get extremely lucky as well as have enough nning done to stand a chance.

    "Then, I guess it''s a good thing that Lucas is not going to fight the old king heads on. Negotiation is Lucas''s weak point but he does tend to seed in it more often than not."

    Adam was startled to see Chrome there. The ck-haired Akatsuki prince had taken him by surprise.

    And even Eve looked shocked to see him. That likely meant that he had not been with the original group and had joined somewhere in between.

    "You? What are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be back in Akatsuki, trying to manage your empire? Didn''t it just see a change in leadership?"

    Eve asked that question since she was much more knowledgeable in this regard than Adam. she had kept an eye on the outside world and felt genuine surprise to see the Akatsuki crown prince win their war.

    But at the same time, it was not that surprising since he had Lord Lucas on his side.

    "I did win but there was no need for me to stay there any longer. As for the official documentation work? Let''s just say that I found someone better at myself for doing all my paperwork."

    Chrome had a mysterious smile on his face as he motioned for people to keep his secret.

    His charming smile and mysterious attitude made one wonder just what kind of human had managed to sessfully capture his attention.

    "D-Don''t tter Enma too much or that idiot will get a massive head. He already behaves like he is better than everyone else. I still cannot see why Lord Sorias likes to hang out with him."

    Emma hade out as well, her body out of breath as she ran to catch up with Adam.

    Adam had not paid much attention when he had left her behind but even he knew that his speed had been remarkable when he had exited the building.

    For Emma White to be able to keep up with him was a feat worth noticing. And it also marked her as being potentially gifted in the field of tracking.

    "Looks like everyone is finally here. It is also about time for Lucas to be done. Let''s hope that our n worked and we won''t have to go to war right now."

    Sara was thest one to walk up to the group. Her hands were dirty with sand and other questionable liquids that were red.

    No one had any doubt that she had killed more than a few people already. But no one called her out for it either.

    Had it not been for Sara, those people would have still died. In a way, Sara killing them had given them a painless death in return.

    The garden was full of noise but then it fell silent all of a sudden.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Everyone expected Lord Lucas Dirac to make his appearance with the news of what will happen next but instead, it was the emperor who came out.

    Everyone took in a tense sigh collectively. They did not know how to take the appearance of the emperor instead of their leader.

    "Today, I would like to make an announcement." The silence worsened and Adam was the tensest one, "it hade to my notice that some mistakes had been made by my side."

    "As such, I would like to apologize to the concerned parties. And as a result, I would like to retire and allow my heir, Crown Prince Adam to assume the position of the next emperor on his uing birthday."

    No one could believe what they had heard. The hard-headed emperor had lost and finally announced that he would be stepping down. No one had thought that it would ever be possible.

    The most surprised one was Adam himself. He knew what it meant to ascend to the position of the emperor while being unmarried.

    He would be free to choose his queen or to not ever take a partner if he so desired. He could finally wait for Elysia to be by his side and be his queen.

    "Get ready. This was only the first battle. The war has yet to be fought. We need to be ready to face anything from here on."

    Even Sara''s grim reminder could do nothing to bring the mood down. Everyone was too happy to see that they had managed to conquer the emperor.

    Lord Lucas walked from behind the emperor and coughed into his fist. The emperor flinched but he opened his mouth again.

    "A-Also, seeing as how Adam is too young to rule for a few more months, I would like to appoint Lord Lucas Dirac to be his temporary guardian for the time being. I hope you all have no problem with this decision."

    No one present below had any problem with it. In fact, this was the exact oue they had wanted to see and their happiness level was off the roof.

    The emperor was both happy to see this and pissed at the same time that everyone was too happy to see him gone.

    But he ended up sighing in the end and epting his fate. His rule was over and he could not retire with his queen.

    ___________________

    "H-Head Priest Yohan, did you hear the news? W-What should we do now? We have already offended Lord Dirac once."

    The priest who stumbled into Yohan''s chambers yelled as he threw the newspaper toward him. It contained the news of the emperor''s charge and changes.

    Just one look was enough for anyone to grasp who had the real power in the nation.

    "Calm down Priest Zane and take a deep breath. I already knew that Lucas Dirac might try to gain power this way but we should not worry. He won''t be able to touch us."

    Head Priest Yohan sounded certain of this fact and it caused the other Priest to calm down as well.

    But then his confusion smacked him in the face and he ended up asking one question one should never when they were curious.

    "B-But why? Why should we not worry?"

    Priest Zane asked as his eyes shined with curiosity. He was ready to head a secret that could change his perspective.

    And who knows, if this secret was impressive enough then he might also benefit from it. ckmail was a valid option on his radar.

    "We are backed by normal people. Even if the emperor wants to touch us, he cannot do that so easily or he would face bacsh. And Lucas Dirac is not stupid enough toe at us openly."

    The Priest who had been listening so eagerly until now deted all of a sudden at hearing these words.

    All his hopes and dreams had been dashed by those words and he felt depressed all of a sudden.

    "W-What should we do for the request of a meeting Lord Dirac had been asking for? We cannot keep on denying him for long if he pressures us."

    "When that happens then we will see. But for now, keep our doors closed. No one will be allowed into the temple grounds as long as Saintess is not found.

 Chapter 138 138: The Last Fare-Well [Pt1]

    Elysia waited around for Lexus toe back from the elder''s meeting before joining him. Lexus was the youngest member of the meeting but he was also the head of the most powerful family.

    As such, his words not only carried weight but were also the best source of trustable information Elysia had.

    "So, what was decided inside? Does any of the elders know why those monsters showed up?"

    Elysia asked, her voice showing eagerness to know. She could not contain her excitement as she asked for the answers.

    But Lexus had a frowning face that likely meant that he did not have the answers that Elysia wanted from him.

    "I did bring this topic up but no one had any idea. The only thing that we were able to conclude was that the energy of this world became unstable once those monsters appeared here."

    Elysia fell silent at the news, her mind moving a mile per minute.

    This single sentence had a lot of possibilities attached to it so it was not even clear which theory they should target.

    "Does it have anything to do with my appearance in this world? Did it make the connection between energy unstable?"

    Elysia asked because she wanted to know. She felt guilty already and her stomach was twisted around in nervousness as she waited for the answer.

    "It''s likely not your fault. The time of energy fluctuation is times much earlier than your arrival. In fact, it might even be able to be tracked back to my brother''s disappearance."

    Elysia fell silent after that. She could not me Noctis in front of Lexus. She did not me Noctis period since he had not disappeared from this world on his own ord.

    This felt like someone had nned all this to happen. There was no coincidence or fate involved but a string of effects that were triggering after one another.

    "For now, let''s sum it all up as an ident from our side and wrap this matter up. We need to give the children''s families an excuse."

    Elysia''s heart was heavy but she agreed with Lexus. Normal people did not need to fear or think over what was going to happen. They deserved all the peace they could afford.

    "How are the injured students doing? I was going to stop by their room but then I decided not to. Should we go and visit them together?"

    Elysia asked and she watched as Lexus wavered at her question. He wanted toe with her but he was too shy to reply to her offer.

    Moreover, Lexus had never tried clicking with those his age and this was the perfect time for him to make some new friends.

    "Come on, follow me. I won''t be here forever so I want you to have a few reliable humans around you who can support you. You should also meet Serina since she admires you."

    Elysia pushed Lexus and he went along with her push with an unhappy expression. He was going toin all the way and Elysia braced herself for that noise.

    "W-Why would I want to meet children? And why should I meet Serina? Even if she did a good job out there, she is still a kid for me and��hey, let me go, Elysia."

    Elysia pretended not to hear Lexus as he yelled at her. She kept on dragging, trying her best to forget the guilt she felt for the attack earlier.

    She knew she was told that it had not been her fault but she could still not make herself believe that fact. The more she thought back at it, the more on edge she felt.

    In the end, the only way to distract herself was to think of something else.

    _________________________

    "Here we are. Now, remember to be nice to the other children and they will be your friend in no time. And also, smile a little. A small smile goes a huge way in reassuring people and��."

    "Are you done? I told you that I do not want to ''y nice'' with these kids. I do not want to have anything to do with them either. I am just here to apany you."

    Lexus denied Elysia''s attempt to make him socialize, but the mere fact that he hade this far for Elysia could not be denied.

    She had a strong emotional hold on him and she was going to utilize it to make sure Lexus had friends in his life.

    "Fine, don''t make friends if you do not want to. But you should still smile while you still can. The world is not a nice ce and it can easily cause you to be depressed."

    "Elysia, stop trying to give me life lessons. Just because you have Noctis''s soul in your body does not mean that you are my brother. Don''t try and��."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia was sure she had a bitter smile on her face as she tied to grin through the pain she felt.

    She was not sure if these were her emotions or the ones that Noctis''s soul was influencing her into feeling. But Elysia felt her chest hurt after she heard Lexus speak.

    "I''m sorry, that was too harsh of me. I will try not to think of such things unconsciously again because they are not true. You have been much more of a family to me in the past year than anyone else had my whole life."

    The pain did lessen as Elysia heard Lexus''s apology. It didn''t magically make everything better but it was a start nheless.

    "I did not take your words to heart. Now then, shall we go in?"

    For the rest of the evening, Lexus behaved just like Elysia had wanted him to. He was civil to the children and did not rise to their provocation.

    He even seemed to be having fun on the surface but Elysia could tell that something was eating him on the inside. Hisplexion was too pale to be considered normal.

    But whatever was eating him from the inside, he did not share with Elysia. And she did not force him to share with her either.

    They were both happy to pretend that everything was alright.

    But the stalemate finally broke a weekter. It was all due to a sudden attack on the central city by a huge beast.

    A rift had opened up in the sky but no one could pinpoint the location it had started at. It showed nothing but a nk blue vortex when you looked at it.

    The only thing that passed through were the insect-like beasts that were falling from the sky.

    "My god, what is that? Had the apocalypse finallye for us? What should we do now?"

    Students around Elysia ran for their lives as they tried to kill the insects. Some of them died while others managed to stay alive long enough to hurt the students.

    A lot of normal citizens had been killed off already and it was a struggle for survival out there.

    Elysia also headed out to help the normal people. She had enough power to take care of a single city with her core strength. But she also had the magic of her home world on her side.

    And somehow, these insect-like monsters seemed susceptible to her magic much more than the core''s energy.

    "I cannot get a reading on these monsters. They are not native to this dimension. In fact, their energy feels so simr and yet distant."

    The scientist turned toward Elysia as he said that but then he faltered in his words due to Lexus''s re.

    No one could say anything bad about Elysia without Lexus not interfering in the middle.

    "So that creature has a simr energy to me? Then, maybe on the other side of this gate lies my home. I should go and check it out."

    There as no guarantee that it was Elysia''s home on the other side. And she was taking a huge risk by checking it out like this.

    But Elysia knew she had to do something or she would regret it for the rest of her life. She could not allow innocent people to be killed on her ount.

    "Elysia, please think it through first. There are many people who hade to for rtionships with you here. Are you going to abandon everyone else here?"

    Lexus asked as he stood up. He was the only one who seemed to have found a fault with Elysia''s decision and he will likey be the only one as well.

    Others pretended to like Elysia for Lexus''s sake but she could tell that their feelings were not genuine. And she could not expect others to feel like Elysia was dear to them.

    "Lexus, I know I have a lot of precious people and memories here that I need to protect this ce. And you also knew that this day woulde."

    Elysia tried to make Lexus feel better but he suddenly cried out. His tears were uncontroble as he sobbed and it caused Elysia to panic.

    She was so out of her depth now and it was terrifying. What was wrong with Lexus all of a sudden?

 Chapter 139 139: The Last Farewell [Pt2]

    "Head Priest Yohan, I know you said to ignore the Royal family''s summons but it has been a week already. I don''t think they will wait anymore. Even the public has begun to question our actions."

    Head Priest Yohan sighed at the ipetency of the people around him. They could not even take care of a few official summonses for him.

    It was not surprising that the royal pce had sent at least one notice every day for them to be allowed a meeting. It showed how desperate they were to ess the forbidden knowledge he possessed.

    But they were not going to find anything in the forbidden section that was going to help them. If there were something like that avable, then Yohan would have been the first one to use it to bring Elysia back.

    She was his precious chess piece, the one who listened to his every word and did as he asked. Losing Elysia had been a big blow to him and his overall nning.

    "Head Priest, are you listening to me? What should we do now?"

    The annoying priest had not left yet. If anything, he was making himself seem even more annoying than before.

    "I heard what you have to say. If the situation is as urgent as you make it out to be, then I have no other choice but to follow along with the summons."

    Head Priest Yohan wanted to ignore the priest but he had to consider his public image. It won''t do to worsen his rtionships with the other priests. They would be his pir of support once he was asked to step down.

    ''And then, they would be able to help Eve fulfill her purpose foring here. I need to make sure that she remains unharmed throughout what will happen next.''

    "A-Are you going to answer these summons? T-Then, I can tell this to the attendant who is waiting for our reply, right?"

    The priest sounded shocked as he looked at Head Priest Yohan. He could not believe that Head Priest Yohan had given him the go-ahead for the meeting.

    It had not seemed possible for the Head Priest to give Lucas Dirac the time of his day but it seemed suddenly possible.

    "Do you need me to repeat my words? Go ahead and tell the messenger that I am ready to meet Lucas Dirac and the Crown Prince."

    There were various reasons Head Priest Yohan agreed to this meet-up. But the most prominent one was due to Eve.

    He had not been too worried when he had heard that Eve had gone missing mainly because he knew where she would have run off to.

    The only person who had enough power to protect her was Lucas Dirac and the Crown Prince. The three of them even shared the same goal and that was the save Elysia Dirac.

    As such, there was only one ce Eve could have ended up at. And Head Priest needed to bring Eve back to his side as soon as possible.

    "I-I will go and tell Lord Dirac, I mean, the messenger of the crown prince the good news. Y-You should not be too stressed about this meeting."

    Yohan was not ''too stressed'' about this meeting. He was not even a little bit stressed about it since he knew he had nothing to hide.

    If worst came to worst, he could unfold the prophecy he knew and the people would have to fold in front of him. They would see reason when their lives were at risk.

    Even the emperor had seen his ways once he had revealed that he could die if he did not follow Yohan''s n.

    __________________________

    The tense silence filled the meeting room. Neither Lucas Dirac nor Head Priest Yohan gave an inch when they faced each other. Their stone-cold faces betrayed nothing of their true intention.

    The one who was most nervous about this sh-off was Eve. She flinched every time her adopted father as much as looked at her.

    Thankfully, Adam covered her every time it happened, his eyes shing unhappily at the priest. It was a conscious action and Eve knew that it was only half for her sake.

    "I don''t need your protection."

    Eve whispered, hoping that speaking out loud would break the awkward silence that had descended upon the gathering.

    But speaking out loud did not help lessen the awkwardness of the situation. If anything, it made the silence even worse.

    *Cough*<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Finally, Lucas coughed to divert everyone''s attention to himself. He pointed toward the piece of paper lying innocently on the table between himself and the Head priest.

    "ording to thew, the royal family can ask you to show us the restricted section of the temple anytime they want to. You have already been rejecting our requests for a week. It''s about time you allow us in there."

    Lucas Dirac did not beat around the bush. He told what he wanted clearly to Head Priest Yohan.

    The elder man had a resigned look on his face. Eve was sure he looked disappointed at the request he was hearing.

    "Fine. If you want to see the forbidden section, I won''t stop you. But I would ask you not to be disappointed by what you find in here."

    Eve had been hopeful until this far but now she was no longer so hopeful. From Head Priest Yohan''s tone, it seemed like the forbidden section would not yield any results.

    But still, it was a direction to look into. The chances of it containing other useful information were high as well.

    "Don''t worry. Whether that section contains anything useful or not will be up to us to decide. You just need to hand us the key."

    Lucas decided as he held his hand out for the ess pass. Only the Head Priest had the pass and the power to activate it.

    So, Head Priest Yohan would have to apany them through the restricted section.

    "Follow along with me. I will take you there but I do have a condition for doing so. I hope you know what I am going to ask you."

    Eve stiffened as soon as that ''condition'' was brought up. She did not want to do anything her adoptive father asked of her.

    Not because she did not love him or found him harmful, but because she knew that it would restrict her freedom.

    "It''s up to the person to decide. I cannot promise anything that is not rted to me."

    Lucas left the decision up to Eve and she was thankful for that. Eve also knew that she would agree with her father''s request if it meant that she got a hint to save Elysia.

    However, contrary to both her and Adam''s surprise, he turned toward both of them.

    "I will only grant ess to the restricted section if you both agree to be engaged with each other and maintain your rtionship for a whole year minimum. I need a written guarantee of that."

    Eve felt sick hearing her father ask that of not only herself but also Adam. They both had denied liking each other so many times and Eve was certain that her father knew this fact.

    But he was still pushing them to be in a rtionship despite their wishes? Where was the justice in that?

    "Before you all argue, I do know that you do not like each other romantically but it is of the uttermost importance that you both get engaged. I won''t ask you to have a rtionship or even get married. You don''t have to be devoted to each other even. Just get engaged for some time."

    There was almost a hint of desperation in the Head Priest''s voice and it caused Eve to waver. She did not want to see him in despair.

    She could see that Adam was not going to agree but surprisingly, it was Lord Lucas who gave the ''go-ahead'' signal for them.

    "If it''s only for a year then it is possible to do so. Adam will not be of age until some time and it will take a year for him to regain power. It would be nice to have political protection, right?"

    Adam''s words were stuck in his throat. He tried to swallow his disappointment down as he replied with an empty voice.

    "Yeah, it would be alright. But one year means one year and not a day more. Now, if we all agree let''s head out. Staying here any longer will make me sick."

    Adam pushed past not only the Head Priest but also Eve and Lucas Dirac''s side. He sounded and even looked annoyed.

    But he had given his verbal confirmation and that was all that mattered to her father.

    "Don''t worry. I will get you out of this mess by the end of the year. I also need you both to be politically connected so that I can drive out some traitors. Just go along with it."

    Eve did not want to but she also did not want to disappoint Lord Dirac. In the end, she agreed to follow his words for the time being.

 Chapter 140 140: The Last Farewell [Pt3]

    Unlike its name, the restricted section was an area filled with light and high windows. It was decorated in a gothic style with high ceilings and open spaces.

    Different magical beast statues decorated the outer lining of the staircase and the walls were lined with books of every shade and kind.

    It was a ce that was impossible tob out even in a year, much less in a few days. Eve was sure that they would not be able to finish before Adam''s birthday banquet that was being nned.

    "There are an awful number of books in here. I find it impossible to think that none of these have any knowledge about the topic we are looking for."

    Adam decided to take a jab at Head Priest Yohan and Eve was torn whether to agree with him or not.

    "You would be surprised then."

    Head Priest Yohan decided for him as he scoffed and spoke softly. Eve heard him clearly and those words worried her a little.

    As the current Head Priest, he was the person who had the most knowledge about what kind of material was avable in this section. He knew the general gist of this ce and the topics covered here.

    "But surely even you did not have enough time to look over this ce and remember it? Maybe you missed something?"

    Lord Lucas also joined in taking a jab at her adoptive father. Eve felt offended on his behalf but she did not say anything.

    When one''s feelings were in such a divine state, it was wisest to keep quiet. That was the only way to stay neutral and survive the strife.

    "If you think so then you can look around on your own. Don''t even think of exceeding your allotted time and do not steal any books. I will be in the adjoining office if you need me."

    It surprised Eve that the Head Priest hadsted this long in thepany of someone he hated with a passion.

    And even Lucas looked relieved to see the Head Priest leave. Eve could see his shoulders loosen up and his smile became more genuine.

    "Sorry for asking such a heavy thing from the both of you. You know that I would have never asked you to pay the price if there was another way, right?"

    "No, don''t apologize. It is for Elysia''s sake and we asked you to take advantage of us anyway."

    Eve did not like the situation but that did not mean she wanted Lord Dirac to feel responsible for it either. He did not need to worry or stress about having forced Eve to help.

    "Yeah. She''s right. I can take a year of being engaged and a few days of no rest if it means I can get Elysia back. Both of us do not need to act like this engagement is real anyway."

    No one was convinced by Adam''s words but they also knew that nothing would change even if they did the presence of this engagement.

    Elysia was tasked with a lot of tasks that the Crown princess was supposed to be doing. But when it came to the ceremonial practices, Eve suddenly realized that a lot of it had been done by her, to begin with.

    Elysia always managed to back out at thest second with one excuse or another when it came to official events and Eve was the obvious substitute since she was a Saintess candidate.

    It was no wonder that the citizens had misunderstood the situation between herself and Elysia so much. Also, the rumors about her romance with Adam did make sense in this context.

    ''Fuck it. Now it feels like everything that happened to me and Adam was nned. I will have to clear the air out with Elysia once I get her back.''

    "Don''t stress yourself do much. For now, just focus on doing the tasks you are assigned with. I will handle the political warfare."

    It was so reassuring to have Lucas''s support. Eve knew that he would be able to keep the council of nobles in check.

    "Hey, check this out. I think this text can help us."

    While Eve was busy talking it out with Lord Lucas, Adam had already started to look around the room and open the books.

    He seemed not to be concerned about the things Eve was feeling self-conscious about.

    "Hey, let me check. Ah, these are about traveling theories and spacial magic. It can work if we rewrite the form."

    Eve tried it out but it did not yield much result. It was not the end of their search but it was a start for sure.

    ________________________<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Lucas watched as the kids did their best to look for a solution. They were working hard and he was d to see that Elysia had such goodpany.

    She would be alright once he ended up dying. Even now he had to do his best to hold his cough back. He could not afford to show his weak side to these kids who were relying on him.

    ''Now that those two are busy, it is time I start looking around. It was a good thing that I asked the emperor for suggestions about where to look.''

    As a jointly build space, there were countless artifacts present here that even the Head Priest did not know about.

    One such artifact was the mirror of Isis. It was capable of connecting with anyone who had ever existed. It should be able to connect with Elysia even if she was in another dimension.

    But there was a risk involved in invoking such a method to bring Elysia back. And the risk of using the mirror of Isis was that there was no guarantee of what would happen.

    It required a lot of magic and an even more concentrated life force to work. A lot of alive monsters would need to be tossed into it to make sure a secure connection could be established.

    Lucas reached for the right button and opened the small container to take the mirror out.

    But there was nothing inside it. The space where the mirror should be was empty. Someone had already taken the mirror out for use and Lucas had no idea who it could be.

    ording to the emperor, no one should even know about the existence of that mirror except the royal family. Even the temple did not know about its existence.

    So how had someone taken the mirror out? And more importantly, how had they gotten into such a secure ce?

    "Did you find anything?"

    Adam asked as Lucas walked out from the rows of bookshelves he had walked behind. All he could do was to shake his head and be disappointed.

    His single ray of hope had been dimmed but not exhausted.

    "Don''t worry. We will find something to try really soon. See, there are already forms we can try out."

    Eve spread out the sheet she had in front of her. She was the one who was working the hardest since she was the only one who could use light magic.

    Adam stood up to find more material for her and got himself busy.

    This was how the week that led up to Adam''s birthday was shaped up for them. The whole notation was busy celebrating the uing appointment of their new emperor while the said emperor ved away at an impossible task.

    ________________________

    Somewhere outside the temple, a shadow figure took out the mirror he had taken away with him.

    He snapped his energy into the mirror and it responded. But it needed more life energy that he could not give it.

    So the shadow figure decided to send a few small seed-like things through the mirror. They were the wild-monster seeds that were about to germinate.

    The mirror responded and opened up a small window. On the other side stood Elysia as well as a group of unknown people, out for tracking in the forest.

    He watched as the seeds germinated and formed into the monsters they were supposed to be. They managed to corner the small group that had separated from Elysia.

    It seemed like the female who had questioned Elysia would die but Elysia surprisingly came back to help her out.

    The shadow figure wanted to see more but he was out of time and energy to use. He needed to gather his resources if he wanted to open the gate again.

    This time, he would require bigger sacrifices and a lot of magic energy. He would only have such an opportunity when a big gathering of strong people happened.

    And the best venue for such a thing was during the birthday banquet of the Crown Prince. That day, the people present in the hall would get a surprise they had not expected.

    And it would also be the time for Elysia Dirac toe back to this world. It was her destiny to be called a viiness and if she ended up being med for this ident, then it would be on her head.

    It was all up to her fate now.

 Chapter 141 141: Finally Home [Pt1]

    Elysia looked back at the facility that had be her home for the past year. It held a lot of memories for her and she felt sad at the thought of leaving it behind.

    But thepulsion to go back home was much stronger than her desire to stay here.

    "Were you going to leave without even saying goodbye? Who gave you that right, Elysia?"

    Elysia''s heart jumped up in her throat as she heard Serina''s voiceing from behind her back. She was standing on the side of the roof and she felt herself slip down in shock.

    Thankfully, Serina caught her hand in time, and Elysia''s descent into the void was halted. She would live to see another day.

    "Serina, what are you doing here? You should be out on the streets, helping people. Before that, are you even well enough to be out here?"

    Elysia had a lot of concerns but Serina only smiled calmly after hearing her ask all those questions. She did not even seem to mind Elysia''s questioning nature.

    "I am alright now. I will be heading out in a few minutes as well. I just had a feeling that I should meet you before I head out in the field."

    Serina had a calm but hidden smile on her face. And Elysia could not help but think of it as a bitter smile.

    Although Serina was smiling, she was not truly happy to hear the news. And Elysia felt guilty for such a thing. It felt like her fault that Serina was troubled.

    "I��well, I don''t know why you would be feeling like meeting me all of a sudden."

    Elysia pretended like she had no idea. But Serina''s expression caused her to drop her facade and show her real face.

    She could only sigh as if she was tired and Serina looked at her like she understood.

    "That dimension that this portal points to is your home, right? You want to go back home?"

    Serina asked with a pained voice. And Elysia found herself agreeing with her in a heartbeat. While it was not confirmed that the dimension on the other side of the sky portal was her home, Elysia was more than sure that it was.

    These monsters that had begun to appear in front of her were familiar. They were the species she had fought when she had been training.

    "I''m sorry that I have to leave you but I cannot stay here any longer. My presence in this dimension might be causing that sky rift so I should close it as well."

    Elysia needed to take responsibility for her actions. And what better way there was to do that than to make sure the rift closes?

    Serina''s expression said that she did not agree with Elysia but she was too tired to argue with her as well.

    "Fine. If you feel like you have no other choice then head into the portal. But before that, take this. It is a spiritual ribbon our family had in their possession for some time now. It might save you in the future."

    Serina passed a pink ribbon to Elysia and she hesitated to take it.

    She had heard that the heirlooms passed by certain families were very powerful and unique. And for a noble family, these heirlooms were even akin to centuries worth of money collected.

    The mere fact that Serina had offered Elysia this ribbon was enough for her. There were a lot of heavy feelings associated with this gesture.

    And as such, Elysia also knew that she could not take this ribbon. It would not be right.

    "No need to gift me something this precious. You can have it back."

    Elysia tried to push the ribbon back in Serina''s hands but the girl refused to take it back. She walked back until her foot all but slipped past the building edge.

    "Don''t you dare give that ribbon back or lose it? It''s a gesture of my feelings for you. Think of it as a curse that will not let you forget my exitance."

    With those final words, Serina jumped down the building. Her core helped her gain strength and Elysia watched as Serina changed directions mid-flight.

    It was a wonderful performance by the younger woman but Elysia could not admire it in its entirety.

    The ribbon in her hand felt heavy. It was a burden that was difficult for Elysia to carry or to forget.

    "What a clever way to confess her feelings. What am I supposed to do with this now?"

    Elysia could not get rid of the ribbon now. So she tied it around her hair for the time being.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The sky portal was getting closer and closer by the second. Elysia needed to enter it and close it before it managed to reach the top of the highest building.

    She abandoned her core for the time being and decided to deploy her magic. It helped her take giant leaps toward the portal.

    The gravitational force was getting stronger and stronger as Elysia headed closer toward the portal. Thend and buildings were getting smaller the further she went.

    It would not be wrong to say that she was the only one in this world who was capable of making this leap of faith since she was the only one who had magic at her disposal.

    "ELYSIA, DON''T GO~"

    Lexus''s voice was a distant yell in Elysia''s ears. It was so faint that he could not even tell if she had truly spoken anything or not.

    But Elysia did not linger long on it. She only turned around and whispered a soft ''sorry'' which her magic carried over.

    Maybe she and Lexus will meet again, maybe they would not. Only time will tell what would happen.

    Elysia''s body was finally enclosed by the dark space the above mentions and she let her magic run wild inside the hole.

    Threads of magic and core energy spitted out of Elysia''s body and clutched the corners of that hole. It was trying to pull it shut.

    ''I wanted to see them thest time. Lexus, Serina, the other people who made my time in this dimension bearable.''

    Elysia did want all that but it was not a possibility at this point. The portal was closing behind her and Elysia would likely never be able toe back.

    There was another stronger gravitational pull inside the opening and Elysiabated the gravity that was pulling her downwards.

    She could not afford to fail now and her body was trying to gather enough energy to save everyone.

    ''You can let go now. Do these people deserve your help? They will abandon you in a heartbeat if they discovered that it was your fault in the first ce. Even Lexus would not stand on your side.''

    Elysia''s thoughts were her biggest weakness. They were weakening her resolve to help but Elysia could not afford to give an inch in.

    She forced her body beyond its limits and expanded her magic as much as she was willing to. It finally managed to snap the fabric shut and Elysia was out of energy. Her body began falling down the crack.

    It might have seemed like she was going up at first but she was actually falling all this while. The ground was within reach on the other side and Elysia would end up crashing into it hard.

    But she was truly fortunate that she had gotten Serina''s gift. The ribbon in her hair extended and managed to form a beneath her. In that way, Elysia managed to save her life from ending.

    The only thing that was strained was her shoulder. It was throbbing in pain but Elysia managed to pick herself up properly.

    She looked around but the garden she was in looked familiar. It was very much like the garden of the royal pce back home.

    "I''m back. I managed to return atst. I never thought I would see this world again." Elysia was happy but also confused.

    But most importantly, she was finally back home.

    ______________________

    People watched as the huge ck hole in the sky was being forced close. The sh of colors in the sky could be seen shing from behind the portal.

    No one had seen a scene like this before. It would be one that would go down into the history books as a legendary day when the sky was sshed with colors.

    Not only did the world was seeing a new scene, but the people were also seeing a new type of technique they had never seen before.

    However, not everyone watched this scene with awe. Both Lexus and Serina had bitter smiles on their face as they watched the sky sh and they hold close. They knew the truth and they hated it as well.

    This miracle had taken a very important person away from their lives but they promised that this was not thest time they will meet Elysia.

    One day, they will be able to travel across to her home dimension and meet her again.

 Chapter 142 142: Finally Home [Pt2]

    "They looked around everywhere they could, but s, no solution was found in the end. They were not able to retrieve Elysia in the end and-"

    "Sara, I will hit you hard if you do not quieten down right this second. I am not in a good mood today."

    Eve wanted her familiar who made a hesitant motion of closing her mouth. But the amused smile on her face did not lessen even with that.

    Sara did not mean tough or poke fun at Eve''s expanse but there was nothing else to discuss. This was the only topic Eve was even remotely weing and Sara would take what she could right now.

    "I know that you are not in a good mood bute on. You cannot spend the whole day mopping like this. People spent a lot of money on this party. At least learn to enjoy it a little."

    Sara pointed out, trying her best to get Eve to join in on the fun. But Eve was being a killjoy and had no intention of being a part of the celebration.

    For the first time since she had started participating in these situations, Eve was keeping herself entirely out. She had just done the customary greeting and nothing else.

    Sara didn''t even have the heart to force her to socialize if she did not want to.

    On the other hand, Adam was doing a remarkable job of keeping his wits. He was going around and taking note of the situation.

    He was also meeting and greeting nobles in the meantime.

    ''But I guess it is because Lucas is forcing him to and not because Adam wants to do his work.''

    Adam had a sour look on his face that betrayed how ufortable he felt right now. He was struggling to hold his temper in but he could not explode in front of Lord Lucas as well.

    Both Adam and Eve were suffering in their ways and seemed to be punishing themselves for failing to achieve what they had set out to do.

    And then there was Lord Adam who was in his category of ''foul mood''. It might not show on his face but his actions were a little more forceful and calcted.

    Someone was going to get ruined today.

    ''But then again, it is none of my business what happens. I am sure whosoever ignited Lord Lucas''s ire deserves it.''

    Sara decided to not interfere with them.

    The person she was most interested in was Emma White, Sorias, and Enma. the trio stood on the side, doing their best not to be noticed.

    Well, Lord Sorais was doing his best not to be noticed while Emma was trying to attract his attention.

    And Enma, the one who was said to be the god''s messenger had a weird temperament. He looked not only a little jumpy but also scared. His face betrayed a man who knew something that was about to happen but did not say what it was.

    ''Should I head over there and check things out?''

    Sara was worried. But more than that, she was bored. She needed excitement in her monotonous life.

    And currently, Enma''s expression said that he was that ''fun factor'' she was missing. His eyes were open wide as they looked down outside the window.

    "Hey, kid. What''s going on? You looked spooked out and-"

    "I don''t feel so good. Can I be excused right now?"

    Enma did look white in the face. Sara was immediately concerned for his well-being and decided to get him out.

    She had all but taken the kid out when the ground shook. It was a small and untimely earthquake that was not worrisome in a general sense but Enma''s cursing made it seem like a big deal.

    "Shit, fuck. I cannot believe I got caught up in such an obvious red-g situation. Why did I think that nothing would happen if Elysia was not here?"

    Enma had a lot to say but nothing he said made much sense to Sara. She quickly picked the kid up and took him outside.

    The gardens were quickly being upied by the other guests of the royal castle as well. The earthquake might have been mid but it was concerning.

    After all, no natural disaster should have been able to take ce in the royal castle of the capital. It all smelled of foul y but Sara had no idea who it could be.

    "If you know anything about all this, you better open up your mouth now. It will be toote once they start investigating."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Sara warned and Enma quickly shook his head as negative. He knew nothing about what happened.

    "Are you sure? Enma, you should tell us the truth and-"

    Sara was cut off by the entry of a scared guard. The poor man seemed out of his mind as he crawled toward where the royal pair was standing.

    He suddenly clutched Adam''s legs in a show of bravery and his eyes were wide in fear.

    "M-Monsters. There are monsters on the right side of the gardens. A-And we also saw a ghost. The vengeful ghost of Elysia Dirac is back to seek vengeance on us all."

    Whatever sympathy Sara had for that fool evaporated into smoke. He had made a grave sin by saying anything about Elysia.

    Not only did he manage to enrage Adam but also gather everyone''s attention. Most of the nobility that had gathered here were those who had known the Diracs personally.

    As such, they also knew who Elysia was. But unlike Adam or Eve, they needed an excuse tounder a fault over Dirac''s head. And Elysia''s sudden appearance along with her connection with the unnatural things happening served them this purpose.

    "*ehm*. May I know what this fight is about? Did you say that the ghost of Elysia Dirac appeared and caused all this? But Lady Dirac is not dead, right? Then, does that mean she did this on purpose?"

    An old noble came out to say this. His voice was already giving up on him and so was his hairline. But his eyes shined with the ambitions he housed.

    He was an elder of one of the houses that held major power after the Diracs. And he benefitted a lot from lowering the reputation of the Diracs down.

    Public opinion mattered a lot to the nobility. But what mattered more was the opinion of their new emperor.

    He might be close to Lord Dirac now but this was the perfect opportunity to lower his dependency on the Dirac lord and fish him toward their side.

    They had gotten no opportunity to do that this far but now it was finally their time to shine. If only the new emperor gave him a minute, the old man was sure he would be able to drag him to his side.

    "Emperor Adam, I would like to-"

    The old noble turned toward where his emperor had been standing but the white-haired boy was already gone.

    And not only he but the Saintess was also gone as well. They both had not even given him enough time to finish talking before they had left.

    "They left quite a while ago. You should get out of here if you want to save your face now."

    Some other noble said which caused the old man to lose face and quietly make his exit. He had realized that the royalty did not intend to give him any face.

    Even the former queen was pretending like she had not heard anything.

    As for Lord Lucas Dirac? He looked constipated and irritated. Anyone could see that he wanted to go after his sister but he had to stay back for their sake.

    And if anyone irritated him, they won''t be safe from his scheming hands. He could easily make anyone fall to their ruins.

    "We should watch what we say from here on. It seems like Lord Dirac has a lot of influence. I wonder what the temple will decide for Elysia Dirac and if they would be able to capture her or not."

    Another noble whispered and then another. Their talks grew in volume until the whole hall was talking about Elysia Dirac''s impending punishment.

    But one look from Lucas Dirac knocked them all into line. His eyes were burning so harshly that even the guards personally trained by him found it hard to step out.

    Meanwhile, both Adam and Eve had bolted from their seats as soon as they heard ''Elysia''s'' name. They needed to see it with their own eyes to believe that she was back home.

    "Don''t annoy me right now. I am not in the mood."

    Adam yelled as he yanked the monsters out of his path. They were annoying and he hated dealing with them.

    "Get out of the way. Let me deal with them."

    Eve''s magic managed to drive the monsters away and clear out the way to the center where a familiar figure stood. Elysia was out there, fighting against these annoying pests of creatures and they both felt relieved to see her alive.

 Chapter 143 143: Blame Game [Pt1]

    "ELYSIA"

    Elysia had not expected to hear her name being spoken in that voice again. Eve''s voice caused her to snape her head away.

    The monsters took that time to attack her but Elysia''s core training had made her hyper-aware of others'' moments. The beasts never managed to make it to her before they were pulverized by her magic powers.

    Elysia was fighting with a hoard of enemies one second and she was in Adam''s arms the next second. He had not only picked Elysia up but also forced the monsters to back down.

    His strong aura caused beasts to not approach him out of fear and they retreated. But they were neither safe on the other side because Eve was there.

    "You all have some nerve to try and kill my human. I guess you have not learned your lesson yet."

    Elysia had never seen Eve use so much power before. She was a figure full of bright light, her magic driving the beasts away from her body. Looking at her, one could believe that she was the main character of this world.

    It was a terrifying disy but Elysia only felt warm and safe with her.

    That feeling of warmth and safety fled away as Eve turned her anger-filled eyes toward Elysia. Those blue eyes halted Elysia in her tracks.

    "You! You should never scare us like that again. I cannot believe we lost you for a whole year."

    Eve was not yelling yet but her voice was on the verge of a breakthrough. Elysia shrunk her body in Adam''s strong arms and he shielded her from Eve''s eyes.

    "You know, I do agree with Eve here. How dare you disappear on us like that?"

    Adam asked but he was not serious. Relief coated his words and his body seemed too loose around Elysia. Even his embrace felt tight and tense before rxing once he realized that Elysia was not going anywhere.

    Elysia was sorry about what happened but she was not regretful. Her little trip had made Elysia realize a lot of things that she had not until now.

    She had even found a family in the other world.

    "It was not my fault."

    Elysia defended herself as her body began to lose its tension. It was difficult to realize that she was no longer in danger and her body also began catching on to the changes it had gone through.

    The ribbon on her arm was a constant source of warm energy for Elysia. But it was also proof that she had been to the other world.

    ''It will help me remember.''

    It was a shame how Elysia had not gotten to give a proper farewell to Lexus. They had parted on uncertain terms and there were still things left unsaid.

    "Why are you lost in your thoughts? Are we that boring for you to pay attention to?"

    Eve asked as she pinched Elysia''s cheeks. It caused Elysia to pay attention to her, only to see Eve sulk above her face.

    "We finally reunited but I feel like you are not as excited as we are about this reunion. Do we need to remind you who you are to us, Elysia?"

    Eve asked as her hand ventured down Elysia''s body. It was a soft motion but Elysia felt it all too urately.

    It had been a year since she had been touched this intimately but her body seemed to associate Eve''s touch with pleasure. It remembered this hand as the same one that had brought Elysia to the brink of release.

    At the same time, the mixed scent of Adam and Eve was driving Elysia insane. Her body reacted to them even if she had no energy to indulge them.

    "Time for resting is over. Now, it''s time for you to indulge us."

    Right. I just want to kidnap you for some time and keep you in my bedroom. You are not allowed to leave us for some time now."

    Both Adam and Eve were all over Elysia now. It was a little overwhelming for her, but Elysia could not afford to slip up.

    "Listen, can we postpone our passionate reunion a littleter? I want to meet my brother first."

    Her partners had a sour look on both of their faces. Adam even looked a little mad after hearing Elysia''a logical words

    "Do we have to? I waited a whole year for you and now you will make me wait for more to get you? How is that fair on me?"

    Adam asked as he sighed and let Elysia go. No matter how much Adamined, he did put Elysia''s needs over his own.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Even Eve smiled happily as she looked at Elysia. She was willing to wait for her as well. Adam and Eve were the best people in her life after her brother.

    ''I would have loved to spend more time with my partners if not for my brother. I should tell Lucas what happened first so that I am free from my responsibilities.''

    It should have been a touching reunion between Elysia and Lucas. Elysia even had tears building up in her eyes just thinking about meeting her brother again.

    But the real scene was something different when the group touched the forest exterior.

    "Capute Elysia Dirac and detain her under the authority of the temple. She shall be examined for the incident that happened in the royal pce."

    Everyone was stunned as the temple priests rushed toward Elysia with calm looks. They were ready to fight anyone who tried to take her side.

    Even Adam and Eve were powerless against thebined might of the temple''s forces.

    "What is going on here? You all should let me go or I will not forgive you all."

    Eve struggled against the binds that were holding her down. But the more she struggled, the tighter they got.

    Even Adam was not spared this humiliation. But his cuffs were specially made to suppress his magic.

    Elysia looked toward her brother who had gone quiet in the meantime. His calmness was the only thing that made Elysia realize that it was within his brother''s calctions.

    That made Elysia rx as well and she allowed herself to be led away from the gathering.

    "H-Hey, what are you doing? You should let Elysia go as it is not her fault. Hey, are you listening to me? Hello."

    Adam tried his hardest to be heard but he did not have as much authority as he thought he had. He might be the new emperor but there were the castle priests who did not listen to him.

    Both he and Eve were powerless right now.

    "Head Priest Yohan, I hope you are aware of what you are doing right now?" Lucas asked with a strained voice.

    He sounded fed up but not angry at the Head Priest. However, no one who was seeing this scene thought of it as normal. They all cooked up the imaginary beef inside their heads.

    "Don''t worry Lord Lucas Dirac. We will take good care of Elysia. Despite her being a nobility, she is still a part of the temple. We won''t be cruel enough to kill her or to threaten her in any way, shape, or form."

    Head Priest Yohan''s words could be interpreted in many ways.

    For Lucas, they were confirmation that he would not touch Elysia while she was under his care. But the more active members of the nobility heard it as a provocation and decided to jump on the train.

    They could not wait to spread rumors about Elysia Dirac and her ruined state to anyone who listened to them talking. It would bring the Dirac house down and make them lose power.

    However, the most affected person by all this was Eve herself. She had not expected her father toe here like this.

    She knew that there was some tension between Head Priest Yohan and Lucas Dirac. She had even seen it first handed how her father had refused to help Elysia.

    But that had meant nothing to her. But this? Capturing Elysia like this was a betrayal for her.

    "Hey, what''s this?"

    A guard asked as he yanked the mirror out of Elysia''s hand. No one had noticed that Elysia had been carrying anything before but now everyone focused on the mirror all of a sudden.

    A weird energy wasing out of the mirror but it had not been agitated for now. But that all changed as soon as the guard touched that mirror.

    It vibrated before energy started pouring out of the mirror. It was showing a blue-ck space inside and suddenly tried to pull the guard inside the mirror.

    Monsters also starteding toward them at full speed and Eve quickly erected a barrier around the gathering to save them from the monsters.

    They were not even backing down aftering in contact with the light magic.

    "M-Monster. Elysia Dirac did this. She called forth all these monsters."

    One by one, nobles turned toward Elysia with using eyes. She had already beenbeled as the one who did this.

 Chapter 144 144: Blame Game [Pt2]

    The gathering was getting extremely noisy as more and more people started ming Elysia. She had not done anything but the nobles were happy to have found a scrap goat for pointing fingers toward.

    Between the panic of getting attacked and ming Elysia for calling all these monsters, nothing of importance could be done in this meeting.

    In the end, the one who could not take it anymore was Sara. Her sensitive ears were ringing and she was also afraid that Lord Sorias would explode and kill a lot of humans.

    "EVERYONE, KEEP QUIET."

    The gathering looked at Sara with a stunned expression but she refused to indulge them. They all needed a dose of reality to be shoved in their faces.

    "Now listen here. I do not care what or who you are but you need to show a little intelligence here. Elysia didn''t even have the mirror when it reacted so why are you ming her? If you want to live then use your arm muscles and not your tongue."

    The nobles were red-faced at being called out like that. Many of them wanted to teach Sara a lesson but they could not speak anything against Sara.

    She was the Saintess''s familiar and she was also a high-ranking member of the temple now. No one wanted to be held responsible for insulting her.

    The monsters were raining their attacks harder and harder now. Their fists were hitting the barrier harder and harder. Even was having a tough time keeping these monsters at bay.

    "S-Someone, Anyone, hurry up and help me out. What are you looking around for?"

    Eve asked as her barrier shrunk. She was hurting her magic by protecting all these people. There was no doubt in anyone''s mind that she was the Saintess and a holy being.

    Lord Lucas headed out to help clear the monsters. He was not the only one but he was the most prominent one.

    His knights were also the ones who were the most forward in attacking the beasts nearby.

    The nobles were mostly useless during the fight but they did have their mini armies that made handling so many monsters easier.

    "Let me go and have a look in the mirror. I might be able to reverse the flow of magic in it."

    Elysia asked as she asked the priest holding to let her go. The priest looked caught up in the middle. They wanted to let Elysia go but they did not have the authority.

    Head Priest Yohan had asked them to imprison Elysia and they could not go against his wishes.

    "Let her go and give her the mirror. Elysia, hurry up and solve this situation."

    Elysia felt delighted at hearing Head Priest Yohan giving her permission. It was rare for him to give Elysia the time of his day like this.

    And Elysia was determined to prove her worth. The mirror was a minor inconvenience she could take care of.

    The mirror was letting out weird energy for most people but for Elysia, it was a different case. She could feel a core''s aura leaking out of the mirror.

    The connection on the other side of the mirror had not been terminated and that was what attracted these monsters toward it.

    Their eggs had been thrown inside the portal that had connected the two worlds and their instincts were forcing them to fight to get to them.

    But no matter how much they tried, theirrge bodies could no longer fit inside the portal that their kids had been thrown into.

    "I can get this mirror to stop but I will need some time. Can I get some time?"

    Elysia asked as she looked toward the Head Priest. It was up to Yohan to decide and Elysia was afraid that she would be denied.

    "Go ahead and hurry up. But you will be locked after this for some time."

    Elysia agreed as she send her core''s aura into the mirror. It was beginning to respond to her wishes and shutting up the portal.

    It would still take some time before the portal would close but Elysia was willing to bear the burden of all that magic.

    The monsters looked toward Elysia as one. Her magic was tempting them all toward her and it made them easy targets.

    "I don''t care how easy it is to kill these monsters, there are still so many of them. Where are all these beasts emerging from? Is there a monster farm nearby?"

    A temple priest called out which caused the nobles to flinch. They were guilty of trying to start one long ago but that had been a foolish dream of theirs.

    It had not been possible in the end.

    Elysia used a mixture of magic and core aura to guide the mirror. It shed a bright white before settling down.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    As soon as that light settled down, so did the monsters around them. They had lost any interest in the gathering in front of them.

    "They are going back? Does that mean that we won?"

    Sara asked as she repelled thest of the monster waves. She looked around for Lord Sorias and the others who were sitting on the other side of the garden.

    It was a mess of monster bodies all around the garden, painting its grass a bloody red. It will be a bitch to clear upter but the gathering was only happy enough to see themselves safe.

    "W-We managed to survive."

    Most people were happy to see themselves alive but it was only the damage control who wept at the extra work they would have to do.

    "Now, let''s get going, Elysia. You need to brief me about what you went through. It feels like you have a lot of amusing things to tell me about."

    Head Priest Yohan extended his hand toward Elysia. It felt like a devil''s temptation for her that she should not take.

    But Elysia waspelled to take that hand. She had been conditioned to follow Head Preist Yohan''s lead.

    If he wanted Elysia toe with him, then she would follow him. She was sure that she would be still alive by the end of this investigation.

    And it was her fault for touching the evidence without any notice. The mirror was responsible for the monster attack that happened. And it wasmon sense to aim at the owner of the mirror.

    "Don''t look back right now. You need to focus on saving your energy. The first night in the confinement would be tough for you."

    Elysia was not sad about getting stuck in jail for a few days since it was a small sacrifice for her to be able toe back home.

    However, if it ended up helping her brother out in the end and clearing him of suspicion, then Elysia would dly go away and be locked up.

    ____________________

    When Adam and Eve finally arrived back at the gardens, they were not able to see Elysia anywhere. The people around them only looked away when they were faced with a re.

    "Where is she? I won''t repeat my words so you better tell me outright where Elysia went."

    Adam threatened everyone present in the garden space. But no one wanted to open their mouths for him. All of a sudden, everyone seemed to have gone mute which annoyed Adam.

    However, Eve realized what was going on. She had noticed that there was one more person who was absent from the gathering right now.

    And that was her adoptive father.

    Head Preist Yohan and most of the people he had brought along with him were missing. She quickly tugged at Adam''s sleeve to make him let go of the semi-innocent person.

    "We will need to visit the temple and file an official appeal in Elysia''s name. You better get your head in gear and get started on that document."

    Elysia could wait but Eve could not wait around any longer. She had already spent a year without Elysia by her side.

    She did not want to spend even a day more without her.

    "Fuck. I cannot tell if this is the best birthday I ever had or the worst one. The only redeemable thing that happened today was that Elysia came back."

    Adam spoke those words and then all but sagged down. His words hit him all of a sudden and relief circted inside his body.

    "Fuck. Elysia is finally back home. I cannot believe that this is happening."

    Adam seemed unable to believe his luck and Eve felt happy and sad for him. Even she was only realizing that Elysia was back home right now.

    "Lucas Dirac, help me out right now. How do we write an official appeal for Elysia?"

    Eve turned toward Lord Dirac as well, her eyes full of hope to know a solution.

    But Lucas Dirac looked unconcerned as he stared back at them. He was a little pale but seemed happier than any other time Eve had seen him before.

    "Don''t worry. I will take care of this matter."

 Chapter 145 145: The Game In The Shadows

    It had beente at night when Elysia was taken away by the temple. So Lucas had no choice but to wait for the sun to rise before going after her.

    Otherwise, he would be giving the temple enough to work around him and void his plea to let Elysia go.

    Lucas Dirac knew a few things about the Head Priest which assured him that Elysia would not be mistreated to an extreme degree. The Head Priest still wanted to make use of Elysia for his gains.

    Not only that, but he wanted to control Elysia. As long as he could ensure that Elysia would not go against his wishes, he could rest easy protecting Elysia.

    It was a grave matter for Lucas in the long run but it was certainly reassuring right now. The ''current'' Elysia was not capable of refuting anything Head Priest Yohan asked of her. She was too well-trained to think of betraying him.

    And Elysia would not think about that matter unless it came to a sh of wills.

    Lucas did not have enough heart to put her through that harsh sh for now. He would wait for Elysia to get a little stronger mentally.

    The night seemed to be dragging as Lucas waited for it to be over already. The sun was high in the sky and its shadow was looming over everyone.

    It was a beautiful full moon but all it symbolized for him was a long and draggy night.

    ________________________

    Enma could not help but fling every time he remembered the scene in the garden. It had been filled with monsters and battles.

    It was something that was supposed to happen in this story anyway and Enma had enjoyed reading this scene so much when he had been going through the story.

    But reading about it and witnessing the battle between humans and beasts was a different matter. Enma could not count how many times he had seen death in a single night. He was so lucky toe out of it without any scratches on his body.

    "Oi quit crying like a baby. You are alright in the end. I cannot see any wound on your body."

    Emma White pped Enma in the back as her worry turned into irritation. She had been trying to cure Enma and Sorias''s minor wounded since there was no temple priest avable for them.

    As soon as the battle had ended, the temple priests left abruptly. Eve had been too drained to help anyone out and it only left conventional medicine.

    Now, one could always swallow their pride and ask the temple for help. Enma had wanted to do that as well since he had no pride of his own. But he had been stopped by both Sorias as well as Emma.

    Unlike him, they had too much pride and did not want to coborate with the temple for anything. And Enma had been somehow dragged into their duo dynamics so he had to follow them around.

    ''I cannot believe that these children dictate how I live my life. Have they never heard that too much pride can get you killed? And not to forget, I am just a human unlike these freaks of nature. I can get killed and even bleed out easily.''

    Enma had a lot ofints but he did not have enough courage to voice them out loud. Not to these sociopaths who were looking over him right now.

    "A-Anyway, isn''t it good that Elysia came back? The timing might have been unfortunate but we have her back at least."

    "We do have her back but she''s also in the temple''s hands. I cannot say if this is luck or bad luck for us."

    Enma tried to lighten the mood but Emma reminded them of the ground reality. Sorias''s eyes shed at the reminder and Enma felt sweat run down his face.

    That fierce expression was too much for him Enma. He was feeling sick already.

    "Do you think Lucas will be able to help her out? The temple has a solid case against Elysia and I doubt the nobility will let her go that easily."

    Emma was right when she said that. There was a strong case to be made against the Diracs this time. But frankly, Enma was surprised to see the mirror of ISIS make an appearance.

    It had been a key item in the original game that the viiness had found and used to cause trouble. A lot of beasts show up but Eve saved the day day by using her protagonist powers while Adam protected her.

    ''Yeah, but the story is too off the rails for that to happen. I cannot see that hard-headed Eve hiding behind Adam of all people for protection.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Still, it had been a shock to see the mirror appear with Elysia of all people. She had been the intended use for it all along but it was still not right.

    Especially since Elysia had not even been in this world for a long time. Her appearance with the mirror had been fishy all along.

    ''It smells like problematic. It feels like we are all being led along our noses by someone.''

    Why had the story that had never followed the script suddenly begun to act so well? Elysia had been framed for the same crime that she hadmitted in the original novel.

    But only this time, it had not been Elysia''s fault at all. She had been framed by someone and even Enma, someone who was ready to find faults with Elysia anytime, could see it.

    ''But not normal nobles. They hate the Diracs so much that they are willing to turn their brains off and put all the me on Elysia.''

    And even the temple was in on this ruse. They had even started this whole mess.

    "Anyway, we need to do something. I think we should break Elysia out of the prison she might be held in. Who knows what the brutes at the temple will do to her?"

    Emma sounded determined to save Elysia. She wanted to not only save Elysia but also win Sorias over. Enma could see her intentions clearly in her eyes.

    ''Such a clever person Emma is. She knows how to get to Sorias''s heart.''

    Enma was not interested in saving Elysia personally but even he knew that it would end in disaster if something happened to her. Not only would Adam and Eve flip but so would Lucas Dirac.

    "Let''s not be hasty. Lucas decided to leave Elysia so let''s wait and see what happens next."

    Surprisingly, it was Sorias who decided to be patient this time. It surprised Enma a lot to see Elysia''s familiar say all this.

    Soriasplexion finally looked normal again. He had been looking too pale all this time and it had worried Enma that he might die to theck of his bond.

    "You want to leave Elysia be? Well, if you say so then I will follow your will."

    Emma sounded surprised as well but she was well within her rights to be so. Sorias was thest person to be not concerned about Elysia like this.

    "Besides, even if we do happen to go after Elysia, we won''t be the only ones. It will just increase the chances of us all getting caught."

    Sorias sounded certain about that fact and Enma finally let the matter go. Even Emma realized why Sorias was backing down.

    ''Ah, so that two could no longer wait to go after Elysia. I can see why Sorias did not want toplicate things for them.''

    Enma felt foolish for doubting Sorias. He might know this world from a novel but that did not mean he knew all the people in this world.

    The more he looked at this world, the moreplex it seemed to him. It had taken him a year of intense grilling and constant close calls to realize that this world and all its inhabitants were real and not a part of a novel.

    Enma was lost in his thoughts when he looked outside the window, only to see a dark shadow.

    He remembered that shadow very well since it was the same one that he had seen before when he before the earthquake had hit the royal pce.

    He remembered thinking that the figure had a scary smile and just then a disaster had happened. Enma did not doubt that this person was somehow rted to the monster''s appearance.

    ''But there is no need for a normal person to go after that viin, right? In the first ce, I am an outsider in this world and I have yet to have a taste of a woman in this world. There is no way I am going to fall for this obvious trap and-''

    "Enma, are you alright? What are you looking at? Is there someone outside the window?"

    Enma was startled enough to drop his eyes and the next time he looked up, the person outside the window was gone.

 Chapter 146 146: The Reunion [Pt1]

    "Hurry up and get inside. This will be your room for the next few days. And don''t even think of running away because we will be able to catch you easily."

    Elysia did not resist as she was shoved into the room quite harshly. The man who had pushed her had not to regard for her safety.

    Not that Elysia minded the rough treatment. These people were willing to at least acknowledge her which was more than what she could say for a lot of people right now.

    Elysia rubbed her shoulder that had been grabbed harshly by the priest who had apanied her into this part of the temple. And she was surprised to see theme anywhere near her.

    I always knew that your existence spelled trouble for us all. Ever since you first lost control of your powers, you were all but a ticking time bomb. Fortunately for you, you had the High Priest Yohan to protect you but this protection will notst forever."

    Even Elysia knew that she would not be safe forever. Head Priest Yohan was already getting annoyed with her for causing trouble.

    Nothing seemed to have changed in the year she was gone. She was still an eye-sore in most people''s eyes and she always will be.

    Being in the other world had taught Elysia that it was ''her'' who was the problem and not the people around her. Even the people who knew nothing about her found it difficult to connect with her.

    "Anyway, you got lucky this time since we were ordered not to touch you. The Head Priest will visit you in the morning so stay alert when hees."

    Elysia had every intention to greet the Head Priest in the morning but her body was tired. She was only able to hold on until these priests left before her head hit the pillow and she was out for the count.

    When the noise woke up Elysia, she was so sure that it was the morning that she braced herself when she yanked her curtains.

    But only darkness greeted her eyes and the full moon shined brightly on Elysia.

    It was still dead in the night but the noise she heard was getting louder. Someone was walking toward her room and they were not even attempting to hide their presence.

    Elysia had a feeling it was someone she knew very well. But no one she knew would take such a big risk. Not when they could just meet her in the morning.

    ''Is someoneing to kill me off? Someone may try to do that to ruin Eve and the temple''s reputation.''

    And if that was so then Elysia will not allow that to happen. She cared about this ce so she will not let anyone tarnish its reputation.

    The magic cuffs on Elysia''s arms halted her from using magic but that was not the case with her physical strength.

    Elysia picked up a small pipe lying in the corner of the room and hid behind the wall. She would bash anyone who was a threat to her.

    Or, that had been the n before a scaly hand appeared from behind the gate and Elysia dropped her pipe in a hurry.

    "What are you doing here in the dead of the night? Don''t you know how crazy and dangerous that was?"

    Elysia was not able to believe her eyes at seeing Adam in front of her. The Crown Prince looked rough and his hair was all over the ce.

    But the relief in his eyes was apparent to Elysia. And she could not help but melt at that care.

    "I am here to bring you out. Well, Eve is also here but who cares about her, right?"

    Adam''s body sagged forward as soon as he was done speaking. He held his head with both his hands as he leaned down toward Elysia.

    She could see Eve''s raised fist behind Adam and her pissed-off smile.

    "What did you say about me? I dare you to say it again."

    Eve asked as she walked toward Elysia. Her annoyance turned into tenderness and she took Elysia''s current appearance in. Elysia had not even changed from those weird clothes she had arrived back in.

    They looked weirdly good on Elysia but they also showed off her shape. Eve did not mind looking at Elysia in them but she did not like anyone else looking at her woman.

    "Eve, Adam, what are you both doing here? Have you lost your mind?"

    Elysia was mad with worry. Here she was, trying not to cause any trouble for the both of them but they seemed not to be bothered with her at all.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Not only had they shown up in front of her prison unannounced but they had also likely done a lot of illegal things.

    Adam, Elysia could understand doing this but not Eve. She had a reputation to uphold. She had be the Saintess, right? She needed to consider her actions.

    "Look, I know what you are thinking in your brain Elysia but you should discard it right now. I don''t care about my reputation as the Saintess or anything else. I just want to get you out of here because I love you."

    The confession came out easy and smooth from Eve''s mouth. It made Elyska blush hearing those words but she held her feelings in.

    Now was not the time to be melting at the sweet words but to get angry and make these two go back outside. It would be bad if anyone saw them.

    "Look, I know-"

    "You don''t know anything."

    Adam sounded angry. Even his kiss was harsh as he pulled Elysia closer to his body. She felt breathless for a good minute when he let go and theck of oxygen made Elysia forget what she had been thinking about.

    Eve took over as soon as Elysia felt like she had gotten herself together a little bit.

    Her hands were cold as they roamed over Elysia''s body and cupped her breasts. It was a gentle squeeze that made Elysia''s body feel things.

    It had been a year ever since Elysia hadst been touched but the anticipation of feeling that pleasure again made Elysia feel weak.

    "Look at you. You melt at my slightest touch. How do you expect me to let you go? I am sure anyone would be seduced if you give them this look of yours."

    Elysia could onlyy there and take what she was being given. Her brain was in no shape toprehend the words she was hearing.

    Both Adam and Eve had that effect on her and it felt like Eve was melting.

    In the end, she could not stop them as they imed her mouth and mapped her body. Elysia was weak to them and her body was singing out in pleasure.

    Eve decided it was not enough for her. As good as Elysia looked in these clothes, they needed to go. She had prepared a ''special tool'' for their reunion and she wanted to use it for Elysia.

    Besides, she was sure that Adam would enjoy the view as well. He might be possessive but he did like to watch Elysiae undone by Eve''s hands.

    Elysia''s body jerked as Adam bit into her shoulder. It was a possessive and intimidating hold. His teeth felt like fangs and Elysia was afraid to even move.

    Adam would not rip her throat out but the fear made Elysia feel things she was not supposed to. And that fear was also making Elysia go stiff.

    Eve decided to take this chance to kill Elysia deeper. As soon as Elysia''s throat was let go of, Adam had a satisfied look on his face. He had certainly left a mark on Elysia that he was proud of.

    "Stop paying all your attention to him or I will get jealous. Look at me right now."

    Eve turned Elysia''s head toward herself and raised her head. The angle allowed her tongue to reach deeper inside Elysia''s mouth.

    It was too overwhelming to be attacked by both sides. There was no way for Elysia to resist and all she could do was give in.

    The fear of getting caught in this act was always there but Elysia could not longer say that she cared about it.

    The pleasure was making her lose her head and her body was bing a ve to the hands roaming all over her.

    "We will take care of you. Elysia needs not do anything anymore. Both us and your brother will not allow anything bad to happen to you."

    Elysia knew that and that was why she allowed her body to rx against the hands roaming all over her body.

    Whatever was supposed to happen will happen anyway. Elysia would no longer be able to stop it. Even if she were to be discovered, she doubted that she would mind much at the moment.

    The regrets willeter. For now, she wanted to spend time connected with people she loved.

 Chapter 147 147: The Reunion [Pt2]

    Adam was kissing Elysia and pressing against her breasts. But the one who was desperate with her actions right now was Eve.

    Her hands were ying with Elysia''s nipples, tugging them and pulling at them. Since Elysia could not see her face, she had no idea how Eve felt.

    "It was so tough to spend a whole year without you nearby. I kept wanting to jerk off to your memory all the time." Adam admitted as he detached his lips from Elysia''s. His eyes were tender as they looked at Elysia.

    It blew her away, the depth of emotions she saw in Adam''s eyes. He was like a feral beast trying his best to control himself right now.

    It should have been a horrifying scene. Such possessiveness aimed at someone should have been terrifying but Elysia did not feel like that.

    "He''s right. I kept on missing your scent and your taste. The world was not the same without you. But now that I finally have you back, you will not go anywhere."

    Eve admitted as she bit into Elysia''s shoulder again. She was leaving as many marks as she could on Elysia''s shoulder.

    Her chest felt warm and her eyes were stung with tears. Somehow, the more Elysia realized how Adam and Eve felt, the more she rxed.

    The past year of separation had been an eye-opener for Elysia but it was not until she arrived back home that Elysia was sure.

    ''Yup, I am in love with these two as well.''

    It did not hit Elysia until she was back in Adam and Eve''s arms. She had denied herself a lot but this ce was what felt like home to her.

    "I��I missed you as��.ehhhggg"

    Elysia''s words broke off into a moan Adam rubbed his hard cock against her pussy. It rubbed against her lips and her sensitive clit.

    The pleasure made all thoughts flee from Elysia''s mind as her body shook. She could not think straight for the life of her.

    "Adam feels so good, right? I am loath to see how much pleasure he brings to you, Elysia. You make the best face when he is fucking you."

    "Darn right she does. But every face Elysia makes is her best."

    Adam contacted Eve''s words as he entered finger first inside Elysia''s pussy. When had he lubed his finger up was a mystery to Elysia.

    Her pussy felt tight against Adam''s finger. It was not her first time but the absence of anyone''s touch on this part had made Elysia''s pussy tighten up again.

    "Fuck, you are so tight. It will feel so good to make love to you again. I just want to taste you."

    Adam''s voice had taken a dreamy tone. His eyes looked lost and Elysia felt a little mortified at the thought of being eaten out by him.

    "Hey, that''s not a bad idea. I need to stretch out Elysia''s back hole for myself as well. You see, I found a truly fascinating toy for myself."

    Eve sounded excited and that was never a good sigh. rm bells were ringing inside Elysia''s mind but she could not hear them over the sound of her pleasure.

    Even when her body was moved and positioned in a way that Eve wanted, Elysia could not fight back.

    She only realized what kind of humiliating position she was in once Adam''s hard cock was in front of her mouth and she had a wet sensation on both her pussy hole and asshole.

    "W-What are you both doing?"

    Elysia asked, not being able toprehend what was going on. Why was Eve preparing her back hole as well?

    "Shhh, don''t pay attention to back here. Just keep on sucking Adam and make him hard. I promise you that you would enjoy what is about toe."

    Elysia knew that she would enjoy sex without even that promise. But Eve''s words and actions were making her curious.

    She would have continued asking questions had Eve not taken a hold of her head and pushed it gently toward Adam''s cock.

    "Elysia, you are leaving Adam to suffer. Do you want him to be the only one not enjoying this moment?"

    Eve asked in a teasing manner and Elysia wanted to point out that Eve was not getting anything out of it either.

    But when she looked behind, Eve had a teasing smile on her face which made Elysia look away. She could not look Eve directly in the eye.

    So she did as she was asked. The cock in front of Elysia was begging to be taken in her mouth and to be teased. Elysia did not keep Adam waiting for long.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Fuck, feels so good."

    Adam''s words were whispered in front of Elysia''s leaking pussy and they stimted her clit. That made her shiver and gulp around Adam''s cock in her mouth.

    That sensation only riled Adam up more and Elysia could have sworn that he got bigger in her mouth.

    She had to take Adam''s cock out of her mouth to catch a break. She was suddenly short of breath and had to gulp down oxygen.

    In the meantime, she decided to lick and suck Adam''s cock head. Her hand also ventured out toward Eve''s leaking and neglected pussy.

    Since Adam was getting a blowjob from Elysia, Eve also deserved something equally good. She was putting in as much work as Adam was in pleasing Elysia.

    "What the��You don''t need to take care of me, Elysia."

    Eve looked startled at the sudden touch to her pussy but she did not pull back. It was easy to enter a finger inside Eve since she was already stretched.

    It annoyed Elysia a little to see that Eve was loose but that was easy to ignore. The pleasure was making Elysia find it hard to concentrate and her mind was turning into a mess.

    Just as Elysia felt like she could not keep hanging on anymore both Adam and Eve pulled back.

    It left Elysia on the brink of release but not quite there yet. And thatck of relief caused tears toe to Elysia''s eyes.

    "W-Why did you both stop?"

    Elysia quickly closed her mouth as soon as those words were out. But the damage had been done already.

    Both Adam and Eve were looking back at her with grinning faces as they realized what Elysia had just said.

    "I knew you liked sex. We won''t stop ourselves anymore when ites to you."

    "Adam is right. The only reason we were hesitant to be overly sexual with you was that we were afraid that you won''t like it. But now��"

    Eve did not need to finish her words. She just needed to pull Elysia against her body and into a harsh kiss. Their breasts that were touching each other were stimting enough to make Elysia sensitive.

    And Adam was also rubbing his cock against Elysia''s back.

    "Once you are knocked up, I won''t allow you to get off the bed. All you would need to do is just sit there, all heavy with a child and we will take care of you. I cannot wait for that future toe. Adam agreed with me, right?"

    Somehow, Elysia had expected such words toe from Adam and not Eve.

    Had Adam said these words, Elysia would have chalked it up to his dragon part acting up but not when it was Eve who said these words.

    Adam only nodded as he looked back at Elysia with heated eyes. They had no signs of his beast side at all.

    Elysia found herself liking that idea as well. To have a kid would be great but it was also terrifying.

    "N-Not right now. We are too young and-"

    "We won''t force you to have one right away. But I will restrict Adam and you from taking contraceptives as well. If you do end up pregnant naturally then you will have to keep it, alright?"

    Elysia knew that it could not be allowed. If she indeed ends up pregnant with Adam''s child then she would be married off to him immediately.

    And this was not the kind of end this world needed from her. Adam would be duty-bound to be faithful to her and not be able to leave Elysia when then the time came.

    ''I am sure the world will not let me fall pregnant. It needs Adam and Eve to end up together in the end.''

    Elysia was sure of this fact so she did not protest when Eve asked for confirmation. She just wanted to feel more pleasure.

    "Good. Now that these things are out of the way, let me show you the ''toy'' I found in the storage. Look, it is an artifact that acts like a cock and it will even allow my pussy to feel the sensations of a real cock. Doesn''t this seem like fun? I tried it out before and I assure you that it works."

    Elysia was not so sure about the use of this toy but it did look interesting.

    Besides, she could just not say no to the face Eve was making right now.

 Chapter 148 148: The Reunion [Pt3]

    "Y-You said that it would be easy on me. H-How is this easy?"

    Elysia panted a she felt the stretch. She was being filled from both sides. Both her ass and her pussy were being stretched beyond their limits.

    It was a little overwhelming for her and a little painful as well but Elysia decided to bear with it for the time being. She wanted to show the two that she could be good for them.

    "Fuck, this feels amazing. I never knew fucking an ass could feel like this."

    Eve panted out as her magic tool made her feel all the sensations a real cock should be feeling when it was buried in such a tight heat. Her mind was melting at the heat and wet pleasure surrounding her.

    It was a shame that it was not Elysia''s pussy she had gotten to fuck. But Adam had to be the one to im Elysia there if they ever wished to see a marriage in the future with Elysia.

    With the current political atmosphere, it would be nearly impossible for the world to see Elysia as anything as a side-option for Adam. Not when the ''engagement'' between Adam and Eve had just been announced a day prior.

    And while the royal pair would not care for any sully on their name, Elysia was different and cared very much.

    Eve would not be losing Elysia over the issue of opinions. Never again and not because Elysia felt like she had no other choice in this matter.

    "We love you. I will drill this fact into your body."

    Eve whispered in Elysia''s ears as her hips moved. It was divine how Elysia''s walls mped down on Eve''s cock and milked it toe.

    It was so good that Eve was faltering in her rhythm. She was the one in most control but it was a shame that she could not see Elysia''s face mp down in pleasure.

    She could only see Adam clenching down hard on his lips as Elysia''s pussy went up and down his cock. Her breasts were rubbing against Adam''s hard chest and they both cried out in pleasure.

    "Shit, you are clenching me so hard. You want me to break your pussy more, right?"

    Adam growled his words out as his cock swelled even more. It was rubbing against Elysia''s G-spot which made her see stars.

    She had felt too full from Adam''s cockst time alone, so when she had two of those heavy cocks inside her, she could not help but feel over-stimted.

    Adam had been huge all on his own but Eve''s toy was of a considerable girth as well. And she also seemed to know how to use it well which indicated that she had some practice.

    "You��are��rea..chi..ng my s..to��mache. It f��eel..s we��ird��"

    It was difficult to get words out of Elysia''s mouth. Every time either of the two moved inside Elysia, they rubbed against her sensitive walls.

    She was even sure that they were bumping into each other inside her body and trying to one-up her.

    Adam''s hands were holding Elysia''s waist while Eve had her hands on her throat. Eve was cing a small kiss on Elysia''s back while Adam licked her nipples.

    There were one or two asional licks and bites in between these kisses and Elysia threw her head back in pleasure.

    It finally allowed Eve and Elysia''s eyes to meet and Eve could not help but lean down and kiss Elysia on the mouth.

    Her lips were rough as they mapped Elysia''s mouth. Her tongue pushed down Elysia''s mouth and she pulled her body back into an arc.

    The new angle pushed Elysia deeper into Adam''s cock as she lost control of her position. Now she was entirely at the mercy of Adam and Eve who were drilling into her body.

    Adam was so deep inside Elysia that she knew it would be impossible to clean up. He might end up knicking her up for real. It was both a terrifying thought and an arousing one as well.

    "Shit, you feel so good. How are you so perfect for us?"

    Eve''s praise was doing things to Elysia. Her body tightened around the two rods in her body and Elysia milked them as much as she could.

    Adam''s cock twitched inside her body and Elysia felt a wetness inside her. Her pussy became even wetter due to the harsh pace she was being drilled into with.

    "I��can''t..ho��ld��on"

    Elysia was reaching her end now but she could also feel her two partners near their release.

    "Ugh��."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    With a few more thrusts, Elysia felt her insides being drenched in Adam''se. Eve also tensed up behind Elysia''s body as she came around the fake cock inside her pussy.

    All three copsed as soon as they were done with the sex. No one could not move since their bodies were tired.

    "We missed you a lot. We are so d you are back home. You might not be aware of it but Adam was going mad without you."

    "Hey, it was not like you were any better. Some of your ideas were a little more than outrageous."

    Adam and Eve bickered with each with ease which conveyed how much they had be closer. However, there was still nothing more than friendship between them.

    Elysia could only smile as she watched her partners lighten the mood. She had never expected to be back here.

    "Elysia, you know that I missed you more right?"

    "No way. Don''t listen to Adam. I am the one who missed you more."

    Both Adam and Eve werepeting over the most ridiculous title there was out there. It was funny and heartwarming to see.

    Elysia felt her face break out into a smile as she took in her the light atmosphere in front of her. Her heart was so swelled with pleasure that she opened finally opened her mouth and spoke the words that were in her heart.

    "I am back home. It is so nice to be back home."

    Elysia had not meant to voice those words but she did not take them back once they were out.

    She could not disappoint her friends by dashing their hopes openly like that. And she was d to be back home as well.

    "Wee back home."

    "It is nice to have you back home."

    The beaming smiles on Adam and Eve''s faces made Elysia rx and leave all her worries behind. She went back to sleep only for a few seconds before she heard footstepsing their way.

    The rxed situation and the pleasure had made Elysia forget a very important fact - they were not free to do what they wanted.

    In fact, Elysia was in a prisoner situation while Adam and Eve had broken in here to visit her. None of them were in a legal right to be looking this rxed.

    "Shit. You need to head out right now. You cannot be caught in here like this."

    Elysia snapped into alert mode, her eyes going wild with the fear of falling into trouble. She was concerned about what the Head Priest would do if he found Elysia in an externalpany.

    However, that all paled out inparison to the loss of reputation Adam and Eve would face if they were caught trying to break into the temple prison.

    "There is no need to chase us out like this. And you do not need to be scared as well because-"

    "Shut up and get out. I cannot believe I allowed you both to sway me like this. I feel like I cannot look anyone in the face now."

    Elysia moaned out those words as she was faced with amused looks from the other two. They looked too smug at seeing all the marks they had left on Elysia''s body.

    Had it struck Elysia how rude she was being, she would have surely blushed and taken everything back. She would have burrowed herself under the nkets and refused toe out.

    But her irritation won over everything else and Elysia sessfully managed to shoo Adam and Eve out with a promise to meet them again. They left her reluctantly and Elysia finally felt like she could breathe again.

    She faced the door as she pulled her clothes up. Thankfully they covered up most of the marks and the few they did not would pass as bug bites.

    ''It will all be alright. Head Priest Yohan will not fault me for something that was not in my control.''

    Elysia was sure of this but her mind also felt doubtful for a good minute. She knew how Head Priest Yohan thought before she had left this world but she had no idea how much things could have changed in a year''s span.

    As such, Elysia had to be ready to face anything and everything she possibly could. She had to harden her heart as she looked her old caretaker in the face.

    It was so hard to stop herself from flinching once Head Priest Yohan was in front of her but Elysia managed to do that.

 Chapter 149 149: Picking Beef

    Head Priest Yohan cut a striking figure in front of Elysia. It reminded her again why she feared and also found him to be inspiring.

    Even at such an awkward time of the day, Head Priest Yohan looked like he had all the answers Elysia could ever desire. It made her want to bow her head in front of the Head Priest and ask for forgiveness.

    Even with just his eyes looking at Elysia calmly, she felt as if she was being measured and found to becking.

    "You can leave us alone now. I am sure Elysia won''t be foolish enough to attack me."

    The priest who had apanied the Head priest did not even question thatmand as he followed it.

    Just like Elysia had been trained to not question the head priest, so had the other priests. The Head Priest had the highest authority over his subjects.

    Elysia tried to control her shivering as she watched the other priests and sisters leave her alone. It was nerve-wracking to be alone with the head priest when she could not read his face.

    "Elysia, you can rx now. I told you that I had no contention of harming you. That also extends to right now."

    Elysia tried to rx but her body refused to follow hermand.

    Her mind knew that she was guilty but not of the things the world was pointing toward her for. And it was not fully her fault that she was feeling ufortable.

    "I see that you hadpany in the night. Nice work in sending your ''admirers'' back before they got caught."

    Head Priest Yohan said it like he knew what had happened in the room before he entered. Somehow, he seemed to have guessed what Elysia had not wanted him to.

    Her body shook as a result of being found out but Elysia did not open her mouth to speak. If she did not confirm anything then Head Priest Yohan could not fault her for admitting her wrong.

    "Anyway, I don''t care what you do in your free time since our objective to push Adam and Eve together is working out. They are finally engaged so you should start pushing yourself out of their rtionship."

    It killed something in Elysia to hear that. She felt hollow inside her heart as she heard the Head Priest say the exact words Elysia did not want to.

    ''And to think that it happened just when I realized my feelings for them both. Why is this happening to me.''

    Elysia wanted to, no, she needed to be happy for the royal pair. All she had done was to push Adam and Eve together and that happened in the end.

    ''So why am I not happy with this? I am not so selfish as to wish my loved ones a bad future.''

    Elysia should be the happiest person alive right now with the news of the uing wedding but her body and her heart hurt at the news.

    She was not only afraid of what it meant for her but also for the confession she had been thinking of making to the royal pair.

    She would not be able to open her mouth and utter those three words. Elysia would not be able to say ''I love you with the oue of a breakup known to her.

    Even if Adam and Eve were not the types of people to abandon her, Elysia would not be able to bear the thought of being the third wheel for them. Or to be a stain on their rtionship.

    "Anyway, you will need to stay in here for another day before we can let you go. We have enough evidence to prove that this attack had nothing to do with you and Eve is even willing to testify on your behalf."

    Head Priest Yohan was speaking a few more words but Elysia felt them go in from one ear and go out from the other. It all sounded like white noise to her now.

    "I hope you heard all that and you are ready to consider what I asked you to do. In the meantime, you should talk with your brother and reassure him that you are alright and want to stay here for another day under observation."

    Elysia was numb when the Head Priest headed out and her brother walked in. Elysia did not even realize who it was until a few minutes of awkward silence made Elysia look up at him.

    "Are you alright? It seems like you were spacing out so I did not disturb you."

    Lucas''s voice sounded like melted honey inside Elysia''s ears. The burden that had beenid on her shoulder slipped off all of a sudden.

    It was not quite likeing home but it did feel like burrowing herself in a parent''s embrace to her. She never wanted to leave this secure feeling she was feeling.

    ''Huh? Everything looks blurry to me. Are these tears in my eyes?''

    Elysia was feeling numb but her emotions were out of control right now. Tears were flowing down her face as she tried to contain her sobs.

    ''I don''t want to stay here. This ce scares me.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia had never felt scared of the temple before this day. But being brought back here and being isted like this had been demanding Elysia''s feelings.

    Furthermore, Head Priest Yohan''s words caused Elysia to be more unstable. Even she was not sure why she had broken down like this in the end.

    ? "I want to go home. Lucas, can I go home now?"

    Elysia was supposed to say that everything was alright and she was willing to stay in the temple for a few more days. Her instructions had been very clear and Elysia just had to follow her words.

    But when faced with her bother, those lies could note out of her mouth. She no longer wanted to stay in this shabby room where her emotions were being yed with.

    "Elysia, are you alright? That bastard. He promised me that nothing will happen to you but you ended up being in such a messy state oning back. I won''t forgive that lying Head Priest and-"

    "No, don''t. Please, let''s just go home for now. Do not make it into anything more. I just want to leave this ce."

    Elysia''s body was heavy with emotions and her head was heavy. Her magic was startling to boil heavily in her veins. She was over-sensitive in a way she had never been before.

    "Shit, you are boiling up. We need to get you out of here and to a doctor."

    Lucas''s voice sounded panicked. He was too close to Elysia''s ears as he spoke encouraging words. But Elysia was feeling fainter now.

    Everything was getting hazier by the second.

    "Elysia, keep hanging on. Don''t your dare fall asleep? Elysia!"

    s, she was no longer able to keep a hold of her mind and ended up falling unconscious. Her body sagged in Lucas''s arms and he clutched her closer.

    _____________________

    Lucas felt his heart leap into his throat as he watched Elysia fall. It had been a near thing but he managed to prevent Elysia from hitting her head and cracking it open.

    His sister was burning up badly and it was all the temple''s fault.

    Why Lucas had ever trusted Head Priest Yohan to keep his sister safe was a mystery to him. He should have never trusted him to begin with.

    "Don''t worry. I will take you back home right now."''

    Elysia had asked to go back home so Lucas would make sure to fulfill her request. He picked up her body and knocked the door down with his kick.

    Head Priest Yohan looked startled to see Elysia unconscious in his arms and he opened his mouth toment.

    "Save your words forter. I am not in the mood to listen to you right now. My sister needs medical attention so I will be taking her back now."

    He watched in satisfaction as the Head Priest clenched his jaw after hearing Lucas speak. He had finally gone quiet but it was not the end.

    "You cannot take the criminal with you like that. You need to let Elysia Dirac-eep"

    The priest who had begun toin fell silent as he faced Lucas''s re. He could not open his mouth anymore due to the fear he felt.

    Lucas did not stop moving once he realized that he had no reason to. Head Priest could try and challenge him all he wanted to but Lucas did not need to listen to him.

    "Well then, I will see you again, Head Priest Yohan. Hope you have a good day."

    Head Priest Yohan clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he watched Lucas Dirac leave the room with Elysia.

    "Are you sure it is a wise decision to take her out by force? Elysia would not have wanted this."

    "Oh, but Elysia asked to go home. And how can I ignore a request my only sister made of me?"

    With those words, Lucas finally parted from the room and the temple as well.

 Chapter 150 150: The End Begins [Pt1]

    ''That bastard. I cannot believe Lucas Dirac''s cunningness. What did he say to make Elysia agree to go with him? She''s my soldier, not his.''

    Head Priest Yohan had never felt this pissed off before when facing Lucas Dirac. The man had always been an eyesore to him but he had never been such a big annoyance to him before.

    Even when it came to the politicalndscape, Lucas Dirac chose to keep his distance until he no longer could. They had different spears of influence in the kingdom.

    But the point where their interests coincided was Elysia Dirac and her ownership. Lucas Dirac was ying a dangerous game right now.

    "H-Head priest, what should we do now? The s-suspect got taken away."

    The priest who had tried to stop Lucas spoke up. He sounded scared of the nobles'' wrath if the news of Elysia Dirac''s escape reached their ears.

    And this priest was not the only one who was scared of the nobles'' wrath, the other priests were as well. They often took bribes from the nobles for their selfish purpose. They could not afford to lose their trust.

    It was a genuine concern for Yohan as well since he had encouraged this behavior in the background, knowing that fostering good rtionships with the nobility woulde in handy one day in making Eve sessful.

    But now his n was in danger. And so was their treasury.

    "For now, keep this to yourself. If anyone asks where Elysia Dirac is, tell them that she has been locked up in a secret room until the investigation is finished. We cannot let people know that she has been taken out of her room."

    The priests decided to agree with his words, too well-trained to say anything against him right now. Yohan watched their faces for any sign of betrayal and decided to have them be followed.

    Most of the priests will keep their mouths shut but there might be one or two that carve in front of money and open their mouths. He needed to make sure such a thing does not happen.

    Because if even one person happens to babble, then the purpose of keeping Elysia''s escape a secret will be lost.

    "H-Head priest, you are being called outside right now. There was another monster attack in the south simr to the one we faced in the royal garden. Weren''t you keeping Elysia Dirac in check? How did that happen?"

    Yohan gritted his teeth as he heard the news. Now the situation was spiraling out of his control.

    ? He had meant to keep Elysia in confinement and let out a vague statement about how she was not the one responsible for the attack in the royal garden.

    His words would have held just enough truth to assure people but enough vagueness to also sow seeds of doubt. He could have used itter to further his agenda and control Elysia.

    But now that another attack had happened, he would have to acknowledge that Elysia was not the one responsible. Even if he told the public that Elysia had been taken away by Lord Dirac, the timing of the attack did not match it.

    And Head Priest Yohan was not foolish enough to be understood as a weak and useless person. He could not under any circumstances admit that Elysia had orchestrated an attack right under his nose.

    "We are making a public call right now. Elysia Dirac was not responsible for this attack. The real mastermind is still out there and needs to be found."

    The Priests ignored the gritting teeth sound they hearding from Head Priest''s mouth. They valued their lives much more than their desire tond in his good grace.

    Besides, they also did not want to make an enemy out of Lucas Dirac and the whole situation also worked out for them in the long run.

    "Man, how lucky for us to be let off like this."

    "True. Our reputation is safe and sound."

    The priests were happy for their momentary gains, not realizing how their words were pissing off Head Priest Yohan.

    He was already in a bad mood and the selfish priests were not helping him in any way.

    "You all fools. People are dying out there and here you are, busy thinking about your gains. if things are really like this then I have no problem sending you all for clean-up. Head to the relief centers and heal the people in need."

    The priests flinched as one, realizing that they were being punished for their careless words. They did not move for a good chunk of a minute before sharing amon look.

    They still had a lot to say, but no one tried to be brave enough to go against the Head Priest in a foul mood.

    Besides, they did not need to head to the battle, only to the relief centers. It was easy enough for them to do.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Head Priest Yohan watched the Priests sigh in relief, thinking that they were safe.

    But they had no idea what kind of danger the times ahead would be. If there was any doubt about the prophecy in his mind then it was being erased by these recent idents.

    It was all just as the masked man had said a long time ago. Monsters who had never approached humans before were beginning to show up and now the world would descend into darkness.

    But unlike the prophecy, there was no ''golden couple'' out there to save them with their power of love.

    _____________________

    "M-My lord, there had been another attack in the southern regions. The monsters there were wiped out by us and no one died."

    The masked shadow informed Lucas of what he had missed in the few hours he had spent in the temple.

    Lucas waved his hand to dismiss his shadow as he held his sister closer to his body. She was pale and burning right now. Her fever was getting to a dangerous height.

    But Lucas did not dare undress Elysia or touch her too carelessly. He had seen a few ''bug bites on her neck and he had no intention of probing any further.

    His sister needed to have at least some sort of privacy to preserve her dignity.

    "You can head to the south and look for relief options. If these are the same monsters asst night, then head to the Akatsuki kingdom and inform Chrome to look into it."

    Chrome was a reliable source of information and Lucas was sure he would be able to figure something out regarding this attack.

    The main reason he had been reliant on Chrome more than the empire was because this incident reeked of magic. And Akatsuki kingdom was more prevalent in magic than their own was.

    "Yes, your highness. Your order shall be carried out."

    The shadow bowed and disappeared in a sh of smoke right in front of Yohan''s eyes. He did not even notice the shadow go back, too busy handling Elysia delicately. Herplexion was not great.

    "I''m afraid that the empire is no longer stable for us to live in. Adam is just too young to control everyone, and I cannot always be there for you. It''s time to head to Akatsuki now."

    It was a tough decision for Lucas to make, especially since he knew how much Elysia relied on Adam and Eve.

    But as long as she stayed in the empire, she will never be let free. The past would always drag her back and the nobility would keep harassing her.

    It was just better to start afresh where no one knew her and Elysia could be herself.

    The carriage stopped in front of the Dirac mansion in the capital and all the staff lined up in front f the mansion. Their eyes were heavy with worry but also judgment as they watched Elysia.

    The staff was not hiding their dislike for his sister but Lucas did not care. He did not need their judgmental stares, only their loyalty.

    He was not above making them disappear for harming his sister, just as he had made Victor disappear.

    "You,e with me. I need you to take care of my sister. And if anything, and I mean, anything happens to her, you will die a horrible death."

    The female servant gulped her fear down as she followed after Master Dirac.

    His cold eyes might seem dreamy to some people but she could only see the promise of death in them.

    Lucas Dirac was a monster who had been reincarnated in a human form. He was not someone an easement like her could ever hope to defy.

    All the servants looked at the young girl with hopeless expressions, knowing that she was headed to a certain doom.

    But no one was brave enough to stop her or take her ce. They had learned their lesson in going against Lord Dirac before. And they no longer wished to test his temper.

    No matter how much they dislike Elysia Dirac and feared her, it was nothing in face of her brother''s ire.

 Chapter 151 151: The End Begins [Pt2]

    The maid could not help but curse her bad luck as she was picked out by Lord Dirac to look after his sister. It was akin to a death sentence for her.

    Mary had initially joined the household to capture Lord Dirac''s heart. He was handsome, rich, and single. He had been a perfect man in any girl''s eyes.

    Back then, the servant had been foolish enough to believe in the romance novels she had read. She had believed that if she crossed paths with Lord Lucas Dirac a few times then he would fall for Mary''s charms.

    All the romance books she had read about forbidden romance had said that the girl will be able to capture a cold master''s heart with her sincere heart and charms.

    Mary had tried hard to cultivate the same in her. She had believed herself to be the chosen one when she had passed the maid test.

    But all her hopes and dreams had quicklye dashing down when she had stood in front of those cold eyes of Lord Dirac in a room full of other new maids.

    She had been fifteen back then and Lord Dirac merely fourteen.

    His cold eyes had looked over everyone in the room, not pausing at anyone for more than a second before looking away.

    Mary had even looked up to catch Lord Dirac''s eyes but she had to quickly look away once her eyes met Lord Dirac''. Those cold blue eyes had screamed death at Mary.

    In the end, she had been assigned to the mansion in the capital and was only able to see Lord Dirac a few times a year.

    She had not realized that it was not longing but relief she felt to be so far away from Lord Dirac until she had been called by him directly to serve his sister.

    Mary''s heart had stopped beating for a few seconds and her skin had broken out into a sweat.

    At this second, she had wanted to exchange ces with anyone. Even an optimistic and foolish maid would have done.

    But here she was, walking behind Lord Dirac who only had one woman in his life - his sister.

    People would have gossiped that Lucas Dirac was actually in love with his sister if not for the fact that he was not capable of it.

    From his actions to his world, they were all too proper to cause any unnecessary rumor.

    "Here, you look after her now. The doctor will be here to observe Elysia soon so make sure to invite him in. And needless to say, if anything happens to Elysia then you will pay the price."

    Mary could see the care in Lucas Dirac''s eyes when it came to his sister but it was not a romantic me-like people thought it to be.

    It was a protective me of a mother looking at her child but hopeless to help the said child.

    It should have been the worstparison possible, Lucas Dirac, as a mother. But somehow it fitted perfectly at that moment.

    "M-My lord, are you not going to stay?"

    Mary wanted to smack herself in the face for asking that question. There was no need for her to risk her life by speaking back to Lord Dirac.

    She had heard too many horror stories about what happened to people who talked back to Lord Dirac. Most of them were never heard from again.

    So Mary was afraid that this would be the end for her as well.

    "Know your ce and do not question my actions."

    In the end, Mary got extremely lucky when Lord Dirac did not outright kill her but chose to let her go. She let the breath she had been holding in go and turned toward Lady Elysia Dirac.

    Her knees felt weak and Mary all but copsed in relief as soon as Lord Dirac was gone.

    "That was so stressful. I thought I would die at Lord Lucas''s hand. How did I even manage to survive."

    Mary moaned out as she leaned against the bed. She felt Elysia Dirac''s body heat even from a small distance away and the situation seemed serious.

    "D-Don''t worry. Brother is k-kind."

    Elysia''s tired voice spoke in the barest of the voices. It seemed to have taken everything she had to utter those words because her eyes closed the very next seconds.

    At that very moment, the rumored ''wild Dirac female'' looked nothing more than a fragile and sickdy.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Looking at her, no one could ever say that she was the same person who was feared by everyone.

    Mary sighed as she watched Elysia Dirac faint. She needed to bring Elysia''s fever down as soon as possible or it would be bad for Elysia''s body.

    There was cold water in the kitchen that Mary carried over to the room and began to wet the towel with it.

    It was going to be a long day. And Mary was sure her survival was based on whether Elysia Dirac managed to live or now.

    __________________________

    It took a long time for the doctor to arrive at the Dirac estate. Mary had seen Elysia''s fever break temporarily a few times by now but it neversted for more than a few hours.

    She was afraid that Elysia would not be able to hang on when the doctor finally arrived with a fearful look on his face.

    Mary was so busy with her task that she did not realize why the doctor was so terrified. But once she looked up she could not help her gasp.

    "You better hope that Elysia lives or your whole family will die at my hands. How dare you try to ignore an order from Lucas Dirac just because you did not want to be involved with the ''sinner'' ofst night."

    It was the Crown Prince, correction, the emperor who stood in front of Mary.

    Adam Von Benefiel, the current emperor of the empire was inside the Dirac estate and his expression seemed to be seething.

    Mary was afraid that she would also end up caught in that rage somehow when the doctor hurried past her and toward Elysia Dirac.

    Mary tried to stop him, knowing that the doctor did not have stable hands right now. He might end up hurting Elysia instead of helping her out.

    But before she could move, someone else walked past her with a calm rhythm and ced her hands on the Doctor''s shoulders.

    "You should calm down and work properly. We won''t want any unfortunate incidents to happen to you now, right?"

    It was the Saintess who spoke those words. The Saintess was someone Mary had never expected to see in her life.

    Now, of course, Mary knew that the saintess was a kind person. She was polite and well-spoken. She was the kind of female everyone had a crush on.

    And even Mary had admired her before this day. She had been sure that the saintess could never do anything wrong.

    But that illusion had finally broken today. She had ended up seeing something she should not have.

    The saintess had a pleasant smile on her face and her words also sounded calm. But there had been a chilling tone to her voice that had betrayed how pissed-odd she had been about the doctor''s actions.

    Mary was sure that the doctor would have ended up dead had he not been needed to cure Elysia. (But why the Saintess would not heal Elysia was still a mystery to Mary.)

    "Y-Yes, I will examine Lady Dirac right now. C-Can I get some space?" the doctor asked, too nervous to continue working.

    Saintess Eve did not back off but walked even closer until she was sitting in front of the doctor. Her face had a sinister smile on it as she made the doctor feel even more ufortable.

    "You can go ahead and treat Elysia. I have seen a lot of doctors at work so I am sure I won''t be a hindrance to you. But if you do end up doing something you are not supposed to, then I can''t guarantee your safety."

    Eve sounded serious and the doctor gulped down in nervousness. He seemed to have realized what kind of hellhole he had fallen into but he did not say anything.

    He picked up his tools and begin to examine Elysia.

    There was immense pressure on the doctor from all sides and even Mary felt fearful for his life.

    But she was even more worried about what would happen if Elysia Dirac did not get better. For as many people that hated her, the ones who liked her were too important and powerful to be fighting against.

    There was no point in being her enemy and Mary felt years added to her life when the doctor finally relieved that Elysia was not in any life-threatening situation.

    It was so nice to see that Elysia would live and so would everyone else who was associated with her. They were all right now.

 Chapter 152 152: Complications [Pt1]

    You would think that the news of Elysia being out of danger would relieve Adam and Eve the most. And they would also be the happiest out of everyone to hear that she would be alright.

    But it woulde to everyone''s surprise that the one who was most relieved by this news was the doctor himself. He could not help but feel like he had dodged a bullet right now.

    ''I am so lucky this nobledy managed to hold on. What strong willpower she has. I am safe again.''

    The doctor was a normal human and he did not want any danger on his and his family''s head. So he also needed to stay in the Saintess and the Emperor''s good grace.

    "So, how soon will she wake up? I want a definitive time frame for Elysia to gain consciousness. And don''t you dare try to bullshit me by saying ''soon''?"

    It seemed like the doctor had celebrated a little bit earlier than he should have. The Saintess sounded rather angry as she snapped the ground in front of the doctor hard.

    Her angry eyes looked at the Doctor like he was an insignificant bug that did not hold any importance in Eve''s eyes. And that stare made the doctor feel insignificant as well.

    He had been praised for his medical knowledge but here he was, being intimidated by a little girl not even in her adult years.

    "Now Eve, you should be careful. You don''t need to threaten a flee like him yourself." The doctor was beyond happy to know that he had been spared. But all his joy turned to dread at hearing the Emperor''s next words.

    "After all, worms like him should know their ce. He has no right to ask anything from us, right?"

    "Y-Yes, that is right. I know my ce."

    The doctor agreed pretty quickly. He had thought that the Saintess was terrifying before but there was a different kind of fear that went through one''s mind when they had the Emperor staring back at them.

    The doctor was beyond relieved that he had not spoken any of the internal thoughts he had when he had first known the name of his patient. His whole family would have been killed.

    "Adam now is not the time. I need you to focus right now. And you, you better tell me how soon Elysia will wake up or else."

    Eve threatened the doctor again, not forgetting the initial reason she had started this talk. The doctor yelped, not expecting the Saintess to turn her attention back to him.

    "Ummm, she should wake up soon."

    The meek voiced doctor replied, only to shrink in further as the Saintess cornered him.

    "And how soon is ''soon'' exactly? I asked for a specific range, not a vague answer."

    The doctor was a human and not a god. How could he tell when Elysia Dirac was going to wake up?

    Even the Saintess should know that no one could guess when a patient would wake up. That kind of power was not in a healer''s hand.

    "Ummm"

    Thankfully, he was spared from answering all these tough questions when Elysia decided to wake up herself. Her timing could not have been more perfect for the doctor since he was suddenly spared.

    Elysia had not opened her eyes yet but she was awake now. The doctor had no idea what she was doing but he did know that Elysia was out of danger.

    "W-Well, it looks like our patient is awake. D-Do you want me to examine her right now?"

    The doctor asked, praying to every deity that these people will let him go. He did not want to stay here anymore.

    "No, there is no need to. You both, hurry up and get out. Also, inform Lord Dirac that Elysia is up and to get himself here right now."

    The doctor was beyond happy to finally escape this nightmare. He had been stuck in this ce for hours where he felt like he would never be able to survive the day.

    The maid who had been assigned to look after Elysia looked a little disappointed and she did not want to head out like that. This made her earn more brownie points in Eve''s eyes.

    But all that flew out of Eve''s mind once she saw Elysia''s open eyes looking at her. It was such a relief-filled feeling to see Elyais awake again.

    "Elysia, are you alright? Talk to me right now. You need to show me that you are awake."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Eve asked, knowing well that she needed to drag Elysia''s consciousness back to the surface. Just because Elysia was awake did not mean she was conscious of what was happening to her.

    Tired blue eyes turned toward Eve but they seemed rather unseeing. Their out-of-coarseness was not a concern for Eve since Elysia''s eyesight had always been bad because of the curse.

    "Y-You! What are you both doing here? You should not be here."

    Elysia groaned those words as she faced her two friends. Eve was relieved beyond reason to see her awake so soon.

    "What were you doing? Why did you allow us to be so rough with youst night when your body could not handle it? Did you want us to feel guilty over you?"

    Adam roared out his words, his worry taking over and converting into guilt. Eve was feeling simr to Adam, but she hid her worry better.

    They needed to work around Elysia a little more carefully if they did not want to scare her. Elysia was already fragile and Eve felt worried for her.

    "I waspletely finest night so it was not a problem. Even I am not sure why I developed this fever so don''t worry. I am sure it was not your fault."

    Elysia was trying to convince them that it was not their fault but Eve did not feel reassured. She could feel the guilt in her veins, threatening to drown her.

    Eve was convinced that Elysia was in this condition because of her and Adam, so it was also up to them to take care of her now.

    The general rumor about Elysia being behind the attack had all but cleared out by the temple and the recent monster attack so that was one problem out of the way.

    Eve was not one to wish harm on people. In fact, she would be the first one who would act as a shield when needed to be.

    But that did not matter when the other side of the equation pointed toward Elysia. If it was for Elysia''s sake, then this world could burn.

    And Eve was sure that Adam felt simr to her as well.

    "Whether you are fine or not, it does not matter. You still managed to fall sick anyway. Fortunately, Lord Lucas managed to go you out in time."

    Adam replied to Elysia, his eyes switching between normal human ones and the beast ones. He was losing control of his emotions and getting more and more upset.

    Eve felt sorry for him but she needed to focus on Elysia for now. She could see Elyia''s energy levels falling short of normal which mean that she was still not up to her regr health.

    "Sorry for worrying you. I guess I overworked myself a little there. I will try to take better care of myself in the future. Ah, I need to ask you, what happened to the case? Is it solved? How did I manage to get out of the temple."

    Eve was sure that ''prison'' would be a better word for the ce Elysia had been. The room that Elysia had been kept in was ''passable'' but only in the basic sense.

    And Elysia deserved so much better than that small room of hers.

    "Don''t worry about all that. I took you out of the temple and brought you back to the Dirac Estate. The temple no longer had any reason to hold you in."

    Lucas Dirac entered the room in all his majestic glory. His sheer presence was enough to turn heads and make everyone look toward him.

    The doctor and the servant who had been sent outside the room were covering behind Lucas Dirac. Their forms were curled over themselves in an attempt to make their bodies smaller.

    Eve could tell that they were terrified so she signaled for them to leave again.

    And as soon as the servants had left them all alone, Lucas Dirac did the thing no one could ever expect from him. He let go of all his emotionlessness and hugged Elysia. His arms were like a secure cage Elysia and she felt warm in his embrace.

    "Elysia, it is so nice to see you awake. You scared me so much. Please, never take such actions again or you will give me a heart attack."

    Elysia could not help but feel like her brother was thinner than before and also a little fragile. But he was still the same Lucas she remembered.

    Now she was officially home.

 Chapter 153 153: Complications [Pt2]

    Elysia had started crying in Lucas''s embrace but it was a secret only she and Lucas knew. Her brother held Elysia long enough until she calmed down and asked to be released from his arms.

    Only once she was sure that her eyes were as dry as possible was Elysia able to face her two lovers again.

    "Sorry for getting emotional. I did not know what to do with myself there."

    Elysia faced two disappointed looks which made her flinch. But there was no other negative emotion aimed her way.

    "You know, I am not an asshole who won''t want you to vent out your feelings. It all must have been tough for you since you were out in that other world alone. It was tough for all of us as well."

    Elysia felt tears strike her eyes again but this time she held them back. Eve knew how to get to her and Elysia was thankful to have her at her side.

    Her eyes turned toward Adam who had not said anything yet. But his silent support meant a lot to Elysia as well.

    His strong gaze told Elysia that everything would be alright even if she ever got into trouble again.

    "Right, what happened to the monster attack? I was under suspicion, right? What about the mirror? Where is it right now?"

    Now that Elysia had calmed down, she wanted to get to work. The first order of things was to know what was happening out there. Only once Elysia knew the situation would she be able to help.

    She will also need to write to the Head Priest Yohan to gather what he knows. (Elysia flinched as she remembered herself ignoring his order and asking toe home. She would apologizeter.)

    "Ah, that! I need to ask you about that as well since my people were sent to help out in the morning. I know that the Dirac army was in charge of looking after the people. So, how is the situation out there?"

    Adam quickly went along with the change in the topic as well. Eve gave him a re for daring to change the topic but Adam seemed too interested to care.

    He was looking at Lucas with an expecting expression which caused Lucas to sigh. He had not wanted to open this discussion in front of Elysia but there seemed to be no choice for him now.

    "The attack happened really early and as far as we know, there was no indicator about who the attacker could be or which affiliation he belonged to. Our people were not able to track down anything so I will need to head out there now."

    Lucas sounded dead tired and he had to be by now. He had been overworked for the past few days and even now he could not get any rest.

    He could also not get any time to spend with his sister if he wanted to solve this case.

    "I see. So it was a blind attack. The attacker made this attack, knowing that Elysia Dirac was in our custody. It means that they either do not care if they get caught or they are certain that they won''t be caught."

    Both things spelled trouble for their side. Innocent people were being sacrificed for someone''s greed.

    While this was not something Adam was worried about personally, he had to be worried about the political implications of it all objectively.

    Mainly if it would end up affecting the Diracs and Elysia in the long run.

    "I want toe with you. I need to see the attack site for myself."

    Lucas cursed as soon as he heard Elysia''s words. This was the exact thing he had wanted to avoid when he had first tried to hide the situation.

    Knowing Elysia, Lucas was sure that she would try to butt her way into the investigation. And the chances of her getting hurt during this were also high.

    "No. You are not healing out to the fields and that is final. I don''t care how much help you think you are going to be but you are not heading out into the attacked grounds."

    Eve interfered even before Adam and Lucas could. She was the one who had spent the most time with Elysia so she knew that this would happen.

    And since she knew this would happen, Eve knew that she would also be the only one who would be able to make Elysia back down.

    Adam was about to say something as well when Eve red at him which caused him to back down. Eve did not need Adam''s interfering right now.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Mostly because he was too softhearted when it came to Elysia. He would try to put up a brave and unyielding front at first but one look from Elysia would make him back down.

    "Eve, I know what you want to say but please. I need to head out and see what is happening. Something caused me to be transported to that new world and it can happen again if we don''t find the root cause of this incident. Won''t you help me out?"

    Eve cursed as she saw Elysia''s pleading face. She needed to be strong and not give in to the guilt she was feeling.

    Behind her, Adam had already caved in and he turned toward Eve to plead for Elysia''s side. Eve knew it was a losing battle for her when the most unexpected ally arrived for her.

    "You are not going anywhere, miss. You are staying in the bed for the time being and recovering your body. I can feel the strain of your body on our bond and I don''t like it."

    It was Sorias who had arrived in front of the door. The poor familiar had been looking to spend some time with Elysia when he hade across her pleading.

    And knowing Elysia and her habits, she must be thinking of doing something stupid.

    "Sorias, are you done with the scout out? How did it go?"

    Lucas asked the divine beast, hurriedly changing the topic once again. With this, Elysia had officially lost her opportunity to ask questions.

    "My scouting out was dreadful. We didn''t find anything in the enchanted forest either but the right side was surely invaded in the morning. I am afraid that our attacker escaped from the forest. He cannot be a normal person."

    This had been a cause of concern for Sorias and he had been so sure that this was what would give him a cause for a headache before he had arrived in front of Elysia.

    Then she had proven wrong by her desire to head out.

    "Sorias, you will allow me to head out, right? You cane with me to the fields as well. I am sure that-"

    "No, you are not heading out and that is final. I don''t care if I have to sit on your back to stop you from heading out. But you will be staying in your bed today."

    Sorias made sure to block any verbal attempt Elysia made. Even she had to realize that she was not going to win this debate with him.

    And Elysia realized it as soon as she opened her mouth a third time and closed it. She had lost this battle for now.

    "You all, if you want to go to the field, then head out now. I will keep an eye out on Elysia and make sure she rests."

    The other three looked grateful for Sorias''s interference. They did not know how to say no to Elysia but that was no longer a problem.

    The three dared to not even look at Elysia as they left. It was a tactic he had developed after falling for her begging a few times.

    If Sorias did not look at Elysia then he would not be influenced by her tear-filled eyes.

    "Lord Sorias, I heard that Lady Elysia finally woke up. I am here to visit her. Can Ie in?"

    Emma White did not wait for the door to open for her. She opened the door and walked inside before she was invited. She had certainly taken to using having all control over the Dirac mansion.

    And no one was brave enough to stop Emma White from having her way. She was fearless and everyone knew that about her.

    She walked in but she was not the only one visiting Elysia. Enma followed after Emma with a hesitant walk. He looked nervous to be in the room but he was even more terrified to be alone in the mansion.

    "You both are here as well? How did the past year treat you?"

    Elysia asked as she watched the newpanye rolling into the room. She was happy to see them but at the same time, her mind was processing everything at a lightning speed and forming escape ns.

    She could definitely use Emma and Enma to escape if she yed her cards right. And Elysia knew exactly what to do

 Chapter 154 154: A Fair Trade [Pt1]

    "No means no. Do not make me repeat myself, Elysia. I do not care how busy I am or how many summon I get from the temple. I am not leaving your side."

    This fight had been going on for some time and even the two people who saw it happen live could not help but feel that it was ridiculous.

    "B-But you should go and answer the temple, Sora. It might be important for you to show up. And I can take care of myself. Enma and Emma are with me so they can keep an eye on me."

    Emma watched Elysia try and convenience Sorias for the past half an hour without sess. But she was slowly but surely weathering him down with her words.

    To her, it all indicated that Elysia had a n that she could not execute as long as Sorias was in the building so she wanted him out.

    Emma White was suspicious of Elysia''s intentions the very second she stepped into her hospital room. A restlessness in Elysia''s steps made Emma want to step out.

    But she could not step out because that would mean leaving Sorias and Enma alone with each other. And Emma felt irritated as soon as she thought of that pairing.

    While Emma was sure that Lord Sorias held no romantic inclination toward Enma, the reverse could not be said. There was a curious way Enma looked at her lord that made Emma ufortable.

    And it was not like Lord Sorias was entirely discouraging of Enma either. He often let Enma hang all over himself which made Emma doubt whether something was going on between the two or not.

    ''Don''t be stupid. Enma might sound older but he''s physically five years old. He is too young for Sorias, even if he sometimes likes to take the form of seven years old.''

    The more Emma thought about this topic, the more stressed she felt. And the more she realized there was a non-zero chance for her lord to like Sorias.

    ''No, don''t think about such scum topics like this. There is no way Lord Sorias will like Enma romantically and-''

    "-sure that Emma will suffice to keep an eye on me when I head to the bathroom. There is no need for all of you to apany me like this."

    Elysia denied having someone apany her to the bathroom. Emma had not realized that her name hade up until she felt eyes on her.

    "Huh? Do you need something?"

    Lord Sorias frowned when he realized that Emma was not paying attention to his words. Emma felt her face go white at being caughtcking like this.

    Emma was about to speak up in her defense when Elysia sighed and turned back toward Lord Sorias again with a frown.

    "Fine. If you are concerned then I will make an exception and take Enma with me as well. Will that make you happy?"

    "Hey, don''t involve me in your mess, alright? I want to have nothing to do with you."

    It was toote for Emma to interfere now. Her window of opportunity had passed already. She could neither back out nor convey that she wanted to take this job.

    "I don''t think Enma will be of much help to you but fine. A kid will be a better option when ites to getting ready for the day than an adult butler who can be a hindrance more often than not."

    Although Sorias did not say it out loud, he meant that the servants did not respect Elysia enough to give her any face. This was something that he and the others had realized a long time ago.

    But there had never been an opportunity to correct the servants.

    "Still, the maid that looked after you was a lot more reliable than I thought she looked. I should call her back to help you out and-"

    "No need. I am sure both Enma and Emma will be more than enough to help me out. In the meantime, can you do me a favor and deliver something to Lucas? I am afraid that I forgot to give this to him."

    Elysia took out a small ribbon from her hair. The way she held it seemed to indicate that the ribbon held some kind of significance to Elysia so Sorias was careful in how he handled it.

    "This is an item from the other world and it helped me when I was falling through that portal that brought me back. I kind of forgot to give it to Lucas earlier. It might be an important clue rted to the monster attack in the morning."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Emma knew the second Sorias gave in to Elysia''s words. He might think he was tough but he could still not say ''no'' to Elysia.

    "Fine. I will be leaving now but if you even think about leaving this room, then I will break all the bones in your leg and then make you rest. Did you understand me? The spell I am casting on you will prevent you from moving too far away from Enma and Emma until Ie back."

    Enma did not doubt that Sorias would follow through with his promise. He was not one to make an ideal threat to anyone. He had even cast a spell made for prisoners on Elysia.

    But Elysia did not look worried in the least. She just smiled and continued to look toward Sorias like she had every intention of following his words.

    It was only after once Sorias was gone did Elysia kick off her bedsheet and stood up.

    "Alright, time to head out as well. Are you both going toe with me?"

    Emma sighed as she realized that there was no stopping Elysia right now. Elysia would leave to go out no matter what was said now.

    The only shot Emma had of avoiding Sorias being angry with her was if Elysia was alright during her trip out.

    However, just because she understood it did not mean that Enma did as well. He hissed out in displeasure and stomped his feet.

    "No way. We are not heading out, did you understand? And *you* are not heading out either, Elysia. I do not want your familiar and brother to skin me alive because you went out and strained your muscles."

    It was kind of adorable how Enma thought he could stop Elysia from heading out. He looked like a displeased kid who was not getting their way.

    "Enma, I know you do not want me to go out but I feel like we canpromise on this. How about I tell you about the world I came here from? I am sure you will find it a lot more interesting to know that they released a sequel to ''infinity'' just before I came back."

    Emma had no idea what ''infinity'' was and neither did Enma for a good solid second before his eyes widened and squeaked like a mouse.

    His wide eyes looked even wider now, his face all but covered by their sheer size.

    "Y-Y-YOU FIEND! Don''t tell me it''s the movie that stars my fav actor A and actress B"

    "Yup, the same one where their son died and they went back in time to avenge him but fails. But hear this, they did it in the sequel-"

    "No, don''t spoil it for me. I want to experience the movie for myself once I go back. But man, what luck. You went to the world I came from. What else happened?"

    "I am not telling you anything anymore. If you want to know more then you will have toe with me. So, what do you say?"

    Elysia had sessfully managed to trap Enma in her web. And Emma had watched it all happen, happy to be out of the loop.

    There was no way for Emma to refuse Elysia any more than she had of refusing Sorias. And she could not allow Elysia to try and break the spell on her own since that would cause her harm.

    "Don''t worry so much Emma. Once we are close enough to Sorias, the spell he cast on me will wear off and we all will be free to head out our way again. You just need to hold on for that long."

    Emma sighed, knowing that Elysia''spany was not the problem.

    Lord Sorias will be angry with Emma for this, she was sure of it. But there was no other choice for her but to follow Elysia''s will.

    ''How does no one realize how dangerous and maniptive Elysia Dirac is? She even has all these powerful people warped around her finger. If she ever wants to cause harm, then it would be so easy for her to get away.''

    The world was lucky that Elysia Dirac was not a viiness. And they would all be also wiser to treat her better than they currently did. She was an amazing woman and deserved better than she got.

 Chapter 155 155: A Fair Trade [Pt2]

    So, Elysia had sessfully managed to make her way out of her room and into the open world. Even if her freedom came at the cost of being followed to her destination, Elysia did not care.

    But it was all worth it if it meant that Elysia would get to head toward the scene of the crime and investigate it.

    She had a feeling that something huge was taking ce in this world and she was rted to it all. And that same feeling was making Elysia restless.

    "Are you second-guessing your decision to go out? Please tell me that it is what you are thinking about and you want to head back now?"

    Enma asked with a begging tone to his voice. The poor child realized that he had been tricked toe after Elysia.

    But he also realized that he was too powerless to stop her and this was his only chance to stay safe. If he was found alone by Sorias then he would die a painful death for letting Elysiae out.

    "If you want to go back then you can head back alone, Enma. I am sure even Sorias will understand that there was nothing you could do to stop me."

    Elysia assured Enma and he felt like crying.

    Despite how nice Elysia was overall, she was the biggest trouble ma for him. If she wanted Sorias to not skin him, then she needed to not get him into trouble in the first ce.

    But of course, that would be impossible for Elysia to do so here he was, following after her.

    "Emma, are you seriously allowing Elysia to do what she wants to? You are the one who should be most bothered by her decision. Think of how angry and disappointed Sorias will be in you."

    Emma turned her head away and pretended like she could not hear Enma talk to her.

    She knew that Lord Sorias would be angry with her but she also felt irritated that Enma was reminding her about this again and again.

    And he also kept on calling her crush by his first name when even Emma found it hard to do. So she pretended like she could not hear Enma speak.

    "D-Darn you! You are ignoring me now, Mrs. White? Fine then, get in trouble with me. But I will me you if Sorias decided to kill us."

    Emma did not have a problem with that but Elysia seemed to.

    "No one is dying. I will handle Sorias if he finds out about me sneaking out alright? He will also know that this would be the oue once he decided to leave me alone."

    There was a 70% chance that Sorias had realized what Elysia wanted to do and why she wanted him gone.

    So there was also a high chance that he woulde to find Elysia soon and stick to her side again. There was no risk Elysia was taking right now.

    "Fine, I will trust you for now. So, where are we heading out toward? Do we even have any idea where the attack urred?"

    Elysia''s stiff shoulder said that she had no idea. She had been bedridden this far so she had no idea what was going on in the outside world.

    In the end, it was Emma who sighed and held out a marked map.

    "I kind of figured that this would happen so I marked the ces where an attack took ce already. Which site would you want to check first?"

    On the map, there were two marked sites where the attack had happened. They were both close enough to be within walking distance of each other and were separated by a strip of forest in-between.

    It was s strip of the enchanted forest but it had a considerably low amount of magical power. It was safe for humans to walk through if they were being careful.

    The beast poption there was also considerably thinner than anywhere else in the forest.

    So, it was a safe area for most people to venture out in but there was a hint of danger ever present even if people approached that forest.

    And it irked Elysia for some reason. She felt like she should check this ce out and she will find the answer to most of her questions.

    "Let''s start with the forest first. There is something about this location that is making me worried."

    Elysia was not sure why she got the feeling that she had to check the forest out. Her gut feeling rarely came out to warm her like this.

    But the pull she felt was undeniable for her.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Alright. If you say that we have to look into the forest, we will look into the forest. But before that, we should try and get out bonds undone."

    Elysia agreed with that statement as well, excited t get the cuffs off her hand finally.

    __________________________

    "Head to the north and check the supply line there. We cannot allow people to go unattended and-"

    "My lord, Sorias is outside your door, waiting for you. Should I let him in?"

    Lucas paused from where he was out in his tent, pitching orders to his soldiers. He could not understand why Sorias of all people had headed out to meet him.

    ''What is Sorias doing here? He''s supposed to be with Elysia right now, keeping an eye on her.... Don''t tell me something happened to her again?''

    Lucas''s brain decided to jump on the worst oue imaginable as soon as he heard Sorias''s namee out of his shadow''s mouth.

    He needed to see what Sorias wanted from him right now or he would not be able to concentrate for the rest of the mission.

    "My lord, are you alright? You look pale and sick all of a sudden and�C"

    "You all should leave now. You have your orders so head out and heed them. Give me your reports by the end of the day or I will make you regret your existence."

    The female who had been about to reach out to him quickly retrieved her hand back all of a sudden.

    She quickly realized that Lord Lucas was not in a yful mood and that any advances she made would not be taken kindly.

    The mere fact that he had not even looked at the soldier the whole day proved to be evidence that he had no interest in her or any other female in the military.

    ''Maybe Lucas Dirac doesn''t swing straight? It would exin hisck of interest in any of the females he ever met. Even the Saintes''s beauty does not melt his heart.''

    The more the female soldier thought of her conclusion, the more doubtful she felt.

    Just because Lucas Dirac had not looked at any females did not mean that he had looked at males either. He just had no one in his eyes and likely never will.

    "Did you all not hear me? You all should hurry up and leave this ce right now."

    The soldiers almost jumped before hurrying out of the room like their tails were on fire. They had often seen Lord Dirac sound so angry now and then and it never ended well for anyone who was caught by him.

    Lucas watched all his soldiers run away with their tails tucked away. They likely thought that he had not been noticed by Lucas.

    It was annoying how these people went over and beyond to please him but could not handle his ire even for a second.

    "You know, sometimes I miss your bother and his infinite patience while dealing with idiots. I wish Noctis coulde back to me. Why can''t you be more like him?"

    Lucas asked, only half serious as he watched Sorias walk into the room. He was trying to drown his worry by saying things that came to his mind.

    "The only reason you found my brother refreshing was that he was not initially from ''our'' world either. Anyway, don''t panic and think that something is wrong with Elysia right now. She''s the reason I am here."

    Lucas was in-between the stages of rxing and panicking again. He was not sure what to make of Sorias''s words except groan out in annoyance.

    He knew that Elysia would cause him trouble but she had not evensted a single day.

    "So she tricked you intoing out and you could not refuse in the end? I should send my shadows around to keep an eye on her, right? She is so getting grounded once shees home."

    "Totally. Elysia will deserve everything she gets from you."

    Sorias went quiet for a while before he opened his mouth again. He looked doubtful but also convinced which caused Lucas to pay attention to him.

    "I went to the temple beforeing here and I felt something wrong going on in there. We should take Elysia and get out of the empire as soon as we can. We cannot allow her to stay here any longer."

 Chapter 156 156: Are We Falling Into A Trap? [Pt1]

    "I might have agreed to head out with you like this but I am still worried about my life. Are you sure nothing will go wrong for us?"

    Enma''s nerves had been shot ever since he had been convinced by Elysia to head out. It had been a nerve-wracking decision for him to make but Enma''s curiosity had won in the end.

    But what could you even expect from Enma at this point? Not only was he stuck in this new world, but he had no idea if his original world even existed at this point. But to be suddenly told that Elysia knew news of his home was a surprise.

    ''It was my mistake to make Elysia aware that she holds power over me. Darn the viiness powers in her blood. She is good at maniption.''

    Enma cursed inside his head as he hurried after Elysia. Now that he had disobeyed Sorias''s orders, the only thing left for him to do was to bide behind Elysia.

    "Enma, stop being a coward and walk with confidence. I cannot believe that you are a man with how easy you are to scare."

    Emma teased Enma, enjoying seeing him in apromised position. The child pouted at being called out but he had a resort of his own prepared.

    "Hah, I am a kid after all. But aren''t you being too smug for being braver than a kid,dy White? That''s quite a bullying character you got there."

    Emma white went red in the face at Enma''s reply. This kid was getting on her nerves now.

    ''I am sure Lord Sorias will not fault me if I make Enma disappear. I can even pin all the me for this outing on him and get away for free.''

    Emma''s thoughts had taken a truly bad turn of events and Enma shivered at feeling her aura. Emma could be vicious when she wanted to be.

    "E-Elysia, s-save me, please. I don''t want to die-"

    Enma cried out as he looked around for the Diracdy. But she was nowhere to be found. Somehow, Elysia had managed to disappear in the shortest amount possible.

    The pair who had been left behind was shocked in silence. They looked around for Elysia but she was nowhere to be seen.

    "Where did she go? And how did she manage to duke us so badly?"

    Enma broke out into cold sweat as soon as he realized that his only source of safety had been swept from under his feet. Just how did Elysia manage to disappear this perfectly?

    "Nevermind that. The fact that we did not feel her leaving our side means that our bond was broken. We should brace ourselves now."

    Enma was pale already but he went ash white at hearing Emma''s words. He suddenly realized the gravity of the danger he was in.

    "Is it toote to run away now? I don''t think I am going to survive today."

    Enma gulped down his nervousness as he looked over his shoulder. Now that Elysia was no longer there, Enma was afraid that Sorias would emerge from his shadows to drag him for punishment.

    Enma was about to escape right at that moment when he felt all the air being pushed out of his lungs.

    Sorias was watching Enma with narrowed eyes and Enma flinched. He suddenly realized that he had made a grave mistake bying out.

    "Enma, Emma, what are you both doing here? I remember asking you to look after Elysia. So, where is she?"

    Sorias''s voice sounded like death reincarnated. Enma felt his soul leave his body as soon as he heard Enma''s voice. He had a lot to say about Elysia and why he was out here right now but nothing escaped his lips.

    Enma had been rendered mute by Sorias''s aura and he regretted ever being alive right now.

    "We''re sorry Sorias but Lady Elysia threatened both myself and Enma with her safety so we had to let her out. But she somehow managed to escape our notice as soon as we stepped in here."

    ''Emma, I will never say anything bad about you again. You are my savior for life.''

    Enma''s brain was in the middle of a breakdown but he managed to gather himself enough to agree with what Emma was saying.

    He did not remember who he was or where he was, but he did remember that he needed to agree with Emma if he wanted to live.

    "I see. So Elysia managed to duke you both as well. My sister is getting better and better at getting her way by the day. I guess I should have seen iting when she first said that she wanted toe to the crime scene."

    Enma was so relieved that Lucas Dirac was not ming them for Elysia getting out.

    On contrary, he was quite relieved to see that Lucas showed no intention of harming him or Emma. Years of stress have been taken off Enma''s soul all of a sudden.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Lucas, you expected to see this happen, right? So I also hope you managed to take precautions against Elysia, right?"

    Sorias sounded pissed but he turned his ire toward Lucas who looked confident. Seeing him this confident also made Enma sigh in relief.

    "I asked my shadow puppets to cover this area before we came here so Elysia should be found pretty soon. Adam and Eve as also out there looking for clues so I am sure they will be able to sense Elysia as well."

    Sorias did not look relieved but he did look like he was backing off a little. Hearing both Adam and Eve''s names put his feelings of worry to rest.

    If there were people on this earth who could keep up with Elysia then it was them both.

    "We are safe."

    Enma sighed in relief as all the tension left his body. But he tensed back up when Lucas Dirac''s shadow fell on his shoulder.

    "Just because Elysia is safe does not mean I am not going to punish you both for letting here out here. So don''t expect gentle treatment from me."

    Silent tears fell from Enma''s eyes as soon as he heard Lucas Dirac''s words. He knew that this was the end for real.

    Today was shaping up to be an emotional roller coaster for him with all these ups and downs and this day was far from over.

    ''Once I get my hands on that Elysia, I will make sure to strangle her and then tie her up. She will not be able to leave her room.''

    Things will not happen like this at all. Even Enma knew that he would not be able to touch Elysia once she was back home but nothing was stopping him from fantasizing about it.

    _______________________

    "Adam, is something wrong? Why did you stop all of a sudden?"

    Eve asked as she watched Adam make a sudden U-turn while scouting the forest. It was so sudden that Eve all but fell when she tried to keep up with him.

    "Elysia is here. I am going to her now."

    Adam''s voice was so matter-of-fact that Eve did not even doubt him. If he said that Elysia was here, then she must be here.

    Eve tried to feel surprised to hear that Elysia had disobeyed everyone ande here anyway but it had been expected of her by now.

    Elysia had an unhealthy obsession with being in troublesome ces at the wrong times. Eve was right on Adam''s trail when she was disrupted.

    She dodged the log of wood that Adam''s angry fist had sent flying and her temper rose. She was ready to chew out Adam for attacking her out of the blue when she stopped.

    Adam''splexion did not look right which meant that he had bad news for her. Eve really wanted to plug her ears and stop hearing him.

    "Shit, I lost her. Why does this keep happening."

    Adam whined as he looked at the forest. It stood in front of them innocently but that was where Elysia hadst been sensed by Adam.

    ? "Idiot, stop spacing out and hurry up. If you are not able to sense Elysia now then that means something happened. We should hurry up to her side."

    Adam snapped into motion at Eve''s scolding voice. Her rationality managed to snap him into action.

    They were not that deep into the forest when a monster managed to take them by surprise.

    Adam tried to deal with him with his sword but his weapon did not manage to make a dent in the monster. His magic was also having a simr effect which indicated that this monster was not normal.

    "Eve, does your magic work on these monsters?"

    Adam asked as he enhanced his strength and his hand turned into a w. No matter how much the monster struggles, it could not hold on in front of a dragon.

    "My magic doesn''t work either. These monsters are imbued with the power of light. How is that possible?"

    Everything was weird indeed. This smelled like a trap.

 Chapter 157 157: Are We Falling Into A Trap? [Pt2]

    Elysia had walked away as soon as she realized that herpanions were not paying attention to her. It was the prime time for her to sessfully slip away and not be noticed.

    As long as Enma and Emma kept on following after her, Elysia would not be able to do what she wanted. So she wanted them to go their way while she fulfilled the purpose of her visit - to snoop around the forest.

    She could sense the bond that had been keeping Elysia under lock wavering. It meant that Sorias was nearby and Elysia was free to roam around.

    ''Finally, I am free. The outside air feels so good and fresh. I love it.''

    Not toin or anything about that ''other'' world Elysia had spent a year in but the air quality there sucked.

    Too much resource consumption had led to their air quality declining and it was tough to find good quality air anywhere.

    "Well, time to head to the forest now."

    Elysia whispered just as her eyes met Emma''s. She tensed up, hoping that Emma would not say anything.

    Emma was not the problem here, Enma was. He could cause a problem if he spoke too loudly and brought Sorias or anyone else here after her.

    "Shhhh."

    Elysia motioned for Emma to keep quiet and she nodded along with Elysia''s wishes. It was a good thing that Emma was so understanding.

    Once Emma distracted Enma, Elysia managed to sessfully manage to skip away. She could feel that Adam was nearby, so Elysia avoided him.

    Elysia could feel Adaming after him and she picked up speed. If Adam caught her then Elysia would be forced to go home.

    She was running away when she noticed a cloaked figure entering a small house in the middle of the forest. It was a space that was suspicious no matter how one looked at it.

    But Elysia was the fool who would decide to check this ce out anyway. Especially when she watched a hooded figure enter the building.

    Elysia had hazy eyesight so it was not often she could recognize people. But her other senses were sharp, and Elysia retained most of the information she found interesting.

    There was one person she vividly remembered finding interesting but only meeting once. And that had been the mysterious person that had been talking to Head Priest a long time ago.

    This person had an aura simr to that mysterious prisoner she remembered.

    ''It all screams suspicious. I should check this out right now.''

    Thoughts about Adam and being followed escaped Elysia''s mind as she jumped down near the house. She could see the shady figure inside and it made her want to go in right now.

    Elysia waited to see the shadow leave the front room before moving toward the door and opening it.

    Her heart leaped in her throat as soon as the handle moved without Elysia even doing anything to move it.

    The door opened inwardly and Elysia was yanked along with that motion as well. She all but crashed into the open arms of the person who had surprised Elysia that badly.

    "You look like you are trying to flee to somewhere but cannot escape your pursuer. If you want to be alone, then doe in."

    The melodious voice made Elysia calm down. Suddenly, it seemed like nothing else mattered anymore but the voice that was reassuring Elysia.

    All her hesitation melted away as Elysia entered the house. The door snapped close behind her but Elysia did not notice.

    All that while, the shady figure who had invited Elysia inside gave a small wave to the other figure Elysia had followed in.

    He gestured toward Elysia who seemed unaware of anything going on around her. She sat at the table and picked up the empty cup.

    "The incense is working as intended. It will be ready to use with a few minor adjustments soon. So, will you be going now?"

    The figure Elysia had been following this far did not say anything. He did not seem to mind anything happening but looked at Elysia with narrowed eyes.

    "Make sure you do not break her and no harmes to Elysia Dirac during your experiment, or I will make you pay Rahan. And do control your pets before they lead others to our main base. We cannot be discovered at such a crucial point of our n."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    There was a sort of affection in the man''s voice as he spoke. Rahan shivered once he heard the mysterious stranger speak but he bowed anyway.

    "I will take care of Elysia and make sure nothing happens to her. But if ites to her safety and Lucas Dirac, which one should I prioritize? After all, Lucas Dirac is...fine, I will shut up now."

    Rahan faltered at the empty re he got from the cloaked figure in front of him. He had made a mistake he should not have.

    The cloaked figure left the house and Rahan watched until he was far enough to not be seen. Once he was sure that everything was clear again, it was time to close the incense he had used.

    It had been a gamble to see if it would work on the humans as it did on the beasts but had paid off. It opened up a lot of doors for their sess.

    "Now then, time for you toe back to your senses, Elysia Dirac. Hope you do not end up causing trouble for me in the future."

    Rahan pped his hands and Elysia snapped out of the daze she was in. she blinked slowly as she looked up at Rahan.

    "What-? When did I walk in here? I''m sorry, who are you again?"

    ___________________

    Elysia blinked her eyes slowly, trying to get used to the sudden shit in her location. Thest she remembered was being outside the door and seeing this person open it all of a sudden.

    Her mind brought forth the images of being offered entry into the house but Elysia did not remember if she had epted it or not.

    "Is your head spinning? Don''t worry because it happens in this forest. It is a little weird but I have gotten used to it. Here, drink this to clear your head."

    Elysia took the cup she was offered but she did not drink from it until Rahan did.

    Since the tea had been poured from the same source, they both must have drank the same ingredients.

    Elysia''s headache felt much better after she drank the tea and even her hearing cleared up. She had not realized that she had been feeling this bad before but now she was in the clear again.

    "Man, it is no sense to havepany in this house again. I have been living here alone for a few years now without any visitors. I was going mad with boredom before you arrived. Ah, I am Rahan by the way. Nice to meet you"

    Elysia jolted in surprise at hearing Rahan answer her answered question. But Elysia did not believe when Rahan said that he was alone in this house.

    She had seen that mysterious figure entering the home but she doubted that it had been Rahan. Rahan''s frame was a little wider than she remembered her figure''s being.

    "You have lived here alone for a few years? But you look to be in your young twenties. Where are your parents?"

    Elysia''s question caused the man to go quiet all of a sudden. It was enough for Elysia to take the clue that he was an orphan.

    A better person might have apologized and tried to change the topic but Elysia did not do that. She just kept quiet and the man in front of her also did not question her any further.

    That awkward silencested for a few minutes before Elysia snapped out of her daze and decided to break the awkward silence.

    "A-Anyway, I have a few questions for you. As you know, there had been a few monster attacks that happened in this area recently. Did you see anyone or anything suspicious regarding those attacks?"

    Elysia decided to rip the bandage off and ask the question outright. The more she tried to beat around the bush, the more difficult it would get to ask these questions in the end.

    "Anyone or anything suspicious? I don''t think I saw something like that around here. The forest has been quieter than usual these past few days."

    Rahan''s words did not make much sense when looked into context. There was no doubt that these parts of the forest had been the center of attack for the past few days. And yet, Rahan said that nothing was wrong.

    That implied that he was lying or trying to hide something.

    "Elysia Dirac, you should not be so curious about things that don''t involve you. Now you leave me with no other choice but to make you forget."

    Rahan sounded almost sad as he spoke but it was all for show.

 Chapter 158 158: The Grand Escape? [Pt1]

    "There are so many monstersing after us. Where are all these monstersing from?"

    Adam had snapped the neck of a lot of monsters with her bare hands. She had no other choice since magic did not work on these monsters mixed with holy beasts.

    It was a pain in the neck, but it came down to how much endurance she had to die with these monsters. Why was there no end to the monsters?

    "There must be a base nearby where these things are spawning. Their reproduction rate is not this high normally. Should we try to find where their concentration point is?"

    Eve asked as he wed through the chest of another monster nearby. At this rate, the forest floor would be full of the bodies of these unfortunate monsters.

    She was concerned about the safety of all the vigers nearby the forest. There were too many settlements that were in the hazard zone just outside of the forest.

    "Adam, take care of the monsters fleeing away. Hey, Adam? Where are you going?"

    Eve called the crown prince who had his attention turned toward the side. His eyes were wide and he suddenly broke off into a run.

    Adam was all but a blur of white at the moment, his hair making it difficult for anyone to pinpoint where exactly he was. Eve was confused by his abrupt dispatch but she quickly realized that it was only Elysia that could make Adam behave this way.

    ''Fuck it. Lord Dirac and the other royal knights can take care of the vigers. I need to follow after Adam and find Elysia right now. She must havended herself in trouble.''

    For what it was worth, Eve did weigh the lives of everyone that would be in danger against Elysia but she could still not convenience herself to leave Elysia be.

    ''I guess I must not be as good as a person I believe myself to be. I cannot even let my one special person die for the sake of many others.''

    Having made her decision, Eve decided to follow Adam. She only took care of the few monsters that were in her way and no other ones. She was going to prioritize speed over efficiency.

    When she finally caught up to Adam, he was looking at a small house standing in the middle of the forest. It was the only man-made structure in the vicinity and it was odd to see something like that in the middle of the forest.

    "Something is wrong with that house. I cannot sense anything inside that ce but there is a sweet smell that is irritating my senses and making me want to rampage. This is also the ce where Elysia''s smell disappeared."

    Eve looked at the house as well, and even she had a feeling that Elysia was in there. It was this feeling that convinced Eve that it was the right decision to follow after Adam.

    ______________________

    Rahan made his words sound sad but he was anything but sad inside. Elysia felt weirded out by the attention of this man.

    There was something evil about Rahan that made Elysia stand on the edge. She took a step back as Rahan took on ahead.

    "Why are you stepping back from me? I am not that scary, am I?"

    Rahan asked but Elysia''s attention was on her surroundings. The sweet smell she had smelled before was back and it was making Elysia''s head spin.

    She had not realized it before but there was something wrong with that incense smell in the air. It was some kind of stimting agent that made a person lose their mind.

    There might be more to this incense than met the eye but Elysia was in no position to make any ims about it.

    "Don''t think you can run away from me. This door cannot open from the inside unless I will it."

    The door was closed behind Elysia''s back and she tried to open it discreetly. But the door must have been locked with some kind of magic because it did not even bulge under Elysia''s hand.

    She quickly picked up the vase that was lying innocently at the table at the entry and threw it at Rahan. His wide eyes said that he had not expected this sneak attack and he raised his hand to protect his eyes.

    Elysia knew that it was her time to shine. She quickly closed the distance between herself and Rahan, punching him in the stomach.

    "Fuck you. Just because I cannot touch you�C"

    Rahan snapped and it made Elysia curious about why that was. No one she knew would do something like this. (Atst, she did not think so.)

    So just who was the one that asked Rahan not to touch Elysia?<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "ELYSIA, ARE YOU IN THERE?"

    Adam''s voice rang through the forest and reached Elysia as well. She could not feel Adam but now she knew that he was on the other side of the door.

    Rahan''s confidence seemed shattered as soon as he realized that someone was outside the door. Just because the door could not be opened from the inside did not mean that it could not be opened from the outside.

    "Adam, open the door right now. I cannot open it from the inside."

    Elysia replied, keeping her eyes on the man on the floor. Rahan was still a danger to her until he was detained.

    For a minute Elysia was sure that Adam had not heard her at all. There was no moment from outside the door and no noise as well.

    Elysia was about to speak up again when the door was kicked down and her partners stood in front of her on the other side of the door.

    "Don''te in. The door will close behind you-"

    Elysia did not finish before both Adam and Eve stepped inside the house as well. The door closed behind them with a snap and now they were all trapped inside.

    Rahan snickered as soon as he realized that he did not have to do anything to achieve his goal. This was a prime opportunity for him to get the Crown Prince and the Saintess under control.

    "It''s excellent. I could be forbidden to touch Elysia Dirac but the boss never said anything about the Crown Prince and the Saintess. I wonder how long you both will be able tost."

    Rahan''s voice had taken a more sinister tone. Elysia was sure that his eyes did not have that half-crazed look to them a few minutes ago.

    "Ugh, another crazy one. How do you keep on finding these people, Elysia?"

    Eve sounded tired instead of worried. She seemed used to this by now and she even cracked her knuckles to work the kinks out of them. The motion caused her muscr arms to flex and show mass that no Saintess should have.

    Elysia tried hard not to swoon at Eve''s show but it was hard. She was so in love so it was a wonder how she had not realized this before.

    "Anyway, we don''t need to detain you, just wait long enough for Lord Dirac to find us. Once he realized that all of us have gone missing, it would be only about time before he arrives for us."

    Eve sounded confident with her n but Adam had other ns for their party. He opened his ws and attacked Rahan before he could make any attack.

    His ws missed the mark by a few inches but he was not disheartened. It was a sh where one continued to evade and the other continued to attack.

    "Let''s help Adam out. There is not a lot of space in here and Adam may end up hurting himself."

    Elysia threw her dagger where Rahan was supposed to be but he was able to evade it as well.

    He was one slippery bastard who was managing to give Elysia the slip. But he was beginning to realize that he had a problem now and that he could not possibly win in close-quartersbat.

    "Shit looks like I will have to pull my trump card out now. I wanted to stay here and chat with you more, Lady Elysia but I need to preserve my life more."

    Elysia realized what Rahan wanted to do just as he reached the door. He opened it and pped it back shut on Adam''s face, sessfully managing to make his escape.

    It left the trio trapped inside the house without a way to follow out.

    "Elysia, give me space. I will knock this door down even if it takes all my strength to do so."

    Eve sounded determined as she stared the door down. Elysia was almost afraid to be standing in her way so she stepped down.

    But even Elysia doubted that Eve would be able to knock the door down with her strength. The magic cast on the door was too strong to the point where Adam had been unable to affect it.

    Eve''s fist made contact with the door as it rattled.

 Chapter 159 159: The Grand Escape? [Pt2]

    Rahan sighed in relief as soon as he managed to step out of the house. The closed door behind his back will only open if he allowed it to open or if someone else opened it from outside.

    And Rahan was confident that no one will be able to find this house this deep in the forest for a good while longer.

    It was a coincidence that Elysia had managed to find her way here. As for Adam and Eve, they had likely followed Elysia here. But that did not mean that someone else will being.

    "Still, I should take precautions and hide this ce behind a spell. There is no use in inviting trouble this close to the start of our n''s main phase."

    Rahan opened his hand and started chanting the spell when he felt a sting on his neck. There was a sword that was resting on Rahan''s neck that he did not recognize.

    The sting caused by that sharp and cool de on Rahan''s neck caused him to freeze up and stop his chanting.

    "Care to exin your ''n'' to me? I am interested to know more about who you are and how you managed to ess this forbidden area."

    Lucas Dirac''s cold voice reached Rahan''s ear and he cursed in his mind.

    It had been a possibility to run into Lucas Dirac but Rahan had not expected it to happen this soon. If possible, Rahan wanted to be out of the way before any reinforcements arrived.

    "If I said that this is an ident that I ended up here, would you believe me?"

    Rahan tried to lie, knowing fully well that it would not happen. Lucas Dirac was not a person you could talk into submission.

    And Lucas Dirac seemed to not be in the mood for any excuse Rahan had prepared to speak. His sword moved through the air at the speed of light and managed to nick Rahan in the arm.

    "So, where is my sister? You might get a painless death if you tell me where she is."

    Lucas Dirac looked like a demon right now. His blue eyes were shining with a vengeful light which made him look otherworldly.

    Rahan knew that he had no chance of winning from him. Especially since his boss would kill him if he engaged with Lucas Dirac in such an open manner.

    "Your sister is Elysia Dirac, right? Lovelydy but I don''t know where she is. I never met her so��whoooaaahhh. Be careful where you are aiming your spell."

    Rahan watched as the fireball wasunched in his direction and he twisted his body to get out of the way.

    The fireball caught the bush behind Rahan but it did not burn the bush. Instead, it caused the bush to disappear in a sh of light. In a matter of seconds, the bush had been reduced to nothing, not even leaving ashed behind.

    "So, will you speak now or will you die by my hands?"

    Lucas Dirac had a second fireball ready in his hand and he held it out toward Rahan. There was no way to get out of this without dying.

    ''Shit, now I have no other choice but to use the incense. I just need a minute to escape.''

    Lucas Dirac was too close now and Rahan opened the bottle of incense he had on him at all times.

    He should have allowed the scent to work its way through but he ended up throwing the incense toward Lucas in his fright. Lucas Dirac managed to cut the incense into two but the intensely sweet smell caused him to step back.

    Rahan watched as the monsters started heading their way. Their footsteps caused the ground to shake and Lucas Dirac turned his attention toward that noise.

    ''Now is my time.''

    Rahan rushed past the monsters, using their bodies to block the attack happening to him. The monsters were proving to be a good distraction for him.

    ''I am free. I am finally free and-''

    "Where do you think you are going? Didn''t Lucas ask you to stay behind? And I want you to stay behind as well since I have a lot of questions for you as well."

    It was Sorias, lord of the enchanted forest who blocked Rahan''s way. His footnded on Rahan''s back and the sudden momentum caused Rahan to fall face-first.

    He looked up to see a child staring back at him with wide eyes. The face that child had was unfamiliar but it seemed like the kid recognized him.

    "Y-You are Rahan. How are you alive? You were supposed to have died in that fire long ago."

    It took a good while for Rahan to realize what the kid meant but as soon as he did, his nervous expression turned into anger and he lunged toward the kid.

    "How do you know about it? Were you involved in it? Tell me who caused that fire and-"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The kid took a step back. He seemed surprised to see Rahan''s anger and the child was surprised for real. The fear on his face snapped Rahan back before the pressure on his back did.

    "You need to rest now since you are getting a little too emotional. Why don''t you take a nap to cool yourself down?"

    Rahan was conscious one moment and unconscious the next. Above him, Sorias watched Rahan with sharp eyes, making sure that he did not cause any more trouble.

    ___________________

    The door shook as Eve tried to force it open but it did not open. It was going to take more than brute force to open it right now.

    "Fuck this door. Is it not going to open?"

    Eveined, her temper getting a hold of her now. She felt a little ustrophobic because she was stuck inside a ce she did not want to be.

    She turned toward Adam to vent her anger but he seemed perfectlyposed and even a little happy.

    And he had all the right to be happy as well since was warped around Elysia''s body in a tight hug.

    "Adam, are you not going to help me? Elysia, say something to him to make him cooperate."

    Eve turned toward Elysia next, her irritation taking over her mind momentarily. Only after seeing Elysia''s annoyed expression calmed Eve down.

    "I wish I could help you out but I don''t think Adam is going to listen to me right now. He is a little��..preupied right now."

    Adam''s expression looked like he was drunk right now. He was leaning on Elysia, his full body weight pressing Elysia down.

    It was only her willpower and her magic that were keeping her up. But her expression was twisted in an ufortable expression and Eve could see why.

    Adam''s hands were not ideal on Elysia''s body. They were squeezing Elysia''s breasts slowly over her clothes. And Adam''s face was also pressed against Elysia''s neck, inhaling her scent.

    "Elysia, want a little help? Adam looks drunk right now."

    "I guess the license''s smell got to him as well. I don''t know what was mixed in that incense but it must be extremely strong."

    Elysia pressed her hand against Adam''s chest to push him away but he just brute-force through her attempt to be let go.

    Eve smacked her hand on the door and it opened as soon as she touched it. Eve fell through that open door, her expression twisted into one full of surprise.

    She had not expected the door to open like this and this change in momentum caused Eve to fall face first and almost break her nose.

    "Eve, are you alright? What are you doing on the floor?"

    Sara asked in a surprised voice. Her appearance was unexpected but not unweed. She was their savior, the one who would let them out of this unexpected mess they had found themselves in.

    "So, it''s a long story but that can wait. We need a way to knock Adam out before the soldiers see him. Adam has a reputation to carry after all."

    Elysia could see that Sara had something to say to her regarding this. Her expression seemed troubled but she also seemed to be trying to hold back herughter at the same time.

    It was Eve who finally stood up and coughed to gather everyone''s attention.

    "Who cares about reputation at this point? We will have to knock Adam out any way to make him let go of Elysia. Allow me this honor."

    Eve walked toward the pair who were warped around each other. Adam growled as soon as he saw Eve approach him and Elysia but he did not attack.

    But his eyes did not stray away from Eve either as he watched her for the iing attack. He would likely attack back as soon as he sensed hostility from her.

    "Adam, you are a blockhead but I am so d that you do not seem to have your intelligence right now. It would make this easier for me."

    "No, Eve stop. Wait a moment-"

    Eve chanted the spell and Adam fell asleep right on top of Elysia''s body.

 Chapter 160 160: Words That Cannot Be Taken Back

    "What should we do with the emperor now? I don''t think we can touch him without permission."

    "Are you kidding me? I am not going anywhere near the Crown Prince with the Saintess ring daggers at me like that. It is like asking for a death warning."

    The maids gossiped among themselves, not even one of them brave enough to try and approach the emperor. All their fantasies of meeting the emperor and making a good impression were being ruined right now.

    Every time they came even close to operating the Crown Prince from the person in his arms, he growled loudly, startling everyone else. And every time that happened, Saintess, I''ve looked more and more disappointed.

    As for the Lady that the emperor was holding on to, everyone knew who she was. Elysia Dirac, the former Crown Princess and also the person who had tried seducing the Emperor when he was younger.

    She was currently looking at everything that was happening with an embarrassed expression that did not suit her face.

    There were a lot of rumors about her behavior and they looked to be quite a true right about now. The maids were from the Imperial pce and they knew how cold their new emperor was.

    So they were sure that Lady Elysia must have pulled some kind of trick to make the Emperor behave like this with her. It must be some kind of magic that was making him stick this close to Lady Elysia.

    "B-But what should we do now? How should we separate the Emperor and Lady Elysia? I don''t think I can take the pressure for much longer."

    One maid almost broke down at that point. They could not handle Saintess Even''s ring eyes looking at her with a cold expression.

    It was too much pressure for someone young like her. She felt like she would die if she approached the emperor and she would also die if she did not. There was no safe route to take here.

    "Y-You knows, we can just leave Adam be. I will be alright and-"

    "Oh, for God''s sake. Everyone, step aside. I will handle Adam myself since you are all cowards."

    Even decided that she had enough of this and needed to take action on her own. These maids were going to be of no help to her in operating Adam from Elysia.

    Adam growled as he watched Evee near him. He might have been unconscious right now but he was still aware of all the people around him.

    "That''s it. You are letting Elysia go right now and then you are letting me treat you. I can''t believe you got drugged this hard."

    Eveined as she dodged the wing for her. Adam had finally decided to make his move but he was rather clumsy because of the bundle in his arms.

    Eve easily evaded his reaching arms and punched his nerve. She had not done this outside just in case something went wrong and Adam somehow ended up getting triggered.

    But it worked and Adam''s arm went limp. Elysia''s sigh of relief was audible, even if she said that she had not wanted to do anything with her situation.

    Adam seemed angry but Eve easily made him go lump with her magic. It was safe to do so and Eve was not above hurting Adam for her gain.

    "Stop sounding so pathetic. I am doing this for your good."

    The emperor''s body sagged on the bed as his senses finally calmed down. Eve''s magic had knocked him unconscious and he had not even realized it.

    "And now, you. What do you think you are doing just letting Adam walk all over you? Are you that fragile that you cannot even push him off your body when you feel ufortable?"

    Eve sounded stressed. The day had been long and a lot had happened. But the thing she was most worried about was that Elysia had put herself in danger again. And this time, it could have been prevented.

    Every time Eve took her eyes off Elysia, the ck-haired girl always ended up in trouble. It was like a curse at this point.

    "Eve, I know you are worried and I am sorry. But wasn''t this a sessful outing? We managed to capture an important clue to this case and-"

    "That is beside the point here. The point is, why did you have to put yourself in danger for us to get a lead? Do you know how it makes me feel every time I get to know that you are out there, in danger? It makes me wonder why I even love you sometimes. It feels like a full-time job and�C"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Eve suddenly broke off her rant, realizing that she might have spoken a little too much. Even the maids had gone silent once Eve had started venting.

    She quickly looked toward Elysia to know how she had taken this news. It did not look like Elysia had taken Eve''s words to heart but her eyes looked hurt.

    "Listen, I did not mean to say all that-"

    "It''s alright. I know you did not mean to say all that much to me, Eve. Sometimes, people go overboard when they are venting so I am not angry or disappointed with your words. You do not have to worry that much."

    Elysia waved the talk off but her hurt could still be felt. Adam even snuggled against Elysia''s side in an attempt tofort her.

    Eve wanted to clear this misunderstanding as soon as possible but she did not get a chance. Just when she had gathered enough willpower to open her mouth, the door of the room was snapped open by Sorias.

    "We captured the man that was behind the forest attack. His name is Rahan and we are holding him captive right now. If you want to question him then you should speak up now."

    Having lost her opportunity to clear the air, Eve backed down for now. As much as she wanted to put this incident past her, she also knew that giving Elysia time toe to terms with what happened was a good idea.

    Besides, Eve also wanted to take some time to understand her feelings and calm down. All her emotions had erupted all of a sudden even when she had not wanted them to.

    "Did Ie at a bad time? I saw the maids outside the room but I did not pay much attention to it. Should Ie backter?"

    Even Sorias had felt the awkward air that was filling the room and he was worried about what it could mean for the couple. But it was something they needed to work out on their own.

    He was not concerned about anything else other than his partner, Elysia and as long as she was alright he would not interfere.

    "You caught Rahan? Then, can Ie along with you to meet him? I have a lot I need to ask him regarding what happened."

    Elysia sounded interested in meeting that man in the hut but Eve had a bad feeling about it.

    Something had happened between Elysia and this ''Rahan'' man when they had been alone in the house. And the feeling of not knowing what Elysia was thinking was a bad one for Eve.

    Still, she felt like she could not say anything right now. She was already in deep waters with Elysia with her earlier words.

    And asking Elysia to reconsider her decision would only serve to alienate her even more.

    "What about you, human girl? Will you being with us as well?"

    Eve flinched as soon as she heard the word Sorias had addressed her with. It had been a long time since he had called her by that name. She was so sure that she had managed to gain Sorias''s respect but it seemed like he was rethinking his decision.

    "Eve does not need to-"

    "If you don''t mind, I would like toe with you. Someone else can keep an eye on Adam for now but I am sure he will not wake up for some time for now."

    After all, Eve had knocked him down hard and it would be impossible for Adam to wake up anytime before the night.

    Leaving his aid behind would not be a bad idea. Adam''s aid had been with him ever since he was a child and the aid was also the one who knew Adam the best.

    "If you are sure then hurry up and send the message. I don''t think Lucas is going to wait around for you before he will start to break that prisoner down. If you want to talk with the prisoner then you should do it before Lucas starts on him."

    Elysia looked determined to go now and whatever confidence Eve had in persuading the conversation fell away atst. She just fell in step behind Elysia as soon as the Emperor''s aid stepped inside the room.

 Chapter 161 161: The Prisoner Escaped? [Pt1]

    Eve looked quite torn after she had spoken those harsh words and Elysia tried not to take them to heart.

    Sometimes, a person spoke too much in their passion and ended up hurting those close to them. Eve was just going through that time so Elysia could not hold this against her. Even if it hurt Elysia, she could not stay angry at Eve.

    For what it was worth, Eve was trying hard to apologize but the time was not right for a conversation.

    "The prisoner is being held in there. You can still back out if you do not feel like going in and-"

    "No, I want to talk with Rahan. I have a lot I have to ask him right now."

    Elysia not only needed to ask Rahan about what that incense was, but she also needed to ask about the other person he had hidden in his home.

    Rahan might have denied the existence of another person in his n but Elysia was more than sure that there was another person in there.

    The door of the prison made a loud noise as it opened into the inner dark corridor. Most people would have felt freaked out by walking into such a dark and gloomy ce but Elysia almost felt at home while she walked into the prison.

    "Wow, quite a nice ce you''ve got in the Dirac estate. When was this ce built?"

    Eve tried to lighten the mood since she was the only one feeling awkward. She had never needed toe to such a ce before and the temple had also made sure that the Saintess kept away from ces.

    It was Eve''s first time in such a ce.

    "Prisons like these exist everywhere in the empire. Even the temple has two or more such prisons hidden on its property. This is nothing new to see."

    "I see. I never knew that this was the case."

    Eve sounded like she was having a hard time believing Sorias. But Elysia knew all about the temple''s prisons.

    After all, Elysia had spent a lot of time navigating through those prisons when she had been training. She would walk in and out of that maze-like formation with her eyes closed.

    ''Not that it matters much with eye-sight like mine. The world looks hazy all the time to me.''

    The darkness was no barrier for Elysia as she expertly avoided all the traps that wereid out in this prison. Eve, on the other hand, had to be helped so that she did not trigger any trap.

    The room where Rahan was being kept was considerably nicer than the ones in its vicinity. But it was not much to look at either.

    However, it was sanitary and would not cause Rahan''s wounds to fester with infection too quickly.

    "You? They allowed you toe here even after all that happened? What is wrong with these people?"

    Rahan looked startled to see Elysia. He looked toward Lucas and then back at her.

    Elysia had not even noticed her brother since he had been hiding in the shadows. Her eyes could not pick up her brother''s body inside the room.

    "Elysia, so you did decide toe here after all. Did you have anything to ask our prisoner before we execute him?"

    "Oi, you are not serious, right? You cannot kill me because I have a lot of important information, right?"

    Rahan looked to be panicking as soon as he realized that Lucas was not joking around but he was 100% serious about his im.

    "You cannot let him kill me. Don''t you want to know more about what I know? A-And, don''t you want to know what happened when you arrived at the house?"

    Rahan changed his target as soon as he realized that he would not be able to sway Lucas Dirac''s opinion.

    Seeing how Lucas behaved, the only one who would be able to change his mind was Elysia Dirac. So the best way to stay alive was to appeal to Elysia Dirac.

    ''Darn my boss and his orders to not touch Elysia and Lucas Dirac. If not for that order, then I would have been able to escape long before now.''

    Rahan knew he had enough magic to escape this ce. He might be in anti-magic cuffs but he still had his secret weapon - the artifact that had an external magic source.

    That artifact would be able to blow up the room and all the guards in the vicinity. But it might end up hurting Elysia Dirac and Lucas Dirac as well.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "You sure know how to attract my curiosity but not sate it. You are ying a dangerous game right now and I don''t like it."

    That day, Rahan got to know another fact about the Dirac family. Elysia Dirac might look innocent and cute but she could be terrifying when she needed to be.

    Her eyes looked dead when she stared Rahan down and he gulped down his saliva in nervousness.

    "Rahan, are you not going to give me the answers I want? I am warning you that I won''t be gentle if you do not cooperate with me."

    Rahan suddenly realized that he might have made a mistake by thinking of Elysia as an easy target. She was soft most of the time and nothing about her looked intimidating at first.

    "Rahan��"

    ''Who said that Elysia Dirac looked harmless? If looks could kill then I would be 100 feet under right now.''

    "Y-Yes?"

    "Give me the name of the man who entered your house before me. And don''t you dare say that there was no one in your house except you. I know what I say so you better spill."

    Rahan was forced into submission. Not only was Elysia Dirac expecting an answer, but so was Lucas Dirac. It was either do or die for him now.

    ''Boss, what kind of situation did you get me stuck in? You better think of a way to get me out of here before I will need to spill everything out.''

    Rahan opened and closed his mouth, his mind fighting itself in a debate. He was not sure how to proceed with this situation.

    "You see, it''s a funny thing that happened, and��get down right now."

    Elysia looked behind to see the wall exploding. The debris was about to catch her but Rahan managed to shield her body.

    Meanwhile, everyone else had snapped into motion as well. As soon as the explosion had sounded, they started to move around and ambush the one who had done that.

    Rahan spotted the small red right in the smoke that signaled that his rescue was here. He had been saved and at the right time.

    "Sorry sweetheart, but I need to get going now. Hope you have a pleasant day. And also, take my warning to heart. Do not interfere in what is going to happen and don''t be a part of this world''s n."

    With his warning issued, Rahan ran toward the exit. The smoke bomb that Rahan''s rescuer had thrown in managed to hide his moments until Rahan was out of the fire zone.

    "Ya, I heard that you managed to get yourself caught. Did you have fun while behind held captive in the prison?"

    Rahan''s rescuer asked as soon as he spotted Rahan. His rescuer''s wild brown hair was blowing everywhere right now andbined with his green eyes, it was a rather striking look for him.

    This guy was someone who ended up attracting attention no matter where he went. And Rahan knew for sure that his side had made a mistake sending this attention whore as his rescuer.

    "Just my luck. Why did it have to be you out of everyone who came after me? Never mind, let''s leave right now or we would be seen."

    Rahan tried to get the wild man out of the public eye before he could be spotted by Lucas or any other troublesome entity. He even tried to convey his urgency by pushing his rescuer''s back to hurry him up.

    But this stupid attention whore seemed to not get Rahan''s message. Instead of leaving the prison grounds, he started walking back toward the backroom.

    "Hey, what are you doing? Hurry up and walk toward the exit."

    Rahan yelled, but the wild man onlyughed his advice off with an impish smile.

    "No way. Do you know how rare it is for our side toe in contact with any of these people? I so want to see what kind of beauty Elysia Dirac is for our boss to protect her like this. He was not even this considerate for the Saintess and-"

    This buffoon had the wrong idea about their leader and his rtionship with Elysia Dirac. But Rahan was not going to spend his time correcting that misunderstanding.

    What he could do was drag his rescuer after him and ensure that no one saw this wild man. There will be too much damage control to do once they were back in the base.

 Chapter 162 162: The Prisoner Escaped? [Pt2]

    While the interrogation was happening inside the Dirac prison, something else was happening outside. A man with wild hair walked up to the jail slowly. He was visible from every angle of the building.

    "Hey wait. Who are you and what are you-?"

    Before the guard could finish asking questions, the wild-haired man threw his hand up and the prison wall exploded. All the guards could do was look at the wild man in wonder as that happened.

    The wild man did not stop to see what was happening behind him. He knew his destination and hurriedly crossed the threshold.

    "You! Come back here now."

    The guard yelled but the wild man did not listen to him. He just ducked his head so that no one could see his face and went to rescue his partner who had been imprisoned by the Diracs.

    "I will apologize to the bosster. Right now, reducing Rahan is the priority."

    And since that was the case, the wild man knew he was in the right and even the boss would see things his way.

    //////////////////////////////////////////////

    That had been the past and the wild-haired man felt foolish to think that his hard work would be appreciated. Instead of falling onto his knees and professing his admiration, Rahan was just bitching back at him.

    "What the hell man? Rahan, I just saved you. Can you at least pretend like you will let me do what I want to?"

    "Boras, I will let you do what you want when I am sure that you will not cause us any damage. But knowing your temper, it will not be possible for you."

    The wild man, now known as Boras, looked disappointed at Rahan''s words. Even if he knew what Rahan had said was the truth, he did not want to ept that.

    "When did I ever-"

    "Always. Boras, you always cause trouble. And can you not do anything about this wild hair of yours? They are too showy."

    Rahan sounded annoyed and Boras was offended. Rahan did not know how much trouble and money Boras put into his hair every month. His hair was worth thousands of dors, alright.

    Boras was not going to take this insult lying down. He would dish back as good as he got��

    ..or that had been the n before a sword came flying at him. It nicked his perfect hair and caused a small amount of them to fall.

    "What the hell man? Do you know how much I spent to get them perfect like this? Now, how will youpensate me for it?"

    Boras bitched as he clutched his precious hair. Behind him Rahan had snapped into alert mode, ready to run away at any time. He had finally used his magic tool to unlock his cuffs and lightly rested his hand on Boras''s shoulder.

    Lucas Dirac stood on the other side of the smoke, his words held at ready and pointed toward Boras''s neck. A single wrong move would kill Boras.

    "Oh, I don''t know how I will be able topensate you, my dear sir. But I am sure I will find a way if you left me with a name and address to reach you."

    Rahan could hear how pissed off Lucas Dirac was. And it was for obvious reasons as well since his prisoners were trying to escape.

    Boras was either too dense to realize the mood Lucas Dirac was in, or he did not care about his life. Rahan was getting scared just looking at Lucas Dirac''s face.

    "You willpensate me? Then, write my address and-"

    "Boras, stop talking right now. You willnd us into trouble."

    Rahan yelled as he squeezed Boras''s shoulder. Lucas Dirac realized what was going to happen the second Rahan decided to use his magic.

    The sword phased through Boras''s stomach as he disappeared. The pair had been saved in the nick of the time.

    As soon as Rahan''s feet touched the ground, Rahan''s body sagged in relief. He had managed to stay alive and get out of the Dirac prison.

    "What the hell man? Why did you want to do that to me? I was about to strike it rich as well."

    It was official now. Boras was an idiot who did not know what kind of trouble he wasnding himself into. He should be grateful that Rahan was able to save his ass.

    Boras''s words were making Rahan irritated so he ended up smacking him upside the head.

    "Stop trying to fool around. Do you know how much trouble we both are in now? Lucas Dirac knows our faces and he will not let us go easily now. We will need to get someone else to run our errands."

    Their side was suddenly low on the manpower department when it came to operating outside.

    "You better pray that the boss doesn''t cut us a new us a new one for this."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    Lucas Dirac looked on in annoyance as he lost his targets. He had not expected the prisoners to get away from them like this.

    ''How annoying. I will not let these annoyances escape my grasp.''

    Lucas Dirac was like a dog with

    his opponents pulled tricks like this on him but he was notining.

    It would only serve to make the hunt even more pleasurable for him in the long run. And it was not like these criminals could escape his grasp. Lucas would not allow that to happen on his watch.

    "Lucas, did you get them? Do we have a new suspect with us for questioning?"

    Lucas debated going after the prisoners but he decided to wait in the end. There was no need to go forward with this, even if some of his people were excited to get revenge.

    Sorias sounded excited so Lucas was a little sorry for dashing his hopes like that. But he had to prioritize looking after his people for now.

    "They managed to escape us. How is Elysia looking right now? She was coughing thest I saw of her."

    Lucas looked toward his sister who was bowed due to her sudden cough. All the dust that was flying around had not agreed with her construction.

    "Elysia is still coughing. The smoke got into her lungs but Eve is helping her out for now. The soldiers are waiting for your order before going after the escapes."

    Lucasnded softly, his feet not making any noise. Behind Sorias, his soldier stood in line with nervous expressions. They looked quite anxious to see Lucas standing in front of them with a closed-off expression.

    Somehow, all of them knew that they had made a mistake and Lucas Dirac was pissed off. They could potentially lose their lives right now.

    "Can you all tell me how an armed person engaged to walk into the Dirac Estate and none of you stopped him? Did you forget all that I taught you?"

    Everyone shuddered as soon as they heard Lucas Dirac''s cold voice. He sounded not only pissed but disappointed as well. All the people gathered here were going to die by his hand.

    Of course, they could make excuses for their actions but Lucas Dirac was not going to ept that so easily. He was a ruthless king of his estate for a reason and one should not think that his sister had softened him.

    "You all have one week to find those escaped prisoners for me. Both of them. One week. Did you understand me?"

    The soldiers nodded as they quickly ran away with their tails tucked away beneath their bodies. They knew that their boss had not made an ideal threat against them.

    "Oh, God. We are all going to die soon."

    All the guards watched that brave soldier dig his grave by speaking. He looked too young to know what not to say in front of Lucas Dirac.

    Lucas Dirac only grinned as soon as heard those words and the guards knew that he had not only heard those soft-spoken words but had also taken them to heart.

    "You all should hurry up. Time is something you arecking after all. I am not sure how long I will be able to hold my temper in."

    The soldiers scattered as soon as Lucas Dirac finished speaking. They were terrified of his presence and he knew that.

    Truthfully, Lucas had little faith in his soldiers being able to find the prisoners. They were not only an expert in their art but also capable of holding great magic.

    Lucas will have to go after himself.

    "Eve, how is Elysia doing?"

    Lucas finally came back to his group to check up on Elysia. Her cough had not gotten better at all and it seemed like she was having trouble breathing as well.

    "I''m alright-"

    "Don''t speak. Whatever was in that smoke is affecting you worse than any of us. Conserve your breath for now and don''t speak."

    Elysia has a sour look on her face after Eve''s verdict. She looked stressed and it was not good for her.

    As for Lucas? His coughing fit could not havee at a worse time. His chest burned with his coughing and his hand was strained red when he pulled back.

    He looked up to see Elysia''s horrified expression and he knew that he could not hide his condition any longer

 Chapter 163 163: Is The End In Sight?

    ''You know, bad luckes in a bundle. So when you start getting unlucky, get ready for a rough time ahead.''

    This was something Lexus has said a little time in Elysia''s training. She had heard it a few other times when she had been in the other world as well. And somehow, the saying had stuck in her mind.

    Elysia could not help but feel like the saying had turned true for her because she kept thinking about it all the time. Otherwise, how could you exin all this bad luck she was facing?

    "Lucas, you are bleeding. W-We need to *cough* go call a doctor as soon as possible *cough* Even, can you handle him? Can you heal him? *cough*"

    Elysia was still coughing and her chest was making a whistling noise. It hurt badly to be even speaking right now but Elysia pushed through the pain.

    Right now, she needed to take care of Lucas.

    "I don''t need a doctor since they won''t be able to do anything for me. I will recover quickly once I rest a little so you don''t need to worry."

    Lucas was looking to the side as he said that. It was a face he made he was lying and Elysia instantly knew that he was not alright.

    And because Lucas had lied about being injured, the chances of him being gravely injured were high. Maybe whatever Lucas was suffering from could not be cured. It was likely a curse in that case.

    "Fine, we can talk about it once we are alone. Now is not a ce to talk about this topic."

    Elysia did not want to back down because she knew that her brother would find a way to get out of this conversation with her if Elysia allowed him time.

    That was why she neither agreed with him nor denied him when he asked for some time. Finally, it was Eve who decided that she had enough of this small fight between siblings and pushed them both together.

    "Look, you both need to clear the air out so I will help you out. The side room is avable so have a nice talk."

    Lucas opened his mouth to protest and Elysia took that time to get hold of his hand and pull him after her. Eve stopped anyone else from following the sibling pair so that they could have privacy.

    Her brother looked ready to run away from her but Elysia did not allow him to take a single step outside the door. There was a time in her life when Elysia would not have dared to go against her brother like this but she had changed from back then.

    She was stronger and she could take the truth when it was being told to her.

    And Lucas realized that about her as well because he sighed and allowed Elysia to hold him captive.

    "The truth will be difficult to listen to. Ignorance will be bliss for you."

    "I can take the truth. Even if it is not something I like, I need to hear it. Only then can I even hope to find a solution to your problem."

    Lucas was adamant about not revealing what was wrong with him. He tried everything he could to divert Elysia''s attention but she was not going to sit back and let him.

    Not when she knew that Lucas was ill and his life was in danger. Elysia loved her brother enough to look for a cure.

    When Lucas avoided her eyes for the third time in a row, Elysia decided to confirm him.

    "It''s a curse, right? Is it something you received while trying to protect me? Is that why you are not telling me anything."

    One had to give Lucas Dirac credit for not moving an inch when he was used openly like that. He was brave and stood still as he heard Elysia''s words.

    But it was the little actions that gave him away. The tensing of his jaw as well as the lines over his eyes, everything was making Lucas look overly suspicious.

    "When did you get this curse? When you saved me the first time? The second one? Or when you were looking for me across dimensions? Which time was it?"

    Elysia knew that she was being too forceful with Lucas but her brother would not spill anything if she was not firm.

    Besides, Elysia could take her temper to any height if it meant that her brother got to live a happy and long life. That was all she wanted for Lucas.

    "I��.cannot tell you that. But don''t worry. The curse won''t take me away and I won''t leave you alone."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Lucas assured her, his voice strong. In any other given situation, Elysia would have believed him and let this talk go. But this was a matter of life and death for his brother.

    Besides, she did not like how lightly Lucas was taking his own life.

    "I don''t like it. You are lying to me again and I don''t like it. Do you think I will feel happy if you said all this to me? If you are in pain then you should say it out loud."

    Elysia''s voice had reached a new octave. She was so loud that even Lucas flinched. She was sure that everyone could hear her if not for the privacy spell on the door Eve had cast.

    ''Darn Lucas Dirac and his habit of hiding from me. How does he expect me to believe and rely on him when he doesn''t tell me anything important?''

    Elysia''s mind was a mess she was trying to sort out. There was a lot she wanted to say to her brother regarding this topic.

    But when she opened her mouth, she was beaten by Lucas.

    "You make me worried about you all the time Elysia. I cannot sit still when I know you are in trouble so believe me when I say that my condition is the least of my worries."

    Elysia''s words died on her tongue, never to see the light of day again.

    What could she say in front of Lucas''s words when he voiced his worries like that? Elysia knew that Lucas was not ming him but the way he had said those words had hurt all the same.

    "I��.know I am trouble but this is not about me. Since I am such a big trouble to you, they will not say anything. But you-"

    "Will be alright. I contacted Chrome and he is helping me look for a solution for my curse. That was why I wanted to go to the Akatsuki kingdom. It is for both you and myself."

    Elysia did not want to leave the empire and all the people who were dear to her but it seemed like there was no other option.

    She had a feeling that things were meant to end like this anyway. But it was still disheartening for Elysia to realize that she would have to leave everything behind.

    "You do not have toe with me if you do not want to. You can stay back here and manage things for me-"

    "I wille with you. Chrome promised to help me if I asked him for it. I will cash in on this offer now."

    Lucas looked amused at Elysia''s words and she realized that she might have said a little more than she might have wanted to say. Her words made it seem like she was close to Chrome than she was.

    "I see. You do care about me, huh? Then, we should get ready to leave the empire for a long time. We might not be able toe back before you turn 18 in the next few months so you should say your goodbyes now."

    Elysia''s heart gave a painful tug as soon as she realized that she would have to say goodbye again and so soon. It felt like yesterday when she had said herst words to Lexus and now the time was here again.

    But this time, even Elysia knew that her leave would be temporary and she would be able to talk with her loved ones whenever she wanted to.

    That thought made it much more bearable for her.

    "I am sure that Adam will throw a fit as soon as he hears that you want to go away."

    "I am sure he will as well."

    Elysiaughed with Adam as she heard him make fun of Adam. It was all lighthearted but Elysia was happy to apany her brother.

    Leaving the empire would not only serve to make Lucas feel better but it would also ensure that Elysia was nowhere nearby Adam and Eve for her 18th birthday.

    It hurt to say this, but Elysia was almost d to be going away for her birthday since it would ensure that she would live past the date.

    Suddenly, the end looked to be in sight. Elysia could finally feel like she would live past her 18th year.

 Chapter 164 164: I Dont Want To Have Regrets [Pt1]

    Elysia had a lot of regrets in her life. It would not be too much to say that her life was full of regrets until this day.

    She had lied and cheated people. Even when she was sure she had turned a new leaf, there had been times she had looked back and thought how she was not a good person.

    But despite all this, she had gotten incredibly lucky and had somehow managed to find a way out of her troubles. All she had to do was leave the empire and return once all the troubles in her life were over.

    ''Why was I never able to take this step before? What stopped me from leaving the empire?''

    That thought caused Elysia to pause in her packing. Her brain remembered the small snippets of memories she was missing.

    Actions of training in the past and the conversations she had with the Head Priests circled Elysia''s mind and she put her clothes back down.

    ''I was never aware of why I felt a sense of wrongness with whatever I did back then but now I know. What the High Priest did to me was conditioning, right? If not for the other world and seeing how they treated their students, I would have never realized that.''

    Not that Elysia minded being conditioned to be loyal to the temple. It had been something the Head Priest had thought necessary, so he had acted on his decision.

    It was the same for the academy in the other world. It was no one''s fault but the system that did not allow for any other action.

    "Are you sure you want to run away like this Elysia Dirac? Both the emperor and the Saintess will be disappointed to know that you disappeared like this."

    Elysia did not flinch when she heard Lady Emma White''s voice. She had heard the otherdy''s footsteps when she was headed this way.

    "It is alright with me and I am sure both Adam and Eve will understand my reasoning. I know I can talk with them but it would just hurt us all even more now."

    Elysia was selfish and she did not want to hurt herself. Her resolve to leave would just get weaker if either Adam or Eve asked her to stay back. Elysia was not sure how she would be able to turn away from them.

    But Elysia could also not allow her brother to leave for the Akatsuki kingdom alone. What if his health fell and he ended up dying on the way? She could not take that risk.

    "I can see why you would think that. But Lady Dirac, notmunicating what you think could lead to festering wounds. Just because both Adam and Eve don''t say much does not mean they don''t have lingering wounds due to your decision. Even if you do not tell them anything, at least you should see them onest time."

    Elysia was about to say that Emma White had no right to interfere in her rtionships when the expression on her face made Elysia pause.

    Most people might not have thought much of it but for Elysia, it was an expression full of doubt and knowledge. It was the expression of someone who was used to being left behind.

    "You know, I have been in love with your familiar for some time now and it had been some time since I confessed. But Lord Sorias doesn''t even look at me like that. Even the puppy who arrived after me got more affection than me."

    Elysia was curious about where this talk was going. It was not often that a female like Emma White spoke this openly.

    She hade a long way from that pitiful girl in Elysia''s visions and now stood in front of her as a prouddy. Even that sad expression on her face looked lovely to Elysia.

    "It hurts when Lord Sorias decides to go out for your sake without telling me. Every time that happens, I think to myself - will be evere back? Will this be thest time I see him? All those thoughts gue my mind and by the time Ie around, I realize that a long time had passed and regret fills my being."

    Even though Elysia had no experience like this in her life from what she could remember, she still felt sad hearing Emma talk like that.

    Her chest hurt just by hearing Emma White say all this about her rtionship and as much as Elysia did not want topare, she knew that it was simr to her rtionship with Adam and Eve.

    "I know I might never be ''it'' for Lord Soiras since he still sees me as a child even after all this time but it is different for you right? You love the emperor and the Saintess so you want to protect them."

    Elysia knew she should not let Emma influence her thought process. It would not only be unfair for herself but for the other two as well if she went to see them right now.

    And what would they even talk about? Going to see them right now would only make everything sadder in the end.

    "You will regret it if you did not go now."

    "Elysia, it''s time to depart. Everything is ready so you should load your luggage as well-"<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Fear gripped Elysia''s heart. She did not want to go away without saying goodbye again. She could not take another forceful leave this soon.

    "Sorry Emma, Enma, but can you finish packing for me and load my luggage? I need to take care of something right now."

    Elysia ran past the small child who hade to get her. Enma''s startled expression was struck inside Elysia''s mind as she dashed past him.

    But Enma would be alright soon. He was easily started but he was strong in heart. He would get past this in no time.

    /////////////////////////////////////

    "What was that? A typhoon?"

    Enma pushed his hand against his chest to calm his racing heart down. Whatever had passed him had done so at a blurry speed.

    All he had seen were fashes of ck and blue. That indicated that it was likely Elysia who had run past him.

    "What did you say to her to make her run away like she was being chased by the devil himself? Are you sure she is alright?"

    Enma asked as he watched Emma White with narrowed eyes. Her face had a satisfied smile which made Enma take a few steps back.

    It was never good for him when thisdy was in a good mood. Enma often became her test subject and ended up in hot waters so he wanted to stay behind this time.

    "I did nothing but help some people solve their romantic issues. It''s a pity that the only romantic life I cannot seem to help is my own."

    Enma had no words for Lady White''s words. He did not understand why romance mattered so much to the people of this time. It was not like feelings could make a marriagest forever.

    Besides, none of the people around him were normal so their longing for something as normal as ''love'' was a little tough to understand.

    "From your expression, I can see that you don''t care and also don''t understand what I am saying. I guess you are still a child after all."

    "Enough of ying around. Ugh, Elysia hardly even packed anything so what should we do now? Lucas Dirac was in a hurry to leave for some reason. He looked anxious. What should I say to him now?"

    That made Emma pause for a good minute. For Lucas Dirac to be concerned about leaving early could only mean one thing.

    The temple was getting involved in this issue and Lucas Dirac wanted to leave before they could make a move against him. But Emma''s interference might have made things a little difficult for him.

    "Ugh, I think I made a mistake. I should hurry up and hide so that I can abolish any guilt from myself."

    Emma White left the scene, leaving Enma behind. He could only look at her retreating back in shock, his small figure still surrounded by all the suitcases and dresses Elysia had never gotten around to packing.

    "Hey wait. At least help me out or tell me how I need to pack a girl''s luggage��.DARN IT, SHE''S GONE."

    Enma cringed at seeing all the things Elysia owned around being kept in different sections of the room. He needed to start from the top and pack everything.

    He picked up the dress Elysia had been meaning to get when something fell on the floor. It was a familiar-looking mirror and it was being kept in Elysia''s closet.

    "Mirror of Isis? But why does Elysia have it? Did it not go missing once Elysia was taken captive?"

    That had been the case for sure. Then why did Elysia have this mirror back?

    Or, was someone trying to frame her?

 Chapter 165 165: I Dont Want To Have Regrets [Pt2]

    "Darn it! Why is this mansion so big? How far was my from the guest quarters again?"

    Elysia was panting hard from running around. She needed to get to the room where Adam was being kept but her physical condition was not that great. The smoke had done a number on her lungs.

    And not to mention, she had never managed to fully recover from herst fever and her body was still fragile.

    So, she should not be running around like this, but Elysia could not help her case. She needed to see Adam and Eve right now.

    ''Please be there. Both of you.''

    There was no guarantee that both Adam and Eve would be in the same room right now, but Elysia felt that she would find them both there.

    And anyway, Elysia could feel Adam already so it was only a matter of Eve being there or not that bothered her.

    Thankfully, they both were inside the room when Elysia decided to barge in. Eve was helping Adam bandage his wounds and change his medicine. Elysia had not even noticed that Adam had been injured.

    "Don''t look at me with that worried expression. All these are old wounds but they like to act up sometimes. We could not use magic on them before because it would make me useless for some time and I did not want to waste any time looking for you."

    Elysia''s eyes were getting wetter as she realized that this was another thing she had caused.

    Had she not disappeared to another world, none of this would have happened and Adam would be able to get treated.

    ''Or perhaps, he would not have been injured in the first ce.''

    But the time for regrets was not now. Elysia could not let her true intentions show on her face or all her preparations would be for naught.

    "Don''t worry, Adam is tough. I am finally going to treat him now since all the dangers have passed and we are all safe here. Don''t look like you are about to cry because I don''t like it."

    Eve frowned from where she was treating Adam''s wounds. Her hair was held in a high ponytail, making it look like she had a red waterfall behind her.

    Coupled with her blue eyes, it was a really powerful look on her. It did well to bring forth her somewhat muscr build into the spotlight.

    ''And now I am thinking useless thoughts again. I need to be more careful if I do not want to get caught again.''

    Elysia was sure her face was a little flushed due to her thoughts but she shook her head to get rid of them. There was no need for her to keep on thinking like that.

    "Anyway, did you need something from us? It is rare for you to seek us out first. Not that I am not happy or anything but I am a little concerned and�CWohhhaaa, are you alright?"

    Eve sounded confused when she talked about Elysia and it was also then that Elysia realized how right Eve was.

    Elysia could count it on one hand, the time she had purposely sought Adam and Eve out, and every time it was because of some work.

    She had never actually attempted to look for them herself since she was not sure if she was allowed to or not.

    ''Again with that stupid conditioning. I wonder why these two even fell in love with me at all?''

    Elysia was not sure if she would have done things differently had she been able to travel back. Despite everything, the oue she had reached was the best she could ask for.

    That was also probably why she had flung herself at Eve as soon as she had realized that she wanted to not let go of her and Adam.

    "Hey, not fair. Where is my hug? No, I demand a kiss for being neglected like this and-"

    Elysia ended up kissing him, her soft mouth pressed against Adam''s surprised one. This was another thing Elysia did not do - start intimacy.

    She was a shy person by nature but she could be surprisingly bold when she needed to be. She could tell that she had taken Adam by surprise with her actions but she did not regret it.

    "Elysia, is everything alright? Are you dying? Is something else about to happen? What is going on and-"

    "Everything is alright. I just kissed you because I wanted to so don''t think too much about it. Didn''t I tell you both that I liked you back as well?"

    The three went quiet after that confession. Elysia''s face was burning but she did not take her words back.

    Even if she did take her words back, she was sure that neither Adam nor Eve would believe her lies anymore. She quickly looked up to guess what kind of expressions they were both making but there was a frown on Eve''s face.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "No fever and no other signs of being sick. Elysia is perfectly sane when she said that and -"

    "Wow, am I that untrustworthy that you need to question my words like this? I just confessed back and this is the oue I get from you?"

    "No that is not what I �� Adam, a little help here."

    The emperor didn''t seem like he even heard Eve''s words. His arms were wounded tightly around Elysia''s body and his nose was buried in Elysia''s neck.

    When he looked up, the only expression he had on his face was a dazed smile that was so captivating that it made Elysia take a step back.

    "Huh, is everything alright? I''m sorry but I was not paying attention to what you were saying before. So can you repeat your words for me?"

    ''He is not serious, right? Is Adam ying with me?''

    Elysia was not angry at him for wanting to hear the confession again but she was curious to know how he learned to be this sly.

    Even Eve looked like she had no idea who Adam was right now. Her expression was flushed but curious to know what Elysia would do as well.

    ''Should I indulge them right now? After all, it will be a long time before I will see them again so I should convey my feelings to them.''

    Elysia had made up her mind but the cry of a bird from outside the window knocked some sense into her mind.

    She quickly looked outside to see a familiar-looking messenger bird. It was the one temple used for emergencymunications and this one, in particr, was one that Head Priest used.

    "Shit isn''t that-"

    "Father''s bird for sure. I should hide before I get spotted by it."

    Elysia had a bad feeling about this so she quietened her mouth as well. She could not confess now that the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

    "What should I do now?"

    Eve sounded stressed now, her eyes telling Elysia that she did not want to go back to the temple. And Elysia had a good idea of how to distract the board.

    "Both of you, stay here for now. I will go and have my brother deal with that bird. I will be back soon."

    This was going to be a regret in Elysia''s life. One that would mark the day she had broken someone''s trust in her words for the first time and in such an open manner.

    But right now she could not even think of that possibility. Right now, she wanted to save all those who were important to her, and that included Eve and Adam."

    "Elysia, I don''t think you should go. What if you-"

    "Everything will be alright. I wille back soon so wait for me here for a few hours. If I am not back by then, go outside and act like you were never here."

    She was not going to be back. At least not for a good while but there was no need for these two to know.

    Elysia had seen them both but she could not help but feel like she had more regrets than before meeting Adam and Eve.

    "You are going toe back for sure, right? You have toe back or the next time I find you, I will lock you up and never let you go. I am going to do many unspeakable things to you and make sure you are my empress, you hear me."

    Adam''s words sounded horrifying to Elysia. She knew that he was serious about his threat but Elysia could not think of staying back home.

    ''I need to leave for Lucas. I need to do this for my brother so everything will be alright.''

    "Don''t worry Adam, I wille back soon. So there is no need for you to go this far for me, alright?"

    Elysia left but she did note back that day. Nor the next or the next.

    By the time the two inside the room realized that she was not going toe back, it had been toote.

 Chapter 166 166: I Dont Want To Have Any Regrets [Pt3]

    "Pack that ss figure carefully. It is a gift for the Akatsuki royal family and needs to be handled with care. Also, make sure you handle the talcum powder with care. It should not break."

    All the maids were currently having a hard time and it was all because of Lucas Dirac. He did not tolerate any tardiness.

    But despite that, no oneined about the rushed work they had to do. They were quite used to this mindset in the working environment.

    And since the Dirac household paid well, this little work was no problem for them.

    So they were all happy to do what they needed to fulfill their duty. Why they had not expected was for an unseen problem to arise in the form of Head Priest Yohan.

    It was a well-known fact that the temple and the Dirac did not get along well. But had been the recent confrontations between Elysia and temple that had pushed the rivalry between them even more.

    Now no one had any idea what this would result for them all.

    "Head Priest, can I ask you what made youe here? I am sure a busy person such as you must have a lot of things they need to take care of."

    Lucas Dirac''s tone was as dry as the desert. He was not about to get interrupted by anyone when he was on a mission.

    And on that list, the one who ranked the highest was Head Priest Yohan. He had been a thorn in Lucas''s side for a long time and now he was getting annoying.

    "I can see that you are all ready to go out. However, is that such a wise move? Doesn''t the emperor still need your support in the court?"

    Head Priest Yohan was a cunning man. He did not go after what he wanted to say at the first go but went after what would make Lucas Dirac hesitate.

    After the amount of effort Lucas had put into securing the throne for Adam and making sure it was being maintained properly, anyone else would have stuck around to make sure nothing happened.

    But Lucas Dirac was different. He could not care less about what happened to this kingdom.

    "Adam is no longer a kid. He also had his birthday recently and is now an adult. I have no reason to stick around for him."

    "You don''t but your sister does, right? Are you going to take Elysia Dirac with you and deprive her of her friends again? It has not been that long since she came back. Surely she wants to spend time with her friends again?"

    ''This sly bastard. Using my sister against me like this!''

    Head Preist Yohan must know what he was talking about since he sounded confident. He likely also thought that Lucas must be forcing Elysia to follow hismand.

    It was a sly trick but Lucas was not going to fall for it. Not when he had talked with Elysia beforehand and even offered her a chance to stay back.

    But it had been Elysia herself who had disagreed with him and wanted to go.

    "You might consider Elysia as a child but she is about to be an adult now. As such, she can make her own decisions regarding this topic."

    Lucas Dirac looked Head Priest Yohan right in the eye. Sparks flew between them and everyone else took a step back from them. They could not handle this much pressure on their heads.

    In the end, the one who had to back down was the Head Priest because he was on the enemy territory.

    Above their head, a familiar raven circled and cried out. It was depicting itself as an ill omen for everyone beneath its head.

    And when the atmosphere turned the tensest, it was then Elysia Dirac arrived in all her glory. Her eyes were wide and her chest was heaving as she reached the battleground.

    "W-What is going on here?"

    //////////////////////////////////////////////////

    Elysia ran as fast as her feet would allow her. She was afraid that something major would happen when she was not there.

    And it was also this fear that caused Elysia to skid in between the two figures on the battleground.

    "W-What is going on here?"

    Elysia''s heart was beating too fast. It felt like it would hammer out of her chest as she tried to calm herself down.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I should be the one who should be asking you this question. Where are you trying to run to?"

    Head Preist Yohan''s eyes were nk with anger as he looked at Elysia. She had only seen the Head Priest look like that on seldom asions and they had all ended up being disasters for her.

    Elysia flinched and took a step back, her words dying in her throat as she faced the angry man in front of her.

    The courage she had gathered to tell the Head Priest off was evaporating.

    But not everything was lost to her. She still had her brother who decided to help Elysia out. His broad back blocked Elysia''s field of vision and he stood in front of her with his held high.

    "Is there a reason you are being this rude to my sister? Let me remind you, Head Priest Yohan that this is my territory and Elysia is my sister. You should go back if you are going to insult like this."

    Lucas''s defense made Elysia feel miles better about her situation. She had not expected herself to be defenced this sincerely.

    It made her chest feel warm and tight inside. Elysia did not want to forget this feeling and she wanted to hide behind Lucas''s broad back even more.

    But this harmonious moment was broken by Head Priest Yohan and his small cough. He could not stand to look at this bullshit anymore.

    ording to him, Lucas had no right to behave like a brother to Elysia now. Not after he had dumped her into the temple''s orphanage all that time ago.

    The one who had the right to Elysia now was the Head Priest who had brought her up.

    "Get up Elysia. We are leaving this ce right now. And also bring Eve out with you. I know she is in there and she will listen to you if you ask her toe home."

    Elysia did not want to listen to the Head Priest but her body was obeying him. She was so used to listening to the Head Preist that her body was following his voice without Elysia''s opinion on the matter.

    She did not want to bring Eve out and go back home. And Elysia knew that this was not what Eve wanted as well.

    If Eve wanted to go home then she would have. Eve was free to make her own choice.

    ''It took me so many years to realize that not everyone who says they have our best interest at heart means it. I was so focused on surviving that I did not even look around myself.''

    Elysia was not ashamed of how she had lived this but it was certainly another regret she had. She was not sure why all this was hitting her now.

    Maybe it was because everyone around her had started to deviate from what she knew to be a certain future. Or maybe it was finally hitting her home that she had people who liked her here with her.

    But anyway, Elysia was done with all the maniption and being led around. She would no longer sit around and wait to be devoured by this man.

    "Elysia, I will not repeat my words. Hurry up ande here."

    Head Priest Yohan''s hand was extended toward Elysia. He was asking her to take it but Elysia was not going to.

    She had no desire to do anything she was being told to you. She even sought shelter behind Lucas''s back, her eyes wide in relief as she watched the Head Priest boil in anger.

    "I don''t think my sister wants to have anything to do with you. Now, if you would please give us the way, both Elysia and I have ces to be for now."

    Lucas took Elysia''s silence as a sign of agreement. And it was a sign of agreement for her. It was a silent sign from her to take her away.

    Elysia''s eyes met the Head Priest for just a second but it was enough for her to be taken aback.

    She had never seen such nkness in anyone''s eyes before and it scared her to see this.

    "Elysia Dirac, do not think you will be able to survive much longer if you do this? Your end is near and only I can help you out."

    Head Priest really knew what to say to make Elysia hesitate. And she would have hesitated after hearing him any other time.

    But right now she was not interested in anything he had to tell Elysia because she had faith that she would be able to survive even without Head Priest''s interference.

 Chapter 167 167: Free At Last [Pt1]

    "Elysia Dirac, do not think you will be able to survive much longer if you do this? Your end is near and only I can help you out."

    For the first time in his life, Head Preist Yohan felt the feeling of desperation when it came to Elysia. The person who had never spoken against him was suddenly acting up.

    And Elysia was not showing a small resistance she sometimes did before falling into her ce. No, this time it was different.

    Head Priest Yohan had no way of telling you why he felt like it, but he was sure that if he let Elysia go now, then she would be gone forever. It was not a good feeling to feel for someone who was sitting in such a high posting as him.

    "I am grateful for the Head Preist. Not only did you raise me but you also provided me with everything I needed at that time. This debt is something I will never be able to repay you for."

    A smile broke out on the Head Priest''s face before Elysia''s next words made them vanishpletely.

    "However, I am no longer part of the temple officially. I am now under the Dirac name and Lucas Dirac is my family head. I will listen and obey everything he will ask of me. And right now, I have to apany him wherever he wants to go."

    Elysia''s eyes were tough when they looked at the Head Priest. This was the first time she had ever spoken back to him and it had taken him aback.

    He could not imagine this Elysia being the same child who had followed after him and hung on to his every word.

    "You!"

    "I think we have spent enough time conversing here when we could have been spending it anywhere else. We need to leave now or we will bete."

    In the end, it was Lucas Dirac who managed to navigate them away from the talking. There was no way this talk would have ended this early if not for Lucas''s timely interference.

    "Oh, and one more thing. Everyone inside the Dirac estate is a guest of mine unless I say otherwise. And you will not force any of them to do anything they don''t want to. Do you understand?"

    Head Priest Yohan did not agree but he could not go against Lucas''s wishes openly as well. He was in a bind and he had no way to get out.

    Not that it mattered to Elysia any longer. She was going to cut herself off from this troublesome rtionship anyway.

    Elysia made sure not to look back once she was out. She could not even allow herself to entertain the thought of giving the Head Priest a second chance because she knew she could cave in.

    Her heart was weak against people she liked and Head Priest Yohan had a big ce in Elysia''s heart.

    "You are doing well. Do not look back now."

    Lucas encouraged her more, knowing that it was tough for Elysia not to look back. It was through his encouragement that Elysia was able to walk out of the gate.

    She could feel a pair of angry eyes looking at her and it made Elysia run away faster. Maybe that was why she did not notice the other two people looking at her from the top floor of the Dirac pce.

    "My luggage is not packed. Will we have toe back for it?"

    Elysia started that topic in hopes to lighten the mood. Lucas gave a small scoff, finally calming down.

    "We have enough funds to purchase another two wardrobes in Akatsuki if you want to. But if you do want your luggage then I will arrange it. Sorias will bring it with him when he willeter."

    ''Ah, I forgot about him and others.''

    There were a lot more people who were supposed to apany Elysia and Lucas to Akatsuki. But their abrupt leave had caused that to change.

    Sorias and Enma will have toe aler but maybe that was for the best.

    /////////////////////////////////////////////

    "Elysia is taking a very long time. Do you think I should go and get her?"

    Eve finally asked the question after a few hours had passed. She had been waiting for Elysia all that time but the other female had never shown up.

    At the same time, Adam had gone quiet. His eyebrows were pulled together and his expression was troubled. He knew something that Eve did not and that same knowledge was burdening Adam.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Adam, out with it. What foolish thing did Elysia do now?"

    There could be hundreds of reasons Adam could have made that expression but Eve was somehow sure that it was rted to Elysia. It was always Elysia that caused such emotions to appear in Adam''s eyes.

    "She''s gone. I can feel her leaving the estate and it does not seem like she will be back soon. I also sensed the Head Priest in the Dirac estate but we don''t need to be concerned about him."

    Eve''s breath was knocked out of her chest as soon as she heard Adam''s words.

    But it became easier to breathe on and realized that no one had stormed into the room to take her away.

    That likely meant that the Head Priest Yohan was not here to take her home. He was here for some other purpose and she had a feeling it had to do with Elysia.

    "I don''t want to make you sad but you need to know that truth. Eve, your father is a problem and I don''t like him."

    Eve did not speak, nor did she defend herself against Adam''s usations. She loved her father but even Elysia had realized that her father could be a bit much at times.

    She did not want to move much but Adam had started to move. The treatment of his injuries should be having a bacsh now. Adam was about to be knocked out but he was still determined to stand up.

    "Are you an idiot? If you keep moving like that then your injuries would get worse and-"

    "Elysia is getting too far away. We should catch up to her and-"

    The poison finally kicked in. Eve had to use a lot of it to get Adam sedated since he was resistant to most magic and other forms of rxation.

    But it had done so at the worst time possible. Eve had to move forward to catch Adam and it buried her under Adam''s weight. She could not move anymore and had to admit defeat.

    "Adam, you chose the worst time to knock yourself out. If you are going to give me bad news then I would appreciate it if you do not stop me from making things right."

    Never mind that it was half of her fault which had caused Adam to lose consciousness now. Eve was pissed and needed someone to ce the me on.

    In her heart, she knew that Elysia was gone for now and it would take a long time for them to meet again. And one of the contributing factors to this was her father.

    "Saintess is here. We found her but she''s trapped under the crown prince. What should we do now?"

    One of the priests who had apanied Head Priest Yohan cried out as soon as they saw Eve. they had broken into the inner part of the Dirac pce.

    It was not right from any angle and Eve was annoyed to see that happen to her. She could not believe that the temple that always called itself virtuous and right would do something like this.

    It went beyond human reasoning and Eve was beginning to see their bad side slowly.

    "Did Head Priest Yohan send you after me? Did you have permission to be here from the Dirac family head?"

    Eve questioned, her temper rising as she watched this humiliation happen in front of her. The Priests looked taken aback by her sudden snapping.

    As Eve had always been nice to the priests, they had never seen her angry or seen her dark side. This was a first for them so they had no idea what to do now. They did not want to anger Eve further but she was not going to calm down.

    "You all, out. Everyone get out right now and leave me alone. I wille back to the temple when I want to."

    The priests were taken aback but they could not force Eve toe with them. Not only was she the Saintess of the temple, but she was also the current crown princess and their emperor''s finance.

    They could not risk angering her since they had a lot to lose.

    And because Eve knew that, she could take advantage of the situation and drive the priests away.

    Her body sagged down in relief as soon as the priests were gone but her mind was a mess. Eve was utterly exhausted and heartbroken over what had happened.

 Chapter 168 168: Free At Last [Pt2]

    "Are you regretting all that you said and did now? Isn''t it toote for that?"

    Elysia sharply looked up at Lucas''s face. Her brother looked back with an equally nk face, not willing to back down from Elysia''s challenge.

    He was asking Elysia a serious question and he was not going to allow Elysia to run away from him. All Elysia could do after that was to sigh and face her feelings about the matter. Did she regret what she did?

    "Maybe I do regret it a little bit right now but I am not sad that I told the Head Priest off. It feels like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders."

    Elysia did feel lighter right now. She felt like she would be able to do anything right now and things would somehow work out.

    No, they were already working out for now.

    "But is it alright for us to head toward Akatsuki without any guards? Aren''t the borders always in a high-alert state due to illegal migrants and bandits? Not to mention all the wild beasts that roam around in these territories."

    Of course, Elysia was not saying this out of the blue. She had faced those beasts and the illegal migrants under the temple''smand. It had been a time Elysia did things without question.

    So she knew how dangerous these parts of the empire were.

    Normally, Elysia would not have mindeding here alone. She was powerful enough to take care of herself and only a fool would attack the Dirac lord even if he was injured and unarmed.

    But the current situation was a little special. Especially since Lucas was not only injured but in an almost critical condition. Elysia did not have to be a doctor to know that Lucas was not alright if he had coughed up blood.

    "Only a fool would attack our carriage out in the open so there is no need to panic. Instead, we should focus on what needs to be done."

    Lucas was right. Elysia was sure that this ride would be over without a hitch.

    What she failed to ount for where the wild beasts. They could not recognize the symbol on the carriage wagon so they had no reason to hesitate in attacking.

    The magic barrier Elysia managed to enact in time only saved her and Lucas but was not able to keep the carriage.

    "Fuck this. What does this world have against us? Let us leave already."

    Elysia had never seen her brother lose his cool like this. He was always calm and collected but there was a limit to his patients as well.

    She flinched as she felt Lucas''s anger that was directed toward the beasts. If he were capable of it, he would have annihted all the beasts right in front of him.

    And he even tried to do that but his body broke into a cough. His condition was not the most stable right now which was not shocking.

    "Don''t agitate your mood right now. Let me handle these monsters."

    Lucas was about to pick up his sword and attack the monsters but Elysia stopped him. She was not in any decent condition but she was leagues better than Lucas right now.

    Lightning shed around them and the beasts took a step back from them instantly.

    But they did not run away in fear. Elysia could see that the beasts were not going to give up that easily in front of her and Lucas.

    "Fine, if this is how you want to y then this is how we will y."

    Elysia took out the small dagger she always kept in her dress. She was not one to show off her skills openly but there was no real reason for Elysia to hide now.

    She was like a blur in between the beasts, clearing the way for herself and Lucas. Right now, the most important thing was to cross the border.

    "If we get on the other side of the border then these beasts will not follow. There is a magical defense barrier between the nations that stops beasts from crossing across."

    Lucas reminded Elysia as he fended off the smaller beasts as well.

    It was not difficult but it certainly was a test of endurance for them. Thend was trying to pull Elysia right now.

    "Lucas, I need you to channel my magic through your sword. We need to clear out the air."

    Elysia knew she had abundant magic that her body could not handle. But Lucas should be able to channel it for a second.

    Lucas likely thought simrly because he took Elysia''s hand and took her magic inside his body. Elysia felt like she was being sucked dry by a sponge.

    No matter how much she pumped into Lucas, he was absorbing her powers.

    And when he finally let go, Elysia could feel monsters being blown away by the sheer force of theirbined magic. There was still a feeling of wrongness inside her body but her magic was beginning to settle down.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "We don''t have much time before the beastse back to haunt us. We should cross the border right now."

    Lucas was right in his saying and Elysia hurried after him. Her legs refused to cooperate due to all the magic she had released.

    Now that she was empty, Elysia could not help but feel spent. Her body was not obeying her right now.

    ''Was using magic always this hard? I feel drained just thinking about moving.''

    Elysia''s feet were moving but she could not even feel the moment. Her body was protesting against taking a single step more.

    But Elysia continued moving. She needed to cross the border.

    ''Curse Lucas and his enhanced physical powers. How can he not even look tired after pulling that stunt earlier.''

    Lucas''s face was a little pale but that was the extent of the tiredness he felt. Hisplexion was far better than Elysia''s and she was both annoyed and grateful for that.

    Because he was the only thing that was keeping Elysia on her feet. His strong hand in her own was pulling Elysia after him.

    "A little more before we are out of this God-forsaken empire."

    Elysia was looking forward to it as well. The barrier was within her grasp when the beasts multiplied in number. Their huge bodies made a snapping sound on the ground and they ran after the pair.

    "Everyone, get ready to fire. On the count of three - duck."

    Lucas snapped to attention and his body reflexively followed themand. Elysia pulled along with him when he fell and her knees were scraped.

    But that sudden action had allowed the archers to fire at the beasts. Mystic fire rained down toward the beasts and their fur caught on fire.

    "Did you miss me? Did Ie to you in time?"

    Chrome''s voice was familiar andforting. Elysia was sure she would have cried had she had enough brain power left toprehend what happened here.

    It should not have been that big of a deal usually but with both Dirac siblings injured, it was a tough uphill battle for them.

    "Chrome, you bastard. What is with your timing?"

    Lucas''s voice was roaring but it was filled with relief. It echoed the emotions Elysia was feeling in her heart right now.

    Chrome justughed their words off, but his eyes were closed in relief. He was d to see that the siblings were unharmed and made it to the border alright.

    "You can curse me all you want once we get home. But let''s cross the border first so that we can escape the beasts on this side of the boundary."

    Chrome''s rxed expression turned serious as he looked behind the sibling pair. He was seeing the other beasts that were thinking of inching closer to them.

    "My soldiers on the other side are clearing a path for us so it will not take us long before we can get home."

    "I feel like a fugitive running away from confinement. I cannot believe I was forced to run away from these beasts right now."

    Lucas''s disguise caused Chrome tough out loud. Elysia was amused as well but she did her best to keep herughter down.

    Not that it mattered since Lucas had realized that Elysian had beenughing at him.

    "As much fun as I am having to have this talk with both of you, it is time to get back home."

    In the end, the one who broke the silence was Chrome. He was trying not to look impatient but the eyes looking at him from all sides.

    He was an emperor and he was subjected to different obligations from different people. He was someone who had to consider different things when he made any decision.

    After all, there were lives dependent on him. And Elysia understood him. She understood that they could not rest around.

    "Lucas, tell me if you need to rest."

    "As if I will need to. My stamina and endurance are better than yours."

    Yeah, things were going to turn out alright now.

 Chapter 169 169: The Akatsuki Kingdom [Pt1]

    The Akatsuki kingdom was fundamentally different from the empire. Even the royal castle was different and built on top of a cliff.

    It was only built in the traditional style of slopes that Elysia had seen in the other world, but it was also made up of fire-resistant material.

    "Don''t look too intimidated right now. We are rtives so this is also your culture."

    Chrome took them inside the castle. The guards bowed to them as they passed through the corridors. Their whole future screamed ''different'' to Elysia.

    It was her first trip to any other nation in this world so it was a little nerve-wracking. Especially when the guards were looking at her with nervous but cautious eyes.

    "Don''t look so taken aback. Just look forward for now and don''t let the stares get to you. Hold your head up so that it shows that you are royalty."

    Whatever Chrome was saying was giving over Elysia''s head. And she did not care much about showing her confidence as well.

    What she was most concerned about was making a good first impression on the Akatsuki royalty family. So far, Elysia had a bad track record when it making first impressions.

    "Don''t look so tense Elysia. My mother and siblings know about you so you do not need to go out of your way to impress them."

    Chrome''s words were said to lighten Elysia''s burden but she did not feel lightened at all. The was even more nervous to hear him say that.

    It was a problem for the Akatsuki nobility to know about Elysia because it also meant that they knew the tumors about Elysia. She will not be able to make a fresh start in her state.

    "Somehow, I have a feeling that things will not work out how we want them to. My track record with new authority is not the best."

    Elysia decided to be truthful in this matter. She could hear the outspoken words Lucas wanted to say. But despite knowing that Lucas was going to encourage her, Elysia was not confident enough to be positive.

    "Well, I want to tell you that you will be alright but I can see that you are not going to believe me. So I will just show you that everything will be alright."

    Chrome had too much confidence but somehow, Elysia did not think it was a bad thing. She admired his ability to be this positive despite all things he had done through.

    But Chrome was Chrome and Elysia was Elysia. They were both their persons and could not bepared to each other.

    "Whether you are ready to go or not, it no longer matters. It''s time to face the music."

    "Chrome wait, I am not ready-"

    But the deed had already been done. It was toote for regrets or to stop Chrome. He had already opened the main door and on the other side stood the royalty of the kingdom.

    As soon as Elysia saw that, she realized that her attempt to make a good first impression on this kingdom had all but evaporated.

    There she stood, with her hands stretched out and ready to stop Chrome when he had already opened the door.

    "Everyone, I am home. And look who I brought back with me."

    To Elysia, all the eyes looking back at her looked scary and intimidating. She wanted to hide from those eyes for some time and not be found by anyone.

    But that was not possible and Elysia was also old enough to take responsibility for her actions. She needed to face the new challenge in front of her.

    "Whatever you are thinking is not it. Don''t overwork your brain too much or you will give yourself a headache."

    Lucas walked from behind Elysia, his steps sure and strong. Elysia knew that she could not hide away now that even her brother had taken a step out in the hallway.

    The nobles of Akatsuki looked back at Elysia with haughty expressions. She did not have to be a mind reader to realize that she was being judged by everyone present in the room.

    "Lucas Dirac, why are you back here so soon? Don''t tell me that you had to run away from the empire with your tail tucked in between your legs?"

    The Queen asked that question, her head held high. It seemed impossible to say anything against that intimidating presence.

    No one inside the room spoke anything against her question. Even when she was being outright rude to Lucas Dirac, no one had enough courage to go against her wishes. Not that it was surprising in the least.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Mother, I told you not to egg my guests more than you have to. It is not a good thing for our kingdom to lose any more allies because of your sharp tongue."

    The only one who spoke against the queen was Chrome, the current emperor. He was also the only one seated above the queen but the seat at his side was empty.

    The queen only scoffed at his words, her arrogance and dislike clear in her eyes. She was the emperor who seemed to not get along well.

    ''Then again, they do not look alike so I should butt my head out of their matter.''

    The reason the emperor did not resemble the queen was likely because they were not blood-rted. That fueled their annoyance and soaked the seed of hindrance between them.

    "Emperor should know when to butt out of matters that do not concern him. I am the current queen, the one who looks after the residents of the pce. Even the emperor has no right to tell me how to behave in here."

    The queen let everyone know her anger and disagreement. Elysia could see that the queen did not have a problem with her or her brother but she was arguing just for the sake of arguing.

    Elysia did not know what she should do. All she could do was look back at Lucas''s back for clues. Lucas only gave Elysia a reassuring nce and Elysia felt herself rx.

    But that onlysted as long as Lucas did not open his mouth. Because as soon as he opened it, he gave Elysia a heart attack.

    "I don''t care how you both resolve your pissing contest but if you dared to say anything against my sister or me then I will take action against you all."

    Elysia knew that Lucas was sick and Chrome knew that as well. So Elysia was convinced that everyone else knew about it as well.

    But it seems that was not the case here. The queen looked pained and threatened by Lucas''s words. She looked genuinely scared of what Lucas could do to her.

    Elysia was sure that she would not have made that face if the queen knew Lucas''s condition.

    "See mother, you are annoying Lucas right now. I am sure you do not want to cause any more trouble, right?"

    Chrome looked too happy to see the queen fall quiet. She looked at Chrome and then at Lucas before sighing and backing down.

    However, Elysia was aware of how she was being neglected right now. In fact, no one had either paid attention to her or addressed her properly.

    She was not sure if she needed to bow to anyone and show courtesy here but Elysia did not dare move. The safest thing to do for now would be to follow Lucas''s lead.

    "Anyway, I have Lucas''s room prepared but Elysia needs a ce to stay tonight. Does anyone have room in their pce? Or should I assign someone random to ce her with?"

    For a solid minute, no one dared to even move. No one even dared to breathe, looking at each other to see what the other would do.

    But as soon as they realized that it was the best opportunity to get into their emperor''s good grace, they all began to volunteer themselves. From the smallest to the oldest, everyone was ready to house Elysia in their quarters.

    Some tried to be evasive, the others tried to seem disinterested but Elysia was not ready to give any of them the time of the day.

    She looked around at the fake smiles and even faker greetings. But nothing caught her fancy.

    Not until she looked in the corner to see a teen sitting there with a calm face. He looked detached and his temperament was calm.

    And suddenly, Elysia was sure that this kid was the one who had to house her for tonight. He was the only one who looked like would give Elysia any relief tonight.

    "I''ll house with him tonight if you don''t have a problem."

    The whole court went quiet as soon as Elysia made her choice. She was not sure what she had done wrong to make everyone look at her as one but Elysia did not lower her hands down.

    "Lady Dirac, are you-"

    "Well, if this is what you want Elysia then so be it. You will be housed in Feize''s room tonight."

    Chrome cut the speaker off. And it was decided where Elysia would stay.

 Chapter 170 170: The Akatsuki Kingdom [Pt2]

    Not only the court, but the kid who had been pointed out in the royal court froze as well. His eyes looked between Elysia and the emperor cautiously before he spoke up his refusal.

    "Ugh, I don''t think I will be able to-"

    "What are you talking about Feize? Of course, we will be honored to be hosting our lord''s guest in our residence tonight. Feize, be a dear, and show the emperor your agreement."

    Wide ck eyes looked at the simr-looking woman who spoke up from the other side of the gathering. Elysia could connect the dots herself about Feize and that woman''s possible connection.

    They did not look old enough to be parent-child so they had to be siblings. Both had the same ck hair and ck eyes with narrowed eyes.

    "S-Sister, I don''t think it is appropriate for a woman to be living in men''s residence. Mother would have frowned-"

    "Feize, you might have gotten taller but your thought process is still like that of a kid. No one bats an eye in this day and age if a woman wants to reside in a man''s residence. Besides, Lady Elysia was the empire''s emperor''s former fiance. I am sure she has experience living with a man before."

    The court was deadly silent as the ck-haired woman dug her grave.

    She might not have realized what the words she was saying out loud and where she was now, but that did not give her the right to make such assumptions.

    Not to mention, Elysia could see Lucas''s temper about to burst. He was taking this defaming of Elysia''s character worse than she was taking it.

    "L-Lady, you should stay quiet in these matters. Your speaking up is not helping your brother-"

    The poor maid who was standing on the prouddy''s side spoke up quietly. Had Elysia not trained in stealth, she would likely not have been able to hear that soft murmur.

    Not that it mattered much because the rudedy did not allow the maid to step back calmly. Her temper worsened as the maid interrupted and all the anger was now directed toward the maid.

    "Who said that you could speak up? This talk is between me and my brother so outsiders should butt out." The maid looked disheartened but she stepped back. But this was not the end of it.

    Once the rudedy was sure that there would be no more interruptions, she turned toward Elysia and her brother.

    "Now Feize, you should hurry up and ept Lady Dirac''s offer. I am sure she has taken quite a liking to you. It will not be easy but I am sure we can nurture the rtionship between you two."

    Even Elysia was taken aback by the casual remark she heard Feize''s sister make. So it was a given that everyone else should have looked just as taken aback as she did.

    But no one in the court looked phased, only pained at the rude attitude this noble was showing.

    The one who looked the most ufortable was Feize himself. The teen was avoiding not only his sister but everyone else''s eyes as well.

    In the end, the one who could no longer keep up this farce was Lucas. He had enough of everything and of seeing his sister being used as a bargaining tool.

    "I think it is enough for now. Elysia, hurry up and follow after me since you will be rooming with me. There is no need to consider any subpar offers right now."

    There was a tick in Lucas''s brows that betrayed how annoyed he felt by the disy he just saw. Chrome looked ufortable and amused at the same time but Elysia could see him trying to hold hisughter back.

    "''Your highness, I will be excusing myself and my sister from your court now. May you have a good day ahead."

    The court looked offended at Lucas''s sudden retreat and even Elysia could feel how rude it had been for Lucas to retreat like that.

    He had spared the emperor of this nation no face and his words hadcked any form of courtesy. They were as dry and cutthroat as Lucas could have made them sound.

    "Yeah sure, do what you want to. I am giving you both as much authority as I have so go wild. But please, keep the external damages to a minimum."

    Elysia looked back at the teen she had put in trouble. He had an ufortable but relieved smile on his face that made Elysia feel guilty.

    She had not thought her actions through and now because of her, another person had gotten in trouble.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Don''t look back at the court because they are not worth it. I knew something would happen once we arrive at the Akatsuki court. Something always happens here anyway."

    It had not hit Elysia until then that her ns to make a good first impression in front of the Akatsuki court were down the drain now.

    Not only had Elysia given the worst possible impression, but she had also caused an incident that required Lucas to step in. She had even gotten madements about which had been uncalled for.

    "Man, I can never catch a break, right? Why are my social skills so bad? This happens every time."

    Elysia knew that she had a gloomy and depressing aura most of the time that kept people from approaching her. And it was not even her fault she felt ''evil'' to people.

    And most of the time, it led to Elysia not even being able to make any friends on her own. She was not someone easily approachable after all.

    "Elysia, there is nothing wrong with you. The world had a ce for everyone and yours is by the side of people who love you and are willing to understand you."

    Lucas had a way with words as well. It did not happen often but when Lucas was in the mood, flowers came out of his mouth instead of words.

    "Anyway, I am curious about one thing though. Why did you choose that kid to host you? You had so many options avable to you but you still had to go with the most difficult one. Do you have a talent fornding in such situations?"

    Elysia''s cheeks hurt from where Lucas was pulling at them. He was surprisingly efficient at it even though he had never done this before.

    even though it hurt a lot to be pulled at like this, Elysia was still happy to endure it all for the sake of her rtionship with Lucas. And it was not like it hurt a lot as well.

    "Lucas, you know that I do not go out of my way to find these situations, right? They just end up finding me and-"

    "E-Excuse me. I wanted to, ugh, have a talk with you, mydy. My s-sister sent me to a-apologize."

    Elysia''s words of protest died at her throat as soon as she realized that she was not alone. The teen she had asked to amodate her and the one who had rejected Elysia was standing in front of her now.

    His head was bowed low and in a familiar arch. His sagging shoulders betrayed hisck of confidence in himself and there was something achingly sad about that kid.

    And that was what this person felt like to Elysia - a kid trying to find his way through a dark road.

    "Elysia, do you need me to-?"

    Lucas left his question hanging, looking between Elysia and this new factor. He looked curious but also cautious about what he should do next.

    Elysia knew that the right thing would be to ask Lucas to go away and hear the kid out but she had no intention of being alone with the teen right now.

    One thing Elysia realized while being here in the Akatsuki kingdom was that the political structure of this ce was not that much different from the empire. Most people in the court only pretended to put up a nice face while trying to drag you down.

    And the most likely method they would use just happened to be rumors. They did not hurt anyone physically but they could do a lot of damage if they were spun right.

    ''Ugh, how did I forget such a fundamental part of the court politics? I must have been out of my mind when I suggested housing with a male like this.''

    The other world had spoilt Elysia a lot. No one had thought much of it when Elysia had to room with a bunch of guys and girls in the dormitory of the academy she had been attending in the other world.

    And because this kid looked to be the same age as the kids as back at the academy. And Elysia''s brain had just taken a dive due to nostalgia.

    ''It must be because of these familiar features. Feize looks like he would fit in with the other world.''

    Elysia could have happily sunk into her thoughts the whole day if not for Lucas''s coughing which brought her back, only to realize that Feize was still awkwardly standing in front of Elysia.

 Chapter 171 171: Are You Offended?

    Elysia could see the teen''s chest moving up and down in slow motion. It was the only indication that Feize was still alive and breathing.

    However, from the way he held himself to the way he bowed, nothing gave away that he was even alive at that moment. Elysia was afraid to even speak to him since it felt like the illusion keeping Feize together would break apart.

    "If you have something to speak to my sister about then you should right now. Both of us do not have time to be standing around here for."

    Lucas was harsh in his words but Elysia could feel his concern leaking out into his voice. He was concerned about this kid as well.

    But Feize took Lucas''s harsh tone the wrong way and his body flinched before sagging tiredly. When Feize looked up, he looked ready to burst out into tears. It made Elysia ufortable to see but she still somehow kept herposure.

    "I-I just wanted to apologize. I d-did not mean to reject mydy. B-But the circumstances were"

    "We understand so there is no need for you to dismiss yourself. Akatsuki is still a considerably conservative country whenpared to the empire so I can see why Elysia''s request may sound offensive to you. Calm down because you are not in trouble."

    Elysia had heard of how conservative Akatsuki was inparison to the empire. Here, the distinction between male and female, noble born and others was not as prevalent on the surface.

    But the lines of divide ran deep into the core.

    Just because their emperor looked like a loose guy who would let things pass, the country itself was not as open about its ideals. And it would take a great deal of time for it to chance.

    Even the empire had some of these prejudices and it was far more liberal than Akatsuki could ever hope to be.

    "Don''t worry so much because I am not mad. It is kind of my fault for putting you up like that in the court. I did not think my actions though so it is my fault."

    Elysia felt no shame in admitting her mistake openly. It had been her fault in the first ce so she needed to take responsibility for it.

    Feize looked even more ufortable hearing Elysia apologize to him and he was suddenly not even able to look at Elysia properly.

    She reached out to ce a hand on Feize''s shoulder but he not only flinched but avoided her hand entirely.

    "I-I am sorry but you should not touch me like that. I-I mean, it''s not you but it is me. I have a problem and��..I am sorry. Please forgive me for being like this."

    Feize seemed to be having a mental breakdown in front of Elysia and Lucas. Not only were his words all over the ce but his eyes were darting around as well. He was confused and lost in the moment.

    Elysia felt sorry for him but she was curious about his avoidance even more. And her curiosity became even stronger when the teen epted Lucas''s hand on his shoulder.

    "Calm down and take a deep breath Feize. I know all about you and our trauma so there is no need to apologize. In fact, I should be the one to say sorry since I forgot your circumstances for a minute there."

    Lucas seemed to know what was going on with Feize. His gentle tone was one he often used on Elysia so she knew that it was likely a bad situation.

    Elysia was curious but she held her desire to know back. Especially when Lucas signed for her to keep her voice and her questions down for some time.

    "Did your sister send you here to try and win Elysia''s favor back? Don''t worry about it and go back. Tell her that you were caught by me and I ordered you to return. She will not make any hasty move then."

    Lucas''s brows were furred. He looked ufortable but determined at the same time to not let this kid take any me.

    "I��thank you."

    The teen looked relieved to hear Lucas''s words. He did look at Elysia again to see what she would do but Elysia only gave a harmless smile back to the kid.

    But for some reason, the kid flinched again at seeing Elysia smile at him like that and ran away. Elysia was sure that she was not that terrifying to look at but actions spoke louder than words.

    "Lucas, am I that scary? The kid ran away like I had lit him on fire."

    "Maybe your smile was so enchanting that it scared the kid off."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Elysia''s face med when she heard Lucas make those remarks rather lightly. She had never thought of her brother as a flirt but he was surprisingly apt.

    She could not help but feel like she had seen a lot more faces of Lucas when she came back than she had gone away to that other world. Lucas was a lot more expressive toward her now.

    ''What the hell happened to him? Lucas is like apletely different person now.''

    This change was both weing and terrifying. But it did tell Elysia that Lucas was opening up to her slowly. She was also the only one who saw his expressions regrly.

    It felt something special to Elysia to be treated to this special behavior. But it was still creepy nheless.

    "Anyway, it will serve you better not to get close to anyone in the court who is not pre-approved by either me or Chrome. This court is not as easy to navigate as the empire''s court. Even those who look friendly here hide their intentions behind their smiles."

    Lucas spoke with confidence and his every word conveyed his experience with navigating this court. It made sense that Lucas knew more about this situation than Elysia did.

    She might have been keeping an eye on the political structure of the empire from the shadows to help Eve but that did not mean Elysia was apt at dealing with a confrontation.

    "I will try to keep my distance. But should I just ignore someone if they try to get close to me? I do not want to be used but I am not the sharpest when ites to guessing people''s true feelings."

    Truthfully speaking, Elysia had no sense of decency when it came to people. Even if she had the right skillset necessary, her nature rubbed people the wrong way from the start.

    And in Akatsuki, a kingdom that had heard all about her and had already judged her, it would be next to impossible to change her image.

    "Don''t worry about it too much. In fact, there is no need for you to entertain these fools if you do not want to. If you find yourself in trouble, just say mine or Chrome''s name ande find us. You will be able to escape any situation at any given time."

    Again, it seemed like Lucas was speaking from experience. It made Elysia imagine him in his childhood, hiding behind someone bigger and stronger them himself and using them as a shield.

    Just the image of that happening was funny enough to cause Elysia to crack up. She could not imagine such a thing being done by Lucas even when he was a child.

    "What is so funny about me telling you to use my name?"

    "Nothing. I just find the thought of you doing the same a little funny. I wonder who that great person would have been who was used by you when you were young."

    Lucas went quiet, his eyes getting lost over time. He was reminiscing about a time when Elysia had not been there with him.

    It was times like these that made Elysia feel alone. Even when Lucas was with her, he was so far away that it did not even matter if they were together.

    Elysia was about to tell Lucas not to bother remembering anymore but she had no heart to say anything. Not with that sad and lost look on his face.

    "Did you know that it was my mother who used to hide us and make excuses for us when we were young? Since she was Lucas''s aunt, she took responsibility for him as well and brought him up as her child."

    It was Chrome was quietly walking toward Elysia.

    His face was nk when he talked about his mother but then it turned to an embarrassed flush as realization shed across his face.

    "Ah, sorry. That was rather insensitive of me to say this since I know of your and Lucas''s circumstances. I apologize for my thoughtless words."

    Elysia was quiet after hearing that. She did not mind these words but Chrome felt guilty.

    "It''s quite alright since I was not offended. Actually, I am rather interested to know more about Lucas and his past. It sounds like an interesting topic."

    Elysia was interested and she was ready to hear about it now. She was sure that it would not hurt to know what she missed because she had more opportunities to make memories.

 Chapter 172 172: The Tasks Are Never Over [Pt1]

    The morning in the Akatsuki kingdom was not any different from the empire. Elysia had gotten up early to see the sun. She had felt that maybe something would change if she looked at the sun.

    But all it did was make her miss her home. The bright red sky reminded her of Eve''s bright hair while the golden glow of the rising sun was reminiscent of the Crown Prin-Emperor she had left behind.

    The early house of the morning made Elysia feel restless and lonely for some reason.

    "Is it your habit to wake up this early every day? Or were you not able to sleep wellst night? If you tell me the reason then I can try and rectify it for you."

    Elysia jolted as she looked behind her. Chrome had managed to sneak up on her. He was well dressed and put together even at this early house of the morning.

    And since Elysia had seen him head toward his quartersst night, she was sure that the emperor had woken up at the crack of dawn.

    "I just like the atmosphere at this time of the day. No one is around and it is really quiet. It gives me time to think about myself." ''And also makes me feel lonely.''

    Elysia did not voice the feelings she was feeling. Maybe she was afraid to share her thoughts with someone openly like this.

    "Yeah. It is really quiet right now. A direct contrast with the mess our court usually is. And by the way, how did you like our court? This was your first trip here, right?"

    Elysia was, once again, taken aback by the sudden question. But her silence was enough to convey her thoughts.

    "That bad, huh? I can understand since you did not get the best first impression of us and I apologize for that. But even so, I would like to ask you to keep an open mind about our people. They are not bad but just a little different. I am sure you know what I mean."

    Elysia wished she did not have to understand. But she did understand and it made her sigh.

    Elysia could not help but keep an open mind as someone who often misunderstood herself. First impressions were not everything and you oftentimes needed to give a person a second or even a third chance to show their true self.

    "I understand. I will keep an open mind about these people then. And also-"

    "Your majesty, where are you? We have a meeting to reach."

    The calmness and serenity of the early morning hours were broken by a loud and annoying yell. Elysia had to cover her ears so that the sudden voice does not hurt her.

    Whoever was speaking right now was too loud and annoying.

    "Shit. Looks like it is time for me to head out now. Ah, have a nice first day here and go wherever you want to. No one will stop you if you want to do something so take advantage of that fact."

    Chrome had a silly but ufortable smile on his face. Elysia could see that he did not want to head to work but he had no other choice.

    ''Well, it was Chrome''s choice to be the emperor so he will have to bear the consequences for his actions now. There is nothing I can do for him."

    Elysia just smiled as Chrome ran away from the scene. He looked like a convict who was trying to escape jail time.

    Pretty soon, the man who had called for Chrome reached Elysia as well. He looked not only annoyed but stressed as well.

    "Lady Dirac, have you seen our emperor anywhere? We need to start the meeting but the emperor decided to take a small stroll. And before we knew it, he had disappeared on us."

    Elysia could not keep her giggles in as she heard the annoyingints from the royal retainer. He was trying to sound respectful but he just sounded like an annoyed girlfriend who had been denied for the first time by her lover.

    The image in Elysia''s mind finally broke her resistance down and she ended upughing out loud.

    The retained looked rmed to see Elysia break down but he did notment on it.

    Or rather, he could notment on it since Elysia was a guest their king had specifically pointed out. And she was also Lucas Dirac''s sister.

    "Chrome ran away that way. I am sure you will be able to catch up to him if you hurry now."

    The retained looked startled at Elysia''s help. No one had ever helped him this openly before because they did not want to lose their emperor''s favor.

    The new emperor was not only spiteful but also short-tempered. As such, no one spoke against him except Lord Dirac. But it seemed like his sister was simr to him in this regard.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    It made the retainer decide to give this native girl another chance. She might prove to be useful to him in the future.

    Of course, Elysia did not know all that. She just smiled and epted it when the retainer bowed to her and left her there.

    She had no idea if Chrome was caught in the end or not but Elysia decided not to think too much about it.

    It was not untilter that she realized that the feeling of being alone she had felt before was nowhere to be found once she encountered people. Maybe this kingdom was not as bad as Elysia''s first impression had been.

    ///////////////////////////////////////////

    It was a bright morning with a lot of hustle and bustle. Everyone was busy except Elysia. Even though Lucas had gotten busy with the official territory business he was responsible for their mother''s family.

    Elysia would have loved to help him out but she did not know what needed to be done.

    She would be more of a hindrance than an asset to him if she interfered.

    But there was a silver lining among all these problems for Elysia. And it was that Sorias and Enma had arrived during the early hours of the morning along with her luggage.

    They were both currently resting while Elysia checked her bag for things. There seemed to be more material than Elysia had packed, making her curious.

    Especially thest bag which Elysia did not even remember owning. She had no idea what could be in that but it looked vaguely familiar.

    Elysia zipped it open and saw a small slip of paper. She was hit with a wave of caution when she picked up the paper and her heart gave a painful tug as soon as she read the white paper.

    ''You ran away again? Well,e back once you are done. You will always have a home with us.''

    ''Ps~ Adam is pissed and is threatening to lock you up. We had to lock him up so that he could note after you.''

    ''Pss~ Try to send a message to Eve soon so that she does not burst. It was hard to keep her sitting here as well.''

    Elysiaughed as she read Sara''s message. It was short but reassuring, finally confirming the identity of the person who had sent her this bag.

    Elysia loved many things in the bag, especially the edibles she had been sent. She decided to share it with the people around her since there was a time limit before they would go bad.

    It warmed her heart to see all this being prepared for her.

    She emptied the bag, only to find a small unidentified bag at the bottom of it. It was ck and had no symbols on the box.

    But there was a familiar feeling of power inside the box that made Elysia curious. But the note that came with the box made Elysia stop before opening the box.

    The handwriting belonged to the Head Priest and Elysia had half a mind to throw it away.

    Elysia could not do that. She was not such a big bastard to deny The Head Priest this favor. So she decided to give the Head Priest the benefit of the doubt.

    She would deliver this box to the temple that was in the Akatsuki Empire. And that would be thest favor she ever do for the temple. Hopefully.

    "What is this?"

    Elysia picked up the paper clipping that fell from beneath the box. It brought a smile and tears to Elysia''s eyes at the same time.

    "This is so like them. I am so disappointed to not be able to see them in action."

    Elysia put the paper clipping back. It showed Adam and Eve looking annoyed as they tried to hold the annual party. They were clutching each other''s arms but their ufortable expression broke apart any illusion that they liked each other.

    It was the pre-engagement party picture that the temple had let out for their Saintess and it was eye-catching for sure. Elysia was happy to see them getting alone well even without her.

 Chapter 173 173: The Tasks Are Never Over [Pt2]

    "So, can I ask you another question? When will you both be holding that Royal Wedding? The public is anticipating your union for a long time."

    The reporter looked at the Royal pair with shining eyes. He was not the only one who was looking forward to getting a simple answer.

    All the other reporters and even the nobility looked forward to getting an answer. It had been a long time since such a peaceful party had been held in the Royal Pce.

    It was just a shame that the Dirac sibling pair was not here for now. They were the true targets of the reporters and the nobles. But the royal pair was a good second prize as well. Especially with the temple advertising their wedding ns.

    "W-Wedding? That is not going to happen. We are just engaged for a year because of personal reasons. It has nothing to do with both of us liking each other."

    The Saintess denied the gossip with firm words. But no one took her words seriously. Both she and the Crown Prince denied lying to each other but they still ended up engaged.

    And because of this, the belief the public had in them ended up being even stronger.

    They could both try and say that they felt nothing for each other but they ended up being pulled together and closer anyway. Not to mention, they showed no signs of liking anyone else or being close to anyone else.

    The only one they were even seen to care about was Elysia Dirac but that was a different case for her. She was just a stepping stone for them and it was not like they spent a lot of time with her.

    The public was ready to get more spicy gossip about their rtionship and they were going to analyze every small action that the royal pair was going to take.

    "There is no need for you both to deny your rtionship any longer. The temple has even let out a notice that is announcing your engagement date. Elysia Dirac, the stone in your path is also gone so your way is clear-"

    The reporter felt his life sh in front of his eyes as soon as dodged the magical st. The emperor had missed him by inches.

    He looked up at burning amber eyes, only to feel his death staring back at him.

    "Do not speak her name with your filthy mouths. You all are not worth to even calling her, much less thinking about her."

    Their emperor looked angry like he had never looked before. His eyes were not only zing but also serious.

    Everyone gulped their nervousness down and looked toward the Saintess as one. She was the only one who could calm their emperor down now.

    And since she was a tender-hearteddy, the reporters were sure that she would help them out right away. Especially since she was annoyed by the emperor''s closeness with Elysia Dirac as well.

    The nobility had seen it all and they knew how possessive the Saintess could be at times.

    "L-Lady Eve, please calm the emperor down. He will end up killing someone at this rate-"

    "Why should I? You all made the mistake of speaking against Elysia Dirac of all people. I might have kept my neutral ground this far but I am no longer going to sit around and listen to her being ndered."

    It was at this point that everyone realized that maybe the Saintess did not have a bad rtionship with Elysia Dirac.

    The protective nce in the Saintess''s eyes was more than enough to make even the most stubborn of people step back.

    But they were not done digging for the truth. They needed just one spark from the royal couple. This party was their best bet in getting that since Lucas Dirac was not there.

    Elysia Dirac was a hot topic ever since she hade back home. People were eager to see her fall and be med for everything that was happening.

    "Listen here you fools. I have no intention of going through with this marriage in the end so do not cook up your fantasies on your own. Now either enjoy the party or leave. I no longer care about you."

    Their emperor left the party after speaking his words. He looked annoyed and pissed off.

    But what was the most concerning was that he had left his fiance, the Saintess behind all alone. And even the Saintess looked like she was not concerned about this embarrassment she was forced to endure.

    She did not even look at the emperor even once when he was leaving.

    To think they had been walking arms in arms only a few seconds before and now they were separated as if they had no care in the world.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Did they both even like each other at all? This indifference did not convey any of it.

    "M-Maybe we are all wrong and there is nothing between the emperor and the Saintess?"

    A reporter questioned as he watched this all happen. It was his first time gathering with this many high nobles and he hade here with anticipation. He had expected to see a lovely-dovely chase between the Saintess and the Emperor.

    But what he got instead was a cold scene where both parties did not care about each other. They were happier being alone than being with each other.

    "Don''t take their talks seriously. The Emperor and the Saintess like to joke around with us like this. They both wille to the next gathering with each other and then you will see that it ismon for them."

    A nobility smiled andughed the tense atmosphere off. They seemed immune to the tense atmosphere they were in.

    Themoner reporter was sure that they had be insensitive to the danger they were in because they had be immune to them. Even themoner had a hard time facing the reality because he had been convinced that the emperor and the Saintess were in love.

    Both the temple and the Royal Pce had always pretended like this was the final pairing and Elysia Dirac''s involvement in this all was just a fluke. A ceholder if you even cared to bother with this situation.

    Everyone in this nation believed the temple''s words to be the truth so they never looked past the mask they were being subjected to.

    But it was different now. The danger was snapping themoner reporters to take a firm stand and finally face the truth.

    There was nothing between the emperor and the Saintess. They looked like they were over with each other.

    That day, a lot of reports and paper clippings were made about the truth of the ''royal pair''. Themon newspapers chose to go with what they saw while the nobility''s newspaper chose to tter this false rtionship.

    And that was the clipping that made it to Elysia in the end.

    The truth of this matter was, everyone knew that both the Emperor and the Saintess did not favor each other romantically but this was the ideal pairing they wanted for their nation.

    They were forcing this paring together not because the nobility believed that they both loved each other, but because it was beneficial for them.

    It would keep the royal family and the temple in check. At the same time, it would eliminate the only duke household in the nation from gaining more powers.

    Any children born between the pair of a dragon descendent and the Saintess would hold a lot of power as well and be an ultimate shield for their empire.

    It was a greedy oue everyone wanted to see. So they encouraged the temple in their agenda.

    It was all political in the end and the nobility had a role to y in this world.

    "Ugh, so annoying. Why don''t these people get what I mean anyway? What do I need to do to convey that I am serious about Elysia and not Adam?"

    Eve groaned as she copsed on her bed. She was done with these fools and everything they wanted from her.

    Threats, violence, and even pleading, nothing worked on the Head Priest. And the worst thing was, there was still a year of this engagement left to bear. Eve felt like she was going to go mad at this rate.

    "I miss Elysia. I wish I could see her right now."

    Eve had a lot she wanted to say to Elysia. She might even end up helping Adam in keeping Elysia captive. But that was a concern for the future.

    For now, Eve just wanted to see Elysia again.

    While she was busy feeling bad about it, Adam was kept busy with another kind of work. He was stressed to see that another ce had been attacked by the wild beasts for no reason.

    It was all somehow kept under wraps for now but this peace would notst forever. And with even Lucas Dirac gone, Adam had no idea how he would handle everything that was happening.

 Chapter 174 174: A Way To Sneak Out? [Pt1]

    Elysia returned to her room soon enough after the morning break was over. She had eaten breakfast and now it was time to do that favor she had been asked to do.

    But before Elysia left the pce, she needed to inform someone to deliver her message. She had no courage to tell Lucas herself where she was going.

    She was debating on how to convey her message when her eyes fell on Sorias and Enma. Both of them were just waking up and their wide eyes looked at Elysia with suspicion.

    "Elysia, what are you nning now? I can see in your eyes that you are thinking of doing something I will likely not approve of."

    Sorias''s words were on-spot and they hit Elysia in her heart. If she could have started coughing up blood then now would have been the time to do so.

    ''Even Sorias does not believe I can take care of myself?''

    Elysia was not surprised to be questioned openly, but it was a shock to see that Sorias did so. If there was one person who would oppose Elysia''s leaving more than Lucas, then it was Sorias.

    "W-What do you mean? I am not nning on doing anything suspicious. I was just thinking of visiting the temple in the Akatsuki capital was all."

    Thinking back at it, Elysia was sure that it had been the wrong thing to say. Sorias''s eyes went cold and his face closed off after hearing Elysia''s words.

    "No. You are not going anywhere near the temple and that''s final."

    Sorias''s words were intimidating but the illusion of anger was scattered by his small body and an adorable pout. Elysia had to remind herself not to show amusement orugh at the scene in front of her.

    ''Don''tugh or you will get in trouble.''

    But it was truly difficult because Sorias just looked so fluffy and freshly adorable in the morning.

    "You know, you are digging your own grave here Elysia Dirac. Why do you have to visit the temple this early in the morning? That ce gave me the creeps during my brief stay there in the empire."

    Enma moaned out his grievance as he rubbed his eyes. He was still half-asleep at this point and his eyes were threatening to drop.

    He did not seem like a morning person but he sure had a loose mouth.

    "Anyway, you are not going anywhere near the temple and that''s final. I will keep an eye on you the whole day if I have to to make sure you do not sneak out."

    Sorias''s words sounded final. And Elysia knew that he would follow through on his words as well. Sorias was just someone who always did as he said he would do.

    So Elysia would either have to give up on going to the temple or find another way to sneak out of the pce.

    "Fine, you both win. I guess I will go and find Lucas then since I have nothing else to do."

    Elysia faked her sigh as she pretended to give up. There was no way she was going to give up anyway.

    But there was no need to make Sorias suspicious by going against his wishes. And then he would tell Lucas about Elysia''s wish which would make it much more difficult to sneak out.

    ''I will have to find a way to get out somehow. Maybe I should ask Chrome for help. He should be able to find a way for me to get out without attracting much attention.''

    Elysia was determined to see her way out of the pce now. She had to get rid of that box she had been entrusted with or she would not be able to sit still for some time.

    And since it had belonged to Head Preist Yohan, the sense of urgency seemed even more prominent to her.

    "If you have nothing to do then you can go and participate in thedies club in the pce. I am sure the courtdies would love to have Lady Dirac with them."

    Elysia had heard the footstepsing toward her. But she had not realized just who it was that was behind her.

    And now Elysia wanted to run away as soon as she could. She did not even need an excuse to do that and she did not mind being rude either.

    But those thoughts were all in her head. In reality, Elysia could not move from her spot as she rigidity turned around to face Feize''s elder sister.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "H-Hello, nice to meet you again. But I am no longer have any time on my hand since I am busy. I should get going now. Bye."

    Elysia tried to make a run for it. She even tried to signal to Sorias to get her out of this situation. The further away Elysia was from this crazydy, the better it would be for her mental health.

    But of course, things were not going to be that easy for her. Not then Feize''s sister decided to take Elysia''s arm hostage and link it together with hers.

    Now Elysia would pull the other woman along if she tried to move.

    "Ara~ were you trying to run away from me, mydy? Surely you were not going to be that rude to a nobility like me?"

    The woman had a pleasant smile on her face but Elysia was sure that she was not smiling. She had a deadly look in her eyes and Elysia felt like she would be killed if she was not careful here.

    She wanted to run away and she even had the authority. But every sense in her body said to y nice with Feize''s sister. She has Elysia the feeling of being a mad woman who would deploy murder to get her way.

    "R-Running away? Of course not. I was just thinking how lovely of an idea it was to join otherdies and make friends. B-But I cannot possibly leave my charges alone. S-So I would like to excuse myself and-"

    "Nonsense. Of course, you can bring your charge along. It''s this one right? (pointing toward Enma.) While the other is familiar. You cannot bring your familiar along but a charge should be no problem."

    Sorias''s expression said that he found thedy''s words to be bullshit but Elysia realized that it was her chance.

    Enma would not be able to stop her if she wanted to sneak out so Elysia was safe. All it would take to sneak out was to endure a few hours of thedies'' gossip.

    "Elysia, there is no need for-"

    "Alright. It sounds like fun and I am sure I will be able to make friends with everyone here as well. I was getting bored alone anyway so it is a good opportunity for me to mingle with everyone else."

    Elysia''s agreement sounded forceful to even her ears. She flinched as she realized just how unnatural she sounded but she kept on smiling.

    Feize''s sister seemed to not find anything odd with her tone because her smile was beaming as it looked toward Elysia with a fond smile.

    "You will join us? Good, then let''s hurry up. The club started half an hour ago but I am sure no one would mind if you joined uste. The Queen would be delighted to have you there as well."

    And as soon as Elysia heard those words she wanted to take her decision to go to this gathering back.

    She did not mind most of the nobility but the queen had rubbed Elysia the wrong way. She wanted nothing to do with the queen and her party.

    "On a second note, I think it will be better if I-"

    But thedy did not consider Elysia''s words even worth hearing. She pulled Elysia behind her with all her strength. Elysia did try to pull her hand back but she was unable to.

    She could only look at Enma to signal him to follow after Elysia and the child only sigh and run after her.

    Sorias was the only one who was confused and had to stay behind. And that was how Elysia was dragged and forced into her firstdies-only meeting. The whole court seemed to have gathered in that small room.

    "Hello everyone. Look, we have a special guest in here with us."

    Feize''s sister yelled as she kicked the door down. Her rough manner attracted everyone''s attention and many snickered to see her enter the room without any concern for all the looks she was getting.

    She must be a high-ranking noble because no one criticized her for her rough manners. She easily took a seat in the middle of the room and pulled Elysia down with her.

    "You should sit here. As for your charge, he can go and y with the other kids if he wants to."

    Enma looked ufortable with the attention he was getting as well but he did not seem to want to mingle with the others his age. So Elysia had no choice but to keep him closer to her.

 Chapter 175 [Bonus ]175: A Way To Sneak Out [Pt2]

    ''This is so ufortable. Why is it always me that is stuck in such weird positions? It should be like a dreame true for me but I feel like my neck will go flying off any second now.''

    Enma wanted to cry in outrage as his cheeks were pinched by a nobledy again. Even though her hands were soft, they hurt when they pulled his cheeks.

    It was every man''s dream to be surrounded by big-busted beauties and be doted upon. But Enma could not feel that satisfaction as he felt handsing closer to his neck.

    He quickly looked at Elysia for assistance but her attention was diverted somewhere else right now. She was not even looking at Enma and hisst hope had been dashed just like that.

    ''T-Traitor. How dare you ignore me like this?''

    Enma was sure he had silent tears streaming down his face at the horror he felt. He was not able to feel safe until Elysia turned to look back at him.

    And then her attention was called by the queen which sucked.

    "Lady Dirac, how was your stay herest night? I hope nothing unusual happened to you under our watch. You and Lord Dirac might be siblings but it must have been ufortable to live with a guy at night."

    Those words sounded ominous to even Enma''s ears. He flinched as he watched everyone look toward Elysia like a hawk, looking to exploit her.

    Enma knew what the Queen was trying to do to Elysia right now. She was trying to frame her character to create a weakness she could exploit.

    It was a trick she had tried to pull in the original book with Eve but had been killed by Lucas Dirac and Chrome as revenge.

    But nothing was going ording to the original book so Enma was not sure what would happen to her. And Elysia was not Eve so it was difficult to know if Elysia would let this insult go or not.

    "I am not sure what the queen is suggesting. Lucas and I are a close-knit pair of siblings and our rtionship is like that as well. Unless there is something more to the familiar rtionships in this kingdom, I am not sure why anyone had a problem with me staying with my brother at night."

    It was the Queen''s turn to flinch and back down. Enma cheered for Elysia inside his mind but then he frowned.

    Had Elysia''s tongue always been this sharp? If so then Enma had never noticed. He knew that Elysia''s real setting had been that of a viiness so she had a lot of such qualities but she hardly ever exhibited them.

    Enma should have been scared of Elysia right now but he only found himself to be more excited. He wanted Elysia to go off and show the Queen her ce.

    "Lady Dirac sure had a way with words. She is so funny that I cannot help butugh at her jokes."

    A nobledy tried to lighten the mood but the Queen''s re made her back down. This was currently apetition between the Queen and Elysia for supremacy but Elysia was not even trying.

    Enma could see that Elysia wanted to get away from her. Her agitation was clear in her bodynguage.

    Finally, someone interfered and Enma preyed on the brave soul who tried to change the status quo of the situation.

    "I think this stuffy inside air is not doing any of us good. We should get out of here and spend some time outside. Maybe visiting the temple and praying there would be a good idea?"

    But he took his words back as soon as he realized who was the person who tried to lighten the situation was none other than the crazydy who had dragged him and Elysia into this meeting.

    "A visit to the temple? Sure, I''m in."

    He was so sure that Elysia would not agree with this suggestion that he almost gave himself a whish when Elysia did.

    Enma''s wide eyes looked at Elysia and he waited for her tough at the joke. But it seemed like she was serious.

    "Ugh, Elys-I mean, Lady Dirac, I don''t think this is a good-"

    ''Well, it is an excellent idea. The temple is open today for visitors so we should all head there and pray. I also heard that Lady Dirac grew up in a temple so it would be nostalgic for her to visit her origins, right?"

    Enma flinched at the obvious jab in the queen''s words. It had been an insult to Elysia, made to humiliate her.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    It would be good for Elysia to turn around and rebut the queen right now. But Elysia never did that.

    "You make a good point. All my duties at the Dirac estate made me unable to make time to visit the temple for some time now. I should go and pray there today."

    Elysia''s words caused the queen to be taken aback and the other nobility frowned at her boldness as well.

    They all would not be caught dead admitting to their lowly origins but Elysia seemed to not have that problem.

    She was not only openly admitting to having been raised by the temple but also seemed proud of that fact. Enma was not sure if this was foolish or brave of her to interfere like this.

    "Very well then. It will be a good idea to visit the temple today. We should head out in a few minutes if no one has any problem."

    Many nobledies looked ufortable with going to the temple. Their heavy make-up and dress were going to hinder their moment and they had not dressed for going out today.

    But they could not make that excuse in front of the Queen because it would end upnding them in hot waters. The Queen was still the most prominent female figure in theirnds after all.

    "I am alright with any time you chose. I will just wait here for the arrangements to be made."

    Elysia was being cooperative right now and Enma things were going too smoothly. That was what made him nervous and he instantly wanted to pull back and send a message to Sorias.

    ''Darn it. If only I had magic that I could use. Maybe I can make an excuse to stay back and inform Sorias or even Lucas about this.''

    "By the way Lady Dirac, what should we do with your charge? We usually don''t take boys with us since they have a different section in the building. Do you want to hand him over to servants to look after?"

    Now was his chance. All Enma had to say was that he wanted to stay back and that he would be able to make his n go off without a hitch. He would be able to stay safe as well.

    Besides, the past year had been stressful in this matter for Enma. Words of him being an envoy of god had spread in the Akatsuki kingdom as well but only the temple knew his face.

    And they kept on bothering him to read ''forbidden'' texts for them. Enma was tired of that shit so he was going to be forced into it if he set foot in the temple.

    "I can stay behind-"

    "I would like to take Enma with me as well. He has a deep connection with the temple and I am sure the temple would also appreciate himing to help them out."

    Enma''s words and his hope died on his lips as soon as he realized that Elysia had no intention of letting him stay behind.

    If he had realized that he could inform Lucas and Sorias about her leaving, then Elysia had realized it as well. And she was currently trying to close all her options to getting into trouble.

    "I see. I should have realized that your charge was not a normal person either. If this is what you want then we can take him with us. The male guards can handle him and the other kids."

    The other kids looked happy to be going to the temple. It was an outing for them but Enma felt like he was being dragged into the lion''s den.

    He tried to open his mouth in protest again but he never got a chance to speak anything. The Queen had already waved her hand to call for a servant and everyone had epted that they were going.

    "Enma, don''t you dare try and betray me right now. I am not going to forgive you if you go back and babble about this outing to my brother or Sorias. Are you understanding what I am saying to you?"

    Enma''s intention of telling Sorias and Enma fled away as soon as he heard Elysia''s scary voice.

    She had somehow stepped behind Enma and was now whispering directly into his ear. It sent shivers down Enma''s spine and he did not dare turn around to face her.

    ''E-Elysia is scary at times.''

 Chapter 176 176: A Royal Confrontation

    Elysia did feel sorry for scaring Enma like she was. The guilt jabbed at her and make her choke up a little bit. But Elysia refused to pay attention to that feeling.

    Right now, the most important thing for Elysia was to make sure that her n of visiting the temple does not get back to her brother. Otherwise, there would be hell to payter.

    ''It was so fortunate that Feize''s sister suggested that everyone visit the temple. It gives me an excuse to deliver the box in person. Although, the restriction on male and female sections might pose to be a problem for me.''

    That was the only thing that sucked about this visit. The box needed to be transported to the head of the temple and the current head was a man.

    Elysia was not sure how she would be able to sneak into the male section to deliver the box in person. And she did not want to hand the box over to an unknown sister or another priest since it could be dangerous.

    Often than now, the temple was responsible for looking after sealed artifacts that could not be handled by anyone else.

    And this box also gave Elysia the feeling that it contained something simr inside its confinements.

    "Lady Dirac, we are about to reach the temple soon. Now, I know that you grew up in a temple back home but you should still know some of the rules and regtions of our country."

    Elysia did not respond to the queen''s provocation words. She had not even protested when the queen had suggested that Elysia rides with her to the temple.

    It had been obvious that the queen had been looking forward to humiliating Elysia but Elysia had long gotten used to annoying and unhealthy words spoken about herself.

    Andpared to some of the thingsmoners could say to your face without mincing your words, the queen''s attempt to sound vague and insulting did not evene close.

    "Ah, I would be delighted if the queen educates me about the customs of the temple in Akatsuki. I am sure she had a lot of time on her hand to get to know them very intimately."

    The queen went red at Elysia''s words, taking them as an insult. Elysia had not been trying to make the queen feel frustrated since there was no need for her to do so.

    Elysia might not have spent much time in the royal court but she had been well-versed in the court politics and how the nobility spoke.

    They mostly spoke in riddles, making their words have double and often even triple meanings. They were also very fast to catch on to any alternative meanings.

    But that also meant that they easily twisted any words they heard and found the worst meaning in them.

    And the queen had likely taken Elysia''s words as an insult to her as well. Elysia was sure that her mind must be bursting with different ideas of what Elysia had meant by her words.

    "I-I am quite a busy person usually. B-But as the queen of this nation, I need to know a lot to rule it. I am sure that Lady Dirac understands my feelings since you used to be the crown princess before. Ah, I am sorry. Is that a sensitive subject for you?"

    The queen had a remorseful expression on her face but glee shined clearly in her eyes. She was waiting for Elysia to be hurt by her words and show a reaction.

    Too bad for her that Elysia had never considered herself the crown princess even once. She might have gotten the education for it, but the one who had made use of that information had been Eve.

    "I did get the education to be a crown princess but it was not very hard for me. Oftentimes, my duties at the Dutchy and the temple kept me busier. The Queen must have tried hard to perfect herself if she spends so much time on those lessons."

    The red-faced queen went white before she hid her face behind her fan.

    Elysia knew that it was not a good idea to egg the queen like this but she did not want to take the whole ride listening to being made fun of. She had her boiling point as well.

    And the queen did go quiet after that and turned away from Elysia. She would not be called for some time now.

    "Don''t make your situation worse than it already is. She is the queen after all."

    Enma hissed in Elysia''s ear as he shivered in his seat ufortably. He was just a child so this atmosphere must be getting to him.

    Elysia felt bad for subjecting a kid to a fight between the adults but there was nothing she could do. Enma would just have to sit and bear with it for now.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I am not doing this on purpose. The queen could leave me alone as well."

    Enma''s eyes were solemn as he looked at Elysia and it irritated her even more. She could see Enma''s desire for Elysia to back off clearly.

    But it also helped Elysia calm down and rationalize her actions. She had gotten so used to beingfortable around her people that she had forgotten how dangerous of an enemy a queen could turn out to be.

    Chrome might have a lot of power in this kingdom but the queen still had her allies.

    And just as Elysia had that realization, the carriage they were in stopped. The doors opened and the driver gave a small bow in front of Elysia.

    "Respected queen mother, Lady Dirac, Lady Kuga. We have arrived at the temple."

    Elysia calmly walked down the carriageway. The temple in the Akatsuki kingdom was finally in front of Elysia''s eyes.

    "Hump, you better watch your back, Elysia Dirac. Chrome might be an emperor now but he cannot always remain in power. As soon as he loses Lucas Dirac, he will fall from his power and you will end up in ruins as well."

    "After all, what can a woman like you do once you lose your brother? You have no power of your own or any vessels who are loyal to you."

    The Queen''s voice was gentle but threatening as she whispered those words in Elysia''s ears. They sounded like a promise rather than a threat.

    But what caught Elysia''s attention was her mention of ''Lucas''s demise.'' It was as if she knew that Lucas''s life was currently on a timer.

    Elysia did not like how the queen had suggested Lucas''s death this casually. And Elysia was not going to allow the queen to walk all over her brother like this.

    "There is no need for the queen to be concerned about my brother and his health. Lucas ispletely fine and he will live a long life supporting our cousin Chrome. But I cannot say the same for the queen if she continues to poke her head in the danger hole."

    The queen backed down, realizing that she had hit Elysia''s anger spot. The atmosphere was getting dangerous now and the queen could not afford to show her hand openly like this.

    So instead of confronting Elysia openly, the queen decided to back down for now.

    "Of course, I value my life. I will back down now since I can see that my words are making you agitated Lady Dirac. But I would be careful if I were you."

    The queen was ambiguous in her words. It did not seem like she wanted to fight openly with Elysia but she was not above getting her hands dirty.

    Elysia knew how difficult of a position it was to stand with one''s head held high in the royal court. And she respected the queen for her dedication to maintaining her position for so long.

    But the queen was making a mistake by dering Elysia her opponent this openly. Elysia was not going to let this disrespect to her brother go unchallenged.

    "E-Elysia, I don''t know what had gotten into you but you should calm down. Challenging the royalty of a ce would not serve you any good. Besides, aren''t you here for a purpose? Should we not focus on that?"

    Enma''s words caused Elysia''s sanity to return to normal. She looked at her bleeding hand which had been an ident. Her nails had dug into her hand a little too deeply and now it was hurting her.

    "Y-You are bleeding. Hurry,e after me and we shall get you treated right now. Lucas would kill me if he saw you bleeding like this."

    Although it was Elysia who was bleeding, it was Enma who panicked. shed of Lucas Dirac''s terrifying face shed in front of his eyes.

    Elysia was sure that her brother would understand that it was not Enma''s fault and let him go. However, now she needed to tell Lucas about this conversation and what she had heard from the Queen.

    It was clear that there was a traitor in Chrome''s inner circle.

 Chapter 177 177: Cheating Your Way Into The Temple [Pt1]

    Enma breathed a sigh of relief as soon as Elysia''s attention was diverted away from him. But what did not sit well with him was that Elysia was bleeding. Her hand was red and wet with her blood.

    Talking with the Queen had set Elysia on the edge and now she was even unconsciously practicing self-harm.

    Enma was not sure if Elysia was pitiful or on her way to bing a viiness. What he did know was that Enma needed to stop Elysia''s bleeding before the bloody loss hit her.

    "Y-You are bleeding. Hurry,e after me and we shall get you treated right now. Lucas would kill me if he saw you bleeding like this."

    Enma knew that there was no way he should have been able to pull Elysia after he had not allowed it to happen. Her dazed eyes were looking at her bleeding hand with fascination.

    Now Enma was no doctor but even he knew that this was not a good sign for Elysia''s mental health. He needed to distract her before she did something even worse.

    "O-Oi Elysia, you never told me why we came here, right? If you tell me then I can help you out in some way."

    For a good minute, Enma was afraid that Elysia would not reply to him.

    But his worries faded away when Elysia blinked her eyes a few times at his question and that detached look on her face went away.

    Before he knew it, the regr Elysia was back in ce and she looked rmed by her bleeding hand. She hissed as the sting of her injury finally hit her.

    "S-Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts there for a second. Don''t worry about this small injury of mine since I have potions to treat it."

    Elysia took out a small potion, the only remedy that currently worked on her since holy magic did not

    The potion did not heal Elysia fully but it did heal her enough to make the wound stop bleeding and Elysia bandaged it tightly. The mark would heal in a few days if she was careful.

    Enma considered himself lucky that this small injury had not led to anything bigger. He had no idea how he would be able to exin everything to Sorias otherwise.

    ''And if Sorias thinks that it is my fault, he will shred me alive as he does to the monsters on our live hunts. Why does he insist on taking me along to those dreadful tasks?''

    Enma was a little lost in his thoughts and tried to find ways to divert Sorias''s wrath. So you will have to excuse him when he failed to detect Elysia''s gaze on him.

    "Enma, you said that you will help me out, right?"

    Elysia''s voice was sugary sweet. It was bringing shivers down Enma''s back and he realized that he was in trouble.

    ''Don''t turn around. Pretend like you did not hear Elysia. Maybe if I pretended like I did not hear her then Elysia would not ask me to do something dangerous.''

    He was praying hard to any god who would hear him. Enma did not believe in gods but he was willing to give them a try now.

    But of course, that did not happen, and Elysia did not stop looking at Enma in that weird way. She was not going to back down unless Enma cooperated with them.

    ''I am so doomed.''

    Emma felt his heart give a painful beat as he turned toward Elysia. He did not want to do Elysia any favor.

    "E-Elysia, will it be too much if I ask you to reconsider��."

    Of course, Elysia was only going to smile and not say anything. And that unnerved Enma more than anything else. Elysia''s smile was getting scary by the second.

    In the end, he had to give in and do as Elysia wanted him to.

    ''Why did I make the mistake of thinking Elysia was any different from Lucas Dirac? Now I realized that both of them are cut from the same cloth and ready to use by someone if needed. I cannot believe I am thinking this but Sorias might be the best person in my group.''

    Enma was troubled but that did not stop him from rushing toward the male dorms to get some priest robes.

    His only advantage was that he had been in this temple before so he knew where he was going at all times.

    He ducked behind a pir as soon as he saw the priestse his way. He was not going to risk being recognized by anyone.

    And slowly, Enma made his way to the dorms and he picked up the offered clothes. He was about to head back out when curious eyes fell on him and decided to follow after him.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    ////////////////////////////////////

    Elysia had a lot of feelings about using Enma like this but none of them showed up on her face.

    The n Elysia hade up with was simple. All she needed was to get her hands on some men''s clothing and then make her delivery. It was clear that the person she was supposed to deliver this parcel to was in the male building.

    She had heard about the temple section or the Akatsuki kingdom before. It was divided into male and female segments and both of them had their responsibilities.

    But all the officials who dealt with the artifacts were in the male segment. It was so much different from the empire but it also paid homage to the Akatsuki kingdom''s culture.

    As such, Elysia could only depend on a male like Enma to get her to the men''s section.

    And speaking of Enma, she could finally see him running back out with the priests'' robes in his arms. He was running as fast as his short legs would take him.

    "H-Here, your clothes. Hurry up and change into them."

    Enma handed the clothes over to Elysia, waiting for her to take the burden from his hands. He did not want to be caught with the priests'' lost robes in his hand.

    If someone happened to see him then it would be the end of Enma and his reputation. He could not take this risk openly so he wanted to hand this robe over as soon as possible.

    Enma sweated as he watched Elysia not take his offered robes. He was not sure what Elysia was paying at but she was scaring him.

    "H-Hurry up and take this burden off my hand."

    In the end, it was Enma who spoke up and threw the robes in Elysia''s hand. She took it with an impish grin as she ducked behind the pir.

    There was no one else in the hallway but Enma and he was currently a kid. Maybe that was what gave Elysia the courage to change her clothes behind the pir that barely hide her form.

    She had only undressed to her inner robes and Enma was not able to see it but he still wanted to try and get a view of her half-naked self.

    After all, Elysia might be unattainable to Enma because of his status and age but that did not mean he was going to miss the opportunity to perve on a beautiful girl.

    He might be a child but he had the brain of a raging teenager.

    Enma was about to head out and check on Elysia when she stepped out from behind the pir. Maybe it was the magic she used or maybe she was just that talented at cross-dressing but Elysia could pass off as a pretty boy right now.

    Her long hair had been pulled back into a low ponytail and a pair of sses supported her eyes. The robes of the temple were more like a Chinese priest grab he had seen on TV and was fastened on Elysia''s thin waste.

    "Somehow, you got my fitting right. You did a nice job Enma."

    Elysia beamed back at him which caused Enma to turn his head away. He could no longer take her cheerful attitude aimed his way.

    Just because Enma''s heart had skipped a beat did not mean he wanted to keep on looking at Elysia''s innocent face.

    He did not have a death wish after all.

    "Now then, it is time to head in and finish my job."

    Enma was sure that a lot of girls would have fainted after seeing Elysia. She was the spitting image of the ''pretty boy'' that you often saw on those Korean Idea shows.

    ''Wow, Elysia looks like a boy right now. I would have thought twice about her being a girl but I won''t have questioned her validity as a boy openly.''

    "You there, wait a minute. I need to talk with you."

    Elysia was about to enter the temple hallways with confidence when that voice stopped both her and Enma.

    It was a familiar voice Enma was sure he had heard before. But it was not striking him in the brain right then. Why was Enma not able to remember who this person was?

 Chapter 178 178: Cheating Your Way Into The Temple [Pt2]

    Elysia had to admit that the priest robes that Enma had gotten for her fit her perfectly.m they were not too restraining and allowed Elysia to breathe around easier.

    They were even convenient to put on and Elysia did not have to undress fully to get them on. They made her look like a young and fresh priest which was good for her image.

    She must have looked alright in a boyish outfit because Enma had gone quiet after seeing her dressed like a guy. Elysia was sure that if she had a problem with her outfit then Enma would be the first one to speak up.

    He was vocal about anything that could get him in trouble. And helping Elysia sneak into the temple and especially in the male section was something that would get him in trouble.

    "Now then, it is time to head in and finish my job."

    The sooner Elysia was done here, the sooner she would be able to head back home and get to her regr schedule.

    She was about to enter the temple when she heard the sound of light footsteps behind her. They were headed toward her but their timing was startling.

    They were closer to her than they should be. Elysia should have noticed theming toward her a long time ago, but she did not.

    "You there, wait a minute. I need to talk with you."

    Elysia turned around with an elegant swirl. She had to behave like a priest now; priests were taught all kinds of manners before they were ready for public service.

    Most people thought that the training nobility went through before their social debut was strict but it was nothingpared to the training priests went through to curb their temper.

    After all, no one would like a priest who was ready to fly off their handle at a moment''s notice.

    "You! I have never seen you before. Who are you? Identify yourself."

    The young priest who had managed to drop behind Elysia sounded suspicious. Elysia could see Enma panicking out of the corner of her eyes.

    Enma had a really weak mentality so he would carve in and spill the beans if Elysia was not careful in handling this situation.

    Thankfully, she knew how to maintain herself quite well.

    "I am a guard from the temple of the empire. I was tasked here to apany our god''s messenger while he is here. It is quite regretful that I was not able to send a prior notice."

    Enma''s panic was bing chronicle. It seemed like he would even stop breathing any second now.

    Elysia tried to tell him to calm down with her eyes but it did not seem like he was getting Elysia''s message.

    "God''s messenger-? Ah, it''s you! Sorry, I did not see you before. I apologize for my rudeness and I will take you to the Head Priest here as soon as possible."

    The priest changed his tone as soon as Elysia pulled his attention toward Enma. Elysia just smiled a passive smile, not letting the young priest''s words get to her.

    Between herself and Enma, one of them had to stay calm to not alert others about their bluff.

    "There will be no need for you to show us the way. Since our dear messenger has been to this temple before, I am sure he remembers the way around. Besides, you must be quite swamped with work right now. I heard that the main temple is always short-staffed."

    It was gossip in the empire''s temple branch. Since the temple branch had a lot of people and responsibilities were shared in-between everyone, it was easier to manage.

    However, that did not stop the people back at Elysia''s home to keep on making fun of the under-staffed Akatsuki''s main temple. Especially since it was not a religion the people of Akatsuki showed belief in.

    "Will you be alright-"

    "I-It alright. I know the w-way around here and I have m-my aid with me so I will be alright. You should get back to your work now."

    Enma''s voice was short of breath. Anyone could see that he was panicking but it had been brave of him to speak up like that.

    The priest in front of them looked a little taken aback and worried because of Enma''s voice but there was no way Elysia could allow herself to be apanied. She would not be able to sneak around once that happened.

    The only one allowed to see her here was the Head Preist who was the receiver of the box Elysia was carrying with her.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I see. If that is the case then I will let you be on your way now."

    The guard finally left the other two alone but Elysia still got the feeling of having eyes on her back. Ir seemed as if the priest had not left without taking some precautions against her.

    "E-Elysia, that man-"

    "I know so don''t say much for now. Just follow after me and we will be alright."

    Elysia could feel the note in her pocket trying to lead her to the box''s recipient. It had been written with magic so it would always lead Elysia to its intended if he was in range.

    And it seemed like the Head Priest was in range right now for the note to be acting like this.

    "How are we going to get rid of that man following after us? Won''t it be bad if we are caught like this?"

    Enma hissed his words out and then he quickly looked around. He sighed in relief as soon as he noticed that no one wasing toward them or seemed to have heard Enma speak.

    His paranoia was something that surprised Elysia every time and she could not understand why this kid was like this when he should be carefree and joyful.

    To her, Enma felt more like an old man than a child sometimes.

    "Enma, we are not going to get caught. But if you do not calm down then we won''t be able to make it undetected as well. Look, there is our chance to escape our watchful eyes."

    Elysia pointed toward the praying hall in front of her. It was currently being filled with people since it was prayer time. The afternoon mass would begin andmoner people woulde and fill it up.

    It was pure luck that today was a day when the door of the temple was open to everyone. It would be easy to get lost in the crown of people and priests.

    "Now then, let''s head in there and lose our tail. You should also start heading back to the otherdies now. I can see how nervous you are."

    Elysia was calm and collected as she walked into the crowd. She had experienced was this kind of thing since stealth was something needed for her temple missions.

    She could feel Enma drifting away from her as his hands got more and more sweaty. Elysia needed to send him away before he ended up doing something foolish.

    Elysia was so close to her goal now so she wanted to cut off any unnecessary burdens before had. She felt relieved when Enma let go of her but before he could go, he tugged at Elysia''s robes a little.

    She quickly looked toward the child to know what he wanted from her but Enma was not looking at her.

    His neck and side cheeks looked flushed but he did not feel sick to Elysia. She did not want to jump to any conclusion so she did not say anything. She just waited for Enma to say something.

    "B-Be careful out there and ce back home safely. D-Don''t take unnecessary risks because I will not be able to tell your brother and lovers what happened here. I love my life, alright."

    Enma might not be looking at Elysia now, but his concern was filling her up. He finally seemed like a child in front of Elysia and she could not help butugh a little at his cute attempt.

    Thatugh caused Enma to puff his cheeks out and he looked at Elysia with an annoyed expression.

    "W-What''s so funny about what I said? I was just w-worried about you but you-"

    Enma hissed, his red face going scarlet at the embarrassment he was feeling. Elysiaughed even louder, unable to believe what she was hearing from Enma.

    ''H-How cute. He is all red and flushed. Now I can see why Sorias keeps him around. Enma is funny when he is flustered.''

    "D-Don''t worry about it. I have received your concern and I promise toe back home safely. Now you should head out before someone catches us here."

    Enma''s annoyed expression faded into relief and he soon parted away from Elysia. This parting was as much for Enma''s sake as it was for Elysia.

    She still had the box in her possession so she could not risk anyone else seeing it. Even if the other person happened to be Enma, she could not afford to show the box in open.

 Chapter 179 179: The Illusion Of Waters [Pt1]

    Elysia watched Enma''s back leave the crowned hall and then she made her move. The paper in her pocket was making a lot of movement now and that mean the recipient was nearby.

    Behind her, she could also see the young priest whom she had met outside following after her. He was looking all around in an attempt at finding Elysia.

    ''For now, the biggest obstacle in my way is to narrow down the recipient of this box. I cannot let my guard down until I finish this task.''

    It would not have been that difficult for any other priest to perform this kind of task. But it had been entrusted to Elysia for some reason and she was suspicious of the Head Preist''s intentions.

    That was also why she had not informed Lucas or even Chrome about this.

    ''Now then, which one of these priests is the Head Priest? Since I have never seen him before, I cannot tell who it is.''

    Everyone in here wore the same robes as Elysia. They all looked the same to her and the crowd seemed to be delighted to see them

    The hall she was currently in was filled with males of all age groups and they treated each other roughly. It made moving around difficult for Elysia since she did not want to use magic to enhance her body.

    And she was not like Eve, someone gifted with strength even when it was not magically enhanced. Elysia was quite normal in that regard.

    "Look, there he is. It''s the Head Priest. I heard that he took over the temple young. He''s only 25 now but he already does an amazing job."

    "I hate to admit it but that bastard is really good-looking. It''s a good thing for us that he will not marry outside the temple. And that is if he is even allowed to. Isn''t the temple really strict in that regard?"

    "That''s true. I heard that you had to leave the temple if you want t get married so I don''t think the Head Priest will marry. But man, he doesn''t know what he is missing. A woman is-"

    That was all Elysia wanted to hear. Themoners had no filter on their mouths and their manners werecking.

    But this was just their way of life. Elysia only found it odd because she was not used to it and she could also not get used to it.

    So instead of focusing on what themoners were saying, she decided to turn her attention toward the Head Preist instead. She wanted to have a look at what the real deal was.

    Her head barely reached the visibility line and her vision was too blurred at the distance she was at, but she could make out a head of silver hair and red eyes.

    He did look like a beautiful man and he even gently held his body but there was something about him that struck Elysia as fake. It seemed like he was forcing himself to be at the ceremony when he did not have to be.

    She was about to duck back into the crowd and try to find her way in front when her blue eyes met the red ones.

    The Head Priest was looking directly at her and Elysia felt her breath get caught in her throat as fear filled her being. The darkness in those red eyes could be felt even from this far away.

    ''W-Why is a person like that-?''

    Elysia''s stomach was revolting as her breakfast threatened toe back up and out of her mouth. She quickly put her hand on her mouth to stop herself from doing something foolish.

    No matter how much it sucked, she had to keep her reactions in check. She could not show weakness right now because it would disturb the ceremony.

    "Priest, you don''t look so good. Would you like me to take you to the restroom? Also, are you new? I have never seen a beautiful priest like you before today."

    The man at Elysia''s side asked her this question. His eyes were disgusting and filled with barely concealed lust and intoxication.

    His breath also reeked of alcohol and had not faded away in the slightest. He was drunk and had stille to the temple in the morning to pray. Just what kind of man did that?

    "There is n-no need to be bothered on the m-my ount. I will be alright once I rest a little."

    Elysia denied the man before he could touch her. She did not need to have perfect vision to see the filth in front of her.

    This man was trouble and Elysia was not in the mood to create a scene right in the middle of the temple. It would expose her for sure.

    "Don''t say such harsh words priest. Just let me help you out"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Elysia used a small portion of her power to knock the man out. It would cause a smallmotion for sure but it was a small price to pay for getting away without revealing her identity as a female.

    She was also apt at running away in such situations so she easily made her way in between the concerned men around her.

    "H-How did this happen?"

    "Why did this man copse? Is he sick?"

    "Should we call for a priest to help us out? What can we even do here?"

    Elysia heard all the people gossiping around her but she did not stop until she was a safe distance from where the man had copsed.

    She could see what was happening clearly from where she was currently standing. It seemed like the Head Priest of this kingdom hade down with a worried expression on his face as well.

    He instructed people to help the poor unconscious man out and they seemed to be taking him out. Elysia was about to head out as well when she felt someone staring at her.

    Red met blue again and Elysia was frozen in ce. The Head Preist was looking directly at her and his lips seemed to be wording out something.

    ''Head to the third corridor.''

    That was what the Head Priest said to Elysia before turning back to his patient.

    Those words left Elysia rooted in ce and unable to decide what to do. Should she follow what the man had asked her to do? Or should she be on her merry way and not care about the Head Preist?

    Elysia was confused and her head hurt. The note in her pocket tried to move toward the Head Priest and that was what made Elysia''s decision.

    She needed to head out and meet the Head Priest anyway. And he was even telling Elysia where to go to achieve her goal.

    She was not sure if the Head priest of the Akatsuki capital had recognized who she was or not, but she did know that he was taking Elysia seriously.

    She quickly walked out of the doorway and the hall and started heading toward the third corridor.

    Most of the internal structure of the temples was simr. So Elysia more or less knew where she was headed toward.

    Nostalgia hit her as soon as she entered the familiar-looking corridor. It was the ceremonial bath corridor and it looked the same as it had in her home temple. She wanted to be there and not be there at the same time.

    There was a familiar energy tugging at Elysia''s heart and she decided to follow after it. She was walking like a zombie after her target but she did not seem to care much. It was not until she had opened the ceremonial baths that she even realized what she had done.

    ''I should not be here. The curse will affect me and I might even lose control.''

    Elysia took a step back in a hurried manner. She had almost touched the ceremonial water while in her dazed state. It was not right for her to do so since there was no ceremony right now.

    Touching the water right now would attract disaster, just like it had all those years ago with Eve.

    "Not good. I should get out of here right now."

    But Elysia''s decision seemed to be a littlete. She felt someone push her into the pool. She tried to keep herself out of the water and even use her magic but it was of no use.

    Her body hit the water and her robes pulled her in deeper. The water felt the same as it did back home and it should have since the source of this pool was the same as the one in her home temple.

    ''N-Not good. The curse-''

    Elysia was worried but there was no time for her to be worried about the others. Her breath was being cut short and breathing was getting difficult to do. Elysia was going to drown at this rate and there would be no stopping that.

    Above the water''s surface, a beautiful face broke out into a sinister smile as he watched his handiwork. He had done great this time.

 Chapter 180 180: The Illusions Of Water [Pt2]

    ''I managed to do it. I managed toe out of the temple as safe and sound as possible. Now I just need to reach the pce and then I will be free to pretend like I know nothing about Elysia''s sneaking around.''

    For Enma, the day had suddenly turned brighter. The birds were singing and the sun was shining brightly in the sky.

    The gloomy atmosphere of the day had suddenly disappeared and a ray of bright sunshine had taken its ce. Nothing could make this day go worse than it already had.

    And then Enma crashed into thest group he wanted to see in front of him. Seeing Lucas Dirac''s beautiful face felt akin to death right now.

    "Enma, what are you doing here? I was told that you were going to apany her the whole day. Did you get summoned here as well?"

    Enma was sweating bullets, thinking of ways to avoid his death. If Enma so much as hints that he had helped Elysia sneak in here, then he was dead. His head would not only be cut but also disyed in the hall of fame.

    "Enma-"

    "W-WHAT? O-Oh r-right. I got s-summoned here so I am here alone. N-No one else is here."

    Enma needed to establish that he was alone here. He did not even consider what would happen when he got caught.

    That possibility just never crossed his mind at that moment. His nervousness and guilty conscious was his biggest enemy at the moment.

    "Enma, calm down. I cannot understand anything you are saying. And why did you get summoned to the-"

    "God''s messenger, there you are. The queen was worried since she could not see either you or Lady Dirac��..Greeting Lord Dirac."

    And as usual, the karma decided to strike again and Enma was caught outright in his lie. He could feel Lucas Dirac''s zing eyes ring daggers into his head and Enma knew he was doomed.

    All his attempts to save his life seemed so meaningless now in front of Lucas Dirac''s questioning look. Enma could tell that the older man was waiting for him to spill and Enma would not be able to distract him.

    "Summoned here alone, huh? You better tell me the truth and why you tried to lie to me now."

    Enma''s lips were shut tight and his eyes quavered as he was forced by his terror to open his mouth.

    "I''m sorry. I will tell you everything I know so spare my life."

    "You better not leave anything hanging when you report to me. We better get to an enclosed space for now. You! You are dismissed so you can go and report to the queen about this."

    Enma jumped as soon as the guard bowed to him and Lucas. He had forgotten all about this guard once his panic had settled in. it had made him tunnel-minded.

    For a brief moment, hope shed across Enma''s eyes as he looked at the guard. Maybe the guard could save him?

    But his hopes had no oue except disappointment as the guard walked away from Enma. now he was truly alone.

    It was incredibly easy for Lucas to drag Enma away and then drag everything out of his mouth. He had been squeezed dry by Lucis by the end of it.

    ''Sorry, Elysia. I thought you were scary but it turns out that your brother is the real devil between the two of you.''

    //////////////////////////////////////////

    Elysia held her breath as long as she could. The magic in the ceremonial pool around her was rushing at her with incredible ferocity.

    She tried tobat it but it was of no use. No matter how much force or magic Elysia used, it would not dent the magic of nature.

    It had been a long time since Elysia had been in any ceremonial pool but it still felt raw and awkward to be forced in. Her hazy and tear-filled eyes could make out a silhouette outside the water.

    Red eyes looked back at her from a canvas of silver. Elysia tried to reach out and call for help but she was unable to even open her mouth.

    By this point, a vision should have already begun for her and the water around her should start to beforting. But nothing of that sort was happening.

    Instead, it felt like Elysia was burning from the inside. Her heart was feeling burnt by the force of magic surrounding her body. It hurt so badly that all Elysia wanted was for it to stop.

    ''Adam, Eve, I miss you.''

    Elysia''s body finally touched the bottom of the pond and even that sensation felt like needles were sinking into her back. Elysia could not even move her arm now.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Elysia had experienced the curse once before and its presence still lingered in her bones and soul. Now the new curse was just ovepping with the old one.

    ''I need to induce a vision if I want to survive.''

    Elysia knew that. But knowing was different from trying to do something. And Elysia had no idea how to induce a vision on her own. All she could try to do was to pray and force her magic.

    She hoped that the familiarity of the magic surrounding her would help her out. It was her only way out now.

    At first, nothing happened. The world was as still and motionless as it had always been. It was losing its color and all Elysia could see was blue.

    ''Isn''t this the second time I am drowning? Maybe it''s even the third...I can��no��longer��remember��''

    Elysia''s brain was shutting down and her willpower was weakening. But it was also at this second that she was the most desperate.

    She just needed someone to show her the way out. She did not need saving, just a chance to struggle.

    Her hand had been gripping the ck box tightly until now but now even her grip on that box was getting lighter. It was opening up and Elysia felt panicked.

    She tried to reach out toward the ck box and keep its contents dry and safe. She was not sure why but her body considered it as important.

    She tried to close her hands around the pendant that was spilling out of the box but it was really difficult. It was nothing short of a miracle when she managed to sp her hands around the pendant.

    It was safe but Elysia''s fate was still up in the air. It was next to impossible for Elysia to be able to get back to the surface.

    It seemed like it would be the end for Elysia. And she was ready to ept her fate when that miracle finally took ce.

    Suddenly, there was another ssh on the surface. The water and magic surrounding Elysia were disturbed and her body was moving through water.

    The light blue of the water had a sudden ssh of Prussian and ck mixed in now. And that spot was headed toward Elysia.

    Finally, oxygen hit her lungs again as she was dragged out. She could make out the familiar shape of eyes and that familiar face above her own.

    ''Lucas came.''

    Elysia wanted to look around for the other people she knew had been there but she had no strength. The feeling of dormant magic in the pool was rising as well now.

    ''Ah, a vision ising. Isn''t it toote to wish for now?''

    Elysia no longer wanted to see a vision. All she wanted to do was to sleep in and wake up fresh. Even the thought of facing Lucas''s wrath was not that terrifying to her now.

    ''It''s so peaceful now. I wonder if I would see such calmness in the future as well.''

    Elysia was doubtful but she earnestly wished for a happy future again. She wanted to see her brother and all those she cared about.

    And she also wanted to see herself living happily.

    "Elysia Dirac, keep your eyes open."

    Lucas was likely yelling because Elysia could hear him even through the curtain of haziness on her mind. She had been in this situation too many times to count now and it was even beginning to lose its efficiency.

    "Bring her to the resting section. We don''t usually allow females in the male dorms but we can make an exception for now."

    Elysia was no longer sure if what she was hearing was a conversation that was taking ce or if her mind was ying tricks on her. But she allowed herself to sag into her brother''s arms.

    Her sense of smell was one of her most urate and she could smell her brother nearby. That provided Elysia with a feeling of security and calmness like she had never felt before.

    Even when the vision started, Elysia was ready to face it heads on. But her courage disappeared once she saw the scene in front of her. The whole world was burning bright red and death lingered everywhere Elysia could see.

    It looked as if the end of this world hade atst.

 Chapter 181 181: The Illusions Of Water [Pt3]

    The fire scorched thend, rendering everywhere it touched a mess of ck and red. No ce looked to be untouched in her surroundings but Elysia was hunched over her stomach protectively.

    Her middle portion felt heavier than it ever had and event instinct in Elysia''s body was telling her to protect this part of herself.

    Above her head, two massive creatures were fighting for dominance, their aura pushing the ground apart.

    Elysia touched the bundle near her stomach, her heart skipping a beat as she felt soft hair under her hand.

    ''I''m not pregnant. There is just a creature in my arms.''

    Elysia was simultaneously disappointed and relieved by what she felt. But there was no time for any other emotions in the mix right now. The feeling of urgency was brewing inside her.

    "Mommy, are we going to be alright?"

    Elysia looked down at a pair of familiar pair of blue eyes that looked exactly like hers. The silver hairs on the child''s head gave away who the other parent of the kid was. As unlikely as it was, the thought of this kid being Lucas''s did not even cross Elysia''s mind.

    One look at those reptilian blue eyes that had the same shade as hers and Elysia knew in her heart that this kid was hers.

    "Mommy?"

    Those blue eyes tugged at Elysia''s heart and she was unable to look away. Her hand came up to pat the kid''s head and Elysia''s hand sank at seeing a familiar hand but it was not hers.

    Her heart was in pain once she realized that she was not with her child in this vision and tears filled her eyes.

    "Eve, hurry up and get the crown prince out of here. Adam is out fighting the cmity so you need to make sure you keep the kid safe."

    Elysia''s sinking heart gave an even more painful lunge as she realized the identity of the person her kid had called his mother and it burned Elysia in her heart.

    She did realize that she was feeling jealous and her grip tightened around the child in her arms. Somehow she realized that she was not alive in this future. Despite all her struggles and everything she did, it had not been enough.

    Because if she had been alive, there was no way in hell she would have left her child behind and alone like this. Elysia would have done everything in her power to keep the child out of harm.

    "Eve, stop dandling around like this. The people who are after the Crown prince are almost here. They will torture the kid to get his power if they catch us."

    Elysia''s pain turned to fear. Her body finally moved as she picked up the kid.

    "Mommy?"

    The kid asked again, hisrge blue eyes filled with tears of fear. Elysia tried to smile for the kid but her heart was not into it.

    "Everything will be alright. Mommy will make it alright."

    Elysia did not know her child''s name or even his age, but that did not stop her from feeling things for the kid. She wanted to do everything in her power to protect her child.

    "They are here. Eve run."

    Elysia''s legs finally kicked into a start as she watched the hooded figure chase after them. Eve''s magic was weird for Elysia to use. It was a calm current, not threatening to over-turn like Elysia''s magic had been.

    Even moving Eve''s magic was difficult for Elysia currently, never mind making use of it. She could not figure out how Eve used it at such regr intervals daily.

    "Hand over that Dirac kid to us. You are the Saintess so make the sacrifice and give the kid up for the greater good of this world. You are not even rted to the kid. Isn''t he an eyesore to you as well?"

    Those words confirmed it for Elysia. This kid was her flesh and blood, the one she had given birth to.

    "Fuck off. He is the only Crown Prince we have. You cannot expect me to sacrifice him. Besides, he''s a kid right now. Let him grow up a little."

    Eve''s voice came out as angry and the kid in her arms shivered in fear. Elysia had not wanted her kid to ever face a dangerous situation like this but there seemed to be nothing she could do.

    If even the Saintess''s words could not solve this situation for her child, then no one else could.

    "You married Emperor Adam for the crown, right? Then that kid is an obstacle for you as well. Hand him over now and he shall serve as our savior by giving his life for us."

    Elysia felt her arm burst in pain as she shielded the kid in her arms. Her persuader had attacked them and Elysia could feel her magic and energy drain out of her body.<novelnext></novelnext>

    All she could do was growl at the attackers.

    "You will only be able to get to this kid over my dead body. I will not hand him over to you. I might have failed his mother but I will not fail him."

    Elysia was so d to have a friend like Eve in her life. Not only had she adopted Elysia''s child but she had also not held a grudge against her kid.

    She was even willing to give up her life for Elysia''s kid and that was enough evidence for Elysia that Eve did love her.

    The spear came toward Elysia''s face but she was not afraid. The only thing that troubled Elysia was that it was not her body that was being killed but Eve''s.

    A threatening roar was heard from above their head and Elysia quickly looked up. It was a huge dragon hovering above their head.

    Gold eyes looked back at Elysia from a shiny white scale. It was a scary face that sent a sense of relief through Elysia''s body.

    "ADAM!"

    Eve''s voice snapped loudly in the air. Elysia felt her eyes sag in relief as all the energy snapped from her body. She was really d that she had managed tost this long.

    Sharp w-like hands came toward the kid in Elysia''s grasp and she gave her son into his father''s arms.

    And then a sh of white blocked the sky. Elysia''s heart skipped another beat in fear and her hands reached out toward her son.

    ///////////////////////////////////////////////

    And then she woke up in a soft bed which was unfamiliar to her. The room around her was one she had never seen before but the smell of incense was so strong in the air that it took Elysia back.

    The feeling of loss she felt at that moment was stronger than ever she had ever felt before. She felt like she should weigh her arms but they were empty.

    Her eyes looked around blindly, trying to seek out something that was not there.

    "You are finally awake. Do you have any idea how angry I am right now?"

    Elysia quickly looked toward the person who spoke to her just then. She was hoping to see a familiar silver-haired presence nearby but she was equally disappointed and relieved when she did not.

    The only familiar pair of eyes that looked back at her belonged to her brother Lucas Dirac.

    "Where?"

    Elysia''s throat was too dry. She was not able to form the words properly at that moment since grief was overwhelming her heart.

    Lucas looked back at Elysia with a worried expression and it was not until something wet rolled down her face did Elysia realize why Lucas was looking so worried.

    For some reason, Elysia had started crying at feeling the loss. It had hit her all of a sudden as soon as her consciousness had returned to her body.

    "Elysia, is something wrong? You are back home, I mean, you are in the Akatsuki kingdom''s temple but you are safe. P-Please stop crying. I won''t be angry with you so please calm down."

    Elysia tried to calm down but it was tough. Her emotions were all over the ce and she could not even control herself.

    Lucas''s hands on her back did help Elysia calm down after that. She suddenly felt a lot better than before, but the feeling of loss was still prominent in her heart.

    "Elysia, talk to me. Is this something I can help you with?"

    Lucas was a good brother and Elysia was not sure how she had gotten so lucky to have him with her. Otherwise, the feeling of guilt and regret would have ended up choking her.

    Her hands came up toward her stomach in a protective manner. She was not sure how much longer in the future her kid would be born. He might never even be born but Elysia felt certain that he would.

    And this time she would take all the necessary precautions to protect that kid. She would not allow anything to harm the kid.

    ''I need more information. I need to see more of the visions.''

 Chapter 182 182: A Favor Asked [Pt1]

    "Are you feeling better now? Do you need water? More food? If you need anything then tell me. I will go and fetch it for you."

    Elysia had finally stopped crying after what felt like hours. Lucas still did not have any idea what had set her off so badly but he was thankful when she had calmed down. He was not sure how much longer he would have been able to take Elysia''s crying.

    As much as he wanted to make Elysia feel better, there were things he also had to take care of now.

    From what Lucas knew, Elysia had fallen into the ceremonial pool on the temple grounds, breaking a big taboo. Thankfully, no one except the Head Priest here knew about that.

    Otherwise, it would have caused a serious panic attack within the nation.

    But that meant that Elysia was carrying the genes of the curse in her body now. They would likely try to ignite the old magic Elysia had inside her body and cause a huge disaster.

    The easiest way for anyone to deal with this curse was to kill the bearer. None of the previous people who had been subjected to this curse had lived more than a few months.

    However, it was different in Elysia''s case. She was a ticking time bomb for sure but she was able to control her magic quite well.

    And that was also why Lucas was unwilling to give up on her. He did not care that he was showing the Head Preist of the Akatsuki temple his weakness. Lucas was just unwilling to back down when it came to his sister.

    "C-Can you get me a ss of water?"

    Elysia''s voice was still hoarse but she was able to finally get words out of her mouth now. Lucas stood up to fetch her water when his gaze fell on the man standing on the other side of the room.

    "Ah, don''t worry about me. I am not here too hard Lady Dirac. Actually, I find her quite daring and likable. And we also have this little one here to keep an eye on us."

    Head Priest Akana was someone Lucas did not know much about. His silver hair and red eyes were a sign of danger in the Akatsuki kingdom. But despite that, he had somehow ended up bing the head priest.

    And not only that. He was believed to be someone who had a lot of magic power and influence in this nation. He was popr to the point of even contesting the emperor when it came to influence.

    The temple might not have a stronghold in the Akatsuki kingdom but their head priest sure was popr.

    "Somehow, your words of being interested in my sister don''t invoke any good feelings in me. Enma, keep an eye on these two and if anything happens, you know you will be held responsible, right?"

    The kid yelped as he was faced with Lucas Dirac''s serious stare. Lucas had no guilt in using the kid this way for his sister''s sake.

    Many people called Lucas a cold-hearted bastard and he was one without a doubt.

    "H-How do you expect me to-?"

    "Find a way on your own."

    Lucas left the room to fetch a ss of water for his sister. He could have called for someone to fetch him one but he did not trust the people in this temple.

    ''I should have brought Sorias along with me. Looking into the financial status of some nobles could not be more important than Elysia''s life.''

    Lucas felt foolish for his short-sightedness when it came to the temple. He had even expected Elysia to pull something like this but he was still caught unaware.

    ''I don''t like the feeling I am getting from the temple. It feels like something big would happen soon.''

    Lucas looked at the blue sky above his head. It was crystal clear right now, with not a hint of cloud in sight. It made one feel like everything was calm and right in life.

    But that peaceful blue hid a disaster waiting to happen behind its calmness.

    ///////////////////////////////////////////////

    "Phew, he finally left. I thought I would burn alive because of Lucas Dirac''s ring face."

    Elysia looked toward the Head Priest of the Akatsuki kingdom. This was the first time she was seeing him properly and she had to admit. Head Priest Akane looked like a harmless puppy with big red eyes and silver hair.

    Had it not been for her sharp memory, she would have likely thought of him as guiltless as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But as things stood, this man was dangerous and also the reason Elysia had fallen into the ceremonial pool like that. He was responsible for her cursed situation.

    "You are Elysia Dirac, right? I heard about you from Head Priest Yohan a lot. I have to admit that you are much more beautiful than I could have even imagined."

    Flowers flew out of Head Priest Akane''s mouth as he looked at Elysia with a curious stare. He was eying her from the head to toe.

    And even though Elysia was being looked at with such a stare, it did not look like there was anything perverted in the Head Priest''s stare. He was just looking at Elysia as one looked at an experiment.

    "What do you want from me, your holiness? I would not want to make assumptions, but you were the one who pushed me into the ceremonial pool, right?"

    Elysia had expected the Head Priest to either ignore her words or deny her outright. But instead, all she got was a calm smile and a knowing nce.

    "I did push you into the ceremonial pool but I had my one reason. Now then, what did that idiot Yohan sent for me? That child sure is ambitious but I cannot predict what he will do."

    Head Priest Akane sidestepped the question Elysia asked as if it did not matter to him. Something that could turn into such a big disaster seemed to hold no meaning for the Head Priest of the Akatsuki kingdom.

    Enma was looking at Head Priest Akane with a weird light in his eyes as well.

    Frankly, Elysia was just amazed to see that he had not broken out into cold sweat as he often did.

    But she also felt like Enma knew this person and was careful to avoid him at any cost. Elysia had a lot she wanted to ask but her mind zoned on the question she had been asked by the Head Priest.

    She did remember being given a small box and she had even clutched it tightly when she had fallen into the water. She had clutched the ne tightly in her hand to not lose it but it was no longer in her grasp.

    So Elysia had either lost the ne in the ceremonial pool or someone had taken it from her when she had been rescued.

    "Wasn''t I holding on to the box when I was pulled out? I am sure that I-"

    "Ah, so it was that ne after all. Thank you for delivering our precious artifact to us. Would you also do us all a favor? and participate in a ceremony? I heard that you have a lot of experience with such things."

    Head Preist Akane took Elysia''s hands in his own as his face closed in on Elysia''s own.

    She instantly pushed her head back so that she could maintain her distance from the head priest.

    But the more she leaned back, the more the Head Priest leaned in. it genuinely felt like she would be kissed today by the head priest.

    And just when it felt like Elysia would not be able to escape, she felt water droplets ssh over her face.

    The silver-haired man in front of Elysia was drenched in water. Elysia looked behind the Head Priest''s shoulder to see Lucas standing behind him with an empty ss of water in his hand.

    "Oops, I identally spilled the water. Can you go and get me some more Enma?"

    "Y-Yes, I will do that right now."

    Enma ran away with a nervous smile as Lucas pulled Head Priest Akane away from Elysia''s body.

    He all but shoved the young head priest away from Elysia and took a seat adjacent to her, blocking all attempts by the Head Priest to get close to Elysia.

    "Now that I am here again, why don''t you have the talk you were having with Elysia again? Why do you need her to perform a ceremony for you again? She has nothing to do with the temple any longer."

    Lucas sounded pissed off but he was still holding himself back.

    Had this been the empire, Elysia was sure that her brother would have made a scene right now. But he was being considerate right now since it was Chrome''s kingdom and they needed to be careful.

    But he would also not back down if anything happened to Elysia. And that was what Elysia was sure and thankful about.

 Chapter 183 183: A Favor Asked [Pt2]

    Elysia was curious to see what the Head Priest would do next. Would he back down or would he continue to persuade Elysia to conduct the ceremony he was talking about?

    "Lord Dirac, please don''t be too hasty. I was just trying to get Lady Dirac to participate in Herman''s rite since she has experience. You do not need to be this testy with me. She also ended up losing the artifact we were supposed to use so I suggested this alternative for her."

    Head Priest Akane seemed unwilling to back down and Lucas was not backing down as well. It was a sh of wills at this point and no one was going to win.

    It would have to be up to Elysia to break this tense atmosphere but she also had no idea how to do it.

    After all, it was mostly her fault that things had gotten to this point already.

    "Head Priest Akane, I am happy to be presented with this opportunity but I must decline. I have already left the service of the temple so I can no longer take responsibility. As for the artifact I lost, I willpensate you with another artifact from my side."

    Elysia had a few things she could bargain for her freedom. Most of her artifacts were rare and powerful as well.

    She expected the Head priest to take up her offer but he just shook his head.

    "Frankly speaking, it would not work at all. You see, the artifact we were sent by the empire''s temple branch was sacred and held the power of the goddess. It cannot be replicated by anyone."

    "Since you ended up absorbing the pendent''s powers, you will have to be the one to carry out the ceremony now."

    Head Priest Akane looked troubled but his eyes were shining in dark glee. There was no way he was going to back down from this confrontation.

    Elysia realized that she would not be able to refuse the head priest if he presented Elysia with such a reason.

    "I have heard enough. I will be taking my sister now and leaving this temple. If you want her help then go through the appropriate channels first."

    Lucas sounded angry but Elysia could tell that he had braced himself as well. He knew what Elysia would have to do as she was asked. Even the emperor would not be able to hold the temple down forever.

    But Lucas would make using Elysia as difficult as he could for the temple. He had that much flexibility in his hand.

    It was also at this time that Enma ended up knocking at the door and he entered with a hesitant smile on his face.

    "U-Ugh, here is the water you requested Lord Dirac. What do you want me to-?"

    "Come here and give me the ss of water."

    Enma entered the room with a gulp and he hurried toward Lucas''s side. Elysia had not realized how thirsty she was until she gulped the water down.

    It hurt to drink water on her empty stomach but she felt so much better once she had something in her stomach again.

    Lucas picked her up and walked out of the door. But before they would exit fully, there was a small knock on the door behind the pair.

    "Hey, if I go through the pepper channels and get an imperial order, would you agree to head the ceremony then?"

    Elysia did not understand why the Head Priest was so fixated on her like this. There were so many other powerful people here that could head the ceremony instead of her.

    Not to mention, heading this ceremony was a male-oriented job. It did not matter if Elysia wanted to head this ceremony or not. By traditions, she could not head this ceremony.

    Lucas and the Head Priest knew it very well but they kept quiet.

    "Get the proper rights permissions first and then we will have this talk again. But don''t expect me to cooperate with you again like this."

    Elysia felt nervous as she saw that easy-going smile on Head Priest Akane''s face. He looked as if he wanted to open Elysia up and look inside her head.

    It made Elysia nervous to be in his presence any longer so she hid her head behind her brother''s steady shoulder.

    Head Preist Akane and her brother looked at each other, seizing each other up before they finally went their separate ways. Enma looked at the both of them before following Lucas Dirac.

    He had a bad feeling about the uing days.<novelnext></novelnext>

    ////////////////////////////////////////////////

    "Everything is turning into a mess, Head Priest Yohan. Themon people have started to doubt the rtionship between our Emperor and the Saintess. We will need to interfere soon if we want to clear up the doubts."

    Head Priest Yohan heard theints the other priests were making regarding the issue of his adopted daughter''s rtionship.

    It was a topic Head Priest Yohan was concerned about as well. No matter how much he pushed and pulled, both Adam and Eve refused to cooperate with his ns.

    Not only were they both not interested in each other, but it did not seem like they were even interested in anyone else but Elysia Dirac.

    ''Why her? Why did it have to be Elysia Dirac of all people who had to captivate them like this? I cannot make her disappear as well since she is necessary for the ceremony.''

    Head Priest Yohan had a lot of problems now and they all originated from a single source- Elysia Dirac. That girl was a source of too many headaches for him.

    There was another knock on his door and Hed Priest Yohan wanted to groan. He was having too many migraines now and no medicine seemed to work for him.

    Eve would have been able to cure him but even his precious daughter was keeping her distance from him for now. Her displeasure was evident in her actions but Head Priest found them all to be cute.

    "Stop knicking already ande in. You better not have some horrible news for me right now."

    Head Priest Yohan controlled his expression as well as his temper as he allowed the messenger in the room.

    He was not sure how much longer he would be able to take the relentless questions of the people around him before he would have to force Eve to marry the Crown prince.

    His daughter might hate him for what he was about to do forever but Yohan needed her to give birth to the next emperor. It would be for everyone''s sake.

    If Eve could not give the crown prince love, then she might as well give him a child. It was the purest form of love a human could ever achieve anyway- a parent''s love.

    "My lord, there is someone from the Akatsuki temple here to meet you. He asked me to send this to you."

    The priest who hade to inform Yohan took out a familiar-looking pendent from his hand. It was the one that had gone missing from the temple''s inventory.

    He had been meaning to give it to Eve once she was pregnant since it was a protective charm for pregnant women when a ceremony was conducted.

    But when he took hold of the pendant, it was empty of its power. It was no longer an artifact but a normal pendant again.

    "Who was the one to send me this? Did the messenger give you a name to go along with him?"

    Head Priest Yohan was curious but he was also cautious to know more about the sender. There was only one person with enough authority in the Akatsuki''s head temple to send such an item undetected.

    "W-Well, the messenger is waiting in the lounge for you. W-We were not sure how to treat him so we asked him to wait for a reply."

    The priest sounded nervous as he faced the Head Priest. After all, he had heard rumors about how viscous the head priest could be as well. And he did not want to test the temper of such a person.

    As for Head Priest Yohan? He was quite satisfied with this oue. Finally, he would be able to get some answers as well as send news back.

    He had no idea how this pendent had managed tond in Akatsuki but he was curious to know more about the situation.

    ? When he reached the lounge, a familiar green-haired person was standing in front of him.

    "You all can leave us to be alone. I will be locking the door as well so do not panic."

    The persists and guards looked at each other, debating whether to believe him or not. In the end, they did as he had asked them to and left the room.

    And only then did Yohan turn toward his guest and he took his hood off his face.

    "Rahan, fancy seeing you here again. Did your master send you here to assist me?"

 Chapter 184 184: Talks Are Being Had

    "Rahan, fancy seeing you here again. Did your master send you here to assist me?"

    Head Priest had already emptied the room for this conversation. He was d to see the Rahan in front of him again since nothing was going right for him.

    Head Priest Yohan had done everything he had been asked to do, but things were still straying away from the intended path they had to take. And he could not figure out why that was happening.

    "Ugh, finally. Do you know how irritating it is to try and reach the temple while keeping my identity hidden? I feel like there is petrol at every corner I turn at. What is wrong with this empire?"

    Rahan sounded irritated as he threw his body on the couch behind him. It had been incredibly lucky of him not to have run into someone.

    He was lucky that their boss had a sixth sense for such situations and had warned Rahan against taking the wrong route.

    "Things in the empire are not��alright. Some prisoners who attacked the Crown Prince and the Saintess managed to escape so there is a manhunt going on. But it has nothing to do with us."

    Rahan felt his temperature drop as soon as he heard those words. He had escaped to the Akatsuki kingdom once Boras had rescued him. And then he went into hiding for a few days.

    That was why he was unaware of the situation of the outside world for some time now. How was he supposed to know that there was a man-hunt going on for him?

    "Anyway, my job is done here so I will go back now. I hope you have a nice day ahead."

    The sooner Rahan was out of this kingdom, the better for him. Especially since he knew his boss had big ns for the empire that was about to unfold.

    Akatsuki kingdom''s Head Priest Akane had already started his nning and he was even recruiting the right people for the job.

    And unlike Head Priest Yohan, Akane was on their side and knew everything. It made things easy to control in the Akatsuki kingdom''s politics.

    "Rahan, wait a moment. You can go after you tell me what happened to this pendant. It was supposed to contain a lot of magical energy but it seemed to have been sucked dry."

    Head Priest Yohan held the pendent in front of him with a raised eyebrow. Rahan wanted to run away without answering him.

    After all, how could he exin the situation to Head Priest Yohan without attracting his anger? No one could have seen iting.

    "Well, an ident happened so now the pendant lost its power. Things are as simple as that. There is no one at fault here."

    Rahan tried to lighten the situation by waving it off. But the more he tried to make the ident insignificant, the more Head Priest Yohan seemed interested.

    Maybe not saying anything would have been the best choice for Rahan. But he had already dug his own grave.

    "Oh, look at the time. I need to leave now since I need to meet my boss. I gotta go now."

    Rahan ran away before the Head Priest could catch him again. The guards noticed a blur running past them but they ignored him because of the priest robes he was wearing.

    They had been asked to check every suspicious person they came across but the priests did not make their way on that list and it was all because of the bribery that was going on behind the scene.

    Most of the nobility had already been bought by the temple priests so they were free to roam around without any trouble.

    ///////////////////////////////////////

    "Your holiness, I might be getting a little ahead of myself here but I need to ask you this. What are you doing here?"

    Chrome was a busy emperor who did not have a lot of time on his hands. He had a hundred other work to do and not enough hours in the day.

    And with the Dirac sibling in the mix, that workload had all but tripled for him. He did not have time to entertain anyone else in his schedule.

    So he was annoyed to see the one person who had enough authority to ask for an audience with him and not be touched by Yohan.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Emperor Yohan, it had been a few months since west met. How have you been in the time I have not seen you?"

    Head Priest Akane was a menace. He was way too happy, way too cheerful, and way too popr for Chrome''s liking. The temple did not use to have much influence in the Akatsuki kingdom before Head Priest Akane had shown up.

    And usually, it should be a good thing for the religion to flourish in the nation. And the temple was also agreeable with Chrome most of the time.

    But despite all that, there was always something ''off-putting'' and dark about that man. Even his eyes looked hollow and dark on his cheerful face.

    "Head Priest Akane, please spare me the small talk and tell me what you came here for. I currently do not have enough time to decipher your words properly."

    Chrome held his head in his hands as he tried to get his headache out. It was exhausting having to deal with the Head priest. Especially when he never got a straight answer out of the crazy man''s mouth.

    "You want to know what I am doing here? Well, I have to wonder the same thing as well. I asked Lady Dirac to head a ceremony for us since she has experience with it, but Lord Dirac said to go through the proper channels. So here I am."

    Head Priest Akane breathed a sigh as if he was being tortured by the mere idea of asking for help.

    But Chrome was dumbfounded once he looked down on the proposal that had been handed over to him. The ceremony on the ritual said ''Herman''s rite.''

    ''Herman''s rite'' was a ceremony to celebrate the closing of the demon gate in Akatsuki and to thank the god of fighting for all its contributions to the kingdom. It was a male-exclusive ceremony that followed the traditional ceremony.

    "This is��Head Priest, I think I would have to decline this offer of yours. I don''t think it is right of us to make this decision. This ceremony is not one Lady Dirac should head in the first ce."

    Chrome''s headache was evolving into a migraine slowly. He was not sure why the Head Priest was suggesting something like this but even Chrome could tell that this idea was ridiculous.

    Not only would the general public rebel but including someone like Elysia could also anger the gods.

    "Emperor Chrome, I have never been surer about anything else in my life until now. You know that the past few ceremonies have been a disaster for us and we cannot afford to fail another one in session."

    "Lady Dirac is an experienced sister of the temple and she has the most experience heading such ceremonies in the empire. I am sure she will adapt and we will be able to appease the general public if we seed this time."

    Head Priest''s words were like a sweet poison in Chrome''s ears. They sounded tempting but he knew that he could not allow that to happen.

    Not only because it was wrong for Elysia to be given such heavy responsibility, but also because he was terrified for his life.

    Lucas had trusted Chrome to put an end to the Head Priest''s pursuance but Chrome was not sure he would be able to make the determined man back off.

    "Emperor Chrome, take my words as a warning for now. Just because I have been holding myself back until now does not mean I am not capable of causing any trouble for you."

    Now, this was a warning if Chrome had ever heard one. The ever easy-going Head Priest was warning the emperor not to go against him.

    Chrome was taken aback by the sudden verbal attack he heard. He had not expected the Head Priest to ever speak like this to him.

    "So, emperor Chrome, are you sure you want to gamble a chance? You have just gained your power so what would happen if you lose all your support right now? Can you afford to take this chance?"

    Chrome bit his lips as he heard the threat that was being made against him. He had no intention to follow the temple but now it seemed like he had no choice.

    He did feel sorry for Elysia since she would have to deal with the temple and all its bull crap. But she was strong and she even had Lucas behind her.

    "Fine, I will give you the written order. But the next time you try and threaten me, I will have you killed."

    The Head Priest smiled once he got the order in his hand. Finally, things were happening his way.

 Chapter 185 185: A Rude Intruder

    Elysia felt the empty feeling in her heart as her hand rested on her stomach. The mere fact of knowing that she was going to have a son in the future was enough to draw a smile on her face.

    "Elysia, I will be heading out now. Do not even think about leaving your room, or you will suffer the consequences of your actions."

    Lucas yelled as he snapped the door shut behind himself. Elysia watched him go with a heavy heart, knowing that her freedom had ended up after pulling her earlier stunt. It was only because she had cried that Lucas had not said anything to her.

    But that did not mean he was not angry with Elysia. Lucas just had a different way of showing his anger.

    Elysia looked over the empty garden beneath her balcony, the only measure of freedom she had been awarded by Lucas and she tried to keep herself engaged.

    Someone also made their way toward Elysia, but she did not pay much attention to this intruder. Elysia was convinced that it was Sorias who hade in to check up on her.

    "You will poke a hole in the ground if you keep on ring at it. Are you that bored?"

    Elysia jumped around, a dagger held ready in her hand at the unfamiliar voice. Red eyes blinked back at her with a calm expression even as they faced the threat of death.

    Head Priest Akane stood in front of Elysia with his hands raised high. Elysia''s de was inches away from his neck but Head Priest Akane seemed to not care.

    He was currently hanging upside-down from the upper balcony railing and only his face reached Elysia''s line of sight.

    "Ya! It''s nice to see you again. I hope you missed me in the short period I was not here."

    An impish grin broke free on Head Priest Akane''s face that made him look years younger than he was. As soon as Elysia pulled her knife back, he jumped down from where he was hanging andnded at Elysia''s side.

    A single line of scar ruined the illusion that nothing had happened to the Head Priest but Elysia was not worried. The wound she had created would heal in a matter of minutes.

    "Lady Dirac, I am so happy I get to meet you again so soon. And look what I have here. Written permission for you to assist the temple in whatever way you can. Now you do not have any excuse to avoid me or say no to me."

    Head Priest Akane sounded far too happy with himself and what he had managed to achieve. His eyes sparkled with a desire to be praised.

    He even held his head out for Elysia to pet. And since Head Priest Akane was taller than Elysia was, it required him to bend forward a little.

    "I��can you hold your head back up, please. I don''t feelfortable seeing the highest-ranking member of the temple bowing down to me."

    All her life, Elysia had seen the Head Priest in a prominent position. People in that position had to be careful and uphold their public image.

    Neither the previous Head Priest nor Head Priest Yohan had ever apologized to anyone. As far as Elysia remembered, it was not something they ever did.

    Seeing Head Priest Akane bow his head so swiftly and easily was a blow to Elysia. She had to swallow her nervousness and ask him to straighten back up.

    "Oh! Did I make you nervous? It was not my intention to do so. I guess I got a little too excited again. I hope Lady Dirac would forgive me since we will be working together pretty soon."

    Head Priest Akane held the letter out for Elysia to take. She hesitantly took it, choosing to observe the situation before she talked it out with Lucas.

    The letter in her hand was an official notice for Elysia to cooperate with the temple and it did hold Chrome''s magical signature on it.

    "See, I did not lie to you. So can you promise to help me now? I had to do some awful things to get this permission so you better notin now."

    Elysia found herself somehow not surprised to see the order in Head Priest Akane''s hands. He might look like a gentle person but he did not feel like a good man to Elysia.

    She was sure that there were a lot of shady deals that Head Priest Akane was involved in. she was no stranger to the dark side of the temple.

    "This order looks genuine but I will need to confirm this before I can make a decision. I am also under house arrest so you need to leave now."

    Elysia pocketed the order she held in her hand. She needed to show it to Lucas as soon as possible.

    She half expected Head Priest Akane to panic and demand the order letter back. But he just smiled a calm smile while looking at Elysia.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You can have that order letter if you want. I already took precautions and made a copy. So don''t think you can get away without helping me out."

    Elysia was about to reply when her room door was knocked down. Sorias''s angry eyes met Elysia''s as her familiar charged in.

    "Time for me to head out now. I will see you soon, Lady Elysia Dirac~"

    The way Akane said her name sent shivers down her spine. She did not feel safe when she was in thepany of Head Priest Akane.

    Sorias had his ws out already as he took a swipe toward Akane but the man dodged it by the nick of his hair. As a result, he lost his bnce and ended up falling down the balcony.

    "Shit, he''ll fall."

    Elysia ended up curing in surprise as she tried to reach out to grab the Head Priest. She did not want to start any kind of international incident. But one would happen if the Head Priest was hurt in any way.

    She expected Head Priest Akane to reach back for her hand to steady himself. But he did not reach back.

    Head Priest Akane fell down the balcony and into the green patch of bush beneath in the garden.

    "Elysia, stay here for now. I will go and check up on the intruder."

    Sorias jumped down the balcony as well, finally heading toward where the head priest had fallen.

    Elysia wanted to yell and inform Sorias that the intruder had been the Head Priest, but Elysia did it dare risk it after more and more people started arriving.

    Soon, everyone realized that her familiar was looking around for something and they joined the search as well. But no one except Elysia and Sorias knew what they were looking for.

    In the end, Elysia never managed to find the Head Priest. It seemed as if he had been swallowed by the earth without leaving any evidence behind.

    Elysia clutched her letter tighter in her hand, wanting to clear out of the air as soon as possible. She knew that if Chrome had signed this letter, then there was a reason behind it.

    She needed to hear him out before making any decision on his actions.

    "Elysia, I heard you had an intruder in your room. Did he do anything to you?"

    Lucas hade rushing back to the room as soon as he had heard Elysia''s room had been invaded. He was concerned about the security of the pce but that was not all.

    Whosoever had managed to slip into Elysia''s room had to be skilled enough to juke Sorias. And that was no easy task to aplish.

    Even Elysia was surprised once she realized that Head Priest Akane was so apt at sneaking around that he had managed to fool Sorias as well.

    "Lucas, look at this. My intruder turned out to be an overly-excited Head Priest Akane."

    Elysia whispered it to Lucas, not wanting other people to hear her conversation. Lucas opened the letter Elysia handed to him and instantly.

    She could feel her brother''s anger shing against her senses and Elysia did nothing to calm him down. If Lucas was going to be angry about her circumstances, then she might as well let him be.

    "Looks like we will have to visit Emperor Chrome soon. He seemed to not have gotten my message when I asked him to stay away from our matters."

    Elysia felt a sh of guilt and sympathy fornding Chrome in trouble. But her feelings neutralized out once she remembered that she would have to be the one to pay the price for his decisions.

    And Elysia had no contention of doing anything for the temple anymore. She had finally made effort to leave that life behind.

    "I would like to hear cousin Chrome out as well before I decide on his punishment. I have a feeling that he was forced to sign this agreement. Not that it will exempt him from any me."

 Chapter 186 186: Redemption [Pt1]

    "Your highness, where do you think you are going? Don''t tell me that you think you can escape from us."

    Chrome held his breath as he heard the sound of footstepsing his way. His heart skipped a beat as soon as a sword pierced the wooden nk at his side.

    Just a few millimeters more and Chrome''s shoulder would have taken that hit. He was so lucky that he had managed to avoid a painful death.

    "Ah, did that surprise you? And I made sure to miss you on purpose as well. Our bond of trust is not as strong as I would like it to be.

    Chrome swore inside his mind as he took a few hesitant steps toward the right opening. He was currently hiding behind the furniture and looking for a way to gain freedom.

    But it was easier said than done. Especially with a lunatic like Lucas Diracing after his life.

    ''I need to look for a way to survive. Someone needs to get Lucas under control before he ends up piercing my heart.''

    Chrome''s orange eyes shook as he crashed with something. He felt around and touched human skin which was soft and spongy.

    He squeezed it again, just to confirm what he was feeling, and then he abruptly let go. He looked up into a pair of furious blue eyes looking back at him with a stone-like face.

    "E-Elysia, you are here to see me, right? What a coincidence this turned out to be, haha. Your brother is trying to kill me and-"

    Chrome cowered, even more, when he felt a sword on his neck. Elysia''s eyes held no light or mercy for him. He was about to die by her hand right here and now.

    "Akatsuki Chrome, it''s time for you to pay your dues. But don''t worry, because I will keep your body safe until you bed me for the sweet embrace of death yourself."

    Chrome gulped his saliva down nervously. He suddenly seemed to have realized that maybe Elysia was the one who was pissed off right now. At least her eyes looked like they were ready to chew Chrome alive and then spit him out.

    And how has it all begun, you may ask? It was because of one simple reason - Chrome had run away when he should not have.

    The truth was, as soon as Chrome realized what he had done when he signed the order for the temple. It had taken a few minutes to remember how angry Lucas could get with him.

    And Lucas would find out about this order sooner orter. Chrome needed to save his life once Lucas came after him.

    He had thought he had time on his hand. But that was all a fantasy his brain had cooked up. Lucas showed up knocking at his door not even half a dayter. Chrome could feel anger zing inside Lucas''s aura and Chrome hid away instinctively.

    He had thought it to be a brilliant idea at that time. All he had to do was to stay out of Lucas''s site for the time being and once he had calmed down, then Chrome could exin things to him.

    What Chrome had yet to see was how his actions could enrage Lucas even more. And that was how he had ended up in his current position.

    Trying to hide away from Lucas but not being able to get away from him. And now even Elysia was joining in on hunting him. It was a nightmare for him.

    "Before you kill me, know that I did not have a choice in this matter. I was threatened by the Head Priest so please forgive me. I promise I will never cave in against pressure again."

    As an emperor, Chrome knew that he should not bow his head in front of anyone. He was trained to always be the best and the noblest.

    But that did not matter when it came to Lucas Dirac. Chrome needed to live first and foremost and then he could think about being a noble.

    "You were threatened so you decided to sell my sister out? I wonder what kind of silly threat made you disregard the Dirac name like this."

    ''Y-Yup, Lucas is pissed off. Goodbye life. It was nice living with you until now.''

    "T-That is, I won''t lie to you now. Head Priest Akane knows the truth behind me and my curse. Most people don''t know the real reason behind my orange eyes but he does. If the news of my curse spreads across, then there will be a rebellion."

    Chrome finally confirmed his fears to Lucas and Elysia. He was afraid to be judged but he could not keep on holding everything inside as well.

    And if he was going to die anyway, then he might as well try and gain their sympathy.

    "And you think I care? What does the integrity of your kingdom have to do with me and Elysia? We are not here to profit from."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Epppp, w-wait. Please spare my life, Lucas. Think of all the work that will be left behind. E-Elysia, can you please stop him?"

    Elysia turned her head away as if she had not heard Chrome''s words and his heart sank for a minute there. He suddenly realized that he was alone in this situation and had no idea how to stay alive.

    "M-Mercy please."

    Chrome tried onest time to appease the Dirac siblings but he was as good as dead now.

    And then a miracle happened. Elysia finally turned toward him with a sign and Chrome could see that she wasing around.

    If he appeared a little more pitiful, then he would be able to evoke Elysia''s pity.

    "P-Please, I had no other choice. There were a lot of lives at stake here. Please don''t be angry at me."

    Finally, Elysia sighed tiredly and turned toward Lucas. He could tell that Elysia''s concern was pissing off Lucas even more but he would not go against Elysia''s wishes.

    He was even more thankful when Elysia stepped in front of him to save him from Lucas''s ire.

    "I think I''ve heard enough bullcrap for today. Chrome has his problems and people to look after as well so let''s not me him for now."

    If Chrome could, he would have proposed to Elysia then and there. She had managed to save him from a certain death in a minute. She was a human worth praise and anything Chrome said about her would not be able to exin how grateful he was for her.

    But looking at Lucas''s annoyed expression, Chrome kept his thoughts to himself. God knew that Lucas would end his life the second he felt Lucas was threatening Elysia.

    "Fine. I don''t want to let this topic down but if this is what you want me to do, then this is what I will do for you."

    Lucas did not look happy but he finally get his sword to disappear in mes and sat down. But he was still close enough to Chrome for an easy kill.

    If Lucas wanted, he could reach out toward him anytime and choke him.

    ''Fuck. Out of one danger and right into another.''

    Chrome''s intention of running away was officially ruined now. He had to sit there and bear everything that he was being subjected to.

    But feeling ufortable was a far better oue than dying at Lucas''s hands.

    "Anyway, I need you to tell me in detail what this Harman''s rite includes in its procession. I will not be sending Elysia to do anything weird."

    Now that Lucas had calmed down, his head was finally moving into the right gears and he was getting right to the point.

    It was a relief to see Chrome and he did not mind disclosing some information to Lucas and Elysia.

    "Herman is the god of fighting. I don''t have a shred of concrete evidence of what this festival is about but it is rted to victory in war. Although there have been no signs of a conflict for many years now, the temple insists that we celebrate this festival."

    Chrome began with the basics, his voice sturdy. He was talking about something he did want to but needed to.

    "Look, I do not care about what this festival entitles. What I want to know is what Elysia would be made to do at the festival. That is my real concern."

    "Calm down. I aming to that part. Every year has a new theme for the celebration and the theme for this year is sacrifice. I have a feeling that Elysia might be made to do an offering prayer."

    Chrome''s uncertainty made Elysia frown. He could feel the unhappy vibes he was getting from the sibling duo but this was something he had brought upon himself.

    "Chrome, go and gather more information. I want a detailed itinerary of everything that is about to happen."

    Lucas''s blue eyes held an unholy light and Chrome swallowed his nervousness.

 Chapter 187 187: Redemption [Pt2]

    Lucas rubbed his brows as he felt a headacheing his way. He rubbed his head to drive the headache away before he sat back down on the sofa.

    The speed Chrome had shown as he had fled had been incredible. Lucas was sure that Chrome would be able to get him the information soon enough.

    "Don''t be too rough on him. We know that Lucas had no other choice but to sign this agreement with the temple. And I think he has suffered enough for his decision."

    Lucas looked at Elysia, the one who was the most affected by Lucas''s decisions. His sister looked tired as well but she was looking much better than before. But it would be good if Elysia med Chrome for at least a little bit.

    He could not help but feel like Chrome was getting away too lightly.

    "Elysia, you need to be a little more rigid if you do not want these people to walk all over you. Even now, most of them do not see you as someone they should respect."

    Lucas was not talking about Chrome when he said that. He was mainly talking about the various court officials who looked at Elysia with a look of disdain.

    They regrlypared her with Lucas and pointed out how much softer she acted.

    Being nice and soft was a good thing most of the time but the court was a different ce. It needed a firm and solid hand if you want to not be swept away.

    "I know that I need to be a little firmer in my approach but that is not easy for me to do. I just don''t want to see anyone be disappointed because of me."

    Both Lucas and Elysia went quiet after that confession and Elysia could not help but feel like she had spoken out of turn. She had not meant to disappoint Lucas with her words.

    But she was not going to interfere in the court politics that was taking ce in the Akatsuki kingdom. She might be forced to help the temple out but that was the extent of her involvement with everything.

    ////////////////////////////////////////

    The day was pretty dry after that. Once Chrome and Lucas had gotten busy, Elysia also started to look around. She was roaming around almost listlessly when her feet found their way to the queen''s castle.

    She wanted to turn away but then she noticed a familiar figure entering the building.

    Elysia did not know the name of that shaggy brown haired man but she did remember himing to Rahan''s rescue. That, more than anything, solidified Elysia''s decision to follow after him.

    But as soon as she entered the queen''s castle, she heard footsteps headed her way. Someone was following after her and they were not very skilled.

    Elysia decided to deal with her shadow first before spying on the queen and her associate.

    "Eppp, let me go. I do not know anything."

    Her shadow turned out to just be Enma. As far as Elysia had heard, Enma had been put in charge of documents and other special work by his brother as a punishment for aiding Elysia.

    She had not seen a single hair of this child until now. Elysia had not been worried this far but now she suddenly wanted to know if Enma was alright or not.

    "Sorry, I did not mean to startle you. I was just trying to follow someone suspicious."

    "I know you were. Elysia, can you not keep out of trouble for a single day? I will go bald before I be an adult at this rate."

    Enma was angry and disappointed. His eyes were shing with irritation as he tried to re Elysia into submission.

    It was not very effective because of his small status as well as his clear eyes. It just looked like a kid throwing a tantrum in front of his siblings.

    "You are not very convincing since you are so short. Also, you could have pretended not to notice me if you are worried about getting in trouble."

    Enma''s re worsened when he heard Elysia''s words. He did not want to be called ''short'' since it was not something he could help with.

    "I *tried* that before already so don''t say that to me. And anyway, you should be more concerned about yourself. You are not giving your body enough time to heal before you get injured again."

    Enma seemed to have a lot to say about Elysia''s habits and she wanted to hear him out as well. But then she noticed that crazy-haired man getting out of her sight.

    "Sorry Enma, but I need to go now. I till listen to yourintster."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Elysia hurried after the fleeing figure, not wanting to lose the person she was tailing. She left Enma behind and the child watched with wide eyes as that happened.

    And then, at the halfway point, he realized what was happening and instantly followed Elysia with hurried footsteps.

    She had no idea why Enma decided to follow after her but Elysia could not risk turning back and sending him away.

    Not if she wanted to get to the bottom of this matter. And Enma would have to wait for her to be finished first.

    Elysia finally caught up with the intruder who had given her and Lucas such a hard time a few days ago and she ducked behind the wall to not be seen by him.

    From the hand moment, she could see the man make, it seemed like he was in an argument with the guards of the pce.

    Elysia was finally about to go out and catch the man when someone unexpectedly stepped out to greet the man. It was Feize who hade out to collect the man.

    The guard looked frustrated but then Feize took out a locket from his pocket and they were finally allowed entry. Elysia knew she could not use the same route the other two had taken.

    "Enma, how good are you at sneaking around?"

    Elysia asked as she observed the wall that needed to be crossed. It was not that high so Elysia should have no problem with this.

    And even though Enma looked short, Elysia was sure that he had enough sticity in him to apany Elysia.

    "I have to admit that I am not very good but I can manage fine. Why do you ask-wooohhhh."

    Elysia picked up Enma from the back of his shirt and jumped up. Enma looked sick as he watched the ground move further and further away from him. He tried to get himself free but Elysia did not allow him to.

    The jump was simple and easy to make. Elysia was easily able to carry Enma over and onto the other side.

    "Y-You idiot. Did you want me to die of a heart attack because you forgot to inform me that you were going to jump? I thought I was going to die."

    Enma panted those words as he was finally let go. His face was red and flushed because of the exertion he had not done. Elysia was worried about him but she knew that he was not feeling sick because he was hurt.

    "Enma, keep yourints to yourself for now. You are the one who decided to follow after me so you have no right toin. And if you cause any trouble for me, then you will have to pay for it."

    Enma yelped as he faced Elysia''s fury. He had never seen Elysia like this. He had not expected Elysia to say anything to him even if heined to her about her every moment.

    But something seemed to have changed in Elysia. It was not an outward change but he could still not help but notice it.

    "C-Calm down a little and let''s talk about it. Now that I think about it, we do not need to cross each other, right?"

    Enma sounded nervous now and Elysia was sure it was because she looked a little angry with him.

    While Elysia did not want to be harsh on Enma, she had no other choice but to show a little bit of strictness. Lucas had been right in the end. Things would not go Elysia''a way unless she was a little bit tougher on people around her.

    ''But maybe I should apologize to Enma for being a little too harsh.''

    Elysia was about to open her mouth before she saw her target move in front of her vision. And that made Elysia forget everything she had been about to do. She instantly moved toward her target, leaving Enma behind.

    "-And be careful. His holiness is doing his best to maintain our peace."

    Feize spoke softly but Elysia was still able to hear him. She tried to get even close to them to hear more.

    "I know I need to be careful but it is tough. Rahan is already out carrying missions and��wait. Did you hear it?"

    Elysia froze, not even breathing now. She was afraid that she had been caught just now.

 Chapter 188 188: The Spy Mission [Pt1]

    Elysia froze as she heard footsteps headed her way. She quickly pulled Enma to the award herself and closed his mouth so that he would not be able to make any noise.

    She was afraid that she would be found out by Feize and his partner. Elysia stillcked evidence and knowledge of what they were nning.

    ''I need to get away from here somehow. But how do I do that?''

    Elysia was too deep in her thought and she did not notice how tightly she was holding Enma. But that did not mean that Enma was unaware of what he was going through. It was getting harder and harder to breathe for him.

    So he decided to lick Elysia''s hand to make her let go. The feeling of a wet tongue on her palm made Elysia instantly let go of the kid she was holding.

    Enma panted, now finally free. He looked annoyed at being held captive and seemed to not have noticed what was going on.

    And Elysia got a brilliant idea to get out of this situation.

    "Enma, if they ask what you are doing here, just say that you got lost while roaming around. I doubt they will take a kid like you seriously."

    Elysia whispered to Enma as she hid behind a tree. She was not sure how well her tactic would work out for her since Enma did not sound or act like a kid.

    But people generally tended to be careless around kids, thinking of them as harmless and not very attentive. The chances of Enma not even being noticed were high as well since Enma was not very tall.

    "Hey, what do you��"

    Enma tried to whisper when the bush he had been hiding behind got pushed off. Two pairs of suspicious eyes looked back at Enma, which made him freeze.

    The only thing that could go wrong with this n was if Enma broke down under the pressure and confessed, or if he was not believed in his lie. But both of them were things Elysia could not help him with.

    "What are you doing here? Queen''s pce is off-limit for everyone who is not her servant."

    Feize sounded confident and a little angry, so unlike any other time, Elysia had seen before. He looked like a teen trying to hide something dangerous.

    Enma looked and acted nervous as well. Elysia could make out his shaking body from where she was hiding and she felt sorry for springing all this on Enma all of a sudden.

    "I��did not know where I was. I was trying to chase after a stray cat and somehow ended up here."

    Enma''s voice shook when he made that excuse. Elysia would have called him out on his life right then and there. But that was also because she knew Enma well.

    She was able to tell when he was speaking the truth and when he was lying. But it was not so easy for the others to do.

    "Hey, have we met before? Your voice sounds familiar to me."

    The brown-haired man asked, suddenly interested in Enma. Enma seemed to have recognized him as well from the description that had been provided to him. But he still chose to lie anyway.

    "Hahaha, maybe? But you don''t feel familiar to me at all. Like, not even one percent."

    Elysia was sure that the brown-haired man and Enma had not met face-to-face before, but they likely had information on each other that made them feel familiar to each other.

    But bringing up that right now would be like giving himself away.

    "This is not the time for making a useless connection, Boras. We need to do something about this kid. He might have heard something from our discussion."

    Feize sounded nervous when he said that and Enma''s panic worsened. Maybe he felt like his life was threatened because he suddenly started backing away.

    "N-No need to be concerned about me. I need to g-get going now anyway. The temple...I mean, the Emperor needed my help. Bye."

    Enma quickly retreated from the fight. Both Feize and Boras watched him flee, deciding whether to chase after him or not.

    Elysia was sure that Boras would chase after Enma when Feize stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

    "What? I thought you wanted to make sure no one alive knew about what we were doing?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Boras sounded confused as he turned to face Feize back. That confusion that Elysia could read in his eye caused Feize to sigh out tiredly.

    "If you were going to do something, then you should have done it when the kid was with us. It would have been easier to clear than if you go after him now. Besides, we need to head in now. The Queen is waiting for your arrival. Did you bring the artifact with you?"

    Feize looked torn between killing Enma andpleting the mission he was here for. And in the end, the desire toplete the mission won him over and he sighed tiredly as he walked inside the pce.

    Elysia thought she saw Boras look her way before he followed after Feize. Thest few minutes had been so nerve-wracking for Elysia that she did not even feel when her legs gave out beneath her body.

    She felt tired and worn out but she quickly got over it. She needed to follow after Boras and Feize right now.

    "Hey, what are you doing here? Do you have a hobby of watching children like this?"

    Elysia had not been even halfway through the pce when she felt someone''s hand on her shoulder.

    She turned around with a rigid body, waiting to see if she needed to kill now or not. And surprise - she met thest person she expected to but had been running into everywhere in this kingdom.

    "Lady Dirac, are you alright? You look pale and a little worn out. What are you doing in the Queen''s castle? Like, I know you are stalking my brother but I want to know why and-"

    Elysia had a feeling that if she allowed Feize''s sister to continue talking, then it would take a whole day before she was allowed to move again. Thedy seemed tock a filter in her mouth and her words also had no pause.

    But above all, Elysia feared that Feize''s sister had misunderstood her intentions as interest. It would only fuel further into her delusion that Elysia was interested in her brother.

    "I don''t have time for this discussion, Lady-"

    "Julia."

    "Lady Julia. As I said before, I don''t have time for all this. I have a feeling that your brother is in trouble. The person I was following was that brown-haired man with your brother. He is the person the empire looking for currently due to a break-and-run incident."

    Elysia didn''t bother using denial to clear up the misunderstanding she was being subjected to. Instead, she decided to use facts to clear up things.

    Feize''s sister, Julia, looked taken aback by Elysia''s words before understanding shed across her eyes.

    And then it was reced by fear. She looked toward the hallway where Feize had disappeared with a scared look and then she faced Elysia again.

    "M-My brother is not in any huge trouble, right? M-Maybe he doesn''t know what kind ofpany he keeps?"

    Elysia very much doubted that but she allowed Ju to brew in her one delusion for some more time. Her current task was to make sure she got to the bottom of this mystery.

    The Queen''s involvement, in this case, made things just that much worse for everyone. And it was clear that the Akatsuki kingdom was headed toward something big.

    "Let''s follow your brother, for now, find out what he is doing with that criminal. We can talk about what to do with your brotherter."

    Julia looked a little heartbroken but a lot more determined than before. The fire in her eyes was zing brightly and Elysia had a feeling that she would be alright in the end.

    Now, what mattered was to go after Feize and Boras to know what they were nning. Since they had mentioned ''temple'' and ''artifact'', Elysia felt like it was something connected to Herman''s rite.

    And if her feeling was right, then this ceremony might turn out to be much more important than it originally looked to be.

    ''I hope Enma brings my brother here soon. I have a feeling we will need his help if we want to confront the Queen in her own home.''

    Elysia had never wanted to be a part of a political scenario but she was dragged into one time and time again.

    So if she was going to be dragged into another one anyway, she might as well invite herself and create a safe spot for herself before things unfolded.

    "Look, there they are. They are entering the Queen''s private quarters. How do we listen into their conversation?"

    Julia sounded concerned but Elysia had a solution to such a situation. After all, it was not her first spy mission.

 Chapter 189 189: The Spy Mission [Pt2]

    "Wee in here and take your seat. Did you bring the amulet I asked you to bring with you?"

    Elysia watched as the queen positioned her sofa to face her guests. She looked too happy and gleeful to see the people in front of her. Her eyes shined with an unholy light that sent shivers down Elysia''s spine.

    "We are here, your majesty. And here is the artifact you asked for. It will allow anyone to conceive a child as long as the energy is sufficiently mixed in it. The uing rite is the perfect time for that to happen."

    Feize spoke those words like he was advertising the artifact to the queen. Elysia''s bad feelings worsened as she realized that Feize did not sound possessed.

    He sounded like he was very much in character and doing things he wanted to do.

    "Excellent. Now that we have this in our possession, it is time to cause a rift between Lord Dirac and our emperor. Well, it is Elysia Dirac''s bad luck that she challenged me like this."

    She had known that the Queen had somewhat of a twisted personality but she had not realized that the Queen could sound this crazy as well.

    Elysia also did not like hearing her namee out of the queen''s lips since it made her feel dirty. But Elysia endured it, for the time being, wanting to know more.

    Borasughed out loud after hearing all that he had.

    "You are one twisted woman. You especially asked for this artifact to make that ''Lady Dirac'' get pregnant and then marry the emperor. And then, as the queen, you would take control of thatdy''s life and use her as a hostage."

    Elysia felt sick when she heard Boras''s words. Even if she wanted to mistake the Queen''s words and take them out of context, the queen''s humming agreement with Boras said it all.

    "That is right. This artifact will make sure that Chrome''s energy and Lady Dirac''s energy mix well inside her body and create a new life. But the child born like this is no more than a chimera and would not live long."

    "That would give us a perfect excuse to ruin everything for Chrome and force another bride on him from our fraction. It will end up leaving only our side at an advantage. And Feize, I want you to make sure a misunderstanding happens where it looks like they both slept with each other."

    Elysia could feel Julia shaking behind her back. Feize''s sister might have been a little outspoken and rude at times, but she had a good heart.

    She was blunt and did not like to hide behind empty smiles and crooked promises to get what she wanted. She must be boiling in anger right now.

    "Feize, don''t you dare agree."

    Julia''s low voice was a threat to her brother. But it was one he could not hear, nor respond to.

    Feize only bowed to the queen with a determined expression on his face. He looked, unlike the scary and cute child Elysia had picked out in the court before.

    "Your wish shall be carried out, my queen. I will surely remove all the obstacles in your path."

    Feize sounded not only determined but also ready to do anything for the queen. Such loyalty wasmendable but also dangerous in the hands of those who could bring hard by its usage.

    Elysia did not want to get pregnant or even risk pregnancy since a chimera would ruin her chance of conceiving again. And Elysia remembered the vision she had seen of that kid in the future.

    She wanted to save her future child by any means possible.

    "I cannot believe��that''s it. I am heading out and bringing my brother back."

    Julia was pissed off right now. Elysia could tell how much her blood was boiling and how hard she wanted to hit Feize.

    She also knew that she could try to keep Ju back but it would not help her out. Julia was too determined and crazy to listen to Elysia anyway.

    So the only thing Elysia could do right now was to make sure her involvement, in this case, does not get reported back to anyone.

    ''I should change my hiding location before I get discovered.''

    Since Elysia knew that Julia was about to break the door, she quickly changed her hiding spot. And it happened right in time for Julia to break down the door with a furious expression on her face.

    "Feize, how dare you try and deceive me. How long have you been going behind my back like this and ying this dangerous game?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Julia sounded pissed off and the anger she showed seemed to have taken Feize aback.

    Her sudden appearance at the scene seemed to have pushed a lot of things into motion. And the most assertive of it were her zing eyes that looked ready to eat everyone in the room alive.

    "S-Sister, what are you doing here? It''s dangerous so you should go back and-"

    "Don''t give me this bull shit. What were you nning on doing if I did note here to stop you? You never consider what you are doing before making a decision, Feize-"

    "It is sister who does not understand and acts like she wants to. It is because you behave in such a loose manager that I have toe here and ask for a favor from the Queen. It is all your fault here."

    Feize sounded just as angry as Julia was. They were both letting their anger vent out at each other.

    Elysia did not want them to fight but she had no choice but to keep hidden. She was not supposed to be here and if she was discovered, then it would cause a huge problem for everyone.

    "Feize, enough of this resistance. You areing back home with me right now and that is final-"

    "No. I am noting back and neither are you. Do you think you will be allowed freedom after you managed to uncover such a huge secret of the Queen, sister?"

    For the first time, Julia looked like she was taken aback by her brother''s words. She looked toward Feize and then at the Queen who had been quiet until now.

    It had not hit Julia until now, but it was the queen who would be most affected by it if Julia opened her mouth in front of someone.

    And it would also be the Queen who would lose the most if this conspiracy came to light. The Queen could not allow Julia to get out of there without precautions.

    "Boras, take our guest and keep her in the chambers until we find a way to ensure she does not speak. Feize, I will leave you in charge here but make sure your sister keeps her mouth shut."

    Feize looked heartbroken but Elysia was sure that he would not go against the Queen. The Queen seemed to have some kind of hold on Feize that was making him obedient to her every word.

    And as much as Elysia wanted to know more about it, keeping herself safe came first.

    "Y-You! Whatever you are nning would note true. You will have to face the consequences of your actions pretty soon. Lord Dirac will-"

    "Be too busy to deal with the consequences to look for us. But it is not something my sister has to be worried about. You should just rest for now and ensure that you keep your mouth shut."

    Those were Feize''sst words as he walked out after his sister. Boras did not say anything during this conflict, happy to just sit back and watch all this happen in front of him.

    Elysia felt sorry for Julia and Feize but now she had important information that she could make use of.

    She was not sure if the temple''s goals and the Queen''s coincided or not, but Elysia would do her darn best to ensure that things did not happen as the queen wanted them to.

    It was not only a decision Elysia made for herself but also for the betterment of her future life. She did not want to risk her child never being born in this world.

    "Miss, are you��"

    Elysia knocked the maid out before she could say anything else. The shock would help the maid forget what she had seen in thest few moments, or she would think of it as a dream she had before fainting.

    But anyway, Elysia knew it was time to run away from this pce and tell what she had seen to her brother and Chrome.

    If there was one person in this world who would believe her, then it was them.

    The Queen was a force Elysia had not seening but she would make sure the Queen would not be able to cause a lot of harm with her ns.

    There was so little time left before the Herman rite as well so Elysia needed to hurry up.

 Chapter 190 190: The Decision [Pt1]

    After hearing the Queen''s n for her and Chrome, Elysia decided she could not sit still any longer. She needed to give this news to her brother and the emperor.

    After all, they were the people who were being affected by these actions. Elysia would also be affected if this n of the Queen came to pass. And Elysia could not risk it.

    Both Chrome and Lucas had a grave expressions when Elysia told them what was going to happen. This was something they had not even imagined in their dreams, so to hear something like this from Elysia''s lips was shocking.

    But the more they both thought about it, the more it seemed possible for the Queen to cook up such a thing.

    "I see. No wonder I got a referral from the queen to hurry up and support Herman''s rite. But isn''t it easy for us to avoid this situation if I never show up to the rite?"

    Chrome had a point in saying this. As an emperor, he was not required to attend the ceremonies held by the temple. His schedule also did not allow such rxation.

    "But if the queen is going so far to execute her n, don''t you think she might force you toe one way or the other? And then there are these rumors��"

    Enma trailed off while speaking. His paleplexion made his wide eyes pop out even more on his face. He looked sick more than he looked cute.

    It made Elysia worried about him but she had her worries to take care of for now. Enma would just have to grin and bear with the consequences for now.

    "As much as I want to agree with you Chrome, I am afraid that Sorias has a point as well. The queen is not an easy opponent to deal with. And with the temple behind her back, I am afraid that we are in for a hard time ahead."

    Lucas was much more practical when it came to nning and Elysia was sure that he wanted to cover all their bases.

    But his words made Elysia''s heart sink to the bottom of her stomach. She did not want to be a part of whatever n the Queen was making for Elysia and Chrome.

    "Anyway, should we just decline the temple''s request now? It would be a hassle but it would save us a lot of trouble."

    Elysia suggested, only to be faced with Chrome''s panicked face.

    "No way. Tell me you are not serious. We cannot cancel the ceremony now since it is tomorrow. The best we can do is to make sure nothing happens. I cannot risk this going wrong, you know.

    Chrome had his dilemma and Elysia understood why he was so panicked. He was the ruler and a newly crowned one at that. He was still establishing his supremacy over everything that was happening around him.

    But once again, Elysia could not help but feel like she was being stranded over by her choices.

    "No way. My sister is not a tool for your political agenda. The reason we escaped the empire in the first ce was that they treated Elysia like a tool. I did not expect the same thing to happen here as well."

    Chrome sounded angry. The angrier he got, the more his body suffered as a result.

    Elysia knew he had been getting treatment for the curse he was under so he should not stress his body a lot. So when her brother started coughing, Elysia panicked and quickly ran to his side.

    She rubbed Lucas''s back to make his breathe out easier. But it did not seem like Lucas was getting any better even with her help.

    "Darn it. *cough* This is irritating."

    Lucasined as he held back his urge to vomit. The more he pushed himself back, the worse Elysia felt about giving him all this stress.

    If only Lucas had note to care for her, this all would not be happening right now. But that thought also made Elysia feel guilty because she loved her brother a lot.

    "A-Anyway, don''t stress yourself out unnecessarily like this. Everything will be alright and it''s just one day we have to be careful about."

    Chrome tried to lighten the situation but Lucas was not having it. They were both shing with each other right in front of Elysia''s eyes and it was stressing her out as well.

    "Both of you need to calm down. You are just helping the queen achieve what she wants to by fighting with each other. For now, I also think Elysia should attend the ceremony to not attract attention."

    Surprisingly, the voice of reason was Sorias. He had stood silently at the sidelines for now and Elysia was sure that he would agree with Lucas.

    But Sorias had surprised everyone by having apletely different opinion from Lucas. Even Chrome and Enma looked surprised by his decision.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Don''t look at me like I have lost my mind. I also want Elysia to be safe but do you think she is going to listen to us even if we tell her not to do something."

    Everyone looked at Elysia in an understanding and pitying manner. Elysia was both annoyed and touched at receiving their looks.

    They all cared about Elysia so much but they did not trust her to make the right decision.

    "Alright fine. I get what you are trying to say to me. Then, I will trust you to look after my sister if I am not able to, Chrome."

    Lucas backed down after that as well. The fight was draining out of his system as he tried to calm down. He knew his sister better than anyone so he knew his sister would end up in trouble anyway.

    At this point, they might as well put her in trouble themselves so that could rescue Elysia.

    "Now that it is decided, I will send the temple this letter to tell them of Elysia''s arrival. You don''t know how much pressure I was under because of the temple."

    Chrome was the one who looked the most rxed after hearing Lucas''s decision. He was also the one who had been under the most stress until now. But now it seemed as if all the burden of the world had been lifted off his shoulder.

    He suddenly looked so many years younger now and his shining eyes looked at Elysia with gratitude.

    "Y-You are wee? A-Anyway, you should be careful and watch your back. I am sure that the queen would not sit back and watch us dash her ns like this."

    Elysia had a feeling that something big would happen in th next few days. The queen looked like an ambitious person who wanted to rule the nation.

    And since she was at such a cross-road, she was also the most dangerous person Elysia knew right now.

    "By the way, I saw that buffed man who took Rahan away from our custody in the queen''s pce. I am sure he will show up during the rite as well."

    Elysia had forgotten to mention this before and Lucas suddenly groaned as if everything was going wrong in his life.

    "Next time, start with this first Elysia. Did you not think that this information was important to convey to us?"

    Lucas had his face buried in his hands and he did not even look at Elysia now. She would tell that he was contemting his life choices right now.

    "Sorry, but I did not think that this information was important to say to anyone. Besides, now he has the evidence we need against the temple and the Queen so we know who we should be careful of."

    Elysia tried to sound cheerful but the people around her did not feel so cheerful about her words.

    "My lord, you have a message��."

    The guard entered the room with a cheerful smile on his face, but all he was faced with was depression. He quietly walked outside of the room as he felt a few people staring at him. His life suddenly felt in danger.

    "I-I think I shoulde backter."

    "What are you talking about? Come here and give me the message. I want to know who dared to mess with me when I am so busy."

    "N-No sire, I-"

    The guard had no choice but to submit to Lucas when he looked at you like he was about to kill you. The guard felt like crying at that moment, thinking of any sin he could havemitted to ending up like this.

    "Don''t take their words seriously. Both Chrome and my brother are a little sensitive right now but you should not worry about them."

    The angel in the room, Elysia Dirac smiled at the guard. He had not expected to see an angle before his moments of death.

    "You better not be looking at my sister with disgusting eyes or I will snatch them out. Now, look up so that you do not risk losing your life right now."

    Lucas''s smiling but deadly eyes met his and the guard gulped as he watched his life sh before his eyes.

 Chapter 191 191: The Decision [Pt2]

    "Lucas, go a little easier on the guards here. They might be the ones to save us from a lot of troubleter on."

    Elysia looked toward the terrified guard who had fled away from her because of her over-protective brother and the emperor. She felt sorry for the guard but it was also hrious for her to see a grown man retreat like this.

    "Well, these people could stop being cowards and grow a backbone if they want to talk to you. Besides, I don''t think a coward is going to be of any help to me in the future."

    Lucas dissed the guard who had run away from his ire. If the stuttering fool could not even look him in the eye now, then how would he ever follow Lucas''s orders out in the field?

    He preferred his soldiers to be loyal because they respected him and not because they feared him. But above all, they needed to not disrespect his sister in front of him or Lucas would snap at them.

    "I don''t agree with Lucas over most things but I agree with him right now. You do not need to worry about those fools, Elysia. There would nevere a chance when we would need to rely on them in this life."

    Chrome sounded too arrogant and Elysia could not help butpare him to a viin right now.

    She just hoped that Chrome would not fall as a viin did in the end. He deserved so much better, even if his attitude right now was trashy.

    "Now that everything is decided, I guess it is time to say goodbye to Elysia for now. I received a message from the temple and it seems as if they are calling for Elysia early."

    Chrome helped up the message the guard had dropped. Elysia had not noticed the familiar energy that the message contained but now she could feel the holy energy of the temple all over it.

    She wanted to smack herself for not realizing it before but now she could not look away from the message.

    "They want her toe in early? And the temple thinks that we will just sit back and let it happen? I am not sending my sister anywhere near those hyenas."

    Lucas seemed mad and for good reason.

    He had never liked the temple, be it this side of the map or the other one. So it was clear that his irritation showed so openly. Elysia was surprised that it had taken him so long to snap like this.

    But then again, the temple had not tried to interfere directly with him before.

    "I agree. This smells fishy for some reason. But we have no solid reason to deny the temple as well. The best we can do is to send someone in with Elysia to act as her escort."

    Chrome and Lucas looked at Enma as one and he had a bad feeling about their interest in him.

    He tried to pretend like he did not notice their stares but that did not make them look away from him either.

    "W-What do you both want from me? T-There is no way you want me to escort Elysia, right? I might be the ''god''s envoy'' but I don''t have much authority in the temple. Nor have I ever used my status before."

    Enma looked ready to cry and Elysia felt bad for the kid. He was just trying his best to survive.

    But both Chrome and Lucas held no mercy for him. Lucas especially looked like he did not care about Enma''s circumstances and was going to force him toply.

    "Enma, it will be better for you to give in now. I am not sure if you will be able to escape Lucas if you refuse him now."

    Sorias''s handnded on Enma''s shoulder in a consoling manner. Enma''s eyes filled with tears as soon as he realized that hisst ray of hope had abandoned him as well.

    Elysia felt bad for him but she also knew that if she tried tofort Enma then it would just make things worse for him. It was just better for Elysia not to interfere with his fate.

    So when Enma looked at Elysia to gain her support, she pretended like she did not notice. She felt sorry for him but she knew that she would need his support.

    "Fine! I get it. Push me into the snake''s pit with Elysia, I don''t care. But just know that I will not take all this lying down."

    Enma sounded pissed but Elysia knew that he was defeated and would agree with anything he was asked to do for now. It was a w of his that people around Enma abused him again and again.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Then it is decided. Both Enma and Elysia will enter the temple today and keep an eye out for things. I will try to lessen any danger from our sides and look for an excuse to exempt the queen from the rite."

    Chrome made the final decision and that was it. Just like that, things had been decided for their side and Elysia made her way out.

    She did look back at Lucas and Chrome once, just to make sure that they won''t call her back. But they did not and Elysia went her way out and toward the temple.

    //////////////////////////////////////////////

    Lucas sighed knowingly once Elysia left and then he picked up a pen and paper to write a message to the empire''s emperor.

    Adam and Eve needed to know how close they hade to losing Elysia. Lucas was sure that it would kick their instincts in motion and make them hurry up and secure the empire.

    "You are nning something, right? I can see the scheming look on your face even from a mile away."

    Chrome pointed out as he watched Lucas work on the parchment in his hand. It had a few words written on it but the address was very familiar to him.

    Lucas looked at Chrome, daring him to try and stop Lucas from writing this letter but Lucas had no reason to do so.

    After all, friendship with the empire was something Chrome wanted as well on his end. And his best bet was to use Elysia and Lucas as a bridge to achieve this.

    "I just have a feeling that Adam and Eve should know about how close they came to losing Elysia. Maybe it would kick start some things that should have started a long time ago."

    Lucas quickly finished drafting the letter and called for a messenger bird. He needed to be swift about this letter''s delivery but it also needed to be anonymous.

    He did not doubt that Eve would be able to recognize his bird since she had seen it a lot during the rebellion days. So he was sure that his letter would be delivered.

    "Heh, you are ying matchmaker now? I thought you did not like Adam and Eve bing too familiar with Elysia in that way. Did spending time with them change your mind suddenly?"

    Chrome tried to tease Lucas now since he did not have the chance to do so often. He expected Lucas to look back at him in irritation, or even snap back at him.

    But nothing like that happened. Instead, Lucas just looked deadpan when he faced Chrome and his eyes held irritation.

    "Shut up and write your reports. I have too much work to do to find time to deal with you. Both Adam and Eve are insurances for Elysia''s bright future in case I do not make it and die because of my curse. Even now, it is pulsing beneath my skin."

    Lucas looked at his hands, feeling how cold and lifeless they felt. He had lied to Elysia when he said that he was getting better.

    Nothing was curing him and not even the divine power could help him at this point. His hands were beginning to lose all feeling in them, and soon Lucas could not even move them.

    He was in a bad condition but he could not tell Elysia that. It would break her heart and Lucas did not want to make her cry.

    "Lucas, tell Elysia that you do not have a lot of time left. Do you think she will not cry if you died without telling her anything? I am sure that the anguish she would feel would be worse-"

    "Don''t lump Elysia up with you. Just because you me your sister for dying-"

    Chrome''s eyes were empty when Lucas looked at him. He had forgotten about Chrome and his circumstances.

    Lucas wanted to apologize to Chrome but it would not do anything for anyone right now. Words had been spoken and now it would take some time for these words to be forgotten by both of them.

    "So, what are we going to do about the temple again?"

    Sorias was the one who broke the awkward silence and both Chrome and Lucas pretended like the conversation from before had not happened.

 Chapter 192 192: A Tense Atmosphere [Pt1]

    "By the way, this is your first time attending a festival in the Akatsuki kingdom, right Lady Elysia? Then, you are in for a treat since it is the Herman festival you got to witness."

    The sister from the temple that had been assigned to Elysia spoke happily. She looked far more rxed than Elysia could have expected anyone to look before any ceremony.

    As far as she remembered, the time for the ceremonies in the empire was filled with chaos, and everyone was trying their best to make things work. But the people of the Akatsuki kingdom were too rxed as they went their ways.

    Elysia could not hear hurried footsteps running around. Nor was there any noise trying to calm themselves down. The festive atmosphere Elysia had gotten used to was not there.

    "Is Herman festival something special? I asked a little bit but no one could tell me what the festival was about."

    Elysia had asked around but people had been hesitant to answer her. Most of the sisters Elysia had talked with had contradicting statements regarding the ceremony.

    Some talked about the Herman rite as a cultural festival with various performances held to honor the god, while others told of a private ceremony that was held.

    It was weird to think that the ceremony could vary so much in just a year. And every year it was a new way to celebrate the rite.

    "Ah, I know what you are talking about. Herman rite''s preparations depend on who is in charge at the time of rotation it is held. As you know, the date for Herman''s rite is not a fixed one. It depends on the lunar calendar so it can vary."

    "Coincidently, the major constetion is also different every time so we consider that when we decide what to do. Lady Dirac does not need to worry about it though."

    The sister seemed happy to talk about the ceremony and everything it entitled. This was the most straightforward answer Elysia had ever gotten from anyone.

    "You know, they say that God Herman had hair as deep and dark as blood and eyes s shining as the sky. He was portrayed as the most beautiful thing you could see on the battlefield. I know I won''t have minded dying if it was the hands of beauty."

    The sister continued, her voice slipping into a dreamy state and Elysia had no idea where her head currently was.

    She was about to snap the sister out of her daydream when she heard a familiarugh behind her. The sister also snapped out of her thoughts and turned around to give a small bow.

    "G-Greetings, Head Priest Akane. W-What brings you to this part of the temple."

    The sister looked startled to see the Head Priest in front of her and there was a very good reason for this.

    "Aren''t you very close to the female section of the temple? Should you, as the head priest,e to this part?"

    Elysia wanted to get rid of Head Priest Akane as soon as possible. The man gave her the creeps and his smile was also disturbing.

    At first, Elysia had been sure that she had been feeling the same aura she and Chrome gave off. She had thought of the Head Priest as someone was needed help.

    But the more she heard and encountered the Head Priest, the more she realized that his aura was not a problem for other people. It only felt odd to her.

    Even now, Elysia could see the sister who had been leading her to her temporary quarters blush and not be able to look up at the Head Priest.

    "Lady Dirac is so funny to say this to me. This is a neutral zone so it is alright for me to roam here. And even if it was not, the female section needs to be checked regrly by the Head Priest so there is no problem with me entering that section. Aren''t I right, sister?"

    Elysia''s escort blushed even harder once she knew she had the Head Priest''s eyes on her. She puffed her chest out and held her head high.

    "Of course, Head Preist Akane. You are always wee in our section. Lady Dirac, Head Preist Akane is the best person you can meet in your life. There is no need for you to doubt his character."

    Elysia felt pressured not to say anything after she was faced with such a strong look from the sister.

    She could see that the Head Preist had an amused smile on his face as he watched this show take ce. He had sessfully managed to trap Elysia and make her unable to refute the hopeful sister.

    "I understand, sister. So there is no need for you to repeat your words. I was just a little surprised to see the Head Priest here since the ceremony is tomorrow. Isn''t their work to be done for that?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Elysia might have asked this question for sister to answer, but she could tell that Akane had gotten her message.

    But despite her jab, Head Priest Akane just continued to smile hiszy smile. It was as if he felt like he had nothing to defend against.

    "W-What are you saying? The head priest has us all take care of things for him. T-There is no need for him to make any effort for the ceremony. We need to show that we are capable of his trust."

    Head Priest Akane just smiled as the sister took care of his exnation. Elysia could feel her skin crawling as she saw that easy-going smile.

    She did not like how the Head Priest did not even make an effort to exin anything. Nor did he clear up things for Elysia.

    "Speaking of work! I should get going now. I don''t know about the Akatsuki temple, but in the empire, we have a lot to do before we can conduct the ceremony. You don''t mind if I retire now, right?"

    Now that Elysia knew she was not alone, she had no choice but to flee the scene.

    Spending any more time with Head Priest Akane was not in her raster. Elysia just wanted to get the ceremony over with.

    "Ah, of course. You are free to do what you want,dy Dirac. But please be present for the preparations tomorrow. I heard that the pattern for this ceremony is pretty difficult to draft for most people."

    Elysia''s eyes narrowed at the almost-jab that was made at her. She could not tell if it was intentional or not, but Elysia felt insulted.

    "I am not sure if I will be of much help to you regarding your pattern problem. You see, I don''t have the best condition for drafting a pattern for some years now."

    Elysia was sure that most of the people in the temple knew about her nearly ruined eyesight.

    She might not like to advertise it but her ident had left a pretty big impact on others. And since this man was an acquaintance of Head Priest Yohan, Elysia was sure he knew about her condition at least.

    "I am sorry to hear that, Lady Dirac. But still, it would be a good idea to be present tomorrow morning, if only to show that you are alright with this ceremony. We need to make it hassle-free for the people''s sake."

    The way Head Priest Akane said those words, it did not seem like he was concerned about ''people'' when he spoke. Even his words sounded nd to Elysia''s ears she wanted to escape his clutches.

    "I see. I was aware of that possibility but I guess I never took it seriously before. Is the curse bothering you still?"

    The way the Head Priest framed that question, it seemed as if was interested in Elysia''s curse more than he was concerned about it. The sister beside Elysia shook as she watched the Head Priest.

    Elysia could ready adoration and trust in the poor girl''s eyes and she felt sorry for this sister who likely admired Akane.

    "My curse is my own business and it is no longer a topic I wish to discuss. Now, if that was all then I shall be taking my leave. I hope you have a nice night, Head Priest Akane."

    Elysia quickly made her exit and her escort also followed shortly.

    The sister let out a dreamy sigh as she tried to sneak a look back at the head priest. It seemed like she was head over heels in love with that man.

    "Head Priest Akane is like the perfect man. So gentle and caring, not to mention beautiful. Anyone would be lucky to have him as a husband, right?"

    The sister asked, likely looking for any gossip but Elysia was not in the mood to entertain her.

    "Head Priest Akane is alright but he is not my type. Besides, I would like to focus on my current condition and the ceremony rather than futile romance."

    The sister looked stunned at Elysia''s words and finally feel quiet.

 Chapter 193 Ch 193: A Tense Atmosphere [Pt2]

    The sister looked stunned at Elysia''s words and finally feel quiet. Elysia had a feeling that the sister was having a hard time epting Elysia''s words.

    But it was not her task to bring the sister out of her self-imposed delusion. There was no need for Elysia to go as far as to make the sister understand just what kind of man the Head Priest was.

    And Elysia had a feeling that even if she managed to make the sister see Head Priest Akane''s real self, she would still ignore everything Elysia was trying to tell her.

    Infatuation was a strong thing and anyone who fell under its spell tended to ignore reality a little bit.

    ''Then again, it is not my concern whether this sister managed to snap out of her delusion or not. I just need to get through this ceremony and it will be over for me.''

    Elysia wanted to focus on what she could do, rather than what was about to happen. She quickly picked up the pace to reach the room that was assigned to her.

    Outside the window, the world had taken a red shade as the sunset. It was beautiful but the mixture of that red and gold made Elysia miss Adam and Eve.

    The sky was painted in their colors and it made Elysia feel lonely and grateful at the same time.

    "It''s beautiful, right? This mixture of gold and red is exclusive to this time of the year. Ah, that reminds me. Whatever happens tomorrow, you should not get surprised. I am sure you will find the morning beautiful as well."

    The sister was speaking in riddles again and it irritated Elysia.

    But she was too busy looking out of the window to care about what the sister was saying to her. She found it hard to tear her eyes away from the mixed sky.

    "Skies like these remind me of that story from long ago. Are you interested to hear it?"

    Elysia did not reply, not interested in hearing the sister out. But her silence was taken as a confirmation by the sister because she continued speaking anyway.

    "A long time ago, when this world was young and still forming, the first sage had a vision from the gods. It was said that the light of the fire would save everyone as long as it had the dragon in its grasp."

    "They were to be each other''s strengths and to feed off on that strength to save the world when the time came. But then, the fire was cursed by death to separate from the dragon forever."

    "The dragon opened the rift of time and space in his despair to get his lover back and that was how the enchanted forest emerged. It is a strip of that leftover power of space and time."

    Elysia had to admit that it was an amusing story. She remembered reading about it somewhere in the Empire''s history before as well.

    But the version she had heard was a little different. Instead of death, it was said to be a witch who had been jealous of the par''s love and had ended up curing the fire.

    And the dragon had killed her using his mes. But the witch''s curse had given rise to the enchanted forest in the end, not wanting to forgive those who had killed her.

    But in the end, it was all stories told to deepen one''s faith in religion.

    "And, what is the purpose of telling me this story?"

    Elysia was not surprised or interested to hear more but she had a feeling she should hear the sister out fully at least. That much courtesy Elysia was willing to give her aid.

    The sister smiled after hearing Elysia''s words, her face taking a mischievous smile as she put her finger on her lips in a gesture that said that it was a ''secret.''

    "Well, it was said that since the lovers were cursed, they could not stay together any longer. But it was thanks to Herman, the god of fight, they got to reunite and that is the Herma''s rite."

    The story was not remarkable so Elysia had no idea why she was being told all this right now. As far as she knew, she had no interest in these stories.

    "Alright, that was all. I can tell that you are getting a little irritated now so I will go back to my room. Have a nice night."

    The sister finally left and Elysia sighed in relief at seeing her go. It had been so irritating to wait around like this and be told a story Elysia had no interest in.

    But she did not say these words to the sister, not wanting to sour the moment between them.<novelnext></novelnext>

    That night, Elysia''s mind was abination of red and violet shes. But when she woke up she did not remember anything of what had happened before.

    When she woke up, it was to the rising sun shining down on her face. Elysia had not expected that to happen and she instantly tried to close her eyes.

    But the more she tried to go back to sleep, the more she was not able to. Her own body protested against Elysia going back to sleep and she was forced to wake up.

    Above her, the sky was painted in a distant shade of red and gold. It was all mixed in a beautiful pattern but the sun was nowhere to be seen.

    She might have woken up the sunrise but the sun was not visible in the upper sky.

    ''I guess I should get ready for now. There is much to do before the ceremony.''

    The world outside seemed like it was asleep and the temple looked abandoned at this time of the day.

    It was so different from the temple in the empire and Elysia could not help but feel her heart hurt a little. She missed being back home so much right now.

    But despite that, Elysia did not slow down to think about what could have been. She had been entrusted with responsibility and she needed to take care of it.

    "First, I should look around for supplies. Then, I should head toward the ceremonial baths. I hope nothing happens this time."

    Elysia''s heart gave a painful tug as she remembered the golden eyes she had seen in herst vision.

    She anticipated and dreaded her time in the ceremonial baths at the same time. She looked forward to seeing her child again but her heart also felt fearful of that future noting true.

    "Ah,dy Dirac. You are aware of this hour of the day? Is everything alright?"

    Elysia stopped breathing as she heard the voice call her from behind. She did not want to turn around and face Head Preist Akane when she was alone like this.

    But ignoring him was also a problem right now. Especially since Elysia was in the temple and had no ally at her side.

    Enma was on the boy''s grounds and he was also useless in a fight. Both Lucas and Chrome were not able to interfere and Sorias would not be here untilte evening as well.

    "I woke up and was unable to fall asleep again. I think I will get ready for the day now."

    Elysia wanted to keep her conversations as short as possible. There was no need for her to entertain Head Priest Akane and they both knew it well

    Despite all that, Head Priest Akane decided he did not want to head out and walked until he was in step with Elysia.

    "If that is the case, then I should join you on your quest. I have never had a chance to observe how the people of the empire prepare for the ceremony so I am curious."

    Elysia wanted to groan at those words. She was not sure if she was someone Head Priest Akane was suspicious of or if he wanted to hit on her. Both thoughts sent shivers down Elysia''s spine.

    "I don''t think that is appropriate for someone of your station. You should just calm down for now since I will be heading toward the ceremonial pools soon."

    The Head Priest finally fell quiet after Elysia''s words. He looked taken aback by the easy admission Elysia made and she could spot that air of uneasiness in his eyes as well.

    Head Priest Akane had finally taken a step back and it felt like a victory for Elysia.

    "I-If that is the case, then I will let you be on your way. But do find me once you are done, Lady Dirac. I have things you need to learn before you can begin the ceremony."

    Elysia gave an awkward smile at those words, not at all interested in what Akane had to say to her. She just hurried toward the ceremonial pool and that was the end of her encounter for today.

    Or, that was what she hoped when she reached the pool and locked herself in there.

 Chapter 194 194: Impossible Odds [Pt1]

    "This ce feels so stiffening. I cannot believe I agreed to live here for a single day."

    Elysia looked at the pool in front of her in disdain. She did not want the water touching her body. It only felt ufortable but Elysia was also afraid of her curse triggering if she touched the pool again.

    She could feel the magic inside her reaching out toward the pool in an attempt to reconcile with what it missed but Elysia decided to keep her magic and the one in the pool separated.

    "Can I just not take this dip and pretend as I dipped into the ceremonial pool already? Will these people even notice?"

    Elysia had the fleeting thought before she decided to get this bath over with. The sooner she was able to get through it, the sooner she would be able to forget all about it.

    The pool water was cool and consuming when it surrounded Elysia. It was pushing all around her gently and Elysia let the water consume her. The magic that rushed at her was familiar and gentle this time.

    It called out to her, asked her to trust it and to let it lead Elysia into the depths of darkness.

    And like the fool Elysia was, she decided to let the water call her into its depths. The vision she did not want to have darkened her eyes and Elysia knew she was no longer in the pool but in a familiar castle.

    //////////////////////////////////////////////

    "Lady Eve, you need to eat. Your body cannot keep on going if you ignore it like this."

    Elysia opened her eyes and blinked around in a tired haze. She had never felt her eyes feel this heavy even when she had pulled a couple of all-nighters during missions.

    Every blink felt like it took tremendous effort and her stomach protested against its empty state.

    There was food in front of Elysia that she could reach out for and quench her hunger. It would be all too easy to do as well.

    But every time Elysia so much as tried to reach for the food, her brain, and her stomach protested against it. She was afraid to even eat anything.

    "Your highness, please. This of your condition and what it would do to the emperor-"

    "Don''t say his name. This is all Adam''s fault Elysia died. I will not forgive that man as long as I live."

    Elysia had never heard a voice that angry in her life before. Eve sounded like she was boiling in anger and her red hard likely resembled her fury.

    Even Elysia wanted to take a step back but she was currently in Eve''s body and did not know how to achieve that.

    "Y-Your holiness, please calm down. The emperor did what was-"

    "I don''t want to hear it. Do not take that bastard''s name in front of me again and-"

    There was a cry of a baby in the room which instantly turned Eve''s head toward that cry. Elysia felt Eve''s foreign terror fill her being as she rushed past the maid.

    The girl looked down to see the most precious being in the world in front of her. Those ck hair and golden eyes looking back at Elysia were so precious.

    "P-Please don''t cry. Everything is alright and I will protect you, alright?"

    Elysia''s heart swelled as her arms reached toward the kid in front of her. She recognized it as the kid she had seen before and she wanted to be close to the kid.

    The kid also stopped crying as he looked up at Elysia. For a good minute, it looked like that was all the kid would do - look at Elysia and nothing else.

    "Y-Your holiness, I d-don''t think the c-crown prince wants to-"

    Elysia''s heart hurt as she noticed the hesitation in the maid''s voice. It seemed like she intended to fail.

    But the kid suddenly giggled and reached toward Elysia. She was frozen for a moment before she reached back and took the kid in her arms.

    Her son giggled as he reached back for Elysia.

    "-meet the others. The attack will-"

    Elysia''s eyes met the emperor who had suddenly barged into the room. The emperor looked stunned before his eyes softened.

    "Your highness, should we-"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Adam held his hand up to stop the man from speaking. The retainers who had apanied the emperor fell silent as soon as they noticed the emperor''s mood

    "Everyone, leave."

    The servants looked at each other in a questioning manner, wondering if they should leave or not. Elysia only looked at the emperor, having no intention to leave her son alone.

    She was even willing to entertain the emperor and his anger if it meant she would get to live with her son again. That was how much the person who did not even exist in her life yet meant to her.

    Adam''s eyes zed as they looked at Elysia. They made her feel exposed and she hesitantly took a step back from Adam.

    Her son cried out in difort as he felt Adam''s aura pressing against his body. Elysia tried to shield him to the best of her ability but it was difficult to do for her.

    After all, she did not have the best control over Eve''s body and magic right now.

    "Why are you backing away from me? It breaks my heart to see you behaving like this in front of me."

    Elysia backed down until her back hit the wall. She clutched her son, hiding his head in her chest so that he did not see Adam''s shining eyes.

    She had thought that Adam and Eve will be on alright terms even if she was to die but it did not seem to be the case for her. And even then, to have her son in the middle of their fight was a disaster for Elysia.

    "W-What are you doing? S-Stay away from me."

    Elysia gasped those words out, her handing up to sp her chest. She did not want to speak and break the atmosphere that had formed. She did not want to risk hurting or scaring her baby.

    But her mild words and easy-going temperament caused Adam to push more into her. His face was inches away from Elysia''s and she felt ufortable being in front of Adam.

    Especially since this was a moment that was supposed to belong to Eve and Adam. Elysia had no business being here and ruining their happiness for them.

    "Did you think you will be able to fool and deceive me? I don''t know how did you this but I am not letting you go."

    Adam''s hands on Elysia''s wrists were sped tightly. It did not seem like she would be able to escape him easily even if she tried to.

    Elysia did try to pull back from him but the tight sp on her hand did not allow her this luxury. All she could do was look at Adam and pray that he would let Elysia go.

    "W-What are you doing? Are you not going to let me go? U-Unhand me now."

    Elysia''s voice rose as she demanded for Adam let her go. Eve''s body was sturdy but even then, Elysia could the bruises form on her wrist.

    It burned her but Elysia did not have it in her to pull back from Adam.

    "I don''t want to pull back from you since I know you would disappear as soon as I do so. I will not allow you to disappear from my sight again."

    Elysia''s heart skipped a beat as she heard those possessive words. Her eyes were wet and she tried to pull away from Adam.

    But the emperor was too powerful to do that. He only held on tighter to Elysia''s wrist and she was sure Adam looked angry with her.

    Elysia had no idea what Eve had done to anger Adam so much but she needed to correct their rtionship before they both ended up hurting each other.

    "Adam, listen to me here...are you angry with me for some reason?"

    Elysia asked, her voice almost breaking into hesitation as she tried to make Adam calm down. The emperor was scaring her child and that was not alright for Elysia''s heart or her mental health.

    She expected Adam to calm down and listen to her, but he looked even more pissed off. And his grip tightened even more on Elysia''s wrist.

    "Angry? Angry doesn''t even get to cover what I am feeling right now. You left me all alone and died. How dare you die on me like that, Elysia? I cannot live without you."

    If Elysia was afraid before, she was terrified now. Adam''s eyes looked right back at her with certainty.

    This was the first time someone in her visions had recognized her for who she was and Elysia did not know what she should do anymore. Her mind was a nk te that could notprehend what was happening.

    And then Adam worsened her confusion by kissing her right then and there.

 Chapter 195 195: Impossible Odds [Pt2]

    Adam''s kiss was forceful but it was not hurting Elysia. It was essentially just a press of lips against hers and it reminded her of cotton candy with its gentleness.

    The only thing Elysia found irritating about her situation was that the body she was upying was not her own. She was taking liberties with Eve''s body and that thought made Elysia break the kiss.

    Adam looked d and heartbroken at the same time. His golden eyes were shining with tears and Elysia was sure he was about to pull her back into a kiss.

    But Elysia backed down before their lips could meet again. She did not want to confuse herself and Adam anymore.

    ? "Adam,e back to your senses. I am Eve so don''t mistake me for some dead person."

    It hurt to talk like this and Adam looked pissed as well. It was good for him not to miss Elysia too much and focus on the present.

    She expected Adam to do something else in his anger but he only smiled at Elysia instead. His anger was still there but he was trying his best to control his temper for her sake.

    Meanwhile, Elysia could tell how ufortable her son was stuck between herself and Adam but he did not make a fuss. Elysia could feel inaudible growls hit her chest as her son showed his displeasure.

    He turned to look at his father and Elysia could spot irritation in his eyes. But Adam paid no attention to his son, his eyes focused on Elysia the whole while.

    She had no idea how Adam was able to tell that it was her inside Eve''s body but she did not want to risk exposing herself even further in front of him.

    "I don''t know what your problem is, but I will not y around with you. I will be ying along with you."

    Adam''s grip on her hand tightened even further as he heard Elysia''s words. She could tell that he was about to erupt any second now.

    She was ready to take all his ire when Adam calmed down once again. It must have taken massive willpower for the emperor to back down like this and Elysia fell silent in awe.

    "I will not fight you now that you are finally back with me Elysia. I don''t care how you got into Eve''s body, but I refuse to let you go."

    Elysia''s blood went cold once she heard those words. She suddenly realized that not only was Adam not concerned about Eve, but he also seemed to not even care.

    That was a disaster Elysia did not want to happen and yet, she could see it happen in front of her eyes. She had no words to describe how she felt.

    ttered? Devastated? Angry? Scared? None of those emotions were the ones Elysia felt at that moment.

    "W-Why and how?"

    That was all Elysia could stutter out as she felt the contents of her vision fade away. It felt a bitter taste in her mouth after realizing that she was running away.

    "Does it matter how and why? You should just know that I-You cannot escape me."

    Adam realized what was happening the same second Elysia felt her connection begin to get cut off. Adam''s magic reached out toward Elysia but it was far toote.

    "Please, don''t abandon us again��"

    Those afterward were all but a whisper of a wish. Adam was reaching out toward Elysia in thosest moments, his eyes looking back at her desperately but Elysia did not want to go back.

    Going back would mean that Eve would not have a body to live in any longer. She did not want to deprive Eve of that right and Elysia also had a ce she needed to get back to.

    The only regret she had was the son she had abandoned again. That solid weight was missed by her arms and Elysia felt lonely without her son in her grasp.

    /////////////////////////////////////////////

    When she finally came about, water was rushing into her mouth and she coughed to get it out. She finally emerged from the ceremonial pool, only to face a terrifying pair of eyes and an amused one.

    "Look, I told youdy Dirac was alright. Although I do not know what happened to her, I can tell that her life force is as strong as ever."

    It was Head Preist Akane who spoke those words. His eyes smiled as he looked at Elysia and she felt shivers go down her spine at that easy-going look.

    She did not like how the Head Priest was eying her like she was a specimen he could not wait to dissect and look inside of.

    "B-But the d-drowning and s-so long ann-and��."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The sister who had likelye to fetch Elysia stuttered as she tried to make sense of what she had just seen. She had watched Lady Dirac almost drown in the ceremonial pool but now thedy was alright.

    She had been down in the depth of the pool for so long that the sister had been afraid of her dying.

    That was why she had broken all the rules and gotten Head Priest Akane involved with her mess. She did not go into the water herself since she was afraid of the curse.

    "Lady Dirac, you are alright now? The sister here was so concerned about your well-being. You won''t want to appear in her nightmares and cause her any trouble, right?"

    Head Priest Akane''s voice was gentle and caring as he spoke to Elysia. But his words were anything but gentle toward Elysia.

    He was pressuring her to agree with his words. It was the most basic form of maniption but it was darn effective.

    Elysia wanted to curse the man out but she could not do that without attracting unwanted attention from the other sisters.

    "Ah, I am alright so you do not need to worry about me at all. My condition is something that always happens when I prepare for a ceremony so you should not be concerned about me."

    Elysia smiled a gentle smile but the sister did not look to be happy or even satisfied with her response.

    Meanwhile, the Head priest looked like he could not be any happier with Elysia''s words. He looked at Elysia with a curious expression and he even leaned into her to look her in the eye.

    "This is something that always happens? So, what happens to you when you are in this state? Do you feel any pain? Any other difort? Is it weird or painful for you? What about-"

    ''T-Too close.''

    Elysiashed out without knowing, her handsing in contact with the Head Preists'' chest and she pushed him back.

    The man looked back at Elysia with wide eyes, his eyes going dark before he calmed down. His red eyes made Elysia flinch but she refused to look away from him.

    Finally, the Head Priest opened his eyes again and he looked alright again. His smile was back which made Elysia''s breathing easier.

    "H-Head Preist, we should be going now. We have a lot we need to prepare before we can start the ceremony."

    The sister who had called for the head priest here looked scared all of a sudden. It made Elysia want to reach out to her and help her out. But she held that temptation back for now.

    It felt dangerous to keep engaging the Head Preist any longer.

    For a second, Elysia felt her eyes meet the sister''s and the poor girl looked away, unable to look Elysia in the eyes. It stung to be looked away from like this but Elysia did not care right now.

    Instead, she turned to observe the Head Preist who seemed to not pay any attention to her.

    "Don''t take too long to get back, Lady Elysia Dirac. I hope this rite turns out to not be a disaster for you."

    Head Priest Akane''s words were ominous and they sent a shiver down Elysia''s spine. She did not want to find out what those words meant.

    She was about to ask Akane what he meant by his words but the head priest was gone before Elysia could say anything to him.

    The sister who had stayed behind with Elysia also bowed down before leaving her alone.

    Suddenly, Elysia wanted nothing more than to run away and not be a part of this ceremony. The words that the Head priest had spoken had spooked Elysia enough to tingle her senses.

    "I better send a message to Chrome that he needs to be extra vignt today."

    Elysia used her magic to form a bird and inscribed it with a message she wanted to send to the Akatsuki emperor.

    Since Elysia was stuck in the temple right now, she would not be able to move as freely as she wanted to. It would be up to Chrome and her brother to clean up this mess they had suddenly found themselves into.

    Elysia just hoped that this much was enough to elevate all their troubles.

 Chapter 196 196: The Hermans Rite [Pt1]

    Chrome held Elysia''s message close to himself, already dreading opening it up and reading its contents. Every time Elysia wrote to him, it was never any good news in its contents.

    At this point, Chrome just wanted Elysia to stay put and not move during the whole operation. But knowing Elysia, she might still find trouble one way or the other.

    "Your highness, we are keeping an eye on the Queen but she had shown no signs of noticing."

    Chrome sighed a sigh of relief as he heard this. He was deathly afraid of what the Queen could be nning, especially right now when the tensions were rising high.

    "And what about Lucas? Any news from him?"

    Chrome had no hope of ever spying on Lucas but he had still asked to be kept informed by the other royal. But Lucas was a wild card so Chrome had no confidence in controlling him.

    Even the guard looked a little afraid and hesitant to make any remark. That was enough for Chrome to know that he had been caught spying by Lucas and had been issued a warning by the other royal.

    "You know what? Never mind what Lucas is thinking. We should focus on our operation for now."

    Chrome gave up on that front pretty soon, knowing that it was an uphill battle with Lucas. It was better to let Dirac do what he wanted until he was satisfied.

    "Y-Yes? Ah, my lord. I wanted to let you know that the temple has invited you to the ceremony. Here is the invite for your attendance."

    The guard extended the yellowish paper to Lucas, waiting for him to take the paper. Lucas took it without any dy, looking at it with disdain.

    He did not want to open this letter to know what it likely said. Since Elysia had already told him about the Queen''s intentions, Chrome had every intention of refusing the invitation.

    "This letter does not have the Head Preist''s seal so I will not be entertaining it. Besides, I have too much work to do before I can attend the ceremony. I don''t think I will be able to make it in time."

    With a single sentence, Chrome managed to dash all the work Queen had done to secure this invite. The temple did not have the best rtionship with the royal family so they were not invited to each other''s programs.

    So this invite was a ticking time bomb for Chrome and he would not have epted it even if the Queen had not been involved.

    "What is it? I can see that you want to talk with me more so out with it."

    Chrome could see the guard hesitating to speak up again. He had thought that he had gotten through all the bullshit but it did not seem to be the case.

    Chrome braced himself for another headache that was about toe as he gestured for the man to speak.

    "T-The thing is, L-Lady Saintess wrote to us. S-She and the emperor want to visit us for peace talks."

    If Chrome could have thrown something at the wall to vent his anger, he would have done so in a heartbeat. This was the worst possible news, especially at such a tense time for his kingdom.

    Not only was the Queen an unstable force but the temple was out to get him as well. And the foreign dignitaries wanted to travel to his kingdom right now for peace talks? It was all too much.

    "W-We can ask them to reconsider if it is not possible."

    The guard hurriedly took his words back, not wanting to anger the emperor anymore. Chrome''s angry look was making him second-guess his decision of bringing up this topic.

    "Fine, they cane but only after the ceremony for Herma''s rite is over. We do not need any kind of distraction right now."

    The guard sighed in relief as Chrome looked away from him. The atmosphere had been so tense up until that moment. And the guard had been ready to bolt away from the room when he had been given this good news.

    Chrome just watched the guard bolt away from him with lightning-fast speed. He knew he was courting trouble for himself but it was difficult to resist the temptation of the offered peace.

    Not to mention��

    ''I do not want to get on Emperor Adam and Saintess Eve''s bad side. They both scare me a lot.''

    //////////////////////////////////////

    "He denied my invitation? How dare Chrome show me this disrespect? Is he not afraid of what I will do to him for this insult?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    The queen looked pissed off as she tried to get her emotions under control. It would not serve her to be this angry at the emperor and show her true colors.

    Especially since she knew that Chrome was a paranoid bastard and was looking for any opportunity to suppress her influence.

    "What is the news from the temple? Did they send the letter as well?"

    The Queen had instructed someone in the temple to invite Chrome. It would not help much but it would make him hesitate a little bit.

    "He denied that invite as well. Also, sir Lucas denied our invite as well but he disappeared from our sight."

    The queen gritted her teeth at another piece of bad news she got. She had thought that it would be easy to get Elysia Dirac under her control and then use that to threaten the other two.

    But now it seemed like the tables had turned on her and she was being led around with a hook in her mouth.

    "Calm down before you burst your head. Everything is still under our control for now."

    The Queen looked up sharply at Boras''s words, her eyes zing and ready to burn the shaggy-haired man on the spot.

    But the man looked like he was not even interested in how the Queen was looking at him right now. Her re faltered as she noticed more and more that she was having no effect.

    "Then, what do you want me to do? My life is dependent on this n so why can''t I be worried about my life?"

    The queen was ready to say more when she calmed down. Especially since she noticed various eyes on her now.

    She had entered the temple''s corridor and now the nobles were looking at her with shrewd eyes. They were her allies but they could turn on her any second now as well.

    The political world was a battlefield that had no end in sight. And the Queen was a centerpiece on this bog board.

    "Look, the Head Priest is up there with Elysia Dirac. The real show is about to start now."

    The queen knew that it was time to look forward to something good now. Especially without Chrome here, her n was all but halted. So she might as well sit back and enjoy this show that was about to start.

    Above all their head, the sky was turning more and more scarlet. The gold freckles were starting to move in a circr motion and they would soon start to converge toward the earth.

    It was a grand ceremony that would require a lot of magic. And the best thing was if everything fell through then the ones who would be med would be Elysia and Chrome.

    It was a win-win situation for her in any case.

    "Here, we will start now. I hope everyone is ready to give your attention to us."

    The Queen looked up with sparkling eyes, finally ready to see the fruits of herbor this far. She had waited for this moment for so long and now it was time to see herbor bear fruits.

    Magic was gathering in the center pot and everyone held their breaths as it started to reach the top. Elysia Dirac was much more powerful than anyone had given her the credit for. She was easily able to handle the ceremony.

    But it was also time for the Head Priest to mix his twist in it and the sh of the light hid the pained expression Elysia Dirac gave.

    It happened in a sh, bolts of darkness filled the temple hallway up and pierced a lot of people. No one was critically wounded but they were huffing for sure.

    "W-What is going on here?"

    A noble asked from the Queen''s right side. He looked really scared of what was happening around him even as the darkness reached toward his ankle. The likeliness of any of these guys surviving was low and the Queen could not wait around for the me to be pinned on Chrome.

    And then her stomach was pierced by a metal sword and she looked down with wide eyes. She could not imagine someone piercing her stomach like this but it had happened anyway.

    "Sorry, my queen. But you are more of a hindrance at this point than a help so you will have to go now. I hope you don''t hold a grudge against me for this."

 Chapter 197 197: The Hermans Rite [Pt2]

    The queen''s blood stained Boras''s sword and he threw it away without much care. He needed to get rid of all the evidence of his involvement with the temple so that the source of this chaos could not be traced back to him.

    Akane had already gone ahead and made an enemy out of Lucas Dirac and it meant that their boss woulde following after them soon enough.

    "It was nice knowing you Akane."

    Boras whispered while sneaking out of the temple. He knew the internal structure of this ce quite well because of all the sneaking around her had done to help Akane out.

    And now it was his experience that would help Boras get out of there without being detected.

    "Hello, Boras. I heard a few things about what you were nning with Akane. I wonder what gave you the courage to deceive me like this."

    Boars felt his heart skip a beat as he looked at his boss. The man was looking at him with a calm and serene expression. But there was no hiding the darkness that those eyes hid. His boss was always terrifying but now he looked demonic.

    "Boss, that is��I was not��.I am sorry?"

    There was something to be said about the muscr Boras bowing in front of the shorter and thinner figure of his boss.

    But size often did not equal power and their boss was far more powerful than anyone in this world. He had to be since he had picked a fight with the fates.

    "Rahan, take Boras and make sure he learns what he should have and should not have done. I will take care of things here."

    Boras looked toward Rahan, hoping that he would be on Boras''s side and assure him that he would not be punished.

    After all, Rahan was a pushover and Boras was sure he would be able to convenience him to let Boras go. But that was all wishful thinking since Rahan looked determined to not even look at Boras.

    "B-Boss, you are not demotion me, right?"

    Boras asked, his heart beating faster and faster when his boss refused to answer his question. Rahan also took his arm in his hand and hauled him to his feet.

    "It''ll be better not to say anything right now. Boss is not in a good mood today."

    Rahan whispered these words to Boras and he quickly shut his mouth. He did not need to anger his boss any more than he already had.

    But one thing was for certain - the one who was in the most danger right now was Akane. The Head Priest was in a world of his own and now he had both their boss as well as Lucas Dirac going at him.

    Around them, the darkness continued to brew and the monsters entered their world. The gate that had been opened was a danger and it would not take long before the fates would start to interfere.

    This world had a protective instinct as well. And it would go to any length to conserve its own life.

    "We should hurry up. And Rahan, send someone to look over Emperor Chrome. I am sure he is having a hard time dealing with his curse as well."

    It was not well known to people, but those cursed orange eyes were a sign of these demons. And since prince Chrome was connected with this energy, he would be affected by this invasion as well.

    /////////////////////////////////////////

    "I cannot believe I am going after Chrome Akatsuki while being conscious of what he is. Why am I so nice to people?"

    Enmained as he continued to hide and make his way toward Chrome''s chambers.

    He had decided not to be a part of the ceremony today mainly because he had wanted to avoid any conflict Elysia would get herself into.

    He had learned not to concern himself with Elysia if he wanted to live a carefree and long life. That girl attracted more danger than an FL of aic. And it was not even intentional at this point.

    But still, Enma had thought that if he stayed behind, then he would be safe from whatever was about to happen. It had worked during the rebellion time and Enma wanted the same to happen this time as well.

    However, what Enma had failed to ount for were the events that would be happening in the novel at this point. It was the start of a demonic invasion from the emperor of Akatsuki.

    His curse had activated and his brain had been taken over by demons of the other world. That was one of the threats that Adam and Eve had tobat to ovee the story.

    "E-Everyone run. Get the emperor out of his room."<novelnext></novelnext>

    All around Enma, the guards were running around without looking back. They hastily passed Enma but he paid them no attention.

    He had a ce to be for now.

    "H-Hey, you need to stay out. You cannot go in the emperor''s room right now-"

    Enma ignored those words. For the first time in his life, he was being foolish and doing what he should not do. It filled his heart with fear but Enma could not stop himself.

    The guards'' voices were beginning to fade away around him but Enma continued to push himself further. His arms and his legs were beginning to give under the pressure but Enma did not let that phase him.

    He needed to reach the other side of this corridor at any cost.

    The magical winds cut along Enma''s face and it stung. His small body did not have enough mass to keep him grounded and the winds threatened to knock him off his feet.

    But just when Enma felt his feet give in and he was about to be sent flying, his back connected with a solid weight behind his back.

    He looked up at two familiar faces and all the courage in his body evaporated in smoke.

    "Hey, kid. Did you miss us? Don''t look so rmed. We are just here to help you out. Right, Rahan?"

    It was the same shaggy-haired man who had helped Rahan escape from custody. And Rahan was here as well which scared Enma.

    "W-What are you both doing here? No, more importantly, what are you going to do?"

    Enma was suspicious of these two strangers. Their presence here could only spell trouble for him.

    If possible, he wanted to do nothing with them and be on his merry way. But it seemed like they both had the same target this time.

    "A, don''t be like this. We are both allies right now. Don''t you want to save Chrome as well?"

    Boras asked in a light voice and that was what caused Enma to winch. Boras was right that they needed to save Enma.

    And from what Enma had ready about Boras in the novel, he was a chill guy who did not seem to have a lot of trouble getting along with strangers.

    He also had a strong sense of justice when it was called for so he would not betray Enma if he promised to help.

    So Enma gulped and decided to ept their help. That was all he could do for now as well since he had no power of his own. Even if he managed to reach Chrome, what help would Enma be able to give him?

    "Fine,e with me. But don''t you dare think you can take advantage of this situation. I am sure it is all your fault anyway."

    Boras just looked away, notfortable with facing Enma right now. Rahan just face-palmed behind Enma, not wanting to get involved in this messy situation.

    Since Boras had decided to interfere, he needed to resolve this mess as well. Rahan would not be helping him this time.

    The door opened to show Chrome, but he looked far from being fine. His whole face was covered with ck lines and he looked like he was in pain right now. His current look made Enma feel sorry for him and he took a step toward Chrome when he was pulled back.

    And it happened just in time for an attack to breeze past Enma''s ear andnd behind him.

    "Be careful your friend is not in control of himself right now. You might even lose your life if you are not careful around him"

    Rahan warned as he pulled Enma behind his back. Enma could only watch in mute horror as Chrome continued to look at him with that muted expression.

    And the Chrome gave that angry yell which made Enma put his hands on his ear and block that horrible sound out. It sound inhuman and he had to wonder how the other two around him were dealing with it so well.

    "Well, looks like we have a situation on our hands. Let''s y around a little bit before knocking back to his senses."

    And suddenly, Enma did not know if he felt sorry or d for having these two on his side.

 Chapter 198 198: How Are You Alive? [Pt1]

    Elysia''s consciousness was going in and out of focus but she was breathing easier by now. Sorias had managed to use his magic to knock Elysia out for now but it would notst forever.

    Elysia''s curse was gaining more and more momentum with every second and Sorias knew he needed to get Elysia far away to break the connection.

    "Hold on tight Elysia. We are about to get out of here soon and then you will be alright."

    Sorias whispered to Elysia as he picked up speed. He could not use a lot of magic due to the delicate condition Elysia was in. any amount of force would make her body go into shock and she would stop breathing.

    Time was the most essential tool they had currently.

    Sorias was about to reach the end of the temple''s corridor when he forced his body to dodge the iing force of the air. He expected to lose his bnce but nothing happened.

    Even the ground where the attack should have hit showed no signs of damage.

    ''What just happened here?''

    Sorias looked around for her attacker but he was not able to see anyone. It seemed like there was no one around her and that made the mystery of his attack all the more concerning.

    He instinctively dodges again the attack but it happened again. The ground was unaffected where it should have been broken apart.

    "Who are you and where are you attacking me from?"

    Sorias yelled out toward the empty air, waiting for his attacker toe out and confront him.

    But when no one came out, Sorias came out to outright attack from where he had felt the earlier attacke from. He was so pent up that he was sure he had missed.

    Finally, the presence he had wanted to hit moved around and Sorias used this new feeling to aim at his enemy.

    The more Sorias aimed at her attacker, the more Sorias felt his temper rise. He could not believe that he had missed attacks in a matter of seconds.

    "You! Just what do you think you are doing?"

    Sorias questioned as he got ready to attack the whole area. This way, his attacker would not be able to escape his grasp. He did not care who else got caught up in his mess.

    As long as he was able to take care of his opponent, Sorias did not care about anything else.

    But before Sorias''s magic could leave his hand and hit his attacker, someone took hold of his wrist and his spell wavered before fading away.

    "You were always reckless but I never taught you to be this temperamental. Did I not ask you to control yourself when you fight?"

    Sorias''s wrist cried out in pain as his wrist was broken by his opponent. It would heal soon but it was a hindrance in the meantime.

    He tried to re at his attacker but it seemed not to be having any effect on that other man.

    But something about that voice had sounded familiar to Sorias. But he could not put his hands on why it sounded familiar to him.

    He was even sure that there was a familiarity with the magic that was happening in front of him. He could just not put his hand on why it seemed so familiar to Sorias right now.

    "W-Why are you doing this? No! Don''t touch Elysia."

    Sorias cried out as he watched his attackers reach out for Elysia. His partner was unconscious right now and it was only Sorias who could protect her in her time of need.

    But what could he do when his body would not obey his words and his mind would not remember what he was supposed to?

    "I am disappointed in you Sorias. I had to sigh high hopes for you but I can see that you were not able to keep up to my expectations."

    The shadow figure leaned down and Sorias finally saw the figure. His eyes widened as soon as he saw that man.

    He could not believe his eyes and his mouth opened and closed in muted horror as he watched the mane into focus.

    "W-Why are you here? You should be dead!"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Sorias cried out as he watched his brother''s facee into focus. Noctis had died such a long time ago that his memories were even beginning to fade away from Sorias''s mind.

    And the sacrifice he had made would not allow his brother''s soul to pass on into the reincarnation cycle.

    So who was this man in front of Sorias right now with the same face as his brother?

    No wonder the voice and the magic had felt familiar to him. It was because he was familiar with them at a very intimate level.

    "Sorias, everything has a reason and purpose. My being here is also rted to it all but it would be better for you not to pay that much attention to me. Forget you ever saw me because that would be the best thing for everyone."

    Noctis sounded certain when he spoke. His words stabbed Sorias in his heart as he tried to make heads or tales of what he should do.

    "B-But! You are alive. If you were alive then why did you note home? Do you know how much I and Lucas suffered thinking that you were dead? Why did you do that to us?"

    Sorias''s tears struck his eyes as he watched his brother struggle with his feelings. It was what his brother deserved for putting him through what he had.

    He thought he would get an answer from Noctis but that did not happen. It seemed also most of Noctis was not interested in knowing how much Sorias suffered.

    "Look, what happened could not be changed anymore so it would be better for you to forget all about it now. Instead, focus on the present. Don''t you want to save Elysia and this kingdom?"

    Noctis''s question took Sorias aback. He did know that his brother was trying to divert his attention away from the main topic but Sorias could not help it.

    He allowed his attention to be diverted for now but he would make sure he would not forget his brother''s existence.

    "I agree. Elysia is more important for now. But don''t you dare think we are done talking about ''us''. You owe me a punch and a few kicks for scaring me like this."

    Sorias was sure he would not be able to hurt his brother even if he tried his hardest. But god, did he want to show his brother the pain and agony he suffered.

    Not only that, but Sorias also wanted to get Lucas involved in his revenge. He was sure that the Dirac heir would have a lot to say to his brother as well.

    But that all would have to wait. This was neither the time nor the ce to have this conversation.

    "You should go back and air Lucas for now. As strong as he is, Akane''s rage is being fueled by this space. The longer they stay in there, the stronger Akane would get."

    Sorias gritted his teeth, not looking at what he was hearing one bit. He did not want to leave Elysia in someone else''s hands, even if that someone turned out to be his brother.

    It just did not feel right but helping out Lucas was also important.

    Especially with the state, he was currently in. Lucas would not be able tost long and there was also the chance of him dying.

    "Sorias, don''t waste time. Hurry up and go help Lucas out. I will not hurt Elysia since she is a sister to me as well."

    And those were the words that finally made Elysia turn around and run toward Lucas''s position. He had to trust his brother and believe that he would be able to take care of everything.

    The world was in a state of turmoil right now and there was nothing to be done but to stop Akane.

    "You better take care of my contractor, alright? I will never forgive you if something happens to Elysia. Brother or not, I will kill you if you harm her."

    Those were not the best parting words Sorias could have spoken, but they were the most he could get out. His brother had an amused look on his face that said that he had not minded hearing those words.

    And since his brother had decided not to take offense, Sorias could leave Elysia in his hands with a worrying sign.

    Noctis watched his brother go after Lucas and Akane. He was sure that they would be able to handle Akane between the two of them. But the most pressing matter right now was to take care of Elysia and this gate.

    "Never a dull moment with you around, Elysia. I missed you so much."

    Noctis took Elysia''s body in his arms and picked her up. They needed to gain some ground for now.

 Chapter 199 199: How Are You Alive? [Pt2]

    The pain was a constant presence in Elysia''s life by now. It was something she had gotten used to and now no longer considered as something that could hurt her.

    But this was a new type of agony to know that you treasured something but could not protect what you wanted. Elysia wanted to reign in her power so much that she was ready to try anything to achieve that.

    But the more she tried to do something about her curse, the more it consumed her sanity. She was barely holding on even now.

    "My poor little Elysia. Seeing you in pain was something I never wanted. Now, close your eyes and feel your body rx. You can hand it over to me now."

    Whosoever was speaking had a calm and melodious voice. His presence made Elysia feel ten times better than she had felt before. She tried to reach out to that voice, but it slipped past her fingers.

    She almost had the name of that person on her tongue but her mouth refused to cooperate with her and utter it.

    "Don''t push yourself so much. Even now, you are barely holding on. Just let my powers in and I will take care of everything for you."

    Elysia felt the rush of magic rush through her body. It did not feel foreign so her body had no reason to resist it.

    It was only Elysia''s mind that tried to resist it, but even that change was being taken over by her will.

    "Good girl. I knew you were smart since the first time I met you. It is nice to see that Lucas finally warmed up to you in this life. It makes my sacrifice all the more worth it."

    There were many hints in that one sentence but Elysia was too tired to make sense of them. All she knew was that this voice wasforting and she wanted to bury her head in this man''s shoulder.

    The magic that was flowing through her was breaking something inside Elysia but the longer it coursed through her body, the more it rxed her.

    In the end, she ended up falling asleep in that stranger''sp, unaware of any danger she could face.

    And Noctis watched it happen with gentle eyes. His reunion with Elysia could not have been smoother and his magic was helping Elysia be more stable.

    Above his head, the battle between Lucas and Akane was at its climax. Both sides were tired but Lucas had the upper hand for now.

    "All my nning, all my suffering. I will not let them go to waste just because my opponent happens to be you, Lucas Dirac. This world will not get to live free after what it stole from us all."

    Akane''s burdens were something Noctis knew fully well. Just like Noctis, he had been a sacrifice to save his world as well. But unlike Noctis, Akane''s sacrifice had not been by choice.

    The world had all but twisted his hand to make him a puppet and that was how Akane had lived until he met Noctis.

    And that was when the mes of revenge were lit inside Akane''s heart.

    ''I never wanted this to happen. I just wanted this world to no longer toy with those important to me.''

    It had been the initial goal - to break the world''s bnce and to make sure it would not be able to touch the immigrants with itsws.

    To do that, a lot of foreign influence was needed and the main destined couple Adam and Eve needed to be separated. But because of this interference, the clock of destiny that had been going forward began to stagger.

    Events that were not supposed to happen continued to happen.

    "Don''t worry. Everything will go back on track once this situation is over. Lend me your magic, Elysia. And I am sorry."

    Noctis took hold of the dragon''s bind that was holding back Elysia''s previous curse and magical power. It was the only thing that was keeping Elysia intact.

    But Noctis needed to get rid of it if he was going to save Elysia from this curse. It was the only way to drive everything out of her.

    ////////////////////////////////////

    "NO! DON''T DO IT."

    Adam''s voice echoed throughout his chamber and everyone looked at their emperor in worry. He had broken out in cold sweat and he looked terrified of something.

    His expression was beginning to worry Eve as well since there was only one person in this world who could make Adam look like this.

    "Everyone, go out and give me some time alone with the emperor."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The servants and the other ministers went out of the room with worried expressions. The more time they had seen the royal couple be with each other, the more they were convinced that there was no love between the couple.

    All they both did was fight with each other and the ministers who suggested they get married.

    Times were tense and too odd in the empire. It made people wonder why they believed these two people to be in love.

    Even those who tried to defend their love were beginning to waver now. And the temple was also too quiet on this matter whichplicated things.

    "Are you all hard of hearing? I said to go out right now."

    The ministers were about to protest against the Saintess''s choice but they had no choice but to follow her words. She and the emperor may not be in love but they were still engaged.

    But in their hearts, they all missed the kind-hearted Saintess from the past. The one who was polite and smiled at them. One day, that person just stood up and vanished.

    And it had been the day Lady Elysia Dirac had left the royal couple. It was all too suspicious.

    Eve did not care what other people thought of her but she was tired of pretending that she was alright. She wanted some peace which was only possible if these people left her alone.

    "Adam, they are gone. You can tell me what is wrong now."

    Eve asked as soon as she was alone with Adam again. The emperor had a paleplexion and he looked ready to burst into tears.

    It made Eve assure the worst possible oue and she was not ready to hear it. She prayed to any avable god that Elysia was alright.

    "My connection to Elysia broke. It has never happened before, even when she died. For dragons, there is only one person out there, even in death. And that was Elysia for me. I��don''t know what to do next. W-Why did this happen?"

    Adam sounded like he had given up on life. And then words hit Eve hard as well.

    As a candidate for the crown princess, the Head priest had taught her too much about the royal family and their nature.

    A dragon''s bond was eternal and eversting. Their magic was something that was integral to this world and everything it stood for. There was no way to ovee it, even in death.

    So Elysia should forever have Adam''s magic imbued in her soul. She still had it when she had been transported to another world.

    And now she suddenly no longer had it? It all smelled fishy to her and Eve was ready to call bull shit. But Adam was taking all this too hard for it to be a joke.

    "Adam, calm down. All we need to do is to take a look at the Akatsuki kingdom and we will know for certain that Elysia is alright. See, everything is��"

    Eve''s magic only showed darkness and sadness when she opened the portal to see what was happening in the Akatsuki kingdom.

    The whole ce was dark and nothing seemed to have survived that gue.

    "W-What is this? What happened there?"

    Eve questioned with a scared voice. It seemed as if the dark aura was making her sick and eating away at her powers. She needed help but Adam was preupied with something else.

    His golden eyes were looking at the scene in front of him with dread and anticipation at the same time. His soul recognized what was happening.

    "The first signs of the cmity. The end of this world will begin soon."

    Adam''s voice did not sound like his own. It was old and ancient, someone speaking from the depths of his soul and Eve turned her head.

    She did not know how she knew it, but she was certain that the being she was looking at was not Adam. those amber eyes looked too old and wise to be the teen emperor who had grown up with her.

    "C-Cmity? What do you mean by that? Just what in the world is happening?"

    Eve asked with a scared voice. She was scared for herself but she was terrified for Elysia and what it would mean for her love. Would Elysia even be alive after all this?

    And would she be happy once this cmity was over?"

 Chapter 200 200: The Circumstances [Pt1]

    "C-Cmity? What do you mean by that? Just what in the world is happening?"

    Eve stopped and looked at that ancient man with pain-filled eyes. She needed to know how to help Elysia out but she had no way to gain that knowledge.

    Only this ancient being in Adam''s body could tell her what to do about this cmity but he was not talking right now. All he was doing was looking at Eve with a searching expression.

    "You would have been perfect for the incubation. Both as a hold maiden and in terms of magic. This boy was a fool to pass you over and chose that harbinger of cmity as his mate. But oh well, what is done is done."

    The ancient dragon spoke as if nothing mattered to him. But his words made Eve flinch and rage fill her heart.

    Elysia was the purest person she had met in her life. Trouble might have followed Elysia like a gue but she was not someone who intentionally went out of her way to bring people harm.

    "Don''t you dare say anything bad about Elysia in front of me? And especially not from Adam''s mouth. An ancient or not, I will not tolerate this insult."

    The ancient dragon''s eyes widened and Eve flinched at seeing that. This expression on Adam''s face was rare and it had often filled Eve with glee in the past.

    But now she would never be able to look at it the same way as before. It was a shame and Eve was getting more and more worried.

    The dragon was talking in riddles and not giving Eve any useful information which would help her know what was happening to Elysia. If anything too bad had happened, then Eve needed to know.

    She needed to know how to make things alright again and she would make this dragon spill everything.

    "I see. So you are as protective of that witch as my descendent. This is a surprising development. The world must be very annoyed with this change in ns but that had nothing to do with me."

    Once again, the dragon did not answer Eve''s questions but talked about a random thing. This was just too much at this point.

    Eve knocked her fist into the wall, her eyes promising murder if the dragon did not answer her question properly. The more information Eve had gotten, the more she had gotten confused.

    It seemed like a lot of people knew what was going on around her but every time Eve even came close to the truth, something or the other happened which prevented her from knowing.

    She was sick and tired of this cycle at this point. Now, no one would be able to stop her from finding the truth.

    "Calm down hatchling. I can feel the world''s influence on my actions, trying to make me like you. How curious this feeling is and how joyous to see the world struggle. Since I am in such a nice mood today, I will indulge your questions."

    "Tell me, what do you want to know about?"

    This was it. This was the time Eve had been waiting for. The time when her questions would be answered by someone.

    "What is this ''world'' that you speak of? Is it a god who brought me into this world from my own? Is it a person? A creature? Tell me everything you know."

    Eve held Adam''s body by the neck and dragged his face closer to her own. She had no idea if Adam was able to see her actions or not, but she was not going toin.

    She was determined to get some answers and save Elysia.

    "So you are clueless? The puppet did a great job of ensuring your innocence. How wonderful that I will be the one to break this for him. There is nothing sweater I could have been offered as revenge."

    The dragonughed before his eyes became serious. He easily managed to get Eve''s hands off his cuff and straightened his back.

    "Let''s see. Where should we start? Ah, yes."

    "This world is not a singr existence. Our world exists with a cluster of others. Or well, it used to until one of them got too greedy. To save their existence, the worlds started a fight against this darkness and exhausted their magic."

    "Many worlds died as a result but some, like this one, decided to extract magic from the other worlds for their existence. But this was a taboo that robbed them of their freedom. They were handed a script they had to follow which can also be called fate."

    "And that fate is bound to every resident of this world. It is the curse we all bear for the existence that we robbed from others."

    So far, Eve was following the story. It struck her as familiar and she wanted to hear more about it.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "What does it have to do with Elysia and her being in danger?"

    As interesting as this story was, Eve wanted to get to the main point faster. She wanted to know how to save Elysia.

    "Your friend is struggling to escape her fate. It is something that all the other people who were swallowed by the other world tried to do. Most of them vanished, never to be seen again. The world did not allow deserters to live."

    "The others formed a resistance against this tyranny. Currently, even though I do not know which side caused this sh of magic to happen but I am thankful for them. Things had been getting too monotonous around here."

    Eve''s head hurt after hearing all this. She wondered if Elysia knew about all this or not.

    But the more Eve thought back at Elysia''s actions, the more certain she became that Elysia knew something about what was going to happen.

    "What about me? Can you see my fate?"

    Eve was curious about herself and even Adam. Elysia had been a dear friend to them but she had also always kept her secret.

    Now Eve was left to wonder if it was because Elysia knew something about their fates and that was why she did not want to get involved with them.

    "Your fate? It''s brilliant. Both you and this body''s owners are special. Fate wrote for you both a bond that goes beyond death. You were meant to fall in love and pledge your lives to each other."

    Eve felt a shiver go down her spine after hearing those words.

    There it was again, those words she dreaded to hear. She had always ignored people when they said that she should be with Adam. What did they even know about her and Adam to say that?

    But now to be told that it was fated for them to fall in love was too much. And if Elysia had known about it beforehand, then it made sense why she always pulled back at thest second.

    ''I will have to do my best to show Elysia that no ''fate'' can make me love her any less. Fuck this fate and this world.''

    "What about Elysia? You said that both ''Adam'' and ''Eve'' are fated but what about the person we both love?"

    Eve needed to know. She already had a feeling about what she was going to hear but she still needed to hear it to confirm things.

    "Ah, about that witch? I guess that she will die. I don''t know about this world but that is the most likely oue to make you two be together."

    Eve''s heart sank after hearing these words. She had known all this when Enma had told her but somewhere in her heart, she had never believed everything to be true.

    She had still been in denial, even at this point. But a dragon could not lie about such things. This was the truth of this world. The ''fate'' that was foretold for her and Adam.

    "Fuck fate and fuck this world. I will tell you the same things I told Enma before. I will not give Elysia up and neither will Adam."

    Eve was more determined than ever to save Elysia now. There was too much at stake for her to not be certain of her decision.

    "Give Adam back to me now. We have a person to save."

    Eve yelled and the dragon finally retreated into Adam''s soul. Adam''s annoyed expression rxed Eve and now she was sure that the Adam she knew was back.

    "What the hell? Did I get possessed by something? How did that happen?"

    Adam whispered, not being able to believe that he had been so careless as to get possessed and Eve just smiled back at him.

    "Dubass, hurry up and get ready. We have to hurry up and save Elysia before it is toote and this world ends up taking her away for good."

    Adam''s eyes sharpened and he instantly stood up to follow Eve out.

    They would be getting Elysia back, with or without permission.

 Chapter 201 201: The Decision [Pt2]

    "Keep holding on for now. The pain will blow away in a second."

    Noctis''s voice was like melted sugar in Elysia''s ears. It soothed her soul and allowed her to focus on her condition. The pain was starting to fade away as well by now. The curse was finally losing its hold over Elysia''s soul.

    She coughed to get her airway clear and to make breathing easier. It was such a simple but difficult thing to do in her condition.

    The worst part was that Elysia could feel her bond break apart under Noctis''s magic but she could not stop this interference. She could feel Adam''s magic reaching out for her but there was nothing in her hand.

    "I-It hurts. Please stop."

    Elysia was begging for that bond toe back. It made her feel cold and desperate to get thatfortable warmth back.

    Noctis''s hand was warm as well but it was a different warmth than the one Elysia was seeking for. The sky above her was finally beginning to clear out and thebination of red and gold was beginning to show.

    It was all being reflected in Elysia''s eyes as she looked at the sky above her.

    "I know that you are disappointed with the loss of your connection with the emperor but it is a small sacrifice to make for a better future. Don''t think too much about it and just focus on yourself."

    Noctis''s smile was like a devil''s snare. The more he spoke, the more he was convincing Elysia to abandon everything ande with him.

    But Elysia''s self-control was strong and she pped Noctis''s hand away from her face. She even growled at Noctis to make him go away from her.

    "Don''t you daree near me? I don''t care that you have Noctis''s face or his soul. You are a stranger to me."

    Elysia''s mind was finding it hard to ept this situation. She hated to be used but it was a different hurt to be used by someone with that face.

    Noctis seemed to not be hurt by Elysia''s harsh words. His smile didn''t fade even when Elysia was looking at him with such hard expressions.

    "I know you are confused and hurt by me appearing out of nowhere but there is no need for you to feel bad because of it Elysia. Everything will be clear once I exin it all to you- look out."

    Elysia ducked her head and Noctis shielded her body with his own. The debris that was flowing down toward them was so hard to dodge for Elysia.

    "Get away from my sister��."

    Lucas stood in front of Elysia and Noctis, his anger fading into confusion and then back into anger as he took in Noctis''s image.

    It was obvious that Lucas would be the one who would find this situation the hardest toprehend since he was the one who had a rtionship with Noctis. But it had been a long time ago.

    "Lucas, I was not expecting to see you so soon. And it seems like I have overstayed my wee."

    Noctis started to inch away from Elysia as soon as he noticed how Lucas was looking at him. The look in his eyes was akin to murder and Noctis had a destiny to achieve before he could die.

    He was almost out of Lucas''s reach when Lucas''s sword was embedded in his path. It caused a small curse to escape Noctis''s mouth and Elyisa had a feeling that she was not supposed to hear it.

    "I don''t care who you are and why you have that face, but I will not allow you to escape here alive. You will be killed off just like yourpanion up there was killed off."

    "Don''t you dare try to flee away from me? You will tell me how you acquired that face and then you will pay for harming Elysia."

    Lucas had his weapon held at ready. Elysia could not even begin to imagine what he felt as he looked at Noctis''s familiar face.

    And even Noctis looked worried when he faced Lucas. Had Elysia not felt his aura and his magic coursing through her body and reacting with the redundant magic he had left behind in her, even she would have had a hard time believing this man''s authenticity.

    "Lucas, wait. This man is really-"

    "You don''t need to say anything to me right now Elysia. We will have this conversation once we are in a safe environment again."

    Lucas looked unwilling to hear Elysia out on this matter. He looked mentally disturbed and it was obvious who the real culprit was.

    Elysia tried to solve this situation by making Noctis back down but the man was not even looking at her. The two men in front of her were letting their auras out.

    "I see. It is time for me to take my leave."

    Noctis jumped over Lucas''s sword, using his flexible body to make it easier for him to run away. It enraged Lucas even more.

    "Elysia, are you alright? Can you stand up and move now?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Sorias reached Elysia''s side as well. Since Head Priest Akane was nowhere to be seen, Elysia could only assume that he had been taken care of.

    "Where is Akane? Did you manage to kill him?"

    Elysia was no blushing maiden and she did not shy away from blood and violence in her life. She was sure she would be able to swallow whatever fate Akane had been dealt with.

    Sorias turned his head away from Elysia, likely ashamed by something.

    "He''s alive for now. I left him detained for the time being and came here to help you out. Where is my brother right now? I have things to ask him."

    Sorias was impatient and for good reasons. He had lost his brother such a long time ago and now he was finally reunited with his brother.

    It would take time before Sorias was able toe to terms with his brother still being alive. And it would not be until he had a solid conversation with his brother that this situation would be eptable to him.

    Elysia understood his struggles well since this was a topic she had passed as well. When Lucas had called Elysia for the first time, it had been tough for her to ept that decision.

    And Sorias had a much longer connection to his brother. So it was a given that he was feeling even more shaken.

    "Sorias, catch him."

    Lucas''s voice came out all of a sudden and Sorias tried his best to keep Noctis in check. But Noctis was in possession of some weird powers.

    Not only did he manage to phase through Lucas''s hands but he also managed to avoid Noctis''s lunge andnded at Elysia''s side.

    "Come and find me when you are ready to know the truth about this world and yourself. I will always wee you."

    Elysia sped her hand on her ear to stop the tingling sensation she felt. Noctis''s breathing on her ear had caused goosebumps to appear on Elysia''s arms.

    But he was too fast for even her to act against. Before she could touch Noctis, his image was fading away from everyone''s eyes.

    The darkness around them was also starting to clear up and people were beginning to wake up.

    "W-What happened here? H-Head Priest Akane, are you alright? Is your body hurt?"

    Someone finally found Akane bound in the ce Sorias had left him. People were freaking out at seeing this image of their well-respected Head Priest.

    Akane had a lot of influence over this region so it was clear why people felt betrayed by his actions.

    "Hey, don''t help him out. It is all his fault anyway. He was the one who messed up the ceremony."

    "B-But maybe he did not do it on purpose? What if the Head Priest is being framed?"

    "Where are the royal guards? They should have been here long before now."

    Confusion refined supreme everywhere. No one knew who they should believe and who was to be med. And the absence of the royal family was an even bigger factor that contributed to this confusion.

    And then the final bomb exploded.

    "T-The queen! She''s dead."

    Someone finally found the dead body of the queen that had been pierced through. It was an intended murder and the body had yet to stop bleeding.

    The queen had a horrified look on her face that stopped everyone''s breath. Finally, Lucas could not take it anymore.

    "Everyone, clear the way. I will investigate this incident and provide you all with a satisfactory end report."

    Themoners and the nobility, both looked hesitant to leave but one word from Lucas was enough to make everyone give him space.

    Elysia wanted to stay behind and help in the investigation as well but Lucas did not seem in the mood to indulge her.

    "Elysia, return to the pce for now. I will talk with Lucas and give you a status reportter."

 Chapter 202 202: The Decision [Pt3]

    Inside the royal pce, Enma was dodging Chrome''s attack with everything he had. His current situation made him wonder why he had agreed to face such danger in the first ce.

    ''Fuck it. Why did I think Chrome''s life was precious? There is nothing more important in this world than my own life.''

    Enma thought as he dodged another w attack. Chrome was half-transformed by this point and his ws were dripping with poison. If he touched Enma then Enma would die, no questions asked.

    "Oi, what are the both of you doing? Hurry up and help me out."

    Enma cried out as he looked toward Rahan and Boras. They both were out of breath while fighting Chrome.

    Usually, it would not be a challenge for them to take care of Chrome between the two of them. But the current situation was a little different from the expected ideal situation.

    The demonic half of Chrome was powerful and the darkness was making his healing capabilities even more powerful.

    Enma had read about this nightmarish fight in the book before but it had notsted this long. Mainly because Adam had been the main lead and his dragon magic had eroded Chrome''s curse.

    ''But we don''t have the luxury to wait for Adam right now. I need to do something.''

    Enma''s thoughts and actions did not match each other. He needed to help out in some way but he had no magic.

    He was also a kid so his body mass did not ount for much. It was too easy for Chrome to send him flying away with the flick of his finger.

    "God, when will the darkness go away?"

    Borasined as he held his broken arm delicately. He did not want to jolt it any more than he already had. Even taking a small action was painful for him.

    Simr was the case with Rohan. His ribs were bruised and breathing was difficult for him right now.

    But just as it looked like Chrome would kill them all, a miracle happened. The sky began to clear up and Chrome clutched his head in despair. His demonic half seemed to be retreating and Enma recognized the signs.

    "Now! Hurry up and air for Chrome''s head. We will be able to knock him out if we hit him now."

    Enma did feel bad for Chrome when Boras railed into the emperor and managed to knock him on his back. Chrome''s head hit the ground and he went still.

    His stillness caused Enma to fear that they had somehow killed the emperor but then Boras picked himself up and flickered his finger.

    "He''s alive so don''t give me that expression. Anyway, where should we put him to make him morefortable?"

    Boras was a nice man. He was concerned about Chrome now that the fight was over. It elevated Enma''s impression of that man.

    "Let him ho Boras. You are not marking the emperor of Akatsuki as a sparring partner. It would be better if you have nothing to do with him."

    And whatever nice things Enma had thought about Boras came crashing down around him. His favorable impression fell fats as well.

    It was finally Rahan who checked up on Chrome and dered him to be in the pink of his health.

    "W-Wait! Where are you going? You cannot run away from this investigation again. I cannot let you."

    Enma remembered that these two people were wanted criminals only after they were out of the window. He tried to reach toward Rhana''s back and clutch his shirt.

    But Enma did not have enough of a reach to grip Rahan''s shirt without falling out of the window.

    And although Rahan noticed this, he did not allow himself to be captured this easily. He created even more gap between himself and Enma by jumping back a few steps.

    "Bye-Bye child. You were a fun person to be around but I hope we never have to meet each other again. Because next time, you will end up dead."

    Rahan spoke about death like he was talking about the sky. It caused Enma to flinch back and close his eyes in fear. The next time he opened them, he was alone in front of the window.

    ///////////////////////////////////////

    The pce was as much a mess as the temple had been. Elysiater got to hear what had happened at the pce from Enma and she was annoyed at herself.

    It was her fault that the gate had opened up and it was also her fault that so many people had died. The only good thing that came out of this was the captive Head Priest finally had charges against him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Chrome had woken up on time as well and he finally called for Elysia and the others for a meeting.

    "How are you feeling now, Chrome? Is your head better?"

    Elysia asked as she took in her cousin''s whiteplexion. Chrome had a lost expression ever since he had woken up. She could tell that a lot was bothering her cousin.

    Lucas was simrly distracted but Elysia knew the reason behind his distraction. He was trying to make sense of how Noctis had survived his death.

    "I am alright. My head is just killing me but it will pass soon. But we have more important things to discuss."

    No one spoke anything for a while, wanting someone else to start a topic for discussion. And finally, it was Elysia who brought up one.

    "What should we do now? Did someone interrogate Head Priest Akane about why he messed up the ceremony?"

    Elysia asked, wanting very much to know these answers. She also wanted to be the one to interrogate the head priest but she had been denied by Lucas.

    And since it was Lucas who was in charge of this investigation, Elysia was expecting to hear some good news.

    "He did not confess the exact reason how he opened this gate but we do know why he opened them. It was an act of revenge, to unbnce this world and to punish it. I think we all know the reason why he wanted to do this."

    Lucas''s words were followed by another stretch of silence. Elysia could guess the reason behind Head Priest Akane''s actions and she understood him as well.

    But she did not agree with him.

    "This is not what is important right now. What''s important is that we need to catch that Noctis look-alike. I will not allow that person to roam around with that face."

    Lucas sounded angry. He was not even listening to Elysia''s exnation. He was in denial about this Noctis look-alike was the same person he knew.

    And at this point, Elysia had no idea how she was even going to convince her brother to ept reality when he did not want to ept it.

    "You say that so easily but how are you expecting to find this ''look-alike'' of yours? Are you going to go on some epic chase and leave us all behind?"

    Chrome sounded bitter which made Lucas angry as well.

    Elysia, the one who was sitting in between them both, was feeling the burn. It was wise of her not to speak up on this topic.

    But Enma was not that attentive. And Elysia felt sorry for him.

    "Noctis or someone else, it doesn''t matter. Shouldn''t we focus on stabilizing our position in the country? Isn''t it a prime opportunity for us since both the queen and the temple are dead? And also, I will shut up now��"

    Emma had a strong pinpoint when he said that. But his words went unheard by the two arguing people.

    And then the worst thing that could have happened ended up happening. The guard opened his mouth and he realized that the atmosphere was too tense.

    But it was toote for the guard to back down. Everyone in the room was looking at him with suspicious eyes. With a nervous re, the guard hardened his heart.

    "Sir, Emperor Adam, and Saintess Even are headed toward us. We have no permission to deal with them. How should we proceed?"

    The guard''s heart skipped a beat as the temperature dropped around the room. Only Elysia looked on with a calm expression.

    "Why are there here so early? Their letter said that they would beingter in the week." Chrome sounded even more stressed than before.

    Elysia could tell that he was about to make a foolish decision and end up causing a misunderstanding. So before he could react anymore, Elysia ended up interrupting the guard.

    "You can wee them and treat them like you would any other royal guests. I will be down shortly to help you deal with them both."

    The guard looked thankful for the dismissal. He turned to look at Elysia gratefully before escaping from the room with hurried footsteps. Today, Elysia had managed to save a life without even knowing.

    "I will head out as well now. Adam and Eve need to be tended to."

    With those words, Elysia left the

 Chapter 203 203: A Break-Thought

    ''This is the worst. First, my brother betrays the emperor and turns traitor. Then he hides it from me so that I cannot even defend him. How is it fair?''

    Julia contemted the unfairness of what she had to experience. It was not even her fault that she had been shackled into jail like a criminal.

    She still could not believe that Feize of all people had the guts to pull this stunt of betrayal. Especially since his brother had always been a shy and sensitive person. He had been Julia''s pride and joy ever since her parents had died.

    So she could not figure out when things had gotten this bad for her to make her wonder about her brother''s character.

    She was swallowing in self-doubt and pity when someone knocked on the door of the prison. She quickly looked at the door, only to see a familiar face.

    "Wait a second. I will get you out of prison."

    Feize looked worriedly at his sister with a worried expression and it made Julia feel conflicted.

    On one hand, Feize looked just like he did when he had been younger. His worried eyes were also the same as they had been back in her childhood. Julia''s heart was weak but she tried to appear as hard as possible.

    "I will not be going anywhere with you. You cannot make me follow yourmand."

    Julia''s heart hurt when she saw her brother''s downcast look. He looked like a kicked puppy and Julia sighed.

    She was about to open her mouth to take her words back but Feize''s expression turned fierce and determined/

    "I don''t care if you agree with me or not, I will be getting you out. Now that the queen is dead, no one here could protect us from the royal pce. We need to go on the run."

    "And why should *I* run away as well? As far as I know, you were the only one involved in this betrayal. I will not be held responsible."

    Julia sounded confident but she was not confident at all. The person who could ount for her freedom and innocence was dead.

    But how had the Queen died and why was she killed? Julia did not have any idea but her curiosity pushed her to find out. And for that to happen, Julia needed to stay in jail.

    "Sister, don''t be such a fool. Do you think that the people in the pce tolerate you because they like you? The only reason you are alive is because we had the queen on our side. But that is no longer the case for us."

    Feize''s voice was going up to dangerous ranges. There were tears in his eyes as well which made Julia''s heart waver.

    She had never liked her brother''s crying face and seeing one even now was too much for her. She had no idea whether Feize knew about her weakness, but she could tell that he was trying hard to make Julia agree.

    "Fine, I wille with you so just stop crying. But I will turn us both in at the first signs of danger so don''t get toofortable."

    Feize''s tears faded away into an uneasy smile. He finally looked like a burden had been lifted from his shoulder and Julia took a few steps back.

    She had no idea how Feize managed to knock the door down but his magic caused a small st. Julia''s heart skipped a beat at the loud noise that was the result of this explosion.

    Julia quickly looked around for the hallway, expecting the guards toe toward them any second now. There was no way the noise had not attracted their attention as well.

    "Don''t worry. There is a silencing spell around the prison that will help us escape. Now hurry up and follow me."

    And just like that, Feize managed to make Julia''s worries go away. His thin and small shoulders look so reliable when he walked in front of Julia. Her little brother had managed to grow up into a reliable person.

    ''I guess I no longer need to be worried about Feize''s future. When did he be so confident and reliable, I wonder?''

    ////////////////////////////////////////////////

    Elysia hurried up to reach the guest room where Adam and Eve were being led toward. She was excited to see them again but she also felt anxiety rising in her heart.

    Her heart was lunging painfully, reminding her that she had made some not-so-good decisions recently. Especially the loss of her bond with Adam was a huge blow.

    "Mydy, we are here. Do you need me to be on the stand-by?"

    The guard asked Elysia, his eyes looking between the gate and Elysia carefully. She could tell that he did not want to overstay his wee but he also wanted to protect Elysia.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You are free to head out now. I will take care of things from here on out."

    Elysia wanted to make the guard stay back for support but it did not feel right to her to do so. Especially since it would make someone else''s life difficult because of her.

    The guard deserved to have a nice time with his family after everything that had happened in the Akatsuki kingdom recently. Elysia would be able to handle whatever was going to happen next.

    Both Adam and Eve had nk faces when Elysia entered the room. She was nervous to see them again but even her mind went nk once she had those piercing eyes looking at her.

    "H-Hello. It is nice to see you a-again."

    Elysia''s voice came out as nervous but she did not get to make any other move before her arm was taken by Adam and he pulled Elysia into hisp.

    "Everyone, leave this room. Your safety is not guaranteed if you stay in here."

    The guards who looked ready to interfere stopped moving after they heard Eve''s words. Conflict reigned supreme on their faces and Elysia gestured for them to leave and do as Eve was asking them to.

    There was no way these guards would stay behind and expect to survive if Eve snapped. And Elysia did not want to see any more people get hurt.

    So she waved her hand to ask everyone else to head back and she turned her attention back toward the pissed-off pain in front of her.

    "Elysia, where do you think you are looking? Don''t you think you have something to say to us before that?"

    Adam looked ready to rip someone''s head off. The more Elysia looked at him, the more she felt like her fate had been sealed already.

    Behind her, Eve had molded her front to Elysia''s back as well and her breasts were pressing against Elysia''s back.

    But that was not all Eve had prepared for Elysia. There was a familiar hardness pressing against Elysia''s back which made her sure that Eve had her toy with her current.

    Being pressed in between two bodies was ufortable and Elysia tried to pull herself out.

    Neither Adam nor Eve loosened their grip on her arm even a little. It seemed as if they were not ready to take any chances with her.

    "You ignored our warning again and again and you even dared to run from us. It is time for you to pay for all your mistakes Elysia."

    Eve whispered in her ears and Eve''s hands cupped Elysia''s breasts in a tight grip. Meanwhile, Adam seemed to have started getting Elysia naked already.

    His cock was creating a wet patch where he was pressed up against Elysia''s clothed pussy and she ground back at his cock to get more friction.

    "Here, this will help you rx."

    Eve held a small vile of liquid in front of Elysia''s mouth. Elysia could feel the magical fumes emitting out of the potion so she knew that it was a potion to make her want the other two even more.

    Elysia decided to swallow the potion on her own, not wanting to be forced into something she was about to do anyway. Besides, she wanted to also make things easier for her.

    "Good girl. Take it all in."

    Eve sounded delighted to see Elysia swallow that potion and it burned Elysia''s throat to take it in. but the results were instantaneous. Elysia''s body burned after she had the drug and her pussy was leaking as well.

    She felt hollow inside and her need to swallow something was also highlighted.

    Adam''s kiss was harsh and Elysia did not want him to take charge before her tongue sought Adam''s out.

    Eve''s open-mouthed kisses on her neck also felt very refreshing and made Elysia lean into her arms more. She needed more of those touches to douse out the dire she was feeling.

    So she pushed herself more and more into the touch her body was being made to experience. It felt good and rewarding for her so Elysia had no reason to deny those touches.

 Chapter 204 204: The Deal Is Sealed

    ''I need to do this. I need to go to the temple and find out the truth.''

    Emma White had been grounded as soon as she had reached her home. Her father, who had been neutral this far, had suddenly decided to take harsh measures against Emma to stop her involvement with the Dirac side.

    Instead, he wanted Emma to associate more with the temple and offer her support there. He had even arranged a meeting with a potential marriage partner for her even when Emma had reportedly asked him not to.

    The only way for Emma to get out of her house was to make an excuse to show that she was going to the temple.

    "Lady White, it is an honor to have you here with us."

    The priest who hade out to greet Emma hurriedly bowed to her. Her family was a major power in the empire so it was important for the temple to treat her right.

    After all, they did not want to lose her family''s financial support in any way. They were looking forward to binding her to the temple''s side, not knowing that Emma had already pledged herself to a side.

    "I am happy to be here today as well. Can you lead me to a secluded praying hall? I need to make some confessions."

    Emma spoke the code words the nobles often used for heavy donations. She could see the priest''s eyes turn into money signs as he quickly pointed for Emma to follow him.

    Since she already has someone guide her, no one else came to her for questioning. It was a free ride to the central room.

    "Here you go, mydy. Please enjoy your alone time."

    Emma waved the priest away and entered the room. And as soon as she was alone, Emma opened the door back and walked out. She knew that there were a lot of secrets this temple hid, and that was what she was hoping to look into.

    No one was around the hallway, so it was easy for Emma to sneak out and head into the temple-restricted hallway.

    She was about to pass through the main crossroad when she stopped. She could hear people talking in the room.

    "-and the n ising alone."

    Emma tter her back against the wall, waiting to hear more of what the Head Priest was saying. The room had a silencing spell ced on it but Emma efficiently managed to get the spell down.

    "The emperor and the Saintess are out of the empire so we cannot make any hasty actions. We will need a way to get to Elysia Dirac."

    "But would it be alright? Elysia has not done anything to warrant such a stigma. Will her power be enough to open the gate?"

    Emma could say for sure that the second speaker was Head Priest Yohan. Since her father and other family were such firm believers, she knew his voice urately and could pinpoint him.

    But she had no idea who the other person in the room was.

    "Don''t worry about theck of power. Our opponents already made the mistake of testing Elysia''s potential as a portal so it is a guarantee. So she is the only one we can rely on."

    The unknown person spoke and his voice sent shivers down Emma''s spine. She wanted to run away since the pressure that voice created over Emma was too much. She was not even able to move.

    "That saves us some trouble but how do we get to Elysia Dirac with so many people around her? It will not be easy since she is no longer listening to me."

    Head Preist Yohan sounded frustrated. His care for Eve was legendary and since one of the obstacles around Elysia was Eve, his worry was evident.

    "Don''t worry. Both the emperor Adam and Eve can be easily dealt with. I can also draw away Emperor Chrome. The real problem will be Lucas and Sorias."

    Emma''s heart leaped in his throat as soon as she heard those words. She did not want to see any harme to Sorias.

    ''NONONONONONO. Not Sorias.''

    Emma was a selfish person and she did not want to see any harme to her beloved person. These people could threaten anyone and Emma would not have cared. But it was a different case when it came to Sorias.

    He was the only person that could make Emma take a step back and rethink her decisions.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Lucas is at the end of his life so he is not our concern. On the other hand, Sorias needs to go. He is the true obstacle in our path."

    Emma could no longer hold herself from making herself appear in front of those two. She could not allow them to threaten Sorias.

    Hen Emma came out of her hiding space, she could see that the other two were looking at her with guarded expressions. But they did not look surprised by her sudden appearance.

    Instead, they looked like they had expected Emma to show herself in front of them.

    "D-Don''t you dare touch him. I will not say anything about your n to anyone if you leave Sorias out of your n. And don''t think you can touch me either. People know I am here so they will suspect you both if I go missing."

    Emma tried to appear confident but she had no reassurance on her side. She knew that her family cared about her but they cared about their social standing so much more.

    If they felt like Emma was not worth the savings, then she would be abandoned and no one would suspect the temple even if she died.

    "Emma White, so it was you. I want to say that I will do as you say but it is not possible for us. You see, we need to get our hands on Elysia at any cost. It is up to you to decide what to do next."

    Emma''s lips bled when she bit them in fury. She was aware that she was asked to choose between her potential friend and her love interest. It was an impossible choice for most people.

    But Emma was a selfish human being so she was going to do what it took to keep her beloved happy and alive.

    "If your target is Elysia Dirac, then leave luring her out to me. I will make sure you get ess to her so I would like to ask you not to touch anyone else."

    The two faces in front of Emma broke out in broad grins at her words. Emma felt like she had made a mistake but she could not control her desire to help.

    There was no way Elysia''s safety was more important to her than Soria''s life. And if Emma has to turn traitor to save him, then she would do that dly.

    "I see. So you are willing to sell your friend out for someone you love. You are such a cruel woman, Emma White. You had all the makings of a viiness but it was too bad that you turned out to be uninterested."

    The still unidentified man rubbed his chin with interest. He could see that Emma White was someone who could be of use to him.

    The only one who looked hesitant on this exchange was Head Priest Akane. He looked from that unknown man toward Elysia and then back to that Emma.

    In the end, he only sighed and decided to take a step back.

    "Fine. You are free to make any decision you want to and I will not be a burden to you. But make sure your decisions do not harm Eve and I will not be an enemy to you."

    For the first time, Emma felt like the Head Priest was her kin. He was willing to do anything for that one person he loved as a daughter. She was sure that she would be able toe to respect him as a person if given enough time.

    But it was too bad that they had different priorities and Emma would even betray him if it meant getting to Sorias in the end.

    "Then, it is decided. The one who will lead Elysia Dirac to us is Emma White and in return, we will spare the person she wants us to."

    Head Priest Yohan was notfortable sitting between the other two. But his ambitions did it allow him to back down from the challenge.

    Since all three of them were in sync, the atmosphere around the room was calming down. It would not take too much to ignite this peace but no one was considering this possibility.

    The whole group had too much confidence to fail now and the world had opened a new chapter in its journey.

    "By the way, can I know who you are?"

    Emma asked the mysterious man, very interested to know more about him.

    "Me? There is no need for you to know about me. But if you want to call me something, then call me ''the World''s consciousness."

 Chapter 205 205: All Laid Out [Pt1]

    Elysia''s neck hurt where Eve''s lips were sinking into. She could not move her neck or any other part of her upper body because she feared it would hurt her.

    And with Adam kissing her, Elysia''s mind was spinning with pleasure. She could not gather enough brain power to think and her body was also losing her strength.

    "A-Adam, Eve, maybe we can talk��ughhh��about this?"

    ? Elysia moaned out as she felt Eve''s hands massaging her breasts. Her warm and soft hands caused Elysia''s skin to tingle. Her hips were rubbing against Adam''s hardness and her body felt like it was melting.

    Adam looked away as soon as he met Elysia''s tear-filled eyes. He was weak for Elysia so he knew that if she begged him like that then he would fold over. It was better for him not to look at Elysia directly.

    Eve did not have the same problem as him since she was facing Elysia''s back. Her mouth watered after seeing the naked expanse of Elysia''s back and her hands could not help themselves from roaming that back.

    "Don''t think that we will fall for your sweet words again, Elysia. This time, you will be bread with a child so that we can get married. I want to see your belly swell with a child."

    Eve rubbed her front against Elysia''s back, her fluids mixing with Elysia''s skin and making her smell like Eve.

    Adam''s throat forced out an unconscious growl once he noticed that subtle marking and Eve''s smirking face. But he was more concerned about Elysia and how she had gone quiet all of a sudden.

    This stillness did not seem like thedy who always begged to be let go of but cried in pleasure once she was touched. And Adam quickly looked up to see what was wrong with Elysia��

    ��only to be taken aback by the look of pure lust and want on her face. There was a blush covering Elysia''s face that made Adam''s cock twitch in interest.

    "A baby? I want a baby. Please give me one."

    Elysia''s sweet voice was begging Adam as her clothes pussy rubbed against his hard cock. Adam could not feel as if anything was wrong with Elysia but her behavior was different than before and it worried Adam.

    He was about to pull back from Elysia and ask her what was wrong with her when he saw Eve''s awestruck face. Eve looked stunned before her face broke out into a grin and she faced Adam.

    "Emperor Adam, our queen is asking to be bred. We should not disappoint her, right? Here, this ce looks like it is waiting for you."

    Adam had not noticed when Eve''s hands had slipped inside Elysia''a pussy and now she held it open right above Adam''s penis. The soft and wet insides of Elysia fascinated Adam and he was not able to move.

    He could only watch as Eve helped Elysia sink deeper on his cock and Elysia cried out in want and pleasure.

    "If you want a baby then you will have to put in the effort, Elysia. Come on, show Adam how much you want his seed inside your body."

    Elysia''s expression said that she was not hearing anything Eve said. But her body was still moving up and down Adam''s hard cock.

    "I want it. I want a baby so bad. Adam, please give one to me."

    Adam was fascinated by Elysia''s disy. Her body was moving with all her grace and her breasts were rebounding as she rubbed against his hard cock.

    Even Elysia''s stomach had an imprint of his cock showing due to the size difference but Adam was still not able to look away from her face. Elysia''s eyes had tears and her face was flushed with pleasure.

    It was the most beautiful picture Adam had ever seen and he wanted to remember it forever.

    "You are doing so well, Elysia. Look, Adam cannot even take his eyes off you. Now, you need to get him to answer you. Go on, I know you want to kiss him."

    Elysia was like a puppet who could only follow Eve''s sweet whispers in her ear. Adam was not responding to anything she was doing, even when Elysia could the proof of his desire inside her.

    So she did not resist the temptation when she wanted to kiss Adam. her soft lips crashed into Adam''s tough ones and it was like a switch had been flipped inside Adam''s mind.

    Suddenly, those unresponsive hips beneath her body had gained a mind of their own and they snapped inside Elysia''s body. She could feel Adam hitting the deepest part of her insides.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It genuinely felt like he was kissing the opening of her womb every time he snapped his hips against Elysia.

    "Fuck! Why are you so sexy? Do you want to carry my child so much, Elysia? Then I will let you carry one. You will not be able to leave this bed until you are pregnant."

    Adam''s words and his actions, he was not holding back with anything now. His hands were grabbing any avable skin he could find and his hips were wet with Elysia''s pussy juice.

    The one who was enjoying this show the most was Eve. Her fingers were pleasuring her pussy as she prepared herself to take Elysia as well. Her eyes roamed over Elysia''s naked and erotic body. She could not wait to get her hands all over it.

    "P-Please, it''s not enough. I need more."

    This Elysia was different from anytime before. Elysia had never taken initiative like this but now she was actively participating in their sexual activities.

    Not to mention, begging quite well to be bred by Adam like this. It turned Eve on so much that even holding back felt like torture to her.

    Adam was not gentle with Elysia. He might be lying down right now but his hips were still strong enough to turn Elysia''s mind into a mess. She was crying out every time his hand grazed Elysia''s swollen nipples.

    "I was so afraid when I felt my bond to you break. How dare you do that to me. Now, you need to take responsibility and bear my child. Elysia, marry me."

    This was not the best time for such a proposal. Elysia was losing her mind with pleasure and her body was experiencing all kinds of other sensations.

    Her brain only had limited functional capacity right now so it was unable topute what Adam was asking her to.

    Once Adam did not get his answer immediately, he slowed down his thrusts. Elysia cried out in frustration, tears finally falling from her eyes.

    "W-Why? Adam, hurry up and move. Or I will move for you."

    Elysia sat up once she realized that Adam had no intention of pounding into her like he usually did. Her body was beyond frustrated and she decided to take matters into her own hands.

    She would have even started moving, had Adam not forced a harsh thrust and the pleasure caused Elysia to fall t. Her pussy sank a little deeper on Adam''s cock and she cried out in shock.

    Adam was pressing directly against Elysia''s pleasure spot and it made her go immobile. She wanted to scold him but no words woulde out of her mouth. All she could do was cry out in frustration.

    "A-Adam, please. Have mercy on me. I will do a-anything you want me to. Just let mee."

    Elysia''s mouth spoke words but she had no idea what she was even suggesting. Adam''s eyes shined at the confession and he beamed up at Elysia.

    "Then, will you officially marry me once we go back? I will not leave my pregnant wife back here."

    The confession brought some rity to Elysia''s eyes and she hesitated. Her eyes sought out Eve in the coroner of the room but Adam did not give her any time to bring that topic up.

    He had stopped thrusting inside Elysia when he had asked her to marry but now his hips were back in motion. Elysia found herself losing her train of thought and her body begged her to find relief.

    "I��marriage��but��"

    Elysia started to speak but she quickly lost her thought process as soon as Adam overwhelmed her with pleasure. He realized that if he did not give Elysia any time to think, then she would not be able to refute him.

    And Adam could tell that Elysia was trying to say something to him. But he would not take anything but ''yes'' as an answer.

    Eve could not bear to see Elysia''s heart suffer like this. Unlike Adam, she had realized the real question Elysia wanted to ask him. And since it was rted to Eve, it was only appropriate for her to be the one to answer it.

    Her body was also ready to fuck Elysia. She already had her toy in ce and she could not wait to join the other two in the bed.

 Chapter 206 206: All Laid Out [Pt2]

    "You do not have to worry about me, Elysia. I promise to help you out and I won''t leave you even after you get married. Besides, both I and Adam already had this talk with each other and we decided that I will be your personal knight."

    Eve finally made her presence known as she pushed her weight against Elysia''s back. It was adorable how Elysia tried to look at her with a calm expression but her pleasure overwhelmed her.

    Adam had not stopped his thrust inside Elysia''s pussy and she cried out when he hit her pleasure spot.

    Eve was jealous of Adam a little but she busied herself by squeezing Elysia''s beautiful breasts. They were full and filled Eve''s hands quite well.

    "E-Eve? What do you��ughhhh��mean? You are��the��Saintess��so��you c-cannot-ahhh."

    Adam found Elysia''s talking to be unnecessary. There was no need for her to worry about anything when both Adam and Eve were there to handle things for her.

    They had already made preparations for Elysia to lead a happy married life where they both would have equal ess to her. And Adam was sure that his ministers would have found his letter by now.

    "You don''t need to worry about anything, Elysia. I might be a Saintess but I do have the freedom to choose what I want to do. I will renounce my Sainthood if it means being your knight."

    Eve''s resolve shined brightly in her eyes before she crashed her lips against Elysia''s. The kiss was fierce and consuming. It distracted Elysia when Eve''s fingers sank into her ass and began to spread it.

    Adam did not sit ideally either. He was not thrusting inside Elysia but his cock was moving all around inside Elysia. He was rubbing against her pleasure spot which caused Elysia to see stars.

    She could feel her stomach tighten and she knew her climax was approaching.

    And with another harsh jab at her pleasure post by Adam, Elysia ended uping in hisp. Her eyes were dazed and her mouth was drooling. Her body shook as the aftermath of her climax hit her.

    Elysia''s mind felt exhausted but her body wanted even more pleasure. It was not satisfied with what little taste it had until now.

    Adam''se was filling Elysia''s stomach and she could feel it deep inside her body. It felt like she could never be able to scoop it out of her body, even if she tried her hardest.

    Eve finally pulled her fingers out of Elysia''s ass and Elysia could feel herself gapping as Elysia positioned herself against her ass. In a single jab of her hips. Eve sank inside Elysia once again.

    Elysia felt beyond stretched at this point. Not only did she have both Adam and Eve inside her body, but she also had her bolting stomach due to Adam''sing filling her insides.

    Her hand came up to touch her swollen stomach and Adam hissed. His eyes were zing with want and need as he shed his lips against Elysia''s.

    "Don''t think too much about anything. Just focus on me and my body."

    Elysia nodded before she was overwhelmed by the dual pirs thrusting inside her body. She could feel both Adam and Eve''s breaths on her neck and it sent shivers down her spine.

    She was unable to even open her mouth to say anything to them since every time she did so, only moans escaped her mouth.

    "Your body��always feels so good. You''ll be a great mother to our child."

    Adam''s eyes were soft when he spoke to Elysia. It was a direct contrast to his harsh thrusts that made Elysia cry out in pleasure. Adam was not holding back on her even a little bit.

    "You are lovely. I don''t know how no one can see your adorable side. But that''s good for us. No one will try to steal you away from us."

    Eve''s toy was hard but Elysia could not help but clutch tightly around it as well. Both of her holes were being filled and Elysia also felt like she was too overwhelmed with the feeling of love.

    "A-Ahhhh, slow��down��I��cannot��keep up."

    Elysia''sst words were high-pitched as she came. Neither Adam nor Eve slowed down a bit. Their hips continued to meet Elysia''s and her eyes finally shed the tears she had been holding back.

    Her body had several hand prints and teeth marks littering all over. She was sure that she would not be able to hide the evidence of what happened here.

    And Elysia was also sure that she would end up getting pregnant after so much sex.

    That was if she was not already pregnant right now. She had missed her monthly period this time but she had not wanted to make any assumptions. Especially since she did not want to get ahead of herself and end up disappointed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "E-Elysia, you are so wet and hot in here. I will never let you leave."

    Elysia''s insides burned as she felt Adame inside her. Eve also hit her climax as her body arched and the feeling of being filled again caused Elysia''s over-sensitive body to clutch around Adam''s cock.

    She could feel Adam''s magic working its way inside her body and the snapped bond wasing back to life.

    Eve pulled her head back and kissed Elysia again. Their breaths intermingle as Eve''s tongue licked and sucked everywhere inside Elysia''s mouth.

    "I cannot wait for our wedding to take ce. No one will be able to separate us once we are bound by the marriage vows. Let''s get married on your birthday, Elysia."

    Adam sounded so happy when he suggested this but Elysia''s happiness faded away when she heard those words.

    Her birthday wasing up and Elysia had expected to spend it here, in the Akatsuki empire this time. But it seemed like fate and her partners had other ideas for her.

    ////////////////////////////////////////////

    "God, everything is turning out to be a mess. I should escape from the castle before I am forced to go back to the empire. I have a feeling that Elysia will not be able to escape in time as well."

    Enma whispered those words but the hallway was quiet enough for his words to echo. Not that it mattered since there was no one around him for now.

    Or that was what Enma thought before he crashed headfirst into Sorias''s legs. The familiar was strong and his adult form was striking for sure.

    But every time Enma gazed upon his adult form, his insides were filled with fear. He knew that there was no need for him to fear Enma like this but he could just not help it.

    "S-Sorias. Fancy seeing you here? I should get going now and��bye."

    For what it was worth it, Enma did try to escape Sorias''s clutches but it was an impossible task for him.

    Especially when Sorias had caught the smell of prey and wanted to know more about it.

    "No, wait. Where do you think you are going, Enma? I don''t think I permitted you to leave. You will stay here and tell me what you were babbling about before I came here. What is going to happen on Elysia''s birthday?"

    Enma cursed his loose mouth and the disaster he was about to cause. He could not believe that he had somehow managed to open his mouth and ruin such an important future event.

    ''But the story is no longer as it is supposed to be so that means that the future can change as well. Maybe it will be worth it to tell Sorias what I know. It would be great if Elysia could be saved.''

    Enma had a choice to make here. He could stay quiet and be able to escape any me about what was going to happen.

    Or, he could be an active participant in what was going to take ce and prevent Elysia''s demise. Both choices had their own merits and demerits.

    But Enma was not sure about what he wanted to choose.

    "Enma, I can see that you know about something that is going to happen. You better open your mouth and tell me the truth. It will end well for you if you lie to me."

    Sorias knew that he could have chosen to keep quiet but he was not suicidal. Hiding things from Sorias was suicidal and if it got to Lucas then Enma was dead.

    He had only one choice here and that was to spill the beans. Whatever was going to happen next would happen.

    "Alright, fine. I will tell you everything you want to know but you have to promise me that I will not be held ountable for anything that is about to happen."

    Sorias did feel like it was a weird request for Enma to make. But it was a small price to pay for the information he was seeking.

    And once he heard Enma out, Sorias was d that he had spoken to Enma.

    "Next time, if you have such important information for me, then speak up about it first."

 Chapter 207 207: All Laid Out [Pt3]

    Despite everything having gone to normal, the atmosphere at the Akatsuki pce remained tense and not very harmonious. Especially since everyone could see that the emperor and Lord Lucas were having a small dispute.

    There had never been any real fight between the pair so it was the first time everyone was seeing this cold war brewing between them.

    Even those who wanted to take advantage of this gap hesitated to do so because of Lucas Dirac''s heavy gaze and his terrifying aura.

    On the other hand, Chrome looked like he did not care about any of it and was busy messing around as usual. Elysia Dirac was also busy entertaining the guests from the empire so she was out for the count as well.

    This atmospherested for a few days and then Lucas Dirac copsed in the middle of the hallway.

    Then the whispers began and everyone was hushed into silence by the imperial order.

    //////////////////////////////////////////

    "Your brother would be alright this time but be careful with Lucas Dirac. The curse he is under is spreading in his body and it would be difficult for him to endure another attack."

    The doctor sounded relieved once he looked all over Lucas''s condition. Elysia sighed in relief once she was told that her brother was alright.

    Her heart had jumped into her throat when she heard that Lucas had copsed like this and her mind had stopped working.

    But herplexion seemed to be getting better now that she knew that her brother was going to make it this time. Elysia''s mind was finally beginning to work properly.

    Elysia grasped Lucas''s hand as soon as she copsed in relief. Her eyes were tender when she looked at her suffering brother. It was all her fault that he was in this situation anyway.

    "I am so d that you are alright. I thought you were dead when I saw you out there, copsed on the ground like this."

    There were tears in Elysia''s eyes as she held her brother''s hand. She did not even notice Adam''s hand on her shoulder.

    "Everything will be alright Elysia. But you should not let your brother''s condition get to you. No one could have predicted this to happen."

    Eve consoled Elysia as she watched her lover break down in front of her eyes. Elysia seemed to be going through some troublesome times and Eve''s heart hurt to see her like this.

    She felt bad that she could not help Elysia even with her current powers. She was not able to heal Lucas Dirac because of his dark nature.

    "I know my brother will be alright. I believe in him and his will to live. But now that things havee to this, I cannot respond to your feelings right now."

    This was the worst. Eve and Adam exchanged looks with each other, their eyesmunicating with each other right above Elysia''s head.

    Adam frowned as Eve shook her head at not disturbing Elysia right now. She was in a fragile state of mind.

    "You should stay with your brother for now. We will not force you toe back with us. But please, at least spend your birthday with us this time."

    Eve''s voice was sweet like a forbidden fruit. Elysia wanted to deny her request but she was currently together because of the support she had from Adam and Eve. she was not able to deny them.

    But some people had problems with Elysia''s leaving.

    "I don''t think it is a good idea for Elysia to get out of Akatsuki for now. You will not be able to provide her with protection in your current state. Besides, I promised Lucas that I will protect Elysia forever."

    Chrome entered the room, his eyes ring at Adam and Eve. Elysia was relieved to hear his voice since it seemed like Chrome was no longer angry at Lucas.

    It relieved her to see that Chrome was in her brother''s room and was even protecting him. It was humbling to see but terrifying at the same time.

    "Excuse me. What right do you have to interfere with Elysia''s-"

    "I am her current guardian as signed by Lucas before he copsed. So I would appreciate it if you do not butt your head into our matter."

    Sparks were flying among the other people in the room and Elysia felt the tension rise in the air. Even breathing was difficult for any normal human being if they entered the room.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Luckily, no one entered the room before the atmosphere began to clear out. Elysia sighed in relief as she watched her brother''s calm face. He seemed to have finally fallen into a deep sleep.

    "Anyway, this decision is up to Elysia and not you. You have no right to stop her if she wanted toe back. Getting Lord Dirac checked out in the empire by experts might not also be a bad choice, right?"

    Chrome was gritting his teeth at the obvious challenge Adam was providing him with. It was a sore spot that the level of expertise in the Akatsuki kingdom was lower than the empire.

    But Chrome did not let it show on his face as he sighed at finally epting that he had lost this round. It was up to Elysia to decide what to do next.

    "It will be better for Elysia to take a lead on this topic. But I know that you are right in saying that Lucas can be better looked after in the empire."

    Chrome''s voice was bitter when he admitted that and Elysia wanted tofort him.

    Chrome had gone through a lot to get Elysia and Lucas to this point of safety. He had suffered incidents he had no business suffering through. And he had also lost a lot.

    But despite all this, Elysia wanted to go back home and face the consequences of what was happening all on her own.

    There was one way for Lucas to be saved from this curse but Elysia was terrified to even attempt it. It would require her to transfer the curse on herself and hope that her magic was enough to subdue it.

    But it was a gamble only the Head Priest could make work.

    "I��don''t know what to do."

    Elysia felt hopeless, caught between need and desire. The more she thought about this topic, the more she felt like she was making a mistake by choosing to follow her heart.

    "Don''t think too much about everything. Just entrust yourself to us and we will take care of everything. I promise that your brother will get better."

    Eve''s words sounded hollow but Elysia decided to believe in them. It served her no purpose to not believe those words and cultivate hollow hope.

    After all, she had already decided to let Lucas live even if it meant that she would not be able to live out her life.

    "I promise to cherish you and the life that is growing inside your body. Our kid will neverck anything."

    All of Elysia''s ns came crashing down as Adam whispered those words in her ear. Her body was in shock and her eyes were wide.

    She looked at Adam with a terrified expression, wanting him to repeat those words but she was unable to say anything. She had nothing to say to him.

    "Don''t be scared, Elysia. I can smell it on you, the smell of carrying a new life. I hope you believe me and do not do anything rash and endanger yourself for the next seven months."

    Elysia''s ns to sacrifice herself were copsing in front of her eyes. And so were her chances of seeing Lucas waking up again.

    She was not sure if her brother would be able tost for the next seven months in his current condition but Elysia could no longer think of taking over his curse.

    Especially since she knew that she would do anything for the kid in her belly. It had what kept her going in that illusion and made her break apart after it was over.

    "I��can I get some time alone with my brother before we head back for the empire? I want to think over some stuff in private."

    Adam and Eve looked worried and taken aback by Elysia''s request. She was sure that she was worrying them with her listlessness but she could not bring herself to make any solid move.

    Especially when she knew what was at stake here. Elysia could not think of gambling her child''s life away at this point.

    ''Seven months. I need to wait around for seven months before I can take Lucas''s ce. I hope my brother would be able to endure for that long.''

    Elysia''s heart was full of painful longing but now she had a reason to survive for the next seven months. And that reason just happened to be the kid in her stomach.

    "Let''s leave tomorrow. It will get tough to leaveter on for us. We have to secure the route and allow no monsters toe near Elysia."

 Chapter 208 Do Not Buy This . I Accidently Posted It In The Wrong Section.

    The sister looked stunned at Elysia''s words and finally feel quiet. Elysia had a feeling that the sister was having a hard time epting Elysia''s words.

    But it was not her task to bring the sister out of her self-imposed delusion. There was no need for Elysia to go as far as to make the sister understand just what kind of man the Head Priest was.

    And Elysia had a feeling that even if she managed to make the sister see Head Priest Akane''s real self, she would still ignore everything Elysia was trying to tell her.

    Infatuation was a strong thing and anyone who fell under its spell tended to ignore reality a little bit.

    ''Then again, it is not my concern whether this sister managed to snap out of her delusion or not. I just need to get through this ceremony and it will be over for me.''

    Elysia wanted to focus on what she could do, rather than what was about to happen. She quickly picked up the pace to reach the room that was assigned to her.

    Outside the window, the world had taken a red shade as the sunset. It was beautiful but the mixture of that red and gold made Elysia miss Adam and Eve.

    The sky was painted in their colors and it made Elysia feel lonely and grateful at the same time.

    "It''s beautiful, right? This mixture of gold and red is exclusive to this time of the year. Ah, that reminds me. Whatever happens tomorrow, you should not get surprised. I am sure you will find the morning beautiful as well."

    The sister was speaking in riddles again and it irritated Elysia.

    But she was too busy looking out of the window to care about what the sister was saying to her. She found it hard to tear her eyes away from the mixed sky.

    "Skies like these remind me of that story from long ago. Are you interested to hear it?"

    Elysia did not reply, not interested in hearing the sister out. But her silence was taken as a confirmation by the sister because she continued speaking anyway.

    "A long time ago, when this world was young and still forming, the first sage had a vision from the gods. It was said that the light of the fire would save everyone as long as it had the dragon in its grasp."

    "They were to be each other''s strengths and to feed off on that strength to save the world when the time came. But then, the fire was cursed by death to separate from the dragon forever."

    "The dragon opened the rift of time and space in his despair to get his lover back and that was how the enchanted forest emerged. It is a strip of that leftover power of space and time."

    Elysia had to admit that it was an amusing story. She remembered reading about it somewhere in the Empire''s history before as well.

    But the version she had heard was a little different. Instead of death, it was said to be a witch who had been jealous of the par''s love and had ended up curing the fire.

    And the dragon had killed her using his mes. But the witch''s curse had given rise to the enchanted forest in the end, not wanting to forgive those who had killed her.

    But in the end, it was all stories told to deepen one''s faith in religion.

    "And, what is the purpose of telling me this story?"

    Elysia was not surprised or interested to hear more but she had a feeling she should hear the sister out fully at least. That much courtesy Elysia was willing to give her aid.

    The sister smiled after hearing Elysia''s words, her face taking a mischievous smile as she put her finger on her lips in a gesture that said that it was a ''secret.''

    "Well, it was said that since the lovers were cursed, they could not stay together any longer. But it was thanks to Herman, the god of fight, they got to reunite and that is the Herma''s rite."

    The story was not remarkable so Elysia had no idea why she was being told all this right now. As far as she knew, she had no interest in these stories.

    "Alright, that was all. I can tell that you are getting a little irritated now so I will go back to my room. Have a nice night."

    The sister finally left and Elysia sighed in relief at seeing her go. It had been so irritating to wait around like this and be told a story Elysia had no interest in.

    But she did not say these words to the sister, not wanting to sour the moment between them.<novelnext></novelnext>

    That night, Elysia''s mind was abination of red and violet shes. But when she woke up she did not remember anything of what had happened before.

    When she woke up, it was to the rising sun shining down on her face. Elysia had not expected that to happen and she instantly tried to close her eyes.

    But the more she tried to go back to sleep, the more she was not able to. Her own body protested against Elysia going back to sleep and she was forced to wake up.

    Above her, the sky was painted in a distant shade of red and gold. It was all mixed in a beautiful pattern but the sun was nowhere to be seen.

    She might have woken up the sunrise but the sun was not visible in the upper sky.

    ''I guess I should get ready for now. There is much to do before the ceremony.''

    The world outside seemed like it was asleep and the temple looked abandoned at this time of the day.

    It was so different from the temple in the empire and Elysia could not help but feel her heart hurt a little. She missed being back home so much right now.

    But despite that, Elysia did not slow down to think about what could have been. She had been entrusted with responsibility and she needed to take care of it.

    "First, I should look around for supplies. Then, I should head toward the ceremonial baths. I hope nothing happens this time."

    Elysia''s heart gave a painful tug as she remembered the golden eyes she had seen in herst vision.

    She anticipated and dreaded her time in the ceremonial baths at the same time. She looked forward to seeing her child again but her heart also felt fearful of that future noting true.

    "Ah,dy Dirac. You are aware of this hour of the day? Is everything alright?"

    Elysia stopped breathing as she heard the voice call her from behind. She did not want to turn around and face Head Priest Akane when she was alone like this.

    But ignoring him was also a problem right now. Especially since Elysia was in the temple and had no ally at her side.

    Enma was on the boy''s grounds and he was also useless in a fight. Both Lucas and Chrome were not able to interfere and Sorias would not be here untilte evening as well.

    "I woke up and was unable to fall asleep again. I think I will get ready for the day now."

    Elysia wanted to keep her conversations as short as possible. There was no need for her to entertain Head Priest Akane and they both knew it well

    Despite all that, Head Priest Akane decided he did not want to head out and walked until he was in step with Elysia.

    "If that is the case, then I should join you on your quest. I have never had a chance to observe how the people of the empire prepare for the ceremony so I am curious."

    Elysia wanted to groan at those words. She was not sure if she was someone Head Priest Akane was suspicious of or if he wanted to hit on her. Both thoughts sent shivers down Elysia''s spine.

    "I don''t think that is appropriate for someone of your station. You should just calm down for now since I will be heading toward the ceremonial pools soon."

    The Head Priest finally fell quiet after Elysia''s words. He looked taken aback by the easy admission Elysia made and she could spot that air of uneasiness in his eyes as well.

    Head Priest Akane had finally taken a step back and it felt like a victory for Elysia.

    "I-If that is the case, then I will let you be on your way. But do find me once you are done, Lady Dirac. I have things you need to learn before you can begin the ceremony."

    Elysia gave an awkward smile at those words, not at all interested in what Akane had to say to her. She just hurried toward the ceremonial pool and that was the end of her encounter for today.

    Or, that was what she hoped when she reached the pool and locked herself in there.

 Chapter 209 208: Return Home [Pt1]

    Despite all the differences between the empire and the Akatsuki kingdom, Chrome dide out to greet them a farewell when they were about to go back home. It warmed Elysia''s heart and she knew that her brother was in good hands.

    Sorias a staying behind with Lucas for the time being at Elysia''s insistence but he was annoyed for obvious reasons.

    Enma had decided to stay back as well, but his reasons and his fears were a little clear to Elysia. She did not stop him when he asked to stay back.

    "Elysia, hurry up and get on the horse. You will be traveling with Adam so that we can ensure a safe ride back."

    Eve''s gentle voice washed out all of Elysia''s worries. The redhead came right behind Elysia and her arms circled Elysia''s stomach protectively. Her hands rested on Elysia''s belly with a possessive hold and her eyes shined.

    Adam had not even shown himself ever since they had decided to go back. He was busy ensuring that this trip back would not put any strain on Elysia''s body.

    "By the way, did you visit the physician to get the news confirmed first? Not that I do not believe Adam''s nose and senses, but we should be dually sure before celebrating, right?"

    Elysia shook her head as she looked at Eve. She had a feeling that she was pregnant for some time now. She had missed her monthly cycle this month and even the doctor had assured her that Elysia was with a child.

    The only one who could not feel assured about her apparent pregnancy was Elysia herself.

    Maybe she thought that it would be a different experience or she would be able to feel the presence of a child in her body as soon as she conceived but that had not been the case for her.

    "The doctor did say that I am pregnant but it is still difficult for me to believe it. Especially since I am not even married yet."

    Elysia had not let this news spread any further than the three of them and her familiar. Sorias had tried to kill Adam as soon as he had heard of Elysia''s pregnancy but she had somehow talked him down.

    Adam''s promise of marriage also helped calm down Sorias a lot and she was finally able to make him back down. But the tension was still in the air for her to feel.

    "Are you both ready to go back? I send the words of our return so let''s get back now."

    Adam came out of the pce as well. He seemed to have finished his talk with Chrome and his calm expression made Elysia feel so much better than before.

    "Hurry up and let''s go back. I just want things to go back to normal."

    Eveined, not knowing that she was asking for an impossible task. Unknown to her, the empire had a lot of new problems brewing.

    And the world had its ns to work on. She was just a puppet in the grand scheme of things.

    //////////////////////////////////////

    The empire was finally in view and Elysia''s heart raced faster and faster as she got closer to the empire. She felt Eve''s hand on her shoulder and Eve''s serene expression met Elysia''s as well.

    "Don''t worry so much. We whipped everyone into shape while you were not here. No one will be saying anything rude to you. And if they do, then you canin to us and we will take care of them all."

    Eve sounded so proud of herself that Elysia had no heart to tell her that it did not matter what people thought of her any longer.

    With Lucas in the state he was, why did it matter what kind of reputation Elysia gathered? It was not like people were going to associate her with anyone but the Dirac name now.

    "Here we are. I will head in now to get a status check on our wedding preparations. I want to hold it on your birthday if you don''t mind Elysia."

    Adam was about to stand up and leave when Elysia reacted quickly and caught his hand. Even though she was surprised to see her actions but that did not stop her from making from asking what she needed.

    "Please stop. I want our wedding to wait for some time. I don''t think it''s a good idea to hold it so early."

    Elysia was terrified of the visions she had seen of her eighteenth birthday and what they meant for her future.

    Although it was clear that those visions no longer mattered, they still terrified Elysia a lot. She did not want to experience them anymore.

    Elysia did not realize she was hyperventting until she sucked that sharp breath. Eve''s hand in her own was what brought Elysia''s senses back to herself and she looked into a pair of worried blue eyes.

    "Take a deep breath, Elysia. We won''t force you into marrying if that is not what you want from us. But we both think it will be better for you to get married before you have our kid."

    Elysia''s brain stopped working when she heard Eve address the kid as ''theirs''. It was a feeling that Elysia did not consider feeling.

    And once she considered what Eve was saying, Elysia flinched. Of course, getting married and having the kid after marriage was the best option for her kid''s future. His legitimacy to the throne would be in question if Elysia had her child out of wedlock.

    She did not care much about this and she knew that her lovers did not as well but there were the nobles and other people who were going to create so many problems for her kid.

    From what she had seen of the future, her kid was already going to be in trouble anyway. She did not want her kid to face even more.

    "I��you do have a point. I guess I have no other choice but to get married. My nervous feeling will go away soon as well."

    The more Elysia thought about getting married, the calmer she got. Her nerves were settling down now that she considered her child''s position.

    And even the noble''s eyes did not make Elysia feel as nervous as they would have at any other given chance. She was able to raise her head and face them properly.

    "Lady Dirac, you are being called into the queen''s chambers. If you do not mind, can you head toward the Rose Pce?"

    Elysia recognized the bowing maid in front of her as the queen''s personal maid. She had seen the girl around a lot but had never paid attention.

    Beside Elysia, Eve sighed in annoyance but her eyes softened as soon as she noticed Elysia''s lost expression.

    "It is alright. The queen has always had a soft spot for you so you will make it through this meeting. Do you want me toe with you? I am your personal knight after all."

    At any other time, Elysia would have taken Eve up on this offer and brought her alone. Eve was such a big help to her when it came to providing her courage.

    But this time, Elysia knew she needed to handle this situation alone. She could not drag Eve if the situation got ugly.

    "There is no need for you toe along with me Eve. You have not been appointed as my knight yet so there is no need for all this formality. I will be back soon enough."

    Elysia waved her hand as she made her way toward the queen''s chambers. The olddy had always been fair to Elysia so she was not afraid.

    Besides, the worst that could happen had already happened so Elysia was sure she would not get any more hurt than this.

    The queen looked to be in the pink of her health. Her skin was glowing and soft to the touch. She gestured for Elysia to take a seat and poured her tea.

    Elysia did think about refusing her because the smell of tea was making her stomach hurl but she forced her feeling of disgust down and took a sip.

    "So, I heard from Adam that you are pregnant. I am so sorry for my foolish son''s actions but I am happy to see that you epted him anyway."

    Elysia coughed as she felt the tea go down her windpipe. The unexpectedment from the queen had taken her aback. She looked back at the queen with a surprised expression, almost unable to believe what she just heard.

    "I��.excuse me. I think I misheard something. Give me some time and I will be alright again.

    Elysia waved off the queen''s helping hand as she corrected her position. It hurt to feel the water go down her windpipe but the pain was helping her shocked mind.

    The queen also backed down, for the time being, knowing that it was not a good time for her to bring up any shocking news.

 Chapter 210 209: Return Home [Pt2]

    An awkward silence word after Elysia calmed down. She had no idea what to say to the queen in her current situation. And it was not like the Queen was thrilled to start a conversation either.

    Both sides tried to buy time and think about what they wanted to speak about. Finally, it was the Queen who made the first move toward peace between the pair.

    "I guess my words were too sudden and bold for you to process. I could just not hold back my joy after seeing you finallye around and ept Adam''s feelings. That child had been pinning after you for a while now"

    The queen sounded d about Elysia''s decision to ept her son but Elysia was not sure how much she knew about the actual situation.

    At any rate, she seemed to not know about the mishap Elysia had caused with the emperor''s destiny by causing him to fall in love with her. Especially when he was meant to be with someone much better than her.

    "Sometimes, it feels like a dream that I would wake up from any day. All this happiness doesn''t seem to be intended for me."

    Elysian spoke those words as much for herself as she did for the queen. Her feelings were all messed up and she had no thought in her head now.

    But the queen only looked assuredly back at her.

    "The world sure has a lot of ways to make you feel insecure. And you are not the only one to feel like this, Elysia. But don''t forget that you have people on your side and you also have a precious reason to live your life. Don''t forget your reason now."

    The queen was looking at Elysia''s still t belly. But they both knew that there was a life swelling inside it at that very moment.

    Elysia''s insides tingled at the reminder and her cheeks flushed. All she did was remain silent to not attract attention to her feelings.

    "Anyway, you should have your rest today because we will be getting busy from tomorrow onwards. It is the royal wedding after all."

    The queen''s assuring grin turned impish and Elysia had a really bad feeling about it. She had heard about the queen''s infamous shopping sprees. But she had never participated in one herself.

    And it seemed like she would finally get to experience what it was like to be led around until your feet hurt.

    /////////////////////////////////////

    "We''ll take this and oh, that as well. And this looks good as well. Here Elysia, now try these. I need to see their fitting on you."

    Elysia wanted to drop dead after following the queen for the past two hours. Her body felt tired as she tried her best to keep herself awake. But she was sure that even the bitterest of coffee would not help her fatigue now.

    Beside Elysia, Eve shrugged her shoulder as if asking Elysia to cooperate. Elysia wanted to re at her for her betrayal but then she remembered that Eve had been the queen''spanion for a long time.

    It had been Eve who had to suffer Elysia''s position before and Elysia had no idea how she managed to do that withoutint.

    "Hurry up and change Elysia. What are you waiting for."

    Elysia finally realized that there was no way out for her so she took the offered dress from the queen and changed.

    The dress was magnificent but rather revealing. It was something Elysia would never wear in front of thepany and she was hesitant toe out. But she had toe out since it was the queen who ordered her.

    "I don''t feelfortable showing this much skin. Can we change this dress to something else?"

    Elysia asked as she held her breasts up with her arms. There were no strap-less bras in this period so her breasts were rather rebellious.

    She was afraid that they would slip out from the cut of her dress if she made any kind of movement. She looked toward Eve whose face had gone red and Elysia could suddenly not meet her eyes.

    "Nonsense. You look marvelous and the color red suits you quite well. Don''t you think Elysia looks quite dashing Eve?"

    "Huh? Oh yes. She looks very cute. Quite sexy if you dare to ask me. Can you make her change now before an ident happens?"

    Eve''s shyness caused the queen tough out loud.

    "Ara~ But I thought the one who would like to see Elysia dressed up the most would be you, Eve. Don''t tell me that you are acting shy now."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The queen teased Eve which caused the saintess''s face to go even redder. Elysia had a sudden realization that the queen knew about Eve''s feelings for Elysia. And it did not look like she was opposed to this rtionship.

    It was almost shocking for Elysia to realize but she was able to offset it with a lot of mental preparation from her side.

    "Please stop this teasing. I��wille back once you are ready to no longer tease me."

    Eve huffed as she ran out of the room. Elysia wanted to go after her but the queen''s heavy gaze stopped her from moving. The queen looked amused at Eve''s retreating.

    "Should we let Eve go like this? She will be quite upset at being teased by you."

    Elysia observed as she watched her lover run away but the queen only scoffed at her words.

    "Eve will be alright and she will bounce back in no time. People like her are hard to find but they are loyal once they do find their life partner. Eve is like a daughter to me so I would like for you to ept both her and Adam."

    The queen sounded soft and Elysia could not figure out why the queen was so amodating toward her of all people.

    She had all but torn up the dream pair of Adam and Eve, while also destroying their chances of getting married.

    "Don''t think like that again. I don''t fault them for falling for a sweet girl like you. Rather, I am d that you epted them as they are. They had never looked so happy before."

    The queen''s thoughts did not make sense to Elysia but she decided not to look too hard into her mentality. It was not for her to worry about others like this anyway.

    Especially someone like the queen who was more than qualified to look after herself.

    "Anyway, our shopping is far from being done. Adam was too impatient with setting the wedding date this early so I hope you do not feel too intimidated by me."

    Elysia felt goosebumps go down her spine as she heard those words. She was not ready to spend even more time shopping. But it doesn''t seem like Eve and the queen were even winded.

    Even ced her hand on Elysia''s shoulder in a consoling manner. Elysia could feel the desire Eve told her to give up her freedom.

    "Ah look. It''s Lady Emma White and she looks to be all alone. Should we invite her to join us as well? Being alone like this cannot be good for her. I don''t think she even has any friends in high society."

    The queen sounded sorry for Emma and even Elysia felt for her. Emma was not a friend to her but she was someone who was acquainted with Elysia. And she was someone who liked Sorias.

    As such, Elysia felt a little responsible for looking after Emma.

    Meanwhile, Eve did not have such a good impression of Emma. The girl had been useful but Even had found her to be a little selfish and somewhat of a jerk when it came to anyone but Sorias.

    However, she also knew that if Elysia and the queen had decided on something then they would not stray away from their path no matter what Eve said to them. It was better for her to save her breath.

    She had a feeling that Emma White''s sudden appearance was a problem she needed to solve.

    "We should call Lady White over. She was one of the onlydies who did not have a negative opinion of me so I would like to have her at my side."

    And with Elysia''s words, their encounter was sealed. In the end, it was Eve who volunteered to go and fetch Emma.

    Meanwhile, Emma could not help but be surprised at the sudden turn of fate she was encountering. She had expected to take her time in approaching Elysia once she was back.

    But now she was being called to spend time with Elysia all without even trying anything. It was the perfect opportunity to make Elysia follow her and offer her as a sacrifice.

    She had expected her task to be difficult and overbearing. She had not even been sure if she would be able to achieve it without losing everything. But now it seemed as if she would be able to get away without being caught.

    She just had to y her cards right.

 Chapter 211 210: Return Home [Pt3]

    "It had been a while since Ist saw you, your majesty. I hope you have been well in the time we did not meet each other."

    Emma gave a low blow toward the queen, making sure to only address the queen at first and now show any reaction toward Elysia or Eve. She could not afford to give herself away and her young age was going to be her weapon.

    There was also the fact that she had been on Elysia''s side all this time so it lowered the suspicion toward her even more.

    "There is no need for you to be this formal toward me Lady White. You can just act your age and say what you have on your mind. I promise I will not hold any offense if you talk informally to me."

    The queenughed in joy at Emma''s formal greeting. This child had always been so formal to her ever since they had first met.

    That awkwardness had never gone away ever since Baron White had identally told Emma about her apparent match with Adam. It was before the time Adam got engaged to Elysia Dirac so it was an invalid promise.

    But that did not make the queen feel any less guilty for getting a child''s hopes up. It was lucky that Emma managed to fall in love with someone who was not Adam.

    The queen was not a maleficent person and her heart hurt when she realized that Lady White''s love was not a match she would be able to catch. But the queen was also happy that she would not be an obstacle in Adam''s way.

    "It had been a while since west met Emma. how are you doing back home? Is everything alright?"

    Elysia was much morepassionate toward Emma than anyone else. Her words were full of curiosity and interest toward the youngestdy.

    Emma seemed to be thinking over her words before she replied. She was a cautiousdy who weighed her words before opening her mouth.

    "Everything is better than it was before so I have nothing toin about. However, dare I say it but there is something different about you right now."

    Emma looked confused as she looked Elysia up and down. She could feel a weird and foreign energy inside Elysia that she had never felt before.

    The queenughed out loud at Emma''s question. Elysia also had a blush covering her face and she seemed unable to look Emma in the face after that question was asked.

    "So you can feel it already? You are a lot more sensitive than your father when ites to the aura. And looks like you won''t be able to hide your secret for much longer Elysia."

    The queen teased Elysia and even jabbed her in her ribs lightly. Elysia''s face went red and something clicked around in Emma''s mind.

    She had not thought of it as a possibility until now but it seemed like Elysia Dirac was pregnant with the next crown prince.

    No wonder this wedding was taking ce in such a hurried manner and everyone was involved. It alsoplicated things for Emma since she did not want to involve an innocent unborn child involved.

    And there had not been any mention of this in the report she had been given. It meant that Emma would have to get back to the Head Priest and make modifications to her n. They could no longer rush head-first into this situation.

    "Oh, congrattions are in order then. I hope nothing happens to you and your future child."

    Emma''s mouth sprouted out the lies as her mind fought against her rational side. She did not want to hurt Elysia but she did not have a choice.

    //////////////////////////////////

    "You did not tell me that Elysia Dirac was pregnant. Do you expect me to sacrifice a pregnantdy?"

    Emmained once she was back in the temple. She had snuck inside as soon as she had gotten a chance toe here andin.

    She was in luck since the lunatic person who had called himself the ''the World''s consciousness'' was here as well. He was the one Emma wanted to pick a beef with the most.

    "Calm down Miss White. I heard you clearly but I cannot believe your words. There was nothing mentioned like this in the prophecy or the records of the future. How can I believe your words just like this?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Head Priest Yohan seemed to be having a hard time swallowing his words. He could just not believe what he had hearde out of Emma White''s mouth.

    How in the world could Elysia Dirac be pregnant? The fates should not have allowed that to happen at any cost. Wasn''t the fate of this world about Adam and Eve? If anyone should be pregnant, then it should be Eve.

    He looked toward ''the World''s consciousness'' as well, wanting an answer from existence.

    "Well, it was always a possibility if things derailed from the real fates. The kid is our insurance for this world''s safety so he should be born without any problem. We will have to change our n''s date to next year now."

    Emma breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she heard that.

    Now, she could kill a kid if it meant her love would be safe. It was not out of her reach to be able to do that. But that did not mean Emma wanted to perform such an action. She did not want to be held ountable for a baby''s death.

    So it was lucky for her that she would not have to do it anyway.

    "Emma White, use this one year and gain Elysia Dirac and everyone''s trust. This is something you should be able to do."

    ''The World''s consciousness'' was a tough master and Emma wanted to refute him. But the other option led to Sorias''s death so she had no choice but to follow his will.

    Besides, it would also save her a lot of hassle in the future if she was ever suspected of murder. This connection coulde in handy for her.

    "No. I refuse this n. We cannot allow this marriage to go through at any cost. It should be Eve, not Elysia who should be standing at Adam''s side. That was what I always aimed to achieve and-"

    "I don''t care what you aimed for. Don''t forget that our first objective is to ensure the survival of this world. Destiny and fate had derailed from their intended path a long time ago so it is time for us to adapt as well."

    Head Preist Yohan was shot down and he could not say anything against those words. Especially since he knew that they were right.

    It was only his love and affection for Eve that made him stubborn and want the best for her. But he was ignoring all the facts about her real happiness because of something that could have happened.

    Emma looked at the stubborn man, feeling sorry for him. But she was not willing to say anything to him in this regard.

    It was his fault for choosing to dedicate himself to a cause that was not possible. He should give up now and saved himself the heartache but he was being stubborn about his decision.

    And as much as Emma did not want to care about his business, she could not help but see a shadow of herself in Head Priest Yohan''s eyes. And that was why she could not bring herself to say anything against him.

    What right did she have to ask him to back down when she could not back down herself? It was beyond unfair.

    "Anyway, our primary objective will not change even with this new development. Sooner orter, Elysia Dirac will need to pay the price for disturbing this world. And once that happens, all the intruders who infected our peace would be killed off."

    Those words sounded cruel to Emma''s ears. She felt sorry for the fools who were about to be killed off because of this change.

    She looked toward the Head Priest who had gone quiet all of a sudden. This sudden stillness on his part did not seem alright to Elysia and she was worried about what he was nning.

    There was something about his aura that screamed ''danger'' to her. And she was sure that she would need to keep an eye on this man. His ambitions were getting out of hand and Emma needed to control him.

    "Then, let''s end today''s meeting here. I will contact you again when we need to proceed to the next step. Until then, perform the duties you have been assigned."

    Emma would surely perform her duties and so much more. But before that, should she send a message to someone and tell them what was going to happen? usible denial was always a good thing to have at hand. It might help her get out of a stick situation in the future.

 Chapter 212 211: The Preparation Begins [Pt1]

    "Brother, I wish you were here with me today. It is terrifying to face everyone without you by my side."

    After many twists and turns, the day had finallye for Elysia to be married. It had taken a long while for her and her mind was still full of doubt. But she no longer had the option of hesitation or backing out.

    Elysia could feel people''s eyes looking at her no matter where she went. People were constantly judging her for breaking their dream couple. And she was more than aware that this treatment would follow her throughout her life.

    But she had hardened her heart in anticipation of facing everyone. She was no longer doing it just for herself after all.

    "Mydy, please stand still. Otherwise, we won''t be able to get the right fitting for your dress."

    the Royal trailer spoke in an annoyed voice. This was yet another person who preferred Eve over Elysia. But despite her preference, she had gotten an Imperial order to prepare Lady Elysia for the wedding.

    There was not much she could do butply with the queen''s orders.

    And Lady Elysia was a beautifuldy. Her ck hair shined in the light and her blue eyes sparkled. She made quite a stunning picture when she stood at the emperor''s side.

    ''No. I cannot be disloyal to Lady Eve. Lady Elysia is a good person but it is Lady Eve who makes the perfect queen in my heart.''

    The Royal Tailor confessed in her heart as she adjusted Elysia''s dress. It was finally the day of the wedding after all.

    "El~ys~ia~ I am here to take a look at you."

    Eve entered the room with a positive step. The Royal Tailor tensed as soon as she noticed Lady Evee in. Things could get ugly with these two in the same room.

    Now, Eve was the Saintess and had a really good temper most of the time. She was also considered close with Lady Elysia Dirac. But despite that, love had a way of turning things around, and jealousy was an incredible weapon.

    She could disy some upsetting behavior and the Royal Tailor was ready to turn a blind eye to that.

    After all, this was thest form of revenge the stainless would be able to take from Lady Elysia. Especially since the rumors of her being with a child were looking more and more true.

    The Royal Tailor had a lot of experience with pregnantdies and their fittings. And she had even more experience with Elysia Dirac''s fitting. Even if she said nothing, the Royal Tailor could tell that Elysia was with a child.

    And it was in the early stages of her pregnancy as well.

    That was why the Royal Tailor was curious and also afraid of Lady Eve''s reaction. Surely she would not sit still and watch her lover being taken away. Even now, there was a hungry glint in her eyes that scared the Royal Tailor.

    "Lady Eve, why don''t we sit around and wait for-"

    The Royal Tailor tried to prevent a tragedy from happening before it could. But it was of no use when Eve took Elysia''s hand and dragged her to the side room.

    She felt the lock click shut in ce behind her when she tried to open the room and evenmunication was cut-off from behind the door.

    It was an impossibility for the Royal Tailor to know what they were talking about. But that did not stop her from trying. She stered her ears against the fall to be able to hear the conversation better.

    But of course, even that failed when the emperor of all people stood behind her with a murderous expression.

    It seemed almost as if he was aware of what was going on behind closed doors and he was not happy to see the fight.

    "Eve,e out here right now. You know this is not right and you are taking advantage of her. We had a deal, remember?"

    The emperor seemed mad but at the wrong person. Should he not be taking Lady Eve''s side here since she was his lover?

    There had been a lot of rumors about the emperor and the Saintess''s breakup recently but the Royal Tailor had never paid attention to it. Especially since only couples who are ''truly in love'' fight this viciously.

    She was a romantic person so she believed that her OTP would ovee this disaster as well.

    "Your highness, I am sure that Lady Eve will be alright-"

    "Get out. You and everyone else need to get out right now. Don''te in until I call for you again."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The Royal Tailor wanted to argue and stay behind. There was no need for the emperor to give such orders if he was looking to resolve this matter easily.

    He made it almost sound like he was going to kill someone.

    She knew that the right thing would be to stop the emperor from hurting anyone. But the tailor knew better than to open her mouth now. If she did then it would be her head that would go rolling.

    In the end, she decided to bow her head and take her to leave.

    Adam watched as everyone headed out while being careful of his bad mood. But he did not care about their fears in the least.

    And finally, once everyone was out he dared to open the doors of the room and barge in.

    "Eve, what do you think you are doing to my bride on her wedding day? Do you want to create unnecessary rumors?"

    Adam asked as he watched Eve kneel in between Elysia''s legs. She had pushed that puffy skirt of the wedding dress up and her face was buried in Elysia''s private parts.

    Elysia went red as soon as Adam barged in but Eve looked as unapologetic as ever. She even flicked Adam off and went back to eating Elysia out.

    "Ugh, I am sorry for this��huff��I did not��ahhh��mean to��"

    Elysia tried to apologize for her current less-than-alright condition. There were unshed tears in her eyes as Eve did her best to make Elysiae.

    Adam was getting ufortable in his dress pants as well and he shifted in his ce to amodate his hardness better. Not that it helped since he was turned on as soon as he had smelled Elysia''s smell.

    Elysia smelled even sweeter now that she was pregnant and all Adam wanted to do was to stay inside her forever.

    But he had to get married and follow all of the human social norms. He did not care much for them but he could tell that Elysia did. And since she cared about it, Adam had tried his best to honor her wishes.

    Since Eve had already broken the unspoken peace they had managed to reach. And Adam was not going to hold back now.

    "This is not fair Eve. If you are going to ignore our rule then I have no reason to hold back as well."

    Elysia was red in the face by now. She was holding back her voice this far but that would not be always possible for her.

    Especially since she was getting closer toing. Her face was enough to cause Adam to not be able to hold back any longer.

    "Darn it. I me you for all my troubles Eve."

    Adam knew he could not enter Elysia right now but that did not mean that he was going to hold back on hold back.

    He took out his hardness and decided to back until he reached Elysia. He took her hand and ced it on his hardness. Ever since he had gotten a taste of Elysia, he has not been able to please himself with his hand.

    It just did not work for him anymore and it was frustrating.

    "Elysia, help me out here. Since I cannot use your mouth or your body, your hand would have to do."

    Adam pushed more into Elysia''s hand as she took charge of pleasing him. She might have been half-dazed but her hands were rubbing her in the right ces.

    He wanted to hold back but his release hit Adam like a truck. He ends up flooding Elysia''s dress with hise and also watched as she reached her end. Once she came, Eve came out from under her skirt as well. She had a questionable liquid coating her lips.

    "Well, this was a fun experience but I think you will need to leave now Adam. We need to get Elysia ready for the wedding and change her ruined dress."

    "Well, it was lucky that I ordered a second piece to be made for the same dress."

    Adam knew that it was no coincidence that this had happened. Eve had nned this encounter out and he could not even be mad at her.

    After all, Elysia would be officially and legally his after this day. And everyone would have to acknowledge their bond once it was cemented.

 Chapter 213 212: The Preparations Begin [Pt2]

    The empire was decorated like a festival. Red and white were the predominant colors but there was enough ck color to signify which two houses were joining together.

    Sorias took it all in, his heart swelling at the notion of seeing Elysia getting married finally. It had taken so long to get this far and there had been so many obstacles.

    "I am sure you would have been happy to see this as well if you were awake, Lucias. I hope you wake up soon and see your sister''s happiness."

    It had been almost a week ever since that fateful day and Lucas had yet to show any signs of recovery. Hisplexion was getting worse as well and they had to finally resort to using magic to keep him alive.

    Sorias had tried to track down Noctis in hopes of getting his help. But it has all been in vain since there were no traces of him anywhere. It was like he had disappeared out of the blue.

    Chrome had tried everything to make Lucas''s life easier before transporting him to the empire. He wanted to keep Lucas with him for longer but with the current condition of Akatsuki, it was not a very wise decision.

    "Lucas would have tried to kill Adam for knocking Elysia up and this wedding would have ended up as a funeral."

    Of course, Enma had to break this sweet atmosphere with his crude words. He looked scared for his life and was looking around with an anxious expression again and again.

    Sorias could not help but sigh as he watched Enma''s scared behavior. And to think that he had been getting better recently. Now it seemed like all that progress had gone down the drain.

    "Nothing will happen Enma. There is no need for you to feel this nervous about this wedding. It''s not like your life is going to change after this wedding anyway."

    Sorias tried to make Enma feel better by saying these words. But Enma looked even more nervous once he was told this.

    His skin was sweaty and his hands were not able to maintain their grip. His eyes were also darting all over the carriage as if a monster would rear its head ande after him.

    "My life is not only going to change after this wedding, it is going to end. Is it toote for me to back down now?"

    Enma''s question was ignored by Sorias. The child could whine and huff all he wanted to but Sorias was not going to hear him out. Emma might have realized it as well but his life was dependent on Elysia and Sorias''s standing.

    The temple had all but abandoned him at this point anyway.

    "The check post ising up soon. We should get ready to open now."

    Sorias pointed out,pletely drowning out the voice that was asking him questions. Sorias also backed down once he realized that Enma was not going to hear him anymore.

    He was the only one who had any idea just how bad this wedding could turn out to be. It was supposed to be the day Elysia Dirac died in the original timeline.

    ''I hope that nothing goes wrong today. Just let today go alright.''

    ////////////////////////////////////////////////

    The time was finally here. Head Priest Yohan could do nothing but clutch his fists as he watched Elysia Dirac be escorted out of the gate by her familiar.

    It was such a weird site to be an other-worldly being standing side by side with a human but it was to be a given for this asion. After all, her brother was lying in aa right about now.

    Head Priest Yohan had been invited to apany Elysia but he had declined out of principles. He wanted to show that he was angry at Elysia and everyone else''s decision.

    Not that it had yielded any results and everyone else had turned their head away from him. It had stung to be made to feel unimportant but it was not the end.

    His eyes watched as Eve''s happy and radiating face smiled at seeing Adam get married off to Elysia. She was not showing any pain but he knew that his precious daughter was in more pain than anyone else.

    And that was why he was going to y it safe this time. He would let this wedding go through and then he would start his n of slowly killing Elysia Dirac off.

    Once she was dead and her son was left behind, it would be easy for Eve to worm her way into the imperial family. And she would do so for the child''s sake.

    ////////////////////////////////////////////////

    It is often said that a woman was the most beautiful on her wedding day. Elysia knew that she was subjectively good-looking.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But that did not stop her stomach from getting butterflies. She was nervous about her future and her marriage. And she was also currently unable to look Adam in the face.

    How could she after what they had done earlier in the day?

    But looking away was a mistake as well since her eyes met Eve''s and the other woman smirked in Elysia''s direction. It caused Elysia to go red in the face and immediately look ahead.

    It was not a wise idea for her to divert her attention recently.

    "Look a little more cheerful, please. People would think that you are being forced to be here."

    Adam was teasing her but the closeness of his voice to her ear made Elysia shiver. She could feel her body heating up as her mind remembered the moans she had let out just a few hours ago.

    She red at Adam but he only chuckled and extended her hand toward Elysia to take.

    Elysia looked back at Eve for onest time, wondering if she would feel upset. If Eve showed even the barest signs of being sad, then Elysia would run away right that second.

    "Go for it."

    Eve mouthed out toward Elysia and she finally felt confident to go through this marriage.

    The wedding hall was filled with a lot of unknown nobles which made Elysia nervous. But the presence of her special ones in her space made it all worth it to Elysia.

    Most of all, she was thankful for Sorias''s presence at her side. He was not Lucas but his presence was a high factor in rxing Elysia.

    "If you ever feel like running away, then do so without fear. We will always keep our doors open for you."

    Sorias assured her before Elysia ced her hand in Adam''s. His hand tightened around Elysia for a split second before he dragged her toward the podium.

    The priest who had ultimately been selected to perform their wedding vows looked more nervous than he needed to be. It was obvious why he was so nervous since he had gone against the Head Priest''s unspoke wish.

    He was sure that he would pay for itter but he had no other choice in the matter. How could you say ''no'' to royalty and expect to get away with it?

    Elysia watched the man shift around nervously and she felt sorry for him. But her mind went nk as soon as the wedding vows started.

    She had no idea how she got through all of them and how she reached her room after the wedding. She was aware that she had eaten a few things in between and that was it. She could not remember more than it.

    "Elysia, snap out of it. We are finished with the ceremony."

    Adam''s voice was sweet in her ear and Elysia felt like a fog was being lifted from her senses.

    It felt like she had been in the wedding hall one second and in her room the next. She remembered bits and pieces of her wedding but she had zoned out for the most part.

    "I was going to ask you to spend your night with me alone but it seems like we will have to postpone our ns for ater date."

    Adam''s kiss was soft and sweet. Elysia felt all warm and fuzzy inside and her eyes were closing slowly. She was not that tired but she could still not fight her need to sleep.

    By the time Adam returned, he had a smile on his face at seeing Elysia''s sleeping face looking back at him. She was sleeping like she had no care in the world.

    "She fell asleep on your, right? Did you bore her out? It would not have happened had it been me Elysia married."

    Eve teased him as she quickly walked into the room. She had used a lot of magic to ensure that no one would know that she was here tonight. And she wanted to be here tonight.

    Adam wanted to throw her out and enjoy his hard-earned alone time with Elysia. But he endured her presence for the time being since Elysia would feel bad if he did not let Eve stay.

    "Shut up and get inside."

 Chapter 214 213: They Finally Meet [Pt1]

    It was peaceful once things had settled down. The more time that passed, the more Elysia felt herself calm down. Her nerves were a lot calmer now than they had been when she had been married to Adam.

    Her due date was approaching and these peaceful days had caused Elysia to fall into a state of tranquility.

    As soon as their marriage night had ended, Adam had gotten too busy to apany her everywhere. So the job of being her escort fell on to Eve.

    Elysia felt nervous to take Eve to the temple with her but this was something she could not hold back on forever.

    Especially since nothing had gone as it had in her visions shown her all the time. Her 18th birthday had passed already and she was even married. It seemed like she had passed all her hardships.

    ''Now, if only Lucas wakes up as well. It would all be perfect.''

    "I am sorry that you have toe with me to the temple. I would have ignored the nobles if the queen had not asked me to give in this time and follow these old traditions."

    Elysia''s heart was heavy as she got out of the carriage. The temple looked as intimidating as the day she had first seen it. The huge white and clean building was one Elysia had always been in awe of.

    "I am not very troubled bying back to the temple like this. It''s just that, there are people in there I don''t want to see the faces of."

    Eve did not need to specify whom she was talking about when she said those words. Elysia could feel the Head Priest''s burning eyes ring daggers into her head.

    She could even spy the man looking at them all from the top of the temple but he did not dare toe down and greet them. It was for the best as well since Elysia and he were on bad terms.

    "Don''t look at people who do not deserve your attention. Now, wait here and I will be back soon. I need to check the perimeter before I can take you inside the temple."

    "Eve, there is no need for you to go this far. This is not some dangerous ce, but the temple which-"

    "I know. Still, there is no need for us to risk our safety. Stay here and I will be back soon."

    Eve kissed the side of Elysia''s head and went in. Her eyes looked too determined to stop her now and Elysia could only watch her go.

    "Mydy, are you alright? You should sit down if your feet hurt."

    The guard who was Eve''s current second inmand asked Elysia. She had not realized that she had been shivering as she stood in her ce but she suddenly felt tired when the guard asked her if she wanted to rest.

    Elysia''s knees hit the bench and her body sagged in relief as soon as her weight was off her feet.

    "You all are free to go around if you please. I will be alright if I am left alone for some time."

    Elysia could see the hesitance in her guard''s eyes. But they were far easier to persuade than Eve had been.

    Then again, they were not in love with Elysia like Eve had been so that was a big plus point in her opinion.

    Ultimately, the guards decided to leave Elysia alone since they were curious about the temple. Most of them had never ventured this deep into the temple or even had the time toe here.

    Elysia wanted to give them a nice experience and it seemed like she had seeded to raise their morals. She was happy to see the guards moving about.

    The baby in her stomach decided that it was the perfect time to show his agitation. Her son was an active child and only calmed down once she started moving about.

    "Yes, yes. Calm down so that I can get up. If you keep kicking me like this, then I will not be able to even stand up."

    Elysiained as she stood up slowly. Her belly was too heavy for her to move aroundfortably. But she still tried her best to stand up straight.

    She moved around slowly, never going out of the sight of her guards. She knew that they would be the ones to face Adam and Eve''s wrath if they let her wander around like this. And she did not want to cause trouble for them.

    Elysia was sure that she had not gone too deep into the temple''s gardens when she had to kneel to catch her breath.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Her son usually calmed down after tormenting her for a walk. But it seemed like he wanted revenge today and was going all out.

    "Mydy, are you alright? You should not be kneeling out here like this. If there is anything I can help you with, then do tell me."

    Elysia looked up sharply as soon as she heard the voice speak in her ear directly. She had not felt anyone close in on her so she was startled.

    She was ready to turn around and defend herself when she felt her bnce get interrupted and she instinctively protected her stomach to save it from any harm.

    Not that she hit the ground since a pair of hands caught her body. She quickly shoved the man away from her with a horrified face but something was wrong.

    The man was too far away from Elysia to have touched her but she could still feel his touch on her body. It was almost as if his presence was present all around her.

    ''Is this some kind of magic? I cannot feel his magic even when he is so close to me like this.''

    Elysia gulped her nervousness down as she tried to brush off the ce where those invisible hands were holding her body.

    But as expected, there was nothing on her body and she could also not feel anything.

    "Ah, I am sorry. Did my presence make you ufortable? I can go back inside if that is what you want me to do."

    Elysia shivered as soon as she heard the emotionless voice of the priest. It did not help that he was someone she had never seen in her so many years of being with the temple.

    Those in grey hair and soulless grey eyes left nosting impact on Elysia when she looked at him. But his energy said something about that man. It said that he was dangerous and Elysia''s feet took steps back on their own.

    "Is something wrong, Mrs. Dirac? Your face seems to have lost all its color. You are making me worried about you."

    Elysia nearly flinched as she felt this unknown priest''s hands reach for her face. She did not want to be touched by this man at any cost.

    But those hands never touched her face. Instead, they touched her hair and the priest brought her hair up to his lips to press a kiss on them.

    "It is pleasing to finally meet you, Lady Elysia Dirac. You have no idea what kind of predicament you have put me in currently. On one hand, you are a pain in my neck. But on the other hand, your child can be my salvation."

    The priest was caging Elysia, not allowing her to move. She tried to bide her magic to fight against this priest but her mind and her body failed her.

    It felt like the world was against her currently and even breathing was hard for her. But despite all these challenges, Elysia managed to push the priest off herself and try to run away.

    Her elbow was taken hostage as soon as she moved and the man was whispering directly in her ear now.

    "You are lucky that you got pregnant when you did. But oh well, your role will be over soon, just as your brother is over now. Both of you will not be able to do anything in the end."

    Elysia felt enraged and her fist moved back to hit the madman.

    Not that it helped since her fist felt like it was sinking through ayer of smoke and she was not able to hit anything. She could only bite her lips in frustration as she was left alone. The man had disappeared from behind her.

    Her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest and it was a painful experience for her.

    ''I need to find Eve so that I can protect myself. I cannot risk putting my child in danger. I will protect him at all costs.''

    Whosoever that man had been, he was not good news for her and her child. Elysia was more sure than ever that she needed to avoid that man at all costs.

    And that man. How did he know about Elysia this much? Just who was he?

 Chapter 215 214: They Finally Meet [Pt2]

    Eve had noticed how ufortable Elysia had been and her eyes looked up to meet her adoptive father''s. Conflict rose in her heart as she looked at the man who had raised her this far.

    And it was also because of the Head Priest that Eve decided to have a look alone in the temple. She did not want him toe in contact with Elysia and risk causing Elysia any unneeded stress.

    It was thest thing she should be adding to Elysia''s pile of worries.

    She felt the eyes move along with her as she went inside the temple. She was sure that the Head Priest was following after her and woulde and find her soon. This was something Elysia had been counting on.

    And she was right when she saw his silhouette on the other side of the hallway. Her adoptive father hade after.

    "Eve, how have you been? Are you happy after draining all my good intentions and efforts down the drain? And what did you get? Not even your precious Elysia in the end? You disappoint me with your decisions."

    Eve bit her lips and cursed herself as she felt her heart hurt at Head Priest Yohan''s words.

    It ducked that he still had so much sway on Eve and her emotions. But all those years of shared memories could not be erased so easily.

    "I have nothing to say to you. Because even if I do exin everything to you, it is not like you will make an effort to understand me anyway. Why should I even bother with futile efforts like these?"

    Eve asked, hoping to see a flinch on the Head Priest''s face. But he looked as uninterested when she talked about Elysia.

    And that just enraged Eve more and more.

    "You do what you want to without any of my input. I never asked you to try and set me up with Adam. heck, we did not even like each other in that way. You did everything you wanted because it was your delusion. Don''t pin it all to me."

    Eveined, finally letting the rage get off her heart and mind. Adam had gotten a chance to vent to his father already and now it was Eve''s turn.

    If the Head Priest could still not understand her concerns and refused to see her point of view, then that was all Eve could do for now.

    She would not make any excessive effort to save their rtionship.

    "Is that what you believe? Then, how am I any different from you and Adam? I did everything I could to build a good future for you because I love you and this world. However, you are obsessed with Elysia Dirac and have foolishly mistaken it for love. One day, you will regret feeling like this."

    Eve shook in her ce as she heard the Head Priest sprout nonsense.

    Why did he always speak like he knew Eve''s feelings? It was upsetting in so many ways and Head Priest Yohan never seemed to learn.

    "What gives you the right-"

    "The prophecy-"

    "Does not matter. Haven''t too many changes already from the destiny future? Please stop whatever you are nning to do."

    Head Priest Yohan went quiet after the shocking statement. He could not believe what he had heard Eve just say about the future.

    She almost spoke like she knew what the future should be but she still did not care. However, that should not be possible. Should she not be trying to get the best possible future for herself?

    "You assume that I would be happy with Adam and being a queen but all you are doing is making me even more miserable than before. It is not my fault that I am only attracted to Elysia. I cannot force myself to like someone-"

    "That is what you believe. Love is a useless feeling if you think about it. There is no guarantee that it willst and you will not fall out of it one day. But dependence and respect are things you can cultivate after being together with your partner. Feelings can developter if you stay together with someone for a long time."

    "And there you go again, not listening to me. It''s not that I am not attracted to Adam, but I am not attracted to any male. I have never been attracted to anyone who is not Elysia and it is the same for Adam."

    The screaming fest finally seemed to be over once Eve said her final words. She no longer cared if her words embedded themselves into the Head Priest''s mind or not. It no longer mattered to her.

    All she wanted was to take Elysia back into her embrace and not let her go. She needed herfort from Elysia.

    She could hear the Head Priest speak to her but she was not going to stop anymore. It had taken a long time for her to realize her desire to break her bonds to the temple.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Eve might have been the temple''s Saintess but the temple had never been her home. It had always felt like a shackle to her.

    "Oi, where did you leave Elysia?"

    Eve asked as soon as she entered the main gate of the garden. She had left Elysia behind for far too long. But it had been worth it since the Head Priest had not been able to harass her.

    And she had left so many guards with Elysia that it would have been impossible for anyone to approach her anyway.

    "Ah, Lady Dirac is��"

    The guard pointed toward the bench Elysia had been sitting on but she was no longer there.

    Eve''s heart skipped a beat as soon as she noticed that Elysia was missing. But then she felt her familiar magic which helped her calm down.

    Elysia staggered out of the bushes with unsteady steps. Her face was pale and looked ufortable which made Eve worried.

    Her breathing was heavy and she was even moving unsteadily on her feet. Eve quickly came forward to catch her before she fell on her stomach and harmed her unborn child.

    There was an unsteady magic in Elysia''s body that unsettled Eve. Her eyes were hazy and she was sweating a lot.

    "Elysia, don''t tell me that you are��.isn''t this a little too early for you?"

    Eve did not finish her sentence she was out in the open. But she was worried about Elysia a lot. Her lover was in pain and her delivery date was supposed to be a month away.

    But looking at her sweaty face right now, Eve was sure that she was thinking the correct thing. Elysia had begun herbor.

    "Shit. This happened at the worst possible time. Elysia, hold on tight to me and I will take you to a safe ce right now."

    Eve swiped Elysia off her feet, ignoring everyone else''s shocked expressions. She had no intention of letting them make light of this situation.

    There was a real chance of Elysia dying right here and now if she was given the right treatment. And she was already weak due to her pregnancy.

    "Elysia, keep a hold on yourself. I know that it hurts right now but everything will be alright."

    Eve''s promise gave Elysia the strength to keep holding on for longer. It assured her that her child would be well taken care of even if she was to die right now.

    //////////////////////////////////////

    Inside the temple, Head Priest watched this all happen in front of his eyes. But he could not bring himself to extend a helping hand to Elysia and her child.

    They were the reason this world had derailed so much from the original plot.

    "Oh, dear. Seems like I made a mistake with selecting you."

    The grey-haired man who had started everything for the Head Priest walked into the room. His easy-going smile put the head priest in a bad mood.

    Why did he have to tell him about the future when there was nothing Head Priest to do about it? Even he was not sure why he was so fixated on achieving the prophesied future.

    "What did you do? It was not time for Elysia Dirac to give birth, right? But I am sure you did something to her. Did you not say that you can''t change the fate of this world?"

    Head Priest Yohan questioned the grey-haired man. He felt betrayed and also pissed off after. Being lied to was going to piss the Head Priest off.

    But the ''world''s consciousness justughed it all off. His eyes shined as he looked at the foolish man trying his best not to lose it.

    "I may not be able to change the final fate of this world but that does not mean I cannot make small changes. As for now, I just jumped up an event that was going to happen anyway. As long as the oue doesn''t change, I am free to do whatever I want to."

 Chapter 216 215: Shift In Dynamics [Pt1]

    "Eve, I heard what happened. Is Elysia alright?"

    Eve looked up with worried eyes toward the emperor. Adam had not taken any time ining to the queen''s quarters once he had heard the news. His face was pale and sweat made its way down his brows.

    His worried face looked back at Eve with his golden eyes shining with worry. Behind him, Eve could see his retainers have an impatient face.

    These same retainers were the ones who forced Adam toe to her when Eve had caught a small cold. These identical people were the ones who looked annoyed to see Elysia give birth.

    "Adam, calm down and take a deep breath first. You are hyperventting right now and it is not good for your health."

    Despite how much Eve wanted to break into Elysia''s room to help her out, she could not do so. She was too close to Elysia to make any rational decision. She had no other choice but to use a trusted nurse from the temple.

    ''I made sure to call for someone who was not under the Head Priest. She has no reason to harm Elysia.''

    Eve tried to brainwash herself into believing her lie. It did not make her feel reassured though. For some reason, her anxiety was peaking up.

    "Adam, you cannot go in there. Don''t be a fool and just sit down."

    Eve jumped up to her feet and stopped Adam before he could tear apart the door to get to Elysia. He looked blood-thirsty and his eyes scared Eve.

    What would she do if Adam killed off the nurse Eve had found in his rage? Where would Eve find another nurse in this environment? She was lucky that she had managed to find one in the first ce.

    Before Adam could break down the door and get to Elysia, the door opened from the other side.

    Eve could not help but notice that there was a weird look on the nurse''s face when she came out. She looked half-terrified and half-relieved with something.

    "Elysia, how is she?"

    Eve asked even before Adam could question the nurse. She needed to see Elysia for herself to ensure that she was alright.

    The nurse quickly looked up with a startled expression before she rxed. Her nerves seemed to be calming down after nothing happened for a while. But her behavior still stuck with Eve as ''wrong.''

    "The crown prince is alright. He is a healthy baby despite being born prematurely. I am your highness would be delighted to see him as well."

    Eve found it weird how the nurse avoided the question that was asked of her and instead jumped to tell what she thought of as important instead of what she was asked.

    And she was not the only one who found this to be weird. Adam had noticed it as well and his brows were pulled together.

    Before the nurse knew it, she had a lot of pressure pressed against her head and she quickly looked up gasping for breath.

    "Don''t tell me what I did not ask for. I asked you how Elysia is doing, nor the child she birthed. You better not lie to me about anything."

    The nurse looked up with terrified eyes at the emperor. Her face had no blood left in it and it was even turning blue due to theck of oxygen she was receiving.

    "Adam, let her go right now. We need to focus on Elysia and the child for now. You can torment herter once you have enough evidenceter."

    Adam cursed under his breath as he shoved the nurse away. She no longer held any interest in him so he was happy to get rid of his burden.

    "I''m sorry but I had no choice."

    Eve had a feeling that she was not supposed to hear those words and even the nurse looked terrified after she realized what had escaped her mouth.

    She quickly looked up at Eve but she turned her head away, not wanting to look at her for a single second more. She hurriedly made her way to Elysia and her feet took her to the child Elysia had birthed.

    The child had ck hair like Elysia and many of his features matched her''s as well. But his eyes were a very light shade of gold which wouldter darken to Adam''s shade.

    The child was lovely and Eve felt her heart fall in love with this child. She would do her best for this child''s bright future.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Elysia, are you alright? Can you open your eyes?"

    Meanwhile, Adam seemed to be trying to wake Elysia up. The poor girl has a paleplexion and a deadly white face. Eve was scared for her but she dared not head toward Elysia.

    Thankfully, the worse did not seem to have happened, and Elysia opened her eyes.

    She still looked tired but the smile on her face more than made up for theck of energy she disyed. Eve''s heart felt at ease after seeing Elysia smile this happily.

    So, of course, it had to break when Eve''s tired voice reached her ears.

    "Adam, can you do me a favor? I know you are busy but can you take me to see my brother''s body onest time? I need to see him right now."

    Eve frowned once she heard Elysia''s request. It did not make sense for her to ask something this oundish and dangerous. Her body was not in a good condition anyway. It would be better for her to rest in her bed.

    She was about to deny Elysia''s request when Adam beat her to it.

    "Are you serious? You cannot even stand up in your condition, much less make your way to another room. You should rest in your bed and regain your strength for the time being."

    Eve held her temper back as she watched Adam handle Elysia. It was rare to see Adam lose his temper but she had to agree with Adam.

    "Elysia, I hate to say no to you as well but listen to Adam this time. You just went through childbirth and it is not a good idea to agitate your wound like this."

    Eve pointed as she picked up the child. She wanted to push Elysia down and make her rest forcefully, but that seemed not to be an option currently.

    The best course of action was to make Elysia realize that she had to rest or she would do something drastic. Eve also realized that she would have to keep an eye on Elysia for the time being.

    There seemed to be something that was eating away at Elysia but she had not shared her burdens with anyone. This habit of hers was a major headache for Eve and she wanted to cure it.

    "Can you both leave my room now? I am a little tired and I want to rest now. Ah, give him here as well. The nurse said I will need to feed him soon."

    Elysia reached for her child who did not have a name yet. Eve clutched the child close to her body, almost reluctant to lose her hold on their soft body.

    But she gave in when she saw Elysia''s begging eyes and she had to hand the kid over. Her heart swelled at seeing simr ck hair and two adorable faces looking back at her.

    "I think it is time we left them alone for now."

    Elysia looks like she''s too tired to continue. Her eyes were already closing and that was why Eve feltfortable leaving her to sleep. She hurriedly caught up to Adam who was already at the door.

    "Thinking back at all our actions, we do make a lot of questionable choices. I am sure our leaving the hospital room together would create another misunderstanding in everyone''s mind."

    Eve pointed it out in a joking manner. She was in a considerably better mood than before and her face showed her joy as well. Adam did not question her happiness since his chest was rumbling.

    Unknown to the two, the girl they had been thinking about woke up. Elysia waited until she was alone and then forced her body up.

    The anesthesia that had been used on her was no longer affecting her movement and she stood up on steady feet to match out of her room.

    Now that she had given birth, it was time to wake her brother up. Elysia looked behind her and golden eyes opened. She knew that it was a horrible idea to take her son anywhere currently but Elysia refused to abandon him.

    It was likely that she would not be able to apany him for a long time so she wanted to take whatever time she could spend with him.

    "I cannot ignore you. I guess you do have me wrapped around your small finger after all. You are such a devil behind your smile."

    Elysia has a gentle grin on her face as she picked up her son.

 Chapter 217 216: Shift In Dynamics [Pt2]

    The first day of wandering around did not get Elysia anywhere. She was not able to find Lucas so she had to give up ande back to her room.

    The same thing happened for a second and the third time. At this point, Elysia was convinced that some kind of spell had been woven all over her room to prevent her from going out.

    All she could do was grit her teeth and take her punishment lying down. And she wanted Lucas to meet his nephew. After all, it was her fault that things hade to this. Everyone except herself wanted to keep her confined and protected.

    But Elysia was not one to wait around to be rescued. She wanted to reach Lucas so she would. It was only a matter of time. And the time came for her just as the second-month mark hit.

    It was also then that Elysia got a visitor she least expected to get. Lady Emma White was not someone Elysia could say she knew too intimidated. But the other noble was still here to meet Elysia.

    "Greetings, mother of the future emperor. I hope I am not disturbing you by choosing to visit you today."

    Emma White had perfect manners when she bowed in front of Elysia. It was a little awkward to see someone bow in front of her and Elysia was taken aback.

    And then her senses snapped back into motion and she quickly tried to get Emma back on her feet.

    "There is no need for you to bow, Lady White. You can take a seat and I will introduce my son to you."

    There was no need to ask why the servants had allowed Emma White to walk in here just like that. The queen liked Emma a lot and the servants also held her in high regard.

    They were willing to listen to Emma over Elysia most of the time as well. So there was no doubt that they would allow Emma to enter even against Elysia''s wishes.

    "It looks like you are in an alright mood today. I feel relieved since I thought that you might be angry. You did ask to allow no one entry after all."

    Emma White did not sound afriad when she took her seat. Her legs were crossed in an elegent manner that made her look like the perfect picture of nobility. Truly, Elysia could notpare to her in any way.

    "No, I am not angry at you. But you do know that Sorias is not here today. Are you sure you want to be here and not with him?"

    Emma looked a little taken aback and there was longing in her eyes as well. Elysia was sure that she wanted nothing more than to run after Sorias and confess to him.

    But she only coughed to hide her want from Elysia''s eyes. It seemed like there was something that was holding Emma back from going after Sorias.

    "Sorias is a little busy right now and I would hate to disturb him. I mean, he is too worried about Lucas to care about anyone else. It makes me sad but what else can I do?"

    Emma sounded bitter about her regrets and Elysia got where she wasing from.

    She had seen most of Emma''s struggle in getting Sorias to ept her. And it was painful to watch for her. It was almost as if Sorias did not see her as a female at all.

    And with Lucas in the condition he was, it was even more difficult for Sorias to find the time. He was not even able to apany Elysia much. She was sure that he had seen her son only a couple of times.

    "By the way, what is his name? Your son''s name, I mean. I don''t think I know much about him, to be honest."

    Emma sounded curious and Elysia was in a bind. She had a few names picked out for her son but she had not been able to make any decisions as of yet.

    Mainly because she had wanted Lucas to name her son. And the time for her to wake her brother wasing soon.

    "Ah, we have not decided on a name yet. But I will let you know once we do decide on a name to give him. But more on thister. You should tell me what new thing is going on in your life?"

    Elysia quickly changed the topic, not wanting Emma to be too concerned with her son. This was her child and she was a little possessive over him.

    "Hey, don''t you want to take your son to meet Lucas? I think it''s about time he meets his uncle, right? After all, knows how long Lucas Dirac has��I''m sorry, I should not have said that."

    Emma White likely did not mean anything by her words but Elysia still felt her insides freeze after hearing her say those words.<novelnext></novelnext>

    She had gone after her brother so many times but it was only now that she realized that she had never taken him seriously enough.

    Was something going on with her brother that she was not aware of?

    "Emma, what do your words mean? Is something wrong with Lucas?"

    ? Elysia''s eyes were wide in fear as she shook Emma to get her answers. She had not heard anything from Adam or Eve regarding her brother. But it was not surprising since they outrightly ignored Lucas when he was brought up in conversations.

    Emma looked ufortable with the pressure Elysia was putting on her. It made it seem like something was wrong with Lucas.

    "I am sorry but I don''t know. Sorias doesn''t tell me much and Enma has a way to make his information all unreliable. The only thing I was able to figure out was that Lucas seemed to be reacting to something and he''s sick."

    Elysia needed to see her brother. Her brother had been in pain for a long time and it was finally time for Elysia to pay him back.

    She had wanted to dy what she had to do a few more months but she had realized that she was getting selfish.

    Every time she looked at her son''s face, his smile caused Elysia to pause. She did not want to leave but she also did not have much of a choice here.

    "I should get going now. You look like you are struggling to stay awake. I hope you going to fall asleep any second."

    "Huh? Ah, yes. You should get going now. I hope I see you soon again."

    Elysia waved Emma off, not seeing the satisfied grin on Emma''s face. She had not yet realized that she had fallen into a trap.

    She just knew that she needed to get to her brother as fast as she can. He needed her help and Elysia was not there for him as she should have been.

    Lucas was suffering and she needed to find a way out. And luckily, she managed to slip by just when she had gathered her resolve to look for her brother.

    The retainers usually ignored her until they had to interact with her and Elysia used this to her advantage. It was a shift in the petrol route that allowed her to escape the watchful eyes of the people.

    Both of her lovers were busy with work and that left Elysia free to roam around for as long as she wanted to. She took advantage of his and quickly left her corridor.

    Once she was actually out of the barrier, she could feel her brother''s magic and she followed him.

    Luckily, his body was not kept that far away from her living quarters. It made for a short walk. Her son was a familiar weight in her arms as she made her way down to her brother''s room.

    She paused in front of his door and took a deep breath. It was now or never for him and she finally forced the door open.

    There was only one other person inside the room when she entered and luckily, he was someone Elysia did not mind finding out about her. Especially since she knew that Enma would not go babbling his mouth to everyone if she threatened him a little.

    "Y-Y-YOU! What are you doing here? You should not be out of your bed and-"

    "Enma, rx. I recovered ages ago and my body is also stronger now. I won''t copse if Ie to meet my brother like this so calm down. Here, meet my son."

    Enma loomed half terrified, half awe-struck after seeing her son. And Elysia did get it.

    After all, her son was adorable and able to charm anyone. He already had the servants warped around his tiny fingers and they all adored him.

    "But still, you should not be here. I cannot believe how many people stopped by this room today. Even Emma stopped by even if Sorias was not here. Weird, right?"

    It was a weird coincidence but it made her feel sure about Emma''s words.

 Chapter 218 217: A Look At The Future [Pt1]

    Innocent golden eyes looked down at the unconscious body. Elysia was sure that her son could not register anything he was currently looking at.

    Elysia looked at Lucas as well, knowing that it was only a matter of time before he would be forced to open his eyes. Elysia would not allow her brother to stay in aa for his whole life.

    "Elysia, are you even listening to me? What are you doing here? Does your husband know you are here? Fuck him, does your wife know you are here? They will kill me once they find out about this and-"

    "Enma, hold my son for a while, please. I want to have a look at my brother."

    Elysia heard Enma''s rambling from one ear and it went out of her other ear. She had gotten used to his way of speaking and worrying a long time ago. And she had also gotten a lot better at distracting Enma.

    Once he had the kid in his arm, Enma did not even look up at Elysia. His expression was wide-eyed in relief and wonder as he looked at the child. Elysia had sessfully managed to distract Enma.

    Her brother''s hands were cold and lifeless. His life force was held together by magic and his senses were dulled. Elysia was not sure if he could even feel her touch at the moment.

    Elysia felt reassured when she held her brother''s hand. There was something special about their connection she could not make outsiders understand.

    "Brother, I am here to meet you. You look like you have lost a lot of weight in your unconscious state and it saddens me to see. I hope you will wake up soon."

    Elysia held her brother''s hand tightly in her hand, her magic jumping out of her body and moving toward her brother''s. It felt nice to feel Lucas''s magic react back to her.

    It reassured Elysia that there was still a chance for her to wake her brother up. His consciousness was not gone entirely from this world and that was the only sce she had.

    Elysia spent the better half of her day in her brother''s room. It solidified her resolve to bring him back. As soon as her son was named and presented to the public, Elysia would be able to take her to leave.

    Of course, her resolve shook a little when she looked at her son''s face in Enma''s arms. His smile was gorgeous and magical when Elysia got him back from Enma. She could not look away from him no matter how hard she tried to.

    "I am sorry for what I am about to do to you in the future. I hope you forget all about me and live a happy life in the future."

    Elysia hoped this from the bottom of her heart. She needed to cut herself off from her child''s life as soon as possible so that he had no memories of her. It would hurt him less this way.

    And Elysia also knew that Eve would never let her son feel the need for a mother. She would be a second mother to him and maybe even better than Elysia at handling him.

    "Are you heading back Elysia? You can spend a little more time with Lucas. I am sure he will be happy to have you near as well."

    Enma hesitated while speaking and Elysia could see that it took a lot out of him to admit even this much.

    Even still, he was trying and that was more than what Elysia could say for the most in her situation. She was happy with his dedication but her heart was not in it.

    "I wille back sometimeter. I need to head out for now so that my retainers don''t question where I went. I am not supposed to be out and about right now."

    Elysia confessed which made Enma''s face go pale. He had realized that Elysia''s visit to Lucas''s rooms was an unofficial one and he quickly started making preparations to write a letter to Adam and Eve.

    "Enma, keep my visit a secret from everyone. I don''t want them to know that I was here today. You can do that much for me, right?"

    Enma''s mouth opened and closed in a warning. It seemed like he was not sure what he should do now. But he ultimately decided to give in to Elysia''s wishes just as she had known he would.

    "Fine, I will keep your secret. But bring your son around more often. I am going to miss him once you are gone."

    Enma sounded grumpy when he said that and a smallugh escaped Elysia''s mouth. She had not expected Enma to agree to her request so easily but it was nice to see.

    This lessened one burden from her shoulder.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was also at this time that Elysia noticed someone following after her from a distance. She was not sure if the intruder noticed her attention or not, but he did not make any hasty steps to show himself.

    That attention gave Elysia a bad feeling but she decided to bottle it up for the time being. She did not want to cause trouble for herself after all.

    But once it became evident that she would not be able to lose her tail, Elysia finally snapped and turned around.

    "Show yourself. Don''t think that I won''t shoot you down if you chose to hide from me. I am not in a good mood currently."

    Elysia threatened the person who seemed to be after her life. Her heart was beating painfully inside her chest, almost threatening to break out of it. Her son''s solid weight kept Elysia grounded for the time being.

    She expected to be faced with a well-trained assassin, or even a diplomat who was here to strike a deal with her.

    But all her expectations paled inparison when the person actually showed his face.

    "Long time no see, Elysia. I see that you are living a good life after abandoning everything I taught you. But I guess that had to be expected from someone like you. I always knew you were trouble when I decided to take you in."

    Head Preist Yohan stood in front of Elysia. He stood tall and without flinching. Elysia''s senses jumped into high alert and she instantly clutched her son closer to her body.

    The child cried out at the tight embrace he was being subjected to but Elysia did not let go.

    Instead, she growled at Head Priest, threatening him toe closer to her son.

    "Don''t worry. I am not here to talk with your son but with you. Don''t you want to wake your brother up? There is a way to do that if you are interested."

    Head Priest Yohan seemed to be aiming for something. He was not one to reveal his hand without aiming to gain something else in return.

    "And why should I believe you? We have tried everything to cure him but nothing worked so far. Why should I believe that something would work now?"

    Elysia was cautious and she did not jump to conclusions all on her own. She had to hold back and think about her chances rationally even if it sucked a lot. She could not allow Head Priest Yohan to lead her around as he pleases.

    He looked surprised at Elysia''s words before his gaze fell on her son.

    "If you hear me out then you will find all the answers to your questions. And I am sure you don''t want your son to live in a world that could end at any moment, right? Are you interested to hear me out now?"

    Elysia was still hesitant toe with the Head Priest and he could see her struggles. He finally sighed and let Elysia go.

    "Fine, I will not pressure you for now. But if you are ready toe to us and understand your given role, then ask Emma White for help."

    Emma''s name being brought up in the conversation surprised Elysia. She wanted to ask what the other girl had to do with this situation but the Head Priest did not entertain Elysia any longer.

    He turned around and was gone before she knew it. She debated whether she should go after the man or not when she stopped.

    She needed to put her son to sleep first. Even if Elysia decided to participate in this ridiculous situation, she did not want her son to be impacted by her decision. He had to live a fulfilling life.

    That night was a peculiar one. And the vision that night was also something Elysia had never seen before.

    As soon as she had closed her eyes, she found herself being sucked into her consciousness and she had ended up in a ce that could have been the royal castle but was not rubble on the ground.

    There were signs of destructions all around her and the world was painted in a shade of red.

 Chapter 219 218: A Look Into The Future [Pt2]

    "What kind of ce is this? Where did I end uping?"

    Elysia looked around at the world but she was not able to make the heads or tails of it. The world was destroyed in a state beyond what Elysia had seen before. It was not only empty of any lifeform but of magic itself.

    It reminded her of the dimension she had visited during the hunting festival.

    But the true question remained to be unanswered - how had their vibrant world turned into such a bleak ce? What happened to all the people living on this earth?

    "Well, they all died as a result of the world''s colliding. Our fate was just not strong enough to survive against a world that had a stronger fate. Don''t you think that this is cruel?"

    Elysia did think that it was rather cruel to be faced with such a thing. Why did this have to happen to this world and for what reason��

    She quickly turned around as soon as Elysia realized that someone had addressed her. This was an impossible urrence, and she could not believe her ears.

    "Why do you look so surprised? You are the one who decided to tap into my dream. To think that your power had gotten strong enough to connect to me even after you are no longer inside the sacred waters."

    Grey eyes and grey hair struck out against the redness of the atmosphere. Elysia started to see a familiar face walking up to her from behind.

    It had been the man whom she had met before herbor pain had started. And she was well aware that it was not a coincidence such a thing had happened.

    "Why are you walking back from me? Do I scare you that much, Elysia Dirac? Or is it your unconscious mind asking you to avoid me because it knows how much trouble you have caused me?"

    Elysia was not sure why she was backing away from that man either. There was just something inside her that was asking her to maintain her distance.

    This man was dangerous but not in a way mortals were to each other. The terror Elysia felt was seeping right into her bones.

    "What are you? Are you even human?"

    Elysia asked that question, only to see the man grin and crack out into a peal of lightughter. His eyes shined with amusement as he watched Elysia''s ufortable expression.

    In a burst of wind, the man was no longer standing in front of Elysia but he was behind her. Her hand in Elysia''s hair caused goosebumps on Elysia''s arms.

    "Am I human? Well, what do you think?"

    "I don''t think you are human. You feel closer to nature but my senses also reject you."

    The manughed as he looked Elysia up and down. His gaze made Elysia feel like she was naked in front of him.

    "You have got sharp senses at least. Well then, you are right about everything. In essence, I am the consciousness of this world which had gained self-awareness."

    Elysia''s body froze at those words. She had not even considered that as a possibility but it made sense all of a sudden.

    The reason she was feeling so unsettled and wanted to break away was that she unconsciously recognized this man as the reason for all her hardships. He was the reason she was not liked by anyone.

    "Hey, don''t re at me like that. I did not choose you to y out your fate in this world. You should be thankful to me for the protection I am providing you. Here, I even helped you out by saving your brother''s soul."

    The grey-haired man held a small sphere up in front of Elysia. It had a familiar essence to her brother''s which made Elysia certain that he was not lying to her.

    This man had the potential to save her brother but she could not see the catch. What did this man want from her?

    "Name your price. I am sure that you are not showing this all to me to be generous to me. What do you want from me?"

    Elysia needed to know what this man wanted. This might be the only way to save her brother in the end. It seemed like the reason her brother had not died yet was that his soul was being held together by this entity in front of her.

    But it also meant that she had to be cautious about how she approached this situation this man was someone dangerous to her and her existence.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Don''t look so scared of me because I am not going to harm you. I am here to help you out. All you need to do is to agree to my terms and your brother''s safety is guaranteed."

    The man was good. Elysia hated to admit it but he knew what to say to get Elysia to agree to his terms.

    Worst of all, he held her brother''s soul hostage which made Elysia unable to go against his wishes. She had to do what he asked for and she did not have a choice in this matter.

    "What do you want from me? What do you want me to do?"

    Elysia looked the man straight in the eyes. She could recognize the lust this man carried for her cooperation. It was entirely possible that this man only held an interest in her because of what she could do for him.

    And she was going to abuse that interest for as long as she could.

    "Aren''t you a smart one? I am sure you can see what the world can be if we allow it to go down the path it is currently following. So we need to change things and close the door that could open."

    "And what does that mean?"

    "That means - we need a strong enough force to serve external connections to the other energies in the universe and the only one who can do this currently is you mainly because you harbor energy from outside this realm and fulfill the conditions needed. So, what do you say?"

    Elysia had a stare-off with the man in front of him. It seemed as if none of the two were willing to back off now that things hade this far.

    "Does this mean my brother fulfills these conditions as well? What about my son? Would you go after him if I disagree with you?"

    The man in front of Elysiaughed at her words. He seemed to be finding her questions and concerns hrious. It was tough for Elysia to control her temper like this.

    His voice gave Elysia goosebumps and she wanted to take as many steps back from him as possible. But it was now clear to her that her precious people were not safe as long as this man remained in existence.

    And she could also not kill him off because of obvious reasons.

    "Hmmm, you bring up some interesting questions. Should I try it out to see if I can use others-"

    "No don''t. Leave them alone and just chose me as the sacrifice. I was ready to die since the start so I have nothing to lose."

    Elysia interrupted the man before he could bring up anything else. She did not want to be the reason someone else had to suffer.

    Especially when it was someone close to her. Elysia could never agree to such scummy conditions. And it seemed like the grey-haired man knew it as well.

    "Fine. I can see that you are getting agitated now so I will let you go back home. If you make up your mind then you know where to find me."

    Those empty grey eyes stared right into Elysia''s soul as the man got ready to leave. He met Elysia''s eyes for onest time and she could not help the shiver that went down her spine at his look.

    "Do not keep me waiting for long, Elysia Dirac. You will not like the consequences of doing that to me. And I hope you keep our encounter a secret from everyone else as well. You will not like the consequences of others knowing about this."

    This was an obvious threat if Elysia had ever heard one. She was not surprised to hear it from this man''s mouth.

    After all, he looked just like a person who was used to controlling everything. His desire for control was so strong that Elysia could feel herself being choked by it.

    "Don''t worry. I have no intention of airing my dirtyundry out to the world. Our encounter and our conversation, would all be kept a secret. As long as you hold up your side of our deal, I have no problem with the arrangement we have agreed upon."

    Elysia was well aware of how powerless she currently was but it would not stop her from protecting everyone precious to her.

    She knew what she had to do, even if no one else agreed with her decision.

 Chapter 220 219: All The Preparations Are Complete

    "I would like to ask you what you are nning. How can you disappear without telling anyone anything? Do you know how much I had to search for to find you? Huh, Lord Axia?"

    Head Priest Yohan''s eyes were filled with concern as he stared off into those grey eyes in front of him. However, the world''s consciousness had no intention of replying to his feelings.

    After all, the creature that was tasked to look after the world was selfless and had no awareness of the problems he could cause for the people around him. Especially when it was concerned with the well-being of others.

    As long as the world remained functional, he had no problem lying and ying around.

    "I told you before, Yohan. Your concerns are a bother to me so you should stop now. If you have time to worry about me, then use it to cause distractions. Oh, and Elysia Dirac will be here soon so be ready to greet her as well."

    Axia, the world''s consciousness, had a small smile on his face. His carefree expression conveyed how he was not bothered at all by what he had just heard the Head Priest say to him.

    After all, why should he even care when his ns wereing to fruition soon enough?

    Elysia Dirac had bought his half-lies and she would be here soon to fulfill her part of the ceremony. It seemed well worth it to send her to different worlds now.

    "Hey, are you sure it will not affect Eve in any way? You promised that she would be alright-"

    "Oh my. Why are you so obsessed with that child? Can it be that you are in love with her?"

    Head Priest''s eyes were as wide as saucers he used to drink his tea in. His mind was full of disgust at the thought of what was being implied here.

    He had never had those kinds of thoughts about Eve and he would never have them as well. After all, Eve was his daughter. She was his second chance at happiness he had lost due to his foolishness and-

    "Despite what you think, Eve is not your sister. So should stop projecting the dead image of your sister onto her now or your rationality would never see the situation."

    "I don''t-"

    Yohan started to exin, only to stop mid-way. Why did it matter what he said to Axia anymore? It was not like Head Priest Yohan had anything to prove to anyone.

    There was no need for him to make excuses.

    "And there you go, avoiding this topic again. But since I am in a good mood, I will let this conversationy low for now."

    The world''s consciousness did not need to drag a dead topic out any longer. Especially since he had a lot of other work to do instead.

    Elysia Dirac had agreed toe to him and he needed to make preparations. This world was getting unstable and would need a new magic source soon enough.

    Since thest world, they had borrowed magic from was going dry, it was time to change targets. And the one world he had chosen was the one that currently had the strongest connection to their world.

    "It is lucky for me when that Enma child fell into the rift and I saved him. Soon, his world would be our new energy source. And then this cycle would start again with new actors taking up the stage."

    ///////////////////////////////////////////

    After that horrible night that Elysia had, she woke up in cold sweat. Her face was white and pale when she woke up in the morning and she even scared her servants when she made an appearance outside her room.

    Of course, she had the worst of the timings and she ran into Eve on her way out.

    "Elysia, I told you not to leave your bed. Hurry up and go back to sleep. You look far too pale for my liking."

    Eve was frowning as she looked at Elysia. Her displeasure was evident and Elysia decided not to test her anymore. An angry Eve was not an opponent Elysia wanted to face currently.

    "Have you thought of a name for your son yet? You should name him soon since we will have to present him to the court. In many ways, a name is the first present a parent gives to their child."

    Eve''s words made Elysia pause. She could not help but think that it was a good thing that she had not named her son yet.

    It would be another attachment she was preventing her child from forking with her. Now he would not think about her when someone called his name.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I know I should name him but I still want brother to name my son when he wakes up. But if he does not wake this month then I will have the Queen name him instead."

    ''But Lucas is about to wake up soon so it doesn''t matter.''

    Elysia did not add thest part aloud. Thest thing she wanted to do was to create a misunderstanding between herself and Eve.

    Eve looked relieved after hearing Elysia out and her eyes were gentle as well. She also seemed to be in deep thought as she looked at Elysia''s son.

    "You know, I am so d that he has your hair color and yourplexion. I wonder what else he inherited from you?"

    At that very second, the child managed to open his eyes and look at Eve. he was calm for a few seconds before he broke out into a tear-filled cry. Elysia quickly took the child back and tried tofort him.

    Eve looked stressed at seeing the kid cry for no apparent reason. The reason for her panic was apparent as well since she loved the kid.

    But the kid did not like a lot of people. The only person he was calm with was Elysia and Adam asionally. And that was why Elysia took her son back and watched as he calmed down instantly.

    "Eve, did you scare my son again? I see that he has impable tastes while being this young."

    Adam nodded his head as he walked into the room as well. He did not nce at Eve as he walked over to Elysia and kissed her before settling at Elysia''s side.

    There were dark bangs underneath her husband''s eyes and Elysia felt bad for the overwork he had to do. Elysia could not help her with the paperwork since she was stuck in her room anyway.

    "Don''t think too much about me. My work is something I can get done easily and I will sleep when I need to. You should worry about yourself more."

    Adam''s arms tightened around Elysia''s waist and she felt the warmth of his touch spread inside her body. She melted against Adam''s body and allowed him to hug her.

    It was such a domestic scene that Elysia wanted nothing more than to let itst forever. But that was easier said than done. Especially since Elysia already knew what the oue would be for her.

    "Excuse me, Emperor Adam but your ministers are looking for you quite urgently. They say that they need to talk about a case with you."

    Adam sighed as soon as the guard conveyed what he wanted to tell him. He was in a good mood so he left soon after. Eve left soon after as well, citing how she had work to be done for now.

    Elysia watched them as they did what they wanted to while she was stuck in this room. But she was not resentful in the least.

    Especially when she was about to do something very dangerous to them in return.

    "Well then, now that they are gone, I guess it is time for me to start as well. You cane in now Emma. I know you are standing at the gate."

    Emma White entered the room with hesitant steps. Elysia could read the worry in her eyes loud and clear. She tried smiling to put Emma''s mind at ease but it was not easy.

    Especially since Emma looked like she was about to cry any second now.

    "Mydy, let''s head out."

    Emma help her hand out and Elysia took it. She was young and her child was already her whole life. But Lucas was equally important to Elysia. She could not choose in the end.

    "Let''s stop by Lucas''s room before we head out. I want to leave my son with him."

    Elysia knew that Lucas would love her son as much as he loved her and that was why she had agreed to this deal.

    If one person''s sacrifice could stop everyone else from dying, then Elysia was willing to take that gamble. Besides, her life was not worth much in the end.

    ''It was incredible that I managed to live past my death date. But I guess even I cannot escape itpletely in the end.''

 Chapter 221 220: The First Step

    Elysia stopped in front of Lucas''s door for onest time. She could feel that there were people in there and she did not want to be seen. Especially since being seen would mean that people would try and stop her.

    "Emma, can you help me out onest time?"

    Elysia asked but did not have to exin to Emma what she needed help with.

    Emma was sensitive to magic as well and she had sensed the presence inside Lucas''s room much better than Elysia had. She wanted to help Elysia so she agreed in the end.

    "Fine, I guess I can do you this onest favor. And I am sorry about the way things ended up like. It was not my intention to make you or anyone else worried. I just wanted to��"

    "Make Sorias happy and cause him to finally look at you, right? Don''t worry because I understand how you feel."

    Emma quickly looked up at Elysia but could only see her back. It was such a shame that Emma was never able to answer the sincerity she received from Elysia.

    She had tried to but the weight of her love had kept her bound to her role. When choosing, Emma couldn''t choose anyone other than Sorias.

    Even if it went against Sorias''s wishes, Emma would keep him alive at all costs.

    "Don''t make that face Emma White. It was your choice so be proud of it. I am sure Sorias will see your true love one day ande to ept it."

    Yeah, Emma hoped so as well. But being epted and loving Emma back were different things. Emma was afraid that she would never be able to get Sorias to love her.

    In that case, just having her feelings being ept was enough for her.

    "I will go in and get the others out. You should take this chase to say goodbye to your brother."

    Elysia just smiled at Emma''s words and her hold on her son tightened.

    She would also really like to say goodbye to Adam and Eve but she had no courage to face them. So Lucas would have to be the one to listen to her words.

    "Good luck Emma. I will be in the next room, waiting for you to finish. Do happen to check on my son soon please."

    Emma''s nod was reassuring and Elysia quickly hid in the next room, waiting for Emma to finish her talk.

    It did not take long for Elysia to hear footsteps heading away from her corridor and she finally showed her face outside again. She lightly pushed the door to her brother''s room open before locking the door behind her back.

    Her brother was still pale and he still looked lifeless. But Elysia did not let that hinder her feelings from taking over.

    She put her sleeping son at her brother''s side and took his hand in hers.

    "Brother, I hope you are having a pleasant sleep wherever you are. Don''t worry, you wille home soon. And I hope you like your nephew when you finally wake up. He is such a darling, right?"

    Elysia was not aware that her eyes were wet with tears but her vision had gotten blurry by then.

    "I��you were the best brother I could have asked for and you have to know that I love you, right? So you have to wake up and not give in to this darkness. I wille for you soon so take care of yourself until then."

    Elysia''s body was shaking with repressed emotions.

    She had so much she needed to say but her mouth had run dry as soon as she had started. Her mind had also gone numb and all she could do was to keep holding on to her brother''s hand.

    Theck of response was heartbreaking but expected at this point. Elysia finally gathered her willpower and snatched her hand away from her brothers. It was time for her to go.

    The guard inside the royal pce had finally lightened enough for Elysia to make a quick break and she used this opportunity to walk away with her head held high.

    She had cast magic on herself to make her face not recognizable so no one knew that it was her who walked out.<novelnext></novelnext>

    She took onest look at the ce that had traumatized her for life but had also given her the best thing in her life. And then she vowed to never look back again.

    The temple was still the same picture of white she remembered it being. Its holy energy was even stronger than before and no one stopped Elysia as she entered the temple.

    There was no one more familiar with the corridors of the temple than her so she quickly was able to make her way around to the secret corridor that would take her to the room she needed to go.

    She took in a deep breath as she got ready to face the music. It would not take long before she would have to look at the people she had decided to leave behind.

    "Stop trying to make yourself back out of this. Hurry up ande in so that we can talk our differences out."

    Elysia finally opened the door and faced Head Priest Yohan in front of herself. The man was standing tall, his eyes nk as he looked at Elysia.

    This was the first time Elysia had felt anything other than interest headed her way from that man. It seemed like he was truly angry at her behavior and he could not wait to curse her.

    However, he had no chance to do that when the grey eyes man walked from behind him and stood in between the pair. His empty smile was a little creepy and terrified Elysia but she held her ground.

    "Lady Dirac,e in. you were just the person I was waiting for. I hope you had no problem finding your way here?"

    Elysia shook her head as she made sure not to show her weak side to this man. His presence was unnerving and it made Elysia want to run away. But her feet refused to cooperate with her when she thought of running away so she had to make do with ring.

    The grey-haired man seemed to find Elysia''s way of expressing her displeasure funny because he only smiled before gesturing for Elysia to enter.

    ? "It is nice to see that you are less stubborn than your brother your guardian here. It would be a pleasure to work with you."

    Elysia''s bad feeling was roaring at her to get away from this man now. Whatever he was nning was not safe for her to participate in. But she could still not back down.

    After all, it was all for Lucas''s sake in the end.

    "Can you stop saying everything in riddles and get to the main point? What is it that you want us to do? I will try to cooperate with you as long as it is not something too dangerous for this world."

    Elysia held her breath as she proposed her conditions.s he did not want to be misunderstood and cause any trouble. She also had a feeling that being straightforward with the grey-haired man would be the best.

    "I see. So you want to do your best, huh? In that case, call me Axia. It will work better for both of us if we arefortable with each other."

    Elysia doubted that she could ever feelfortable in this man''s presence. He was someone she had trouble getting along with after all.

    But she held her opinion and decided to follow after the man. Head Priest Yohan looked at the pair but he decided not to follow them until the end. After all, someone needed to stay behind and take care of things.

    "It''s time, Elysia Dirac. Give me your hand and I will take you to your brother. We should get him back first before you are tasked to do your duty."

    Somehow, Elysia was surprised at the order of events that were taking ce here. She had thought that saving her brother would be thest thing they would be doing but it seemed to be the first.

    Not that Elysia wasining. The faster they were able to wake Lucas up, the faster she would be free of all her worries. And maybe this was what Axia wanted for her as well, an end without any worry.

    Elysia touched the small device in front of her, knowing fully well that this was thest time she would be forcing herself to use her powers.

    Everything would be well worth her sacrifice and her feelings only intensified when she reached the ce where her brother''s soul was being held captive.

    "Hurry up and free him. I will wait for you outside so don''t take long."

    Axia left Elysia alone with her brother''s spirit, without exining how to wake him up. Now, what was Elysia supposed to do?

 Chapter 222 221: He Woke Up [Pt1]

    ''Don''t take long he says! What am I supposed to do here anyway?"

    Elysa gulped as she looked at her brother''s spirit. He was lying in front of her with a calm and serene expression. It was different than his physical body since her brother looked free of all the worries he had been subjected to.

    For the first time since vowing to wake her brother up, Elysia hesitated on her decision. She had no idea if she should go with what she wanted to do or not. Maybe her brother was happier while being in thisatose state.

    "Do I have a right to wake you up? You look calmer and happier while asleep. It makes me not want to disturb you."

    Elysia''s eyes were heavy with doubt but she finally hardened her will to make things work. Her brother was precious to her and she should wake him up. Otherwise, what was the use of her being here?

    What did all her sacrifices up to this point mean if she chose to back out now?

    "Would touching you be enough? The soul is the purest form of a person. Surely you will wake up if I touch you in here?"

    Her decision was as dangerous as it was tempting. But Elysia decided to brave through her worry and touch Lucas.

    The reaction was instantaneous and he opened his eyes. Two simr shades of blue collided and Elysia held her breath in worry. Her body was paralyzed and her mind had gone ck.

    Her heart skipped a beat after seeing Lucas''s eyes after a long time but she knew that her excitement was not because of romantic love. It was because of the joy and happiness she felt.

    "Y-You? What are you doing here? Is this another dream?"

    Lucas''s voice sounded just as he remembered. It was unfair how it was not even tainted by the rest he had. Maybe it was the magic that kept him preserved, but looking at him brought tears to Elysia''s eyes.

    "You are an idiot. You chose not to tell me anything until the end and then you decided to go ahead and almost die. What gave you the right to do so?"

    Elysia''s voice was quivering and it surprised her. She had felt soposed currently that her voice took her by surprise. No to mention, the shocked look on Lucas''s face.

    It fueled her desire to see him break down even more.

    "I-huh? You do realize this condition was something you would not have been able to do anything about, right? In the end, it would just have been a burden for you. Now go back home. You came here by ident, right? It is not safe for you to be here."

    Lucas sounded tired and his eyes were threatening to close up again. He was about to fall asleep when he remembered that he never got any confirmation for his question.

    His eyes instantly shot open as soon as he realized that something was wrong. But he could not put his hands on what was wrong right now.

    "Elysia, you are here on ident, right? Don''t tell me that you��"

    Elysia''s silence was enough to convey how she felt. Lucas suddenly felt the world shifting from beneath his feet and he reached out for her.

    His sister looked strong at this moment but Lucas was afraid that she was about to break apart. Her eyes held a strength but it all hid the fragility she was feeling.

    "Lucas, I need to tell you something. No, don''t interrupt me before I finish speaking."

    Elysia''s voice begged Lucas to not speak for the time being. And that was why he stopped speaking for a second.

    Elysia took this time to press her agenda ahead and before he knew it, she was right in his face. Her eyes were shining and Lucas could not bring himself to make her stop.

    "Do you know I have a son now? He has the Dirac ck hair but he looks just like Adam otherwise. I am sure you will love him once you see him. Oh, and one more thing."

    "Please love him in my stead as well. Don''t ever let my son feel the loss of his family. I will be counting on you."

    "Elysia, wait! What are you talking about?"

    Lucas was awarded Elysia''s brilliant smile in return before the light engulfed him. He could feel his soul being dragged away from the safe ce he had been in but it made him afraid for some reason. He had a feeling that things would have changed once he got back home.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Lucas Dirac was someone who was not supposed to wake up again. Lucas had seen the true future of this world and now a lot of things made sense.

    And that was he had been ready to die right now. He wanted to change the future for everyone and the best way was to extract himself from the equation.

    He had managed to change the future finally. His sister had lived past the date of her death and she had even birthed a son who would be a future ruler. Everything had been set for Elysia''s sess.

    Then why? Was all this happening? Why was Elysia making this decision and on who''s authority?

    "Elysia Dirac, do not do this. Some people will never forgive you if you make this decision."

    Lucas had never begged someone before but he was sure that this was what it felt like to beg someone earnestly. There had never been something he had wanted more in this life than to save Elysia.

    But it seemed like he had ended up bing the reason for losing her life. And this was thest thing Lucas had wanted for her.

    "Don''t worry about me. Things are just going back to the way they were supposed to be. After all, I was never supposed to make it this far, right? So you all might as well sit back and let the fate y out."

    Elysia''s words were like a knife in his heart. No matter what she said, this was not what Lucas wanted for her. She was the one who deserved to be loved and pampered more than anyone else after all she had lost.

    "Elysia,e back. You will make them feel sad as well."

    This was hisst card, the one thing that could make Elysia waver a little bit. And it was also Lucas''sst ray of hope to make Elysia reconsider her position. It would all depend on her answer here.

    But thst smile she shed him was anything but reassuring. It almost seemed as if Elysia had given up and that thought scared Lucas more than he was willing to admit.

    "Thank you for everything."

    Elysia''s words were whispers at this point and Lucas had to try his hardest to hear them. He tried reaching for her hand, only to be pulled by an invisible force.

    Somehow, he knew that he was about to wake up in his own body soon and he would never be able to see his sister again.

    It was a terrifying thought and one Lucas did not want to abide by. He wanted to see his sister again and be by her side always. He even reached out to her in a desperate need to hold her hand.

    "Elysia, wait. You have to rethink everything. You should not be-"

    The door was mmed shut in his face and Lucas woke up with a terrified heart. His face was white with sweat and his eyes were trembling.

    The feeling of loss he felt gripped his heart but Lucas was not ready to give up yet. Instead, he reached for his body and woke up. This was the only way he would be able to do anything.

    There was a weight on Lucas''s chest when he woke up. Golden eyes looked back at him from a lovely ck-haired face. And Lucas instantly knew who this child was.

    "I guess your mother decided to make another foolish mistake. What will I do with her?"

    Lucas held the kid close, taking him as a substitute for his missing mother. But Lucas would make sure to find Elysia soon. The kid needed his mother more than he was willing to admit.

    Sitting back was a pain for him and Lucas''s body protested against his every move. But he somehow managed to pull himself up.

    He quickly looked around the room, wanting to see something that could help exin what was going on. And then his eyes fell on a note at his side. He instantly knew who had left this note for him.

    ''Look after him since he is your nephew. Oh, and he doesn''t have a name yet since I wanted you to name him. It would be nice if you would be able to see him as a part of our family.''

    Silent tears escaped Lucas''s eyes as he read the note. He could not believe this was happening to him.

 Chapter 223 222: He Woke Up [Pt2]

    It was a busy day for Adam. but every day had been busy for him ever since he had be an emperor. There were lives dependent on him so he had to do his best to match the expectations.

    Not that he cared much about the people. But he did not want to disappoint Elysia and have her worry about unnecessary things. So he had taken it all up and subjected himself to this torture.

    The only problem this created for him was that he had no time to spend with Elysia nowadays. And from what he had heard, Eve was somehow super busy as well.

    The nice thing was, Elysia now had a son so she was busy and grounded. She would surely not do anything dangerous and cause herself harm��

    "Emperor Adam, we have bad news. L-Lady Elysia disappeared and so did the royal prince."

    Adam, who had just been having a great time thinking about his wife, froze. His eyes went from calm to panicked to furious. The guards had to step back to not be caught up in their emperor''s fury.

    "Who was in charge of guarding the pce that day? Get me a detailed exnation of what happened and why you allowed Elysia to escape."

    The guard shivered as those inhuman eyes looked at him. His life shed before his eyes as soon as he felt the temperature in the room drop.

    Adam, who had just gotten the shock of his life, stood up and left the room. He no longer cared to hear the words ofint that his ministers were sprouting at him for hisck of care.

    Listening to them had been the reason Adam had ended up in this situation. And he was done listening to them now. He would do things his way now.

    "Eve, did you hear��"

    "Yead I did. I am currently having mypanions look everywhere for her but it is difficult to find Elysia. As you know, our magic is notpatible. What about you and your magic? You remarked Elysia, right?"

    Adam''s face had a bitter smile. He had remarked Elysia but it suddenly seemed to not matter at all. His connection made it feel like Elysia was still in the castle.

    "I don''t know what happened to my connection. It was fine yesterday but now it feels stretched in every direction. I don''t think I am of much help here."

    It hurt Adam to admit this much but he was willing to do so. He wanted Elysia to be found after all and if speaking the truth got him there, then he would say it all.

    Eve''s face became grim at his words and theck of news stressed her out. She had no idea whether Elysia had left on her own ord or if she had been kidnapped.

    The crown prince''s disappearance was another matter which broadened the possibilities. There had been no need for Elysia to take their son if she left of her one ord.

    "What else are we missing here? Lucas! Someone go and check on Lucas Dirac right now."

    If there was one person Elysia would never abandon after her son, it was her brother. And that was why Eve ordered people to check on him.

    The guard ran past her in a hurry and they waited around. However, when the guard came back, his face was as pale as a ghost. Someone, Eve knew that she had to brace herself for the worst possible news.

    "M-Mydy, Lord Dirac is��Lord Dirac is awake. And he also has the crown prince with him."

    Eve suddenly felt relieved to hear this news. She could not believe that this had happened and the sudden relief caused her feet to give in.

    But something was still wrong with this report. It mentioned Lucas and the crown prince, but it did not mention to whereabouts of Elysia. Was she not with Lucas then?

    "Eve, let''s pay a visit to Lucas Dirac for now. It is a miracle he woke up and I have a feeling that Elysia had something to do with it."

    Eve had a simr feeling and that was why she agreed toe with Adam.

    Lucas Dirac looked pale and tired as he leaned against the headboard. Seeing him like this was tough for Eve but she still braved her feelings and stood in front of the man who had been hermander.

    "If you both are here, then I can only assume that you were not able to find Elysia anywhere."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Lucas Dirac got straight to the point, his blue eyes looking back at the two of them. Eve''s head hung low as she tried to face Lucas but failed.

    This was her lover''s brother, the one who had entrusted his sister to them and they had utterly failed them. He was someone Eve respected as well so it hurt, even more, to stand like this in front of him.

    "Do you know where she is? Since you woke up with my son near you, I can only assume that you know where Elysia went and when she will be back."

    Adam seemed to be having no such problems as Eve was having. Instead, he looked strong and reliable. He was the epitome of an emperor and he did not back down when Lucas red him down.

    "Adrian"

    "Excuse me?"

    "This child, his name is Adrain so call him by his name next time you address him. Also, I might know where Elysia is but I am not very inclined to tell you about it right now"

    Both Adam and Lucas shed. Seeing them like this was a disaster for most of the court. They did not know which side to choose if a fight broke out.

    Eve had no idea why the two of them were trying to one-up the other when Elysia was not even here to see. But she just did not want these two to keep on fighting in front of her.

    "Stop it or you will scare the baby. It will be better for us all to cooperate. Lord Lucas, I have a feeling that you will not be able to retrieve Elysia alone from whatever problems he had dragged herself into. So kindly allow us to help you out."

    Eve had always been the better negotiator between herself and Adam. She was kind and soft most of the time, but she also knew how to be firm.

    But the best thing was, Lucas Dirac had an almost soft spot for her. And Eve was more than willing to exploit it.

    "Fine, I will help you both out. But only because it is for Elysia''s sake and nothing else."

    They both smiled happily as they eagerly awaited Lucas Dirac''s words. He was the only one who had any idea where Elysia went after all.

    Lucas Dirac took in a deep breath, likely to brace himself before his eyes opened. It was such a familiar shade of blue that it left the other two reeling back in surprise.

    If they ignored Lucas''s face, then those eyes were an exact copy of Elysia''s.

    "Elysia is likely at the temple. I don''t know why or how, but she made a deal with someone dangerous to wake me up. I tried to stop her but it did not matter in the end. Elysia did what she wanted to."

    Lucas sounded bitter and Eve understood his feelings. As someone who had been subjected to Elysia''s protective hold a lot of times, Eve knew how it felt to be protected and then be the cause of someone else''s injury.

    It did not help that Lucas was a strong person himself so this was a big blow to his pride.

    "I will kill them all. All those idiots back at the temple do not deserve to live after what they had made Elysia do. I will never forgive them."

    Adam sounded more than mad when he spoke. Eve had to take a few steps back from him so as to not get caught up in his rage.

    But even then, it was almost as if Adam''s anger could physically manifest at any given point. He was a ticking time bomb for now and he needed to be handled carefully.

    "I know what you mean. I don''t care which idiot was responsible for pushing Elysia far but they will pay the price for doing so. They will all die a painful death once I am done with them."

    Both Lucas and Adam seemed to be on the same page currently. Eve had no idea how things got to this point but she had no desire to stop them from rescuing Elysia.

    Especially not when Eve had simr impulses to both of them.

    "Emperor Adam, I have bad news. The enchanted forest has been lit on fire and the monsters are in a frenzy. We have no idea what is happening but we need your help to quell this problem."

 Chapter 224 223: The Final Understanding [Pt1]

    "Emperor Adam, I have bad news. The enchanted forest has been lit on fire and the monsters are in a frenzy. We have no idea what is happening but we need your help to quell this problem."

    Adam gritted his teeth as he was suddenly faced with a tough decision. He could either go after Elysia or take care of the fire. Both were urgent matters that needed tending to.

    In his mind, this was not even a question. He knew what he had to do and which side he had to prioritize. But he also knew that Elysia could never forgive him for his decision.

    "You go to the forest and I will try to look for Elysia. Lord Dirac, can I entrust Crown Prince Adrian''s safety in your hands?"

    For Lucas, it was not even a question. He had nned to take care of his nephew anyway so he easily agreed to thispromise.

    Besides, there was not much he could do with his current body condition. Not only was he weak, but his magic was also trying to adjust to his new living state. It was likely that he would do more harm than good for now.

    "Good. Then the tasks are decided. Let''s hurry up and finish them now."

    Eve tookmand of the situation quite naturally. Since she had already decided for them, the other two saw no point in contradicting her orders. And that was how the three of them divided their work.

    It irked Adam that he was not chosen to go after Elysia right out of the bat. It was not even his idea to be the emperor but the necessity of the situation. If he could, he would have abandoned his post right then and there.

    But then he would also be putting Elysia in harm''s way so he decided to hold back.

    "Emperor Adam, pleasee and check the situation out. Look down there."

    Adam looked down from the cliff he was standing at. And all he could see around the forest were the burning ambers of what was once a magnificent forest. He was not expecting the fire damage to turn out so significant but there was no way to stop this fire currently.

    Not unless he exhausted his whole reserve of magic. But that would make him unable to use magic for a significant amount of time.

    "E-Emperor Adam, please help."

    Below where he was standing, people were running around in panic. Many were injured and looked ready to copse. It was not an easy scene to swallow by any means.

    Ultimately, Adam''s conflicting feelings did not matter as he forced himself to kill the beasting after his people. It was a rtively easy decision to make this time.

    "Our E-Emperor is here. We are going to be alright now."

    Now that the first blood had been drawn, there was no meaning in holding back. These people had been gathered here as a sacrifice and it was Adam''s duty to share them. But even he knew that the only reason he was helping them all out was because of Elysia and her alone.

    By the time evening arrived, the field where the monster d roamed was dyed red. Adam was the only living person who stood in that field currently and his sword shined with the blood of the fallen beasts.

    The golden inhuman height did not make him look human and his eyes pinned anyone who looked at him right in their ce.

    "M-My lord, the healers are waiting for your call. Should we try and getdy Eve here?"

    A guard asked in concern. He could still see the ref flowing out of their emperor''s arms at an rming rate. Bleeding out was a real concern currently.

    But while these soldiers were busy fretting and looking at each other, Adam mediated to heal his wounds. As a half-dragon, there was no need for him to deploy outdoor healers. Especially if it meant owing a favor to Eve.

    "There is no need to bother the Saintess because of injuries. If anything, ask her how the situation is fairing at her end. Was she able to find anything of use?"

    This was the real concern Adam currently had and everyone else looked at each other. No one wanted to volunteer to contact Saintess to ask about her status.

    No one wanted to be the bringer of any bad news since their lives would be on the line here. They had to be careful not to trigger their emperor. In the end, it was a random soldier who had been sacrificed to tell the emperor this news.

    /////////////////////////////////////////////<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Sara, look at the right side of the temple. I hope you have been keeping an eye on everything that went on while I was not here?"

    Eve had a hunch about where to check for Elysia. There was only one ce she could have chosen to go at such a crucial time. It was not even a question at this point but Eve could not storm the temple.

    That did not mean she was about to use her authority to get what she wanted anyway. The people around her would not be able to stop her in time.

    "S-Saintess Eve, you cannot enter the temple ground for now. You do not have the authority to-"

    "First, you dragged me into this mess and made me a Saintess candidate when I did not want to have anything to do with it. Then, you try to make me a puppet for your gain and engage me with someone I did not want to marry. And now you are out here telling me what I do and do not have the authority to do? What makes you so sure of that?"

    Eve had recently realized a few things about herself. It had not been easy to ept these parts of herself but she had tried to.

    First of all, Eve was not cut out to be a submissive damsel in disaster. She cringed every time she had to hold back. What she carved for was the authority and respect her position awarded to her.

    Secondly, she was getting more and more apt at using her magic. Since she no longer had to hold herself back it was getting easier for her to adapt to certain changes.

    Andstly, she could not give a damn about this temple and all the people in there.

    They had been nice to her, yes. But they had also been indifferent when she needed them. They had only pretended to like her and support her for the time being.

    "Mydy, you still cannot-"

    "Sara, clear a path out for me. I need to enter this building at all costs today."

    Sara had a bloody grin on her face once she heard those orders. She had been wanting to let loose since forever but Eve had not given her a chance to do so. But now she finally had the chance to enter the temple.

    This ce had been both a blessing and a curse to her. So she was almost d to be getting rid of it.

    That was all before Head Priest Yohan made his way outside and stepped in front of the crowd. The priests parted as soon as they noticed him and they quickly looked toward each other.

    "Let them both in. There is no longer a need to be cautious of what can happen if the ceremony fails."

    Head Prelist Yohan''s words caused everyone to rx. Everyone baring Eve and Sara, that was. They both had worried looks on their faces and Sara was even ready to scratch the heck out of Yohan.

    But despite all this hostility aimed toward him, Head Priest Yohan did not look concerned in the least. He finally looked like a man who had found liberation.

    This was someone who had dedicated arge part of his life to Eve. But this was the first time she was seeing him look this satisfied.

    "You bastard. What was the n that you were talking about? Why did you need Elysia out of everyone toplete your n?"

    Sara had a lot of questions she wanted to ask and for the first time she got an answer.

    "Why it has to be Elysia Dirac you ask? Because the world chose her to be the one and she was the only one who fulfilled all the conditions. Our personal feelings were not involved in this decision."

    Eve finally understood why his father had been so fixated on her and Adam. it was because he knew the prophecy and the future conditions as well. Eve felt like a fool once she realized the truth.

    "You knew all along but you never trusted to tell it to me. Did you ever consider my feelings in this matter?"

    For the first time, Eve felt like she understood what was going on in her adoptive father''s mind. But she wanted to prey to not understand this man.

 Chapter 225 224: The Final Understanding [Pt2]

    "Your feelings? I always took your feelings into ount when I made any decision. But I am afraid that you never considered mine Hi. But that is something we no longer need to care about since it is time to conclude everything."

    Eve was careful when she took an attacking stand. Sara was there to back her as well and it should have been an easy victory for them.

    But that did not end up happening.

    Instead of calming down and listening to her, Head Priest Yohan raised his hand. des of wind shot out toward Eve, but she was barely able to dodge them.

    For the first time in her life, Eve felt the actual threat of dying at another human''s hand. And how ironic it was that her biggest threat turned out to be the one person who had done everything for her.

    "Eve, look out."

    Sara noticed this abrupt action taken by the Head Priest as well but she was unable to counter him. That man had too high of a defense and too much magic to pierce through. Add his healing magic into the mix and you had an unkible boss.

    What made it even more difficult for Sara to counter was the fact that Head Priest Yohan was not targeting her but Eve for his attacks. And her magic proved to be futile against the man himself.

    "Fuck, this is so hard. Is there no easy mode for this fight?"

    Sara liked a good fight but not an unfair one. Despite this being a one-vs-two, this fight was as one-sided as it could get.

    By the end of this small fight, Sara''s arm was openly bleeding and she could even feel it getting heavier. Eve was actively healing her but her healing was damaged by the heavy damage the Head Priest was doing.

    "You are far too good at using healing magic to be a mere Head Priest. Where did you learn to fight like this?"

    In the end, Sara could not contain her curiosity and ended up asking this question.

    The fast and offensive fighting style that the Head Priest used felt familiar to her. It was like what the people of her race used to fight like. The Head Preist was not attacking rationally like a human.

    At that moment, his presence feltrger than life. He reminded Sara of her father and his fighting style. She could not help but flinch here and there as she remembered the ridiculous offensive power her father had.

    "Don''t be too offended by what I can and cannot do. In the end, even you will not be able to stop me if I truly get going. And Eve, I am sorry for hurting you. But this feels like the only way I would get through to you otherwise."

    Sara quickly looked toward Eve who seemed to be getting worse by the second. Herplexion had been reduced to ashen and her eyes were wet with tears.

    It was difficult to believe but Eve had been beaten by the Head Priest. The man was even standing right on top of the fallen Eve, looking at her with cold eyes.

    "E-Elysia! Give her back to me. Please, don''t make her suffer any more than she needs to."

    Eve was begging now. It had taken a lot to get her this far but she finally saw no out. It was disgusting how she hade to a full cycle, only to feel herck of power.

    "It''s a pity that I cannot do that anymore. The only one who could have saved Eve was you. But it was your foolishness that caused you not to ept Adam and you never awakened your true powers."

    Eve felt her heart skip a beat when she heard those words. They confirmed that there had been a reason her adoptive father had wanted her to be with Adam.

    But despite knowing this, Eve was not sure she would be able to ept such a match. But had she known that it was for Elysia''s sake they could have made apromise?

    Head Priest Yohan walked toward Sara, fully intending to finish her off when the world erupted in a warm light. Everyone looked up toward the huge hole that was opening up in the sky.

    It looked to be simr to the one that had opened up when Elysia hade back from that world. The other world was visible behind the filter in the sky as well.

    "What the hell is going on here?"

    Eve could not help but as she looked up at the sky. It looked like their world wasing to an end with the way things were going. But surely that would not be the case?

    "Oh, don''t worry. We are just ensuring the survival of this world. One day, you will be grateful for all we did for you."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Head Preist addressed this before he left the group. He had not given any orders but somehow the priests around them knew what they needed to do. They quickly took them both into custody.

    The atmosphere had turned gloomy all of a sudden. Everyone was focusing on the huge hole that had opened up in the sky.

    //////////////////////////////////////////

    Elysia was about to start her chant when she stopped short. She quickly looked down at the outside ground with a worried expression on her face.

    She had heard noisesing toward her from the outside and she could not help but feel worried.

    "Is everything alright outside? It feels like people are fighting. Should we not go and check it out?"

    Elysia had a bad feeling about all the noise she kept on hearing. It felt like people fighting and now her imagination. She also had a feeling that the one fighting outside was someone she knew.

    Had someonee for her so soon? It was surprising but also needless.

    "Don''t worry about the fight outside. Since I send Yohan to take care of it then it should be resolved soon enough. You should focus on your one objective here."

    Axia looked unbothered by the fight going on outside in the gardens. Elysia could not help but be worried because of his attitude. Somehow, it felt like he was belittling her concern a little.

    But still, he was the world''s consciousness so he likely knew better what was safe and what was not safe for this world and its people.

    He was also one of the people who adored Adam and Eve the most. Every time Elysia brought up their names, she could not help but feel how fond this man was of them. It warmed Elysia''s heart a lot to see.

    "Well, if you are sure that it is nothing, then I guess I can let it go for now. So, what do you want me to do?"

    Elysia took the ce she was supposed to in the first ce. She had been briefed about her role and what she needed to do.

    Elysia''s role was not easy by any means. She had to be the conductor that connected both sides along with their power source. She needed to ensure that the connection was kept maintained until they were able to send the monsters back.

    The world was already hanging on a thin bnce and there was no way to tell what would happen anymore if Elysia failed to do her job. That was why she needed to be extra careful here and not make any mistakes.

    The temple shook once more just as Elysia reached the magic circle. And suddenly, she no longer wanted to be a part of this ceremony. Her heart told Elysia that she needed to run away.

    ''Something is not right. I need to get back home.''

    The magic around Elysia did not feel right and she was about to get back home when she was stopped. Axia''s face did not lose his smile but she could tell that he was pissed off.

    Her refusal to do as she was told was causing Axia to be furious with her and she was sure that she was going to pay for it.

    "What are you saying, Elysia Dirac? Surely you are not asking to back out now that we havee this far? I am afraid that it is no longer an option for you."

    Elysia tried to get past Axia but the man was far too fast for that to let happen. His hand reached out toward Elysia''s and he shoved her. Elysia did her best not to lose her bnce but it was not possible.

    The shock of being pushed along with the force behind the push caused Elysia to fall down. By the time she realized what had happened, she was sitting in the middle of the circle.

    "You! What do you think you are doing?"

    Elysia asked as she watched the magic take form around her. It was swallowing her whole and she felt unable to move.

    Her heart skipped a few beats in fear as the circle fully activated around her.

 Chapter 226 225: On The Other Side [Pt1]

    The thing about magic circles was, it was extremely difficult for them to be deactivated once they get going. That was something Elysia knew fully well and that was the only reason she stood still once the circle beneath her feet did go live.

    Shocked eyes met a bored grey one before a genuine smile broke free on Axia''s face.

    "Well, looks like you managed to achieve your purpose. Now, I hope we never have to meet each other again."

    The light from the magic circle shined brightly and energy rushed toward Elysia. She reached out toward the world''s consciousness but her body began to ache. She was disappearing into light before her hand reached the grey-haired man.

    "I guess it''s time to say goodbye. It was nice knowing you this far."

    The world was blinded by a sh of light and everyone looked toward the temple''s direction and into that light. The world was being forced to forget a very prominent existence and the resultant energy was making everything more stable.

    Outside the temple, a tear escaped Eve''s eyes as she fought to regain her memories. She could feel her memories being tempered but she had no idea what was changing in her mind. All she knew was that she needed to jot forget whatever was going through her head.

    "Don''t try to fight the feeling. This pain is a brief one and you will be able to ovee it once you let yourself forget."

    Head Priest Yohan''s hand rested on Eve''s head and she flinched. She knew something was wrong but she had no idea why she felt like this. All she knew was that she needed to fight her additive father because of-

    Who was it that she needed to remember? She was sure that person had been a significant part of her life but she could no longer think about it.

    She was not the only one who had this problem. Adam''s head was in pain as well as he tried to keep a hold of his memories. Unlike Eve, he felt it the moment the world touched him. But he was a dragon and he could resist it to some degree.

    However, that proved to be insignificant in the grand scheme of things. He had underestimated the scope of the world''s power in the end. It managed to lock the memories behind a wall of mental power.

    The only one who was able to remember what happened. Lucas Dirac was the sole person who remembered Elysia and who she had been. And it was all because of the kid in his arms.

    Lucas might have forgotten Elysia for some time but the child had no intention of not remembering the person who had given birth to him. And as someone who had received a part of Elysia''s magic, he was the only one immune to the effects of memory-wiping magic that had been used.

    "I-Huh? What happened here?"

    Lucas tried to shake off the weird feeling he got when the magic had passed over him. But even he had lost himself to the magic before Adrian''s crying voice had snapped him out of it.

    It was then he remembered what had happened and Lucas could not help but shake his head. All his power and preparation had been for nothing in the end. He had ended up being subjected to the power of this world.

    "Adrian, thank you. I don''t know what I would have done if not for you. You miss your mother as well, right? I understand the feeling."

    Lucas hugged the tiny bundle in his arms. If he looked carefully, he could make out Elysia''s features in Adrian''s face. The shape of his nose and his eyes was simr to his sister''s. Looking at the child reminded Lucas why he was doing everything he could.

    That day, a fundamental change urred in the empire and the whole world. The peaceful days snapped over in a frenzy and everyone was getting ready for the uing war.

    And things were not any better on the other side of the sky-hole.

    It was the second time this kind of thing had happened to them and it worried everyone. Especially the higher-ups on the chain ofmand.

    //////////////////////////////////

    "Lexus, Serina, you both were put in charge of observing the hold because this was what you requested. Were you able to find anything?"

    Lexus looked at the elder in front of him. The people on the security council had freaked out as soon as they noticed the second ck hole in the sky.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The first one had been disastrous enough and a lot of people had lost their lives. It had also been difficult to kill the monsters that had emerged from the hole since they had been resistant to their aura.

    The seconding of this disaster was more than what the people wanted and it was also more than their world could handle.

    "I am sorry but we were not able to find a reason behind this second urring. All our energy signature tests came back as normal and even the scientists were not able to figure out a reason behind this urring."

    Serina apologized as she faced the elders. She hade a long way from that whiny kid and had finally bloomed into a woman worth consideration.

    She might still be a child but her powers wereing along well. In other words, Serina was someone who had potential and the elders liked her for that reason.

    It had taken Lexus some time to ept her because of all that had happened between them but he had ended up giving her a chance. And now he was thankful that he had given Serina a chance.

    She had proven herself to be a reliable partner and not as annoying as some of his other options had been.

    "Ugh, what use are you powerful nobles if you cannot even find a solution to our problem? How did you solve this case thest time? Can we not use it again?"

    One of the representatives of the council moaned. He was a selfish man with no morals and Lexus knew him well. He would not even hesitate to see his kids if it meant he would profit.

    Lexus wanted nothing to do with that man but there was nothing he could do. His age did not allow him to wield his family seat, despite having the qualifications.

    "I told you before - Elysia Dirac was the one who sacrificed herself to close that door. If there is someone who can close this door except her then we would have gotten them to do that already."

    This was something Lexus had confirmed so many times by now but the elders were not ready to ept his words. They were just not ready to believe that Elysia had been special.

    "Let''s not fight about this issue. Lord Lexus, we are not doubting your words but Elysia Dirac''s sacrifice did not solve our problem. Hence, you will have to be the one to go to the other side of the hole and solve it. You can do that much, right?"

    Lexus bit his lips as he considered his options. He could refuse the elders but they will just find a way to corner him again. In the end, the only way for him to get out of this situation was to agree with the elders.

    Any other argument would only end up in a stalemate that no one wanted to be a part of.

    "You don''t have to give in under the pressure, you know right? You can take it easy and-"

    "Fine, I will do it. But this is thest time I amodate your selfishness so you have no right to ask me anything else ever again."

    Serina was stunned at Lexus''s words. He was not one to back down easily and especially when it came to the elders and their unreasonable demands. He was someone who liked to keep his options open

    And yet, despite all that, Lexus had agreed with the elders. It pointed to his wish of finding Elysia soon and take care of her.

    And even though Serina shared his belief and his dream, she was much more rational than him and knew when to back down. She could not help but think of Lexus as someone irrational fro making this decision.

    "Alright. Since you both have agreed to this demand, then you will be granted the right to manage this case. Do not disappoint us this time as well."

    The elder spoke like he had ever right to demand this of Lexus and Serina''s cooperation. But they both did not speak up against this unfair terms.

    It was not like anything was going to change even if they did speak up and no one was going to take their side anyway. But taking a case on their terms did help the pair gain ess to other resources they did not have. And that was all that mattered in the end.

 Chapter 227 226: On The Other Side [Pt2]

    "Huh, what am I doing here? I-why did Ie here again?"

    Eve tried to remember her missing memories but they were eluding her mind currently. All she knew was that it had been important why she came here.

    Something to do with the love of her life. But she could not remember what it was for some reason. She looked at Sara who seemed to be in a simr condition. Even she had a confused look on her face that asked what she was doing there.

    "You came here to meet me. I remember that we fought but not the reason. Maybe talking things over will help us remember?"

    Head Priest Yohan coughed as he suggested it. For some reason, Eve did not want to hear her adoptive father out. There was no reason for her not to hear him but her heart still asked her not to.

    However, Eve decided to be rational and not drag their differences out.

    Even she remembered that she had been fighting with the Head Priest but she did not know the actual reason. She just knew that it had something to do with Adam and their marriage.

    "Eve, are you sure we should go into the temple? Even if I don''t remember why we fought all these priests, the truth is that we did fight them."

    Sara had a point when she said that but Eve also knew she could not ignore the Head Priest. He seemed to know something she did not and Eve wanted to find out.

    Besides, it was not like she had any other family left in this world. So she did not want to fight with the only person she had been with while growing up.

    "I know that something is fishy and I promise to be careful. But I have a feeling I need to hear the Head Priest out."

    Eve was not sure why her heart hurt this badly. It was as if she was missing something important in her life. Something had changed inside her and only this man had any clue what it was about.

    Head Preist Yohan just smiled back at Eve with an understanding smile. Seeing him sent shivers down Sara''s spine but she could not go against Eve''s wishes.

    In the end, it all came down to Eve and her decision. Even Sara had no choice but to step back once Eve had decided what to do.

    "Fine, let''s talk. But don''t expect me to be happy with you."

    Head Priest Yohan had a satisfied smile on his face. He did not seem to be too bothered by her indifference.

    "Of course, I won''t pressure you to do anything you do not want to do. But can you leave your familiar behind? After all, we have no idea where she came from and what her objective is."

    "Don''t say such ridiculous things about Sara. She''s my precious friend and we met-"

    Eve stopped taking, suddenly realizing the hole in her memory. She could not remember how she had met Sara but she still knew Sara was a good person.

    ''Perhaps, the thing missing in my memory ismented to Sara as well. I should not roll this possibility out.''

    "I am loyal to eve and that is all you need to know. So don''t you dare make Eve any sadder or we would have a problem on our hands."

    Sara did make this threat but she could not help but think that it was already toote for this to happen. Her instincts told her that Eve had been irreversible hurt already and the truth would break her.

    Still, it was Eve''s right to know and Sara was not going to take it away from her. Although, she did feel a little worried when it came to these unknown possibilities.

    /////////////////////////////

    Adam''s confusion was evident when he tried to recall a few things. But the most prominent feeling he was feeling was regret and a sense of loss. The more Adam focused on himself, the more he could feel himself losing something important.

    ''This bond that I have, it is leading to somewhere. But if I try to grasp it, then it breaks apart in my hand. I wonder who the person on the other side of my bond is.''

    The more Adam thought about it, the more curious he felt. Especially since he could not remember being on the other side of his bond. It was making him eager to know.

    But at the same time, the feeling of loss was very prominent to him and it made him feel sick to his stomach. He was not sure if encouraging this was a good thing for him or not.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "My lord, you are being called back. The temple has sent delegates to negotiate your uing marriage now that the queen had gone missing."

    ''A queen? I was married? Weirdly, I don''t remember the face of my fiance, right?"

    Adam''s head drew a nk every time he tried to remember his significant other. An rm filled his being once he realized the implications of what was happening.

    Since Dragons only loved once, it was obvious that he had chosen his future mate. If things had gotten to marriage then it must be even more serious.

    But then why? Why could he not remember?

    "I will be returning shortly but I need to go somewhere first. Ask the delegate to stay back and wait for me sometimes. I need to confirm a few things first."

    Adam had a few ideas to recall his missing memories. But the first thing he needed to do was to know if it was only him that did not remember or if there was someone else as well.

    ''I need to find Lord Dirac. I have a feeling that he would know what is going on and that he is involved in this case as well.''

    Adam had no idea why the thought of Lucas Dirac being his first choice popped into his head. But somehow, it just felt right to go to him for help.

    He had a vague idea of where Lucas Dirac could be and instantly made his way toward the man. No one tried to stop him since he was the current emperor. But people did point out to him and whispered as he walked past them.

    Had Adam been curious about the gossip, he would have paid attention. But he had a one-track mind when it came to finding out the news. And his feet carried him over to the destined room.

    However, just as Adam was about to open the door, he hesitated. There was a feeling of being bound and he suddenly felt a familiar energy signature reach out to him.

    "It is no use standing outside like that. You shoulde in if you want to talk to me."

    Of course, Lucas Dirac being Lucas Dirac did not care about his hesitation and just called him in. Adam had no other choice but to follow hismand and he hesitantly entered the room.

    "Lucas Dirac I-"

    Gold met Gold and Adam''s words faded away. He had to rub his eyes to make sure he was seeing everything right.

    There was a boy in Lord Dirac''s arms that had ck hair like the lord. But everything else about the kid reminded Adam of himself. Especially those inhuman golden eyes were his.

    "I, huh? Where did this kid-? No, wait. This is mine."

    As soon as Adam had seen the kid, he realized that the kid had been his. It had been a part of him and his beloved. And he could not help but reach out to the kid.

    Only to get bitten by sharp teeth as soon as his hands came into the biting distance of the kid. He was an active one and was already teething despite his young age. But it had to be expected of a dragon hatchling.

    "Adam, are you alright? It seems like you are bleeding from the bite wounds."

    Adam looked at the bite wound on his hand but it did not seem like he was even feeling the bleeding. All he was doing was looking at the kid attached to his hand with a curious look. His eyes sparkled and his eyes softened.

    He reached out to take the struggling kid and sniffed him. The kid calmed down just a bit but he still looked weary of the new guy who smelled and felt like him.

    "So, what''s his name? Did she tell you anything? Unfortunately, I don''t remember her name or anything about her though."

    Lucas Dirac did not say anything for a solid minute but Adam gave him time. With the kid''s features, Adam was sure that his wife had been someone important to Lucas Dirac as well.

    And if so, then Adam wanted to maintain a good rtionship with Lucas Dirac. He did not want to create unnecessary friction between his allies. Especially since the temple was already starting to push its way into his life.

 Chapter 228 227: An Offer For Help [Pt1]

    "So, what''s his name? Did she tell you anything? Unfortunately, I don''t remember her name or anything about her."

    For anyone else, these words would have been quite heartbroken. But Lucas Dirac was quick to adapt and improvise. Especially since he had a kid dependent on him. There was no time for him to get depressed.

    "My sister, your wife, was a strong person so I am sure she had her reasons for what she did. However, even I could not fully understand what she was thinking. Besides that, the influence of this world does not allow me to speak of certain topics openly."

    Somehow, the world seemed to interfere with Lucas''s ability to convey words when it concerned Elysia. He was not even able to say her name openly.

    Every time he tried, his mouth automatically said something else. It was beyond frustrating to experience this.

    "Since you did not tell me her name, I can only assume that you might not be able to speak of it freely. In that case, don''t force yourself."

    Lucas Dirac looked at Adam with critical eyes. The emperor looked a little different to him now. There was an air of mystery surrounding him but there was also emptiness.

    It looked like the emperor was having a hard time as well but he could not tell anyone why that was. Lucas was sure that even the emperor did not understand what he was going through himself.

    "Alright. Now, would you give Adrian back? I am sure he is getting cranky in your hold. You don''t have any experience with children, right?"

    Lucas held his hands out to take the kid back but Adam''s hold tightened on the kid in his arms. He looked at the kid and then at Lucas.

    It seemed like he would not hand the kid over at first. But then his eyes softened and he did hand the kid over. Lucas was a little confused but grateful to have Elysia''s son back in his arms.

    "I will see you again soon. As soon as I take care of the outside situation with the rift, I will get a search started for my wife. No, maybe I will start a search right now."

    Adam looked conflicted about whether he should search for Elysia right now or he should wait. Lucas would have preferred for Adam to start the search right now. But there were some limitations to this.

    Still, it was the thought that counted and Lucas was thankful for Adam''s consideration for his sister.

    "Adam, take care of the rift first. Otherwise, my sister would be in danger even if shees back. I want to save her any heartache she might be subjected to feel."

    Adam and Lucas faced off in a stand-off. In the end, it was Adam who backed down first. His instincts recognized Lucas Dirac as someone important and he decided not to cross him. It would not be good for him in the future.

    "Alright, I understand. For now, I will cooperate with the temple and think of a solution. So don''t you dare worry. Also, I will hand Adrian over to you so look after him now."

    It was bold of Adam to order Lucas around. And frankly, Lucas had not thought Adam capable of it until now.

    But theck of his memory must be doing something to Adam because he looked like a different person now.

    //////////////////////////////////////////////

    "The crown prince is without a mother and that is why this marriage is important."

    Eve heard the talk for the fourth time now. It was the same thing every time - her marriage to Adam, the emperor. She had denied it the first three times already but had decided to save herself the headache the fourth time.

    It was a little difficult to think of Adam having a kid at their age but it must be true. However, every time she tried to remember who the kid''s mother was, emptiness filled her heart.

    It was getting difficult to hold her tears back now and that was why Eve decided not to think about it.

    "Saintess Eve, are you listening to us? You need to ept this marriage at all costs. You cannot leave the crown prince without a mother figure, right?"

    Eve heard the priests talk again. But this time she could not hold herself back frommenting.

    "Hey, isn''t this too much? In the first ce, we don''t even know what happened to the queen and you are already pushing me to take the role? Shouldn''t you investigate her situation first?"

    The priests went quiet at Eve''s words. She knew it was because they had not considered her refusal on this topic.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Eve might have felt differently if she had seen the kid. She might have agreed to take care of him and be his second mother. But even she knew that she could not rece the kid''s birth mother.

    She was not sure why she had such a feeling but Eve was quite convinced that it would be impossible to rece the previous queen.

    "The saintess is right. I don''t need another queen when I already have one. She might not be here now but that does not mean the queen is someone you all can openly disrespect."

    Everyone except Eve flinched at the emperor''s words. He had been cutting and sharp in his remarks.

    As he took his seat on the sofa, Adam gave her a nod. But that was all the acknowledgment he gave Eve. They had no other interaction that indicated a deeper rtionship.

    Eve could not help but feel like there should be a connection between herself and Adam but it was not romantic like everyone hoped it to be. It felt more like there was a simr goal they both shared.

    "L-Look, I know that the both of you are not happy with this arrangement but you need to think of the future. You cannot leave the crown prince without a mother figure and-"

    "That is something for me to decide. My child will get his mother back, that I assure you. As for this marriage talk, it''s over and I don''t want to hear it again."

    With this, Adam shot down any chances the others had of getting him hitched to Eve. as a dragon, he understood his son''s nature better than anyone else.

    You could never forget the scent of the person who carried you in their body. Adam was sure that Adrian would never be able to forget his mother in this life.

    "I-fine. Don''t consider my goodwill. But you will regret your decision in the future."

    The priest looked frustrated and ended up leaving in a dash. Adam did not have many thoughts as he watched the priest go.

    Instead, his eyes red at everyone else to leave him alone as well. And they all quickly made their way out as well.

    "Did you talk with sir Lucas Dirac? Did you find anything regarding our missing memories? I went with the Head Preist but there was nothing significant I found out."

    Eve sounded curious to know. It likely meant that she had not paid attention to Sir Yohan''s words.

    But then again, there was something about the Head Preist that set Adam''s senses on alert. He instinctively did not like the man and he doubted if he ever would.

    "Don''t talk about him in front of me. Just hearing his name puts me in a foul mood. Besides, what else can we do to gather information?"

    Adam wondered out loud, hoping for some kind of miracle to happen. It was an impossible wish but he did not give in.

    "In that case, maybe I can be of help to you. I know a way for you to regain your missing memories."

    Adam looked up sharply at the approaching man. He had not heard the man enter the room but he quickly jumped to his feet and took an attacking position.

    Eve looked remarkably calmer and her eyes shed with recognition. It assured Adam that she knew this man. Maybe she was the one who had brought him here as well.

    "Who are you? How did you get in here? I should-"

    "Adam, calm down. I brought this man here because he said that he knew about our missing memories. So I thought we should hear him out and-"

    "You are curious about her, right? About Elysia Dirac. Don''t you wish to recover your memories of her? If so, then I might know of a way or two to do so."

    Adam felt his grip tighten before he loosened his fist. The name ''Elysia Dirac'' caused butterflies to flutter in his stomach. He was sure that it was the name he had been missing.

    And somehow, Adam had a feeling that everything would be alright once he had Elysia with him again. It was such a strong reaction for a single name.

    But he still could not bring himself to trust those nk grey eyes and that empty smile.

 Chapter 229 228: An Offer For Help [Pt2]

    "You are curious about her, right? About Elysia Dirac. Don''t you wish to recover your memories of her? If so, then I might know of a way or two to do so."

    Even Eve felt her curiosity rise at the unknown man''s words. She had met him only because the head priest had insisted that she do. But ever since she hadid her eyes on him, this man had given her mixed feelings.

    Her instincts told her that she should like this man. He was good for her and her future. He was someone that cared for her.

    But something in her rationality asked her to be cautious. The ease with which her instincts had epted him was unusual.

    And maybe that was why she decided to bring him along to meet Adam this time. She wanted to see if the emperor would feel something different from her if he saw that man.

    "Elysia Dirac? Is that the name my wife went by? How do you know it? And how are you able to speak of that name so easily?"

    Frankly, Eve was surprised that Adam knew about his wife.

    But then again, it was a given that he should know if he had a kid. The existence of the kid had to be exined in some way.

    "How do I know the name of your wife? It''s easy. It''s because I was someone who knew her before her existence was erased from this world. But from your reaction, it seems like someone tipped you off about her. After all, you don''t seem surprised to hear her name."

    It was not until the grey-haired man mentioned the ''name'' part that Eve realized what he meant.

    ''He said Dirac, right? As in Lucas Dirac''s family? That grand duke had a sibling?''

    It was shocking news for Eve. She could not bring herself to even think of the grand duke with a younger sibling by his side.

    But maybe that was not the case. It felt like she could almost see the grand duke being followed by a ck-haireddy who looked like him if Eve tried to.

    But as soon as that image shed through her mind, so did the apanying headache. In the end, Eve had to give up looking deeper into her erased memories or she would suffer even less.

    "Don''t force yourself to remember, my dear Saintess. You will naturally be able to see her again if you follow my words. All you need to do is to help me out in saving the world."

    Adam suddenly stood in front of Eve. his back was tense and Eve had a feeling that he was not happy with what he was hearing.

    "Who are you? Your energy does not feel real and it''s too strong to be a human. Are you some kind of spirit?"

    Adam''s question made sense to Eve. She felt a weird energying out of the man in front of her as well. It was as if the world was converging toward him but the man was unaffected.

    He should have copsed by the mere pressure he was being subjected to. Even Eve found it hard to breathe in her current condition.

    But the man was alright. No, he was better than alright. In fact, it seemed like he was thriving in his current condition.

    "I am this world''s consciousness but you both can call me Axia. I am here because someone tried to break the bnce of this world and that is what made Elysia Dirac disappear. I am here to offer you a deal to make everything alright again."

    The man was either telling the truth, or he was the biggest fool for trying to tell such an obvious lie.

    Eve had a feeling that it was the former case and it made her tense up. If this man was the consciousness of this world, then he was not an opponent she had Adam could take on.

    Especially since the world was in such a difficult situation right now. It would be impossible to tell what would happen if the consciousness of this world was harmed in some way.

    "I can see that you are telling the truth. But so what? I am not going to cooperate with you no matter what you say. So don''t waste your time here and run away now."

    Adam was the only one brave enough to say all this directly to the world''s consciousness. The spiritughed out loud as soon as he heard Adam''s words.

    "You are such a funny person, believing that you have a choice. But I can assure you that you will not find any other clue about Elysia Dirac even if you look around. Your only option is toe to me."

    "Once you are ready to save Elysia Dirac and this world,e and find me in the temple. But do hurry up, because this world does not have long left in its lifespan."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The grey-haired man turned around and Eve watched as he disappeared into thin air. Adam did try to stop the man, but he disappeared before Adam could stop him.

    "Darn it. How dare that man make fun of me like that."

    Adam was setting and Eve was shocked at what happened as well. She had not felt Axia use any magic so his disappearance had taken her off guard.

    But before she could righten himself, Adam turned around and stormed out. Eve did try to stop him but it was already toote to quench his anger.

    "Adam, where are you going? Don''t do anything foolish in your anger, alright? Hey, are you listening?"

    Eve called out to Adam but he was beyond listening to her. Somehow, Eve knew exactly where he was storming off to.

    //////////////////////////////

    Sorias, who watched it all happen could only try and follow behind the two. He had no idea why he was in human society but he was sure to go back now.

    This mess would impact the whole world, but he had to make sure the enchanted forest remained unharmed. The human world was none of his concern.

    ''Why did I step into the human world again? Was it for Lucas''s sake? Or was it because of my brother? But no, he is dead. Why is it so difficult to remember?''

    Sorias knew something was wrong with his current condition but his head was killing him every time he tried to remember what had happened.

    He knew that there were people important to him that he had sworn to protect but he could not remember their faces or how they looked.

    "Sorias, is everything alright? You look to be in pain?"

    Sorias looked to see Enma headed his way. Out of everyone, Sorias had no idea how he had gotten to know Enma. he did not seem like someone Sorias would give his time to.

    And yet, he could feel a bond between himself and this human. How had thise to pass again? Why could he not remember it?

    "Enma, what are you doing here? Should you be roaming around like this? Weren''t you supposed to do something?"

    Enma looked surprised at being asked this and he even looked a little flustered. Sorias had a feeling that he had not expected to be asked these questions.

    "I-ugh. I was trying to find Elysia but anytime I ask someone about her, they say they don''t know who she is. I am thinking of just going to Lucas at this rate and asking him-"

    "Enma, who is the person you are searching for?"

    "Not you too. I thought you out of everyone would not joke about Elysia Dirac like this. After all, wasn''t Elysia your contractor? How can you even forget someone like her?"

    Enma''s words were stressed out as if they were true. It did not seem like he was lying about Elysia''s importance to her role in Sorias''s life. The empty contract mark also made sense now and Sorias finally had the answer to his questions.

    But the big question remained - how did he forget about Elysia Dirac? The bond between a familiar and a contractor was sacred and nothing could overturn it except death.

    "This all does not make sense. Just what in the world is happening? You! We should go and meet Emma as well to see what she remembered. She might be able to shed some light on this topic for us."

    Enma sounded certain about it but Sorias had no idea what Emma would be able to do. Someone like Emma should have nothing to do with what was going on.

    "Enma, wait. Why do we need to-?"

    Sorias stopped speaking when he saw Emma''s face in front of him. The girl had gone chalk white all of a sudden before she turned around and fled the scene.

    This was the first time she had done such a thing after her confession and Sorias had a feeling she was afraid of him. And for that reason, he wanted to catch her.

 Chapter 230 229: And Offer For Help [Pt3]

    ''Wait! Why am I running away like this? I am sure that I did nothing wrong so why should I flee?''

    Emma did not know why her body had fled as soon as she had seen Sorias''s face. Her heart had given a painful beat before her legs had broken off into a fast run. Her lungs even burned at the painful exercise.

    But her mind was convinced that she had to run. It felt like the only option she had.

    "Emma wait, slow down. Why are you running away this fast? We just want to ask you some questions."

    Enma ran after her as well. He was a short kid and perverted as hell, but he knew how to put up work when it was needed.

    It did not help that he was deadly afraid of Sorias and Lucas. There was no way he would take Emma''s side in the argument.

    ''But why would there be an argument in the first ce? Emma White, what did you end up doing?''

    Just because Emma could not remember what she did was not enough to justify her actions. Maybe that was why she was feeling afraid of being hated by Sorias in the first ce.

    "Emma, wait. I caught you."

    Of course, Enam somehow ended up catching up to her and she almost ended up hurting him. But that is a different case. Her heart froze as she watched Sorias walk up to her with his slow steps. It did not help that he was in his adult form and looked gorgeous.

    Emma''s heart was still beating faster and faster in her chest but now it was a mixture of admiration as well as fear.

    "Emma White, why did you run away from us? Is there something you are hiding from us?"

    Sorias''s eyes had never looked that menacing before. He looked like apletely different person than before but Emma still found herself to be love-struck by him. She would likely always love him even if he ended up changing.

    "I��don''t know why I avoided you as well. It was like my body decided on that action on its own. Something feels wrong with this world but I cannot pinpoint what it is."

    Now that she had been caught, Emma decided to confess her feelings. It was a shame that she had not been able to hide.

    But hiding would mean not seeing Sorias again and that was not a risk worth taking. Just looking at Sorias''s face made Emma feel better all of a sudden.

    "You as well? And I thought you might know something about what was happening. You were loitering around the temple a lot before this, right? I was convinced that you knew about Elysia Dirac."

    Enma moaned those words out. Emma had forgotten that he had even been there in the first ce. But the youngest never failed to make his presence known.

    Somehow, his words sounded like they were true and Emma even got goosebumps after hearing that name. It felt like she should not know that name.

    Sorias clutched his head in pain as soon as he heard Elysia''s name. His reaction was simr to the mild headache Emma got when she heard Elysia''s name. But she was not sure why she felt afraid of that name.

    "Hey, are you both alright? Somehow I have a feeling that I was not supposed to say that name out loud."

    Enma looked worried about the reaction he got from the other two people in front of him. He was suddenly afraid to see the clutching their heads. Were they not being too dramatic right now?

    But even still, he was the cause of their headache and he could not say anything.

    "You said Elysia ''Dirac'' right? Let''s go and meet Lucas right now. I have a feeling he would know what is happening better than anyone else."

    Sorias sounded annoyed and his tone was bossy. It left no room for ''ifs'' and ''buts'' which made Enma weep inside.

    He did not want to drag himself into any kind of danger. And this situation had ''danger'' written all over it. He was sure that Elysia had managed tond herself into trouble yet again.

    And every time that happened, Enma felt like years were shaved off his life in return.

    "Oi Enma, hurry up and follow. You don''t want to be a suspect in whatever is happening, right? So you better cooperate with us."<novelnext></novelnext>

    If Enma could, he would be crying right now. Somehow, he knew this would happen no matter what he did.

    Surprisingly enough, Emma White decided to stay quiet this time. It was unlike her and that made Enma worried about what had happened. Had she been involved in some way?

    ///////////////////////////////////

    "Elysia Dirac"

    Lucas looked up from Adrian''s sleeping face as the door was banged open by emperor Adam. the half-dragon looked pissed off but he calmed down as soon as he saw his son''s face.

    Even dragons had some kind of instincts when it came to their young and Adam was not any different. He liked the kid for now, even if he did not feel particrly attached to the kid yet.

    "What is it, Emperor Adam? Can you not see that I managed to put your son to sleep? Is there a need for you to barge in like this?"

    Lucas Dirac looked pissed off and his blue eyes were zing in anger. He was radiating magic off his every pore and any lesser man would have backed off.

    But Adam was not any lesser man and he needed answers. It was another stare-off and this time, it was tenser than anything they had ever had before.

    "Elysia Dirac! That was the name you were trying to say before right? What''s wrong? Did I hit the nail?"

    Frankly, Lucas was surprised that his sister''s name hade up so soon in this conversation. He wanted to tell Adam but his mouth was still shutting itself up when he tried to talk.

    The world was blocking him from saying anything about Elysia even when he was asked directly. It was such a drag and Lucas hated every second of it. He would make sure to tear the one who made him sufferter.

    "I still cannot seem to talk about her even now. I guess the magic has too strong a hold on me."

    Lucas confessed, feeling hopeless for the first time in his life. He felt sorry for Elysia who was in her situation because of him. All he had wanted to do was to help her out. He had no idea things would end up being like this for him.

    "Darn it. Do we have no other choice but to trust that weirdo if we want to find Elysia Dirac? I don''t want to depend on the temple for anything."

    Adam was angry but he was even more helpless. He had so much power but even that could not help him when it mattered the most.

    Eve''s hand on his shoulder was not calming at all. Instead, it frustrated him more and reminded him what a failure he was.

    "Calm down. For now, we should do as we are told to do and go to visit the temple. Hopefully, we will be able to find clued about Elysia Dirac there and then make a n. But for now, we should not let our only lead slip out of our hands."

    Adam was surprised at Eve''s ability to rationalize a situation. She was good at her work and at controlling her emotions. She would be a better monarch for this nation than him.

    "Let me help you all out as well. I think I heard things I was not supposed to but I feel the desire to help you out now."

    Of course, Sorias was the one who walked into the room. His eyes looked determined as well and Adam knew they would not be able to stop him froming along.

    Their small party was slowly gaining momentum and soon they would be able to overwhelm the temple. And once Elysia Dirac was back, they would get rid of this monster thread guing their world.

    ''I don''t know why my instincts are telling me to prioritize Elysia Dirac''s safety but I am not about to go and deny them.''

    Adam might be an emperor but he was also a dragon who lost his mate. His fury would not calm down as long as he was away from his wife.

    "Then, if we are all in agreement, I will send the letter for our arrival at the temple. Lord Dirac, what will you do? You are in no condition toe along and we need a guardian for the young crown prince."

    Eve''s eyes softened as she looked at the lovely pools of blue. It was very near to her own eye shade but not quite. So maybe the child had inherited it from his mother? Those features felt nostalgic to her for some reason.

 Chapter 231 230: A Will To Survive [Pt1]

    "Then, if we are all in agreement, I will send the letter for our arrival at the temple. Lord Dirac, what will you do? You are in no condition toe along and we need a guardian for the young crown prince."

    Lucas Dirac was the one who knew this point better than anyone else. He knew he was in no condition to be moving around and it was frustrating to him as well.

    Sending children into battle was not something Lucas had evere to terms with. Not now and not back in his past life. But it was what would happen and he knew it.

    He recognized the signs of what was happening in this world better than anyone else. It was getting ready to invade another world and gain its powers. It would not be the first time it would happen as well.

    But he was not sure if these children would believe his words or not. And Lucas did not want to drag them into this conflict if he could help it. However, he was powerless against the current situation as well.

    "Fine. You should go to the temple now. But also take Sorias with you since he''s already here and heard everything."

    Sorias came out from the door of the room. He looked a little put out at being left out of the conversation but he was ready to take up his role as well.

    He was not alone since Enma and Emma were with him as well. Although, Emma did look a little pale and her eyes also looked flustered.

    "Don''t worry. I have Sara keep an eye on the temple for me so I will know if anything big is about to happen. But we cannot ignore Elysia and the threat on this world anymore."

    Eve sounded worried about too much. She had too much baggage on her shoulder for someone this young and Lucas felt sorry for her. She did not need to deal with whatever was happening.

    She reminded him a little of Noctis and that was a thought he did not want to have right now. He was sure that Eve''s fate would be different from his old friend''s.

    "Hurry up and go. I will take care of Adrian in the meanwhile."

    Since this child was special, Lucas could not help but want to keep him close. He felt like something would change if this kid remained by his side.

    Besides, he was also sure that Adrian had been the reason he had not forgotten anything that happened when everyone else forgot about Elysia''s existence. Adrian needed to be with him to make sure nothing like this happened again.

    "Umm, can I stay behind as well? I mean, it''s not like I will be of any help to you people and there needs to be someone here to take care of Lord Lucas''s needs."

    Enma proposed as he finally spoke up. Adam seemed ready to deny him when Lucas stopped him. Enma was too young to get mixed up in this situation as well.

    Besides, who knew what would Enma''s interference result in? It was better to keep him out here. And Adam caught his meaning as well.

    "Very well, you can stay behind for now. But don''t get in trouble or you will have to pay for itter."

    Enma flinched after hearing those harsh words from Adam. But he did not talent them to heart. He just wanted to stay out of the danger as much as he can.

    So much of the story had changed already but most of it had also remained the same. This world was still falling apart due to the magical rift that had something to do with Elysia Dirac. But there was no ''power of love'' this time to save this world.

    He was afraid of what would happen next.

    "Then, we will all be heading out now. Take care of yourself and this ce."

    Adam finally left along with Eve and Sorias. Even Emma went out with them with a hesitant step. Things were finally moving along the way and Enma copsed on the seat. He could finally rx.

    "And how long are you going to hide back there? You better show yourself and exin what is going on, Noctis. You cannot hide from me."

    Enma jumped in his seat when Lucas Dirac first spoke. He was afraid that Lucas was talking to him and that scared him before Lucas finished speaking.

    And then Enma was horrified once the name registered in his mind. It belonged to a man who had died a long time ago after all.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "So you did know where I was? Then, I hope you do not mind if Ie close to you. It has been a long time since west talked like this, right?"

    Noctis walked out from the shadows. It should have been impossible for him to hide in such an obvious ce without being spotted. It meant that he had used magic without being detected.

    "Do you mind if I see Adrain''s face? I cloud not stop myself froming here once I heard the news. I apologize for taking this long toe through."

    Noctis did not look apologetic when he approached Lucas and the kid Lucas was holding. Noctis looked interested and sharp as he reached for the kid.

    He did not even seem to have minded it when Lucas pped his hand away and pulled Adrian closer to his body. There was some obvious tension in the air between the two.

    "Keep your hands away from Adrian. There is no need for you toe here like this. I hope you are not here to cause me any kind of trouble."

    Lucas sounded pissed off but not so much as to send Noctis away. He was more curious than anything about Noctis''s decision to show himself.

    "I am not here to cause any trouble. In fact, I am here for the opposite. I want to help you out in finding Elysia and bringing her back. Would you still not hear me out?"

    Enma would be happy to say that Noctis was lying right now but he could not find anything in Noctis''s tone that suggested that he was lying. He sounded dead serious when he spoke and his voice wasced with a promising power.

    Enma took a hesitant step back from him but Lucas seemed unhinged.

    Meanwhile, Adrian decided to approach this new man with a happy expression. He leaned forward toward Adrian and cupped his sleeve. Noctis''s expression softened as he looked at the kid but Lucas was not having it.

    He pulled the kid back into his embrace and hid his face from Noctis''s gaze.

    "You have no right to demand such a thing. I don''t need your help to bring Elysia back and I want you to step out of my life. Whatever would happen from now on would be for me to decideter."

    Noctis and Lucas locked eyes, their wills shing. And Adrian decided this time to protest against this.

    His cry caused Lucas to lose his focus on Noctis and pay attention to Adrian. It was also the time Enma decided to interfere.

    He could guess some of the reasons why these two were fighting this bitterly but he also knew that they could turn out to be great allies. He had read a little about their rtionships.

    Besides, Noctis looked like someone from his original world and that was also what gave Enma the confidence to be on his side. It felt like he was helping someone who was in a simr situation to himself.

    "L-Lord Lucas, I think we should hear this man out. Even if you do not want to do anything with him, information is always crucial to have."

    Noctis looked surprised to see Enma interfere on his behalf but his look softened greatly as he saw Lucas considering Enma''s words.

    "That''s right. Our fight can wait once we are all safe and sound. Our first action should be to bring Elysia back, am I right?"

    Lucas still had a bitter look on his face but he finally seemed to be agreeing with Enma and Noctis''s words. The worry for his sister was making Lucas soft.

    "Fine, let''s help Elysia out first. But don''t think we are done with each other. I don''t think I will be able to forgive you anytime soon."

    Noctis felt relieved after hearing Lucas''s words. He had said ''anytime soon'' and not ''forever''. It meant that he still had a chance to gain Lucas''s favor and make their rtionship go back to what it used to be.

    "I agree. And since I agree with you, I should tell you a few things about who is behind everything that happened. I noticed it as soon as I sacrificed myselfst time. These worlds, they have consciousness and it''s what is causing everything."

    "It all started with these consciousness''s will to survive and a battle for supremacy��"

 Chapter 232 231: A Will To Survive [Pt2]

    "Emperor Adam, Lady Eve, wee to the temple. Head Priest Yohan did tell me that you both would being and to wee you to the inner chamber once you do."

    The priest looked happy to see the paire up to him. It was no different from being treated as they always have been. The temple seemed to have forgotten all the mishappenings that happened.

    But that was not the case for the royal pair. They could not forget anything that had happened and how they had been forced into this corner.

    "Would you like to have some coffee? Tea? Any other beverage you would fancy? Ah, I know. We have the childhood favorite of the Saintess, the banana slushie."

    Eve found it odd how confident the priest was when he spoke about her likes and dislikes. As far as Eve remembered, she did not like milk products but had endured for someone''s sake.

    But no matter how hard she tried to remember, she could not make the face out.

    ''Must be Lady Elysia Dirac. I remember things rted to her but not her specifically.''

    "No need to bring anything to us. We are here for a quick visit so get tell Head Priest to hurry up."

    Eve''s tone came out chilling which caused the priests to be taken aback. They had never heard her talk like this to them personally. But then again, they had not interacted with her too much as well.

    They just knew Eve as the kind saintess who served the god.

    "There is no need to be this cutthroat with the priests, Eve. I thought I taught you better than this."

    Head Priest Yohan came out from the back door. He had heard everything that happened and now regarded Eve with harsh eyes. Eve did not back down from his stare either and they both were not willing to give up.

    But just because this stare-down was going on, that did not mean that Adam was going to sit this one out. He was the one ticked the most due to his iplete bond and his longing for more.

    "You should be the one to watch your mouth, Head Preist. My patience with you had been exhausted. Bring that man to me now."

    Adam''s eyes hardly had any of their white currently. He was like a beast hunting his prey and the Head Priest had to back down to not get chewed up by him.

    Head Priest Yihan regarded the head priest with caution, not willing to back down but also not willing to engage him.

    He knew that something had gone wrong but he could not remember what it had been.

    "I don''t know what you-"

    "Emperor Adam, we found the secret passage and I think I can escort you now. There is no longer a need to engage in pointless talks."

    Of course, Sara was the one who opened the door. She had heard everything that was being said and could not help herself from interfering.

    Head Priest Yohan had a closed-off expression on his face as he looked at Sara and they both regarded each other with caution. They had tried hard to not cross oaths but it was difficult.

    "Sara, know your ce. The temple is not some kind of ce you can just roam around as you please-"

    Head Priest Yohan was agitated but it soon turned into fear as he was grabbed by his throat. He quickly used magic to get Emperor Adam''s hands off his throat but the magic did not work.

    As soon as his magic eroded the emperor''s sleeve, they met hard draconic scales and bestial eyes looked back at him.

    "I warned you before, Yohan. Do not test my patience but you are making it difficult for me. I don''t know why I decided to keep you alive for this long but it will no longer be the case."

    Head Priest Yohan could have tried to break the hold on his throat in a thousand ways but he had a feeling that nothing would work out for him. In the end, he was staring at death in the eyes and he was afraid.

    Thankfully, he was saved yet again by a timely entrance.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Now now, I don''t think that will be necessary for you to do. This man is a crucial ingredient in fulfilling this world''s fate so I would prefer it if you left him alone. Of course, that is not the case if you decided to give up on Lady Dirac."

    Grey eyes on a nk face. It was the man who first spoke of the forbidden word to the pair. He was also the one who could bring Elysia back.

    Adam was in a predicament and he did not want to let the Head Priest go. But he had no other choice not because he wanted to know more about Elysia. And keeping this man alive was not the way to go.

    "Tsk, fine. You get to live one more day. But I wonder just how long your good luck willst. One day, you will run out of everything you hold precious."

    Adam''s words were not a threat but a promise. He was going to ruin Head Priest Yohan as soon as he managed to bring Elysia and this world under hismand. His dominance would no longer allow him to sit back.

    "Emperor Adam, you need to learn to sit back and enjoy life a little. Being this hasty would only bring your downfall, you know."

    The man spoke like he knew the future. His eyes also swirled with forbidden knowledge and that made Eve convinced about his true identity. This man, would not mind even if the world crumbled around him.

    As long he had his goal achieved, he would not mind sacrificing anyone and everyone around him. This fear was what kept Eve rooted in her spot.

    "Fine, I guess we do have more important things to discuss. We will follow behind you but do not try and cross me. I am not a forgiving monarch."

    Adam was the only one who could hold Axia''s gaze like this. Even Eve had to look away due to the force she was being subjected to.

    However, Axia seemed to not find Adam''s actions repulsive. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying his defiance quite a bit.

    "You truly are like a dragon. Unhinged and unflinching. I knew you were the right one ever since you were born and that was why I decided to reward you with a soulmate. Who knew you would spit un my good grace like that and bond with someone else."

    The grey-haired man waved his hand and the priests left the room. Their moment looked like controlled puppetry and Eve had goosebumps.

    This man was not holding anything back and he was not afraid to show forbidden art. He was not afraid of anything, not even death.

    ? "I am not here to talk ideally. Tell me where you had kept Elysia Dirac and we can both we on our merry ways. If not, then I am afraid that you will no longer get to live a long and healthy life."

    Adam sounded 100% confident when he said that and any normal man would have been trembling at the threat.

    But Axia just gave a happy smile back, not concerned by the threat at all. Eve wanted to ask him how he was this confidence that he would not die but something told her that it would be better not to ask him.

    However, she did not need to ask Axia to tell her anyway. His happy and carefree smile hide some kind of secret that he was not willing to tell anyone.

    "Well, you will not be the first emperor to threaten me or even to try and kill me. You are not unique in that sense or even the most powerful one out there. In fact, I am more afraid of Lucas Dirac than I am of you."

    Adam did not take that insult well. His fist collided with the wall behind Axia and dented it horribly. Axia did not even flinch as he watched the first break the wall apart.

    His eyes remained calm and serene as he stood his ground. He was still unphased and the look in his eyes took Eve aback. He was still nk as a white paper.

    He took Adam''s fist in his hand and returned it to Adam''s side. He even healed the small bruise Adam had mockingly.

    "There is no need to force yourself to attack me. Nothing will change even if you kill me here and now. It might be worst for all of you if you did. After all, you will not know how to get Elysia Dirac back."

    Axia''s taunts were thest straw and Adam finally caught him by his cor.

    "Where and how did we get Elysia back? Hurry up and tell this to me right this second."

 Chapter 233 232: A Compromise [Pt1]

    Axia had fallen silent as soon as he had been grabbed by the emperor. He regarded the emperor with hooded eyes, his expression not changing whatsoever.

    But that was what unnerved Eve. How could anyone remain so calm when being threatened like this? And Adam was not an easy person to get along with.

    "Calm down a little, Emperor Adam. I was about to tell you how you can get to Elysia Dirac. The first thing you need to do is to conquer this drift in space."

    The grey-haired man sounded so confident Eve had to believe his words to be true. How could anyone make such a im without having certain knowledge? And theck of stuttering present in Axia''s voice also said everything about his confidence.

    Adam tightened his hand around Axia''s neck a little tighter, cutting his oxygen flow and his eyes ring at Aixa in a threatening manner. But the man was unbothered.

    "Truly, you have to hear me out before you kill me. You see, Elysia Dirac''s powers are what is maintaining this drift and she would have to continue doing so as long as the drift is there. At the same time, we cannot close the rift because it would cause this world to copse-"

    "Don''t care. Let the world burn and crash if it wants to. I just want to meet Elysia Dirac again. This world is not my concern."

    Eve wanted to say that Axia was dumbfounded by Adam''s words but it would be giving too much credit to his expression.

    But even so, Aixa''s nk expression finally showed some kind of emotion that was different from his previous ones. It was as if he was finally awakening from a dream he had been having.

    "Adam, you cannot just say this. The world-"

    "Is not my priority and it never was. You should know what kind of man I am better than anyone."

    Of course, Eve knew because she was no different from Adam. even though she said that they should save the world and make it a priority, the fact that she had not jumped the ship as soon as it had been mentioned showed how conflicted she was.

    She was just pretending to be nice and imed to be a good person.

    "I think I see the mistake I made. I made you both too simr to each other so now it is difficult for you both to like each other. Nheless, it is not something that will matter much in the future."

    Axia seemed to be pondering something before he forced Adam''s hand off his neck. There were no signs of bruises or other abuse on his body.

    It seemed as if Adam had simply touched the man and never threatened him to begin with. It was such a weird and unsettling sight for Eve to see.

    "You both have your own choice. You can either help me out and save Elysia Dirac, or you can hide away and take your chances of never seeing her again. It is up to you now to decide."

    Eve gritted her teeth as she considered Axia''s words. It was not even a question at this point because this man knew they would agree. Adam especially would not let this chance lie.

    Eve was suspicious about the fact that this man was pressing this hard about this fight but she did not want to risk things. Even the Head Priest had decided to do everything in his power to make it all happen.

    And one thing Eve was sure about her adoptive father- he never did things halfway. If he had participated in this scheme then he should be sure about Axia.

    "I don''t like you and your intentions but I will do it for a chance to meet Elysia Dirac. Send me a message about what and how you want to do things. I will provide you with my support."

    Eve was not surprised at Adam''s easy eptance of his fate and his role.

    "And you, Saintess Eve? Will you go against us? Or will you help us out as well?"

    Fighting was something Eve was inherently against. Her blood boiled and her powers forced her to dislike all of this unnecessary bloodshed.

    But still, she felt a thrill go down her spine as soon as she thought of meeting Elysia again. It made her impatient and the itch to finish this fight was getting more and more prominent.

    "I will join this fight as well. I hope you do not make me regret joining youter."

    Finally, Axiaughed and his smile was genuine. Eve was unnerved by that smile so she did not say anything.

    "Well, it is nice to see you both join in the fight. I will send you a message as soon as we have prepared the necessary battle n. Until then, you can rx and move around."

    This was a dismissal if Eve had even heard one. And her mind also agreed with the man to leave.<novelnext></novelnext>

    She could feel that she was under the influence of foreign magic but Eve could not bring herself to break it. Adam seemed unaware of his moment as well unless they were both out of the temple.

    Once they were finally out, Adam cursed his inattentiveness at being caughtcking. He looked pissed off that he had moved out of the door while unaware.

    "Fuck it. How did I��Fuck��"

    Adam tried to open the door but the ce he wanted to go was no longer connected to the door. All he could do was curse and pound on the door to get answers. But he would not get his answers now.

    ? They both would have to wait around for the chance to meet Axia again and then get answers. And this time, they would not get their emotions mixed up.

    ///////////////////////////////

    "Hey, are you sure we are going the right way? This side of the rift is surprisingly mundanepared to our world. It almost looks medieval in looks."

    Serinained as shended on her feet again. The monsters were getting powerful but Serina was able to dispose of them easily.

    She was lucky that Lexus was with her because this was too much for a single person to handle. This side of the rift was getting annoying.

    And the worst part was- she could not even connect to her family as long as she was here. The frequency of the waves emitted in the rift mademunication impossible.

    "Serina quitining. You knew what you were signing up for when you decided toe here. We will only be able to go home once we have the rift closed."

    Lexus shot down Serina''sints while still trying to get to the end of the forest. Not only was the canopy dense but it was also irritating to be in this ce for so long.

    The worst part was, they had not managed to find human presence all the while they had been here. But they both were sure that humans did exist in this world.

    "Ugh, how long will we have to walk before we see any signs of civilization? My feet feel like they are about to break off."

    Serinained as she threw her knife. Another small monster fell from the tree as soon as the knife pinned it down the tree. It was a smooth-looking snake with beady eyes.

    "Hey, halt there. Who are you and where did youe from? Why are you killing all these divine beasts?"

    Of course, the first sign of human activity would turn out to be hostile to them. It was a female with weird eyes and a scaly face. And she looked pissed off about what was happening in the forest.

    Serina was happy to see a somewhat human figure in front of her. She even disregarded the hostile looks that were looking at her.

    "Thank god we met you. I thought I had gotten lost and-"

    "Serina, look out."

    Lexus blocked the attack that was aimed at Serina. The other human (creature?) had attacked to protect its home which made Lexus certain that she considered them as threats.''

    Serina, who had not considered something like this to happen, looked surprised and pissed off at being attacked this openly.

    "Hey, what gives? I was just trying to be friendly to you."

    Serinained as she drew her weapon out as well. Their attacker regarded them with a critical eye before she raised her hand.

    The ground beneath their feet shook and they both felt shocks head toward them. It was turning into a fight they could not avoid.

    "Serina, we need to avoid this fight at all costs. Hurry up and run toward the edge."

    Lexus knew that nothing good woulde from fighting openly like this. So they needed to head toward a safer space. And the only ce that looked helpful was the shadow of therge building in the far distance.

    It was their only hope of survival now.

 Chapter 234 233: A Compromise [Pt2]

    *sh*

    The iing w was barely avoided by Serina before she attacked back in defense. It caused the monster behind her to retreat in pain and look toward Serina with a hesitant look in its eyes.

    She could almost believe it to be intelligent if she did not know how monsters behaved in real life. Those cautious eyes were just afraid of dying.

    "Lexus, do we need to run away like this? I am sure we can take these small number of monsters with ease."

    Serina suggested as she fended off a few more monsters. Her sess was piling up and that made her happy. It proved how much she had improved in her skill level.

    It was not long ago that she had been someone who had been utterly dependent on others. But now she was able to fend for herself quite easily.

    "You fool. You can take two or three monsters but we cannot kill a horde of these monsters easily. Besides, I don''t think these are monsters. They don''t feel malicious."

    Now that Lexus had said that, Serina noticed the oddities as well. These monsters were not attacking them but defending thends.

    It was as if they were trying to drive out the intruders and they had even spoken themon tongue that Lexus and Serina could understand. Perhaps these monsters were someone you could reason with.

    It was weird and impossible to think of but it was one that still moved to the forefront of Lexus''s mind for one second.

    And then he started running again as the huge white building came into notice. And with that alternative in ce, Lexus knew what he needed to do. He quickly entered the perimeter of the building and watched as the other monsters stopped outside.

    Now that the intruders had been driven away, the monsters in front of them lost interest in the situation and started to go back.

    And just like that, Lexus and Serina had managed to survive this tense situation.

    "Oh, you both are children. You don''t look like you are locals but the temple is willing to ept everyone in need. Hurry up ande in now so that we can look after you."

    Lexus felt his heart jump in his throat as he faced the priest. He had yet to learn where the man had appeared and what he wanted from the pair.

    But the enthusiasm he showed was certainly not normal. And to wee strangers in was weird as well. This temple felt like a scam group to Lexus.

    "Hey, are you sure we can trust this man? I don''t feel like trusting him so should we leave now?"

    Serina seemed to be getting the same weird feeling as him. The building in front of them was new but it was also unsettling for some reason.

    "For now, we shouldply with the priest. I don''t think we are in any position to argue with the priest."

    Lexus needed more information and this temple seemed like a good ce to start. Elysia had once told him about his ce and she had said that the temple was a good ce to be.

    She had also said that the temple was the best ce to get help formoners and her best friend worked there as the Saintess. As long as Lexus could get to the Saintess, he was sure he would be able to find Elysia.

    "You are lucky to have survived the enchanted forest''s outskirts. Most people die once they go there but you both must have incredible luck. Or maybe it is the Saintess''s blessing that you made your way here."

    The priest spoke, not having a filter to keep the information out of his mouth. He was so open that Lexus doubted he would be able to pull off some kind of scheme in the future.

    "The Saintess? I thought she was always in the temple. Does the Saintess travel a lot?"

    Serina, who did not know much, was asking the questions Lexus wanted to ask. The priest had a worried and pinched expression on his face as he faced the pair.

    "Ah, you both must be too young to know. Listen, don''t tell anyone but the temple and the Saintess are going through a rough patch. As a result, she is not often in the temple. Look, there she is."

    Lexus looked toward the female the priest was pointing toward. It was a beautifuldy with ming red hair and striking blue eyes. She was fair and herplexion shined with divine light.

    There was no doubt that the saintess carried a certain presence with her every step but she was not Lexus''s type.

    Then there was the white-haired and golden eyes youth at her side who was as beautiful as the Saintess. But Lexus got a feeling that she should never anger that man if he wanted to live.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "That golden eyes man is-"

    "Emperor Adam. He''s a good man and a justified emperor but the way he treats the Saintess is just��."

    The priest trailed off from there, his expression conflicted before he debated whether he should speak of this matter or not. But then he decided to speak about his doubts anyway.

    After all, no one could stop someone''s love for gossip. Especially someone as bored as the priest.

    "There was a rumor that the Saintess and the emperor fancied each other but then the emperor married a no-name noble and had a son. It caused the rtionship between these two to break and then the queen also disappeared."

    "Now that I think about it, it''s weird. I don''t think I remember the queen''s name or what she looked like."

    Lexus did now know why he had a feeling that the queen was Elysia and she had someone managed to find herself in some kind of trouble already.

    "It would be so much like Elysia to have done that. Now, what are we going to do?"

    Serina''s words caused Lexus to take notice of the situation as well. Now that Elysia was missing, it wouldplicate the n for Lexus. He also doubted that he would be able to make his way to the emperor or the Saintess easily.

    Even if the two of them looked harmless and easy to approach, things would not be so easy for the pair. They must have been guarded quite heavily currently.

    "Anyway, I should make my way in now. The Head Priest needs me for something, so I cannot stay here any longer. Feel free to use any of the facilities we have since it''s what god would have wanted for you."

    The priest left the pair alone and now they had to n something out.

    "What should we do now?"

    Serina asked, looking at the temple''s building. Lexus thought about what they could do next but there was just one thing that crossed his mind.

    Even if everyone else forget Elysia Dirac''s existence, there was one person who would never forget her. And that had to be her brother - Lucas Dirac. Lexus had no idea where Lucas was or how to get to him, but that was something they had to do.

    "We will be looking for Lucas Dirac. Hopefully, he will be willing to hear us out."

    Lexus was not sure if things would work out that well for him but he was hopeful. They would finally be able to make some kind of progress.

    "Good idea. But there is one big question regarding this. How are we going to find Lucas Dirac''s whereabouts and how are we going to get to him? It''s not like you can just walk up to him and talk to him."

    Serina made a good point as well. Lexus was well aware that their circumstances were not ideal. But this was what they had to get done one way or the other.

    "Ah, you are looking for Lucas Dirac? I think I can help you with it. But only if you tell me who you are and how you know of Elysia Dirac. You see, I am oh so curious about her you see."

    Lexus tensed as he got ready to attack the speaker. But the foxdy seemed rxed but Lexus had a feeling that they would be killed if they attacked her without any external preparations.

    "Hey, you are not going to get us into trouble, right? Who are you anyway?"

    Serina looked at the shrewd foxdy in front of her. Her purple eyes were looking at the pair and evaluating them both.

    "My name is Sara. Now, if you want me to help you all, you both better keep your mouth shut and follow after me. Also, don''t trust the temple at all."

    Lexus and Serina changed and exchanged their looks with each other before they looked at the foxdy. They were going to cooperate with her this time.

    "Alright, we will follow after you. But if you cross us, then we will lose your life as well."

    Three pairs of eyes shed with each other, evaluating each other''s worth.

 Chapter 235 234: A Glimpse Of The World [Pt1]

    Initially, Sara had no intention of helping the helpless kids she saw on her way out of the temple. She was moderately invested in helping out lost travelers.

    Especially in the current times when there was an abundance of such travelers asking to see the Head Priest and praying for their safety. The more it happened, the more it got on Sara''s nerves.

    Moreover, she was having constant headaches that happened far too often, and she could not guess why that was. She felt that her magic was fighting against something she could not see.

    It was irritating and got Sara into a bad mood.

    So she was not going to interfere when two kids suddenly appeared in the temple and were dressed suspiciously. She had no contention of helping them out.

    And then she heard Lucas''s name which changed things for her. Normally, people tend to avoid saying Lucas Dirac''s name in public. Especially even more so when they did not know him.

    But not only had these people taken Lucas''s name, but they had also decided to look for him. It was her curiosity that caused Sara to decide to help them.

    It was cute how the kids thought that they could threaten her. It was not going to work on her but Sara would let the kids think that it was affecting her.

    "So, you said that you could take us to Lucas Dirac but how do you n on doing that? It''s not like you can just walk up to the royal pce and demand to be let in."

    Serina''s eyes narrowed in suspicion as she tried to figure the foxdy out. She did not like the expression of amusement that she was being faced with. It gave her the creeps.

    And Sara could read that expression on Serina''s face. The poor girl seemed to be trying hard to not show her fear. Unfortunately, it was not a very sessful trial.

    Sara had too much experience looking through others'' facades. This immaturedy in front of her had no chance of fooling her now

    The guy on the other hand was much more interesting and refined. He was extremely young but he still gave off an authoritative aura. His eyes were also strong and did not back down when Sara showed her agitation.

    "Why cannot we just walk up to the royal pce and demand to be let in? That is what I am nning of doing anyway."

    Sara watched as the expression on her guest''s faces faltered for a second before they regained their masks. It was fun when she managed to catch people off guard. They always showed her the best expressions possible.

    "Quite your fooling around. If you can help us then do. If not, then buzz off."

    Serina''s snapping voice finally caused Sara to break out intoughter. She had a feeling that she would like these two amusing teens since they seemed to not fear her.

    "Yes, I got it. Follow me if you want to get into the royal pce. As for everything else, there is no need for you to worry."

    /////////////////////////////////

    White surrounded Elysia when she opened her eyes. There was nothing around her but the hollowness of the space and her clothes.

    Was this what death was about? To wander in a space and not find a way out every. It was terrifying to feel like this but the serenity of this ce calmed Elysia down. She felt like she could let all her worries disappear.

    ''I wish I could bring everyone else here as well. Though, I have no idea how they would react.''

    This ce was too nk and boring for most people to like for a long time. Only a tried soul like Elysia could find peace while being here.

    All she wanted to do was to close her eyes now and fall asleep but Elysia forced herself to open her eyes to reality.

    She forced herself to look into the only patch of color except her eyes in this white space. And it was the small pool in the center of the whiteness. It showed the outside world and what was going on there.

    The world was in a state of unrest. Monsters were appearing one by one and rifts in space were opening. Monsters were entering the empire and killing off people.

    It was all of the big concern but Elysia''s emotions could notprehend why it was all bad. She could not figure out why she should feel upset over what was happening.

    After all, none of the people Elysia liked would die. Her sacrifice had been for that sake only.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "How are you doing, my little flower? Does looking at the outside world fill you with a longing to go and experience it again?"

    Elysia knew she should be scared or even startled when Axia spoke like this. He liked to appear all of a sudden and disappear as well when Elysia was not looking. He was an enigma who had forced Elysia into this space.

    But despite that, Elysia could not find the feeling called ''fear'' inside her when he looked at Axia. To her, Axia was just anotherponent of this ce.

    There had been a time she had been angry at Axia for what he did. But the more time Elysia spent in this white world, the more she understood that Axia had no control over what he could and could not do.

    He might be called the ''will of this world'' but he was no more of a puppet than anyone else, forced to give up all his rights.

    "Are you not tired of it all? All this suffering and being made toply with this world''s demands all the time? Don''t you want to flee this world?"

    Elysia spoke those words but they did not have any will behind them. Her lips were moving and the sound wasing out of them, but she was numb to what she was saying.

    "Flee? Where can people like us even go if we manage to flee? We should ept our fate of being abandoned and learn to live with it. This world doesn''t like us but we like it."

    Fondness was another feeling Elysia had a hard time remembering. As for why that was, Elysia had a few guesses but nothing solid.

    "What is going to happen to this world now? Are you sure things would turn out to be alright?"

    Elysia asked these questions, knowing that they had no answer.

    "Who knows if we will see anything change in this world in the future? How about your body? Are you feeling alright?"

    "I am feeling quite perfect. I don''t think there is anything here that can hurt me anymore. But still, I don''t know why my heart hurts this bad. It feels like I am forgetting something."

    No matter how much Elysia wished and tried to remember, there were things she could not force herself to remember. It was irritating but it was also the truth of her reality now.

    Elysia wanted to get her emotions and her feelings back. But her fear was hindering her in the end. She did not want to feel hurt or make it difficult to stay here.

    And it was then that memory stuck with her. She was not sure why she even remembered such a thing but all she felt was pain and a desire to go home.

    She had been in a constant state of turmoil and she had wanted to escape her skin. She had even tried to end her life because of it.

    ''I was the one who handed over my emotions because I could not handle them anymore. Now I remember why this happened. It was all for my own sake in the first ce.''

    Perhaps, it would have been difficult to ept had Elysia got any semnce of emotions in her body. She was someone foolish enough to hand her progress over to someone and it hurt to admit it.

    But her apathetic self made it easier to handle her emotions now. It no longer hurts to think about home and going back.

    Scenes yed out in the water, they showed Eve and Adam. They also showed other people she knew, like Sorias and Enma.

    And then the water stopped on Lucas and a child in his arms. For the first time, Elysia felt the semnce of pain striking her chest and she gripped it hard.

    She felt like she knew the child but his name was escaping Elysia for some reason. The kid was important and Elysia wanted to touch him.

    ''Adrian.''

    That was what Lucas called the kid and Elysia felt her heart overflow with emotions. Her hand reached out to touch the child''s face before the water was disturbed the it lost its shape.

    It fell back into the pull, no longer disying those golden eyes.

    "It''s enough ying around. You should go back and rest your body now. The final cmity is fast approaching."

 Chapter 236 235: A Glimpse Of The World [Pt2]

    "It''s enough ying around. You should go back and rest your body now. The final cmity is fast approaching"

    The final cmity was something that Elysia had not thought about much. Mainly because there had been no avable information on the subject. All she knew about it was that it was an incredibly difficult trail this world must go through.

    Ancient mother, the one who created all these worlds, had not told Elysia much about it. In her words, it was something Elysia would need to experience herself to know what it meant.

    And once the final cmity had passed, a new world will be birthed under Elysia''s control.

    "I understand that you are worried. And don''t worry about me and my body. I will go and rest soon enough. The mortal world no longer holds any attachment for me."

    Elysia was no longer the emotional girl she had once been. She had attained enlightenment when her emotions had been strained and now she was more than capable of letting go of things.

    It did not matter that her eyes and her heart kept on turning back toward the people inside the pool. It was a mere temptation she would soon forget about.

    "I hope that is the case. Especially for your case, Elysia. I don''t want to see you suffer anymore."

    Had anyone else heard Axia''s words, they might have taken it as genuine fondness and kindness. Axia was someone capable of sounding innocent when he wanted after all.

    But Elysia could see past his fa?ade and into the hollowness that made up Axia. This man did not care about anything as long as he could fulfill his mission. And Elysia was sure she would be the same as him soon.

    They both stood still for a minute, just staring at each other. And then the space''s whiteness was again broken by a golden light. This time, it was a small bird that flew toward Axia andnded on his shoulder.

    ''The messenger'', Elysia''s mind supplied her with that answer just when she thought about it.

    The messenger was a spiritual beast given to Axia to help him out by his mother. It was a strong ancient beast capable of crossing dimensions.

    "Looks like my time here is up. I shall see you again, Elysia Dirac, and this time it will be when you are ready to be reborn."

    Elysia''s heart gave a painful tug as she heard those words. She had not realized it before, but she almost felt afraid of the future.

    As someone who had let go of all lingering attachments, it should no longer matter to Elysia what happened to her. She should be d for a chance to improve herself. But she still found herself to be afraid for some reason.

    ''Do I not want to forget these memories? The more I forget, the more relief I feel inside my soul. But it also hurts for some reason.''

    Elysia could tell that she had tried to hold on long ago. But her resistance had eroded over time and left her as a nk note in this vast sea of white.

    ''I wish I could see you onest time. Maybe then I will have my answers?''

    But even as Elysia wished for this, she knew that it was a passing wish that would note to pass. After all, she had her role to y in this world and there was a role made specifically for her - the sacrifice.

    ////////////////////////////////////////////

    "Lord Lucas, Lady Sara is here to see you. Should we let theme in?"

    Lucas Dirac looked toward the servant but she did not budge. The servants were getting bolder and bolder by the day, not even flinching when he red at them could make them back down.

    They were also getting smarter, ignoring the uninvited guest''s presence in the room. It was their cleverness that would allow them to live for a long time.

    "You can send Sara in."

    Out of everyone, Sara was thest person Lucas expected to be visited by. Especially in these busy times and Lucas was curious to hear her out.

    But when she walked through the door, she was not alone. The other two children (because they were too young to be called anything else.) looked ufortable as they walked into the room.

    Lucas had never seen clothes like those before, which made him suspicious, but Noctis tensed at his side, giving him pause.

    And suddenly, Lucas had a feeling he knew where these kids hade from. They were from Noctis''s original world.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Hey, I know you both. But how did you get here? Is there a way to return home then?"

    Coincidentally, it seemed like Enma knew them as well. He sounded surprised by not being very clear in his words.

    The girl in the pair looked a little taken aback by the enthusiasm in Enma''s voice and she took a step back but the boy looked to be frozen. He was looking at Noctis with wide eyes and Noctis stared right back at him.

    No one else noticed it before, but they both had simr features.

    "Brother, what the hell? You were here all this time?"

    Noctis jumped out of the way of a punch rather elegantly. It was turning out to be a small fight in front of his eyes. They were both fighting with each other and the room was turning inside out now.

    Under other circumstances, this fight would have been something Lucas would have allowed to continue. But time was of the essence now.

    And then Adrian started crying, his small lungs increasing in volume every second which caused everyone else to put a hand on their ears to keep his incredible volume out.

    The one who was the most irritated by this was Lucas. He was sick and annoyed by the fighting going on in front of him. Especially since it was affecting the baby in hisp as well.

    Adrian did deserve to be caught up in this fight. The kid had nothing to do with what was going on and he was also the only connection Elysia Lucas had.

    No one saw iting when Lucas exploded out of the blue. One second everyone was fighting, and the next they were sitting on the ground while covering their heads. No one wanted to be the first one to pick their heads up.

    "You all, calm down. If Adrian ends up not sleeping today then I will kill you all. You better pray Adrian is in a good mood and ms down soon."

    No one could lift their head and look Lucas in the eye. He was almost like the devil when he red everyone down.

    But still, there was one person who found Lucas''s anger to be funny and that was Adrian. He stopped crying and turned toward Lucas with a giggle on his lips.

    Everyone else could only watch with their heart caught in their throat. They were expecting to be killed, not to be spared like this. They had to thank Adrian for their lives being spared.

    "Ah, that reminds me. How did you both get here? The world-preservation force should be in effect and no human should be allowed to slip past it."

    Noctis asked this question as one asked about the weather. He seemed to not be worried about what was going on at all while everyone else was holding their breath.

    And it was also because of his question that everyone else realized this important information.

    Noctis had also forgotten it, but it had taken so much firepower to cross the world when he did it. It had also taken quite a few sacrifices on the way.

    But now, it seemed almost like child''s y. First Enma, then Elysia, and now these two people. It wounded his heart to see it happen.

    "It was not easy but the rift made it possible. That, and the fact that Elysia had my ribbon with her. Actually, we are here to meet her if possible. So can we know where she is?"

    Serina''s voice was calm but excited at the notion of meeting Elysia again. She had been waiting for this chance forever and now it was finally here.

    She did not catch the sudden change in mood that urred but Lexus did. He was not aware of what happened but he had a feeling that it was not good for him.

    Still, he had to ask this question and make sure to get his answer - what happened to Elysia?

    "Elysia is��no longer here. We don''t know what happened to her or where she went. All we know is that she erased her memories before disappearing forever. Even we are trying to chase her right now."

    Serina''s excitement disappeared into dread as soon as she heard those words. She had never expected herself to feel this dejected before but it seemed as if her heart was sinking.

    Elysia was missing?

 Chapter 237 236: The Helplessness

    ''Elysia was missing? I feel like I should be surprised, but I am not for some reason. It is so much like Elysia to do such dangerous things.''

    The more Lexus thought about it, the more he calmed down. His mind was running a thousand miles per hour even as everyone else fought with each other.

    "Anyway, as things stand, my sister is not here. What are you nning to do now?"

    It surprised Lexus how calm Lucas Dirac was even with his sister missing. He did not seem to be bothered on the surface and even went as far as to lie down. The kid in his arm was calm as well and regarded everything with interest.

    Somehow, Lexus found himself calming down as well as he watched Lucas Dirac''s calm temper. It was even making him forget all about his brother.

    "For starters, we should think about what else we can do to find Elysia. It is clear that this world wants her and us to follow a pre-determined path but I don''t feelfortable doing that."

    Lexus did not know what was going on this side of the rift but it seemed pretty messed up. Not to mention, these people were talking as if this world had a consciousness.

    Not that Lexus would rule that possibility out. He had seen too much to rule anything out for now. He would just be on the outlook for now.

    "That''s all right and all but I don''t understand why Elysia would want to erase her existence. I thought she was happy being with the people she loved."

    Serina seemed to be the only one having a hard time epting Elysia''s decision. She was not too young to get these concepts but she was far more innocent than anyone else in this room.

    It surprised Lexus whenever she asked these kinds of questions that betrayed how innocent she was.

    "Are you serious? Did Elysia look happy to you when she was in your world? You should not trust her words."

    Enma''s words caused Serina''s face to flush red but she did not back down. Lexus felt sorry for her and that was why he decided to help her save face.

    "Get back to the topic. How do we find Elysia and how do we help her out? Do you all have any idea?"

    No one spoke after Lexus asked that question. It was clear that if this side had any idea how to get to Elysia, they would have brought her back already. This meant that there was not a lot to be done.

    But that did not cause anyone to lose hope. They were confident that Elysia would be back one day with them.

    "We have Adrian so that is a plus. It is something that was never suppose to happen so he is an exception to this world''sw. The best case scenario would be to wait for him to grow up and then do something."

    "And how long will that take? Three years? Five? Twenty? We don''t have that kind of luxury. Elysia is my sister and I want her back."

    Surprisingly enough, it was Lucas who snapped this time. Lexus had not expected him to ever be this angry since he had looked calm andposed all this while. But this small outburst made him realize that it had only been his thinking.

    In reality, Lucas had been trying to suppress his rage and his depression. He had tried to look calm only because getting angry would not help him bring Elysia back.

    "Fine, I get it. But it is also true that we cannot do anything about it. We will have to leave it up to Adam and Eve to lure Elysia out."

    Noctis''s words caused everyone to feel a little bad about the situation. But was there anything else they could do? Likely not.

    //////////////////////////////////

    "Adam, are you going out toward the rift? We don''t know anything about the situation and you can even die if things do not work out. Even still, would you-"

    Eve stopped speaking as soon as she was faced with Adam''s determined expression. He was looking at Eve and his expression asked her not to question any decisions he made.

    It was only because of her frustration that caused Eve tosh out like that. She wanted to head out as well but that was not possible. There was too much to be done back here and the priests were kicking up a fuss about her going.

    And because Eve was frustrated, she had to sit back and not go out. Otherwise, she would make a mistake and end up causing quite a few people to worry.

    "Eve, I know you are frustrated but keep this feeling inside. Don''t worry, nothing would happen to me."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Fine, just go. You can die out there all you like."

    But even though Eve said that worry was evident in her eyes. Adam knew he could have fallen for her had the situation been different. But the heart wanted what it wanted.

    "My lord, we need to start heading out now. The number of monsters is increasing every second. We will be overrun in a matter of minutes."

    Adam turned away from Eve and it did not feel like the first time he had done this. He could almost make out a silhouette of someone at Eve''s side, looking at him with worried eyes as well.

    Maybe that had been Elysia whom he was trying to remember. But the more he tried to hold on to that illusion, the more it slipped past his hand.

    "My lord, we should leave now."

    Adam finally left at the second calling of his name. The more time he spend in the room, the more he did not want to leave it.

    The team was ready outside the building. These handfuls of knights were some of the best he had trained but even they lookedcklusterpared to before.

    "Alright, here is the n. And this is what we have to do."

    Adam was sure that these monsters would be taken care of today itself and that he will still have time to look for clues in the debris. This clue-seeking was the only reason he had agreed to this monster hunt in the first ce.

    The temple, the people and even this world did not matter. What did matter be to feel the familiar feeling his spirit missed?

    ////////////////////////////////

    "It''s almost time. I wonder how long you will be able tost against this onughter. You should just give your power to me."

    Axia looked at the sleeping face of the other world''s consciousness. It was the one he had selected so carefully to absorb.

    It had taken a lot to get to this point and weaken the barriers between the world. He also had to sacrifice a lot of resources and the story he had spun had also gone astray.

    But even after all that, he had managed to reach the inner room of the other world. And his opponent was unconscious for now which gave Axia the advantage. He did not even feel bad for all the hups he had caused.

    He reached out to take possession of the world''s power but he was not able to touch the other entity. Somehow, the entity opened his eyes and they disappeared. An annoying chase had started.

    "What the fuck? How did thingse to this? Did someone let this information bleed out from my carefully cultivated n?"

    Axia raged as he watched his prey escape his teeth. It was a big problem for him and now he would have to start from scratch.

    He quickly turned around the corner and it was a wonder he missed the small body that was hunched against the wall. Elysia held her breath as she waited for the man to pass. She had taken a big risk but it had been so worth it.

    She had managed to cause the most intricate working of everyone''s n to turn astray and it was a good thing that she managed to do it.

    "Great mother, I did it. But what should we do now?"

    Elysia walked back into the room which was surrounded by two foreign magic energies. Staying in this room was making her sick but there was nothing else for her to do.

    She had taken a big risk by trying to offset Axia''s power but she had brought the other side some time. Her rational side had caused her to realize how important it had been to preserve the bnce.

    Even if Aixa was at risk of dying, these people needed to stay alive for now. And for that to happen, Axia needed to die.

    ''I guess the loss of emotions made me take this step. Yeah, that must be it. It is not because I feel sympathetic toward these people. Surely that is not the case.''

    In the end, Elysia had to convenience herself about this. But even she knew she was trying to fool herself.

 Chapter 238 237: A Sneak Peak [Pt1]

    ''Ugh, there is no end to these monsters. Just where are all these things popping off from? Is there some kind of portal that I am missing? I asked every ce to be checked.''

    Adam stood on top of a mountain of corpses as he cleared away the way for the troops to move inwards. The hoard of monsters was just getting thicker and thicker as he marched ahead.

    Many soldiers were also getting sick due to all the miasma that surrounded them. It was toxic for humans at high concentrations after all.

    "Sir, we found the eye of the hoard. It''s just, we cannot advance there because of all the miasma that surrounds it."

    Adam sighed in relief as soon as he heard those words. Finally, this unending wave of monsters could be put to rest. And for that purpose, he did not hesitate to run right into the center of the hoard.

    Since he was pretty much immune to all kinds of miasma, he was easily able to charge through to the end. It did not take half as much time as one would have thought him to take.

    The soldiers around him looked stunned as Adam cleared away waves and waves of monsters with ease. They fell at a flick of his hand and did not wake up again.

    This was different than anyone else around him since he was ending the monster''s life.

    ''Just a little more. I can see the center light just fine from here.''

    Adam finally managed to break through the middle point of the monster formation and their numbers fell significantly. The ones gathered in the center were also weak and smaller than the others.

    They were growing up in front of his eyes into the strong steady monsters everyone else was facing. So Adam did not doubt that this center ce was the monster-summoning factory that he needed to destroy.

    "Fuck. where is the connecting device?"

    Adam looked around for anything that looked like a summoning spell or a piece of paper. But he could not find anything.

    Luckily, the sun decided to aid him just then and shine brightly over the area. The mirror in the middle of the form reflected the sun and Adam was finally able to see it.

    ''Mirror of Iris. What is this thing doing here?''

    Adam felt sure to the bone that it was the mentioned mirror in front of him. It had a unique design and unique powers that made it impossible to forget. Now all Adam had to do was destroy the mirror

    Which might turn out to be tougher than Adam expected. The monsters were weak but even they instinctively understood that the mirror was essential to their survival. And it made Adam''s way tougher as well.

    "You fiends. Get out of my way or I will roast you all."

    Adam roared out his words but the monsters were not paying attention to his words. Or, it was more urate to say that they could not understand what he meant.

    So the poor monsters were in by Adam''s w. His body had transformed into his hybrid form since this was the fastest way for him to get rid of the monsters.

    The more blood Adam spilled, the more his blood sang for more. He wanted to kill more and to tear apart even more from his ws.

    Finally, Adam was able to reach the mirror fragment but his mind was full of blooded rage. His fist was about to smash into the mirror when he stopped to look inside the mirror.

    He was not sure why he did such a thing and why his instinct asked him to do it either, but there was a nostalgic feeling when Adam looked inside the mirror.

    ck hair and blue eyes blinked back at Adam and he stared back at the beautiful face. It looked like Lucas Dirac but lovelier for some reason.

    And then the face looked back at Adam and blinked again before panic fluttered across the female''s face.

    "No, wait. Don''t go now. Elysia Dirac, listen to me-"

    But the screen in the mirror went nk. There was no one else inside the mirror anymore but Adam''s expression showed someone who had finally found heaven.

    As soon as Adam had seen Elysia''s face, he knew that Elysia was someone he had been searching for all his life. Just one look had been enough to send his instincts roaring and he wanted to hold her close.

    As a result, Adam forgot all about smashing the mirror and held it closer to his body. His powers kept the portal close but the monsters still existed in this world.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He was sure that a lot of people would die as a result of his not smashing the mirror. But all this world could die if it meant getting that lovely smile back.

    //////////////////////////////////////////////

    Elysia panicked as soon as she noticed Adam''s face. Her heart skipped a beat in fear as well as a remembrance when she looked into Adam''s golden eyes.

    Elysia had not thought she had any emotions left inside her now but looking at Adam had sent her down a spiral road of doubt. She no longer knew if she felt anything or not.

    "Elysia Dirac, are you kidding me? What did you do to make all my ns fail?"

    Axia roared as he entered the white space that Elysia upied. For the first time in her life, Elysia saw Axia show anything other than disinterest. He was pissed off to see Elysia and her involvement.

    "I don''t know what you are talking about Axia. I did not do anything. In fact, I did not even leave this white space."

    Elysia tried to appear as if she did not know anything but her heart skipped a few beats as she tried to contain her worry. She was afraid that she had been found out and her heart would just not sit still.

    Axia''s eyes made her feel like he could see through her and what she had done. This fear was lingering inside her heart and she had no idea what to do with it. Should she even speak up?

    In the end, it was Axia who decided to turn away from her.

    He was the one who knew Elysia''s condition better than anyone else. So he knew that she could not escape this vast expanse of white around her. She would live here for eternity.

    So it was likely not her who aided the other world''s consciousness.

    "You are right. I don''t know why I convinced myself that you wanted to stand against me. I am sure you will not do anything foolish to betray me since it would eradicate your chances of gaining freedom."

    Elysia had a sinking feeling in her stomach as she heard Axia''s words. She was well aware that she was doomed if he ever knew the truth.

    So Elysia would have to try her best to never let him find out.

    "You are right. Everything I do is for the fulfillment of my own goals and desires. Nothing else matters as long as I gain my freedom."

    Elysia had always believed this to be the truth. And yet, this time it felt like a lie she was trying to convenience herself with. Her mouth tasted bitter when she was done speaking.

    But at least Axia looked relieved and happy to hear Elysia talk. And this was what mattered in the end. He was convinced that Elysia was someone under hismand.

    "Anyway, since we are done with the first part of our n, I don''t think there is a need for us to be worried. You need to track down that running consciousness in this world and you will get what you want."

    Elysia knew why she was needed now. It was because she was the only person who could move freely in the world but also had divine protection.

    She did not exist in this world anymore but her essence was still left behind due to her usage ofrge-scale magic.

    ''Such an unpleasant sensation it is to be used again. But I guess I don''t have a choice anymore here. At least, this time it is on my terms.''

    It was worse than being a kid and not knowing better. This time, Elysia''s situation made her feel how helpless she was in front of her circumstances. And it sucked for her to be stuck like this.

    But there was no need for her toin. Her time for retribution woulde soon. All Elysia needed to do was hold on.

    ''Hopefully, everything would work out well in the end. I don''t have much of a choice in this matter anymore.''

    Everything was finally beginning to move in the direction it was supposed to in the beginning. Those who were responsible for what was happening would alsoe running out once their ns were in danger.

    And the world was turning a new leaf now.

 Chapter 239 238: A Sneak Peak [Pt2]

    "Emperor Adam, you are getting amunication signal from the royal pce. Lucas Dirac wants to talk to you. Should I hand themunication over to you?"

    The soldier maintained his distance as he brought the small device closer to the emperor. Their emperor was known to have a short temper and could fly into a rage if provoked. What was more? There would be no way to stop him until he was satisfied.

    And as things stood, the killing and blood caused his bloodlust to boil out of proportion and threaten everyone else. No one wanted to be the emperor''s next victim so they maintained their distance from him.

    But once in a while, one of the soldiers was chosen as the scrap goat to ensure their emperor did not die and received proper humanmunication after a tiring battle.

    And this time, it just happened to be the turn of this poor soldier.

    "Huh? From brother Lucas? Then what are you doing holding on to it? Hurry up and hand it over to me."

    Emperor Adam was calm, but the soldier who stood opposite him still felt shivers go down his spine as he watched the emperor question him.

    He could see the red aurabined with the anger surrounding the emperor and was deathly afraid that he would be killed.

    ''Mother, father, please remember me if I happen to perish right now. I don''t think I can take the emperor''s anger anymore.''

    The soldier prayed as he walked toward the emperor and handed the device over.

    The emperor''s ws tightened around the small spear just a fraction and the soldier felt his heart stop beating. Golden eyes met him and the soldier quickly bowed.

    And just like that, the soldier ran away at the first chance he got. He had a feeling that he would not get such an amazing chance once again.

    The emperor watched the soldier run away from him in a hurry. He could not understand what had terrified the soldier so much but it was not an umon sight for him. That was why he did not think much about it as he let the soldier go.

    After all, he had a much more important job to do than to chase after unknown people.

    "Lucas Dirac, what is it that you called me out for? I hope you have good news for me."

    Adam did not beat around the bush with his questions. He respected Lucas Dirac a ton but he was also the emperor. As such, there was a certain code of conduct he had to maintain, and bowing down to Lucas was not it.

    Lucas seemed not to be too offended by his easy address which was a relief. Their rtionship was a little sour but they both were trying to salvage it little by little.

    "I am alright. As for the news I carry with me, it can be good or not depending on how you view it. In short, we have a way to connect to the other world now."

    Lucas Dirac was blunt as well but he did not seem to be lying. His words were like a ray of hope for Adam.

    They also reminded him of the small mirror in his hands and what he saw in it. He was sure that this ''mirror of Isis'' would y an important role in the future as well. After all, hadn''t it managed to create a portal before as well?

    ''Huh, when did that happen? I can remember that it was a big deal, but what happened back then?''

    Every time Adam tried to remember, he was hit with a searing headache. His brain said not to focus on what he was thinking about since it was not important. But Adam''s heart knew that he needed to remember.

    He could see shes of ck in the back of his mind. They were apanied by blue and a familiarplexion of white.

    The picture was bing clear and Adam felt like he could even put a face to that figure in his memories. It was weird but Adam could not help but this that this was how it was supposed to be in the first ce.

    "Emperor Adam, are you alright? Are you hurt somewhere? Should we have the pce physicians on standby?"

    Adam sounded worried and it was a given. They could not afford to lose their emperor in these trying times.

    Since their crown prince was still a baby and incapable of using the royal family''s massive amounts of power, it was even more important for the emperor to be alive.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Nah, I am alright. I also have Eve here with me and her support is better than anything a royal physician can do. I just think I am feeling a little under the weathertely. It''s nothing to be worried about."

    Even though Adam said that he knew that his headache was not normal. It was a result of him trying to remember against this world''s magic.

    It was dreadful to realize that you were this powerless to go against fate and change your destiny. But at the same time, this proved that it was not impossible to change your future and to change who you were.

    It finally proved that Adam had a fighting chase against whatever this world was about to throw at him next.

    "I see. In that case, do hurry ande back. There are guests here that you might find interesting and they might also be able to help us get Elysia back."

    Adam''s heart skipped a beat as he remembered the owner of those bright blue eyes. His heart and soul called for the owner of those beautiful features but he had to hold back.

    "I-I see. In that case, both I and Eve will return to the pce shortly. Do you need us to pick up something?"

    Adam asked this question, but he also dreaded the answer he would get. After all, it would dy his return and make him waste precious time.

    But there were things only he could do as the descendent of the dragon. And Eve was also the Saintess. They would be the safest choice to send anywhere that needed a little bit of manpower.

    From Lucas''s thinking expression, it seemed like he was hesitant to say what he needed. He did not want to burden the emperor when he was busy enough already.

    But luckily, the others around him did not seem to have the same limitation. Especially the unknown person who suddenly put his arm around Lucas''s shoulder.

    "Get the Mirror of Isis if you can. That thing can help us out a lot."

    The unknown man said as he leaned even harder into Lucas Dirac. But what surprised Adam was that Lucas Dirac just let it happen.

    He did look a little annoyed but the feeling of being ufortable looked to be nowhere to be found on Lucas Dirac''s expression.

    "Noctis, get off of me or I will kill you. And Emperor Adam, there is no need for you to go out of your way for such a thing. Juste back for now and then we can discuss further what we need to do."

    ? Lucas Dirac looked offended but also so done with the other man. Adam was about toment on their close rtionship before he realized the requested item.

    He quickly looked at his hand where he held the mirror and decided to raise it.

    "So about that Mirror of Isis. I think we have this part covered for now. Is there anything else you might need?"

    A tense silence followed Adam''s words and he was not sure if he should speak up further or not. He was not sure of a lot of things but he did know that he had done well.

    He was ready to go out of his way for more treasures if it meant that he would get to meet Elysia again. That one look had been far from enough. Next time, he wanted to pull Elysia out and into the open.

    Everyone else on the other side looked on in stunned silence at Adam''s good luck. They had no idea what they could say to break the tension.

    "Ha..haha�� hahaha. Of course, Emperor Adam managed to find the Mirror of Isis even without us mentioning it. He is the main character of this world after all."

    Enma''sughter sounded around the room, finally causing the tension to breaking. Everyone else blinked as soon as they heard that hystericalughter before looking at Ema.

    But the younger just kept onughing, now clutching his belly in an attempt to make it hurt less.

    "Anyway Adam, you need to get back with that thing. And whatever you do, do not allow the Mirror to break. We will need it for the ceremony."

    Noctis asked as he pointed toward the Mirror in Adam''s hand. Adam clutched the Mirror harder in his hand with his mind made up. He would be back soon with this mirror.

 Chapter 240 239: The Changes [Pt1]

    "So this is the mirror than can help us? I can indeed feel the smallest hints of divinitying from inside it, but are you sure it is enough to make sure it is not fraud?"

    No matter how Eve looked at the mirror, it seemed nothing more than an ordinary mirror to her. She did not understand what all this fuss was about.

    "You are feeling like this because you cannot see the real power of the mirror without activating it. To do that, a sacrifice is needed. Unfortunately, none of us match the type of energy needed to activate this mirror."

    Noctis did not even sound sorry when he said that. He spoke it like everyday life.

    The silence that followed after that admission was tense and no one even tried to breathe. They could feel that the atmosphere was not to their liking.

    Especially Lucas Dirac looked ready to kill someone currently. And no one wanted to go against him and challenge him.

    "Then find someone whose energy matches this mirror as fast as possible. I don''t care how you do it but you need to get someone with matching powers here."

    Lucas Dirac had ordered and everyone else fell to silence.

    Finally, it was Eve who opened her mouth. She looked hesitant to even speak up but a ''go ahead'' from Noctis finally caused her to speak up.

    "I think I know someone who matches this energy signature. I-I could be wrong here since I only ever felt it is used once but I am pretty sure Head Priest Yohan''s energy matches this mirror."

    Eve had not even finished speaking when both Adam and Lucas tried to stand up and head out. No one had to even guess where they were going at this point.

    Fortunately, the others around them were much more reserved and knew when they had to stop someone from doing something foolish.

    "Both of you, calm down. I know that you are excited to get Elysia back but think of the consequences of your actions. Can you even afford to have your head priest missing at this time when people are dependent on him? What would it mean for your supporters."

    Enma was right and the other two knew it. But they just did not care enough to hold their feelings in.

    "Supporters? They do not matter to me and I am sure everyone else feels the same-"

    "But Elysia would not feel the same if you lose your standing in the court. Do you want her to do something foolish again?"

    Adam and Lucas fell silent once again. They also calmed down once Eve had finished speaking. And it was right in time for Lexus to suggest something.

    "Hey, if it is not too much burden on you, then we can be the ones to bring the Head Priest to you. We are not from this world so it won''t matter."

    Lexus''s suggestion was not bad but it was not a weing one either. Especially since it had the option of being an inter-world conflict.

    Eve wanted to point out all the harm it could do when Adam was the one who decided to approve of this n.

    "It could work. After all, no one but us knows the real threat and how it is rted to the other world. As long as we do not release this news to the public, no one would be the wiser."

    There was so much that could go wrong but in the end, no one tried to stop Adam. The only one who was opposed to this was Eve but even she was losing her enthusiasm by then.

    It was clear that the Head Priest would be killed off in the end and that thought hurt to think about. But Eve found that it did not hurt as much as she thought it would. She had gone astray and drifted apart from the head priest some time ago.

    And even she had not realized how far away she had drifted until this moment came for her.

    ''I guess I was not as loyal as a daughter as I thought I was. But surprisingly enough, it no longer matters to me.''

    Eve was not going to make herself suffer by thinking unnecessary thoughts anymore. Her work was to support Elysia and make sure she came back home. That was all she was going to focus on for now.<novelnext></novelnext>

    /////////////////////////////////////////

    "Axia is this really alright? I followed what you asked me to do but this world is still suffering. The monsters keep on increasing and the people are dying. The prophecy is nowhere close to being fulfilled."

    Head Priest Yohan looked at the destend from his window. The world looked ck and destroyed. It felt like the end of the world hade for real.

    Head Preist Yohan knew how bad it was going to be once the end came since it was necessary for the birth of a new world. But he had never expected things to be this deadly in the end.

    "Don''t worry. All this is necessary for the birth of a new world. Nothing good woulde if the world is stagnant and no progress can take ce if we do not destroy what exists."

    Axia''s words sounded wise but Head Preist doubted them. What use was it to destroy a perfectly good world to give birth to one that may or may not live up to one''s expectations?

    The world was already turning a shade of grey no one wanted to live in and death was everywhere.

    "Head Preist Yohan, there are some guests for you out here. The nobles havee to meet you."

    Head Priest Yohan scoffed as soon as he heard those words. Nobility was a social constraint that people had taken as a privilege. The nobles seemed to think of themselves as the superior race even when they were dependent on other people to keep themselves alive.

    And the worst part was - all nobles were the same. There was no outliner in them.

    "I understand. I will be there shortly."

    But still, despite knowing and hating every second of what was happening, Head Priest Yohan knew he had no choice but to show himself outside and please these pretenders.

    He was the biggest scum of everyone in this world. He knew his ideals better than anyone else but he was not ready to abide by them. He was a hypocrite bigger than anyone else.

    "Head Preist Yohan, since you have been such a good follower of mine, I will give you a piece of advice. You should be careful from here on out. Do not let people see you doubting yourself and do not think that you are ever safe. Otherwise, you will find yourself in danger."

    Axia had a smile when he said those words. As ever, he was nk and not ready to exin himself. Just looking at him was enough to make the Head Preist feel bad.

    But still, Aixa was someone who had led him this far and the Head Preist could not start to doubt him now. He had to hold on until the end.

    Head Preist Yohan did not see the blowing his way. He did not even feel the magical energy that collided with him as he lost consciousness. And it was because the person who attacked him was not from this world at all.

    The qi that had caused Yohan to fall unconscious was exclusive and it was potent. There would have been no way for Yohan to avoid it without having any prior knowledge.

    "I told him to be careful but it seems like this is the end for Head Priest Yohan. May he have a pain-free future, however long he had left."

    Axia watched it all happen but he could not interfere in the world''s happenings. As much as he wanted to stop this death, he could not tell the people to let the Head Priest go.

    ''Huh, I feel sorry for that man. I wonder if I considered him a friend or not. But I cannot think about it anymore or I will never be able to get out of the clutches of disport.''

    There was a reason people like him did not have any lingering attachments left in this world and it was because they often lost their reasons once they faced harsh conditions.

    In that way, Axia was not any different either. He had not lost his bearing yet because he had not allowed that side of himself to flourish. He had broken himself once but it did not mean he was ready to break again.

    "Head Priest Yohan, good luck for the future you may or may not have. I wish I could have helped you out more but even my hands are bound."

    In the end, Elysia Dirac was the only one who was left with the authority to change things. What a twisted turn of events this turned out to be.

 Chapter 241 240: The Last Battle [Pt1]

    Head Priest Yohan woke up with a headache the size of this earth. But it was better than never waking up again. And he was also thankful when he was faced with one person he always wanted to see after waking up.

    "I want to say that I am happy to see you again, but that doesn''t feel like the truth at all. Still, as a daughter whom you raised, I wanted to ask you how you were."

    Eve''s face was thest thing Head Preist Yohan expected to see when he woke up. But it was a weing surprise none-the-less.

    "Eve, what are you doing? Why am I here? And why can I not move?"

    Head Preist Yohan tried to move his body but his energy was being sipped out of his body. The more he tried to move, the less he was able to.

    Eve''s eyes held a sorrowful look inside them and she even seemed to be begging for forgiveness with her look. But there was no pity in her self for this man.

    "I just wanted to talk to you before you were sacrificed. I just thought something would change inside him if I saw you before you died. But I guess we must have drifted apart if all I can feel is an empty sorrow after seeing you again."

    Eve might as well be talking to herself at this point. The Head Preist had no idea what was going through her mind currently.

    "E-Eve, are you joking? What is going on here? And how did I get here? Eve, answer me right now."

    Head Preist Yohan asked as his body began to sink more and more into the small pool he had been held in. it was his fault for not even noticing it before.

    He tried to reach out to Eve since he had no idea what was going on. He was not even sure why he was being sacrificed for.

    "I am sorry but I decided that Elysia is much more important to me than you are. In the end, that is what made the difference for me. Please don''t fight this sinking feeling for my sake. You love me, right?"

    Every word was being forced out of Eve''s mouth and it hurt to speak. It felt like she was dying every time she opened her mouth. But she still knew it was important for her to speak up.

    Head Preist Yohan looked confused as he heard Eve''s words. He had no idea who ''Elysia'' was or how she was connected to what was going on. He just wanted to be pulled out of here.

    ''NO, I cannot die here. I still have the destiny to fulfill. The prophecy needs to be fulfilled if I want to see my sister again. I cannot die here.''

    "Eve, please don''t do this. You should understand that whatever I did was for your sake. Surely you can forgive me?"

    Head Preist Yohan was sure his words would be able to sway Eve''s heat. This child had always been soft-hearted and someone who looked up to him. Surely she would not abandon him like this.

    But it became pretty evident that it was his wishful thinking that was making him think that Eve was not even swayed a little bit after he was finished speaking.

    "Save your words for someone who cares. You always say that you do things for my sake but it was always for your own sake. I am sorry but this is just how things boiled down to."

    Eve''s heart cried out as Head Preist Yohan finally went under the pool. The Mirror of Isis on the other side absorbed his magic and it was not a pretty end for anyone involved.

    It was the most pathetic end the Head Priest could have gotten but it felt deserved for some reason. And the tears flowing down Eve''s face would not end.

    "Eve, it''s time for us to head out. You can stay back if you don''t feel up to it."

    Adam, who had watched all this happen, finally put his hands on Eve''s shoulder. He was trying to console her but she snapped out of it pretty fast. She had a person to save after all.

    "No, there is no need for me to cry about split milk. Not until I save Elysia at least. I am sure I can hold on for that long."

    Eve was sure it would continue to hurt for a long time but she was willing to take this risk for herself and her future.

    "Well said. Now then, let''s go out and bring our wife back."

    Eve''s face broke out into a small smile when she heard Adam''s words. She was ready to leave her past behind now.

    "Of course, we will bring her back. After all, Elysia deserved to be at our side, right?"

    ////////////////////////////////<novelnext></novelnext>

    "So, the roles had been decided. Lexus and Serina would keep the portal open for you two to go in and fetch Elysia back. Noctis will be the one to stabilize the internal structure and Sorias will stabilize the external structure. And Lord Dirac will be the emotional support we all need."

    Lucas Dirac had the sourest look on his face imaginable. He had wanted to head after Elysia as well but it had been vetoed.

    He was not well enough to go in and he also had a kid to look after. They would not be able to look at Elysia again if they did not take care of her kid for her.

    "Good luck out there. And remember,e back alive no matter what. We can''t afford to lose anyone else out there."

    Eve and Adam nodded. Everyone else also knew what they had to do to keep this portal going. It was going to be theirst chance to get Elysia back.

    "Don''t worry, it will be alright. We will make sure we get not only Elysia back but also keep this world alive."

    It was a huge risk everyone was talking about. They were not only changing destiny but also the fate of every other world involved. And this time, there was no room for failure.

    "Go out there and knock everyone down a peg. We are counting on you."

    With those finally words from Enma, the pair finally left the scene.

    Everyone else got ready to perform their roles but it was pretty evident early on that their power would not be enough. This portal was draining enough that everyone else was feeling the burden.

    "At this rate, we won''t be able to keep it going."

    Lexusmented as he pushed whatever power he had back into maintaining this connection. But when everything else seemed to be lost, an unexpected party stepped ahead to help out.

    Emma White, out of everyone joined in to keep the portal stable.

    "Emma, what are you doing? You will lose your magic if you interfere with this portal."

    Enma was surprised to see the selfish person step up for the sacrifice. It seemed like such an impossible thing for him to see.

    "I know what I am doing but I feel like this is the only way I can make up for what I did wrong to Elysia. So let me do this."

    One seemed to know what she was talking about but no one chose to contradict her words. After all, they needed her and her magic to make this portal work.

    In the end, Emma White turned out to be the saving grace of everything. And it was also because of her that the portal remained stable and the people outside did not copse.

    But that was the only help the outsiders got. Inside was a different story and the white space around Adam and Eve was beginning to get distorted.

    They both sensed the familiar magic and they knew it was where Elysia was. They both hurried up toward her, only to reach what looked like the final battle between Elysia and Axia.

    Both sides did not seem like they were ready to give up and it was not a battle that could be interfered with.

    And above the pair''s head, a clock was ticking down with a person inside. The person was pure white from head to toe but they looked incredible weak.

    "Stop getting in my way. If not for you, everything could have gone so much smoother. I knew I should have killed you the first chance I got."

    Axia cried out as he prepared for his final move. Elysia looked like she was ready to take it on but she was not confident.

    "Eve, remember what we talked about before?"

    "Of course I do. It seems like the time for the ultimate sacrifice is finally here. I wonder what kind of look Elysia will have once she sees what is happening I don''t her to be heart broken."

    The pair looked on as memories rushed in their mind about the time they had forgotten. But it was toote for regrets since the blood magic had been activated, causing the other two to look toward them with horrified faces.

 Chapter 242 241: The Final Battle [Pt2]

    Elysia knew she was going to get caught sooner orter. She was taking too many risks but the reward she had been promised was too much for her to miss out on.

    The godmother was tired of Axia''s ambitions and she needed to take Axia out. That was what she had tasked Elysia to do and Elysia was not foolish enough to turn it down.

    That was why she was at the final step of her journey. She would awaken the godmother''s real body and then it would all finish. Her role, this struggle, would all turn back to the way it was supposed to be.

    However, she overlooked one crucial factor when she had been nning everything. And it was that Axia would not let it go through.

    "You! How dare you interfere in all my ns. From the first time you were born, you were a thorn in my side. I knew you would be in trouble if I let you be and that was why I gave you such a destiny. But you refused to behave time and again."

    Axia attacked fast and swiftly. But he is not as skilled as he would like himself to believe. It was just his magic that was overwhelming.

    Had this been the real world, Elysia would not have had a chance to win. But this white space was not ruled by anyone and anything was possible here.

    Even Elysia''s win against a god who was much more powerful than her.

    "It''s all your fault for having such big ambitions. Why are you trying so hard to make things happen in the first ce? Can you not sit back and enjoy what you have?"

    Elysia asked as she parried a few attacks that reached her. It hurt when she was hit but it was nothingpared to the disturbance that was happening around her.

    The more magic that was being used, the more it was being absorbed by the godmother. It would not take long before she would wake up and put an end to everything.

    "Stop getting in my way. If not for you, everything could have gone so much smoother. I knew I should have killed you the first chance I got."

    Axia sounded mad and Elysia wanted to grin. She was about to ept getting hurt for a chance to counterattack when the light shined all around the area followed by the smell of blood.

    Elysia''s eyes instantly turned toward that scene and she was not alone.

    "WHAT ARE YOU BOTH DOING? HOW DID YOU EVEN GET HERE?"

    It was Adam and Eve, bleeding out of the self-inflicted wounds on their bodies. The space around Elysia was responding to their magic, just as it was supposed to in the original vision.

    "Heh, now you finally know how it feels when someone you know sacrifices themselves. Don''t worry, we will make it in the end."

    Adam''s face was fully white when he spoke and he even reach out toward Elysia. She tried to reach back when she heard a burst of insaneughter.

    It belonged to Axia who looked beyond happy to see what was happening. There was a maniacal look in his eyes that unnerved Elysia.

    "In the end, nothing changed. I will still get their magic and I will win this fight. No one can stop me now."

    Axia seemed convinced that things would work out as he had envisioned them to be but Elysia was not so sure about it.

    Axia was getting a bit of magic but more of it was flowing into the godmother''s side. However, Elysia was not in a mental state to appreciate this. Her eyes were wet with the thought of what she had lost.

    "Now, let''s get rid of you as well. Farewell, Elysia Dirac."

    Elysia felt the magice toward him but it never reached her. Something brilliant had stopped that magic attack from killing Elysia and who else could it be but the godmother?

    The brilliant white was filling the space and the nk face looked back at Elysia. She did not know where to look at that featureless face in front of her.

    "You did the good child. Now, rest and think of the wish you want to ask me for."

    Elysia felt the tension in her body snap. She knew what she wanted to ask for but she did not know how to voice it out loud.

    On the other hand, Axia looked like he was losing his mind. He was even attacking the godmother, something no saner person would have done. It was clear that he had lost it and this world was done for.

    The Godmother made short work of Axia, and everything looked far too easy suddenly.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Now child, ask what you want and you shall receive."

    Elysia was not sure if she should even ask for anything at this point. Everyone was either dead or in a state of despair at his point. Nothing was going right in her life.

    But still, she could not allow the two people she cared the most about die like this.

    "Save their lives. I beg you to save their lives please."

    Elysia begged. For the first time, she begged with everything she had. She was ready to sacrifice whatever was needed as long as both Adam and Eve could get to live.

    "That is a difficult request and one that requires a greater price than you can pay. Your world would change forever and it will be a new beginning for you all. But still, are you sure you want to risk it all?"

    Elysia felt her heart skip a beat.

    Just because it was difficult did not mean it was impossible. There was still a chance to save everyone that mattered to her in the end. And this was a decision that could be made because Elysia was desperate.

    "I know I am asking for too much but I don''t care. I will sacrifice what needs to be as long as everyone I love stays alive."

    Elysia was sure that this was what she wanted to do with her life. This world was done for anyway but the people here still deserved to live their lives and get a second chance.

    They deserved the chance her home world did not get and they also deserved to be happy. For this chance, Elysia was willing to sacrifice anything and everything to get there.

    The godmother smiles a mysterious smile that did not sit well with Elysia. She felt like she had been cheated on by someone but she did not know what happened.

    "I see. Since my child is asking for such a thing, how could I refuse her? But remember, this new world might be confusing but is the one born out of all your desires."

    The godmother''s smile did nothing to invoke confidence inside Elysia but she still did her best to smile. The white space around her had started to shatter and all her memories seemed like they were disappearing and being rearranged.

    ''No one except you will remember what happened in his old world and the new world will be your chance to live how you want to. So make sure you enjoy it to the best of your abilities.''

    This was what Elysia was going to do. She hoped that it was a world where she will not have to worry about magic and such things. She just wanted to live a happy and carefree life with the people she knew.

    It was beyond frustrating how so many things never got solved and how people who were caught up in her mess were being rewritten as well.

    But it was a chance for all of them as well. It was a new beginning for everyone involved.

    "Be happy my child and never be ashamed of the choices you made."

    Elysia knew that and she finally closed her eyes for thest time in this new world. The next time she would open them, she was sure she would be in a new world that would follow different rules.

    Everyone else felt this chance ur as well but no one knew what was happening.

    All except Lucas Dirac, who was holding on to Adrian tightly. The child was roaring out in displeasure and his small fingers grabbed tightly onto Lucas''s coat.

    "Ah, so you are protecting me once again? What an incredible nephew I have. Always taking care of me."

    Lucas Dirac also looked up toward Noctis who had an apologetic look on his face.

    "I am sorry for what happened before. But maybe I will finally have a chance to make it all up to you. And if I do, please do not push me away."

    Somehow, Lucas had a feeling Noctis knew what was happening but he was keeping quiet. Everyone else looked equally confused and the world was fading away.

    The next time anyone opened their eyes, the world had changed into one they had never seen before. Thendscape was dominated by machines and tall buildings.

    It was a world without magic or magical creatures and life has picked up speed.

 Chapter 243 242: The Epilogue Part 1 : A New Beginning

    "Adam, still no luck in finding the mother of your child. Are you sure that she even wants to be found out by you? What if she grew tired of waiting and decided to note back?"

    Adam''s instincts asked him to grow at Eve''s question but his throat could not make that noise without hurting itself. He was getting tired of this question again and again and Eve knew it as well.

    "Eve, you know that this kid''s mother exists out there as well. She was your best friend as well once upon a time. And it''s not like you can remember her as well."

    Eve fell quiet at Adam''s reply since he was right.

    They both did not remember a good chunk of their lives but they both knew that there was supposed to be a third person between them they both had been in love with. This kid was also proof that this third person existed.

    But no matter how much they looked around for any photo or any other evidence, it did not exist.

    "Don''t worry so much. I am sure we will find her soon. And once we do, we can take our time asking her questions."

    They both had a feeling that they knew how Adrain''s mother looked. She was supposed to have ck hair and blue eyes. She must be a beauty because Adrian was a good-looking child.

    The said child was also turning 5 soon and it felt like just yesterday when they had woken up to find a child in their house.

    "Dad, are you not ready yet? We need to get going now."

    Despite being just five, Adrian''s speech pattern was as clear as any teenager and he was tall for his age as well.

    He also showed signs of maturity that no kid his age should show. Eve was proud of this kid but he was also such a tease for her.

    "Oh, Eve is here as well? Hello."

    The kid bowed to Eve and she quickly straightened him back up. It was not like she was here rarely. She was here often enough for Adrian to consider her as family and this was a little joke between the pair.

    Adam, the only person privy to their private inside jokes, did not seem to find it funny at all. He looked on as his friend and his son got along better and better every day.

    One day, they both would gang up on him as well. And he dreaded to see that day happen.

    "Alright, that''s enough. We should get going for our meeting now. Adrian, you will be alright while staying in the daycare, right? You don''t have toe if you don''t want to. We can hire a babysitter for you if you want us to."

    Both Adam and Eve came from loaded families and they both had their businesses to look after. They had no shorings when it came to cash.

    But despite that, they both still chose to focus on family and Adrian. And even now, this deal did not matter if Adrian did not want them to go.

    "I will be alright. I want to go with you both."

    Adrian insisted and the pair had no choice but to take him along. It was rare for the kid to insist like this and they both did not have the heart to say ''no'' to him.

    Adrian knew this and that was why he grinned a huge smile toward the pair.

    "Now remember, the Diracs might look like mean people but they were nice. It took me a long time to get Lucas Dirac to agree to this meeting so hopefully, it''ll go well this time."

    Adam admitted as he drove through the city. The traffic was heavy on the road and he was in danger of runningte.

    "Frankly, I''m just surprised that he agreed to hold this meeting. You know, they said that Lucas Dirac retired after his sister was put in aa. I also heard that she is finally awake again so maybe we will see her as well?"

    Adam shrugged, not sure if that would happen or not. His main focus was to sign the deal after all.

    Adria, who heard all this from the beach seat had a mysterious smile on his face. Every time Eve looked at this kid, it seemed as if he knew something she did not. But he was also shrewd enough to not let it slip.

    "Alright, we are finally here. Adrian, go with Eve and be good for her."

    Adam pointed his finger up as if he was making a point and Adrian just nodded. He was a really cute kid with ck hair and golden eyes.

    He watched as the pair left but he was not the only one who did.

    "Your life and kid area beautiful. But they don''t look alike, right?"

    "Eve is not my - you know what, forget it."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Since this misunderstanding had happened a hundred times already, Adam did not even dignify this with a rebuttal. These people were free to think whatever they wanted to.

    He just needed to get inside and get this meeting started.

    ///////////////////////////////

    "Ah, what a cute kid you have here. We will certainly take care of him for you. You can leave him here without any problems."

    Thedy at the front desk promised as she extended her hands toward Adrian. Surprisingly enough, Adrian did not take that hand.

    He did not even look at thedy in front of him as he looked around the room. He seemed to be searching for someone inside the room only he could notice.

    "Adrian, don''t be rude to thedy. Hurry up and take her hand since I am gettingte."

    Eve pleaded with the kid, hoping that he would take her for advice. But the more she tried to get Adrian to agree with her, the more he resisted her.

    He was even able to pull his hand out of Eve''s and run around the room. He seemed to have a specific path he wanted to take which left everyone else baffled.

    "I am so sorry for my son''s behavior. I will make sure nothing like this happens again."

    Eve nowed in front of thedy and hurriedly ran after Adrian. Thedy at the front desk watched it all happen with a dazed expression.

    By the time she realized that she should stop the two, they had already entered the restricted section of the building.

    "I am so going to get fired for this."

    The counterdy mumbled as she looked away from the scene.

    ///////////////////////////////

    Only Adrian could smell that nostalgic smell. He was sure that it was a scent he had imprinted on in the past before this world had changed.

    He wanted to, no, he needed to know who that person was and how they were doing. His instincts called forth for him to find the holder of this scent and bask in their embrace.

    "Adrian, stop. You cannot just run like this. You need to"

    Eve had almost caught on to Adrian when he evaded her hand and crashed into someone. Luckily, the other person caught Adrian before he hit his head on the ground and a familiar blue looked back at the pair.

    Eve was so surprised by this that she even forgot to scold Adrian for running away. All she could do was to gap at the familiar face above her head.

    A familiar shade of ck hair and striking blue eyes. This lovelybination was causing Eve to melt and she no longer knew what she had to say to not be seen as mentally retarded.

    "Oh, are you both lost? What are you doing in this part of the building? You do know that it is restricted for personal entry, right?"

    Even the voice was amazing and it melted inside Eve''s ears like sugar. She wanted to hold this person and this time, she let her impulse take her over.

    A pair of arms sneaked around that familiar waste before Eve picked up the owner of those ck hair.

    "H-Hey, what are you doing? I will call security if you do not let me go right now."

    Even the threat could not make Eve let go. She also called Adam to tell him that he needed to get his ass back into the car. This meeting could wait an eternity now.

    "Don''t worry mommy. We are just taking you back to where you belong. You might not understand what is going on, but you will pretty soon."

    Adrian was the one who exined things but even his exnation was not helpful at all.

    Elysia Dirac could only watch as she was picked up and kidnapped in the span of a few minutes.

    But somehow, she was not afraid at all. Everything inside her was telling her that this was what she had been missing in her life.

    From above, Lucas watched it all happen with a small smile on his face. He felt relieved that these people had finally met once again.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!