Chapter 81
“Heina, tell me. Why did you do it?”
“I… I did it to survive.”
“What?”
“You said you wouldn’t hold me responsible. And that you would value me.”
“Since when?”
“What do you mean?”
“Since when have you been working for the Grand Duchess?”
“Since the day I was assigned to the lab.”
Millen smacked her forehead.
“So they sent you to spy on me from the start.”
She had trusted Heina, never knowing a watchdog was placed right by her side. That’s why she had entrusted even the safety of the other researchers to her.
“You handed over the lives of other researchers just to save your own?”
“There’s no way to escape this responsibility anyway. Someone has to take the fall. I just didn’t want it to be me.”
Millen understood.
The researchers of Queen’s Cosmetics were all talents raised by the Grand Duchess.
They were disposable at any moment.
If a problem arose, several researchers could be executed in an instant.
“Is that so? Then from now on, find your own way to survive. Don’t expect help from me.”
“Director…”
Millen pushed Heina aside and opened the door. Heina shot to her feet and screamed at Millen:
“You won’t last long either! Do you even know how terrifying Her Grace the Grand Duchess is?! You’ll be caught soon and sold into slavery like the others!”
“At least I won’t survive by selling out other people’s lives like you did.”
Without looking back, Millen left the cabin.
“Let’s go.”
Lapis, with a faint smile, motioned toward Heina inside the cabin.
“Is it okay to just leave her?”
“Once a traitor, always a traitor. I’m not taking that risk.”
Lapis was impressed by Millen’s unexpected decisiveness. As expected, you never truly know someone until you look deeper.
Judging by first impressions alone is foolish.
Lapis took a round orb from his pocket and infused it with mana. A fog quickly formed around the cabin.
Millen tilted her head in confusion at the sudden appearance of the fog. Lapis whispered:
“I’ve removed the magic concealment. The cabin will be discovered soon. Let’s hurry.”
Millen looked back toward the cabin.
Heina was still inside.
As soon as Millen stepped out, Lapis locked the door behind her.
“Let’s move.”
“Okay.”
Millen walked away with Lapis.
From the moment she learned Heina had betrayed the other researchers to save herself, Millen had made up her mind not to save her.
* * *
Lapis had sent a message.
He had safely contacted Director Millen and successfully rescued the researchers she had brought out.
They were currently hiding in a warehouse owned by the Black Pearl Merchant Guild, and as soon as Millen joined them, they would begin the operation.
Elia called Zirque to ask a favor.
“Zirque, I need your help.”
“Please, tell me.”
“Uncle Lapis seems to have hidden the researchers near the harbor outside the capital. It won’t be easy for them to escape. The Grand Duchess’s people are already searching. Can you draw their attention away?”
“You want me to divert their attention?”
“Yes. If you can lead the searchers elsewhere, Lapis should be able to get the researchers out.”
“And after that?”
“Once they’re safely out, I’d like you to cast concealment magic on them.”
“Why are you going so far to protect them?”
“They’re witnesses. They know all the terrible things Queen’s Cosmetics has done.”
“You plan to use them to put the Grand Duchess in a tough spot?”
“No. It’s to protect myself. I need to hold at least one weakness against her.”
“…You think the Grand Duchess already knows you’re here?”
“Yes. I have a feeling.”
“Instincts are unreliable.”
“No. I’m certain. She knows.”
Elia’s confident tone made Zirque tilt his head.
“Why does the Grand Duchess target you?”
“Isn’t it obvious? She wants to use my powers to secure the next imperial throne.”
Elia put down her pen.
“Her son, Raul, has nothing else going for him.”
“You mean, he’s an idiot.”
“Yes, he’s stupid. But he has money.”
The Grand Duchess used her wealth to gain the favor of nobles, turning them into Raul’s supporters. Those tied to her money couldn’t easily escape her web.
After all, it wasn’t like they took her money legally.
You could say her power base was held together by money.
A group bound by cold profit and calculation.
Queen’s Cosmetics had used low-grade ingredients while falsely claiming they were premium. They had tampered with safety test results.
And those who protested were quietly eliminated.
The director had all the evidence.
He planned to personally bring the documents to Elia.
He had chosen to entrust himself to Lapis in order to protect himself and the researchers.
“I understand. I’ll do my best to help them. But in return, will you grant me one request?”
“Anything. What is it?”
“Go on a picnic with me. Just the two of us.”
“Sure. I love picnics too.”
Elia chuckled at the unexpectedly simple request.
“That’s a humble wish. I could’ve done something bigger.”
“It might be small to you, but it’s important to me. I’ve never gone out with you alone.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I was a little hurt. It felt like we were growing distant.”
Now that he mentioned it, it had been a while since she last saw Zirque. She hadn’t seen Austin in some time, either.
“Even the Tower Master… it’s been a while.”
“I think the Tower Master is enjoying teaching that kid, Noah.”
Zirque didn’t seem to like Noah, calling him that brat.
“The Tower Master?”
“Yes. He says Noah is surprisingly fun to teach.”
“So he doesn’t teach you anymore?”
“Me? I graduated long ago. Over ten years now.”
Zirque said it casually, but his eyes looked strangely empty.
“The Tower Master once told me that what I lacked was emotion. And that it’s something I must learn on my own.”
That’s why the Tower Master helped him grow.
“I guess I’m still bad at those things.”
It showed.
Sometimes, Elia couldn’t tell what Zirque was thinking. Especially when he wore that expressionless face.
A homunculus created by humans.
She often felt pity when looking at him, but never let it show. Such feelings could offend or hurt the other person.
Because pity can force someone to acknowledge their own misery.
“You’re doing this because I’m pitiful?”
Nothing crushes a person’s dignity more.
“Zirque, show me what you brought.”
Smiling, Zirque pulled out a small container from his bag.
“It’s a burn ointment made from processed Dragon’s Breath Moss.”
When he opened the lid, a fresh, tingling scent wafted out.
“Did you test it?”
“Yes, on my own body.”
“What?!”
“Would you like me to show you right now?”
Elia stared at him, speechless.
“You used yourself as a test subject?”
“Yes. I don’t feel pain well. Most of my experiments are done on myself. Maybe because I’m not human—I heal fast too.”
“Zirque…”
“Please don’t look at me like that. I’m okay, really, Princess.”
As he insisted he was fine, Elia couldn’t say anything more.
“Don’t do that anymore. Your body is precious, Zirque. You have to take care of it. Even if you heal fast, how long do you think that’ll last?”
“I’ve made another mistake, haven’t I? Did I upset you?”
“I’m upset because I care. If you get hurt, I worry. It breaks my heart.”
“Princess…”
“I care about you. Your mother made your body beautifully—how can you treat it so recklessly?”
She meant it from the bottom of her heart.
“I’ll be more careful.”
“But you won’t promise not to do it again, huh?”
“I’m sorry. But I’m a magician. Sometimes I can’t help it.”
“Fine. Just… be careful from now on.”
“Yes, Princess.”
When Zirque offered to show her the test right there, Elia stopped him and began thinking of another way.
