Chapter 145
“Ah… that was close.”
Evie let out a shaky breath and looked at the book that had fallen in front of her.
It was the royal biographical dictionary she had enjoyed the most in this library’s royal collection.
Thick, heavy, with metal corners—almost like a weapon.
It had been placed high on the shelf, probably newly organized, making it hard to reach even with a footstool.
Normally, she would have asked a library staff member for help.
But today she couldn’t. If anyone saw the books she was looking at, they’d immediately figure out what she was researching.
Evie glanced at a nearby table. Every book there explained royal family crests.
There weren’t many records, so finding them was difficult, but sometimes parts were mentioned, or old illustrations showed the crests.
Evie had been searching through all of that since morning.
Then she remembered that an illustration mentioned in one of the books was the same as the one in the biographical dictionary she was trying to take down.
She just wanted a closer look.
“If I had been careless, I could’ve been seriously hurt.”
The book was barely within reach, and when she forced it out, it slipped from her hands.
It fell corner-first, straight toward her.
If she hadn’t moved in time, it would’ve hit her head.
Bending down to gather the scattered pages, she felt a warm, tingling sensation on the back of her hand.
“No way!”
She rolled up her sleeve and looked—faint marks were clearly there.
Evie rushed to the window, holding her hand up to the sunlight.
She hadn’t really looked closely before, but now, faint as it was, the shape was similar to the marks on Clois’s and Eve’s hands.
Unable to believe it, she headed outside.
She scanned the library and saw a professor in the distance.
Evie ran to him.
He wasn’t particularly fond of her.
But since it had been revealed that her guardian was the Emperor, he had smiled and told her to come to him anytime.
“I wish I could meet Dean Seraphina right now…”
But for now, she needed an adult to confirm the mark on her hand.
“Professor!”
Startled, he turned to her.
“What is it… oh, it’s you.”
He frowned and yanked his coat away as if she had dirtied it.
“Why are you making such a scene in the library?”
Evie hesitated at his cold tone but held up her hand.
“Professor, I have it too! Look!”
“Have what on your hand?”
He leaned closer to see, then clicked his tongue and straightened up.
“I don’t see anything.”
“What? But—?”
Evie was about to show him the mark, but it had vanished in an instant.
“I’m sure it was there…” she murmured.
The professor scoffed.
“You must have imagined it. Or are you trying to claim you have a royal crest like the princess?”
Even though Eve hadn’t been officially recognized, he still called her “princess.”
Evie froze. The professor continued coldly:
“After receiving His Majesty’s favor, you shouldn’t go around claiming you have a royal crest too. Show me where it is.”
He poked her on the head with his finger, hard enough to make her sway.
But Evie couldn’t speak—she was more shocked that the mark had disappeared than by his action.
The professor turned away, clicking his tongue.
“Don’t cause trouble for His Majesty or the academy. Do you understand?”
“…Yes.”
Evie lowered her head and whispered to her own hand.
“It really was there… just like His Majesty’s and Eve’s.”
Faint but unmistakable.
She whispered again, quietly:
“Can it come back?”
Of course, it didn’t. She brushed her hand, thinking, I can’t tell anyone…
If she did, they’d think she was lying or jealous of the princess, just like the professor.
“But it really was there.”
She whispered again, this time hoping someone who could believe her would see it—someone she trusted most.
“When I show it next, I hope it’s the Dean… or… His Majesty. Got it?”
“What? Why did it disappear?!”
Seraphina stomped on the rooftop, frustrated.
She had felt the flow of power below—strong and old, like the royal crests of Clois and Eve.
What is this?
It was a brief, powerful surge. An ancient energy, like a royal mark or Lilian’s old power, maybe even magic like hers.
Maybe… all three combined.
A shiver ran through her body, but she calmed herself.
Stay focused, Seraphina. The odds are practically zero.
She took a deep breath and scanned again. The power was gone.
If I felt it correctly… it must be a force not yet fully awakened. And someday, it will awaken. Soon… very soon.
Riden sniffled as he walked along.
“I want to go home…”
As a retainer of Duke Kailen, he was traveling under orders.
Summer had passed, and now the mornings and evenings were quite cool. Winter would come quickly.
I hope my daughter hasn’t forgotten my face…
His little girl had just started walking, and she ran to him with “Dad, dad!”—so cute he could hardly stand it.
He walked faster, though he couldn’t neglect his duty.
He entered a small village and found a newly built inn.
He booked a room, then naturally joined the crowd in the dining area.
“This is a nice village. Are you from here?”
“Yes, but we’ve only settled recently.”
“Why? Were you fleeing the succession war?”
“No, wolves started coming down from the forest. They were used to staying in the woods, but once fences disappeared, they poured into the village.”
“Interesting,” Riden said, leaning in.
The man continued, animatedly:
“The village went crazy. Wolves appeared even in daylight. How could we live there?”
“Is this the village with the hot spring, about two days’ walk from here?”
“Yes! You know our village?”
“I passed by on the way. It looked abandoned… so that’s what happened. But I didn’t see any wolves now.”
“Not sure, we left about two years ago.”
Riden asked casually:
“I remember there was a good inn there. Do you know what happened to the owner?”
The man laughed:
“You found it! This inn is run by the same owner, who moved here.”
Riden downed his drink in one gulp.
Finally. Finally, he had found it.
