Chapter 006
Miltant, the capital of the Fernies Empire.
Iris, having returned from the Imperial Palace, was suffering from severe facial swelling due to excessive crying.
“Heh, hic…”
Who dared to publish such an article about her relationship with Karkin Pavil?
‘I was rebuked by the Empress!’
By anyone else’s standards, it wasn’t a true rebuke; the Empress had been quite lenient with Iris.
“Iris, be careful with your actions for a while. There are many who will feel jealous of you because you will be linked to my son.”
But for Iris, who had been raised spoiled, it was an utter tragedy.
I, an S-rank Guide, am subjected to such a trial!
Quern, who was accompanying her in the carriage, patted her shoulder affectionately.
“Don’t cry, Iris, hmm?”
“Hic, but… Grandfather is also furious about the embezzlement issue.”
“Eyy, can he really be angry with you? You know he’s just quick-tempered.”
Quern soothed her gently: “One learns from their mistakes while growing up. Don’t worry too much; I’ve settled the matter with Grandfather quite well.”
He meant that he had killed Iris’s nanny and her maids.
“Thank you… you’re the best, Brother.”
“But Iris.”
“Yes, Brother?”
“How are the reports for the control stone project coming along?”
“…….”
“I feel they’re a bit delayed. Ah! I’m not pressuring you; I’m just asking if there’s a part that’s difficult for you to complete.”
“Eyy, impossible! It’s just because the volume is large, so there’s no need to worry at all!”
“Indeed, you are always perfect, Iris, so there is no need to worry.”
Iris smiled brightly.
But when Quern wasn’t looking—
‘Lillian…!’
She bit her lower lip hard. She didn’t forget to do so carefully so as not to ruin her lipstick.
‘Even if you went to the North, you should have finished your work first!’
The Tillard family had two main businesses. First was supporting the workforce of Guides. Second was the artifact project using control stones.
Since Iris was an S-rank Guide, she naturally took over the second project. But Iris lacked the innate talent for it.
“Brother, shouldn’t we bring my sister back quickly?”
“I appreciate your concern for Lillian, but she needs to stay there a bit longer.”
“My goodness, and yet—”
No, you’re the one who doesn’t understand the truth. You idiot…!
Iris was cursing Quern in her heart. Quern never knew that Lillian was the one handling all the core work of the project.
‘Even if he knew, he would have stood by my side anyway.’
How could she convince this stupid relative to bring Lillian back? Meanwhile, the carriage reached the main gate of the Tillard estate. The butler, who had served the family the longest, rushed toward them, out of breath.
“Young Duke!”
“Why all this panic?”
“An urgent contact from Young Master Ramio; he is on the communication stone now.”
The butler quickly handed over the green communication brooch.
Quern furrowed his brows: “Ramio, what’s the matter? Haven’t you reached the Northern Villa with Lillian yet?”
— No!
Ramio was seething with rage:
— Lillian, do you know what that girl did?! She poisoned us!
“What?”
— She gave thirty knights sleeping pills, drugs—
“…What?”
— And emetics, and antacids, then she vanished!
Did he mean she killed them?
The faces of Quern and Iris turned pale. Lillian was still a card the family needed, even if their reasons differed.
“Ramio, find Lillian immediately. I will explain the situation to the Imperial Palace Knights.”
— Hah, fine. But!
Ramio shouted before cutting the connection:
— Lillian, that piece of trash. Don’t expect her to ever return in one piece!
* * *
Escorting a woman whose mental state had turned strange because of her fiancé, Day 5—
Evren was watching Lillian intently with his arms crossed. He expected her to collapse in the middle of the rugged mountain path and claim exhaustion, but to his surprise, she didn’t.
Ridiculously, he couldn’t find a single flaw to catch her on.
“…And as expected, she is suspicious, Your Highness.”
Elias felt stunned: “While whispering ‘very soon…’ she was staring at the horizon behind the mountains in a daze.”
“…….”
“…And she continues to distribute… her possessions to the knights.”
“When do normal humans do such a thing?”
“…When they are settling their life’s accounts before departing…”
Evren narrowed his eyes while smiling. Hadn’t she tried to simply give him the brooch as well?
‘I will live according to my fate.’
‘I only brought it to see if it was a little useful.’
He had intended to use her to irritate the Second Empress’s family and the Tillard family. But what was subtly bothering his nerves wasn’t just this.
Why wasn’t she approaching him?
His power was becoming more agitated.
Although Lillian isn’t a Guide, his power insisted that a beautiful scent emanated from her. And when he snapped out of his trance, he found his eyes tracing her path unconsciously.
In the center of the camp today, the fire was roaring—
Evren stopped at a distance. Supernatural users possess enhanced senses that enable them to hear conversations even from afar.
Xan extended her bowl hesitantly. She was the knight whose artifact Lillian had repaired on the first day.
“Um, Lady Tillard? Would you… like some soup? I mean, will you eat? I mean, please have some.”
Members of the Balthazar family essentially hate the Tillard family. Because they monopolize relationships with high-level Guides and withhold support from Balthazar.
But—
“Thank you. But shall we add this as well while it’s still hot?”
“But this…! Isn’t this black pepper?”
“Yes, that’s right. I… took it with me from the main house.”
Lillian ground the black pepper and sprinkled it generously into the camp pot. The Shadows’ faces turned pale. Black pepper was a luxury good brought from beyond the Kingdom of Tenbrine.
“Is… is it alright to use something so precious like this?”
“Yes…? It’s fine. What’s the use of saving it now?”
Lillian’s voice was devoid of strength. It wasn’t a style used to deliberately seek favor. It was merely the tone of someone shedding a bothersome burden.
Evren felt increasingly annoyed by Lillian’s strange behavior.
And also—
It couldn’t be that she intended to destroy herself first, could it?
The voice of his power, which used to only motivate him to destroy, was now urgent.
‘Impossible. She must not be destroyed. I haven’t possessed her yet.’
I’m telling you she isn’t a Guide!
‘I’m going crazy.’
His condition was driving him mad, and Lillian Tillard, who occupied his thoughts, was driving him mad too. But regret came late. He called out to Lillian after she finished her soup and packed her things. Her features looked more lifeless than they had a few days ago.
“Lady Tillard. We will reach Aeterna tomorrow.”
And so, this escort would end. What would this woman do now?
But at that moment, Lillian opened her mouth: “Ah, right. I will tell you the ingredients needed to process control stones.”
“Mm?”
“First, the tail of a Fire Rat, the roots of a Star Flower picked on the night of a full moon, and ginseng….”
“Wait, Tillard.”
Evren interrupted Lillian: “Are you saying you know the processing method as well?”
“Huh? Yes.”
“Why are you telling me this…?”
This must be one of the sacred secrets of the Tillard family. Evren had indeed intended to rip this secret from her. But he never imagined she would divulge it so easily even before he threatened her.
Lillian blinked slowly. Her eyes, which used to shine with clarity, were now clouded.
“Because there’s no longer a reason not to tell you… and because it’s the last time.”
The last time?
Evren scrutinized the color of Lillian’s face. His expression vanished; he felt a deep sense of dissatisfaction.
“Stop the nonsense and return to your tent, Tillard.”
Evren shouted coldly and turned away.
She said she failed at love once. Do ‘normal’ humans act as if they’ve given up on life to this extent?
‘Could it be that she’s really thinking of doing something…’
No way!
His mind was in total chaos.
Evren turned around. Lillian’s scent, which had entered the tent, began to spread strongly outside again.
Evren ran; he started slowly then gradually increased the speed of his steps.
Outside the tents—
In the dark, under a tree where the snow hadn’t fully melted, she sat curled up on herself…
Lillian Tillard was munching and eating poisonous herbs.
