IBOSO 54

Chapter 54……………………………………………….

The reason I felt pity for him was because we had built up trust.

But that trust was fake, constructed through Cassius’ abilities.

His concern for me might have been nothing but a false act. I should have ignored it.

Yet, no matter how long I thought about it, I couldn’t bring myself to hate him.

‘That’s strange.’

It would be natural to despise him, but he kept lingering in my thoughts.

That’s why I didn’t even know what I truly wanted.

After making a decision, I touched my lying body.

Then, as if finding its rightful place, it was instantly drawn back inside.

Having reclaimed my body, I stepped out of the room and headed toward the stairs where Cassius had gone.

I scoured the entire lower floor, but he was nowhere to be seen.

It seemed he had already moved somewhere else while I was lost in thought.

‘Where could he have gone?’

If it were him, he’d probably go outside and repeat the same words while staring into the void.

Even if others thought it odd, he wouldn’t care, continuing until I found my body.

‘The curse had spread a lot.’

It seemed best not to be seen by the paladins standing guard.

Thinking that, my pace automatically quickened.

“…Regain it.”

As I descended the stairs, I heard his voice.

I cautiously moved toward where he was and spotted Cassius.

The night air was cold. In his gown, he looked even chillier.

Since I had recovered my body, I needed to call out to him and stop him.

But the word “Your Highness” that I had tried calling several times wouldn’t come out easily. My throat felt blocked.

Instead of calling, I moved forward and grabbed the collar of his robe.

Cassius turned to look at me. His eyes widened, then narrowed again.

‘I don’t know what to say.’

He said I didn’t have to forgive him.

I couldn’t answer Cassius’ words right then. My feelings were still too tangled.

He avoided my gaze. I, too, found it difficult to look at him, staring instead at the ground.

As we looked away from each other, only silence flowed between us.

Feeling the chill, I cautiously glanced at him.

Before I knew it, he was looking at me.

‘Is he reading my thoughts?’

That might be why he remained quiet.

The fact that only Cassius knew my feelings felt a little frustrating.

“Please give me some time to think.”

For now, that was the best I could do.

He slowly nodded.

“I’ll wait. Call me whenever you like.”

From then on, only Jurgen remained by my side as a guard, and I stayed a little apart from Cassius.

I thought a little distance would help me sort my thoughts, but my mind was still a mess.

Time passed quickly, and the day to depart for the Holy Kingdom arrived.

Departure day

I still hadn’t met Cassius.

We couldn’t continue ignoring each other like this.

Through the night gown that had once been possessed by the ghost, black thorned vines had taken hold of Cassius’ body.

‘Luckily, no one saw…’

Putting aside the question of how to treat him from now on, the spreading curse needed to be lifted.

‘And there’s something I need from Alpine too.’

I fiddled with the back of my neck, where a clean cloth had been attached.

The bite scars he left were still there.

Once the marks healed, all the pheromones I received from him would disappear.

I needed to meet him beforehand to reclaim what we were supposed to exchange.

It felt like going back to the beginning.

When I first accepted his proposal, I had thought we were just doing business like now.

Stepping outside, I began packing my belongings.

“It felt lighter when we arrived, but it seems we have more things now.”

Jurgen, helping me pack, muttered.

As he said, the delegation’s luggage had multiplied several times.

Most of it consisted of ancient stone tablets and relics found in the sanctuary, along with Sertina’s belongings!

‘I didn’t expect the princess to come along.’

It had only been two days since parting from Cassius.

In that time, he met with the emperor and bargained to take all the items from the sanctuary.

I didn’t know the details, but Sertina would also undergo priest training.

I stood in front of the carriage I was to ride.

‘I don’t want to get in…’

Through the transparent window, I saw Sertina glaring at me.

Originally, the princess should ride in the same carriage as Cassius. But because she refused, I ended up in the same carriage as her, even though I was one of the important members of the delegation.

‘Maybe I should have refused.’

If I had refused her, I would have had to ride with Cassius.

For now, I didn’t want to spend long in the same space with him, so I accepted Sertina’s demand.

“Priest Sonia, give me the luggage. I’ll load it.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Jurgen went to put the luggage in the back compartment of my carriage.

I sighed and continued packing the rest.

Like the delegation’s luggage, my personal belongings had also increased significantly.

My parents and Lancelot had given me a bundle of gifts.

Inside were warm blankets for winter, fine furs, and candied violets I liked as a child.

As Jurgen helped load the luggage, he spoke.

“Priest Sonia, I’ll go check on the horse saddles.”

Although the paladin’s horses were a bit farther away, checking them wouldn’t take long.

I nodded.

“Go ahead. I’ll secure the remaining luggage.”

“Yes, I’ll be back shortly.”

While Jurgen stepped away, tying up the well-packed luggage with rope, the carriage window suddenly flung open, and Sertina spoke in a sharp, annoyed tone.

“How long do you plan to leave me alone?”

The princess was going to undergo priest training.

By the rules, she couldn’t bring a lady-in-waiting, so she was alone.

She seemed bored, calling out to me.

Normally, she would help pack, but because of her leg, I took over.

Thanks to that, I was also packing her luggage.

“It’s almost done. We just need to load it now.”

She alternated glances between me and the luggage before speaking.

“Hurry up.”

“Yes.”

I lifted the luggage, placed it in the back of the carriage, and returned forward.

A stranger priest standing nearby approached me.

Wearing a robe over their priest’s clothing, their face was hidden, but I could tell I hadn’t seen them before.

“Um… if it’s alright, could you help bring the luggage inside with me?”

I looked in the direction the priest pointed.

Between the tall trees, a path through the forest was visible.

Earlier, some priests had gone inside with luggage, but it seemed not all had been brought out.

“The packaging is just finished. Do you know the way?”

“Yes, this is the luggage we just brought out.”

The deep purple bundle she held had been stored inside the forest.

I glanced at Sertina.

“…May I go?”

“You may.”

She allowed it, but I had a feeling she’d complain if I took too long.

‘Better hurry then.’

I said to the priest in the robe,

“Alright, let’s go together.”

I put on the robe I had taken off and followed her into the forest.

The Prince’s Palace was located at the very edge of the royal palace.

It was connected to the forest for Prince Shane’s hunting hobby.

Shane, resting in his palace, glanced toward the forest.

Behind the palace were private paths and hunting grounds for the royal family.

The flower-lined walking path was specially allowed for use by the Holy Kingdom delegation.

The hunting grounds, however, were not.

A white flag rose on a watchtower in the hunting grounds, signaling that preparations were complete.

Shane muttered as he looked at the flag.

“Perfect weather for hunting.”

The attendant beside him spoke.

“The sky is clear. Even at night, the moonlight will be bright. Ideal for hunting. Do you have a desired prey?”

The prey was already prepared. Shane had given instructions according to his plan.

“I hear a northern white deer has been brought in. I want to hunt it. Father must be tired from hosting the delegation, so it’s perfect for some nourishment too.”

As it was a rare animal, it was brought alive.

Shane could have had it killed immediately for cooking, but he wanted to release it in the forest for hunting.

“I’ll instruct them to weaken it first.”

The northern white deer was known for its extraordinary agility.

It was so fast it was difficult to follow with the eyes, so it was better to injure it slightly to weaken it before releasing it.

Shane wanted to enjoy the hunt like a game, not struggle with the prey.

He wasn’t hunting alone this time.

“Summon Marquis Tigrow as well.”

The marquis also enjoyed the thrill of playing with life. He happened to be entering the palace at that time.

Shane’s attendant summoned Marquis Tigrow from the main palace to the Prince’s Palace.

Tigrow, waiting at the main palace, was perfectly timed for the hunting invitation.

While the white deer was being prepared, they planned to wait and have tea.