CHAPTER 45
Her thoughts twisted around themselves like a tangled thread. Every time she thought of something, a counterargument would pop up, and agonizing over problems with no answers only made her mind more chaotic.
“Ugh, whatever.”
In the end, all of it led to avoidance. No matter what his words implied, she could only sigh now.
She just wanted to rest, but it didn’t look like he was going to let her go that easily. Giving her holy water was helpful, but now he seemed intent on digging even deeper into her situation.
She had no more excuses left to give. Wanting to just quietly move on, Luisa opened her mouth, searching for the right words.
But before she could speak—
“I didn’t want to press, but I can’t hold back anymore.”
Raphael spoke as if he’d made up his mind.
“…?”
“You’re far too skilled at using divine power for it to be considered a weak ability.”
He fired the words off with no room for excuses, catching Luisa off guard.
Maybe she’d gotten too careless with how messy everything had become. He’d told her before he could sense divine power—yet, in her rush, she’d gone and used it right next to him.
Then again, he’d said he could only faintly feel it. It was natural that she hadn’t expected him to sense something so subtle.
“Have you been visiting the northern temple because of your divine power? You didn’t have that much of it before. But today, you handled an immense amount with great control. You couldn’t have learned that on your own.”
Raphael’s relentless questions silenced Luisa.
She tried to rationalize internally, but her usual calmness was gone—her face clearly showed her flustered state.
“Luisa.”
She flinched at the sound of her name from his lips. She’d thought, “It’s just a name,” but hearing it spoken aloud felt strange.
Maybe it was the situation, but she steadied her breath and forced herself to meet Raphael’s eyes—eyes she’d unconsciously been avoiding.
“I won’t tell anyone. If I’m right, I might be able to help.”
Whether he realized it or not, he was already helping her. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t brush this aside like usual.
If she kept piling on lies just to deflect him, she’d eventually lose track of her own story and slip up again—like now.
“Ugh, this is getting annoying.”
She didn’t know why he was being so generous, but it was clear she couldn’t keep fooling him with half-truths. Luisa bowed her head, sighed deeply, and then looked back up.
“You’re right. I went to the temple because of my divine power.”
“…Because your divine power grew stronger?”
“Yes. And I think it’s also made me more sensitive to demonic energy. I’ve been coughing up blood now and then.”
“Did you just say… demonic energy?”
“Yes. I tried learning how to block it using divine power from one of the priests, but since I’m still not that skilled, I make mistakes like this sometimes. Of course, once I improve, my divine power won’t leak out anymore, and the symptoms should stop naturally.”
“…So that time you coughed up blood in the carriage—it was because of a dark mage.”
Since dark mages often use demonic energy as a medium, Raphael immediately connected the dots to the incident in the carriage. Luisa nodded slowly.
Now that she’d explained this much, she hoped his concerns and insistence on treatment would finally ease.
But—
“‘It’ll get better’? You can’t be serious! Demonic energy has been increasing rapidly lately. With a body this sensitive, you’ll suffer no matter where you go!”
He shouted, shattering her hopes.
“What? But the technique I learned from the priest really does help. I’m telling the truth.”
“…”
“I don’t know why it hit me so hard yesterday though…”
“I only sensed demonic energy once in the palace—right before the sanctification. If just that brief moment caused this kind of reaction, then clearly this isn’t just mild sensitivity.”
“Hmm…”
His intense response left Luisa awkwardly scratching her cheek. She’d only revealed part of the truth to avoid the whole “terminal illness” conversation, but now it felt like a misstep.
Maybe she should’ve just gotten mad earlier and stormed off. Why was she even trying to make Raphael understand?
She’d originally kept it secret to avoid being dragged off to the Imperial Palace for a full examination, but now that she’d blamed it on divine power, that risk was gone—at least.
“Surely he’s not going to suggest meeting the High Priest or the Archbishop… right? Or will he?”
Lately, Raphael had been so unpredictable that she couldn’t be sure anymore.
“Priest Jordan told me to visit you more often. Does that help somehow?”
“Priest Jordansaid that?”
“Yes.”
Just great. Luisa sighed, visibly exhausted.
“Well… your divine power is so strong that being near you calms me down a bit.”
“Ah…”
“…Lord Raphael?”
“Oh, I… being near me helps, huh…”
Raphael, startled, froze for a moment before awkwardly rubbing one of his ears. Luisa briefly glanced at his reddening ear before quickly looking away.
Her violet eyes looked utterly drained, as if she just wanted to escape this place.
“Can I go now? I want to go home.”
She mumbled, her voice completely devoid of emotion—even the exhaustion had faded from her face.
The next day, Luisa did absolutely nothing.
Like someone determined to live by base instincts alone, she simply ate and slept.
The first time she regained a sliver of awareness was just before sunset.
“Let’s not go anywhere. Just attend the saint ceremony, and that’s it. Nowhere else.”
Muttering like she was brainwashing herself, Luisa slumped against the windowsill, blinking blankly.
“But why did I cough up blood yesterday? I didn’t even touch the sanctification. I only saw it from afar…”
As her head began to clear, yesterday’s events resurfaced.
Coughing up blood in the palace of all places—thank goodness it happened near a private room, or it could’ve turned into a full-blown public incident.
Recalling that close call, Luisa shuddered.
The Imperial Palace should be the most secure place in the empire, and yet, the more she thought about it, the less sense it made.
Was there something ominous lurking in the palace? That thought flickered in her mind—but she also couldn’t fully believe it.
“Could demonic energy be accumulating in places? …No way, right?”
Still, the idea lingered.
She tilted her head thoughtfully, but was interrupted by a knock at the door.
Deciding to ask Priest Jordan about it later, she turned as Mary, her maid, entered the room. Luisa gave her a questioning look.
“My lady, the First Prince is here!”
“…Did he say he was coming?”
Luisa wasn’t sure. Maybe she’d heard it and forgotten—though that hadn’t happened recently.
“…Wait, why haven’t I been forgetting things like that lately?”
Her eyes drifted off, blank and unfocused.
“My lady?”
“Oh.”
“Shall I tell him you’re unwell and ask him to visit another time?”
Mary, knowing how easily irritated Luisa could get, kindly offered a way out. Normally, Luisa would’ve gladly used that excuse.
But considering Raphael had witnessed her coughing up blood just yesterday, saying she was still sick might make him think things were worse and go tell her family.
“No… I’ll go down.”
Luisa pressed her tired eyes shut and muttered weakly.
As she sluggishly headed for the door, Mary quickly stopped her.
Though she was in an indoor dress, it was too casual for receiving guests. Mary hurriedly brushed her hair and draped a light robe over her.
Soon after, Luisa—barely groomed at all—entered the parlor. Raphael stood up the moment he saw her.
He gave her a brief bow, his sharp gaze scanning her condition.
“Apologies for coming unannounced.”
“I was a little surprised, but it’s fine. What brings you here?”
Luisa gestured for him to sit and then took the seat across from him.
Mary rolled out a tea trolley and set the table quickly before stepping back. Only after the door shut behind her did Raphael speak.
“I had a feeling you wouldn’t tell anyone about what happened yesterday, so I came to check. How are you feeling?”
“Hmm… If you mean yesterday, I felt better right away thanks to the holy water.”
Now that she was fine, there was no reason to bring it up with her family—Luisa said this matter-of-factly.
But her meaning didn’t go unnoticed. Raphael frowned slightly, sensing the implication.
“Then no one else knows what happened yesterday?”
“There wasn’t really a reason to say anything. But now that you mention it…”
She trailed off as she reached for her teacup.
Meeting Raphael’s gaze—he was staring at her disapprovingly—she momentarily fell into thought. Her eyes, unfocused for a second, suddenly sharpened again.
To be continued.
