Chapter 42
I Went Looking for the Mastermind in a Ruin Novel
“It’s no different from usual. He’s still physically weak, and since he often bumps into things he shouldn’t, he ends up hurting himself a lot.”
Of course, he’s doing it on purpose.
Eliana swallowed the rest of her words and smiled softly.
Belkirey was skillfully putting on an act, pretending to be blind to perfection.
“I see.”
Mary murmured with a slightly forlorn expression, then lowered her gaze to her teacup.
Whenever the topic turned to Belkirey, Mary always became cautious.
Likewise, Belkirey would cut off the conversation whenever Mary was mentioned.
Was there really something between the two of them that had yet to be revealed?
Watching Mary’s reaction carefully, Eliana probed tentatively.
“I heard that you were fairly close when you were young.”
“When the Empress was still alive, we used to meet often and play together.”
Mary’s lips curved into a faint smile, like someone pulling out an old memory.
Considering how close Mary had been to the Empress, it wasn’t hard to guess what kind of past she was recalling.
Mary was the unfortunate imperial princess who, due to the severity of her mother’s sins, eventually went blind in her stead.
Compared to Hera—who only gnawed away at her sanity—perhaps Mary had felt more at ease with the Empress, who wasn’t her biological mother but treated her with warmth.
In the novel, Mary pitied Hera.
She understood all too well the pain her status had inflicted.
She also knew that if Hera had never met the Emperor, she herself might have ended up living a life much like her mother’s.
If Hera had just been content with her place and hadn’t killed the former Emperor and Empress, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened at all.
No matter how much she thought about it, Eliana couldn’t see any way to untangle a relationship that had already become so knotted.
Even from a third party’s perspective, it was hopelessly tangled.
If she were being honest, she wished everyone could just end up happy. And preferably, she wouldn’t die in the process.
That was when Mary spoke calmly.
“I understand His Majesty.”
“Yes?”
Eliana snapped out of her thoughts and asked back.
Mary was still staring down at her teacup.
Eliana couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but her tightly pressed lips looked as though she were swallowing something painful.
“I hope His Majesty doesn’t hate Mother too much.”
“…Do you think His Majesty hates Her Majesty the Empress Dowager?”
Belkirey was clearly acting as though he got along well with Hera.
Yet Mary seemed to know that, inside, Belkirey was grinding his teeth.
Didn’t Mary not know that Hera killed the former Emperor and Empress?
Eliana looked at Mary quietly, unable to grasp the meaning behind her words.
Mary replied with a bitter smile.
“It’s just that… from now on, there’s only things left that will make him hate her.”
“……”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to stop Mother at all.”
“Do you want to stop her?”
At Eliana’s serious question, Mary lifted her head.
Her eyes were growing moist.
As always, she smiled brightly out of habit.
“If I could, then yes.”
The moment Eliana saw that smile, she understood.
Mary hadn’t been able to refute Hera.
She had already resolved herself to do as she was told.
But Eliana pretended not to notice.
Because it seemed like that was what Mary wanted.
Mary’s face looked like a sorrowful portrait, burned permanently into place.
* * *
It was the day they were to go to the Hosios Temple to hold the Awakening Ceremony.
Having to ride in the same carriage as Mary was a concern, but just then, Rub arrived early in the morning.
Neatly dressed, Rub first paid his respects to Belkirey, then spoke to Eliana.
“I came because I have a request to make in advance.”
“At this hour?”
Eliana looked up at Rub blankly.
Belkirey, who had just finished breakfast, was sitting in his chair and casting a strange look their way.
It was far too early in the morning.
Eliana glanced sideways at Belkirey.
He looked extremely displeased.
Tilting his head at an angle, he addressed Rub.
“Marquis Demeter.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“It seems you’re working my child far too hard.”
“I apologize.”
Despite Belkirey’s sharp response, Rub answered calmly.
Though he said he was sorry, his face showed no trace of remorse.
Eliana couldn’t understand why Belkirey always became so prickly whenever Rub was involved. Was it because of the contract with Haneph?
Perhaps he simply felt uncomfortable with Rub being the Pope.
Thinking it would be best to get out of there quickly, Eliana busied herself gathering her things.
A moment later, she took Belkirey’s hand, brought it to her forehead, and greeted him.
“I’ll be back!”
“Lily.”
“Yes?”
Just as she finished her greeting and tried to pull her hand away, Belkirey held onto it.
When Eliana looked up in surprise, he gently tugged her closer.
Peck.
In an instant, Belkirey’s lips brushed against her cheek.
“Come back quickly, Lily.”
Belkirey whispered sweetly, his eyes curving beautifully.
He smiled so brightly his whole face seemed to glow.
Eliana stared at him, flustered, and Belkirey mouthed silently, his expression suddenly menacing.
Smile.
“Hehe, yes. I’ll be right back!”
It really was hard to survive.
Following Belkirey’s command, Eliana forced an awkward smile.
Then Belkirey leaned in, offering his cheek.
It was a clear demand for her to return the kiss.
Eliana’s eyes wavered, silently begging him to let her off just this once, but Belkirey remained unmoved.
In the end, Eliana took a deep breath and kissed Belkirey on the cheek.
Kissing each other with someone else standing right there.
And that someone was Rub—the man Hera had once ordered her to get engaged to.
Even if it was a relationship formed under Hera’s command, still…
Kissing another man in front of him made her feel like she was doing something wrong.
When she glanced back, Rub looked completely unfazed.
Am I the only one being overly conscious of this?
As Eliana hesitantly moved toward Rub, he held out his hand.
She could feel a fierce killing intent burning into her back, but she pretended not to notice and took Rub’s hand.
He had come to escort her, and it would’ve been awkward to refuse.
“Then, we’ll be going, Your Majesty.”
Rub bowed politely once more, but Belkirey didn’t respond.
Before the door closed, Eliana cast a subtle glance back at Belkirey.
He was looking elsewhere.
For some reason, she felt a twinge of regret.
* * *
They say that when someone suddenly starts doing things they never did before, it means their end is near.
As Eliana tilted her head, thinking of Belkirey, Rub spoke up.
“It seems you’re already on nickname terms.”
“Ah, it just sort of happened.”
Eliana scratched her cheek with an embarrassed expression.
It wasn’t as though the nickname carried any grand meaning.
If anything, it was practically a declaration that he intended to treat her like a puppy.
It was a term far removed from affection.
Of course, to someone unaware of its meaning, it might sound like a sweet, ticklish nickname.
Belkirey seemed to enjoy calling her “Lily.”
Whether teasing people was his hobby or not, he called Eliana Lily quite often.
Given how ruthlessly evil Belkirey was portrayed in the novel, it felt oddly new to see him pulling such childish pranks.
The excuse was that he didn’t want to call her by a fake name, but…
From Eliana’s perspective, it seemed more like he did it on purpose because he found her shocked expression amusing every time she heard it.
Before she knew it, Belkirey had filled her thoughts again.
He’s unexpectedly childish, that man.
Eliana let out a small chuckle.
Rub quietly watched her.
After a moment, Eliana glanced around and asked him in a low voice.
“I heard it from Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. That you proposed an engagement. …Why did you do that?”
“Do you not want to be engaged to me?”
“No, that’s not what I mean—”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Well, it’s just, I mean…”
Because Rub met her eyes and asked softly, Eliana stumbled over her words.
Whether she liked or disliked the idea aside, it wasn’t a good time for an engagement.
It had been far too long since she’d crossed the line with Belkirey to rely entirely on Rub now, and between an unknown existence like Rub and Belkirey, whom she already knew, Belkirey was inevitably more comfortable.
Looking straight into Rub’s eyes, Eliana explained.
“You know, Rub. That I’m on His Majesty’s side—and that I can’t leave the imperial palace because of that.”
A bitter smile touched Rub’s lips.
“I knew that, and still did it.”
“Yes?”
“For now, there are too many eyes in the imperial palace. I’ll explain the details once we reach the temple.”
As he said that, Rub tightened his grip on her hand.
Upon arriving at the Hosios Temple, they were immediately led to an unfamiliar space.
Eliana watched as Rub personally prepared the tea.
The place he had guided her to was his private study.
The moderately sized room set aside within the Hosios Temple was neatly organized.
Since they had usually held meetings in reception rooms during the debutante preparations, stepping into his personal space left her feeling a bit dazed.
It seemed he had chosen this place after looking for somewhere suitable for a confidential conversation.
In the awkward silence, Eliana quietly looked around.
The bookshelves were packed with holy scriptures.
Most were written in languages she couldn’t read.
On the wall, something was engraved in unfamiliar characters she didn’t recognize.
As Eliana looked at them with curiosity, trying to read them, Rub finished preparing the tea.
“I made it cold on purpose.”
It was a chilled cup of hibiscus tea.
Having walked from the imperial palace to the temple, she was just a bit warm.
Since Rub never brought a carriage, there was no need to come up with an excuse like wanting to take a walk.
The cold hibiscus tea was perfect for cooling her heated body.
Eliana took a sip.
Perhaps honey had been added—it wasn’t overly sour, but pleasantly sweet.
She felt this every time, but Rub truly seemed like someone for whom consideration was second nature.
Eliana slowly scanned the books again and spoke.
