Chapter 75
‘…There’s no way.’
Even as he murmured that to himself, Khalid’s grip tightened unconsciously.
A high-pitched ringing pounded in his ears, and his breath became ragged.
Sensing something wrong, Zermann glanced over with concern, but Khalid couldn’t respond.
“I don’t recognize you. Who are you?”
“Ah… I’m Erdia of the Marquisate of Valandier. My apologies for the suddenness and lack of proper courtesy, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
A face twisted in agony at the question, Who are you?
Eyes that seemed steeped in sorrow, that inexplicably haunted him ever since their first meeting.
At the time, all the commotion had simply felt unpleasant and intrusive.
“That can’t be…”
“Your Highness?”
There was no way those honest expressions were an act.
Even that meeting had not been planned—it was pure chance.
Like in Maersen, he’d intended only to keep an eye out for anything suspicious in Bellanive.
But ever since arriving in Bellanive, Erdia’s behavior had been oddly emotional.
Far too affected for someone merely sympathizing with disaster victims.
She acted as if she bore the responsibility for the disaster herself.
“Khalid… What do I do? It’s my fault. I was too hasty…”
“But… if only I’d arrived sooner…”
He remembered her sobbing, clinging to him like she had committed some terrible crime.
That day, Khalid had watched her perform miracles within the golden sanctuary—
Using divine power until her lips turned blue and she coughed up blood.
Even after saving lives, she apologized as if it had all been her fault.
And then—
“H-heuk… Please, go… huff… run… please…”
That first night in Bellanive.
She had groaned as though gripped by a terrible nightmare, like the time she was poisoned with Piar venom.
It was a far cry from the shy way she’d blushed when asking to share a bed.
She waved her hands in the air, pleading and apologizing repeatedly.
It reminded him exactly of how she’d been on the day of the great flood—
When she had whispered her apologies until she lost consciousness.
Khalid hadn’t even been able to hold her hand.
He’d stayed by her side until dawn, unable to look away.
His heart pounded harder than ever.
He wanted—desperately—to grab her hand right then.
He couldn’t look away anymore.
The excuse of “just watching over her” was meaningless now.
There was only one reason he’d kept her by his side.
Because in the unfamiliar Erdia, he had seen the woman he once loved: Riviere.
It was impossible.
He had thought he’d simply gone mad, unable to let go of that love.
But then, he remembered what Riviere had once said—
That it felt like someone else had possessed her, that the evil things she did weren’t really her.
He’d brushed it off at the time, thought it was just one more of her cruel lies.
But now, he wanted to believe it.
Even if everything had been a trick, the memory lingered.
Why would she lie about something so absurd?
Unless…
The idea struck him—and the moment it did, it grew rapidly.
He found himself examining Erdia’s every gesture, habit, expression.
Looking for traces of Riviere.
And everything—everything—felt like it fit.
As though each detail confirmed the “truth.”
Then came the final blow:
Her words about the Bellanive experiments being nothing more than a game.
About how Riviere might hate even the parts of her life she couldn’t remember.
If someone had possessed Riviere’s body—
And if Riviere had come back and realized it—
Then her betrayal, her cruelty… it would all make sense.
Riviere would do that.
Every puzzle piece now pointed to one truth.
An unbelievable possibility—but one he wanted to believe.
But if it was true…
Why hadn’t Erdia said anything?
He hadn’t asked her, on purpose.
Because if she said “No”—
If she denied it—he felt he would shatter completely.
He didn’t want to believe he had simply gone mad from longing.
He’d already concluded, in his heart, that she was the one.
Still, the betrayals of the past whispered for him to find more evidence.
He was scared.
So scared.
Because his heart—already shredded—could not take another blow.
So he desperately hoped.
That the woman who risked herself for others was the one he loved.
And even if she wasn’t, that at least she had nothing to do with Riviere.
He just wanted this fragile, newly rekindled feeling… not to be crushed again.
But then—Riviere spoke Erdia’s name.
And that was enough to shake his resolve.
The past returned like a nightmare.
His heart ached in confusion.
‘…If I was wrong.’
If this was all Riviere’s twisted game again…
Khalid clenched his jaw and forced himself to focus.
He could almost hear her mocking laughter again—but he shoved it away.
Instead, he forced himself to remember the shy smile she gave him.
The face that had sobbed, as though carrying all of Bellanive’s misfortune alone.
Her eyes, swollen red with tears—those couldn’t be fake.
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
“…I’m fine.”
Erdia’s face came to mind, and at last, he found clarity.
Beyond the wall, the line of communication had gone silent.
A bad feeling settled in. Khalid rushed into the room.
He slammed the door open—
The innkeeper dropped an empty bottle with a clatter.
She smiled, disturbingly serene.
“O bearer of holy power… let your will be done…”
Her voice cracked, filling the room with an eerie tone.
Her skin turned black around her neck and face.
She vomited blood—and collapsed with a heavy thud.
Khalid stared silently at the corpse.
Even in death, her face wore a terrifyingly satisfied smile.
“…Damn it.”
There was still so much he had to learn.
What had they spoken of just before he entered?
What orders had she been given?
What role had she played in watching over Erdia?
He had no way of knowing now.
“I didn’t catch the very last part of the call… but I think she was ordered to kill herself,” Zermann said.
Just a few words from Riviere—
And the trauma of the past came crashing back.
He’d thought he would never relive it again.
But because of Erdia…
His long-buried panic had returned.
Even worse than the loss of intel—was Zermann’s look of worry.
It pierced him deeper than he expected.
Khalid dragged a trembling hand down his face and let out a long breath.
“…This is my failure.”
“She was probably meant to be disposable from the start. Designed to leave no trace except for the call,” Zermann replied.
“…We never learned her true purpose.”
Zermann checked the communication device on the desk and shook his head.
“This device was single-use. And it could only send messages out, not receive. …But I think you already suspect what the goal was.”
Khalid fell silent.
He did have a guess.
One he didn’t want to be true.
Whatever the truth—he couldn’t afford to overlook even the smallest chance.
“…Tell Baslein. Do not let Erdia out of your sight.”
“…And if she does show suspicious signs, what then?”
Having been by Khalid’s side for years, Zermann likely knew what was in his heart.
He must have known how much Khalid had come to care for her.
That she had become a stand-in for someone he once loved.
So Zermann asked now—to prepare for the chaos that might come.
“…As I did once before. I’ll have to punish her for insulting the Crown Prince.”
The words came coldly, but deep inside, Khalid was begging for it not to be true.
His twisted expression was filled with a desperate wish.
That his suspicion would be proven wrong.
That this was nothing more than an empty fear.
That he’d never have to follow through with this decision.
And somewhere far away…
A woman in an immaculate white uniform embroidered with golden thread quietly smiled.
