Chapter 33
【Elisana Is Not Allowed】
Leto was walking through the gardens of the imperial palace. He couldn’t calm his restless heart.
Livia would never know. She wouldn’t know what kind of resolve it had taken for him to let her go.
For him, even kissing her all night wouldn’t have been enough. And that wasn’t all—he could have gone much further.
But if I had, she would’ve run away for good. She already fled like this.
It had been an outing he had waited for a long time. Carrying anticipation and excitement, he descended the steps—
Right up until he saw the front of the chapel.
Livia was standing so close to a man they were nearly touching. There was no way to interpret it as anything other than a secret rendezvous.
And of all people, it was a priest.
The priest’s guilt was obvious. Even setting emotions aside, Leto had more than enough justification to draw his sword.
And yet, Livia stopped him.
—Please.
Please? Wasn’t that a word she hadn’t even used when begging for her life?
What was more despairing was Leto himself—his foolishness in ultimately granting that request.
Betrayal and helplessness twisted into sharp words. And yet, at the same time, he hoped.
That she would offer some excuse. Anything. Even if she truly had been enjoying a clandestine meeting—just give him a reason, any reason, to pretend not to see.
But she chose silence.
Her gaze was calm and still. As though she were preparing to end their relationship.
He grabbed her.
Anxiety tore at him relentlessly. Those eyes that had once pulled him out of the abyss—firm, yet warm. She was about to take them away. How could he not cling to her?
He knew it. He was in a position where he had no choice but to wait endlessly for an answer. And he knew how pitiful that made him.
Still, that position mattered more to him than pride or honor ever could.
Because that waiting itself was the only thread connecting him to her—like the sleeve he had finally managed to grasp.
Then she tugged on that thread.
Suddenly, she kissed him.
Why did she do that?
Leto didn’t know the answer either. All he could guess at was some kind of impulse.
Wasn’t that reason enough? That she had felt an impulse toward him.
Leto looked up at the imperial palace. A light had just turned on in Livia’s bedroom.
Yes. This is only the beginning.
A smile spread across Leto’s lips.
“Merrill Iste.”
Count Iste called Elisana in a low voice.
“From now on, this will be your name. Do you understand?”
Inside the inner chamber of the Iste family residence, shrouded in darkness, Count and Countess Iste sat facing Elisana.
The Iste couple were elderly, their hair white with age. They had devoted their entire lives to the Goddess Church.
Countess Iste took Elisana’s hand—no, Merrill’s.
“Merrill. Thank you for becoming our daughter. And your appearance—how precious it is… all thanks to His Holiness the High Priest and the Goddess’s blessing.”
The High Priest had introduced Merrill to them. At first sight, the couple had been taken with her.
And today, they officially became a family.
“I feel the same way. Father. Mother.”
Merrill replied demurely. The elderly couple were immersed in the joy of having gained a daughter.
Count Iste spoke.
“I hear you grew up an orphan and served as a saintess at a provincial temple. You must have suffered greatly.”
Of course, it was all a fabrication created by the High Priest. Merrill nodded.
Countess Iste continued.
“Merrill, you understood what His Holiness explained, didn’t you? If people know you’re adopted, the nobles of the capital will look down on you… So even if it feels awkward or uncomfortable, let’s keep the adoption a secret. We’re family now anyway.”
Merrill looked at the two elderly people.
An old couple who had inherited a house in the capital from relatives. They looked naïve and simple.
Perfect to make use of.
Merrill smiled softly.
“Yes. I understand, Father. Mother.”
The couple gazed at her with moved expressions. Adopting a saintess—there could be no greater blessing for them.
“Um, Father.”
“Yes, my child?”
“When do you think I might be able to visit the imperial palace?”
“The palace?”
The couple exchanged glances. Count Iste thought to himself:
She’s young and beautiful. Of course she’s interested in marriage. If she’s to meet a good match, she’ll need to attend social gatherings.
“I’ll see if I can arrange an opportunity soon—very soon.”
“Thank you.”
Merrill bowed politely.
Not long after, Merrill returned to her room. It was large and tranquil—a room she had never lived in before.
And it wasn’t just the room. The spotless crimson dress and clean shoes were new to her as well.
Over the past few weeks, Merrill had received aristocratic education. She absorbed it at a remarkable pace.
Now, all of it felt natural. As though it had always belonged to her.
“Hmmm…”
Merrill flopped down onto the bed.
“I’m bored.”
I hate pandering to old people. They’re not even as wealthy as I’d hoped. I have to wait for an opportunity to enter the palace? I can’t just go in?
The Iste family wasn’t rich. They were merely maintaining the family name.
Of course, Merrill wasn’t interested in their money. But she felt that without wealth, entering the palace would be difficult.
I want to go to the palace soon.
More precisely, she wanted to meet the Emperor.
She remembered Leto from the Forest of Magicians. No—she had always remembered him.
As time passed, his image only grew clearer.
His tall figure. The overwhelming power with which he cut down monsters without mercy. And above all—
The way he looked at the Empress.
That gaze was so unwavering. Absolute devotion, without the slightest doubt. She wanted that look. If it were food, she would have swallowed it whole.
I want it… so badly I can’t even explain it.
Elisana’s parents had been wandering magicians. With weak magical power, they survived mostly by stealing.
One day, they abandoned Merrill. Her appearance drew too much attention.
That was when Merrill realized—she would have to hide her face for the rest of her life. And that without strength, she couldn’t survive.
From that day on, she became obsessed with power.
She joined the guild with a clear goal from the start: the forbidden magic stones.
She wasn’t afraid of losing her life. Nor of becoming a criminal. Fear was never what drove her.
It was blind desire.
And that desire had always been right.
Merrill was now as strong as anyone. She simply hadn’t found a place to use that strength.
Until now.
A new desire wrapped itself around her—one she couldn’t escape.
As if it had been destined all along.
Merrill pulled the blanket close and hugged it, closing her eyes with a faint smile.
She was confident. She had always obtained what she wanted, one way or another.
That was how she had lived.
Morning broke on the day of the State Council meeting.
The palace was noisy from early dawn. Leto’s secretaries, in particular, were rushing about.
I stepped out onto the balcony of my room. In the distance, I could see the central palace where the grand conference hall was. Ministers were entering one by one.
It looked like it would be a long meeting.
I had already done my part. The rest was Leto’s responsibility. All that remained for me was to wait.
Truthfully, I should have encouraged him. We had prepared for this meeting together, after all.
But… today, I wanted to avoid him.
We had kissed just last night. I wasn’t ready to face him yet.
…It’s embarrassing no matter how many times I think about it. When will this feeling fade?
That was when I happened to glance down.
Leto was walking with his secretaries. Ministers of the pro-imperial faction were with them. They seemed to be heading toward the conference hall.
I leaned on the railing and rested my chin on my hand, following him with my eyes.
—Someday, tell me the real reason.
Why did that line suddenly come to mind? How could I possibly say, Because you looked lovely?
Just then, Leto stopped abruptly.
He lifted his head and looked straight at me.
A smile spread across his face. I froze in surprise.
It didn’t seem like he sensed my gaze. He must have looked up just in case—on a whim, driven by a small hope.
If I hadn’t been there, wouldn’t he have been disappointed?
Wasn’t that frightening?
Leto waved at me broadly. His secretaries and the ministers all turned to look as well.
They bowed in unison. I had no choice but to nod in response.
I waved back at Leto.
At my awkward gesture, he chuckled. Then, silently, he mouthed the words:
See you later.
He kept staring at me, as if he wouldn’t leave until I responded.
I lost. I’d tried to avoid him, but—
I nodded.
Only then did he smile and turn away.
Soon after, news arrived that the meeting had begun.
Good. Then I should do my work as well.
I summoned an attendant.
“Go to the Matryon estate immediately and bring Marquis Louis here.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
A short while later, Louis arrived in the reception room. He already looked worried.
“What’s going on, Livia? You summoned me so suddenly.”
“I’m sorry to call you on such short notice, Brother. Please, sit.”
We sat facing each other on the sofa. I dismissed all the maids. Louis’s expression grew more serious.
“Is everything all right?”
“There’s nothing urgent enough to worry about. I simply have something I want handled discreetly.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
“Do you know a woman named Elisana?”
I planned to search for Elisana through Louis. He seemed like someone who would handle it without asking too many questions.
“Elisana?”
His expression was strange—half recognition, half uncertainty.
“What’s her family name?”
“I don’t know. Only the name Elisana.”
“I do know of a woman named Elisana, but… why are you suddenly looking for her?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t explain the reason. Still, I must find her.”
If I told him the Goddess had spoken to me, he would believe it—and worry as well. It was better that he didn’t know.
“Very well. If you’re searching for her, you must have your reasons. The Elisana I know was recently expelled from the guild.”
“Expelled?”
“Yes. She amplified her magic using forbidden magic stones. No one truly knows how powerful she is now.”
I knew it instantly. This had to be the Elisana the Goddess had mentioned.
“What is her family name?”
“Lucy. I believe it was Lucy. Elisana Lucy.”
Good. Things were progressing more smoothly than expected.
“Where is she now? I’d like to meet her.”
“What? Don’t. She’s dangerous. Even the guild gave up on her. And she’s completely vanished.”
“Wouldn’t Master Luminos know?”
“He probably wouldn’t. Mages keep to themselves. Besides, her face was never revealed.”
“That’s impossible. She was still a guild member.”
“Luminos said she had severe burns on her face and couldn’t show it.”
“Burns…”
“Yes. Apparently she grew up as a vagrant and suffered all sorts of accidents.”
So no one knows her face. I thought this would be easy—but it won’t be.
“Brother, please find out where Elisana is. But don’t tell anyone.”
He looked puzzled, but soon nodded.
“Understood, Livia. I’ll look into it.”
