CHAPTER 58…………………………………………..
Though not nearly as much as Daniel, I also possessed a small amount of sexual power.
At that one statement, Rozian, who had been thoroughly agitated, calmed slightly. It seemed he found some credibility in the words, for just as he let out a short “Hmm” in contemplation, a light knock sounded outside, followed by a servant’s voice.
“Lord Rozian, there are guests from the temple.”
“Tell them to enter.”
The heavily decorated door, adorned with jewels, creaked open to reveal a single knight standing behind the servant.
Since they had sent someone from the temple, Rozian assumed it concerned him personally—but it did not.
In reality, temple knights acted more like Rozian’s agents than servants of the priestess Tamitarte.
The knight’s face, a mix of tension and excitement, betrayed his effort to suppress his emotions.
Tamitarte, watching the knight, felt an inexplicable unease.
“We have found traces, Lord Rozian.”
“Traces?”
At that single word, Rozian’s eyes blazed with madness.
His heart thumped violently as he stared at the knight, his face hardened.
With a look of pure delight, Rozian quickly approached the knight.
“Daniel… did you find him?”
“We’ve found traces… but it appears he died long ago.”
“…What?”
Tamitarte’s heart raced, pounding with each beat, as Rozian’s expression shifted from joy to sudden disappointment.
Please… just let this pass. Please don’t reveal that child’s existence.
Desperately, she prayed as the knight spoke again.
“However… it seems he had a child.”
“A child?”
“Yes.”
Even letters that had never been sent were examined, and the knight had uncovered the name.
“It seems the child’s name is Irina Devin.”
Even as a priestess, Tamitarte felt an urge to deny the existence of gods.
Lian tilted his head slightly. The atmosphere was slightly different from when Irina had been brought to the ducal residence—somewhat chaotic.
With a faint sense of unease, he tugged the reins of his horse and dismounted.
Had something happened? The village seemed to have been turned upside down, as if someone had stormed through it. He could not hide his curiosity when he saw a familiar face approaching.
“I have a question for you.”
“Ah… young master?”
The owner of the bakery where Irina had worked greeted Lian warmly.
Though the village had been disrupted by outsiders, the baker had reason to be kind: when Irina had been taken to the ducal residence, he had bought all the bread in the shop.
“What brings you here?”
“I came to meet someone. But why is the village in such a state?”
“Ah…”
The baker, eyes wide, took Lian’s hand and quietly led him away from prying eyes.
Though he would not have told anyone else, it was clear to the baker that the person Lian was looking for had to be someone specific: Alicia.
“You’ve come for Alicia, haven’t you, young master?”
Lian, knowing not to touch the aristocratic body, merely nodded without correcting the baker’s assumption.
“Just as I thought.”
How could one explain this?
He knew that the young master who had taken Irina also knew that she had gotten along well with Alicia before going to the ducal residence.
The villagers had no idea who Lian really was.
When Lian had initially come to fetch Irina, only a few people had accompanied him. Irina herself had said nothing about his identity.
From the other knights at his side and Irina’s behavior, the villagers could only surmise he was a high-ranking noble; they knew nothing concrete.
“Knights from the temple have come to the village.”
“Temple knights? Why?”
“They were searching for someone… it seems connected to Alicia, who was with Irina.”
Though chaos had ensued, the villagers knew very little.
All they knew was that the knights had come, that this person was somehow connected to Alicia, and that now, having evaded them, they were searching for Irina as well.
“They are looking for Alicia and have apparently realized she lived with Irina.”
“…”
“The temple is searching for Irina as well.”
Lian bit the inside of his cheek. Thankfully, they hadn’t revealed their identities to the villagers—but why would the temple even be involved with Irina?
Moreover… if the people from the capital learned Irina had been taken to the ducal residence, it would inevitably reveal that the household had installed a fake duchess.
“So what about Alicia?”
Lian’s purpose for coming to the village was simple: to take Alicia to the ducal residence.
Amidst the unexpected events, Lian suppressed his confusion.
“Is Alicia with the knights now?”
“No, she seems to have fled the village.”
“Fled?”
“Yes, so a few of the temple members are guarding the house where Alicia had been staying.”
Now it was clear: the village chaos was caused by the temple.
What was certain was that Irina’s biological father and Alicia had some connection to the temple.
When Irina was very young and brought to the ducal residence, she had had no dealings with the temple.
“That’s why they’re searching the village so thoroughly now.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
With no money to offer, Lian removed a jewel from his clothing and handed it to the baker.
“Consider this payment for the information.”
“Oh, thank you! Young master!”
Since Alicia wasn’t in the village, Lian had no reason to linger. To avoid revealing Irina’s presence to the temple, he mounted his horse, tugged the reins, and spurred it forward.
“She seems to have fled the village.”
“That might actually be for the best.”
The sound of wind whistled past, carrying his muttered thoughts.
Alicia fleeing was perhaps preferable to her being captured by the temple.
Now, Lian’s only option was clear: locate Alicia before the temple did.
“This is maddening.”
There was no telling how things would spiral further.
―End of the scandal.
Thwack! A gossip paper fell in front of me. I was in the middle of preparing to go out but turned my head slowly.
Seeing him staring at me with wide, sharp eyes, I picked up the newspaper tossed before me.
Barak had entered my room without knocking. I plopped down into a chair, having finished preparing myself, and looked up at him.
“What is this?”
He glanced at the article he had thrown and replied casually.
“What do you mean? It’s my article.”
The front page covered an article about me, Persephone, and Damien.
I responded nonchalantly to the piece that neatly ended the scandal rumors circulating over the past period.
“If I’m staying at the ducal residence for a year, I expect you to behave. Don’t cause trouble.”
“…”
“If you’re living as April, act like April. No foolish antics.”
I leaned back on the sofa, grinding my teeth as I spoke.
Since my return, there had been not a single quiet day at the ducal residence.
Barak, already sensitive from worrying about April at the villa, now constantly carried anger because of me.
The servants around me inhaled sharply and bowed.
Those pretending not to see or hear anything were the carefully chosen staff of the ducal household. Only Amber, my personal maid, kept watch attentively.
I gestured for the others to leave, and they filed out.
Amber remained at the door, bowing slightly.
“I haven’t done anything to harm you, milady. Why are you so angry, sir?”
“What did you say?”
“I thought Lady April would actually like it. After all, you weren’t on good terms with His Highness.”
It had been wise to leave with Persephone.
Rather than repeatedly asserting my good relationship with my fiancé in gatherings with noble ladies, a single article like this would reveal it all.
The article mentioned riding in a carriage with Persephone and Damien, visiting a boutique for the founding festival, and even watching the tournament of the fencing competition together—an occasion that made me sigh in brief admiration.
