ALL NOVEL Chapter 58
Selleana bit her lip and blinked in response to the man’s sharply delivered words. Silence is a means to avoid lying.
With a deep sigh, Rakrensius placed a hand on his forehead. “Lady… I’ve told you before. It’s dangerous.”
“What danger could there be for me in Elard? Moreover, the imperial family is even more eager about our union.”
Selleana had lived her life thinking she would be tied to the imperial family. To her, changing her partner was merely that, and she took the warnings of danger as metaphorical. She only thought of the fools who would gossip about her entanglement with the foolish prince instead of the crown prince, not that it would put her in any real danger.
Above all, this was a good opportunity for Rakrensius to escape the imperial family’s scrutiny. The shadow of Elard would protect him from the imperial family.
But what could be so serious to ponder over alone…?
When Selleana’s brows involuntarily furrowed,
“I’m sorry for getting angry. But… I wish you would take my words seriously.”
“I want to take it seriously.”
Selleana softened her expression in response to the man who apologized without having explicitly shown anger.
“But it’s always like this. You can’t tell me the details, but it can’t be done. When I asked you to find Collin, and now too.”
“…”
“I know I’m being stubborn. I want to persuade Master of Tower, but how can I without knowing the problem?”
“That’s why I’m telling you not to try to persuade me.”
“Why should I give up without knowing why? I’ve been lost for 10 years because there’s no one like Master of Tower.”
10 years…? The mention of such a perplexing duration left Rakrensius momentarily speechless.
“Or just reject me cruelly. Say you find me utterly unattractive both personally and romantically.”
“Lady, that’s…”
“That’s what?”
“Isn’t that a bit extreme…”
“See?”
“…”
“You can’t even say things you don’t mean, really.”
Selleana pressed her lips together as if suppressing sorrow. Rakrensius’s gaze briefly froze at her quivering lips.
“
Ah
, that…”
Perhaps it was because Selleana’s slender shoulders, covered by translucent silk sleeves, appeared too fragile. The moment he unknowingly reached out toward that thin shoulder,
“Do not covet anything carelessly.”
The words from his younger days that always reined him in caused his hand to halt and weakly clench.
In the ensuing silence,
“That’s… My father asked the emperor why you’re uncomfortable with my proposal.”
Selleana’s hesitant admission broke the silence.
“The duke found out…”
“You know, I have three shadows following me. I have to convince not only Master of Tower but also those behind me.”
“…”
“I’m sorry. Master of Tower keeps refusing, but now it’s gone as far as the emperor.”
“It’s not that…”
“But… maybe the imperial family isn’t as harsh as you think?”
“No, Lady.” Rakrensius’s face was unusually firm. “That won’t happen…”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t think so.”
“It’s not a matter of belief.”
“Master of Tower.” Suddenly, Selleana’s eyes shone crimson. “Let’s make a bet.”
What Rakrensius read from there was a spirit of competition.
“I believe the situation will be easier than you think.”
I also want to bet on that
. But he couldn’t say it out loud. He was ready to lose anything to her, sincerely.
“Do your best to remain harmless. So that you don’t affect the path set by the imperial family.”
But…
* * *
[Such a lady of action.]
It was evening in the tower master’s office.
[She even investigated the list of treasures owned by all the monarchs and heirs of the Nepelsian dynasty.]
Di, capable of knowing the contents of any written document, knew about the note written in Korean by Doloret and sent to Selleana.
[Of course, it didn’t include me.]
Rakrensius, lying on the sofa, placed the back of his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. “I never expected to become this entangled.” His voice rose and fell slowly.
Though he said that, he knew he had a desire to become entangled with Selleana and couldn’t completely push her away. Just like Selleana had said.
“What should I do?”
[Follow your wish.]
“Me?”
[Forget about your duties, the imperial family’s commitments, or strategic considerations… What do you want to do?]
What he wanted to do, not what he had to do.
“I want to…”
Listening to the gentle voice echoing in his mind, Rakrensius slowly unfolded a heart’s desire buried deep within. A small but fervent longing he had harbored for a very long time.
“I want to protect the lady.”
From the days when he didn’t know where she lived, calling her ‘angel’ and longing for her, if he peeled back layer by layer of his wishes, deep down, there was such hope. The young lady wouldn’t have to shout about the hardships of life or smile a thousand times at anyone but instead live a peaceful life, preferably by his side. So, inevitably, he was entangled in her temptation that day.
[If you protect her.]
“I wish she wouldn’t become any more endangered. But it’s frustrating not to explain why I have to stop there…”
[Rakrensius.]
Di gently interrupted his young contractor’s confused words.
[The situation is already moving beyond your control. I don’t know what decision your father has made, but it seems only a matter of time before it reaches the ears of the saintess.]
“…”
[The possibility has arisen that you, who could be a threat to the imperial family’s existence, might gain the backing of Elard.]
The saintess. His stepmother who noticed Rakrensius’s existence and brought him to the imperial family. Whenever he thought of her, he remembered the cold face when he came out with Di. Along with that, the memories of the day he had to accept many restrictions.
[Of course, you don’t mean to threaten the imperial family.]
“It’s not about what I want. My very existence is a thorn to Orot.”
[And that my blood resonated with you is something we can’t help.]
The slow lament of the sword and human, trying not to resent each other, continued.
This brat…
Di thought so as not to echo in Rakrensius’s mind.
The sword, existing purely as logic, simply acknowledged the emotions derived from logical judgments as ‘understood.’ Therefore, fundamentally, the sword pitied Rakrensius.
Separated from his mother at a young age, awakened Di, hence monitored by the saintess, a divine apostle, and thus forced to give up the only person he ever fell for. Parents, freedom, love… Being deprived of everything humans instinctively crave was undeniably pitiful. So, the sword did what it could. Logically and rationally, it advised its young friend as it had done for its first contractor long ago.
[You need to grasp the situation first.]
“Right…”
[If you keep hiding, you’ll end up being taken advantage of without knowing anything.]
Rakrensius’s hand that had covered his eyes fell. The chandelier’s light intensified in his blue eyes, filling them with a sharp warmth.
[I, Di, the only weakness of all-knowing fate. My first contractor and your ancestor, Asmion, changed his fate entirely because of me.]
His life, scrutinized by the imperial family simply for being the first to awaken Di since the founder, forced him to forsake the ordinary life that was never truly his. Yet, everything started to change the moment the young lady from his childhood entered his life deeply as the Lady of Elard. No matter how much he tried to ignore her sweet enticements, his fate might have already irreversibly shifted from the moment she first stepped through his door.
“Right… you’re correct.”
[You’ve never been wrong following my advice.]
“I should send a message of greetings to my father.”
The man’s face settled into a cold determination as he finally made up his mind.
* * *
This shield belonged to the first emperor, so it’s not as old as the tower master’s…. but it looked more worn out, perhaps because it was used directly in battle by the first emperor.
Selleana casually examined Pavellian’s relic, something she had seen several times before. The shield of the first emperor was hung in the same spot on the wall of Pavellian’s office. Thus, Selleana found herself suddenly summoned by Pavellian today, once again engaging in a ‘staring contest’ alone.
This happened because of a letter Selleana had sent a few days ago.