Episode 111
Lucius, leaving the back alley, walked aimlessly, his mind in turmoil.
He had discovered the voice’s identity – Alexia. But she hadn’t revealed anything else.
Why was she still alive when she was supposed to be dead? Why had he become an apostle when she was still alive? Who was Tristan?
She hadn’t answered any of his questions.
He had never felt so frustrated.
He would have been better off not knowing anything.
He wanted to help Elonia, to repay his debt. But he felt useless, just like when he had been a helpless baby.
“…Lucius!”
Lucius turned around at the sound of his name. The familiar blond siblings were standing there.
“…Your Highness, Your Highness.”
“What are you thinking about? I called you several times, and you didn’t even hear me?”
“My apologies.”
“…”
Olivia crossed her arms, her voice sharp.
“What? Something not going your way?”
“…?”
Simon, who had always seen Lucius as calm and composed, was surprised by her question. Were there things that didn’t go Lucius’s way?
He didn’t understand what she meant, but seeing Lucius’s unusually troubled expression, he realized something was wrong.
Olivia, twirling a strand of her hair, said casually,
“Lucius, we’re not exactly on good terms, are we?”
“S-sister, that’s a bit—”
“We’re not.”
Lucius’s blunt reply surprised Simon, who had been about to protest. But it was true. They weren’t on good terms.
They hadn’t understood each other before coming to Ravanta. They hadn’t even tried to get along. Their current relationship was a significant improvement.
“Simon and I have the same goal. And I think your goal has also changed since the fire at the Theology Department.”
“…How can you be so sure?”
“Did you forget how perceptive I am? I was the one who figured out Dianne first.”
Lucius, unable to argue with her logic, fell silent. It was the first time he had lost an argument to Olivia. Simon, surprised by his silence, cautiously added,
“Young Master Allen, I don’t want you to die. Honestly, I don’t want anyone to die.”
“…”
“You want to help the princess, right? We do too.”
Simon usually stuttered in Lucius’s presence, but he spoke fluently now.
Lucius, testing him, asked,
“I didn’t know you were willing to defy Felix.”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
Simon wasn’t the type to talk about right and wrong. He was timid and insecure, always seeking validation, easily swayed by others.
And yet, he had answered without hesitation.
Lucius, his surprise evident, murmured,
“…You’ve changed.”
“I wouldn’t be able to face Sister Chelon otherwise.”
Simon smiled faintly.
Lucius stared at him for a moment, then turned to Olivia.
Olivia grinned.
“If one person can’t solve it, three can. And if the three of us can’t do it, then… maybe we should ask Elonia and Garnethia for help.”
“What about the Asta young masters?”
Simon asked, puzzled. But Olivia’s face contorted in disgust.
“They’re spoiled brats who don’t know anything about the real world. Especially that pink-haired idiot.”
“Pfft.”
“…?”
Both Olivia and Simon turned towards the sound of suppressed laughter. It was Lucius.
They stared at him, as if they were seeing a mythical creature.
Olivia, her eyes wide with disbelief, asked,
“You… you can laugh?”
“…Apparently, I can.”
Lucius hadn’t expected to laugh in their presence either. But it didn’t feel bad.
He had always thought he was alone.
He had resented Elonia for befriending them.
But if she hadn’t reached out to Olivia, Olivia would have remained the same. She wouldn’t have been able to change Simon’s mind. And they wouldn’t have offered to help him.
Lucius decided to accept Elonia’s help.
“I have a request, Your Highnesses.”
“El!”
Meanwhile, as Elonia emerged from the alley, Llewellyn and Alberich rushed towards her. Elonia quickly covered Llewellyn’s mouth.
“Don’t shout my name like that! It’s embarrassing!”
“Mmmpphh!”
Alberich pulled Elonia’s hand away from Llewellyn’s mouth, not to rescue his brother, but because he found Llewellyn’s mouth, which had been spewing vomit just moments ago, to be unsanitary.
He then pulled out a small bottle of water and meticulously washed Elonia’s hand. Llewellyn protested indignantly,
“I didn’t throw up!”
“I don’t believe you.”
“That’s so mean!”
Alberich, however, ignored him and carefully dried Elonia’s hand with a handkerchief.
His OCD seemed especially severe today.
And Elonia wasn’t the only one who thought so.
“Senior Alberich seems especially overprotective today.”
“Gasp! Who’s there?”
“Ah…!”
Startled by the voice behind her, Elonia instinctively sprayed Alberich’s protective spray. A hissing sound filled the air as the liquid sprayed out, and the boy, his orange eyes wide with shock, collapsed to his knees.
“Ow, ow, ow… My eyes…”
It was the boy she had seen earlier. Valerian Pierre.
Llewellyn’s anger shifted from Alberich to Valerian.
“Valerian, you bastard, who told you to scare my sister?! Are you crazy?!”
“It wasn’t intentional! I apologize, Your Highness…”
Valerian, his eyes tearing up, apologized profusely.
His voice sounded strange, probably because of the spray. Elonia wouldn’t have used it if she had known it was him. She hadn’t felt any guilt when using it on Ricardo, but seeing a child crying and sniffling made her feel bad. Just as she was about to apologize,
“I-it’s okay, I overreacted, so it’s fine—”
She stopped mid-sentence, sensing something. Alberich and Llewellyn quickly stepped in front of her, preventing her from apologizing.
“Your Highness, that’s what it’s for. Use it freely, even on us.”
“Right, he deserves it.”
They were surprisingly coordinated when it came to protecting her.
Hadn’t they been fighting just moments ago? Elonia, her face filled with unspoken questions, pushed them aside and reached out to Valerian.
“I’m sorry. That spray can even knock out trained knights. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“I-it’s an honor. I have strong Holy Power, you see.”
Valerian, chuckling nervously, took her hand and stood up.
They moved to a less crowded area. Valerian, having recovered, greeted Elonia properly.
“Greetings, Your Highness. I’m Valerian Pierre, a second-year Theology student. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s an honor to finally meet you.”
“It’s not that big of a deal.”
“It is! You’re the one who destroyed the only Theology Department building.”
Elonia’s face hardened, and she turned to Llewellyn, who immediately protested his innocence.
“It wasn’t me! I swear on my title as your brother!”
He was her cousin.
But it didn’t seem like it was Llewellyn. Valerian also waved his hands dismissively.
“I just guessed. You know…”
He added, his voice low, “The Theology Department has been acting suspicious lately.” Elonia had also noticed.
‘He’s not brainwashed. The only sane person in the Theology Department.’
Lucius’s ally was Valerian. Elonia decided to get rid of the Asta brothers.
“Alberich, Llewellyn.”
“Huh?”
“I just remembered something I wanted to tell you.”
“Anything, Your Highness.”
Elonia pointed at a distant stall.
“There’s a quiz contest over there. Whoever wins first place gets to choose a class to take with me next semester.”
The Asta brothers, their attention momentarily diverted, turned back to Elonia.
She wanted to protest, to prevent them from being alone with Valerian, but she knew they wouldn’t listen. So she simply glared at Valerian. He, feeling the weight of their stares, raised his hands defensively.
Llewellyn warned him,
“If you try anything funny, I’ll kill you.”
“Llewellyn, we’ve known each other for years. Don’t be so dramatic.”
“Two years isn’t exactly ‘years’.”
“Ah, right.”
Valerian chuckled awkwardly. Alberich unbuckled his sword and handed it to Elonia.
“Stab him if he misbehaves.”
“Senior Alberich, that’s a bit much.”
Valerian complained, but Elonia nodded, accepting the sword. The Asta brothers, motivated by the promise of a shared class, left to conquer the quiz contest.
Elonia, after they were gone, drew her sword and pointed it at Valerian.
“What are you planning?”
“Didn’t Lucius tell you?”
Elonia, after a brief chuckle, narrowed her eyes.
“Where’s the real Valerian?”
“…Your Highness, this isn’t funny.”
Valerian, maintaining his smile, said, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.
But Elonia was certain he was an imposter. Lucius was meticulous. There had to be a reason why he hadn’t revealed his ally’s identity.
She recited the first part of the code phrase Lucius had given her.
“Imbue the sharp tip of the sword with mercy.”
“…How do you know that phrase?”
Valerian, his smile strained, asked.
Elonia’s suspicion turned into certainty.
He wasn’t the real Valerian. The one who had appeared while Llewellyn was throwing up must have been the real one.
“I can either dispel your disguise or you can confess. Choose.”
Elonia pressed the tip of her sword against his throat.
“Ugh…!”
The boy’s face contorted in anger and confusion.
“How…?”
Elonia remained silent. There was no need to explain.
Someone was running towards them.
Wheat-colored hair, warm orange eyes.
The same aura as before.
He tackled the imposter, pinning him to the ground, and struck the back of his neck.
“Ugh…!”
“Imbue the holy light with compassion. That is Madicte’s will.”
A clear voice echoed in the imposter’s ear as he lost consciousness.
He realized, just before he blacked out, that it was the second part of the code phrase Elonia had recited. It had been a code.
The imposter, frustrated that he hadn’t realized it sooner, lost consciousness.
Elonia sheathed her sword and stood up, offering him a hand.
“Valerian, we’ve met before, haven’t we?”
“I apologize for this unseemly display, Your Highness.”
The real Valerian Pierre had finally arrived.