Episode 161
The moon hung large and bright in the night sky.
Elonia sat motionless in her office, lost in thought.
She hadn’t been able to kill Felix. Or rather, they had let her go.
Because she was Chelon.
“If the real Chelon is alive, there’s no need to resurrect the past one. And since Chelon’s body was never found, creating a new one would be quite troublesome.”
Tristan had spoken of her as if she were an object, a tool to be recreated, his voice laced with dark amusement.
“Are you unharmed, Your Highness? If I had known you would be treated so roughly upon arrival, I would have intervened sooner.”
Everyone in Ravanta had worked tirelessly to create the purification potion, and yet, Felix’s condition had improved instantly with a mere gesture from Tristan.
Ravanta’s efforts were insignificant to them.
Elonia felt a wave of humiliation and despair wash over her.
Felix had then made his offer.
“Return to Heilan, Chelon.”
Elonia had scoffed.
She had died to escape that hell. Did he really think she would return?
Just as she was about to retort angrily,
“If you return to Heilan, I’ll spare Olivia.”
He was using Olivia as a hostage.
“That girl is annoyingly perceptive and intelligent. Simon hasn’t been able to accomplish anything because of her interference. As you know, I was planning to kill her.”
Felix hadn’t considered the possibility of Chelon’s suicide because of Olivia and Simon.
He knew Chelon would obey any command if they were held hostage.
He was using the same tactic again.
“But if you return, I’ll spare Olivia.”
Elonia couldn’t answer. She didn’t answer.
It was the only form of resistance left for someone cornered.
The tables had turned long ago. Felix smiled, his face filled with smug triumph.
“I know your soft heart. So I won’t rush you for an answer. However…”
His smile vanished instantly.
“If you give me a satisfactory answer soon, I might even spare Emperor Artius. Think carefully. We won’t make any rash moves in the meantime.”
Bang!
Elonia slammed her fist on the desk, the memory replaying in her mind.
‘What calamity?’
The world called her a calamity, but if she truly was one, she wouldn’t be cowering like this, unable to defeat even Tristan.
She hadn’t chosen to be born a calamity, but she was one nonetheless.
So why couldn’t she be a calamity to them? If she was going to be called a calamity, she wanted to be a devastating one, especially to them.
Elonia craved power.
Power to crush the world.
Power to erase Heilan from history.
Power to ensure no one could ever touch Ravanta, or her, again.
A question suddenly surfaced.
‘…How did Tristan gain such power?’
He had appeared sixteen years ago, summoned by Felix. Back then, he had been nothing more than a dead apostle.
Faith had made him strong.
Could an apostle become a god by gaining faith?
She thought about the two apostles closest to her. Just as her eyes turned cold and calculating,
“Your Highness.”
Lucius’s voice came from outside. Elonia turned her head.
Thump, thump. The sound of footsteps echoed loudly in the quiet corridor. Not because it was quiet, but because the owner of the footsteps had made a firm resolution.
Lucius’s gaze was fixed on a point at the end of the corridor.
Two knights stood guard, as always. They looked at each other grimly, then greeted the approaching visitor.
“Young Master.”
“Good evening, Lady Ethan, Sir Ricardo.”
“If you’re here to see Her Highness…”
“I know Her Highness is not well right now. But please allow me to at least knock.”
“…Yes.”
Ethan and Ricardo stepped aside.
Knock, knock. Lucius knocked gently on the office door.
“Your Highness.”
There was no answer. Just as he was about to give up,
“Lucius?”
Both Ethan and Ricardo’s eyes widened. Lucius, a flicker of joy in his eye, nodded, though Elonia couldn’t see him.
“Yes, it’s me, Your Highness.”
“…Come back in ten minutes.”
“…!”
Elonia had finally agreed to see someone. The three of them exchanged relieved glances.
Just then, the door to the reception room across the hall opened, and someone emerged.
“Did Her Highness open the door?”
“Lady Sarah.”
It was Sarah. Ethan and Ricardo approached her, concerned.
“Lady Sarah, you should get some rest.”
Lucius looked at Sarah. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and she looked frail, as if she might collapse at any moment.
She was suffering alongside Elonia, simply because Elonia was suffering. Sarah asked Lucius again,
“Did Her Highness agree to see you?”
“Ah, not yet. She asked me to come back in ten minutes…”
Sarah quickly disappeared back into the reception room.
About five minutes later, the door opened again, and Sarah emerged.
She was holding something she hadn’t had before. She held it out to Lucius.
“Young Master, if you’re going to see Her Highness, please take this to her.”
“This is…”
It was a covered tray. Sarah, unusually flustered, explained,
“I wanted to bring her something more helpful, but there’s nothing I can do. This is the least I can offer, but Her Highness refused to see anyone…”
Tears welled up in Sarah’s blue eyes.
Lucius hadn’t interacted with Sarah much, but he knew she was a strong person.
And yet, she was trembling like this. All because of Elonia.
‘…Would Philemon be happy to see this?’
Philemon’s judgment had been accurate. Sarah was caring for Elonia with love, just as she had foreseen.
How could he refuse such a request?
Lucius nodded and took the tray from Sarah.
Balancing the tray in one hand, he knocked gently on the office door again.
“Your Highness, I’m coming in.”
“Excuse me, Your Highness.”
The Elonia Lucius saw was in a terrible state.
She was curled up on the large reception sofa, her face buried in her knees, not even glancing at him.
Elonia apologized.
“Sorry. I tried to pull myself together in ten minutes, but it didn’t work.”
“You don’t have to worry about it.”
“…Sit.”
“Yes.”
Lucius carefully sat across from her.
Silence hung heavy in the air.
Lucius finally spoke, gesturing towards the tray before the contents cooled.
“I brought some tea and snacks. Please eat before it gets cold.”
“…Not hungry.”
“Lady Sardia brought them. She said she prepared them with the maids, and that they’re your favorite.”
Elonia slowly lifted her head, her gaze shifting to the table. There was a steaming cup of tea and her favorite custard pudding.
But there was only one serving. After a long pause, Elonia asked,
“Where’s yours?”
It felt awkward eating alone in front of someone. Lucius, as if reading her thoughts, smiled gently.
“It’s alright. Please, go ahead.”
“…”
She felt uncomfortable with him only offering her food, but the sweet scent wafting from the pudding was irresistible. Elonia reluctantly reached for the teacup.
“…Delicious.”
It was her favorite milk tea. The warmth spread through her chest.
She took a small bite of the pudding. The sweetness, the magic conjured by the maids’ skilled hands, made her realize how absurd her earlier thoughts had been.
‘…Wishing for divine power to become a true calamity? Mother and I both suffered because of the gods. I must have been crazy.’
Humans could remain human only by rejecting the gods. The moment they submitted, they became mere livestock.
Elonia wanted to live as a human.
Her life as livestock had ended in Heilan. She had been reborn as a human in Ravanta, and she wanted to die as one.
‘No matter how desperately you desire something, its value fades with familiarity.’
That perfectly described her current situation.
Was it shame? Or guilt towards those who had died because of her past and present selves?
Her eyes stung.
Elonia focused on eating, trying to suppress the tears, diligently finishing every last bite.
Only after she had finished the last spoonful of pudding, the last sip of milk tea, did Lucius speak.
“I apologize.”
“For what?”
The sugar magic had calmed Elonia down somewhat.
But her worried expression remained.
“It’s my fault you were discovered. I’m sorry. I should have been more careful… I have no excuse.”
Lucius bowed his head deeply.
Elonia was confused.
What was he talking about?
“Why is it your fault?”
She was surprised that Felix and Tristan had discovered her identity. But they had recognized Philemon instantly. It was only a matter of time before they discovered her.
Just as she was about to tell him it wasn’t his fault,
“Tristan came to see me earlier.”
“…What?”
“He was looking for Philemon, for Alexia.”
Hearing this, Elonia was consumed by an indescribable rage.
“He’s trying to sacrifice Mother again…?!”
Elonia’s cold purple eyes blazed. She clenched her fists, trembling with fury.
“He took my siblings’ lives, my father’s life, and now he wants to kill my mother twice?! How dare he treat people like livestock!”
Even though her anger wasn’t directed at him, Lucius bowed his head even lower. Staring at the carpet, he spoke.
“I apologize, Your Highness.”
“What do you have to apologize for—”
“I’ve already made a deal with him.”
“…What?”
The unexpected answer made Elonia freeze.
She leaned forward, staring intently at the top of Lucius’s head, and managed to ask,
“What did you say?”
The words came out haltingly. Lucius slowly lifted his head and smiled.
“Don’t worry. It’s the condition for saving Philemon.”
“So what is it?!”
They needed the power of an apostle. That hadn’t changed. And both Lucius and Philemon were apostles.
If Philemon was saved, then the one sacrificed would be…
“I will become Tristan’s eternal slave.”