Chapter 59

Cassian just stared at her without doing anything.

She wanted to confess.

What kind of heart should she have to push him away. It was too hard for her to be heartbroken by herself anymore.

After she had confessed everything, Elysia was greedy to hear that it was okay and that it was still good, but she didn’t think she would be able to utter those words. She decided to embrace the fear of being left alone.

“Shall we pretend we don’t have a contract?”

Cassian had his face hardened without even breathing. He raised his hand and covered his face as he spoke.

“I love you.”

She wanted to confess even her heart.

‘…I love you, too.’

She didn’t want to hide it anymore, nor keep it hidden. It seemed like she couldn’t stand it without spitting it out.

She couldn’t deceive herself anymore.

Cassian blinked slowly.

“I can’t do it without you. I love you. I love you.”

A tingling sensation engulfed her body as she was afraid to speak to him. Her throat was choked up to the point that it was hard to breathe, and it felt like blood was gushing out of her body.

“Huuhhu…!”

She pushed him away and got up, grabbing her chest.

It felt like someone was holding her heart and twisting it.

Tears filled with pain and ran down her cheeks.

“Ahhuuuk…”

“Elysia?”

Her heart started beating abnormally fast.

Cassian noticed that, too. He hurriedly placed his hand on her chest and opened his eyes wide.

“Ah, Cassian…”

Her vision kept getting blurry, and her mind wandered.

***
In the bedroom of Esteban’s estate, Ryan’s voice was heard along with a knock.

“You’re here.”

“Sir Ramote has agreed to stay for a while.”

Cassian nodded at Ramote as he entered the bedroom. He glanced at Elysia lying on the bed, nodded his head, and walked to the next room with Ryan.

“Peloit has prevented one of the Marquisate Blanche’s businesses from going bankrupt.”

The corners of Cassian’s lips twisted upwards.

He warned him, but it seemed that he was holding the hand of Marquisate Blanche. For what?

After all, it was a fight that he would win with money. What kind of conflict of interest did Peloit do to do such a thing?

“I’m sorry I didn’t do what Sir said.”

“What are you talking about?”

His gaze then turned to the door leading to the bedroom.

What is sheep hunting? That’s what he was talking about when Elysia was safely in his arms.

“I should have just cut it all down.”

Maybe he didn’t even know he was lucky. He has someone to vent his anger with right now.

Then, Lloyd came in with a knock.

Cassian tilted his head at Lloyd’s report.

“The Emperor’s condition is deteriorating strangely.”

“Yeah. It seems to have started moving from Peloit side.”

What Peloit is aiming for is the throne.

It was impossible to turn the situation around by gathering forces now, so he was going to attack Revos or the Emperor. It would be the best way to beat the Crown Prince and take control of the palace just before the emperor’s breath died.

“I’ll have to cut off Peloit’s funding line. It won’t be difficult since we already have the data from Marquisate Litte.”

Peloit’s mother and the Empress’s family, Marquisate Litte, may have been providing the funds.

It would have been the fastest way for him to go to the capital and meet the Emperor himself, although things were not going well. So, he had no choice but to hope that Levos would move well as he told him to.

Lloyd opened his mouth with a worried face.

“I’ll start working right away. Your Excellency, this could escalate into an all-out war with the noble.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do. Is there anyone who could be a threat?”

“There is not.”

Yes, he doesn’t think so. If there was, he was thinking of pushing it all away by force.

Lloyd knew the thought and gave an answer. It was not only Peloite who benefited from the weakening of the Emperor’s condition.

“Go back.”

“…Yes.”

Lloyd gave up trying to ask how the madam was doing.

Cassian’s eyes were sharp and it seemed that he didn’t sleep well, so the corners of his eyes were red.

Even if he didn’t ask, he knew she hadn’t woken up yet.

Cassian returned to the bedroom and saw Ramote sitting on the bedside chair. The question that had been lingering in his mouth for a long time, whether his patience was slowly coming to an end, popped out.

“You really don’t know anything?”

“That’s right. Do you think I’m not talking even though I know?”

“No, but…”

Ramote turned his back and looked at him, before frowning slightly. It was true that Cassian kept his mouth shut for anything related to Elysia’s identity, but if he knew anything about the current situation, he would have said it.

Cassian walked over to the bed, and opened his mouth as he fiddled with Elysia’s hair.

“Who’s work is the black magic?”

“I don’t know that either. This kid probably knows.”

Cassian frowned at those words.

Did he know that Elysia was relying on him…?

As thoughts filled his head, Ramote held out a piece of paper. There was something written in Elysia’s handwriting.

“It’s an area related to black magic. You’ll need some help.”

“…Yes. Let me know if you need anything.”

Ramote tapped Cassian on the shoulder a couple of times before leaving the bedroom.

***
Cassian was staring intently at his lover, who was now his wife, Elysia, lying in the bedroom.

She hadn’t woken up for two weeks after she collapsed in Chereville when she arrived at Esteban’s estate.

On one side of the bedroom was a desk that had been brought in in a hurry, and a pile of papers was piled up on it. He couldn’t leave Elysia alone, so he was handling the papers in her room.

Cassian, who sat on the chair next to the bed, looked at the darkened window.

No fever today…

She had a fever several times a day and her pulse was beating abnormally. He used to be terrified that when Elysia’s heartbeat was abnormally fast, it would just stop.

Not long ago, he had seen a doctor after Ramote’s consultation, but the doctor only said it was normal and went back.

Even though he was taking care of the sick himself, in reality, he was doing nothing. There was nothing he could do other than put a cold towel on her forehead. He also cut his palm, hoping that drinking blood would make her recover. Still, nothing happened.

Cassian wondered if there was something wrong with his blood. So, he even called Ryan and gave her his blood.

It was a strange situation that he didn’t go crazy.

No, he doesn’t know when Elysia will wake up, so he’s barely holding on so he won’t go crazy. He raised his clenched fist and brushed over her hair several times.

Of course, Cassian had made several speculations as to the cause of Elysia’s collapse.

The day before the wedding, Elysia said that she had a fever and she was fine right away, although maybe that was a start. Or, maybe there was something wrong with her wounds when she was ambushed by the carriage, and she didn’t notice.

Maybe, the poison that she drank caused another problem because of Lady Blanche. Or, maybe it was because of his greed.

It was after he spit out that he fell in love with Elysia.

The appearance of Elysia, who suddenly couldn’t hold her breath at the same time as he spoke his heart, may have something to do with the reason why she had no choice but to push him away.

If that was the case, he should have hidden his feelings a little more secretly.

“…Stand up and say no.”

Please…

Cassian leaned over her body and rested his forehead on the back of Elysia’s hand.

‘Everything that was a threat to you will be removed, so just open your eyes. I won’t waste my time asking for your heart, so if you leave after three years, I’ll let you go…’

“Even if you say you want to leave, I’ll let you go. So…”

‘Please… Open your eyes, wake up.’

A drop of tears flowed down the back of Elysia’s hand.

***
“The High Priest. I recently heard that the Duchess of Esteban visited.”

“It’s not recent. I don’t know why you’re talking about it all of a sudden?”

Peloit saw High Priest Arbel smiling in front of him with an innocent face.

Since the cat Elysia is carrying is a guardian cat, it must have something to do with the temple. It was a legend, but since he confirmed that it exists like that, he thought he’d get some information. However, the boundaries of the High Priest were great.

He was going crazy, wondering how an individual could handle a tomb guardian.

Peloit knew that Arbel knew the value of power.

“You only need to solve a small curiosity. Shouldn’t the temple also enter politics again?”

“…A little curiosity. I don’t believe in the power that can be obtained like that.”

It had been an hour since they had the same conversation.

Looking at the situation, it seemed that it was a mistake to think that he would be able to convince Arbel. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand what he had seen at Duke of Esteban’s wedding.

It could have been that they had already received an appointment. Since it was said that the Duke of Esteban has donated a fairly large amount to the temple recently.

“Think about it.”

“Then, I’ll go take a look.”

Peloit smiled leisurely and left the waiting room.

Whoever wins this battle will have everything, so there is no need to rush. Whether it was the throne or the cooperation of the temple.

The problem was the existence of Elysia.

For some reason, in the sight of Peloit heading towards the carriage, a familiar priest could be seen.

He then deliberately moved closer to the priest.

“Priest, are you free for a moment?”

“Greetings, Prince. Are you sure you’re talking to me?”

He nodded his head and pointed his hand to the garden. At that, the priest nodded his head suddenly with a puzzled look.

Peloit walked in a less crowded direction and remembered who this priest was.

“Are you Priest Amun?”

“Do you know me?”

“Somehow, the face is familiar, but I remember seeing you at the Duchy of Lowell.”

“Oh, I’ve been to the Duke of Lowell once a long time ago. That’s right.”

Peloit swallowed the words ‘only once a long time ago.’

Amon said it was a long time ago, though he said it was amazing to remember him and he smiled brightly.

The priest was obviously unaware of the situation.

Realizing that, Peloit raised an eyebrow at the thought that things were going more interesting than expected.

“By the way, Prince, what are you doing in the temple?”

“Elysia… No, I’m worried about the Duchess of Esteban’s incident.”

“I didn’t know you were close with the Duchess. Oh, if you come to the mansion…”

Peloit saw Amun, who naturally accepted the word ‘incident,’ and decided that it was right that the tomb guardian had something to do with the temple. He didn’t expect that this priest would know much, but things seemed to work out.

“I didn’t know that the Prince knew about it, either. In fact, there are only a few priests who know about it even in the temple.”

“Because it’s not going to get any better because it’s known.”

“Even if the story leaks, don’t worry, I can testify why the divine power doesn’t work.”

Peloit’s blue eyes flashed with joy.