Chapter 97

“What?”

“Don’t believe me, believe what I promised you.”

The promise that he would be Revos’ ally on the condition that he give up Elysia.

Cassian leaned loosely in the chair.

There was certainty in Revos’ voice that said that he believed in him. Looking at it, he didn’t seem to have completely fallen for Lady Aiden.

Seeing that, Cassian was planning to make a wedge here. He already had a rough idea that Lady Aiden was whispering something to keep Revos and him away, and he didn’t even want to hear it.

“I will help Your Highness to sit on the throne. There’s only one reason. My wife’s name was passed on to that promise.”

“Ha…”

Revos gazed at him with a slightly absurd face.

“And, when you take the throne, please accept my resignation letter.”

“Duke.”

“Because I have not enjoyed my honeymoon.”

“…Honeymoon?”

Cassian did not care about whether there were nobles who left their posts because they could not enjoy their honeymoon. He wanted Revos to know that he had power and that he didn’t care, and it would be even more welcome if his resignation letter were actually accepted.

With that thought, he smiled at the thought of going down to the estate and spending time with Elysia without having to worry about anything else.

Cassian opened his mouth, thinking he wanted to go quickly.

“Your Highness, Marquisate Aiden will meet the same end as Marquisate Blanche.”

“I know.”

He knew… Still, such a lukewarm attitude.

Cassian was stunned.

Having a relationship with someone you like and having another woman by your side for whatever reason. Wouldn’t it be the worst to even show the other person how you were with that woman…?

“But I am not going to ask you why you are doing this. And, His Majesty said he would advance the coronation ceremony.”

“I see. You can go back.”

“Understood.”

“Jane…”

Does he want to tell Cassian to leave Jane behind…?

Just as Cassian was just about to say that he would go alone, seeing him getting up from his chair, he could see Jane approaching with a determined face.

“Commander. I have something I must say to the Crown Prince. I will post the report later.”

Cassian sighed briefly and nodded his head.

“Gasp…”

“……Your Highness?”

Various words came out of the servants’ mouths as they looked towards Revos while Cassian raised his eyebrows at the sound of the blatant kiss from behind him. At a glance, Jane was kissing him as she grabbed Revos by the collar.

Sighing, Cassian walked out of Aire Palace.

“Your Excellency, did you know?”

Bug, who often ran into work with Jane, asked Cassian. He was trembling and excited as if he had never expected it. Come to think of it, he remembered that Elysia pushed him once more last night, saying that she was worried about what to do with Bug and Rina.

He was dissatisfied with why she was supposed to be having those worries in bed.

“Bug.”

“Yes?”

“Take care of your business.”

Why should he hear Bug’s name in bed…?

“My business? I’m done with today’s business!”

It was ridiculous to see Bug proudly inflating his chest, saying he had finished the training at dawn.

* * *

Rania Aiden glanced up at the statue of the goddess quietly in the prayer room of the Great Temple. She needed information about the tomb guardian, though she had found nothing other than that it was just a protector from black magic.

She didn’t even need to find out more.

Even though she tried to get the cat out of Duke Esteban’s residence, she couldn’t get through the guard… No, it was correct to say that there were not even those who would try in the first place. Could she just know who has it, or should she call from where the cat was?

One of the priests came close to her.

“Lady. We are sorry, but the prayer room is no longer available.”

It seemed to be due to the preparations for the coronation ceremony, which would be two days later.

“I understand.”

Rania glanced at the statue one more time and smiled mischievously. She didn’t come here to pray. Since she had not met Revos recently, she wanted to create an excuse to meet. When she came out of the prayer room, she saw Revos sharing a story with an attendant.

…Soon, the seat next to that man would be hers. The thought of it made her feel so intoxicated that it made her smile.

Rania ran her hair behind her ear and moved closer to him.

“Your Highness.”

“Lady, have you finished praying?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Revos’ face was toward her, but his gaze was not toward her.

“You went to enter the temple because you had something to say.”

Even that stiff voice.

Rania thought she was okay with that and kept her smile. She opened her mouth slowly after making sure that the attendant had left.

“Your Highness. Tomorrow the Second Prince will appear. Of course, Duke Esteban must know that.”

“I know that brother is aiming for the throne, so it might be. Don’t tell me you came here to say things that were obvious.”

To that extent, it was the same as saying that he did not believe that Duke Esteban was in league with the Second Prince.

Rania gently placed her hand on his arm.

“Why was the coronation ceremony forwarded? Go to His Majesty and ask him a question. Duke Esteban’s touch must be in it.”

“You mean just that?”

“Why the temple? If you hold the coronation ceremony here, His Highness will be caught in the temple.”

The fact that the High Priest was acquainted with Duke Esteban had already been witnessed by many at the wedding. Of course, Revos would know that as well. Duke Esteban was about to raise his flag. If the Second Prince lost, he would become the puppet Emperor.

Duke Esteban would be whispering in his ear.

“Lady… Why do you hate Duke Esteban so much?”

Rania was a little perplexed by that unexpected question. She never showed that she hated him, and now was not the time to ask questions like this.

“I’m just saying the Duke wants to wield Your Highness…”

“Lady, I have already come this far with the help of others. I don’t know if it’s meaningful to say that I can now take the throne with my own power.”

“All you have to do is find the link between the Second Prince and Prince Esteban, and punish them. That was the reason why he had no choice but to hold the coronation ceremony in the temple. Please.”

Rania spoke her words without holding her breath.

She told Revos not to get caught in the temple and to drive out Duke Esteban and break the power of the temple as well — to use black magic and take advantage of the temple. Shouldn’t it be enough to arrest everyone, proving his qualifications to sit on the throne?

“What do you want?”

“I told you. The seat next to Your Highness, as your wife and your person, that’s enough.”

…It was okay even if he was not the Emperor, she didn’t approach him for that.

At that moment, Revos took a step back and distanced himself from her.

Thud.

Her heart sank.

Why was he rejecting her again…?

“I have someone I love.”

Revos continued with a slightly resigned look. Even if he was taken advantage of, as he does not have the power, there was nothing he could do about it. He smiled as if saying that was all he needed.

Rania blinked her eyes blankly.

“I know you are not.”

He couldn’t.

Since he was an arrogant and ignorant person, she thought that if she just put out her hand and whispered that it was a position he had won with his own strength, he should be willing to embrace her.

In addition, she was not the illegitimate child like Lumiere, she was more beautiful than her, and she approached him the same way Lumiere did.

…Why? He didn’t even see Lumiere this time.

Rania thought she was going crazy when he seemed to even give his heart to Elysia, too. Sitting down on the floor, she watched Revos’s back as he moved away.

Would he take care of her when the woman named Jane was gone?

* * *

Elysia stared at the two men with strange eyes and waved her hands.

She came to the training ground because Ryan told Cassian that he would also learn how to destroy black magic. Thanks to this, she was continuing to engrave the black magic circle on the floor of the training ground.

“Hmm. I can’t do it like this.”

Cassian moved to Ryan’s back, thinking that there was no sign of success just by explaining it in words. His hand clasped over Ryan’s, who was holding the sword.

“Feel it well.”

She could see Ryan flinching and frowning his eyes.

“Too close. Could you please walk away and tell me from a further distance?”

“It’s quicker to tell you like this.”

It seemed that Cassian was directly moving Ryan’s magic.

Seeing the warm appearance, Elysia eventually smiled. She then saw Ryan break the magic and clapped her hands.

“Wow, that’s really fast.”

“Miss Elysia, can I ask for a few more times?”

“Of course.”

Since there were two days left until the coronation ceremony, she was worried if Ryan would be able to learn it right away, but it was fortunate.

Why didn’t she think of teaching Ryan right away…?

Elysia watched him doing it as she stood still. Although he couldn’t break it as fast as Cassian, it was still enough.

Cassian approached her as if his job was done.

“Aren’t you the weird one?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Originally, a low speed is normal. Even old man was slower than you.”

Since she had mastered black magic, there was nothing strange about breaking the magic faster than Ramote. However, Cassian was faster than her. It was kind of absurd to see the magic circle shattering with just one swipe of his hand, just like the last time she saw him slashing vampires in the South.

…Were his skills improving day by day?

Strangely, she kept thinking that he was getting stronger.

“I learn things quickly.”

She didn’t even think about being annoyed as his voice was saying the obvious thing.

“I know that, but…”

“How do you know that?”

Cassian drooped his lips and gave her a subtle look. Elysia glanced at Ryan, then took a step back and widened her distance from Cassian.

Compared to the first night and these days, he was terrifying. She didn’t even need to compare these days. From the day she first met him, she saw him changing every moment. She just said that to Cassian last night. It was obvious why he was doing that.

She felt her face heat up, so she stood with her back to Ryan.

“Don’t be kind to me.”

She clenched her teeth and said this in a low voice, but Ryan probably heard it. Elysia narrowed her eyes and looked at Cassian.

At that, he grinned and looked at Ryan.

“Let’s stop this today.”

“Yes. Are we going to the temple in advance the day before the coronation ceremony?”

“Sir can move with the knights the next day.”

Elysia was due to be in the temple with Cassian the day before the coronation. It was because of the High Priest Arbel, who continued to recommend that she inspect the temple in advance and learn the paladins’ arrangement.

It was the temple, so she had seen it beforehand, but how stubborn he was because she could just see the paladin’s arrangement in the mansion.

There was nothing bad about going early, as Revos would be preparing at the temple from dawn.

She had to sleep in the temple. It didn’t feel right, but what to do?