《To the Love Born in the Lowest Place》 Chapter 1 1. The Girl Enduring the Love of the Gods There are things in this world that one cannot dare to see with outsider¡¯s eyes. ¡°I love you, Your Grace.¡± The light pink lips uttered a voice that felt sweeter than anything in the world. The girl¡¯s cheeks were flushed red, and from her deep pink eyes that looked as if an angel had blessed them with a kiss, affection overflowed. Yes, judging from her appearance alone, it was a lovely sight that would make anyone envy the recipient of those words. However, the face of the man facing such a girl was frigidly cold. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± The man, Emmett Lartman, took a step back from the girl with a slightly flustered expression. No, to be precise, it couldn¡¯t be called complete bewilderment. The man already seemed accustomed to this situation, and it was closer to him putting on an expression to show his rejection of the girl. The gazes of everyone in the banquet hall were focused on them. Surrounding them were the voices of people giggling as if they had found something entertaining. ¡°It¡¯s troublesome for you to do this in front of people.¡± Emmett spoke as if to soothe the girl, but the girl didn¡¯t seem to care at all about the attitudes of those people. The girl¡¯s gaze was fixed solely on Emmett. ¡°But I truly love Your Grace.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard those words countless times already, you think I wouldn¡¯t know? Why do you keep saying such things in front of people? This is a great discourtesy!¡± ¡°But...¡± The girl mumbled with a slow voice, fidgeting her lips. ¡°They said when you love, you should express it.¡± ¡°Who on earth did you hear that from? No, in the first place, that¡¯s not something meant to be applied to a situation like this.¡± Even as she made an absurd excuse, Emmett spoke to the girl in a resolute manner, as if relaying the absolute doctrine of a god in a dignified voice. ¡°Please don¡¯t approach me again. Didn¡¯t I clearly tell you? This is the last favor I can do for you.¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°Yes, a favor.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± The girl rolled her eyes as if pondering, and seeing that, Emmett felt his chest constricting. Why in the world does this woman have such a hard time understanding? Even as he¡¯s telling her he doesn¡¯t love her, how can she approach him so shamelessly every time? Those who knew nothing about them treated him as a callous man being cruel to a pure girl, but those who knew even a little about their relationship always pitied him. It wasn¡¯t the first or second time this girl before his eyes, Liv Hamelsvoort, had expressed her affection for him. From the moment she first saw him, Liv Hamelsvoort had unhesitatingly expressed her feelings for him as if she had fallen for him at first sight. The Count¡¯s daughter¡¯s passionate confession had become a popular gossip in high society, and Liv Hamelsvoort in particular had long since become a laughingstock. There was a time when he had been close with this woman, but now he wanted nothing to do with Liv Hamelsvoort. ¡°If you keep acting this way towards me... don¡¯t you know it will only increase the rumors about you?¡± Emmett said that to persuade Liv Hamelsvoort, but the answer that came back was unexpected. ¡°But people always gossip about me anyway...¡± At those words, Emmett fell silent, unable to answer. Liv Hamelsvoort¡¯s words were not wrong. Because he could already hear the voices of others surrounding her. ¡°How impudent. For a fake Saintess to dare confess to Duke Lartman.¡± ¡°She still seems to believe she¡¯s some kind of Saintess, right?¡± ¡°It must be troublesome for the Hamelsvoort family too. To have adopted such a woman.¡± It was like they had become judges at a trial, condemning a criminal and exercising their due power. But no one criticized each other for being too harsh on a noble lady. Liv Hamelsvoort was someone who could be looked down upon in high society, and the reason was the same as the reason those who knew pitied Emmett. Liv Hamelsvoort was originally famous in high society as the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯. The Hamelsvoort County, a devout family that had worshipped the Supreme God from ancient times, had searched for a Saintess in accordance with the revelation from the temple that a Saintess would be born in this land. The girl they adopted in that way was none other than Liv Hamelsvoort. However, unfortunately, when a year had passed since they adopted Liv, the real Saintess appeared. ¡®Hildegard Hamelsvoort¡¯, adopted as the second daughter of the Hamelsvoort family, was undoubtedly the legitimate Saintess, using divine power to perform miracles and bestow good deeds. Thus, people criticized Liv Hamelsvoort, calling her a ¡®Fake Saintess who deceived the country¡¯ Emmett fell silent for a moment at Liv¡¯s words, knowing her situation all too well, and then opened his mouth again. ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t want to be involved with you anymore. No, rather, I dislike you. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± He made up his mind to be more resolute with Liv Hamelsvoort. He must have been too lenient so far. Damn it, strangely, this woman had a side that made people annoyed and concerned at the same time... ¡°I clearly told you not to speak to me from now on. I don¡¯t want to be entangled with you at all. This is my last request.¡± ¡°A request?¡± ¡°Yes, a request. I hope you¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± Even as she answered that way, Liv Hamelsvoort looked at him with eyes so pitiful that it would make anyone stop in their tracks, but he ignored her gaze and turned around, striding away. Finally getting rid of that insufferable woman, he felt a bit refreshed. * * * ¡°Sister!¡± Someone hastily grabbed the arm of Liv, who was standing blankly in the middle of the banquet hall. It was Hildegard, Liv¡¯s younger sister and the ¡®Real Saintess¡¯ who was likewise adopted into the Hamelsvoort family. Hildegard had nearly fainted upon seeing Liv with Duke Lartman just a moment ago. She had clearly told her sister several times not to approach Duke Lartman in front of people, yet she had disobeyed. ¡°Sister, I told you to stop talking to His Grace!¡± ¡°But I love him.¡± ¡°Still, you can¡¯t! When Duke Lartman says he dislikes it, of all people...¡± Hildegard spoke to Liv as if addressing an inferior, but if one looked closely at Hildegard¡¯s attitude as she lectured, one could strangely find a hint of affection for her. People thought Hildegard would hate Liv, who had dared to deceive everyone as the fake Saintess, but that wasn¡¯t really the case. Rather, Hildegard pitied Liv. ¡®I¡¯m trying to help, so why won¡¯t you listen to me?¡¯ Unlike Hildegard, Liv, who was revealed to be the ¡®Fake Saintess, was an unnecessary existence to the Count Hamelsvoort family. The Count and his wife weren¡¯t casting her out in accordance with the national law that prohibited abandoning a child after adoption, but if she kept chasing after Duke Lartman like this and disgracing their honor, she might really be kicked out. Liv was already at the lowest level in high society, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising no matter what happened to her. ¡°Sister, why don¡¯t we do volunteer work together instead?¡± Hildegard spoke, trying to divert Liv¡¯s attention away from Duke Lartman. ¡°I¡¯m going to the temple to pray tomorrow. And after offering prayers, I¡¯m planning to stop by the slums to distribute some food. Do you want to come with me?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Pray...?¡± As if thinking for a moment, her long white eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly every time she blinked. And as always, an irreverent remark popped out of Liv¡¯s mouth. ¡°Hmm... Is there a need to go all the way to the temple to pray? Wouldn¡¯t the Supreme God hear it the same no matter where you do it...?¡± ¡°What? Sister, but the temple is where the sacred power reaches the most...¡± ¡°If they¡¯re truly a sacred being, they¡¯ll hear the prayer no matter where it¡¯s done.¡± As this attitude of Liv¡¯s wasn¡¯t new, Hildegard didn¡¯t bother to refute it with much effort. ¡°And the slums... I absolutely detest the slums.¡± But at this, even Hildegard frowned. Hildegard was from the slums. It was a well-known fact throughout the Empire that Hildegard, a worthless orphan from the slums, had gained the power of a Saint and risen in the world. ¡°Sister, how could you say such a thing...¡± ¡°What if I catch a contagious disease in the slums and die? It would be a huge problem.¡± Even as she said something absurd, Liv had a very serious face. ¡°There are too many risk factors in the slums, you know. What if I end up dying?¡± ¡°...It would have been enough to just say you don¡¯t want to go.¡± In the end, Hildegard stepped back, trying hard to manage her expression. As her younger sister, she always tried to approach Liv first, but this kind of attitude from her was nothing new. -Sister, there¡¯s a winter charity event happening on the capital¡¯s streets. Do you want to go together? -Hmm... It¡¯s cold outside right now, so I might catch a cold. And if the cold gets worse and I die, it would be a big deal. -Sister, I¡¯m scheduled to bestow blessings at the naval departure ceremony this time. Won¡¯t you come with me? -The departure ceremony is held at sea, right? -Yes, that¡¯s right. -Ah, no way! What if I accidentally misstep and fall into the ocean?! I heard the sea is dangerous. Whenever Hildegard suggested something, Liv would bring up her own well-being to avoid it. There were too many instances to count on ten fingers. And Hildegard was really displeased with Liv¡¯s attitude. How could she say such things in front of her, a Saintess?! ¡°Sister, can¡¯t you please try to behave with dignity? Following God¡¯s will, acting with restraint instead of being loyal to your own desires.¡± ¡°God¡¯s will...¡± Liv made a face that had lost interest. She always did that when Hildegard mentioned God. It was the expression of an old person who had heard about God ad nauseam but never experienced a miracle before passing away, or the expression of a young child to whom the existence of God felt endlessly difficult and distant. ¡°Sister, to receive God¡¯s love, you must always behave properly. The Supreme God only bestows grace upon those who act righteously.¡± As a Saintess, Hildegard knew the contents of the scriptures better than anyone. Whenever Liv acted irreverently, she would always recite passages from the scriptures to admonish her. ¡°Think about what makes you keep living, sister. What do you usually do?¡± As always, Hildegard thought Liv would ignore her words this time too. But unexpectedly, Liv mumbled with an indifferent face. ¡°What am I doing right now, you ask?¡± ¡°Yes, sister. Even now, if you try to set some goals in life...¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s already taxing enough as it is.¡± At that moment, what was the emotion contained in those eyes? Ennui? Resignation? Despair? With a face that didn¡¯t even allow a guess as to why she was making such an expression, Liv answered indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of enduring the love of the gods.¡± Chapter 2 ¡°Pardon?¡± Hildegard, unable to understand Liv¡¯s words, asked again, but Liv firmly closed her lips as if she didn¡¯t want to speak and didn¡¯t answer further. In the end, Hildegard didn¡¯t pry either. It was nothing new for her to not understand Liv¡¯s words. To Hildegard, Liv was merely a foolish older sister she had to look after, and she had no obligation to fully comprehend Liv¡¯s words. Instead, Hildegard tried to bring Liv back to her own seat. It was because people were looking at Liv with ridiculous eyes. It would be better to take Liv near the wall and quietly subdue her by telling her some new gossip from high society. But at that very moment, a strange sound disrupted the bustling atmosphere of the banquet hall. In fact, everyone could identify the nature of the sound, but it was indeed a ¡®strange sound¡¯ in the sense that it came from a place where it shouldn¡¯t exist. Bang! It was a gunshot. ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°Ahhh! What¡¯s that?¡± With the gunshot, the chandelier on the ceiling fell to the floor, splashing fragments all around, ending its life in a spectacular and terrifying manner. People fled in confusion toward the walls, screaming. Hildegard tensed up and tightened her grip on Liv¡¯s hand. ¡®What on earth is going on?¡¯ Weapons were supposed to be prohibited from being brought into the banquet hall, so why was there suddenly a gunshot?! Moreover, the Emperor himself was present at today¡¯s banquet! On behalf of Liv, who seemed unperturbed even in this situation, Hildegard quickly surveyed the surroundings. She soon found the source of the gunshot. In the middle of the banquet hall, in front of the chandelier that had shattered and fallen to the floor, a man was standing as if announcing that he was the culprit behind the gunshot. The brown leather jacket and the navy gabardine pants had a light and lively feel that didn¡¯t match this banquet hall, but what he actually held in his hand was a pistol, which wasn¡¯t yet widely distributed and thought to be a rare sight. His face wasn¡¯t visible as he wore a gray wool hat, and they couldn¡¯t even guess his age. His outfit was plain enough to overlook if encountered on a street frequented by commoners, but now, as he stood holding a gun and exuding a terrifying aura even from behind, he was the focus of everyone¡¯s attention. No, rather than his attire, the reason people stared at him was probably something else. There was only one thing that came to mind when a man with a gun appeared in a banquet hall attended by the Emperor. It was an attempt to assassinate the Emperor! ¡°Protect His Majesty!¡± Hildegard wasn¡¯t the only one who grasped the situation. The knights surrounding the Emperor acted faster than anyone else. The armed intruder straightened his arm as if he had practiced beforehand to accurately shoot the Emperor, and amidst the knights trying to stop him by any means. The one who confronted the intruder head-on was none other than Duke Lartman. Duke Lartman was the Emperor¡¯s closest confidant and had been conversing with the Emperor just a moment ago. The Duke, also renowned for his excellent swordsmanship, had pushed past the knights and ran toward the intruder first. He swiftly drew his sword from his waist, but. Bang! Everything happened in an instant. Duke Lartman succeeded in swinging his sword and bringing the intruder down to the floor. However, even in a fallen state, the intruder also stretched out his arm and shot at Duke Lartman. The floor where they had collapsed began to soak with blood. All the nobles in the ballroom were confused by the sudden event. Some fled through the open doors in droves, while others approached the scene upon realizing the intruder had been suppressed. Although it was unclear exactly what was happening, one thing was certain: both Duke Lartman and the intruder were on the verge of death. ¡°Your Grace...!¡± It was then that Liv rushed out before Hildegard could stop her. Liv ran frantically, not caring if her dress was stepped on, and crouched down in front of Duke Lartman. The knights controlling the surroundings saw Saintess Hildegard following behind Liv and made way for them. ¡°Y-Your Grace... Are you alright...?¡± ¡°Sister, move aside!¡± Hildegard hurriedly grabbed Liv. Anyone could see that Duke Lartman was about to die. ¡®If I use divine power...¡¯ However, after assessing Duke Lartman¡¯s condition, Hildegard had to bite her lip hard. Her divine power couldn¡¯t heal such a severe, fatal wound. In other words, there seemed to be no hope no matter how one looked at it. ¡°Your Grace... No...¡± Liv¡¯s tears fell onto the floor, drip by drip. As she trembled pitifully, shedding transparent tears, Duke Lartman, who had collapsed on the floor, squirmed. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort...?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace. It¡¯s me...¡± As Liv was interfering, Hildegard couldn¡¯t contain her anger and finally shouted. ¡°Sister, what are you doing?! Please make way so the doctors can come!¡± At that, Liv¡¯s deep pink eyes gazed at Hildegard chillingly as if looking at something worthless. Anyone who saw it would be unable to think of her as the same person who had been whispering love just a moment ago, such was the coldness in her eyes. ¡°Can he live if a doctor comes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Even with your divine power, Hildegard, you can¡¯t save him, right?¡± Unable to answer the piercing question, Hildegard bit her lip. Meanwhile, Liv pulled out the dagger stuck in Duke Lartman¡¯s waist. ¡°Your Grace...¡± ¡°Sister, what are you doing?¡± Hildegard asked in a startled, raised voice, but Liv gripped the blade in her hand even more firmly. Despite holding a weapon in her hand, her face was as calm as someone holding a fan or a bouquet. ¡°Your Grace, everything will be alright... Although you¡¯ll have to suffer a bit, it¡¯s okay... If you go back, you won¡¯t die.¡± Liv whispered, holding the blade with a trembling arm as if the dagger was a bit heavy. ¡°A world without you is meaningless, Your Grace... Remember this...¡± ¡°What in the world... Put that down...!¡± As Duke Lartman tried to stop her in a hoarse voice, Liv recited in a singsong voice. ¡°I will love you in any timeline, Your Grace.¡± Who could believe the scene that followed? Liv raised the blade high and plunged it into her own neck. ¡°Ugh, guh...¡± By the time Hildegard wiped the blood that had splattered on her eyes, Liv had already collapsed on the floor, bleeding. ¡°Aaaah! Sister! Liv!¡± ¡°Ugh, what is this...¡± Blood gushed from her neck like an explosion, and her body, collapsed on the floor, convulsed as if having a seizure before soon falling still. Even Duke Lartman, who had been preparing to face death, was taken aback. At that very moment when Hildegard was on the verge of fainting from the sudden situation. Thud, thud, thud. The world began to shake. Boom! Bang! The imperial palace began to crumble. Rumble! Thunder and lightning struck noisily. Everything started to turn into ruins. And a voice was heard. Who harmed my child? ¡°Ah... Aah...¡± Realizing who the owner of that voice was, Hildegard fell prostrate on the floor. The ¡®Saintess¡¯ Hildegard had heard that voice before. ¡°Supreme God...¡± Does my child not exist in this world? With those words, everything began to fall apart. Beyond the walls of the imperial palace that were crumbling hollowly, Hildegard saw things she shouldn¡¯t have seen. ¡°Aah...¡± A forest burning with flames that seemed like they would never be extinguished, lightning striking down as if to shatter all the buildings, the ground cracking and splitting as if an earthquake had occurred, people screaming and running away only to eventually meet their deaths. And beyond that... I don¡¯t need a world where the child I love doesn¡¯t exist. The symbol of the religion their enemy country revered, which the Empire considered heretical, appeared in the sky. Where is our child? The figure of the god that scholars from the East believed in could be seen in the distance. Who killed the child we love? The sound of music used by pagans from across the sea during their rituals could be heard. Hildegard¡¯s doctrine began to shatter. Pushing aside the one true god she believed in, the voices of dozens, no, hundreds of gods began to be heard. What is in this world? Who killed my child? Where is the little one? Retrieve. This world is unnecessary! I don¡¯t need a world where my beloved child doesn¡¯t exist! With those words, the world began to turn upside down. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There are things in this world that humans cannot dare to understand, but at the same time, there are also facts that humans inevitably realize through some revelation. This case was the latter. In other words, the humans who witnessed this scene realized that those immense beings, which they couldn¡¯t dare to describe with their own mouths, loved a single girl. Only then did Hildegard realize the weight of what Liv had been enduring all this time. Yes, it was truly. ¡°H-How could she...¡± The gods were enraged by Liv¡¯s death. Things like ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ or ¡®Real Saintess¡¯ didn¡¯t matter. It didn¡¯t matter how she used the power of the gods. Liv wasn¡¯t someone who could be described with a mere word like ¡®Saintess¡¯. ¡°How did she handle all of that alone...¡± Only then could Hildegard understand what Liv had been saying. -I¡¯m in the middle of enduring the love of the gods. Things that ordinary humans could never bear. Liv Hamelsvoort had been enduring the love of the gods all by herself. So Liv Hamelsvoort¡¯s peculiar behavior up until now was... There were things in this world that could never be understood through an outsider¡¯s eyes. Chapter 3 Within the flow of time that was reversing to find the being that must inevitably exist in this world, as if her existence no longer held any value, she destroyed herself without a moment¡¯s hesitation. When Hildegard came to her senses, she was floating in the air, feeling a strange sensation of buoyancy. Around her, she saw enormous clock hands rotating strangely, bending at incomprehensible angles. And in the center of that clock, someone¡¯s immense hand was reaching down towards Hildegard. The ¡®Saintess¡¯ Hildegard instinctively recognized the owner of that hand and cried out. ¡°Supreme God...!¡± I made you a Saintess. ¡°Yes, Supreme God...! You made me a Saintess...¡± Could I give that child such a bothersome task as being a Saintess? Hildegard realized who ¡®that child¡¯ referred to here. Liv Hamelsvoort. All the gods of this world loved her. The title of a ¡®Saintess¡¯ couldn¡¯t be attached to Liv. A Saintess was a term used in the Holy Church to refer to someone who served the Supreme God, and Liv was a being loved by dozens, no, hundreds of gods. I entrusted you with an important mission on her behalf, yet you failed to protect her. ¡°It is my fault for not realizing the grand will of the Supreme God...¡± Hildegard unconditionally obeyed the Supreme God¡¯s words. All she could do was listen attentively to the god¡¯s words. Her blood has splattered on you. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Supreme God, it¡¯s all my sin...¡± This must never happen again, so I will not erase your memories. Be grateful that you are a Saintess. Only then did Hildegard realize that the clock hands had almost finished their rotation. The clock hands were slowing down as if they were getting closer to the object they were seeking. Without even understanding exactly what her god was saying, Hildegard nodded her head profusely, shedding tears. Under the direct voice of god, Hildegard had to be grateful that her life was spared. This was an immense weight that she simply couldn¡¯t bear. It felt as if the overwhelming presence of the voice would crush Hildegard to the ground and kill her. ¡®She had been enduring this all this time?¡¯ Thus, it became increasingly difficult to imagine what kind of being Liv, who had been enduring the love of the gods, was. Hildegard Hamelsvoort. ¡°Ah, yes! My god!¡± The Supreme God called her name, and at the moment when Hildegard looked as if she would faint at any moment, unable to withstand the pressure. You must ensure that her blood never splatters again. ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind! I will serve!¡± The world stopped turning upside down. And when she came to her senses, Hildegard was standing in a familiar place. ¡°Huh...?¡± The Hamelsvoort family, her room. The date on the calendar pointed to the day before. She had gone back in time to before Liv¡¯s death. * * * Liv blinked her eyes slowly. Looking out the window, the sun was already high in the sky, but Liv couldn¡¯t get up from her bed. Her whole body felt heavy as if she had used her strength beyond human limits, making it impossible for her to move. Did you sleep well, my child? ¡°Mm, I slept well.¡± Enduring the voice of a god was something that ordinary humans couldn¡¯t even imagine. Listening to that distant and immense voice naturally drained the strength from one¡¯s body, making it difficult to do anything else. Nevertheless, Liv didn¡¯t whine or ask the gods to stop talking to her. Gods are arrogant and capricious beings. The way they loved Liv was different from that of ordinary humans. Whether Liv suffered or not, they would love her in their own ways. And if Liv were to die, they would all get angry together and destroy this world. Liv had already experienced such a thing several times. Child. ¡°Yes?¡± I have reversed the time of this world once. ¡°Ah...!¡± Liv, upon hearing the god¡¯s voice, sighed like someone who had heard tiresome news. It meant that the future Liv had met her demise. Dying had become all too tedious now. Liv¡¯s deaths were all too common. Even the fact that the time of this world had been turned back without her knowing. ¡°For what reason did I die this time?¡± When Liv asked in an indifferent voice, the god¡¯s voice was heard again. You took your own life. I have punished those who made you take your life. At those words, Liv tilted her head. She had never taken her own life before. ¡®Of course, I¡¯ve tried, but...¡¯ Did she end up being unable to endure the bullying of the noble ladies and take her own life to get back at them? If so, did they receive divine punishment? While Liv was pondering, the door opened with a loud noise. Bang! ¡°Sister, sister!¡± Liv looked at the figure catching her breath as soon as she opened the door and entered in a hurry. Hildegard, with her resplendent golden hair that was said to have been ¡®chosen by god¡¯, was standing there. ¡°Sister, are you alright? Yesterday, no, should I say tomorrow? Anyway, tomorrow for sure...¡± Liv couldn¡¯t understand what ¡®tomorrow¡¯ she was talking about. But then she grasped the situation and smiled. ¡°So you retain the memory.¡± ¡°What? You mean... other people don¡¯t know about this situation?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably the only one who remembers.¡± ¡°What in the world is that...?¡± Liv quietly gazed at Hildegard, who looked puzzled. Regardless of whether Hildegard was frightened by that gaze, Liv observed Hildegard and made conjectures about the situation. ¡®Usually, those who retain memories of my death are the ones who received divine punishment.¡¯ When the gods turned back time, they erased the memories of everyone living in this world, but they didn¡¯t erase the memories of those who had harmed Liv as a warning while simultaneously inflicting divine punishment on them. However, it didn¡¯t seem likely that Hildegard, almost the only person who took care of Liv, would have tormented her. ¡°Did you receive divine punishment?¡± ¡°What? No.¡± ¡°Hmm, then were you by my side when I died?¡± ¡°Wait a moment, sister. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°Yeah, Hildegard, the fact you should know is that all these phenomena have nothing to do with my will. I know nothing about most things.¡± Those words had several implications. It could make Liv, who carried the burden of transcendent beings on her back against her will, appear even more terrifying, or it could emphasize that Liv was also an ordinary human like them. Hildegard opened her mouth wide at those words, but soon became composed like Liv. ¡°Ah... Right, I was by your side. Because you took your own life.¡± At that, Liv pondered for a moment. If so... ¡°Did God talk to you?¡± At those words, Hildegard¡¯s face turned pale. It was the face of someone who had something in her mind that she never wanted to recall again, to the extent that an ordinary person would never have to see that expression even once in their life. She continued speaking with a frightened expression. ¡°That I... failed to protect you. Blaming me for the mistake...¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Only then did Liv nod. It seemed the gods hadn¡¯t erased Hildegard¡¯s memories as a way of telling her to protect Liv, so Hildegard was closer to being unfairly swept up in the situation. Hildegard, who had been watching Liv¡¯s reaction, carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Sister Liv.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°So you... receive the love of all the gods? No, before that, all the gods of the numerous religions people believed in actually existed?¡± When Hildegard asked that, the hundreds and thousands of gods surrounding Liv each uttered their voices. How dare you doubt our existence? Tell that licentious one to shut her mouth, child. Still, she¡¯s my Saintess. We can¡¯t kill her. Of course, we all love you, child. A world where the child I love doesn¡¯t exist is meaningless. At those immense voices that only she could hear, Liv closed her eyes tightly and curled up her body. Then, even though she knew it was of no use, she pulled the blanket over her head. ¡°Sister...?¡± Liv heard Hildegard¡¯s startled voice, but only after the gods¡¯ voices subsided and she regained her composure did Liv come out from under the blanket again. She gave Hildegard a simple answer. ¡°Mm.¡± She was already enduring transcendent beings that went far beyond human limits, so if she spoke at length here, it would drain her energy and make her body heavy. Therefore, Liv didn¡¯t like to speak at length. ¡°I see... It was all true.¡± Fortunately, Hildegard interpreted Liv¡¯s words on her own. Perhaps it was closer to being afraid of bothering Liv and provoking the gods in any way. She continued to ask questions. ¡°And you really don¡¯t know about the future before reversing time?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Still, Liv added, thinking she should let her know this. ¡°The gods have told me a few times. I don¡¯t know the details this time.¡± ¡°Since when... have you been living this kind of life?¡± ¡°Always.¡± At those words, Hildegard opened her mouth wide and stared at Liv. In her blue eyes that seemed to have been taken out and replaced with those of an angel, reverence for Liv could be felt. ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s really unbelievable. How could that be...? Are you okay, sister?¡± ¡°What can I do if I¡¯m not okay?¡± Even if she wanted to reject the gods¡¯ love for her, what could she do? Would she express her rejection to the gods? Even a child who knew a little about a god would say that answer was stupid. How could a mere human go against the will of God? Chapter 4 ¡°Is there anyone else who knows your secret besides me?¡± At those words, Liv made a pondering expression for a moment, then said with a puzzled face. ¡°There¡¯s one more person.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t tell me who it is.¡± ¡°...It¡¯ll just make your mind unnecessarily complicated. Think of it as someone who won¡¯t be very involved with you.¡± ¡°Yes, I respect your wishes, sister.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hildegard nodded her head vigorously as if she would accept anything Liv said. For the only Saintess in this country, she was quite obedient. ¡°Why did I die? Why did I commit suicide?¡± When Liv suddenly became curious about the reason for her death and asked, Hildegard hesitated and opened her mouth. ¡°Well... I think you would be shocked if I told you.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it, never mind.¡± Liv had no intention of forcibly extracting information from Hildegard. However, Hildegard began to speak while gauging Liv¡¯s reaction. ¡°You see... Originally, you were scheduled to attend the banquet today, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But then some intruder appeared there... and tried to assassinate His Majesty the Emperor.¡± At those words, Liv lightly frowned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°So Duke Lartman was trying to protect His Majesty and was shot... and you...¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It was all too easy to predict her own actions before time had turned back. Since Duke Lartman, whom she loved, was in danger of dying, Liv herself must have taken her own life to turn back time. Hoping that Duke Lartman wouldn¡¯t die in another timeline. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, Hildegard, this timeline will be different.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hildegard seemed to not understand, but Liv looked at her with a faint smile. This was the first time someone had stayed by Liv¡¯s side while retaining their memories. As long as Hildegard, who knew the future, was here, Liv would be able to prevent what was to come. She could understand why God had sent Hildegard to her. ¡°Why did that intruder try to assassinate His Majesty the Emperor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not hard to infer that...¡± Hildegard carefully looked around as if she were about to say something she shouldn¡¯t, and then spoke. ¡°Everyone is keeping quiet about it, but the current Emperor is a terrible tyrant. There must be more than a few people who hold a grudge against him...¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± That wasn¡¯t something Liv could do anything about, so the intruder would try to assassinate the Emperor in this timeline as well. Instead, Liv herself would prevent Duke Lartman from being killed by the intruder. ¡®Duke Lartman will never die. I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡¯ At that moment, she could hear the voice of god once again. The one who regressed due to your death is coming now. Liv understood what that meant. It wasn¡¯t just Hildegard who had regressed in time due to Liv¡¯s death this time. The fact that they were coming here right after time had turned back meant there was a high possibility that they retained their memories like Hildegard. Also, not forgetting the future meant they had received divine punishment. While Liv was pondering whether she should tell Hildegard that fact, the butler spoke in an urgent tone from the door. ¡°Miss Liv!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Duke Lartman has come to see you!¡± At those words, Liv mustered strength from somewhere and abruptly sat up from the bed. Her eyes sparkled with liveliness as if stardust had been sprinkled in them. ¡°Duke Lartman is here?¡± ¡°Yes, I was going to escort him to the reception room, but... he wishes to see you right away...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine to bring him to my room. Hildegard is here too.¡± Liv¡¯s cheeks flushed red like a girl in love. It was an attitude that didn¡¯t match someone who had been talking about her own death, but Hildegard had realized that she couldn¡¯t understand ¡®Liv¡¯ with her own mind. Instead, Hildegard made a strange face and rolled her eyes at something else. ¡°Why would Duke Lartman come to see you, sister? As you know, he doesn¡¯t like you...¡± ¡°Why, he can come to see me.¡± ¡°But the Duke has always avoided you. I wonder if he¡¯s here to give some kind of warning? Like telling you to stop chasing after him...¡± It was a plausible statement, but Liv had no time to pay attention to Hildegard¡¯s words. Because Duke Lartman, naturally entering according to the servant¡¯s guidance, had already arrived in front of Liv¡¯s room. At the word to enter, Duke Lartman strode in and knelt in front of Liv. Seeing Duke Lartman¡¯s eyes, Liv tilted her head. His expression was somehow strange. ¡®Have I ever seen him look at me like that...?¡¯ Duke Lartman always had eyes filled with disgust when he looked at Liv. It was only natural since Liv had chased after him despite his rejection. Even if Liv was deeply in love with him, she wasn¡¯t completely oblivious. It was natural for Duke Lartman to dislike her, and she had no expectation that he would accept her. Liv was merely spitting out her affection for Duke Lartman that filled her insides and made it difficult for her to breathe properly. However, the current Duke Lartman, instead of despising Liv as usual, was gazing at her with a strange face whose intentions were unreadable. Finally, his mouth slowly opened. ¡°Liv.¡± * * * Hildegard looked back and forth between Liv and Duke Lartman with eyes that showed it was difficult to understand. Something strange was happening with the situation. ¡®Did the Duke call sister Liv by her name?¡¯ Originally, he used to draw a firm line by calling her ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort¡± with her family name, so why was he suddenly calling her by her name? ¡°Your Grace.¡± On the other hand, Liv, as if she didn¡¯t find this strange at all, looked at Duke Lartman with a bright smile as if it were only natural. Her smile, which somehow felt wistful, also contained joy. ¡°Did you come to see me?¡± ¡°Yes, I came to see you.¡± Duke Lartman¡¯s voice was calm. It was different from his usual attitude of always being disgusted with Liv and trying to maintain distance from her in any way possible. Seeing that, Hildegard recalled something. ¡®Could it be... that the Duke also has his memories?¡¯ If it was assumed that Duke Lartman also had his memories, this situation made sense. The girl who had always chased after him, saying she loved him, had ultimately sacrificed her life for him, saving his life in the end. Even Hildegard herself felt that she would go to see Liv as soon as she returned to the past. How devoted a love was this! How often would one receive such love in their life? It was natural for a cold heart to melt, being moved by this. Yes, it was certain. Duke Lartman had his memories. But Hildegard¡¯s curiosity wasn¡¯t completely satisfied. ¡®Even so, can he become so affectionate towards her?¡¯ Duke Lartman usually seemed to have a wall up in front of Liv. It was only natural since Liv ignored etiquette and clung to him. But today¡¯s Duke Lartman was looking at Liv with such sweet eyes. As if he had become a completely different person. Liv was simply happy as long as it was Duke Lartman, so it seemed only Hildegard had noticed this fact. ¡®Did his feelings change after dying and coming back to life?¡¯ Indeed, it wasn¡¯t strange for his attitude towards her to soften after she had even sacrificed her life for him. If Hildegard were in Duke Lartman¡¯s position, she would have also felt indebted to Liv. Furthermore, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to fall in love either. Hildegard accepted it that way and asked Duke Lartman. ¡°Your Grace, you must have experienced something to come here now, right?¡± ¡°Experienced...¡± Duke Lartman¡¯s eyes became somewhat wistful as if recalling a distant past. ¡°Yes, you could say I experienced something.¡± He didn¡¯t seem like he would reveal what it was. Hildegard decided not to ask him anything more in front of Liv. Liv felt like a being too difficult for her to handle, and it was hard to choose her words in front of her. Instead, Hildegard made up her mind to talk to him about today¡¯s events in order to prevent them. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you are aware of the situation, Your Grace... but something big will happen at the banquet tomorrow evening. Something that could put His Majesty the Emperor in danger.¡± At those words, Duke Lartman showed a pondering expression for a moment, then slowly asked. ¡°Do we really have to stop that from happening?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°If we all don¡¯t go there, the situation the Saintess is worried about won¡¯t occur, right?¡± ¡°But Your Grace...¡± Hildegard looked at Duke Lartman with confused eyes. ¡°You are His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s closest confidant. Don¡¯t you naturally have to protect His Majesty?¡± ¡°Of course, that was the case.¡± Duke Lartman lowered his eyes and spoke. ¡°But my thoughts have changed a bit. It¡¯s no longer important.¡± ¡°What?¡± Emmett Lartman had been the Emperor¡¯s closest associate since the moment he inherited his title. Although the current Emperor was a terrible tyrant, Duke Lartman had taken on all sorts of dirty work for the Emperor, to the extent that he had the nickname ¡®The Emperor¡¯s Hound¡¯. Hildegard recalled him cutting down someone who had insulted the Emperor at a previous banquet. But now he was saying he had no reason to protect the Emperor. ¡®Did he realize something more important due to the existence of the gods?¡¯ But he didn¡¯t seem like someone who had suddenly gained some philosophical enlightenment. Hildegard finally felt like she was facing the source of the sense of incongruity she had been feeling. She couldn¡¯t explain it, but... yes, Emmett Lartman had become a different person from before. Emmett Lartman, who had been so loyal to the Emperor, wasn¡¯t worried about him now, and instead called Liv Hamelsvoort, whom he had always considered a nuisance, by her name with a more amiable attitude than before. This... was almost to the extent that he could be considered a different person. Chapter 5 While Hildegard was inwardly growing more curious about Duke Lartman, Liv seemed content to simply see his face. She had a completely innocent smile on her face. As Liv stared intently at Duke Lartman¡¯s face, he awkwardly avoided her gaze and then spoke with a look of realization. ¡°...But since it¡¯s a matter involving His Majesty¡¯s well-being, I can¡¯t ignore it. I think it would be best for me to attend the banquet after all.¡± ¡°What if you get hurt again?¡± Liv worriedly said, clasping her hands together. At that, Duke Lartman answered, now openly flustered. ¡°In any case, I should go today.¡± The moment Duke Lartman tried to get up from his seat while saying that, Liv clenched her fists and shouted. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go too!¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t not go if you¡¯re going, Your Grace. I¡¯m going too.¡± Liv¡¯s eyes, speaking with emphasis, were filled with strong determination as if she were going to a battlefield. ¡°Uh, sister...¡± Hildegard called out to Liv in confusion, but she already seemed unlikely to listen. Hildegard knew well that Liv would never back down when it came to Duke Lartman. ¡°Sister, are you really going to the banquet...?¡± ¡°Yes, and if the Duke is in danger again...¡± At that moment, Liv¡¯s eyes sparkled with an unfathomable light. ¡°There¡¯s no choice but to sacrifice my life.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll save him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± The first to respond to those words was Duke Lartman. He was looking at Liv with a resolute face. ¡°Do you think I would want that?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to die, Your Grace...¡± ¡°But Liv, even if I¡¯m brought back to life through your death, I won¡¯t be happy.¡± ¡°Still, being able to save you is more important to me.¡± ¡°Haa...¡± Duke Lartman, sighing while looking at Liv, had a face that guessed he couldn¡¯t pull Liv away. However, what was strange was that, unlike before, there was no disgust on his face. ¡®So he came back with me after all.¡¯ Having reached that conclusion, Hildegard decided to go to the banquet with Liv. Liv didn¡¯t seem like she would bend her will, so Hildegard had to follow her and protect her. Protecting Liv was the mission God had given Hildegard. Finally, after Duke Lartman left, Hildegard let out a sigh of relief. The unfolding situation was far too complicated. After catching her breath a bit, Hildegard thought that she should gradually learn more about Liv from now on. Liv¡¯s usual lethargic appearance and short responses were all because she was enduring the gods. Perhaps there were more stories about Liv that even she didn¡¯t know. ¡°Sister.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hmm?¡± And this was what Hildegard was most curious about right now. ¡°Why do you love Duke Lartman?¡± Liv had clung to Duke Lartman from the moment she first saw him. Just like the protagonist of a fairy tale who fell in love at first sight. At that time, Liv was still a ¡®Saintess¡¯, and anyone who saw her would have thought her mission was to love Duke Lartman. Despite the forces belittling her for her unsaintly behavior, Liv didn¡¯t bend her love. Liv followed Duke Lartman around to the point of being close to obsession, and each time, Duke Lartman coldly rejected her, but to no avail. Perhaps there was a reason for Liv¡¯s such behavior. Hildegard thought that Liv¡¯s actions, which she had never dared to understand, might actually be carried out according to the ¡®noble will of the gods¡¯. However, Liv gave an all too simple answer. ¡°Is there a reason for love?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I love him because I love him, that¡¯s all.¡± As she said that, Liv blushed shyly on both cheeks. ¡°I love the Duke so much. When I see him, my heart just pounds...¡± Liv said, placing her hand near her heart. ¡°I love him so much that I want to rip out my heart and give it to him...¡± The moment she heard that bizarre remark, the context of which an ordinary person couldn¡¯t possibly grasp, Hildegard realized. When asked since when she had endured the gods, Liv answered, ¡®Always¡¯. Liv had lived enduring the love of the gods for a very long time. The gods must have had a great influence on Liv. Someone who had learned love from the gods couldn¡¯t possibly love normally. Liv¡¯s love was close to divine love. * * * The next day, Hildegard and Liv prepared to go to the banquet again. ¡°The brazen fake Saintess is here.¡± ¡°My, how shameless, to be able to hold her head high and walk around.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t she telling Duke Lartman that she loves him today?¡± ¡°She must have finally grasped her place. No, I hope that¡¯s the case.¡± When they arrived at the banquet hall, the now-familiar voices of people could be heard. The voices criticizing her as the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ were all too familiar to Liv, and despite people spewing out crazed words as if criticizing her were a game, she maintained a dull expression. On the other hand, Hildegard was observing people with an anxious gaze in contrast. She fidgeted and spouted meaningless words to divert Liv¡¯s attention, and then, as if realizing she could no longer pretend not to know, she furtively glanced at Liv and asked. ¡°Sister, are you okay?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°I was wondering if you might be feeling bad...¡± ¡°What is there to feel bad about?¡± Liv answered in a voice that genuinely couldn¡¯t understand. She had no reason to be angry or sad at them. Wasn¡¯t it natural for humans to be angry at the fake Saintess? Just as one doesn¡¯t get angry at the changing of seasons or animals growing, the same went for her. ¡°Then, is the Supreme God... okay with it?¡± ¡°Why the Supreme God?¡± ¡°I thought he might be displeased with people whispering about you...¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Liv, realizing what Hildegard was worried about, smiled and grinned. ¡°Of course he¡¯s enraged, but it¡¯s something that happens all the time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I told you. I¡¯m enduring the love of the gods.¡± Child, if you wish, I shall have them buried deep underground, living their entire lives drinking only a sip of water. ¡®There¡¯s no need for that. Really.¡¯ Liv had always endured the wrath of the gods in this way. Liv thought that perhaps this was her mission in life. To protect humans from the gods. In fact, Liv wasn¡¯t unaffected by these whispers from the beginning either. She had just gotten used to it now, but at first, she too had felt wronged and angry at times. However, she had never asked the gods to punish the humans. She didn¡¯t want the world to be destroyed and all humans to fall into the abyss because of her. Hildegard nodded her head while looking at Liv with fearful eyes, unsure whether to believe her or not. Having finished their conversation, they pretended to enjoy the banquet while waiting for the assassin who would soon appear. Whenever someone picked a fight with Liv as always, Hildegard protected Liv more actively than usual, and when there were noble ladies who spoke to Hildegard, she didn¡¯t go with them, using Liv as an excuse. They pretended to be ordinary noble ladies who knew nothing and waited for the time. They waited. And waited some more. And when a long time had passed and the great bell announced the hour, and it was finally time for the banquet to end, Liv realized something was wrong. ¡°Hildegard, shouldn¡¯t he have appeared long ago?¡± ¡°Yes, sister. He definitely appeared not long after the banquet started...¡± The assassin didn¡¯t show up. Instead of panicking that what she knew had gone wrong, Liv calmly drew a conclusion as if nothing in the world surprised her. The future had changed. ¡°The same thing that happened before didn¡¯t occur today...! How did this happen...?¡± Meanwhile, Hildegard was flustered by the fact that what she had seen with her own eyes had disappeared without a trace. Liv glanced at Duke Lartman, who was far away. Unlike Hildegard, he had a calm expression on his face, so Liv pulled Hildegard¡¯s hand and approached the Duke to talk to him about the situation. ¡°Your Grace, doesn¡¯t something seem strange?¡± ¡°It seems so, Liv. I was sure we hadn¡¯t intervened in any part, but the future has changed. We¡¯ll have to think about whether there was a factor we unknowingly interfered with.¡± ¡°Sister Liv, does the future change even if you don¡¯t do anything when time goes back?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Liv fell silent for a moment. Since she couldn¡¯t remember the future before time had turned back, there was no suitable point of comparison. When Liv didn¡¯t answer, Hildegard began to desperately speculate about the situation. ¡°As Duke Lartman said, something must have changed without us knowing, something...¡± At that moment, something flashed through Liv¡¯s mind. She had thought that only Hildegard and Duke Lartman remembered what had happened in the future when they returned to the past. They acted differently from the past, but had no impact on the Emperor¡¯s assassination attempt. But what if they weren¡¯t the only ones who had returned to the past? What if the assassin who tried to kill the Emperor had also gone back in time? Then it could explain why the future was different from before. ¡®That intruder also received divine punishment. He remembered the future. The future in which he failed to kill the Emperor.¡¯ In that case, it became impossible to know when the assassin would appear again. Things had become difficult. With this, there were now three people who remembered what happened when the current Emperor was assassinated and had returned to the past. At the same time, it meant that the number of people who knew Liv¡¯s true identity had increased by three. It seemed that waves were about to hit Liv¡¯s life, which she had thought she would live as the lowest being in high society for the rest of her life. Chapter 6 2. The Fake Saintess Duke Lartman, who had been watching Liv lost in thought, calmly opened his mouth. ¡°It seems there¡¯s nothing we can do right now.¡± The banquet had already ended, and it was time for them to go home. The assassin wouldn¡¯t appear at this banquet where the Emperor had already left, and there would be no answers. ¡°Then can we talk about this issue next time?¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°See you next time then, Your Grace.¡± As Liv waved her hand slightly to bid farewell to Duke Lartman, Hildegard, who had been sticking close to her side, linked arms with her. As if she had been waiting for this moment, she spoke in a whisper-like voice as soon as the Duke disappeared. ¡°Sister Liv, doesn¡¯t something seem strange?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°...The Duke, he wasn¡¯t originally this affectionate towards you, sister. It¡¯s like he¡¯s gone back to the past. No, it¡¯s more than that!¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Sister, try to recall when you first debuted in high society. Isn¡¯t it really strange?¡± At Hildegard¡¯s words, Liv¡¯s memories, buried deep within, began to slowly surface. A few years ago, back when Liv was first adopted into the Count Hamelsvoort family. * * * Liv was sitting on the street. Her head throbbed as if it would crack. Child, this world is yours. Inside her head, she could hear the voices of the gods resonating loudly in a size that ordinary humans had never heard before. When Liv closed her eyes tightly and curled up her body to endure the overwhelming pressure, an ear-splitting sound was heard. Screech! ¡°Oh my!¡± The coachman driving the carriage shouted at Liv in an angry voice. ¡°Hey! Even if you¡¯re crazy, be gracefully crazy. What if you sit on the street? Move right now!¡± Liv looked up at the carriage with dazed eyes. Had she almost been run over by the carriage just now? No, but she couldn¡¯t possibly die. As she stared blankly at the carriage with a dizzy head, the door of the carriage opened. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± The one who stepped out from there was a noblewoman wearing dazzling and luxurious clothes that made one naturally exclaim how bright and fancy they were. When someone encountered something too unfamiliar, they lost the means to describe it, and at that moment, Liv didn¡¯t even know how to explain those clothes. But there were also things one could instinctively know. Liv looked at her red dress and then reflexively looked at her own shabby rags. Only then did Liv realize that her clothes were in a terrible state. ¡°Child, why are you alone in a place like this?¡± A man wearing equally luxurious clothes followed behind her and got off. As soon as he saw Liv, he widened his eyes and shouted. ¡°Honey, could it be...!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Could that girl be the Saintess?¡± At those words, the woman¡¯s eyes widened like the man¡¯s. The couple scrutinized Liv one by one with disbelieving eyes. ¡°Her hair is white! It¡¯s clearly the color of god!¡± Liv quietly looked at her own hair flowing down her shoulders. So white was the color of god. Liv thought so. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t strange for her to have the color of god. ¡°And look at the wound on that child¡¯s foot!¡± Liv looked at her own foot, which was bleeding. It was a wound that had been caused by a large stone a moment ago. ¡°The wound is healing!¡± As they said, the large wound on Liv¡¯s foot was healing quickly. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s healing at an unbelievably fast rate!¡± Other people¡¯s wounds don¡¯t heal this quickly. Liv thought. ¡°She seems to be a child who lived in the slums, right?¡± ¡°Originally, god loves those born in the lowest places!¡± As Liv blinked her eyes blankly, the couple seemed to have already convinced themselves that she was that ¡®Saintess¡¯. ¡°As expected, the revelation that a Saintess would appear soon was true!¡± ¡°And the fact that she appeared in front of our Hamelsvoort family¡¯s carriage makes it certain! We¡¯re the only family who can serve the Saintess!¡± They approached Liv with an extremely excited face, like people who had discovered a gold mine, and slowly extended their hands. ¡°Saintess, won¡¯t you come with us?¡± Liv didn¡¯t know what she should do in this situation. It was her first time meeting people wearing such luxurious clothes, and no one had ever taught her how to act in such a situation. ¡°What¡¯s a Saintess?¡± When Liv stammered and asked that, unable to grasp the situation, they answered with a kind face as if facing the highest person. ¡°A Saintess is a child who receives God¡¯s love.¡± A child who receives God¡¯s love? Then that was definitely Liv. Take their hand, Liv. Moreover, she could hear the voices of the gods saying that in her head. Liv had lived her entire life with the voices of the gods by her side like a part of her body. Just as the human body moved according to the brain, it was natural for Liv to follow their voices. So Liv took their hands and was adopted as a daughter of the Count Hamelsvoort family. * * * After going to the Hamelsvoort family, Liv took a bath in a bathtub filled with warm water for the first time. The women called ¡®maids¡¯ washed her with gentle hands. Even though her body was getting soaked, it strangely didn¡¯t feel bad, and it was fascinating that her body smelled nice, so Liv quietly closed her eyes and enjoyed the bath. After finishing the bath, Liv received a white dress that felt fluffy to the touch and had a glossy sheen to the eye. It was so clean that she worried the dress would get contaminated if she wore it. ¡°I¡¯m going to wear this?¡± ¡°Oh my, of course! It¡¯s a dress made for you, Saintess!¡± The maids surrounding Liv seemed to firmly believe that she was the ¡®Saintess¡¯. ¡®Am I a Saintess? How is a Saintess determined? But if people say I¡¯m a Saintess, then it must be true.¡¯ When one knows nothing, the words of those around them naturally feel like the answer. Above all, the gods had also told Liv to follow these people. The white dress had a soft texture that Liv had never felt before. It felt as if it would swallow Liv and melt away, flowing down. The maids sat Liv, wearing the flouncy dress, in front of the dressing table and brushed her hair. The tangled hair shone as oil was applied. ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s my first time seeing such beautiful white hair.¡± ¡°Truly, it must be because you¡¯re the Saintess!¡± They expressed their admiration for Liv¡¯s white hair. As she fiddled with her hair, Liv thought that she was starting to like this hair more and more for some reason. ¡°How can her skin be so fair?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like she hasn¡¯t received a single ray of sunlight in her life!¡± They continued to lavish praise on Liv¡¯s appearance after that as well. After finishing her grooming, they took Liv to a place called the ¡®dining room¡¯. Beyond the dining room, there seemed to be a nice aroma, so Liv sniffed. And when she opened the door to the dining room, Liv¡¯s mouth gaped at the sight before her eyes. Dishes with steam rising from them were spread out on the table. Liv had never seen such a thing before. As Liv stared at the table with dazed eyes, the maids happily sat Liv in a chair and served her the food. ¡°Saintess, eat as much as you want!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to eat this?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re supposed to eat it!¡± Liv barely managed to pick up a spoon with trembling hands. The spoon kept slipping from her hand, but Liv succeeded in clumsily holding the spoon in a sloppy posture. Warm soup went into her mouth. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but it had a sweet and soft taste. It felt as if her throat was melting. After that, Liv tasted the dishes on the table with a cautious touch. Some foods were slightly salty, some were crispy, and others were nutty. Whenever Liv couldn¡¯t properly define the taste of those foods, the gods told her in her mind how to express it in words. When Liv was putting foods she had never eaten before into her mouth, the door to the dining room opened and the man and woman who had brought her here entered. They sat in front of Liv with a delighted face upon seeing her tidied-up appearance and said. ¡°Saintess, what is your name?¡± ¡°Name?¡± ¡°It means your given name.¡± At that, Liv answered with a bright smile. Ah, this was the only thing she could confidently answer amidst all the questions she didn¡¯t know! ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°A name that means love. It¡¯s a pretty name befitting a Saintess.¡± ¡°Then from now on, you will be Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Hamelsvoort?¡± ¡°It¡¯s our family name. Since we decided to adopt you into our family.¡± Liv blinked slowly. She didn¡¯t know what adoption meant, but perhaps adopting her meant... ¡°Then can I keep living like this?¡± ¡°Yes, you can enjoy anything as the Saintess!¡± Liv was happy with just that. It seemed that she had been given a reward for having lived a difficult life until now. Ah, the reward she tasted for the first time was so sweet. However, the Liv of that time didn¡¯t know the law that there was no such thing as a reward for misfortune in human life. Chapter 7 After that, Liv continued to eat delicious food, sleep in a soft bed, and wear comfortable clothes. All sorts of rare things piled up around Liv. Her first debut in high society wasn¡¯t a bad memory either. Originally, it was common to debut in high society in the late teens, but Liv was able to enter high society earlier than others due to being a ¡®Saintess¡¯ There, Liv met unbelievably beautiful noble ladies. ¡°Wow...¡± When Liv expressed her admiration upon seeing their faces, they all approached Liv with sparkling eyes full of vitality and said. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Saintess.¡± ¡°Hello, Saintess!¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty...¡± ¡°You mean us? Haha, you¡¯re even prettier, Saintess!¡± Everyone took a liking to Liv. No matter how Liv acted, they tried to understand her. When she thought there could be no greater happiness than this, the next day, Liv could taste even sweeter happiness. Her life was filled with all kinds of colorful memories, becoming iridescent, and sometimes when she was overwhelmed with disbelief at that happiness, more wonderful things welcomed Liv as if saying it was still too early to be amazed. Truly, every day was perfect. ¡°A revelation has come down!¡± Until the real Saintess, Hildegard Hamelsvoort, appeared. * * * Originally, before the Hamelsvoort couple adopted Liv, it was said that the following revelation had come down to the temple. A Saintess will be born in this land. But about a year after Liv was adopted, an additional revelation came down to the temple. The Saintess who will gain power Will save the poor, Heal the sick, And pray for victory on behalf of God¡¯s will. Despite awakening as a Saintess, Liv couldn¡¯t use any powers. At best, her fast healing was all. So when people were doubting whether Liv was the real Saintess, news arrived that a girl in the slums had awakened the power of healing. ¡°They say she healed sick people.¡± ¡°She made the blind open their eyes!¡± Hildegard, who appeared with all sorts of heartwarming stories, was a child worthy of being called the real Saintess. Her bright golden hair, as if blessings had settled everywhere, and her mysterious and clear blue eyes reminded one of the angels in the scriptures. Wherever she walked, the filthy things were purified and the sick became healthy. Finally, people recognized Hildegard as the ¡®Real Saintess¡¯, and the Hamelsvoort family adopted her. But with Hildegard¡¯s appearance, Liv became the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯. * * * ¡°Look at those red eyes.¡± ¡°They must belong to an evil demon.¡± ¡®Strange.¡¯ Liv thought as she walked down the corridor with anxious eyes. The people who used to call her ¡®Saintess¡¯ and praise her now didn¡¯t even want to exchange words with Liv. If Liv ever tried to ask them for something, they coldly turned their backs. Moreover, Liv¡¯s deep pink eyes, which were previously praised for their pretty color, had now become ¡®demonic eyes¡¯. ¡®Humans are strange.¡¯ Liv found it difficult to understand the human heart. The gods always spoke their minds as they were, but humans didn¡¯t bring out what was inside and expressed it through actions. It took her a long time to realize that they had come to dislike her. Liv entered her room. She saw a room decorated with all kinds of luxurious items. But feeling like it wasn¡¯t a place for her to be, Liv crawled under the bed. There was enough space for Liv to enter under the tall bed, and she felt relieved being cooped up in the darkness where not a single ray of light could be seen. ¡®Why don¡¯t humans take out everything that¡¯s inside? Why do they say they like me before and now say they dislike me?¡¯ Thinking that, Liv curled up her body in the darkness. She opened her mouth towards the gods as if whining. ¡°Why won¡¯t you give a revelation that I¡¯m the Saintess? Then people would recognize me again...¡± Child, if you become a Saintess, you will have to take on all sorts of bothersome tasks. I don¡¯t want to make you do such things. In fact, she knew that the gods wouldn¡¯t listen to her even if she whined. The will of the gods was absolute. Liv¡¯s whining only revealed that she was sad and suffering, and as if to persuade such Liv, the voice was heard again. Child, if you follow the flow, you will eventually be in the highest position. ¡°You can give me that high position right now.¡± It¡¯s not time yet. Your fate is already determined. There is a reason for everything, and now is not the moment for us to intervene. Ah, we can do all those things, but we can¡¯t shake up human life as we please. As Liv made a sulky expression, the voices of the gods continued to comfort her. Child, human love is fleeting. You are the most precious being in this world. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the gods started chattering arbitrarily, it became noisy in her head, but being surrounded by the voices of the gods in the darkness was familiar to Liv. Feeling at ease, she quietly closed her eyes and dozed off. How much time had passed? When she opened her eyes again, her body felt groggy, and her legs were numb from being curled up in a tight space. Liv was momentarily confused about where she was, then realized this was the Hamelsvoort family and crawled out. And she discovered the darkness outside the window. ¡°It¡¯s night...¡± Even though it was past dinner time, no one had come looking for her. Realizing that fact, her heart churned as if something would come up from her throat. ¡°It used to be like this all the time...¡± Not being able to eat was a normal thing for Liv. Yet becoming distressed over such a trivial matter, perhaps she had become too weak after adapting to a luxurious life. ¡°You¡¯re just going back to your original life, Liv...¡± Even though she muttered like that, the bitter feeling didn¡¯t go away. In the end, to bury this churning deep inside again, Liv buried her face in her knees. * * * Hildegard was a kind child. She always came to Liv first, who was cooped up alone in her room, and struck up a conversation. ¡°Sister, won¡¯t you come with me to the temple?¡± Liv liked that she talked to her. Because now Liv had come to know what loneliness was. But conversing with humans was a difficult task. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same no matter where you pray?¡± Hildegard seemed to easily get offended by Liv¡¯s words. Liv knew there was a problem with her own way of communicating, but it was also difficult to suddenly adjust to the ¡®noble woman¡¯s way¡¯ after living her entire life according to the gods. Liv thought she was trying in her own way, but even that effort seemed slow by the world¡¯s standards. As if to drive the point that Liv was the problem, an incident occurred. ¡°Oh my, the Saintess has come!¡± ¡°She¡¯s the real Saintess, right?¡± It was when Hildegard brought Liv along to a tea party hosted by noble ladies she had been invited to. She may have acted that way out of consideration for Liv, who was always at home, but as a result, it wasn¡¯t a good thing for Liv. ¡°Oh my, how can she still hold her head high?¡± ¡°If it were me, I would leave the Count¡¯s family... It¡¯s strange that she has been shamelessly staying in the house until now.¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t say anything when we called her a Saintess, isn¡¯t it?¡± As soon as Liv appeared, the ladies at the party began to stare at her and whisper. It was a very different attitude from before when they were happy when Liv called them pretty. Liv sat among them, feeling a little timid. The ladies looked at Liv with displeasure, but Liv couldn¡¯t respond in any way and could only stare at the teacup with a golden rim and a red flower painted on it. ¡°Come to think of it, you said you can use healing powers, Saintess?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right...¡± ¡°My, that¡¯s really amazing!¡± ¡°You can just call me Hildegard...¡± Unlike Liv, Hildegard seemed to quickly blend in with them. If one looked closely, one could also find Hildegard being intimidated by the nobles, but Liv was too shrunken to see the situation properly. When Liv was sipping tea with her mouth tightly shut while being mindful of others, one lady who had been frowning and glaring at Liv from earlier opened her mouth. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°You can call me Liv.¡± Liv tried saying the same thing as Hildegard, but now people were looking at Liv with even more ridiculous eyes. ¡°...Alright, Miss Liv. Anyway, there¡¯s something I want to ask...¡± She curled her red lips and smiled. ¡°You said you¡¯ve never gone to do volunteer work even once, right?¡± ¡°Mm, yes.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the ladies simultaneously made an expression of disbelief. ¡°How could that be...¡± ¡°Is the Hamelsvoort family allowed to do that?¡± The state religion of the Holy Hilysid Empire, the Holy Church, was an indispensable part of the lives of the imperial citizens. All the people of the Empire believed in the Holy Church, and people never missed attending banquets related to the Holy Church. Likewise, for noble ladies, going to volunteer activities to help the poor and sick was also one of their obligations. It was a natural thing for a citizen and a member of the ruling class of the Holy Hilysid Empire. Above all, the Hamelsvoort family had devoutly worshipped the Holy Church for generations. They routinely performed good deeds. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my sister is a bit ill...¡± Hildegard tried her best to defend Liv, but the other ladies had already lit up their eyes, thinking they had found a target. ¡°Miss Liv, does that make sense? The Supreme God will send down divine punishment.¡± Liv slightly frowned at those words. The Supreme God she knew would never bring down divine punishment on her. My beloved child. Even now, the Supreme God was whispering affectionate words to her. ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± Liv spoke in a resolute tone. If they dared to insult the gods¡¯ affection for her, there was no telling what decision the angered gods would make, so she was somewhat desperate. Chapter 8 ¡°Ha! Those who don¡¯t help the lowly will really be punished, I tell you!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± As Liv said that without backing down, they seemed even more dumbfounded. ¡°Miss Liv, now is not the time to be stubborn like that. According to the Supreme God¡¯s will, all nobles must do volunteer work!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it would be good to go to the slums and distribute food or go to the medical center and change bandages.¡± A lady who was a devout believer of the Church of the Holy Sages even said that out of genuine concern for Liv. However, Liv shook her head. That was... ¡®They said it¡¯s easy to encounter danger in such places.¡¯ Liv knew that if she died, this world, which would no longer hold any value, would be destroyed. In fact, she didn¡¯t know exactly how the world would be ruined, but recalling the stories the gods had endlessly told her in her mind, she could only tell that it would be very terrible. She had heard that there were many sick people in the slums and medical centers. If Liv caught a disease there, the world would be in a mess, and those who passed the disease to Liv might also suffer. As Liv shook her head with a resolute face, the lady who was a devout believer spoke. ¡°The slums or medical centers might be scary. Alright, then how about this? There will be a departure ceremony to pray for the navy¡¯s victory soon, so you can participate in that.¡± ¡°Praying for the victory of brave soldiers is also one of the duties of noble ladies. Miss Liv, isn¡¯t that much okay?¡± ¡°Navy...? The sea...?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a departure ceremony held by the sea. It¡¯s not a bad thing since you can also go to the sea on this occasion. The sea is so beautiful.¡± However, tears soon began to flow from Liv¡¯s eyes, which had been restlessly trembling with anxiety. The sea is vast. It is an absolute sacred ground filled with the traces of god, where the power of god is always bubbling like an active volcano, and those sensitive to the power of god can¡¯t even set foot in it. That was the sea. If she got close to the sea, the power of the gods would intensify, and their voices would crush Liv. Those voices might swallow Liv and eventually crush her to death. ¡°The sea is... hic, scary.¡± Liv said that based on her experiences so far, but it ended up being a sudden burst of tears, so the other ladies looked at Liv with dumbfounded gazes. From that day on, Liv began to be completely ostracized in high society. ¡°Ha, the noble fake Saintess has come.¡± It was natural to hear sarcastic remarks whenever Liv appeared. ¡°Oops, it was a mistake!¡± It was also frequent for someone to trip Liv while she was walking in high heels or spill water on her. Each time, Liv would just blink her eyes blankly, her appearance a mess. ¡®Strange.¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t strange for Liv to feel uncomfortable from the human perspective. But Liv was also trying in her own way, so when would that effort bear fruit? Could it be that she had already missed her chance and would have to live completely excluded from the human world from now on? No, maybe... since Liv had gained the love of all the gods, there might be something she had lost forever in return. For example... ¡®Could it be that all humans can¡¯t help but hate me? Is that the only thing not allowed for me?¡¯ Thus, Liv reached the point of having such doubts. * * * That day, Liv was standing alone, leaning against the wall of the banquet hall. People found it strange that Liv attended the banquet despite being insulted every time, but it was still enjoyable to see humans. It was better to be among humans than alone in her room. Being alone was lonely and tedious. At that moment, voices erupted simultaneously from people¡¯s mouths, and the banquet hall became noisy. ¡°Oh my, Duke Lartman has come.¡± ¡°As expected, there was a possibility that His Majesty the Emperor might come today.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. People were all whispering while looking at one spot. To find out what was going on, Liv slightly lowered her eyes and looked around, and then fixed her gaze upon seeing one face. ¡®That person is...¡¯ A man with black hair wearing a neat uniform was standing there. The uniform that fit his body perfectly emphasized his sturdy and solid physique. From his black hair to his gray eyes and gray uniform, he was all in dark colors, yet he didn¡¯t give off a rigid or fearsome feeling. Rather, he had a kind smile on his face as if he were harmless, and that unconventional appearance drew more attention to him. ¡®Ah, finally.¡¯ It was a moment she had longed for a long time. Perhaps she had endured the days of being ignored in high society just for this moment. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor is coming? Then I should leave quickly.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more troublesome to stand out by leaving your seat for no reason?¡± ¡°Would he even pay attention to a humble family like mine?¡± The nobles around her had an incomprehensible conversation, but Liv didn¡¯t care. Instead, her stomach felt ticklish from earlier, so Liv tried to somehow define the emotion she was feeling. She felt so suffocated that she couldn¡¯t bear it without naming this emotion right away. It seemed like she was happy to meet him, glad to see him, longing for him... ¡®Are these the right words to use?¡¯ Words describing emotions were difficult for Liv, so she tried to confirm her emotions with the gods once again. But it seemed that what she was feeling now was none of those. It¡¯s not just that level of emotion. A much deeper emotion. The strongest emotion above all else. The most beautiful emotion a human can have. She clearly knew what that emotion was and had felt it before. It was just that it was the first time she was putting a name to it. So, this was... ¡®Love.¡¯ She could feel her cheeks flushing and burning, and her head felt like it was spinning. It felt like all the strength in her body was draining away, but at the same time, a hot energy seemed to rise from somewhere. Liv could understand why the word love was so beautiful. ¡®When you love... what should you do?¡¯ She recalled the love she had heard about from the gods long ago. The gods told her many stories about how they loved humans. Yes, for example... ¡®They said they offered thousands of people as sacrifices to the human they loved.¡¯ And ripping out hearts and giving them as gifts, bringing down nations, parting the sea in two... But Liv couldn¡¯t do such grand things, so she soon became crestfallen. Instead, she began to ponder what she could do. ¡®...I want to give as much as I¡¯ve received.¡¯ Yes, that was all Liv could do right now. Liv walked in long strides towards the man. The noble ladies around her looked at Liv with curious eyes, but she didn¡¯t care. And when she stood in front of the man, he became puzzled and asked cautiously. ¡°What... is the matter?¡± ¡°Hello.¡± There was something she had to tell him first. ¡°I¡¯m Liv Hamelsvoort. Hamelsvoort is my family name now.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The man nodded his head with a smile that was so soft it could be considered a model of a smiling face that would be drawn in scriptures. That appearance felt more noble and beautiful than anything else. ¡°Understood.¡± However, with those words, the man left the spot right away. It was a cold attitude as if he had no interest in Liv at all. ¡®...What? There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t remember. Certainly...¡¯ Only Liv, who was left in that spot, looked at his back with a disheartened gaze. The ladies around her gaped their mouths wide open. ¡°Oh my, it seems like she doesn¡¯t even care about her life.¡± ¡°But since it¡¯s not a matter related to His Majesty the Emperor, it¡¯s fine. That person only reacts to matters related to His Majesty.¡± ¡°Shush, don¡¯t even mention the ¡®E¡¯ in Emperor! If he happens to hear it, we¡¯re done for!¡± While Liv was flustered by his unexpected attitude, Hildegard, who had been watching the situation from earlier and couldn¡¯t hide her shock, ran over quickly and grabbed Liv¡¯s arm. ¡°Sister, why did you suddenly do that!¡± ¡°I was just... just greeting him.¡± At those words, Hildegard let out a deep sigh. ¡°I see... Well, it¡¯s not surprising that you seem to have fallen in love just by looking at his face...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°But you have to be careful with Duke Lartman. He may seem kind, but sometimes he can become colder and more cruel than anyone else.¡± ¡°Duke Lartman?¡± ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you know? The person from earlier is named Emmett Lartman.¡± ¡°Emmett Lartman...¡± Muttering that name, it felt like fireworks were going off in her mouth. Finding out his name was a small achievement, but it was a proud moment for Liv. ¡°But what do you mean by being able to become cruel?¡± ¡°W-Well, for example... If someone insults or angers His Majesty, he immediately executes that person according to His Majesty¡¯s order...¡± ¡°He kills people?¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet! And the privilege to directly punish people belongs to His Majesty. Duke Lartman is just following His Majesty¡¯s will. He is truly devoted to the imperial family.¡± If Duke Lartman really purged people, he was in a position that was difficult for Liv to approach recklessly. It didn¡¯t seem like they could easily become close. ¡°Hmm...¡± Liv groaned softly, then clenched her fists as if making a decision. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we can become close in the future.¡± She had waited so long for this moment, so she couldn¡¯t give up. Above all, what Liv was most greatly influenced by the gods was the value of ¡®love¡¯. Love was the greatest thing that made this world function, so how could Liv dare to let it go? As she reaffirmed her resolve, Hildegard, who had been watching, shook her head. ¡°Sister, you¡¯ll really get into big trouble. Haah, I can¡¯t stop you, but you must never mention anything about His Majesty the Emperor in front of him. Understand?¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Liv¡¯s eyes were sparkling with intense passion as she said that. Chapter 9 Some time later, Liv was able to spot Duke Lartman again at the banquet. He was standing alone, not mingling with anyone, and observing his surroundings. Liv carefully approached him, making sure not to step on the hem of her voluminous dress. ¡°Duke Lartman.¡± As she called his name with a bright face as if addressing someone she had known for a long time, a look of perplexity crossed Duke Lartman¡¯s face. ¡°...Miss Hamelsvoort?¡± ¡°Yes, you remember my family name. But why don¡¯t you call me Liv?¡± ¡°...It would be rude of me to address a lady by her first name so casually.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t tolerate committing such rudeness myself.¡± ¡®Looking at the situation, things seem to have gotten a bit tangled. He has no interest in me at all.¡¯ Liv¡¯s mind became complicated, but she maintained a gentle smile without showing it. Well, it¡¯s not bad for him to call her by her family name. It was also a first-time experience for her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± When Liv asked that in a curious voice, Duke Lartman replied in a gentle tone. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor will be coming here soon, so I was checking in advance to see if there were any risk factors.¡± ¡°Are you very close with His Majesty?¡± ¡°...Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Now Duke Lartman was looking at Liv with questioning eyes. He glanced at Liv for a while as if observing her, then carefully opened his mouth. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort, has no one told you about my relationship with His Majesty the Emperor?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is there someone who has taught you about the etiquette you should know in noble society?¡± ¡°No.¡± At those words, Duke Lartman¡¯s eyes trembled as if greatly surprised, and he asked Liv in an even softer tone than before. ¡°...Why? Did Count and Countess Hamelsvoort not tell you anything?¡± ¡°Yes, they said I don¡¯t need to know such difficult things because I¡¯m a Saintess.¡± ¡°But now...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, not anymore. But I still don¡¯t have a chance to learn. I understand, actually. After all, I¡¯m a worthless fake Saintess...¡± ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± Duke Lartman looked at Liv with a serious face. ¡°Objectively, you are rude, but I have no intention of blaming you. However, I can¡¯t ignore you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Anyway, you are now a daughter of the Hamelsvoort family, and you have an obligation to learn about noble society. Your parents are not fulfilling that obligation.¡± When Liv widened her eyes and stared at him, not understanding what he meant, he spoke in an even gentler voice. ¡°Go to your parents and demand your rightful rights. Ask them to teach you etiquette.¡± ¡°Hmm... I¡¯ll do that. Thank you for the advice.¡± Liv recalled the noble ladies whispering about her, saying, ¡®She was picked up from the streets, so of course she doesn¡¯t know manners.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that Liv didn¡¯t want to learn those manners, but it was also a sensitive matter to ask something of the Count and Countess who had bestowed upon her the grace of adopting her, so she had kept her mouth shut until now. However, when Duke Lartman asked as if it were natural, Liv¡¯s thoughts changed a bit. ¡°Thank you, Your Grace. Can I continue talking to you in the future?¡± Liv asked that, gaining some confidence from the conversation with him, but Duke Lartman shook his head resolutely. ¡°No.¡± ¡°...What?¡± When Liv asked back in confusion at the content contradicting his gentle tone, Duke Lartman continued in a still kind voice. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but I have no intention of forming a friendship with anyone. It would be better for you to make friends with other peers, Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°But...¡± Liv tried to continue the conversation somehow by bringing up a topic that would catch his interest. ¡°Why do you protect His Majesty, Duke Lartman? I learned that¡¯s the job of the captain of the imperial guard.¡± When Liv asked, drawing upon her limited common sense, Duke Lartman turned his head back to her. ¡°...Our family has had a close relationship with the current imperial family, the Steinberg family, for generations. I¡¯m just fulfilling my duty as a Duke.¡± ¡°Then... then do you do the same job as the captain of the imperial guard?¡± ¡°Yes, you could say that. I will protect His Majesty no matter what happens.¡± ¡°Even if an earthquake occurs?¡± At those words, Duke Lartman paused. He couldn¡¯t understand what the noble lady in front of him was saying at all. In fact, if it were his usual self, he would have cut her off appropriately and left, but this lady seemed genuinely too ignorant, so he couldn¡¯t treat her coldly either. ¡°An earthquake occurs...?¡± ¡°Yes, an earthquake could suddenly occur, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Duke Lartman stumbled over his words, which seemed to be a rare occurrence for him. He was now looking at Liv with a confused face. Seeing that, Liv giggled as if she found it funny for some reason. She thought of earthquakes because of what the gods usually said. Child, if you wish, I shall turn this land upside down. -You don¡¯t have to do that! Whenever other noble ladies ignored Liv, the gods always said such things. Liv was pouring all her energy into blocking the gods who always acted impulsively and aggressively. Seeing Liv giggling, Duke Lartman blushed, realizing that he had completely gotten caught up in the conversation. ¡°...Could you please leave now? I need to check the banquet hall more. Why don¡¯t you have a conversation with your other friends?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have any friends.¡± At those words, Duke Lartman became even more perplexed. Recalling the fact that Liv was always just leaning against the wall, he became even more troubled. It was a well-known fact that Liv Hamelsvoort, the so-called ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯, was ostracized in high society, and although he had no interest in social activities with others, he had heard rumors about her. Realizing that fact, his wariness towards Liv slightly diminished, and he spoke in an even more amiable voice. ¡°Then how about trying to make friends from now on?¡± ¡°But no one understands what I say.¡± At those words, Liv blinked a few times and answered in a small voice. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of dying, but other people don¡¯t know that...¡± ¡°Everyone is afraid of dying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. If I go to the slums or medical centers to do volunteer work, I might catch a contagious disease and die. If I go to the navy¡¯s departure ceremony, I might fall into the sea.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Duke Lartman was even more flustered than before and finally gave up on having a conversation with Liv. She seemed like someone with a way of thinking he couldn¡¯t understand, and it felt like he was unilaterally getting caught up in it rather than having a conversation. ¡°Can you please leave now? His Majesty the Emperor might come soon.¡± ¡°Okay... See you next time.¡± Liv, satisfied with having a long conversation with him, withdrew from him and returned to Hildegard with a happy face as if she had received a gift she had longed for her entire life. In the end, the Emperor didn¡¯t come that day, so Duke Lartman left early, but Liv was happy that she had seen his face anyway. * * * ¡°Sister, wake up.¡± ¡°Mmm?¡± Liv, who had been lying in bed until late due to the heavy pressure of the gods pressing down on her, opened her eyes at the sound of someone calling her. Hildegard, dressed up and wearing a pretty headband with delicate white lace, was looking down at Liv. ¡°Sister, you have to get ready quickly! The carriage will depart soon!¡± ¡°Carriage?¡± ¡°Will you dress up Miss Liv?¡± While Liv was puzzled, the maids who received Hildegard¡¯s order approached Liv. They sat Liv down, quickly washed her face, changed her clothes, and put makeup on her face. ¡®Is there a banquet today?¡¯ But it didn¡¯t seem like there would be a banquet at such an early hour. Then, could it be a tea party like before? No, that wouldn¡¯t be held at such an early hour either. Was there a schedule she had forgotten? Anyway, it didn¡¯t seem like Hildegard would take Liv to a strange place, so Liv obediently entrusted her body to the maids¡¯ hands. After Liv finished getting ready, Hildegard lightly clapped her hands and exclaimed. ¡°Sister, you look really beautiful today!¡± ¡°Mmm, thank you...¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s depart quickly!¡± Hildegard grabbed Liv¡¯s hand and quickly went down the stairs. ¡®Last time, I fell down here, and the butler¡¯s existence was erased from the world.¡¯ Liv was afraid that she might fall down the stairs again and cause harm to someone, but Hildegard didn¡¯t seem to notice Liv¡¯s hesitant attitude. Finally, when Liv arrived at the garden, led by Hildegard¡¯s hand, a carriage with the Hamelsvoort family crest was already waiting there. ¡°Get in, sister!¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Although she didn¡¯t know the destination, the only ones going out today were Liv, Hildegard, and one maid. Judging by the fact that the Count and Countess weren¡¯t going, it seemed like it might be a gathering of young noble ladies after all. However, as the carriage rode towards somewhere, Liv¡¯s complexion began to turn pale. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Sister, are you alright? Are you getting motion sickness?¡± Liv couldn¡¯t answer Hildegard¡¯s question and barely shook her head. She felt an enormous pressure crushing her. It felt like it would swallow her up at any moment and abandon her in a world where nothing existed. Liv opened the window to hold back the rising nausea, but she ended up seeing a sight outside the window that she should never have seen. Chapter 10 ¡°What is that...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the sea!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the sea?¡± Before her eyes, the deep blue sea, which could be called the largest and deepest among the things humans could see, was spread out. ¡°That¡¯s right, sister. We¡¯re going to the navy¡¯s departure ceremony today. Didn¡¯t the Countess tell you yesterday?¡± ¡°The sea... I... Ugh!¡± Liv couldn¡¯t continue her words and retched. It felt like the gods¡¯ pressure was crushing her and her body shape was oddly changing, and it felt like space-time would distort at any moment. In this world, there were a few places where the power of the gods became stronger. People called those places ¡®sacred grounds.¡¯ In sacred grounds, the power of the Holy Church¡¯s god could become stronger, the power of Lufahidism¡¯s god could become stronger, or the power of multiple gods could become stronger simultaneously. However, each religion believed that only the power of the god they believed in became stronger. Since sacred grounds usually had bizarre shapes that ordinary humans couldn¡¯t understand, people easily noticed where they were and typically prohibited entry to those places. However, there was one sacred ground that people didn¡¯t know about. It was none other than the sea. The sea itself was a vast sacred ground and a place where the power of all gods intensified. For Liv, who was exceptionally sensitive to the power of the gods, it meant it was a place she absolutely couldn¡¯t endure. The carriage stopped, and Hildegard supported Liv as they got off, but Liv was becoming increasingly unable to come to her senses. ¡°Ugh... Ah!¡± As Liv screamed in pain that felt like her brain would burst, Hildegard asked in a worried tone. ¡°Sister, if you¡¯re in a lot of pain, do you want to go back first?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to go back, go back...¡± When Liv said that with a face that had turned bright red with tears welling up, Hildegard seemed flustered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister. I didn¡¯t know you were feeling unwell today.¡± ¡°Why... Why did you bring me here?¡± ¡°Because participating in the departure ceremony is the duty of nobles. And today... I thought sister Liv would be happy to know that Duke Lartman is also coming...¡± ¡°Duke Lartman?¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s eyes widened. She raised her head and looked around. In front of the huge ship that the navy would board, noble ladies dressed lavishly were standing. And behind them were the noble men. Liv looked around, trying to find Duke Lartman among them, but he wasn¡¯t visible due to the distance. ¡°I want to go...¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re going home?¡± ¡°No, I want to stay here...¡± It felt like a huge lump of iron was crushing her, and her body seemed like it would burst at any moment, unable to withstand the pressure, but Liv decided to stay here nonetheless. The only way to overcome this pain was through love. Hildegard, who had gotten off the carriage, linked arms with the stumbling Liv and guided her among the noble ladies. As Liv appeared, everyone started whispering again. ¡°She didn¡¯t come to these kinds of events before, what¡¯s the occasion...¡± ¡°She must have finally decided to fulfill her duty.¡± Meanwhile, the devout lady who had talked to Liv last time held Liv¡¯s hand as if glad to see her and said. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort, it¡¯s really great that you came here! You should also do volunteer work according to the Supreme God¡¯s will!¡± ¡°Miss Corina, sister Liv is not feeling well today...¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry! But you came despite being ill, the Supreme God will find it admirable too!¡± ¡®The Supreme God dislikes this kind of thing.¡¯ Thinking that, Liv focused on the voices of the gods that had been ringing loudly from earlier. Child, if you¡¯re in pain, we can heal you right away. Come to our sacred ground. Baby, jump into the sea. Jump. The gods were urging Liv to jump into the sea. They were gods who usually didn¡¯t intervene in the human world and could only destroy the world when Liv, designated as the ¡®beloved child,¡¯ died. But if Liv set foot in the sacred ground, they could pass on the power of the gods to her. ¡®I won¡¯t jump.¡¯ Liv tried to resist, but they were completely ignoring her words. ¡°Ugh.¡± Perhaps because she had gotten even closer to the sea, her physical condition was worse than before. She felt like she would faint at any moment, but Liv looked around, determined to find Duke Lartman somehow. However, Duke Lartman¡¯s face was nowhere to be seen, and Liv¡¯s face was getting darker. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Huh?¡± She felt someone pushing her body forward. Liv looked back, but no one was there. Only then did Liv realize the identity of the force pushing her. It was the power of the gods. As she got closer to the sacred ground and their power intensified, the gods were pushing Liv to drag her into the sea. Go to the sea. We will make you healthy. We will bestow upon you the power of the gods. We will give you all kinds of rare things. Come to us. ¡®I won¡¯t go. I said I won¡¯t go!¡¯ However, the force pushing Liv grew stronger, and there was no way for a human to escape from that violent and cruel power, no matter how much they struggled. In the end, Liv completely lost control of her body like a puppet with its strings cut and collapsed to the ground with a thud. ¡°Sister?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The pain that felt like her head was being flattened intensified even more, and Liv abruptly got up from her spot. And taking advantage of the moment when the gods¡¯ power weakened due to her collapsed state, she began to walk unsteadily in the opposite direction of the sea. ¡°Ugh, hic...¡± Tears began to flow from her eyes due to the terrible pain. Her body was being pushed back on its own, but Liv tried her best to put strength into her legs and walk in the opposite direction. Liv glanced back for a moment and then began to cry out loud in shock. An unbelievably enormous and vast sea was spread out right behind her. It seemed like it would swallow her up at any moment and take her to a place so deep that no one would know. ¡°Hic, uuh...¡± Now almost wailing, as Liv was putting strength into her legs, someone grabbed her arm tightly. Perhaps due to the strong force supporting her arm, Liv¡¯s body was no longer being pushed back. Liv raised her head to see the owner of that arm. And she cried out in a voice more delighted than ever. ¡°Duke Lartman...¡± Liv, who had been crying, smiled brightly. It must have looked strange for sure. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort?¡± Duke Lartman was frowning with a very perplexed look. He quickly looked Liv up and down. ¡°Are you hurt somewhere? What happened?¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°Then are you in pain somewhere? It would be better for you to go back quickly instead of being like this.¡± Seeing that Liv¡¯s condition didn¡¯t look good, he spoke firmly. Liv shook her head at his words. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°The sea... The sea is scary.¡± After saying that, Liv cried again as if unable to overcome her anxiety. She was so afraid of the dark and immense sea. ¡®The Duke will never understand me. All humans have been like that.¡¯ Thinking that, when Liv raised her head, Duke Lartman had an unexpected expression. Surprisingly, he was showing a kind face towards Liv. ¡°I see. It¡¯s alright, Miss Hamelsvoort. Let¡¯s get away from here.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, if you¡¯re so afraid of the sea, there¡¯s no need to be near it.¡± After saying that, he carefully extended his hand to Liv. Liv looked down at it with a puzzled face, then quickly took his hand with a brightened expression. Duke Lartman began to walk towards the parked carriages, escorting Liv. ¡°For now, it would be best for you to get in my family¡¯s carriage and rest. Will you be okay if you can¡¯t see the sea?¡± ¡°Mm, better than now...¡± ¡°I understand.¡± As they walked together, Duke Lartman opened his mouth again. ¡°...Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does no one in the Hamelsvoort family know that you¡¯re afraid of the sea?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°...¡± He fell silent for a moment, then looked into Liv¡¯s eyes with a determined face. ¡°I understand now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Liv tilted her head at the incomprehensible words, but he continued in a solemn tone. ¡°I now understand that you are being treated in a way you shouldn¡¯t be within your family. And I also know that it¡¯s even harder to escape such a situation between family members.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± When Liv asked as if puzzled, Duke Lartman looked at Liv and said. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort, you need outside help right now.¡± After saying that, Duke Lartman opened his mouth as if he had made a decision. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort, I will help you from now on.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do, I will help you anytime. So...¡± Duke Lartman tightened his grip on Liv¡¯s hand and said. ¡°Please allow me to help you by your side for the time being.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although she didn¡¯t know what those words meant, anyway, he said he would be by Liv¡¯s ¡®side¡¯ from now on! Realizing that fact, Liv¡¯s face brightened. A joy stronger than ever before filled her, coloring her inside. Duke Lartman took off the coat he was wearing and wrapped it around Liv. Wearing a coat much larger than her own body size, it looked like the coat was wearing Liv. Liv hesitated a little at the coat dragging on the ground, but she decided to be satisfied with the warmth of Duke Lartman anyway. The carriage with the crest of the Lartman family, a castle wall and falcon, came into view. As Liv was about to get into that carriage, escorted by Duke Lartman, the sound of someone running in a hurry was heard. ¡°Sister Liv!¡± It was Hildegard, lifting her dress and running in haste. ¡°Huff, huff...¡± As Hildegard approached, she saw the Duke¡¯s coat draped over Liv¡¯s body and became flustered. She greeted Duke Lartman in a cautious tone. ¡°Hello, Your Grace. I¡¯m Hildegard from the Hamelsvoort family.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Emmett Lartman. Have you come to take Miss Hamelsvoort?¡± ¡°Yes... But why are you two together?¡± Then Duke Lartman¡¯s face hardened a little, and he said. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort was afraid of the sea, did you know that?¡± Chapter 11 ¡°What? She¡¯s afraid of the sea?¡± At those words, Hildegard¡¯s gaze finally fell on Liv¡¯s face, which was a mess with tears. ¡°I had no idea... I only thought sister was sick...¡± ¡°I see. It seems Miss Hamelsvoort was greatly shocked, so I was helping her.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take care of sister from now on.¡± ¡°...Yes, please do.¡± Duke Lartman looked straight into Hildegard¡¯s eyes. ¡°It seems you¡¯re the only one in your family who cares about Miss Hamelsvoort. For her sake, I would be grateful if you could help Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t accept your gratitude... It¡¯s only natural.¡± Hildegard was overwhelmed by Duke Lartman, and Duke Lartman lightly bowed his head towards Liv. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort, then let¡¯s see each other next time.¡± ¡°Ah! This coat...¡± ¡°It would be nice if you could return it next time.¡± With those words, he left, and Hildegard took Liv to the Hamelsvoort family¡¯s carriage with a somewhat excited face. ¡°Sister, are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Mm... I think I¡¯ll be fine if I get away from the sea...¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it would be best to leave early. By the way...¡± Hildegard glanced at the spot where Duke Lartman had left. ¡°How were you with Duke Lartman?¡± ¡°I was walking while feeling sick, and the Duke helped me.¡± ¡°Oh my...¡± Hildegard¡¯s face turned bright red. Liv had never seen Hildegard make such an expression, but she couldn¡¯t ask Hildegard why she had that face while excitedly flapping her hands this way and that. ¡°I thought it was sister¡¯s unrequited love and tried to stop you, but now it doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not that, Duke Lartman is a dangerous person... Though, in fact, there are many people who secretly admire him. If you don¡¯t be rude to His Majesty the Emperor, he¡¯s kinder than anyone else.¡± As Liv became puzzled, unable to understand what Hildegard was saying to herself, Hildegard explained. ¡°He draped his coat over you and told you to return it next time! Don¡¯t you know what that means?¡± ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°Oh, dear! He naturally set up the next date!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± However, to Liv, who still couldn¡¯t feel the meaning of it, Hildegard asked further. ¡°Sister, do you really want things to work out with Duke Lartman?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way sister would be rude to His Majesty the Emperor, so it should be fine. Alright, then...¡± Hildegard seemed to be immersed in Liv and Duke Lartman¡¯s relationship, with a blissful face. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll help you from now on!¡± ¡°With what?¡± ¡°You should go beautifully from now on! I¡¯ll help you get along well with Duke Lartman!¡± ¡°Really? Is that possible?¡± ¡°Of course. Sister is pretty and cute, so it won¡¯t be difficult!¡± In fact, what Hildegard said wasn¡¯t bad either, but what made Liv feel good was the fact that Hildegard was showing friendliness to her. With different intentions, Liv and Hildegard smiled at each other. * * * A few days later, Liv, who attended the banquet, leaned against the wall and discreetly looked around. Thanks to Hildegard telling her to pay attention to the banquets from now on, she dressed up more brightly than usual, but Liv still had no friends. Hildegard was already surrounded by other noble ladies. As Liv was fiddling with her hair tied on both sides, a group of noble ladies who spotted her approached. Even though it was clear they were approaching her, Liv had a face that felt no emotion. Marquis Zibel¡¯s daughter, Count Genchen¡¯s daughter, and other noble ladies following them... They looked at Liv in front of them with appraising eyes as if she had become a decorative piece in an art gallery, and then opened their mouths, led by lady Zibel. ¡°My goodness, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s impolite to use too much white and gold decoration?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the color of the imperial family or the Saintess, and you don¡¯t belong to either of them!¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t feel embarrassed or flustered by those words. If what they said was true, then the Hamelsvoort maids who dressed Liv up like this were the problem. If not, they were just making up nonsense to find fault with her. Either way, it was something Liv couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°My goodness, why don¡¯t you know the banquet etiquette...¡± As Liv remained silent, they began to pounce on her as if they thought they had caught on. ¡°Ha, as expected, lowly blood can¡¯t be hidden.¡± ¡°Hey, Hildegard is adapting so well. It¡¯s definitely a problem on this side.¡± ¡°Right, I learned that we shouldn¡¯t discriminate based on lowly blood, hoho! This is a personal issue.¡± ¡®Where did Hildegard say she was going tomorrow?¡¯ In fact, Liv wasn¡¯t even paying attention to their words and continued to have other thoughts in her mind. Nevertheless, the reason she didn¡¯t leave her seat was because their chattering voices were better than silence. Well, anyway, it was good to have someone to talk to. At that moment, feeling someone¡¯s presence behind her, Liv, who sensed something, hurriedly looked back. And she called his name in a bright voice. ¡°Duke Lartman.¡± ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort, would you dance with me?¡± As soon as Duke Lartman appeared, the faces of the noble ladies who had been treating Liv like a toy turned pale. Meanwhile, Duke Lartman didn¡¯t give even a bit of attention to the ladies surrounding Liv and extended his hand to her. ¡°Dance?¡± Liv¡¯s eyes widened. She didn¡¯t know how to dance. She had been watching people dance as a wallflower in high society for a long time, but actually moving her body was a different matter. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to dance...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s alright. I said I would help you.¡± Duke Lartman whispered the latter part of his words in a low voice as if considerate of her. Anyway, excited to do something with Duke Lartman, Liv placed her hand on top of his large hand. As soon as Liv held his hand, he took her to the center of the banquet hall. A new music with an impressive slow melody and harmonies reminiscent of spring began to flow, and he wrapped one hand around Liv¡¯s waist. And he made Liv¡¯s other hand, which was awkwardly draped, rest on his shoulder. ¡°Just follow my lead.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Liv blushed, feeling embarrassed to see his face up close, but he had a calm expression. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he said, dancing wasn¡¯t really difficult. It was just a matter of moving her feet in sync with his. Perhaps it was because she had watched so many people all this time, or maybe he was good at leading. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you go home well that day?¡± ¡°Yes. Ah, right, the coat...¡± ¡°You can give it back next time. And...¡± He hesitated, then opened his mouth again, looking at Liv¡¯s face. ¡°May I call you by your name from now on?¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s face brightened more than ever. That was what Liv had wanted since she first saw him in high society. She didn¡¯t expect much from him, but perhaps if he kept calling her name... ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that.¡± ¡°Alright, Miss Liv. ...Since there are two Miss Hamelsvoorts, I thought it would be more convenient to call you like this.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re finally calling me Liv.¡± As Liv was smiling wistfully and dearly as if she had met a long-lost lover, he looked at Liv¡¯s expression again and said. ¡°...You can call me Emmett too.¡± ¡°Emmett?¡± Liv, who got to say his name for the first time, had an uncontrollably happy face. She loved the act of saying someone¡¯s name. Ah, many people didn¡¯t know how great the power of a name was, but at least Liv knew the meaning a name held. Although she was in a position where she couldn¡¯t call any of the nobles by their name except for Hildegard. ¡°By the way, Miss Liv, may I ask you something?¡± ¡°Yes, anything.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the Hamelsvoort family teach you how to dance?¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t good at learning. Just then, Hildegard came to our family... So my lessons were stopped.¡± ¡°...I see. You haven¡¯t received any etiquette lessons at all since Miss Hamelsvoort appeared.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Can you read?¡± ¡°Yes, I learned. But I don¡¯t know difficult words well. Writing is also hard.¡± At those words, Emmett had an unbelievable expression. He blinked his mouth for a while, then managed to make a sound. ¡°...They didn¡¯t even teach you how to write, Miss Liv? Have all your lessons really been suspended since Miss Hamelsvoort came?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But... But do you know why the Count and Countess send you out to external banquets, Miss Liv? From my perspective, it¡¯s hard to understand.¡± Liv could clearly answer that question. It wasn¡¯t the kind of thing she could proudly say, but she didn¡¯t want to lie to him, so Liv finally answered with her eyes lowered. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s probably because they don¡¯t want to see me.¡± Then Emmett¡¯s face became even more serious than before. Now he looked like he didn¡¯t know what to say either. ¡°I understand. Yes, I see... But it would be better for you to learn letters.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± She definitely had talent for learning languages, but letters were a different issue, so it was a bit difficult to study alone. However, she wanted to lead a life no different from other humans, and to do that, it was essential to learn letters as Emmett said. ¡°Emmett.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv stared at his face for a moment, then opened her mouth with a blissful face filled with an unfathomable depth of affection. ¡°I like you, Emmett.¡± ¡°...¡± Emmett had a flustered face, but Liv continued. ¡°Really. You¡¯re such a kind person, Emmett. That¡¯s why I like you.¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a kind person though.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve always been warm to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Emmett also stared intently at Liv¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m only kind to you, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Emmett said that, his eyes seemed to hold a different emotion rather than sympathy or pity, so Liv was momentarily dumbfounded at the situation she had never dared to expect. ¡°I¡¯m not as kind to others as I am to you, Miss Liv. I¡¯m treating you specially.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because you seem to need my help, Miss Liv. I can¡¯t turn away from someone who needs help.¡± He fell silent for a moment, then spoke again. ¡°...And for some reason, I want to do that too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Chapter 12 ¡°He told me to call him by his name...¡± ¡°Oh my, sister! Didn¡¯t I tell you? It¡¯s clear he¡¯s interested in you.¡± After the banquet ended, Liv returned home chatting with Hildegard. Hildegard, who had always shown an exemplary kind appearance, recently talked about the romance she had in the slums before becoming a Saintess in front of Liv with an excited face, and Liv, who was unfamiliar with that kind of story, listened to it with interest. When the carriage arrived at the Count¡¯s family¡¯s garden, they could see the Hamelsvoort couple standing outside the house. ¡°Why are they out?¡± ¡°I know, what could have happened?¡± As the two got off the carriage one after the other with puzzled looks, Countess Hamelsvoort approached them with a bright face. Just as Liv thought she must have something to say to Hildegard and stepped back, Countess Hamelsvoort hugged her tightly. ¡°Liv!¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± The surprised Liv couldn¡¯t even push her away and stammered stiffly, but Countess Hamelsvoort didn¡¯t seem to care about that at all. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, we were waiting for you!¡± ¡°For me?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go inside quickly!¡± Countess Hamelsvoort linked arms with Liv and took her inside the house. Count Hamelsvoort also had a delighted face. Liv looked at Hildegard with a puzzled face, but she also had a clueless expression. They were led by the Hamelsvoort couple and arrived at the reception room. After sitting on the sofa, Countess Hamelsvoort, with sparkling eyes, opened her mouth. ¡°Liv, is it true that you¡¯ve been getting close to Duke Lartman recently?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard from Madam Shiraze, who attended the banquet today and returned first! She said you danced with Duke Lartman!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right...¡± ¡°So, what did you talk about?¡± The reason Countess Hamelsvoort was being so friendly to Liv seemed to be because of Emmett. Liv didn¡¯t know if being close to Emmett could be the reason for the Countess to be kind to her, but she began to slowly recount what she had experienced. ¡°Um... He asked if he could call me by my name. And he said I could call him Emmett.¡± ¡°Oh my, oh my! And what else?¡± ¡°Hmm... He said he¡¯s only kind to me...¡± ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± While Countess Hamelsvoort was clapping her hands, Hildegard chimed in and spoke in a voice as if bragging. ¡°And last time at the navy¡¯s departure ceremony, he draped his coat over sister.¡± ¡°What? He did that?¡± This time, even Count Hamelsvoort joined in and didn¡¯t hide his surprise. They looked at each other with happy faces as if they had found an oasis in the desert. ¡°Liv! Duke Lartman definitely has a liking for you!¡± ¡°For me? Really?¡± ¡°Of course. Otherwise, why would he act like that! So anyway...¡± Countess Hamelsvoort looked into Liv¡¯s eyes and said emphatically. ¡°It would be best to propose an engagement.¡± ¡°What? Engagement?¡± Hildegard asked back in a surprised voice. Meanwhile, Liv had a blank face, unable to grasp the unfolding situation. Although Emmett was kind to Liv, he didn¡¯t love her. Engagement was a situation Liv had always dreamed of, but there was no way an engagement could be possible if the other party didn¡¯t agree. Even if he chose it based on some political interest, it didn¡¯t seem like it would be happy. My child is mine. The gods said as if dissatisfied, but Liv didn¡¯t even blink an eye despite the oncoming headache. Instead, she just spoke out the question she had in mind. ¡°Is that... possible? I just like him one-sidedly...¡± ¡°So you have feelings for him too, Liv!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write a letter proposing the engagement tomorrow.¡± Instead of answering Liv¡¯s words, they looked even more thrilled to hear that Liv had feelings for him. In the end, it was Hildegard who started explaining to Liv, unable to bear it. ¡°Hmm, sister. I also think the Duke has feelings for you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You seem to be dull in this aspect, but please believe what we say!¡± But what if the relationship she was barely mending broke again? Feeling anxious, Liv tried to stop them, but suddenly met eyes with Count Hamelsvoort, who seemed to be warning her. ¡°Liv, you¡¯ll naturally follow our choice, right?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Oh no, she had forgotten that most engagements and marriages in noble society were made according to the family¡¯s interests. Ordinary noble ladies followed their parents¡¯ words without the right to refuse, so perhaps Liv should do the same. Realizing there was nothing she could do, Liv quietly watched their reactions. Liv didn¡¯t really understand what benefit her engagement to Emmett would bring to the Count and Countess, but they were showing a favorable attitude towards Liv again. Like when they believed Liv was a Saintess. ¡®...Should I believe them?¡¯ She was afraid of them being disappointed and hostile towards her again, but if things went well, she might be able to regain their affection. Then Liv could also marry the person she liked, and her relationship with her family would improve... Some might find it ridiculous for Liv to cling on without self-esteem to gain the affection of people who disliked her, but affection was just like sugar, once addicted, it was hard to escape. Thus, the next day, Count Hamelsvoort sent a letter to the Lartman Duchy. * * * Another day passed after sending the letter to the Lartman Duchy, and Liv woke up to the angry voices of the Hamelsvoort couple. ¡°Oh my, what is this! Are you saying we were wrong now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, let¡¯s wake Liv up and ask her.¡± Voices were heard murmuring in front of the door as if they would barge in at any moment. Liv barely lifted her heavy body, which was struggling just to endure the presence of the gods as usual, and opened the door. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The Hamelsvoort couple standing in front of the door had faces flushed red with an emotion that could be anger or perplexity. ¡°Liv!¡± As soon as she saw Liv¡¯s face, Countess Hamelsvoort shouted in a shrill voice. ¡°The Lartman Duchy rejected the engagement!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We thought it would naturally succeed just listening to your words!¡± At those words, Liv was at a complete loss for words and could only gape. She was flustered that they made a decision on their own and then took it out on her, but more than that, she was shocked that Emmett had rejected her engagement proposal. As Liv was at a loss and stammering, the butler hurriedly ran to the Hamelsvoort couple. ¡°Count!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Duke Lartman has come to visit.¡± ¡°What?¡± They showed a much greater reaction than before and went downstairs, leaving Liv behind. As Liv was standing there with a blank face, Hildegard, who had approached at some point, patted Liv¡¯s shoulder and opened her mouth. ¡°Sister, quickly change your clothes. Duke Lartman might have come to see you.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Me? Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why he rejected the engagement, but... He¡¯s definitely not the type to purposely come to meet someone he¡¯s not interested in. I think he¡¯s definitely interested in you.¡± For now, Liv changed into casual clothes as Hildegard said. Hildegard, who had been waiting in front of Liv¡¯s room, took Liv, who was standing awkwardly, downstairs. When they arrived at the reception room, the Hamelsvoort couple had a satisfied expression, with their anger nowhere to be seen. ¡°Hoho, so that¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine, but...¡± ¡°No, Liv is still young.¡± ¡°Then we will follow Duke Lartman¡¯s wishes.¡± When Liv was trying to peek through the crack of the door to see Emmett even a little, Count Hamelsvoort, who noticed her, gestured with a soft smile that was completely different from before. The change in his expression was so drastic that one might doubt he had become a different person. ¡°Liv, come in.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Seeing Liv¡¯s face, Emmett let out a short sigh. The Hamelsvoort couple gestured for Liv to sit across from Emmett. ¡°Liv, we¡¯ll leave then.¡± ¡°Have a good conversation with the Duke, hoho.¡± The Hamelsvoort couple left Liv and left the room, and Liv looked at Emmett with awkward eyes. What on earth did he talk about with the Hamelsvoort couple? ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I came to talk about the engagement in case there was a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because I dislike you that I rejected the engagement.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± When Liv raised her head with a start, Emmett looked at Liv with his usual kind face and said. ¡°The reason I rejected the engagement is that I judged you are not yet suitable to be engaged to someone.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re still young...¡± ¡°We¡¯re not that many years apart, are we?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve just become an adult.¡± As he said, Liv had indeed just recently become an adult. ¡°Also, to get engaged, we need to get permission from His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°Is that how it usually is?¡± ¡°I have a close relationship with His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Liv realized once again that Emmett truly revered the Emperor. ¡°And above all, you haven¡¯t had enough opportunities to experience others besides me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t know much about this society. I don¡¯t want to let you get married as if being swept away by the hands of others.¡± Chapter 13 ¡°But I can only love you, Emmett.¡± ¡°...Have you met other men besides me?¡± At those words, Liv rolled her eyes for a moment and answered. ¡°Like Count Hamelsvoort...¡± ¡°...That means no.¡± ¡°But still, I can¡¯t help but love you, Your Grace. It might be hard to believe, but it¡¯s true!¡± Liv tried to protest clumsily, fearing that her feelings would be treated as a mere whim, but Emmett didn¡¯t seem to listen to her opinion. ¡°Anyway, Miss Liv, I rejected the engagement, but I don¡¯t dislike you.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°...My promise to help you by your side still stands.¡± As Liv quietly blinked, Emmett spoke in an elegant and aristocratic manner with his eyes lowered. ¡°I want to teach you the etiquette of noble society at banquets in the future and dance with you. Will you allow me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Liv¡¯s face was filled with joy as she answered Duke Lartman¡¯s words. The Hamelsvoort couple must have also been satisfied after hearing this, right? But why were they trying to engage Liv and Duke Lartman? Child, humans are evil beings who only know their own interests. ¡®While loving me, a human.¡¯ You were born in the lowest place. The gods began to pour out words of love to Liv again, but Liv ignored their words as always. ¡°Ah, right. I¡¯ll return your coat.¡± ¡°Alright, Miss Liv.¡± Emmett, who had been staring at Liv, opened his mouth. ¡°Then can I go as your partner to the next banquet?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Liv answered with a bright smile. ¡°I can do anything for you, Emmett.¡± * * * After that, Emmett really accompanied Liv as a partner to every banquet she attended. At the banquets, he only talked to Liv and danced with her. Emmett¡¯s pace had somehow become close to Liv¡¯s, and Liv¡¯s intonation had become close to Emmett¡¯s. The time spent together, hoping that he might come to love her, felt so beautiful, brilliant, and precious to Liv. The Hamelsvoort couple was very satisfied with Liv¡¯s situation. They bought Liv even more expensive clothes and accessories and had the maids dress her up lavishly. ¡°Sister, Duke Lartman wasn¡¯t as scary as I thought.¡± ¡°Yeah, I told you.¡± Even Hildegard acknowledged how kind his attitude was towards Liv. That day, Liv was also sticking close to Emmett, listening to his explanation of the Empire¡¯s etiquette. At that moment, the voices of noble young men whispering next to them could be heard. ¡°Why is the Emperor¡¯s hound interested in a woman for a change?¡± ¡°Shh, he¡¯ll hear you.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t care about this level of talk anyway.¡± It seemed to be about Emmett, so Liv watched Emmett¡¯s reaction. However, Emmett didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. ¡°Miss Liv, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s nothing.¡± When they showed no reaction, the noble young men became even more engrossed in their conversation. At first, they criticized Emmett Lartman for being interested in a fake Saintess, but the conversation flowed in an unexpected direction. ¡°Haah, what¡¯s the problem with the Duke anyway? He¡¯s just following His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°I know, right? When will that tyrant step down? I don¡¯t know exactly what kind of person the Crown Princess is, but she¡¯ll be better than that tyrant.¡± At that moment, Emmett¡¯s expression froze coldly as if all the treasures he cherished had been shattered. He strode over to the young men and silently looked down at them with a shadowed face. Because they were shorter than him, they looked terrified as if feeling overwhelmed. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°What? What did you hear?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just utter words insulting the imperial family?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You must have heard wrong.¡± ¡°Yes, we never had such a conversation.¡± When the noble young men collectively made excuses, Emmett¡¯s expression gradually hardened. From their perspective, they knew about the Emperor¡¯s hound, so it was a way to survive, but Emmett Lartman had no intention of leaving alone those who spoke impurely about the one he had pledged his sword to. If they continued to deny it, Emmett was determined to push them to the end and get a confession. At that time, Liv intervened to help Emmett. ¡°I heard it too. You said ¡®tyrant¡¯.¡± ¡°What are you...¡± At Liv¡¯s words, the men¡¯s faces turned pale. They didn¡¯t expect the usually quiet Liv to add her words. If there were two people who heard their words, evidence would be secured, and they might even be charged with insulting the imperial family. Seeing Emmett¡¯s face, which was even angrier than before, the men bowed their heads deeply and began to tremble. There was no one in this high society who didn¡¯t know about the other side of this kind and sincere-looking young man. They thought they were just teasing him a little, but they didn¡¯t expect to touch upon the value he held most dear. ¡°P-Please forgive us just this once! We were rash!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s our fault for uttering bad rumors!¡± Then Emmett sighed and approached them even closer. The smile had completely disappeared from his face, and an intense murderous intent emanated from him, as if it would look like blue flames if visible. ¡°If I hear that word one more time, I will immediately report to His Majesty and execute you on the spot. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± While Emmett was warning the young men, the noble ladies who usually antagonized Liv looked at her with even sharper eyes. When Liv¡¯s gaze met theirs with a puzzled look, they abruptly turned their heads away. Regardless of Liv¡¯s intention, it was clearly a snitching behavior from the perspective of the bystanders. After she nearly put the noble young men in danger, the hostility of the members of high society towards Liv grew day by day. * * * ¡°Miss Liv, you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Come and sit down quickly!¡± ¡®What is this?¡¯ Liv looked around with a dumbfounded face. However, the noble ladies sitting in their seats were welcoming Liv with delighted faces. It was strange enough that Liv was attending the Schwartz family¡¯s tea party, which she had never been invited to since being rumored as the ¡®Fake Saintess,¡¯ but it was even stranger that the ladies were welcoming her. She had come out because her daily life of lying in bed at home would be the same anyway, but was there a trap set up? Hildegard, who arrived with Liv, also had a clueless expression. ¡°Hildegard, you sit down too! Miss Liv, over here.¡± Miss Schwartz, who hosted the tea party, guided them to their seats, and Liv sat down as directed. And... ¡°Huh?¡± Startled by the unpleasant and squishy feeling under her feet, Liv hurriedly lifted her foot. Liv¡¯s eyes widened as she lifted the tablecloth to check what she had just stepped on. Because what was there was... ¡°A rat?¡± The corpse of a crushed rat was placed under Liv¡¯s feet. ¡°Hmm...¡± Liv pondered for a moment as she looked at it. Why on earth was there a dead rat here? The noble ladies would make a fuss if they saw it. Should she pretend not to know, or should she say there might be rats living somewhere in this family¡¯s mansion? Then Liv realized they were staring at her with interested eyes. They acted as if they already knew what she had stepped on. ¡®These people put it there.¡¯ It seemed that the bullying towards Liv was now taking an even more malicious turn. It was something that ordinary noble ladies might be startled by if they saw a large rat for the first time. However, since Liv, who saw humans and animals as the same and equal, didn¡¯t show any surprise and just stared blankly at the rat, they seemed disappointed. Instead, they started to add their words one by one to Liv. ¡°Oh my, suddenly a rat¡¯s corpse appears, what an ominous thing is this?¡± ¡°And it had to be at Miss Liv¡¯s seat...¡± ¡°Could it be some kind of omen?¡± They giggled as if wanting to portray Liv as an ominous being. In the somewhat childish play, Liv didn¡¯t say anything in response. At that moment, Hildegard stood up from her seat. ¡°Sister, let¡¯s switch seats.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As Liv stood still, Hildegard pulled her and sat in Liv¡¯s seat instead. The faces of the noble ladies who saw that turned pale. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No, why is Miss Hildegard...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really afraid of rats.¡± Hildegard spoke in a nonchalant voice. The fact that the noble ladies overlooked was that both Liv and Hildegard came from lowly origins. Hildegard wasn¡¯t afraid of rats at all either, and she disliked such low-quality pranks. ¡°The others might be scared, so I¡¯ll sit in this seat.¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s call the servants to clean it up.¡± When she even mentioned the rat and embarrassed them, Miss Schwartz had no choice but to back down with her tail between her legs. Although Hildegard was of commoner origin, they were citizens of the Holy Hilysid Empire and devout believers of the Holy Church from birth. They had no choice but to respect and follow Saintess Hildegard. After the tea party ended, on the way back in the carriage together, Hildegard opened her mouth. ¡°...Sister, this kind of bullying might increase in the future.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re close to Duke Lartman.¡± ¡°How is that a problem?¡± ¡°The others will be jealous of you.¡± Hildegard spoke with a face that seemed completely disgusted by high society. ¡°There were more than a few who tried to form a connection with the Lartman Duchy, but Duke Lartman rejected them all. But you succeeded in staying by his side.¡± ¡°He only allowed me to be by his side...?¡± At those words, Liv blushed shyly again, and Hildegard sighed as she looked at her sister who seemed to have no caution at all. ¡°Haah... Anyway, you have to be careful from now on.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 14 ¡®Today is the day I meet Emmett!¡¯ As soon as she got off the carriage, the excited Liv strode off. Hildegard had gone to volunteer today, so Liv was alone. Instead, she had heard that Emmett would also be attending the Heller family¡¯s banquet that she was going to today, so Liv was thrilled. Screech. But the moment she opened the door to the banquet hall, Liv flinched at the heavy, sinking atmosphere. As soon as Liv entered, everyone shut their mouths. For a moment, it felt like an invisible wall was erected in front of Liv, and she even contemplated running away for a while. After a while, as if that silence was a lie, the people inside the banquet hall began to chatter noisily among themselves again. However, they didn¡¯t give Liv even a single glance. ¡®What was this called? Transparent, transparent...¡¯ They¡¯re treating you as a transparent person. They seemed to be trying to treat Liv as a transparent person. No matter how they provoked her, Liv seemed calm and even stuck close to a powerful person like Duke Lartman, so this time they decided to bully her by ignoring her. In fact, compared to putting a rat on her seat or surrounding her and pouring out bad words, being ignored seemed like nothing. But the problem was that Liv... ¡°Ugh...¡± Liv groaned as she felt completely cut off from people and left alone in this world. She hated being isolated from people terribly. If no one recognized her existence and she was left isolated alone, it was so painful that she couldn¡¯t bear it as a certain day from the past came to mind. Yes, it was about the time before she was adopted into the Hamelsvoort family. Feeling suffocated, Liv looked around with pleading eyes. She thought it would be better to be cursed at as usual. ¡°Hic...¡± Child, I shall bring judgment upon this world. ¡®No...¡¯ Even as she tried to maintain at least a minimum of reason and tried to stop the gods, who would appreciate her efforts? It became increasingly difficult to breathe, and in the midst of that, arguing with the gods in her head made her feel like her head would crack. Just as Liv closed her eyes tightly and tried to somehow overcome it, a gentle voice was heard from behind. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Emmett!¡± At that familiar voice, Liv immediately turned around. As always, Emmett was standing there with a dazzling light reflected from the chandelier on his face, smiling in a way that eased people¡¯s tension. ¡®Ah, how in moments like this...¡¯ Truly, Liv couldn¡¯t help but love him. From the beginning, it was Liv¡¯s destiny and mission that was already determined. As Liv looked at him with eyes sparkling with tears or vitality, he spoke in a soothing voice. ¡°You¡¯re alone today. It looks boring here, shall we take a walk in the garden together?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that.¡± After that, the voices of flustered noble ladies could be heard. ¡°No, didn¡¯t he say he would be late today because he had work at the palace? There¡¯s no way he would come this early...¡± ¡°I know, he has never attended a banquet at this hour...¡± Leaving their voices behind, Liv went out to the garden with Emmett. The lightbulbs imported from the Merna Empire were characterized by lavish and excessive decoration despite their small size. ¡°Wow, I love light...¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, I have always loved the sunlight seeping through the cracks...¡± When Liv said that in a dreamy voice like a philosopher describing utopia, Emmett gave a faint smile. Then, looking at Liv with a face like a tempting angel, he said. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Today, I finished the meeting presided over by His Majesty earlier than usual and came here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I was worried about you, Miss Liv.¡± That was a really strange thing to say. Somehow, Liv had the illusion that she had become a special being, but was it really an illusion? ¡°...These days, you make me act strange, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You make me do things I would never do normally. For example, breaking the calm life like a still lake and creating ripples.¡± Saying that, Emmett stopped walking and looked at Liv with softly curved eyes. ¡°Miss Liv, shall we be friends?¡± ¡°Friends?¡± ¡°Yes, friends.¡± ¡°What changes if we become friends compared to now?¡± ¡°You can ask me to meet without reason. You can also send me letters. Of course, I can do the same too.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Some might be frustrated that the man they love proposed to be friends, but for Liv, becoming friends was as joyous as becoming lovers. ¡°I¡¯d love that...¡± Liv had never had a friend before. The ladies in high society were all hostile to Liv, and Hildegard, the only one who treated Liv well, was more of a caring sister than a friend. From the moment she first learned the word ¡®friend,¡¯ Liv had dreamed of having such a being by her side. Not only was this wonderful person by her side, but he even wanted to be her friend. Liv felt an incomparably blissful feeling. ¡°You¡¯re my first friend, Emmett.¡± When Liv said that like a child declaring a gift she liked as her own, Emmett responded in a calm voice. ¡°It¡¯s the same for me.¡± ¡°Why? Why don¡¯t you have friends, Emmett?¡± At those words, Emmett became a little awkward and slowly chose his words to answer. ¡°...My parents passed away, and I inherited the dukedom a bit early.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°There were many people around me who looked down on me for receiving the title at a young age and rushed at me, so I had to be wary of them.¡± Liv listened to his story with her mouth agape. It was the first time she had heard such a personal story, and Liv suddenly realized that she knew less about Emmett than she thought. She simply loved the human being Emmett that she saw in front of her, and she had no interest in the background that created the human being he was. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then why did you accept me as a friend?¡± ¡°I came to know that you would never attack me, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m in a position to be hated by people?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s not simply that.¡± He seemed a bit flustered by Liv¡¯s overly straightforward words. ¡°You seemed too pure to harm others, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°...And strangely, I was also drawn to you, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°I felt the same way.¡± Liv spoke in a voice that was stronger than usual. What was contained in that voice was, oddly enough, something of the nature of hope or expectation. ¡°I liked you from the beginning, Emmett.¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s save that conversation for later.¡± Whenever Liv talked about her feelings of liking him, he always showed a flustered reaction. Well, of course, since he didn¡¯t like Liv. Although she didn¡¯t mind, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed. Instead, Liv decided to focus again on the conversation she was having with him to change the subject. ¡°How old were you when your parents passed away?¡± ¡°I was fifteen. By the way, it¡¯s rude to casually ask about someone¡¯s parents¡¯ death, so you shouldn¡¯t do that to anyone other than me.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, you¡¯ll learn as you go. At that time, His Majesty the Emperor helped me a lot. That¡¯s why I decided to always be loyal to His Majesty.¡± How dare he mention that arrogant person in front of my child! How can a mere human claim to be the absolute! As soon as Emmett mentioned the Emperor, the gods began to chatter noisily, and Liv flinched. The gods hated the Emperor terribly. If they could break causality and intervene in the human world, they would have crushed the Emperor right away in the ¡®way of the transcendent.¡¯ Liv continued, pretending not to hear the gods¡¯ words. ¡°Then can I write letters to the Duke from now on?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± At those words, Liv smiled brightly with a face as if she had gained the world. It was the purest smile of all, simply immersing herself in her love and rejoicing without any desire for anything else. It was okay if people pointed fingers at her and called her a fake Saintess. As long as she had Emmett, Liv was happy enough with just that. [To the Duke. Hello, Emmett. I¡¯m happy that this is my first letter. I bought pretty stationery and ink at the market. I¡¯m currently reading books and learning many words. Hildegard is helping me. I saw the term ¡®Five Noble Houses¡¯ in the book. It¡¯s a difficult word to understand. What does this word mean? And would you like to come visit my house? I think Countess Hamelsvoort would like that. ¡ªSent by Liv Hamelsvoort] [To Miss Liv Hamelsvoort. Greetings, Miss Liv. I am also pleased to write a reply. It would be helpful to read while looking up difficult words in a dictionary. I have enclosed the dictionary I used when I was young. The Five Noble Houses refer to the five families that support the Empire. They are the Steinberg Grand Ducal House, the Lartman Ducal House, the Schmidt Marquis House, the Arendt Marquis House, and the Hamelsvoort Count House. The Five Noble Houses have maintained a balance of power with the imperial family for generations. After the bloodline of the previous imperial family, the Gracia family, was cut off, the Five Noble Houses selected a new Emperor through discussion. That person is none other than the current Emperor from the Steinberg Grand Ducal House. In other words, a new imperial dynasty began with the current Emperor. I hope your curiosity has been satisfied, Miss Liv. And while I would be happy to visit the Hamelsvoort House and meet you, Miss Liv, I am worried that Count and Countess Hamelsvoort might misunderstand our relationship. After all, we are still just friends for now. Instead, I will invite you to the Lartman Ducal House, Miss Liv. ¡ªSent by Emmett Lartman] Chapter 15 [To Emmett. Alright! I told Count and Countess Hamelsvoort, and they both liked it. Why do those people like you, Emmett? ¡ªSent by Liv Hamelsvoort] [To Emmett. I arrived home safely. The Lartman Ducal House was really amazing. I like the castle wall and falcon crest. I also like the Hamelsvoort family¡¯s swan and sword crest. In fact, I like everything pretty. And the library of the Lartman Ducal House was really amazing. It¡¯s more impressive than the Hamelsvoort House. Have you read all those books? Oh, and the food was delicious too. It was my first time eating such delicious tomatoes. ¡ªSent by Liv Hamelsvoort] [To Miss Liv. I¡¯m glad that the day spent at the Lartman Ducal House became a good memory for you, Miss Liv. I¡¯m proud that my knowledge of your taste in food wasn¡¯t wrong since you liked the food. I haven¡¯t read all the books in the library either. When I was young, I thought I would have read all the books when I became an adult. But I couldn¡¯t do that after all. The Marquis Arendt House, renowned for respecting knowledge for generations, is said to have the largest library in the Empire. I wonder if Marquis Arendt has read all the books. Oh, I didn¡¯t get a chance to tell you in person last time, but the pink dress you wore that day really suited you, Miss Liv. ¡ªSent by Emmett Lartman] * * * ¡°Why does Duke Lartman seem so close to the fake Saintess?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way...¡± ¡°But look over there!¡± ¡°Could it be that he fell for that woman just by looking at her face? Even the Duke... I guess all men are the same.¡± Whispers about Liv and Emmett being together could be heard, but they were all used to rumors. There was something funny about the ¡®Emperor¡¯s Hound,¡¯ a feared figure, meeting the ¡®Fake Saintess,¡¯ a subject of ridicule, but despite the rumors spreading like wildfire, the parties involved didn¡¯t care. ¡°I finished reading ¡®The Stormy Night.¡¯ It was an interesting book.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad it suited your taste, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°But there was a part I didn¡¯t quite understand. The gods are portrayed as too kind in it.¡± ¡°What? Shh, you shouldn¡¯t say such things.¡± ¡°But there was also a part I could relate to. The protagonist Hannah¡¯s fear of dying.¡± ¡°Death...¡± Emmett pondered Liv¡¯s words. As he had felt before, Liv had a tendency to worry excessively about her own death. When going down the stairs, she carefully descended while holding the handrail for fear of falling. When eating, she chewed thoroughly in case the food choked her. And when she went up to high places, she never went near the windows. It was hard to simply call it being timid. Yes, rather than cherishing herself, she somehow seemed to treat herself as a means... ¡°Miss Liv, are you afraid of dying?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°But in reality, the probability of a person dying while going about their daily life is not very high.¡± Emmett said in a kind voice. ¡°Is there anyone around you who has passed away, Miss Liv?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Sometimes death is exaggerated. Because each death is shocking, people tend to remember it for a long time. You¡¯re probably the same, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Death is exaggerated...¡± ¡°In reality, the chances of you suddenly dying are low, Miss Liv. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Liv nodded at those words. In fact, as far as she knew, she had only caused harm to others by dying once when she fell down the stairs. Perhaps, as Emmett said, she was being overly cautious... Don¡¯t worry, child. Last time, you died of an infectious disease, and we turned back time once. And we erased the existence of the rude fellow who passed the disease to you from this world forever. At those words, Liv became crestfallen. Death wasn¡¯t exaggerated at all after all! The danger of death was always lurking near Liv, and Liv might have caused harm to someone again. Moreover, due to time being turned back, Liv couldn¡¯t even remember everything. To the victims who suffered for no reason because of Liv, she was no different from a walking disaster. ¡°But if I die, it will be a big deal.¡± Liv said, pouting her lips. ¡°If I die... It¡¯s hard to explain, but anyway, I can¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even say such things. Why would you die, Miss Liv?¡± ¡°What if the world ends after I die?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Emmett let out a short groan. Sometimes Liv¡¯s words were really hard to understand. At first, he even suspected if Liv was mentally unstable and ill, but he couldn¡¯t casually comment on it since he didn¡¯t know how Liv lived in the slums before joining noble society. ¡°Miss Liv, death is not close to you, and above all, death is not that scary. It¡¯s a process that everyone inevitably goes through.¡± There were many words floating in Liv¡¯s mouth. They squirmed in her mouth as if she would proclaim the truth of this world to everyone at any moment. No, if I die, it will be a big deal. If I die, all the gods will be angry, and this world will collapse, and everyone will die. If my blood even splatters, that person will receive divine punishment and suffer for a long, long time. But if she spoke that truth, Liv would surely be branded as a heretic, so she couldn¡¯t confide the truth to anyone... As Liv¡¯s expression darkened with a stifling feeling, Emmett quickly changed the subject. ¡°Miss Liv, by the way, do you know that His Majesty the Emperor is attending today¡¯s banquet?¡± ¡°What? His Majesty the Emperor?¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s face turned pale, but Emmett didn¡¯t notice and continued. ¡°Yes, you must behave properly in front of His Majesty the Emperor. First, you must not speak to him, you must not make eye contact, and you must not make loud noises.¡± This is serious. She didn¡¯t know this in advance. Liv felt a stronger sense of anxiety than ever before and resisted the urge to bite her nails. Because in Liv¡¯s head, the shouts of angry gods began to be heard. How dare he mention that person in front of you? He is worshipped despite being human. He is a rude one who dares to challenge the authority of the gods. Hate him, Liv. Liv didn¡¯t know much about the person called the ¡®Emperor.¡¯ But he was someone she had heard about to the point of being sick of it from the gods, so she knew she shouldn¡¯t be polite to him. The gods never acknowledged the Emperor of the Holy Hilysid Empire as the ¡®absolute ruler¡¯ of this country and rather wanted Liv to behead the Emperor and offer his head to them on their behalf. ¡°In front of His Majesty the Emperor, you just need to show proper respect according to the procedure. I¡¯ve taught you the etiquette so far, right?¡± However, the man Liv loved was saying the opposite of the gods. It was clear which of the human word and the gods¡¯ word was absolute, but there was a separate side Liv had to follow if she wanted to live in human society... In the end, after groaning for a while, Liv asked Duke Lartman. ¡°Why do we have to be polite in front of His Majesty the Emperor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural since he is like the sun looking down upon the imperial citizens.¡± Liv quietly nodded. The gods still seemed displeased with her facing him, and their angry voices rang in her ears, but still, Liv wanted to continue to blend into human society and gain the trust of the man she loved. She wanted to act politely in front of His Majesty the Emperor as he said. ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll follow the etiquette.¡± ¡°Yes, I trust you, Miss Liv.¡± Leaving those words behind, he moved to the entrance of the banquet hall to greet the Emperor, who would soon appear. From what Liv had heard, even though they were from the same Five Noble Houses, the Lartman Ducal House had assisted the Steinberg Grand Ducal House since ancient times. It was also because the current Emperor had helped Emmett in the past, so he was even more loyal. So it was natural for Emmett to attend to him in the closest position to the Emperor. ¡®I should make a good impression too.¡¯ Since he was the one the person she loved pledged his loyalty to, Liv also wanted to make a good impression on ¡®His Majesty the Emperor.¡¯ However, when the person called the ¡®Emperor¡¯ appeared... ¡°His Majesty the Emperor is entering!¡± Everyone bowed their heads before him. And at that moment, Liv felt an unbearable fear. Kill that wicked one! How insolent. He dares to challenge my authority! Never bow your head before him. Her head throbbed as if it would burst. It felt like a huge thunderbolt was striking inside her head. It felt like a huge hand was kneading Liv¡¯s brain. And above all... ¡®Ah...!¡¯ The numerous stigmas deeply engraved in Liv¡¯s bones flaunted their existence. It was painful as if her whole body was being pricked by sharp needles. In the end, unable to endure any longer, Liv ran away from the spot. ¡°Miss Liv!¡± ¡°Is she crazy? How dare she do that in front of His Majesty the Emperor...¡± ¡°We must arrest her!¡± Following Emmett¡¯s shout calling for her, noisy voices of people could be heard from behind, but Liv left the place. ¡®Why can¡¯t I act like other people?¡¯ Emmett¡¯s words telling her to be polite in front of the Emperor came to mind. But Liv couldn¡¯t do that. In the end, Liv had ruined everything again. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She turned her back on the Emperor to whom Emmett was so loyal and ran away arbitrarily. Perhaps her relationship with Emmett was over now. It was too difficult for Liv to act like a normal person. Of course, she knew what was right and how to behave. But her situation didn¡¯t allow it! Still enduring the noisy voices of the gods, Liv ran wildly. Tears fell on the floor at every place she passed. Chapter 16 ¡°Are you in your right mind? How could you do that?¡± Clang! A loud sound rang out as a vase shattered. As the sharp sound pierced her ears, Liv flinched. All she could do was try her best not to be noticed and remain as still as a mouse. But Countess Hamelsvoort¡¯s anger still didn¡¯t seem to subside. ¡°I got scolded trying to handle people saying you should be arrested! The Emperor already looks unfavorably upon our family as it is!¡± With her face flushed red, Countess Hamelsvoort poured out her anger as if she would devour Liv at any moment, and Liv could only cower in front of her. She seemed to be furious that Liv ran away instead of bowing her head in front of the Emperor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Finally, Liv said, mumbling her lips. Even if time turned back again, she thought she had no choice but to act that way, but it was true that Liv had done wrong anyway. She had broken the rules of humans. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m already sick of the sight of you. I hope the imperial law allowing children to be disowned quickly passes!¡± As she shouted like that, the frightened Liv watched her reaction. Then should she return to where she originally belonged? A place where she would starve, unable to wash, and only darkness? Fortunately, Count Hamelsvoort intervened at that moment. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t get too angry. It won¡¯t change anything anyway.¡± ¡°Ha, but I¡¯m still angry!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already agreed to punish this child anyway...¡± The Count looked at Liv with spiteful eyes. He seemed rather satisfied with this situation, having gained a pretext to punish Liv, who had been bothering him for a long time. ¡°If we lock her in her room, she¡¯ll reflect on her sins on her own.¡± At those words that felt like a death sentence, Liv became a face that looked like she would burst into tears at any moment. Liv hated being confined. Although her room was luxurious and spacious, when she was locked up, she not only couldn¡¯t eat properly, but the noise ringing in her head felt even louder. She was terribly afraid of being isolated against her will. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Liv grabbed Countess Hamelsvoort¡¯s clothes and pleaded like that, but in the end, only a cold shout came back. ¡°Where are you grabbing with those dirty hands? You will receive divine punishment from the gods!¡± Liv was dragged by Countess Hamelsvoort¡¯s arm all the way into the room, and soon her body was pushed by a strong hand. As Liv, who had fallen to the floor, tried to get up somehow, she slammed the door shut. ¡°Reflect in your room for the time being!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Liv pounded on the door with force, but the door seemed to be firmly locked from the outside. In the end, Liv crawled onto her bed, resigned. Anyway, it was fortunate that there was a soft bed in the room. That ill-mannered fellow, meeting him again... Let¡¯s kill all those who challenge the authority of the gods. Even in the midst of this, the gods continued to pour out their anger regardless of Liv¡¯s situation. Liv tried to flip the blanket over to block out the sound, but it was of no use. ¡°I hate everything...¡± Pitiful and transparent tears began to flow from Liv¡¯s eyes. Liv didn¡¯t even know how to define the emotion she was feeling, but she just sobbed and glared at the air. ¡°Why do I have to live like this...?¡± As soon as Liv said that, a huge voice of the gods was heard. You are a special child. This world is yours. ¡°But humans think I¡¯m strange!¡± There was a time when Liv also yearned for human society. Liv, who had always lived with gods, thought that when she met people, they would empathize and have conversations with each other. However, people didn¡¯t understand Liv at all. Because the existence of the gods that Liv was bearing was too heavy, and it was impossible to act normally while carrying them on her back! The servants of the Hamelsvoort House, Count and Countess Hamelsvoort, the nobles of high society, Hildegard, and even Duke Lartman. None of them understood Liv. You don¡¯t need the understanding of humans. You will always be with us. ¡°No, I said I don¡¯t like it!¡± Liv shouted, but the gods were still talking to Liv in a gentle voice. To them, Liv herself was no different from a cute pet, and Liv knew it well too. No matter how much Liv whined, in their eyes, Liv only looked insignificant and cute. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live like this...¡± Liv curled up in the blanket and cried for a long time. Until she fell asleep from exhaustion. * * * Knock, knock, knock. Liv woke up to the sound of knocking on the door. ¡®Is it mealtime?¡¯ Come to think of it, it seemed like quite some time had passed since she last ate. Even if she didn¡¯t eat anything, Liv wouldn¡¯t die thanks to the gods¡¯ blessings, but still, Liv quite enjoyed the act of eating. As Liv barely lifted her listless body from the bed and approached the door, a small voice was heard from the other side of the door. ¡°Sister, are you listening?¡± It was Liv¡¯s sister, Hildegard. Liv quite liked Hildegard, so she answered in a relatively happy voice. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you feeling a bit better? I was worried... I was worried you might be hurt somewhere since you suddenly left last time.¡± Anyway, it was true that her head hurt because of the gods¡¯ voices, so Liv answered yes. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I knew it! Of course, it could be seen as wrong to others, but still, you had your own circumstances...¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± As Hildegard sighed, Liv stared beyond the door and opened her mouth. ¡°Hildegard, I want to go outside.¡± ¡°...No, sister! If you do that, our parents will really get angry.¡± ¡°But being locked up is scary.¡± ¡°...Being locked up is scary?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At those words, Hildegard seemed to be thinking for a moment. Soon, she answered in a brightened voice as if she had come up with a good idea. ¡°Sister, is there a place you particularly want to go outside?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Then how about going to the temple? If we say we went to the temple to pray, our parents won¡¯t be able to get angry. They are devout believers.¡± ¡°The temple...¡± The temple Hildegard was talking about was the temple that enshrined the chief god of the Holy Church. When she was considered the ¡®Real Saintess,¡¯ she frequently visited the temple, but after being treated as the ¡®Fake Saintess,¡¯ she hadn¡¯t set foot in the temple for a long time. She couldn¡¯t forget how the expressions of the priests who had always treated her well changed in an instant when it was revealed that she was the ¡®Fake Saintess.¡¯ However, Liv wanted to go outside no matter where, and if she wouldn¡¯t get scolded for going to the temple, Hildegard¡¯s suggestion seemed like the best choice she could make right now. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to the temple.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll secretly tell the coachman! The coachman is also a very religious person, so he will probably gladly listen to me!¡± Soon, Hildegard carefully opened the door, and after thanking Hildegard, Liv secretly headed outside, avoiding the eyes of the Count and Countess. Fortunately, Liv succeeded in not running into the Count and Countess and secretly boarded the carriage that Hildegard had told the coachman about in advance. The coachman drove the horse straight to the temple. The front of the temple was bustling with people who had come to pray. They had a blissful expression as if overwhelmed by the figures of Saintesses carved on each spire of the temple and the majestic appearance of the dazzling gold-covered ceiling. Liv followed them and headed towards the entrance of the temple. The guard protecting the temple spoke to confirm Liv¡¯s identity. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Liv... Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°What? Hamelsvoort?¡± The guard¡¯s eyes widened as if he knew that name. ¡°Just a moment... I¡¯ll call the priest.¡± ¡°The priest?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a matter for me to judge...¡± Soon, the guard disappeared to inform the priests of Liv¡¯s visit. While waiting for the guard, Liv began to feel increasingly anxious as if she had come to a place she shouldn¡¯t have. She had intended to secretly come, pray, and leave, but would the priests really accept her, the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯? No, perhaps they would forgive Liv out of the duty to love all people... As Liv was waiting for people with an anxious heart, a noisy sound was heard from beyond the temple. ¡°How dare you!¡± Priests with angry faces were coming down from the temple. Realizing that things had gone wrong, Liv bit her lip tightly. The priests who spotted Liv began to point fingers at her in unison. ¡°An impious being dares to come to the temple! Leave the temple at once!¡± ¡°You lied pretending to be a Saintess, and now you come to the temple with what nerve!¡± They angrily said that Liv should be grateful they didn¡¯t punish her for deceiving everyone. Instinctively, Liv stepped back from the hostile feelings pouring at her. The priests hated Liv. The negative emotions they emitted were conveyed to Liv. ¡°Uh, uh...¡± As Liv, who hadn¡¯t expected this to happen, stammered in bewilderment, one priest at the front shouted in a loud voice. ¡°Here, the fake Saintess dared to set foot in the temple!¡± At those words, the gazes of everyone who had visited the temple focused on Liv. Liv turned pale and shrank her body. She had hoped that the people she knew were quite religious, but they also considered her a ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ after all. Liv turned and ran away, just as she had done in the banquet hall. She thought she had become used to being hated by people, but she didn¡¯t know they would reject her even in a space that served the gods. ¡®Where should I go?¡¯ Liv, who had been running for a long time, stopped. Liv had secretly left the house and came to the temple under the pretext of praying. However, since she couldn¡¯t even enter the temple, Liv now didn¡¯t know where to go. She had heard that the temple and the Hamelsvoort House had a close relationship. The fact that Liv was kicked out of the temple today might be made known to the Hamelsvoort House. If that happened, Liv would be scolded by the Count and Countess again. As a result, Liv had no reason to go to the temple. But even if not the temple, she didn¡¯t know where else to go. Liv just wanted to get some fresh air and realize that she was a free person who couldn¡¯t be oppressed by anyone. However, most of this world was made up of people who were hostile to Liv. Chapter 17 When Liv was staggering down the street, feeling dizzy as if she might collapse at any moment with her energy drained, a carriage stopped in front of her. The huge carriage had a castle wall and falcon crest carved on it. ¡°Duke Lartman...¡± Liv, who recognized the owner of that crest, stopped walking. Normally, she would have immediately had a delighted expression, but today¡¯s Liv couldn¡¯t do that. She was a sinner who had just been kicked out of the temple. ¡®He told me to be polite in front of His Majesty the Emperor...¡¯ Perhaps he had come to dislike Liv now. If that happened, Liv would fail to fulfill her destiny and mission. When the door of the carriage opened and Emmett stepped out, Liv timidly raised her head. Although she was afraid to even meet his eyes due to shame and guilt, Liv eventually bit her lip and raised her head to meet his gray eyes. Unlike usual, the gaze looking down at Liv contained a cold and stern air. ¡°Emmett...¡± ¡°What were you doing here?¡± ¡°I was trying to go to the temple...¡± Liv answered in a dejected voice, hoping he would have at least a little compassion for her. ¡°But I ended up getting kicked out.¡± ¡°You were kicked out?¡± ¡°Yes, because I¡¯m a fake Saintess.¡± Then Emmett made a face as if he knew. Normally, he would have comforted Liv here, but now he was expressing his coldness towards Liv without hiding it. Liv was a little scared of that face, but she tried not to show it to him. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± Emmett stared at Liv¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you know that you committed a great rudeness?¡± ¡°Yes, I know. But...¡± Liv mumbled her lips and spoke as if making an excuse. She knew that no one could understand her... Yes, perhaps Liv was unconsciously wishing for someone to understand her. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain in detail, but my head hurt then.¡± It felt like her head would burst at any moment due to the huge voices of the gods. It felt like she would faint at any moment, crushed by the tremendous pressure. At least that much wasn¡¯t a lie. ¡°...Is it the same now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°...You didn¡¯t know that people have duties, did you, Miss Liv? Even if our body is sick, it¡¯s our duty to show complete loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my duty?¡± ¡°Yes, just as you, as a noble lady, must do volunteer work for those in lower places, you must be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, who is in a higher position than you.¡± ¡°Umm, but...¡± Liv recalled what the gods had said to her before. ¡°I¡¯ve already been in a low place before.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°...I know you had a difficult life before being adopted into the Hamelsvoort family, but aren¡¯t you in a high position now, Miss Liv?¡± ¡°But why is this person called His Majesty the Emperor in a higher position than me?¡± Liv asked a fundamental question. Is there someone in this world that she must be loyal to? But as if Liv¡¯s question was wrong, Emmett¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Miss Liv, that question is challenging the authority of His Majesty the Emperor. You must never ask such a question in front of others.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter to apologize to me. But if you speak like that in front of others, you could be imprisoned. Perhaps you could even be imprisoned in Abgrund.¡± As Emmett spoke as if scaring Liv, she flinched and asked back. ¡°Abgrund?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the worst prison where the blessings of the gods don¡¯t reach.¡± When Liv didn¡¯t answer with a face that looked like she was thinking something at those words, Emmett, who thought she hadn¡¯t fully understood, sighed and said. ¡°Miss Liv, you know about sacred grounds, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The land blessed by the gods, the sacred grounds. Although other humans didn¡¯t know, the sea where Liv had recently suffered from pressure was also one of the sacred grounds. There were several such sacred grounds in this world. ¡°Abgrund is a space opposite to sacred grounds. The blessings of the gods don¡¯t reach there.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°Interestingly, Abgrund is a forbidden land in all religions. Believers of the Holy Church, Lufahidism, Ishtainism, Eastern Teachings, Judaism, they all refer to Abgrund as a land where the blessings of the gods don¡¯t reach. Whenever countries with different religions took over that territory, they always designated it as ¡®forbidden land.¡¯ Currently, Abgrund belongs to the territory of the Holy Hilysid Empire. Abgrund has been used as a prison to confine the worst criminals for generations.¡± ¡°You mean I can be imprisoned there if I don¡¯t show loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor?¡± As Liv made a frightened expression, Emmett finally softened his expression as if his heart had weakened. ¡°...I said that to scare you. You wouldn¡¯t be imprisoned in Abgrund to that extent.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really strange, Miss Liv.¡± Emmett continued with his eyes lowered as if he couldn¡¯t resist anymore. ¡°If it were my usual self, I would never forgive this, but you make me weak, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Those words...¡± Liv, who saw hope in those words, raised her head and asked with sparkling eyes. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll forgive me?¡± ¡°...It wasn¡¯t something for me to be angry at you in the first place.¡± ¡°Then were you disappointed in me?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t disappointed.¡± Finally, her heart was relieved, and the tension left her body. The greatest misfortune Liv could imagine was if even Emmett, not someone else, gave up on her and couldn¡¯t understand her, and only after that did Liv begin to shed transparent tears. The flustered Emmett carefully bent his knees and looked at Liv. ¡°M-Miss Liv?¡± ¡°I was surprised... I thought you might come to hate me...¡± ¡°...Well, I don¡¯t think that will happen.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hate me.¡± Looking at Emmett with tear-filled bright pink eyes, Liv tightly grasped his hand. Emmett looked flustered but didn¡¯t shake off Liv¡¯s hand. ¡°You really make me become a different person, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Although she didn¡¯t know why, such words made Liv¡¯s heart pound. It felt like a small whirlpool was swirling in her heart, but feeling that it wasn¡¯t so unpleasant, Liv smiled faintly. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll be scolded terribly when I go home. I actually snuck out.¡± ¡°You snuck out?¡± ¡°Yes, I was locked in my room, but Hildegard helped me.¡± Emmett suddenly became serious and carefully asked Liv. ¡°Miss Liv, then will you come with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Invite me to the Hamelsvoort family¡¯s mansion. Then you¡¯ll be able to avoid the Count and Countess¡¯s anger.¡± Liv¡¯s expression instantly brightened. Inviting the person she liked to her place was really a joyous thing, and Liv had always had the desire to show Emmett where she currently lived. ¡°Alright.¡± Emmett extended his hand as if escorting, and Liv took that hand. And they boarded the Duke Lartman¡¯s carriage together. As the sophisticated, state-of-the-art carriage moved with less shaking than the Hamelsvoort¡¯s, Liv suddenly had a question. According to what the gods said, the Emperor seemed to be a wicked person, but Emmett said he was indebted to the Emperor. Could the Emperor actually be a good person? ¡°Emmett, can you tell me exactly what kind of grace you received from His Majesty the Emperor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a difficult matter.¡± Despite asking a quite serious question, Emmett opened his mouth in a calm tone. ¡°As I told you before, my parents, the previous Duke and Duchess, passed away when I was fifteen. It was a carriage accident.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Relatives took advantage of that opportunity and fought to inherit the Duchy and obtain the wealth for themselves. Shamefully, I couldn¡¯t do anything then because of the shock of losing my parents.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural to be unable to do anything when someone you love dies.¡± At those words, Emmett smiled with a strange face, but he didn¡¯t seem to fully believe Liv¡¯s words. ¡°Thank you. Anyway, the one who helped me when I was powerless was none other than His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty the Emperor personally sent an envoy to comfort me and helped me inherit the Duchy according to the imperial decree. But more importantly than that...¡± At that moment, Emmett¡¯s face stiffened as if he was reluctant to bring up the story. ¡°He uncovered the truth hidden in my parents¡¯ deaths.¡± ¡°The truth?¡± ¡°Yes, His Majesty said that since the Lartman Ducal family is the Empire¡¯s greatest military power, a thorough investigation into the deaths should be conducted. He must have thought that foreign enemies might have harmed my parents. But an unimaginable truth was revealed.¡± Instinctively feeling that a twist would follow, Liv gulped and focused on Emmett¡¯s words. ¡°Surprisingly, it was one of the collateral relatives of the Duke who murdered my parents.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They had plotted it in order to aim for the Duchy.¡± ¡°But... can they do that even though they¡¯re family?¡± ¡°Sometimes, in the face of wealth and power, people can become more evil than anything else.¡± Harming family for one¡¯s own benefit was a way of life that no god had ever taught Liv. There were things in this world that could never be trusted by following only the gods¡¯ ways. ¡°Was there clear evidence?¡± ¡°Yes, evidence was found that they had bribed the coachman. Thus, the relatives were punished and exiled from the country.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Somehow, Emmett¡¯s expression as he said that looked sad, so Liv tightly grasped his hand. Emmett had lost not only his parents but also his relatives due to that incident. In the end, he had lost all his family at such a young age. ¡°It must have been... really hard for you.¡± Liv could now understand why Emmett was loyal to the Emperor. Not only did he help him, but by uncovering the secret that he might have never known for the rest of his life, he was able to resolve the resentment of his parents. To Emmett, the Emperor was truly a great benefactor. ¡®I guess the Emperor isn¡¯t necessarily a bad person.¡¯ Liv nodded, thinking that she shouldn¡¯t blindly believe the gods¡¯ words. * * * When Liv arrived at the Hamelsvoort House, she could see the Count and Countess standing at the entrance with surprised faces. ¡°Li-Liv...¡± As Liv got off the carriage first without being escorted and with still lacking noble etiquette, the Count and Countess looked at Liv with eyes demanding an explanation. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You suddenly left, and why are you coming from the Duke Lartman¡¯s carriage...¡± ¡°Miss Liv, you should get off while being escorted when alighting.¡± At that moment, a man who drew everyone¡¯s attention got off the carriage, so the gazes of everyone present moved to that man, Emmett. ¡°Duke Lartman?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Count Hamelsvoort. Countess, have you been well?¡± ¡°Wh-What brings you here...¡± ¡°I happened to meet Miss Liv in front of the temple and came to accompany her. I thought it would be dangerous for her to return home alone.¡± Then they alternately looked at Liv and Emmett with a dumb expression as if gauging the situation. ¡°I apologize for the rudeness of coming without notice, but would you invite me to the mansion? I¡¯d like to spend a little more time with Miss Liv.¡± Chapter 18 ¡°Of course, please come in! We¡¯ll guide you to the reception room!¡± Saying that, the Countess gave Liv a light wink. Seeing the Countess showing a completely different attitude from before, Liv felt bewildered. When they arrived at the reception room, they even left Liv and Emmett alone. They had previously told Liv that a man and woman being alone together should be avoided at all costs! Liv looked at Emmett with a puzzled face and said. ¡°The Count and Countess seem to really like you, Emmett.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably...¡± Emmett tried to explain something, but then he glanced at Liv as if scrutinizing her, sighed, and closed his mouth. ¡°No, it¡¯s still too early.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you next time.¡± Liv was still curious about the reason, but since there were many things that people didn¡¯t talk about among themselves, she didn¡¯t pry further. As Liv sat obediently with her hands clasped, Emmett brought up a topic as if changing the subject. ¡°By the way, I¡¯d like to know more about you, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, looking back, I realized that I knew less about you than I thought. For example, there was that time you were afraid of the sea. I¡¯m worried that you might end up doing something uncomfortable without me knowing. I want to know more about you, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not rude, may I know what you¡¯re afraid of, Miss Liv?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Answering like that, Liv pondered. What was she afraid of? She didn¡¯t have many fears... ¡°Ah.¡± Remembering something, Liv twirled her hair with one hand as if trying to overcome her gloom and answered. ¡°I don¡¯t like being trapped in dark places. Just being in the dark is fine, but I¡¯m afraid of being trapped.¡± ¡°I see. I think I would also find that situation scary.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t like being alone. I really don¡¯t. That¡¯s why I enjoy going to banquets.¡± ¡°I see, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± As if he genuinely wanted to know more about Liv, he continued to ask her about her likes, hobbies, and such. Each time, Liv tried her best to come up with an answer. In the process, Liv was surprised to realize that she had developed more preferences than she thought in this noble society. After enough time had passed to finish a cup of tea, he looked at the clock on the wall and opened his mouth. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to leave now. Then I¡¯ll see you next time, Liv.¡± ¡°Goodbye...¡± Liv went out to the main gate to see him off. Until the carriage disappeared into the distance, Liv poked her head out, holding onto the iron pillar of the gate. When the carriage was out of sight and Liv was about to head to her room feeling longing, the Hamelsvoort couple, looking strangely excited, followed behind Liv. They didn¡¯t seem angry at all about Liv sneaking out of the house. ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that Duke Lartman really likes you!¡± ¡°...Didn¡¯t you say it wasn¡¯t the case last time?¡± It was natural for Liv not to have any false hopes that he loved her when she was scolded so much after being rejected for the engagement. As Liv made a face that seemed to confuse them, the Hamelsvoort couple brought up the conversation as if trying to persuade Liv. ¡°Liv, Duke Lartman has never opened his heart to anyone. We¡¯ve never seen him hanging out with other young noble ladies.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s different only to you! Even though you were so rude in front of His Majesty the Emperor, he forgave you!¡± ¡°Is that because he likes me?¡± As if thinking they had caught on, Countess Hamelsvoort tightly grasped Liv¡¯s hand. ¡°Liv, do you like Duke Lartman?¡± ¡°Yes, that much is certain.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to marry him?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°...I don¡¯t have the desire to marry him out of greed, but if I have to marry someone, I¡¯d like it to be him.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s not difficult. If you do well, you can marry him.¡± ¡°But he rejected the engagement...¡± ¡°That was because you were too young. If you maintain the same relationship with him as you do now while spending time, marrying him isn¡¯t a dream!¡± She definitely shouldn¡¯t be greedy. But... ¡°What should I do well?¡± As Liv raised her head and said that, her face held a precarious hope that seemed like it could collapse at any moment. ¡°Just do as you are now. Maintain a close relationship with him as you are now. Oh, and don¡¯t act like that in front of His Majesty the Emperor anymore. Duke Lartman is the most loyal subject to the imperial family.¡± However, not being loyal to ¡®His Majesty the Emperor¡¯ wasn¡¯t Liv¡¯s will. Even now, the gods were shouting not to mention that dirty person¡¯s name in front of Liv, but Liv obediently nodded her head. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Emmett, whom she loved with all her heart, was far more important to her than the gods who had been annoyingly by her side since the moment she was born. * * * The next day, Liv arrived at the banquet held at the Arendt family¡¯s mansion, unable to contain her excitement and unconsciously clenching the hem of her dress. ¡°The other day, she was rude in front of His Majesty the Emperor...¡± ¡°How can she still act so shamelessly? It¡¯s embarrassing to have someone like her in noble society.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she have been kicked out the moment she was identified as a fake Saintess?¡± Due to Liv leaving her seat and walking out in front of the Emperor last time, people¡¯s opinions about Liv had become even worse, but truly, none of those words reached her ears. ¡®Can I really marry the Duke?¡¯ That thought was the only thing filling Liv¡¯s mind right now. Liv looked around for Emmett and saw him heading to the balcony with another man. ¡®I should wait.¡¯ Hoping for him to come out, Liv stood right in front of the balcony. Due to the thick purple curtain, the inside wasn¡¯t visible, but the sound could be heard vividly. ¡°So do you have feelings for that fake Saintess?¡± The moment she heard someone¡¯s voice from beyond the balcony, Liv flinched like someone who had been burned. If she hadn¡¯t misheard, Emmett was definitely talking about her with someone else right now. When it came to stories about herself, curiosity naturally arose, which was an unavoidable thing as a human. Even though Liv thought she shouldn¡¯t do this, she leaned closer to the balcony and listened. ¡°No, I don¡¯t like her.¡± The moment Emmett¡¯s stiff voice was heard, Liv held her breath. ¡°You seem to be misunderstanding something, it¡¯s not like that. I don¡¯t know why everyone is misunderstanding.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no lady you¡¯ve been so close with, Your Grace...¡± ¡°We¡¯re just friends.¡± ¡°...Then how about getting engaged to our family¡¯s daughter? As you know, my daughter is not only clever but also has a good heart and does volunteer work diligently...¡± She definitely thought she hadn¡¯t held any expectations. Yes, so she thought there was no reason to be disappointed... ¡®He really has no feelings for me after all.¡¯ Unable to bear the feeling of nausea welling up inside her, Liv quickly left the spot in front of the balcony. The Hamelsvoort couple¡¯s words were wrong. He doesn¡¯t love Liv! Don¡¯t trust humans, Liv. As if scolding Liv, who had been foolishly excited, the voices of the gods were heard one after another. You only have us. Humans are foolish beings. ¡°I know, I know that well too...¡± Liv muttered in a voice mixed with tears. She knew well enough that humans could never love her, but still, when faced with reality like this, the pain in her heart was inevitable. Her already weak body trembled from the shock, and in the end, Liv returned home. Unlike usual, when Liv returned early from the banquet, the Hamelsvoort couple seemed puzzled. They asked Liv, who had returned without Hildegard, the reason, and Liv answered in a listless voice. ¡°The Duke said he doesn¡¯t love me...¡± ¡°Did you directly ask him that? Men usually say that in front of others!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it...¡± Liv shook her head as if wanting to protest against them. ¡°I heard him talking to someone else...¡± They had clearly said that Emmett would love Liv, giving her hope and then letting her fall. Even though she knew his heart had nothing to do with them, she still wanted to blame them. But the ones who actually got angry seemed to be the Hamelsvoort couple. Count Hamelsvoort looked at Liv with fury in his eyes. ¡°How can you not know how to do anything properly!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, tsk tsk. If you¡¯re lucky enough to be treated as a noble, you should at least do your part well.¡± ¡°...What is my part?¡± The moment she was identified as a ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯, Liv thought there was no role for her to play in this noble society. As if shattering Liv¡¯s expectations, Countess Hamelsvoort shouted: ¡°That¡¯s obviously marrying into a good family!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°If not, why do you think we¡¯re keeping you in the mansion even though it¡¯s been a long time since you were revealed to be a fake Saintess? Do you think we really consider you our daughter?¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°Then please do your part properly! Your job is to at least bring a proper man!¡± Leaving those words behind, Countess Hamelsvoort went into her room, slamming the door so loudly it made a bang. ¡°Sigh, tsk tsk... Where did we bring such a half-wit from...¡± Count Hamelsvoort also left, clicking his tongue. Liv stood there alone, feeling gloomy. It was something she already knew and was obvious, but hearing it directly like this made her heart feel cold and uncomfortable, as if frost had settled in. As expected, the Hamelsvoort couple didn¡¯t consider Liv as their daughter. They only thought of marrying Liv off to a good family to gain benefits. Unlike Hildegard, Liv, who wasn¡¯t a Saintess, was useless to them. Child, don¡¯t expect anything from humans. ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t expect anything.¡± Liv answered in a dark voice. The history of humans turning their backs on gods and committing sins was long. She had heard it from numerous gods and knew it all, but... ¡®But it¡¯s not an easy thing to do.¡¯ That was how the human heart was. Inevitably, when someone treated them even a little better, they kept having expectations. Humans had always failed to overcome their emotions and made foolish mistakes, and that was what made humans human. Chapter 19 Knock, knock. ¡°Sister, there¡¯s a letter for you!¡± Hildegard¡¯s voice came from outside the door. Liv struggled to lift her heavy body, weighed down by the oppressive presence of the gods and her melancholy mood. She just wanted to lie here and simply breathe for eons, but she well knew that living life was a privilege granted to humans. ¡°A letter...?¡± ¡°Yes, a letter!¡± Even though she clearly knew Liv had fought with the Hamelsvoort couple yesterday, Hildegard held out the letter to Liv with an incongruously cheerful face. ¡°It¡¯s from Duke Lartman!¡± ¡°What?¡± At those words, Liv quickly took the letter. She seemed to have completely forgotten her vow from yesterday to not put her hopes in humans. [To Miss Liv, Miss Liv, what happened yesterday? I looked for you but was told you had already left, so I was worried. You have a weak constitution, so I¡¯m concerned you may be ill again. If you are unwell, please write back. If you are alright, I will come visit you. If you were not ill, I¡¯d like to invite you to the Ducal residence. Some nice tea has come in. I¡¯m sure it will be a good time for you as well. ¡ªSent by Emmett Lartman] ¡°Emmett invited me over again.¡± Forgetting her heavy body, Liv jumped up from her spot. Her movements had become as light as a winged angel¡¯s. ¡°Oh my, congratulations Sister! So will you be going to the Duke¡¯s residence now?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the plan.¡± ¡°Then you should wear a pretty dress!¡± Saying this, Hildegard took Liv¡¯s hand and led her to her own room, then dramatically opened the wardrobe doors. As the ¡®Real Saintess¡¯ who was treated well, she owned several times more dresses than Liv did. ¡°Lovely dresses really suit you, Sister.¡± Hildegard held up various light-colored dresses to Liv. Curiously, just as Hildegard said, each time a light dress was held up to her, vitality bloomed on Liv¡¯s face like spring flowers. ¡°What color do you like?¡± Liv bashfully looked at the dresses in Hildegard¡¯s hands. She liked bright colors and loved hues that only existed under the light. But the color Liv liked most of all was... ¡°Yellow.¡± Liv liked yellow that resembled sunlight and loved the sun. ¡°Good choice. It will look really cute on you, Sister!¡± Hildegard even hummed as she helped Liv get ready. The Hamelsvoort often nagged at Hildegard to learn how to utilize maids, but she enjoyed doing things on her own like this. Finally, after applying a pink tint to Liv¡¯s cheeks, Hildegard dramatically pointed to the mirror. ¡°How is it, Sister?¡± ¡°Good...¡± Seeing her reflection, Liv blushed. The tint on her cheeks and lips emphasized her white skin while making her look lively, and the yellow dress highlighted a bright and cute impression. The pearl accessories here and there went well with the dress. After Liv got ready with almost solemn determination and headed to the carriage, Hildegard waved to her. ¡°Have a good trip, Sister!¡± Hearing those words, Liv felt a bit better. Hildegard¡¯s attitude toward her hadn¡¯t changed, and she was still treating Liv with kindness and affection. It¡¯s not like there were absolutely no humans who loved her. So maybe Emmett could love her too, even if just as a friend. As the jolting carriage stopped in front of the Lartman Ducal residence, the guard who had become accustomed to the Hamelsvoort crest opened the gate. And when Liv got out in front of the mansion, the butler she often saw greeted her. ¡°You¡¯re here? His Grace is currently working in his office, so please wait in the reception room.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Liv followed him and sat in the reception room. Having visited many times now, she had become familiar with the Lartman¡¯s reception room. As Liv was waiting for Emmett, the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard. And Emmett¡¯s voice as well, as if talking to someone. ¡°So you¡¯re saying the drought in the Denburg region is severe...¡± ¡°Yes, what do you think about sending the Saintess?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue this discussion later.¡± Finally the door opened, revealing Emmett looking a bit tired. However, as soon as he faced Liv, he had a calm expression as if nothing was wrong. ¡°Emmett.¡± As if forgetting he had said he didn¡¯t love her, Liv greeted him in a bright voice. Her appearance was no different from animals yearning for affection, but what could be done about Liv¡¯s warped values regarding love? ¡°Ah, Liv, you were already here.¡± ¡°Yes, but...¡± Recalling his conversation from a bit ago, Liv blinked. ¡°Sending the Saintess, what does that mean?¡± Hildegard was one of the few people who treated her well. She couldn¡¯t help but be interested in something related to Hildegard. In response to Liv¡¯s question, Emmett replied with a slightly troubled expression. ¡°Ah... A severe drought has hit the Denburg region. There are whispers that the gods have definitely cursed it.¡± ¡°A curse...¡± Impertinent humans, I have done no such thing. Why would I expend my power on matters unrelated to my child? The voice of the ¡®Supreme God¡¯ of the Holy Church rang in Liv¡¯s ears. Sometimes even more human-like than humans, gods were beings that easily exploded in anger. Not being able to readily intervene in the human world seemed to make their temperaments even more eccentric. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be a curse... There¡¯s no reason for that...¡± ¡°Yes, but the people believe so. That¡¯s why there¡¯s talk about dispatching the Saintess there.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Of course, the important thing is Saintess Hamelsvoort¡¯s will. However, since Miss Hamelsvoort has good intentions and cares about the lives of the people, I think she will readily step up.¡± ¡°I see...¡± While nodding, Liv felt a bit worried. She didn¡¯t like that Hildegard, whom she cherished, had to go to a drought-stricken region. ¡°Will Hildegard be able to stay there without discomfort?¡± ¡°She will inevitably have to conserve drinking water and be unable to wash properly. It will be hard to eat proper meals too. So I¡¯m not sure if Miss Hamelsvoort will accept this proposal.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°What would you do if you were her, Miss Liv? Do you have any inkling of how Miss Hamelsvoort will react?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Liv opened her eyes wide. She felt a bit absurd about him asking her that question. Because... ¡°If I were Hildegard, I obviously wouldn¡¯t go.¡± Liv¡¯s answer was already determined. ¡°What?¡± Emmett seemed a little taken aback, but Liv calmly continued. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go if it were me. I learned that if you can¡¯t wash, you¡¯re more susceptible to bacterial infections. You could get sick and die if you can¡¯t eat or drink properly.¡± ¡°But... it won¡¯t be dangerous to that degree.¡± ¡°Still, I hate it even if there¡¯s just a possibility.¡± Liv spoke as if it was a matter of course. ¡°I absolutely never do anything even slightly dangerous to myself. The most important thing is my own life.¡± ¡°I see... Of course, you¡¯re entitled to that stance, but still...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand me at all, Emmett.¡± Since this was the first time someone asked Liv about her position in this way, she wanted to explain her thoughts in more detail. She needed someone who would understand her. ¡°What happens if Hildegard doesn¡¯t go there?¡± ¡°If the drought isn¡¯t resolved, hundreds, no, thousands of people may die.¡± Liv imagined what would happen if she herself died there. The gods directly punish those who come into contact with Liv¡¯s blood, but it wasn¡¯t always limited to that. For example, in the past when Liv died from an epidemic, the gods said they completely erased the existence of the person who transmitted the disease to her. The moment someone became the ¡¯cause¡¯ of Liv¡¯s death, the gods acted mercilessly. So if Liv were to die there, they might kill all the people of that region. No, perhaps an even greater divine punishment would befall them. The most important thing for maintaining this world was Liv¡¯s well-being. ¡°I think an individual¡¯s life is more important than my own, that is, than the collective.¡± ¡°Well, I believe the collective is more important than the individual.¡± At words that didn¡¯t align with her values, Emmett¡¯s expression became a bit strange. He had felt for a while that Liv was a somewhat different person from himself, but if they were this different, he wasn¡¯t confident they could get along going forward. ¡°But Miss Liv, you still don¡¯t know much about the world and your thinking may change in the future.¡± ¡°No, this is one belief I¡¯m not wrong about.¡± Liv replied with utmost confidence. It¡¯s fine even if everyone besides her dies. Liv can turn back time by killing herself to bring those people back to life. But Liv must not die. There¡¯s no telling how many people would die then. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, it was only natural that Emmett, who had no idea about those circumstances, couldn¡¯t understand Liv¡¯s words at all. Perhaps he might ask Liv why she doesn¡¯t honestly talk about her position. But the reason Liv never spoke to anyone about the gods was simple. People would never believe her. Most religions in this world worship a single god. Everyone believes there is only one god in this world, so if she said hundreds of gods actually exist, they would charge her with blasphemy and punish her. It would obviously sound even more absurd that all those gods love Liv and would destroy this world if she died. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve felt this for a while, but our views really don¡¯t align...¡± Emmett continued, looking a bit displeased. ¡°All human lives are equal. Especially when it comes to this Empire. Everyone must fulfill their duties for the sake of the holy Hilysid Empire.¡± ¡°But my life is far more important than this nation...¡± At those words, the way Emmett looked at Liv had completely changed to that of someone looking at an utter ignoramus. ¡°You really do tend to only think of yourself, Miss Liv...¡± Chapter 20 He sighed and stood up from his seat. ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s have you return for today.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in discussing this when our opinions don¡¯t align. It will only lead to conflict.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t look angry at Liv at all, but his gaze trying to maintain composure made Liv feel even more uncomfortable. It was as if... he had given up on conversing with her. As she was pushed out and left her seat, Liv felt truly resentful. She was frustrated that she couldn¡¯t even explain why she valued her own life so much. It was clear Emmett was disappointed in her, and she was confused about where to start setting things straight. Ultimately thinking she had misspoken, Liv gloomily left the Lartman ducal residence. When Liv arrived home looking completely dejected, Hildegard asked with surprised eyes. ¡°Sister, did something happen? Why...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I ruined everything...¡± Liv went into her room, pulled the blanket over her head and sobbed. How could she appear the same as others? Did she have to live cloaked in complete lies, becoming someone else and covering herself in falsehoods? That¡¯s why Liv could never reveal her true self in human society. ¡®Why am I so bad at relationships with people?¡¯ If she failed even in her relationship with Emmett, whom she had genuinely tried to get closer to, was it impossible for Liv to get along with humans after all? Thinking her life was always a mess, Liv wept all night. * * * The next day, a banquet was held at the imperial palace to commemorate St. Matthew¡¯s Day. In the Holy Hilysid Empire, it was unimaginable for a noble to be absent from a banquet commemorating Saintesses, so Liv attended despite her gloomy face. Liv saw Emmett standing far away, but he didn¡¯t even glance at her. ¡®Even though he knows I have no one else to talk to...¡¯ For a moment she felt regret, but in any case, Liv didn¡¯t resent Emmett. She knew she had misspoken, and above all, no matter what attitude Emmett showed, Liv¡¯s love for him could overcome anything. On the other hand, unlike Liv, Emmett looked as if he wasn¡¯t concerned at all about yesterday¡¯s events. ¡°I heard His Majesty the Emperor will grace this place?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the occasion?¡± ¡°He must be in a bad mood. Probably someone again...¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Judging from the whispers of the people around, today was the day the Emperor was coming, and Emmett¡¯s attention seemed focused only on that. ¡®The Emperor...¡¯ He had already caused an incident last time, so she couldn¡¯t do anything to stand out today. Even if the gods muddled her mind, Liv resolved not to lose her senses. Thus, when the Emperor finally arrived. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor is entering!¡± How dare that man show himself here? If he makes even the slightest mistake towards my child, I will punish him. Even as the gods raged as if to crush Liv, she tried her best to stand her ground. Fortunately, Liv succeeded in enduring the gods¡¯ anger. She realized how to persevere even if her head felt like it would explode in pain. As soon as the Emperor appeared, the people around all had frightened faces. She had heard the Emperor was a great man, but even considering that, their reactions were too extreme. Because it was as if they feared the person himself rather than his position... And the reason was revealed in an incident that occurred not long after the banquet began. ¡°Hmm, a white tiara. Isn¡¯t that the symbol of the former imperial family?¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the Emperor pointed to a noble lady wearing a white tiara and said that, the noble lady immediately prostrated herself on the ground and cried out. ¡°M-my mother¡¯s keepsake, I wore it out of ignorant insolence...! I meant nothing else by it!¡± ¡°Well, doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re displeased with the Steinberg imperial family?¡± The Emperor was harassing an innocent noble lady, nitpicking her trivial attire. Liv may still be ignorant of many things, but she now knew a thing or two about dress etiquette in high society. And there was no etiquette stating that wearing a white tiara was a breach of decorum. ¡°Y-Your Majesty...! It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°How should I deal with those who defy me...?¡± Muttering that, the Emperor turned his head to Emmett beside him. ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°What do you think about chopping off the head wearing the tiara? Can you do it for me?¡± ¡°...Of course I will follow Your Majesty¡¯s will in all things, but for the sake of giving the young lady a chance to repent, perhaps cutting her hair would suffice.¡± ¡°Good idea. Execute it at once.¡± Then without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Emmett strode forward, drawing the sword at his waist. ¡°D-Duke, please...¡± The noble lady begged with tears in her eyes, but Emmett grabbed her hair without batting an eye. Liv covered her mouth at the sight that followed. The moment Emmett moved his sword, golden locks of hair fell in a shower to the floor. Even as he carried out the cruel punishment on the noble lady, he had a pious and blind look as if following the will of god, making it all the more incongruous. ¡°Ah... aah!¡± As the lady who had become a hideous sight screamed and prostrated herself, the Emperor made a dismissive gesture to have her removed. She was dragged away by the guards. Now a heavy silence hung over the banquet hall. Liv could understand why the young nobles had called the Emperor a ¡®tyrant¡¯ before. She still couldn¡¯t tell what he was like as an ¡®Emperor¡¯, but at least judging by his attitude towards an individual, he could certainly be called a tyrant. But what surprised Liv most of all was Emmett¡¯s attitude. The Emmett she knew was a kind man, but the Emmett from a moment ago was so ruthless and cold, and didn¡¯t seem to harbor the slightest doubt about his actions. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Liv¡¯s love for Emmett would cool, but she began to think that perhaps there was another side to Emmett she didn¡¯t know. Only after a terrifying atmosphere was created in the banquet hall did the Emperor leave with a satisfied smile. Only then did the suppressed voices of the nobles burst out. ¡°Hah, that was truly suffocating. By the way, didn¡¯t that young lady just have her debut not long ago?¡± ¡°Indeed, how pitiful... Now that she¡¯s fallen out of His Majesty¡¯s favor, who would want to marry her?¡± ¡°His Majesty is really cruel too... Why pick on an innocent lady?¡± Then, as they made eye contact with Liv, the lady who had been speaking grinned. She was one of Lady Zibel¡¯s gang who usually disliked Liv, so she felt a foreboding. ¡°If he wants to harass someone, he should harass someone else.¡± ¡°Huh? Who...?¡± ¡°Who else could it be? That brazen fake Saintess, of course.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It was a topic that could change the mood, so smiles appeared on their lips. The chilly atmosphere had to be dispelled somehow, and one appropriate way was to make another scapegoat. ¡°Come to think of it, she¡¯s alone today.¡± ¡°Seems like she¡¯s finally been abandoned by the Duke.¡± ¡°The Duke made a wise decision. He was only showing a passing interest, after all.¡± ¡°She¡¯s returned to where she belongs.¡± Usually she would have let it go in one ear and out the other, but today¡¯s Liv couldn¡¯t do that. ¡®Is this really where I belong?¡¯ The helplessness of being abandoned by Emmett was filling Liv¡¯s mind. Perhaps because she was engulfed in negative emotions, the words of the ladies that she would normally ignore hurt even more. Soon, feelings of resentment towards the noble ladies began to grow in Liv¡¯s heart. ¡®Why do they always pick on me?¡¯ They seemed to grow even closer to each other while reviling Liv. Even though the fact that Liv was a ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ didn¡¯t harm them, they criticized her. She was sick and tired of suffering because of them... Suddenly, a knife on the table caught Liv¡¯s eye. What would happen if Liv stabbed her own neck with that knife right here? Would the gods punish those who tormented Liv? She could ask the gods to help her right away, but predicting what the capricious gods would do was very difficult. The gods usually didn¡¯t grant Liv¡¯s requests. They mostly didn¡¯t understand what humans thought, what emotions they experienced, and what they wanted. Only when Liv suffered did they finally become enraged and inflict divine punishment. Then couldn¡¯t Liv inversely make use of that? As if entranced, Liv walked to the table and grabbed the knife. ¡®Should I slice or stab?¡¯ Slicing alone didn¡¯t seem likely to kill her after all. Then she could just deeply stab her neck with this. Liv wasn¡¯t afraid of death. She wouldn¡¯t die anyway. The reason she feared death was because the gods¡¯ wrath might turn towards those around her. So now, she could freely use her own life however she pleased. The moment Liv, having finally made up her mind, tried to stab her own neck with the knife... ¡°Liv!¡± Someone grabbed Liv¡¯s hand. Looking up, Emmett stood right in front of Liv with an angry face. He had grabbed her so forcefully that she couldn¡¯t even pull her hand out. In a voice tinged with anger that flickered unstably like Liv had never heard before, Emmett asked her. ¡°What were you trying to do just now?¡± ¡°I was just...¡± Because of the Duke who had rapidly approached Liv, people around them were already watching the two with intrigued gazes. People¡¯s eyes naturally went to Liv¡¯s hand that Emmett had grabbed, and the knife grasped in that hand. Chapter 21 ¡°Oh my, was she really going to stab her neck just now?¡± ¡°No way. She was probably just trying to threaten.¡± Amidst the whispers about Liv¡¯s actions, Emmett continued, glaring at her. His eyes seemed to hold half concern for Liv, but at least the other half was definitely anger. ¡°Were you really trying to end your life?¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t going to die anyway.¡± As if misunderstanding her words, Emmett looked at Liv with a face devoid of any affection, as if something had snapped inside him. ¡°So now you¡¯ve stooped to taking your own life hostage to threaten others. I¡¯m truly disappointed.¡± ¡°But I...¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you tried to pull a stunt like this in the sacred banquet hall of the imperial palace. And so soon after His Majesty the Emperor left.¡± His Majesty the Emperor. At those words, Liv¡¯s heart sank. She feared that name. ¡°Is... His Majesty the Emperor more important to you than me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? His Majesty the Emperor is the ruler of this nation who must be revered!¡± ¡°So His Majesty is the most valuable...¡± ¡°Why are you even disappointed by that fact? Have you forgotten everything I taught you about what kind of person His Majesty is?¡± Because Liv had dared to try to overstep the Emperor¡¯s authority, Emmett¡¯s eyes now held a glimmer of contempt as he looked at her. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Startled by the stiff form of address, Liv¡¯s head shot up, but Emmett was looking down at her with the coldest gaze. ¡°Please refrain from sending me letters or visiting the Lartman Ducal residence in the future. And address me by my formal title.¡± ¡°Emmett, I...¡± ¡°It¡¯s Duke Lartman. You seem to be under some misapprehension, but I have no obligation to treat you well.¡± Each of his words painfully carved into Liv¡¯s heart. For a moment, Liv felt one of the dazzling fragments of light that made up her world shatter into pieces. ¡°The only reason I¡¯ve been kind to you all this time was out of pity.¡± ¡°Pity...¡± Just as the Hamelsvoort couple had said, he didn¡¯t love Liv. His actions of treating her well had been purely out of sympathy. ¡°And I no longer even pity you, Miss Hamelsvoort. I hope to have no further connection with you in the future.¡± ¡°Why, why? You know...¡± Even though she instinctively sensed that it was all over, Liv tearfully continued, trying to somehow gain his sympathy. ¡°You know that without you, Emmett, I really have nothing. You know that everyone hates me...¡± ¡°Now I think I understand why people dislike you, Miss Hamelsvoort. Even those who approach you with goodwill will end up leaving you in the end. Because you have absolutely no intention of reflecting on your own actions.¡± ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± ¡°How could I not be disappointed in you for using your life as a means to an end? I regret my past of treating you kindly.¡± The Holy Church strictly forbids using one¡¯s life as a means and considers it a grave sin. Then to Emmett, a believer of the Holy Church, Liv was no different from a sinner. Realizing this, Liv spoke in a desperate voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong. I will learn from now on...¡± ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± Emmett called Liv¡¯s surname in a rigid tone. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that despite being a noble, you fail to fulfill your own duty of dedicating yourself to the nation. Instead of devoting yourself to the country, you tried to use your life as a means. Consider yourself fortunate that you weren¡¯t thrown into Abgrund. This is the last consideration I can show you.¡± Leaving those words behind, Emmett turned sharply and left. Liv stared at his back with a blank face and spoke tearfully. ¡°But I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Ignorance is no excuse!¡± Emmett said in an agitated voice. It was far from the noble-like demeanor he usually showed. ¡°You were unfit to be adopted into the Hamelsvoort family in the first place! Your original fate was to remain where you were. When given a new status, you should have tried to adapt to it, how could you act that way? Was it not enough that I kept helping you?¡± Liv could no longer say anything. As she stood there motionless, those who had been watching the confrontation between the two in bated breath slowly began to speak. ¡°Hahaha, look at her face. How ridiculous.¡± ¡°Seems like she¡¯s finally realized her place?¡± Liv wanted to erase the existence of these noisy people from the world, but remembering what Emmett had said, she endured it. He said not to use life as a means. She couldn¡¯t do what he hated. But Liv no longer knew what to do. Even the man she loved had abandoned and left her. It wasn¡¯t that Liv hadn¡¯t tried at all. Even when the gods made such a racket as to burst her head, Liv endured it and didn¡¯t run away in front of the Emperor. She somehow learned the etiquette that the Hamelsvoort couple didn¡¯t teach her. She spent nights learning letters and reading books. But all those efforts ended up being in vain. Everyone Liv knew hated her. The servants of the Hamelsvoort family ignored Liv. The Hamelsvoort couple despised Liv. The nobles in high society considered Liv a laughingstock. The temple loathed Liv. Even Emmett, whom she loved, was angry at Liv. Liv was practically abandoned by everyone. No one understood her. ¡®Was I really destined to remain there forever?¡¯ Was it Liv¡¯s mistake to dare set foot in a world with people like Emmett? Child, it¡¯s alright. We love you. The gods comforted Liv like that, but it only made her feel more miserable. ¡®So what? Humans hate me.¡¯ The gods¡¯ love isolated Liv from humans. But Liv could never escape the gods¡¯ love. She probably never would in her lifetime. Finally, Liv came to a conclusion. ¡®Humans hate me.¡¯ As long as the gods were attached to Liv, humans wouldn¡¯t understand her and would hate her. Liv would live forever in people¡¯s hatred. But still, still... ¡°I will love.¡± That voice, which sounded like a vow to herself, carried a solemn and noble heart like the figures in the myths Liv had heard. It was said that love was the greatest emotion humans could feel. It was said to prove that humans were human. It was said that love made humans live. So Liv would love. Because all Liv learned from the gods was unyielding love, she would cherish it and live. Even if this world tried to destroy Liv¡¯s love, Liv would live with love in her heart. ¡°My love will not die.¡± Liv bit her lip tightly. Even if all humans hated Liv, and even the man Liv loved abhorred her. Her love for him would never die. * * * ¡°Sister, Sister?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah...¡± Liv, who had been lost in memories of the past for a while, finally recalled that she was on her way home with Hildegard after the banquet. The day she first faced Emmett¡¯s sharp anger, she got in real trouble after returning home. Liv had to be locked in her room for a week. But since vowing not to give up on love, Liv had adapted a lot to the new world she belonged to. She was now unfazed by people whispering about her and wasn¡¯t upset even as she bore people¡¯s hatred. She had also learned to express her feelings without giving up, no matter how much Duke Lartman pushed her away. ¡°Sister, so did Duke Lartman really not change?¡± Liv quietly stared at Hildegard. Right, they were talking about Duke Lartman. But leaning her powerless body against the carriage, Liv spoke in a calm voice. ¡°He was always like that.¡± ¡°What? But Duke Lartman was originally...¡± ¡°No, humans are like that.¡± Liv¡¯s eyes held a bitter light as she said that. ¡°Humans are inherently incomprehensible.¡± Liv had only gotten used to it, but she never deeply understood humans. So Duke Lartman¡¯s suddenly changed attitude wasn¡¯t particularly strange. The world was always full of things Liv couldn¡¯t understand anyway. Chapter 22 3. The Pitiful One The next day, what woke Liv up was a soft touch gently nudging her body. ¡°Sister, please wake up. Duke Lartman has arrived!¡± As soon as she heard those words, Liv rose from her bed with a startling movement uncharacteristic of her usual self. After realizing he was waiting in the reception room, Liv lightly put on her clothes and followed Hildegard. ¡°But Sister, isn¡¯t it really strange?¡± Whispering as they went downstairs together, Hildegard said: ¡°He suddenly changed his attitude completely. It¡¯s just like the old times. Could he have lost his memories or something?¡± It was a plausible suggestion, but Liv had a calm expression like someone who knew everything. A monotonous voice flowed from her lips, devoid of any inflection. ¡°Well, you can never really know what¡¯s going on in this world.¡± When they went downstairs, Liv saw the bewildered faces of the Hamelsvoorts. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°What in the world is going on...¡± In front of them stood Emmett with neatly combed hair and a composed face. The bouquet of pink roses cradled in his hands was a vibrant hue rarely seen, and a sweet, flowery scent wafted from him, as if he had just been in a garden. As soon as he faced Liv, his stiff expression softened, and a smile blossomed on his face, resembling the flowers in his hands. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± He took her hand in such a natural manner, then placed the bouquet in her hands and said: ¡°I thought you might like some flowers.¡± ¡°Yes, I did...¡± With a wistful expression as if recalling the distant past, Liv soon had a joyful look as she buried her face in the bouquet. Standing enveloped by the large bouquet, her lips quivered, seeming to hold back a smile. Witnessing this scene, the Hamelsvoorts, who had been standing by like supporting actors until then, asked with perplexed faces: ¡°But Duke Lartman, how...¡± ¡°Ah, my apologies for visiting so abruptly without sending word in advance.¡± Emmett answered in a gentle voice, yet it carried a hint of pressuring dominance over the Hamelsvoorts. ¡°There will likely be more visits like this going forward, is that alright?¡± ¡°...Y-Yes, of course!¡± Having grasped the situation, Countess Hamelsvoort quickly responded. She was no fool and knew that relationships between men and women could change in an instant. And now was the moment when their relationship had shifted once again. All Countess Hamelsvoort could do was hope for their happiness. The man willing to pay a hefty sum to marry the woman rumored to be a ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ could only be Duke Lartman! ¡°We welcome Your Grace anytime, ho ho... Liv, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m happy with whatever Duke Lartman desires.¡± Emmett seemed to have a realization at her words, pausing briefly before resolutely opening his mouth. ¡°...Miss Liv, if I may be so bold...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Could you call me Emmett again? Of course, if you no longer wish to, I cannot object. It¡±s all my fault, but...¡± ¡°By your name?¡± Liv¡¯s eyes widened. She briefly recalled Emmett previously telling her not to call him by name anymore. But since he was directly asking her to call him Emmett again, she had no reason to refuse. An ordinary person might have asserted their pride by asking why his attitude had changed, but Liv had no such pride to maintain towards Emmett. The immense, devoted, utterly unconventional love she had learned from the gods. Embracing that, Liv simply nodded. ¡°Alright, I prefer being called Liv too.¡± ¡°...Ah, I¡¯ve been calling you Miss Liv again without permission.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s fine. I prefer it that way.¡± After answering with a bright voice, Liv smiled radiantly as she inhaled the scent of the roses. She loved flowers. Something that could only bloom under bright sunlight. It was something she could never have imagined before joining the Hamelsvoort family. ¡°Did you come to give me these?¡± When Liv asked Emmett that, he looked a bit bashful as he replied: ¡°Yes, and... if Miss Liv would like, may I have you show me around the garden?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± Hildegard, who had been watching everything unfold, let out a heavy sigh. Liv was taking Emmett¡¯s abruptly changed demeanor as a matter of course, the Hamelsvoort couple was simply delighted without a second thought ¨C it seemed she was the only one going insane. ¡°Am I the only one who thinks this is strange...?¡± * * * The next day, Emmett visited Liv again, this time with a bouquet of yellow freesias. That day, they had tea together, and Liv¡¯s bright laughter filled the estate. The following day, Emmett brought blue hydrangeas. Liv¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight at seeing blue flowers for the first time, and Emmett helped her learn new idioms in the library. On the fourth day, Emmett came with purple lisianthus. As always, Liv was overjoyed, and they admired the artworks in the Hamelsvoort family¡¯s collection... ¡°This is really strange!¡± Finally unable to contain herself, Hildegard exclaimed. While Liv had always been difficult to understand, she could accept that. But she simply couldn¡¯t comprehend why Emmett was acting this way. It was obvious he loved Liv. His eyes gazing at her were overflowing with affection. Hildegard had given up trying to understand why his attitude towards Liv had abruptly changed. But why didn¡¯t he just confess to Liv? Emmett was behaving like someone desperately trying to win Liv¡¯s heart. If he proposed to her, Liv would surely accept with joyful tears, without a doubt! In the end, Hildegard called Emmett aside before he left. He was a much taller and intimidating person than her, but protecting Liv was Hildegard¡¯s mission. ¡°Duke Lartman.¡± Hildegard began with a trembling voice. ¡°I cannot understand why you are acting this way. Have you now developed feelings for my sister? If so, then propose to her. That would make everyone happy, wouldn¡¯t it? You, my sister, everyone.¡± However, Emmett didn¡¯t respond to her words, only shaking his head. With her frustration mounting, Hildegard raised her voice, forgetting his status. ¡°Of course, you may feel apologetic towards my sister. You did cast her aside once before. But relationships can be mended, can¡¯t they?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± As if he could no longer just listen to Hildegard¡¯s words, Emmett finally began speaking in a somber tone. ¡°I have committed a grave sin against Miss Liv. One that may never be forgiven, perhaps for my entire life.¡± ¡°No, what are you talking about? There¡¯s no way you committed such a sin against her...¡± Then, as if realizing something, Hildegard¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Divine punishment.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Something happened during the divine punishment process. At that time, you wronged my sister.¡± As a ¡®Saintess¡¯, Hildegard¡¯s divine punishment had ended with simply enduring the gods¡¯ voices, but if Emmett had also undergone punishment in the process of returning to the past, and something had become entangled with Liv during that... Then there was a past between them that Hildegard didn¡¯t know about. ¡°...You¡¯re right. Miss Liv is so kind, despite the grave wrong I committed against her. And I know she loves me as well.¡± He closed his eyes in apparent anguish and said: ¡°She would likely accept if I proposed to her. For now, she is still unaware, but in her generosity, she would even forgive the sin I committed. However, I am too afraid to even ask for her forgiveness from Miss Liv. I dread being forgiven for the sin I have committed...¡± Unable to fathom what had transpired during the divine punishment process, Hildegard couldn¡¯t speak. Addressing her pained expression, Emmett said: ¡°All I can do is strive to make Miss Liv happy. That is what I have been trying to do. But I cannot bring myself to ask for her forgiveness. I cannot propose marriage.¡± * * * ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± To Liv, smiling as she looked at the red roses reminiscent of her own eyes, Emmett asked: ¡°Is there anything you would like us to do together?¡± ¡°Something I want to do?¡± ¡°Yes, I would be happy with anything Miss Liv desires.¡± At those words, Liv turned her head in thought. Since she would have enjoyed doing anything with Emmett, she found herself at a loss. ¡®Something I wanted to do before coming to the Hamelsvoort family...¡¯ Various beautiful things she had read about in novels danced through her mind, and finally recalling one of them, Liv answered in a bright voice: ¡°A picnic!¡± ¡°A pic...nic?¡± ¡°Yes, a picnic.¡± At that, Emmett seemed to bite his lip before nodding his head. ¡°Very well, I should have expected you would want that. Let¡¯s have a picnic together tomorrow. Somewhere close to the Hamelsvoort estate... The Dneuve River would be ideal, I think.¡± ¡°Is there anything we need to bring for a picnic?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the servants prepare a blanket to sit on, snacks, and a meal. Miss Liv need not bring anything.¡± Though Emmett had said that, Liv still wanted to prepare something for him. She had never been on one, but she knew that people usually packed their own food for picnics. So after Emmett left, Liv sneaked into the kitchen, only to be... ¡°Oh my, what are you doing here, Miss Liv? We¡¯re quite busy at the moment.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to play with you, Miss.¡± ...met with hostility from the servants. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s right, I had forgotten.¡¯ Reflecting on it, she realized others originally disliked her. Having spent time only with Hildegard and Emmett recently, she had forgotten that fact. Resolving never to forget it again, Liv retreated back to her room. Chapter 23 ¡°Wow.¡± The next afternoon, after riding in Emmett¡¯s carriage to arrive at the Dneuve River, Liv¡¯s eyes sparkled. Under the dazzling summer sunlight, people in light clothing were enjoying the cool river breeze, settling on the grassy areas. In one spot, an artist had set up a model to paint, while a musician played the violin, accepting money from onlookers. Though a bit disorderly, it was a lively scene that made Liv keenly aware she was living in human society. As Liv looked around admiring the river, Emmett instructed a servant to prepare a spot for them. ¡°Umm.¡± Soon after sitting on the yellow blanket laid out for her, Liv let out a small sound. Sitting in her voluminous dress with the teacup on the ground and pouring tea proved more difficult than expected. Seeing Liv¡¯s troubled expression, Emmett opened his mouth with a flustered look. ¡°I forgot the tea table. I left it in the carriage, so I¡¯ll go retrieve it.¡± Since he had sent the servant back to the carriage, there was no one else to fetch the tea table. ¡°Miss Liv, please wait here for just a moment, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Liv nodded obediently and hummed a tune as she waited for Emmett¡¯s return. The cool river breeze made the summer heat bearable, and the people sitting by the riverbank were commoners unconnected to high society, so they did not gawk at Liv and the Duke. Though the river water didn¡¯t look particularly beautiful in the summer, what did it matter? Everything felt perfect. Then, a shadow fell over her head, and Liv looked up. It was clearly not Emmett¡¯s presence, and there should be no one here who would recognize them, so who could it be? The person she came face-to-face with was a man with fiery red hair reminiscent of blazing flames. However, distinct from the vivid red she had seen a few times in high society, his hair seemed to have shades of ash mixed in, like the remnants of a long-burning fire. His eyes were sharply slanted, and his brown irises gazed at Liv with a peculiar look. His attire was closer to that of a commoner than a noble. Yet her attention was drawn to the dagger at his waist. But more than anything, it was the intense aura emanating from the man that made him stand out. Though he seemed to be posing as ¡®ordinary¡¯, his piercing gaze fixed on Liv suggested he hadn¡¯t lived an ordinary life by any measure. ¡®Does he know me?¡¯ Liv wondered if he was also a noble, but she had no recollection of encountering this man in high society. Unable to discern why he had approached her, Liv grew uneasy as she awaited Emmett¡¯s return. Finally, the man squatted before her and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve found you, the variable of this world.¡± Startled by his words, Liv flinched, but the man only leaned closer, scrutinizing her. ¡°It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± The man asked again, as if confirming. While Liv did think in ways that were difficult for others to understand, she wasn¡¯t oblivious or foolish. Quickly realizing the man¡¯s identity, her expression changed abruptly. ¡°So it¡¯s you. The Emperor¡¯s would-be assassin.¡± ¡°Sharp, aren¡¯t you?¡± The man raised the corners of his lips in a wide grin. More than joy, it seemed tinged with anguish. ¡°I searched far and wide for you after the divine punishment. Yes, I searched for quite a while...¡± Liv glanced at the man¡¯s eyes. Through his ordinary brown irises, she glimpsed a hint of madness, as if half-diluted. She knew these were the eyes of one who had endured unimaginable divine punishment, like the person she had seen before... ¡°Who was at that banquet hall? Who inflicted that torment upon me? I thought long and hard about it...¡± Relentless. That was Liv¡¯s immediate impression from his gaze. The intense aura she felt seemed to emanate from his relentless, tenacious nature... Anyone looking into those eyes now could discern his fundamental character. ¡°No matter how much I thought about it, it could only be you. The fake Saintess, Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Why have you come? What do you want to say to me?¡± When Liv asked in a calm voice, the man answered as if surprised: ¡°You don¡¯t seem afraid of this situation at all. What if I¡¯ve gone mad and do something to you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying. Someone who has endured divine punishment can¡¯t do anything to me.¡± Liv spoke without a hint of fear. ¡°You can¡¯t harm me. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°And...¡± Liv glanced up at the sky. The gods, who would have normally raged about someone daring to be rude to Liv, were silent. No, rather... So he has finally come to find you. The chief deity of the Faith of the Radiant seemed to welcome the man. While the reason was unclear, if the gods welcomed him, he wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to her. Based on the current circumstances, the man didn¡¯t seem likely to harm her, so Liv spoke without fear. ¡°I¡¯m actually quite curious.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Usually, those who undergo divine punishment hate or fear me. But you don¡¯t seem to at all.¡± ¡°Hate or fear...¡± The man chuckled as if amused by her words. It was clearly an abnormal reaction. ¡°Who has the capacity left to hate or fear? It seems they didn¡¯t receive the full punishment.¡± ¡°Um...¡± ¡°I have no reason to regard you in such a way. For I no longer have anything to fear.¡± Suddenly, the man glared at Liv with eyes that seemed to blaze. ¡°What could be more terrifying than what I have endured?¡± Bringing his lips close to Liv¡¯s ear, the man whispered: ¡°Because of you, I have tasted hell, Liv Hamelsvoort...¡± * * * The man¡¯s last memory was of shooting the hound guarding the Emperor before his world went black. And sometime after that, a blade had pierced his abdomen, and he seemed to have seen a woman with white hair... You dare spill the blood of our beloved daughter. Did you harm my child? Receive divine punishment. Live in eternal torment. I inflict divine punishment upon you! Amid the resounding thunderous voices, the man squeezed his eyes shut. ¡®Where is this place? What was that last scene I witnessed?¡¯ Recalling how the world he knew had been torn apart like useless scraps of paper crumbling away, he tried to grasp the situation. Soon, the image of the imperial capital he was familiar with had vanished, and now he felt himself being dragged down into a deep, pitch-black abyss. ¡®Is this death?¡¯ He felt around his abdomen, but the wound inflicted by Duke Lartman¡¯s blade had vanished without a trace. ¡®Divine punishment? What does that even mean?¡¯ At that point, he knew nothing. And soon, when he opened his eyes... ¡®Ah.¡¯ There was nothing. No light, no sound. Only a world of absolute ¡®nothingness¡¯. He tried to move his lips but failed to produce any sound, as if they wouldn¡¯t move. His body was bound in an unnatural posture, utterly immobile. He attempted to close his eyes, but his body wouldn¡¯t budge, as if forcibly held in place. ¡®Divine punishment?¡¯ Though uncertain of the situation, the man thought that once he escaped this space, he would need to find the cause. Being trapped in horrifying darkness was torturous, but he could endure it to some extent. He was skilled at persevering ¨C had he not waited this long to kill the Emperor? One day passed like this. Then two days. Three days. A week. And how much longer? Around the time he had completely lost his sense of time, the man returned to the original world. ¡®...What was suffering again?¡¯ Of course, by then the man had utterly discarded his former values. Thinking about what he had endured, it wasn¡¯t enough to simply rage with anger and hatred towards the woman who had reduced him to this state. And yet, somehow, he felt his mind had grown dull and cold. His brain seemed to move sluggishly, as if something had frozen it solid. Within his half-shattered consciousness, he thought, ¡®I should find that woman.¡¯ But then what? Seek revenge? Was that even possible with human abilities? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No, he couldn¡¯t. So for now, he would approach her. And observe. Patiently biding his time was his specialty... * * * After hearing the man¡¯s words, Liv¡¯s expression darkened. Regardless of his attempt to assassinate the Emperor, the fact that she had been involved in the punishment inflicted upon him was another matter. In the end, she had unintentionally caused harm to others once again. ¡®But I had no choice if I wanted to save Emmett...¡¯ As Liv anxiously pondered this, suddenly her body was scooped up by someone and lifted into the air. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah...¡± Cradled in Emmett¡¯s embrace, Liv trailed off. Turning her head, she saw Emmett glaring coldly at the man who had been before her. ¡°Ah, Duke Lartman.¡± The man raised both hands in a mocking gesture as he rose from his spot. ¡°Duke Lartman, you are well known to me. It is a pleasure to meet you like this.¡± ¡°State your identity.¡± ¡°My house is likely too lowly for Your Grace to recognize?¡± ¡°I will be the judge of that.¡± ¡°Schulze. Hayden of the Schulze family.¡± At those words, Liv turned her head in thought, but as expected, it was an unfamiliar name to her. In contrast, Emmett seemed to recognize it, flinching before responding, ¡°But the Schulze family was surely annihilated, was it not?¡± Chapter 24 ¡°Yes, I am the last successor.¡± ¡°Miss Liv, do you know this person by any chance?¡± ¡°No, I just met him today...¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s expression grew even more frosty. He carefully set Liv down, then positioned his body as if shielding her behind him. ¡°What business did you have conversing with Miss Liv?¡± ¡°Well, you should ask Miss Liv that, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± Since Hayden smirked as he uttered Liv¡¯s name, Emmett seemed to grow more displeased. However, he soon softened his expression and turned to Liv with a gentle face. ¡°Miss Liv, was there a reason you spoke with this man?¡± ¡°Um, he just started talking to me...¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After saying that, Liv glanced around, but the gods remained silent. Then perhaps... ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to talk more.¡± ¡°...More with this man?¡± ¡°Yes, I have things I want to ask him... If you could give us a moment...¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s eyes widened, and Hayden flashed a smile tinged with a sense of victory. ¡°Miss Liv, do you truly wish to converse further with this man?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...Very well, if that is what you desire.¡± After saying that, Emmett started walking towards the carriage, but kept glancing back at Liv. His face was contorted with a look of defeat. ¡°Even the great Duke Lartman meekly retreats, eh?¡± Since Hayden still seemed amused, Liv glared at him. While he couldn¡¯t harm her, he didn¡¯t seem particularly well-disposed towards her either. Then Liv had no reason to be courteous in return. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about why the gods don¡¯t dislike you.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°You tried to assassinate the Emperor.¡± It wasn¡¯t difficult for Liv to understand the gods¡¯ way of thinking ¨C it was her own fundamental mindset itself. ¡°You hold a grudge against the Emperor. The gods also dislike the Emperor. That¡¯s why they don¡¯t dislike you.¡± ¡°Aha, so you can communicate with the gods too?¡± Hayden now regarded Liv with increased interest. ¡°You¡¯re far more intriguing than I expected... Everyone said you were just a foolish fake Saintess, clinging to a single man, but it seems they were mistaken?¡± His gaze shifted to where Emmett had departed. ¡°Not only was the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ claim wrong, the ¡®foolish¡¯ part was mistaken too... Rather, it seems the man is the one clinging to you.¡± ¡°Just answer the question I asked.¡± Ordinarily, Liv spoke slowly and haltingly from bearing the gods¡¯ weight, but strangely, the gods were quiet before Hayden. Thanks to this, she could speak more freely than usual. ¡°Um, yes. I do hold a grudge against the Emperor.¡± Upon mentioning the Emperor, Hayden¡¯s gaze seemed to grow somewhat more serious. No, ¡®serious¡¯ may not adequately describe the look in his eyes ¨C they clearly conveyed... ¡°But I won¡¯t try to assassinate the Emperor again. You don¡¯t need to worry about causing a stir in high society for no reason.¡± ¡°Why did you change your mind?¡± ¡°Well...¡± In an instant, any playfulness vanished from Hayden¡¯s eyes, leaving only an unfathomable depth of resentment. ¡°It¡¯s because I must inflict suffering worse than death.¡± * * * ¡°Liv...¡± Meanwhile, at that moment, Emmett couldn¡¯t hide his unease. Awaiting the end of Liv and Hayden¡¯s conversation, he sat slouched against the carriage, cradling his face in his hands. Just who was that man, for Liv, normally indifferent to others, to engage him in extended conversation? ¡®Schulze... Since they were annihilated, I couldn¡¯t have met him in high society.¡¯ Then this was their first encounter. Yet Liv, unaccustomed to outsiders, had conversed so familiarly with him. The more Emmett pondered, the more distressed he became, but he had no right to intrude upon Liv¡¯s affairs. She was neither his lover nor fiance. Objectively, he had no relation to her at all. ¡®Yes, this is my burden to bear...¡¯ Recalling the sin he had committed against Liv, he squeezed his eyes shut. Even if Liv took an interest in that man, he had to support whatever was in her heart. She had no reason to love only him, and he was unworthy of her love. * * * ¡°What did the Emperor do to make you resent him so much?¡± When Liv asked that, Hayden gave a meaningful smile. ¡°Well, what do you think he did?¡± ¡°Um...¡± In Liv¡¯s mind was a catalogue of cruel acts humans could commit. According to what she had learned from the gods, one way to inflict unbearable torment was... ¡°Isolating someone in one place for a long time until they go insane?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Hayden¡¯s face seemed to mock her words. ¡°That was the punishment your gods inflicted upon me. Humans don¡¯t act in such a manner.¡± ¡°Oh... So what did the Emperor do then?¡± Hayden slowly rose from his spot. His movements exuded an air of theatricality mixed with the wariness of prey fleeing a predator. ¡°I am intrigued by you, but I can¡¯t reveal everything.¡± It seemed Hayden wouldn¡¯t divulge what the Emperor had done to him or why he had tried to kill the Emperor. Before leaving, he glanced back towards Liv and said: ¡°It¡¯s interesting that the gods dislike the Emperor too. Is it because a mere human challenged his authority? Good information, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Liv watched him with a blank expression, but he continued speaking. ¡°In return, I¡¯ll give you a decent piece of information too.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Stay away from the Emperor from now on.¡± For a moment, Liv thought she saw blazing flames in his eyes. ¡°Even if I¡¯m imprisoned in Abgrund, I will assassinate the Emperor.¡± Mentioning Abgrund, the most dreaded prison on earth for humans, was likely an assertion of his strong resolve. With that intense parting remark, Hayden simply left. It was some time later that Emmett reappeared before Liv. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Ah, Emmett. Sorry to have kept you waiting. Please, have a seat.¡± The serious expression on Liv¡¯s face vanished in an instant, replaced by a bright smile. When she patted the spot before her, Emmett awkwardly took a seat. ¡°Who... was that man earlier?¡± To his cautious inquiry, Liv answered in an all too cheerful voice. Having Emmett before her, she had buried deep the questions that had occupied her mind moments ago. ¡°Ah, the Emperor¡¯s would-be assassin.¡± ¡°...What?¡± After a momentary pause of bewilderment, he asked again. ¡°Do you mean the assassin who killed His Majesty the Emperor on the day Miss Liv took her own life... and the day Miss Hamelsvoort and I returned to the past?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± He seemed at a loss for words seeing how casually Liv discussed such a grave matter. ¡°Miss Liv, that man is dangerous. You must never go near him again.¡± ¡°Well, a murderer is likely dangerous, but he didn¡¯t seem overly aggressive.¡± ¡°There is no guarantee someone who has killed once will not kill again. You could be put in danger as well.¡± ¡°Um... but the gods didn¡¯t seem to view him as much of a threat.¡± ¡°Still, I disagree. I dearly wish... for Miss Liv¡¯s safety.¡± Regardless of whether it was truly safe, receiving his concern was pleasing. With a warm feeling, Liv answered in a bright voice: ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be careful from now on.¡± ¡°Did you happen to learn why he tried to assassinate His Majesty?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t tell me that. He only said he underwent divine punishment and returned to the past to find me.¡± ¡°And the reason he won¡¯t kill His Majesty this time?¡± ¡°He said to inflict suffering worse than death...¡± ¡°I see. While it¡¯s unsurprising His Majesty has incurred resentment through his many misdeeds...¡± For anyone else hearing those words, they might have doubted he was the same man ¨C the Duke Lartman, one of the Emperor¡¯s most loyal retainers, was speaking with surprising cynicism. He seemed deep in thought with a serious expression. ¡°The Schulze family was annihilated at the time of His Majesty¡¯s ascension. The exact reason is unknown, but His Majesty charged them with a crime and had them exterminated.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why...¡± Liv could somewhat understand why he resented the Emperor. Though the details were unclear, the ¡®Tyrant August¡¯ must have again abused his power. Seeing Liv grow solemn in turn, Emmett suddenly softened his expression and spoke up. ¡°Miss Liv, shall we set aside such heavy matters and focus on our picnic instead?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that.¡± Emmett picked up a stack of books. They were classic novels considered essential reading for young nobles. ¡°Then let us read together.¡± Recently, Liv had been exposed to various books. For her, who had never received a proper education, books revealed much knowledge and emotion. ¡°¡®Rounding the corner revealed a massive estate perched atop a cliff. Amidst the salty scent of the sea, the aged manor exuded an eerie atmosphere.¡¯¡± Drawn into the intriguing tale, Liv read smoothly onward. ¡°¡®No longer do any cries come from that estate. A single wildflower bloomed atop the grave of the Kaylin.¡¯¡± After finishing to the end, Liv wore an expression of awe. ¡°So love triumphs in the end...¡± Liv truly loved love. In every story she read, love had won. With a hopeful voice, she spoke, and Emmett regarded her with a strange expression. ¡°Yes, love...¡± ¡°All the trials in the stories are overcome through the power of love. It seems love is what ultimately prevails in this world!¡± ¡°...¡± Emmett hid his anguish as best he could, and so ended their picnic that day. Chapter 25 ¡°Sister, please let me know if anything is bothering you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Acknowledging Hildegard¡¯s sincere advice, Liv stepped out of the carriage. Unlike before when she would leap out like a child without an escort, she didn¡¯t forget to accept the coachman¡¯s assistance this time. Today was the second occasion Liv attended a social gathering since returning to the past. While Hildegard had worried about Liv attending gatherings previously, she was truly anxious now. There was no telling what the angered gods might do upon seeing the other girls rudely mistreat Liv. ¡°Sister, wouldn¡¯t it be better not to attend the gathering at all?¡± Hildegard suggested, but... ¡°I don¡¯t like being alone.¡± Liv simply responded that she preferred being with people, even if mistreated, over being alone. Sure enough, as soon as Liv entered the hall, piercing gazes showered upon her. Unlike before, Hildegard felt those gazes were like needles that could puncture and deflate Liv, who was like a thin sheet of cloth filled with air. One wrong prick and she might burst. ¡®Why isn¡¯t the Duke nowhere to be seen at a time like this?¡¯ Inconveniently, Emmett had yet to arrive. As Hildegard racked her brain for topics to divert Liv¡¯s attention, some noble ladies approached them with casual smiles. ¡°Oh my, Miss Liv. It¡¯s been so long, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall seeing you at the last gathering, ho ho.¡± ¡°Well, you do tend to blend into the background unnoticeably.¡± ¡°Ha, haha...¡± Hildegard forced an awkward laugh as she studied Liv¡¯s expression. She had to defuse this situation somehow. ¡°W-Well, how about we discuss the prospects of the Holy Hylisides Empire today?¡± ¡°...What are you talking about?¡± As Hildegard desperately tried to deflect the noble ladies, Liv was indeed hearing the angered voices of the gods, as Hildegard had expected. Their voices were like a constantly simmering volcano, an encroaching darkness that threatened to engulf all humans. Child, if you wish, I can tear those ones to shreds for you anytime. I can cast this entire world into a fiery pit. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®There¡¯s no need for that.¡¯ Then, one of the ladies arrogantly picked up a wine glass. Just as Hildegard reached to grab her hand, anticipating her next action... ¡°D-Duke Lartman?¡± The startled lady looked up at the person whose hand now gripped her own, poised to fling the wine. Her hand was firmly grasped by Emmett¡¯s large one as he stood before Liv, shielding her. ¡°You seemed about to do something dangerous.¡± Emmett said as such, then took the wine glass from the lady¡¯s hand and set it on a table. The lady could only gape in stunned silence. ¡°Miss Liv, are you alright?¡± ¡°Oh, Emmett. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You must have been startled.¡± Seeing Emmett¡¯s friendly demeanor towards Liv, the noble ladies exchanged quick glances. Though cowardly, they weren¡¯t foolish. The reason they had tormented Liv until now was because she seemed a complete underdog who would suffer no consequences. But now that Emmett had reconciled with Liv, the situation had changed. ¡°See, I told you I don¡¯t understand relationships between men and women.¡± ¡°I thought it was just a passing fancy...¡± The ladies whispered among themselves, preparing to hastily retreat, when... ¡°Kyaa!¡± The lady who had tried to douse Liv with wine shrieked as an unseen force tugged at her dress hem from behind, causing her to stumble. When she turned around, a man with fiery red hair stood there. ¡°Hayden!¡± Startled by his sudden appearance, Liv called out his name. With an amused look, Hayden regarded Liv and said: ¡°Hayden is correct. But call me young lord Wolfe.¡± ¡°Wolfe?¡± Unable to comprehend, Liv looked puzzled, so Emmett lowered his voice to explain. ¡°It must be an alias.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Recalling Emmett¡¯s words about the Schulze family¡¯s demise, Liv nodded in understanding. Meanwhile, Hayden cocked his head as he looked down at the noblewoman whose dress he still gripped. ¡°What were you about to do just now?¡± ¡°Wh-What do you mean?! You¡¯re the one being rude! Let go this instant!¡± ¡°Even I can¡¯t bring myself to touch those...¡± With a fierce expression, Hayden said that before giving the dress a violent tug and releasing it. It was like flinging away something filthy, but more piercing than arrogant. The force sent the noblewoman tumbling to the floor. ¡°Kyaa!¡± ¡°Good heavens, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Guards, call the guards!¡± Amidst the surrounding ladies¡¯ panicked outbursts, Hayden shot Emmett a displeased look. ¡°You.¡± ¡°...What is the matter? And why have you infiltrated here under an alias?¡± ¡°Is now really the time to ask that?¡± His mocking gaze shifted to Liv. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do something, do it properly. Is this all you¡¯re capable of?¡± ¡°...Still, one cannot be as discourteous as you.¡± ¡°It seems less dire than I expected.¡± Paying no heed to the attention now drawn to him, Hayden strode right up to Liv. ¡°I clearly told you I¡¯m intrigued by you, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± Liv answered calmly. Though his actions were rough, Hayden didn¡¯t seem intent on harming her by any measure. ¡°Despite my intrigue, I can¡¯t touch you, can I? Then I shall ensure outside elements can¡¯t touch you either...¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s expression instantly hardened with coldness. ¡°Are you quite alright?¡± By then, some young noblemen who had rushed over were helping the fallen lady to her feet, glaring at Hayden. He seemed exasperated as he turned his playful gaze towards them, giving Liv a subtle wink before mouthing: ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Hayden swiftly departed, and the young noblemen also disappeared in pursuit of him. In the chaotic aftermath, Hildegard muttered while cradling her head. ¡°Just what in the world is going on...¡± Unaware of Liv¡¯s encounter with Hayden during their picnic, Hildegard couldn¡¯t comprehend the situation at all, while Liv and Emmett remained unnervingly calm. As Hildegard alternated her bewildered gaze between them, unable to speak, the lady who had fallen approached Liv with an indignant expression. ¡°Miss Liv, just who was that rude man?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see how he shielded you and made me fall over?¡± Outraged at being knocked down and disregarding Emmett¡¯s presence, the lady snapped at Liv. Pulling Liv behind him, Emmett spoke up. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± ¡°Are you implying that rude man shielded Miss Liv because you did something improper to her?¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s...¡± Unable to admit she had tried to douse Liv with wine, the lady couldn¡¯t provide a proper response. Emphasizing his words, Emmett addressed her again. ¡°Your inability to answer suggests that man¡¯s rudeness had nothing to do with Miss Liv. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, it seems so...¡± In the end, she could only retreat with her tail between her legs. Duke Lartman was a dangerous man, not simply due to his titled status, but as the tyrant¡¯s most stalwart supporter and a retainer who didn¡¯t shy from cruelty. Provoking conflict with him here would be foolish. It was only after the matter had concluded that Hildegard finally spoke up. ¡°...Sister, perhaps we should return home for today?¡± ¡°Um...¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Liv. Allow me to escort you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Liv, who had seemed conflicted, readily nodded with a bright expression. As the three most notable figures in high society walked together towards the carriage while the gathering was still in full swing, the guests¡¯ gazes converged on them. ¡°Oh my, His Grace is with the fake Saintess again...¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that suggest he truly loves her?¡± All three were immune to the murmurings, leaving the hall as if deaf to the voices. Once deemed out of earshot, Hildegard spoke up. ¡°Sister, just who was that red-haired man earlier?¡± ¡°The Emperor¡¯s would-be assassin.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± After Liv provided a full explanation about him, Hildegard¡¯s mouth hung agape. ¡°He said he¡¯s intrigued by you? ...That doesn¡¯t sound like a wholesome interest at all!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Emmett nodded with unusual solemnity, as if restraining a more vehement reaction. ¡°It would be wise to keep our distance from that man.¡± ¡°Exactly, even if it¡¯s revenge for his family¡¯s annihilation by the Emperor... he¡¯s still a murderer!¡± ¡°But...¡± Liv began, as if to argue. ¡°I don¡¯t think Hayden is a bad person...¡± ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± ¡°The gods don¡¯t dislike him.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s a good person...!¡± When Hildegard protested with an uncertain voice, Emmett concurred. ¡°Yes, Miss Liv need not blindly follow the gods¡¯ will, but can exercise her own judgment.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t seem to dislike Hayden.¡± ¡°...But there are times one should heed the judgment of those around them.¡± Hearing that, Emmett hurriedly changed his approach. ¡°In my view, Hayden Schulze appears extremely dangerous. Not only did he smuggle a weapon called a ¡®gun¡¯ into the gathering, but he also disguised himself as a member of the Wolfe family today. He seems well-versed in prohibited acts.¡± ¡°Exactly! And did you see how he rudely addressed Sister Liv earlier? It was really strange!¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Someone who has undergone divine punishment can¡¯t be disrespectful towards Sister... So Hayden Schulze must not be of sound mind.¡± As if recalling the divine punishment, Hildegard shuddered as she spoke. ¡°¡®Intrigued yet unable to touch¡¯? That¡¯s such a deviant statement!¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°...Anyway, it just feels that way!¡± Faced with Hildegard and Emmett¡¯s unusually stern stances, Liv could only nod in agreement. Above all, she was too weak against Emmett. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep my distance from now on.¡± After saying that, Liv and Hildegard boarded the carriage. And just as Emmett was about to see them off, a certain man suddenly appeared. Chapter 26 ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Hayden?¡± It was Hayden, who had just departed from the gathering. Just as Emmett and Hildegard were about to dismiss him, Liv spoke up first. ¡°I should have a brief conversation.¡± ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Sister...¡± ¡°Well, if I¡¯m to keep my distance going forward, I should at least talk to him.¡± After saying that, Liv extended her hand resolutely to exit the carriage, and Emmett reflexively moved to take her hand. Only after Liv had alighted did Emmett realize he had ended up assisting her, an awkward expression crossing his face. Liv gestured for Hayden to follow as she walked away, and Hayden trailed after her with an intrigued gaze. Hildegard and Emmett could only watch their departing figures with uneasy expressions... * * * ¡°I won¡¯t be able to stay close to you from now on.¡± As soon as Liv said that, Hayden¡¯s face immediately turned displeased. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Emmett and Hildegard told me not to associate with you anymore.¡± ¡°How childish.¡± Hayden scoffed dismissively. ¡°Like an obedient little child listening to her guardians.¡± ¡°I have different standards from others and there¡¯s much I don¡¯t know, so I should heed what others say.¡± When Liv answered in a calm voice, Hayden regarded her with an even more perplexed expression. He seemed genuinely unable to understand her. ¡°So you¡¯ll keep your distance from me now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re interested in me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Liv fell silent before raising her gaze to meet Hayden¡¯s eyes. Unable to determine how to respond, she hesitated for a long while. For Hayden¡¯s words were... ¡®Accurate.¡¯ She was indeed intrigued by Hayden. It was the first time she had shown interest in anything. Of course, she paid far more attention to Emmett and loved him dearly, but it was different. Whereas Emmett was a destined existence she was fated to love, an integral part of Liv¡¯s life, Hayden was the sole presence outside her life that had piqued her curiosity. ¡®It was intriguing.¡¯ That the gods didn¡¯t warn against him, and that he wasn¡¯t hostile towards her despite undergoing divine punishment. That was what had sparked Liv¡¯s interest in Hayden. Having been struck at her core, Liv hemmed and hawed before finally opening her mouth with difficulty. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t do anything. I shouldn¡¯t get close to you for no reason.¡± ¡°Do you not plan on doing anything yourself?¡± At those seemingly mocking words, Liv finally answered with clear pronunciation. ¡°No.¡± Her eyes shone with an upright light. ¡°It helps people if I don¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s better for me to minimize my words and actions, and not form relationships with others. I have to live like that.¡± Despite experiencing divine punishment because of Liv, he didn¡¯t seem to understand even this simple conclusion ¨C he didn¡¯t appear to be very wise. Hayden didn¡¯t respond, and he continued to look at Liv with an inscrutable gaze for a while. ¡°I have to live like a dead person.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When Liv drove the point home by saying that again, Hayden let out a light sigh before finally turning his back. ¡°...Alright, I get your point.¡± ¡°Yeah, so now...¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d do as you say.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hayden disappeared without another word. Watching the spot he left from, Liv¡¯s expression became uneasy. Emmett had told her not to get close to him, but somehow she didn¡¯t think it would go according to Emmett¡¯s words. * * * ¡°Miss, Duke Lartman has arrived!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Liv, who was lying in bed, sat up abruptly at the butler¡¯s words. Meeting with Emmett had now become natural for her, and it seemed those around them thought she and Emmett had reconciled again. Liv changed into the pale pink dress Hildagard had told her to wear that morning and went to open the door. No, she tried to open it. Bang bang! If it weren¡¯t for the sound of knocking coming from the window. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Since the sound seemed to be coming repeatedly from outside the mansion, not the hallway, Liv opened her eyes wide and looked toward the window. And then... ¡°Hayden?¡± She could see Hayden supporting himself with his arms on the window sill, precariously standing with his feet against the wall. Wondering what on earth was going on, Liv hurriedly opened the window, and Hayden came into Liv¡¯s room through the window. ¡°Whew, I thought I was going to slip and die there...¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Of course, if it were someone else, they would have questioned the rude act of breaking in through the window, but fortunately or unfortunately, it was Liv. She was simply curious as to why Hayden had come to see her without any warning. When Liv asked, Hayden winked awkwardly and said: ¡°Why do you think I came? I said I wouldn¡¯t do as you said, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°So why did you come?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m interested in you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± To Liv¡¯s question, Hayden shamelessly said as if he found it absurd. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be strange if I didn¡¯t become interested in you even after experiencing that divine punishment? How could I not be interested when the being who endures all the gods¡¯ love is right in front of me?¡± ¡°Um...¡± Since his words seemed to make sense, Liv let out a small hesitant sound for a moment, but soon came to her senses and tried to push Hayden out the window. ¡°Get out quick! Emmett told me to stay away from you.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll chase me out the window just because of that?¡± ¡°You came in through it anyway!¡± Liv pushed against Hayden with both hands, but her frail strength was naturally no match for him. Going a step further, he now regarded her with an amused look. Then, a knock sounded at Liv¡¯s door. ¡°Miss Liv? May I come in?¡± ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± It was Emmett. Flustered and at a loss, Liv hurriedly replied, realizing she couldn¡¯t have Emmett waiting outside. ¡°Yes...!¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re letting him in, what about me?¡± Hayden quipped mischievously. At that very moment, the door opened. Hayden briefly wore a startled expression for about a second before reverting to his usual playful demeanor. In contrast, Emmett seemed unprecedentedly flustered upon entering Liv¡¯s room and finding Hayden there. ¡°Miss Liv, why is this man here...¡± ¡°Umm...¡± How should she explain this? That he had trespassed through the window? ...Since that was the truth, she would have to say it. ¡°He came in through the window...¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s expression changed abruptly. He strode over and stood before Hayden, and an intense heat seemed to swirl in his eyes, usually either warm or cold... Smack. Startled by the sound of someone being struck, Liv covered her mouth. Turning his head, Hayden cradled his cheek as he looked at Emmett¡¯s face. ¡°My, quite the sensitive one, aren¡¯t you.¡± Despite being hit, Hayden clicked his tongue with an utterly unfazed expression, and a tense atmosphere hung between the two men. As Liv looked back and forth in shock, Emmett glared fiercely at Hayden. ¡°So you have trespassed into Miss Liv¡¯s room?¡± ¡°¡®Trespassed¡¯ is such an unpleasant way to put it.¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do. I shall hand you over to the guards.¡± Emmett wore a more frightening expression than when he had been angry at Liv before. Seeing this side of Emmett for the first time, Liv¡¯s eyes widened, but Hayden simply responded with unbothered nonchalance. ¡°I had something to say, but you two wouldn¡¯t let me meet her, right? Don¡¯t I have a right to speak my mind too?¡± ¡°This is an inexcusably rude act!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to hit me outright in front of her though.¡± Now Hayden was glaring sharply at Emmett too, clenching his fist as if about to strike back, while Emmett adopted a stance ready to counter. The moment Hayden threw a punch towards Emmett, his wrist was caught. In an instant, Hayden¡¯s body was flung to the floor. And just as Emmett was about to deliver a forceful blow to Hayden... ¡°Th-This could lead to trouble if you hit him here...¡± Liv was trying her best to pacify Emmett, causing him to halt with a perplexed expression. Seizing that opportunity, Hayden quickly got to his feet. ¡°Scared, are we?¡± Bringing his face close to Liv¡¯s, Hayden spoke. True to his words, tears were brimming in Liv¡¯s eyes. It wasn¡¯t out of intense fear, but simply surprise at the violence unfolding before her. ¡°...I apologize.¡± Emmett seemed deeply flustered to see tears from Liv, who was usually so bright and innocent. ¡°Miss Liv, are you alright?¡± He approached the slowly calming Liv and checked on her closely. ¡°That man didn¡¯t do anything untoward when he trespassed, did he?¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°I should have confirmed with you first, Miss Liv. That was my mistake. I¡¯m sorry for startling you. I became overly sensitive without realizing...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay...¡± With a look of firm resolution, Emmett pulled the still fearful Liv into a tight embrace. Then he whispered into her ear: ¡°You see, I can touch you now...¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± The moment Liv seemed to realize something from those words, Hayden¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Yes, yes, enjoy your tender moment. I¡¯ll be taking my leave then.¡± Hayden had already swiftly crossed the room and mounted the window frame. By the time Emmett rushed over to stop him, he was making his way down the wall. Even so, Hayden looked up at Liv, who had leaned out the window, and called out loudly: ¡°The reason I came here was to ask you to help me!¡± ¡°Help?¡± ¡°Yes, Liv Hamelsvoort, help me bring down the Emperor!¡± Chapter 27 Worried that someone from the Count¡¯s household might overhear, Liv hurriedly glanced around. She had learned from Emmett that insulting the Emperor could be punishable. ¡°I will thoroughly bring down the Emperor and make him suffer! Join me in this!¡± ¡°M-Me?¡± ¡°Think it over carefully!¡± While Liv stole a glance at Emmett, Hayden leapt down to the ground and instantly vanished from sight. Emmett simply glared at the spot where Hayden had disappeared, a vexed expression on his face. ¡°I will ensure such an incident doesn¡¯t happen again, Liv...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Emmett.¡± After saying that, Liv cautiously addressed Emmett: ¡°I have no intention of following Hayden¡¯s words. So...¡± Just as Liv was about to assert that she absolutely harbored no disrespectful thoughts towards the Emperor, Emmett spoke with a firm voice: ¡°Miss Liv, it¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You can do whatever you wish, and I have no right to stop you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Even if you wished to bring down His Majesty the Emperor, I wouldn¡¯t interfere. No, I would assist you in whatever you do, Miss Liv.¡± Those words left Liv utterly perplexed. -Yes, you must maintain proper decorum before His Majesty. You must not speak first, meet his gaze, or raise your voice. -...Miss Liv must have been unaware that we have certain obligations. Despite any physical suffering, it is our duty to remain loyal to His Majesty. -Miss Liv, that is a question challenging His Majesty¡¯s authority. You must never ask such questions in front of others. Liv was well aware of Emmett¡¯s immense loyalty to the Emperor. She also knew the Emperor was an existence she could never dare defy, stationed at the highest realm. Yet Emmett was now speaking of the Emperor with a casual indifference ¨C it was truly strange. ¡°But... you shouldn¡¯t say that.¡± Liv continued in a bewildered tone. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor is a great and formidable being... You must not utter ill words against him.¡± Even now, upon hearing the word ¡®Emperor¡¯, the gods were raging with furious outbursts like: Once I regain my power, I shall surely punish that insolent one. I will kill him. I pass judgment! Death! Death! Death! However, Liv also knew the laws of the human world differed from those of the gods. Even if the gods clinging to her despised the Emperor, as someone living in the human world, Liv couldn¡¯t openly display hostility towards the imperial family. When Liv relayed this to Emmett, he wore a pained expression and said: S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Miss Liv, please forget everything I have said.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°His Majesty the Emperor now holds no value whatsoever for me. I no longer have any reason to remain loyal to him.¡± To Liv, who still seemed unable to comprehend, he emphasized once more: ¡°You alone are now my absolute value, Liv.¡± * * * ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°Good heavens!¡± Upon encountering Liv in the hallway and hearing about the incident between Hayden and Emmett, Hildegard¡¯s face registered shock. ¡°Infiltrating an unmarried noblewoman¡¯s room is utterly unacceptable! I must instruct them to increase security.¡± ¡°Um...¡± ¡°But more than anything, the strangest part is...¡± Hildegard glanced around before lowering her voice. ¡°I can¡¯t understand Duke Lartman¡¯s behavior at all. Why am I the only one who feels this way? For him to suddenly become someone consumed by ardent love, isn¡¯t that truly strange?¡± Even after hearing that, Liv only shrugged lightly, leaving Hildegard increasingly exasperated. ¡°Well, I suppose you¡¯ve had a bond with him from the start, so it could be understandable. But I can¡¯t comprehend Duke Lartman¡¯s abandonment of His Majesty. His loyalty to His Majesty was renowned.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Emmett¡¯s devotion to the Emperor had been so profound that he was even nicknamed ¡®The Emperor¡¯s Loyal Hound¡¯. Some even speculated the Lartman family had become vassals of the imperial Steinberg family. ¡°Duke Lartman regarded His Majesty almost like a father figure.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Sister, do you know why Duke Lartman was so loyal to His Majesty?¡± At those words, Liv searched her memories. According to what Emmett had told her... ¡°Because His Majesty revealed the culprit behind his parents¡¯ deaths.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Hildegard nodded and provided further details. ¡°Moreover, to further solidify Duke Lartman¡¯s position, His Majesty summoned him to the capital and held a ceremony to confer his Dukedom. It signified His Majesty¡¯s trust in Duke Lartman as a retainer.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°And His Majesty had him trained in swordsmanship at the palace to hone his martial prowess. It was through such a process that Duke Lartman came to be loyal to His Majesty.¡± ¡°Emmett must have appreciated him a great deal.¡± The more Liv heard, the more she found the world truly strange. The ¡®Tyrant August¡¯, an utter villain to some, was a benefactor to others. ¡°So after receiving his Dukedom, Duke Lartman remained in his Ducal lands for a few years. Once he had consolidated control, he judged it time to return to the capital to protect His Majesty.¡± ¡°Protect His Majesty from what?¡± ¡°There were still those who didn¡¯t pledge loyalty to His Majesty, you see.¡± Hildegard answered matter-of-factly. ¡°You know His Majesty ushered in a new dynasty, right?¡± ¡°Hm? Yes.¡± Recalling what she had heard from Emmett, Liv nodded. Originally, the Gracia family had ruled the Holy Hilysid Empire, but after the Gracia family¡¯s demise, the Steinberg family, selected through deliberations by the Five Noble Houses, came to power. ¡°Naturally, there were issues of legitimacy. The Gracia family was truly beloved by all in the Empire.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°The Steinberg family had merely been vassals of the Gracia family, but suddenly became rulers. There was bound to be dissent.¡± No matter how she looked at it, humans tended to cling stubbornly to meaningless things. In the end, all humans were equal under the gods ¨C yet they fought over who would become king, an utterly trivial power that would become worthless if they lost their lives. ¡°Also, the Gracia family was renowned for being favored by the chief deity of the Faith of the Radiant. Now that I think about it, you may not be aware of that, Sister...¡± Hildegard shrugged. ¡°Just as I am merely a ¡®Saintess¡¯ meant to protect you, that family may have been similar ¨C not truly beloved, but rather...¡± Hildegard knew the gods¡¯ love for Liv was unparalleled. Whenever she looked at Liv, all the myths from the scriptures she had studied paled in insignificance. After hearing Hildegard¡¯s explanation, Liv found Emmett¡¯s lukewarm attitude towards the Emperor strange, just as Hildegard had said. Emmett seemed like someone who valued gratitude and wouldn¡¯t simply discard it on a whim due to infatuation. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m truly the only one feeling vexed! Why is everyone else so calm about this?¡± As Hildegard grumbled, Liv could only blink awkwardly. Since Liv showed no intention of elaborating on the events between them despite Hildegard¡¯s venting, the latter eventually heaved a sigh. Then, as if struck by a thought, she clapped her hands and spoke: ¡°Ah, talking about the Gracia family made me recall something!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Schulze family.¡± ¡°Hayden Schulze?¡± Liv¡¯s eyes widened. Come to think of it, she had heard his family was annihilated by the Emperor but never received a detailed explanation, so she was curious as well. ¡°Yes, I think I know why the Schulze family was annihilated. No one would give me the details since they all just shushed me... But originally, the Schulze family were vassals of the Gracia family.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°The Schulze and Wolfe families ¨C these two protected the Gracia family.¡± The name ¡®Wolfe¡¯ was familiar. Hayden Schulze had disguised himself as a member of that family to attend the gathering, and Liv had heard it mentioned before as well. ¡°So that¡¯s why Hayden Schulze could disguise himself as Wolfe.¡± ¡°Yes, since they were fellow vassals, the Wolfe family must have aided Hayden Schulze. Anyway, when the dynasty changed, the previous dynasty¡¯s vassals were likely deemed undesirable. So the Schulze family¡¯s annihilation is undoubtable.¡± ¡°Then how did the Wolfe family survive?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that... Perhaps the Schulze family more actively opposed the Steinberg family¡¯s ascension? Or unlike the Wolfe, the Schulze had more threatening means at their disposal.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Liv blinked. Well, truthfully, she had little interest in such matters. While she had some curiosity about Hayden Schulze himself, it was his person that intrigued her, not his background. ¡°In any case, Sister, it would be best to refrain from going out for the time being. We may encounter Hayden Schulze again at any moment.¡± ¡°Um...¡± Liv glanced at Hildegard before speaking up. ¡°But I¡¯ve made plans to visit Emmett¡¯s home tomorrow.¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s unavoidable...¡± Aware of Liv¡¯s love for Emmett, Hildegard didn¡¯t wish to dampen her joy over the appointment with the Duke. Yet an uneasy feeling caused her to scratch her head. Somehow, she sensed something unfortunate looming. Chapter 28 Riding in the carriage towards the Duke Lartman¡¯s estate, Liv exuded a vibrant radiance akin to a freshly blooming flower. She had no reason to be in low spirits. Everything was reverting to how it had been! The servants of the Hamelsvoort household, previously unkind to Liv, had recently begun treating her courteously after seemingly receiving some instruction from Count and Countess Hamelsvoort. The coachman periodically asked if she was comfortable, to which Liv had to reassure him she was fine. ¡°Miss, we¡¯ll be arriving shortly!¡± ¡°Ah, I see it over there.¡± Liv¡¯s eyes sparkled as she peeked through the curtain and spotted the Lartman estate in the distance. While the Lartman family¡¯s main residence was located in their Ducal lands, the manor they were heading to in the capital was no less grand and splendid than other noble households in the city. Screeeech! Then, the carriage abruptly screeched to a halt, causing Liv¡¯s head to forcefully strike the ceiling. She winced while rubbing her head. ¡°What was that...?¡± ¡°Miss!¡± The coachman¡¯s flustered voice came from outside. ¡°J-Just a moment, please. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± His voice trailed off as he spoke, and Liv calmly waited inside the carriage for him to return. However, even after counting to one hundred and waiting further, he didn¡¯t come back. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ If it were simply a stone stuck in the wheel or getting trapped in mud, he would have reported it to Liv beforehand and worked on it. This seemed like some unexpected situation. Thinking her assistance might be needed, Liv parted the curtain by the window to look outside, and what she saw was... ¡°Hayden?¡± The halted carriage on the bridge, and the man standing before it. ¡®...Perhaps I really should have refrained from going out?¡¯ As Hildegard had warned, he had clearly been lying in wait for an opportunity when Liv ventured outside. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This bridge had to be crossed to reach the Lartman estate. To proceed to her destination, she would need to have him move aside, so Liv exited the carriage to converse with him. As soon as the carriage door opened, he extended his hand as if to escort her. ¡°Need a hand getting down?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Liv simply hopped down from the carriage, thinking she should wear lower-heeled shoes next time to prepare for such situations. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Ah, when else would I get a chance to talk to you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Liv responded coldly to Hayden¡¯s brazenness. She remembered Emmett¡¯s words to keep her distance from him and agreed that associating with Hayden would likely be unfavorable for her in various ways. Separate from her intrigue towards him, the Emperor¡¯s would-be assassin could cause some unexpected incident. ¡°Liv, won¡¯t you join me in bringing down the Emperor?¡± Hayden whispered discreetly to Liv while extending his hand towards her, but she only stared blankly at it. Instead, the one who reacted was the coachman, who had been anxiously watching Liv¡¯s movements. ¡°Miss, who is this man? He¡¯s blocking the road ¨C do you know him?¡± ¡°A strange person.¡± ¡°A strange person, you say...?¡± Then, the coachman seemed to realize something and exclaimed: ¡°Could he be an extreme stalker? I¡¯ve heard young ladies these days suffer from those.¡± ¡°Extreme stalker?¡± Liv pondered briefly. Was Hayden a so-called ¡®stalker¡¯ pursuing her? Yes, that seemed accurate. And was he ¡®extreme¡¯? That also fit. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good heavens!¡± The coachman jumped in shock. Unable to lay a hand on Liv, he fretted before her, struggling to block her path as he spoke anxiously: ¡°Miss, it would be best to quickly return to the carriage...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, he likely won¡¯t leave unless I talk to him.¡± ¡°But? But then the Count and Countess will...¡± The coachman seemed fearful of the repercussions if this matter came to light, but as Liv was the highest authority present, he couldn¡¯t protest further. Liv and Hayden regarded each other as if the coachman didn¡¯t exist. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be difficult, Liv. You could just use the power of your gods, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Liv cut him off bluntly. ¡°The gods¡¯ abilities are restricted, so they cannot exert great power in the human world. No matter how divine, they cannot manipulate the world and interfere with humans as they wish. That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Hayden let out a perplexed hum, scrutinizing Liv with a sharp gaze. ¡°Then what about when you died?¡± ¡°That was because the gods designated me as their ¡®beloved child¡¯.¡± Liv was this world¡¯s sole child beloved by the gods. Therefore... ¡°The gods can only intervene in this world if I am harmed. From the minor case of being insulted by others, to the extreme of facing death.¡± ¡°So this world truly revolves around you, then...¡± Hayden licked his lips with an intrigued expression, resembling a snake that had found suitable prey. ¡°In that case, I can¡¯t let you go anymore.¡± ¡°You now understand you ca¡¯t exploit me.¡± ¡°Well... what if I could?¡± For an instant, a blinding flash seemed to erupt in his eyes. ¡°If you were deliberately punished by the Emperor? Then the gods would inflict divine punishment upon him, able to deliver immense torment!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to become entangled with the Emperor.¡± That was precisely why Liv feigned ignorance despite having sufficient power ¨C any matter involving the Emperor caused the gods to become raucous, so she wished to avoid any association with him. Child, come to the sacred grounds. Come to our realm. There, you can become anything. Even amid this, the gods whispered for Liv to come to the sacred grounds, where their power would be amplified. If Liv gained power there, she could wield godlike abilities and inflict the horrific torment on the Emperor that Hayden desired. However, obtaining power in the sacred grounds was no simple matter, and Liv had no reason to go to such effort for something unrelated to her. Hence, she didn¡¯t bother mentioning the sacred grounds to Hayden. ¡°The most important thing is, I have no reason to bring down the Emperor. He has nothing to do with me at all.¡± ¡°Everyone knows August is the epitome of a tyrant. His foul temper is such a calamity that anyone could fall victim, making him a public enemy of the current nobility ¨C your Duke excluded, of course.¡± ¡°I really have no interest in such matters.¡± Though Liv emphasized with an exasperated tone, Hayden still seemed unwilling to back down. ¡°Alright, truthfully, I had no intention of exploiting myself as I mentioned earlier.¡± ¡°Not exploit, but have me join you instead. With or without your abilities, I have the confidence that together, we can topple the Emperor.¡± Liv wore a perplexed expression, but Hayden continued undeterred. ¡°Won¡¯t you take my hand, even now? To bring down the Emperor together...¡± ¡°Miss Liv.¡± At the voice coming from nearby, Liv immediately turned her head to see Emmett approaching from the direction of the Lartman estate. While his gaze towards Hayden lacked outright murderous intent, the overly refined emotion made it seem all the more terrifying. ¡°Just what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Ah, it won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll see you again next time, Liv.¡± Hayden clicked his tongue in seeming regret before instantly leaping down from the bridge they stood on, his movements fluid as if accustomed to such feats. It must have been quite a height, yet when Liv peered over in shock, Hayden was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Emmett approached Liv, naturally guiding her away from the bridge¡¯s edge as he spoke. ¡°What did that man try to do this time?¡± ¡°No, he just blocked the carriage¡¯s path... He wanted to talk to me.¡± ¡°He must truly be deranged.¡± Though his expression seemed unperturbed, Liv could sense the disdain in his voice towards Hayden. ¡°It seems I must issue a wanted order for that man.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Even setting aside the attempted assassination of the Emperor, Hayden was an unpredictable danger, so Emmett¡¯s decision was reasonable. ¡°Shall we walk the rest of the way to the estate then? It¡¯s not far.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± When Liv readily agreed, seemingly forgetting about Hayden already, Emmett extended his hand towards her, as if inviting her to take it. Liv hesitated briefly before carefully placing her hand atop his larger one. Instantly, his hand enveloped hers, transmitting warmth. Just as the two, hand-in-hand, were about to set off, the coachman called out tentatively: ¡°U-Um, Your Grace!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Fortunately, Emmett responded with a gentle tone, seemingly emboldening the coachman. Watching Emmett¡¯s demeanor, he broached his concern: ¡°It¡¯s about the guards at the estate¡¯s entrance, you see...¡± ¡°The guards?¡± ¡°Yes, I had been observing the guards at the main gate, but they blatantly ignored Miss Liv¡¯s precarious situation, no matter how much I gestured for them to come over...¡± So it seemed the coachman hadn¡¯t simply stood idly by while Liv conversed with Hayden ¨C his efforts had merely been disregarded. ¡°...Are you saying the guards of my household acted in such a manner?¡± The anger swirling in his face was like blue flames, a stark contrast to his earlier nonchalance when observing Hayden. ¡°...Miss Liv, I truly apologize.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need...¡± ¡°It is entirely my failure to properly discipline the servants of my household. This serves as an opportunity to ensure you receive proper treatment, Miss Liv.¡± As he spoke those words, his gaze was fixed intensely towards the estate. From his expression, it seemed a storm was about to descend upon the Lartman manor today. Chapter 29 As Liv entered the estate¡¯s entrance hand-in-hand with Emmett, one of the guards flinched. He intended to open the gate while feigning ignorance, but Emmett¡¯s toneless voice fell upon him: ¡°I seem to recall instructing you to properly treat my guests.¡± ¡°Y-Your Grace, why would you say such a thing?¡± Without responding to the guard¡¯s servile tone, Emmett entered the estate with Liv. Since he didn¡¯t immediately issue a punishment, the guard¡¯s face grew increasingly anxious. Upon reaching the foyer, the one who opened the door was a butler Liv had seen a few times before. ¡°Welcome, Miss.¡± Unlike the guard, the butler treated Liv respectfully. As Liv awkwardly received his greeting, Emmett gave him an order: ¡°Summon all the household servants except for essential personnel. In particular, replace the guards currently stationed at the entrance and ensure they are brought here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Without questioning the reason, the butler soon departed to follow Emmett¡¯s instructions. Liv, standing beside him, became uneasy, seeming to guess what he was about to do. Apparently, he was going to say something about the guard ignoring Liv¡¯s request, but if that was the case... ¡°You don¡¯t have to go that far.¡± What was reflected in Liv¡¯s eyes as she faced Emmett was a kind of resignation. ¡°If you worry about me unnecessarily, it might tarnish the Duke¡¯s reputation. Those people dislike me out of loyalty to you. And no matter how hard you try, people will still dislike me. It¡¯s no use.¡± ¡°No.¡± Unusually, Emmett showed Liv a firm expression. ¡°I will make every person in this world respect and revere you, Miss Liv. You deserve that.¡± ¡°Humans are destined to dislike me. In exchange for gaining God¡¯s love, I lost humans...¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s face seemed to waver as if recalling something, but he soon returned to his usual expression and spoke affectionately to Liv. ¡°No, Miss Liv. Everything can change. This world can become a different place for you. From now on, I will show you that by your side.¡± While Liv had a blank expression, Emmett stood on the second-floor railing, looking down at the servants who had now all gathered on the first floor. ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you before to treat my guest well.¡± At those words, the servants¡¯ eyes turned toward the guard. It seemed they had heard about some incident that had occurred. ¡°In particular, I definitely said to treat Liv Hamelsvoort with utmost respect, more than anyone else.¡± He was using respectful language with the servants as well, but his cold and fierce tone made his words not pleasant to the ear. ¡°And yet, despite clearly knowing she was in distress, you ignored her. If you don¡¯t follow my words, then what reason do you have to remain in this mansion?¡± ¡°Y-Your Grace!¡± The guard opened his mouth in dismay. ¡°I did it all for the Duke...!¡± ¡°As I understand, you came here from the Lartman Duchy following me, is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, yes...¡± ¡°Then return to the Duchy. I will inform them that you didn¡¯t follow my orders.¡± ¡°Your Grace, give me one more chance...!¡± ¡°Butler.¡± Though the guard pleaded pitifully, at the butler¡¯s gesture, two other servants dragged him out. A chilly tension now hung in the air among the remaining servants. Someone¡¯s gulp echoed through the hall. Emmett quietly observed them, then continued speaking. ¡°From now on, Miss Liv is the most important guest to visit this mansion.¡± His eyes held more sincerity than ever before. ¡°To me, she is the highest guest in this country.¡± At those words, all the servants seemed surprised and exchanged glances, but Emmett remained resolute. ¡°Butler. Go and bring the Lartman Duchy¡¯s pendant.¡± ¡°The pendant... you say?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Even the butler seemed surprised this time, but he soon regained his composure and disappeared somewhere. The pendant he returned holding depicted a soaring falcon above castle walls. It was the same emblem stamped on the letters Emmett sent Liv. After receiving the pendant from the butler, Emmett offered it to Liv, leaving all the servants dumbstruck. ¡°Miss Liv, from now on, this pendant belongs to you.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Amid the servants¡¯ gazes, Liv asked in a somewhat tense voice. While unsure of the exact meaning, she could tell it was a meaningful and important item Emmett was bestowing upon her. ¡°It is the Lartman family pendant. It can be used as a seal or at banks and stores. The Hamelsvoort family must have one as well.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Seeing Liv¡¯s clueless expression, Emmett nodded as if he had expected as much. ¡°I see. Then it should be fine for you to have this instead of the Hamelsvoort pendant.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not part of the Lartman family... Can I really have this?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Emmett stated it matter-of-factly. ¡°This pendant is originally meant for the Duchess... However, instead of leaving that position vacant for life, I have decided to bestow it upon you, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When Liv¡¯s puzzled expression showed she didn¡¯t immediately comprehend, he kindly explained: ¡°It means I will never marry anyone other than you, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Hiiick!¡± Someone among the servants let out a stifled cry before clamping their mouth shut, leaving the echoing hall in silence once more. Meanwhile, Liv felt her mind growing increasingly muddled. ¡®Was that just now Duke Emmett¡¯s proposal of marriage?¡¯ At a glance, it did seem like he wished to marry her... Yet it also lacked something to be considered a formal proposal. In the end, Liv decided to ponder it at length before asking Hildegard about the matter in detail later. After fixing the servants with one final warning glance, Emmett led Liv into a room. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv looked up from examining the iridescent glass pendant that reflected different colors in the light. ¡°You are aware that next weekend is the Saintess Gabriel Ball in the imperial capital, correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Would you attend as my partner?¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s eyes widened. For attending as partners meant... ¡°It feels just like old times.¡± It reminded her of when she and Emmett had been close, long ago. Her cheeks flushed with excitement, a vibrant gleam in her eyes. Liv gazed at Emmett with eyes overflowing with affection. ¡°I would love that.¡± ¡°...If I may be so bold, would you accept any future partner invitations from me as well?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Thank you. Truly...¡± Emmett seemed so moved that he could not continue, his lips only quivering. Their peculiar relationship, which would leave others utterly baffled if witnessed, progressed thusly. * * * Then, on the promised weekend, a carriage emblazoned with the falcon crest arrived before the Hamelsvoort estate. ¡°Oh my, Your Grace!¡± Countess Hamelsvoort greeted Emmett with an affected smile. The moment he alighted from the carriage, Emmett¡¯s gaze fell upon Liv, radiant in a cream-colored dress exuding a soft, cozy warmth. ¡°Miss Liv...¡± He spoke as if beholding the most precious thing in the world, his gaze so intense that Countess Hamelsvoort could confirm the depth of his love. ¡°You look truly beautiful today.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As Liv beamed at Emmett, wearing an outfit matching her own, a hand fell upon her back. ¡°You two must have much to discuss, so hurry into the carriage, Liv.¡± It was Countess Hamelsvoort, urging her on with a nudging expression. Liv took Emmett¡¯s proffered hand to board the carriage but poked her head out to ask: ¡°What about Hildegard?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go separately, Sister!¡± Ever perceptive, Hildegard responded as such. She had no desire to intrude upon their incomprehensible dynamic. Though not cramped, the carriage¡¯s limited space forced Liv and Emmett to sit in close proximity. As he closed the door, Emmett spoke in a low voice: ¡°His Majesty the Emperor will not be attending today¡¯s ball, so you need not worry, Liv.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes, going forward, I will ensure I know in advance whether His Majesty will be present at any gatherings.¡± It was welcome news for Liv, as the Emperor¡¯s presence would cause the gods to become raucous, subjecting her to an agonizing situation that could trigger an episode. Their conversation within the carriage seemed to dance around some unspoken matter they avoided, yet the participants themselves appeared delighted. Finally, upon arriving at the ballroom after traveling the cobblestone path, Liv exited the carriage while holding Emmett¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh my...¡± ¡°They¡¯ve even become partners now...¡± The nobles¡¯ gazes once again converged on them, but high society seemed somewhat accustomed to Liv and Emmett¡¯s relationship by now. Rumors about them spread swiftly, and the aristocracy was well-versed in adapting to the whims of the nobility. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s pointless to meddle in others¡¯ affairs of the heart, you see? Just when you think it¡¯s over, they reconcile again. Whew, I¡¯m grateful I never tormented Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± One of the noble ladies even openly remarked as such. Despite the crowded ballroom, Liv felt as if she had entered a world only for the two of them. Beneath the brilliantly shining chandelier, only Emmett¡¯s gray eyes glistened. She was aware only of the warmth of the hand entwined with his. Her ears registered solely his voice. ¡°Miss Liv, there is something I wish to say...¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as Emmett was about to speak those words to Liv, he suddenly furrowed his brow while glancing towards one side of the ballroom. Following his gaze, Liv understood the reason for his reaction. For there was... ¡°Hayden Schulze?¡± That man had infiltrated once again. Upon meeting Liv¡¯s eyes, Hayden waved cheerfully. It was a bold, out-of-place gesture amid the nobles minding their conduct. However, Liv averted her gaze, conscious of Emmett¡¯s watchful eye. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Miss Liv. As long as I remain by your side, that man cannot approach you.¡± The moment those words caused Liv¡¯s cheeks to redden, a horrified voice rang out: ¡°His Majesty the Emperor is entering!¡± It was the Emperor¡¯s sudden and unexpected arrival. Chapter 30 The vile one has arrived. Execute him immediately! As the gods began clamoring, Liv¡¯s face turned deathly pale upon unexpectedly encountering the one person she must not face. Even Emmett, who had said the Emperor wouldn¡¯t attend today, was equally flustered. ¡°Why is His Majesty here...¡± As they stood at a loss, the Emperor, having entered the ballroom, addressed the surrounding nobles with a smile: ¡°I¡¯ve come to urgently consult with my aid Duke Lartman. Pay it no mind.¡± However, Emmett could spare the Emperor no attention. He defies my authority! Liv, obtain our power in the sacred grounds and kill this man! Liv was trembling uncontrollably, her face contorted as she held back tears. ¡®Another mark has been etched.¡¯ Liv had grown somewhat accustomed to the gods raging whenever the Emperor appeared. But her current anguish stemmed not solely from the gods¡¯ oppressive presence. Her skin burned feverishly, a sensation akin to needles piercing deep into her bones. This was undoubtedly the feeling of a ¡®mark¡¯ being etched upon her. ¡°Miss Liv? Endure for just a moment. I...¡± ¡°Duke Lartman?¡± As the Emperor called out his name, all eyes in the ballroom turned towards them. ¡°Haa, haa...¡± Liv, half-enveloped in Emmett¡¯s embrace and breathing raggedly, drew murmurs from the nobles. ¡°Over there, doesn¡¯t she seem unwell?¡± ¡°Could she be in pain somewhere?¡± ¡°More than that, her eyes seem a bit...¡± Holding Liv close, Emmett scanned their surroundings until his wavering gaze fell upon Hildegard nearby. Finding an aide, Emmett¡¯s eyes widened as he gestured for Hildegard, who quickly came over to support Liv¡¯s other side. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort, it seems Miss Liv is unwell. It would be best to escort her home first.¡± ¡°Yes, leave it to me from here.¡± Though recognizing this as a ruse to remove Liv from prying eyes, they committed to the act. As Hildegard turned to depart while holding the barely conscious Liv, a voice made her pause. ¡°Ah, is that the woman you¡¯ve been keeping company with lately?¡± The Emperor¡¯s intrigued gaze was already fixed upon Liv. The moment that voice reached them, Hildegard and Emmett both froze with expressions akin to encountering an inescapable beast. They knew the implications of drawing the Emperor¡¯s attention. So much so that even the nobles who normally disliked Liv seemed somewhat fearful ¨C for the Emperor to take notice was a terrifying prospect. ¡°...We have merely conversed a few times.¡± Though wishing to instantly separate Liv from the Emperor¡¯s presence, Emmett suppressed his churning hostility and lowered his gaze. However, as always, the Emperor didn¡¯t avert his attention once fixated. ¡°Ah yes, I was rather surprised to hear reports of you keeping company with such a peculiar individual, Duke Lartman. The adopted daughter of the Hamelsvoorts, the so-called fake Saintess...¡± Liv was indeed an eccentric figure adorned with all manner of colorful monikers, to the point that it was stranger the Emperor hadn¡¯t addressed her until now. The Emperor smiled with a sinister look, as if he had discovered an amusing plaything. ¡°You are reaching the age when you should marry, Duke Lartman.¡± ¡°That is not the case, Your Majesty.¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Reacting too proactively would only provoke the Emperor further, so Emmett could only feign nonchalance with a dismissive response. Fortunately, Liv had recovered enough to stand after adjusting to the gods¡¯ overbearing presence, but she couldn¡¯t escape the Emperor¡¯s focus on her. Thinking she couldn¡¯t drag Hildegard into this, Liv pushed her away, causing Hildegard to separate from her with an uneasy expression. ¡°So you have no interest in that creature? What a pity. I am quite intrigued by this fake Saintess.¡± ¡°Your Majesty...¡± ¡°Though I¡¯ve heard she possesses remarkable recovery abilities. I wonder just how remarkable they are.¡± Recognizing the implication behind those words, a small flame seemed to flicker in Emmett¡¯s eyes as his head snapped up. Just as he moved to prevent the Emperor¡¯s next action, an unexpected sound drew everyone¡¯s attention. Crash! A table collapsed, sending the plates atop it clattering to the floor in shattered pieces. The sudden commotion, ill-fitting the tense atmosphere, diverted the gazes previously fixed on Liv towards the source of the noise. There stood Hayden, smirking smugly as if nothing were amiss. The Emperor, who had seemed delighted to find an amusing diversion moments ago, now watched Hayden with displeasure. ¡°An unfamiliar face.¡± The look on the Emperor¡¯s face made it apparent his interest had shifted. ¡°Ah...¡± Realizing Hayden had acted to divert attention, Liv let out a soft groan. However, Emmett didn¡¯t spare him a glance, simply pulling Liv back into his embrace before handing her off to Hildegard once more. ¡°It seems I cannot leave for now. Miss Hamelsvoort, I entrust Miss Liv to you.¡± ¡°...Yes, inform me of what transpires later.¡± That man is dutifully fulfilling his role, it seems.¡¯ Even amidst this, the gods continued their raucous din, preventing Liv from approaching Hayden as Hildegard led her out of the ballroom. Fortunately, with everyone¡¯s attention drawn to Hayden, no one noticed their departure. As Liv turned back towards the ballroom one final time, her gaze met Hayden¡¯s. Even as all the nobles watched with disdain, Hayden flashed a grin at Liv and mouthed: ¡®You owe me one.¡¯ However, with Hildegard shielding Liv¡¯s face as they exited, she couldn¡¯t respond. * * * ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve heard Hayden Schulze has been imprisoned in the capital.¡± The next day, after checking a letter from somewhere, Hildegard relayed the news. In her hands was a letter from another noble lady with whom she maintained acquaintance. ¡°He didn¡¯t actually commit any wrongdoing, but... crimes can always be fabricated. He¡¯s been jailed on charges related to misconduct, though it¡¯s likely more due to his status.¡± ¡°At the ball, he borrowed the Wolfe family¡¯s identity, right? So that¡¯s why?¡± ¡°Yes, the fact that a scion of a family loyal to the previous imperial line caused an incident before the current Emperor could be interpreted as an intentional act.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± The current Emperor August must have wished for the Wolfe family to keep a low profile, so Hayden¡¯s very appearance at the gathering was likely troubling enough. After learning his true identity, they probably contrived some pretext to imprison him and apply pressure. Then, as if recalling something, Hildegard added: ¡°Oh, and they¡¯re saying Duke Lartman remained with His Majesty even after the ball ended, which is probably why he hasn¡¯t sent you a letter yet, Sister.¡± ¡°...What do you think will happen to Hayden?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Hildegard¡¯s expression darkened at Liv¡¯s question. ¡°While he didn¡¯t actually commit any wrongdoing, they could fabricate charges to imprison him as a warning to the Wolfe family. They likely won¡¯t execute him, but... Or like His Majesty has done to other innocents, he may torture Hayden sufficiently before releasing him.¡± As she listened, Liv felt her heart growing heavier, sinking deeper. After all, Hayden had acted to divert the Emperor¡¯s attention from her, only to become embroiled in this predicament himself. ¡°What is his current condition?¡± ¡°For now, he¡¯s likely imprisoned in the underground dungeons of the capital. But I don¡¯t know the details...¡± Seeing Liv¡¯s guilt-ridden expression, Hildegard studied her carefully before speaking: ¡°Sister, you needn¡¯t concern yourself over that man. Before returning to the past, he was capable enough to attempt assassinating His Majesty. With such abilities, he can surely find a way out, can¡¯t he?¡± ¡°...Still, I feel somewhat responsible for this situation.¡± If Hayden were to die under these circumstances, Liv felt she would be unable to overcome her guilt. She couldn¡¯t bear situations where others perished because of her, a suffocating weight pressing upon her chest until she gasped for breath. ¡®There must be a way.¡¯ After biting her lip in contemplation, Liv finally made a resolution and rose abruptly. ¡°I need to meet with Emmett.¡± * * * When Liv arrived at the Lartman estate by carriage, the guards, recognizing the Hamelsvoort crest, swiftly opened the door for her ¨C a stark contrast to her previous visit. ¡°Emmett.¡± As Liv called out his name and entered, Emmett, who seemed to have just descended to the first floor, welcomed her. ¡°Ah, Miss Liv. I¡¯ve only just returned. I was about to inform you...¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard about Hayden.¡± Since the ensuing conversation was unsuitable for bystanders, Liv glanced around at the servants. Emmett then took her hand and led her to his study. ¡°Please, speak freely now. I can likely surmise what you wish to discuss.¡± Though not seeming receptive to Liv¡¯s impending words, Emmett remained composed as she spoke resolutely: ¡°Hayden ended up in this situation because he was trying to protect me. So I must help him.¡± ¡°But Miss Liv...¡± ¡°Please, I beg of you.¡± Was she to abandon Hayden and disregard the favor he had done her? As Liv pleaded while grasping Emmett¡¯s hands, he squeezed his eyes shut. ¡°Miss Liv, you are aware the Emperor is a dangerous man. His actions are utterly unpredictable, yet he is cunning and never misses an opportunity. He will not relinquish this chance to pressurize the Wolfe family.¡± ¡°But you know I received Hayden¡¯s aid, do you not?¡± ¡°Yet there are times when situations cannot be helped...¡± ¡°Did you not tell me to repay favors I¡¯m owed?¡± At those words, Emmett wore a pained expression, as if recalling something, before opening his mouth with a resolved look. ¡°...I can¡¯t guarantee Hayden¡¯s release, but I can at least arrange for you to meet him.¡± ¡°Then please do so.¡± ¡°However, Miss Liv, you must promise me something first.¡± Emmett extended a finger towards her, then seemed to realize he was treating her like a child and retracted his hand as he continued: ¡°You must absolutely not do anything that could endanger yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Though Liv gave her assurance in a solemn tone, her expression hinted at other intentions. Chapter 31 From all directions, ominous creaking sounds echoed, and darkness enveloped the space, making it impossible to see anything. However, Liv could still smell the scents of fire and dust. Liv carefully followed Emmett down into the underground prison. It seemed Emmett had made preparations, as there were no guards keeping watch over the prison. However, there were several locks on the path leading to the prison cells, making it impossible for Hayden to escape by his own power. Using the keys he had obtained from the guards, Emmett unlocked all the locks and finally stopped in front of one cell. ¡°This is it.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Reacting to the stench of blood emanating from inside, Liv instinctively wrinkled her nose. Inside was Hayden, reduced to a horrific state. His clothes were torn to rags, and blood was flowing from beneath the chair he was tied to. The armrests of the chair were scratched, as if by fingernails, leaving them in tatters. Through the tears in his clothes, Liv could see terrible wounds that looked like burns. Hayden, his eyes bloodshot from burst blood vessels, raised his head. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv brought her face as close to the cell bars as possible. Accustomed to the gods¡¯ descriptions of punishing those who tormented her, Liv could look Hayden straight in the eye despite his pitiful appearance. Still, the sight of him in such a wretched state left her feeling uneasy. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m okay.¡± Despite his words, Hayden¡¯s voice carried a playful tone, and his face, which looked tormented by the wounds, was grinning broadly. ¡°Compared to the divine punishment I endured, this is nothing. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve become well-trained, you see?¡± Seeing that he still had some strength left in him, Liv felt a bit relieved. ¡°Why were you tortured like this?¡± ¡°Well, they probably felt they could do whatever they wanted to someone from the Wolfe family without repercussions.¡± Hayden answered while rolling his eyes slightly, as if dissatisfied. ¡°If I had been from an ordinary noble family, they might not have gone this far out of fear of retaliation from other nobles. But the Wolfe family was loyal to the previous imperial line, so we¡¯re completely separated from the current noble society and isolated. There are no nobles who would speak up for the Wolfe family, so they treated me like a plaything.¡± ¡°...So what will happen to you now?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be fine. Fortunately, it seems they were satisfied with just tormenting my body and don¡¯t plan to go after the Wolfe family itself.¡± ¡°So you won¡¯t be imprisoned?¡± ¡°Ah, no, I¡¯ll likely just be locked up in prison for a few years as a compromise.¡± Despite his casual tone, the grave implications of his words cast a shadow over Liv¡¯s face. She gazed at Hayden silently before speaking. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Why did you go that far for me?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Suddenly, Hayden raised the corners of his mouth in a smile, as if something amused him. The laughter, completely out of place given the situation, made him seem utterly insane. ¡°You know, let me be honest? At first, I considered just leaving you be. If you were mistreated by the Emperor, your gods would inflict divine punishment on him, which would benefit me.¡± ¡°But then?¡± ¡°I just changed my mind the moment I saw your expression.¡± He said it in a nonchalant voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem like you could endure this kind of torture. I told you, didn¡¯t I? I have no intention of exploiting you.¡± Liv recalled what Hayden had said before. -Not exploit, but have me join you instead. With or without your abilities, I have the confidence that together, we can topple the Emperor. So perhaps Hayden truly intended to simply work together with Liv, not exploit her? Sensing Liv¡¯s wavering resolve, Hayden met her gaze and said: ¡°Once I get out of prison, I¡¯ll probably have an even stronger desire for revenge. Will you help me then?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To bring down the Emperor together. Actually, no matter how insane I become, I wouldn¡¯t normally propose something like this first, but I strangely trust you easily.¡± At those words, Liv fell silent. This kind of trust was something she had never experienced before. The fact that a human trusted her felt like a powerful gravitational force pulling her into the human world. Liv felt an indescribable impulse stir in her fluttering heart. Yes, for instance... ¡°Hayden.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Shall I give you another chance?¡± Liv continued, looking at him with a gentle expression. ¡°I can die here and splatter you with my blood. Then you¡¯ll likely undergo divine punishment again. It will definitely be agonizing. But...¡± A solemn voice flowed from Liv¡¯s lips. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we change this situation?¡± The first to react to those words was Emmett. ¡°No, Liv!¡± He grabbed Liv¡¯s arms firmly and spoke with a resolute face. ¡°That is absolutely not allowed. I can¡¯t permit you to use your life as a means. No matter what happens, I will stop that.¡± ¡°...Why?¡± Liv¡¯s face seemed to genuinely not understand, appearing as innocent as a child ¨C which perhaps enabled her to conceive such cruel thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t truly die, you know.¡± ¡°Miss Liv, that¡¯s...¡± Emmett tightened his grip on Liv¡¯s arms as he spoke. ¡°If you endure any suffering, even momentarily, I too will be tormented. I never want to witness you taking your own life, nor will I allow you to use yourself as a means.¡± ¡°Hey, yeah.¡± Hayden¡¯s voice came from inside the cell. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to die for me either. It¡¯s enough if you just get revenge on the Emperor for me, alright?¡± ¡°But I have to do it this way.¡± Liv spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°I owe you a debt, and I will absolutely repay it.¡± ¡°Hey, that was just something I said.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ll die if needed.¡± At those words, Emmett covered his eyes with one hand, while Hayden gazed at Liv with an expression of amazement. ¡°Wow, you really are out of your mind...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your way of thinking is just so different.¡± Even bound, Hayden marveled before opening his mouth with a wry smile. ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t need to die. He over there doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll just stand by and let it happen either.¡± He turned his head towards Emmett. Emmett was staring straight at Liv, his eyes seemingly filled with a firm resolve. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°From now on, you will never need to die, not for anyone, not even for me. I will make it so.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°I will make it that way.¡± While Emmett¡¯s resolve was evident, Liv now felt even more troubled. She couldn¡¯t just ignore Hayden, who had ended up imprisoned and tortured for trying to help her. Liv could turn back time by taking her own life, and both of them knew that fact, so why didn¡¯t they choose the easier path? Using her would be the most efficient approach. As Liv wore a conflicted expression, Emmett spoke up. ¡°...There is another way.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°I can have him released.¡± With a cold expression, Emmett glanced at Hayden and said: ¡°His Majesty the Emperor trusts me greatly. If I insist on releasing him, His Majesty will likely listen to me.¡± ¡°You can have me released? Ah, I see. Well, you have been quite the loyal hound to His Majesty all this time.¡± Despite Hayden¡¯s mocking words, Emmett didn¡¯t seem provoked. After briefly pondering, he continued: ¡°I have the authority to pardon criminals. It was something His Majesty granted me previously.¡± ¡°My, you even have the power of pardon?¡± When Hayden asked, Emmett nodded. ¡°Yes. I obtained it previously by presenting His Majesty with materials for ancient sorcery.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re even dabbling in ancient sorcery, I see.¡± Hayden muttered in an irritated voice. Ancient sorcery was strictly prohibited in the Holy Hilysid Empire. However, the fact that the ¡®Tyrant August¡¯ was involved with ancient sorcery didn¡¯t seem particularly surprising to them. Then, as if recalling something, Hayden furrowed his brow and asked: ¡°But if you release me, a member of the Wolfe family loyal to the previous imperial line, won¡¯t His Majesty become wary of you?¡± ¡°Of course, he likely will. I may no longer be able to remain as close to His Majesty as before. But still, I can at least have you released.¡± ¡°What excuse will you use when invoking the pardon?¡± At those words, the contemplative look on Emmett¡¯s face turned solemn as he slowly spoke: ¡°His Majesty is quite impulsive, so even I am not completely safe. In fact, the most stable approach would be to release you while avoiding His Majesty¡¯s suspicion...¡± Emmett regarded Hayden with a strange look. ¡°I can handle it by saying I will personally punish you.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I could request His Majesty to grant me the authority to directly punish an unruly subject still loyal to the previous imperial line. He may just listen to me.¡± ¡°You think he¡¯ll believe that?¡± While Liv asked with a perplexed expression, having heard about the Emperor¡¯s character, Hayden seemed to have caught on, smirking slightly. ¡°I see, an outrageous excuse, but... the fact that you¡¯re considering using it as a method, Duke.¡± Now, despite his battered appearance, Hayden was looking at Emmett with an amused gaze. ¡°Means you¡¯ve acted that way before, haven¡¯t you, Duke?¡± ¡°What is that supposed to...¡± Towards the flustered Liv, Hayden explained: ¡°If the Emperor believes it, there¡¯s only one reason. You¡¯ve directly punished those disloyal to the Emperor in the past.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Chapter 32 Liv recalled the rumors surrounding Emmett. The saying that he became crueler than anyone else when it involved the Emperor. Each time, Liv truly realized what kind of person Emmett was. However, it wasn¡¯t that Liv was greatly disappointed in Emmett because of that. The beings constantly surrounding Liv, the gods, had committed unimaginable acts by human standards, so this was nothing in comparison. Yet Emmett hung his head with a dark expression and acknowledged Hayden¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, I have punished others in the past. So I can say I will imprison him in the dungeons.¡± ¡°In the dungeons?¡± ¡°The ones in the Lartman Duchy. The knights there have conducted torture training on those who opposed the imperial family.¡± Emmett¡¯s voice was low as he calmly stated the facts. Hearing them, Liv felt somewhat taken aback. No matter what happened, Liv was certain she would continue loving Emmett. But she realized she didn¡¯t know everything about him. * * * A few days later, Liv was staring at the window in her room with a bewildered expression. ¡°What? How did you get here?¡± Just like before, Hayden had climbed through Liv¡¯s bedroom window! As per Emmett¡¯s plan, Hayden had been able to escape from the underground prison with the Duke¡¯s help. His body was still in poor condition from the torture, and if he lingered in the capital again, he might be discovered by the Emperor. So Hayden decided not to remain active in the capital any longer. Then why was he here? Liv, dressed in her nightgown, bolted upright from her bed and approached Hayden. For once, he raised his hands with a flustered look. ¡°Miss, could you cover yourself with a blanket?¡± Unsure of his reasons, Liv nevertheless followed his request and covered herself with a blanket. Only then did Hayden approach her with a relieved expression. ¡°There, I have to leave the capital now. I came to bid you farewell before I go. I just have something to tell you.¡± Saying that, he plopped down into a chair in front of Liv¡¯s bed, moving as naturally as if it were his own home. Liv noticed his form of address had changed and furrowed her brow as she asked: ¡°Why are you calling me ¡®Miss¡¯ now?¡± ¡°Well, I felt like being a bit more respectful towards Liv Hamelsvoort. Isn¡¯t that how nobles address each other?¡± ¡°No one really calls me that.¡± ¡°Damn, I should¡¯ve learned noble etiquette. Well, nevermind those trivial questions. First, thank you for your help.¡± ¡°It was Emmett who did it.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, Miss, he wouldn¡¯t have acted.¡± Hayden continued, tilting his head stubbornly. ¡°Though I said that, being imprisoned really wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience. It hindered my plans for revenge...¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liv found his hatred towards the Emperor strange. She had never hated anyone like that before. Moreover, the fact that he chose to help Liv instead of directly taking revenge on the Emperor he so despised was even stranger. ¡°Did you really help me because you thought I couldn¡¯t endure the torture?¡± Recalling what she had heard from him before, Liv asked, and he answered with an amused expression: ¡°No, it was actually more complicated than that.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I just had complex feelings towards you, Miss...¡± He wore a complicated expression, as if recalling something, before slowly opening his mouth. ¡°...I pitied you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, it seems I lost the ability for normal thinking during the divine punishment. Others may not understand, but...¡± His eyes seemed to hold a strange melancholy and sense of futility, as if he alone had become enveloped in frozen stillness. ¡°Anyway, I think I felt pity for you. Yes, that¡¯s the precise feeling.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Actually, until now, my proposals for you to join me in bringing down the Emperor were just an excuse. An excuse to approach you. Well, of course I couldn¡¯t actually feel any affection for you, the one who caused me to undergo divine punishment, right? I just wanted to stay by your side and not miss any opportunity that might arise for me to take revenge on you. But somewhere along the way, my thoughts changed.¡± Hayden let out a chuckle as he said that. When Liv, unable to comprehend his words, simply blinked, he explained further: ¡°As I watched you, I started pitying you. I no longer felt like taking revenge. Rather, I wanted to help you, watch over you, protect you. So I made up an excuse to approach you.¡± ¡°You wanted to help me because you pitied me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Contrary to his usual demeanor, his brown eyes now held a calm light. With such a composed expression, it occurred to Liv that some women might find him quite decent-looking and be drawn to him. ¡°I thought a human living without purpose was a pitiable existence.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been living my life under the goal of toppling the Emperor. That was the driving force behind my life, and it allowed me to gain many comrades along the way. But you...¡± His gaze fixed on Liv. ¡°You said you have no purpose at all. That you have to live without doing anything.¡± Liv recalled the words she had spoken to him before: -It helps people if I don¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s better for me to minimize my words and actions, and not form relationships with others. I have to live like that. I have to live like a dead person. Was that why he felt pity for her? ¡°Your current life is truly untenable. So I wanted to give you a purpose. And I hoped you could utilize your tremendous power, which is why I wanted you to take an interest in toppling the Emperor alongside me.¡± His voice sounded more sincere than ever, leaving Liv flustered that he would open up to this extent when she hadn¡¯t expected it. ¡°You were the most pitiable being to me.¡± Liv pondered Hayden¡¯s words. Had she truly been pitiable? This was the first time someone had called her pitiable. Not Emmett or Hildegard, but Hayden, whom she had never expected to grow so close. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t force you to help me, Miss. Just act according to where your heart leads you.¡± However, to Liv, that was the more difficult path. Liv had always been accustomed to following the gods¡¯ words rather than taking direct action herself. Expressing her love for Emmett was the only thing she had done of her own will. As Liv wore a contemplative expression over his words, Hayden rose from his seat and spoke: ¡°Well, take your time thinking it over. I¡¯ll come again tomorrow.¡± ¡°You¡¯re coming back tomorrow? I thought you were just bidding farewell today.¡± ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s really an important matter to discuss. It¡¯s something your Duke needs to hear as well.¡± Leaving those words behind, Hayden exited through the window again, leaving only Liv with a dazed expression remaining in the room. * * * ¡°That man visited Liv¡¯s room again last night?¡± After hearing the story from Liv, Emmett pursed his lips coldly. His expression seemed somewhat suspicious, as if plotting something. ¡°He is truly ungrateful. I must have a proper talk with him when we meet this time.¡± His face suggested he wanted to do more than just talk, but Liv simply gazed at Emmett with an obedient look. Meanwhile, Hildegard, who had heard the story with them, also wore an uneasy expression. ¡°I think it¡¯s best not to get too close to such a dangerous person...¡± ¡°But he said he had something important to discuss.¡± They had been waiting for Hayden in Liv¡¯s room for quite some time when a hand suddenly gripped the window frame from outside. ¡°You¡¯re all here?¡± As soon as Hayden cheerfully jumped down into Liv¡¯s room from the window, Emmett sprang to his feet. ¡°I clearly told you I wouldn¡¯t stand idly by if you kept invading Liv¡¯s room like this...¡± ¡°I came to explain why I hate the Emperor.¡± However, Hayden¡¯s ensuing words caused everyone to fall silent. Launching straight into the main topic seemed like he had steeled some resolve. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just because he annihilated your family, was it?¡± When Liv asked that, Hayden answered in a casual tone: ¡°Why do you think he eliminated our family?¡± ¡°Because we were loyal to the previous Gracia imperial line?¡± ¡°That was one reason, but... if so, why did he leave the Wolfe family alone while eliminating the Schulze?¡± Unable to find an answer to that question, Liv closed her mouth. Hildegard then tentatively raised her hand as if to guess the correct answer and said: ¡°The Wolfe family lacked something that the Schulze family possessed. So the Wolfe weren¡¯t a threat, but the Schulze were.¡± ¡°Oh, very precise, Saintess.¡± When Hayden whistled those words, Hildegard¡¯s face flushed, seemingly embarrassed to receive praise from a stranger. Just like before, Hayden naturally took a seat and finally began his explanation: ¡°Originally, the Gracia family had two vassal families ¨C the Schulze family and the Wolfe family.¡± ¡°I knew that much.¡± ¡°The Schulze family served as the brains for the Gracias, while the Wolfe family provided the muscle.¡± As he seemed to be getting into the main story, Liv focused her attention on his words. ¡°The two families were like the two wings of the Gracias. To fully cripple them, both wings needed to be broken. But the fact that only one family was annihilated means there was a reason for that...¡± He raised the corners of his mouth in a wide grin, but it didn¡¯t seem like a truly joyful smile. His grin harbored a deep darkness Liv could hardly fathom. ¡°For instance, they may have known a secret they absolutely shouldn¡¯t have known.¡± Chapter 33 Emmett seemed to know something and interjected with a composed voice: ¡°I heard the current Emperor annihilated the entire Schulze family for learning His Majesty¡¯s secret.¡± ¡°Do you know what that secret was?¡± ¡°...He didn¡¯t disclose that much to me.¡± ¡°Ah, so even the great Duke doesn¡¯t know that part?¡± Hayden wore an expression that was hard to tell if he was disappointed or relieved as he said that. He looked upwards as if recalling the distant past. ¡°The current Emperor ascended seventeen years ago, when I was seven years old. Until then, I had been raised learning loyalty to the Gracia family.¡± Finally, he was starting the story. A fine one indeed. The gods began murmuring sounds as if they knew something, but Liv focused only on Hayden¡¯s words. ¡°From a very young age, I swore allegiance to the previous Emperor and Empress. More than just looking after a vassal family¡¯s members, they treated me well, and I followed them. I never doubted that I would live my life in loyalty to the Gracia family.¡± The more Liv heard him speak, the stranger she felt. Was it because of Hayden¡¯s somber and wistful expression, so unlike his usual indifference? Or was it because... ¡°When I was seven, the Empress had a child. That child would likely have become the future Emperor, the master I would have served my entire life.¡± The first to react was Hildegard. ¡°Ah yes, I¡¯ve heard the Empress passed away while pregnant. She was near her due date when she collapsed and died after receiving the news of the Emperor¡¯s demise...¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Why would the Empress die from simply hearing the news of the Emperor¡¯s death? Unable to understand the details she didn¡¯t know, Liv furrowed her brow. Hildegard then elaborated: ¡°The Emperor passed away from a heart attack, you see. At that time, the Empress had gone to a separate villa to prepare for childbirth. Not long after, she was found collapsed as well. However, those attending the Empress also died... so it remains a hushed matter.¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t it obvious the Empress was murdered?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it seems like, such an amusing tale.¡± Hayden replied to Liv¡¯s words with a humorless expression. ¡°Alright, let me explain about that childbirth first. Since the Gracia family lacked a proper male heir, if that child had been born, they would have become the sole heir to the imperial throne. However...¡± At that moment, Hayden¡¯s eyes shone with hatred. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The ones who assisted the Empress in childbirth weren¡¯t the palace servants, but our Schulze family. Those of the Gracia family, beloved by the Supreme God, were morally upright people. Thus, they believed only those who lived righteously and accumulated virtue could face a newborn child. We were the closest family to the imperial household, and we strove to live uprightly, so being allowed to see the child first was our privilege and honor.¡± As if guessing something, Hildegard¡¯s mouth fell open. Only Liv wore a perplexed expression, unable to follow the story alone. ¡°But during the childbirth, ruffians appeared and killed all the soldiers guarding the villa as well as our family members. I was small enough to survive by hiding among the corpses. The ruffians then abducted the Empress, who was in labor, and disappeared somewhere.¡± By now, Hayden¡¯s face had contorted into an even fiercer expression, but to Liv, his enraged face resembled that of someone crying. ¡°A few days later, I heard the news that the Emperor had passed away from a heart attack and the Steinberg family had become the new imperial line. Along with the news that the Empress¡¯s body had been found.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it clear the Steinberg family was behind this? Why were they able to ascend to the throne just like that?¡± ¡°At that time, many families supported the Steinbergs. The Emperor later killed off all the hunting dogs he had used, becoming the sole and absolute power holder now... But back then, the nobles only cared about their own interests.¡± Upon hearing that, Hildegard¡¯s face grew uneasy as she glanced around nervously. Despite no other ears present, she looked terrified. ¡°But, can we really discuss such matters... Questioning His Majesty¡¯s legitimacy is blasphemy.¡± ¡°Does that scum look sacred to you?¡± Hayden scoffed sardonically. ¡°He killed the previous Emperor, annihilated the legitimate imperial line that had lasted 200 years, and even stole my own master from me.¡± His eyes blazed with fury. ¡°After usurping the throne, does he still seem sacred to you?¡± While Hildegard could only open and close her mouth wordlessly, Emmett wore a grave expression. Liv could surmise why Emmett¡¯s face had hardened ¨C because of his exceptional loyalty to the Emperor. ¡°Wait, was there no chance the Empress gave birth to the child while abducted before her body was found?¡± The part that surprised Emmett seemed a bit different from what Liv had expected. In any case, seemingly satisfied that he knew a truth even Emmett, the Emperor¡¯s closest aide, was unaware of, Hayden curled his lips in a strange smile. ¡°Well, it¡¯s possible she did. But there¡¯s no way such a child would have been allowed to live anyway.¡± Emmett looked deep in contemplation, while Hildegard had been biting her nails in confusion for some time. ¡°But in any case, His Majesty¡¯s position is absolute... No, but if the succession process lacked legitimacy, couldn¡¯t that be used as grounds to stop his tyranny...¡± Since the current Emperor August had accumulated no real trust, Hildegard didn¡¯t seem particularly surprised by the crimes he had committed in the past. Everyone had already suspected the Steinberg family had violently usurped the throne. The higher nobles even suspected August had killed the previous Emperor himself during that process. So Hildegard was contemplating a different matter. She could keep her mouth shut and follow the absolute ruler that was the Emperor. But if she was dissatisfied with his tyranny, she could use the illegitimate succession as justification to remove him. The legitimacy of a succession was often rewritten by later generations. In place of the contemplative Hildegard and Emmett, Liv posed a question to Hayden: ¡°Are you absolutely certain the previous Emperor¡¯s death was murder?¡± ¡°Yes, they say it was a heart attack, but poison is more likely, isn¡¯t it? The ruffians even abducted the Empress, so I¡¯ve said enough.¡± As Hayden chuckled, Emmett, seeming to regain some composure, provided additional context for Liv: ¡°While the next Emperor was selected through deliberations of the Five Noble Houses, the Steinberg Grand Ducal House held the greatest power among them. They were the brother family to the Gracias before they became the imperial line, you see.¡± ¡°So of course the Steinberg family would succeed as the imperial line once the Gracias were gone.¡± In other words, the current Emperor had completely eliminated the Gracia line through underhanded means to secure the throne for himself. ¡°More than anything, I can¡¯t accept him stealing away the child who would have become my master.¡± As it seemed Liv now fully understood the past events, Hayden spoke in a pained voice: ¡°My life¡¯s purpose was to serve that child with loyalty. But overnight, the reason for my existence vanished. The object of the Schulze family¡¯s devotion disappeared without a trace.¡± After watching Hayden firmly bite his lip as he said that, Liv finally made up her mind. Emmett had told her to do as she wished, that he would support her desires. If so, then Liv would... ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I may not be much help, but I¡¯ll join your cause.¡± When Hayden first proposed it, Liv had thought it was nonsensical. But now it was different. Liv never forgot a favor, and if his justification was reasonable, she had no reason not to help Hayden. Thus, Liv decided to lend him her support. Hayden looked stunned at Liv¡¯s words, while Emmett, who had been watching them, said in an impassive voice: ¡°If that is Liv¡¯s wish, then I will follow her will.¡± ¡°Wh-What are you saying?¡± Hildegard cried out in a flustered voice. ¡°Toppling the current Emperor, is that even possible?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Saintess, aren¡¯t you?¡± Hayden spoke in a mocking yet simultaneously imploring tone. ¡°The Gracia family was famous for being beloved by the Supreme God. As a Saintess, shouldn¡¯t you avenge their resentment?¡± ¡°That may be so, but...¡± Hildegard had thought that as long as the current Emperor was recognized by the Supreme God, she had no choice but to accept it as a Saintess of the Faith. However, if his ascension to the throne had not been legitimate but rather a usurpation, the situation was different. For her to act as a ¡®Saintess¡¯, she should oppose the Steinberg family. ¡°...To be honest, I¡¯ve never approved of his tyranny.¡± The fact that he had eliminated the Gracia family, once beloved by the God, could serve as justification for someone to later usurp August¡¯s throne itself. After contemplating for a while, she raised her head with a resolute expression. ¡°This path seems better for my future life as well. I too will follow your will.¡± ¡°Ha, I never expected things to turn out like this.¡± Hayden let out an incredulous chuckle. ¡°At first, everyone was all desperate to kill me, and now you¡¯re offering to help instead.¡± ¡°...That was before we knew anything.¡± ¡°Alright, well, I appreciate your support going forward.¡± He smiled, his brown eyes harboring a deep resentment born from years of patience. ¡°We will definitely bring down the current Emperor.¡± * * * In the study of the Lartman Ducal residence, Emmett drummed the desk anxiously. ¡°The last descendant of the Gracia line, one whose very existence threatened imperial authority ¨C could it be...¡± It must not be. But if Emmett¡¯s suspicions were true... ¡°Damn it!¡± Emmett squeezed his eyes shut. He may have committed an unforgivable mistake against her. Chapter 34 4. The Girl Born in the Lowest Place ¡°Your Grace, is that rumor true?¡± The three men seated opposite Emmett, donning flamboyant patterned cloaks unusual for the capital, were vassals of the Lartman Ducal family. Though they had just arrived and could have rested longer, upon reaching the Lartman residence in the capital, the first thing they brought up with Emmett was: ¡°We¡¯ve heard rumors in the capital that Your Grace has fallen in love with some noble young lady.¡± ¡°That is...¡± Caught off guard that the rumor had already reached his vassals, Emmett was unable to continue speaking. One of the vassals spoke up in a small voice: ¡°And they say she¡¯s the fake Saintess...¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Another vassal¡¯s stern voice cut him off. ¡°What does her status matter? If His Grace likes her, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s better than the Duchy passing to some distant mongrel relative.¡± ¡°You make a fair point. I spoke too hastily.¡± Emmett had long rejected the marriages they had arranged for him, causing the vassals¡¯ concerns to deepen day by day. Of course, it wasn¡¯t out of the naive desire to simply marry a woman he loved that Emmett had rejected them. He had merely been excessively loyal to the Emperor, evading marriage as he intended to use it as a tool for the Emperor¡¯s sake. However, such things had become meaningless to him long ago, and he no longer intended to foolishly dedicate his life to the Emperor. When Emmett didn¡¯t refute their words, the vassals grew even more excited. Since they seemed unbothered whether Liv was truly the fake Saintess or not, Emmett let out a sigh. It didn¡¯t seem like he could easily calm them down. ¡°Wasn¡¯t she the first young lady His Grace invited as a partner to the estate?¡± ¡°And they say you even gave her the Ducal pendant!¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Isn¡¯t that practically a proposal of marriage?¡± Now they were gazing at Emmett with sparkling eyes. ¡°Your Grace, so you truly won¡¯t propose to her?¡± He could no longer remain silent. If he could provide a brief explanation of his situation to someone, it would be safest to disclose it to his vassals. Finally, Emmett slowly opened his mouth: ¡°If it were only up to me, I would wish to do so. If I could marry her and receive her love, I would want for nothing more.¡± ¡°Oh...!¡± ¡°But I have committed a grave wrong against her.¡± As Emmett fell into a pensive expression, the vassals exchanged glances. It seemed he had made some mistake based on his words... but they couldn¡¯t simply pass up this opportunity to have their lord marry. ¡°Your Grace, why not propose while conveying your apologies?¡± ¡°That lady has liked you for a long time too, so what¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°In fact, a proposal could be a good chance to convey your sincere feelings.¡± Those words, which didn¡¯t seem persuasive at all, strangely caused ripples in Emmett¡¯s heart. ¡®That¡¯s right, if I only avoid her, I can¡¯t find a chance to apologize...¡¯ Could he truly apologize to Liv? * * * ¡°No way, Sister will definitely accept his proposal, right?¡± Hildegard, with her pure innocent face, looked at Emmett with an exasperated expression. ¡°If you¡¯re not even going to propose to Sister Liv, why are you being so affectionate towards her? I really feel bad for Sister!¡± ¡°Is... Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s wrong to be affectionate without any intentions. That¡¯s just playing with her feelings.¡± The waves stirring in Emmett¡¯s heart from the stone thrown by his vassals were now being whipped into a raging storm by Hildegard¡¯s words fanning the flames. He hadn¡¯t considered it from that perspective. Could Liv think he was simply toying with her feelings as well? ¡°After all, Sister Liv can¡¯t marry anyone except the Duke of Lartman. Because there are relentless rumors in high society that the Duke loves her!¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if the Duke is obstructing Sister¡¯s marriage prospects. But our family wants to marry Sister Liv off somehow, so at this rate, she may end up as an elderly nobleman¡¯s concubine!¡± ¡°That cannot happen!¡± Emmett cried out loudly without realizing it: ¡°Such a thing must never happen!¡± ¡°Exactly, so hurry up and propose to her already!¡± Hildegard was looking at Emmett with an irreverent gaze, as if regarding a fool. Her previous demeanor of respecting the high-ranking noble Emmett had completely vanished. In Hildegard¡¯s eyes, he seemed inept when it came to such matters of love. ¡°Sheesh, looking at the Duke of Lartman, I¡¯m getting so exasperated...¡± ¡®I know Liv¡¯s heart. But do I have the right to propose to her?¡¯ Under Hildegard¡¯s piercing stare, Emmett fell into serious contemplation. At first, he had thought even proposing to Liv was a sin. But after hearing Hildegard¡¯s words, not proposing seemed to cause her more distress. Considering the circumstances, perhaps he did have the right to propose to Liv... Upon realizing that, Emmett felt an unusually elated sensation. Just imagining Liv accepting his proposal set his heart racing. ¡®Yes, proposing may be the right thing to do.¡¯ He loved Liv Hamelsvoort. This was an undeniable fact. Until now, his relationship with Liv had become complexly intertwined over a long period, and Emmett harbored various emotions towards her. When he had first met Liv, he had been fond of her. But seeing her incomprehensible aspects, he had also viewed her as selfish at times. However... ¡®The divine punishment.¡¯ After experiencing that, Emmett couldn¡¯t help but love Liv. To be honest, he wanted to make Liv his own. Especially when Hayden appeared, he felt that desire even more strongly. Hayden¡¯s strange interest in Liv had indeed caused Emmett to feel a sense of crisis. He couldn¡¯t remain idle any longer. In the time Emmett hesitated to express his love for Liv due to his guilt, her heart might change, and she could end up marrying another man. ...No matter how firmly he resolved not to expect anything from her, Emmett simply couldn¡¯t imagine Liv being with another man. No, just the thought felt like his heart was being torn to shreds. Liv whispering words of love to another man, being held in his embrace. Gazing at him with yearning, affectionate eyes... ¡®Damn it.¡¯ In an instant, Emmett¡¯s expression contorted. He couldn¡¯t allow such a thing to happen. Emmett wanted Liv in his possession. He wanted to hold her in his arms, to be the only one qualified to whisper love to her. ¡®This is my selfish desire. But even if I must atone, I want to stay by her side.¡¯ Finally, he seemed to gradually grasp the mindset he should adopt. * * * Along the path leading to the estate, lined with stone pillars sparkling like embedded jewels under the sunlight, Liv shyly smiled as she set foot on the grounds. As Liv alighted from the carriage, as usual, Emmett escorted her into the Ducal manor¡¯s garden. Occasionally, Emmett would pick flowers from the backyard for Liv and teach her their names, so Liv expected he would do the same today. Even the perpetually overcast Holy Hilysid Empire seemed to have welcomed spring, with the sky a dazzling blue hue, and Liv felt unparalleled happiness amid this familiar, tranquil day. However, instead of showing her flowers, Emmett took Liv¡¯s hands in his and gazed at her with a solemn expression. ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There is something I wish to tell you. Will you hear me out?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As Liv answered with eyes sparkling as if an angel had sprinkled stardust on them, Emmett swallowed thickly before continuing: ¡°I want to help you bring down the Emperor... No, the current Emperor.¡± ¡°Ah yes, you said as much before.¡± ¡°These words come from my sincere heart once more. Not merely following your wishes, but I too genuinely desire to topple the Emperor.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°...Do you not detest the Emperor?¡± At those words, Liv tilted her head as if unable to comprehend the question and answered: ¡°Well, you said he forcibly usurped the place of the previous Emperor. In that regard, I think the Emperor was in the wrong.¡± ¡°...¡± For some reason, upon hearing her response, Emmett seemed to close his eyes in anguish before meeting Liv¡¯s gaze again and speaking: ¡°You have the right to be angry at the Emperor. That right is also the reason I have come to feel this way.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°At the same time, I want to make you happy.¡± At those words, Liv shyly lowered her head in embarrassment. Whenever he treated her kindly, Liv didn¡¯t know how to respond. Her heart would race until it felt like bursting, heat would spread through her body, her hands would tremble uncontrollably, words wouldn¡¯t come out properly, and she would feel embarrassed meeting his gaze. Liv didn¡¯t know how to control these feelings, but she thought this state wasn¡¯t unpleasant at all. Whenever she felt these emotions, Liv was reminded once again that she was a living, breathing human. ¡°...Going forward, I want to remain by your side for life, protecting you. I will restore everything to you and make you happy, as I promised before.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°So I wish to say these words to you.¡± Emmett reached into the bushes and presented Liv with a bouquet of pale pink roses. Liv accepted the bouquet with flushed cheeks. ¡®Oh, wait, this is...¡¯ Liv¡¯s eyes widened as if realizing something. For this situation was undoubtedly, according to what she had learned from the gods long ago... ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Will you marry me?¡± Yes, anyone could see this was clearly a scene of a marriage proposal. Receiving a proposal from the one she loved was something Liv had dreamed of since long ago. For she considered being promised marriage by her beloved the most beautiful thing of all... For a long while, Liv gazed down at the pale pink rose bouquet in her hands. Of course, her heart longed to immediately accept Emmett¡¯s proposal. But before that, there was something Liv had to do. ¡°Emmett.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There is one thing I want to ask.¡± Liv, who usually smiled brightly before Emmett, now regarded him with a serious expression. ¡°Do you love me?¡± ¡°I...¡± At that moment, Emmett¡¯s lips, about to give an answer, didn¡¯t move. With a shocked expression, he could only open and close his mouth wordlessly before finally closing it. Seeing that, Liv gave him a melancholic smile. ¡°You don¡¯t love me, do you.¡± Chapter 35 It was a fact Liv had keenly felt all along, but this confirmed it. Unlike Hildegard¡¯s fuss, Emmett still didn¡¯t love Liv. It was true that Emmett¡¯s attitude had noticeably changed. However, what he held for Liv was likely just pity. Having witnessed ¡®that scene¡¯ during the divine punishment, he probably pitied her. What Emmett felt for Liv was not love, but a sense of responsibility. Not love, but pity. Not love, but regret. His proposal of marriage to Liv didn¡¯t contain even a speck of love. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not hurt.¡± Though Liv smiled brightly in a manner unsuited to the situation, it resembled such a contrived smile that Emmett couldn¡¯t bring himself to return it with a smile of his own. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t misunderstand your feelings. I won¡¯t overstep.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Then there is one more thing I wish to ask.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°If you married me, would it be a painful thing for you?¡± ¡°What is that supposed to...¡± ¡°It would be miserable to marry a woman you don¡¯t love, wouldn¡¯t it? Would marrying me be an unpleasant thing for you?¡± At those words, Emmett wore an expression resembling both regret and endurance, shaking his head fervently. ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Liv, please...¡± Emmett grasped Liv¡¯s hand with an expression more earnest than ever before. ¡°I cannot say that I love you, but my desire to marry you is sincere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... difficult to understand.¡± ¡°This is... the only way for me to atone to you.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Liv understand Emmett¡¯s feelings. Emmett harbored apologetic feelings towards her. And for him, marrying Liv was a way he could atone. If Liv possessed the straightforward temperament of Hildegard, she wouldn¡¯t have accepted his proposal here. For she knew that a loveless marriage would only cause Emmett distress. However, Liv chose to make her first selfish choice since birth. She wanted Emmett to be on her side. Even if it meant he would miss the chance to meet his life¡¯s partner and live happily, she wished to have an official relationship with him that was acknowledged by all. Liv smiled brightly at Emmett, who was gripping her hand earnestly, and answered: ¡°Alright, I will marry you.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± Even Emmett, who had proposed to her, seemed to not have expected that response, his face showing surprise. ¡°I know you don¡¯t love me. You don¡¯t have to tell me you¡¯ll love me for life. I just have the selfish desire to marry you. That¡¯s enough for me.¡± ¡°Even so... you will marry me?¡± ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s you who will marry me. Yes. If you harbor feelings of regret towards me, then at least marry me. I will be satisfied with that.¡± ¡°You need not say such things...¡± Emmett wore a more flustered expression than ever before. Usually, Liv would have noticed his demeanor, but overwhelmed by her bittersweet feelings, she lacked the mental capacity to scrutinize Emmett¡¯s expression. ¡®Liv, be satisfied with this. After all, you¡¯re marrying him, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Marrying Emmett had been Liv¡¯s greatest wish since long ago. Then why did she feel so strange? ¡®No, Liv. You must be satisfied with this much.¡¯ She recalled the past. The helpless days when she could do nothing. Back then, even the most trivial things seemed like miracles to Liv in the eyes of others. Thinking that way, she felt she could somewhat control this bittersweet feeling. Seeing Emmett¡¯s dejected expression, as always, Liv smiled brightly. * * * ¡°Liv...¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After formally sending a letter to the Hamelsvoort family, Emmett returned to his study. And now, he was agonizing with his head resting on the desk. When he raised his head again, his eyes were bloodshot red. ¡°Why, why couldn¡¯t I say those words!¡± He had originally intended to whisper words of love to Liv. Along with his proposal, he had planned to tell her that he loved her more than anyone else in this world, and would continue to do so. But at that moment, his mouth wouldn¡¯t move. The sensation of his body not obeying his will. Unless some sudden illness had afflicted him, the reason was clear. It was the divine punishment. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me this was its meaning!¡± Emmett cried out towards the empty space, hoping the gods would hear his voice. He hadn¡¯t known if the divine punishment he had received in the past held this meaning. He couldn¡¯t have imagined it meant he would be unable to utter words of love before Liv. As he was flustered by this utter mess, Liv surprisingly accepted his proposal of marriage. That fact only made Emmett feel more wretched. For it meant she loved him that much. Would his relationship with Liv be restored through marriage? Emmett already knew the answer. ¡®It will only become more of a mess...¡¯ Liv, living with a husband who can¡¯t say he loves her, could never be happy. In the end, he would only plunge Liv back into unhappiness. ¡°I was a fool, Liv... If I could return to the past, I wouldn¡¯t have acted that way.¡± Emmett wished he could erase all the wrongs he had committed against Liv in the past. But more than anything, what tormented him was the fact that his past self had made those mistakes entirely of his own choice. Without thinking he would come to regret it like this, Emmett had foolishly acted. The ¡®past¡¯ was a topic both Liv and Emmett had avoided discussing. Talking about the past would inevitably mean acknowledging the uncomfortable transgressions Emmett had committed. However, the time had come to face reality. He had committed such a grave wrong against Liv, and that transgression would never disappear forever. Finally, he began recalling what had happened when he underwent the divine punishment. * * * Why did our beloved child die? Inflict divine punishment. Punishment! Punishment! Punishment! Though he had certainly thought he was shot, when Emmett regained his senses, he found himself floating in an entirely black space. ¡®What happened?¡¯ He recalled the last thing he had seen. Liv Hamelsvoort dying before him while splattering blood, the crumbling world, and the enraged, bizarre entities. Having witnessed that sight with human eyes, there was no way he could still be alive. ¡®Is this the afterlife?¡¯ Emmett hoped the Emperor had at least survived unharmed. If the Emperor had died, he might fall into hell for failing to protect his master to the end. Of course, if that happened, Emmett was prepared to accept it. As he resigned himself to the death that had befallen him in the void, the voice of a god rang out once more. The blood of the child I love has spilled upon you. ¡®The child they love?¡¯ He furrowed his brow, then realized the world had crumbled after Liv Hamelsvoort¡¯s death. Then... ¡®This world revolves around Liv Hamelsvoort?¡¯ But that was truly difficult to accept. At that moment, the immense voice of a god overwhelmed his body once more. Insolent one. Do you doubt our love? ¡°Ugh!¡± He groaned, feeling as if crushed under the weight of a massive building. ¡®Just what is this...?¡¯ Momentarily immobilized by the overwhelming voice, he soon realized it was the same voice he had heard before the world¡¯s demise. In other words... the voice of God. ¡®The reason the gods raged was because the child they loved died.¡¯ And who was that ¡®beloved child¡¯? The one who had foreseen those events unfolding before him, uttering strange words as if in a trance before taking her own life... ¡®Liv Hamelsvoort?¡¯ The moment he arrived at the truth the world had been hiding, his mind raced as ¡®that fact¡¯ became embedded in his brain like an innate human instinct, an absolute axiom. Liv Hamelsvoort is beloved by all the gods. As if to confirm the realization he had gained was the truth, the voices of the gods echoed all around him. Inflict divine punishment upon this one. Make him suffer dreadful torment. And at that moment, one immense voice tore through the space. I have a good idea. With his head feeling like it would split from the pain, Emmett squeezed his eyes shut. Did this mean Liv Hamelsvoort had been living while receiving the love of these entities? Let us have this one save the child we love. How? By sending him to that time. The correct answer. Send him! Along with those words, Emmett¡¯s vision began to melt away as his body gradually turned transparent. ¡®Am I dying?¡¯ However, the next time he opened his eyes, he found himself on a dark, stone floor. ¡°What is this?¡± Emmett tried moving his lips, but no voice came out. His transparent hands couldn¡¯t grasp anything. It was as if he had become a ghost. But according to the gods¡¯ words, it seemed they hadn¡¯t killed him, but rather ¡®inflicted divine punishment¡¯... ¡®Is existing in this ghostly state the punishment?¡¯ First, he decided to survey his surroundings. However, it was so utterly dark that nothing could be seen. Only the humid air indicated he was trapped inside some stone structure. It wasn¡¯t until his vision adjusted to the darkness that Emmett could discern his location. He was in some dark underground prison-like place. However, no path leading out of the prison area was visible. Then, the voice of a god rang out once more. This place is Abgrund. The worst prison on earth, Abgrund. Since he had heard there was no greater punishment than being imprisoned in Abgrund, it wasn¡¯t strange for the gods to have sent him there. Sitting there alone, Emmett began to reflect on the situation he found himself in. He had received divine punishment for the reason that the blood of Liv Hamelsvoort, the child beloved by the gods, had spilled upon him. A punishment with no foreseeable end. ¡®Liv Hamelsvoort... is beloved by the gods?¡¯ Just what form did the gods¡¯ love for her take? For what reason was the one called the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ beloved by the gods? As he pondered this while surveying his surroundings, he ended up discovering someone he hadn¡¯t expected to find there. A girl with disheveled white hair snapped her head up. Even in the darkness, the girl¡¯s eyes shone red. Abgrund. The deepest underground. A place the gods¡¯ grace cannot reach. The lowest place in this world. There, Liv Hamelsvoort was present. * * * The gods are merciless and capricious. How could a human ever fathom the gods¡¯ minds? However, one undeniable fact. The gods love the one born in the lowest place. Chapter 36 ¡°Why, why is Liv Hamelsvoort there...¡± He must have seen incorrectly. Why would Liv Hamelsvoort, beloved by the gods, be in this prison? He moved his transparent body in an unfamiliar manner, approaching closer to Liv Hamelsvoort. She was gazing vacantly into the empty space. Her once-white dress, now turned yellowish, was close to rags. Her white hair, appearing ashen in the darkness, was tangled in disarray. Dried tears clung to the corners of her eyes, and her lips were cracked and parched. More than anything, what made her seem so unfamiliar was the utter lack of vitality in her eyes, which had always regarded him with a sparkling light. No, she was seated in an awkward posture and wearing an unfamiliar expression, to the point where he could hardly believe she was human. As he surveyed her with a perplexed gaze, he noticed something strange. First, she didn¡¯t seem like someone newly imprisoned here. She looked like someone who had spent an extremely long time in this prison. Secondly, she appeared younger than the Liv Hamelsvoort he knew. While her severely emaciated body contributed to her youthful appearance, her bone structure itself looked different from what he was familiar with. Perhaps because his body was transparent, Liv Hamelsvoort didn¡¯t seem to notice him as his lips parted wordlessly in confusion. Then, the voice of a god rang out once more. You have come to the past Abgrund. ¡°The past Abgrund?¡± Then did this mean Liv Hamelsvoort had been imprisoned in this prison in the past? It was even more nonsensical. He had never heard any story of Liv Hamelsvoort being imprisoned here. If that were the case, he surely would have known about it as well. Since the current Emperor August¡¯s ascension, he had never imprisoned any criminal in Abgrund. No, the same was true even during the previous Emperor¡¯s reign, and the one before that. Abgrund was a prison to confine only those who committed the gravest crimes bordering on treason. In recent times, imprisoning a human in Abgrund was considered a dreadful punishment that would prevent them from ever being saved, even after death. So Abgrund itself had gone long unused. This place is Abgrund, a realm the gods¡¯ power cannot reach. As if sensing Emmett¡¯s doubts, the god¡¯s voice continued. We wish to save the child we love, but can¡¯t. So we brought you here under the pretext of divine punishment, through a bit of trickery. ¡°Ah.¡± Save our beloved child from this place. That is the divine punishment we inflict upon you. As the voice seemed to recede once more following those words, Emmett hastily called out: ¡°Wait! Why is Liv Hamelsvoort imprisoned here?¡± My child is here. The god¡¯s voice descended upon his head. Because her existence alone threatens someone¡¯s position. Leaving behind those words, the god¡¯s voice faded away once more. Emmett could only sit there with a blank expression. ¡°Someone¡¯s position, you say... Only His Majesty the Emperor has the authority to imprison people in Abgrund.¡± Then it meant Liv¡¯s existence threatened the Emperor¡¯s position, and for that reason, the Emperor had chosen to imprison her here. ¡®His Majesty the Emperor imprisoned Liv Hamelsvoort here?¡¯ Why? Confusion began to insidiously consume Emmett. * * * The child lay on the floor, rolling around. When she felt her clothes starting to tear from the friction against the ground, she sat upright again. But soon, unbearable boredom overtook her, and she crawled towards the small hole below the ceiling. The underground prison she was confined in had no exits, but there was a tiny hole in the ceiling. Just large enough for a finger to barely fit through. Of course, the ceiling was too high for her stature to actually reach and insert a finger into the hole. As she sat beneath the hole, bright light streaming down from the sky landed on her head. The warmth on her crown brought her comfort, and she let out a soft giggle. ¡°Are you there?¡± We are always by your side. Our beloved child. From a time long before she could remember, she had been continually imprisoned in this underground prison. To be precise, she had been confined here since the moment of her birth. Originally, Abgrund was a place the gods¡¯ power could not reach. Fortunately, thanks to the single hole in the ceiling, she could converse with the gods. ¡°I want to try eating food.¡± She mumbled those words. ¡°What does it feel like? Is it very different from swallowing saliva?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course you will experience it in time, child. You will encounter it in the future. She had never consumed food or drank water, yet she could still sustain her life. That too was thanks to the gods¡¯ power. Through the small hole, the gods exerted their weakest power, which was keeping Liv alive. Thanks to that, the child could live in the underground prison without any physiological functions. However, she wanted to try eating food. While occasionally drinking raindrops falling through the hole was enjoyable, she had heard food provided an even more wondrous sensation. Suddenly feeling gloomy, she pouted her lips. When would she ever be able to leave this prison? From her earliest memory until now, she had been continuously confined here. Would she ultimately meet her demise in this place? ¡°Why do you love me?¡± She petulantly asked that question, and the gods collectively transmitted their voices. Because you were born in the lowest place. ¡°Mm...¡± According to the gods¡¯ claims, this place unreachable by the gods¡¯ grace was the lowest realm in the world. And all the gods loved the one residing in the lowest place, so they naturally came to love her. In fact, her earliest memory was of the gods calling her ¡®my beloved child.¡¯ At that time, she hadn¡¯t even understood the meaning behind those words. It hadn¡¯t been many years since she began using language. Through thousands of repetitions, she had deduced that the word referring to herself was ¡®child¡¯, this place was called a ¡®prison¡¯, and they were ¡®gods.¡¯ They explained what terms referred to the things she turned her gaze towards. Among them, she liked the word ¡®light¡¯ the most. The gods also described things she had never experienced. For instance, they said ¡®eating¡¯ involved putting food into one¡¯s mouth, moving the lower jaw, and then swallowing. But she still couldn¡¯t quite grasp the concept, as she didn¡¯t know what ¡®food¡¯ was. And the gods told her there were various types of languages, and the one she had learned was called Hilysid. Since she lived in the Holy Hilysid Empire, the gods¡¯ words were naturally conveyed to her in Hilysid language. ¡°Why am I imprisoned here?¡± Though she knew the reason, she still asked the gods that question. The child enjoyed the ancient tales the gods told her, and this was essentially her daily routine. In response to her question, the Supreme God of the Holy Church answered: It is because the one who presumes to rule over humans fears you. Previously, the gods had explained that the human ruler was called the ¡®Emperor.¡¯ However, they didn¡¯t refer to him as Emperor, instead using names like ¡®traitor¡¯, ¡®aberrant one¡¯, ¡®vile one¡¯ ¨C basically, anyone the gods spoke of negatively could be assumed to be the Emperor. That evil one made your mother give birth to you in this place. Because he feared you would receive my blessing. He tried to kill you, but ultimately couldn¡¯t. For I used every ounce of my power to protect you. If he tried to stab you with a blade, the blade would deflect. If he tried to drown you, the water would evaporate. If he dropped you from a height, leaves would sprout and cushion your fall to save you. ¡°What¡¯s a blade?¡± A sharp tool used to kill people, child. ¡°If it¡¯s sharp, like my nails?¡± Yes, far more painful than that. After answering her question, the god continued explaining: Unable to kill you through any means, that vile one decided to imprison you here, never to open the prison door again. ¡°Mm... So does that person think I¡¯m dead?¡± He likely knows you are an undying existence. She blinked as she thought about the ¡®Emperor.¡¯ The child didn¡¯t particularly dislike him. Unable to easily imagine life outside the prison, she couldn¡¯t even grasp how much he had taken from her. She simply lacked any friendly feelings towards him, as the gods seemed to hate the Emperor. I expended all my power protecting you, so I can¡¯t let you leave this place. ¡°But that¡¯s okay! This is enough for me. To begin with, I don¡¯t really know if any space exists outside of here... In fact, even if you lied to me and said only this prison and I exist in the world, I could believe that.¡± My good child. Seemingly satisfied with Liv¡¯s response, the god¡¯s voice sounded softer than before. The wind blowing in through the hole caressed her hair. The moment you first cried in this place, all the gods came to love you. Chapter 37 ¡°Mm.¡± That one committed a foolish mistake. If you had been born outside, you would have received love from only a single god. But now, being born here, you receive the love of them all. ¡°What is the ¡®mistake¡¯?¡± A mistake refers to acting incorrectly. For instance, trying to catch rainwater in your hands on a rainy day, but spilling it by accident. ¡°Ahh, I see.¡± As she nodded, the god spoke in an voice more immense than ever before: But remember, child. Although you are in the lowest place now, the day will come when you reclaim your rightful position. ¡°My position?¡± The highest place in the world. The place where you, the last descendant of the Gracia family, should have remained. ¡°That¡¯s my position? Will I really get there?¡± Indeed. Simultaneously, the voices of the other gods rang out together. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [For you receive our love.] Even after hearing the gods¡¯ words, she seemed indifferent. No matter how much they spoke of the highest place in the world, her position had always been on this hard, cold stone floor, so it was only natural she couldn¡¯t feel anything. Child, when you leave this place, come to the sacred grounds. Yes, there you will gain the power to take revenge on that evil one. While we can¡¯t directly kill the aberrant one, we can lend you our power. ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in that...¡± She gazed at the tightly sealed door in one corner of the prison. That door was locked from the outside and hadn¡¯t opened even once since she entered this place. In fact, she couldn¡¯t even properly comprehend the concept of ¡®opening¡¯ in the first place. ¡°Will that door ever open in my lifetime?¡± Their intention was likely to kill you by imprisoning you here, or even if you didn¡¯t die, to make you live out your entire life in this place. ¡°So there¡¯s no way for me to get out?¡± A chance will come eventually, my child. ¡°I don¡¯t need a chance like that...¡± She let her body flop back as she spoke. Her eyes, devoid of any light, seemed to have lost interest in conversing with the gods. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll just live my whole life here.¡± Of course, the child was extremely curious about the outside world. But living in this place wasn¡¯t particularly torturous for her. From the very beginning, living like this had been so natural that she couldn¡¯t even imagine a different life. ¡°If I do get out, wouldn¡¯t that mean the Emperor is trying to kill me?¡± That one cannot kill you. For we are exerting our power to protect you. After the gods competed to emphasize just how devoted they were to her, they abruptly changed the subject. We are protecting you from death. But what if we employed a different method instead of keeping you in this prison? Which is? To allow you to die, but have that world be destroyed and time rewound whenever you die. And in exchange, inflict divine punishment upon those who caused your death. Excellent. Truly destructive. It seems better to utilize our power in that way. The gods seemed satisfied, but unable to comprehend their words, she simply continued rolling around on the floor. ¡®What should I do today...?¡¯ Seeing the darkness beyond the hole give way to light, it was clearly the start of a new morning. She didn¡¯t sleep at set times or maintain a regular daily routine. Still, contemplating how to pass each day was a chore. ¡®Today, I should ask the god of the Lufahidism faith to read me their scripture.¡¯ The moment she had that thought, an intense, burning pain spread through her entire body. ¡°Ah, ah...¡± Unable to even scream, she collapsed and writhed on the floor. Her vocal cords felt scorched, preventing any sound from coming out. With bloodshot eyes, she conveyed her thoughts to the gods through the empty space. ¡®Another mark.¡¯ How helpless and powerless I feel, unable to do anything. Once we regain our power, we will kill that one. She had heard from the gods that the Emperor was using ancient sorcery. It is necessary to know that in the past, while fighting against demons to protect humans, the Supreme God of the Holy Church cut off a part of his divine body and scattered it across the land. Those severed portions became sacred artifacts imbued with holy power, allowing humans who possessed them to wield transcendental abilities. However, it was only natural that using the Supreme God¡¯s portions for impure purposes would incur a price. Those who dared use the sacred artifacts for evil would have an invisible mark branded upon them after death, to show their sinful nature. And this branding process inflicted excruciating pain upon the human recipient. The Emperor was using evil methods to transfer those marks onto others. And the one receiving those marks, unable to die no matter what, was her ¨C the last descendant of the Gracia family. Though she received the gods¡¯ love and need not worry about the afterlife, the marks still brought immediate torment. Unable to endure the agony, she clawed at the floor until her nails tore off. Thinking it would be easier to just lose consciousness under the mark¡¯s weight, Liv sobbed tearlessly. * * * At that moment, Emmett was kneeling before Liv. He tried to move his lips to speak to her, but not only could she not hear his voice, he couldn¡¯t even find the words to say. He had heard Liv conversing with the gods. Since he couldn¡¯t hear the gods¡¯ voices, it appeared Liv was simply muttering to herself. Still, he could vaguely discern her situation. ¡®She has lived her entire life imprisoned here?¡¯ Since birth until now? Liv seemed to know nothing of the outside world. To live one¡¯s whole life confined to this dark space would be a horrific torture, one Emmett could hardly imagine. Yet Liv had endured that time. Liv was once a woman Emmett had taken a liking to. Though he disliked admitting it, the truth was he had been drawn to her from the first time he saw her at that banquet ¨C with her white hair and deep pink eyes, she had reminded him of an adorable little rabbit. After that, he had become entangled in conversations with the eccentric Liv and grew sympathetic towards her circumstances. While he pitied her, the feelings he developed for Liv didn¡¯t end at mere sympathy. At the same time, behind her bright and lively demeanor, there was a melancholic side that piqued his interest. Slowly, as they spent more time together, Emmett found himself gradually growing fond of her, without even realizing it. However, due to their clashing values and her willingness to throw away her life, Emmett ultimately distanced himself from her. It seemed he wasn¡¯t someone capable of accepting Liv. Even after that, her unchanged attitude of constantly pursuing him only caused Emmett to become more exasperated with Liv. Yet despite growing apart from Liv, the fact remained that he had once held affection for her. Seeing her suffering such torment, he too felt pained by extension. Even witnessing a complete stranger living their whole life imprisoned would be distressing, so it was only natural to feel more discomfited when the person had a prior connection. He had thought Liv came from an ordinary slum background before being admitted to the Hamelsvoort family, like Hildegard. But who could have imagined she had lived such a wretched existence in Abgrund? ¡°Is there no way to let Miss Hamelsvoort out of this place?¡± He even tried addressing the gods, but received no response. In the end, he spent his time watching as Liv muttered to herself and aimlessly moved about. At the same time, he reflected on his past interactions with Liv. -Actually, I quite enjoyed dancing with Miss Hamelsvoort... As he reminisced about the past, some realization seemed to dawn on him as he covered his face with his hand. ¡°Ah!¡± -Why do we have to be polite in front of His Majesty the Emperor? -It¡¯s only natural since he is like the sun looking down upon the imperial citizens. There had been a reason behind Liv¡¯s strange questioning about the Emperor. The one who had imprisoned her in this place was the Emperor himself. Yet before Liv, Emmett had defended him. -Miss Liv, that question is challenging the authority of His Majesty the Emperor. You must never ask such a question in front of others.¡± -...I¡¯m sorry. -It¡¯s not a matter to apologize to me. But if you speak like that in front of others, you could be imprisoned. Perhaps you could even be imprisoned in Abgrund. He had threatened Liv that defying the Emperor could lead to imprisonment in Abgrund. When she had already been imprisoned there once before. -Miss Liv, death is not close to you, and above all, death is not that scary. It¡¯s a process that everyone inevitably goes through. If Liv died, this world would crumble. At that time, Liv had likely known that fact. The obvious statements Emmett had made to Liv held somewhat different meanings from her perspective. Realizing how she must have perceived his words, he sighed heavily. ¡°Ahh...¡± Chapter 38 How could the situation have become so tangled? No, in truth, this was a problem that wouldn¡¯t have occurred if he had known her a bit better. And yet she was a woman he had once taken a liking to ¨C now that he thought about it, there was so much he didn¡¯t know about Liv. In the past, he had thought Liv was strange for having standards different from others¡¯. But looking back, that was only natural for her. Liv had been imprisoned in the worst prison, Abgrund, since her birth. If not for the gods who loved her, she might have truly gone insane. It must have been difficult for her to learn language, to move her body like others, and above all, to interact with people. She must have found humans unfamiliar. Yet at the same time, she must have liked humans... ¡°The Fake Saintess.¡± Recalling that title attached to Liv, he could only feel more pity for her. Liv was truly bearing the gods¡¯ love alone for the sake of the entire world. And yet people had arbitrarily called her a Saintess, only to then strip her of that position. The very humans Liv had been so curious about ¨C the first she encountered treated her with hatred and derision, shattering her expectations. How deeply wounded Liv must have felt as her hopes were crushed. After remaining motionless for a while, overwhelmed, he finally went and sat beside Liv, who was fidgeting with her hands alone. ¡°Is there an order for adding? It doesn¡¯t matter? Aha, so like this...¡± It seemed Liv was learning arithmetic from the gods. She moved her fingers this way and that, then nodded as if realizing something. However, the vibrancy from before was still absent from her face. ¡°Then how do you subtract? You can¡¯t subtract a larger number from a smaller one?¡± His lips twitched, wanting to speak to her, but there was no point in directing unheard words at her now. If only the divine punishment would end and he could return to his own time, then he would treat her better than ever before... But there was no guarantee he could return, and for some reason, Emmett felt more concerned about Liv¡¯s imprisonment here than the punishment he himself had to undergo. At that moment, space trembled amidst a thunderous sound. Are you listening? ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m listening!¡± Hurriedly answering the voice that reverberated in his mind, worried it might disappear, Emmett spoke quickly. By inflicting divine punishment and bringing you here, we have expended all our power. Time is merely a resource for us. Our past and future selves are one. Employing the ¡®pretext of divine punishment¡¯ to bring you to this place beyond our reach consumed great power. ¡°Then can¡¯t your power be used to rescue Miss Liv from here?¡± That is now your task. You must save our child. ¡°But in my current state, I can¡¯t do anything!¡± When Emmett cried out in an anxious voice, silence followed before the voice responded: Soon, we will recover some of our power. Then we can give form to your body. Once the divine punishment ends, you will return to your world to live your life. After hearing those words from the gods, Emmett felt a glimmer of hope. This divine punishment too would eventually end, and he might be able to help Liv. If he returned to his original world and Liv was alive there, then he would treat her better than ever before. Now that he knew she had been imprisoned in Abgrund, he would teach her everything she didn¡¯t know, one by one. He pitied Liv, and felt a sense of responsibility as the only one aware of the truth about her past. If he returned, he would uncover why the Emperor had imprisoned Liv and dispel others¡¯ misunderstandings about her. With no one to converse with, he increasingly found himself muttering alone as time dragged on. While the hours ticked by, Emmett continued watching over Liv by her side, talking to himself. ¡°What does the sun look like?¡± ¡°It shines as brilliantly as Liv¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Blood is red? Then can I hurt myself to see?¡± ¡°Please do not, Liv.¡± The time waiting for his body to regain form felt unbearably long. He wished to appear before Liv as soon as possible, to converse with her directly, to comfort her in person. After an innumerable number of sunbeams had shone on Liv and faded away, there came a day. It was daytime, but as if beckoning sleep, Liv lay down and closed her eyes. Emmett looked down at Liv¡¯s sleeping face. With her deep pink irises hidden, leaving only her pale complexion visible, she now resembled an inanimate sculpture more than a human. Worried if she still lived, Emmett found himself checking to see if she breathed. At that moment, Liv abruptly sprang up from her spot, passing through Emmett¡¯s body. As it was the first time she had phased through him like that, the strange sensation made Emmett glance down at his own body instinctively. Meanwhile, Liv stood upright as if unaffected. ¡®Did she wake up from sleeping?¡¯ Emmett watched Liv with a perplexed gaze. Her sudden rising seemed odd. With half-lidded eyes, Liv began stumbling in one direction. As there was a wall in her path, she soon collided with it. Seemingly unable to feel pain, Liv placed her hand against the wall and began circling the underground prison, following its perimeter. ¡°Liv?¡± Emmett called out her name, but of course, his voice couldn¡¯t reach her. Liv circled the narrow underground prison once, twice... ten times, always tracing the walls. By the middle, even Emmett realized something was amiss. While Liv occasionally walked aimlessly around the cramped underground area out of boredom, repeatedly circling the walls seemed strange. Liv continued circling, her right hand scraping against the jagged stone walls until it became wounded, yet she seemed unperturbed. Emmett followed alongside Liv, carefully observing her. And finally, he realized something. ¡°Ah.¡± Liv was asleep. So this was a kind of sleepwalking. While Emmett lacked professional medical knowledge, he knew that people could experience sleepwalking during periods of psychological instability. Conservative thinkers claimed it was a punishment from the gods, but Emmett didn¡¯t believe such an antiquated superstition. Above all, there was no reason for the gods to punish Liv. Emmett could only watch Liv with a pained gaze, unable to do anything else. How stifling must her imprisonment in Abgrund be to drive her to such behavior? Simultaneously, fury towards the Emperor began to boil within him. He still didn¡¯t fully understand Liv¡¯s existence. But how could imprisoning an innocent child in this sunless prison possibly be justified? Finally, when droplets of blood began falling from Liv¡¯s wounded hand scraped by the walls, Emmett sank to the floor. ¡°Ahh...¡± Yes, this was truly divine punishment. To witness the pitiful, agonizing past of someone he had callously mistreated was a more dreadful punishment than anything. As Emmett began feeling remorseful, at last, Liv opened her eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± Blinking in bewilderment as she surveyed her surroundings, she discovered her abraded hand and let out a scream. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m hurt! They said this is an ¡®injury¡¯! I can see the red blood too!¡± Liv began rambling, as if conversing with the gods. ¡°Red means the same as crimson? You say I need to stop the blood?¡± Finally, once her conversation with the gods seemed to end, Liv closed her mouth and lay back down in her original spot where light streamed through the ceiling hole. Then, for some reason, she licked her palm. ¡°This is the bitter taste? I should have tried it sooner!¡± Grumbling, she licked her palm before falling asleep with her hand still by her mouth. As if to adjust Liv¡¯s uncomfortable posture, Emmett realized there was nothing he could do. Yes, he could do nothing. Not converse with Liv, nor wake her from her abnormal sleepwalking behavior. If he had known this would happen, he should have treated Liv better in the original timeline. He endlessly reflected on his foolish past ¨C no, his future self. ¡°Liv...¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When she awoke, no light streamed through the hole anymore. ¡°Oh, clouds!¡± Liv exclaimed, straining to see more of the outside through the tiny hole. ¡°Then it will rain now!¡± Hearing those words, Emmett carefully surveyed beyond the hole. Thanks to his greater height compared to Liv, he could see the view outside more clearly. As Liv had said, the sky was filled with ominous dark clouds that seemed to herald an imminent downpour. Chapter 39 ¡°I don¡¯t like the rain. It blocks the light from coming in.¡± Liv began conversing with the gods again. ¡°But I do like water! Drinking water feels good.¡± With a flushed face, Liv sat beneath the hole, waiting for the rain. Soon after, raindrops began falling, the pitter-patter of drops striking the stone walls echoing. Shhhhhaaaaa. The raindrops falling through the hole grew larger and larger. It seemed a heavy downpour was coming. After some more time passed, a continuous stream of water flowed relentlessly through the hole, raining down upon Liv. Liv opened her mouth and sat beneath it, catching the raindrops with her hands. She then brought her palms to her lips, murmuring as she savored the taste before tilting her head in puzzlement. ¡°It has a bitter smell. Similar to blood.¡± Soon after, puddles began forming on the floor, and Liv splashed about playfully in the small pools. ¡°It¡¯s cold, but feels nice. The wet sensation is so novel. They say this is called playing in the water?¡± Meanwhile, Emmett could only observe Liv with a blank gaze. He no longer knew what emotion he felt towards her ¨C guilt, pity, regret, or perhaps even affection. Why did his heart ache so much seeing her overjoyed by mere rain? Then Liv suddenly knelt beneath the hole where the rain fell. ¡°I want to pray too. The gods are always by my side, but I still want to pray.¡± She knelt with her hands together and said: ¡°Is this how you do it? They all differ? Ah, this should be similar enough?¡± After contemplating the various prayer methods across different religions, Liv seemed to compromise on the most basic posture, keeping her hands clasped. Then, exposed to the rain, she calmly closed her eyes. ¡°Actually, I want to see the outside world...¡± Ending with those words, Liv remained silent for a long while. The raindrops falling through the hole streamed down her face, clinging to her long eyelashes and lips, flowing over her exposed cheek as her hair stuck to her skin. Seated in the puddle, her white dress was soaked transparent. At that moment, sunlight pierced through the hole from outside. Though it was still raining, the sun must have emerged from the clouds, bathing Liv¡¯s head in radiant light that caused her to squeeze her eyes shut more tightly. In that instant, Emmett couldn¡¯t even blink as he gazed at her. Liv praying in the rain, with light shining upon her head. Witnessing that sight, Emmett finally realized. He had come to love Liv. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly when ¨C whether it was before the divine punishment in his original time, the moment he saw her imprisoned in Abgrund, or when he observed her sleepwalking. But the timing didn¡¯t matter. He felt love for Liv. Somehow, he had come to love this pitiful girl. ¡®This can¡¯t be.¡¯ sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He recalled the wounds he had inflicted upon Liv, but the poignant feeling welling up inside did not dissipate. No, it seemed to grow even stronger. ¡°Liv.¡± It had begun as pity. He couldn¡¯t bear her miserable state. He wanted to care for her, to protect her. But now, he realized his feelings had deepened beyond that. As a man, he desired this pitiful girl from the lowest place. To feel love for the one he had wronged so. This was truly divine punishment. The moment he became aware of his love for Liv, Emmett crumbled to the floor. ¡°No, this shouldn¡¯t be like this...¡± To love her now, after treating her so cruelly? Moreover, his love had stemmed from pity. Some might find his love strange. Yet he could no longer deny it... He was drawn to her lovely appearance and innocent, eccentric personality. Even if his love began from pity, Emmett wanted to help her, to keep her by his side forever. No matter how he viewed it, this was undoubtedly love. As he gazed at Liv, still praying in the rain, he let out a heavy sigh. Suddenly, he felt too immoral. ¡°Just how old is the current Liv?¡± Of course, the Liv he had come to love was the grown woman he had last seen. But no matter if it was the same person, this was years in the past. ¡®No, the Liv I¡¯m fond of is the one I saw last.¡¯ He tried justifying himself by recalling Liv¡¯s age from when he last saw her, but she had just become an adult then, not too far removed from her current appearance. ¡®There is a bit of an age gap between us.¡¯ No matter that Liv was an adult, he had never imagined himself loving someone so much younger. If he had known this would happen, he should not have remarked ¡®Are you a thief?¡¯ when Count Klein had married a woman who had just come of age. He regretted some of his foolish past remarks as he reflected on his actions until now. Then he recalled Liv¡¯s appearance the last time he saw her. At that time, Liv had slit her own throat for his sake. It was the face of someone who knew the world¡¯s time would rewind if she died. -Your Grace, everything will be alright... Although you¡¯ll have to suffer a bit, it¡¯s okay... If you go back, you won¡¯t die. The ¡®suffer¡¯ Liv referred to must have meant the divine punishment. Still, Liv had judged living to be better than dying. ¡®For my sake, to that extent...¡¯ Death was a fearful thing for anyone. Even knowing one wouldn¡¯t truly die, the agony of death was not something one could easily accept. Yet Liv had died once for his sake. Despite how coldly he had pushed her away. ¡°You¡¯ve suffered so much because of me...¡± Having just realized his love, the wrongs he had committed against the woman he loved were too numerous. Would he even be able to maintain a proper relationship with Liv if he returned to his original world? What if Liv had grown to dislike him and pushed him away? ¡®A dreadful thought.¡¯ He resolved that if he returned, he would somehow mend their relationship. He would treat Liv well and provide her with good things. Now that he understood Liv better than before, could their relationship become like that of an ordinary couple? As he steeled that determination, Liv stopped praying and whispered to the gods as if sharing a secret: ¡°Well, do you think my prayer got through?¡± While Liv continued conversing with the gods, Emmett approached closer to her. Although he still couldn¡¯t do anything, even if his heart didn¡¯t reach her, he wanted to be by Liv¡¯s side. ¡°Miss Liv, please wait a bit longer. Soon, you will be able to see me too.¡± If the gods regained their power, Liv would be able to perceive him, and perhaps even converse with him. ¡°Then you will no longer have to feel so alone.¡± Perhaps the gods¡¯ intention in telling him to save Liv meant this. The gods were absolute existences, and their will would surely be realized. In other words, Emmett would be able to save Liv. * * * ¡°Why is the sun out while it¡¯s raining?¡± When the sun shines during rainfall, it is called a ¡®fox¡¯s wedding¡¯. ¡°A fox¡¯s wedding, what a lovely name!¡± Conversing with the gods, she rolled around on the damp floor, her wet hair sticking to her. Being able to experience the sensation of ¡®damp¡¯ was a novel feeling she enjoyed. ¡°While occasional rain is nice, I still prefer the sun. I like the light.¡± That is the grace we bestow upon you. Such a good child. Soon, all the light in the world will shine upon you, my child. As always, the gods spoke affectionately to her. At that moment, something fell through the ceiling hole. When she approached directly beneath it, there was a strangely shaped black object. ¡°What is this?¡± It is a creature called an ¡®ant¡¯. It seems to have fallen through the hole by mistake. Humans refer to small beings like this as ¡®insects¡¯. ¡°Ah, so these small things are called insects!¡± After nodding, she held it in the light to carefully observe it. Having never seen such a shape before, it felt alien. But she didn¡¯t feel afraid or wary of it. ¡°It has such a unique form. Are there many strange things like this outside?¡± Rather, she was quite curious about the outside world, delighted to see anything from the outside realm, no matter how small. She rambled on about the new conversational topic of the ant for a while, but soon her interest waned and she fell silent. In Abgrund, the underground prison unreachable by the gods¡¯ grace, no lifeform could survive. The ant that had fallen through the hole was dead and unmoving. She was truly the sole exception, able to breathe and live in Abgrund. ¡°Please tell me an interesting story.¡± When she said that, a familiar voice reached her ears ¨C that of Lufahisha, the god of the Lufahidism faith. Let me tell you a myth. Long ago, there was a woman named ¡®Asha¡¯. ¡°Asha...¡± Absentmindedly repeating that name, she suddenly sprang to her feet as if struck by a realization. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Her heart began racing, as if she had made an astonishing discovery. ¡°Actually, I have something to ask.¡± What is it? ¡°Why don¡¯t I have a name?¡± Chapter 40 Child. Beloved child. My child. The voices of various gods rang out in succession, but she shook her head. ¡°No, not that. You said names are unique things!¡± In the past, she had thought ¡®child¡¯ was her name, since that was how the gods addressed her. It was a way of referring to her, but slightly different from an actual name. They said other young humans could also be called ¡®child¡¯, ¡®little one¡¯ and so on. Even though the gods only used those terms for her. Still, she wanted to have a name. She had heard that all humans had their own unique names. So to become like other humans, shouldn¡¯t she have a name too? A name is a meaningless thing. Fleeting and transient. Merely a futile word used by humans. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that if I leave this place, I¡¯ll live among humans?¡± She protested. ¡°You taught me many words, saying there¡¯s a lot I need to know to interact with humans. You even said I¡¯m a citi...zen of a certain country!¡± She smiled proudly at using the difficult word correctly. The gods then fell silent before their voices conversed with each other. Then let us give the child a name as well. I prefer the word ¡®Child¡¯. We could each continue using our preferred terms. But the child needs a name. Do you not know the meaning of a name bestowed by the gods? We know. A heavy voice resounded above her head. That our power becomes more bound to this child, weakening the gods¡¯ abilities. ¡°Ah, so giving me a name is a bad thing?¡± Unable to fully comprehend but sensing the grave implication, she asked with wide eyes. One of the gods then answered: It¡¯s alright. We have decided to give you a name. We will bestow upon you the finest word in the world. Ah, so she would finally receive a name? Would this bring her one step closer to being human? Excitement caused her heart to race as they continued: You are the girl who dwells in the lowest place. The girl beloved by the gods. We will grant you all our love. So bearing our love. [Your name shall be ¡®Liv¡¯.] In that moment, Liv could only blink wordlessly. Just by gaining a name, by having the word used to address her change, an indescribable sense of elation welled up, rendering her unable to do anything. She felt regretful for being unaware of this feeling until now, yet joyful at becoming more akin to ordinary humans, her heart fluttering. Overwhelmed by the inexplicable emotion, Liv remained speechless for a long while before finally opening her mouth to ask: ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡®Liv¡¯ means love, child. ¡°Won¡¯t you call me by that name?¡± You are our eternal child. It seemed the gods would not address her as Liv after all. But Liv didn¡¯t mind. Just having a unique name referring only to her made her feel like a different person from her past self. She resolved to repeat her new name to herself every night before sleeping. Then, at that moment, something began to materialize before Liv¡¯s eyes, an unprecedented, strange phenomenon unfolding. ¡°Huh?¡± What appeared was an unfamiliar form she had never witnessed before. Instinctively, every nerve in her body was on alert as she unconsciously retreated from it, filled with wariness and fear. As she scrutinized it warily, Liv realized it shared similarities with herself ¨C similar arms, body, legs... Could it be a human? ¡®There¡¯s a person right in front of me?¡¯ Unable to comprehend the inexplicable situation, Liv tilted her head as she observed him. While she couldn¡¯t understand the reason for this anomaly, there were still many things in the world beyond her grasp. So it would be wise for her to simply remain silent and watch for now. He resembled Liv, yet appeared different. For instance, compared to Liv¡¯s shabby attire, he wore neat, refined clothing. ¡®His hair color and length are different too.¡¯ He had short black hair. Moreover, seeing human eyes for the first time, his gray irises were so breathtakingly beautiful that she inadvertently gasped in admiration. Though the color enveloping this prison was a dull ashen gray, his eyes radiated an exquisite brilliance incomparable to this dungeon. Ah, so human eyes were inherently this stunning? As Liv stared at him, unsure how to regard this human, he focused on her and slowly opened his mouth. And the moment ¡®that word¡¯ flowed from his lips, Liv felt as if her entire body was melting into bliss. ¡°Liv.¡± It was the first time a human voice had uttered her name. He was the first to call her by her name. Liv tried to say something in turn, but was rendered speechless, overwhelmed by the euphoria of being addressed by name by a human and the tension of a human¡¯s presence before her. She retreated slightly to create distance before asking: ¡°Wh-Who are you? Are you human?¡± While she had guessed as much, Liv considered the possibility that her assumption could be mistaken. Yes, rationally thinking, it was hard to believe a human she had never encountered since birth would suddenly appear before her. How could a human have entered this sealed Abgrund? Liv must be experiencing a hallucination. She occasionally saw illusions and heard voices during periods of extreme melancholy and boredom, so this must be another such instance... Faced with Liv¡¯s reaction, the man tried to speak but grasped at his throat before coughing. ¡°Ha... It seems I can¡¯t speak, at least for now. I will explain later.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I have come here to help you, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Wow...¡± Liv gazed at the man with a face beaming like twinkling stars. ¡°You know my name...¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s...¡± While she had experienced hallucinations and heard voices before, they never exceeded what Liv could imagine ¨C in other words, she had only heard voices resembling those of the gods until now. However, this man was speaking in an entirely ¡®new form¡¯ she had never heard before. It was beyond Liv¡¯s capacity to conceive, so it seemed this man was indeed ¡®human¡¯! As the man tried to speak again, Liv exclaimed: ¡°You must be a hero!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I heard it in the myths. Someone who comes to rescue a person imprisoned is called a hero!¡± ¡°I¡¯m nothing like that.¡± If not, how else could a human appear before her, the imprisoned one? However, the man responded in an awkward voice: ¡°I am merely an ordinary human like yourself, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Then how did you come here? Um...¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Liv quickly found the answer. If there was a human in Abgrund, it could only be for one reason. ¡°Did you commit a crime?¡± At those words, the man¡¯s expression darkened as he spoke in a low voice: ¡°...I failed to protect someone I should have. That is my sin.¡± ¡°Is that such a grave sin? I heard only those who committed extremely serious crimes come to this place.¡± ¡°But is it not you, Miss Liv, who has committed no sin yet resides here?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I heard my very existence threatens the ruler of humans, which is an extremely grave sin.¡± Then the man abruptly grabbed at Liv¡¯s hand. Or rather, he tried to, as his hand simply passed through her. ¡°What... is going on here?¡± He glanced down at his own hand for a moment before seeming to realize something. ¡°It appears I still can¡¯t touch you, Miss Liv...¡± Now Liv¡¯s gaze towards the man held more curiosity than wariness. Though a fellow human, why could he not touch her? His sudden appearance in this space, his knowledge of her name ¨C perhaps he wasn¡¯t an ordinary human after all. Yes, maybe he was an existence akin to the gods. In any case, to Liv right now, he seemed as great and formidable as the gods themselves, so she gazed at him with sparkling eyes. ¡°Then what religion¡¯s god are you? I know all the myths.¡± ¡°...I am not a god. I am merely a human like yourself.¡± ¡°Huh? But how can a human...¡± ¡°There are special circumstances for now. As you know, the gods can sometimes work miracles.¡± Liv was well aware of that fact. For instance, the gods had once suddenly created shabby clothes for her. She had heard they had to gather their power over a long period to exert influence in Abgrund and create those clothes. She had worried the clothes would no longer fit as she grew taller, but fortunately, it seemed her growth had nearly stopped, as the clothes still fit her body. ¡°I have simply received the gods¡¯ miracle to exist here in a slightly different form, despite being human. However... Miss Liv.¡± As if to broach a serious topic, he regarded her with a solemn expression. ¡°Remember this. You have committed no sin, Miss Liv. When you go out into the world, you must hold your head high. You need not bow to anyone.¡± ¡°Go out into the world?¡± ¡°Yes, one day you will leave for the outside world, Miss Liv. And...¡± He hesitated before lowering his gaze and continuing: S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Until then, I will remain by your side.¡± Chapter 41 ¡°Wow!¡± Joy filled Liv¡¯s eyes. In fact, it was an emotion too complex to be expressed by just the word ¡®joy¡¯. Liv felt happy and delighted, yet simultaneously doubtful of the situation, regretful for her past loneliness, then satisfied once more with her present circumstances. Yes, she should think positively. She had thought she would always be alone here, but now someone had appeared who could converse with her, whom she could be with. It was something she had never dared to dream of. ¡°Will you really, truly stay by my side?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man nodded solemnly. ¡°I will always be beside you, Miss Liv.¡± Elated by his words, Liv observed the man this way and that. It was her first time seeing a human face since birth. She had only deduced her own facial features by feeling her face. To actually behold a human was euphoric. His eyes were more breathtakingly beautiful than anything Liv had seen, while his straight nose bridge and pink lips seemed curiously shaped. As Liv leaned in close to scrutinize his face intently, the man turned his head slightly away. Liv asked him: ¡°Do you know why my name is ¡®Liv¡¯?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t...¡± Liv wanted to proudly share her name with someone. As it was the first name she had ever received, she began chattering excitedly to the man, like a child showing off their first gift. ¡°It means ¡®love¡¯. The gods gave it to me, containing all their love for me.¡± ¡°Truly a wonderful name.¡± ¡°By the way, can you hear the gods¡¯ voices?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the voices beside you, Miss Liv, then I can¡¯t hear them.¡± ¡°Really? I can¡¯t imagine not hearing voices. Though that might not be so bad. The gods¡¯ voices are quite heavy.¡± As Liv spoke, the man regarded her with a pained expression. ¡°Who are you? Even if you can¡¯t share your name, what about other things?¡± ¡°Mm...¡± The man seemed to ponder before slowly opening his mouth. ¡°For starters, I am a Duke. ...It seems I can say that much.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Duke?¡± ¡°A noble rank. There are Dukes, Marquises, Counts, Viscounts, and Barons.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve heard of nobles. They were said to enjoy more privileges than others.¡± Liv nodded, and the man continued his explanation: ¡°My Duchy is located in the outskirts of this Empire. In other words... the Empire¡¯s borders. There is a Ducal castle there. Though I currently reside in the capital, away from there.¡± ¡°Please tell me more.¡± Interest shone in Liv¡¯s eyes. She enjoyed hearing about places she had never been. She had heard stories from the gods about various sacred grounds ¨C barren deserts, dense forests of cacti, cave regions, and even the sea. ¡°The emblem symbolizing our Ducal family is a castle wall and falcon. It represents protecting the Empire. A massive sculpture of the emblem adorns the castle walls, entwined by ancient vines.¡± ¡°What are vines?¡± ¡°Long plants. Have you ever seen plants before?¡± When Liv shook her head, he grew solemn. ¡°I will show you once you leave this place.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll go with me?¡± Hearing his words, Liv sprang to her feet. Though they had only just met, she was drawn to this first human she had encountered. She felt she would like to remain together with him, even in that outside world. The man hesitated at her words before answering in a soft voice: ¡°Even if we can¡¯t leave this place together... You will be able to meet me again outside. At that time, I will tell you my name.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Let me continue about the Ducal castle. Inside is a vast armory to defend the borders, filled with all kinds of weapons.¡± ¡°Weapons are for fighting, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I primarily wield a longsword.¡± At those words, Liv swung her legs excitedly while seated. ¡°Hearing that makes me want to go outside. I thought I¡¯d be fine staying here...¡± Liv herself didn¡¯t understand the emotion she felt, an inexplicable discomfort weighing on her heart. She had thought simply hearing about the outside world would bring joy, but instead she could only compare her circumstances and feel stifled by this place. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You will leave here soon.¡± The man tried to pat Liv¡¯s shoulder in reassurance, but realizing he couldn¡¯t touch her, lowered his hand. To divert the gloomy Liv, he changed the subject: ¡°What would you like to do once outside, Miss Liv?¡± ¡°Um...¡± Liv paused in thought for a moment. For there were so many things she wanted to do! But above all else, what she desired most was... ¡°I want to see colors. I¡¯m curious what green and blue look like. And yellow and purple too. I heard an entire forest is filled with green, so I want to go there.¡± ¡°I see. Forests are truly beautiful. It would be nice if we could go together.¡± Encouraged by the man¡¯s agreement, Liv continued excitedly: ¡°And I want to converse with many people. I want to mingle among crowds of people.¡± ¡°That will certainly happen.¡± ¡°I wonder what it feels like to sleep in a bed. Ah, that¡¯s right. More than anything else...¡± Liv raised her head, gazing at the man with sparkling eyes. ¡°I want to try eating food.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten food before. I heard other humans live by eating food, so I¡¯m curious about that feeling. I want to experience taste.¡± At those words, the man contorted his brow as he buried his face in his hands. Liv approached him with a worried expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just...¡± Raising his head, he fixed Liv with an inexplicably reddened gaze. ¡°I was simply feeling pained for a moment...¡± ¡°Mm, don¡¯t be sad! Instead, recommend something else for me. What else should I do once I leave this place?¡± The man¡¯s face grew contemplative at her request. ¡°Learning letters to read books would be good. Or trying tea, or dancing. ...Ah, if you like green and blue.¡± ¡°Yes, that sounds nice.¡± ¡°How about going on a picnic?¡± ¡°A picnic?¡± Liv tilted her head in puzzlement. Of course, she had heard the word ¡®picnic¡¯ in fairy tales narrated by the gods, but didn¡¯t understand what made them appealing. ¡°Are picnics fun?¡± ¡°Going on a picnic by a river... You can see verdant grasslands and azure waters. You would surely enjoy it.¡± ¡°I probably would.¡± ¡°A cool breeze blows, the air is refreshing. And you enjoy delicious snacks together there. It will be a novel experience.¡± Liv nodded vigorously at the man¡¯s words. It did sound like a wonderful experience. After discussing the outside world with the man, a yawn escaped Liv¡¯s lips, and she lay down on the floor. ¡°Are... are you trying to sleep?¡± For some reason, the man asked that in a flustered tone, so Liv answered matter-of-factly: ¡°Yes, I¡¯m feeling sleepy.¡± While she had heard that humans outside lived regimented lives, it was impossible for Liv, who couldn¡¯t even grasp the concept of ¡®time¡¯. In fact, Liv didn¡¯t fully comprehend the notion of ¡®time¡¯ itself. Though the gods had tried explaining it to her, it seemed they struggled as well, since the ¡®time¡¯ for humans and gods differed. Lying on her back, Liv closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now. Do you not need to sleep?¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, it seems my current body doesn¡¯t require sleep, but...¡± ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll be bored alone. Sleep with me.¡± ¡°Ah, I understand.¡± As if obliging her request, the man nodded and awkwardly lay beside her. Unlike Liv, who usually curled up haphazardly, he maintained a proper posture, allowing Liv to imagine how humans outside slept. Satisfied to have someone beside her, Liv closed her eyes. It was her first time sharing an activity with another, and she didn¡¯t dislike it. So this was why people outside ate meals together and danced with each other. Liv could understand the stories about the outside world the gods had told her. For some reason, having someone beside her seemed to help her fall asleep more easily. Slowly, Liv drifted off to slumber... * * * Rumble. A sound like something collapsing echoed. The ceiling appeared in Liv¡¯s vision. The hole in the ceiling was blocked by something. ¡°Ah...!¡± Liv cried out in shock. If that path for light to enter was obstructed, she would be unable to see anything. Even with the hole blocked, Liv could still vaguely discern objects in the darkness. However, she hadn¡¯t noticed anything amiss. Liv was simply dismayed that the sole source of light had been obstructed. ¡°Oh no...¡± Now she might never be able to see ¡®colors¡¯ again. She would be unable to tell the day¡¯s weather. And more than anything, she would be unable to see the face of that person who had newly appeared by her side. ¡°Hic...¡± Just as Liv was about to burst into tears, her eyes snapped open. ¡°Huh?¡± The ceiling¡¯s hole remained unobstructed. Only then did Liv realize the previous event had been a dream. ¡°Phew...¡± After letting out a relieved sniff, Liv turned her head to glance beside her. The man had his eyes open, watching her. When she stirred, he rose as well. Liv could still see colors. She could discern the weather. And more than anything, she could see a human face. Finally feeling reassured, Liv began speaking to the man in a babbling tone: ¡°I had a nightmare...¡± Chapter 42 Child, did you have a bad dream? It is alright. All dreams are mere illusions. The gods¡¯ voices bore down upon Liv¡¯s head, causing her to curl up. She felt a heaviness, just as she did when having nightmares. Though she had spent her entire life with the gods, no human could ever fully adapt to their voices. As Liv whimpered from the gods¡¯ voices, the man¡¯s voice reached her: ¡°It¡¯s okay, Liv.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°It was just a dream. Nothing has changed. What did you dream about?¡± Unlike the gods¡¯ voices, the man¡¯s voice was soft, gentle, and entirely unthreatening. Soothed by his comforting tone, Liv felt herself regaining some composure. ¡°I dreamed the hole in the ceiling was blocked... I sometimes have dreams like that.¡± ¡°I see. Was it scary?¡± ¡°Yes... The gods told me humans also have nightmares about monsters or ghosts appearing. But since I don¡¯t know what monsters or ghosts look like, they don¡¯t appear in my dreams.¡± ¡°...From now on, I will stay by your side so you won¡¯t have such nightmares.¡± Those words made Liv smile faintly. Though she didn¡¯t know if he meant it sincerely, she felt a bit better. With a dazed expression, Liv opened her mouth: ¡°It¡¯s strange...¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°When the gods try to comfort me, it only makes me more scared. But when you do it, I don¡¯t feel that way. My shoulders don¡¯t feel heavy, my body doesn¡¯t tremble uncontrollably. Instead, I feel better.¡± At her words, the man gave a faint smile and raised his hand towards Liv¡¯s head before stopping himself. ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t touch me, can you?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t reach you...¡± Saying that, the man gazed down at his own hand before squeezing his eyes shut. ¡°I wish the day would come soon when I can touch you, Miss Liv. I want to be able to reach you.¡± ¡°Me too. I¡¯ve never touched anyone before.¡± Liv was immensely curious about what it would feel like to touch another human¡¯s hand. Would it be warm, or cool? Would it be soft like her own body? ¡°Haah...¡± Meanwhile, the man let out a sigh as he stared at his own hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t know being unable to touch someone could be so painful. I feel like berating my former ignorant self.¡± ¡°What¡¯s ignorant?¡± ¡°It means lacking knowledge.¡± ¡°Aha, so you mean you were foolish.¡± The man seemed taken aback by Liv¡¯s overly candid remark, muttering to himself: ¡°Yes, I was truly a fool...¡± ¡°But it¡¯s okay. The gods told me that if I don¡¯t know something, I can learn it. I¡¯ll keep improving.¡± ¡°Yes, I must ensure I don¡¯t make such mistakes again.¡± The man regarded Liv with a resolute expression. Though she couldn¡¯t discern his thoughts, Liv smiled at him. Then, feeling an inexplicable itch, she stole a glance at his face before asking: ¡°Are all humans usually like this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are all humans as kind and good as you?¡± Those words left the man with a pensive expression. Whenever Liv asked such questions, he would make that face. It didn¡¯t seem due to her questions being difficult, but rather him carefully considering how to respond. ¡°Humans are... generally good beings. They help one another, creatures of that sort.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Once you go outside, Miss Liv, you will quickly come to like humans.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to go to crowded places every day. Just observing without speaking seems like it would be fun. Though of course, being able to converse would make me even happier.¡± ¡°That will certainly happen. However...¡± The man hesitated, gauging Liv¡¯s reaction before gently explaining in a tone of concern for her feelings: ¡°Some humans may dislike you, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Originally, no one can be loved by all humans. There may be those who dislike you, just as there are those who dislike me.¡± ¡°But why you? You seem like such a good person.¡± ¡°...I am not as good a person as you think. It is only because I am the sole person you have met that you do not yet realize it.¡± Though unable to understand his words, Liv nodded at his resolute demeanor. Since imagining the outside world had always been difficult for her, it seemed she would not know until she experienced it firsthand. ¡°However, there will also be many who like you, Miss Liv. You can simply interact with them. There is no need to pay mind to the others.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that, Liv tilted her head in puzzlement. Unlike other humans, she lacked common sense and had only ever been confined here. ¡°Will there really be many who like me?¡± ¡°Yes, there will. Because you are a lovely person, Miss Liv.¡± The man met Liv¡¯s gaze as he spoke. ¡°It will undoubtedly be so.¡± ¡°Wow...¡± At his words, Liv imagined herself mingling among people ¨C sharing meals, dancing together at festivals, going on picnics... Just the thought filled her with joy. ¡°I want to go outside and meet people soon.¡± ¡°You will certainly find happiness, Miss Liv.¡± * * * After telling Liv about humans in the outside world, Emmett fell deep into contemplative silence, his lips firmly sealed. It concerned the foolish response he had just given Liv. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell Liv the truth ¨C that only a tiny few would like her, while many would hate and dislike her. The very humans she was so curious about would likely not take a liking to Liv. However, he couldn¡¯t outright tell Liv that truth either. Seeing the hopeful anticipation in her eyes, the words wouldn¡¯t leave his lips. No, no human could speak that truth before such an innocent, bright-eyed gaze. Liv looked at him with eyes far too pure and clear. He couldn¡¯t reveal to Liv, who loved humans so dearly, that humans could sometimes be utterly vile creatures. How could he inform the girl who had spent her entire life in this dark space dreaming of others of such a cruel reality? And yet, he had instead told Liv a cruel lie that would quickly be exposed once she ventured into the outside world. ¡®You need not forgive me, Miss Liv.¡¯ With closed eyes, he inwardly spoke to the elated Liv. ¡®I have dared to lie to you. One day, you too will come to know my lie.¡¯ However, there was one part of what he said that contained his true feelings: -You will certainly find happiness, Miss Liv. That much was sincere. Liv would find happiness. No, she had to find happiness. For he was determined to guide Liv to happiness by any means necessary. * * * After around a day had passed, Liv slept once more. Upon waking, she immediately sought out the man with sparkling eyes. As expected, he was observing her by her side. Strangely, for the first time, Liv felt she wanted to remain awake continuously without sleeping. Everything had always been so dull to her, with sleep providing an escape from the boredom. So Liv had always welcomed the arrival of sleep. But this time, she shook her head, trying to shake off the drowsiness so she could converse a bit longer with the man, reassured by his words that he would remain by her side even if she fell asleep. ¡°Do you have any fun stories?¡± Rubbing her eyes to clear her face, Liv asked in a bright voice. She could hardly wait to hear the stories the man would tell. Since the gods lacked interest in mere humans, she didn¡¯t know the precise details of human life outside. But this man¡¯s tales felt completely new and intriguing! ¡°Fun stories, hm...¡± Seeing the man¡¯s pensive expression, Liv urged him: ¡°Tell me a story about plants.¡± ¡°Plants?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never seen a plant before.¡± ¡°...Do you know what the color green looks like?¡± ¡°Um, no.¡± The man¡¯s face grew contemplative before he walked beneath the light-entering hole and sat down. Then he rolled up his sleeves, exposing his arms to the light. ¡°Miss Liv, can you see?¡± ¡°Wow, your arm looks different from mine!¡± Liv marveled at the man¡¯s arm, with its protruding veins ¨C unlike her slender, pale arms. Why such a difference? The man clenched his arm tightly, causing one vein to bulge further, which he pointed to as he spoke: ¡°This is the color green.¡± ¡°Aha...¡± ¡°Of course, the actual green color is far richer and more beautiful than this.¡± Though the man said that, Liv¡¯s gaze remained fixed on his vein. Her own veins were not as thick and distinct as his, so she had never truly seen the color green before. But this first glimpse of green was such a wondrous hue. ¡°Plants typically have a similar color. They consist of flowers and leaves, with the leaves being green.¡± ¡°Then what about the flowers?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The man let out an exclamation, as if recalling something, before smiling softly. ¡°Come to think of it, you will surely love flowers, Miss Liv. Yes, I believe that was the case.¡± Chapter 43 ¡°You said ¡®that seemed to be the case¡¯?¡± ¡°...Well, let me explain about flowers to you.¡± After that, the man prattled on at length, describing the shape and colors of flowers to Liv. Having never seen a flower before, it was difficult for Liv to visualize their appearance. However, the man repeatedly emphasized that flowers had beautiful colors. ¡°Once you go outside, you will surely come to love them immediately.¡± ¡°Completely red, how strange...¡± Liv tried imagining the colors of flowers in her mind. An entire crimson hue? Liv liked the rare sight of reddish hues, and if flowers truly blossomed in vibrant shades as the man described, they would indeed be beautiful. ¡°Red, pink, orange, yellow, purple, and more... Flowers truly exhibit a diverse array of colors.¡± ¡°Are there no blue or green flowers?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard there are blue flowers, but... I¡¯m not too sure myself.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± As Liv maintained a pensive expression, imagining flowers, the man added: ¡°Once you go outside, I will bring you flowers.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I will show you a different colored flower each day.¡± Saying that, the man extended his little finger towards Liv. Not understanding the gesture¡¯s meaning, Liv simply stared at it in puzzlement until the man wiggled his little finger, explaining: ¡°Hook your little finger with mine, Miss Liv.¡± Though unable to physically touch the man¡¯s finger, Liv successfully mimicked the motion outwardly. ¡°This signifies a promise.¡± ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°I am promising to bring you flowers once you go outside, Miss Liv.¡± Delighted by the finger gesture representing a promise, Liv cheerfully wiggled her finger. It seemed having a human beside her allowed her to learn far more than from just the gods¡¯ tales. Then, a thought suddenly occurred to Liv, and she spoke up: ¡°Actually, I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You said leaves are green, and flowers are red, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Then what color are my eyes? What do I look like?¡± Liv enjoyed closely observing everything within this prison, but there was one thing inside she could never see ¨C her own face. While small puddles sometimes formed during rainfall, she couldn¡¯t gaze upon her reflection in the murky waters of this dark prison. At Liv¡¯s question, the man fell silent with a troubled expression. But Liv simply regarded him with an innocent gaze. Soon, the man who had been intently watching Liv began to speak: ¡°Miss Liv...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your hair is white, resembling a rabbit¡¯s fur. Your eyes are the same ¨C a deep pink like an adorable rabbit¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°A rabbit?¡± ¡°Yes, a small animal with long ears.¡± Though unfamiliar with rabbits, Liv nodded, assuming it must be something good. ¡°Your eyes are round, with the corners slightly drooping down. And your eyelashes are quite long...¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Unsure if it was a compliment, but feeling flattered nonetheless, Liv absentmindedly touched around her eyes. ¡°Your lips are a pinkish hue, and your round nose is cute too. Your skin is very pale overall. Taken together, it¡¯s an extremely...¡± The man seemed to carefully choose his words before Liv, finally settling on a serious expression as he spoke: ¡°An extremely lovely face.¡± At those words, Liv gently curved her eyes in a smile. While the gods had always called her a ¡®lovely child¡¯, hearing those words from the person before her filled her with joy. In truth, even if she met other humans after leaving, it didn¡¯t seem any would be as special as this man. He was the first human Liv had encountered, the first to call her by her name. To Liv, he was someone unique and precious. ¡®I really do like this person...¡¯ With that thought, Liv absentmindedly caressed her own face. The feelings she harbored for him were certainly more than affection, but Liv didn¡¯t know what deeper emotion to call it. As she continued smiling blithely, the man opened his mouth with an awkward expression: ¡°Would you describe my face as well?¡± ¡°Um, okay.¡± Liv gazed at the man with a beaming smile. And as she carefully observed his face... ¡°Black hair, gray eyes! I like those familiar colors. And your face looks sturdy.¡± Saying that, Liv reached her hand towards the man¡¯s face, but of course, it simply passed through him. ¡°I can¡¯t touch you after all. It would be nice if I could.¡± ¡°One day, you will be able to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sad I don¡¯t know prettier ways to describe you. If I knew more expressions, I could depict your face in more detail. In any case, I like your face.¡± Though she had simply stated that without any flowery phrasing, the man smiled radiantly, seeming deeply pleased by Liv¡¯s words. Seeing that expression, Liv felt an inexplicable fluttering in her chest. Her insides felt hot, as if tears might spill forth, and her lips tingled with the urge to speak further, but no words came out. It was like the vivid red flowers the man described were fluttering within her heart. * * * Tap. Tap. Tap... Emmett opened his eyes to the repetitive sound, having been asleep. And when he turned his head, he confirmed Liv was nowhere to be seen, though she should have been sleeping as well. If she had awoken, she would have roused him too, so where had she gone? Raising his head in alarm, what he saw was... Tap. Tap. Liv repeatedly circling the walls. ¡°Miss Liv!¡± He called out her name in a flustered voice, but Liv only stared ahead with an unfocused gaze, not reacting at all to his voice. Her half-lidded eyes were vacant, like a soulless person. Emmett had witnessed this scene before ¨C Liv¡¯s sleepwalking during the time when he still lacked a physical form. He sprang to his feet and stepped before Liv to block her, but she simply passed through his body. ¡°Miss Liv!¡± Raising his voice to shout her name, Liv¡¯s head turned as if reacting to the sound. However, she didn¡¯t stop scraping her palm against the wall. Concerned her hand would become injured again, Emmett began desperately calling out to her with increasing desperation, never having felt so vexed by his inability to reach her. ¡°Liv, Liv! Snap out of it! Liv!¡± The moment Emmett cried out her name, Liv¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°Huh?¡± Blinking in bewilderment as she surveyed her surroundings, Liv gave Emmett a bright, inappropriately cheerful expression. ¡°Why are you awake... Oh.¡± And immediately seeming to grasp the situation, she continued in a voice growing softer, as if embarrassed to show him this side: ¡°Ah, this happens sometimes. The gods said it¡¯s sleepwalking.¡± Hearing that, Emmett felt an inexplicable pang in his chest. Liv¡¯s nonchalant attitude, far too accustomed to such occurrences, tormented him. ¡°Liv...¡± He tried to embrace her, but his arms could not reach. Anguished by that fact, Emmett met Liv¡¯s gaze. ¡°Are you alright now, Miss Liv?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, I¡¯m always fine.¡± Saying that, Liv glanced down at her palm. Unable to hide his distress, Emmett spoke with unrestrained emotion: ¡°Your hand is scraped...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t mind the occasional pain. After all, it lets me feel something.¡± The more Emmett heard Liv speak, the more he felt resentment towards his former self. Why had he so carelessly judged this pure-hearted person in the past? No amount of kindness or words of love would suffice for her now. He wished he could punch his foolish past ¨C no, future self if he encountered him. ¡°Liv, do you know why you get sleepwalking episodes?¡± At Emmett¡¯s question, Liv paused in place and blinked her eyes. ¡°Um... I don¡¯t know how it started, but I do know what troubles me the most these days.¡± ¡°Can you explain?¡± ¡°...I want to go out.¡± ¡°What?¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I want to leave this place.¡± As she spoke those words, Liv¡¯s face flushed, as if embarrassed by that fact. ¡°The more stories you tell me, the more curious I become about the outside world. You keep giving me hope, so... I want to go out there.¡± ¡°Liv...¡± Before Emmett, Liv had always pretended everything was fine. That being confined here was fine. That the boredom was fine. That the stifling conditions were fine. But in truth, Liv may not have been fine at all. No, perhaps Emmett¡¯s existence had become a poison to Liv, who had previously lived in peace. In the Holy Church, there were a few representative tales. One was about a human who couldn¡¯t feel negative emotions, but after tasting the forbidden fruit, they gained the knowledge of ¡®evil¡¯, and their descendants all inherited that inner evil. Another told of a human atoning in the gods¡¯ prison, who couldn¡¯t endure the frustration and opened a sealed box that existed there ¨C only to learn a truth too much for a human to bear, resulting in their death. Liv had tasted the forbidden fruit, opened the sealed box, and encountered a human. As a result, she had become consumed by the desire to meet more people. Chapter 44 Seeing Liv¡¯s flushed face as she spoke of wanting to meet people, Emmett grew increasingly doubtful towards the Emperor. Just what reason did he have for imprisoning Liv? How could she have threatened his imperial authority? However, not wishing to probe and risk hurting Liv, he simply sought to comfort her instead. While he had remained loyal to the Emperor despite knowing his wicked deeds, now that the woman he loved had suffered her whole life because of the Emperor, Emmett no longer wished to follow him. It may seem selfish and self-centered for the ¡®Emperor¡¯s Loyal Hound¡¯ Duke to only now harbor resentment, but nothing was more important to Emmett than Liv. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s alright. You¡¯ll be able to go outside soon. Just wait a little longer.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Responding that way, Liv sat down cross-legged on the floor with a calmer expression. Feeling the chill coming through the hole, she trembled slightly. ¡°Liv, are you cold?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m cold...¡± Only then did Emmett realize he couldn¡¯t feel any sensations. In contrast, Liv seemed genuinely chilled, her face devoid of color and unnaturally pale. Emmett tried to discern the current season, but lacked sufficient information. The Holy Hilysid Empire¡¯s climate was truly capricious. Rain fell frequently throughout the year, and it was common for mornings to be overcast only for scorching sun to blaze by noon. While there had been heavy rainfall not long ago, that was true across all seasons, so he couldn¡¯t pinpoint which it was. ¡°Do you know what season it is now?¡± ¡°Winter, the gods said.¡± Liv¡¯s tone seemed unusually bright for some reason when saying that. If the weather was winter, this underground prison must be quite cold. How could she have such a cheerful expression? The reason soon came from Liv¡¯s lips: ¡°But spring is coming soon. Once spring arrives, the weather will warm up, so it will be okay...¡± Expectation for spring shone in Liv¡¯s eyes. Even if her living conditions didn¡¯t change come spring, she beamed at just the word itself. Silently observing her expression, Emmett realized there was something he hadn¡¯t asked Liv until now. ¡°By the way, how old are you?¡± ¡°My age? I¡¯m... how old am I?¡± Liv tilted her head quizzically before glancing upwards, seemingly receiving an answer from the gods. Soon, she relayed their words: ¡°They say I¡¯ll become an adult soon.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll become one... soon?¡± ¡°Yes, in two years¡¯ time.¡± At those words, realization seemed to dawn on Emmett¡¯s face. Liv Hamelsvoort had been adopted into the Hamelsvoort family two years before making her societal debut that spring. So Liv¡¯s departure from this place was truly imminent. ¡°Congratulations, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You will be able to leave here soon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, it may only be around a month away.¡± Since they said spring was coming, Liv too would likely leave this place before long. Then once that spring arrived, Liv would begin her life in the outside world. ¡°One month...¡± Liv tried counting on her fingers to gauge how long that was, but being unfamiliar with the concept of time, she couldn¡¯t quite grasp it and simply shrugged as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad it¡¯s not too far off!¡± ¡°You mentioned wanting to do many things once outside.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And you¡¯ll be with me too, won¡¯t you?¡± At those words, Emmett fell silent momentarily. When Liv ventured outside, she would indeed meet him again. But the ¡®him¡¯ she encountered wouldn¡¯t be his current self before her eyes... He would grow close to Liv, only to ultimately abandon and hurt her. Feeling bitter about the impending tragedy, yet not showing it, Emmett maintained a soft smile and nodded. ¡°Yes, we will meet again in the outside world.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy!¡± That day, Liv remained elated, reciting her plans to Emmett until she fell asleep. Finally, as he watched Liv¡¯s slumbering form, a faint smile graced Emmett¡¯s lips. Whatever future awaited her, Liv would soon escape this dreadful hell. She would experience the things she deserved. She would find freedom. But at that moment, the voice of a god reached Emmett¡¯s ears: How foolish. Though the oppressive weight never became familiar, he flinched before straightening his posture and asking: ¡°What do you mean? Have I done something foolish?¡± However, there was no answer from the god. ¡®Are they referring to me saying I¡¯ll meet her again outside? Because I¡¯ll hurt her?¡¯ Anxiety assailed him as the absolute divine voice seemed to rebuke him. But his concern wasn¡¯t for his own wellbeing, rather for Liv¡¯s sake. If he had indeed said something ¡®foolish¡¯, did that mean Liv would be unable to find happiness outside, contrary to his words? But that was certainly how the future had unfolded ¨C or had some variable changed? He pondered but could not find an answer. * * * ¡°What will be outside once I leave? I¡¯m so excited to find out.¡± These days, Liv kept repeating those same words, but Emmett didn¡¯t mind. For the anticipation infusing her face as she uttered them could melt even the most callous heart. So Emmett simply responded and continued the conversation alongside her. ¡°So, I wonder what lies beyond Abgrund.¡± To explain to Liv, Emmett recalled the area outside Abgrund. It was located near the Duchy of Lartman, close to the Holy Hilysid Empire¡¯s borders. As a cursed land forbidden to all religions, each country had fought to claim Abgrund, for governing the symbolic space beyond any god¡¯s authority held significance. Ultimately, however, it was the Holy Hilysid Empire that now controlled Abgrund, using it as a prison to confine heinous criminals. ¡®I heard it has been a long time since any criminal was actually imprisoned here. While I don¡¯t know why Miss Liv is here...¡¯ In any case, once outside, Liv would only see a barren, desolate land. Since it was near his Duchy of Lartman, Emmett had visited the area around Abgrund before ¨C there was truly nothing there. As he opened his mouth to tell Liv that, he suddenly realized something strange. ¡®But then why was Liv found near the temple after escaping here?¡¯ The Hamelsvoort family had discovered Liv near the temple. Since the temple was close to the slums, everyone had mistaken Liv as being from those impoverished areas. However, Emmett now knew Liv wasn¡¯t from the slums. How had she ended up near the temple after leaving Abgrund? ¡®It would take several days by carriage to travel from here to the temple.¡¯ In other words, it was too far a distance for Liv, lacking any knowledge of the Empire¡¯s geography or outside assistance, to have reached alone. Deep in thought, Emmett began formulating hypotheses about how Liv had managed to escape Abgrund: One, if Liv had escaped by herself. But this seemed impossible first of all. Abgrund was an inescapable prison without any means of breaking out. Even if a storm caused the ceiling to suddenly collapse, Liv couldn¡¯t have traveled alone all the way to the temple. Then the second case, if someone had helped Liv escape. This did seem more plausible... ¡®Could the one who imprisoned Liv here have released her again?¡¯ However, the person who had confined Liv in Abgrund with the intent of eternal imprisonment didn¡¯t seem likely to then take her all the way to the cathedral area and allow her admission into the Hamelsvoort family. ¡®So there must have been a third party involved.¡¯ Finally, Emmett arrived at this conclusion. An outside collaborator had extracted Liv from Abgrund and brought her to the temple. The reason for leaving her near the temple was unclear... but perhaps they thought she could receive aid there? ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you truly never seen any human besides me since birth?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. There must have been someone who brought me to this prison as an infant, but I have no memory of them...¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I see. And during your time imprisoned here, I am the only person you have conversed with?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The more he heard Liv speak, the less Emmett could discern who this potential third-party helper could be. Even he, among the Emperor¡¯s closest confidants, had been unaware of Liv¡¯s existence ¨C hardly anyone in the Empire likely knew of this girl imprisoned in Abgrund. So who would come to her aid? ¡®Did one of the prison¡¯s staff take pity on her?¡¯ It was possible that one of the people charged with imprisoning and overseeing Liv under the Emperor¡¯s orders had taken pity on her and helped her escape. However, seeing how not even food ever entered this place, that possibility also seemed doubtful. It appeared there were no staff to manage Abgrund, which hadn¡¯t held any criminals for so long, as people likely assumed Liv was already dead. It was at that very moment that a sound reached them ¨C one Emmett had thought could never be heard in this place. Bang, bang! The sound of someone fiercely pounding on Abgrund¡¯s outer door echoed. It was not a polite knock, but a desperate, forceful hammering. ¡°What was that?¡± Liv sprang up in alarm, her face etched with terror at the unexpected situation. Emmett was just as flustered, uncertain how to react. Currently, he had entered this place through special means after receiving divine punishment, and while taking a human form, he lacked an actual physical body. If an outsider witnessed this situation, how could he possibly explain it? Moreover, the fact that someone had come for the imprisoned Liv didn¡¯t seem like a positive development ¨C for instance, what if the Emperor had come to eliminate her? As both Emmett and Liv froze, unable to speak, the voice that came from outside was completely unanticipated: ¡°Is there someone in there?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am Viscount Wolfe!¡± Chapter 45 ¡°V-Viscount Wolfe?¡± From the way Liv awkwardly repeated that name, it seemed she didn¡¯t know of this person either. Emmett racked his memories about Viscount Wolfe. The Viscount governed the border territory of Wolfe Viscounty ¨C a rather insignificant, powerless noble family... And the reason the Wolfe family had been relegated to the borders was... ¡°H-How did you come here?¡± Liv seemed to muster her courage, clenching her fist tightly as she called out towards the door. As if awaiting a response, an exultant male voice answered: ¡°My word, I was right! You really were here!¡± ¡°Who...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll rescue you!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Though unable to fully comprehend the situation, Liv¡¯s face was etched with shock at being promised rescue. Having awaited a savior for so long, yet finding this unbelievable, she trembled as she placed her hand on the door. ¡°You really came to...¡± The moment Liv tried to continue the conversation, an ominous silence fell from beyond the door. The previously exultant voice of Viscount Wolfe had abruptly cut off, causing Liv to inch closer, pressing her ear against the door in a sense of foreboding. Emmett stood beside Liv, who gestured for him to come closer, trying to discern the sounds from beyond. Heavy footsteps could be heard through the door. After a moment, a voice different from Viscount Wolfe¡¯s rang out: ¡°Are you Viscount Wolfe?¡± ¡°Ahh...¡± The other party¡¯s voice lacked any emotion, yet that very fact made it sound all the more threatening. In contrast, Viscount Wolfe addressing that voice seemed gripped by fear. So a new figure had appeared here, one who instilled dread in Viscount Wolfe. ¡°What could this be...¡± Liv whispered in bewilderment, unable to grasp the situation. But upon hearing the voice beyond the door, Emmett¡¯s face had already drained of color. For hearing that voice made him recall a ¡®memory¡¯ he had deeply buried. How could he even begin to explain? Yes, in accordance with the Emperor¡¯s commands, Emmett had executed many over the years. With a new dynasty established, the palace was rife with those appearing loyal to the Emperor while secretly plotting rebellion. Simultaneously, the new Emperor¡¯s cruelty made him a figure everyone feared, and many would directly deliver any signs of rebellion to gain his favor. Amidst such circumstances, countless rebellions were incessantly attempted yet repeatedly failed. From the moment he inherited his Ducal title, Emmett Lartman had executed rebels. No, in fact, it wasn¡¯t only rebels he had executed. Whenever the Emperor issued an order for execution, Emmett unhesitatingly followed without question. This was partly because standing by the Emperor was the stable choice given his trusted status. But more so, it was out of sincere gratitude and desire to repay the kindness the Emperor had shown him and his parents. Of course, no matter how much it was for the Emperor¡¯s sake, indiscriminately eliminating dissidents wasn¡¯t a task Emmett relished. Thus, after carrying out the Emperor¡¯s orders, Emmett had always tried to forget those he had killed. Not that he could truly forget when directly faced with such situations. So... The person now standing before Viscount Wolfe was none other than his past self. ¡°By His Majesty¡¯s command, I will apprehend you.¡± His past self spoke indifferently, in a tone stating the obvious. ¡°Ah... No, why... I have committed no crime!¡± ¡°For the crime of rebellion. You should have been more cautious. Did you not think standing before Abgrund, which the Empire closely monitors, would serve as evidence in itself?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Fear seemed to give way to indignation in Viscount Wolfe¡¯s voice: ¡°Do you know what has been happening in Abgrund...!?¡± However, Emmett¡¯s past self continued without heeding Wolfe¡¯s words: ¡°Ordinarily, rebellion warrants eradicating the entire family lineage. But since you haven¡¯t yet acted, I will settle for apprehending you. I can¡¯t guarantee your life, but if you obediently come along, I will spare your family.¡± Those words also carried an implied threat ¨C raise any objection, and his entire family would be exterminated. After a tense silence, the moment Liv pressed her ear against the door in continued bewilderment... An ominous sound like a blade rending flesh echoed, followed by something crashing to the floor. Simultaneously, red blood began seeping through Abgrund¡¯s door towards them. ¡°Uh...!¡± As if instinctively realizing she shouldn¡¯t let her voice escape, Liv clapped a hand over her mouth as she sank to the floor, slowly retreating from the encroaching blood. After a while, the sounds of something being dragged away grew fainter until vanishing. Emmett and Liv could only stand speechless at the grisly scene left behind. ¡°What... was all that?¡± Pressing herself as far back into Abgrund as possible, Liv opened her trembling mouth: ¡°So... someone definitely came to rescue me. But then another person stabbed them and left, right...?¡± Still unable to properly discern human voices, Liv didn¡¯t seem to realize the voice from earlier belonged to Emmett. ¡°Just who was this Viscount Wolfe who came to rescue me? And who took Viscount Wolfe away?¡± Emmett couldn¡¯t bring himself to answer, too anguished by confronting his own past misdeeds. While witnessing Liv¡¯s imprisoned state in Abgrund had already left Emmett discomfited ¨C by how callously he had mistreated her despite their connection, by how frustrated Liv must have felt at his lack of recollection ¨C above all, he had felt remorseful that Liv had sacrificed her life for his sake, rewinding time. But that was the extent of it. Since the woman he loved carried an unfortunate past, he had simply resolved to treat her better to make up for his shortcomings. However, only today did Emmett truly realize the gravity of his own crimes in full. ¡®I was the one who robbed her of a chance at escape.¡¯ Solely out of loyalty to the Emperor, he had killed the one who came to rescue Liv. Oblivious to the fact that an innocent girl was imprisoned here, he had simply left. He had stolen Liv¡¯s opportunity. The anguish was unbearable, his head spinning, vision blurring. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yes, he had to admit it. Emmett had lived his life the wrong way until now. No matter what kindness the Emperor had shown him and his family, it didn¡¯t justify standing by the Emperor¡¯s side and committing evil acts. There was no telling how many victims beyond just Liv had suffered from his actions. Of course, the greatest victim he knew of currently stood before him. Liv stared vacantly, seeming unable to accept that the first person to come rescue her from this prison had died. Just like when Emmett lacked a physical form and Liv had been alone in this cell, her eyes were utterly devoid of light. Ah, so he was indeed a sinner. The gods had rightful reasons for inflicting this divine punishment upon him. He had to face the evil acts of his former self... Though he knew speaking the truth to Liv would be right, the words wouldn¡¯t leave his lips. Explaining to Liv now would only cause her confusion. Even as he made such excuses, he realized he would likely be unable to reveal the truth to Liv even after returning to the original timeline. He was a far more cowardly and selfish person than Liv believed. ¡®I need to atone to Liv.¡¯ Yet no matter what he did, there seemed no way to absolve this sin. It might be better if Liv reviled and scorned him once he returned to the original time. For the last time he saw her, Liv had slit her own throat for his sake. Liv should have left him to die at that moment. He didn¡¯t deserve Liv¡¯s love, nor to live among society acting as if he had committed no wrongs. After standing wordlessly for a long while before the enormity of his own sins, Liv finally spoke in a dejected voice: ¡°So I can never go outside?¡± ¡°...You will be able to leave.¡± Though he had already robbed her of one chance, Liv would ultimately make it outside in the end. Even if the first would-be rescuer had perished by his past self¡¯s hands. ¡®Then who could have...¡¯ At that moment, a lightning bolt of realization struck him. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Though Liv worriedly asked at his exclamation, Emmett couldn¡¯t bring himself to answer. For he had finally arrived at the truth. -How foolish. The god¡¯s words had been accurate. He had truly been foolish. The god had imprisoned Emmett here to ¡®rescue¡¯ Liv from this place. Not in a metaphorical sense of comforting the suffering Liv and standing by her until she escaped, thereby ¡®saving her soul¡¯. ¡°Rescue her...¡± They had told Emmett to literally rescue Liv from this Abgrund. Only now did he realize who the figure was that had helped Liv escape Abgrund in the past. ¡°It was me.¡± Chapter 46 It was his present self, who had come from the future, that had enabled Liv¡¯s escape from Abgrund. After receiving Emmett¡¯s aid, Liv had come to love and follow him. And now, with Emmett having received divine punishment and returned to the past, the moment had arrived for him to rescue Liv once more. The gods¡¯ power was intervening with time, a resource beyond human grasp, causing the strands of time to interweave. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Gazing at Liv¡¯s innocent face, Emmett reaffirmed to himself: ¡°You will definitely leave this place, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes, I believe so too.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± Liv would escape Abgrund. For Emmett was destined to release her, escorting her all the way to the temple. For events to unfold exactly as they had in the past, it was now Emmett¡¯s turn to take action. Having resolved to help Liv escape, he first examined the prison¡¯s structure. ¡°There is no drainage.¡± After carefully inspecting the prison, Emmett¡¯s face grew pensive. ¡°Then what happens when it rains?¡± ¡°We wait for it to dry up!¡± Liv¡¯s all-too-cheerful response only made him feel more dejected. This was hardly a place fit for human habitation. There was no drainage system, not even basic facilities for a dignified life. Escaping through the floor seemed impossible. Next, he focused on the ceiling hole, but... ¡°Miss Liv, can you climb up there?¡± ¡°No... I can¡¯t reach it even if I jump.¡± The cell was cramped yet had a high ceiling. If even Emmett couldn¡¯t reach the hole by stretching his arm, Liv would be unable to escape through it. ¡°Then I suppose...¡± Emmett turned his gaze to the last remaining hope ¨C the small door in the left wall that Liv said had never opened during her time there. The door stained with Viscount Wolfe¡¯s dried blood looked eerie, but they approached it without hesitation. ¡°See, it won¡¯t open.¡± Bang, bang. Liv spoke as she slammed her body against the door, the resounding impacts suggesting it didn¡¯t hurt her. ¡°It seems to be locked from the outside.¡± Emmett briefly considered if there was any way to open that door, but it too seemed impossible. Since the door didn¡¯t budge even when she threw her full weight against it, it was likely sealed not just with a simple latch, but chains or outright blocked. ¡°There is no way, it seems.¡± Emmett¡¯s face grew grave as he spoke. Since Liv had ended up outside, it meant his past self must have found some method. But he felt utterly vexed, unable to discern how his former self had managed it. ¡°It¡¯s alright, even if I can¡¯t leave this place...¡± Seeming to sense Emmett¡¯s solemnity, Liv spoke those words. But Emmett¡¯s determination to release her didn¡¯t waver. He felt love for Liv and had no intention of abandoning her in this prison. Liv had to go outside. And she had to meet his past self. Though it pained him to think of Liv falling for him again, only to be hurt, he first had to meet her to atone. How could he get Liv out of here? There was no human way. But if the gods could have released Liv, surely they would have used their power long ago. Was it impossible even by divine means? ¡®...Wait, perhaps.¡¯ An idea was gradually taking shape. Of course, to enact that method, he would have to make a sacrifice. But he would gladly do so for Liv¡¯s sake. Thus, once Liv had fallen asleep, Emmett spoke up: ¡°Are you listening?¡± Though no response came, Emmett was certain they were listening. For they were always by Liv¡¯s side. ¡°I have a proposal. Please release Liv from this place.¡± Only after Emmett made that request did a weighty voice descend upon his head: Did you think we imprisoned our child here because we didn¡¯t wish to release her? That too is our desire. Impossible. Impossible. Impossible. What do you take us for? Insolent fool. Despite the gods¡¯ rebukes raining down, Emmett calmly opened his mouth: ¡°Are you truly unable to exert any power within Abgrund?¡± Indeed. We can only converse through that hole. Through this small opening, I can only exert minimal power ¨C merely sustaining life. That is all my child has been granted to remain alive until now. According to the gods, they couldn¡¯t apply any power to Liv within Abgrund. However, Emmett had perceived one strange point: ¡°Then how did you bring me to Abgrund?¡± We simply employed a loophole using ¡®divine punishment¡¯. We applied power to you, not our child. ¡°I see. So you used your power to bring me to this place.¡± Correct. That much is possible. ¡°Then you can also use that power to return me to my original world.¡± Indeed we can. ¡°Could that power not be used on Miss Liv instead of me?¡± For a moment, silence followed before an explosive response came: That is impossible. We cannot use our power on the child. No! Still, the power to return you is a form of ¡®divine punishment¡¯ our future selves used unrelated to Abgrund! So the power of punishment could be applied to our child in Abgrund! The moment we came to love this child, our power became sealed. But the power of divine punishment we unleash when our beloved child dies exceeds all else. We could use that power on the child. The various gods began loudly arguing their opinions. Beneath that oppressive weight, Emmett covered his ears and simply waited for their discussion to conclude. Soon, their answer came to him: It is possible. ¡°Then Miss Liv...!¡± However, doing so will cost us the power to return you to your original world. No immediate affirmative answer followed those words. Emmett hung his head deep in thought. ¡®I should ask them to rescue Liv, even if it means I must remain here forever...¡¯ Yet the thought of potentially never seeing Liv again tormented him. He had to meet the future Liv once more. To apologize to her, to bestow upon her all the world¡¯s precious things. If he couldn¡¯t meet Liv again, how could he ever atone to her? ¡°Liv will need help once she is outside. Is there truly no way for me to return?¡± As if considering his words, the gods began another discussion: Is there really no way? S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The power we have for divine punishment is limited. But if we accumulate it again, perhaps it could be possible... We are not trying to exert power in Abgrund, but on the subject of punishment. After a while, they presented Emmett with this answer: We can return you to your original world again. However, you will have to spend an extremely long time here. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Emmett answered without the slightest hesitation. Liv had already spent most of her life imprisoned in this dreadful place. For the woman he loved, Emmett was prepared to endure even longer. Even if it took hundreds of years, he would persevere. ¡°Please release Miss Liv from here instead, and drop her wherever I desire. I will remain imprisoned here until your powers recover.¡± Very well, we shall do so. At last, the gods accepted Emmett¡¯s proposal. However, it will require some time. Since we will apply the same power to our child that we used on you, you will gradually become invisible to the child¡¯s eyes, just as you were initially. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. But please, keep this deal a secret from Liv.¡± A remarkable one you are. Through your sacrifice, you will come to save our child. Chapter 47 ¡°I can leave now?¡± Immediately upon waking, hearing the news that she would soon depart, Liv gazed at the man with sparkling eyes. Over the past few days, it seemed he had been pondering how to release her, and today he had finally brought the news that Liv could leave. Though uncertain of the exact circumstances, the man always brought Liv new joys. He was likely telling the truth this time as well. Unable to contain her wildly beating heart, Liv sprang up and bounced around. ¡°I¡¯m so happy!¡± ¡°Congratulations, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°But how did this become possible?¡± Liv asked with wide eyes, prompting the man to avert his gaze. ¡°Well... I conversed with the gods...¡± ¡°Wow, I thought only I could converse with the gods, but there were others.¡± ¡°I was granted an exceptional circumstance to do so this time. The gods promised to use their power to help you escape.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Liv tilted her head in puzzlement. She had been imprisoned here for so long, in this place beyond the gods¡¯ reach. Yet suddenly the gods could enable her escape? ¡°How? They definitely said their power couldn¡¯t reach here...¡± ¡°Well... I have certain abilities...¡± ¡°Wow, so you have such powers.¡± As Liv exclaimed in admiration, the man sheepishly hung his head. As Liv had suspected, he didn¡¯t seem to be an ordinary human after all. Though she could ask for more details, the complexities of divine power would likely exceed human Liv¡¯s comprehension. However, the man¡¯s words raised some doubts, prompting Liv to ask with a curious expression: ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving with me too, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said you would remain by my side.¡± At that, the man lowered his gaze and spoke in a soft voice: ¡°I cannot leave together with you.¡± ¡°Huh? Then...¡± ¡°But we will meet again. No, we will meet again soon.¡± Liv fell into contemplation for a moment before arriving at her own conclusion: ¡°Ah, so you¡¯ll be escaping through a different method? Because you have special powers.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s meet outside then.¡± The man silently gazed at Liv¡¯s elated face, his tender eyes seeming to etch her appearance into his mind. After standing there for a while, he extended his little finger towards Liv. ¡°Miss Liv, would you make a promise with me?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± No matter what promise he proposed, Liv intended to keep it. For he was the first human she had met, the one who would release her from this place. Seeing Liv¡¯s smiling face, the man lowered his head further as he spoke: ¡°Once you leave here...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please make sure to meet me.¡± ¡°Huh? Of course I will?¡± ¡°There is a chance you may come to dislike me.¡± Liv laughed, for that seemed an impossibility ¨C she couldn¡¯t fathom ever disliking this person. Yet seeing the man¡¯s serious expression, Liv nodded solemnly and hooked her little finger with his. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Okay, I promise we¡¯ll be together once I¡¯m out of here too.¡± * * * ¡°...Ah!¡± It seemed she had fallen asleep not long after making that promise with him. Having dreamed of the outside world she would soon encounter, Liv awoke with a startled cry upon seeing the man lying beside her. The man¡¯s body had faded, emitting a faint glow Liv had never witnessed before. She reached out and waved her hand through his form, but as always, it simply passed through him. ¡°What happened?¡± Liv asked in a flustered voice, and the man calmly responded: ¡°My body is preparing to leave this place.¡± ¡°Aha, like you mentioned before?¡± ¡°...Yes, that¡¯s right. This is called becoming translucent.¡± ¡°How strange.¡± Reassured by the man¡¯s composed demeanor, Liv quickly overcame her surprise and instead observed him with curious eyes. Yes, it must be a good thing if he was preparing to depart this place. However, an inexplicable sense of sadness welled up at the feeling of him fading away from her. ¡°You won¡¯t be leaving me, right?¡± ¡°No, we will meet again outside. At that time... I will tell you my name.¡± As Liv continued gazing intently at him, the man changed the subject to a new topic: ¡°Once outside, Miss Liv, you must be wary of those who approach you.¡± ¡°Other people? But you said there are many good ones.¡± ¡°Of course, but human hearts are difficult to discern. Even good beings can become evil in an instant.¡± ¡°That sounds difficult...¡± ¡°So you must not give your heart too freely to others. You may end up hurt later on.¡± Hearing that, Liv broke into a bright smile. While the man advised against opening her heart to others... ¡°I will do that. But I will give you my heart.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You are a special existence, aren¡¯t you? You rescued me from here and taught me so much. So I will give you all of my heart.¡± At those words, the man¡¯s expression darkened, prompting Liv to carefully ask: ¡°Is it uncomfortable for you to accept my heart?¡± ¡°No, not at all. I am simply...¡± The man hesitated before continuing: ¡°I fear you may end up hurt, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Why would I be hurt? You are such a good person.¡± ¡°...¡± After a long silence, the man could only offer Liv a faint smile. * * * When Liv awoke from another sleep, Emmett felt his body had grown even more translucent. The time is drawing near. The oppressive voice of the god also reached him, as if trampling him underfoot ¨C a sign they were about to exert their power. Emmett recalled the conversation he had with Liv the previous day. Liv had said she would give him all her heart, leaving Emmett anguished once more. For he knew he would inevitably end up hurting her. Yet try as he might to steel himself, he lacked the courage to reject her love. Selfishly, he wished for her to continue loving him. ¡°Ah, Miss Liv.¡± Seeing Liv stir awake, Emmett approached her. The moment she opened her eyes and met his gaze, a somber expression crossed her face. ¡°You¡¯ve become even more translucent.¡± Liv seemed saddened to see him fading away. Sitting down on the floor, she gazed up at Emmett and asked: ¡°You said I must beware of humans once outside?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Is there anything else I should be cautious of?¡± At those words, Emmett briefly pondered. There seemed too much Liv needed to be wary of, and he felt he should organize his thoughts before listing them all to her. ¡°Well, for example, you must not harm others, and if someone does you a kindness, you should repay it...¡± As he recited such meaningless advice fit for children, something suddenly occurred to Emmett. ¡®Miss Liv was afraid of the sea.¡¯ But had Liv ever had the chance to see the sea? His plan was to release her from this place directly to the temple, where no sea could be seen. ¡°Miss Liv, have you heard about the sea?¡± At Emmett¡¯s question, Liv¡¯s face brightened as she answered: ¡°Yes, they said it¡¯s a beautiful place with a vast expanse of blue water.¡± It was a vastly different reaction compared to the past Liv who had feared the sea. There, she had grown ill, retching uncontrollably. Why had she developed such a phobia of the sea when there was no reason for it? ¡°Do you know anything else about the sea?¡± ¡°Um... Ah, the sea is a sacred ground.¡± ¡°A sacred ground?¡± While Emmett was aware of various sacred grounds, he had never heard of the sea itself being considered one. ¡°Yes, the sea is said to be a place where the gods¡¯ power becomes strongest among all sacred grounds. I heard that if I go there, I can borrow the gods¡¯ power.¡± ¡°What does it mean for their power to become stronger?¡± ¡°Well, when the gods speak to me now, I feel a heaviness. That would become much more intense...¡± Liv spoke those words before her face suddenly contorted in shock: ¡°Oh? Then the sea doesn¡¯t sound like a good place.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only now did Emmett realize why the past Liv had suffered so at the sea ¨C she had been overwhelmed by the amplified power of the gods there. ¡°Then it would be best for you to avoid the sea, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes, I shouldn¡¯t go near any sacred grounds. It seems it would be too difficult for me.¡± Liv glanced upwards before whispering in a lowered voice: ¡°Though of course, the gods wish for me to go to the sacred grounds...¡± ¡°You need not always heed the gods¡¯ words.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, you can act according to your own will, Miss Liv.¡± As Liv nodded, she suddenly exclaimed with a darkened expression upon seeing Emmett¡¯s form: ¡°You¡¯ve become even more translucent...!¡± ¡°...It seems the time has truly come.¡± Just as he spoke those words in a low voice, realizing the moment to send Liv off was nearing, the voice of gods rang out: Our power has gathered. We shall now release our child into the outside world. Is there a desired location? Emmett didn¡¯t answer, simply gazing up at the ceiling in silence. Everything had to unfold exactly as it had in the past. While being adopted into the Hamelsvoort family and mistaken for a Saintess hadn¡¯t been ideal for Liv, releasing the beautiful yet ignorant Liv elsewhere could have posed even greater dangers. So... ¡°Near the Holy Church.¡± Chapter 48 We shall move the child. No sooner had those words finished than an inexplicable wind began blowing within Abgrund. ¡°Eh, what? What is this?¡± ¡°This is called ¡®wind¡¯. It seems the gods are exerting their power to release you into the outside world, Miss Liv.¡± Experiencing the flow of air for the first time in her life, Liv was initially flustered before bursting into giggles, seeming to enjoy the wind brushing her face and ruffling her hair. ¡°So I¡¯m going outside too.¡± ¡°Yes, you will be able to find freedom, Miss Liv.¡± ¡°What should I do once I¡¯m out there?¡± Liv¡¯s question gave Emmett pause. Should he tell her to wait until the Hamelsvoort family found her? However, the answer came quickly. Emmett still trusted in the gods¡¯ love for Liv. The gods would guide her to where she needed to be. ¡°Simply observe your surroundings and enjoy the outside world. Everything will unfold naturally.¡± ¡°Naturally?¡± ¡°Yes, if you follow the gods¡¯ words and wait, you will soon meet me as well.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait...¡± Rumble, boom! At that moment, a thunderous roar erupted from outside Abgrund, as if the world itself were crumbling. Startled, Liv clung close to Emmett. ¡°What was that sound?¡± ¡°Thunder. A sign of the gods exerting their power.¡± Emmett remembered hearing that exact thunderous sound when the world had crumbled upon Liv¡¯s death. The sky visible through the hole had already darkened. The deafening thunder continued unabated, and the wind within Abgrund grew fiercer. Watching Liv¡¯s white hair whipping in the gale, Emmett realized the time had come to send her off. ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You must take care of yourself out there.¡± ¡°But you said we would meet again?¡± ¡°Still, we may be apart for a while.¡± As if declaring her time in this space had ended, Liv¡¯s body began turning translucent. Glancing down at herself, Liv exclaimed in awe: ¡°Wow, I guess I¡¯m going outside now.¡± Emmett¡¯s form had also become nearly transparent, the gods seemingly using all their power to maintain Liv¡¯s manifestation instead of his own. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before Liv vanished completely, Emmett reached out towards her. But his translucent hand simply passed through hers, unable to feel any human warmth. Yes, witnessing that sight stirred an uprising within him ¨C a vile compulsion to beg for Liv¡¯s love. ¡®No, I must not.¡¯ Yet he loved Liv so deeply. Though he tried to resist, an overwhelming desire for her love surged forth. In the end, Emmett uttered the words he should never have said to Liv, despite knowing it would hurt her ¨C words driven by his own selfishness: ¡°Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If you meet me again outside.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please, love me.¡± Gazing directly into Liv¡¯s eyes, he spoke with more ardent yearning than ever before. His gaze held a pitiful, agonizing pleading. But undoubtedly, he simultaneously regretted giving voice to those words. ¡°No matter what happens, please love me to the very end...¡± It was the greatest wrong he had committed against Liv. * * * When she opened and closed her eyes, Liv found herself in an unfamiliar environment. ¡°Ah...!¡± The dazzling brightness stung her eyes, causing Liv to scream as she shielded them with her arms. Her vision blurred, the stinging sensation like her eyes were being gouged by something sharp. Objects swam before her, as if she had lost her sight entirely. At that moment, the gods¡¯ voices reached her, and the pain in her eyes dissipated: Poor child. Now, you should be able to see properly. Open your eyes. Since you are outside, we can exert at least this much power. ¡°Did it work...?¡± Baffled, Liv lowered the hands covering her eyes. An unbelievable, never-before-seen color filled her vision. ¡°Aah...!¡± A chill seemed to pierce her to the depths of her chest, as if something cold and solid were drilling into her mind. The color was as chilly and damp as the rainwater that had once trickled through the hole. Yet simultaneously, it was as intense and piercing as the sunlight on a clear day. As Liv could only gape dumbfounded, the gods explained its identity: That is the color called ¡®blue¡¯, child. What you see is called the ¡®sky¡¯, and those are ¡®clouds¡¯. ¡°Am I really seeing the sky...?¡± While Liv had glimpsed the sky through the hole in her cell¡¯s ceiling, it had only been a tiny fraction. She had never witnessed such a vast expanse of blue. The ¡®sky¡¯ was an overwhelming presence she could scarcely believe existed in this world. No matter where she looked, the sky stretched endlessly, enveloping everything beneath it. Even if Liv ran, she felt she could never reach its farthest bounds. After marveling at the sky for a long while, Liv then lowered her gaze to the ground. ¡°What color is this?¡± That is called ¡®brown¡¯. This new hue invoked a sense of grounding calm. It brought to mind the sweltering heat of summer, as well as the soothing voice of the man who had accompanied her in Abgrund. Liv cautiously patted the ground, feeling not the cool stone of the underground but warm, sun-baked soil instead. She silently studied the dirt clinging to her hands ¨C that dense, cozy sensation felt so strange. ¡°This is... the outside world...¡± Now Liv sprang up, whirling about to take in her surroundings. What filled her vision was a refreshing yet comforting, novel shade. Unlike the drab gray of Abgrund that had bred boredom and tedium, she felt this color would never grow stale no matter how long she gazed upon it. That color is called ¡®green¡¯. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s so, so beautiful!¡± Those are called ¡®trees¡¯. Liv dashed over and embraced a nearby tree trunk, marveling at the rough tactile sensation. Unlike the musty air underground, the outside air was incredibly crisp, with a gentle breeze caressing her cheeks. From the tree wafted an invigorating scent that cleared her mind. ¡°Oh, what is that over there?¡± That is called a ¡®butterfly¡¯. Liv clapped her hands over her mouth, watching the yellow butterfly flit by on delicate wings, freely roaming this vast world. Having only heard tales, beholding an actual butterfly in the flesh rendered it breathtakingly beautiful. And... The feeling you experience is called ¡®liking¡¯. ¡°Yes, I like it! I regret not seeing yellow sooner. It makes my heart feel warm!¡± Having emerged into the outside world, Liv felt she could never return to the dank underground vistas she had known. With each step she took, new sights unfolded before her. Though her bare feet bled after stepping on a sharp rock, Liv didn¡¯t register any pain ¨C she only drank in the visions, afraid to miss a single detail. ¡°Aah...!¡± A tightness gripped her chest, and Liv sank to the ground, clutching her bosom. ¡°Why did I not know of this sooner? It feels like a dream! No, I¡¯ve never dreamed of anything like this, because I couldn¡¯t even imagine...¡± You shall never again return to that cursed land, beloved child. This world now belongs to you. Unable to contain her swelling emotions, Liv curled up on the ground, hugging her knees. Then, noticing something strange, she asked the gods: ¡°What is... this?¡± Those are called ¡®flowers¡¯. Pink flowers, the same deep shade as your eyes. A few flower blossoms swayed gently by the roadside, as if greeting the cool breeze. ¡°So this is my eye color...¡± Liv crawled closer, bringing her face level with the flowers. These first flowers she had ever seen were breathtakingly beautiful. -Once you go outside, you will surely come to love them immediately. ¡°You were right...¡± Recalling the man¡¯s words, Liv murmured in a dazed voice: ¡°They¡¯re so, so lovely. How could I not love them...¡± Hot liquid trickled from her eyes, dropping onto the flower petals. Liv suddenly realized she was crying. Don¡¯t cry, child. What has saddened our child so? ¡°No, it¡¯s not... I¡¯m just overwhelmed by how beautiful the world is.¡± She felt profound regret at having remained ignorant of this world for so long. She wished the man could be by her side in this moment. For some reason, her emotions simply felt... strange. It was like finally regaining something that had been taken from her ¨C even though she had never truly possessed it from the start. Ah, if only she had lived experiencing these wonders all along, she could not even fathom what her life might have been like. Compared to them, everything she had known until now felt so utterly insignificant that it was overwhelming. Chapter 49 As Liv sobbed uncontrollably, the gods¡¯ voices bore down upon her head: Does this world sadden our child so? Now we can do anything for our beloved child. If you are saddened or angered, we can destroy this world for you. If you perish, we will utterly obliterate this world. We have no need for a world where our beloved child doesn¡¯t exist. ¡°I¡¯m alright...¡± The more they spoke, the worse her headache became. This world belongs to you, child. It was then, as Liv tightly shut her eyes and curled up, that a grating screech unlike anything she had heard pierced the air ¨C the sound of an arrival. Lifting her head, Liv saw unfamiliar animals and objects before her. A ¡®carriage¡¯ has come. The creatures before the carriage are called ¡®horses¡¯. How dare these humans try to harm our child. Shall we eliminate them? Just say it. That they would try to kill you is unforgivable. Overwhelmed by the torrent of divine voices, Liv struggled to gather her thoughts. A man and woman had alighted from the so-called carriage, eyeing Liv warily before extending their hands towards her. Take their hands, Liv. And so Liv was inducted into the Hamelsvoort family as a Saintess. * * * ¡®I really like it here.¡¯ Alone in her room, lying on the bed, Liv mused. Despite being indoors like before, the Hamelsvoort manor didn¡¯t feel confining at all. She enjoyed exploring the estate. ¡®Beds are so strange.¡¯ Liv rolled around on the plush mattress. It was here that she first learned the meaning of the word ¡®soft¡¯. Being able to sleep here every day felt miraculous to her. ¡®And bathing is wonderful too.¡¯ While not soiled during her time underground, Liv had never been truly clean either. But after arriving here, she could bathe daily. Submerging in the warm water made her whole body feel deliciously languid. The pleasant scent from her skin and lustrous hair felt novel. ¡®But eating is the best of all.¡¯ The first time she chewed and swallowed food, Liv realized she had instinctively craved that sensation all along. The act of eating was utterly sublime. Though the Hamelsvoorts asked about her tastes, Liv joyfully savored any flavor. She also delighted in entering high society and meeting people ¨C something she had long dreamed of doing. ¡®But when will I meet him again?¡¯ He had said they would surely meet once she was outside. Yet why had he not revealed himself to her? Though a nagging doubt arose that he may have lied, Liv chose to trust him. For he was the one who had rescued her. * * * ¡®Well, it¡¯s better than Abgrund at least.¡¯ Braving the scornful gazes of the condescending noble girls who mocked her, Liv thought to herself. After the ¡®Real Saintess¡¯ Hildegard appeared, Liv became an outcast. Yet she still remained satisfied with her current life compared to Abgrund. No matter the insults people hurled, she continued attending gatherings, for she still enjoyed being among crowds. It was then that Liv recalled the man¡¯s words: -Originally, no one can be loved by all humans. There may be those who dislike you, just as there are those who dislike me. ¡°His words rang true.¡± Yes, she should heed what he said. Not everyone would like her, so it was only natural to face such dislike... -Will there really be many who like me? -Yes, there will. Because you are a lovely person, Miss Liv. ¡®But those words were false.¡¯ It seemed Hildegard was the only one who showed Liv any kindness. The man¡¯s claims didn¡¯t appear entirely truthful after all. ¡®Could it be his promise to meet again was also a lie?¡¯ Thus, seeds of doubt began sprouting within Liv regarding the man¡¯s words. * * * And then, in the promised autumn, Liv finally found the man once more. That black hair and gray eyes that reminded her of the time in Abgrund. The face that appeared cold when expressionless yet had a softly curved gaze. And that unforgettable voice from her dreams... Though much time had passed since last seeing him, Liv had never forgotten him for a moment. Fearing she might, she recounted their past conversations daily, repeatedly checking and feeling disappointed whenever she glimpsed a similar figure from behind. Recognizing him again, her heart raced. Her face flushed with inexplicable shyness, wanting his attention yet also desiring to secretly watch from afar. Ah, this explosive emotion could hardly be described by the mere word ¡®affection¡¯. The past Liv would have been bewildered, unable to name this feeling. But now, having heard the romantic tales of noble ladies after emerging into the outside world, she could identify it. More than anything, it resonated with the emotion the gods had called the most beautiful in this world. Ah, Liv too knew how immensely beautiful that word was, and the power it held. So it was love. ¡®I have loved him all this time!¡¯ In retrospect, it seemed Liv had fallen in love with him the very first time she laid eyes on him ¨C the first human to ever call her name. ¡°Hello, I am Liv Hamelsvoort. Hamelsvoort is my family name now!¡± Liv boldly approached the man, proudly stating her surname ¨C simultaneously requesting his name in return. ¡°I see.¡± But the man¡¯s only reply was that curt acknowledgment. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Why...?¡¯ He was acting as if he didn¡¯t know her at all. Had he forgotten her? Were the memories they shared truly so unimportant to him? Crestfallen, Liv soon recalled the final words he had spoken to her: -No matter what happens, please love me to the very end... ¡®Hmm, did he mean for me to love him even if his attitude towards me changed?¡¯ Had he known Liv would come to love him? Thinking back, it was truly strange. In any case, Liv resolved to love the man until the end, as he had implored. ¡°Emmett Lartman...¡± Having learned his identity from Hildegard, Liv diligently pursued the Duke after that day. No matter his current demeanor, she couldn¡¯t forget the tender gaze he had regarded her with in Abgrund, the voice she had sought in that darkness to rescue her. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Yes! But why won¡¯t you call me Liv?¡± ¡°...It would be improper to address a lady so familiarly by name.¡± Though the man treated Liv like a total stranger: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid of the sea...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to dance...¡± ¡°For Emmett¡¯s sake, I can do anything!¡± ¡°Emmett is my first friend!¡± ¡°What if I died and the world was destroyed?¡± ¡°I was already in the lowest place.¡± Liv succeeded in becoming close friends with Emmett again through a lengthy process. What Liv newly learned about Emmett in the outside world was his deep loyalty to the Emperor. -At that time, His Majesty the Emperor helped me a lot. That¡¯s why I decided to always be loyal to His Majesty. -In the Emperor¡¯s presence, you need only show proper etiquette. I have been teaching you court manners, have I not? Whenever the word ¡®Emperor¡¯ was mentioned, the gods would rage noisily above Liv¡¯s head. But amidst that pounding headache, Liv realized: ¡®Ah, so the Emperor is a sacred existence.¡¯ That position should have originally been yours! Even though he usurped her place, imprisoned her in Abgrund, made her a sacrifice, branded her with a mark... It seemed Liv must not hate the Emperor. For the Emperor was a sacred being to be revered by all. So Liv did as instructed. As Emmett wished, she didn¡¯t harbor hatred towards the Emperor, but rather respected him. Yet when Emmett spoke those words, Liv felt a tinge of sorrow: -It¡¯s not a matter to apologize to me. But if you speak like that in front of others, you could be imprisoned. Perhaps you could even be imprisoned in Abgrund. The moment ¡®Abgrund¡¯ left his lips, a chill ran through Liv¡¯s body. Her limbs grew so tense they trembled uncontrollably, her fingertips turning icy cold. ¡®How could he mention that place before me...¡¯ Not only was he treating her like a complete stranger, but he had brought up Abgrund ¨C it seemed he had either truly forgotten her, or intended to be callous towards her. Yet despite that, Liv¡¯s love didn¡¯t waver. For she possessed the devoted, intense love for Emmett that she had learned from the gods themselves. Liv had thought their story would be like the romantic love tales in the myths narrated by the gods ¨C where the protagonists endured hardships before ultimately finding happiness, just as she had suffered in Abgrund with only happiness remaining. -I can¡¯t believe that despite being a noble, you fail to fulfill your own duty of dedicating yourself to the nation. Instead of devoting yourself to the country, you tried to use your life as a means. Consider yourself fortunate that you weren¡¯t thrown into Abgrund. This is the last consideration I can show you. -You were unfit to be adopted into the Hamelsvoort family in the first place! Your original fate was to remain where you were. When given a new status, you should have tried to adapt to it, how could you act that way? Was it not enough that I kept helping you? Upon hearing those words, Liv wept and agonized for a long while before finally realizing: ¡®I have been mistaken all this time.¡¯ She was no mythical protagonist. She was merely a lowly girl who belonged in the lowest place. Chapter 50 ¡®Yes, I should be grateful just to have come this far.¡¯ She, who had been in Abgrund, should feel gratitude simply for gaining a foothold in the noble world. As Emmett said, perhaps Liv was meant to remain in Abgrund. Because she could never truly intermingle with others. So she should be thankful to live in this bright, beautiful world, and not dare seek more. She should accept the insults from people, not seek their affection. She shouldn¡¯t dare hope for love from the one she loves. Even if Emmett despised her, she should be satisfied with merely being able to see him. Organizing her thoughts that way, strangely, Liv felt a sense of relief. Beloved child. We will always love you. Even the gods¡¯ love, which had always felt burdensome, now seemed welcome. Since she realized she could never truly be among humans, the only ones who truly cared for her were the gods themselves. Even after Emmett rejected her, Liv followed him with a bright smile. Though she pursued him one-sidedly, she was content to simply love Emmett, even if he didn¡¯t return her love. For love was meant to be that way, as the gods had taught her. And when Emmett faced a life-threatening crisis, Liv realized she had to take action. She would have to utilize the most precious thing she could offer. Her very life itself. -Your Grace, everything will be alright... Although you¡¯ll have to suffer a bit, it¡¯s okay... If you go back, you won¡¯t die. Though she would face divine punishment, he would live. Thus, Liv slit her own throat. * * * In the cursed land of Abgrund untouched by any divine power, the kneeling Emmett raised his head. ¡°Miss Liv...¡± Liv had likely arrived safely near the temple and met the Hamelsvoort couple. If adopted into that noble family, she would enter high society... And eventually, he too would meet her again. ¡°Then...¡± Recalling his past words and actions brought Emmett such anguish that he squeezed his eyes shut. No divine voices reached him, only silence reigning in Abgrund. The time alone in Abgrund was utterly torturous. Yet Emmett endured, and endured further, reminding himself of the suffering Liv had endured here. For one month. Half a year. How long had it been? He lost all sense of time. Our power has gathered. The god¡¯s voice that had once cast him into this place finally reached him again. Overjoyed by that long-awaited voice, Emmett raised his head. More than escaping this dreadful place, he felt elated at the prospect of seeing Liv once more. We shall return you to your original timeline. ¡°Yes, and there...¡± Emmett hesitated briefly before continuing: ¡°I will cherish the child who receives the gods¡¯ love above all else.¡± As you ought. As he awaited his return to the original world, another voice rang out: Since we exerted more than our power to release our beloved child, a price is required. ¡°What must I do?¡± Once more, we will impose divine punishment upon you. Nothing major. A triviality. ¡°I accept it.¡± Ever since choosing for Liv to be released in his stead, Emmett¡¯s heart had never wavered. He had to atone to her. No, even if he had committed no transgression, he would have given anything for the woman he loved. He simply awaited the impending punishment. From now on, you will be unable to speak the words you most need. Emmett tried to discern the meaning, but it seemed he could only understand the precise nature of this punishment by directly experiencing it. Now we will return you to your original world. With those words, his body dissolved into particles before coalescing and being drawn somewhere else. Emmett briefly opened his eyes, only to squeeze them shut again, unable to process the sight before him ¨C a glimpse of this world¡¯s fundamental principles off-limits to human comprehension. When he opened his eyes again: ¡°Ah.¡± He had returned to the Lartman Duchy manor, the day before the ball on April 17th. After realizing he was back, the first place Emmett headed was the Hamelsvoort County. ¡°To the Hamelsvoort manor.¡± ¡°Pardon? Yes, understood.¡± Though it had been quite some time since he last visited, the coachman seemed puzzled yet didn¡¯t question the request, immediately driving the carriage there. Inside, Emmett felt constant unease. ¡®After committing such sins, how dare I face Liv again? Having spoken those final words to her, do I even have the right to see her?¡¯ Yet the moment he saw Liv again: ¡°Ah...¡± That pristinely white hair seeming purer than anything. Those round, crimson eyes brimming with curiosity. That cute visage contrasted by a plump countenance. She was exactly as Emmett remembered his Liv. The Liv he had rescued, the Liv he had tormented. ¡°Liv.¡± He wanted to immediately shower her with every embarrassing term of endearment, but could only utter her name, the name that had felt like his entire world when imprisoned in Abgrund. From then on, Emmett conversed with Liv as if oblivious to the past. He wished to explain that he had just witnessed everything, apologize for his ignorant mistakes ¨C yet such selfish actions felt unforgivable, so he held back. ¡°Did you also receive divine punishment, Your Grace?¡± ¡°Divine punishment? ...Ah yes, there was that.¡± Only after Hildegard¡¯s words did Emmett realize anew what he had experienced ¨C divine punishment. Entranced by Liv, he had forgotten the very nature of that incident. But regardless of what it entailed, it no longer mattered now that he had returned. Afterwards, Emmett strove to spend as much time with Liv as possible. -I thought you might like some flowers. -Let¡¯s have a picnic together tomorrow. Somewhere close to the Hamelsvoort estate... The Dneuve River would be ideal, I think. -You see, I can touch you now... In the process, he subtly tried hinting that he was aware of the past. But each time, Liv would only regard him with an inscrutable expression. And soon, a new obstacle appeared before Emmett: ¡°Hayden Shultze...¡± The Emperor¡¯s would-be assassin, Hayden Shultze. He lurked about Liv with impure eyes, seeming to view her as a mere plaything for his amusement. Emmett wanted to immediately drive him away from Liv¡¯s side, yet lacked justification, for Liv appeared interested in Hayden. Whenever Emmett realized he couldn¡¯t make such demands of Liv, he only tormented himself further by recalling his own sins... ¡°The last descendant of the Gracia line, one whose very existence threatened imperial authority ¨C could it be...?¡± Finally, upon learning the truth from Hayden, Emmett arrived at the full reality. Liv had been imprisoned in Abgrund solely for ¡®existing as a threat to imperial authority¡¯. The former ¡®last descendant of the Gracia lineage¡¯ had been usurped by the current Emperor, precisely around the time of Liv¡¯s birth. ¡°Damnit!¡± Then Liv¡¯s true identity became all too clear. Liv had been confined there by the Emperor for the sole reason of being the last Gracia descendant. Resenting his former self who had defended the Emperor before Liv, Emmett felt he would kill that past self if he could. He already knew of the previous Empress¡¯ kidnapping and return. But now he deduced that during her time in Abgrund, she must have given birth to Liv. Out of fear for the Gracia heir loved by the gods, Liv was imprisoned in Abgrund ¨C a space cut off from divine power. Yet the Emperor had overlooked the small hole allowing minimal access. ¡°Liv, I will atone for my sins without fail.¡± Alone in the Lartman study with knees on the floor, Emmett made that vow. ¡°I will take revenge on the Emperor, and restore you to your rightful place...¡± He wished to bestow upon Liv all that should have been hers. To elevate her above those who had scorned her. It was the only thing he could do for her... -From now on, you shall be unable to speak the words you most need. His punishment was an inability to voice his love to Liv. * * * ¡°Oh my, Liv!¡± Countess Hamelsvoort flung open Liv¡¯s room door, her face filled with joy. ¡°A marriage proposal has arrived from the Duke Lartman!¡± ¡°I see.¡± As Liv calmly nodded, the Countess couldn¡¯t contain her delight, pulling Liv into an embrace. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well done, Liv! I knew this day would come!¡± For a moment, Liv felt compelled to ask if the Countess had truly anticipated this, but decided against disrupting the hard-earned peace of the Hamelsvoort family. ¡°Ahem.¡± Count Hamelsvoort, who had approached Liv¡¯s room, cleared his throat to announce his presence. ¡°Would it be best to send a reply immediately, or wait a week?¡± In the Holy Hilysid Empire, ¡®proposals¡¯ were treated as sacred affairs. After a man proposed, if no reply came, he would send flowers to the woman¡¯s residence daily ¨C increasing in number each passing day to demonstrate his sincerity. ¡°Dear, it would be better to wait about a week before replying, I think.¡± Countess Hamelsvoort prattled excitedly, seeming eager to spread the news of Liv¡¯s proposal throughout the neighborhood. Beaming at Liv, she asked: ¡°So the Duke must love you, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Those words caused a momentary shift in Liv¡¯s expression, unable to feign nonchalance. Countess Hamelsvoort seemed to notice the change but carried on in a tone feigning obliviousness: ¡°Well, no matter. All that¡¯s needed is to bind a man through marriage.¡± ¡°...¡± Chapter 51 ¡°In any case, this is such joyous news, Liv. Let¡¯s have a family dinner today then. What food did you enjoy, Liv?¡± ¡°Um, the salmon dish was quite nice.¡± ¡°Very well, I shall have salmon prepared.¡± After the excited Hamelsvoort couple left Liv, the one who visited her next was Hildegard. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°What is it, Hildegard?¡± ¡°I take it things went well with the Duke? Oh, I inadvertently pried since the Duke¡¯s feelings were so obvious. The two of you have fallen for each other, haven¡¯t you?¡± When Liv only offered Hildegard a faint smile in response to her enthusiastic words, Hildegard¡¯s pupils seemed to sense something amiss. Bringing her fingernails to her lips in an anxious gesture before catching herself, she asked in a trembling voice: ¡°Why, why are you smiling like that? Aren¡¯t you happy, Sister?¡± ¡°Yes, he did propose to me. However...¡± A chilly glint flickered in Liv¡¯s eyes. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean the Duke loves me.¡± ¡°But no, he proposed to you.¡± ¡°It was merely out of pity for me. I¡¯m simply taking advantage of that pity. In a way, it was a selfish choice on my part.¡± ¡°That cannot be!¡± Hildegard raised her voice, a rare occurrence. ¡°The Duke I witnessed... seemed to anyone a man deeply in love with you! I don¡¯t know what occurred during his divine punishment, but the Duke truly seemed to have fallen for you...¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case.¡± At Liv¡¯s words, Hildegard furrowed her brow in vexation. She parted her lips several times, as if carefully choosing her phrasing, before catching sight of the Lartman carriage through the window and pointing. ¡°Ah, the Duke has arrived!¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°See, he has come all this way just to visit you again.¡± Seemingly viewing it as a chance to convince Liv, Hildegard flung the door open and pushed Liv¡¯s back, ushering her out. ¡°It seems there has been some misunderstanding, so please go clear it up, Sister!¡± Pushed by Hildegard¡¯s hands, Liv descended the stairs and soon found herself before Emmett. In his grasp was a bouquet following the Holy Hilysid Empire¡¯s traditions. ¡°Liv, these are today¡¯s flowers, but there is no pressure to immediately accept my proposal. I can wait as long as needed.¡± ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡± Liv offered Emmett a bright smile, prompting him to regard her with an indecipherable gaze. ¡°Hildegard insisted I speak with the Duke.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes, about the proposal.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She firmly believes you love me. She is unaware of the complex matters between us.¡± At that, Emmett seemed to squeeze his eyes shut in anguish before speaking: ¡°Though I can¡¯t dare utter ¡®those words¡¯ to you, I vow to make you happy from now on. This is an oath before you, and a pledge to myself.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Seeming to sense Liv¡¯s disbelief, Emmett added by way of explanation: ¡°Liv, it seems there has been some misunderstanding, but the truth is...¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Liv¡¯s tone was bright, yet her words cut sharply: ¡°You lacked any memory of the time we spent together.¡± Though isolated experiences left Liv lacking in common sense, she wasn¡¯t oblivious or foolish. While unaware initially upon reuniting with Emmett in high society, the act of slitting her own throat for his sake made Liv realize: ¡®Ah, so this is the moment. My actions have led Emmett to come find me again.¡¯ S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if Emmett doesn¡¯t love me, I won¡¯t be hurt. After all, no one truly likes me...¡± ¡°That is not true, I...!¡± Unable to continue, Emmett pursed his lips tightly before regarding Liv. ¡°Liv, even if not from me, you will surely receive love from many others going forward. This I can say truthfully.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure...¡± ¡°And though matters became tangled, causing you pain, from now on I will not allow anything to trouble you further. I wish to devote myself to you.¡± At those words, Liv simply blinked placidly at Emmett. Such earnest words from him might have convinced a less worldly Liv that she too could be loved. But Liv had spent over two years in the outside world by now, ample time since being deemed a fake Saintess. She was well aware of how humans perceived her. ¡°Perhaps now Emmett finally understands my secret of Abgrund...¡± ¡°Yes, so there will be no more causing you pain...!¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t love me, do you?¡± Uncharacteristically blunt, Liv¡¯s words caused Emmett¡¯s expression to contort. Grasping Liv¡¯s hands in his large ones, he asked: ¡°Have you no intention of reclaiming your original position?¡± ¡°My original position?¡± ¡°Yes, the Emperor¡¯s seat rightfully should have been yours.¡± Hatred burned in Emmett¡¯s eyes as he spoke ¨C all loyalty to the Emperor now vanished, only animosity and resentment surfacing whenever the Emperor¡¯s name left his lips. ¡°The Emperor usurped your rightful place. I will aid you in reclaiming it.¡± Liv, heed his words. You are worthy of reclaiming your place. Even the gods, who normally urged Liv towards the highest position, echoed Emmett¡¯s stance. But Liv shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why...¡± ¡°In Abgrund, didn¡¯t you say I have the right to act as I will, without heeding the gods¡¯ words?¡± Those words seemed to strike Emmett like a hammer¡¯s blow. ¡°So I will act as I choose. I am grateful simply to have escaped the lowest place and met you, Emmett. I desire nothing more.¡± Stunned by her unexpected response, Emmett fell silent. With an ethereal tone devoid of any worldly desire, Liv continued: ¡°Do you recall what I said as I slit my own throat?¡± ¡°Which words...¡± ¡°That I would love you across all timelines.¡± -I will love you in any timeline, Your Grace. ¡°...Yes, I remember.¡± ¡°I truly meant that.¡± A serene smile graced Liv¡¯s lips as she reminisced. ¡°To me, for whom that narrow ashen space was my entire world, your appearance became a new world unto itself. Though I didn¡¯t fully understand then... meeting you again made me realize. That I love you. So there was never a moment I didn¡¯t love you. Truly, across every timeline, I have loved you.¡± From the first time she saw him until this very moment, Liv had loved Emmett. And she would continue loving him unchangingly in the future. Feeling her feelings had been adequately explained, Liv smiled at him. ¡°So while knowing you don¡¯t love me, I accepted your proposal. It was a selfish choice. Simply being by your side is enough for me, so you don¡¯t need to explain your heart.¡± ¡°Liv...¡± After gripping Liv¡¯s hands for a long while, Emmett finally hung his head and left. Watching Emmett¡¯s retreating figure, Liv felt his heart was utterly inscrutable. Why did he try elevating her to a high position when she was content without it? Why did he seek to bestow human love upon her when she was fine being despised? It seemed he harbored guilt towards her, but he had no reason for such feelings. Emmett had done nothing wrong to Liv, who didn¡¯t resent him at all. So his guilt was meaningless. Liv only felt pity that Emmett constantly tried granting her everything. * * * As he left the Hamelsvoort estate, Emmett resolved: ¡®But I truly do love you, Liv.¡¯ He loved Liv wholeheartedly, and would continue loving her. Even unable to voice his love, he would express it through actions ¨C bringing Liv flowers daily, visiting the Hamelsvoort manor, reading books together... Continuing their current routine. Liv had said she loved him across all timelines, but there was something she didn¡¯t know: ¡°If we consider the order, I loved you first, Liv.¡± Emmett had fallen in love watching Liv in Abgrund. He couldn¡¯t bear how pitiful yet lovable she was. So ultimately, Liv¡¯s words about loving him across all timelines were mistaken. For in the time unknown to her, Emmett already loved Liv. Emmett recalled Liv saying she should be grateful simply to have escaped the lowest place. Though she claimed to desire nothing more... Liv had already set forth on the journey to reclaim her rightful position by agreeing to cooperate with Hayden to overthrow the Emperor. Eventually, Liv would reclaim her original position. Until then, Emmett would serve as a footstool for her, cherishing and bestowing upon her all precious things. For that was the only way he could express his love for Liv and atone. Chapter 52 5. The Girl Receiving Human Love Even after promising a loveless marriage to Liv, Emmett visited her daily bearing flowers. News of Duke Lartman¡¯s proposal to the Hamelsvoort family spread widely in high society, and the Countess Hamelsvoort¡¯s face bloomed with smiles as more flowers arrived. Finally, when the entire Hamelsvoort manor was overwhelmed with flowers, leaving the servants sneezing amid them, the Count Hamelsvoort penned an affirmative reply to the marriage. ¡°Ho ho, I shall make way for you two.¡± ¡°Enjoy your time together.¡± With exaggerated gestures, the Hamelsvoort couple excused themselves. Emmett would visit Liv a little before the sun reached its zenith, and Liv had grown accustomed to the timing of his visits. Upon waking, she would await him by the window, and after he left, her day was filled recounting their conversations. ¡°Is there any particular wedding you desire?¡± Emmett asked Liv in an even tone, and she shook her head. ¡°You know I am unfamiliar with typical weddings. Since I simply wish to live like others, an ordinary wedding would suffice.¡± Emmett nodded in acknowledgment, though he had no intention of preparing an ordinary wedding for Liv. Unable to voice his love, he would instead bestow upon her the most lavish, magnificent wedding this world could offer. If Liv desired an ordinary life, he would simply elevate her standards of ¡®ordinary¡¯. Emmett requested that all wedding matters be entrusted to him, which the Hamelsvoort couple seemed to trust him with completely. ¡°Liv, may I invite you to the Duchy of Lartman?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There are a few necessities before we can wed. First, we must receive the Emperor¡¯s permission...¡± As if reluctant to speak those words, Emmett¡¯s expression slightly contorted. ¡°And I should introduce you to the Lartman vassals.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Liv hesitated, unable to easily answer. Of course, having heard tales of the Duchy of Lartman since her time in Abgrund, she was curious about it... ¡°I need to receive the Count¡¯s permission...¡± The moment Liv spoke those words, the parlor door flung open, and a booming voice echoed: ¡°But of course, of course you have it!¡± The excited Countess puffed out her chest as she exclaimed, while the Count vigorously nodded. ¡°So, of course you do. Have a safe journey.¡± ¡°Oh my, we are intruding! Do continue your conversation, ho ho!¡± Watching them hastily depart, Liv parted her lips in bewilderment. No, was that truly ¡®making way¡¯ for them? Seemingly just as flustered by their abrupt appearance, Emmett averted his eyes awkwardly before speaking: ¡°...In any case, you have their permission.¡± ¡°Yes, then I¡¯m happy to go. But...¡± A flicker of unease crossed Liv¡¯s eyes. Though she would visit the Duchy she had been curious about, she couldn¡¯t feel completely joyful. ¡°Will the vassals accept me?¡± Liv was well aware of her inferiority compared to other women. She lacked their refinement, social graces, elegance and wisdom. Rather, she was simply the one bearing the shameful moniker of ¡®False Saintess¡¯. No proper noble in high society would look upon her favorably, let alone the vassals of House Lartman. No matter how vehemently the Hamelsvoorts pushed this marriage, it seemed certain to face considerable friction. ¡°And the Emperor too...¡± To Liv, the Emperor was an immense, daunting figure. She could scarcely imagine him permitting her marriage to Emmett. Drawing the Emperor¡¯s attention was akin to a death sentence for the nobility. By marrying Emmett, would she needlessly invite that fearsome Emperor¡¯s gaze, only courting disaster? Clutching her teacup with an anxious expression, Liv was soothed by Emmett¡¯s tender tone: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be well. As long as you have no aversion to visiting the Duchy...¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve wanted to go there.¡± It was the attitudes of others she feared, not the place itself. There had been times in Abgrund where Liv spent entire days envisioning the Duchy based on Emmett¡¯s tales ¨C it had felt like a paradise to her then. A place far removed from Abgrund, where no one could find her. A vibrant world unlike this ashen prison. Seeming to recall old memories from Liv¡¯s words of longing to visit, a somber light entered Emmett¡¯s eyes. But he regarded her with feigned composure: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there will be no issues whatsoever.¡± ¡°Is there anything I should do...?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to make any effort to win over the vassals¡¯ hearts. As I will be the one introducing you, if any trouble arises, it will be for me to handle them. I have no intention of burdening you with new obligations.¡± Spoken with such assured authority, Liv could only nod and agree to visit the Duchy. * * * ¡°I have something to tell you, Your Majesty.¡± Elegant candle stands illuminated the golden walls engraved with scenes from the temple¡¯s scripture. Vivid ceiling murals adorned the roof, framed by more gilded carvings. On one wall hung a crimson tapestry embroidered with Emperor August¡¯s diplomatic exploits in golden thread. And at the center stood an imposing throne, its grandiose aura befitting the ruler of this nation. The Holy Hilysid Empire¡¯s capital Bygen. Within its central Weisseite Palace, the most immense, overwhelming space of all... The Sun Chamber. Emmett knelt before the throne. ¡°I have words for Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Speak then, what is it?¡± Though Emperor August¡¯s face bore the ravages of time, the piercing intensity in his eyes remained undiminished. Even garbed in rags and cast into the streets, none could mistake him for an ordinary man ¨C younger nobles trembled before that gaze. Yet Emmett¡¯s expression was composed, for August never doubted his loyalty. Where once Emmett had revered him like a father, now he felt revulsion at August¡¯s presence. Not solely from hatred, but utter disgust towards his former self. ¡®I knew full well how cruel and merciless he was.¡¯ He had been aware that while a benevolent ruler to him, August was a terrifying tyrant to others. Yet Emmett had obediently pledged allegiance, blinding and deafening himself. He wished he could draw his blade and behead August immediately, but that would only forfeit his own life as a traitor. For now, he had to bide his time feigning loyalty, awaiting an opportunity. ¡°It concerns the Hamelsvoort County.¡± ¡°The Hamelsvoort family...¡± Among the most piously devout, the Hamelsvoorts were a thorn in August¡¯s side. They had been the last to bend the knee when the Steinberg dynasty ascended. Yet he couldn¡¯t simply cast out one of the Five Noble Houses. That would risk turning other nobles against him as well. Lesser houses could be cowed to August¡¯s will, but not the symbolically significant Hamelsvoorts deeply tied to the Faith. ¡°I intend to bring the Hamelsvoort house to you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hmm, and how do you plan that?¡± ¡°The Hamelsvoort family has two daughters. One is the Saintess, the other called the fake Saintess.¡± Seeming to catch his implication, August let out a sinister chuckle. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t mean...¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ll marry the fake Saintess.¡± ¡°But are you certain? This could tarnish your own honor as well.¡± The way August spoke, he clearly didn¡¯t care about Emmett¡¯s honor. Rather, he seemed to suspect Emmett of harboring ulterior motives. For all the unwavering loyalty Emmett had shown him, August never fully trusted him. Not fully trusting anyone was the very key allowing August to maintain his throne despite numerous enemies. ¡°As you know, the fake Saintess has been pursuing me for some time.¡± ¡°Ah yes, I am aware of the rumors circulating in high society.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not entirely uninterested myself.¡± Emmett decided to reveal a partial truth, knowing a perfect lie required mixing in some honesty. ¡°Haha, so you are a man after all! Yes, if a young, pretty woman chases after you, it¡¯s only natural for your heart to be swayed!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t truly love her. But I thought, by marrying the fake Saintess, I could also bring you joy, Your Majesty. Since the Duchess¡¯s seat means little regardless of who fills it, I may as well take advantage of the fake Saintess¡¯s interest.¡± ¡°Have no worries, I never doubted your intentions. However...¡± For a moment, August¡¯s eyes flashed sharply. ¡°While all know you are on my side, will the Hamelsvoort house so readily consent to this marriage?¡± ¡°Though devout, they also crave power and honor, so they can¡¯t refuse my offer. Outwardly, it¡¯s not subjugation under the imperial family, but a union with one of the Five Noble Houses, House Lartman. More importantly, for the supposedly unmarriageable fake Saintess, sending her to Lartman is clearly to their benefit.¡± Keenly observing August¡¯s expression, Emmett pressed his case in an imploring tone: ¡°If you only permit it, Your Majesty, I¡¯ll journey to the Duchy of Lartman to inform my vassals as well.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, a sound idea...¡± Habitually caressing his dagger as he muttered, August then pointed it at Emmett as he spoke: ¡°If this marriage succeeds, I can also bring the ever-thorny Hamelsvoorts under my control. The Count Hamelsvoort may resist, but... Then I need only install a new Count more compliant.¡± Though not particularly strong-willed or resolute, Count Hamelsvoort¡¯s bat-like maneuvering between the temple and imperial family had proven quite vexing. Currently leaning towards the temple¡¯s faction, yet not completely subservient to the imperial family, rendered him difficult to simply eliminate outright. ¡°Your words ring true, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll approve this marriage. However, you must perform a task for me once more.¡± At those words, tension gripped Emmett¡¯s expression. Because August¡¯s orders were never easy. Chapter 53 ¡°Speak your command.¡± Though Emmett had once thought he would do anything for Emperor August¡¯s sake when pledging his loyalty, most of August¡¯s orders involved harming others. Having resolved to commit no more meaningless evil acts, Emmett feigned composure. Soon, August¡¯s command fell upon him: ¡°Retrieve an artifact imbued with ancient sorcery from the Duchy of Lartman.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Fortunately, it was neither wicked nor overly difficult, retrieving an object, requiring no harm to others. Moreover, if that object resided in the Duchy of Lartman, it would be all the easier. August had tasked Emmett with matters concerning ancient sorcery before. According to legends passed down in the Holy Church, ¡®artifacts imbued with ancient sorcery¡¯ referred to objects containing divine power. They earned that name from ancient sorcerers who had studied harnessing such powers, now extinct. Their research records had survived to the present day, monopolized by August himself. August utilized these artifacts to display miracles, protecting himself from his enemies. Based on their power, he claimed divinity stood by his side. Though reluctant to provide anything aiding August¡¯s authority, Emmett had already delivered several such artifacts before, so this task seemed manageable without issue. In fact, lacking any need to harm others left Emmett greatly relieved by this relatively innocuous command. * * * S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ho ho, have a safe journey, Liv.¡± ¡°Sister, I will write you letters.¡± Seeing Liv off were Hildegard and the Countess, as Liv boarded the Lartman carriage on the promised day of her departure to the Duchy. The journey was quite long, leaving Hildegard concerned for Liv. But Liv harbored little fear of the unknown, only anticipation for the new place she would soon encounter. The Emperor¡¯s permission for the Lartman-Hamelsvoort union had come easily. Emmett had nonchalantly informed her of receiving approval the day after visiting the imperial palace. Expecting to directly face the Emperor herself, Liv had felt a touch bewildered ¨C she had imagined being summoned to the palace. Well, whatever happened, it was fine by Liv. All that remained was meeting the Lartman Duchy¡¯s vassals. As the carriage door closed and the Hamelsvoort manor receded from view, Liv asked Emmett: ¡°How long will the journey take?¡± ¡°Around a week. We will stay at appropriate village inns each night.¡± Though traveling by horse would be swifter, Liv couldn¡¯t ride, and they had no need to rush and endure such hardship. Emmett worried the lengthy carriage rides alone would be taxing enough for Liv, having prepared plush blankets and cushions to ease any discomfort. ¡°Speaking of which, Duke will need a bed to sleep in, won¡¯t you, Your Grace?¡± At Liv¡¯s casual remark, Emmett asked with a perplexed expression: ¡°What?¡± ¡°Since I can sleep in the carriage without a bed, I thought perhaps it was for your sake.¡± ¡°You... see me as too frail, don¡¯t you...¡± ¡°But is that not the truth?¡± ¡°Not at all. If needed, I too can sleep on the floor. Staying at inns is solely for your sake, Liv.¡± When Liv replied with an innocent ¡®But I¡¯ll be fine?¡¯ Emmett regarded her with a solemn expression: ¡°Liv, I wish for you to grow more accustomed to being accommodated.¡± ¡°But I never received such treatment before...¡± ¡°Because from now on, this will be your life.¡± Though his meaning eluded her, Liv nodded anyway. Well, if she became the Duchess of Lartman through marrying Emmett without major issue, perhaps she would indeed grow accustomed to such things as he said. The architectural style was uniform across the Holy Hilysid Empire, rendering the capital¡¯s scenery visible through the window quite dull. As Liv sat in pensive silence, Emmett mentioned Hayden¡¯s name to change the subject: ¡°It is fortunate that vile Hayden Shultze didn¡¯t follow us here. He was truly annoying.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°He is a dangerous man.¡± ¡°Still, the fact that Hayden nearly faced punishment was my fault. I feel I should bear some responsibility for that.¡± Those words seemed to vex Emmett. ¡°Liv, you should occasionally blame others as well. For instance, I would be cursing the Emperor for everything by now.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Liv simply blinked quietly. According to Emmett, the Emperor was no longer a sacred figure, but... ¡®I¡¯m not so sure.¡¯ For reasons unknown to her, Liv felt no hatred towards the Emperor ¨C even now that she understood what had been taken from her. Perhaps it was because Liv lacked any greed? Or did the gods rage in her stead? Though uncertain of the exact reason, Liv still didn¡¯t resent the Emperor. Having never truly loathed anyone deeply, she could scarcely comprehend such an emotion. ¡°You are too kind, Liv. Too innocent...¡± Emmett spoke as the carriage rumbled ever onward. Apart from the nights, they spent the entire week¡¯s days together in the carriage, allowing much conversation, such as: ¡°Blue is truly a peculiar color. I don¡¯t dislike it, for it was a hue my former self could never have imagined, coming as a fresh shock to me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I will never forget the first time I beheld that sky... Ah, but the blue of the sea doesn¡¯t sit well with me. Seeing it fills me with dread... So blue is a color of contradictions for me.¡± ¡°The Rilano Sea bordering the Holy Hilysid Empire is the largest and deepest. In fact, one could say the color of the sea leans closer to black than blue. But Liv, have you heard of the Teiran Sea?¡± ¡°Ah... The sea in the center, I believe?¡± ¡°Correct. It is located to the south of the Ein continent, bordering the Lebor Kingdom and the United Valeno Kingdom. That sea is mild and warm, with waters taking on a pale blue hue.¡± ¡°Have you been there before?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. But I¡¯m told the Teiran and Rilano Seas differ greatly. Perhaps you would come to like the Teiran Sea, Liv. There may be beautiful seas that don¡¯t instill dread in you.¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me that. Hearing such tales reminds me of when you explained the Empire¡¯s geography to me long ago.¡± In the past when together in Abgrund, Emmett had provided an overview of the Holy Hilysid Empire¡¯s geography to situate the Duchy of Lartman for Liv ¨C even teaching her cardinal directions. ¡°Those were good times.¡± Liv closed her eyes, reminiscing on those days. Though confined in the dreadful space of Abgrund, simply having Emmett¡¯s company had rendered those memories happy for her. Yet when she opened her eyes again, Emmett seemed to have his face buried in his hands, unmoving. ¡°Emmett?¡± ¡°Just... regretting myself...¡± Whenever Liv brought up the past in that manner, Emmett seemed tormented. For some reason, he appeared consumed by excessive guilt... But over what? Even as Emmett suffered, the carriage continued its journey until finally: ¡°We have arrived at the Lartman Duchy.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± The sight beyond the carriage window caused Liv¡¯s eyes to widen. Towering stone mountains encircled the Duchy, their peaks obscured by clouds revealing their immense height. Though those massive mountains appeared imposingly threatening, the dwellings clustered beneath seemed all the safer for it. ¡°There is so much green in the Lartman Duchy!¡± ¡°Yes, as it is surrounded by mountains to protect our land from foreign invasion.¡± Emmett gestured towards the tall peaks as he added: ¡°The mountains provide an ideal environment for fortresses.¡± ¡°I see...¡± As Liv nodded in awe, a vast castle gradually came into view beyond the window. Rather than ornate or elegant, the castle¡¯s rugged form seemed solidly fortified in stone. For a moment unsure of its identity, Liv soon realized there could only be one such castle in these lands. ¡°The Duke¡¯s castle!¡± ¡°Yes, correct.¡± ¡°It¡¯s incomparably grander than the Duke¡¯s manor in the capital!¡± Liv exclaimed, craning her neck out the window. Her eyes landed on an unfamiliar long green plant unlike any flower or tree she had seen. ¡°What is that...?¡± ¡°Vines enveloping the castle walls ¨C the ones I mentioned to you before, Liv.¡± ¡°Ah, vines! So I finally get to see them!¡± To Liv, vines seemed like wondrous plants. How could vegetation climb to such heights? The carriage then came to a halt, and the door swung open. The coachman bowed towards them. ¡°We have arrived, Your Grace.¡± Emmett disembarked first before taking Liv¡¯s hand to help her alight. Instead of the paved roads in the capital, her thin noble shoes met the uneven texture of stone and soil. As Liv gazed around the castle in rapture, its gates abruptly opened and several people came running out. ¡°Your Grace!¡± A brown-haired man led the way before slowing before Liv, bowing before Emmett. ¡°You have arrived.¡± ¡°Yes, it has been too long, Phillip.¡± The man named Phillip raised his head to regard Liv carefully before bowing again. ¡°The lady accompanying you, My Lord. We are honored to welcome you to the Duchy.¡± ¡°Ah, Liv ¨C this is Phillip, my aide who has acted in my stead governing the Duchy.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you...¡± When Liv offered a soft greeting, Phillip¡¯s face brightened. But before he could speak, a white-bearded elder arrived behind him. ¡°Your Grace, I have safeguarded the castle in your absence.¡± ¡°And you seem hale as ever, butler.¡± ¡°Yes. And appropriate punishment has been meted out to the guards recently expelled from the Duchy.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After concluding his exchange with Emmett, the butler¡¯s gaze fell upon Liv, his face inexplicably filled with wonder. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Though accustomed to scorn as the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ in high society, Liv saw no trace of malice in their eyes. As she stood bewildered, the last to arrive was a middle-aged woman with a kindly demeanor. ¡°Mia!¡± ¡°Oh, Your Grace...¡± The woman called Mia gazed at Emmett and Liv with moist eyes. ¡°So you have finally...¡± Chapter 54 ¡°We¡¯re not officially in a relationship yet...¡± ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll attend to you to the best of my ability during your stay here.¡± Regardless of Emmett¡¯s uneasy expression, Mia strode over to Liv, beaming: ¡°Throughout your time in this place.¡± ¡°Liv, she is the castle¡¯s head maid.¡± Observing the three smiling people before her, Liv grew increasingly bewildered. She couldn¡¯t fathom their true feelings at all. While the Emmett she knew seemed a good man, those around him would naturally like him too. Yet she, a lowly existence by his side, should surely be viewed with wariness... As Liv stood unmoving, unsure how to react to their warmth, Mia gestured towards the castle: ¡°Your Grace, let¡¯s bring the lady inside at once. Wearing a dress in this weather, how hot she must feel?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t consider that. Let¡¯s go in, Liv.¡± Emmett extended his hand, and Liv naturally took it, entering the castle as Mia and Phillip exchanged sly grins for some reason. Once through the entrance and finally setting foot inside, Liv saw the servants lined up as if awaiting Emmett¡¯s arrival. Though outwardly rugged, the interior was quite lavish and grandiose, the neatly dressed servants lending the Ducal castle an even grander air. ¡°Welcome back, Your Grace.¡± ¡°We have awaited your return!¡± The servants greeted Emmett without reserve ¨C a rarity given the class divide between nobles and servants. After Emmett responded, Liv whispered to him: ¡°You seem quite popular.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It is nothing so grand.¡± ¡°Because you are a good person, Emmett.¡± If this was the Emmett she knew, he would surely treat the servants well too, so their affection was unsurprising. As Liv stood quietly by Emmett¡¯s side, Mia approached to ask: ¡°Miss, shall I have the servants carry your luggage? You didn¡¯t bring any personal maids, did you?¡± ¡°No...¡± According to Hildegard, nobles typically traveled with attendants. But Liv didn¡¯t particularly wish for any ¨C the Hamelsvoort servants universally disliked her, so having them attend her would only prove uncomfortable. Better for Liv to handle everything alone than bring Hamelsvoort servants. Fortunately, Mia didn¡¯t pry into Liv¡¯s reasons for arriving unaccompanied, simply gesturing reassuringly: ¡°Then we will assign you castle maids to attend you here. Allow me to show you to your room.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Exchanging a glance with Emmett, Liv followed Mia to her guest room. The corridors were neatly maintained, showing attentive care. Upon reaching the innermost chamber, Mia extended her hand, and the door swung open to reveal decor imbuing a different ambiance than the Hamelsvoort estate. Unlike that staunchly devout family adorned entirely in white, the Lartman furnishings were mostly wooden, lending the room a cozy atmosphere. Perhaps interior trends simply differed between the capital and Duchy. Well, one thing was certain ¨C Liv appreciated this castle¡¯s unique, comforting air... She would likely come to love Lartman¡¯s Ducal seat. ¡°I¡¯ll send a maid to attend you shortly, Miss.¡± After Mia¡¯s departure, Liv surveyed the room alone. Seeming untouched as a guest room, had the castle truly received no visitors all this time? Just as Liv moved to sit on the bed, a knock sounded at the door. ¡°Greetings, Miss. The head maid sent me.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened to reveal a young girl with her white hair tied cutely to the sides. While sharing Liv¡¯s rare hair color, her bright expression reminded Liv of Hildegard. ¡°I am Laga. During your stay in the Duchy, I shall serve as your personal maid. Please feel free to make any requests of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Liv.¡± ¡°Speak casually, Miss. I was told you are from the Hamelsvoort family. I will do my utmost.¡± Laga smiled cheerfully at Liv, her curious gaze holding no hint of discomfort. Ever sensitive to malice, Liv could sense Laga didn¡¯t look down on her or find her irksome. When servants arrived with Liv¡¯s luggage, Laga swiftly took it from them. ¡°Allow me to unpack for you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The lengthy carriage journey had left Liv¡¯s body sore and stiff. As she reclined on the bed, Laga busied herself putting away Liv¡¯s belongings before remarking: ¡°I¡¯m so delighted to finally meet you, Miss.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, for you will become the Duchy¡¯s mistress going forward.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to see how things go. If all proceeds smoothly, that is...¡± ¡°Oh, but you have already accepted the Duke¡¯s proposal, haven¡¯t you? Of course it will work out! ...Ah, perhaps I have spoken too much.¡± Laga remained kindly disposed towards Liv throughout. Other nobles might have chastised a maid for such presumptuousness, but Liv didn¡¯t mind her demeanor. Ever since the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ rumors had spread, this was nearly her first experience of goodwill. In the capital, even servants unfamiliar with Liv had adopted their masters¡¯ cold attitudes towards her. Well, perhaps the different atmospheres between the capital and Duchy influenced Laga¡¯s manner ¨C the nobles here might not treat servants as strictly. ¡®...I should probably mention it.¡¯ It seemed Laga viewed Liv as a highborn Hamelsvoort lady. Completely unaware of the rumors, her elegant appearance was all Laga could judge by. While Liv could have remained silent to bask in this fleeting joy, she understood they would eventually discover the truth about her. Better for them to dislike her from the start than have their attitudes shift abruptly. Swallowing hard, Liv asked: ¡°Laga, have you perhaps heard that rumor?¡± ¡°No, what rumor?¡± ¡°The one about me. If you knew it, you wouldn¡¯t treat me so kindly.¡± Blinking at those words, Laga soon seemed to grasp Liv¡¯s meaning, waving her hands dismissively: ¡°Oh no, I am unaware of any rumor. But there¡¯s no need to tell me!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Whatever the circumstances, no matter what rumor exists about you, Miss, we castle servants will treat you well regardless of whether we know it or not. So you don¡¯t need to mention it.¡± Seeing Liv¡¯s incomprehension, Laga elaborated: ¡°You see, we truly respect His Grace the Duke. As you know, he is a good man.¡± ¡°Yes, a good man...¡± ¡°Since you are the one he loves, we will be good to you, Miss. And as one loved by our Duke, you must be a good person yourself. We trust His Grace. So there is no way we would ever show you disrespect. Of course, we know better than to dare mistreat a guest of His Grace¡¯s lest we face severe punishment. But it goes beyond simply following rules, you could say it comes from the heart...¡± Hearing that, Liv turned her face away, suddenly unable to meet Laga¡¯s eyes. ¡®They treat me well out of trust in Emmett...¡¯ Yet she feared when this goodwill might inevitably shatter. * * * Before the evening meal, Emmett visited Liv¡¯s room with a troubled expression: ¡°Liv, there is an issue with the southern castle wall requiring repairs... It seems an urgent matter that I must assess immediately. And with other pressing affairs, I will likely be quite occupied for the next few days... Will you be alright on your own for the time being?¡± ¡°I will be fine.¡± ¡°I had hoped to give you a proper tour, but it seems I can¡¯t manage that yet. However, it will only be for a few days, so please rest comfortably in the meantime. I¡¯ll introduce you to the vassals afterward.¡± The postponed meeting with the vassals actually put Liv more at ease. Facing their potential rejection immediately upon arriving would have stung, so it might be better to experience the Duchy a little first, before any refusal. After Emmett¡¯s departure, Laga inquired: ¡°Miss, shall I bring your meal to your room, or will you dine in the hall?¡± ¡°I will go down to eat.¡± ¡°Allow me to escort you to the dining hall, then.¡± The servants Liv encountered on the way all greeted her respectfully, a stark contrast to the Hamelsvoort staff¡¯s treatment. Upon reaching the dining hall, Liv¡¯s eyes widened at the lavish spread before her. Though meals at the Hamelsvoort estate were never lacking, as piously devout nobles, they pursued an austere lifestyle befitting their values regardless of the Count and Countess¡¯s personal temperaments. But here in the Duchy¡¯s dining hall, dishes Liv had never witnessed adorned the table in full splendor. Chapter 55 Though Liv lifted her fork, she had no idea where to begin amid the steaming array of dishes. As she pondered, a man wearing a chef¡¯s hat appeared. ¡°Good evening, Miss.¡± ¡°You must be the head chef?¡± ¡°Yes, my name is Max, the head chef of this estate.¡± ¡°These dishes truly look extraordinary. I had no idea such a variety existed.¡± Liv¡¯s gentle smile prompted a surge of pride in the chef¡¯s expression. Seeming to want to elaborate for her, he fidgeted impatiently until catching Liv¡¯s gaze before speaking again: ¡°If I may, allow me to introduce the dishes to you?¡± ¡°Yes, there are many unfamiliar ones. An explanation would be helpful.¡± With a gratified air, he began naming the dishes for Liv, relishing the chance to impart his knowledge. After taking a bite of the ¡®bratwurst¡¯ sausage dish, Liv widened her eyes: ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s quite...¡± ¡°Quite?¡± ¡°The aroma is distinct, quite memorable, and the flavor differs from regular meat somehow, though I can¡¯t describe it precisely. But it¡¯s delicious ¨C crispy yet tender inside...¡± As Liv elaborated on the taste in detail, Max¡¯s face radiated delight. ¡°My, you are the first to describe a dish¡¯s flavors so thoroughly to me in this castle!¡± ¡°Why is that? Was I being rude?¡± ¡°Oh no, not at all! It¡¯s just that His Grace shows little interest in food...¡± ¡°Goodness...¡± Liv shook her head in disbelief as she sampled the cabbage. ¡°I love all food. Each dish has its own unique flavor. Being able to taste them is a blessing for humans.¡± ¡°My, you are a knowledgeable lady! Here, try this one too!¡± Before she realized it, Liv had sampled every dish in modest portions. She enjoyed conveying her tasting impressions ¨C Liv originally loved the act of conversing itself. And Max seemed immensely satisfied by her reactions. ¡°Miss, please feel free to request anything you would like for our next meal!¡± As Max bid her farewell from the dining hall, Laga whispered: ¡°It seems the head chef has taken a liking to you, Miss.¡± ¡°Surely not...¡± ¡°Oh, why say that? After the way you savored each dish so appreciatively, all the chefs will adore you! You truly enjoyed your meal!¡± Recalling the Hamelsvoort cooks glowering at her meager appetite, Liv mused that the servants here did seem rather peculiar. The next day, with Emmett preoccupied elsewhere, the bored Liv decided to visit the library. Though she had enjoyed the Hamelsvoort library, it mainly contained theological texts offering little new knowledge. But here would surely be different. ¡°Laga, I wish to go to the library.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll escort you there.¡± As she guided Liv, Laga chattered excitedly: ¡°The castle¡¯s library is truly vast! Perhaps not as extensive as Marquis Arendt¡¯s, but still among the greatest in the Empire.¡± True to Laga¡¯s words, the library was indeed immense. Though the decorative plates lining the walls seemed incongruous for a library, the decor wasn¡¯t unpleasant. There was even a librarian, as in the royal library, who leapt to greet Liv upon her entrance. ¡°Welcome, my lady!¡± Flustered by the warm reception in this unfamiliar space, Liv asked in return: ¡°You know me?¡± ¡°Of course, His Grace informed us of your arrival!¡± Introducing herself as Emily, the bespectacled, hair-bunned librarian inquired: ¡°Is there a particular book you wish to read?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Liv hesitated before replying: ¡°I enjoy reading anything, truly. I¡¯ve read many myths and folklore, having favored those, so perhaps another genre would be preferable now.¡± ¡°Then may I recommend some novels?¡± ¡°Yes, please. Ah, if possible, literature from other nations would be interesting. I¡¯m curious about places beyond the Empire...¡± ¡°Very well, I will suggest some suitable works.¡± After Emily¡¯s recommendations, Liv settled into reading the novels. ¡°Oh.¡± Hours later, Emily approached with a wondering expression: ¡°You¡¯ve been reading this entire time? Your concentration is impressive. You must truly love books.¡± ¡°Well, I simply...¡± Liv blushed shyly, unaccustomed to the constant praise from the castle folk. ¡°I love all stories this world has to offer...¡± ¡°Oh, me too!¡± ¡°There are no uninteresting tales in this world.¡± ¡°Precisely. There are only poorly refined stories, but none entirely uninteresting.¡± Emily grew animated, words pouring forth: ¡°In truth, His Grace the Duke was the only one who utilized this library in recent times, often being away... You can¡¯t imagine how I¡¯ve longed for company.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m delighted to receive a visitor who loves books as you do, Miss!¡± Liv offered an awkward smile, unsure how to respond to Emily¡¯s sincere welcome. Some time later, as Liv rose to dine after checking the hour, Emily waved her off cheerfully. From behind, Laga leaned in to whisper: ¡°It seems the librarian adores you too, Miss.¡± Though even Laga seemed favorably disposed towards Liv, she still couldn¡¯t believe this situation. While Laga claimed their attitudes wouldn¡¯t change even if they learned the rumors, could she truly mean that in ignorance? Liv soon recalled the Hamelsvoort servants had initially treated her kindly too ¨C until her identity as the fake Saintess became known, that is. Yes, perhaps the castle folk could just as easily shift their demeanor upon discovering Liv¡¯s truth, despite Laga¡¯s assurances. Having experienced human duplicity, Liv didn¡¯t trust them. ¡®So I shouldn¡¯t grow too close.¡¯ While Liv did enjoy people, she knew intimacy only invited pain. Thus, she must not become overly familiar with the Lartman servants either. On her way back from dining, Liv encountered Mia, the head maid: ¡°Miss!¡± Mia greeted her cheerfully upon sight. ¡°Is everything to your comfort here?¡± ¡°Yes, everything is fine.¡± ¡°How good-natured you are. Please let me know if you require anything.¡± Mia regarded Liv with the indulgent eyes one might give a child, her tone implying she would oblige any request. After a moment¡¯s contemplation, Liv said: ¡°I would like to see the garden.¡± When she had been in Abgrund, Emmett had certainly mentioned the Lartman castle gardens were quite beautiful, replete with flowers sharing Liv¡¯s distinct eye color. Simply viewing those gardens would surely fill her with immense joy, allowing her to reminisce. ¡°Of course, we will give you a tour!¡± Clapping her hands, Mia asked: ¡°Do you enjoy gardens, Miss?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv nodded slowly. ¡°I love all things that grow beneath the sun¡¯s light.¡± ¡°Oh my...¡± Though she had thought it an innocuous remark, Mia gazed back at Liv with moist eyes. ¡°How poetic you are! And profound too.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Liv asked in confusion, Mia truly did seem moved by her earlier statement, smiling radiantly as she led Liv to the gardens. The gardens¡¯ perimeter was adorned with lush trees, while the center boasted an vibrant array of vividly blooming summer flowers, their color coordination revealing careful planning. ¡°The Duchy¡¯s fertile soil allows plants to thrive wonderfully!¡± ¡°Ah, good soil helps plants grow well...¡± Liv murmured contemplatively as she surveyed the gardens. Recognizing flowers Emmett had named for her, she felt she could admire these gardens endlessly without tiring. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As she strolled leisurely, savoring the scenery, a familiar blossom caught Liv¡¯s eye, halting her steps. ¡°This one...¡± ¡°Would you like to know that flower¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let me summon the gardener!¡± Before Liv could protest the necessity, Mia had vanished, soon reappearing with a middle-aged man in tow. Doffing his beret, he greeted Liv: ¡°Good day, my lady. I am Julien, the gardener of this castle.¡± ¡°I was simply wondering about this flower¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Ah, that one is called a geranium.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± At those words, Liv fell still. No matter how vibrant and beautiful the surrounding blooms, this humble flower remained her dearest. For it was the first she had beheld upon emerging into the outside world. Back then, unaware flowers even possessed names, she had only wept before it. Liv could never forget the ache that geranium had brought her heart ¨C the profound sense of loss at discovering such beauty so belatedly. She had wailed uncontrollably, overwhelmed that such wondrous things existed without her knowledge for so long. ¡°His Grace instructed me to especially tend the pink blossoms, that you should see them.¡± Recalling her time in Abgrund instantly revealed the reason. After a pensive silence, Liv finally spoke: ¡°...His Grace is truly a good man.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed!¡± Mia swiftly agreed. ¡°He seems to consider you greatly, Miss. Why, he personally selected your guest quarters.¡± ...So it hadn¡¯t been mere chance after all. Liv understood why Emmett had chosen that particular room for her. ¡°To overlook the gardens.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°That room allows you to view these gardens.¡± Even without coming here, Liv¡¯s room afforded a view of these gardens. She had simply wished to observe them more closely, being fond of the outdoors. But Emmett had clearly made thoughtful arrangements for her sake. Of course, Liv was aware he didn¡¯t truly love her. Still, he was an immensely caring man. Chapter 56 Afterwards, Liv spent her time visiting the library, gardens, and dining hall in turn. During this period, she grew close with the chef Max, librarian Emily, and gardener Julien. They all seemed to relish explaining new things whenever Liv¡¯s curiosity was piqued. While enjoying the company of the estate¡¯s residents, as time passed, Liv found herself missing Emmett¡¯s presence. Eventually, Liv lingered outside Emmett¡¯s study. Though he was occupied, perhaps she could glimpse him briefly during a respite? The study wasn¡¯t too far from her room, so she could always claim to have been merely passing by if it proved inconvenient... As Liv hesitated to knock, awkwardly loitering nearby, the study door suddenly opened. Startled by the unexpected situation, Liv stumbled backwards. ¡°Goodness!¡± The one who emerged was Phillip, Emmett¡¯s aide he had introduced before. Equally startled, Phillip extended a hand to steady Liv. ¡°Are you alright, Miss? May I assist you?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Treating her as though she were precious, Phillip carefully helped Liv up from the floor, taking care not to make untoward contact. ¡°Were you perhaps here to see His Grace? I will inform him of your arrival at once.¡± ¡°Oh no, if he is occupied, there is no need...¡± ¡°Even so, he will surely be delighted to receive you.¡± Before Liv could dissuade him, Phillip flung the study door wide, calling out loudly: ¡°Your Grace! Lady Hamelsvoort has arrived!¡± ¡°Liv?¡± Reacting swiftly to Phillip¡¯s voice, the sound of Emmett¡¯s brisk footsteps approached from within the study. ¡°What is the matter here? Do you require something?¡± ¡°No, I just...¡± Liv trailed off uncertainly. Was she being a nuisance? She could manage alone, but was she becoming overly dependent on Emmett? Hesitating over his potential reaction, Liv nonetheless confessed the truth: ¡°It has been a while since I last saw you...¡± ¡°...Goodness.¡± Upon hearing Liv¡¯s sheepish, dwindling voice, Emmett¡¯s face flushed for some reason. ¡°For you to seek me out first, that was my own oversight. If it¡¯s okay with you, would you like to come in?¡± ¡°I may enter?¡± ¡°There is nothing in this place you can¡¯t do.¡± As Liv hesitantly stepped into the study, Phillip, waiting outside, beamed at them both. ¡°Your Grace, then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Yes, you may go.¡± Emmett seemed entirely indifferent to Phillip¡¯s departure, moving to close the study door himself before the aide could. Now alone together, Liv tentatively spoke up: ¡°Am I not disturbing you?¡± ¡°No, not at all. So long as you are comfortable, you may remain by my side.¡± Reassured, Liv promptly settled onto the sofa opposite Emmett¡¯s desk. Since he permitted it, she could linger here, then? After placing a plate of sugary pastries before Liv, Emmett returned to his seat. As he resumed his work with a pen, Liv gazed at him with shining eyes. ¡°...Liv, will you not grow bored?¡± ¡°No, merely watching is entertaining enough!¡± Though her words caused his face to redden again, Liv simply observed him with delight. * * * ¡°...Phillip, you may enter.¡± After Liv departed the study later that day, the waiting Phillip entered at Emmett¡¯s summons. Setting aside his documents, Emmett casually inquired: ¡°Have you uncovered any traces of the artifact imbued with ancient sorcery?¡± ¡°Yes, I found clues that ancient sorcerers once dwelled in the ¡®Land of Goats¡¯.¡± ¡°The ¡®Land of Goats¡¯, was that considered sacred ground in past times, I wonder...¡± If the artifact remained masterless and abandoned, that would be fortuitous ¨C complications could arise if someone else possessed it. Emmett began planning an expedition there, as such sorcerous relics were better not passed through many hands. He would need to recover it himself. ¡°How does Liv seem to be faring?¡± ¡°The lady appears to be getting along well with the servants.¡± ¡°That is a relief. If anyone dares mistreat her in the slightest, report it to me immediately.¡± After issuing those instructions, Emmett pondered the impending gathering with his vassals: ¡°Have you detected any traces of the Banzas attempting to contact them?¡± ¡°...I will investigate further.¡± Though the vassals had always sworn allegiance to the Lartman House, Emmett didn¡¯t trust them ¨C a habit learned from August. Vigilance against the Banzas, who had once tried to usurp Lartman, remained crucial to protect Liv. Even unable to voice his true heart to her, Emmett would never allow her to be harmed again. ¡®I must retrieve that artifact soon.¡¯ * * * ¡°So the castle finally has a lady again!¡± As she tidied Liv¡¯s quarters, Laga muttered excitedly to herself. She had taken an immediate liking to Liv upon first meeting her. Liv was the most beautiful, lovable noble lady Laga had ever encountered! From her innocent expression to her every word and gesture, she was utterly endearing. Though Laga admittedly hadn¡¯t met many noble ladies, she was confident Liv surpassed them all in charm. More than anything, however, Laga adored Liv¡¯s bright personality. She wasn¡¯t at all demanding, readily accepting everything. Moreover, her abundant curiosity prompted delighted reactions to any novelty ¨C how refreshing that must have seemed compared to the Duke¡¯s usual unflappable stoicism. Well, even if Liv had been ill-tempered, Laga likely wouldn¡¯t have disliked her. Because she was someone the Duke himself had brought, naturally presumed to be a good person. Laga deeply trusted her master¡¯s judgement. ¡°I should prepare some snacks.¡± Liv enjoyed trying new treats, and the head chef loved preparing them for her. As Laga hummed her way towards the kitchens, an unfamiliar voice from below halted her steps. ¡°But I¡¯m telling you, she had an awful reputation in the capital!¡± ¡®Who is that?¡¯ Narrowing her eyes at the strange voice, Laga leaned over to identify the loudly chattering woman as one of the maids who had accompanied the Duke from his capital manor. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡± The surrounding servants watched the woman with curious eyes. ¡°Yes, I am! She apparently pretended to be the real Saintess before being exposed as a fraud!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°So in the capital she is notoriously known as the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯! Yet here she swans about shamelessly, as if we are all ignorant. Isn¡¯t that ridiculous?¡± With her keen senses, Laga realized this concerned Liv. Liv was the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯? What did that even mean? Deliberately making noise as she descended the stairs, Laga drew the conversing group¡¯s attention. ¡°Ah, you startled me... I thought you were the lady from your hair color alone.¡± The loudmouth woman glared at Laga with a scowl. But Laga simply arched a brow, unimpressed by her words. ¡°And just who are you?¡± As Laga folded her arms challengingly, the woman replied in a petulant tone: ¡°A maid who served His Grace closely in the capital. My name is Becca...¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about a Fake Saintess?¡± Seeming to sense Laga¡¯s curiosity, Becca¡¯s expression brightened as she eagerly began chattering: ¡°You mean the Hamelsvoort lady you serve? She was originally infamous as the fake Saintess for pretending to be the real one!¡± ¡°How so? Merely insisting it wouldn¡¯t have convinced anyone.¡± ¡°There was a divine proclamation! So everyone believed she was the Saintess, until it was revealed a year later that Lady Hildegard in the capital was the true one. Meaning for that year, she falsely posed as the Saintess.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hmm...¡± A contemplative look crossed Laga¡¯s face at those words. Very well, if what Becca claimed was true, then... Bonk! ¡°Ow, what was that for?!¡± Having unexpectedly pelted Becca with a chestnut, Laga responded defiantly as the woman cried out: ¡°So what if that was how it was in the capital? This is the Lartman Duchy. And she was brought here directly by His Grace ¨C how dare you speak ill of her?¡± Whether Becca truly was a former close attendant or not, Laga had served in the Lartman household since childhood. She had ample seniority to put this unfamiliar maid in her place for gossiping instead of minding her duties ¨C especially when Laga took issue with the very content of her slander. ¡°But His Grace is being deceived by her!¡± Becca protested indignantly, but this time the other servants frowned at her. ¡°What nonsense is this? Are you doubting His Grace now?¡± ¡°His Grace is a wise man, he surely knows what he does.¡± ¡°Exactly, and we must not spread vile rumors about others.¡± ¡°Why will none of you believe me?!¡± As Becca pounded her chest in vexation, Laga simply shot her a warning glare before walking away. * * * After first visiting Emmett¡¯s study, Liv made a habit of seeing him occasionally, if not daily to avoid disturbing his work. But these periodic visits seemed acceptable. ¡°Liv, are you truly not bored? Shall we converse for a time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re so busy.¡± Though Emmett periodically made such offers as he worked, Liv would simply shake her head with a bright smile. Her nonchalant demeanor seemed to fluster Emmett further, yet he didn¡¯t turn her away. ¡°...Still, I cherish these moments alone with you, Liv.¡± Emmett murmured wistfully as he elegantly maneuvered his quill. ¡°Especially without that vile Hayden Shultze present...¡± At that moment, Phillip burst into the study. ¡°Your Grace!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Yes, well, you see, an outsider has arrived in the Duchy...¡± ¡°Very well, proceed according to protocol, then...¡± ¡°That is... You may wish to receive them directly, Your Grace.¡± Sensing foreboding in those words, Emmett arched a brow in inquiry. His instincts were quite sharp, and if they now issued a warning... ¡°And this person¡¯s name is?¡± ¡°He said it¡¯s Hayden!¡± ¡°Damnit, damnit!¡± Chapter 57 Upon hearing that name, the startled Emmett erupted into a violent coughing fit. Liv worriedly patted his back. ¡°Emmett, are you alright?¡± ¡°Ack, I¡¯m fine...¡± He raised his head, face flushed from the coughing. ¡°Hayden, you say he has come here?¡± ¡°Yes, he is currently waiting at the Duchy¡¯s entrance...¡± ¡°...Then escort him to the castle.¡± No, Emmett had thought Hayden had vanished after he saved his life ¨C why had he appeared here of all places? Of course, their shared goal made meeting unsurprising, but... News of Emmett¡¯s proposal to Liv must have already spread in the capital. If he had any sense, Hayden shouldn¡¯t have followed them here. Emmett regarded Liv with vexation: ¡°I wonder what scheme has brought that vile Hayden Shultze sniffing about again.¡± Shortly after, escorted by guards, Hayden strode into the study. Disguised as a merchant, he wore commoner¡¯s clothes yet adorned with gaudy jewelry. ¡°Why hello there, my lady!¡± Hayden called out brazenly upon seeing Liv. She waved awkwardly, glancing at Emmett, who opened his mouth with clear annoyance: ¡°And just how did you come traipsing all the way here?¡± ¡°On horseback, of course? Ah, have no worries. None saw through my guise.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± Liv looked between Emmett and Hayden. Emmett clearly detested Hayden¡¯s presence, yet Hayden only grinned insolently despite that disdainful gaze. ¡°In any case, this Duchy has no intention of accommodating you. What underhanded scheme brings you slinking here? Though we share a common goal, we currently have other pressing matters at hand.¡± ¡°Hmm... Well, I didn¡¯t come to immediately discuss the Emperor, if that¡¯s your concern. I simply followed our lady here.¡± ¡°And what business is that of yours?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bear leaving her unattended, you see. I must remain by her side.¡± ¡°Liv is under my protection.¡± ¡°Well, I beg to differ on that score.¡± ¡°The inability to discern would be yours, as one with blood on his hands.¡± ¡°You speak as if you lack such experience yourself, Duke.¡± The two men now glared at each other. Fearing the commotion might alert others in the castle, Liv urgently interjected to Emmett: ¡°Why not simply... send Hayden away?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°But I wish to show him the favorable Duchy of Lartman...¡± Liv felt pity for Hayden ¨C his family¡¯s destruction at a young age, the hardships he had endured, the divine punishment he had faced due to her, the recent tortures aiding her... Within her limited means, she wished to help him as much as possible. Her reluctance to immediately expel him upon arrival stemmed from a sense of obligation. As Liv spoke, Hayden let out an amused laugh while Emmett offered a thin smile ¨C one so artificial it only amplified Hayden¡¯s merriment. ¡°Well. Hayden Shultze, I¡¯ll grant you guest privileges in this castle, if that is Liv¡¯s wish.¡± Though clearly wanting to remove Hayden at once, Emmett seemed willing to heed Liv regardless. ¡°However, I would prefer you maintain a respectful distance from her.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Hayden¡¯s grin indicated he had no intention of obeying. After witnessing this exchange, Emmett turned a concerned gaze upon Liv: ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If that man so much as makes you the slightest bit uncomfortable, tell me. I¡¯ll expel him from here.¡± Studying Emmett¡¯s expression, Liv nodded carefully: ¡°Yes...¡± * * * ¡°Damnit...¡± After Liv and Hayden departed, Emmett pressed his palm to his brow. He had hoped for a chance to be alone with Liv, only for Hayden to barge in ¨C what desperate straits were these? Though aware the half-mad Hayden, having faced divine punishment, likely harbored no sensible feelings towards Liv, the man had nevertheless grated on Emmett from the start. Hayden possessed an uncanny knack for treading lines and vexing others. ¡°No, perhaps this is fortuitous.¡± Emmett muttered ruefully, as if realizing something. He would soon need to depart to retrieve the sorcerous artifact, leaving Hayden to safeguard Liv in the interim. While rumors of Hayden¡¯s survival might spread, Emmett didn¡¯t overly worry ¨C the loyal Lartman servants wouldn¡¯t gossip about such matters. It may even be safer for Hayden to remain here rather than roam dangerously elsewhere and risk exposure. Still, it meant less time spent with Liv himself... Truly, he felt at a loss for the proper course. * * * Though Emmett had cautioned against excessive familiarity between them, Liv had intended to maintain some distance. Naturally, however, Hayden seemed to have no such intentions. ¡°Liv, what is this? And that over there?¡± From the very next day, he trailed after her incessantly, peppering Liv with inquiries about every little thing. Amid all this, he remained perfectly disguised to avoid revealing his identity ¨C donning freckles and a brown wig, rendering him utterly unrecognizable. ¡°Hmm...¡± As Liv arrived for her usual meal, the chef Max eyed her and Hayden uncertainly. ¡°A guest of His Grace?¡± ¡°Yes, yes indeed.¡± ¡°Yet what relation does he bear to you, Miss...?¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suspicion laced Max¡¯s words. ¡°Well, we are...¡± Hayden glanced sidelong at Liv before giving an exaggerated wink. ¡°She has merely acquired an uninvited tagalong?¡± Though Max¡¯s face registered shock, Hayden calmly took a seat behind Liv. As it wasn¡¯t untrue, Liv offered no correction, only exchanging bewildered looks with Max and Laga. * * * ¡°Emergency!¡± ¡°Yes, a real emergency!¡± Seizing a free moment, Laga conversed with the other servants, her expression frantic. ¡°That guest seems to have his sights set on our lady!¡± ¡°And with His Grace being so occupied at this very moment...¡± Mia nodded grimly, prompting the gathering servants to murmur in agreement: ¡°We must separate that guest from the lady, this is dire indeed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± ¡°Hmph, I knew this would happen.¡± That cynical interjection drew their attention to the approaching Becca, her face pinched in disdain. She slipped into their midst, resting her hands on her hips. ¡°I knew this would happen.¡± ¡°What made you think that would happen?¡± ¡°About that Hamelsvoort lady ¨C did you truly think His Grace brought her here out of love? More likely she latched onto him herself, no? Just look, she has another man hanging about already!¡± ¡°Another man?¡± ¡°Playing between our innocent Duke and this new guest, clearly. Didn¡¯t I warn you about that fake Saintess and her wiles? How utterly shameless!¡± ¡°What nonsense is this?¡± Laga scoffed, lightly flicking Becca¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ow, why do you keep hitting me?!¡± ¡°For spouting such drivel.¡± Laga glared defiantly at Becca. ¡°Can¡¯t you read the situation at all? Do you not know how dearly we cherish our lady? And that guest clearly pales next to our Duke ¨C what game could she possibly be playing?¡± ¡°Wha...?¡± ¡°Why should we pry into our superiors¡¯ affairs? This is likely just some overblown fuss. You would do better to align yourself with the castle¡¯s atmosphere!¡± ¡°What, what did you say?!¡± Though Becca gaped in disbelief, Laga proclaimed boldly amid the servants: ¡°In any case, I am your senior here! Spout more nonsense, and you¡¯ll see what happens!¡± * * * Beloved child, come into my embrace. Yes, go to the sacred ground, my child. Gain strength from the hallowed land. ¡°Ugh...¡± Liv furrowed her brow at the weighty divine voices assailing her upon waking. Since descending to the Lartman Duchy, the gods had incessantly urged her to journey to some sacred ground. According to them, this place harbored hallowed lands of the Lufahidism goddess Lufasha. Naturally, Liv had no intention of heeding their summons. ¡°The gods¡¯ voices give me such a headache these days, always telling me to go to this sacred ground.¡± As Liv grumbled those words upon visiting Emmett¡¯s study with Hayden, the engaged Emmett raised his head. ¡°There is sacred ground in the Duchy?¡± ¡°Yes, apparently near the mountains...¡± Seeming to ponder something, Emmett slowly replied: ¡°Now that you mention it, historical records state there was an area the former Valeno Kingdom inhabitants considered ¡®sacred ground¡¯ and prohibited entry, back when this region belonged to their kingdom. Though that fact has been wholly forgotten nowadays.¡± ¡°Where might this sacred ground be located?¡± Hayden casually inquired, prompting Emmett to shake his head. ¡°This became Imperial territory so long ago, none would know the location of that erstwhile sacred site anymore.¡± Liv had heard some details about that sacred ground from the gods themselves. Liv wondered if Emmett would understand if she explained it in detail, she cautiously recounted: ¡°They said it was a cliff in the mountains.¡± ¡°Ah, you must mean the ¡®Land of Goats¡¯.¡± ¡°The Land of Goats?¡± ¡°Yes, a breathtakingly beautiful cliff said to have been carved out by the god ¨C so treacherous that none can approach. Instead, only wild goats dwell there, hence the name.¡± Chapter 58 ¡°I have never seen actual goats before.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go observe them together.¡± Liv found it unbearably delightful whenever Emmett took the initiative to propose something to her. As she and Emmett exchanged warm smiles, Hayden intruded with an annoyed tone: ¡°Ah, I can see just how close you two are. So will you be journeying to this sacred ground, then?¡± Those words prompted Liv to immediately shake her head, her voice completely altered from when smiling at Emmett: ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid.¡± She had simply smiled appreciating Emmett¡¯s suggestion, not because she wished to visit that place. Liv averted her eyes as she flatly explained: ¡°I fear withstanding the divine power. It¡¯s already so taxing as is, who knows what might happen if I ventured there...¡± Liv recalled the memory of once nearing the sea ¨C merely approaching had caused such torment, so entering the sacred grounds themselves might very well shatter her mind. It was then that the silently observing Emmett spoke up: ¡°Liv, wouldn¡¯t you consider visiting that sacred ground, if only once?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you not curious what it feels like to draw strength from the gods?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Had it been anyone else, Liv likely would have immediately declined ¨C but because it was Emmett, she couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. Seizing that opportunity, he added: ¡°A single experience may not be so terrible.¡± ¡°Is that so...¡± ¡°Yes, what kind of deity is this Lufasha?¡± Emmett¡¯s question prompted Liv to recount the myth about Lufasha she had heard while in Abgrund: Originally, Lufasha was but an ordinary shepherd boy tending goats. One day, a demon appeared and slaughtered all the goats under Lufasha¡¯s care. Blamed for failing to protect them, Lufasha was then expelled. The demon offered to revive the goats if Lufasha took its hand, but he refused. To make a living, Lufasha became a monkey caretaker, only for fire to break out killing all the monkeys. Again the demon extended its hand, and again Lufasha refused. Lufasha then participated in city wall repairs, but the demon caused the wall to collapse, killing all except Lufasha. As Lufasha faced starvation after being exiled from the village, the demon tempted him once more with its hand ¨C but he refused unto death. Yet something miraculous occurred ¨C from Lufasha¡¯s corpse, a crimson flower bloomed. And from that flower was reborn a child who immediately ascended to become the God Lufasha. Lufasha came to symbolize an unwavering refusal to compromise with evil, no matter the circumstances. After hearing this myth, both Emmett and Hayden wore dumbfounded expressions. ¡°The content of that myth is... quite peculiar.¡± ¡°What kind of myth even is that? Sounds like they¡¯re just telling you to take the demon¡¯s hand already.¡± While such myths felt perfectly natural to Liv, humans tended to struggle accepting them at face value, interpreting them through their own subjective lens. Liv could only smile at their inability to grasp the story¡¯s essence: ¡°Humans can never truly comprehend the world of gods, after all.¡± So it was only natural they couldn¡¯t understand the myths either. ¡®What power might I gain by visiting that sacred ground?¡¯ You will receive my strength, child. Though Liv wished to ask Lufasha for specifics, the god only offered vague responses. As Liv¡¯s brow furrowed in contemplation anew, Emmett addressed her: ¡°Liv, are you truly unwilling to accompany me to that sacred ground?¡± ¡°Accompany you...?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go there with you. In truth, I had business to attend there myself.¡± Liv carefully considered his words. While the sacred ground filled her with dread, perhaps Emmett¡¯s presence could embolden her ¨C for her love could overcome anything. Yes, she doesn¡¯t need to actually enter, simply observing from outside with Emmett would suffice. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Very well...¡± When Liv finally nodded, Emmett smiled faintly: ¡°I wish for you to reclaim your rightful place, Liv.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, it is nothing.¡± * * * The next day, Liv and Emmett set out directly for the sacred ground. Donning a yellow ankle-length dress for the rugged terrain, Liv steeled herself. ¡°Shall we go, Liv?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Though Hayden protested accompanying them to the Lufahidism shrine, Liv shook her head ¨C as a scion of the Shultze clan devoted to the ¡®Gracia family beloved by God¡¯, it seemed unwise to involve him in Lufaid matters. Unable to disclose their true reason for visiting Lufahidism shrine, their official outing was billed as a picnic. Upon learning Liv would be going alone with Emmett, Laga¡¯s eyes shone with delight: ¡°Ho ho, I had a feeling! But are you sure none of the servants should accompany you?¡± ¡°No, just the two of us will go.¡± ¡°Goodness...!¡± Leaving the ecstatic Laga behind, Liv boarded the carriage with Emmett. The coachman seemed puzzled by Emmett¡¯s instructions to head for the cliffside, but appeared mollified when told it was to show Liv the goats. ¡°So many fields.¡± As they passed farmlands where peasants dwelled, Liv opened the window and leaned out, the pleasant breeze caressing her face. Emmett then pulled her close, circling her waist to draw her into his embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t lean out so far, Liv. You might injure yourself on a stray branch.¡± Blinking in surprise at finding herself cradled against him, a flustered Emmett swiftly released Liv, fidgeting awkwardly with his hands. The ¡®Land of Goats¡¯ wasn¡¯t too distant from Lartman Castle itself. Having already endured the long carriage journey to the Duchy, this additional travel likely didn¡¯t feel overly taxing. Upon finally arriving at the sacred ground, Liv was confronted by an immense cliff face. ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°Even I have never viewed it so close...¡± The awestruck Emmett beside her echoed Liv¡¯s sentiments. They immediately grasped why this was considered a ¡®sacred ground¡¯. For its bizarre form defied human comprehension. The towering cliff inspired vertigo from merely gazing upwards, plainly unsurvivable for any who dared set foot upon it. Its jagged, razor-sharp edges instilled an uncanny sense of disquiet, as if this entire space threatened imminent human destruction. ¡°In the Lufaidism, goats are considered divine animals.¡± ¡°I can see why.¡± Emmett nodded at Liv¡¯s words. ¡°To dwell upon such cliffs, they would indeed be divine creatures.¡± Unlike the sea where myriad divine powers converged, Liv had yet to feel an oppressive force here. Come closer, child. Touch the cliffside. Though Lufasha addressed Liv in an even louder, more dreadful voice than before, the other deities remained silent. If anything, Liv¡¯s mind felt clearer compared to her usual state. As if entranced, she slowly approached the precipice. And just as her fingertips extended to make contact... ¡°Ah!¡± Something erupted from within, obstructing her very breath. Strangled gasps escaped as her body crumpled, unable to withstand the crushing pressure. For daring to confront what humans could never comprehend, her head began to throb agonizingly. ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t...¡± As Liv lay sprawled, muttering helplessly, Emmett rushed over and dragged her away from the cliff face. Only after regaining her breath did Liv frantically shake her head. ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t do it. It¡¯s too much to bear.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Liv. We can try again another time. If you feel too afraid, you don¡¯t need to attempt it.¡± Child, why do you reject my power? ¡°I can¡¯t withstand you...¡± Liv tearfully pleaded, prompting the concerned Emmett to escort her back to the carriage. After settling the distraught Liv inside, he gently brushed away the tears streaking her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t weep, Liv.¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± ¡°All is well now. Nothing will torment you further.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Sniffling, Liv gradually regained her composure. Perhaps due to her previous experience with the sea, recovering didn¡¯t prove too arduous. Where the sacred ground had made her feel on the verge of death itself, she now only felt the usual mild heaviness. ¡°By the way, Your Grace, you mentioned having business at this place as well...¡± ¡°It is fine. I can attend to it separately at another time.¡± After Liv had calmed down, rather than immediately return to Lartman Castle, they truly did go on a picnic as claimed. Emmett stated that since he had told others they were picnicking, they ought to follow through ¨C but Liv wondered if this was perhaps for her sake as well. * * * It was the dusky evening hours when Liv returned to Lartman Castle with Emmett. Having spent many hours outside, Liv blankly gazed ahead with a weary expression ¨C only for the entrance door to suddenly burst open amid a raucous bang. ¡°Congratulations, my lady!¡± The abrupt noise jolted Liv to alertness, banishing her fatigue. Looking around in bewilderment, she saw all the servants gathered on the first floor applauding her, firework confetti raining down. ¡°What is this?¡± Liv asked with a dazed expression, prompting Emmett to respond with a smile: ¡°Liv, do you know what day it is today?¡± ¡°The 27th of July.¡± ¡°Yes, it is your birthday.¡± Chapter 59 ¡°What?¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unsurprisingly, Liv was unaware of her own birthday. Having never celebrated one, even once in her life. She could have asked the gods the date of her birth, but they paid no heed to such human traditions as ¡®birthdays¡¯. Influenced by the gods, Liv herself had never given it much thought, living her entire life ignorant of when her birthday fell. ¡°Why today, specifically?¡± ¡°I asked Hayden when the former Empress was abducted. Considering the labor duration, that date seemed the most plausible for your birth.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°Was your birthday never celebrated after joining the Hamelsvoort family?¡± ¡°No, no one ever asked about it...¡± Those words seemed to vex Emmett slightly, but he soon nodded with a gentle expression: ¡°It is fine, for you have a birthday to celebrate from now on, Liv.¡± Muttering that she too had a birthday, Liv¡¯s face brightened. She had always longed to be like others, and come to think of it, that required having a birthday. So now she would be a bit more ordinary. ¡®I have a birthday too!¡¯ The date of July 27th suddenly felt immensely endearing. Ah, having spent her life envying humans, the feeling of assimilating brought Liv unparalleled joy. Seeing her blissful expression, the smiling Laga urged enthusiastically: ¡°We have prepared a party in the banquet hall to celebrate you, Miss. Shall we go together?¡± Led by Laga¡¯s hand to the hall, Liv was greeted by an enormous three-tier cake. ¡°Wow...!¡± Her mouth agape in awe at the grand cake beyond any she had witnessed at Hildegard¡¯s birthdays, the chef Max beamed with pride at Liv¡¯s reaction. ¡°Miss, if you would blow out the candles?¡± Liv approached and carefully exhaled, requiring several attempts before the flames flickered out ¨C much to the servants¡¯ delighted uproar that she would ¡®make it this time!¡¯ Though no outside guests were present, only the Lartman household staff, Liv smiled more radiantly than ever before. ¡°Thank you all...¡± ¡°We have prepared all your favorite dishes, my lady.¡± ¡°My lady, accept these flowers.¡± The gardener Julien approached, extending an immense bouquet that nearly obscured Liv¡¯s face. ¡°Ah...¡± Gazing at the vibrant assortment, Liv beamed joyfully once more, her elation mirrored on the servants¡¯ satisfied faces. Parting their ranks, Emmett strode purposefully towards Liv, a small box in his hand. ¡°Happy birthday, Liv.¡± Having spoken those words, Emmett seemed to steel himself before planting a tender kiss upon her forehead. In that moment, Liv felt the world¡¯s beauty was too much to bear. As Liv struggled to steady her pounding heart and ragged breaths, the surrounding servants excitedly whispered amongst themselves. After gazing at Emmett for a long while, her eyes misting, Liv accepted the proffered box and opened it. Too small for jewelry like necklaces or rings commonly gifted to women, it instead contained an exquisite-looking wristwatch. Studded with gemstone hour and minute hands, it glittered magnificently beneath the chandeliers. ¡°You once mentioned fearing the inability to track time¡¯s passage.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± She had indeed said that while imprisoned in Abgrund ¨C Liv never expected him to still recall those words. ¡°Now you find yourself in a world where you can perceive time¡¯s flow. I prepared this hoping it may offer you solace.¡± Emmett affixed the yellow leather wristwatch snugly around Liv¡¯s slender wrist. Perfectly sized for her. Surrounded by well-wishers congratulating her, tears welled in Liv¡¯s eyes as she smiled. Having tasted such joy, she felt unable to ever revert, equally overjoyed yet terrified... * * * ¡°Sheesh...¡± Meanwhile, at that very moment, Hayden lingered outside the banquet hall with a sullen expression. Each year around this time, memories of the former Empress¡¯s abductions and his clansmen¡¯s deaths resurfaced, leaving him despondent. Robbed of the future he ought to have claimed, he couldn¡¯t bear acting indifferent. Needing to clear his head, Hayden started towards the gardens with a scowl. ¡°Why must that fake Saintess be afforded such treatment!¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± At least, until those words reached his ears. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Startled by the sudden voice, Becca whirled to face its source ¨C a brown-haired man whose appearance seemed vaguely familiar. ¡®The Duke¡¯s guest, wasn¡¯t he?¡¯ And from what she knew, this guest had been Liv¡¯s constant shadow, regarding her with undisguised interest. To be overheard badmouthing Liv by someone so clearly on her side could very well cost Becca her head. As she glanced around for some excuse, the other servants who had heard her had already scattered. ¡®Well, how cowardly!¡¯ Left alone to face the man, Becca began stammering, her earlier bravado deflating when directly confronting an adult male allied with Liv. ¡°Well, you see...¡± ¡°Surely you weren¡¯t speaking ill of our lady?¡± ¡°No, of course not!¡± Though her mention of ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ made the subject glaringly obvious, Becca offered an unconvincing denial. The man then advanced menacingly towards her. Up close, his towering stature instilled a profound sense of intimidation. Shrinking back in fear, Becca soon found herself pressed against an unyielding wall, cornered with nowhere left to retreat. The man¡¯s piercing brown eyes bored into her from his superior vantage. ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t speak ill of our lady.¡± Clink. In that instant, Becca realized some metallic object now pressed against her head. A sidelong glance revealed its dreadful nature, prompting a strangled yelp: ¡°Hick!¡± It was a pistol muzzle digging into her scalp. ¡®A soldier?¡¯ Menaced by the oft-rumored but never witnessed firearm, she didn¡¯t dare to twitch a muscle. One squeeze of the trigger and her brains would decorate the walls. Faced with her mortality, all her earlier bravado vanished, replaced by pure survival instinct. ¡°P-Please spare me...¡± She barely managed those whispered words, prompting the man to smirk down at her condescendingly. ¡°Who said anything about killing you?¡± ¡°I beg you...¡± ¡°Hmm, but that would hardly do our lady any favors, would it?¡± With those words, he roughly shoved the pistol barrel against her temple, causing Becca to stagger before regaining her balance. By the time she raised her head, the firearm had vanished. ¡°You simply caught me in an ill mood, that¡¯s all...¡± ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m sorry...! It won¡¯t happen again, I swear!¡± ¡°See that it doesn¡¯t. Lest you invoke divine punishment and face... unforeseen consequences.¡± Chuckling ominously, the man turned and strode away, leaving Becca to slump to the floor, her legs giving out beneath her. ¡°Hah, huff...¡± Had she truly nearly died, simply for gossiping about Liv Hamelsvoort? ¡°I wasn¡¯t even wrong...!¡± Resentment overcoming her fear, Becca protested vehemently. She disliked Liv, as a devout follower of the Church. Liv had mocked God. To accept such wanton fake Saintess behavior would be unforgivable. Yet recalling the pistol Hayden had aimed at her, Becca could only swallow her anger. That firearm held the power to render any rage impotent in an instant. ¡°I can¡¯t die...¡± Resolving to preserve her life for now, Becca rose shakily. But apprehension towards the fake Saintess still gnawed within her. * * * Reminiscing about yesterday¡¯s birthday party, Liv wore a contented smile. Having a birthday truly felt wonderful. That single memory might sustain her for an entire year... Knock knock. A polite rapping sounded at the door. ¡°Yes, come in.¡± Unsurprisingly, it was Emmett who entered, prompting Liv to rise happily. ¡°Emmett, what is it?¡± ¡°Ah, I have something to inform you.¡± Meeting her eyes, Emmett continued: ¡°Now that I have returned to the Duchy, I feel we ought to host a soiree to maintain relations with the local nobility. Will you attend as well, Liv?¡± Though no match for the capital, the Edelburg region of the Empire¡¯s southern provinces where the Lartman Duchy was situated was still quite prosperous. Many nobles dwelled here with their own sizable high society. ¡°Of course.¡± The instant ¡®soiree¡¯ was mentioned, Liv reflexively agreed. Though her memories of such events leaned more bitter than sweet, she would endure anything to mingle among people once more. ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll make the preparations. Is there anything specific you desire for the soiree? A particular decor theme, your favorite color, perhaps...¡± ¡°Hmm, I like yellow.¡± ¡°With summer upon us, a lemon dessert theme in yellow hues could be quite fitting. Understood.¡± After Emmett departed, the eavesdropping Laga remarked with an excited expression: ¡°How wonderful that you will attend the local soirees here, Miss!¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Since you will be residing here from now on, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with the surrounding nobility¡¯s faces beforehand. You mentioned preferring yellow? Then I¡¯ll prepare a yellow gown for you!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m certain His Grace had a dress commissioned for just such an occasion...¡± Laga began muttering to herself, immersed in her own thoughts, as Liv observed her quietly. How would the local nobles receive her, she wondered? Would they shun her like the capital¡¯s residents? Then again, disliking the ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ would be the more peculiar response. But Liv had grown accustomed to disdain by now, so it mattered little either way. Chapter 60 At a tea party gathering young noble ladies of the Edelburg region, it was Hannah of House Hertz who first spoke up: ¡°I hear Duke Lartman will be hosting a soiree upon his return. No doubt to converse with our fathers, but will we all attend?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The other ladies echoed her words. ¡°It has been too long since such a grand soiree. We simply must go.¡± ¡°This will help enliven our boredom, what fortuitous timing.¡± Though prosperous, the Edelburg region lacked the theater or opera of the capital, so intermingling provided the nobles¡¯ greatest entertainment. To them, any hosted soiree was welcome news regardless of the host. It was Maria of House K?lpen¡¯s next words that drew everyone¡¯s undivided attention: ¡°But have you heard? This time, Duke Lartman has brought a lady with him from the capital!¡± ¡°Ah, I have heard as well!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Seeing some ladies¡¯ eyes widen, Maria happily elaborated with relish: ¡°Well, the Duke has returned accompanied by some noblewoman from the capital.¡± ¡°Ah ah, I see.¡± The other ladies nodded sagely, their faces betraying no surprise. ¡°As the Duke is perfection itself, I imagine he would only bring someone equally peerless.¡± ¡°Quite so. She must be shown the utmost deference as his future Duchess.¡± ¡°She will surely attend this soiree as well? We simply must engage her in conversation.¡± None harbored any jealous resentment or hostility. Well aware their own houses paled before the illustrious Lartmans, indulging in petty rivalry seemed pointless ¨C especially against a fellow highborn the Duke himself had escorted from the capital. Better to befriend her as a prospective Duchess instead. Amid their warm reception, Hannah spoke up with a note of hesitation: ¡°But will that be wise? Not that we mind, but Malea might...¡± ¡°Ah... You raise a fair point. She may well make trouble.¡± ¡°Surely she wouldn¡¯t go so far as assaulting this newcomer¡¯s person?¡± ¡°Her temperament would allow for little else...¡± * * * Witnessing the crowded Lartman banquet hall, Liv¡¯s eyes widened in wonder. The guests¡¯ attire matched the lavish finery of capital soirees in splendor. While closer inspection might reveal their fashions lagging a season behind the capital¡¯s trends, to Liv, the local nobles nonetheless exuded an air of refined elegance. ¡®Not so different from the capital, it seems.¡¯ ¡°Liv, shall we go in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Emmett escorted Liv inside, all eyes turned towards them. ¡°Duke Lartman, welcome back.¡± ¡°There is actually a matter I wished to address.¡± With Emmett¡¯s long-awaited return, nobles who had awaited the chance to engage with him swiftly approached. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll rejoin you shortly.¡± Emmett¡¯s discussions with the gentlemen had been prearranged. Though he had to release Liv¡¯s hand, she likely wouldn¡¯t find herself entirely alone like in the capital either. ¡°Might you... be from the capital, by chance...?¡± The curious noble ladies were already converging on Liv. Emmett had mentioned the capital rumors wouldn¡¯t have spread here, and the ladies indeed seemed free of preconceptions about Liv. Ever sensitive to malice, she detected no hostility from their inquisitive faces. ¡°Yes, hello.¡± ¡°Hello, I am Maria K?lpen!¡± ¡°And I am Hannah Hertz.¡± Liv committed each name to memory ¨C an exercise she always enjoyed. ¡°I am Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Oh, Hamelsvoort?¡± Those words prompted the ladies¡¯ eyes to widen ¨C they would surely recognize one of the Five Noble Houses. ¡°We had no idea you were of the Hamelsvoort family!¡± ¡°I too am a pious believer, which is why I respect the Hamelsvoort family.¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They seemed to take an immediate liking to Liv simply due to her illustrious lineage. Evidently unaware of any ¡®Fake Saintess¡¯ or ¡®adopted child¡¯ rumors. It was then that the lady who had introduced herself as Maria K?lpen spoke up with a proud air: ¡°Why, I have visited the capital before!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw Walter Hamelsvoort there!¡± ¡°Ah, Walter...¡± Liv recalled her long-unseen older brother¡¯s face. While only the two adopted daughters Liv and Hildegard currently resided at the Hamelsvoort estate, the Count and Countess had originally birthed a son ¨C Walter Hamelsvoort, now studying abroad as Liv¡¯s elder brother. Unsurprisingly, Walter had never cared much for her, rendering their relationship strained. Oblivious to such undercurrents, Maria cheerfully continued: ¡°Lord Hamelsvoort cuts quite the dashing figure! Though you may not resemble him, my lady, you both share a certain beauty!¡± ¡°Haha, pay her no mind. Maria has been going on about her capital visit for five years now.¡± One lady¡¯s playful interjection prompted laughter from the others, allowing Liv to join in with an amused smile. Compared to the capital ladies¡¯ attacks on her, the atmosphere here felt far more lighthearted and gentle, putting Liv more at ease. At some point, however, the laughing ladies¡¯ faces froze in unison, their eyes widening as if facing a mythical serpent behind Liv. Following their stares, Liv turned to find a woman with flowing black tresses and heavy makeup standing there. An indisputable beauty at first glance, yet her lavish ornamentation lent her an almost intimidating aura. Strutting over with clacking heels, she appraised Liv from head to toe. ¡°You must be the newcomer to the Lartman household?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°...How disappointing.¡± As Liv blinked in bewilderment at such blatant rudeness, the other ladies hastily moved to shield her. ¡°Now, just a moment! She arrived with Duke Lartman himself!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Lady Malea! If you would only consider...¡± ¡°Out of my way.¡± The woman named Malea simply barged through the intervening ladies, her sheer force sending them scattering ¨C though their startled expressions suggested such behavior was unsurprising from her. ¡°Hmm...¡± Malea¡¯s face loomed uncomfortably close to Liv¡¯s as they silently appraised each other before she finally spoke: ¡°And what house are you from?¡± ¡°I am Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°...Hamelsvoort?¡± That name seemed to give Malea pause, prompting her to retreat a step. The other ladies swiftly chimed in: ¡°Yes, she is of that Hamelsvoort family!¡± ¡°So surely even you can appreciate, Lady Malea...¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Rather than acquiesce, Malea arrogantly folded her arms as she looked down her nose at Liv from her towering height. ¡°I am Malea of Marquis House Tschermak.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure, Lady Tschermak.¡± Liv¡¯s cordial greeting seemed to embolden Malea, who smirked triumphantly at the other ladies ¨C as if she had already emerged victorious over Liv in some unspoken contest. ¡°Look here, matters of lineage aside, our stations remain distinct. Why should a Count¡¯s daughter warrant any deference from me?¡± ¡°But still, that is...¡± ¡°I simply can¡¯t accept that.¡± Turning back towards Liv, Malea continued her interrogation: ¡°What precisely is your relation to the Duke? I hear you have taken up residence in his castle.¡± ¡°With Emmett?¡± ¡°...Yes!¡± ¡°We are to be married. I came to the Duchy now to meet his vassals in preparation.¡± At those words, the other ladies exchanged resigned looks, as if to say ¡®well, there you have it.¡¯ ¡°You see, she is to be the Duchess.¡± Malea, however, scowled deeply as she pressed Liv further: ¡°And why, pray tell, would the Duke agree to marry you?¡± ¡°Well, the circumstances are rather complex...¡± Unable to bear further witness, Maria interjected ¨C seeming to fear yet not fully respect Malea, regarding her with a mixture of apprehension and disdain that only piqued Liv¡¯s curiosity about her. ¡°Lady Malea, I have told you time and again, she is a daughter of the esteemed Hamelsvoort family.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Malea scoffed derisively just as a large shadow fell over Liv. ¡°Lady Tschermak, it has been too long.¡± ¡°Emmett!¡± As Liv called out his name happily, Emmett glanced at her before positioning himself before Liv. The other ladies now watched with mirth, fans covering their mouths ¨C such entertaining drama unfolding in sleepy Edelburg! ¡°...It has indeed been a while, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Did you and Liv have a chance to become acquainted?¡± ¡°Yes, however...¡± Malea fixed Emmett with an inscrutable look as she questioned: ¡°You truly intend to marry this Hamelsvoort lady?¡± ¡°Yes, Liv and I are to be wed.¡± Those words seemed to strike Malea, her eyes widening in outrage as she protested: ¡°But why? You are the Duke of the Empire ¨C how could you tie yourself to a mere Count¡¯s daughter?¡± Emmett¡¯s expression hardened instantly as he stated in clipped tones: ¡°Lady Tschermak, there are matters in this world not encompassed by outward appearances alone.¡± Now red-faced, Malea whirled and stormed off without another word. The other nobles waved their fans dismissively, as if the anticlimax had disappointed them. Having watched Malea¡¯s retreating form unflinchingly, Emmett finally turned concerned eyes upon Liv, bending down slightly to meet her gaze: ¡°Liv, did something untoward occur here?¡± ¡°No, everyone has treated me kindly. There were no issues.¡± Able to respond confidently since only Malea had displayed animosity while the other ladies favored her, Liv savored the simple joy of mingling normally in high society ¨C a rarity she could scarcely remember. ¡°...I¡¯m relieved to hear that.¡± The ladies then seized the chance to chime in: ¡°We are all becoming fast friends!¡± ¡°You must have duties to attend to, Your Grace.¡± ¡°We have much more girl talk ahead of us.¡± Their insistent tones seemed to fluster Emmett briefly before he addressed Liv with a concerned look: ¡°If anything occurs, please don¡¯t hesitate to seek me out, Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After the ladies shooed Emmett away, they regarded Liv with amusement she couldn¡¯t fathom ¨C prompting Maria to explain: ¡°Lady Malea must have given you quite the fright just now.¡± ¡°Not particularly...¡± ¡°You see, Lady Malea had anticipated marrying the Duke himself.¡± Chapter 61 The young lady who had introduced herself as ¡®Hannah Hertz¡¯ cut in with an amused expression. ¡°That¡¯s because she has the highest status among the noble young ladies in this area. It¡¯s not that she particularly loves the Duke, she just thinks the highest position should be hers.¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°But what¡¯s the use of having a high title? In the capital, Marquises are a dime a dozen. What¡¯s important is reputation, reputation. The kind of reputation that the Hamelsvoort family has.¡± ¡°This is all because Miss Malea is a frog in a well who hasn¡¯t been to the capital,¡± Maria added. The other young ladies laughed, saying Maria was talking about the capital again. The slightly stiff atmosphere finally relaxed. ¡°Miss Malea is that type. Someone who thinks titles are everything. She believes she deserves to be treated well because her title is high.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s better not to get involved with her unnecessarily.¡± Hannah said with an uneasy expression. ¡°She¡¯s quite skilled at bullying people...¡± Did that mean she might bully Liv herself? Well, but Liv was already used to being bullied by noble young ladies in the capital. Malea¡¯s bullying probably wouldn¡¯t be much either. When Liv made an unimpressed face, Maria said that she indeed wouldn¡¯t be a match for a noble from the capital, and they all laughed again at that. As a gathering of young noble ladies, the topic soon changed, and Liv quietly smiled as she listened to them introduce the surrounding area. * * * Maria, who had been talking with Liv for a while, exchanged glances with Hannah beside her. It was to ask what she thought of Liv Hamelsvoort. Hannah nodded with a smile, indicating she thought she was good. It wasn¡¯t much different from Maria¡¯s opinion. All the noble young ladies around the Lartman Duchy had a favorable attitude towards Liv. That was natural, as she would become the future Duchess. It was better to make a good impression now, as they would be closely involved later. Moreover, she was the daughter of the Hamelsvoort family, one of the Five Noble Houses. A marriage between the Five Noble Houses ¨C could there be a more suitable woman as a match for Duke Lartman? Maria recalled Walter Hamelsvoort, the son of the Hamelsvoort family, whom she had seen when she went up to the capital. Black hair and purple eyes. He was a handsome man with an elegant and beautiful impression. Although he looked so unlike Liv that Maria tilted her head at first, they were both beautiful in their own ways, so it wasn¡¯t like they had nothing in common. Malea had said that Liv wasn¡¯t very beautiful, but that was by Malea¡¯s high standards. To Maria, Liv had a cute and lovable impression, so it was understandable that she would be quite popular. It made sense that Duke Lartman loved her. Above all, talking to her, she seemed innocent and kind. Despite coming from an ancient family, she didn¡¯t have an attitude of lording over them, and she smiled with a fascinated expression whenever the other young ladies said something. It¡¯s impossible to dislike someone with such a personality. ¡®We¡¯ll get along well in the future.¡¯ Maria smiled, thinking there would be no problem even if she became the Duchess. As long as Malea didn¡¯t interfere unnecessarily, it seemed Liv would be able to adapt to high society without any issues. * * * ¡°Liv Hamelsvoort...¡± Malea left the banquet hall, muttering that name with a resentful face. Of course, the stupid reason she disliked Liv wasn¡¯t because Duke Lartman loved her. Malea had no interest in love at all, especially when it came to Duke Lartman. In this remote province, rumors of how cruelly Duke Lartman had acted in the capital hadn¡¯t spread, so there were occasionally noble young ladies who secretly fancied the Duke, but Malea wasn¡¯t one of them. Malea was simply frustrated at having the position of ¡®Duchess¡¯ taken from her. In this land far from the capital, the highest position Malea could aspire to was that of Duchess, and she had been eyeing that position for a long time. And since she was among those with high titles, she thought that she, the daughter of a Marquis, would naturally become the Duchess. But then this young lady of a Count, who came from the capital, had snatched that position. Feeling rather upset, she felt she needed to go somewhere secluded to find a plan to get back at Liv. As the daughter of a quite high-ranking noble in the Edelburg region, she had always lived getting whatever she wanted and doing whatever she pleased. Even if she couldn¡¯t become the Duchess, she would often encounter Liv in high society. Shouldn¡¯t she crush that woman¡¯s spirit to some extent for the future? As Malea was heading towards the back where servants usually worked, she stopped in her tracks upon hearing a small voice. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why no one listens to me! Why does everyone like that Liv Hamelsvoort?¡± It was the name of the woman Malea hated more than anyone right now. Glancing at where the voice was coming from, there was a woman in a maid¡¯s uniform grumbling to a man who seemed to be a servant. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you still be careful what you say? Didn¡¯t you almost get in big trouble last time when you were caught by the Duke¡¯s guest?¡± ¡°Oh, but I trust you, that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Well, your words have some truth to them. There are quite a few others who think the same way. They¡¯re just not showing it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to know there are some sane people. I don¡¯t understand why they worship that fake Saintess so much.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± As Malea interjected, making noise with her shoes, the maid stopped breathing in surprise. Ignoring the stupid expression of the lowly maid, Malea approached her, looked down at her, and asked. ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by it... but it seems you don¡¯t like that woman either, and neither do I.¡± Malea knew how to sweetly persuade these lowly creatures to bring her what she wanted. Ah, even these things can be worth using. Malea smiled as if she was on the maid¡¯s side, and the maid also smiled slightly, seeming relieved. Rather, the maid was showing a happy expression, thinking she had finally found someone who understood her. ¡°Are you one of the young ladies attending the banquet?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you should know this! Liv Hamelsvoort isn¡¯t really the Count¡¯s daughter, she¡¯s an adopted daughter!¡± ¡°...Adopted?¡± ¡°Yes, because she pretended to be a fake Saintess!¡± A moment later, after hearing the whole story from the maid who introduced herself as ¡®Becca¡¯, Malea grinned. Come to think of it, she seemed to have heard that there was a Saintess named Hildegard in the Hamelsvoort family, but she never imagined there was such a behind-the-scenes story. ¡°A fake Saintess, you say...¡± It was unacceptable for a mere fake Saintess to deceive everyone and rise to the position of Duchess. As she was pondering how to use this information, a good idea occurred to Malea. ¡®She said she came down here to greet the vassals.¡¯ Do the vassals know that Liv Hamelsvoort is a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯? ...Maybe they do. Their intelligence network is certainly not inferior to her own. Yet the fact that Duke Lartman brought Liv Hamelsvoort down to the Duchy means he must be confident she will be accepted regardless of her background. ¡®Then I just need to create a reason for them not to accept her.¡¯ All she had to do was embellish the story about why Liv became a fake Saintess. The highest position must be occupied by herself. Thinking this, Malea bit her lip. * * * [To my sister Liv. Hello, sister. This is Hildegard. How is the Lartman Duchy? Are you doing well there? I¡¯ve been so worried since you left that I looked into information about the Edelburg region. I believe you¡¯ll do well, but I¡¯m concerned about you getting hurt or insulted and the gods becoming angry. I recently met someone from Edelburg, and they said that since it¡¯s so far from the capital, news about the capital travels slowly there. They said they only learned that I was a Saintess of the Holy Church after coming here. As such, I think the noble young ladies in the social circles there might not know much about the bad rumors about you. So I hope you¡¯re doing well there. I¡¯d like you to make new friends without prejudice against you. And even if bad rumors spread there too, I hope you¡¯ll face them confidently. After all, Duke Lartman proposed to you, so what¡¯s the problem? If the nobles there treat you badly, act like you¡¯re going to be the future Duchess and threaten them. Sometimes you need to be bad to bad people. You don¡¯t need to be kind to everyone. Of course, the most important thing would be to make a good impression on the vassals of the Lartman Duchy. From what I¡¯ve heard, Duke Lartman has been under a lot of pressure from those around him to get married because he¡¯s been so uninterested in women. Since the Duke has brought a woman with him, there¡¯s a possibility that the vassals won¡¯t care even if you¡¯re a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯. In fact, above all, it¡¯s a marriage approved by His Majesty. That alone means no one can stop your marriage. Oh, I have news to share with you, sister. Lord Walter is said to be returning to the Empire soon. He¡¯s obtained a doctoral degree from the Merna Empire. To be honest, I feel awkward with Lord Walter, so just imagining being alone with him in this mansion makes me feel suffocated. That¡¯s why I hope you come back soon. Lord Walter is really too noble. He says he considers me family, but it feels like I shouldn¡¯t dare to think that way, you know? Do you feel comfortable with Lord Walter, sister? By the way, although I said I hope you come back soon, you can rest comfortably in the Lartman Duchy if you¡¯d like. I hope there¡¯s some progress in your relationship with the Duke there. Have a good day, sister. Waiting for your reply, ¡ªHildegard] Chapter 62 [To Hildegard, Hello, Hildegard! Thank you for sending me a letter. It¡¯s good that my writing improves the more I write letters, but this is the first time I¡¯m writing to someone other than Emmett. Please understand if my writing is awkward. The Lartman Duchy is nice. The people here treat me well. As you said, they don¡¯t seem to know about the rumors about me. I¡¯ve become friends with the chef Max, the gardener Julian, the head maid Mia, the librarian Emily, and the maid Laga. They¡¯re all good people. And I had my first birthday party here! My birthday is July 27th. I didn¡¯t know my original birthday, so Emmett and I decided on that date. Recently, there was also a banquet where I met other noble young ladies. They¡¯re all kind, pretty, and treat me well. I¡¯ve become especially close with people named Hannah and Maria. Hannah is kind, and Maria likes to talk about the capital. Oh, actually, not everyone likes me. There¡¯s one person who dislikes me. Her name is Malea, and she thought she would marry Emmett. But other than her, everyone else is fine, so there¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯m not looking forward to Brother Walter coming either. Brother dislikes me... although I understand why. You know what? Brother actually went to study abroad in the Merna Empire to avoid me. But he might be able to get along with you, Hildegard. Unlike me, you¡¯re a real Saintess. Well, hoping that you¡¯re doing well there, I¡¯ll end this letter now. ¡ªLiv] [To Sister Liv, Hello, sister. I¡¯m a bit jealous that you¡¯ve already made friends there. I hoped you would do well, but to think you¡¯re already on a first-name basis! If it¡¯s alright, would you call me ¡®Hilda¡¯? It¡¯s my nickname, everyone called me that when I was in the slums. And to think someone has come to dislike you, hmm... It must be jealousy because she wants to marry the Duke. All the more reason to be confident, sister. After all, you¡¯re a daughter of the Hamelsvoort family. Although I don¡¯t like this world of nobles, nobles outside the capital will treat you well just by mentioning your name. Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never thought about your birthday before. I¡¯ve never celebrated your birthday until now, and I didn¡¯t even know it! Still, I really wish you a happy birthday. I¡¯m sending you a novel with a pretty cover as a birthday gift. It¡¯s the most popular book in the capital these days. Of course, since I don¡¯t like reading books, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s interesting... And I didn¡¯t know Lord Walter disliked you. I wish everyone would know the truth about you... ¡ªHildegard] ¡°She says I can call her Hilda?¡± After receiving Hildegard¡¯s letter, Liv looked at it for a long time with a joyful face. It was a pleasant thing to be able to call someone by their nickname. ¡®Hilda¡¯ was the first nickname of another person that Liv would use! Liv wrote a reply to Hildegard with an excited face. She wrote that she was happy to have become closer to Hildegard and wished for Hildegard to do well there too. After finishing the letter, Liv handed it to Laga. ¡°Please send this to Hildegard of the Hamelsvoort family.¡± ¡°Yes, young lady. What will you do now?¡± ¡°I want to go to the library.¡± Going to the library was now a familiar routine for the two, and Laga, after taking care of the letter, followed Liv as she walked to the library. While Liv was humming, thinking about discussing her impressions of the book she read yesterday with Emily, Laga cautiously spoke up. ¡°Um, Miss... There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Well, one of the maids who came down from the capital with the Duke is talking about you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Saying things like fake Saintess and such...¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then could Liv grasp the situation. Among those who came down with Emmett from the capital, there must be some who are dissatisfied with Liv. People in the capital generally disliked Liv. Especially if they were devout believers of the Holy Church. ¡°At first, I was going to let it slide since it was just among the servants. But that girl is spreading the story to more and more people, and now there are even people who believe it...¡± ¡°Hmm... So people hate me now?¡± ¡°No, no! There are more people who don¡¯t believe it! Especially the head maid, who warned that if she hears such talk again, she¡¯ll report it to the Duke. But that girl has been so noisy lately, I thought you should know...¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s face became thoughtful. Should she tell Emmett about this? But in fact, that maid wasn¡¯t saying anything untrue... ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± In the end, Liv answered in a calm voice. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Miss...¡± At those words, Laga looked at Liv with moist eyes, but Liv really was okay. She was used to other people talking behind her back. Anyway, the people here would find out someday. Of course, she might feel a little sad if the people who had been treating her well turned their backs on her. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re here!¡± As Liv entered the library, Emily greeted her cheerfully. Laga guided Liv to Emily and then disappeared to clean her room. ¡°What book will you read today? You said you wanted to read something other than novels last time, right? May I recommend a history book?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Then Emily approached the bookshelf with an excited face and soon pulled out a book. The title was ¡®The Religion of the Holy Hilysid Empire¡¯. ¡°You know myths well, Miss. Then this book should suit you well.¡± ¡°Mmm, thank you.¡± Emily had been impressed by Liv¡¯s religious knowledge during a conversation with her recently. It seemed to have left a strong impression. Liv received the book from Emily, then sat down at the desk and began to turn the pages. The introduction of the book was about how the Gracia family received a revelation from the Supreme God of the Holy Church and unified the houses to establish the Holy Hilysid Empire. While reading that, Liv mentally asked a question to the Supreme God. ¡®Did you really give a revelation to the Gracia family?¡¯ Yes. ¡®Why do you love the Gracia family?¡¯ The moment Liv asked that, one of the books on the bookshelf fell to the floor. ¡°Oh my, why did this suddenly happen?¡± The title of the book Emily picked up in surprise was ¡®The Promised Land, Hilysid¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I wanted to read that book anyway.¡± Liv opened the page and began to slowly read its contents. In an era when the Garsia Empire, the largest country in history that ruled this continent, had fallen and faith in the Holy Church had been shattered. Anfang Gracia was a girl who devoutly believed in the Holy Church. She prayed to the Supreme God three times a day and helped the poor and sick according to the will of the Supreme God. Then one day, heavy rain fell and many lives began to be swept away by the swollen waters. When everyone turned their backs on the Supreme God, saying that the unceasing rain was because the Supreme God had not taken care of them. Anfang Gracia alone began to pray for 33 days to quell the anger of the Supreme God. On the last day of prayer, she inserted a clover-shaped piece into her heart, sacrificing her own life- And the rain stopped as if it were a lie. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But surprisingly, a child was born from the cut belly of the dead Anfang Gracia. On the day the child was born, a bright light shone on the child, wherever the child stepped, filth was purified, and wherever the child touched the ground, crops grew abundantly. The child later becomes Fearte Gracia, the first Emperor who established the Holy Hilysid Empire. Liv quietly looked down at the contents. It would have been incomprehensible to other humans, but Liv could understand. ¡°Did you love Anfang Gracia?¡± Yes. ¡°Why?¡± In an era when no one believed in me. I couldn¡¯t protect my only child who believed in me. At that time, I lacked power, so I had to watch my child sacrifice herself for me. ¡°So the power of a god grows with people¡¯s belief.¡± That¡¯s right. Through Anfang Gracia¡¯s sacrifice, I was able to regain enormous power, and thanks to that, I could stop the rain and produce her descendants. I promised to love the Gracia family forever. The promises of gods are absolute. No matter what evil deeds the Gracia family commits, the Supreme God will truly continue to love the Gracia family. As Liv nodded, understanding why the Gracia family had received the love of the Holy Church for generations, a brown-haired maid entered the library. ¡°Becca, what brings you here?¡± When Emily asked in a somewhat sharp voice, the maid called ¡®Becca¡¯ cautiously approached Liv. ¡°A letter has arrived for the Miss...¡± ¡°A letter? Is it from Hildegard?¡± ¡°No.¡± Becca said with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s a letter from Lady Malea Tschermak.¡± ¡°Why are you delivering that letter?¡± When Emily asked in a pointed tone, Becca shrugged and replied. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? I¡¯m just receiving it from the guard now.¡± Emily was still looking at Becca with a suspicious face, but Liv went ahead and took the letter from her. [To Liv Hamelsvoort, Hello. You remember me, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m Malea Tschermak. We¡¯re not close enough to exchange letters, so I¡¯ll get straight to the point. Why are you already acting like the Duke¡¯s wife when you¡¯re just a fake Saintess? The noble young ladies here seem to know nothing, but do you think they¡¯ll treat you the same way when the truth is revealed? They respect you as a daughter of the Hamelsvoort family, but in reality, you¡¯re just from a lowly slum. It¡¯s not that I want to become the Duke¡¯s wife now or anything like that. I just don¡¯t want to acknowledge someone inferior to me as my superior. So don¡¯t treat me like a foolish woman blinded by jealousy. I hope you¡¯ll distance yourself from the Duke before I tell the truth. If not, I¡¯ll reveal the truth about you to the vassals of the Lartman Duchy and other nobles in high society. I hope you understand my warning. ¡ªMalea Tschermak] Chapter 63 As Liv quietly blinked after reading the contents, Becca smirked. ¡°Becca, why are you still watching the Miss read the letter?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing...¡± She soon had to leave after being pointed out by Emily, but as she left, she kept looking at Liv with a strange gaze. After Becca left, Emily sighed deeply and said: ¡°Miss, actually, that maid has been spreading bad rumors about you recently.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It seems that Becca was the maid Laga had mentioned. No wonder there was malice in her eyes. As Liv remained quiet after hearing this, Emily¡¯s face became somewhat bitter. ¡°This world is too cruel to kind people.¡± Meanwhile, the gods were raging with anger after reading Malea¡¯s letter. If you want, I will immediately destroy this one¡¯s house and massacre her family. She must pay the proper price for threatening you. Child, come to the sacred grounds and receive my power to show this one your strength. ¡®A threatening letter...¡¯ But Liv had no intention of giving in to that threat. Someday, the people here would find out that Liv was a fake Saintess. It would happen even if Malea didn¡¯t reveal it. Anyway, she liked being with Emmett, so she had no intention of leaving Emmett as Malea said. Yes, she should just let her reveal the truth. Liv put the threatening letter in the trash can with sunken eyes. * * * sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A week later, Becca brought another letter to Liv in the library. [To Liv Hamelsvoort, You¡¯re not listening to me. Then I have no choice but to reveal the truth. Be prepared.] Now there was no sender¡¯s name written, and it didn¡¯t even follow the format of a letter, but the identity of the sender and their purpose were immediately clear. Looking at the half-hearted letter, Liv made a blank expression. If she wants to say something, she can just say it, why does she keep sending annoying letters? It seemed better to throw this in the trash can too. ¡°Miss, about that myth from last time... ah!¡± At that moment, Emily, who had approached Liv, stopped breathing in surprise. Her gaze was fixed on the letter Liv was reading. ¡°Miss, who sent such a threatening letter?¡± ¡°Malea Tschermak.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the person who sent you a letter last time! Was it this kind of letter then too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The truth means...¡± ¡°That I¡¯m a fake Saintess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the bad rumor that was going around in the capital!¡± After grasping the situation, Emily shouted with an angry face. She seemed to have forgotten that this was a library. ¡°We must inform the Duke about this right away! This is...¡± ¡°What are you going to inform?¡± Suddenly appearing behind Emily was Laga. As Laga tilted her head and asked that, Emily approached Laga excitedly. ¡°A person named Malea Tschermak sent a threatening letter to our Miss! Saying she¡¯ll spread bad rumors!¡± ¡°The young lady of the Marquis Tschermak family? Ah, right! She sent a threatening letter to the Miss last time too!¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± When Liv asked with a surprised face, Laga replied with a proud face. ¡°I found out while cleaning the trash can in the young lady¡¯s room. Just in case, I kept that letter as evidence.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°Give me that letter too, Miss. I¡¯ll go tell the Duke everything.¡± Liv hesitated for a moment. Somehow, she felt that if she told Emmett, things would get bigger. She wished someone would advise her on how to act now... Child, let me tear that one to pieces and kill her. Oh no, only unhelpful beings were by her side. Then an appropriate figure came to Liv¡¯s mind. ¡®Hayden!¡¯ Maybe he could suggest an appropriate solution. He was familiar with human society and would think from Liv¡¯s perspective. ¡°There¡¯s someone I want to show this to first.¡± Liv took the letter and went to find Hayden. As she headed towards Hayden¡¯s room, Emily and Laga¡¯s worried gazes followed, but Liv pretended not to notice. ¡°Hayden!¡± When she knocked on the door, Hayden quickly appeared. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, young lady? I haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± Because Liv had been mingling with the noble young ladies of the Edelburg region and frequently attending social gatherings, Hayden was no longer accompanying Liv and was acting independently. It was unclear where he was going so often, but he was frequently coming and going outside the ducal castle. Well, that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± Saying that, Liv handed over the letter she had just received and the previous letter that Laga said she had kept. ¡°I received letters like these, what should I do in this situation?¡± Hayden took the letters with a questioning look. And as he read through the letters, his face changed moment by moment. ¡°Hmm, the way to handle this kind of thing is simple, of course.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can just kill her, right?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Before the gods get angry unnecessarily, it¡¯s better for me to kill her. This is like doing a good deed for this world.¡± Saying that, Hayden even pulled out his gun with a click. Clinging to Hayden¡¯s arm to stop him, Liv shouted in a panicked voice. ¡°T-there¡¯s no need for that! Killing is wrong!¡± ¡°Thanks to you, my mind is a bit messed up, so I don¡¯t even want to consider what¡¯s good or evil anymore.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll handle it! Don¡¯t do anything!¡± In the end, Liv had no choice but to snatch the letters from Hayden and hand them over to Laga. She had never wanted to see Hildegard so badly before... ¡°Laga, just give them to Emmett...¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell him directly?¡± ¡°Umm, it¡¯s difficult for me to explain.¡± To be honest, she was afraid that Emmett wouldn¡¯t stay calm about this letter. Emmett would surely try to respond appropriately to Malea Tschermak, but watching that would somehow make her feel uncomfortable, as if she were taking revenge on Malea. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll deliver them!¡± Laga¡¯s eyes sparkled as if she had been given an important mission, and she disappeared with the letters. * * * Knock knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Emmett, who was busy working in his office, looked up at the sound of knocking on the door. He had been busy working lately due to various pending matters such as spies from the Valeno Kingdom, agricultural issues in the Lartman Duchy, and repairs to the castle walls. Liv was also focusing on mingling with the nobles here, so she wasn¡¯t coming to see him as often as before. On one hand, it was regrettable, but it seemed to mean that Liv was doing well in the duchy, so Emmett was relieved. The one who opened the door and entered was Laga, Liv¡¯s dedicated maid. ¡°Duke, I¡¯ve come to tell you something about Miss.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Recently Miss has been receiving threats from another noble young lady...¡± ¡°What?¡± As Emmett¡¯s face hardened, Laga explained what had happened with an excited face. One of the maids had been saying bad things about Liv, and perhaps because of that, Malea Tschermak was threatening Liv. ¡°...I will take measures.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If anything like this happens to Liv again, please let me know anytime.¡± ¡°Yes, I certainly will!¡± Fortunately, Laga seemed to have deep loyalty to Liv. Considering the disloyal servants of the Hamelsvoort family, it was good news that Liv had gained someone on her side. ¡®It¡¯s natural for anyone to come to like Liv.¡¯ Thinking that, Emmett smiled proudly, then realized that now wasn¡¯t the time for this. He soon called other servants to confirm if it was true that Becca had been gossiping about Liv, and then came to a conclusion. ¡°Butler.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Give notice of dismissal to the maid named Becca.¡± If it¡¯s said that she was expelled from the Lartman Ducal castle, it will be difficult to find a job in this area. It was a natural measure for that maid who had been spreading bad rumors about Liv. After giving the order, he began to write a letter to Malea. [To Miss Malea Tschermak, Hello, Miss Tschermak. This is Emmett Lartman. The reason I¡¯m writing this letter to you, Miss Tschermak, is because I learned that you recently sent some kind of letter to Liv. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve said this before, but Liv is the woman I love. She¡¯s also the only woman I want to marry. So I will do my best to protect Liv in every way I can. You should just keep that fact in mind. If anything unfavorable happens to Liv, there will be proper retaliation for that incident. Please keep my words in mind. ¡ªEmmett Lartman.] For now, Malea would probably behave a bit better, but what Emmett was worried about was something else. ¡®Revealing the truth to the vassals...¡¯ The vassals probably already know that Liv is a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯. A few might agree that it doesn¡¯t matter as long as the lineage continues regardless of Liv¡¯s background, but in fact, more of them would probably oppose this marriage. Of course, the marriage will take place despite their opposition. It was a marriage approved by the Emperor, so no one could stop it. But... ¡®I¡¯m worried Liv might get hurt.¡¯ Liv might get hurt seeing people opposing her marriage to him. He had sworn never to let her get hurt again... ¡®I should find a way.¡¯ Although she¡¯s been revealed as a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯, it would be good to say that Liv has special abilities. For example, crediting Liv for finding the ancient magical artifact that Emmett found. Or it would be good to emphasize that we can form a friendly relationship with the Hamelsvoort family. In any case, he had to find a way for Liv to be recognized by everyone. * * * ¡°No, what is this...!¡± After reading the letter, Malea clenched her fists. Her face was already red with anger. How dare anyone ignore and threaten her like this? Of course, she didn¡¯t think that brazen fake Saintess would simply follow her will. But to think she would tell everything to Duke Lartman like this! ¡®Duke Lartman...¡¯ Now her anger seemed to be shifting towards him as well. How dare he treat her like this and protect Liv Hamelsvoort, who is just a daughter of a Count family? Shouldn¡¯t a person with normal judgment naturally choose her? ¡®How dare you ignore me?¡¯ Her insides boiled with irrational anger. After suppressing her anger for a while, she finally decided to act. She had said she would reveal the truth if Liv didn¡¯t leave the Duke¡¯s side on her own, so she intended to tell the truth to other noble young ladies as she had said. Maria K?lpen, Hannah Hertz... She began writing letters to all the noble young ladies in this area, including those who had recently become close to Liv. Chapter 64 [I know I¡¯m not close to you, but I can¡¯t bear to watch a fake Saintess deceive everyone, so I¡¯m writing this letter. Did you know? Liv Hamelsvoort is an adopted daughter of the Hamelsvoort family. She claimed to be a Saintess herself, so the Hamelsvoort couple believed it and adopted her. However, a year later, the existence of the real Saintess, Hildegard, was revealed, and Miss Hildegard was also adopted into the Hamelsvoort family. In other words, that woman Liv is not only not a real daughter of the Hamelsvoorts, but she¡¯s also a brazen person who deceived everyone by claiming to be a Saintess. I can¡¯t stand by and watch such a woman deceive you. Please make a wise judgment. And as for the vassals...] ¡®I¡¯ve already taken care of that.¡¯ At the point when she sent the threatening letter to Liv Hamelsvoort, Malea had already sent anonymous letters to the vassals of the Lartman family. Expecting the one who dared to stand above her without qualification to be driven out, Malea quietly smiled. * * * The day after receiving the threatening letter, as Liv was reading a book in the library, she could feel Emily constantly glancing at her. Emily seemed to think she wasn¡¯t being obvious, but it wasn¡¯t easy to ignore Emily¡¯s piercing gaze. ¡°What is it?¡± When Liv finally took her eyes off the book and asked, Emily hesitantly spoke up. ¡°Um, Miss...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°About that letter. What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I decided to leave it to Emmett.¡± When something unknown happens, ask Emmett. That was a habit Liv had internalized since she was in Abgrund. If she just followed Emmett¡¯s opinion without meddling in things she didn¡¯t know about, she¡¯d at least be average. ¡°You¡¯re not going to do anything yourself, Miss?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a wise approach. The best answer for such people is usually to not give them attention.¡± But even as she said that, Emily still looked like she had more to say. After a while, Emily hesitated and opened her mouth again. ¡°But... what if that person really spreads bad rumors in the social circles here?¡± ¡°Then people will come to dislike me. It can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°People in the capital already disliked me anyway.¡± ¡°Whaaaat?¡± Emily looked at Liv with eyes as big as saucers. ¡°Miss, about those bad rumors in the capital. It¡¯s a presumptuous question, but did you really do something wrong? I, I just wondered if there was anything I could do to help...¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Because Emily¡¯s eyes were truly filled with only worry as she said this, Liv didn¡¯t bother to point out the rudeness of the question. Instead, Liv trailed off, pondering how to answer. It was true that she received the love of the gods and could hear their voices directly, but she wasn¡¯t a Saintess. As a result, Liv had ended up deceiving people. But it was hard to see it as entirely Liv¡¯s fault. Liv had only done what the gods told her to do. ¡°There was a bit of a misunderstanding.¡± When Liv finally answered like that, Emily nodded as if she had expected it. Her face showed firm trust in Liv. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to clear up the misunderstanding?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± Would people even believe Liv¡¯s words? Of course, the gods could punish those who harassed Liv as they wished, but Liv didn¡¯t want people to die so cruelly. She had thought of peaceful ways to prove the gods¡¯ power, but the gods only gave incomprehensible messages saying that ¡®the time¡¯ hadn¡¯t come yet and that they couldn¡¯t intervene. Therefore, Liv had no way to prove her words to people. ¡°It¡¯s hard to clear up the misunderstanding. I don¡¯t think people will believe me.¡± ¡°So you want to clear up the misunderstanding, but you don¡¯t have a way to do it, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is there really no way at all?¡± At those words, Liv tilted her head and then realized that it wasn¡¯t that there was no way at all, just that she hadn¡¯t been proactive. If she goes to the sacred grounds, she can obtain the power of the gods and Liv can also exert power. A power on a different level from Hildegard healing injured people. Unlike now, when Liv can¡¯t do anything while relying on the mercy and love of the gods, if she enters the sacred grounds, she can acquire her own complete power. However, Liv was just avoiding everything because she was afraid to go to the sacred grounds. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that there¡¯s no way at all.¡± ¡°Then why...¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m not sure why I need to clear up the misunderstanding.¡± Communicating with humans was too difficult. Liv had already had too many misunderstandings with humans due to minor misunderstandings. She knew the cause lay with her, but it wasn¡¯t something she could easily fix her way of thinking about. Liv didn¡¯t know much about the world, and she had trouble talking for long periods due to the pressure from the gods. Anyway, since it was better than when she was in Abgrund, Liv just thought it wasn¡¯t bad to keep living like this. At Liv¡¯s words, Emily stared at her for a long time, then carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s no harm in clearing up the misunderstanding.¡± ¡°I guess so...¡± ¡°Anyway, if you reveal the truth, there will be moments when it helps you later.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, you should reveal the truth even for the sake of your future. I dare not know what the truth of that rumor is, but anyway, why don¡¯t you try to clear up the misunderstanding?¡± At those words, Liv just blinked quietly, then answered in a small voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯s hard for me to speak honestly.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Things kept getting tangled when Liv opened her mouth, so at this point, it seemed like there might be a problem with her herself. Maybe the love of the gods was a kind of curse. However, Emily looked at Liv with a benevolent face and said: ¡°It¡¯s okay, Miss. In the end, sincerity will prevail.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Really, this isn¡¯t just empty words. As long as the Supreme God oversees this world, all evil things will disappear and only the truth will remain in the end.¡± That seemed to be a statement stemming from Emily¡¯s deep faith, but it wasn¡¯t entirely unhelpful to Liv. After all, Liv was the human who believed without a doubt in the existence of gods in this world more than anyone else. As Emily said, maybe the Supreme God really had a purpose for everything, and someday everyone would be able to know Liv¡¯s true heart? Lost in thought as she left the library, Liv met Hayden leaning against the wall in front of the library. ¡°Hayden! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°...Ah, I was just looking for something, but it¡¯s fine now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It seems to have disappeared completely from this castle. Well, never mind that. You don¡¯t look very happy.¡± Ah, come to think of it, this was a moment when she needed to talk to someone, so this was good timing. Recalling what Emily had just told her, Liv asked Hayden¡± ¡°Hayden, do you think I should do something about receiving the threatening letter?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve finally decided to kill that thing? I can help a bit with that.¡± Hayden looked ready to grab his gun and run out right away, so Liv hurriedly grabbed him. ¡°That¡¯s not it. Just... what should I do?¡± ¡°Huh? Of course, that¡¯s...¡± Hayden stopped walking and stood in place, looking down at Liv. ¡°Our Miss is innocent and doesn¡¯t know much, but you tend to respond too stupidly to malice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯m stupid?¡± Since no one had ever said such a thing to her, Liv asked again. ¡®...Is that wrong?¡¯ In fact, Liv still doesn¡¯t know much about the world, so she could be described as stupid... While Liv was struggling with Hayden¡¯s words, Hayden continued: ¡°Miss, you shouldn¡¯t respond to malice with kindness. You should respond to malice with malice.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Is there anyone you dislike?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then people who dislike you?¡± ¡°A whole lot.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Hayden grabbed the back of his neck as if frustrated. ¡°You should dislike those people too! Why are you so simple?¡± ¡°Because I like humans.¡± When Liv said that with an innocent smile, Hayden let out a deep sigh. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to teach you from the very beginning.¡± ¡°Is there something I need to fix?¡± ¡°Yes. If someone treats you badly, you should treat them badly too!¡± ¡°Hmm... But even so, I can¡¯t let the gods tear that person to pieces and kill them.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s true. What I mean is, don¡¯t rely on the gods¡¯ power, just stand up to that person strongly yourself.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re angry, splash water on them, or throw a punch!¡± After saying that, Hayden glanced at Liv¡¯s hand and changed his words. ¡°Your fist would just get hurt. Anyway, at least pull their hair or something.¡± ¡°Hmm... Okay.¡± Respond to malice with malice... The gods had somewhat different interpretations of that. For example, the Supreme God said, ¡®If someone takes your gold, give them your silver too.¡¯ The god Hisral said, ¡®Pluck out the eyes of your parents¡¯ enemy, cut out their tongue, and take their hands.¡¯ The god Echo said, ¡®Being stabbed by a sword is not a bad thing. Because you can pull out that sword and stab the other person with it.¡¯ They each had different stances on revenge, so it was unclear which to follow. But what¡¯s certain is that no matter which one Liv follows, the gods won¡¯t blame her. Even if Liv acts wickedly as Hayden says. Reciting his words in her mind over and over again, Liv walked to the office to see Emmett. Chapter 65 When Liv arrived at the office, Emmett, who had been buried in paperwork, looked up with a bright face. ¡°Liv, you¡¯ve come.¡± ¡°Yes, I came to see you, Emmett.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that letter from before. I¡¯ve handled it well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Liv perched on the sofa opposite Emmett and slowly swung her legs as she spoke. ¡°But, I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you think I should reveal the truth too?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The truth being...¡± ¡°That I can hear the voices of the gods, and that they protect me.¡± If so, everything might work out well. The vassals of the Lartman Duchy would welcome Liv, and the nobles in high society who had been hostile to Liv would grovel before her. The stigma that Duke Lartman would fall by marrying a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯ could also be cleared. At Liv¡¯s words, Emmett¡¯s expression became serious as well. ¡°Since the Holy Hilysid Empire is a Holy Church state, it would be good to just reveal that you receive the love of the Supreme God. If it¡¯s revealed that multiple gods exist, it will cause confusion in the empire.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose so.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted Liv to reveal that fact. There must be a way to make people believe your words.¡± ¡°There is a way.¡± Liv said in a small voice. ¡°To borrow the power of the gods in the sacred grounds.¡± ¡°Ah, that could work. For example, there¡¯s a sea even in the outskirts of the capital. There¡¯s a sacred grounds here too.¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m scared to go to the sacred grounds...¡± Saying that made her feel so small and insignificant. It was an easy problem that could be solved just by going to the sacred grounds, but she was avoiding it because she was afraid. As her head lowered more and more at the thought that Emmett might think of her as a coward, Emmett was silent for a moment before continuing. ¡°...Still, I¡¯d like Liv to overcome her fear.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯d like Liv to reclaim the place where she rightfully belongs, but...¡± Both Liv and Emmett knew that place was the position of Emperor. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t reclaim that place, I hope that at least Liv won¡¯t be despised by people.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Because Liv doesn¡¯t deserve such treatment.¡± Liv nodded slowly. She still didn¡¯t have the courage to go to the sacred grounds, but it would be better to heed Emmett¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°I only wish for Liv to enjoy good things.¡± There was somehow a sorrowful energy in Emmett¡¯s voice that moved people¡¯s hearts, so Liv could only remain silent, unable to respond to those words. * * * ¡°You¡¯ve been invited to the Hertz family¡¯s tea party?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In Liv¡¯s hand was an invitation that, while not extremely luxurious, was clearly made with care. Hannah Hertz, the protagonist of this invitation, was a young lady who had built up a friendship with Liv, frequently encountering her in the social circles of Edelburg. Rummaging through Liv¡¯s wardrobe, Laga continued speaking. ¡°But it seems that Malea Tschermak didn¡¯t spread bad rumors after all? Seeing as invitations keep coming. The Duke must have handled it well!¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡± Liv said in a monotone voice. ¡°They might have just invited me to bully me.¡± ¡°What?¡± The last time she saw Hannah Hertz, her face had shown goodwill towards Liv, but who knows when that feeling might have changed. Especially if Malea had really spread rumors. At Liv¡¯s words, Laga dropped the dress she was holding onto the floor. ¡°No, then why are you going?¡± ¡°Meeting people is enjoyable anyway.¡± ¡°Oh my, this is not the time! We need to arm you!¡± Laga, who suddenly had a solemn look on her face, brought a dress from the wardrobe. It was a white dress with pearls densely set along the hem and silver embroidery on the sleeves. Although it clearly had all sorts of ornate decorations, it didn¡¯t feel overwhelming, perhaps because of the color unity. This dress was definitely something Liv had never seen before, so it didn¡¯t seem to have been brought from the Hamelsvoort house. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the most beautiful dress among those the Duke bought! He originally intended to give it to you before your birthday banquet, but since it arrived later than the banquet, we just put it in the wardrobe.¡± ¡°It looks expensive.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s something you couldn¡¯t even see in the social circles of Edelburg. Whew, it really suits your hair color well. No one knows better than me what clothes go well with white hair.¡± Laga smiled proudly as she held the dress up against Liv here and there. ¡°All I can do is make sure the young lady isn¡¯t criticized for her attire. Let¡¯s really crush them!¡± * * * After that, Laga continued to fuss over Liv, dressing her up in various ways. Even Hildegard, who received the most attention in the capital¡¯s social circles, didn¡¯t seem to have dresses like this... As soon as Liv arrived at the Hertz mansion, feeling uncomfortable about her attire, the eyes of the noble young ladies already seated grew wide. ¡°My goodness, what is that dress?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the most beautiful thing I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it even in the capital...¡± The last comment was, of course, made by Maria. ¡°As expected, only someone from a family like the Hamelsvoorts could wear such a dress.¡± When one young lady said that, Liv shyly lowered her eyes and explained. ¡°The Duke bought it for me...¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± At those words, the young ladies all exchanged glances. They seemed to have a strange conversation through their eyes, and then soon looked at Liv with brightly smiling faces. As if nothing had happened. ¡°Come, sit here.¡± Hannah, the host of today¡¯s party, pulled out the chair right next to her, so Liv sat there. Originally, the seat next to the host was the best seat. It was unclear whether this was simply consideration for a guest from out of town, or if they really viewed Liv favorably. ¡°Now then, what have you all been up to lately?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve decided to get engaged.¡± When one young lady answered like that, the topic of conversation for today flowed to her engagement. Everyone looked excited to hear about romance after a long time. They all started fussing and attaching various stories to her, and Liv joined in the conversation as well. ¡®It seems Malea didn¡¯t spread rumors after all.¡¯ The young ladies were all treating Liv normally as if they knew nothing about the rumors. Liv could feel a little relieved at their attitude. She had thought she wouldn¡¯t mind if people hated her again, but perhaps somewhere in her heart, she too had a desire to get along well with her peers. ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve always thought that he had feelings for Miss Matilda.¡± ¡°You always said that wasn¡¯t the case!¡± ¡°Then, the engagement ring... Oh.¡± At that moment, Hannah, who had been raising her voice excitedly, stopped speaking and looked somewhere. Her face clearly showed dismay. Everyone turned their heads to where Hannah was looking, and there stood a familiar face. It was Malea, wearing a pitch-black dress and exuding a dark aura as if she had just risen from hell. ¡°How did you...¡± Seeing Hannah¡¯s surprise, it seemed she hadn¡¯t invited Malea to this gathering. The other noble young ladies threw reproachful glances at Malea, but Malea ignored them lightly and strode over to stand opposite Liv. Liv¡¯s white dress and Malea¡¯s black dress contrasted starkly. ¡°You¡¯ve brazenly attended this gathering, I see.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even Duke Lartman warned me recently. Not to reveal the truth about you. But why should I follow his words? I acted as I wanted.¡± As Liv just blinked quietly, Malea exclaimed as if frustrated. ¡°The people here know the truth about you!¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s face became a little flustered. They had clearly treated her as usual, hadn¡¯t they? However, it seemed Liv wasn¡¯t the only one confused. Malea looked at the other young ladies with disbelieving eyes. ¡°I clearly told you all the truth about this woman, how can you treat her so casually? I knew you were all stupid, but I didn¡¯t know it was to this extent.¡± There was a moment of silence at her cold tone, then Hannah glared at Malea and spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°Do, do you think we¡¯re doing this because we¡¯re fools?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Anyway, the Duke has decided to marry Miss Liv! No matter how much of a Duke he is, he can¡¯t marry for love alone. If Miss Liv had really done something wrong, the Duke wouldn¡¯t have proposed. We believe in the Duke¡¯s choice.¡± The other young ladies chimed in to support Hannah¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right! We don¡¯t want to be rude to the person who will become the Duchess.¡± ¡°In this small social circle where we¡¯ll be living together, is there any reason we should fight? We want to continue getting along well with Miss Liv.¡± They hadn¡¯t simply decided to keep treating Liv well because she seemed kind. They had decided to get along with Liv, who would become the Duchess, according to their own interests. Trusting in Duke Lartman¡¯s judgment was a bonus. ¡°And all sorts of rumors circulate in the capital anyway! I know someone who was rumored to have no sense because she wore brownish-yellow when the theme of the party was yellow!¡± When Maria said that, the sharp atmosphere eased a bit. Liv was just looking around at people with a bewildered expression. As the young ladies all seemed to be defending Liv, Malea opened her mouth as if frustrated. ¡°No, I¡¯m telling you that Liv Hamelsvoort was adopted by deceiving them that she was a Saintess! She¡¯s not a noble like us, but originally had lowly blood from the slums!¡± However, the young ladies still didn¡¯t fall for Malea¡¯s words. ¡°How could we know the details of the adoption process? There must be some reason.¡± ¡°And discriminating against people based on lineage is an old-fashioned idea. Even Saintess Hildegard was originally from the slums, wasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°No, but she¡¯s a Saintess! This woman was adopted without even being a Saintess. Should we treat her like a noble?¡± At those words, the young ladies hesitated, unable to respond. They didn¡¯t know the truth of the rumors, so they couldn¡¯t defend Liv. And some of the young ladies who had just learned new facts in this place were now looking at Liv with skeptical eyes. After all, to them, someone from the slums was not an equal. Chapter 66 ¡°Stop hiding and say something!¡± As Malea shouted like that, now all eyes were fixed on Liv. How should she answer? Should she just let people hate her? If Liv couldn¡¯t say anything here, she wouldn¡¯t be able to mingle with people anywhere. But if she speaks honestly, and proves it in a way she can... ¡®Yes, what is there to be afraid of?¡¯ For Liv, the scariest thing in this world was being locked up in Abgrund again, unable to meet anyone. If it¡¯s not that, nothing else in this world is scary. Even if it means going to the sacred grounds where the divine energy is thick. Finally, Liv gathered courage and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°That rumor is wrong.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± Liv couldn¡¯t say here that she was actually from the Gracia family. No one would believe that, and if she said it, the Emperor might try to find and kill Liv. So what Liv was trying to say was something else. ¡°It¡¯s true that I was adopted into the Hamelsvoort family because people mistook me for a Saintess. Yes. I¡¯m not a Saintess, but...¡± As everyone held their breath and looked at Liv, she continued. ¡°There¡¯s a reason the Hamelsvoort family adopted me. I am a legitimate daughter of the Hamelsvoorts. Even if I¡¯m not a Saintess, I certainly have power.¡± At those words, Malea looked down at Liv with a scornful eye and said in an arrogant tone. ¡°What do you mean you have power? What nonsense...¡± The eyes of the other young ladies were also filled with doubt. They had never heard of someone who wasn¡¯t a Saintess having power, and the Liv in front of them was just a very ordinary noble young lady. Amidst the skeptical glances from everyone, Liv momentarily considered giving up on proving her words. Because... Just let us bury that one in the ground and kill it. We¡¯ll do it. How dare they doubt our love. If Liv did nothing, the gods would immediately punish Malea, and that would prove God¡¯s love. But Liv didn¡¯t want to let Malea die. Not only did she not want to easily let someone die, but if Malea died like this, she wouldn¡¯t realize anything. The person Liv wanted to show the truth to was Malea. Because the gods were noisily chattering, it was difficult to continue speaking. But Liv endured, remembering Emmett¡¯s words. -Even if you don¡¯t reclaim that place, I hope that at least Liv won¡¯t be despised by people. There¡¯s no reason for Liv to be insulted by these people either. This time, she wanted to reveal the truth. Liv recalled the location of the sacred grounds. Coincidentally, the Hertz family was very close to the sacred grounds of the god Lufasha. It was within walking distance. Liv was still afraid to go to the sacred grounds, but... ¡®I should overcome my fear.¡¯ She can¡¯t live forever relying on the goodwill of others. Liv needed honest and complete power. A calm voice flowed from Liv¡¯s mouth with a determined look in her eyes. ¡°Should I prove my power?¡± ¡°Power? Don¡¯t tell me you can use the same divine power as the Saintess?¡± ¡°I can use more than that.¡± Now even the other young ladies were looking at Liv with puzzled eyes, but Liv gathered courage and continued. ¡°I¡¯ll show you. The power I have.¡± ¡°How...¡± ¡°Follow me. There¡¯s an appropriate place.¡± ¡°Where is that?¡± ¡°The land of goats.¡± When Liv stood up abruptly and signaled them to follow, the young ladies hesitated but followed behind Liv. After all, they wanted to see Liv and Malea settle things. Although Liv¡¯s words about showing something right before their eyes sounded absurd, they were also curious. Even Malea followed behind Liv without picking a fight, with a face that seemed to think of Liv as just a liar. As they left the Hertz family grounds, a tall cliff came into view. Looking at it, Hannah said with an uneasy face. ¡°It¡¯s a scary and unpleasant cliff, unfortunately near our house. Are you going to use your power here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv slowly approached the cliff. The cliff, shaped perfectly as if carved by a god, had grass growing here and there, and the mountains around the cliff were densely covered with trees. As they got closer to the cliff, there was an overwhelming pressure that humans could hardly bear. The other young ladies besides Liv didn¡¯t seem to feel that overwhelming pressure, but they seemed to feel an instinctive aversion looking at this cliff. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why did you bring us here?¡± Malea asked that, and Liv pondered for a moment. She knew she shouldn¡¯t explain in detail that this was a sacred grounds and that she would receive power here. If she did, they would question Liv¡¯s power. Instead, she answered with a calm face. ¡°Because this place seems suitable for using power.¡± Child, come to my space. As she got closer to the cliff, her legs trembled. It felt as if something heavy was pressing down on her from above, and it was difficult to breathe. A bead of cold sweat trickled down her forehead. But Liv tried not to show her pain. Finally, at a distance where she could touch the cliff if she reached out, Liv slowly exhaled. And the moment she slowly put her hand on the cliff. ¡°Ah.¡± Liv realized. ¡®So this is how it works.¡¯ As soon as she touched it, she understood the source of the god Lufasha¡¯s power. She understood how human belief constitutes the power of gods. She understood the principles of the Lufahid religion. No, she understood the principles of this world. Her head felt like it was about to explode, filled with information that humans could hardly accept, but the voices of the gods she had been hearing for a long time had trained Liv. After barely organizing the information that filled her head, Liv thought of how to use the power. ¡®Is this it?¡¯ She seemed to feel a different power from before deep inside her. A power that could destroy this world at any moment and crush to death those beings below her. Liv instinctively understood how to use that power. Then, she smiled faintly. ¡®I should have come to the sacred grounds earlier.¡¯ The process of reaching the sacred grounds was difficult, but once she touched the sacred grounds, the rest was disappointingly easy. If she had found the courage earlier, she wouldn¡¯t have feared the sacred grounds anymore. It was frustrating that she hadn¡¯t known this sensation before. Feeling that she had completely gained the power of the god Lufasha, Liv removed her hand from the cliff. Then she looked at the young ladies standing behind her with a faint smile. ¡°I definitely have a power different from humans.¡± Child, you have finally obtained my power. Liv receives the love of the god Lufasha. She can use the power of a god. Liv knows a power that humans dare not understand. * * * ¡®What on earth is going on?¡¯ Hannah was truly bewildered. Malea had spread bad rumors about Liv, but the young ladies didn¡¯t fall for those rumors. Even if those rumors were true, what could they do about someone the Duke of Lartman had chosen? Seeing how he had refused several marriage proposals so far, Duke Lartman seemed to be quite stubborn. He wouldn¡¯t give up on the woman he had chosen. But while explaining about those rumors, Liv said she had special powers. After saying something difficult to understand, Liv brought them to the cliff behind the Hertz mansion. It was a deserted place where no one ever came close. ¡®It¡¯s scary.¡¯ Although it was behind her own mansion, Hannah was scared of that cliff. Somehow, looking at that strangely shaped cliff gave her an unbearable sense of fear. But Liv calmly put her hand on that cliff, then turned to them and said. ¡°I definitely have a power different from humans.¡± And as soon as her words ended, an unbelievable thing happened. The trunks of the trees densely surrounding the cliff all bent at once. They bowed so low they almost touched the ground. It looked just like the trees were greeting their master. ¡°Wh-what?¡± While the young ladies were shocked at this bizarre sight they had never seen before, suddenly goats lined up and stood on the cliff all at once. And they bowed their heads as if greeting Liv. ¡°What is this...¡± Hannah backed away in fear, grabbing Maria¡¯s hand who was next to her. Maria¡¯s hand was trembling just like hers. At that moment, a shadow fell over their heads, so they looked up. And once again, an unbelievable sight unfolded. ¡°Huh?¡± Flowers were falling from the sky in droves. Red flower petals fluttered over their heads. It was a rain of flowers, something that only appeared in myths. Watching the flower petals pile up on the ground, Hannah raised her head with a dazed face. Amidst everyone¡¯s confusion, Liv stood there with an expressionless face. Yes, she had always thought Liv¡¯s expression was peculiar. It was different from that of an unsociable person. It was also different from that of an innocent person. She always had an expression as if she had transcended all the affairs of this world... She doesn¡¯t know exactly what Liv¡¯s true identity is. She doesn¡¯t know if Liv is a Saintess or not. But at this moment, Hannah could realize one thing for certain. Hannah knelt before Liv, not caring that her dress was getting ruined. The young ladies beside her also knelt, but it seemed to have come naturally from their hearts rather than following Hannah. Liv has the power to perform miracles and is a human being who stands higher than them. They could instinctively realize this fact. Chapter 67 Liv looked with slightly bewildered eyes at the young ladies kneeling before her. ¡°P-please stand up...¡± However, the young ladies were still looking at Liv with adoring eyes. They seemed to regard Liv as an alien yet transcendent being, but at least they didn¡¯t ignore or treat her as lowly as the nobles in the capital did, so perhaps that was fortunate. Only one person, Malea, was looking at Liv without kneeling. But her legs were trembling as if they might collapse at any moment. ¡°Really, really...¡± ¡°Yes, I have the power of the Supreme God.¡± ¡°B-but this could be the power of a devil, not a god!¡± Malea shook her head, denying the situation, but what she received were cold stares from the noble young ladies. ¡°Who would think that¡¯s the power of a devil after seeing that?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you feel this sacred aura?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± As it was an undeniable fact, Malea closed her mouth. In fact, even she who was saying those words doubted if she had made a wrong choice, but she had already come too far. Among the noble young ladies looking at Liv with admiring eyes, Maria spoke in a dreamy voice. ¡°Now we all believe in Miss Liv. No, should we call her Lady Liv?¡± ¡°No, please treat me as usual...¡± Liv could only get them to stand up after gesturing several times. After some time passed, the young ladies¡¯ eyes returned to normal as if waking from a dream, but they still seemed to think highly of Liv. Then, Malea clenched her fists and shouted once again. ¡°It can¡¯t be, it can¡¯t be!¡± Malea ran to the front of the cliff, clutching her dress. And reaching out her hand to the cliff, she shouted. ¡°Isn¡¯t it that the cliff itself has power, not you?¡± It was quite a plausible logic. But the moment she touched the cliff. How dare a child of the Holy Church touch my sacred ground. Boom! There was a sound as if the sky was collapsing, and the noble young ladies screamed and covered their ears. The trees that had been bowing were now all standing straight. The goats had also disappeared somewhere. Malea, who had touched the cliff, took her hand away with a frightened face. Her hand was covered in red blood. ¡°Aaah, aaaah! What is this!¡± It wasn¡¯t that her hand was injured, nor was there blood on the cliff, but her hand was soaked in sticky, dark red blood that looked ominous to anyone. The other young ladies instinctively stepped back from her at the pungent, foul smell. ¡°It seems the Supreme God has punished Miss Malea!¡± ¡°Miss Liv really is loved by the gods...¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now all the young ladies were looking at Liv with reverent eyes. Amidst those gazes, Liv just stood still. How is it, doesn¡¯t it feel good? ¡®Yes, it really does...¡¯ It was the first moment Liv had shown what she had been enduring to someone other than Emmett and Hildegard. * * * When Liv arrived at the Lartman mansion and was resting in her room, she heard a knock on the door. When she opened it, Emmett was standing there. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Then Emmett hesitantly opened his mouth. ¡°I heard from the coachman. About what happened today.¡± ¡°Ah, so the coachman saw it too...¡± ¡°Yes, I had told him not to leave your side.¡± Although he probably didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened, the coachman seemed to have seen the sight of nature bowing to Liv and flower petals falling from the sky. Anyone who saw that would know that Liv was a special being. ¡°You went to the sacred ground, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I did...¡± Liv spoke slowly, looking at Emmett. She wanted to boast that she had found courage, but on the other hand, she was embarrassed that she had only now found courage, so it wasn¡¯t easy to speak. She just hoped that he would think a little better of her. ¡°...I think I now understand the principle of how to use the power of the gods.¡± ¡°You found courage. I¡¯m really proud of you, Liv.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, at least now the nobles in this social circle will respect Liv. That¡¯s what I¡¯m most pleased about.¡± ¡°I suppose so...¡± Even when Liv was returning home in the carriage, they all watched her until the end. It was an attitude of treating Liv as someone more precious than themselves. ¡°I guess you gained the power of the gods and understood its principle by going to the sacred ground? When we return to the capital, I¡¯d like Liv to go around the sacred grounds and gain power. If you¡¯re okay with it, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it...¡± She could already prove that Liv had a deep connection with the gods just with the power of the god Lufasha, so there was no need to do that. After all, going to the sacred grounds was troublesome and scary. After Emmett finished his conversation with Liv and left, Laga approached Liv with sparkling eyes. ¡°Miss, is it true?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That Miss can use the power of the gods! I heard it looks even more powerful than the Saintess¡¯s divine power?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I heard it from the coachman! Everyone in this mansion probably knows by now?¡± Given how far the rumor had spread, there was no need to hide it anymore. Liv slowly nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I was mistaken for a Saintess and adopted into the Hamelsvoort family.¡± Now that so many people know, she would have to reveal the truth about her power when she returns to the Hamelsvoort family. Then the attitude of the nobles in the capital would change too. Of course, she might have to clash with the temple or the Emperor in the process... For now, let¡¯s just think about what¡¯s happening here and not worry about the future. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ve liked you from the start, Miss! Of course, now I think you¡¯re even more amazing.¡± At those words, Liv smiled faintly, and Laga handed her a piece of paper. Unlike the invitations Liv had received so far, it was just a thin, crumpled piece of paper with writing in a crooked handwriting. ¡°Miss, please read this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°You know Becca, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Becca was the name of the maid who had been spreading bad rumors about Liv. She had heard that she was supposed to leave this castle... ¡°Today was the day Becca was packing to leave, and she left a letter for you before she left.¡± ¡°For me?¡± * * * ¡°She can use the power of the gods?¡± ¡°Yes, really! I¡¯m telling you, I saw it!¡± The coachman shouted as if frustrated. But for Becca, it was hard to believe. Emmett had fired her for spreading rumors about Liv, and today was Becca¡¯s last day working at the Duke¡¯s mansion. But what was this about? At that moment, a servant from the Hertz family arrived at the Lartman mansion. He handed a box he was holding to Becca and said: ¡°This is a gift for Lady Liv Hamelsvoort. It was sent by our Lady Hannah Hertz.¡± ¡°Wait, is it true?¡± If the coachman¡¯s words were true, the rumor would have already spread to other noble houses, so Becca grabbed his arm and asked: ¡°Is it true that Liv Hamelsvoort performed a miracle?¡± ¡°Ah, our young lady said so too... I haven¡¯t witnessed it myself, so I¡¯m not sure. But seeing as the young lady from the K?lpen family also spent a long time talking about it at the Hertz mansion today, I suppose it must be true.¡± At those words, Becca¡¯s face turned pale. Because... ¡°I have committed a grave sin...¡± She was a devout believer of the Holy Church. That was also the reason Becca disliked Liv. Because she had dared to impersonate a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯ in the name of God. But if she was really a being loved by God... ¡°Supreme God, I have dared to touch one who uses your power.¡± Becca prayed more earnestly than ever before, clasping her hands. It was an apology to God, and also a willingness to accept punishment for her sin. Of course, Becca knew there was one more thing she had to do before leaving the Duke¡¯s mansion. She wrote a letter to Liv. [To Lady Liv Hamelsvoort, I have committed a great sin by failing to recognize you, my lady. I apologize for my wrongdoings so far. It was all due to my foolishness. I will inform those to whom I spread rumors within the mansion of the truth before I leave. I wish you all the best in the future. ¡ªFrom Becca] Due to her poor writing skills, she couldn¡¯t write long sentences, but Becca poured her sincere heart into the letter. Only after handing it over to Laga could Becca finally feel relieved. * * * ¡°This is absurd!¡± Malea shouted with an angry face, clenching her fists. Her room was in disarray with traces of her outburst of anger. Precious sculptures and pottery were shattered into fragments on the ground, and the expensive cloth bedding was torn beyond recognition. ¡°She¡¯s still from the slums anyway! She¡¯s inferior to me!¡± Ever since Liv Hamelsvoort showed her power, the other noble young ladies acted as if they were completely enchanted by her. They sent gifts to Liv and hovered around her, asking to pray together or visit the temple. They even considered Liv to be more amazing than a Saintess, saying that even a Saintess couldn¡¯t use such power. When three or more noble young ladies gathered, they talked about nothing but Liv. Of course, it was understandable given that they had seen the amazing sight of nature bowing to her, but still, Malea couldn¡¯t understand their behavior, acting as if they were bewitched by Liv. ¡®What does it matter if she¡¯s loved by God! It doesn¡¯t change her origins.¡¯ Malea wasn¡¯t a particularly devout believer. Whether Liv was loved by God or not, from her perspective, it was only natural that she, with her higher status, should be treated better. And how could they trust that woman who had already lied to the Hamelsvoort family and the capital¡¯s social circle? Malea sent letters to the other young ladies several times telling them to come to their senses, but each time she was met with cold indifference. At that moment, a figure flashed in Malea¡¯s mind. ¡°Right, that maid!¡± The maid who had told her the truth about Liv¡¯s adoption seemed to dislike Liv. Perhaps not just that maid, but other servants who came down from the capital and are now in the Lartman household might dislike Liv too. At the thought that she might still have allies, Malea¡¯s face brightened. Chapter 68 ¡°Yes, let¡¯s use those lowly ones.¡± First, if she met people who disliked Liv and talked with them, she thought she might find a way. Although they were foolish and lazy, they should still have enough value to be used. However, when she sent someone to inquire at the Lartman mansion, she was told that the maid had been expelled from the castle for spreading bad rumors about Liv. And even in that short time of checking the atmosphere of the Duke¡¯s household, it was clear that all the servants in the castle were favorable towards Liv. ¡°Has everyone gone mad?¡± Malea, unable to give up easily, searched hard and found that maid named Becca, but... ¡°Lady Tschermak, are you still harboring wrong thoughts?¡± ¡°What?¡± Becca, who was summoned to the Tschermak Marquis¡¯ mansion, looked straight at Malea with a stern face and said: ¡°Young lady, repent. I have already reflected on my past mistakes and asked Lady Hamelsvoort for forgiveness. From now on, I plan to live reflecting on my past wrongs.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Fortunately, since I have memorized all the scriptures, I was able to find a job at the temple. I will continue to live dedicating myself to God. I¡¯m glad that this opportunity has strengthened my faith in God even more.¡± Where had that appearance of slandering Liv gone? Becca only uttered devout words, telling Malea to repent even now. ¡°No, don¡¯t you dislike having someone from the slums as your superior?¡± When Malea shouted in a frustrated tone, Becca¡¯s expression hardened even more. ¡°What does social status matter? What¡¯s important is being chosen by God.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Even so, God loves Lady Hamelsvoort more than you. I heard you saw the Miss use her power that day?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it! I saw that strange sight of trees bowing and goats worshipping! Even if she can use inexplicable power, it doesn¡¯t qualify her to take the position of Duchess!¡± ¡°My goodness, how can you say such blasphemous words... How can you doubt someone chosen by the Supreme God?¡± Finally, Malea realized that she couldn¡¯t communicate with Becca. She had never gotten along well with devout people from the beginning. ¡°From now on, live dedicating yourself to God.¡± Even when Malea was chasing Becca away, Becca went so far as to give presumptuous advice. It almost pushed Malea¡¯s already boiling anger to the brink of explosion. She wanted to make that lowly being never set foot in Edelburg again. ¡°Hah, calm down.¡± However, thinking that getting angry wouldn¡¯t change anything, Malea calmed herself. That one was protected by the temple, and even she would have trouble if she touched her. Yes, anyway, Liv Hamelsvoort would never really become her superior. ¡°Still, the vassals won¡¯t accept that woman.¡± If the vassals had even minimal thinking, they would reject Liv Hamelsvoort. There was still one last hope left. In any case, everything would go according to Malea¡¯s will... * * * Liv looked in the mirror with a tense face, adjusting her appearance. Today was the day to meet the vassals of the Lartman Duchy. The mirror, decorated with a gold frame, was so magnificent and huge that it would make anyone standing before it look shabby, which was causing Liv¡¯s confidence to plummet. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. You look very pretty.¡± Even with Laga saying that, Liv¡¯s anxiety didn¡¯t subside. She was just trying to manage her expression, looking at her face in the mirror this way and that. The light pink frilly dress Liv was wearing blended well with her unique aura, giving her a fluffy appearance. With multiple pearl necklaces and white shoes decorated with pearls, Liv looked lovely to anyone. Her hair was tied on both sides and decorated with deep pink ribbons. Thanks to Laga¡¯s great care, she looked like a lovely and innocent woman who had grown up without any hardship, but Liv just couldn¡¯t feel at ease. The important thing wasn¡¯t appearance. After all, the fact that Liv had been called a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯ hadn¡¯t changed. At that moment, someone knocked on Liv¡¯s door. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Liv, may I come in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Emmett, who opened the door and entered, smiled gently when he saw Liv, then walked briskly to her and opened his mouth. ¡°Liv, you don¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried, after all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ve prepared a plan.¡± Then Emmett placed something in Liv¡¯s hand. It was a golden compass that was heavily rusted and old, yet somehow exuded an intimidating aura. ¡°What... is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relic containing ancient magic.¡± At those words, Liv stared at the object. Looking closely, she could feel the aura of a god from it. To be precise, it was the aura of the Supreme God worshipped in the Holy Church. After all, the sacred objects were created from parts that the Supreme God had cut off from their own body in the past. And according to what the gods had told her, the current Emperor August is using magic to falsely pretend that he receives the grace of the Supreme God and performs miracles. ¡®So this is what he used to perform magic...¡¯ The terrible pain that sometimes comes to Liv¡¯s body along with the branding. She thought it originated from these objects. ¡°Why did the Duke...¡± ¡°His Majesty commanded me to find it.¡± From those words, Liv could guess that Emmett had found relics for the Emperor before. Relics that allow the Emperor to use power in exchange for Liv. However, she didn¡¯t feel resentful towards Emmett. Emmett wouldn¡¯t have brought it to the Emperor if he knew this object was tormenting Liv... Above all, she didn¡¯t want to blame anyone for her suffering. She didn¡¯t even want to blame the Emperor. Liv was too tired to spend energy hating someone. ¡°I see. But why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°Since we can¡¯t reveal that you receive the love of the gods, let¡¯s tell a partial lie while revealing only a part. If this object contains the power of a god, can you find similar objects?¡± At those words, Liv closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated. Liv would probably be more sensitive to the power of gods than anyone else on this continent. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t difficult to find relics scattered across the continent. ¡°...Yes, I can find them. Though it seems there aren¡¯t any in this area.¡± ¡°I see. Then let¡¯s introduce to the vassals that you have the power to find relics.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°One of the reasons you were considered a Saintess for a while was your rapid recovery speed. People don¡¯t doubt that fact. So in addition to that, how about revealing that you also have the power to find ancient magic? Oh, it would be fine to openly reveal your power altogether. You now have the power of a god, don¡¯t you? Can you use it?¡± ¡°Yes, I still have quite a bit of that power left in my body, so I can use it a few more times.¡± ¡°If the vassals try to reject you, how about showing that power in front of them?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± The reason Liv hadn¡¯t revealed her power until now was partly because she was afraid people wouldn¡¯t believe her, but there was a true reason separate from that. She was afraid of the Emperor. Liv wanted to hide her power for fear that the Emperor might find out that she was the last descendant of the Gracia family. ¡®The fact that I used my power here will eventually spread to the capital.¡¯ When that time comes, the Emperor will take interest in Liv, and it will be inevitable to be summoned before him and questioned. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ There was a saying in the Garsia Empire: ¡®The sword has already been drawn¡¯. It meant that once the sword is drawn, nothing can be returned to how it was before. It was also the phrase that best described Liv¡¯s current situation. Liv can no longer live in hiding, pretending to have no power at all. Of course, she wanted to postpone facing the Emperor as much as possible... but if she only thinks about the immediate situation, it would be wise to reveal her power. Yes, considering the distance between Edelburg and the capital, it will take a long time for the rumors here to spread to the capital. The servants who came from Lartman Duchy could talk, but nobles don¡¯t trust the words of servants much, she had heard. ...For now, let¡¯s reveal the power in front of the vassals if it becomes necessary. And let¡¯s discuss with Emmett about what to do in the capital. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡± After agreeing on this, when they entered the room where the vassals were gathered... ¡®Ah.¡¯ Liv¡¯s expression cracked as she read a familiar aura. There was a subtle atmosphere in the room. To be precise, it was wariness towards Liv. ¡®As expected, they dislike me.¡¯ Well, there¡¯s no reason for them to like her, a fake Saintess. Thinking this, Liv sat down, guided by Emmett. Perhaps because it was a room used when outsiders visited Lartman, the room was grand and had high ceilings, so just entering it had the power to somehow intimidate people. Especially looking at the deer head decoration on the wall made her feel uneasy. Even though Liv, who was used to much more enormous auras than this, could act calmly. A moment later, after confirming that all participants were present without absence, Emmett opened his mouth. ¡°As I mentioned in the letter, I would like to introduce the person who wishes to marry me and become the mistress of the Lartman Duchy. This is Liv Hamelsvoort, daughter of the Hamelsvoort family.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± As Liv greeted in a small voice, silence fell. The one who soon opened his mouth was the man who looked the oldest there. ¡°Nice to meet you, Lady Hamelsvoort. I am Anton Zaks. In fact, it would be right for the person who will become Lartman¡¯s mistress to introduce us here... but it seems there¡¯s something we need to discuss first.¡± He made eye contact with the others as if seeking agreement, then continued in a serious voice. ¡°I¡¯ll speak frankly. Before coming here, we heard rumors about Lady Hamelsvoort. We would like to ask if those rumors are true.¡± Normally, she might have felt a little intimidated, but the current Liv knew how to make them acknowledge her, so it was fine. Liv answered confidently. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re true.¡± ¡°I see, so it is true after all...¡± Zaks stroked his beard. ¡°Yes, I am indeed a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯.¡± ¡°Is it really true that you¡¯re the illegitimate child of Count Hamelsvoort... Huh?¡± Chapter 69 At Zaks¡¯s words, Liv¡¯s face became flustered. Illegitimate child? What is he talking about? However, Zaks and the other vassals seemed equally confused. In the Holy Hilysid Empire, illegitimate children were strictly forbidden. It wasn¡¯t just a custom of looking down on illegitimate children, but it was established as a law. Those who have or cause to have a child with someone other than their spouse shall be severely punished. There were several things forbidden in this country according to the laws of the Holy Church. Things like divorce, disowning children, polygamy... And having illegitimate children was one of them. If Liv had really been an illegitimate child, it would have been a much bigger problem than being a fake Saintess. ¡°We are aware of the rumors about the ¡®fake Saintess¡¯. But what¡¯s this about an illegitimate child?¡± ¡°Illegitimate child? What do you mean...¡± ¡°Lord Zaks, this is the first time I¡¯m hearing about this too. Could you explain what rumor you¡¯re referring to?¡± As Emmett interjected, Zaks began explaining in a slow voice. ¡°Well... some of us recently received anonymous letters. The content was...¡± [I have information to report about Liv Hamelsvoort, who is to marry Duke Lartman. Liv Hamelsvoort pretended to be a Saintess but was eventually revealed as a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯. The Hamelsvoort family couldn¡¯t disown the child, so they had to take her in. You probably know this much. But... Have you never doubted? Although they couldn¡¯t disown her, they could have thrown Liv Hamelsvoort out to a commoner village and cut off all support. But why didn¡¯t they do that? That¡¯s because Liv Hamelsvoort is actually Count Hamelsvoort¡¯s illegitimate child. After discussing with his wife, he decided to register the illegitimate child into their family, and for that, they chose the method of pretending Liv Hamelsvoort was a Saintess. Others think they were forced to take her in because they couldn¡¯t disown her, but in reality, they¡¯re using the law to raise an illegitimate child as if she were their own. Of course, you might not believe my words. So I attach the following evidence. And as evidence, there was attached the testimony of a prostitute claiming to be Liv Hamelsvoort¡¯s birth mother. She testified that the Hamelsvoort family had taken Liv away to sell her off in marriage because of her beautiful appearance.] After hearing that story, Emmett and Liv¡¯s faces became blank. ¡°That¡¯s really... an absurd story.¡± ¡°Your Grace, then does that mean it wasn¡¯t true? But if so, why...¡± At that moment, Liv, who seemed to have realized something, muttered. ¡°Malea.¡± ¡°Pardon? Surely not...¡± ¡°For now, I can¡¯t think of anyone else but Malea Tschermak. I didn¡¯t think she would go this far...¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the young lady of Marquis Tschermak, she is indeed a woman with strong ambition for power.¡± Seeing Emmett and Liv talking with an attitude that suggested they were even more surprised, the vassals seemed a bit relieved. ¡°I thought it was strange because I had never heard such rumors in the capital. The testimony could also be fabricated easily.¡± ¡°Yet you trusted this?¡± ¡°We just thought we needed to confirm in advance for everyone¡¯s honor. If this is really just a baseless rumor, there¡¯s no problem.¡± Zaks, saying this, seemed a little embarrassed that it had turned out to be completely false. ¡°Um, and above all...¡± Liv, who had been listening to Emmett and Zaks¡¯s conversation, interjected. ¡°As you know, Count Hamelsvoort only has brother Walter as his own child, and he hasn¡¯t had any children since then.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The reason is... because of Count Hamelsvoort¡¯s health issues...¡± At those words, everyone¡¯s eyes in the room wavered. Even Liv, who brought it up, looked uncomfortable. She didn¡¯t want to reveal Count Hamelsvoort¡¯s private matters like this, but... However, previously, Liv had once come out into the corridor when she couldn¡¯t sleep and heard Count Hamelsvoort and his wife arguing. -Admit it, your sexual function has become impaired! -N-no! That can¡¯t be! -It took years just to have Walter...! And the situation is getting worse day by day! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was unlikely that Count Hamelsvoort, who was also a devout believer, would have slept with someone else, let alone a woman of the streets, and it made even less sense that Liv would be the child from such a union... A silence fell over the room for a moment at Liv¡¯s shocking words. The vassals, who unintentionally learned about Count Hamelsvoort¡¯s situation, deliberately avoided eye contact. ¡°...I will investigate and punish the person who wrote that letter. It would be best not to mention that false rumor anymore.¡± ¡°Y-yes, we will do so, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Ah, and I have something to say about the fact of being a fake Saintess.¡± Soon, Emmett continued with the words he had prepared in advance. It was about how Liv could handle the power of gods and do things others couldn¡¯t, like finding relics. She had actually proven that power in front of noble young ladies recently, and that was the reason the Hamelsvoort family had adopted her. However, looking at the vassals¡¯ expressions, they already seemed to no longer care whether Liv was a fake Saintess or not. They didn¡¯t even demand that Liv prove her power. ¡®Should I thank Malea for this...¡¯ Because Malea had tried to create discord with lies, even being a fake Saintess seemed like a minor issue. Liv was able to gain recognition from the vassals more safely than she had initially prepared for. Of course, it didn¡¯t stop there, as Malea came to find her the next day. * * * ¡°You¡¯re from the slums, aren¡¯t you? Aren¡¯t you ashamed to order around your subordinates?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Liv was quietly listening to Malea¡¯s words. Her posture, comfortably leaning back in the chair, might have seemed rude to the person sitting across from her, but Malea seemed blind with anger and unable to see anything. Somehow knowing that Liv had gained recognition from the vassals, Malea had come straight to her the next day and was openly confronting Liv. She had completely forgotten all noble etiquette. When she heard that Malea had come to the Duke¡¯s mansion, Liv wondered if she really needed to meet her. After all, there was no need to respond to malice with kindness. But Liv still wanted to meet Malea. The feeling of telling people the truth and having them believe it wasn¡¯t bad at all. It was also nice that other noble young ladies realized Liv was loved by the gods and showed her sincere goodwill. So Liv wanted to prove it to Malea too. She wanted to show her that regardless of Liv¡¯s background, she could do anything. Then she felt she could become a more confident person to herself and to Emmett. However, Malea didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of listening to Liv... As Liv looked blankly into space with an indifferent face, Malea seemed to become even more angry. ¡°Are you daring to not listen to my words properly right now?¡± Well, Liv didn¡¯t have the mental capacity to properly listen to Malea¡¯s words. Child, show my power to that one. The true power. How about coming to my sacred grounds and gaining my power too? If you wish, I will trap that one in eternal time. Even at this moment, the gods were confusing Liv¡¯s mind. Malea should have been grateful that Liv was trying to calm them down. ¡°What should I do?¡± Finally, Liv continued in a monotone voice. ¡°Should I show you once again what kind of power I possess?¡± ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t work on me! No matter what, your bloodline doesn¡¯t change!¡± ¡°Still, think about it once more.¡± Liv spoke slowly. The gods¡¯ words were usually not helpful, but this time there was a part that inspired Liv. ¡®True power.¡¯ The god Lufasha told Liv to show the true power. What Liv had shown to the noble young ladies in the land of goats before wasn¡¯t true power. If she were to show humans the ¡®real power¡¯ of a god, that human would... ¡°What are you thinking about right now?¡± At that moment, Malea spoke in a sharp voice, so Liv turned her gaze back to her. ¡®Sometimes you need to respond to malice with malice, they said.¡¯ She could continue to ignore Malea, but if left alone, she would not only trouble those around Liv but also continue to look down on those of lower birth in the future. Recalling Hayden¡¯s words once again, Liv finally made up her mind and slowly stood up. ¡°Miss Tschermak, I have something to show you...¡± ¡°What...!¡± ¡°What I showed before wasn¡¯t real power. I thought about it a lot, but after seeing this, even you will think differently, Miss Tschermak.¡± Liv slowly looked around the room. There were frames with masterpieces in the room, and flowers were planted in pretty pots. Sculptures with elegant curves were placed here and there. The magnificent chandelier hanging from the ceiling also caught the eye. As the reception room could be considered the most important place in the castle, the Lartman Duchy¡¯s reception room was also lavishly decorated. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not interested in your power!¡± Ignoring Malea¡¯s words, Liv smiled faintly. ¡°Now, watch.¡± If a human sees the ¡®real power of a god¡¯, they will go mad. Because gods are beings in a realm that humans dare not handle. The moment Liv used her power, things that shouldn¡¯t happen started to occur. The humans in the beautiful paintings stretched their necks long and poked their faces out of the frames. They grinned in grotesque shapes. The beautifully blooming flowers suddenly grew multiple eyeballs and stared at Malea with piercing gazes. The elegant sculptures were covered with red sprouts, becoming disgusting in appearance. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling started spinning. Through the rapidly spinning chandelier, glimpses of another world could be seen. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± Malea screamed with a pale face and immediately ran out of the room. In the room with the bizarre scenery, Liv just blinked quietly. She can never handle the true power of the gods. * * * ¡°Ugh, urgh!¡± ¡°Young lady, young lady! Are you alright?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happened to my daughter?¡± ¡°Get out! Everyone get out!¡± Malea screamed, throwing everything she could get her hands on. She couldn¡¯t see anything, couldn¡¯t hear anything. Only the terrible forms she had seen in the reception room that day filled Malea¡¯s mind. She couldn¡¯t dare to hold anything else in her mind besides that, and it wasn¡¯t easy to express what she had seen out loud. ¡°Sob, hic.¡± Then suddenly, as if something flashed in her mind, Malea made a strange sound and grinned. Even though everyone was worried and surrounding Malea, she didn¡¯t look at anything, just smiling with a strange face and uttering only one phrase. ¡°God loves that child.¡± Chapter 70 ¡°Liv, I hear Miss Tschermak has locked herself in her room, half-crazed.¡± ¡°...It seems her condition is worse than I thought, so I feel a bit sorry. I shouldn¡¯t do such things again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you. What method did you use?¡± ¡°I just...¡± Liv hesitated before continuing to Emmett, who had brought news about Malea. ¡°I showed her the power of the gods. Just a tiny bit.¡± ¡°Does seeing just a part of the power cause that?¡± ¡°It seems so. But she¡¯ll come back to her senses later. It¡¯s just a temporary phenomenon.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scold Liv.¡± Emmett said in a kind voice. ¡°I respect Liv¡¯s will in whatever she does.¡± As Liv¡¯s eyes widened at those words, Emmett added. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯m rather pleased.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it seems you¡¯ve learned how to deal with people who treat you carelessly.¡± Emmett looked genuinely proud of Liv. So much so that Liv felt embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯ve always been worried about Liv, but now I can feel a bit relieved.¡± ¡°Because I acted badly?¡± ¡°Yes, because Liv has been too kind until now.¡± However, Liv immediately shook her head at those words. Because according to what the gods had been telling Liv... ¡°Good always triumphs.¡± Because good is ultimately rewarded, one should always live righteously. Liv had heard this from the gods many times. The wicked will pay the proper price. The gods will never leave them be. That¡¯s how the world¡¯s principle works. So even if there are wicked people, Liv just needs to keep pursuing good and live on as she is. Even if she doesn¡¯t punish them directly, the wicked will eventually be struck by lightning. When Liv told Emmett this, he nodded with a serious face. ¡°That may be so for Liv, who receives the love of the gods. You might be able to punish those who treat you badly. But...¡± He hesitated before continuing. ¡°I don¡¯t think the gods are equal to all humans.¡± Well then, we will bestow our love only on our child. The only one precious to us is our child alone. Seeing the gods say that, Emmett¡¯s words didn¡¯t seem entirely wrong. As Liv was nodding, Emmett changed the subject. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve finished everything I needed to do here. I won¡¯t need to come down here for the next year.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go up to the capital now.¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s expression became subtle. She couldn¡¯t tell if going up to the capital was a good thing or a bad thing. If she goes to the capital, she can see Hildegard and participate in more parties to meet people, but most people in the capital were hostile to Liv. And she didn¡¯t know how to handle revealing her power there after doing so here. As Liv hesitated, Emmett gently took her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Liv. As you said, good will ultimately triumph, and only good things will happen to Liv.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Yes, and most importantly...¡± Emmett smiled and said: ¡°We need to go to the capital for us to get married, don¡¯t we?¡± * * * Packing Liv¡¯s belongings, Laga had a gloomy face. ¡°Now I have to say goodbye to you too, Miss...¡± ¡°Laga...¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sad.¡± Laga continued, pouting her lips. ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll become the Duchess, so you¡¯ll come back here later, but...¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Still, I won¡¯t be able to see you for a while. If I had to serve someone, I¡¯d prefer to serve someone like you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Curious about why Laga showed affection towards her, Liv asked, and Laga answered with round eyes. ¡°Because Miss is a good person!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°And you¡¯re a special person, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Being able to use the power of the gods, when will I ever meet such a person again in my life? It¡¯s an honor just to serve someone loved by the gods!¡± As Liv was listening to Laga¡¯s chattering voice, a familiar voice was heard through the half-open door of Liv¡¯s room. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Ah, Your Grace!¡± Laga, who had been sitting on the floor organizing clothes, quickly stood up. Emmett, who had entered Liv¡¯s room, cleared his throat and said: ¡°Your name was Laga, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± ¡°If you want to keep serving Liv, you can come with me to the Lartman mansion in the capital. Liv will visit the mansion in the capital often.¡± ¡°The capital? Great!¡± Laga nodded vigorously with sparkling eyes. Although Laga had been territorial towards Becca who came from the capital, being able to go to the capital following Emmett meant being recognized by him. ¡°It would be an honor for me to be able to follow you to the capital!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell the butler about it.¡± After that, Laga packed Liv¡¯s belongings even more enthusiastically, and finally, the day came for Liv to leave the Lartman Duchy. Meanwhile, there was another person who really had to say final goodbyes to Liv. ¡°Take care, Hayden.¡± Hayden had decided not to go to the capital. He said he would wander the Empire looking for comrades to help him. Hayden smirked at Liv and opened his mouth. ¡°You finally succeeded. I heard rumors about Tschermak, and I should say I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t act stupidly like before.¡± ¡°Why do you keep calling me stupid?¡± ¡°You were always getting fooled stupidly in the capital.¡± At that moment, Emmett¡¯s voice was heard from beyond the door. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s time to go now.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m coming out soon...!¡± As Liv was about to leave the room, Hayden spoke in an indifferent voice towards her back. ¡°Do the same in the capital.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Make the social circles there all yours too.¡± Liv left without being able to answer those words. If she reveals her power, people¡¯s attitudes might change like they did here... But Liv simply couldn¡¯t imagine those people who had looked down on her so much suddenly becoming friendly towards her. There was too much that Liv had experienced in the capital to take it lightly. When they came out to the entrance of the Ducal castle, among the carriages for servants and luggage, there was one particularly splendid carriage. It was the carriage they had ridden when Liv and Emmett came here. Although she was already tired at the thought of another week of uncomfortable travel, they had to return to the capital anyway. When Liv, holding Emmett¡¯s hand, approached the carriage, many servants had already come out of the castle. ¡°Your Grace, Miss, have a safe journey!¡± ¡°See you next time!¡± Emily, Julian, Mia, Philip, and others who had become close to Liv during her stay waved especially enthusiastically. Waving back at them, Liv boarded the carriage with Emmett¡¯s help. As the servants continued to wave, the carriage departed. Liv just stared at the people with blank eyes. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve made friends during your stay here.¡± Emmett broke the silence and spoke. ¡°Emily, in particular, seemed to like you very much.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, she said you¡¯re very knowledgeable about mythology.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Well, Liv had grown up listening to stories about mythology every day in Abgrund, so there probably wasn¡¯t anyone in the Empire who knew more about mythology than Liv. ¡°I do know some parts better than others.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know other parts simply because you lacked experience. As you gain experience, Liv, you¡¯ll be able to know everything that others know.¡± Emmett¡¯s words were comforting to Liv. Like Hayden said, Liv also thought she acted too foolishly at times. Child, come to my sacred grounds. No, come to my sacred grounds. How about coming to the sea? Even amidst this, the gods were being noisy, so Liv frowned. Since Liv had gone to the land of goats, the gods had been constantly telling her to come to their sacred grounds. ¡°Liv, is something wrong?¡± ¡°I have a headache. The voices of the gods are heavy.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Emmett also looked at Liv with a pained expression. It was incomprehensible why he was making a painful expression when it was Liv who had the headache. ¡°They keep telling me to come to the sacred grounds.¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t you think about visiting other gods¡¯ sacred grounds?¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re far away.¡± Liv continued in a monotone voice. ¡°But I¡¯m still scared of sacred grounds.¡± ¡°I see, there¡¯s no need to push yourself. The day will come when you overcome it.¡± Emmett spoke as if Liv would eventually go to a sacred grounds, so Liv stared at him. Was Emmett hoping for her to go to a sacred grounds? Although she was curious, she didn¡¯t want to talk more about sacred grounds, so Liv decided to change the subject. ¡°Brother Walter is coming back, they say.¡± ¡°Walter... You mean Walter Hamelsvoort, the eldest son of the Hamelsvoort family?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. He originally went to the Merna Empire to study politics.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard about Young Count Hamelsvoort too. They said he¡¯s a smart person.¡± ¡°Yes, he probably is...¡± Sensing Liv¡¯s indifferent tone, Emmett carefully asked. ¡°Liv, do you perhaps not like Young Count Hamelsvoort?¡± ¡°No, because brother doesn¡¯t like me either.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s face showed immediate understanding. Considering the atmosphere in the capital and the Hamelsvoort Count¡¯s household, it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine what the relationship between Liv and Walter might have been like. ¡°If home is uncomfortable, you can visit the Lartman mansion often. Count Hamelsvoort will probably allow it.¡± ¡°Yes, they both seem to like you very much, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s right... By the way, Liv. What are you going to do in the capital?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°In the Duchy, you found the courage to show your power to others. Will you do the same in the capital?¡± At those words, Liv pondered for a moment. The power of the god Lufasha lasted quite long, and Liv could still use his power. Of course, after a long time passes, she would need to gain power from the sacred grounds again. If she uses the power of the god Lufasha, she could prove herself to the people in the capital. But... ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. My head hurts.¡± Because Liv said that, Emmett couldn¡¯t press further. Keeping silent, Liv recalled her fears in the capital. ¡®The Emperor is in the capital.¡¯ Just thinking about Abgrund makes her body tremble involuntarily. She never, ever wanted to go back there. * * * A week passed, and finally, their carriage entered the capital. Seeing the familiar scenery of the capital, Liv sighed, feeling somewhat suffocated. ¡°Liv, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just...¡± Liv spoke slowly. ¡°Coming to the capital makes it hard to breathe.¡± ¡°...It will be alright, Liv.¡± ¡°Will it really?¡± ¡°Yes, I promise.¡± He looked at Liv with a determined face. ¡°Starting from Edelburg, now things in the capital can change too.¡± Chapter 71 6. Daughter of the Five Noble Houses The topics that noble young ladies can discuss at their gatherings are extremely limited. In principle, the firstborn son inherits the family, and even though it¡¯s now an era where women can inherit titles, some old-fashioned nobles still prefer to bring in a son-in-law. In this atmosphere, would noble young ladies talk about politics or economics at their gatherings? While fields like humanities and social sciences were open to women and many women were studying them, it was natural for someone who talked about such things at a social gathering to be considered tactless. Therefore, the topics at young ladies¡¯ gatherings were always predictable. Talk about new dresses from a certain dress shop, beauty care methods, or fianc¨¦s. Of course, the most popular topic was undoubtedly gossip about others who weren¡¯t present at the gathering. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Liv Hamelsvoort has returned from the Lartman Duchy.¡± As soon as someone brought this up, the noble young ladies sitting cozily around the table chimed in. ¡°Goodness, do we have to see that face in the capital again?¡± ¡°Even Miss Hildegard seemed to be struggling...¡± ¡°I feel so sorry to the Supreme God whenever I see Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± They had been talking for dozens of minutes about a young lady who had fallen while dancing at a recent debutante ball, and just as it was getting boring, a new prey had fallen into their laps, so there was no reason not to welcome it. Moreover, the more negatively they talked about Liv, the closer their relationships became. They spoke freely in the heightened atmosphere. ¡°But what could Duke Lartman be thinking?¡± However, as soon as someone said that, the atmosphere cooled down. After a brief silence, finally one of them continued in a resigned tone. ¡°...They must have reconciled, I suppose.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how relationships between men and women are...¡± They were reluctant to admit that Liv Hamelsvoort, whom they had looked down upon until now, had restored her relationship with Duke Lartman. However, Liv Hamelsvoort and Duke Lartman had become close enough to go down to the Duchy together. That fact couldn¡¯t be denied. That¡¯s why the noble young ladies, who would have immediately invited Liv to mock her upon hearing news of her return, could now only backbite her like this. ¡°I hear Miss Hamelsvoort and Duke Lartman are getting married.¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, my mother said she heard it from Countess Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, and they say an enormous amount of flowers was delivered to the Hamelsvoort mansion.¡± ¡°My goodness... So she¡¯s really becoming the Duchess now.¡± As rumors spread that Liv was becoming the Duchess, the atmosphere became even more serious. Then what would become of them who had been tormenting Liv until now? They closed their mouths and unnecessarily reflected on their past actions, and anxiety crept up their bodies. Stopping their enthusiastic criticism of Liv, they naturally turned to look at the highest-ranking person in this gathering. It was Deborah Zibel, daughter of Marquis Zibel. As everyone¡¯s gaze focused on her, she finally opened her mouth, her long purple hair flowing down. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Y-yes, right?¡± Without even knowing what wasn¡¯t understood, another young lady quickly agreed. The Zibel family, new nobility who had amassed wealth through business, wasn¡¯t as recognized as the ancient Five Noble Houses, but they had their own power due to their wealth. The Zibel trading company always sold the right products at the right time as if they could read the future, to the extent that rumors circulated that the Zibel family had received the blessing of God. Therefore, in gatherings without children of the Five Noble Houses, Deborah reigned as a kind of queen. ¡°I wonder if Duke Lartman is really going to marry that woman? If so, it would taint the blood of the Five Noble Houses.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°The previous Duke and Duchess passed away long ago, so there¡¯s no one to stop the Duke... At least the temple might intervene. After all, Liv Hamelsvoort is a fake Saintess who deceived the country.¡± ¡°But if His Majesty the Emperor has allowed it, even the temple...¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet.¡± The young lady who received Deborah¡¯s sharp glance quickly closed her mouth. Deborah tapped the table thoughtfully, then slowly opened her mouth. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see for now.¡± ¡°Yes, so how will you, Miss Deborah...¡± ¡°We need to check.¡± Her eyes curved gently, creating an eye smile. ¡°If she dares to try to stand above us despite being just a fake Saintess, it won¡¯t be too late to act then.¡± * * * Liv felt the familiar air of the capital. When she was in the Lartman Duchy, she thought that place was the best, but now that she was back in the capital, she felt quite glad. However, the scene she was facing wasn¡¯t so familiar. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Liv looked with a sullen expression at the Hamelsvoort couple who were enthusiastically welcoming her. After Emmett had dropped her off at the Hamelsvoort¡¯s house, the Hamelsvoort couple were looking at Liv as if they were seeing something precious. Their suddenly changed attitude was something she couldn¡¯t get used to no matter how many times she saw it. ¡°So, how was the Lartman Duchy? Did everyone treat you well?¡± But she felt like she could talk all day about what had happened there, no matter who the listener was. Her experience in the Lartman Duchy was that special to her. She continued in an excited tone. ¡°Yes, it was really great. I became close with many of the servants there, and one of them, named Laga, came up to the Lartman mansion in the capital with me.¡± ¡°The Duke took care of you!¡± They looked ready to applaud whatever Liv said. Lady Hamelsvoort, with sparkling eyes, asked: ¡°Did you become friends with the nobles there?¡± Liv could answer this question with a bright face as well. ¡°Yes, I made friends!¡± When Liv was leaving for the capital, Maria and Hannah even told her to write letters! Maria, in particular, asked Liv to add a lot of stories about the capital. It was a statement that clearly showed her longing for the capital, but it was rather amusing that she didn¡¯t hide her desire, making Liv smile. ¡°I became close with all the noble young ladies there.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad Liv adapted well there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯ll be living there later.¡± As the Countess held Liv¡¯s hand tightly in joy, the count agreed with a smiling face. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Having received the Duke¡¯s proposal, Liv would eventually go down to live in the Lartman Duchy. She hadn¡¯t properly realized this fact until now. ¡®There... it might not be bad.¡¯ It might be happier to live in the Lartman Duchy than in the capital full of people who dislike her. Of course, she wasn¡¯t sure if a loveless marriage would truly be happy, but Liv was confident she could be satisfied with just Emmett¡¯s presence. Thinking this as she went up to her room, she suddenly realized that Hildegard hadn¡¯t shown her face yet even though she had arrived. ¡°Butler, where is Hildegard?¡± ¡°Miss Hildegard has gone out to volunteer, fulfilling her duties as a Saintess.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It was familiar for Hildegard to be absent. She knew her responsibilities better than anyone and always fulfilled her duties. After learning the truth about the power surrounding Liv, Hildegard joked, ¡®This isn¡¯t what a Saintess¡¯s work should be, shouldn¡¯t I stop going out to volunteer now?¡¯ But she still never missed going out to volunteer. ¡®A Saintess...¡¯ Liv recalled the conversation she had with Emmett on the way back. -Liv, do you really have no intention of showing your power in the capital? S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -Of course, if rumors about what happened here spread, I might have to reveal it. But until then, if rumors don¡¯t spread... To Emmett¡¯s question, Liv answered with an expressionless face. -I don¡¯t see why I should. The biggest reason Liv didn¡¯t deliberately show her power in the capital was because she wanted to avoid the Emperor¡¯s attention. But even apart from that, Liv couldn¡¯t understand why she should reveal her power. She was used to people in the capital disliking her, and it didn¡¯t hurt her much anymore. After all, if she got married, she wouldn¡¯t continue living in the capital anyway... -Is that all? -Probably. When Liv answered like that, Emmett looked at her with eyes full of regret. -I wish Liv would love herself a little more. -It¡¯s enough for me to love you, Emmett. -... At those words, Emmett blushed as if embarrassed, then barely opened his mouth. -I too intend to protect Liv by any means necessary. But I wish Liv would have the thought of protecting herself. -Hmm... Liv remained silent then, so the conversation didn¡¯t continue. But there was a wrong part in Emmett¡¯s words. ¡®I¡¯m protecting myself sufficiently now.¡¯ For Liv, hiding her power was the wisest way to protect herself. She must not let the Emperor discover her power. The newborn baby who cried her first cry in Abgrund and was confined there forever after must not be discovered to be Liv herself. If that happens, the Emperor might try to kill Liv again. No, knowing he can¡¯t kill Liv, he might confine her in Abgrund again. Liv hated the idea of returning to Abgrund more than death. There was a time when she didn¡¯t know how terrible it was to be confined there. But now Liv had tasted the world. ¡®I can¡¯t go back.¡¯ Just thinking about that terrible space makes her breath catch and her body tremble. Liv inherited the white hair characteristic of the Gracia family. White hair was by no means common. The only reason she had been able to avoid the Emperor¡¯s eye so far was because her origin was known to be from the slums. But if rumors spread that Liv was ¡®a white-haired girl loved by the gods¡¯, this time she might really be discovered by the Emperor. ¡®I have to keep hiding for now.¡¯ At least here, she could never reveal her power. Chapter 72 Liv looked down at the pink dress she was wearing. The glossy pink dress looked so delicate that it seemed a single touch of a fingernail might snag it, but this was also a guarantee of its high price. Since Liv had returned from the Lartman Duchy, the Hamelsvoort couple had been providing her with even better clothes than before. She quietly observed the people attending the banquet with a seemingly cheerful face. She was alone, as Hildegard was still out volunteering. -Liv, I might be a bit late that day due to some business. Is that alright? -Yes, it¡¯s fine with me since there will be many people there anyway. Emmett seemed worried about Liv being alone at the banquet, but Liv insisted she would be fine. Perhaps because rumors had spread that Liv had been to the Lartman Duchy, the noble young ladies, unlike before, didn¡¯t pick fights with her. Instead, they left Liv alone, awkwardly watching her. ¡®I¡¯m bored.¡¯ As Liv was thinking this and counting the number of flowers carved on the wall, a shadow fell over her head. Looking up, she saw a noble young lady with an unfamiliar face standing there. Although Liv wasn¡¯t particularly well-connected in social circles, she had attended numerous banquets. If this was a face she had never seen before... ¡®Has she just come of age?¡¯ Suddenly, Liv remembered that a debutante ball had been held while she was down in the Lartman Duchy. This turned her guess into certainty. ¡®She¡¯s a young lady who just debuted in society.¡¯ The young lady greeted Liv with a smiling face. Seeing her bright smile with the most gentle expression possible, she showed the typical signs of a girl who had just debuted in society and was trying hard to make connections with other noble young ladies. Considering that Liv was currently wearing an expensive dress, she clearly appeared to be a noble young lady worth befriending, at least in appearance. ¡°Hello, may I greet you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv had no reason to refuse as she was bored anyway. While the social circles of neighboring countries had complicated rules like lower-ranking people shouldn¡¯t speak to higher-ranking people first, the social circles of the Holy Hilysid Empire weren¡¯t so old-fashioned. The girl standing in front of Liv also began her introduction in this free atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯m Judith from the Feuchstein Count family. I just debuted in society. I haven¡¯t seen you at the few banquets I¡¯ve attended so far, so I took the liberty of greeting you first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Are you from the Hamelsvoort family? ...Oh.¡± Judith, who seemed surprised at Liv¡¯s surname, one of the Five Noble Houses, soon seemed to realize who Liv was after hearing her name. Judith¡¯s face cooled so much that it was hard to believe she was the same person who had smiled brightly at Liv just moments ago. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t recognize you. I thought Liv would be in the slums, not in high society.¡± It was familiar for people to react like this when they first heard Liv¡¯s name. They were usually devout believers of the Holy Church. However... ¡°Ahem, Miss Judith?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± By now, everyone except the young ladies who had just debuted in society knew that Emmett was behind her. Liv could see other experienced young ladies subtly trying to stop Judith. Liv quietly looked at her and suddenly realized. ¡®I¡¯ve gotten used to the Lartman Duchy.¡¯ In the past, she wouldn¡¯t have been offended, but she had become too accustomed to the nobles there who treated her well. Usually, she would have kept her mouth shut, but somehow today she couldn¡¯t stay quiet. And Liv knew one of the factors that made other nobles wary of her. ¡°Until recently, I wasn¡¯t in the capital¡¯s social circles.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I was down in the Lartman Duchy.¡± Liv is soon to become the Duchess. Hildegard had advised Liv to say this if anyone picked a fight with her. It was bitter that it was actually a loveless marriage, but there was no need to keep her mouth shut when others provoked her. Emmett had asked her to do so, and after all, weren¡¯t other nobles also marrying without love? When Liv said this, Judith¡¯s face showed she didn¡¯t understand. Liv continued towards her. ¡°I went down there with Emmett. It was a wonderful place.¡± As other young ladies surrounded Judith and whispered something, her face turned pale. ¡°Ah, I think I need to greet other people now...¡± ¡°Yes, I hope we can meet again.¡± Liv bid farewell to Judith with a kind greeting until the end. The gentle smile Liv was wearing made her look even more dignified. After Judith disappeared, the other young ladies just glanced at Liv with unreadable eyes. ¡®Now I¡¯m not sure what I want to do either.¡¯ Whether it was okay to keep her mouth shut and be mistreated in society, or whether she wanted to reveal her power and escape contempt. Thinking of the Emperor made her instinctively close her mouth, but when she actually experienced people¡¯s hostility, she wanted to escape from it. She had no idea which side to choose. Liv quietly clenched and unclenched her hand. Child, use the power you have. It is power received from us. Today, even the gods only said this, not trying to kill those who upset Liv as they usually did. While it was comfortable for Liv not having to stop the gods... ¡®You said there¡¯s a time to reveal my power, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Previously, the gods hadn¡¯t helped Liv, saying there was a ¡®time¡¯ for everything. That¡¯s right. ¡®Is that time approaching?¡¯ The gods didn¡¯t respond to that question. Seeing this, it seemed even more clear that the time was approaching. ¡®What would happen if I choose to continue like this?¡¯ Everything will flow according to providence. Liv wasn¡¯t even sure if she had free will. The gods tried to explain what happened to Liv with words like fate and providence. Was Liv really forging her own destiny, or was she unknowingly following a predetermined fate? Soon Emmett arrived, and Liv¡¯s attention immediately shifted to him, but the faint question that had arisen in her mind had already left its trace. * * * ¡°She mentioned herself that she had been down to the Lartman Duchy?¡± Surrounded by other young ladies, Deborah fluttered her fan with an uncomfortable expression. ¡°Yes, she clearly said so to Miss Judith, who just debuted in society.¡± ¡°She seemed quite proud of it.¡± At those words, Deborah raised one corner of her mouth in a mocking expression. ¡°She¡¯s really getting cocky. Using that as a weapon.¡± ¡°Indeed, what are you going to do?¡± All eyes were on Deborah. They looked like they believed Deborah would do something. Slightly emboldened by their gazes, Deborah answered. ¡°We can¡¯t just watch a slum-born who doesn¡¯t even know what she did there try to stand above us. At this rate, that woman might become a real member of the Five Noble Houses while hiding her past as if it doesn¡¯t exist.¡± Deborah had an inferiority complex towards the Five Noble Houses. The Steinberg family, which was one of the Five Noble Houses, had now become the imperial family, so she couldn¡¯t dare to aspire to them, and she couldn¡¯t deal with the young Duke of the Lartman family either. The Schmidt family was holed up in the frontier and rarely came up to the capital, and the Arendt family people didn¡¯t often interact with outsiders, so she had no chance to meet them. Therefore, the Hamelsvoort family was the perfect family for Deborah to have a sense of competition and burn with inferiority. Deborah¡¯s anger towards Liv stemmed from this. ¡®Why do I have to be treated as inferior to the Five Noble Houses even though I¡¯ve come this far?¡¯ Her family, the Zibel Marquisate, had a higher rank than the Hamelsvoort County and more wealth. Not only that, the Zibel Marquisate always made wise decisions and operated a huge trading company. Especially by predicting this drought and hoarding fruits in bulk, they were able to make huge profits. Yet people naturally treated the Zibel Marquisate as inferior to the Hamelsvoort County. This time, Deborah intended to pull Liv down and tarnish the honor of the Hamelsvoort family as well. And Deborah knew how to bring Liv down. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve forgotten because things have been quiet lately, but there was another person who loved Miss Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°You mean...¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Young Lord Kreppelin have a chance too?¡± * * * S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh, sister! You¡¯re back!¡± Hearing that Hildegard had arrived, Liv went downstairs. Hildegard, looking disheveled, was standing at the entrance and smiled when she saw Liv. Her hair was dirty as if it hadn¡¯t been washed for a long time, and there were stains all over her clothes. Above all, her dry lips and dark circles under her eyes elicited sympathy. ¡°I need to wash up first, could you have some water drawn for me?¡± After saying this to a maid, Hildegard approached Liv. Then, realizing something, she maintained a slight distance from Liv and asked. ¡°I must smell, is that okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Only then did Hildegard nod and continue. ¡°I¡¯ve been volunteering in the slums. There have been many deaths recently due to an epidemic.¡± ¡°Did you use your divine power?¡± ¡°Yes, I couldn¡¯t save many... but I was able to cure those whose illness wasn¡¯t too severe.¡± Hildegard often went out to volunteer like this when there was something happening in the slums. Because of this, Hildegard¡¯s popularity among the imperial citizens of the capital was at its peak. ¡°But I¡¯m worried because they say a drought has hit recently. For now, the crops are just not growing well, but if the rivers dry up, soon the imperial citizens won¡¯t be able to drink water...¡± Chapter 73 ¡°Can¡¯t you make it rain with your power?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that. Maybe you could, sister, but not me.¡± Well, controlling the weather is clearly the realm of gods. No matter how much of a Saintess she is, she wouldn¡¯t dare challenge that domain. Liv nodded at Hildegard¡¯s words, then said with a worried expression. ¡°What will we do if we run out of water?¡± She wasn¡¯t simply worried about imperial citizens dying from drought. The question just now included the possibility of Liv herself dying from not being able to drink water. Seeming to understand the meaning of her words, Hildegard kindly explained. ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re currently drawing water from the rivers and storing it for the imperial family and noble houses. Since we¡¯re one of the Five Noble Houses, we won¡¯t have to worry about not getting water.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s not really related to me, but I¡¯m still worried.¡± What came to Liv¡¯s mind were the noble young ladies she met in Edelburg and the servants of the Lartman Duchy. Liv, who previously hadn¡¯t felt a bond with others, now recognized them as living, breathing beings thanks to them and started to care. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m worried about the imperial citizens. Their lives are at stake right now... Some people grumbled that such things didn¡¯t happen when the Gracia family, loved by the gods, ruled, but they closed their mouths when they noticed others¡¯ gazes. Public sentiment seems to be quite low indeed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, His Majesty the Emperor wasn¡¯t originally well-liked... but it¡¯s amazing how he creates new worries for the country day by day. Last year, we almost went to war with the Valeno Kingdom over diplomatic issues. This year, even though there¡¯s a drought, he¡¯s sitting idle without any countermeasures.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t Liv¡¯s concern whether public sentiment towards the Steinberg imperial family fell or not, she listened attentively for the sake of Hilda, who was explaining earnestly. Then, Hildegard looked at Liv and opened her mouth. ¡°Sister, you said you used your power there, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Now I can use my power to some extent according to my will.¡± ¡°Then...¡± Hildegard grabbed Liv¡¯s hands with sparkling eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you reveal your power and become another Saintess?¡± ¡°...Me?¡± ¡°Yes, for example... by making it rain, or something like that. If you do that much, everyone will think you¡¯re a real Saintess.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that put you in a difficult position?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no law saying there can only be one Saintess.¡± From Hildegard¡¯s perspective, it was a very considerate suggestion for Liv, but Liv shook her head immediately. Rumors about Liv¡¯s power hadn¡¯t spread to the capital yet. So Liv didn¡¯t want to deliberately do anything that would make the Emperor take notice of her. Hildegard looked dejected but didn¡¯t try to persuade Liv further. ¡°I understand, sister must have her own thoughts.¡± Watching Hildegard¡¯s back, Liv suddenly felt the urge to tell her about her circumstances. But she deliberately kept her mouth shut. She couldn¡¯t put Hildegard in danger by increasing the number of people who knew her secret. Even if the Emperor were to confine Liv in Abgrund again, Liv alone had to bear all the blame. * * * Emmett kept his head bowed for a long time until he heard Emperor August¡¯s voice. He couldn¡¯t relax because he couldn¡¯t see his expression. Emmett raised his head only when August finally opened his mouth. ¡°Hmm, good work.¡± August¡¯s face showed a satisfied look as he examined the relic Emmett had brought. ¡°You¡¯ve brought the right one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be of help to Your Majesty.¡± The small compass, reflecting the light of the magnificent chandelier, sparkled in August¡¯s hand. Although this compass, clearly with hundreds of years of history, was old and shabby, it possessed a strange light that could enchant people. So that anyone could tell it was no ordinary object. ¡°So, did you properly introduce the fake Saintess to your vassals?¡± ¡°Yes, I completed the task successfully.¡± ¡°Your vassals didn¡¯t object?¡± ¡°How could they go against what Your Majesty has allowed?¡± As Emmett appropriately flattered August, he looked even more satisfied. To change the subject, Emmett decided to ask about the relic. ¡°Your Majesty, what do you plan to use that relic for?¡± ¡°Recently, people have been pestering me to hold a rain ritual because it hasn¡¯t rained, so I¡¯d like to hold a rain ritual and make it rain then. Louisa?¡± As August called her name, the woman standing quietly next to him with her hands folded raised her head. The woman, with blonde hair and green eyes exactly like August, was tall with a neck as long as a deer¡¯s, giving her a power to draw people¡¯s gazes. However, her ashen complexion and pale lips gave her a somewhat sickly impression. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Do you think we can make it rain with this?¡± At those words, Louisa respectfully received the compass from August. Emperor August¡¯s only child, Imperial Princess Louisa. Louisa had studied magic from a very young age at August¡¯s command, and as a result, she began using magic as August wished even before her debutante ball. The ability to handle ancient magic was rare, and because it was hard to find someone as talented as Louisa, August made her focus solely on magic instead of studying to be an heir. Currently, Louisa was of marriageable age but hadn¡¯t formed any relationships with anyone. August still hadn¡¯t chosen a match for Louisa. Previously, August had tried to marry Louisa to Emmett, but it was abandoned due to concerns that the Lartman ducal family might grow too powerful as in-laws. Louisa, who had been examining the relic, carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, even if we use magic, human power cannot change the weather... It seems difficult to make it rain...¡± ¡°I see, then what should we do?¡± August didn¡¯t get angry that the relic he had gone to the trouble of finding was useless. Seeing this, Emmett could guess that the Emperor was in a good mood today. To avoid ruining his mood unnecessarily, Emmett carefully opened his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, how about purifying dirty water instead?¡± ¡°Purification?¡± ¡°Yes, the Dneuve River has almost exposed its bottom, but there¡¯s still some muddy water left. Although the amount is small, if you purify that water, you could achieve an effect similar to making it rain.¡± ¡°That makes sense. Louisa, prepare the purification magic.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Fortunately, that seemed possible, and Louisa bowed her head with a slightly brighter complexion. ¡°Lartman, you always give me great help. Not only finding this relic this time but even marrying the Hamelsvoort daughter for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I should do as Your Majesty¡¯s subject.¡± ¡°How should I repay this loyalty?¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. August said this with a smirk, and for a moment, Emmett felt ominous. Nothing good had ever happened when he smiled like that. ¡°Right, I should see your bride in person.¡± ¡°...Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Bring your bride before me. I should bless your marriage in person.¡± Blessing. August said he would give his blessing, but it was uncertain whether it would truly be a blessing for Emmett and Liv. August was a person who often acted capriciously and impulsively. If he were to act cruelly in front of Liv and shock her, or if he were to try to touch Liv as well... ¡®No.¡¯ But if he said he wouldn¡¯t show Liv to August, who knows what might happen. That might really turn the Emperor against them. He had to endure for now. For the first time since his parents passed away, Emmett felt truly powerless. Finally, after answering that he would do so, Emmett left the room with his head down, clenching his fist. ¡®Liv...¡¯ He didn¡¯t want Liv to be at the mercy of others. Liv had already endured a long time with her freedom taken away. Therefore, Emmett wanted to give Liv a position freer than anyone else¡¯s, a position where she could act as she pleased, a position with more power than anyone else¡¯s. For example... Emmett shook his head at the dangerous thought that suddenly occurred to him. No matter how much he wanted to give everything to Liv, if they dream too big, they might end up falling like the boy who burned to death chasing the sun. * * * Hildegard, who was embroidering in her room, couldn¡¯t help but drop her needle at the shocking news that struck her ears. ¡°Hildegard, I¡¯m going to have an audience with His Majesty next week.¡± Liv, who had just met with Emmett, was saying this with a calm face. Hildegard jumped up from her seat in surprise and opened her mouth, unable to control her expression. ¡°Goodness! Will you be alright?¡± ¡°Why are you so worried?¡± ¡°Well... Is there anyone who doesn¡¯t know how cruel His Majesty the Emperor is?¡± ¡°His Majesty trusts Emmett¡¯s loyalty, so I should be fine since I¡¯m marrying Emmett.¡± What could she do if she wasn¡¯t fine? Still, the Emperor didn¡¯t know Liv¡¯s true identity yet, so he wouldn¡¯t confine her in Abgrund again. As long as it wasn¡¯t Abgrund, Liv had nothing to fear. ¡°But... I¡¯ve met His Majesty the Emperor before.¡± Hildegard was about to bring her fingernails to her mouth but barely restrained herself and said with an anxious face. ¡°It was half a year after I was recognized as a Saintess. Although the audience was brief, I really...¡± At that moment, they heard a commotion from the entrance, and Hildegard closed her mouth. Wondering if a servant sent by the Emperor had come to find them right away, they left the room and poked their heads out over the stairs. ¡°Liv!¡± Countess Hamelsvoort, who had just made eye contact with Liv, called Liv¡¯s name with an urgent face. It somehow felt ominous. Next to her was the Count, reading something with a serious face. When they went downstairs, Lady Hamelsvoort grabbed Liv¡¯s arm, applying so much force it almost hurt, and said: ¡°Liv, do you know about Young Lord Kreppelin?¡± ¡°Young Lord Kreppelin?¡± Liv¡¯s face instinctively crumpled at hearing the familiar name. It was a name Liv disliked very much. Hildegard also reacted to that name in the same way. ¡°Why are you asking about that person?¡± ¡°Liv, listen carefully.¡± Count Hamelsvoort spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Young Lord Kreppelin has proposed to you.¡± ¡°...What?¡± At that moment, both Liv and Hildegard¡¯s eyes widened. Because that person was... Chapter 74 Liv, holding Hildegard¡¯s hand tightly, entered the banquet hall and looked around. Although there was no need to wait for Emmett, who had said he couldn¡¯t come to the banquet today, looking around to see who had come was a habit for Liv, who liked people. Unlike usual, there was anxiety in Liv¡¯s eyes as she surveyed the banquet hall. At that moment, a hand was placed on Liv¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s been a while?¡± At the familiar voice, the color drained from Liv¡¯s face. Liv turned her head, hoping it wasn¡¯t who she thought it was, but... ¡°Kreppelin.¡± It was indeed the man Liv knew. The one who had sent her a marriage proposal just a few days ago! ¡°Take your hand off.¡± Hildegard reacted before Liv. She spoke in an unusually stern tone, but Kreppelin didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of talking with the Saintess¡¯s sister.¡± Gert Kreppelin. The only son of the Kreppelin Viscount family. While it had mainly been noble young ladies who had bullied Liv until now, and Liv had only been concerned about them, it wasn¡¯t that Liv had no relationships with noble young men. Gert Kreppelin had been following Liv around tirelessly since the day she first debuted in society. When Liv was still a Saintess, he maintained a certain level of etiquette, but after Liv was revealed as a fake Saintess, his obsession changed in a chilling way. Kreppelin even seemed to rejoice that Liv had been demoted to the position of a fake Saintess. After Liv distanced herself from Emmett, he spread unfavorable rumors about Liv and kept trying to drag her to secluded places. He was also one of the people who angered the gods the most. ¡°...Why?¡± Liv gritted her teeth and made a sound. The ingrained aversion she felt upon seeing him made it difficult to speak properly. It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of him. Compared to what truly troubled Liv, he was insignificant. However, when she saw him, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a physiological revulsion, as if looking at something dirty or disgusting. ¡°You clearly went back to the Kreppelin Viscounty.¡± The reason he had been sent back to the viscounty was that Hildegard, unable to bear seeing Gert pestering Liv, had falsely reported to the Hamelsvoort couple that he had been disrespectful to her. The Viscount Kreppelin¡¯s family, ashamed of having offended the Saintess, said they would discipline Gert, so why was he here? ¡°Ah, my disciplinary period is over.¡± Gert showed a snake-like smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I was disciplined for too long for such a minor incident?¡± Saying this, Gert grabbed Liv¡¯s hand. Feeling goosebumps all over her body, Liv trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Liv strongly shook off his hand and slowly backed away. Gert looked at Liv with a ¡®see this¡¯ expression. Both Liv and Hildegard knew why Gert was acting so confidently. Although Count Hamelsvoort had hastily rejected the proposal, Gert had already sent flowers to Liv¡¯s house and deliberately made the process visible to many people. Once rumors spread that Gert had proposed to Liv, people would inevitably talk about Liv and Gert together. Moreover, according to imperial custom, it was also extremely rude to treat someone who had proposed to you harshly. In other words, Gert knew that Liv couldn¡¯t treat him carelessly due to the eyes of those around her. ¡°Young Lord Kreppelin.¡± Liv calmed herself and opened her mouth in a serious voice. ¡°I am preparing for my wedding with Duke Lartman. That¡¯s why I rejected your proposal recently. It¡¯s not proper for someone about to be married to be entangled with another man, so it would be best if you kept your distance from me.¡± Hildegard looked surprised at Liv¡¯s composed attitude. Previously, Liv had always shown a frightened appearance in front of Gert. But after experiencing being acknowledged in the Lartman Duchy, Liv had matured more than before. If she goes through many more experiences, Liv would become an even more different person than before. ¡°Ah, you say you have a wedding planned...¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gert smirked. ¡°But couldn¡¯t you reject me more gently?¡± Gert raised his voice. It was an attitude meant for those around to hear. ¡°You¡¯re being too harsh.¡± He was making it seem as if Liv had treated him badly. As if waiting for Gert¡¯s words, a group of nobles who usually disliked Liv made faces as if mocking her and started whispering among themselves. The group included both noble young ladies and young men. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort is indeed a sensitive person.¡± ¡°To be so cold to someone who proposed to her...¡± ¡°There¡¯s certainly a reason why she¡¯s not popular with men.¡± The more she heard their words, Liv felt her irritation rising. It seemed she should leave this place. If she stayed here any longer... Child, I will tear that one to pieces and kill him. I will dismember his limbs. My child, if you just say the word, that one can suffer eternally even after death. Child, use my power. Punish that one directly. Hmm, she felt like something might happen. ¡°What? Are you running away?¡± As Liv hurriedly left her seat, Gert¡¯s voice was heard from behind, but fortunately, it seemed Hildegard was blocking him well. ¡°If you cause any more disturbance here, I¡¯ll ask for help from others.¡± If another noble young lady defended Liv, her honor would also be tarnished, but Hildegard was Liv¡¯s younger sister on paper and a Saintess. The act of a kind-hearted, good Saintess helping her selfish and mean older sister made Hildegard look even more virtuous. Although she couldn¡¯t marry because she was a Saintess, there were quite a few noble young men who were interested in Hildegard because of her appearance and character. If others stepped in to help Hildegard rather than Liv, it would be troublesome for him, so Gert didn¡¯t pursue Liv. Liv quickly entered the Hamelsvoort family¡¯s carriage. She was about to hurry and start the carriage, but remembering Hildegard, she didn¡¯t. A moment later, when Hildegard arrived, Liv looked at her, catching her breath. ¡°What about Gert?¡± ¡°I shook him off.¡± Saying that, Hildegard sighed. ¡°Why did Gert come back? I thought we had warned him enough back then.¡± ¡°I know...¡± Liv felt horrified by what Gert was doing, but above all, what troubled her was stopping the angry gods because of Gert. The gods tried to persuade Liv to let them kill Gert, saying they would punish him for daring to trouble their sacred and pure child. She found it difficult to not fall for the gods¡¯ words and keep her mind clear. ¡®The reason Gert came back...¡¯ While pondering this, Liv recalled the group of nobles who had been mocking her earlier. It was as if they had planned it beforehand, creating rumors as soon as Gert finished speaking. They were the group centered around Deborah Zibel. Deborah Zibel currently held the greatest influence in society. In fact, most nobles in society recently treated Liv indifferently. Only Deborah and those around her tormented and mocked her. ¡®It seems Deborah had a hand in this.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a leap, but there was a high probability that it was true. The Kreppelin Viscounty wasn¡¯t a particularly powerful family. Gert had to be disciplined for so long for offending Saintess Hildegard. The fact that Gert had returned to society meant that someone had become his backing. And at this point, the only person who was hostile to Liv and had enough power was Deborah. Deborah was skilled at spreading rumors, so she might try to spread dirty rumors about Liv and Gert¡¯s relationship. It felt like her head was throbbing... * * * ¡°Miss, what kind of jewel would you like set in the necklace? Should we go with all diamonds?¡± Listening to Laga chattering to her, Liv had a blank expression. She was currently at the Lartman mansion to prepare for the wedding. They had decided to hold the wedding in the garden of the Lartman mansion, and they needed to decide how to decorate the garden, choose the dress and accessories to wear that day, decide on the rings, choose the food... There were so many things Liv had to pay attention to. But everything was progressing smoothly, which amazed Liv. It was as if Emmett had prepared everything from a very long time ago. ¡°Diamonds, you mean white ones?¡± ¡°Yes, the dress is white and the tiara is white too. So don¡¯t you think diamonds would match well? Just like a Saintess... Oh.¡± Realizing she had made a slip of the tongue, Laga closed her mouth. Usually, being ¡®like a Saintess¡¯ was used as a compliment, but the people at the Lartman mansion didn¡¯t mention ¡®Saintess¡¯ in front of Liv. Everyone knew that Liv had suffered as a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯. When Liv didn¡¯t particularly react to those words, Laga looked at Liv carefully and spoke. ¡°Um, Miss, by the way...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you have no intention of revealing your power in the capital?¡± As Liv just blinked her eyes, Laga added. ¡°The people of the Lartman Duchy liked you from the beginning, but they followed you even more after rumors spread that you use the power of the gods. But the servants in the capital are too arrogant. Even when people who came up from the Duchy with me tell them about it, they all think it¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°...So that¡¯s why they all don¡¯t like the idea of me marrying Emmett?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not what I meant...¡± Laga tried to explain belatedly, but seeing her excessively flustered face, it seemed Liv¡¯s guess was correct. They all follow him out of loyalty to Emmett, but they probably don¡¯t like that Emmett is engaged to Liv. ¡°Well, I still have no intention of revealing my power in the capital.¡± ¡°Why?¡± At Laga¡¯s question, Liv couldn¡¯t answer and just swallowed her words. ¡®Because I¡¯m afraid of the Emperor.¡¯ At that moment, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Liv, may I come in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The door opened and as he entered the room, Emmett¡¯s steps stopped abruptly as he faced Liv directly. He looked around, seemingly flustered. ¡°Liv...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just...¡± ¡°Does the dress not suit me?¡± Chapter 75 Liv examined her reflection in the mirror from various angles. Being small and thin, she wore a dress with a voluminous skirt to complement her figure. Dozens of layers of thin fabric were overlaid, creating a mysterious light as sunlight passed through them. At the same time, her arms and back were exposed, emphasizing Liv¡¯s slender body line. Laga had certainly admired that Liv looked like a fairy from mythology, but could it be that Emmett found it unsatisfactory? ¡°No, that¡¯s not it at all. I just... Haah.¡± Emmett let out an incomprehensible sigh, then sat down opposite Liv. ¡°Laga, could you step out for a moment?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± As Laga quickly put down the accessories and left the room, Emmett¡¯s face became serious as he opened his mouth. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not trying to interrogate you. I want to help you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I heard rumors that Young Lord Kreppelin proposed to you.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s face darkened. So he found out quickly after all. The reason Liv hadn¡¯t told Emmett about this incident first was simple. She was ashamed of the fact that she was an insignificant person. Without Emmett, noble young ladies and young men still tried to look down on Liv and treat her carelessly. Revealing one¡¯s flaws to a loved one wasn¡¯t particularly pleasant. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right... I rejected the proposal...¡± Liv nodded with a subdued voice. She felt Emmett bringing his face closer to her as she hung her head low. ¡°Liv, please look up.¡± As Liv slowly raised her head, Emmett¡¯s face was right in front of her. It seemed they would touch if either moved even slightly. Emmett¡¯s hot breath hit Liv¡¯s face directly. Feeling her face quickly heating up, Liv was startled and hastily pulled her face back. ¡°W-why?¡± ¡°I wanted to comfort you. Because I thought it must be hard for you.¡± ¡°What? Why would I...¡± ¡°I know that unwanted proposals are a burden. I fully understand how burdensome that proposal must have been for you, Liv.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Was he indeed sympathizing with Liv, or understanding her? It was hard to tell, but in any case, Liv felt her heart gradually calming down. Yes, she had already shown him many embarrassing and weak sides. Even if she showed more weakness here, nothing would change. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, I really have no connection with Young Lord Kreppelin...¡± ¡°Yes, I believe you.¡± ¡°Even in the past, he just forcibly followed me around.¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s expression furrowed. ¡°He followed you around before too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why did I... When exactly did this start?¡± ¡°After I fought with you, Your Grace...¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes widened as if shocked, then quickly closed tightly. He had the face of someone enduring something. After maintaining silence for a long while, Emmett looked at Liv with a kind face again and said: ¡°Liv, in any case, everything will work out. Don¡¯t worry too much about Young Lord Kreppelin.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Whether everything would really work out well was uncertain, but Liv just wanted to believe Emmett¡¯s words. It wasn¡¯t because she was an optimistic thinker. It was simply that Emmett, saying those words, had a face that would make anyone believe him. * * * When Emmett heard the news that someone named Gert Kreppelin had proposed to Liv, he initially felt his head heating up. The idea of another man having feelings for Liv, other than himself, made him feel stuffy and uncomfortable, though he wasn¡¯t sure if it was worth getting this angry. After pondering this unfamiliar emotion for a while, he finally had to admit that he was feeling jealous. ¡®To think I would harbor such an ugly emotion.¡¯ Yes, this Gert Kreppelin must have been used by the group of nobles who dislike Liv. What courage would he, from the Viscount family, have to propose again to the daughter of the Hamelsvoort family who is already engaged? This must be a ploy by the noble group to use him to tarnish Liv¡¯s honor. But while talking with Liv, he heard something strange. -He followed you around before too? But why didn¡¯t Emmett know anything about this? Then, he could recall an old memory. This happened during the time when he had fought with Liv and thought he would never speak to her again... ¡°Duke Lartman!¡± As he was looking around waiting for the Emperor to enter the banquet hall soon, a brown-haired man approached him. While he was wondering how to respond to this unfamiliar face, the man introduced himself first. ¡°I¡¯m Gert from the Kreppelin Viscounty.¡± ¡°I see, Young Lord Kreppelin. I¡¯m Emmett Lartman.¡± Emmett learned of the existence of the Kreppelin family for the first time that day. This meant that Gert Kreppelin wasn¡¯t particularly someone worth Emmett¡¯s attention. He exchanged greetings simply out of courtesy, but Emmett had no intention of continuing the conversation. There were many nobles who wanted to gain favor and power from him. However, what surprised Emmett was the question that flowed naturally from him. ¡°Duke Lartman, are you no longer going to be partners with Miss Liv Hamelsvoort?¡± This was the first time someone had asked such a rude question openly in front of him. Emmett answered in a firm voice, slightly frowning. ¡°I have no obligation to answer you, but I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t ask me about her in the future.¡± ¡°Ah... So you have no connection with Miss Hamelsvoort anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± It was a cold expression overtly showing that he wanted him to stay away, but Gert seemed unaware of this and kept smiling in front of that face. ¡°Then you won¡¯t care about whatever happens to Miss Hamelsvoort in the future, right?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, then.¡± Leaving those words, Gert disappeared. Anyway, since Liv would be someone unrelated to him from now on, Emmett decided not to look into it further. After recalling that memory, Emmett felt a throbbing in his chest. -After I fought with you, Your Grace... After hearing those words, Emmett felt unbearably more distressed. Since he had fought with Liv, Gert had been pestering her. He even chased after Liv to the Hamelsvoort house to meet her. ¡®...Surely he didn¡¯t try to force physical contact?¡¯ Although he thought it unlikely, Emmett couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask Liv about that. He felt that confirming the truth would make him even more distressed, and if such a thing had really happened, it would probably remain a painful memory for Liv. Gert¡¯s pestering of Liv was partly Emmett¡¯s responsibility too. In social circles, only Emmett had been protecting Liv, who was a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯ and a ¡®child disowned by her family¡¯. But when Emmett, her backing, disappeared, even these riffraff started to bother her. They might have even felt a baser curiosity towards Liv because she once had a connection with Emmett. Emmett thought this situation was all his fault. He hadn¡¯t anticipated what would happen after he fought with Liv. No, if he had just asked Gert in detail what he meant back then... ¡®...I need to behave properly from now on.¡¯ Emmett had no intention of letting others trouble Liv anymore. Although he was in a position where he couldn¡¯t even tell Liv that he loved her. Still, he had to protect Liv. That was the mission given to him by the gods, after all. * * * In preparation for her audience with the Emperor, Liv made thorough preparations as if she were going to a battlefield. ¡°Dear, His Majesty doesn¡¯t like flashy accessories. Especially not flashy hair ornaments.¡± ¡°It might be better to go without anything in your hair at all.¡± Count and Countess Hamelsvoort personally stayed by Liv¡¯s side, helping her choose accessories. ¡°We should take off the ring too... It might scratch His Majesty¡¯s body if you get close. Yes, let¡¯s not wear anything except for the necklace. The color of the dress... we should avoid white.¡± Countess Hamelsvoort¡¯s hands moved busily, and each time, Liv quickly changed her clothes. ¡°It might be better to look harmless. We should avoid colors that are too dark. But we shouldn¡¯t look too frivolous either... Yes, let¡¯s go with a silk dress in a calm color.¡± Finally, Countess Hamelsvoort chose a dark pink silk dress. It was an ordinary dress that girls of that age would wear, but it had a modest and gentle feel that suited the imperial palace. ¡°Since you¡¯re about to get married soon, it might be better to braid your hair up in the back.¡± Only after deciding on Liv¡¯s hairstyle did Countess Hamelsvoort finally calm down. Although there was still anxiety lingering on her face. ¡°Liv, then you need to study imperial etiquette diligently until the audience.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do that.¡± It was amusing that Countess Hamelsvoort, who had even stopped Liv¡¯s home education, was saying this, but Liv obediently agreed. After they left and she was alone in the room, Liv thought about the Emperor. ¡°Gods, you don¡¯t like me meeting the Emperor, do you...¡± We don¡¯t want to let that one brazenly show his face to you. That one should only face you after becoming a corpse. ¡°But it can¡¯t be helped. They say there are moments in life when you have to bow your head even if you don¡¯t like it.¡± Liv started to ponder how to safely complete the audience. From what she had heard, the Emperor was said to be an unparalleled cruel person. Since he holds the highest position in this country, no gift could satisfy him. ¡®How can I safely... Ah.¡¯ What came to Liv¡¯s mind then was a relic containing ancient magic. Since it ultimately contained the power of a god, Liv could find it too. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®If I find it and gain his favor, it might be okay.¡¯ Having reached that thought, Liv closed her eyes and began to search for the energy. Finally, she felt an energy close to her. ¡®This is...¡¯ Something was strange. Usually, relics were said to be hidden in ancient ruins or mountains, but there were no such places in the capital. Liv had a maid bring her a map and drew the location of the relic she sensed on it. Soon, her eyes widened. Chapter 76 When Liv attended the banquet the next day, the first thing she sensed was the changed atmosphere. Of course, high society had never been friendly to Liv. But while people had just avoided her until recently, perhaps conscious of Emmett, now they were looking at Liv with contempt like before. ¡®It seems the rumors have spread.¡¯ Liv¡¯s face became indifferent after confirming the faces of people whispering about her. It was expected that Deborah would spread rumors using Gert and her relationship. And those people probably don¡¯t really believe the rumors. Looking closely, Deborah¡¯s group was mixed among the whispering people. They were probably just spreading false rumors to show that they couldn¡¯t accept Liv. Of course, if these rumors spread, they could really change something. For example, Emmett might break off the engagement with Liv due to the scandals surrounding her... Liv knew that Emmett, feeling guilty towards her, wouldn¡¯t do that, but other nobles in this banquet hall might believe they would break up and treat her lightly. Among the nobles who were making a fuss as if they had heard some great scandal about Liv, Gert had a triumphant face. He was too dull to even realize that Deborah was using him. As Liv looked around, she spotted Deborah in the middle of her usual group. Deborah was looking at Liv, pretending to be innocent. ¡®Should I just leave her behaving like that?¡¯ Liv had always believed that she couldn¡¯t change anything with her power. She thought it was natural for people to dislike her. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t try to change anything even when she was openly bullied in high society. Although the gods expressed anger towards those who treated her carelessly, Liv only stopped the gods and didn¡¯t think about removing the cause of the bullying. However, staying still might not be the only answer. Hadn¡¯t Liv already changed her position by courageously entering the sacred ground in the Lartman Duchy? Liv recalled what Hildegard, who couldn¡¯t come here due to rain ritual preparations, had told her. -Sister, if someone mentions bad rumors about you when you go to the banquet this time, don¡¯t endure it but respond. -Then people will look down on me even more. -No, it¡¯s different from before. Hildegard had a serious look in her eyes as she said this to Liv. -Now you¡¯re about to become a Duchess according to the marriage approved by His Majesty the Emperor. That means... His Majesty has practically given this social circle to you. She shouldn¡¯t leave the rumors alone like before. That¡¯s Liv¡¯s duty... at least according to Hildegard¡¯s argument. If Liv used her power, people¡¯s attitudes towards her would change immediately, but there was no need to use power now. For such a low-level prank... ¡®Yes, let¡¯s do what I can do right now.¡¯ Finally resolving herself, Liv walked steadily towards Deborah. Unlike when she always sat with Emmett or Hildegard just watching people at banquets, as Liv showed movement for the first time, all eyes followed her. ¡°Miss Zibel.¡± Liv addressed Deborah, who was surrounded by other people. The noble young ladies around her looked flustered. Although they parasitized on Zibel¡¯s power, the center of high society, they didn¡¯t seem to have the confidence to confront the daughter of Hamelsvoort, who might soon become Lartman. They looked around and quietly started to make room for Liv. ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. Just.¡± Liv knew that if she mentioned the ¡®rumors¡¯ here, Deborah would deny it. Then she would only look more foolish. ¡°Have you heard about that rumor?¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± Thinking Liv had fallen into her trap, Deborah smiled, covering her mouth with a fan. However, what came out of Liv¡¯s mouth was something Deborah hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°I heard that Miss Zibel worships heresy...¡± ¡°What? What nonsense are you talking about? I certainly worship the Supreme God. Miss Hamelsvoort, are you trying to spread false rumors because you dislike me?¡± Deborah¡¯s voice rose excitedly. ¡°Even if you¡¯re about to become a Duchess, you¡¯re going too far these days. I heard that recently you tried to threaten Judith Feuchstein using your status.¡± ¡°Well, I wonder when I ever threatened anyone.¡± ¡°If the other person felt threatened, then it¡¯s intimidation. As expected, Miss Hamelsvoort...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± As Liv coldly cut off her words, Deborah looked surprised. However, Liv was looking at Deborah with a calm face without moving. ¡°Miss Zibel.¡± ¡°What?¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯m scheduled to have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor tomorrow. His Majesty said he wanted to see the Duke and me together.¡± Perhaps misunderstanding that Liv was mentioning her closeness with the Emperor, Deborah flinched. Other nobles eavesdropping nearby also looked scared. The Emperor was an object of fear for everyone. ¡°I¡¯m planning to offer a gift to His Majesty the Emperor. And I¡¯m not sure what results it will bring to the Zibel family.¡± ¡°What do you...¡± ¡°Miss Zibel might be better off admitting to worshipping heresy and receiving punishment from the temple. Think about it carefully.¡± Deborah seemed not to understand Liv¡¯s words, but soon, as always, thinking that she was saying something incomprehensible, she regained her arrogant expression. ¡°Ha, if you¡¯re trying to spread false rumors about me, it won¡¯t work!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s your wish, Miss Zibel, I understand.¡± Yes, in the end, Deborah chose to confront Liv. Then Liv should give her a proper consequence. However, what was bothering her... Liv¡¯s head turned to Gert, who had been stealing glances at her. She knew how to quiet Deborah, but in Gert¡¯s case, she hadn¡¯t found a way yet. He kept hovering around her, being annoying. At that moment, the door to the banquet hall opened. Everyone¡¯s gaze focused on the person entering, breaking the tense atmosphere. ¡°Liv.¡± Emmett, wrapped in a black cloak, walked towards Liv, looking only at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late. I had some business. Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes, but...¡± As Liv¡¯s gaze turned to Gert, Emmett¡¯s face became displeased. It was a face that seemed to guess what had happened in the meantime. ¡°Young Lord Kreppelin.¡± As Emmett called his name directly, the atmosphere became chilly. ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°I have something to say, would you come closer?¡± Emmett was wearing a cold expression that Liv had never seen before. As Emmett said this, now everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on them. Nobles who hadn¡¯t slandered Liv had interested faces, as if they didn¡¯t care which side won. As Gert hesitantly came in front of Emmett, killing intent flowed from Emmett¡¯s eyes as he glared at Gert. There was no clear change in expression, but it was so cold and emotionless that it seemed he could kill someone like Gert without blinking an eye. ¡°Why do you keep stealing glances at a woman who rejected your proposal?¡± ¡°What? When did I...¡± ¡°You should know that this not only goes against chivalry but is also extremely rude and shameful. Also, forcibly following someone who dislikes you can be punishable by law.¡± ¡°I, I really never did that! This is unfair! This is a false accusation. Why do you believe the words of a fake Saintess in the first place? She¡¯s been lying from birth!¡± ¡°...Young Lord Kreppelin.¡± Hearing those words, instead of bursting with anger, Emmett only coldly stated facts to Gert. ¡°I know everything you¡¯ve done before, and I¡¯ve reported it to His Majesty. His Majesty has given me the right of summary judgment.¡± ¡°Ah...!¡± As if recalling how Emmett usually dealt with criminals, Gert¡¯s face turned pale. No matter if Deborah was behind him, there was no comparison between the Zibel family and the Lartman family. His head, which had lost reason due to momentary intoxication, instantly cooled down. Now only fear and helplessness remained in Gert. ¡°I, I¡¯m wronged...¡± ¡°Do you still want to say that even though I have the right of summary judgment?¡± Realizing that speaking further would only be disadvantageous, Gert closed his mouth. ¡°Young Lord Kreppelin, I just heard that your parents are considering sending you to a monastery.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean...¡± Sending a noble man to a monastery was tantamount to socially sentencing him to death. It meant taking away everything he could enjoy as a noble man and making him live no differently from a commoner. No, it could be said to be even worse than the life of a common man, in that he was deprived of the freedom to enjoy entertainment and marry. Sometimes, those who lost in the struggle for succession were sent to monasteries by the decision of family members, but it was rare for a noble young man not related to such issues to go to a monastery. ¡°Go and check for yourself.¡± Whether he guessed that Emmett had done something, or was afraid to be in front of Emmett, Gert backed away, looking around at those words. For now, he had to go back to his family immediately and check what was going on. After he hurriedly left, Liv whispered to Emmett with a puzzled face. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°...It turned out that way.¡± ¡°You mean Young Lord Kreppelin might go to a monastery?¡± ¡°Yes, his parents said so.¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s face brightened. Seeing the judgment of the Kreppelin family members considering sending Gert to a monastery, Liv could guess that Emmett had used strong measures. But Liv had no reason to criticize Emmett for that. The thought of Gert, who had troubled her so much, going to a monastery made Liv feel instantly refreshed, as if cool water had been poured into her heart. ¡°Oh, Emmett. I have something to say about meeting His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to give His Majesty a relic containing ancient magic. But that relic...¡± As he listened to the story, Emmett¡¯s face became serious. After a while, Emmett was nodding, looking at Liv with a strange gaze. ¡°Do as you planned, Liv. It will be effective.¡± ¡°Really? Will it work out as I thought?¡± If things proceeded as Liv thought, she could avoid being pushed into a weak position in high society anymore. She had only been hesitating because the method wasn¡¯t conscientious. Towards such a Liv, Emmett showed a face saying that of course her judgment was right. ¡°Yes, His Majesty will do as you wish, Liv.¡± Chapter 77 The main place for hosting banquets in the imperial castle was the Golden Palace. The Golden Palace, originally built for banquets, had such a splendid appearance that it could leave first-time visitors in awe. The impossibly high ceiling with inexplicably painted ceiling murals, window frames decorated with gold, dazzlingly bright chandeliers, flowers filling vases all year round... However, when they reached the front of the Solar Palace where the Emperor was said to reside, Liv thought there couldn¡¯t be a more magnificent building in the world. The Solar Palace was so grand and overwhelming that it made even the Golden Palace lose its luster in comparison. As the majesty of the Solar Palace, filled with all sorts of decorations she had never imagined before, was revealed, Liv instinctively had to stop in front of it. It could truly be called the sun descended to earth. ¡°...Although they say all who work in the imperial palace are the Emperor¡¯s people, this is especially true for the Solar Palace. You must be careful, Liv.¡± ¡°Yes... But was this building so magnificent from when it was first built?¡± Feeling that it somewhat contradicted the doctrines of the Holy Church, Liv asked this, and Emmett whispered in her ear with a troubled face. ¡°The Solar Palace underwent renovation when the current Emperor ascended to the throne. His Majesty likes splendor, you see.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± It was such a luxurious building that Liv thought if the starving people suffering from drought saw this palace, they might start a riot. Future historians might present the Solar Palace as evidence that August was a tyrant... ¡°Well, shall we enter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv took Emmett¡¯s hand and stepped into the Solar Palace. By now, it was surprisingly familiar to have his large hand covering hers. There was a time when just touching him had been her wish. Even in the Solar Palace, they headed straight for the Sun Room. It was the space used when subjects had an audience with the Emperor. As the door to the room opened, Liv once again had to hold her breath. ¡®So this is why it¡¯s called the Sun Room...¡¯ The chandelier hanging from the ceiling was densely filled with red jewels, and its splendor was comparable to the sun. The sculptures on the walls and the embroidered carpets were also amazing, but above all, the chandelier was the most impressive. Surprised by the room¡¯s grandeur, Liv soon spotted a man sitting on a magnificent throne. ¡°We are in the presence of His Majesty the Emperor, the sun of the Empire protected by the Supreme God.¡± Only then did Liv come to her senses and greet the Emperor according to protocol. ¡°Raise your head.¡± Only after the Emperor¡¯s command did Liv raise her head to look at him. ¡®So this is the Emperor...¡¯ Although she had seen the Emperor from afar during banquets, this was the first time seeing him so close. The Emperor possessed dignity befitting his position. An overwhelming charisma emanated from his grand stature, and his eyes were like those of a predator hunting its prey. Even without the modifier of ¡®tyrant,¡¯ he was a person who could make one feel intimidated by his appearance alone. This person has the power to put her back in Abgrund. As soon as she saw his face, Liv felt this fact deeply. As Liv lowered her eyes, not knowing how to act next, the Emperor commanded once again. ¡°Come closer.¡± Liv approached the Emperor, holding Emmett¡¯s hand. Noticing that she was frightened, Emmett tightened his grip on her hand to prevent her from falling. ¡°Duke, it truly delights me to see you grown so much and bringing a bride.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s grace.¡± ¡°So, you are the daughter of Hamelsvoort?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Though her voice trembled faintly, the Emperor seemed rather satisfied with this and raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°Hamelsvoort...¡± Somehow his voice sounded like a curse, making her body stiffen, but Liv tried her best to stay focused. Yes, compared to the pressure of the gods¡¯ voices, this was nothing. That seat belongs to my child. Who dares to look down on the child I love? The gods¡¯ voices ringing loudly in a corner of her head also helped Liv calm down to some extent. Her mind was so complicated that she had no room to feel fear. ¡°The Duke is my most cherished and loyal subject. That¡¯s why I wanted to meet his bride.¡± The Emperor speaking like this seemed friendly towards Liv, but she knew she should never trust him. He might change his attitude at any moment, like flipping his palm. ¡°However, there is one thing I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Please inquire, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Do you know about your birth parents?¡± Liv tensed at the unexpected question, but thinking she had to somehow come up with a lie, her mind started racing quickly. She needed to reassure the Emperor while preventing him from confirming the truth. To do that... ¡°I grew up in the slums without parents, running around with other children, so I don¡¯t know much, but I heard my mother was a prostitute. Therefore, I know nothing about my father.¡± ¡°Is there no possibility that your father was of noble birth?¡± ¡°The place where my mother was located was far from the high-class taverns that noble people visit.¡± At those words, the corner of the Emperor¡¯s mouth raised as if mocking Liv. ¡°Well, what does that matter? Now you are a daughter of Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you speak so of my lowly origin, Your Majesty.¡± However, the Emperor¡¯s questions continued without stopping. ¡°Why did the rumor spread that you were a fake Saintess?¡± Now it was time for Liv to tell the Emperor what she had prepared. ¡°Due to my sensitivity to divine energy, I¡¯m ashamed to say that I and those around me mistook me for a Saintess.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°...Sensitive to divine energy, you say?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a fact not yet publicly known. I have something to tell Your Majesty regarding this matter.¡± As she said this, Liv tried to put on a face that looked respectful. ¡°I can use my sensitive intuition to find relics containing ancient magic.¡± ¡°What?¡± For a moment, the Emperor¡¯s expression wavered, as if surprised. ¡°It¡¯s true, Your Majesty. She also helped in finding the relic you ordered this time.¡± ¡°Then... you can find other remaining relics as well?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I wish to provide Your Majesty with information about the relics.¡± The Emperor seemed to be thinking about something, then soon smiled gently at Liv. It was a smile meant to reassure her, but it seemed completely insincere. ¡°Well then, do you have information to tell me?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. As a result of my energy search, there was one relic in the capital.¡± Liv continued speaking with her eyes lowered. In fact, Liv couldn¡¯t believe at first that there was a relic there. But when Liv went there by carriage, she could feel that there really was a relic inside. ¡°Your Majesty, the Marquis Zibel is in possession of a relic.¡± Perhaps that was the secret to the Zibel family¡¯s trading company successfully continuing its business until now. While it might be impossible to read the future as rumored, they could probably predict things like weather or natural disasters. At those words, the Emperor¡¯s face became even more surprised than before. ¡°You say the Zibel family has a relic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you search the Zibel household, you will surely find a relic. Also, the reason I¡¯m telling Your Majesty this first is because Marquis Zibel¡¯s intention in holding onto the relic seems impure.¡± Emmett quickly followed up on Liv¡¯s words. Even Emmett, the most loyal subject, saying so naturally made the Emperor believe Liv¡¯s words. ¡°In principle, relics containing ancient magic should be managed by the state. However, the Zibel family didn¡¯t present it to Your Majesty. What could this mean?¡± Even without Emmett saying so, ¡®Tyrant August¡¯ already seemed to view the Zibel family unfavorably. ¡°How dare they...¡± An old saying goes to deal with enemies as enemies. Although using the Emperor¡¯s hand wasn¡¯t entirely pleasant, Liv knew what the most effective way to deal with Deborah was. ¡®This is better than divine punishment, I suppose.¡¯ It might be a punishment that others would call cruel, but Liv sincerely thought this was better for Deborah than the truly harsh divine punishment. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been too quiet lately, being mindful of the temple¡¯s gaze...¡± Seeing the Emperor say that, it seemed disaster would soon befall the Zibel family. The Emperor looked down at Liv again with a benevolent smile. ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll have to search to know for sure, but if what you say is true, you¡¯ve given me good information. I should reward you...¡± ¡°If I have been of help to Your Majesty, it is an honor for me. There could be no greater reward than this.¡± ¡°Is there really nothing you want?¡± If she said there was nothing at all here, it might offend the Emperor again. Liv thought for a moment and found an appropriate reward. ¡°I would be overjoyed if Your Majesty would bestow a gift to celebrate our marriage.¡± ¡°Haha! I¡¯ll have my people deliver a nice gift for the wedding.¡± Of course, Liv was puzzled because she thought the Emperor would come to their wedding in person. However, since it was better that he didn¡¯t come, Liv didn¡¯t ask the reason. ¡°I¡¯ve kept people who are about to get married for too long. You may go now.¡± ¡°We feel like we¡¯ve taken up Your Majesty¡¯s valuable time as well, so we¡¯ll take our leave.¡± Only after greeting the Emperor and leaving the Solar Palace could Liv finally breathe freely. The gods¡¯ voices that had been confusing her mind also quieted down a bit. ¡°Liv, are you alright?¡± As Emmett asked her worriedly, Liv smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯m fine, it wasn¡¯t as hard as I thought.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have power now, so I couldn¡¯t avoid the situation.¡± ¡°No, really, I¡¯m fine.¡± Even so, Liv wondered about Emmett¡¯s words. What did he mean by not having power ¡®now¡¯? Does it mean he¡¯ll have power soon? Chapter 78 Looking at Liv¡¯s face, which seemed so unperturbed after seeing the Emperor, Emmett furrowed his brow once again. If only she hated the Emperor, it wouldn¡¯t be this painful, but there was no such sign on Liv¡¯s face. It seemed as if it was because he had previously told her that the Emperor was a great person, and he felt responsible... His past self was truly too dull. ¡®Still, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems for a while.¡¯ With this, the Zibel family would be in turmoil, and they might even be driven out of the capital. Deborah Zibel won¡¯t trouble Liv anymore. Dealing with the Kreppelin was even easier. Emmett had found past crimes committed by his parents and threatened them to confine Gert Kreppelin in a monastery. He won¡¯t have a chance to encounter Liv either. Now the two of them just need to focus on their wedding. ¡®Marriage...¡¯ Thinking about it, Emmett felt his face heating up for no reason. Suddenly, realizing something, his face became flustered. It was something he hadn¡¯t thought about until now, being so focused on sorting out the surrounding situation for Liv. What about the duties a husband should fulfill after marriage? He had no intention of embracing Liv when he couldn¡¯t even say he loved her. That would only maximize his pain. ¡®But...¡¯ Not fulfilling his duties as a husband after getting married was also problematic. Liv must have prepared herself for marriage, and if he doesn¡¯t act as expected, she might be confused. And since he can¡¯t speak, he needs to express through actions, but what if he doesn¡¯t act? Nothing seemed to be the right answer, and his mind became complicated. Moreover... ¡®The temple¡¯s certification.¡¯ Noble couples had to submit the blood-stained bedsheet from their first night to the temple as evidence after marriage. Of course, Emmett could just injure himself and bleed. However, if Liv saw that, she might feel that Emmett doesn¡¯t love her. She might think he¡¯s using tricks to avoid the wedding night. ¡®Damn, there¡¯s no solution...¡¯ This was all because of the pathetic mistake his past self had made. The current Emmett, under divine punishment, can¡¯t tell Liv he loves her. Everything seemed to be falling apart... * * * ¡°Sister, have you heard that rumor?¡± ¡°What?¡± Hildegard entered Liv¡¯s room and delivered the news. Liv¡¯s eyes widened as she heard the story. ¡°They say the Zibel Marquisste has been demoted to Viscounty and expelled from the capital!¡± ¡°Ah...¡± It must have been the Emperor who discovered the relic and imposed punishment. Liv bid farewell to Deborah, who had to leave desolately. It was regrettable, but she didn¡¯t feel any more guilt than that. ¡°Did you do this, sister?¡± ¡°Yes, I asked His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what method you used, but now other nobles will be wary of you too. They¡¯ll all guess that Miss Zibel ended up like this because she bothered you.¡± Hildegard said this as she sat on the edge of Liv¡¯s bed. ¡°Sister, by the way, don¡¯t you think about revealing your power?¡± ...Hayden too, everyone was urging Liv to reveal her power. Not knowing Liv¡¯s circumstances of having to avoid the Emperor. ¡°I¡¯m considering it.¡± ¡°Is that so... Well, if I may give my opinion, I¡¯d like you to reveal the truth you¡¯ve been hiding at the wedding. ...Of course, revealing the existence of multiple gods might throw the country into chaos or even get you labeled as a heretic, so you could just reveal that you receive the love of the Supreme God.¡± ¡°Why specifically at the wedding?¡± Suddenly finding Hildegard¡¯s words strange, Liv asked, and Hildegard¡¯s face became as if it was obvious. ¡°What? Because that¡¯s the most dramatic moment. It¡¯s when the most people gather. Plus, since the wedding is held outdoors, the area where the gods can intervene is wider. It¡¯s the perfect moment to reveal your power.¡± After saying that, Hildegard handed Liv a stack of papers. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a list of sacred grounds.¡± As Hildegard said, the paper was densely filled with sanctuaries from various countries. Seeing the effort put into it, Liv couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the paper. ¡°These are all known as sanctuaries of the Holy Church. Each religion claims these places as their own sacred grounds, but... Wait, what¡¯s the truth?¡± ¡°The gods have more than one sanctuary. But every religion insists that all the sanctuaries belong to them.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is...¡± Hildegard continued with a slightly dejected expression. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯d like you to visit these sacred grounds, regain your power, and reveal your power to people.¡± Liv slowly read through the list of sanctuaries. ===== Holy Hilysid Empire ¨C Cave Area Lidinka Empire ¨C Glacier Area Kumyaban Empire ¨C Cactus Area Bulkan Kingdom ¨C Volcanic Area ... ===== Dozens of sanctuaries were listed, but as far as Liv knew, there were about hundreds of sanctuaries. So Hildegard had only brought the commonly known ones. Just in the Holy Hilysid Empire alone, there were more than five. ¡°...Thank you, I¡¯ll take it into consideration.¡± When Liv said that, Hildegard smiled brightly. ¡°Yes, please consider my suggestion positively. Then all the nobles who disliked you will quiet down, won¡¯t they?¡± ¡°With the Zibel family¡¯s downfall this time, they¡¯ll probably be quiet for a while anyway. But I¡¯ll think about it.¡± It¡¯s better to use the gods¡¯ power as little as possible. It¡¯s a power difficult for humans to handle, and those who see the power suffer. Therefore, Liv had no immediate plans to reveal her power. Yes, at least for now. * * * Time passed quickly, and finally, it was the day before the wedding. The Hamelsvoort couple looked as joyful as if they were getting married themselves. Countess Hamelsvoort, who had been marking the calendar every morning, even let out a cheer as soon as dawn broke. ¡°Liv, eat a lot.¡± ¡°Dear, it¡¯s the wedding tomorrow, how can she eat a lot? Liv, you need to look pretty in your dress, so hold back just until tomorrow and eat a lot after that.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The table was set with Liv¡¯s favorite foods, but Liv decided to just cut and eat half a salmon. Well, being grateful just to be able to eat, she could overcome a little hunger. ¡°Sob, sob, Liv. I¡¯m really going to miss you leaving this house. Of course, you said you¡¯ll stay in the capital for a while... When do you think you¡¯ll go down to the Lartman Duchy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But Emmett is considering going down within this year.¡± The Count and Countess, who previously hadn¡¯t been curious about anything regarding Liv, now had become accustomed to having trivial conversations. After finishing her meal, Liv soon packed her luggage for the wedding. Liv was now planning to live in the Lartman villa in the capital. ¡°Should I pack this too?¡± ¡°This as well!¡± The servants of the Hamelsvoort family were moving busily. Befitting a powerful family like the Hamelsvoort, the couple prepared Liv¡¯s dowry with emphasis. ¡°Should we put in all the dresses?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Watching the maids pack her things, Liv just sat quietly in a chair with the window open. The dust made her cough involuntarily. Seeing her room, which she had grown somewhat attached to, gradually emptying felt strange. At that moment, one of Hildegard¡¯s maids approached Liv carrying a large box. Behind her stood Hildegard with a smiling face. ¡°Sister, these are accessories that don¡¯t suit me so I don¡¯t use them, but I think they¡¯ll suit you. Of course, I have a separate wedding gift, but I wanted to give you these too.¡± Inside the box were colorful accessories with a cute and delicate feel. ¡®Saintess¡¯ Hildegard couldn¡¯t use them often because she had to maintain her dignity. ¡°Thank you, Hilda. I¡¯ll accept them gratefully.¡± ¡°Sister, you must be happy...¡± Genuinely sad that Liv was leaving this house, Hildegard¡¯s eyes even welled up with tears. As Liv was about to hold Hildegard¡¯s hands, her gaze fell on the maid who had brought the box. She had a somewhat displeased expression. In the past, Liv might have just let it go, but now, as she was about to leave the house, she didn¡¯t want to hold back what she wanted to say. ¡°Do you dislike me?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°You might not be able to manage your expression, but you don¡¯t know what might happen if you meet a truly bad person. Be careful.¡± ¡°Ah, ah...¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The maid stammered, seemingly not expecting Liv to point it out, and Hildegard looked at her with a puzzled face. However, soon, the maid¡¯s eyes became sharp again and she spoke in a low voice. ¡°Still, Saintess Hildegard is more amazing.¡± ¡°...¡± Liv didn¡¯t respond to those words and just stared at her. The maid, who had opened her mouth out of defiance without realizing it, gradually became frightened. The reason she disliked Liv seemed to be because Liv was a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯. In fact, most people who disliked Liv treated her as a ¡®brazen liar¡¯. ¡°How dare you be so rude to my sister?¡± Seeing Hildegard trying to get angry, which she wasn¡¯t good at, Liv waved her hand saying it was okay. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Well, she can think that way.¡± ¡°Sister...¡± ¡°But seeing this kind of scene so often made me curious.¡± I wonder how they would react if it was revealed that Liv wasn¡¯t a fake Saintess? Would they apologize for their past behavior, or would they find another reason to dislike Liv? ¡°Do you have anything else you want to say?¡± Suddenly curious about her true feelings, Liv asked the maid. ¡°I won¡¯t get angry. Be honest. I¡¯m curious about what other people think.¡± ¡°Ah, no...¡± The maid shook her head as if she had come to her senses, but Liv urged her on. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I really won¡¯t get angry at you.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± As Liv kept holding her and not letting her go, the maid seemed to think it was better to speak and opened her mouth. ¡°...Well, these days there aren¡¯t any rumors about Miss Liv.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°The rumors are mostly about Duke Lartman.¡± At these unexpected words, Liv frowned. There are rumors about Emmett? ¡°Some people look down on Duke Lartman too. They say he ended up falling for a woman who chased after him. ...I¡¯m not saying that¡¯s what I think.¡± The maid seemed half-doubtful whether Liv would really not get angry at her, so Liv waved her hand to dismiss her. ¡°I see... You can go now.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Sister, is it okay to let her go like that?¡± Hildegard asked in bewilderment, but when she met Liv¡¯s eyes, she flinched in surprise. At this moment, Liv was smiling more brightly than anyone else. Because it looked just like a smile with a knife swallowed, Hildegard thought she glimpsed a transcendent being in her eyes for a moment. ¡°Hilda, I¡¯ve decided.¡± For years, she had feared the Emperor and therefore tried to hide her power, but surprisingly, the speed at which her mind changed was very fast. The reason she decided to hide her power even when Emmett tried to persuade her that he could protect her no matter what, was also because she was used to the situation where everyone hated her. It was okay for there to be bad rumors about Liv herself. But... ¡°No one can insult my love.¡± If Emmett¡¯s reputation falls because of Liv herself, how could Liv endure that? The gods loved Liv devotedly, and Liv learned devotion from them. But at the same time, they were impatient, and Liv learned that too. There was no reason for her to hide her power anymore. Chapter 79 ¡°Oh my, young lady! You¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Laga, who had just placed a silver tiara on Liv¡¯s head, stepped back in admiration. The tiara blended naturally with Liv¡¯s hair, making her look as if she had been born wearing it. Liv was now preparing for the wedding at the Lartman mansion. She could have prepared at the Hamelsvoort house, but Liv felt more comfortable at the Lartman ducal residence. Liv¡¯s reflection in the mirror was dazzling. Her pure white dress was densely studded with diamonds, and the silver tiara and white veil gave her a sacred aura. Only the ruby necklace around her neck, along with her eyes, showed any red. Perhaps because she was so white, Liv¡¯s image in the mirror looked like someone who might disappear at any moment. Pulling back the curtain and glancing out the window, she could see the splendidly decorated garden. The wedding ceremony was scheduled to take place there today. ¡°Now then, young lady. You just need to sit and wait. When it¡¯s time, a servant will come to tell you to come out.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°If you need anything, just ask right away. Don¡¯t move around on your own and risk messing up your appearance!¡± Following Laga¡¯s guidance, Liv sat down on a large sofa placed in a room on the first floor. Suddenly remembering Emmett, she asked: ¡°Is the Duke preparing too?¡± ¡°The Duke will be greeting people outside. And traditionally, the groom shouldn¡¯t see the bride¡¯s prepared appearance right before the wedding.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± If there wasn¡¯t such a custom, Liv might have felt a bit down that Emmett hadn¡¯t come to see her, but she felt strangely relieved by Laga¡¯s words. While clearly knowing that Emmett didn¡¯t love her, she couldn¡¯t understand why she felt this way. Soon, Countess Hamelsvoort appeared with Hildegard. It was natural for the bride¡¯s family to see the bride before the wedding. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Countess Hamelsvoort exclaimed with her mouth wide open in admiration, clapping her hands. However, she didn¡¯t seem to be truly happy because Liv was beautiful. Countess Hamelsvoort was simply pleased with the fact that Liv and Emmett were getting married. Instead, Hildegard held Liv¡¯s hands with sincere eyes and said: ¡°Sister, this is really wonderful. It¡¯s what you¡¯ve been wishing for since long ago, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± Once, Liv had imagined herself marrying Emmett. The wedding described by the gods was the most sacred and beautiful moment of all. So Liv thought that if she ever got married, everyone would send her blessings. Of course, people didn¡¯t seem to be blessing them much now... ¡®If I reveal my power here, how will people¡¯s attitudes change?¡¯ At that moment, a maid hastily opened the door and said: ¡°Oh, young lady!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°The Imperial Princess has arrived!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The person the Emperor said he would send turned out to be the Imperial Princess. It might have been surprising for a member of the imperial family to appear suddenly, but thinking calmly, there was no reason to be flustered. The wedding preparations were too perfect, and the Imperial Princess wouldn¡¯t be coming to find fault. She was just here to deliver the Emperor¡¯s gift. ¡°It¡¯s a joyous occasion that the Imperial Princess has come. The imperial family is celebrating your wedding, you see.¡± They are not the imperial family of this country. To think they are descendants of that one who should be torn apart. The gods were showing aversion to the Imperial Princess as well as the Emperor. It wasn¡¯t strange, as the gods usually cared more about the blood flowing through one¡¯s body than the legitimacy created by humans. ¡°Anyway, Liv, since the Imperial Princess has come, it¡¯s proper for you to greet her. Quickly invite Her Highness inside.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At times like this, it would be right to follow Countess Hamelsvoort¡¯s instructions, who was most familiar with noble etiquette. Liv tried to stand up with Countess Hamelsvoort and Hildegard, but the Countess said she didn¡¯t need to stand up because of the heavy dress. Rather, she explained that Liv, as a member of the Five Noble Houses, didn¡¯t need to go that far. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A moment later, the door opened and a pale-faced woman entered. ¡°We greet Her Highness the Imperial Princess.¡± Countess Hamelsvoort greeted first, and Liv and Hildegard followed suit. The Imperial Princess that Liv glimpsed while bowing her head was tall with a skinny body. It was like seeing Hildegard when she first came to the Hamelsvoort mansion from the slums. It was strange, as the Imperial Princess surely wouldn¡¯t have been underfed. Moreover, the Imperial Princess¡¯s face was bloodless and somehow gave off a gloomy impression. ¡°...Hello.¡± As the Imperial Princess returned the greeting in a small voice, everyone finally raised their heads. According to what Liv had heard from Emmett before, there was only one descendant of the Emperor currently. The Empress had lost her life shortly after giving birth to the Imperial Princess, and since the Emperor hadn¡¯t married after that, the Imperial Princess was his only child. ¡®What was her name again?¡¯ Liv rummaged through her mind and finally managed to find her name. Louisa Steinberg, that was her name. Louisa approached Liv and smiled faintly at her. ¡°It¡¯s our first meeting, Miss Hamelsvoort. I haven¡¯t been able to attend social events much due to my poor health. I hope we can meet often in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, me too.¡± Step away from my child. Although the gods were noisily chattering, Liv was already well-versed in ignoring their voices. ¡°Congratulations on your marriage, Miss Hamelsvoort. I wish for nothing but happiness to be with you two for a long time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°This is a gift bestowed by His Majesty.¡± When the box was opened, inside was a large diamond necklace. At first, Liv doubted whether it was really a diamond or some other gem, but its mesmerizing light and unique color were definitely that of a diamond. However, Liv¡¯s doubt was reasonable. The diamond was truly huge. ¡°My, I¡¯ve never seen a diamond this large before.¡± As Countess Hamelsvoort also admired it, Louisa continued with a gentle expression. Although there had been no sincerity or genuineness felt in her voice addressing them from the start, her expression was so perfect that Liv found it difficult to gauge how to treat the Imperial Princess. ¡°His Majesty said that Miss Hamelsvoort is worthy of receiving this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor. I¡¯m grateful for His Majesty¡¯s blessing. I¡¯m also thankful to Your Highness for attending here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Louisa looked at Liv with somewhat wistful eyes, then greeted Countess Hamelsvoort and Hildegard as well. ¡°Saintess, it¡¯s been a while since we last met.¡± ¡°Please speak comfortably.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always grateful for your sacrifices for the Empire. Countess Hamelsvoort, are you in good health as well?¡± ¡°Hoho, I¡¯m always doing well, of course.¡± After a brief conversation, Louisa left the room. Looking at where Louisa had been, Countess Hamelsvoort grumbled. ¡°Haah, with such a weak body...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. She says she¡¯s sick every day and doesn¡¯t come out.¡± From Countess Hamelsvoort¡¯s words, Liv was able to gain additional information about Louisa. A moment after Hildegard and Countess Hamelsvoort left to keep their places, a servant was heard knocking on the door. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s time to come out.¡± Laga supported the back of Liv¡¯s dress, and Liv left the room, almost buried in her large dress. As she went out to the entrance, Liv saw the sight of numerous people seated in their places. Liv¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpectedly large scale. Liv carefully walked on the carpet between them. She felt a bit nervous receiving the gaze of so many people. However, because Emmett was waiting at the very front, Liv moved forward, looking only at him. In front of Emmett stood the priest who would officiate the wedding. ¡°Miss Liv Hamelsvoort has arrived.¡± The priest said in a solemn voice. He began to deliver a long speech about the mindset to be maintained after marriage, standing in front of Liv and Emmett. Just as Liv, perched on her high heels, was starting to feel her legs ache, his words finally came to an end. Even so, Liv could feel the piercing gazes of the people. Liv wasn¡¯t oblivious, and people were looking at her with unfavorable eyes. Moreover, the person showing the strongest hostility towards her was the priest himself. If it weren¡¯t for Emmett, the priest looked like he might define Liv as an evil being right there and attempt an exorcism by sprinkling holy water on her. ¡°The Supreme God will bless the marriage of you two.¡± Finally, as the priest said this in a voice that anyone could tell was feigned, a heavy voice was heard. [It¡¯s time, child.] At those words, Liv recalled something that had happened before. When Liv had sacrificed her life for Emmett and before Emmett regressed, when people were hostile to her. Liv had asked the gods why they didn¡¯t use their power for her. At that time, the gods had answered like this. That it wasn¡¯t time yet. But after the Supreme God said that, something amazing happened. ¡°Oh, oh?¡± The priest who was conducting the wedding ceremony staggered back in surprise. His eyes were fixed on Liv. No, not just the priest, but everyone was looking at Liv. It wasn¡¯t just because Liv was the protagonist of the wedding. Because light was shining from behind Liv. Chapter 80 Obelia considered herself one of the many ordinary noble young ladies. Her status: a Viscount¡¯s daughter. She had close friends among the young ladies. She liked pretty and fancy things. While not particularly popular, she had looks that could gain favor if she tried. Here, being ¡®ordinary¡¯ meant that her opinions didn¡¯t differ much from others¡¯. It also meant that she disliked Liv Hamelsvoort, the troublemaker of high society, the lowborn from the slums, the fake Saintess. Obelia wasn¡¯t part of the mainstream group in high society, so she had never actively bullied Liv. That was something only prominent young ladies did; for someone like her, it was best not to stand out unnecessarily. However, Obelia did join her group of friends in slandering and mocking Liv. She didn¡¯t have any particular malice towards Liv, but she did it because the other young ladies did. That was all. It also helped strengthen her relationships with the other ladies. People tend to become closer when gossiping about someone. At the same time, Obelia justified her actions. Like other common young ladies, she was also a believer of the Holy Church, and it was unforgivable for someone to impersonate a Saintess who possessed the power of God. While badmouthing Liv, she also felt a sense of superiority over the Five Noble Houses. After all, the Hamelsvoort family had made the mistake of adopting a lowly girl from the slums, while her family hadn¡¯t made such a stupid error. That¡¯s why when she heard the news of Liv¡¯s engagement to Duke Lartman, it made her sick to her stomach. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because she admired the fearsome Duke Lartman, but simply because it was hard to accept that someone from the slums was about to become a Duchess. Still, she couldn¡¯t skip attending the wedding. Her parents had sternly told her not to bully Liv Hamelsvoort anymore. So Obelia attended the wedding with a sulky face, along with the young ladies she usually hung out with. Liv, dressed in a white gown, shone more beautifully than anyone. Even Obelia unconsciously gaped before shaking her head to come to her senses. ¡®The Five Noble Houses are truly amazing...¡¯ Her family would have to give up all their wealth to buy the dress Liv was wearing. She couldn¡¯t understand why they were being so extravagant for a wedding, but on the other hand, thinking that this might not even be considered extravagant for them left her feeling bitter. ¡°The Supreme God will bless the marriage of you two.¡± ¡®As if that would happen.¡¯ Obelia snorted at the ridiculous statement. Would the Supreme God really bless a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯? If anything, the innocent Duke Lartman might incur God¡¯s wrath too. However, in the next moment, Obelia couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°Wh-what...¡± A halo of light was floating behind Liv Hamelsvoort¡¯s head. It wasn¡¯t some artificial light created by humans. It was a sacred and great light that felt like she might never witness again in her life. ¡®A halo...!¡¯ It was what was depicted behind the heads of Saints in paintings. But why was a halo floating behind Liv Hamelsvoort¡¯s head? ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± While other nobles were confused like Obelia, the sky trembled. Yes, truly ¡®the sky trembled.¡¯ There was no other way to express it. And then, a vast voice that seemed like it would crush and kill her entire body, one that humans couldn¡¯t possibly bear, was heard. My beloved child. I bless you. It was impossible to tell if it was a male or female voice. No, it wasn¡¯t a human voice to begin with, so such distinctions were meaningless. ¡°Supreme God...!¡± Her instinct whispered. That was the voice of God. However, no matter whose family name you bear, you will be my child. The moment the voice was heard again, Obelia unconsciously stood up from her chair and prostrated herself on the ground, and other nobles did the same, disregarding their uncomfortable clothes. The priest was repeatedly bowing to the ground, shouting ¡®Supreme God!¡¯ Even Duke Lartman was kneeling, and the only one standing in the midst of it all was... ¡®Liv Hamelsvoort.¡¯ She was still standing straight with the halo behind her head. At that moment, something started falling from the sky. ¡°Flower petals...?¡± Pure white flower petals, resembling Liv, were falling from the sky. That was the end of it. There were no more divine voices heard, nor did anything else happen. The halo behind Liv had disappeared. But everyone present knew. ¡°L-Lady Hamelsvoort...¡± Liv Hamelsvoort. God was behind her. * * * ¡°H-how can this be...!¡± Liv quietly observed the priest in front of her, who was flustered and didn¡¯t know what to do. The priest, with white flower petals covering his head, removed one petal with trembling hands, looking as if he might fall backward at any moment. ¡°Th-the Supreme God has visited!¡± All eyes were fixed on Liv. They couldn¡¯t utter a word and were just watching her cautiously. Even those who hadn¡¯t fully grasped the situation seemed to realize that it was related to Liv. ¡°C-could it be that you, Lady Hamelsvoort...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When she answered the priest¡¯s trembling voice, he looked at Liv with eyes full of reverence and asked. ¡°Could you perhaps be the real Saintess?¡± At those words, Liv frowned. How long would they continue to distinguish between real and fake Saintesss? ¡°No, I¡¯m not something like a Saintess.¡± ¡°B-but...¡± Liv signaled to Hildegard, who was sitting nearby, and recognizing the signal, Hildegard stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll explain.¡± Everyone turned their heads to look at Hildegard at once. Trying not to be swayed by their gazes, Hildegard began speaking in a calm voice. ¡°Just now, I received a revelation about my sister Liv.¡± Hildegard continued lying without blinking an eye. However, both Liv and Hildegard knew that there was no god who would be angry at Hildegard for lying about the divine. They wouldn¡¯t dislike what was being done for Liv. ¡°According to the revelation, my sister Liv is not something like a Saintess. A Saintess is a being who has obligations according to the power given by God. My sister Liv is not such a being.¡± ¡°Th-then what on earth is she?¡± The priest asked on behalf of everyone, and Hildegard answered in an even clearer voice than before. ¡°My sister Liv simply receives God¡¯s love.¡± ¡°G-God¡¯s love?¡± At that moment, the priest¡¯s face turned pale as if he had realized something. Not just the priest, but others were also shaken. The only thing that could be associated with receiving the love of the gods was the Gracia family, and the current Emperor, ¡®Tyrant August,¡¯ had forbidden mentioning the Gracia family. As if to quell people¡¯s anxiety, Hildegard said: ¡°As the priest knows, according to the scriptures, there have been beings who received God¡¯s love before... Naturally, there could be others whom the Supreme God gives His heart to throughout the long history. Didn¡¯t everyone just hear God say ¡®My beloved child¡¯?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°My sister Liv receives God¡¯s love. That¡¯s all.¡± People still didn¡¯t seem to have fully resolved their questions about Liv. How could they understand with just this revelation that Liv, who had been called a fake Saintess until now, was actually chosen by God? But at least they seemed to have accepted the proposition that Liv received God¡¯s love. No one raised any objections to Hildegard¡¯s words. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Liv, you did well.¡± Emmett, who had taken Liv¡¯s hand while people were still dazed, whispered. ¡°You were very brave and impressive.¡± ¡°Oh, no...¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you reclaiming your rightful place like this.¡± As Liv blushed at those words, Emmett spoke to the priest. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we finish the wedding ceremony?¡± ¡°Y-yes, of course.¡± The priest, who had still been staring at the white flower petals on the ground, finally came to his senses and raised his voice. ¡°Th-the Supreme God has just visited! The Supreme God has also blessed the marriage of these two. Under the watchful eye of the Supreme God, lastly, we will exchange rings.¡± Emmett took the rings from the box and put one on Liv¡¯s finger. The sensation of him touching her finger felt unfamiliar, making Liv¡¯s heart beat faster. Looking at the wedding ring made of platinum with a diamond set in it, Liv smiled brightly. Seeing Liv like this, Emmett held his breath. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing, just...¡± Still holding Liv¡¯s hand, Emmett whispered. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± Even if he doesn¡¯t love me, at least he thinks I¡¯m beautiful, Liv thought. Even if it was just a polite remark, it didn¡¯t feel bad. People were still looking at Liv, and it seemed like many things would happen to her in the future, but she felt that everything would be alright as long as she was with Emmett. * * * ¡°Liv, Liv! How did this happen?¡± As soon as Liv appeared at the reception after the wedding ceremony, the Hamelsvoort couple rushed to her. Lady Hamelsvoort carefully held Liv¡¯s hand as if touching the most precious thing in the world. ¡°Really... do you really receive the love of the Supreme God?¡± Liv quietly gazed into their dazed eyes. The Hamelsvoort family had been devout believers for generations, so they weren¡¯t behaving this way because Liv receiving God¡¯s love would benefit them. They were truly moved by Liv. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± When Liv answered in a monotone voice, their eyes sparkled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier? Oh my, we didn¡¯t know...¡± ¡°It was God¡¯s will.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. How could we fathom the will of God?¡± All eyes at the reception were focused on Liv, the guest of honor. Amidst their gazes, Liv continued speaking in a still calm tone. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, I¡¯m not some kind of Saintess. I¡¯m just...¡± ¡°Yes, we were said you have no obligations.¡± The Count nodded fervently. Liv¡¯s eyes met Emmitt¡¯s, who was watching her from beyond the Hamelsvoort couple. She suddenly became aware that she was wearing a bitter smile. The attention and affection from the Hamelsvoort couple that she had longed for so much in the past ¨C why did this affection feel so unwelcome now? It was incomprehensible. ¡®Their attitude has changed.¡¯ Chapter 81 Of course, people want those who are beneficial to them or those who align with the values they pursue. So it¡¯s not strange that the Hamelsvoort couple, who considered Liv useless, were indifferent to her. Conversely, it¡¯s not incomprehensible that they treat her well now that they know Liv receives God¡¯s love. Yes, that¡¯s not wrong. But why... ¡®I don¡¯t feel good.¡¯ She felt aversion towards the Hamelsvoort couple. ¡°We should now greet other people as well.¡± Emmett seemed to have noticed Liv¡¯s subtly subdued attitude. As he naturally made Liv take his arm while saying that, the Hamelsvoort couple nodded, finally realizing that Liv had just had her wedding. ¡°Th-that¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Then come to the Hamelsvoort mansion next time, Liv!¡± Liv carefully moved her feet while leaning her weight on Emmett. Strangely, her steps felt heavy today. ¡°Are you tired, Liv?¡± ¡°No, just... I feel strange.¡± ¡°It¡¯s understandable to feel bad. I understand you, Liv.¡± ¡°Understand...¡± At those words, Liv lifted her head and stared at Emmett. He said he ¡®understood¡¯ her. Understood. Liv was surrounded by people who didn¡¯t understand her. It was uncertain whether Emmett truly understood Liv. But just him saying so made Liv feel like she had received a great gift. ¡°Still, you¡¯ll have to get used to it. People naturally treat others according to their own interests.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°People will be interested in Liv, who receives God¡¯s love. I¡¯ll try not to let such opportunistic people near you, but...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing.¡± Liv said with a crooked smile. As if to prove her words, at every table Liv visited, all the nobles showed friendly attitudes towards her. ¡°Oh my, Miss Hamelsvoort! You look so beautiful today! The dress you wore at the wedding earlier was pretty, but this light pink outfit suits you so well too! Light colors really suit you, Miss Hamelsvoort!¡± ¡°Ahem. I¡¯ve believed in Miss Hamelsvoort from the beginning.¡± ¡°I sincerely bless your marriage.¡± Their reactions were largely divided into two types: people who made a fuss as if they had liked Liv from the beginning, and people who couldn¡¯t meet Liv¡¯s eyes out of guilt. It seemed it would take some time for them to adapt to each other. Finally, Liv and Emmett arrived at the last table. It was the table where Deborah¡¯s group, who had been bullying Liv before, was sitting. ¡°Hello, thank you for coming to the wedding.¡± When Liv greeted them like that, their pupils shook. Among them who were just watching, Miss Schwartz was the first to speak. ¡°It¡¯s our honor to attend such a grand wedding. The venue is really wonderful, hoho.¡± Watching her laugh awkwardly, Liv gave a bitter smile. Schwartz was the young lady who had invited Liv to a tea party before and placed a mouse in Liv¡¯s seat. Seeing her pleading attitude in front of Liv, it seemed they had now decided to completely submit to Liv. Of course, it would be fine to accept them here, but... ¡°Is that so? Actually, I was surprised that Miss Schwartz came here.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that you didn¡¯t even want to be in the same space as me? Ah, but you attended banquets where I was present well, so was that just empty words?¡± ¡°M-Miss Hamelsvoort...¡± Schwartz stammered, and the other young ladies avoided her gaze that seemed to be seeking help. As if to say they had no responsibility themselves. It would be fortunate if they could survive by sacrificing her alone. Liv released her hold on Emmett¡¯s arm and looked down at them with her arms crossed. Doing this, she somehow felt like she was above them. ¡®It¡¯s really strange.¡¯ Liv had spent most of her life in the lowest place. Even after coming up to the world of nobles, which was relatively ¡®high¡¯, Liv had occupied a low position among them. But when God¡¯s voice was heard at the wedding just now, and Liv turned around to check people¡¯s reactions. She suddenly felt as if she was in a very high place. All the people were kneeling before her, looking up at her. It was... a very strange feeling. She herself couldn¡¯t explain exactly what that feeling was, but one thing was certain: Liv could never go back to how things were before. ¡°Miss Hamelsvoort, still...¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet! Miss Zibel¡¯s situation is probably related to Miss Hamelsvoort too. Since it happened after she had an audience with His Majesty...¡± One young lady stepped forward to defend Miss Schwartz, but another quick-witted young lady quickly covered her mouth. They all knew that the Zibel family had fallen completely out of the Emperor¡¯s favor and collapsed. And they could guess that Liv was involved in that incident. After all, Liv had somewhat taken the Emperor¡¯s hand by uniting with Lartman. As if to give certainty to their speculation, Liv spoke softly with a smile that felt chilling. ¡°Ah, Miss Zibel. It¡¯s a pity. You all should be careful too. You never know when something similar might happen again.¡± When Liv said that, Schwartz opened her mouth with a trembling voice. ¡°I-I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll really... stay quiet.¡± It was like their promise to Liv. Liv left the place without a single word in response, taking Emmett¡¯s arm. A moment later, she slightly raised her head and met Emmett¡¯s eyes looking at her strangely. ¡°...Was I too mean?¡± Thinking he might be blaming her, Liv asked that, but Emmett shook his head. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No. I just...¡± He withdrew his arm and grasped Liv¡¯s hand firmly with one hand. The eyes looking at Liv were filled only with strong conviction, as if to support everything Liv did. ¡°I¡¯m just happy that you¡¯re reclaiming everything you should reclaim.¡± It was uncertain whether those words were true, but Liv decided to believe his words anyway. She just felt like doing so. * * * After the wedding reception ended, Liv was completely exhausted. Dealing with nobles trying to look good to her was a demanding task even for Liv, who liked people. An unexpected point was that the temple side didn¡¯t approach Liv, because the high priest had quickly left as soon as Liv¡¯s wedding ceremony ended. They probably went to report this to the temple. Liv thought the temple would likely bother her soon. ¡°Madam, do you like the room?¡± Laga smiled brightly while guiding Liv to her room. The title used to address Liv had already changed to ¡®Madam¡¯. Behind Laga, other servants peeking at Liv could be seen. ¡°...Yes. I like the room.¡± The room was all white, but Liv¡¯s favorite yellow furniture was placed here and there. Moreover, Liv liked that the room was decorated with flowers. It was a sight that showed someone had cared for her. It felt refreshing, like having herbs in her mouth. ¡°More than that... why are they acting like that?¡± When Liv asked that, glancing at the servants, Laga answered in a bright voice. ¡°Why else? It¡¯s because we all heard the voice of the Supreme God!¡± It seemed that although Laga had said before that the servants in the capital weren¡¯t favorable towards Liv, their attitudes had all changed in that one moment. People¡¯s hearts were truly fickle. ¡°Madam, would you like to bathe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was a small bathroom attached to the room. Laga filled the bathtub with warm water, sprinkled fragrant oils, and even floated flower petals on top. When Liv naturally tried to wash herself alone, Laga waved her hand. ¡°Oh? I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more comfortable alone.¡± ¡°Just for today, I must help you!¡± Was it because it was Liv¡¯s first day entering the Lartman mansion? Guessing the reason roughly, Liv received Laga¡¯s care while immersed in the bathtub. After finishing the bath, Laga carefully applied fragrance to Liv¡¯s hair. The touch of drying her hair felt good. As her body relaxed, drowsiness began to set in. Liv started nodding off while sitting on the bed. After receiving Laga¡¯s help dressing with her eyes half-closed, Liv threw herself onto the bed. ¡°Madam, you need to get up.¡± ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°The Duke will be waiting.¡± ¡°Why?¡± When Liv asked again, still not understanding, Laga continued in a voice that seemed rather flustered. ¡°Well, tonight is the wedding night...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± At those words, her drowsiness fled and her eyes snapped open. Liv hurriedly sat up in bed. ¡°What did you say?¡± Liv then realized she was wearing a semi-transparent white negligee. Compared to her usual sleepwear, it seemed a bit... purposeful. As Liv was flustered and just opening and closing her mouth, Laga carefully asked while looking at Liv. ¡°You didn¡¯t think about it?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Liv had only focused on the fact of ¡®marrying¡¯ Emmett, but hadn¡¯t thought about what would happen after getting married! Emmett had now become Liv¡¯s husband, Liv would spend the night with him, and they would soon have children... Realizing this fact, Liv¡¯s face turned red. At the same time, her mind started racing. ¡®But Emmett doesn¡¯t love me.¡¯ Is it okay to spend the night and have children even though he doesn¡¯t love her? Of course, Liv was no longer completely innocent and knew that men sometimes do that... But Emmett might also not want to have relations with her, so she should hear his opinion first. ¡®Yes, I need to meet him first...¡¯ However, thinking about meeting Emmett in this attire made her face feel hot again. Strangely, her body seemed to be heating up too, and her lips felt parched. ¡°Madam, shall we go?¡± ¡°Y-yes...¡± When Laga opened a door in the corner of the room, a passage appeared. ¡°Your room is connected to the couple¡¯s bedroom.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Laga bowed to Liv and then closed the door behind her. At the end of the passage, a door presumed to be the couple¡¯s bedroom could be seen. Liv took a deep breath in front of it for a moment, then slowly opened the door. Chapter 82 ¡°Ah...¡± As soon as she opened the door, Liv¡¯s eyes met Emmett¡¯s, who was sitting in comfortable clothes. His hair was slightly damp as if he had just dried it. Seeing him in such a relaxed state for the first time made Liv feel strange somehow. As Liv froze, unable to enter the room, Emmett approached her. ¡°Liv, come in.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Liv tried to naturally cover her see-through clothes, but it didn¡¯t look very natural. Unable to meet Emmett¡¯s eyes, she just stared at a corner of the room and quietly sat down on the edge of the large bed. ¡°A-aren¡¯t you sleepy?¡± ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°Yes... I almost fell asleep while bathing earlier.¡± As Emmett sat down right next to Liv, she felt her body getting hotter. She couldn¡¯t understand why she was feeling this way. Strangely, even the gods who usually gave her answers were silent now. No, they seemed to have disappeared completely from her side, as if they had no presence at all. ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No, should I call you wife now?¡± The feeling got stranger and stranger. It felt like everything was unreal, as if she was dreaming. ¡°Do as you like...¡± Liv married Emmett. Emmett is now Liv¡¯s husband. This fact made Liv unable to come to her senses. The big event of revealing her power in front of everyone today had already disappeared from her mind. ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...For noble couples to have their marriage recognized, they need to submit the bloodstained bedsheet from the wedding night to the temple.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of that, I can take care of it.¡± As Emmett said this and opened a drawer, a small dagger appeared. When he tried to use it to cut his own hand, Liv grabbed his hand in surprise. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± At those words, Liv was reminded once again of their situation. The elated feeling as if she had flown up to the sky disappeared, and she felt like her body was falling into a deep place. ¡°I guess that¡¯s what we should do. If you don¡¯t want to become a real couple with me.¡± She didn¡¯t mean to say it like that, but somehow feeling wronged, sharp words came out. At those words, Emmett, who had put the knife back on the drawer, turned his head to look at Liv. ¡°Liv, can I really... become a real couple with you? You sound like you really want that, or am I mistaken?¡± ¡°You know. That I love you.¡± ¡°...I thought I didn¡¯t have the right to touch your body. Are you really not averse to it?¡± Flustered by those words, Liv avoided his gaze and answered. ¡°How could I be...¡± ¡°It was unimaginable. I...¡± Emmett mumbled something incomprehensible, then spoke to Liv in a languid voice. ¡°Since you said so, I¡¯ll think that you want me too.¡± Liv nodded as if enchanted. Then Emmett gently wrapped his arms around Liv¡¯s waist and lowered her onto the bed. Liv¡¯s eyes widened as she suddenly found herself looking up at Emmett from beneath him. As his face came closer, Liv became flustered and closed her eyes... Their lips met. As their lips parted, something hot pushed its way in. Despite the unfamiliar situation, it wasn¡¯t difficult to accept. She felt his tongue enveloping hers, which had been stiff, and as the tension eased, Liv was able to move a little too. Only after their lips separated did Liv face Emmett again, looking down at her. ¡°Haa...¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± He looked at Liv quietly, then this time pressed his lips to her neck. Liv flinched at the strange and hot sensation on her neck. Somehow her body felt unbearably itchy. Her lower abdomen seemed to ache with a tingling sensation. Before she knew it, Liv was strongly holding onto the back of Emmett¡¯s neck without realizing it. His hand went down, brushing near her thigh, and grabbed the negligee. The clothes rolled up. Liv could pride herself on not knowing much about shame, but when the negligee rolled up to the top, she couldn¡¯t bear the embarrassment. She unconsciously turned her body to the side to avoid Emmett¡¯s eyes, but his hands turned Liv¡¯s body back to face the ceiling. ¡°Raise your arms.¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± Although Liv made a sound as if protesting, her plea was not heeded. As her arms went up, the negligee came off Liv¡¯s body completely. Emmett threw the negligee off the bed without even looking at it, and this time brought his lips lower than her neck. ¡°Ah!¡± Liv cried out in surprise, but he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of stopping. Meanwhile, his hand was moving downward. Liv was a bit dazed by the sensation she was feeling for the first time in her life. But as his touch continued, Liv had to squeeze her eyes shut and grip the blanket. ¡°No... is this right?¡± She had heard explanations about sexual intercourse between men and women from the gods. But the actual experience was much more embarrassing and ticklish than Liv had imagined. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no right answer.¡± Emmett, who had been hesitating as if unsure how to treat Liv just moments ago, was now eagerly desiring her without hesitation. A moment later, when tears formed in Liv¡¯s eyes, Emmett started to take off his clothes. Now it became unbearably embarrassing, so Liv pulled the blanket to cover her face. However, Emmett reached out and removed the blanket from Liv¡¯s face. ¡°You should watch closely.¡± ¡°Why...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to look?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that...¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you at least see your husband¡¯s body?¡± When he was completely undressed, Liv briefly considered insisting that it couldn¡¯t be done today. She couldn¡¯t bear this somehow embarrassing feeling. But it was already too late, and soon as pleasure and pain rushed in simultaneously, Liv bit her lip hard and said: ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I can... I don¡¯t think I can today...¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s almost done.¡± ¡°Uh, no...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Liv. Relax.¡± He said ¡®it¡¯s almost done¡¯ about five times after that, so Liv felt her trust in him diminish a little. ¡°It¡¯s deep, it¡¯s deep...¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Is this okay? This doesn¡¯t seem right...¡± Liv spoke with a trembling voice, but Emmett slowly started to move his body. Once again, there was a time of trying to endure the pain. ¡°Ah, wait...¡± After pleading with Emmett several times, Liv realized that she now felt more pleasure than pain. Finally, she reached out and hugged him around the neck. Whenever the occasional contact of bodies felt too embarrassing and her voice grew louder, Liv tried to cover her mouth, but Emmett silently removed her hand each time. Emmett looking down at Liv had an expression she had never seen before. With his face flushed red and biting his lip, he looked like he was trying to hold back pleasure. He seemed to be feeling the same as Liv. ¡°Huu...¡± ¡°Mmm, Emmett.¡± Even as her body shook, Liv met his eyes and smiled broadly. ¡°I love you...¡± Of course, Emmett didn¡¯t answer those words. But after hearing them, he just bit his lip hard and embraced her more tightly. * * * ¡°Mmm...¡± When she woke up in the morning, Liv realized her whole body was stiff. No, was it right to say she had fallen asleep in the first place? Because they had stayed up almost all night, Liv¡¯s sense of time was completely lost. Liv realized she was trapped in Emmett¡¯s arms. She tried to escape, but his arms held her firmly and wouldn¡¯t let go. Finally, Liv gave up trying to get out and turned her head to look at Emmett¡¯s face. It was also the first time seeing him sleeping like this. Emmett must have seen Liv sleeping in Abgrund. Liv recalled her wedding night again. Yes, honestly, Liv liked that ticklish sensation. She also liked being naked, feeling each other¡¯s body heat while embracing. The wedding night was much better than what Hildegard had secretly whispered about. However, Emmett didn¡¯t tell Liv he loved her. ¡®It¡¯s okay... This is what I was prepared for.¡¯ She thought he wouldn¡¯t even want to spend the wedding night with her, so it was surprising that he had fulfilled his duty like this. Liv hoped that the wedding night would be a good memory for Emmett too, but unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem likely. How could it be a good memory to have relations with a woman he doesn¡¯t love? ¡®Be selfish, Liv...¡¯ She could ignore his happiness and just be happy like this. But that was difficult for Liv. At that moment, Emmett¡¯s eyelids slowly opened, revealing gray eyes. ¡°...Liv, are you awake?¡± At his voice, seemingly drunk with sleep, Liv smiled brightly and answered. ¡°Yes, good morning.¡± Still, let¡¯s just think about the present for now. Since divorce is also forbidden in the Holy Hilysid Empire, even if Emmett finds someone he truly loves later, he won¡¯t abandon Liv. It might be very miserable... but until Emmett speaks of an end, they are a married couple no matter what anyone says. Liv decided to bury all the worries rising in her mind. * * * ¡°Liv Hamelsvoort...¡± After the wedding ended and returning to the imperial palace, Imperial Princess Louisa muttered Liv¡¯s name with a pale face. She had no mind to attend the reception with others. ¡°What should I do...¡± If she tells her father that Liv Hamelsvoort receives God¡¯s love, he will be greatly angered. He has hated the Supreme God of the Holy Church and the Saintess from before. He didn¡¯t pay attention because Hildegard Hamelsvoort, who was said to be a Saintess, was an insignificant, overly gentle woman, but Liv Hamelsvoort, no, Liv Lartman is different. She had to become the Duchess of Lartman. Although everyone doubts the relationship between the Duke and Duchess, honestly speaking, when Louisa saw the Duke¡¯s eyes, he seemed to love Liv Hamelsvoort. Anyway, if her father tries to touch the Duchess of Lartman, there might be a clash between the imperial family and Duke Lartman then. Louisa didn¡¯t even want to imagine what kind of catastrophe would unfold then. Louisa didn¡¯t want to see the imperial palace turned upside down. If her father became angry, she, living in the imperial palace, would also be harmed. So... ¡°Aha.¡± Louisa smiled brightly as she thought of a good method. Before her father becomes angry, Louisa would deal with the Duchess of Lartman first. It would have been best to act before she became a Duchess, but given the situation, the sooner she acted, the better. She would have to act secretly, in a way that Duke Lartman couldn¡¯t dare to question the Emperor. ¡°Let¡¯s kill her.¡± If she kills her cleanly, without anyone knowing, in a way that the culprit can¡¯t be found, the problem will be solved. Since Louisa can use ancient magic, it might not be difficult. After finishing that thought, Louisa smiled faintly. Her headache seemed to ease a bit. Others might think of Louisa as a ¡®sickly and pitiful imperial princess exploited under the Emperor¡¯, but Louisa was satisfied with her current life. The life of the only imperial princess who would surely inherit the Emperor¡¯s position. Louisa had learned many things from her father. For example, how cruel one can be to enemies. And if someone appeared to disrupt her peaceful life, Louisa intended to act as she had learned from her father. Chapter 83 7. The Real Saintess Located in the center of Bygen, the capital of the Holy Hilysid Empire, boasting the largest scale in the Empire, and overseeing all temples in the Empire. The Haikan Spirit Temple. Priests with graying beards sat around a long table. A heavy silence hung in the Garcia Room, where priests gathered when there were important matters. ¡°Well, then...¡± The priest who had just returned from the Lartman and Hamelsvoort wedding broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. I truly heard the Supreme God¡¯s voice there. It was truly glorious. It was a holy voice that humans could never imagine, one that sanctifies just by hearing it.¡± ¡°If it was really the Supreme God¡¯s voice, of course it would be.¡± ¡°Then, white flower petals fluttered from the sky. It was an incomparably beautiful sight.¡± ¡°Hmm... Even though it¡¯s Priest Otto¡¯s testimony, it¡¯s hard to trust, but since everyone who participated there is saying the same thing, we have no choice but to believe it.¡± ¡°Unless they all had a collective hallucination, that must be true.¡± ¡°This really confirms it. With such clear evidence, we can¡¯t deny it.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Liv Hamelsvoort truly receives God¡¯s love. Ah, now it¡¯s Mrs. Liv Lartman.¡± As the conclusion was drawn, the priests¡¯ eyes turned to the High Priest sitting at the head of the table. ¡°High Priest, what do you think?¡± The face of the one called High Priest showed clear traces of age. But his eyes emitted an intense presence that wouldn¡¯t lose to a wild beast. ¡°...You seem to have already found the answer.¡± ¡°Your opinion might be different, High Priest. Besides, Mrs. Liv Lartman was controversial as a fake Saintess...¡± ¡°That could have been due to our misinterpretation as well. Of course, if so, we would have made a big mistake...¡± The High Priest was silent for a moment, then opened his mouth. ¡°There have been many testimonies about Mrs. Liv Lartman, so the answer is clear now.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°I think Mrs. Liv Lartman receives God¡¯s love.¡± At those words, a strange light appeared in the priests¡¯ eyes. God¡¯s love was another proof of the existence of the Supreme God they believed in. ¡°But there¡¯s a separate problem. Is she a Saintess or not?¡± ¡°If she receives so much attention from God, she must be a Saintess, right?¡± ¡°What do you think about Lady Hildegard who uses holy power?¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s unprecedented to have two Saintesses at the same time. But the Supreme God might have specially given this country two Saintesses for...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s think about it.¡± The High Priest spoke in a subdued voice. ¡°Rather than assuming that something unprecedented suddenly happened in this generation... let¡¯s assume that Mrs. Liv Lartman truly only receives God¡¯s love, but is not a Saintess.¡± ¡°But such a thing has never happened... Ah.¡± The faces of the priests who realized something turned pale. Something everyone knew but had been ignoring until now. ¡°The Gracia family has received God¡¯s love until now, but no one called them Saintesses or holy people.¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t the Gracia family been exterminated?¡± When the Gracia family was exterminated and the Steinberg family became the new imperial family, the temple strongly opposed. How could a family not chosen by God reign as Emperor? But the Gracia family had few descendants and no collateral branches, and the only distant blood relatives found were a sick old man and a newborn baby. Taking advantage of the disagreement among the priests, the Steinberg family used their power to become the imperial family. Of course, after that, the Steinberg family also held events regularly and showed miracles as evidence of receiving God¡¯s love to be mindful of the temple faction, but within the temple, there were cautious whispers that this might be using ancient magic. Some priests had even planned to oust the Emperor, but they were eventually discovered by ¡®Tyrant August¡¯ and lost their lives. Under the Emperor, who was more hardline than ever, the temple faction was losing power day by day and remained silent. ¡°Well, maybe we don¡¯t know.¡± Soon, the High Priest made a statement that could knock everyone there off their feet. ¡°The Supreme God might have chosen a new imperial family.¡± ¡°High Priest, such words...¡± ¡°Why, did I say something I shouldn¡¯t have?¡± As they anxiously looked at each other, the High Priest continued. ¡°For now, we should call the Saintess and hear the detailed story.¡± * * * ¡°Saintess.¡± Hildegard, who arrived at the Garcia Room, sat at the head of the table with a nervous face. The temple treated Hildegard even more reverently than the High Priest, but Hildegard, originally from the slums, found this awkward. She had somewhat adapted to the social circles of those haughty nobles, but the priests living ascetic and strict lives were different from the nobles and had their own difficult aspects. ¡°We heard you attended the wedding of the Lartman ducal family and the Hamelsvoort count family.¡± ¡°...Yes, I saw a miracle there.¡± The reason they called Hildegard was indeed as she had guessed. ¡°It was the same as the Supreme God¡¯s voice I had heard before.¡± ¡°Oh, as expected...!¡± The priests rejoiced at those words, then asked in a gloomy voice again. ¡°Then what do you think Mrs. Liv Lartman is? Another Saintess? Or...¡± ¡°...A candidate for Emperor?¡± ¡°My goodness.¡± Hildegard covered her mouth in surprise at the High Priest¡¯s bold words. She was also one of those who feared Tyrant August. But she didn¡¯t expect people to think of using Liv¡¯s power politically so soon. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a groundless claim, but if such talk arose, Liv would be in danger. However, Hildegard couldn¡¯t dare tell the truth. If she said that Liv received the love of all gods, it would be blasphemy. So she should say that Liv only receives the love of the Supreme God, but... ¡®What exactly is Sister Liv?¡¯ It was still difficult to fully understand even after directly experiencing divine punishment. She didn¡¯t know either, so Hildegard tilted her head. Why did Liv come to receive the gods¡¯ love? ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know that either. I only know that Mrs. Liv is someone who receives the Supreme God¡¯s love, separate from being a Saintess.¡± Thinking this much should be okay to say, Hildegard added. ¡°The Supreme God told me. That He won¡¯t give Mrs. Liv the troubleso... I mean, the burdensome position of Saintess.¡± ¡°Why would the Saintess...¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the position of Saintess comes with heavy responsibility. The most important virtue of a Saintess is devotion. The Supreme God doesn¡¯t want Mrs. Liv to bear such responsibility.¡± ¡°To think the Supreme God¡¯s love for Mrs. Lartman is so deep...¡± The priests nodded, then spoke with still dark faces. ¡°Then it seems our guess is correct.¡± ¡°What? What...¡± ¡°Mrs. Liv Hamelsvoort might be a new... to succeed the Gracia family...¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± Hildegard looked around in surprise, and only then did the priests seem to come to their senses and close their mouths. They returned with shameless faces as if they hadn¡¯t said anything. ¡°In any case, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we have made a big mistake towards Mrs. Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s right. After the temple officially treated Mrs. Liv as a fake Saintess, she went through many difficulties in various ways.¡± Hildegard recalled when the temple had made its statement just as she had become a Saintess. -We had been believing in a fake Saintess, but fortunately, by the will of the Supreme God, we were able to find the true Saintess. Here is Saintess Hildegard Hamelsvoort, who received the revelation of the Supreme God! Hildegard remembers the expression Liv had on her face below the platform at that time. It was like that of a young child learning loss for the first time... At that moment, breaking her reverie, one of the priests spoke up. ¡°Anyway, shouldn¡¯t we confirm for ourselves whether she has God¡¯s power?¡± ¡°Priest Jakob...¡± Hildegard recognized the priest who said this and looked slightly puzzled. As far as she knew, Priest Jakob was one of those most hostile to Liv. He often criticized the fake Saintess in front of Hildegard. ¡®It seems his intentions are not pure.¡¯ However, the others didn¡¯t seem to notice Jakob¡¯s intentions, and they all nodded. ¡°Yes, it would be good if she could show us that blessed power.¡± ¡°She will need the temple¡¯s recognition anyway, so she should go through the proper procedures.¡± When they decided to visit Liv, Hildegard could only pray that everything would turn out well. * * * The entrance of the Lartman mansion was noisy. It was natural for the mansion to be noisy as many nobles had been sending gifts since their wedding, but today was not because of that reason. Those standing at the entrance of the Lartman mansion were clearly dressed as priests to anyone who saw them. As Laga stood in front of them to relay that Liv would be coming soon, they bowed their heads politely. ¡°We are from the temple to see Mrs. Liv Lartman.¡± ¡°The madam is just coming down...¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Those who had mistaken Laga, with her rare white hair, for Liv looked flustered and quickly approached Liv, who had just come down the stairs. Liv quietly looked at the people dressed in white standing in front of her. They all had sparkling eyes as they looked at Liv. Middle-aged men making such expressions was somehow... their overly enthusiastic aura felt burdensome. ¡°We have heard much about the miracle Mrs. Liv Lartman performed at the wedding. As faithful servants of the Holy Church serving the Supreme God, we ask to see that power once again.¡± ¡°Please.¡± They were showing a completely different attitude from when they had driven Liv out of the temple before. In front of such people, Liv felt like she might mistakenly think she had become too precious. Chapter 84 ¡®...It¡¯s changed again.¡¯ With just the fact that Liv had God¡¯s power, all the humans around Liv were showing completely different attitudes towards her. The Hamelsvoort couple sent Liv detailed letters and gifts, and invitations from noble ladies flew in every day. And now even the temple had come to see her directly. The change in people¡¯s reactions was unfamiliar, but it couldn¡¯t be seen as entirely bad. It¡¯s natural for humans to evaluate each other¡¯s worth and act accordingly. So Liv asked with a composed face, without showing aversion to them. ¡°What kind of power do you want?¡± ¡°We want to see with our own eyes the power that one who receives the Supreme God¡¯s love should be able to use. For example, healing the sick.¡± It was a statement befitting believers of the Holy Church, which emphasizes love for the weak. Liv was silent for a moment, then stared at them and asked. Hmm, could she be a bit more assertive here? ¡°Are you trying to test my power?¡± ¡°N-no, that¡¯s not it!¡± The priests hurriedly waved their hands. ¡°We just want to experience a miracle as servants of the Supreme God.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± At that moment, one priest among those who seemed submissive to Liv opened his mouth. ¡°A test... I suppose you could call it that in a way.¡± ¡°Priest Jakob!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious how Liv Hamelsvoort, who had no power until just a year ago, came to have power... Ugh!¡± At that moment, suddenly Priest Jakob fell backwards and collapsed on the floor. The surprised priests shook his body, but he didn¡¯t get up. He had fainted. ¡°...¡± Now everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on Liv. ¡°...Hmm.¡± Liv blinked at the unexpected situation. She hadn¡¯t exerted her power just now. My child, you can easily use power on those who follow me. It¡¯s not difficult to handle them. The gods usually didn¡¯t intervene much in Liv¡¯s affairs, but the ¡®Supreme God¡¯ of the Holy Church didn¡¯t seem to like how his priests were treating Liv. Seeing Priest Jakob fall, the priests had now stepped back. Their eyes shone as they looked at Liv. ¡°Oh... This is the power of the Supreme God!¡± ¡°The Supreme God must have punished him!¡± ¡°Truly... the Supreme God is watching over us!¡± They didn¡¯t seem surprised by the fact that a priest had collapsed. Rather, they seemed impressed by the fact that it was a trace of God. ¡°You really do receive the Supreme God¡¯s love.¡± One of the priests said in a moved voice. ¡°We apologize for Priest Jakob¡¯s disrespectful attitude. How dare we try to fathom the Supreme God¡¯s will? If the Supreme God loves Mrs. Lartman, that must be true.¡± He added, pointing to the fallen priest. ¡°Mrs. Lartman has shown us evidence like this before our eyes.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°But many people who don¡¯t know the truth yet are confused. Therefore, we want Mrs. Lartman to show her power in front of people.¡± ¡°In front of people?¡± ¡°Yes, we want Mrs. Lartman to be in the place where she should be... Anyway, we want her to be recognized by people.¡± At those words, Liv fell into thought for a moment. She was still afraid of the Emperor and reluctant to be officially recognized for her power by people. But having revealed her power once, there was no place to retreat anymore. Then Emmett, who had been watching Liv and the priests from behind, came forward and wrapped his arm around Liv¡¯s waist as if to protect her. Liv instinctively flinched at his touch. ¡°Liv, you can refuse if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s entirely your freedom to prove your power.¡± Saying this while looking at the priests, Emmett looked as if he would drive them out immediately if they tried to force Liv. The priests avoided his gaze. Everyone knew that Duke Lartman was on the Emperor¡¯s side, so they didn¡¯t like the Lartman family either, but they didn¡¯t have the power to rebel. They had already shed much blood in a clash with the Emperor long ago... The fact that the Hamelsvoort family, which had produced Saintesses for generations, had united with the Lartman family meant they would compromise with the Emperor to some extent, so currently there were no noble families to support the temple. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Liv shook her head at Emmett¡¯s words that she could refuse. ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ll have to do someday. I¡¯ll show you my power.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The fear of Emmett disappeared from the priests¡¯ faces, and they instantly looked at Liv with excited expressions. ¡°But I¡¯m not a Saintess, and I can¡¯t use altruistic powers like helping others. Of course, it¡¯s not entirely impossible, but...¡± ¡®Real divine power¡¯ wasn¡¯t about healing wounds or defeating plagues. The power of the god Lufasha that Liv used only made things happen that humans couldn¡¯t possibly handle. ¡°Just showing your power is enough. We can¡¯t let you use sacred abilities just anywhere, we¡¯ll prepare a ceremony.¡± ¡°Mrs. Lartman, when would be good?¡± ¡°I think the soonest date possible would be best to quell people¡¯s confusion.¡± Anyway, Liv needed time to prepare mentally. Considering that... ¡°A week from now.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll prepare for then.¡± The priests politely greeted Liv, then left the Lartman mansion, taking care of the fainted Priest Jakob. ¡°Liv, are you really okay with this?¡± Emmett asked, not loosening his arm around Liv, and Liv answered, meeting his eyes. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really okay. I can¡¯t hide forever anyway...¡± The sensation of people looking up to her was unfamiliar, but not bad. Although it was still ambiguous exactly what emotion it was, Liv felt that if she experienced that situation again, she would know what that feeling was. Even if she was afraid of the Emperor, she couldn¡¯t live forever killing her presence and living as a shadow. Now the problem was what power to show in front of people. Even amidst this, the gods were noisily murmuring in Liv¡¯s mind. Child, we¡¯ll show you a miracle. We can make things happen that humans can¡¯t even imagine. ¡°Emmett, I¡¯m going to talk to the gods for a moment.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After entering her room, Liv sat on the bed. The gods always did things regardless of Liv¡¯s will. Thinking of what they had done claiming it was for her, she should ask in advance what power they could lend. ¡°What kind of power are you going to use?¡± We can make anything happen for you. We can make two suns appear in the sky, make the sun disappear, or make golden clouds appear. I will part the sea in two. I¡¯ll send down angels blowing trumpets. How about passing judgment on sinners? Those were all excessive ¡®miracles¡¯ that would only appear in scriptures. If Liv used that level of power, the people of the Holy Hilysid Empire, more devout than any other country, might even enthrone Liv as the new Emperor. Then she would have to fight the Emperor and shed blood. ¡°But I might lose my life to the Emperor?¡± We can¡¯t directly harm him, but we can prevent him from harming you. And you can become the new Emperor. ¡°I don¡¯t want to become Emperor.¡± It felt good to have people look up to her, but even so, Liv had no desire to rise to a high position and enjoy power. All she needed was only Emmett, that was all. But wasn¡¯t revealing your power at the wedding intending to become Emperor? ¡°That was just...¡± Liv answered in a low voice. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want my love to be insulted.¡± Liv wanted her love for Emmett to be more sacred than anything else. She didn¡¯t like others sullying that love. Moreover, people often disparaged Emmett just for being with Liv. Liv couldn¡¯t stand by and watch that. Then in what direction do you want to use your power, child? ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡± How could she use her power to gain people¡¯s recognition while not making the Emperor wary of her? That was Liv¡¯s concern. At that moment, she heard someone knocking on the door. ¡°Liv, may I come in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Emmett, who entered after opening the door, sat in the chair opposite Liv. ¡°I think I need to go see His Majesty the Emperor. I received an order to enter the palace.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Liv¡¯s face darkened as she realized why he was going to meet the Emperor. The Emperor must have heard what happened at the wedding too. ¡°Is it okay? Don¡¯t I need to go with you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s safer for you to stay here.¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Emmett had a more resolute expression than ever. Yet he seemed to hesitate about something. ¡°Liv, if I don¡¯t come back...¡± ¡°...I know what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Liv opened her mouth with a stiff expression. She had vowed to do anything for Emmett, but that didn¡¯t mean she would grant all his requests. ¡°If that happens, I¡¯ll take my own life and turn back time once more.¡± ¡°Liv...!¡± ¡°So come back alive.¡± Emmett couldn¡¯t answer that, then carefully continued. ¡°...Still, His Majesty the Emperor won¡¯t do anything to me right away. He¡¯ll have to observe the situation for now.¡± ¡°Yes, so you must return safely.¡± Even as she saw Emmett off at the entrance, watching him get into the carriage, Liv was anxious. She just hoped that nothing would happen to them, and that they could continue to live together like this. Chapter 85 Emmett¡¯s knees were touching the cold marble of the Sun Room. Next to him, he could see the bloodied corpse of a servant whose breath had ceased. ¡®He seems to be in a bad mood.¡¯ August would vent his anger on servants like this whenever he was even slightly displeased. When even the servants who had applied to the imperial palace for money began to run away every night, unable to endure the Emperor¡¯s tyranny, the soldiers strengthened their guard even more thoroughly to prevent their escape. As a result, the imperial palace inevitably became a prison filled with people who had been brought in with their lives mortgaged for money. There was even a saying that the soldiers in Bysight Palace existed to prevent internal fugitives rather than external intruders. While he was silent, August¡¯s voice finally fell from above. ¡°So, did you finish the wedding safely?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± It was August¡¯s habit to start with other topics before getting to the main point. It was also proof that he was maintaining at least minimal rationality. ¡°Did you have a good wedding night?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although he felt disgusted by August¡¯s snickering laughter, Emmett suppressed his anger and answered. Patience was his greatest weapon. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve fallen for a young and pretty woman in the end...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, an innocent and obedient woman is better than haughty nobles. What does it matter if her status is low?¡± Emmett just kept his eyes down, trying to let August¡¯s words go in one ear and out the other. ¡°She has nothing, so there¡¯s no worry about her cheating.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Shall I tell you how to capture its heart completely? A way to make it never leave you.¡± At those words, Emmett raised his head, and August continued with a smirk. His eyes were so unpleasant that one might think he was drunk at first glance, but August never drank during the day. ¡°After all, she¡¯s just a fake Saintess from the slums, so she¡¯ll be completely rejected by the nobles. The only protection she has is the Hamelsvoort family and you.¡± There was somehow a sinister malice in August¡¯s voice as he said this. ¡°So if the Hamelsvoort family disappears, she¡¯ll have to rely completely on you.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Yes, how about this?¡± August tapped the armrest with his large hand and said: ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll kill the Hamelsvoort Count and Countess for you. They¡¯ve been irritating me anyway. The sight of them worshipping that formless thing called the Supreme God...¡± ¡°What are you...¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t understand?¡± August seemed pleased by Emmett¡¯s confused appearance. ¡°To capture the affection of a young thing, you must kill its parents. Without the Hamelsvoort Count and Countess, your fiance is nothing.¡± At those words, Emmett stopped breathing for a moment. How could a person possibly come up with such an idea? He felt his teeth chattering, but Emmett continued as naturally as possible, trying not to show it. ¡°...My wife isn¡¯t loved by the Hamelsvoort couple anyway. She already has no one to rely on but me, so Your Majesty doesn¡¯t need to worry.¡± It was an attempt to divert August¡¯s attention as much as possible. ¡°Hmm, well, she¡¯s been called a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯ for a long time, right? The Hamelsvoort family would be even more disgusted. Then you¡¯ve already brought in the best bride.¡± August¡¯s eyes sharpened as if recalling something. ¡°I should have brought in such a bride early on. If I had, there would be an Empress in the Empire now.¡± The Empress had lost her life to illness when Imperial Princess Louisa was young. According to the law that one cannot remarry if there is a child, August couldn¡¯t bring in a new Empress after that. But his words seemed to imply that there was something else to the Empress¡¯s death. ¡®I heard that Her Majesty the Empress wasn¡¯t of a submissive nature.¡¯ Then is it possible that August poisoned the Empress who went against his will? His mind became complicated, but Emmett tried to erase it from his mind. Finally, the main point came out of August¡¯s mouth. ¡°I hear your wife showed a miracle at the wedding.¡± ¡°...Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that fact in advance? It¡¯s surprising that you¡¯ve started to hide things from me. Well, have you grown that much now...¡± From those words, Emmett realized that August had now begun to doubt him. It was not a good sign. ¡°I knew my wife was sensitive to divine energy, but I didn¡¯t know she received God¡¯s love.¡± ¡°¡®Receiving God¡¯s love¡¯... That¡¯s an interesting phrase.¡± August smiled faintly, then threw the dagger in his hand behind Emmett. Thud! The dagger stuck into the wall with a sound. But Emmett remained kneeling in his place without moving. ¡°Your Majesty, my wife will be of great help to you.¡± Emmett lowered his posture and said, trying not to offend him. ¡°While those temple people are going against Your Majesty¡¯s will at every turn, my wife and I promise to stand by Your Majesty¡¯s side to the end.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, the temple...¡± August seemed to be thinking about something. Meanwhile, Emmett recalled that Liv had agreed to show her power in front of everyone soon. When that time comes, August would eventually realize that they had sided with the temple, so this was essentially a lie with an expiration date. But for now, he needed to buy even a little time... ¡°Then can your wife use her power at will? As you know, there¡¯s a water purification ceremony soon.¡± ¡°No, my wife doesn¡¯t have such abilities. My wife has no power she can use at will. Only the Supreme God bestows blessings according to the right time.¡± ¡°I doubt whether I should believe those words.¡± ¡°My loyalty is the only thing Your Majesty can trust.¡± As Emmett prostrated himself with his forehead touching the floor while saying this, August finally erased his murderous intent towards Emmett. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let it go this time. I have to prepare ancient magic, there¡¯s so much to prepare...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report to Your Majesty immediately if I find another relic.¡± August, seeming to have lost interest, signaled Emmett to withdraw. But Emmett knew that he could change his mind and touch Liv at any time. Rather, it was more ominous that August didn¡¯t act right away, because he had a habit of saving interesting toys for later. His mind was so complicated. He had to protect Liv. But besides that, another thing that disturbed his mind was... -To capture the affection of a young thing, you must kill its parents. Emmett¡¯s expression froze coldly as he left the Sun Room. When he heard those words, Emmett felt a sense of deja vu. Because it seemed to imply the relationship between the Emperor and himself. After the death of the previous Duke and Duchess, Emmett had relied on the Emperor more than anyone else. The Emperor was the only one who helped Emmett when he was still young. But... ¡®...What if there was a real culprit?¡¯ What if the Emperor intentionally killed the previous Lartman Duke and Duchess to gain Emmett¡¯s loyalty? They died in a carriage accident. And at that time, the culprit was revealed to be one of the collateral branches of the Ducal family, but... In fact, that too might have been orchestrated by the Emperor. Emmett, who maintained a stiff expression all the way back to the Lartman mansion, immediately ordered the butler. ¡°Contact Philip and tell him to reinvestigate the death of the previous Lartman Duke and Duchess.¡± ¡°What? What do you... Wasn¡¯t the truth already revealed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s uncertain. Check if the collateral branch that staged the crime... might have been bribed.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± The butler seemed to question Emmett¡¯s words, but for now, he faithfully followed Emmett¡¯s orders. ¡°And...¡± Emmett added hesitantly. ¡°The fact that I¡¯m investigating must not reach anyone else¡¯s ears. Especially not His Majesty the Emperor.¡± The butler¡¯s face also turned pale as he realized the meaning of those words. It was time to confirm the truth that they might have been unaware of for years. * * * ¡°Madam, a letter has arrived.¡± [To Mrs. Liv Lartman, From Elena Luther.] ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Liv examined the envelope of the letter that had come to her. The only person who would send her letters was Emmett at best, so who could this letter be from? ¡°Luther, Luther...¡± It somehow seemed like a familiar surname. As Liv was searching her memory, Hildegard, who had come to visit the Lartman mansion, tilted her head. These days, noble young ladies were sending invitations to Hildegard instead of directly inviting Liv, and Hildegard, who was buried in invitations, was coming to the Lartman mansion almost like escaping every afternoon. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is the sender of the letter someone you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Yes, someone named Elena Luther.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± At those words, Hildegard seemed to realize something and hit her palm with her fist. When Liv looked at Hildegard with eyes demanding an explanation, she opened her mouth. ¡°She¡¯s a young lady from a family famous for being devout. I know that family has produced a huge number of theologians.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Come to think of it, she seemed to have heard the name ¡®Luther¡¯ at a banquet too. However, the fact that Liv didn¡¯t know her well meant that she didn¡¯t wield much power in noble circles. Most influential young ladies, including Zibel, had criticized and attacked Liv. And Liv could guess why she had sent her a letter. Being from a devout family, she probably wanted to meet Liv. Chapter 86 When she opened the envelope, it contained, as Liv expected, an invitation to a tea party. ¡®A tea party...¡¯ The content of the letter was polite and courteous, but now that Liv had shown her power to everyone, all the letters coming to her could only be filled with good content. ¡°I received that letter too.¡± Hildegard said, shrugging her shoulders, so Liv pondered for a moment. Would it be good to go to this tea party? She wanted to go since it was an invitation she had received after a long time, but it seemed troublesome if she kept asking about the Supreme God. Towards Liv, who was pondering, Hildegard said: ¡°It won¡¯t be bad. Miss Luther didn¡¯t bully you from the beginning. I heard she¡¯s of an upright nature.¡± ¡°Really? Does she have a good reputation?¡± ¡°They just say she¡¯s very Luther-like. The Luther family is a family of theologians, so in the end, it must be with good intentions, right?¡± ¡°Hilda, do you think I should go there?¡± ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t go anywhere and rather make people anxious... But if you must go, this seems better. It¡¯s better to go with someone who had no connection from the beginning than with those who suddenly changed their attitude after bullying you. Anyway, you¡¯ll have to return to social circles someday, and Miss Luther seems like a good choice.¡± Persuaded by Hildegard¡¯s words, Liv decided to go to this tea party. Liv also wanted to get along well with other people. She wanted to build friendships with new people, not the noble young ladies who had bullied her. The experience of mingling with young ladies in the Lartman territory remained a special and good memory in Liv¡¯s mind. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Really? Then I should go with you.¡± Liv considered asking Emmett, but it seemed that Emmett wouldn¡¯t interfere with whatever decision Liv made. And for some reason, he seemed busy these days. ¡®Of course, he¡¯s still fulfilling his duties...¡¯ The night that was supposed to end in a day continued on. Whenever Liv felt overwhelmed, Emmett apologized but didn¡¯t stop. Emmett, who answered that this was a couple¡¯s duty, somehow seemed to be enjoying it, making it difficult for Liv to guess his true feelings. ¡°Sister, you¡¯ll write a reply, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah.¡± So the two wrote a reply saying they would attend the tea party. The letters became distorted as Emmett kept lingering in a corner of her mind, but there was no time to worry about such things. * * * When they arrived at the Luther mansion on the day of the tea party, what Liv encountered was Elena, who had come out to greet them at the entrance of the mansion. Elena, with her golden hair, a bit more saturated than Hildegard¡¯s, half-tied and hanging down, was wearing a dress that was somewhat modest for a noble. It could have been rustic, but when you saw Elena¡¯s pure and kind smile, it felt as if the dress became beautiful because of her smile. ¡°Oh my, Mrs. Liv! And even the Saintess has come!¡± Elena naturally stuck close to Liv¡¯s side and whispered: ¡°If it¡¯s not rude, may I call you by your name?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Great, please call me by my name too!¡± Seeing Elena¡¯s friendly attitude, it seemed unlikely that she would bully Liv at this tea party like other noble young ladies. When they entered the garden, there were already other young ladies sitting at the table. They stood up as soon as they saw Liv and Hildegard. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s so nice to meet you like this!¡± As Liv looked at them making a fuss with suspicious eyes, Hildegard whispered beside her: ¡°Miss Luther¡¯s friends are all devout believers of the Holy Church and diligent people.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Although she had seen them a few times in social circles, they weren¡¯t very familiar faces. Until it was revealed that Liv was a fake Saintess, they probably didn¡¯t dare to speak to her first because of her status as the Saintess of Hamelsvoort, and after the truth was revealed, they didn¡¯t bully her, so their faces were unfamiliar. She didn¡¯t know what courage they had to call Liv this time. Elena gave Liv the seat next to her and even pulled out the chair for her. As Hildegard and Liv sat down, they began introducing themselves. ¡°We don¡¯t often attend parties, so you might be seeing us for the first time. I¡¯m Elena from the Luther Viscount family.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Katherine Barth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Monica Reichenbach.¡± After the introductions, Elena looked at Liv with sparkling eyes and said, twisting her body: ¡°Thank you both for accepting my invitation. I made my debut in society last year, and I¡¯ve wanted to become friends with the Saintess for a long time, but I didn¡¯t have the courage to speak to her first.¡± That meant that when Elena made her debut in society, it was already after Liv had been revealed as a fake Saintess. ¡°Actually, even now I don¡¯t think I¡¯m great enough to invite the Saintess... but, but I felt this was my chance.¡± ¡°You can call me Hildegard.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± ¡°But why did you think now was your chance?¡± ¡°I, I just felt that way. Everyone is sending invitations to both of you now, and I thought if I don¡¯t gather courage now, I might never be able to...¡± Elena blushed shyly as she looked at Liv. ¡°Mrs. Liv... Oh my, I can¡¯t tell you how happy I am to meet you like this...¡± Looking at Elena¡¯s eyes as she said this, Liv shuddered. Because Elena¡¯s eyes were a look that Liv knew well. Yes, it was just like... Liv¡¯s eyes when looking at Emmett! Liv rolled her eyes slightly to avoid Elena¡¯s gaze. Then she saw the other young ladies looking at Elena with somewhat bored expressions. When Liv¡¯s eyes met one of them, she whispered with her mouth: ¡®Be careful. She¡¯s completely fallen for Mrs. Lartman.¡¯ Liv made a dumbfounded expression, not understanding those words, when Elena moved her body close to Liv and said: ¡°Mrs. Liv, actually, I attended the wedding too...¡± ¡°I see.¡± The devout Elena seemed to have been greatly moved by Liv after directly witnessing the miracle at the wedding. Elena continued in a voice that was almost tearful. ¡°Ah, I felt like my faith was rewarded that day! I was so happy...¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elena suddenly made an expression as if she had decided something, and bowed her head in front of Liv. ¡°Mrs. Liv, I¡¯m sorry for all this time!¡± ¡°What? For what?¡± At the unexpected words, Liv¡¯s voice grew a bit louder. Hildegard even opened her mouth with an unbelieving face. But Elena¡¯s posture, with her head bowed, was straight. ¡°Well... There were people who bullied you in social circles, but I didn¡¯t help you.¡± It was the first time she had heard an apology, so Liv¡¯s face went blank. She thought they would pretend not to know. ¡°Actually, I knew it was wrong. But... I was afraid of those people who were bullying you. Because they were in such high positions that I dared not say anything. So I remained silent, but now that I think about it, I really regret it.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°Yes, of course, this isn¡¯t because I found out that you receive God¡¯s love.¡± Elena clenched her fist. ¡°Originally, it¡¯s obvious that we shouldn¡¯t throw stones at anyone, but I don¡¯t think I internalized that rule. I¡¯m sincerely reflecting on it. No one should be bullied like that!¡± Hearing the pure outcry, Liv recalled using God¡¯s power on those who had troubled her. Like Malea, or Zibel, or Gert... Feeling somewhat pricked in a corner of her heart, Elena apologized to Liv once again. ¡°Mrs. Liv, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Liv smiled faintly. Among the people who had changed their attitude as if nothing had happened, Elena was the only one who apologized to Liv. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Miss Elena. I didn¡¯t hold it in my heart.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± Since she didn¡¯t seem like a bad person, Liv reached out her hand to her. It felt like she could make friends now. ¡°Miss Elena, how about becoming friends with me instead?¡± ¡°Friends?¡± Elena looked at Liv¡¯s hand as if it were the most precious thing in the world. ¡°Oh my, such an honor...! I¡¯m so happy. Yes, really.¡± Then the other young ladies also apologized to Liv in an awkward atmosphere, and Liv once again told them it was okay. Now there was a warm atmosphere in the garden. Those who had apologized seemed a bit embarrassed, but still, everyone was looking at each other and smiling. ¡°By the way, Mrs. Liv.¡± Elena opened her mouth in a curious tone. ¡°I heard when I went to pray at the temple. Is it true that you¡¯re going to show your power in front of people?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv nodded. It should be okay to say in advance since it would be announced soon anyway. ¡°In four days, the temple has arranged a place.¡± ¡°I see...! I must definitely go there. What kind of power do you plan to show there?¡± Since Liv hadn¡¯t decided on that either, she pondered for a moment. Then Liv found an answer that would satisfy Elena. ¡°That depends on God¡¯s will.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Elena looked at Liv with sparkling eyes, clasping her hands, and Liv smiled again. Having friends was indeed a good feeling. Unlike in the Lartman Duchy, she had been a bit depressed because she had no friends in the capital, but now she felt her heart lighten a little. ¡°Well, there¡¯s a saying like this.¡± Liv, feeling a bit proud, continued. ¡°¡®Fera Gospel 2:14¡¯, Those who believe in me, a path will appear before them.¡± ¡°You know the scriptures well!¡± ¡°Of course, I memorized it all.¡± Although Liv still didn¡¯t know much about the world compared to others, she was second to none when it came to scriptures and mythology. She knew all the history and laws of every religion. After all, it was the story she heard every day when she was confined in Abgrund. Perhaps because she liked their eyes filled with admiration, words flowed smoothly today. ¡°My favorite story is this one. When God¡¯s apostle Elrom was being chased by enemies and reached the sea, the Supreme God split the sea in half and opened a path for Elrom.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡¯s right, I started liking the sea after hearing that!¡± ¡°Really? I rather find it scary. I feel like the sea is a space full of the Supreme God¡¯s power, not permitted to humans.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a new perspective!¡± As Liv excitedly exchanged conversation with Elena, the other young ladies joined in and the conversation became lively. Perhaps because they were all devout young ladies, they seemed to enjoy talking about the scriptures. At that moment, the young lady who had introduced herself as ¡®Monica¡¯ spoke in a careful tone. ¡°Um, by the way, Miss Hildegard, do you know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a bad rumor going around these days.¡± Monica, saying this, had an apologetic attitude towards Hildegard. ¡°Some people are spreading malicious rumors, saying that if that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t Mrs. Liv the real Saintess and Miss Hildegard the fake Saintess?¡± Chapter 87 At those words, Liv¡¯s face frowned. She was now sick of this talk about fake Saintesses and real Saintesses. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say at the wedding that it wasn¡¯t like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, such ignorant people...¡± Unlike Liv, who felt upset, Hildegard seemed unaffected. ¡°It¡¯s okay, those people are the kind who only feel satisfied when they bring someone down. There¡¯s no need to pay attention to them.¡± ¡°As expected of the Saintess...!¡± ¡°The Count Hamelsvoort must be so proud.¡± The atmosphere became warm again, but Liv thought inwardly about the rumors concerning Hildegard. How could she suppress those rumors? After that, the topic of conversation changed several times, and as the gathering was wrapping up, Elena personally escorted Liv and Hildegard to the entrance of the mansion and said: ¡°Mrs. Liv, can we meet again next time?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After getting in the carriage, Hildegard smiled. ¡°She seems to... follow you a bit excessively, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Liv looked out the window with indifferent eyes. The Luther mansion was getting smaller in the distance. ...Well, it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling, though. * * * Some time later, Emmett was able to receive a letter from Philip in the Lartman Duchy. [This is information about the key Your Grace asked to find. The key was damaged 3 years ago. It¡¯s very rusty, so it seems unusable now.] Emmett¡¯s face froze coldly after confirming the contents of the letter. ¡®Key¡¯ was a code word meaning ¡®target¡¯ in the Lartman Duchy, and ¡®damaged¡¯ meant ¡®dead¡¯. ¡®The key is rusty¡¯ meant ¡®the target fell ill¡¯. The person he had asked to find was the collateral branch who had been exiled abroad for the crime of murdering his parents, and that collateral branch had died of illness three years ago. ¡°It¡¯s obvious.¡± With this, his suspicions were becoming more certain. Of course, it could be a simple coincidence, but could it really be a coincidence that the collateral branch who had been accused as a criminal had completely disappeared without a trace? ¡°Damn it...!¡± Although he usually refrained from using harsh words out of consideration for Liv, he couldn¡¯t stand how stupid his past self had been. When he investigated the situation after the death of the previous Duke and Duchess, there were very clear traces that someone from the collateral branch had bribed the coachman. He naturally became angry at that person and meted out appropriate punishment. Since the collateral branch didn¡¯t deny their crime, he thought it had ended there, of course. He hadn¡¯t considered the possibility that someone might have ordered that collateral branch. Emmett calmed himself and read the rest of the letter. [I investigated the owner of the key. The owner of the key had also died.] It meant that the family members of the exiled person had also died. ¡°Ah...!¡± In the end, Emmett couldn¡¯t bear the pain and collapsed on the floor. He had been serving his parents¡¯ enemy all this time. Not only that, but in protecting his parents¡¯ enemy, he had even hurt the woman he loved. His chest ached with resentment towards himself, but this pain was far too little compared to the sin he had committed... A moment later, Emmett stood up with empty eyes. He felt like he might take his own life if he stayed like this. He wanted to see Liv right now. Just then, he saw a carriage arriving outside the mansion. When he went out to the entrance to greet them, Liv got out of the carriage with surprised eyes. ¡°You were waiting?¡± ¡°Did you come back from Miss Luther¡¯s tea party?¡± ¡°Yes, it was fun.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Emmett looked down at Liv with a faint smile, then strode over and embraced her. ¡°Liv...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I will definitely protect you.¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes were red as he said this. ¡°No matter what happens, I will protect you...¡± Liv blinked while in Emmett¡¯s embrace. Of course, it was nice to be hugged by him, but the look in his eyes that Liv saw before being embraced... ¡°Did something happen?¡± Yes, Emmett looked so pained. It was an expression he sometimes made when looking at Liv, but today he seemed to be struggling more than ever. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just, just...¡± Emmett couldn¡¯t continue speaking and buried his face in Liv¡¯s shoulder. Liv¡¯s heart beat rapidly every time she felt his breath. She didn¡¯t know why he was acting like this, but whenever Liv felt that Emmett desperately wanted her, she felt ticklish. After embracing her for a long while, when Emmett finally separated from Liv, his expression had returned to normal. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really fine.¡± Emmett smiled kindly as usual, but Liv thought he looked precarious. As if he might collapse at any moment... ¡°How was your day today?¡± When Emmett asked that, Liv erased Emmett¡¯s expression from her mind and smiled brightly. She chose to change the mood by talking about cheerful things rather than asking why he was suffering so much right now. ¡°Miss Elena Luther was really a nice person. She apologized to me.¡± ¡°She apologized?¡± ¡°Yes, she said she was sorry for standing by while others bullied me. And she also said she wanted to be friends from now on. Elena is the first person to apologize without completely changing her attitude.¡± ¡°She sounds like a good person. I knew people from the Luther family were diligent, but...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Elena knows as much about the scriptures as I do. She was very pleased when I told her several myths today.¡± Of course, befitting young noble ladies, their conversation topics changed wildly. They talked about myths, then about trendy dresses, then about what happened at the temple, then about social gossip... But Liv liked this chaotic way of conversation too. She had always longed to mingle with people in such a lively manner. ¡°We promised to meet again next time!¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± At that moment, Liv slightly frowned as she remembered something and opened her mouth. ¡°But I heard some bad news today. Some people are spreading rumors that Hilda is a fake Saintess.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly the same as what happened to me before. Don¡¯t people find it strange how they change their attitudes like that? They seem so simple-minded, almost stupid.¡± At Liv¡¯s words, Emmett smiled faintly. He had a more relaxed expression than before. ¡°Liv, marrying you feels like the best thing I¡¯ve done in my life. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re by my side.¡± ¡°What?¡± At Emmett¡¯s sudden words, Liv¡¯s cheeks turned red. It was strange that he would say such things when he didn¡¯t even love her, but Liv hid her embarrassment, tilted her head, and continued speaking. ¡°Ahem, so I was thinking about how to suppress the false rumors about Hilda.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it four days until Liv shows her divine power? It might be good to arrange a way to show Miss Hamelsvoort¡¯s power together then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Liv pondered what abilities Hildegard had. She had already shown the power to purify the unclean and heal people, but was that not enough? ¡®If it¡¯s a power more directly related to God...¡¯ Suddenly, something flashed in Liv¡¯s mind. Liv, who had caught on to something, smiled, raising the corners of her mouth. * * * That night, Emmett approached Liv, who was lying down wearing her nightgown. He got on the bed, embraced Liv from behind, and lightly kissed her nape. ¡°Liv, after you reveal your power at the temple...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Shall we return to the Lartman Duchy?¡± ¡°Should we?¡± Going to the Duchy wouldn¡¯t be bad. Although there had been some incidents, all the memories there were good. ¡°But why suddenly?¡± When Liv asked that, Emmett hesitated before answering. ¡°...Because this place might become dangerous for you now.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± If Liv reveals her power, the Emperor might really try to kill Liv. No, he might even try to confine her in Abgrund. Thinking of that possibility made her body tremble involuntarily. As Liv buried her face in the pillow, frightened, Emmett turned Liv¡¯s body around to face him. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s okay. Everything will be alright.¡± He said that and then kissed Liv. As Liv slightly parted her lips to accept his tongue, Emmett¡¯s hands were already undressing Liv¡¯s nightgown. Startled, Liv grabbed his hands and asked with wide eyes. ¡°Wait, wait a moment. Why again?¡± ¡°Do you dislike it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that... Is this normal?¡± Liv asked with a somewhat bewildered face. ¡°Do married couples usually do this so often?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Emmett saying that seemed to be teasing Liv, but when she came to her senses, Liv was completely drawn in by Emmett and nestled in his arms. ¡°...But do they really all do it this much?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question. I don¡¯t know, since I don¡¯t talk about these issues with other people.¡± In fact, Emmett didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of answering even if he knew the answer. It was hard to explain, but Liv sometimes felt that he was being mischievous. In the end, after spending a long time in bed with him, Liv looked out the window at the breaking dawn with a sulky face. It was certainly good to do it with him, but... how to put it, he always tended to stop just before she thought ¡®isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡¯ While Liv was lost in thought, seriously pondering, Emmett sat up in bed and said: ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll clean you up.¡± It suddenly occurred to Liv that she might become pregnant someday. Well, they were married after all. ¡®...Would that be bad?¡¯ As Liv, who grew up alone in Abgrund, couldn¡¯t imagine it well, but she had heard that normal children grow up receiving their parents¡¯ love. However, Emmett doesn¡¯t love Liv. So it was uncertain whether he would love the child Liv would bear. Even so, if Liv loved the child well, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but Liv wasn¡¯t confident she could love like a normal human. To begin with, she wasn¡¯t sure if she could raise a child with the mindset of an ordinary human... Having thought that far, Liv looked at Emmett and asked: S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Emmett, should we... not have children?¡± ¡°...What? May I ask why you think that?¡± ¡°Um... I¡¯m not confident I can raise them well...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if Liv doesn¡¯t dislike it, we¡¯ll be fine if we do it together.¡± ¡°...Emmett, will you be together with me?¡± Chapter 88 At those words, Emmett¡¯s lips quivered as he tried to speak, then he sighed and rubbed his face. To make his wife, with whom he had just spent the night, say such things. At times like this, he truly resented the gods who had imposed this divine punishment. ¡°Hah, Liv...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Emmett called Liv¡¯s name but didn¡¯t continue speaking for a while, then finally moved his lips to utter only these words. ¡°No. Don¡¯t worry anyway. I¡¯m confident I can raise our child well.¡± Well, many children grow up well even without receiving sufficient love. For example, hadn¡¯t Hildegard grown up with an upright character despite being alone? Liv nodded, having reached the conclusion that there would be no problem even if they had a child soon. Emmett stared at Liv for a moment, then kissed her again. Feeling like it was a sign that things were about to start again, Liv subtly moved her body backward. ¡°Today I¡¯m really tired...¡± At that moment, a pain like burning fire enveloped Liv¡¯s body. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Liv?¡± ¡°Aaagh!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡± The feeling of flesh being scorched by fire. Sharp needles piercing through flesh and bone. Sharp things meticulously dissecting the body... Tears wouldn¡¯t stop, and saliva dripped from her mouth. Liv couldn¡¯t even clean it up and tried to suppress her screams with her head buried in the pillow. ¡°Liv, where does it hurt?¡± Liv knew the identity of this familiar sensation. It felt like a brand was being seared into her body. The Emperor had activated ancient magic, using Liv as a sacrifice. ¡°Ugh...¡± The area around her waist stung especially. It felt as if a hot brand was being pressed there. To endure the pain, Liv clenched her fists tightly. Her nails dug into her flesh, causing wounds. ¡°Liv!¡± She felt the startled Emmett grabbing her hands to separate them. Emmett held Liv¡¯s hands, preventing her from injuring herself. However, Liv could barely open her eyes and only groaned in pain. After a while, she felt the pain gradually subsiding. Only then could Liv open her eyes and look up at Emmett. ¡°I¡¯m okay now...¡± ¡°Why is this happening! Where does it hurt? I¡¯ll call a doctor.¡± ¡°No!¡± Liv grabbed Emmett¡¯s arm to stop him. ¡°This... this is normal. It¡¯s not something like an illness.¡± ¡°What on earth is it? Then why...¡± Liv blinked her tear-filled eyes and told Emmett the reason she was suffering so much. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s because His Majesty the Emperor is using the Supreme God¡¯s power by making me a sacrifice.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been like this since I was confined in Abgrund. Usually, the sacrifice loses their life as the price for using God¡¯s power at will, but that¡¯s not the case for me. Even if I die, they would think it¡¯s for the better. That¡¯s why His Majesty made me a sacrifice.¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s mouth fell open. He covered his face with his palms as if unable to accept what he had just learned. ¡°Why... why on earth...¡± ¡°Where else could you find a sacrifice as good as me?¡± ¡°Liv...¡± A little later, Emmett raised his head with a reddened face. He called a servant and instructed them to bring warm blankets and heated stones, then covered Liv with a blanket. ¡°Are you alright now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s sleep. Everything will be fine...¡± It sounded like he was saying that to himself as well. * * * Looking at Liv¡¯s sleeping form, Emmett raised his head with reddened eyes. -Should we... not have children? -...What? May I ask why you think that? -...Emmett, will you be together with me? After that conversation, Emmett¡¯s feelings became more complicated than ever. Liv seemed to think that he would never love her. But he couldn¡¯t offer any explanation. -Anyway, I¡¯m confident I can raise our child well. That was all he could say. Although he had no choice but to do so to get Liv out of Abgrund, Emmett sometimes resented his past self. He didn¡¯t know he would receive such divine punishment. He should have told Liv he loved her back then. However, what troubled Emmett even more was what happened next. -It¡¯s because His Majesty the Emperor is using the Supreme God¡¯s power by making me a sacrifice. He had been offering relics containing the Supreme God¡¯s power to the Emperor until now. It was none other than Emmett himself who had offered relics to the Emperor. He had helped the Emperor use ancient magic. He knew that ancient magic came with a price and that the Emperor was maneuvering to avoid it, but he never thought that Liv would be paying that price. What on earth had he been doing all this time? It felt like he was endlessly falling downward. Grief enveloped him, and his heart felt like it was shattering. ¡®What have I been doing all this time...¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something to be distressed about receiving divine punishment. Considering the atrocities he had committed against Liv all this time, he deserved the divine punishment. However, because of that punishment, he was making Liv suffer even more... Emmett found himself unbearably disgusting. ¡°What on earth should I do?¡± Although he had never heard God¡¯s voice since escaping Abgrund, Emmett muttered while glaring at the empty air. ¡°How can this divine punishment end?¡± He didn¡¯t expect an answer. The gods were cruel beings. At that moment, as Emmett was about to shed tears looking at the sleeping Liv. On the day my child reclaims her original place, the divine punishment will be lifted. A voice was heard from the sky. That was all. There was no more voice after that, but... ¡®Original place.¡¯ Shedding tears without even realizing it, Emmett focused on those words. There was only one way to wash away his sins and convey his love to Liv. Yes, in fact, that place originally belonged to Liv. It was her rightful place, which Liv should have had... Liv should have been able to enjoy everything in this world. In his eyes, Liv appeared to be the most precious and valuable being in this world. So the highest position would undoubtedly suit Liv. * * * From the next day on, Emmett began to contemplate specific ways to help Liv reclaim her original place. For Emmett, who possessed excellent swordsmanship skills and had many opportunities to be alone with August, killing the Emperor wasn¡¯t a difficult task. But killing August wouldn¡¯t immediately restore the imperial throne. There was his bloodline, Louisa. Then he would have to use the soldiers of the Lartman ducal family to suppress the imperial palace and deal with the imperial princess as well... Although he felt reluctant to deal with Louisa in one go just because she was of imperial blood, Liv was more precious to him than anything else. Emmett could do anything for Liv. Even if it meant abandoning his beliefs. ¡®To carry out this plan, I¡¯ll need outside help.¡¯ He needed help from other families. Among the Five Noble Houses, the only family he could think of that might help him was the Arendt Marquisate. The Arendt Marquis family had traditionally been a family pursuing knowledge, famous for possessing the largest library in the Empire. They stayed in the Arendt Marquisate, not coming up to the capital, and devoted themselves only to researching scholarship. Above all, they were quick with information. It was said that they had planted informants all over the Empire. They were neutrals who didn¡¯t take sides with anyone, and even if someone approached the Arendt family with a purpose, they would simply refuse without reporting to the Emperor. Emmett decided to write a letter first to observe the situation. In his letter to Marquis Arendt, he subtly mentioned the deaths of the former Lartman Duke and Duchess and the extermination of the Gracia family. And a few days later, the reply from the Arendt family was... [To Duke Lartman, Hello, Your Grace. It¡¯s been a while since I received a letter, and I was surprised by the unexpected content. It would be better to give a warning next time if you¡¯re going to send such content. At this rate, the tyrant might even try to harm Duke Lartman. Well, don¡¯t worry about others seeing the contents of this letter. I recently heard from an informant that Your Grace married some woman and your relationship with the tyrant is not the same as before, and it seems to be true. I thought you already knew about the deaths of the former Lartman Duke and Duchess, so I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know. I thought you knew everything but were pretending not to know. Well, your guess is probably correct. That¡¯s all I can say. And I didn¡¯t know about the Gracia family either, so thanks for the good information. If you have any new information that I might not know, please let me know. New information is always interesting. ¡ªMarquis Arendt, Maya] It seemed that Marquis Arendt already knew about the secret surrounding the deaths of the former Lartman Duke and Duchess. Being a family that prioritizes safety and has no interest in politics, they probably pretended not to know. Although he resented the Arendt family for pretending not to know the truth while he was being played by the Emperor, now was not the time to be swayed by his emotions. After pondering for a long time, Emmett wrote another letter to the Lartman Duchy. It contained orders for all soldiers who had left the Lartman Duchy to gather there without exception. If something were to happen, he would need military force. ¡®Liv...¡¯ Emmett closed his eyes, recalling her who always wore an innocent expression but sometimes smiled in an unfathomable way. ¡®For you, I¡¯m ready to overturn this country.¡¯ Chapter 89 ¡°Louisa, keep doing this from now on.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± On her way out of the Sun Room after greeting her father, Louisa smiled faintly at the concerned servants. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The work is done now.¡± Recently, the Emperor had gained public favor by showing the people directly how he purified water. Of course, it was Louisa who had worked behind the scenes. From the day before, Louisa had to stay up all night activating ancient magic. Returning to her room completely exhausted, Louisa staggered to bed without thinking about the dignity of an imperial princess. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to rest for a while now.¡¯ She recalled the memory of activating ancient magic. It was truly a complicated task that felt like her head might explode. If it had been anyone other than Louisa, they might have run away from under the Emperor long ago. ¡®But the descendant of Gracia is persistent.¡¯ Louisa was one of the few who knew that the last descendant of Gracia was confined in Abgrund. Louisa thought that descendant was really tenacious. She had clearly received the price of the magic several times, yet she was still not dead. The fact that the magic continued to activate when using her as the price meant that she was still alive. ¡®Well, Father handled that wisely at least.¡¯ It was a good idea to confine the Gracia descendant in a prison where God¡¯s power couldn¡¯t reach. If they had tried to harm her outside, God might have intervened. Her father had not opened the prison so far, fearing that the gods might rescue her through the gap when the prison door opened, and Louisa believed his actions were entirely correct. ¡®Now then, I¡¯ll rest for a while... Ah.¡¯ Recalling something, Louisa barely raised herself from the bed. This was not the time to spend such peaceful moments. ¡®Liv Lartman.¡¯ As long as that woman was alive, she couldn¡¯t rest easy. If she died, the relationship between Duke Lartman and the Emperor would return to how it was before, and peace could be restored. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®What method would be good...¡¯ Pondering how to kill her without leaving evidence, Louisa hummed a tune. * * * ¡°Madam, the carriage sent from the temple has arrived.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Liv was in the middle of tidying up her appearance with Laga¡¯s help. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± As Laga stepped away from Liv, Liv looked at herself in the mirror in front of her. Dressed in an all-white dress, Liv looked just like a Saintess from legends. The dress, made of layers of delicately hand-knitted lace, swayed elegantly with every movement of Liv¡¯s body. She wore only light and simple pearl accessories, but this didn¡¯t make her look shabby. ¡®It¡¯s similar to what Hilda wears when going to the temple.¡¯ ¡°My goodness, young lady, you¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Although Laga said this with exaggeration, Liv didn¡¯t believe it because Laga tended to exaggerate everything. ¡°Liv.¡± When they arrived at the entrance, Emmett was waiting for her there. Emmett looked at Liv and smiled. ¡°You look incredibly beautiful today as well.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Strangely, even though it was the same compliment, when Emmett said it, she felt embarrassed for no reason. Liv avoided his eyes and took Emmett¡¯s hand. When they went outside the entrance, they saw a white carriage with the temple¡¯s clover-shaped emblem drawn on it. A priest hurriedly ran over as soon as he saw Liv. ¡°Mrs. Liv, please board the carriage.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liv got into the carriage with Emmett. Perhaps because a priest was riding with them, Emmett just held Liv¡¯s hand tightly without speaking first. As there was no intention to have a private conversation in front of the priest, Liv also remained silent. The carriage rattled along quickly, and soon the temple came into view in the distance. And then... ¡°There are a lot of people.¡± The outside of the temple was packed with people. Carriages with the emblems of various noble families were also filling the road. But soon, the carriages blocking their way began to make way. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s the temple¡¯s carriage!¡± ¡°Is that person riding in there?¡± Voices of people surrounding the carriage could be heard. Judging by their attire, they seemed to be commoners from the capital. People who maintained a decent livelihood in the capital. Seeing far more people than expected, Liv asked in a surprised voice. ¡°Why are there so many people?¡± Then, the priest said in a proud voice. ¡°Since it¡¯s an occasion to show Mrs. Liv¡¯s power, we spread the word as much as possible. We hope that many people will see Mrs. Liv¡¯s power and serve the Supreme God more devoutly.¡± There were incomparably more people surrounding the temple than when Hildegard occasionally held events as a Saintess. The carriage went straight into the temple and stopped in the back garden. When Liv got out of the carriage, the priests looked at her with welcoming faces. ¡°Mrs. Liv, you¡¯ve arrived!¡± ¡°Please come this way.¡± Going to where they guided, Liv saw Hildegard who had already arrived and was waiting for her. Because she was attending the event as a Saintess today, Hildegard was also wearing a white dress similar to Liv¡¯s. It was a bit simpler in design than Liv¡¯s. ¡°Sister, are you feeling alright today?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± The importance of the ceremony she was performing today was comparable to that of the Lartman ducal family¡¯s wedding. Numerous people had gathered at the temple, and almost all the nobles were paying attention to Liv. But strangely, Liv didn¡¯t feel nervous or tense. Whether it was because it was related to God, or because she had already experienced a wedding, all of this just felt light to her. ¡°That¡¯s good. Today is an important day. You¡¯ll do well.¡± Liv stared at Hildegard saying this. Hildegard was sincerely cheering for Liv. Even in a situation where she was being called a fake Saintess. ¡®So I must solve that problem today.¡¯ A little later, the priests took Liv and Hildegard deep into the temple. ¡°Today¡¯s ceremony will take place in the Sun Garden. As it¡¯s a spacious area, many people will be able to see Mrs. Liv.¡± ¡°We will conduct the event, so Mrs. Liv, you just need to use your power when your turn comes.¡± Even though they were inside the temple, the noisy voices of people could be heard from outside. Liv maintained an expressionless face and then opened her mouth. ¡°I need Hilda¡¯s help for this ceremony.¡± ¡°Do you mean the Saintess?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯ll be by my side while I use my power.¡± Hildegard, who hadn¡¯t received prior notice, looked puzzled, but Liv turned to Hildegard and said: ¡°You¡¯ve heard the Supreme God¡¯s voice before, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, just do the same this time.¡± While waiting for the ceremony like this, Liv felt a strange feeling. Her insides felt ticklish, and it felt like something was welling up inside her. She felt unbearably nauseous. ¡®...Did I suddenly get nervous?¡¯ But it was really strange because Liv wasn¡¯t experiencing any emotional fluctuations... Since she just felt a bit unwell but nothing else was wrong, Liv decided not to worry about it. Finally, as the time for the event approached, Liv followed the high priest towards the Sun Garden. There, seeing the scene unfolding before her eyes, Liv gasped for a moment. ¡°Ah...!¡± A huge crowd was filling the Sun Garden without a single gap. Only then did Liv finally realize how important a moment she was standing in the middle of. After taking a deep breath, Liv stepped onto the stairs without hesitation. The feeling of ascending to the platform was somehow thrilling. As if she was finally finding her place... As Liv completely ascended the platform, people cheered and shouted. Because they had only heard briefly about today¡¯s ceremony through rumors passed from mouth to mouth, people who didn¡¯t know exactly what Liv¡¯s identity was shouted like this: ¡°Saintess! Saintess! Saintess!¡± Hildegard¡¯s expression stiffened in a way that only Liv standing close could notice. Although Hildegard had always said it was okay, maybe she felt that her position as a Saintess was being threatened. ¡°Thank you all for coming here today. This occasion is to show everyone the power of the Supreme God...¡± As the High Priest began to speak, a solemn atmosphere fell over the Sun Garden. Meanwhile, Liv conversed with the Supreme God in her mind. ¡®Before, when I asked you to make me a Saintess, you didn¡¯t.¡¯ Yes, I couldn¡¯t give you such a troublesome task. ¡®When I was struggling with being called a fake Saintess, you just watched.¡¯ If you wanted, I could have given hell to those who troubled you, my child. But you didn¡¯t want that. ¡®You said then that the time would come if I waited.¡¯ That¡¯s right. ¡®Is now that time? Is this the moment of my destiny?¡¯ It is, my child. ¡°Now, Mrs. Liv Lartman will demonstrate the trace of the Supreme God!¡± Finally, Liv¡¯s turn came, and she slowly inhaled. And then... [My child.] A voice was heard from the sky. Chapter 90 ¡®Mrs. Liv Lartman is truly the one chosen by the Supreme God.¡¯ That was the common thought of all the priests. Although they couldn¡¯t say it out loud, the priests thought Liv was the seed of a new imperial family. That she was a new figure given by the Supreme God to defeat Tyrant August. That¡¯s why they wanted to show Liv¡¯s power in front of as many people as possible. Looking at Liv standing on the platform, their faces were full of excitement. Today would probably be a moment that would go down in the history of the Holy Hilysid Empire. At that moment, a voice was heard above their heads. [My child.] ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the voice of the Supreme God!¡± The moment they heard that voice, they prostrated themselves flat on the ground. And they felt an unbearably overwhelming feeling. ¡®This is the voice of God...¡¯ It was a massive voice that could easily crush a human body. The next moment, Hildegard, who had been standing next to Liv with her eyes closed, suddenly opened her eyes wide. All the priests who met her eyes were shocked. Because Hildegard¡¯s eyes had changed to an indescribably mysterious color. It was... as if all the colors of the world were contained within them. It was a transcendent color they never imagined they could see. When Hildegard opened her mouth, a voice that felt strangely loud resonated. ¡°I speak through the body of my Saintess.¡± The moment they heard those words, the priests could understand the situation. ¡°The Supreme God is speaking through the Saintess¡¯s body!¡± While the people in the Sun Garden were also gasping in amazement, Hildegard¡¯s words continued. ¡°I love the child born in the lowest place, and the most sacred blood flows through the body of the child I love.¡± Then, a rainbow-colored cloud appeared above Liv¡¯s head. It was a mysterious color they had never seen before in their lives. ¡°Where my child goes becomes the path, and all that my child does will be blessed.¡± Light shone from above Liv¡¯s head, and it extended straight to the sky, forming a pillar of light. ¡°In the end, my child will surely grasp victory.¡± With that, Hildegard¡¯s eyes returned to their normal state. Hildegard, who had momentarily received the god, staggered, and a priest hurriedly ran out to support her. ¡°Those were meaningful words...¡± A prostrated priest whispered to the priest next to him. ¡°To grasp victory...¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just like a story from mythology.¡± Now they were certain that Liv would bring about massive changes in the Empire. Liv would become the beginning of a new imperial family. ¡°But we condemned Mrs. Liv without knowing anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How should we atone for our sins...¡± They had dark expressions as they recalled what they had done to Liv until now. Their guilt towards Liv was growing even more. Boom! At that moment, a huge sound was heard from the sky, and everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the sky again. And then... ¡°Ah...!¡± Golden flower petals began falling from the sky, and the pillar of light shone even brighter. Before they knew it, white birds flew around Liv, circling her in flight. Seeing this sight, people¡¯s exclamations grew even louder. ¡°Mrs. Liv! Mrs. Liv! Mrs. Liv!¡± Intoxicated by the beautiful scene unfolding before their eyes, people were now chanting Liv¡¯s name. * * * Dieter was one of the crowd gathered in the Sun Garden. When the temple first announced that there would be an event to prove the existence of God, Dieter, who happened to live near the temple, decided to participate in the event. He judged it would be a good education, as his two children had recently started asking many questions about the existence of God. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The High Priest explained about the young lady named ¡®Liv Lartman¡¯ standing on the platform. She was the daughter of the Hamelsvoort family and also the wife of the Lartman family, but above all, she was a person who received God¡¯s love. And a moment later, an unbelievable thing happened. [My child.] ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°The Supreme God¡¯s voice!¡± The moment he heard that voice, Dieter felt overwhelmed by some enormous presence. Reflexively prostrating himself on the ground, he saw that his two children had terrified expressions. He quickly made his children prostrate as well. However, the frightened children soon had sparkling eyes. A pillar of light appeared through the rainbow clouds, golden flower petals fell from the sky, and white birds circled around. ¡°Wow, Dad! The Supreme God really exists!¡± ¡°It¡¯s so, so pretty!¡± While patting the excited children¡¯s heads, Dieter also took in every detail of the scene unfolding before him. ¡°Yes, the Supreme God is always watching over you. So you should live kindly without doing bad things.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In fact, Dieter wasn¡¯t particularly strong in his belief in God. In a world where bad people live proudly using their positions without punishment, he naturally thought God didn¡¯t exist. Not only the children but Dieter himself was shocked by the existence of God. ¡®To think the Supreme God really existed...¡¯ Feeling somewhat reverent, he was praying for his children to live well when suddenly he had a doubt. ¡®Then why am I living like this?¡¯ Dieter¡¯s uncle always lived doing good deeds, but he recently fell ill and passed away. His wife earned money by pricking her fingers with needles every day to sew, and he carried heavy lumber doing manual labor every day, but the money they earned was barely enough to feed their family of four. On the other hand, the swindler who cheated Dieter¡¯s mother out of money was living well without ever being struck by lightning. ¡®If God exists, why is my life...¡¯ Because a severe drought had dried up the rivers in the Empire, he hadn¡¯t had a drop of water to drink today. Every day was this hard, so if God existed, why didn¡¯t he bestow grace on them even once? The temple said that this too was a hardship given by God, but he found it difficult to understand. Just as antipathy towards God was about to form in Dieter¡¯s mind, an unbelievable thing happened. ¡°Huh?¡± Something cold hit his head. He looked up with a disbelieving heart, and what he saw was... ¡°R-rain, it¡¯s raining!¡± Raindrops were falling from the sky! ¡°Wow, Dad, it¡¯s raining!¡± The children excitedly stuck out their tongues to catch the raindrops in their mouths, and he stood dazed in place, getting wet from the rain. ¡°Really, rain...¡± How painful had it been with the drought all this time? The rain was now pouring so heavily that it was hard to see properly. Thinking he should collect rainwater in a bowl, he was about to hurry home when he suddenly looked back. ¡°Ah...¡± There was Liv Lartman, looking at them with a faint smile. He thought that if someone like her ruled this country, wouldn¡¯t blessings come to this country too? * * * Liv turned around, watching people hurriedly leaving as it rained. ¡°Sister, you did well.¡± As Hildegard smiled brightly and held Liv¡¯s hand, Liv patted her hand. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you.¡± Deciding to make it rain was an idea she came up with after hearing Hildegard say that the drought had been severe recently. However, with this, Liv had now used up almost all of the god Lufasha¡¯s power she had been holding in her body. To use power again, she would have to visit a new sanctuary. ¡°Oh, Mrs. Liv...¡± After briefly talking with the priests who were bowing deeply, Liv left through the temple entrance. There, the Hamelsvoort couple and Emmett were waiting for her. ¡°Emmett!¡± As Liv ran to him first, Emmett embraced her. Checking Liv¡¯s cold clothes, he took off the cloak he was wearing and wrapped it around Liv. ¡°Your clothes are very wet. Let¡¯s go inside, you might catch a cold.¡± As he quickly made Liv get into the carriage, the Hamelsvoort couple approached the carriage. ¡°Oh, Liv! You were truly beautiful today. So sacred!¡± ¡°You are indeed the daughter of Hamelsvoort.¡± Their attitude changing so drastically was laughable, but Liv couldn¡¯t say anything. After all, even after Liv was judged to be a fake Saintess, they didn¡¯t completely abandon her and kept her as part of the family, taking care of her. ¡°Yes...¡± With her response, the nausea that had been bothering Liv since earlier became extreme. It felt like something was about to come up from inside. At that moment... ¡°Ugh! Cough, cough!¡± A sudden cough burst out, and Liv covered her mouth with her hand. When she removed her hand, her palm was soaked with blood. ¡°Kyaa!¡± Lady Hamelsvoort screamed in surprise first, and Emmett looked at Liv¡¯s face in confusion. ¡°Liv, are you alright? Suddenly, blood...!¡± ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t hurt...¡± She had been fine until just now, so why was she coughing up blood? Liv was perplexed, but even looking at her palm, the fact that it was covered in blood didn¡¯t change. ¡°I¡¯m really fine...¡± ¡°We¡¯d better go home and see a doctor for now.¡± Emmett, sitting next to Liv, closed the carriage door and said goodbye in an urgent voice. ¡°Count, Countess. We¡¯ll see you next time.¡± ¡°Please send a letter if you find out what¡¯s wrong with Liv!¡± ¡°We will do so.¡± Even after urgently starting the carriage, Emmett examined Liv¡¯s body with an anxious face. ¡°Is this some kind of side effect from paying the price?¡± ¡°No, that just hurts, it¡¯s never been like this...¡± ¡°Then why on earth...¡± While Emmett continued to worry about Liv beside her, Liv recalled the scene she had seen today. Countless people prostrating themselves before Liv, chanting Liv¡¯s name. It was really... ¡®A strange feeling.¡¯ Liv had spent most of her life in the worst prison, deep underground beneath where people walk. After coming to the surface, there were difficult moments, but before she knew it, she had people at her feet. People who always seemed big now looked small. It felt just like Liv herself was a very great being. A person worthy of respect. ¡®It¡¯s strange. Really strange.¡¯ But what was even stranger was that she didn¡¯t dislike that feeling. The feeling of people looking up to her, it wasn¡¯t bad... Somehow, she wanted to see that scene once more. Chapter 91 When they arrived at the Lartman mansion, the doctor examined Liv¡¯s body thoroughly. But the doctor¡¯s answer made Emmett angry. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong...¡± ¡°Then why did my wife cough up blood?¡± ¡°Well, for now, it might be better to observe...¡± The usually rational Emmett now looked like he might genuinely fire the doctor, but Liv stopped him. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± ¡°Liv... Your standard for ¡®fine¡¯ is too low.¡± ¡°But I really am fine.¡± Apart from coughing up blood earlier, there really was nothing wrong. ...In fact, she felt her body was a bit heavy and her head hurt, but Liv decided not to tell Emmett about this. It seemed like things would only escalate if she did. ¡®It¡¯ll probably get better if I just leave it...¡¯ Liv, who had inherited Gracia¡¯s blood, had faster recovery than others, and whatever problem had occurred, it would probably heal soon at this rate. Yes, that¡¯s what Liv thought at the time. * * * ¡°What happened today?¡± Emperor August frowned while sitting on the throne. Marquis Peininger, sitting in front of him, hurriedly explained. ¡°Today, they say Mrs. Lartman showed the Supreme God¡¯s power at the temple.¡± Hearing this, August¡¯s face turned red. He felt like he wanted to grab someone and kill them right away, but for now, he calmed his anger and ordered Marquis Peininger to explain in more detail. Marquis Peininger, who had always been eager to please him, seemed to think this was his chance and spoke with an excited face. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a while since there were rumors that Mrs. Lartman receives God¡¯s love... but today she proved it directly. The temple officially held an event for her and had her use her power. She had used her power before at the wedding too, with flower petals falling from the sky...¡± ¡°I know about that, so skip it.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. And today at the temple, they say the Supreme God¡¯s voice was heard from the sky and it rained.¡± ¡°There!¡± Finally, August couldn¡¯t contain his anger and shouted. He yelled at the servant standing at the entrance. ¡°Go to the underground prison and bring any prisoner!¡± ¡°Y-yes, Your Majesty...!¡± A moment later, he raised his sword towards the prisoner who had fallen bound before his eyes. It was a thin, sharp dagger he often used when torturing people. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± The prisoner¡¯s screams echoed in the room at the Emperor¡¯s cruel gesture. Marquis Peininger closed his eyes tightly as if frightened, but August continued his actions. He trampled on the flesh that had fallen to the floor and asked Marquis Peininger. ¡°So Liv Lartman is actually a real Saintess?¡± ¡°No. They said it¡¯s different from being a Saintess. Mrs. Lartman just receives God¡¯s love, they say.¡± ¡°Really? It might have been better if she had declared herself a Saintess.¡± August said this with a sneer, causing Marquis Peininger to flinch. It didn¡¯t look like the laugh of a normal person at all. ¡°Lartman, so you¡¯ve decided to stand on that side...¡± Even while laughing with a deranged face, August recalled Duke Lartman who had finally turned his back on him. He never dreamed that he would turn his back on him because of one woman. To betray him, who had taken him in, for the sake of a mere lowborn girl of no consequence... ¡®Did he realize?¡¯ For a moment, August¡¯s expression turned cold. Yes, perhaps Duke Lartman had now realized who the real culprit was who killed his parents. ¡®Well, if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing to be done.¡¯ He had killed the previous Duke and Duchess Lartman because they consistently opposed August¡¯s policies. It was done to eliminate political opponents, but... Suddenly, an interesting thought occurred to him. It wasn¡¯t difficult to fabricate the deaths of the Duke and Duchess, and manipulating their young son in the process was purely out of interest, nothing more or less. How amusing it had been to watch Emmett Lartman loyally serve the enemy of his parents. Yes, his loyalty couldn¡¯t have lasted forever anyway. There was no need to be so angry about Duke Lartman turning away. However... ¡®It¡¯s vexing that he¡¯s taking the temple¡¯s hand.¡¯ If he had started a rebellion on his own, August would have killed him while finding it amusing, but siding with the temple was irritating. August recalled the temple officials who had opposed him most vehemently when he ascended to the throne. ¡®What should I do...¡¯ No matter how angry he was, he couldn¡¯t directly touch Duke Lartman or his wife. It would be troublesome to touch someone known as ¡®one who receives God¡¯s love¡¯ and who had the attention and support of the people and nobles. Then what remained was... ¡°Hamelsvoort.¡± Even beasts know to be grateful for the kindness of being raised, surely Duke Lartman¡¯s wife wouldn¡¯t turn her back on the Hamelsvoort family who had taken in an orphan like her. Come to think of it, it had been irritating how the Hamelsvoort family had been clinging to the temple from before. Pondering how to deal with the Hamelsvoort family, August sneered. * * * ¡°Strange.¡± Drawing formulas on paper, Louisa tilted her head. She was trying to use magic on Duke Lartman¡¯s wife using the last descendant of Gracia as a sacrifice, but strangely, it wasn¡¯t working. ¡°Could she be dead?¡± Had the Gracia descendant, who had tenaciously held on for eighteen years, finally died? Of course, it wasn¡¯t certain yet, so Louisa had no intention of reporting to her father yet. If things went wrong for no reason, she might have to bear his anger. ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if she¡¯s dead now.¡± Muttering this, Louisa flipped an hourglass. It was like her habit when using magic. ¡°Well, there are plenty of sacrifices.¡± She could use one of the prisoners in the underground prison as a sacrifice right away. Finding a sacrifice wasn¡¯t a difficult problem. However, what was important was how to use ancient magic. God¡¯s power was literally sacred power. It was impossible to use it to curse others. God¡¯s power could only be used in innocent ways. Her father had been using it to purify the unclean, make rainbows appear in the sky, and heal the sick. ¡®But if you twist it well, it seems like curses might be possible too...¡¯ The standard of that ¡®sacredness¡¯ was quite ambiguous. It didn¡¯t seem impossible to exploit it. After racking her brains for a while, Louisa finally came up with a good idea. ¡°Aha.¡± Instead of ¡®hurting¡¯ or ¡®cursing¡¯, think of it as cleaning. Think of it as punishing those who dare to disturb the order of this land. Then... ¡°As expected.¡± Louisa hummed a tune as she watched the magic circle begin to glow under the broken relic. * * * ¡°Ugh!¡± After receiving the doctor¡¯s examination, Liv¡¯s condition worsened. Liv intermittently coughed up blood, and she couldn¡¯t even get up properly from her bed due to dizziness and headaches. ¡°Liv, please...¡± Emmett didn¡¯t leave Liv¡¯s side, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief and constantly staying by her side. Looking at Emmett with a half-dazed mind due to fever, Liv thought it was very strange. ¡®It¡¯s really strange...¡¯ His eyes looking at her were filled with affection. Emmett staying by her side looked just like someone who loved Liv. ¡®But that can¡¯t be...¡¯ She knew well that he didn¡¯t love her. But he sometimes made Liv misunderstand like this. ¡°You should stop confusing me...¡± With her mind hazy, nonsense spilled from her mouth. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why are you doing this...¡± ¡°Liv, do you need anything?¡± ¡°I, I love you, but...¡± Groaning in pain, Liv barely continued speaking. ¡°You¡¯re not a good person...¡± ¡°...That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not a good person.¡± Wiping the sweat that had flowed from her forehead, Emmett said in a gentle voice. ¡°So you can hate me as much as you want, Liv.¡± * * * ¡®What¡¯s the problem?¡¯ Since Liv started getting sick, Emmett couldn¡¯t maintain his sanity. Although the servants tried to urge Emmett to eat, food just wouldn¡¯t go down his throat, and he couldn¡¯t sleep. Emmett just kept circling around Liv, who couldn¡¯t even get up properly from the bed, staying by her side. He had already called several doctors, but they all failed to find the cause. Now Emmett knew it wasn¡¯t because the doctors were incompetent. Pain of unknown cause. An illness with a cause incomprehensible to humans. ¡°Is this related to you?¡± Emmett quietly murmured under the sky. If Liv is suffering, think about who would be most pleased by that. ¡°August.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was only one reason why Liv would be in such pain. It was clear that the Emperor had cast a spell to harm Liv. But if so, how could it be cured? If it was something possible with God¡¯s power, Liv would have recovered long ago. However, the gods who claim to love Liv had a strange aspect to them, only intervening in this world after Liv¡¯s death. Emmett had no idea what to do... Chapter 92 8. Dear Sister In the hot and humid air that felt like her whole body was submerged in warm water, Liv barely opened her eyes. Her unfocused eyes wavered precariously. Why was I like this? Ah, that¡¯s right, suddenly after the event at the temple... ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Liv mumbled, looking into the air with a dazed mind. A moment later, the voices of the gods were heard. Someone has used my power to commit an evil deed. After hearing those words, the first person Liv thought of was the Emperor. If there was someone who had obtained relics containing ancient magic, it could be no one else. Liv hadn¡¯t made any other enemies that could pose a threat besides him. ¡°Can¡¯t even the Supreme God do anything about it?¡± Since he is using my power, I cannot stop it. ¡°What about the power of other gods?¡± It might be possible. But to apply our power to you... My child, come to the sanctuary. If you come to our sanctuary, your body will get better. In the end, it was again telling her to come to the sanctuary. To break the Supreme God¡¯s power, she needs to borrow the power of a god of different power. Embracing that power in her body and becoming part of a god, even partially, was the only way for Liv to survive. ¡®...I guess I have to go after all.¡¯ Of course, Liv didn¡¯t want to die like this so there was no other choice, but going to the sanctuary wasn¡¯t a particularly pleasant feeling. Although she had gathered courage once in the Lartman Duchy, the sanctuary required a lot of determination to visit first. A little later, when Emmett entered the room carrying a basin filled with warm water, Liv moved her lips to speak his name. ¡°Emmett...¡± ¡°Liv! Are you feeling a bit better?¡± ¡°I know how to get better...¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s face became serious as he sat down next to Liv. His hand gently tucking Liv¡¯s sweat-soaked hair behind her ear looked pained. ¡°If I go to the sanctuary, I can get better... If I receive god¡¯s power there...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look into nearby sanctuaries right away.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that. There¡¯s a place Hilda told me about...¡± Yes, it wasn¡¯t difficult for Liv¡¯s body to heal. However... ¡°His Majesty the Emperor wants me dead.¡± The problem was how to overcome the fact that the Emperor had finally started targeting them. It was also a problem that the Emperor would find it strange if he knew Liv¡¯s body had recovered, and even if they overcame this crisis, the fact that the Emperor wouldn¡¯t leave them alone in the future was also a problem. Emmett¡¯s expression also became serious at Liv¡¯s words pinpointing the core of the problem. After sitting with his hands clasped as if thinking about something, Emmett soon raised his head with sharp eyes. ¡°Liv, I¡¯d like you to go to the sanctuary and recover your body first. But after that.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We must keep the fact that your body has recovered a secret.¡± ¡°For how long?¡± ¡°While we buy time.¡± He muttered in a small voice as if calculating something, and the content somehow seemed ominous. ¡°To request help from the Arendt family, gather forces, and assemble soldiers...¡± ¡°Wait, what are you trying to do?¡± When Liv asked that, feeling instinctively ominous, Emmett replied in a calm voice. ¡°Liv, in a situation where the Emperor is targeting us, there¡¯s only one way to save our lives.¡± Finally, shocking words came out of his mouth. ¡°Rebellion.¡± ¡°But...!¡± Hearing those words, an insurmountable fear laid its hand on Liv¡¯s shoulder. Ah, no. We¡¯ll fail. We¡¯ll end up dying. In an instant, her breath was choked off, and her cold body trembled. To her, the Emperor was like a high and steep mountain that could never be overcome. An enormous being no different from a god. ¡°If we do that, we¡¯ll all end up dying!¡± When Liv raised her voice loudly without feeling the pain, Emmett gently patted near Liv¡¯s chest as if to calm her and continued speaking. ¡°But there¡¯s no other way. We¡¯ll die anyway if we do nothing.¡± ¡°It might be better to stay quiet and keep a low profile!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not the kind of person who will leave us alone just because we stay quiet.¡± From Liv¡¯s perspective, Emmett didn¡¯t seem like he would bend his stubbornness. She knew that everyone had an area they could never back down from. Liv, who loved Emmett, had been like that, and Hayden, who mentioned the Gracia imperial family, had been like that. Emmett now had that exact look in his eyes. However, Liv couldn¡¯t let Emmett die either. ¡°...Let¡¯s think about it slowly for now.¡± ¡°Alright. For now, your health recovery is the priority.¡± When Liv said that in an attempt to somehow divert Emmett¡¯s attention, fortunately, Emmett agreed for now. He reluctantly handed Liv a letter. ¡°I informed him about your condition, and this is a letter from Hayden. He says he¡¯s currently in the Wolfe Viscounty.¡± ¡°Hayden?¡± Liv slowly opened the envelope. The letter was written in such terrible handwriting that it was doubtful whether it was even in the Hilysid language, but fortunately, the writing was legible when she squinted her eyes. [To the young lady, This is the first time I¡¯m writing a letter like this. I¡¯ve recently come down to the Wolfe Viscounty. It¡¯s safe here. Of course, I¡¯m staying as quiet as possible because I think the Emperor¡¯s watchmen might be planted here, but still. I¡¯ll probably be here for a while. I have some work to do here. I heard you¡¯re sick. And I bet that guy dared to plot something. I¡¯m not worried about you. With your power, you¡¯ll be able to overcome it soon. I¡¯m just worried about the fact that he¡¯ll keep targeting you in the future. And I also heard you showed your power at the temple. You might not know, but it¡¯s obvious. The temple might think of you as the seed of a new imperial family. Nobles might approach you soon, so be on guard. You¡¯ll probably say it¡¯s nonsense, but receiving God¡¯s love is more important than anything to the people of this country. Even Anfang Gracia was an unremarkable girl, but she gave birth to an emperor. Ah, I should also tell you what I¡¯m doing now. I¡¯m preparing to leave the Holy Hilysid Empire from here. I¡¯m planning to ask for help from the people of the Kingdom of Reboer and the Merna Empire. To pull that guy down from the throne, the only way is to use forces from outside the country. This might also be a way for me to help you. Until that guy¡¯s head falls to the ground, you¡¯ll continue to be in danger. It might not be much help for your current illness, but still, think of it as me helping in this way at least. If you¡¯re thinking of helping me, that¡¯s fine. You just need to keep doing what you¡¯ve been doing. It¡¯s about keeping all of that guy¡¯s attention focused on you, so he doesn¡¯t notice what I¡¯m up to abroad. It might sound like I¡¯m asking you to be bait, and to be honest, that¡¯s correct. But in the end, it¡¯s for all of us, right? Oh, I obtained something good in the Wolfe Viscounty and enclosed it. It¡¯s a notebook used by the previous Emperor and Empress. It¡¯s said to be a record from when the Empress was pregnant, so I¡¯m sending it to you in case you can investigate evidence of rebellion from it. Show it to Duke Lartman as well. Well, I should end the letter here. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll still be here by then, but if something urgent comes up, send a letter to the Wolfe Viscounty. Even if I¡¯m not there, Viscount Wolfe might be able to help.] As he said, a thin notebook was enclosed in the envelope along with the letter. It was a leather notebook that had become tattered with age. Liv carefully opened it, trying not to tear the cover. [Today I heard from the royal physician that the pregnancy is certain. In fact, the waiting time had been so long that I thought we would never have a child. This child that has come to us is truly a miracle given by the Supreme God. I¡¯m just grateful to the Supreme God. This child will surely grow up seeing and hearing only good things. To think that I¡¯m becoming a father, it¡¯s truly joyous news. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. My dear Maya, thank you for working hard with me.] The handwriting at the top of the notebook and the bottom were different. It seemed like two people had used this notebook together, and since it was said to be a record from pregnancy, probably... ¡°Maya is the name of the previous Empress.¡± Emmett, who was watching from the side, provided additional explanation about the contents of the notebook. ¡°Originally, the Gracia family was famous for having few descendants. That¡¯s also why there were no collateral branches to step up when the Steinberg family started a rebellion. They usually only had one child per generation.¡± The next page was also filled with writing. From the page after that, there were also clumsy drawings in the middle, and meaningless words listed. Liv turned to the last part of the notebook. [I¡¯m still pondering what to name the child. A name that is dignified as befits royalty, contains God¡¯s grace, and also contains our love. It¡¯s really a difficult task. I want to give all the love in this world to the child. I¡¯m also thinking about what the most lovely name would be. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to name the child Anfang after an ancestor. Of course, it would be best if the Supreme God gave us the child¡¯s name.] ¡°...¡± Their wish was eventually fulfilled. The gods gave Liv the most precious name, containing all the love in this world. The pregnancy journal also contained stories about the current Emperor, August. [While talking with August about the due date, I suddenly realized that the due date is late July. The world my child will see for the first time will be so beautiful. My child will come to love summer. Did you meet August today? As the due date is approaching, it would be better not to meet anyone now.] As Liv¡¯s face darkened after reading that notebook, Emmett called her name in a sympathetic tone. ¡°...Liv, are you alright?¡± ¡°Hmm, somehow I feel strange.¡± Under Emmett¡¯s gaze, Liv continued speaking in a calm voice. She was clearly trying to act as if nothing was wrong, but her fingertips holding the notebook were trembling slightly. ¡°It seems like this contains the love of those two.¡± ¡°Liv...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I feel strange. I¡¯ve never met these people. They¡¯re not people I should immediately pour love on. But still... I feel a little sad.¡± Chapter 93 ¡°That¡¯s natural, Liv.¡± Emmett pulled Liv into his arms, and Liv, unable to move a finger, was embraced with her face almost bumping into his chest. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s natural to feel sad when you learn about the loss of someone who loved you.¡± ¡°Is that so...¡± ¡°You just need to be honest with the emotions you¡¯re feeling now.¡± At those words, Liv nodded weakly. Hmm, she didn¡¯t know. She still didn¡¯t understand why she felt such sadness, but still... if possible, she thought she should at least visit their graves. ¡°You know, I know many myths, folktales, and legends.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In those stories, I¡¯ve seen many tales of people avenging their parents¡¯ enemies.¡± The previous Liv felt no emotion when seeing such stories. She didn¡¯t know the sensation of loss, and therefore didn¡¯t know anger and vengeance. But now, as Liv regained what had been taken from her, she seemed to feel some kind of impulse from within. ¡°Does Emmett think so too? That I should take revenge on the Emperor, the enemy of my parents?¡± ¡°That¡¯s of course up to Liv¡¯s heart. I respect Liv¡¯s will. It¡¯s never easy to stand against the Emperor for parents you¡¯ve never seen. If you¡¯re afraid, you don¡¯t have to do it, but if your anger is greater, you can take revenge.¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult... I¡¯m not sure which emotion is stronger yet.¡± ¡°You might not be able to feel it yet. But someday, one emotion might grow stronger. When that time comes, Liv will be able to make a decision.¡± After hearing Emmett¡¯s words, Liv sat quietly with a contemplative expression. After watching her for a while, Emmett spoke with a determined expression. ¡°Liv, after we visit the sanctuary and your body heals...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll need to be away for a while.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°On the surface, the reason is that I¡¯m going down to the Lartman Duchy, but...¡± Emmett¡¯s tone was somehow tense as he said this. ¡°I think I need to go to the Arendt Marquisate.¡± ¡°The Arendt Marquisate? Why there...¡± ¡°...The Arendt family is famous for revering knowledge and possessing a lot of information, so I think I should go there to learn about ancient magic.¡± ¡°Why suddenly ancient magic?¡± ¡°I think I need to find out about the reason you¡¯re so sick.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll get better soon.¡± ¡°Still, if we don¡¯t know the cause, you might fall victim to magic again.¡± There was something unnatural about Emmett¡¯s words, but for now, Liv nodded in agreement. As he said, it was important to know how much power the Emperor could use. * * * After telling Liv about his plan to visit the Arendt Marquisate, Emmett quietly looked at Liv. She had a face that hadn¡¯t noticed anything. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Liv.¡¯ The statement about going to the Arendt Marquisate to investigate ancient magic was a lie. The reason he was going to the Arendt Marquisate was to recruit Marquis Arendt to his side. He had decided to prepare for rebellion. ¡®Hayden said he¡¯d take care of foreign forces.¡¯ He had even joined hands with Hayden for that purpose. After realizing that the Emperor was the enemy of her parents, Liv seemed to be contemplating a lot about whether she should take revenge on the Emperor. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t seem to have any thoughts of becoming the Emperor herself. But Emmett loved Liv, so he wanted to return her to her original place. There must be a reason why all the gods want Liv to find her place. He wanted to place Liv in the highest position in this world. Riding in a carriage, Liv and Emmett headed towards a cave that was said to be near the capital. The superficial reason was to see a doctor nearby, but in fact, they were heading to a sanctuary. As Liv¡¯s complexion worsened while riding in the bumpy carriage, Emmett had to try to make her more comfortable by embracing her. Finally, the carriage stopped at a place. In front of them, rugged rocks could be seen. ¡°It seems you¡¯ll have to walk from here.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Emmett got out of the carriage first after hearing the coachman¡¯s words. He was about to support Liv, but seeing Liv¡¯s cheeks flushed red with fever, he made a contemplative face. ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Get on my back.¡± ¡°What? I can walk...¡± ¡°It¡¯s better if you get on my back.¡± Liv tried to dissuade him, thinking it would be difficult for him, but soon she judged that it would be better for both of them to go quickly on his back rather than walking slowly on her own. Finally, she got on Emmett¡¯s back as he lowered his body in front of her. And she carefully put her arms around his neck. Their bodies pressed together, feeling each other¡¯s body heat. To reach the cave, they had to pass through a rocky area. While walking with Liv on his back, Emmett was silent. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is it hard?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not hard at all.¡± Emmett¡¯s voice was level as if it were true, so Liv didn¡¯t say anything more and rested her head on his back. Anyway, she had been holding back a state where she felt she might say nonsense due to the dizziness she had been feeling for a while. Liv, with her eyes closed like that, soon felt a chill coming on. As her body involuntarily began to shiver, Liv opened her eyes and raised her head. In front of them, a huge cave appeared. The dark cave without a single point of light instilled fear in those who saw it. As Emmett seemed about to enter the cave while still carrying Liv on his back, Liv stopped him. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Let me down for now.¡± Emmett obediently lowered his body and let Liv down, but he didn¡¯t loosen his grip on Liv¡¯s arm while doing so. Liv supported her body with his help and looked up into the cave. She couldn¡¯t see at all what was inside. Liv had read numerous books since leaving Abgrund, including ones about the structure of the world they lived in. Liv had sufficient knowledge about caves. For example, she knew how dangerous it was to enter a cave that had not been explored by people. There could be pits in the cave deep enough that one couldn¡¯t get out. Or the cave could suddenly collapse. If the internal structure of the cave became even a little complex, it was easy for people who had entered to get lost. Anyway, since this was a sanctuary, Liv wouldn¡¯t get hurt inside, but Emmett might lose his life if he wasn¡¯t careful. ¡°I¡¯ll go in alone.¡± ¡°What? Liv, but...¡± ¡°Caves are dangerous places. But since this is a sanctuary, it won¡¯t be dangerous for me.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re sick right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get better once I go inside anyway.¡± Emmett looked like he wanted to dissuade Liv, but he seemed to know rationally that Liv¡¯s words were right. Finally, he closed his mouth with a face that didn¡¯t want to admit it. ¡°Just wait here for a little while. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Liv...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll really be back soon.¡± After saying that, Liv turned around to face the cave. Anyone would be reluctant to enter a cave without a single point of light, but... ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡°Liv!¡± Emmett cried out in horror seeing the blood on her palm. Liv frowned, thinking she might really faint if she didn¡¯t get inside as soon as possible. No matter how scary the cave was, she had to survive for now. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡± After saying that, Liv stepped into the cave. One step, then another. The slower she walked, the more darkness engulfed her surroundings. When she could no longer see even an inch in front of her, Liv stopped walking. ¡®...Why isn¡¯t anything happening?¡¯ By this point, she should have received God¡¯s power, but she still didn¡¯t feel any power. The damp air of the chilly cave touched her skin. She seemed to hear the sound of insects crying somewhere. Thinking it might be better to walk with her hand on the wall, Liv extended her arm and slowly moved sideways. ¡°Ugh.¡± Touching the cold cave wall and shuddering wasn¡¯t a particularly pleasant feeling. As she walked slowly with her hand on the wall, Liv touched something squishy and shook her hand vigorously in surprise. She could guess what it was, but she didn¡¯t really want to know... ¡®I hope I receive power soon.¡¯ Perhaps because no light was entering, she had been having difficulty breathing for a while. Or was it because her throat was swollen? It could also just be that the air in the cave was unfamiliar. It wasn¡¯t a situation for Liv to be scared, but it was inevitable that fear washed over her when she felt she had gone far enough from the outside. After turning several corners and walking, even when she looked back, no light could be seen. At that moment, without even time to scream, Liv¡¯s body fell. There was a puddle where she had stepped, and before she knew it, Liv was sinking deep into the water. Because there wasn¡¯t a single point of light, she couldn¡¯t tell how deep she was falling. Even when she kicked her feet, she couldn¡¯t feel the bottom. Fear more intense than ever before enveloped Liv¡¯s body. Following the thought that she might be trapped in the underground of this cave, memories of Abgrund filled Liv¡¯s mind at that moment. ¡°Ah.¡± The water surrounding Liv began to glow dazzlingly. No, the cave itself above began to glow. Before she knew it, the water was pushing Liv¡¯s body up. Liv, who had barely emerged from the water, crawled on the ground to get away from the puddle. As if the entire cave was covered with fireflies, the cave was glowing brightly. Through those lights, Liv realized that all the creatures in the cave were staring at her. Bizarrely shaped animals that didn¡¯t live outside the cave were quietly observing Liv. Chapter 94 But Liv wasn¡¯t scared at all. Rather... ¡®This is it.¡¯ She could feel power in her body. Muhilism, which had most of its believers in the Nandi Empire, was famous as a polytheistic religion. In Muhilism, hundreds, no, thousands of gods were worshipped. And this cave was the sanctuary of Aslan, one of the gods of Muhilism. Aslan was a god who embraced the weak and sick. As the god¡¯s power moved freely, Liv felt her body instantly starting to get better. However... ¡®Stop.¡¯ Liv could have completely healed her body. But she deliberately stopped the healing at an appropriate point. If she recovered completely, it would arouse suspicion... As Liv used Aslan¡¯s power, she felt an even more intense gaze than before. The creatures of the cave surrounding her seemed to be following Liv, but perhaps sensing Liv¡¯s scared heart, they didn¡¯t come close. But... ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Under the enormous god, what difference is there between a mere human and insects or beasts? In the end, they are all just insignificant, yet at the same time, great forms of life. As Liv maintained a calm attitude even while surrounded by them, the animals¡¯ yellow eyes blinked. Soon, they began to line up and indicate a direction as if guiding Liv. Liv instinctively knew that following that direction would lead her out of this cave. ¡°...Thank you.¡± Emmett would be waiting for her outside. She had to quickly go out and reassure him. Liv moved a bit faster towards the outside of the cave. As she exited the cave, Emmett called Liv¡¯s name with a more desperate voice than ever before. ¡°Liv!¡± ¡°You waited, Emmett. I obtained God¡¯s power. I¡¯m okay now.¡± ¡°Did nothing happen inside?¡± ¡°No.¡± Thinking it would unnecessarily worry him if she mentioned falling into the puddle, Liv didn¡¯t. Instead, she began to explain what Emmett needed to know. ¡°I could completely heal my body with the power I gained today, but I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I might get a fever, and I¡¯ll probably cough up blood occasionally.¡± ¡°But why...¡± ¡°Because we have to deceive everyone around me.¡± Emmett, realizing the meaning of Liv¡¯s words, closed his mouth. No matter how much they filled their surroundings with trustworthy people, you never know where words might leak. Liv needed to be known as still being in bed, and for that, she really had to be sick. ¡°But... I could just control the servants better. To prevent information from leaking out.¡± ¡°You know it¡¯s impossible to completely control everyone.¡± ¡°Liv...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It hurts much less than before.¡± For a moment, blood rose up her throat, but Liv swallowed it back down. Anyway, Liv had God¡¯s power in her body, so if she wanted, she could completely cure that illness. There really was nothing for Emmett to worry about. ¡°Really, I¡¯m fine. You can go to the Arendt Marquisate.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible.¡± Unable to refuse Liv¡¯s words, Emmett answered in a gloomy voice, then opened his mouth as if he had thought of something. ¡°Liv, then will you stay at the Hamelsvoort mansion?¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°First of all, Hildegard is there and can take care of you, and above all, there¡¯s less control over the servants than at the Lartman mansion. Rumors of your illness will spread quickly.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Before, she would have avoided the Hamelsvoort mansion because of the Hamelsvoort couple, but now that their relationship had changed, it might be more comfortable for Liv to be at the Hamelsvoort mansion. If someone from the imperial family or the temple came to visit, it would be better to have other nobles nearby to protect her. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°Alright, Liv. Let¡¯s go back to the mansion for now.¡± Still with a poor complexion, Liv moved to the carriage on Emmett¡¯s back. * * * A few days later, they arrived at the Hamelsvoort mansion. Hearing that Liv was sick, the Hamelsvoort couple was very worried, and when they heard that Duke Lartman had to leave urgently on business, they scolded him for going somewhere while leaving his sick wife. It was a markedly different attitude from before, but anyway, they seemed like they would sincerely nurse Liv. The room Liv used before was still there. Although more than half of the things inside were gone and it wasn¡¯t like before, it was still better than a completely unfamiliar space. Liv lay down on the familiar bed in her room. ¡°Emmett, have a safe trip.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Emmett¡¯s lips drew closer to Liv¡¯s lips. His gray eyes, which were always empty when looking at others, were now focused solely on Liv. As Liv slowly closed her eyes seeing this... ¡°Oh my!¡± A loud noise was heard from downstairs. Emmett frowned, raising his head at the interruption. ¡°I¡¯ll go check what that sound is.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together, there might be something serious happening.¡± Liv thought that perhaps the Emperor had ordered her capture after hearing she was here. Being aware that she was in a dangerous situation, Liv had been assuming the worst lately. She went down the stairs with Emmett¡¯s support. However, what Liv encountered when she reached the first floor was an unexpected face. ¡°My goodness, you¡¯ve really become handsome! As expected of our son, you¡¯ve grown into a fine-looking man.¡± ¡°Did you study well? Why did you come back so late?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been traveling around neighboring countries.¡± Black hair reminiscent of deep darkness, a hairstyle that slightly covered the forehead, tousled unlike the fashion of the Holy Hilysid Empire, and below that, purple eyes shining sharply. The man¡¯s elegant and upright posture exuded a noble atmosphere. Moreover, unlike the male ideal of the Holy Hilysid Empire, which prioritizes a strong and wild image, he had a delicate face that could rival even the noble young ladies famous for their beauty, and a gentle impression. However, upon closer inspection, it was odd that no vitality could be found in his face. ¡°Oh, brother, welcome back...¡± Hildegard greeted awkwardly, and he just nodded quietly at her. Walter Hamelsvoort. The eldest son of the Hamelsvoort family. He had returned from studying abroad in the Merna Empire. His eyes met Liv¡¯s in the air as she stood in front of the stairs and he stood at the entrance. ¡°Liv.¡± He approached Liv with a friendly expression upon seeing her, and Liv greeted him in a small voice. Faced with him, Liv couldn¡¯t help but feel intimidated. Who would have thought Walter would return just when she was here. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, brother...¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time. But why is my sister looking at me with such an expression?¡± He smiled gently, curving his eyes, then whispered in Liv¡¯s ear. ¡°My dear sister, are you thinking of giving me... again?¡± At those words, Liv stepped back with a pale face. On the other hand, Walter was still looking at Liv with a smile. On the surface, it was no different from the attitude of close siblings. Walter Hamelsvoort hated Liv terribly. He even went to study abroad in the Merna Empire to avoid her. However, Walter¡¯s dislike for Liv was not because she was an ¡®adopted sister¡¯ or a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯. The reason Walter hated Liv so much was. Because in the past, he had received divine punishment because of Liv. * * * ¡°Your name is Liv, right? Nice to meet you.¡± When Liv first came to the Hamelsvoort family, Walter was a kind older brother. ¡°Dear, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange no matter how you look at it? That child just can¡¯t use the Saintess¡¯s power at all.¡± ¡°I do suspect she might be a fake.¡± Around the time when the Hamelsvoort couple started to gradually suspect Liv. ¡°Liv, why are you here like this?¡± ¡°Ah, I...¡± ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t eat today, shall we eat together?¡± Walter was the only person in this household who took care of Liv. ¡°If I had my way, I¡¯d like to throw you out of this house, but know that you¡¯re alive because of imperial law! Just try to appear before our eyes again!¡± Even when it was revealed that Liv was a fake Saintess. ¡°Why are you alone in a place like this?¡± ¡°Well, I...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the mansion together, Liv.¡± Walter had never mentioned the word ¡®Saintess¡¯ in front of Liv. Regardless of what kind of being she was, Walter was always kind to Liv. However, Walter, who was faithful to the ideology of the Hamelsvoort family, wanted Liv to serve people in low places, if nothing else. ¡°Liv, won¡¯t you come volunteer at the infirmary with me today?¡± ¡°Are there many sick people there?¡± ¡°Yes, so if we help...¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°...What did you say?¡± ¡°I could get sick too, you know.¡± Even when Liv said that, he didn¡¯t get angry with her. Instead, he tried to persuade Liv to take her to the infirmary. ¡°Liv, take my hand. Let¡¯s go to the infirmary together.¡± ¡°N-no.¡± That day, Liv was arguing with Walter on the stairs. Walter kept trying to take Liv to the infirmary, and Liv was trying to stay at home. Knowing that this was also an action Walter was taking out of genuine concern for her, Liv couldn¡¯t bring herself to get angry at him. But Walter, who had been repeatedly moving back and forth holding hands, suddenly let go of Liv¡¯s hand. The color was draining from his face. ¡°What is this...¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t die this time.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You, you fell down the stairs and died.¡± Walter¡¯s face as he said this was so cold that it was hard to believe he was the same person as the kind older brother who was always gentle to Liv. At those words, Liv, precariously standing on the stairs, could easily grasp the situation. He said she didn¡¯t die ¡®this time¡¯. Then... It seemed that Liv had died falling down the stairs while arguing with Walter, and their time had rewound to before Liv fell to her death. Walter, who had always smiled kindly at Liv, was now looking at her as if she was the most abhorrent thing. ¡°Ah, my parents have brought a demon into the house.¡± Seeing this, Liv realized. Walter Hamelsvoort had already experienced divine punishment. ¡°B-brother, perhaps the gods...¡± Afraid that she had harmed someone else again, Liv was about to ask what kind of divine punishment he had received in a trembling voice, but. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t even know that much. But even if I told you, how could you understand the pain I¡¯ve been through?¡± Walter¡¯s eyes looking at Liv were already filled with hatred that she couldn¡¯t dare imagine. ¡°Because of you, I¡¯ve repeated the same time dozens of times. I¡¯ve lived the year after your death for so long that I can¡¯t remember.¡± A life where no matter how much he struggled, he would return to a year ago, and the people he had built relationships with would forget him. How could the mind of someone who repeated this dozens of times possibly be sane? Chapter 95 ¡°Hahaha...¡± He laughed like a madman while looking at Liv. His purple eyes, which had always been gentle, now glistened with devastation, and his once kind voice was now devoid of anything, feeling only empty. ¡°My dear sister, do you repay kindness with enmity? They brought a cursed being into this household without even knowing.¡± The relationship between Walter and Liv could never go back to how it was before. They were no longer affectionate siblings. ¡°Keep living like that, indulging in the gods who love you, my sister.¡± Walter, who had been more devout than anyone, no longer devoted himself to God. He left for the Merna Empire to study law created by humans, abandoning his god. * * * ¡°And who might this be...¡± Walter¡¯s gaze shifted to Emmett standing next to Liv. Emmett immediately greeted Walter politely. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Young Count Walter. You may have forgotten me. I am Emmett of the Lartman Duchy.¡± ¡°Ah yes, Duke Lartman...¡± As Walter¡¯s gaze scanned Emmett like a snake, the Countess, who had approached unnoticed, intervened. It was a quick move, as if she had sensed the strange atmosphere flowing between them. She would probably think that the Hamelsvoort family, close to the temple faction, was wary of the Lartman family, close to the imperial faction. ¡°Walter, you may not have received the letter as you were traveling, but Liv recently married Duke Lartman. It¡¯s really joyous news. Right now, Liv isn¡¯t feeling well, so she¡¯s come back to our house to recuperate. Please be mindful that Liv is ill.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Walter spoke in such a nonchalant voice that it was unclear if he was surprised or not. Well, someone who had experienced countless lives wouldn¡¯t be surprised by something like this. ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s amazing news!¡± Lady Hamelsvoort spoke exaggeratedly, as if worried Walter might say something wrong. ¡°There were those wicked rumors that Liv had deliberately pretended to be a Saintess. But it turns out Liv really is a special person who receives the Supreme God¡¯s love. She showed her power at the temple recently, and it was incredible!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Walter nodded with an expressionless face this time as well, and Lady Hamelsvoort seemed a bit flustered by his reaction but couldn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Well then. You must be tired, so go in and rest. We should prepare a grand dinner for tonight.¡± However, Walter gently smiled and shook his head. ¡°No, Mother. I have something I¡¯d like to discuss with Duke Lartman.¡± ¡°With the Duke?¡± ¡°Yes, as an older brother, shouldn¡¯t I have a conversation with my sister¡¯s husband?¡± ¡°Of course! Come to think of it, you always took such good care of Liv before.¡± Lady Hamelsvoort¡¯s face relaxed, seemingly reassured by Walter¡¯s attitude that appeared favorable towards Duke Lartman. Soon, led by Lady Hamelsvoort, they were seated in the reception room. After the Countess left and only the three of them remained, Walter examined Emmett with observant eyes before turning to Liv. ¡°My little sister.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Whose life are you trying to ruin this time?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I know very well that if someone gets involved with you wrongly, their life can be ruined.¡± As Liv was unable to respond to those words, Emmett spoke in a cold tone. ¡°I already know what kind of person Liv is.¡± ¡°You know everything?¡± ¡°Yes, the fact that she is loved not only by the Supreme God, but by all gods.¡± At those words, Walter¡¯s expression changed. It almost looked like he was impressed. ¡°Have you experienced divine punishment?¡± This time, when Emmett couldn¡¯t answer, Walter smiled again. ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear your answer to know. You have experienced it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly remarkable love. To be able to love that thing even after experiencing divine punishment.¡± ¡°Do not insult my wife.¡± Emmett was so wary of Walter as he said this that one could almost feel his killing intent. ¡°No matter what happens to Liv, I will protect her to the end. And I won¡¯t allow you to be rude to Liv either.¡± ¡°Haha, well then I have nothing more to say.¡± Walter stood up from his seat, and making a gesture as if wiping away tears, he said: ¡°Go ahead and love her to the end. Let¡¯s see how long you can endure being entangled with that thing.¡± As he left the reception room, Liv finally noticed that Emmett was clenching his fists with an angry face. ¡°Emmett...¡± ¡°Your brother is quite a difficult person. I never thought I¡¯d come to think Hayden was better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. He experienced divine punishment because of me... He used to be a good person, but I ruined him.¡± ¡°People are meant to change, Liv.¡± Emmett¡¯s hand covered Liv¡¯s. ¡°Even if someone changed after experiencing divine punishment, it¡¯s not your responsibility. If you want to blame someone, blame the gods.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried.¡± Emmett glared sharply at the door through which Walter had just left. He seemed to have recognized Walter as an enemy from their conversation just now. ¡°I¡¯m worried that he might become a danger to you.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t be able to do that... He knows the power of the gods better than anyone.¡± More than that, wanting to finish the farewell they were having earlier, Liv stared intently at Emmett. ¡°Emmett, have a safe trip.¡± Emmett had no intention of refusing the moment when Liv approached him first, regardless of the situation. He leaned his face towards Liv¡¯s lips, and for a long while, they remained like that, touching. * * * That evening, the members of the Hamelsvoort family gathered in the mansion¡¯s dining room to have dinner together. They said it was to celebrate Walter¡¯s return and all the Hamelsvoort family members being together. Liv also said she would join the meal since her condition wasn¡¯t too bad at the moment. The dining room was set with lavish food just like when Liv first came to this family long ago. Unlike before, Liv now knew the names of all the dishes, their tastes, and how to eat them. ¡°I bought many gifts for both of you. Of course, there are gifts for my sisters too.¡± At Walter¡¯s words, Lady Hamelsvoort¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as if moved. ¡°Having the whole family together makes me so happy! Walter, I¡¯m so proud of how wonderfully you¡¯ve grown up.¡± After saying that, Lady Hamelsvoort looked at Walter, Liv, and Hildegard seated at the table in turn. ¡°Our first child, Walter, went to study abroad in Merna and came back with a splendid degree. Now all that¡¯s left is for you to take your place in the Empire!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t much.¡± ¡°Our second child, Liv, proved that she is indeed chosen by the Supreme God.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And our youngest, Hildegard, fulfills her duties as a Saintess, making me so proud.¡± Lady Hamelsvoort seemed to have forgotten about the strained relationships in the Hamelsvoort family from before. The time when Liv was treated as a fake Saintess, and the Hamelsvoort family was ridiculed externally and divided internally. ¡°From now on, we should all get along well as a family. I feel truly proud that our generation has brought the Hamelsvoort family to its greatest peak.¡± As Count Hamelsvoort said this, Walter smiled gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father.¡± His eyes met Liv¡¯s once again. ¡°Now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll take good care of my sisters from now on. I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been a proper older brother until now.¡± However, what was contained in Walter¡¯s eyes as he said this was unmistakably a feeling of hatred. * * * Knock knock. ¡°Yes.¡± Right after the sound of knocking on the door, Hildegard entered the room. ¡°Sister, are you feeling a bit better?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Liv answered, lifting only her head while lying in bed. ¡°If several doctors couldn¡¯t find the cause... it must not be an ordinary illness.¡± The Hamelsvoort couple had also called several doctors for Liv, but they were of no help. Liv didn¡¯t stop them from calling doctors to spread rumors that she was ill. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Sister, tell me honestly. What exactly is going on? Is it related to the gods?¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking it might be okay to tell Hildegard, Liv hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s because of ancient magic.¡± ¡°Ancient magic? Wasn¡¯t that only used in the distant past?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s one person currently using that magic.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Soon, as if she had grasped the situation, Hildegard¡¯s face turned pale. She mumbled in a low voice as if worried someone might hear. ¡°But why would His Majesty the Emperor... Ah.¡± Suddenly realizing that he had driven out the Gracia family and ascended to the throne, Hildegard made a face of understanding. ¡°Could it be that His Majesty thinks Sister Liv will threaten his throne?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s probably not that. I don¡¯t have that much power yet. He has the power to kill me anytime he wants. Maybe... His Majesty doesn¡¯t like the rumor that I receive God¡¯s love. He¡¯s at odds with the temple after all.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Anyway, I just look sick, but I¡¯m not actually in much pain. I went to a sanctuary and got some help.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief...¡± Only then did Hildegard¡¯s face seem a bit relieved. However, she still didn¡¯t look like she was about to leave the room. ¡°Still, just in case, may I stay by your side to nurse you?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no reason not to, but...¡± However, if it was simply for nursing, it would be more efficient to have a maid constantly by her side rather than Hildegard staying with her all the time. Liv realized that Hildegard wasn¡¯t here just for nursing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Hilda? Why do you want to stay here?¡± ¡°Well, actually...¡± Hildegard hesitated before continuing. ¡°What is it, Hilda?¡± ¡°Haah, I feel suffocated... I don¡¯t know what to do when I run into Brother Walter.¡± ¡°Why you?¡± Unlike herself, Hildegard hadn¡¯t caused any harm to Walter. And Walter treated Hildegard well, so they should be able to get along just fine. To Liv¡¯s puzzlement, Hildegard replied in a matter-of-fact voice. ¡°I¡¯m an adopted daughter, you know.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What child would welcome their parents adopting a fully grown adult as a sister? It¡¯s strange to have to play family with someone who¡¯s completely unrelated.¡± ¡°Hmm... I guess that could be the case.¡± ¡°Brother is a good person, but he¡¯s so kind that it makes me feel more sorry. He probably didn¡¯t want me to be adopted.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course. Just look at the inheritance, it¡¯s been cut by a third.¡± Only then did Liv nod, understanding the situation. She had learned from reading books that many legal disputes arise due to inheritance issues. Walter had no reason to welcome this situation. ¡°Come to think of it, you also said you were uncomfortable with Brother Walter.¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Thinking it was time to tell Hildegard, Liv opened her mouth. ¡°Before, when you had just returned to the past, you asked me if there was anyone else who had experienced this.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I answered then that there was one more person.¡± ¡°Ah, could it be...!¡± ¡°Yes, that person is Brother Walter.¡± Chapter 96 At those words, Hildegard¡¯s eyes widened. She covered her mouth again and asked in a small voice. ¡°How on earth? What happened...¡± ¡°There was an argument when our brother tried to take me to volunteer work. I fell down the stairs and died then... So he probably received divine punishment of repeating the same time dozens of times.¡± Hildegard shuddered with a pale face. She seemed to be genuinely terrified by the story Liv had told. ¡°The talk of divine punishment always gives me chills...¡± ¡°That¡¯s why our brother hates me. It¡¯s natural since he received divine punishment because of me. He went to study abroad in the Merna Empire to avoid me too.¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what that meant...¡± Hildegard nodded, understanding the meaning of the letters they had exchanged when Liv was in the Lartman Duchy. Walter¡¯s departure for Merna wasn¡¯t simply because he was ashamed that his adopted sister was a fake Saintess. Walter hated the object of terror that had brought divine punishment upon him. ¡°Even though it wasn¡¯t my intention, I feel sorry for our brother. That¡¯s why it¡¯s uncomfortable to see his face.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°He was really a good person until he experienced divine punishment because of me. Our relationship became strained all because of me.¡± At those words, Hildegard¡¯s face darkened just like Liv¡¯s, and silence fell over the room. * * * ¡®I¡¯ve shown enough signs of being sick for today.¡¯ After coughing up blood a few times in front of the maid, Liv headed to the library of the Hamelsvoort mansion. Lying in bed all the time made her body ache unbearably. She always read books when she had free time. What she found particularly interesting was knowledge related to this society. Liv was always fascinated by things that humans had created entirely with their own power, without borrowing the power of gods. While looking for a book from the bookshelf containing sociology-related books, Liv discovered a book placed on the desk beyond the bookshelf. As there was no one around, Liv¡¯s steps naturally moved towards the desk. What was placed there were all law-related books. ¡®Who was reading these?¡¯ The Count and Countess Hamelsvoort wouldn¡¯t be interested in such things, so then... Recalling that Walter had studied law in the Merna Empire, Liv¡¯s face became troubled. It seemed Walter had also visited this library, and it would be better to slip out unnoticed. At that moment, Liv¡¯s eyes were drawn to a stack of papers spread out on the desk. On the front page of the paper, the following was written: [King Melek of the Kingdom of Umma was famous for making wise judgments since ancient times. One day, when two women claimed a calf as their own, King Melek decided to make a judgment for them. King Melek asked both of them if they were willing to give up the calf, and both women said they needed the calf. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So King Melek ordered the calf to be cut in half, and at that moment, one woman cried out that she would give up the calf. Then the king gave her the calf. The other woman even lost the cow she already had. Can the judgment method used by King Melek be applied to property ownership disputes in the Holy Hilysid Empire?] Walter had said he majored in ancient law. Thinking it was quite an interesting problem, Liv turned her body towards the bookshelf. But Walter was standing silently behind her. ¡°Oh, Brother.¡± ¡°Liv.¡± Walter smiled gently as he looked at Liv. ¡°So you come and go in the library. Yes, you¡¯ve always liked new stories.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°So what were you peeking at so curiously?¡± As he said this, Walter¡¯s eyes were filled with contempt for Liv. ¡°You, who can¡¯t live without the gods, what could you be interested in from the human world?¡± ¡°...I just looked at the writing on the paper.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Walter took one step closer to Liv, and as Liv backed away, her back hit the desk. Walter then reached out his hand to her. ¡°Let me see.¡± He picked up the paper that was behind Liv. ¡°My sister, so you¡¯re curious about the answer to this problem?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Of course, I can explain it for my curious little sister.¡± For Liv, Walter¡¯s sudden kindness was even more frightening, but she decided to listen to his explanation for now. Walter¡¯s gentle voice continued. ¡°We can find two principles here. One, when a dispute arises over the ownership of an object, the object is cut in half fairly. Second, however, in the case of living things, only one owner can exist. So if a similar situation occurs in this country, we should determine one owner of the calf.¡± Hearing this, Liv tilted her head. Walter¡¯s expression slightly frowned. ¡°Is something strange, Liv?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s different from what I thought...¡± ¡°Indeed, my omniscient sister, would you tell me the answer that I, a fool, couldn¡¯t think of?¡± Because he used a sarcastic tone, Liv felt a little relieved. Yes, Walter should treat her like this. ¡°Well, I think to understand this judgment, we need to know about King Melek of the Kingdom of Umma. Originally, the concept of collecting taxes wasn¡¯t well established in the Kingdom of Umma. People tried to protect their own possessions.¡± This was a story she had heard both from history books and from El, the god of the national religion of the Kingdom of Umma. ¡°King Melek, who ascended to the throne at this time, had the strongest power of anyone and strictly collected taxes from people. If people didn¡¯t pay taxes to protect their property, he punished them.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s your opinion on this law?¡± ¡°This case... I think it means that King Melek actually destroyed the property of those who didn¡¯t pay taxes to the state. The woman who was willing to give up her calf, that is, who was willing to pay taxes, didn¡¯t lose her property, but the woman who wasn¡¯t willing to give up the calf even lost the cow she already had. In other words, if we apply this law to modern times...¡± Liv¡¯s mind worked quickly. ¡°In this Empire, when there¡¯s a property ownership dispute, the answer would be that the state should just take away the object that caused the dispute.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Walter laughed as if in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s quite an innovative idea.¡± ¡°You probably know about the history of the Kingdom of Umma too, Brother... That¡¯s not so much a wise judgment as it is closer to a threat that the state will take away private property if necessary.¡± Usually, Liv couldn¡¯t even look Walter in the eye properly because she felt sorry for him, but for some reason, the words flowed smoothly now. At that moment, Walter¡¯s purple eyes scanned Liv as if observing her. ¡°Yes, indeed my sister is very clever. Of course, that¡¯s why you receive the affection of those beings.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Only then did Liv remember that Walter hated her. He would probably be uncomfortable if they continued talking. Absorbed in the conversation, Liv had momentarily forgotten about her relationship with Walter. She avoided Walter¡¯s eyes and quickly left the place. * * * ¡°How annoying.¡± Walter glared at the spot where Liv had left. He didn¡¯t like her meddling in his work. To Walter, Liv was nothing short of a disaster that had come into his life. But feeling somewhat uneasy about completely ignoring Liv¡¯s words, he looked up books on the history of the Kingdom of Umma and. ¡°...This interpretation would be more correct.¡± He realized that Liv¡¯s words were right. ¡°Hmm.¡± He thought about Liv. His young and small sister, whose harmless face reminded one of a small animal. Once they were not on bad terms, but after ¡®that incident¡¯, he came to hate his sister. Walter clearly remembered the sight of Liv falling down the stairs. Liv¡¯s eyes were filled with terror as her body floated in the air after letting go of the handrail, and soon the stairs were stained with blood with a loud noise. ¡°L-Liv...?¡± He ran to Liv, not caring that his clothes were soaked in blood, but Liv, who had fallen head-first, couldn¡¯t move her body at all. He put his trembling hand under Liv¡¯s nose and confirmed that Liv had completely stopped breathing. And at that moment. Who has harmed my child? Walter would never forget that terrible moment... Those beings said they would impose divine punishment on him, and when he came to his senses, he was standing at Liv¡¯s funeral. ¡®What is this...¡¯ Walter thought it was so strange that he had suddenly skipped time, but no one else seemed to be aware of that fact. Walter lived for a year like that, becoming a wreck, sunk in remorse for having killed Liv. When he came to his senses, it was Liv¡¯s funeral again. Next, thinking it might mean he should live properly, he took revenge on those who spoke ill of Liv. But regardless of his actions, time inevitably went back again. So Walter tried becoming the head of the Hamelsvoort family, marrying Princess Louisa, entering the temple to become a priest, fleeing to the Kingdom of Valeno, reaching an unknown country in the East, successfully establishing a merchant group, killing the Emperor and being imprisoned and executed, rolling around in the slums, becoming a mad murderer, becoming a believer of the Lufahid religion, and repeatedly committing suicide. But time kept going back to a year ago. He had repeated this life with a one-year time limit countless times. The relationships he had formed would forget him, the achievements he had built up would become bubbles, and he couldn¡¯t know the future beyond one year. ¡°Liv Hamelsvoort.¡± Long after he had started living a life of just reciting the name that had made him live such a life. For the first time, he opened his eyes not at the funeral, but on top of the stairs. Liv was looking at him with round eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t die this time.¡± Walter was finally able to escape from that terrible divine punishment. He could no longer think as he had before. Everything in this world felt meaningless, he didn¡¯t desire anything, and he didn¡¯t know what to do. However, there was one thing he understood clearly. He had to escape from Liv, the cursed being living in the same house. He who had been studying theology quickly changed his major and left for the Merna Empire to study law, and only now had he returned to the Hamelsvoort family. Chapter 97 During his time away from Liv, Walter was able to calm his mind a little. Although she was a detestable being, he realized that blindly showing hostility towards her wasn¡¯t a wise action. After all, there was an enormous power behind her. So on his way back to the Empire, he decided to treat Liv the same as before when he saw her, but. -My dear sister, are you thinking of imposing divine punishment on me again? Seeing her, he couldn¡¯t help but say that, as if something was boiling inside him. She was the one who had pushed him into hell, after all. But Walter also found that he didn¡¯t just hate Liv anymore. Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t Liv who had punished him, but the gods. How could Liv have possibly stopped the will of the great gods? Moreover, seeing Liv¡¯s face brought back memories of the times they had shared before. ¡°She wasn¡¯t originally a stupid child.¡± Whenever he told her various stories, Liv always used to look at him with sparkling eyes. Liv was a child who always quickly learned whenever he taught her something new. ¡°What should I do with my sister...¡± Her marriage to Duke Lartman was truly an unexpected story. The eyes of Duke Lartman that he had seen were clearly filled with affection. No, anyone who saw Duke Lartman and Liv together would be able to see Duke Lartman¡¯s affection for Liv. That¡¯s how deeply Duke Lartman loved Liv. It felt strange that someone in such a high position liked Liv. He couldn¡¯t quite put it into words, but what was certain was that it didn¡¯t feel particularly good. And the reason for that was probably... ¡°The Emperor¡¯s hound, I don¡¯t like it.¡± Walter wasn¡¯t particularly fond of the tyrant August, and after going to the Merna Empire and broadening his view of the world, his antipathy towards the current Emperor had deepened even more. ¡®Yes, the reason I feel bad now is probably because he¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s hound.¡¯ Perhaps the reason he didn¡¯t like Liv¡¯s marriage to him was because he didn¡¯t like the partner. Because it wasn¡¯t good for the Hamelsvoort family to be involved with the Lartman family. ¡®...She said she was sick.¡¯ Recalling that several doctors had been called but none could find the cause of Liv¡¯s illness, he found it even harder to concentrate on his book. ¡®Why am I acting like this?¡¯ Eventually, Walter left the book he was reading and headed outside. ¡®I should look around the house after a long time.¡¯ He planned to greet the servants he used to know and see if anything had changed in the house. ...And also meet the doctor who had examined Liv. But as he was heading towards the kitchen on the first floor, Walter¡¯s footsteps stopped when he heard voices coming from inside. ¡°What should we do about Miss Liv now?¡± ¡°How would I know if you ask me?¡± ¡°Are we all going to be fired?¡± At those words, Walter¡¯s expression slightly frowned. Quick-witted as he was, he could immediately understand what they were talking about. ¡®It seems they¡¯re talking about how they dismissed Liv as a fake Saintess.¡¯ But with the recent wedding and the temple¡¯s official recognition, they could no longer dismiss Liv as a fake Saintess. Now Liv was a daughter of the Hamelsvoort family, the wife of Duke Lartman, and a ¡®being who receives the Supreme God¡¯s love¡¯ officially recognized by the temple. In other words, she had become someone the servants had to revere and serve. So those who had been dismissing Liv until now were hesitating, unable to approach Liv or dismiss her. If they suddenly changed their attitude, Liv might find them strange. ¡°The Count and Countess are treating Miss Liv so well now. We shouldn¡¯t go against their will. In fact, she¡¯s probably the person we should impress the most in this mansion from now on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Miss Liv has risen to an even higher position than the Saintess or Young Master Walter, the heir.¡± Although there was talk about himself, strangely, Walter didn¡¯t feel bad. Rather, it was their attitude towards Liv that bothered him more. ¡°Then should we just pretend we don¡¯t know anything and treat the young lady well?¡± ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t dismiss her like you did. So it might be okay.¡± ¡°Then just like this...¡± At that moment, Walter entered the kitchen. When Walter appeared, the servants there froze in surprise. ¡°Y-Young Master...¡± They looked terrified, probably because they had been caught talking behind their master¡¯s back, but Walter smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, everyone. I haven¡¯t greeted you properly yet.¡± Thinking it was a chance for forgiveness, they hurriedly exclaimed: ¡°W-We¡¯re so glad you¡¯re back, Young Master!¡± ¡°Haha, we missed you so much, Young Master.¡± However, Walter had no intention of pretending not to know anything as they wished. Instead, he continued speaking with a gentle smile. ¡°You were having an interesting conversation.¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Th-That...¡± ¡°It seems you dismissed Liv a lot while I was gone.¡± When he was in the mansion, they were at least mindful of him, but after Walter left for his studies, there was no one to be mindful of, so it probably got worse. As if his guess was correct, the servants¡¯ expressions hardened. They looked like they thought Walter would scold them, but what came out of his mouth was the opposite. ¡°But what does it matter?¡± ¡°P-Pardon?¡± ¡°Even if you dismissed Liv, what does it matter? You only knew my sister as a fake Saintess, right?¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Then you have no responsibility at all.¡± As he smiled with his eyes gently curved, they somehow looked even more terrified. It was as if they were trapped in a confined space with a murderer. But Walter didn¡¯t care about their expressions. ¡®This should do it.¡¯ Walter didn¡¯t want the servants to misunderstand that all members of the Hamelsvoort family were on Liv¡¯s side. Now that the servants knew that Walter didn¡¯t view Liv favorably, they wouldn¡¯t bring up Liv¡¯s story in front of him in the future. He turned around with a smiling face and left the kitchen. * * * In the place Walter had left, the servants all looked at each other with pale faces. ¡°D-Did you see the Young Master¡¯s expression just now?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it...¡± ¡°It, it was really scary.¡± Walter had always been kind, and was a person who consistently treated others with a smiling face. So occasionally, naive new servants or nobles from other families would underestimate Walter, but. Those who had served Walter closely for a long time knew well. Walter smiles even when he¡¯s angry. ¡°Ah, he must mean for us to properly apologize to the young lady?¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s right. It felt like he was calling us shameless.¡± ¡°Yes. It felt completely sarcastic.¡± ¡°Especially at the end, that ¡®you have no responsibility at all.¡¯ That was totally irony.¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do, let¡¯s go apologize quickly.¡± The servants rushed to Liv¡¯s room to apologize. Even as they went, Walter¡¯s brightly smiling face was imprinted in their minds. * * * ¡°Young lady, we¡¯re so sorry for all this time...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When it was revealed that you weren¡¯t a Saintess, we talked behind your back and dismissed you...¡± Liv looked with bewildered eyes at the people bowing and apologizing to her. She had been thinking of going out since she had pretended to be sick enough for the day, but what was this all of a sudden? The servants who came to apologize to Liv were those who had dismissed Liv after it was revealed that she was a fake Saintess. After Liv proved her power at the temple, it was obvious that they didn¡¯t know what to do, but why this sudden apology now? ¡°I understand. It¡¯s okay.¡± Liv had no particular ill feelings towards them, and there was nothing for her to gain by oppressing them. As she accepted their apology for now, the servants¡¯ expressions brightened. But among them, only one person was wearing a dark expression, and that was Verena, the head maid of the mansion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± When Liv asked her, noticing that gloomy atmosphere, Verena hesitantly answered. ¡°...I¡¯m too ashamed. In fact, we wouldn¡¯t have any right to complain even if we were driven out of this mansion. But you accepted our apology. Not knowing you were such a good person... No, actually, we knew you had a kind nature. We just picked on you based on rumors.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If Young Master Walter hadn¡¯t told us, we probably wouldn¡¯t have thought to apologize to you.¡± ¡°Brother did?¡± Liv¡¯s eyes widened. They were apologizing because of Walter? ¡°Yes, Young Master Walter made us realize that while rumors were partly to blame for how things turned out, we also had some responsibility.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Answering like that, Liv couldn¡¯t hide her puzzlement. Walter would hate her more than anyone else, so why would he help her receive apologies? ¡°Hmm...¡± She couldn¡¯t understand what Walter was thinking at all. How could she understand the thought process of someone who had gone mad after experiencing divine punishment... He was even harder to understand than Hayden. Is this how other people felt when looking at Liv herself? At that moment, Liv¡¯s eyes shone as if she had made a decision. She was going to observe Walter from now on. Chapter 98 As Walter¡¯s door opened, Liv, who was hiding her body behind a decorative cabinet in the hallway, raised her head. She could see Walter leaving his room and heading towards the dining room. ¡®7 AM, breakfast.¡¯ It was a time Liv, who spent every morning in bed enduring the voices of the gods ringing in her head, could never imagine. The reason Liv got up at this time today was because she woke up coughing blood. Liv hid near the dining room, waiting for Walter to come out. Soon, the Hamelsvoort couple entered the dining room, and she heard Walter greeting them as he came out. After leaving the dining room, Walter headed to the library. Since the library was easy to hide in thanks to the bookshelves, Liv went inside. Walter sat down at the desk, piled up several books, and began to read intently. As she grew bored watching him endlessly, Liv crouched down and sat on the floor. ¡®8 AM, reading.¡¯ After that, Walter didn¡¯t get up from his seat for a long time. Eventually, Liv began to doze off without realizing it. Her head nodded precariously. At that moment, Walter got up from his chair, making a scraping sound. Liv quickly opened her eyes. Walter headed straight for the dining room. Liv checked the time on the wristwatch Emmett had given her as a gift. ¡¯12 PM, lunch.¡¯ After that, Hildegard, who was about to enter the dining room, stopped when she saw Liv. She asked with an uneasy look, pointing at the dining room: ¡°Is Walter in there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...Then I should eat separately.¡± Hildegard, seeming uncomfortable with Walter, headed towards the kitchen. Liv saw a maid following behind Hildegard carrying a tray, and her eyes unconsciously turned in that direction. Come to think of it, Liv hadn¡¯t eaten anything today because she was observing Walter. ¡°...Are you hungry?¡± The maid, receiving Liv¡¯s piercing gaze, awkwardly averted her eyes and asked. She was one of those who had apologized to Liv recently. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you feeling a bit better? You should go back to your room...¡± ¡°They said moving around a bit is better. Can you bring me some porridge?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. ...But aren¡¯t you going to eat in the dining room?¡± ¡°Shh, pretend you don¡¯t know anything and keep it a secret!¡± Since it was an order anyway, the maid brought Liv a bowl of porridge, but her pupils were shaking. Eating porridge suspiciously in front of the dining room door, Liv waited for Walter to come out. After eating, Walter headed to the garden. He started walking leisurely, basking in the sunlight. ¡®1 PM, walk.¡¯ Perhaps because Walter¡¯s stride was long, his pace was quite fast. Liv followed behind him, panting while wearing her dress. At some point, Walter¡¯s pace slowed down, so Liv could comfortably follow him. Walter seemed to like the garden. He occasionally stopped to observe flowers and stared intently at birds in the trees. Then his steps stopped in front of a flower. He looked at that flower for a long time. ¡®Geranium!¡¯ Liv smiled brightly as she recognized the identity of the flower. It was something she had asked the gardener to plant in the garden after seeing it in the Lartman Duchy. ¡°...Haah.¡± Walter sighed deeply while looking at the geranium, then walked on. ¡®2 PM, reading.¡¯ When he returned to the library, Liv quickly became bored. Perhaps because she had stayed up all night, drowsiness came over her again even though she had dozed off earlier. ¡°Mmm...¡± When she came to her senses, Liv found herself dozing off leaning against a bookshelf. She quickly opened her eyes and looked at Walter, who was reading a book without changing his posture at all from before. ¡®I can¡¯t figure out what he¡¯s thinking.¡¯ Liv had tried to understand Walter¡¯s feelings towards her, but she couldn¡¯t learn anything from this. Well, what good would it do to follow Walter around hiding like this? She would probably have to confront Walter to understand. But Liv was also reluctant to speak to Walter first. Her conscience ached when she stood before him. ¡®Should I try talking to him anyway?¡¯ Just as Liv was thinking about gathering her courage, she felt something rising up inside her. ¡°Ugh.¡± When she spread her palm that had covered her mouth in front of her eyes, she saw the now-familiar dark red blood. Blood coming up meant the curse was taking effect, and it meant her body would soon have a fever. Thinking it would be better to quietly return to bed and lie down, Liv stopped observing Walter and headed for her bed. * * * Only after hearing the sound of the library door closing did Walter raise his head. ¡°...What on earth?¡± He thought someone had been following him since morning, like a spy had attached themselves to him, but that wasn¡¯t it. The one following him was Liv. Every time he turned his head, she hurriedly hid herself, but her white hair was sticking out from behind the wall. Moreover, when Walter was leaving the dining room after finishing lunch, he discovered Liv eating through the door crack and had to return to the table to kill time. In the garden too, he deliberately slowed his pace because of Liv panting behind him. His sister really had a knack for making people tired. ¡®Her dress will get stained green.¡¯ He thought as he saw Liv¡¯s white dress brushing against the grass. Doesn¡¯t Liv¡¯s dressmaker make clothes to fit her body? The clothes looked too big. Or are women¡¯s dresses supposed to drag on the ground like that? It seemed too inconvenient to live in such clothes all the time. As he walked through the garden like that, Walter suddenly thought of Liv¡¯s eyes when he saw a nameless pink flower. Round and small eyes, always anxiously looking around in front of him... ¡°...Haah.¡± When he suddenly thought this flower resembled Liv, Walter sighed, feeling a little crazy. This was all because of the divine punishment. The divine punishment was making his way of thinking strange. Later, when he went to the library, he could feel her dozing off as she had in the morning. Later, it seemed she was sleeping too openly, so Walter walked close and stood in front of her. Even with a shadow cast over her head, Liv didn¡¯t seem to notice anything. ¡°What am I really doing...¡± Finally returning to his seat, he had to sigh once again. Sometimes he found it ridiculous that he was wary of such a stupid child. At that moment, he heard her retching. He unconsciously craned his neck to look at her and discovered blood on her hands. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ He had only heard she was sick but didn¡¯t know how sick she was, but coughing up blood was serious. She left her place, staggering as if dizzy. Why didn¡¯t she just lie quietly in bed when she was so sick, and instead came out to observe someone else? She probably didn¡¯t even know her own diagnosis, so where did that energy come from? No matter how much he thought about it, Liv was really a difficult being to understand. ¡°This is driving me crazy.¡± Unable to concentrate on his book at all, he grumbled and closed it. Anyway, nothing good ever came from getting involved with Liv. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * Finally, August reached a conclusion. ¡°I should eliminate Hamelsvoorts.¡± From before, Hamelsvoort had stood on the side of the temple, irritating him. Saintess, a being loved by God... Everything that annoyed him belonged to the Hamelsvoort family. So it seemed better to eliminate Liv Lartman, who had now become the Duke Lartman¡¯s wife, along with her family at this opportunity. ¡°Chamberlain, issue an order for Duke Lartman¡¯s wife to enter the palace.¡± Duke Lartman had left for the Lartman Duchy to find a doctor to cure his wife¡¯s illness. The Emperor planned to call Liv alone during this time and provoke her to make a verbal mistake. Then he could use that as an excuse to charge her with insulting the imperial family and imprison her. However, unexpected words came from Louisa, who was standing next to him with her hands folded. ¡°Your Majesty, Duke Lartman¡¯s wife will die soon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I have already used ancient magic. She will die soon without knowing the reason, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Then her being sick...¡± Only then did all the puzzle pieces seem to fit together. August¡¯s face instantly turned fierce. ¡°Louisa, you dare to interfere in my affairs?¡± Of course, he knew well what Louisa¡¯s intentions were. She wanted to kill Duke Lartman¡¯s wife herself before things got bigger and backfired on her. If she had been a subject, the Emperor would have beheaded her long ago. But after all, Louisa was his daughter. August had a desire to pass on the throne to his own bloodline, so he had forgiven Louisa¡¯s willful behavior several times before. It¡¯s a story that would make others laugh if they knew how the Emperor treated his daughter, but he was showing Louisa his own kind of mercy. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, her severe illness isn¡¯t feigned, so I can¡¯t call her to the palace...¡± Rumors said she was coughing up blood, and if he called someone that sick to the palace and imprisoned them, he would be criticized by the temple. He was confident he could win a war against the temple, but it was troublesome to create and deal with unnecessary noise. Instead, he decided to turn his attention to someone else. ¡°Come to think of it, I heard Hamelsvoort¡¯s eldest son has returned to the Empire?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that too.¡± ¡°Chamberlain!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± August¡¯s eyes, plotting a conspiracy, curved sharply like a snake¡¯s. ¡°Issue an order for Hamelsvoort¡¯s eldest son to enter the palace.¡± Chapter 99 Meanwhile at that time, Emmett was sitting across the table from Marquis Arendt. ¡°Hmm, what brings our Duke here?¡± A woman with messy red hair grumbled, leaning back in her chair. The table was piled high with books. Though she was clearly wearing noble attire, her haggard face and sloppy posture made it hard to believe she was from the upper class. The head of the Arendt Marquis family, Ida Arendt. She pushed up her large round glasses and continued speaking. ¡°Well, I know why you¡¯re here, so let¡¯s be honest.¡± She put a pipe to her mouth, but noticing Emmett¡¯s gaze, put it down as if showing consideration. ¡°Is someone¡¯s head going to roll? Just know that I absolutely won¡¯t cooperate.¡± ¡°...If you listen to my story until the end, you might change your mind.¡± ¡°Ah ah. I won¡¯t listen. It would be troublesome if I got tempted.¡± Even with Duke Lartman in front of her, Marquis Arendt maintained an attitude of complete disinterest throughout. However, Emmett knew well that this was Marquis Arendt¡¯s typical attitude. ¡°I¡¯ve brought information that even you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hmm, you think I¡¯ll fall for that.¡± But her eyes were full of curiosity as she said this. ¡°It¡¯s about the last descendant of the Gracia family.¡± ¡°Ah, that baby? In the end, it didn¡¯t make it past 100 days and died of illness. Well, it¡¯s obvious who caused the death. Or are you talking about that 70-year-old? I think that person died not long after too.¡± Marquis Arendt muttered like this, then looked at Emmett¡¯s expression and grinned. ¡°But that¡¯s not who you¡¯re talking about, is it? Who exactly is this last descendant of Gracia, hm?¡± Now there was madness in Marquis Arendt¡¯s eyes as she said this. Seeming to have forgotten her resolve not to listen to Emmett¡¯s words, she looked at him with eager eyes. ¡°Alright, tell me. So who is the last descendant of Gracia?¡± * * * ¡°This is...¡± At that time, a letter bearing the emblem of a crowned snake arrived at the Hamelsvoort mansion. It was the emblem of the Steinberg imperial family. Even upon receiving this letter, which would be no different from an invitation from hell for other nobles, the Hamelsvoort couple didn¡¯t panic. ¡°It¡¯s because Liv has become Duke Lartman¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Well, His Majesty must know what that means.¡± The Hamelsvoort family, who had been on the side of the temple and not fully following the imperial family until now, was showing some openness to the imperial family by forming a connection with the Lartman family. While they couldn¡¯t be called completely friendly with the imperial family, they weren¡¯t entirely hostile either. However, the moment they opened the envelope, their expressions turned pale. [Walter Hamelsvoort, the eldest son of the Hamelsvoort family, is to enter the imperial palace. ¡ªAugust Steinberg.] ¡°E-Enter the palace? Walter?¡± It was never a good thing when the Emperor summoned nobles. The couple knew well what happened to those who caught his interest. If he had called for Liv, they would have understood, but why was he calling for Walter? As Lady Hamelsvoort showed her anxiety, the Count tried to comfort her. ¡°D-Dear, it will be alright. His Majesty might be interested because Walter just returned from the Merna Empire.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± They anxiously relayed this information to Walter. And Walter... ¡°I see. Understood.¡± He showed a calm smile and prepared to enter the imperial palace. His appearance was so composed that it made those watching him feel deflated. ¡°W-Walter, you must be careful with your words in the palace.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother. Don¡¯t worry. When have I ever made a mistake... Anyway, I won¡¯t give you cause for concern.¡± On the day Walter entered the palace, the whole family came out to the entrance to see him off. Even Liv, who was ill, came out holding Hildegard¡¯s hand and looked at Walter with a pale face. Walter smiled gently at them before confidently boarding the carriage. And that day, Walter didn¡¯t return home. * * * ¡°Wow, so that¡¯s how it was!¡± Marquis Arendt¡¯s eyes sparkled as she listened to Emmett¡¯s story. Emmett briefly relayed to Marquis Arendt the story he had heard from Hayden. The Gracia family had disappeared due to August, but one descendant of the family still remained. ¡°Ah, Duke. I never imagined. It was really, really an interesting story.¡± By now Emmett was starting to find Marquis Arendt a bit unsettling, but he nodded with as composed a face as possible. ¡°The rest is as you already know.¡± ¡°I see, so that¡¯s why you said you would punish Hayden Schulze... I thought you were going to subject him to labor worse than death in the Lartman Duchy like before, but you were actually protecting him?¡± Emmett flinched because she knew about his previous actions. It was because he felt guilty about the evil deeds he had committed until now. However, Emmett soon put on a calm face and continued speaking. ¡°So has your mind changed a little?¡± ¡°Hmm, Duke. Of course, it was an interesting story.¡± Marquis Arendt¡¯s voice became slow again. She fidgeted with an unlit cigarette in her hand. ¡°It was interesting, really interesting... But.¡± She stared at Emmett with her yellow eyes. ¡°If you had told just this much to anyone else but me, it wouldn¡¯t have worked at all, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You should have come with the whereabouts of that descendant and suggested putting them on the throne, not just throwing out one piece of information and suddenly talking about committing treason, you know?¡± At these blunt words, Emmett¡¯s face hardened. But Marquis Arendt giggled as if she found Emmett¡¯s expression amusing. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. To be honest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It seems promising.¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes widened at this unexpected answer. He had thought she would definitely refuse. He had actually come to Marquis Arendt with a half-gambling mindset. But he was also half expecting to gain at least some small information from her. ¡°Hmm, I told you, didn¡¯t I? That it wouldn¡¯t have worked if you told anyone else but me. But I can see it. The information you didn¡¯t say.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How much have you told others?¡± ¡°...I haven¡¯t told anyone.¡± ¡°Why? Afraid it might become dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no need for that. From what I can see, those idiots wouldn¡¯t guess at all...¡± Marquis Arendt raised the corner of her mouth in a smirk. ¡°That the last descendant is Liv Lartman.¡± At that moment, Emmett stood up abruptly, making a sound as his chair was pushed back. As he instinctively looked around and put his hand on his waist where his sword was, Marquis Arendt reassured him as if to say it was alright. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. No one is listening.¡± ¡°...How did you know?¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? Looking at you, it seems like you already have that last descendant with you. There¡¯s someone who recently surprised the capital with the fact that she receives God¡¯s love. Isn¡¯t it really obvious?¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Of course, most idiots might not be able to figure out exactly who the Gracia descendant is even if they heard this story. Who would think that the precious Gracia descendant would be the naive woman who was called a ¡®fake Saintess¡¯ in social circles until recently? The image of the Gracia family they recall is far from the impression of Liv Lartman. For most people, a member of the Gracia family would be close to a noble and perfect royal from birth.¡± She pushed her glasses, which had slid down to her nose, back up again. ¡°But it¡¯s hard to find someone without prejudice like me...¡± ¡°Do you think His Majesty the Emperor knows this fact as well?¡± ¡°Ah, you need to explain that. So what has His Majesty the Emperor done with that last descendant until now?¡± ¡°When my wife wouldn¡¯t die no matter what he tried due to God¡¯s protection, the Emperor imprisoned her in Abgrund and never opened that door again. She escaped from Abgrund in the middle through God¡¯s power.¡± ¡°My goodness, Abgrund. He really is a cruel person.¡± Marquis Arendt shook her head exaggeratedly. ¡°So His Majesty the Emperor doesn¡¯t know that your wife is the Gracia descendant, right?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of telling His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your reason?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± For a moment, madness flashed in Marquis Arendt¡¯s eyes again. ¡°Because it¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This is interesting enough. Worth betting my life on.¡± Marquis Arendt was truly an unpredictable person. He knew she was very interested in information and knowledge and had a personality that pursued fun, but to this extent... ¡°Well, since His Majesty the Emperor still doesn¡¯t know that your wife escaped from Abgrund, that¡¯s why you¡¯re both alive and walking around outside now. But you must have become desperate? Seeing as you¡¯re revealing all the facts to me and asking for help.¡± ¡°...To be honest, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Because she proved that she turned her back on the imperial family by showing her power at the temple? And on top of that, the secret about her origins might be revealed if something goes wrong?¡± ¡°Both are correct. Moreover, because of that incident, His Majesty the Emperor has already used ancient magic to place a curse on my wife. Because of that, she is currently in a seriously ill state.¡± ¡°Aha, I see. That¡¯s why you left your wife in the capital and came alone. But...¡± Behind her glasses, Marquis Arendt¡¯s eyes glinted as they caught the light. ¡°From what I can see, your wife might be in danger right now, you know?¡± Chapter 100 ¡°Are you the eldest son of the Hamelsvoort family?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Walter, kneeling, answered in a polite voice. He had heard beforehand that the Emperor sometimes did this to intimidate guests he summoned. It seemed the Emperor had not called him for a good purpose today. However, not a trace of tension could be seen on Walter¡¯s face. He had left home with a carefree expression in front of his family, and in reality, he was not taking this situation seriously. ¡®Compared to divine punishment.¡¯ The world no longer appeared the same to Walter as before. After experiencing divine punishment, his standards had completely changed. No matter what the Emperor did to him, he would not feel much emotion. Even if he died, he would accept death as it was. For Walter, ¡®one life¡¯ did not feel important. Although this life had no ¡®next,¡¯ well. He had lived enough. ¡°I hear you studied law in the Merna Empire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Well, how was the Merna Empire?¡± ¡°The scientific development in the Merna Empire was remarkable. They were actively trading with the East through superior navigation techniques, and because of that, they could easily adopt new cultures and technologies.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. Then do you think the Merna Empire is more developed than us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case, Your Majesty.¡± Walter continued in an elegant voice. ¡°Their science and technology are more advanced than the Holy Hilysid Empire, but that¡¯s limited to science. Conflicts were occurring all over the Merna Empire as they accepted many foreigners. I believe the Holy Hilysid Empire, unified under strong imperial authority, is a better place.¡± It was a blatant attempt to curry favor with the Emperor, but the Emperor did not point this out. Instead, the Emperor, who had been listening with an amused face, finally spoke. ¡°Walter Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Do you think I have the proper qualifications to be Emperor?¡± Pondering the meaning of those words, Walter was silent for a moment. Then he soon answered in a calm tone. ¡°How could Your Majesty not have the qualifications to be Emperor? Your Majesty is the rightful sun of this Empire.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not so sure myself.¡± The Emperor grinned while looking at Walter. It was an unpleasant smile that anyone would find unsettling. ¡°There are too many in this world who don¡¯t consider me a proper Emperor.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The moment he saw his expression, Walter guessed. He would not be able to escape from here today. That would be the case no matter what he said. ¡°Is the Supreme God above, or am I above?¡± ¡°Everything in this world is beneath the Supreme God, but this country is also beneath Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Then in the end, that means I am also beneath the Supreme God.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is that why the Hamelsvoort family does not show loyalty to me?¡± ¡°Our family will always be loyal to Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Liv Lartman revealing her power at the temple rather than the imperial palace reads as disrespect towards me.¡± ¡°That is absolutely not the case.¡± Walter gave the best answers he could, but the Emperor seemed to have already decided what to do with Walter. In fact, Walter had already half lost his motivation, showing an attitude of ¡®kill me if you want to kill me.¡¯ Then Liv would feel even more guilt towards him. Ah, it¡¯s a bit regrettable to leave without seeing that child break down. ¡°The Lartman ducal family or the Hamelsvoort count family, they¡¯re both equally difficult to handle. But I can¡¯t eliminate both families either.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I intend to keep you alive. Someone needs to succeed the Hamelsvoort family.¡± The Emperor continued rambling while Walter remained silent, then shouted towards the tightly closed door outside. ¡°Escort Young Lord Hamelsvoort to an empty room.¡± Walter silently bowed his head and thought. Should he be grateful that it was called an ¡¯empty room¡¯ and not a prison? But no matter how you looked at it, it wasn¡¯t a positive situation. Because he would be confined in the imperial palace. * * * ¡®What should I do...¡¯ The room was clean and furnished with most necessities. The place where Walter was seemed like an ordinary room created to entertain guests in the imperial palace. The room had an attached bathroom, and meals were provided at mealtimes, so the person confined there had no need to step outside the room even once. In fact, he couldn¡¯t go outside the room either. He could sense the presence of a soldier guarding his door all day long. He was completely imprisoned. It was unclear on what grounds Walter had been imprisoned. That was up to the Emperor¡¯s whim. Probably the pretext for confining him without evidence would be something like ¡®insulting the imperial family.¡¯ Even the Emperor couldn¡¯t frame Walter for non-existent treason charges. If one of the Five Noble Families were to be exterminated, other nobles might unite. Especially if the target was Hamelsvoort, the temple wouldn¡¯t stand idly by either. A day had passed since Walter was confined in the imperial palace. The Hamelsvoort family must be in an uproar by now. ¡®How troublesome...¡¯ Yes, in fact, Walter being confined here was because Liv had allied with Duke Lartman and turned her back on the Emperor. To the end, his sister was making him troubled. It was unclear what the Emperor wanted. But until the Hamelsvoort family gave the Emperor what he desired, he would not be able to escape from here. And there would be no one to stop the Emperor. Even when the Emperor first started acting arbitrarily, there were many people who stopped him. However, all those loyal subjects ended up losing their lives at the Emperor¡¯s hands. Over ten attempts at rebellion also repeatedly ended in failure. The Emperor who had pushed out the Gracia family and newly ascended to the throne was more cruel and merciless than anyone in history. Whenever he tried to kill servants out of boredom, the servants would divulge all the information they knew, and in the process, information about rebellions would often leak. After numerous failures, the nobles finally gave up. Since Duke Lartman, the most powerful among the nobles, was on the Emperor¡¯s side, other nobles chose to side with the Emperor while watching the situation. The only thing that could counter the Emperor was the temple, but because the Emperor strangely showed miracles occasionally, they couldn¡¯t excommunicate him either. That¡¯s how the tyrant August had been able to maintain his throne until now. ¡®It would be better to just submit.¡¯ Walter sat on the bed, lost in thought. Rather than opposing the Emperor, it would be better for the Hamelsvoort family to lie as flat as possible and get Walter out. ¡®But...¡¯ Walter¡¯s eyes shone sharply as he recalled something. * * * An atmosphere so sharp that one could hardly breathe, and at the same time gloomy, hung over the Hamelsvoort mansion. ¡°What on earth is going on!¡± Lady Hamelsvoort was sitting on the floor, shedding tears. Liv, who had come down to the first floor dragging her sick body due to the commotion felt outside, asked with cheeks flushed from fever. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening?¡± However, Lady Hamelsvoort couldn¡¯t answer Liv¡¯s question and only wailed loudly. The Count was nowhere to be seen. Hildegard, who was comforting the lady in his place, opened her mouth. ¡°Sister... Brother Walter has been confined in the imperial palace.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s for insulting the imperial family... But there¡¯s no way Brother Walter would have really done that, so it¡¯s just an excuse in reality.¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s mind worked quickly. It was undoubtedly the Emperor venting his anger over her use of power at the temple. ...Perhaps he had decided to attack Hamelsvoort instead of Liv. Daughter of one of the Five Noble Families, wife of one of the Five Noble Families, and one protected by the temple. He might have decided to cut off the things that gave Liv power one by one, since attacking Liv directly would mean fighting too many things. Of course, she found Walter uncomfortable, but she couldn¡¯t leave him like this. ¡°What can we do... to get Brother Walter released?¡± ¡°Well... The Count is also considering what kind of proposal to make. In fact, it would be difficult for His Majesty the Emperor to easily touch a powerful noble family like Hamelsvoort, so he can¡¯t really punish Brother Walter. He probably intends not to release our brother until we agree to a deal.¡± At that moment, Count Hamelsvoort appeared, flinging open the door of a room on the first floor. He was holding a letter in his hand. ¡°Dear, calm down. I¡¯m going to send a letter to the temple.¡± ¡°To the temple?¡± Lady Hamelsvoort raised her head in surprise. ¡°Darling... Shouldn¡¯t we be begging His Majesty the Emperor and offering gifts now?¡± ¡°Well, that would have been the case before. But...¡± Count Hamelsvoort¡¯s eyes turned to Liv and Hildegard. His eyes were inappropriately calm for the situation, as if calculating all the moves he could make. ¡°Now we have a Saintess and a being loved by God. Even if we become hostile to His Majesty the Emperor, the temple can¡¯t help but take our side.¡± ¡°In the end... you¡¯re saying we¡¯ll rebel!¡± When Lady Hamelsvoort shouted like that, the Count frowned with an uncomfortable face. ¡°No, I¡¯m saying we¡¯ll create a situation where the temple excommunicates the one who committed wrongdoing. Who doesn¡¯t know how severely His Majesty has committed tyranny all this time? Above all, there are rumors that His Majesty succeeded to the throne in an improper way... He clearly has no legitimacy as Emperor.¡± ¡°But Walter is in His Majesty¡¯s hands! If we¡¯re not careful, Walter could become a hostage!¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to be excommunicated, we can ask him to return Walter. Now is not the time to negotiate with the Emperor. It¡¯s time to threaten him.¡± Hildegard, watching their conversation, had an anxious face. Hildegard, who had somehow approached Liv¡¯s side, took her hand. ¡°I feel uneasy for some reason...¡± ¡°Yes, me too...¡± According to what Liv had heard from Emmett, attempts at rebellion had repeatedly failed so far. She doubted what would be different this time. If they failed, they would all die. In the process, it might even be discovered that Liv was a descendant of Gracia. Count Hamelsvoort seemed confident in his own way, but Liv couldn¡¯t hide her anxiety at all. Hildegard was even biting her nails in the end. While the Count was sending the letter, Liv and Hildegard watched with anxious eyes. Chapter 101 ¡°Liv!¡± While the people of the Hamelsvoort family were anxiously waiting for a reply from the temple, Emmett arrived first. He had gone down to the Arendt Marquisate and returned at an unbelievable speed. When Liv, who had spotted him riding on horseback through the window, went down to the entrance, Emmett ran up and embraced her. ¡°Why are you out? When you¡¯re not feeling well.¡± ¡°I just look unwell... I¡¯m actually fine.¡± ¡°Your forehead is hot.¡± Liv could only remain silent as Emmett said this while touching her forehead. In fact, her physical condition was not good. Although she had pretended to be fine because the atmosphere in the Hamelsvoort family was so grim. The ones who approached Emmett with even more welcoming faces than Liv as soon as they saw him were the Hamelsvoort couple. Liv glimpsed desperation in Lady Hamelsvoort for the first time. It was hard to believe that she could make such an expression. ¡°Duke, have you heard about Walter?¡± ¡°...I heard about Young Lord Hamelsvoort after entering the capital.¡± ¡°We need your help, Duke.¡± The Count said this while grasping Emmett¡¯s hands. Although the Count¡¯s hands were wrinkled, they were gripping tightly as if he would never give up on rescuing Walter. ¡°We have already requested help from the temple. If the temple and we join forces, we can start a rebellion and save Walter.¡± The Count¡¯s face showed that he firmly believed Emmett would help them. At those words, Emmett released the Count¡¯s hands and, while supporting Liv, changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯ll have a talk with Liv first.¡± ¡°A-Alright. Liv, you want your brother to return safely too, right?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Hearing the Count¡¯s desperate voice, Liv went into the room with Emmett. After laying Liv down on the bed, Emmett placed his hand on Liv¡¯s forehead again and began to speak. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell the Count directly, but making the rebellion succeed... might be difficult.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°The military power of the army held by the imperial palace is far superior to that held by the temple. Of course, if we bring knights from the Lartman Duchy, there¡¯s a chance... but seeing the movement of troops, the Emperor will first ask other nobles for help. Then they will walk a tightrope between the imperial palace and the temple, and some nobles will side with the Emperor. A civil war will break out.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Above all, as long as Walter Hamelsvoort is held hostage, Count Hamelsvoort cannot come to the forefront. Right now, the priority is to retrieve Walter Hamelsvoort through any deal.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to convey this fact to the Count right away?¡± ¡°Right now, the Count doesn¡¯t seem to hear anything.¡± Liv nodded, recalling the Count¡¯s excited face. He firmly believed that the rebellion would succeed. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t be able to think rationally right now. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll advise the Count... but it might not be entirely bad for me to help them start a rebellion now.¡± ¡°You said it would fail. Then why?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯ll have to overthrow the Emperor someday anyway.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Now that Count Hamelsvoort has no choice but to cooperate, it might be wise to achieve the task with the help of the Count¡¯s family and the temple.¡± But Liv couldn¡¯t understand his words. ¡°Why... why do you want to overthrow the Emperor?¡± ¡°...We have no choice. Didn¡¯t the Emperor cause you pain?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m really fine!¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For a moment, the writing of her parents flashed through Liv¡¯s mind. But soon Liv shook her head. ¡°I really hate it when you¡¯re in danger... Don¡¯t do this, okay?¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll think about it.¡± As Emmett didn¡¯t seem like he would listen to Liv, Liv finally cried out in frustration. ¡°Emmett, you¡¯re quite stubborn too!¡± ¡°...What?¡± Emmett looked at Liv with a genuinely surprised expression, but Liv continued speaking with tears welling up in her eyes and a flushed face. ¡°I really... I¡¯m fine living like this. I don¡¯t want you to die doing something reckless...¡± However, Emmett shook his head as if denying her. ¡°Liv, we can¡¯t live like this anymore. From the moment you revealed your power, our situation changed from before.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think more about whether to help Count Hamelsvoort and let you know. Now rest comfortably.¡± Watching him lightly kiss her forehead and leave the room, Liv fell into contemplation. Is that so? Has it really become impossible to live as before now? Is Liv destined to take revenge on the Emperor? * * * The next day, Lady Hamelsvoort called Liv with a flustered face. Liv thought someone from the temple had come to see them, but the face waiting for Liv was unexpected. ¡°L-Liv, Princess Louisa has come to see you!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Speak carefully. Nothing should be revealed.¡± Because they mustn¡¯t reveal that they were gathering forces for rebellion, the Hamelsvoort couple repeatedly cautioned Liv to keep her mouth shut before letting her into the reception room. When Liv opened the door of the reception room and entered, Louisa with her pale face turned to look at her. Only then realizing that her attire was a mess, Liv greeted her with a flustered face. ¡°I greet Your Highness the Princess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°I apologize for my messy appearance as I came out in a hurry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t care about such things.¡± Louisa gestured for Liv to sit down as if she truly didn¡¯t mind, and Liv sat across from Louisa. As seen previously at the wedding, Louisa had a kind face unlike the daughter of the tyrant August. ¡°Really... the weather is terrible as always.¡± Louisa muttered, looking out the window as if Liv wasn¡¯t even there. ¡°I wonder when the sun will ever shine.¡± The Holy Hilysid Empire was famous for its mostly cloudy weather. It wasn¡¯t particularly unusual weather, but Louisa was needlessly talking about the weather. If this was the roundabout way of speaking typical of royalty, then soon... ¡°I heard the weather in the Merna Empire, where Young Lord Hamelsvoort visited, is just as bad, and I wonder which is worse.¡± When Louisa mentioned Walter, Liv stiffened. It seemed she would soon mention the reason why she had come to see Liv. ¡°Why is the Duchess Lartman staying at the Hamelsvoort mansion?¡± ¡°Ah, because I¡¯m not feeling well...¡± Come to think of it, she was going to return to the Lartman mansion, but she missed the timing as Walter was captured by the Emperor. If Liv said she was returning to the Lartman mansion now when the Hamelsvoort mansion was in chaos, it would look like she was trying to avoid this situation. Emmett understood Liv¡¯s position, but he seemed to want her to return to the Lartman mansion as soon as possible. ¡°Hmm, then you must know well about what happened to Young Lord Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Finally, the main point came out of Louisa¡¯s mouth. ¡°Duchess, the reason I came to see you is because there¡¯s something I want to let you know in advance.¡± ¡°Something you want to let me know...¡± As she was saying this, she felt something rising in her throat, and Liv hurriedly took out a handkerchief and coughed. The handkerchief was stained with blood. It was rather fortunate to show this appearance in front of royalty. They would think August¡¯s curse had worked. However, the situation flowed in an unexpected direction. After watching Liv cough, Louisa smirked. ¡°First, you will die soon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been hit by ancient magic. Of course, there¡¯s no evidence.¡± Listening to her words, Liv suddenly thought her voice was strange. On the surface, it seemed like a very kind attitude... but if observed closely, one could detect a strange pride and triumphant air mixed in her voice. ¡°It wasn¡¯t His Majesty the Emperor... but Your Highness the Princess who did this?¡± ¡°Yes, I did it myself without telling Father. Now Father knows too.¡± She continued speaking with a face that seemed to have no malice at all. ¡°I thought you would die early, but you¡¯ve endured for a long time. But it won¡¯t be long now.¡± ...What kind of person is Louisa? She¡¯s not the blatant type whose intentions are transparent like the nobles who bullied Liv or the Emperor. On the surface, she looks very kind like Hildegard. But Louisa¡¯s malice is the faintest among the people Liv has seen so far, and at the same time, one of the most insidious. When Liv remained silent, not knowing how to respond to her words, Louisa smiled faintly. ¡°Two, the Count and Countess Hamelsvoort will die soon too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°His Majesty will use Young Lord Hamelsvoort¡¯s help to brand them as heretics. It¡¯s the principle that heretics are executed.¡± ¡°Brother Walter will help His Majesty the Emperor?¡± ¡°Yes, he will end up helping. You don¡¯t know our Father well yet, Duchess.¡± Louisa spoke in a casual voice as if discussing how to have dinner. ¡°By now, Young Lord Hamelsvoort must be suffering in the imperial palace. He won¡¯t be able to endure without cooperating with His Majesty, right? In the end, he will sell out his parents to survive.¡± ¡°But even if Hamelsvoort is branded as heretics, the temple won¡¯t acknowledge that.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. The temple wouldn¡¯t abandon Hamelsvoort...¡± Saying this, Louisa gently curved her eyes. Her green eyes shone as if pleased. ¡°But between the young Hamelsvoort who will become the new head of the family, and the old Hamelsvoort, it¡¯s obvious which one they¡¯ll choose if they have to pick one, right? And surprisingly, it¡¯s very easy to brand someone as a heretic. Because the temple can¡¯t ignore public opinion.¡± Chapter 102 ¡®I thought wrong.¡¯ Liv¡¯s mind worked quickly. Liv had thought the Emperor wanted a deal with Hamelsvoort, but in fact, the Emperor didn¡¯t want anything from them. The Emperor hadn¡¯t imprisoned Walter to get something from them. The Emperor was simply trying to raise Walter as a loyal subject who would obey his words well. Even to the point of making him betray his parents. Just as Emmett was once the Emperor¡¯s loyal subject. Having heard Hayden¡¯s story, Liv knew how cruelly the Emperor tortured people. If he inflicted pain, Walter would soon abandon his parents. From the beginning, it was questionable what value his parents had for Walter, who had already half transcended the human heart. ¡°A new obedient Hamelsvoort will be created, the Duchess who receives God¡¯s love will die. The docile Saintess will be kept alive. In the end, everything will go according to His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s will.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I could save you too.¡± ¡°...What do you want?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, take my side. You¡¯ll officially become a dead person, and help me. I think you¡¯ll still be useful.¡± ...I thought wrong. Louisa wasn¡¯t completely on the Emperor¡¯s side. She was an independent, third force. As Liv had a blank face, belatedly realizing this fact, Louisa stood up and opened her mouth. ¡°This love of God isn¡¯t much. I used ancient magic on you, but no punishment has come to me.¡± Child, let us tear that thing apart and kill it. Even now, Liv was holding back the gods¡¯ anger, but she didn¡¯t bother to speak up. ¡°Ah, and dealing with Duke Lartman will be a bit tricky, but I¡¯m looking into obedient figures on that side too. Everything will go according to His Majesty¡¯s will. Haha, of course, I won¡¯t always move according to His Majesty¡¯s will.¡± However, the moment Louisa mentioned Emmett, Liv unconsciously clenched her fist. And she thought. ¡®I wish it would all collapse.¡¯ Even if the world tramples her, she has a love that she can never give up. Even if she has to walk a thorny path, there¡¯s a love that allows her to endure it. So for the sake of protecting her love, Liv might be able to bring down the Steinberg imperial family. Liv opened her eyes again, which had been colored with confusion, and stared straight at Louisa in front of her. * * * After Louisa left, Liv felt her head throbbing even more and her vision spinning. She felt like she needed to go to her room right away and lie down to regain her senses. But what stopped her as she was about to climb the stairs was the desperate cry of the Count. ¡°Damn it, internal division has occurred in the temple!¡± The Count was shouting while clutching his head. As Liv, who didn¡¯t know what had happened in the meantime, widened her eyes, Hildegard explained with a tearful face. ¡°The temple wants an obedient Emperor. Someone docile who will listen to them well while being worthy of becoming royalty in place of Steinberg. So there¡¯s conflict within the temple over who to make Emperor.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Yes, it was an issue that could easily divide factions. It seemed the Count had failed to gain cooperation from the temple because of this. ¡°Hildegard, who do you think should become Emperor?¡± ¡°If one of the Five Noble Families becomes Emperor... Duke Lartman is the most likely. But the temple doesn¡¯t want someone with strong power as Emperor...¡± Liv imagined Emmett becoming Emperor. Of course, Liv believed Emmett could do well. He was rational and reasonable, but also had a warm heart. But what was important now was that things had become even more complicated due to the division in the temple. How on earth could she and her family stand against the Emperor? ¡®I could just cure this illness myself, but...¡¯ Liv couldn¡¯t bear to see Emmett participate in the rebellion, get caught, and meet his death. It was only a matter of time before Walter, who had suffered in the imperial palace, betrayed the Hamelsvoort couple. Liv had no idea how she could maintain the current peace. * * * Walter was tied up in a dark underground prison. Only torches hanging here and there illuminated his vision. In the darkness, his senses other than sight were working more acutely. For example, he could feel the ominous sound of metal along with the cries of prisoners, the smell of blood vibrating from all directions, the taste of his own blood flowing down his cracked lips, and the cool sensation of the chair under his bound hands. After killing time in the darkness for a long while, his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he began to see things around him. For example... ¡°Aaaaaagh!¡± The prisoner tied up right next to Walter screamed in pain. He had been brought in to intimidate Walter and was faithfully fulfilling that mission. Giggling at the sight, the Emperor stared intently at Walter. His face seemed to say it would be your turn next. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t be able to torture Walter. Rationally, that is. He couldn¡¯t harm the future head of one of the Five Noble Families for unproven insults to the imperial family. But surrounded by those being tortured, the fear that he might be tortured next overwhelmed Walter. Perhaps the Emperor wanted Walter to break down psychologically. Perhaps if it had been the previous Walter, he might have succumbed in the end in this cruel scene. Yes, but... ¡°Your Majesty.¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When Walter smiled brightly, inappropriate for the place, the Emperor looked at him with eyes as if seeing something interesting. ¡°Your eyes are still alive. Then...¡± ¡°Your Majesty, my mind won¡¯t break down this easily.¡± For the first time, Walter thought there was something good that came from Liv. At the end of the divine punishment, Walter had gained a mind that wouldn¡¯t break down to anything. No, his mind was already half broken. Walter had countless experiences in dozens of lives. He had been a close aide to the Emperor, killed the Emperor and been imprisoned and executed, and married Louisa. And through those experiences, Walter had learned something. ¡°I feel sorry for Your Majesty. You must have wanted to pass the throne to your child...¡± Walter opened his mouth with a gentle smile. ¡°Princess Louisa is not Your Majesty¡¯s biological child, is she?¡± At those words, the Emperor looked at Walter with a disturbed face for the first time. His face was mixed with anger at being dared to be insulted, and fear that a truth that should never have leaked had flowed from someone else¡¯s mouth. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡± Knowing that he would behead him for insulting the imperial family if this was really nonsense, Walter continued in a leisurely tone. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why Her Majesty the Empress died? You beheaded her in anger after learning the truth.¡± ¡°How dare you...!¡± ¡°You must have regretted it afterwards. The only person who could prove that the Princess is not your biological child disappeared, so you couldn¡¯t annul the marriage, nor could you bring in a new wife to have an heir. And if you brought in a relative who wasn¡¯t your child as an heir, it would damage your honor, so you¡¯ve been keeping silent all this time.¡± After saying that, the moment he saw the Emperor¡¯s face, Walter was certain that he had hit the mark. It was an expression that didn¡¯t suit the ¡®Tyrant August¡¯ at all. Even if Walter died now, it was certain that the Emperor would never get over today¡¯s anger. ¡°How...¡± ¡°Your Majesty, there are no eternal secrets in this world.¡± The Emperor, whose face had reddened with anger, suddenly laughed out loud like a madman. ¡°How foolish. Do you think I¡¯ll let you live now that it¡¯s revealed you know that secret?¡± ¡°Of course, you won¡¯t let me live.¡± Walter continued in a calm voice. ¡°But from today on, Your Majesty will become afraid. You¡¯ll worry about where the secret leaked from, how many people know this fact. And in the end, you¡¯ll regret killing me.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The Emperor laughed out loud again, but it wasn¡¯t a refreshed laugh. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re threatening me at the cost of your life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, what should I do with you...¡± Then, the Emperor drew the sword from his waist. And then... Thud... He beheaded the soldier who had been standing next to Walter with a face trying to suppress his agitation. The soldier who had overheard the secret lost his life on the spot. Walter raised his head to look at the prisoners who had fainted from pain. Probably all the prisoners here will soon have their heads cut off too. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve decided.¡± The Emperor lowered his head towards Walter. His wrinkled eyes came close to Walter¡¯s purple eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll let you live.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± ¡°But you will die someday. After I figure out who knows this secret, I¡¯ll kill them all.¡± Walter didn¡¯t answer those words and just smiled faintly. ¡°However, there¡¯s a way for you to save your life too. Do you want to hear it?¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± ¡°Your sister, Liv Lartman, will die soon.¡± At those words, Walter¡¯s expression cracked for the first time. Chapter 103 ¡°Liv Lartman has been hit by ancient magic, so she will soon die after gradually wasting away. Therefore, you should inform people that the rumor of your sister being loved by God is false. And frame your sister as a witch and put her on the stake with your own hands. She¡¯s a woman who will die soon anyway, so you don¡¯t need to feel guilty.¡± Walter thought for a moment. If Walter did that, the Emperor would then attack Hildegard or cut her off from Hamelsvoort. Then the temple would have no reason to protect Hamelsvoort anymore. It seemed the Emperor¡¯s intention was to weaken the relationship between Hamelsvoort and the temple before bringing down Hamelsvoort. In other words, if he followed the Emperor¡¯s words, it would ultimately mean bringing down Hamelsvoort himself. ¡°I cannot do that.¡± ¡°Is there a reason?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten that I am also a Hamelsvoort? Your Majesty¡¯s proposal will ultimately be poison to Hamelsvoort.¡± At those words, the Emperor¡¯s face became displeased, but soon, as if he had changed his mind, he raised his voice to call a soldier. Soon, a soldier entered the prison. He flinched when he saw the other soldier who had lost his life, but managed to maintain his expression as he stood before the Emperor. ¡°Release this person and send him back to the Hamelsvoort family.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± As the Emperor started to behave in an unpredictable way, Walter recalled several possible scenarios. Then, the Emperor whispered to him. ¡°You¡¯ll return alive this time, but your current actions will bring about the downfall of all of Hamelsvoort.¡± Ah, is that how it will be. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter either way. ...No, does it really not matter? * * * ¡°Oh, God, thank you!¡± ¡°My goodness, thank goodness, really thank goodness...¡± The Emperor declared that he would show mercy to Walter just this once and sent him home. When Walter returned home, the Count called out to God, and Lady Hamelsvoort sat down in tears. Liv stood in the back with Hildegard, awkwardly watching the scene. ¡°Oh my, your face has become half of what it was...¡± Lady Hamelsvoort carefully caressed her son¡¯s face, then called the servants. ¡°Prepare some warm water. And tell the chef to prepare a meal.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine, Mother. There¡¯s no need to worry.¡± Walter just smiled gently among them with an upright posture, unlike someone who had been imprisoned. It was a perfect face that could be used as a model for nobility, but that rather felt strange. The Hamelsvoort couple didn¡¯t seem to notice this point and continued their conversation with sad faces. ¡°Walter, how could I not worry about you... I thought I had lost you...¡± ¡°How did you get out?¡± When the Count asked that, Walter said in a casual tone. ¡°I persuaded His Majesty well. I was released through dialogue. Of course, as our family has fallen out of His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s favor, such crises could occur again in the future.¡± ¡°Oh, God...¡± The Count clutched his head and leaned against the sofa. He seemed to have fallen into despair again, thinking of the crisis that would soon come. ¡°What should we do... How can we deal with the tyrant August...¡± ¡°Shh, dear!¡± S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lady Hamelsvoort hurriedly covered the Count¡¯s mouth and looked around nervously. The servants averted their gaze as if they hadn¡¯t heard anything. ¡°W-Walter. Go in and wash up and rest now. Let¡¯s see each other at mealtime soon. I need to have a word with your father for a moment.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± The Lady¡¯s whispers to the Count to be careful with his words could be heard as she dragged him away. ¡°O-Oh, Brother, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯ve returned safely.¡± ¡°Yes, Hildegard. Thank you for worrying.¡± As Hildegard awkwardly exchanged greetings with Walter, and Liv was about to return to her room after checking the situation, at that moment. ¡°Liv.¡± As Walter called her, Liv turned her head creakily. It was an unnatural movement that anyone could see. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m fine...¡± Even though Liv hadn¡¯t used her healing abilities herself, the power of the god Aslan that Liv had recently accepted was gradually healing her. From Liv¡¯s perspective, it seemed this curse would be completely nullified soon. Then Louisa would find out that the ancient magic didn¡¯t work on her... She might think the curse didn¡¯t work because she received God¡¯s love. In a way, that¡¯s correct. ¡°When do you plan to return to the Lartman mansion?¡± ¡°Um... I think I¡¯ll return after this meal.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then can we talk for a moment?¡± ¡°What? Yes...¡± Liv was a bit flustered, but Walter¡¯s face was calm. Hildegard glanced at them with an uneasy face. Liv followed Walter to the library. After opening the door of the library, Walter inhaled the air of the library as if he had missed it, then turned to Liv with a gentle smile. ¡°You say you¡¯re feeling alright?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really fine.¡± ¡°Well, I heard that you¡¯re going to die soon.¡± It seemed he had heard the story from the Emperor while he was imprisoned. Since there was nothing to hide from Walter, who had already received divine punishment, Liv decided to tell the truth. ¡°It¡¯s okay. As you know, I have the gods.¡± ¡°...I worried for nothing.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°No, I have something to tell you...¡± Walter came to stand in front of Liv. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor proposed to me. To frame you as a witch and help put you on the stake.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Of course, I refused. But it¡¯s clear that His Majesty is targeting you, so be careful.¡± ¡°The reason you¡¯re telling me this...¡± ¡°...Then it would be better not to stay in this mansion and return quickly.¡± As Walter spoke in a still cold voice, Liv responded in a small voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll disappear for you soon...¡± ¡°...Is that so? That¡¯s good then. Let¡¯s see each other for the last time at mealtime.¡± Walter said that and left without giving Liv time to respond. Only Liv, left alone, had a dumbfounded face. ¡®Why did Brother protect me?¡¯ If he had accepted the deal offered by the Emperor, Walter could have escaped the Emperor¡¯s hatred and killed Liv who had been bothering him. So this was a good opportunity... Why on earth didn¡¯t he kill Liv? Or did he decide not to kill Liv like this because he thought he should give her terrible pain instead of a peaceful death? No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t find an answer, and Liv became confused. * * * ¡°Louisa!¡± The moment her father burst into the room calling her name, Louisa sensed that something had gone wrong. A forgotten feeling of fear came over Louisa. Louisa knew that expression. She couldn¡¯t forget what happened when her father made that expression when she was five years old... Slap! ¡°Ah!¡± A large palm struck Louisa¡¯s cheek, and Louisa collapsed to the floor. Fortunately, her father didn¡¯t hit Louisa anymore and just panted heavily. It felt like blood had burst in her mouth, but Louisa was grateful it ended with just this much. ¡°One more person knows the secret of your birth. Where on earth did it leak from?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Louisa doubted her ears, but looking at her father¡¯s expression, it seemed to be true after all. ¡°W-Who on earth...¡± ¡°Hamelsvoort. Walter Hamelsvoort knows your true identity.¡± ¡°Ah, how...¡± ¡°That¡¯s something even I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°W-What do you plan to do with Walter Hamelsvoort?¡± Louisa¡¯s face became frightened, which was rare for her. She was terribly afraid of someone discovering her true identity. This was partly because she disliked situations where her father got angry, but also because she was afraid of not being able to become Emperor. Louisa had lived her whole life looking at the Emperor¡¯s position and had thought she wanted to ascend to that highest position more than anyone else. It had to become her rightful place. If she ascended to the throne, it felt like she could be compensated for all the time she had suffered under her father until now... ¡°I will completely destroy the Hamelsvoort family, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± She answered her father obediently like that, but after he left, Louisa sat on the bed with shining eyes. ¡°I must not leave someone who knows the truth alone...¡± At that moment, an hourglass in the corner of the room shattered with a loud noise. The floor became a mess with sand. Seeing this, Louisa made a despairing expression. ¡°Why on earth!¡± The ancient magic used on Liv Lartman had been broken. It wasn¡¯t a spell that should break so quickly and easily... Could it be because she is loved by God? Somehow, she had an ominous feeling. Liv Lartman was someone she couldn¡¯t control, and bad things could happen to Louisa because of her. It felt like Liv Lartman was ruining everything. ¡°Joy!¡± ¡°Y-Yes!¡± ¡°Find out everything about Liv Lartman. Especially about her past before she was adopted into the Hamelsvoort family.¡± ¡°Yes, understood!¡± Watching her informant disappear quickly, Louisa gritted her teeth. She had to become Emperor. And to do that, she had learned from her father to cut down everything that stood in her way. And Louisa was a person who acted as she had learned. Chapter 104 ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill me?¡± Before returning to the Lartman mansion, Liv was finally asking Walter this while holding him back. She usually tried not to mix words with Walter, but she simply couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity. ¡°You hate me. It would have been a better choice for you to kill me.¡± When Liv asked that, Walter, who was in the library, smirked as if in disbelief. ¡°Haha, Liv.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯re too naive. Of course, it¡¯s because that¡¯s beneficial to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you die, the alliance between Hamelsvoort and the temple weakens. That could lead directly to the downfall of Hamelsvoort.¡± After hearing that far, Liv nodded. It seemed to solve her questions a bit now. Yes, how could Walter have worried about her? ¡°So that¡¯s how it was. Then I¡¯ll be going back now. Take care...¡± As Liv, who found it uncomfortable and difficult to be with Walter, was about to quickly leave the library, Walter¡¯s voice held her back. ¡°...Or not?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When I think about you dying, it¡¯s quite annoying...¡± Unable to understand the meaning of those words, Liv stood with a blank face, and Walter stared at her intently. Then, as if realizing something, he smiled faintly. ¡°Aha, so that¡¯s how it is...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Alright, it seems it¡¯s time to admit it.¡± ¡°A-Admit what?¡± Walter stood up from his seat. A shadow fell over Liv¡¯s head. ¡°Liv, remember this. I hate you, but at the same time, I am your brother.¡± As he said this, Walter seemed to have no malice towards Liv, unlike usual. ¡°So even if I hate you, if you¡¯re in danger from outsiders, I have a duty to protect you.¡± ¡°You can care for me?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Walter smiled brightly. It was a warm smile that seemed to melt everything around. ¡°How could I sincerely care for you?¡± At those words, Liv closed her mouth again. ¡°But no matter how many times I go back in time, the fact that you¡¯re my sister doesn¡¯t change. So I will fulfill my duty and protect you.¡± Liv still couldn¡¯t understand Walter¡¯s way of thinking, but she couldn¡¯t ask him why he thought that way. ¡°That¡¯s the reason I decided not to kill you... Now, has your question been answered?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± When Liv didn¡¯t ask any more questions, Walter brought up a new topic. ¡°By the way, Liv. I have something to say about your husband.¡± ¡°The Duke?¡± ¡°Be careful of him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Emmett Lartman is a man who can do anything for you, and such men are dangerous.¡± ...What on earth does that mean? Of course, Emmett hadn¡¯t lived a completely righteous life, but Liv couldn¡¯t imagine him becoming a dangerous existence to her. Just as Liv made a mysterious expression, the sound of someone knocking on the library door was heard. ¡°Young lady! Duke Lartman has come!¡± ¡°Ah, he¡¯s here.¡± Walter said in a calm voice. ¡°Now, go meet your prince.¡± Liv still thought Walter was difficult to understand, but she had to return to the Lartman mansion, so she went downstairs. * * * ¡°Sister Liv, see you next time!¡± ¡°Liv, contact us anytime if you need anything.¡± The carriage carrying Liv departed, accompanied by the farewells of the Hamelsvoort family members. Emmett sat next to her, with one arm around her shoulders. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve held you like this.¡± Emmett said that and buried his face in Liv¡¯s neck. His breath tickled, making Liv flinch. ¡°I missed you so much...¡± As it seemed exactly like the attitude of a man treating his truly beloved wife, Liv felt her heart beating fast for a moment. ¡®No, the Duke doesn¡¯t love me.¡¯ However, to avoid disappointment, Liv just repeated those words to herself again. ¡°...In the end, we didn¡¯t end up confronting His Majesty directly this time.¡± When Liv changed the subject and said that, Emmett¡¯s expression sharpened. ¡°...Yes, but we¡¯ve secured the cooperation of Marquis Arendt, so we can get help next time.¡± ¡°Marquis Arendt? How did you secure their promise?¡± At those words, Emmett took Liv¡¯s hands in his. Feeling somehow ominous, Liv¡¯s body stiffened with tension. ¡°Liv, Marquis Arendt has guessed your true identity.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a clever person. She can grasp the whole picture with just a few clues.¡± ¡°H-How...¡± If Marquis Arendt sided with the Emperor and revealed her identity, Liv would be imprisoned in Abgrund again. Thinking of Abgrund made rational thought impossible, and Liv started trembling. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay, Liv. It will be alright. She won¡¯t side with the Emperor. Marquis Arendt moves purely out of interest.¡± ¡°But she could be more interested in His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s forces...¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be the case. Marquis Arendt is also very interested in the last descendant of Gracia.¡± ¡°H-How...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s think positively, Liv. Anyway, the Emperor will try to eliminate us someday. When that time comes, getting help from the Arendt Marquisate will improve the situation a little.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°And through this incident, we¡¯ve also been able to get help from the Hamelsvoort County. Though I¡¯m not sure about the temple¡¯s help yet.¡± ¡°D-Do we really have to fight His Majesty? Can¡¯t we just live quietly as we are now?¡± However, Emmett shook his head with a somewhat lonely face. ¡°No, we can¡¯t. Soon you¡¯ll understand why too, Liv.¡± In fact, Liv knew this in her head. It was just that her fear of the Emperor made rational thinking impossible. ¡°And... I can¡¯t live like that.¡± Hearing those words, Liv thought Emmett might have a big dream that she didn¡¯t know about. Well, it¡¯s natural for anyone to aim for the highest position. ¡°If we start a rebellion, who will become Emperor?¡± ¡°Well... We¡¯ll have to think about that from now on.¡± Emmett avoided Liv¡¯s eyes and kissed her neck. It seemed like he was trying to comfort her, but Liv flinched at the sudden stimulation. ¡°Ah, no, wait...¡± Liv was flustered by the shower of kisses in the middle of a serious conversation, but Emmett, who hadn¡¯t been able to touch Liv for a long time, didn¡¯t stop. Afraid that he might really do something in the carriage, Liv quickly decided to change the subject. ¡°B-By the way, Brother Walter seems a bit strange.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°I thought he would just hate me, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be just that.¡± Liv relayed the story Walter had told her. Then Emmett¡¯s face showed interest. After a moment, he gave Liv an answer. ¡°That person probably...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Seems to have gone a bit mad after experiencing divine punishment.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not strange to go mad if you repeat dozens of lives.¡± ¡°I suppose so. It seems Emmett¡¯s words are right.¡± As Liv¡¯s expression brightened considerably, Emmett laughed out loud as if amused by her simple reaction. ¡°Haha, but it¡¯s probably not just because he¡¯s gone mad.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Originally, affection and hatred often coexist. Looking back, Hayden should hate you, but he has goodwill towards you, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true...¡± ¡°Human emotions can¡¯t be explained in one way.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Nodding at those words, Liv then thought about Emmett¡¯s emotions. He doesn¡¯t tell Liv he loves her, but sometimes he acts as if he loves Liv. Emmett constantly craves and desires Liv. ¡®People¡¯s hearts seem difficult.¡¯ Both Emmett and Walter, there were many people around her whose inner thoughts were hard to understand. Her head becoming complicated, Liv leaned back in the carriage. Then, as one thought occurred to her, she smiled faintly. ¡®In the past, I wouldn¡¯t have worried about this.¡¯ Back then, she would have just grumbled to God about how complex human emotions are. But now Liv was trying to understand human emotions. ¡®Now I can naturally accept more complex emotions than before.¡¯ In the past, she would have just passed over things she didn¡¯t understand, but now Liv could guess people¡¯s feelings to some extent. Liv¡¯s way of thinking had been becoming closer to human at some point. * * * ¡°...There are no records, you say?¡± Louisa, receiving the report from her informant, blinked with a dumbfounded face. ¡°Yes, Your Highness... There are truly no records at all.¡± ¡°No, how can there be absolutely no trace of a person¡¯s life? There should be records of how they lived!¡± ¡°Really, records about Liv Lartman only start from the moment she appeared as a Saintess.¡± ¡°What is this...¡± Answering in an incredulous voice, Louisa realized something. Does the lack of records mean someone intentionally erased them? ¡®What could be the reason for erasing records about Liv Lartman...¡¯ Louisa¡¯s imagination began to branch out. Cases where Liv actually had a dirty past and the Hamelsvoort family erased it, where Liv artificially received God¡¯s power, where Liv was an illegitimate child of a noble... However, there were too many possibilities, and it was difficult to deduce one of them. ¡°No, even if records were erased, there should be traces... They erased it so cleanly.¡± Grumbling, Louisa lay her tired body down on the bed. Then, she decided to change her direction of thought. ¡®If they could leave no trace to this extent, which family could have erased the records?¡¯ The Zibel Marquisate, which once had enormous wealth but is now fallen? The Ballack Marquisate, which had great power but was exterminated after failing in a rebellion? Or the Lartman Duchy? The Arendt Marquisate or the Schmidt Marquisate? This also had too many possibilities. It seemed she wouldn¡¯t be able to find out the truth about Liv Lartman unless she asked her father for help. But Louisa was afraid to come forward because she was scared to tell her father that the ancient magic had failed. ¡®What¡¯s so great about that girl that she receives God¡¯s love...¡¯ Both the Gracia family and Liv Lartman. Louisa hated things that received God¡¯s favor so much. It was a hatred she had learned from her father at a very young age. At that moment, Louisa¡¯s mind began to work quickly. ¡®God¡¯s love?¡¯ The Gracia family was called God¡¯s family, and Liv Lartman also receives God¡¯s love. Anfang Gracia was famous for her white hair, and Liv Lartman also has white hair. If the last Empress of Gracia had given birth to a child, that child would be around Louisa¡¯s age. And above all... ¡®She has no past.¡¯ Not that records of the past were erased. What if, really, there was no past itself? People create records as they live. But what if she lived a life that wasn¡¯t properly alive? If she was imprisoned in Abgrund, unable to die? ¡°Liv Gracia.¡± The moment she pronounced it, a shiver ran through Louisa¡¯s body. She stood up from her seat, her green eyes flashing. ¡°Joy, prepare to go to Abgrund.¡± ¡°What?¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Right now!¡± She had to confirm. She had to know if Liv Lartman was really the last descendant of Gracia. Chapter 105 9. The Last Royal The narrow staircase leading underground exuded an ominous and dark aura as if hell itself lay beyond. There were even eerie red marks on the floor, but Louisa paid no attention to them. ¡°This is it.¡± After even lying to her father about finding traces of ancient magic, Louisa secretly slipped out of the imperial palace and rode here on horseback. It was her first time riding a horse for such a long period, but her body was so tense with nervousness that she didn¡¯t notice how uncomfortable and tiring it was. There was only one soldier guarding Abgrund. Even he wasn¡¯t guarding right in front of the door leading to Abgrund, but was just dozing off at a guard post a bit away. Although the door was firmly closed to prevent anyone inside from escaping on their own, and the area around Abgrund was a vast plain so anyone approaching could be spotted immediately... even considering that, it still felt unsettling. The soldier said he had been guarding this place for nearly twenty years. He was the only soldier who knew the secret that someone was imprisoned in Abgrund. He seemed surprised by Louisa¡¯s sudden appearance, but seemed to recognize her identity when he saw the imperial emblem she brought. ¡°Open the door to Abgrund.¡± ¡°...His Majesty ordered not to let anyone in.¡± He was a well-trained soldier in that he didn¡¯t blindly trust someone just because they were royalty. ¡°Is that so?¡± At the soldier¡¯s answer, Louisa smirked, then gave a nod to the knight she had brought. The knight then drew his sword and pointed it at the guard¡¯s neck. ¡°What are you doing, not following Her Highness the Princess¡¯s orders?¡± ¡°Y-Your Highness...¡± Though the Emperor boasts strong power, not everyone in the imperial palace follows him. There were quite a few who followed Louisa. Louisa¡¯s forces were soon to be the Emperor¡¯s forces, but they weren¡¯t exactly the same. In the end, people who believed in Louisa¡¯s potential to take over the imperial palace in the future subtly attached themselves to her. Starting from the servants who followed Louisa. In a life-or-death situation, the guard had no choice but to lead the way down to Abgrund. He unlocked several locks and chains wrapped around the door, and even lit a fire to melt wax. When the door finally opened after such a complicated process... What entered Louisa¡¯s eyes was an empty prison. Even looking around the prison with a light, there wasn¡¯t even a mouse inside. In fact, the answer was already clear since it was such a small prison that there wasn¡¯t much to see in detail, but the soldier still couldn¡¯t believe his eyes and even fumbled around every corner. ¡®To think Father threw a newborn baby in a place like this.¡¯ There was not a single trace of someone having lived in the prison. If someone had died here, there should have been at least bones left, but it seemed that nothing existed here. ¡°H-How is this...¡± While the guard stammered in confusion, various thoughts flashed through Louisa¡¯s mind. Should she report this to the Emperor? Of course, that would be fine, but... there¡¯s a high chance it would just anger him. Rather than that... ¡®I¡¯m going to become Emperor.¡¯ That thought alone dominated Louisa¡¯s mind right now. Despite being the only princess, she didn¡¯t know if she could become Emperor. Her mother, the Empress, had an affair with a guard knight and gave birth to a child. Although Louisa¡¯s hair and eye color were the same as the Emperor¡¯s, her features were completely identical to the guard knight¡¯s, and as Louisa grew up, it gradually became more noticeable. The moment the Emperor realized this fact, her mother had no choice but to confess everything to her father. The enraged Emperor killed his wife. Louisa watched that scene. How her father¡¯s gaze towards her changed, and how her mother, who had cherished her, died. She shouldn¡¯t trust her position as a princess. She too might end up in the same situation as her mother someday. So to escape from her father¡¯s hands and ascend to the throne... ¡°Aha.¡± Louisa smiled as she realized the answer. Then she snatched the sword from the guard knight and... Stab. The guard¡¯s neck was pierced by the sword. He looked at Louisa with bulging eyes without making any sound of pain, but his body soon collapsed to the floor. Because Louisa¡¯s strength was still weak, it wasn¡¯t easy to kill him instantly, but thanks to aiming for a vital point, he soon lost his life. The fallen guard was looking at Louisa with resentful eyes. ¡°Hmm hmm...¡± Louisa hummed a tune with an unconcerned face. Since no one comes to Abgrund anyway, it will take a long time before this guard¡¯s death is discovered. People tended to think Louisa was frail just by looking at her appearance. It was true that Louisa was physically weak, but... The most important fact people overlooked was that she had grown up watching August. August was an absolute existence in Louisa¡¯s life, and she emulated the way August acted. Louisa came to pursue absolute authority, just as her father had done. At the same time, she knew well how fleeting family could be. ¡°Ah, this is really a good opportunity...¡± Louisa intended to use Liv Lartman. She could help Louisa ascend to the throne. * * * ¡°...Ah!¡± At the tingling sensation, Liv unconsciously scratched Emmett¡¯s back, then feeling the strength in her fingertips, asked in embarrassment: ¡°A-Are you alright...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. More importantly.¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes languidly scanned Liv¡¯s face. ¡°You should focus.¡± ¡°Ah, no!¡± Tears reflexively flowed down her cheeks. Shedding tears while looking up at Emmett with uncontrollable sensations, Liv was confused seeing his face. Looking like this, Emmett seemed like someone who loved her... Human emotions were really complicated after all. A moment later, Emmett kissed Liv¡¯s cheek and lay down beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist. Liv¡¯s body was naturally drawn closer to Emmett. ¡°Why don¡¯t you look at me?¡± ¡°...Should I?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like you to.¡± ¡°I was just embarrassed...¡± As Liv mumbled and unconsciously buried her face in Emmett¡¯s chest, the sound of someone knocking on the door was heard. ¡°Duke, Madam. I apologize for the late hour. A letter has arrived for Madam.¡± ¡°...Is it important?¡± When Emmett asked in a rare irritated voice, the servant¡¯s flustered voice was heard from outside the door. ¡°It¡¯s an urgent letter sent by Her Highness the Princess...¡± ¡°...What?¡± It was Liv who was more surprised and got up from her seat at those words. When it came to the Princess, she only had memories of being threatened, so it didn¡¯t seem like she would have written for a good reason. She knew how cunning the Princess was, unlike her appearance. A moment later, Liv was reading Louisa¡¯s letter with a serious face. [To the Duchess Lartman, Hello, Duchess. This is Louisa Steinberg. Well, we can skip the greetings between us, can¡¯t we? To get to the point, I know your real surname. The surname that would have naturally followed your name the moment you were born. However, I don¡¯t intend to reveal the truth yet. I could even help hide your existence. Of course, there¡¯s something I want in return. I want to reach the highest position. And I¡¯d like you to help me in that process. Of course, it would be troublesome if you wanted that position too, but judging from your actions so far, I don¡¯t think that will be the case. Unfortunately, my previous request for cooperation failed due to various circumstances. I believe we can be good helpers to each other. I¡¯ll be waiting for your reply.] Liv¡¯s face hardened after reading the letter. Emmett, who had stuck close to Liv to check the contents of the letter, also turned to look at Liv with a surprised face. ¡°Liv, this is...¡± ¡°E-Emmett. Her Highness the Princess has noticed my existence...¡± As she voiced that fact, the fear she had been suppressing came flooding in like a dam breaking. At the thought that she might be imprisoned in Abgrund at any time, Liv¡¯s body started trembling reflexively. Noticing this, Emmett gently embraced Liv. In a situation where her head was throbbing as if something was running around inside, Liv clung to his arms and tried to maintain a minimum of rationality. No, there must be a way. Even the Princess didn¡¯t immediately tell the Emperor and wrote to me first... ¡°Liv, it will be alright. It seems Her Highness the Princess doesn¡¯t intend to reveal your existence to the world right away. If she did, the issue of succession to the throne would become complicated.¡± ¡°Yes, for now... That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem good to agree to this either. If the Princess succeeds in her rebellion, she¡¯ll try to kill or imprison you afterwards.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true too... I would just be used.¡± There was no way Louisa would leave Liv alone. Would she be crazy enough to do that when there¡¯s a risk of losing the throne at any time? Louisa¡¯s ascension might not mean ¡®the end of the tyrant August era,¡¯ but ¡®the beginning of a new tyrant era.¡¯ Louisa might even completely bring down the Lartman Duchy by tying up Emmett together after becoming Emperor. ¡°Let¡¯s think about it a bit more for now. The Princess probably won¡¯t demand an immediate reply either.¡± ¡°Yes, but...¡± Emmett seemed to hope that Liv wouldn¡¯t respond to Louisa¡¯s letter. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t worry. If necessary, I¡¯ll immediately summon the soldiers. Currently, Hayden is also trying to secure cooperation in the Kingdom of Reboer. I too... will try to request cooperation from other noble families.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± However, Liv¡¯s body was still trembling. She simply couldn¡¯t escape from that fear that rose in her heart just thinking about the Emperor. It felt like darkness was imprisoning Liv in an endless hell. Liv was a person who knew better than anyone the feeling of being trapped in a room without doors. In the end, the next day, after returning to her room, Liv wrote a reply. [To Her Highness the Princess, What do you want? We should meet soon.] sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 106 ¡°That was a close call...¡± At that time, Hildegard was alone in her room, organizing her thoughts. When Walter was recently imprisoned in the imperial palace, Hildegard was greatly surprised. Until then, Hildegard had thought they would be safe under the Hamelsvoort family. However, in reality, even Hamelsvoort was no longer safe. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just Walter who was in danger. Didn¡¯t Liv also have to pretend to be sick without healing her illness after being hit by ancient magic? Liv too was not safe from the Emperor¡¯s threats. It was a situation where two giant families of the Empire, Hamelsvoort and Lartman, were shaking. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Hildegard had the responsibility to protect Liv. However, protecting Liv now had become more difficult than before. Because Emmett and Liv had caught the Emperor¡¯s eye. The best way to protect Liv might not be to stay quietly in place, but to step forward first and attack the Emperor... Hildegard glanced at the door with an anxious face. Recently, the Hamelsvoort couple had been communicating frequently with the temple. Although the Count and Countess didn¡¯t tell Hildegard the details of the situation, it seemed to her that they were preparing for a rebellion. ¡®No, if it goes on like this, it will fail...¡¯ It was five years ago that ten noble families who had prepared for rebellion against August were exterminated. The nobles still remembered the terror of that time when dozens of heads were hung in front of the imperial palace, and they all acted passively, trying not to come to the forefront. In this situation, it wasn¡¯t easy to unite the power of the nobles. Hildegard hoped that the current peace would not be broken. Having experienced the worst life in the slums, the current life was too ideal and perfect for her. And to maintain this peace, perhaps... ¡°I need to persuade Sister Liv.¡± Using Liv¡¯s power, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to dethrone the Emperor. Although Liv seemed reluctant to use her power, being a ¡®being loved by God¡¯ was actually quite amazing. Liv would serve as a focal point in getting rid of the Emperor, and if Liv acted actively, she could secure a majority of forces following her. Finally, Hildegard stood up with a determined face. Now she knew what she had to do. * * * A few days later, Liv was heading somewhere in a carriage with Hildegard. ¡°Hildegard, where are we going?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see when we get there.¡± Liv glanced at Hildegard, who somehow had a solemn face. Hildegard had suddenly come to find Liv and asked her to go somewhere together, and since it was the first time she made such a request, Liv had no choice but to follow. Above all, looking at her expression, it was clear that this was no ordinary matter. The road gradually narrowed, and the coachman¡¯s driving became more and more precarious. Liv slightly opened the curtain on the window, saw the carriage almost collide with a building, and closed it in fright. A little later, the carriage that had been running between commoners¡¯ residences stopped, unable to go any further. ¡°Young ladies, I don¡¯t think we can go any further by carriage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, stop here. Sister, let¡¯s get off.¡± As the two women, dressed unmistakably as nobles, got off the carriage, people¡¯s gazes focused on them. Hildegard wrapped a cloth she had brought around Liv¡¯s face to cover it. ¡°Please wait at the big intersection we passed on the way here.¡± ¡°But young ladies, how can you two go alone in a place like this...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, we have our ways. Don¡¯t worry and go ahead.¡± After driving away the coachman with an uncharacteristically firm attitude, Hildegard took Liv¡¯s hand and headed somewhere. ¡°Isn¡¯t a place like this dangerous?¡± Liv asked cautiously, trying to ignore the piercing gazes of people. She worried that they might catch some infectious disease, or if they were robbed, the gods might make a fuss again. ¡°That¡¯s right. It might be dangerous for you, Sister. If so, I¡¯ll be punished by the Supreme God too. But...¡± Hildegard, saying this, seemed to have made some decision. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Just this once, there¡¯s something you need to see, even if we have to take risks.¡± The place Hildegard took Liv to was a clothing store. As one could guess from its location in a narrow commoner¡¯s street that the carriage couldn¡¯t approach, it wasn¡¯t a place nobles would come to. In the poorly organized store, clothes were tangled haphazardly, and even the neatest ones hanging on display stands were inferior to their everyday clothes. Seeing Liv and Hildegard¡¯s dresses, the owner waved his hands in shock. ¡°Oh my, we don¡¯t have anything suitable for sale to such noble people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need it.¡± As Hildegard said this and removed the cloth covering her face, the owner¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s the young lady from Hamelsvoort!¡± Hildegard said to the bewildered Liv: ¡°I¡¯ve sneaked out of the mansion like this occasionally. I¡¯ve met this person a few times.¡± As far as Liv knew, Hildegard was a daughter who adapted better to noble society than anyone else and acted docile and obedient, so when on earth did she do such things? It seemed surprising that her actions hadn¡¯t reached the ears of the Hamelsvoort couple until now. Hildegard looked more comfortable now in the commoners¡¯ street than when she was among the nobles. Because of this, Liv couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask Hildegard in detail about her escapades. The store owner handed them two sets of clothes. Liv, led by Hildegard¡¯s hand, entered the changing room and changed clothes. The clothes were low-quality dresses made of thin material. Having seen nobles¡¯ belongings, Liv now objectively knew that this was ¡®low quality.¡¯ ¡°Sister Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Now you need to be careful not to lose me. Oh, and be careful of the little rats too.¡± ¡°Little rats?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s what we called pickpockets.¡± After leaving the store, Hildegard began leading Liv into narrow alleyways. The paths were so complex and winding that it seemed like once you entered, you could never get out again. It was understandable why there were many pickpockets in the back alleys. It seemed that even if someone stole something here, you wouldn¡¯t be able to chase after them. ¡°Hilda, do you know the way?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Hildegard, answering like that, somehow had a strange look in her eyes. ¡°Because I was once a little rat here.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± To think that this was the slum where Hildegard had lived. At this unexpected answer, Liv closed her mouth. It felt like she shouldn¡¯t add any words about this place. The deeper they went, the more dilapidated the houses became. Houses made of boards that looked like they could collapse at any moment were clustered together. Walking quickly through the slum like someone who lived there, in silence, Hildegard quietly spoke up. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an orphan, but you weren¡¯t from a slum like me, were you?¡± ¡°How did you...¡± ¡°Well, you seemed different from me.¡± People usually misunderstood Liv as coming from a slum, and since Liv didn¡¯t refute that, her past was known that way. But Hildegard had already noticed her true origin. Hildegard quietly looked at Liv, who showed a surprised expression. ¡°I¡¯m now a Saintess, and if I just pretend to be kind and pure, I can live surrounded by people who will support me for life. I do go out to volunteer sometimes, but that¡¯s nothing compared to the pickpocketing I used to do here. But you know...¡± Hildegard smiled with a somewhat sad face. ¡°Sometimes I find it hard to control myself. I feel the urge to run away with these things I have, afraid they might be taken away. But you¡¯re not that kind of person, are you? Except for matters related to Duke Lartman, I¡¯ve never seen greed in your eyes.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°At least you¡¯ve never had to live lowering yourself and begging people. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I brought you here.¡± Hildegard whispered in Liv¡¯s ear. ¡°I wanted to show you the life here. Because I know that when you see it, your mind will change.¡± ¡°What do you...¡± At that moment, as they turned a corner, Liv¡¯s brow furrowed at the scene that appeared. People with festering bodies, emitting a foul stench and oozing yellow pus, were lying on the ground groaning. It was a very pitiful and terrible sight, but it was so miserable that human instinct first spoke up, saying that this was dirty and hideous. ¡°These are patients with serious illnesses. They¡¯ve been abandoned here for fear of spreading the disease to others.¡± ¡°H-How...¡± Of course, Liv had heard how miserable the lives of slum people were. They starve every day without being able to eat properly, have to sell their pride while leaving their fate to the charity of passersby, and when they fall ill, they have to leave home on their own feet for the future of their remaining family. Hayden, who had seen many things traveling around the Empire, had told Liv this. But Liv had never seen such a scene directly before. She felt like she could finally grasp what their lives were like... ¡°Still, from what I¡¯ve heard, it was a bit better when the previous Emperor ruled. Food would periodically come down to the slums, or doctors would be dispatched. They also seemed to repair collapsed houses. But how is it now?¡± Hildegard pointed to the path they had walked so far. ¡°When all the houses collapsed due to a typhoon recently, no one came to repair them. So people ended up living in shantytowns like this.¡± Liv recalled the people lying listlessly in houses where the insides were clearly visible. ¡°What about food? Do you think the current Emperor would distribute such things?¡± On the streets were young children with swollen bellies, sick from extreme hunger. ¡°Now the people here are just abandoned, waiting for their deaths.¡± Those sprawled on the ground were only hoping for a quick death. ¡°There are more than one or two slums like this in the Empire. And one of them completely disappeared recently. Do you know why?¡± Hildegard cried out as if screaming. ¡°Because the Emperor set it on fire!¡± For a moment, Liv felt as if her breath was caught. She felt strange somehow. Really strange... One resolution seemed to be quietly growing in her heart. Chapter 107 Emmett opened the sealed envelope with a paper knife. He recalled the letter he had sent last time. [I made good use of the information you provided last time. However, I¡¯m still hesitant to join hands with Count Hamelsvoort. Although they¡¯ve fallen out of His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s favor, we don¡¯t know when they might betray us. Is there any way to prepare for such betrayal?] Decoding his letter, this was roughly the content. And decoding the reply sent by Marquis Arendt, it was as follows: [My, you have a lot to hide. Unfortunately, the Hamelsvoort couple has no weaknesses. Despite their looks, they¡¯re really devout people, so it seems they don¡¯t often commit blatantly bad deeds. Still, I¡¯ll look into it more. By the way, I¡¯m curious on what grounds you trust me.] Seeing those words, Emmett smirked and began writing a letter. There was a separate reason why he trusted Marquis Arendt and was preparing for rebellion with her. It was... [I know about your younger sibling. You seem to care for your sibling.] Marquis Arendt had a younger sibling with a mental illness. While the Holy Church considered patients as beings who should be properly cared for and helped, their treatment of those with mental illnesses was different. The Holy Church wanted to expel them, saying they were possessed by demons. Other countries criticized this custom of the Holy Hilysid Empire as barbaric and backward, but this practice had not yet disappeared. After that, the exchange of letters between Emmett and Marquis Arendt continued. [Alright, let¡¯s stop there. Your ability to gather information isn¡¯t bad either.] [Well, I was just trying to confirm. How sincere you are about this matter. If something goes wrong, my head could roll too.] [No one will die.] [By the way, what¡¯s your reason for helping me?] [It¡¯s simple. Although I¡¯m said to be uninterested in how the world works, I don¡¯t want to just watch the country fall apart. The Arendt Marquis family has traditionally served as the brain of the monarch. However, our family wants a wise Emperor who makes it worthwhile to offer counsel.] Letters with roughly such content went back and forth. Through exchanging letters with Marquis Arendt, Emmett learned a lot of information and gradually began to understand how to recruit nobles in the capital. * * * A banquet held at the imperial palace to commemorate the feast day of a Saintess of the Holy Church. Beautiful melodies adorned the autumn night, but the atmosphere in the banquet hall was like walking on thin ice. Because the recent news of Walter being imprisoned in the imperial palace had spread, everyone was afraid, thinking that a war might break out between the temple and the imperial family. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Young Lord Hamelsvoort at a banquet. To come out after experiencing such a thing, his mental strength is amazing.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s trying to show the Emperor even more? That Hamelsvoort is still going strong...¡± ¡°Shh! I didn¡¯t know he was this handsome...¡± ¡°Hoho, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°He studied in the Merna Empire, right? He¡¯s my idol.¡± Despite the recent issues with the imperial family, Walter was receiving all the attention from young noble lords and ladies. Everyone looked like they would have rushed to talk to him if it weren¡¯t for the incident with the imperial family. Well, it was natural for Walter, the future head of one of the Five Noble Families, who was knowledgeable and had a beautiful face, to attract people¡¯s attention. Meanwhile, there was one more person attracting people¡¯s attention. The head of the Schmidt Marquis family, with graying hair, was walking into the banquet hall leaning on a cane. Although most of the nobles in the banquet hall didn¡¯t even know the face of Marquis Schmidt, when someone said ¡®Marquis Schmidt,¡¯ they began to stir. The Schmidt Marquis family rarely came up to the capital, so his arrival undoubtedly meant that something important had happened. On the other hand, the one who tensed up the most at Marquis Schmidt¡¯s appearance was Emmett. ¡®Why is he...¡¯ The Marquis was like a bat. Previously, he seemed to follow the Gracia family more than anyone else, but when the Steinberg family became the imperial family, he clung to the Emperor, flattering him and gaining power. When Emmett was most loyal to the Emperor, he saw Marquis Schmidt sending numerous bribes to the Emperor. The Marquis¡¯s sudden arrival in the capital was undoubtedly due to the Emperor¡¯s orders. ¡°Duke Lartman.¡± He approached Emmett and greeted him with a grinning face. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. The first and last time I saw you was when you, as a young man, had just received your title, but now you¡¯ve grown so much.¡± ¡°...Yes, it¡¯s been a long time, Marquis.¡± ¡°I heard a lot has happened in the meantime. You even got married.¡± At those words, Emmett¡¯s expression turned fierce, and Marquis Schmidt laughed as if to soothe him. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so tense. Nothing will happen just because I¡¯ve come up to the capital.¡± ¡°...What business do you have in the capital?¡± ¡°His Majesty the Emperor gave me an order.¡± At the words that finally came out of Marquis Schmidt¡¯s mouth, Emmett couldn¡¯t help but stiffen his body in tension. ¡°He said that the dog he raised has started thinking differently, so I should keep a close eye on it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course, I believe nothing like that will happen.¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Marquis Schmidt extended his hand as if offering a handshake, and Emmett gripped it tightly. Marquis Schmidt frowned at the strong grip he felt. ¡°I don¡¯t want the Five Noble Families to fight like this. We¡¯ve been in a symbiotic relationship from the past.¡± ¡°...Is that so.¡± ¡°Yes, so I hope Duke Lartman will also refrain from any rash thoughts and stay quiet as before.¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes met Walter¡¯s among those watching them. Walter also seemed wary of Marquis Schmidt, his expression hardened. His usual gentle face couldn¡¯t be found. ¡®Marquis Schmidt...¡¯ The Emperor had given him a warning. That he now intended to abandon Lartman and keep Schmidt by his side. But because of this, Emmett had no intention of staying still. Because punishment always followed the Emperor¡¯s warnings. To escape from the Emperor¡¯s hands, there was only one way. He had to set up another Emperor and attack him. * * * When the servant sent from the imperial palace visited the Hamelsvoort mansion again, the Hamelsvoort knights looked as if they were about to start a war. Even the servants glared at the messenger as if ready to grab kitchen knives if anything went wrong, but the messenger calmly said to the Hamelsvoort couple staring at him: ¡°An imperial edict from His Majesty for Miss Hildegard Hamelsvoort.¡± ¡°What? Hildegard?¡± ¡°Me?¡± As Hildegard emerged from behind the Hamelsvoort couple in confusion, the messenger placed a piece of paper in her hand. Hildegard¡¯s face fell in dismay as she confirmed its contents. She read the paper¡¯s contents over and over again, but nothing changed. [As it has been revealed that Hildegard Hamelsvoort, who has been calling herself a ¡®Saintess¡¯ all this time, has deceived everyone, Hildegard Hamelsvoort is to appear at the imperial palace for investigation. ¡ªAugust Steinberg] ¡°What nonsense is this!¡± Countess Hamelsvoort, unable to contain herself any longer, screamed and rushed at the messenger. ¡°You touched our Walter just recently! Why are you so desperate to destroy our family!¡± ¡°Dear, calm down.¡± The Count stepped forward in place of Lady Hamelsvoort, who was panting with anger. ¡°What exactly has Hildegard done wrong? What deception are you talking about?¡± The Emperor¡¯s messenger continued without any change in expression. ¡°Hildegard Hamelsvoort had a past of committing improper acts that made her unfit to be a Saintess, yet she hid that fact. Therefore, His Majesty has decided to hold a hearing for Hildegard Hamelsvoort.¡± As the messenger recited even the date, the Count¡¯s eyes became empty. There was nothing to be solved by fighting the messenger here out of frustration. In the end, they were destined to fight the Emperor. Seeing how he touched Walter and Hildegard in turn, it was clear that the Emperor was going to cling to Hamelsvoort. The Count turned to look at Hildegard with a dispirited face. ¡°Hilda, how...¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know either.¡± Hildegard had felt like she was dreaming since earlier. The Emperor had now targeted her. Once the imperial family had decided, there was no guarantee of safety even for a Saintess. It felt so unreal that she wasn¡¯t even scared or worried. ¡°D-Don¡¯t worry, Hildegard. The temple won¡¯t let this slide. I¡¯ll contact the temple.¡± Count Hamelsvoort was right. The temple would never allow a Saintess to be stripped of her position. But... ¡°Hildegard, you didn¡¯t do anything improper before coming here, right?¡± At those words, Hildegard raised her head with a blank face. ¡°Count, I lived in the slums for sixteen years.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How could someone who lived that long in the slums only behave nobly?¡± Chapter 108 Or rather, was it not a dream but a return to reality? Had she woken up from the dream of being a Saintess, back to being an insignificant girl from the slums? Had everything she had enjoyed until now been an illusion? Hildegard stood there with an empty face, then suddenly laughed, finding her situation amusing. Sixteen years in the slums, she had lived so fiercely. Hildegard wanted to live. So she did everything she had to do to survive. Hildegard¡¯s main job was pickpocketing. But besides that, she had her hand in various things. She had begged by pulling on the clothes of passersby, lied about having a sick younger sibling to extort money, stolen bread from bakeries. She had kissed the slum gang leader when he said he would protect her if she dated him. She had stolen blankets from dying people and gotten into fistfights with groups. Yes, it wasn¡¯t a clean life. How could an insignificant girl from the slums live considering ethics? But one day, Hildegard gained power after hearing a strange voice. From then on, Hildegard¡¯s life changed. Priests who said they came from the temple sought out Hildegard and served her as a Saintess. When she showed her newly acquired power, the priests looked up to her. Hildegard, who had lived her whole life watching out in the slums, didn¡¯t miss what her instincts whispered to her at that moment. She recalled what the temple people who occasionally came out to volunteer would say, and pretended to be devout despite not knowing much about theology. She acted as if she had lived a kind life all along. Hildegard¡¯s efforts to appear sacrificial while volunteering after becoming a Saintess were simply because she knew that doing so would allow her to gain more. If someone were to investigate Hildegard¡¯s past and find fault, she would have nothing to say. How could she make nobles who had fortunately been born into and enjoyed everything understand her life? Strangely, she didn¡¯t even feel angry. It felt like her mind was becoming extremely calm. Hildegard guessed that she would soon fall endlessly. * * * The letter sent from the Hamelsvoort family quickly arrived at the Lartman mansion. ¡°What? They¡¯re holding a hearing for Hilda?¡± After hearing the news about Hildegard, a surprised Liv jumped up from her seat. ¡°A-Are they already attacking the Hamelsvoort family? I thought there would be some time...¡± ¡°...I didn¡¯t expect this either. For now, I¡¯m hurrying to recruit nobles.¡± ¡°Are you going to join hands with the Hamelsvoort family?¡± ¡°That would be better, but I¡¯m concerned that Marquis Schmidt has come up to the capital. He¡¯s probably watching me...¡± The Emperor or Louisa, which one could it be? Since she was scheduled to meet Louisa soon, she probably hadn¡¯t taken action yet. So this must have been orchestrated by the Emperor¡¯s side. Liv pondered ways to help Hildegard, but all she could do was... ¡°Please help Hildegard!¡± Ah, she was such an insignificant being. Liv had no power, wisdom, or force. The Hamelsvoort family, the Lartman family, and the gods... She only knew how to cling to and rely on others. Child, why do you care about such an insignificant person? ¡°But she¡¯s the Supreme God¡¯s Saintess! Shouldn¡¯t the Supreme God protect the Saintess?¡± The Saintess position is merely to protect you. ¡°Then I¡¯ll help Hilda myself. I¡¯ll go to a sanctuary and create the voice of God, and declare that Hildegard is the real Saintess.¡± As Liv said this, panting after pleading with the gods, Emmett intervened. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure what the Emperor¡¯s intentions are right now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if they hold a hearing, Miss Hildegard won¡¯t lose her position as Saintess. Because then the Emperor would have to wage war against the temple. So it seems like he¡¯s trying to distract us and do something else...¡± ¡°No.¡± Liv shook her head at Emmett¡¯s words. Even if the Emperor attacked Hildegard, he no longer needed to wage war against the temple. ¡°The temple... might abandon Hilda. Because I exist.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°And those people don¡¯t know about life in the slums.¡± Liv recalled the scene she had witnessed that day. She couldn¡¯t imagine how desperately Hildegard had lived in such an environment. After being selected as a ¡®Saintess,¡¯ Hildegard had tried to live up to it, but it must have been impossible to live as a Saintess in those slums. Whatever sins Hildegard had committed, Liv had no intention of blaming her. ¡°We don¡¯t know about Hilda¡¯s past. If they attack using her past as an excuse, it will be difficult for the temple to defend her.¡± ¡°The Emperor must be attacking the Saintess to weaken Hamelsvoort¡¯s power.¡± ¡°...Yes, he might be trying to force Count Hamelsvoort to step down using the excuse of adopting a fake Saintess.¡± Liv¡¯s mind worked quickly. She began to consider ways to help Hildegard. ¡°The temple has already sent a warning letter to the imperial palace. They are defending Miss Hildegard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief...¡± Liv was prepared to approach a sanctuary for Hilda even if she was afraid, and she wanted to run to a sanctuary right away, but... ¡°I, I have an appointment soon.¡± ¡°...With Her Highness the Princess?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Today was the day Louisa was scheduled to visit the Lartman mansion. For now, Liv had to meet her and hear what she wanted from her. * * * Louisa came to see Liv still with a pale, sickly face. It was such a harmless face that no one would believe she had come to threaten her. While the Lartman servants guided Louisa as politely as possible, only Liv didn¡¯t hide her wariness towards her. ¡°You seemed to be on good terms with Miss Hildegard.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The tea in the cups placed between Liv and Louisa remained untouched, with the amount not decreasing at all. Sharp gazes were exchanged between them. ¡°But I¡¯m going to help Hilda.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. You can use tremendous power... Power incomparable to what I use with ancient magic.¡± Louisa seemed a bit upset as she said this. As if she felt inferior to Liv. ¡°You might think you don¡¯t need my help right now. But...¡± Louisa gently curved her eyes. ¡°In the end, for you to survive, you need to eliminate my father. To do that, it would be better to join hands with me and remove him now.¡± ¡°...And you¡¯ll become Emperor, Your Highness?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no way you¡¯d keep me alive. Because you never know when I might threaten your imperial authority.¡± ¡°But you know I can¡¯t kill you, right? Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be imprisoned in Abgrund again.¡± Liv flinched at the mention of Abgrund. Yes, she really knew everything. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll reward you. By the way, did you really marry Duke Lartman out of love?¡± Louisa continued in a sing-song voice. Her face was gently relaxed as if imagining the future after she became Emperor. ¡°People all say you¡¯re crazy about Duke Lartman, but love tends to cool down eventually. When I become Emperor, I¡¯ll allow you to divorce. The position of Duchess Lartman might seem attractive now, but nothing would be as special as a marriage arranged by the Emperor directly.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Anyway, you save your life, and I become Emperor, so isn¡¯t it good for everyone?¡± Louisa acted as if she had no intention of harming Liv, but Liv didn¡¯t trust her. Those who gain power tend to change. Louisa would eventually try to kill Liv too. Also, she didn¡¯t like the idea that she could divorce Emmett. Liv was a selfish person and had no intention of letting go of Emmett. However, since she didn¡¯t know when Louisa might tell the Emperor the truth about Liv¡¯s birth, Liv kept her mouth shut, not wanting to provoke her unnecessarily. At that moment, a thought flashed through Liv¡¯s mind. ¡®...What if I eliminate this person?¡¯ God¡¯s power didn¡¯t allow ¡®killing people.¡¯ After all, they were gods who loved humans. But if she used the power well, couldn¡¯t she find a way to eliminate Louisa without leaving evidence? Then Liv shook her head, frightened by her own thoughts. What a cruel thought to think about eliminating the person in front of her. If the gods knew this, they would probably scold Liv. Then what on earth should she do? While Liv was lost in thought and remained silent, Louisa continued in a cheerful voice. ¡°There¡¯s a gathering of nobles who have taken my side. I¡¯d like you to attend that day.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll assume you¡¯re attending and take my leave now.¡± Believing that Liv would naturally take her side, Louisa¡¯s voice was confident. After Louisa left, Liv¡¯s worries only deepened. How could she keep the Emperor from knowing that Liv was the last imperial descendant of Gracia... S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * Marquis Schmidt hummed a tune at his villa in the capital. The informant who had brought him information looked around nervously and left the room. ¡°Oh my, Princess Louisa!¡± Having grasped the situation, he grinned. Although he didn¡¯t know why the two had joined hands, he had heard that Louisa had recently visited the Lartman mansion. It was more likely that she went to see the Duchess rather than the Duke. The reason why the Princess wanted to join hands with the Duchess was obvious. She probably wanted to become Emperor using the people¡¯s support and the temple¡¯s support that came from ¡®God¡¯s love.¡¯ Louisa had learned cunning from her father, but she was still incredibly naive when it came to politics. Look how transparent this was. Moreover, he had obtained information that Louisa¡¯s close associates would gather soon. Liv Lartman would probably attend and declare her support for Louisa there. ¡°What should I do...¡± He considered whether to tell the Emperor about this information, or whether to maintain some connection with Louisa¡¯s side as well. Although young and inexperienced, Louisa was moderately clever and moderately wicked. Enough to inherit the throne right away without any problems. Chapter 109 Soon after, Marquis Schmidt¡¯s mind leaned towards telling the Emperor about Louisa¡¯s information. After all, he was currently loyal to August. The sun of this country was still August. The Emperor had been considering the Lartman and Hamelsvoort families as thorns in his side lately, so why not inform him that Liv Lartman had sided with the Princess and make the Emperor even angrier? The benefit Marquis Schmidt could gain when the Emperor was angry was simple. The Emperor would trust him even more because of this. [To His Majesty the Emperor, the sun of the Empire. This is your loyal servant, Marquis Schmidt. I write this letter because I feel I must inform Your Majesty of important news. Two days from now, some nobles have decided to hold a meeting at the W¨¹nschen Salon. Nobles who oppose Your Majesty will attend that gathering. I leave the handling of the remaining matters to Your Majesty¡¯s choice, but my blood boils at the thought of nobles who dare oppose Your Majesty walking around with their backs straight. ¡ªYours faithfully, Marquis Schmidt] ¡°Duke Lartman, I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s come to this.¡± Recalling a day when they had conversed intimately when Duke Lartman was younger, Marquis Schmidt put the letter into an envelope. * * * ¡®What should I do...¡¯ Liv repeatedly paced back and forth in the room with an anxious face. She didn¡¯t know if she should go to the gathering Louisa had invited her to. How could she stop Louisa? Siding with Louisa wasn¡¯t very wise, but dealing with both Louisa and August as enemies would be tricky. In two days, the day Louisa had invited her would come. And the day after that, Hildegard¡¯s hearing would be held. Everything was so complicated that it felt like her head was throbbing. When Liv was about to bang her head against the wall, it was Emmett who opened the door and came in. ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You look troubled.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± As Liv hesitated to answer, unable to speak, Emmett sat on the bed and pulled Liv to sit beside him. ¡°Let¡¯s speak honestly. What conversation did you have with Princess Louisa?¡± Emmett had wanted to know about the conversation between Liv and the Princess all along, but Liv hadn¡¯t told him, and he hadn¡¯t forced an answer either. However, at this moment, Emmett¡¯s voice had the power to persuade people. Finally, succumbing to his voice, Liv hesitantly began to speak. ¡°Well, you see... Her Highness Princess Louisa asked me to take her side...¡± Feeling relieved after spilling everything, Liv¡¯s words continued for a while. After listening to her story to the end, Emmett sighed. Thinking he might be disappointed in her, Liv flinched, but Emmett comforted her. ¡°No, I just sighed because of Princess Louisa.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Surely you¡¯re not planning to attend that gathering?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s obvious I¡¯d be used in that situation. But I don¡¯t know how to stop Princess Louisa.¡± ¡°Liv, if it were me, I could eliminate the Princess.¡± At those words, Liv looked at Emmett in surprise. Yes, she had momentarily forgotten that Emmett could sometimes be this cruel. ¡°No, I¡¯ve thought about it too, but how can we just kill someone because of threats?¡± ¡°...Is that so.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t entrust you with such a task...¡± At first glance, Liv¡¯s words might seem frustrating, but Emmett respected Liv¡¯s choice. Liv felt her heart stabilize a little at his attitude. ¡°Actually, there is a way to stop Princess Louisa...¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If I show her a terrifying sight that humans can¡¯t handle, wouldn¡¯t she either go mad and shut her mouth or forget about me? Though I can¡¯t guarantee that result...¡± ¡°...How is that different from killing her?¡± ¡°Well, the gods wouldn¡¯t scold me.¡± Yes, child. Would I blame you for driving just one person mad? It¡¯s that person who can¡¯t handle the power of the gods. ¡°See, they¡¯re taking my side even now.¡± Emmett looked like he truly couldn¡¯t understand the gods, but he didn¡¯t say anything more to Liv about it. ¡°Liv, more than that, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If such a thing happened, you should have consulted with me earlier.¡± Emmett, saying this, somehow seemed both disappointed and worried about Liv. ¡°Liv, spouses should share everything. When we talk like this, even difficult matters tend to resolve.¡± ¡°Share everything...¡± At those words, Liv stared at Emmett. And without realizing it, those words spilled from Liv¡¯s mouth. ¡°But you haven¡¯t told me everything either.¡± ¡°What?¡± It wasn¡¯t difficult to deduce where Emmett was going so busily every day lately. ¡°You¡¯re looking for ways to oppose the Emperor, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...Liv.¡± Yes, up to this point was a fact that even Hildegard could guess. And... ¡°But why aren¡¯t you telling me who you¡¯re planning to set up as the new Emperor?¡± Liv¡¯s pale pink eyes, asking this, shone sharply in a rare moment. At those words that accurately pinpointed Emmett¡¯s intentions, he showed a rare surprised face. ¡°Liv...¡± ¡°You¡¯re planning to put me in that position, aren¡¯t you?¡± The reason she hadn¡¯t told Emmett about this until now was that she didn¡¯t want to clash with him. He must have chosen Liv because she was the last descendant of the former imperial family, and she didn¡¯t want to complicate Emmett¡¯s thoughts unnecessarily before things even started. But now Liv felt it was time to address this issue. ¡°I don¡¯t want to become Emperor. You know that.¡± ¡°Liv, but...¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it would be better for you to become the new Emperor. You would govern this country much better than me.¡± ¡°...I wasn¡¯t trying to hide it from you.¡± ¡°No, you were trying to hide it from me.¡± Unable to answer Liv¡¯s dry tone, a shadow fell over Emmett¡¯s face. ¡°I still find it difficult to mingle with people, and above all, I don¡¯t know much about politics. How could someone like me become Emperor?¡± ¡°...What¡¯s important is legitimacy. With the justification and legitimacy to become Emperor, anyone can become Emperor. Even August became Emperor without being fully prepared. Princess Louisa hasn¡¯t learned much about kingship either. There aren¡¯t that many things one needs to have to become Emperor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m different from others.¡± ¡°You can become like them.¡± As their argument grew longer, a sharp current flowed between them as if sparks were flying. Emmett kept trying to persuade Liv, but Liv only countered Emmett¡¯s words with a face that showed she wouldn¡¯t yield her stubbornness. After continuing to speak for a long time, it was Emmett who finally bowed his head and embraced Liv. ¡°Liv, I, ah...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I say that making you Emperor is my mission, would you understand my words?¡± ¡°Why is that your mission?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I must do. No matter what happens, I will return you to your original place. It¡¯s for both you and me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°You probably can¡¯t understand now.¡± Emmett relaxed his body that had been embracing Liv. But his gaze was still directed at Liv. Strangely, looking at his ashen eyes that reminded her of Abgrund yet were clearly different, Liv felt her heart softening. ¡°There were actually several times in the past when I couldn¡¯t understand you. But after a long time, I eventually came to understand you. The opposite is also true. You, Liv, will eventually come to understand me.¡± ¡°...Is that so.¡± ¡°Please trust me, Liv.¡± Emmett continued, whispering in Liv¡¯s ear. ¡°I will never do anything that will harm you...¡± Hearing those words, Liv couldn¡¯t move her body for a long time. The world surrounding Liv was becoming more complex. She knew she could no longer act passively and settle for reality as before... but it wasn¡¯t easy to find her way and protect herself in a rapidly changing world. ¡°And Liv, it¡¯s inevitable that your identity will be revealed to the Emperor. He¡¯ll find out eventually anyway, and removing the Emperor before that is for your own good.¡± Liv didn¡¯t answer those words, but she knew that being anxious about her identity being revealed to the Emperor was ultimately meaningless. There are no eternal secrets. ¡°...For now, I won¡¯t go to the gathering the Princess invited me to. You continue with what you¡¯ve been doing.¡± * * * There were several nobles gathered in the room, but the atmosphere was quiet. They just glanced at the host of this gathering without saying anything. ¡°...Could she really not have come?¡± Louisa muttered, looking towards the door. She felt the urge to throw the cup in her hand right away, but Louisa barely managed to suppress it. Liv Lartman. She didn¡¯t expect her not to accept her proposal... ¡®Really, everyone in Lartman is...!¡¯ Louisa frowned, unable to hide her irritation. Neither the stubborn Duke Lartman nor his wife had been helpful in Louisa¡¯s life. It seemed she would have to pressure them in another way soon. She should deal with Hildegard at tomorrow¡¯s hearing, and then provoke the Emperor to completely destroy the other members of the Hamelsvoort family. And after that... At that moment, Louisa¡¯s face turned pale as she saw the figure entering through the opening door. ¡°Y-Your Majesty the Emperor...!¡± The Emperor entering through the door looked angry. As the other surprised nobles prostrated themselves on the floor, the Emperor strode towards Louisa without even looking around. ¡°Louisa, what scheme are you plotting, hm?¡± ¡°Y-Your Majesty...¡± ¡°I heard from Marquis Schmidt that those who rebelled against me were gathered here. So why are you here?¡± Louisa sat frozen in her chair, unable to move. She was someone who looked down on her father more than anyone else. However, at the same time, she was also someone who was more afraid in front of her father than anyone else. The fear and helplessness she had learned over a long time consumed her. While Louisa couldn¡¯t say anything, the Emperor scanned the surroundings as if searching. The nobles bowed their heads even more to avoid making eye contact with him. The Emperor¡¯s face showed disdain as he failed to find any familiar faces. ¡°They¡¯re all insignificant beings. There¡¯s no need to bother eliminating them.¡± At those words, relief filled the nobles¡¯ faces, but only Louisa still couldn¡¯t erase the terror from her eyes, as if she had seen hell. He took one step closer to Louisa. ¡°Louisa, if you¡¯re going to cause trouble, do it big. What good is playing with these small fry?¡± ¡°F-Father...¡± ¡°If everyone here is just small fry.¡± The Emperor¡¯s large hand grabbed Louisa¡¯s hair. ¡°The only one I need to eliminate here is you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°F-Father!¡± At that moment, Louisa felt unbearable fear. Because her father had ¡®those eyes¡¯ she had seen when she was young. Louisa thought her father might abandon her like this. As soon as she realized this, Louisa¡¯s instincts sounded an alarm. To escape from here right now. To survive somehow. To sell out someone else instead of her. ¡°F-Father, that¡¯s not it. I have something to tell you.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°Today, I... Yes, I gathered people to discuss countermeasures.¡± ¡°What countermeasures are you talking about?¡± Louisa¡¯s face, which had been rambling while trying to buy time somehow, gradually hardened. Ah, now she didn¡¯t even know what words were coming out of her mouth. ¡°L-Lartman. Duchess Lartman. Liv Lartman is actually...¡± Finally, unable to overcome her fear, Louisa whispered ¡®that fact¡¯ that would bring a bloodbath to the Emperor¡¯s ear. ¡°She¡¯s the last descendant of Gracia...¡± Chapter 110 The moment he heard Louisa¡¯s words, August finally realized all the truth. His face flushed red with anger, and his fists clenched. Even though her hair was gripped more tightly, Louisa tried not to scream. ¡°That thing again...!¡± Yes, something had been strange from the beginning. A child loved by God. If that child was a descendant of the Gracia family, everything made sense. Somehow, since it appeared, his plans had started to go awry. The last descendant of the Gracia family had been interfering with August at every turn. ¡°Louisa, you dare not tell me about this?¡± He wanted to kill Louisa right away, but he restrained himself, remembering that it was better for Louisa, whom he could control directly, to succeed him rather than disobedient collateral descendants. Instead, he immediately dragged Louisa and shoved her into a carriage. The carriage headed for the Sun Palace. * * * ¡°Hey there!¡± When he arrived in his domain and shouted loudly, the chief servant quickly bowed before August. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Go and bring Duchess Lartman here immediately!¡± ¡°Yes, understood. What reason should I give?¡± ¡°Reason? A reason...¡± He wanted to rush into the Lartman mansion right away and behead the Duchess without any reason, but remembering that she would never die, August restrained himself once again. And if he treated Duchess Lartman recklessly, the nobles on Duke Lartman¡¯s side might collectively rebel. No, in fact, the relationship between the Emperor and Duke Lartman was already strained. The man who was once his faithful dog now seemed to have completely changed his heart, fallen for one woman. Yes, then he should kill them all. He should show who the true master of this country is. ¡°Tell her there¡¯s something to investigate in advance as a witness related to Saintess Hildegard¡¯s hearing.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a risk of escape, so send knights. That¡¯s the pretext for now... but act as if dealing with traitors.¡± The chief servant flinched for a moment upon hearing his words. It was a sign that a bloodbath would again sweep through Bygen, the capital of the Empire. Watching the chief servant disappear, August gritted his teeth. Anyone who dares to covet his throne, he will make them rot in Abgrund for life, breathing only damp air. * * * It was the middle of the night when everyone should have been asleep, but bright lights were on in the Lartman mansion. The guard reported with a face about to collapse that knights from the imperial palace had surrounded the mansion. The Lartman couple and the servants woke up and gathered on the first floor. Shortly after, the guard received a letter from outside and delivered it to Liv. ¡°...His Majesty the Emperor has summoned me.¡± Liv¡¯s face was pale as she read the contents of the letter. Emmett, clenching his fists, also had a tense expression. Although the Emperor used the excuse of Hildegard¡¯s hearing, there was only one reason that could be guessed why the Emperor would summon her now that Louisa knew Liv¡¯s truth. ¡°What should we do...¡± As Liv finally couldn¡¯t contain her fear and slumped to the floor, Emmett supported her and lifted her up. However, Liv didn¡¯t feel any calmer even in Emmett¡¯s embrace. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Liv. I¡¯ll be by your side, and you won¡¯t be imprisoned again. Let¡¯s escape together.¡± Hearing those words, the butler looked at them with a surprised face. The relationship between the Lartman family and the imperial family not being the same as before was a topic that even the mansion¡¯s servants had been talking about secretly, and the butler, who served Emmett closely, could guess more than others. Up to the fact that the Emperor didn¡¯t like Liv who could oppose his power and attacked Hamelsvoort, and now was trying to attack Lartman. ¡°...Duke, should I tell the Lartman knights to prepare for battle?¡± The number of knights currently in the Lartman mansion isn¡¯t many, but they should be able to subdue the knights surrounding the mansion for now. In that gap, Emmett and Liv could escape, and if they called the knights from the Lartman Duchy to the capital to fight... ¡°The Emperor is trying to kill my wife now. After we attack the knights, he¡¯ll send much larger reinforcements, so I¡¯m not sure if we can safely escape the capital. ...But if we¡¯re dragged to the imperial palace like this, there¡¯s no guarantee we can come out again, so we¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°Y-You say he¡¯s trying to kill the Madam?¡± Laga, standing behind the butler, asked, taking a deep breath. The butler gave her a reproachful look, but Laga couldn¡¯t hide her shock. As most of the servants seemed curious like her, Emmett had no choice but to give a brief explanation. ¡°...It seems that my wife is currently the biggest enemy to the Emperor. She¡¯s the only one who can threaten his position. So he will certainly try to kill my wife.¡± ¡°Ah...!¡± Laga staggered in surprise and disappeared somewhere, and other servants began to murmur. ¡°Then what happens to us?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we escape too?¡± ¡°But...¡± As the mansion was falling into complete chaos, Emmett quickly tried to take Liv into the room. ¡°Liv, let¡¯s prepare to escape.¡± Liv was wearing a thin dress she wore to sleep. She couldn¡¯t escape in this state, so she needed to change clothes. But Liv still couldn¡¯t move. ¡°If, if I leave, what about the people left behind?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Hamelsvoort family will be completely destroyed. Hildegard will suffer too. The entire Lartman Duchy will become a target, and the Emperor will try to kill all the servants!¡± ¡°Unless there¡¯s evidence that we¡¯ve started a rebellion, he won¡¯t be able to do that. For now, we should at least hide ourselves and plan for the future.¡± ¡°Really... do you really think so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°He¡¯s someone who would kill all the servants and still have more to spare.¡± There was fear in Liv¡¯s eyes, but no tears flowed. Rather, she felt something dry and parched, and she didn¡¯t think she could cry. ¡°Can we defeat the Emperor? He...¡± In Liv¡¯s mind, he was a god. He was an absolute being that Liv couldn¡¯t oppose. Because of him, Liv had to be imprisoned in Abgrund for life, and occasionally had to suffer from the pain whenever he cast ancient magic. He destroyed Liv¡¯s life, wielding it at his will. ¡°We can. I¡¯ll make it possible.¡± Emmett persuaded Liv again, and Liv, though staggering, finally acknowledged that she had to leave. Whether they escape or not, in fact, the downfall of the Lartman Duchy would be the same. ¡®It¡¯s all because of me...¡¯ Because of her alone, both the Lartman and Hamelsvoort families were in danger. Liv found this fact unbearably painful. It felt like everything happened because she was born. If only she didn¡¯t exist, everyone else would have lived happily. Because of her misplaced existence, how many people had to suffer? ¡°Your Grace, please tell us what we should do!¡± ¡°Yes! Are we going to die like this?¡± The Lartman mansion became noisy due to the servants who sensed their end. Though they were said to be loyal to Lartman, they couldn¡¯t act calm at all in the face of approaching death. At that moment, what silenced the frightened Liv and the servants was a woman coming down from the second floor. ¡°L-Laga...¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t recognize who that woman was for a moment, but when that name first flowed from Liv¡¯s lips, everyone¡¯s faces became shocked. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Laga was wearing the bright, fancy dress that Liv usually wore. Silver ornaments were inserted in her hair, and a diamond necklace hung around her neck. Anyone could see it was the appearance of a noblewoman. She had dressed up so thoroughly that it would be difficult for anyone to recall Laga who had worked as a maid just by looking at that appearance. ¡°Laga, you couldn¡¯t...¡± One of the servants who had been close to Laga pointed at her with trembling hands. Everyone present could understand what her intentions were. However, Laga, with a face of firm resolve, smiled brightly without showing a single tear. ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll go to the imperial palace in your place.¡± ¡°...No. You¡¯ll die if you do that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯d be happy if I could give my life for you, Madam.¡± ¡°Why, why go to such lengths...¡± Finally, Liv¡¯s voice began to tremble. She couldn¡¯t understand the situation where people around her were sacrificing themselves for her. What was she, such a great being... ¡°Madam is someone loved by the Supreme God, right? So if I give my life for you, I¡¯ll be treated well in the afterlife, won¡¯t I?¡± Unable to answer those words, Liv bit her lip hard. Something hot kept surging up inside her, but seeing Laga¡¯s composed appearance, she couldn¡¯t cry. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel so guilty! This isn¡¯t a decision purely for your sake, Madam. Anyway, if someone goes to the imperial palace, won¡¯t it buy time for others to escape? The Lartman servants too.¡± At those words, even the servants who had been worrying about their own lives couldn¡¯t say anything and bowed their heads. ¡°...I enjoyed my time here. I was an orphan and started working in the Duchy from a young age, so, well, don¡¯t worry about me... You all were family to me, and it¡¯s hopeful that there¡¯s still a way to save my family, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No, Laga...¡± ¡°Madam, it seems like something I can¡¯t even dare to imagine is happening, but please survive.¡± Chapter 111 Laga spoke with a bright smile, and when Liv finally almost collapsed as her legs gave out, Emmett quickly made Liv lean against him. While everyone was feeling choked up by Laga¡¯s determination, Emmett opened his mouth. ¡°...Laga, relying on your sacrifice is such a shameful thing for me as the head of the family. I will do my utmost to ensure we can meet again in the future.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something to be grateful for.¡± Liv couldn¡¯t accept this situation at all. She couldn¡¯t let Laga die in her place. But she was too powerless to say she would go herself. Above all, Laga was trying to save not just Liv, but all the other servants, and Liv didn¡¯t seem to have the right to stop that. This time, she felt like she might really cry, with a feeling of her chest burning hot. But since Laga was the one actually sacrificing herself, Liv felt she shouldn¡¯t shed tears, so she bit the inside of her cheek and spoke forcefully. ¡°Laga, I¡¯m really, really sorry for being so weak... If only I had...¡± ¡°Madam.¡± Laga looked at Liv with round eyes. ¡°You must survive for my share too, and be victorious in the end.¡± ¡°Laga...¡± Then Laga straightened her back and raised her head high. At this moment, she would look like an elegant noblewoman to anyone¡¯s eyes. Laga¡¯s eyes were light brown, but under the dark night sky, there wasn¡¯t much difference in color compared to Liv¡¯s pale pink eyes. Probably the knights who came to take Liv wouldn¡¯t suspect her. ¡°Laga, thank you...¡± ¡°I won¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°Sob...!¡± The servants gathered on the first floor burst into tears, but Laga walked proudly through them towards the outside of the mansion. Watching that small retreating figure, Liv finally broke down. ¡°Do we really... have to do this?¡± ¡°Liv, this is not the time. We must leave the mansion quickly.¡± Liv didn¡¯t even have time to shed tears as she was led by Emmett¡¯s hand to change clothes. As she put on the commoner¡¯s clothes she had worn when she went out with Hildegard last time, Liv didn¡¯t even think about how rough the texture felt. Meanwhile, Liv might have sensed it instinctively. That there was nowhere left to run. * * * ¡°...You say this is Duchess Lartman?¡± The moment the soldiers saw the woman they had brought as the Duchess, the corner of the Emperor¡¯s mouth twisted upwards. ¡°Ha! Hahaha!¡± He didn¡¯t expect Duke Lartman to turn his back on him so thoroughly. In the past, Duke Lartman would have come with his wife immediately when the Emperor called for her, begging for her life. But now he had sent a stand-in and fled. Should he blame himself for not predicting this, or blame the knights who foolishly brought the wrong woman, deceived only by white hair? Or should he blame the God who always turns away from him? ¡°Why, why...!¡± Yes, from the beginning, God was not on his side. August knew this well. God was on Gracia¡¯s side. Despite that, he believed he had overcome adversity and finally achieved victory, but why again... ¡°Hamelsvoort!¡± In fact, the situation hadn¡¯t gone seriously awry. No matter how much they try to escape, there¡¯s a limit to hiding in this country. Even if Lartman starts a rebellion, the soldiers August had nurtured wouldn¡¯t be easily defeated. ...However, the Emperor was irritated that they dared to lie to him and flee. But he wasn¡¯t keen on chasing the two of them either. So let¡¯s make them come back on their own feet. Duchess Lartman is just a weak girl after all. No matter how afraid of dying, she would have no choice but to return when the people around her start dying. It was concerning that Duke Lartman was by her side, but Duke Lartman wasn¡¯t fundamentally an evil person. Then... ¡°Contact the informant planted in the temple. Collect all evidence that the temple and the Hamelsvoort family have been in contact to plot rebellion.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± He will start with the Hamelsvoort family first. In the end, Duchess Lartman will have no choice but to return to the capital on her own. * * * With each gallop of the horse, Liv¡¯s body bounced and jolted. Emmett was holding her firmly in his arms from behind, supporting her body. But still, riding a horse was inevitably painful. Her buttocks were sore, and she felt like she might get motion sickness. Her head was throbbing as if it would split. However, Liv endured without complaining. She had no right to complain about the difficulty of merely riding a horse. ¡°Sob...¡± Tears were flowing endlessly from Liv¡¯s eyes. Thinking of Laga who had gone in her place, she simply couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. Although she had exchanged final greetings with her with the most steadfast face possible, as soon as she fled the mansion and was left alone with Emmett, Liv unknowingly shed tears continuously. Instead of comforting Liv, Emmett silently drove the horse. There was no way to console Liv¡¯s sorrow now. After arriving at a forest near the capital, Emmett stopped the horse. ¡°...I¡¯m considering where we should go.¡± If they went to the Lartman Duchy, the Emperor would soon discover their whereabouts. If they entrusted themselves carelessly to the territory of other nobles, they might be betrayed. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They decided to hide in the forest and spend the night for now. Even if beasts came out, they would eventually end up being loyal to Liv. If soldiers came to the forest, they could send the beasts to attack. ¡°Sob, hic...¡± Liv just wailed, burying her body among the leaves Emmett had gathered. She simply couldn¡¯t maintain her rationality. Everything she had tried to protect until now was collapsing into ruins. Yes, there was nowhere left to run. * * * ¡°Your Majesty, the Hamelsvoort County in rebellion!¡± ¡°It must be someone¡¯s false accusation! You must investigate again!¡± ¡°They are one of the Five Noble Families!¡± The nobles who usually watched August¡¯s mood were now pleading with him in the Sun Room with excited faces. August looked down at them with an annoyed expression. ¡°I found evidence, what¡¯s the problem?¡± His accusing Hildegard of being a fake Saintess was to make Hamelsvoort contact the temple. There was a spy he had planted in the temple, and the more Hamelsvoort lost their reason and hurriedly contacted the temple, the more information was leaked. That¡¯s how August obtained evidence that they were preparing for rebellion. ¡°Rather, you who are defending those who committed rebellion are more suspicious.¡± As August came down the stairs, the nobles tensed and stepped back. August held a sword in his hand with a grinning face. And... ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± His sword, which had stopped to strike down one noble, halted in front of the neck. August withdrew his sword with a face that showed his excitement had cooled. After all, killing these people wasn¡¯t as satisfying as destroying Lartman and Hamelsvoort. Yes, he should have done this earlier. The problem was that he had been overly cautious of the Five Noble Families. What would he worry about when he had already confronted the temple? In the room vibrating with the smell of blood, August smiled with satisfaction. ¡°The Hamelsvoort family has clearly committed rebellion. And I plan to exterminate them.¡± * * * The Hamelsvoort mansion was in utter chaos. Servants fleeing in protest had their hair grabbed, expensive items decorating the mansion were shattered to pieces, and acrid smoke rose from the burning garden. ¡°Search every nook and cranny!¡± ¡°Aah! No! Nooo!¡± Soldiers poured into the mansion like a flood. In front of these soldiers, the Count and Countess Hamelsvoort screamed. Hildegard felt like fainting right there, but her survival instinct, which had been fiercer than anyone¡¯s since childhood, was barely maintaining her rationality. ¡°Hildegard, we must escape.¡± And Walter was holding Hildegard¡¯s wrist beside her. ¡°It¡¯s unjust, it¡¯s unfair!¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not true!¡± The voices of the Count and Countess echoed loudly through the mansion. They blocked the soldiers to the end, claiming their innocence, and Hildegard knew this was to allow her and Walter to evacuate. When they received the urgent news that soldiers were coming to the Hamelsvoort family a little while ago, the Hamelsvoort couple had said something to the two of them. -Walter, Hilda. Run away. -At least you... at least you must live. Walter accepted this fact calmly, but Hildegard couldn¡¯t bear it. Although they weren¡¯t close enough to share deep affection, they were still Hildegard¡¯s only family. -We can all escape together! -Someone has to stay in the mansion. If we all flee together, we¡¯ll only be caught. In the end, the Hamelsvoort couple chose not to escape. In front of their stubborn expression that she had never seen before, Hildegard couldn¡¯t dare to stop them. Walter grabbed Hildegard¡¯s wrist and entered a small room next to the kitchen. When they lifted the carpet in the room, a small door leading downwards appeared. They crawled through that door and came out in the basement of the mansion. Fortunately, the existence of the secret passage didn¡¯t seem to have been discovered. Thus, the two of them succeeded in safely escaping the mansion. ¡°Hildegard, we can¡¯t let our guard down. We must keep running.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Strangely, tears didn¡¯t flow from Hildegard¡¯s eyes. That¡¯s how much she couldn¡¯t feel a sense of reality. Just when you think you¡¯ve fallen this far and it¡¯s over, an even deeper fall awaits her. Her life began to shatter overnight. Even in the midst of this, Hildegard¡¯s legs moved, wanting to live. They ran towards the slums, and Hildegard succeeded in reaching a familiar store. ¡°Young lady Hamelsvoort!¡± ¡°Huff, huff... Please give us clothes to wear...¡± The two had not a penny, but as soon as the shop owner saw them, he brought clothes with a hardened face. Then, while watching outside the store, he whispered to them. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°...¡± Hildegard didn¡¯t answer, thinking that if the shop owner heard that the Hamelsvoort family had been accused of treason, he might report them. However, the shop owner continued speaking with an unconcerned face. ¡°Young lady Hamelsvoort, I believe in you. You are the kindest person of all. I¡¯ve seen you go on secret volunteer activities several times.¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t official volunteer work, Hildegard often went to the slums where she had stayed and helped the sick. It wasn¡¯t following the doctrine of the Holy Church that said one should do good deeds. Just, doing so made Hildegard¡¯s heart feel refreshed. So it was solely for Hildegard herself. However, the shop owner was looking at Hildegard with eyes that saw the ¡®Saintess¡¯. Chapter 112 ¡°I believe in you, young lady. I will keep silent about the fact that you came here.¡± Saying this, the shop owner handed her a money pouch. ¡°It¡¯s the money I earned today. It¡¯s not much... but please take this at least.¡± ¡°Ah, mister!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my request.¡± ¡°...I will accept it gratefully.¡± As there was no pride left to maintain, Hildegard bowed her head deeply while holding back tears. Then she left the slums with her face covered by the cloth obtained from the store. ¡°...Where should we go?¡± Although he must have sensed his parents¡¯ death, Walter¡¯s face didn¡¯t lose its rationality. Although his usually gently curved eyes had turned fierce, he looked strangely calm. Seeing this, Hildegard recalled that he had received divine punishment. ¡°If we go to the Merna Empire, we can get help from people I know. But the problem is how to get there... First, we need to move to the Miergrund region to board a ship. There¡¯s a port in the capital too, but we can¡¯t board a ship there without being discovered.¡± ¡°Miergrund? ...Ah.¡± At that moment, something flashed through Hildegard¡¯s mind. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain was in Miergrund. Hildegard had heard from Liv that Viscount Wolfe was helping Hayden, and that Hayden was now hiding there. She didn¡¯t know if he would help Hildegard and Walter too, but for now, that was the only place they could trust. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain. I know someone there.¡± ¡°Is it someone trustworthy?¡± ¡°...Yes, it¡¯s someone trustworthy.¡± ¡°I see, Viscount Wolfe probably wouldn¡¯t be loyal to the current Emperor... Then let¡¯s borrow horses and go there.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although their legs felt like they would break from pain, they ran to a place where they could borrow horses. They had to act quickly before rumors of the Hamelsvoort family¡¯s rebellion spread. An opportunity comes to those who survive. Sometimes there are moments so painful that one wants to escape through death, but eventually, a chance to turn things around will come in life. Every time she felt she couldn¡¯t sense the meaning of life, Hildegard begged to live. She had to survive somehow. ¡®Sister Liv...¡¯ Recalling perhaps the only person who could help them now, Hildegard held back her tears and ran. * * * A mountain overlooking the imperial palace. Liv stared blankly at the city gate. The heads of the Hamelsvoort couple were hanging on the gate. The whereabouts of Hildegard and Walter were unknown. ¡°Ah, aah...¡± Words wouldn¡¯t come out. She didn¡¯t know what to say, and she couldn¡¯t even remember how to pronounce words. It felt like the world around her was completely blocked off, just like when she was in Abgrund. Emmett just stood silently, supporting Liv in his arms. Liv didn¡¯t particularly like the Hamelsvoort couple. They suddenly started being nice to her when she married Emmett. Moreover, when it was revealed that Liv was loved by God, they completely reversed their attitude towards her. Even though they had despised Liv more than anyone when rumors circulated that she was a fake Saintess. In fact, they probably didn¡¯t consider Liv as their daughter. They probably thought it was just a relationship of mutual use out of necessity. But there were times when they felt like a family. It was very brief and for a limited time, but Liv thought they were just like a real family then. There were times when she was immersed in that sweet sense of security that family gives. Liv didn¡¯t like them, but at the same time, she didn¡¯t hate them either. They were just that kind of relationship. It would have been the same for the Hamelsvoort couple regarding Liv. But now... ¡°Aah!¡± Liv finally felt something burst in her chest and cried out, weeping. Sorrowful sounds came out involuntarily and tears flowed continuously. ¡°It¡¯s all because of me... It¡¯s all my fault...¡± If they hadn¡¯t adopted Liv, they wouldn¡¯t have died. They would have lived well with Hildegard, the real Saintess. If Liv hadn¡¯t existed, Laga would have lived well in the Lartman Duchy. The Lartman ducal family facing a crisis of downfall was also because of her. If he hadn¡¯t married her, Emmett would have continued to be loyal to the Emperor and remained as his close aide. Liv¡¯s existence ruined everything. Everything turned to destruction. If only she could die, time would turn back and everyone could be saved. But no matter how desperately she called out to the gods, they only repeated that ¡®everything is happening as it should¡¯ and wouldn¡¯t turn back time as Liv wanted. After crying for a long time with reddened eyes, Liv finally raised her head. ¡°We can¡¯t run away anymore...¡± Now there really was nowhere to run. There was nothing left to lose. Even if the gods had listened to Liv and turned back time, she couldn¡¯t live like that forever. Choosing to go back to the past every time things went wrong is cowardly. Yes, she can¡¯t keep running away in fear of the Emperor forever. She can¡¯t live avoiding her mission. Liv must fight him now. If she doesn¡¯t fight him, Liv will eventually be imprisoned in Abgrund and those around her will be in danger. Many people have already lost their lives due to her weakness. Liv couldn¡¯t let anyone else sacrifice themselves anymore. So now... * * * Liv and Emmett were moving on horseback. They were heading to the W¨¹nschen region in the western part of the capital. W¨¹nschen was a small village where people didn¡¯t live well. This was because the land there was infertile and crops didn¡¯t grow well. It didn¡¯t have any sights worth seeing for tourists either. Moreover, W¨¹nschen was even a low-lying area that often flooded when it rained, so people were reluctant to live in that area. But even in such a W¨¹nschen region, there was one famous thing, and that was the ¡®Lake of Death¡¯. Liv stared blankly at the lake in front of her. The reason this place was named ¡®Lake of Death¡¯ was simple. That lake really led creatures to death. Creatures that entered the Lake of Death died with their bodies hardened as if taxidermied. There was no exception for humans. People said this phenomenon occurred because of the Supreme God¡¯s curse. But in fact, this place was the territory of the Hyde tribe, a minority ethnic group. The Hyde tribe worshipped Staven, the god of death, and this place was Staven¡¯s sanctuary. Although it¡¯s said to be a disappeared religion now, Staven¡¯s sanctuary still remained in this world. For the Hyde tribe, Staven was a being that announced death and warned of danger. If Liv entered this lake, she might be able to gain Staven¡¯s power. ¡°Can you help me.¡± When Liv asked in a calm voice, Staven¡¯s voice was heard. If you enter my sanctuary, you will surely gain that power, child. It was a kind voice unlike that of a death god. Liv looked at the lake where hardened animal corpses were scattered here and there. Owls, deer, squirrels, hawks. And even humans. Their corpses looked just like statues. Of course, Liv knew she wouldn¡¯t die, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t scared. Seeing the animals that had already met their death after stepping into this lake, she feared if that might be her future. At the moment when fear was about to surge, Liv recalled the faces of the people who had sacrificed themselves for her. And she recalled what they had done for her until now. Yes, Liv will not die. Because the sanctuary would never harm Liv. ¡°Liv, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± At the moment she finally made her decision, Liv spread both arms and jumped into the lake. Splash! ¡°Liv!¡± Because water from the lake entered her nose and mouth, Liv couldn¡¯t come to her senses. Strangely, the lake water tasted salty like seawater. The salt stung her eyes, repeatedly blocking Liv¡¯s vision. Things were flowing differently from when she touched the cliff, which was Lufasha¡¯s sanctuary, in the past. Back then, she felt changes just by touching the sanctuary, but now Liv wasn¡¯t feeling any changes. The lake was deeper than she thought, and Liv¡¯s body sank deeper and deeper. It felt as if the lake was swallowing Liv whole, leading her to the god of death... ¡®Emmett.¡¯ As death approached, the only thing that came to Liv¡¯s mind was him. The first person Liv met. The person who became her reason to live. The only person Liv dared to say she loved. At that moment, Liv opened her eyes. She instinctively realized that she could move her body freely inside the lake. The salty water no longer stung her nose or eyes. Liv swam upwards and stuck her head out of the lake, and simultaneously realized. ¡°Ah.¡± Staven¡¯s power had been bestowed upon Liv¡¯s body. Chapter 113 Despite destroying the Lartman and Hamelsvoort mansions one after another and creating an ominous atmosphere in the capital, the mood in the imperial palace was not very bright. This was because the mood of August, the master of the imperial palace, was at its worst. ¡°You say you couldn¡¯t find the eldest son of Hamelsvoort and the Saintess?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems they¡¯ve escaped...¡± ¡°Do you think I called you in for such meager results?¡± When August shouted at Marquis Schmidt in an angry voice, the Marquis lowered his body, trembling. He was the one in charge of searching the Hamelsvoort mansion this time. ¡°Your Majesty, I will find them quickly...¡± ¡°Did you search the temple? The Saintess might have contacted the temple.¡± ¡°Well, no traces were found at the temple...¡± And at that moment, a sound like the sky was being torn apart was heard. Rumble, boom! S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Aah!¡± Marquis Schmidt covered his ears in surprise, and the Emperor looked up at the sky with anxious eyes. Yes, based on what he had experienced so far, he sensed something... This was certainly not an ordinary thunder sound. It was an unpleasant feeling as if something huge was tearing the sky and looking down on this land. ¡°It can¡¯t be...¡± He desperately hoped his ominous prediction was wrong, but finally, a voice began to fall from the sky. August, how dare you destroy everything I cherished. Crash! A huge chandelier fell from the ceiling with a loud noise. Because fragments flew, blood was flowing from the Emperor¡¯s cheek. However, with a face that felt no pain, he just looked up. I will abandon you, August Steinberg. * * * Elena listened with a blank face as her parents conversed. They didn¡¯t want to inform Elena about the situation, but now that everyone was talking about it wherever she went, Elena couldn¡¯t be the only one unaware of the matter. ¡°This is nonsense.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the time when we should all unite?¡± ¡°One of the reasons the rebellion failed five years ago was the existence of Lartman. But now that even he has turned his back, there are no nobles who will side with the Emperor.¡± ¡°I heard Schmidt is on his side...¡± ¡°...But if we miss this chance, there might never be another opportunity.¡± The downfall of the Hamelsvoort County brought a great shock to the nobles. Moreover, rumors spread that the Duke and Duchess Lartman had fled and the Emperor was pursuing them. Although the reason wasn¡¯t publicly announced, all nobles guessed the following reason: If a new 3mperor were to be established, Lartman would be suitable, so the current Emperor might be trying to eliminate them. ¡°How...¡± Elena Luther trembled as she stood in her garden. It felt like it wasn¡¯t long ago that she had invited Liv and Hildegard here for tea. ¡°I... I will act too!¡± ¡°Elena...¡± ¡°You told me to devote myself to the Supreme God! Now is... the time to act.¡± It was unbelievable that the Emperor had touched two families of the Five Noble Houses at the same time. At this rate, the current Emperor¡¯s power might grow as large as that of the ancient kingdom. If that happens, he will try to expel all nobles who are eyesores with his bloated power. ¡°Yes, this is nonsense.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just stand by and watch anymore.¡± Thus, devout nobles including Luther were the first to become angry. ¡°We must unite to survive!¡± Then even the nobles who feared it would be their turn next united. ¡°We can¡¯t stay still anymore.¡± ¡°Elena, we¡¯ve received a promise of cooperation from the temple.¡± Finally, numerous nobles including Elena began to come out onto the streets. * * * Although the Emperor is said to kill anyone who goes against his will, there is one thing in the world that even he can¡¯t touch. ¡°Save Saintess Hildegard!¡± ¡°Kill August!¡± People gathered like a swarm of bees in front of the imperial palace, shouting slogans. Holy knights were at the forefront, protecting the citizens. Many of them were believers of the Holy Church. But even those without deep faith gathered in front of the imperial palace, angered by the news that Hildegard, who usually performed good deeds, had been captured. Not only that. Even nobles who usually looked down on commoners were squeezed in among them, shouting slogans. Since they would lose their lives if they directly confronted the Emperor, they decided to unite with the citizens like this. People covered the streets. The flags of the Holy Hilysid Empire they were holding fluttered in the wind. The sight seemed to mock August. ¡°How dare they...¡± August was trembling with anger, his face red, in the Sun Room. Beside him was Marquis Schmidt, rubbing his hands and watching his mood. ¡°Your Majesty, we need to resolve this situation for now... If we¡¯re not careful, it might escalate into a bigger issue...¡± Although August would normally have thrown porcelain at Marquis Schmidt, even he had no choice but to follow the Marquis¡¯s words now. The priority now was to appease the crowd by any means necessary. If not, they would try to pull August down from his position as Emperor. Of course, the people deposing the Emperor was something that had never happened in the history of the Holy Hilysid Empire, but you never know. In times like these, it¡¯s easy for a hero representing the people to appear, behead the Emperor, and claim legitimacy as the next Emperor. So now was not the time to kill someone else, but to appease the gathered people. Above all, because holy knights were protecting the people, he couldn¡¯t unleash the imperial knights. If an armed conflict broke out between the holy knights and imperial knights, news of this would spread to other countries. Other countries might use that as an excuse to intervene in the affairs of the Holy Hilysid Empire. In the end, the Emperor had to make a decision with his eyes tightly closed. ¡°I¡¯ll have to throw Louisa to them as a sacrifice.¡± * * * The people who had been protesting for a long time fell silent. The Emperor had appeared on the wall above the gate leading to the imperial palace. ¡°First of all, I feel great sorrow about this matter.¡± The Emperor began to pretend to be sad, and jeers were heard from here and there, but he continued speaking. ¡°It¡¯s true that the Hamelsvoort County was preparing for rebellion. Therefore, I had no choice but to punish them.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you try to hold a hearing for Saintess Hildegard!¡± A loud shout was heard from somewhere. For a moment, the Emperor¡¯s face almost contorted, but he managed to hide his expression. ¡°Yes, I want to admit my mistake about that. I tried to hold a hearing for Saintess Hildegard after hearing rumors that her past was unwholesome, but this was a false accusation.¡± ¡°False accusation?¡± Because the Emperor used the word ¡®false accusation¡¯, the citizens began to murmur. The nobles noticed the Emperor¡¯s intention to shift the blame elsewhere, but they remained silent, deciding to wait and see. At most, he would use Marquis Schmidt or other imperial officials as an excuse. If so, while continuing this protest, if they prepare for rebellion together behind the scenes... However, because the person who appeared before them was an unexpected figure, they could no longer shout. ¡°My daughter, Princess Louisa, falsely accused Saintess Hildegard.¡± As his words ended, Louisa, with her arms bound by knights, was dragged out. Her already pale complexion had darkened even more, and her face was wet with tears. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m really wronged! Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice echoed loudly across the square. ¡°You directly falsely accused Hildegard to me, how dare you deny it shamelessly!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Slap! Louisa¡¯s cheek was struck hard, so she couldn¡¯t continue speaking. She just looked at the Emperor with an expression full of betrayal. ¡°Imprison my princess, so that she may repent for her crimes!¡± ¡°Your Majesty! Father!¡± Louisa was dragged away by the knights without being able to make any excuses. The citizens who didn¡¯t know what was going on just focused on the Emperor¡¯s words with serious faces, and the nobles, shocked that the Emperor had chosen to abandon Louisa, whispered in small voices. ¡°Also, rumors have spread that I am pursuing Duke and Duchess Lartman. This was to make them witnesses to the Hamelsvoort family¡¯s rebellion. So if Duke and Duchess Lartman feel threatened, I will stop pursuing them as of today. Duke and Duchess Lartman are by no means criminals.¡± At those words, the nobles¡¯ minds raced quickly. So the Emperor had abandoned his daughter and withdrawn from turning Duke Lartman into an enemy. This was a fairly good deal the Emperor had proposed to the nobles, but... ¡°Step down!¡± Such a shout was heard from somewhere. ¡°Step down from the throne!¡± What the nobles wanted was the Emperor¡¯s abdication. As their shouts continued, August gritted his teeth. And at that moment... ¡°Th-That!¡± Two birds began to descend from the sky. The mysterious birds with golden feathers circled around the Emperor, then landed on both his shoulders. ¡°Is this sent down by the Supreme God?¡± While the citizens were murmuring, August raised his voice. ¡°Oh, the Supreme God has sent down these birds as a sign of forgiveness for me!¡± Anyway, it was a mysterious sight for the citizens to see, so they no longer demanded August¡¯s abdication and marveled at the miracle before their eyes. The holy knights looked at it with suspicious eyes, but there was no way to prove that it was ancient magic. On the surface, the power of God¡¯s miracles and magic looked similar. ¡°Damn, if he insists that God has forgiven him, we have no justification.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s investigate more about the end of Steinberg instead.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. We should change our justification to that.¡± The nobles knew they had to retreat to this extent today. Even if they prepared for rebellion behind the scenes, they couldn¡¯t borrow the power of the citizens. In the end, that day¡¯s protest ended like that. * * * ¡°Ah, aah!¡± When they were almost at Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain, suddenly Liv screamed and collapsed on top of the horse. Startled, Emmett quickly stopped the horse. ¡°Liv! What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Huff, ahh...¡± Liv convulsed, raising her nails as if in pain. It was a pain she knew well, but could never get used to. Chapter 114 ¡°Ancient magic...¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Emmett shouted in anger. He carefully held Liv to prevent her from slipping off the horse and helped her down to the ground. Liv immediately buried her face in the dirt. While Liv groaned and suffered for a while, Emmett remained silent. ¡°Liv...¡± He called Liv¡¯s name, but Liv couldn¡¯t answer. The world was spinning and her mind was in chaos. A moment later, only after the pain subsided could Liv raise her head. Emmett reached out and wiped away the tears that had gathered in Liv¡¯s eyes. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°What? Why, Emmett?¡± ¡°I... I¡¯m sorry.¡± Emmett apologized for an inexplicable reason, and Liv just looked puzzled. Emmett bowed his head and kissed Liv¡¯s eyes. ¡°It will be alright. We¡¯ll win in the end...¡± Although Liv usually remained silent at those words, this time Liv gave a sharp look upon hearing them. For a moment, Emmett thought he saw God beyond those eyes. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll make it so.¡± Emmett looked a little surprised at her answer, but he didn¡¯t question Liv further. They started riding again. Because they had been riding for days without proper sleep in bed, both Emmett and Liv were in a state where they could collapse at any moment. They had to sleep outdoors and beg for food in villages. Then, they heard the sound of someone else riding a horse ahead. Liv and Emmett reflexively tensed, wondering if soldiers sent by the Emperor had caught up with them. And what they saw was... ¡°Hilda!¡± Liv called out the other person¡¯s name, almost crying. Liv saw Hildegard riding a horse with Walter. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sister Liv!¡± The horse carrying Walter and Hildegard came to a stop. Walter helped Hildegard off the horse, and Liv also got off with Emmett¡¯s help before running to them. ¡°You¡¯re alive, you¡¯re alive...¡± Liv had only thought they were imprisoned in the dungeons of the imperial palace. To meet the two of them like this, having escaped the imperial palace. Ah, she thought she had lost everything, but there was still something left for her... ¡°Yes, we escaped...¡± Hildegard, wearing clothes close to rags, said with a sob. ¡°The Count and Countess... sacrificed themselves for us...¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hildegard¡¯s voice seemed to reveal all the sorrow she had felt until now. Although Hildegard usually acted mature, in this state she still showed signs of youth. While Liv hugged Hildegard, Walter, unlike his usual self, watched Liv with a disheveled face. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m glad you escaped safely too.¡± ¡°Yes... Are you alright, Brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already experienced the death of my parents several times, so...¡± He replied as if it really didn¡¯t bother him, so Liv bit her lip hard and changed the subject. ¡°...By the way, where were you two heading?¡± ¡°Sister Liv, we were going to Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain. It¡¯s the only place we can trust now... Then we were planning to cross over to the Merna Empire.¡± In the end, they were heading to the same destination. ¡°Liv, are you hurt anywhere?¡± Walter asked kindly, and Liv nodded. ¡°No, I¡¯m really fine. But because of me...¡± As Liv¡¯s complexion darkened, Emmett placed his hand on Liv¡¯s shoulder. Then he looked at Walter with a strange gaze. ¡°Liv, let¡¯s not think about that now.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯m not sure if we can enter Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain like this.¡± Hildegard said in a worried voice. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know if Hayden is here now either. There was talk of him leaving for the Kingdom of Reboer for a while.¡± At that moment, there was a rustling sound from the grass. And a familiar red hair revealed itself. ¡°What, everyone?¡± ¡°Hayden!¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard the news and was waiting here, knowing you¡¯d come.¡± Hayden, leaning against a tree, looked relaxed. Liv felt a little more at ease seeing him like that. Somehow, it seemed Viscount Wolfe would accept them. Well, as long as the last descendant of the Gracia family was here, Viscount Wolfe probably couldn¡¯t abandon them either. ¡°Duke, you look a mess?¡± When Hayden said that as if mocking Emmett, Emmett replied in a slightly irritated voice. ¡°Yes, well, that¡¯s how it turned out.¡± ¡°Well, since everyone looks tired, I¡¯ll guide you to Viscount Wolfe¡¯s castle.¡± ¡°Is it okay for us to enter?¡± ¡°Yes, anyway, the Wolfe Viscount family is also a house that has risked extermination.¡± Liv got back on the horse, and the horse started moving slowly. In that rhythmic vibration, Liv must have dozed off without realizing it, leaning against Emmett. * * * Viscount Wolfe showed little interest in them, telling them to stay in an empty room. Liv was only able to regain her senses after bathing and eating. After calming her mind, Liv opened her mouth looking at Emmett with a resolute voice. ¡°Emmett, I¡¯ll go call the others.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have something to say.¡± After seeing the deaths of Laga and the Hamelsvoort couple, Liv finally made up her mind. It was a decision made only after paying numerous prices, but she hoped it wasn¡¯t too late. ¡°Miss, why did you call us?¡± Hayden asked glibly, while Walter and Hildegard sat in empty seats in silence. They looked tired from the arduous journey. Liv made eye contact with each of them in turn before speaking. ¡°I have something to tell you about myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about your past, Sister.¡± Hildegard was the one who immediately grasped Liv¡¯s intention. She knew that Liv wasn¡¯t from the slums. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been hiding it from everyone except Emmett. But now...¡± Liv¡¯s eyes shone firmly with determination. ¡°I felt I had to speak now. Because I can¡¯t hide anymore.¡± Those present fell into doubt upon hearing those words. Liv was originally a mysterious being that humans couldn¡¯t easily understand. They only knew that this mysteriousness was created by the gods¡¯ love for her. But... did she have some kind of past? ¡°You know, haven¡¯t you ever wondered why the gods cherish me?¡± ¡°Of course I have...¡± Hildegard nodded. ¡°But how could we fathom the gods¡¯ intentions? I thought we humans would never know the reason.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve never thought about that.¡± ¡°Why should I waste time worrying about such a thing?¡± After hearing the reactions of Hildegard, Hayden, and Walter, Liv continued. ¡°The reason the gods consider me special is because I was born in the lowest place.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The lowest place in this world.¡± ¡°I think I know where that is.¡± Hayden¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°People think the slums are the lowest place, but I think differently. The lowest place is where those who have committed crimes are gathered. I mean prison.¡± ¡°Close.¡± When Liv said that, Hildegard looked surprised. ¡°I was born in the lowest place, and I grew up there until I was adopted by the Hamelsvoort family. The lowest place in this world, where no god¡¯s grace could reach.¡± ¡°That place...¡± ¡°I lived in Abgrund from right after I was born until I came to the Hamelsvoort family.¡± At those words, everyone held their breath for a moment. After a while, Hayden, looking unusually flustered, asked. ¡°A prisoner existed there in our era? No, can one even live there from birth?¡± ¡°I lived there. Because I had to.¡± Liv said in a calm voice. ¡°During the time I was isolated in Abgrund, I never met a person even once. I learned about the world through the gods. So when I first left that place, many things were unfamiliar to me.¡± ¡°Liv, does that make sense?¡± Walter asked, frowning slightly. ¡°So how did a child survive in that prison?¡± ¡°I could. Because the gods protected me, I never died even without any food or care.¡± ¡°...Then how could you die after coming outside?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because as things the gods couldn¡¯t intervene in increased... They changed direction to punishing those who killed me...¡± After hearing Liv¡¯s explanation, Walter looked dumbfounded, but Liv continued. ¡°Why do you think I was confined in Abgrund?¡± However, they all still seemed unable to grasp it, so Liv answered for them. ¡°Because I was the worst prisoner for the Emperor. Because I was a being harmful to him just by existing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because my mere existence threatens his imperial authority.¡± At that moment, Hayden seemed to realize something and jumped up from his seat. ¡°It can¡¯t be...!¡± His mouth was open in great shock, and his pupils were shaking. Soon, his eyes reddened and he slowly knelt before Liv. ¡°Because I am Liv Gracia, the last descendant of the Gracia family.¡± ¡°Ah...!¡± Hayden now began to shed tears, and while his body trembled, he bowed his head in greeting. ¡°Hayden Schulze, the last descendant of the Schulze family, greets our master Liv Gracia...¡± ¡°G-Gracia, you say?¡± Hildegard seemed even more flustered than Hayden, but she looked like she had realized something. ¡°Gracia?¡± Even Walter, who usually doesn¡¯t get agitated, had shaking pupils. ¡°Gracia, so that¡¯s why you have God¡¯s love.... Now everything makes sense.¡± Liv quietly looked down at Hayden and placed her hand on his head. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I won¡¯t hide anymore. I¡¯ll reclaim my place.¡± Liv spoke in a more detached voice than ever before. No, now she looked just like a god... ¡°I¡¯ll reclaim my place and become Emperor. So will you help me?¡± Because of Liv, countless people had to shed blood. To repay their sacrifices, Liv had to oust the Emperor and reclaim her rightful place. ¡°Yes, Master. In the name of Schulze, I will obey...¡± After Hayden swore with tears, Hildegard also bowed her head with a solemn face. ¡°In the name of the Saintess who serves the Supreme God, I will help our master.¡± Walter watched this quietly, then slowly knelt before Liv. ¡°As a member of the Five Noble Families serving the Gracia family, I will help the Gracia family.¡± Finally, Emmett also swore allegiance before Liv. ¡°As a member of the Five Noble Families, I will help the Gracia family. And as your husband, I will help my wife.¡± On December 23, Imperial Year 487. Liv Gracia decided to reclaim her place. Chapter 115 10. Kingmaker Only after sleeping for a night as if she had fainted in Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain could Liv regain her senses. Her body, which had been enduring pain all this time, began to complain with dull aches as if it had been waiting. ¡®...I told them everything.¡¯ Only when she immersed herself in the bathtub did her sense of reality return, and she remembered what she had done yesterday. Liv had revealed her identity, and people had sworn loyalty to her. Revealing her identity was something she had never imagined doing. She had only thought about her identity being discovered by the Emperor, not that she would reveal it herself. But it didn¡¯t feel bad. Rather, it felt like a relief as the secret she had always had to keep inside gained freedom. ¡°Liv, are you done bathing?¡± As the bathroom door swung open, Liv startled and sank deeper into the tub. She lowered her head, feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, but Emmett stood there speaking as if nothing was wrong. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Yes, I feel refreshed now. I was about to get out...¡± ¡°Shall I dry you off?¡± ¡°No, really, I¡¯m fine!¡± Only after saying this several more times and chasing Emmett out could Liv dry herself with a towel and put on the clothes hanging in the bathroom. The commoner¡¯s clothes that Hayden said he had bought were certainly less conspicuous and more comfortable to move in. When she went out of the bedroom with the attached bathroom, Liv could see Emmett and Hayden waiting for her outside the door. Emmett was strangely conscious of Hayden, but Hayden seemed to be focusing all his attention only on Liv without giving Emmett even a glance. ¡°Master, did you have any problems during the night?¡± ¡°That title is a bit...¡± ¡°I like this title. If my master doesn¡¯t like it, I can¡¯t help it.¡± Hayden shrugged and continued speaking. ¡°Madam, Miss, Your Majesty, Lady Gracia... which do you prefer?¡± ¡°...Just call me Madam.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Seeing Hayden smiling brightly, Emmett¡¯s face became somewhat displeased. He subtly separated Liv from Hayden and opened his mouth. ¡°Where is Viscount Wolfe?¡± ¡°Ah, come to think of it, I was going to introduce him.¡± When they had come as Hayden¡¯s guests, Viscount Wolfe had only ordered rooms to be given without even meeting them. It was strange that he would take such a dangerous action of accepting them into the castle without even checking their identities when guests had come to his domain. ¡°He lacks motivation in everything. He¡¯s just a person living on, whether his family is exterminated or not. To the extent that he would just accept it even if he were to die being accused of treason.¡± ¡°...Did something happen?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure a lot has happened, but I don¡¯t know much about Viscount Wolfe¡¯s personal history. He just stays locked in his room every day with the eyes of a dead person.¡± ¡°Then I want to meet him even more.¡± Although it was uncertain whether Viscount Wolfe would help her according to Hayden¡¯s explanation, Liv still wanted to let him know that he still had something left. Now Liv knew how much having a goal in life could change a person. Although it hadn¡¯t been long since she had gained her goal. Hayden guided them to Viscount Wolfe¡¯s room. The castle in Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain was quiet with few servants, and the room of Viscount Wolfe, located in the deepest part, had an even more secluded atmosphere. Knock knock. ¡°Viscount, I¡¯ve brought guests.¡± There was no response for a long time, then slowly the door opened. ¡°Yes, Hayden. I told you there¡¯s no need to confirm with me...¡± Viscount Wolfe was an old man with faded gray hair and grizzled beard, and because there were scars all over his face, he couldn¡¯t be seen as just an easy-going person. However, his eyes were empty without any emotion, making him feel like a moving corpse. He answered Hayden in a listless tone, then turned his head to look at Liv and Emmett. His gaze, which swept over the guests as if examining them, stopped at Liv. At that moment, Liv realized she didn¡¯t need to worry about whether he would follow her. ¡°It, it can¡¯t be...¡± His gray eyes fixed on Liv¡¯s pale pink eyes. After a moment, he collapsed to his knees on the floor. ¡°G-Gracia...¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Liv looked down at him and spoke in a calm voice. ¡°I am Liv Gracia, the last descendant of the Gracia family. I have come here to meet the head of the Wolfe family who has protected Gracia for generations.¡± ¡°Ah, aah...¡± Viscount Wolfe began to wail while kneeling. There were various emotions mixed in his eyes as he looked at Liv, making it difficult to know what the Viscount was thinking. However, he looked like someone who had been waiting for this moment for a long time, so Liv let him cry. ¡°So it was... Finally...¡± He suddenly jumped up from his seat and let Liv, Emmett, and Hayden into the room. Then he hurriedly closed the door. ¡°How... how have you been alive? I thought for sure you were dead...¡± ¡°Before that, I have something I want to ask. How did you know I was a Gracia?¡± ¡°Those pale pink eyes match what I saw in the portrait of Empress Milina. When I heard Hayden had brought guests, I knew it was related to what he was preparing, but I never imagined it would be Lady Gracia...¡± Milina was Liv¡¯s grandmother. If Liv¡¯s father was the previous Emperor, then the Emperor before that was Liv¡¯s grandmother Milina. ¡°And your white hair resembles that of Anfang Gracia, whom I saw in portraits...¡± ¡°You have good eye for detail.¡± Having ridden a horse for a long time, she was still weak, so Liv sat down on the sofa in the middle of his room and continued speaking. ¡°The Emperor kept me in Abgrund. Receiving God¡¯s power, I was able to live there for fifteen years without dying.¡± ¡°What? You say he kept Lady Gracia in Abgrund?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m here now. Although I¡¯m in a position of being chased by the Emperor.¡± Liv turned her head to look at Viscount Wolfe and smiled. ¡°What else can I do now in this situation?¡± ¡°Ah, aah...¡± ¡°I will become Emperor.¡± At those words, Viscount Wolfe knelt before Liv once again. However, it didn¡¯t look as listless as before. Even while shedding tears, he had a firm determination in his eyes. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I heard you had lost your goal. I¡¯ll become your goal.¡± ¡°Lady Gracia...¡± ¡°Viscount Schulze and Viscount Wolfe, I need the help of my old subjects. Will you help Gracia once again?¡± Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, the old man answered with a face full of fighting spirit. ¡°I will devote my life to help my master...¡± * * * At the breakfast table with Walter and Hildegard, Liv told Viscount Wolfe about what had happened so far. He didn¡¯t seem to mind that Hildegard and Walter, accused of treason, and Emmett and Liv, chased by the Emperor, were here. ¡°Is this really alright?¡± To Emmett¡¯s question, he answered in a calm tone. ¡°Yes, I was already prepared for the end. When the current Emperor ascended to the throne, he restricted the private armies of the Wolfe Viscounty, so we could no longer maintain troops and suffered from poverty.¡± That was one of the ways the tyrant August prevented rebellion. He prohibited most families from having private armies and only allowed it for a few high-ranking families, including the Five Noble Houses. ¡°Do you have children?¡± When Liv asked that, Viscount Wolfe¡¯s eyes became bitter. His face was so dry that Liv regretted asking the question, but he gave an answer before Liv could stop him. ¡°Originally, I had passed on the title of Viscount to my only son. But that boy, saying there must be a way to overthrow the Steinberg imperial family, wandered around looking for a descendant of the Gracia family and one day lost contact. I think he¡¯s dead now. Quite some time after losing contact, I came to maintain the title of Viscount again.¡± At that moment, a forgotten memory flashed through Liv¡¯s mind. So when Liv was confined in Abgrund, there was only one person who came looking for Liv from the outside on his own, without the help of the gods like Emmett had. -Is anyone there?! I am Viscount Wolfe! -Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll save you! It was a young man¡¯s voice. Liv had almost forgotten that name in her mind since then, but according to the current Viscount Wolfe in front of her... that man had been the son of the current Viscount Wolfe. -By order of His Majesty, I will take you into custody. However, Liv also remembered what had happened to him. He had failed to rescue Liv and was dragged away injured by those sent by the Emperor. Ah, his father doesn¡¯t know that truth. The former Viscount Wolfe had probably met a futile death in the imperial palace... As Liv sat stiffly, not knowing how to tell Viscount Wolfe the truth she had realized, he continued speaking. ¡°I have one grandson and one granddaughter each. If disaster strikes our family again in the future, I want to at least save those children, so I told them to flee as far as possible. My grandson is now living under a new identity in the Kingdom of Reboer, and my granddaughter, who absolutely wouldn¡¯t listen to me, is still in this country. That child insisted she needed to learn the sword as a daughter of Wolfe... She often leaves the Viscounty to train with the sword, and she left recently so I don¡¯t know where she is now.¡± ¡°...I see, you have quite an admirable granddaughter.¡± Because Liv was silent, Walter skillfully led the conversation in her place. During the meal, Liv had a dark face as she pondered how to tell him the truth, but Viscount Wolfe didn¡¯t seem to notice. Only the others who knew Liv were watching her mood. Turning her head away as she recalled the bitter fact that someone had died trying to save her, Liv noticed Emmett¡¯s serious face and tilted her head. Emmett had just as dark a face as Liv. Even though he clearly had no reason to. ¡®Is something wrong?¡¯ Seeing his face lost in anguish, Liv thought she should ask Emmett later if there was anything bothering him. After finishing the meal, Viscount Wolfe said to Liv. ¡°Lady Gracia, there is something I need to show you. I would like only Lady Gracia to see it... Will you come with me?¡± Emmett looked at Liv with worried eyes, but Liv shook her head to indicate it was fine. It might be right to tell him what happened to his son on this occasion. Chapter 116 Liv followed Viscount Wolfe alone. The place he guided her to was the basement, and the corridor leading to the basement was so intricate and grand that it was hard to believe such a space existed in this small castle. As soon as he opened the door to the basement, which was equally delicately decorated, Liv sensed that something extraordinary was inside. ¡®Divine aura...¡¯ The basement was filled with a thick divine aura. It was so vast that it was difficult to breathe. Even ordinary people who couldn¡¯t sense divine aura would notice that this place was no ordinary location. ¡°Lady Gracia, do you know the legend of Julius, the first Emperor of the Garcia Empire?¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± In the Garcia Empire, which existed before the Holy Hilysid Empire, there was a legend that the first Emperor Julius obtained the holy sword Virnatus and founded the Empire. It wasn¡¯t just a legend. In the Garcia Empire, there was Beatrice, the Emperor¡¯s daughter born through a maid¡¯s womb, who also obtained the holy sword Virnatus and became Emperor. There were thousands of witnesses who had directly seen that sword. ¡°Similarly, the Gracia family has a holy sword passed down through generations. It¡¯s the holy sword obtained by the first Emperor Feyte Gracia.¡± Liv knew about that legend too. It is said that the first Emperor Feyte Gracia stuck a sword in the ground to end the conflict with the Kingdom of Reboer, and the land rose and trees sprouted instantly, becoming the border. The only thing placed inside the basement was a jet-black altar in the center. A cloth covering the altar concealed the object placed on it. Viscount Wolfe pulled the cloth and said: ¡°This is Emperor Feyte Gracia¡¯s sword, the holy sword Ibisikaite.¡± ¡°This is...¡± Liv¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the sword. The holy sword Ibisikaite had a different form than what Liv had imagined. ¡°A dagger?¡± Liv had only thought of the general form of longswords used by holy knights when she heard the term ¡®holy sword¡¯. However, the holy sword she actually saw was a dagger that fit well in the hand. The area near the sword¡¯s handle was covered in silver, which hadn¡¯t discolored at all despite the long time that must have passed. ¡°Yes, the holy sword Ibisikaite takes the form of a dagger. That¡¯s why it¡¯s said that the first Emperor Feyte always carried it in his bosom.¡± ¡°Ibisikaite...¡± The name of the holy sword was long, but strangely, it came naturally to her lips. And the moment she reached out and grasped the holy sword... ¡°Ah.¡± Liv smiled without realizing it. She could strongly feel the aura of the Supreme God who loved her from the holy sword. Finally, it has come into your hands. ¡°You really loved Anfang Gracia and Feyte Gracia.¡± They are my children whom I should rightfully love. As Liv looked down at Ibisikaite with a strange gaze, Viscount Wolfe slowly explained about it. ¡°As you know, there are many anecdotes about this sword... But do you know what the most important power contained in Ibisikaite is?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This sword contains ¡®love¡¯.¡± Although others might consider it childish and absurd, he looked serious. ¡°The love for his mother, Anfang Gracia, played an important role in Emperor Feyte Gracia founding this country. In other words, this sword has the ability to realize wishes with its power when the user has enough love in their heart.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t know exactly what abilities this sword has.¡± ¡°At the same time, it means this sword can achieve anything. It¡¯s truly an object that creates miracles.¡± ¡°...Like a ¡®deus ex machina¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s an accurate expression.¡± Liv felt that Ibisikaite would certainly play some role when she faced a crisis she could never resolve on her own. Liv carefully tucked it into her bosom. * * * After dinner, Liv thought she should first discuss future plans with those around her. However, Walter was the first to speak up. ¡°Liv, Hildegard and I need to go to the Merna Empire.¡± ¡°The Merna Empire?¡± ¡°Yes. Unlike you and Duke Lartman, we¡¯re in a position of being pursued.¡± Through the newspaper, they saw that the Emperor had punished Louisa, performed a miracle to stop the people¡¯s protests, and stopped pursuing Emmett and Liv. But Liv didn¡¯t fully believe it. He would still be chasing Emmett and her behind the scenes. ¡°If we go to the Merna Empire, we can hide. There are many people there who can help me. I¡¯ll find a way to help you from there.¡± ¡°But won¡¯t the Emperor predict that Brother will return to the Merna Empire?¡± ¡°So what if he does? If the Emperor wants to come to the Merna Empire to capture us, he¡¯ll have to fight the nobles there.¡± Seeing this, Liv was reminded that Walter was a highly respected person in social circles. Even as a noble from another country, Walter must have formed sufficient connections in the Merna Empire. Hildegard seemed to agree with Walter¡¯s words and continued eating silently. And seeing that, Liv realized what she had to do. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°...What did you say?¡± ¡°Hayden said it before, didn¡¯t he? To fight August, we need to borrow the power of other countries.¡± As Liv turned to Hayden, he nodded with a surprised face. ¡°I¡¯ll do that myself. As the last descendant of Gracia, I¡¯ll go and persuade them to help me.¡± Emmett was the first to react to those words. Emmett, who had been looking flustered since Liv mentioned following Walter, tried to persuade Liv. ¡°Liv, that¡¯s too dangerous. They might try to harm you.¡± ¡°But you know it¡¯s most certain if I go. My existence will be the reason for them to help me.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Emmett has things to do here.¡± If Liv were to gain help from abroad, Emmett needed to unite forces within the country. The most important thing to become Emperor was actually domestic power. If they started a rebellion domestically, foreign countries would recognize Liv as the rightful Emperor. Because Liv¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong, Emmett couldn¡¯t continue speaking for a while. Seeing Emmett like this, Walter said in a low voice: ¡°Well, it seems he does love my sister after all.¡± ¡°Brother...!¡± Liv cried out in embarrassment. They knew that Emmett didn¡¯t love Liv, so if Walter said such things, the atmosphere might become awkward. ¡°...How could I put my wife in danger?¡± ¡°But this is something I have to do.¡± Liv said in a clear voice. ¡°Until now, I¡¯ve spent most of my time unable to do anything. I¡¯ve wasted meaningless time. Even after coming out into the world, I couldn¡¯t adapt and just hid, avoiding what I had to do. But I can¡¯t hide anymore.¡± ¡°Liv...¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This is my duty, and I¡¯m going to do everything I have to do.¡± Liv¡¯s attitude as she said this looked so firm that even Emmett couldn¡¯t stop her anymore. Walter, who disapproved of Emmett, just watched him with a strange expression. Hildegard just looked surprised, and Hayden was taking Liv¡¯s statement lightly, saying he would follow her anyway. Checking people¡¯s reactions, Liv strengthened her resolve to leave for the Merna Empire. ¡®Because if I stay in the country, I¡¯ll only be in danger.¡¯ Although she had already used divine power to give a revelation about August, she couldn¡¯t completely break him because his military power wouldn¡¯t disappear. Therefore, Liv had to go to the Merna Empire to obtain human power, military power. * * * The night at Viscount Wolfe¡¯s castle was even quieter than in the capital. Only the occasional hooting of owls could be heard through the window. Liv decided to leave tomorrow with Hildegard, Walter, and Hayden. Hildegard and Walter were being pursued, so they had to leave as soon as possible. Therefore, tonight was the last night Liv would spend with Emmett at Viscount Wolfe¡¯s castle. ¡°Liv...¡± Emmett kissed Liv¡¯s neck as he always did, but Liv thought he looked particularly desperate today. When his lips moved lower, Liv pushed him away in embarrassment. ¡°W-Wait a moment. This is Viscount Wolfe¡¯s house.¡± ¡°But Liv, today is an especially difficult day.¡± ¡°I-Is this okay?¡± When Liv asked with reddened cheeks, Emmett smiled with a subtle expression. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not in the mood to observe etiquette right now.¡± For a moment, Liv wanted to ask Emmett if he was in his right mind for the first time, but she found herself lying under Emmett without realizing it. Liv thought Emmett was acting strangely today. ¡°I have to leave tomorrow. You know that, right?¡± It was meant to say ¡®let¡¯s stop¡¯, but at those words, Emmett¡¯s face became even more serious. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing this. When you leave tomorrow... I don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll return.¡± ¡°Emmett...¡± Because a momentary sorrowful light flashed in his eyes, Liv couldn¡¯t bring herself to scold him and closed her mouth. Before she knew it, Liv¡¯s dress was rolled up to her chest. Liv raised her arms with a resigned face, and Emmett skillfully pulled off the dress. Suddenly feeling that she didn¡¯t want to just stay still, Liv raised her head and bit Emmett¡¯s shoulder hard. However, Emmett looked rather surprised. ¡°What did you just do?¡± ¡°...Didn¡¯t you feel it?¡± Then Emmett smiled, curving his eyes. ¡°Liv, that¡¯s not how you do it.¡± In an instant, Liv¡¯s tender flesh was bitten, and her body tensed reflexively, her nails digging sharply into Emmett¡¯s body. ¡°This is how you do it.¡± ¡°W-Wait a moment.¡± Chapter 117 ¡°Do you need another demonstration?¡± ¡°No! This is unfair!¡± Liv cried out, panting. ¡°I¡¯m just ticklish, but Emmett isn¡¯t!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get better with practice. You¡¯ll be good at it soon.¡± At those words, Liv felt some kind of competitive spirit ignite and lunged at him, but soon ended up lying beside him with a tired face. As silence fell, quietness flowed between them again. They had joked around in a light and bright atmosphere to forget about the coming tomorrow, but in the end, they had to face the reality of parting. The joy they had precariously built up crumbled in an instant. ¡°I really have to go tomorrow.¡± ¡°...Yes, I suppose I have to let you go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll return safely. You know, I can never die.¡± ¡°I believe you¡¯ll return safely. However...¡± Emmett turned his head and pressed his forehead against Liv¡¯s. ¡°I don¡¯t like you suffering in the process.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe those words.¡± Emmett, saying this, looked like he was recalling some past moment. ¡°Do you know how shocked I was that day?¡± He was referring to when Liv had jumped into the ¡®Lake of Death¡¯ while fleeing from the Emperor. Because Liv had jumped into the lake without a word and sunk in, Emmett seemed to have been greatly shocked. When Liv came out of the lake, Emmett was preparing to jump in. Liv had stopped Emmett then, saying he would die if he fell in. ¡°...But that¡¯s all part of my growth process. Couldn¡¯t you think of it that way?¡± ¡°What can I do when I¡¯m in pain every time you¡¯re in pain, Liv?¡± It was really strange. Whenever Emmett spoke like this, Liv would mistakenly think he loved her. But then, seeing Emmett who wouldn¡¯t say a single word of love even while embracing her, she would come back to reality. ¡°Liv, you sometimes make me suffer.¡± ¡°I love you.¡± Liv had said it to mean he should trust her, but at those words, Emmett¡¯s face suddenly contorted. ¡°It¡¯s okay even if Emmett doesn¡¯t love me. Because my love is an unchanging love. Because it¡¯s a love I learned from the gods.¡± ¡°...¡± After a long silence, Emmett didn¡¯t answer those words and buried his face in Liv¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv...¡± * * * Though they had wished so much for it not to come, the night that felt so short passed, and as the sky turned blue, morning arrived. When they finally went outside as it was time, Viscount Wolfe had already prepared the things they needed for the journey. ¡°If you leave now, you should be able to arrive safely in time for the ship.¡± Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain was located near the port, and they were planning to board a ship leaving this evening. Of course, the Emperor might have quickly issued a travel ban, but there was a reason they were going to the port in Miergrund rather than the one in the capital. Miergrund had many mercenaries and fugitives who boarded ships while hiding their identities, and often even the captains were criminals. Two horses were prepared in advance waiting for them, but Liv glanced nervously at Viscount Wolfe. If not now, she didn¡¯t know when she would be able to convey these words again. ¡°Viscount Wolfe.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Liv signaled to the others that the conversation would end soon, then took Viscount Wolfe to a distance where their conversation wouldn¡¯t be heard. ¡°...Viscount Wolfe, I think I should tell you this after all.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know then, but after hearing your story, I now know something.¡± Ah, how could she dare to bring up the story of a son¡¯s death to his father? Even just putting it into words felt sinful, but he needed to know the truth... Finally, Liv hesitantly began to speak. ¡°So, when I was imprisoned in Abgrund, there was only one person who came from the outside to save me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°But he was caught by a tracker before he could save me. He was dragged away by the person pursuing him in front of Abgrund. Probably because he had reached Abgrund, a truth he should never have known... I didn¡¯t see this person¡¯s face directly, but I could hear his last words.¡± It was somewhat disjointed speech, but Viscount Wolfe seemed to realize who Liv was talking about. His hand holding the cane trembled. ¡°Lady Gracia, it can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°...Yes. That person introduced himself as Viscount Wolfe.¡± ¡°Aah...¡± Viscount Wolfe murmured with a blank face. As if he couldn¡¯t believe this situation, he just stood there quietly, neither grieving nor angry. He stammered and barely continued speaking. ¡°I... I had guessed... that something had happened to my son...¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry about that too.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright... Rather, knowing that my son learned the truth before me, I¡¯m proud that he fulfilled the duty of the Wolfe family...¡± ¡°Viscount...¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t help feeling heartbroken.¡± Liv let him control his emotions. He took deep breaths for a while, then looked at Liv with a cold face. ¡°It¡¯s alright, this has made it more certain.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That we must oust Steinberg, even for the sake of avenging my son.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me. I must strengthen my resolve even more.¡± He seemed to have sorted out his feelings unexpectedly quickly, so Liv glanced at the Viscount, doubting if he was really alright. Seeming to notice Liv¡¯s gaze, Viscount Wolfe continued speaking with a detached look. ¡°I¡¯ve experienced all sorts of things in my life so far. You don¡¯t need to worry too much.¡± ¡°...I sincerely apologize.¡± ¡°What does Lady Gracia have to be sorry for? All the sin lies with Steinberg. Now, it¡¯s time for you to depart.¡± As Liv couldn¡¯t easily take a step, Viscount Wolfe urged her to return to the horses. Those who were there didn¡¯t ask Liv what conversation she had with Viscount Wolfe and waited for her. Walter and Hayden, who could ride horses, stood in front of their respective horses first. Hildegard and Liv had to ride with them. ¡°Shall we, Madam?¡± Just as Hayden said that, lowering his body for Liv to step on and mount, Emmett intervened with a displeased voice. ¡°Wait, do you two really have to ride together?¡± ¡°She could ride with me as well.¡± Walter said that, but Emmett still looked dissatisfied. ¡°...Brother is my brother though.¡± Only after Liv said that, unable to bear it anymore, did Emmett seem to judge that Walter was better than Hayden. In the end, Liv mounted Walter¡¯s horse, and Hildegard also got on the horse with Hayden¡¯s help. ¡°Lady Gracia, return safely. You will surely succeed.¡± Viscount Wolfe said that, almost in tears. After he stepped back, having received a promise from Liv to meet again, this time Emmett walked up to Liv. ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I... I will do what I need to do here. While you do what you need to do, I will also fulfill my duty.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ll do well, so don¡¯t put yourself in too much danger.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t get hurt. So please don¡¯t get hurt either, Liv.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Emmett approached closer to Liv, and Liv lowered her head. Their lips met. Ah, though she wanted to be together like this forever, there was no turning back now... When they slowly parted their lips, their eyes met. At that moment, Liv thought she saw love in Emmett¡¯s eyes. ¡°To think I have to watch my little sister kiss after all this.¡± ¡°Haha...¡± Walter complained, and Hildegard laughed awkwardly. Hayden looked like he didn¡¯t care either way. ¡°Emmett, will you be staying in the Duchy?¡± ¡°Yes, I plan to gather knights there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write to you there if possible.¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before the horse departed, Liv whispered to Emmett. She knew this would burden him, but she had to say it. She wanted to imprint on him that there was always someone who loved him. ¡°I love you.¡± For a moment Emmett¡¯s expression darkened, but he quickly composed himself and smiled brightly at Liv. Thanks to that, Liv could leave remembering Emmett¡¯s smile. As the horse jolted and ran as it always did, Liv, leaning against Walter¡¯s chest, soon had a gloomy expression. She just couldn¡¯t get used to riding horses. ¡°Bear with it a little longer. It won¡¯t take nearly as long as it took to get here.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s really comforting.¡± A complaint almost sprang from her lips involuntarily, but Liv closed her mouth, thinking now was the time to show a composed appearance. Thanks to departing at dawn and riding for a while, Liv could see the sun rising. As the sun broke through the darkness and revealed itself, the sky was changing to a vivid red color. ¡°Ah...¡± Liv exclaimed in admiration at the sight. Yes, morning will come soon. Morning will come eventually. Chapter 118 When they arrived at the port, Liv faced an unexpected crisis. ¡°Those are... soldiers sent from the imperial palace.¡± Despite it being early morning, the atmosphere at the port was chaotic. There were sailors smoking with their upper bodies bare, and people with rough faces who were clearly being chased for crimes, but what stood out most among them were soldiers with the imperial emblem spread throughout the port. Walter, who spotted them, frowned slightly and remained still for a while, as if observing the situation. After a moment, he signaled to Hayden. ¡°Please get the disguise tools we brought in advance.¡± ¡°Will we be able to avoid detection?¡± ¡°Well, there are so many criminals here... Everyone seems reluctant to undergo inspections. The imperial palace will probably understand this to some extent and try to avoid unnecessary conflicts with them, so we should be fine even if we¡¯re a bit uncooperative.¡± Among them, Liv was the one with the most noticeable hair color. She received a black wig from Hayden and put it on. Hildegard, well-known as a ¡®Saintess with angelic blonde hair and blue eyes,¡¯ wore a brown wig. Walter¡¯s hair color wasn¡¯t particularly noticeable, but he also wore a blonde wig just in case. ¡°Where¡¯s the ship we¡¯re supposed to board?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to move now to find it. Then encountering the soldiers will be unavoidable... Acting natural will be important.¡± Liv couldn¡¯t hide her anxiety and tightly grasped the hem of her clothes. She was also worried about her pale pink eyes, which weren¡¯t a common color, and the fact that if she was caught here, Hildegard, Walter, and Hayden would be in trouble too. However, they had to get to the Merna Empire, so they ultimately had to break through those soldiers. Finally, Liv made up her mind and went forward with Walter, with Hildegard and Hayden following behind. ¡°Ah, our ship is over there.¡± Just as Liv said that, pointing to a place where she spotted a familiar flag, a soldier passing by looked at them suspiciously. ¡°Hey, you there.¡± Liv hoped those words weren¡¯t directed at them, but... ¡°I said stop.¡± They had no choice but to stop at the voice holding them back. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Walter answered in a slightly irritated voice as he turned around. It was unlike his usual way of speaking, but he seemed to be trying his best to hide his identity and appear like an ordinary criminal from Miergrund. ¡°Do you have identification?¡± ¡°...This is Miergrund. Are you serious?¡± ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t know who pissed off someone important enough to bring out the imperial palace, but we¡¯ve never been involved with anyone that high up. Mind your own business?¡± Hayden helped Walter with a casual tone, but the soldier still didn¡¯t seem to remove his suspicion from Walter. ¡°Where are you from? Your accent is too noble.¡± ...Oh no, they had overlooked that. Hayden had learned the commoner accent while traveling around, and Hildegard also spoke comfortably when she wasn¡¯t conscious of it. Liv, who learned language from the gods, was said to use a unique and peculiar tone that couldn¡¯t be called any particular accent... But Walter used an accent that anyone would recognize as noble. ¡°Damn, now these insignificant folks are being a nuisance.¡± Suddenly, words so rough that it was hard to believe Walter had said them sprang out. His manner of speaking changed to be coarse in an instant. If observed carefully, one might notice that it was intentional rather than natural, but the threatening swear words prevented the soldier from thinking deeply. ¡°Are you looking for a fight? Damn, yeah, I¡¯m on my way back after pulling off a scam in the capital. Is that enough? Oh, did Marquis Neuter send you? Or Count Windscheid? Damn, I¡¯ve done so much I can¡¯t even guess which one it is.¡± Walter put a fierce killing intent in his eyes and pulled out the dagger Viscount Wolfe had given him for self-defense. Then he brought it in front of his face and twirled it threateningly. ¡°If you¡¯re here to find me, say so. So I can decide whether to kill you or not.¡± It was the look of a real criminal who seemed to have killed dozens of people, so Liv could only look at him with a surprised face without realizing it. ¡°Whoa, whoa, calm down, friend.¡± The soldier¡¯s attitude towards Walter changed instantly. He probably knew it would be dangerous if he got into a fight with him here and attracted the attention of other criminals in Miergrund. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be thorough. I¡¯m not suspecting you, just...¡± ¡°Ah, how annoying. What are you doing here? I didn¡¯t know you were here, what a waste of time.¡± It was then that a woman appeared and grabbed Walter¡¯s arm. She was wearing armor, and the face of the woman with her gray hair tied up in a ponytail was clear without a single scar, unfitting for the longsword in her hand. However, her height comparable to a man¡¯s and the sword spinning in her right hand gave her a threatening aura. ¡°Ah, these are our guests.¡± When the woman casually put her arm around Walter¡¯s shoulders and said that, the soldier¡¯s expression changed and he nodded. ¡°...They¡¯re your guests, Anne? I see, no wonder they seemed a bit rough.¡± ¡°What exactly have you been looking for since yesterday?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit difficult to say. Take your guests and go quickly to avoid misunderstandings.¡± Although they didn¡¯t know who this woman was who suddenly appeared and helped them, it was a favorable situation for them, so Liv kept her mouth shut. The woman showed her middle finger to the soldier, then walked away from the soldier with one arm still around Walter. ¡°Thank you, but who are you?¡± When Walter asked that, the woman answered in a gruff voice. ¡°That¡¯s what I should be asking. Who are you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who are you to have visited Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain?¡± At those words, Walter¡¯s eyes widened, and the woman nonchalantly pointed to the two horses they had with them. ¡°These are horses raised in Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain, right? This one¡¯s Alex, and this one¡¯s Betty. I¡¯ve known these horses since I was little, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t recognize them.¡± Liv instinctively realized her identity. Gray hair, mention of Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain. Then... ¡°You¡¯re Viscount Wolfe¡¯s granddaughter.¡± ¡°...You even met my grandfather?¡± While the woman was looking at them with strange eyes, Hayden was the first to speak. ¡°Nice to meet you, Miss Wolfe. I should introduce myself first. I¡¯m Hayden Schulze.¡± ¡°...Schulze?¡± For a moment, a strange light flashed in the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°That Schulze? The one grandfather talked about...¡± ¡°Unfortunately, our timing was always off, so we never had a chance to meet.¡± ¡°Right, I know about you... Then the people with you must be related to ¡®that matter¡¯ you¡¯re preparing.¡± ¡°Well, yes. These are people from the Hamelsvoort family, currently being chased as traitors. You could say they¡¯re another victim created by Steinberg.¡± When Hayden said that, pointing to Hildegard and Walter, this time the woman¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hamelsvoort was accused of treason?¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t you ever think about catching up on the latest news?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve been busy lately.¡± The woman scratched her head as if embarrassed. Her wariness towards them seemed to have diminished a bit. She introduced herself while casually twirling her sword. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well, I¡¯m Anne Wolfe. As you know, Viscount Wolfe¡¯s granddaughter.¡± ¡°But why were you here?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m doing short-term work here. I joined a sailing guild, and our guild is responsible for transporting people who are escaping from this country. However, we only accept people whose identities are sufficiently guaranteed, because it gets complicated if we get involved with someone important and become major criminals ourselves. That¡¯s why the soldier let you go when he saw me earlier.¡± ¡°Are you acquainted with the soldier?¡± ¡°Oh, the soldiers have been all over the place since yesterday, but our guild master told them well that our guild has nothing, so don¡¯t bother us unnecessarily. It¡¯s about cooperating with each other, you know.¡± ¡°Why are you doing short-term work here anyway?¡± ¡°Ah, the money is quite good. I was lucky to get the job through an introduction from a mercenary I know.¡± Despite clearly being a noble, she was showing speech and behavior that was hard to believe of a noble. Judging by what she was saying, it seemed she had always lived this kind of life due to lack of money, so that was rather natural. She glared at Hayden with dissatisfied eyes. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s not get involved unnecessarily. I don¡¯t want to get tangled up in your loyalty game.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being harsh.¡± ¡°Why, am I wrong? Honestly, I¡¯m just as irritated by Steinberg. If it weren¡¯t for Steinberg, our family¡¯s life wouldn¡¯t have become this miserable. But how can we take revenge? There¡¯s no more Gracia now, and Steinberg¡¯s power covers the country.¡± Hearing those words, Hayden¡¯s eyes took on a strange look. Hildegard and Walter also glanced at Liv. Liv had been quietly listening to her words, then stepped forward. Somehow, Anne¡¯s eyes seemed full of resentment as she spoke. It was pitiful to see her giving up after understanding the reality, even while knowing who her enemy was. ¡°Miss Wolfe, listen carefully. Go back to Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain right now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you go back there and wait, an opportunity will come. The opportunity you¡¯ve been wanting so much.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Because Liv¡¯s attitude as she said this was so dignified, Anne just opened her mouth quietly instead of getting irritated and asking what she was talking about. She looked Liv up and down with suspicious eyes. ¡°What do you know to say such things?¡± ¡°Yes, soon a huge storm will sweep through this country. And Miss Wolfe will inevitably be caught up in that storm. No, you¡¯ll throw yourself into it willingly. So go back to Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain.¡± ¡°An opportunity...¡± Normally, she would have easily dismissed such nonsense, but now she simply couldn¡¯t. Because this woman in front of her... had a special look in her eyes that seemed to draw people in. Chapter 119 ¡°We should board the ship now.¡± When Hayden said that, Liv gave a brief greeting to Anne. ¡°Then see you again, Miss Wolfe. At that time, we¡¯ll meet in slightly different positions.¡± ¡°...¡± While Anne stood still as if her feet were glued to the spot, looking at Liv, they boarded the ship. A little later, as the ship set sail and the soldiers spread out at the port receded, Liv¡¯s mood lightened considerably. They had succeeded in completely shaking off the Emperor¡¯s forces and leaving this country. ¡®Of course, I¡¯m worried about Emmett...¡¯ Liv would have to quickly finish her business and return. She clenched her fist and steeled her resolve. * * * Liv hurriedly closed the cabin window. A salty smell was mixed in the wind. ¡°Sister, are you... okay with the sea?¡± Knowing that Liv disliked the sea, Hildegard asked, and Liv shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t feel good. The voices of the gods are much stronger than usual. But I can endure it.¡± Previously, Liv would have cried in pain, saying she couldn¡¯t bear the voices, but that level of pain was no longer a problem for Liv. Liv now knew that there were more terrifying things in the world than the pressure given by the gods. As she was curled up and trying to calm herself, Walter opened the door and entered the room. ¡°My sister, why are you acting so miserably?¡± ¡°Just because.¡± When Liv answered in a dry tone, Walter sat down next to her and asked in a kind voice. ¡°You know, Liv. When we go to the Merna Empire...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you just live there?¡± Suddenly, at these unexpected words, Liv raised her head and blinked, and as if to confirm that what Liv had just heard was correct, Walter said again. ¡°You can live safely and richly there. I have enough friends who will help me too.¡± In a situation where her life was threatened by August, those words might sound sweet enough. But Liv shook her head without even thinking about it. ¡°No, I won¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Why? You could live comfortably, forgetting about revenge and such. If you go there, even the tyrant August won¡¯t be able to track you anymore.¡± ¡°I have something I must do.¡± Liv said in a clear voice, looking into Walter¡¯s eyes. In her eyes, it seemed as if an unquenchable flame was rising. ¡°I must become Emperor. That¡¯s what I can do on behalf of those who died, and what I must do.¡± Yes, she no longer had any thoughts of running away cowardly. ¡°...Well, if that¡¯s the case, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Seeing Walter backing down so easily for such a bold proposal, Liv narrowed her eyes. Walter¡¯s attitude was probably... ¡°Were you testing me?¡± ¡°Hmm, yes. I was testing you.¡± He sat back down on his bed and continued in a leisurely voice. ¡°I just wanted to confirm how much determination you had. So I could know if you were someone I could trust and help.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± As always, Walter was a difficult person to understand. As a strange atmosphere flowed between Liv and Walter staring at each other, Hildegard, who had been restless for a while, intervened. ¡°By the way, Sister, do you know how to speak Garcian?¡± ¡°Garcian?¡± Garcian was literally the language used in the now-extinct ancient Garcia Empire. Because the Garcia Empire had unified almost the entire continent at its peak, traces of Garcian remained in many countries, and the Merna Empire also adopted Garcian as its standard language. Although she had heard that the Hilysid language Liv used was also derived from Garcian and had some similarities... ¡°No, I don¡¯t know it at all...¡± Liv had read many books after coming out of Abgrund, but none of them were related to other countries¡¯ languages. She didn¡¯t think it was immediately necessary content for Liv. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know Garcian at all either. So I¡¯m worried...¡± When Hildegard said that and looked at Walter, he smiled as if to say not to worry. ¡°I¡¯ll handle all the interpreting. There won¡¯t be any big problems.¡± ¡°Are you good at Garcian?¡± ¡°Of course, I lived in the Merna Empire. I can say anything I want in Garcian.¡± In fact, the many lives he had lived also had an influence... He could speak not only Garcian but also the languages of the Night Continent and the Eastern Continent. Seeing Walter¡¯s confident appearance, Hildegard seemed a bit relieved. However, Liv became thoughtful after hearing his words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll learn Garcian too.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going there to ask for help, so it wouldn¡¯t be right if I didn¡¯t know Garcian. I want to fulfill my duty.¡± Above all, Liv didn¡¯t like the situation where she couldn¡¯t understand their words without Walter. Liv no longer wanted to rely only on others. Although it was unavoidable to seek help from the Merna Empire, she couldn¡¯t achieve the entire process by relying on others. ¡°...Alright, I¡¯ll teach you basic conversation.¡± Walter nodded readily as if agreeing with Liv¡¯s words, then opened his bag and took out a parchment. And he began to write down each letter on it with a pen. ¡°Now, Liv. These are the letters used to write Garcian. Hildegard, you come here and listen together too.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Although Hildegard seemed to have built some bond with Walter while fleeing together, it didn¡¯t seem like her discomfort towards him had completely disappeared. ¡°Now, it¡¯s not that different from Hilysid. A, B, C...¡± Liv learned reading and basic speaking that day, and continued studying Garcian until the ship arrived at the Merna Empire. * * * ¡°Haah...¡± On the way back to the Lartman Duchy, Emmett¡¯s shoulders were heavy as he rode his horse. If he returned to the Lartman Duchy, he would have to explain this whole situation to his vassals, call in soldiers, and deal with the atmosphere of the Edelburg social circle. All those tasks he could do himself, but what troubled him most was... ¡®Liv...¡¯ He was so worried about Liv that he could hardly maintain his daily life properly. Whether Liv was doing well in a strange foreign country, whether the people there wouldn¡¯t hurt Liv, whether August wouldn¡¯t chase Liv. Various thoughts made his head dizzy. Emmett¡¯s head was full of worries about Liv. When he arrived at the Duchy, the guard who recognized him was startled and greeted him. ¡°Duke! You¡¯ve returned?¡± Seeing his reaction, it was clear that the Lartman Duchy had also been turned upside down after the fall of the Hamelsvoort family. Emmett continued riding his horse, passing the border of the Duchy and arriving at the castle. ¡°Duke!¡± He saw a soldier running towards him. It seemed he had news to tell him, but it would probably be something like the vassals waiting for him in the castle. Emmett answered with an expressionless face. ¡°Yes, what has happened in the meantime?¡± ¡°A guest has come to the castle!¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Duke, that...¡± The guard carefully looked around and then whispered in Emmett¡¯s ear. ¡°Marquis Arendt has come.¡± As soon as he heard those words, Emmett quickly got off his horse and ran straight into the Ducal castle. As soon as he appeared inside the castle, the butler guided him with an urgent face. ¡°Duke, to the reception room...!¡± When he burst through the door of the reception room, he could see a red-haired woman sitting there. Emmett shouted as if angry. ¡°Why are you here!¡± ¡°Why do you think I came here? I became curious whether you were dead or alive, so I came to check.¡± Marquis Arendt leaned back on the sofa and giggled. At that sight, Emmett felt even more bewildered. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that if it¡¯s discovered that we¡¯re in contact with each other, it¡¯s all over for us!¡± ¡°Oh, the internal cohesion of the ducal castle was good, wasn¡¯t it? What was his name... Philip? He took care of it when I came.¡± At the name of the adjutant that came from her mouth, Emmett was able to feel a little relieved. ¡°And even if it¡¯s known that we¡¯ve been in contact, what can the Emperor do? Even if he¡¯s the Emperor, he can¡¯t attack both Arendt and Lartman at the same time, right? If he faces both our families simultaneously, it¡¯s obvious the Emperor would lose, and other countries wouldn¡¯t help either.¡± At Marquis Arendt¡¯s words, Emmett finally felt his mind settling. Yes, even if the alliance between the two families was discovered, the Emperor who had dealt with the Hamelsvoort family wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with them in succession. If Arendt and Lartman united to attack the imperial family, the Emperor would likely lose, and because the Emperor would be the one attacking first, he couldn¡¯t receive help from abroad either. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The reason why Marquis Arendt and Emmett didn¡¯t attack the Emperor first was simple. If it was defined as a rebellion, it would give foreign powers a justification to intervene. That¡¯s why Liv left for the Merna Empire first to make foreign powers her allies before that. In any situation, what was important was justification. ¡°Duke, by the way, where has the Duchess gone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°I think she went abroad. Hmm, the Kingdom of Reboer?¡± ¡°...We¡¯re not communicating.¡± ¡°Judging by your reaction, is it the Merna Empire? Wow, she went to a big place. Well, the Duchess¡¯s brother studied in the Merna Empire. Good choice.¡± Emmett watched Marquis Arendt mumbling to herself, then opened his mouth with a blunt face. ¡°Then we should talk about what we need to do now.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. First, we¡¯ve gathered almost all the forces we can within the country... At this rate, our victory is certain, but.¡± Marquis Arendt smiled as if pleased. ¡°We should set a date for the uprising. When do you think the Duchess will return?¡± Chapter 120 ¡°Your Majesty, we haven¡¯t received any information about Hamelsvoort...¡± ¡°...I see.¡± August¡¯s reaction was so calm that it made Marquis Schmidt even more uneasy. What¡¯s this? He¡¯s someone who would have killed servants out of anger and still had energy to spare. ¡°Above all, considering that there have been no reports from the waters near the capital and the port of Miergrund... I think they might still be in this country... Shall we send people to Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain? I find that place suspicious.¡± ¡°There are many ways to leave this country while hiding one¡¯s identity.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Did you verify the identities of everyone leaving Miergrund?¡± ¡°Ah... Because it would be troublesome if a fight broke out there... Complete identity verification wasn¡¯t carried out...¡± ¡°Yes, I thought as much.¡± As if recalling something, August¡¯s green eyes shone brightly. ¡°It must be Merna after all.¡± ¡°Do you mean the Merna Empire? Ah, since Walter Hamelsvoort is with them...¡± ¡°We need to expand the search externally. Send soldiers to Merna as well and track them secretly. We can¡¯t cause a military conflict there, so we must be careful.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± Thinking that they had left this country, his mood suddenly seemed to sink. He looked at the statue beside him with a fierce gaze, then turned his head back to Marquis Schmidt in front of him. Marquis Schmidt had a serious face as if waiting for his orders. He knew well that Marquis Schmidt would eventually turn his back on him if a larger force emerged. ¡®But until then, I can use him.¡¯ August knew it too. His throne was shaking. But... ¡°Control all letters going to the Lartman Duchy. There¡¯s no need to intercept the letters. Just confirm where all the letters are sent from.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± He had no intention of giving up the throne willingly. Even if this throne was taken away, he would fall only after tearing apart those who tried to take it. Let¡¯s fall into hell together. August chuckled. * * * As the ship stopped at the port, seagulls sitting on the harbor squawked and flew into the air. Among the merchants carrying luggage, Liv disembarked from the ship, escorted by Hayden. ¡°Ah...¡± Liv exclaimed in admiration as she raised her head and looked into the distance. She could see buildings built in a different style from those of the Holy Hilysid Empire. Gray stone buildings, a huge cathedral, streets filled with strangely shaped buildings that jutted out precariously... They caught a carriage near the port. Walter, using Garcian with the coachman, had an unusually excited face. ¡°My sisters, the Merna Empire is a good place to live. You¡¯ll soon come to like it too.¡± At that moment, raindrops began to fall from the sky. However, no one on the street seemed to think of opening an umbrella. The rain was falling so finely that it was hard to say whether it was raining or not. Liv recalled what she had read about the Merna Empire in books. It was said to be a country that was always rainy and humid. After leaving the port, the group traveled by carriage for several days. They rested at inns along the way. Normally, Liv would have been amazed at the exotic scenery of the Merna Empire, but now the beauty didn¡¯t register with her. Liv just sat quietly in the carriage, repeating to herself what she had to do in the future. Finally, the carriage arrived at its destination. ¡°This is the home of Count Leopold Lester, Count Lester. He¡¯s my friend, and he recently inherited the title of count.¡± The gate was decorated with a crest of two lions biting each other. After Walter said something to the guard, a moment later, a man who looked about Walter¡¯s age came out to greet him and smiled. ¡°Walter!¡± He continued speaking, but Liv couldn¡¯t understand any of the words. After the two conversed, Leopold guided them to their rooms. [Leopold... my younger sisters...] Because Walter¡¯s words contained words Liv knew, Liv focused on their conversation. [This... Hildegard Hamelsvoort... here... Liv Lartman...] Walter seemed to be introducing them, and after hearing Walter¡¯s introduction, Leopold grinned. [Ah, those younger sisters?] ¡®What?¡¯ Somehow, Leopold¡¯s eyes looking at Hildegard and Liv didn¡¯t seem kind. There seemed to be a strange sarcasm in the intonation of his pronunciation of ¡®younger sisters¡¯. It might be that she was mistaken because of the unfamiliar language, but Liv decided not to take this feeling lightly and kept a close eye on him. [Room... this way...] [Thank you.] Liv, who understood part of Leopold¡¯s conversation, thanked him. Then Leopold looked at Liv with strange eyes, and then turned his head and made eye contact with Hildegard. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Seeing this, Liv was convinced once more. Leopold Lester does not have good feelings towards Liv. Well, there could be many reasons. An adopted younger sister of a friend, indeed, is not a very welcome existence. As a citizen of the Merna Empire that values class, Liv, known to be of commoner origin, is not a welcome existence, and because of Liv, Walter even had to share his inheritance. But what¡¯s stranger than that in Liv¡¯s view is... ¡®Suspicious.¡¯ Leopold¡¯s eyes seemed to contain some kind of goodwill towards Hildegard. If he¡¯s going to dislike Liv, he should dislike Hildegard equally, but strangely he seems more kind to Hildegard. Liv began to wonder what Leopold¡¯s ulterior motives were. * * * Since entering the Merna Empire, Walter seemed strangely more energetic. ¡°Liv, Leopold is close to the 2nd Prince of the Merna Empire. He¡¯s arranged an appointment with the 2nd Prince in three days, so we just need to stay here until then.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± While waiting for the meeting with the 2nd Prince, Liv decided to continue learning Garcian from Walter. And what Liv learned in the process was... [Please promise. Please answer. Could you give me some water?] ¡°Good, Liv. Let¡¯s stop with requests here, now let¡¯s practice commands.¡± That she was learning the language very quickly. Looking back, despite growing up in Abgrund and being at a much greater disadvantage for learning language than others, Liv eventually mastered the language to the same level as others. So Liv might have had a talent for learning languages from the beginning. Memorizing words was not difficult for Liv, who had excellent memory skills. She could even quickly grasp how to modify sentences. ¡°Excellent, Liv. Then for today, just memorize these 100 words or so.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After Emmett left, Liv began to mutter words alone in the room. [Apologize. Smell. Cancel. Remove. Erase...] At that moment, she heard someone knocking on the door of the next room. Because the next room was the space Hildegard was using, Liv narrowed her eyes. ¡°Could it be...¡± As soon as she opened the door and went out, Liv could see Leopold as expected. Leopold, who made eye contact with Liv, smiled sheepishly. [Liv, have you been well?] [Yes, I¡¯m doing well thanks to Leopold.] Although it was awkward Garcian, it was enough for conversation. Although Liv had to understand most of what the other person was saying by intuition. [I... Hildegard... have business...] [...Could you say that again?] [I came to see Miss Hildegard.] [Ah, me too.] When Liv said that, Leopold¡¯s face became a bit troubled. But unable to refuse Liv, he ended up waiting for Hildegard to come out with Liv. A moment later, Hildegard, who opened the door and came out, looked a bit surprised to see Leopold, then her expression brightened again when she saw Liv. ¡°Sister!¡± ¡°Hilda, it seems this person came to see you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hildegard made a troubled expression, then taking advantage of the fact that Leopold couldn¡¯t understand Hilysid, she continued with a nonchalant expression. ¡°He¡¯s been coming to see me often these days. I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s about.¡± ¡°Hmm, I think I know.¡± ¡°Actually, I have some idea too... But it¡¯s troublesome for me.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try talking to Brother Walter?¡± ¡°I wonder if that would be good after all... But we¡¯re in a position of being indebted...¡± [Miss Hildegard.] At that moment, Leopold¡¯s voice was heard, so Hildegard smiled awkwardly towards him. ¡°Yes?¡± [Do you two... have time?] Because Hildegard, who didn¡¯t understand those words, just blinked her eyes, Liv quickly intervened to save her. [Hildegard can¡¯t speak Garcian. I can help you.] [Ah, Miss Liv...] In the end, Leopold began the conversation in a voice that didn¡¯t seem to like Liv. [Miss Hildegard, when you return... will you become a Saintess?] S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hilda, he seems to be asking if you¡¯ll continue being a Saintess when you return.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not up to me. If I regain my qualification, I¡¯ll probably try to fulfill the role of Saintess again.¡± [Perhaps.] Liv converted Leopold¡¯s words into Hilysid and conveyed them to Hildegard. Hildegard¡¯s answer was then delivered to Leopold through Liv in awkward Garcian. [In the past... difficult... past... family... do you remember?] ¡°Hilda, he¡¯s asking if you remember the family you lived with in the slums in the past?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m an orphan.¡± [Hildegard doesn¡¯t have her birth parents.] What Leopold mainly asked Hildegard about was her personal information. Finally, as the conversation was coming to an end, Leopold smiled at Hildegard. [Take care. If you learn Garcian... it would be good...] After he left, Liv sighed. ¡°I thought I had learned a lot, but I can¡¯t even understand half. Even though it seems like he¡¯s deliberately using easy words.¡± ¡°Language isn¡¯t something you can learn just like that. It¡¯s natural.¡± Child, your language skills have surpassed those of ordinary humans. Because our child hears our voices, learning human speech should be easy. ¡°Ah.¡± Liv finally realized why she could learn languages faster than others. The voice of God had made it easier for Liv to understand human speech. Chapter 121 ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s obvious why Count Lester is looking for you.¡± ¡°Yes, I know...¡± This time, Hildegard also sighed. ¡°He seems to be thinking of me as a marriage partner...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± That¡¯s probably why he dislikes Liv but shows goodwill towards Hildegard. Liv can¡¯t be a marriage partner because she¡¯s already married, but he can marry Hildegard. ¡°But why? I don¡¯t understand at all. I thought the Merna Empire values class... And wouldn¡¯t it be much more beneficial to marry a noble from his own country?¡± ¡°Hmm, I think I know.¡± Liv answered in a calm voice. ¡°It seems he believes the Hamelsvoort family will be reinstated, given that he¡¯s letting us stay here. In that case, forming a connection with a high-ranking noble from the Holy Hilysid Empire isn¡¯t a bad thing. Above all, marrying a Saintess would be good for attracting more believers of the Holy Church to Hanaism.¡± Hanaism was one of the sects of the Holy Church, which was the religion believed in the Merna Empire. The Emperor of the Merna Empire also played the role of religious leader in place of the high priest or pope. ¡°I think it would be better to tell Brother Walter after all.¡± ¡°Yes, I think so too...¡± * * * [Leopold, is something wrong?] Walter asked Leopold, who was standing next to him in the garden. Leopold lit a cigar without turning his head towards Walter. It was something Walter used to enjoy as well, but he expressed his refusal to Leopold who offered it. [It seems you¡¯re thinking of marrying my younger sister, but you should have talked to me first.] [Haah... Would you have agreed even if I had?] [Right, of course I wouldn¡¯t have.] Walter smiled gently towards Leopold. [You don¡¯t like my younger sisters, do you?] [...I have no reason to like sisters who appeared when my friend was almost an adult.] [You could still be a bit more friendly.] [I don¡¯t like those who enjoy the benefits without fulfilling their duties. Your sisters are enjoying the life of nobles without having received the education of nobles.] Leopold exhaled cigar smoke once more and continued. [Of course, Miss Hildegard might be useful as a marriage partner.] [She¡¯s a Saintess, so she can¡¯t marry.] [That doesn¡¯t have to be set in stone.] [Leopold, tell me.] Walter gently put his arm on Leopold¡¯s shoulder. A sweet voice that would naturally make the other person open their mouth flowed from his lips. [You seem a bit rushed, what¡¯s going on?] [...As expected, I can¡¯t fool your eyes, Walter.] Leopold sighed. [Alright, I¡¯ll be honest. I¡¯m feeling a bit urgent these days due to the issue of appointing the Crown Prince.] [The issue of appointing the Crown Prince?] [Yes, it was fine until you left, but since the Emperor¡¯s health recently deteriorated, the imperial descendants have started fiercely competing over who will become the Crown Prince.] At those words, Walter recalled the princes and princesses of the Merna Empire. The Merna Empire had 5 princes and 3 princesses, and the Crown Prince had not yet been appointed. [As you know, I support the 2nd Prince. But the 1st Prince¡¯s faction is also formidable, so the 2nd Prince has become quite sensitive...] [What does that have to do with wanting to marry Hildegard?] [Well, it¡¯s good to recruit various factions. The 2nd Prince has ordered the nobles supporting him to marry influential people regardless of their background.] ¡°Tsk, tsk...¡± Walter clicked his tongue. It seemed the political situation in the Merna Empire was just as complicated. To the point where he worried whether they could get help from here. [Anyway, Hildegard is off-limits. If you consider me your friend, please respect my opinion on this.] [Well, if you insist that much, I have no choice...] S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Leopold really seemed to regret it as he said this. Seeing this, Walter fell into contemplation. In this complex situation, how could he help Liv receive assistance... * * * You can only know the result of something if you try it. For example, to get help from the Merna imperial family, you need to approach them. [Walter, I hope you have good results.] Leopold was seeing them off at the entrance. Today was the day they were meeting the 2nd Prince. The 2nd Prince was not only the imperial family member Leopold supported, but also someone Walter had met a few times when he was active in social circles here. That meant he was the one most likely to help them. Leopold had bought them clothes, and thanks to that, Liv was able to wear the latest fashionable dress in the Merna Empire. The dresses in the Merna Empire were much more lavish, voluminous, and heavier than those in the Holy Hilysid Empire. On the carriage ride to meet the 2nd Prince, Walter cautioned them. ¡°Liv, right now we¡¯re in a position of asking for help...¡± ¡°Yes, of course I know that, but...¡± Liv interrupted Walter¡¯s words. ¡°I also think I shouldn¡¯t lower my position too much.¡± The Holy Hilysid Empire and the Merna Empire should be in an equal relationship. Liv is now trying to reclaim the throne. Considering until after she achieves her goal, Liv shouldn¡¯t act too politely either. ¡°As expected, our master is wise...¡± Hayden said in an enraptured voice, and Walter¡¯s expression became somewhat disdainful at those words. ¡°Can¡¯t you stop with that ¡®master¡¯ thing?¡± ¡°But I call her ¡®Madam¡¯ in front of people, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°No, still, haah...¡± Walter finally sighed as if giving up. Finding it amusing, Hildegard giggled at the sight. But when her eyes met Walter¡¯s, Hildegard awkwardly turned her head away. At that moment, the imperial palace of the Merna Empire began to come into view through the window. Liv¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the building. ¡°Wow...¡± Liv had thought the most splendid building in the world would be the Weisseite Palace in the imperial city of the Holy Hilysid Empire. But the palace of the Merna Empire was in no way inferior to that of the Holy Hilysid Empire. While it lacked the lavish gold sculptures or painted windows, the building overwhelmed people with its sheer size. It was so large that one had to crane their neck to see its top. After getting off the carriage, they were guided to the 2nd Prince¡¯s palace by a servant. A notable point was that the path the servant guided them on seemed like a back road. It seemed to be an intention to hide their meeting. ¡°Welcome.¡± The 2nd Prince they met upon arriving at the reception room was a man who looked like a typical fairy tale prince, with bright blonde hair and striking blue eyes. However, his gaze that seemed to sharply scan them was far from an innocent prince. [Welcome, everyone from the Holy Hilysid Empire. I am William M¨¹nster, the 2nd Prince of Merna.] [It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Your Highness. I am Walter of the Hamelsvoort family.] [I am Hayden Schulze.] Walter and Hayden, who could speak Garcian, greeted first, and then Liv greeted in Garcian pronunciation that had now become natural to her. [I am Liv Lartman.] [I am Hildegard Hamelsvoort.] Although Hildegard couldn¡¯t understand Garcian, she managed to greet without awkwardness by observing those around her. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± William said, pointing to the sofa, and they sat across from him following his guidance. On the table were teacups with steam rising from them. The Merna Empire was famous for its tea, and it had a nice aroma. [Young Lord Hamelsvoort, we¡¯ve met ... before. I haven¡¯t forgotten. You were quite an impressive person.] Liv could now interpret Garcian much better than before. With just the right intuition, she had no problem following the conversation. [... indeed. I¡¯ve heard that Your Highness is also a wise person...] William and Walter created a gentle atmosphere by complimenting each other. After greeting Hayden as well, William turned his gaze to Hildegard and Liv. [Are these Lord Hamelsvoort¡¯s younger sisters?] [Yes, one of them ... got married and entered the Lartman ducal family.] [So she¡¯s a Duchess.] William smiled, curling up the corners of his mouth as he made eye contact with Liv. Liv responded with an appropriately smiling face. [It¡¯s nice to meet you, Your Highness.] [You speak Garcian well.] [I¡¯ve studied, though it¡¯s still lacking.] William stared at Liv with his somewhat chilly blue eyes. Before he could speak to Hildegard, Walter quickly said: [Hildegard doesn¡¯t speak Garcian.] [Ah, I see. ... If you have anything you want to tell me, ... you can relay it through Lord Hamelsvoort.] William slowly picked up his teacup and looked at Hayden. [Lord Schulze, what is your relationship with these people?] [I am the mas-] [An important relationship. ... We¡¯re close friends, haha.] As if guessing what was about to come out of Hayden¡¯s mouth, Walter hastily cut him off and spoke. Seeing Hayden¡¯s dissatisfied expression, Liv smiled at him as if to soothe him. [I see... How are you all finding your stay here?] [I like the Merna Empire.] Liv was the first to speak up. [It¡¯s truly a beautiful place.] Of course, the food of the Merna Empire didn¡¯t suit her taste, and the weather wasn¡¯t great either, but Liv decided not to mention that. [I heard you¡¯re currently staying at Count Lester¡¯s house.] [Yes, that¡¯s right. He¡¯s a kind person.] [Count Lester is also ... a popular person in .... He¡¯s a person with ... character.] [Yes, it seems so.] Seeing Liv seemingly conversing fluently in Garcian, Walter¡¯s face became a bit surprised. It seemed he didn¡¯t expect Liv to be this good, even though he had taught her himself. [You must have had a hard journey coming all the way from the Holy Hilysid Empire. Is there anything you¡¯d like to tell me?] They made eye contact simultaneously. William had probably heard about their business in advance, but asking like this meant it was time to discuss that business. Chapter 122 [...We need help from the Merna Empire.] [What kind of help?] [The old imperial family will be restored in the Holy Hilysid Empire. We hope the Merna Empire won¡¯t consider it rebellion and intervene at that time.] Liv spoke naturally with smooth pronunciation, having memorized these sentences at Count Lester¡¯s house yesterday. William asked again with a slightly interested look. [Does a ... of the old imperial family exist?] [... in that state.] Walter answered on behalf of Liv. Since they couldn¡¯t reveal that Liv was the last imperial descendant due to safety issues, he probably answered vaguely that they had secured a descendant of the old imperial family. After hearing Walter¡¯s words, William smiled gently. [I see. I¡¯ll take note of that.] At that moment, Liv¡¯s eyebrows frowned slightly. The fact that he said that meant... [When can we meet again?] [Hmm, ... I¡¯m busy so I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯ll contact you when I have time...] It was certain. William was clearly putting up a wall against them. Of course, they could try to persuade William once more here. But... ¡®It would be difficult without knowing what he¡¯s thinking.¡¯ What Liv had proposed to him was a kind of deal. If the Merna side prevented international conflict regarding the Holy Hilysid Empire, the newly enthroned Emperor of the Holy Hilysid Empire would pay a corresponding price. But William had effectively rejected that proposal. Then, either Liv¡¯s proposal wasn¡¯t very beneficial to him, or he had another option that was more beneficial. It was dangerous to act rashly without knowing what that was. [Yes, I understand, Your Highness. Thank you for your time.] Liv greeted him neatly and stood up, and Walter followed her with a slightly confused expression. Hayden looked like he would follow whatever Liv did unconditionally, and Hildegard also left the room with a look of not understanding what was going on. As they were leaving the 2nd Prince¡¯s palace, Walter asked in a serious voice. ¡°Liv, what do you think the 2nd Prince is thinking?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s chosen another side.¡± ¡°I guess so...¡± ¡°Sister, what¡¯s going on?¡± As Hildegard, who couldn¡¯t understand their conversation, asked, Liv was silent for a moment before speaking. ¡°It seems he has no intention of helping us. He¡¯s outwardly friendly, but that¡¯s all. And there must be a reason for that.¡± ¡°What reason?¡± ¡°In my opinion...¡± Liv thought for a moment before starting to speak. ¡°The reason we made this proposal to the 2nd Prince was because the nobles Brother Walter was close with had connections to the 2nd Prince. Moreover, the 2nd Prince was the most likely candidate for Emperor. Brother Walter said he would ascend to the throne if there were no major variables.¡± The problem arose there. The belief that the 2nd Prince would naturally succeed to the throne. ¡°But maybe he feels more insecure about succeeding to the throne than we thought. So... the 2nd Prince might contact the Emperor of the Holy Hilysid Empire right now to sell us out and borrow his power to solidify his position.¡± ¡°Ah... So you¡¯re saying the 2nd Prince might sell us out to August and try to become Emperor with his help?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s possible.¡± Both the Merna Empire and the Holy Hilysid Empire were in a situation where they were trying to get help from each other. Just as Liv was wearing a dark expression, wondering if they might have to leave this country and seek help elsewhere, Walter intervened. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. He¡¯ll leave us alone without killing us until the end, to trade with the Emperor. He¡¯s probably weighing between the Emperor and us right now.¡± When Liv looked at Walter with a questioning gaze, he smiled slightly. ¡°In the many lives I¡¯ve lived, the 2nd Prince became Emperor in most cases. Rarely, the 1st Prince became Emperor too. Sometimes the 2nd Prince fled to the Holy Hilysid Empire to survive, and I protected him then. I got to know what kind of person he is well enough while staying with him.¡± Because Walter¡¯s voice was filled with confidence as he said this, it was sufficiently believable. ¡°Was it always either the 1st Prince or the 2nd Prince who won? What¡¯s the usual probability?¡± ¡°In the lives where I was aware of the Merna Empire, the 2nd Prince won in eight out of ten cases, and the 1st Prince was the winner in the remaining cases. There¡¯s something called the butterfly effect, and sometimes the world situation changed depending on my actions.¡± ¡°Hmm, then it seems siding with the 2nd Prince has a higher possibility after all...¡± ¡°Well, there was one time when both of them lost. An unexpected figure emerged, usurped the throne, and became an absolute monarch leading the prosperity of the Merna Empire. The results differ depending on our actions, so we don¡¯t need to rely solely on probabilities.¡± ¡°Madam, in that case, why don¡¯t we just side with another faction? The 1st Prince¡¯s side, I mean.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad either...¡± As Liv was nodding at Hayden¡¯s words, she suddenly realized she had taken a wrong turn. A garden that wasn¡¯t visible earlier was spread out in front of Liv. Given that no guards were visible, it seemed they had entered a secluded area. ¡°I think we¡¯ve taken a wrong turn...¡± Just as Liv was saying that, a sound came from somewhere in the garden. [Our brother was in a bad mood again today.... If we took his anger, you should take ours...?] S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [...It¡¯s this bastard¡¯s fault for being born.] Following that, there was a sound of someone being hit. Startled by the violent sound, Liv unconsciously walked towards where the sound was coming from. ¡°Ah!¡± What Liv encountered was a scene that didn¡¯t fit this imperial palace at all. A boy was curled up and being beaten by other boys. As Liv was about to step forward, Walter grabbed her arm and said: ¡°That¡¯s the 5th Prince Dante. The other boys are the 3rd and 4th Princes. They¡¯re usually like this, so it¡¯s better not to interfere unnecessarily.¡± ¡°...What kind of person is the 5th Prince? Why is he being beaten?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that the 5th Prince was born from the Empress having an affair with another man. Of course, there¡¯s no way to verify if it¡¯s true, but because of that rumor, both the Emperor and Empress shun the 5th Prince. Since the imperial couple turn a blind eye, he¡¯s naturally bullied by the other princes and princesses, and has become the lowest existence in the imperial palace.¡± ¡°Are there any other notable points?¡± At those words, Walter¡¯s face became hesitant, as if recalling something. But when Liv looked at him as if urging him, he had no choice but to give an answer. ¡°Dante M¨¹nster, the 5th Prince of the Empire. And... in one of my many lives, he once became the absolute monarch of the Empire, defeating all the other imperial family members.¡± Now Liv¡¯s eyes were fixed on Dante. No, what she was looking at precisely wasn¡¯t Dante, but- The clover-shaped Holy Church pendant hanging around Dante¡¯s neck. Liv could no longer ignore him. So she shook off Walter¡¯s restraining hand and walked towards the princes. [Who are you?] One of the princes who noticed Liv asked with a crooked face. [This place is ... not to be approached.... Lord Hamelsvoort?] [Yes, Your Highness the 3rd Prince. It¡¯s been a while.] Walter, who finally came forward in front of Liv, showed a gentle smile. He seemed a bit flustered by Liv¡¯s unexpected action, but he didn¡¯t show it at all and pretended to be calm. [This is a guest from the Holy Hilysid Empire.] [Ah...] The 3rd and 4th Princes rolled their eyes as if assessing the situation. Soon, they seemed to judge that there was nothing to gain by getting involved with a dignitary from another country, so they left with a smile as if nothing had happened. Now the only one left was the boy sitting curled up. He slowly raised his head, and his eyes met Liv¡¯s. ¡°...Ah.¡± Liv marveled for a moment as she looked beyond Dante¡¯s eyes. Under his long black hair, his blue eyes were burning with something like will. A blue flame burning hotter than anything else. As Liv was quietly looking down at him, Dante frowned. [Are you just looking at me now?] [That¡¯s not it.] Now Liv was beginning to see more and more of this boy¡¯s potential. Although he was being bullied, he wasn¡¯t a person who had given up on everything. Anyway, the 2nd Prince won¡¯t side with them. Then it might be right to go to the 1st Prince, but... ¡®The absolute monarch of the Merna Empire.¡¯ If the 5th Prince is given the right opportunity, he could grow into a stronger Emperor than anyone else. And he could protect Liv from the pressure of foreign countries. Liv turned her head and spoke to Walter in Hilysid so that he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°I¡¯m going to make the 5th Prince the Emperor.¡± ¡°What? Liv, what are you saying?¡± ¡°If the princes likely to become Crown Prince won¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll directly make a prince who will be on my side the Crown Prince. Someone who can never abandon me.¡± ¡°Haah, that¡¯s not wrong, but... You just like that because he believes in the Holy Church, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, that might be part of it too.¡± In fact, since Hanaism also uses the same clover shape as the Holy Church as its symbol, what he believes in is probably Hanaism, but the god they believe in is the same, only the doctrines are different. It didn¡¯t seem likely that someone devout enough to wear that necklace would reject the Gracia family, said to be loved by the Supreme God. While Liv was talking with Walter, Dante was looking at them with wary eyes. Liv turned back to him. Yes, let¡¯s just gamble openly from the start. [I¡¯m from the Holy Hilysid Empire. My name is Liv Gracia.] [...Gracia?] Chapter 123 Fortunately, Dante didn¡¯t seem to be stupid. As soon as he heard Liv¡¯s name, confusion clouded his face. [Surely Gracia would have ... how...] [So I¡¯ve come to this country to reclaim my place.] Whether he understood the meaning or not, Dante stubbornly kept his mouth shut. After a moment, he parted his lips and said in a small voice. [I am Dante M¨¹nster, the 5th Prince of the Merna Empire.] [Yes, Your Highness. Do you know why I spoke to you?] [Do you pity me?] [I don¡¯t pity you. Rather...] Liv¡¯s gaze fixed on the clover-shaped pendant. Liv would need his help in the future, but for now, it would be better to make him recognize that she was in a superior position. [I hold you in quite high regard.] [What do you...] [Do you believe in the Supreme God?] Dante answered that question without a moment¡¯s hesitation. [Yes, I believe.] [Then rejoice. Your Supreme God has sent me down for you.] As Dante frowned, not understanding those words, Liv slowly raised one arm. Because she had recently visited two sanctuaries, Liv still retained the power of the gods. Then... [Ah...!] Dante exclaimed, looking up at the sky following where Liv¡¯s hand was pointing. The sun was slowly disappearing. It was a solar eclipse. A moment later, a dove flew in from somewhere and circled above Liv¡¯s head. The tree beside them shook, dropping white petals on top of it. As Dante was gaping at this sight, the pendant hanging around his neck began to vibrate. [Huh?] The clover-shaped pendant slowly swayed on Dante¡¯s neck. Then it emitted a flash of white light. After Dante closed his eyes and looked down at the necklace again... [Ah...] The pendant that had been made of wood was now shining, transformed into silver. Now Dante was unknowingly kneeling before Liv. The power Liv had shown had the effect of stirring people¡¯s hearts. It was a power that seemed even more magnificent to someone who had been ignored like Dante. [Has the Supreme God... sent you to me?] [Yes, you could say that.] Liv extended one hand towards him. [Dante M¨¹nster, let¡¯s make a deal with me, Liv Gracia. You will become Crown Prince, I will become Emperor, and we will cooperate in the process.] Dante nodded with a face that would follow whatever Liv said. A perfect deal had been made where Liv didn¡¯t need to worry about being betrayed. * * * After hearing a detailed introduction about Liv¡¯s identity, Dante followed Liv unconditionally. In Liv¡¯s view, it didn¡¯t seem like he would betray her. [But how can I help you, Lady Gracia?] Dante asked in a dazed voice. [Lady Gracia has great power and can help me, but I don¡¯t know what I should do...] [You can postpone helping me in earnest until after you become Crown Prince. But there is something I need to ask for your help with right now.] Towards Dante, who seemed to have questions about those words, Liv said. [Have you studied the art of kingship?] [Yes, I have... All the princes and princesses of the Empire study the art of kingship.] [Then that¡¯s good. You can help me study the art of kingship.] Liv had read many books and could now pride herself on knowing a lot about this world, but knowledge as an Emperor was a separate matter. The art of kingship was a field of study prohibited for ordinary people, and Liv had no opportunity to access it either. Even the Arendt Marquisate was said to have no related books, which said it all. Liv needed to fully familiarize herself with the duties of an Emperor before returning to the Holy Hilysid Empire. And so, the art of kingship that Liv began studying with Dante... [Hmm, it¡¯s not as difficult as I thought.] [Actually, the theories are all similar.] It seemed like a discipline that mixed political science, sociology, economics, philosophy, and history. In other words, it was neither here nor there. The art of kingship that people considered great was actually nothing special. On the first day of studying the art of kingship with Dante, Liv wrote a letter to Emmett. Walter said he could secretly deliver the letter through a trustworthy person, and he had used this method a few times in the past. Although sending this letter might be dangerous, Liv thought it would be good if Emmett could feel a little at ease after reading the letter. [To my dear Emmett, sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I¡¯m doing well. The Merna Empire is a nice place. ...Actually, I miss the Holy Hilysid Empire. The food here is not tasty, and the weather is bad. But since I can¡¯t say this outside, I¡¯m only telling you. Recently, I¡¯ve been studying the art of kingship with the 5th Prince. But unlike its reputation, there¡¯s not much to learn from the art of kingship. I think just reading newspaper articles every morning would be more educational. The reason I¡¯m with the 5th Prince is because we¡¯ve promised to cooperate with each other. If the 5th Prince becomes Crown Prince, the Merna Empire will be completely on my side. Then August won¡¯t be able to bring in foreign powers recklessly. Fortunately, the 5th Prince is an intelligent person. With a little help, I think he can take the position of Crown Prince. Maybe by the time you receive this letter, he might already be Crown Prince. I plan to progress things as quickly as possible. Oh, I¡¯m also studying Garcian diligently. I heard from the gods that because I¡¯m used to the voice of God, I can easily learn human languages too. I really became able to have daily conversations in just a week. Still, the technical terms in the art of kingship books are difficult though. I hope this letter could arrive safely. Take care until then. I love you.] * * * After reading the letter, Emmett sighed. Because Walter Hamelsvoort had sent the letter through a secret method, he who couldn¡¯t reply felt even more frustrated. It had already been three weeks since Liv left for the Merna Empire. During that time, the Holy Hilysid Empire had been quiet. August seemed to feel it was time to somewhat loosen the atmosphere, as he wasn¡¯t tyrannizing the nobles. But that made it even more unsettling. It felt exactly like being in the eye of a typhoon. After reading the letter, Emmett felt not relieved, but rather more anxious. ¡®She says she agreed to cooperate with a prince she doesn¡¯t even know.¡¯ What if he betrays Liv and she gets hurt? Is it certain that he¡¯s a trustworthy person? ...No, to be honest. He didn¡¯t like that Liv had written so much about another man in her letter! ¡°Haah, Liv...¡± Emmett sighed. Liv was sometimes so innocent that she made his heart complicated. * * * ¡°You say someone from the Merna Empire moved to Edelburg?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. That person moved so meticulously that we couldn¡¯t catch them. It seems they even changed their identity several times, as their trail was completely lost somewhere in Edelburg.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°So we turned our investigation towards the Merna Empire, and found out that outsiders are staying at the house of Count Lester, who is a friend of Walter Hamelsvoort. The outsiders are certainly Walter Hamelsvoort and his party. But... they¡¯ve been frequenting the imperial palace recently.¡± August¡¯s face contorted upon hearing Marquis Schmidt¡¯s report. If Liv Gracia had been among ordinary nobles, August would have immediately ordered her capture. However, if Liv was with the Merna imperial family, even he would find it difficult to give orders rashly. If he were to harm a member of the Merna imperial family, it might spark a war of unmanageable scale. ¡°For now, observe them. And report immediately if they leave the Merna Empire.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°And...¡± If the Merna imperial family were to intervene in the affairs of the Holy Hilysid Empire, things would become complicated. The Merna Empire was a powerful country not easily dealt with. Then what should he do, how... ¡°I see.¡± August¡¯s eyes flashed brightly as he recalled something. A good method to stop Liv Gracia had come to his mind. Although it was clear that Duke Lartman and Marquis Arendt harbored dark intentions, August couldn¡¯t stop them immediately. This was because God had directly declared he would abandon him not long ago. The nobles, thinking they had caught an opportunity, tried to start a rebellion by allying with the temple, the Lartman family, and the Arendt family, so if he provided any more pretext here, rebellion would occur. What August needed now was the disintegration of the nobles. ¡°Why not create new Five Noble Houses?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Hamelsvoort is finished, and Lartman and Arendt will soon be over too, so only Schmidt remains. Then I¡¯ll create new Five Noble Families including the Schmidt Marquisate.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, do you mean...¡± ¡°I should create entirely new meritorious families and give them privileges.¡± August laughed, not caring whether Marquis Schmidt was flustered or not. He seemed pleased to have found an answer. Yes, with this method, he could make the existing nobles who had sided with Duke Lartman betray him. The noble factions would never unite as one, doubting each other. The taste of power was always sweet. He had no intention of giving up this position. Chapter 124 [5th Prince, what do you think about this matter?] [I...] Seeing Dante hesitating to answer Liv¡¯s question, Liv said emphatically: [You know, don¡¯t you?] [Y-Yes?] [It seems like you already know the answer.] [I¡¯m anxious about being wrong...] [No, it¡¯s alright. Just say it.] At those words, Dante squeezed his eyes shut and began to stammer. [We should... stop colonial expansion. If we continue like this, we¡¯ll co-collide with the Kingdom of Reboer. Especially our triangle plan will me-meet Reboer¡¯s square plan in Or-Ordan. Then conflict will be una-unavoidable...] [I see. That¡¯s a good insight.] Studying with Dante, Liv was learning many things from him. What Liv learned from Dante was mainly knowledge not found in books. Liv¡¯s perspective on the world was gradually broadening, and now she could grasp how to conduct politics. At the same time, Liv was trying to build Dante¡¯s confidence. Dante was quite an intelligent boy, but perhaps because he had been ignored by the surrounding princes and princesses for a long time, he lacked confidence. However, he always gave wise answers even while trembling, so Liv thought he would make an excellent Crown Prince candidate if he gained a little more confidence. [Your Highness, to be honest...] The sound of Dante nervously swallowing could be heard. [You are really smart.] [What? Me?] [Yes. To the extent that I suspect the disregard from those around you might have been a ploy to suppress your spirit.] [I-I¡¯m not such a great person!] [Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to become Crown Prince?] At those words, Dante fell silent. [Then even if you¡¯re not a great person now, you need to become one.] [...You¡¯re right.] [For that, you need to have more confidence than now. You must become someone who reigns.] [Someone who reigns...] Dante murmured in a small voice. A blue flame briefly flared up beyond Dante¡¯s eyes. [Yes, you believe in the Supreme God, right?] [Yes...] [It¡¯s your mission to surpass the other imperial family members. Remember that.] At those words, Dante¡¯s gaze slowly began to change. He remained silent for a moment as if thinking about something, then nodded and replied. [Yes, I¡¯ll remember that...] [Good, then let¡¯s keep practicing from now on.] * * * [I succeeded!] The next day, these were the words Dante said as he ran to Liv with a bright face. Today was the day of the political affairs meeting attended by the princes and princesses. Seeing his face, it was obvious what Dante had succeeded in. [All the ministers said my opinion was the best. I¡¯m so relieved...] [Is that so?] Sipping tea, Liv listened to Dante¡¯s explanation about the political affairs meeting. There, Dante had put forward a good opinion about diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Reboer, and it seemed he had succeeded in making an impression on the ministers. [By the way, the tea in the Merna Empire is really good. At first, I didn¡¯t know the taste of tea well, but now I understand.] [You¡¯re not surprised...?] When Liv didn¡¯t seem surprised at the news of Dante¡¯s achievement, Dante asked cautiously. [No, because I believed in you, Your Highness.] [Ah...] [And this isn¡¯t enough to be happy about. I¡¯ll help you become Crown Prince as soon as possible.] [Th-Then what should I do?] [Continue to offer good opinions in the political affairs meetings like you¡¯re doing now. Until other nobles approach you first. And... now it would be good to build recognition among the people.] Liv knew just the right person for that job. [How can I build recognition?] [That¡¯s simple. You just need to follow what the other princes and princesses do. Oh, don¡¯t they do it in the Merna Empire?] [Do what...] [Volunteer work.] At those words, Dante¡¯s mouth fell open. [Volunteer work? Do imperial family members in the Holy Hilysid Empire normally do volunteer work?] S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [It seems the current imperial family doesn¡¯t do it much, but I heard it used to be common. Especially for nobles, it¡¯s essential.] Judging by Dante¡¯s reaction, it was clear that volunteering wasn¡¯t a common thing in the Merna Empire. Sure enough, Dante gave the expected answer. [We don¡¯t do such lowly things as volunteer work. Instead, we make donations.] Well, it seemed that countries where nobles directly do volunteer work might be hard to find except for the Holy Hilysid Empire, which was strongly influenced by the Holy Church. [Then this will be an even more innovative method. It can leave a deep impression on the people.] [Won¡¯t I be cri-criticized for lacking imperial dignity?] [That¡¯s why you need to keep doing well in the political affairs meetings too. It¡¯s not easy to win the hearts of both sides.] At those words, Dante seemed nervous, but soon nodded as if he had made up his mind. [Yes, I¡¯ll give it a try. But how do I do volunteer work...] [Hmm, unfortunately, I can¡¯t help you with this.] Liv had to avoid going to dangerous and crowded places as much as possible. [Let¡¯s ask my younger sister.] * * * ¡°Sister...¡± The next day, Hildegard returned to Count Lester¡¯s house with an exhausted face. ¡°My goodness, I never thought I¡¯d be doing volunteer work in the Merna Empire too...¡± ¡°Were there many people?¡± ¡°Yes, at first there were few, but when they heard the rumors, a lot of people rushed in.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s because of my suggestion. I¡¯ve drawn a hot bath for you.¡± At those words, Hildegard started taking off her dress as if she had forgotten Liv was there. She looked like she needed to get into hot water right away. ¡°So, did the volunteer work seem appropriate?¡± ¡°Yes, food distribution is perfect for raising awareness.¡± They had done volunteer work distributing food in the slums. While loudly announcing that the 5th Prince Dante was also participating in the food distribution. Liv felt sorry for making Hildegard work even after coming all the way here. So before leaving the room, she said in a small voice to her: ¡°Hilda, when we return to the Holy Hilysid Empire, I¡¯ll definitely help you reclaim your position.¡± ¡°...My position?¡± ¡°No, when I become Emperor, I¡¯ll make the temple¡¯s status higher, so I¡¯ll make the position of Saintess more important too.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± For some reason, Hildegard laughed out loud. ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t need to feel so burdened.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel sorry for me. It¡¯s not your fault that I had to flee all the way here.¡± Liv felt a pang of guilt as it seemed Hildegard had read her mind accurately. Liv had been thinking that it was entirely her fault that Hildegard had fallen from the position of Saintess to the status of a fugitive. ¡°Hilda...¡± ¡°Well, actually, the fact that I became a Saintess was because of incredibly good luck. I¡¯m satisfied with this much. It¡¯s much better living like this than as an orphan in the slums.¡± Looking at Hildegard smiling gently as she said this, Liv felt a strange feeling. Yes, it was exactly like... ¡®Like my past self.¡¯ The appearance of not knowing how unfair her situation was, it was exactly the same as Liv. Because Hildegard didn¡¯t resent her, Liv felt an even deeper sense of guilt. The more this happened, the stronger Liv¡¯s determination to repay Hildegard grew. No, not just Hildegard. Emmett, Walter, Hayden... Recalling their names, Liv bid Hildegard to rest well and left the room. And Liv could see Walter standing in the corridor. ¡°Brother?¡± ¡°Liv.¡± Walter approached Liv with a gentle smile. ¡°It seems things are going well with the 5th Prince.¡± ¡°Ah, yes...¡± ¡°The nobles have started to take interest in the 5th Prince. Even Leopold is considering which side to switch to.¡± It seemed that Dante had done much better in the political affairs meeting than Liv had asked. ¡°By the way, Liv, there¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Walter took a step closer to Liv and opened his mouth with a serious face. ¡°When we return, how do you plan to take revenge on the Emperor?¡± Liv couldn¡¯t easily open her mouth to this direct question. It was a problem Liv still hadn¡¯t been able to answer. While wanting to imprison him in Abgrund just like herself, she also wanted to pay him back even more than that, and sometimes she thought she shouldn¡¯t punish him harshly according to the love she had learned from the gods. But there was one thing for certain. Liv smiled innocently at Walter. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about human ways. It hasn¡¯t been many years since I came out into human society.¡± ¡°That means...¡± ¡°So I will treat August in the way of the gods.¡± As Liv said this, her pupils glowed red. Chapter 125 Although Liv and her group decided to side with the 5th Prince, Count Lester, who supported the 2nd Prince, still provided them with a place to stay. However, there was a sense of wariness towards Liv¡¯s group, so they were continuing an awkward cohabitation. Then one day, during breakfast, Leopold opened his mouth. [...What do you think about the 5th Prince?] At those words, Liv, who had been looking at the mashed beans on her plate, raised her head. The fact that he was asking like this meant... [I think the 5th Prince is wise. Probably the wisest among the princes and princesses.] Walter answered Leopold¡¯s question without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Leopold was silent at that answer. [Why, are you thinking of switching sides too?] [To be honest, yes.] To Walter¡¯s playful question, Leopold answered as if it was obvious. Liv was a bit surprised at those words, but thinking about it, it wasn¡¯t that surprising. She had heard that many nobles were approaching Dante these days. [The new science and technology announced by Prince Dante yesterday was quite revolutionary. Many people are interested.] [Ah.] Dante had a broad perspective on diplomacy and politics, but the field he knew best was science. He had explained famous scientists¡¯ works to Liv in simple terms, and also confided that he had devised new technology himself. Encouraged by Liv¡¯s support, it seemed Dante had really announced some decent technology. [Thanks to the Prince, transportation methods will likely develop further. Actually, I don¡¯t understand it well, but scientists are enthusiastic.] [So what about the 2nd Prince?] [I chose the 2nd Prince because he was wiser than the 1st Prince... but if someone even wiser than the 2nd Prince has appeared, I can change my mind anytime.] Leopold¡¯s attitude as he said this was nonchalant. After quietly observing this, Liv asked: [I¡¯m curious about Count Lester¡¯s view. In your opinion, what is the 5th Prince¡¯s greatest weakness?] [Well, I don¡¯t know the 5th Prince well, but...] He answered naturally while picking up a knife to cut his toast. [He doesn¡¯t seem to be a cruel person.] [Do you think someone who will become Emperor needs to be cruel by nature?] [To survive here, it¡¯s necessary. At least the 1st Prince and 2nd Prince are like that.] At those words, Liv fell into thought. Is cruelty really necessary for an Emperor? Then should Liv become cruel too? But Liv had no intention of doing so. She didn¡¯t want to become the same kind of person as August. Liv couldn¡¯t be cruel to those who weren¡¯t her enemies. That was what she had learned from the gods. Yes, until then, that¡¯s what Liv had thought. * * * When she woke up, Liv felt her whole body was heavy. ¡®Is it because I went to bed late?¡¯ It seemed to be because she had stayed up late studying the art of kingship yesterday. Looking out the window, the sun was already high in the sky. On the contrary, this heaviness might be because she had slept too late. Then suddenly Liv thought this sensation was familiar. ¡®This heavy feeling is...¡¯ And the moment she realized what this sensation was, Liv covered her eyes with her hands and sighed. ¡°No...¡± That thing had happened again. The thing Liv wanted to avoid more than anything. Our beloved child. The familiar voices of the gods were heard. Liv asked in a resigned voice. ¡°Did I die again?¡± Yes, you died last night. So we inflicted divine punishment and turned back time. Our beloved child. We will never leave those who harm you unpunished. Without Liv knowing, she had died, and the gods had inflicted divine punishment on the one who killed her while turning back time. Thus, in this timeline too, Liv had greeted the morning without having died. ¡°Ah, who on earth...¡± What on earth had happened at night for Liv to have died? Had she fallen down the stairs in the middle of the night? Or... As Liv¡¯s mind raced quickly, the gods delivered shocking news. An assassin came through the window and killed you. You lost your life by his knife. ¡°An assassin?¡± That was really unexpected news. Who on earth would assassinate Liv? Surely not August all the way here? That assassin has completely disappeared from this world. We set fire to the one who handed the sword to the assassin. He is burning now. If it was indeed August who tried to kill Liv, then Liv had dealt with August without lifting a finger. Then she should be happy, but... No, something was strange. August, who knew Liv could never die, wouldn¡¯t try to kill her. Just as Liv was pondering this, she heard someone knocking on her door. ¡°Master, may I come in?¡± There was only one person who called her that. It was Hayden. ¡°Yes.¡± Hayden, who entered as soon as the door opened, immediately spoke. ¡°There was a fire at the 4th Prince¡¯s palace last night.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The source hasn¡¯t been identified yet... but there are rumors that the fire started from the 4th Prince¡¯s body. The fire has been extinguished now, but the 4th Prince has died. People are talking about how strange it is, but I know someone who can make such strange things possible.¡± Hayden looked at Liv with a mysterious light in his bright brown eyes. Liv slowly nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, it was probably divine punishment inflicted by the gods because of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too weak for divine punishment.¡± Hayden seemed displeased. Rather than thinking it was weak compared to the divine punishment he had experienced, he seemed dissatisfied that the person who harmed Liv had received only that much punishment. ¡°Maybe the culprit will feel the pain of burning eternally even after death. Divine punishment wouldn¡¯t end with just that.¡± However, Liv couldn¡¯t guess at all why the 4th Prince had tried to kill her. ¡°Why did the 4th Prince send an assassin to kill me?¡± ¡°The 4th Prince... is on the 1st Prince¡¯s side.¡± The 3rd Prince and 4th Prince were supporting the 1st Prince, and the 1st Princess was supporting the 2nd Prince. The 2nd Princess and 3rd Princess were married and out of this power struggle. In fact, the probability that the 4th Prince had acted independently was not high. Probably... ¡°The 1st Prince must have ordered it?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems so.¡± No matter how powerful a prince is, he can¡¯t be free from suspicion when another prince dies. Moreover, if the assassinated target was a prince who had been in the spotlight until recently, the imperial palace would be turned upside down and everyone would be subject to investigation. Even if Dante was annoying, directly killing him was too risky. Instead, the 1st Prince decided to kill someone around him. For example, a noble from the Holy Hilysid Empire who had recently become Dante¡¯s advisor, someone like Liv. ¡°Does the 1st Prince know about my identity?¡± ¡°The 1st Prince doesn¡¯t know that you are Gracia. That¡¯s why he tried to kill you. If he had known, he would have passed the information to August and joined hands with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± Liv fell into thought. Suddenly, she thought it would be better if fewer people knew she was Gracia. People who know Liv is Gracia but are not on her side. Count Lester and the 2nd Prince. At least Count Lester wasn¡¯t hostile to Liv, but as long as Liv continued to help Dante, the 2nd Prince was likely to become hostile to Liv. Then he might sell Liv out to August. ¡°Rather, the 1st Prince isn¡¯t very dangerous. He doesn¡¯t know much about me, and all he can do is try to kill me.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°The 2nd Prince is much more dangerous. Because he has information about me.¡± At that moment, Liv realized why Leopold had said one ¡®needs to become cruel.¡¯ For Liv to survive, she had to kill innocent people. She had to attack first without waiting for the other side to attack. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to do this, but...¡¯ As Liv chewed her lip, lost in anguish, Hayden grabbed her hand with a worried face. ¡°Master, you¡¯re hurting yourself...¡± ¡°...My head is complicated.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Think simply.¡± Hayden looked at Liv with a face that would follow anything she said. ¡°Whatever you do is right, Master. Don¡¯t set too high a standard for your own actions. You have the right to do so.¡± ¡°No, I have to. That¡¯s my repayment for the love I received from the gods.¡± The gods had various doctrines, but they weren¡¯t without commonalities. They all aspired to a good life. ¡°But eliminating enemies is natural for someone in a high position...¡± Somehow sensing Liv¡¯s inner thoughts, Hayden said in a subtle tone. Those words made Liv¡¯s worries even more complicated. ¡®To go the safest route, it would be right to eliminate the 2nd Prince. But the 2nd Prince hasn¡¯t done anything evil enough to deserve death.¡¯ If she asked the gods, they would unconditionally side with Liv. They were infinitely generous to Liv. But even so, Liv didn¡¯t want to make the gods who loved her violate their own doctrines... S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sister, are you not up yet?¡± At that moment, Hildegard¡¯s voice was heard from outside. ¡°No, you can come in.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Hildegard who entered when the door opened. Walter, who was standing next to Hildegard, frowned at Hayden kneeling in front of Liv. ¡°Why are you in another woman¡¯s room first thing in the morning? You must know my sister is already married.¡± Hayden answered in a brazen tone, unconcerned. ¡°She¡¯s my master.¡± ¡°Haah...¡± While Walter was sighing, Hildegard made eye contact with Liv and tilted her head. ¡°Sister, do you have something on your mind?¡± ¡°Something on my mind? Yes, I do...¡± Finally, Liv began to speak in a slow voice. That the 4th Prince had killed Liv last night, that the 2nd Prince was now more dangerous to Liv than the 1st Prince, and that she was deeply considering eliminating the 2nd Prince because of this. Walter was the first to speak. ¡°How do you plan to eliminate the 2nd Prince?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult.¡± Liv said, lowering her eyes. ¡°We just need to blame the fire at the 4th Prince¡¯s palace on the 2nd Prince.¡± Chapter 126 ¡°That¡¯s a good plan. If there¡¯s a way...¡± Walter muttered with a thoughtful expression. ¡°Can you explain to us exactly how you plan to do it?¡± ¡°No matter how much they investigate, they won¡¯t be able to figure out how the fire started at the 4th Prince¡¯s palace. Because it¡¯s not a fire caused by human power. That¡¯s when the 5th Prince intervenes. He¡¯s built trust by announcing various scientific technologies, right?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to use that.¡± ¡°Yes, we need to fabricate evidence. But with the trust the 5th Prince has built... it shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°Then do it that way.¡± ¡°But, I have concerns.¡± Liv continued with a gloomy face. ¡°The 2nd Prince hasn¡¯t done me any harm yet, is it right to falsely accuse him like this?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Walter laughed as if in disbelief. His gaze towards Liv was like looking at a child. ¡°Right, my sister was originally this kind of person...¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to think this way?¡± ¡°There are many people who don¡¯t think about such things, Liv...¡± It was Hildegard who interjected then. ¡°But I sympathize with sister¡¯s concerns.¡± ¡°Hilda...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been taught that we shouldn¡¯t falsely accuse innocent people, at least that¡¯s what I learned. Especially sister, who has received love from the gods, must have lived with that deeply engraved in her heart.¡± Liv suddenly thought that Hildegard was truly a righteous person. She didn¡¯t seem to think of herself that way because of the crimes she had committed while living in the slums, but in Liv¡¯s view, Hildegard was a good person. ¡°Liv, then how about this.¡± Walter, who had been watching them, made a suggestion. ¡°Let¡¯s call Leopold and ask his opinion on this matter.¡± ¡°What? But he¡¯s on the 2nd Prince¡¯s side, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°But he¡¯s been wavering lately.¡± ¡°Still... he wouldn¡¯t betray someone he¡¯s been supporting overnight.¡± ¡°Liv, why don¡¯t you trust me and just ask for his opinion once?¡± Liv was curious about Walter¡¯s intentions, but she decided to follow his words anyway. And Leopold... [That¡¯s a good idea.] [What?] Liv doubted her ears as she watched Leopold speak as if it was obvious, but surprisingly, she seemed to have heard correctly. [If you stay still, you¡¯ll be done in by the 2nd Prince. It¡¯s wiser to eliminate the 2nd Prince first rather than that.] [But... wasn¡¯t Count Lester on the 2nd Prince¡¯s side?] [I was originally. But now it seems like you¡¯re going to eliminate the 2nd Prince one way or another.] Leopold didn¡¯t know the secret that Liv was Gracia, but he seemed to know well that she had reason to eliminate the 2nd Prince. [In that case, it¡¯s better to side with the 5th Prince now.] [Your judgment is quite quick...] [That¡¯s how it has to be to survive.] He continued speaking in a calm voice. [And knowing the 2nd Prince as I do, he would have tried to kill you someday. It¡¯s natural for you to attack first.] [Do you really think so?] [Yes, I guarantee... if you search the 2nd Prince¡¯s palace, you¡¯ll find a few bottles of poison. Ah, that could be used as evidence that he tried to kill the 4th Prince.] Looking at Liv¡¯s blank face, Hayden said: ¡°Master, you need to steel your heart more. Of course, I understand your position of following the gods¡¯ doctrines, but... you can¡¯t do that if you want to engage in politics.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave the decision to you, Liv.¡± Walter left Liv to contact Dante on her own. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thus, alone in her room, Liv fell into contemplation. ¡®Even if I need to take revenge on August and reclaim my place, is it right to treat human lives so lightly?¡¯ Finally, Liv looked up at the empty air and spoke. ¡°What should I do?¡± Their answer came back quickly. Child, even Feyte Gracia, the first Emperor, eliminated his enemies. But I loved him. Our love for you will not change. I told my followers not to harm people, but that doesn¡¯t mean I will watch your death again. The gods did not deter Liv from eliminating the 2nd Prince at all. Rather, they seemed to be supporting Liv. Liv sat on the bed with her knees gathered, recalling her past. Memories of always living according to the gods¡¯ doctrines... But as she reminisced about the past, there were faces that kept coming to mind. Laga, Count and Countess Hamelsvoort... Liv bit her lip thinking of them. Yes, Liv could no longer align everything with the gods¡¯ will, nor could she live cleanly under someone¡¯s protection. She had to become a strong human who could face the ways of evil humans. Thus, Liv finally made her decision. ¡°Let¡¯s eliminate him.¡± She decided to go against the 2nd Prince. * * * [Thank you. It was a great help.] A few days later, these were the words Dante said when he came to see Liv. [Prince William has always been my great enemy. If you wait just a little longer, I will repay you by becoming Crown Prince soon.] The culprit who set fire to the 4th Prince¡¯s palace was framed as the 2nd Prince, and in the end, he was punished by being confined to his own palace. Since the confinement measure would be implemented for his lifetime, the 2nd Prince was effectively sentenced to life imprisonment. [But how did the fire really start at the 4th Prince¡¯s palace?] As Dante, who didn¡¯t know what the gods did for Liv, asked that, Liv answered with a subtle smile. [God¡¯s power can do more than you might think.] [Wow...!] While Dante marveled, Liv repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fist. Even though the 2nd Prince¡¯s life was completely ruined because of her, Liv wasn¡¯t overwhelmed by guilt. She had thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it, but it was really strange. ¡®Maybe I wasn¡¯t inherently a good person to begin with.¡¯ Liv was ultimately no different from other humans. Come to think of it, if it weren¡¯t for the gods¡¯ love, Liv would have grown up no different from other humans who live with anger, jealousy, and envy. In the end, she too was just an ordinary human. [Then what should we do next?] As Dante asked that, Liv suddenly came back to reality. Yes, Liv had to quickly help Dante become Crown Prince and return to the Holy Hilysid Empire. She had to meet Emmett again. Thinking of Emmett made her feel a bit clearer. Liv answered in a calm tone. [Now the next opponent would be the 1st Prince. It would be nice if we could deal with the 3rd Prince as well. Oh, what happened to the 1st Princess who was on the 2nd Prince¡¯s side?] [She approached me, but I refused because it would be troublesome if power gets dispersed unnecessarily. Then she seemed to be looking for a marriage partner.] [It would be grateful if she stays out of this fight that way. Then I¡¯ll look into the movements of the 1st Prince¡¯s faction for now.] After the conversation with Dante ended, Liv tried to ignore the strange feeling that kept arising. Yes, to ascend to the Emperor¡¯s throne, she too had to get used to this business of eliminating people. When Liv, who had finished bathing, was about to go to bed, she heard someone knocking on her door. ¡°Hayden?¡± Standing in front of the door was Hayden. He was waiting for Liv without wearing pajamas despite it being night. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Master. I just wanted to tell you that I¡¯ll guard this front.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°An assassin might invade again. I¡¯ll guard this front.¡± ¡°Ah... No, rather, if I¡¯m killed, we might achieve our goal faster. Whoever kills me will receive divine punishment, so I don¡¯t need to deal with them myself.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Hayden looked at Liv with serious eyes and said: ¡°Dying hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t remember it anyway.¡± ¡°No, still, I...¡± Hayden continued speaking, looking at Liv as if she were the most precious thing in the world. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die, Master. I don¡¯t want to lose the one I¡¯m protecting ever again.¡± ¡°...¡± As she could understand Hayden¡¯s feelings to some extent, Liv couldn¡¯t stop him. In the end, Liv lay down on the bed while leaving Hayden standing in front of the door. However, sleep wouldn¡¯t come for some reason, and Liv sat up abruptly. ¡®Should I write a letter?¡¯ Probably by the time this letter arrived, Liv would likely have arrived in the Holy Hilysid Empire, but still, writing letters to Emmett was enjoyable. Liv took out stationery and a quill pen from the drawer. [To my dear Emmett, Hello, Emmett. I¡¯m doing well. Actually, by the time you read this letter, I might be by your side, but I thought it would be good for you to know what I was thinking when I was apart from you. The 5th Prince Dante¡¯s biggest enemies are the 1st Prince and 2nd Prince. And today, the 2nd Prince completely lost his power. I won¡¯t explain how it happened. But I have many thoughts about it. Whether I should be doing this... I don¡¯t know, I also feel sorry towards the gods who love me... I just hope that Emmett alone doesn¡¯t hate me. I don¡¯t expect you to love me, but please don¡¯t consider me as too bad a person. Then I¡¯ll see you there soon.] Chapter 127 ¡°Haah...¡± Emmett sighed after reading the letter. He could almost hear Liv¡¯s voice through this letter. He was even going mad as her image seemed to flicker before him. He wanted to run to Liv right now and embrace her. Meanwhile, the part that Emmett found most strange in this letter was... ¡°Why isn¡¯t she coming?¡± It was about time for Liv to arrive. However, she still hadn¡¯t come. Thinking that he should investigate Liv¡¯s whereabouts, Emmett¡¯s expression hardened. The atmosphere in the Empire wasn¡¯t good these days. Rumors were spreading everywhere that ¡®a witch using divine power will appear and burn down the Empire.¡¯ It was clear who these rumors were targeting. The source of the rumors was also obvious. But more problematic than that was... ¡®August.¡¯ He, who had always only whipped the nobles, started offering carrots to the nobles for the first time. He was recruiting nobles by mentioning the existence of ¡®new meritorious families.¡¯ Because of that, quite a few people had left Emmett¡¯s faction. Since they hadn¡¯t explicitly exposed the plans for rebellion to the imperial faction, Emmett wouldn¡¯t be immediately accused as the rebellion¡¯s instigator, but it was still dangerous that public opinion among the nobles was wavering. Liv needed to return with the cooperation of the Merna Empire as soon as possible. Thinking of Liv, Emmett squeezed his eyes shut. * * * The noble from the Holy Hilysid Empire who was said to be helping Dante was gradually increasing her presence in the Merna Empire. So it wasn¡¯t strange that people were wary of this noble. However, no one expected that a member of the imperial family would directly request a meeting with her. [Liv Lartman.] The 1st Prince glared at Liv with eyes full of hostility. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Yes, I hear my younger brother is relying on you quite a lot.] Liv, sitting across from the 1st Prince, remained silent. Although he was a member of this country¡¯s imperial family, he wasn¡¯t someone Liv had to serve. Since Liv would be in a similar position when she returned to her home country, she didn¡¯t need to bow down to the 1st Prince first. [I became curious about what kind of person you are, so I looked into your background.] [I see.] Liv answered in a calm voice while sipping the tea in front of her. [I heard that your family, the Hamelsvoort family, was recently exterminated. I also heard that Walter Hamelsvoort and Hildegard Hamelsvoort fled.] Liv still maintained a calm expression. It took a long time for rumors about a noble family from another country to spread here, and Walter had acted so nonchalantly here that she thought there would be more time... Well, they finally found out. [But Lord Walter Hamelsvoort is in the Merna Empire now. Oh my, what should I do about this?] The 1st Prince said this while trying to create an atmosphere to threaten Liv. However, it wasn¡¯t at all threatening compared to August¡¯s fierce demeanor. Seeing Liv¡¯s unflinching appearance, he seemed to be getting a bit irritated. [What should you do? You should do as you wish.] [Do you know what I want?] [Well, how could I know Your Highness¡¯s inner thoughts?] [Such insolence...] The 1st Prince glared at Liv with a face boiling with anger. [For me, it would be better to hand over the Hamelsvoort children to the Holy Hilysid Empire.] [Why? You have no reason to do so.] At Liv¡¯s nonchalant voice, the 1st Prince¡¯s face became a bit flustered. [The Holy Hilysid Empire can¡¯t influence the Merna Empire at all. If it were the other way around, maybe. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for Your Highness to keep this secret and continue threatening us?] [This...!] Liv continued speaking in fluent Garcian. As the gods had guaranteed, she had a talent for easily mastering human languages. [No matter how high-ranking a Duchess you were in your home country, since your family has been exterminated, your position will soon become precarious. What makes you act so insolently towards me?] [Yes, as Your Highness says, I have nothing. But...] For a moment, Liv¡¯s eyes flashed as she looked at the 1st Prince. [Aren¡¯t you curious? How the 4th Prince died, and why the 2nd Prince became the culprit?] [It can¡¯t be...!] The 1st Prince¡¯s face became agitated as he stood up with a scraping sound. [I thought at best the 2nd Prince had done it to cut off his limbs, but are you saying it was a false accusation!] [Well...] Liv still had a calm face while holding her teacup. [I¡¯ll stop here. Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.] As she stood up, Liv confirmed the 1st Prince¡¯s agitated face. He was clearly wary and afraid of Liv. Yes, if things go like this, probably... * * * Today was the day Liv was meeting the 1st Prince. The 1st Prince had requested a private meeting with Liv. He seemed to have sought out Liv, who was known to meet often with Dante recently, wary of the 5th Prince¡¯s growth. Liv rose from her bed with a calm face, roughly guessing the 1st Prince¡¯s intentions. But somehow her body felt stiff, so she frowned and lifted the blanket. However, there were no traces of blood or anything like that. ¡®Then...¡¯ In this case, there was only one thing to guess. Liv looked up at the empty air with a faint smile. ¡°Did I die again?¡± It was very painful, my child. ¡°Did the 1st Prince kill me?¡± As always, the gods didn¡¯t answer specific questions. But it was obvious who had killed Liv. Originally, Liv¡¯s plan for today was to ¡®provoke the 1st Prince and make him kill her.¡¯ ¡°Is he receiving divine punishment now?¡± Yes, he¡¯s being torn apart alive by wild dogs. We will tear him to pieces. My child, we can do anything for you. Yes, everything went according to Liv¡¯s plan. Liv opened the door while wearing her outer clothes. Just then, she saw Hayden approaching her room. ¡°Master...!¡± ¡°Hayden, is it news about the 1st Prince?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Hayden answered in a polite tone. ¡°They say some wild dogs appeared in the 1st Prince¡¯s palace and killed him. It¡¯s a situation that¡¯s completely unimaginable in the Empire, so they¡¯re investigating how the wild dogs got in.¡± ¡°I see, so that¡¯s what happened...¡± As expected, the culprit who killed Liv was indeed the 1st Prince. It seemed that the future Liv had succeeded in provoking the 1st Prince according to plan. Liv hurriedly contacted Dante. It was to tell him to use the information she had provided in advance to frame the 3rd Prince as the culprit. Liv knew in advance that if her future self successfully carried out the plan, the 1st Prince would meet with disaster this morning. Thus, she had even made arrangements for the 3rd Prince to visit the 1st Prince¡¯s palace at the right time. So that the 3rd Prince could become the culprit. ¡°Now I can go back.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be able to go to the Holy Hilysid Empire soon.¡± Saying this, Liv recalled the face of her beloved. Although she wasn¡¯t sure if Emmett would be waiting for Liv, at least Liv was missing him. It was time for her to return to the embrace of the one she loved. * * * [5th Prince Dante, step forward and receive the sword.] Receiving the sword from the Emperor was the most important part of the ceremony that the Crown Prince of the Merna Empire undergoes at the coronation. Only three members of the imperial family participated in the Crown Prince¡¯s coronation. The 1st Prince and 4th Prince had lost their lives, and the 2nd Prince and 3rd Prince were punished and confined to their palaces. The 1st Princess had left after marrying into the Kingdom of Reboer. Thus, only the 2nd Princess and 3rd Princess, who hadn¡¯t taken sides with anyone, and the 5th Prince Dante, the protagonist of the Crown Prince¡¯s coronation, were standing in their places. [My goodness, it ended up like this after all.] [Who would have expected the 5th Prince to become Crown Prince?] [By the way, what exactly happened to the 1st Prince and 4th Prince? There was no evidence at all that the 5th Prince assassinated them!] While the nobles were whispering in low voices, the Crown Prince¡¯s coronation continued. Since the Emperor¡¯s illness had worsened and he couldn¡¯t participate in the coronation, the Prime Minister handed over the sword instead. [5th Prince Dante, do you swear to fulfill your duties?] [Yes, I swear.] [Do you swear to always put the great Merna Empire first?] [Yes, I swear.] [Do you swear to devote yourself to your people?] [Yes, I swear.] After the three questions and answers were all finished, the bell rang. It was the sound announcing the birth of a new Crown Prince. Liv stood with a blank expression watching this scene. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had finally made Dante the Crown Prince. ¡®I could do it...¡¯ Yes, when she didn¡¯t run away, there were so many things she could do. As Liv was lost in thought looking at Dante¡¯s back, she heard a voice speaking to her from beside her. ¡°Why are the princes here so foolish?¡± ¡°What?¡± Liv turned her head to look into Walter¡¯s purple eyes. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it funny? After the 2nd Prince, even the 1st Prince tried to kill you. Who would have known they would self-destruct like that.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to see it as complete self-destruction.¡± Liv started explaining in a calm voice. ¡°I induced the 1st Prince.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Chapter 128 ¡°I induced the 1st Prince to kill me. I provoked him to feel threatened by my existence. While emphasizing that I had no backing.¡± At that moment, Walter¡¯s eyes widened. Hildegard, standing next to him, also covered her mouth in surprise. ¡°Sister...¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°How could you do that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t understand anything...¡± As Liv tilted her head at Hildegard¡¯s puzzling words, Walter grabbed Liv¡¯s wrist firmly. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t use your life recklessly.¡± Ah, so that¡¯s what it was. Well, Emmett didn¡¯t like Liv using her life either. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I won¡¯t die anyway.¡± ¡°But...!¡± Suddenly Walter¡¯s voice rose. His hand gripping Liv also tightened. As Liv frowned reflexively, Hayden intervened with a growl. ¡°Take your hands off my master.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my sister before that.¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s been my master since I was born.¡± ¡°Really...!¡± Walter had an annoyed face, but soon he turned his head as if he didn¡¯t want to deal with Hayden and looked only at Liv. ¡°Liv, I wish you would cherish yourself more.¡± ¡°Why?¡± When Liv asked blinking her eyes, Walter sighed and then continued. ¡°Do you answer like this when Duke Lartman worries about you too?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°...Duke Lartman must be so frustrated. Liv, can¡¯t you please listen to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to understand...¡± ¡°My sister, I still dislike you, but even so, I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt. Even if your time rewinds, the fact that you felt pain while dying at some point doesn¡¯t change.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t remember it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you in pain in any timeline...!¡± At these words she still couldn¡¯t understand, Liv just gaped blankly. Why on earth worry about Liv in other timelines? However, Walter continued in a firm voice as if he wouldn¡¯t accept Liv¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Liv, remember my words even if you don¡¯t understand. Don¡¯t use your life as a means. It¡¯s not something that can be treated so lightly.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± As Walter said that, Hildegard interjected from the side. ¡°That¡¯s right, sister. I was really surprised too. I¡¯m scared... that something might happen to you.¡± Hearing Hildegard¡¯s words, Liv began to doubt whether her actions were wrong. Even Hayden chimed in now. ¡°I respect our master¡¯s opinion, but I wish she would value her own life more if possible.¡± ¡°I understand...¡± However, still unable to understand their thoughts, Liv could only nod. But one thing was certain, that they were worried about her. Somehow, many people who worried about Liv had appeared around her. That wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. ¡°Liv, are you planning to return to the Holy Hilysid Empire now?¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose so.¡± Liv answered while glancing towards where Dante was standing. Seeing the nobles surrounding him, it seemed impossible to meet him for a while. If Liv requested, he would gladly make time, but Liv wasn¡¯t in such a hurry to meet Dante. Liv trusted Dante. More precisely, she knew how great she appeared in his eyes. Dante wasn¡¯t someone who would forget Liv¡¯s favor. Even if Liv disappeared without a word, he would certainly keep his promise to her. Thus, Liv was planning to leave the Merna Empire immediately the next day. Until news of the Emperor¡¯s death was heard. * * * [My goodness, I¡¯m so glad I listened to you, Walter.] Leopold, dressed in a black suit, smiled brightly at Walter. [Thanks to you, I¡¯ve managed to get in with the new Emperor.] Leopold had newly aligned himself with Dante after the 2nd Prince was eliminated by Liv. So the ¡®new Emperor¡¯ he was referring to was none other than Dante M¨¹nster. Even while attending the late Emperor¡¯s funeral, Leopold had a grinning face. After all, the prince he supported had risen to the highest position. As it wasn¡¯t a position where he could participate in the funeral, Walter didn¡¯t accompany Leopold. Instead, he was seeing Leopold off at the entrance with a sour face. [Indeed, I never thought the next imperial succession would be decided so easily...] [The Emperor was so ill that it wouldn¡¯t have been strange for him to pass away at any time. It¡¯s truly miraculous that the Crown Prince was appointed the day before.] ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± While agreeing, Walter had a somewhat strange expression. Liv made eye contact with him and soon nodded, indicating they were thinking the same thing. As soon as Leopold left, Walter immediately approached Liv and asked, looking at her: ¡°Liv, what do you think?¡± ¡°...I think it¡¯s strange too.¡± No matter how long the Emperor had been ill, it was too conveniently timed that he died the very next day after the Crown Prince was decided. Yes, this was just like... Having finished her thought, Liv clenched her fist and said: ¡°I think I need to meet Dante M¨¹nster.¡± * * * Dante received Liv in a magnificent reception room. It was so huge that it made one forget about the old 5th Prince¡¯s palace. [Lady Liv, you¡¯ve come?] As soon as Liv set foot in the reception room, Dante stood up abruptly and welcomed Liv warmly. It was such a humble appearance that it was hard to believe he was the Emperor of a country. But Liv maintained a cold face in front of Dante. [Thank you for making time, you must have been busy.] [How could I not make time for you, Lady Liv! Why didn¡¯t you come yesterday? I thought you would visit me.] [Just... I thought it would be better not to disturb you yesterday.] [You¡¯re not a disturbance at all!] As Liv sat on the sofa, Dante sat opposite her, watching her expression. [Lady Liv, did I do something wrong?] [Well, that¡¯s what I want to ask.] Liv opened her mouth in a confident tone. [So why did you kill His Majesty the Emperor?] [...] Dante was silent. And then... [I¡¯m sorry. Did it cause you any harm?] Hearing those words, Liv inwardly sighed. It had been a guess, but her prediction was not wrong. The one who killed the Emperor was Dante M¨¹nster. * * * ¡°Your Majesty, I have a report. A new Emperor has ascended to the throne in the Merna Empire. The one who became Emperor is the 5th Prince Dante M¨¹nster. There were rumors that he was a child born of the Empress¡¯s adultery, so he lived shunned by everyone in the imperial palace.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that news too. A letter announcing his ascension has arrived here as well.¡± ¡°And there is more news to report. According to rumors, there was a woman who frequented the imperial palace as Dante M¨¹nster¡¯s advisor. Her name wasn¡¯t known, but she was said to be a woman with white hair.¡± ¡°...Haha.¡± August laughed as if deranged, sprawled on the throne. ¡°Hahaha!¡± At that laughter, Marquis Schmidt quickly looked at his expression. Judging by his face, he was clearly on the verge of going mad with anger. ¡°Yes! So now that thing is trying to manipulate even the Emperor of another country!¡± Crash! The sound of porcelain breaking was heard next to the throne. Marquis Schmidt genuinely wondered which stupid servant had left porcelain near the throne. ¡°Yes, if that thing dares to try to take what¡¯s mine, I should make sure it has no place to set foot on this land!¡± August stood up abruptly with an enraged face. An overwhelming pressure suddenly emanated. ¡°Marquis Schmidt, what about the evidence of Duke Lartman¡¯s rebellion?¡± ¡°Well... We persuaded many nobles who were on his side, but the Duke seems to have been meticulous and left no evidence of plotting rebellion. All promises were made only verbally. But since the nobles on his side have almost disintegrated, rebellion should be impossible...¡± ¡°You fool!¡± This time, a piece of porcelain flew towards Marquis Schmidt with a loud noise. The Marquis, who nearly got hit by the shards flying in all directions, cursed the stupid servant in his mind once again. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If Duke Lartman and Marquis Arendt join forces, it won¡¯t be an easy fight at all!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t you have me? If we combine our forces, we have more troops.¡± The Schmidt Marquisate was originally in charge of expanding territory, so they had the largest number of troops among the Five Noble Houses. However, August glared at Marquis Schmidt with sharp eyes after hearing his words. ¡°What can I trust about you?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please believe me!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t leave Duke Lartman like this. It would be better to deal with him by attaching a suitable crime.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, but it¡¯s impossible to deal with a former member of the Five Noble Houses with just any crime.¡± ¡°What about the crime of assassinating a member of the imperial family?¡± At that moment, Marquis Schmidt closed his mouth. Soon realizing the meaning of his words, Marquis Schmidt¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Your Majesty, surely not...¡± ¡°Yes, if we frame him for assassinating a member of the imperial family, we can completely eliminate Duke Lartman.¡± August started laughing with a deranged face. ¡°My daughter, how fortunate that you can be of help even in this way...¡± Chapter 129 Dante admitted that he was the one who assassinated the late Emperor. Liv then looked at Dante with a coldly hardened face. [He was your father.] [Yes.] [And you killed him?] [Yes. Is that a problem?] At those words, Liv¡¯s face became even more bewildered. The duty between parent and child was something Liv had heard about endlessly from the gods, and above all, it was said to be something that every human being observes. [How could you kill your own father?] [But Lady Liv...] Dante began speaking in a pleading voice. [There aren¡¯t only parents who devote themselves to their children in this world. Sometimes there are parents who are better off not existing for their children. I¡¯m planning to deal with the late Empress soon too.] [There are times when it¡¯s better not to exist?] [Yes, there really are such parents...] Liv didn¡¯t understand his words, but having learned that it¡¯s better not to add to things she doesn¡¯t understand, she kept her mouth shut. [Dante, even so, can killing the Emperor who was powerless in his sickbed be justified?] [But... you dealt with people for my sake too, Lady Liv!] [They were enemies I had to fight.] [My father was also an enemy to me.] Unable to refute any further, Liv felt somewhat empty. In fact, thinking about it, Dante¡¯s words weren¡¯t entirely wrong. Perhaps Liv had been too caught up in the idea of a ¡®normal life.¡¯ Not everyone¡¯s parents can be precious to them. Now Liv could understand Dante¡¯s decision in her own way. Liv recalled what Walter had said about Dante. The absolute and overwhelming monarch of the Merna Empire... It seemed he would gradually change from now on. Well, that wasn¡¯t something Liv needed to worry about. [...I¡¯m returning to the Holy Hilysid Empire in a few days. Will you keep your promise to support me?] The moment Liv said that, Dante¡¯s eyes changed. He stood up from his seat and knelt before Liv. Then he began speaking in a serious tone. [I, Dante Louis M¨¹nster, Emperor of the Great Merna Empire, swear before Liv Gracia of the Holy Hilysid Empire.] He raised his head and made eye contact with Liv. [I will mobilize all the soldiers of the Great Merna Empire to prevent August Steinberg from trying to harm Liv Gracia. I will declare my support for Liv Gracia, and even if national conflicts arise in this process, I will use all means to help Liv Gracia.] Dante, reciting exactly what Liv had requested, seemed to speak sincerely while wearing the necklace symbolizing the Supreme God. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, what followed from Dante was something Liv never expected. [And I, Dante M¨¹nster, have something I want to ask Liv Gracia.] [What is it?] [Would you consider marrying me?] [...Cough, cough!] Surprised by those words, Liv ended up coughing violently as she choked. Liv was taken aback and lost for words, but soon regained her composure and answered in a calm voice. [I¡¯m sorry, that would be difficult.] [I see, as expected.] Dante nodded, speaking in a plain voice. [Then I¡¯ll respect your wishes.] [No, before that, why on earth...] [Just, it¡¯s presumptuous, but I was convinced that if I married you, I could nurture this country well. And I¡¯ve become someone who can give everything to you, Lady Liv.] Dante whispered as if trying to persuade Liv. [If you marry me, you¡¯ll become the Empress of the Great Merna Empire, the most powerful country in the world. There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t have. Even emperors of other countries would have to bow their heads before you. If you still want to be an Emperor, I can give you a country to rule in your name.] [...You know. I have to carry on the Gracia name. That¡¯s my duty.] [Of course, if that¡¯s what you think, I¡¯ll respect that too.] Dante stared at Liv with somewhat wistful eyes. [But if my proposal appeals to you, please tell me anytime. I¡¯ll be waiting.] [That won¡¯t happen. Although it might seem small compared to the Merna Empire, the imperial throne of the Holy Hilysid Empire is the greatest and most valuable position to me.] Understanding her words, Dante quietly nodded. Liv continued in a calm tone. [I¡¯ll be leaving here tomorrow. I hope you become a great Emperor.] [I won¡¯t forget the favor I¡¯ve received from you, Lady Liv, and the debt I have to repay.] With this, the Great Merna Empire, the most powerful country in the world, had become Liv¡¯s ally. Now, even if Liv returns to the Holy Hilysid Empire and becomes Emperor, no country will oppose her. August no longer has any foreign power he can rely on. Yes, Liv has now met all the conditions she needed to reclaim her position as Emperor. * * * ¡°Louisa.¡± Louisa looked at the chair in front of her with trembling pupils. A lonely chair, a sturdy rope tied to the ceiling, large enough for a person¡¯s neck to fit... And her father was looking at her with cold eyes. It was a face without a trace of affection that should be directed towards a daughter. ¡°Fa-Father...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided on a new successor.¡± Those words sounded like a death sentence to Louisa. Someone to replace Louisa had appeared. Now her value has completely disappeared. Even while hearing her father¡¯s voice, Louisa didn¡¯t feel shocked. It was just that what she had been anxious about for a long time had become reality. ¡°There¡¯s a fourteen-year-old orphaned boy in a collateral branch. Isn¡¯t he just right to be the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Louisa, Liv Gracia has gained the support of the Merna Empire.¡± At those words, even Louisa raised her head in surprise. Her father had originally planned to borrow the power of the Aila-Hora Kingdom to quietly deal with the noble factions within the Empire. However, now that the Great Merna Empire has intervened in this matter, no one else will try to meddle in the affairs of the Holy Hilysid Empire. ¡°In this situation, what do you think I should do? How can I make the new nobles for my faction and cut off the existing noble factions including Duke Lartman...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°One, eliminate them with evidence that they were preparing for rebellion, and make the new noble families meritorious for eliminating them.¡± Louisa looked at the dangling rope in front of her. Then the meaning of this rope is... ¡°Two, use ancient magic to prevent Liv Gracia from returning to the Holy Hilysid Empire.¡± ¡°By ancient magic, you mean...¡± Maybe then there might be a chance to keep her alive? Louisa pinned her hopes on that, but what came from her father was a despairing statement. ¡°There¡¯s a relic we couldn¡¯t use.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Among the relics left by ancient sorcerers, there was one they dared not handle because it required enormous power. A great sacrifice was needed to activate it. ¡°Louisa, you need to activate it.¡± At those words, Louisa finally squeezed her eyes shut. To activate that meant... ¡°You¡¯re telling me to take my own life.¡± Blood shed by a noble person taking their own life. After all, Louisa had blood flowing through her that was considered noble as part of the Steinberg family, and if she took her own life... Louisa didn¡¯t think of pleading with her father. She knew he wasn¡¯t someone who would spare her life even if she did. ¡°Louisa, you know what will happen if you don¡¯t kill yourself.¡± Her father would probably torture Louisa horribly. Until she¡¯d rather take her own life. The best choice for Louisa was to end her life right here. Louisa knew how cruelly her father could torment people. Finally, Louisa climbed onto the chair with trembling body. The rope dangling from the ceiling was now at her eye level. ¡°Ah...¡± When it came to actually taking her own life, fear washed over her. However, what was more terrifying to her was the presence of her father waiting across from her. Hot tears rolled down Louisa¡¯s cheeks before she knew it. Facing death, resentment began to smolder in a corner of her heart. That resentment shifted not to the one who had always been strong in Louisa¡¯s eyes, but to the one who seemed weaker than herself. Liv Gracia, that is. ¡°Gracia...!¡± Yes, this is all Gracia¡¯s fault. If it weren¡¯t for her, Louisa would have continued to maintain power and would have become Emperor. But Liv Gracia was interfering with Louisa¡¯s affairs at every turn. Ah, when she realized her identity, instead of daring to think of joining hands with her, she should have immediately captured her and dragged her to the imperial palace. With a tear-stained face, as she put her neck into the rope, Louisa thought of Liv until the very end. Liv Gracia, I¡¯ll properly interfere with you. It¡¯s unfair to die alone. I should at least take you with me, shouldn¡¯t I? Chapter 130 Outside the carriage, a huge ship heading towards the Holy Hilysid Empire could be seen in the distance. Unlike when they secretly entered the Merna Empire, now Liv and her group didn¡¯t need to move while hiding themselves. So they decided to take a ship that many merchants use officially. ¡°Haah, I miss the Holy Hilysid Empire so much...¡± Hildegard began speaking with a face flushed red from the sun¡¯s heat. ¡°The food here was really terrible.¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Of course, even when I return home, I¡¯ll still be a fugitive...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hilda. I¡¯ll definitely make you free.¡± As they continued their light-hearted chatter, Hayden, who had been wearing a serious expression for a while, opened his mouth. ¡°Hmm, but Master, what should we do about this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It seems we¡¯ve been tailed...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Someone has been tracking our carriage for a while now.¡± At those words, Liv¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Could it be remnants of the 1st Prince or 2nd Prince?¡± ¡°Well, I think rather than that...¡± ¡°It must be the other side.¡± At this moment, they were all thinking of the same person. August, could he have sent people even to the Merna Empire? ¡°The goal is probably to prevent us from returning.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll want to finish everything before we arrive in the Holy Hilysid Empire. What should we do?¡± Hayden¡¯s eyes sharpened as if ready to follow Liv¡¯s orders immediately. Liv¡¯s mind raced quickly. To break off the pursuit, perhaps... No, that method was too dangerous. ¡°Hayden, let¡¯s try to shake off the pursuit for now.¡± ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll drive the carriage myself.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do, right?¡± Hayden said that in a very confident voice, then moved to the driver¡¯s seat. And soon the carriage began to move incredibly fast. Neigh! The sound of horses neighing loudly was heard from outside the carriage. The carriage kept swerving sharply to the right and left. It also narrowly avoided colliding with trees. ¡°Oh...¡± Liv muttered with a pale face while tightly gripping the carriage. ¡°Hilda, I didn¡¯t know a carriage could go this fast.¡± ¡°Me neither...¡± Hildegard also had a face that looked like she might throw up at any moment. Meanwhile, Walter had been wearing a serious expression all this time. He briefly checked outside the carriage and shook his head. ¡°It seems impossible to shake them off.¡± ¡°Should we switch to horses? I think we could shake them off faster on horseback.¡± ¡°No, it would still be hard to break off the pursuit. They¡¯re each on their own horses, and they¡¯re probably skilled at this kind of thing.¡± ¡°Then how...¡± ¡°Liv, you already know the method, don¡¯t you?¡± Walter¡¯s and Liv¡¯s eyes met in mid-air. He voiced the plan that Liv had been trying hard to forget. ¡°We need to split up.¡± ¡°But that method is dangerous.¡± It seemed Walter intended to send Liv away and draw the pursuers¡¯ attention with Hildegard. But that could make those who become targets even more endangered. Especially Walter and Hildegard were still being chased by the Emperor. ¡°No, sister. It¡¯s alright.¡± At that moment, Hildegard took Liv¡¯s hand with a determined face. ¡°I¡¯ll draw their attention with Brother Walter. You escape with Hayden.¡± ¡°Hilda, you could be in danger...!¡± ¡°Danger has always lurked outside for the Hamelsvoort family. I¡¯m prepared for everything. And...¡± Hildegard looked at Liv with firm eyes. ¡°Protecting you is my duty as a Saintess.¡± Hildegard put on a white wig she had brought just in case. It was to disguise herself as Liv. ¡°Anyway, the person those people are chasing is you, Sister Liv. While I draw their attention, you escape with Hayden.¡± ¡°Hilda...¡± Although she wanted to protest that she didn¡¯t want to put Hildegard and Walter in danger, Liv rationally knew this was the right decision. She had to survive to finish her revenge and save everyone. Hayden, who had returned to the carriage after admitting they couldn¡¯t shake off the pursuers, saw Hildegard wearing the white wig and had an understanding expression. ¡°Right, that¡¯s a good choice. I only care about my master¡¯s safety anyway.¡± ¡°Hayden!¡± Liv called his name in a reproachful voice, but Hayden shrugged with an unconcerned face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get you to the Holy Hilysid Empire even if I have to sacrifice my life.¡± Liv couldn¡¯t press him further, given that he had even suffered divine punishment because of her and was now being so helpful. Meanwhile, Hildegard handed Liv a golden wig, and Liv took it with trembling hands and put it on. Now people who saw Liv and Hildegard from afar wouldn¡¯t be able to distinguish who was who. It was a classic method, but it was also effective for that reason. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll guide the way from here.¡± As the carriage was about to arrive at the port, Hayden said. ¡°First, when we get out of the carriage, we¡¯ll all run quickly as if trying to avoid pursuit. Then we¡¯ll disappear into the port. There, Lord Walter will follow Hildegard, and Master will follow me.¡± ¡°Do you know the geography of the port well?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been there before when I was wandering around in the past.¡± ¡°I know the geography of the port well too. It¡¯s like a maze, strangers can¡¯t easily find their way.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll shake them off there. We¡¯ll move through more complex paths, so Lord Walter and Miss Hildegard can pretend to hide on the opposite side while drawing attention.¡± Liv¡¯s heart began to beat rapidly. The answer to what lay ahead depended on the success of this operation. Whether she could reunite with Emmett, and safely become Emperor. There was a steep cliff below the tightrope she was walking on, and mistakes were not tolerated at all. ¡°Then get ready...¡± As soon as the carriage stopped, Hayden grabbed Liv¡¯s hand and ran quickly. Liv was led by him, running with large strides despite wearing uncomfortable shoes. ¡°Huff, haa...¡± Hayden moved freely within the complex port. Turning corners, and turning again... After running like that for a while, when Liv couldn¡¯t run any further and stopped in place, Hayden quickly turned his back to her. ¡°Get on!¡± Liv didn¡¯t refuse and got on his back. She knew well that being stubborn would only cause trouble. Hayden continued to run at a speed that hadn¡¯t slowed down at all despite carrying Liv. And a moment later, Liv found herself inside a ship. ¡°Phew... For now, there¡¯s no one pursuing us, but I don¡¯t know what happened to Lord Walter and Miss Hildegard.¡± If they were caught by the pursuers, there was a high possibility that the pursuers would take Walter and Hildegard instead of Liv. Although they acted as decoys for Liv, the two were also fugitives themselves. ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go check.¡± After taking Liv to the pre-booked cabin, Hayden left the room again. The time waiting for Hayden felt like an eternity to Liv. And then... ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Hayden, what about Hilda and Brother Walter? Did you see them?¡± At those words, Hayden shook his head with a hardened expression. Realizing the meaning, Liv lowered her head. They hadn¡¯t been able to board this ship. They had probably been caught by the pursuers. ¡°...Master, when the pursuers find out their identities, they might release them soon. And then they¡¯ll try to chase us. So don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°But how can I not worry when I know they¡¯ll die if they¡¯re taken to the Holy Hilysid Empire.¡± ¡°This is the Merna Empire. No matter who was sent from the Holy Hilysid Empire, they can¡¯t just come to the Merna Empire and take someone away. And that kid who just became Emperor will help too.¡± At those words, Liv finally felt her mind calming down. Yes, Walter and Hildegard would be safe. It was inefficient to just worry about things she couldn¡¯t confirm with her own eyes. Instead, Liv decided to focus on safely returning to the Holy Hilysid Empire. ¡°Emmett said he¡¯d send people to the port. So he could find me whenever I return...¡± ¡°Yes, Master just needs to return safely to the capital.¡± ¡°On the way to the capital, I¡¯ll use divine power. So everyone will know that a descendant of Gracia has appeared in the Empire again.¡± When rumors spread that Gracia has returned, August¡¯s supporting forces will crumble and he¡¯ll have no choice but to flee from Liv. Just as August had done, Liv intended to chase him to the end. And when she returns... ¡®Emmett...¡¯ Her beloved Emmett was waiting for her. Time spent without Emmett could never be enjoyable for Liv. While staying in the Merna Empire, Liv felt as if there was a hole in one corner of her heart. She can meet Emmett when she returns to the Holy Hilysid Empire. The fact that he who wouldn¡¯t even look at her in the past is now waiting for her as her husband felt purely joyful. Although Emmett says he doesn¡¯t love her, he still feels guilty towards Liv, so he tries to protect and help her. It¡¯s a pity for Emmett, but that alone was enough to satisfy Liv. Chapter 131 How long had it been since they departed? While Liv was spending time thinking about Emmett, the ship shook violently. ¡°Ah!¡± Startled, Liv hurriedly grabbed the bed. She almost hit her body against the wall. After quickly regaining her balance on the bed, Liv looked at Hayden standing calmly on the floor. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing. Well, that¡¯s how the sea is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s even scarier...¡± For Liv, the sea was an object of fear. It was a complete domain of the gods, a space where everything beyond human common sense could happen. A dark and deep water that she dared not understand. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry... Hmm.¡± However, as the ship continued to shake, Hayden had to close his mouth. The luggage placed on one side of the floor spilled over to the opposite tilted floor. ¡°I¡¯ll go check and come back.¡± Hayden said that and left the room. After Hayden disappeared, the ship began to rock even more violently. It was clear that something was happening to this ship. Now even the voices of people screaming could be heard from outside the room. Liv anxiously gripped the bed. ¡®No, it¡¯ll be okay. I can meet Emmett...¡¯ At that moment, Hayden, with a rarely flustered face, opened the door. ¡°Master, you should come out and see this.¡± ¡°What?¡± Liv followed his guidance to the ship¡¯s deck. On the way to the deck, Liv could see people running around in confusion. And the scene Liv encountered on the deck was... ¡°Ah!¡± The sea was raging violently. Huge waves came rushing as if to swallow the ship. A massive whirlpool in the middle of the sea was sucking in the ship. Rain was pouring down from the darkened sky, and lightning was striking. Crash! ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Every time lightning struck, people screamed as if sensing the future of the ship sinking. Seeing this, Liv¡¯s face also turned pale. ¡°What is this...¡± No matter how changeable the weather at sea might be, the scene before her eyes was by no means natural. For such things beyond common sense to be possible... ¡°Did the gods do this?¡± Soon, their answer came. Child, we didn¡¯t do anything. The most powerful ancient magic has been activated. Based on human resentment. ¡°Did August use magic?¡± Wrong. It was his daughter who used the magic. His daughter took her own life. As a result, my magic was activated. I¡¯m sorry for you, child. ¡°She took her own life...?¡± Although she didn¡¯t know what had happened, it seemed Louisa had taken her own life. As a result, this powerful magic had been activated, doing everything in its power to prevent Liv from returning to the Holy Hilysid Empire. When Liv¡¯s face became flustered after hearing the gods¡¯ words, Hayden grabbed Liv as she swayed on the deck and asked. ¡°Master, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...The gods say Princess Louisa took her own life.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As a result, the most powerful ancient magic was activated...¡± ¡°It seems August must have forced her to commit suicide...¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Liv, leaning on Hayden, looked at the bubbling sea with a pale face. The sea now looked as if it could easily destroy a single ship. It was a miracle that the ship she was on was still holding up. No, in fact, it couldn¡¯t be said to be holding up completely. The ship had already started to tilt heavily to one side. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± Screams could be heard from all directions. It was as if hell had arrived. On the ship full of nothing but despair, Liv squeezed her eyes shut. * * * ¡°Caught you!¡± As a strong hand grabbed her arm, Hildegard fell to the ground. Walter, who had been running ahead, turned to look at Hildegard and ran towards her. Two men chasing them drew their swords and put them to Hildegard¡¯s neck. ¡°Don¡¯t move if you don¡¯t want to die!¡± It was over. They had finally been caught. However, the pursuers would soon realize that what they had caught was not Liv. Also, as soon as Hildegard and Walter were discovered to be the heirs of the Hamelsvoort family, they would be dragged to the Holy Hilysid Empire. And eventually, they would... ¡®No.¡¯ Hildegard shook her head while holding back tears. They had to survive, if only for the sake of the Hamelsvoort couple who had gone before them. Hildegard raised her head with a dignified face. And trying not to let her voice tremble, she opened her mouth. ¡°Didn¡¯t the person who sent you say not to kill me?¡± As if that were true, the pupils of those holding swords to Hildegard¡¯s neck shook. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me anyway. Because that was an absolute order.¡± ¡°How dare you...!¡± They snorted with angry faces, but they still couldn¡¯t kill Hildegard right away. The Emperor knew that Liv couldn¡¯t die anyway, so he must have ordered not to kill her, if only to avoid incurring the wrath of the gods. Seeming to have grasped the situation, Walter approached Hildegard and helped her up. Yet they couldn¡¯t do anything. Soon, one of their swords moved to Walter. ¡°Walter Hamelsvoort. There was no order not to kill you.¡± ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t seem like a wise idea. You¡¯ll have to execute me in front of all the imperial citizens for the crime of preparing rebellion.¡± ¡°Even if we just bring your head, our master won¡¯t blame us!¡± Because those words were true, Hildegard couldn¡¯t resist anymore. If she provoked them further, Walter might die. The sword dug into Walter¡¯s neck, making a wound. Despite the red mark from which blood flowed, Walter remained calm and unperturbed. ¡°Hey, put the handcuffs on.¡± ¡°Yeah, we should.¡± As one of them approached Hildegard, he frowned upon seeing her eye color. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°What? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Her eyes are blue?¡± ¡°What?¡± At those words, the other man¡¯s face contorted, and he pulled Hildegard¡¯s hair. Soon the white wig came off, revealing dazzling blonde hair. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s Hildegard Hamelsvoort!¡± ¡°What? Then...¡± ¡°That woman escaped!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± They spat out curses, then glared at Hildegard and Walter with fierce eyes. They looked as if they would raise their swords and cut off their heads at any moment. ¡®So this is how it ends.¡¯ Sensing her own death, Hildegard closed her eyes. Yes, it wasn¡¯t bad to lose one¡¯s life honorably. For a life lived without firm principles, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to sacrifice one¡¯s life for something she wanted to protect. Liv would probably remember her death for a long time. But at that moment... Rumble, crash! ¡°Wh-What¡¯s that?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the sea. The sea was churning. Huge waves rushed dizzily towards the port, and suddenly a storm began to pour down. Terrified people got off the ships and moved to tie them securely to the port. While Hildegard and Walter were dumbfounded by the sight they had never seen before, the pursuers calmly exchanged words. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s what His Majesty mentioned. With this, that woman will surely die.¡± Hearing that conversation, Hildegard realized. The Emperor had pulled some kind of trick. Ah, Hildegard¡¯s world crumbled once again. At this rate, Liv would be caught. She herself would also be captured by the soldiers and die, and nothing would change. In the midst of despair crushing her entire body, just as Hildegard was about to give up everything and submit to fate... ¡°Grab on!¡± Someone extended their hand in front of her eyes. When Hildegard reflexively grabbed it, her body soon floated in the air. When she came to her senses, Hildegard was riding on a horse. ¡°Who...¡± When Hildegard said that to the man who had pulled her up, he answered while spurring the horse. ¡°He sent us to help Lady Gracia!¡± Hildegard noticed that ¡®he¡¯ meant Dante. Looking to the side, she saw that Walter was also escaping on a horse with another man. Behind them, the pursuers hurriedly mounted horses and began to chase them, but the gap between them was already widening. ¡°Phew...¡± At the thought that she could still live, Hildegard could finally breathe. Hoping that these people would shake off the pursuers and save them, Hildegard thought of Liv. Could Liv¡¯s ship really be safe in such a situation? ¡®Sister Liv...¡¯ Somehow, she had an ominous feeling. Chapter 132 The ship¡¯s tilt had become even more severe, making it difficult for passengers to stand upright. Objects on the deck began falling into the sea. Some people came out of their rooms and were horrified at the sight on the deck, while others went into their rooms thinking it would be safer inside. Some people resigned themselves to their approaching death and offered their final prayers. Although no one knew exactly what was happening, there was one thing everyone on this ship was certain of. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This ship will sink. ¡°Aaaah! Save me!¡± People screamed as they sensed their impending death. Amidst this, Liv could only look around with blank eyes while being supported by Hayden. ¡°Hayden, what should we...¡± ¡°Master, is there anything you can do?¡± Ancient magic is another form of divine power. Liv couldn¡¯t intervene in this matter. She couldn¡¯t calm these waves, but if she used divine power, she might be able to protect the ship to some extent. To Liv¡¯s eyes, the sea looked terribly frightening. She tried to concentrate her mind to use her power while deliberately averting her gaze from that sight, but... ¡°It will be difficult.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I have too little divine power left. I haven¡¯t received any divine power since coming to the Merna Empire...¡± The divine power was already running low. It seemed difficult to protect the entire ship with that power. Hayden was silent for a moment, then spoke with a determined expression. ¡°You can survive, right, Master?¡± ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s enough.¡± Hayden nodded with a relieved face. ¡°Even if everyone here dies, if you can survive and reach the Holy Hilysid Empire, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s a pity I won¡¯t see you become Emperor... but I¡¯m really willing to give my life for you.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t happen.¡± Liv shook her head with a coldly hardened face. ¡°You must not die.¡± Liv didn¡¯t want to see any more deaths of those around her. She promised herself that she wouldn¡¯t let that happen. Liv looked at the sea with a pale face. An unknown world where she couldn¡¯t know what lay beneath. The sea had always been an object of fear for her. It was even scarier today with huge waves and whirlpools. ¡°Water is coming in!¡± At that moment, someone shouted as if screaming. The ship was now completely tilted. As the ship gradually sank, water was filling up inside. A huge whirlpool had formed around the ship. Seeing this, Liv put on a determined expression. Yes, if she didn¡¯t do anything here, everyone would die. Liv walked towards the ship¡¯s railing with Hayden¡¯s help. The sea was roaring as if it could easily swallow Liv. However... ¡°Hayden.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°You must live.¡± ¡°Master...¡± ¡°And no matter what happens, I will return to the Holy Hilysid Empire, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± Leaving those words behind, Liv climbed onto the deck. And before Hayden could grab her, she threw herself towards the sea. Liv¡¯s body fell endlessly. At some point, cold water enveloped her. She couldn¡¯t breathe, and couldn¡¯t see ahead. Even her body defied her will. Liv slightly opened her eyes and felt her body falling into a pitch-black space with no end in sight. An enormous fear washed over her, but Liv closed her eyes and surrendered her body to the water. Falling endlessly. Downwards. Further down. To the depths. Sinking. ¡®Ah.¡¯ At some point, Liv felt the seawater enveloping her was comforting. When she gently opened her eyes, numerous masses were shimmering in the seawater. They began to swirl around Liv¡¯s body. And then... ¡°Gasp!¡± When she came to her senses, Liv¡¯s head was above water. She looked around. The still-sinking ship, and... a dazzlingly bright sea. That sea was no longer frightening. A full power began to shine within Liv. It was an enormous power that she could barely handle. All the gods Liv knew. Hundreds, thousands of gods. No, perhaps tens of thousands of gods began to transmit power to Liv. It felt like her body might burst at any moment, unable to withstand this power. She felt nauseous, but it wasn¡¯t entirely unpleasant. Liv glimpsed a world that humans couldn¡¯t possibly reach. She realized the truth of this world. She became aware of the principles of all things. When she threw herself into the sea she feared most, Liv had now become close to a small god. And after a moment, when the power finally naturally assimilated into Liv¡¯s body, she began to right the tilted ship back to its original position. And she pushed it towards the Merna Empire. As she used strong power towards the ship, as a reaction, Liv¡¯s body was pushed in the opposite direction. But it was okay. Liv was no longer afraid of this sea. When she felt the ship had reached the port, Liv stopped using her power. And she surrendered her body to the sea. Liv didn¡¯t know the sea routes, so she couldn¡¯t know where to go from here. She could return to the Merna Empire, but perhaps this sea might guide Liv to the Holy Hilysid Empire. Therefore, instead of making the decision herself, Liv decided to leave the judgment to the sea. ¡°Take me where I¡¯m most needed.¡± Then the seawater swallowed Liv, and she closed her eyes. * * * Splash, splash... Feeling the water strongly hitting her body, Liv slowly opened her eyes. She felt a rough sensation on her cheek. When she finally came to her senses and raised her body, Liv was lying on some sandy ground. ¡®Where is this?¡¯ Reeds growing here and there, and land covered with sand. This is... ¡®A riverbank?¡¯ There was an unfamiliar smell in the air. It didn¡¯t seem like a place Liv knew. Come to think of it, the weather was humid and hot. Liv sensed that she had come to a completely different place. When she raised her head and looked around, she saw people murmuring while looking at her. They had black skin, jet-black hair, and thick double eyelids. They were people with appearances Liv had never seen before. Liv staggered towards them and spoke in Garcian. ¡°Where is this?¡± At those words, they began to murmur even more. Then, one of them came forward and answered in clumsy Garcian pronunciation. ¡°This is the Kingdom of Ashur, the Tila River.¡± Ah. Liv closed her eyes. She had arrived on a completely different continent. 11. Destined to be Emperor Like most countries that interact with the Holy Hilysid Empire, the Holy Hilysid Empire itself was located on the continent of Ein. The countries here had each grown their influence while dominating the world, so some speculated that the Ein continent might be the most civilized place in this world. On the other hand, the Kingdom of Ashur was located in the north of the Night Continent. Among the countries of the Night Continent, it was the closest to the Ein Continent. The Kingdom of Ashur had once developed an amazing civilization ahead of other countries. The reason why the Kingdom of Ashur could surpass other countries early on despite most of its territory being desert was because the Tila River flowed through the country. Although now that¡¯s just past glory. Liv had now arrived in such a place. ¡®How did I come all the way here?¡¯ Of course, since the Tila River was connected to the sea where Liv had been, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible, but still, this was a country so far away that it would take several days by ship to reach. Liv recalled the wish she had made just before coming here. She had certainly asked to be sent where she was needed. Then is the Kingdom of Ashur where Liv is needed now? What business could she have in this place where she had no connections? Feeling she needed to grasp the situation immediately, Liv raised her head and looked at the people whispering while surrounding her. They were whispering with Liv in the middle, but Liv couldn¡¯t understand their words at all as she didn¡¯t know the Ashurian language. Instead, Liv turned her eyes towards the man who had told her this was the Kingdom of Ashur. The man who made eye contact with Liv opened his mouth with a trembling voice. ¡°Where... did you come from?¡± ¡°The Holy Hilysid Empire.¡± Liv examined the man¡¯s attire. He was dressed more richly compared to others, and he could speak Garcian. Then... ¡°Are you a merchant?¡± ¡°H-How did you know?¡± ¡°Just, it seemed likely.¡± Liv shrugged and then shook off the sand stuck to the hem of her skirt. As the sun blazed above Liv¡¯s head, she had to frown. The sunlight in the Kingdom of Ashur was too strong. Her stimulated skin began to tingle and redden. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ Chapter 133 Liv tried to accept the current situation positively. Now that she had come all the way to the Kingdom of Ashur, it would be difficult for August to continue tracking her. However, now Liv had to worry about how to return to the Holy Hilysid Empire. At that moment, the merchant spoke again. ¡°A-Are you a holy person?¡± ¡°A holy person?¡± Liv could read in his eyes a gaze that saw her as a strange being. Well, it wasn¡¯t surprising. They all had black hair and dark skin, while Liv had white hair and pale skin. Among them, Liv looked like a complete foreigner. ¡°Well, I suppose so.¡± Since it was true that Liv received the love of the gods, she didn¡¯t particularly deny it. ¡°I saw the river guiding you here. It looked as if the river was upholding you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Then surely you must be loved by the goddess of the Tila River.¡± ¡°...Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It wasn¡¯t wrong since the goddess of the Tila River was among the gods who loved Liv. At Liv¡¯s answer, the man clenched his fist with a determined face. ¡°Y-You must go to the royal palace!¡± ¡°...To the royal palace?¡± ¡°You must meet the Ayr!¡± ¡®Ayr¡¯ was the term for king in the Kingdom of Ashur. She remembered reading in a book that here, the Ayr was both king and a living god. ...Things seemed to be getting complicated. Maybe she should just try to find a ship going to the Holy Hilysid Empire... Wait, it might be better to meet the Ayr after all. ¡®The Kingdom of Ashur is a country where gods exert greater power than any other country.¡¯ The most devout country for the Holy Church was the Holy Hilysid Empire. But it couldn¡¯t be said that gods exerted the greatest power in the Holy Hilysid Empire. Even August was still holding onto the Emperor¡¯s position despite being disliked by the temple. On the other hand, the Kingdom of Ashur was a country where everything revolved around the gods. There were even thousands of gods here. In the polytheistic Kingdom of Ashur, it wouldn¡¯t be considered strange for Liv to receive the love of multiple gods. If Liv revealed her power, she could receive help from the Ayr and return to the Holy Hilysid Empire. She might even receive help in the process of reclaiming the throne from August. It would be impossible to find a ship going to the Holy Hilysid Empire on her own here anyway. ¡°Alright, please guide me to the Ayr.¡± Liv nodded with a solemn expression. * * * Saying it was his proper duty, the merchant called a cart and guided Liv to the royal palace. The people who had seen the river moving Liv also followed, saying they would testify. Riding a cart instead of a carriage was another unfamiliar thing, but it seemed common for people to ride carts here. From inside the crowded cart, Liv looked outside while holding back her motion sickness. Low houses made of sand, the huge Tila River, temples visible here and there, the smell of exotic spices.... A completely unfamiliar scene was welcoming Liv. More than that, Liv decided to focus on the sensation she had been feeling for a while. Liv slowly repeated clenching and unclenching her hand. She felt a full power within her body. The power of the gods she had received in the sea was now inside her. Having received such an enormous power, Liv should have felt overwhelmed. But rather, this land felt incredibly clear and refreshing to Liv. Swallowing the air felt so sweet. Of course, that was natural. Because in this land... ¡®There are sanctuaries of thousands of gods.¡¯ With each step she took on this land, Liv could replenish the power of the gods. Her body felt refreshed as if she had slept well and woken up. No, beyond that, it felt similar to when she first came out to the world after being confined in Abgrund. The air with a high concentration of power felt almost excessive, like eating food filled with sugar, but it wasn¡¯t unpleasant either. As Liv was breathing in the refreshing air, the cart stopped in front of the royal palace. The palace was magnificent and huge, surrounded by trees she had never seen before. Those who had brought Liv rushed towards the soldiers in a group, shouting something. Liv couldn¡¯t understand their words, so she just stood quietly behind them. Meanwhile, one soldier spotted Liv and widened his eyes in surprise. A moment later, Liv was guided to sit in some room. The merchant who had spoken with Liv was also there. ¡°Where is this?¡± When Liv asked that in Garcian, the merchant answered with a voice full of joy. ¡°Where else could it be? It¡¯s the royal palace! When we told the soldiers about you, they believed our words after seeing your appearance. Of course, you¡¯ll have to go through verification before meeting the Ayr.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, what is your name? I didn¡¯t even know that!¡± Several names swirled in Liv¡¯s mouth. Liv Hamelsvoort. Liv liked that name. Hamelsvoort was the first family name Liv had. And for the sake of the now-deceased Hamelsvoort couple, Liv wanted to keep that name for a long time. Liv Lartman. That was also a name Liv loved. When she heard that name, she felt that she was truly in a marital relationship with Emmett. However, the name Liv should introduce from now on was... ¡°Liv Gracia. That¡¯s my name.¡± ¡°Lady Gracia, then.¡± Since few people would memorize the name of a former imperial family from a distant country, the merchant showed no reaction upon hearing that name. At that moment, the door of the room opened. The merchant stood up with a moved expression. ¡°Oh, we are in the presence of the princess of the Kingdom of Ashur, daughter of the god of the universe.¡± Liv focused on the word ¡®princess¡¯. The woman who entered through the door had black hair and black eyes, as was common for people here. Her tall stature and striking features emphasized her open impression. As Liv was quietly looking at her without greeting, she smiled brightly, showing her teeth. And she said something, but Liv couldn¡¯t understand her words. Instead, the merchant said something to the princess. The princess sat opposite Liv, and the merchant began to translate her words. ¡°She asks where you came from.¡± ¡°I am a person from the Holy Hilysid Empire. I was in the Merna Empire and was on my way back to the Holy Hilysid Empire when I came here.¡± ¡°She asks how you came here.¡± ¡°The ship sank and I fell into the sea. However, knowing that the sea would save me, I surrendered my body to the currents. Then I ended up in the Tila River.¡± ¡°She asks if you¡¯re not afraid to set foot in this land, since the Holy Hilysid Empire is a country of the Holy Church.¡± At those words, Liv smiled faintly. Because... Welcome to my land, my child. Here, we can do anything for you. My child has finally arrived in the land of grace. Amazing things will happen to you. Even at this moment, thousands of gods were whispering to Liv. ¡°Treat a strange guest with great hospitality. The way we treat guests is our face.¡± Liv recited one of the sayings circulating in the Kingdom of Ashur. When the merchant interpreted that to the princess, her eyes lit up. ¡°She says she will introduce herself formally. The princess¡¯s name is Rania Ranitachilan.¡± ¡°I am Liv Gracia.¡± * * * The atmosphere in the room was on the verge of exploding, yet at the same time it was gloomy and quiet as if there was no energy for that. Emmett, who had been looking down, finally seemed to understand what he had heard and slowly recited. ¡°You say Liv is missing.¡± Hayden, standing in front of him with a desperate face, looked disheveled as if he had just rushed here. In fact, he had just ridden a horse to the Lartman duchy as soon as he arrived at the port of the Holy Hilysid Empire. However, more noticeable than his shabby appearance were his two eyes, empty as if he had lost everything. ¡°Yes, the Master... fell into the sea.¡± A heavy silence fell. Neither Emmett nor Hayden could continue speaking. After a while, Emmett opened his mouth with a miserable expression. He seemed to have barely spit out one word, suppressing everything rising from within. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you stop her.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say. I should have protected the Master...¡± Normally, he would have first pointed out the title ¡®Master¡¯, but now Emmett had no room to think about such things. His mind was focused solely on Liv¡¯s well-being. ¡°Suddenly a calamity struck the sea, and the Master fell into the sea to gain power. After that, she used her power to push away the ship I was on... and then she sank into the seawater.¡± Emmett recalled Liv¡¯s words that the sea was a sanctuary of all gods. Then... ¡°Do you think Liv is alive?¡± ¡°...Yes. Don¡¯t you know that the Master never dies?¡± Although it was unknown how long the lifespan set by fate would last, it was said that Liv wouldn¡¯t die from accidents as long as that lifespan wasn¡¯t over. Then Liv must be alive. Emmett didn¡¯t worry about Liv¡¯s life. The problem was where and how Liv was right now. Just being barely alive had no meaning. He wanted to offer Liv all the good things in this world, and he wanted only pleasant and joyful things to happen to her. But Emmett had failed to protect Liv in the end. He had no idea on which land Liv had fallen, or what hardships she would face. Emmett felt utterly incompetent and pathetic. Chapter 134 ¡°The Master... will return to the Holy Hilysid Empire again... She clearly said so at the end.¡± Unlike Emmett who was suppressing his anger towards himself, Hayden, who seemed terrified, continued speaking with a trembling voice. He looked completely broken, to the point where one couldn¡¯t imagine his annoyingly bright smile in front of Liv. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I... failed to protect her again. I should have protected her this time... In the end, there was nothing I could do again.¡± Muttering like that, Hayden seemed to be lost in his own despair rather than conversing with the other person. But Emmett was in no state to converse with Hayden either. ¡®Liv...¡¯ The entire situation was heading towards the worst. Princess Louisa had died recently. The Emperor said she had been killed by an unknown entity, but the nobles could guess who the culprit who killed her might be. There are heartless fathers in this world who use their children only as means. Yet August threatened to find the one who killed Louisa and make them pay for their crime. It was clear as day that Emmett and Marquis Arendt would be framed as the princess¡¯s killers. So now they needed to find a way to escape August¡¯s clutches... but Emmett couldn¡¯t focus on his own affairs at all. ¡®Liv, what meaning does a place without you have for me?¡¯ Perhaps trying to place the heavy crown of the Emperor on Liv was the problem? But he wanted to prove his love to Liv, and he couldn¡¯t bear not returning to her what she rightfully deserved to enjoy. The more he thought about it, the more the whole world seemed covered in despair, and finally Emmett groaned while clutching his head. He couldn¡¯t see a way out of this quagmire. It felt like the god of death had come down and kissed his eyelids. ¡®Liv, where on earth are you...¡¯ * * * ¡°Hahaha!¡± A refreshing laugh echoed through the imperial palace that was always filled with the stench of blood. ¡°So, that girl has disappeared?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Those who boarded the ship from Merna to the Holy Hilysid Empire say that as the ship was tilting, one woman jumped into the sea. Then there was a mysterious light, and the ship returned to land, allowing them to survive. However, the woman¡¯s figure was no longer seen.¡± ¡°Has she really not been spotted anywhere else?¡± ¡°So far, there have been no sightings in the Holy Hilysid Empire. The soldiers we planted in Merna¡¯s port haven¡¯t found anything either.¡± ¡°Yes, finally that thing has disappeared!¡± As August laughed with pleasure, Marquis Schmidt carefully spoke while watching his mood. ¡°However, some people presumed to be Merna¡¯s soldiers appeared and said they lost Hildegard Hamelsvoort and Walter Hamelsvoort...¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Those things have no power!¡± Since August didn¡¯t get angry about that issue, Marquis Schmidt inwardly sighed with relief. It was indeed good that he brought it up when August was in a good mood. ¡°But Your Majesty, that woman is still alive after all. Aren¡¯t you worried about her returning...?¡± In fact, he was worried about his own position when she returned, but Marquis Schmidt asked that anyway. While he pretended to be happy, expecting a reward from August since he was pleased, Marquis Schmidt couldn¡¯t understand why he was so happy. August wasn¡¯t a person who foolishly failed to see the future, blinded only by immediate benefits. To his question, August opened his mouth with a face full of triumph. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, do you think that thing can safely return alive from the sea? In the end, it¡¯s just human too.¡± August trusted the sea. How could he forget when he had deployed hundreds of ships to the sea while declaring war on the Kingdom of Nertan, only to fail miserably due to an unexpected storm? No matter how much divine power she has, it would be difficult to survive there. And even if she managed to save her life and arrive in a foreign country... ¡°It¡¯s not easy to return to the Holy Hilysid Empire after arriving in a strange land. And how likely is it that she¡¯d end up in a country of the Holy Church? What if she ends up in the East?¡± Even if it was revealed there that Liv received the love of the Supreme God of the Holy Church, no one would step forward to help her. Especially if it¡¯s not the Ein continent, there¡¯s a greater possibility that Liv, who looks like a foreigner, would be ostracized as a witch. He knew that all the people from the Ein continent who had attempted to establish diplomatic relations with the Night continent or Eastern continent had failed. ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll end up on an uninhabited island. In fact, considering the area of the sea, isn¡¯t that more likely? Haha!¡± Marquis Schmidt finally understood August¡¯s thinking and nodded. If she doesn¡¯t arrive in a country of the Holy Church, the power Liv Gracia uses becomes meaningless in the end. Ah, then they would ultimately win and he would hold the hegemony of the new era! Expecting to stand in a prominent position among the new meritorious families, Schmidt smiled. ¡°Julian.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Your Majesty?¡± When August called someone¡¯s name, a boy sitting quietly with his hands folded in a corner of the room raised his head abruptly. It was Julian Steinberg, a collateral branch of the Steinberg family who had recently lost his parents and become alone. ¡°Did you see well? The thing that threatened us is now gone!¡± ¡°Ha, haha... I am grateful, Your Majesty...!¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the corners of his mouth turned up in a strange way, Julian was too busy offering words of congratulations to August to care about that. He was afraid of August. Because he knew August was a man cold-hearted enough to kill his own daughter. Even he, sitting here, didn¡¯t know when he might meet his death. But if he followed August¡¯s words, Julian would eventually become Emperor. Hadn¡¯t August promised him before that he would hold a Crown Prince appointment ceremony soon? Losing his parents was rather a good opportunity for Julian. ¡®Yes, this is the right path...¡¯ Knowing that he had stepped onto an irreversible path with one choice, Julian thought so and clapped for August. He had caught the golden thread, and would soon be able to become Crown Prince... * * * ¡°At first I thought you were just a foreigner who drifted in by chance, but it seems you¡¯re no ordinary person... the princess says.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a special being.¡± ¡°I like your arrogance too... the princess says.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to bow down unnecessarily.¡± The longer the conversation with Liv continued, the deeper the smile on the face of Rania, the princess of the Kingdom of Ashur, grew. She seemed to like that Liv was intentionally acting haughty and arrogant towards her. Liv was acting that way based on her rough judgment, but in truth, it was difficult for her to read the minds of the people of the Kingdom of Ashur. ¡°But how did you really drift here?... the princess asks.¡± ¡°I fell into the sea after an accident, and received help from the gods there to come here.¡± Even though Liv said ¡®gods¡¯, Princess Rania didn¡¯t point that out. Liv liked this country for that point. ¡°Help from the gods, how interesting. My siblings and father would probably find it interesting too. I should introduce you to them... the princess says.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine. I wanted to meet the Ayr too.¡± Rania arranged a room in the palace for Liv. Upon entering the room, Liv quietly looked around. Although it seemed they had decorated it as a guest room in their own way, it was still unfamiliar to Liv who was accustomed to the style of the Ein continent. Especially the wall paintings that gave a flat yet mysterious feeling were like that. Yet feeling an auspicious energy from those wall paintings, Liv was reminded once again that the Kingdom of Ashur was also devoted to the gods. The next day, it was time for Liv to meet the royal family of the Kingdom of Ashur. An interpreter sent by Rania guided Liv. Liv was wearing clothes of the Kingdom of Ashur that she had given her. The sensation of the thin clothes brushing against her legs as she walked felt strange. For Liv, it felt almost like being naked, to the point of embarrassment. As guided, Liv arrived at the ¡®Room of Cycles¡¯. When Liv opened the door of the room, her eyes were met with densely carved wall paintings. She had thought the art of the Kingdom of Ashur was just monotonous, but seeing it like this, it also had aspects that overwhelmed people. Next, she saw numerous princes and princesses sitting around a large table. Seeing that, Liv was momentarily shocked. So many members of the royal family. However, soon Liv pretended to be calm and sat in an empty seat, and the royal family¡¯s interested gazes were fixed on Liv. Chapter 135 [So, what is your name?] ¡°Liv Gracia.¡± [Liv, a name with a good ring to it.] Next, they began to show interest in Liv¡¯s white hair. [I¡¯ve seen many foreigners, but it¡¯s my first time seeing someone with such snow-white hair color like yours.] ¡°It¡¯s a rare hair color even in my country.¡± [No, your hair is giving off a mysterious light.] They asked Liv various questions. What position she held in the Holy Hilysid Empire, and how she was able to arrive here. Liv answered that she was married and was called a ¡®duchess¡¯ in her home country. She also explained that she had reached this place through the power of the gods. However, Liv could see in their eyes that her words weren¡¯t being taken seriously. The emotion they had towards Liv was merely curiosity. In fact, she should be grateful that they weren¡¯t chasing her away as a fraud, a foreigner from another country claiming to receive the love of the gods. At that moment, the one sitting in the highest seat opened his mouth. [Well, I understand that you have lived with quite a high status in your country until now.] As soon as the Ayr opened his mouth, the air instantly became heavy. All the royals who had been chattering freely lowered their eyes. Seeing this, Liv realized how powerful the Ayr¡¯s authority was in this country. According to what Liv had read in books, the Ayr is considered the incarnation of the god of the universe itself in the Kingdom of Ashur. The god of the universe is the highest-ranking among the gods worshipped in this country, and it is said that when an Ayr is determined, the god of the universe dwells in his body for amusement. Thus, in this country, when an Ayr dies, they hold a grand funeral over several years and build a large maze tomb to worship the body in which the god of the universe had dwelled. The authority the Ayr holds in this country was incomparable to the emperors or kings of the Ein continent. Indeed, the Ayr sitting upright despite wearing a massive golden crown looked like no ordinary human. A blue jewel was embedded in his nostrils, and several layers of golden necklaces hung around his neck. But because of the charisma emanating from him, those decorations didn¡¯t feel excessive at all. [But that¡¯s all. There¡¯s nothing more interesting beyond that.] At those words, Liv looked straight into the Ayr¡¯s eyes. Such a strong aura emanated from him that even looking at him would feel burdensome for an ordinary person. ¡°No, you have no choice but to be interested in me.¡± ¡°The Ayr asks for the reason.¡± ¡°Because I receive the love of all gods.¡± At those words, silence fell in the Room of Cycles. And then... ¡°Hahaha!¡± The Ayr threw his head back and laughed loudly. [I¡¯ve seen many foreigners, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen one so insolent! How dare you speak falsehoods in the name of the gods in the Kingdom of Ashur!] ¡°It¡¯s not a lie.¡± When Liv said that with her eyes wide open, the Ayr¡¯s expression, which had been full of laughter, hardened. Now the other royals had uneasy looks in their eyes. Princess Rania, who had first met Liv, spoke to her. [I could accept that you are loved by your god, but I can¡¯t believe that all gods love you.] ¡°But it¡¯s true. Even the gods of religions you don¡¯t believe in are looking after me. I couldn¡¯t say this fact in other countries, but I can say it in the Kingdom of Ashur because you worship multiple gods.¡± [You¡¯re an insolent one. Then can you show us your power?] ¡°Of course.¡± Having gained the power of all gods in the sea, Liv was now in a state overflowing with divine power. Even Liv¡¯s white hair was giving off a faint light. The reason the Ayr didn¡¯t immediately order to behead Liv was probably because of the mysterious aura emanating from her entire body. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know much about the Kingdom of Ashur. All I have is knowledge from books. Moreover, that¡¯s all just past history, so I know even less about the current Ashur. But...¡± Liv¡¯s eyes shone sharply as she said this. ¡°I know what I should do now.¡± Liv stared intently into the empty air. Perhaps the gods were watching Liv from a transcendent space incomprehensible to the human mind of Liv. ¡°Please convey your beliefs to this space.¡± As Liv said that and used her power, suddenly a bright light burst from Liv¡¯s body. The moment the royals surrounding Liv squeezed their eyes shut and opened them again... ¡°Ah!¡± The wall paintings densely covering the room began to emit light. Then strange music was heard from somewhere. Liv had never heard such music before, but she could guess that it was traditional music of the Kingdom of Ashur. As instruments began to play, a mysterious melody filled the space. The figures painted on the wall paintings came to life and began to stride around the room. [Oh, Lord Lunas!] [Lady Talia!] Those gathered in the room prostrated themselves on the floor, calling out different names. Liv guessed that the names they were shouting were those of gods. The only ones standing amidst this were Liv, and the Ayr who was said to be the incarnation of the god of the universe. The Ayr stared into Liv¡¯s pale pink eyes with interested eyes. His mouth opened with reverence. [You... are real...] ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. I have more to show you.¡± There are thousands of sanctuaries in the Kingdom of Ashur. Naturally, shouldn¡¯t one gain power from the sanctuaries now that one has come here? ¡®Where are the sanctuaries?¡¯ When Liv asked that, the voices of the gods were heard from the sky. Child, just walk. Then you will reach the sanctuaries. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This land is full of our power, everything will be yours. At those words, Liv smiled faintly. ¡°Let¡¯s go out of the castle together. I have more to show you.¡± Now that I¡¯ve come here, I should take everything I can get. * * * The procession of royalty extended outside the palace. Wherever they went, people prostrated themselves to worship the Ayr. The sound of lutes rang out, and instruments Liv didn¡¯t know the names of joined in, creating even richer music. However, people glanced more often at the unfamiliar foreigner¡¯s face than at the familiar royals. Because miracles happened every time she walked on the sandy ground. ¡°Ooh...!¡± Even though Liv didn¡¯t know their language, she could guess from their tone that they were showing admiration and respect for her. With each step she took, white petals scattered from the air and fires lit on extinguished logs. Dried-up wells filled with water again. ¡°How can this be... Princess Nadardia says.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to interpret that far.¡± Liv said in a small voice, but even the interpreter translating for Liv was spewing out words filled with wonder about Liv. [Oh, how can you, a person from the Holy Hilysid Empire, receive the love of all gods? Don¡¯t you actually have Ashurian blood mixed in?] ¡°There¡¯s no law saying only those of Ashurian lineage can receive blessings. Rather, isn¡¯t the existence of the god you believe in proven when blessings are bestowed upon all people?¡± They seemed full of curiosity about Liv, and Liv unraveled their curiosities one by one. In fact, they looked like they would accept whatever answer Liv gave. As they walked like that, Liv stopped in her tracks. A massive sanctuary spread out before her. There are thousands of gods in the Kingdom of Ashur, and among them are gods that people don¡¯t know well or don¡¯t consider important. Most of the paths Liv had trodden so far were those of such gods. But the path spread out before Liv now was none other than... ¡®The god of the universe.¡¯ It was the domain of Nel, the god who oversees all things and is considered the highest god even in the Kingdom of Ashur. Suddenly curious, Liv asked Nel. ¡®Does the god of the universe really dwell in the Ayr¡¯s body?¡¯ I don¡¯t directly dwell as they believe, but I always watch over him. Just as the Gracia family received the love of the god of the Holy Church, I also have affection for them. If they wish, I give them rain, and help protect the country. So if Liv hadn¡¯t been confined in Abgrund, the abilities of the Ayr and Liv would have been similar. Although the Ayr can¡¯t sense divine power and receive power from sanctuaries like Liv, Nel still helps him become a great king. Nel¡¯s sanctuary was a desert where cacti grew naturally. Cacti were plants of a shape Liv had never seen before in her life. ¡®They say they can live without water.¡¯ The cacti looked grotesque to Liv. Cacti with hideous thorns and twisted lumps stood much taller than Liv¡¯s height. The flowers blooming on the cacti gave a feeling of being bizarre rather than beautiful. The inherent appearance of nature that gives humans a sense of alienation. This was undoubtedly a sanctuary. Chapter 136 ¡°Do you believe in my power enough now?¡± When Liv asked that, the princes and princesses nodded. [We will consider you the highest guest of honor in this country and hold a grand feast for you!] [We might even have to create an official position for you...] ¡°I see.¡± As the interpreter who had been with them all along relayed the words of the royalty, Liv opened her mouth in a calm tone. ¡°Then let me show you one last thing.¡± If one enters the sanctuary, the god of the universe, who exerts the most powerful force in this land, might show a great miracle. Liv stepped between the cacti. The tall cacti seemed as if they would engulf Liv, but she didn¡¯t waver. Then... ¡°Ooh!¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A sandstorm began to swirl around Liv. The royals squeezed their eyes shut. However, the sandstorm was bypassing only Liv. Liv stood firmly in the exact center of the sandstorm. When the wind stopped, they discovered an amazing sight. ¡°Ah...!¡± Flowers had bloomed in the desert. On land where plants couldn¡¯t grow due to lack of rain, red flowers had appeared. One princess was so moved that she even shed tears. Princess Rania, who had first met Liv, touched the flowers as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°These flowers will have bloomed throughout the kingdom.¡± [My goodness... such a beautiful sight.] At that moment, Liv spotted several people running towards the desert from afar. They were all wearing yellow clothes, perhaps indicating the same official position. When those who arrived knelt before the Ayr and said something, the Ayr¡¯s eyes widened. The princes and princesses all turned to look at Liv. The interpreter opened his mouth with a trembling voice. ¡°They say that a few minutes ago, revelations came down simultaneously to all temples.¡± Liv¡¯s face remained calm even as she listened to his words. ¡°All the gods have given revelations... saying that their beloved child has come to this land, so please take care of her...¡± The way for the gods, who were anxious to do anything for Liv, to intervene in the human world was obvious. Before they knew it, the princes and princesses were kneeling again, and Liv was facing the Ayr. As the Ayr opened his mouth to say something to Liv, the interpreter relayed his words again. ¡°The Ayr asks if you are of royal blood.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Originally, I was a descendant of the imperial family that had succeeded to the throne since the founding of my country. However, I became a fugitive because the current emperor used schemes to kill my parents and usurp the throne.¡± When Liv told a story she had never told here before, the royals of Ashur somehow looked impressed. Well, the tale of a hero of noble blood taking revenge on enemies and reclaiming their place would sound appealing anywhere. [Then what will you do from now on?] ¡°I should go back, reclaim my place, and take revenge on my enemy.¡± While Liv was calmly answering the Ayr¡¯s question, Princess Rania, who was standing next to her, conveyed her support. [You, who receive the love of the gods, will surely succeed.] ¡°Yes, I believe so too. But sometimes I worry about what comes after.¡± Liv had learned all the political, historical, and diplomatic knowledge needed to become an emperor with Dante in the Merna Empire. She could gradually take over practical duties from ministers. However... ¡°I didn¡¯t live as royalty, so I don¡¯t know exactly about the proper demeanor befitting royalty. But I¡¯ll try not to let that become a weakness.¡± At those words, Princess Rania made eye contact with the Ayr and then strode towards Liv. She then grasped both of Liv¡¯s hands. [If it¡¯s alright with you, Lady Liv, we will help.] ¡°Help?¡± [Yes, we are those who have lived as royalty since birth.] From Rania¡¯s eyes as she said this, Liv glimpsed a noble character and elegant dignity. Indeed, the royalty of the Kingdom of Ashur did have a unique royal atmosphere. The Kingdom of Ashur has a greater standing and power for royalty compared to the Merna Empire or the Holy Hilysid Empire, which might contribute to this. [A ship departing for the Merna Empire will sail in a week.] Since there probably won¡¯t be a ship going directly to the Holy Hilysid Empire from here, Liv can change ships once in the Merna Empire and move on. [Until then, enjoy everything you can enjoy here.] Liv recalled praying to be taken where she was needed. It seems that Liv¡¯s arrival in the Kingdom of Ashur was not by chance. * * * The sound of harps and lyres resonated and cymbals clashed. The sound of the darbuka added excitement to the music. It was still unfamiliar exotic music to Liv, but the people listening to the music enjoyed the excitement while tilting glasses filled with wine. People in long skirts danced, revealing their legs. Joining in the feast that the royalty of the Kingdom of Ashur enjoyed, Liv looked around with awkward eyes. Everything in the Kingdom of Ashur felt interesting and mysterious. It was just like when Liv first came out into the world. There was still so much of the world that Liv didn¡¯t know. Liv slowly took a sip of wine, then shuddered at the subtle taste. What on earth was this supposed to be? [Lady Liv, does it not suit your taste?] ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just unfamiliar. I don¡¯t usually enjoy alcohol.¡± At those words, Rania elegantly crossed her legs and sat opposite Liv. [Are you not good with alcohol originally?] ¡°Yes, I¡¯m weak to alcohol.¡± Liv, who had just become an adult, had sipped a little champagne at a banquet before. But she soon had to put down what she was drinking. Even those few sips made her face flush red and hot. Liv¡¯s world spun with even a small amount of alcohol. It seemed that Liv¡¯s innate weakness to alcohol was something that even the love of the gods couldn¡¯t overcome. [I see. But an emperor can¡¯t just be weak to alcohol.] ¡°Can that be improved with practice too?¡± [Hmm, Lady Liv. Would you like to see how I empty a glass of alcohol?] After that, Rania raised her glass several times while conversing with Liv. The conversation was enjoyable, and Liv could tell that Rania¡¯s conversation skills were also excellent. Meanwhile, Liv learned a few words. The Ashurian language was not derived from Garcian, so the origin of words was different and the grammar system was unfamiliar, but Liv¡¯s language system, which had become accustomed to the voices of the gods, shone. ¡°The glass is empty now. Shall I refill it for you?¡± [Lady Liv.] Rania smiled brightly at Liv. [I didn¡¯t drink a single sip of alcohol.] ¡°What?¡± Liv¡¯s eyes moved to where Rania was pointing. Somehow, the water glass placed on one side was full, and the napkin was soaked. Liv asked with wide eyes. ¡°Did you throw away all the alcohol?¡± [Yes, that¡¯s right.] ¡°How is that possible when I didn¡¯t even notice?¡± [The important thing is to match the atmosphere. It¡¯s actually better not to drink alcohol. And it¡¯s also important to make your subjects drink well. That¡¯s when people¡¯s true feelings come out.] Rania taught Liv how to avoid alcohol at drinking parties. Liv also learned from her how to recommend alcohol to those sitting with her. It was knowledge that could never be acquired just by reading books. [I¡¯ll teach you as much as I can from now on.] ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you.¡± Indeed, from that day on, Rania began spending time with Liv. The next day, Rania entered Liv¡¯s room with numerous jewels. [Lady Liv, do you know how to look at jewels?] ¡°I can only distinguish simple types. I self-studied while looking at books.¡± [Oh my, you said you received help from the Crown Prince of the Merna Empire, but you didn¡¯t know about this. Men are indeed lacking in some aspects. What were they doing not teaching you such important things! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach you how to distinguish good jewels from now on. Also about the types of jewels that are good to give as gifts depending on the situation.] Dozens of types of jewels poured out in front of Liv. The first to catch Liv¡¯s attention were the red-series jewels that resembled her eyes. [Ruby and spinel look similar. But it¡¯s not difficult to distinguish them.] Rania explained each jewel to Liv one by one, and didn¡¯t forget to give everything Liv touched as a gift to her. Sometimes they behaved so overwhelmingly that it made Liv wonder if she had shown too much power... [Your ring is pretty. Come to think of it, you said you were married, right?] ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± [Do you have children?] [Um, no...] Since it was the first time hearing a question about children, Liv was a bit flustered. This would have been rude in the Holy Hilysid Empire, but indeed, the people of the Kingdom of Ashur had different sentiments from them. [How is your relationship with your husband?] ¡°I love him. I don¡¯t know if he feels the same way about me, but he always treats me well.¡± Liv blushed as she explained about Emmett. Her heart always beat fast when she imagined him. She still felt that ticklish feeling. [I see.] Unlike Liv, who spoke in a sweet voice as if confessing love, Rania nodded expressionlessly. [It seems you¡¯re satisfied with your husband, fortunately.] ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right...¡± [I see. If not, I was going to introduce you to a new husband....] Liv was surprised and made eye contact with Rania, but she seemed sincere. Chapter 137 Soon Liv recalled that polygamy or polyandry was allowed in the Kingdom of Ashur. In this kingdom, class was more important than gender, so even women, if they were nobles, could have concubines as much as they wanted. ¡°Are you married, Princess?¡± [Me? Not yet. I have a fiance though.] Saying that, Rania frowned as if displeased. [Well, I¡¯m not too fond of him, but...] ¡°Why?¡± [Just, I like handsome men, but my fiance isn¡¯t that handsome. I¡¯m thinking of taking a concubine after marriage.] Liv was slightly taken aback by Rania¡¯s words, but soon nodded in agreement. Among the dozens of reasons she loved Emmett, his face was included. Thus, a person¡¯s face was indeed important. [Let¡¯s put aside this talk, and I¡¯ll teach you how to choose clothes in the remaining time.] The topic of conversation changed suddenly, and that day Liv was able to learn all about how to care for one¡¯s appearance from Rania. * * * ¡°Ha, haha.¡± Tightly gripping the crumpled letter in his hand, Emmett laughed as if he had lost his mind. He could now recite the contents of the letter without looking at it. However, no matter how many times he read it, nothing changed. ¡°Why on earth...¡± I¡¯ll see you there soon. Although the last line of the letter clearly said that, Liv was not returning. Emmett could only search for traces of Liv by reading the same letter over and over again in an attempt to maintain his sanity somehow. When he read that letter, it was as if Liv¡¯s voice could be heard right beside him. So vivid that it felt like he was with her. But the reality he faced was cold. Emmett doesn¡¯t know where Liv is now. He had sent Liv away without even being able to tell her he loved her. The room was dark without the lights turned on. Only the light coming through the window illuminated the letter in Emmett¡¯s hand. It was almost like a revelation. ¡°Liv, where are you...¡± His eyes, which had been longing for Liv for a long time, now seemed to have become one with the darkness. The hope that had barely flickered was soon swallowed by despair and lost its momentum. The place where love had passed becomes ruins. Then at some point, the look in his eyes changed. He couldn¡¯t just keep longing for Liv and doing nothing forever. Ah, he had learned a lot from August. After meeting Liv, he tried to live as an honest and upright person by denying that as much as possible... but it was inevitable that what he had learned from August came to mind when in crisis. When you¡¯ve lost everything, take from others. Yes, Liv will return someday. So... he finally decided. ¡°I will prepare your place for when you return...¡± Even without Liv, he decided to behead the emperor himself. * * * A high chair for Liv was placed next to the Ayr¡¯s seat. Thin cloth was draped around it so that others couldn¡¯t see Liv¡¯s face. Today was the day for the Ayr to have a meeting with the officials. In the Kingdom of Ashur, officials were called ¡®hesal¡¯, which meant ¡®obedient ones¡¯ in the language of the Kingdom of Ashur. From that word alone, Liv could feel how strong the Ayr¡¯s authority was. [It will probably be helpful when you return to the Holy Hilysid Empire.] Saying that, the Ayr allowed Liv to observe the meeting. Quite some time had passed since Liv started staying in the Kingdom of Ashur. During that time, Liv had learned Ashurian to the point where she could have everyday conversations, but it was still difficult for her to understand the complex words used in meetings. So during the meeting, Liv could only try to become a little more familiar with their language somehow. The topic of today¡¯s meeting was about the defense of the southern border of the Kingdom of Ashur. As far as Liv knew, the Kingdom of Ashur shared a border with the Talini people, but there was no need to worry about their invasion because the Kingdom of Ashur¡¯s combat power was so overwhelming. Just as Liv was starting to get distracted, the Ayr¡¯s angry voice rang out. [How dare you!] Liv turned her head to the side in surprise. As the Ayr stood up from his seat, all the hesals bowed their heads as if terrified. The Ayr approached them step by step. [You dare to harbor ... against me.] [Ayr, I will ... that person!] [Please leave it to me!] [No, there¡¯s no need for that.] A voice filled with anger resounded majestically. [We should cut off that person¡¯s arms and legs, then throw them to the crocodiles in the Tila River as food.] Liv¡¯s eyes sparkled with a strange light as she heard those words. ...So that¡¯s how they treat enemies. * * * After the meeting ended and the hesals left, Liv pulled back the cloth and stood before the Ayr. [Was today¡¯s meeting helpful to you?] [I have something I want to ask.] There must be a reason why the gods sent Liv to the Kingdom of Ashur. So Liv tried to learn as much as possible here. However, there were still things that felt difficult for Liv. [How can you mete out punishment like that?] [Punishment?] [Yes, so bravely.] Liv said that, not knowing the word for ¡®decisively¡¯, but the Ayr seemed to understand Liv¡¯s words to some extent. [This is ... that a ruler of a country should have.] [I understand that. I¡¯ve attacked people first a few times too.] Liv recalled what happened in the Merna Empire. At that time, Liv had schemed to eliminate other princes to make Dante the emperor. But judging as a ruler was different. While in the Merna Empire she had acted for her own purposes, punishing someone had a strong meaning as a warning to psychologically pressure others by setting an example. However, what the gods emphasized above all was the virtue of forgiveness. Could Liv really choose punishment over forgiveness? Child, when you return, tear apart and kill the lowly creature who stole your place. Of course, the gods were saying that about August, but it was questionable whether they would say the same when Liv dealt with others. [Oh, perhaps this can be considered similar.] The Ayr¡¯s face somehow became joyful as he slowly began to speak. [If you don¡¯t become a strong ruler, someone will ... your place.] [Ah...] [In other words, this too can be considered a way of dealing with enemies.] Liv slowly nodded. As if to drive home his point, the Ayr said, [Don¡¯t you receive the love of the gods? Then .... your actions are the rules.] At that moment, something flashed in Liv¡¯s mind. Until now, Liv had always lived bound under the influence of the gods. However, when she returns to the Holy Hilysid Empire, Liv will become the emperor. In other words, Liv will become a small god. There was no need to be so afraid while recalling the principles taught by the gods. Thus, Liv gradually began to learn human ways of thinking. * * * Until the ship Liv was to board set sail, Rania¡¯s teachings continued. Liv thought she might find it bothersome, but in fact, Rania seemed excited that a foreigner had appeared in the usually quiet kingdom. [The important thing when looking at paintings is to recognize expensive paintings. To do that, you need to be able to see the materials used.] Today Rania taught Liv how to look at paintings. Just as when learning how to look at jewels, Liv received from Rania tips that she wouldn¡¯t know well without actual experience, and that knowledge was very helpful to her. After all, paintings in the style of the Night Continent were currently in fashion on the Ein Continent. After the explanation was over, Rania sat down in a chair with a somewhat displeased face. [Haah, today is the day I see my fiance.] [Do you dislike your fiance that much?] Rania did say last time that she didn¡¯t like her fiance¡¯s appearance. But still, for someone she¡¯s engaged to, to complain so openly... [Of course! That guy is too stupid.] [Stupid?] [Yes, even though I show such obvious signs of dislike, he just keeps smiling in front of me. How stupid he looks.] Liv felt something strange about those words, but decided not to probe further. As Liv remained silent, Rania began to ask about her husband. [Is Lady Liv¡¯s husband handsome?] [Yes, definitely.] [Wow, you¡¯re so certain. How about his personality?] [He¡¯s a really good person. Kind, upright... I¡¯ve never met a better person than him.] [He sounds lovable.] Rania leaned towards Liv with a somewhat mischievous smile. [You said you two get along well. Then, how about that aspect?] S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Pardon?] [Oh, you didn¡¯t understand?] A moment later, Liv¡¯s face reddened as she understood the words. She cleared her throat unnecessarily and lowered her head, then slightly nodded. [Yes.] At those words, Rania smiled as if something was amusing. [I think you said you don¡¯t have children yet, what are your plans for children?] [Ah...] Only after hearing that did Liv recall that they had never thought about that issue. Since an heir is needed to continue a noble family, one child would definitely be necessary. No, since Liv was now thinking of continuing the imperial family again, she might need to have two children. Then, realizing something strange, Liv tilted her head. Chapter 138 [Come to think of it, when do children come?] Thinking about it, there had been no news so far. It¡¯s about time it wouldn¡¯t be strange to have a child. At Liv¡¯s words, Rania asked back in a surprised voice. [...Pardon?] [Doesn¡¯t it happen when a couple has relations?] [No, that...] [We¡¯ve spent many nights together, why hasn¡¯t a child come?] Seeing Liv¡¯s utterly innocent expression, Rania became even more flustered. Soon, she opened her mouth, looking at Liv with a serious face. [Did you use contraception?] [No.] [Hmm... How¡¯s your health?] At those words, Liv¡¯s face became somewhat understanding. Even as a white lie, she couldn¡¯t say her health was good. If a child wasn¡¯t coming, her health must be the problem. The gods had helped Liv maintain her life without dying when she was confined in Abgrund, but that didn¡¯t mean Liv had grown up healthy like others. Liv hadn¡¯t received sunlight, hadn¡¯t consumed nutrients, and hadn¡¯t moved her body enough. As a result, Liv¡¯s body had become fragile, dying at the slightest thing. If she skipped even one meal, she would get dizzy and couldn¡¯t walk properly, and she easily got out of breath climbing rough paths. It would be too much to conceive life with such a body. [How about your menstruation? Is it regular?] [No... I thought there might be a problem somewhere because the content I read in books was very different from my body¡¯s condition. But even Hilda, I mean, my younger sister said it¡¯s irregular when she feels tired. So I thought it wasn¡¯t a big problem...] [No, being that irregular is a big problem. If this state continues, of course you won¡¯t be able to have children.] Now both Rania and Liv¡¯s expressions had become serious. [I think you... need to see a doctor urgently. Have you talked to your husband about this issue?] [No, my husband has asked about my physical condition, but I just answered that I was fine...] Liv realized she had been more careless than she thought. Why had she never paid attention to her physical condition? It was so natural for her to suffer as a reaction every time August used ancient magic that Liv had become too insensitive to pain. She thought it was natural to be in pain. Irregular menstruation hadn¡¯t even been a consideration. When Liv had been ill due to the ancient magic used by Louisa before, Emmett did call a doctor to examine Liv. But even then, she didn¡¯t care about issues like menstruation. [Then shall we meet with a doctor? The palace doctor is quite skilled. She¡¯s also a female doctor...] [Yes, I¡¯ll meet her.] Although the examination methods of the Night Continent might be quite different from the Ein Continent, Liv had no time to worry about such things. In any case, she just needed to know her physical condition accurately. Since it was said to be the palace doctor, there was no need to worry about skill. Now it¡¯s time to worry about her physical condition instead. Perhaps it¡¯s time to think seriously about this issue... * * * Indeed, the examination method here was different from the Holy Hilysid Empire. The doctor checked something called her ¡®pulse¡¯, and also drew blood and dropped unknown reagents on it. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While the doctor was finishing the examination and organizing the results, Liv reflected on her relationship with Emmett. Although Emmett always took care of Liv¡¯s condition first, he had never talked about wanting to have a child. Since he didn¡¯t love Liv, he naturally wouldn¡¯t want a child. But in any case, he needs an heir too. Then, the fact that Emmett hadn¡¯t brought up the topic of children to Liv might not be because he didn¡¯t want children, but simply because he thought it wasn¡¯t the right time. Now they¡¯re also being threatened by August, and it¡¯s an unstable and dangerous time in many ways. What should she do if a child comes? There¡¯s a possibility that Emmett won¡¯t love the child. Although it would be painful... even if Emmett doesn¡¯t love her, Liv would raise the child alone. After all, Liv had learned that a child is the greatest fruit a couple can bear. How would Emmett react if he knew there was a problem with Liv¡¯s health? Would he say it¡¯s okay, or would he be disappointed because she couldn¡¯t continue the lineage? Liv¡¯s head was spinning complexly. Divorce was prohibited in the Holy Hilysid Empire, but if there was a problem with continuing the lineage, that case was an exception. Of course, Emmett didn¡¯t marry her because he wanted children, so there wouldn¡¯t be a divorce... but still, it was difficult to predict his reaction. While Liv was lost in thought, the doctor stood in front of Liv with a somewhat frightened expression. Seeing that face, Liv realized that the examination results might be more serious than she thought. Her instinct sent a warning to be nervous. She should steel her heart as some shocking words might come from the doctor. [I-I¡¯ll tell you the results.] [What is it? Why aren¡¯t you speaking quickly?] When Rania spoke irritably as if picking a fight, the doctor opened her mouth with an even more frightened expression. [In my opinion, undoubtedly...] Liv held her breath waiting for the words to come out of her mouth. [It seems pregnancy will be difficult for you.] ...Well, as expected. Strangely, Liv wasn¡¯t greatly shocked at first when she heard those words. All she felt was just the sensation of what she had expected becoming reality. What was bound to happen has happened, just that. There had never been a moment in Liv¡¯s life that could be called smooth. The worst imaginings had always become reality and struck Liv¡¯s life. Liv just had to stand still in her place and be swept along by the new misfortune. [I see.] Liv listened to the doctor¡¯s continuing words in a calm voice. It felt both unreal and too vivid at the same time. In fact, she felt like she wanted to run away a little... [F-First, your nutritional status is not good, and your energy is imbalanced.] When Liv didn¡¯t give any answer to those words, Rania glared on her behalf. [Isn¡¯t that something that can be treated?] [Yes, in fact it¡¯s not an area that¡¯s completely impossible to treat... But infertility is also a complex area that current medicine hasn¡¯t completely overcome...] The doctor continued, hesitating. She seemed to be trying to say something hopeful, but it didn¡¯t go as she intended. [But the condition of the uterus is somewhat...] [Somewhat?] [It seems less developed compared to adult women of the same age... I¡¯m not sure about the cause of this...] It wasn¡¯t strange. Having lived confined in Abgrund for fifteen years without ever properly consuming food, it would be stranger if her organs developed the same as others. For example, Liv¡¯s stomach was small, so she easily got indigestion when she ate a lot. Ah, maybe she can¡¯t drink alcohol well because there¡¯s a problem with her liver too. It was amazing that the power of the gods had helped Liv stay alive until now. [Oh, Liv...] Rania grabbed Liv¡¯s hand with pitying eyes, but Liv opened her mouth in a numb voice. [I¡¯m fine.] [But if you¡¯re married, you should have children...] Ah, one could think that way. Right, usually people think that way. Moreover, it was said that the Kingdom of Ashur values the prosperity of the family even more. But from the beginning, Liv didn¡¯t have confidence in raising children well. If Liv were to have a child, it might be even more problematic. A child raised in Liv¡¯s arms might develop a temperament that doesn¡¯t get along well with others. Rania looked at Liv with a regretful face, then left Liv in the room, telling her to rest comfortably. Sitting alone on the bed, Liv caressed the lower part of her abdomen. There¡¯s no way only the uterus is problematic, other organs must be a mess too. ¡°What could be the problem?¡± As Liv murmured in a small voice, the voices of the gods were heard. My child, life is the most complex existence of all. It seems we can¡¯t directly solve this issue this time. The organs that govern life are sensitive to divine power, so they might have been affected by us. ¡°I see.¡± Well, she didn¡¯t feel distressed. If she raised a child, she wouldn¡¯t be able to raise them like a normal child, so it might be for the best. At that moment, what came to Liv¡¯s mind was Emmett. Would Emmett think the same as her? ¡°Hmm...¡± Bearing a child to continue the lineage was a wife¡¯s duty. Moreover, Liv would return to the Holy Hilysid Empire and become Emperor, so producing an heir was more important than anything. ¡°This is a bit of a problem.¡± If Liv had been able to have a normal pregnancy, the first child would have become the Crown Prince, and the second child would have become the heir to the Lartman Duchy. But Liv had become unable to achieve any of that. Ordinary nobles would divorce. But Liv felt that Emmett wouldn¡¯t easily speak of divorce. Above all, if Liv becomes Emperor, divorce will become more difficult. She had heard that in neighboring countries, they take concubines in such cases, but in the Holy Hilysid Empire, which strictly follows the doctrines of the Holy Church, that was impossible. Moreover, the bloodline for imperial succession must come directly from Liv¡¯s side. Then what should they do? ¡°Ha.¡± Suddenly Liv laughed with a snort. Just when one problem seems to be solved, another problem arises. Now she¡¯s in a position to worry about the succession problem. Chapter 139 Why doesn¡¯t Liv¡¯s life ever run smoothly? Why must she overcome every crisis situation? Can¡¯t things work out well for her just once without her having to make an effort? In fact, the succession issue wasn¡¯t that important to Liv. Even if the Gracia imperial family line ended with her, Liv didn¡¯t care much. Liv wanted to become Emperor to take revenge on August. On the other hand, she felt a sense of responsibility to restore the honor of her parents, Laga, and the Hamelsvoort couple. In reality, Liv herself was burdened with a sense of debt that she had to fulfill her duty as a Gracia. So Liv had no goal beyond ousting August and becoming Emperor herself. She didn¡¯t have to consider what came after that. The only problem was whether Emmett could accept this. "I guess it won¡¯t work after all." Like many noble men, Emmett probably wouldn¡¯t be able to easily accept the idea of his lineage ending. Then his fondness and affection for Liv would drop even further. ¡¯Will he abandon me?¡¯ Perhaps Emmett might try to marry another woman instead of Liv to continue the Lartman ducal family line... But somehow Liv didn¡¯t think he would do that. There was no special reason. At first, she thought he had only married her out of pity, but the trust in Emmett that Liv had built up over time was telling her otherwise. That he would never abandon her. ¡¯It¡¯s really strange.¡¯ Liv knew that Emmett didn¡¯t love her. But how could she be so certain that she wouldn¡¯t be abandoned? Even she couldn¡¯t understand where this faith came from right now. * * * Since Liv received the diagnosis from the doctor, Rania seemed to be trying to cheer Liv up. Now she even brought along her younger sister, Princess Rosina. Several fruits that were said to only grow on the Night Continent were placed in front of Liv, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t help much in improving Liv¡¯s mood. [Lady Liv, how about taking multiple men?] Rania whispered, nestling close to Liv. [Could infertility be just Lady Liv¡¯s problem? There must be issues with the man too. If so, it¡¯s not a difficult matter. You can just have multiple spouses.] [That¡¯s impossible in the Holy Hilysid Empire. Moreover, I have no intention of doing so.] [Oh, if the gods love Lady Liv, what¡¯s the big deal about such things?] At Rania¡¯s words, Princess Rosina nodded too. [That¡¯s right. If you try multiple times with multiple people, you might have a child.] Liv felt her face burning at the embarrassing conversation. Really, she never thought she¡¯d realize how different the Kingdom of Ashur was from where she had been like this. Even the princesses here seemed to have no reservations about having multiple spouses. [Our sister Rania is also considering taking another husband.] [Hmph, looking at how my current fianc¨¦ acts, anyone would want to.] Rania grumbled. Liv now knew well that Rania was not satisfied with her fianc¨¦. [I want a robust fianc¨¦ instead of that feeble guy.] [Then why don¡¯t you take in another person?] As far as Liv knew, Rania had enough power to do so. Wasn¡¯t she the first daughter of the Ayr? But as soon as Liv finished speaking, Rania¡¯s face turned red. Rosina giggled as if she knew something. Seeing that Rania didn¡¯t want to talk about her circumstances, Liv decided to change the subject. [By the way, I¡¯m worried about how my country might be right now...] [What are you worried about?] [I¡¯m worried about the people waiting for me...] The faces of the people she had to part with in the Merna Empire came to Liv¡¯s mind. And somehow she felt that they might be worried about her. Now the ship she was to board would finish preparations for departure tomorrow... Somehow her heart was uneasy. Even though Liv knew there was nothing she could do, she couldn¡¯t just sit still. * * * In a small room, a woman was kneeling like an ascetic. "Sister Liv..." A clear tear streamed down from blue eyes. The sight looked so pitiful yet elegant at the same time. The ¡¯Saintess¡¯ Hildegard was staying in the Viscounty of Wolfe with Walter. Although Viscount Wolfe tried to take good care of them, Hildegard couldn¡¯t feel at ease at all. "Hic..." She could hardly sleep at night because of her worry for Liv. She had heard about Liv¡¯s last moments from Hayden. He said that after saving the sinking ship, Liv was swept away by the seawater and disappeared. And since then, there had been no news about Liv. She heard that Emmett was searching for traces of Liv, but it seemed he hadn¡¯t found anything either. Rather, Hildegard wouldn¡¯t have worried about Liv like this before. In fact, back then, Liv was an object of pity that Hildegard had to take care of. Sometimes she even felt a sense of superiority in helping Liv. After learning that Liv actually received the love of the gods, Hildegard also understood Liv and felt awe at what she had endured, but even then she only felt a sense of duty to respect Liv, not liking her as much as she does now. But at some point, Hildegard unknowingly started to care for Liv naturally. As she spent time with Liv, she realized that she was a good person. Liv had many naive aspects, but basically, she had a much stronger pure and clear impression. So when Hildegard was close to Liv, she felt as if even she was being purified. Above all, Liv had no hypocrisy or pretense. The aspects of nobles that Hildegard disliked were not seen in Liv. Liv always dealt with people sincerely, and Hildegard could also feel that she genuinely cared for her. Before she knew it, Hildegard had come to like Liv as much as Liv cared for her. That¡¯s why the current situation was so painful for Hildegard. She had failed to carry out the Supreme God¡¯s command to protect Liv. She couldn¡¯t repay Liv who had always been good to her. Hildegard could only shed tears due to the sense of defeat at not fulfilling her mission and the sense of loss at losing a precious person. "Ah..." While Hildegard was in distress, Walter opened the door and entered the room. Walter, who always smiled with a gentle expression, had only shown a cold expression since Liv disappeared. So much so that others who made eye contact with him were startled. "Hildegard, were you crying again?" "Hic, I¡¯m worried about Sister Liv..." "..." Walter didn¡¯t answer those words, but Hildegard knew how much he was worried about Liv. Walter had come to truly consider Liv as his younger sister at some point. What Walter regrets most now was putting Liv on the ship first at the port of the Merna Empire. But he had no other choice at that time. Walter had to realize his powerlessness in the face of the Emperor¡¯s power, unable to do anything afterward. "Hildegard, it¡¯s okay. I believe in Liv." Yes, that was the reason he could be more composed than Hildegard. Walter had experienced the power Liv possessed. The wondrous power that only one backed by the gods could have... He sometimes thought that Liv was perhaps closer to a god than a human. Of course, when he recalled Liv crying loudly when they met again after the Hamelsvoort couple died, she also felt like a child. "Liv will return safely..." As if persuading himself, Walter said so. Overcoming all these trials, Liv will return safely and become Emperor. Like Julius, the first Emperor of the Gracia Empire, or Beatrice, who was born to a maid and became Emperor, Liv will become an Emperor who will remain in history books. ¡¯It¡¯s really strange.¡¯ Walter could no longer tell what feelings he had for Liv. At first, he hated Liv too. It was natural to resent her since he had suffered greatly because of Liv. Even knowing he couldn¡¯t dare touch Liv, he hoped she would suffer like him. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But when he was about to die at the Emperor¡¯s hands because of Liv, he didn¡¯t feel like blaming Liv. Rather, Walter wanted to prevent the Emperor from trying to kill Liv. That¡¯s when he realized he was thinking of Liv as his younger sister. But now Liv seemed to have become more than just a younger sister to him. He couldn¡¯t explain what kind of change of heart he had experienced, but anyway, he cared about Liv. Is it because he knows that Liv is actually a fragile child? Or on the contrary, is it because he knows that Liv is an incredibly strong person? Well, that¡¯s not the important thing. The key is that he can no longer ignore Liv. ¡¯It can¡¯t be bad to be honest with my feelings.¡¯ Earnestly hoping for Liv¡¯s return, Walter closed his eyes. Chapter 140 "Haa, haa..." The sound of heavy breathing was heard. Hayden was gripping his own neck, blocking his breath. Soon, his hand fell from his neck. Hayden collapsed into his seat with a deeply reddened face. The pain of not being able to breathe overwhelmed him, but nevertheless, his mind didn¡¯t clear. The only thing dominating his mind was thoughts of his master, whom he must serve. "Damn it!" His master will return. Because she said so. Yes, so Hayden should believe her and do what he needs to do. That was what he ought to do as Liv¡¯s servant. But... "I can¡¯t concentrate..." He couldn¡¯t focus on anything. Only thoughts of Liv filled his mind. He had tried several times to inflict injuries on himself to clear his mind. He had tried strangling himself and even slapping his own cheeks. His arms were covered with red wounds he had inflicted on himself. But he couldn¡¯t erase Liv. Yes, maybe it¡¯s natural. Because Liv was his very mission itself. Liv was Hayden¡¯s center that he couldn¡¯t escape from no matter how hard he tried. Liv was his destiny and his mission. Hayden¡¯s unusually strong interest in Liv began around the time he received divine punishment because of her. He could have avoided her, thinking his life would be ruined if he got involved, but somehow he didn¡¯t want to. Strangely enough, from that moment on, Hayden couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Liv. When he suffered hardships from the Emperor because of Liv, his mind became clearer. Although he was the one imprisoned, he felt pity for Liv. Hayden was also a human lacking in many things, but he couldn¡¯t stop thinking that Liv seemed empty every time he saw her. She seemed to be a person with a much more vacant inner self than Hayden himself. Feeling like he needed to take care of and look after her for no reason, Hayden unknowingly began to hover around Liv. And now that he knows Liv is the master he had been looking for... "Damn it." With his head throbbing as if it was about to burst, Hayden slashed his arm with the dagger lying beside him. Blood flowed down his arm and dripped onto the blanket. Looking at that vivid red color, Hayden felt his headache subsiding a little. "Yes, I guess this is all my karma..." It¡¯s natural to suffer pain for the sin of not properly protecting his master. Until Liv returns, he will gladly endure this pain. Recalling the pink eyes that smiled at him, Hayden tightly shut his mouth. Knock knock knock. At that moment, he heard someone knocking on his door. Hayden answered with an exhausted voice. "Yes, come in." The person who entered as soon as the door opened was an unexpected figure. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Anne Wolfe, the granddaughter of Viscount Wolfe with her ash-gray hair tied back, was standing there. Discovering Hayden¡¯s bleeding arm, Anne showed a slightly surprised expression, but soon returned to her original expressionless face and opened her mouth. "Are you waiting for her?" "...Yes." After hearing Liv¡¯s words to return to the Wolfe viscounty and wait for an opportunity, Anne really returned to the viscounty. And she heard all the explanations from her grandfather. Even that the person she had met that day was Gracia. Since then, she became a completely different person from before. Her uncultured speech that was like a street ruffian instantly transformed into that of a noble lady, and her always unruly demeanor changed to be gentle following noble etiquette. When Hayden asked why she changed her attitude so drastically, Anne answered, "If Lady Gracia returns, I should serve her as a noble too." Hayden kept recalling the conversation he had with Anne. He also asked Anne why she wanted to devote herself to Gracia whom she had never met. -Well, you from the Schulze family would know too, we learn loyalty from childhood, don¡¯t we? -...That¡¯s right. -And even if that wasn¡¯t the case, I need to take revenge. -On August? -Yes, because that guy is the reason my father died. Because vengeance burned in Anne¡¯s eyes as she said that, Hayden could trust her completely. When Hayden looked at Anne as if asking why she came to his room, she spoke in a quiet tone. "I¡¯m leaving this place now." "Where are you going?" "Where else?" Impulsively disregarding etiquette, Anne grinned. "I have to go cut off August¡¯s head." * * * [You¡¯re leaving tomorrow...] [Yes, that¡¯s right.] Sitting next to Rania, Liv was continuing her meal. Although the food of the Kingdom of Ashur was too salty for Liv¡¯s taste, she was satisfied just to be able to eat. Perhaps it was because the years she spent in Abgrund were much longer than the time she spent as a noble. At that moment, a servant carefully approached and whispered something in Rania¡¯s ear. Rania¡¯s expression brightened upon hearing those words. [What? My fianc¨¦ has come?] [Yes, Princess.] [Tch, why did he come, how annoying?] Seeing this, Liv tilted her head. Rania was grumbling as if she didn¡¯t like her fianc¨¦ coming, but strangely, both her cheeks were flushed red. [Lady Liv, would you like to see my fianc¨¦ together?] [Yes, I¡¯d like that.] A moment later, the man said to be Rania¡¯s fianc¨¦ entered the room where they were. The man had black hair and black eyes like most people in this region, but his hair was slightly curly. He was also tall and had a slender build. Although the beauty standards of the Kingdom of Ashur are a bit different, the man seemed handsome to Liv. It was different from what Rania had said about her fianc¨¦ not being handsome. ¡¯But why did she say that?¡¯ As Liv was wondering, recalling what Rania had said about her fianc¨¦ before, Rania abruptly stood up, stood next to her fianc¨¦, and began to speak. [Hmph, did you come all the way to the palace to make someone embarrassed?] [I wanted to see you.] While saying that, Rania¡¯s fianc¨¦ didn¡¯t look embarrassed at all. Rather, it was Rania¡¯s face that reddened at those words. [Did I interrupt something?] [You didn¡¯t interrupt... but I was with an important person right now.] At those words, the man turned his head towards Liv. [I¡¯m sorry for interrupting. I¡¯m Ahmose, the Princess¡¯s fianc¨¦.] [I¡¯m Liv Gracia.] [You¡¯re from the Ein continent, I see.] [Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m from the Holy Hilysid Empire.] [I can¡¯t tell you in detail, but Lady Liv is a very special and precious guest to our country too.] [I see.] Ahmose naturally extended his arm to Rania, and Rania linked arms with Ahmose. The process was as natural as flowing water. Seeing this, Liv somehow felt like she was getting a grasp of the situation. Yes, the reason Rosina laughed when Liv asked Rania why she didn¡¯t take another fianc¨¦ was... [Then I¡¯ll return to my room now.] When Liv said that, Rania¡¯s eyes widened. [Is it because of my fianc¨¦? Should I kick him out?] [No, there¡¯s no need for that. I just think it would be good for me to rest a bit before I leave tomorrow.] Saying that and leaving the room, Liv whispered in Rania¡¯s ear. [It would be better for the Princess to be more honest.] [Ah...!] Rania¡¯s face turned red as if it was about to burst. Leaving such a Rania behind and exiting the room, Liv was certain that Rania loved her fianc¨¦. Although she usually grumbled about her fianc¨¦, their actual appearance was different. More than words, actions better show a person¡¯s true feelings. Rania showed a consistently flustered appearance in front of her fianc¨¦. Like a child shy in front of someone they like. ¡¯Even though she speaks like that, she actually likes him.¡¯ Hmm, it seems that observing actions rather than words is better to really know a person. Liv thought anew. * * * "Ah, Liv..." In a dark room, a man sitting alone muttered with his face buried in his hands. Emmett¡¯s eyes were bright red when he raised his head. Needless to say, his face had become haggard. Anyone could see he hadn¡¯t slept at all. Since Liv went missing, there hadn¡¯t been a moment when he wasn¡¯t in agony. But what tormented him most of all was... "I love you, Liv..." With Liv not in front of him, the words of love came out naturally. No one was stopping his mouth. Inside Emmett, resentment towards the gods surged madly. Why on earth did the gods inflict such divine punishment on him? He could have endured everything except for the thing about Liv, so why this of all things? "I love you, Liv..." Emmett wanted to say those words to Liv. He wanted to whisper those words every day while holding Liv in his arms. He wanted to see Liv¡¯s face smiling back at him upon hearing those words. But Liv had disappeared, and all that remained were words that had lost their light before he could convey them. Though called a duke of the empire who has everything, without Liv, he was nothing more than a person who had nothing. Feeling pathetic about himself, Emmett laughed as if in self-mockery. "Haha, where did it go wrong..." Where did it go wrong? Was it a problem that he married without even being able to tell Liv he loved her? Or was it a problem that he rejected Liv¡¯s love back when he didn¡¯t know anything? Well, there¡¯s no point in dwelling on such things now anyway. "I love you, Liv." His words, growing cold without being conveyed, only served to remind Emmett more poignantly of his miserable situation. "Your Grace, it¡¯s time for you to depart." At that moment, Philip¡¯s voice was heard from outside, so Emmett raised his head with a coldly set face. In his hand was the long sword he always carried. "Yes, it¡¯s time to depart." Chapter 141 Liv stood under the scorching sun on the sandy beach. [Lady Liv...] Rania looked at Liv with tears in her eyes. The arrogant face she had when first meeting Liv was no longer visible. Seeing this, Liv thought Rania was more affectionate than she had expected. [Lady Liv, you¡¯re truly amazing... You¡¯ve already come to understand all of our language...] [Human languages are relatively easy.] [You¡¯re really incredible.] At those words, Rania sniffled as if even more moved. Behind Rania, other princes and princesses also bid farewell. [You¡¯ll surely become a wonderful ruler.] [Any person would rightfully follow you, Lady Liv.] [I hope you form a healthy family.] Today, the ship heading to the Merna Empire departs. For Liv, it was an incredibly joyous day. Although all the royalty of the Kingdom of Ashur had sad faces. While the royalty were waving their hands with tear-filled eyes towards Liv, a sturdy figure strode through them. [It¡¯s time to leave.] The Ayr, the supreme leader of the Kingdom of Ashur, dressed in white clothes, smiled showing his teeth as he looked at Liv. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [It¡¯s regrettable that you¡¯re leaving, but you must have a place to return to.] [Yes, that¡¯s right.] [Still, it¡¯s a pity...] The Ayr clicked his tongue. [There are many gods here who love you, why do you want to leave for another land?] [I can feel the power of the gods wherever I am. The gods are always with me.] [...Yes, I suppose so.] Fortunately, the Ayr easily accepted Liv¡¯s words. [Still, I¡¯d like to maintain a good relationship with the country you¡¯ll create.] At those words, Liv pondered for a moment. Would there be any benefit in trading with the Kingdom of Ashur? The golden age of the Kingdom of Ashur had long passed. The current science, technology, and military power of this country are lacking compared to those of the Ein continent. However... [Yes, if I regain my position, I¡¯ll send an envoy.] The Kingdom of Ashur was the strongest country on the Night Continent. If the Holy Hilysid Empire needs to expand its influence to the Night Continent in the future, the Kingdom of Ashur could be of great help. The ship Liv was to board had a magnificent appearance. Moreover, it was very large, seeming as if it wouldn¡¯t be affected by any wave that might hit it. The path to the port was covered with yellow flowers. Yellow signified nobility in the Kingdom of Ashur. They had prepared quite a grand farewell ceremony for Liv. As Liv was about to walk the path, a band standing at the edge of the road began to play lutes. Percussion instruments created a lively sound. Liv glanced back. The royalty waved their hands towards her. ¡¯Now I¡¯m going back.¡¯ If she returns, there will truly be no problem in Liv reclaiming the imperial throne. No foreign power will help August. If they unite around the Lartman ducal family, they can also firmly grasp domestic power. The temple will also help Liv. Yes, Liv is now on her way to become Emperor... ¡¯I wonder if it¡¯s okay to go a bit grandly.¡¯ * * * ¡¯How boring.¡¯ That was the thought of a sailor on the ship heading to the Merna Empire. He had been sailing for over a decade, and to him, voyages were always boring. Even the sea that once seemed beautiful and mysterious was now tedious. Of course, he knew that the sea harbors many dangers and one should never let their guard down, but he was an experienced sailor. It was about time for his vigilance to loosen. In fact, today¡¯s ship was somewhat special. It carried a distinguished guest from the Kingdom of Ashur. Even the Ayr himself came out to see off this ¡¯distinguished guest¡¯. Just what kind of being would warrant the Ayr seeing them off? It must be someone far too high for him to even reach. Indeed, the distinguished guest did look quite special. Although he had met many people traveling between the Ein continent and the Night continent, he had never met anyone who looked like this distinguished guest. The distinguished guest¡¯s white hair was not just white, but transparent. But even more unusual were her pale pink eyes. When he caught a glimpse of those eyes, he somehow felt as if his insides were completely exposed. Although it was no different from the color of cosmetics used by women or the color of flowers, he realized for the first time that pink could feel so frightening. The distinguished guest was standing on the deck looking at the sea instead of entering the cabin. Other merchants on the ship were also curious about this distinguished guest, glancing at her from around her. ¡¯Is she from the Merna Empire? No, such bright hair color is rare there. The Kingdom of Reboer? If not there, then the Esit Empire?¡¯ As he was racking his brain, a powerful wave hit the ship, causing it to sway momentarily. Some merchants staggered and grabbed the railing, but the sailor stood in his place with a calm face. He was used to this much by now. The sailor unknowingly glanced at the distinguished guest. She was standing there with an equally calm face. She didn¡¯t seem affected by the waves at all. ¡¯Has she been on ships quite a lot?¡¯ As his curiosity grew, suddenly the sky began to brighten. It had been a sky with thick clouds and not a bit of sunlight shining through, but it seemed the clouds had cleared a bit. He raised his head, not thinking much of the change in weather. And then... "Huh?" He discovered that the sun revealed between the clouds was shining light on exactly one spot. Following that... "Ah..." The sunlight was shining precisely above the distinguished guest¡¯s head. The sight looked just like an angel from mythology. ¡¯No, what is this...¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be seen as simply a coincidence. How could the sunlight illuminate such a narrow area, and how could the distinguished guest happen to be standing alone in that spot? The moment he instinctively thought something was strange, two birds flew in from the sky. "It¡¯s the celestial albatross!" A sea bird with a body as large as a human that can move thousands of yards at once. The celestial albatross is known to be able to fly for days without rest, but it¡¯s extremely rare to see at sea. However, there¡¯s a rumor that once a celestial albatross is spotted, the voyage becomes safe, so sailors greatly welcome the appearance of this bird. But the celestial albatross, which is said to be hard to see even once in a lifetime while sailing, appeared not just one but two at the same time. As the sailor¡¯s face became blank at that sight, the two celestial albatrosses began to circle around the distinguished guest. People started murmuring as they saw this. It was an extraordinary sight for anyone to see. Then, the final unbelievable thing that happened was... "Oh? The wind!" The ship¡¯s sailing speed increased. Surprisingly, the wind was pushing them in the direction they needed to go. Amidst all this, the distinguished guest was smiling alone. As if she had expected this situation. Just then, her hair fluttered in the wind. While other people¡¯s clothes and hair were still, only the distinguished guest¡¯s hair... At that moment, the sailor recalled one of the many legends he had heard while sailing. Ah, so that woman is... "-In the Holy Hilysid Empire, there¡¯s an imperial family called Gracia, and they are said to receive the love of the gods for generations. -Well, it¡¯s probably a lie made up to win the hearts of the people. -You fool, what do you know! I¡¯ve seen them myself! -What do you mean... -They truly perform miracles through the love of the gods! It was the revivalof the Gracia family. * * * Emmett staggered to his feet. Although his appearance was still a mess, his eyes were shining brightly. Emmett, who went out to the entrance, could face the knights gathered with the Lartman crest. They had solemn faces befitting people going to war. Even though it was Emmett who decided to fight the Emperor, they showed no signs of discontent towards him. Well, it might be natural. After all, August finally pointed to him as the culprit who assassinated Louisa. According to what the spy he had planted in the capital quickly rode on horseback to relay, soldiers sent from the capital were coming here to arrest him. Of course, they won¡¯t be able to catch Emmett anyway. Their heads will fall to the ground before that. "I should have done this earlier." Even if Liv returns, he cannot tell her of his love. That was the divine punishment he received. However, there was something he could do. Emmett will break August¡¯s neck and present it to Liv as a gift. He will prove his love to Liv with that. "Your Grace, we¡¯re ready!" "Yes, deploy the soldiers." The flag of the Lartman ducal family announcing rebellion was raised high. Chapter 142 12. The Return of Gracia The atmosphere in the capital was as precarious as walking on thin ice, and it was the same for the Luter family. "Elena, leave the capital." Elena Luter, the only daughter of the Luter family, nervously bit her nails. Her mother, the Viscountess Luter, held Elena with an anxious face. "It¡¯s dangerous here. It would be better for you to be away from the capital for a while." "Then come with me, Mother!" "I..." The Viscountess turned her head and made eye contact with Viscount Luter. She nodded briefly. "I have to stay here." "Why?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "There¡¯s... something I have to do here, with your father." At those words, Elena bit her lip hard. On October 30th, Duke Lartman started a rebellion. The imperial family announced that Duke Lartman had instigated the assassination of Princess Louisa, and afterwards, the Duke killed all the imperial knights he encountered while advancing towards the capital. Of course, everyone knew that he couldn¡¯t have actually killed Louisa. This was no different from the Emperor declaring war on Lartman. Lartman responded to that war, and now fierce battles were taking place in the capital. Among the Five Noble Families, Marquis Arendt¡¯s family sided with Duke Lartman, and Marquis Schmidt¡¯s family sided with the imperial family. Eventually, other families began to join the war one by one. Although the imperial family hadn¡¯t gained much support from the nobles usually, there were quite a few who sided with the imperial family thanks to their promise to create new meritorious families. However, since the temple supported Lartman, the two forces were ultimately maintaining a tense standoff. "You¡¯re going to fight, aren¡¯t you?" Elena continued in a trembling voice. Her parents would undoubtedly jump into this battle. They were the Luter Viscount couple, famous for being faithful servants of the Supreme God. Elena recalled Liv Lartman, whose whereabouts were now unknown. She had heard that on the day Hildegard and Walter of the Hamelsvoort family disappeared, Liv had left with them. No one knew where Liv was or what she was doing. Only Duke Lartman would know. "How could we just sit still?" "Everyone heard the Supreme God declare excommunication against the Emperor that day." "And some nobles who pretend they didn¡¯t hear that have completely thrown away their conscience..." Hearing her parents speak with determined voices, Elena thought of the faces of Hildegard and Liv who had smiled and talked with her. They were such good people. To the extent that she thought, so this is why they could be chosen by God. So even if they hadn¡¯t been chosen by the Supreme God, Elena would have sided with them. "But Mother, Father. I can¡¯t leave the capital." "Elena...!" "You know. My friends, Lady Liv and Lady Hildegard, are in danger. I want to stay here and fight together for them." At those words, the Viscount closed his eyes as if he couldn¡¯t stop her. He knew well the stubbornness of his daughter who took after him. "Elena, are you speaking after sufficient thought?" "Yes, Father." "...If we lose, that¡¯s the end. It can¡¯t be undone." "I¡¯m prepared. So we must win. We should lend our strength to Duke Lartman." Rather than having a tyrant like August as their Emperor, it would be better for Duke Lartman to become Emperor. Or perhaps Liv receiving the love of the Supreme God meant that she was the material for an Emperor? Elena was surprised by what she had unknowingly thought of, but then concluded that anyway, the Lartman ducal family should be the winning side. "There¡¯s a rumor that the Emperor has requested military cooperation from the Kingdom of Aila-Hora. We need to capture the capital quickly before they respond to the request." "We can do it." Now no one had anywhere to retreat. Many nobles had chosen their sides and jumped into the battle. ¡¯I wonder where Lady Liv is and what she¡¯s doing...¡¯ Thinking that if she were here, God might bestow protection, Elena bit her lip hard. * * * Fire burned and an acrid smell filled the air. Crows flew towards the corpses scattered here and there. "We¡¯re withdrawing for today." A horn blew loudly, and the soldiers on Duke Lartman¡¯s side began to retreat one by one. The imperial side¡¯s soldiers also retreated and disappeared. Their camp was located near the capital. Returning to the camp and taking off his armor, Emmett frowned. "No progress today." It had been just over a week since Duke Lartman started the rebellion. During the first week, they had succeeded in advancing little by little and taking over imperial territory, and they quickly advanced to the capital. However, since reaching the capital, there had been no progress for three days. It was natural that it was difficult as the imperial forces were concentrated in the capital, putting up a last defense. Short-term battles that started during the day and subsided at night continued repeatedly. Even soldiers can¡¯t fight all day long. Of course, Emmett didn¡¯t neglect to be on guard against surprise attacks by imperial knights at night. Such things could happen anytime. Or, conversely, they could launch a surprise attack first. "Your Grace, Viscount Luter has promised cooperation." "I¡¯ll write a letter soon." The news that his aide Philip delivered wasn¡¯t bad. It was good that the forces on his side had increased even by one. And since Luter was a family famous for being so devout, it seemed he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them betraying him. "Is there no other news?" "...No, there isn¡¯t." Philip also knew that what Emmett was asking about was news of Liv. Because of that, the atmosphere in the camp became even gloomier. However, Emmett only endured as he always did. To divert his attention elsewhere, Emmett spread out a map on the table and looked at it closely. He began to ponder which side¡¯s forces might be weaker. "It might not be bad to try attacking from the east." "What? Isn¡¯t the eastern forest dangerous!" "Forest, forest..." Hearing those words, Emmett smiled slightly. The eastern ¡¯Devil¡¯s Forest¡¯, which was rumored to be so dangerous that people couldn¡¯t enter, was actually a sanctuary according to Liv. It was as if Liv¡¯s voice was echoing in his ears. "We¡¯re not in a position to be picky about means and methods, are we? Sometimes we need to take risks." Emmett¡¯s dark gray eyes flashed with a gloomy light. At that moment, the tent flap was lifted and a familiar face appeared. "Your Grace, we¡¯ve caught a spy." The person entering while dragging a bound soldier was Hayden. Looking as if he had fought more fiercely than anyone in battle, with his face covered in blood, he threw the soldier on the ground with an unconcerned face. "A spy?" "Yes, our soldiers discovered him right away before he could cause any problems." Emmett looked down at the soldier collapsed on the ground with insensitive eyes. His gaze towards the soldier was dry, as if looking at an inanimate object. The action that followed was as natural as flowing water. Roll... A head rolled on the ground. Emmett lightly kicked it away as it rolled to his feet, then nodded to Hayden. "Clean it up." "Yes, yes. Well, it was nothing much." Watching Hayden calmly dragging away the head and body in each hand, Philip¡¯s face turned pale. But Emmett¡¯s expression didn¡¯t waver at all. "Let¡¯s discuss attack methods again." "What? Ah, yes!" Philip glanced at Emmett with a strange look. He thought somehow his master seemed to have changed a little. No, in fact, this was closer to his original self. That is, before being with Liv... When he only followed August¡¯s orders unconditionally, Emmett had no mercy for enemies and was cold and heartless. People didn¡¯t know well because he had a somewhat kind face in social circles. However, since Liv disappeared, Emmett was returning to his former self. Because Emmett acting like this had a look in his eyes as if he was festering more inside, Philip prayed to God for Liv to return safely as soon as possible. * * * Liv¡¯s eyes sparkled as she set foot on familiar land. "Phew..." Air more stuffy than the Kingdom of Ashur but still familiar to her. She had finally arrived in the Holy Hilysid Empire. Because divine power overflowed in her body, Liv intentionally didn¡¯t spare her power and arrived here at a fast pace. Although she had to change ships once in the Merna Empire, it was still a fast speed considering that. After arriving at the port of Miergrund, Liv headed to the merchant guild. There were always carriages heading to the capital at the guild, so she intended to hitch a ride. She had plenty of money thanks to the gold coins provided by the Kingdom of Ashur. "Is there a carriage going to the capital?" However, when Liv asked, the guild master looked at her with a puzzled face. "Haven¡¯t you heard the news?" "What?" "There are no carriages going to the capital now. Probably nowhere." "What do you mean?" Somehow an uneasy feeling surrounded her. What had happened in the capital in the meantime? The moment she heard the next words, Liv felt her heart drop. "Don¡¯t you know Duke Lartman started a rebellion? The capital is in the middle of a civil war with the rebels now." "...!" Emmett had started a rebellion. That sentence felt stranger than anything else to Liv. Yes, in fact, it might have been a natural choice for him. After falling out with the Emperor, the Lartman ducal family was being driven into a corner. But she didn¡¯t expect a war to start while she was gone. Without Liv to provide justification, it must have been much more difficult to start a rebellion. Where could Emmett be now? Chapter 143 "How long has it been?" "Today is the seventh day. It seems the war will drag on, so it¡¯s better not to go near the capital for a while. If you don¡¯t want to get caught up in it." At those words, Liv tightly closed her lips. She had to get to the capital by any means necessary. But if even the merchant guild wasn¡¯t going, there was absolutely no way to find a carriage to the capital. ¡¯I have no choice.¡¯ If that was the case, there was only one way. "Where can I buy clothes?" Liv bought clothes to change into at a shop. The skirt that came down to just below her knees to avoid inconvenience while walking was made of a well-ventilated fabric. The clothes from the Kingdom of Ashur that Liv was wearing now were too eye-catching and not suitable for long walks. Well, if she couldn¡¯t take a carriage to the capital, the remaining answer was simple, wasn¡¯t it? "I¡¯ll have to walk." Take a carriage to a city near the capital. Then walk from there to the capital. Although she would take a carriage to near the capital, moving between cities on foot would be quite arduous. Especially for Liv, who had lived a life without ever really walking properly. But Liv had to do it. When Liv found a carriage going to a city a bit away from the capital, the driver looked at her with suspicious eyes. He looked Liv up and down and said: "...I think I¡¯ll have to ask you to get off." "What?" "Well, you know the rumors going around these days, don¡¯t you?" "Rumors?" For now, Liv handed him a few gold coins. Then his face changed instantly and he smiled brightly. "Haha, there¡¯s no way a young lady like you could be that person! Get on!" It was an annoying attitude, but Liv had no choice in her current situation. After getting on the carriage, Liv asked about the rumors. "So what exactly are these rumors?" "Don¡¯t you know? You know, that one. The rumor that a white witch with strange powers has appeared and will ruin the country." "A white witch?" Liv¡¯s brow furrowed at those strangely grating words. "Yes, were there people who didn¡¯t know about that rumor?" "I¡¯ve been in another country... Can I hear more?" As Liv urged him, the driver began explaining in a slow drawl. "Well, it¡¯s just as it sounds. According to the rumors, a white witch cursed by God is wandering around this country." "Where on earth did this rumor come from?" "I wouldn¡¯t know that. It¡¯s just a rumor going around." "Do people believe this rumor?" "It doesn¡¯t hurt to be careful. The country is so tumultuous these days." At those words, Liv snorted. It was obviously a rumor spread by August targeting her. Until a few centuries ago, witch hunts were rampant in this land. Innocent women lost their lives in horrible ways. And now August was trying to bring back those witch hunts to this land. Thinking that she didn¡¯t know how far he was trying to go with this, Liv bit her lip hard. When the carriage arrived at a city near the capital a few days later, Liv realized that the rumor had spread more widely than she thought. An older woman approached Liv with a worried face and said: "Young lady, don¡¯t you know the recent rumors? It would be better to cover that hair." "Ah..." Although she said it out of concern for Liv, those words made Liv hesitate. But she couldn¡¯t keep shrinking back like this. The path to reclaiming the imperial throne had to be dignified. Liv had learned the dignity of a king in the Kingdom of Ashur. "It¡¯s alright." Liv decided to walk straight towards where the capital was. It would probably take another week of walking, but now was the time she had to do it. As Liv started walking towards the capital, people began to whisper as they looked at her. "That hair..." "Is she really a witch?" "You know, there¡¯s even a rumor that the civil war started because of a witch." Finally, one of them approached Liv and pointed a finger at her. "Hey! Get out of our village, you bring bad luck!" Liv stared at that finger. Perhaps intimidated by Liv¡¯s gaze, the man slowly lowered his finger. ¡¯Should I leave them be?¡¯ These people can¡¯t do anything to Liv anyway. Then would it be better to ignore them and keep walking, or... "Well..." Liv made a decision. She was going to ascend to the highest position in the empire, and in that process, she had no intention of letting anything damage her reputation. Ominous rumors needed to be nipped in the bud. "Do I look like a witch to you?" S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Liv said that, her pale pink eyes flashed golden. The person in front of Liv stepped back in surprise. At that moment, bell chimes rang out. People unanimously turned their heads towards where the bells were ringing. In the center of the village, a tall church. The bells were ringing from the tower of that church. "Is it time for the bells to ring?" "No, it hasn¡¯t been long since the bells rang..." People felt a sense of dissonance seeing the church bells ring at the same time Liv¡¯s eyes shone. People could have denounced Liv as a witch, but the sound coming from the church bell tower stopped their mouths. Just then, someone shouted in a surprised voice: "Look over there...!" The clover pattern carved in stone on the church tower was shining with a golden light. It was an undeniable brilliant golden light. Even though sunlight wasn¡¯t shining on the clover carving, it shone alone. When people looked at Liv with bewildered faces, they discovered something even more surprising. A golden clover was shining inside Liv¡¯s eyes. "Ooh...!" People could no longer brand Liv, who bore the mark of the Holy Church in her body, as a witch. People rushed to kneel before Liv. "Are you a Saintess?" Someone asked that. A woman bearing the symbol of the Holy Church¡¯s god must be a Saint. He guessed based on his limited knowledge. However, Liv shook her head with a faint smile. "No, I am..." Finally, those words came from Liv¡¯s mouth. "Gracia." * * * A man who had come to run an errand in a neighboring village discovered a strange sight. "Excuse me, what is this procession?" The man asked in a puzzled voice, seeing people lined up walking somewhere. Then someone from inside the line turned their head and answered in a calm voice. "Oh, we are following Lady Gracia." "Lady Gracia? Who is that?" It was definitely a name in his head, but why couldn¡¯t he remember? As the man scratched his head, an old man walking with them shouted loudly: "You ignorant man, don¡¯t you know even that? You must have heard the name of Lady Anfang Gracia?" "Ah!" Anfang Gracia, the girl loved by the Supreme God, the mother of the first Emperor, the protagonist of all legends about this country. The man nodded, recalling the figure that no one in the Hilysid Empire could not know. The Gracia family that inherited her blood was the former imperial family. "But what do you mean by Lady Gracia?" At those words, someone else jumped into the conversation with an excited voice: "To drive out the tyrant August, the Supreme God has sent us a new Gracia!" "What?" The man covered his mouth in surprise at words that wouldn¡¯t be strange even if his head was cut off immediately, but everyone in that procession seemed unconcerned. "A new person to become Emperor has appeared, I tell you?" "She is loved by the Supreme God." "What do you mean..." Standing there with a bewildered face, the man recalled one story he had heard before. It was a story about a ¡¯woman loved by the Supreme God¡¯. Yes, the name of the woman in that story was... "L-Liv?" He had heard a rumor that a woman had proven her power in the temple. That person had sacred white hair. "Yes, Lady Liv Gracia." "She¡¯s walking this path now to become Emperor." Hearing those words, the man became even more terrified. Even if the rumor that she was loved by the Supreme God was true, how could she kill the tyrant August and become Emperor? Usually, commoners like him had no interest in the Emperor. If commoners didn¡¯t know the Emperor¡¯s name, that Emperor qualified to be called a wise ruler. For example, when he was young, it was still the time when Gracia was the imperial family, and back then he lived without being aware of the Emperor¡¯s existence at all. But at some point, he found himself cursing ¡¯the tyrant August¡¯, with his name engraved in his head, as the culprit who made life difficult. August was such a terrifying existence that even commoners like him knew the Emperor¡¯s name. To him, August felt like an absolute monarch that no one could dare defeat. "Bah, if you can¡¯t believe it, go to the front and see for yourself!" The old man shouted loudly once again, so the man scratched his head and walked forward. The procession was longer than he thought, so he had to walk at a fast pace. Finally, he was able to see a woman with white hair walking at the head of the procession. Unlike the rumors, she looked rather unimpressive. She was just a small young woman. But... "Huh?" Wherever she walked, yellow flowers were blooming. Yes, yellow flowers were really blooming from bare ground where there was nothing. Yellow canaries, considered auspicious in the Holy Church, circled around her. Seeing that sight, he realized that Liv Gracia was truly loved by God. It was a sight he would never see again in his life. A miracle was being realized. And perhaps... ¡¯The love of the Supreme God was something amazing.¡¯ She might really become the new Emperor. Looking at her, it felt like she could even defeat August... In the end, the man tagged along at the end of the procession, and the procession grew longer and longer. Chapter 144 Originally, the atmosphere in the imperial palace tended to fluctuate according to its master¡¯s mood, but this time it was severe. The mood of the palace¡¯s master, which had soared to the sky when Liv Lartman disappeared, plummeted after Duke Lartman¡¯s rebellion. Therefore, the head chamberlain¡¯s hand opening the door was more cautious than anything. "Your Majesty, I have a report." At the words of the head chamberlain who bowed his head, August frowned. Nothing good had ever happened when the head chamberlain spoke like that. "They say Liv Lartman has returned." "What?" At those words, August stood up abruptly with shock in his eyes. Of course, August had expected that she would return to this land someday. Because she never dies. But he didn¡¯t know her return would be this fast. He thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to return quickly unless she luckily fell into a country of the Holy Church, but how on earth did she manage it? "It is said that Liv Lartman is currently walking towards the capital. I heard that after she showed miracles, many people are following her." "Damn it!" A statue next to August fell sideways, making a loud noise. The head chamberlain inwardly vowed to find the stupid servant who put a statue in that place. However, he still had more to say. "W-We had buried it well with other rumors... but it¡¯s said that rumors about the Supreme God¡¯s voice speaking ominous words about Your Majesty are spreading again..." August spread rumors about the white witch not only to check Liv but also to block rumors about the Supreme God¡¯s voice heard from the sky. Many imperial citizens would have heard that voice that day, but commoners are originally foolish beings who don¡¯t act unless their superiors do. When August mentioned new meritorious families and subdued the nobles, the commoners also quieted down. Taking advantage of that gap, he created new rumors about the white witch to completely divert their attention elsewhere... "Are there no rumors about Liv Lartman?" "P-People are now calling her ¡¯Liv Gracia¡¯, they say." The servant stood quietly with his hands folded, waiting for August¡¯s orders. Finally, August glared at the servant with green eyes blazing with anger and gave his order. "Send soldiers to capture her. Make sure to tell them that she doesn¡¯t die anyway. She must be captured alive and imprisoned in Abgrund." "Yes, Your Majesty." At that moment, a servant approached and passed something to the head chamberlain. The head chamberlain who received it approached August and handed him a letter. "Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from the Kingdom of Aila-Hora." "Oh, yes!" He had requested military support from the Kingdom of Aila-Hora. If their forces intervene, they could crush the rebels. Having maintained good relations with the Kingdom of Aila-Hora so far, he opened the letter with a face full of expectation. However, the contents of the letter that followed were not what he was waiting for. Among the many flowery phrases, two sentences containing the core stood out clearly. [Unfortunately, it seems we won¡¯t be able to send you support troops. Soon there will be a national founding ceremony in our country, and the soldiers are busy preparing for the national event.] "What is this!" S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a transparent lie. What¡¯s so important about a founding ceremony that they can¡¯t send soldiers? There must definitely be another reason! He scrutinized the letter with snake-like eyes, and finally realized why his request for support had been rejected. "The Merna Empire!" August had heard that Liv Gracia had acted as an advisor to a prince there, and eventually made him the Crown Prince. Moreover, the Crown Prince had now become Emperor. It seemed that the Merna Empire had pressured the Kingdom of Aila-Hora in advance. Damn, it was his mistake. If he had known that Liv Lartman would be doing such things in the Merna Empire, he would have blocked the ports earlier. While the head chamberlain, sensing danger from August¡¯s angry face, was quietly looking for a way to slip out, a thunderous voice burst from his mouth. "Tell them to capture that girl immediately! Send many soldiers, as people might try to stop them!" "Yes, Your Majesty." Watching the back of the departing head chamberlain, August gritted his teeth. He will definitely imprison that thing that interferes with his life in Abgrund again. * * * While August was raging at the name of Liv Gracia, there was another person whose complexion changed at the news. "You say Liv has returned?" The sound of metal clashing rang out as a sword fell to the floor. But Philip didn¡¯t care about such things and was just reporting what he had heard to his master. "Yes, it¡¯s said that a procession following Lady Liv is coming to the capital. I think they might meet our soldiers in a few days." "Liv...!" Emmett sat down with excitement in his eyes. His face seemed to contain both ecstasy and deep longing. "Didn¡¯t I tell you that Madam would definitely return safely?" Philip said that, but Emmett didn¡¯t seem to be listening to his words. "I must go meet Liv right away." As he said that and stood up, Philip was startled and tried to dissuade him. It seemed that if left alone, his master would really abandon the battlefield and run to his wife. "No, where are you going? You¡¯re the one who needs to command the soldiers here." "Liv needs me." "The soldiers need you too, Your Grace." Philip tried to persuade Emmett by saying that, but he knew his master wouldn¡¯t listen to him. Emmett was the most stubborn person when it came to his wife. For some reason unknown, he had been obsessed with Liv Hamelsvoort since some day. "By the way, I heard that Madam called herself ¡¯Liv Gracia¡¯, perhaps..." "That¡¯s right." As Emmett nodded readily, surprise filled Philip¡¯s eyes. "Is Madam really a descendant of the Gracia family?" "Yes. August imprisoned my wife in Abgrund, but Liv escaped from there and met me. Now there¡¯s nothing left to hide." "Ah...!" Philip inhaled in surprise. It was truly full of surprises. The fake saintess who was ignored in social circles became the Duchess of Lartman. Moreover, now it was revealed that she was a descendant of the Gracia family who received the love of the Supreme God. He was curious to see the faces of other nobles who would hear this news. "Then will Madam become the Emperor?" "Yes, I will restore my wife to her original position." Until now, he thought the Duke himself was fighting to ascend the imperial throne, but in fact, it was the Duchess who would become Emperor. However, since the imperial position would be more solidified just by having someone with guaranteed bloodline become Emperor, Philip thought positively of this. "Anyway, that¡¯s why I need to go meet my wife." "W-Wait a moment, Your Grace! You still need to stay here..." The problem now was that his master seemed about to leave this battlefield right away. While Philip was arguing with Emmett trying to stop him, a red-haired man entered the tent. "Have you heard the news about my master?" "I heard. There¡¯s no time to waste. I¡¯m going to meet Liv." "Aha, so that¡¯s why you¡¯re like this." Hayden looked at Philip holding Emmett with an understanding face. Hayden¡¯s face also contained joy at Liv¡¯s return. "Yes, I¡¯ve always believed in my master... I¡¯ve always imagined the day she would return so magnificently and reclaim her original position..." Hayden¡¯s voice was ecstatic as he said that. "Well, as much as I¡¯d like to go meet my master right away..." Hayden leaned on the table and glanced at Emmett. "You should go, Duke." "...What?" "I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll take charge of this battlefield instead, so go meet my master." At those words, Emmett¡¯s face became a little surprised. He thought Hayden would run off to meet Liv right away. Of course, Hayden was already playing an important role in this war, and was someone Emmett could trust more than anyone. If Emmett left, he was fit to take command of the war instead. "You¡¯re saying you¡¯ll stay here?" "Yes, it seems you¡¯re the one my master needs more." Emmett froze at those words, then quickly picked up the sword that had fallen to the floor and sheathed it at his waist with lightning speed. "Then I¡¯ll leave things to you here. I¡¯ll bring Liv back safely, so please take care of things until then." "Ah, yes..." Hayden waved his hand casually towards Emmett. "Please take good care of my master." * * * Although the night was deepening, Liv continued to walk. Her soles were scraped and blistered, but this would be resolved after a night¡¯s sleep anyway. Liv had faster healing abilities than others. "L-Lady Gracia! Please stay at our house!" A woman approached and said with a trembling voice. Liv gave a faint smile. Many people followed Liv, and they tried to help her in any way they could. Seeing the miracles Liv performed, they thought she would naturally become the Emperor of the new era. Whenever Liv passed by, villagers provided food and places to rest for the people in the procession. This was why Liv could head towards the capital without much difficulty. "Then I¡¯ll accept your offer." As Liv followed her towards the house, a familiar voice was heard from afar. "Liv!" "Sister!" Ah, at that unforgettable voice, Liv¡¯s head turned quickly. And what she faced was... "Hilda! Brother!" Hildegard with a face messy with tears, and Walter with a gentle smile were approaching. The moment she laid eyes on them, Liv¡¯s mouth curved into a smile filled with joy. Chapter 145 "Ah, sister..." Hildegard stopped in front of Liv as if collapsing and grasped both of Liv¡¯s hands. As if she would never let Liv go again, her nails dug into Liv¡¯s hands to the point of stinging. "Sister, I was really worried, I... sob..." As Hildegard couldn¡¯t stop crying, Liv first brought Hildegard and Walter into the house provided by the villagers. "Where have you been all this time, Brother?" "We¡¯ve been staying with Viscount Wolfe. Now the Wolfe family has come up to the capital and is joining the rebellion." "And you, sister...?" As Hildegard asked while wiping her tears, Liv answered with a smile. "I was swept away by the waves to the Kingdom of Ashur." "What? The Kingdom of Ashur?" "Yes. As you know, it¡¯s a polytheistic country, so I could reveal my power there and receive hospitality. The people there helped me learn many things. As a result, I was able to return here." "My goodness, the Kingdom of Ashur... I¡¯ve only heard of it." "I¡¯ve only seen Ashurian merchants once or twice when I was staying in the Merna Empire." They expressed surprise at Liv¡¯s words that she had gone to the Kingdom of Ashur. It was natural since the Kingdom of Ashur was a completely unfamiliar country to them. "I¡¯m going to the imperial palace. To reclaim my place." "I¡¯ll go with you, sister. I¡¯ll fulfill my duty too. Oh, have you heard about Duke Lartman?" "Yes, I heard he started a rebellion and is conducting a siege in the capital." "That¡¯s right, Duke Lartman is gradually occupying the capital starting from the outskirts. Currently, the rebel side seems to have the upper hand. Especially with the rumors about your identity spreading, Liv." The two decided to join Liv¡¯s procession. If the Saint and the eldest son of Hamelsvoort followed Liv, the status of the procession she led would be even higher. Despite being exhausted, they talked all night without sleeping properly. The next day, Hildegard and Walter walked together, standing on either side behind Liv. When someone questioned Hildegard¡¯s presence, Hildegard answered with a smiling face. "I, Saintess Hildegard Hamelsvoort, have decided to join this procession to support Liv Gracia." "Ah...!" Although the Saintess had now lost her position, to the people, Hildegard was still the Holy Church¡¯s saintess who cared for the poor and struggling imperial citizens. Because of this, even more people joined the procession. When the sun was at its highest point, suddenly the sky began to vibrate. As if it was about to spit something out. And then... My child, Gracia has returned. What resounded from the sky was just that voice alone. But it clearly had a profound influence. "Ooh!" People who heard the voice of God for the first time prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling, and their eyes full of reverence turned towards Liv. Now no one could accuse Liv of being a witch or a fake saintess. No, even that stigma seemed to acknowledge Liv¡¯s existence. And due to the Supreme God¡¯s voice heard from the sky, various events began to unfold in the capital. * * * "Our family also wants to support with soldiers!" "Our family too..." As servants and letters sent by nobles poured in, Hayden smiled slightly. After the voice was heard from the sky, it seemed all the nobles had sensed who the winner of this war would be. Nobles who had been on the Emperor¡¯s side began to slowly withdraw and sent letters of apology to the Lartman side, while nobles who had maintained neutrality flocked to Lartman. The holy knights of the temple became even more motivated. "We have been silent until now, but we will no longer be silent." "We will do what the temple ought to do!" Ordinary imperial citizens also began to actively come forward. "The savior who will save us from under the tyrant August is coming!" "Have you heard the rumor? They say August tried to kill Lady Gracia. I heard he drove her out of this country." "Ha, but in the end, one cannot go against the will of the Supreme God." Public sentiment was also leaning towards Gracia. Citizens living in the capital hung flags used during the previous Gracia imperial family outside their homes as a sign of support. There were so many that even the imperial knights couldn¡¯t control it. Everything was announcing Liv¡¯s victory. * * * Liv¡¯s footsteps walking along the road did not stop. Although she should have been tired from walking for so long, her steps felt even lighter with Hildegard and Walter accompanying her. Even the people following her said they didn¡¯t feel tired because they were with Lady Gracia, which seemed to Liv to be just a psychological effect, but she still felt grateful to those who believed in and followed her so much. However, throughout the journey, only one person filled Liv¡¯s mind. ¡¯Emmett...¡¯ When Liv used to follow him around in the past, Hildegard once asked Liv why she liked him so much. At that time, Hildegard seemed not to understand her love. No, perhaps others also couldn¡¯t understand Liv¡¯s absolute love. Her love seemed so enormous and dangerous, as if it would swallow her whole. But Liv couldn¡¯t forget the person who was the only one by her side when she was the most insignificant being. She couldn¡¯t forget the first conversation she had with him. She couldn¡¯t forget how sweet it felt when he called her name. Even as Liv gradually learned human thinking, her love alone would not change. While thinking about Emmett, she suddenly thought she could hear his voice. "Liv...!" Was she hearing things because she missed him so much? Liv raised her head. Her steps stopped involuntarily. Standing in front of Liv, Emmett was looking at her with reddened eyes. "Is it really..." Is it really Emmett? Is it not some kind of hallucination? As Liv stretched out her trembling hand, Emmett¡¯s large hand immediately grabbed Liv¡¯s hand. At that warmth, Liv finally collapsed. "Emmett..." He was her only love, whom she had missed so desperately. Tears flowed down Liv¡¯s cheeks. Liv couldn¡¯t understand why she was crying. But she just tried to look at Emmett even through her blurred vision. "You... don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve been looking for you." Emmett was also crying as he said that. Hildegard opened her mouth as if surprised to see this. Walter frowned as if he was displeased about something. But ignoring their reactions, Liv and Emmett¡¯s gazes were focused only on each other. "Ah..." "Where on earth have you been..." Finally, Emmett pulled Liv strongly into his arms. Liv buried her face in his chest as she embraced him. It was a familiar broad embrace. Liv wrapped her hands over his back where she could feel his muscles. How long she had waited for this day. "I was really, really worried. Why do you make me worry so much? Do you know how much you¡¯ve done wrong..." "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry..." Liv continued, stammering. Her small body trembled as she cried profusely. Emmett embraced Liv¡¯s body even more tightly. "There was something I couldn¡¯t tell you... I thought I had lost you just like that." "I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t leave again..." Emmett had worried about her. That fact at least seemed certain. She also knew how upright and affectionate a person Emmett was. So Liv thought it wasn¡¯t strange that his concern was directed towards her. Emmett separated his body and stared straight into Liv¡¯s eyes. He seemed to have a lot he wanted to say to her. And it was the same for Liv. They gazed into each other¡¯s eyes for a long time. Like people who could understand each other¡¯s true feelings just by that alone. "I went to... the Kingdom of Ashur. Because the people there believe in multiple gods, I revealed my power. The royalty there helped me a lot. Really... I stayed peacefully without anything happening." Even as he listened to her stuttering words meant to reassure him, Emmett was still crying. Seeing that, Liv thought her chest felt somewhat painful. She didn¡¯t want to see him cry. "Why are you crying so much..." "It¡¯s because I¡¯m relieved. You¡¯re crying too, you know." Emmett reached out and wiped Liv¡¯s eyes. Only then did her blurred vision become a little clearer. The face Liv loved became more distinct. * * * That night too, a villager provided Liv with lodging, and Emmett entered the same room with Liv and began talking. It was a small room, but they didn¡¯t mind. They had spent time together in places far more terrible than this. "I heard you started a rebellion. Because you were framed as the culprit who killed Princess Louisa..." When Liv said that, Emmett shook his head. "No, that¡¯s not why I started the rebellion." "Then..." "I wanted to give the imperial throne to you, who would return to my side." "Ah..." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liv¡¯s mouth opened involuntarily. Emmett touched Liv¡¯s lips with his hand as if he found that sight lovable, and continued speaking. "I wanted to restore your place. Because this is all I can do for you." "You¡¯ve already done so much for me." "No, it¡¯s still not enough. You deserve to enjoy much more. I¡¯d like to say I could perform miracles for you if I could, but it¡¯s actually you, Liv, who performs miracles. The only realistic thing I can do for you is just to bring you the imperial throne." It wasn¡¯t something that should be described as ¡¯just¡¯. However, instead of answering those words, Liv only grasped Emmett¡¯s hand more tightly. "When this is over, I have something I want to tell you." Chapter 146 "Can¡¯t you tell me now...?" "Yes, although I want to tell you right away... circumstances are as they are." Liv didn¡¯t ask in detail what those circumstances were. No, she didn¡¯t even have the chance to. Because Emmett¡¯s face drew closer to Liv¡¯s just as it was. Liv reflexively closed her eyes and parted her lips familiarly. A hot and soft sensation moved slowly inside her mouth. As her head tilted back, Emmett naturally supported the back of Liv¡¯s neck. "I want to hold you, but it¡¯s regrettable that the situation doesn¡¯t allow it." When Emmett said that after separating their lips, Liv nodded with a reddened face. The important thing now was to end the war and reclaim the imperial throne. "But we can intertwine our tongues, can¡¯t we?" Emmett said in a playful voice, then brought his lips close again. Liv felt her face flush hot. That night, while being held in Emmett¡¯s arms for a long time, Liv suddenly had this thought. ¡¯You have to look at actions, not words.¡¯ That was the realization she gained while watching Princess Rania and her fianc¨¦ in the Kingdom of Ashur. But strangely enough, looking at his attitude towards her, Emmett... ¡¯Does he love me?¡¯ It was the behavior of someone who loved Liv, no matter who saw it. It couldn¡¯t be explained by affection, guilt, or desire. It was clear love. Liv began to suspect that he might love her. * * * A dark and gloomy place began to appear in the distance. The eerie atmosphere was so palpable that the people following Liv slowed their steps while murmuring. The place visible ahead was the ¡¯Devil¡¯s Forest¡¯ located east of the capital. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Sister, that place was a sanctuary too, right?" To Hildegard¡¯s question, Liv nodded. "Yes, it¡¯s the sanctuary of Lampas, the god of Tansha religion believed by the ancient natives. They believed that Lampas governed life and death." Liv could have recited the myth about the god Lampas here, but she decided to refrain. "There¡¯s no need to go through that forest." Emmett, who had been listening to Liv¡¯s explanation, opened his mouth. "If we go a few more hours, we¡¯ll reach the land occupied by our soldiers. You can enter through there." As Emmett said, there was no need to go this way. Although it wouldn¡¯t be dangerous for Liv since it¡¯s a sanctuary, if she led this long procession in, they might get lost in the forest... At that moment, the sound of hooves was heard from afar. Horses were coming from somewhere. Feeling an ominous sensation, Liv instinctively looked in that direction. What she immediately saw were armored soldiers. "Ah...!" Emmett¡¯s face also showed that he quickly recognized their identity. "They¡¯re imperial soldiers. It seems the rumors have reached the imperial palace..." There were quite a lot of soldiers. It didn¡¯t seem easy to evade and escape from the armed soldiers with just Liv¡¯s power. Or even if Emmett fought well, it would be too much for him to face dozens of mounted soldiers alone. The soldiers stopped in front of Liv and pointed their swords at her while on horseback. "His Majesty the Emperor has ordered us to bring Liv Lartman to the imperial palace!" "That won¡¯t happen." Although it was a fight with an obvious outcome, Emmett gritted his teeth and blocked in front of Liv. Emmett quickly drew his sword, and Hildegard and Walter also stuck close as if to protect Liv. Liv¡¯s heart grew anxious watching this scene. ¡¯Should I use divine power?¡¯ The way the ¡¯divine power¡¯ contained in Liv¡¯s body manifested was somewhat complicated. That power didn¡¯t simply grant what Liv wanted, but worked in the gods¡¯ way when Liv desired it. For example, when Liv decided to show divine power to Lady Tschermak who came to the Lartman duchy, that power frightened her in a bizarre way. Also, when she jumped into the lake sanctuary thinking she wanted to warn August, the voice of the Supreme God came down from the sky. So while Liv couldn¡¯t use divine power to accurately attack the soldiers, if she used her power, she could open a path in some way. But before Liv could step forward and act, there were people who reacted even more noisily. "Down with the tyrant August!" "You can¡¯t take Lady Gracia!" "Are you trying to ruin this country again!" "It¡¯s the will of the Supreme God!" "No one can block the one who has received revelation!" Hundreds of people following Liv stepped forward excitedly. They surrounded Liv as if to protect her. Liv¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at this unexpected reaction. The soldiers were also bewildered by the people surrounding Liv. However, they didn¡¯t back down and soon shouted in an even louder voice. "If you go against His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s orders, you will be considered committing treason!" When people hesitated at the word treason, it was Hildegard who stepped forward. "I don¡¯t recognize that person as the Emperor of this country!" Hildegard shouted in a brave voice while her body trembled slightly. "How can someone not recognized by the Supreme God reign as the Emperor of this country? People¡¯s hearts have already left him!" "That¡¯s right!" When Hildegard, who looked frail, said that, people seemed to gain more courage. "We will stand on Lartman¡¯s side!" "We were already walking to make Lady Gracia the Emperor!" "...Ha." The soldier at the front snorted as if in disbelief, then raised his sword. "Fine, then you die first!" As that sword swung towards Hildegard, and Hildegard tightly closed her eyes at that moment... Clang! With the sound of clashing swords, the soldier¡¯s sword flew far away. Emmett, who stood at the very front, had quickly swung his sword to meet the soldier¡¯s. The soldier who lost his sword trembled, seemingly flustered. "How..." "Attack!" Thinking they should deal with him first, the other soldiers swung their swords at Emmett all at once. Even while facing multiple opponents alone, Emmett was not backing down at all. He moved his body quickly and deflected attacks coming from all directions. Whenever soldiers clashed swords with him, they often lost their weapons. "Yaah!" People who had brought spears and farming tools suddenly pounced on the soldiers. "W-Wait a moment! I¡¯ll use my power!" Liv shouted that, worried that Emmett and the people would get hurt, but what came back from Emmett was unexpected. "Liv, go to the capital!" "...What?" "I¡¯ll handle the imperial army until you reach the imperial palace. Get out of here!" "B-But I can¡¯t go alone...!" It wasn¡¯t easy for Liv to part with Emmett, whom she had reunited with so difficultly. Emmett seemed to feel the same, as he tightly closed his eyes, but soon shouted in a firmly resolved voice. "Now that our route has been discovered, more soldiers will gather! It¡¯s better if at least you are safe!" It was hard to completely deny Emmett¡¯s words. Above all, if they continued like this, even the people who had joined the procession following Liv would be in danger. Liv looked at the dark forest in front of her. The dense and lush forest without a single point of light looked even scarier than the sea. "S-Sister, should I follow you?" Hildegard asked from behind, but Liv shook her head. "No, I¡¯ll go alone." Rather than putting anyone else in danger, it¡¯s better to head to the imperial palace alone. Yes, from the beginning, this was a fight between August and Liv. "I will behead everything that blocks your way. Liv, focus only on what you need to do!" Emmett¡¯s shout was heard from behind, and Liv turned her head to meet his eyes. What Liv read in those eyes was perhaps... "...See you again!" After shouting that, Liv ran towards the dark forest. As soon as she set foot in the forest, her vision instantly darkened. The reason this place is called the Devil¡¯s Forest is because it¡¯s a black space where you can¡¯t see an inch ahead, day or night. Countless people have lost their lives in this forest. Although there might be any dangerous beasts, Liv didn¡¯t stop running. She wasn¡¯t afraid because she was confident that no beast could harm her. It was at some point while she was running for a long time. Something caught her foot, and Liv frowned as she lifted her sore foot to look at what was underneath. A large stone? ...Unfortunately, it was a skull. A human skull was embedded in the damp ground. "Umm..." Although she thought there was nothing more to be afraid of, Liv realized why people avoided this forest. This was certainly a bit creepy. To avoid tripping over skulls, Liv walked slowly. Anyway, no pursuer would be able to follow into this forest, so this place was rather safe. Other humans would be attacked by beasts the moment they set foot in this forest. Indeed, yellow beast eyes shone here and there. But those beings didn¡¯t rush at Liv and just watched her silently. Not far away, dozens of yellow eyes were clustered together watching Liv. Whatever creatures they were, it was enough to terrify anyone. But Liv didn¡¯t slow her steps and clenched her fists. It¡¯s okay. She wasn¡¯t afraid. Because Liv... Yes, in fact, Liv¡¯s heart had been beating fast for a while now. A strange excitement and anticipation enveloped Liv. Liv unknowingly put her hand on her reddened cheeks. She felt her whole body¡¯s temperature rising. It was natural for Liv¡¯s body to react like this. Because the moment she saw Emmett¡¯s eyes, Liv had reached the answer. ¡¯Emmett loves me.¡¯ Chapter 147 Liv didn¡¯t know why he wasn¡¯t telling her he loved her. Perhaps he didn¡¯t know his own feelings, or there might be some other reason. But the important thing was that Emmett clearly not only trusted Liv but loved her. A person¡¯s eyes don¡¯t lie. And Emmett¡¯s eyes were speaking of clear love. Before she knew it, tears were flowing down Liv¡¯s cheeks. Liv thought she had been crying quite often lately. But these tears were different from before. Liv now fully understood human emotions. These were tears flowing from joy and happiness. "Emmett..." His name felt sweeter than ever before. It felt like walking on clouds rather than in a forest. Liv always felt like only unfortunate things happened to her. When one misfortune left, another came. She thought she would have to live struggling in misfortune like that forever. But now Liv was no longer afraid of life. Just knowing that Emmett loved her made her feel like she could overcome any adversity. ¡¯I thought it was okay to just love alone.¡¯ Yes, in fact, it seems Liv wanted to receive as much love as she gave. Although she learned love from the gods, in the end, Liv was only human. She needed love too. As if reflecting Liv¡¯s emotions, fireflies suddenly floated up beside Liv. They lit the way for Liv. Liv would end up living a life victorious through love, just like any character in the legends she had heard until now. Love completed Liv. Liv walked through the forest with her head held high, tears flowing but a bright smile on her face. * * * "Phew..." After repelling all the soldiers, Emmett sat down and caught his breath. As the standoff with Emmett didn¡¯t end, the soldiers seemed to think they weren¡¯t enough on their own and ran away with their tails between their legs. They might bring more soldiers, but it would be fine since Lartman¡¯s forces would be there if they went further from here. Emmett quietly stared at the forest where Liv had disappeared. He was so worried about Liv that he could hardly bear it. In fact, Emmett didn¡¯t want to tell Liv to go alone either. On the contrary, he always wanted to be by Liv¡¯s side. But he knew that acting separately was better for Liv right now. Above all, Emmett now had to return to Lartman¡¯s knights. With the current momentum, they might be able to storm into the imperial palace and capture the Emperor. He should leave beheading him for Liv. "Did you see those guys running away?" "Yeah, no one can stop us!" People chattered happily about defeating the soldiers. "Hey, look over there!" At that moment, a loud voice was heard among them, so Emmett raised his head. People were murmuring while looking at one place. Of course, where their gaze was directed was the Devil¡¯s Forest. The entire Devil¡¯s Forest was shining dazzlingly. "Lady Gracia must have performed another miracle!" "She¡¯ll definitely become Emperor!" Everyone here believed without doubt that Liv would become Emperor. Seeing this, Emmett smiled faintly. ¡¯Liv...¡¯ Emmett had boasted to Liv in Abgrund. That once she got out of here, she could live receiving people¡¯s love. However, what Liv faced when she came out into the world were people pointing fingers at her, calling her a ¡¯fake saintess¡¯. Emmett was unbearably troubled that he had lied to Liv. So he had promised to make everyone like Liv. But now that was becoming reality. Liv will become an Emperor loved more than anyone else. * * * The dream-like time of meeting Liv again and being together was over. It was time to return to cold reality. Emmett stepped into the boundaries of reality. "Your Grace, you¡¯ve come!" Philip welcomed Emmett, who had returned to the camp, more warmly than ever before. When Emmett looked at him with strange eyes, he ran up to Emmett and began to report what had happened in the meantime. "Lord Schulze is completely crazy! Do you know what happened while you were gone?" When Emmett nodded as if to say tell me, Philip babbled on. "He employed an unbelievable tactic! Lord Schulze fought like a man with no tomorrow!" "Did it succeed?" "Yes, it succeeded, but..." Hearing the answer, Emmett smiled slightly. There was a reason why Emmett entrusted the commander¡¯s duty to Hayden, knowing that Lartman¡¯s soldiers would rebel. Hayden had experienced more than anyone else while living as a wanderer, and thanks to his studies at the Wolfe viscounty, he was also well-versed in tactics. He had even lived with mercenaries directly. Moreover, he was also a person with the strongest will of all. So there was no way a unit commanded by Hayden would lose in battle. When Emmett showed little reaction, Philip cleared his throat as if embarrassed and continued speaking. "More importantly... there are too many nobles rushing to lend us their strength now. It¡¯s also a task to sort out the spies mixed among them." "How are the ordinary imperial citizens reacting?" "Ah, that¡¯s the same! Rumors about Madam must have spread in the capital, as citizens are coming to enlist in our army." "Then we should ride this momentum." Emmett sat down and slowly began tapping the desk with his hand. What should we do? Of course, the answer was simple. Pushing the imperial family with superior forces. The fight between those with a goal and those without is different. The imperial soldiers just follow the Emperor¡¯s orders, with no benefit falling to them as a result. On the other hand, Lartman¡¯s soldiers had the goal of driving out the tyrant and establishing a new Emperor. If they lose this fight, all their heads would fly, but the expectation of a new era instilled a strong desire in them. Anyone could see that the advantage had shifted to Lartman¡¯s side. But Emmett decided not to let his guard down. ¡¯August is not to be underestimated.¡¯ Until the imperial family changed, the closest confidant of the Gracia family was Steinberg. Although he overthrew the country based on that trust, August was also capable as the head of the Steinberg family. Since becoming Emperor, he seemed like a fool who lost his reason and enjoyed his power, but if a situation came where his power would be taken away, he would certainly not act foolishly. After pondering for a long time, Emmett gave an order to Philip. "Please call Marquis Arendt and Lord Schulze." "Yes, Your Grace." Although Marquis Arendt couldn¡¯t fight, she remained in this battlefield as a strategist, being wiser than anyone. If even Marquis Arendt and Hayden Schulze agree to his plan... ¡¯I can bring a gift to my wife.¡¯ * * * Meanwhile at that time, August was not just excited as Emmett had expected. Since ascending to the throne, his head was cooler than ever before. He finally accepted that it was no longer time to just vent his anger on his subjects. He was cornered. If things continue like this, he would lose the throne and be defeated. "Marquis Schmidt." "Yes, Your Majesty!" "Do you think there¡¯s a way for me to win?" The imperial family was completely surrounded by the rebels. Even if they tried to contact soldiers stationed in other regions, it wasn¡¯t easy because Lartman¡¯s soldiers surrounded the capital. As Liv Gracia¡¯s appearance became known to the world, the nobles also didn¡¯t want to help August. No matter how much they could become meritorious families by achieving merits, no one was foolish enough to jump into a fight with an obvious outcome. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "How about announcing that if anyone brings Lartman¡¯s head, regardless of status, I¡¯ll take his daughter as the Crown Prince¡¯s consort?" "Your Majesty, that is..." "I know. Many have already sided with Lartman..." No matter how much he thought about it, there seemed to be no way for him to win. As if to prove this, even Marquis Schmidt, who always presented him with answers, was keeping his mouth shut like a mute who had eaten honey. He had already raised his hand for Steinberg and unlike other nobles, couldn¡¯t turn to Lartman, so they were in the same boat. "...Will even you betray me?" Of course, if he opened the doors from inside the imperial palace and cooperated with the rebels even now, Marquis Schmidt might be able to save his life. "Your Majesty, I-I haven¡¯t thought of such a thing..." Marquis Schmidt denied it, stammering, but August only looked down at him with a cold gaze. He didn¡¯t trust people, but there was no one left to replace. August took his eyes off him and sank back into thought. Although it was a situation one step away from his complete defeat, August had no intention of submitting to his fate yet. In fact, hadn¡¯t he become Emperor himself, moving away from the position of being close to the imperial family? He had never submitted to God, to his fate, for even a moment. ¡¯Usually at times like this, the solution is simple.¡¯ Grab the weakness of an opponent you absolutely can¡¯t give up on, hold it in your hand and threaten them. However, Liv Gracia was loved by God, and he could never grasp and shake her with his own abilities. Even if he tried to take those around her hostage, except for Emmett Lartman, he had killed all those Liv Gracia loved. He didn¡¯t know the whereabouts of Hildegard Hamelsvoort and Walter Hamelsvoort, and their parents and maid had their necks cut by his hand. "Tsk, if I had known this would happen, I should have left one alive." If so, it would have been enough to threaten her by now. "Your Majesty, how about the citizens?" At that moment, Marquis Schmidt opened his mouth in a crafty voice, as if wanting to gain his trust. "I mean to set fire to the slums. So that Duke Lartman has no choice but to stop fighting." Chapter 148 But August shook his head at those words. "No, we don¡¯t know what miracles Liv Gracia might perform again. And..." Recalling the young face that had looked at him as if seeing a god, August smiled slightly. "Emmett Lartman grew up watching and learning from me. I know him better than anyone." "Pardon?" "He resembles my ruthlessness. He¡¯ll value the victory he can present to his wife more than the deaths of hundreds of slum dwellers." "Your Majesty, even so, the lives of the people are at stake..." "I¡¯m the one who knows him well." Looking at the face of old Marquis Schmidt who knew nothing, August leaned back on the throne. During the time he lived as the ¡¯Emperor¡¯s loyal dog¡¯, Duke Lartman took on all sorts of dirty work for August. At that time, he had no doubt about his role, and to him, August was like the sky itself. However, now that the person Duke Lartman follows has changed, he would be able to trample on anything for Liv Gracia. ¡¯That fool¡¯s stupid love is the problem.¡¯ Emmett Lartman and Liv Gracia loved each other too much. That makes their bond even stronger. So the way to solve the problem was simple. It was to separate the two of them. Of course, there was no time now to be sowing discord. For example, even if he chose to use a beautiful woman as bait, how could he use that method on Duke Lartman who was in the midst of fighting? He¡¯s not the type to fall for such things either. Then the remaining option was... "Marquis Schmidt, are you still on my side?" "Yes, Your Majesty. I am..." "Then I need you to spread a rumor." As if generously entrusting a task to Marquis Schmidt, August continued speaking while quietly murmuring. "Yes, how many people did he kill for me?" Emmett Lartman had stained his hands with the blood of dozens of people for him. And among them, there must surely be someone who could provoke Liv Gracia. * * * Liv did not stop her steps. The Devil¡¯s Forest didn¡¯t feel frightening at all, and she was able to pass through it with comfortable steps as if embraced in the arms of God. After breaking through the Devil¡¯s Forest, Liv met the people of the capital again and heard surprising news. "Lartman¡¯s soldiers have surrounded the imperial palace?" "Yes, Lady Gracia. Now if only the gates are breached, the rebellion will succeed." The people of the capital already knew about Liv, and they treated her with the utmost hospitality, just like the other imperial citizens who had been following the procession. "How..." Of course, she had heard that many nobles and commoners had sided with Lartman, but she didn¡¯t know they would advance to the imperial palace in such a short time. As Liv looked bewildered, the people surrounding her explained the situation. "Duke Lartman fought really hard at the forefront. Seeing that raised morale a lot." "Is that all? Above all, the imperial soldiers turning their backs was huge." "The imperial soldiers turned their backs?" "Yes, the former head of the knightly order appeared." At those words, Liv¡¯s eyes widened. She thought the former head of the imperial knightly order who had protected the Gracia family would naturally have died when the Steinberg family took the imperial power. "He¡¯s someone who went into hiding after the late Emperor passed away. But when he suddenly appeared like this, the knights who had worked under him in the past were shaken." No matter how powerful August was, he couldn¡¯t replace all the imperial knights. It¡¯s not easy to find well-trained knights, and replacing them all would be like admitting there was something to be wary of. The knights who remained in the imperial knightly order even under Steinberg¡¯s rule met their former commander whom they had served in the past. "When Duke Lartman found that person and brought him, it¡¯s said that the knights fell into confusion and internal strife broke out. After that, Duke Lartman promised not to kill them if they surrendered, so the knights eventually withdrew, you know." "Ah..." "Now only a much smaller number of soldiers are guarding the imperial palace. The palace will probably be breached soon." After hearing those words, Liv felt something welling up in her chest. She felt refreshed, proud of Emmett, and above all... ¡¯He did all this for me.¡¯ Her chest grew hot feeling that Emmett was doing his best for her. Liv vowed that when she met Emmett again, she would whisper her love as she always did. And she would tell him. That she knew he loved her. Thinking that, a smile naturally appeared on her lips. Liv¡¯s steps towards the imperial palace became faster than ever before. As before, people formed a procession and followed behind Liv. After walking for a while like that, Liv was able to meet Hildegard and Walter again. "Liv." "Sister!" They, who had brought the people Liv had been leading from outside the capital, stuck close to both sides of Liv as if escorting her. "I knew we could meet you if we walked like this." "What about those soldiers?" "Duke Lartman handled them well." But their expressions were somehow strange. Hildegard seemed to fidget somewhat while looking at Liv, and Walter had a stiffly set face without his usual gentle smile. It was as if they were hiding something from Liv. "Did something happen?" When Liv asked that, Walter sighed deeply and then opened his mouth. "This won¡¯t do, Liv. It seems you should know after all." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What? What is it?" "The Emperor spread rumors by sending people to the capital. And according to those rumors..." Liv¡¯s senses warned her of something ominous, so she became alert. Finally, shocking words flowed from Walter¡¯s mouth. "They say Duke Lartman killed Viscount Wolfe in the past." "What?" The image of Viscount Wolfe with his always indifferent face came to Liv¡¯s mind. He seemed to lack motivation in everything, but he shed tears when Liv¡¯s identity was revealed. Seeing him trying to give her even a little bit more of everything, Liv thought this must be what it would feel like if she had a grandfather. However, the most memorable thing about Viscount Wolfe was the story of his son. Hendricks Wolfe, the former Viscount Wolfe and son of the current Viscount Wolfe. He lost his life while digging into the secrets surrounding the death of the Gracia couple until the very end. Because of that, the old Wolfe who had passed the viscountcy to his son had to take it back. The family line was cut off, and all that remained for that family was extinction. Liv recalled the dark Wolfe viscounty that seemed devoid of hope. And above all, the reason Liv couldn¡¯t help but care about Hendricks Wolfe was... -Is anyone there?! I am Viscount Wolfe! -Don¡¯t worry! I will save you! She couldn¡¯t forget the voice that shouted like that in front of Abgrund. It was the second human voice Liv had heard, except for Emmett¡¯s. To Liv, who was trapped in Abgrund and cut off from the outside, a person came first. How much meaning that held for Liv. Wait a moment, but the person who killed him was Emmett? Liv tried to recall the voice that had spoken to Hendricks Wolfe in front of Abgrund, but she couldn¡¯t remember well because she was unskilled at distinguishing people¡¯s voices at that time. She could only remember that it was a low male voice. ...Since Emmett did everything according to August¡¯s orders at that time, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if it was Emmett. But Emmett never mentioned anything about Hendricks Wolfe to Liv. He didn¡¯t say that he had killed him. But did Emmett really... "Is it true?" When Liv asked that in a trembling voice, Walter put his hand on Liv¡¯s shoulder and patted it gently. "Liv, don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s clearly a scheme to drive a wedge between you two by saying that Duke Lartman killed someone who sided with the Gracia family in the past." "That¡¯s right, sister... Of course, I feel sorry about Viscount Wolfe too, but that was when the Duke was deceived by the Emperor... A-Anyway, now the Duke cares for and loves you more than anyone, right?" The two tried hard to console Liv. Walter continued in a cool voice. "Hmm, it looks to me like a ploy to tarnish the reputation of the Lartman ducal family. It¡¯s true that the Duke was August¡¯s loyal servant in the past, so they¡¯re trying to use that point. But people¡¯s desire to drive out August is greater, so there won¡¯t be much damage to our forces." No. That¡¯s not the intention. Liv could tell. August was just... he was just trying to separate Liv and Emmett. He was trying to make Liv distrust and hate Emmett. His intentions were so transparent, but even though she knew it in her head, Liv felt her emotions being shaken. Of course, there would never be a time when Liv wouldn¡¯t love Emmett. Even if Emmett were to become corrupt one day and ruthlessly kill innocent people, Liv was confident she would still love him. Love that never wavers at any time. That was Liv¡¯s way of loving. But whether Liv trusted Emmett was another matter. Emmett was an unknowable person. He said he loved her but didn¡¯t tell her everything until the end, and when he first received divine punishment, he didn¡¯t honestly say he had gone to the past. And now with the Viscount Wolfe incident... Liv became confused about whether the Emmett she knew was really his true self. If he didn¡¯t tell her, Liv couldn¡¯t know. "No, this isn¡¯t right." Liv, who had come to her senses with a start, shook her head violently. "I love Emmett. If you love, you must trust unconditionally..." They said that when you love, you should naturally trust and be devoted. So even if there were things Emmett hadn¡¯t told Liv, at least Liv should believe in Emmett. "But..." No. It¡¯s no longer possible. Because now Liv... ¡¯I guess I¡¯ve become too human.¡¯ Although her love remained unchanged, trust could be shaken. Chapter 149 As Liv stood silently without saying anything, Hildegard glanced at her with anxious eyes and asked: "Sister, shall we continue?" "...Yes, we must continue." At Hildegard¡¯s urging, Liv began to move her feet towards the imperial palace again. Because she pretended to have a calm face, Hildegard looked a bit relieved after confirming it. Yes, what¡¯s important now is driving out August. The conversation with Emmett comes after that. Liv tried hard to compose herself. However, distrust towards Emmett was sprouting in Liv¡¯s heart. * * * Smoke rose from everywhere, and crumbling ashes were stepped on wherever feet landed. "Aaaagh!" The front of the imperial palace was truly a living hell. The imperial soldiers who mechanically followed the Emperor¡¯s orders clashed with Lartman¡¯s soldiers who had the strongest desire above all. Although they could easily push to the capital on the defensive, the imperial palace was a challenge. The imperial soldiers who sensed defeat had deserted early, but because there were so many existing soldiers, quite a few still remained. They were those who mindlessly followed their superiors¡¯ orders, so they continued fighting even in the unfavorable situation for the imperial family. Boiling water and huge rocks fell on the heads of Lartman¡¯s soldiers trying to capture the gates of the imperial palace, and soldiers screamed with reddened skin underneath or lost their lives helplessly crushed by rocks. Of course, they also employed various tools to try to climb up the imperial palace or break through the gates, but it wasn¡¯t easy because the resistance was so fierce. Also, arrows and spears rained down from the castle walls. Because of that, even Emmett couldn¡¯t easily approach near the imperial palace. Seeing this sight, Emmett fell into anguish. If they start to hold out like this, they will eventually win. Many soldiers would be sacrificed, but the gates would open when food and weapons run out. But... "If we continue like this, we¡¯ll lose too many soldiers." Emmett didn¡¯t want to drive his soldiers to death in that way. In the end, he sent a retreat signal to the soldiers. Biting his lip hard, Emmett gave the order to assess the number of casualties. "Wow, so this is war. It¡¯s really different from books." Maya Arendt, with her hair tied tightly in one, approached Emmett¡¯s side and spoke nonchalantly. Although she would never have been in battle before, she had stubbornly insisted on coming to this place. Although she wasn¡¯t stopped because she was also a member of the rebel army, Emmett frowned at the Marquis¡¯s attitude that didn¡¯t match the situation. "Do you have any measures to overcome the situation?" "Well, tactics aren¡¯t really my specialty..." "What, what are you talking about?" Hayden approached them casually as they were conversing. "Oh, Lord Schulze!" Maya Arendt showed quite a favorable attitude towards Hayden. To Emmett, it seemed like simple curiosity. Maya Arendt was a woman who liked new things more than anyone else. "Damn, I really thought I was going to die." As he said that, Hayden¡¯s hands were streaming with blood and pus, with all the skin peeled off. He frowned as he shook his hands vigorously to overcome the pain. "...Why on earth did you go so close to the castle walls?" "Hey, I couldn¡¯t just sit back while the soldiers were there, could I?" Emmett sighed at Hayden¡¯s attitude, trying to act lightly in a serious situation. In fact, it wasn¡¯t Emmett¡¯s business what happened to him, but he knew at least that Liv would be sad if he died. "How are the soldiers doing?" "Well, it¡¯d be good for them to rest a bit. They¡¯re all half-unconscious now." It was natural for the soldiers to be tired, having to fight the enemy while wearing heavy armor and people dying around them. After hearing about the exhausted and collapsed soldiers, Emmett finally made a decision. "This won¡¯t do. We¡¯ll have to use the secret passage of the imperial palace." "Secret passage?" Maya¡¯s eyes widened at those words. "How do you know about that, Duke?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I heard something from Lord Walter Hamelsvoort. Lord Schulze here also knows a little." "Lord Schulze I can understand, but how does Lord Hamelsvoort know?" That was because he had experienced divine punishment and had been Emperor once, but Emmett didn¡¯t bother to mention that fact. "But why haven¡¯t you used it until now?" "Well, it¡¯s a bit tricky to utilize." Emmett answered in a troubled voice. "Due to the nature of the narrow secret passage, only a small number of people can go in a crawling position, and if they¡¯re attacked in a situation where it¡¯s difficult to move, they all die just like that. I thought a frontal breakthrough was better because it¡¯s something that depends on luck, but now it seems like it¡¯s time to leave it to luck." "They won¡¯t think we know about the secret passage from this side. Now, when all the soldiers in the imperial palace are focused on defending the castle walls, it¡¯s right to use the secret passage." The Marquis of Arendt¡¯s following words helped Emmett make an even firmer decision. "And above all, there¡¯s a high possibility that August doesn¡¯t know about that secret passage. He didn¡¯t succeed to the throne in a normal way." He certainly won¡¯t be prepared for that passage at all. "I¡¯ll send some knights from Lartman territory there." Send trustworthy knights to infiltrate the imperial palace and open the gates. If intruders appear inside now when all the soldiers are out fighting, the imperial palace will soon collapse. At that moment, Hayden grinned and raised his hand. "I¡¯d be perfect for this operation, wouldn¡¯t I?" "...What?" "Let me lead the knights through that secret passage." Hayden¡¯s brown eyes shone brightly under his shaggy red hair as he said that. Emmett tried to stop him, but soon closed his mouth at his following words. "That¡¯s a secret passage allowed to Schulze, so I should go in." * * * Even while the battle continued in the imperial palace, the capital was in a heated atmosphere. "Wow, Lady Gracia!" "Wow!" Every time Liv walked down the street, people cheered as if welcoming a warrior returning after slaying a dragon. However, Liv herself, receiving the cheers of the crowd, was in a gloomy mood. Hildegard turned her head to glance at Liv¡¯s profile and then closed her mouth. Liv seemed lost in deep thought. ¡¯What¡¯s the problem?¡¯ Indeed, Liv was a very incomprehensible person. Well, even though she had changed a lot from before, her sister¡¯s way of thinking was different from ordinary humans to begin with. ¡¯It¡¯s probably about Duke Lartman.¡¯ The only thing that could touch Liv¡¯s emotions was about Duke Lartman. The words Walter had told her earlier must have been quite shocking. Still, Viscount Wolfe was someone who served Liv as his master. Because Liv was depressed, Walter and Hildegard walking beside her naturally lost energy too. ¡¯It¡¯s gloomy...¡¯ Thinking that, Hildegard turned her head and discovered a familiar place, then tightly closed her eyes. "Ah." The slums where Hildegard had lived. That alley was spread out in front of her. Somehow it felt strange. Hildegard herself couldn¡¯t explain that emotion, but somehow she wanted to get away from this slum quickly. ¡¯Why? I used to come here often even after entering the Count¡¯s family.¡¯ Is she ashamed of her place because she¡¯s now in a fallen state without status? But Hildegard was grateful even for her current position. She thought she had no pride left since she had already experienced the worst in the slums... Suddenly, Hildegard closed her eyes tightly as she realized the source of the emotion she was feeling. This was an inferiority complex. Hildegard was now feeling an inferiority complex towards Liv. It¡¯s not that she never felt any jealousy towards Liv before. She thought the position of Saintess was great, but wasn¡¯t there actually a separate person who was the real ¡¯Child of God¡¯? She had only been used to take on Liv¡¯s troublesome duties. Before, she had cared for and looked after Liv, but now their relationship had changed to Hildegard serving Liv. But still, Hildegard was okay with it. Because the love of the gods that Liv served seemed so amazing, Hildegard rather thought Liv was great and admirable. Only what she envied was... ¡¯She¡¯s of a different birth than me.¡¯ Although she had felt she was extraordinary from before, Liv was actually a descendant of the imperial family. On the other hand, Hildegard was an orphan from an insignificant slum. Seeing the slum where she was born and raised reminded Hildegard even more of her circumstances. As if someone was whispering to Hildegard that Liv, whom she had considered someone to be cared for in the past, was actually a great being fundamentally different from her, she lowered her head. Ah, yes, what did I expect? There¡¯s no one of lower status than herself in this noble society. What¡¯s the use of becoming a Saintess? The label of being from the slums doesn¡¯t come off. Yes, let¡¯s recognize my place. I almost lived mistaking myself for some great being. Looking at the slum in front of her, let¡¯s deeply engrave her birth. Hildegard thought that and smiled gloomily. Chapter 150 It was Walter who sensed the strange atmosphere between the two. ¡¯This doesn¡¯t look good.¡¯ Walter thought as he watched Liv and Hildegard walking silently. He was quite skilled at reading people¡¯s emotions, and he could tell that both Liv and Hildegard were not in a good mood. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯Liv¡¯s depression is probably because of the Viscount Wolfe issue.¡¯ Yes, Liv could be understood that way. But... ¡¯Hildegard is completely incomprehensible.¡¯ While fleeing together, Walter had spent a long time with Hildegard. During that time, Walter had learned many things about Hildegard. First, Hildegard adapts extremely quickly to given situations. Just as she acted like an excellent noble lady within a few weeks of coming to the Hamelsvoort mansion, Hildegard easily adapted even after the Hamelsvoort family fell. She didn¡¯t seem to have any resentment or sense of injustice about losing everything. Second, Hildegard is quick-witted. Well, this wasn¡¯t strange considering Hildegard¡¯s past. Lastly, Hildegard has almost no desires. Like many other people, Hildegard gladly accepted good things when given, but she didn¡¯t seem to have any desire to have better things. -Hildegard, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get your position back for you. In fact, a situation like a family falling from grace was nothing to Walter. He had experienced even more terrible hardships in the repeating time. So when he said that for Hildegard who would be flustered by this situation, Hildegard answered in a calm voice: -Well, it¡¯s okay. I can live like this. -You can¡¯t keep living as a wanderer like this, can you? If you get your position back, is there anything you want to do? -I just need to be able to live. That¡¯s enough for me. -... In a different way from Liv, Hildegard was a difficult person to understand. Walter lamented for a moment about why his two younger sisters were not ordinary. As Walter continued walking in the awkwardness lingering between the three, someone shouted from the crowd. "Hilda!" Hildegard reflexively turned her head at that voice, and after confirming who had called her, she shouted as if screaming. "John!" The person who called Hildegard was a man with a dirty appearance and shaggy beard. Mingled among the slum dwellers who had come out to watch Liv¡¯s procession, he didn¡¯t look like a man doing honest work no matter how you looked at him. If Walter had met him alone while walking, he would have quietly stepped aside. But Hildegard ran to him without a moment¡¯s hesitation. "Oh my, John! You recognized me?" "Of course, how could I not recognize you?" Hildegard shouted to Walter and Liv in an excited voice. "He was my friend when I was staying here! Oh my, I thought you had died when I lost contact with you one day..." "Well, I had to go into hiding for a long time after messing with something belonging to a high-ranking person." "I see..." Walter and Liv waited for a moment to let Hildegard greet him. "Hilda, I heard long ago that you were chosen as a saintess. So, how¡¯s noble life?" "I¡¯m not even a noble anymore. Haven¡¯t you heard the rumors that the Hamelsvoort family fell?" Hildegard¡¯s voice as she said that had become slightly sharp. However, the man called John continued speaking with a face that didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. "Well, anyway, you¡¯ve become a much more amazing person than before, right?" "There¡¯s not much difference now." "Still, you¡¯re the saintess of the Supreme God." "Not anymore..." At that moment, interrupting Hildegard¡¯s words, a group of people ran towards her. "Oh, Saintess!" "The Saintess has come!" Hildegard raised her head with a bewildered face, then sighed as if recognizing them. "Ah, you all..." "Thanks to you, Saintess, when you came to the slums long ago, my illness was cured." "It wasn¡¯t a serious illness, really." "You shared food with us." "It was my duty." However, they were busy praising her as if they couldn¡¯t hear Hildegard¡¯s words. Watching this scene, John smiled and said: "See, you¡¯ve become an excellent saintess." "Ah...!" For a moment, as if realizing something, Hildegard¡¯s blue eyes shone. Soon, a stream of tears began to flow from her moist blue eyes. Hildegard was a bit dazed. The slums that had somehow made her feel inferior in front of Liv, but now people appeared there welcoming her. She felt bewildered, and also embarrassed thinking about doing this in front of the procession following Liv. This was a situation she had never expected. Among the people constantly thanking Hildegard, John continued speaking. "Hilda, you¡¯re still a saintess now." "Me...?" "To these people, only you are the saintess." Rather than Liv Gracia, who seemed distant as the material for an emperor, the person who seemed closer and more amazing to them was Hildegard Hamelsvoort who had helped them before. "I was, I was just lucky... Just chosen by the Supreme God..." When Hildegard said that out of embarrassment, John¡¯s face became incredulous. "Then would the Supreme God have chosen just anyone? Of course, they would have chosen someone worthy of becoming a saintess." "Uh..." "You showed signs of being a saintess since childhood." "Me?" "Yes, there was no one as kind as you in this rotten alley." "But I did many dirty things to survive..." "Every time, you cried with regret." At John¡¯s gaze that seemed to see through her, Hildegard momentarily stopped breathing. "You didn¡¯t think bad deeds were natural. Hey, the fact that you remember what you did is proof that you¡¯re kind. I don¡¯t remember anything about what I¡¯ve done in my life." "Ah..." Did she really become a saintess because she was worthy of being one? Not just being used for Liv? "You haven¡¯t changed, Hilda. You¡¯ve been a saintess from when you were born until now, continuously." The moment she heard those words, a storm began to rage in Hildegard¡¯s world that had always been calm. It flows quickly. It matches the speed of others. And finally... Hildegard heard an auditory hallucination like some kind of explosion. It was the sound of the wall that Hildegard had firmly built in her heart breaking. She was no longer ashamed of being born in the slums. No matter where she grew up, she was a ¡¯saintess¡¯. Soon, Hildegard¡¯s blue eyes shone with heat. She turned her head and quietly looked at Liv. "Sister, please help me." Liv was glad to see Hildegard showing energy for the first time in a while, as she had shown more depressed expressions and passive attitudes since joining the group. "What can I help you with?" "I want to reclaim my position as a saintess." Yes, Saintess Hildegard was not just a human born for Liv. The role of saintess was a mission Hildegard had from birth. "Please help me reclaim my position as a saintess. I too will help you by your side as a saintess." Although she had vowed to help Liv before, this was different from then. If Hildegard¡¯s help to Liv in the past was out of duty, now she decided to help Liv of her own will. "Alright, Hilda." Liv nodded while gazing at Hildegard with her pale pink eyes. "You will reclaim your position. The rightful position that was given to you from the beginning." They were on the side of the gods, but they were not passive humans who simply followed fate submissively. Hildegard Hamelsvoort believed in her destiny. And for that destiny, Hildegard decided to pave the way herself. * * * The tiresome siege finally came to an end. "Waaah!" "Throw down your weapons and surrender!" The gates of the imperial palace opened wide. The imperial soldiers who had been attacking Lartman¡¯s soldiers from the castle walls were busy fleeing in confusion. Taking advantage of this gap, Lartman¡¯s soldiers poured into the imperial palace like a flood. Hayden and the knights succeeded in infiltrating through the secret passage of the imperial palace and opening the gates from the inside. Once the gates were opened from within, there was no way left for the imperial army to defend. While the imperial soldiers were trying to flee from the castle and Lartman¡¯s soldiers were trying to subdue them, Emmett entered the imperial palace along with other knights. As they went further inside, the expressions gradually disappeared among the knights with tense faces. There were no minimal troops or servants visible inside the imperial palace. It seemed true that those who could flee had already fled. Even the occasional maids who appeared were busy prostrating themselves on the floor and begging for their lives when they saw Emmett at the lead. Emmett headed somewhere without hesitation. There was only one place where August could be. The room that symbolizes the Emperor¡¯s power, more splendid than anything else inside the imperial palace, and August¡¯s most beloved room. It was the Sun Room. The doors of the Sun Room were wide open. The eyes of the knights entering for the first time wavered at the splendor that ordinary people would find hard to imagine, but soon they pretended to be calm. "Hahaha!" As soon as Emmett set foot inside, laughter was heard. August was sitting on the imperial throne as always. Like someone who never doubted that he would come down from the throne. "August Steinberg." "My dog has finally come to bite me." August mocked Emmett¡¯s appearance, but he didn¡¯t listen. He couldn¡¯t be careless and ruin things after coming this far. Emmett nodded to the knights, and the knights quickly approached August and bound him. Even the imperial guards were gone, so there was no one to stop them. "Are you going to kill me?" At August¡¯s question, Emmett shook his head. "Killing you is Gracia¡¯s role. I¡¯m just her servant." "You, a servant." Hearing those words, August laughed out loud. "How bold of you, who caused the death of Wolfe, Gracia¡¯s real servant, to say that." At those words, Emmett stopped moving. ¡¯Wolfe...¡¯ Emmett had constantly regretted that he shouldn¡¯t have captured that man. Hendricks Wolfe was a rebel that Emmett had captured in front of Abgrund. At the same time, he was also Liv¡¯s servant who lost his life trying to save Liv. Emmett still hadn¡¯t been able to tell Liv about that fact. He knew he had done wrong, but he became afraid when he thought about incurring Liv¡¯s resentment. "By now, Liv Gracia must know too. I told everyone that you killed Viscount Wolfe." "...I see." Emmett nodded slowly like a convict receiving a death sentence. Yes, Liv would have found out someday. It just happened to be now... Emmett decided to accept the future that would befall him. August giggled as he watched Emmett¡¯s attitude. "You have committed many sins against your wife. Bringing me relics for ancient magic, killing Viscount Wolfe, and on top of that..." Shocking words flowed from August¡¯s mouth. "You made your wife infertile yourself." Chapter 151 ??? - the Holy Church -Liv Hamselvoort -Duke Emmett Lartman - the Emperor¡¯s Hound - crest of the Lartman family, a castle wall and falcon -Hildegard Hamselvoort -Hayden Schulze -Walter Hamelsvoort - brother? -Maria K?lpen -Hannah Hertz -Max - the chef -Julian - the gardener -Mia - the head maid -Emily - the librarian -Laga - the maid -Phillip - Duke¡¯s aide who has acted in my stead governing the Duchy -Malea Tschermak - Marquis¡¯s House -Anton Zaks -Deborah Zibel - daughter of Marquis Zibel -Judith - from Feuchstein Count -Young Viscount - Gert Kreppelin -Elena Luther - Viscount family -Katherine Barth -Monica Reichenbach The Five Noble(Great Noble???) Houses: -Steinberg Grand Ducal House -Lartman Ducal House -Schmidt Marquis House -Arendt Marquis House -Hamelsvoort Count House The Five Noble Houses have maintained a balance of power with the imperial family for generations. Emperor August (now Steinberg imperial family) After the bloodline of the previous imperial family, the Gracia family, was cut off, the Five Noble Houses selected a new Emperor through discussion. That person is none other than the current Emperor from the Steinberg Grand Ducal House. Dneuve river Abgrund Chapter 151 ¡¯What did he say?¡¯ Emmett jerked his head up. Having heard such shocking words, he inadvertently reacted to August¡¯s nonsense. But he couldn¡¯t ignore it either, as they still hadn¡¯t been able to have a child. He had asked Liv about it before just in case, but had never received a clear answer. Was it because Liv was infertile? Of course, it didn¡¯t matter whether she was infertile or not. He was fine with it as long as Liv wasn¡¯t sad. But it was strange that August knew about it. How did August know about Liv¡¯s physical condition? Had something happened while she was trapped in Abgrund? But that man said Emmett had made Liv infertile with his own hands. What did that mean? Did Liv know about this? Countless thoughts flashed through Emmett¡¯s mind in a short time. Finally, Emmett asked in a stiff voice: "What are you talking about?" "The medicine you always fed your wife." At August¡¯s smirking face, Emmett recalled what happened after Liv fell ill. After enduring the ancient magic, when Liv fell ill for unknown reasons, the Lartman family¡¯s physician prescribed medicine saying Liv¡¯s body had become very weak. Until the Hamelsvoort family fell and Liv left the Holy Hilysid Empire, she took that medicine every day. "Don¡¯t tell me that..." Had that physician been bribed by the Emperor? The fact that there was a traitor in his own family, and the fact that he had let Liv take the medicine without knowing it, hit Emmett like a massive shock. Emmett stood frozen in place for a long time. "You dare...!" His arms trembled. Without realizing it, Emmett drew his sword and pressed it against August¡¯s neck. "Seems you want to hasten your death." "Haha, Emmett. Calm down." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. August acted as if he was dealing with the young Emmett from before, which made Emmett¡¯s anger surge even more. The knights who were pointing their swords at the Emperor along with Emmett actually tried to stop him. "Your Grace, please compose yourself." "Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d leave his fate to the Madam?" Hearing those words, Emmett finally calmed his breathing. Right, this man¡¯s fate was entirely up to Liv. He shouldn¡¯t ruin things out of anger. "Of course, there¡¯s a way to cure the infertility. It¡¯s a kind of poison, so taking the antidote should work." Emmett fell silent as he realized his intention. If he was saying this, it meant... "You¡¯ll need to keep me alive to get that antidote." "Do you not think I might torture you?" "Oh my, the antidote is with my subordinate who only follows my orders and will only respond to the code I send." Emmett closely examined August¡¯s face. His face, now wrinkled with age, was burning with a final defiance. "What do you want?" Emmett realized that August didn¡¯t want to preserve his life. In fact, Emmett had many ways to obtain the antidote even without keeping August alive. Also, Emmett could have made a false promise to let him live. Moreover, August knew well the grudge Liv would hold against him. So even if he lived, August could never regain the imperial throne. So what was he thinking, wanting to live? He should know it¡¯s better to die than live miserably. But August didn¡¯t answer Emmett¡¯s question and just kept smiling unpleasantly. As Emmett frowned at that sight, a voice rang out from outside the door. "Lady Liv Gracia is entering!" At those words, Emmett hurriedly turned his head. The knights following Emmett were already prostrated on the floor. "Ah." The moment he faced Liv walking in majestically, Emmett felt his face flush hot. He couldn¡¯t understand why she looked so beautiful today. Was it because of the halo shining behind her, or because of the birds fluttering beside her? Well, anyway, the important thing was... "We have captured Steinberg, the criminal who assassinated Gracia and conspired in rebellion." The fact that everything was finally over. * * * Liv quietly looked down at August, who was kneeling before her with his hands bound. Perhaps because he was kneeling, he looked much smaller than usual. No, he was originally an insignificant old man. It felt almost absurd that she had feared August so much until now. "August Steinberg." Liv recited his name in a clear voice. "I, Liv Gracia, have returned." The moment he heard those words, August¡¯s face, which had been provoking Emmett until just now, twisted in rage. As if unable to contain his anger, his body trembled. "That damned Gracia! Your life force is truly long!" "Yes, I am alive." Liv slowly moved her steps to stand right in front of August. "Despite all your efforts to kill me, I am alive now..." "This, this is unfair!" August shouted in a voice burning with hatred. "God loves Gracia! That was an insurmountable wall for me from the start! No chance is given to anyone but Gracia!" "Hmm..." "I tried so hard to defy my fate, but in the end, human power is futile before God!" "You seem to be misunderstanding something." Liv looked down at him with an indifferent face. "Yes, Gracia became strong thanks to that love. But..." Liv didn¡¯t think that the entire reason she had come this far was because of the gods¡¯ love. Of course, it was true that the gods¡¯ love had preserved Liv¡¯s life and granted her miracles. But even without the gods¡¯ love, Liv would have struggled and tried her best to reclaim her position somehow. Even if she lost her life in the process, Liv would not have given up. That was because Liv had a driving force that made her have to do so. She... "Gracia is strong not because she is loved by the gods, but because she loves humans." Liv wanted to give better things to the people she loved. Also, she wanted to honor those who had lost their lives and were no longer in this world. So Liv couldn¡¯t give up. Love for humans ultimately allowed Liv to come this far. Hearing Liv¡¯s words, August glared at Liv with bloodshot eyes. It was a look as if he would curse Liv right away. "Are you going to kill me?" At those words, laughter involuntarily escaped Liv¡¯s lips. "Of course not." For a human who has committed sins, death is like a gift that can avoid punishment. Liv had no intention of granting him death. "I¡¯ll make you scream in agony more terrible than death." The gods taught Liv love, but they also taught her how to be crueler than anything to her enemies. Liv had witnessed how humans entangled with her suffered from divine punishment. Liv looked at Emmett standing behind August. Knowing that he loved her, she had thought she wanted to hug him first when they met, but now that she knew about Viscount Wolfe¡¯s death, her mind was complicated. She wasn¡¯t resentful towards him. It was just that Liv was a little tired of Emmett hiding so many things from her. "Emmett." "Yes, my lady." Since Liv hadn¡¯t ascended to the imperial throne yet, she called Emmett as usual, and Emmett answered as usual. "Move this man to the underground prison." "Yes, I will do so." Emmett ordered the knights to seize August. August was dragged away by their hands. But all the while, August was wearing an incomprehensible smile. Liv thought that smile was somehow ominous. It was because he looked just like someone plotting one last scheme... At that moment, a woman with red hair tied in a ponytail stood before Liv. She bowed her head politely. "I greet Lady Gracia. I am Maya Arendt, head of the Arendt family." "Ah, so you are Marquis Arendt." Liv knew she had contributed greatly to this rebellion by helping Emmett. Liv intended to give her a proper reward. Despite meeting Liv for the first time, Maya Arendt continued speaking in a very natural voice. "Now that the rebel has been captured, we should prepare for the coronation ceremony." Liv realized that they were treating August as a ¡¯traitor¡¯ or something similar. Well, if you recall what August did to Liv¡¯s parents, it was indeed treason. In the end, Liv¡¯s side had won, so now August was the traitor instead of Liv. History is written by the victors after all. "I will prepare the coronation ceremony as soon as possible. However, until the coronation takes place, no one will doubt that Lady Gracia is the Emperor of this empire." "...I see." Only after hearing those words did Liv finally feel the tension release. Liv looked at the massive imperial throne. It looked absurdly large compared to Liv¡¯s body. ¡¯That¡¯s now my seat...¡¯ It felt somewhat strange. Liv turned to go see August imprisoned in the underground dungeon. Chapter 152 A musty, fishy smell permeated the underground prison. Bound on the cold stone floor, August stared at the man who had thrown him in here. The young man who once followed his every word more faithfully than anyone now looked down at him like filth on the street. "My wife will decide your punishment." Hearing those words, August giggled. Emmett seemed displeased by August¡¯s laughter. August couldn¡¯t explain why he was laughing, but he felt he hadn¡¯t been completely defeated. Even if he lost the imperial throne and was recorded as a loser in history. He would remain forever in the minds of Liv Gracia and her husband. He would live and breathe there, tormenting them. ¡¯At least I¡¯m leaving behind some embers.¡¯ Liv Gracia would inflict a terrible punishment on him. She could cut off his limbs and keep him alive, repeatedly dip him in boiling water and heal him, or use divine power to drive him insane. Since he would lose his mind soon anyway, August decided to enjoy a moment of pleasure. The fact that Emmett Lartman had killed Viscount Wolfe was revealed to the world. That alone would have planted seeds of distrust in Liv Gracia¡¯s heart. And about the infertility... ¡¯It seems he won¡¯t tell her.¡¯ Lartman would never tell Liv that August had tried to blackmail him with Liv¡¯s physical condition. He wouldn¡¯t reveal that the cause of infertility was poison, and would instead try to find the antidote on his own. But in fact, there was no antidote. It was true that August had the court physician feed her medicine. However, it was just a ploy to create confusion for them. The medicine was nothing. ¡¯Yes, in the end, the two will distrust each other.¡¯ If he were to face death, Liv Gracia would never be able to find happiness either. With his death, they would never know the truth. * * * The underground prison wasn¡¯t exactly a fitting place for a newly enthroned emperor. But only by finishing things completely in this darkness could she emerge into the light as emperor. "Liv." As Liv descended into the underground prison, Emmett stood beside her as if to protect her. However, Liv waved her hand saying she was fine, and approached August. Finally, Liv, who had come close to the iron bars, opened her mouth with a cold expression. "August, I hope you¡¯re ready to pay for your crimes." August remained silent, but Liv hadn¡¯t really expected an answer from him, so she continued speaking. "The punishment I¡¯ll give you isn¡¯t complicated. You just have to endure the power of the gods. That¡¯s all." At the word ¡¯gods¡¯, August raised his head as if sensing something strange. He must have thought Liv Gracia only received the love of the Supreme God. "You know, I originally only received the love of the Supreme God. But thanks to you imprisoning me in Abgrund, imprisoning me in the lowest place in this world..." Liv leaned in and whispered to him with a giggle. As if a child giving the correct answer to a test question, her voice was mixed with excitement. "All the gods in this world came to love me." Hearing Liv¡¯s words, August¡¯s eyes widened. Shock filled his eyes. "What?" "You made me stronger with your own hands." August¡¯s body trembled upon hearing those words. He struggled to get up from where he was bound on the floor. "Originally I only had to deal with one god. But because you imprisoned me in Abgrund yourself, you now have to face tens of thousands of gods." "Tens of thousands of gods...? It wasn¡¯t just the Supreme God that existed?" "Yes, in this world, gods exist in all forms that people believe in." Now August slowly lowered his head. He looked like someone who had lost all motivation. But soon he jerked his head up and glared at Liv with green eyes full of hatred. "I may have been defeated in the end, but you won¡¯t be happy either. A fate where you become emperor, receive everyone¡¯s love, and live happily - that won¡¯t come true." "It doesn¡¯t matter." Despite August¡¯s curse, Liv answered in a calm voice. "It¡¯s okay if people don¡¯t love me. Because I love humans. I believe in humans." Yes, it really was okay. Of course, she too had once resented why humans didn¡¯t love her while she loved them alone. But now it didn¡¯t matter anymore. Liv knew that as long as she didn¡¯t abandon this love, humans would someday return her love. She believed in the power of love she possessed, and she trusted humans. Before August could retort to those words, Liv raised one hand. She had pondered a lot about how to give August an appropriate punishment. Of course, the punishment that suited him best was imprisonment in Abgrund. That would have been the fairest revenge. But Liv didn¡¯t want anyone else to suffer in Abgrund. The next candidate for punishment was torture. Emmett, Hayden, and Walter strongly pushed for this. They each argued that they could keep August barely alive and inflict terrible pain. But Liv thought that wasn¡¯t enough. Countless imperial citizens had suffered under August¡¯s tyranny, and there were endless noble families who held grudges against him. And one of the biggest victims was none other than Liv herself. Because of August, Liv was imprisoned in Abgrund for fifteen years, and being trapped there since birth, she struggled greatly to learn about the world, became an alien existence compared to other humans, and lost people around her. She even had to suffer in agony every time August used ancient magic. Liv had heard about punishments in myths from the gods. They were all simple, but unimaginably cruel. Like making someone swallow dozens of snakes, or having their whole body torn apart by wild dogs, or submerging them forever in a swamp full of black, sticky mud. Divine punishment, and human punishment. Liv had agonized a lot between the two. The conclusion she reached was... "Ah, aah!" Suddenly August¡¯s eyes rolled back. Then he began to groan with foam at his mouth. His body shook violently. To Emmett, who was silently standing beside her, Liv said: "I used all the power of the gods I gained from the sea. I¡¯m not sure how it will manifest..." Liv murmured while looking into the air. "The gods will pass appropriate judgment." Even Malea Tschermak, who had acted a bit arrogantly towards Liv, went half-mad for a while, so what kind of punishment would the gods who loved Liv inflict on August, the source of her suffering? My child, the punishment has been decided. We will each speak a word to this man. "I see." Liv nodded with a calm tone. It might seem like nothing, but it was a terrible punishment. Unless you were Liv who had grown up with gods since childhood, ordinary humans couldn¡¯t withstand the divine aura. Every time he heard a god¡¯s voice, he would feel a heavy pressure as if his body was being flattened into thin pieces. He would also feel as if someone was reaching into his head and stirring his brain. His stomach would churn as if dozens of snakes were writhing inside, and eventually he would have to endure agony to the point of wanting to dig out his own eardrums. He might want to escape by losing his mind, but the voices of the gods would make August¡¯s mind increasingly clearer. Despite the pain, since his actual body was fine, the suffering wouldn¡¯t end easily either. Liv was very excited to see what state August would be in after hearing the voices of tens of thousands of gods. * * * A few hours later, Liv heard that August had tried to die by biting off his own tongue but couldn¡¯t. She ordered the physician to stop the bleeding from his self-inflicted wound and gag him. A day later, Liv heard that all of August¡¯s nails had been pulled out and his fingertips were mangled. It was because he had writhed in agony. Following that, she also heard that his whole body was covered in bloody wounds from rope burns. Liv again instructed the physician to treat him. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A week later, Liv heard that he had lost his life after hitting his head against the wall. Liv left the disposal of the corpse to those who held grudges against August. August met such an empty end. * * * Many nobles welcomed August¡¯s downfall. They believed that any Emperor would be better than the tyrant August. "Darling, did you hear? Duke Lartman succeeded in the rebellion!" As Viscountess Gentzen said while opening the door on the first floor, Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. Viscount Gentzen also staggered to his feet. "They really succeeded? Well, I knew it would happen..." "What will happen to us?" "Well, what could happen? We didn¡¯t do anything." As the Gentzen couple said, the Gentzen family had done nothing in this rebellion. Despite the Emperor¡¯s coaxing that he would recognize them as a meritorious family, considering the possibility of Lartman¡¯s victory, they didn¡¯t contribute any strength to the war. They only sent a message of support to Lartman when the people finally flocked to Lartman¡¯s side and they gained the upper hand. So Lartman¡¯s victory was a gain for them if anything, not a loss. "It¡¯s a good thing for us that the tyrant has stepped down." "That¡¯s really true." Rather, with the death of the Emperor who had oppressed the nobles and ruled tyrannically while doing whatever he wanted, their future was full of light. They didn¡¯t know what the new emperor would be like, but anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be better than August? Yes, it certainly wasn¡¯t a bad thing. But... ¡¯Oh no, this is not good.¡¯ Olivia, who had fallen into anxiety, bit her nails. The Gentzen couple, unaware of Olivia¡¯s inner thoughts, continued their conversation. "What¡¯s important now is that. The rumor that Gracia was actually alive!" "Yes, who would have known that Duke Lartman¡¯s wife was the heir of the Gracia family?" "She was extraordinary from the moment she declared herself loved by God. Hamelsvoort will be reinstated too, I guess." "I wonder if she¡¯ll be able to handle being Emperor well though." "Duke Lartman is by her side, isn¡¯t he? Well, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll help properly. With Lartman and Gracia united, who could stop them?" "True, there¡¯s no better candidate if we consider bloodline." "It seems like just yesterday she was ostracized in social circles as a fake Saintess. My, I don¡¯t know when the situation changed so much." As her parents continued their conversation nonchalantly, Olivia¡¯s face grew paler and paler as she listened. Chapter 153 That was right. Until recently, the person Olivia was closest to was Deborah Zibel. The daughter of the Zibel family, which had been completely ruined by the Emperor, and the one who had led the bullying against Liv more than anyone else. The young ladies in Deborah¡¯s group, including Olivia, were all trembling in fear. They say that the insignificant girl they had been bullying has become the Emperor. Moreover, that woman was the last descendant of the true imperial family of the Holy Hilysid Empire, the Gracia family! What nonsense was this. Indeed, reality was stranger than fiction. "What on earth will happen to me...?" Would the newly crowned Emperor Liv really leave her alone? Although there might not be grounds to punish her, if she¡¯s marked by the Emperor, no family would want to marry her, and she might even have to go to a convent. Earnestly hoping that Liv would show mercy, Olivia trembled. * * * While the entire imperial palace was bustling with preparations for the new Emperor¡¯s ascension, the place where Liv was standing now was quiet. "Hah." Liv quietly looked down at three tombstones. The ¡¯Cemetery of Devotion¡¯ for those who died loyal to the imperial family. Liv was standing there. On the three tombstones in front of Liv were names she knew well. Rudolf Hamelsvoort Vanessa Hamelsvoort Laga Liv gently stroked their tombstones. She felt the cold sensation of stone. No tears flowed. It was unclear whether it was because she had already shed enough tears when they died, because Liv had become stronger now, or because she was too sad to bear it. As Liv remained silent for a long time, Emmett, standing beside her, took Liv¡¯s hand. "Liv." "...I¡¯m alright." Their bodies were not buried here. When they tried to retrieve the bodies, they had already gone missing. Remembering that they couldn¡¯t even recover their bodies made her anger towards August rise again, but he was already suffering in the underground prison. Instead, Liv had buried things they used in life here. The cane used by Count Hamelsvoort, the ruby necklace that Countess Hamelsvoort loved the most, and the notebook that Laga always carried around stood in for the deceased. "Laga was really a good girl." "...Yes, she was." "Count and Countess Hamelsvoort too. Actually, I still can¡¯t call them father and mother, but..." Liv looked at their tombstones with lonely eyes. "But now I think of them as my family." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liv had finally succeeded in avenging them. And she became Emperor as they had wished. The loyal Laga would have wanted Liv to be happy, and the ambitious Hamelsvoort couple would be pleased that the daughter they adopted had become Emperor. The stigma of being traitors was washed away, and now they had become meritorious subjects. "So rest in peace now." May their souls find rest too. Just as there were tens of thousands of gods, there were tens of thousands of afterlives. However, the principle of the afterlife could be explained in one sentence. Humans go to the afterlife of the god they believe in. The Hamelsvoort couple and Laga all believed in the Supreme God, so they must have returned to the Supreme God. Liv had no doubt that they, who had sacrificed their lives for others, would have gone to heaven. Finally, she felt a sense of relief. As Liv looked to the side with a faint smile on her lips, Emmett was looking down at Liv with a somewhat strange gaze. "Liv." "Yes." "I have something to tell you." "That¡¯s good. I had something to tell you too." As Emmett and Liv were looking at each other with indescribable gazes, news came that the Minister of the Imperial Household was looking for Liv. It seemed the surroundings would not allow the two even a moment. "...Let¡¯s talk in the evening." * * * The Emperor was imprisoned, and Gracia had returned. Lartman¡¯s soldiers spread this news widely, and nobles began to send letters. But with all the palace servants having fled and no proper system in place, only those remaining got headaches. First, Emmett called in people who had been working at the Lartman mansion in the capital, and they began work recruiting servants for the imperial palace. Julian, whom August had appointed as Crown Prince, was said to have fled, probably using the secret passage that Hayden and Lartman¡¯s knights had invaded through. Liv ordered him to be pursued. Julian, who had lived his whole life in luxury with high status, would eventually be caught without being able to flee far. Although he didn¡¯t have serious crimes like August, it was better to capture him just in case. Liv now had to live in the imperial palace. However, she couldn¡¯t use the room used by the original Emperor, so for now, Liv decided to stay in an empty guest room. The same was true for Emmett. "Um..." "Liv." Having started speaking simultaneously, they both fell silent again. Somehow, they seemed to be watching each other¡¯s reactions. "...I have a few things to say." "So do I." "Then shall we take turns saying one thing each?" "Alright." Liv was the first to start speaking. "Um... I heard about Viscount Wolfe." At those words, Emmett¡¯s eyes darkened. He humbly bowed his head as if to accept Liv¡¯s reproach. "First, I want to ask if it¡¯s true. Is it true?" "...Yes, it is." Emmett said in a painful voice as if enduring agony. "I should have told you earlier, but I was afraid of being hated and couldn¡¯t do it. I know I¡¯ve done so many wrongs to you... I couldn¡¯t easily bring myself to say it. I¡¯m sorry." Emmett, speaking like that, really looked like someone who regretted his mistakes, and Liv felt the tiny piece of resentment she had held towards him instantly fade away. "Ah..." "You had to endure painful times longer because of me. I don¡¯t know what to say. Even if you hate me, I¡¯ll humbly accept it." "No, it¡¯s alright." Liv nodded with a calm voice. "Anyway, I love you. That¡¯s all. Even if you followed August¡¯s orders, my feelings won¡¯t change. Whatever you do, I will love you." At those words, Emmett¡¯s face became even more difficult to bear. As if he wished Liv would blame him instead. "And I forgive you. The you back then didn¡¯t know anything. However, um... apologizing to the current Viscount Wolfe would be another matter though." "Yes, I will certainly apologize to him. And to his children too..." "That¡¯s enough for me. It seems August was trying to drive a wedge between us with this, but my feelings won¡¯t change." Although she didn¡¯t know why Emmett had hidden so many things from her, Liv thought it was okay. If he was afraid of being hated by her, Emmett surely... "Um, and..." Just as Liv was about to open her mouth to say that she knew he loved her, Emmett interrupted in a low voice. "There¡¯s something I should have told you long ago." Emmett¡¯s eyes trembled as he said those words. "There¡¯s something I¡¯ve wanted to say so badly, something I had to say... but couldn¡¯t because of divine punishment." "Divine punishment?" Liv¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected words. She thought Emmett¡¯s divine punishment had already ended, hadn¡¯t it? "Yes, but now that August is dead, I¡¯ve been freed too. No, actually, saying I couldn¡¯t speak because of divine punishment might sound like an excuse. After all, I endured that divine punishment because of my own mistakes." "No, Emmett experiencing divine punishment wasn¡¯t your fault. It was because I deliberately made myself bleed to save you..." "So now I will tell you." Emmett slowly raised his head and met Liv¡¯s eyes. His gray eyes showed stronger determination than ever before. Ah, Liv felt something like an intuition for a moment, and. Finally, those words flowed from Emmett¡¯s lips. "I love you, Liv." * * * "I love you, Liv." The moment he said those words, Emmett felt something similar to ecstasy. He was finally able to say the words he absolutely had to say. Liv had reclaimed her original position, and he had been freed from divine punishment. "I love you." Now he could say these words to Liv anytime. As he said he loved Liv, Emmett felt his heart throb. The words ¡¯I love you,¡¯ which he had uttered for the first time, were sweet. He felt even more pained because he regretted so much not having said these words sooner. At Emmett¡¯s words, Liv¡¯s face became blank. "Ah..." "I¡¯ve really wanted to say these words all this time. That I love you." "Was it... divine punishment?" Anxious at Liv¡¯s reaction, which didn¡¯t seem particularly happy, Emmett added: "Yes, and it¡¯s not a lie that I love you. I truly love you." Imagining how Liv would react when he said this was his daily routine. Would she cry tears of joy? Or would she accuse Emmett of lying? However, Liv showed no reaction at all. She stared at Emmett for a long time, then showed a faint smile. ¡¯What? Does she not believe me?¡¯ Liv had habitually said, "Even if you don¡¯t love me, I love you." It wasn¡¯t strange that such a Liv couldn¡¯t believe Emmett¡¯s true feelings. He had hurt Liv too deeply. As Emmett, realizing this fact, was becoming depressed, what flowed from Liv¡¯s lips were unexpected words. "I knew." Chapter 154 "...What?" As Emmett questioned in disbelief, Liv continued speaking with a face that showed no surprise at all. "I realized it while wandering the world after parting from you. There are things in this world that can be understood without being expressed in words. I just couldn¡¯t help but realize it the moment I saw your eyes." Liv placed her hand on top of Emmett¡¯s large hand. "I believed. That you loved me." "Ah." At those words, Emmett could no longer hold back. A stream of tears was already flowing from his eyes. He thought he had cried a lot in front of Liv recently, but Liv seemed to have a talent for making him cry. He had hurt Liv, but Liv trusted him instead. That fact made Emmett love Liv even more. "Liv, from now on, from now on I¡¯ll do better... I... I¡¯ll make sure this never happens again." "Don¡¯t worry. I believe in you." Emmett grasped Liv¡¯s hand firmly and gently rubbed it. Liv¡¯s hands, which used to be soft, had become rougher while traveling the world. Then, Emmett realized another fact. He could say he loved Liv. That meant... "Liv." "Yes? ...Ah." Soft lips met. As he moved his tongue to enter deeper, something hot and soft touched. Emmett wrapped it with strong force as if to swallow it. In the past, even when their bodies intertwined, they sometimes felt emptiness. But now he could embrace Liv while telling her he loved her. The white slip Liv was wearing fell to the floor. Perhaps because they had just bathed in different bathrooms using the same fragrance, their bodies had a similar scent. Thinking about what this scent might be, Emmett buried his face deeper into Liv¡¯s nape. As his hot breath touched her, Liv trembled and tried to push Emmett away, but he held her tightly. "I should have told you I loved you long ago." "Even now... um, I¡¯m fine." Their bodies had somehow tilted onto the bed. Perhaps because it was a guest room, the bed wasn¡¯t very large. Emmett frowned, thinking he would have to narrow his range of motion. "Today, I¡¯ll tell you, sufficiently, that I love you." "No, wait..." Liv seemed flustered as if she had read something from those words, but Emmett had no intention of letting her go. A long night followed. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * In the dark night, in the forest connected to the capital. It wasn¡¯t exactly an appropriate place to enter in the middle of the night, but now gasping breaths were echoing there. "Huff, huff..." The boy ran frantically. The soft shoes he was wearing were not suitable for running on the ground for long. His feet were blistered and scraped, covered in blood, but the boy didn¡¯t even feel the pain. "How could this happen..." The mental shock was greater than the physical pain. "My place..." The boy, Julian Steinberg, looked back towards the direction of the imperial palace with empty eyes. His adoptive father, the Emperor of this country, August, had been captured. When noisy sounds invaded the imperial palace, Julian had managed to escape hurriedly through the secret passage. It was the very same secret passage the knights had invaded through, but he had used it in reverse. The shock from the fall of August, the unshakeable tyrant who seemed like he would never collapse, was too great. Julian had no doubt that he would succeed his position. He thought all that was left for him was the power to enjoy as Emperor... "Liv Gracia..." Julian murmured that name. Now that Gracia had returned, it seemed unlikely that he could aim for the imperial throne again. Julian felt so wronged. To think that the reward for flattering under August would end like this. If he had known this would happen, why would he have acted so obediently under him? Putting aside the fact that the imperial throne was now out of reach, he could no longer live as an ordinary noble either. The collateral branches of Steinberg, who had lived in luxury as members of the imperial family, were bound to fall now that Gracia had won. The new Emperor would never leave seeds of danger. Therefore, even if he surrendered to the new Emperor, he was likely to lose his life. "It can¡¯t end like this..." In fact, this hatred should have been directed at August. It was August who had used him after all. But in his mind, August was still too enormous and frightening a being. That anger naturally turned towards the seemingly weak being, Liv Gracia. "That thing stole my place." August had always recited to Julian about what they had lost due to Gracia. August¡¯s efforts in that regard shone at this moment. "At least I can¡¯t let Gracia inherit the throne." If he failed, another Steinberg should inherit the throne. Then... He had to kill Liv Gracia. * * * The morning of the coronation day dawned. By then, the imperial palace had somewhat regained its operational system. The servants from the Lartman mansion had become servants of the imperial palace, and as people impressed by the news that the Gracia family had reclaimed the throne volunteered to work at the palace, servant positions were quickly filled. Especially good at commanding the servants was Hayden, and everyone followed his will well when they learned that the loyal Schulze family had worked behind the scenes for Gracia¡¯s return. All that remained was to reorganize the parliament and select maids to serve Liv, but for now, the priority was the coronation ceremony to announce the emergence of a new Emperor to the entire empire. "The preparations are proceeding without a hitch, right?" "Yes, Your Majesty." The servants called her ¡¯Your Majesty¡¯. Liv still felt awkward with that title, but well, her titles had always changed quickly. From miss to fake saint, madam, and now Your Majesty. "The crown and scepter?" "They have been prepared." "The orchestra?" "They are standing by." "The soldiers?" "They finished the rehearsal yesterday." Without a head maid and maids, Liv and her servants had to work together to prepare for the coronation. While preparing for the coronation, Liv thought of Laga. If only she could have seen this. She even missed the Hamelsvoort couple who always fussed and made her feel burdened. She had heard that when August ascended to the throne, many nobles who opposed him were absent from the coronation ceremony. Although August later retaliated against them. Anyway, unlike then, there was no one opposing Liv¡¯s ascension now. The revival of the Gracia bloodline, which was thought to have been cut off, was that remarkable, and at the same time, the nobles had suffered for so long under the tyrant August that they welcomed the ascension of a new Emperor. Even the people were excited about the fact that one chosen by God would become Emperor. There seemed to be no obstacles to this coronation. At that moment, a servant came running breathlessly and shouted. "Your Majesty, Julian Steinberg has been captured!" "He¡¯s been caught." It was fortunate that he was caught before the coronation, as there had been no news for a long time and it had been worrying. For Liv, everything was going so well that it was almost unsettling. Her life had never been this smooth before. "Duke Lartman is taking him to prison right now!" "There¡¯s no need for him to do it personally." As the Emperor¡¯s husband, he too was supposed to participate in the coronation ceremony and receive a crown. Since Emmett had taken action personally, Liv couldn¡¯t just sit still either. Liv followed the servant¡¯s guidance to where Emmett was said to be. The place where Emmett had imprisoned Julian was not the underground dungeon. It was a small room used for temporarily holding those who had committed minor crimes. Considering that Julian was Liv¡¯s political enemy, it was generous treatment. "Liv, there was no need for you to come here... Isn¡¯t today your coronation?" "The same goes for you, Emmett. I came for a quick look because I heard you were here." The boy sitting bound in front of them was in a terrible state. Although it had been less than a week, his escape must have been arduous, as his clothes were in tatters and there was even a wound on his cheek. "I bear no grudge against you." Liv said in a low voice, standing in front of Julian. "You were merely adopted by August Steinberg. I have no other regrets, so I have no intention of killing you." At those words, Julian slowly raised his head. "But if I leave you alone, my position will become difficult too. Originally, for treason, it would be right to exterminate all blood relatives, but since past events have been determined to be August¡¯s unilateral actions, I won¡¯t do that. Instead, all those of Steinberg blood must live under surveillance after giving up their family name. Also, those blood relatives must not set foot in the capital." "I..." The boy said something, but his voice was so faint that it was hard to hear. Liv frowned and leaned closer to hear his words. At that moment, Julian shouted explosively. "I cannot accept this!" Simultaneously, Julian, whose whole body had been tied up, opened his mouth wide and bit down hard on something. There was a cracking sound of something breaking inside his mouth. An unknown smoke rose from his slightly parted lips. "What is this..." "Liv, stay back! I¡¯ll check!" Emmett pushed Liv back, then knelt down to examine Julian. Julian had rolled his eyes back and was trembling violently. He looked like he might breathe his last at any moment. ¡¯Did he commit suicide?¡¯ Did he try to kill himself by biting his tongue? Even though Liv had promised not to kill him? At that moment, Emmett¡¯s expression became serious as he opened Julian¡¯s mouth. "A pill... He bit something like a pill. It seems to be poison..." "Was he trying to commit suicide?" "But I don¡¯t understand. Why would he commit suicide when his life was guaranteed... Liv!" Emmett suddenly stood up, ran to Liv, and embraced her. Before Liv could ask why, his large hand covered her nose and mouth. Although it was hard to breathe, Liv didn¡¯t move, thinking Emmett must have some reason. Emmett covered Liv¡¯s eyes with his other hand. After a while, Emmett¡¯s hands fell away from Liv. "Emmett? Why..." Just as Liv was about to ask that, Emmett collapsed weakly to the floor. "Emmett? Emmett!" Blood was flowing from his nose and eyes. When he covered his mouth and coughed, blood stained his hand. Chapter 155 "What is this..." Julian, who had been trembling, now seemed to have breathed his last. Liv instinctively realized that he had done something. "Call a physician!" As Liv screamed at the top of her lungs, servants who rushed in hurriedly opened the door. The servants were horrified to find Emmett coughing up blood and Julian dead. Emmett, unable to stop the bleeding, leaned on the servants as he walked in pain and opened his mouth. "Liv, ugh, it¡¯s poison." "What? Poison?" "What Julian was biting was an object designed to release poison into the air temporarily when the shell is broken. Cough, gasp! I had heard it was invented in the Merna Empire..." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At those words, Liv frowned in distress. Thanks to Emmett¡¯s protection, she was fine. But why did he cover her mouth first instead of taking care of himself? He also knew that Liv couldn¡¯t die. Rather, it would have been better to let Liv die from the poison there and then turn back time. However, love sometimes makes people foolish. Knowing that it was an action taken because she was more precious to him than himself, Liv couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything to Emmett. She could only follow behind Emmett, holding back her tears. "Liv, listen carefully." "Yes?" "Never, ever, gasp, take your life lightly." At those words, Liv tightly closed her eyes. He had seen right through her mind. If anything were to happen to him, Liv was thinking of taking her own life to save Emmett. But with Emmett saying that, there was nothing Liv could do. With Duke Lartman, who was supposed to hold the coronation ceremony today, poisoned, the imperial palace was turned upside down in an instant. Emmett was laid in a bed, and the physician who hurried over examined the duke with a serious face. "Is there an antidote?" When Liv asked that, the physician clasped his hands together, sweating profusely. "Well, that is..." "Answer the question!" Her mind went blank and an urgent voice burst out involuntarily. The physician flinched at that voice and began to report. "As it¡¯s a poison not yet reported domestically..." "Then are you saying there¡¯s no treatment method?" "Of, of course we will find one..." Emmett, who had been coughing up blood, had lost consciousness and collapsed. As he could die at any moment, Liv became even more frustrated. Of course, there was a way even if Emmett died. Liv could commit suicide again and smear her blood on Emmett, but... she didn¡¯t want Emmett to receive divine punishment again. They had just tried to be happy, she couldn¡¯t ruin all their relationships. "Why on earth..." Just when she thought they were finally going to be happy, this kind of thing happened to Liv again. As familiar misfortune struck Liv, she instantly felt dejected. At times like this, Liv always felt powerless. "A way, there must be a way..." Yes, she could use divine power. Although she had used up all her divine power when punishing August recently, she could go to the sanctuary again to gain power. However, as Liv hurriedly searched for divine power, her face soon became blank. Because... "Life, life is not allowed..." Although it was said that Liv could part the sea and make it rain when she used divine power, only the power to deal with ¡¯life¡¯ was not permitted. That was a taboo area that even the gods couldn¡¯t touch from the beginning. With Emmett¡¯s life in critical condition, Liv could do nothing. "This can¡¯t be..." As Liv collapsed to the floor, the maids supported her with tearful faces. "Your, Your Majesty! It will be alright!" "You need to pull yourself together at times like this!" But Liv¡¯s mind had gone blank, and she couldn¡¯t hear any voices at all. Ah, sinking once again... Down, and further down... Was this her fate? To always fight against misfortune that keeps coming. "Should we call all the physicians?" "No, rather should we ask Lartman¡¯s knights? They might know more about poisons since they fight..." At those words, Liv finally slowly raised her head. Her sinking reason began to float up little by little again. With even the maids trying so hard for her, she couldn¡¯t just sit there stupidly doing nothing. "No, that¡¯s not it..." "Pardon?" "Call Walter Hamelsvoort and Hildegard Hamelsvoort." * * * Walter and Hildegard were staying at the Hamelsvoort mansion. Although it was said to have become ruins, as Hamelsvoort was to be reinstated, they were gradually repairing the building through workers and looking for servants. Upon receiving Liv¡¯s contact, Walter and Hildegard quickly rode horses instead of taking a carriage. "Liv! Are you alright? My goodness..." Walter¡¯s face darkened as he saw Emmett lying in bed and Liv sitting in front of him with a desperate face. "Sister..." Hildegard, who walked in behind Walter, also wrapped her arms around Liv¡¯s shoulders. "Hilda, can you heal him?" "Sister, you know..." They all knew that answer. If Liv couldn¡¯t do it, neither could Hildegard. Hildegard¡¯s power as a saintess could heal people, but she couldn¡¯t save someone who was dying. She could only cure illnesses unrelated to life. As Liv staggered at those words, Hildegard quickly supported her. Meanwhile, Walter listened to the explanation from the physician, then after pondering for a while, opened his mouth. "Yes, I feel like I¡¯ve seen this kind of poison in some life..." "You¡¯ve seen it before?" At those words, a glimmer of hope finally shone in Liv¡¯s eyes. In Walter¡¯s many lives he had lived, there might be an answer. That was also why Liv had called Walter. However, at Walter¡¯s next words, Liv almost burst into tears. "We couldn¡¯t find a way to detoxify it then, and that person ended up losing his life." "What?" So in the end, Walter didn¡¯t know how to detoxify it either. Liv¡¯s hands trembled violently. "Then Emmett..." "Calm down, Liv. There will be a way." As Walter gestured to Hildegard, she wrapped a blanket that was nearby around Liv¡¯s body. "In the past, I once worked in a mercenary group. At that time, one of the mercenaries was poisoned by this. We commissioned the best physician to create several candidate medicines that could detoxify this poison, but before we could test all those medicines, that person couldn¡¯t hold on and died. Still, since I remember what happened then, we can narrow down the range more. If we try all of those, we should find an answer." "Will, will that be alright?" "Liv, don¡¯t worry and attend the coronation ceremony. I¡¯ll treat Duke Lartman in the meantime." However, Liv felt she couldn¡¯t possibly focus on the coronation ceremony. She might end up crying uncontrollably during the ceremony. Ah, to show tears as her first appearance in front of the imperial citizens. Everything would be ruined. "Sister, you really have to go... Although Duke Lartman was supposed to attend the coronation ceremony too, the ceremony doesn¡¯t stop just because he¡¯s absent. For now, come to the coronation ceremony with me." Hildegard gently coaxed Liv and pulled her out of the room. All the while, Liv kept anxiously glancing at Emmett. What if something happened to Emmett while Liv was at the coronation ceremony? Her mind was in turmoil with worry about Emmett. "Liv, this poison doesn¡¯t spread quickly, so we¡¯ll have a few days." Walter repeatedly spoke words to reassure her, but Liv just couldn¡¯t be at ease... Hildegard dragged Liv to the maids, and the maids were surprised to see Liv¡¯s reddened eyes and hurriedly applied makeup. A white cape was placed over her white dress. It was an excessively large and heavy cape for Liv, but they said it was the custom. "You look truly majestic, Your Majesty." "Your Majesty, don¡¯t worry too much, the coronation ceremony will be over soon..." Although the maids spoke kind words to Liv, she remained depressed throughout. "Now, sister, no, Your Majesty. We must go now." Hildegard held one of Liv¡¯s arms, and Liv walked staggeringly, leaning on her arm. All the while, Liv was in a daze. What if Emmett really dies? Then Liv would lose her reason for living. Emmett was Liv¡¯s life itself. If it weren¡¯t for Emmett, Liv would have lived imprisoned in Abgrund forever, wouldn¡¯t have come to this place, and wouldn¡¯t even have thought of wanting to come. If Emmett dies, it would be better for Liv to die with him. But the love of the gods did not allow Liv to take her own life. "Sob, Hilda..." As Liv finally burst into tears, unable to hold back any longer, Hildegard anxiously embraced Liv in her arms. "Your Majesty, you must be composed. You¡¯re the Emperor now." "I know. But..." Liv thought she had acquired all the qualifications to be a monarch while staying in the Merna Empire and the Kingdom of Ashur, but she was still far from being a true emperor. She couldn¡¯t possibly pull herself together even with the coronation ceremony right in front of her. "You know, I have a way to save Emmett..." "Sister!" "But I don¡¯t want Emmett to suffer divine punishment again... And Emmett didn¡¯t want that either..." "Yes, the Duke wouldn¡¯t want that either!" Liv looked at the huge red carpet in front of her. If she walked along this path, Liv would arrive at the coronation ceremony. And she would become the Emperor of the Holy Hilysid Empire. On the other hand, if she turned back, Emmett would be there. Of course, even if Liv went to Emmett, there was nothing she could do. And Emmett would want Liv to attend the coronation ceremony. But... "I have to go back." "What?" Without answering Hildegard who was shocked, Liv clenched her fists tightly. ¡¯In the end, it was love that brought me to this place.¡¯ Chapter 156 "Thus, we, 282 princes and servants of the Supreme God, according to the covenant we have long maintained, pledge our loyalty to Liv Gracia, the rightful heir of the Gracia family!" Before the main coronation ceremony, Maya Arendt, who had climbed onto the platform, shouted those words. Originally, this was supposed to be done by the most powerful among the nobles, but now that the Lartman ducal family had become the subject of the coronation ceremony, that role had passed to Marquis Arendt. At the same time, it was proof that Maya Arendt was close to the Emperor, so she was satisfied with her role. Now it was Liv Gracia¡¯s turn to appear. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards the door. They were all curious about what face the woman who had become the new Emperor would have. However, Liv Gracia did not come out. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ahem, we will enthrone Liv Gracia as the Emperor!" Maya Arendt shouted again, watching for reactions, but Liv Gracia still did not appear. "What¡¯s this?" "Has some problem occurred?" "Did someone use trickery?" "Surely there isn¡¯t another issue with the imperial throne?" The nobles began to stir. How could the protagonist not appear at her own coronation ceremony? They were suspecting if there was another problem with the imperial throne. Like whether forces opposing Gracia¡¯s ascension had harmed her or something like that. Just as even Maya Arendt was at a loss and flustered, the huge doors opened. And finally, the protagonist of the coronation ceremony revealed herself. Liv Gracia walked out naturally along the path laid before her. "Ah..." Someone exclaimed in admiration at that sight. Dressed in a white dress with a white cape, she looked more sacred than anyone. She was truly worthy of being called the Emperor of an empire. Moreover, her white hair gave an even more mysterious feeling, and her pale pink eyes that seemed to pierce through them also gave a strange impression. Soon the coronation ceremony continued, and all the subjects enthroned Liv Gracia as Emperor according to procedure. * * * Marquis Arendt knelt and presented the crown to her. Liv placed it on her own head, studded with red jewels. This crown had been used since Emperor Beatrice of the Garcia Empire and symbolized absolute power. August had also worn this crown through his coronation ceremony, but the meaning was different now. While August¡¯s power was self-obtained, Liv¡¯s power was recognized by the Supreme God of the Holy Hilysid Empire. With the crown on her head, Liv inwardly sighed in relief. ¡¯Thank goodness.¡¯ She thought she was late, but fortunately, she had managed to make it just in time. Thanks to that, the coronation ceremony was proceeding without problems. At that moment, a servant who had entered with his body lowered whispered something in Maya Arendt¡¯s ear, and after nodding, Marquis Arendt shouted in a loud voice: "Along with Liv Gracia, Emmett Lartman will take care of this land!" As Maya Arendt called Emmett¡¯s name, some servants glanced around. They were servants who knew that Emmett had been poisoned. However, the doors opened, and Emmett entered the hall with such a dignified stride as if nothing had happened. Emmett sat in a place slightly lower than Liv, and Maya Arendt presented Emmett with a huge golden brooch. Emmett attached it to his uniform. ¡¯Are you feeling alright?¡¯ As Liv made eye contact with Emmett, he smiled faintly to indicate he was fine. Seeing that, Liv was able to feel somewhat relieved. "Ah, blessings shall descend... Hilysid..." "Grace shall dwell in this land..." Those gathered sang along with the national anthem, and the high priest offered words of blessing and loyalty to Liv. Saintess Hildegard also blessed Liv. Probably by now, knights outside would have started marching near the imperial palace. People would gather to watch it. In this way, the news of Liv¡¯s ascension would be widely known. Liv glanced at Emmett sitting with an upright posture. It was really fortunate that he seemed fine now. Sighing in relief once again, Liv recalled what had happened just a short while ago. * * * "Your Majesty, where are you going!" Liv shook off Hildegard¡¯s arm and ran. Hildegard followed her in shock, but Liv flung open the door of the room where Emmett was. "Liv? No, Your Majesty?" Walter¡¯s eyes widened as he seemed to be giving instructions to the physicians. Perhaps realizing Liv had become Emperor from the reactions of the physicians in front, Walter asked Liv politely. "Your Majesty, shouldn¡¯t you be at the coronation ceremony? What brings you here?" "All physicians are to leave." Although there was no explanation, the physicians quickly followed Liv¡¯s order and left the room. Only Hildegard and Walter remained, looking at Liv with eyes demanding an explanation. "Your Majesty, I understand how you feel, but you must go to the coronation ceremony." "I have a way to save Emmett." At Liv¡¯s firm voice, Walter¡¯s eyes widened. "How... Surely you¡¯re not planning to take your own life? That absolutely cannot be allowed, Your Majesty. We won¡¯t let you attempt that." Seeming to feel uneasy at Walter¡¯s words, Hildegard was poised to stop Liv at any moment. Seeing this, Liv shook her head and ordered Hildegard. "Hilda, go to my room and bring what¡¯s in the safe." "The safe...?" "Yes, there¡¯s only one item in the safe." Hildegard looked bewildered but quickly ran to Liv¡¯s room. Only Walter, who remained in the room with Liv, continued to nag. "Your Majesty, I understand your concern, but you really must go. I will certainly save the Duke." At that moment, Hildegard carefully entered the room holding something in her hand. Walter¡¯s eyes widened even more as he confirmed what it was. What Hildegard was holding was a dagger. Thinking Liv might use it to take her own life, Walter jumped up from his seat and shouted. "Your Majesty! You really must not!" "It¡¯s not like that." Liv took the dagger from Hildegard. The dagger was glowing as if it were no ordinary object, and seeing that the dagger seemed to have some power, Walter¡¯s face became a little calmer. "This is Ibisikaite, the dagger of the first Emperor Feyte Gracia." Liv recalled the legend associated with Ibisikaite. Besides determining the border with the Kingdom of Reboer with just this dagger, there was a famous legend about this sword. After Anfang Gracia¡¯s death, Feyte Gracia reverently enshrined her body. However, those who checked Feyte Gracia cut Anfang Gracia¡¯s body into pieces and scattered them throughout the country. Feyte Gracia gathered them in one place and stabbed Anfang Gracia¡¯s heart, and then Anfang Gracia¡¯s body became whole again. Afterwards, Feyte Gracia cremated her body. There were many anecdotes related to this. Like beautiful flowers blooming where Anfang Gracia¡¯s body was briefly buried, or a thousand-year-old tree growing there... But what was important now was the fact that Ibisikaite had worked a miracle. The moment love is imbued in the sword, it works a miracle once in the user¡¯s lifetime. Didn¡¯t Viscount Wolfe also say this when he handed Ibisikaite to Liv? -It¡¯s a sword filled with love. "I can do it." A miracle itself, ¡¯deus ex machina¡¯. Liv quietly looked down at Emmett while holding the dagger in one hand. Although she believed this sword would heal Emmett, she was still afraid at the thought of stabbing Emmett¡¯s heart. It seemed it would be better to stab her own heart instead. ¡¯No, I have to do this.¡¯ Liv is not stabbing him, but trying to heal him. Liv slowly raised the dagger, recalling her desperate will in her heart. She did not doubt that a miracle would occur after using this sword. She didn¡¯t worry that Emmett might die. This sword responded to love. And Liv did not doubt her love for him. Thud... Finally, with a terrible sensation, the moment Liv stabbed Emmett¡¯s heart with the dagger and pulled it out. "Uh..." Although she had clearly stabbed his heart, strangely no blood flowed out. The clothes he was wearing weren¡¯t even torn. As Liv was bewildered by this sight, Walter, who had placed his finger under Emmett¡¯s nose, said: "The Duke¡¯s breathing is returning to normal." "Really?" Even to Liv, Emmett¡¯s complexion seemed better than before. Seeing Emmett¡¯s finger twitch, Liv quickly grasped one of his hands with both of hers. "Emmett! Can you hear me?" As Liv called Emmett¡¯s name several times, Emmett slowly opened his eyes. As soon as he opened his eyes and faced Liv, he blinked slowly. "Liv...?" Chapter 157 As soon as he called Liv¡¯s name, Liv exclaimed with a brightened face: "Yes, it¡¯s me! Are you feeling alright?" "The coronation ceremony..." Despite having just returned from the brink of death, Emmett was worried about Liv¡¯s coronation ceremony. Seeing this, Liv felt somehow frustrated and tightened her grip on Emmett¡¯s hand. "You can worry about yourself first! You¡¯re the one who was poisoned..." "The coronation ceremony hasn¡¯t started yet. But we should go now." At Walter¡¯s words explaining on Liv¡¯s behalf, Emmett finally looked relieved. He opened his mouth in a slow tone. "My body feels refreshed. Liv, did you do something?" "It¡¯s the power of Ibisikaite I received from Viscount Wolfe¡¯s domain. The sword of the first Emperor Feyte Gracia." "Ah..." Fortunately, Emmett¡¯s body seemed to have fully recovered, but judging from his slow reactions, he still seemed dazed. As Liv was examining Emmett with a worried face, Hildegard said in an anxious voice: "Your Majesty, I think you really need to go now." ...Hildegard¡¯s words snapped Liv back to reality. Although Emmett was more important to Liv, he had recovered his life through the miracle of Ibisikaite. She couldn¡¯t be late for the Emperor¡¯s coronation ceremony. "Emmett, I¡¯ll go ahead. Stay here and recover." "Don¡¯t worry, I think I¡¯ll be able to come out soon too." Thus, Emmett was freed from the crisis of death and was able to safely attend the coronation ceremony. * * * The day after the coronation ceremony, Liv summoned the nobles staying in the capital. Upon hearing this news, nobles from nearby areas hurriedly rode carriages to the capital. It was an opportunity to see what kind of person the Emperor was, and they couldn¡¯t miss it. In the Sun Room, the owner now sitting on that imperial throne was Liv. The tapestry depicting August had been replaced with another. All statues that even slightly reminded of August were removed, and their places were filled with vases of bright flowers instead. However, this did not make Liv sitting on the imperial throne look any less imposing than August. The nobles looked up with unfamiliar eyes at the young woman who, though small in stature, had a mysterious dignity. They had felt it since the coronation ceremony, but she was clearly of Gracia¡¯s bloodline. Finally, when it seemed everyone had gathered, Liv slowly opened her mouth. "Now that we¡¯ve finished dealing with the traitor August Steinberg, we should also sort out his collaborators." At those words, tension filled the hall. If Liv wanted to find fault, they could easily be branded as August¡¯s collaborators. On the other hand, if they were lucky, they could be recognized as meritorious families. They began to look around at each other, searching for someone to accuse as a traitor. The first name that flowed from Liv¡¯s lips was someone everyone had expected. "The Marquis Schmidt family will receive the same treatment as the Steinberg family." Marquis Schmidt had been executed a few days before the coronation ceremony for the crime of cooperating with the traitor. He had committed so many evil deeds helping August that no one objected to this decision. "And since two families out of the Five Noble Houses have disappeared, we should now determine new meritorious families." The nobles had expectations at those words, but unfortunately, those who would fill those positions were already decided. "The five families that helped restore the Gracia family will now become the new Five Noble Houses, and from now on, they will be called the ¡¯Five Meritorious Houses¡¯. First, the Duke Lartman family." At those words, Emmett stepped forward. His gaze towards Liv was filled with affection and devotion. "The Marquis Arendt family." Maya Arendt, who had neatly combed her hair today, paid her respects to Liv. It was rare to see a woman wearing a uniform. "The Count Hamelsvoort family." Walter Hamelsvoort stepped forward, and Hildegard Hamelsvoort stood behind him. They were all meritorious in their own right. The deceased Rudolf Hamelsvoort and Vanessa Hamelsvoort would also be recorded in history as meritorious subjects. "The Count Schulze family." As Hayden Schulze of the Schulze Count family, thought to have been exterminated, stepped forward, the nobles murmured. "Didn¡¯t His Majesty kill him before?" "I heard Duke Lartman had smuggled him out." "Then could it be that from back then..." "Shh!" Hayden¡¯s eyes were red as if he couldn¡¯t believe this situation. For him, there could be nothing more moving than his exterminated family becoming a meritorious family, and the master he served miraculously becoming Emperor. "The Viscount Wolfe family." The old Viscount Wolfe came forward, supported by his grandson and granddaughter. The nobles fell silent, feeling the pain he had endured all this time on his face. Everyone had tried somehow to catch the new Emperor¡¯s eye, but they realized they could not be recognized as much as these meritorious families. "The ranks of the above meritorious families will all be raised. Also, from now on, the Five Meritorious Houses will be given priority consideration in all imperial affairs regardless of rank." After that, the Emperor mentioned additional families that had rendered meritorious service. They were the ones who had fought on Lartman¡¯s side at the end. Fortunately, no additional families were branded as August¡¯s collaborators at this gathering. Those who had actively fought on August¡¯s side had already been punished. Also, the fact that August had suppressed other noble factions worked in their favor. Except for the Five Meritorious Houses, no family had noticeably benefited, but the nobles returned satisfied that they had not been punished in relation to August. * * * One of the good things about becoming Emperor was being able to access places that had always been forbidden. "I received a lot of help thanks to Ibisikaite." As Liv said this while standing among the Gracia tombs, the voice of the Supreme God was heard from the sky. I¡¯m glad it was helpful, my child. At those words, Liv smiled faintly, and the dissatisfied voices of other gods were heard. We have done much for you too. Pay attention to us as well. "Of course, I received a lot of help from other gods too. If even one of you had been missing, I wouldn¡¯t have come this far." Enduring the power of the gods had made the young Liv suffer. But at the same time, without them, Liv would have closed her eyes lonely in Abgrund. That¡¯s why Liv could never hate them. She knew how much help that power, which her younger self had resented, had ultimately been to her. Liv no longer blamed them, and she didn¡¯t dislike the pain she had experienced in the past. After all, by enduring that pain, she was able to come this far. Liv quietly looked at the tombstone in front of her. [Founder of the Holy Hilysid Empire The One Who Started Everything Feyte Gracia] Liv passed that tombstone and headed towards the tombstone at the very edge. Officially, the death of the Gracia couple was due to illness, and as long as there were eyes watching, even August couldn¡¯t desecrate their bodies, so the previous Gracia Emperor and Empress were also buried here. [27th Emperor of the Holy Hilysid Empire Roni Gracia His wife Sarah Gracia] "Are you watching?" Liv opened her mouth in a soft voice. "Your daughter has finally become Emperor. I now have everything I was supposed to have originally." The sky was especially blue today. It was rare for the Holy Hilysid Empire, which usually had poor weather. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So be happy now." Liv clasped her hands and prayed for them. By now, they would have met the Supreme God who loved them in heaven. And they would have finally found peace seeing their daughter succeed in her revenge and reclaim her rightful place. At that moment, the sound of someone walking steadily was heard. The people who could enter the Gracia cemetery were strictly limited, and besides Liv, there was only one person. Liv turned to him with a smiling face. "Emmett." "Liv. Ah, I should call you Your Majesty now." "You can call me Liv when we¡¯re alone." Holding his hand, Liv added. "I like it when you call my name." That moment when she fell in love as he called her name. Liv still couldn¡¯t forget that moment. As if recalling the same moment, Emmett¡¯s face reddened. "I¡¯ll call you as much as you want, my Liv." Liv smiled brightly while holding his hand. She was so unbelievably happy that she was no longer afraid of this world. Chapter 158 13. The Protagonist of Power Now that the tyrant who had oppressed them was gone, the nobles¡¯ gatherings were more lively than ever. "Marquis Meisner, you¡¯ve arrived." As an elderly man walked in, the nobles seated greeted him. The man called Marquis Meisner ignored the greeting and simply sat in his place. His furrowed brow revealed his discomfort. "Now, now, thank you all for coming on such a fine day." Count Labant, the host of the gathering, hurriedly spoke after glancing at Marquis Meisner¡¯s expression. "It¡¯s a joyous day, so let¡¯s drink and get drunk to our heart¡¯s content. Come, a toast!" "Cheers!" A loud sound rang out as the nobles clinked their glasses. Shortly after, with reddened faces, they leaned back in their chairs and conversed in drunken voices. "It¡¯s really great that that tyrant is gone." "Indeed, how many people suffered because of him." "Marquis Zibel was truly pitiful." "And Viscount Yering and Count Lilienthal..." "Ah, the most pitiful was Baron Georgi!" They began to talk freely about the deeds committed by the deceased tyrant August. Previously, they always had to be cautious for fear of someone reporting them, but now that August had already died as a criminal, there was nothing more to be wary of. As there had been a lot accumulated over time, the conversation flowed smoothly. "At least this new Emperor will be better than August, right?" The atmosphere of the conversation began to change from that point. When a drunken noble mentioned the current Emperor, everyone started to watch each other¡¯s reactions. "By the way, about the newly enthroned Emperor, ahem, does anyone know anything?" "How could we? What connection do we have with noble young ladies?" "Come now, you might know through your daughter." "Hah, don¡¯t even mention it!" At those words, one noble slammed the table as if excited. "As it is, our family is in crisis because of that! Tch, that useless daughter of mine apparently bullied Her Majesty the Emperor in the past." "Ah..." As it wasn¡¯t just someone else¡¯s problem, the atmosphere in the banquet hall instantly became gloomy. They thought they should ask their daughters about what had happened in social circles when they returned home. "It¡¯s worrying. This Emperor will enjoy more powerful authority than ever before." "With not only the people¡¯s support but also the temple¡¯s backing, it¡¯s only natural." "From the return of Gracia alone, the symbolism of this imperial family is great, who would dare to break that?" They had no intention of gossiping about the new Emperor. About half of those present were anxious because of their daughters¡¯ past words and actions towards the Emperor. Stories about Liv being a fake saintess or chasing after Duke Lartman meant nothing to them. Now, all of that was considered as hardships and adventures Liv Gracia had gone through to become Emperor. "That¡¯s right. This Emperor will enjoy stronger power than anyone..." At that moment, Marquis Meisner, who had been silent, opened his mouth, and the dining room instantly fell quiet. He was the most powerful person in this gathering and essentially the real power, so the other nobles had to listen to his words. "Then what do you think, Marquis? No matter how much love she receives from the Supreme God, if the imperial power becomes too strong, we..." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It would be the path to the country¡¯s ruin. For power to be concentrated in one person." At Marquis Meisner¡¯s words that hit the nail on the head, they looked relieved. However, they started to watch their words, wondering if it was alright to speak like this about the Emperor. Fortunately, Marquis Meisner didn¡¯t cross the line and only said this: "So we should try to get in the new Emperor¡¯s good graces to secure our positions. I hear they¡¯re soon recruiting new maids, it would be good to consider how to make your daughters imperial maids." "Ah!" That was quite an appropriate measure. Instead of opposing the current Emperor, inserting their own people into the imperial palace. The Emperor was already married to a man from the Lartman family, and the strongest way for them to connect with the Emperor had disappeared. However, it wasn¡¯t that there was no way at all. There were still maid positions left. Yes, if they seized that opportunity well, they too could become families trusted by the imperial family. At Marquis Meisner¡¯s words, the nobles¡¯ eyes began to burn with desire. Marquis Meisner just quietly watched the scene with his arms folded. * * * "Your Majesty, here is the list." Liv received the documents handed over by the head maid. After receiving a heavy pile of documents, Liv¡¯s face became gloomy. "You¡¯ve filtered these once, right?" "Yes, as Your Majesty said, I excluded those who didn¡¯t meet the conditions and strictly checked for any illnesses." What Liv held in her hand were maid application forms. It was time for Liv to recruit maids now. Although the head maid said she had screened them, there were still plenty of applications for Liv to review. It seemed too much for Liv, who didn¡¯t know much about social circle rumors having been an invisible person in society, to select alone. In the end, Liv decided to ask for Hildegard¡¯s help. "Your Majesty, I don¡¯t know much about social circles either... Is that still alright?" "Well, what can we do? The men wouldn¡¯t know anything if we asked them." At those words, Hildegard nodded as if convinced. As she flipped through the documents with Liv, Hildegard pointed to a familiar name with a brightened face. "Your Majesty, how about this person?" "Hmm, not bad." "She¡¯s such a kind person. It would be comfortable for Your Majesty to have someone familiar. Above all, didn¡¯t she help in the fight against August this time, so wouldn¡¯t she be trustworthy?" At those words, Liv pondered for a moment, then finally set that document aside. As Hildegard said, Liv needed someone familiar. "Ah, Hilda." "Yes." "Then this one wouldn¡¯t be bad either." Hildegard tilted her head at the person Liv pointed to. "Who is that... Oh, is this the person you mentioned in your letter before, sister?" "Yes, she was one of my few friends. This person seemed kind-hearted too." "It wouldn¡¯t be bad to choose one from the Edelburg region. It¡¯s necessary to have people from various regions as close aides. However, I¡¯m worried that since she¡¯s from the same region as Duke Lartman, people might say we¡¯re favoring that side too much." "That wasn¡¯t unintentional." "Oh, so that¡¯s how it was! Then I think it wouldn¡¯t be bad." Next, Liv was able to find another familiar person. "Ah, I didn¡¯t know this person would apply." "Oh my!" Hildegard blinked in surprise after reading the application. "I recommend this person. Anyway, this family needs compensation for the time they lost." "Right, and this person said she¡¯s good at swordsmanship." "It¡¯s good to have someone skilled in martial arts as a maid! My goodness, I didn¡¯t think she would apply as a maid after seeing her last time." After selecting three maids like that, Hildegard waved her hand saying they really couldn¡¯t do this anymore. "We can¡¯t keep selecting based on connections. Now we need to look at the families." "I did look at the families." "Of, of course all the families are meaningful to Your Majesty, but now we need families that everyone, not just Your Majesty, can objectively acknowledge. Families with strong power among the nobles." As Hildegard¡¯s words were correct, Liv carefully read through the remaining documents. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to find someone suitable as a maid. There were hardly any noble young ladies from families with strong power, without bad rumors, of good character, diligent and devoted, loyal, and who had a not bad relationship with Liv. "They all have at least one problem..." "It could be misreported. I had bad rumors too." "Still, Your Majesty. For someone from a high family to have rumors means they¡¯ve exposed their true nature to the extent that even power couldn¡¯t silence it." "Is that so?" "Yes, rather we should give up on something... Ah." Hildegard pulled out one document with a bright face. "Your Majesty, how about this family?" "It¡¯s a good family. I heard this person¡¯s father has such strong power." "Even so, they were powerless during August¡¯s era." "Are there no bad rumors about this person?" "Hmm, I haven¡¯t heard anything particular. I think this person could be hired as the head maid. The three young ladies you mentioned earlier are good people, but the head maid needs power after all." "I¡¯ll consider it. But I¡¯ll decide after the interview." "Is this enough now?" One head maid candidate and three maid candidates. If there were no peculiarities in the interviews, Liv intended to accept these people. In fact, because Liv had been such an outcast in social circles in the past, it was difficult to find young ladies who hadn¡¯t bullied her. However, on the other hand, there was also a hesitant feeling. Rather than using only her own side, perhaps... "Hilda." "Yes?" "What about this person?" "That person... Wasn¡¯t she one of Miss Zibel¡¯s group? I think she bullied Your Majesty!" "Yes, that¡¯s right." "Why that person..." "I don¡¯t intend to completely reject everyone. It¡¯s like a reconciliation signal saying let¡¯s do well from now on." "Is it alright to select maids with that mindset...?" "I¡¯m not sure, but let¡¯s proceed with an interview for this person too." With Liv¡¯s decision, one more person was added to the maid candidates. Chapter 159 Inside the Sun Palace, where most noble young ladies would never set foot in their lifetime. ¡¯Phew...¡¯ Olivia exhaled anxiously as she looked at the faces of the people seated around the table. The young lady with bright blonde hair and a smile as radiant as the sun was Elena Luter, the only daughter of the Viscount Luter family and one of the few people who had been friendly with Liv Gracia. Moreover, she had also sided with Lartman in this recent war. It wasn¡¯t strange that she was chosen as a maid. The young lady with brown hair tied up high in a ponytail and freckles, giving somewhat of a countryside impression, was Maria K?lpen, daughter of the Viscount K?lpen family. Although Olivia was seeing her for the first time, she heard that Maria had come from the Edelburg region where Duke Lartman¡¯s territory was located. The reason for this young lady being here wasn¡¯t incomprehensible either. The one with rough-looking gray hair and scars on her skin, unlike a noble young lady, was Anne Wolfe, the only granddaughter of Viscount Wolfe. Being from the Wolfe family, one of the Five Meritorious Houses, she was certainly worthy of being chosen as a maid. For the Emperor, there would be no one more trustworthy than her. And the one with black hair and an elegant impression was Greta Meisner, daughter of the Marquis Meisner family. The Marquis Meisner family held strong influence among the nobles. The Emperor seemed to want to win over Greta Meisner to her side, probably to recruit the Marquis family. ¡¯But why...¡¯ Olivia Gentzen, daughter of the Count Gentzen family, trembled with nervousness. Of course, the Gentzen Count family was a fairly influential and not bad family in noble society, but... ¡¯It¡¯s not worth enduring my bullying of her.¡¯ Even though she had applied herself, Olivia Gentzen couldn¡¯t understand why she had been accepted! Of course, she hadn¡¯t shown a bad attitude towards Liv even in the interview. Liv had conducted the maid interviews herself, and Olivia was included among the candidates. Throughout that interview, Olivia had consistently watched Liv¡¯s reactions and was desperate to make a good impression somehow. Although she didn¡¯t expect to become the Emperor¡¯s maid, she knew she shouldn¡¯t antagonize Liv in order to survive in social circles from now on. She had to show that she was regretting bullying Liv even now. This interview was a good opportunity to prove that. -Your, Your Majesty! The crown suits you so well! -I, I have something prepared as a gift from our family. Thinking that Your Majesty would have a lot to worry about having just ascended to the throne, we prepared tea that¡¯s good for health... While Olivia watched Liv¡¯s reactions so pitifully, Liv stared at her with an inscrutable expression throughout. Seeing this, Olivia thought Liv would reject her, but... ¡¯Why am I sitting here?¡¯ Olivia anxiously looked around, and her eyes met Elena Luter¡¯s, who was staring at her with sharp eyes. Elena was known for being kind even in social circles, so for her to glare at Olivia like this meant... ¡¯She must know that I bullied Her Majesty in the past...¡¯ S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At least Maria K?lpen, who seemed to know nothing, had a bright expression, but Anne Wolfe and Greta Meisner hadn¡¯t given Olivia a single glance either. ¡¯Can I endure here?¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t withdraw on her own. If she did, she would truly incur Liv¡¯s hatred, and the Gentzen Count family might become completely isolated in noble society. Even if Liv had called Olivia as a maid to torment her, she had to endure it all. As Olivia was anxiously waiting for Liv¡¯s appearance, the door finally opened. "We greet Her Majesty the Emperor." Greta greeted first, and the other young ladies followed her lead. Olivia also hurriedly greeted along with them. Liv sat at the head of the table and slowly looked around at them. Olivia flinched when her eyes met Liv¡¯s. "I¡¯m glad to meet you all like this. You all showed good performances in the recent interview, and I judged that you all have sufficient qualifications." "Thank you, Your Majesty." "With several maids entering at once, the servants will be uncomfortable too. The servants have been doing the work in the meantime, so it would be good to have an adaptation period of a week, learning the work from them." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Of course, I hope Greta, as the head maid, will lead the others well." Liv, who had become Emperor, seemed like a completely different person. Olivia couldn¡¯t believe that she had been the awkward noble young lady in social circles in the past, but she tried not to show it and responded politely. "First, it would be good to get to know each other slowly and receive guidance about the imperial palace from the servants. I have to go to the office now, so let¡¯s start the main work from tomorrow." "Understood, Your Majesty." After Liv left, the palace maids came in. The maids began to explain the main locations of Liv¡¯s room and the places Liv visits. While walking through the palace corridors following the maids, Greta was the first to speak. "It¡¯s nice to meet you all. I¡¯m Greta from the Marquis Meisner family. Although I¡¯m called the head maid, I¡¯ve just entered the palace too, so I hope we can learn together from now on." "Oh, nice to meet you!" Maria answered in a bright voice. At her accent, which was softer and more slurred than that of the capital, Greta¡¯s gaze turned to Maria. "Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen you in the capital before, where did you come from?" It was a conversation for socializing while already knowing information about each other. "I came from the Edelburg region. I¡¯m Maria from the Viscount K?lpen family." "Ah... Where Duke Lartman¡¯s territory is, right?" "Yes, that¡¯s right. I came up to the capital once a few years ago, and I¡¯ve been dreaming of living in the capital since then! It¡¯s such a wonderful place!" "Haha, you¡¯ll soon get bored if you stay here for a while. I rather envy the beautiful natural environment of the Edelburg region." Following the cheerful Maria, the kind Elena picked up the conversation, and the awkward atmosphere loosened a bit. "I¡¯m Elena from the Viscount Luter family. The Luter Viscount territory is located near the capital, but it¡¯s really a small land." "Nice to meet you, Miss Luter." "Come to think of it, Miss Wolfe also came up from the Bonberg region, right?" "Yes, that¡¯s right." "What¡¯s it like there? Is the scenery beautiful like Edelburg?" "It¡¯s a desolate place. Not really a good place to live." Although it wasn¡¯t an appropriate response to continue the conversation, when Anne, who was tall with a straight body, said that, she somehow looked cool like a knight. The others also seemed to have goodwill towards Anne despite her stiff answer. "Ah, this seems to be the library." It was clearly Olivia¡¯s turn to introduce herself, but Greta intentionally cut off the conversation. "Oh, that¡¯s right! Her Majesty likes books, so we should remember the location of this place well." Elena also seemed to have noticed Greta¡¯s intention and turned her head away, while Anne was silent as always. Maria looked a bit puzzled but didn¡¯t speak to Olivia first. Seeing this, Olivia lowered her head. ¡¯What should I do.¡¯ She could already feel herself starting to be left out. Of course, she would have to pay the price for bullying Liv in the past... Olivia began to worry about her future. * * * The violet-colored stationery smelled of freesia. [To Lady Liv Gracia, Greetings, Lady Gracia. I am Dante M¨¹nster, Emperor of the Great Merna Empire and the United Empire of Merna Federation Islands. I know I should start the letter with the name "Holy Hilysid Empire succeeding Garcia, Master of the Five Noble Houses," but I wanted to include your name in the first letter. I didn¡¯t want to call you by such a stiff name. I heard you were enthroned as Emperor. Congratulations. I sent an official letter to the Kingdom of Aila-Hora not to help August Steinberg a while ago, and it seems to have worked well. Of course, it must be due to Lady Liv Gracia¡¯s greatness that you became Emperor. I would like to visit the Holy Hilysid Empire in person if I could, but it would be difficult for an emperor to leave his seat. So I send my congratulations through this letter instead. If any forces try to slander Lady Gracia in the future, please let me know. I believe you can handle it alone, but I will help you as much as I can. I¡¯m sending a gift to commemorate your enthronement. I hope it pleases Lady Gracia. Then I will end this letter here. From the Emperor of the Great Merna Empire and the United Empire of Merna Federation Islands, ¡ªDante M¨¹nster] As written in the letter, Dante sent an enormous amount of gifts. The items he sent included not only gold and silver treasures and specialties said to be produced only in the Merna Empire, but also relics from the Night Continent. As Liv smiled softly while reading the letter, Emmett pulled her into his arms and spoke. "You¡¯re reading a letter from another man in front of me." "Hmm... It¡¯s closer to a letter between emperors than that..." Liv, who spoke as if explaining, only realized that Emmett¡¯s words were a joke after looking into his eyes. Of course, his jealousy towards Dante seemed half-serious. "I didn¡¯t like that man from before." "What? Why?" "Because he was with you when I was away." "You¡¯re more jealous than I thought." However, knowing that Emmett had spoken in jest, Liv kissed him instead. Emmett naturally accepted the kiss, and when Liv came to her senses, she had already completely fallen for him. "This is the office..." Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Liv awkwardly changed the subject and slipped out of Emmett¡¯s arms. "Well, but I understand why you¡¯re jealous..." "Is that so?" "Yes, because I would have felt the same emotion if the situation were reversed." At those words, Emmett looked at Liv with eyes seeing something lovely and smiled. "Instead, I promise to help you when you need it, just as I did for the Emperor of Merna. So... I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll grant your wish when you want." "A wish, you say?" Now Emmett¡¯s voice asking that was filled with interest. Chapter 160 "Yes, I¡¯ve been reading historical records diligently... It seems common for emperors to grant one wish to meritorious subjects. I wanted to try that too." "I see. What wish do you think I would make?" "Don¡¯t tease me!" As Liv glared playfully, Emmett smiled with an amused face. "Alright, I can¡¯t think of anything right now, but I¡¯ll let you know when I come up with a wish later." "You¡¯re the most meritorious subject, so whatever you say is fine. If you want, I could expand the territory of the Lartman duchy, give you tax exemptions, or enact any law you desire." "My, what an honor." After continuing their conversation with smiling faces, Liv checked her wristwatch and spoke. "Ah, come to think of it, it¡¯s almost time for the government affairs meeting." Since becoming Emperor, Liv had been diligently attending to state affairs. Of course, the previous Emperor hadn¡¯t neglected state affairs either, but Liv tried to look into even more detailed aspects. Meanwhile, while Liv handled external affairs, Emmett was managing the internal affairs of the imperial palace. During August¡¯s reign as Emperor, there was no Empress, so Louisa had been handling those duties, but Emmett was focusing on keeping only those loyal to the new Emperor in the imperial palace. "Then I should be going now." "Alright, my Emperor." Every time Emmett called Liv ¡¯Your Majesty¡¯, Liv felt a ticklish sensation. Clearly, everyone called her ¡¯Your Majesty¡¯, but strangely, it felt different when Emmett did so. "Liv, are there any people bothering you in the meetings?" "Hmm, well..." Liv blinked slowly. Perhaps Emmett was worried that after the tyrant August stepped down, the nobles would seize this opportunity to build their power by attacking Liv, but... "I don¡¯t think there will be any major problems." * * * When the Emperor arrived at the meeting hall, Marquis Meisner¡¯s eyes gleamed. Today was the second meeting held since the new Emperor¡¯s ascension. The main agenda of the last meeting was sorting out meritorious subjects, so today was truly an opportunity to see the Emperor¡¯s real abilities. "Your Majesty, there¡¯s been a conflict between the Riebermann Marquis territory and the Fechstein Count territory. There¡¯s been a territorial dispute between the two regions for a while, and now the Count of Fechstein has protested against illegal territorial occupation by the Marquis of Riebermann, leading to a crisis where military forces from both regions might clash." Both families had maintained friendly relations with the previous Emperor. Depending on whose side the Emperor takes here, it would determine which family from the previous Emperor¡¯s faction would gain an advantageous position. "Hmm... I see." However, the Emperor slowly tapped her pen and gave an unexpected answer. "We should use a fair method. Since the Liest Marquis territory also borders that area, let¡¯s give that territory to Marquis Liest." At those words, Marquis Meisner¡¯s face contorted. Marquis Liest was a family that had sided with the current Emperor. In the end, the current Emperor had no intention of yielding to them at all. Throughout the meeting, Marquis Meisner threw various issues at the Emperor, but each time, the Emperor came up with strong measures. ¡¯I thought a weak person would come after August stepped down, but...¡¯ Although her way of dealing with people in private settings might be different, the current Emperor¡¯s political style was closer to August¡¯s than the previous Emperor¡¯s. It seemed they couldn¡¯t take the new Emperor lightly after all. * * * Although the maids were initially distant with each other, they soon quickly adapted to their work. "New jewels have arrived for Her Majesty." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at a box full of dazzling jewels, Greta spoke. Greta examined the items that had come from the Emperor of the Merna Empire in detail and then ordered the maids in the Emperor¡¯s dressing room. "Miss K?lpen, and Miss Gentzen. Please sort and organize these jewels. Miss Wolfe will organize the letters that have arrived for Her Majesty with me. Ah, Miss Luter, please go to the archivist and check on the progress of the historical records related to the traitor." After Greta, Anne, and Elena left, Olivia began sorting the jewels alone with Maria. Looking at the dazzling jewels, Maria chattered excitedly to Olivia. "My goodness, I heard that the Merna Empire collects jewels at the imperial level, but this is amazing! We¡¯ll be able to adorn Her Majesty even more splendidly from now on!" "Yes, I suppose so." "Ah, how about we organize the lighter-colored jewels separately? Since these colors suit Her Majesty, we could gather the ones she¡¯s likely to use often." "Oh, that¡¯s a good idea. Let¡¯s use this jewelry box." "Hehe, when Her Majesty came to Edelburg before, she wore a dress densely studded with diamonds, and it was the first time I¡¯d ever seen such a thing! I thought such dresses were common in the capital, but it turns out that¡¯s not the case. Ah, how beautiful she was..." Maria was a positive and bright woman in everything. Although she was older than Olivia, Olivia almost doubted if she was conversing with a fifteen-year-old girl. But it wasn¡¯t unpleasant. Maria was the only one who treated Olivia normally among the maids who were otherwise isolated from her. It was probably because she didn¡¯t know about Olivia¡¯s past. At that moment, the dressing room door opened and Elena appeared. She seemed to have finished her work. Elena looked displeased at Maria chattering to Olivia, then called Maria in a small voice. "Miss K?lpen, can we talk for a moment?" "Oh, now?" "Yes, there¡¯s something you should know..." Maria left with round eyes, and soon whispering sounds could be heard from outside. When Maria came back into the room, she had a stern expression. She no longer initiated conversation with Olivia while organizing the jewels. ¡¯She must have found out everything.¡¯ It was clear that Elena had told Maria about how Olivia had bullied Liv in the past. Well, even the bright Maria wouldn¡¯t want to be close to Olivia anymore. Maria liked Liv, and moreover, Liv was now the highest authority in this country, so there was no reason to be close to someone who was at odds with her. In fact, Elena was also famous in social circles for her kind nature. But even she couldn¡¯t be friendly with Olivia... After organizing the jewels in an awkward atmosphere, Olivia felt like she wanted to cry for some reason. Olivia was originally a sociable person, and that¡¯s why she was able to become friends with Miss Zibel, who was the most popular in social circles from the moment she debuted. After becoming close to Miss Zibel, Olivia had a happy social life. No one looked down on Olivia, and everyone was cautious of the Zibel group. However, now Olivia had fallen to the most insignificant position among the Emperor¡¯s maids... She felt like crying, but Olivia held it back. Crying wouldn¡¯t change anything. Yes, in fact, among the other women in the Zibel group, her situation was the best. One had sided with the previous Emperor and was completely pushed out of the center of politics, two had become objects of avoidance by noble men after Liv¡¯s ascension and barely married partners of insignificant status. Someone had broken off their engagement and, unable to find a new groom, married a noble from a neighboring kingdom who didn¡¯t even speak the same language, and another was left alone in social circles, ridiculed by other young ladies. At least Olivia, the daughter of the somewhat powerful Count Gentzen family, had submitted maid applications under pressure from her parents. It was still a mystery how her application had passed the screening. Still, if she could endure here well, her situation would be better than now. Being a former maid of the Emperor was an incredible background, and with that power, she could marry into a good family even if she was a bit older. ¡¯Yes, I have to endure. Don¡¯t cry.¡¯ As Olivia thought this and left the room, an arm suddenly popped out and pulled her into another room. Olivia almost screamed for a moment, but seeing the identity of the person who pulled her, she closed her mouth. That person smiled gently at Olivia, then whispered in a seductive voice: "Miss Gentzen, I have a good proposal for you..." * * * "Aah! Aaaagh!" Terrible screams echoed through the underground prison. The air was filled with the acrid smell of blood and fire. A man tied to a chair in a terrible state trembled violently, and Emmett looked down at him with cold eyes, arms folded. "Stop." At his signal, the soldier removed the tool from the man. Emmett took one step closer to the man who had lowered his head. "So you still don¡¯t want to tell me what that medicine was?" He was the person Emmett had appointed as Liv¡¯s court physician in the past. The one who had joined hands with August and fed poison to Liv. Emmett had tortured the physician to find out the identity of the poison fed to Liv, but no information could be obtained. "Please spare me, please spare me.... I really don¡¯t know anything. I only received that liquid, I know nothing about its identity. Please spare me..." The physician was just repeating meaninglessly that he knew nothing and begging to be spared. It seemed there would be no more results, so Emmett sighed and signaled the soldier to clean up. "Keep him imprisoned. Make sure he doesn¡¯t die." He couldn¡¯t be left to die in case information might come from him. "Phew..." Liv trusted Emmett, and because of that, she had entrusted all the work regarding the palace servants to him. However, Liv would never dream that Emmett was torturing people like this now. It might be discovered someday, but at least Emmett didn¡¯t want Liv to know about it now. She would already have enough on her mind having just ascended to the throne, and he didn¡¯t want to burden her with another worry. Emmett walked through the palace corridors, trying not to frown lest he accidentally meet Liv. Although no blood had splattered on his body, he didn¡¯t forget to take a bath in case Liv noticed something. When he was about to go for a meal after finishing his bath, his servant entered the room and spoke: "Your Majesty, Marquis Arendt has entered the palace." "Ah, she¡¯s here." Chapter 161 Recognized as one of the Five Meritorious Houses and receiving numerous rewards, she was currently enjoying a busy life in the capital. There were rumors that she was looking for someone to become her son-in-law, or that she had political ambitions. Emmett didn¡¯t believe all these words, but it was true that she, who had become one of the most famous people, was busy. It was Emmett who had ordered her to enter the palace, and it seemed she had time to visit in person. When he went to the reception room, Maya Arendt, looking somewhat haggard, was waiting for Emmett. "...You look very busy." "Ah, I¡¯ve been participating in the historical records related to the traitor..." Recently, the academic and theological circles were quite heated, due to the work of recording the previous Emperor August, who had become a traitor, and Liv Gracia, who received the love of the Supreme God. As a scholar, Maya Arendt seemed to be playing an important role in that work. "The reason I called you is to request that you investigate a certain poison." "Poison?" At those words, Marquis Arendt¡¯s eyes flashed. "Hmm, once poisons are out in the world, improved versions keep appearing, making investigation complicated... Seeing that you called me directly, it must have affected quite a high-ranking person..." However, Maya Arendt couldn¡¯t continue speaking after making eye contact with Emmett. She realized who had been affected by this poison. "Don¡¯t tell me..." "This matter must be kept secret. You¡¯re aware that your life could be in danger if it¡¯s not, right?" "Hah..." Maya Arendt covered her face with both hands. "Yes, I¡¯ll keep it secret. So what kind of poison is it?" Emmett explained about the poison to Maya Arendt. According to August, it was a drug that induced infertility, but other than that, it had no symptoms and couldn¡¯t be detected by physicians. "My, that¡¯s going to be difficult. Well, I¡¯ll investigate it anyway." "Thank you. There¡¯s no one I can trust right now." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ah, but..." Maya Arendt asked, habitually bringing her fingernail to her mouth. "Does Count Schulze not know about this either? I met him recently, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Oh, maybe he kept it secret from me?" "No, he doesn¡¯t know either." "Aha, so it¡¯s really a secret." "Yes, and..." Emmett continued with a tense face. "Her Majesty doesn¡¯t know about this either." "What?" Maya Arendt jumped from her seat. "No, how..." "I don¡¯t want her to go through difficult times for now." "Well, I understand given how much has happened, but..." Maya Arendt looked at Emmett with a bewildered face and said. "Secrets are never good. Come to think of it, Your Grace seems to have a habit of creating secrets." "..." "There are no eternal secrets, so you should be careful." Watching Maya Arendt withdraw after saying that, Emmett¡¯s mind became even more complicated. As Maya Arendt said, it wasn¡¯t wise to keep hiding things forever. Eventually, he would have to tell Liv the truth. But... ¡¯It¡¯s true that I¡¯m worried about Liv... But more than anything, it¡¯s painful that she might hate me.¡¯ Not being able to manage even one court physician of his family was entirely Emmett¡¯s responsibility. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if Liv resented him. No, in fact, it would be more painful if Liv didn¡¯t hate him. It was agonizing that Liv always showed a devoted attitude without changing, despite all the wrongs he had done to her. When Liv found out last time that Emmett had killed Viscount Wolfe and forgave him for it, it made him feel like his heart was being torn apart. Walking towards the bedroom where Liv would be, Emmett clenched his fist tightly. Rationally thinking, it would be right to confess the truth, but he ultimately succumbed to his emotions. ¡¯Yes, not yet.¡¯ He just wished for this happiness to continue a little longer. * * * Liv¡¯s fingertips gripping Emmett tightened. "Ah!" As Liv¡¯s body under Emmett was pushed back, Emmett quickly embraced her. Liv quietly looked into Emmett¡¯s eyes while in his arms. ¡¯Nothing changes.¡¯ There were things that didn¡¯t change even after Liv ascended to the imperial throne. For example, the look in Emmett¡¯s eyes when he gazed at her or his attitude towards her remained the same. Of course, some things had changed. "Hah, I love you, Liv." Liv felt the words of love whispered to her were sweeter than anything. Hearing those words made her whole body tingle, and Liv opened her mouth in a bright smile. After being in Emmett¡¯s arms for a long time, Liv looked at what was on her stomach. Liv lightly touched it with her hand. Emmett hurriedly brought a towel from under the bed and wiped Liv¡¯s hand and body. "Your Majesty shouldn¡¯t touch such things." "Hmm, to say that..." Liv suddenly realized that Emmett¡¯s behavior had changed from before. "But why did you do it outside?" At Liv¡¯s direct words, Emmett seemed a bit flustered, but with reddened ears, he opened his mouth. "Well... since you¡¯ve just ascended to the throne..." "Ah." Well, if Liv were to have a child now when she¡¯s so busy, it would cause various problems. Of course, Liv couldn¡¯t have children anyway. Emmett must have not noticed that fact. Liv felt the urge to confess that fact to Emmett. Just as she was about to open her mouth while looking into his gray eyes, an indignant feeling welled up inside her. ¡¯Should I tell him now?¡¯ Emmett had lied to her too. Somehow feeling it was unfair for only Liv to be honest when Emmett wasn¡¯t revealing the truth himself, Liv decided to tell him about her infertility a little later. They would be using contraception for a while anyway, so Emmett wouldn¡¯t find out. ...No, in fact, these were all excuses, and she was a bit afraid of his reaction. Although Liv now knew that he loved her, she was afraid that his love might cool someday because of that. Of course, from what Liv knew of him, he probably wouldn¡¯t change his mind, but... still, an anxiety of ¡¯what if¡¯ held her back. Liv decided to keep her mouth shut. * * * Liv¡¯s days mostly consisted of signing documents and government affairs meetings. It was repeated so tediously that Liv was about to forget her sense of days of the week. "I heard that locusts are rampaging in the W¨¹nschen region and the crops are ruined. We¡¯ll need to adjust the tax rate for the W¨¹nschen region this year." "Oh, that¡¯s such a gracious thing, Your Majesty." "And let¡¯s seek cooperation from the temple side." Liv had become accustomed to the meetings by now. The nobles seemed to have noticed that Liv was not an easy person, and they remained silent before Liv¡¯s power, just as they had under August. At that moment, Marquis Hendel raised his hand. "Your Majesty, I have one suggestion." "Speak." "I understand that there hasn¡¯t been a proper banquet held in the imperial palace since Your Majesty¡¯s ascension. How about holding a banquet?" "A banquet..." Originally, the imperial palace held splendid banquets on every saint¡¯s memorial day. Providing a social gathering place for nobles was also a duty of the imperial family. However, since Liv¡¯s ascension, no such events had been held. Liv had been busy making the country her own, and Emmett had been busy overseeing the imperial palace, so neither of them had thought about banquets. Marquis Hendel¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong, but Liv pondered for a moment and then shook her head. "It seems premature to hold a banquet." Liv¡¯s maids hadn¡¯t fully adapted to their work yet. Emmett also didn¡¯t have the capacity as he was busy organizing the imperial assets that August had managed poorly. With the palace servants still not working well together, it was unreasonable to hold a banquet now. When Liv answered like that, Marquis Hendel¡¯s face fell, but Liv didn¡¯t add anything more and rose from her seat. * * * Emmett was bowing before an elderly man. It was a somewhat strange sight, as it didn¡¯t make sense for the Emperor¡¯s husband to bow to someone, but the old man standing before him was looking down at Emmett quite naturally. "I have committed an unforgivable wrong, Viscount Wolfe." The old man, Viscount Wolfe, looked down at Emmett with empty eyes. In his eyes, one could feel the misery and emptiness that only someone who had lost a child could harbor. Emmett knew he had done a great wrong to him. Not just because he had tried to harm someone who was trying to help Liv, but the very act of absolutely following August¡¯s orders and harming innocent people was his mistake. Emmett intended to find other people who had been harmed by him in the future. Of course, he should start by apologizing to Viscount Wolfe first. Viscount Wolfe stared at Emmett with blank eyes for a long time, then opened his mouth with a cracked voice. "How was... my son¡¯s last moment?" Hearing those words, Emmett finally fell to his knees. However, as if that wasn¡¯t what he meant, Viscount Wolfe spoke again in a weak voice. "I just... want to know. No one knew about my son¡¯s last moment... But now I need to know." "Your son... was devoted to the Gracia family until the end." Finally, Emmett closed his eyes tightly and continued speaking. "When the traitor imprisoned the young Her Majesty in Abgrund, your son pursued the truth to the end to save Her Majesty. While trying to save Her Majesty... he was dragged to the imperial palace as he was." At those words, Viscount Wolfe smiled brightly as if truly happy. "Ah... that child fulfilled his duty until the very end. My proud son..." Chapter 162 Seeing Viscount Wolfe looking happy, Emmett felt as if his heart was being torn apart. What on earth had he done in the past? He felt like he was an unforgivable, heinous person... S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Viscount Wolfe instead reached out his hand and raised Emmett up. "It¡¯s alright. It was unavoidable..." "But the fact that I committed a wrong remains unchanged. You may resent me. If there¡¯s anything you need, I will help with anything." "No, there¡¯s nothing like that. Ah, but..." "What is it?" "I would like my son¡¯s remains to be buried in the cemetery for meritorious subjects." "Of course, I will do that. Your son¡¯s name will be added to the list of meritorious subjects." Because what he wished for was so modest, Emmett felt an even stronger sense of guilt. "Grand Duke Lartman." "Yes, Viscount Wolfe." "I am truly alright, so you can live without harboring guilt anymore." "..." "Serve Her Majesty well. That¡¯s all I wish for." Viscount Wolfe said this while grasping Emmett¡¯s hand tightly, and Emmett could answer this emphatically. "Yes, I will certainly do so." As they were finishing their conversation, two figures entered the room. Liv, and Anne Wolfe. Liv pushed Anne¡¯s back towards where Viscount Wolfe was, speaking softly as if to soothe her. "Anne, you have the right to go and hear the conversation too." "Ah..." Seeing her grandfather and the man standing before him, Anne stood there awkwardly. The person who had caused her father¡¯s death. If it were an ordinary person, they would have lost their reason and rushed at him immediately, but Anne was rational and strong enough to be chosen as the Emperor¡¯s maid. For now, Emmett was the Emperor¡¯s husband and also the greatest meritorious subject, so she couldn¡¯t get angry recklessly. Moreover, it was actually the previous Emperor August who had killed her father... However, people can¡¯t always act rationally. Feeling too wronged by her situation where she couldn¡¯t even express her anger despite it welling up, Anne shed tears. "...Miss Wolfe." Emmett slowly began to speak to Anne. "No words can excuse my unforgivable sin, but I want to apologize. I¡¯m sorry for only letting you know the truth now. And for committing an indelible sin." "Sob, I... I know... that it was all August¡¯s fault..." It was an era where one had to follow whatever August ordered. Until just a few weeks ago, this country was like that. "But I just... find it hard to control my emotions..." "I understand. Resent and hate me for the rest of your life." "I won¡¯t forgive you..." Because Anne was genuinely resenting him, Emmett rather felt a sense of relief. Only if someone hated him for life could he live with his sin in his heart. "I¡¯m so angry at Your Grace, and I¡¯ll never forget this anger for the rest of my life. But at the same time, I¡¯ll serve Her Majesty for life... Because our Wolfe family¡¯s loyalty to Her Majesty won¡¯t change, apart from my anger towards Your Grace." "Thank you for saying that." After hearing Anne¡¯s words, Liv placed her hand on Anne¡¯s back and patted it lightly. Perhaps because someone was comforting her, Anne began to sob even more sorrowfully. Liv and Emmett¡¯s eyes met in the air. Sadness, apology, and gratitude mixed in the pupils of the two. * * * Even if Emmett had faced his sins, Liv¡¯s matters weren¡¯t completely settled. "Here are the completed historical records. Would you check if it¡¯s alright for this to be passed down to future generations?" Elena placed a book on the table, and Liv picked it up. She could feel the other maids glancing at it with interested looks. Liv was currently enjoying a break for the weekend. Of course, there was a mountain of work, so she couldn¡¯t fully rest. The only difference was that she was working in Liv¡¯s room instead of the office. "No problem. Proceed as it is." "Yes, Your Majesty." Elena took the book and left the room, and Maria poured tea into Liv¡¯s cup. Greta wasn¡¯t visible as she had gone out to work with Emmett¡¯s head servant. In one corner of the room, Olivia and Anne were organizing records about imperial knights who had been loyal to August. "No, that¡¯s not right. This family has been a knight family for generations." "Ah..." "And the Carosa family are traitors." In fact, it was closer to Anne, who knew knight families well, picking on Olivia. If one were to pick the maids who got along the worst, it would be Anne and Olivia. The other maids were wary of Olivia but were too soft-hearted to pick on her. However, Anne, who had grown up rough and was uninhibited in everything, openly disliked Olivia. Liv thought it wasn¡¯t desirable for the maids to not get along well, but at the same time, she knew that if she intervened, the problem could become bigger. In fact, it was true that Olivia had wronged Liv in the past. However, if Olivia¡¯s attitude towards Liv was sincere, eventually the other maids would open their hearts to Olivia too. Therefore, the key to solving this problem lay with Olivia. After all, Liv had only chosen those with such tolerance as maids in the first place. Meanwhile, Olivia, who had been constantly pointed out by Anne, seemed to get annoyed and glared at Anne with sharp eyes. "Are you going to keep doing this?" "What do you mean?" "Ha, I might know less about knight families than you, but I excel in other refined knowledge more than you." "Well, I didn¡¯t mean to look down on you." "I was educated thoroughly from a younger age than you. I grew up as an excellent noble young lady under my parents¡¯ care." Olivia meant to bring up the thorough education she had received, but it also seemed to point out that Anne had lost her father at a young age. As soon as the topic of her father came up, a murderous look appeared in Anne¡¯s eyes. Even though she had been promoted to a meritorious subject, Anne was upset because the topic of her deceased father had come up. And above all, the reason why it wasn¡¯t good to talk about the late Viscount Wolfe was... ¡¯Because he died because of Emmett.¡¯ The Emperor¡¯s husband had killed a meritorious subject, and that meritorious subject¡¯s daughter was now working under the Emperor. Olivia had essentially mocked Anne for working under the imperial family that had killed her father. Although Emmett had apologized to the Wolfe family recently, most people didn¡¯t know the inside story. It wouldn¡¯t have been strange for Liv to scold Olivia here, but Anne spoke first. "Are you trying to mock me about my father now?" "Th-That¡¯s not it... Of course, Miss Wolfe¡¯s father was an admirable person. He even became a meritorious subject recently..." Olivia, realizing she had made a slip of the tongue, continued speaking in a trembling voice. "Yes, thank you for congratulating me on my father becoming a meritorious subject. But Miss Gentzen..." Anne¡¯s gray eyes pierced Olivia. "Rather than being concerned about other people¡¯s affairs, you should worry about your own future." "What..." For a moment, Olivia trembled at the threatening-sounding words, but she wasn¡¯t one to back down easily either. The frustration she had felt from being ostracized among Liv¡¯s maids exploded. "I heard that Grand Duke Lartman personally appointed the meritorious subjects." "That issue is all in the past. I¡¯m curious about your intention in mentioning a problem that I no longer care about." "What did I do to deserve this?" As the sparks between them intensified, Maria was fidgeting and watching Liv¡¯s reaction. It seemed like Anne might bring out a sword from somewhere and draw it at any moment, so Liv intervened. "It would be good to stop there." "Ah, Your Majesty..." Only then did Olivia¡¯s face turn pale, realizing that she had offended not only Anne but also Liv. "It would be better for you to get along well with each other. It seems even less appropriate to have this conversation in front of me." "...I apologize." Anne bowed her head, and Olivia bit her lip hard. At that moment, Elena and Greta, seeming to have finished their tasks, opened the door and entered. Greta noticed the unusual atmosphere in the room and watched Liv¡¯s reaction. "Your Majesty, did any mistake happen..." "It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re still not used to the imperial atmosphere, so such mistakes happen." In fact, this problem stemmed from the other maids being wary of Olivia. The more cornered Olivia felt, the more she tried to hurt others. Liv felt she should take this opportunity to tell the maids that she didn¡¯t dislike Olivia. "I don¡¯t dwell on past matters. As Anne said, past events are all over." Although it seemed to be about the conversation between Olivia and Anne that had just occurred, everyone in the room knew it was actually referring to how Olivia had bullied Liv in the past. "We can¡¯t be stuck in the past forever. Everyone makes mistakes. Isn¡¯t that right?" "That¡¯s right, Your Majesty." As if trying to lighten the mood, Greta shared her own experience. "I once broke off my engagement because I misunderstood that my fianc¨¦ was having an affair, but he was actually innocent. Looking back, it¡¯s something I regret. This shows that everyone makes mistakes." "I, when I first came to the capital as a child, spoke informally to a young lady, who turned out to be a marchioness...! Fortunately, that lady was pleased, asking if she looked that young..." Following Greta, Maria also talked about something that had happened to her, and Anne opened her mouth too. "...When I first learned to use a sword, I was intoxicated by my own strength and hurt someone else." Elena and Olivia didn¡¯t speak. Knowing what they regretted, Liv didn¡¯t press them. Instead, she shared something that had happened to her. "I used to... not get along well with Miss Zibel. Wishing for her to leave social circles, I once revealed her weakness to the traitor August. Looking back, it¡¯s something I regret." As if it was a story no one had known, the maids¡¯ eyes widened. Especially Olivia, who had been part of Zibel¡¯s group, had eyes that looked like they might pop out at any moment. Chapter 163 "It¡¯s important to have a sufficiently repentant heart for the things you¡¯ve done. That would be the same for my spouse." Liv¡¯s words had two meanings. One, don¡¯t ostracize Olivia from now on. Two, don¡¯t mention the issue between Emmett and the Wolfe family like that, as they will handle it themselves. As if understanding her words, the other maids nodded. "So I¡¯d like you all to get along well from now on." "We¡¯ll keep that in mind, Your Majesty." * * * However, unfortunately, Liv soon realized that it was impossible for the maids to get along well. "Your Majesty, shouldn¡¯t we reinstate the Zibel family now?" She didn¡¯t expect to hear those words in the government affairs meeting. "The Zibel family was unjustly targeted by the traitor. If Your Majesty forgives them, it will help in correcting the things the traitor did." Yes, that wasn¡¯t wrong. Recently, Liv had been working on rescuing victims who had been unjustly harmed by August. But... ¡¯Why today of all days?¡¯ It was just yesterday that Liv had talked to the maids about the Zibel family. The fact that the Zibel family was mentioned again in today¡¯s meeting didn¡¯t seem like much of a coincidence. Liv quietly looked into the eyes of Marquis Hendel, who had spoken to her. Somehow, his smiling eyes were unpleasant. Yes, like someone who knew that Liv had used August to get rid of Zibel... If Liv didn¡¯t accept his opinion, Marquis Hendel might really reveal that story. As Liv was pondering what to do, it was Walter, now Marquis Hamelsvoort, who raised his hand. "It¡¯s true that the Zibel Marquis family was harmed by the traitor. But... I wonder if the Zibel family really wants to return to the capital." That was pointing out how Zibel¡¯s daughter had bullied Liv in the past. Given how much she had tormented the current Emperor, could she really enjoy the same life as before if she returned to the capital? That¡¯s what Walter was saying. Following Walter, Count Schulze, Hayden, also spoke leisurely while resting his chin on his hand. "Haha, Your Majesty isn¡¯t some charity worker, why should you worry about the Zibel Marquis family?" It was a rude remark, but because he was a meritorious subject and one of Liv¡¯s closest confidants, the nobles couldn¡¯t say anything. In the end, Marquis Hendel, who had mentioned the Zibel family, backed down with his tail between his legs. Liv quietly watched this scene. No matter how they tried to attack Liv, her power wouldn¡¯t crumble now. However... ¡¯It might be good to loosen up a bit.¡¯ Finally, Liv made a decision. "Come to think of it, St. Louis¡¯ Day is coming up soon." "That¡¯s right." "It would be good to hold an imperial banquet on that day. I¡¯ll tell Grand Duke Lartman to resume banquets from now on." At those words, the nobles¡¯ eyes widened. It also indicated that Liv had compromised with them a little. Hayden looked displeased, but he shrugged lightly as if to say he would follow Liv¡¯s words anyway. Liv pondered as she watched the nobles exchanging glances. ¡¯In the case of the maids... did I loosen up too much?¡¯ No matter how she thought about it, in this case, there must be a traitor among the maids who had relayed what Liv said yesterday to the nobles. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that important, but the possibility that Liv¡¯s secrets could leak out like this in the future was a very dangerous thing. The maids were Liv¡¯s closest people, and it was their job to assist Liv in any situation. ¡¯I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on them for now.¡¯ She intended to watch for any more suspicious incidents. And if someone was really caught red-handed, then she could throw them out at that time. * * * "Your Majesty, here are the banquet plans sent by the Grand Duke." "You all review it." Liv, who was looking over urgent matters, passed it to the maids. They gathered around Greta and began to check the banquet plans. "Hmm... orchestra, food, invitations, decorations... everything seems fine." "It¡¯s really extravagant." "Well, it is the first banquet since Her Majesty¡¯s ascension." Indeed, considering that Emmett had said he spent a large amount of the budget on the banquet, it seemed this banquet would be held grandly. "Couldn¡¯t we... emphasize Her Majesty¡¯s symbols a bit more?" "Ah, we should have the orchestra confirm the list of songs to be played in advance. There was one Steinberg family song included, but we need to replace it with a Gracia family song." "As expected of the head maid." While they were chattering and conversing, Olivia was still watching their reactions. ¡¯It¡¯s still too early.¡¯ The words Liv had spoken to the maids had spread outside. Greta, who had heard about it from Marquis Meisner, had relayed this to the maids as a warning to keep their mouths shut, so there was tension among them. Since Liv had no intention of intervening anymore, she decided to just observe for now. At that moment, Elena noticed a maid fidgeting outside the door and walked out. "What¡¯s the matter?" "Ah, a guest has come to see Her Majesty..." "To see Her Majesty? One can¡¯t meet her without requesting an audience." "Well... it¡¯s the Saintess." Hearing those words, Liv immediately gestured to the maid. Liv had a few ¡¯exceptions¡¯, and of course, Hildegard was one of them. "Tell her I¡¯ll come to the reception room soon." "Yes, Your Majesty." Elena tried to tidy up Liv¡¯s attire, but Liv waved her hand, saying it was fine. "It¡¯s just Hildegard anyway. She and I are like real family." Since she had seen worse, it was fine for Hildegard to visit anytime. Walking towards the reception room where Hildegard would be, Liv pondered the reason for her visit. Hopefully, nothing bad had happened? A moment later, when the door of the reception room opened and Liv saw Hildegard¡¯s face beyond it, she was relieved. Fortunately, Hildegard¡¯s expression as she came to see Liv wasn¡¯t bad. Wearing a light pink dress made of fine fabric, she looked full of vitality, and she was wearing jewels that Liv had previously bestowed upon the meritorious subjects in various places on her clothes. Just from that, it was possible to guess that she was living a sufficiently good life. "Hilda, it¡¯s been a while." "Your Majesty, have you been well?" "Yes, now I really have nothing to worry about. How about you?" Feeling like she was talking to a trustworthy person after a long time, Liv sat comfortably on the sofa. "I¡¯m doing well too. I¡¯ve recruited all the servants for the Hamelsvoort family, and there are no problems in social circles. Rather, the problem is that there are too many invitations." Hearing that Hildegard was doing well, Liv felt satisfied. She owed a lot to Hildegard, so Liv always wished for her happiness. However, there was one part of Hildegard¡¯s words that bothered her. "Then how about the temple?" When Liv asked that, noticing that Hildegard hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about the temple, Hildegard opened her mouth with a slightly surprised face. "How did you know I was going to talk about the temple?" "Well, I thought if there were any problems for you right now, it would only be there." "Wow, as expected of Your Majesty..." Hildegard marveled for a moment, then opened her mouth in a small voice. "Well, actually, I didn¡¯t come to complain about the temple... It¡¯s just that if I were to report on my situation, that¡¯s the only thing I could mention." "What¡¯s happening?" "These days, the temple has split into factions, you could say. Of course, everyone is loyal to Your Majesty, but they¡¯re focusing on weeding out the informants who cooperated with the traitor August in the past. Ah, what I heard from the priests during that process..." Hildegard made an expression as if recalling something, then slowly continued speaking. "It seems there¡¯s a force among the nobles trying to check Your Majesty¡¯s power recently..." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ah, I know about that." For example, Marquis Hendel could be mentioned. He was subtly testing Liv by asking questions at every meeting. "But it can¡¯t be helped. I can¡¯t enjoy absolute power forever. We need forces to check me too." Liv didn¡¯t view this phenomenon too negatively. To avoid becoming a dictator like August, there should be people to hold her back when she goes astray. "Well, that¡¯s true. I¡¯m just worried they might take Your Majesty lightly." At Liv¡¯s words, Hildegard shrugged lightly. "After all, since Your Majesty is quite different from the previous traitor, they might think their time has come." "Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to pay some attention to it." Fortunately, apart from that, the reason Hildegard had come to see Liv seemed to be really just to chat about everyday life. "By the way, do you know? There are so many nobles trying to approach Brother Walter these days." Walter and Hayden were Liv¡¯s representative loyal subjects and meritorious subjects, and they were even of marriageable age, so there probably weren¡¯t any men more popular in social circles now than them. However, because Hayden hadn¡¯t lived as a noble in his childhood, he had somewhat inscrutable and rough aspects, which seemed to be a barrier for young ladies approaching him. He himself didn¡¯t like dealing with other nobles. On the other hand, Walter appeared kind on the outside regardless of what he was like inside, so he was monopolizing the popularity in social circles currently. ¡¯If they talked to him a bit, they¡¯d find him so kind it¡¯s rather frightening.¡¯ Just like a transcendent being rather than a human, Walter had aspects that were excessively kind and perfect. But well, young noble ladies might not think that way yet. "So does Marquis Hamelsvoort have someone he¡¯s interested in?" Liv asked in a half-mischievous tone. Chapter 164 Well, of course, the answer that came from Hildegard was disappointing. "Hmm, you know. Can you imagine him liking someone?" "Ah..." Walter had lived dozens of lives because of Liv. Having experienced someone who whispered the sweetest love in one life becoming a complete stranger in another, it would be difficult for him to easily give his heart to others. "Well, I guess so. Still, if by chance someone he connects with appears, let me know. I¡¯d like the Marquis to... be more at ease now." "Yes, I will." Only after chattering for a long time until the tea went cold did Hildegard finally stand up. While saying goodbye to Hildegard, Liv encountered Greta returning with freshly brewed tea. "Oh, did she leave already? I brought new tea." "Yes, maybe Miss Meisner would like to drink it?" When Liv pointed to the seat in front, asking that, Greta didn¡¯t refuse and sat down facing Liv. "It¡¯s a tea scent I¡¯m smelling for the first time." "Ah, this was sent from the Merna Empire this time. They say it¡¯s tea leaves brought from the East." "I see. I heard Eastern tea isn¡¯t bad either." The tea Greta slowly poured had a green tint, and it definitely had a different taste from the tea Liv had been drinking until now. It had a strong grassy scent and was bitter, but it wasn¡¯t bad as it seemed to warm up the insides. "Did you have a good talk with the Saintess?" "Yes, it was nice to see Hilda after a long time." "The Saintess seems like such a good person. I¡¯m trying to emulate her too." At the words praising Hildegard, Liv raised her head and asked. "Are you interested in Hilda?" "Ah, actually, there¡¯s no one who isn¡¯t interested in the Saintess. Besides being someone who made great contributions to Your Majesty¡¯s ascension, she¡¯s a saintess directly chosen by the Supreme God, so anyone would admire her." Greta¡¯s reaction to Hildegard was also evidence that Hildegard was doing well in social circles. "How are things among the maids these days?" Since there was time, it seemed like a good idea to hear from Greta about the relationships among the maids. When Liv subtly asked about what had been bothering her recently, Greta answered with a contemplative look. "The others are fine, but Miss Gentzen is still..." "Miss Gentzen?" "I¡¯m worried that she¡¯s not getting along with everyone. She keeps making mistakes and showing sharp reactions to the other maids, which sours the atmosphere. I wonder if she hasn¡¯t been able to let go of her old habits?" Seeing her answer lengthening, Greta clearly seemed to think poorly of Olivia. Perhaps most of the maids felt the same way. "Hmm..." What should be done? As Liv was frowning, this time Maria knocked on the door of the reception room. "Your Majesty, a guest has arrived." "A guest? Was there an appointment?" "Ah, yes! They were originally scheduled to come in the afternoon, but it seems their carriage arrived faster than expected." "In the afternoon..." Liv blinked, recalling the schedule for this afternoon. "It must be the Lartman Duchy." "Yes, vassals of the Lartman family have arrived." * * * The Lartman vassals who came to see Liv were the ones she had seen before in the Lartman duchy. Although they had shown a generous attitude towards Liv then, now that Liv had ascended as Emperor, they seemed to find her difficult. Anyway, it meant they weren¡¯t the type of guests Liv had to be wary of. "We¡¯ve acquired some good horses and would like to offer a few to the imperial palace." "I¡¯ve discovered a few books from the Garcia Empire." After they spent time explaining in detail what they had brought for Liv, the main conversation finally began. "Thank you all for coming such a long way." "Oh no, not at all. Rather, we¡¯re sorry for coming to see you so late after your ascension, Your Majesty." "Of course we should come to see you, haha." While awkward conversation was continuing, the door opened. "Your Majesty." "Emmett... no, Grand Duke?" Emmett, who wasn¡¯t scheduled for the appointment together, had appeared. A servant quickly brought an additional chair, and Emmett naturally took the seat next to Liv. Liv, who hadn¡¯t expected Emmett to appear, looked at him with round eyes. "I thought you¡¯d be busy preparing for the banquet." "How could I leave Your Majesty alone?" When Emmett said that, the vassals laughed heartily, finding something amusing. "It seems Grand Duke Lartman really loves Your Majesty." "As before, the relationship between you two is very good." Since it wasn¡¯t often that their relationship was flaunted like this in front of others, Liv felt embarrassed. On the other hand, Emmett had a confident expression as if this was natural. "Why did you really come?" When Liv whispered that in Emmett¡¯s ear, Emmett naturally stretched out one arm to wrap around Liv¡¯s waist and answered. "Of course, you are the supreme Emperor and no one can say anything... but I heard that a husband shouldn¡¯t leave his wife alone when meeting his family members." "What¡¯s that." But Liv¡¯s face was slightly red as she answered. It couldn¡¯t be bad to have someone care about her. The vassals looked satisfied at the sight of the two. One of them cleared his throat unnecessarily and opened his mouth. "Ahem, with your relationship being so good, the day to see the Crown Prince must not be far off." "Ah..." For a moment, Liv¡¯s face cracked. Of course, Liv didn¡¯t think that her being infertile would bring any harm. But the fact that she couldn¡¯t meet people¡¯s expectations made Liv flustered. As Liv¡¯s expression suddenly turned bad, another vassal cleared his throat again and tried to smooth over the situation. "Cough, cough! Oh my, these days, interfering in a couple¡¯s affairs like that gets you called an old fogey." "Haha, is that so? I apologize, Your Majesty. I was being thoughtless..." "Ah... it¡¯s alright." Somehow, it felt like Emmett¡¯s arm around Liv¡¯s waist tightened even more. After that, the vassals didn¡¯t talk about children and changed the topic to the Lartman duchy and the Edelburg region, but Liv couldn¡¯t erase what they had said from her mind even afterwards. * * * After finishing the conversation with the vassals, it was Emmett who felt more anxious than Liv. ¡¯I should resolve this quickly after all.¡¯ That was what Emmett thought as he left the room after finishing the conversation with the vassals. When the vassals brought up the topic of children, he didn¡¯t miss Liv¡¯s flustered appearance. Whether it was because she wanted children but couldn¡¯t have them, or because she didn¡¯t want children, he couldn¡¯t know, but anyway, it would be better to resolve the issue before Liv made plans for children. Emmett recalled his subordinates he had sent to various parts of the continent. The knights he had trusted since he was Duke Lartman were now investigating various poisons that induce infertility under Emmett¡¯s orders. However, there were no results yet. It was then that Emmett felt impatient. After the vassals¡¯ figures had completely disappeared, Liv grabbed Emmett¡¯s hand. "It was nice to see your face suddenly today." "Was it?" "Yes, honestly, the Emperor¡¯s position is a bit boring. Your existence is like a gift to me." Seeing Liv chattering like that reminded Emmett of her when she was still young before becoming Emperor, and he smiled faintly. He lightly kissed the bridge of Liv¡¯s nose. "Liv, is there anything particularly difficult?" "Difficult? Hmm... nothing except seeing you less often than before. Ah, my maids don¡¯t get along well, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something I should intervene in." "I see. Then I should come to see you more often from now on." "But you¡¯re busy with work too, Emmett." "My most important job is to assist you." As Emmett said that while gently stroking Liv¡¯s body, her face turned red. After checking his wristwatch, Emmett¡¯s face became a bit annoyed. It was time to go to work. It was the same for Liv, so she pouted with a displeased face. "...Then, shall we see each other tonight?" "Alright." Liv smiled again with a shy face. After kissing the back of her hand, Emmett turned around and headed towards the terrible abyss of work. * * * Liv, who had been sleeping soundly making soft breathing sounds, suddenly opened her eyes. Unstable breathing came from her mouth that anyone could hear. "Ah..." Liv reflexively tried to raise her body, but discovered Emmett¡¯s arm wrapped around her waist. Liv tried tapping it, but the firm arm showed no sign of letting go of Liv. In the end, Liv gave up trying to escape and snuggled back into Emmett¡¯s arms. Only then did her mind calm down a bit and her breathing return to normal. ¡¯It was a dream.¡¯ In the dream, Liv had found the bodies of the Hamelsvoort couple hanging in the imperial palace. Since the day she had to flee the capital crying with Emmett, Liv occasionally had nightmares. Sometimes the Hamelsvoort couple appeared in the nightmares, sometimes Laga appeared, or sometimes the late Viscount Wolfe or Walter and Hildegard appeared. Although she knew that everything was over now and she was safe, there were still terrible memories that couldn¡¯t be erased. As Liv moved around in Emmett¡¯s arms, Emmett¡¯s closed eyes slowly opened. He checked the pitch-black room where not a speck of light entered, then lightly kissed Liv¡¯s forehead and whispered. "Sleep more." "Mmm..." Liv whined unnecessarily and buried her face in Emmett¡¯s neck. Liv thought she wished this peace would last forever. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 165 Crash! The porcelain made a loud noise as it fell to the floor. Olivia, who had been trying to move it, opened her mouth wide, then soon turned pale as if realizing what mistake she had made. "I-I¡¯m so sorry, Your Majesty! Are you hurt anywhere?" "I¡¯m fine." Liv looked at the shattered remains of the porcelain scattered on the banquet hall floor. Maids quickly rushed over to clean it up, and Olivia was at a loss among them, fretting. "Miss Gentzen, it would be better to just leave such things to others and not handle them yourself as much as possible." Anne said that in a seemingly mocking voice, causing Olivia¡¯s face to redden even more. Liv and the maids were on their way to the conference room for a meeting in the afternoon, and they had stopped by the banquet hall on the way as it was there. Preparations for the banquet to be held in a few days were in full swing, so it was just to check on the progress. Olivia didn¡¯t need to step forward to help the maids, but she had done so enthusiastically and ended up making a mistake. Liv narrowed her eyes and stared at Olivia with a searching gaze. These days, she seemed to have lost her mind somewhere, always flustered and making more mistakes. "Miss Luter." "Yes." When Liv gestured and called Elena, she quickly ran to Liv. Liv put her mouth to her ear and whispered in a small voice. "It seems Miss Gentzen is a bit strange, so please keep an eye on her for a while." "Yes, I¡¯ll do that!" If there¡¯s something personal going on, she might need help. If it¡¯s due to ostracism among the maids, Liv might need to intervene now. But Liv didn¡¯t take this matter very seriously. Even if there were mentally difficult issues, people around could help, and the mistakes Olivia was making could be recovered from. She just needed to be given some rest. * * * However, Liv had to retract that thought not long after. "Oh my!" When Liv headed to the garden to rest, what she witnessed there was an unexpected sight. As Liv¡¯s face became dumbfounded, Greta, surprised, opened her mouth wide and exhaled behind her. "Y-Your Majesty, should I stop them?" "M-Miss Wolfe! Miss Gentzen!" Maria and Elena fidgeted anxiously behind Liv, watching her reaction. Instead of answering those words, Liv sighed. "Why do you pick a fight with me every time you open your mouth!" "Who¡¯s the one who can¡¯t distinguish between what to say and what not to say!" Anne had Olivia¡¯s hair in her grip, and Olivia was kicking and hitting Anne wildly to escape from her grasp. Nevertheless, Anne just held onto Olivia and glared at her with a face that showed no impact. It was natural for someone who had been holding a sword for a long time. She knew that the relationship between these two was the worst among the maids from before, but she didn¡¯t expect it to come to this. Finally, Liv sighed again and opened her mouth. "Gentzen, Wolfe." Recognizing whose voice it was, Anne quickly let go of Olivia¡¯s hair. Then Olivia¡¯s kicking at Anne also stopped. Their faces turned to look at Liv simultaneously, showing a look of dismay. Before Liv could speak, the first to scold them was Greta, the head maid. "What is this fighting in the sacred imperial palace? How can those who should be serving Her Majesty most closely and be her face act so shamefully?" "..." Knowing they had done wrong, they didn¡¯t talk back. Liv looked at them alternately and asked a question. "Miss Wolfe, tell me what happened." "...Miss Gentzen attacked me first." "Miss Gentzen, is this true?" "Miss Gentzen, as she did before... mentioned the matter between the late Viscount Wolfe and Grand Duke Lartman." "But Miss Wolfe picked a fight with me first...!" Olivia interjected in an aggrieved voice. "She found fault with everything I did. So I just..." "Hah..." Liv sighed. Of course, Olivia¡¯s attitude of starting the physical fight first wasn¡¯t right, but it was also a problem that Anne had picked a fight with her. For now, everyone needed a warning. "...You¡¯ve been making a lot of mistakes lately anyway, so go back and rest today." Although she said to rest, everyone present knew that this was a warning Liv was giving to Olivia. Olivia bowed her head with a gloomy face. "Yes, Your Majesty..." "And Miss Wolfe, it would be better for you to get along well with the other maids." "...I will make sure this never happens again, Your Majesty." Anne bowed her head in a rigid posture, and Liv didn¡¯t say anything more to her. Watching Olivia walk away with drooping shoulders, Greta quickly added a word. "Your Majesty, I will make sure to manage the other maids well from now on." "Yes, please make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again." Standing next to Greta with a thoughtful face, Liv frowned slightly. She had intended to leave it alone, but it seemed that soon... * * * As Liv immersed her body in the aromatic water, she finally felt her fatigue dissipating. Being in the early stages of her reign, Liv had a lot to do, and she had to work busily every day. The time when she used to live as the fake saint of the Hamelsvoort family, doing nothing, seemed like a distant past. Well, anyway, now was better than then. Elena applied freesia-scented oil to Liv¡¯s hair. She looked satisfied with the subtle scent that gently surrounded her, not too strong. And when she went to bed in a light dress, Liv looked at Emmett with a soft and comfortable expression as always. "I missed you." Saying that, she naturally lay down on the bed and snuggled into Emmett¡¯s arms, and Emmett habitually embraced Liv and kissed the top of her head. "Was there anything unusual today?" "No, everything went smoothly. I just missed you." Smelling Emmett¡¯s familiar scent, Liv felt her body melting. Even after coming to the imperial palace, his scent hadn¡¯t changed, and when she was in his arms, Liv would reminisce about the times when she was trapped in Abgrund, or when she was secretly in love with him at the Hamelsvoort family. "I didn¡¯t know I could be this happy in the past." A dreamy voice, as if immersed in old memories, flowed from Liv¡¯s mouth. "When I was trapped in Abgrund... at that time, it was just hard to imagine the world outside. I couldn¡¯t fathom how much happiness would come to me." At that time, Emmett was Liv¡¯s entire world, and Liv thought being able to talk with him was the greatest happiness. "When I was adopted into the Hamelsvoort family, I was just happy to be able to see you. Occasionally having conversations with you was a great happiness for me." When everyone treated Liv as a fake saintess, she didn¡¯t think she could marry him. At that time, she thought it was an extremely presumptuous thing. Even when Emmett disliked her, Liv was satisfied just loving him alone. "But now, I really have everything. You¡¯re by my side, and everyone knows it. It¡¯s something I couldn¡¯t even imagine." "Only wonderful things will be filled in the future, my Emperor." Encouraged by those words, Liv looked into Emmett¡¯s eyes. She had been thinking it was time to tell him too. So... "Emmett, do you want children?" "...Children?" At those words, Emmett¡¯s pupils shook slightly, then he naturally continued speaking. "It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve heard that having children takes a big toll on a woman¡¯s body, and you¡¯re busy now too..." Hearing those words, Liv¡¯s courage grew even more. It seemed that Emmett didn¡¯t desperately want children either. "...Emmett, there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you." "If it¡¯s alright, please tell me." It was something she hadn¡¯t been able to say for a long time, but once she made up her mind, the words easily came out. "I can¡¯t have children." Saying that made her feel like a blockage had been cleared. It seemed Liv couldn¡¯t live with secrets from him after all. Liv expected him to comfort her, or be a little sad, or pretend to be okay. Either way would have been fine. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Liv, did you know...?" That is, if Emmett hadn¡¯t come up with an unexpected response. Chapter 166 "...You knew about it too?" Not understanding those words, Liv continued speaking haltingly. She had certainly not said anything about her physical condition, and neither her court physician nor the imperial palace had examined Liv regarding her infertility, so how did he know? As Liv had a stupid expression on her face, Emmett opened his mouth with a pained look. "I heard... from August." "What?" Liv couldn¡¯t understand this situation at all. How did August know that Liv was infertile? And how did Emmett hear about it? At that moment, one thought suddenly crossed Liv¡¯s mind. "Don¡¯t tell me... my physical condition is because of August?" "Yes." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Emmett nodded with his eyes lowered. "When I captured August before you arrived at the imperial palace... he said. That he had fed you poison to make you infertile." "But if it was poison, it should have been cured when I went to the sanctuary... Ah, I see. If the effect had already appeared and my body was damaged, that poison might not have been detoxified..." Liv became dazed and couldn¡¯t continue speaking for a while. So this was ultimately August¡¯s fault too? Just how much had August taken away? The first emotion that arose was anger towards August. Liv thought she had completely defeated him, but even now that he had lost his life, he was still leaving traces to torment Liv. She felt her hatred for him burning at his persistent torment of her. And then, one question began to slowly raise its head inside Liv. "Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this until now?" "...To be honest, it¡¯s all my fault. I was too weak and cowardly." Emmett clenched his fist and continued speaking. "I was afraid you would resent me if you found out that the court physician I trusted had turned to August and harmed you. And I didn¡¯t want to unnecessarily make you waver when killing August by knowing this fact." It wasn¡¯t wrong. If Liv had known the truth, she might not have been able to kill August and could have been swayed. After all, Liv had the burden of continuing the line as the last descendant of Gracia. But Liv couldn¡¯t understand his choice. "I didn¡¯t want to make you worry unnecessarily. I was afraid of hurting your feelings..." "You... hide too many things from me." Emmett tried to hide the fact that he had killed the late Viscount Wolfe until the end. If August hadn¡¯t spread the rumor, Liv probably wouldn¡¯t have known. Although she understood that he was afraid she would resent him, it would have been better if he had been more honest with Liv. Perhaps the feeling Liv was having towards Emmett now had started from when she learned about the late Viscount Wolfe. Liv thought he had too many secrets. Could she be sure that this was all Emmett was hiding from her? Liv couldn¡¯t be certain. So, maybe Liv¡¯s trust in him had collapsed. "You should have... told me." "...I have nothing to say to you. I¡¯m truly sorry." Although Emmett¡¯s face was full of guilt as he said that, Liv just looked at him with her mouth closed. After a long silence, Liv staggered and sat down on the bed. "Liv, are you alright?" "I¡¯m fine. I just..." After heaving a sigh, Liv tried to put on an indifferent face and said: "So what happened with that poison?" "I¡¯m doing my best to find out. I¡¯ve sent people as far as the Eastern Continent. ...But I haven¡¯t found anything yet." "I see. It wouldn¡¯t be good for rumors to spread about my condition now, so I¡¯ll leave it to you without getting involved." Although Liv felt greatly betrayed by him, her mind had cooled down so much that her head was working quickly. She thinks about what she should and shouldn¡¯t do at this moment. It was a habit she had developed since becoming Emperor. "You don¡¯t mind that I¡¯m infertile?" "...No, I¡¯m just sorry to you. I will love you unchanged, and the presence or absence of children is not an important issue." "I¡¯ve never desperately wanted children either. I¡¯m different from others after all, so it would be difficult for me to be a good mother. But..." Liv¡¯s empty eyes turned to Emmett again. "I wish you had told me sooner." "Liv..." "You should have told me sooner... You should have told me first that August used poison..." Somehow she felt something hot rising inside, but Liv suppressed it. Fortunately, her eyes didn¡¯t become moist. Child, what makes you sad? My child, it¡¯s alright even if you can¡¯t continue the Gracia line. If that man has made you sad, we can remove him. The gods were making Liv¡¯s mind noisy as if they had caught an opportunity. Disliking it, she frowned and closed her eyes, and she felt Emmett¡¯s hand on her shoulder. "Liv, are the voices of the gods tormenting you?" "...It¡¯s fine." Liv pulled his hand down and went under the covers, and Emmett¡¯s face darkened even more. Normally, Liv would say she loved Emmett no matter what he did, but well. Strangely, she couldn¡¯t say it was okay now. Even now, Liv was madly in love with him, but perhaps because of that, her heart felt even more painful. As Liv closed her eyes as if she wouldn¡¯t speak anymore, Emmett didn¡¯t say anything either. She could feel Emmett¡¯s gaze looking down at her, but Liv pretended not to notice. * * * The moment he saw Liv¡¯s hurt eyes, Emmett regretted it. ¡¯I was stupid.¡¯ He should have told Liv first before anyone else. Even if she was shocked, Liv would have preferred to be told the truth then. Because his past self was so foolish and cowardly, he had made another stupid choice. However, what troubled Emmett the most was the look in Liv¡¯s eyes that seemed to still not hate him despite being hurt. Liv still loved him. That fact was clearly evident in her eyes. It would be better if she resented and hated him, but Liv always loves him. Ordinary people might gain confidence and become elated by this fact, but Emmett wasn¡¯t like that. He always felt tormented by not being able to fully repay Liv¡¯s love. Emmett also felt himself to be terribly incompetent and pathetic. He had been so focused on returning Liv to her original place that he hadn¡¯t thought about how Liv might feel. What Liv needed might not have been this country, but perhaps Emmett himself. How could he make Liv¡¯s heart feel even a little better? Since Liv was openly showing an attitude of not wanting to talk to Emmett, he had no intention of bothering her. For now, he should quietly stay by her side until she opens her heart. And... he should express his love. Let her know that he cherishes and respects her, and promise that this will never happen again... Emmett suddenly thought about what Liv might want. Think about it in reverse. If it were Emmett himself, how would he want Liv to act? He would have wanted Liv to tell Emmett instead of embracing secrets alone, and to overcome crises together. "..." Only then did Emmett realize. For the sake of Liv, he had made the wrong choice. Liv had the right to know, and she would have wanted to choose her own future even if it hurt. And above all, she would have wanted Emmett to share his heart with her, telling her the truth without hiding anything. But Emmett always chose the most foolish path, so it¡¯s not strange that Liv distrusts him now... Even if Liv continues to create secrets from Emmett in the future, Emmett wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything. "...Hah." Of course, Emmett couldn¡¯t just stay still until Liv¡¯s heart softened. Looking at the sleeping Liv beside him, Emmett¡¯s eyes sharpened. * * * Even if there¡¯s a rift between the two, their positions don¡¯t change. "The absolute light of the Holy Hilysid Empire and the great monarch, Her Majesty Emperor Liv Gracia and Grand Duke Emmett Lartman are entering!" Liv walked into the banquet hall with her hand on Emmett¡¯s arm. Despite what had happened yesterday, they appeared outwardly unaffected. It would be troublesome if they showed signs of discord and the nobles latched onto it. The dazzling white dress Liv wore had elaborate gold embroidery, truly embodying the color of the Emperor. The golden crown on her head seemed to prove the weight of Liv¡¯s position. As soon as Liv entered, the banquet hall momentarily fell silent, but Liv didn¡¯t mind. The current atmosphere was different from when nobles used to criticize Liv as a fake saintess in the past. The nobles¡¯ silence was due to respect and fear of her. That fact made Liv feel strange. While moving to her seat, Liv glanced around the banquet hall. As it was the first banquet held in the imperial palace, Emmett had used a huge budget to decorate the banquet lavishly. It was especially impressive that there were Gracia family emblems everywhere, as if emphasizing the new imperial family. After sitting in her seat, Liv gestured casually towards the nobles looking at her. "Enjoy yourselves." At that signal, the orchestra began playing music again, and people returned to their original conversations while watching their surroundings. As she quietly scanned the nobles, Liv could spot a group wearing green dresses. When their eyes met, Greta, one of them, quickly approached Liv. "Your Majesty, are you pleased with the banquet?" The Emperor¡¯s maids were supposed to wear green dresses at official events. Greta, who revealed her position by wearing a green dress, had a triumphant look on her face. "Yes, there¡¯s no problem." "Then, how about Your Majesty coming to enjoy yourself in the main hall?" Chapter 167 Usually, when a banquet was held, August would make a brief appearance, observe the nobles, and then leave. Occasionally, he would torment those he disliked as an added bonus. Originally, there was a custom for the Emperor and Empress to have the first dance at banquets, but after August¡¯s ascension, such rules disappeared. In fact, now that Liv had ascended to the position of Emperor, she didn¡¯t need to mingle with the nobles as she had before. Her presence at the banquet was significant enough. However, today was different. This was the first imperial banquet held since Liv¡¯s ascension, and the nobles attended with gifts, grateful that the imperial palace¡¯s banquet hall was open again. Indeed, one corner of the banquet hall was piled high with gifts they had brought. Since she needed to thank them for these gifts, it might not be bad to go down to the main hall as Greta suggested today... "Let¡¯s do that." As Liv stood up, Emmett, who was sitting next to her, stared at her. "Your Majesty, I¡¯ll go with you." "No, Grand Duke can stay there. Someone needs to guard the high seat." Emmett¡¯s face darkened slightly at the words that seemed to push him away. Liv noticed this but bit her lip and turned to go down to the main hall. People bowed respectfully when they saw Liv come down. Meanwhile, some naturally approached Liv. "Your Majesty, you look very beautiful today?" The first to approach Liv and speak in a playful voice was Hayden. Dressed in formal noble attire, Hayden looked as elegant as if he had lived in high society all his life. "Thank you, Lord Schulze. You also look very..." Liv smiled amusingly as she noticed the noble young ladies glancing at Hayden. "You seem to be quite popular." "...Ah, the only one I pledge my loyalty to is Your Majesty." "Loyalty and love are different things." "Hmm, to be honest, I don¡¯t really know what the feeling of love is... Well, I might remember someday." He was talking about becoming confused about emotions after receiving divine punishment and going half-mad. While feeling sorry for Hayden, Liv thought it would be good if he could soon make friends like others and get married. Just then, Hayden looked at a certain place and chuckled amusingly. "Your Majesty, look over there." "...Interesting." In the direction of their gaze was Walter dancing with a noble lady. The woman with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes drew attention in contrast to Walter¡¯s black hair. Judging by appearance alone, they were a well-matched pair. "Has Lord Hamelsvoort finally found a match?" "He¡¯s such a kind person, he might just be going along with it..." "That¡¯s too much." "Sometimes excessive kindness can be cruel to the other person, but Lord Hamelsvoort doesn¡¯t know that." When the dance ended, Liv¡¯s eyes met Walter¡¯s as she was watching them with an interested gaze. Walter approached Liv with the noble lady he had been dancing with. "Your Majesty, what brings you down to the hall?" "I got curious seeing Lord Hamelsvoort dancing." When Liv answered like that, Walter made an incredulous expression. The young lady standing next to Walter fidgeted and soon introduced herself politely. "So when can I attend the Hamelsvoort family¡¯s wedding?" "Your Majesty..." Liv felt a bit amused seeing Walter¡¯s completely flustered face. The young lady standing next to Walter seemed to really expect marriage, her face flushed. Well, whatever their relationship might become, Liv would support Walter no matter who he brought. As their atmosphere became friendly, the nobles who had been wary of Liv seemed to relax their expressions. A nobleman Liv often saw at government affairs meetings came up to her with his daughter and greeted her. "Your Majesty, this is my daughter Valeria." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Lord Captan, you have a beautiful daughter." Usually, nobles Liv already knew would bring their children to greet her. They were typically of marriageable age and preparing for marriage or imperial administration. The nobles seemed to hope Liv would give some help for their children, but of course, she had no intention of helping, though she naturally greeted them. Unlike when Liv was the fake saintess of the Hamelsvoort family, naive noble young ladies now couldn¡¯t even speak to her first. Liv once again realized how her position had changed. At that moment, another familiar face approached Liv with his daughter. It was Marquis Zibel and his daughter Deborah. Although Liv had completely ruined the Zibel Marquis family using August, they had been revived in the process of rescuing August¡¯s victims after she ascended to the throne. Thus, the Zibel Marquisate was able to reconnect with the nobles in the capital to some extent. "Your Majesty, I am Bruno Zibel of the Zibel Marquis family. It¡¯s late, but congratulations on your ascension." "Thank you." Marquis Zibel¡¯s face was sincerely expressing gratitude to Liv without any malice. "This is my daughter, Deborah Zibel." As Marquis Zibel said that and pushed his daughter¡¯s back, Deborah, who had been shrinking back, raised her head in surprise. She soon awkwardly greeted Liv. "It¡¯s an honor to meet Your Majesty." Deborah probably intuitively knew that the fall of the Zibel family was related to Liv. Indeed, Deborah looked like she was gritting her teeth and suppressing her anger while looking at Liv. "Yes, enjoy yourselves." However, Deborah was no longer Liv¡¯s match, and Liv greeted her with an insincere voice. And just as Liv was about to move away, Deborah¡¯s voice held Liv back. "I couldn¡¯t imagine gold clothing would suit you so well, Your Majesty." "Is that so." "Yes, I always knew white clothes suited you well." It sounded like an ordinary conversation, but in fact, it was a barbed comment that only Liv could understand. Previously, Deborah had said that white clothes suited Liv well because she was like a ghost in social circles with no presence. ¡¯She¡¯s quite bold.¡¯ To act like this towards someone who had now become Emperor, it was hard to tell if she was stupid or brave. But thinking that she harbored resentment towards Liv for her family¡¯s downfall, Liv had no intention of saying anything to her. As Liv nodded indifferently and was about to leave, an unexpected voice intervened. "Miss Zibel." The one who spoke behind Liv was Olivia, wearing a green dress. Seeing Olivia, who was formerly her friend, now as Liv¡¯s maid, Deborah¡¯s eyes wavered. "Isn¡¯t it very rude to speak so disrespectfully to Her Majesty now? She¡¯s someone far beyond your reach, Miss Zibel." "Ah..." "We apologize, Your Majesty." As Marquis Zibel said that instead of Deborah, who had become dumbfounded, Liv turned her back without adding more words. "Let¡¯s go, Olivia." "Yes." Olivia obediently followed Liv¡¯s words. After that, Olivia seemed to hover around Liv, watching over her. "Marquis Hendel, didn¡¯t you just bow less deeply to Her Majesty?" "Lord B?rner, are you daring to stare at Her Majesty¡¯s back right now?" No matter how you looked at it, Olivia was excessively protecting Liv. Liv was curious about her intentions. Was she doing this to look good to Liv in the future? Or was she worried about being fired? While Liv was seriously pondering Olivia¡¯s attitude, Greta approached Liv¡¯s side and whispered: "Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you open the gifts now?" "Ah, right." Usually, on the Emperor¡¯s birthday or imperial commemorative days, nobles personally present gifts to the Emperor. But at the first imperial banquet, gifts are delivered anonymously as part of the event. When the Emperor chooses the most pleasing gift among the piled-up presents, a reward is given to the one who offered that gift. "Everyone must be nervous. They¡¯ll be desperate to catch Your Majesty¡¯s eye." "I suppose so." It was a golden opportunity to catch the new Emperor¡¯s eye, so everyone must have prepared their gifts thoroughly. The budget spent on preparing the imperial banquet would be more than covered by the numerous gifts. As Liv returned to her seat, Emmett stared at her, but Liv still showed no reaction. Instead, she had a servant open the gifts. "My goodness, isn¡¯t that the ¡¯Tears of Sahara¡¯ said to have been brought from the Night Continent? How can a jewel be that large?" "Oh, that¡¯s the ¡¯Holy Crown¡¯ that Emperor Beatrice is said to have worn. The red jewel gives more of a seductive feel than a holy one, I wonder why it was named that?" "That¡¯s porcelain from the East! It¡¯s very popular these days." Each time a gift was opened, the nobles looked at it with interest. Liv just silently stared at them while seated. This time, what the servant took out of the box was a yellow dress. However, the problem was... "That¡¯s..." Emmett¡¯s expression frowned upon seeing the shape of the brooch attached to the dress. Because that brooch was the emblem of the Steinberg family. "What¡¯s going on?" "Isn¡¯t this openly insulting Her Majesty?" As the hall suddenly became noisy, Liv raised her hand to signal for quiet. Then she ordered the servant: "Find out who offered that." It would take some time, but it wouldn¡¯t be difficult. If they cross-referenced the list of gifts each person had offered... However, contrary to Liv¡¯s expectation, someone raised their hand and came forward first. She looked flustered, as if she hadn¡¯t expected this situation. "Your Majesty, that¡¯s the gift I prepared..." "Hilda?" Only then did Liv realize that Hildegard had to be the owner of that gift. Someone who knew Liv¡¯s clothing size and her favorite colors. "But when I prepared it, there definitely wasn¡¯t such a brooch attached." "I see." Liv could quickly grasp the situation. So this was... "Someone has framed you." Chapter 168 A chilly atmosphere spread through the banquet hall. They began to glance at each other, watching for reactions. The nobles present knew. There was no way Hildegard, the Emperor¡¯s closest confidant, would intentionally try to insult the Emperor, so it was certain that someone had framed her. Even if Hildegard had really made a mistake, in the end, a ¡¯person who framed her¡¯ would be needed. Because the Emperor wouldn¡¯t try to punish Hildegard. "Hildegard, who did you hand that gift to?" "Um... it was a servant wearing gray clothes. That is... the servant in charge of gifts at the entrance of the banquet hall." Before Liv could respond to those words, Greta, reading Liv¡¯s thoughts, quickly issued an order. "You go and bring that servant." The servant who had opened the gifts disappeared outside the banquet hall following Greta¡¯s order. A moment later, a servant entered the banquet hall with an anxious face and quickly knelt before Liv. "Your Majesty, I¡¯m truly innocent! I don¡¯t have the authority to open gifts, and the gifts were immediately transported through someone else as soon as I received them!" "How were those gifts transported?" "Martin took them. That is... the servant working with me in the banquet hall." This time, the servant named Martin was brought before Liv. "I immediately moved it to the room next to the banquet hall where gifts are stored. I also never opened the gifts during that process!" This time, the person who transported the gifts from that room to the banquet hall was brought in. That servant also denied any wrongdoing, saying he hadn¡¯t done anything. All of their words must be true. Their job was to ¡¯transport¡¯ the gifts, and they couldn¡¯t open the gifts as there were dozens of eyes in the palace corridors. "Then someone must have tampered with the gift when it was in the empty room." Liv quietly looked at the maids wearing green dresses. Among them, she could see a figure trembling noticeably. "Greta, who else entered that room?" "The room with gifts for Your Majesty is managed by one of us. In this case... Miss Gentzen managed the room." At that, Olivia, pointed out by Greta, turned pale and waved her hands. "Your Majesty, it really wasn¡¯t me!" As Liv silently stared at her without saying anything, Olivia, thinking everything had gone wrong, began to cry. "Sob, I really... I¡¯m truly innocent..." At that moment, the woman standing behind Olivia carefully raised her hand. "Your Majesty, Miss Gentzen really didn¡¯t do anything." Olivia¡¯s eyes widened at Elena¡¯s unexpected support. "Because, um... I checked inside the room just in case, and Miss Gentzen was just sitting in a chair in one corner of the room, getting annoyed at the servant transporting gifts to hurry up. She didn¡¯t lift a finger." Olivia¡¯s face became strange at Elena¡¯s words, which were unclear whether they were helping or criticizing her, but soon she realized Elena¡¯s words were helping her and nodded vigorously. "Th-That¡¯s right, Your Majesty! I only got annoyed at the servant! I didn¡¯t do anything!" Liv already knew the answer. Olivia probably didn¡¯t do anything, as Elena said. Even though she had previously ordered Elena to watch Olivia, she didn¡¯t expect her to carry it out this well. Even without Elena¡¯s testimony, Liv thought Olivia wouldn¡¯t have done anything. Because... ¡¯That look in her eyes was real.¡¯ Liv had seen the genuinely flustered look in Olivia¡¯s eyes during the maid interview. Her eyes contained only trouble, without any hostility towards Liv. Then who could be the real culprit? In fact, there was already someone she suspected... "Count Schulze." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Check the brooch carefully." At those words, Hayden strode forward and carefully picked up the dress. He examined the dazzling golden brooch from various angles, then raised his head with a subtle smile. "As Your wise Majesty already knows, there aren¡¯t many craftsmen who can perfectly carve such intricate family emblems." "Indeed." "And most of them would have refused this request... A craftsman capable of such carving would be worldly-wise and already know that the Steinberg family, guilty of treason, has fallen. Even if offered millions, they wouldn¡¯t... make such a brooch that could insult Your Majesty." "Then?" "The person who made this brooch must not be a craftsman who freely accepts commissions, but one employed by a specific family. Such a person couldn¡¯t refuse the request." At those words, Liv turned her head to look at Olivia. "The Gentzen family doesn¡¯t have any contracted craftsmen, right?" "Y-Yes, Your Majesty! That¡¯s right! I¡¯m not the culprit!" Olivia nodded vigorously as if grasping a lifeline. "Then which family with a contracted craftsman of this skill level could it be..." At those words, the faces of several nobles from families employing craftsmen turned pale. Since employing a craftsman usually required an upper-class family with outstanding wealth, the atmosphere became even more tense than before. At that moment, Liv¡¯s gaze fixed on one spot. "Head Maid." "Yes?" "I understand the Meisner family recently employed a craftsman who came from the Merna Empire." When Walter visited Liv recently, he mentioned that a famous craftsman from Merna had come to the Holy Hilysid Empire, entangled in the power struggles of nobles. He said he wanted to employ that craftsman, but unfortunately, the Marquis Meisner family had taken him first. "If it¡¯s a craftsman from a foreign country, he wouldn¡¯t know the meaning of this family emblem." "Your Majesty... are you suspecting me?" Greta¡¯s brown eyes became moist with tears. "I¡¯m truly innocent! It¡¯s true that our family recently employed a craftsman, but really, it has nothing to do with that brooch..." "Then we can call that craftsman and ask." At those words, Greta¡¯s expression subtly changed. She bit her lip and continued speaking. "I don¡¯t know where that craftsman is right now... Because we sent him to a distant region from the capital for material procurement recently..." At that, people¡¯s faces became knowing. Even to them, this looked like a situation where Greta had planned something and sent the craftsman far away to destroy evidence. If Liv had focused only on suspicious people circumstantially without concentrating on the brooch, she wouldn¡¯t have found Greta. And if she hadn¡¯t heard about the Meisner family¡¯s craftsman from Walter, she wouldn¡¯t have pointed to Greta as the culprit. Liv looked at the servants kneeling in the corner. If nothing happened while Olivia was in the room, then one of them must have secretly done something while transporting the gift. So one of them must be lying. "Count Schulze." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Lock them all in the underground prison." "Yes, I will do so." "It seems I¡¯ll have to use the same method I used on August." At those words, the servants¡¯ faces turned deathly pale. All of them working in the palace knew that the previous Emperor had committed suicide. They didn¡¯t know exactly what method was used, but the fact that the vicious August had committed suicide meant that Liv must have made him suffer terribly... "Your Majesty, I¡¯m truly innocent!" "Please spare us, Your Majesty!" While the servants were begging Liv for their lives, one of them raised a trembling hand high. "Your Majesty! It¡¯s true that the Head Maid ordered it!" At those words, the banquet hall fell silent and all eyes turned to him. He closed his eyes tightly and continued speaking. "In the process of transporting the gift, we stopped at another room midway and attached the brooch... The Head Maid handed over that brooch. I really just followed orders..." "Your Majesty, he¡¯s just lying to save himself! I¡¯m truly innocent!" However, Greta¡¯s expression as she shouted this looked so wronged that it was difficult to tell who was telling the truth just by looking. But Liv already knew the truth. "Head Maid." "Yes, Your Majesty, I...!" "Why did you try to frame Miss Gentzen?" This wasn¡¯t to frame Hildegard. Anyone could see that Hildegard wasn¡¯t the culprit. So this was to frame Olivia, who looked the most suspicious in this process. "Did Olivia catch you leaking information about me to Marquis Meisner?" At those words, Olivia raised her head. Her expression was one of wondering how Liv knew. Greta also had a surprised expression. Liv smiled slightly at that sight, then ordered Greta and the servant to be locked up. "Your Majesty, I¡¯ll handle the rest." "...Alright." Liv answered in a small voice without turning to look at Emmett. Well, in fact, what followed wasn¡¯t the Emperor¡¯s job. It was the job of the Emperor¡¯s husband. As Greta was dragged away and people were bewildered, Liv quietly looked at Olivia. She looked relieved but still confused. Seeing that, Liv recalled the conversation she had with Elena recently. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -Your Majesty, but it seems the Head Maid particularly dislikes Miss Gentzen. Or is it the opposite? -Why? -I saw Miss Gentzen confronting the Head Maid recently, asking if it wasn¡¯t her who said something. I couldn¡¯t hear what was said though... When Liv had previously mentioned ¡¯using August to bring down the Zibel family¡¯ in front of the maids, she had to hear it again from Marquis Hendel¡¯s mouth at a meeting a few days later. Marquis Hendel was close to Marquis Meisner. On the other hand, he wasn¡¯t that close to the Gentzen family. Then it was obvious who had leaked that information. Olivia must have noticed this fact and confronted Greta about why she was leaking information outside. So in the end, this was just Greta¡¯s foolish ploy to frame Olivia as a criminal and escape Liv¡¯s suspicion. Perhaps because she was still a young noble lady, it was clumsy. "I¡¯ll be going in now, continue with the banquet." As staying here would only ruin the atmosphere of the banquet, Liv stood up. Emmett also tried to stand up to follow her, but Liv waved her hand. "It would be better for Grand Duke Lartman to remain." At those words, Emmett¡¯s expression became strange, but Liv just left the banquet hall with her maids. The atmosphere in the banquet hall was quiet for a moment, but as soon as Liv disappeared, people were busy talking about what had just happened. "My goodness, does this mean the end of the Marquis Meisner family too?" "Marquis Meisner has been trying to test Her Majesty for a while now." Chapter 169 "Miss Gentzen." "Y-Yes?" "What happened again with Miss Meisner?" "Ah, Your Majesty, that..." As soon as they left the banquet hall, Liv threw out a question. Elena, Maria, and Anne just bowed their heads and waited for Olivia¡¯s answer. After a moment, Olivia slowly began to explain what had happened with Greta. "Well... actually, the Head Maid, I mean, Miss Meisner had been making proposals to me for a while." "Proposals?" "Yes, she told me to take her side. That is... the side of influential nobles including the Marquis Meisner family." At those words, Liv¡¯s face contorted. She knew the Marquis Meisner family was forming factions, but she didn¡¯t expect them to work so openly. "She said if I took her side, she would help me gain Your Majesty¡¯s trust, so I should pass on information about Your Majesty... Shaping the palace according to her will... Th-That¡¯s what Miss Meisner wanted." Though the words were jumbled, Liv could understand Olivia¡¯s meaning well enough. "So what did Miss Gentzen do?" "I-I refused." At those words, Anne looked at Olivia with slightly surprised eyes. "Why?" Olivia bit her lip hard, then looked up at Liv with determined eyes and answered. "Be-Because, I¡¯m Your Majesty¡¯s person now." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At those words, Liv smiled slightly. She recalled when she interviewed Olivia to bring her in as a maid. -Miss Gentzen. How can I trust you? -Y-Yes? -As you know, I have no reason to trust you. -Y-Your Majesty, I... I¡¯m sorry. I have nothing to say, but I was young then. I was so foolish and nasty... But even if you don¡¯t make me your maid, I won¡¯t act foolishly like in the past. I can promise you that much. The look in Olivia¡¯s eyes at that time played a big role in Liv choosing her as a maid. Olivia was looking at Liv as if she sincerely wanted to become a new person. "Miss Gentzen." "Y-Yes...!" "Well done." At those words, Olivia was too surprised to answer immediately, but all the maids present knew what those words meant. Liv had decided to completely forgive Olivia. At the same time, it was like permission thrown to the maids to get along well with Olivia from now on. Olivia blinked blankly for a moment, then shouted loudly with slightly teary eyes. "Yes, Your Majesty! Thank you!" * * * After that, Elena became the new Head Maid. Liv briefly considered whether it would be better to entrust the Head Maid position to someone with more power, but given Liv¡¯s situation of suddenly ascending to the throne, it seemed appropriate for Elena, who was trustworthy and from a suitable titled family of viscounts, to sit in the Head Maid position. Among the four maids, Elena was also the best at her job. "Now, these are letters sent by countries in the eastern part of the Ein continent to congratulate Your Majesty on your ascension. Let¡¯s each write an appropriate reply and get Your Majesty¡¯s approval." Elena worked well coordinating the other maids, and the imperial palace was running smoothly, not feeling Greta¡¯s absence at all. By Liv¡¯s order, the Marquis Meisner family completely fell from grace, and the remaining nobles, including Marquis Hendel, now watched Liv¡¯s reactions in government affairs meetings. "Miss Gentzen, did you write that letter sincerely?" "Why is Miss Wolfe picking a fight again?" "Picking a fight? Look, this sentence is much better." "Uh..." "That¡¯s an idiom not often used in the Eastern Ein continent." Anne and Olivia still clashed, but now Anne didn¡¯t seem to dislike Olivia. She tried to take care of Olivia even while grumbling. "Your Majesty, I¡¯ve prepared your bath." When Elena said that as bedtime approached, Liv¡¯s expression became subtle. "Hmm... alright." Elena looked worriedly at Liv, who was responding somewhat lukewarmly. Of course, Elena must have known that Liv had grown distant from Emmett recently. Liv would enter the bedroom reluctantly late at night and come out in the early morning with her clothes completely undisturbed. However, she had no words of advice she could give to the Emperor, and Elena was just watching the situation between Emmett and Liv. When Liv opened the bedroom door, no one was there. It seemed Liv had arrived before Emmett today. Liv covered herself with the blanket up to her chin, then tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable position before closing her eyes. At that moment, she heard the sound of the door opening. Although she knew who that sound belonged to, Liv remained still without opening her eyes. A moment later, she felt someone entering under the blanket, then gentle fingers slowly removed the hair stuck to Liv¡¯s cheek. She felt a gaze that seemed to be observing her. No matter how she thought about it, she was clearly being stupid. Honestly, she should normally be angry that Emmett had hidden everything like that, but feeling him by her side like this made her heart tickle for no reason. "Liv." Even feeling the affection for her in that voice made Liv feel strange. "You¡¯re not asleep yet." "..." "When you sleep, your face is a bit more smiling. Not this disgruntled face." As he lightly poked Liv¡¯s cheek, Liv finally opened her eyes. Liv¡¯s eyes met Emmett¡¯s as he was quietly looking down at her. "...What is it." "Are you still not over your anger?" "Not really." Liv tried to speak firmly in her own way, but her voice didn¡¯t convey any of the Emperor¡¯s dignity or a wife¡¯s pride. Liv eventually turned on her side to look at Emmett. Silence fell between them for a moment as they looked at each other on the bed. "Liv." "Yes." "After you were disappointed, I thought a lot. I realized how foolishly and stupidly I had acted." "..." "Actually, I¡¯ve committed big mistakes towards you several times, and I thought you might be tired of me now." "Do you know what your biggest mistake was?" "Yes, I know now." As Emmett raised himself up on the bed, Liv also sat up following him. As she was trying to wrap the constantly slipping blanket around her body, Emmett adjusted the blanket for her. "There are many things I haven¡¯t told you until now. I was afraid that if you... knew about them, you would run away." "I wanted you to trust me completely." "I¡¯m sorry. I committed so many things under August in the past, and honestly, I thought anyone who knew about it would think of me as a terrible person, or be afraid of me." "..." "Even now, there are things I want to confess to you." After that, Emmett began to recite his past in a calm tone. The names of innocent people he had killed on August¡¯s orders, the cruel ways he had tortured rebels, watching August eliminate budgets meant for the empire¡¯s people... These were all things Liv didn¡¯t know. She only knew that Emmett had ¡¯committed evil deeds out of loyalty to August¡¯, but no one had told her exactly what he had done. After hearing that story, it didn¡¯t seem strange that people feared Emmett. Emmett had committed enough wrongs. At the truths Emmett confessed, Liv felt fear as Emmett had said. But it was a different kind of fear. ¡¯I¡¯m grateful that he¡¯s telling me everything honestly... but isn¡¯t he trying to give up on me?¡¯ Emmett had committed many things for the tyrant August to the extent that it was understandable why he had tried to hide them. But why did Emmett¡¯s attitude suddenly change? Liv was afraid that he might have resolved to leave her. She was afraid that he might be telling all these things with a completely resigned attitude, thinking it was okay if Liv was disappointed, and that he might calmly accept it if Liv said she would leave. Liv wanted him to hold onto her. It was a contradictory desire even to herself. After saying all these things, Emmett was silent for a moment as if giving Liv time to think. And only after some time passed did he open his mouth again. "This is everything I¡¯ve hidden from you." "Ah..." "It seems that creating secrets had become a kind of habit because I wasn¡¯t proud of my past. I loved you, so I thought I shouldn¡¯t tell you my story. Of course, it was a big mistake to make judgments and act on my own regarding the poison August used..." As Liv didn¡¯t respond and kept her mouth shut, he continued speaking with his eyes lowered. "I think my past self was truly a cruel and foolish person. I pondered a lot about how to tell you all these things without disappointing you, Liv. But..." At that moment, his gray eyes shone with gloom. "Since the past can¡¯t be undone, I decided to think of it as adding one more bad deed." "What?" "Liv, I¡¯ve committed this many sins. To be honest, I think I wouldn¡¯t mind committing more sins in the future if it¡¯s to protect you. However, I don¡¯t want to create secrets from you, and you will know all of my sins." As Liv blinked, not grasping the intention of those words, he looked at Liv with intense eyes and said: "Still, please don¡¯t abandon me. This is my wish." Chapter 170 At those words, Liv¡¯s mouth closed. She felt the thorns that had been raised towards him in her heart slowly crumbling. When Liv imitated the emperors in history books and said she would grant his wish, she didn¡¯t mean for him to use his wish on such a trivial matter. She had thought of bestowing territory as emperors do to favored subjects, or reducing taxes on his domain, or giving him family heirlooms. She didn¡¯t expect him to use that opportunity on her own hurt feelings. "Ah..." Liv stared at Emmett with her mouth open. Something seemed to ripple beyond his gray eyes. He was clearly sincerely asking Liv not to abandon him. If he had asked her to forgive him, she might have considered it, but asking her not to abandon him... then Liv had no choice in the end. Liv could never abandon him, and he must have known that fact. But above all, the reason Liv was perplexed was that she could feel his love for her in Emmett¡¯s words more than ever before. His plea not to abandon him allowed her to feel his desperate feelings for Liv. Liv was always used to being the one giving love, and when she received such great love, she would unknowingly feel embarrassed. Liv couldn¡¯t look him in the eye and lowered her head deeply. "That¡¯s too much... If you say that, I have no choice but to answer that I won¡¯t." Words that sounded like whining popped out of her mouth, and eventually she raised her head and met Emmett¡¯s eyes. Liv threw herself into his arms, and Emmett opened his arms to embrace her. "You won¡¯t abandon me?" "How can you ask that sincerely..." Liv mumbled with her face buried in Emmett¡¯s chest. "I will never abandon you. Because I will continue to love." "But I can¡¯t help feeling anxious." Liv heard Emmett¡¯s plaintive voice near her ear. "People are really fickle. At first, I was happy with just your love, but now I find myself wanting you to love me without changing." "I won¡¯t change. My love is that kind of love." That was what Liv liked most among the legacies she had received from the gods. Liv was grateful that she could love without losing strength in any situation. "It¡¯s the same for me. I¡¯m confident I won¡¯t change either." Emmett began his story in a calm voice. "What I show you is human love, and because of that, you might doubt me... but sometimes humans can surpass their limits and become close to gods. I¡¯ll prove to you how deep a love humans can have." Pleased by those words, Liv laughed softly. It felt as if everything had returned to normal, and her heart felt much lighter. Seeming to notice Liv¡¯s feelings, Emmett continued speaking. "I tried to think from your perspective. Even I would have wanted you to tell me everything." "Yes..." "I made a really foolish choice. I¡¯ve learned a lot this time, so it won¡¯t happen again in the future." "Everyone has a chance to learn, you said." That was also what he had said to Liv when she was previously awkward in human relationships. As if realizing the meaning, Emmett¡¯s hands holding Liv tightened. "I¡¯m just grateful that you¡¯ve forgiven all the wrongs I¡¯ve committed against you." "No, I actually understand. It was natural for you to act that way back then." After finishing those words, Liv raised her head again and looked into Emmett¡¯s eyes. She liked these moments because looking into someone¡¯s eyes made her feel like she was examining that person closely. As the cold atmosphere that had frozen between them melted away, Liv¡¯s cheeks flushed as she felt ticklish for no reason. Emmett, with an equally relaxed face, began to speak of things he had been holding back. "I¡¯ve wanted to say this for a long time, but I loved you first." "What?" "That is, when I received divine punishment and went to Abgrund, I was watching you even before I revealed myself to you. It took some time for the gods to use their power to materialize my form." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You, you were watching me?" "Yes. You were precious to me during all those moments, so you could say I loved you first." "What is that..." Although she felt her mood soaring to the sky, Liv whined unnecessarily to overcome her embarrassment. As if the god of love was shooting arrows at her, she felt an uncontrollable love that was difficult to handle. "Thinking about it now, it¡¯s embarrassing that you saw me acting like a child." "You really didn¡¯t know anything about the world back then. What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about?" "Still... I still can¡¯t forget when I came out into this world and saw you for the first time at the banquet. That¡¯s when I realized my feelings were love." "That¡¯s a memory I¡¯d like to erase. I shouldn¡¯t have treated you so coldly." "No, wouldn¡¯t it be stranger if you were kind to a complete stranger saying strange things?" They talked all night, having so much to say. Having spent so much time together, the conversation didn¡¯t end. Suddenly, Liv thought that this love was no longer overwhelming. In the past, she felt like she was embracing such a massive love that it was hard to handle, thinking that one day she might be crushed by this love. She couldn¡¯t help wanting to do anything for him. But now the love inside Liv was soft and sweet. Liv could give him enough love, and he in turn received Liv¡¯s love and gave back just as much. In their relationship, the love that was once stiff gradually became more tender, and it wasn¡¯t hard to hold in her heart. That¡¯s how Liv finally became human. * * * After talking with Liv all night, Emmett finally felt his heavy heart lighten. It felt like the burden he had always been carrying on his back had disappeared, and now only ticklish love remained in its place. He always wanted to be with Liv, but when day came, Emmett had to start his work again. It was his role to oversee the internal affairs of the imperial palace, and because the system had just been restored after collapsing once, there was much he needed to pay attention to. Emmett signed off on the reports placed on his desk one by one. They were mostly about the use of internal budgets for the imperial palace. Then, his brow furrowed as he discovered a letter that didn¡¯t fit with the other documents. "Ah, that¡¯s a petition sent by Marquis Meisner." As he heard the head servant say that, he picked up the letter. It contained content not worth reading. It was Marquis Meisner¡¯s protest that it was too harsh to expel him from the capital for a moment¡¯s mistake. Emmett smiled at that. It wasn¡¯t a moment¡¯s mistake, and it was a lenient measure compared to what the previous Emperor August had done. Isn¡¯t this looking down on Liv too much? ¡¯Should I impose an even greater punishment?¡¯ For example, confiscating his property, or sending him to forced labor camps. Either way, he would meet a miserable end... Wait a moment. ¡¯No, something¡¯s wrong.¡¯ Emmett raised his head in shock, realizing that he had almost unknowingly imposed a cruel punishment no different from August. If he couldn¡¯t break his past habits and imposed unnecessary and harsh punishments like this, it would lower the evaluation of the current Emperor Liv, and Liv would be disappointed in him. ¡¯This isn¡¯t right.¡¯ He thought he had moved away from August a lot, but August¡¯s influence still remained in him. He needed to wash away this habit quickly, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Resolving to be more mindful, he was about to continue his work when Emmett¡¯s brow furrowed as he realized something strange. ¡¯Wait a minute, if it were August...¡¯ Yes, let¡¯s think from August¡¯s perspective. Why did he use a drug that induced infertility on Liv? In fact, there probably wasn¡¯t a big reason for it. Not to cut off the descendants of Lartman or anything like that, but he probably used the drug simply to take revenge on Liv and Emmett who had rebelled against him. For him, watching others suffer was a kind of amusement. Even when he threatened Emmett, it probably wasn¡¯t because he really believed Emmett would spare his life to find the cure. August wasn¡¯t the type of person to choose such a shabby method to save his life. If he was completely defeated with no chance of recovery, he would choose to die cleanly. So the reason he mentioned that drug to Emmett in his last moments was probably just to ruin his mood. Yes, August had been trying to shake their relationship from before. Didn¡¯t he also spread rumors about Viscount Wolfe...? ¡¯Did that drug even really exist in the first place?¡¯ Emmett came to such a question. Chapter 171 Emmett had investigated almost all drugs that induced infertility and sent them to the court physician in prison to compare with the drug given to Liv. However, no completely matching drug had been found yet. What if that drug was only used to make them feel anxious? ¡¯...It might not actually be a drug that induces infertility.¡¯ As Liv had said, her physical condition was originally poor, and she said there was a high possibility she couldn¡¯t conceive even without taking that drug. The organs governing life were particularly tricky, and Liv, who hadn¡¯t grown normally, hadn¡¯t developed her organs properly. He recalled the doctors who had seen Liv. Before the court physician currently imprisoned, there had been a doctor who had briefly seen Liv, but he quit after only a few weeks due to personal circumstances. But perhaps if that person had been on the Emperor¡¯s side and reported Liv¡¯s infertility, and then the doctor who came after administered the drug... ¡¯It makes perfect sense.¡¯ The moment he sensed his defeat, he tells lies until the end to interfere with their happiness. It was a trick August would definitely use. He decided to look into the whereabouts of the previous doctor. Of course, there was something else he needed to do first. * * * "So what do you think?" Sitting across from Emmett was Liv with her hair tied up. Since Emmett had come to see Liv during work hours for official business, Liv was dressed somewhat differently than when she faced him at night. Liv became serious after hearing Emmett¡¯s words, seemed to think for a moment, then nodded. "If that¡¯s what you think... it might be good to check." "Yes, so I¡¯m looking for the previous doctor. We should be able to find him soon." "Well, I¡¯m fine whatever the result is. I¡¯ve never dreamed of having children like others anyway." Liv explained again so Emmett wouldn¡¯t misunderstand. "My standards for happiness are a bit different from others. I know that for others, having children and making a family is the typical and happy way of life. But I just... think it¡¯s a sufficiently happy life if I receive love back from you, who is more precious than anyone. Other conditions aren¡¯t important." "I completely understand. I¡¯ve never thought I needed children to be happy either." With this, their opinions seemed to converge into one. "Then we¡¯re happy as we are now." "Yes, no matter what happens, we¡¯ll continue to live happily in the future." Those words reminded her of the last line in fairy tales where the protagonists lived happily ever after. A smile naturally appeared on Liv¡¯s face. At that moment, she opened her mouth with a face that seemed to have remembered something. "Oh, come to think of it, Elena reported something today." "You mean your Head Maid?" "Yes. Elena said that among the items presented by the temple, there¡¯s a sacred object that can break all curses." "Is there such an object?" "The book that came with the sacred object recorded that it could break all kinds of poisons and curses, but in my opinion, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a Holy Church artifact. Although the priests believe so." Liv whispered in a lowered voice as if telling a secret. "If it really works... we could use it to find out if you were poisoned or if it¡¯s another problem." "Yes, exactly." Once they had a conclusion, they wouldn¡¯t need to search for an antidote anymore, so their minds would be at ease. "Hilda apparently dropped hints for the temple to offer it to me, but actually, Hilda probably had a different purpose. I had mentioned before that I suffered from August¡¯s ancient sorcery." "Are there still traces left? Are you still in pain...?" "No, there¡¯s no problem at all. It¡¯s a way of branding the soul, but as long as the gods love me, it can¡¯t have any effect on me. But Hilda seemed uncomfortable about my soul being branded, so she made it possible for me to use that sacred object." "Either way, it should be helpful to you. Then let¡¯s try using it." "Yes, considering the work schedule... tomorrow is Sunday. Shall we try it during our free time tomorrow?" "Let¡¯s do that." Their conversation was much more natural and uninterrupted than before. Liv smiled slightly, feeling like she understood Emmett better after their recent conversation. * * * The Sunday Liv mentioned. Where they stood was the Crystal Room, where entry was strictly forbidden except for the Emperor¡¯s closest confidants. The room was modest as there was no need to show off to many people, but the furniture in the room was by no means cheap. In the elaborate and clean room, Emmett and Liv stood with the sacred object placed on the table. What the temple had offered to Liv as a sacred object was a purple jewel. The unrefined raw stone with its rough surface emitted an iridescent light mixing purple and green, and anyone could see it was no ordinary object. Next to it was a book written in Garcia language. Liv slowly scanned its contents with her eyes. [Oh, our god bestows blessing. All poisons and curses shall return to emptiness through this. Only emptiness is order. All negative things shall lose their power.] "It¡¯s from the Cluhid religion." "The Cluhid religion?" "Yes, it¡¯s an almost extinct religion of minority peoples from the old Garcia Empire. They believed that only emptiness is order and worshipped the state where nothing exists. Looking at the content here, it¡¯s definitely that religion." "The priests must have mistaken a different religion for the Holy Church Religion." "Yes, actually it¡¯s a common occurrence..." Liv slowly grasped the sacred object in her hand. She could definitely feel a full power within it. It was clearly a different god¡¯s power, distinct from the main gods¡¯. My child, I am glad you discovered that sacred object. The voice of ¡¯Void¡¯, the god of the Cluhid religion, was heard from the air. A gentle smile appeared on Liv¡¯s face as she heard the voice filled with love for her. It was something I used with a bit of power for my children who believed in me, but it finally came to your hands. "May I use this?" Of course, for you are also my child. Liv¡¯s hand holding the sacred object tightened. With her eyes closed, she gradually tried to accept the sacred object¡¯s power into her body. The powerful presence revealing itself in her hand crossed over to her palm and gradually spread throughout her body through her blood vessels. As the blood vessels carrying the power heat up, her whole body becomes hot. It feels like her blood vessels are burning, as if driving out something impure. And... "Hah!" When it became too hot to bear anymore, Liv¡¯s eyes flew open. As she felt the sensation that everything was over, the sacred object in her hand fell to the floor. What had clearly shone with an iridescent light was now ash-colored, having lost its color. "Liv, are you alright?" "Yes... it¡¯s done now." Liv slowly repeated opening and closing her hand. She definitely felt like something inside her body had been purified. "...Has the brand disappeared?" When she asked that towards the air, a familiar voice was heard. My beloved child, that brand never had any meaning for you to begin with. "Still, I thought it would be meaningful to not have it." You no longer need to worry about the brand. Those words meant that the brand had disappeared from Liv. At the news that the brand that had secretly bothered her had disappeared, Liv smiled brightly. "Ah, I should thank Hilda..." "Liv, shall we go see the court physician now?" They now needed to confirm her fertility status again with the court physician. If they heard again that pregnancy was impossible, that would be an unavoidable issue, and if it was possible, that would be evidence that August had poisoned her. Actually, Liv thought her infertility was a physical issue separate from August. The physician she met in the Ashur Kingdom had talked about her underdeveloped uterus or irregular body condition, which seemed unrelated to poison. However, they needed to confirm, so Liv called the court physician again. The court physician whose lips were tightly sealed so that information about her health condition wouldn¡¯t leak outside. And... "Your Majesty, I don¡¯t know how I dare to say this, but..." "That¡¯s enough, I understand what you mean." Hearing that news again wasn¡¯t even shocking. Liv was so calm that only the court physician seemed flustered, but she waved her hand to dismiss the physician. "This proves it." "Yes, it really does. We don¡¯t need to worry anymore." Although it was news that would make others worry and feel heartbroken, Liv and Emmett were composed. For them, just having each other was enough. August¡¯s scheme to drive a wedge between them had somewhat succeeded, but even that became useless now. They had discovered August¡¯s scheme, and before that, they had resolved their conflict through conversation. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two now knew the importance of communication, and they would never have conflicts like before again. Holding trust in each other in their hearts, Emmett and Liv looked at each other and smiled. Chapter 172 Emmett succeeded in finding the court physician who had previously seen Liv. When the physician was dragged before his eyes, he instinctively knew the physician had done something. The physician was trembling excessively. There was no need to interrogate the physician using ¡¯August¡¯s methods¡¯. Frightened by Liv becoming the new Emperor, he spilled information freely before Emmett could even ask. According to him, while he was working as a court physician for the Lartman family, the Emperor¡¯s people approached him. They threatened him using his family and ordered him to report all unusual matters within the family. When he discovered during an examination that Liv was infertile, he kept it secret from the Lartman couple and reported it directly to the Emperor, then quit and ran away afterward, afraid of what he had done. While hearing this, Emmett wore an expression that suggested he could kill someone at any moment, causing the physician to tremble and beg for his life. Emmett naturally had no intention of sparing him, but consulting with Liv was the priority, so he honestly conveyed the facts to her. Liv responded calmly and left the physician¡¯s disposition to Emmett. So Emmett handled it in his way. Thus, even the last ember left by August was resolved. * * * On an afternoon when warm sunlight streamed through the windows, familiar faces sat across from Liv. Walter, the head of House Hamelsvoort, and Hayden, the head of House Schulze, had come to see her. Perhaps because he had only enjoyed good things since Hamelsvoort Marquisate was recognized as a meritorious family and regained its rights, Walter¡¯s already handsome face now shone. Hayden¡¯s face, which always gave off a sharp and sensitive impression, had also softened. "Well, is everyone doing well?" To Liv¡¯s question, Walter answered with a gentle smile. "Of course, Your Majesty. Thanks to you, we¡¯re doing well without lacking anything." "The lack of lack is the problem." Hayden cut in with a playful face. "These days when you go to social gatherings, noble young ladies line up." "Haha, what are you saying." "Your Majesty, I¡¯m not speaking figuratively, they really do line up!" Liv chuckled at those words. She knew that Walter was the most eligible bachelor in current society, but hearing about it from Hayden was more interesting. "Lord Hamelsvoort, is it true that you calculate your dances to interact fairly with noble young ladies? I hear you record everything when you get home?" "...It¡¯s just to prevent rumors with any one person. And I don¡¯t record anything!" Laughing at seeing Walter getting caught up in Hayden¡¯s teasing, Liv subtly threw him a question. "So, Lord Hamelsvoort, is there really no lady you fancy?" "Your Majesty, why you too?" "Well, you¡¯ll eventually have to marry to continue the Hamelsvoort line anyway." "...Won¡¯t I marry a young lady from a suitable family?" After saying that, Walter hesitated before revealing what seemed to be his true feelings that he had buried inside. "To be honest, if it were the old me, I would have calculated which marriage would most efficiently advance my future. Having repeated several lives and married various noble ladies, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to calculate which of them would be most helpful to my current self." "Hmm." "But now I don¡¯t want to do that anymore. How should I put it, I learned from watching Your Majesty." "Ah, did you come to believe in the power of love through Your Majesty?" "Not quite to that extent, but I did learn that sometimes you can reach the right answer by being honest with your own feelings." A smile appeared on Liv¡¯s lips as she heard Walter¡¯s answer. "I¡¯m glad you seem to have become a much more positive person than before." When he first returned to the Hamelsvoort County, Walter harbored mixed feelings of love and hate towards Liv, and tended to think about everything in complicated ways and speak sarcastically. But now Walter had become more positive in his outlook on the world and more honest with his own feelings, which was a good thing. "So I¡¯m just going to wait. If I wait patiently, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll meet my destined person." "That¡¯s right." Now Liv and Walter¡¯s eyes were fixed on Hayden. Having talked about Walter, wasn¡¯t it Hayden¡¯s turn next? "Lord Schulze, is there no one for you?" "Your Majesty, you know there¡¯s only you for me for life." Hayden tried to dodge with a glib voice, but Walter, who had just been teased by Hayden, didn¡¯t miss this opportunity. "What are you saying, Lord Schulze? Don¡¯t you need to continue your family line?" "Haha, like Lord Walter, I¡¯m just waiting for the right time." It was a transparently obvious excuse, but Liv was amused enough by the situation that she decided not to press him further. Their marriage matters were personal affairs, so it wasn¡¯t her place to interfere. "Lord Hamelsvoort, is Hilda doing well?" "Yes, of course she¡¯s doing well. Among the noble young ladies, she could be considered the most powerful." "That¡¯s good." "How are things between Your Majesty and Grand Duke Lartman? Has he done anything wrong?" "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re doing well." "If any problems arise, you can come to Hamelsvoort. After all, this is your family home, isn¡¯t it?" As Walter had disliked Emmett from before, he seemed sincere. While Walter disliked Emmett partly for once having been on August¡¯s side, it seemed he didn¡¯t like him much simply for having married Liv. After exchanging all their personal news, they now moved on to the main topic. "Your Majesty, I¡¯ve traveled throughout the country collecting rumors about descendants of the Gracia family." "I¡¯ve looked into whether there are any descendants who left the Holy Hilysid Empire and investigated various records." At Hayden and Walter¡¯s successive reports, Liv¡¯s expression tensed. She had ordered them to investigate descendants of the Gracia family. Since Liv couldn¡¯t bear children, she needed an heir to succeed her. And there weren¡¯t many people she could trust with this important and secret task. "There wasn¡¯t much information in the records. Your Majesty appears to be the only Gracia descendant. We found some distant relatives around eighth cousins, but that would be meaningless anyway." In the Holy Hilysid Empire, incest was forbidden, and as could be seen from the fact that even marriages between first cousins were restricted, eighth cousins were generally not recognized as blood relations. "As a result of collecting rumors, I met these couple of people who claimed to have Gracia blood mixed in..." As Hayden began speaking, Liv swallowed hard. However, what followed was equally disappointing. "There was no way to prove they were Gracia descendants. They don¡¯t exist in family trees or official records, and they don¡¯t have the characteristic white hair of the Gracias." "I see..." If even Walter and Hayden said it was difficult, Liv¡¯s attempt to find Gracia descendants had failed. Of course, Liv didn¡¯t think the Gracia line absolutely had to continue. Even neighboring countries had changed their royal families several times. The Gracia imperial family, which had produced 28 emperors from one family except for the traitor August, was an unusual case. However, the problem was the Holy Hilysid Empire after the disappearance of a legitimate emperor. The reason no one challenged Liv¡¯s throne was because she was a descendant of the divinely blessed Gracia family and a legitimate emperor recognized by all people. But after Liv¡¯s death, there would be no emperor candidate that everyone could agree on, and no matter whom Liv designated as the next emperor, fights might break out to usurp the throne. Then this country would fall into chaos. "Then what should I do?" When Liv spoke in a dejected voice, Walter was the first to speak. "The most conventional approach would be to pass the throne to a Lartman collateral line. They¡¯re an imperial family and currently the highest noble family. While we can¡¯t say there won¡¯t be any disputes when Lartman inherits the throne, they¡¯re the most powerful family so there would be less criticism." "I see. Are there other options?" "Yes, this would face the least resistance..." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Walter opened his mouth in a voice that suggested even he found it awkward to make such a suggestion. "What if Your Majesty pretended to be pregnant and adopted a newborn, pretending to have given birth?" "Oh..." "Lord Hamelsvoort, you¡¯re even more out of your mind than me? It¡¯s hard to find someone like this." "Be quiet." "No, how did you even come up with such an idea? Have you used this method in any of your past lives?" "No, so be quiet." Liv¡¯s mouth fell open at this completely unexpected suggestion. As Hayden teased mischievously, Walter got annoyed with him before adding as if making an excuse. "Of course, it¡¯s not a solution I¡¯m recommending... It would be difficult for Your Majesty, and it would be hard to keep the people who know about it quiet." "Yes, there are spies everywhere. That¡¯s not really a good method..." In the end, they were back to square one with the solution. That is, passing the throne to the Lartman family. "I¡¯ll think about it more for now. Thank you for considering this with me." "If you need help, we¡¯ll cooperate anytime." "I¡¯m also always on Your Majesty¡¯s side." After finishing their conversation, Liv sank back into thought. How could she resolve the issue of succession to the throne... Chapter 173 "Emmett, have you thought about future generations?" This was the question Liv threw at Emmett while covered with a thin summer blanket before falling asleep. Emmett¡¯s face showed consideration for a moment before he answered in a casual tone. "It seems you¡¯re thinking of passing the throne to Lartman, is that right?" "Yes, that¡¯s right." "And you¡¯re worried about conflicts arising over the legitimacy issue." "That¡¯s right too." "Then there¡¯s no need to worry about it right now." Liv¡¯s eyes widened roundly, wondering if he might have a solution, but what came from his mouth was unexpected. "You¡¯ve only just ascended to the throne, and there will be plenty of time to think about methods. Even if the successor you establish loses the throne, would that be entirely Liv¡¯s fault?" As the meaning in Emmett¡¯s words suggested, Liv might be worrying too much. Even if problems arise after Liv¡¯s death, how could that be Liv¡¯s responsibility alone? But Liv wanted to clarify this issue. Although previously she had felt no sense of belonging anywhere and held no affection for her parents, now she had accepted this country as her own and felt grateful to her parents. So she wanted to make a wise decision for this country¡¯s sake. "Actually, I don¡¯t think adopting a suitable child would be bad. Though whether people would recognize that child as a Gracia is another issue..." "I¡¯m also positive about adoption, but people likely won¡¯t accept it." "Then what should we do..." Seeing Liv still deep in thought, Emmett brought up a new topic as if trying to change the subject. "By the way, Liv. Shouldn¡¯t we start preparing for the Foundation Festival?" "The Foundation Festival?" "Yes, it was this country¡¯s tradition to hold the Foundation Festival every June." The Holy Hilysid Empire was founded in June by the first Emperor Feyte Gracia. Therefore, a grand Foundation Festival was held every June, but after August ascended to the throne, the Festival was either greatly reduced in scale or not held at all, citing poor national circumstances. Some people praised this as an act of saving rather than wasting the national treasury, but of course, that wasn¡¯t August¡¯s intention. As he wasn¡¯t a descendant of the Gracia imperial family, he didn¡¯t want to commemorate this country¡¯s founding. However, now Gracia had returned, and the Emperor had changed. To widely announce this, a grand Foundation Festival needed to be held. "Come to think of it, you¡¯re right. Has Emmett ever participated in previous Foundation Festivals?" "It was from when I was too young so I don¡¯t remember well, but I recall seeing brilliant fireworks bursting in the night sky. Though faint, I remember feeling joy." "Since it¡¯s one of the few festivals that common people can enjoy, the disappearance of the Foundation Festival must have been sad news for many children." Liv¡¯s eyes shone brightly as she imagined the Foundation Festival in her mind. Just thinking about the large-scale event she had only read about in books made her heart flutter. Perhaps noticing Liv¡¯s mood, Emmett smiled gently and said. "I¡¯ll prepare it well as a surprise for you. I think I should shock you." Originally, preparing the Foundation Festival was the job of the Emperor¡¯s companion, not the Emperor, so Emmett was in charge of this Festival. Of course, Liv would need to be present at the opening of the Festival, but she didn¡¯t particularly need to prepare anything. "I hope there will be fireworks. I¡¯ve never seen them." "Of course." "Ah, and flags hanging in the streets..." "I won¡¯t forget that either." As she listed the aspects of the festival she wanted, Liv felt her heart swelling. She had certainly once resented this world for the endless misfortunes that came to her, but now it felt like a dream that she could talk about what she wanted while intoxicated with comfortable happiness. Looking at Liv¡¯s dreamy face, Emmett just stroked her with a loving expression. * * * While one couldn¡¯t dare say he was busier than the Emperor, the Imperial Consort was equally busy without a moment to rest. Currently, what Emmett was focusing on most was preparing for the Foundation Festival. From preparing festival events, crowd control, security, managing pickpockets, handling lost children, to inviting heroic knights who had achieved merit long ago - there were many things he needed to personally attend to. "Your Grace, here is the knight deployment plan. We paid special attention to this area due to poor security." "This part should be modified. If there are too many knights, it will be difficult to pass through the narrow streets." "Here is the total festival budget summary." "The amount allocated for the heroic knights is too small." He was personally involved in every task to the point where officials were sticking out their tongues in amazement. As this was the first Foundation Festival to be held since Liv¡¯s ascension, they needed to prepare a perfect festival considering its impact on her reputation. Also, it was Liv¡¯s first festival. Although Liv wouldn¡¯t be able to participate in the festival like ordinary people, she could watch the outside scenery from the palace. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, he fell into one concern. ¡¯I want to prepare something special for Liv.¡¯ Although this Foundation Festival wasn¡¯t Liv¡¯s birthday or their wedding anniversary, Emmett was always desperate to give more to Liv. While he couldn¡¯t dare give her anything since she became Emperor, the Festival was different. He might be able to create special memories for Liv. He reviewed the plans he had just made. Fireworks in white and gold symbolizing the imperial family. Decorating streets with pink flowers that Liv liked. Subtly incorporating Liv¡¯s name meaning ¡¯love¡¯ to make ¡¯Festival of Love¡¯ the official name of this festival. However, none of them seemed sufficient to create special memories for Liv. Then what would make Liv happy? After much contemplation, he secretly called Liv¡¯s head maid. As the one closest to Liv, she might know about Liv¡¯s recent preferences. "Head Maid, has there been anything Liv wanted recently, or said she liked?" "Well, let me see... I¡¯m not sure either. As you know, Her Majesty eats most foods well without being particularly picky, tends to praise artworks when viewing them, and usually says she likes most clothes and jewelry." As the head maid said, Liv was someone who hardly disliked anything. Which meant it was equally difficult to know what she particularly liked. Then at the head maid¡¯s next words, Emmett¡¯s body jolted. "The only time Her Majesty shows her feelings greatly is when she sees Your Grace. After all, what Her Majesty likes most is Your Grace." That was true. As the head maid said, Liv, who usually showed little emotion, freely revealed herself and easily cried and laughed in front of Emmett. Wait, then the answer was with himself all along. No one would know Liv better than him, and what Liv liked most was also himself... "Ah." Emmett¡¯s lips curved into a smile as he recalled something. Yes, he had found something that could make Liv sufficiently happy. * * * In a remote village located in a mountain valley where the path was so treacherous that outsiders wouldn¡¯t dare enter. Though there weren¡¯t many households, there was clearly a village formed there. Hayden was there, breathing heavily and dripping with sweat. He looked around, dressed in a manner that didn¡¯t look noble at all. "Finally arrived..." He was still wandering in search of Gracia family descendants. Although Liv had said it was fine to conclude now, Hayden himself hadn¡¯t given up. He felt like he might find a clue if he looked just a bit more. To obtain information, he was traveling throughout the country getting testimonies from elderly people. Thinking that Gracia descendants might have fled to remote villages, he personally visited villages in any difficult terrain. Since most people in the places Hayden visited didn¡¯t even know the Emperor had changed, he had become used to explaining about Gracia¡¯s restoration. Knock knock knock... "Is anyone home?" Today too, Hayden habitually knocked on house doors and began collecting information from people. "Gracia..." At the question about knowing anything about Gracia descendants, the oldest-looking elder in the village drooled. Looking less like just elderly and more like a sage living in the mountains, he somehow made Hayden expect he would provide an answer to his question. "I know nothing about Gracia descendants... I heard rumors that the imperial family rarely had children, but how could such precious descendants be outside the palace?" "Hahaha, yes, that¡¯s true..." Realizing he had failed again today, Hayden laughed awkwardly. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t be able to get any more meaningful results. Maybe he should return to the capital. "But you know, when I was still young, a man from outside visited this village. He was traveling across the country and told us many interesting stories about the outside." "Were there any stories about Gracia among them?" Just as he was considering leaving this village, the elder¡¯s continuing words stopped Hayden in his tracks. "Yes, it was a story from about two hundred years ago, when the Gracia line was cut off." He then relayed to Hayden exactly the story he had heard, and when Hayden finished listening, his eyes were shining with shock. "Hoho, was that helpful?" "Yes, it was definitely helpful." He needed to go quickly and tell this story to Liv. He jumped up from his seat, imagining Liv who would be delighted to hear this news. Chapter 174 14. The Girl Who Loved Humans "Come to think of it, tomorrow is the Foundation Festival." This was what Hildegard said in an excited voice during mealtime at House Hamelsvoort. As if anticipating the Festival, both her cheeks were flushed red, and her voice carried excitement. "Come to think of it, you¡¯ve never been to a proper Foundation Festival." "Yes, since I was born after August ascended to the throne..." Realizing Hildegard was younger than he thought, Walter looked at her with unfamiliar eyes. Then, recalling his old memories, he slowly opened his mouth. "I remember seeing the Foundation Festival when I was very young. I remember the capital being decorated splendidly, and there being lots of food in the streets. Of course, our parents didn¡¯t let us eat it, saying it was poor quality food that only commoners ate." "Wow..." "And in some lives, I became Emperor, but time reversed again before I could welcome the Foundation Festival." Walter raised the corner of his mouth crookedly as if telling an amusing story. "There were several lives where someone other than August took the throne, but my life ended before holding the Foundation Festival in all of them. Even for me, seeing a proper Foundation Festival was long ago. Perhaps more than a hundred years?" Because he spoke including the time he experienced due to divine punishment, Hildegard¡¯s face became slightly pale. It was a story that felt eerie to her no matter how many times she heard it. "Th-then do you know what nobles do during the Foundation Festival? I know about the banquet held at the imperial palace at least." "Well, it¡¯s too long ago so I don¡¯t remember that properly either. For both you and me, this Foundation Festival will be a novel experience." "What will Her Majesty, I mean Sister Liv, do at the Foundation Festival?" "Well, probably just a simple congratulatory speech? Liv won¡¯t be too busy at this Foundation Festival." "Then maybe I can meet Sister at the imperial palace." At Hildegard¡¯s words, spoken because she hadn¡¯t seen Liv for a long time, Walter smiled with an unpleasant expression as if recalling something. "Well, won¡¯t our Emperor naturally spend time with Grand Duke Lartman?" "Ah, I suppose that¡¯s true..." "Yes, they seem to be getting along particularly well lately." Although he already knew how much she and Emmett loved each other, recently whenever Walter visited the imperial palace on business, Liv would hold onto him and chatter about how Emmett personally picked out this dress for her. For Walter, who didn¡¯t like Emmett, it wasn¡¯t exactly a pleasant sight. "So we should just enjoy the Festival on our own... wait, somehow I feel there will be more noble ladies than usual at the Festival." "I suppose so? Won¡¯t even young ladies who don¡¯t usually participate actively in social activities attend the imperial palace banquet starting tomorrow? I heard from Lady Rose that in her parents¡¯ generation, the Foundation Festival was the time when most noble sons and daughters fell in love." "Oh dear..." "Are you worried about the noble ladies?" At Hildegard¡¯s voice that somehow seemed prepared to tease him, Walter felt uneasy. He half-anticipated what Hildegard would say next. "Your adjutant was recording everything, so what¡¯s the problem?" "Hilda!" Although he had denied it in front of Liv and Hayden recently, Walter was actually recording the noble ladies he spent time with to avoid rumors. More precisely, Walter¡¯s adjutant was doing the recording. Anyway, Hildegard had discovered that Walter was trying to speak with various noble ladies without overlap through him. "Haah, everyone goes on about how kind and caring Brother is, it really makes my mouth itch..." "Hi-Hilda!" He called Hildegard¡¯s name with a pale face. Just then, he thought of a way to silence Hildegard. "I-I won¡¯t go to the imperial palace banquet!" "What? Really?" "There¡¯s no rule saying we have to enjoy the Foundation Festival as nobles. Hilda, you seem very proficient in that area." Understanding what he meant, Hildegard smiled brightly. It seemed this Foundation Festival would be much more fun than she expected. * * * "Commemorating the birth of the great Holy Hilysid Empire, Liv Gracia." As Liv spoke the final sentence, people cheered and applauded. Words of blessing for the Empire and Liv burst from their mouths. Liv gave them a light greeting before leaving the terrace. As she had just read the Festival¡¯s congratulatory speech in front of people, the Foundation Festival had now begun. As if proving this, the sound of large bells rang out from somewhere. Now the street stalls would begin their business, and children in the towns would excitedly roam the streets. At night, banquets would be held at the imperial palace, and nobles would enjoy the banquets according to changing themes each day. On masquerade ball nights, they would pretend not to know what was behind the masks while knowing full well. Of course, Liv didn¡¯t need to attend all these banquets. While it would be good to show her face on the first day, after that, the time could be left for unmarried nobles. "Your Majesty, Grand Duke Lartman is waiting." "Ah, yes." Liv walked following Elena¡¯s guidance, and soon brightened upon seeing Emmett. "Emmett, I love everything about the Foundation Festival! The streets visible from the windows are so beautiful." "Is that so?" Since Emmett was in charge of this Festival, Liv deliberately exaggerated her praise. With a gentle smile, Emmett let Liv take his arm. "Though we¡¯ll have to go work now." "Ah... But isn¡¯t that meaningful in its own way?" To commemorate the country¡¯s founding and Gracia¡¯s return, they had invited knights who were considered heroes in the previous Gracia era to the imperial palace. It was meant to announce once again that Steinberg had completely withdrawn and Gracia had taken power. There, Liv would converse with and entertain the elderly knights. Shortly after, Liv and Emmett arrived at the imperial palace garden where the knights were invited. A huge table was placed in the garden, covered with elaborate foods. Some officials and nobles who had come to meet the knights were also present. Not long after Liv and Emmett arrived at the garden, a servant came to announce the knights¡¯ arrival. "The knights are arriving!" With those words, large men who, despite their age, didn¡¯t look frail at all began walking into the garden. The scars scattered across their faces seemed to testify to their heroic tales from their youth. "We greet Your Majesty, the Sun of the Empire." "I too am glad to meet the heroes who protected our country." After exchanging greetings, Liv spoke first to ease the atmosphere. "I¡¯m glad to be able to host the knights again. I¡¯ve read many books about your heroic deeds." "Hoho, it¡¯s an honor that you¡¯ve even read about us in books!" "Come to think of it, Your Majesty looks exactly like the previous Emperor and Empress." "Really?" As Liv¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected comment, the elderly man sitting closest to Liv chuckled. Liv could immediately recognize who he was upon seeing his face. "You¡¯re the former Captain of the Knights." "Yes, that¡¯s right." He had helped when Lartman invaded the imperial palace, and despite Liv¡¯s offer of rewards, he had returned to seclusion saying it was enough that the world had been set right. Then he decided to attend this gathering of old knights. Liv smiled at seeing the familiar face. "Do I have features similar to my parents? Actually, I don¡¯t resemble them in hair color or eye color..." "Haha, those who haven¡¯t looked closely at the previous Emperor and Empress might not notice. But Your Majesty¡¯s eyes resemble the previous Empress, and other features resemble the previous Emperor." "My goodness, I had no idea..." "But more than that, Your Majesty resembles them in having a strong heart." As question filled Liv¡¯s face, he continued his explanation with a smiling face. "They were truly upright people. Despite opposition from nobles, they expanded various welfare policies and truly worked hard to create a good country to live in. While I dare not evaluate them, I think everyone would agree that they were strong people." The other knights nodded in agreement at those words. "And it¡¯s a known fact that the current Emperor is also strong. Despite persecution from the traitor, you managed to eliminate him." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It was just what had to be done..." "Doing what had to be done wasn¡¯t an easy task." Liv clenched and unclenched her hands under the table, trying to contain her embarrassment at receiving praise. Ah, why did it feel so good to hear she resembled her parents? More than hearing about physical resemblance, she was happier to hear she was "strong." After all, she wanted to become an upright Emperor. Chapter 175 The conversation between the knights and Liv continued. "Speaking of strength, we can¡¯t leave out the knights¡¯ stories. You all achieved such great merits." "Indeed. They are role models for all who wield swords." When Emmett followed up on Liv¡¯s words, they laughed awkwardly again. "Haha, it¡¯s nothing special. Shouldn¡¯t any knight be capable of at least that much?" "You have high standards." Finding their stories interesting, Liv asked a question. "Then what¡¯s your most memorable experience?" "Ah, if you ask that, I should tell you this story." As one knight who had reportedly achieved merit when the United Kingdom of Valeno invaded began speaking, other knights made hand gestures behind him, making X signs to Liv. Liv just blinked in confusion, but soon understood why from the knight¡¯s continuing words. "So at that time, I was camping in the mountains avoiding enemy soldiers. No, can we even call it camping? Actually, I stayed up all night, hahaha! Anyway, I was hiding behind a tree watching in all directions until almost dawn when I heard something. Thinking it might be enemy soldiers, I looked and... would you believe it, a wild boar appeared! Someone of my skill could handle a mere wild boar. So I stepped out confidently, but actually it was an enemy soldier wearing a wild boar skin..." "Hahaha." At his endless story, Liv forced a smile, and could hear Emmett whisper beside her, "He¡¯s famous for talking too much." Finally, as the story was nearly ending, he added. "Anyway, here¡¯s the conclusion. One who is strong against everyone cannot be the truly strongest. Only those who are weak before the weak can be truly strong." Although she couldn¡¯t understand how he reached such a conclusion from that story, Liv nodded seriously. It was worth taking to heart. "You¡¯re right. Those who can respect the weak are truly strong..." People had thought of August as an absolute monarch. He was a harsh and cold Emperor who showed mercy to no one. But Liv didn¡¯t think he was truly strong. If he was, why did he end up losing the throne to Liv? If he truly wanted to maintain his throne, he should have shown mercy to his subjects and worked for their welfare and happiness. Then even if August had usurped the throne through illegitimate means, no one would have thought to rebel against him. August¡¯s throne would have lasted that long. But he was a man who knew no mercy, and that¡¯s why he was defeated. Liv engraved the knight¡¯s words deep in her heart, vowing to become such an Emperor. One who dedicates themselves to people¡¯s happiness without having to worry about rebellion. * * * While Liv had a rather enjoyable time with the heroic knights, she couldn¡¯t cheerfully accept the mountain of work waiting for her after the conversation ended. "How is there still endless work even on a day like this..." As Liv trudged toward her office speaking in a tired voice, Emmett followed close behind her and replied. "I think even the Emperor needs rest days." "Really." "It¡¯s strange though, I heard the previous Emperor rested just fine." "Hearing that makes me even more upset." While roughly continuing the conversation while calculating the time left until dinner, Liv suddenly realized something strange and raised her head. "Come to think of it, why are you coming this way? The office is that way." "Ah, I was following you. My work for today is finished." "What?" "Recently my main work was preparing for the Foundation Festival, and now that¡¯s done. I¡¯ll now perform my role of assisting you." Liv briefly pondered whether she should be jealous that his work was finished, or happy that he would be with her. But soon deciding on the latter, she took Emmett¡¯s hand. "Good, stay with me." Saying that as they entered the office, Liv sat in her seat. Emmett sat on the sofa opposite her. Seeing this, Liv exclaimed as something suddenly occurred to her. "Ah! We¡¯ve definitely done this before!" "We have?" "Yes, remember when I went down to the Lartman duchy?" "Ah." Emmett exclaimed as if finally remembering. When they were in the Lartman duchy, Emmett, who had lots of work, worked in his office while Liv watched him from across. Back then, Liv was happy enough just observing him. "Now it¡¯s completely reversed." "Yes, it¡¯s interesting." Could they have imagined back then that Liv would become Emperor? Both thought about how difficult it is to know what the future holds. Sitting and working while receiving Emmett¡¯s gaze, Liv realized it wasn¡¯t easy to work while someone was watching her. So much that she couldn¡¯t understand how past Emmett had managed it. It felt somehow embarrassing yet ticklish in her heart. "We should make an appearance at tonight¡¯s banquet too, right? Since we need to announce the start of the Foundation Festival banquets." "Yes, come see how I decorated the banquet hall." "I¡¯m looking forward to it. Though sadly we can¡¯t stay long. We should leave for the unmarried nobles." If they stayed there, no romance would happen as everyone would be conscious of their presence. They should tactfully withdraw. Just then, Liv¡¯s eyes widened at Emmett¡¯s words. "Liv, shall we go outside to watch the fireworks on the last day of the Foundation Festival?" "Can we go outside? It would be incredibly chaotic with everyone trying to protect us..." "We can go secretly." "Wow." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At those words that made her heart flutter just hearing them, Liv put down her pen and covered her mouth. Goodness, just thinking about enjoying the festival in disguise with just Emmett made her heart race. While normally they would have to worry about safety, they didn¡¯t need to. First, Emmett had excellent swordsmanship, and above all, if someone tried to assassinate Liv, time would just reverse. Liv was probably the Emperor with the least worry about assassination in history. "Yes, let¡¯s go outside together..." "Hold on a bit longer even if work is hard until then. That day will be our escape day." Since the Foundation Festival lasted five days total, she just had to work four more days! Imagining spending time secretly in the streets with Emmett, Liv smiled with an expectant face. * * * "Alright, tomorrow!" That was Liv¡¯s energetic shout as soon as she arrived at the office. Though she should have been tired from the endless work, her face was full of only excitement. So much that even the maids glanced at her face in confusion. But Liv truly wasn¡¯t tired at all. When she thought about tomorrow being the day she would go to the streets with Emmett, it felt like energy was welling up from somewhere. Liv started work with an inappropriately bright smile. Until Elena¡¯s voice called her. "Your Majesty, a guest has arrived." "Oh? Who?" "It¡¯s Lord Hayden Schulze. He¡¯s waiting in the reception room." "Ah, Hayden!" Hayden was one of those who could meet her anytime without an appointment. Above all, it had been quite a while since Hayden left the capital saying he would get information about Gracia descendants, so his return might mean he had found something. Liv jumped up from her seat, abandoning her work. "I¡¯ll go there right away." However, walking to the reception room, Liv didn¡¯t hold much expectation. The Gracia family was famous for having few children. According to records, Liv was the only Gracia descendant, so how could descendants suddenly appear from somewhere? And even if one of the previous Emperors had a child outside marriage without their spouse knowing, that child would be difficult to recognize under Holy Hilysid Empire law. So Hayden had likely returned without much success. Anyway, since she was seeing him again after a long time, someone who had worked hard for her sake, Liv opened the reception room door with a welcoming heart. "Hayden! Have you been well?" "Of course, Your Majesty. Your faithful servant has returned." As Hayden gave an exaggerated greeting, Liv chuckled before sitting opposite him. Then seeing Hayden¡¯s appearance, Liv narrowed her eyes. His clothes were dirty as if he had been rolling in the mountains. "Are you alright?" "I¡¯m fine. I just traveled around various places. More importantly, I have something I must tell Your Majesty right away." "What is it?" As Hayden¡¯s expression was unusual, Liv¡¯s face also became serious. He sat opposite Liv with clenched fists as if about to bring up a serious matter. Could there really be remaining Gracia descendants? However, the words from his mouth exceeded Liv¡¯s expectations. "Even if Your Majesty cannot bear children, there will be no problem with the succession of the throne." Chapter 176 "What... does that mean?" No matter how she thought about it, Liv couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning of what Hayden said. When Liv frowned and asked that, Hayden took a breath before beginning his explanation. "While investigating in a mountain village this time, I heard something. So I searched through records and found evidence supporting it. Looking at historical records, while there are records of all other Emperors having children, the 6th Emperor and Empress have none. Without any record of childbirth, records of the 7th Emperor¡¯s childhood suddenly appear." "And?" "I also compared portraits of the 7th Emperor with previous Emperors, and somehow couldn¡¯t find any resemblance. It was hard to find matching hair and eye colors too." "So you¡¯re saying the 7th Emperor wasn¡¯t the 6th Emperor couple¡¯s biological child?" "So I looked up records of the 6th Emperor couple¡¯s relatives. Looking at the family tree showing up to eighth cousins, one eighth cousin¡¯s name was erased one day. And that eighth cousin¡¯s name was the same as the 7th Emperor¡¯s." "Are you saying the 6th Emperor couple adopted their eighth cousin as their child?" "Yes, exactly. When they couldn¡¯t have children, they adopted a child from distant relatives." While it was unexpected news since she thought Emperors before Liv had continued the line without problems, she wondered how it was possible. "If I were to adopt from Lartman¡¯s collateral line or an eighth cousin¡¯s child, there would be opposition questioning legitimacy. Why weren¡¯t the 6th Emperor couple attacked?" "Your Majesty, that¡¯s exactly the point to note." Hayden placed both hands on the table as if about to tell an incredible story. "According to what the elder said, one day a revelation came from heaven. The Supreme God¡¯s voice rang out saying they would recognize this child as Gracia!" "What?" "With Lady Hildegard¡¯s help, I found records in the temple, and there was actually one suspicious line. It said ¡¯The Supreme God¡¯s voice came down from heaven and showed this country¡¯s path forward.¡¯" "That¡¯s certainly suspicious..." "Yes, while they seem to have minimized recording the adoption story in history fearing legitimacy would be questioned by later generations, there isn¡¯t a complete lack of remaining evidence." The story flowed smoothly from Hayden¡¯s mouth. "Several historical records also mention the Supreme God¡¯s voice being heard from heaven telling them something." "Wait, instead of this, we can just ask directly." Liv¡¯s gaze turned to empty space. If Hayden¡¯s words were true, she wanted to ask why they hadn¡¯t told her first when she had been worrying so much, but first things first. "Supreme God." Yes, my child. Though it was a voice she hadn¡¯t heard recently, the Supreme God gave a gentle reply as if always having been by Liv¡¯s side. "Did this really happen?" Liv swallowed and waited for the next words, and the answer was... Yes, it¡¯s true. "How could..." Liv unknowingly opened her mouth. So when Gracia¡¯s legitimacy was in crisis, the Supreme God directly protected the child they adopted? "Is, is it alright to intervene in the human world like this?" It is destined to be so, and there are no restrictions when it comes to my beloved children. "Then why didn¡¯t you tell me beforehand?" If she had just known this, Liv wouldn¡¯t have had to worry and suffer so much. To Liv¡¯s somewhat reproachful response, the Supreme God answered in a voice that somehow felt less heavy than usual today. My child must now live as a human too. Communicating with us would prevent you from living as a human. "..." It is right that we minimize our conversations. We cannot tell you all the answers, after all. Liv finally understood why the gods had recently reduced their conversations with her. Living as a human... The Supreme God¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong. Liv was becoming increasingly closer to being human, and continuing conversations with gods would prevent that. So if she truly wanted to become a perfect human, it would be right not to blindly follow the gods¡¯ voices. "Still feels strange though..." From birth, the gods had always been by Liv¡¯s side, and if they left her, she would feel an empty and void feeling as if deprived of air. Don¡¯t worry, child. We are always by your side. We¡¯ll just be watching over you. "Though it was sometimes painful, I truly loved you, gods. Though it will be a bit sad not to talk anymore..." Liv continued in a soft voice. "I understand what you mean. I¡¯ll accept it." My child, never forget that we always love you. If there comes a moment when you cannot endure as a human, remember that we are always by your side. "Yes, thank you for everything..." It felt like tears would roll down her cheeks any moment, but Liv held them back. Yes, it was time to bid farewell to her gods. As Liv wore a dazed expression after conversing with the Supreme God, Hayden carefully asked. "Your Majesty, was it helpful?" "Ah, yes, Hayden. Thank you. Now my worries are over..." When she meets Emmett this evening, she¡¯ll tell him this news too. He¡¯ll surely be happy that the succession worries are gone. Though it was certainly good news, somehow a corner of her heart had been aching. Yes, right now the sadness of the gods leaving her side was greater than the joy of solving the problem. In the end, Liv stared into empty space for a long while, trying to soothe her regret. * * * After her heart had calmed somewhat, Liv said triumphantly to Emmett before going to sleep: "No need to worry about succession. Whatever child we adopt, the Supreme God will recognize them as Gracia." "What do you mean?" When Emmett looked puzzled at Liv¡¯s sudden words, she carefully explained what she had heard from Hayden and the Supreme God. After hearing the whole story, Emmett¡¯s face also brightened. "We keep receiving help from the Supreme God until the end, this is truly fortunate." "Yes, now only happy days remain ahead." As Liv was quietly slipping under the blanket, Emmett opened his mouth with a determined look. "Liv, I think it would be better to adopt a child from a family other than Lartman." "Why?" "First of all, I¡¯m not on good terms with my collateral relatives." "Ah, that¡¯s true..." "For example, Hamelsvoort would be fine." Liv¡¯s eyes widened at Emmett¡¯s words. According to his opinion, if they were to pick who was actually closer to them, it was Hamelsvoort rather than Lartman. They were also a meritorious family Liv could trust. "But wouldn¡¯t Brother Walter¡¯s opinion be important too? Moreover, Brother doesn¡¯t seem to have any plans to marry for now..." "Ah yes, I have another suggestion related to that. How about discussing with the temple to allow the Saintess to marry?" Goodness, it was an issue she had never thought about before. Emmett¡¯s words made perfect sense. The marriage ban for Saints wasn¡¯t written in the holy text containing the Supreme God¡¯s words - it was a law arbitrarily created by the temple. It was time for that old-fashioned law to disappear. "You¡¯re right, when I talked with Hilda before, she seemed to have hidden desires about romance... I should discuss this with the temple soon." Liv¡¯s eyes shone at the thought of having something worth actively pursuing after a long time. She felt she could give Hildegard the best gift possible. Thinking the succession issue was resolved, even though it was late at night, Liv started chattering while using Emmett¡¯s arm as a pillow. "But actually I feel a bit down too. Because I¡¯ve decided not to talk with the gods anymore." "Did something happen?" "No, just... the gods were considerate, saying I should live as a human now too. They¡¯re not wrong." "..." "Rationally, it¡¯s right for the gods to leave my side, but somehow my heart feels empty." Then Emmett lightly kissed her cheek as if to comfort her. Finding the warmth pleasant against her skin, Liv turned and kissed his lips first. His eyes widened as it was rare for her to be so forward, but soon an amused smile spread across his face. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But this whole process must have meaning. From now on, I¡¯ll help make sure you don¡¯t feel empty." "Wait, you don¡¯t need to help that much..." But as her slip was soon removed, Liv feigned exaggerated surprise while nestling into his embrace. At her playful appearance, Emmett started by lightly kissing her hair and gradually moving downward. While surrendering to familiar pleasure, Liv smiled brightly even as she made sounds almost like crying. Ah, she couldn¡¯t believe there could be a happier life than this. Chapter 177 "Your Majesty, are you looking for something?" "Hmm, no. Just looking." Though the maids looked at Liv with puzzled eyes, she just cleared her throat awkwardly while lingering around the dressing room. ¡¯I¡¯m sure my old clothes are somewhere here...¡¯ She needed the commoner¡¯s clothes she had worn before. Liv had told them not to throw those clothes away in case they were needed, but since they weren¡¯t worn regularly, she didn¡¯t know where the maids had put them. ¡¯I need to get out soon.¡¯ Yes, today was the last day of the Foundation Festival. That meant it was the day she was supposed to sneak out to the streets with Emmett! From the moment she opened her eyes in the morning, Liv felt her heart racing as she jumped out of bed, and even after her bath, she kept urging them to dry her hair quickly. But she just couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. As Liv was now opening closet doors under the pretense of looking at dresses, Maria, who had been following her, suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh my, Your Majesty! Let me just help you!" "Huh? W-what?" When Liv stammered her question, Maria answered in a completely casual voice. "You¡¯re trying to go outside, aren¡¯t you?" "Wh-what?" She was sure she hadn¡¯t shown any signs, so how did Maria figure it out? As Liv stood frozen with wide eyes, unable to hide her surprise, Maria added with a smiling face: "You¡¯ve been having secret discussions with Grand Duke Lartman lately, and kept looking out the window with an excited expression! You finished all of today¡¯s work yesterday and ordered today¡¯s schedule to be left empty." "Uh..." "And above all, this morning the Grand Duke suddenly said not to look for Your Majesty even if you disappear." ...It seemed she had left too many clues. As Liv stood there with an embarrassed face, Olivia, who was beside Maria, nodded with an amused expression. "That¡¯s right, Your Majesty. There probably isn¡¯t a single maid who hasn¡¯t figured it out." "Was it that obvious..." "Let us just find the clothes for you." Saying that, Olivia practically buried herself in the closet, and soon emerged holding a thin dress. "Originally, the imperial palace is supposed to keep ordinary clothes that can be worn outside in case of emergencies." "I didn¡¯t know that." "This should work for changing into." The dress Olivia handed to Liv was a light and flowing summer dress, modest but beautiful in a bright apricot color. "But why are you helping me?" When Liv asked this, feeling puzzled since she had expected the maids to stop her but they were even picking out clothes, Olivia and Maria answered as if it was obvious. "You¡¯ve finished all your work... and since you¡¯re going with Grand Duke Lartman, we don¡¯t need to worry about safety. Above all, Your Majesty is beloved by the Supreme God, so what is there to worry about?" "Seeing how excited Your Majesty was, we couldn¡¯t bring ourselves to stop you." "Haha..." Liv laughed awkwardly at their words. The maids stood beside her and began helping her change clothes. After removing all expensive accessories and tying her hair up in a bun before covering it with a headscarf to hide the white hair, Liv looked just like an ordinary street passerby. As Liv was looking in the mirror, feeling satisfied with her perfect disguise, Elena and Anne entered the dressing room. "Oh my, Your Majesty!" When Elena startled, Liv awkwardly stammered an explanation of what was happening. "Um... I said I wanted to go out..." However, there was no need to make excuses. Because Elena shrugged and said: "You¡¯ve been wanting to go outside so much, and it seems Olivia and Maria ended up helping you." "...So you all knew too." "Of course. I was even thinking about deliberately leaving my post empty for you today." "I was wondering if I should lock myself in the bathroom." Everyone burst out laughing at Anne¡¯s direct words, while only Liv, who had been completely figured out, felt a bit embarrassed. "But how will you get outside? Ah, are you going to use a secret passage that only Your Majesty can use?" "No, we shouldn¡¯t use such passages when it¡¯s not an emergency... Emmett said he got palace entry permits in advance. We were planning to slip out pretending to be suppliers visiting the palace..." "Ah, I see. Well since it¡¯s come to this, let us help. We can have a maid escort you to the exit, saying you¡¯re suppliers." "Good thinking, Olivia." Watching Elena say this to Olivia, Liv noticed how the relationships between the maids had improved. It was fortunate for Liv too that they were getting along well now. A little while later, Liv was actually following behind a maid together with Emmett. Emmett was also disguised in commoner¡¯s clothes. But since his face was too noticeable even in ordinary clothes, he had even put on a somewhat unfashionable hat. "Actually, all the maids figured me out." When Liv whispered this, Emmett replied in a sheepish voice. "Same here." "...Guess no one will look for us when we disappear." "Indeed. I wonder how they all figured it out." As they talked, they finally reached the palace exit gate and stepped onto the path leading outside. Since it had been nearly months since she¡¯d gone outside the palace, Liv felt excited after a long time. Her heart felt so light, as if she had become a cloud and could float away. To reach the main street where the festival was being held, they had to walk a bit even after leaving the palace. Since the area around the palace was lined with luxury homes and had strict security accordingly. When they finally arrived at the central festival street... "Wow!" Seeing the colorful scene spread before her eyes, a bright smile spread across Liv¡¯s face. Above their heads hung the empire¡¯s flags and the Gracia imperial family¡¯s flags, and stalls lined both sides selling all kinds of foods Liv had never seen before. Women arm in arm with men each held bouquets, while children holding their parents¡¯ hands clutched snacks in their other hands. The bustling street was full of energy, feeling like a completely different world from the imperial palace. Even the sky was blue and the weather was warm, making it feel like everything was perfectly prepared for the festival. Though she had been to commoner areas before, those were special cases like visiting the slums with Hildegard... This kind of ordinary street actually felt unfamiliar to Liv. As Liv looked around the street in amazement, Emmett also spoke with an interested expression. "This is my first time coming to a street like this too. It¡¯s more fun than I expected." "Yes, there are so many fascinating things..." As Liv was looking around while holding Emmett¡¯s arm, a merchant carrying lots of bouquets approached them. "Sir! Shouldn¡¯t you give your lady a bouquet?" As if it was a festival tradition, all couples were indeed holding bouquets. Before Liv could say it wasn¡¯t necessary, Emmett took out coins from his pocket. Though they were small denomination coins Liv had never seen before, the merchant accepted them and handed over a bouquet. "Have a good day then!" "Wow, how did you even have coins like these?" "...I borrowed them from a servant." "Pfft, that servant must have felt so strange!" Would he ever have imagined he¡¯d end up lending money to the Prime Minister? Finding Emmett¡¯s words amusing, Liv laughed out loud, and Emmett held out the flowers to her with an embarrassed face. "This really reminds me of the old days." "Ah, yes. When you proposed to me." Getting increasingly large bouquets delivered to her house every day was truly thrilling. Actually, back then Liv was excited just by him coming to see her. "My lady, would you accompany me today?" When Emmett asked in a playful tone while holding out the bouquet, Liv couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing again as she accepted it. "Of course." They began walking down the street arm in arm. Looking at the stalls closely, there were various items laid out like handmade accessories, dried flowers, candy, skewers, bread and more. Each stall sold different things, making it fun to look around. A little while later, Liv had candy in her mouth, and they each had thread bracelets on their arms. After becoming Emperor, she had felt burdened about spending money since it all came from tax revenue, but the items at the stalls were inexpensive, and Emmett¡¯s words that she could set aside responsibility just for today put her mind at ease. "Coming out was really worth it. It¡¯s better than I expected." "I feel the same. Though just being with you makes me happy." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A sticky atmosphere flowed between them as their eyes met. Liv¡¯s eyes widened as she spotted familiar faces beyond Emmett¡¯s shoulder. "Huh? O-over there!" "What is it?" As Emmett turned his head saying this, his face also showed surprise as he narrowed his eyes. Though they doubted their eyes for a moment, the faces they saw were really there and didn¡¯t disappear. Though it was a bit confusing at first since they seemed to be in disguise too, now Liv could call their names with certainty. "Hilda, Brother!" Chapter 178 Surprised at seeing completely unexpected faces here, Liv called out loudly, making Walter and Hildegard look flustered upon discovering them. Walter strode over while checking their surroundings. "Y-Your Majesty, why are you here..." "Shh, call me Liv! We¡¯re outside the palace now, so treat me like in the old days." Hildegard, who followed Walter, hurriedly asked. "...Yes, Sister. But why are you here? And the Grand Duke too. You shouldn¡¯t be here!" "Aren¡¯t you and Brother also not supposed to be here?" "...Let¡¯s agree to overlook that part for each other." They looked at each other and laughed awkwardly. After moving to a relatively less crowded entrance of the street, Liv spoke. "So why are you two really here?" The one who answered was Hildegard, with a somewhat mischievous expression. "Oh Sister, don¡¯t even ask." "Hm?" "Brother said he was scared of noble ladies being more forward than usual because of the Foundation Festival, so we escaped outside!" "I see. Of course..." "No, Hilda, what are you saying? I was being considerate of you since you¡¯ve never seen the Foundation Festival..." "But there must be a reason you came here instead of going to the palace where nobles gather." As that part seemed true, Walter fell silent. Liv laughed out loud, finding it amusing how Walter, who used to seem so intimidating before, was now being led around by Hildegard. Then, Walter¡¯s purple eyes fixed on Liv. "So why are you outside, Liv?" "How could Liv enjoy the Foundation Festival if she stayed in the palace? Everyone would be conscious of her. For Liv¡¯s first festival, I suggested we come outside." Emmett answered that way, and Walter made an understanding expression. After all, Emmett¡¯s love for his former sister was enough to make observers tired of seeing it. "So Sister, it seems you¡¯ve been enjoying... enjoying the festival." "The same goes for you, Hilda." Hildegard nodded while looking at the bracelet on Liv¡¯s right hand and the fruit candy in her left. Though Hildegard herself was wearing a necklace with seashells and had a flower crown on her head. Since she looked even more decorated than Liv, Liv stared at Hildegard with an amused expression. "Ahem, anyway, I¡¯ll leave my sister and her husband to their date." When Walter said this to Liv and Emmett, Emmett¡¯s expression showed that was exactly what he had been hoping for. It was a date alone with Liv after a long time - why would he want to spend it with her family? As they were about to split up, Liv remembered something and called Hildegard. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hilda, ah, don¡¯t get too excited, but... there¡¯s something I¡¯m trying to change." "Yes?" "Do you have any thoughts about wanting to date or marry?" Though it was a casually thrown question, Hildegard¡¯s eyes flashed intensely as if flames had ignited in them. She clenched both hands and exclaimed in a voice that seemed to radiate heat. "Yes! Absolutely!" "I-I see it was that much..." "When I was one of the older ones in the slums, right before becoming a Saintess, you don¡¯t know how passionate my romance was, Sister!" "Oh, amazing..." "Haah, I was so frustrated watching you and the Grand Duke¡¯s romance back then! I think it¡¯s finally my time to shine." Of course, since she was a minor at the time, Hildegard¡¯s romance probably wasn¡¯t that passionate. Though her exaggerated way of speaking was close to joking, at least her desire for romance and marriage seemed genuine. Seeing this, Liv nodded knowingly. "Alright, I¡¯ll discuss with the temple about lifting the marriage ban for Saints." "Oh my, thank you so much, Sister!" "It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m happy I can do at least this much for you." While the sisters held hands and smiled warmly at each other, the two men separated them again. "Liv, shall we get going?" "Hilda, the Grand Duke is starting to give me looks again." After agreeing to go separate ways, Liv waved goodbye to them. Though they parted, the joy of unexpectedly meeting dear people in an unexpected place didn¡¯t fade. Looking at the stalls filling the street again, there were still many interesting things. Soon Liv and Emmett noticed people gathering in one place and approached. "What are they doing? Looks like some kind of betting..." "Let¡¯s take a look." Several children were practically hanging onto the front of the stall, and even grown adults were standing behind them with interested expressions, arms linked. There were several face-down cards on the stall, and a child participating in the game excitedly pointed at one card and shouted. "This one!" "Well, let¡¯s check..." When the merchant flipped the card, it was a trump card showing nine of hearts. As it wasn¡¯t the card he wanted, the boy hit his forehead and groaned. "Ugh... I really thought that was it!" "Next, who wants to try finding the joker?" "Seems to be a game of finding the joker. If the merchant shuffles the cards himself, it would be a game where motion vision is important." At Emmett¡¯s words analyzing the game seriously, Liv burst out laughing. "Who plays games while analyzing them like that?" "Hmm... come to think of it Liv, have you played these kinds of games before?" "Well, actually when I had a little time left on rest days, I played card games with the maids. And I always won." Liv¡¯s voice was proud and triumphant as she said this. "Because in these trivial matters, I have incredibly good luck!" "Is that so?" "Well, since the gods are by my side, it¡¯s not strange." Liv looked into empty space with distant eyes. Though the gods¡¯ voices that had stopped being heard helped her live life more lightly, she couldn¡¯t help feeling empty and regretful when thinking about how they no longer spoke with her. Still, she was enduring it to live by her own strength. "Would you like to participate in the game?" "If I participate, that would be cheating... Ah, how about you try instead?" "M-me?" Though Emmett rarely showed signs of being flustered, Liv pushed him forward to the stall. Soon, he was burning his eyes without blinking while watching the merchant quickly shuffle several cards. It seemed his competitive spirit was rising now that he was actually participating. "So where is the joker?" At the merchant¡¯s urging words, Emmett pointed to one card without a moment¡¯s hesitation. When it was flipped, it really was the joker. "Oh my..." Though the merchant looked disappointed, he gracefully accepted the result and returned five times the bet money. But since seeing Emmett¡¯s case made others confidently try to join the game, it was actually profitable for him. As Emmett suddenly gained a lot of coins and rolled them in his hand, he whispered. "Now I can pay back the servant." "How are you lucky like me too?" "Not particularly. However..." Emmett pointed to his eyes for emphasis. "As I mentioned earlier, this game is about motion vision." "Goodness, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually do it." As they looked around the street chatting about various things, evening was already falling. On the last night of the Foundation Festival, there would be fireworks. Emmett said he knew of a hill and headed there with Liv. "I remember hearing about it from Dante when I was in Merna before." Though Emmett¡¯s eyes sharpened at the mention of another man, Liv didn¡¯t notice and continued. "He said when he saw fireworks, it was just like divine blessing." "I see. Meaning they¡¯re that beautiful and magnificent. However..." Emmett playfully kissed Liv¡¯s ear. "I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re talking about that fellow in front of me." "Ah! I won¡¯t!" "Good. Ah, look over there. Seems we¡¯ve arrived." Though climbing the quite steep hill should have been tiring, Liv, who had built up stamina from enduring long rides on horseback, was able to climb relatively easily. Many people were already gathered on top of the hill. They were people who had already flocked there after hearing rumors that the hill was a good spot to watch fireworks. "Shall we sit?" "Sure." Though some would be shocked to see the Emperor sitting on grass, there were no watching eyes, so Liv promptly sat down on the grass. Emmett was a bit surprised as he was about to lay down a handkerchief, but smiled helplessly and sat beside Liv. Though the fireworks hadn¡¯t started yet, the starry night sky was quite beautiful. As if they were part of the festival, the stars seemed to twinkle especially brightly today. "Lately I¡¯ve been thinking I¡¯m unbearably happy." "Me too." They talked while each looking at the night sky, but could guess what expressions the other was making. "Ah, look at that." Liv pointed out an especially bright star she spotted in the night sky. "That¡¯s the Sunflower Star. There¡¯s a legend about it too. Would you like to hear it?" Since Liv looked excited saying this, Emmett nodded and listened with an interested expression to the legend of the Sunflower Star that he hadn¡¯t been curious about at all. Just as her story was getting long, someone among the people sitting nearby shouted. "It¡¯s starting!" Chapter 179 When everyone turned their heads to the night sky, the first thing they heard was a loud sound like something bursting. Emmett reflexively recalled the sounds from when Liv died and this world collapsed, but what appeared before his eyes was beautiful fireworks filling the night sky. "Wow!" Cheers erupted from all around. Liv¡¯s hand, which was holding Emmett¡¯s, tightened. After a large red firework announced the start of the festival, yellow and white fireworks rose simultaneously. Seeing this, Emmett whispered to Liv with a gentle smile. "Liv, those are the symbols of House Gracia." Only after saying this and looking at Liv¡¯s profile did Emmett smile again, seeing her dreamy expression. What was clearly contained in her face was happiness. "Goodness, I feel a bit cheated..." Liv muttered in a dazed voice. "That I couldn¡¯t see such a beautiful sight until now..." "It¡¯s meaningful that it resumes with your ascension." "If I¡¯d known it would be like this, I should have become Emperor sooner!" To be joking like that, Liv seemed genuinely impressed by the fireworks. Following the gold and white fireworks symbolizing the imperial family, green, red, and yellow fireworks burst representing the country¡¯s flag. Then white and blue fireworks symbolizing the temple burst. "Doesn¡¯t that remind you of someone?" When white and pink fireworks burst, Emmett whispered this in Liv¡¯s ear. At those words, Liv practically pulled Emmett¡¯s arm as she embraced him deeply. Thinking about how much attention he must have paid to these fireworks, she couldn¡¯t help but embrace him. "You¡¯ve worked so hard until now. Good job. It was worth the effort." "If you¡¯re happy, I¡¯m willing to work even more." "No, then you won¡¯t have time to be with me." Since many couples had already settled on the hill, their whispers of love looked completely natural. Even if they occasionally exchanged kisses, no one would pay attention to them. Among them, they were no different from any other couple, not Emperor and Prime Minister. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The time Liv had gone through to reach this place flashed through her mind. The night when Laga lost her life in Liv¡¯s place and House Hamelsvoort was framed for treason, when she fled on horseback with Emmett. Usually she would have complained about keeping balance on the bumpy horse, but that night she couldn¡¯t clearly feel any sensation and only tears fell helplessly as sadness and pain consumed her. The days in the Merna Empire when her body was comfortable but she was always lonely, separated from Emmett, and that feeling of despair when she was alone in the Kingdom of Ashur. But now Liv was the rightful owner of the Holy Hilysid Empire, and nothing could obstruct her path forward. This is how she would live from now on. Grumbling about too much work in the palace, sneaking out with Emmett, hearing social news from Hildegard. Some days suddenly tensing up when enemy countries show signs of invasion, having meetings with ministers worrying about the people during droughts. Crises would come, but Liv knew there would always be breakthroughs too. Just as she had always found her way until now. When the final multicolored fireworks burst, Liv and Emmett¡¯s eyes met under the night sky. Seeing so clearly the happiness dwelling in each other¡¯s eyes, they wore matching smiles. Soon, their lips drew closer. * * * The loud sound of bursting fireworks echoed all the way to the imperial palace. Bang, bang! Liv¡¯s maids were collectively watching the fireworks with their heads out on the terrace. Since there were no taller buildings near the palace, it was the best place to watch fireworks. Though officials had been looking for Liv until just before, they too had fallen quiet after the fireworks began, perhaps captivated by the night sky. "Oh Her Majesty, this would have been the best view here." When Maria said this, thinking of the Emperor who secretly went to the streets with Grand Duke Lartman, Olivia answered with amusement in her voice. "Well, but wouldn¡¯t she have wanted to have a secret date outside? Knowing what kind of people Her Majesty and the Grand Duke are." "That¡¯s true. They¡¯re so obviously sweet on each other." Elena picked up on Olivia¡¯s words. Before, when Liv and the Grand Duke seemed to be fighting and showed a cold atmosphere, Elena felt like she was walking on thin ice. Though they clearly seemed unhappy, Liv didn¡¯t express it at all, which made it worse. Then one day they were seen walking down the palace corridor both looking happy, and they were so cheerful that all the servants noticed they had reconciled. That¡¯s how much they couldn¡¯t hide their feelings, and everyone knew how much they loved each other. "They must be having fun outside now." "Since this is my first time participating in such a grand Foundation Festival too, it must be the same for Her Majesty." "Well, we¡¯re all from a difficult generation, so it can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s nice that we can enjoy such a wonderful Foundation Festival now at least." Their conversation, now between close friends, continued naturally. Since they were talking about the love story of the Emperor and Grand Duke Lartman, their topic of conversation had naturally drifted to romance. "By the way, Miss Olivia, are you seeing any young men lately?" "Oh my, I need to keep working as Her Majesty¡¯s maid..." "How would that stop you? Rather, since Miss Olivia is Her Majesty¡¯s maid and has the best family background among us, shouldn¡¯t you be quite popular?" "W-well Miss Elena seems to have many interested parties too! You¡¯re the Head Maid after all!" "Hmm, I¡¯m not sure. Though it seems I might receive a proposal soon..." At those words, the terrace instantly became noisy. The maids casually discussing romance looked exactly their age. "Miss Anne, don¡¯t you have anyone you¡¯re interested in?" "I¡¯m not sure. Since my younger brother will inherit the family anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t marry." "True, these days it¡¯s fine to live alone." "Hehe, but the young men in the capital do seem quite handsome. Well, the other day, someone picked up my handkerchief..." After chatting for a while amid the bursting fireworks, Elena spoke as if remembering something. "Oh right, since they went outside, they must have seen that too?" "Seen what?" "You know, that thing. If I were Grand Duke Lartman, I would have wanted to show that to Her Majesty." "Ah, that! You¡¯re right. Maybe that¡¯s why they went out." * * * By the time their touching lips parted, the fireworks had ended. Some people got up regretfully, while others remained to enjoy the afterglow of the fireworks. Liv and Emmett were the latter. Coming up to the high hill, they could see the entire view of the capital. Except for the imperial palace, of course... The Devil¡¯s Forest that Liv had passed through, the slums undergoing renovation work since her ascension, the Hamelsvoort mansion. Seeing places that held great meaning for them so clearly visible, Liv gazed down the hill with a dazed expression. "Sometimes it feels strange that all this is my country." "Does it?" "Yes, I never thought I¡¯d come out into the world and have so much." While Liv was muttering this, Emmett watched her with a gentle smile, then checked his pocket watch and held out his hand to her. "Come, let¡¯s get up. There¡¯s somewhere we need to go." "The palace?" "No, the festival isn¡¯t over yet." Since Liv knew the fireworks were supposed to be the last event of the festival, she got up with a puzzled expression taking Emmett¡¯s hand. Her dress was stained with grass, but paying no mind to that, she just brushed off her clothes. "Where are we going?" "Just below this hill." They carefully descended the hill. Though going up hadn¡¯t been too difficult, going down was actually harder due to the steep path. And when they finally reached the bottom of the hill, what caught Liv¡¯s eye was a group of people gathered in one place. "The festival really isn¡¯t over yet? There are lots of people." "Yes, the last part of the festival remains." In the middle of where people were gathered were two hot air balloons. Liv¡¯s eyes widened at seeing such things for the first time in her life. "My goodness, so that¡¯s... what was it called?" "Hot air balloons." "Ah, I¡¯ve heard of them! I never thought I¡¯d see them like this. So there was this event too?" Though not large enough for people to ride in, the hot air balloons painted in brilliant multicolors seemed like they would be visible even from far away. However, not knowing what purpose these balloons served, Liv tilted her head. "What do they do with these hot air balloons?" "They¡¯ll rise to the sky. Carrying everyone¡¯s wishes." Emmett answered while looking down at Liv with loving eyes. Chapter 180 "People write their wishes on paper and attach them to these hot air balloons. Then they send the balloons up to the sky. It symbolizes hoping our wishes reach the Supreme God." "Ah, what a meaningful event." "Even for those who cannot write, the officials here help them, so there¡¯s no problem." Indeed, people seemed to be gathering in one place to ask officials to write for them. Each held a piece of colored paper in their hands. "Liv, do you have a wish you¡¯d like to make?" As Emmett, who had already gotten paper and a quill, asked this, Liv thought for a moment before answering. "I used to have so many wishes..." To be able to leave Abgrund, to see what green looks like, for Emmett to remember her, to be able to be with him, for people not to hate her, to live like a normal human, to defeat August... There was a time when Liv made wishes every day. But now Liv had only one wish remaining. She took the quill from Emmett and began writing her wish on the paper. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. May I be as happy as today A smile settled on Liv¡¯s face as she looked down at the wish she wrote. She wondered if wishing for this much happiness was greedy, but then thought it might be okay to be a bit greedy while making a wish. Emmett¡¯s neck turned somewhat red after reading Liv¡¯s wish. "Were you that happy today?" "Yes, of course." "Then I¡¯m glad. That makes me truly happy..." Liv quickly reached for the paper in Emmett¡¯s hand to read it. She was curious what wish he had made. But what met her eyes was... May Liv be as happy as her happiest day, every day. "Haha!" Tears welled up in Liv¡¯s eyes as she laughed out loud. Oh my, it feels like she¡¯s had many occasions to cry lately. "We ended up making the same wish." "Is that so?" "Yes, because I think today is my happiest." It seemed like Liv had been encountering greater happiness every day since reclaiming her place. Holding a paper in each hand, Liv continued with a smile. "And this wish contains your happiness too." "Why is that?" "Because for me to be happy, you need to be happy too. In the end, we¡¯re both wishing for both our happiness." Those words brought another tender atmosphere. Emmett took the papers from Liv¡¯s hands and went to give them to the officials. Soon, they could see their written papers being attached to the hot air balloon on the right. Liv felt excited just like when she first received flowers from Emmett, when they first went on a picnic, when she first saw him in Abgrund. "But what¡¯s that hot air balloon on the left?" Both hot air balloons were colorful, but looking closely, their main colors were different. The balloon on the right, where they attached their wish papers, had red, green, and yellow as its main colors. Colors reminiscent of the Holy Hilysid Empire¡¯s flag. In contrast, the balloon on the left had white and gold as its main colors. "Liv, does white and gold remind you of anything?" "Oh, the imperial family..." Though once the imperial family meant Steinberg, white and gold were the symbolic colors of the Gracia family. Seeing these two colors, everyone thought of Gracia. "Shall we go see what¡¯s written there?" Emmett put his arm around Liv and began moving forward through the crowd. Though it wasn¡¯t easy breaking through the bustling crowd, Emmett kept his arm firm to prevent Liv from bumping into people. Soon, they arrived in front of the balloon on the left. They were close enough to see the writing on the papers attached there. "Would you like to read?" "Yes." As Liv slowly read the writing, her eyes soon turned red. Moisture welled up in her eyes, and finally began rolling down her cheeks. "Ah..." -Wishing for the health of our new Emperor. -May this become a country where everyone can live well. -Since one beloved by the Supreme God has become Emperor, I believe blessings will dwell in this country. -Now that darkness has passed and morning has dawned, everyone will be happy. -Making a wish with trust in our new Emperor. -For Emperor! -Dreaming of a country where everyone can live well. What was written there were people¡¯s wishes for this country and the new Emperor. It touched her so deeply that Liv felt her heart stop for a moment. "My goodness..." Of course, since officials were writing the letters, they couldn¡¯t write anything negative. But if people truly disliked Liv, they wouldn¡¯t have bothered attaching wish papers to this balloon. Yet the balloon was completely filled with people¡¯s wishes. People¡¯s hearts for this country, their hearts for Liv, filled the balloon completely. The gentle light shining beneath the balloon illuminated the wish papers. As if the wishes themselves were glowing, as though they would naturally come true. Seeing this, Liv stood there for a long while, unable to speak as her throat choked up. After barely holding back tears threatening to burst forth, she finally asked Emmett in a trembling voice. "Did you know?" "I prepared it, but I didn¡¯t know the response would be this good. Liv, you are loved by the people because you love them too." At those words, Liv had no choice but to embrace Emmett tightly once again. She felt like she might burst from being so full of love. Each time people¡¯s hearts were conveyed through the wish papers, the love filling Liv grew even larger in volume. "Now, we¡¯ll release them!" The officials cut the ropes holding the hot air balloons, and the two balloons slowly began flying toward the night sky. As the colorful balloons rose as if cutting through the night sky, people below cheered and applauded. Children began spinning in circles holding hands as if playing a game, while adults closed their eyes and made their wishes with clasped hands. Soon the balloons became tiny dots and disappeared into the high sky. "You know, sometimes I can¡¯t bear the love inside me. It was like that before too, when I loved you alone. Even though I should have stayed quiet if you didn¡¯t know me, my body was so full of love that I couldn¡¯t bear it without letting it out." Though Liv¡¯s sudden confession continued, Emmett didn¡¯t interrupt and quietly waited for her to speak. "It¡¯s the same now. I¡¯m so full of love, I can¡¯t bear it..." "Now you will be loved by people, and can give as much love as you want. You don¡¯t need to hold back." The love filling Liv wasn¡¯t just love for Emmett. Though she was tearfully grateful to Emmett for preparing such an event for her, right now Liv... "I love everyone so much." Soon the most sincere confession ever flowed from Liv¡¯s lips. She had certainly been hurt by humans many times. When she became the lowest being in social circles and was ignored by everyone, when she was coldly rejected by Emmett, when Walter looked at her like a monster, when Greta who came as a maid tried to use her... But despite all that, Liv ultimately loved humans. "Now I know. The reason I came to this place was because I loved humans." If Liv had closed her heart after being hurt by humans, she wouldn¡¯t have become Emperor. Whether Laga died, or the Hamelsvoort couple died, she would have lived thinking it had nothing to do with her. Even if August harmed those around her. But in the end, Liv came to this place because she loved everyone. "No matter what happens from now on, I¡¯ll continue to love humans. I don¡¯t care if they hurt me again. Because I know what great power this love I hold has." When Liv finished speaking, Emmett squeezed their clasped hands. "Don¡¯t worry, Liv, in the end, everyone will come to love you too." The girl who was born in the lowest place and received the love of gods... Finally came to the highest place and came to love humans. At the place she reached through love, Liv Gracia kissed her love. ( THE END )