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Duke Havel's townhouse, guest room.
A large bed carved from luxurious marble and furniture delicately crafted from gold. Paintings and sculptures placed in just the right spots.
The guest room where Riel was staying was meant to treat distinguished guests.
After her bath, Riel received treatment from Duke Havel's exclusive healers.
She was treated with the utmost care, as if she were a young lady of the Ducal family.
While she lay in bed receiving treatment, Duke Havel sat at the table, sipping tea with an air of dignity.
A whip decorated with golden tassels lay neatly on the table.
"Erase the marks on her body as quickly as possible."
Duke Havel gave a short command.
"Yes, Your Grace."
The tense healers bowed in unison.
About an hour passed. The healers quietly left the room without making a sound.
Riel approached the table and stood demurely before Duke Havel.
Duke Havel opened his mouth in a detached voice.
"In a fortnight, it will be the memorial day for the deceased Crown Prince. His Majesty the Emperor will visit the memorial stone in the Imperial Garden."
"Are you saying?"
"You are to become a pitiful woman who has come to atone for the sins of your family, and encounter His Majesty the Emperor."
Riel, who immediately grasped Duke Havel's meaning, asked a question.
"You mean approach him as a woman with the opposite charm of Mrs. Alisa?"
Highlighting the sorrowful beauty of an unfortunate woman.
Duke Havel seemed pleased with her quick understanding and stared at her for a moment. Soon, he continued in a monotone voice.
"Everything in the world is thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. Especially the heart of a man who yearns for a woman."
"..."
"It seems Alisa's usefulness has come to an end."
Duke Havel sat upright, perfectly composed, and drank his tea.
Riel watched Duke Havel and thought.
'Duke Havel doesn't treat Alisa like a person. I'll be discarded once my usefulness is over too.'
"There is one thing that concerns me."
This time, Duke Havel recognized the intent behind Riel's words first.
"Is it that you were Count Dietrian's mistress?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"I will take care of that. And also..."
Clack.
Duke Havel put down his teacup and stared directly into Riel's eyes.
"I am asking if there is anything else I need to take care of."
She said with an impassive face.
"I killed someone."
"..."
"A man who kept pestering me because I wouldn't accept his feelings."
What Duke Havel wanted was a piece on the chessboard.
She had to get rid of it. Because he would never tolerate a variable in his pieces.
Riel and Duke Havel's eyes met for a moment.
"That's good."
Duke Havel drank his tea again as if it were nothing.
'Could it be?'
Riel had an idea, but she asked cautiously to be sure.
"What is?"
Duke Havel stared straight at her as if to remind her, and put strength into his voice.
"If things do not go as we wish..."
"..."
"Kill the Empress. Just like that man who pestered you."
✦ ✦ ✦
Around that time, inside the Ervin Sector 3 workshop.
Charles's call had gathered all the artisans and villagers.
Iana watched from the back with the mages and blacksmiths from the Ducal Palace.
Charles stepped forward and spoke to the people.
"From now on, we will not be making jewels."
His words caused a stir among the territory residents.
"Has trade been cut off because of the mutant Krikan?"
"We started trading with such difficulty. What is going on?"
Charles said firmly.
"Instead, we will be making weapons from now on. In preparation for war."
"War?"
Voices filled with anxiety erupted from here and there.
If he could, Charles would have evacuated the territory residents out of Ervin.
With the lord's permission, the territory residents could enter and leave the Ervin territory.
However, the period they could stay outside Ervin was limited, and if they violated it, the Imperial law of territory desertion would be applied, and they would be executed.
In the end, unless they could evacuate outside the territory, they had to fight back.
"We must create new weapons to fight against the mutant Krikan. With the help of the mages."
"..."
"And the work of making weapons here will be kept strictly secret."
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana moved to the ramparts for defense.
She recalled the conversation she had with Charles at the Ducal Palace yesterday.
"Are you saying we should steal Lyman the mage's letter and send false information about the situation in Ervin?"
"That way, we won't be suspected of making weapons."
If the situation in Ervin was conveyed through Riel, Carrion would surely report it to the Emperor.
With the Emperor already wary of Charles, making weapons would cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
She climbed onto the ramparts and looked at the sky.
The clear and sunny sky was peaceful.
'I hope my prophecy is wrong and the events of my past life don't happen...
As Iana looked at the sky and earnestly wished, Charles's voice was heard from behind, having followed her at some point.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?"
"I'm thinking about Your Highness."
Charles chuckled at Iana's confident words.
"Aren't you ashamed to say such things now?"
"I'm thinking about why Your Highness keeps following me."
Iana smiled playfully.
Charles leaned against the rampart railing and asked.
"Are you curious as to why I'm following you? Shall I tell you?"
"Well..."
Iana's face turned red even though he hadn't said anything. It was because she naturally assumed that he would say it was because he liked her.
Charles looked at the sky and said casually.
"Because I'm scared."
"Yes?"
At the unexpected words, Iana's heart seemed to drop.
He looked at her with fearful eyes and revealed his honest feelings.
"I am afraid of war."
"......!"
"The sound of voices not yet faded suddenly becoming a cold corpse, the suffocating tension, the disgusting smell of blood."
"......"
"But the scariest thing of all is being caught by people that I'm scared."
It was a vulnerable side of Charles that she had never seen before.
She felt sorry for him, unable to even express his emotions due to his sense of responsibility as the lord of Ervin and the commander of The First Order of Knights.
Iana's gaze fell on his bandaged arm.
"But now you've been caught by me."
"I'm not afraid of war when I'm with Iana. Aren't you a capable mage who is responsible for me?"
Charles spoke lightly, but his eyes were dark.
Iana raised her right hand to her chest as if performing a knighting ceremony and said with determination.
"Mage Iana Lewis, I will risk my life to protect Your Highness! At any moment..."
She conveyed her sincerity disguised as a joke.
She was grateful to Charles.
For revealing his honest feelings and now regarding her not as someone to protect, but as someone to share his fears with.
He looked at her with a momentarily moved expression, then chuckled and said.
"It's the left hand."
"Yes?"
Iana looked at him blankly, not knowing what he meant.
"Don't knights swear with their right hand and mages with their left?"
"Ah!"
At Charles's correction, Iana quickly raised her left hand.
Charles looked around for a moment at the sight, then whispered softly.
"If it's not impolite, may I pinch your cheek once?"
"Yes?"
Iana looked at him with eyes that seemed to ask why he was asking such a thing.
"Because you're cute."
"No way!"
She shook her head and grimaced.
It was then.
"Messenger!"
A sentry shouted from the watchtower.
Iana and Charles's gazes simultaneously turned to the bottom of the ramparts.
A messenger with a blue flag planted in the distance came running.
A moment later, the messenger climbed onto the ramparts, bowed respectfully, and handed over a letter.
"Your Highness, please accept this."
The messenger did not say who had sent him. But Charles already seemed to know who had sent him.
'It seems Her Majesty the Empress sent it.'
Iana could also guess.
Charles's face darkened as he read the letter.
"An arrest warrant has been issued from the Imperial Palace. For both of us."
"It's what I expected, but what should we do? If both Your Highness and I are away."
"But Count Dietrian is coming to arrest us."
"Carrion, I mean Count Dietrian, again?"
Iana asked with an annoyed expression without realizing it.
"The problem is that the letter was sent late due to the surrounding surveillance... The Imperial Army will arrive tomorrow."
"Ha..."
She sighed at the thought of seeing Carrion again.
Charles pondered for a moment, then said as if he had made up his mind.
"Let's hold the mage appointment ceremony tomorrow."
"Even if I'm appointed as a mage within the territory, I can't refuse the arrest warrant."
Charles said firmly.
"Archmages are a little different. If monsters appear, there is a justification for having to save the territory residents."
"Yes? Archmage?"
Iana tilted her head, not knowing what he meant.
"I will appoint you not as a high-ranking mage, but..."
"..."
"As the Archmage of Ervin."
A large bed carved from luxurious marble and furniture delicately crafted from gold. Paintings and sculptures placed in just the right spots.
The guest room where Riel was staying was meant to treat distinguished guests.
After her bath, Riel received treatment from Duke Havel's exclusive healers.
She was treated with the utmost care, as if she were a young lady of the Ducal family.
While she lay in bed receiving treatment, Duke Havel sat at the table, sipping tea with an air of dignity.
A whip decorated with golden tassels lay neatly on the table.
"Erase the marks on her body as quickly as possible."
Duke Havel gave a short command.
"Yes, Your Grace."
The tense healers bowed in unison.
About an hour passed. The healers quietly left the room without making a sound.
Riel approached the table and stood demurely before Duke Havel.
Duke Havel opened his mouth in a detached voice.
"In a fortnight, it will be the memorial day for the deceased Crown Prince. His Majesty the Emperor will visit the memorial stone in the Imperial Garden."
"Are you saying?"
"You are to become a pitiful woman who has come to atone for the sins of your family, and encounter His Majesty the Emperor."
Riel, who immediately grasped Duke Havel's meaning, asked a question.
"You mean approach him as a woman with the opposite charm of Mrs. Alisa?"
Highlighting the sorrowful beauty of an unfortunate woman.
Duke Havel seemed pleased with her quick understanding and stared at her for a moment. Soon, he continued in a monotone voice.
"Everything in the world is thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. Especially the heart of a man who yearns for a woman."
"..."
"It seems Alisa's usefulness has come to an end."
Duke Havel sat upright, perfectly composed, and drank his tea.
Riel watched Duke Havel and thought.
'Duke Havel doesn't treat Alisa like a person. I'll be discarded once my usefulness is over too.'
"There is one thing that concerns me."
This time, Duke Havel recognized the intent behind Riel's words first.
"Is it that you were Count Dietrian's mistress?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"I will take care of that. And also..."
Clack.
Duke Havel put down his teacup and stared directly into Riel's eyes.
"I am asking if there is anything else I need to take care of."
She said with an impassive face.
"I killed someone."
"..."
"A man who kept pestering me because I wouldn't accept his feelings."
What Duke Havel wanted was a piece on the chessboard.
She had to get rid of it. Because he would never tolerate a variable in his pieces.
Riel and Duke Havel's eyes met for a moment.
"That's good."
Duke Havel drank his tea again as if it were nothing.
'Could it be?'
Riel had an idea, but she asked cautiously to be sure.
"What is?"
Duke Havel stared straight at her as if to remind her, and put strength into his voice.
"If things do not go as we wish..."
"..."
"Kill the Empress. Just like that man who pestered you."
✦ ✦ ✦
Around that time, inside the Ervin Sector 3 workshop.
Charles's call had gathered all the artisans and villagers.
Iana watched from the back with the mages and blacksmiths from the Ducal Palace.
Charles stepped forward and spoke to the people.
"From now on, we will not be making jewels."
His words caused a stir among the territory residents.
"Has trade been cut off because of the mutant Krikan?"
"We started trading with such difficulty. What is going on?"
Charles said firmly.
"Instead, we will be making weapons from now on. In preparation for war."
"War?"
Voices filled with anxiety erupted from here and there.
If he could, Charles would have evacuated the territory residents out of Ervin.
With the lord's permission, the territory residents could enter and leave the Ervin territory.
However, the period they could stay outside Ervin was limited, and if they violated it, the Imperial law of territory desertion would be applied, and they would be executed.
In the end, unless they could evacuate outside the territory, they had to fight back.
"We must create new weapons to fight against the mutant Krikan. With the help of the mages."
"..."
"And the work of making weapons here will be kept strictly secret."
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana moved to the ramparts for defense.
She recalled the conversation she had with Charles at the Ducal Palace yesterday.
"Are you saying we should steal Lyman the mage's letter and send false information about the situation in Ervin?"
"That way, we won't be suspected of making weapons."
If the situation in Ervin was conveyed through Riel, Carrion would surely report it to the Emperor.
With the Emperor already wary of Charles, making weapons would cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
She climbed onto the ramparts and looked at the sky.
The clear and sunny sky was peaceful.
'I hope my prophecy is wrong and the events of my past life don't happen...
As Iana looked at the sky and earnestly wished, Charles's voice was heard from behind, having followed her at some point.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?"
"I'm thinking about Your Highness."
Charles chuckled at Iana's confident words.
"Aren't you ashamed to say such things now?"
"I'm thinking about why Your Highness keeps following me."
Iana smiled playfully.
Charles leaned against the rampart railing and asked.
"Are you curious as to why I'm following you? Shall I tell you?"
"Well..."
Iana's face turned red even though he hadn't said anything. It was because she naturally assumed that he would say it was because he liked her.
Charles looked at the sky and said casually.
"Because I'm scared."
"Yes?"
At the unexpected words, Iana's heart seemed to drop.
He looked at her with fearful eyes and revealed his honest feelings.
"I am afraid of war."
"......!"
"The sound of voices not yet faded suddenly becoming a cold corpse, the suffocating tension, the disgusting smell of blood."
"......"
"But the scariest thing of all is being caught by people that I'm scared."
It was a vulnerable side of Charles that she had never seen before.
She felt sorry for him, unable to even express his emotions due to his sense of responsibility as the lord of Ervin and the commander of The First Order of Knights.
Iana's gaze fell on his bandaged arm.
"But now you've been caught by me."
"I'm not afraid of war when I'm with Iana. Aren't you a capable mage who is responsible for me?"
Charles spoke lightly, but his eyes were dark.
Iana raised her right hand to her chest as if performing a knighting ceremony and said with determination.
"Mage Iana Lewis, I will risk my life to protect Your Highness! At any moment..."
She conveyed her sincerity disguised as a joke.
She was grateful to Charles.
For revealing his honest feelings and now regarding her not as someone to protect, but as someone to share his fears with.
He looked at her with a momentarily moved expression, then chuckled and said.
"It's the left hand."
"Yes?"
Iana looked at him blankly, not knowing what he meant.
"Don't knights swear with their right hand and mages with their left?"
"Ah!"
At Charles's correction, Iana quickly raised her left hand.
Charles looked around for a moment at the sight, then whispered softly.
"If it's not impolite, may I pinch your cheek once?"
"Yes?"
Iana looked at him with eyes that seemed to ask why he was asking such a thing.
"Because you're cute."
"No way!"
She shook her head and grimaced.
It was then.
"Messenger!"
A sentry shouted from the watchtower.
Iana and Charles's gazes simultaneously turned to the bottom of the ramparts.
A messenger with a blue flag planted in the distance came running.
A moment later, the messenger climbed onto the ramparts, bowed respectfully, and handed over a letter.
"Your Highness, please accept this."
The messenger did not say who had sent him. But Charles already seemed to know who had sent him.
'It seems Her Majesty the Empress sent it.'
Iana could also guess.
Charles's face darkened as he read the letter.
"An arrest warrant has been issued from the Imperial Palace. For both of us."
"It's what I expected, but what should we do? If both Your Highness and I are away."
"But Count Dietrian is coming to arrest us."
"Carrion, I mean Count Dietrian, again?"
Iana asked with an annoyed expression without realizing it.
"The problem is that the letter was sent late due to the surrounding surveillance... The Imperial Army will arrive tomorrow."
"Ha..."
She sighed at the thought of seeing Carrion again.
Charles pondered for a moment, then said as if he had made up his mind.
"Let's hold the mage appointment ceremony tomorrow."
"Even if I'm appointed as a mage within the territory, I can't refuse the arrest warrant."
Charles said firmly.
"Archmages are a little different. If monsters appear, there is a justification for having to save the territory residents."
"Yes? Archmage?"
Iana tilted her head, not knowing what he meant.
"I will appoint you not as a high-ranking mage, but..."
"..."
"As the Archmage of Ervin."
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