Chapter 133
“I think I know why.”
“You do, Miss?”
Angelina combined all the original content she could remember.
“The Empress must have wanted to become a Saint herself.”
The Empress who coveted Catherine’s abilities. She occasionally showed behavior that made one wonder if she wanted to become the High Priest.
Helping the Order’s Saint creation experiment behind the scenes, but with an attitude that suggested she wasn’t truly cooperating with the Order.
“She might have planned to brand the artificially created Saint as a heretical witch, then ‘eliminate’ her and debut as a Saint herself.”
In the original story, there was an episode where the Empress joined hands with the Order to try to disgrace the Duke’s family by claiming they had corrupted the Saint, after Catherine began to be revered as a Saint under the male protagonist’s protection.
Angelina had thought it was simply an episode to corner them both, but looking at it now, it seemed to have greater significance.
“It’s a strange idea… but it makes sense.”
Ante agreed with her words.
“That woman would certainly have such bizarre thoughts, and more.”
“But if that was her plan, couldn’t she have just made the Order her puppet from the beginning and conducted research on Saints? This feels unnecessarily complicated.”
Unlike Ante, Blake couldn’t understand the Empress’s actions. It felt like she was making things difficult for herself.
“For that woman, her dignity and grace are more precious than her life. She minimized her connection to the Order as much as possible so that if something went wrong and everything was exposed, she could cut ties.”
“It took us quite a while to discover that the Empress was behind it all. If it weren’t for the incident in Kuns Village, we wouldn’t have found any connection at all.”
Angelina added her opinion to Ante’s explanation.
With their explanation, Blake nodded as if he understood a little better.
“It seems important to set a proper trap so she can’t cut ties.”
“I think… His Highness the Crown Prince might be able to help.”
When Aiden was mentioned, both Ante and Blake’s expressions soured.
“Is that necessary?”
“Involving the Crown Prince could be more dangerous.”
Both opposed.
Their feelings toward Aiden weren’t good to begin with, and now that they knew from the memories that ‘Rose’ had been deceived by the witch and put the Sun in danger, they couldn’t help but feel antipathy.
“But we can’t completely leave him out. Just as both the Duke and my brother saw the memories in that flower garden, His Highness must have seen them too.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“However, we should confirm whether it was the Crown Prince or His Majesty the Emperor who saw them.”
Blake pointed out.
Zeplictus was already harbored by Ante, and Blake was the only one in the Kadenhart Duchy.
But in Grandonia, there were both the Emperor and the Crown Prince, and if one had to choose, it made more sense to think that the Emperor, currently sitting on the throne, was more deeply connected.
“It could be both of them.”
“We do need to check.”
Ante agreed with Blake’s words.
“Given how things have turned out, it was good that I went to see His Highness in advance that day.”
At the time, she had gone impulsively with the desperate thought of ‘Since things have come to this, let’s make him an ally!’, but now Angelina praised her own initiative.
However, the two men’s expressions suggested they didn’t agree.
“Still, not the Crown Prince.”
“The boat ride wasn’t necessary…”
They spoke simultaneously, their words overlapping.
While feeling a sense of camaraderie that they were thinking the same thing, they eyed each other warily and cleared their throats unnecessarily. Then Angelina spoke again.
“If His Highness cooperates, I have an idea that might work. Would you two like to hear it?”
Once her thoughts were organized, her bundle of ideas opened wide.
***
The four people’s conversation continued for a long time.
All questions and opinions continued until night, and only after everything was laid out could they rise from their seats with relieved faces.
“It’s late, should we stay here for the night?”
Ante gladly agreed to Angelina’s suggestion, and Blake stayed as well.
The second gateway village, which Blake and Angelina had visited last time, became busy with the sudden guests.
“I wondered why there were so few people last time… Did you clear them all out, brother?”
“Those guys have no tact and can’t act, so I thought Lina might find out.”
Seeing the village more lively than she remembered, Angelina let out a small laugh.
“Did you know, Duke?”
“I didn’t know the Tower Master’s identity, but I had my suspicions.”
The way they treated him versus how they treated Angelina was quite different, so it would have been strange not to notice.
“I was the only one who didn’t know…”
Feeling that she was the only one who hadn’t noticed at all, Angelina felt embarrassed.
“I have a lot to organize at the Magic Tower, so I’ll head back. I also have things to discuss with the fake Saint.”
“How long are you going to keep calling Catherine ‘fake Saint’?”
“Her name just doesn’t feel right on my tongue.”
“If Catherine feels awkward, you could practice saying Sorovien. Didn’t you complete registering her in the family records?”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Catherine was now Catherine Sorovien.
Although it was a name bought with money, no one would find it strange if she appeared in society using that name.
“I’ll come back tomorrow morning, so let’s go home together.”
“Okay.”
Angelina smiled brightly at Ante, who had returned to his normal self as if he had never been angry.
“Here.”
And before leaving, he handed something to her.
“Medicine.”
“Medicine? Did you figure out what my illness is?”
“Not exactly…”
He had his suspicions, but since he wasn’t certain, he refrained from speaking.
“It’s not a cure, but it should help ease your headaches a bit.”
“Ah…”
Angelina received the pouch of medicine with a slightly disappointed expression.
He left a small kiss on her forehead before disappearing.
“And I’m confiscating this.”
He also took back the magic he had left there.
“He’s always doing as he pleases. Who gives something and then takes it back?”
Angelina stroked her forehead and muttered in a petulant voice.
But she wasn’t upset.
“Shall we go in?”
After confirming that Ante had disappeared, she was about to move to the inn with Blake.
However, Blake stood still like a statue.
“Duke?”
When she asked with a questioning look, he began to speak with a rather complicated expression.
“Miss Flaubert said that the Marquis was angry with you.”
“Yes. Though it seems he’s not anymore.”
“He wasn’t angry with you. He was probably… angry with himself.”
He carefully brought up the topic.
“The reason he didn’t see you was probably because if he saw you, his anger would rise and he wouldn’t be able to stop hating himself.”
In fact, Angelina had somewhat guessed her brother’s feelings.
Her brother was more upset about the fact that he hadn’t known she was ill and had only thought about bringing down the Order.
“And I think… I was the same.”
But his additional words were unexpected.
“Why didn’t I notice? What must she have thought of me talking about the future without knowing.”
He had been made to reflect on many things, and regrets kept washing over him like waves.
“I blamed myself, wondering if you didn’t tell me because you didn’t trust me. But… seeing the memories of the lingering thoughts, I realized.”
He exhaled deeply.
“That those who leave are not any more at ease than those who remain.”
They had both looked into the Saint’s memories, but while Angelina had shared the Saint’s emotions, he had shared Artoas’s emotions.
The feelings of leaving the Saint alone and rushing to the battlefield were not at all great or brave. He did it because he had to.
But in reality, he had to fight against the desire not to leave her every moment.
He had to move forward even knowing the end was predetermined.
Having experienced those feelings, Blake came to understand why she couldn’t speak to him, and with what heart she had finally revealed it. Understanding all of this, his self-blame and resentment disappeared completely.
Only concern and affection remained.
“You said one year?”
“Yes.”
“I will definitely find the cause and fix it within that time. But if, just if, I cannot, and you have to leave after a year…”
He gently took her hand as he spoke.
“Even if only until then, would you allow me to hold this hand?”
Angelina found his gaze, intently looking into her eyes, both ticklish and warm.
That warmth melted the wall she had built up in her heart, tapping at it gently. A surge of emotion welled up.
“…It might be harder for you.”
Her voice was about to tremble, so she had to swallow once before speaking.
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