Chapter 142
He shared the part that he found disturbing. And Angelina responded.
“I understand it’s because Her Majesty the Empress knows secrets related to the death of the previous High Priest.”
But Aiden still spoke with an expression of unresolved discomfort.
“Yes, it seems so. But that alone wouldn’t create such a one-sided relationship.”
“Hmm… That’s true.”
Angelina agreed 100% with his words.
She had vaguely thought that the Empress had another hidden card. But she believed she could control it, whatever it was.
‘Since she plans to become a Saint herself, wouldn’t she have prepared something related to that?’
Perhaps something related to holy power?
That was all she could think of for now.
“But in the end, it’s a ‘typhoon,’ right?”
Whatever it was, Angelina wasn’t too worried.
After all, she had the “power of the Sun,” a card the Empress could never imagine.
Honestly, she hoped not to use this power until the very end, but it was natural to feel more secure with more hidden cards.
And no matter how much the original story had become a mess, there was still much useful information there.
‘Honestly, if I could just find out what card the Empress is holding against my brother, everything would be resolved…’
That was the only source of anxiety, since her brother refused to reveal it even if it cost him his life.
Anyway, Angelina was confident.
But there was no way Aiden could know about this confidence…
‘First, I need to make sure his resolve doesn’t waver.’
What was important now was to ensure Aiden remained firm in his determination.
“In the end, it’s a typhoon?”
Aiden asked as if asking her to explain what she meant.
“A typhoon eventually passes.”
There’s no such thing as an eternal typhoon.
It might leave a strong impression, but it’s just something that passes by and eventually disappears.
“But… the Sun always rises again.”
In contrast, the Sun never ends.
“Today, tomorrow, and the day after.”
The Sun may set briefly, but it returns. The same Sun appears again and again to illuminate the world.
“If you can predict a typhoon, you can take your precious things and flee far away, or dig a tunnel and hide.”
You can’t stop it, but if you try to avoid it, you can do so and prepare accordingly.
“You can even build a new foundation where the typhoon has passed and start over from the beginning. But the Sun is different. You can’t escape it.”
Escaping from the Sun is impossible for any living creature.
“Even if the Sun is temporarily invisible due to an intense typhoon, it never disappears.”
That’s why the Sun is the Sun.
“So we need to make the typhoon realize.”
“Realize what?”
“That the Sun willingly welcomes the typhoon.”
As Angelina smiled brightly, Aiden wore a thoughtful expression. He groaned and frowned.
“In fact, all of this is just wordplay. But since ‘typhoon’ and such are terms they made up to threaten us, it’s okay to counter with this level of wordplay, isn’t it?”
Angelina continued speaking to Aiden, who had a complicated expression.
“It seems this typhoon will be difficult to avoid.”
Since they couldn’t avoid attending the ball.
“But since they’ve kindly given us this warning, we should prepare thoroughly. So that we don’t collapse when we face the typhoon.”
“Do you have a plan?”
The ball was just around the corner. If the Empress had prepared something, it wouldn’t be something they could prevent by preparing now.
“Here they come, right on time.”
Angelina smiled and pointed behind Aiden.
Turning his head, Aiden discovered a blonde woman and a large man standing there.
In their hands was a petition with signatures from countless people.
“Say hello. These are the shield and sword that will help us stand against the typhoon.”
It was time for the highlight of the fake Saint project.
***
The three people, including Angelina, ended up missing the second part of the play. Their conversation had gone on too long.
After the play ended, Aiden returned to the palace first, while Blake and Angelina walked in the night.
There was a carriage that Ante had sent on time for them to ride, but Angelina chose to walk with Blake.
“We had cocktails, enjoyed the night view…”
Something felt missing.
“I feel a bit sad that we couldn’t see the play to the end.”
“Let’s come see it again next time. I’ll prepare the seats.”
“Anyone listening would think I bought the tickets this time.”
Strictly speaking, Blake had come with Aiden, and Angelina with Ante.
“That’s fine with me. Plays are always welcome.”
Although Angelina had received countless gifts to the point of being sick of them, gifts that provided experiences rather than objects were always good to receive.
“The night air is nice.”
After Angelina’s small appreciation, the two walked in silence.
Their attire, suited for watching a play, stood out particularly, but being on High Street, no one seemed to mind much.
The weather was good, there was no danger with Blake beside her, and the preparations for the upcoming ball…
Angelina’s steps slowed.
The ball.
With Catherine and Aiden’s help, she had made thorough preparations. This should be enough to flexibly respond to whatever the Empress was planning.
However, separate from that, there was one unresolved issue.
‘The situation became more awkward when the Crown Prince said he would take Catherine.’
Namely, her partner.
Before, she had the excuse of considering the original plan.
But after meeting Catherine directly and facing the believers’ dissatisfaction with the Order, the Crown Prince had completely made up his mind and proposed to make Catherine his partner for a more certain execution of the plan.
That was the best approach.
After all, Catherine was playing the role of “bait” and could be exposed to dangerous situations. The plan had been to send her as Blake’s partner to protect her.
But if she had Aiden, a more definite shield, standing beside her, even the Empress wouldn’t be able to touch Catherine.
It was a proposal with no reason to refuse.
However, this meant that now it was entirely Angelina’s choice as to who she would select as her partner.
Go with her brother, or take the Duke’s hand.
Either way, someone would be hurt. Was there really no way to avoid hurting anyone?
It was then.
She felt a warm touch enveloping her hand. Blake carefully held her hand, so gently it almost tickled.
Angelina looked back, but he pretended not to notice and kept looking ahead.
“……”
So Angelina also quietly walked, firmly holding his hand in return.
After walking for some distance.
Blake opened his mouth.
“Next year, I will host a birthday ball for you.”
“……?”
Angelina looked up at this somewhat unexpected statement.
He smiled with a slight frown and said:
“Then, I will stand by Miss Flaubert’s side.”
“……”
“I understand well what the Marquis means to Miss Flaubert. Just the fact that I made you deliberate against him is an honor for me. Asking for more would be my selfish desire.”
“Your Grace…”
“Go to your first ball with the one who has made you happy until now. But… I hope you will let me claim your final love.”
“……”
He stopped in his place and faced her.
Gently tucking a strand of her loose hair behind her ear, he suddenly took something out of his pocket.
“What’s this?”
Angelina received the box and carefully opened it.
They were earrings.
They had a design that was glamorous yet clean, as if made from the Milky Way.
“These will stand by Miss Flaubert’s side at the ball in my place.”
A somewhat cute assertion that even if she didn’t choose him, she would feel like she was with him.
Angelina let out a faint laugh.
“……I love them.”
She had thought she was sick of receiving accessory gifts.
She had thought that no matter how expensive they were, they all looked the same and didn’t excite her…
That wasn’t the case at all.
When the giver changed, the feeling changed completely.
Angelina instinctively knew that these earrings would be the most precious of all the earrings she owned.
So this is why people give gifts to lovers.
“I didn’t prepare anything…”
“It’s alright. I didn’t do this expecting anything in return. And…”
Blake cupped her apologetic face and bent down.
Smooch.
Their lips touched briefly and parted.
He smiled brightly at the surprised Angelina.
“This is enough for me.”
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