Chapter 60
Until the day of Tristan’s arson plan, etiquette lessons with Heishar proceeded normally.
Sen’s claim that he was a skilled teacher was true.
“Then Grand Princess, would you try placing that book on your head?”
“Yes. I’ll do it.”
“Indeed excellent. This is to improve your body’s natural sense of balance.”
Walking with a book on one’s head was the basics of posture correction.
Especially when I was Kashian, I often did this kind of training so as not to be looked down upon by nobles. To appear as the perfect noble.
I walked around the room with the book balanced on my head.
“I was going to tell you if your posture wavered, but you’re perfect.”
“So are we done for today?”
“Yes. This lesson ends here. We’ve kept to the time.”
“Thank you for today as well.”
Heishar, while acknowledging that I didn’t need lessons, always strictly adhered to the teaching schedule. It was certain he had never taught etiquette before.
As the good, ordinary lessons continued, I wondered if my suspicions were misplaced.
I stopped him as he was gathering his things to leave the Grand Duke’s room.
“Um, Teacher Heishar. Could we talk for a moment?”
“If it’s a call from my employer, I welcome it anytime, for anything.”
He answered sociably and sat on the sofa. As I sat across from him, Heishar picked up the teapot on the table.
“Would you like some tea?”
“Yes.”
“The tea seems a bit cold, so please excuse me for a moment.”
As he lightly tapped the teapot with his finger, the liquid inside began to boil.
‘So he knows how to use magic?’
Heishar seemed even more skilled at using magical power than Tristan.
After pushing the steaming tea toward me, he picked up his own cup and took a sip. The smile that played across his face through the rising steam exuded a captivating atmosphere.
That extraordinary appearance was the biggest reason for my suspicion.
“Is the temperature alright?”
I had tilted the teacup without thinking and was amazed at how perfectly cooled the tea was.
“…It’s delicious.”
“I thought it would be quite drinkable. It’s one of the few skills I’ve honed over a long time.”
I looked over Heishar’s appearance, who seemed to be in his mid-twenties.
I suddenly felt awkward about speaking informally to my etiquette teacher, but it would also be strange to use formal speech with him while using informal speech with the Grand Duke.
“How old are you?”
“It’s better if you don’t know. Age is like that, you know.”
Age unknown, veiled experience. And a dazzlingly beautiful appearance despite not being a character from the original story.
This was like deliberately asking to be suspected.
I brought up something I had been hesitant to ask him.
“Teacher, do you remember when you approached me before?”
“Yes. You were looking for a book in the library last time.”
“Yes. Thank you for helping then. But… did you know what kind of book you lent me additionally?”
“Hmm. Let’s see. I think it was a book about imperial palace cuisine.”
He concluded smoothly and laughed silently. His eyes, gently curved toward me, gave a strangely seductive impression.
Though his tone was light, he didn’t seem like an easy person at all.
“I do remember that the book the Grand Princess was looking for was a chronology.”
“How were you in the Grand Duke’s library at that time?”
“I received permission while looking for books on etiquette. But why do you ask?”
Because your existence is suspicious.
If he claimed not to know about the book, I wouldn’t have grounds to press further. His slippery evasion of questions only increased my suspicion.
‘He could at least not be so handsome.’
Even the male lead I hadn’t met yet probably wouldn’t look like that.
“I was just asking.”
Heishar stared at me as I evaded and took a sip of tea.
“If your curiosity is satisfied, I have something to say as well.”
With a tap, he put down his teacup and pulled at the corners of his mouth. A flash of sharpness appeared through his narrowed eyes.
It was a coolness that didn’t match his benevolent green eyes.
“I’d like to warn the Grand Princess about something.”
He continued in a very regretful tone.
“Do you know how I knew you were the Imperial Princess in the library?”
“How did you know?”
“That maid of yours, Sen, told me. You should be careful about keeping your maids quiet.”
The man’s voice, melodious and pleasant to hear, was persuasive.
‘Why is he lying?’
If he had said he accidentally heard about me being the Imperial Princess, I might have somewhat believed it. But Sen personally told him that fact?
There’s no way Sen, of all people, would spread around that I’m the Imperial Princess. The man could only say that because he didn’t know the relationship between Sen and me.
What benefit could he gain from saying such things?
‘I need to stick to the plan.’
Even if it meant taking responsibility for arson with Tristan, I had to drive out this man called Heishar.
He was qualitatively different from someone like Luke, whose intentions were transparent. That kind of man is dangerous.
He wouldn’t reveal his true nature until everything was brought to light.
***
After finishing his conversation with the Grand Princess, Heishar returned to his room. The clever Grand Princess occasionally revealed her suspicions about him.
Was a six-year-old human originally like this?
‘I suppose I should consider her smart.’
Even if his opponent was better than the average human, dealing with the imperial bloodline was troublesome. In fact, all the credentials he had presented while infiltrating as an etiquette teacher were fabricated.
“I need rest.”
Heishar loosened his shirt collar and stood in front of the wall of his room.
No matter how tired he was, he had no desire to rest in a room reeking of human scent. He sent magical power into the empty space to open a “door” back to his residence.
Crackle.
Following the trace of magical power, a long crack appeared and widened. The growing crack became a hole large enough for a person to enter.
He stepped into the space without hesitation. The end of the long passage was connected to a beautiful forest filled with light.
His false smile disappeared at the familiar air that touched his nose.
“That’s better.”
The Divine Beast Realm or Spirit Realm.
This place, commonly called the world of divine beasts, was made of pure divine power of light.
His residence was by a large lake inside it.
“Here again today.”
Unfortunately, a being that ruined his improved mood caught his eye. Someone who didn’t belong in this domain where the divine beast Anastasia once resided.
“Why are you here again?”
When he asked without hiding his irritation, the dark divine beast raised her head.
The smile on her gentle face irritated him. The dark divine beast, with hair like ebony and mysterious purple eyes, exuded an aura that wasn’t human.
“My space where the dead go is too boring.”
“Weren’t you in the human realm until recently?”
“It was necessary.”
Heishar knew about the dark divine beast’s eccentric behavior. Recently, she had sealed her power and memories to live as an ordinary human.
What need did a divine beast who had lived as long as she had to enjoy such amusements?
“I would prefer if you weren’t here.”
“But this place is precious to me too.”
“Didn’t you just stand by during my master’s crisis?”
The dark divine beast, reading the resentment in Heishar’s blue eyes, curved her eyes. She found him both cute and pitiful for being unable to hide his emotions.
She brought up a topic that might divert his attention.
“So, have you found the imperial descendant you were looking for?”
“I have. Still a young child.”
“You didn’t kill them.”
“For now, I need a vessel to store the power.”
Heishar recalled the little one who had been bothering him until just now. His infiltration in the annoying form of an etiquette teacher had better be worth it.
Judging by the imperial power he sensed, that child must be of imperial blood.
“I haven’t forgotten what the imperial family did to my master.”
When the cursed first emperor killed the light divine beast Anastasia, he gathered the fragments of her soul.
It was to beg the dark divine beast to revive the light divine beast.
“Can’t you bring her back? Please help me.”
“Have you considered that this might be what Anastasia wanted?”
“My master was deceived by the emperor and died unjustly!”
“Very well. If your determination is so firm, I’ll help you.”
However, she said that restoring the shattered soul of the light divine beast would take time. For a very long time, the soul of his master Anastasia had to wander through numerous worlds.
The dark divine beast told the impatient Heishar:
“Anastasia’s soul will reincarnate in various worlds.”
And finally, she would return to this world and be reborn.
He believed those words and waited for Anastasia’s soul to return.
‘Everything is for my master.’
When Anastasia was reborn in this world, he planned to steal the divine beast power residing in the imperial family and return it to his original master, who had been reincarnated.
“Heishar. Whatever the reason, the fact that you didn’t kill the child right away means you like them, doesn’t it?”
“That’s impossible. That will absolutely never happen.”
“The word ‘never’ shouldn’t be used so lightly.”
The dark divine beast, wearing an enigmatic smile, continued.
“Anyway, you need to protect that child for now. It would be a disaster if they died at someone else’s hands.”
That was true.
Among the current generation of the imperial family, none except that child was born with Anastasia’s power. It was unprecedented for the power to be inherited by a single imperial family member.
Normally, those of imperial blood were born with at least some of her power, whether large or small.
“If that child dies, you’ll have to wait until another imperial family member with power is born.”
Heishar caught what the dark divine beast was trying to say.
This was telling him to be careful not to let things go wrong.
“Don’t worry.”
Regardless of the help she provided, he couldn’t understand what the dark divine beast was thinking.
Her attitude seemed detached from Anastasia’s resurrection, yet she subtly manipulated him.
‘I can’t read her.
Two divine beasts born from light and darkness when the world was created.
There was an inexplicable, strong bond between the two of them. Why didn’t the dark divine beast, who cherished and cared for the light divine beast like her own body, prevent her death?
One thing was certain: he could no longer wait patiently.
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