Chapter 257

* * *

I checked my pocket watch.

I still had enough time to explain the party to Alexis.

‘Since I suddenly dragged him to the Imperial Capital, he must be bewildered.’

“Alexis. The reason I called you here to the capital is…”

“Because you said it’s time for me to show that I’m alive.”

“Well, yes, but…”

I only said that one sentence to bring him here, but isn’t he curious for more?

Alexis isn’t a clueless little kid anymore. Now that he’s grown, he must have plenty of questions.

He’s no longer at an age where I can just lock him up in some training facility that looks like a prison and say, ‘It’s for your own good! It just turned out this way!’

“I didn’t explain much when I summoned you. You’re really not curious about anything?”

Alexis shot me a sidelong glance.

“Yeah.”

“…Why?”

“Because you wouldn’t do anything that would harm me.”

With that, Alexis strode ahead with long steps.

“……”

A strange feeling welled up inside me.

‘What is this emotion?’

I’d never felt anything quite like it.

My family always tries to protect me. If I so much as ride on the back of a monster, they act as if the sky is falling.

For my sake, they judge the whole world as dangerous and build fences to keep me safe.

Don’t go past here.

This is the safe boundary.

That’s why they ask about everything I do and only nod after they’re satisfied.

Yes, that should keep you safe. Go ahead.

—Like that.

But the way Alexis treats me is… how should I put it…

‘Unlimited trust?’

It felt strangely gratifying.

I ran up to Alexis and said,

“That’s right~!”

“……”

“I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you!”

Then I gave his back a light thwack!

Alexis frowned slightly.

“You do know your hand stings, right?”

I giggled and said,

“Still, there are a few things you should know. Listen carefully.”

“……”

“This place is called the Lily Garden. It’s a party where high-ranking noble children gather. You need a partner to enter, and I’m taking you as my partner.”

“…Partner?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded.

Alexis narrowed his eyes.

“You can take a non-noble as your partner?”

“There’s no specific rule.”

“There isn’t?”

I shrugged and folded my arms.

“They just never imagined someone would bring a non-noble partner.”

“If one of the attendees asks about me, what am I supposed to say?”

“Don’t.”

“…What?”

“Don’t say anything.”

I smiled faintly.

“The less information there is, the more it burns.”

Right now, I’m the center of attention in the capital.

And I’m bringing along a mysterious, beautiful black-haired boy.

People will flip trying to dig up information about Alexis.

‘Ah, if this place had real-time trending searches, we’d sweep the top rankings for sure.’

1- Black-haired handsome guy at Lily Garden

2- Erylotte + black-haired boy

3- Identity of the black-haired boy

4- Erylotte Astra

.

.

10-  Black-haired boy’s jacket

Something like that.

I smirked to myself.

I thought this was the perfect setup for Alexis’s grand debut.

…Until that moment.

When Alexis and I reached the entrance of the Lily Garden, I froze solid.

Because standing at the center of the commotion were three guys.

“When is Ery getting here? Isn’t she too late?”

“Yeah.”

“Nothing happened to her, right?”

Balzac. Joshua. And Lysmond.

Alexis glanced at me.

“Aren’t those your brothers?”

“…Yeah.”

“And you said you were bringing me as your partner?”

“…That’s true.”

“Then why are they here?”

…I don’t know either.

I clenched my teeth.

* * *

Balzac stood with his arms crossed, leaning casually as he waited for Erylotte.

“Why isn’t she coming?”

Maybe it’s time they went to look for her.

When he glanced at his brothers with that thought, their faces were also grim.

Erylotte had gained immense power through Ragon.

But that also meant she was in greater danger.

Ragon was far away, and her monster couldn’t enter the Lily Garden.

‘If someone were going to target Erylotte, now would be the time.’

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