Chapter 13
Lea still didn’t leave her palace.
In the past, she would have eagerly tried to involve herself anywhere, simply because she liked being treated well.
Even though she had been allowed to live in the imperial palace in a way that far exceeded her station, she grew even more greedy.
Eventually, she became utterly convinced that, like her mother, she too would become a Guide who was treated with the utmost respect.
And yet, she hadn’t even had the courage to reveal her abilities to anyone…
But now that she had already seen the end, she no longer cared, and no longer desired anything.
After staying inside her palace for several days, she came to a conclusion—this was not a dream. She was truly alive.
She set aside her curiosity about how such a thing could have happened, and instead determined what she needed to do from now on.
She would help Calix based on what had happened before she returned.
Since he would hate being helped, she planned to carry everything out in secret.
Looking back on what she had done in the past, even saying ‘I’m sorry’ a hundred times wouldn’t be enough.
So, until he could stand on his own…
“Just until then, I’ll help him in secret.”
Just as that thought lifted her spirits, the one to throw cold water on her was Zion.
“Lady Haisley, Her Majesty the Empress has summoned you.”
“…Sir Zion.”
“So you remember me.”
“Of course. You said you wanted to repay me back then, didn’t you?”
“…Forgive me, but may I ask what kind of repayment you meant?”
Lea gazed steadily with golden eyes at the man with the same red hair as Ilion, who was to become Calix’s right hand.
He must have clearly felt the guiding back then. The way he looked at her now, full of expectation, made that obvious.
If she could just bring him to her side, she was willing to guide him however he wanted.
Not only Zion, but all the Espers who could become an asset to Calix—she planned to guide them all.
She would no longer hide the fact that she was a Guide, and she would no longer hold back her guiding.
Originally, Zion and Ilion would end up on opposing sides.
Their superiors served opposing factions, so it was inevitable.
However, Zion was the eldest son of the Grayson family, and so it took time before Ilion could fully lend his strength to Calix.
Calix needed his own people, but at present, it would be no exaggeration to say that every noble belonged to Bianca’s faction.
For someone to be followed by both the imperial and noble factions alike…
Even thinking about it again, her mother was a terrifying person, but undeniably exceptional in terms of ability.
Bianca knew exactly how to win people over. Her power, beauty, and sweet words—she used everything she could.
The person who had observed that more closely than anyone else was none other than Lea.
That’s why she intended to use what she had learned without reservation. For Calix.
She gave Zion, who silently waited for her response, a smile as though it had been painted on.
Taking on a deliberately relaxed posture, Lea beckoned him with a discreet gesture.
Before her return, the reason Lea had hidden that she was a Guide until just before going to the battlefield wasn’t only due to her mother’s threats.
It was even more because she lacked confidence in her own abilities.
That was true on the battlefield as well.
After gaining confidence by guiding Calix, she had arrogantly guided other Espers too.
But ever since Lucy appeared, no one came to receive guiding from her.
If someone did receive it, they would leave with a dissatisfied look, without even offering thanks. As if to say, ‘Lucy’s too busy, so I guess I have no choice but to come to you.’
And because citizens of the Cantabrian Empire hated werebeasts, she had even more reason to avoid approaching not only Calix, but others as well.
She should’ve just acted brazenly like her mother.
After all, the end hadn’t been any different, had it?
The present her had no intention of being foolish like she once was.
Like Bianca, even if she had to use everything at her disposal, she was determined to walk the thorny path ahead of Calix and clear the thorns from his way.
Even if it wasn’t a path of flowers, she would pave the road for him.
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