Episode 91. Of all people, these two were on
“I’m not feeling well today, so can I go in first?”
As the party was in full swing, Gerard waved his hand dismissively at Lyone’s casual remark.
Despite Gerard’s indifferent expression, Lyone bent down and lightly kissed his cheek.
The sweet lips that had always whispered to him touched and then pulled away.
Gerard’s eyes narrowed at the strange sensation.
“Uh-huh.”
Lyone brought her lips to his ear and whispered.
“In return, I’ll do my best tonight.”
Gerard’s nostrils flared at the sweet whisper.
Lyone gently stroked his chin and left the party.
The lips that had been drawn in a seductive smile moments before now became expressionless the moment she turned around.
As soon as she left the smoky party hall, Lyone's face hardened even more. Still, she walked straight to her room. She hadn't lied when she said she wasn't feeling well.
Perhaps it was because something she'd waited so long for was finally happening.
It was also true that her body wasn't moving as she'd intended.
Her shoes clacked down the empty hallway.
"Whew."
She glanced around, but detected no signs of life.
"If it's a party, everyone should be blind."
When a party is held at the imperial palace, even the servants who perform chores flock to the banquet hall like moths to a flame.
They'd be busy hiding in inconspicuous places, observing the nobles.
And tomorrow, they'd be busy spreading rumors about who made eye contact, who insulted whom, and so on.
"It's boring."
“I’m not feeling well today, so can I go in first?”
As the party was in full swing, Gerard waved his hand dismissively at Lyone’s casual remark.
Despite Gerard’s indifferent expression, Lyone bent down and lightly kissed his cheek.
The sweet lips that had always whispered to him touched and then pulled away.
Gerard’s eyes narrowed at the strange sensation.
“Uh-huh.”
Lyone brought her lips to his ear and whispered.
“In return, I’ll do my best tonight.”
Gerard’s nostrils flared at the sweet whisper.
Lyone gently stroked his chin and left the party.
The lips that had been drawn in a seductive smile moments before now became expressionless the moment she turned around.
As soon as she left the smoky party hall, Lyone's face hardened even more. Still, she walked straight to her room. She hadn't lied when she said she wasn't feeling well.
Perhaps it was because something she'd waited so long for was finally happening.
It was also true that her body wasn't moving as she'd intended.
Her shoes clacked down the empty hallway.
"Whew."
She glanced around, but detected no signs of life.
"If it's a party, everyone should be blind."
When a party is held at the imperial palace, even the servants who perform chores flock to the banquet hall like moths to a flame.
They'd be busy hiding in inconspicuous places, observing the nobles.
And tomorrow, they'd be busy spreading rumors about who made eye contact, who insulted whom, and so on.
"It's boring."
It was inevitable that the longer she stayed at the imperial palace, the more jaded she'd become. It was true that it had already been an incredibly long time.
Lyone reached into her head and removed the wig that had been suffocating her scalp.
Then, the blond hair hidden within burst into the air. She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them, only to find that even her previously brown eyes had turned gold.
Lyone had never shown her true self outside of her room.
She knew that in the imperial court, where so many eyes were watching, complacency was the most dangerous thing.
But perhaps the fact that she was now at the end had made her let her guard down.
All she had done was take a few steps to safety, briefly letting her mind wander.
Click.
The moment she pulled the doorknob to open it, Lyone felt the blood drain from her body.
Then, turning her creaking head, she saw Bercheria and Groovy standing on the other side of the hallway, watching her.
“...!”
Lyone’s golden eyes gaped open.
“How could...?”
It had to be these two people, of all people.
They, of all people, had discovered Lyone’s true self.
Something that should never have happened was happening right before her eyes.
Groovy stared at Costerville, who was spouting nonsense with a bewildered expression.
“...Are you saying you’re one of the top ten handsome men in the capital?”
Groovy had spent his entire life in prison, but at least he could tell who was handsome and who wasn’t.
He had eyes.
Even if he were to use himself as a standard, Costerville wasn’t exactly handsome.
Groovy’s eyes sparkled suspiciously, and he asked again.
“Then, in your opinion, which Duke of Lacrahan of the North is this?”
Costerville turned his head in the direction Groovy was pointing and met Lacrahan’s gaze, who was sitting expressionless.
When he looked in that direction, the women near Costerville let out exclamations.
Costerville sighed deeply and turned to Groovy.
“Brother.”
Then he shook his head.
“The Duke of Lacrahan is handsome in his own way. I know. But unfortunately, the Duke of the North isn’t from the capital.”
As Groovy continued to look at him suspiciously, Costerville let out a long breath, as if he couldn't help it.
"I understand. Everyone sees things a little differently. But if you knew how much women like me, you'd never make that face."
"..."
“This is a secret. I’ve never been the first to fall in love with a woman. I’ve met beautiful ladies in the capital, but in my eyes, there hasn’t been a single woman who’s particularly beautiful.”
Costerville, who had been chatty, suddenly opened his mouth wide.
This was because he spotted Bercheria walking towards them from the opposite direction.
Costerville suddenly grabbed Groovy’s arm tightly and said,
“W-who is that woman?”
Groovy turned his head to follow Costerville.
“Yes? Bercheria!”
Groovy met Bercheria’s eyes and waved happily.
“I can’t believe it’s Bercheria.”
Costerville muttered with a blank expression as he looked at her.
It was clearly Bercheria at a glance.
Of course, Costerville had been hearing about the weather goddess all day, but he honestly had no interest.
A goddess wouldn’t feed him, would she?
Besides, his eyesight was poor, so even if he had known Bercheria was sitting next to the Emperors, he could only make out the outline.
So he didn’t know. "This is so damn beautiful."
Lyone reached into her head and removed the wig that had been suffocating her scalp.
Then, the blond hair hidden within burst into the air. She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them, only to find that even her previously brown eyes had turned gold.
Lyone had never shown her true self outside of her room.
She knew that in the imperial court, where so many eyes were watching, complacency was the most dangerous thing.
But perhaps the fact that she was now at the end had made her let her guard down.
All she had done was take a few steps to safety, briefly letting her mind wander.
Click.
The moment she pulled the doorknob to open it, Lyone felt the blood drain from her body.
Then, turning her creaking head, she saw Bercheria and Groovy standing on the other side of the hallway, watching her.
“...!”
Lyone’s golden eyes gaped open.
“How could...?”
It had to be these two people, of all people.
They, of all people, had discovered Lyone’s true self.
Something that should never have happened was happening right before her eyes.
***
Groovy stared at Costerville, who was spouting nonsense with a bewildered expression.
“...Are you saying you’re one of the top ten handsome men in the capital?”
Groovy had spent his entire life in prison, but at least he could tell who was handsome and who wasn’t.
He had eyes.
Even if he were to use himself as a standard, Costerville wasn’t exactly handsome.
Groovy’s eyes sparkled suspiciously, and he asked again.
“Then, in your opinion, which Duke of Lacrahan of the North is this?”
Costerville turned his head in the direction Groovy was pointing and met Lacrahan’s gaze, who was sitting expressionless.
When he looked in that direction, the women near Costerville let out exclamations.
Costerville sighed deeply and turned to Groovy.
“Brother.”
Then he shook his head.
“The Duke of Lacrahan is handsome in his own way. I know. But unfortunately, the Duke of the North isn’t from the capital.”
As Groovy continued to look at him suspiciously, Costerville let out a long breath, as if he couldn't help it.
"I understand. Everyone sees things a little differently. But if you knew how much women like me, you'd never make that face."
"..."
“This is a secret. I’ve never been the first to fall in love with a woman. I’ve met beautiful ladies in the capital, but in my eyes, there hasn’t been a single woman who’s particularly beautiful.”
Costerville, who had been chatty, suddenly opened his mouth wide.
This was because he spotted Bercheria walking towards them from the opposite direction.
Costerville suddenly grabbed Groovy’s arm tightly and said,
“W-who is that woman?”
Groovy turned his head to follow Costerville.
“Yes? Bercheria!”
Groovy met Bercheria’s eyes and waved happily.
“I can’t believe it’s Bercheria.”
Costerville muttered with a blank expression as he looked at her.
It was clearly Bercheria at a glance.
Of course, Costerville had been hearing about the weather goddess all day, but he honestly had no interest.
A goddess wouldn’t feed him, would she?
Besides, his eyesight was poor, so even if he had known Bercheria was sitting next to the Emperors, he could only make out the outline.
So he didn’t know. "This is so damn beautiful."
"That's ridiculous. Oh, of course, Brother has a beauty like a goddess, but..."
Groovy shook his head as Costerville muttered, seeming entranced.
"That woman seems dozens of times more beautiful than Brother."
Groovy blinked and let out a low breath.
The intrusion had distracted them, but now that he was sober, he concluded that the conversation wasn't so bad.
"Of course she's beautiful. It's Bercheria, after all."
Groovy said and stood up.
It seemed it was time to stop drinking.
As he approached Bercheria, she examined him with her eyes.
"I'm not drunk. I'm fine now."
Groovy waved his hand, but Bercheria nodded briefly.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Of course. Of course."
A creaking sound made him turn and see Costerville craning his neck and straightening his clothes from the sofa.
"Ha,"
Groovy said, nodding outside.
"It's so stuffy here. Should we step out for a moment?"
The two exited the hallway and walked aimlessly for a while.
"Thank you so much, Bercheria."
Groovy scratched his neck, now flushed red from the wine.
"The thought of not having to go to prison makes every moment feel like a dream."
Bercheria's gaze turned longing as she looked at Groovy.
She knew better than anyone how he felt right now.
If things went wrong and she had to return to the tower at any moment, Bercheria wouldn't even know how to express it.
"Anyway, what do you have to tell me?"
Groovy's question caused her to pause.
Everyone was so excited by the party that not a single ant was in sight in the hallway.
Bercheria braced her shoulders and straightened her back.
After regaining her memories, she realized another thing: blond hair and golden eyes.
It wasn't common for someone to possess both of those traits.
"You told me you were born in prison, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"May I ask what kind of person your mother was?"
The reason this trait, passed down through the maternal line, wasn't common was that women with it couldn't bear many children.
The overabundance of mana made conception difficult, and their unique appearances often led to their deaths alone.
However, Groovy and Bercheria not only had distinct features but were also close in age.
The thought that this couldn't be a coincidence persisted in her mind.
"My mother?"
Groovy looked startled, as if the question were completely unexpected.
Bercheria waited calmly for his words.
She couldn't explain the entire situation to Groovy now, but she had to confirm even the smallest possibility.
The one Bercheria and Lacrahan had to fight was none other than the Supreme Being.
A formidable being they hadn't dared to confront in their previous lives. Only by confirming and understanding every possible suspicion could they mitigate the variables that could arise in this fight.
Bercheria's desire wasn't some absurd wish to destroy the Supreme Being or change the world.
She simply wanted to protect her love for Lacrahan.
“Please don’t take offense. I’m asking because I think it’s better to confirm and move on.”
Groovy shook his head vigorously, as if nothing was wrong.
“It’s not that I’m offended; I just don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“She died in prison right after giving birth to me.”
Groovy briefly considered mentioning the skeletal remains in prison, but decided against it.
The world inside was far more gruesome than anyone could imagine from the outside, but he didn’t want to tell Bercheria that.
“I don’t know my mother. When I was able to speak and think, none of the people who were with me as a child were alive.”
“Then Groovy...”
“I could endure it because of the power of mana. Even without eating, mana sustained my body.”
“I see.”
“But why are you asking this?”
“We.”
Bercheria smiled faintly.
“Because we’re so similar.”
Groovy struggled to grasp the meaning, then a surprised expression appeared on his face.
“Did you ever think we might be family?”
“I considered the possibility. That it might be.”
“That kind of thing...”
Groovy laughed hollowly.
“That can’t be happening. Bercheria is a goddess, and I’m an unfortunate person born in prison.”
Just then, the sound of someone walking was heard from outside the curved corridor.
The two instinctively stopped, staring at the corner.
Groovy shook his head as Costerville muttered, seeming entranced.
"That woman seems dozens of times more beautiful than Brother."
Groovy blinked and let out a low breath.
The intrusion had distracted them, but now that he was sober, he concluded that the conversation wasn't so bad.
"Of course she's beautiful. It's Bercheria, after all."
Groovy said and stood up.
It seemed it was time to stop drinking.
As he approached Bercheria, she examined him with her eyes.
"I'm not drunk. I'm fine now."
Groovy waved his hand, but Bercheria nodded briefly.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Of course. Of course."
A creaking sound made him turn and see Costerville craning his neck and straightening his clothes from the sofa.
"Ha,"
Groovy said, nodding outside.
"It's so stuffy here. Should we step out for a moment?"
The two exited the hallway and walked aimlessly for a while.
"Thank you so much, Bercheria."
Groovy scratched his neck, now flushed red from the wine.
"The thought of not having to go to prison makes every moment feel like a dream."
Bercheria's gaze turned longing as she looked at Groovy.
She knew better than anyone how he felt right now.
If things went wrong and she had to return to the tower at any moment, Bercheria wouldn't even know how to express it.
"Anyway, what do you have to tell me?"
Groovy's question caused her to pause.
Everyone was so excited by the party that not a single ant was in sight in the hallway.
Bercheria braced her shoulders and straightened her back.
After regaining her memories, she realized another thing: blond hair and golden eyes.
It wasn't common for someone to possess both of those traits.
"You told me you were born in prison, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"May I ask what kind of person your mother was?"
The reason this trait, passed down through the maternal line, wasn't common was that women with it couldn't bear many children.
The overabundance of mana made conception difficult, and their unique appearances often led to their deaths alone.
However, Groovy and Bercheria not only had distinct features but were also close in age.
The thought that this couldn't be a coincidence persisted in her mind.
"My mother?"
Groovy looked startled, as if the question were completely unexpected.
Bercheria waited calmly for his words.
She couldn't explain the entire situation to Groovy now, but she had to confirm even the smallest possibility.
The one Bercheria and Lacrahan had to fight was none other than the Supreme Being.
A formidable being they hadn't dared to confront in their previous lives. Only by confirming and understanding every possible suspicion could they mitigate the variables that could arise in this fight.
Bercheria's desire wasn't some absurd wish to destroy the Supreme Being or change the world.
She simply wanted to protect her love for Lacrahan.
“Please don’t take offense. I’m asking because I think it’s better to confirm and move on.”
Groovy shook his head vigorously, as if nothing was wrong.
“It’s not that I’m offended; I just don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“She died in prison right after giving birth to me.”
Groovy briefly considered mentioning the skeletal remains in prison, but decided against it.
The world inside was far more gruesome than anyone could imagine from the outside, but he didn’t want to tell Bercheria that.
“I don’t know my mother. When I was able to speak and think, none of the people who were with me as a child were alive.”
“Then Groovy...”
“I could endure it because of the power of mana. Even without eating, mana sustained my body.”
“I see.”
“But why are you asking this?”
“We.”
Bercheria smiled faintly.
“Because we’re so similar.”
Groovy struggled to grasp the meaning, then a surprised expression appeared on his face.
“Did you ever think we might be family?”
“I considered the possibility. That it might be.”
“That kind of thing...”
Groovy laughed hollowly.
“That can’t be happening. Bercheria is a goddess, and I’m an unfortunate person born in prison.”
Just then, the sound of someone walking was heard from outside the curved corridor.
The two instinctively stopped, staring at the corner.
“Click, click. -I’m bored. ”
It wasn’t easy to guess who it was just from the muttering sound of them walking.
However, Groovy knew the identity of the person approaching from the other side just from the faint voice.
He spoke nervously.
“I think it’s Emperor Gerard’s mistress, Lyone.”
Looking at the expressionless Bercheria, Groovy quickly added,
“Did I tell you that Lyone was the one who unleashed the wild dogs to catch you?”
At that moment, Bercheria’s eyes narrowed.
Lyone appeared from the corner of the corridor, accompanied by the strong scent of roses.
Clearly, in Bercheria's memory, she had ordinary brown hair, but now she had gorgeous blonde hair.
Her eyes had also turned a golden hue.
Lyone, who had been walking slowly, froze when he saw Groovy and Bercheria standing before her.
"What..."
Her face, glancing back and forth between Groovy and Bercheria, was tinged with confusion. Her eyes, the exact same color as the two, were shaking as if she had witnessed the end of the world.
It wasn’t easy to guess who it was just from the muttering sound of them walking.
However, Groovy knew the identity of the person approaching from the other side just from the faint voice.
He spoke nervously.
“I think it’s Emperor Gerard’s mistress, Lyone.”
Looking at the expressionless Bercheria, Groovy quickly added,
“Did I tell you that Lyone was the one who unleashed the wild dogs to catch you?”
At that moment, Bercheria’s eyes narrowed.
Lyone appeared from the corner of the corridor, accompanied by the strong scent of roses.
Clearly, in Bercheria's memory, she had ordinary brown hair, but now she had gorgeous blonde hair.
Her eyes had also turned a golden hue.
Lyone, who had been walking slowly, froze when he saw Groovy and Bercheria standing before her.
"What..."
Her face, glancing back and forth between Groovy and Bercheria, was tinged with confusion. Her eyes, the exact same color as the two, were shaking as if she had witnessed the end of the world.
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