It seemed like the atmosphere was slowly turning hostile, so I clapped my hands to lighten the mood.
"Now, Mr. Isar? You've said it perfectly."
I smiled at Isar.
"Actually, the reason I came to see you, Mr. Isar, is not only to check on you but also to prepare for tomorrow."
The Emperor is going to be furious tomorrow and will likely ask Carcel and Isar about the situation as well.
In that case, we all have to say the same thing.
Before the Emperor takes out the magic tool and forces you to use it.
It’s less so with the close associates he trusts, at least.
"Mr. Isar is partly right and partly wrong."
"What?"
"First of all, I didn't know that Carcel was the Duke of Lakan, and I found out on our wedding night."
Upon hearing that, Isar looked at Carcel as if he were the madman of the world.
"So, setting aside the meeting with Carcel, secondly, the meeting with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"I already know that; I heard it from His Majesty."
"Very well. Then, trusting that you are aware of everything said to His Majesty, let us speak about the assassination of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
I stared intently at Isar and said.
"That's right. I foresaw it."
"What?"
"Actually, didn't you roughly predict that would happen, Mr. Isar?"
Last night, Carcel summoned Isar. And Isar, who had come to the Marquis's mansion, followed our instructions obediently, even though he was bewildered by our story.
Because Isar already trusted me to some extent.
"Just as you think, Mr. Isar, I have a bit of precognition. Of course, it would be nice if I could know everything in the world."
Isar kept his mouth shut, perhaps because I had confessed everything more honestly than expected.
Of course, I was possessed, but I rephrased it so Isar could understand.
"And actually, I wasn't certain about today's attempted assassination; it was just a precaution."
"You said you foresaw it?"
"As I just mentioned, what I know is only a tiny fraction. I only had a little information that Linea and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who went to watch the fireworks together, would get caught up in an assassination attempt."
I looked him straight in the eye and spoke with conviction.
"I don't know about the timing or who is behind it."
Carcel also nodded.
"If Asha were a spy or had other bad intentions, would there have been any reason to go to the trouble of preparing, only to invite more suspicion?"
At the same time, Isar's eyes moved slightly.
As I nodded beside Carcel, he added.
"I could have just pretended not to know anything and stopped Linea from going to see the fireworks that day."
"But knowing that something was happening to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I couldn't just let it happen."
In the end, Isar had a look of acceptance on his face.
"...If you trace your bloodline back through your maternal family, the Teresa family, there was indeed a fortune teller."
"Is it so?"
A side of me I didn't even know. No, to think Asha had such a family history.
"I've met her before. She also had similar abilities to yours."
Isar had a look in his eyes as if he were tracing his memories.
I cautiously asked Isar the thing I was curious about.
"...I'm sorry to ask this, but how old are you?"
"Sshhhh."
Isar placed his index finger on his lips to silence me.
The reason I hadn't thought anything of it even when he spoke informally to me until now was that I knew he was already over 100 years old.
"I will go and speak to His Majesty the Emperor first tomorrow. You just need to gloss over the matter nicely so that it ends without you getting involved."
"Are you really going to go that far for me?"
"What do you think would happen if His Majesty the Emperor heard the word 'prophecy'?"
Isar gave a bitter sneer.
"Whether you are Carcel's wife or not, it's a relief if you aren't dragged away and interrogated."
"Witch hunt..."
As I cautiously shivered, Isar shook his head.
"This is not an era barbaric enough to commit such an act, but I will not let you go until you have foreseen everything regarding the assassination of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"Exactly. But what if His Majesty happens to give the lie detector magic tool to Isar and Carcel tomorrow?"
And then what if my name comes up?
Isar scoffed.
"Do you think a lie detector makes you recite the truth? Magic cannot distinguish between truth and falsehood."
"Yes?"
"It simply determines the truth from the falsehood by analyzing what you say, your reaction when questioned, and various chemical reactions."
I had an enlightened look on my face.
Then Isar said, as if to say, "Do you understand now?"
"So, he wouldn't seal such a magical artifact on a guy like Carcel in the first place, and naturally, it has no meaning to me."
"It is a more highly scientific device than I thought."
"I warned His Imperial Majesty in advance that the results can be tainted when a person being interrogated is flustered."
It's not like a lie detector in Korea.
I nodded.
"I guess I should go now. The effects of the painkiller are wearing off."
Isar got up.
He still had a cookie in one hand.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then Isar greeted Carcel and me with his eyes and vanished in an instant with a blue light.
"... Phew."
I sighed in exhaustion.
Carcel looked down at me like that and worried.
“Are you okay?”
"It’s alright. I just hope His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t summon me tomorrow."
"Don't worry about that. Asha didn't know anything in the first place, and I'll just say you helped with our plan."
Strangely, I trusted Carcel's words.
Is it because he is such a solid man who seems like he wouldn't crumble even if you tried to break him?
"No?"
I let out a short breath and snuggled into Carcel's arms.
As I hugged his waist and buried my cheek in his chest, I felt a sense of calm.
Carcel looked down at me for a moment, looking flustered, then soon started patting my back.
I wonder if Linea feels this way too when she's in my arms.
I felt so relaxed and comfortable in a safe place that I even felt sleepy.
Carcel and I hugged each other in silence for a long time.
"...Asha, aren't you hungry?"
“I’m hungry.”
"Shall we go have a meal together?"
At his soothing tone, I just nodded, still with my face buried in his chest.
Then he laughed, lifted me up, and placed my feet on top of him.
"Then, shall we go straight to the dining room like this?"
"Do you want to die of shame from being caught?"
Carcel laughed when I desperately showed my dislike, having recently been caught flirting with Linea and my mother-in-law.
"Ah. And do you know the festival lasts until tomorrow?"
"Yes. But will the festival proceed as planned due to the attempted assassination of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
"At times like this, we will actually hold a grander celebration. It would not be good for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to make the people anxious."
People also know that Lucian is constantly plagued by the threat of assassination.
Even the fact that the crime was so cunning and thorough that there is still no basis to identify the culprit.
People certainly wouldn't be happy to hear news that the Crown Prince narrowly escaped assassination in the Inner Palace, the heart of the Imperial Palace, during a festival like this.
So, they must be trying to divert attention.
"Isn't Carcel being interrogated tomorrow too?"
"There will be plenty of time to go to the evening festival after coming back."
"Then, shall we go to the festival, the three of us, including Linea? Just our family."
Linea also thought she had enjoyed the festival today, but it wasn't real.
At my words, Carcel narrowed his eyebrows and laughed softly.
"The night market will actually be more fun. Since it's a festival, interesting events are happening all over the place."
"Great!"
Actually, it has been a little less than three months since I was possessed as well.
So, there were also times when I wasn't fully aware of Linea's birthday or festivals like this.
Because what is taken for granted by them is something I am seeing for the first time.
And I naturally felt excited at the thought of spending this festival with Carcel and Linea for the first time.
"Then, go safely tomorrow and come back, and let's go to the festival together!"
As Carcel looked down at me in excitement, his chest vibrated with a hum.
Looking up at him, Carcel was holding back his laughter.
"Why?"
"Because excited Asha is cute."
"Oh my gosh. Seriously. Anyway, look at that burn. I'll put some ointment on it after you wash it."
As I moved a little away from him, Carcel obediently extended his forearm.
"Oh my. You've turned really red."
"They say it's mild and will heal quickly if I just apply ointment."
Upon hearing that, I thought for a moment and then spoke.
"Carcel, by any chance, do you know about the Firebird?"
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