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Chapter 61
“Oh! So it’s you. Now I remember hearing about you back then.”
At Delphine’s birthday party, Charlier had left right away with Frederic, so she hadn’t met Tiago in person—but later, she heard the story. She’d been told Tiago had questioned Leo’s proposal to Delphine.
Back when Charlier lived in the palace, she had also heard things about Tiago—his wealth, his power within the imperial court. But seeing him now in person for the first time still caught her off guard.
You’re younger than I thought… and actually…
Her gaze ran slowly over Tiago, and a faint, suggestive smile appeared on her lips.
…not bad.
Tiago wasn’t one of her original targets—after all, he wasn’t the son of a duke. But if he happened to approach her first, she certainly wouldn’t mind getting closer.
He’d be useful in many ways, with his influence in the palace.
Tiago must have read her thoughts, because his expression shifted into one of faint contempt.
Charlier pointed toward Delphine’s room and asked,
“Are you waiting for Delphine?”
Tiago gave a slight nod without speaking.
Her eyes lit up.
“Oh, Delphine went for a walk in the garden just now. If you’d like, I can tell you where she went.”
“She went to the garden? At this hour?”
Tiago’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. Of course, it was a complete lie—but Charlier’s face showed no sign of guilt.
“Yes, she said she was feeling a little tipsy and decided to take a walk. You know how the palace gardens can be a bit tricky to navigate? I can guide you. Let’s go together.”
Charlier took a step closer, closing the distance between them, then gently placed her hands on his firm arm.
She admired the solid muscle under her fingertips but kept her expression neutral.
Tiago looked down at her pale, slender fingers.
Charlier smiled up at him with her eyes.
“Oh, I’ve had a bit too much to drink… Would you mind supporting me? These shoes are uncomfortable too.”
Tiago started to raise his hand, intending to gently remove hers.
“I’ll just go al—”
“Oh!”
Suddenly, Charlier lost her balance and fell forward into his chest.
He caught her, holding her arms to keep her from falling. But to anyone passing by, it looked like they were embracing tightly.
“Ow, my ankle…”
Charlier leaned even further into his chest.
—Tap, tap—
Just then, footsteps echoed from the far end of the hall.
It was Delphine. She appeared from around the corner of the main building.
“…Ah.”
Her steps halted. She stood frozen for a moment, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing—Tiago holding Charlier close.
Her teeth pressed lightly into her lower lip. Her hand clenched.
Without saying a word, she turned her head sharply away and started to walk back the way she’d come.
“Delphine!”
Tiago called out urgently.
“Ow… my ankle really hurts, Tiago,” Charlier said, leaning on him again.
“Delphine!”
He called her name again, but she was already gone.
Tiago let out a deep sigh.
Charlier looked up at him with a manufactured expression of guilt.
“Oh no… What should we do? She saw us because of me…”
Tiago stared at her silently.
Inside, Charlier was smiling in victory.
“If you don’t mind, could you take me to my room? It’s right over there.”
Still holding her, Tiago thought for a moment, then nodded. He practically carried her to her room and stepped inside with her.
The garden in the east wing smelled of fresh grass and strong flowers. In the quiet, the sound of crickets could be heard.
Haah.
The cool night air helped calm the heat in my chest.
It was childish—like something straight out of a cliché drama.
But the image kept flashing in my mind: Tiago holding Charlier in his arms.
Obviously, she must have staged it—pretending to be drunk and leaning on him, even though she barely drank anything at dinner.
It was obvious she was interested in him and had made her move.
I don’t want to doubt Tiago.
The truth was, the person I was most angry at… was myself.
I didn’t even know what my feelings for Tiago were—but I still wanted him to notice me, to think fondly of me, to approach me.
I’ve been expecting things without saying anything… and now I’m jealous. It’s childish and pathetic.
…Sigh.
Getting my hopes up alone, then getting disappointed alone—it made me feel foolish.
Really, Tiago hasn’t even done anything to betray me. Maybe…
Maybe I’d just overreacted because it was Charlier.
The thought only made my emotions more tangled.
Am I really this jealous? Do I get anxious just from him being around another woman? Do I like him? No… right? Am I just keeping him around without thinking?
Questions I couldn’t answer kept swirling in my head, making it ache.
I sighed again, my breath carrying the faint scent of wine.
“You okay? Delphine, what’s on your mind?”
I turned toward the voice.
Edward.
A tiny, disappointing feeling rose in my chest. I’d hoped—just for a moment—it might be Tiago.
I must really be drunk…
Forcing a bright smile to hide my tangled feelings, I said,
“Oh, it’s nothing! Edward, what about you? Taking a walk this late?”
“Yeah. I was doing research and came out for some fresh air.”
He smiled warmly, with a moon-bright smile.
“Come to think of it, Edward—it’s a full moon tonight.”
“Yeah. A full moon. On nights like this, both white magic and black magic grow stronger. That means the most beautiful things can happen… but also the most cruel.”
“I see… You research white magic, right?”
“I study black magic too. You have to understand it to protect the empire from it.”
“Oh, right…”
“Ah.”
With a small sound, Edward leaned closer to me—close enough for me to smell him and hear his breathing.
I tensed slightly and leaned back.
“Delphine, something just sparkled.”
He was staring intently at my chest area.
Ah…
Of course—my necklace. The Mermaid’s Tear.
I lifted it in my hand.
“This? It’s the Mermaid’s Tear.”
“It’s beautiful. It protects you from curses. There are only a few in the whole empire, so this is my first time seeing one in person. I’ve heard His Highness has one, but I’ve never actually seen it.”
“Oh, I didn’t know it was that rare. This was a gift.”
“Who gave it to you?”
“…Tiago.”
The mention of Tiago’s name made Edward’s expression darken.
“Delphine… are you close with that man?”
“Uh… kind of.”
Talking about Tiago with Edward made me uncomfortable—especially after what I’d just seen with Charlier.
Edward finally looked away from the necklace and met my eyes.
“Delphine, can I ask you for a favor?”
“What is it?”
“Could you lend me the Mermaid’s Tear for a little while? I want to use it for research—to save more people from curses.”
“Ah…”
Seeing my hesitation, Edward quickly added,
“I could save so many lives. Delphine, you’ve always wanted to help people in need, right?”
“Uh…”
I honestly didn’t want to.
It was a gift from Tiago, and since it was one of the few in existence, I felt I should keep it safe.
But… the thought of helping more people tugged at my conscience. And Edward was someone I trusted.
Fine… It’s only for a week. It’s not like the jewel will be damaged.
I nodded slowly. Edward’s face lit up instantly, like a boy getting the exact Christmas present he wanted.
“Thank you, Delphine! So many people will live because of you. Thank you, really.”
Well… I guess it’s fine…
I still felt a little uneasy, but telling myself it was for a good cause made me feel better.
14. The Subtle Scent of a Curse Orb
The moment Charlier fell into his arms, Tiago caught a whiff of the unmistakable smell of a curse orb—stale and damp, like a storage room shut tight for years.
This woman… she must be heavily addicted for the smell to be this strong.
He looked down at Charlier’s slightly flushed face.
If she’s a bit drunk, then now’s the right time.
Part of him wanted to run after Delphine, but he forced the urge down. Confirming the truth from Charlier came first.
Tiago carefully supported her as he opened her bedroom door. She leaned her weight on him as they walked slowly.
“The sofa’s over there, Tiago.”
Instead of the table and chairs, she pointed to a long sofa. Sitting down, she patted the space next to her.
“Sit here beside me, Tiago.”
