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Chapter 15
The scene looked like a child’s prank.
It didn’t feel serious at all.
The Emperor leaned back in his chair, clearly bored.
“It seems Baron Potton is old.”
Helicia made a pitiful face and added,
“When people get old, even brushing clothes can break bones.”
Then she continued,
“He suddenly fell down like something flying out during a sneeze. It surprised me.”
People around them tried hard not to laugh.
Small coughs were heard everywhere.
The ladies quickly covered their faces with fans.
No one knew how to react.
They couldn’t get angry in front of the Emperor,
but they also couldn’t speak against the Saintess.
Taking the chance, Helicia stood up politely and asked,
“Then… may I treat Baron Potton?”
The Emperor replied lazily,
“I already owe my Saintess for coming. Asking for treatment too would be shameless.”
Even though he spoke casually, it worked immediately.
Baron Potton quickly stepped forward and smiled.
“No, no! I’m fine! It was just a small slip. Haha… I’m embarrassed to get so much attention!”
But his lips trembled as he endured the pain.
He stomped his foot to show he was fine.
His eyes were slightly wet—he was clearly hurting.
But Helicia had no intention of healing him.
Giving illness and then curing it is too contradictory.
So she decided to only give the illness.
She looked around.
Everyone who had been talking with him was now silent.
Instead, they tried to force smiles and fix the mood.
“Baron Potton really exaggerates.”
“Haha, that’s true!”
“Since the Saintess is here, maybe you should at least show your toe?”
“It’s been so long since we had a Saintess. The god wouldn’t send one without reason!”
Life really was strange.
From far away, it looked like comedy.
Up close, it was tragedy.
Even the orchestra kept playing, pretending nothing happened.
They were clearly used to this.
The Emperor, who didn’t care at all, changed the topic.
“Ah, right. About building a fountain in the plaza…”
Slowly, the mood became normal again.
Most people went back to flattering the Emperor and Arzen.
Helicia quietly moved to the edge of the hall.
No one paid attention to her.
Everyone was focused on the Emperor.
Lato followed her silently.
Helicia looked at the hall and spoke seriously,
“Lato. I am emotionally hurt because of Baron Potton’s exaggeration.”
Lato replied quietly,
“Others are watching. Please at least act hurt.”
So Helicia lowered her head.
She slowly walked toward the terrace.
“So I need a short walk. You stayed here and comforted me, okay?”
She tried to climb the railing, but Lato lifted her up.
Helicia balanced herself and waved.
“Then I’m going!”
And then—
She jumped.
Lato looked shocked.
Helicia landed perfectly.
She raised both hands proudly, waved at him, and ran into the garden.
The cold night air brushed past her.
The bright moon made the white flowers glow.
She picked up a small stone and tossed it in the air.
“This should be the place.”
She knew the palace very well.
Not just once—
She had been here through 18 lives.
It felt more familiar than her own home.
Especially from the life where she tried to assassinate the Emperor.
She looked at a distant window and smiled.
“Even this window feels familiar now.”
But it was quiet.
Too quiet.
“Did he not come?”
She frowned.
She told him many times to come.
Now she was annoyed.
She grabbed a stone tightly.
The Third Prince’s palace looked fancy outside—
But there were no guards.
“Even during the coronation, he had no guards…”
She took a deep breath and focused.
Then—
THROW!
The stone cut through the air.
CRASH!
The window shattered.
For a moment, red hair appeared—
then disappeared.
“There you are!”
She waved happily.
But he didn’t look outside.
“How can he not look when the window broke?”
Helicia stepped back.
“Wait for me, Arpessian!”
All the kindness she showed before—
was just to build momentum for today.
She ran forward like a racehorse.
◆◆◆
Arpessian sat quietly on his bed.
He curled up in the dark room and looked at the clock.
The birthday banquet was already happening.
“She told me to come…”
He wanted to go.
He even asked the Emperor directly—
but got no reply.
He could not attend without permission.
Because he was the Third Prince.
There was a hidden rule in the royal family:
“Only children born from the main wife and noble blood are allowed to be educated.”
The Emperor, once the 13th prince, killed his family to take the throne.
The reason was simple—
They looked down on him.
He believed that if he had power,
everyone would kneel before him.
Because he was born from a maid,
he became obsessed with power.
Now, he feared only one thing—
That his children might kill him the same way.
So he cut off their growth from the beginning.
The First Prince, Arzen, received proper education.
But Arpessian—
could not learn anything.
The Second Prince, Allen Estar, was the same.
He could not even read or learn basic manners.
