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~Chapter 45~
…It wasn’t funny at all. I knew Abrelshud wasn’t trying to make me laugh.
Anyway, he explained for a long time that he survived because he chose to believe something that sounded unbelievable.
Since I didn’t react to what he said, Abrelshud seemed embarrassed and scratched his brow before continuing.
“…Well, after that, he said maybe someone else—not himself—could come. And just like that, someone actually broke through all this tight security and attacked me.”
“……”
“Then, as you can see, I ended up with a hole right through me.”
He talked about getting stabbed like it was nothing, so I figured I didn’t need to worry anymore.
But how strong was the enemy if even a cardinal got attacked so easily?
“By the way, Your Eminence, I thought you said you were strong.”
“Puhaha!”
Abrelshud burst out laughing, but then he felt pain in his stomach and quickly stopped.
Huh? Was that a funny question?
I just asked because his words and actions didn’t match.
He wiped the tears from his eyes and stared straight at me.
“Are you worried that I only got hurt and couldn’t fight back?”
“Huh? I’m not worried.”
“Really? Maybe I misunderstood.”
He looked at me and seemed sure I was worried about him, even though I denied it.
I thought about correcting him, but I stayed quiet because I didn’t know what he’d say next.
“Anyway, Yushen gave me a lot of advice before he left.”
“So in the end, you survived thanks to the captain?”
“Well, I did survive with just a hole in my stomach thanks to his advice.”
Abrelshud nodded at my words, then stared off into space for a moment.
“But now that I think about it, something about that guy’s behavior bothers me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, how should I put it….”
His golden eyes, which had been staring into the air, turned to look at me.
When I opened my eyes wide, his mouth curved into a big smile.
“He spoke as if someone had told him the future.”
“……”
“He’s never spoken about the future with so much certainty before.”
Ah, I’m doomed.
Even I could tell that Abrelshud was now sure I was the one who told Yushen about the future.
‘…What should I do? It would be a problem if someone else finds out I can see the future.’
It’s never good when more people know a secret, especially if that person is a high-ranking temple official like a cardinal.
“Do you think you can really keep it a secret like that?”
“……”
“I’ll pretend I don’t know, so relax your face, okay?”
Without noticing, my face had gotten stiff.
When I realized, my jaw was clenched so hard it hurt.
“You must have a complicated reason for keeping it hidden.”
“…How did you know?”
There was no way he would believe me if I denied it, so I just asked him directly.
I was sure Yushen hadn’t told him.
“How do you think I’ve kept this position for so long?”
…Fine, I had to admit it.
He might die easily in the original story, but now I realized Abrelshud was actually pretty sharp.
“We’re on the same boat now. Why not trust me a little?”
Everything he said was right.
Now that he knew my secret—even if I didn’t plan it—we were basically in this together. So I had to trust him, whether I liked it or not.
At least, since Yushen told him only a few days ago and Abrelshud hadn’t told anyone else, my secret was safe for now.
“…I’ll trust that you can keep a secret, Your Eminence.”
“Smart decision.”
Even though Abrelshud was a bit annoying, the most urgent thing now was to catch the person who tried to kill him.
The attacker was probably disguised and hiding somewhere inside the temple.
Even if it was a special day where anyone could enter, it shouldn’t have been easy to get into a cardinal’s private area.
‘Only people with verified identities can get in here.’
And if there was any chance Yushen would get blamed, we needed to find the criminal as soon as possible.
“So, did you see the attacker’s face?”
“No. They were wearing a black mask.”
“Couldn’t you take it off?”
“Of course I wanted to, but I couldn’t get close. I couldn’t move my body.”
“……”
“If you couldn’t move, didn’t you think to use holy power?”
It was like he could read my mind.
Did Abrelshud have mind-reading powers or something?
Maybe he noticed I was surprised, because he shook his head and continued.
“I thought the same thing, but strangely, I couldn’t control my holy power either. The attacker must have done something to the weapon.”
“……”
“Do you know what that means?”
If I knew, I wouldn’t just be a regular staff member.
Since I didn’t know, I shook my head.
“It means I was the only target from the start.”
“……”
“I don’t know who was behind it, but whoever planned it must have known exactly how I would react.”
That gave me chills.
He could guess so much about the criminal without even knowing who it was.
‘Well, if you think about who would benefit from getting rid of him, you could guess… But Abrelshud has too many enemies to narrow it down.’
I guess you have to be this smart to reach that position and keep it.
“The criminal knows the temple’s layout and work very well—”
Abrelshud suddenly stopped talking and turned his head sharply toward the door.
“Someone’s coming.”
Abrelshud’s senses were much sharper than mine. Even though I didn’t hear anything, his serious gaze made me tense.
Could it be the criminal, coming back to finish the job? What about the guards outside?
Bang!!
“Your Eminence!”
…Huh?
The one who burst in wasn’t the criminal, but Aydin.
I turned to look at him, confused. Abrelshud was silently laughing.
Then I realized—he was just playing a prank on me.
“Haa… I can’t hit a sick person, but…”
“What did you say?”
“Oh, nothing, nothing at all.”
I quickly waved my hands at Abrelshud, who somehow heard what I muttered under my breath.
Aydin came closer and asked,
“Are you okay, Your Eminence?”
“What do you think, Sir Cranbone?”
“You don’t look very well.”
“Let’s just go with that, then.”
If he could joke around like this, he must be okay.
Looking pale was normal after losing so much blood. He’d recover with time, so there was nothing to worry about.
Aydin seemed to know this and let out a relieved sigh.
“The captain is really worried about you too.”
“If he’s so worried, why hasn’t he shown his face?”
“Well…”
Aydin didn’t know that Yushen had already told Abrelshud everything, so he hesitated like a lost puppy.
Abrelshud waved his hand.
“It’s fine. I’m sure he has a reason. But why are you so late?”
“Huh?”
“Weren’t you the first one to get the report?”
“Oh, that… I sent the others ahead and searched the area myself, thinking the criminal couldn’t have gotten far.”
“Did you find anything?”
“……”
Just by the look on Aydin’s face, I knew the answer was no.
“…I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find anyone suspicious.”
“Any traces?”
“No clear traces either.”
“They got away without leaving any sign? That doesn’t make sense.”
Abrelshud shook his head, clearly not understanding.
If I didn’t know Conrad was the criminal, I’d be confused too.
Conrad can make the impossible happen. He built up a lot of power by grabbing a spot in the imperial court.
Knowing the criminal but not being able to say anything felt awful.
“At least security is tighter now, so the criminal won’t be coming back.”
“Right. Anyway, where’s Captain Yushen Willen?”
“He’s at the event hall.”
“So I won’t be seeing him today.”
Thanks to me, Abrelshud’s wounds were healed enough for him to move, but considering aftereffects, it was better for him to skip today’s event.
It was a relief that I wouldn’t meet Yushen today, but I still didn’t feel calm.
In the original story, Abrelshud died today, so no place was safe for him.
But maybe, if Aydin and I—who have nothing to do with his death in the original—stay with him, he’ll be okay.
Still, I felt uneasy about Yushen being alone at the event.
“Letitia.”
Suddenly, Abrelshud called me in a slightly annoyed voice.
“Yes?”
“Go.”
“Huh? Go where?”
“Go to the outdoor chapel.”
“…Why?”
“Don’t you realize what kind of face you’re making right now?”
He didn’t give me a chance to argue.
“It’s written all over your face—you want to go to the event hall where your fiancé is.”
“…Fiancé? Who’s a fiancé—”
“Enough. Just go. Seeing your face is making me anxious.”
“……”
“You should go before I change my mind.”
From the context, he was talking about Yushen.
He’s not my fiancé, but I was worried about him, so my heart wavered.
I looked at Aydin for help. He nodded.
“Go ahead, I’ll stay here. I don’t feel comfortable leaving the captain alone either.”
Honestly, what Abrelshud said made me feel guilty, but if they tell me to go, there’s no reason not to!
Abrelshud’s wounds had healed enough for him to move, so I could take care of the rest after the event.
“…Then, I’ll see you later!”
I quickly left for the event hall, afraid Abrelshud might change his mind and call me back.
