TAVHAAN 06

6

Pernis Empire’s capital, Meltant.

Iris, returning from the Imperial Palace, was crying so hard her face was swollen.

Ugh, sob.””

Who wrote that article about her and KarKin Pavil?

‘I got scolded by Her Majesty the Empress!’

By others’ standards, it wasn’t even a real scolding.

The Empress was very lenient with Iris.

‘Iris. Be careful with your conduct for a while. Many will be jealous of you, who will be tied to my son.’

But for the delicately raised Iris, it was so mortifying.

Such a trial for me, an S-class Controller!

Kuern, riding in the carriage with her, patted her comfortingly.

“Don’t cry, Iris. Hmm?”
“Ugh, but… Grandfather is also angry because of the embezzlement.”
“Wish, would he really be angry with you? He’s just a very quick-tempered person.”

Kuern consoled her affectionately.
“You learn and grow as you go. Don’t worry too much. I handled it well with Grandfather.”

Meaning he had killed all of Iris’s nannies and maids.
“Thank you… You’re really the best, brother.”
“But, Iris.”
“Yes, brother?”
“Is the control stone business report going well?”
“…”
“It just seems a bit late. Ah! I’m not trying to rush you. I’m just asking if there’s a part that’s not going well.”
“Wish, of course not! It’s just that the volume is large, so you don’t need to worry!”
“Well, you’re always perfect, Iris, so there’s no need to worry.”

Iris smiled brightly.

However, when Kuern wasn’t looking.

‘Lillian…!’

She bit down hard on her lower lip.

She didn’t forget to do it so as not to smudge her makeup.

‘Even if she went north, she should have finished her work before leaving!’

There were two main businesses of the Tillard family.

The first was Controller personnel support.

The second was the artifact business using control stones.

As an S-class Controller, Iris naturally took charge of the second business.

But Iris had no innate sense for it.

“Brother, shouldn’t we bring Sister back quickly?”
“I know you’re considerate of Lillian, but she needs to stay there a bit longer.”
“Sigh, but still—”

No, you’re the one who doesn’t know the details, you fool…!

Iris ground her teeth inwardly at Kuern.

Kuern had no idea that Lillian had been handling the groundwork for the business.

‘Although he would have sided with me even if he knew.’

How should she pressure this stupid cousin to bring Lillian back?

Soon, the carriage arrived at the main gate of the Tillard mansion.

Just then, the butler who had served the Tillards the longest rushed over frantically.
“Young Lord!”
“Why the fuss?”
“It’s an urgent message from Young Master Ramio! It just came via the communication stone.”

The butler hurriedly handed over the green communication brooch.

Kuern frowned.

“Ramio. What’s the matter? Didn’t you and Lillian just arrive at the northern annex?”

-No!

Ramio was seething with anger.
-Lillian, do you know what she did!? She drugged us!

“What?”
-Sleeping pills, anesthetic to thirty knights—
“…What?”
-And she gave us emetics, antacids, and disappeared!

Did she kill them?

The color drained from Kuern and Iris’s faces.

Lillian was still a necessary piece for the family. Though for different reasons.

“Ramio, find Lillian immediately. I’ll explain the circumstances to the Imperial Palace Knights.”
–Haha, fine. But!

Ramio vented his anger before cutting the connection.
-Lillian, that trash. Don’t expect her to be in one piece when she comes back!

Traveling with a woman whose mental state is unstable due to her fiance.

The fifth day.

Ephraim crossed his arms and watched Lillian intently.

He thought she’d collapse, saying she couldn’t go any further on the rugged mountain path, but surprisingly,

Ridiculously, there was nothing to fault her for.

“…And it’s still suspicious, Your Highness.”

Elias was alarmed.

“‘It should be soon now…’ she says, staring blankly beyond the mountains.”
“…”
“…And she keeps… giving things away… to the knights.”
“When do ordinary humans usually do such things?”
“…When they are putting their affairs in order…”

Ephraim furrowed his brow with a smiling face.

Didn’t she also try to give her brooch away willingly?

‘Because I intend to live according to my station.’

‘I just brought her along thinking she might be slightly useful.’

There was also the intention to slightly inconvenience the Second Empress’s family and the Tillard

But this subtle annoyance wasn’t the only thing.

Why isn’t she coming closer?

His ability was growing more and more irritable.

It kept saying she smelled good even though she wasn’t a Controller.

Before he knew it, his eyes were following Lillian’s backside.

Today, a campfire was lit at the center of the campsite.

Ephraim stopped, keeping a considerable distance.

Supernatural beings have developed senses and can easily hear conversations from afar.

Jeanne awkwardly held out a bowl.

She was the Shadow whose artifact Lillian had fixed on the first day.

“Um, Lady Tillard? Would you… like some soup? No, would you have some? No, please have some.”

The Balthazar’s people basically hated the Tillards intensely.

Because they monopolized the high-level Controller connections, blocking support for the Balthazar’s.

However.

“Thank you. But shall I put this in while it’s still hot?”
“But this is…! Isn’t it pepper?”
“Yes, that’s right. I just, uh, grabbed it… I mean, brought it from home.”

Lillian generously ground pepper into the camping pot.

The Shadows’ faces turned pale.

Pepper was a luxury item obtained from beyond the Kingdom of Tenebarin.

“T-this precious thing-. Is it really alright to use it like this?”
“Huh…? It’s fine. What’s the point of saving it now?”

There was no strength in Lillian’s voice.

It wasn’t an attitude meant to deliberately gain favor.

Just a tone like she was lightening a bothersome load.

Ephraim was growing increasingly bothered by Lillian’s strange demeanor now.

And.

Could it be she’s trying to break first?

The voice of his ability, which usually only stimulated destructive impulses, grew urgent.

No, she can’t. She mustn’t break. Not before I’ve had her.

But she’s not a Controller, I tell you?

‘This is driving me mad.’

His own state was maddening, and Lillian Tillard, who kept drawing his attention, was maddening.

But regret was already too late.

He called Lillian, who had finished her soup and was cleaning up.

Her expression seemed somehow more drained than just a few days ago.

“Lady Tillard. We’ll arrive at Aeterna tomorrow.”

Then this journey together would also end.

What would this woman do now?

But then Lillian spoke.

“Ah, right. Let me tell you the materials needed for processing control stones.”
“Hmm?”
“First, a fire-mouse’s tail, star flower roots and ginseng dug up on a night with a full moon…”
“Wait, Tillard.”

Ephraim cut off Lillian’s words.
“You know the processing method too?”
“Huh? Yes.”
“Why would you…?”

That should be a secret technique of the Tillard family.

Ephraim had indeed considered extracting that secret.

But he never imagined it would flow out so readily even before any coercion.

Lillian blinked slowly.

Eyes that once sparkled brilliantly were now clouded and dull.

“There’s no reason not to tell you anymore… and it’s the last time anyway.”

The last time?

Ephraim scanned Lillian’s complexion.

Her expression was gone. It was very displeasing.

“Enough nonsense. Go back, Tillard.”

Ephraim coldly snapped and turned his back.

She failed in love once, they say.

Is this how ‘normal’ humans behave, as if they’ve given up on life?

‘Having such truly strange thoughts…’

No!

His mind was in utter chaos.

Ephraim turned his steps.

The lily scent that had entered the tent was now spreading thickly outside again.

Ephraim ran, at first slowly, then with increasingly faster strides.

Outside the tent.

In the darkness, crouched under a tree where the snow hadn’t fully melted…

Lillian Tillard was plucking and eating poisonous herbs.