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Chapter : 16
This time, we’ll switch to the male lead.
“We’ll be arriving at the Imperial Palace soon.”
Aidan spoke as he watched the scenery race past outside the window.
Hiperion hadn’t said a word the entire way back from the plaza.
His expression looked lost in thought.
“My lord, I have something to report.”
“…….”
Only then did Leon turn his gaze.
“The Saintess Phoebe wishes to see you.”
“Why?”
Bathed in sunlight, his figure looked almost unreal, like a sacred image from myth.
“She’s in prayer.”
“Yes, but…”
When those bewitching red eyes turned toward him, Aidan hesitated.
“It seems she heard about Your Highness’s engagement.”
Lethe Phoebe, Saintess of Ignis.
The only light that stood beside the sun.
God’s chosen vessel, the one who commands the moon…
And yet—ironically—a woman who chose to live not for God, but for Hiperion.
“Explain. What does my engagement have to do with the saintess?”
“Well…”
Aidan suddenly felt painfully aware of the cold gap between two hearts.
Leon would never admit it, but to Phoebe, Leon was everything.
“Until now, she has been the one closest to you, hasn’t she?”
“Closest?”
His face chilled, void of even a speck of emotion.
This was Hiperion’s real face.
Then what was that smile he showed the duke’s daughter?
“The saintess has always devoted herself to Ignis and to you, my lord. Even now she is praying day and night for the unconscious emperor.”
“…….”
“You should acknowledge her service.”
With the clash between imperial and divine authority at its peak and the emperor collapsed by madness, if the saintess turned her back on the imperial family, it would be Leon who suffered.
“All she wishes for is a sliver of your heart. If you would just treat her kindly once—”
“Tell Phoebe this.”
Leon let out a short, derisive laugh at Aidan’s emotional plea.
“Stop overstepping.”
“……!”
“If she wanted anything like that, she should never have stayed at my side.”
He was smiling—but somehow it sent a chill down Aidan’s spine.
“But my lord—”
Aidan could find no answer.
In the end, Phoebe had chosen all of this—chosen Leon, chosen to love him.
No one forced her…
“Give her the smallest opening, and she forgets her place.”
“…….”
“Isn’t that right, Aidan?”
Aidan knew the warning was meant for both him and the saintess.
“…Anyway, Your Highness.”
He forced his expression back to neutral and changed the subject.
“Why do you suppose Lord Babel never warned us about that strange woman—Lady Veritas?”
There had been too many unsettling events lately.
Leon, who once rejected even the saintess’s proposal, suddenly announcing his engagement.
And even Babel—once impenetrable—showing cracks.
Kaela Veritas.
The woman at the center of it all drew surprisingly little attention.
Partly because her father, Duke Veritas, was a neutral who overprotected his daughter.
And compared to the Rutas family—who’d produced both a high chancellor and even an empress—she was destined to go unnoticed.
I thought His Highness just needed a convenient puppet.
Powerful enough to restrain the temple faction, yet too insignificant to challenge him.
That had to be why he chose Kaela Veritas.
And yet—
—Oh? Babel!
—Kkiing.
Aidan’s eyes narrowed as the memory returned.
Babel: a being forged from Hiperion’s darkest power.
Loyal only to his master, moving as Leon’s instincts commanded.
“So, she caught Babel’s eye.”
“C–cough!”
Aidan choked at Leon’s casual remark.
“Excuse me? Lord Babel being interested in her? My lord, of all people you should know what that implies—”
Babel and Leon were as good as one being.
If Babel liked her, then Leon—
“Lord Babel was never gentle even with the saintess who grew up beside you. That can’t be true.”
Aidan waved it away in denial.
“Ha. Probably just curious about a new human.”
“Perhaps. Or maybe…”
But Leon’s eyes sharpened, unwavering.
“She’s the one he’s been waiting for.”
—Hiperion, even if everyone forgets me, you must remember.
—Will you marry me?
Someone he had waited for…
For a very, very long time.
In the end, I had no choice but to board the carriage heading for the palace.
Someone had already been sent to inform Emma, so there was no excuse left to escape.
Why aren’t we leaving yet? Did something happen?
But the carriage sat unmoving for a long time.
Even Babel—who had personally watched me climb in—was nowhere to be seen.
“Why are they so late?”
“There was trouble while transferring the prisoners to the military.”
When I cracked the window open, I heard the soldiers talking.
“They pretended to follow quietly, then set off their ammunition.”
The soldier scoffed in disbelief.
Apparently, there’d been an accident while transporting survivors of Kael’s men.
“Tsk, like master like servant. So what happened? We didn’t have armor on them.”
“Luckily, Lord Babel was scouting nearby and handled it.”
If I’d known he was away, I should’ve run earlier!
“Yeah? And their condition?”
“No serious injuries. Just… unable to walk on their own.”
“Lucky bastards. Getting caught by Lord Babel and surviving that.”
But what they said next made me abandon any thought of escaping.
“So where’s Lord Babel now?”
“He went to report to the commander—he’ll be back soon. Oh, and apparently, when the ammunition exploded, he got grazed on the cheek.”
“What?”
The senior soldier’s face went pale.
“Is His Highness all right? If Lord Babel is injured, His Highness should be feeling it too!”
“No, the wound’s minor, so His Highness is unaffected.”
“Whew… then thank the heavens.”
My eyes widened.
Babel was hurt—so why was no one worried about him?
“Oh? You’re back, Lord Babel.”
“…….”
Lost in their conversation, I didn’t notice the curtain pull back.
The world brightened, and a man with black hair and red eyes came into view.
“His Highness is waiting.”
He confirmed I was inside, then climbed into the carriage.
“Move out.”
“Yes, sir!”
As the carriage jolted forward, he crossed his arms and shut his eyes.
He showed not a flicker of interest in the woman sitting right across from him.
Seeing him like this, he really is Leon’s twin…
Which meant I had a good look at that annoyingly perfect face.
Long lashes, a nose and lips too clean to be real—
And…
That must sting.
The slash on his pale cheek.
“You should wipe the blood off.”
“…….”
He finally opened his eyes and looked at me.
“You’re hurt.”
I offered him a handkerchief, but those indifferent red eyes didn’t move.
“His Highness is fine.”
“No. You are.”
“……?”
“I know the prince is all right. I’m talking about Lord Babel.”
Surprised, he furrowed his brow slightly.
“If you leave it like that, the bleeding will stop.”
“……!”
When I pressed the cloth gently to his cheek, his broad shoulders flinched.
“Hold it there.”
I warned him because I had a feeling he’d toss it away the moment I let go.
“…….”
But unexpectedly, Babel gripped the handkerchief hard and sat still.
“Yes, just like that.”
Despite his icy first impression, something cute slipped through—and I couldn’t help smiling.
How strange.
When his red eyes rolled downward like a restless cat following dust, I blinked.
For a devil rumored to tear out the throats of enemies at Hiperion’s side…
He’s actually… kind of adorable.
More like a cat pretending to be a wild beast.
