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Chapter 17
Inside the guest reception room located in the Imperial Palace of Avid.
Although it was night, half the windows were covered by curtains, making the darkness in the room even deeper. But the room’s owner did not seem to mind at all.
She actually preferred the darkness.
Leaning comfortably against the sofa, she absentmindedly twisted her wavy pink hair with her fingers—proof of her ease.
Delisa sat with her legs crossed arrogantly, muttering alone in the silence of the empty room.
“The moon is perfectly full. It’s just the right atmosphere to meet His Highness. Is anyone there?”
“Yes, yes….”
Ever since things had started going unusually well without her needing to lift a finger, it felt as if heaven itself was guiding both her and Laiphin.
After Rizeana’s disappearance, Delisa had gained relatively free access to the palace.
Moreover, since the Crown Princess had vanished, Delisa—who had managed to persuade Laiphin to let her temporarily stay in the guest quarters—was now accompanied by Belita, Rizeana’s former maid.
At Delisa’s command, Belita hurried into action.
“What are you doing?”
Belita, who had been preparing clothes despite her resistance, turned around at Delisa’s irritated voice.
“You said… you were going to see His Majesty… right?”
“I did.”
“Then you should get ready….”
“Hey.”
At Delisa’s displeased gaze, Belita quickly stopped and bowed her head with her hands clasped.
“Yes, Lady Delisa.”
“A slip is enough.”
Belita swallowed her anger at Delisa’s mocking tone, clenching her hands tightly.
“…Yes.”
“Then let’s go see His Majesty.”
As if she were floating, Delisa strode forward lightly, her pink hair flowing behind her. She sprayed heart-shaped perfume from the table all over herself before quickening her steps.
A strong, overwhelming scent lingered wherever she passed.
It was so strong one would normally want to cover their nose, but the passing soldiers only looked at her with dazed admiration.
“Lady Delisa?”
Eliza, who had been walking through the corridor from the guest reception room toward the Emperor’s chambers, quickly bowed upon seeing her.
“Go inform His Majesty that I have arrived.”
But unlike Delisa’s confident tone, Eliza hesitated.
“Tell him quickly.”
“T-that is….”
Unable to continue, Eliza looked troubled.
Delisa stepped closer, irritated, and the strong scent hit Eliza directly.
Her pupils unfocused, Eliza replied in a dazed voice.
“I’m sorry, but His Majesty is not in his chambers right now.”
“What?”
Surprised, Delisa glanced at Belita before asking again.
“Then where is he?”
“He is… in his office.”
“At this late hour?”
“Yes….”
At Delisa’s gesture, Eliza’s eyes trembled.
“And what is he doing at this hour?”
“He is investigating the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Her Highness the Crown Princess.”
“Alone?”
Her sharp voice rose.
“He is with Duke Philorentia….”
Delisa paused at that, then turned away.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, yes.”
Belita hurried after her as Delisa walked ahead irritably.
Belita closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, watching Delisa’s swaying pink hair.
‘She… she looked like she would kill someone just now…’
She could not forget the murderous expression that had briefly crossed Delisa’s angelic face.
A pink-haired beauty greeted Nera with a cold expression.
It was the time when the sunset burned red across the sky.
Under the crimson light streaming through the window, Delisa showed none of the loving expression she had when facing Laiphin. Instead, her face was tense—almost anxious.
“You’re late.”
Nera, sitting on the window ledge of the Crodenne estate in the capital region of Wiz, near the Crodenne family’s territory of Herganya, smiled politely.
“You’re a bit late, aren’t you? The road here is always rough.”
Unable to use instant teleportation due to unstable mana conditions, Nera had to travel from the Tenzel Empire to Avid through a rabbit tunnel.
It took nearly four hours, causing her to arrive later than planned.
“It’s fine,” Delisa replied with a curved smile.
“As long as you deliver the goods properly. You brought it, right?”
Delisa bit her nails anxiously, one of her nervous habits whenever she feared something might go wrong.
“Yes, of course,” Nera replied lightly, rummaging through her bag.
“By the way, I also got something unexpected this time.”
Her words dragged slightly as she searched.
“Do you know what opium is?”
“Opium?”
“If you don’t know, forget it. Ah, found it!”
Nera finally pulled out the item she had been searching for, smiling brightly.
Delisa recognized it instantly.
It was the same item that had made her who she was today.
A life-saving substance.
As she examined it, Delisa immediately noticed something different.
“Is this the same one I received before? Something’s changed.”
“Bingo. You’re right. I adjusted the ratio to make it stronger. You said it didn’t work well last time, right?”
At those words, Delisa’s expression grew heated.
“Be grateful. It really was fortunate I met you.”
“Hehe, well, since you pay double, I’m always grateful too.”
Delisa looked at the heart-shaped pink perfume in her hand and thought of Laiphin.
With this, everything would return to its rightful place.
Recently, her relationship with Laiphin had seemed strained due to Rizeana’s absence. He kept sending her away, claiming he was busy. Only Duke Philorentia stayed by his side.
“Even after disappearing… still interfering with me.”
Delisa trembled with anger.
She did not know Rizeana’s fate—whether she was alive or dead.
But if she truly had disappeared… and never returned again…
Even if she died right there—
“Miss? Miss!”
Delisa snapped out of her thoughts at Nera’s voice.
To Nera, Delisa was just a high-ranking figure from the Crodenne family, so she did not ask further.
“…Did I just smile…?”
Startled, Delisa touched her lips.
Nera then pulled out a paper.
“When will you order the next batch? You ordered this one sooner than usual. You normally called me every two months.”
Delisa smiled faintly.
“If there’s an opportunity, you seize it. Even if it’s dirty, this is the only method I’ve ever relied on.”
With a strange expression that was neither a smile nor a cry, she stood there silently for a long time.
“Ready?”
Early the next morning, Ian appeared in Rizeana’s room in high spirits.
Instead of his usual uniform, he wore a loose long-sleeved shirt and black pants that made him look even taller.
Though his usual aura of nobility was gone, his striking appearance remained undeniable.
Rizeana, just out of the shower with damp hair and casual indoor clothes, looked completely opposite to him.
“First—”
Ian glanced at her, then tapped his cheek lightly twice with his finger.
“Let’s go.”
“Wait—!”
A wave of nausea hit her as she was instantly transported again. She still hadn’t gotten used to teleportation.
Ian caught her arm as she staggered.
“Are you okay?”
“Next time, warn me before you move!”
“Hmm.”
“Hmm? You should apologize. Right now.”
Rizeana refused to let go of his arm, glaring at him until he apologized. Ian exhaled lightly.
“…Sorry?”
“And?”
“…I won’t do it again?”
Satisfied, Rizeana finally relaxed her grip.
“Good. Now let’s really start. The date.”
The market of Tenzel resembled Avid’s, but was fundamentally different.
Rizeana looked around curiously.
Both empires were trading powers, so goods from many countries filled the streets, but Avid’s items leaned toward magic-based goods, while Tenzel—known as a nation of iron—featured weapons prominently.
Yet beyond that, food and goods filled the bustling central market like a festival.
“This is Carpe Diem Market, one of the famous places in Bezetena, the capital of Tenzel.”
Ian handed her a black cloak and led her by the hand toward a massive tree in the center of the market.
“Let’s buy clothes first.”
“What kind of nonsense is this? You dragged me here without warning!”
Ignoring her protest, Ian simply smiled and took her into a shop.
“From here to here. Everything.”
Inside Madam RaySong’s boutique, Ian casually declared his purchase.
Soon, he handed her a simple ivory dress.
“Put this on.”
After changing, Rizeana came out to find Ian already speaking with the shop owner.
Before she could protest, he dragged her elsewhere.
“Ever tried this?”
He handed her something like a triangular pastry topped with ice cream.
“Ice cream…? What’s underneath?”
“A cookie base. Don’t overthink it—just try it.”
She took a bite.
Cold sweetness filled her mouth.
“It’s… delicious.”
Ian smiled as if expected.
“How is it? Tenzel’s not bad, right?”
A breeze gently passed through.
For the first time, Rizeana truly felt—
This was no longer Avid.
