Alia inwardly rolled her eyes.Why was everyone speaking in riddles? They always stopped halfway, as if afraid of revealing too much and giving away the upper hand. But in the end, what truly mattered was never what the “Grail” could do, but rather—who would find it first and claim control over it.“You don’t seem surprised at all about the ‘Grail.’ Looks like someone has already told you about it.” Emma raised an eyebrow, choosing not to answer Alia’s question directly.Alia nodded calmly. “Elias once mentioned some things about the ‘Grail’ to me. I knew it was important, but I didn’t expect… that they would go to such lengths and pay such a heavy price for it.”She hadn’t stated it too definitively, but her words were enough to make Emma realize that she wasn’t entirely an outsider.Emma paused briefly, then let out a low chuckle. Her gaze darkened slightly, as if recalling something, and there was an almost imperceptible weariness in her tone. “Yes… everyone has gone mad, willing t
Several days passed, and the castle remained peaceful, as if the previous turmoil had never occurred. With Alia’s help, Emma successfully infiltrated the guard unit, and so far, no one had suspected her identity. Meanwhile, Alia had resumed her training in the practice room.She had initially planned to use this time to upgrade the training facilities, but to her surprise, Emma had a keen understanding of such matters as well.Standing in the practice room, Emma slowly surveyed the layout—climbing frames in the corners, suspended wooden stakes, sliding tracks designed for evasion training. A flicker of understanding flashed in her eyes as she spoke slowly, “I had already noticed your unusual way of walking and your instinctive reactions. Now that I see this practice room, I’m even more certain.”Alia’s body tensed slightly, her fingers unconsciously tightening before she forced herself to remain calm. “Certain about what?” she asked in an even tone.Emma smiled faintly, her expression
She was growing increasingly suspicious that her encounter with her master all those years ago had been nothing more than a carefully orchestrated scheme. She had always believed their meeting was pure chance—that he had seen her potential and decided to train her. But now, it seemed more like an elaborate setup. Every decision he made, every lesson he taught, every mission he assigned her—even his sudden disappearance—had perhaps been tied to the “Holy Grail” from the very beginning.And now, Emma’s words had given her a startling revelation—Eryx was not just her master. He had other “students.” More than that, his goal had never been solely about her.She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain composed in front of Emma. Yet, her silence did not go unnoticed.“What’s wrong?” Emma studied her with a slight frown before giving a light chuckle. Half-jokingly, she added, “Don’t tell me that my simple description scared you? Sure, the guy’s face was full of scars, but he was actual
“But don’t be discouraged. I’m not just here to watch—I’ll help you modify this place, and from now on, I’ll train with you.” Emma crossed her arms, a confident smile playing on her lips. “I don’t know how or why you started all this, but I’ll do my best to support you.”Alia gazed at her, a flicker of complex emotions passing through her eyes. Emma’s trust and support warmed her heart, yet she knew she couldn’t reveal too much. After a brief hesitation, she nodded. “Alright, let’s start now. I’m ready.”She understood that the mysteries surrounding her wouldn’t be solved overnight, but strengthening herself was always the right choice.Emma nodded in satisfaction. Scanning the layout of the training room, she suddenly became intrigued. “Run through your routine once. Let me see what level you’re at.”Alia smirked slightly. Without a word, she took a deep breath, tapped her toes lightly against the ground, and launched into motion.Her movements were swift and fluid, with barely any u
As Alia stepped out of the training hall, she instinctively glanced around, expecting to see Elise waiting for her as usual, holding a cup of warm tea. But today, Elise was nowhere to be found.Alia frowned slightly, recalling the past—no matter how late her training ended, Elise was always there, like a caring younger sister, ready with a fresh towel and warm tea. Yet today, she was absent.Turning to Emma, Alia lowered her voice and asked, “Have you seen the girl who’s always with me?”Emma raised an eyebrow, pondered for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I haven’t seen her at all today.”Alia’s frown deepened. She wasn’t upset about Elise not attending to her—after all, she had never treated Elise as a mere servant but as a sister. What she felt now was not displeasure but worry.Her first thought was that Elise might have gone to see Adrian, but she quickly dismissed the idea. Alia knew exactly how Elise felt about Adrian. Elise had never sought Adrian out on her own; it was alw
After a series of challenges, Emma and Alia successfully evaded the patrolling soldiers around the castle and silently slipped out. Under the night sky, the quiet country road slowly came into view under the glow of their car’s headlights. Although the darkness seemed to offer them some cover, both of them knew that this night would be anything but ordinary. Emma drove an old yet steady vehicle, speeding along the countryside road. The car’s stable hum and the occasional sounds of insects mixed to form a serene nighttime scene.Soon after, they arrived at Elise’s hometown. The car stopped by a quaint little bridge, where the moonlight bathed the river, creating a mirror-like surface that reflected the shadows of trees and a nearby cottage. This place had none of the bustle of the city or the excessive luxury of urban life. Instead, it exuded an ancient, tranquil feel. The air was filled with the earthy scent of soil and the fresh, green fragrance typical of the countryside. The houses
The soft glow of the room’s lights cast gentle shadows over the wooden furniture, while a faint scent of timber lingered in the air, bringing a sense of peace and comfort. Though the space was small, it was tidy and exuded a warmth that felt like home. On the table sat a basket of fresh groceries, suggesting that Elise had just returned from a trip outside. She hadn’t even had time to start cooking before Alia and Emma’s unexpected visit.After inviting them to sit, Elise’s calm demeanor did little to ease Alia’s furrowed brows. She locked eyes with Elise, her gaze sharp with lingering suspicion. Slowly, she spoke, her voice laced with a gravity that demanded answers.“Why haven’t you been answering my calls? And why did you suddenly leave without a word? What exactly happened?”Elise lowered her gaze, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her sleeve. After a moment of hesitation, she finally responded, her voice soft yet firm.“I’m sorry, Livia… The signal here isn’t great, s
A few minutes earlier, Emma and Livia had driven away. Emma, unable to hold back her curiosity, asked, “You don’t actually believe her, do you?”“Of course not,” Alia replied calmly. “Her parents traveling without informing her? That’s impossible. And if they had told her, why would she have returned? Naturally, she’s lying. But if I expose her directly, she’ll only spin more lies. I know her—if she truly intends to leave, she’ll do it tonight. Let’s drive away for a while, then secretly return to the village entrance. It’s the only road out. We’ll catch her there.”As expected, Alia’s plan worked. They ‘caught’ Elise.The night was deep, the countryside road silent. Only the wind rustled the treetops with a whispering sound. Emma and Alia stepped out of the car, walking unhurriedly toward Elise’s vehicle. The black silhouette of the car stood in the dim light, like a silent confrontation waiting to unfold.Elise sat frozen in the driver’s seat, her eyes flickering with unease as her
The two of them shared another round of playful banter, their laughter filling the cool morning air of the hospital room, carrying a gentle atmosphere that lingered with a tinge of reluctant tenderness. Livia gradually softened her smile, gently smoothing the stray strands of hair from her forehead, and then turned serious.“I have to go now. I’m visiting all the key sites today to inspect the work, and I have a meeting with all the main leaders in the evening.”Marcellus’s expression immediately stiffened, his gaze sharpening. “So that means… you’ll have to confront Eryx head-on?”Livia shook her head slightly, though her eyes remained steady and unwavering. “I’m not sure if I’ll run into him. According to your schedule from yesterday, today is the time for your routine meeting, and most people won’t expect me to join so soon. So, the attendance might be light. I want to use this opportunity to familiarize myself with the situation and see if there’s anyone worth gaining over to our
Morning sunlight streamed through the narrow gap in the curtains, casting scattered flecks of gold onto the crisp white sheets. Livia stirred, her lashes fluttering as she slowly opened her eyes. The warm light made her squint slightly, pulling her halfway out of sleep—but it wasn’t the sun that fully woke her.She felt it—a quiet, steady gaze resting on her.Turning her head, she met Marcellus’s eyes. He was already awake, watching her with a look that caught her off guard—soft, unwavering, and tinged with an intimacy she wasn’t yet used to.For a second, she panicked.She tried to sit up quickly, but her arm brushed against something warm and firm beneath the blanket—something that made her freeze mid-motion. A beat passed. Her cheeks flushed bright red. Before she could say a word, Marcellus gave her a familiar, slightly mischievous smile—the kind that made her heart skip and her patience thin.“You’re still misbehaving, even while recovering,” she muttered, giving him a glare that
Livia’s eyes lingered on Marcellus’s hand—still gently wrapped around hers, firm yet reassuring. Her heart skipped a beat. In the soft light, their shadows stretched along the wall beside the bed, wavering slightly as if echoing the tremble in her chest. She exhaled slowly, almost soundlessly, and stepped closer. Every movement she made was featherlight, like she feared even the quietest sound might shatter the fragile stillness between them.She loosened the outer robe draped over her shoulders and let it slide down, the fabric rustling faintly against her skin. One hand unfastened her sash with quiet precision. She moved slowly, with the care of someone unsure if they were allowed this moment. Her every motion—removing each layer, folding her clothes, placing them neatly on the bench beside the bed—carried a sense of reverence, as though this small act of undressing held weight beyond its simplicity.With a breath held, she lifted the blanket’s edge and eased herself into the bed. T
Time slipped by quietly, unnoticed. As the conversation between the two deepened, they grew more engrossed, the warm golden light in the hospital room spreading between them like a soft, tranquil embrace.Livia was leaning over the final map, her voice low and focused: “If we reroute through the East Corridor, would that—”She stopped mid-sentence.It suddenly dawned on her that Marcellus, propped against the headboard beside her, looked pale and exhausted. A sheen of sweat clung to his forehead. Though he was clearly forcing himself to stay alert for their discussion, his body had long reached its limit.She frowned slightly, frustrated with herself. Closing the file folder, she murmured, “…Sorry, I got too carried away. I forgot you’re still recovering. I should’ve let you rest earlier.”With that, she stood up and quietly walked over to the simple spare cot on the side of the room, ready to let the night pass in silence and pick up their unfinished plans tomorrow.But just as she l
Elias was just about to stand up, brushing down his cloak as he prepared to leave the room with Livia. But just as he moved, Livia’s voice rang out—soft, even-paced, but carrying a quiet firmness that left no room for doubt:“Tonight, I’ll stay with you.”The air seemed to freeze for a moment the instant those words left her lips. Elias and Marcellus turned to look at her almost simultaneously. Marcellus frowned, a flicker of surprise and instinctive concern in his eyes. Elias, meanwhile, froze in place, a look of stunned disbelief flashing across his face.Livia didn’t shy away from their gazes. She looked directly at Marcellus, her tone as calm and rational as ever. “There are still things I haven’t figured out. No matter how quickly you try to explain them verbally, it’s better for me to ask directly and clear everything up. Let’s settle the rest tonight—so there won’t be any loose ends in the handover.”“No,” Marcellus said at once, shaking his head, his expression unusually urgen
Once again, she was reminded of who she used to be in her past life.Back then, she hadn’t met her master yet, didn’t even have a name. She was just a shadow slipping through alleys and street corners, someone who could vanish at any moment. Every morning she woke up shivering from the biting cold, her stomach hollow and aching. Every night, she curled up behind broken crates or next to trash heaps, falling asleep to the sounds of crying and fighting on the outer edges of the city. There was never enough food, never enough warmth—no trust, no direction.If she hadn’t met her master that night, she might’ve quietly died in some nameless alley.And now, the man before her was saying he wanted to build a new residential area—for people like she once was, people with nowhere to go.If what he said was real, if this expansion project could truly take shape, it would mean that in the future, there would be fewer people like “Alia.”In that moment, something sparked inside her—Livia… no, Ali
For a moment, the air seemed to still.Elias froze, startled, while Livia’s eyes widened slightly—she hadn’t expected such a simple, almost tender reason from him.Marcellus lowered his head a little, spreading out a planning blueprint and pointing to a corner of the map where a future residential area would be built. “There’s no real war at the moment, but unrest is everywhere. There are more and more vagrants and homeless people. They’re being pushed to the very edges of the city walls, sleeping in tents and abandoned warehouses… with nowhere to hide when it rains.”His voice was soft but carried a weight that pressed deep into the heart, each word deliberate and steady.“There just aren’t enough places for people to live. I used to think it was just a problem of resource allocation, but later I realized—it’s actually a matter of choice. Whether or not we’re willing to take one more step, spend a bit more, to give them a place where they can find shelter from the wind and rain.”His
Livia turned her head to look at Marcellus, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—he really was the kind of person who could never be ignored. She and Emma had come to their suspicions only after comparing their differing sources of information, cross-checking details, and reasoning things through again and again. That’s when they began to sense something strange about the whole situation, suspecting that someone else might be behind it all.But Marcellus had reached nearly the same conclusion entirely on his own, through nothing but personal observation and logical analysis—and his certainty even surpassed hers. That kind of insight and sharp instinct… truly impressive.Her gaze softened a little without her realizing it, though she quickly reined in her emotions and returned to her usual calm.At that moment, Elias spoke as well. His eyes narrowed slightly, and there was a cautious, skeptical tone in his voice. “I had my men re-examine the blast site. To be honest—if that explosion wa
“Should we consider Eryx as our primary suspect?”To Livia’s surprise, Marcellus suddenly proposed this guess. His voice was low and firm, as if he had been thinking about this possibility for a long time.Livia was momentarily stunned, almost unable to react in time. Her eyes widened slightly, her mouth parted in surprise. “Primary suspect?” she repeated, her voice tinged with astonishment. She hadn’t expected Marcellus to directly label Eryx as their primary suspect.Marcellus nodded, a determined glint flickering in his eyes. He continued, “Yes, I now strongly suspect that everything, from your kidnapping to my attack, and even the hidden conspiracies behind it all, was orchestrated by Eryx. A long time ago, I noticed that he seemed to have some sort of collaboration with Edgar, and his obsession with the ‘Holy Grail’ far exceeds what would be considered normal. This makes me more certain that he is involved.” He paused, gazing deeply at Livia. “I’m sorry, Livia, I should have told