Alia held her breath, doing her best to minimize her presence. Her eyes were fixed on Eryx, as her heart pounded in her chest like a war drum. Each deliberate, steady step he took seemed to tread directly on her nerves, making her feel as if she could barely breathe.“No, I can’t let him find me.”Her mind raced. She could still feel Eryx’s sharp gaze sweeping through the study like a blade, ready to cut through any disguise or subtle movement.“The only reason he hasn’t caught me yet is because of the experience from my past life. If I hadn’t used my thief skills to lower my breathing to its absolute minimum, I’d have been discovered already. If he sees me, he’ll know I’m a ‘well-bred lady’ who somehow knows how to use advanced thief techniques. Everything will fall apart.”She couldn’t allow that to happen. It was clear that Eryx was no ordinary person. His keen awareness and precise movements marked him as a dangerous opponent. Alia knew her abilities, not yet fully recovered from
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, spilling into the room. Alia woke from a night of heightened vigilance, her mind still occupied by the events of the previous night. She slowly sat up in bed, massaging her temples as she took a deep breath. The discovery she had made only heightened her sense of danger—whoever the man connected to her mentor was, he had come with a purpose. She was almost certain that purpose was the Holy Grail.“If he dared to come once, he might come again. I can’t let this happen again,” Alia muttered, her gaze steeling with resolve.She quickly washed up, got dressed, and, under the pretense of having nightmares, summoned the estate’s head of security. For a young noblewoman to request additional security wasn’t unusual, but the level of detail in her instructions was surprisingly professional.In the grand hall, Alia pointed to a map of the estate as she outlined her directives:“These areas, especially the balcony on the north side of th
Though Marcellus was absent from the castle, Alia wasted no time. She understood that this world was filled with unknown challenges. Whether it was facing potential enemies or protecting herself, she needed to remain vigilant. She channeled her focus into rigorous training, aiming to unleash the potential and flexibility of this new body.In the early morning mist, Alia donned a lightweight training outfit and stood in the upgraded practice room she’d refurbished days prior. The room was spacious and bright, with a specially designed floor that absorbed shocks and facilitated agile movement. It had become her most frequented space of late.At first, her movements had been stiff; after all, this body was different from her original one. But through relentless practice, she gradually adapted to its unique traits. While it lacked raw strength, it boasted exceptional agility, with natural advantages in flexibility and speed.“One more time,” she murmured, taking a deep breath as she assum
Autumn deepened as sycamore trees lining the streets turned shades of gold and crimson. Fallen leaves scattered on the ground danced softly with the breeze. Though the sun shone brightly, the crisp air carried hints of the approaching chill. Central Plaza was bustling, its elegant fountain surrounded by lively cafes. People strolled or hurried along, wrapped in seasonal clothing, while the rose statue in the plaza’s center glimmered under the sunlight, adding a romantic warmth to the cool day.Alia walked gracefully, her burgundy heels clicking lightly against the pavement. Her emerald-green long-sleeved dress, tailored to accentuate her slender waist, swayed gently as she moved. Over it, she wore a beige trench coat, slightly open at the collar to reveal a delicate necklace, lending her an air of understated elegance. A light breeze swept by, prompting her to pull the coat closer as she quickened her pace toward the meeting spot.On the other side of the plaza, Lianna arrived in a pa
Alia moved forward until she reached a rundown area on the outskirts of the city. The buildings here were dilapidated, with crumbling brick walls and pothole-ridden streets littered with debris. Despite the dismal scene, Alia felt an odd sense of familiarity. This was where she had often spent time in her previous life—before she followed her master, she had roamed these streets with a group of young misfits, sharing a rebellious chapter of her life.Her gaze landed on a corner where several young men and women lounged on a battered bench, chatting lazily. Their tattered clothes and carefree expressions carried a touch of defiance, but there was a spark of liveliness in their eyes. Alia recognized them—they were her old companions, her former partners-in-crime. Yet, it was evident they no longer knew her as she was now.Alia initially planned to greet them directly, but she halted mid-step. “They don’t know the person I am now, and I am no longer who I was then.” She sighed quietly, a
Thinking of her master, Alia’s expression turned slightly serious. She glanced at her watch. It was still early, and the sky hadn’t completely darkened. Resolving to use this opportunity, she decided to investigate Eryx’s house. Perhaps it would yield some clues about him.Before leaving, she set the next meeting place with the gang of street thugs, her tone calm yet unyielding. “I’ll come back from time to time to see if you have new information. Right here. The more you have, the better the rewards. But don’t waste my time.” They quickly nodded in agreement.Turning to Red, Alia asked, “Do you know where The General of the Second Army Group Eryx lives?”Red hesitated briefly but wisely refrained from asking why Alia wanted to know. Instead, he directly pointed her in the right direction.“The place isn’t heavily guarded,” Red cautioned, “but there are patrolling soldiers nearby. If you’re just observing from outside, it shouldn’t be a problem.”Alia glanced at Red, choosing not to e
After washing up, Alia lay down in her soft bed, wearing loose sleepwear. Although her body was weary, her thoughts churned like restless waves, refusing to calm. Closing her eyes, she recalled the day’s events, a faint smile curling her lips. Spending time with Lianna, eating and shopping, had provided a rare moment of relaxation, allowing her to briefly cast off the heavy burden on her shoulders and feel like an ordinary person again. Meeting her past life’s companions stirred a sense of nostalgia, even if they no longer recognized her. Moreover, discovering Eryx’s house and uncovering a long-hidden secret had made the day undeniably fruitful.Yet, as she reflected on concealing her identity from those companions, a vague unease took hold. She opened her eyes abruptly, staring at the ceiling as a deliberately ignored question surfaced in her mind: in this timeline, where was the “Alia” who belonged to this reality?A wave of icy terror crashed over her, paralyzing her limbs. Cold sw
Several quiet days passed, and life in the castle remained as tranquil as ever. However, Alia’s mind was already brewing her next course of action. During these days, Marcellus was often busy, and their encounters were few and fleeting. Each time she saw him, it was only briefly before he hurried off again. From an offhand remark by Elise, she learned that Marcellus was spending most of his time at Edgar’s estate, discussing the city expansion plans with several key figures.This piece of information stirred Alia’s thoughts into motion. Her father’s estate was not only a repository of secrets but also a crucial target for gathering information. Rather than recklessly sneaking in, it would be wiser to approach in a seemingly harmless way. An idea struck her: she could personally prepare a delicious meal and deliver it to her father’s estate. On the surface, it would appear as a thoughtful gesture for Marcellus, but it would also provide her an opportunity to gather information.Yet as
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
Marcellus slowly straightened his body. His expression, usually tight and severe, had softened with a rare trace of honest fatigue. Looking at Livia, who stood by the bedside, his eyes held a hint of genuine apology.“I’m sorry, Livia. I shouldn’t have kept everything hidden from you,” he said in a low but serious voice. “I promise you—once we find the ‘Holy Grail,’ I’ll tell you everything. No more secrets. And then… I’ll give you back the freedom to choose.”As she listened, something inside Livia stirred, like a taut string gently plucked.She couldn’t tell whether this was a true apology or a calculated attempt to smooth things over. But seeing Marcellus lower his head first, dropping his usual cold and stubborn facade, something in her own resistance quietly cracked open.“Forget it…” she sighed, her tone still weary. “Let’s just focus on which tasks I need to take over. I might be your temporary replacement in name, but I can’t come running to you for every little thing. Looking
Livia looked at Emma with a gentle gaze. Though her tone was soft, it carried a subtle firmness that left no room for objection. “Thank you, Emma. Don’t worry. Right now, your safety is the most important thing. I believe in you—but not everyone in this world will be able to trust you like I do. For now, it’s best if you rest properly here in the castle.”Her voice dropped a little, laced with caution and vigilance. “We need to make sure your identity remains a secret—especially from those on Eryx’s side. Only step in when it’s absolutely necessary. Your presence will matter most when the time is right.”Emma raised an eyebrow, about to speak, but Livia continued before she could.“And there’s something more important… I need you to watch over the study for me.”Livia’s expression grew a touch more serious as her eyes flicked toward the far end of the corridor. Her voice lowered further. “Eryx once tried to sneak in. His target was that file. Now that Marcellus is injured, he might tr