“Were you okay?”
I greeted her with a formal greeting.
"Yes, thanks to you, I've been fine.
How have you been lately?"
Cassia asked me with eyes filled with wary concern.
I tilted my head, then remembered the recent events in the Marquis family.
“Yes, fortunately, my brother was acquitted of the charges.”
“Ah, devour.”
Cassia repeated in a meaningful tone.
When I saw her expression quickly change, I realized she wasn't asking out of genuine concern.
“Did you bring the painting?”
I craned my neck and asked, looking around.
“It is kept in the basement of the Lianus Temple.
Moving the relic is forbidden, so come with me downstairs.”
“Okay, so let's go?”
"now?"
"Isn't it now?
Or do you have something to discuss?"
“Not necessarily... but we can exchange statuses and talk some trivial talk...”
Cassia stopped speaking in an indifferent tone without hiding it.
She looked at me for a moment, then opened her mouth again, her eyes shining with a strange light.
“But why do you want to see the painting?”
I had prepared an answer to this question, so I answered without hesitation: “Recently, with all these complicated matters, I wanted solace from the governor, so I made this difficult request.
And also to pray for long life.”
“Ah...”
Her gaze became filled with pity again.
You may be thinking of the death of Marquis Swedon and the events of the Young Marquis.
I sighed deeply with an expression as sad as possible.
“Well, it seems I'm wasting your time.
I'll show you the painting without delay.
Follow me.”
Cassia got up and led the way.
I followed her, thinking about her words.
Is my bad feeling just an illusion?
I tilted my head and hurried to catch up with her.
Cassia slowed her steps, but I slowed down too, turning away from her instead of standing beside her.
Cassia led me to a small room in the basement.
There was a platform holding the painting and an empty one next to it.
My eyes focused only on the painting.
“A painting...sacred.”
I cupped my hands and carefully examined the painting with an affected expression.
But there was nothing like a flame.
When my suspicions were confirmed, my heart started beating like crazy.
I gripped my bracelet-covered wrist tightly.
I felt like Cassia was going to snatch it from my wrist and take it.
“And here.”
I raised my eyes from the painting to Cassia at her firm words.
She pointed to the empty platform and said, “We plan to put Essar here.”
"Good."
I smiled embarrassedly.
When did I say I would give it to them so they could prepare a place?
“Does your wrist hurt?”
Cassia's glance at my wrist made me quickly shake my head without responding.
Cassia sighed and called for a priest who was waiting outside.
“Treat Your Highness the Duchess.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
The priest approached me.
"I'm fine!"
I shouted, and Cassia and the priest looked at me with wide eyes.
But, wait...
Isn't Cassia supposed to feel the power of the Holy Relic?
If my bracelet was the ruler's torch, she would have urged me to hand it over immediately.
But she doesn't know anything?
But if I am wrong and this bracelet is not the ruler's torch, then it is normal for you to not feel it.
'What's going on?'
My heart, which was beating excitedly, cooled.
If this was the Ruler's Flame, it would be powered by Cassia's Holy Power, but I have nothing to do with Holy Power.
If Bella had holy power, she wouldn't have died, torn apart by monsters.
'So, what is this?
'A magic tool?'
But it doesn't seem like a magic tool.
It does not contain magic stone, which is necessary for magic tools.
“If it's uncomfortable, shouldn't you take it off?”
I weakly relaxed my arms.
'She saw him?' Cassia saw my bracelet?
It's over.'
“I didn't know you were interested in such things.
I heard you like expensive things...”
Cassia scoffed.
Really don't know?
Aren't you kidding me?
Don't feel anything?
“It's antique.”
I said excitedly.
I was afraid that Cassia might doubt the bracelet or show interest in it, so I thanked her for fulfilling my request and quickly left the temple.
In the carriage, I turned the bracelet and lost myf in thought.
“What are you really?”
We rejected the high seats close to the emperor and mingled among the common people.
The upper benches were filled with people who hated Leon and would probably want to eat us up.
There were people who recognized us and looked at us, but I didn't care.
We rushed excitedly through the crowds.
The guard knights were following us with alert eyes so as not to lose us.
The joyful laughter of the people around us automatically made me feel happy.
“Ah, it hurts!”
Leon groaned with a frown as he was pulled out of my hand.
"What?"
“What?
You deliberately stepped on my feet!”
“Oh, it was your foot, not a stone?”
“Look, you stepped on me and you knew it.”
“Sorry, there are a lot of people, so it’s a no-brainer.”
Leon snorted, but his red eyes were more cheerful than usual.
After the formalities were over, the high priests, the saint, and the emperor released their lanterns into the sky from the riverbank next to the temple, and then the others were allowed to release their lanterns.
Because of the merchants who raised their voices announcing the start of the event, we hurried and picked lanterns from a small stall.
“Bill Bill, what do you wish for?”
“I will of course wish for longevity.”
“Wow, because of you, I will survive even if the world is destroyed.”
How could he say something so horrific with such indifference?
Will the world really end?
I sighed in frustration and replied: “This time, I will wish for the rest of my life.”
Leon's smiling face suddenly froze.
Who told him to imagine things?
“So, you want to live a thousand years while I die in a year?
We should live together.”
"…This is correct."
Leon muttered as he nodded.
I smiled and wrote down my wish: [I want to hit the wall violently.]
Leon, who had not written down his wish and was watching me, looked at my words and frowned.
“Bill Bill, your mouth is really rough.”
“Better than your bad mood.”
“You have a fiercer temper.”
“Huh”
I stared at him, and he avoided my gaze and began writing his wish.
His hand covered the words and he wrote in letters as small as grains of sand, but I did not see his wish.
“Show it to me.”
"no."
Leon hugged the lantern so that the wish was on his chest and got up.
I carried my lantern and we went to the river bank.
After the lanterns of the Emperor and the nobles rose, the lanterns of the waiting people were quickly launched into the sky.
We lit our lanterns and sent them over the river, joining the beautiful lantern procession.
“Ah, I'm curious, what did you write?”
“A secret.
I’ll tell you if it actually comes true.”
I was curious, but Leon wouldn't tell me, so I stopped asking.
We stood on the riverbank, watching our lanterns fly away.
Until suddenly someone slapped me on the back.
slap-!
"Ah!
Who?"
I frowned and turned around.
I hope it's not Lucas, who's hovering anxiously around me in DC.