Chapter 47
Elzez’s eyes wavered as she looked at Tezet. Her heart began to pound uncontrollably.
She quickly composed her expression and asked,
“…What do you mean, that woman?”
“Elzez Rohan. You’re not that woman.”
There was something strangely certain in Tezet’s voice.
I was too simple-minded.
Astaire and Cassian had never interacted with Elzez before her possession, so it was only natural they didn’t notice anything strange.
But the former Elzez had been engaged to Tezet.
Even if it had been one-sided—Elzez chasing after Tezet while he ignored her—they’d had at least some connection.
She could brush off her superior combat skills as something she had trained from childhood, but how could she explain such a drastic change in personality overnight?
And Tezet, with his sharp instincts, would have been the first to notice something was off.
As she stared at him in alarm, Elzez shifted her thinking.
Wait. Do I even need to hide this?
If Tezet realizes who I really am, it might actually work in my favor.
She tried to speak, hoping maybe she could tell him—just like she’d tried in front of Lassiel—but again, no words came out.
Damn system…
You really can’t stand to let me take the easy route, huh?
She swallowed a sigh and revised her plan.
If I can’t say it myself, then I’ll just have to make him realize it on his own.
If Tezet could figure out that she wasn’t really Elzez, maybe he could also guess she was Luel.
Though… no normal person would ever imagine that someone dead could come back possessing another body…
Still—maybe.
“What are you saying? That I’m not Elzez Rohan?”
“Exactly. You’re not the woman I knew.”
“Then who am I, standing before you now?”
Come on, Tezet.
It sounds crazy, but please—figure out that I’m Luel.
She looked at him with a flicker of hope.
Tezet stared at her for a long moment, then said quietly,
“…I don’t know.”
Disappointment flooded her face.
Right. Who would ever think of something that ridiculous…
Just then—
“What are you two doing over there?”
Cassian had arrived late and was now walking toward them.
Seeing Tezet holding Elzez’s hand, Cassian frowned and came to stand beside them.
“This place is cleaned up. Duke, why don’t you head home—or go enjoy the festival or something.”
Then he put an arm around Elzez’s shoulders and pulled her away from Tezet.
“We’re going back to the temple.”
But Tezet’s voice stopped them.
“We’re not done talking.”
“You said you broke off the engagement. Clingy men aren’t attractive, you know.”
Cassian’s cold eyes turned to Tezet.
Tezet’s face remained as impassive as ever, but Elzez could sense the sharp tension between them.
Cassian had misunderstood—he thought Tezet was lingering around because he couldn’t accept the broken engagement.
And since Tezet was now a close aide to the Crown Prince, Cassian seemed even more disgusted.
Elzez decided to step in before things got worse.
“Let’s talk again later, Your Grace.”
“Did you have dinner?”
Tezet’s voice stopped her. As she and Cassian moved away bickering, Tezet watched them in silence. Then he took a step as if to follow—
And froze.
“…”
He felt it—someone’s gaze.
He turned toward the direction of that strange, watching presence.
By the lake stood a dense forest, shrouded in darkness.
Tezet stared into it for a moment before turning away and following the others.
When they were gone, the hidden gaze faded as well.
Perched atop a tree branch, Lassiel, who had been observing the entire scene, vanished in a swirl of magic.
Elzez exhaled softly inside the suffocating silence of the carriage.
Cassian sat beside her; Tezet, across from them.
As always, Tezet seemed in no hurry to speak, while Cassian silently watched him.
The only sound in the quiet carriage was Tezet chewing on a cookie.
Cassian was the one to break the silence first.
“So. What have you been doing all this time?”
“Killing people.”
Crunch.
The cookie Elzez had been nibbling at slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor.
So much for a normal reunion between old comrades—trust these two to make the conversation deadly serious right off the bat.
That’s not what you’re supposed to ask, idiot…
With a blank stare, Elzez accepted a new cookie from Tezet.
Cassian, glaring at Tezet as if he couldn’t stand the sight of him, asked sharply,
“So you really are the Crown Prince’s lapdog?”
Elzez froze.
Why do you always have to be so blunt?!
Even Tezet, who had shown no emotion so far, grew visibly colder.
“Does that matter?”
“Yeah. I don’t work with dogs. Who knows what you’ll go running to tell your master.”
“Reasonable. The dog might bite you too.”
Cassian let out a short, humorless laugh.
“So it’s true. You’ve really become the Empire’s dog.”
Tezet didn’t deny it.
Cassian shot up from his seat, grabbing Tezet by the collar before Elzez could intervene.
“Have you lost your damn mind? Out of all things, you became their dog?”
“…”
“Did you already forget how that bastard Emperor sent us to our deaths against the Demon?”
Back then, when the Holy Kingdom had asked for the Empire’s help in subduing the Demon, the Empire had ignored every plea.
But when the Demon appeared within their borders, the Emperor suddenly begged for aid—forcing Luel’s already battered group to fight again before they’d even healed from previous battles.
After that final battle, Cassian had never stopped thinking—
If the Emperor had sent reinforcements back then…
If we hadn’t been forced into endless combat…
Then maybe—Luel wouldn’t have had to die.
Cassian could never forgive Tezet for siding with the Imperial family.
Tezet looked up at him quietly, his voice hollow.
“…I wanted power.”
It was empty.
He had slain the Demon, become a national hero.
The same people who once called him a filthy back-alley thief now praised him, worshipped him.
He’d been recognized for the strength he’d always desired.
But the emptiness inside him never went away.
It felt like he had lost something precious—something he could never get back.
So he reached for another kind of power.
Maybe, he thought, if he had authority, if he could stand above others, that void would disappear.
But it didn’t.
The emptiness only grew deeper with time.
They’re fighting again…
Elzez watched the two of them with half-lidded eyes.
It was a familiar sight.
Cassian and Tezet would fight physically, while Lassiel and Astaire fought with words—each sharp enough to draw blood.
She’d seen this scene countless times back when she was Luel.
And though part of her had once missed it, now it just gave her a headache.
“Hm… Seems like you two have a lot to talk about. I’ll just get off here.”
Elzez tried to wedge herself between them diplomatically.
Normally, she would’ve smacked some sense into them—but she wasn’t Luel anymore.
So instead, she gave them a look that said, You boys keep fighting. Mom’s going home.
Both men immediately turned to her.
“Get off? Why would you— We’re done talking.” Cassian grabbed her hand quickly.
“Don’t go. Stay here.” Tezet, unusually, looked at her with almost puppy-like eyes.
Elzez sighed and motioned with her chin toward Cassian’s hand still gripping Tezet’s collar.
Cassian reluctantly released him, muttering,
“…Idiot.”
Finally, an uneasy peace settled in the carriage.
The carriage pulled up before the temple.
Elzez stepped out first, turning to the two men who still radiated cold tension.
“Well then, you two can take your time and finish your little talk.”
“Talk about what,” Cassian grumbled, but Elzez ignored him and walked toward the temple entrance.
Just then, the sound of hooves echoed—another rider appeared.
It was Astaire.
He’d changed clothes into casual attire, having been out searching other areas of the capital for the missing child. He had just returned upon hearing news from Elzez’s side.
Dismounting, Astaire’s first concern was Elzez.
“I heard there was a fight. Are you hurt?”
“As you can see, I’m fine.”
Elzez shrugged and followed him inside.
Lancelot, who had arrived earlier with the captured leader of the incident, spotted them and approached.
Astaire asked,
“Have you identified who was behind this?”
“Well…”
Lancelot trailed off, hesitating. His face had gone stiff.
“The culprit refuses to speak unless Your Eminence is present.”
Elzez suddenly remembered what the man at the abandoned mansion had said—
‘…I wish to speak with His Eminence, the Cardinal.’
He had wanted to talk to Astaire back then, too.
A bad feeling twisted in her chest.
And from Astaire’s grim look, he felt it too.
“Let’s go.”
They headed straight for the room where the prisoner was held.
As they entered, the man sitting inside brightened instantly and stood.
“Oh, my dear Cardinal!”
Astaire’s eyes widened in shock—then contorted in anguish.
“…Sir Bolton.”
A crooked smile spread across the man’s lips as he looked at him.
