Chapter 78
Len, the knight who had grown up with Ibelia, looked at her worriedly.
“Princess, are you alright?”
“I’m fine. It’s just a slight headache.”
“It’s late. Please return to the palace and get some rest.”
“No. I’d like to walk for a while. Will you keep supporting me?”
“Of course.”
Ibelia felt strongly that she shouldn’t return to her room. Although she had lost all memories of the future, her instincts remained.
Len walked with her for quite some time, and soon realized something was off.
“There’s a reason you don’t want to return to the palace, isn’t there? Did you perhaps see a future where an assassin sneaks in?”
“Even if you ask, I can’t answer that.”
“Shall I have the knights search your quarters?”
“Don’t bother. It’s pointless.”
“…Yes, ma’am.”
Without asking further, Len continued the walk with her. As they strolled near the garden fountain—
Ibelia flinched and stopped walking.
“Princess? What is it?”
“…”
Only then did fragments of her memory return. Speaking about the Demon God’s soul fragment hadn’t just brought divine punishment.
The Demon God stood right before her, his gray skin glowing ominously as he glared at her.
“I’ve been looking for you. You never came home.”
“…!”
“Don’t get in my way.”
In a flash, he was right in front of her, choking her neck. Ibelia struggled for air, thinking through the pain. The Demon God, ruler of the demon realm, should’ve been bound there. Why was he here in the human world?
No… this is just a projection. A cursed illusion meant only for me.
Len couldn’t see the Demon God’s clone. So when he saw Ibelia suddenly choking, he panicked.
“Princess! What’s happening?!”
“Ugh…!”
Ibelia twisted in agony. The clone cackled as it tormented her, then slowly began to brainwash her.
“You’re my puppet now.”
“Kh…!”
“I’ll make you deliver false prophecies to that duke who believes your every word.”
“S-Stop it. You don’t really want to do this, do you?”
“Oh, but I do. Who are you to assume what I want? Don’t be arrogant.”
Ibelia desperately searched for a way to escape, then spotted the dagger on Len’s belt.
Without hesitation, she grabbed it—and stabbed her own neck. She decided it was better than becoming a puppet.
Seriety… there must be a reason why someone as kind as you changed. More than just madness. But I refuse to be your plaything.
Ibelia’s body collapsed.
“My god, Princess! Why would you do this?!”
Len caught her limp body, completely at a loss. He immediately ran to call a healer.
The Demon God’s clone stared at Ibelia with amusement, finding the outcome entertaining.
I’ll pin her in eternal sleep so she never wakes.
Despite being surrounded by healers, Ibelia didn’t regain consciousness due to the heavy blood loss.
Upon hearing the news, the Emperor decided to keep everything secret.
“A princess with foresight stabbed herself? If word gets out, wild rumors will spread. No one is to speak of what happened today.”
Alice had been quietly avoiding Gremory—out of guilt. She had been one of the foolish citizens who, 200 years ago, set fire to Fort Poquint believing the princess there was incurably ill.
In a corner of the servants’ quarters, Alice sat crouched, sulking.
Seara comforted her gently.
“It’s okay. You can still apologize. Mori unnie will definitely forgive you.”
“Do you think… she’s really mad? I tried to burn someone alive who had already lived such a harsh life. If it were me, I’d be furious.”
“But you were brave enough to tell us where Fort Poquint was. You’re trying to atone instead of hiding it, right?”
“Yes, but… apologizing in person is scary. Hoho…”
Her sulking dragged on until dinner. Seara eventually dragged her up.
“Alice, I’m hungry. Let’s go eat together, yeah?”
“Can’t you go alone? I’m scared I’ll run into Mori unnie…”
“Nope. I don’t want to eat alone. Isollen, Anna, and Cheshion oppa are all busy, so no one can eat with me.”
In the end, Alice was pulled along toward the dining hall. She nervously looked around as they walked.
“Seara-nim, what if we asked them to bring the food to our room? Going to the dining hall is scary. Hoho…”
“We’re already right in front of it. Just eat here.”
“If I eat like this, I might get indigestion. Like a human! Ah, I was human, wasn’t I? Ohohoho… ho?”
Her laughter stopped. She had locked eyes with Gremory, who stood right outside the dining hall.
With arms crossed, Gremory stared at her.
“Hey.”
“Y-Yes?! Unnie!”
“Why’ve you been avoiding me lately?”
“W-Well… I have a conscience too, you know… I felt bad.”
Alice dropped to her knees.
“I’m sorry, unnie. I wasn’t trying to set the fire that day. It was just… me being stupid 200 years ago…”
“Everyone was stupid back then. It wasn’t just you.”
“Y-Yeah, that’s true.”
“From now on, make sure to greet me properly when we meet.”
Alice blinked in surprise.
“What does that mean? Is that a warning because you’re still angry?”
“Do I seem like such a complicated witch? I just want things to be like before. You avoiding me is annoying.”
Gremory’s honest, offhanded words brought tears to Alice’s eyes.
“Right! Mori unnie is a simple witch after all! Ohoho! I’ll greet you properly, unnie!”
Gremory looked at Alice’s beaming face with a warm smile.
Ham had been silent for a week. Still gray, completely motionless. Gremory had tried poking, tickling, and teasing him—but no reaction.
But she couldn’t just wait for Ham to shine again. The magic-sealing arrow she’d fired at Etna would soon lose its effect.
Every night, Gremory spread her wings and patrolled the skies around the Edel estate. Etna had no stealth magic, so she should be easy to spot.
That shard of the Wraith’s Orb she used to hide should be useless by now. The remaining magic would’ve faded fast.
On the first night of the month, Gremory flew across the dark sky, passing over the Sien County—Isollen’s family home. It was far, but she wanted to check it just in case.
Fortunately, Etna wasn’t nearby. Not even low-level witches were around.
It’s too quiet… that’s even scarier.
Had they returned to the demon realm? Wraith had lost her orb, and Etna’s magic was sealed. Maybe they panicked and fled?
That would be ideal.
After circling a few more times and seeing nothing, Gremory finally headed back to the Edel estate.
But she was being watched.
Etna. And the demon Marbas—the one who once toyed with Offensia’s lover.
Marbas chuckled as he watched Gremory fly away.
“See? I told you she wouldn’t notice. I might not be good at much, but stealth? That’s my specialty. My stealth is way better than that wraith’s. I can even hide others like this.”
“Ugh, that was nerve-wracking. Anyway, thanks. But why are you helping me so easily? Don’t you want something in return?”
“I don’t need payment. I just have a personal grudge against Gremory. That’s enough.”
There was a gleam of malice in his eyes that Etna found quite satisfying.
“Having you on my side is disgustingly reassuring.”
“If we’re done, can I go now? I want to mess with my summoner again.”
“Sure. See you next time. Don’t forget our plan.”
“How could I forget something this fun?”
Once Gremory was far away, Marbas spread his demonic wings.
“Good luck. I’ll be doing my part, too.”
“Let’s take Gremory down together.”
Marbas soared into the night sky and disappeared—reappearing moments later at the Duke of Ortega’s estate.
Specifically—Catherine’s bedroom.
