Chapter 88: Chapter 88

Siora’s breathing gradually slowed, becoming deep and even.

Only then did Cruello pull his hand away.

Her eyes remained closed, her breath steady. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about a sleeping face, yet for a moment, he couldn't tear his gaze away.

A breeze from the open window tousled a few strands of her hair.

Instinctively, Cruello reached out, smoothing the loose strands into place.

Her skin was surprisingly warm beneath his fingertips.

That simple fact lifted his mood.

Logically, he had known Siora would wake up. But he had believed in many things before, only to have them twist into blades that stabbed straight into his heart.

From those wounds, doubt and distrust still surfaced from time to time.

So how could he not be pleased?

However, there was a new problem.

“Memory loss, huh...”

How coincidental—Amy had suffered memory loss too.

He had confirmed it personally with William Royalsand, Amy’s father.

Should he consider this yet another coincidence? Or was it easier to keep her close if she lost her past along the way?

Of course, Siora had insisted it was a lie.

But he didn’t believe her.

His so-called partner was even harder to understand than he had expected.

Despite never ceasing his investigations, he had found little new information about her.

Not even a clue as to how she had ended up entangled with Pebula.

Suspicious, to say the least.

But in the end, he decided to ask her. He decided to believe her.

Not for any particularly grand reason.

The first time Amy had appeared in his dreams, she had given him the courage to trust someone again.

And, perhaps, he simply wanted to believe.

At the very least, he was certain Siora held no ill will toward him.

Cruello let out a quiet laugh.

Another gust of wind disturbed Siora’s hair.

He reached out again—only for his hand to still midway.

His fingers moved on their own.

Tracing the curve of her forehead, the corner of her eye, her cheek.

Until, just before his fingertips brushed against her lips—

Cruello clenched his hand into a fist and withdrew.

Abruptly, he stood and strode toward the window.

He shut it, moving to draw the curtains—only to find them missing, thanks to Gavotte’s dramatic exit.

A breath of disbelief escaped him, half a scoff, half a sigh.

He glared at the fallen curtains before exhaling lightly.

They say sleep is the cure for all ailments.

I was beginning to think they were right.

Waking up from unconsciousness was entirely different from waking up from actual rest.

As I lifted my eyelids, I felt—clear-headed.

Memories from before sleep surfaced.

Last time I had felt this refreshed, I had been dragged to meet Nigellia. Ha.

But surely, the same pattern wouldn’t repeat itself twice—

“The Grand Elder wishes to dine with you. If you accept, he will arrive at this estate shortly.”

...The Elder Council truly had a talent for making people suffer.

Still shaking off drowsiness, I sighed at the urgent report.

“For appetizers, poison gas. The main course, monster venom. Dessert, plant-based toxins. And to top it all off, a fine wine laced with lethal poison?”

“I doubt it. As far as I know, the chef here isn’t one of the Grand Elder’s people.”

“Oh, he’s coming here himself? I suppose his reputation demands a more refined approach.”

I stood and stretched.

“I don’t need to be extravagantly dressed for this, right?”

“I’ve had a good rest. It’s time to get to work. I’ll also see if I can find the key while I’m at it.”

If they underestimated me, I’d take the opportunity to strike first.

Cruello didn’t seem entirely pleased, but after a moment, he nodded.

Grand Elder Heorim White Desert.

In , he was described as a wise sage with a grand presence.

His well-groomed beard was thick like clouds, and the wrinkles on his face made him appear like a man who had lived a kind and benevolent life.

But no matter how much one masked it, their eyes never lied.

Beneath those pale irises lurked malice as deep and unrelenting as Nigellia’s.

I was suddenly, vividly aware that this old man was the true head of the Elder Council.

Without any further pleasantries, the meal began.

It was a silent game of observation.

Having eaten nothing but broccoli soup recently, I soon set my cutlery down.

The Grand Elder, too, ended his meal.

“This is the first time we’ve met face-to-face. You’re not quite what I expected.”

“Well, given that you’re my enemy, I suppose it’s in a bad way.”

His words were more polite than I had anticipated. That only made them feel more unsettling.

The Grand Elder poured wine from a bottle he had personally brought, filling each glass.

I wasn’t going to drink it.

I took the glass from the servant, keeping my thoughts to myself.

“There’s no need for unnecessary small talk.”

“Then let’s get to the point.”

“The Second Elder has passed away. What do you think of that?”

The old man slowly swirled the wine in his glass as he spoke.

“She lived a long life. I heard she was over 200 years old.”

“Haha, indeed. At that age, one could almost call it a natural death.”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Oh, come on. That wasn’t natural. It was absurdly artificial.”

“Artificial...? You dare call it that? The touch of the divine?”

“What could be more artificial than Beatitudo?”

At Cruello’s remark, the Grand Elder gave a faint smile.

“For once, I agree with you. In some ways, you could say we were on the same side in this matter.”

“I was the one who provided information about the Second Elder to the imperial family. Surely, you didn’t think the so-called ‘secret investigation unit’ suddenly became competent overnight?”

“...Wow. I’ve never seen someone carve off their own flesh for a factional dispute before.”

“We simply had differing values, but if you wish to see it that way, I won’t argue. That aside, I have something to ask you.”

The old man paused, leisurely swirling the wine in his glass before taking a sip.

“It wasn’t the head of the house but rather you who returned the Second Elder to her proper fate, wasn’t it?”

“...I won’t deny it.”

“Then I owe you an apology.”

I turned to Cruello, utterly baffled by the turn of conversation.

Even he seemed uncertain about the old man’s intentions, narrowing his eyes.

“I opposed this marriage and caused you trouble because I thought it was merely the head of the house rebelling against me. I assumed he had deliberately chosen a partner to irritate me.”

“Hm. You speak as though your opinion has changed.”

“I now understand your worth. And besides, even if I were to object, it’s clear you wouldn’t listen to an old man like me.”

“So what is it you’re getting at?”

I had expected him to be full of venom, yet here he was, suggesting peace?

It wasn’t reassuring—it was suspicious.

Anyone would think the same.

“If you could handle the Second Elder, then no assassin I send would be of any use. Even if I moved personally, the result would be the same. So let’s take this time to reorganize.”

“In that case, are you prepared for this room to become your grave?”

“Haha. Don’t be hasty. I don’t have the key on me.”

...What was this, Qudil all over again?

The way he said such an obvious lie so confidently was almost impressive.

“If you don’t believe me, check for yourself.”

Not bothering with pretense, I immediately stood up.

As I channeled divine energy, I stepped toward the Grand Elder. Naturally, Cruello followed.

His body wasn’t fully recovered, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

I thoroughly searched the old man for any traces of the key—but found nothing.

It wasn’t just that it was hidden in /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a difficult spot.

The confidence on his face made it clear—he really didn’t have it on him.

“You hid the key elsewhere before coming here?”

At Cruello’s question, the old man let out a hearty laugh.

“How amusing. How empty human faith truly is.”

“Cut the nonsense and answer the question.”

“What does it matter where it is? The key you seek is only one of two. Once you find the other, the path will open naturally.”

“If you have no intention of telling us where, then isn’t that all the more reason for us to kill you now?”

I might not have been in top condition after dealing with Elin, but I could still bluff.

The Grand Elder had suggested a truce, not surrender.

No matter how he spun his words, he was an enemy who would have to be dealt with eventually.

But he didn’t so much as flinch.

“If I die, the one holding the final key will disappear forever. Are you prepared for that?”

“They are quite skilled at vanishing. If they choose to hide, no one will ever find them.”

The old man smirked, then rose from his seat.

“You do not have faith, do you? When the time comes, your god will open the way for you.”

He had turned to leave, leaning on his cane, but then paused, looking at me with an odd expression.

“As a senior in life, I would like to offer advice to one who has already achieved such remarkable faith at a young age.”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“Don’t trust the head of the house blindly. You’ll regret it one day.”

The Elder Council sure loved trying to sow discord at every opportunity.

I had heard that warning so many times that my ears might as well be calloused over.

With a bored expression, I crossed my arms and casually replied.

“Thanks for the advice—not really. But I’ll decide for myself who to trust. I’m pretty sure I have better judgment than some shady old man.”

“Haha. That, too, is your choice.”

The Grand Elder let out a soft laugh and departed.

The sound of his cane tapping against the floor slowly faded into the distance.

I watched him go, my gaze lingering on his retreating back.

And once I was sure he was completely out of earshot—

A loud, unmistakable sound rumbled from my stomach.

“Yes. Obviously. Desperately. Incredibly.”

Thanks to that old man, I hadn’t eaten properly. If I were full, I wouldn’t be human—I’d be a sparrow.

I sat back down at the table.

I had no intention of drinking the wine the Grand Elder left behind, but I wasn’t about to skip my meal.

“I’ll have them prepare a fresh one. Everything’s gone cold.”

“No need. I can’t wait that long.”

Cruello let out a breath of laughter and took the seat beside me.

I picked up my fork, resuming my meal at a leisurely pace.

It was amazing how much better food tasted now that one troublesome old man had left the room.