Chapter 178

Chapter 178

Translator: Yonnee

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Albert answered with a rather brazen expression.

“Why, is there a law that says the king is not allowed to kneel before his subjects? Each person should admit it and be held accountable after committing a wrongdoing, and it’s only right that they receive their punishment without any qualms.”

In the end, what Albert said was enough to make Liam grin. Well, it was a very small smile on his ever-cold expression, but it suited him well.

“You and Mercy are both obsessed with some peculiar sense of guilt that makes you think that you’re obligated to help me. You don’t even have a single ounce of resentment for me.”

I couldn’t understand what they’re talking about.

“That’s not the only reason I’ve chosen to follow Your Majesty.”

“I know. And I wouldn’t have accepted you had that been the only reason.”

They now smiled at each other with a more comfortable air between them. These two men seemed to go way back, a lot further in the past than I first thought.

There’s still so much that I don’t know about Albert.

Although I was in a situation like this, I still found one silver lining—I’m given the chance to understand him even more.

Because to me, Albert was no longer just a character in a novel.

I wondered if I’d have been able to see this side of him if I wasn’t in this state.

Feeling a bit conflicted, I left the room where Albert and Liam were talking.

It felt uncomfortable to stay there because Liam didn’t know I was inadvertently listening. I let them have some time alone to discuss.

And besides, I wanted to know what Rosé Artius was up to right now.

Albert kept her in his palace for the purpose of surveilling her easily. There’s still a week left before the deadline of the contract, but I was still worried.

Because I find it hard to believe that she’d just obediently follow Albert’s words.

I didn’t really go here and there inside this palace before, so I got lost a bit. But I eventually reached the room where Rosé Artius was staying.

As I entered the room, I quickly noticed that she was wearing outer clothes.

Where’s she going?

I tilted my head to the side in confusion, but Rosé started to move busily.

She opened a window and gestured with one hand. It was a wandless incantation of a spell.

I shouldn’t just let her go like this. I rushed after her. I was just a specter right now, so it’s the perfect opportunity to follow her.

“I’ve got to get a new wand, seriously.”

Flying through the sky with her hair fluttering behind her, Rosé grumbled to herself. The wand she usually used was probably stored in my room right now, I think?

Beneath the evening sky, Rosé’s facial expression was dark.

Now that she wasn’t displaying her abnormal obsession for Albert, nothing could be gleaned from her disposition. Just a blank, apathetic expression.

…What the heck did Rosé go through that she turned out like this?

For a moment, I blinked dazedly when I realized where Rosé Artius was headed. She landed at her destination, covering herself in layers of magic.

“…Why’s she back in the tower?”

Rosé Artius landed in front of the tower—the tower where she had locked up Albert in, and the same tower that Albert and I lived a life of confinement in.

She started to cast a spell in front of the tower, and the main door opened easily. As it creaked open, the tower’s dark interior entered my vision.

Lighting a fire, Rosé went inside and hurriedly climbed the stairs.

She went straight to the attic where I had stayed, then she pulled something from above.

A small door popped open from the ceiling, revealing a space that I didn’t know about. It’s certainly a good place for hiding something.

I didn’t know it was there though?

“Fly.”

Uttering the incantation of the spell, Rosé went into the small space. It’s the attic of the attic… Huh. Like you’d expect, the inside was very narrow.

Now that she was inside, Rosé began to pack up various tools.

It seemed like they were the tools she used when practicing her black magic.

She moved quickly and carefully. It was clear from her actions that she valued those items very much.

While packing up the tools, Rosé murmured grimly to herself.

“The only thing that the soul can do is stay ‘alive’, right?”

…It wasn’t difficult to surmise which soul she was talking about.

“Even a contractor of a dragon cub can’t live long enough if they’re constantly being hexed by a dark mage.”

If she thought I’d disappear that easily, then she’s mistaken.

As I watched the woman, who so naturally thought of getting rid of me right away, I was struck with such a fiery resolve for the first time in a long while.

When I go back to the palace, the first thing I’ll do is find the wand and see if I can use magic.

After collecting her belongings, Rosé went down from the attic’s compartment.

But then, an uninvited guest was seen leaning against the wall in the dark.

The woman smiled brightly at Rosé, who was shocked by the sudden encounter.

“Big Sis, what brings you to the tower? And, you’re even emerging from a space no one knew about?”

Rosé was rendered speechless at the other woman’s friendly demeanor. Rosé didn’t tell anyone that she left the palace. It seemed like she was tailed here.

But as soon as she thought this, Mercy swiftly narrowed the distance between them and ruthlessly pushed the end of her at Rosé’s neck.

“Why don’t you show me what’s in the bag, hm?”

Mercy gave her a cold smile. Killing intent, which I had never felt leaking from her before, emerged and was directed instantly at Rosé.

It’s difficult to believe that she was the same person who treated me the way she did before.

Just now, Mercy had treated Rosé in the same way she treated me, but it didn’t seem like it was because Albert told her to do so.

It was all to induce Rosé’s carelessness at that moment.