Chapter 253

Translator: yun

As if he found this interesting, Castor tilted his head and smiled. Even today, his brilliant golden eyes seemed to sparkle. No, under the sunlight, his eyes seemed to be sparkling even more.

“How can I not come to see my beloved sister once more before she leaves for a faraway place?”

Castor reached his hand out before squeezing the ends of my hair. I could tell his actions meant nothing but the same could not be said about the onlookers. Hearing some gasps to my side, I glanced at the corner of my eyes. I reached out to grab Fleon before he could step forward in a fit of rage.

“Rebecca. Escort my brother to his carriage first.”

Rebecca’s dark eyes glanced towards me. From her cool gaze, I could tell she was racking her brain to assess the situation. I might have been smiling but I remained firm. She eventually nodded her head before approaching Fleon.

“You all follow Rebecca.”

I looked at Lena as I spoke instead of Hannah who was still terrified. Lena helped Hannah up before following after Rebecca. After everyone disappeared, only Castor and I were left in the hallway. I slowly began to speak.

“How could you visit without anyone escorting you?”

An unexpectedly gentle voice broke out of him.

“But you took my escort, didn’t you?”

Castor replied without the slightest change in expression. Staring back at him innocently, I tilted my head. I had been planning on acting oblivious until he brought it up.

“How could I? I could never.”

Even if I had to blind myself.

“Well. It’s not a bad idea to pretend not to know.”

Castor combed his soft fingers through the ends of my hair, messing it up. I stared back at him unwaveringly. As if noticing my sharp gaze, he smirked.

“Could you return him to me?”

When I realised what he was referring to, I scoffed.

“Ah.”

Lowering my head, I chuckled. He still needed Hernan. That seemed to be the reason he was already aware of his absence. Slowly raising my head, I looked at Castor.

“You must be referring to your beast. You can’t possibly be referring to a man without his ego to be one of your attendants.”

I then grabbed the hand that had been fiddling with the ends of my hair. His hands felt slightly tensed.

“And now that he’s in my hands, he’s mine.”

Under the morning sun, a dazzling light illuminated his eyes as they turned to face me. All the while his smile only deepened.

“I hadn’t expected to hear that from you.”

Castor slipped his hand out of my grip before cupping my hand in his. At first glance, it looked as if my hand had been swallowed in his.

“From the start, you had been his [Companion].”

He knew. That was why it was impossible for me to hold Hernan captive for long. Especially since Castor already knew. It wasn’t beneficial for me to keep him.

“I’ll return him.”

But thinking about it a little further, things changed. Hernan was Castor’s hands and feet. For as long as he was held captive, Castor’s plans would be forced to a halt. Perhaps I could delay his plans till I return from my visit to Rusbella.

“I heard that a Templar of Beasts who has lost their ego can last without food for more than a week.”

I would be returning after a week. I didn’t think anything was going to happen in the meantime but it was good to be safe. Because I had no idea when, where or what the future tyrant could do.

“He will remain under my protection. You can rest assured that he would not be able to hurt or kill anyone.”

Actually, I might just be bluffing right now. If he felt like it, he could kill all the people in my palace in the blink of an eye. But I knew he could no longer do that.

“Brother, you won’t be able to do anything till I get back.”

In order to escape the emperor’s watch, he had sent Hernan to hurt Amor. As long as Amor was still needed by the emperor, this information should never reach the emperor’s ears.

“The emperor poured all his strength into making Castor compliant to his every command”

At the very least, Castor was unable to go against the current emperor’s wishes until he took the throne.

“If you force your way to find him, the news will reach His Majesty’s ears before anyone else.”

The moment those words left my lips, a dangerous glint took over Castor’s eyes. Time for me to back off warily.

“Ha. Hahahaha.”

After letting go of my hand, he burst into laughter. I stared blankly at the man who had caught me off guard. Why? Why was he laughing? He hunched over in laughter before slowly straightening his back.

“That was funny.”

His eyes that were thrumming with madness I could only see up close looked like a drifting sea of gold much like a tempestuous typhoon.

“You’ve always enchanted me.”

Closing his eyes languidly, he whispered. I squeezed my eyes tight at the voice tickling my ears. I hated to admit it but his voice was so dizzying and alluring that he sounded almost like a demon summoned from hell.

“Well. Alright. Do as you please. I don’t feel like doing anything without you in the palace.”

Castor’s finger grazed my cheek before lingering on my lips. He slowly swept his finger across my lips before removing them. He then tilted his head before staring at me. Seeing him having the time of his life, I couldn’t stop my fingertips from trembling uncontrollably. These were the tremors my body unintentionally recalled.

“I promise.”

He lifted my hand before intertwining our fingers. At the same time, a shiver travelled down my spine.

“At least while you’re not here.”

He smiled languidly. Without taking his eyes off me, he spoke little by little.

“I won’t do anything.”

Nothing. I repeated after him in a murmur. Why? Why wouldn’t he do anything? This slight discomfort could only be attributed to my lack of trust in him. I slipped my hand away before running towards the carriage. He didn’t try to catch me when I turned away from him.

It was strange but I closed my eyes. Nothing would happen while I was away.

The diary remained motionless.

19.5 Auresia.

Deep into the night, the girl scanned her surroundings in a glance. But what the girl was sweeping through was not the sky filled with twinkling stars.

“The descendant of the Imperial Family, huh?”

She tilted her head.

“I am aware that their existence is forbidden…”

She was sure that the woman currently standing before her was Marissa, the one known to be the best swordsman in the Empire. Her fluttering red hair was further proof of her identity.

“You must have thought this palace would be empty.”

“Ah.”

They were currently in Terena Palace. It wasn’t long after Marissa had arrived at Auresia’s palace.

“I think this is a mistake.”

Auresia turned her gaze to the woman standing behind Marissa who was averting her gaze in bewilderment.

“Are you thinking of starting a coup?”

Auresia pushed the sword away from her with the tips of her fingers. She then lowered her gaze before smiling brightly.

“The 1st Princess.”

Along with the motion of her head, a purple glow flashed in her hair against the moonlight.

“Unfortunately, this abandoned palace has a mistress.”

Terena palace, which everyone knew for it had been abandoned, had recently welcomed a new mistress. The successor to the Temple of Death, ‘Auresia’. Only those who were not present at the time were oblivious to the fact that Auresia had been forcibly removed from her home by the emperor. Including the 1st Princess who had taken a short trip to the Kingdom of Walter.

‘After returning from foreign lands, the 1st Princess had brought a [Successor to the Lord of the Gods] in tow…’

Auresia was staring at the man next to the 1st Princess unknowingly. It was the forbidden descendant of the Imperial Family. His weak ‘Power of the Lords’ was evidence of his lineage.

‘I can’t think of anything else she would want other than a coup.’

His hair might be blonde but it looked faded. At first glance, his hair had reminded her of the fine blonde hair symbolistic of the Imperial Family but its dullness made it look starkly different from the brilliance of the emperor’s.

Though his silhouette might resemble the emperor, it was clear he was not a direct descendant. Auresia frowned at the figure that was clearly visible despite being shrouded in darkness.

That man was clearly a descendant of an Imperial member, however, the Empire strictly forbade branch lineages. The 1st Princess had brought before her a man that should not exist.

“Ah, uhm, a c-coup, a coup?”

The stranger stuttered blankly. Meanwhile, the 1st Princess had long gotten over her initial shock. She wondered what she found so pleasant for that wide smile on the princess’ face. Marissa looked as if she had been hesitating to speak before the 1st Princess, who had been pacing about, approached Auresia and grabbed her hand

“You’re right! I’m planning on a coup.”

“Princess!”

Auresia stared at the 1st Princess in surprise. Frowning, Marissa glanced at their hands from the corner of her eyes.. Did that mean they weren’t planning on a coup?

“How did you know? You must be really smart?”

Raising the corners of her lips, the 1st Princess shook Auresia’s hands up and down. Regardless of Auresia’s bewilderment, she continued to shake her hands wildly.

“… Are you serious?”

Barely getting over her shock, Auresia spoke. She might have been frowning but her displeasure was barely shown on her face. In response, the 1st Prince spoke with slight admiration.

“Would you prefer it if I were serious?”

“…..”

“Hahaha. Of course, I was joking.”

She guffawed. What looked like glass on her face reflected the moonlight, giving her face a blue hue. The 1st Princess seemed to like putting on accessories from Walter which people of the Empire were not fond of using. Auresia was referring to the spectacles on her face.

“But.”

Within her round lens were her shimmering eyes.

“It is also a truth that will come to fruition one day.”

A beam of golden light that cut across her pupils flickered creating a truly beautiful and awe-inspiring glint in her eyes.

‘What the heck… Is she in her right mind?’

The fact that the 1st Princess was another successor was widely known. However, a princess could not succeed the throne. This was a solemn constitutional law that even Themis, the God of Law and Justice, protected. What was this princess talking about?

‘How could a princess think of holding a coup?’

Furthermore, there already was a legitimate successor. The nine-year-old Castor’s powers were growing day by day. As long as there was a strong heir, the 1st Princess could never succeed the throne. Auresia narrowed her eyes.

“You are the successor to the Temple of Death, aren’t you? The only successor.”

Without giving her time for affirmation, the 1st Princess immediately continued.

“Father must have locked you up here, huh? You must be a hostage.”