ELND Chapter 39

“Fortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any problem with the seal.”

Vincent scratched the tip of his nose after thoroughly inspecting the sealed state.

Having spent the night at the House of Light, he set out early the next morning with Cedric toward Mount Manakin in the demon realm.

It was to check whether Lillian’s heart was properly sealed.

Even to Cedric, there didn’t seem to be any particular issue with the seal.

“Looks like we can close the hole now, Manakin.”

At Cedric’s words, Manakin let out a snort with an indifferent expression.

“Arrogant brats… bothering this old one first thing in the morning.”

Saying that, Manakin slowly moved his massive forepaw.

Boom—

As Manakin blocked the large hole in the ground, a grand rumble echoed, causing a slight tremor inside the cave.

However, Cedric and Vincent merely stared calmly into Manakin’s enormous eyes, as if accustomed to the situation.

Cedric, Vincent, and Manakin—
the three of them had formed a contract to seal Lillian’s Heart.

Through their contract, that dangerous object was sealed by the magical power of the heads of two dukedoms and buried beneath Manakin’s massive paw.

Once the tremor around them subsided, Vincent giggled toward Manakin.

“Hey, old lady. Even if you’re near your death, how can you be too lazy to move your paw?”

Manakin glared sharply and exhaled a hot stream of air toward Vincent.

Vincent nimbly dodged as if used to it, glaring back and gritting his teeth.

“Ah, this old lady again!”

“Even when he first came to greet me following my father, he was so cocky and irritating… And now he’s grown into the head of a family, yet he acts exactly the same.”

Cedric, seemingly used to their bickering, just watched the situation with a slightly weary expression.

As soon as Vincent saw a red fireball glowing between Manakin’s teeth, he quickly turned toward the cave’s entrance.

“I’ve checked the seal, so I’d better get going, Cedric. If I stay here any longer, the Norman family line might really end!”

Vincent waved his hand high as he walked away.

“Tell Rebecca I said hello too!”

Manakin’s large eyes followed Vincent’s departing figure, then slowly turned toward Cedric.

“Rebecca…”

Manakin muttered in a low, sinister voice.

Then, as if recalling a memory, she asked:

“Was that your wife’s name?”

Cedric slowly nodded, and she snorted lightly.

“So the imprint still hasn’t taken hold?”

Her voice was indifferent.

Cedric frowned at that, and Manakin let out a chuckling laugh.

“Still think my choice was wrong, I see.”

Cedric had always insisted that Manakin’s choice in connecting him with Rebecca had been a mistake.

But now, he remained silent with a confused expression.

After a long moment, Cedric slowly parted his lips.

“I’m not so sure anymore.”

“……”

“I sometimes think that maybe your choice wasn’t wrong after all.”

Cedric, who had often blamed Manakin, was now showing a reaction unlike his usual self. Yet Manakin remained completely unmoved, only wearing a cryptic smile.

“Do you still doubt that woman because of ‘that night’?”

Cedric’s brow furrowed at the question, recalling past memories.

On their wedding night, Cedric had received an urgent call from Vincent—
suspicious activity was detected near Mount Manakin.

So he left the mountain, promising Rebecca they would continue later, but unexpectedly met her in the place where Lillian’s Heart was sealed.

‘Rebecca… how are you here…?’

Finding her before Vincent arrived was sheer luck. Otherwise, Vincent surely would have attempted to kill her for appearing at the seal.

Even until their wedding day, Vincent had not hidden his suspicion of Rebecca’s background.

‘Her father is from the Kingdom of Kachis, right? If you spend the first night with a woman like that carelessly, what if she uses the seal under your charge for her own gain?’

Vincent’s face carried a playful grin, but Cedric understood the weight of his words.

The Kachis Kingdom, now fallen, had been a noble family since ancient times.

Despite being human, they knew secrets of the demon world largely unknown to humans—about imprints and Lillian’s Heart.

Though they had kept these secrets due to a long-standing contract with the Demon King…

‘When humans lose their power suddenly, they become desperate to regain it.’

The Kachis Kingdom had fallen just a few years ago and was exiled to a nearby island.

For them, Lillian’s Heart, which promised ultimate power to whoever possessed it, was irresistibly desirable.

Moreover, learning that the Kachis royal family had been secretly communicating with Duke Bold only fueled Cedric’s suspicion of Rebecca.

The more he faced her obsession with their one night together, the stronger the suspicion grew.

“Then… why do I now think my choice might not have been wrong?”

Manakin asked with a cryptic smile.

“Was it all a misunderstanding?”

Cedric stared elsewhere before replying.

“Yes… I began to think it might all have been my misunderstanding.”

“……”

“I was always suspicious of how much she wanted me. I felt she might be trying to gain something by using me. Yes… I was sure of it,”

Cedric muttered, moving his lips as if the words were difficult to form.

After a few attempts, he finally spoke, his face bitter.

“…Rebecca no longer wants me.”

A flicker of interest passed through Manakin’s large eyes.

“Ho… finally…”

Cedric frowned at her words, but Manakin laughed heartily.

“So, you?”

“…What?”

“Do you feel relieved now that the woman you wanted no longer wants you?”

Cedric stayed silent for a long time, wearing a bitter expression.

Finally, he murmured low, as if revealing a secret:

“…Not at all.”

At first, Rebecca’s indifference simply felt unfamiliar. That was all.

He thought her aloofness was just an act.

But every time he saw her changed demeanor, he realized he might have misunderstood her for a long time.

Gradually, Cedric set aside his suspicions and truly faced Rebecca.

She was entirely different from the person he had known.

Rebecca was a woman capable of smiling beautifully, lighting up the world.

She cared for others and diligently worked to correct past wrongs.

Cedric felt guiltier for the coldness that had made her seem harsh.

And finally, he regretted not realizing her importance before her heart drifted away.

“Seems you’ve finally embraced that child in your heart.”

Manakin murmured softly at the silent Cedric.

Cedric nodded bitterly.

But now that he realized his feelings, he and Rebecca were already divorced.

He resented his past self for giving up even the only justification to hold onto her.

Even if Rebecca left his side immediately, he could not say a word.

“If I could, I’d go back to the last moment I could have held onto Rebecca.”

As Cedric lowered his head, self-deprecating, Manakin’s calm voice interjected:

“You fool, you can still hold her now.”

Cedric slowly lifted his head.

“The only difference now is that you want her more than Rebecca does herself.”

Manakin smiled softly at Cedric, who was slightly shocked.

“Cedric, I certainly granted you the fated connection that Heaven and Earth decided for you.”

“……”

“But it is entirely your responsibility to turn that connection into destiny.”

Cedric’s blue eyes widened.

It felt as if a tangled thread had finally been unraveled.

For the first time in a long while, he smiled brightly at the refreshing feeling.

“So, the monster that lived long enough to gain the wisdom of Heaven and Earth… wasn’t wrong after all.”

Manakin laughed heartily at Cedric’s words.

After conversing a little more, Cedric bid farewell and left the cave.

Manakin watched Cedric’s retreating figure with a satisfied smile.

“…Now, it’s finally your turn to have a crush on Rebecca.”

Early that afternoon, Bianca invited me to the House of Light.

Since Cedric had gone to the demon realm with Vincent, the mansion was empty, and she suggested having a tea party together.

After chatting for a while with the cute Bianca, a servant cautiously approached and handed me something.

“Uh… Your Highness, a letter has arrived.”

“……”

“I know you were enjoying tea, but the messenger was insistent that the reply be delivered immediately…”

She looked as if afraid I might scold her.

Knowing the staff still feared me, I smiled brightly and nodded.

“Thank you.”

The surrounding staff, including her, blinked in surprise.

“……Yes?”

“Since it was urgent, you must have tried to deliver it quickly. Thank you.”

The servant holding the letter faintly smiled in bewilderment.

“Oh, no. Thank you, Your Highness…”

She handed me the letter and stepped back.

‘Who could be sending me a letter in such a hurry?’

When I finally checked the sender:

‘As expected.’

Frowning at the unpleasant feeling rising within me, I tore the letter and gestured to the servant who had brought it.

“Tell them it’s hard to make time. And it will probably remain that way.”

.
.
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That evening, the Bold Duke family in the South.

A courier from the North arrived at the Duke’s study only by evening.

The Duke hastily unfolded the note attached to the courier’s foot.

After reading it briefly:

“This…! Insolent wretch!”

Bang!

The Duke slammed the table impatiently, grinding his teeth.

“Rebecca, if you disregard the promise you made with me before marrying the Duke like this…”

His piercing gaze radiated venom.

“I cannot simply leave you be, can I?”