CHAPTER 91……………………………………………………….
The contract was drawn up immediately.
“If this is agreed upon, the Royal Family of Liorza can no longer claim any rights over Egrain. Do you consent?”
“Indeed. She is no longer an imperial subject.”
The king nodded calmly at the international lawyer’s confirmation.
The surrounding nobles covered their mouths with their hands, trying to hide twitching lips.
This was a historic deal that would go down in the annals of the royal family. To exchange land for a person—especially a witch they had tried to erase—was an enormous gain.
The nobles, who had even hurriedly summoned the international lawyer fearing Giovanni might change his mind, now looked quite pleased.
Once it was recorded in writing, the deal was finalized.
Though there was still some worry that all of this had been Giovanni’s unilateral decision, even if Khan tried to annul the contract, they now had the document.
Unlike the Liorza nobles, who were in a festive mood, Kichev looked so pale it wouldn’t have been surprising if he fainted.
In truth, he was on the verge of collapse.
Never having worried about his blood pressure before, it had risen so high he felt as if he might fall backward.
Clenching his fists and barely holding on, he suppressed the desperate urge to grab Giovanni by the leg and beg him to reconsider.
No matter what, he couldn’t show Giovanni that he was swayed in front of the Liorza nobles.
Of course, thinking it internally was free.
“Did that woman really cast a spell on the prince? If not, there’s no reason for such madness!”
He felt as if he might die from frustration, yet like Princess Laratu, he was in a position where he could do nothing.
Joy, worry, anxiety, sadness, despair.
In front of the many eyes filled with emotion, Giovanni and King Hermannon signed the contract.
Kichev squeezed his eyes shut, the princess sighed, and the nobles raised the corners of their mouths.
It could not be undone now.
“Thus, the Aicion Desert, formerly owned by Giovanni Doberacan, is now under the jurisdiction of the Royal Family of Liorza.”
The king, beaming, extended his hand to Giovanni for a shake.
“Congratulations. I hope Egrain will be of great service to the empire.”
It was just a courtesy. Giovanni, however, simply nodded shortly without showing any other reaction.
“Do you intend to leave her where you are for the time being?”
Shaking his head at the king’s question, Giovanni replied,
“I will return to the empire now.”
“No, so suddenly?”
Despite his words, the king could not hide his delight.
Giovanni had become increasingly irksome, and now they had land for free—and Giovanni would disappear. It felt like a miracle day.
Princess Laratu would no longer be entangled with the prince, which was, in fact, the most satisfying part.
The king forced a reluctant expression and said something he didn’t mean:
“There is still much hospitality to offer; why not stay a little longer?”
“I appreciate your offer, but I’ve already set a late departure.”
“True, you’ve stayed longer than planned. I’m glad our land seems to have pleased you.”
This was sufficiently polite.
Fearing that Giovanni might say he would stay a bit longer, the king quickly ended the conversation.
“Then I shall have your horses and baggage prepared. I hope they aid you on your journey.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Giovanni nodded and descended the steps of the audience hall.
Further down, toward the execution grounds.
Watching his large figure gradually shrink, the king clicked his tongue.
“I thought he was exceptional, but it turns out he’s just a fool lacking common sense.”
As the pleased king praised the nobles, Giovanni reached the bottom and stood in front of Egrain.
The executioners, startled by his presence, stepped back.
Having finally freed herself from restraints, Egrain reached out, and Giovanni took her hand.
Her gaze landed on his thick, strong fingers, and then on his face.
“Do I need to apologize before touching you again?”
“No need.”
He smiled at her words.
“Then take my hand.”
Egrain looked like she had much to say. But given the circumstances, he did not urge her and continued,
“Not officially exempt from law, but in the end, it turned out as you wished.”
“……”
“You have become an imperial subject. If you’re prepared, take my hand.”
“……”
“It’s time to leave.”
Finally, Egrain spoke.
“Don’t you think it’s a waste?”
Giovanni tilted his head.
“What? That you hesitated?”
A tired smile spread across her lips.
A moment later, her pale hand grasped Giovanni’s firm one.
Giovanni mirrored her expression and held her hand tightly.
The intertwined pale and tanned hands looked almost symbolic.
The king’s ordered horses were prepared quickly.
As usual, Giovanni remained composed while Kichev looked tense as they prepared to depart.
“You’d better ride behind me.”
Giovanni lifted me after scanning me from head to toe and set me behind him.
The horses began to move. People nearby parted to make way. Their stares felt strange.
Filled with hostility and unease as before, but no longer murderous, they drew their gaze away.
There was nothing left here for me.
Yet…
“Prince, the maid I mentioned—”
“I’ve sent someone. You’ll meet her soon.”
Before leaving completely, I glanced back.
The rusty guillotine was the first thing to catch my eye.
Only then did it hit me.
I had survived in front of the guillotine. This time, without anyone’s sacrifice.
‘Leo…’
There were still matters to settle in the kingdom.
I searched for Princess Laratu with my eyes. She was quickly spotted.
Having followed me down, she stood at the execution platform, glaring.
Behind her, Karsatuna alternated glances between me and the princess with a worried expression.
Especially when looking at me, her expression grew more complex.
Did she have last words for me?
The word “last” pierced my heart.
‘Yes. This is the last.’
I wondered what Karsatuna wanted to say but didn’t feel the need to twist my horse around to hear it.
As the horse took each step, a piece of lingering attachment in my heart fell away.
‘What about Leo?’
I stared at the princess’s elbow. Inside her clothes, droplets glinted—they were a tattoo holding Leo.
Tairin had said that tattoos revealed when priests used their power—they were traces of spirits. Princess Laratu’s tattoo, then, was a trace of Leo.
‘I have to absorb it.’
If Tairin, hiding because of Giovanni, were beside me now, she would have urged me to touch it immediately.
Yet, seeing the two with complicated expressions, I couldn’t make up my mind.
‘If I leave after absorbing Princess Laratu’s power, what will happen to the kingdom?’
The kingdom relied on the priest’s power.
If it vanished, the consequences would be unimaginable. Even ordinary citizens would suffer.
‘Even the companions of Amtein, everyone.’
Thinking that, I couldn’t move easily.
Even setting aside the faint affection left for Princess Laratu and Karsatuna.
In that moment of indecision, Princess Laratu raised her hand toward the sky, as if about to chant the Wu’an script.
Her wide sleeve slid down, revealing her elbow.
The tattoo gleamed blue. After absorbing more power, it had begun to appear even without the priest using abilities.
The blue tattoo captivated my gaze. Like the first time I absorbed a priest’s power, a tremendous impulse surged.
That belongs to me!
I felt an irresistible urge to leap forward and seize Princess Laratu.
Clenching my trembling hands into fists, I realized this reaction came from the growing power.
“The spirits provoked by the source of your power are returning—to their original form,” Tairin had said.
The impulse to touch Princess Laratu would not subside.
Spirits who had lost body and intellect.
Existing only as “power,” they recognize me as their true form.
This desire was the combination of my subconscious striving for completion and the spirits’ wish to return to me.
‘I’ve already absorbed a considerable amount of spirit power. There’s about ten locations left. I can even sense where the remaining power resides. I could summon it—but.’
If I did, the kingdom would collapse.
Nobles could emigrate and live elsewhere, but ordinary people?
Slowly.
I relaxed my clenched hands.
Seeing Princess Laratu stirred impulses I couldn’t suppress, so I closed my eyes and turned my head.
Instead, I saw Giovanni’s broad back. The desire that had flared like wildfire subsided.
I exhaled.
The moment I thought the word “give up.”
“Don’t go.”
I turned my head back, but saw nothing unusual.
‘Did I hear wrong?’
Looking around again, all I got were wary stares from the kingdom’s people.
Jenny stood on the outskirts of the capital with the servant Giovanni had sent.
Stretching her neck as if waiting for me like a meerkat.
As soon as she saw me, she ran over, and I embraced her. Tears streaming, Jenny asked,
“Miss! What happened?”
“I can’t live in the kingdom anymore. I’m going to the empire. So Jenny, you…”
“Let’s go together!”
Before I could speak, she blurted it out.
“We’ll be living in the desert!”
“Even so, it’s fine. I’ve already decided to serve you for life!”
I glanced at Giovanni; he nodded, as if to say, “Do as you wish.”
I finally nodded. Jenny, tear-streaked, smiled brightly.
Jenny rode with Kichev.
Finding it odd to hold a stranger’s waist, she lightly gripped Kichev’s sleeve.
“Miss, are we really leaving like this?”
“Yes. You’ve prepared everything else.”
I hesitated.
‘My safe should still be there, right?’
“Can we stop somewhere briefly on the way?”
