Chapter 5
‘Anyone would be startled.’
Even I find this part of myself terrifying.
When they were children, Edwin had called her a monster after seeing her ability.
Even so…
She hadn’t minded.
Because that was when he had finally begun paying attention to her.
Being hated by him was far better than being ignored.
“Is this… why you were framed?”
Heinz’s voice had grown noticeably quieter.
“…No.”
“That’s a relief.”
With that, Heinz silently finished cleaning up the broken shards.
Standing behind him, Elthia nervously gripped the hem of her skirt.
“…Don’t you think I’m strange?”
Not a single person had ever looked kindly upon her ability.
“Why would that be strange?”
“…”
“If people find out, it won’t do you any good.”
His tone remained as indifferent as ever.
“So hide it whenever you can.”
After saying that, Heinz rummaged through a drawer, found a pair of gloves, and tossed them to her.
Elthia stared blankly at his back before quietly whispering,
“…Thank you.”
For everything.
The following morning, Elthia prepared to leave.
“Thank you… truly, for everything.”
As always, Heinz merely gave a slight nod.
His farewell wasn’t particularly warm, but after spending several days together, Elthia had realized that was simply the kind of person he was.
She answered with a quiet smile.
After taking only a few steps, she stopped and turned back toward him.
“May the blessings of God be with you.”
Reading her lips, Heinz found a faint smile appearing on his own.
***
When Briand learned that the Emperor was in his bedchamber rather than his office, his face stiffened for a brief moment.
By the time he reached the door, however, his expression had become perfectly composed.
With obvious confidence, he knocked.
The ragged breathing from inside abruptly ceased for a few seconds.
“Enter.”
As soon as the door opened, Briand was met by Edwin’s thoroughly displeased expression.
“What is it?”
Lifting his chin arrogantly, Edwin looked at him.
Beside him, Erika, who was only half dressed, quietly exhaled and began putting her clothes back on.
Looks like I’ve interrupted them.
Briand already knew Edwin was obsessed with women.
Even so, witnessing scenes like this in person filled him with revulsion every time.
Pulling his eyes away from Erika, he faced the Emperor again.
“We’ve found her.”
Color immediately returned to Edwin’s face.
“Bring her before me at once.”
Instead…
Briand led a man into the room with his hands bound tightly by rope.
“…Just who is it that I’m looking at?”
Edwin’s lips twisted while one eyebrow rose.
His expression clearly showed just how dissatisfied he was.
Unless he’s incapable of understanding simple words…
No one could possibly be this stupid.
“We heard from the villagers near the river mouth that this man forcibly took Lady Elthia away.”
Edwin abandoned the idea of cutting off Briand’s head—for now.
Instead, he looked down at the bloodied young man kneeling before him.
“Who kidnapped whom?”
“This man abducted Lady Elthia—”
“What nonsense.”
Edwin snorted.
The young man before him was too small and too frail.
He hardly looked capable of overpowering a woman.
Still…
Those fierce eyes…
Perhaps Briand isn’t entirely mistaken.
His gaze lingered on the battered youth whose body was covered in bruises.
By then, Erika had already finished dressing and quietly sat beside Edwin.
She leaned against him with a gentle smile.
Yet her eyes never left the captured young man.
His slender frame only emphasized his youthful beauty.
Though he looked young, his facial features were remarkably striking.
He’s covered in wounds…
But he’s actually quite handsome.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, the overwhelming aura surrounding him stirred something inside her.
“Her Majesty’s gloves were found in his house.”
“…Her gloves?”
Edwin’s expression changed.
Elthia never removed her gloves without reason.
Except when she was healing someone.
He had been about to scold Briand for wasting time arresting innocent people instead of searching for Elthia.
Then his mouth closed.
The gloves Briand held…
Were unquestionably Elthia’s.
Those black velvet gloves—
He recognized them immediately.
They had originally been a gift meant for Erika.
But Erika had refused them, saying gloves felt uncomfortable.
So Edwin had simply tossed them to Elthia instead.
“Those gloves…”
“…were inside his house?”
Briand nodded repeatedly.
Edwin rose from the bed and walked over.
Without the slightest hesitation, he grabbed the silver-haired young man by the hair and forced his head upward.
“Is it true?”
“…”
“So you’re trying to act brave.”
Edwin suddenly found the boy pitiful.
He assumed the overly possessive Elthia had chosen him as her scapegoat.
Relaxing his grip, he slowly stroked the young man’s hair.
“What is his name?”
“Heinz.”
“And his family name?”
“He doesn’t have one.”
“We’re told he’s the son of a serf.”
“…Ah.”
A smile slowly spread across Edwin’s lips.
For a moment, he considered showing mercy to such an insignificant child.
But…
Those eyes bothered him.
People should cower before him.
Instead, Heinz met his gaze without fear.
Edwin didn’t like that.
“Throw him into prison.”
His voice echoed coldly.
“He stays there until the Empress is found.”
At those words, Heinz abruptly lifted his head.
The Empress…?
A faint ripple passed through his eyes.
The woman who had stayed in his home…
Was the mistress of the very Imperial Family he despised.
“If you confess everything…”
“I’ll spare your life.”
Heinz never opened his mouth.
Edwin’s warning never reached him.
As an unusual gleam appeared in the Emperor’s eyes, Briand hurriedly grabbed Heinz by the arm and pulled him to his feet.
“We’ll take him away.”
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Edwin slowly rubbed his chin.
Once I find the Empress…
I’ll have her killed where no one will ever know.
***
“…I sprained my ankle.”
Less than a day after finally recovering…
She had already injured herself again.
Letting out a weary sigh, Elthia untied the cloth bundle filled with medicinal herbs.
Heinz’s house had contained many herbs that were difficult to obtain.
The bundle had been something he had insisted she take with her.
After crushing the herbs against a nearby rock, she spread the paste over her swollen ankle and wrapped it tightly with clean white cloth.
A gentle breeze lifted her long hair.
She brushed it back behind her ear.
Eyes that shimmered like stars…
A small, elegant nose…
Glossy crimson lips…
For the first time, her features were fully revealed.
But so were the old scars.
Faded marks covered her skin.
A long scar stretched from her cheek all the way to her forehead.
Though it had faded considerably over the years, not so long ago people had called her hideous…
A monster.
If hiding those scars behind long hair…
And wearing a perpetually gloomy expression…
Would keep people from looking at them—
Then she would rather live that way.
“…What did I do wrong?”
Elthia murmured to the empty air.
What exactly did I do…
To deserve all of this?
Feeling weighed down, she sat on a large rock and breathed in the fresh air.
Then…
Something suddenly felt wrong.
She looked herself over.
Only then did she realize—
Her gloves were gone.
“…How could I be so careless…”
She pressed a hand against her forehead.
She had undoubtedly left them behind at Heinz’s house.
But with an injured ankle, returning immediately was impossible.
Reluctantly…
Elthia placed her hand over her own ankle.
She hated using her ability on herself whenever she could avoid it.
But this time…
She had no choice.
She watched with empty eyes as the angry red swelling gradually disappeared.
Then she stood.
As Elthia made her way back toward the village…
Her steps seemed somehow…
A little lighter.
