IDGM 08

Chapter 08

Calias sat in his nearly empty office, which was furnished with only a desk and chair, reviewing a few documents that required his attention.

The mansion he was renting while staying in the capital was modest and plain, unlike the luxurious townhouses owned by the Empire’s prestigious noble families.

Calias had never intended to spend much time in the capital, let alone spend a fortune on accommodations.

The only reason he changed his plans and delayed his return to Ronhaim was Chloe.

“Marquis.”

“Brentian.”

His aide Brentian walked into the office.

He had a lean frame—a rarity among the stout-bodied people of Ronhaim—and kept his long blue hair neatly tied back.

Because the office was sparsely furnished, Brentian’s crisp footsteps echoed all the way up to the ceiling.

“Are they doing what I asked?”

“Yes. They don’t know the reason, but they’re thrilled about the free booze every day.”

“Good.”

Calias nodded in satisfaction.

Lately, he had been sending his subordinates to taverns throughout the capital to spread rumors.

Rumors about a holy relic once held by the Saintess of Ronhaim—an artifact of mysterious powers.

A divine gift said to awaken the dead, restore lost health, and even return youth.

It had once been dismissed as a mere legend.

Ronhaim, a remote land with little interaction with the outside world, had never attracted attention. No one believed in tales from such a place.

But once travelers began visiting Ronhaim, stories that the relic truly existed began to spread. And soon, people from all over the world began seeking it.

In an instant, Ronhaim’s once pure and beautiful snowy plains became a blood-soaked graveyard.

Still, Ronhaim’s strong warriors protected their land and the relic for centuries.

But over a decade ago, mysterious assailants attacked, stealing the relic and killing the Saintess who had been its guardian.

No one knew where the relic went. At least, not officially.

Brentian looked worried.

“There are already so many exaggerated rumors about the relic. Are you sure it’s wise to spread more?”

“If it’s already exaggerated, what difference does one or two more make?”

“It could make recovering the relic even harder.”

“Sitting still won’t make it any easier. Nothing will change.”

Brentian closed his mouth for a moment, then stubbornly continued, dropping his formal tone.

“I’m not trying to pick a fight, but as your longtime friend, I have to say this. How can you say nothing will change? If you use yourself as bait, you’ll be in danger. They’ll target you.”

“That’s exactly what I want, Brentian.”

Brentian raised his voice in frustration.

“Don’t do anything reckless. We already made huge sacrifices because of the relic. Have you forgotten how they murdered the Saintess?”

“Forgotten?”

Calias stared at Brentian with a look that said he had much to say but wouldn’t bother.

Brentian flinched.

“…Sorry.”

Of course, Calias hadn’t forgotten.

The Saintess of Ronhaim was his mother.

Calias sighed and tried to calm the anxious Brentian.

“If Empress Kabala makes a move because of this, it’ll prove she stole what’s ours. Until now, we’ve only had suspicions, but this will give us certainty.”

He sounded confident.

Though he claimed it was mere suspicion, he spoke as if he was sure Kabala had the relic.

“Besides, until she figures out what the key is, she can’t touch me.”

He was the only one who held the information.

At that moment, a chilly breeze from the empire’s mainland swept through the office.

But both men had stood bare against the bitter blizzards of Ronhaim. The humid southern breeze merely caused minor discomfort and soon dispersed.

“To gather more intel, the Empress will try to plant spies. But it won’t be easy.”

Calias chuckled leisurely.

He had brought only a few elite knights, no servants or attendants.

There was no way for a stranger to slip into their group through unofficial means.

“I wonder what bold method she’ll try to plant a spy.”

The smile on Calias’s lips was cryptic.

Meanwhile…

I lay on my side, blankly staring at the morning sunlight filtering beneath the curtains.

Another eternal night had passed, and it was day again.

‘Didn’t sleep again…’

I sighed. After several sleepless nights, it felt like my soul had become unmoored from my body—it just wouldn’t respond the way I wanted.

‘It’s like I’m leaking from the inside out.’

Ever since returning in time, I’d gained not just a thirst for revenge, but insomnia.

Whenever I closed my eyes, I vividly recalled the moment of my death.

It wasn’t fear or trauma that tormented me.

What tormented me was the truth I learned in that moment—the betrayal by someone I had trusted.

—Truly, you’re a frustratingly naive woman.

The words of the knight who killed me echoed relentlessly in my mind.

‘How could I not have known? How could I have been fooled for so long?’

I trembled with rage.

‘Was I just stupid?’

Andrea and Kabala were the ones who deceived me. They were to blame. I knew that logically.

But the anger inside me didn’t just point at them—it constantly turned on me, too.

‘Why was I so naive? Why didn’t I question anything? Everything was suspicious in hindsight, so why didn’t I see it?’

Self-blame. Over and over.

Though I’d eaten nothing, my chest felt so tight, it was hard to breathe.

Memories of Andrea smiling kindly and saying, “I’m always on your side, Chloe,” flickered through my mind.

‘Disgusting.’

Dragging myself up like a waterlogged rag, I grabbed my hair in frustration.

‘I believed you…’

It felt like someone was whispering in my ear, “Foolish Chloe. Stupid Chloe. It’s all your fault. You were too naive.”

Paranoia gripped me—I felt like enemies were closing in from every direction.

Desperately, I pulled the blanket around me. I just wanted to protect myself, somehow.

Then—

“Chloe.”

A small voice called from behind the curtain.

Carl peeked his head out.

He’d somehow managed to sneak into the palace again today.

“Carl!”

I welcomed him in a whisper so the maids outside wouldn’t hear.

Seeing him, it felt like a weight was lifted off my chest.

Carl looked at me with worried eyes as I gasped for breath like someone pulled from underwater.

“Didn’t sleep again? I’m glad I came early. What’s going on lately? Are you sick or something?”

I gave him a faint smile and shook my head.

“My heart hurts.” The words rose to my throat, but I didn’t say them.

“Dunno.”

Carl sighed, frustrated.

“You look like you’re having dark thoughts.”

I flinched and lowered my gaze.

“You are, aren’t you? Geez.”

He sat next to me, half-scolding, but his voice was full of warmth.

“Whatever’s going on, it’s not your fault.”

“How would you know?”

“I may not know the details, but I know you. Most of the bad things around you were never your fault.”

“…!”

“Trust yourself, Chloe. You’re a better person than you think.”

His words made the suffocating guilt lift in an instant.

Tears welled up as my nose stung.

I half-laughed and tapped Carl playfully as I cried.

“You don’t know anything…”

If he hadn’t been here, I don’t think I could’ve endured it. In either life.

I hugged Carl tightly and let my tears soak his small shoulder.

“Carl, you’re the only one I trust now—just you and me. I won’t trust anyone else again. I won’t live stupidly anymore.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’ve got this.”

Carl—my only comfort, my peace.

“I’m really glad you’re here, Carl.”

As I leaned on his little shoulder, I lifted my head and looked at him sorrowfully.

“But if I go to Ronhaim… what happens to us…”

In my past life, I lived in a house in the capital not far from the imperial palace, even after marrying Count Pelsus.

So I could still secretly meet Carl—but Ronhaim was far too distant from the capital.

“We’d…”

I couldn’t finish the sentence, but I clutched Carl’s hand tightly.

Then he said something unexpected.

“Chloe, wherever you go, I’ll go with you.”

“What…? But how…”

“Don’t worry. I have a way.”

He grinned confidently.

“…!”

I stared at him blankly.

Somehow, in that moment, Carl’s smiling face overlapped with Calias’s.

‘Why does this feel familiar…?’

Suddenly, I heard footsteps outside.

I quickly let Carl go.

“Go! Hurry!”

“I’ll come back.”

Just like he came in, Carl vanished through the window.

And almost immediately after he disappeared, the bedroom door burst open and the maids stormed in.

“You’re already up.”

They pulled and tugged me like a paper doll, not at all gently, as they dressed and groomed me.

I sat still, letting them move me like a lifeless object. One of them gave me a final once-over.

“This should do. Now, you can go out.”

“Go out?”

I was puzzled. They usually preferred I stayed shut away in my room all day.

Warily, I stepped into the drawing room—and gasped.

“What is all this?!”

The room was filled with blooming red roses.

A page boy held out a silver tray with a letter on it.

The envelope read: Calias Rodrian.

One of the more curious maids popped her head over my shoulder.

“A love letter? Read it, quick!”

They seemed way too excited about my love life.

‘Well, it was sent so openly… I guess it’s fine to read it here?’

Cautiously, I opened the letter and scanned a few lines—then my mouth dropped open.

“Princess Chloe, more dazzling than the sun by day, more radiant than the stars by night… I first saw you at the palace banquet a few days ago.

That night was unusually beautiful. Now I realize all the trees, flowers, and winds were signs foretelling our fateful meeting.

Ah, the burning of my soul when I laid eyes on you still lingers…”

I looked again at the name on the envelope: Calias Rodrian.

Just to be sure, I even asked the page boy.

“Are you sure this is from Marquis Rodrian?”

The boy nodded confidently.

“Absolutely.”

‘No. No, it can’t be. Please let this be a mistake.’

How was I supposed to interpret this?

Was this an assassination attempt—trying to make me die from secondhand embarrassment?

It was a perfectly rational suspicion.