ILOIML 40

Chapter 40

“Have you been well?”

I greeted her politely.

“Yes, thanks to you, Your Highness. How have you been lately?”

Cassia asked carefully, her eyes full of concern. I tilted my head, thinking about what had happened recently in the Marquis family.

“Yes, I’m glad my brother was proven innocent.”

“Oh, that false accusation.”

Cassia repeated the words with a meaningful tone. I noticed how her expression changed quickly. It told me she wasn’t truly worried.

“Did you bring the painting?”

I stretched my neck and looked around her to ask.

“It’s kept underground in the Temple of Rianus. Sacred items can’t be moved, so you’ll have to come with me to see it.”

“I see. Then shall we go?”

“Already?” Cassia looked at my hand holding her wrist and asked. I couldn’t answer and just quickly shook my head. Cassia sighed deeply and called for a priest who was waiting outside.

“Please heal the Grand Duchess.”

“Yes, understood.”

The priest walked toward me.

“I’m fine!”

I yelled, and both Cassia and the priest stared at me in surprise.

But wait, wasn’t Cassia someone who could sense sacred energy? If my bracelet was the “Flame of the Goddess”, she should have felt something and demanded I hand it over. But she didn’t notice anything.

Then maybe I was wrong. If this bracelet wasn’t the Flame of the Goddess, then it made sense that she didn’t react.

‘What’s going on?’

I had gotten so excited thinking this bracelet was the Flame of the Goddess, but now my hopes were crushed. If it really were the Flame of the Goddess, it should’ve reacted to Cassia’s divine power. But I had no connection to divine power at all. If Bella had any divine power, she wouldn’t have been killed by monsters.

‘Then what is this? A magic tool?’

But it didn’t look like one either. Usually, magic tools have magic stones attached—and this one didn’t.

“If it’s that uncomfortable, shouldn’t you take the bracelet off?”

I let my arms drop limply.

‘She saw it? Cassia saw my bracelet? I’m doomed.’

“I didn’t know you liked such things. I heard you prefer expensive items…”

Cassia sneered.

Do you really not know? You’re not teasing me, are you? Don’t you feel anything from this?

“It’s vintage.”

I said confidently.

Worried that Cassia might find my bracelet suspicious, I quickly thanked her for helping me and rushed out of the temple.

Sitting in the carriage, I kept turning the bracelet in my hand, deep in thought.

“What are you really?”

“Or maybe… did you want to talk with me?”

“Not really… but I thought we could catch up and chat about random things…”

Cassia said lazily, then suddenly stopped. She stared at me for a moment, then spoke again. Her eyes looked curious.

“Why do you want to see the painting?”

I had already prepared my answer, so I replied right away.

“Life’s been complicated lately. I wanted to feel comfort from the gods and also pray for good health and a long life.”

“Ah…”

Her eyes softened with pity. She was probably thinking of the Marquis’s death and the recent trouble with the young marquis. I sighed dramatically, looking sad on purpose.

“Alright. I don’t want to waste your time. I’ll show you right away. Follow me.”

Cassia stood up and walked ahead. I followed her, thinking about what she had just said. For some reason, it left a bad feeling. Was it just me?

As she walked, Cassia slowed her pace. But I didn’t catch up—I just kept walking behind her.

We went down into the basement, and she led me to a small room. Inside was a platform with the painting on it, and another empty platform next to it. My eyes were focused only on the painting.

“It’s a holy… painting.”

I put my hands together and pretended to be moved as I looked closely at the painting. But there was nothing that looked like a torch in it. I had hoped there might be something, but now my heart was pounding hard in fear.

I grabbed my bracelet-covered wrist. I felt like Cassia might rip it off my arm at any moment.

“And here.”

Cassia’s firm voice made me turn my eyes from the painting to her. She pointed at the empty platform next to the painting.

“This is where we’ll place Aesar.”

“I see.”

I forced a smile. So she had already prepared a spot for it?

“Is your wrist hurting?”

* * *

We refused the VIP seats near the Emperor and instead sat among the regular people. The high-ranking guests, including those who disliked Leon, were all in the front. They were probably just waiting for a chance to bring us down.

Some people recognized us and stared, but we didn’t mind. We were excited and moved quickly through the crowd. Our knights were doing their best to follow and protect us.

The laughter and joy all around made me feel better.

“Ow, that hurts.”

Leon complained as I dragged him along.

“What’s wrong?”

“You stepped on my foot, Bell-bell!”

“Oh, that wasn’t a rock? That was your foot?”

“See? You did it on purpose!”

“Sorry. It’s crowded, so please understand.”

Leon pouted, but despite his complaints, his red eyes looked happy.

Once the formal part ended, the high priests, the saintess, and the emperor released sky lanterns by the river. After that, everyone else was allowed to release their own.

Vendors were shouting that the event was about to begin, so we rushed to a small stall to buy our lanterns.

“What will you wish for, Bell-bell?”

“Of course I’ll wish for health and long life.”

“Wow, even if the world ends, you’d still survive.”

How could he say such a dark thing so casually? I sighed in frustration.

“This time, I’ll wish for Bell-bell’s long life.”

“….”

Leon, who was smiling brightly, suddenly went quiet. See? That’s what happens when you make assumptions.

“So, if you live to be a thousand, and I die in a year, would that be okay with you? I have to live too.”

“…You’re right.”

Leon nodded, mumbling.

I smiled and began writing my wish.

[I want to live long enough to scribble on walls in old age.]

Leon hadn’t written anything yet and was just staring at me. Then he frowned when he saw what I wrote.

“Bell-bell, your mouth is so rude.”

“That’s better than having a bad temper.”

“Your temper’s worse.”

“Hey!”

I glared at him, and Leon quickly turned away and began writing his wish. But he covered it carefully, writing so small I couldn’t see it.

“Let me see too.”

“Nope.”

Leon hugged the lantern to his chest and stood up, hiding his wish. I also picked up my lantern and walked to the river with him.

When the emperor and the others released their lanterns, everyone followed. We lit our lanterns and released them onto the water. They slowly floated up, joining the other glowing lights in the sky.

“So curious. What did you write?”

“It’s a secret. I’ll tell you when it really comes true.”

I was curious, but Leon clearly wasn’t going to tell me, so I gave up. We stood by the river, quietly watching our lantern float far away.

Until someone suddenly slapped my back.

Slap!

“Ouch! Who was that?”

I turned around, frowning, hoping it wasn’t Lucas—who always made me nervous when I came to the capital.