Chapter 120: My First and Last
2024.02.28
Her mind was in chaos. This time, she had to either capture Maximilian or kill him—but doing it alone was beyond her strength.
The best option would be to get Lord Embley involved…
Cordelia tapped the armrest of her chair with her fingers before suddenly standing up. It was clear she had to meet him in person and settle this.
“Where is the Lord?”
“Huh? He usually works in his office, but today the priests were arriving, so he probably went to the main gate to greet them.”
“Show me the way.”
“Ah… yes.”
Chelsea looked hesitant but dared not block Cordelia’s path. In Embley Castle, Cordelia was treated not as a hostage, but as a highly honored guest.
Following Chelsea, they soon reached the castle gate. Cordelia had only ever wandered the gardens near the main hall; this was her first time coming this far, and she looked around curiously as she walked.
“There they are.”
Following Chelsea’s pointing finger, she saw a group of people in white robes, with Anton among them. Cordelia straightened her clothes and approached them.
Anton was the first to notice her.
“What are you doing here?”
“I heard some important guests came from Yeratcus.”
Cordelia answered rather boldly, then turned and bowed to the pilgrims. She knelt according to the Lemancian method her nanny had taught her as a child.
[Le Ari. May the blessings of all creation pile endlessly.]
[Seems you haven’t forgotten the greeting I taught you.]
“Huh?”
From among the pilgrims, a voice she could never forget called out. Cordelia, startled, lifted her head halfway from the bow.
“No way… Lani?”
“Miss, how have you been?”
“Lani!”
It had already been ten years, but Cordelia instantly recognized the owner of the voice. Seeing the nanny who had protected her in childhood, she ran toward Lani.
“Good heavens… it feels like only yesterday you were at my waist, and now you’ve grown into such a fine young lady.”
“Lani! You returned to Yeratcus? Why didn’t you write? Do you know how much I missed you?”
Cordelia’s eyes had turned red without her noticing. She grabbed Lani tightly, confirming her face with a loving embrace.
“I missed you terribly too,” Lani said, returning the hug with a gentle smile.
Anton and the other pilgrims watched, surprised, as the two reunited in tears. One of the pilgrims whispered to Lani in Bedos.
[Ahem… Father Epios. Perhaps we should greet Lord Embley first?]
“Oh, my. My apologies, Lord. I never imagined I would meet Miss Cordelia here, and I fear I have been rude.”
“How do you know her?”
“When I was under the care of the Vasquez family, I served as a nanny for Miss and young Master Dennis.”
“You were a nanny in Vasquez?”
Anton alternated his gaze between Cordelia and Lani, clearly astonished.
“Yes. Thankfully, Lady Vasquez took me in when I was in trouble. All thanks to the blessings of Ari. But how did you come to be here with Lord Embley?”
“Ah.”
Anton looked uncomfortable, clearly sensing that the truth couldn’t be told. Cordelia smiled brightly and answered in his stead.
“Lord Embley invited me. Oh, and Lani—I became a mage, just like Mother.”
“A mage? Seems a lot has happened since I left.”
“Let’s go inside first.”
Anton politely stepped between them, allowing the priests to proceed into the castle.
Cordelia stuck close to Lani, chattering like a child. Lani, equally delighted, held her hand tightly. Seeing this, Anton spoke quietly.
“I thought it would be impossible for you to visit this year. Surprising, considering the High Priest election is near.”
“Even if I were there, what difference would it make? Everything will unfold according to Ari’s will.”
Lani spoke with her mysterious smile. Cordelia did not understand their conversation but walked along silently. At a fork, Lani stopped.
“I’m staying in the East Wing. Come anytime.”
“East Wing? Ah… okay.”
Cordelia nodded and waved until Lani and the other priests were out of sight. Anton stayed behind, waiting for her. Once they had completely disappeared, Cordelia lowered her hand and turned to Anton.
“Did you summon the priests for Miss Embley?”
“…Yes.”
“To pray for her?”
Anton pressed his lips together. The solemn expression gave nothing away; Cordelia felt she could never read his thoughts. She wanted to urge him, but restrained herself.
After a long silence, Anton finally spoke—but what he said surprised her.
“Lani Epios is one of the strongest candidates for High Priest.”
“Lani?”
In Yeratcus, where religion was everything, the High Priest was a power rivaling the king. Cordelia frowned slightly, surprised.
The nanny who had cared for her ten years ago was now a candidate for High Priest. Ten years really felt like a long time.
“I knew she was a high-ranking priest, but I never expected she’d be a candidate for High Priest.”
“…She can be trusted.”
“Of course. Lani is so devout and honest. I can vouch for her.”
Cordelia patted her chest proudly. Anton looked at her silently, then reached out to touch her shoulder lightly, as if dust were settling on it.
“I wish Rosalyn had been as strong as you.”
“I’ve never met her, but I think she was strong enough. She protected her child to the end before leaving.”
“Yes… indeed.”
Anton smiled faintly. The pain and regret were gone, replaced by a fleeting, almost unreal blur. Cordelia instinctively clutched his sleeve, suddenly afraid.
“You mustn’t die.”
“What?”
“You haven’t forgotten the poison you gave me, right? I have to take the antidote every ten days. If the Lord dies, I die too. And I heard Miss Embley left a son, Daniel, didn’t she? You need to live to see your grandchild grow up. Life may be hellish, but if you endure just a bit, it eventually gets better.”
She didn’t know why these words had come out. She just felt that if she didn’t give Anton a reason to live, he might throw himself off a cliff at any moment.
Anton removed his hand from her shoulder and stepped back.
“Return to your room.”
“Then… no. Alright.”
She had hoped to get a definite answer today, but it seemed he still needed time. Cordelia trudged back to her room.
When she opened the door, the room was dark, with the curtains drawn completely.
“Huh? Chelsea? No one here?”
Cordelia moved toward the window to draw the curtains, but suddenly someone grabbed her shoulder.
“What… what is it?”
The shock of a hidden figure made her heart leap. Though the castle people were friendly, Maximilian was also here. Cordelia immediately activated a defensive barrier, bracing herself.
“Let go of me!”
“You’re faster than before.”
“Ma… Master?”
Her eyes hadn’t adjusted to the darkness, but the voice was unmistakably Leonard’s. Realizing this, she threw herself into his embrace, pressing her face to his chest.
“Master! Why did you come so late? I’ve been waiting so long. I missed you so much… truly. You even appear in my dreams every night.”
The longing she had suppressed spilled out. Feeling Leonard nearby brought tears to her eyes.
Above her, she heard a low chuckle.
“Good thing we stayed apart. Now you’ve said how much you missed me.”
“Is that even a response? I missed you the most in the world.”
“I missed you too, you foolish student.”
The warmth of his embrace was so comforting that her tears streamed down her cheeks. She hugged him even tighter.
What should she call this feeling?
Was it because he had saved her life that she missed him terribly when apart, and her heart raced when they met?
“Do you think your master can’t manage just that?”
“Ah!”
Cordelia almost fainted. She felt like she had discovered an intruder in a space she thought was private.
She leapt up, looking around. Her eyes gradually adjusted, revealing shapes.
“Belluce? Wait… there’s even one more…”
Seeing that someone else had witnessed her childlike clinging to Leonard, she instantly felt embarrassed. She struggled to leave his arms, but Leonard didn’t budge.
“Let… let me go.”
“You said you missed me, so stay. And the only one who knows I’m here is Lord Embley. That’s why the curtains are drawn.”
“Lord Embley already knows?”
Cordelia stopped struggling and looked up at Leonard.
cutieee, hug him more