“Your voice is too loud. You know. That there are many ears in the temple.”
Noel’s eyes fluttered when she realized that Ahwin had blocked out the sounds around them because of her.
She lowered her head and said.
“Sorry. I forgot about it for a while.”
He smiled bitterly and hugged her waist. Then he buried his face on her shoulder and whispered.
“Every time you do this, I feel anxious and my heart wouldn’t work.”
“…it hurts.”
Ahwin thoroughly hid Noel’s condition from the outside world.
He knew Josephina’s disposition better than anyone else. As the Third Wing, he had been the closest assistant to Josephina.
His owner, Josephina, hated having her plans go awry the most.
If there was something that didn’t go her way, she’d choose to destroy it right away rather than trying to change it.
Noel was no exception to that disposition.
If Josephina knew that Noel hated her.
If she found out that the wing who was supposed to obey her absolutely had other feelings, she wouldn’t leave Noel alone.
Will definitely kill. He couldn’t even ask for forgiveness or mercy.
“Never, you must not be found by anyone. If she knew your heart now, she would surely kill you. Rather than waiting for you to change, it’s faster to kill you and get a new wing.”
Ahwin’s breathing slightly quickened. There was a sharp pain in his red eyes.
“If she wants to kill you, I can’t refuse. Wings are like that.”
Noel wanted to cry.
Ahwin was fighting his instincts right now. He had to punish the traitor who went against the will of the Saintess, but he couldn’t because he fell in love with Noel.
“I’m so sorry.”
Noel hugged Ahwin by the waist and buried her face in his chest.
She was grateful to him for being so desperate for her, but on the other hand, she felt sorry.
It was because she couldn’t reciprocate his heart. Because she still hated Josephina.
“I will try. Return…so that I can love you.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard. I hate being hard on you even more.”
Ahwin smiled and shook his head. He didn’t expect Noel’s condition to change anymore.
“Just, like now, don’t face the Saintess as much as possible, and just do what she tells you to do perfectly. Don’t do anything dangerous like today.”
Noel flinched at that, and she said nothing. He smiled bitterly as he realized that she still hadn’t given up on the medicine.
‘Even though I fell in love with her like this.’
“And this time, you don’t have to overdo it. That knight from the Principality survived.”
“Pardon? Really?”
“Yes. I just heard the report. They said he miraculously opened his eyes.”
“Wow!”
A bright smile spread across Noel’s face. Looking at her acting like a child, his lips softened.
“Because something good happened. Just listen to my request.”
“Of course I have to listen! Just say it!”
He gently kissed her fingertips and said.
“You will be with the master of the West Villa until the end of the national marriage.”
“The master of the West Villa?”
Noel asked curiously. The master of the West Villa. It was Leticia, the daughter of the Saintess.
“But that’s what the upper wings do.”
“This time it’s my turn. I recommended you instead of me.”
“Why…”
“If you do well this time, the Saintess might dispel her suspicions towards you.”
Ahwin whispered softly.
“She ordered to keep an eye on that woman until she leaves the Empire. If necessary, she told me to use the power of a wing to dampen her spirits.”
“Ah…”
“You don’t have to feel guilty. You know how bad she’s been.”
“…that’s right.”
She had never actually seen Leticia, but she had been told about her misdeeds. So, unlike Enoch’s case, she didn’t have any objection to this order.
“Show her the power of a wing so she doesn’t do anything stupid.”
Like the other wings, Ahwin was influenced by the Saintess’ emotions. Leticia, whom the Saintess hated, couldn’t help but make him feel uncomfortable.
“I’m sure you can do well.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll do really well this time. Really.”
“Okay. I believe you.”
Ahwin smiled softly and hugged her.
Since it’s to punish a wicked woman, even this lovely and kind woman could do it well.
If that’s the case, she won’t be wary of Noel anymore, either.
He could not imagine what Noel and himself would feel after seeing Leticia.
***
“I, Prince Dietrian, greet the Saintess of the Empire.”
Dietrian slowly raised his head.
The moment she met those pitch black eyes, Josephina was unable to move for a moment.
Over that sculpture-like appearance, memories she wanted to erase forever overlapped.
[Foolish human being, blinded by greed, you broke the taboo again. Do you think you can defy your destiny by doing such a thing?]
A person, no existence, suddenly appeared in front of her late at night.
Black wings stretched out in the air behind the terrifyingly beautiful ‘existence’ with black hair and golden eyes.
In the midst of the suffocating intimidation, Josephina was made to feel like a bug rather than a person.
Like an insect that he could crush and kill as long as he stretched out his hand.
[If there were no restrictions on causality, four years ago, you, not my child, would have been strangled on the wall.]
The large hands tightly squeezed her like a leash.
[This is the last warning. If you lay a hand on my descendants again.]
A cold whisper sounded in her ear as her heart thumped.
[I will definitely kill you. Even if I perish forever.]
When she remembered that time when she was terribly afraid, her legs felt weak. Josephina staggered and took a step back.
Bright light streamed in through the windows of the temple. She nearly fell, but the tremors in her body didn’t subside easily.
She gripped her own arm and tightened her whole body.
‘Calm down. That’s not a dragon! It’s a human. Just a powerless human!’
But the fear didn’t subside. There was a ferocious venom in her purple eyes.
‘Damn dragon. Your offspring will die soon anyway. Leticia, not me, that bitch will kill him!’
Holding back the urge to scream, Josephina muttered.
“What is the Prince doing here without a prior message?”
Perhaps thanks to the effort, the suffocating fear subsided a little. Instead, the arrows of her wrath were directed at the two who made her like this.
“I have come to apologize to the Saintess.”
“An apology?”
“As you may have heard, Enoch has awakened.”
Dietrian said perplexedly.
“Anyway, it seems that the child’s condition was milder than we feared. I felt so sorry for causing concern over something insignificant…”
Then, he bowed deeply.
“Enoch’s awakening is all thanks to the grace of the Saintess. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Josephina’s face contorted mercilessly. She immediately recognized what was meant by Enoch’s condition being mild.
‘As expected, the effect of the poison was insufficient.’
The priests didn’t use the proper poison.
‘I will surely tear them apart.’
She gnashed her teeth at the priests entrusted with Enoch’s condition.
“Anyway, that woman…”
Looking at Leticia covered in blood, Dietrian asked cautiously.
As she turned her attention to her, the smile she managed to create collapsed once more.
Leticia and Dietrian.
She could never let the two of them meet here. If she did, Dietrian would find out about the abuse Leticia suffered.
Josephina quickly corrected her expression. It was a brilliant but dangerous smile like a poisonous plant.
“I was punishing her for committing a great sin.”
“It must be a great sin.”
“It’s all because of this girl that the child from the Principality had reached that point. She seemed to have bribed the doctor.”
Josephina took it for granted to blame Leticia for her sins.
Dietrian stared at Josephina with an expressionless face. Josephina’s words continued.
“How dare she do something like that ahead of a wedding between the two countries. I feel sorry for the Prince, I can’t bear to lift my face.”
“…”
“Ah, don’t worry about the punishment. Do you think there’s not enough blood? As soon as she wake up, just use a whip…”
Josephina glared fiercely at Leticia. The deep murderous intent in her eyes made Dietrian’s stomach sink.
“Because I’d rather make her beg to be killed instead.”
“You don’t have to.”
Dietrian took a quick step forward.
“Since she is a criminal of the Principality, I will take her and deal with her if you’ll allow it. There’s no need to dirty the Saintess’ hands for a petty sinner.”
A look of dismay spread across Josephina’s face. Dietrian’s words were plausible, so there was nothing to refute.
Dietrian, without waiting for an answer from his opponent, moved his steps toward Leticia. Each step he took was as desperate as an eternity.
Dietrian, who had finally arrived by her side, slowly knelt down on one knee.
A pale face was visible beneath the blood-soaked blonde hair. His heart throbbed against the blood-red lips that had been ruined in a mess.
‘Did you really save Enoch?’
His fingertips trembled slightly as he wrapped his hand around Leticia’s wrist to check her pulse.
‘Are you the handmaiden my brother saved?’
Fortunately, her pulse was beating regularly, but he couldn’t control his emotions.
Anger soared at feeling the delicate warmth at the palm of his hand, and his heart ached so much.
He though he’s going crazy.
It seemed like his heart would subside only when he held her off the cold floor, checked her wounds, and she opened her eyes.
That was when he reached out his other hand to pick up Leticia’s body.
“By the way, if Enoch is awake, would you really need to punish the maid?”
Dietrian lifted his head, still holding her wrist. All his nerves were focused on the warmth in his hands, but he asked without expressing himself.
“What do you mean?”
“Actually, I care about her very much.”
Does she mean this child? Dietrian hesitated at the sudden friendly call.
“I was punishing her for committing a big sin, but I didn’t feel good the whole time. I wonder if there’s a need to see blood before a good day.”
Her purple eyes folded, creating a sly image.
“If the Prince agrees, I want to treat this child.”
Josephina gave the order without waiting for Dietrian’s reply.
“Call the priest right now! Hurry!”
“Understood.”
The paladin quickly ran outside. Josephina agitatedly ran a hand through her hair.
Healing Leticia right away was what she hated more than her dying, but there was no way to separate the two.
‘Did he see her face? No, right?’
Leticia’s face was obscured by her hood and blonde hair. Even if he had seen it, he would not have thought that the fallen woman was the Saintess’ daughter.
Thinking that way made her feel a little relieved.
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