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The next morning—
Under the blanket, Isabelle opened her eyes and stretched. Riggs was supposed to be there beside her, but she found him sleeping on the sofa far away.
Looking closely, it even seemed like he didn’t sleep. His face was blank, as though he had been struggling with something while he was up all night.
“Riggs, there’s a perfectly good bed here. Why’d you sleep there?”
“…Because of you.”
“……”
His tone was pointed. Last night, Isabelle thought of when the goose-feather pillow had burst in her anger.
Well, even if Riggs wasn’t necessarily hurt, there were many other reasons. For example, something like an unbearable sleeping habit of hers.
Even when she was sleeping alone, it was common that the blankets would go downwards towards her lower body. It was difficult to be on the same bed. Though he was patience personified, how uncomfortable had the Duke of Cardiago become that he eventually fled to the sofa?
“Did you have a hard time because of me?”
“Yeah. More than a little.”
Isabelle said sorry and tapped on his forearms, which had red marks from her hits. After seeing the evidence left, she felt very apologetic.
“Let’s have breakfast together. Wash up and come down with me.”
Riggs said this as he trudged to the bathroom. All of last night, it felt like he was going crazy.
For the first time, he became sensitive to his own unrequited love. But just because he decided to pull back didn’t mean he could stop his own emotions.
Of course they were now married, though he didn’t think that she’d suddenly change and be aware of his feelings. He also didn’t have any intention to treat Isabelle like a fish he’d caught and play mean tricks on her.
‘But I thought that you’d at least stop thinking of me as just a friend if I tried to seduce you seriously.’
He felt that he’d become like trash just thinking about touching Isabelle without her permission.
Childhood-friend-Riggs was the one keeping watch over Red-blooded-Riggs so that he wouldn’t touch Isabelle recklessly.
In any case, he lay still next to Isabelle, humming the regional anthem of the Cardiago Duchy.
He admired the designs on the ceiling, which he realized for the first time were beautiful. But then, one of Isabelle’s legs went across him.
Around the middle of his thighs.
“……!”
Shocked to his core, Riggs wrapped the pale ankle with a blanket and set her leg back where it should be, as though he was a detective handling evidence. With a blanket, he carefully covered her smooth legs that were exposed beneath the moonlight.
At this, Isabelle was half-awake for a moment. She smiled drowsily, then went back to sleep.
Riggs immediately felt the need to soak in an ice-cold bath.
Before the sun rose, this happened three whole times.
‘Crazy.’
He sighed as he went down to the dining hall. They were served a luxurious course, but there was something unpleasant that caught his eye.
Why was there food that’s good specifically for men on the table, and why were they all in front of Isabelle’s seat? And in addition, the reapers seemed to be casting pitiful glances over at Riggs.
Riggs entered the hall before Isabelle did. Kiel, who was wiping his tears amongst the reapers, explained the situation with a murmur, and at this, Riggs was able to grasp the situation.
“Haa… I can’t go anywhere and proudly say I’m Ephelix’s contractor. Rather, the rumor that your lower body has been healed is… OW!”
Riggs grabbed Kiel’s cheeks and pulled on them. It seemed like the reapers who were standing guard outside the bedroom heard the sounds from inside and spread the rumor.
He was already thinking about how he could discipline them, but he saw Isabelle walking closer from afar. After she had washed up, she was now wearing clothes befitting a duchess, and seeing this, Riggs’ anger eased up.
‘Right. Even if Isabelle has a nasty sleeping habit.’
Riggs wasn’t the only one who was smiling brightly at her appearance.
“Madam! Please sit down.”
“We’ve prepared lots of dishes that are good for rejuvenating the Madam’s energy.”
One employee pulled out Isabelle’s chair for her to sit in it, and the others served her with all their heart. What a sight this was. It’s like the castle’s master had changed overnight.
* * *
After finishing their meal, Isabelle went to one of the rooms of the Cardiago Castle, then she knocked three times.
With an abundant bouquet of lilies in her hands, she recalled what the employees had said. She fumbled to hold the flowers together.
Yesterday, Isabelle decided to accept the power of the goddess and kissed the necklace. Thanks to this, the terrene corps had been dealt with.
‘I thought I just accepted the goddess’ power?’
However, according to the employees, the goddess had directly descended on the land, and she had been hovering over Isabelle.
While Isabelle was taking her bath and during that ‘first night’ that wasn’t really a first night, they also said that the goddess had been waiting for her, sniffling like a lost child.
“I apologize, Goddess Isis, I didn’t know that you would be descending here in the form of a human being,” Isabelle said. “Here is a bouquet of lilies. Will you accept it?”
“……”
As soon as the door opened slowly, a subtle light entered. Isabelle closed her eyes tightly because she was blinded momentarily. Something warm wrapped around her, touching her softly on the cheek.
“Ah…”
Then when Isabelle opened her eyes, she saw the goddess herself right in front of her. She was ten times more beautiful than any sculpture. She had long eyelashes that curled up towards the sky, and her sunshine-like silver hair cascaded down to her ankles in soft waves.
Wearing a long shawl, the goddess Isis was looking at Isabelle. There was a subtle light emanating from her body.
“My Isabelle. You’re very indifferent to your god.”
“Goddess Isis. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“My Isabelle. It would be nice if you know that your god is uncomfortable.”
The reapers were right. Isis was sulking.
The biggest reason was because Isabelle wasn’t paying attention to her. She was also upset that the reapers were glancing her way as though they were curious. And most of all…
“My Isabelle. How can you say ‘piss off’ in the name of your god?”
“I’m sorry. I ruined your image…”
Isabelle had been intimidated and she was also in a hurry, so she made a mistake.
The one in front of her was a god, and Isabelle was raised in a place where she was taught that blasphemy was a taboo, so this added to her guilt.
“I’m… sorry…”
Isis became less strict when Isabelle’s shoulders drooped down, looking as though she was a soaked puppy lowering its tail. Someone else’s face overlapped with that crying face, and it was surprisingly similar, this lovely face.
“My Isabelle. There’s nothing to cry about. I think my voice was a little stern just now.”
“Hng…”
“You, your god is benevolent. Did you get too flustered after accepting my power for the first time yesterday? I also understand why your words were a little rough.”
Isis felt a little sorry towards Duke Cardiago for last night. Because Isis had been watching Isabelle over the years, it was clear that the Duke certainly had feelings for Isabelle.
However last night, Isabelle fell asleep as though she had fainted because she couldn’t overcome the power of a god. The Duke just watched Isabelle sleeping there all night long and could kiss only her hair. He couldn’t sleep at all.
“Anyway, it’s done. I am merciful, so I’ll accept your apology.”
“But…”
The conversation suddenly turned around, and now Isabelle was scolding herself while Isis was defending her. Seeing that Isabelle was still dejected, Isis summoned a butterfly to cheer her up.
“Thank you, Goddess Isis.”
“I’m also thankful. I have something to tell you, so come here.”
Isis placed a gem on the table. Last night when Isabelle abandoned Isis and went to take a bath, Isis picked these up from the spot where the terrene forces passed by
“This gem is called ‘inheritance stone’. With the PIlsburg, who’s received my blessing, this gem can distinguish the bloodline.”
Isis then turned to the necklace that Isabelle received back from Riggs.
“And the necklace you’re wearing is called Isis’ Teardrop, and it can restrict the wearer’s magic. I want you to know that it is my will that the Pilsburg won’t find you.”
“Is it from your real tears?”
“…Yes.”
While living for all eternity as an immortal being, there was only one time that she shed tears. Isis smiled as if she didn’t care.
“My Isabelle. Bring the inheritance stone close to your necklace.”
Isabelle did as Isis said. As soon as the two gems were close to each other, the mana that could be felt briefly grew, and it felt like Isabelle’s head was cracking open.
Right then, her heart felt hot and bitter. It was like something was rushing out and all over her body—something that had been sealed before. Isabelle clutched the hem of her skirt as she endured the pain.
“It hurts… AH!”
Even though she was going through such agony, she was surprisingly calm. She wasn’t concentrating, but she could now see the flow of mana. It felt like she’d been liberated from something.
“Make a small flame, my Isabelle.”
Isabelle focused all her attention on her pointer finger, and just as she did before, she recalled the image of a matchstick. But… Why did the temperature become so hot? She almost burned down the Duke’s castle.
“Is this also the goddess’ power?”
“The inheritance stone is the key to release the seal on your necklace. This power is originally your birthright being that you’re a direct descendant of Pilsburg.”
“If I’m a direct descendant of the imperial family, then my parents… Polsith XII and his wife?”
“That’s right.”
Because she was so taken aback, Isabelle couldn’t wrap her head around it easily. Until now, she’d been worried about how lacking her magical abilities were.
‘But the reason why my abilities improved dramatically in the past few days was because Riggs was wearing my necklace instead.
Isabelle wasn’t someone who was very earnest about things like this, so she didn’t think that someone’s fate was fixed from the moment of their birth.
But now, she felt like she was a mere dot on a line ahead of her. The path she would follow might have already been decided.
Ever since she found out Riggs was the Duke of Cardiago, it felt like her life was spiraling like a whirlpool. Isabelle couldn’t help but ask.
“Goddess Isis, why are all these things happening to me?”
“Are you still against me coming here, my Isabelle? I hope you know that your god is very soft-hearted.”
“No, not the goddess… I’m happy that you came. I was just a little shocked.”
“Thank you for thinking that way.”
“But I still don’t understand. Why did my parents let the temple raise me? …Goddess Isis, why did you choose me?”
Isis thought about it for a moment, then she caressed Isabelle’s beautiful hair. Could Isis tell her about it now? No, but, if it wasn’t now, would there be another chance to talk?
If she was going to tell her about this terrible and great plan, where should she start and at which part should she stop?
Just like how another young lady of the Pilsburg family had done unto her before, Isis braided Isabelle’s hair loosely. Then, the goddess asked.
“My Isabelle. Are you curious about everything that’s surrounding you?”