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“That can’t be true.”
“I have not lied to you.”
Philelal’s voice was firm. But Anais thought that Lewarren, who had brought her here, would not do such a thing. Above all, she couldn’t believe that Lewarren, whom she had known for so long, had betrayed her.
Unable to process what she just heard, Anais’s ears started ringing loudly.
There’s no way Lewarren had betrayed her. He had already left his past as a petty thief and found his place at present. Even at the peak of temple’s corruption, he was the one who sacrificed for the weak.
Lewarren also helped Anais when the emperor was in trouble.
To think that Lewarren betrayed her. Lewarren had no grudge against her, and it was Lewarren who brought her here. He couldn’t have done that to her.
Anais couldn’t think of anything. Above all, the years she had spent with Lewarren and the way he had shown her, she thought he couldn’t have changed that much. But doubting him doesn’t change anything. Because Lewarren wasn’t here.
Anais would rather speak on a different thing. She felt like his faith in Lewarren was being tested.
“Kylian is hurt.”
“…….”
“He seems to have injured his leg, but I want to treat it.”
“Can you use that as an excuse to have a conversation?”
“Yes.”
Anais couldn’t give up. The amount of time she could be attached to this body of hers was limited, and she didn’t know if that period would be long or short.
But she was seeing the side effects, The debilitating body… It wouldn’t be long. That’s why Anais couldn’t give up. Even if her soul would shatter, she had no choice but to do her best to convince him.
“Help me, Phileal.”
“Don’t say that.”
Anais did not want to use him. She didn’t even want him to get attached to her. She was thinking about casually talking about her father and staying away from Phileal.
Her life was going to end soon anyway. She didn’t want to get close to someone as dangerous as Phileal. She didn’t want anyone else grieving for her once it’s time for her to leave again.
“I know you can help.”
Just as Anais saved Phileal because of the trauma she felt in the past, she wondered if Phileal felt the same way. But now there was no one to help but him.
“Then give me this body.”
Phileal who coveted the divine power contained in her hair. Lilith’s body was filled with divine power of the Goddess of Life, so it seemed natural that he wanted this body. But even so, it was difficult to promise as such.
“That’s not allowed. This body is not mine.”
“…….”
He laughed as if he didn’t know that his eyes were burning red when she said that firmly.
“Then what should I help you with? You won’t give me your body until I look good to you.”
Anais was relieved to see him justify trying to help her.
* * *
It seems that she passed out while talking to Phileal. When she opened her eyes again, she was wearing restraints. It was clear that it was morning. However, the place she’s now in was not a prison cell.
“You’re going to treat my leg?”
The place where she was was Kylian’s room. However, Anais’ body remained motionless as if she had fallen asleep while lying on the bed.
“Yes.”
“I am not hurt.”
“You were walking strangely.”
“…….”
Anais, even as she was being exploited for her life, knew that Kylian was walking strangely.
“Treatment would be an excuse.”
“…….”
“State your business.”
It was a pity on her that Kylian allowed her into his bedroom. Because he wanted that woman to just pour her energy and divine power to his wife and heal her injured body. He thought he would listen if there was something really unfair about it.
“What about Lewarren?”
“Ha.”
However, Lilith’s words that came were something that Kylian didn’t even want to pay attention to. Kylian felt tired and swept a hand over his face. He gestured to Leviathan behind him who was lost in thought for a moment. Then Leviathan nodded knowingly and went to call Lewarren.
“Two people testified to seeing you poison the High Priest of Death.”
“Your Majesty thought there were some things that didn’t make sense, so you allowed me to come here.”
“…….”
Phileal placed his hand on Anais’ throat, whose voice was hoarse, to share his energy. Then her recovery was speeding up again.
“If it’s an excuse, I’ll listen.”
“It’s not an excuse, I’m saying let’s be rational.”
Anais’ voice, which fully returned thanks to Phileal, began to annoy Kylian.
“I got caught in the rain with Your Majesty. Then I passed out while talking to Second Bishop Phileal.”
“…….”
“And when I opened my eyes again, it was Her Majesty’s palace.”
“…….”
“I’m just saying this, but since I was injured the other day, I can’t transfer divine power out of my body on my own.”
This was what she thought that was out of the blue. However, Kylian also noticed that something was wrong as she was in a state where she couldn’t get the divine power out of her body on her own. That’s why he had Phileal or Leviathan with her on each time she performed the spell.
He didn’t even know if she was losing her powers for a while or if she was just pretending that she wasn’t using them.
“The Empress’ palace cannot be opened or closed without divine power. Your Majesty is well aware of that.”
Anais knew well, as Kylian had been imprisoned in the Empress’ Palace before. The previous empress had a terrible dislike for Kylian. No, she hated all of her children born of the Emperor, even her own son.
So it was needless to say how much she hated Kylian, who was not her son.
“I passed out in that bedroom. Lewarren was not there.”
“…….”
“When I woke up again, Second Bishop Phileal had returned. He came not long after I woke up.”
“…….”
“And he stayed with me for a while to wash up.”
“What?”
“I can’t even open the bathroom door without divine power.”
Somehow, Kylian didn’t want to hear that. But he had to be patient until Lewarren came along. In his mind, he wanted to shut her mouth and kick her out.
But for the sake of his wife’s health, he still needed Lilith. It didn’t matter if he forced her like now, but he thought it would be more convenient if she was to cooperate. So he just played along.
He had no intention of believing the words of the woman speaking in front of him from the beginning.
“Second Bishop Phileal.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“If you’re a priest, shouldn’t you stay away from women? But do you even go to the bathroom with her?”
“Phileal has never done that. He just opened the door.”
Anais responded impatiently as he was further blurring the situation.
“Did you try to trick the second bishop because you can’t with me?”
“No. Why are you insulting people like that?”
“You insulted me first. You dragged the second bishop all the way to the bathroom? Don’t you know that he could be excommunicated?”
“I swear to the Goddess that I never did anything with Phileal. Even Phileal can assure you that.”
“…….”
Then, Kylian glared at Phileal, waiting for an answer.
“What she said is right. I can swear to the God of Death.”
“Hah.”
“But Your Majesty.”
Kylian scoffed at Phileal. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed that Second Bishop Phileal was also insane. The figure of a priest who was good-natured but diligent in his work was nowhere to be found, and he only looked like a young priest who was blinded by love.
“Your Majesty, weren’t you friends with Saint Lilith in the past?”
“…….”
“Even if you hate her, she doesn’t deserve that kind of insult.”
“Do you say that even after seeing all the things that have happened next to me?”
“The High Priest of Death may be mistaken.”
Phileal couldn’t bear to say that Lilith was Anais. Not only will they not believe him even if he told them, but it seemed like it would make the situation even more complicated.
“Do you believe what she says?”
“Yes.”
“How could you.”
Kylian laughed openly at him and looked down.
“…….”
Then Phileal hesitated to answer, then he said.
“Because she was a different person after he died and came back to life.”
“Don’t you know that even that is acting?”
“Only those who died and were resurrected by the power of God have this hair color. If you change your hair color with magic, Your Majesty knows that it will come back the moment she receives divine power.”
“…….”
“But she didn’t. It was this color when my divine power touched it.”
Kylian watched as he spoke. Then he crossed his legs, crossed his arms, stroked the nape of his neck, and said,
“Do it in moderation.”
“…Your majesty.”
“That woman gave me sedatives from Goddess Morphis and pretended to be my wife.”
Kylian suppressed his anger as he recalled the memory of that time. The woman who seemed about to collapse in front of him seemed like she couldn’t overcome it. Yet if she collapsed, she wouldn’t be able to hold on until Lewarren came, so she had to endure it.
“Maybe she would give up her life once again.”
“Your Majesty. How…”
“That woman will stay.”
Anais looked at Kylian, thinking that she had no choice but to wait for Lewarren, even though he had said all he had to say.
Kylian was adamant. Her chest tightened as if she was talking to a wall.
“Don’t you just need me? Free all the other slaves. You don’t need the living sacrifices anymore, do you?”
“No, I can’t because I have to use them when you collapse.”
“Your Majesty.”
“…….”
“Were you originally like this? Aren’t you the one who couldn’t even kill a spider?”
Though Anais’s throat felt very strained, she firmly spoke with all her strength and said this. She couldn’t stop talking even though the pain was like a thorn in her throat.
‘Maybe the Kylian you knew didn’t exist in the first place. He may be the person he is now and he desperately needs you.’
She remembered Lewarren’s words and unknowingly closed her mouth.
“I am no different from the me you used to know. I think you are mistaken about what my wife told me about me.”
“…….”
“I have never been like that to you, Lilith Isadora.”
At Kylian’s cold words, she had nothing more to say.
“That I can barely hold back the desire to twist your neck every time you act so heinously.”
“…….”
“There’s no way you wouldn’t know.”
Kylian stood up. Then he walked over to Anais, who was sitting on the floor. She looked up at him with her lips closed, not wanting to cry.
Then he said as he smiled wryly.
“Are you going to treat my leg? Do it quickly.”
“Your Majesty…”
He drew the sword he was wearing and placed it on Anais’ leg, then said.
“Do it, that superior treatment. Instead, when mine heals, I will cut off yours.”
Knock, knock.
A voice came through the door.
“I brought High Priest Lewarren Iphigenia.”
“Bring him in.”
It was Leviathan’s voice.