Chapter 5.1

Elsia fell to shame after her meeting with Vanir church’s high priest.

What on earth has she been thinking about? She was only lucky to have a healing doll but that doesn’t exempt her from hard work. Wasn’t it foolish of her to ask to be able to stay beside Ian? Jealous of the dead saint, she stayed beside Ian as replacement?

‘What an ugly heart! Elsia Bennett, you bad girl!’

You’re a pathetic woman who doesn’t even amount to Saint Kayla’s toes, whom Ian and the whole world loved!

‘Yet you dare to covert Ian?’

She couldn’t even stand crying for herself. Ian beside her also looked gloomy as they left the Temple. This just made her realize what she had to do.

“Ian.”

“Hmm?”

“You know, there is the ‘me’ right here. I want to be your strength.”

“What?”

Elsia spoke clearly in a confident tone.

“In fact, I haven’t decided what to do in the future when I came back to the capital. It’s too early to develop a new doll even if Puppeteers would normally have three of them. The theme of the new doll will be developed as I help you with work.”

“Elsia….”

Ian was sullen.

“This is a secret. Woody is made of wood, but it he doesn’t burn easily because I made him to be like that. And you know white bunny. I won’t be a burden-!”

“No!”

“Ian.”

Ian gently caressed Elsia’s thin wrist.

“Elsia, I’m a knight and I’m going to do rough things in the future. You’re too weak for this kind of lifestyle. Please stay safe to put me at ease instead.”

“However, I……!”

Ian decided to soothe Elsia first when she stamped her foot.

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“If you haven’t decided what to do in the future, take your time and think about it. I’ll officially invite you to my family. Well… If you feel uncomfortable staying in the Marquis’ mansion for a long time, you can use Ceylon House freely. I can also promise to give you chocolate three times a week, you know?”

He cleverly tried to entice Elsia with sweets.

“Ian, I’m not a kid! I am to think about it seriously myself!”

Even if Elsia rarely got angry, Ian remained calm and immobile.

“Let’s go back first.”

Elsia was a little sulky when Ian still tried to separate her from him. She didn’t think lightly of a knight’s duty. However, since it’s her beloved Ian, and her belief in him, she wanted to be together. However, he doesn’t understand her real feelings at all!

The carriage brought them to Ceylon House instead of the mansion.

The marchioness welcomed Ian and Elsia, who returned safely from their duties. Even though Ian suddenly asked her to take care of Elsia because she was staying for a while, the hostess accepted it favorably.

“Oh, of course she has to stay. She is the person who healed you, I’ll treat her well.”

“Your grace, you think too highly of me. Ian was originally healthy, so the surgery went well. In addition, the treatment was done by a doll, not myself.”

Elsia shyly returned the credit, but the marquis smiled at her.

“If Ms. Bennett used a doll to heal, of course it’s also a credit to Ms. Bennett! Oh, by the way, I’ve prepared a room for the Miss to stay comfortably.”

She was guided to a magnificent and fancy room. Even if she tried to sleep, she just couldn’t. She was lying comfortably but her mind was chaotic. All because of Ian.

‘What is he thinking about right now?’

Unless she told him, will Ian remain oblivious to her feelings forever?

‘Confessing to him doesn’t mean everything is over.’

‘I think that’s just the real beginning.….’

Marquis Cypris and his wife are warm parents. But they were unlikely to treat her the same if she wasn’t just Ian’s benefactor anymore. Elsia, who is timid, resembling rabbits, was instinctively able to know.

Again, she was mistaken.

She assumed she was capable of satisfying Ian’s desire if she was next to him.

Ian was a high-ranking aristocrat in the capital from birth until he became head.

‘Can I overcome that huge difference?’

‘With what?’

‘I’m just one puppeteer who lives far away from my parents.’

Suddenly lonely, Elsia wrapped her cold shoulders with both arms.

“Hi, White Bunny.”

[ You cried and laughed alone. Did you just think of me when it was time to sleep? Wow, this place is so nice. There’s tapestry, too. I’ll ask you to make a rabbit shape later. Two of them! ]

White Bunny, who was grumbling as he came out, drew attention to the spacious room and exclaimed as much as he could.

“Be quiet- Huh?”

[ As expected, the marquis’ family is different. To put scents on a guest’s room, how luxurious. I will make it good enough to be my playroom. ]

White Bunny played alone and soon returned to Elsia’s side. She pretended to finger flick the demanding bunny.

“Please be careful with your words, okay? It’s a new and unfamiliar place. I’m still overwhelmed myself.”

[ Why are you hitting me? Did I say something wrong? Elsia, please use your mouth properly. Don’t just use it for chewing. How great would it be if you complained and acted cute in front of that Icy Count? ]

“Bunny!”

[ What? You’re losing good opportunities by staying alone. Do you regret while thinking, ‘I wish I had done this, I wish I had done that?’ That’s foolish! Just say something to the person involved and regret later. ]

(Tl/N: Wow? I can never be this brave.)

White Bunny’s advice hit the nail and Elsia couldn’t refute it.

Funny – she never escaped the thorough boundaries of being Ian’s friend. If she took one step closer, She just needs to say that she want to be his eternal lamp. But in the end, she often limits herself like a chained beast.

White Bunny advised Elsia, who shook her head.

[ Foolish Elsia, good opportunities are ending. There won’t be any chances! ]

“I know.”

‘Will I be able to have courage tomorrow?’

Elsia was afraid to look into her weak heart and mind.

The sense of inferiority towards the dead lover kept eating her.

Only read at Pink Muffin’s official site. Do not Repost our translations.

Thinking so, Elsia began to spend her free days at the Marquis of Cypris’ Ceylon Villa. Ian went to the imperial castle alone and even reported the completion of the mission to the crown prince. The two remained polite to each other, but maintained a slightly cold war-like atmosphere. It was not known how it looked to the Marquis of Cypris and Altheon.

* * *

As Elsia spent her days at Cleyon House. Ian, who went to the castle in the morning to report his mission’s progress, returned early and called Elsia to a quiet terrace.

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“What is it?”

Elsia asked with an awkward face. The two were only respectful while having that cold war. However, Ian’s expression this time was worse than hers.

“Elsia, it may be sudden, but you have to come to the palace with me tomorrow. His Highness has decided to officially announce my return to the capital.”

“What?”

“And Sir Nessian is more likely to come tomorrow.…. It’s burdensome.”

Listening to Ian, Elsia’s eyelids blinked slowly. Her complexion was not good. Nessian, who used violence against her when he met her again for the second time, was a person she never wanted to see again. She was worried that he might really drag her to the temple this time.

Ian took a step closer and comforted her.

“Don’t worry too much, Elsia. There are a lot of people there, along with my father and Altheon. He won’t be able to approach you carelessly. I told you the situation in advance, and you are the marquis’ official guest so no one can touch you.”

“Really?”

“Well, if you’re scared, just stick next to Altheon while I’m away. Altheon is bigger than me, but it’s not that different.”

Even though he said it out of consideration for her, Elsia became a little frustrated. Is Ian thinking that her existence was similar to a fragile orchid that would sway in the wind?

‘Ian, I want to stand side by side, not to become someone protected by you.’

‘I don’t mind even if it’s a battlefield where arrows fly in.’

‘Is that too big of a dream, too?’

‘Can’t I just keep watching you?’

Elsia looked at him with desperate eyes.

After a long time, Ian made a soft expression as he stared at her.

Elsia knew that he wasn’t looking like that because he liked her, it’s just a common trick to soothe her. Even though she knew it well, Elsia’s heart fluttered at his smile. Elsia Bennett has always been weak in front of her beloved Ian Cypris.

She couldn’t remember how she slept that day and when woke up to wash up in the bathroom. Drunk on Ian’s smile, Elsia often forgot her rationality. She was feeling complicated on the way to the palace. Only after seeing the crown prince that she finally woke up from her daydream.

Standing in front of the nobles with their guards in Nibes Hall of the Imperial City, Conrad declared while sweeping his golden hair.

“Everyone, let us rejoice that a great star has returned to our empire today.”

“A star is back?”

“What’s going on……?”

When the nobles who acted as if they did not know the language looked at each other, the crown prince nodded toward the door on the right.

“Come in.”

The door opened and Ian in his armor came in. Following his advice, Elsia, who hid behind Altheon, was breathless. The blue cape without a medal, the beautiful face that goes well with the silver armor, and the perfect figure was walking toward Conrad, and once again captivated her.

Ian knelt on one knee in front of Conrad.

“Your Highness, thank you for accepting me.”

“Is that Ian?”

“The count of Cypris is back?”

“Oh, my. What about his hand?”

The nobles alternated between the marquis and Ian. Some people mentioned Altheon. Elsia was nervous for no reason. She was hoping they won’t get rid of her from Ian’s side! Although she welcomed him back, she thought of the old days.

Conrad opened his mouth without giving him time to settle down the crowd.

“Indeed! Ian Cypris has been rehabilitating for a long time to heal his broken hands and returned healthy. He will once again devote himself to the empire as a knight of the imperial family.”

The announcement was quite rushed. The nobles gathered in the hall were startled but could not come forward. Finally, Conrad’s ritual sword was slightly placed on Ian’s shoulder, and everything was over. Elsia was so moved, she almost shed tears.

“Your Highness, will Count Ian not return to Tyr Church?”

As soon as Conrad finished his short ceremony, he looked at Duke Cesha, who raised a subtle objection.

At first glance, the Duke was a person who devoted his loyalty to the Empire. If only the recent behavior wasn’t a spectacle. After sending his first daughter to be queen of the Kingdom of Leewayn, she formed a different faction in secret, which was very annoying. In other words, it was the recent Duke of Cesha who openly committed words and actions that Conrad hated the most.

“Yes, We have Sir Nessian, so there is no need for Ian to return.”

“Oh, but your highness. Isn’t Ian Cypris the head who received the oracle from God and the majority vote from the priests? Isn’t it unreasonable for God’s chosen one?”

Duke Cesha pressed Conrad with a subtle smile. He was sarcastic about the re-appointment ceremony, but Conrad remained calm as he asked.

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“Then, what do you want me to do, Duke?”

“As His highness said, Sir Nessian is the current head, but Count Ian may serve as priest for the rest of his life. Won’t Lord Tyr be appeased as well?”

The Duke put forward a bizarre logic to pressure them. It was a dangerous topic about religion. There can’t be any careless answer as most people are believers.

“I just appointed Ian as a member of the knighthood, so are you saying that that decision should not be made?”

“Your highness! Lord Tyr may be angry. Count Cypris was ill, so he had no choice but to step down. Feeling better, shouldn’t he be sent back to the church?”

Conrad made an explicitly displeased expression.

“Ian must return to the temple because of the past oracle? Then, wouldn’t it be reasonable for Sir Nessian, who was refurbished by a majority vote, to step down from the position first?”

“That- that is…!”

The crown prince pushed ahead without giving the duke a time to rest.

“Duke Cesha, if you want to follow the will of the Lord so much, the duke should stop coming to the imperial palace and go to the temple instead. God might be pleased if you pour yourself with water while bowing on his statue.”

“Your highness!”

“I’ll be ending the ceremony today. I declare once again that Ian Cypris has become a knight of the Imperial Guard according to my will, please accept it.”

Conrad seemed unwilling to close the argument with the Duke. Talking carelessly caused him to be stabbed in the back- and was a shortcut to disgrace.

The crown prince did not stop there, but when the words were over, he turned in front of the duke. Now, his…

The prince did not stop there, he quickly turned around with Ian, who was now his knight and went out of the hall. Duke Cesha, who watched the prince gritted teeth inside. This was not the result he wanted.

As soon as the Duke came out of Nibes Hall, he immediately visited Nessian.

Nessian, who was originally supposed to attend the meeting, declared his absence after much consideration and used the strategy given by Duke Cesha instead. Therefore, he was very curious about the results of what happened today.

“How did it go?”

“Damn it! I can’t. I’m afraid your highness will not listen to me and openly favor Ian Cypris. He doesn’t have any intention of sending him to the temple. I don’t understand why he’s hiring the person who made a mistake once!”

When Duke Cesha kicked his tongue, Nessian nodded as if he agreed.

“Is that so? It’s going as I expected, then.”

“Leader! Don’t give up yet. If you borrow the mouths of aristocrats who come and go to the temple and give them your request at once, his highness will have no choice. If it doesn’t work, the emperor has no choice but to make his move.”

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Nessian glanced at Duke Cesha, who was motivated to continue their plans.

Neither the Duke nor Nessian had good feelings for Ian, but there were some differences between the two.

Nessian- he gently admitted that his dislike for Ian stems from a dirty sense of inferiority. It couldn’t be helped, Ian Cypris stood out as a knight even at a remarkably young age. Rumors about him spread everywhere.

Despite enduring that much as his pride was hurt, Ian, unlike Nersian, received a tremendous halo, earning Lord Tyr’s trust before he became the commander of the Holy knights. This event made Nessian very miserable.

‘My Lord, why did you choose Ian after being unable to take his highness Conrad? Was I not qualified for the role instead?’