Chapter 103

Palos’ eyebrows furrowed.

While he stopped by the city of Sicilen, he had no idea what the hell was going on inside the duchy.

He was going to pass on what he knew to Prince Reynold. He stared at Bellstein’s solid black wall with bitter and resentful eyes.

“If so, can you deliver this to me?”

Palos handed the soldier a small locket necklace along with a silver coin.

“If you deliver it safely, I can give you more silver coins when you bring me a note with the handwriting of His Majesty the Prince.”

“I don’t need the silver, but I can deliver the locket.”

The soldier who pondered for a moment finally accepted it. The silver coins were not coveted because Jarga was hiding and watching from afar.

The locket came into the hands of the Duke after Commander Jarga went to make his report. The Duke bounced it into the air and handed it over to the mage.

“Investigate if there’s anything hidden.”

Commander Jarga gently asked.

“What would you do with the prince’s aide?”

“Let him in first.”

“……What?”

“The prison. No. Bring him to me.”

“……Yes, sir.”

Jarga, pressed by the cold spirit of the Duke that seemed to tear and kill anything that was standing in his way, answered quickly and disappeared.

* * *

Reynold’s brow wrinkled beyond words.

Bellstein’s servants spread not only outside the Tulip Palace but also throughout the inside of the whole building. From the doctor to the attendant and the maid, the stable keeper, and even the gardener.

On the outside, it was intended to provide convenience, but the dark and insidious real purpose was intended to monitor and intimidate him.

‘……The situation is seriously bad.’

If such visible manpower had been put in place, there must have been an invisible assassination squad.

Indeed, it was a villain Bellstein-like behavior.

I can’t believe my uncle hasn’t arrived, and I’m tied up unable to do anything.

Just then, someone knocked on Reynold’s door. Opening the door with a reluctant movement, Princess Claudia came in with an innocent face.

“Reynold.”

“……Yes, sister. Why? Do we have a business?”

“Even the employees of Bellstein are high-quality and kind people. Look at that cookie and tea set. How about the tea workmanship? Each cookie has my name engraved on it. Would you like to try one? It’s really soft and tastes great.”

Claudia said, pointing to the cookie and tea set her maid was holding.

I can’t believe you came to say such a silly thing without knowing the situation that we are in. Reynold looked at Claudia with cold eyes, then again forced a smile.

“Sister, I’m sorry, but I have a bad headache and I need to rest. I’d appreciate it if you could go back for today.”

“Oh, you’re still very bad. Shall we call Bellstein’s doctor then?”

“No. It’s enough to get treatment from the Imperial Doctor.”

Reynolds whispered softly in Claudia’s ear.

“Don’t trust them too much, sister.”

Looking at Reynold’s dimly shining eyes, Claudia blinked.

“But we have signed a Sacred Peace Treaty with Bellstein. Even father said that Bellstein was one of the few reliable helpers in the Empire.”

Claudia also knew that even the royal family would be a good target for the enemy if not accompanied by an adult. But there is no way that they would harm the guests of the banquet.

More than anything else, the imperial family brought in a lot of skilled escort knights, and the handmaiden Lara, also came, so why is Reynold so vigilant?

All of the prince’s personal escorts were silent about the previous disturbance, so Claudia knew nothing about it.

“By the way, when is Adviser Haman arriving?”

At Claudia’s question, Reynold’s face darkened.

“I don’t know. I didn’t even bring a communication device, so I couldn’t reach him.”

“Why didn’t you take it? Where did he go?”

“……Sorry, sister. My headache seems to start again, so I’ll lie down now. I hope you enjoy the banquet for my share, too.”

Reynold sent her back with a thin smile on his face.

* * *

Luciel let out a thankful sigh to Kizef who reacted and followed her around just by her walking around in slippers.

“Aren’t you monitoring me too hard?”

“……Where are you going?”

Even at Luciel’s pouty words, Kizef asked.

“Toilet. You’re not going to follow me, are you?”

As if Luciel was in trouble, her silver eyebrows drooped like a puppy, and Kizef turned his gaze to the wall and his earlobes were red.

“Sorry.”

“…….”

At times like that, I thought Kizef was also a child.

Luciel went into the bathroom, turned on the cold water, and washed her face. She wiped it with a soft towel and looked in the mirror to see a child with puffy eyes.

‘I finally revealed everything to my family. Let’s also talk about the collapse of the Black Wall as soon as the reception is over. And how Bellstein fell…….’

When Luciel made up her mind again and came out of the bathroom to the parlor, she could feel Kizef’s intense gaze so much so that her cheeks were stinging.

He looked as if he had something to say.

Tap. Tap.

Luciel walked to the front of the sofa and sat down, and Kizef also came and sat next to her. Naturally, she looked to the side and their eyes met, but he still didn’t say a word. Luciel impatiently asked.

“……Do you have anything to say?”

“……Yes.”

“What?”

“I was thinking. Maybe we have some similarities.”

At the unexpected words, Luciel stared at him.

“Because you have traveled back in time and I have seen the future.”

Luciel doubted her ears.

“Have you ever seen the future?”

Kizef silently nodded his head.

“Yes, I saw the future. A future in which everyone in Bellstein dies and the land perishes.”

I can’t believe Kizef knew that terrible future.….

Before she could ask how he knew it, black smoke filled up next to Kizef and took on a human form.

The boy who had scolded Maximus and Penelope last time was standing there, Raven, who introduced himself as a Grim Reaper.

Eyes that resembled those of a feline animal pitifully captured the two. He smiled bitterly as if waiting for this moment.

“The fate of the two of you is bound to be somehow intertwined……”

After muttering like that, Raven whispered to Luciel.

“I will show you. Your past and the future of Bellstein.”

Raven held out his hand. One hand to Luciel, the other to Kizef.

Luciel struggled to hold his hand. Then felt the tremendous power of something pulling her.

Shoowook.

At the same time, the three of them moved through space and time with a bursting sound that seemed to tear the air.

While collapsed in the glass vault, the woman squeezed her magic power and created jewels.

Dorongrong.

Empty eyes out of focus, messy hair like a crazy person, torn dress, and dirty bare feet.

Even if she didn’t say anything, anyone could tell that the woman was Luciel. The Crown Prince said as he tapped her with his shoes.

“Not these defective products, make them again. A true jewel.”

Luciel was calmly watching, perhaps because she shed too many tears earlier and was comforted by everyone. But it was Kizef who could not stand it and was filled with anger.

“I will kill that scumbag.”

Susu!

Kizef flew the magic that he embodied toward the prince, but it passed in vain like he was a ghost.

Raven grabbed Kizef’s arm and stopped him.

“Stop it. You know we can’t intervene here.”

Paching!

Soon after, the scene changed, and the dark forest surrounding Bellstein and the Crown Prince stood in front of them. As the sword buzzed and the jewels shone, illuminating the dark forest, the forest thorny thicket slowly cleared its way.

As the prince swung his sword once, a huge blade-like wind rippled through Bellstein’s hard black barrier, breaking it down.

Aww!

Kyahhhh!

People’s screams rang out.

It was truly mayhem.

The whole of Bellstein was devasted and people died.

Every time he saw his family members collapse to death one by one by the jewel-encrusted sword, Kizef clenched his fists, and Luciel couldn’t help but choke, she couldn’t bear it.

“I thought it was all because of me. The jewels in that sword, I made them. I wanted to be forgiven……by Bellstein.”

“I know. It wasn’t your will. It was the master of that sword.”

Kizef bit his lip.

An unbelievably gruesome sight. He had no idea that it would happen in the now mighty and peaceful Bellstein, so he had a feeling that it was like a distant dream. However, the fact that Luciel has gone back in time. It was proving that such a nightmare could actually happen.

Then the scene changed again.

The scene where flowers were scattered and Luciel goes up to the execution gallows. At that moment when Luciel’s breath was getting shorter, Kizef appeared and ran rampant until he killed the Crown Prince.

Kizef, who had stopped in place,  completed his vengeance. He sadly looked at Luciel, who was lonely dying on the gallow floor.

It was his first time seeing the Crystal Fairy in person.

The future Kizef also visited the Imperial Palace and had heard of the Crystal Fairy. A fairy bloodline that makes jewels with emotions, and as if to prove him, at the moment of death, she created a transparent jewel.

Was it because she had lived a sad life while being used until her last breath, that she made such a brilliant jewel?

Unknown tears flowed from the young Kizef’s eyes as he watched and he fell to his knees, looking at the dead Luciel and his future self that was looking at her.

He was filled with all sorts of emotions as if he had experienced them himself. Kizef knew. In the projected time, he realized that he was feeling compassion and anger at Luciel’s death.

His deep red eyes froze towards the dying Luciel. He was overwhelmed in unknown emotions at the sight before his eyes and wept bitterly. Somehow he couldn’t hold back his tears.

“Kizef……It’s okay now.”

This time, Luciel gently hugged him on the shoulder. The power that her small amount of warmth gave him was enormous.

He said with watering eyes as he wept until his nose turned red.

“If we had really met before you died, I would have told you.”

“…….”

“Luciel, you are innocent…….you’ve just been used all your life.”

“Yes, thank you. I really wanted to hear those words. Thanks for telling me them.”

The two hugged tightly. The hot tears and the combined warmth were simple things but comforting for each other.

Crossing the distant time, turning back and meeting again like this.

I guess real fate does exist.

This time, Luciel thought that she would protect Kizef and Bellstein.

Kizef thought he would protect Luciel and Bellstein in the same way.

Suddenly, the surroundings returned to the parlor of the private residence. Raven looked at the two quietly crying.

Luciel cuddled her little body on the sofa, and Kizef patted her back. She trembled like a bird with wet wings before opening her eyes.

All this bitter past and resentment. The anger against the Crown Prince, who had brought ruin to Bellstein, rose again. Luciel clenched her teeth.

“……I can never forgive him in this lifetime.”

Paah!

Trollong, Trollong!

Luciel created rubies, because of strong anger.

“So am I. It’s never going to go his way this time. No matter what happens, I will protect you and protect Bellstein.”

Kizef, who tightly put Luciel in his arms, opened his mouth. His usual well-groomed eyes were twisted and gleaming with strong bloodlust.