Chapter 193: Citadel Of Lions (1)

Chapter 193: Citadel Of Lions (1)

“...Excuse me, Student Council President.”

“What is it?”

“Could you please relax your expression?”

“I will consider it.”

Sure.

You won’t be taking it into consideration at all, will you?

Iliya held her head with both of her hands as she felt a throbbing pain in her temples.

“...That personage is none other than Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, you know? If you keep sending her such a gaze, she might find fault with it.”

“I will keep it in mind.”

“...”

I’m just trying to tell you!

Stop glaring at the Empress and the Chancellor as if you’re going to kill them!

You have bloodshot on your eyes, you know?!

“...”

Seriously. It’s scary!

“...They’re just pretending. So, please don’t take it to heart.”

Iliya said as if scolding Eleanor.

She had already heard that Dowd was going to purposefully make his entrance with the Chancellor and the Empress on both his sides to draw attention.

In truth, she didn’t want to come here because that wasn’t something she particularly wanted to see, but she ended up coming anyway because she was worried that Eleanor might cause trouble again.

...So much happened in a short time.

After receiving training from the Fist Saint, she was able to apply ‘deterrent force’ to this person to an extent, which made her feel good.

She had grown from the time when they first met, when her body froze, unable to take out her sword properly.

...Well, still.

As she let her mind wander like that, Eleanor called out to her.

“...Do they look like they’re just pretending to you?”

“...”

Actually, she did find it strange—as if those two were doing it for real instead of pretending, to some extent at least.

Especially seeing how the Empress and the Chancellor started having an argument after Dowd left with Marquis Bogut.

“...Let’s worry about that later.”

In any case, she decided to change the subject first.

“What we should be worried about is how to not stand out so we don't get caught red-handed later."

Iliya said so while fiddling with her dress awkwardly.

She knew this wasn’t considered good manners.

Of course, someone at the level of a Hero Candidate or Lady Tristan would naturally know all the proper etiquettes required at a social gathering held in the Imperial Palace.

People might say something about her if she did something bad here, but she felt incredibly awkward in this kind of dress, so she ended up doing it unconsciously.

“...Were you not originally a commoner?”

“A lot of people think so, but I’m not really a commoner.”

“...? Were you a noble, then?”

“That's not what I mean.”

Eleanor looked at her, blinking her eyes.

She didn’t seem to understand what Iliya was talking about.”

“If your family or relative is a knight that belongs to the Imperial Guard, you’ll usually ascend in status to become a quasi-noble! While you can’t possess a fief, you’ll still be able to enjoy the privileges of a noble under the Imperial Law!”

“...”

At those sudden words, Iliya turned her head.

There, she found a man, grinning so widely to the point that his eyes seemed slanted.

“Nice to meet you, Iliya Krisanax! This is the first time I’m seeing you in person!”

“...Who are you?”

Usually, she was always acting kind and friendly, but this time, her voice had an unusual edge to it.

It was so out of character of her to the point that even Eleanor looked at her with wide eyes.

“I would appreciate it if you call me Marquis Bogut!”

“...”

Iliya silently glared at him.

She was obviously trying to look for information she could get about him.

Meanwhile, Marquis Bogut continued.

“Your expression tells me you want to ask how I knew about your brother!”

“...”

As soon as she heard him saying that, her face went slightly blank.

“I won’t tell you, though!”

“...”

After that, he continued without giving her time to respond.

Her face stiffened as she looked at him.

For some reason, she felt a bizarre sense of incongruity.

From the way he suddenly popped out and babbled on...

Moreover...

...He feels familiar.

As if...

He’s similar to Teach.

The way he talked—how he seemed to be able to know everything she was thinking.

How it felt like he was trying to control people the way he wanted to fit his own ‘plan’.

As if he ‘knew everything in advance’ and led the situation the way he wanted.

Other than Dowd, he was the first person who gave her such an impression.

“Though, I could probably tell you something that might help you find out what you are looking for. The whereabouts of your brother.”

Marquis Bogut said, his grin was still plastered on his face.

“So, are you interested?”

“...”

Iliya’s reply was a silent glare.

Every single part of him seemed... abrupt; his actions did not seem to have any clear order.

‘Possession’ was possible, albeit in a limited way.

“You might be able to ‘enter’ my body and move to some extent.”

And as far as I knew...

There was definitely a challenge that would require me to get help from such an ability in the Citadel of Lions.

“...There's something you have to do with such an ability—”

As I walked while saying so...

I could hear the sound of someone gasping.

“...”

I flinched and looked around, but couldn't find anything.

Did I hear it wrong?

“...Why? What's wrong?”

Caliban, who had just materialized, said, while tilting his head.

“...No. Nothing.”

Right. Just think about it for a second. How could anyone follow me all the way here?

As I thought so, I continued walking.

“...”

Iliya covered her mouth as she gasped for breath.

Oppa.

Just now, she unconsciously hid herself because of how shocked she was.

Marquis Bogut told her to ‘search here’, so she immediately came here, but she never thought that she would see himin this place.

Caliban Krisanax.

Her only family was here.

...Necromancy?

It was also known as the sorcery to summon the dead.

And Dowd said that he had summoned Caliban through ‘something similar’ to that.

Which meant...

Her brother...

...No. No way.

She closed her eyes tightly as she shook her head.

But, she still couldn’t be so sure.

There was still a possibility that Dowd was just summoning her brother from somewhere far away.

So, she decided that it would be better to stop having such ominous thoughts.

...But, still.

That left the question, what kind of relationship did Dowd have with her brother?

Why did he look so close to the person she had been looking for so hard?

And, most of all...

“...”

Why did he not tell her?

Iliya bit her lip hard.

As she thought so...

She suddenly heard her brother’s voice.

“By the way, can other people see me in this state too?”

“They...should be able to. Why do you ask, though?”

“So, can I hit Iliya when I meet her?”

“...”

Dowd fell into silence.

So did Iliya, who was watching them while holding her breath.

“...What are you on about all of a sudden? That isn’t the right thing to say about your family.”

“So what? I want to hit her.”

To Dowd’s voice, who sounded as if he found his question ridiculous, Caliban scratched his head before continuing.

“Just think about it. Wouldn’t you also be pissed off if you see your younger sister lying to a man about being their fiancée or something just to seduce him?”

At the same time as he said that, Iliya’s face instantly reddened.

“...Ugh.”

She unconsciously let out a sound, sounding embarrassed.

In her head...

She recalled the things she had done in order to ‘win’ Dowd's heart so far.

If she had to choose the highlight among them, it would be what Caliban had just mentioned.

-You and I are actually engaged.

She remembered telling Dowd that lie when he lost his memory.

Since he had never mentioned anything about the time when he lost his memory after he got them back, she had been thinking that she successfully got away with it.

However...

Her brother...

Actually saw that...

Since that was the case, there was a high chance that Dowd also knew about it.

“...”

Iliya gulped dryly.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

...Her brother had seen everything she did to flirt with him.

Including when she said they were engaged or whatever.

“...”

Iliya stroked her chin with a serious look on her face.

Hmm.

I see.

“...Can I just die now?”

Surprisingly, she felt that dying wouldn’t feel so bad /genesisforsaken