Celebrity Lady - Chapter 100

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Chapter 100
The Spirit of Wishes, Wishit.
The Sealing Stone at the Altar was, in fact, originally created to seal Wishit’s Contractor.
By now, a few Spirits who stir up discord in the Empire are classified as dangerous and all are sealed…….
「The Spirit of Wishes, Wishit’s destructive power will ultimately bring ruin upon this Empire.
Whether Wishit’s Contractor is evil or good makes no difference.
Descendants of Deccard, do not hesitate at the small sacrifice required for the peace of this great Empire that we and our forebears have built.」
A secret known only to the High Priest of the Altar and successive Imperial Heirs.
It was the existence of the Sealing Stone, and the testament of Diolus the First, Wishit’s first Contractor who created that Stone.
Diolus the First, who had brought countless tragedies through Wishit, hoped that Wishit would never be summoned to this Empire again.
That Diolus the First, who could never bear to witness needless sacrifice and was spoken of even now as the most virtuous human to ever live…….
‘Will seal Wishit’s Contractor.’
A command she herself issued directly from her lips, paradoxically.
By that fact alone, Wishit’s danger was self-evident.
“From Your Highness’s personal standpoint, I am a useful person, but from the perspective of the Crown Prince, I am somewhat problematic.”
“So you’re telling me to choose between acting for my own interests or acting for the greater good as Crown Prince?”
Lark recalled a conversation he’d once had with Rubetria and smiled bitterly at himself.
Whenever the time came, Rubetria would have no choice but to ask that question again.
“Hey, aren’t you coming? Why are you just standing there gawking?”
At the voice of Ren urging him forward, Lark numbly took a single step.
Then he stopped again.
“Damn it…….”
Muttering as if grinding his teeth, the morning sky he looked up at was, absurdly, clear.
Oblivious to the confusion and anguish swirling inside him.
* * *
Diolus.
That was the name of Wishit’s first Contractor.
Together with the great Hero Deccard, she had lifted a world fallen into chaos and saved the Spirits.
“I am the Spirit of Wishes, Wishit, who heeded the call of the Spirit King and became your servant.”
That was her first lie.
Because the Spirit King was herself.
“Why would such a magnificent Spirit as you become my servant rather than Deccard’s?”
“Deccard has the temperament suited to a ruler. Unlike you, he has ambition and knows when to be ruthless. In other words, he is distinctly human.”
“Then I’m not?”
“A person not swayed by petty greed. Now that you’ve become my master, I will follow whatever choice you make, but I’d prefer circumstances where there’s no room for my power to be abused.”
Wishit’s choice had not been wrong.
Diolus had been vigilant against her own ambitions every moment.
Though they had built the kingdom together, she yielded the ruler’s authority to the Hero Deccard and used Wishit’s power only for the greater good.
It was she who established laws and taboos in the Spirit Realm, set limits to each Spirit’s power, and built order.
“Look at this beautiful land we’ve built with your help. You said your heart swelled too, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“That is precisely what the emotion ‘happiness’ is.”
Spirits, before they came to interact with and protect humans, scarcely understood emotion.
Wishit was no exception.
“I’m truly happy now too. Because I met you, and because I could teach you such an emotion.”
“…….”
“Let’s be together for a very long time.”
Wishit was happy.
That she could remain beside her Contractor, in her presence, for a very long time as her heart desired.
“I’ll die someday too, won’t I?”
“You’re human, after all.”
“…….”
“Why? Are you afraid of dying?”
“No. I’m not afraid, but parting from you makes me sad.”
Wishit laughed and painted many worlds above the night sky they had gazed at together every day.
“What are all those?”
“There are countless worlds. And scattered throughout those worlds are fragments of your soul living their own lives.”
“Fragments of my soul?”
“Right now your soul fragment here is foolishly kind and stupidly naive, isn’t it?”
“……? That’s a harsh way to put it.”
“Hehe. But look there. That soul fragment is rather selfish and knows how to look out for itself. Clever.”
“You mean that’s also me?”
“Yes. The soul doesn’t disappear. When the body perishes, the soul fragments move into bodies in other worlds, merge, and live again.”
“Wow, that’s amazing.”
“As they move about like that, eventually comes a moment when every body across all worlds ceases to exist.”
“Is that true death?”
“No. That’s precisely when we can meet again. That’s the moment new bodies are created in all worlds, and the soul fragments that had been unified split apart once more, each settling into its own body.”
“Goodness. Then that means…….”
“Yes.”
Wishit spoke, stroking her head as she brightened with understanding.
“I’ll wait. Until you’re born into this world again.”
* * *
With her chin resting quietly in her hand, Wishit was tracing through old memories.
Laughing brightly, reaching out her hand toward her.
“Look, Wishit!”
Her first Contractor, whom she had waited for so very long.
“Look, Wishit!”
And suddenly she stirred from her reverie.
Rubetria, dressed up from head to toe, was giggling proudly before her.
“My figure’s killing it, right?”
The way she swayed her hips showed she was in high spirits.
The Black Evening Dress she had longed for since long ago, which she’d been planning to wear to the Debutante Ball once she’d slimmed down.
“No, you’re not going to the ball.”
“Ugh.”
At Wishit’s blunt words, Rubetria’s shoulders sagged.
Debutante Balls, typically attended by nobles aged thirteen to fifteen to be introduced to High Society, were held every September or October.
Rubetria had been confined to the Tower of Silence around this time last year and hadn’t attended.
And this time too.
“You’ve been kidnapped—don’t come crying about the ball.”
Unfortunately, she wouldn’t be going.
Though Lark and Ren were working hard to track down the assassins, the enormous numbers of Illegal Guild operatives made it impossible to eliminate them all in time.
“I want to go. I want to go so badly. I want to show everyone how beautiful and confident I am now. I’m sixteen now, which means I’m already late, so this will be my last Debutante Ball…….”
Rubetria, slumped weakly in her chair, muttered without energy.
“If you want to go that badly, use a Wish.”
“What are you saying? I only have one left, do you think I’m crazy enough to waste it on that?”
“……? You have two remaining.”
“Ah, never mind. I only have one. I’ll never use my final Wish anyway.”
“…….”
Wishit gazed quietly at Rubetria, who had draped herself across the table, and asked.
“Why won’t you use it?”
“Why does she ask such an obvious question? If I use all three, we have to say goodbye forever.”
“But if you don’t make any Wishes, then my presence wouldn’t be of any help to you at all.”
“……? Hey, you’re not really helping me much anyway.”
At Rubetria’s blunt response, Wishit pressed her fingers to her forehead with a small sound.
“Hehe. I’m joking.”
“…….”
“Why do you speak of me as though I were just a tool? Whether I’m helpful or not is not important to me. I simply wish for you to remain by my side.”
A gaze entangled in empty air, neither looking away.
After gazing long into Wishit’s eyes, Rubetria laughed.
“You don’t suit being sentimental like this. Did you say it hoping to hear me say something touching?”
“I didn’t.”
“Well, if that’s what you want, I’ll tell you as many times as you like.”
Rubetria added with a shrug.
“I really, really like you. Stay by my side forever.”
* * *
Two in the morning.
Right now I was taking a walk around the house with Lark.
He was being considerate so I wouldn’t feel cooped up, unable to go outside alone. Though he’d worked all day and just gotten off, he must be tired…….
“What do you say we spend some time getting closer to each other?”
“Pardon? What do you mean all of a sudden?”
I instinctively retreated a few steps, wrapping both arms across my chest.
Lark, momentarily taken aback, snickered and tapped my forehead lightly, not painfully.
“Every time I say something, you misinterpret my intentions as the worst possible.”
“Oh? It was a misunderstanding? Your Highness speaks so ambiguously.”
“Fine. I’ll be clear.”
“But how much closer can we get here? I think we’re already close enough as it is?”
“No, no. To truly be close, we can’t hide anything from each other.”
At Lark’s meaningful words, my heart skipped a beat inside.
“I trust you. Even if you knew some fatal weakness of mine, I’m certain you wouldn’t reveal it anywhere or use it against me.”
Why is he saying this all of a sudden?
My heart began to thump with tension.
“What about you? Am I someone you can trust?”
“Well, of course…….”
“Really?”
“Yes. Absolutely, without question.”
“Then you have nothing hidden from me?”
“…….”
My steps, which had been slowing, came to a halt.
Lark, turning to look at me standing still, wore his usual expression.
Which made it impossible to read his thoughts. Whether he was asking because he already knew something, or just speaking off the cuff…….
But one thing was certain.
‘This is the moment.’
I couldn’t keep hiding that I was Wishit’s Contractor.
Lark believes I’m Bista’s Contractor, and to keep him thinking that, I would need to read his future for him…….
‘But since I’m not actually Bista’s Contractor, I can’t read the newly changed future.’
Eventually, Lark would grow suspicious of me, unable to read futures as they shift in real time.
Better to reveal the truth now, for both his sake and mine.
“Actually, Your Highness.”
“Hmm.”
“I’ve been hiding something from you.”
“…….”
“More precisely, I’ve told you a lie.”
“Is that so? Will you tell me?”
“Yes.”
Having made my resolve, I raised my head toward Lark.
“……This is driving me mad.”
He pressed his thumb firmly against my lips just as they were about to open.
“You’re actually going to tell me.”
Lark’s expression, his lips set firmly closed, was complicated. He looked both angry and tormented.
“Rubetria.”
He called my name, then slowly lowered his head. Very close, our gazes locked together.
“Don’t tell me.”
“……!”
“I don’t want to know your secret.”
“…….”
“I never want to know.”
Ah, like this.
His expression already looked as though he knew my secret all too well.
Lark held my shoulders with trembling hands.
Then, with his lips pressed near my ear, in a voice laden with danger,
“So, not to me, but to anyone else either.”
He whispered quietly.
“You mustn’t tell.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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