The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 149

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 149

‘Do I, really… love Gid?’

It’s my first time, so I don’t know. The habitual affection I feel toward my only comrade and long-time companion makes it even more confusing. I honestly don’t know the difference between this emotion and love.

What’s different? How can I distinguish between them?

I recall the heat in his gaze as he looked down at me from behind his mask just moments ago. I recall the sensations left on my toes and back, and my burning cheeks.

Because it felt like I might come to like it.

Did I end up falling for him after all?

Seeing her expression become confused in an instant, Annemarie declared lightly.

“There is someone.”

There is?

This really is that kind of emotion? How can you be so certain so easily?

Rita was about to question her without thinking, but bit her tongue and held back.

Annemarie murmured as if she had heard the question Rita didn’t voice.

“Lili, when you like someone… you can’t help but know right away. Because you end up doing things you didn’t want to do. Even if it’s foolish, even if it’s a choice the old you would never have made… you can’t help it. Because strange desires arise. Even when your head says no, your heart acts on its own, really, like a fool, so foolishly…”

She covered her face with her hands again and buried her head. Then she let out words like a groan.

“…I want to go see him.”

Rita swallowed her own confusion and barely managed to answer.

“Come see him.”

“…”

“Come see Brother Leon, sister.”

Annemarie didn’t answer. Instead, she slowly, quietly nodded her head.

* * *

Lillieta sat by Annemarie’s side for a while until she calmed down, then stood up.

During that time, she gained an unexpected benefit.

“Someone I’ve never seen before at the Podonamu Estate party? Of course I know, since I have to attend Joseph’s parties frequently due to circumstances… I’m good at spotting strangers.”

“That young lady dancing over there and the man standing near that table. I’m seeing them for the first time at this party.”

“The person who grabbed my hand earlier was also a stranger. Since everyone knows I’m Joseph’s cousin, they’re usually careful, but that person seemed unaware.”

Annemarie was familiar with the usual attendees of Joseph’s parties and easily picked out the unfamiliar faces.

Candidates who could be targets of conspiracy since they weren’t part of the Duke’s faction. Rita made sure to remember them well.

‘Now with this… huh?’

In the distance, she saw a man with long silver hair heading to the balcony with someone. She also caught a glimpse of red feathers.

‘Gid found him!’

Rita quickly headed in that direction.

She slightly parted the curtain covering the balcony entrance, knocked on the glass door to make her presence known, then opened the door without waiting for an answer.

A man wearing a silver half-mask with red feathers and gold decorations, exactly like the one described in the history books, was trembling in front of Gid when he was startled by Rita’s sudden entrance.

Gid glanced briefly at her as she entered the balcony, then called the man in a cold tone.

“Vincent Baker Cherno.”

“H-how do you…”

“Why is the third son of the Cherno family at a party hosted by Adicl?”

“W-who are you? What business is it of yours what party I attend!”

“Your mother would be quite distressed if she knew about this. Since you might find your life in danger by getting involved in unnecessary affairs, you should return home promptly.”

At the coldly continuing voice, the man called the third son of the Cherno family flinched. When Gid gestured toward the outside with his chin, the man glanced around nervously before rushing out of the balcony.

Rita leaned against the glass door and watched until that man completely left the ballroom, then drew the curtains and closed the door again.

“If it’s the Cherno family…”

As she looked back at Gid and trailed off, he shrugged.

“It’s Her Majesty the Empress’s maternal family. Her maiden name was Ophelia den Cherno Blen.”

“Even if the situation has changed, the conspiracy still targets Her Majesty the Empress.”

“She’s my only ally in the Imperial Palace.”

He replied calmly, then lowered his eyes and added.

“Even when this body was in a state of idiocy, she didn’t give up or abandon me, but protected me until the end.”

“…She must be like a mother to you.”

“Well, I don’t want to call her mother. Her Majesty the Empress is Her Majesty the Empress. The word mother is…”

A complex emotion briefly appeared on Gid’s face. He quickly composed his expression, but Rita, who was familiar with him, read his emotions in that instant. Contempt, hatred, and pity.

‘Ah, right, Gid’s birth mother was…’

The history books briefly described Nina, who was Lorenz’s mistress. And there was also what she had learned about the current Imperial Family from Lindsey, the amethyst.

Of course, what she knew were only superficial facts; there must be much deeper circumstances in reality.

‘Come to think of it, I… don’t know about Gid after my death, and I don’t know much about Gideon who was born and raised as Crown Prince either.’

Perhaps what she knew was only a very small part of what constituted him. She suddenly had that thought.

Gid crossed his arms and leaned against the balcony railing, changing the subject.

“I have my aide waiting outside Podonamu Estate. As soon as someone wearing a red feather mask leaves, he’ll follow and finish the job. Now we just need to confirm if there are more of our people at the party.”

“Ah, I found out something.”

Rita shared the information she had learned from Annemarie with him. Gid correctly identified each person’s identity as soon as he heard her descriptions of their appearance.

“That’s the second daughter of the Baker family. Baron Cherno’s husband is from the Baker family.”

“The eldest son of Count Luna’s youngest son. Luna is Olivia’s maternal family. Also on Her Majesty the Empress’s side.”

“There was one more rogue from a branch of the Blen family. That guy probably didn’t even inherit the Blen surname, yet he dared to bother Lady Everett at the Duke’s party. Really, the more ignorant they are, the braver they get.”

Rita’s mouth fell open at the stream of words.

“How do you know everything just from hearing it?”

“If they’re targeting Her Majesty the Empress, the scope is limited. I extracted a list of potential scapegoats and memorized their physical characteristics in advance.”

“What about the possibility that they disguised themselves perfectly like you?”

“I’d say that’s unlikely. These things are hard to obtain. The material cost is an issue, but labor cost is even more problematic. Only someone who can make private requests to a genius mage could have such an item.”

Gid pointed to his silver mask and replied playfully. Rita clicked her tongue.

“You’re still so capable.”

“Are you praising me?”

“No, I’m admiring you.”

At her answer, the eyes visible behind the mask curved into crescents. At the same time, she felt his Oaths layering over the outer edge of the detection range she had spread around.

Since the party had started in the evening, it was already night outside. Moonlight painted the grapevine leaves wrapped around the manor walls silver.

“No one’s around.”

Muttering as if to himself, he lifted his mask and even removed his wig.

As the illusion magic disappeared, the lean man was replaced by an extremely well-trained large frame. Clear golden light filled his previously gray eyes.

The unfamiliar appearance vanished and the Gideon she knew appeared. For some reason, she couldn’t take her eyes off his face revealed beneath the mask. Rita watched the process as if entranced and thought.

Do I like him?

Gideon swept back his disheveled short black hair and looked back at Lillieta.

“So, Rita. What was that thing you said you wanted to do?”

She, who had been staring blankly, startled. After hesitating for a moment, she took out neatly folded white cloths from a pocket inside her dress.

“First, this.”

“Hm?”

“Your cravats.”

“Ah.”

Gid looked down at them with an expression as if he had completely forgotten, then slowly took them.

“I didn’t really expect to get them back.”

“You asked for them back, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t have time to get them back because you kept causing trouble.”

“That was…”

Rita was about to make her habitual protest that it wasn’t her intention, but stopped.

She suddenly imagined what those moments when she was in danger might have meant to Gid.

She thought of him who had skillfully solved her ‘puzzle’ in the underground ruins. The meaning of the time he must have endured and repeated.

Seeing Rita’s expression, Gid burst into laughter.

“What’s with that face?”

“Why? What kind of face am I making?”

“Like a six-year-old who just realized she caused big trouble.”

“Six years old?”

When she unconsciously frowned, Gid replied with his eyes full of laughter.

“That’s how cute you are.”

“Don’t tease me, Gid.”

“I’m always sincere though.”

“Do you like me that much?”

The question that suddenly popped out was unconscious. While Rita was flustered by her own question, Gid answered calmly without being shaken.

“I like you, to the point I can’t live without you.”

Though spoken in an infinitely light tone, it was impossible to hear it lightly.

The stories Olivia and Ethan had told her about him circled in her mind and filled it. It was completely filled with him, leaving no room for other thoughts.

Heavy.

How should she bring this up, this conversation.

While Rita struggled with her words blocked, Gid spoke casually as if nothing was wrong.

“I said earlier that I also had something to tell you. Is it okay if I say it now?”

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