As soon as Hikan finally let Leonard go, he touched his forehead and fell into deep thought.
“Even if that punk Crown Prince becomes the Emperor of the Empire later, I will not allow him any access to confidential information.”
Dalia agreed.
But it was hard to understand why Hikan was so desperate.
‘I’m curious.’
Dalia looked at Hikan.
He pretended not to see her and averted his gaze. Dalia made eye contact with him, often moving in the direction of his gaze.
In the end, Hikan gave up. He said, rubbing his forehead.
“All right. You can ask.”
“Brother, is it such a big deal that someone came and went in front of him?”
“……Dalia, the Imperial Palace is the center of security and inviolable territory of this Empire. It is absolutely not an area that people from the Holy Empire can enter.”
“Ah……”
“Of course he wouldn’t be someone from the Holy Empire, and as the Crown Prince said, he couldn’t have been invited by His Majesty the Emperor. If so, he must be one of the nobles of this Empire. Why did he approach Kelsion? There is a high probability that he is the helper of the Holy Empire.”
“…….”
“Most importantly, any noble in this Empire can approach you at any time.”
‘So……it’s like that.’
Dalia finally understood why Hikan reacted so excessively.
Hikan was deep in thought before getting up from his seat. Dalia looked up at him as he stood up.
“First of all, I’ll have to investigate all the other employees at the Imperial Palace. Leonard, who is the only witness at this point, says he has never seen the man’s face, so if there is no answer from there, the only choice is to interrogate Kelsion.”
“…….”
“His mind is getting weaker these days. I’m afraid he’ll go crazy if we provoke him for no reason.”
“Brother, by any chance…… ”
Hikan looked back at Dalia with a menacing glare.
“Are you thinking of going to Kelsion? Absolutely not.”
“But……”
“No.”
Dalia flinched at the frightening gaze she hadn’t seen in a long time. Immediately, Hikan’s eyes shook.
“……Dalia.”
Hikan squatted in front of the sofa where Dalia sat and met her eye level. Even though Dalia is all grown up now, Hikan always did this, indeed habits are so scary.
How old does Dalia look to him?
Sometimes Dalia wondered about that.
Hikan squatted and looked at the floor, sighed deeply, then raised his head to meet Dalia’s eyes.
He lightly patted Dalia on the cheek and said.
“I’m sorry. It’s because I don’t want you to be in danger.”
“I know.”
“You know how I feel, right?”
Dalia nodded. Hikan continued.
“Then are you going to Kelsion?”
“I won’t go.”
Only then did Hikan smile as if he was satisfied. And he quickly talked to the butler and left the drawing room.
Dalia looked at his back then went to the window to see his carriage leave for the Imperial Palace.
“….…What should I do?”
This was something she had never experienced while playing the original game. Because Kelsion was not originally someone working under the Emperor.
To be sure, as Hikan said, there is no choice but to get the information directly from Kelsion.
Then, Dalia thought for a bit and finally remembered something.
‘Mr. Lewayne might know.’
Having regressed countless times, he probably knows. About who is the real informant of the Holy Empire.
‘Let’s ask in a letter.’
It didn’t seem like a bad idea. If she goes to see him again, she doesn’t know what more he will say to confuse Dalia’s mind.
‘I think it would be okay to meet Kelsion with Sir Cedric.’
Kelsion’s dull eyes came to mind.
Dalia kept thinking about him. If it weren’t for her, he would never betray the Holy Empire. She felt guilty even though she knew she had no reason to.
Besides, Dalia knows the original because she had played it. How to get the truth out of the brainwashed Kelsion.
‘What is he hiding?’
Wouldn’t that be Aceras’ secret related to the Darby-Gatran Treaty?
Her worries deepened.
‘Let’s send the letter first, then let’s think about going to the ball Mr. Lewayne is organizing.’
Dalia shook her head.
* * *
The reply to the letter did not arrive until the morning of the ball. Dalia hurriedly opened the letter while the maid was tying her hair.
The neat handwriting caught her eye.
[Dear Miss Dalia Pesteros
Miss Dalia, this is Lewayne Blueport.
Your letter has been well received.
Unfortunately, I cannot tell you about the matter. It’s not because I’m upset that you didn’t call me father. (Of course, that’s a bit sad.)
The reason why I can’t say anything is because I haven’t fully made up my mind yet.
The more I talk about past regressions, the more this world perceives my existence as a regressor to be an anomaly.
In other words, the world itself will become conscious of regression.
Aceras is already slowly realizing his inertia.
The more I talk about the past regressions, the more likely others would be too.
I’m afraid of the world when everyone realizes the past. It’s all the more so because it’s the last regression for me. I hope for your understanding.
But no matter what happens, I will protect you so that nothing harms you.
P.S.
Kelsion, who has already reached this point, will not pose a threat to anyone.
Sincerely Lewayne Blueport.]
“…….”
“What letter are you reading so intently?”
“N, nothing!”
Dalia hurriedly folded the letter and put it in her bag. Adrisha smiled.
“What do you think of this dress, Dalia? Isn’t it nice?”
This time, Adrisha showed up completely sharpened when choosing a dress. It seems that the fight with Merida was quite a shock.
Fortunately, her efforts paid off, and thanks to that, Dalia was able to choose a dress she really liked.
Dalia smiled and nodded.
“The prettiest in the world.”
“Since Dalia likes it, I like it too.”
Adrisha smiled brightly.
Looking at that bright face, she thought that it was good that she tried to change everyone.
Dalia thought of the letter from Lewayne again. This letter did not give her the information she was looking for, but she learned something unexpected about his ability.
The more he intervenes in this world, the more people realize the past. Indeed, without such constraints, it was too much of a fraudulent power.
‘Mr. Lewayne is afraid.’
Dalia, who had no idea what his fear was, felt sorry for him again.
She thought of that too sometimes. Someday, how will everyone react if they know they’re possessed by the world of the game?
Wouldn’t they be angry that she pretended not to know even though she knew who they were and what kind of future they would go to?
Adrisha smiles at Dalia now, but will she still smile at her then? Then what should Dalia say to make an excuse?
‘Of course, I don’t think Sir Cedric really cares about it but…….’
Somehow, even if he heard the story.
“Yes, I see, Dalia. So when are you going to marry me?”
It feels like it will be like this.
Dalia giggles for no reason.
Even though she promised Hikan first, she decided to go to the ball with Cedric. Because Dalia was really going to talk about her ability and answer his confession today.
‘It’s an important day.’
Dalia clenched her fists as she strengthened her resolve.
Aside from the confession of her ability, her answer is of course, of course…….
“Dalia, your face is red. Is it hot inside?”
“N, no! It’s all right!”
Just thinking about it made her heart pound.
She’s still not sure about him. If she really likes him to the extent that she can’t stand it, it’s not. But she couldn’t imagine being without Cedric, and she believed Cedric wouldn’t either.
She thought that she couldn’t put it off any longer.
‘When would be a good time?’
It’s better to do it at the end of the ball right?
If she answered right from the beginning, then it would be too awkward throughout the ball.
While Dalia let her imagination run wild, the maids left before she knew it.
It was time for the ball to start.
Adrisha, who went with Hikan again this time, slowly left with a bored expression.
There were times when she imagined the two of them going well, but seeing that there has been no progress so far, it felt like she had to give up on hoping for Adrisha to become her new sister.
‘No, it’s too early to give up.’
Just as Dalia was making a strange decision, the door opened and Cedric arrived.
As soon as he saw Dalia, he smiled as brightly as a flower blooming.
Gorgeous blonde hair and a handsome face.
In particular, since he wears a uniform because of the ball, his beauty level seemed to double. Whenever she thought that she was used to it, Dalia’s immune system was reduced.
“Dalia, it’s been a while.”
And he reached out. As always.
Dalia held his hand and smiled.
Translator Note: Will we get confession in the ??? For some reason, I want something to happen to Dalia hahaha. Because I want to see the chaos that will happen because of those transcendent. The brother, the ‘father’, the soon-to-be boyfriend, the soon-to-be father in law…oooh the Empire will be chaotic
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me: made a promise to update on monday…
also me: totally forgot about it until I went for shower before bed…the power of shower…it makes you remember everything..including those embarrassing memories that takes you ages to forgot haaaaa
