episode_0068

After doing her best to express her refusal to the Duke, Katlena quickly left the room, parting ways with her mother.

She knew full well how the situation would unfold the moment she received the position of successor, so she used all her strength to refuse it, and Duke Radu was considerably shocked by his daughter’s unexpected and stubborn resistance, and took the initiative to step back.

However, apart from overcoming that crisis once, Katlena was already filled with a heavy fear in her heart, and the terrible future that lay ahead was already looming before her eyes.

‘This is the worst… This is seriously incredibly dangerous! No, why are you mentioning the successor so brazenly already? He’s 10 years old! He still has 2 years left!’

From the previous conversation, it seems that the Nectar incident at the Academy was the trigger for this incident, but honestly, I never thought that something that I didn’t do myself but did indirectly with Zeros’ help would grow into something like this.

‘What should I do?.. I’ve managed to get over it somehow for now, but I’m sure my father won’t want to end it like this. Once the topic has been brought up, he’ll try to push it through somehow..’

Even though my father was someone who almost always listened to my requests, it was clear that he would not show that kind of attitude towards something like this.

To begin with, the attempt to make herself the successor, who is not even the daughter of the first wife and is even young, is in itself an attempt that is bound to cause enormous political pain.

That is, it meant that even if Katlena herself refused, it was not something that could be done or that she did it on her own.

‘How on earth… How on earth do I get through this situation? If I continue like this, I’ll definitely face the same future as back then… How on earth…’

Katlena, who was just stamping her feet without being able to do anything.

at that time..

“Your Highness!”

“!.. Ah.. Zeros.”

The next moment, her man holds her hand tightly as she trembles with anxiety.

At this, Katlena began to feel her confused mind calming down a little for a moment.. Looking at Katlena like that, Zeros spoke in a firm tone.

“Your Highness, is it true that you don’t want to become a duke?”

“Huh?.. Uh.. Yeah! I don’t want to do anything like a peacock. I don’t think it’d be fun to do something like that.. And more than anything, if I do that, I might not be able to be with Zeros like I am now.”

To be honest, the biggest reason was that if I did that, my sister would kill me. But I couldn’t say that in front of Zeros, who didn’t know anything about that part.

In that way, Katlena expressed her opinion, giving reasons that Zeros would find easy to understand.

Then, at that moment, a bright smile began to spread across Zeros’ lips, like a flower blooming.

and.

“Okay, then let’s go!”

“? Are you going?.. Uh.. Where are you going?”

Zeros, who was strongly holding onto his own arm.

At this moment, Katlena began to feel a strange sense of anticipation mixed with worry, thinking that it might be a kind of love escape.

Unfortunately(?), something different from that began to come out of Zeros’ mouth… something she had never expected.

“Follow me, we have to go now before the news gets out.”

“So…where to?”

“Princess Ellios!”

“ㅁ.. What did you say?”

Zeros brings up a story about someone you really didn’t expect.

At this, Katlena felt a moment of fear and anxiety and hesitated for a moment, but… she overcame those feelings and started running urgently after Zeros.

‘Yeah.. I don’t know what will happen, but for now, I’ll trust him.. Because Zeros has never let me down so far. This time too.. I’ll listen to this man’s words..’

*

It had not even been 30 minutes since the Duke had mentioned the successor.

The two arrived in front of Elios’ room almost immediately, where Zeros spoke his thoughts while looking at Princess Katlena.

And. When Katlena heard those words, a look of worry and fear suddenly began to appear on her face.

“That…that…I hate it. How could I do something so scary…”

Catlena flinches in fear at Zeros’ words.

However, looking at such a Katlena, Zeros spoke in a firm voice.

“You have to do it. The die has already been cast from the moment the Duke’s words left his mouth. In this situation, it is best for Katlena to charge forward.”

“That’s…”

“Right now, the only one who can help Lady Katlena is Princess Elios, and more than anything, this is the only way to somehow utilize the small amount of intimacy between you and Lady Elios. If not now, there will be no chance.”

“Huh..”

Katlena can no longer refute Zeros’ firm words.

Although the method he spoke was extremely scary to Katlena, it was also true that, as Zeros had said, there was no better method at the moment.

‘Still, thanks to work, I’ve become a little closer to my sister, but if things continue like this, that’ll all be over.. Even if I can’t do anything right now, when the time is right, then…’

As soon as I thought about it, the trauma from that time began to creep back out again.

The image of Elios swinging his sword at Zeros and her, with a cold smile on his face, began to form in her mind. So Katlena finally decided to do the only thing she could do right now.

“… Okay. I’ll try, Zeros.”

“Trust me, you will definitely succeed.”

The next moment, Zeros hugs Katlena’s body tightly.

At this, Katlena felt a small bit of courage rise in her heart and closed her eyes tightly for a moment to brace herself.

‘But the probability of success… can’t be viewed so optimistically.’

Although Zeros was still young and spoke so innocently, Katlena still had some understanding of the situation.

Considering Elios’s nature, the chances of this incident failing were quite high, and in the worst case scenario, there was a risk that a life that would have ended in ten years could end today.

However, both Katlena and Zeros were aware, even though they weren’t saying anything to each other, that it was much better to bet on a 30% chance of survival now than to sit around waiting for a 100% mortality rate in 10 years.

Feeling such a deep sense of desperation, Katlena slowly pulled herself out of Zeros’ embrace, took a deep breath, and knocked slowly.

To take the gamble of a lifetime against the Grim Reaper…

*

Elios is absorbed in something in his personal study.

Even though she was a woman, it would be a lie to say that she wasn’t at all tired. But that didn’t mean she had time to rest right now.

‘Orphanage… Kidnapping by demons… And this time, the Nectar incident against students…’

She organizes the details that come to mind by writing them down one by one.

The more this happened, the more seriousness appeared on Elios’ face.

Because she could tell that what had happened so far and what had happened this time was a matter of such seriousness and danger.

-The nectar incident was solved thanks to Katlena’s efforts.

However, there were still significant questions about this.

During the investigation into the case, the criminals who were caught were questioned, but nothing of value came out of their mouths.

Even though they were given a confession potion, the information they spewed out was basic and useless.

This means that they are under a powerful spell or sorcery to prevent information leaks, or in other words, it is also proof that a high-ranking official of the Empire was involved in this matter.

It is still unclear exactly what the purpose of whoever is committing this act is, given that the Padishah’s health has not been what it used to be, and the resulting bad luck is seen throughout the Empire.

However, if it is something that is harmful to the Duchy of Dragona, Phil needs to find clear evidence and punish the person behind the incident… –

-bang!-

Just as the matter of this incident was coming to a close, Elios suddenly heard a loud noise in his ears.

The sound of someone roughly opening a door.

At this, Elios put down his fan for a moment and then raised his head with a slightly annoyed expression.

“What the heck, Senel, why did you get bored again in the meantime..”

But the next moment, what she sees before her eyes is

“..Katlena?”

What he saw before his eyes was not Senel, who had come to play a prank, but his youngest brother, whom he had just parted ways with without incident.

But her complexion was completely different from just a moment ago, even though not much time had passed.

His hair was disheveled as if he had been running without thinking, and sweat was beads on his forehead.

In addition, her eyes were bloodshot red from crying a lot, and her face was pale and drained of blood, like a corpse.

My younger brother looks like he’s knocking on the gates of hell.

At the same time, her face seemed to show deep fear, despair, and even a desperate desire for someone to save her.

“Why… why are you like that? What on earth happened in the meantime?”

Katlena, who looks like she’s going to make you feel sympathy at first glance.

Then, Elios, sensing that something serious had happened, cautiously got up from his seat and approached his brother.

Then…

“Ugh…ugh…aaahhh!!!! Sister!!!”

“!?!”

Catlena suddenly bursts into tears and runs into Elios’ arms.

Elios was deeply embarrassed by his brother’s sudden, unprecedented behavior.