Chapter 5.4

“Are you working overtime again today?” 

“Yeah.”

“Then I guess my overtime is confirmed too! I’m single, but Your Grace is newly married. Are you sure this is okay? You might hear the word ‘divorce’ sooner than you think. Ah! Is that why you brought His Majesty, the former Emperor? As expected, Your Grace is meticulous.”

Marquess Rashtein took a sip of his coffee, teasing him. It seemed he had just come up from the basement, as Marquess Rashtein’s attire was disheveled.

Cassian’s eyebrows, already sensitive about the divorce issue, twitched with dissatisfaction. Marquess Rashtein sometimes acted as if he’d lost his sense of fear. It was hard to tell if it was due to his brazen nature or simply a lack of awareness.

“Marquess.”

“Yes, Your Grace?”

“Why did you get divorced?”

“Too much overtime.”

The coffee cup Marquess Rashtein was holding trembled. 

“Then you should have transferred departments. Why didn’t you?”

“Does Your Grace think protecting family peace is more important than the Empire’s safety?”

Cassian frowned then, as if he’d just heard nonsense. The Empire’s security? There were many talented people who could handle that besides Cassian. But wasn’t his family something only he could protect? 

A sentence that the original Cassian would never have even considered crossed his mind, but he didn’t realize it himself.

“Stop talking nonsense and get to the point.”

“Yes, I will report now.”

When Cassian ordered him to get to the point, Marquess Rashtein, who had been joking, straightened his posture and spoke in a rigid voice.

“Reporting. It has been confirmed what the temple is pursuing. Your Grace, are you aware of the existence of the Pope and the Saintess who appear in the Agzent Myth?”

The Agzent Myth was the founding story of the imperial family, present in every nation.

Aster Lotius Agzent, the first emperor, defeated the dragon that monopolized the fertile land and established a nation on that land.

The tribes that had gathered and lived hidden from the dragon’s eyes became the imperial citizens of Emperor Lotius. The tribes could wield mysterious powers. Some could predict the weather, others could heal wounds, and some could even make prophecies.

Emperor Lotius stayed with them, laying the foundation for the Agzent Kingdom to become an empire.

However, the tribes gradually began to grow greedy. Along with demanding recognition for their contributions, they requested the establishment of a ‘temple’ to worship the god their tribe believed in.

After long deliberation, Emperor Lotius built a temple to appease the tribes. It was then that the tribes revealed their true colors.

They brainwashed people and created fanatics. They expanded their power, shaking the foundations of the Agzent Empire and threatening the imperial family’s safety.

Finally, chaos arrived in the Agzent Empire, and the 7th Emperor, Ian Agzent, ended all chaos by punishing the tribes.

The Pope and the Saintess Marquess Rashtein mentioned were the leaders of the tribes appearing in the Agzent Myth.

Cassian answered the question the Marquess had just asked.

“I know.”

“The temple is said to be looking for that tribe.” 

“…The tribe?”

“Yes. They call that tribe the ‘Divine Clan’.”

Cassian frowned. He couldn’t understand or tolerate how the highly fictional Agzent Myth kept interfering with the extremely factual and rational issue of treason.

However, Cassian nodded, telling him to explain further. This was because Marquess Rashtein was not someone who would give useless reports that weren’t helpful.

“Isn’t it strange? Why are they looking for the Divine Clan?” 

“Because they need them.”

“Yes, exactly. Because they need them.”

“I don’t know what you’ve been trying to say all this time. Organize it and tell me.”

As Cassian’s patience wore thin and he responded with some irritation, Marquess Rashtein hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Perhaps the records are true. Doesn’t the temple need to show that a god exists to exert influence? Moreover, if they truly have abilities, they’d be a great asset. Given that they’re searching for such a preposterous legend, perhaps the Divine Clan really…”

Could it be that the Divine Clan, the tribe recorded in the Agzent Myth, truly possessed special abilities?

“Investigate thoroughly and report back.” 

That was the moment the seed of doubt was sown.

* * *

At the break of dawn, figures in black robes gather in one place. Among them were those with geometric patterns engraved on the backs of their hands or faces, all with a blue tint.

In the frozen silence.

The man with a large build, who seemed to be the leader of those wearing black robes, spoke.

“Have you still not found them?” 

“Forgive me, Your Holiness.”

“Haa.”

The man called ‘Your Holiness’ sighed and took off his robe. Soon, a face with fine sky-blue hair and blue eyes was revealed in the darkness.

One of his irises was marked with a glowing geometric pattern.

“I understand. It’s not easy, considering how few of the clan survived.”

“I, I’m sorry…”

“But I hope you don’t forget that there’s a limit to how much blood I can share.”

As the man raised his arm, the wide robe sleeve went up, revealing a bandaged wrist. He took out a dagger and, without hesitation, made a cut. Drip. Drip. Blood dripped down his arm and onto the floor, one drop at a time.

The man who had been kneeling and apologizing collected it in a transparent bottle, as if it were holy water.

“Thank you, Your Holiness!”

“There isn’t much time left until the promised day, so it would be good to hurry and find them.”

The man clicked his tongue. 

There wasn’t much time left until the day he promised the Empress Dowager. He had to find the clan within that time. To restore the temple and, furthermore, to become the master of this empire.

The imperial family had already caught wind of it and begun tracking the temple, so they had to hurry.

“We were the original rightful owners of this land.”

It was the invader Lotius who had arbitrarily established a nation on that land. Therefore, it should be Agzent, not the clan, who deserved to be erased from history.

* * *

It was almost dawn when Cassian returned to his mansion. He went into the old study of the Grand Ducal family and searched through old documents. 

Although it wasn’t a place he usually sought out, Cassian, as if drawn by something, stopped at the section where Agzent history books were shelved. Old books of unknown date were lined up.

As he read a book that closely matched Marquess Rashtein’s report, his eyes caught on terms that had never come up during the temple investigations. He continued to read the text written in ancient language.

The temple called some of the clan blessed. However, there were also those who considered it a curse. Because they had to live sacrificing one thing throughout their lives.

Cassian read the same sentence several times. The part he had simply dismissed as referring to a religious ritual seemed to reveal a clue after he heard about the Divine Clan. He recalled the content Marquess Rashtein had reported.

‘Does the blessing mentioned here refer to power…?’

However, Cassian’s fingers traced the book page, bothered by the word ‘curse.’ God’s blessing, curse, and sacrifice. It seemed he almost understood what ‘gaining power but having to sacrifice something for life, like a curse’ meant, but it wasn’t clear. Cassian placed the book on the bookshelf and pressed his temples.

If the Divine Clan recorded in the Agzent Myth were truly beings endowed with special abilities.

And if the imperial family felt threatened by the imperial power and exterminated the Divine Clan?

“You can immediately dispose of anything related to the temple. All of them.”

Assuming the above premise was true, he could understand why Ian Setianne Agzent reacted so sensitively to the temple’s existence.

Because it involved using the divine power that humans dared not approach. 

In that case, is not being able to lie a power, or not?

Cassian quietly opened the bedroom door and entered. In the darkness, he looked at Rosena, who was lying asleep on the bed.

He had brought her into his bedroom for surveillance purposes, citing the terms of their prenuptial agreement. But ironically, the one who was becoming more accustomed to the situation was Cassian. 

They hadn’t even spent that much time living together, yet now the idea of her sleeping anywhere other than his room seemed impossible. It was unbelievable.

Sensing a presence, Rosena stirred and opened her eyes. 

“…Cassian? When did you get here?”

“Did I wake you?”

“No. I was waiting and just fell asleep for a bit. You never said you’d be out, so I figured you’d come home.”

Rosena replied with a sleepy smile.

Cassian closed the door and slowly approached her. Yes. Cassian was currently suspecting that Rosena might be one of the Divine Clan.

If he were to question her to satisfy his curiosity, and press for an answer, Rosena would have no choice but to confess everything. Whatever came from her lips would be the truth. But he didn’t want to know that way.

‘Why don’t I want to know that way?’

Cassian was confused. Why did he want to know about Rosena Leilia? Even after reading report after report about her, his curiosity about her never went away.

At first, when he found out she couldn’t lie, all he felt was a strong desire to keep her by his side. It was because the emptiness he had felt for so long was finally being filled. That was all.

So what had changed now that he was being so cautious?

Seeing Cassian just staring at her without a word, Rosena called out to him with a confused yet awkward expression.

“Cassian?”

“…Yes.”

“Why are you just standing there?”

Could he be satisfied with simply keeping this woman by his side?

Was she still just a means to fill his emptiness? What was it he really wanted?

Cassian couldn’t find an answer, but one thing was certain. When he was in front of her, he didn’t need to doubt anything. Ever since being named heir of his family, he had never once felt at ease. But with Rosena, that feeling of peace existed, and only with her.

As soon as he realized that in his mind, Cassian felt something deep within him, something frozen, begin to melt.

“Rosena.”

“Yes?”

“…I guess I’ve relaxed.”

“Huh?”

At his words, without any explanation, Rosena, who had been sitting upright, asked back in confusion.

As Cassian leaned down and rested his forehead on her shoulder, Rosena, who had her hands raised in the air, not knowing what to do, carefully patted his broad back.

“Was today tough?”

“…Yes.”

“Why? Did someone say something…? But isn’t there no one who can say anything to Cassian except His Majesty? What did His Majesty say? I think it might be a bit difficult for me to give His Majesty a good scolding…”

As Rosena’s voice trailed off meekly, Cassian gave a short laugh and shook his head. Rosena, still stiff and with her hand on Cassian’s back, suddenly felt his weight shift and flopped backward with a thud.

“Cassian.”

“…”

“Excuse me, Cassian?”

There was no reply. Rosena turned her head in disbelief to look at Cassian.

“…This man. He woke me up and now he’s asleep?”

It was an absurd, early morning moment.

Rosena, who ended up staying awake until morning, had already come downstairs early.

“Are you saying His Grace is still asleep?”

“Yes. And sleeping very soundly at that.”

“…That can’t be right.”

Ted kept tilting his head as if in disbelief. Rosena narrowed her eyes and grumbled.

“You can go up and check if you’re curious, Ted. That man’s insomnia is all a lie, isn’t it?”

“No, he’s been struggling with it for over 10 years…”

“Then I guess he’s cured now!”

Rosena shook her head in irritation as the events of early dawn kept replaying in her mind.

It was because she resented Cassian Baltinart, who had kept her agitated all night and was now sleeping peacefully.

The events of the dawn kept coming back to her, and she’d suddenly find herself shouting “Why?” while eating breakfast, walking, or drinking tea.

Just as Rosena was about to slap her cheek, feeling like her daily life was becoming impossible, Helia, who had been watching Rosena’s strange behavior from the side, quickly grabbed Rosena’s arm to stop her. 

Helia smiled calmly and shook her head.

“You shouldn’t do that, my lady. You must take care of your body.”

“Helia.”

“Yes.”

“Why on earth did he do that?”

“If you say it like that, I wouldn’t know.”

Helia tilted her head, unable to understand Rosena’s question, which lacked context.

This morning, when Cassian had suddenly rested his head on her shoulder, surprisingly, Rosena wasn’t angry. Instead, her heart dropped. If she borrowed a phrase she’d read somewhere, it felt like her heart was beating so loudly that she worried Cassian might hear it.

‘What am I supposed to do now?’ 

Her mind was in chaos.

The party, less than a month away, was proceeding as scheduled. 

Rosena, who had meticulously recorded the expenses for this party, put down her pen for a moment and checked the desk calendar. Although it was close, it seemed the interior of the party hall would be successfully completed just before the party.

An unspoken agreement seemed to have been reached between the two of them not to mention the incident from that morning again. Thanks to this, Rosena also decided not to worry anymore about how to act when she encountered Cassian.

‘Feeling unnecessary emotions would only hurt me in the end.’

Rosena calmly organized her thoughts. It wasn’t her place to say, given that she had decided to marry Cassian with impure intentions, but their relationship wasn’t one that should be deeply entangled.

If Rosena’s true identity was discovered by chance, it was right to keep enough distance from Cassian so that he could draw his sword on her without hesitation. That way, Rosena would also feel more at ease.

In Rosena’s view, the Baltinart family seemed to be everything to Cassian. He had no family to rely on, and it was easy to infer from past ledgers and related records that he had blindly devoted himself to successor training since childhood to inherit the family. These were things she would have learned over time, even if Ted hadn’t told her.

Therefore, to avoid being a burden, it was right to leave the Baltinart family once her goal was achieved.

It didn’t matter whether the former emperor officiated the wedding, and whether the divorce process would go smoothly or not.

‘…Considering I’m even worrying about this, it seems like I’m the one who needs to be careful.’

Rosena felt a little wronged. She felt like she was minding her own business and then got struck by lightning. That man had merely acted on a whim, and she was overreacting and getting flustered, which was embarrassing if anyone knew.

‘But is there really a tracking magical tool in the Baltinart Grand Ducal family? I’ve looked through the property list, but the records for old items are barely recorded.’

She hadn’t searched the entire mansion yet, but Rosena was beginning to doubt whether a magic tool was truly stored here. It seemed she would have to ask Baron Leilia again.

Ted, who had long noticed Rosena was distracted, subtly made a suggestion.

“My lady, I will finish the rest. How about you rest a bit?”

“But there are still things to do, aren’t there?”

“But you also need to prepare for the party, don’t you?”

“Ah! Right.”

Rosena, who had forgotten the most important fact that she herself would be attending the party, froze in shock. Ted winked and said,

“Therefore, I have made a reservation at the dress shop in the capital. I wasn’t sure when the two of you would be free, so I booked a wide time window. Since His Grace is also at the mansion today, how about you go? I will contact the dress shop.”

“Ted is truly the best. Have I told you? There’s no butler in this world as competent and thoughtful as Ted!”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Ted, watching Rosena’s back as she hurried out of the office, hummed a tune with a knowing smile.

Ted had noticed a strange atmosphere between Rosena and Cassian recently. At least one of them seemed to be developing feelings.

So Ted couldn’t just stand by. 

He was busily hovering around the two, wondering if there was anything he, as a butler, could do to help.

“I hope it goes well…”

Fostering a smooth relationship between the Grand Duke and Duchess was also one of the many duties of a butler.