Vivian’s POVAlen and I maintained a distance—neither too close nor too far—as we made our way back to the campsite, him walking ahead and me following behind.When we arrived at my carriage, Alen stood beside it, waiting for me to catch up. As I approached, he dropped a cold remark, "Vivian, we're here. Go inside and get some sleep."After delivering those words, Alen didn't even bid me a good night. He simply turned and walked away.Watching his departing figure, my emotions, which had just started to settle, plunged once again into a pit of turmoil."Sigh…"I let out a long sigh, attempting to release the pent-up frustration within me. However, despite several sighs, the discomfort still lingered. I shook my head slightly, forcing myself to stop dwelling on the matter.I climbed onto the carriage, opened the door, and slipped inside. After shutting the door, I removed my coat and placed it beside the bed.Lying down on the carpet, I recalled the techniques my master had taught me t
Vivian’s POVAfter what felt like an eternity, the lingering kiss finally came to an end. Alen released my lips, his watery eyes fixated on mine. Despite the conclusion of our kiss, he didn't release my hands; instead, he tightened his grip on them, holding on even more firmly.At that moment, my legs were so weak that standing seemed like a challenge. I relied on Alen's embrace for support. Gradually, as I felt strength returning to my legs and my balance improving, I gently pushed him away and uttered, "Alen, let me go.""Are you still considering running away?" Alen didn't immediately release me. Instead, he sought an assurance from me, saying, "I'll only release you if you promise me you won't flee."As much as I hesitated to comply with such a demand, I knew that if I refused, Alen would hold onto me without letting go. So, for the time being, I had to make a concession. "I... I won't run."My hesitant words didn't escape Alen's notice. He let go of me with a displeased expressio
Delia's POVAfter days of arduous travel, we finally reached the vicinity of the Red Moon Pack.Given the uncertain circumstances, and with a sense of caution, Prince Kral directed us to establish our camp just outside the borders of the Red Moon Pack.We were to wait until our scouts had gathered intelligence on the situation within the pack before proceeding with our next move.Setting up the camp took most of the day. By the time everything was in order, evening had descended upon us. Prince Kral issued the command for everyone to gather in a large open space.Having received the summons, I joined the assembly in the clearing.Torchlights were arranged around the perimeter, casting their glow to dispel the encroaching darkness. Among them, a platform was positioned to one side, appearing to be intended for speeches and addresses."Delia." Just as my gaze was wandering, Prince Kral appeared by my side. He extended his right arm, silently inviting me to loop my arm with him. "Walk wi
Delia's POVWe waited near the Red Moon Pack for three days. During this time, the soldiers persisted in their drills, and the scouts relayed back information.According to the reports, the rogue population within the Red Moon Pack was not substantial, and their organization was loose. If we were to launch an attack on the pack, there was a high probability of eliminating the rogues in one swift strike.Three days later, Prince Kral dispatched the first wave of soldiers to fight the Red Moon Pack. As they set out, Prince Kral remained in his tent, issuing commands and directing the battle from there.To avoid disturbing Kral, I refrained from going to his tent. However, our tents were close enough that I could hear the soldiers reporting to him.After the soldiers had been on the move for a considerable time, I heard someone reporting, "Your Highness, our soldiers have achieved an initial victory!"The word "victory" stirred excitement within me. The victory had come swiftly, indicati
Delia’s POVThe cloaked figure led me to the lakeside as per his guidance. Though I followed his instructions, my vigilance remained intact.Upon arriving at the lakeside, I surveyed the surroundings. A lake enclosed by dense woods. Many trees adorned the area around the lake. I addressed the cloaked figure, "I've done as you said. I'm by the lakeside now. Where are you?""Very well, Delia. You've done well," the cloaked figure responded.After his words, I heard a soft rustling sound behind me. Turning around, I observed leaves descending from the trees. Amidst the falling leaves, the cloaked figure descended slowly from the trees and stood not far from me.I watched the cloaked figure, still concealing much of his face. Memories of the time he had disguised himself as a woman and stolen my pearl necklace resurfaced.If possible, I would have demanded my pearl necklace back from him right now and given him a good thrashing!I discreetly placed my hands behind my back, touching the co
Delia’s POVI held onto my arms and questioned angrily, "Who changed my clothes? Was it you, Albert?""What do you think?"Albert looked me up and down, his gaze seemed to appreciate the dress I was wearing, but that look made me uncomfortable."Do you wish I changed your clothes for you?""Of course not!" I blurted out."Well, if that's the case, then don't ask," Albert raised his hands in response to my agitation, making a "calm down" gesture. "Delia, I brought you here to show you something."To show me something...Could it be the box he mentioned, the one my dad kept in his study?"Delia, I think you might have guessed," Albert looked at me with a knowing expression, and smiled slightly, "That's right, I brought you here to reveal the secret your father hid in the box."Even though I guessed right, I didn't feel the slightest bit of joy.There was a voice in the back of my mind telling me that I didn't need to know what secret my father had hidden in the box. Knowing this wouldn'
Delia’s POVThe scene was truly astonishing and I was left dumbfounded.It wasn't strange for there to be shadows within the heart. But for the shadow to be white and resembling a pearl was entirely beyond my understanding.As I leaned in quietly, attempting to confirm whether I was mistaken, I heard Albert breathing heavily beside me. I heard him mutter, "It's been so many years. You've grown up so much, and this is the first time you're seeing your mother's heart. Absurd!"Albert's emotions seemed even more intense than mine. This puzzled me. I raised my head and found him gazing down at me, his eyes filled with complex and ambiguous emotions.Though I couldn't decipher his true emotions at that moment, my intuition told me he knew a lot and that whatever he knew made him angry and upset. Perhaps it was time to get him to talk about those past events.Even though I was curious about what had happened in the past, facing an evidently enraged Albert, I refrained from asking my curious
Delia’s POVAfter I asked that question, Albert stared at me in disbelief, not saying a word for a long while."Albert, what's wrong?" His scrutinizing gaze made me feel uneasy. I had expected him to say something, but after waiting for quite some time without a response, I had to ask, "Is there something wrong with what I said?""Something wrong? Of course, it's wrong!" Albert responded with agitation."You barely spent any time with your mother. How could you possibly know how she died? You, no, not just you, everyone believes she died of an illness. That's because your father was able to spread the news of her illness and make everyone believe it!"My father spread the news that my mother had died of an illness and made everyone believe it. Why would he do that?A troubling thought suddenly surged within me. Did my father spread such news to cover up the fact that he was the murderer?But why would my father do such a thing? What could he possibly gain from killing my mother?"Deli