Alia’s body went stiff. Her instincts screamed at her to resist, but her thoughts were a chaotic tangle, leaving her utterly clueless about what to do. In her previous life as a thief, she had navigated countless dangerous missions and lived a rough, unpolished life. She had even disguised herself as a man and shared rooms with other men. Yet, never before had she been so close to a man’s essence like this. The situation felt overwhelmingly intimate.What made it worse—or perhaps more perplexing—was that this man before her wasn’t just any man. He was stunningly handsome, exuding an innate masculinity that left her both unsettled and faintly spellbound.Her internal alarms blared, but her body refused to obey. Her hands clutched at the bedsheet, her chest heaving with rapid breaths. After all, the man leaning over her was, in name at least, her husband. His nearness, his intimacy—it could all be justified. If she rejected him now, wouldn’t it raise his suspicions? Would he think she w
At dawn, Alia rubbed her still-throbbing temples and slowly climbed out of bed. Memories from the previous night swirled in her mind like relentless waves, leaving her restless until morning. She forced herself to freshen up, trying to appear composed, then pushed open the door to her room.Standing outside was Elise, holding a neatly folded set of clothes and a steaming cup of tea. Her face carried the usual respectful smile, and it was clear she had been waiting for quite some time.“Good morning,” Elise greeted softly, stepping forward to hand Alia the tea. “Lord Marcellus left early this morning, saying he had important business to attend to. He mentioned he might not return until late tonight.”Alia nodded, her thoughts flickering briefly: So, Marcellus did sleep in the castle last night. But after everything that happened, I wonder if he’ll return tonight. At least I won’t have to worry about… intimacy for now.The memory of last night’s events brought a faint blush to her cheek
Alia knew there were countless mysteries still shrouding her, but she also understood that her most urgent task was to regain the skills and abilities she possessed in her previous life. Resolutely, she set aside her tangled thoughts and focused on rebuilding her physical condition.“Elise, help me buy some equipment,” she ordered her maid decisively.“Equipment?” Elise blinked in mild surprise. Though curious, she nodded and complied without hesitation.When the shopping list was handed to her, Elise realized it was far from a typical list of gym equipment like dumbbells and barbells. Instead, it included items she had never encountered before: a balance beam reminiscent of a narrow log bridge, staggered obstacle boards, a climbing rope net, and multiple jump platforms. Bewildered, she didn’t dare ask questions and simply followed Alia’s instructions to gather everything.A few days later.Alia stood before the equipment, now delivered and neatly arranged, a faint glimmer of satisfac
Alia halted, her gaze icy as she fixed her eyes on Elias.“What do you know?” Her voice was low and carried an unmistakable authority.Elias smirked faintly, a playful glint in his expression. He didn’t answer immediately; instead, he casually adjusted his cuffs, speaking in a slow, deliberate tone:“Let’s take our time, Livia. Truth is never something revealed all at once.”There was an enigmatic undercurrent in his words, as if he already knew everything yet was intentionally probing. His calm and collected demeanor only heightened Alia’s wariness. She took a deep breath, swiftly reining in her emotions.“What are you talking about?” Her tone turned steady, tinged with coldness and denial. “I was simply unwell—no one is out to harm me.”Elias chuckled softly at her response. His laughter carried no mockery, only a trace of pity. Taking a few measured steps closer, he lowered his voice and said:“Ah, you can fool others, but not me. We were so close once.” Leaning in slightly, he loc
“Do you have something you want to tell me?” Alia asked, her tone calm but probing, as if testing Elias’s true intentions.Elias fixed his gaze on her, his expression unwavering.“That depends on whether you’re willing to trust me. Perhaps I can help you uncover the truth.”His words carried a weight of intrigue, a mix of an extended hand and a veiled implication that he held crucial information. This made Alia more acutely aware that Elias was far more complex than he seemed. He was not merely a flirtatious, carefree nobleman—there was a depth to him, as well as a plan. Whatever their history as Livia and Elias, it had threads that extended far beyond mere private affection. Elias must have his own schemes and goals.This realization lit a fire within Alia. She knew she couldn’t fully trust him, but outright rejecting him might close a valuable lead. For now, she needed to tread carefully.“Even if that’s true, I’ve lost my memory, I don’t know what I am able to do.” Alia replied, fe
Marcellus stood at the entrance of the training ground, his dark robe draping to his ankles. The heavy fabric and meticulous tailoring accentuated his tall and commanding presence. Though his figure was cloaked in the shadow of the doorway, his imposing aura was impossible to ignore. His brow furrowed slightly, his gaze calm yet deep as a still pond, fixed intently on Alia as if attempting to decipher some hidden clue from her expression.Alia’s heart tightened but remained outwardly composed. As an experienced “thief,” lying had become second nature. She tilted her lips into a faint smile and spoke with deliberate calm:“Oh, I was just talking about Elise.” Her tone carried a hint of exasperation, her eyes even showing a trace of reproach. “She got curious about the equipment and couldn’t resist trying it out. She nearly fell, so I scolded her and told her not to touch anything. I sent her off to do something else, thinking she might have snuck back to bother me again.”Her words wer
Alia followed Marcellus, her hand in his, her mind occupied by the subtle differences between the brothers’ hands. Step by step, she allowed herself to be guided toward the study. The moment they crossed the door, her gaze was immediately drawn to the room before her.It was an opulent study, fitting for someone of Marcellus’s stature as the wealthiest man in the city. The space was vast, with a soaring ceiling adorned with intricate floral carvings. A massive crystal chandelier hung at its center, radiating brilliant light that reflected off the polished surfaces of the room. Dark oak bookshelves lined the walls, filled with heavy tomes whose embossed covers and gilded titles spoke of immense value.At the heart of the room stood a grand desk, its finely carved legs and intricate surface detailing a testament to exquisite craftsmanship. On it sat an antique globe and a gilded quill pen, its ink bottle emitting a faint, fresh scent as if waiting for its owner to write at any moment.N
After her initial shock subsided, Alia took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She slowly sat back in her chair, pretending to be nonchalant, though her vigilance was at its peak. Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind—did this mean she was already close to the legendary “Holy Grail”?Her eyes instinctively scanned the room—the arrangement of the bookshelves, the patterns on the walls. With her years of experience as a thief, she was certain this room held secrets. Perhaps a hidden chamber, and perhaps the Holy Grail was concealed within.As she became absorbed in her observations, Marcellus suddenly appeared before her. He bent down, his deep eyes locking onto hers, and with his long, elegant fingers, he gently lifted her chin. His voice was soft and low, carrying a hint of tenderness.“Darling, what’s wrong? What are you looking at? Or… searching for?”Alia stared at Marcellus. His gaze was tender and affectionate, his tone filled with concern, but this only made her
After a day filled with turmoil and emotional highs and lows, Alia felt both physically and mentally exhausted. She decided to set aside her worries for the moment and nodded in agreement. Picking up her wine glass, she walked to the sofa, sat down, and took a small sip of the red wine. The rich aroma of the top-quality vintage unfolded on her palate.She gently swirled the wine in her glass, yet her thoughts drifted to the past. Though she had been a common thief in her past life, her mentor often taught her the etiquette and skills of aristocratic life, especially the art of wine tasting. “Blending into the noble circles is the first step to steal more valuable treasures,” her mentor’s voice echoed in her mind. “You need to learn how to distinguish wine, understand manners, and even master culinary skills. Only then can you avoid being exposed.”As these memories surfaced, Alia’s hand froze midair, her expression clouded with a hint of wistfulness. She thought of her mentor’s warm ye
The car was steeped in silence. Marcellus seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking slowly. “The reason I brought Elias here is that I’m preparing to let him start handling some things for me.” His voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable firmness. “No matter how many conflicts exist between us, he is still my brother, one of the few people I can trust.”He paused, his gaze shifting to the window, as if recalling Elias’s earlier outburst. His tone softened slightly. “As for why he was so angry… perhaps he was worried about you. This place is cold, and the climate isn’t great. He might be afraid you’ll get sick. He doesn’t say it outright, but he does care about you.”Marcellus’s expression grew subtle, and a trace of mockery crept into his tone. “Though his ‘concern’ seems a bit excessive.”Alia listened to his words, a cold sneer rising in her heart. That tone—it’s jealousy, plain and simple. While she found it amusing, a trace of annoyance also surfaced.“Why is he so angry?
Elias’s sudden outburst was like a flash of cold lightning splitting the tranquil air, freezing everything around him for a brief moment. Alia stood to the side, startled. She had never seen Elias lose control like this. His eyes burned with more than just anger—they were filled with deep anxiety and unease. Wasn’t he always nonchalant, with that carefree, devil-may-care attitude? Yet now, he seemed as if someone had struck a nerve he could never compromise on.Unlike Alia’s shock, Marcellus appeared calm, as if he had anticipated this reaction. With a quiet sigh, he lifted his gaze to meet Elias’s fiery glare, his voice steady and resolute. “It’s her decision. She wanted to come, just to look. Edgar agreed too. Do you understand? Just to look.”“Just to look?” Elias let out a cold laugh, raising an eyebrow in obvious disdain. His gaze bore into Marcellus, as though searching for any hint of a lie in his expression. The fire in his eyes only seemed to grow. Yet, after a tense moment,
As Alia was lost in thought, the car suddenly came to an abrupt stop. The door opened, letting in fresh air tinged with a damp chill.“We’re here. This is the main site for the expansion project,” Marcellus’s voice broke through her reverie. He stood outside the car, extending a hand to help her out.Alia lifted her head and froze momentarily at the sight before her. The land was clearly abandoned, overgrown with weeds and low vegetation that formed a thin green carpet across the ground. The place was eerily desolate, as if untouched by human presence for years. In the distance, scattered gravestones peeked out from the wild growth, their surfaces weathered and scarred by time. Twisted old trees lined the edges of the graveyard, their gnarled shadows cast by the setting sun creating strange, fragmented patterns on the ground, as if silently narrating the history of this forsaken place.The air car
“Calling me?” Alia’s heart sank sharply at the words. Her thoughts wandered far, and in that instant, she was almost certain of what Marcellus was referring to—the ‘Holy Grail.’The car continued forward, the scenery outside the window retreating in a blur. Marcellus’s voice, tinged with nostalgia and a faint sigh, broke through the hum of the engine.“Back then, Edgar thought the area near the graveyard was too challenging to develop—too remote, with little value. But you insisted there was ‘something about the place,’ something worth exploring. After some discussion, it was decided we’d symbolically turn some soil and plant greenery to improve the environment. However, it was explicitly agreed that the graveyard itself would remain untouched to avoid offending the departed.”He paused, his gaze clouded by a tinge of complexity. “But no
As Livia and Elise left the room, Marcellus turned to Edgar, his expression tense. “Are you really going to let Livia see it? And what exactly am I supposed to tell her? What should I hide? After she lost her memory this time, I thought it was a blessing in disguise, a chance for her to forget all that pain. But now you’re dragging her back… The thing we found during the last expansion, that was the source of her suffering.”His voice carried a mix of frustration and subdued anger, his hands clenching unconsciously as he recalled haunting memories.Edgar raised his gaze, meeting Marcellus with a calm yet commanding look. “You’ll tell her a carefully chosen version of the truth. Tell her the discovery during the last expansion happened because of her instincts—that it was her intuition that led us to unearth that artifact. We need her intuition again, and perhaps she’ll uncover something just a
As the steaming dishes were set on the table, Marcellus couldn’t wait to take a bite. The moment the flavors hit his palate, his expression softened, and his eyes sparkled with unmistakable admiration. “This taste… it’s amazing! Even better than our chef’s cooking!”He knew that many of these dishes might have been prepared by Elise and the household chef, but Livia’s thoughtfulness had already delighted him. What he didn’t realize, however, was that these dishes were actually prepared by Alia!He quickly reached for another bite, showering the food with praise and even revealing a childlike, satisfied smile. Alia lowered her head slightly, hiding her expression. Outwardly, she maintained a relaxed demeanor, but her emotions were complex. Marcellus’ enthusiastic response brought her relief and bolstered her confidence in the success of her plan.Edgar, on the other hand, was more restrained. He carefully picked up a piec
After returning home, Alia changed into casual attire and tidied up her belongings, her mind already working on plans for the next day. Glancing out the window, she saw the darkening sky dotted with faint stars, as if encouraging her to move steadily forward with her mission.The next day, at the break of dawn, Alia rose swiftly from bed. She knew how important this day is—not just for her plan but also as an opportunity to showcase herself. Opening the window, she let the cool morning breeze invigorate her.After washing up, she headed to the kitchen and found Elise already bustling around. Hearing footsteps, Elise turned and was startled to see Alia.“Livia, you’re up so early? I am preparing the breakfast. I’ve got the kitchen covered,” Elise said, a touch of concern in her voice.Alia smiled and shook her head. “No, I want to personally prepare something for Marcellus and my father. It’s my way o
Alia’s heart trembled as she lowered her gaze to the frail young girl before her. A trace of pity flashed through her eyes. Gently patting Mina’s head, she spoke softly, “I’m sorry for bringing up something painful.”“It’s okay.” Mina looked up, forcing a small smile. “I just wanted to tell you—my grandpa really did see it clearly.” Her voice grew quieter toward the end.Alia nodded slightly, though her thoughts were turbulent. The clue was vague, and the person who knew more was no longer alive, yet something felt as though it was beginning to surface. A cemetery, golden light, a female general… The elements pieced together seemed to hint at a deeply buried secret.She pondered for a moment, then crouched down to look Mina in the eye. “If you remember any other details your grandfather mentioned, let me know anytime, okay?”Mina nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with seriousness and hope.Meanwhile, Alia’s mind was quickly assembling the fragments of information into a larger pictur