Livia had just emerged from the woods when a figure suddenly lunged toward her. Marcellus pulled her into a tight embrace with such force that it felt as though he wanted to fuse her into his very being. His body trembled, and hot tears soaked into her shoulder.“I can’t bear to lose you again…” Marcellus’s voice was hoarse and shaking, as though pulled from the depths of his chest, filled with endless remorse and deep emotion. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”Livia froze, caught off guard by his unguarded vulnerability. She had never seen Marcellus like this before—the man who was always calm and calculating now appeared like a lost child, laying bare his fragility in front of her.“It’s okay. I’m fine,” Livia said softly, patting his back with a gentle hand, her voice tinged with an unexpected tenderness.Elias, who had been standing nearby, couldn’t hold back his excitement any longer. He stepped forward, his eyes reddened, his tone brimming with suppressed joy. “Livia, you’re really saf
As the three of them stepped into the dungeon, the damp, bone-chilling air sent shivers down their spines. Livia stood silently at the entrance, her gaze fixed on the traitor bound to the chair in the center of the room. Behind her, Marcellus stood with his fingers slightly curled, barely containing his simmering anger. Elias, however, strode directly to the chair, his eyes blazing with fury, ready to launch into questioning.Unexpectedly, before the interrogation even began, the traitor, Allen, broke down. His voice, trembling with fear and regret, burst forth, “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Please forgive me! I didn’t know things would turn out like this!”Allen’s sudden outburst left the three momentarily stunned. Livia instinctively glanced at Marcellus, while Elias frowned deeply, his sharp gaze locked onto Allen, clearly distrustful of his words.“You’d better start from the beginning and explain everything. If you don’t, you won’t like the consequences.” Elias’s low voice carried an
Allen’s explanation was logical but full of self-justification: “As you said, I passed on your information because I was tempted by benefits and threatened at the same time. But I swear, I didn’t lie. I only reported who you met and what you did. Today, out of sheer curiosity about Livia’s true identity and who you were talking to, I took the risk of eavesdropping. When Lord Marcellus suddenly appeared, it made the meeting seem even more unusual. After all, you and Lord Marcellus rarely meet in public, let alone in your secret stronghold. So, I made up my mind to listen in and pass the information to the commander. As for the kidnapping today, I really don’t know anything. I only provided information—I wasn’t involved in anything afterward.”Allen looked utterly innocent, even pitiable, but his words failed to dispel the doubt in the room.At that moment, a thought struck Livia like lightning. Something must have happened recently to prompt Eryx to take action, and the most notable ev
The moment Allen’s words fell, the room was enveloped in a tense silence. Livia lowered her head, her mind racing to recall the name she’d just heard—Emma, the General of the Seventh Army Group.Who was Emma?Emma’s name resounded throughout the military like thunder. Though she came from humble beginnings, she quickly rose to prominence through extraordinary intellect and unmatched ability. Despite her youth, she earned the trust of her soldiers with her decisiveness and composure. At the same time, she became a figure of interest among the military elite. The Seventh Army Group under her command was renowned for its discipline and precision, and Emma’s talent for devising meticulous strategies led to several major victories. Within the ranks, she was privately hailed as a “rising star of the future.” However, her background remained shrouded in mystery—no one truly knew her origins. She seemed to have emerged from nowhere, an inexplicable yet dazzling force in the army.As Livia lis
The room was filled with a suffocating tension, broken only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Before long, Edgar strode in with his usual commanding presence, prompting everyone inside to instinctively stand straighter.His gaze landed on Livia first. He scrutinized her carefully, ensuring she was unharmed. Aside from her slightly pale complexion, she appeared fine. Only then did he exhale an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. Yet, he betrayed no emotion as he turned his attention to Marcellus, his voice deep and heavy:“When I reached Emma’s residence, she was already gone.”“What?!” Marcellus’s face darkened instantly, his voice tinged with shock and fury. “So it really was Emma! I was still holding out hope it was a misunderstanding, or that Allen was lying again.”Edgar let out a cold snort, his brows furrowing as his anger simmered beneath the surface. “Hmph. You’ve really outdone yourselves—allowing someone to infiltrate your home without a clue. If my daughter hadn’t b
The room fell into a brief silence after Edgar left. His imposing presence and lingering anger seemed to hang in the air, refusing to dissipate. Alia lowered her gaze slightly, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the embroidery on her sleeve as though she was still processing everything that had just transpired.Elias stood to the side, his expression a mix of emotions as he watched her. After a moment, he let out a soft sigh and spoke in a low voice, “Livia, I wanted to stay here with you, but there’s something far more important I need to take care of.” His tone carried a hint of guilt and self-reproach. “This is entirely my fault. I have to return and reorganize my forces, conduct a thorough sweep to ensure there are no more spies among us. I won’t let you suffer any harm again.”As he spoke, his voice grew slightly firmer, his gaze shifting toward Marcellus. His eyes carried a sharp intensity, as though he wanted to say something threatening. Yet, recalling how Marcellus had risked
The morning sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, casting a soft halo that outlined Livia’s delicate features. She slowly opened her eyes, her long lashes quivering slightly, as if still immersed in the lingering emotions of the night before. Sitting up, the thin blanket slipped down, revealing her smooth, bare shoulders. The morning light caressed her skin, lending it a warm, luminous glow.Marcellus’s eyes opened, his gaze immediately drawn to her. A flicker of fascination crossed his deep-set eyes. Propping himself up, he watched her intently, his eyes tracing the curves of her back as though trying to etch this moment into his memory forever. Slowly, he reached out, wanting to pull her back into his embrace, to feel her warmth once more, to taste the sweetness that lingered between them.But just as his fingertips were about to touch her wrist, Livia suddenly spoke.“Can you really not tell me everything?”Her voice was soft, yet it carried a restrained sorrow, as if
Elias swiftly gathered his most trusted men—people who had fought alongside him through countless life-and-death situations. If an enemy still lurked among them, then there was nothing more he could do.In the dimly lit meeting room, candlelight flickered, casting shadows over the solemn and contemplative faces of those present. Elias’s gaze swept across the room, his expression cold and severe as he finally spoke—“You are the men I trust most. I do not doubt you.”“But we have a breach. My base was infiltrated. Today, it was Livia who was kidnapped. That is something I will never tolerate.”There was no rage in his voice—not even a hint of emotion. His tone was disturbingly calm, yet everyone instinctively tensed.“Our enemy is stronger and more cunning than we anticipated.” His sharp eyes scanned the room as he continued in a low, steady voice, “So, from this moment forward, I will restructure my forces.”He paused, his gaze as sharp as a blade, his tone unwavering—“Each of you wi
Livia turned her head to look at Marcellus, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—he really was the kind of person who could never be ignored. She and Emma had come to their suspicions only after comparing their differing sources of information, cross-checking details, and reasoning things through again and again. That’s when they began to sense something strange about the whole situation, suspecting that someone else might be behind it all.But Marcellus had reached nearly the same conclusion entirely on his own, through nothing but personal observation and logical analysis—and his certainty even surpassed hers. That kind of insight and sharp instinct… truly impressive.Her gaze softened a little without her realizing it, though she quickly reined in her emotions and returned to her usual calm.At that moment, Elias spoke as well. His eyes narrowed slightly, and there was a cautious, skeptical tone in his voice. “I had my men re-examine the blast site. To be honest—if that explosion wa
“Should we consider Eryx as our primary suspect?”To Livia’s surprise, Marcellus suddenly proposed this guess. His voice was low and firm, as if he had been thinking about this possibility for a long time.Livia was momentarily stunned, almost unable to react in time. Her eyes widened slightly, her mouth parted in surprise. “Primary suspect?” she repeated, her voice tinged with astonishment. She hadn’t expected Marcellus to directly label Eryx as their primary suspect.Marcellus nodded, a determined glint flickering in his eyes. He continued, “Yes, I now strongly suspect that everything, from your kidnapping to my attack, and even the hidden conspiracies behind it all, was orchestrated by Eryx. A long time ago, I noticed that he seemed to have some sort of collaboration with Edgar, and his obsession with the ‘Holy Grail’ far exceeds what would be considered normal. This makes me more certain that he is involved.” He paused, gazing deeply at Livia. “I’m sorry, Livia, I should have told
Marcellus slowly straightened his body. His expression, usually tight and severe, had softened with a rare trace of honest fatigue. Looking at Livia, who stood by the bedside, his eyes held a hint of genuine apology.“I’m sorry, Livia. I shouldn’t have kept everything hidden from you,” he said in a low but serious voice. “I promise you—once we find the ‘Holy Grail,’ I’ll tell you everything. No more secrets. And then… I’ll give you back the freedom to choose.”As she listened, something inside Livia stirred, like a taut string gently plucked.She couldn’t tell whether this was a true apology or a calculated attempt to smooth things over. But seeing Marcellus lower his head first, dropping his usual cold and stubborn facade, something in her own resistance quietly cracked open.“Forget it…” she sighed, her tone still weary. “Let’s just focus on which tasks I need to take over. I might be your temporary replacement in name, but I can’t come running to you for every little thing. Looking
Livia looked at Emma with a gentle gaze. Though her tone was soft, it carried a subtle firmness that left no room for objection. “Thank you, Emma. Don’t worry. Right now, your safety is the most important thing. I believe in you—but not everyone in this world will be able to trust you like I do. For now, it’s best if you rest properly here in the castle.”Her voice dropped a little, laced with caution and vigilance. “We need to make sure your identity remains a secret—especially from those on Eryx’s side. Only step in when it’s absolutely necessary. Your presence will matter most when the time is right.”Emma raised an eyebrow, about to speak, but Livia continued before she could.“And there’s something more important… I need you to watch over the study for me.”Livia’s expression grew a touch more serious as her eyes flicked toward the far end of the corridor. Her voice lowered further. “Eryx once tried to sneak in. His target was that file. Now that Marcellus is injured, he might tr
“I’m not sure,” Emma said, her brows slightly furrowed. A shadow of memory passed through her eyes as she slowly shook her head. Her voice was low, but firm. “I first started having doubts after you were kidnapped.”Livia froze, then turned slightly toward Emma with a puzzled look. “Kidnapped? Why? Weren’t those people… with Eryx?”Her voice was tinged with confusion and a trace of instinctive denial—she remembered those people clearly wearing the uniforms of Eryx’s covert forces. If she hadn’t seen them before, she wouldn’t have been able to recognize them.Emma nodded, her voice calm but laced with a chilling edge. “Yes, on the surface they were. So when I got the message that you’d been kidnapped—and almost… killed,” she paused, her tone dropping lower, as if even the air grew heavy under the weight of those words, “I pointed a gun at him the moment I saw him.”She remembered that day clearly—inside a cabin only she and Eryx knew about. Her killing intent had been real. If Eryx had
“I’m not entirely sure about him either.”Livia lowered her gaze slightly, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the fabric of her skirt. Yet her voice remained unexpectedly firm. “He has his own motives, but he never talks about them… Still, I believe he wouldn’t hurt me.”At that moment, a faint glimmer of defiance and trust shimmered in her eyes, unfiltered and honest—an expression of her understanding of Marcellus: complicated, yet unwaveringly loyal.Emma looked at her, silent for half a second, then suddenly smiled, her tone lightening a little.“Indeed, I can tell—he loves you. Of course he wouldn’t hurt you.”That unexpected tease stirred a ripple across the still surface of their conversation. Caught off guard, Livia blinked in surprise, her cheeks quickly tinged with pink. She bit her lower lip lightly and turned her face away, a bit embarrassed.“You’re teasing me again…”Emma chuckled, shaking her head as she continued flipping through the notebook and diagrams in her hand,
“No matter what, right now there are multiple forces vying for the ‘Holy Grail,’” Livia breathed in deeply, her voice mixed with alertness and concern. “What about General Allen? What are his intentions? What’s his connection to my mother? I know it was you who helped me find him, thank you.” Her tone was sincere, and there was a trace of gratitude in her eyes.Emma nodded gently, her expression serious as she answered, “I’m not very familiar with Allen, but your mother once told me that if one day she was gone or I was in trouble, I just needed to find Allen, mention her name, and he would certainly help.” She paused, her gaze softening with a touch of tenderness and respect. “He said that no matter what situation I was in, if Celesta’s name was mentioned, he would take action.”She sighed softly, seemingly still uneasy about the risks she took back then. “So, this time, I took the risk and went to find him, telling him about your situation. His response… truly lived up to your mothe
Hearing this, Alia felt the tension in her heart ease just a little. Her intuition told her that Emma was trustworthy. Her emotions toward her mother were sincere, and she bore no ill intentions toward Alia. Perhaps she had her own motives, but she would never harm her.If there was anyone in this world who truly cared about her mother’s life and death and was willing to seek the truth, Emma was undoubtedly one of them.Livia let out a slow breath, her gaze sharpening as she decided to press further.“Do you know the cause of my mother’s death?” She looked straight into Emma’s eyes, lowering her voice. “The outside world says it was due to exhaustion, but I don’t believe that.”As soon as she spoke, Emma’s expression changed dramatically. Her gaze turned sharp and cold, filled with deep scrutiny and wariness.“I don’t believe it either.” Her voice was low but carried an undeniable conviction. “I know better than anyone what kind of person your mother was. She wasn’t someone who would
As Livia was still lost in thought, Emma’s voice rang out again, carrying a faint smile yet laced with complex emotions. “Originally, your mother just wanted me to be a happy princess. If I had accepted that path back then, perhaps we would be sisters now…”Her gaze drifted slightly, as if recalling a distant time. “I remember back then, you were still very young, and Lianna hadn’t been born yet.”Livia’s heart stirred slightly as an image of her gentle yet resilient mother surfaced in her mind. She tried to imagine—if Emma had truly taken that path, what would their relationship have been like? Would they have been inseparable sisters, or perhaps a bond akin to mentor and student?But Emma merely let out a soft sigh and shook her head. “But I didn’t want that.”Her voice grew firm, and in her eyes, a sharp determination ignited. “I wanted to repay your mother. More than that, I wanted to prove myself. So, I chose another path—I joined the military.”She tilted her head slightly, a gl