Chapter – 19
“Ah… yes, that is indeed true. However!”
Lirian wiped the dew from her eyes beneath the veil.
“It’s embarrassing, but the fate of my family rests on my younger sibling.”
Her real cousin was safely kept somewhere, but…
“They’ve failed the exam five times already, yet they keep trying so hard to pass and make our parents—and me—happy. It’s just too pitiful…”
“Oh my…”
“Sniff… They’re repeating the final year of the academy for the fifth time just to become a steward.”
“Oh my! The tuition must be…”
“I can’t bear it, so I want to do something to help.”
The suspicious priest had, at some point, begun to feel sympathy for Lirian.
My goodness, a sister praying tirelessly for her sibling’s enrollment! How blessed that younger sibling must be.
“I didn’t want to trouble Your Highness during your journey… but the entrance exam is really close…”
“Phew… I understand, young lady. I will grant you a pass to enter the ‘Assessment Hall.’”
“Thank you, thank you so much…”
Phew, as expected, a fervent desire for education always works as a solid excuse.
The villain lowered his head and whispered,
“Your acting is excellent. Truly like a butterfly in flight, Tillard.”
“Well, you flatter me.”
There was nothing she could do—this was inevitable.
The temperaments of the five great families are especially pronounced in direct descendants.
Still, it had been a while since she had entered a temple, so she was nervous.
‘I haven’t entered a temple since my parents passed away.’
The priests back then had been far from gentle with Lirian.
“Cursed child!”
“You can’t even accept what the gods have given up on!”
“Tsk tsk, they were supposed to be the next head of the family… what a pity.”
Anyway, in Fernies, while the rights of controllers were protected, children’s rights seemed utterly neglected.
‘No matter how I think about it, this empire is hopeless. There’s no future.’
When the priest guided her to the Assessment Hall, the villain stopped Lirian, who was about to enter alone.
“I should come in too, right?”
“Huh? Your Highness as well?”
“I need to see what grade comes out for the person I’ve marked.”
Ah, what was this—surely that’s not appropriate?
‘What if it turns out to be a C or D?’
He had marked her as his “controller” and had secured roughly a year’s grace period.
Still, Lirian did not trust this man.
How could she trust someone who sent destructive impulses to the person they themselves had marked as a controller?
‘Hmm? What if the tool I’ve marked has a low rating?’ He might react badly.
“Oh my, Your Highness.”
Phew…
Lirian covered her right cheek with her hand.
“This is exactly like watching someone to gauge their weight up close.”
“And that means?”
“It’s embarrassing. Awkward.”
“Hm? You feel awkward holding someone else’s leash like this?”
“It’s a slightly private moment, isn’t it? So—”
Lirian gently pushed the villain’s arm just a little.
Honestly, it wasn’t even a real push.
Swear on it, she barely brushed his bare wrist with her fingers.
“I’ll just go quickly.”
But the moment she spoke to him and touched his hand…
Hmm…?
A tingling sensation, like static electricity, ran through her fingertips.
The villain, who had intended to come in with her, paused.
“…? Ah, sorry.”
“…”
“The air must be dry today.”
He narrowed his eyes and stared at her intently.
Judging by his expression, it must have stung quite a bit.
“…Alright, go ahead then.”
“Yes.”
Thank goodness—he didn’t feel any destructive urge from this.
Still, next time, I should put something on my hands.
The Assessment Hall looked like a small chapel.
The difference from other chapels was the fountain embedded in the wall.
‘That wall fountain itself is an artifact.’
The holy water circulating through it contained the power to measure.
Simply put, if you placed your hand in the water, letters would appear indicating your grade.
Lirian submerged her hand into the cool water.
‘Please, B.’
Given the state of her Awakening Heat, a C was definitely out of the question.
But she didn’t hope for a higher grade either.
To slip in and out later, B was the most practical.
‘Oh, Great Creator, please… B…!’
After a short while, rainbow-colored particles began to sparkle in the water.
However, Lirian tilted her head, puzzled.
Something was off.
Was that an 8?
Or a chubby B?
She tilted her head sideways.
It looked more like a snowman than a B.
A snowman… lying on its side…?
“Oh, wait.”
Lirian clicked her tongue.
She had forgotten one thing.
Her prayers didn’t actually work.
Still, this was ridiculous.
Sighing, Lirian looked up at the ceiling.
“Oh, Great Creator, why do you act like this at my age?”
What was this infinity (∞) symbol even supposed to mean…?
‘I didn’t ask for something this excessive or strange.’
After removing the villain’s mark, Lirian planned to leave safely.
But with such an unusual artifact nearby?
‘I would never let this go either.’
Yes, she had made up her mind. A little white lie for survival.
Just then, a soft voice came from outside the door at the most ghostly timing.
“Miss Tillard.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Before leaving, she checked her face in the holy water.
No problems with her facial muscles.
Lirian smiled lightly, pretending nothing had happened.
“Actually, I got a B.”
“…B?”
“Yes, a B. Unfortunately…”
She emphasized it carefully.
Surely he wouldn’t try to erase her immediately just because it wasn’t an A, right?
Lirian subtly changed the subject.
“By the way, Your Highness… is Tenebrin’s group here?”
While she and the villain were in the Assessment Hall, Elias had asked a priest to find out.
Whether the princess was hiding her name at this time.
“It seems as you said. The young lady and her group came here for rest.”
“…!”
“But I haven’t heard of their family.”
Of course.
But it was still odd for this man to be snooping around.
Women who came to temples to rest usually didn’t allow visits from unknown men.
It was time for Lirian to step forward.
“Then, Your Highness, I’ll check first.”
She could go with Lady Jeanne and a few controllers.
The villain slowly extended his hand.
“Then hold my hand before you go.”
“…! Are you going to go berserk?”
“You pushed me away saying it was embarrassing just now, so probably yes.”
A lie…
Anyway, Lirian held his hand.
Now she was his controller, so she had to get used to holding hands.
Again, a slight static-like jolt ran through her fingertips.
Tingling.
Lirian clicked her tongue inwardly.
This really… I need to moisturize my hands immediately next time.
People with abilities generally have extremely acute senses.
So even if Lirian spoke sweetly to Evren, “I got a B,”
“Hey, the young lady got a B?”
“That’s right…”
“Tch, I thought it would be A-class.”
All the ‘shadows’ keeping a distance from Evren heard everything.
They felt subtle disappointment…
“If it’s similar to the second prince, that’s fine.”
‘Second prince’ referred to Lirian’s relative, Iris Tillard.
That side was S-class, so it would’ve been nice if this side was at least A-class…
Still, no one dared say this outright.
They maintained caution around Evren.
‘I wonder if His Highness is disappointed?’
His subordinates respected him but were also terrified.
So seeing him troubled like this was both unfamiliar and shocking.
“Hm…”
And he even said ‘hm!’
The shadows covered their mouths in awe and fear.
‘What’s this!?’
‘Is His Highness worried about the young lady?’
‘Could it really be… love…?’
‘No, it’s too soon to tell!’
While everyone watched Evren’s reaction with racing hearts, he was recalling his two brief contacts with Lirian.
‘When I held Lirian’s hand, I definitely…’
A feeling not his own had flowed into him.
