Chapter 30
Claire moved closer to Eiden.
No, specifically towards the monster.
“Where are you going?”
Richard frowned and took her arm in his.
“I’m a little curious about something.”
Claire softly pushed his hand away from her. She suddenly seemed enthralled by the monster’s carcass.
“You shouldn’t even look at the monster.”
Richard, who had been staring at her, stated firmly.
“Lord Richard is correct. It’s horrible to behold for a gentle person like you. It would be a problem if you fainted.”
“I’ve seen it before. It appears the same from a distance and up close.”
“But…”
Elliott scratched his brow as if he was in trouble.
“Why do you want to see it so much?”
Richard looked at her with suspicion and perplexity.
Even she didn’t understand why. Why was she so adamant about seeing the monster when everyone else was?
She was simply curious. The sensation she got earlier when the monster charged at her.
She couldn’t get the monster’s expression out of her head.
Was it trying to tell her something?
Why did it charge at her with such a desperate, even insane expression?
She wouldn’t be able to reproduce that emotion now that its stare was lifeless, but she still wanted to see it.
“Brother…”
Perhaps her frantic plea was successful.
Despite his displeasure, Richard did not stop her from approaching the monster’s corpse.
Tos moved fast after Claire. Tos panted, his tongue sticking out, drooling as if he saw a tasty delicacy.
Eiden kept a close eye on her as she approached.
“Your Majesty, Lady Alicia, wishes to see the monster…”
“Leave her be.”
Eliott’s eyes expanded in amazement.
He was expecting a rebuke from Eiden, who questioned why he had brought her along.
Eiden, on the other hand, was simply watching her every move.
Tos moved restlessly around the creature, his attention shifting between Claire and the monster.
“Why is your dog acting so strangely?”
Richard inquired, perplexed.
“Maybe he’s hungry?”
Claire sighed and rolled her eyes.
Tos drooled profusely as he sniffed around the corpse.
“It’s completely fearless. It would normally tuck its tail and flee.”
Eliott expressed his admiration.
Claire couldn’t admit that Tos most likely desired to eat the monster.
“I wish I had a dog like that, haha.”
You’d never say that if you saw it devouring a monster.
Claire whispered to herself as she watched Elliott chuckle heartily.
In any case, it was a difficult situation.
She wanted to let it happen, but too many people were watching. Everyone would look at Tos differently if they saw him eating the monster.
They might even want to kill Tos because they believe he is a monster.
Claire approached Tos and knelt in front of him. She snatched his folded ears and said,
“Tos, not now.”
“Whine.”
“You can eat after we leave.”
“Hngh.”
Tos kissed her cheek tenderly as if he understood.
“Wait.”
Toss then sat straight, elegantly tucking his front legs under him. He didn’t seem to move until the emperor’s procession had passed.
Claire only examined the dead beast after that.
When she saw them move, she assumed they wore a robust, leathery hide that no swords or spears could pierce. But it suddenly resembled a squishy glob of jelly.
Its eyes appeared covered with a thin film, appearing murky and obscured.
They were lifeless despite being wide open.
It was a letdown.
When she looked up close, she thought she might feel something.
But it was like staring into the eyes of a dead fish.
Did I miss something?
“How does it make you feel?”
Claire responded, startled by the voice whispering in her ear,
“It’s ugly.”
“And?”
He raised an eyebrow in response to her statement.
“You’re very powerful.”
Claire took a glance around.
Clean carved surfaces were seen on trees that were so thick that even with both arms wrapped around them, fingertips wouldn’t touch. Some monsters had been split in two like trees and others that had had their heads and limbs ripped off by the emperor’s hand.
That level of strength is unfathomable to the average human.
“And?”
He kept probing as if he was curious. Claire squinted, perplexed by his intent.
“It’s fortunate that Your Majesty is here?”
“…”
“Thank you for protecting us.”
Claire lowered her head nicely.
“Aren’t you scared?”
Eiden made a motion toward the beast.
Only then did she grasp what he was up to. How could she be so naive? Claire chastised herself.
A lady defined by her weakness would be terrified by a monstrous monster. As soon as the creature came, she should have started screaming, sobbing, and frightened. Or even passing out.
“Oh, I suddenly feel dizzy.”
Claire swiftly rested her hand on her brow.
Her deception was apparent even to her. However, she had to avoid suspicion at all costs.
“I’m feeling nauseated. Hanna!”
She tried her hardest to appear feeble.
“Oh no, are you okay? Please bring Lady Alicia’s maid!”
Eliott, concerned, directed one of his subordinates.
“Alicia, why did you have to be so stubborn?”
Richard stood beside the humbling Claire.
The subordinate who had gone to retrieve Hanna approached soon after, but Hanna was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is she?”
Eliott was perplexed as he looked behind the subordinate.
“She had fainted.”
Without a doubt. Any reasonable person would have.
“Oh, I think I’m going to pass out. I have to get back to the carriage.”
“It appears like the shock has finally reached you! I should have insisted on you not witnessing this atrocity.”
Eliott expressed regret.
“I’ll take her.”
Eiden moved quickly to take her from Richard’s arms.
Everything happened so quickly that everyone was stunned and looking blankly.
“Your Majesty, it would be best if I…”
With a grim attitude, Richard took a step toward Eiden. Eliott suddenly grasped his arm and shook his head.
Claire raised her head to gaze at Eiden, who supported her shoulder. His lips were squeezed together and pallid.
“Your Majesty.”
Without realizing it, she yelled out to him.
Something seemed odd about him. She hadn’t noticed from a distance, but now that she was closer, she realized something was wrong.
He appeared to be concealing something with tremendous difficulty as if preventing something from bursting out of him.
He was so preoccupied with his mood that he didn’t notice he was severely holding her shoulder. His typically concentrated eyes were now strangely vacant.
“Your Majesty.”
Claire stroked the back of his palm and shouted out once more.
He twitched.
Finally, his lifeless, shimmering eyes came back to life. Eiden focused her attention on her beautiful fingertips.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
She was concerned that she had insulted him by touching him without his permission and swiftly drew her hand away.
But she couldn’t because a big hand firmly gripped her escape hand. Eiden glanced at her with chilly eyes and muttered,
“Do you have something to say to me?”
I wish you wouldn’t give me that look.
Claire swallowed the words she wanted to speak and opened her mouth tentatively.
“Before you get on the carriage.”
She then lifted the handkerchief in her hand. His gaze was drawn to the movement of the cloth.
“Oh, there’s blood on that mask.”
Despite the stunned expressions of those around her, Claire methodically wiped the blood from the mask.
The man’s tightly compressed lips gradually relaxed. His previously pale skin brightened, and the oppressive strain dissipated.
“It’s all been cleaned.”
“There’s some on your cheek as well.”
Eiden proudly extended his right cheek.
Claire wiped that away after taking a long breath.
“Well, Your Majesty, I think it’s time for us to depart.”
Eliott approached, pretending to cough.
Eiden gave Eliott an icy gaze, clearly unhappy by the intrusion. Eliott asked Claire, avoiding the icy stare.
“Lady Alicia, what should we do with that dog?”
Tos was still sitting on the ground, his gaze fixed on the monster and drooling profusely.
“Should we load him into the carriage? Or do you want me to take him?”
“Just leave him alone. In any case, he solely listens to me.”
“Then we’ll load him into the carriage.”
“Hmm, there’s no need for that.”
“Pardon?”
She was taken aback. He had just found Tos endearing, but now he didn’t want him in the carriage.
“The carriage would be unpleasant. He’s been following us closely thus far; just leave him alone.”
“But…”
Despite the succinct response, Eliott was perplexed.
“Your Majesty, let’s go.”
Claire took Eiden’s hand in hers and led him to the carriage.
It was preferable to go fast for Tos’ sake. He could then comfortably eat the monster.
“Why are you standing there, Sir Eliott, looking so befuddled? Let us leave.”
Eiden took a swipe at Eliott as he brushed past him.
Eliot’s face became even more puzzled.
* * *
After a brief delay, the carriage sped towards the Valles Monastery.
Monastery of Valles.
A temple dedicated to the God ‘El,’ who is claimed to have created humanity and the world.
The monastery was located amid the Elexion continent, between the Imortelle Empire, the Grizmen Kingdom, and the Nyx Kingdom, and was commonly referred to as a neutral territory. It did not belong to any nation because of its geographical location, and each country venerated it as the ‘Sacred Land of El,’ refrained from any intervention.
Before they knew it, the carriage had passed through the monastery’s main gate and arrived in front of the main building, where a sprawling grass extended out.
It was the warmest area in the otherwise dismal and steamy monastery, basking in the midday sun.
Anapi Haileich, the monastery’s Director, and a few other monks were waiting for the Emperor at that location.
“Welcome, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
Anapi approached, greeting them warmly. His flowing white hair and beard and his long, black priest’s robe resembled a benign wizard from a fantasy story.
“Anapi, it’s been a while.”
Eiden had a solid grip on one of Anapi’s shoulders.
The two have known each other for a long time.
“I heard you and Grizmen finished the war.”
“I’ve been busy with the aftermath, so I’m only now able to visit.”