“I want to become the female lead.”

Elysia spoke with a trembling heart.

“I know what you’re worried about. I know that Mom has been working hard for you all this time.”

Nevertheless, she wanted to choose her own life.

By whose side, whose hand to hold.

Elysia hoped it would be Illeon.

So, if becoming the female lead was what it took to be with him as the male lead of “The Blind Beast’s Flower,” she wanted to do it.

“You know about that book.”

Elysia looked at Mariella with earnest eyes.

“Please help me, so I can be with Illeon.”

Tears welled up in Mariella’s purple eyes, so similar to hers.

“Alright, Elysia.”

“……Mom.”

Elysia was surprised to see Mariella answer so willingly.

Unexpectedly, Mariella held Elysia’s hand with a determined look.

“Let’s try. You can do it.”

“Um, Mom.”

Surprisingly, Elysia was the one taken aback.

She didn’t expect Mariella to suggest it without saying much, so she was unsure how to react.

“If it’s for you, Mom can do anything. Elysia.”

Tears streamed down Mariella’s cheeks.

“Um, Mom.”

In response to her calm reaction, Mariella pulled Elysia into her arms.

“Elysia!”

The reception room door creaked open, and Gillian, with a pale and almost ashen complexion, rushed in.

“Oh, you… how did you… here.”

“Dad.”

As Elysia looked at him with teary eyes, tears flowed down the middle-aged man’s cheek, which had sunken overnight.

“I went to the port. To… to find out about you…”

Ileon silently watched the three families embrace each other.

Finally, the true Mariella and Gillian sat side by side in the Duke’s bedroom.

This was the thickest-walled and quietest space in the Duke’s residence. For the same reason, it was suitable for having important conversations without the noise inside leaking out.

Only tears had stopped; Mariella’s hand continued to tremble as if convulsing. Looking at it with embarrassment, Gillian silently held her hand tightly.

“Feeling a bit better now?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t this a stroke of luck?”

Gillian sighed.

“The fact that Duke Clevante himself went to bring that child.”

“…….”

“Still having a hard time emotionally? Elysia, it’s not your fault that the ship she was on sank.”

On her way to the continent of Nanku, the ship heading to the port city of Verbero couldn’t avoid the curse of Sonatec.

It was historically rare for a ship to sink at a time when it could navigate normally. Those who had to live tomorrow lost their lives prematurely.

Knowing that Elysia had returned alive from the crossroads of life and death, and seeing no signs of Mariella’s tense shoulders and Gillian’s stern face loosening, Gillian began to gently caress his wife’s hand and shoulders.
“Gillian, there’s something I must tell you.”

As he met her eyes, Mariella’s eyes moistened again, as if urging him to speak quickly.

“Why are you doing this? If it’s difficult to talk about, you don’t have to.”

“No, not now. I have to do it now.”

As Mariella shook her head, tears clung to her eyelashes and dripped down.

“Elysia wants to be engaged to Duke Clevante.”

Gillian nodded. Even though the Duchess, Mariella, took care of their daughter, it was impossible not to know that the Duke was ardently pursuing Elysia.

He wondered how their daughter, who had grown up as a novice in the temple and disappeared in an accident, had ended up working in the Duke’s residence. He was also curious about how Illeon, who had been blind at the time, had fallen so deeply in love with Elysia.

Gillian believed his wife’s words that, according to the prophecy, their daughter was destined to die, and he had to help her escape. He planned to follow Mariella’s wishes and reject any formal marriage proposal that might come from the Constance Empire.

However, Duke Clevante, Illeon, had personally sailed to distant seas to rescue their daughter. Gillian, who had intentionally avoided meeting Illeon every time he visited the aristocratic residence to respect Mariella’s wishes, was now seeing him up close for the first time. Illeon already seemed emotionally connected to Elysia.

“Alright. I won’t oppose.”

After saying so, Gillian sneakily glanced at Mariella.

“Of course, if you don’t dislike it.”

“I want to do it according to his wishes. We should hurry with the engagement to Duke Clevante.”

Gillian held his wife’s hand.

“Good. That alone might help us avoid the Crown Prince.”

“Gillian.”

Complex emotions welled up in Mariella’s eyes. As if she had committed a great sin, she hesitated to speak several times, looking at Gillian, who was about to embrace her. It was when Mariella, pushing away his warmth with trembling hands, finally managed to open her mouth.

“I lied to you.”

“Lied?”

“It’s about the prophecy. I said Elysia must escape because she’s destined to die at the hands of the Crown Prince.”

Gillian’s eyes widened.

“Are you saying the prophecy was wrong? That everything you said didn’t actually happen.”

“Elysia was Illeon’s companion from the beginning.”

“What does that mean?”

Mariella grabbed a piece of Gillian’s clothing with trembling hands.