Pellio unconsciously bit his lip hard upon hearing Louise’s answer.

Because the night he spent trembling in fear over his father’s suicide attempt came to mind.

The suicide attempt of the Duke of Battistean left indelible scars on the Duke’s body and soul, but it also remained in his son Pellio’s memory as a terrible experience.

He learned for the first time then that one could die from sadness and fear.

And yet, to use such a tactic to threaten someone.

To threaten the Emperor, no, his first love and longtime lover, Anri, he didn’t know how to accept this fact.

“Is His Majesty… alright?”

“Well, he’s not one to hide his emotions, is he? From the outside, there was no noticeable change.”

“I see. Thank you for your answer. For now, this information will stay with me.”

“I also have no intention of telling anyone else.”

Louise’s face still held a calm smile, giving no hint of what she was thinking.

Even after losing her son, she had been able to endure, but upon her husband’s death, she had become a dedicated clergy member of the temple.

She had given up all her worldly status.

She was appointed as the exclusive clergy for the royal palace with an attitude that seemed free of any resentments, as if she had let everything go. However, Pellio knew the real reason she had entered the palace.

It was to gain leverage over Ermedillin, who was both her nemesis and his father’s.

Therefore, Pellio knew that no matter how calm a smile Louise wore, within it lurked the sharp blade of vengeful blue.

And so, until recently, she was clearly on Valiere’s side.

Pellio cautiously asked,

“What are your thoughts on Valiere?”

Louise did not directly answer Pellio’s question, but spoke ambiguously instead.

“I am currently observing the will of the gods.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m realizing how changeable humans are, and how worthless the word ‘absolute’ is. It seems I still have a lot to learn in my practice.”

“Ah…”

While Louise’s answer seemed to be referring to Valiere, Pellio immediately realized that she was talking about the will of the gods related to Ermedillin.

“Do you really think change is possible?”

“I don’t know. Hence, I have resolved to simply watch.”

“You mean, you’ve resolved to simply watch?”

“That is my intention.”

For a moment, Pellio wished he could have had this conversation with his father.

However, the situation between Louise and himself was different.

The death of Louise’s husband and Ermedillin was a matter with little circumstantial evidence to connect them.

Yet, the symptoms that appeared in his mother could only be a curse from the François lineage.

So even if his father were to abandon his quest for revenge, it doesn’t change the fact that Ermedillin is involved in the miserable death of his mother.

Just then, Louise softly hugged Pellio, who was staring helplessly at the floor, and whispered.

“Young Master, humans can hardly control anything. Not even their own hearts. We are but helpless beings.”

“!!”

Pellio regained his focus upon hearing Louise’s words. He looked into her eyes with determination, but Louise said nothing more.

Pellio also wanted to ask Louise what she meant by what she had just said, but fearing the answer that might come, he closed his mouth.

He felt that if Louise gave a direct answer, he would die of humiliation right there and then.

‘Hostage,’

As usual, Anri laid down at the predetermined time.

However, due to his troubled thoughts, his eyelids did not easily close.

It was Valiere who had twice witnessed his suicide attempt.
Each time, it was she who would sob to the point where it seemed Balrier might die before her, pouring out her resentment.

Henri, upon realizing that his actions had left a deep scar on Balrier’s soul, made a firm vow before the gods never to commit such a deed again.

That day’s promise was likely engraved like a tattoo on both their souls.

“Hostage drama. Did you do it not because it was difficult but to threaten me?”

Old wounds began to ache anew.

The day he had resolved to die due to the neglect of his parents and the malice of his stepsiblings, what had saved his soul was Balrier’s sincere tears.

Henri thought that he could continue living because she was there, that he was an entity worthy of existence.

But that Balrier threatened his life.

It was like reopening with his own hands the wounds on Henri that he had once sutured himself.

His wounds may have appeared to be healed on the surface, but they were not at all inside.

The closed wound was rotting, so much so that the raw flesh was beginning to decay.

At times, when the pus and blood oozed out, Henri felt as if he would suffocate from the stench emanating from his soul.

The long time and memories he had spent with Balrier began to pry open and flow out of his wounds.

There was a time when he firmly believed that he was not alone.

There were times when he felt relieved, thinking that he was walking this difficult and lonely road with someone else.

Tonight will be a long night for Henri.

A long night when he has to accept that he is alone again.