I Will Live for Your Death (20 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 149

Ilyd was absent. The window was not even open.

Was this a silent refusal? Rivel gazed up blankly at the second-floor balcony.

He briefly considered opening the locked window and stepping inside, but then abandoned the idea. “Once is a mistake, twice is a fault”—one of Limres’s old admonitions to Rivel.

Yet with the remaining time growing so uncertain, he could not simply let the days slip by idly. Would they even be whole days? That ominous, crimson stain splashed across his glove. The surging pain was growing more frequent, shortening the intervals between episodes.

If possible, he wanted to say as much as he could during the time he had been granted.

Rivel headed toward the main gate of the Empress’s palace. All the way in, he felt the weight of watchful eyes fixed on the palace grounds.

Though his stealth abilities had dulled considerably, that instinct hadn’t died yet. He declared to the guards at the gate as if addressing Claudius himself:

“Please inform Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.”

The one who received Rivel was Lynette. She offered a light bow, then pursed her lips in evident discomfort. Ah, of course—it was a rejection. His resigned gaze sank to the floor.

“…She refused me?”

“Huh? No, not at all. Her Imperial Majesty took a long nap today, so her schedule fell behind.”

Lynette shrugged as if it were nothing unusual. After visiting Anent Palace, Ilyd had felt exhausted and requested a nap—an uncommon request, which delighted the palace maids so much they threw their arms wide open in welcome. Naturally, the consequence was a backlog of tasks.

“This is something Her Imperial Majesty specifically requested. Please deliver it to her yourself. She’ll surely be even more pleased.”

Lynette thrust the book into Rivel’s hands and gave him a gentle shove. Half-pushed along, he soon found himself standing before Ilyd’s office door.

Sneaking in to assassinate an enemy in hiding would have felt less nerve-wracking than this. With trembling fingers, Rivel knocked. Ilyd’s voice resonated from within: “Come in.” Without hesitation, he opened the door.

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