TPOTLPIM Chapter 40

The Red Knights and the mage unit spurred their horses toward the capital after escaping the Forest of the Demon God. Since there were no monster attacks as they departed the forest, the journey back was considerably more manageable. If things continued this way, they would be able to return to the capital sooner than anticipated.

Marcel rode his horse beside Teros, cautiously observing his expression. Teros's demeanor had shifted since they escaped the Forest of the Demon God. He appeared somehow perplexed, and at times, he radiated an even chillier presence than usual.

Above all else, his attitude toward Count Serin had completely changed. Throughout their entire passage through the Forest of the Demon God, Teros had kept the Count close by his side, attentively monitoring his condition. Despite his typically aloof personality, he had made an effort to play the part of a charming son-in-law. However, from the moment they left the forest, Teros paid no mind to the Count's whereabouts and devoted himself entirely to leading the knights.

After observing his master's change, Marcel finally couldn't restrain himself and posed a question.

"Ah, My Lord. May I inquire about something cautiously?"

"Don't inquire. What you're thinking is correct."

So it has come to pass. Marcel gaped with his mouth hanging open. The demon's words from the demon's castle came flooding back—about lifting the love enchantment cast upon Teros. At last, he had broken free from the potion's hold.

"It's a pity. Can we no longer expect to see My Lord's gentle side?"

Marcel tried to lighten the mood with a jest, but he closed his mouth when met with cold, piercing eyes.

Marcel quietly sighed where Teros couldn't see. He already missed his master who had smiled softly and shown reasonable forbearance when meeting with Cecilia.

Marcel wasn't the only one who noticed Teros's change. Hadel also realized that the potion's influence had vanished from Teros.

"Hadel, let's have a talk."

That evening, when Teros called to him while preparing to camp, Hadel's shoulders flinched. He approached Teros with a fearful heart, as if standing before the gates of hell.

"Now tell me. What was that 'black magic' that bastard demon mentioned?"

Hadel squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Now it's the end. If only he had made a confession before leaving the Forest of the Demon God. Would there be mercy even for Teros, who had lost the potion's effects after escaping the forest?

Just before leaving the demon's castle, Teros had threateningly instructed the knights that the demon's words were preposterous nonsense, and they must not dare speak of them outside. This meant he would maintain silence about the demon revealing the love potion's existence, of course, as well as the fact that the demon was of Odik bloodline.

This behavior of his was the result of faithfully keeping his promise with Hadel to protect the Odik family from turmoil. If the fact that the demon, who was the empire's troublemaker, was of Odik bloodline became known to the world, the Odik family's image would fall to the ground, so he had kept secret things that could become Odik's weaknesses.

At that time, Hadel had been truly moved by such a Teros and had resolved to devote his life to serving him. Until they left the Forest of the Demon God, Teros had been such a generous and trustworthy man.

But could he expect the same thoughtful consideration from the current Teros, who had awakened from the potion?

Still, he couldn't fool this sharp man's eyes with foolish lies. Hadel's mind raced as he pondered how much he should reveal.

"I can hear your brain grinding from here. You'll have to spill everything, down to the smallest detail. The only difference is whether you confess willingly or confess because you can't bear the pain."

At those words, Hadel's complexion turned white as if he'd been doused with cold water. He touched the long scar remaining on the back of his opposite hand with trembling fingers. It was a scar left by Teros's dagger in the basement of Hasblue mansion. The fear and pain he felt the day the scar was made seemed to rush back all at once, making his face naturally contort.

Hadel instinctively knew that half-hearted confessions wouldn't work and collapsed to his knees as if crumbling.

"I, I have committed a mortal sin. The, the black magic was something I researched three years ago, and I haven't looked at it since then. At that time, I was also completely bewitched by black magic and wasn't in my right mind."

Teros nodded his head as if he found the questioning bothersome. It meant he should quickly summarize what kind of black magic he had used.

"That, that is. Our family's standing was deteriorating and as the Odik bloodline mixed with other families, our magical power was gradually weakening, so I became concerned..."

"I'm not curious about your circumstances."

"Yes, so actually, for several years I had been eagerly awaiting to catch My Lord's eye. I wanted to form a close relationship with My Lord to elevate our family's standing. But there needed to be something My Lord would require me for. My Lord is someone who possesses everything, and I am..."

"Skip the flattery as well."

"Ah, so I resolved to create myself a situation where My Lord would need me. At that time, I happened to be researching black magic. I thought that if something untoward occurred in My Lord's territory, My Lord would seek me out, and if I resolved it well, you would come to trust me. So that, three years ago when I went to Hasblue to treat My Lord's horse—didn't I? At that time, on that famous and beautiful lake near the mansion..."

Before he could finish speaking, Teros grabbed Hadel by the collar and lifted him up.

"Ugh, ughhh!"

"You cast black magic on the lake in my territory?"

"Huh, huhhh."

Hadel hung there pitifully like a leaf, trembling violently.

Teros threw Hadel down to the ground with force.

"You've lost your mind! How dare you! You snuck into my domain and meddled with my lake?"

Teros drew his sharp sword and brought it down.

"Huh, huahhh!"

Hadel quickly created a protective barrier but knew it was useless. Teros's combat sword was enhanced with magic, and Hadel's barrier couldn't block enhanced magic.

Crash-

Teros's sword missed Hadel and struck the innocent ground instead. Feeling the tremendous vibration that split the earth, Hadel curled up his body tightly.

Hearing the loud noise, Marcel and several other knights came running in surprise. They understood the source of the sound only after seeing Teros, but no one dared to stop their furious master.

Crash-

A few more strikes followed, but the sword only stabbed into the ground around Hadel. Teros seemed to be venting his anger but had no intention of killing Hadel.

Teros roughly grabbed the trembling Hadel who was cowering on the ground and stared piercingly into his green eyes.

"Now, tell me. What kind of black magic was it?"

"It, it was magic to summon spirits. Huhhh... I'm, I'm sorry, My Lord. I had the desire to get close to My Lord, but at that time I was mad with black magic and..."

"Damn it! To think that fairy thing called 'Daphne' or whatever was a spirit!"

"Did, did something really appear in that lake?"

"Yes! Damn it! Cecilia almost drowned in the lake because of that too. Only this fool couldn't see that monster!"

Watching the furious Teros, Marcel began to grow increasingly bewildered. That reckless mage casting black magic on Teros's lake was certainly cause for anger. But his master never vented his fury in such a manner. He would calmly and coolly stockpile his revenge, then seize his opponent by the nape when they least expected it.

Could his master possibly be so enraged by the fact that Lady Cecilia nearly died? Even now when the potion's effects should no longer exist?

Teros brought his face close to Hadel's and growled as he asked.

"What was the spirit's identity?"

When Hadel met those eyes flashing with murderous intent that he had once seen in the basement of Hasblue mansion, his jaw began to tremble violently.

"I, I don't know the details either. Such lakes are perfect for suicide attempts, aren't they? I thought it was a place where spirits might exist, so I cast black magic. I'm sorry. Huhhh..."

"Then that spirit is a woman who died in my lake."

Teros threw Hadel to the ground once more and became lost in thought. Cecilia had fallen into Lake Daphne on the day she first came to dine at his mansion in Hasblue, and just before falling into the lake, she had said she saw a woman she presumed to be a fairy. She had said it was a woman with red hair. The fact that this woman was not a fairy but a vengeful spirit who had died in the lake felt deeply disturbing.

"Brother!"

At that moment, Asen pushed through the knights and ran over to check on Hadel lying on the ground. She looked up at Teros with tears in her eyes, resentfully.

"The Odik siblings should stay out of my sight for the time being. That's an order."

Teros left, abandoning the trembling Hadel and Asen in the middle of the torn-up ground.

"Lady Asen, are you inside?"

After sunset, when Marcel called loudly in front of the tent where Asen was staying, Asen lifted the tent flap and peeked her head out.

Marcel's expression subtly contorted when he saw Asen's face.

Asen's eyes were swollen from crying a lot, and she looked haggard in just a few hours, as if she hadn't eaten dinner properly.

Marcel cleared his throat to avoid being caught showing pity on his face.

"Ahem. My Lord is calling for you."

"Yes."

Asen didn't even have the energy to ask what he was calling her for and began walking behind Marcel with dragging steps as she came out of the tent.

The two walked side by side toward the tent where Teros was staying. Thanks to the knights having a meat party to commemorate successfully leaving the Forest of the Demon God, the lingering smell of meat and warm heat that hadn't yet dissipated enveloped them.

"Did you eat dinner? Isn't today a day when everyone ate their fill?"

Asen just shook her head weakly.

"You have to be qualified to eat. My Lord is still very angry, isn't he? Thinking about what my brother did, I'm also ashamed."

Her green eyes wavered greatly and tears finally fell. Marcel unconsciously frowned and turned his head to the other side as if not wanting to see that sight.

"Lady Asen doesn't need to feel sorry for the researcher's mistake."

"Huhhh..."

Although he meant to comfort her, starting with those words, Asen began to burst into tears as if opening a dam she had been holding back. She raised both hands to wipe away the tears flowing down her cheeks as they pleased.

"Sob... I'm sorry, Sir Marcel. But my brother, my brother is so pitiful."

"What's pitiful about the researcher? My Lord showed rare mercy today. If it were before, it definitely wouldn't have ended like this. He might have lost an arm."

At words that were unclear whether they were comfort or threat, Asen began to sob even louder. Her chest heaved up and down and her breathing was irregular.

"Sob... sniff. You don't know how desperately my brother wanted to become close to Your Lordship, Sir. Now everything is ruined. He's incurred Your Lordship's hatred and been utterly disgraced before the Odik relatives. Sob... He might even have to surrender the family head position to other relatives."

"It's the result of his own actions, so the researcher must bear it. Isn't Odik strict enough not to heal even wounds caused by one's own wrongdoing? Hey! Stop crying, young lady. The researcher is someone who won't even caress the wound on the young lady's cheek."

Seeing Asen cry while worrying about Hadel, Marcel felt strangely irritated. He didn't want to see her crying, nor the bluish bruise marks still faintly remaining on her cheek. Without realizing it, he raised one hand to gently cup Asen's bruised cheek.

At that moment, Asen reflexively swatted away Marcel's arm that was cupping her cheek.

"Sir, it's easy for you to say that because it's someone else's business! You don't know how hard my brother has worked for the family all this time! And because of me, because of me, how much he's suffered!"

Only after seeing Marcel's bewildered expression did Asen calm her surging excitement.

"I'm sorry, Sir Marcel. This is just our situation, not something you need to understand. You don't need to accompany me further. I can find Lord Teros's tent by myself."

Asen hurriedly overtook Marcel as if fleeing. Stepping on rustling grass and almost running toward Teros's tent, Asen found it difficult to calm her strangely pounding heart.

["The Odik siblings should stay out of my sight for the time being. That's an order."]

Teros's blade-like gaze came to mind. She couldn't even guess why he was calling her while withdrawing his order in just a few hours.

Arriving in front of Teros's tent, Asen caught her breath for a moment before barely managing to speak.

"Your Lordship, this is Asen Odik. I heard you called for me and came."

"Come in."

Asen lifted the tent flap with trembling hands. Inside the tent was a makeshift table with a map spread upon it, and an oil lamp placed on the table wavered as it illuminated the tent's interior.

Teros sat in a makeshift chair to receive her, and Asen unconsciously approached him and dropped to her knees. Although Asen was not part of the knight order led by Teros and had no need to kneel, after learning of Hadel's wrongdoing during the day, she could not bring herself to stand upright.

Teros made no effort to help the kneeling Asen to her feet either, and gazed down at her with arrogance.

"I've been thinking hard about it. How to deal with Hadel Odik. Because of casting black magic on the lake, my fiancée almost drowned. Oh, I almost forgot, but Hadel also tried to poison me with an unidentified drug."

Asen bowed even lower, lowering her head until her forehead almost touched the ground.

"I'm sorry, My Lord. We have committed sins that cannot be repaid with any words. But."

Asen crawled on her knees closer to Teros and grabbed his feet.

"I dare to ask for My Lord's forgiveness. Not because we are without sin, but please take pity on us and forgive us."

Teros could destroy the Odik family all too easily. Asen trembled with fear at this fact.

Teros had the power to manipulate even the Emperor, and in this expedition, the Odik family's weaknesses had been unexpectedly revealed. If the fact that the demon was of Odik bloodline became known to the public, the Odik family would be stoned by all the empire's citizens.

When Teros said nothing, Asen carefully raised her head to examine his face. His face, lit by the flickering lamp, was beautiful yet frightening like an emotionless sculpture. The moment she confirmed that expression, Asen's body stiffened as if she had seen Medusa.

When Teros met Asen's fear-stained eyes, a crooked smile appeared on his expressionless face.

"You should listen to people's words to the end, Asen Odik. I'm going to show rare mercy."

Not immediately understanding Teros's words, Asen rolled her eyes earnestly while examining his expression.

"As you know, Hadel swore loyalty to me and I also decided to help Odik. But looking at Hadel, he doesn't seem very trustworthy. From now on, the Odik who will be with me is not Hadel, but you."

Asen still didn't quickly understand Teros's words and just blinked.

"Hadel will have to hand over the head of family position to you. I'll only help Odik through you. Since the public still thinks you're a hopeless mage, let's slowly transfer the Imperial magic researcher position. Taking away all of Hadel's positions and giving them to his younger sister is my punishment. How about it?"

Countless indescribable emotions instantly overwhelmed Asen. Me as head of family? Can I dare take responsibility for such a position? What happens to my brother?

Hadel had habitually called Asen his successor, but it was uncertain whether he would want to hand over the head of family position at his vigorous age when he should be most active.

However, faced with a completely different decision from what she expected would be a harsh punishment, Asen had no choice but to hurriedly nod her head.

With bewildered steps, Asen retreated and came out of the tent, meeting eyes with Marcel who was waiting for her in front of the tent.

Asen looked at Marcel emotionlessly with a pale face like a ghost, then passed by him and returned to her tent.

Several days later. The servants of the Serin household were bustling about in preparation to welcome their master returning after such a long absence. A messenger from the Red Knights had arrived at the Count's estate ahead of them, bringing word that the knight order and Count Serin were arriving in the capital.

Cecilia commanded the kitchen servants to prepare meals for Count Serin and Teros while instructing them to stock provisions abundantly. Though they could not invite the entire knight order and mage unit to dine, they could invite and entertain several of the senior knights at the Serin residence.

After checking the meal preparation status, she hurried up to her room to begin preparing to go out, even though it was still early. She repeatedly tried on and took off several dresses in front of the mirror, which was unlike her usual behavior. Dalein, who was helping her change clothes beside her, also helped her mistress dress without showing any sign of annoyance. She knew better than anyone how much her young mistress had been counting down the days to today.

"Miss, you have those earrings the Marquis gave you as an engagement gift. They would go well with this dress, shall we try them?"

"Yes, Dalein!"

Just hearing the word 'Marquis' made both of Cecilia's cheeks turn bright red. The pure white pearl earrings that Dalein put on dangled brilliantly beside her flower-petal-colored cheeks.

After finishing her preparations to go out, Cecilia walked almost running toward the carriage waiting in the garden with quick steps. The hem of her dress fluttering around her ankles bounced up with each step as if representing her excited heart.

While the carriage was running, Cecilia had to try hard to calm her pounding heart. Pride and anxiety came simultaneously, making it hard to sit still in her seat. At the news that the two men she had missed and worried about deep in her heart had returned, she tasted happiness for the first time in a long while.

Eventually, the carriage arrived in front of the Imperial Palace. Teros and her father would now be reporting to the Emperor about what they experienced in the Forest of the Demon God.

Parking the carriage near the Imperial Palace, Cecilia waited for several hours. While waiting, she could have strolled through the nearby park or browsed the shops, but fearing she might miss the moment when the two emerged, she chose to wait inside the carriage. During the waiting time, her heart beat with new significance each passing moment.

At last, the main gate of the Imperial Palace opened and several knights wearing red mantles began to emerge. Cecilia could recognize Teros's face at the head of the knights even from afar. And beside him, she could see her father with his faded blond hair, conspicuously gaunt after these few months.

As soon as she confirmed their faces, Cecilia opened the carriage door, jumped out, and ran toward them.

"Father!"

The person Cecilia embraced first was Count Otmin Serin. The moment she was enfolded in his arms, she caught the scent of a desolate fragrance like withered autumn leaves. During the months without her father, Cecilia had endured the cold world feeling like an orphan, so the instant she felt that familiar warmth and scent, tears came streaming forth.

"Cecilia! Oh dear, my child. You've had a hard time, haven't you? You did well, you did well."

Count Otmin Serin continuously stroked Cecilia's hair with his dry, cracked hands.

The father and daughter faced each other, wiping away each other's flowing tears and smiling.

Then Cecilia's gaze turned to Teros standing beside the Count. The face of her husband, whom she had longed to see even in her dreams each night, was right before her eyes. The moment she saw that face, an indescribable surge of emotion welled up, making a corner of her heart quiver.

She approached Teros and warmly embraced him.

"Thank you so much, Teros. All of this is thanks to you."

His warm yet firm embrace, the familiar scent she loved. Feeling the warm sensation with all five senses, Cecilia realized he had returned and felt relieved.

As she nuzzled her face in his arms, Teros's large hand also stroked her soft blonde hair.

"Was there any trouble while I was away?"

At the calm baritone voice, Cecilia, who had been in Teros's arms, raised her head to check his face. He was smiling barely visibly.

Staring blankly at that expression, Cecilia finally started as if waking from a dream and wiped away her flowing tears.

"Oh, look at my manners. Father, did Teros tell you? Many things happened during this time and I married him. I wanted to receive your permission, but I had no choice."

"Yes, I heard a general explanation. I was very surprised, but it seems Lord Teros took good care of you while I was away. Let's all go to the Serin house together. We need to have a delicious dinner and share the stories we couldn't finish."

Count Otmin Serin invited several knights who had accompanied them to the palace to the mansion, including Marcel, the knight commander.

Cecilia hurriedly approached Marcel, who was about to mount his horse, grabbed him, and whispered in his ear.

"Sir Marcel, did something happen to Teros? Perhaps..."

"Nothing happened, my lady. He's just tired and sensitive from dealing with monsters, haha. I'll depart for the Serin house first."

Marcel quickly mounted his horse while avoiding Cecilia's eyes. Cecilia watched Marcel's retreating figure with vacant eyes as he hurriedly spurred his horse and departed. Feeling a strange unease enveloping her entire body, she sensed a sharp chill and lightly trembled her shoulders.