The situation goes back to three days ago.
At 10 o'clock at night, the Emperor's office was filled with only dark silence, with even his aides retreating.
The Emperor was reading the report that Hikan had just sent. He frowned slightly.
According to the analysis of the officials, Aceras's soul is currently on its limit. Even last week, he had used his powers to extend the lifespan of a nobleman's elder.
There is only one existing way to purify a fallen soul. Naturally, he will target Dalia, his only hope.
But even if Aceras were to get Dalia, he won't get anything.
There's one fact that only the Emperor knew regarding Dalia's ability.
He only learned about this because of his ability to 'see' other people's emotions.
'Miss Dalia Pesteros's ability is influenced by the feelings she has toward the person she purifies.'
The more anxious she is, the deeper her hatred for the other person, the less effective the purification will be.
Previously, when the Emperor made physical contact with Dalia and brought up a story she hated, he felt Dalia's emotions fluctuate and the energy of purification that was conveyed weakened.
What if Aceras finds out about the fact after forcibly taking her? With his mind driven to the limit, will he really keep Dalia alive?
The Emperor was most afraid of the consequences.
At one point, he cherished Dalia Pesteros not only for her ability.
Her emotions that he felt every time he touched her hand were always upright and transparent, and it always came as a fresh shock to him who was accustomed to the intricate human relationship in the imperial palace.
He was lost in thought for a moment.
At the same time, Cedric, who was searching for books in the connected room, appeared in the office.
After confirming that the Emperor was absent, he naturally entered the room.
His father, who was exhausted from the recent arduous work, often seemed to forget that he was studying in the next room.
Although he was wary of outsiders' intrusion, he was not wary of his own children.
'To do that to his own child, he's too mean.'
Cedric looked through the documents scattered around the Emperor's desk without much thought.
He received Dalia's letter yesterday. The letter arrived in the morning, but he saved to read it until the evening to concentrate.
After a moment of mental preparation, he finished reading the letter.
The contents of the letter could not have been more perfect. He also took care of Vesta's silver sand that Dalia gave him.
However, the postscript continued to get on his nerves.
Viscount Arthur Pendleton.
His real name is Meldon Verix. Didn't he say that he abandoned the last name Verix? Cedric doesn't know because he quickly forgets things that he's not interested in.
He was the person who Cedric met when he escaped from the imperial palace and the one who created a fake identity for him.
He had quite a few abilities even at a young age, such as forging ID cards and establishing hiding places.
However, the reason Cedric was particularly close to him was because he was a transcendent who had already awakened.
There is currently only one Ducal family that has lost its transcendent line.
In the end, Artus' blood flowed into the back alley and appeared in the wrong person.
'This is why you have to keep your body clean.'
Cedric thought of the current Duke Artus, who pretended to be good-natured but full of disgusting lust inside.
Even worse, he was even under suspicion of secretly communicating with the Holy Empire.
Since he and his children were particularly unlucky, Cedric intended to use Meldon to pressure him politically later.
It would be a good thing for both of them if Meldon became the head of the Artus Ducal family.
Thanks to this, Cedric turned a blind eye to his ridiculousness several times and sometimes even sent magic supplies that he asked for to suit his absurd business plans.
Some of them were ridiculous failures, so rather than being marketed, Cedric only created unpleasant connections between him and Meldon.
He doesn't know what brought him to meet Dalia, but it was certain that being associated with such a bad influence would have a bad effect on Dalia.
In any case, it's completely different if he's there for some business.(*t/n: sorry not sure about this)
There was a document that he was looking for. He saw Hikan's name written on the file and took it without thinking too much.
'It's not like Hikan to go to the countryside for no reason.'
Obviously, there was some hidden reason for Dalia's trip this time.
Perhaps, the reason was related to Dalia.
He sent the quartz piece containing self-defense magic just in case, but he was uneasy to just leave it alone.
'If it doesn't work out, I'll go see her in person.'
He had already made up his mind halfway.
He looked through the contents.
There was no information about Dalia's ability.
The information about her was confidential, so he was not sloppy enough to leave it in a document like this. What was written there was just a plan from the Holy Empire that Hikan had predicted and the countermeasure.
'... Why does the Holy Empire want Dalia?'
For Cedric who was unaware of Dalia's ability, he could not understand why.
As he was frowning, the Emperor who had been away, returned.
He looked a little perplexed at the unexpected situation.
"Are you interested in government affairs?"
"Yes, sometimes."
Cedric put down the document with an indifferent expression.
He couldn't even talk to the Emperor about Dalia. It was a secret that they were meeting separately and having classes, and it was also a secret that they were exchanging letters.
He knew the Emperor well.
He sees Cedric as a 'lacking' person, and at the same time, he loves his child more than anyone else. (*t/n: lacking in common sense)
Therefore, the moment Cedric says anything about Dalia, the Emperor will put Dalia by his side no matter what.
He didn't want that kind of outcome.
He didn't know before, and he still doesn't understand now.
"Why is the Holy Empire aiming for Dalia Pesteros?"
The Emperor shrugged. He didn't seem to have any intention of answering. Cedric turned to the document again.
"Well, Hikan Pesteros is pretty good too. If it's in Vesta, the only way for the fanatics to take her is through the warp portal."
The plan wasn't bad. But Cedric wanted it to be... more safe.
"It's surprising that Hikan trusts Adrisha and leaves her alone, but it's a little lacking to keep her alone as insurance."
The Emperor looked at him with a completely shocked expression. Cedric smiled and added, fearing that he would be caught.
"Since I have some personal resentment with Aceras, I'll help you with this one."
Well, it wasn't completely wrong.
* * *
"...The gift I sent you has the reverse attribute of a warp portal. That's what I was aiming for."
Cedric slowly descended in front of Dalia. Then he frowned slightly when he spotted Adrisha and flicked his two fingers.
Again, fog surrounded her body, and in an instant Adrisha returned as an adult.
Dalia breathed a sigh of relief. Although it was written that the duration was one day, she was worried that Adrisha might not return tomorrow.
Cedric looked at Dalia softly.
"I heard roughly from my father. Were you surprised?"
"...I was surprised. Because of him."
Dalia raised her hand and pointed to Meldon, whom she could not see with her eyes open.
Upon hearing the remarks aimed at him, Meldon's face stiffened.
He was trying to explain something, but he seemed to quickly realize that whatever he said would sound ridiculous.
He covered his face, sighed, went up, and came back after a while in normal clothes.
"Aren't you being too harsh to someone who came to help you, Miss Dalia?"
"No, I'm thankful but..."
It must have been quite a shock.
Meldon also read the message in Dalia's eyes.
"You'll understand if you hear my explanation."
According to him, he first decided to dress up as a maid and deal with the fanatics who infiltrated here.
And he said he was going to use the skin that he had disguised as and pretend to be her and dig information from them.
But he didn't know. Since he has always disguised himself as a man of his physique, he needs to have the right size to dress up as a woman.
It was a sad story that he had no choice but to appear in front of them like a monster, after spending a long time forcing into the fake skin that didn't fit.
"Besides, Sir Cedric said that it's going to fit because it's customized..."
"Me?"
"No, right, no."
When Cedric smiled and asked that, Meldon wriggled his lips and smiled.
His gaze rested on Dalia for a moment, then turned towards the space.
"Hmm."
A peculiar sound came out of his mouth.
After a while, he gently smiled and slightly bowed his knee toward Dalia.
"Anyway, I've repaid the favor Miss Dalia. However, I'll 'especially' help you one more time, so feel free to contact me if you ever need me."
Saying so, he took out a small pendant and gave it to Dalia.
When she opened it, there was a small piece of quartz again this time.
'...But he's not this kind of person?'
Anyway, free things are good.
Dalia tried to get it quickly and take...it.
"I will help you if you need it. Don't accept help from strangers."
Cedric snatched the pendant mid air and put it in his chest pocket. Dalia alternately looked between her empty hands, Cedric and Meldon.
'What is this situation?'
Dalia reached out to grab the pendant that Cedric had taken. But on the contrary, he looked rather sad.
"Do you really need help from that kind of person?"
"It's, it's not that..."
Meldon was looking at Dalia with twinkling eyes as if he knew something.
At that moment, Adrisha, who was quietly observing the situation, opened her mouth.
"It's all good, but over there."
"Huh?"
Dalia's heart tightened at the moment.
'Is it because of Meldon?'
Come to think of it, there was a complicated relationship between Meldon and Adrisha.
She looked at Adrisha because she thought she was going to fight again here, but her gaze was toward the basement stairs, instead of Meldon. She pointed her finger towards it.
"He's about to get up."
Dalia looked back in surprise.
The man who was beaten to the point of almost dying by Meldon was staggering.
Translator Note: How shocking was Meldon in maid outfit??..I need to see it (;￣Д￣)