“Did the young lady know what the mark of servitude meant when you did it? No, of course she wouldn’t. What kind of resentment are you trying to invite!”
“It means nothing from the source can approach her anymore. Except for me. I wanted Thea to be safe while I was away.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You just took preemptive measures to make sure no other children would bite the young lady.”
For their kind, the mark was a form of enchantment or bewitchment. It was an act of completely dominating someone’s body and mind, making them a servant.
Humans marked with the servant’s seal would offer themselves to their enchanter, like birds and butterflies drawn to a beautiful flower. They couldn’t suppress their desires toward the other party, whether those desires were sexual or emotional.
So rather than going through the trouble of hunting for prey, they could simply lure the sacrifice to come willingly, then feast on the meal laid before them. It was an infinitely convenient process if one had the patience to wait for their target.
However, as far as Aikabal knew, the man had never marked anyone as his servant in all these long years. Yet now his target was ‘that’ Lady Terzia.
“Did you verify whether the mark was properly branded on the young lady? As you know, she’s quite special.”
Terzia possessed an inherently sweet essence, and Aikabal knew that quite a few noble peers had their eyes on her.
But the man’s face showed no consideration for the possibility of failure. He had never doubted himself.
“Well, is verification really necessary?”
“Of course, no one would dare approach the young lady after seeing your mark, but not everyone in this world is clever.”
“Hmm.”
“But that’s not the real issue here. From the young lady’s perspective, now that the evil spirits that had been tormenting her are gone, she might feel she’s finally free.”
“……”
“What human would enjoy being treated like prey? The reason the young lady tolerated you was because you were a shield against the evil spirits… Now there’s no master, no evil spirits. The young lady must have had quite an enjoyable six years, don’t you think?”
The man fell into deep thought.
There was logic to these words. Terzia Brandel was a special kind of human, the likes of which even he had never witnessed before, and because of this, she had been targeted by all sorts of evil spirits and beasts since childhood.
The man had consumed her life force in exchange for protecting her from malevolent beings. That was the promise they made with linked pinkies 16 years ago.
He had never once imagined that promise could be broken.
Terzia who no longer needed him…
He quietly acknowledged this.
“That would indeed be troublesome.”
The man lifted his hand from his chin.
“I don’t welcome that kind of annoyance.”
The slowly moving carriage suddenly came to a halt. Startled by the strong recoil, Deran Aikabal raised his head and froze at the sudden sense of déjà vu.
The steady sound of the steam engine had stopped as if it were a lie.
‘Is… is it broken?’
However, as soon as his eyes met the man’s, Deran Aikabal swallowed hard and pressed himself against the carriage backrest.
The man gave him a gentle smile. But his eyes weren’t smiling at all.
Far from smiling, the ice-cold gleam in his eyes sent chills down Aikabal’s spine.
“And I’m starting to get hungry.”
The long, white fingers that had been hovering in the air lightly closed.
And the next moment, without any warning or sign, the carriage shot forward with a tremendous roar, as if going berserk.
“Urghk…! Ah, Master, please. Stop!”
This was definitely not a scenario Deran Aikabal had anticipated.
*** *** *** *** ***
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
Since the ascension of Galactus II, the current Emperor of Brom, the Emperor’s Birthday Festival, which began on the Day of Verdure in the fifth month each year, was celebrated over three days. Terzia planned to attend only the evening ball on the first day.
She inspected her reflection in the mirror with a resolute gaze. A woman dressed in pure white, as elegant as a lily, stared back at her.
“Do you like it, my Lady?”
“Yes, you’ve worked very hard, nanny.”
By the time she finished preparing, the clock pointed to 5:30 PM. It was about time to depart. Count Brandel had sent word that he would escort his daughter in front of the Imperial Palace.
Her heart tightened with anxiety and tension.
‘Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it…’
Unfortunately, the more she resolved not to, the more her wicked fiancé’s face floated around in her mind.
Even though six years had passed, and despite the fact that she had spent much of that time forgetting about him, Terzia could still vividly recall every detail about him.
The fine black hair that easily fluttered in the wind, and the ruby-like eyes that he showed only to her. The shirts he often wore and the coarse, gray indoor robe he liked because of its soft texture.
The small habit of unconsciously stroking his chin when lost in deep thought, and even the shape of the cufflinks that had adorned his sleeves every single day since she gifted them to him at the age of fifteen.
There were too many memories with him. He was, in essence, Terzia’s childhood.
But that was all.
Terzia resolutely stared at the lively cheeks of the woman in the mirror.
‘I like things as they are now. I don’t want to go back to being the miserable nineteen-year-old Terzia.’
It had taken great effort to regain her health and peace.
So, she resolved again and again not to let herself be swayed. As she tied a silk ribbon around the scarred neck, Terzia made her determination firm.
The road to the Imperial Palace was both long and endlessly short. When the sound of steam from the carriage’s engine faded into the distance, leaving only the pounding of her heart,
The heart of Brom, the ivory Arreheim Imperial Palace, finally appeared through the sunset-streaked window.
*** *** *** *** ***
The ivory-hued Imperial Palace radiated a majestic splendor. It was not a place just anyone could enter, and even Terzia, the daughter of the Minister of Finance, had rarely visited the palace without a specific reason.
The carriage glided through the Condensed Arc de Triomphe and approached the entrance of the palace. Numerous carriages, each bearing the crests of noble families, were converging toward the palace in a steady stream.
The Brandel family’s carriage came to a gentle stop in front of the entrance. After a few seconds, the carriage door opened. Count Brandel, impeccably dressed and smiling broadly, extended his hand to his daughter as she stepped out of the carriage.
“Come now, Terzia. You look truly beautiful today. Was the journey comfortable?”
“It only took a few minutes. It was fine. Father, you look very dashing today as well.”
The father and daughter chatted warmly as they entered the grand entrance, flanked by imposing sculptures of an eagle and a leopard.
When they arrived at the entrance to the Belesita Hall, where the ball was being held, someone called out to them.
“Isn’t that the Minister of Finance? It’s been a while.”
Terzia instinctively turned her head and widened her eyes. A strikingly handsome man with golden hair as radiant as the midday sun and brilliant blue eyes stood there, wearing a polite smile. His appearance was so stunning that even she was momentarily mesmerized.
The Count greeted him warmly with a handshake.
“Today, I’m here as Count Brandel, not the Minister. Marquis, it’s good to see you.”
“Please, no need for such formalities. You flatter me too much.”
The moment she heard the title ‘Marquis,’ Terzia realized who he was. Among the young nobles who had just entered their thirties, there was only one referred to as a Marquis, and in the current Brom, there was no one who didn’t know his name.
Viatin Arthus A. Caul, the head of the Kaul Marquisate, a titan of the Empire’s commerce and industry, and one of the Emperor’s two right hands alongside Arpheir.
Terzia curtsied and greeted him.
“Terzia Brandel. It’s an honor to meet the head of Caul.”
“There’s no need to be so formal, my Lady. You’re the Minister’s daughter, after all. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine. Thank you.”
His gentle and warm features, neatly combed-back hair, and light gray suit harmonized perfectly, exuding a soft glow. Viaten playfully winked at the Count.
“Minister, have you been hiding such a beautiful daughter all this time?”
Viatin Caul had grown up in the Caul estate in the Southern region of the Empire, Cultshire. After inheriting his title, he had rarely visited the capital, claiming to be focused on research and reorganizing his business. It was no wonder he was unaware of the many stories about Terzia circulating in high society.
The Count, showing a hint of displeasure, replied curtly.
“She’s engaged. Well, at least for now.”
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