I Helped The Imprisoned Male Lead And He Became Obsessed - Chapter 71

The moonlit platinum hair swayed around her waist like liquid silver.

“Lady Anise, fancy meeting you here,” Serena said with a graceful smile.

Behind her stood an acolyte priest and a holy knight. From her ceremonial robes, it was clear she had just returned from presiding over a service at the imperial temple.

As I mused over this, Serena’s bright smile deepened.
“We have some things left to discuss, don’t we?”

The only topic we could possibly discuss was Emilian.

“Hmm, this isn’t the best place for a conversation. Shall we move somewhere more private?” she suggested.

I nodded. “Let’s do that.”

After all, I had something to say to her as well.

The glass pavilion in the palace gardens was warmed by fire magic stones, creating a cozy atmosphere.

A young acolyte, still boyish in demeanor, poured tea into our cups. His hands trembled slightly, perhaps nervous in the presence of Serena, the saint and youngest bishop in history.

“Thank you. You did well,” Serena said with a gentle smile. Her angelic expression made the acolyte blush as he bowed deeply and retreated.

Outside the pavilion, my knight, Dame Natalie, and Serena’s temple knight waited at a respectful distance.

A butterfly alighted on the handle of my teacup, only to flutter away as Serena extended her long, pale fingers toward it.

After taking a sip of the steaming tea, Serena spoke.
“I was truly surprised during the hunting festival. To think Lady Anise would capture even His Highness the Crown Prince’s heart.”

Her tone was calm, devoid of sarcasm, but her words made me uneasy. I replied, tasting the faint bitterness of the tea.

“I received more attention than I deserved. I had no idea His Highness would offer me the hunt.”

“My, how humble of you.” Serena’s smile was as soft as whipped cream.

“Then can I take that to mean you did expect to receive the Duke’s gift instead?”

Her voice was gentle, almost sweet. Yet being in her presence unsettled me.

Was it because I knew she harbored feelings for Emilian?

But after today, there would be no more reason for us to meet. Suppressing the discomfort rising within me, I responded calmly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“It’s nothing, really. I’m just… jealous of you.” Serena sipped her tea with the same elegance, her composure unshaken.

“Receiving a gift from someone you like is always a pleasant thing, isn’t it?”

Had she sensed my feelings?

Yet it didn’t seem like she expected an answer. She continued, her words flowing effortlessly.

“To be frank, I have feelings for the Duke. That’s why I find it hard to have warm feelings toward you, Lady Anise.”

She smiled, her alabaster fingers lightly tapping the handle of her teacup.

“You and the Duke are so close that there’s no room for me to step in.”

Serena spoke of me as an obstacle, her tone calm yet unflinching.

In the novel, I had admired her confident and assertive personality. But now, faced with her in real life, I couldn’t help but feel the sting of her frankness.

She really is ruthless.

Suppressing the faint bitterness rising within me, I said,

“If you’re worried because of me, you don’t have to anymore.”

Her perfectly shaped brows lifted slightly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’ll be leaving the palace soon,” I said, my voice steadier than I expected.

Serena’s gaze darkened as she studied me, her eyes sharp and calculating. Then, out of nowhere, she asked,

“Does Emilian know?”

“No. I haven’t told anyone.”

How ironic, I thought, that I ended up sharing my secret with the one person I thought was farthest from me.

But there was no time for sentimentality. Meeting her eyes directly, I added,

“So, please keep what I’ve told you today a secret.”

Serena stared at me silently for a moment, a faint, enigmatic smile gracing her lips.

Then she nodded and said,

“Alright. I’ll keep your secret.”

I didn’t want to say anything like, Take care of Emilian for me. Serena would, without needing my words.

The conversation ended there.

I rose from my seat first, and Serena, looking up at me, spoke again.

“Thank you for making such a big decision for Emilian.”

I didn’t respond to her words. It wasn’t for her that I’d made this choice, so there was no reason to accept her gratitude.

“Still, I hope you’ll do well in your new life, wherever you’re going.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I’ll handle my own affairs,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral.

Serena only shrugged lightly, smiling as if unbothered.

When I stepped out of the pavilion, Dame Natalie, my escort knight, approached.

When I informed her of my intention to leave the palace for an outing, she nodded in understanding. “I’d like to do some shopping today,” I explained.

At the royal palace carriage depot, I rented a carriage.

It carried me past the central square and down the bustling streets. Before long, we arrived in front of the Imperial Bank.

Preparing to leave the palace and start anew would require a significant sum of money.

Feigning that I was withdrawing funds for a shopping trip, I accessed my account and retrieved the amount I needed.

It was a considerable sum, though Dame Natalie wouldn’t know exactly how much I had withdrawn.

Leaving the bank, I headed toward a general store in the shopping district. While I didn’t truly need anything, I purchased a few items to allay any suspicions Dame Natalie might have.

“It feels nice to go shopping after so long,” I said.

“You’ve been so focused on your work at the lab, that’s likely why,” Dame Natalie replied with a faint smile.

Fortunately, it seemed she believed my outing was merely for a change of pace.

For the past seven years, ever since my abduction, she had stood steadfastly by my side.

The thought of deceiving her and leaving the palace without a word filled me with guilt, but…

I couldn’t let that stop me. My decision was final.

Trying to suppress the guilt gnawing at me, I turned my attention to the shop’s displays.

By the time I returned to the palace, the sun had fully set.

Though I felt somewhat drained, rest was the last thing on my mind.

I removed my coat and began rummaging through the shopping bags piled in one corner of my room.

After sifting through the various items in my shopping bags, my fingers brushed against a rolled piece of paper.

It was a map of the Valencia Empire.

This was the most recent version, detailing everything from geographic features to noble territories, down to the smallest villages.

Sitting at my desk, I unrolled the map and traced my finger to the far western edge.

There, nestled in a remote corner, was a small village named Petra. It was part of the Velzac Margrave’s domain, a barren land with a sparse population and little interaction with other towns due to the dense forests surrounding it.

A rural village like this seemed perfect. Even if Emilian were to search for me, he likely wouldn’t think to look there.

Of course, I wasn’t planning to live in hiding forever.

Once Emilian is fully healed… perhaps then.

Maybe then, I could see him again. Though, after vanishing without a word, I didn’t know if he would even want to meet me.

The thought cast a shadow over my mood, and I shook my head quickly to dispel it.

This is no time to dwell on such things. I need to pack.

I planned to leave at dawn, using a long-distance teleportation portal to cover part of the journey, then traveling by carriage to Petra.

Pulling out my enchanted bag, I began packing.

I took books on pharmacology and research materials from the shelves and placed them carefully into the bag. Then, I opened my wardrobe, gathering clothes and sweeping small personal items into the bag.

When I opened the drawer to retrieve my notebooks, my eyes fell on a small box tucked inside.

This…

Inside the box was a necklace with a small gemstone pendant.

It was the necklace Emilian had given me seven years ago. Using the divine energy infused in the pendant, Emilian had been able to track me when I was abducted by a group of bandits.

The divine energy was now almost entirely depleted, rendering its tracking ability useless.

I held the chain, letting the necklace rest on my palm.

I thought about leaving it behind, just in case. But this was the first gift Emilian had ever given me. To me, it held deep meaning.

Maybe… maybe it’s alright to take one memory with me. Just this one.

After turning it over in my hands for a long while, I finally tucked it into my belongings.

With my packing complete, I slowly surveyed the room.

Stripped of most of its items, the room felt bare and unfamiliar, a hollow shell of the place that had been my sanctuary for so long.

But now…

I’m ready to leave.

***

The atmosphere in the office was suffocating, like walking on thin ice. The only sound that broke the silence was the scratch of a quill against parchment.

Leonard, Emilian’s aide, moved with deliberate caution, taking care not to make even the faintest noise. Like the others present, he stole nervous glances at his superior’s face.

Emilian had not uttered a single word, his focus fixed on the documents before him. The sharp tension surrounding him made the room feel as though it were holding its breath—a ticking time bomb waiting for the slightest disturbance to go off.

Since the day before, their lord had been like this. The aides, utterly clueless as to the reason, tread carefully and watched him intently.

But today, there was a significant appointment on his schedule.

The aides exchanged hesitant looks, silently urging one another to take action.

In the end, it was Leonard who summoned the courage to step forward.

With hesitant steps, he approached the Duke.

“Your Grace, it’s almost time for your meeting with Count Riston.”

“…”

“Um, Your Grace? You should probably prepare to leave soon…”

When Leonard prodded him again, Emilian finally lifted his head.

Meeting the Duke’s piercing crimson gaze, Leonard felt a cold sweat run down his back. Emilian rose slowly from his seat, his towering frame casting a shadow over Leonard, who instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.

I’m going to get hit for sure…!

But nothing happened.

After an uncomfortable silence, Leonard cautiously cracked one eye open. Emilian had already moved past him and was heading toward the office door.

“What are you dawdling for? Are you coming or not?”

“Y-yes, sir! Right away!”

Leonard hurried to follow, relief washing over him as he trailed the Duke down the corridor.

Whether or not Leonard sighed with relief behind him, Emilian’s steps remained steady and purposeful.

The palace corridors bustled with activity as maids passed by, their arms full of freshly laundered linens. Emilian strode toward the parlor where Count Riston was waiting.

The maids ahead of him turned a corner, heading in the direction of Anise’s room.

“I’m sorry, Emil.”

That night, Anise’s tearful eyes and trembling voice echoed in his memory. She had rejected him, though her expression made it seem as though it wasn’t truly what she wanted.

Still, the undeniable truth was that she had refused him.

Letting her go would be the right thing to do, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

From the very beginning, it had only ever been her, and it would always only be her. He couldn’t let her go.

If he were honest, he would admit that he wanted to lock her away somewhere, where she could never leave him—not even a single step.

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted his thoughts.

Around the corner came someone they all recognized—Anise’s escort knight, Natalie. She was panting heavily, her face pale with urgency.

Leonard frowned, puzzled by her distress.

“Dame Natalie? What’s going—”

“It’s Lady Anise!” Natalie exclaimed, cutting him off.

The sight of her pale face made dread settle in Emilian’s chest, a cold, sinking feeling.

“Lady Anise is… gone!” Natalie cried out, her voice trembling.

Emilian’s blood ran cold.