How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 44
Angelina remained in place until Aiden’s carriage left the mansion. What remained where the Crown Prince had departed was an empty silence, like the aftermath of a storm.
Once the carriage was far enough away, sighs of relief could be heard from the tense servants here and there.
And they immediately checked on Angelina’s condition. After all, she must have been the most shocked.
But as always, their lady stared blankly at the departing carriage with an expressionless face.
Then suddenly, she muttered quietly.
“How strange that the carriage I took to the Magic Tower was more luxurious than the Crown Prince’s carriage.”
It was a quiet self-mutter.
But it was loud enough for Laura standing beside her to hear, and a small, restrained ‘pfft’ of laughter escaped.
When Angelina turned her head, Laura quickly composed herself and stood expressionless. Haley, who was standing a step further back, looked puzzled, having not heard.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Angelina cleared her throat and walked into the mansion.
“Ahem. Haley, please report to Brother. Tell him that His Highness came by.”
“Yes, my lady! Should I also relay the content of your conversation?”
“Yes.”
As soon as Angelina finished speaking, Haley left to carry out her task. Her retreating figure heading toward the communication crystal looked so excited.
‘Does Haley know that brother is the Tower Master?’
Being able to hire Haley as a guard after she was expelled for causing trouble must have been due to brother’s influence, right?
‘Speaking of which, a political marriage with the Crown Prince…’
Angelina’s expression was darker in her room than it had been outside.
It was an unexpected variable that made her head complicated.
‘Was something like this in the original story?’
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t remember any mention of the Crown Prince having a fiancée.
Was it not mentioned because the story started after this body died? Or did the Empress propose it but brother refused?
‘Even to an outsider like me, there seems to be no reason to refuse marriage with the royal family.’
But that was only when considering the Flaubert Marquis family’s position.
‘Is it because of the Sun God’s Order after all?’
Brother, who was also the Tower Master, hated the Sun God’s Order, so he might have been uncomfortable being connected to the royal family who worshipped them.
But the Marquis family was known to have good relations with the Empress publicly, so was there a way to refuse?
‘…Living a double life is more complicated than I thought.’
There’s an image to maintain as Marquis Flaubert and convictions to uphold as the Tower Master. All while keeping his identity hidden.
Ah, so that’s why he hides his identity.
The work doubles, and it takes twice as long trying to do it while hiding his identity. Must be tiring having to always be on guard to avoid being discovered.
“Sigh…”
“Are you troubled by His Highness’s marriage proposal?”
When Angelina let out a long sigh, feeling sorry for her brother, Laura, who had been watching her, asked. She seemed concerned about the dark expression.
“Hm? Ah, the marriage? That’s something that will happen if it happens, and won’t if it doesn’t…”
What difference does it make who she gets engaged to when she’ll die in 2 years anyway?
“I’m just worried it might tire brother out again.”
The appearance of an event not even mentioned in the original story gave her much to think about.
‘I really shouldn’t rely too much on the original story.’
This marriage talk, unexpectedly meeting the male lead at the Magic Tower, finding out brother was the Tower Master…
Realizing that there were many huge trap cards hidden in parts not mentioned in the original story, Angelina clenched her fist.
‘Brother comes first.’
At times like this, what’s important is keeping to the original intention.
Angelina felt the need to completely revise her somewhat passive plan to rescue the female lead.
“Laura. Please prepare one white handkerchief.”
She needed to prepare thoroughly since she didn’t know where another trap might spring from.
7. The Twelfth Flower, Catherine
Several days had passed since Ante left.
It was revealed that the “just work” he mentioned was personally receiving the Marquis family’s trading ships coming in this time. He said there were important trade goods that needed his personal verification.
“The Master has arrived at Paltalim Port. The ship that was supposed to come in is slightly delayed due to sea monsters, so he’ll be staying there for a few days.”
“Is that so? I heard Paltalim is cold, I hope he doesn’t catch a cold.”
Angelina nodded at Haley’s report and expressed ordinary concern.
However, she was thinking something different inside.
‘Paltalim Port is next to the Black Land in the Duke’s territory.’
The excuse about personally receiving ships due to important trade goods was obviously just that – an excuse. He must have gone to the Black Land next door.
‘Brother is having such a hard time trying to fit everything together.’
The Marquis can’t be absent for days without explanation. And the Tower Master can’t show up at the Marquis’s trades either.
Now that she knew, she could see so much more.
“But my lady, are you really alright with this?”
Having finished reporting about Ante, Haley glanced at the window and asked.
Beyond the low buildings outside, a bell tower stood tall.
“I didn’t tell the Master as you strongly insisted, but…”
“You did well.”
“But why are you being so secretive about visiting the Grand Temple of the Sun God…”
Haley didn’t hide her anxiety, saying she couldn’t understand, and that made her more worried.
Seeing her nibbling even her fingernails, it seemed she was really troubled about not reporting to Ante.
“Well… I said I’d stay home, but I’m breaking that promise by going out.”
Angelina spoke to calm Haley down. She winked playfully and whispered.
“I just wanted to try a small adventure. The capital would draw too much attention, and I often go to resorts with my brother, so I was curious about the Grand Temple I’ve never visited.”
Angelina, having finished preparing to go out with Laura’s help, started walking.
“I’m just going sightseeing. Tourism.”
She spoke lightly and stepped outside.
“Senior.”
As Laura was about to follow a few steps behind, Haley grabbed her and whispered quietly in her ear.
“Magic and holy power have the worst compatibility. The closer we get to the Grand Temple, the more my power will drain.”
“I know.”
Unlike Haley who was anxiously shuffling her feet, Laura remained calm. She slightly turned her gaze to the window.
Her eyes met with someone in a mask hiding their presence on the opposite roof.
When Laura gave a slight nod, the masked figure briefly nodded in response. Then they sent brief hand signals to the surroundings.
At that moment, dozens of black shadows scattered and disappeared across the surrounding rooftops. Ante’s ‘Shadow’ infiltrated the area without a sound or presence.
“There’s more than just magic to protect the young lady.”
Laura reassured Haley while checking if her sleeve was disheveled, then disappeared after Angelina.
Only then did Haley’s anxiety melt away like snow.
“That’s true. I worried for nothing.”
If Ante’s ‘Shadow’ was moving, it wouldn’t be easy to catch Angelina even if assassins were sent from the imperial palace.
Haley joined Angelina with a much lighter expression, humming happily.
***
Solamor, nicknamed the ‘City of the Sun,’ was a city built for the Grand Temple.
Though part of the Empire, it had walls surrounding the region like a city-state, and there were more flags bearing the Sun God Order’s emblem than imperial flags on the streets.
The guards protecting the city were holy knights rather than imperial soldiers.
Formally it was an imperial territory without a lord, but in reality, the High Priest was considered the lord of this region.
‘Even taxes pass through the Order first, that says it all.’
Though they had no noble titles, the Order and High Priest had as much political influence in the Empire as dukes and marquises.
‘I didn’t think much of it before… I guess you see as much as you know.’
Angelina originally had no interest in the Sun God Order.
She knew the doctrine well since it was what the Empire followed, but she had never particularly attended Order ceremonies or prayed.
But after recalling the original story, her thoughts changed somewhat.
How could there be such a greedy organization? For a religious order serving god, their behind-the-scenes actions were utterly wicked.
So Angelina concluded.
There is no god.
If god truly existed, how could they overlook the atrocities committed by the Order?
‘They wouldn’t have cruelly revealed a time-limited extra’s fate on their birthday either.’
