15.

In fact, it was ironic.

Those who had shown no curiosity about her during the time spent with Julie now seemed shamelessly confident in claiming to know everything about Julie.

“The time spent together doesn’t reveal everything.”

Serenity pointed out the contradiction.

“How much do you think you really know about Julie?”

Serenity chuckled softly.

It was bitter amusement, imagining how they perceived Julie.

The idea that they believed they knew her was absurd.

Doubting if Julie thought the same was intriguing.

In the silence that followed Serenity’s words, a silence so profound it bordered on eerie, she clenched her fists.

This was as far as she could go.

If they didn’t accept Serenity’s conditions, she would have to find another way to kill Julie.

This was her limit.

Neither more nor less could be tolerated.

It was her last trace of dignity as Julie Lirv and Serenity Zeros.

“That’s my first and last condition.”

Serenity turned her head.

She didn’t want to see their expressions.

* * *

Two days had passed since the party celebrating Serenity Zeros’s awakening.

Serenity and the people of Zeros were seated together for breakfast.

Once again, the morning offered a feast of delicious-looking dishes.

However, Serenity had less appetite than she thought.

‘There won’t be any contact.’

It was even stranger that those three would bow their heads to Serenity over such an issue.

Was it bitter because they had expected them to change a little?

“Don’t you have an appetite?”

Cordelia asked with concern. Serenity shook her head.

Cordelia cautiously continued, “Did those people we met yesterday talk about body shape?”

“…Yes?”

“Apparently, a slim body is trendy in social circles these days. I was worried because I heard them talking, and I wondered if you heard such things from the young ladies.”

Cordelia had also heard comments from the nobles they met yesterday. She couldn’t believe Serenity hadn’t heard it herself. It didn’t matter to Cordelia, but Serenity, who hadn’t experienced many people yet, could be hurt by it.

Cordelia spoke with a serious expression, “Serenity, you’re beautiful enough as you are now.”

Serenity smiled faintly at Cordelia’s sincere compliment. Cordelia’s words seemed to reflect her as they were. Hearing honest and clear words made Serenity feel good.

“Everyone is beautiful and lovely just as they are.”

Cordelia began to skillfully chop the neatly sliced beef. The sharp angle of the knife seemed to prove that she was a knight.

‘…The way she cuts even looks elegant.’

Cordelia placed the well-cut meat in front of Serenity.

“Eat a lot and enjoy it. That’s all you need.”

Cordelia, who boasted about it, gestured for Serenity to eat quickly.

“Sure, eat up. And you were the most beautiful yesterday.”

Suddenly, the tension was released even though nothing was resolved.

Serenity put the meat Cordelia had cut into her mouth. As she chewed, the juiciness of the meat flowed, filling her mouth.

‘Hmm, it’s delicious.’

Delicious food eaten with good people. This time felt precious, almost wondering if there could be anything more enjoyable.

“You look good.”

Cordelia began to chop more meat. As she concentrated on slicing the meat, a pile of it accumulated beside Cordelia. She extended all of it towards Serenity.

“Eat it all.”

“….”

Her face was so determined that there was nothing to say.

“But this is too much….”

Anyway, Serenity nodded and began to chew the meat diligently. While having a meal, Yustian Zeros, who was eating, spoke to Cordelia.

“How’s the work of the Knights?”

“It’s quite hectic these days. There was a flood in Wornipy recently, and the damage seems to be significant. We might have to go down soon.”

“Oh, we’ve just returned after being dispatched there because of the earthquake in Vaset last time.”

“We’ve dispatched people there. Various natural disasters are happening everywhere, and the damage is significant… We’ll probably continue to be busy for a while.”

“Take care of your health while checking your condition. You should take care of yourself too.”

“Yes, I’d like to go on vacation with Serenity after finishing this job. We have to work hard.”

Cordelia turned her head towards Serenity and smiled slyly.

Serenity, meeting eyes with Cordelia, observed her closely. It was embarrassingly obvious how tired she looked, something Serenity hadn’t noticed until now.

Dark shadows under her eyes.

Overall pale complexion.

Cordelia had always taken care of Serenity, and she felt ashamed for not noticing a single change in Cordelia.

“Looks like Cordelia needs to eat more than I do.”

Serenity took a large piece of steak and began to slice it diligently.

“If there’s not enough meat, Serenity, I can…”

Cordelia asked worriedly from the side. Instead of replying, Serenity extended a plate with meat in front of Cordelia.

“You have to stay strong.”

“Serenity just sliced meat for Cordelia…!”

“Father, don’t be so suspicious. This is for me.”

As soon as Serenity sliced the meat, Yustian became excitedly talkative. The man who had been talking to Cordelia with a dignified face was nowhere to be found.

There was only a doting father…!

Serenity found his appearance awkward.

“…She just sliced the meat.”

Without saying anything, Cordelia quickly took the plate Serenity had given and brought it in front of her. It was a nimble action that revealed agility.

Before Yustian Zeros could stand up from his seat, all the meat Serenity had sliced went straight into Cordelia’s mouth.

She looked like she had been starving for days.

Yustian made a troubled face.

Serenity was at a loss for words.

“Ugh, Serenity. My health isn’t that great either… Can you slice the meat? My hand hurts a bit…”

Yustian, who had been having breakfast just a while ago, began to exaggerate. Watching this from the side, Jane sighed deeply.

“You, have some restraint…”

“Ugh.”

Yustian seemed to have come to his senses at Jane’s words and resumed eating. His behavior was embarrassing for Serenity.

“…She just sliced the meat.”

Without saying anything, Yustian quickly started eating again.

“Serenity, we should start preparing for your birthday soon.”

“Birthday preparations?”

“Let’s see, it’s May now, so there’s about a month left. We should prepare more grandly and splendidly since there’s time left. When you…”

Darkness shadowed Yustian’s eyes as if his words were stuck momentarily. However, he soon smiled.

“It’s your first birthday waking up like this.”

Serenity’s first birthday as herself.

Everyone celebrated Serenity’s birthday. Suddenly, Serenity felt bitter.

“Nobody knows Julie’s birthday.”

Julie Lirv, who didn’t even know when she was born, tried desperately to live on. But her existence had never been welcomed.

* * *

“Will you follow Serenity’s words like this?”

Dante spoke as he paced around the room.

This was Dante’s magical experimentation lab. It was not easy to find a place where they could meet without attracting people’s attention, so they mainly met here.

Wyatt was currently occupied with work. Instead, Dante and Clagen discussed the situation here.

Wyatt’s murmured words from the previous evening left a strong impression.

[We can’t afford to regret again.]

Without asking what that meant to Wyatt, who left that statement behind and suddenly left, no one had questioned him.

“If we don’t follow, do we have a way? We…”

The first to give up was Clagen. He immediately accepted Serenity’s demand according to the situation.

“But that woman doesn’t know Julie well…!”

“We don’t know much about Julie either.”

Clagen cut off Dante’s words. Hearing Serenity’s words, he immediately understood the hostility she had shown from the beginning. Especially the lies he told to gain Serenity’s help bothered him.

Clagen chuckled with a clenched fist.

“I understand. That wasn’t true.”

If he had heard those words at that time, ‘Shut up’ would have been the right response. He could understand her feelings. So, he wasn’t particularly angry. He had heard worse things in life.

Well, nothing would change just because of that.

Anyway, it seemed like he had buttoned the first button wrong.

Clagen looked at the clock on the wall. The time he had sent something would arrive at Zeros. He had also made an appointment to visit Zeros around that time. It was perfect.

“Well, then, I’ll be leaving now.”

“No, the conversation hasn’t ended yet…”

Clang. Clagen forcefully closed the door as he left. Dante, who had been groaning with a painful head, slumped onto the sofa.

“What should I do?”

Lying on the sofa, Dante bit his lips. When he lay down, he suddenly thought of Julie. It was the space where she had always sat. She had guarded the place quietly without saying a word when she couldn’t say a single word to him.

“…It’s pathetic for me to do this now.”

He didn’t know what to do, even though he understood that investigating the loss of life due to natural disasters was his job. He had continuously hesitated. It was postponed because of Julie Lirv.

Dante, who was lying down, got up. Among the letters scattered on the table, a letter from Odrayen caught his eye.

“….”

Even without looking, he knew what it contained, but Dante picked up the envelope. Cutting the upper part of the envelope neatly, Dante took out the neatly folded letter. Reading the contents of the letter, Dante chuckled.

“Ha.”

The letter congratulated the birthday of Riead, the proud son leading Odrayen, and hoped that Dante would attend the party to brighten the place. There was no consideration for himself as the same son in the letter.

Odrayen was such a place.

“….”

Dante squeezed the letter and threw it on the floor. Dante, looking down at the letter on the ground, was struck by the impression. It was because of the overlapping images of Julie and himself.

…That’s why he hated Julie.

“Damn.”

Uttering words as if mumbling, Dante, who had risen from his seat, strode out of the room.

The room sank into darkness.