The Story Is Not Over Yet - Chapter 173
Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi
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Chapter 173
“Mrs. Ferial!”
As they had made an appointment in advance, Livia was waiting in front. As soon as she saw Azela getting off the carriage, she came running with a welcome face.
“Your Highness, please wait inside. The wind is blowing.”
Saying so, Azela took off her shawl and put it on her shoulders. Livia, wearing a shawl with her body scent, smiled brightly with a flushed face.
“How can I sit still when I get a letter saying you are coming? Come on in, I got dessert for you today!”
I saved it without eating it.
Livia, who was about to say that, shut her mouth, fearing that Azela would be offended. Since desserts at her palace were limited, this was the only way for her to be able to welcome guests.
With her words held back, she motioned for Azela to enter.
Azela, who looked at Livia like a cute sister, followed her into the palace. Having stepped into the parlor, Livia dismissed her maids, retaining only the nanny, Daran.
“I heard that Duke Ferial is back. Is it true?”
“…Yes, rather than him coming back, I brought him.”
Azela smiled bitterly.
“What do you want?”
“…What?”
“I don’t think you came here to socialize at a time like this.”
Livia laughed. It was a gentle smile. She was always like a spring flower to Azela.
“Tell me, you came to me because you wanted something from me.”
“Is it obvious?”
“A lot.”
Azela rubbed her neck, looking embarrassed at her mischievous smile. Then, she opened her mouth with a determined face.
“Princess, I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Yes, tell me. I’ll do anything I can. In fact, there is nothing I cannot do in this empire.”
“…I heard you can use ancient magic.”
“Ah, that. I thought it was useless, but this is helpful for you. That’s right, I can do what others can’t.”
With her words, Azela swiftly pulled out an old book and held it out—it was a book about ancient magic. Taking a book that she held out, Livia’s eyes unknowingly widened in surprise.
“Where did you find this book? It looks very old. I went to the library and couldn’t find it.”
“…Through an acquaintance.”
Of course, it was not an ordinary acquaintance since it was a book she had asked for from Lane. Just as she stared at the book with an interested face, Livia inadvertently opened the page that Azela had marked for her.
As she was about to read the handwriting, Azela spoke first.
“I want you to take my soul.”
Livia stopped with a whitened face.
“…Did I hear it wrong?”
She asked with her face full of surprise. Looking at her face, Azela smiled as she continued.
“Seeing you make that face, you have heard me correctly.”
Listening to her outspoken reply, Livia grabbed her arm with an astonished face. Her expression as she looked down at her grasped arm was unconcerned. She was already like someone who has prepared all her heart.
“Don’t do it.”
“It has already been decided. If you look at the page I marked…”
“Are you thinking of dying?”
“….”
“…Really?”
Azela closed her lips for a moment to Livia’s question.
Looking at her like that, she knew she had to change Azela’s mind. How could Azela ask Livia to kill her?
Livia tightened her grip on Azela’s hand.
“To die, Mrs. Ferial… that’s it. You won’t be able to hold the sword you like, you won’t be able to meet the person you like. You will no longer be able to see, eat, or touch anything!”
“Yes, I know.”
“…Are you still going to die?”
“Yes.”
Livia was speechless at the answer, which showed no hesitation.
With a sigh she couldn’t understand, Livia let go of the hand that she was holding onto.
Unbeknownst to her, her hands were tingling because she had held Azela with so much force. Seeing the book in her hand, Livia shifted her gaze to her. She couldn’t bear to ask, but her gaze contained a question: “Why are you trying to die?”
Azela lowered her head and looked at the teacup in front of her before opening her mouth.
“I can only save him if I die.”
“…Duke Ferial.”
“Yes, I love him very much.”
As she finished her words, Azela closed her mouth for a moment in a surge of emotion.
She vowed never to break down in front of others. Then, she raised the teacup with trembling hands. The tea, which she drank to calm her down, smelled quite nice.
“I will tell you the truth, Mrs. Ferial… No, Azela.”
Azela widened her eyes when Livia called her by her first name before she smiled broadly and nodded her head. Livia looked at Azela, who smiled widely and gave the book back.
“I don’t want to do this.”
“Princess.”
“To me, Azela, you are more important than Duke Ferial. Just as you say you want to save Duke Ferial with your life, I want to save you.”
Hearing her answer, Azela lowered her gaze and tried to smile. She pretended to be fine, but the corners of her mouth trembled helplessly.
A tear fell from the corners of Azela’s eyes as she smiled while holding her hands tightly. Panicked at the sudden drop of tears, she hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears did not stop.
“….”
Livia looked at Azela in silence. In the end, without being able to hand over the book, she quietly held out a handkerchief.
Azela’s lips trembled as she wiped her eyes with the handkerchief.
“…Help me.”
Her collapsed voice, which was unlike the usual confident, unstoppable Azela, made Livia close her eyes tightly as the handkerchief was wet with Azela’s tears.
Seeing that, Livia was also devastated.
“I want to save that person. Please help me.”
“…Get yourself together, Azela. He’s not a person. He is…”
The devil.
Livia couldn’t say so in front of Azela’s tears. It was because she knew that to the woman in front of her, it didn’t matter whether he was the devil or a human. Azela willingly gave up her life to save the devil.
Perhaps this could be the devil’s trick, Livia looked down at the book in her hand with mixed feelings.
“Princess, helping me is the way to save me.”
“Killing you is the only way to save you, Azela?”
Livia bit her lip and set the book down on the table before she stood up from the sofa she was sitting on and sat beside Azela’s side.
“Open your eyes, Azela. It’s just a fleeting love. You… you!”
Do you still believe in love after being so mistreated by Count Todd?
Livia turned her head away nervously, unable to say those words. Since she had never been in love before, so she didn’t know how great it was though it shouldn’t be like this. Risking one’s life for love? It was nonsense.
“I can’t.”
“Your Highness.”
“You came to me because I am the only one who can do this, Azela.”
“….”
“Then, I won’t do it for you. It’s okay if you resent me for the rest of your life, it’s okay if you live swearing at me for the rest of your life… Even so, you will live long enough to resent and curse me.”
Livia turned her head with a determined look.
She did not respond with just her tears dripping from her eyes despite her refusal. When she glanced at Azela, who was still silent, Livia could not help but widen her eyes in surprise. It was because the weeping Azela was calmly pulling a small dagger out of her arms.
“A, Azela…!”
Surprised, Livia jumped up from the sofa, and Daran, who was also surprised, hurriedly ran to protect Livia. However, the dagger was not going to Livia.
“Please help me, Princess.”
Azela pointed the dagger at her own neck. At the same time, Livia’s face turned white as the memory of Azela at the party that day came back vividly.
“Mrs, Mrs. Ferial!”
The startled Livia, unable to even call Azela by her first name, raised her trembling hand to calm her down, but Azela was smiling. The sight of her smiling through tears and pointing a dagger at her own throat was terrifyingly grotesque.
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