Be Fascinated

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Chapter 19

Philia looked at the bracelet held out to her. The gold bracelet that had a leaf motif was delicately crafted as if each detail was alive.

“It’s pretty.”

Claude had a smile on his face.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes.”

As Philia nodded her head, Claude placed the bracelet on Philia’s hand.

“Are you in a bad mood?”

“Am I?”

At Claude’s question, Philia shook her head.

“Do you want to go out?”

“No.”

Philia struggled to show a smile. Claude’s red-brown eyes looked at her. He hardened his expression. Was he offended?

Philia walked over to Claude, she hugged him by the waist and rested her head on his chest. Then he reached out and stroked her blonde hair. She closed her eyes and rubbed her face.

“I just want to be like this.”

“…Strange.”

“Strange?”

When Philia raised her head to look at Claude, Claude grinned. The rigid atmosphere from before seemed to have disappeared.

“What is really going on?”

“No.”

“…….”

“It’s just that I like you.”

Claude laughed at Philia’s words. It was sincere. Philia liked Claude. But she was at loss.

What kind of feelings did Claude have for her? Was it the same, just as how Philia liked Claude, from one person to another? Or was this just the desire to possess something rare and difficult to obtain?

“I like you, too. So much that I don’t know what to do if you’re in my arms like this.”

“…….”

“I want to give you everything in the world.”

It’s good at times like this, and it warmed her heart. Philia was in a good mood and smiled brightly. As Claude looked at it, he said as if it was funny.

“Now that I see it, I should have hugged you like this, not the bracelet.”

“Do you regret it?”

At Philia’s question, Claude kissed Philia’s forehead and whispered.

“A little?”

“Really?”

Claude saw Philia’s face and brushed her hair. He looked like he was having fun.

“No, I’m not wasting it, I’m talking about time.”

“Time?”

“I will be busy soon.”

“Busy? Why?”

“I have work at the Imperial Palace.”

Philia nodded her head. Claude was a busy man. Did that mean that they wouldn’t have enough time to meet in the future? Her expression grew cloudy once more.

 

* * * 

Claude didn’t come by as he said. Alone in the mansion, Philia stared blankly at the window.

As he seemed to want to fill the mansion, gifts from Claude arrived every day. It pleased Philia at first, but her joy did not last long.

Then Philia realized that she had not been doing her prayers.

Since when had she neglected this? She even prayed after sleeping with Claude before. It’s strange that she almost didn’t think of something that was as habitual to her as her prayers, so Philia continued to think about it.

“How about going out?”

Paula, who couldn’t bear to see it, spoke up.

“Can I go out?”

“You can do whatever you like.”

Philia suddenly realized something while shaking her head. This was no different from her life at the temple. Although Philia as a saint was not forbidden to go out, it became a very troublesome procession when she did. So Philia lived in a cage.

‘No, it’s different.’

The reason why she doesn’t go out even when given freedom…

‘Because I never know when Claude will come.’

Wasn’t she like a dog guarding the house? Philia laughed bitterly.

“Why isn’t His Highness coming?”

“We don’t know that either.”

Paula’s voice was dry, but she sounded somewhat sympathetic. A mistress waiting for a man would look very pathetic.

Philia opened the window. The warm sunlight came in and lit her face.

“Are you in a very bad mood?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps…”

At Paula’s question, Philia shook her head. She knew what Paula was concerned about.

“It’s not like that. We always use birth control for sure.”

“…….”

She took birth control pills every time. Philia didn’t think it was that bad, but every time she did, her heart sank. It’s not that a child was a tool to hold onto him, but it still seemed like he didn’t want to leave any of his seeds with her.

Then, Philia saw a bird perched on the window sill. Her face was filled with wonder. She pondered her thoughts for a moment.

“Miss?”

“Paula, may I ask for more cookies?”

These days, Philia has had severe emotional ups and downs. When Paula brought the cookies, Philia said abruptly and smiled.

“I want to go out for a while.”

 

* * * 

“Philia.”

Philia turned her head at Irik’s voice. Irik was standing there.

“You came.”

Philia looked at Irik’s face. His face was pale. She bit her lip.

“I can’t stay for long.”

“I know.”

As Irik said in the note, there was a secret alley like this behind the bookstore.

“What does that mean? When you said I am being deceived by the Crown Prince.”

“I meant what I said, Philia. That bastard is a terrifying man.”

“…….”

Irik looked around him nervously. He raised the corners of his mouth and smiled coldly.

“After I met you, the high priests started to check on me.”

“…….”

“Listen to me, Philia. You are the real saint.”

Philia almost opened her mouth to make a stupid sound. All of a sudden, she’s the real saint. What was he talking about?

“Claude, that wicked man—he wrote a false oracle and killed the priest who interpreted it.”

“What…”

Philia shook her head. Could Claude do that? Even if Irik was mistaken, it was too big of a mistake. Irik said as if he knew.

“Philia, come to your senses! Do you know who established that fake saint, Bianca’s family? It’s Claude.”

“The saint came from there, so it’s only natural.”

“Even though I found the letters exchanged from them?”

Irik handed out the letter. Philia embraced it with trembling hands. To open or not to open. But when Philia saw Claude’s handwriting, she bit her lip.

「 Since we both wanted something from each other, it’s a smooth deal.

I’ll fix the oracle soon. Do your part. 」

Elegant and beautiful handwriting.

“I spent quite a bit of time getting this secretly.”

“…….”

“This came out of her room. What do you think this means?”

“……”

“Do you remember the death of the priest who interpreted the oracle? Don’t you think the priest died too suddenly? Besides, was there a lie in the dealings with you?”

“…….”

Philia remembered the priest. He was a priest who treated her with piety more than anyone else. He had a face with no trace of guilt for manipulating the oracle.

“It was all made up by Claude.”

“…Why.”

Her mouth opened with difficulty, and a hoarse voice leaked out of her mouth.

“Don’t you know? To have you.”

“Me… What.”

Did he mean to do such a troublesome thing? Irik said with a laugh.

“Because if you’re the saint, he can’t get you.”

“…….”

“Philia, I have seen him before.”

“ ….….”

“He gets everything he wants.”

Irik explained further. He talked about the horses of the highest bloodline coveted by Claude, or the relics of high historical value kept in the temple. Also how he got the treasures that are national treasures of other countries.

“He has been ordained as the next Emperor from birth. He has no brothers to pose a threat to him and he’s very capable. He has everything to have everything that he doesn’t, by any means possible.”

“…….”

“You are the best treasure for him.”

“Why?”

Philia asked with a pale expression. Irik said, as if it was natural.

“Because he can’t get you easily.”

“…….”

“The process by which the Crown Prince obtains you is nothing more than a game. He is a devil. Everything was planned.”

Philia didn’t want to believe it. But Philia knew that Irik didn’t tell lies. His upright demeanor, doesn’t she know better? Even the evidence he brought was clear.

“Think about it. Everything that you were a fake and the real that looked like it was waiting is unnatural.”

“…….”

Philia’s mind was filled with confusion. When she thinks about it, something is strange. No way… Was it his plan to hold her after taking the medicine?

Come to think of it, it was Claude who by her side when she saw Logan’s affair. There was no correlation. But if that had something to do with it…

“Because he’s the kind of person who doesn’t mind sacrificing people’s lives for you. Maybe even your family…”

If Claude wanted her… If so, did he kill her family too? Philia pondered that far and shook her head. No, he wouldn’t have. Her body was trembling.

“You must run, Philia.”

“…….”

“I can’t see you being played with anymore. You are precious… That’s right, our precious saint.”

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