CH 124

It was a ridiculous statement.

‘Do you think I’ll keep my mouth shut if you say that?’

There was no reason to keep this matter a secret as Garou asked.

Unless I had plans to assassinate Benny.

Thud! Then Benny reached the top of the tower.

The stone wall, on which he stepped on, shattered just like it had been struck. Now that I observed carefully, the footprints of his way up were clearly visible.

“Ugh, he’s a really rough guy.”

Regardless of whether Garow was fed up or not, Benny came between me and Garou.

“Princess, are you hurt?”

“Do you think I would have done something harm to Lilietta?”

“If you want me to attack that, please tell me right away.”

As if he couldn’t hear Garou, Benny’s gaze was fixed on me the entire time.

I patted him on the shoulder to calm him down. His body, which had been turned into a half demon, slowly returned to human form.

“You’re only interested in Lilietta, aren’t you?”

Garou leaned against the wall and shook his head.

As he said, Benny was utterly indifferent to anything but me. He neither liked nor disliked the stones by the roadside.

“I like all demons, but I’m going to give up being friends with you. It’s not funny because it feels like talking to a wall. It’s good that Lilietta always responds.”

“What? Did you keep sticking with me because I keep responding to you?”

“It’s too late if you try to ignore me now. I’m already having fun playing with you.”

Garou smiled slyly. I regretted the days I responded to him, but it was too late to leave him alone now.

It was then that I felt a tremendous amount of murderous aura right next to me. Benny was glaring fiercely at Garou without even putting both eyes in reverse.

Garou giggled as if watching a wild beast.

“You must really like Lilieta”.

“…….”

Benny took a step towards Garou.

He seemed angry at Garou for being ruthless towards me, but honestly, I didn’t really want to stop him.

‘Should I pretend I’m distracted for a moment…’

I turned my head to look at the scarlet sparks. However, the following words from Garou hit the back of my head.

“…To the point of secretly attaching a magic stone to Lilietta’s clothes.”

“…What?”

Instead of explaining, Garou came up close to me and pulled the hem of my clothes.

Suddenly, the threads were torn and a black stone came out.

“Demons can gather their black magic and turn them into magic stones. It is similar to the magic stones made from Mother’s petals.”

Benny belatedly returned his left eye to that of a human’s and reached out to snatch the stone from my clothes. Garou threw the stone at me just before Benny reached it. I accidentally received it.

The elongated stone like a sunflower seed was light and cold. It felt the same as the imitation jewel on my mother’s necklace.

“This guy knew where you were going with this. He’s a scary guy.”

The fireworks were over. The surroundings were immersed in silence, and only the dimly lit lamps brightened our feet.

“…Is that true?”

I looked carefully at Benny’s face. Benny’s attitude when he was found out was more bizarre than the act of secretly pasting a tracing magic stone on my clothes.

“Can’t I?”

Benny blinked innocently. He looked like he didn’t know what he had done wrong.

If he had made any obvious excuses, such as to prevent danger, or to run to me right away if something happened, I would have said something. But given this, I was rather speechless.

“No, that’s…”

I scratched my disheveled clothes. I wasn’t sure how to explain this.

“For example, how will you feel if I attached a magic stone on you without saying a word?”

“I will be happy.”

“…….”

‘We can’t communicate. Benny and I have completely different common sense.’

I frowned at the magic stone in my hand, contemplating how to react.

If someone else had done this, I would have thrown the magic stone at their shameless face.

But it was Benny. And I declared that I would give him my soul.

It meant that I would always be by his side and listen to anything he had to say.

‘However, that is as long as there is no danger to the Bauner family.’

I gripped the magic stone. If Benny had asked for my understanding and handed me the magic stone, I would have gladly carried it with me.

So the frightening point wasn’t the act itself.

‘When on earth?’

Where did he put the magic stone? And since when did he do this? Could Benny have done something else tha he didn’t tell me again?

“Princess.”

Then Benny came closer to me.

“If you feel bad, be honest.”

The bright purple eyes were so peaceful.

After hesitating, I held out the palm holding the magic stone towards him.

“…Rather than feeling bad…”

‘I’m scared.’

I swallowed my true intentions and made a composed expression on my face.

“I’m surprised you didn’t tell me in advance.”

“I see.”

Benny took the magic stone and held it in his hand.

Krrrac!

The light black stone turned to powder at once.

“I will never do this again.”

Benny made an oath and let the magic stone particles flow in the wind without any regrets.

Behind him, Garou pretended to draw a line on his neck with his thumb.

‘With a snap.’ 

Garou winked in Benny’s direction and mouthed. He giggled as he shook his head and placed his index finger on the corner of his mouth.

‘It’s a secret.’

I ended up closing my mouth tightly.

I was resentful that it went as Garou wanted, but I couldn’t say anything as I had doubts.

There were many aspects of Benny that I did not know.

And my promise with Benny weighed as heavy as a little finger.

‘If Benny does something unexpected to Alan, if our vows are broken, then maybe I will…’

“Yup! By the way, Lilietta.”

Garou clapped, diverting our attention.

“Have you changed your mind?”

“…About what?”

“Rebellion.”

After having brought up a serious story, Garou still had a wide smile on his face.

I sighed as deeply as when I first heard the story of the rebellion in the flower garden.

And the same response as before was returned.

“There’s no way you’ll succeed in rebellion.”

I wasn’t being sarcastic. Really, I was sincere. Garou pretended to be hurt and shivered softly.

“It’s too much. You don’t trust me that much?”

“I’m telling the truth. Her Majesty Igdrasil has been the emperor for thousands of years. You’re a demon, but you’re only 16-years-old now.”

Even if any other genius besides Garou came, he would not be able to overthrow the emperor.

Indeed, there had been several revolts in the empire’s history, but all had failed.

Everyone who rebelled against the emperor, including Benny’s parents, was beheaded.

“It’s not about that. I’m going to succeed.”

Garou did not hesitate at all and pointed to himself. A greedy glint stood out in his eyes, who was only a boy on the outside.

‘Did a great force join the rebellion?’

But there was still no interest.

No matter what powers in the empire were on his side, even if the Bauner family lent him a hand for his purpose, a rebellion was a ridiculous thing.

The more I learned history from my tutor, the more the emperor seemed closer to God than to humans.

No matter how much those who live on the emperor’s huge body unite, it would be difficult to defeat her. Even a five-year-old child knew about it.

“The rebellions that have occurred so far have not been just a failure. The civil war 14 years ago was nothing more than a blindfold.”

Garou directly mentioned the war led by Benny’s father.

I glanced at him, but Benny had a nonchalant expression on his face.

Come to think of it, he had never met his father.

“…Who is doing it? Any other rebels besides you?”

“Christopher. Reno. Belesak.”

Garou raised his chin and looked up at the starry sky. His focus was somewhere far away.

“What?”

“Elizabeth. Cedric. Simon. Annette and Agnes.”

He listed numerous names. They were people I had never met before, but I could tell who they were.

There was something in common between those names.

“…Antonio.”

As he recited the last name, Garou’s voice softened slightly.

Antonio. That was the former crown prince’s name. And the people Garou spoke of were the past successors to the throne.

“The demons my mother revived in this hell, exploited them, and turned them into evil spirits when they were no longer useful.”

Garou smiled softly. It was an innocent smile appropriate to his age.

“The friends, lovers, and families of those demons. And hidden descendants.”

“…….”

“It was them who planned this rebellion.”

Garou’s gaze turned to the night sky where the fireworks had disappeared.

“I am just a representative of the dead.”

Swoosh. Swoosh.

The wind was constantly blowing.

Even if I tidied my hair, it was messed up again, and it felt like my whole body was being washed away by an irresistible wave.

“The rebellion they prepared will happen in the next four years. Even if you don’t help, or even if I change my mind, it’s a set fate.”

Garou’s tone was playful, but his words suddenly sounded believable.

If the 16-year-old crown prince starts a war, no one, including me, will take his side.

But if the rebellion was prepared with the same amount of time as the emperor’s life, the story would be different.

The demons killed by the emperor inherited the will of counterattacking for thousands of years.