Chapter 65: In This Situation, Just Smile

After changing into inconspicuous commoners’ clothes, Allen and Hugo smoothly blended into the bustling district.

The crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder, the air filled with a blend of baked bread, roasted meat, and cheap perfume, with all kinds of noise weaving together in a restless, festive atmosphere.

Marianne seemed to have a beast-like instinct for Allen’s presence, quickly locking onto him in the surging sea of people.

She wore that white dress, the bloodstains long since washed away. Bathed in bright sunlight, she truly had a touch of sisterly gentleness and charm. She happily waved vigorously in Allen’s direction:

“Allen! Over here!”

Maybe it was because she could see her dear friend Livia today that her mood was especially good. Allen couldn’t help but think so.

Seeing Allen squeezing over, Marianne had originally planned to pounce into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest and act cute for a while.

In such a public place, she could show off her girlish charm, take advantage of Allen (after all, he could never do anything about her), and at the same time, claim him before the girls in the Brotherhood of the Children of Dawn who harbored fantasies about Allen—

Allen belonged to her, the “Lamplighter”!

However, plans could never keep up with change. Suddenly, from behind Allen, an unfamiliar, sun-bright, brown-haired man emerged, and Marianne’s sweet smile instantly froze.

“Hey! Hello there!”

Especially outgoing, Hugo immediately greeted the woman Allen knew with enthusiasm, completely unaware of the dangerous air suddenly thickening around them.

“Allen, this is………………?”

Marianne’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous glint flashing as if she wanted to eliminate a pest.

“He’s…” Allen was about to explain.

But Hugo beat him to it, slinging his arm around Allen’s shoulder and announcing cheerfully:

“I’m his best buddy! Hugo du Bernard! And you are?”

The scene felt strangely like an NTR moment. Only, the “victim” was Marianne, the “blond” was Hugo, and poor Allen seemed to have become the “heroine” being fought over.

I thought my rivals were only female, but… can Allen actually attract men too?! These pests are so annoying!

The killing intent around Marianne nearly became tangible; even the people nearby subconsciously felt a chill and backed away a little.

“Nightingale” Eleanor quickly tugged on her superior’s sleeve, whispering a reminder:

“Miss Marianne… calm down… look over there…”

She quietly pointed not far away.

Judge Victor and Anna stood there.

At this moment, Judge Victor was fully focused on Allen’s side of things, but the corner of his stern mouth was twitching involuntarily.

There were too many snack stalls nearby. After one round with Anna, his purse was visibly deflated.

As an Inquisitor, money was just a worldly thing, but now he truly understood what it meant to be “a hero brought low for lack of a penny”.

Sure enough… I need to let Anna stick with Allen. If she keeps eating like this, I won’t even have money left for the carriage back to the Judgement Court.

Anna had already noticed Allen too. She wanted to go over, but her keen senses caught the strong aura of a powerful Crestbearer radiating from Hugo at Allen’s side.

This made her frown slightly.

“What an annoying guy… I don’t like him sticking around Allen.”

She muttered bitterly, her tone like a golden retriever upset that its owner brought home a new dog, full of discontent and grievance.

Victor reminded her in a low voice:

“Anna… our mission is to monitor Allen de Laval and guard against possible heretics. Don’t run off.”

“Alright…” Anna nodded resentfully. Even though she wanted to play with Allen, she still had to stick to discipline while on duty.

However, in the distance, Marianne and Anna instantly exchanged looks, reaching a silent agreement—they had to drive that annoying man away from Allen!

“I’m Marianne Duran, Allen’s sister.” Marianne put back on a flawless sweet smile, putting extra emphasis on the word “sister”.

“Oh! So you’re his foster sister! Nice to meet you!” Hugo said, as if he’d had a sudden revelation.

“…Foster sister?”

Marianne’s smile froze again. That word “foster” was like a sharp knife, instantly slicing away most of the value of her “sister” status, as if lowering her to a lesser position.

Marianne counterattacked at once, clutching Allen’s other arm and declaring smugly:

“Allen and I are bound by blood, long surpassing any ordinary sibling relationship!”

“Uh…” Hugo scratched his head and asked bluntly,

“So what exactly is your relationship?”

In such a public place, Marianne was really too embarrassed to say anything outrageously shameful.

Hugo, ever straightforward, added:

“He and I, we’re close as brothers! The moment I saw him, I knew we were brothers from different fathers and mothers!”

Marianne felt helpless against this thick-skinned man and could only give the order to evict him directly:

“In short! I don’t like you hanging around Allen! Please stop clinging to him!”

Seeing his little maid’s possessiveness explode, Allen had to step in to mediate:

“Alright, alright, Marianne, it’s fine. This guy is… well, consider him the high-quality free labor I picked up. He’ll come in handy when it counts. He’s not the brightest, but he has the ‘Sun Sigil’ and is quite powerful!”

“Haha! Allen, you’ve got it exactly right!” Hugo didn’t mind at all, instead bursting out laughing.

Looking at Hugo, who could laugh after being called slow by Allen, Marianne instantly understood: Here’s another gullible, cheap good buddy taken in by Allen.

Fine then.

As long as he could act as cannon fodder and protect Allen, that was good enough.

So Marianne’s attitude softened a bit.

“Mr. Bernard, would you please let go of Allen?” Marianne maintained a polite but distant smile.

“Aren’t you still holding onto him too?” Hugo pointed to her hand clutching Allen’s arm.

“I’m his sister, it’s normal for siblings to be close, right?”

“I’m his brother, and brothers naturally need to bond more!”

Sure enough, dog-like and cat-like personalities together were just bound to clash.

Allen, caught between the two pulling on him, was instantly annoyed.

What are you doing! Fighting for attention?! Be serious! This is the Triumphal Procession site!

He forcefully pushed them both away:

“You two! Settle down! Watch the parade!”

Allen was also helpless. He was determined to play the villain, yet recently he kept attracting these oddballs.

After Allen spoke, the two finally reached a temporary truce. But Marianne still stealthily pinched Allen’s waist, not too hard or soft, and glared at him, her meaning clear:

“We’ll settle this later!”

Allen returned the look:

“Stupid maid, don’t start thinking you’re the mistress! Remember, Livia is coming, our plan comes first!”

“Hmph.” Marianne pouted, a little jealous, but still followed Allen’s gaze to the end of the street.

She could already hear the cheers coming closer from afar.

The triumphant procession had entered the city.

Livia von Stern, astride her magnificent white steed, slowly passed through the East Gate of Leclair City under the solemn gaze of the honor guards.

Countless flags fluttered in the wind; the thunderous cheers rolled in waves like a tsunami, making Livia feel a little dazed.

The soldiers in front of her beamed with pride and joy, even her father, the usually stern and rigid Count of the Borderlands, Friedrich, was smiling, waving to the cheering crowds along the road.

Only Livia felt like an outsider who had stumbled into a grand celebration.

Clearly, she ought to be one of the main characters of this Triumphal Procession, yet inside she was filled with an indescribable sense of alienation.

Yet in the eyes of the onlookers, she was absolutely the breathtaking center of attention.

She wore a meticulously tailored military dress with a white base and elegant blue trim, perfectly accentuating her upright figure.

Her platinum blonde hair flowed like sunlight, complementing her outfit.

A fresh white lily ornament adorned her hair, adding a touch of nobility and purity.

Her sapphire eyes now held a faint confusion and melancholy, but to the people, that seemed a compassionate, calm mercy in the face of turmoil.

She did not wear her usual knight’s boots, but had changed into the white silk stockings and elegant high heels noble ladies wore to court, her long, slender legs faintly visible beneath the sheer fabric, adding a hint of gentle beauty to her firm grace.

Feeling the many gazes from all around, Livia felt a little uncomfortable.

The Count of the Borderlands, Friedrich, noticed his daughter’s absentmindedness and quietly reminded her:

“Livia, His Majesty prepared this grand Triumphal Procession especially for us. Cheer up. Come, smile at the people.”

Livia was long used to being watched; what truly made her uncomfortable was that people always paid too much attention to her appearance.

It was this overly praised beauty that diminished her purity as a warrior.

In battle, enemies always subconsciously avoided her face, as if afraid to damage a precious work of art, so she never had the chance to fight with full abandon.

The only one who completely ignored her looks, attacking each time with pure hatred and killing intent, focused only on efficiently taking her life—was him.

Only Allen de Laval.

She actually… shamelessly enjoyed that extreme thrill of dancing on a knife’s edge, brushing against death.

That was the true feeling of being alive she longed for.

Yes, even at this moment when all eyes were on her, Livia still felt trapped in an endless Nightmare.

She could not obtain death’s release, because no one could truly kill her; she could not end herself, because her “friends” were still hoping for her to save humanity.

So she kept killing those cultists hiding in the shadows, fighting those abominations again and again, repeating a similar academy life over and over…

But the ending would not change. Marianne would die. Humanity would be destroyed.

She could no longer bear always remembering everything from past cycles only after witnessing some terrible catastrophe, crushed completely by despair.

Then she would forget everything again, awakening to the next Nightmare.

She’d had enough.

But she still had the “Stellar Sigil,” those “kind” friends who always spoke gently to her and encouraged her. Without them, Livia didn’t know how she could go on.

When she was young and praying alone under the stars, it was the “Stellar Sigil” that answered her.

They taught her how to guide Stellar Power, how to perform the Stellar Prayer.

They were the Angels who protected humanity after the Creator fell asleep, loving humanity as the Creator did.

They were the source of Livia’s bloodline, blessed her, and granted her unparalleled power.

Thus, Livia was grateful to them. She would save humanity for them.

Now, she inherited the Nightmare’s memories, possessed knowledge of future battles, and knew her future enemies.

She was stronger than ever.

But she was also no longer the original Livia von Stern. This shattered, agonized soul… who was she, really?

Yet no matter how painful or lost she was, Livia could not abandon her engagement to Allen de Laval.

She did not like her own beauty, but she knew it might be the tool that allowed her to approach Allen de Laval.

That devil knew she was his assassin.

But if she offered herself willingly? Would he think she had already surrendered?

Livia could sacrifice everything, as long as she could save humanity… even, perhaps, try to “fall in love” with that devil.

Would he… appear here today?

Would he accept this engagement?

What kind of expression should I show when I meet him?

Livia, tangled in thought, suddenly remembered her father’s words—cheer up, smile.

Was it enough to just smile?

Tortured body and soul by endless Nightmare, Livia decided to use this chance to practice how to smile.

And so, facing the cheering crowds, she gave a faint, somewhat awkward, smile.