Eaten By The Tyrant I Raised

“Lady Hyun Nabel, the Countess, will also be attending.
She is the representative of the Southern Continent Shrine.”

“Ah.”

Lorna’s eyes widened.

In that moment, a rush of memories flooded her mind, memories she had kept hidden deep within the landscapes of the western continent, as if trying to forget.

[Cursed]

The image of the Countess, shouting with a sinister face every time she laid eyes on her, and the relentless spells she cast upon her without hesitation.

What if, by some chance, the magic managed to pierce through this time? What would happen then?

She still remembered the faces of the innocent maids who perished beside her, struck by lightning spells and engulfed in flames, without any fault of their own.

“…”

She slightly parted her lips, as if turning away, as if she knew.
The Countess had declared that she would come all the way to the western continent.

She knew she was from the Shrine, but she had never expected to see her before arriving at the mainland.

“My lady.”

Nabel shielded her eyes.

As if urging her to set aside any other thoughts.

Embracing her from behind, Nabel whispered in a hushed voice.

“Do not worry.
She cannot dare harm the owner of the deity.”

He tightly held Lorna’s cold hand.

“This is the western continent.
And see who is by your side.”

The most powerful authority in the western continent stood beside her.

“I will do whatever you ask, my lady.”

He slipped a ring onto her finger and held it firmly.

“Even if you turn me into a tyrant who incites unnecessary wars with the mainland.
So, you see.”

Nabel placed the ring-clad hand against her thumping chest and spoke.

“Do not fear those weaklings who would die at your command.”

Lorna’s head moved ever so slightly, as if nodding.

It seemed as if the overwhelming flood of past memories had frozen her.

Nabel looked at her and kissed her cheek.

A gentle sound echoed through the quiet garden.

Startled, Lorna turned to face him.

“You have such peculiar customs here, Nisha.”

As if someone else was watching!

With a flushed face, Lorna spoke, and Nabel smiled mischievously.

“This is a courtesy of the western continent.
It is a greeting to wish someone well.”

As Lorna’s tension eased, he kissed her cheek once again.

“That’s right, Nisha.”

“…Yes, indeed.”

Nisha spoke in a solemn voice.

He had never encountered such a greeting, having never ventured beyond the mainland in his life.

But if the Emperor called it a greeting, then it was a greeting.

“…”

He began to seriously contemplate whether he should return to the Knight’s Guild and kiss his fellow knights on the cheeks as a greeting.

The thought of meeting Nabel’s gaze made cold sweat form on his forehead.

***

During the preparation for the Tower’s test, new events unfolded in Lorna’s nights.
She found herself waiting for Nabel, who would appear at her window and tap on the door at any given moment.

No promise was necessary.
Merely meeting each other’s gaze once was enough.

Nabel always knocked on her window at midnight, and Lorna would stare at the window, wide awake, until then.

They didn’t go unseen during the day either.
However, spending time alone together proved to be difficult.

“Your Highness!”

Whenever it seemed like the two could spend some time together, they were invariably interrupted by people seeking Nabel.

As if he weren’t already busy enough.

With the added preparation for the Tower’s test, he couldn’t possibly find any leisure time.

“Lorna, my lady.”

In Nabel’s place, Lin and the other maids-in-waiting kept her company.

From the attendants in Lorna’s palace, including Chief Maid Dia, to the maids, they didn’t give Lorna a moment of boredom.

They moved as one from the very beginning, as if they had been accompanying Lorna all along.
Lin, though originally from a different continent, was valued for her experience in serving people from the same continent as Lorna.

She helped Lorna obtain all the things she liked, while avoiding fragrances and foods that were not used on the continent.

“It’s my first time working with someone from a different continent.”

“I never thought I would be spending time with someone from a different continent in my life.”

At first, the maids were unfamiliar with Lin.

As for Lorna, it didn’t matter where she came from since she was the owner of the Divine Beast.

But Lin was different.

Lady Diyascolded those maids.

“No matter where Lin came from, it’s not important.
It would be better to prepare for Lady Lorna more comfortably while talking like that.”

Her words carried a chill.

It was a direct order from Nabel to assign Lin as the exclusive maid-in-waiting for Lorna.

Regardless of Lin’s origin, it was not important as long as there was an imperial command.

She was someone cherished by Lady Lorna.

And His Majesty commanded Nabel to take good care of Lady Lorna.

Those two reasons were enough.

One who disobeys might not be able to stay in Lorna’s palace.

Lady Diyawas one of the few people who knew what happened to the head chef, who unknowingly served poisoned food.

“What do you see outside the window?”

Lin knew how to put Lorna at ease.

Lorna, who had been staring out the window with a troubled expression all along, finally smiled.

“Just people passing by.”

More precisely, she was watching the priests.
The magicians who served the gods in the temple.

They were dressed in elaborate attire, different from ordinary magicians who served gods at home.

But all magicians wore a common bracelet.

That stood out particularly to Lorna.

[Ding]

The bracelet that Lady Rida, the Countess, used to sway on her wrist came to mind.

“….”

She held her tongue, knowing that Lady Rida might be among them.

Lorna sealed her lips firmly.
It was inevitable that her thoughts became more and more consumed by such things.

And reports about her were always conveyed to Nabel without fail.