NOVGO.NET Chapter 221: Lily of the Valley [1]
Chapter 221: Lily of the Valley [1]
“Let’s just die together.”
There was only one word that could describe the expression on Karina’s face at that moment.
’Beautiful….’
She was utterly, devastatingly beautiful. Far more than any noblewoman he had ever laid eyes on. Her snow-white hair, perfectly matched to the frozen scenery, fluttered softly in the breeze.
Yet none of that could divert his attention as much as the pair of amethyst eyes that bore on him, eyes that refused to let his gaze escape.
It was heartbreaking, utterly so.
“You’re delusional,” Vanitas said at last.
In the next instant, his hand reached forward, closing firmly around Karina’s neck. His grip tightened, cutting off the air that should have been draining from her lungs.
But her face never changed. She only smiled while her skin showed no sign of strain, as though the very act of being strangled meant nothing at all.
“Are you afraid, Vanitas?” Karina asked, tilting her head slightly. Her fingers tapped lightly against the hand that gripped her throat. “Afraid that Astrid will one day learn the truth? Afraid she’ll find out about your involvement in her mother’s death?”
“….”
Vanitas’s grip tightened, yet his face betrayed nothing. Only the faintest gleam in his eyes revealed the impact of her words. The frostbitten wind howled between them.
“Tell me, Vanitas,” she whispered. “When she looks at you with those trusting eyes… do you ever see the Queen staring back?”
His fingers pressed harder against her throat, but still she showed no sign of struggle.
“You speak too freely,” Vanitas said. “Is this amusing to you? Spouting accusations when you don’t even know what you’re talking about?”
“That may be true,” Karina replied evenly. “But who’s to say I’m wrong? Perhaps you haven’t realized it yourself, but you’ve never once outright denied it. And that alone is enough to confirm I’m on the right track, isn’t it?”
“You twist words like a knife,” he muttered. “Drawing conclusions from delusions and calling them truth.”
Karina’s smile softened. “You could prove me wrong right now. Just say it. Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you had nothing to do with all their deaths.”
The moment felt like déjà vu. A time when words had failed him.
“Is there even a point?” Vanitas said. “When you so clearly believe in a truth fabricated from your own imagination?”
“So that’s it? You won’t even try?”
“You don’t want the truth. You want a confession that fits the story you’ve already written in your head.”
Karina stepped closer instead of recoiling. “And you don’t want to face me. Because if you did, you’d have to admit that everything I’m saying terrifies you.”
The longer their exchange dragged on, the tighter Vanitas’s grip became. It was then he noticed that her neck was beginning to show faint cracks, much like glass under pressure.
Like ice.
“My offer is tempting, isn’t it?” Karina murmured. “Die together, and we’ll leave all the suffering behind. You won’t have to drown in guilt over your sister’s death, and I won’t have to go on knowing that the only piece of my identity left is my mother’s last name.”
“It is.”
Vanitas’s fingers remained locked around her throat as the fractures deepened, slowly spreading across her skin. The sight unnerved him. It was as if he were no longer holding flesh and blood, but a woman sculpted entirely from ice.
“For once,” he continued, “I’m finally given a choice. To leave this world with you… or to let you drag me into ruin. In a way, I should be grateful. At least you haven’t abandoned me this time.”
“….”
Karina found his words oddly confusing. His words were directed at her, but it also felt like it wasn’t. As if he were speaking to someone else through her.
——Can you discern the truth from the lies?
Karina’s voice echoed after those words.
Shatter——
In the next instant, as Vanitas’s hands trembled into fists, Karina’s body split apart. Fractures raced across her form, and with a burst of shards, she shattered, fragments of ice scattering outward.
Of course, he already realized it hadn’t been Karina standing before him, but a puppet of ice.
The next moment, the biting wind began to fade, as though Karina’s presence had been the very cause of the howling storm. As the air grew still, Vanitas felt a presence behind him.
“How long have you been standing there?”
“….”
“Did you hear everything?”
“….”
It was Astrid standing there.
He couldn’t tell how long she had been there, but from her silence and the way she refused to step closer, it was clear she had overheard more than she was ever meant to.
“Marquess… t-that…” Astrid stammered, her throat tightening as she swallowed hard. “My m-mother’s death? W-Why were you… why were you talking about that…”
Her voice trembled, and for a moment, Vanitas could only stare at her.
“This is why I told you to go home,” he said at last.
“I-It’s not true, isn’t it…?” Her breath came out ragged, a white mist against the chill. “Y-You had nothing to do with my mother’s death, r-right?”
“Of course not,” Vanitas replied. “I loved Empress Julia. More than you could ever imagine.”
“Y-Yes… of course… Mother was very f-fond of you too—”
Yet the moment Vanitas took a single step toward her, Astrid unconsciously took a step back.
“….”
Vanitas stopped where he was. The distance between them stretched further than the few steps she had taken back.
“Astrid, believe in me. Have I ever disappointed you before?”
“N-No, never….”
At that moment, Astrid recalled their exchange a year ago.
——Will you abandon me too? Even if… no matter what I do… no matter what I will do for you, no matter what I say, will you turn your back on me too?
——Will my words be dismissed by you too?
That day, for the first time ever, Astrid had seen Vanitas shatter.. And despite his incomprehensible words, she had offered him consolation.
She had promised him she would remain by his side.
Now, hearing the exchange he had just shared with Karina, perhaps those words were finally beginning to make sense.
“….”
Astrid swallowed hard, pushing back the turmoil rising within her. That was right. It was Karina who had left the professor. It was Karina who had abandoned her duties, defected to the Dominion, and returned shamelessly.
If anything, the professor’s words must come first.
Before she realized it, Vanitas closed the distance and slipped an arm around her, pulling her into an embrace.
“….”
….And yet, even within the warmth of his reassurances, a single doubt remained in her heart that refused to leave.
* * *
With many scholars gathered, the first task had been to traverse the terrain and create paths leading toward the anomaly. After several days of effort, everything was finally in place, and reaching the leyline became far more manageable.
That did not mean, however, that the dangers of the surrounding lands had lessened. To safeguard the scholars, knights under the Nietzsche banner were stationed throughout the area, ensuring that every researcher could work under their protection.
——This is really strange. You’re saying this entire mansion—no, this entire palace, was created purely from mana?”
——Did anyone else hear the voices? I’m certain my late father has been speaking to me every night.
Naturally, conversations about their unusual experiences in the north echoed throughout the gathering.
Some scholars dismissed the claims outright, muttering that stress and exhaustion from the harsh northern climate must have been warping their senses. Others, however, grew pale, exchanging uneasy glances as they recounted similar experiences regarding phantoms of their loved ones whispering in the night.
——These aren’t mere hallucinations. The leyline is bleeding into our minds. It’s twisting perception, creating illusions from what we most long for or most fear.
Even the knights, though already accustomed to such phenomena, could not hide their unease. The murmurs in the clearing grew louder until, suddenly, a figure stepped forward, drawing every eye in the room.
It was Vanitas Astrea.
“That’s right,” he said over the noise. “What you’re hearing are merely perceptions of your loved ones. But for now, it’s best to dismiss them as nothing more than phantoms. Nothing has been confirmed. For all we know, they could be the work of demons. This is why we’ve gathered here. To uncover the truth.”
What followed was a heated round of discussion with scholars and knights alike debating their next course of action. Yet one point was naturally agreed upon by the consensus.
Nothing more could be learned by just remaining outside and merely studying the distortions of mana from a distance.
“There really is no other choice…”
And so the conclusion was drawn. They would have to enter the structure itself—the palace, mansion, or whatever shape the leyline had chosen to manifest.
“So, who’s going first?” Vanitas asked.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Astrid raised her hand.
Vanitas shook his head. “No. Anyone else?”
“….”
Astrid’s hand slowly sank back down in disappointment.
The scholars exchanged nervous glances, each unwilling to be the first to step into the unknown.
Vanitas let the silence drag before finally speaking. “If no one steps forward, then we’ll waste more time debating than discovering. I’ll go first, then. The rest of you will follow once I’ve confirmed the path is stable. I’ll not have you walking blind into a trap.”
Astrid, standing at his side, suddenly interjected. “What about me? You’re supposed to keep your eyes on me, aren’t you? That means I have to go with you.”
“No,” Vanitas’s gaze shifted across the clearing to where Margaret stood. “You’ll stay here, with Margaret.”
“….”
Astrid’s eyes widened, wanting to protest, but Vanitas’s tone left no room for argument.
“You promised to follow my protocols,” he reminded her. “This is one of them. Stay behind, Astrid. That’s an order.”
Her hands clenched at her sides, the disappointment on her face clear as day. For a moment, she looked like a child being told she couldn’t follow her elder brother into some great adventure.
“But—”
“No. I can’t be distracted inside. I need to focus, and I need to know you’re safe out here.”
In that moment, Astrid realized something.
If the palace truly contained the souls of their loved ones, then with her presence there, it was almost certain her mother would appear. Perhaps that was the reason Vanitas insisted she remain outside so she would never come face to face with her.
“….”
Astrid quickly shook her head, forcing the thought away. Surely, that wasn’t it. And yet, over the past few days, she couldn’t help but suspect otherwise.
If her mother truly manifested within the palace, then meeting her would confirm everything. Whether Vanitas had been involved in her death or not, such an encounter would reveal the truth.
….Even if, logically, it made no sense.
After all, it had been the doctor attending to her mother who was responsible for her death.
That much was practically confirmed.
“It’s been a while, Princess,” Margaret said, bowing her head slightly.
“It has indeed, Lady Illenia,” Astrid replied. “You’ve become even more beautiful than when I last saw you. It seems serving the Marquess has been quite fulfilling, judging by how much you’ve blossomed.”
“Thank you. The Princess herself is growing into a beautiful young lady. What year are you in now?”
“My second year,” Astrid answered. “Though with my progress, it seems graduation isn’t far off. For now, I suppose I’m on vacation.”
“Ah, that’s right. The Summit is approaching soon.” Margaret smiled. “I heard the Princess is this year’s council president. Is it really all right for you to be away from your duties at such a time?”
Astrid gave a small laugh. “It isn’t as though the council would collapse without me. They’re more than capable of managing in my absence. Besides, my brother, the Emperor, insisted I take this opportunity to rest. He said even a president needs to breathe every once in a while.”
“The Emperor is right. Responsibility can only be carried so far before it becomes a burden. Rest is as important as duty.”
“Then I’m glad we’re in agreement.”
Their conversation flowed naturally until Astrid’s gaze shifted toward a young woman standing quietly in the corner. She had fiery red hair and green eyes reminiscent of emeralds, fidgeting as she looked around the vicinity.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Astrid said, tilting her head. “Who is that? She seems to have come here with you and the Marquess?”
“Oh, her?” Margaret replied. “She’s a young maid we brought along to handle the duties we can’t tend to while we’re in the north.”
“Is that so?” Astrid leaned a little to get a better look at her. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and Astrid offered the girl a warm smile. “She’s quite beautiful. Though… for some reason, she looks familiar. I just can’t quite place it.”
“Is she?” Margaret’s lips curved faintly. “Why don’t you go and introduce yourself, Princess? You’re nearly the same age.”
“Really, now? Then please, introduce me.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
The girl in question was none other than the Saintess, Selena.
“Greetings.”
“A-Ah?”
But that was something Astrid didn’t need to know.
* * *
Upon entering the palace, the first thing Vanitas noticed was a grand reception hall. At its center was a desk, and behind it, a figure was already waiting.
When approached, the figure bowed slightly and introduced himself as the receptionist.
“Welcome to the Lily of the Valley. Have you come to inquire about a room?”
“A room?”
The receptionist gave a courteous smile.
“Yes, a room,” he said smoothly. “The Lily of the Valley is a hotel. One of luxury and comfort to provide weary travelers with the warmth of home. Though perhaps you’ll find it far more than that. Every guest is given a space tailored to their needs, a sanctuary where body and spirit may rest.”
His tone was polite, but there was something oddly uncanny in the way his words flowed, as if reciting a script rather than speaking with genuine intent.
Vanitas’s brow furrowed. “A hotel…”
“Precisely,” the receptionist answered. “Though names and appearances change depending on who walks these halls, here it has chosen to present itself as such. The Lily of the Valley welcomes all.”
The receptionist leaned forward.
“So then, esteemed guest. Shall I prepare your room?”