Livia and Elise returned to the castle under the deep night sky, where the light cast uneven shadows on the stone walls. As soon as they stepped into the main hall, they saw Emma standing to the side, as if waiting for them.
Emma's gaze lingered on Livia for a moment before she smiled faintly. "You're back."
Livia nodded without saying much, while Elise politely inclined her head in greeting.
An unspoken tension hung in the air. Livia's emotions were complicated—she had yet to fully trust Emma, and she knew Emma wasn't being entirely honest with her either. She had planned to sort out her thoughts upon returning to the castle, but now she found herself too drained to dwell on it.
Forcing a small, indifferent smile, she said, "Mm, things are fine on Adrian's side… I'm a little tired and want to rest."
Emma, perceptive as always, caught the hint of distance in her tone. Her expression faltered slightly but, in the end, she didn't press further. Instead, she simply nodded and said, "Then rest well. Let me know if you need anything."
Livia responded absently and led Elise toward her chambers. However, just as she reached the staircase, a familiar voice called out from the entrance of the hall—
"Livia."
She halted mid-step and looked up, locking eyes with Elias.
Suppressing a sigh, she raised a hand to her temple, thinking to herself, Why is everyone gathering here tonight?
Elias stood at the door, draped in a travel-worn cloak, as if he had just rushed back from a long journey. His gaze fixed on Livia, carrying a trace of urgency barely concealed beneath his composed demeanor.
"I need to talk to you," he said, his voice low and resolute.
Livia met his gaze, her mind instantly swirling with countless thoughts. Her relationship with Elias had always been… complicated. She knew her heart belonged to Marcellus, yet there was an inescapable entanglement between her and Elias, something neither of them could entirely sever. She had thought herself rational, yet every time she faced Elias, her emotions refused to stay calm.
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to regain composure before turning to Elise. "Go ahead to your room first. I'll come find you later."
Elise hesitated, her concern evident, but after a brief pause, she nodded and made her way upstairs.
Only after Elise disappeared from view did Livia turn back to Elias, her voice neither warm nor cold. "What is it?"
Elias frowned slightly, glancing around before his gaze settled back on her. "Can we speak in private?"
Livia hesitated for a moment. Emma was still standing nearby, and she had just returned from Adrian's side with new leads on the Holy Grail. Matters with Marcellus remained unresolved, and now she had to deal with Elias… Everything was becoming a tangled mess, and she had no idea where to begin untangling it.
But she knew she couldn't avoid this conversation.
Taking another deep breath, she nodded. "Alright. Let's go to the study."
Elias didn't waste words. He simply turned and headed toward the study, with Livia following silently behind, already bracing herself for whatever news was about to come.
Under the dim glow of the study's lanterns, Livia's expression grew more serious as Elias delivered his news.
"Eryx, has been appointed as the second-in-command of the expansion project."
A brief silence filled the room.
Livia's brows knitted together as she pondered his words. "Eryx? A general? Why would he suddenly be put in charge of the expansion project? That makes no sense… Edgar has always overseen it, with Marcellus leading its execution. Why add Eryx to the mix now?"
There was an unmistakable trace of suspicion in her voice. The expansion project had always been a collaborative effort between Marcellus and Edgar—its scope was vast, but its leadership had remained stable. The sudden involvement of someone from the military was undoubtedly unusual.
Elias shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of resignation. "I don't know the exact reason, but the official statement from Edgar is that they need Eryx and his soldiers to guard construction sites, ensuring the project's security."
Livia fell silent, but her mind was already racing.
Security concerns? No, that's just an excuse. The real reason is that Edgar no longer fully trusts Marcellus.
Her eyes darkened as she recalled Marcellus's recent decisions regarding Adrian and Elise. Edgar was always meticulous—there was no way he would overlook what he might perceive as betrayal. And in truth, Marcellus's actions had disrupted their search for the Holy Grail.
This move… It was likely Edgar's way of restricting Marcellus's influence, perhaps even monitoring his every action.
Letting out a slow sigh, Livia leaned back in her chair, her gaze drifting toward the study's window. The night beyond was thick with shadows, carrying a biting chill.
But why Eryx?
His name circled in her thoughts, accompanied by a growing sense of unease.
Was this simply a coincidence? Had Eryx fought for this position himself?
Or worse… Had Edgar been manipulated into granting him authority?
The worst possibility of all was that Eryx and Edgar had made some secret arrangement.
The more Livia considered it, the more tangled her thoughts became. She rubbed her temple, feeling an unfamiliar sense of helplessness.
If Edgar's true goal was to suppress Marcellus or tighten his control over the expansion project, she could choose to stay out of it. But if Edgar was being misled or used by Eryx, then the situation would be far more dangerous.
Should she warn Edgar? Or should she wait and observe?
More importantly… What would Marcellus think?
After all, this entire series of events stemmed from her choices. It was because she had asked Marcellus to help Adrian and Elise that he was now in this precarious position.
Livia closed her eyes, her thoughts in disarray. She didn't even know how Marcellus felt right now—was he angry? Regretful? Or was he already planning his next move?
Elias studied her expression carefully before asking in a quiet voice, "What are you thinking?"
Livia opened her eyes and looked at him deeply. After a pause, she murmured, "I'm wondering… Did I make everything more complicated by asking Marcellus to help Adrian?"
Elias was silent for a moment before replying in a low voice, "This situation was never simple to begin with. It's not complicated because of you—it was always a mess. You just… set certain changes in motion."
Livia's lips curved into a faint, bitter smile.
"Then what should I do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Elias didn't answer right away. Instead, he studied her before slowly saying,
"That depends on you… on what you truly want."
Livia's fingers curled slightly as she clenched her hands.
She knew, sooner or later, she would have to make a choice.
But right now, she still didn't have an answer.