Marcellus looked at Livia, his voice tinged with concern. "Alright, go get some rest."
But Livia did not move. Instead, she frowned, a trace of unease in her eyes. "No, I'll stay here with you. What if someone attacks you again?"
Her gaze was unwavering—she was clearly unwilling to leave.
Marcellus let out a soft sigh, a fleeting hint of helplessness flashing across his eyes. Still, his tone remained gentle. "They won't. I've already told you—if someone is targeting me, they won't take my life. At least, not yet."
He paused, his deep gaze fixed on her. "It's you who should be more careful. Besides, you'll be facing Edgar tomorrow. You need rest to be at your best."
Livia pressed her lips together before finally nodding. "Fine. I'll go back for now."
Her voice regained its usual calmness, and her speech quickened. After all, at her core, she was still Alia—the thief she had always been. Once she pulled herself out of the whirlpool of emotions, she had no desire to linger on them. She preferred to clear her thoughts swiftly and make the most rational decision.
She lifted her head and looked at Marcellus, something complex flickering in her gaze. "I'll come see you often."
Marcellus's heart tightened. He wanted to say something, but in the end, all he did was chuckle softly and nod.
Suppressing the emotions welling inside him, he turned to Elias. "Elias, make sure Livia stays safe."
Elias let out a sharp scoff, casting him an annoyed glance. "I don't need you to tell me that. Of course, I'll protect her."
His tone carried a hint of bitterness—he was clearly still brooding over what had happened earlier.
But after a brief pause, his expression grew serious. "You, on the other hand, had better take care of yourself."
Marcellus said nothing more and simply nodded.
Without further hesitation, Livia turned and left, Elias following closely behind.
Once they were gone, Marcellus remained alone in the room. His gaze lowered slightly, and his clenched fist slowly loosened—but the weight in his heart remained.
Just as he had said earlier, Livia… had changed.
He wasn't oblivious to it—her eyes, her demeanor, even the way she spoke and acted.
The Livia he once knew was intelligent, but she had always been like a carefully protected jewel, standing in the center of everyone's attention. But now… she was sharp-edged, unwavering, and even stronger than he had imagined.
What had she been through?
Her transformation filled him with questions. But more than that… did it make him happy?
Marcellus closed his eyes briefly, a faint, bitter smile tugging at his lips.
No matter what, she had made her decision. And all he could do was support her from the shadows. He would always love her.
Yet, a lingering unease gnawed at his heart.
Tomorrow, she wouldn't just be facing Edgar—she would be stepping into an even greater, unseen conspiracy.
Outside, the castle's grand doors opened slowly beneath the shroud of night. Livia walked through the long corridors, her footsteps firm and swift.
Elias had remained silent as he accompanied her, but just before they parted ways, he finally spoke. "Tomorrow, I'll stand by you."
Livia stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.
Elias's gaze was deep, his lips curving into a faint smile. "No matter what happens, I'll be on your side."
Something flickered in Livia's eyes before she nodded slightly. "Thank you."
Elias said no more and turned away, disappearing into the castle's shadows.
In the vast, empty corridor, only Livia remained.
She made her way back to her room, and the moment she pushed open the door, an overwhelming exhaustion washed over her.
Leaning against the doorframe, she closed her eyes briefly and let out a long breath.
Her emotions were in turmoil.
Marcellus's words—"Livia, I think you've changed."—still echoed in her mind.
Yes, she had changed.
No… to be precise, she had never been Livia in the first place.
She was Alia—a thief who had survived in the darkness.
Yet now, she was sinking deeper and deeper into this identity, into this storm, into the tangled emotions of these people.
Marcellus's feelings for her… were they because she was Livia, or because of who she was now?
She didn't know. She didn't dare to find out.
But one thing was clear—there was no turning back.
She had already stepped into this storm, and she would see it through to the end—until every secret was laid bare.
Opening her eyes, she took a deep breath, her gaze sharpening.
Tomorrow would be the day she truly took her first step forward.