MTLNOVEL Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Same Time, Different Space (3)
“Someone I like…?”
“Yeah.”
Helaise scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“Why would I tell you that? It’s irrelevant to the situation, and besides—”
“Belnacien.”
“…What?”
“That’s it, isn’t it?”
“…”
At that moment, Helaise’s face froze, his previously easygoing demeanor vanishing entirely. A cold shadow fell across his features.
Thud!
He grabbed Asche by both shoulders.
“Who the hell are you?”
His glare bore into her, the tension in his body suggesting he was moments away from pulling a blade from his pouch.
“Even if you’re one of the Imperial shadows, how do you know the name of one of my household staff? And more than that, how do you know what’s in my heart?”
“…Ah.”
The pieces in Asche’s mind clicked into place.
Helaise had mistaken her for an Imperial shadow—one of the Empire’s special agents. He must have assumed she’d been cast aside after being framed for Mirelda’s murder.
That would explain why he was trying to either recruit or exploit a discarded asset.
‘So he’s still single, huh? That name was a gamble, but he’s spilling his guts already.’
It seemed the duchess was once a household servant.
‘But then why wasn’t she in the Hall of Retainers?’
Asche narrowed her eyes.
There was no way she would’ve overlooked someone as stunning as Belnacien.
Perhaps when she became the duchess, she was removed from the Hall since she was no longer a servant. Or maybe the Hall had only been established after she assumed her title.
The more Asche thought about it, the more the lines between the dots began to connect.
‘Wait…’
A startling realization hit her.
The breathtakingly beautiful woman she had seen—the mysterious maid known as “Maid B”—hadn’t appeared in the Hall of Retainers.
And yet, the massive portrait on the second floor, depicting a woman of unparalleled beauty… that was the Duchess.
Coincidentally, the duchess’ hair color was the same striking pale blonde that belonged to Maid B.
“Maid B… Belnacien Arkaden.”
A laugh slipped from her lips, half in disbelief.
This wasn’t a leap of logic—it all fit perfectly.
“You called her ‘bell,’ didn’t you?”
“You even know her nickname?!”
Grip!
Helaise’s hands tightened on her shoulders, forcing her back against the wall. His voice grew sharp as he pushed further.
“The Imperial Palace—how much do they know? What exactly have they uncovered? Answer me now, or I swear—!”
“Hah…”
Asche sighed, unimpressed. So this was how men solved their problems—by trying to scare people with brute force.
Crack.
With a flick of her wrist, she twisted Helaise’s arm effortlessly, leveraging Hayley’s supernatural strength.
“Khh! What kind of woman has this kind of…?”
“Calm down. Next time, I’ll twist your neck instead.”
“Urgh…”
Whap!
Asche shoved his wrist away, sending Helaise stumbling backward. He clutched his arm, wincing as he gingerly rubbed the sore spot.
“Knowing a maid’s name is hardly a big deal. What, are you afraid the Emperor’s going to take her as a concubine or something?”
“…What?”
“She’s pretty, so I can understand your overprotectiveness.”
“…”
Helaise’s gaze softened as he let out a deep sigh, muttering something incomprehensible to himself.
“So that’s it… They don’t know everything. At least not that part…”
He looked as though he had narrowly avoided death itself. His relieved demeanor, the way tension drained from his shoulders—it was almost comical.
“You’re not planning a rebellion, are you?”
“What?”
“If whatever’s rattling you is enough to make a duke squirm in front of an Imperial shadow, it’s probably treason. What, is Bell some hidden Imperial princess or something?”
“Wrong! Absolutely not! Never in a million years!”
“Of course not.”
The question about Belnacien being hidden royalty was just bait. What Asche had really wanted to test was whether Helaise had treasonous intentions.
From his reaction, it seemed unlikely.
“…And yet you want to defy the Empire and help me? Why should I trust you?”
“It’s personal. My motives are personal. That’s why I’m suggesting mutual cooperation.”
“Mutual cooperation, huh? Fine. But betray me, and I’ll kill you on the spot.”
In truth, she couldn’t actually kill him. If Helaise were to die, it would likely cause the painted world to spiral out of control.
This place wouldn’t allow such an act.
“Then… I look forward to working with you, Selly.”
“Sure.”
For now, it was a temporary alliance.
Though she wanted nothing more than to strangle him, any revenge taken in this artificial world would be utterly meaningless.
***
After their agreement, Helaise handed Asche an odd-looking mask. He called it an “Invisibility Mask.”
When she put it on, her appearance shifted entirely—Selly’s face vanished, replaced by that of a stranger.
The craftsmanship was impressive. Helaise’s reputation as a genius was well-earned.
“…So, what’s your goal?”
“There’s something I need to confirm. That’s why I need someone with your expertise as an Imperial shadow.”
“You need a guide, huh?”
“You catch on quickly.”
Of course, he didn’t need an ordinary guide.
Helaise already knew the palace inside and out. What he sought were its hidden paths—the secret passages only an Imperial shadow could navigate.
Sure enough, after Asche began accompanying him, the previously sealed hidden pathways became accessible.
“Selly, once this is over, why don’t you come to Arkaden Manor?”
“I’d rather die than step foot in that cursed mansion.”
Asche rejected the offer immediately. Helaise chuckled awkwardly.
“Well… I’d say it’s a rather decent place.”
“Sure, with disobedient dogs like Hayley and a hoard of creepy art pieces. Must be delightful.”
“How does a shadow even know all that?!”
Asche allowed Helaise to continue misunderstanding the situation. It was convenient, after all, so she chose not to correct him.
“So, what’s your plan from here?”
“Revenge. I’ll kill everyone who drove me into this corner.”
The statement carried a double meaning.
Both the cursed Arkaden mansion and the Imperial family, which had tried to assassinate her, would taste her vengeance.
Noticing the sharp edge in Asche’s tone, Helaise seemed to relax slightly. Her vengeful resolve reassured him that she’d keep their shared secrets safe.
“Fine. But what exactly are you trying to confirm?”
“It could be the turning point of my life. You’ll see it too, so I might as well explain.”
In the echoing silence of the secret passage, Helaise’s voice dropped to a more serious tone.
“A prophecy was delivered at the temple. One that could have catastrophic consequences for the Imperial family.”
“About the witch, isn’t it?”
“As expected, you already know. Then there’s no point hiding it further. In truth, this isn’t the first time a dark prophecy has loomed over the Empire.”
“I know. There was one during the reign of the third emperor. They avoided it somehow back then.”
“How do you think they managed that? Prophecies are absolute—unalterable fates beyond human control.”
“…”
It was a question she had wondered about when studying the Empire’s history. But the details were always conspicuously absent from the records, leaving her to memorize vague summaries and move on.
“The Imperial family resorted to sorcery to evade that prophecy. They searched high and low for a way, eventually uncovering the means to cheat fate.”
“A way to sidestep destiny… Does it exist?”
“Indeed. They found it—an unthinkable method to disrupt the fabric of this world.”
What arrogance it must have taken to defy fate itself. Yet, the Imperial family had possessed both the hubris and the power to do so.
“They summoned something—something outside this world’s natural order—to tangle destiny’s threads. As a result, the Empire survived and has enjoyed over 500 years of prosperity.”
Five centuries—a span long enough to witness the rise and fall of even the greatest of nations. Yet, the Empire’s golden age had endured and only seemed to grow brighter.
With 72 Star Knights under its command, the Imperial family expanded its territory and cemented its rule with overwhelming public support.
“I’m certain the current Imperial family intends to repeat the same actions. They’re the kind of people who’d dare defy fate, arrogant enough to think they could get away with it again.”
Helaise sighed, his voice tinged with bitterness.
“And yet… do they not fear retribution from destiny itself?”
“Hmm.”
Asche carefully studied him.
Helaise hadn’t lied, but he wasn’t telling her everything, either.
If his only motive was exposing the prophecy, there’d be no reason to recruit her. Far from being a traitor, his loyalty should have driven him to address the Emperor directly.
No, he had to be hiding something—something he couldn’t show anyone else.
“Does all of this tie into why we’re heading for the Emperor’s audience chamber?”
“…Yes. Even after his wife was murdered, the Star Knight of Neterto joined the Emperor there. There’s something critical happening, I’m sure of it.”
“Mirelda and her husband were distant. It makes sense that he wouldn’t linger over her death.”
“What? That’s impossible.”
Helaise looked genuinely surprised, as though Asche had just told him the sky was green.
“The Neterto couple is famously known in society as the perfect pair. People would believe they married for love rather than politics.”
“What? That doesn’t add up.”
“…It seems one of us has been deceived.”
The secret passage they traversed led to the back of the audience chamber. A cleverly concealed section of the wall functioned as a revolving door.
Officially, this was where only direct royal heirs could tread.
Asche, however, had been the Emperor’s favored daughter and privy to a unique knowledge passed down only to successors.
“Hand that over.”
“Oh, yes.”
Helaise handed her a small device she had requested earlier, one that produced heat when activated.
“Let’s see… there’s a faintly thinner section here… got it.”
Part of the audience chamber’s wall was built with a special material. When heated, it became semi-transparent and even slightly sound-permeable.
“Incredible… I had no idea the palace had such a secret.”
“Quiet. They can’t see us, but sound carries both ways now.”
“Understood.”
Both Asche and Helaise fixed their eyes on the partially transparent wall.
Inside, the Emperor sat on his throne, speaking to a man who had to be the Star Knight of Neterto.
“Are you well, Knight?”
“In exchange for the brightest star’s companion, an offering must be made.”
The knight responded cryptically, his voice heavy with resignation.
“…I began severing my emotions the moment I heard those words from the sorcerer.”
“I see.”
“My wife… She died in the palace she so admired. At least she might resent me less for that.”
Asche clenched her teeth in fury.
Whatever circumstances had led to Mirelda’s death, she hadn’t deserved it. And her so-called husband—this man—had already rationalized his lack of guilt.
‘That bastard…!’
She knew this was a fabricated world, but spending time with Mirelda had made her develop a strange attachment. Mirelda’s kindness and the unfairness of her fate struck a chord.
The Emperor raised a hand, giving a signal.
“Once the sorcerer’s preparations are complete, begin the ritual.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
The sorcerer traced intricate patterns on the floor with a crimson liquid contained in an urn. The symbols glowed faintly, their meaning inscrutable to both Asche and Helaise.
Eventually, the pattern resembled an elaborate magic circle.
“Forgive me, and thank you, Knight. Seeing the true sigil drawn with your wife’s blood stirs uneasy feelings.”
“…It was necessary for the Empire’s survival.”
“Yes… For the Empire, all must be done.”
Those creatures weren’t human.
Asche and Helaise shared the same thought as they watched in silence.
Suddenly, the chamber was filled with a radiant light—an unearthly brilliance that seeped into the secret passage, enveloping everything.
“…Huh?”
The next moment, Asche found herself standing in the familiar corridors of the Arkaden mansion.
Before her stood the butler, his face twisted with severe displeasure.
And they were alone.