Livyat slept at the consulate again last night.
At first, Tesvelan wanted her to share a bed, but under the maid’s firm objection, she had to give up.
The consulate prepared a room just for Livyat.
To call it a room would be an understatement—it was much larger than Livyat’s original apartment.
What she envied most was the huge row of wardrobes stretching all the way to the ceiling.
She didn’t know why, but ever since she wore that moonlight-white formal dress last time, she’d wanted a wardrobe of her own.
So, she stealthily opened the wardrobe to take a look, only to discover pajamas already prepared inside for her.
Livyat, who’d slept soundly all night, woke in the spacious, bright room.
She got up, changed into her uniform, and, under the maid’s guidance, went to the dining room for breakfast.
Then she noticed Tesvelan, who was still feverish yesterday, sitting lazily in her pajamas, slouched on a chair, already eating.
Livyat walked straight over and sat beside Tesvelan.
“Did you sleep well last night, Livyat?”
Tesvelan bit into a fried egg and mumbled.
“Thanks to your care, very well. And you? Has your fever gone down completely?”
“I feel much better now, should be almost recovered. Thank you. Since I was little, besides my mother and the maids, no one has cared for me so gently. I feel like you were born to be a girl.”
“Heh. Somehow I don’t feel like that was a compliment.”
The maid soon brought out Livyat’s breakfast, bowing gracefully.
One hand held the serving tray, the other placed each plate on the table, saying, “Your Majesty, please enjoy.”
So even the way they address me has changed?
Was this Tes’s request?
Livyat tried not to show any reaction, and simply said thank you.
“Tes, do you really not resent your mother for abdicating just because of a book?”
“I don’t care about such things. Most of the time I just find these topics annoying. Well, but if it’s you asking, Livyat, I can talk about it. I don’t resent her. If anything, I think you’re the one who deserves sympathy, Livyat. But don’t worry, I’ll persuade my mother to help you, and I’ll do everything I can.”
“But compared to my attitude, shouldn’t you be more concerned about Lady Julia’s view? She might seem indifferent to anything not work-related, but she’s not a fool. Do you really think she just says ‘oh sure, sure’ to everything about you?”
“I know, which is why I have no idea how to talk to her. But saying it’s all because of magic… that’s not really a lie, is it?”
“Who knows, Livyat. But I can sense she trusts you. That’s what you need to hold on to. Alright, I’m full. When you finish eating, hurry up and get to work—don’t be afraid to face Julia.”
Tesvelan waved her hand, signaling the maid to help her back to rest.
When it came to bossing people around, the proud princess’s nature was unmistakable.
After breakfast, Livyat left the consulate and soon arrived at the Civil Affairs Office.
She headed straight to Julia’s office.
“Good morning, Julia!”
Livyat greeted Julia cheerfully, then sat at the side desk and began working.
Just one day off, and so many documents have piled up for signature.
She patiently checked each form—approvals or reimbursement slips reviewed by subordinate directors.
After checking, she signed Loren Green’s name in the lower right corner of each document.
Once done, she stacked the files neatly and brought them to Julia’s desk.
After handing them over, Livyat was a bit surprised to see Julia didn’t immediately pull out Loren Green’s seal.
Instead, she narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing every document.
Odd.
These aren’t important documents—why go through them so carefully, one by one?
Maybe the office’s finances have been tight lately.
Julia is indeed rigorous and responsible.
Thinking this, Livyat returned to her own desk to continue working.
A long time passed before Julia’s voice came: “Livyat. I’m being transferred to the Shipbuilding Department.”
That was inevitable—the rumors had been out for a while, even the noble ladies at gatherings knew.
While writing, Livyat said, “Congratulations, Julia! That means you’ll be the Chief Steward, right?”
“Yes, I’ll be heading that department. Also, I’d really like to take you with me, but it depends on what you want.”
“I’d be glad to. I’ll continue fulfilling my duties as your secretary.”
Now that she thought about it, choosing to part ways with Julia would’ve been the strange choice.
“I’m glad, Livyat. But before we both move to the Shipbuilding Department, there’s a leftover issue we have to resolve. When you were using your human alias, Loren Green, you were granted a director’s post by the Governor’s Office. If the new Chief Steward here discovers this, it’ll be a big problem. So, we need to forge a death certificate for Loren Green, then destroy Loren Green’s seal.”
“But looking on the bright side, it’s not so bad. As my secretary, at least you didn’t report your surname as Green. After all, as an elf, you couldn’t possibly be from the Loren family, right? I believe you must have your own… private reasons for not revealing your elven surname. Let the matter end here—it’s best for us both.”
After speaking, Julia looked at Livyat.
Livyat kept her gaze lowered to her desk, her writing hand never pausing, the tips of her elven ears trembling.
“Livyat, are you listening? You’ll draft that death certificate, alright? You’re the most familiar with the role—like the made-up countryside origin, imaginary parents and sisters, and so on.”
Still no reply.
No reply at all.
Julia’s worst fear had come true.
Her suspicions were now reality.
And facing this fact, she knew she’d inevitably hurt Livyat, her coworker for two years, the boy who struggled for five years in Landinset, the one who’d lived more than twenty years as… Loren Green, a human.
Livyat was still writing.
Was she trying to distract herself with work?
That document must be the monthly office spending summary Julia assigned a few days ago—did it really need that many words?
What—what was she writing!?
Julia quietly stood up, taking small steps toward Livyat.
Though she approached, Livyat didn’t seem to hear or see her, just kept writing, faster and faster, her hand trembling.
Until Julia saw that sheet riddled with puncture marks—Loren Green.
Covered in Loren Green, from neat handwriting at first to utter illegibility at the end, but Julia knew, all that was written was Loren Green.
Even on the parts meant for the main text, it said Loren Green.
When Livyat’s shaking hand could barely write another Loren Green, Julia gently moved the page aside and held Livyat’s hand.
Then came the tears.
Fresh tears fell onto the words Loren Green, so new they hadn’t soaked through, but streamed down the page, pooling at the bottom edge.
With nothing to buffer the sound, Julia could truly hear Livyat’s silent crying—only the teardrops hitting the wooden desk revealed the sorrow forced upon others, a twisted, helpless tragedy.
For the first time, political animal Julia had no idea what to do.
If possible, she would kneel and beg Livyat’s forgiveness; if she could, she’d keep pretending not to know.
But she couldn’t—the Governor’s ill-timed commission for Loren Green was like a curse, turning everything that followed into a mistake.
The misalignment between Loren Green and Livyat—by fate, this fragile soul was destined to be hurt.
Julia stood beside Livyat for a while in silence.
Then she took out her handkerchief, gently wiping away Livyat’s tears.
Livyat didn’t pull away, but the tears couldn’t be wiped clean.
And after that, what else could Julia do?
Livyat’s chest heaved, shoulders shaking, sobs growing into wailing, her grief so raw that even the world seemed to fall silent.
She cried until there were no more tears, her weeping gradually dying away, like a sudden sunshower that disappeared as quickly as it came.
Only then did she raise her head, her swollen, red eyes looking at Julia.
Julia’s heart twisted.
She whispered, “L—” but her words were interrupted.
“Sis, you must hate a monster like me, right? I’m sorry, I really am sorry. I don’t want to be like this, but I really am a monster, aren’t I? Becoming a girl, becoming an elf, multiplying like this as if under a curse. You know now, don’t you? I am Loren Green.”
“But I can never be Loren Green again…”
Suddenly, Julia bent down and hugged Livyat.
Her arms wrapped so tightly, her body pressed so close, as if not wanting her to say anything more.
Julia’s voice trembled: “You’re not a monster. To me, you’ll always be my little sun. On the contrary, it’s a blockhead like me who’s the real monster—almost devoured my little sun. No matter who you are, you’re always yourself.”
Leaning in Julia’s embrace, Livyat seemed a little better.
“But, but I really can’t be Loren Green anymore. Even Loren Green’s shadow is going to be wiped from this world. I… he’ll be hurt by this. I don’t even know if I’m sad for myself, or for Loren. Clearly, clearly I am Loren…”
Julia finally understood the knot in Livyat’s heart.
She gently patted Livyat’s back, not replying, waiting for Livyat to finish venting and continue on her own.
“I know, too. As Loren, I can’t come back… Do you know? No one ever asked me if I agreed to this change—it just forced itself upon me. It’s infuriating. But every time I try to say that, the feelings in this body make accepting it seem so natural. I can’t live like a boy anymore. I want… I want to live as a girl. Isn’t that awful, too?”
“I can’t even stop anything. Can’t change anything. If my fate was in someone else’s hands, at least I could swear to fight back, go out in a blaze of glory. But my fate is in the hands of a book, of a tree. How am I supposed to fight back against this kind of magic?”
Livyat buried herself deeper in Julia’s embrace, as if she could disappear inside.
“I—I just want to live. I don’t want to die in a sewer again. I don’t want…”
Julia’s heart froze—die in a sewer?
What did that mean?
She could only think the trauma Livyat had suffered was far worse than she’d imagined.
If all this was because of her probing, she truly hated herself.
Then, she noticed Livyat’s teary eyes staring right at her.
That gaze held no resentment, no hostility—only lost, unfocused confusion.
Julia had to respond.
“I know, I understand. Mysterious magic turned you into a beautiful elven maiden. You’re not living like a girl—you are a girl. If you ask whether I mind, I’m actually… a little happy.”
“Happy? Julia, you’re happy I became a girl? Doesn’t it seem weird to you?”
Livyat’s voice was hoarse from crying.
“Livyat. If Loren Green is now in the past, then the present you is the Livyat who never gives up. The Queen Her Majesty, witnessed by the stars, and our very best Secretary Miss.”
Livyat really didn’t want to keep crying.
She understood Julia’s meaning—the past was gone.
If Loren’s life could only last twenty-three years, she would make the most of what was left.
“So Julia, does this secret of mine make me seem like a freak?”
“Yes. I know a little secret of yours now, it’s too adorable. Though I can’t really call myself a girl anymore, as women, it’s only fair I share a secret of mine with you too. That way, we’re even, right?”
Julia, still holding Livyat tightly, leaned close and whispered softly in her ear.
At once, Livyat’s already tear-reddened face went completely red, her eyes wide.
This wasn’t a little secret—it was a huge one.
Julia likes girls!
Livyat looked at Julia, whose eyes were filled with longing and tenderness.
“So, does that make me the monster and you the hunter now?”
Julia grinned at the now less-sad Livyat.
Livyat shook her head.
“No, I’m just happy to know one of sister’s secrets.”
“Hmph, but you really are mean, sis, making me write my own death certificate.”
Julia laughed, saying nothing for a while.
She knew Livyat had accepted who she was now—or at least convinced herself to.
And so, they made peace with themselves there in the office.
“So you really intend to be Queen of the Elves? You know what that means. I’m just worried about you… It’s an enormous burden. If it were me, I’d probably have lost my mind already.”
Livyat managed a little smile.
Even a battered, reckless puppy has to keep running, right?
“It’s a scary thing. But what’s the point of being so afraid I’d want to die? If I really am queen, for you, Julia, and for Tes too, it’s not so bad.”
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