Let's start over, Your Majesty.

Chapter 183 The Gap Between Him

The stage play had already begun. The lights went out, and in the darkness, a beam of light shone on the red curtain of the stage. Accompanied by light music, the curtain was drawn back, and actresses dressed as maids appeared one by one against the backdrop of a beautiful garden.

Surrounding the center was an actress dressed in aristocratic attire, who entered with dance-like steps.

She was a beautiful woman with long, deep purple hair and fair skin; even the elaborate performance costume couldn't conceal her stunning figure.
This is Angelina Hainrem, a famous actress and popular star in the kingdom.

As soon as she appeared, she launched into a theatrical song and dance, recounting her affluent but passionless aristocratic life.

In the VIP box, Ita leaned back on the sofa. The warm indoor heating made her take off her thick coat, and she had already changed into slippers when she came in. Now, she curled up on the soft sofa, hugging her knees.
She glanced at Caesar beside her and saw that he was propping his head up with one hand. Although he was looking at the performance below, it was clear from his eyes that he didn't care about the content of the performance.

Ever since leaving the fortune-telling shop, Caesar had been like this, absent-minded, his mind not on his date with her at all.

What did Caesar see in the divination omens? Why did they have such a great impact on him, and why was he keeping it a secret from her?

She hesitated for a moment, then asked Caesar, "Caesar, are you thirsty? Shall I get you some tea?"

Caesar nodded, but clearly hadn't heard what Ita was saying at all.

Ita got up, went to the table to the side, poured two cups of strong Earl Grey tea, returned to the sofa, and placed them on the tray table next to Caesar.

She picked up a glass, sat back down on the sofa, tucked her legs in, and sipped it slowly.

At this point, the first conflict scene has begun on stage. Angelina Jolie, who plays the female lead Qisa, clashes with her father and engages in a heated argument. After hearing about the beautiful scenery of the southern islands from the maid, she develops the idea of ​​running away from home.

"The acting was alright, wasn't it? What do you think, Caesar?" Itah asked Caesar beside him.

Caesar did not answer, remaining lost in his own thoughts.

The girl beside him, the melodious music below, and the wonderful stage play all seemed to have nothing to do with him anymore.

The sudden appearance of Grace made him uneasy, especially her current state. According to Sothos, she should be existing in the Heqin Box as a spirit, completely isolated from the outside world. But what was that he just saw?

She has now become a being beyond her own imagination, a level that a mage could not possibly reach.

What exactly did she experience during those six hundred years?
Furthermore, if her sudden appearance was due to her own divination, then the question she raised, "Does the influence still linger on me?" could it be that she was the one who asked the question?

What could Grace have left behind on herself? And when did she leave that mark?

What is that thing left in the forbidden area of ​​the royal palace?
And what has happened to the Hellanells family over the years? And how did they end up in a place like this?

Caesar wasn't unaware of the suspicion surrounding the descendant of the Hellanells family and the wolf girl, but he also knew that he wouldn't get any information by directly questioning them. To find out their true identities, he had to investigate them himself.

He let out a long breath, and a question popped into his mind: if the information he received from the divination was true, then did he still need to go to the forbidden area?
He quickly dismissed the idea. He had a clear feeling that exploring the forbidden area was absolutely necessary, as it could reveal the truth behind all the secrets and completely resolve all his confusion.

However, the situation is now worse than before, and he needs to make more preparations. In addition to the basic exploration fleet, he also needs a powerful enough ruins exploration team, one that he can trust completely.

He needs to build his own power base, and he needs to do so quickly.

"Grace"

He covered his forehead, silently murmuring the name in his heart.

Even after all these years, the mere thought of that name still brings him a sense of melancholy.

In the brutal and ruthless years of war, only this name could bring him a sliver of warmth and tenderness. But now, the girl who had been his lifelong companion has become a stranger to him, and he is not even sure if she can still be called "she" instead of "He".

A strange emotion welled up inside him, making him feel a tightness and discomfort in his chest.

Before we knew it, the stage play had come to an end. The male and female protagonists met again under the curtain of the setting sun, expressing their feelings for each other. With the music gradually becoming more exciting, the atmosphere at the scene had been pushed to a climax.

When the female lead shouted, "We are siblings, but I am still willing to love you," Ita glanced cautiously at Caesar, only to find him covering his forehead, completely oblivious to the performance.

Ita lowered his head in frustration.

As the beautiful and melodious music played, the curtain slowly closed, the lights came back on, and when the curtain opened again, all the actors had come on stage and waved to the audience. The entire hall was filled with applause.

“It’s over,” Ita said softly.
She didn't move, but looked at Caesar beside her.

"Caesar, what did you think of the performance?"

Caesar took a deep breath: "Ita, I'm not feeling well, I'll head back in a bit."

“Oh dear, but I’ve already booked dinner,” Ita said hastily.

“I’m sorry,” Caesar simply said, his head bowed, without even glancing at her.

Ita opened her mouth, but in the end, she pursed her lips.

"I see."

The two walked out of the grand theater together. It was winter, and the sky was completely dark. A cold wind was blowing, and Ita tightened her coat.

"Shall I take you back, Caesar?"

“No need, I’ll walk back myself,” Caesar said.
He's feeling very confused right now and just wants to be alone.

“But it’s so cold, and the road is so far,” Ita said.

"Don't worry about me, Ita, you go back now." Caesar patted her head, smiled faintly, and turned to leave.

Delina stood at the back, glancing at Caesar who was walking further and further away, and then at Ita who was standing there.

"Master."

Ita watched Caesar's retreating figure, feeling a pang of disappointment. What was supposed to be a pleasant date had turned out like this.

It wasn't just Caesar's cold demeanor that made her feel even more distressed; it was the sudden sense of distance between them that she had never experienced before. Now, she felt as if a thick barrier separated them, and it seemed as if she had discovered that his position was completely different from her own.

This feeling of alienation from loved ones made her feel suffocated, and a pang of sorrow welled up in her heart.

Gradually, she suddenly felt the scenery in her eyes blurring, and then everything went black as she fell backward.

"Homeowner!"

A gasp behind him made Caesar turn around and see Ita lying unconscious on the ground.

(End of this chapter)