Chapter 48: Something Is Calling You

As Livia and Elise left the room, Marcellus turned to Edgar, his expression tense. "Are you really going to let Livia see it? And what exactly am I supposed to tell her? What should I hide? After she lost her memory this time, I thought it was a blessing in disguise, a chance for her to forget all that pain. But now you're dragging her back… The thing we found during the last expansion, that was the source of her suffering."

His voice carried a mix of frustration and subdued anger, his hands clenching unconsciously as he recalled haunting memories.

Edgar raised his gaze, meeting Marcellus with a calm yet commanding look. "You'll tell her a carefully chosen version of the truth. Tell her the discovery during the last expansion happened because of her instincts—that it was her intuition that led us to unearth that artifact. We need her intuition again, and perhaps she'll uncover something just as valuable. Even if she remembers something painful, so be it. She's my daughter, Celesta's daughter. She's far stronger than you give her credit for. And since her actions started all of this, she has a responsibility to set things right."

His tone grew darker, tinged with an undercurrent of lingering resentment. He drummed his fingers lightly on the table as if tapping into unpleasant recollections.

Marcellus's face darkened further, his voice lowering with barely restrained anger. "She's my wife! The 'responsibility' you talk about is nothing but chains you're forcing onto her. Livia doesn't owe anyone anything. She's already paid more than enough for her choices. The thing you unearthed brought her nothing but endless pain and regret. If she remembers those things, it'll only hurt her more."

There was a fierce protectiveness in his tone, but beneath it, a hint of exhaustion.

Edgar remained unmoved by Marcellus's outburst. His cold, calculating gaze didn't waver. "Hurt? Do you think avoiding the truth will make her happy? If she doesn't confront it, she'll never be free of that pain. The artifact wasn't the source of her suffering—it was what followed. And she wasn't entirely innocent in those events. Facing the consequences is part of her journey. Fate doesn't change through avoidance. Only by confronting it head-on can she truly grow."

Marcellus clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening as his body trembled with barely contained emotion. He inhaled deeply, trying to steady himself, though his anger and dissatisfaction were plain to see in his eyes. He fixed Edgar with an intense glare, his voice hard and unyielding. "You see her as your daughter, but you forget she's also just a person. She's lost her memories—this might be her chance to escape the past. Must you drag her back into the abyss to satisfy yourself? I respect you as her father, but if your decision harms her, I won't stand by and do nothing."

The room grew heavy with tension, the air almost suffocating as the two men stared each other down.

Edgar was silent for a moment before he spoke again, his tone cold yet deliberate. "The abyss? Marcellus, I don't deny that she's suffered. But you underestimate her resilience. She's my daughter, Celesta's daughter. She has a destiny to fulfill. And you? Your overprotectiveness only shackles her further. Protecting her is not wrong, but do you truly understand what's best for her?"

Marcellus said nothing, but the silence was deafening. He turned abruptly and left the room, his steps firm but weary, his retreating figure carrying both defiance and fatigue.

Edgar watched him go, his gaze filled with a mixture of frustration and a flicker of hope. Once Marcellus was out of sight, he murmured softly to himself, "Livia, what would you choose if it were up to you?"

Later, Marcellus and Alia boarded a car headed toward the expansion site. Outside the window, the scenery rolled by in a quiet rhythm. Alia gazed thoughtfully at the passing landscape, while Marcellus seemed hesitant, as though grappling with words he couldn't quite bring himself to say.

Finally, as the car neared a wide open plain, Marcellus let out a faint sigh, as if steeling himself, and began to speak. "Livia, you might forget… during the last city expansion, there was so much excitement. Everyone was eager to make the city larger and better. The plan was to completely overhaul the outskirts, demolish and rebuild where necessary, preparing for a brighter future with more people and flourishing trade."

He paused, his tone softening as he seemed lost in the memory. He gestured toward a construction site in the distance. "Back then, it was much like it is now. The entire city buzzed with anticipation. From commoners to officials, everyone was united. Craftsmen worked tirelessly day and night, soldiers maintained order, and even some townsfolk volunteered to help. It was a scene of hope, with dreams of a more prosperous city driving everyone forward."

Listening, Alia's eyes softened as she imagined the vibrant picture he painted, a faint glimmer of admiration in her gaze. But a strange unease lingered in her heart, as though his story wasn't leading to a happy ending.

Marcellus's voice grew quieter, tinged with a somber gravity. "But… amidst all that enthusiasm, strange things began to happen. Do you remember? You were young then. Much like today, you visited the expansion site with Edgar. At one point, you pointed to a spot—a patch of land. You said something didn't feel right, as though something there was… calling to you."