Chapter 65

I read the letter and sighed. Nazlee was worried about me. It was probably because I hadn’t shared any news of myself since the Hunting Festival.

 

However, I couldn’t invite Nazlee to the mansion. I couldn’t let anyone know that Freyer was staying at our residence.

 

I refused Nazlee’s request, but letters kept arriving from her the next day, and the day after.

 

“My Lady. Lady Nazlee Idarand has sent another letter.”

 

“What should I do?”

 

I glanced at the desk. The letters from Nazlee were piled up there.

 

[Lady Lilithia. Are you feeling very unwell?]

 

[I really want to see you.]

 

“My Lady. Lady Nazlee seems very worried about you. How about agreeing to meet her?”

 

“I want to, but…”

 

There were too many obstacles. I who had vowed to be a matchmaker, turned out to be the obstacle myself, and now I knew that Freyer’s stay at the mansion was not for pure intentions. I couldn’t easily reply to her.

 

“If you’re worried about meeting Prince Freyer, I think it will be fine.”

 

“What do you mean?” I tilted my head and looked at Winnie.

 

“His Highness has a lot on his schedule these days and comes back very late.”

 

“I haven’t seen him around lately.”

 

After the walk with Freyer, I had been unilaterally avoiding him. Now I realized I hadn’t seen him simply because he was busy.

 

“Don’t worry and how about meeting Lady Nazlee?”

 

“Alright.”

 

Nazlee had worried about me a great deal since the Hunting Festival, and any further refusal felt impolite.

 

“Bring me the stationery. I should reply to Lady Nazlee.”

 

“Yes.” Winnie took out a letter and a quill from the drawer and handed them to me. Since I couldn’t go out, I wrote a message saying I would invite her to the mansion a few days later and asked her to deliver it.

 

Just then, there was a knock and Norman’s voice was heard.

 

“My Lady. You need to come downstairs for a moment.”

 

 

***

 

 

I widened my eyes at the gift boxes piled up in the mansion’s hall. The open boxes contained medicinal herbs, ointments, and fruits good for relieving fatigue.

 

“What is all this?”

 

“They were sent from the Imperial Family.”

 

Upon closer inspection, the Imperial emblem was decorating the gift boxes.

 

“Why would the Imperial Family send me gifts?”

 

Winnie hovered near the gift boxes and pulled out a beautifully wrapped one.

 

“My Lady, there’s a dress too!”

 

The name ‘Gabriela‘ was written on the box Winnie was holding. It was the name of one of the most famous dress designers in the Empire.

 

“My Lady! There’s a letter inside!” Winnie handed me the letter inside the box. The name Ivailo Lundberg was written on the top of the envelope.

 

“The Crown Prince?”

 

“Oh my. Did His Highness the Crown Prince send it?” Winnie stared at the letter with sparkling eyes. Her gaze seemed to say, ‘Open it quickly!’ Unable to resist the pressure, I tore open the envelope and checked the contents.

 

[Lady Lilithia. I heard that you are not feeling well.]

 

[I am very sorry that I could not attend to you after you encountered danger at the Hunting Festival due to managing the situation.]

 

[I have prepared these gifts hoping for your speedy recovery. Once you have fully recovered, I would like to arrange a meeting with you, Lady Lilithia.]

 

A postscript was added at the bottom of the short letter.

 

[I have enclosed a dress that I believe would suit you well. I would be grateful if you could wear it at our next meeting.]

 

Winnie looked back and forth between the letter and me with curious eyes.

 

“What does it say, My Lady?”

 

“He hopes I recover quickly.”

 

It was understandable that he would be concerned about me, having suffered an accident at an Imperial event. However, the gifts were excessive. And the Crown Prince’s goodwill did not feel comforting. The cold gaze and indifferent voice at the auction house were not the Ivailo I knew. It seemed as if he was looking out for me on the surface, but I suspected there might be another motive underneath.

 

“It would be better to send them back.”

 

“You’re going to refuse the gifts?” Winnie looked back and forth between the gifts and me, looking flustered. They were things that could become poison if I kept them.

 

“But…”

 

“Yes. As the Lady says, I will send them back.”

 

I turned towards my bedroom, leaving behind Winnie’s pitiful voice.

 

***

 

Freyer went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs early in the day and spent the late afternoon in Silvertone observing the situation, so he couldn’t visit the mansion often. Occasionally, he caught a glimpse of Lilithia in the window as he returned home, but it was only a very brief moment.

 

‘I can’t figure out what kind of poison it is.’

 

Freyer frowned and checked the documents. The poison found on his mother’s pendant and the poison that killed the magician were of the same substance. It was a poison unknown to the world. A secret was hidden.

 

However, his aides had repeatedly pressured Freyer, saying it would be wise to be wary of Lilithia because of her connection to the magician’s death.

 

‘…Damn it.’

 

Freyer sighed and stared down at the documents he was holding for a long time.

 

Just then, a voice said, “I greet Your Highness Freyer, who carries the blood of Ayerbe.”

 

“Guild Leader Ricardo.”

 

The long-awaited Ricardo had finally arrived in the capital. Freyer put down the documents he was holding and said, “Was your journey difficult?”

 

“Not at all. Thanks to Your Highness’s attention, I was able to travel comfortably.”

 

“I apologize to the Guild Leader, but we can’t delay any longer. I need you to start the mission immediately.”

 

“I was informed of the situation while traveling. The story that the Princess’s death was the Empress’s doing. And that forming a friendship with Oneren Kingdom is key to stopping them.”

 

“That’s right. We need to move quickly to take control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

 

“…It won’t be easy.”

 

“Since there is internal division in Oneren Kingdom these days due to the issue of the royal succession, it won’t be easy.”

 

“I will try my best, but I cannot guarantee how things will unfold.”

 

“You must make it possible. You are the only one who can do this.” Freyer looked at Ricardo with an intense gaze.

 

“As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I delegate all authority to Marquis Ricardo Paez for the purpose of establishing a friendship with Oneren Kingdom.”

 

“I will work for Your Highness.” Ricardo knelt on one knee and bowed his head to Freyer.

 

“You must leave for the Kingdom right now.”

 

“I obey your command.”

 

***

 

The day Nazlee was scheduled to visit the mansion arrived. My wounds had healed considerably, and the parts that had been bandaged were replaced with thin cloth. The healed scars were barely noticeable. Winnie tidied my messy hair.

 

Knock-knock-

 

A knock was heard, followed by Nazlee’s voice.

 

“Lady Lilithia, it’s me.”

 

“Winnie, please open the door.”

 

Winnie stopped styling my hair and opened the bedroom door. Then, I widened my eyes at the sight of the ladies standing in front of the door.

 

“Lady Lilithia!”

 

“You seem surprised, Lady Lilithia.”

 

“I guess so. Perhaps we should have contacted you first.”

 

In addition to Nazlee, a total of six ladies, including Diara, Claire, and Ophelia, were standing in a line. Nazlee quickly approached me and took my hand.

 

“Lady Lilithia. I wanted to see you so much. How surprised I was to hear that you weren’t feeling well…”

 

“Lady Nazlee. What is the meaning of this…” I whispered quietly, trying not to show my confusion.

 

Nazlee smiled brightly and said, “The other ladies also wanted to see you, Lady Lilithia, so I asked them to join me.”

 

“Lady Nazlee said she was going to Baron Baimery’s residence, so we asked for an invitation.”

 

“Are you alright, Lady Lilithia?”

 

I couldn’t turn away guests who had visited out of concern for me, so I hid my perplexity and smiled faintly.

 

“Thank you for coming to see me. This way.”

 

I motioned to the chairs, and the ladies sat down in order, placing me in the seat of honor.

 

“Was your journey here difficult?”

 

“Why would we find it difficult? We were more concerned about whether you were okay, Lady Lilithia.”

 

“My Lady. Are you feeling well?” The ladies asked with worried eyes.

 

“Yes. I’ve been receiving good treatment lately, so there’s nothing wrong.”

 

“That’s a relief, Lady Lilithia!”

 

“We were so worried. To have suffered such a major incident at the Hunting Festival…” Claire stammered and spoke to me.

 

“We haven’t properly heard what happened that day. If it’s not too rude, could you tell us what happened at the Hunting Festival?”

 

“The Imperial Family said it was an orc inside the boundary line, but we find it hard to believe.”

 

I realized that one of the reasons the ladies visited was to find out about the Hunting Festival incident. It wouldn’t be good to tell the full story. Among the ladies who visited the mansion, there were some who were interested in gossip. I decided to keep the story very brief. I squeezed my eyes shut and started to speak.

 

“Well… it’s a little scary to recall the memory of that day.”

 

“You don’t have to tell us if you’re uncomfortable.”

 

Seeing my solemn expression, the ladies looked flustered.

 

“It was just a misunderstanding. I have a terrible sense of direction, and I got lost while out for a walk. When I came to my senses, I was near the stream.”

 

“So that’s what happened.”

 

“When we saw the video sphere, you were lying near the stream, Lady Lilithia. Wasn’t it an assault by someone…?”

 

“An assault?” I widened my eyes as if I didn’t know. I must never let anyone know that the magician had knocked me unconscious.

 

“I tripped over a stone and fell to the ground. That’s when Lady Nazlee must have seen me.”

 

“Was the reason you were scared because you encountered an orc?”

 

“Pardon? Did a monster appear in the forest?” I pretended not to understand.

 

“You didn’t know?”

 

“I didn’t hear anything about a monster appearing.”

 

“A monster roared so loudly the forest seemed to burst…”

 

“So that was the sound of a monster. If His Highness Freyer hadn’t coincidentally saved me, could I have not returned…?”

 

I huddled up, embracing myself, pretending to be trembling with fear. The ladies gave me looks that apologized for carelessly bringing up a trauma. I changed the subject.

 

“Oh, right. Since I wasn’t well, I couldn’t attend the after-party banquet, so I haven’t heard who the winner of the Hunting Festival was. The winner must have been His Highness the Crown Prince, right?”

 

“Oh my, you didn’t know?” But due to the unexpected answer, I blinked rapidly.

 

“The winner of this year’s Hunting Festival was His Highness Freyer.”