MDCR 33

Chapter 33

Clack-clack.
The train was running.
Irix was on the train bound for the capital.
It was an opportunity gained after nearly a full day of sleeping rough near a nearby train station.
Finally, on the train she boarded, there was a special carriage that was always kept empty for the Empress. The last carriage was simply one the Empress liked, but this one was a carriage she liked so much that no one else could use it. The Empress’s attendants were said to buy a year’s worth of tickets for this carriage every year.
Normally, even the son of a duke could not ride it; it was a privilege usually only granted to neighboring royalty, but the Empress Dowager had given permission.

How did Irix manage to borrow such a powerful connection as the Empress Dowager? That was because the duke contacted the Dowager. The ducal family had a very special relationship with her. When the Duchess suddenly disappeared, it was the Empress Dowager who brought Irix to the palace and took care of her for a while.

Irix didn’t particularly like connections through the Empress Dowager, but it was true that the Dowager had the most powerful influence in the empire. She wielded greater power within the palace than even the Empress. The common saying in the empire was that the Dowager’s influence at the dining table was stronger than the pillow-side advice of the Empress or the Emperor’s government.

“She says to go thank her later.”

Zephyr conveyed her father’s words.
Irix immediately wanted to get off and catch the next train, but the carriage was so comfortable that she decided to endure it for now.
Zephyr and Maimon, who were traveling to the capital together, would sleep in the adjacent carriage. That carriage, too, was kept empty for the Empress’s attendants.
Zephyr, of course, followed because his workplace was in the capital, but Irix hadn’t expected Maimon to accompany him.

“It’s His Excellency’s order.”
“But you’re not your father’s subordinate, are you?”
“I quit the Camellia Corps. I’m free, and I’ve decided to follow His Excellency’s orders freely.”

Irix was shocked.
The Camellia Corps wasn’t a place one could enter so easily.

“Can you really quit like that?”
“Of course not. But to me, His Excellency comes first.”

Irix was genuinely curious.
What could Maimon possibly trust in his father to be so loyal? He wasn’t someone worth trusting or loving.

“You’ll regret it later.”
“I won’t regret it now.”

Irix gave up.
Right, the most important thing in Maimon’s life was repaying the duke’s favor. She couldn’t take away that goal.

There were two suitcases in the carriage. Irix read the name tags dangling from them:

“Elphini from Sanzna.”

Sanzna, Elphini.
A senior’s luggage.
Irix looked beside the suitcase. The item she had expected wasn’t there.

“Is there no other luggage?”
The carriage steward politely answered.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you know?”
“Well, I just don’t.”

The steward remained courteous.
Zephyr did nothing and didn’t answer, so Maimon, who always did something, spoke instead.
“I think the master’s luggage was in that carriage.”

That carriage had been destroyed without leaving a single chair.
Probably somewhere on the bottom of that deep canyon, Irix’s shirts and pants were scattered.
She couldn’t go there to retrieve them, so this caused a problem.

“…I have no clothes to change into.”

The clothes she was wearing were tattered from fighting, stained with blood. She couldn’t keep wearing them.

“Is there anywhere to buy clothes along the way?”
The senior asked. Even the viper lifted its head and flicked its tongue.
“No. The train goes directly to the capital.”

The senior was already changing into new clothes, similar to the first outfit.
A plain blouse, wide trousers, and striped shoes.
Just like the previous outfit. Even this outfit looked like a rural school uniform.
Was that the only style of clothing available?

The senior pointed to a suitcase.
“Shall I see if I can find something for you to wear here?”
“How can I wear your clothes? Forget it.”
“Then why not contact your home in the capital and have them bring clothes to the station? You can change there immediately.”

The senior pointed to the phone on the table.
“I live separately, and there’s no luggage of mine at the Berckart mansion. And the servants always manage my luggage, so I don’t even know its condition.”
“Then contact that servant.”
“They’re gone now.”
“Why?”

Irix spoke with difficulty, scraping out the words.
“Dead.”
“…It feels like everyone we ask is dead.”
“You only ask about dead people,” the senior said with a subtle expression. Irix felt very pathetic.

“So, when did the servant die?”
“Just before the break.”

It was after sending the luggage to the summer villa. She didn’t know how much luggage was sent or left behind.

“The villa’s servants handled the luggage. Since it was the break, they decided to wait until school started to get a new servant, so they left it as it was.”

The senior’s pale blue eyes showed sympathy.
“It’ll take three more days for this train to reach the capital, and I can’t stay like this.”

The clothes were tattered and dirty. Even a small movement would make them fall apart.

“Alright. Then wait here.”

The senior got up and opened the wardrobe beside them. Inside was a luxurious nightgown.
The senior threw the gown to Irix.

“Wear this.”

Irix caught the gown and unfolded it. It was dazzling, like a peacock shedding its feathers. It was clearly the Empress’s gown.

“…How am I supposed to wear this?”
“You don’t have to wear it the whole time. This train should have at least a laundry or tailor service.”
“Yes, there is,” the steward, who hadn’t gone yet, replied.

The senior pointed at the nightgown Irix held.
“First, change into this, then leave your clothes there.”

Irix looked at the shiny gown. She didn’t even want to touch it, let alone wear it.

“It’ll be fine as long as you don’t go outside. And no one here will make fun of you for wearing this.”

As soon as that was said, Zephyr snickered.
“If you’d rather stay naked, just do that. I’ll leave if I have to.”

Irix’s face turned red.
“Don’t be ridiculous!”

She glared at the gown, went into the bedroom, and slammed the door. She wore the gown, feeling like she had draped herself in snake skin, and tossed her tattered clothes through the door gap. The senior caught them and handed them to the steward, who looked extremely awkward.

“Uh, we really only do simple repairs here…”

Irix called from inside the bedroom.
“It’s fine. Just patch up the holes!”
“Yes, understood. But we really only do simple repairs.”
“Simple repairs are enough!”

After the steward left, Irix came out of the bedroom.
The nightgown was designed to trail like a peacock’s tail. The Empress would walk around sweeping the floor with the long hem. On Irix, it barely touched the floor. The butterfly-shaped sleeves didn’t interfere with arm movement, but the chest area kept gaping.

“Is it alright?”
“More or less.”

Irix sat in front of the senior and looked out the window.
Beyond the green plains, she could see a city with deep blue rooftops. The walls of the buildings were as white as salt.

The senior’s viper flicked its tongue at the window, clearly excited, flapping its wings.
“Viper.”

The viper turned its head. Despite having deadly venom in its fangs, it was pretty. Its dark, blinking eyes were almost cute.

“Come here.”

Irix placed a cushion on the table.
“Lie down here and look, viper.”

The viper alternated between looking at Irix and the cushion, then happily slumped onto it.

The senior watched the viper intently and said:
“Irix, let’s give it a name.”
“Huh?”
“You’re right. We should at least give it a name.”
“I’ll just call it ‘Viper.’ That way no one will touch it. You saw it—everyone tried to touch it.”

“What if it gets confiscated for being a dangerous animal?”
“I’ll protect it.”
“It’s already killed two people. Before you even step in, it could bite someone to death.”
“Who said I was protecting people? I’m protecting it from being caught. And you saw, the viper only bites those worth biting. The ones that die are people who deserved it.”

“…I don’t know if I should abandon morality or common sense.”

Irix was exasperated.
Even the senior didn’t care about people dying, yet didn’t abandon the snake.

“Senior, get a grip. We received the viper’s help, so from now on we have to protect and take care of it. People should repay favors.”

The senior’s eyes widened.
“People?”
“Yes. People. The viper bit those people to protect us. We should be thankful and repay that favor.”

The senior’s eyes widened further.
“…Why are you so surprised?”

“I’m surprised that you have the decency to acknowledge a favor.”