[CHAPTER 118]
I tried to listen to their conversation, but their voices were so quiet that I couldn’t hear anything.
I could tell, however, that the atmosphere wasn’t cheerful.
‘What are they talking about?’
I stepped a little closer, but when Sylvia seemed to turn slightly, I quickly stepped back.
Then I rushed straight into my room.
My heart was pounding.
“…….”
The moment I leaned my back against the door, a long sigh escaped me.
It was highly likely that they had had the conversation I had suspected.
‘Should I go and tell him now?’
Should I say that I had seen something with precognition?
That I shouldn’t have made the Master of the Mage Tower angry?
“Your Highness, I… uh….”
I practiced speaking to him, but just like with possession, it seemed I couldn’t directly mention precognition.
That was why I had even mentioned to Sylvia that the Master of the Mage Tower might attack Lumiere Hall in anger, but explaining it was realistically impossible left me with nothing to say.
‘Still, surely he wouldn’t suspect that I actually conspired with the Master of the Mage Tower.’
Even if the start of our relationship had been rocky, I had subtly or openly shown and acted in ways that proved I was on his side.
Now, I was curious myself.
Had my efforts worked on him so far? Besides affection, did he have even a little trust in me?
Or, regardless of my efforts, did he still see me as someone who could kill him?
I had so many questions, but I couldn’t ask anything, and my throat tightened.
At that moment, Vivian came in through the door connected to the bathroom.
“Your Highness, why aren’t you coming… Your Highness?”
Seeing me at the door, Vivian hurried over.
“Your Highness, are you crying? Your Highness, why….”
Suddenly feeling frustrated and sorrowful, tears had apparently fallen without me realizing it.
I shook my head and quickly wiped my eyes.
“No, it’s okay, Vivian. Something got in my eye.”
“…I’ve filled the bathtub with water.”
“Thanks, Vivian. You should leave now.”
Vivian, who was about to come into the bathroom with me, paused at my words and respectfully bowed.
“Yes, Your Highness. Have a comfortable night. Call me anytime if you need, I’ve prepared lavender scent, so it should help you feel better.”
Vivian was quick-witted and concerned but didn’t pry.
I appreciated her thoughtfulness.
“Thank you, Vivian.”
I sniffled and trudged into the bathroom.
As Vivian had said, the bathroom was filled with warm steam, and the subtle scent of lavender calmed my mind.
‘Nothing will change.’
It was the best choice for me, and I would act the same way if I went back to that moment.
However, I felt that some explanation to Vincent would be necessary, and I would need to think more about how to say it.
***
Rustle, rustle.
‘Found it.’
On the way back from paying my respects at the Empress’ Palace, I stopped by Lumiere Hall as planned.
Fortunately, the bracelet was exactly where I had thrown it the other day.
I had worried that a gardener might find it first, but that didn’t happen.
However, there was a problem.
I had cleared everyone out, but I couldn’t leave the escort knight Derek behind.
He was watching me creep out from the bushes with an expression that gave nothing away.
Before fully emerging, I hid the bracelet inside my sleeve.
Then I made a disappointed face.
“Phew, it’s not here. I was sure it was around here.”
“What are you looking for? I can help.”
“Ah, it’s nothing. A handkerchief… someone must have taken it already.”
“Is that so? If you describe it, I can try to find it.”
“No! There’s no need. I just came on a whim because I liked it, but now it’s gone, so there’s nothing I can do. There are plenty of other handkerchiefs.”
I waved my hand and passed Derek.
Fortunately, he didn’t add anything.
After passing through the Lumiere Hall garden and getting back into the carriage, Derek pointed at my wrist the moment I sat down.
“Your Highness, here.”
“The br-bracelet? I was already wearing this. This morning!”
I immediately defended myself, thinking he meant the bracelet, but Derek tilted his head and turned my wrist to show the inside.
“I mean the wounds, not the bracelet.”
“…Ah.”
On the inside of the wrist where I wore the bracelet were a couple of red scratches.
They were probably caused by brushing through bushes and plants.
I hadn’t noticed before, but now it stung a little.
“It should heal quickly.”
As I said this and tried to pull my hand back, Derek didn’t let go.
“Sir Derek?”
“And since the bracelet is red, it’s more noticeable than you might think. Keep that in mind. Make sure you treat the wounds.”
“…That.”
Why did he add that at the end when he said it wasn’t about the bracelet? Had he noticed my little lie?
But before I could ask, Derek closed the carriage door.
The carriage rolled slowly.
I looked out the window anxiously to see Derek’s profile.
He, who usually stared straight ahead without expression, glanced toward me at that moment.
Would he report this to Vincent?
Then my lie would be exposed.
But Derek had such a minimal expression that it was hard to read his thoughts.
After locking eyes with me for a moment, he looked straight ahead again.
We arrived at the Crown Prince’s Palace, and at the building entrance leading to the lobby, maids, servants, and attendants were gathered.
They were all looking up at a tree.
“What’s happening?”
“Ah, Your Highness. That crow has been sitting there without flying away.”
“A crow?”
I looked where the attendant was pointing, and indeed, a crow was perched on a branch.
It was holding an envelope in its beak.
The crow that met my eyes suddenly fluttered and landed in front of me, placing the envelope at my feet.
“C-could it be a mage?”
I had seen a crow turn into a human before, so I asked, but Derek explained.
“It’s not. Transformation magic cannot be used in this palace. It’s a trained real crow.”
“Ah….”
An attendant picked up the envelope and said to me.
“It seems to be for Your Highness.”
Even without reading the outside, I could tell.
The crow had clearly placed it right in front of me and then flew away after the attendant picked it up.
“Who is it from?”
“The sender is… Count Layton Ascard.”
When Count Ascard and the Master of the Mage Tower were mentioned, the surrounding people murmured.
I was flustered and took the envelope from the attendant.
It was really a letter from Count Ascard.
‘He did it on purpose.’
He seemed to have sent it in front of many people intentionally.
Why?
Most likely, he wanted to make it seem like I was connected to him.
I bit my lower lip and handed the envelope back to the attendant.
“Burn it.”
“Eh? But—”
Before the attendant could respond, Derek took the envelope.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“…Please.”
I revealed my displeasure and passed through the crowd.
Then I felt another gaze on me and turned my head.
The Crown Prince’s office was there, but there was nothing visible from the window.
I continued walking to my room on the second floor.
***
Derek hesitated for a moment with the envelope.
Others had already gone to their tasks, leaving him alone.
Normally, he would have delivered it directly to Vincent, but somehow he didn’t want to.
I had already told Amelia that I would have it burned.
But while he hesitated, Vincent came down from the second floor and ran into him in the corridor.
