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nCount Siete, who had fertile land in the west, was known as the Great Noble, but in fact had passed to the emperor.

n‘Things are going well.’

nVellian, who thought it was easygoing, did not miss Kaizen’s complex emotions grazed by his red eyes.

nIt disappeared in a moment, but he bet it was an emotion that had never been found in this young emperor.

nVellian blinked his eyes vaguely.

n‘Oh, things are really weird.’

n* * *

nMarianne, sitting in front of a dressing table decorated with gold and silver, sent out her maid, combing her hair.

n“I don’t need it, get out.”

nNoting the displeasure of the owner, the maid went out quickly.

nHer honey-colored hair had been grooming spilled long over her shoulders.

nMarianne looked into the mirror, biting her nice nails.

nDeep blue eyes that sparkle like jewels, red lips, skin that is clearer than pearls.

nThe honey-colored blonde shone like gold even in the dark room.

nMarianne was beautiful.

nShe was one of the best beauty in the capital city.

nHowever, the emperor was not interested in Marianne.

nHe didn’t care whether she came or not, and he didn’t even talk to her first.

nStill, Marianne was satisfied in her own way.

nBecause the emperor was bothered by the other noble at all.

nAt least it was a week long for Marianne to talk to him.

nComing along the way was something that she couldn’t even dream of if she was another noble lady.

n‘But why is he so interested in her?’

nThe emperor showed strange interest to the ex-empress, who was expelled.

nDoesn’t he invite himself to dinner? Doesn’t he send a dress and jewelry to her?

nIt is said that he even forced her to dinner that she refused.

nHer father, Marquis Croychen, sent Marianne win over the emperor’s heart during the little tour.

nThat was her father’s request.

nHowever, it was not an unfamiliar rural woman who caught the emperor’s attention, but the former empress, whose whereabouts were unknown.

nAt first she was relieved when it was explained that she was due to the will of the empress dowager.

nFor that reason, she deserved to be brought by the emperor himself.

nBut it wasn’t like the emperor, no matter how much she thought of sending a bunch of gifts and forcibly pulling her out to the dinner table.

nThe emperor wasn’t a person that send something to a woman, even though he needed to get the woman’s favour because of the empress dowager’s will.

nBesides, the emperor’s gaze looking at the woman at dinner is… it was really amazing.

nMarianne has seen countless glances between lovers in the social world since before she grew up.

nAfter worrying about that for a while, Marianne pulled the string and called the maid.

n“Brings the maid chief here.”

n* * *

nAs the afternoon enters, the blue sky turns pale gray as if covered by water fog.

nThe cool wind ran through the green leaves of the garden.

nAstelle stopped working for a moment and looked at the sky through the window.

nBehind the stone wall thickened with ivy, the hazy sky touched the top of the mountain in the distance.

nIt was an atmosphere where the rain would pour out right now.

nAstelle sat in front of the dressing table and pulled out the box she had put in the drawer.

nIt was a small box decorated with golden flower bushes.

nWhen she opened the lid, inside was full of big and small medicine bottles.

nAt first glance, nothing seems to have changed, but there was the only part that changed.

nOne side of the thread she had attached to the hinge fell off.

n“……”

nAs soon as Astelle arrived here, she glued a thread that was thin enough to appear transparent to the hinge of the medicine box.

nIt was a classic method of monitoring if anyone else is opening it in case.

n‘Someone has opened it.’

nWho is it? It must be one of the new maids.

nAs Astelle wanted, yesterday morning, new maids came.

nThey were the maids who seemed calmer than before, maybe the chief of the maid took care of the last thing.

n‘But it looks like a spy came with it this time.’

nWell, it didn’t matter much.

nBecause she always carried medicine to change the color of the eyes on her body.

nIn the medicine box, there were only a few simple medicines and dried medicinal herbs.

nNo matter how far you look, there will be no suspicious drugs.

nThe worst thing is not to steal something inside, but to put something inside it all.

n“Well…”

nThis box had been held since Astelle lived as a crown princess, and although it was not a very expensive item, the clasp at the opening of the lid was very elaborately made in the shape of a butterfly.

nThe rings on the wings of the butterfly were so small and detailed that they could not be opened easily without opening them with bare hands.

nAstelle glanced at the wire-like loop, closed the box and pushed it back into the drawer.

nAnd she left the drawer a little open.

n* * *

n“Because the weather is not good.”

nVellian explained to Astelle why they have stayed here for a few more days.

n“As you can see, it looks like it’s going to rain. Local residents say that when the weather is like this, a storm comes soon after. Maybe it’s better to wait for a while to be safe. And… Lady Marianne also has a severe headache so she can’t start even though the weather is good.”

nVellian paused for a moment with a very agitated expression and continue again.

n“So we are going to stay here until the day is clear and Lady Marianne is healed. Even if you feel frustrated, please be patient.”

nOriginally, she was going to stay here for about a day and start right away.

nYesterday morning, Vellian told her to wait without saying anything, and now he explains why.

nAstelle smiled as if she understood everything.

n“I am okay. Never mind.”

nIn fact, none of them are okay.

nShe was so annoyed about why the time was delayed so that her head hurt.

nShe wanted to go to the castle where her grandfather is as soon as possible.

nThat way, she can drop Theor over to her grandfather and send him back home.

nShe couldn’t leave the child to someone she doesn’t know and send him back home, and she couldn’t even call her grandfather here.

nHer grandfather is only a few days away from here.

nAstelle thought a lot in her head with a calm smile.

nAfter a short thought, Astelle, who organized her thoughts, asked Vellian.

n“I… can I write a letter to my maternal grandfather in Dentsu Castle? I think he is worried a lot about us.”

n“Oh, of course, just send me the letter first and I’ll send it to him right away.”

n* * *

nIt was this morning that she get permission to write a letter.

nAstelle came to the greenhouse and made Theor play near the flowerbed and wrote a letter.

nRain was pouring out outside.

nThe sound of the rain hit the glass in the greenhouse.

nOver the glass wall, a water chamber sat down on soft purple petals resembling the wings of a kingfisher.

nThe grass in the garden was moistened with rainwater.

nTheor was playing while she was watching the rainwater run down the glass wall.

nAfter a while, Vellian came to see Astelle.

n“Have you finished writing the letter?”

n“Yes, I just finished it.”

nVellian asked carefully with a very sorry expression when he saw Astelle folded the used letter and put it in the envelope.

n“Excuse me, can I read it?”

n“Pardon?”

n“Oh, I’m sorry, it’s not like I don’t believe in Lady Astelle, it’s just because His Majesty is here, so…”

nSeeing Astelle startled, Vellian apologized in regret.

n‘What is this?. You’re probably trying to make sure I made a strange action.’

nShe ran away and got caught, and it’s not a position that would feel good to the emperor.

nAstelle concealed her heart and handed a letter as if she understood everything.

n“It’s okay, you can read it.”

nIt doesn’t matter who reads it. No one knows the true motive of that letter anyway.

n“Thank you so much for understanding.”

nVellian took the letter politely with his hands and read it carefully.

nThere was only one letter.

nThe short text contained the contents that she met the emperor and heard the circumstances, and that she is going to the capital city but it’s delayed because the weather is not good.

nAfter that, she said that the child was fine and was worried about him.

nYou were having a lot of trouble with a headache a while ago, but I am worried that your illness may have gotten worse because you were in an unfamiliar place.

nWe are doing well, so please relax your mind and take care of your health.

n“Oh my, is Lady’s grandfather sick?”

n“Sometimes he not feeling well. Maybe he is old enough.”

nVellian once again apologized after reading the letter to the end.

n“Nothing special, I’m really sorry, I’ll send it to him right away.”

n“Yes, thank you.”

nAstelle believed that her grandfather would understand what was written in the letter.

nExplain the situation here and he will understand what Astelle is concerned about.

nTheor wandered around the flowerbed and ran to find Vellian.

nHe said hello to Vellian, while held the teddy bear.

n“Hello.”

n“You are a little master. Do you like to play here?”

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