Translator: Nox
(43) Elise and Lucas (2)
When Elise finished her bath and came out, Lucas Pelur had already left Jade Palace. The maid who had been attending to Elise's grooming said,
"His Highness the Crown Prince has instructed me to inform you that he wishes to have luncheon with you at the Crown Prince's Palace."
"Alright, I understand."
Elise spent her time drawing in front of the lit fireplace.
Gania was colder than the Kanta Kingdom, so cold that she shivered unless she was near the fireplace. The people of Gania were used to this cold, but for Elise, who had lived in Kanta, the winter of Gania was frightening.
When it was time for luncheon, Elise checked her appearance one more time and headed to the Crown Prince's Palace. She pretended to cough as she opened the door to the dining room, and Lucas Pelur quickly rushed over and embraced her.
"It seems the winter of Gania is too harsh for you. I should have them prepare something warm."
"No, Your Highness. I can eat anything."
"I have no intention of letting you eat just anything."
Lucas Pelur called a servant and ordered them to bring only warm dishes, then seated Elise in a chair. One by one, dishes with warm and pleasant aromas were served.
While they were eating, Lucas Pelur said,
"Elise, I received Father's permission today."
Elise stopped her fork and looked back at Lucas Pelur. Lucas Pelur smiled beautifully, like a painting.
"I told you, didn't I? That I would definitely get his permission. Father knows how great your contribution is, so he said he would give you that much as compensation."
"Does that mean...?"
"Yes, you are now the Lady of Kingteren."
As soon as he finished speaking, Elise jumped up and ran to sit on his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.
He chuckled.
"Are you that happy?"
"Of course, I am. How could I not be happy when my master listens to my humble wishes and fulfills them?"
"Master, you certainly have a way with words."
He kissed Elise and then said regretfully,
"But are you really set on this? I would like it if you stayed in this palace and became my wife."
"Of course, I would also like to stay close to Your Highness and serve you every day. But if I become the Crown Princess as I am now, there will be voices of discontent."
"Who would dare oppose my will? I will decide who my wife is."
"Because I am from Kanta."
"That's no problem at all. Do you think I can't even protect you?"
"Of course, Your Highness is more than capable of protecting me. However, Your Highness, I want to be a woman who is a strength to you, not just someone who relies on you. If I develop Kingteren and contribute even a small amount of strength to Gania, then someday I will be able to stand proudly by Your Highness's side."
Elise's sly words seemed to please him greatly, and Elise watched with relief as admiration and affection filled his handsome face.
"You are very clever. That's why I like you."
"More, Your Highness. Love me more."
The pleading voice tickled Lucas Pelur. Although this was the dining room, Lucas Pelur didn't care and laid Elise down on the table.
Elise's voice whispering love to him was charming, but her eyes were shining blue and cold.
'I won't live and die as a woman trapped in Jade Palace, waiting only for Lucas Pelur's visits. I will climb to a higher place and shine brilliantly.'
Like Roxana. Like the princess of Kanta who was loved by everyone just for existing.
'Kingteren City will be the stepping stone for that. I have to make money there and create my own people.'
To become the highest and most precious woman in Gania, Elise was willing to do anything.
'And if I get that man's help, I might one day become the most brilliant and noble woman on this continent.'
Elise did not hesitate to leave Jade Palace.
As soon as she received the certificate that she had become the Lady of Kingteren, she packed her bags and got into the carriage. Lucas Pelur, though regretful, assigned her a few clever people and knights to help her.
The baggage carriages loaded with the numerous dresses and jewels that Lucas Pelur had bestowed upon Elise, and the carriage that Elise was riding in, set off for Kingteren City.
Elise, who had been dozing off in the carriage, suddenly opened her eyes when she realized that someone was in the carriage she was riding alone. Elise, who found a man sitting on the opposite seat with his hood pulled down deep, smiled brightly.
"Retin."
The man called Retin grinned.
His name was 'Retrochika,' and he was a black magician whom Lucas Pelur had secretly hired and kept by his side. Not many people knew that he had laid the groundwork for destroying the Kanta Kingdom by manipulating monsters with his power.
"Lady, you have finally obtained what you wanted."
"Yes, all thanks to your advice."
Retrochika had advised Elise, "To win the Crown Prince's heart, you must not only polish your appearance." He also gave her the information that "Kingteren City is not large, but it is a key point of transportation and has great potential for growth."
It was thanks to Retrochika that Elise had decided to use Kingteren City as her base.
"I don't know how reassured I feel that you are on my side."
Elise said in a sweet voice and stroked his cheek. She felt the rough skin and felt like throwing up, but she did not take away the bright smile on her face.
He narrowed his eyes as if he was happy and groaned. Elise felt as if a bug was crawling on her hand and whispered,
"What should I do now, Retin?"
"You just need to grow Kingteren as I told you. I will bring you a great gift soon. That child has enough talent, so he is much more than me... Hehehe. Hehe. Hehe."
Elise bit her lower lip because she felt goosebumps because of his strange laughter. His toad-like face was briefly revealed under the hood.
He quickly pulled the hood down to cover his face and said,
"That child will be your faithful dog, replacing me, who cannot serve you by your side. I will educate him to lick your instep if you tell him to, and to crawl if you tell him to."
"I wish you could be by my side."
Elise said something she didn't mean.
She knew that Retrochika had made a forbidden soul contract with Lucas Pelur, so he could not leave Lucas Pelur and stay by Elise's side.
Of course, it would be more reassuring if he was by her side, but she didn't think she could bear to flatter him every day while enduring that ugly face.
Retrochika licked his thick upper lip as if he was sorry.
"Someday, Lady."
Retrochika reached out and grabbed Elise's wrist. The moment his lips touched the back of her hand, Elise barely suppressed the urge to shake it off in disgust.
"Someday, definitely."
+++
The Star Festival, which was held grandly for a whole month, ended, and January of the new year arrived.
Torkan was now in the midst of winter.
The people of Torkan were bundled up, complaining that it was too cold, but Roxana, who had lived in a colder place, could not understand this fuss. The middle of winter in Torkan was like the early winter in the Kanta Kingdom.
Every person she met said, "Princess, you should dress warmer," "You'll catch a cold," and "It's a big deal if you dress like that on such a cold day," so Roxana was wearing a thick dress and several layers of outerwear, spending her days feeling slightly hot.
Meanwhile, Floyd was busy with the issue of refugees fleeing from the burned forest, so it was difficult to see his face, and Roxana was so busy that she didn't even notice his absence.
'The first thing I need to do is recover my health and build up my stamina.'
She clearly remembered the days and nights of suffering after being kidnapped on the way back from the Great Temple. No matter what happened or what situation she was in, she had to have the stamina to not get tired.
'If I get stronger, it will be easier to use the power of the Spirits.'
It was not known how Spirit Users handled and used Spirits. Most of the Spirit Users who knew the method had died a long time ago, and Roxana's mother, who had barely kept the lineage alive, only knew how to communicate with Spirits, but did not know how to use their power.
Last time, Roxana had forcibly drawn Undine into her body and used its power, and she remembered what Undine had said as it was being drawn in.
-No way. How can you do this... Lotty, you're really going to die. You'll freeze to death if you accept it like this!
Then there must be another way, but the Spirits didn't seem to want to tell Roxana, who was weak, that method.
'How does the Grand Duke endure it?'
Roxana was sure that the 'crazy being' that Floyd was talking about was the Fire Spirit.
Roxana had almost frozen to death just by using Undine for a short time, but Floyd put the Fire Spirit into his body every day and showed no signs of fatigue at all.
'Is it because he has strong stamina? I don't think that's the only reason...'
In the meantime, Roxana had asked the Spirits the reason several times.
-Sorry, Lotty. I can't tell you about Floyd.
-You are different from Floyd.
-You are too weak. If we put ourselves in that weak body, your life will be shortened.
-We want you to live a long, long time.
The Spirits only said what they wanted to say and did not give Roxana the answer she wanted. Undine, who was often called, also disappeared after only talking nonsense every time.
The more it was like that, the more anxious Roxana became.
It was clear that Lucas Pelur and Elise had a black magician attached to them. Otherwise, there was no way to explain how they manipulated the appearance of monsters and swallowed Kanta.
