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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Ride
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Cavalla was in her office, looking over a list of girls selected as new scholarship students for the National Academy.
A translucent red bird appeared before her.
The red bird circled high above Cavalla's head before landing on her finger. A closer look revealed it wasn't a bird at all, but a mass of light in the shape of one.
Cavalla tilted her head, finding this odd.
“It's too early for them to have reached Ronheim.”
She cleared the papers on her desk to make space, then blew a puff of air at the mass of light.
The bird-shaped light scattered like dust, forming glowing letters on her desk.
-We were attacked by assailants in Avene. Their identities are unknown. The princess used the royal knights' failure to fend off the attack as a pretext to punish and dismiss them. We are now departing for Ronheim. We will carry out our mission immediately upon arrival.
It was a brief report, devoid of any personal opinion.
Sent by the spy Cavalla had assigned to Chloe.
When Cavalla blew a second time, the glowing letters dispersed into the air, vanishing without a trace.
“Assailants?”
Cavalla frowned.
“And Chloe used that as a pretext to dismiss the knights…?”
Who would attack Chloe's party, for what purpose, and cause such a disruption to her plans?
She didn't like it.
And the idea of Chloe punishing the knights was absurd.
Cavalla didn't believe that weak-willed, frustratingly dense child would have done such a thing on her own.
*Is this Marquis Rodrian's doing?*
That black-hearted man must have manipulated Chloe.
Cavalla clicked her tongue, her expression displeased.
“Frustrating girl.”
She had sent Chloe under the pretense of monitoring Calius for any suspicious activities, but it seemed the girl was foolishly acting as his puppet instead.
Cavalla sighed in irritation, guessing that Chloe had naively followed Calius's instructions and dismissed the royal knights.
As she pressed her temples, someone knocked on the door.
“It's Denev, Sister.”
“Come in.”
Denev, looking rugged enough to be thrown into battle at a moment's notice, entered with a familiar stride.
Cavalla leaned back deep in her chair and asked.
“The sacred relic? Did you find it?”
For Cavalla, recovering the lost relic was a more urgent and important matter than whatever Chloe was doing.
Denev shook his head.
“I'm sorry.”
Cavalla's gaze sharpened.
Denev reported with his eyes lowered.
“It seems to have been taken outside the palace. We should focus our search on the possibility that the gypsy girl stole it and fled.”
“Hah.”
Cavalla let out a deep sigh and leaned her head back against the chair.
“Search every auction house and black market.”
If a thief stole a treasure, they would try to cash it in as quickly as possible.
Since it wasn't obtained through legitimate means, the relic was likely to be traded secretly on the black market.
Cavalla suppressed her anger and forced her voice to sound elegant.
“If it ends up in someone's private collection, it will be much harder to find. You must find it before that happens.”
“Yes.”
“That is your answer.”
Cavalla sighed softly, narrowing her eyes at Denev. Her gaze was still sharp.
“Don't disappoint me again, Denev.”
She rose with a fluid, graceful motion and walked toward Denev, her heels clicking.
Her fine hand gently caressed Denev's cheek, which was covered in small scars.
“You must try not to make me regret finding you again when you were just a fugitive.”
Her soft, low voice tickled Denev's ear.
Denev swallowed dryly and nodded.
“Yes, Sister.”
Cavalla gave a small smile and walked past Denev.
“I'm tired. It's been a very tiring day. I need something to lift my spirits.”
Denev knew exactly what she meant.
“I've prepared a new woman in your chambers.”
As if pleased with that answer, Cavalla smiled faintly and leisurely exited the office.
* * *
Morning in the North came earlier than in the South.
The strong winds and blizzard that had violently rattled the shutters all morning, disturbing my sleep, had vanished as if they had never been, and the dawning sky was clear.
Even before the sun had risen, the streets of Avene were bustling with people, as if it were midday.
By the time I came out, my eyes barely open as Lamia bundled me tightly in clothes, the snow piled on the road had already been cleared away.
*Such diligent people.*
In the South, with its highly developed social culture of dinner parties and galas that lasted late into the night, people didn't wake up early.
So, seeing so many people moving about under the still-dark sky, I was confused about whether it was dawn or dusk.
*Ugh, it's cold.*
As I left the inn, the cold air brushed sharply against my face, making me shiver.
White puffs of breath scattered with every exhale.
Eager to get into the carriage, I glanced around and my eyes met Calius's, who was checking his horse's saddle.
“Good morning.”
“Yes, Marquis. Did you sleep well?”
We exchanged light greetings.
Having been around him constantly since leaving the imperial palace, I'd grown a little accustomed to him.
I smiled back at his faint grin.
*He seems to smile more than I thought.*
When I first met him, his expressionless face and sharp gaze made me think he was a stiff, scary person, but the more I saw him, the less true that seemed.
This was even more true since we'd arrived in the North.
He even joked with his men and laughed out loud.
I was staring at him when he caught me.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, it's nothing.”
“Do you find me peculiar? That was the look on your face.”
I was startled and apologized.
“Did I? My apologies. I didn't mean anything by it, it's just that you remind me of someone I know…”
“Someone you know?”
“Yes, a friend.”
One of Calius's eyebrows lifted slightly.
“You mean the most precious friend you mentioned before?”
I recalled inadvertently telling him about Kal in the carriage and mentally kicked myself.
“Ah, well…”
I tried to be vague, but Calius pressed on persistently.
“It's surprising that a friend of Your Highness resembles me. My appearance is quite different from that of people from the South. Where is this friend from?”
That was something I was curious about myself.
“I'm not sure. I've never asked.”
“I see.”
Calius tilted his head slightly.
He seemed to find it strange that I called him a precious friend yet didn't know his origins.
*I should reflect on my own indifference.*
To think I didn't even know the origins of a friend I'd known for decades, including my past life.
It seemed strange even to me, so I could only imagine how strange it must sound to Calius.
Calius didn't stop there and asked more about Kal.
“What is this friend of yours like? If it's not too much trouble, I would like to hear more.”
Unable to tell him the truth about Kal, I deliberately changed the subject.
“It's cold. Where is the carriage? I'd like to get in.”
It wasn't just an excuse.
Yesterday, when I briefly stepped out of the carriage, the nyak leather clothes had blocked the wind, making it bearable. But standing out here in the cold air, even the nyak leather wasn't enough.
My body temperature was dropping by the second. I was trembling.
Fortunately, Calius didn't press any further.
However, he did say something shocking.
“We can't take the carriage from here.”
“What? Then…?”
“We must ride horses.”
“What? But I don't know how to ride a horse!”
Unlike me, who was greatly flustered, Calius didn't seem surprised at all.
He nodded as if he had expected as much and said it was fine.
“Your Highness will ride with me.”
“W-with you?”
I imagined myself sitting in front of Calius.
*It's a little too close, but it's fine! I can handle that much!*
I clenched my fists and steeled myself.
“Alright. I'll be in your care.”
“Yes, then.”
I took Calius's offered hand and prepared to mount the horse.
But instead of helping me onto the horse, he lifted me into his arms and gave a strange order to his subordinate.
“Tie us securely.”
*Huh? Tie?*
While I was bewildered, one of Calius's knights approached with a large cloth.
And then he promptly began to bind Calius and me together, as if we were a single bundle.
*What the…?*
