Chapter 56
56
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Just as I was about to rush to Yan, Gabriella brought breakfast.
I suddenly asked for fruit to buy myself some time to talk to Yan.
"Gabi, I want guguh. That red, tiny fruit..."
"Red and tiny fruit? Ah..."
Of course, Gabriella had to leave the room again to prepare it.
Before closing the door, Gabriella turned and said kindly.
"That fruit is called a pomegranate. It takes a little time to prepare, so please wait a moment, Your Highness."
I felt sorry for putting her through the trouble, but I was also impatient.
As soon as Gabriella stepped out into the hallway, I ran to Yan.
"Yan, yesterday, I..."
Yan had been suddenly kicked out of the room yesterday and hadn't heard the conversation between my mother and me, so he was bound to be curious about it.
'It's good news, so I want to tell him quickly too...!'
But the guy was sighing without any sense.
"Ah, why are you sighing? I have something to brag about. Listen quickly."
Even after I said that, Yan kept sighing and said in a tired voice.
"You have nothing to brag about to me right now. Open the window first."
"Huh...? No, I really have something to brag about..."
"Kid."
Yan's eyes shone seriously in front of my bewildered face.
"Yesterday, I heard you talking to the King in front of your room."
"Ah, is that so?"
I said with a bright expression, but Yan just kept pecking at the window with his beak.
Then he added.
"I wasn't the only one who heard."
"...Huh?"
I covered my mouth with both hands and asked in a hushed voice.
"T-Tritz also heard?"
"Would it be better if he heard?"
Yan pecked at the window again, urging me.
"Baha High Priest heard. He definitely heard. He heard the King calling you Lilin. He heard your sister's name too."
My legs gave way and I collapsed on the spot.
"...What?"
I was so flustered that my mind was blank.
What did I talk about with my mother in the room?
"Mom, I have Healing Power."
"Lilin, my baby. Thank you..."
"Rosa doesn't have Divinity yet."
I swallowed hard and asked again.
"D-did he understand? Did Dad know we were twins? What did it sound like to you?"
"To me..."
Yan took some time to answer.
"I don't think he'd think you were twins. Honestly, the King was too much in that part. The High priest probably can't even imagine it."
That's true.
"But if you keep hiding your Healing Power, which you deserve to brag about, it'll definitely be strange."
Ah, that's true too.
'I knew things were going too smoothly...!'
Even this was enough to make me tear my hair out, but Yan continued.
"Moreover, you talked about Icarus."
The conversation from last night came back to life, sentence by sentence.
"That's why I asked Icarus."
I definitely said that.
"T-then what should I do? S-should I follow Icarus right now..."
Yan sighed again.
"Are you scared, kid?"
"Huh?"
"You're scared. Your father is about to catch your mother's First Knight and torture him."
Even in the midst of that, I was so dumbfounded that I retorted.
"...What do you think of my dad? The High priest doesn't do that, okay?"
But Yan chuckled.
"Your father doesn't. But he brought a blonde guy from Nigel? He looks like the secret head of an underworld information broker, rather than someone from the High priest."
I widened my eyes and asked back.
"Hadid Cheziel Norbon came here?"
Yan nodded.
"Ah, you know him? I think that was his name. He's a scary person, right?"
Scary. Very scary.
'Hadid Cheziel Norbon.'
My father's right-hand man.
When Marquess Norbon appeared in the Haphaira War, we almost overturned the results of a war we had already lost.
'If Ikan hadn't been so terribly defeated in the naval battle, we would have definitely achieved great results...'
While I was uselessly reminiscing about the past, Yan urged me.
"You're scared. Just admit it and cry quickly."
That was the conclusion.
Only then did I realize Yan's intention, and a barrage of accusations poured into my ears.
"You've been too dry lately. If you keep causing accidents like this, what am I supposed to do?"
"Waaaaah...!"
This little nag.
I burst into tears as Yan wanted, and the annoying guy deliciously pecked at my tears.
"See, if you had given me those tears, I wouldn't have had to go through this."
"Hwaaa... Can't I collect them now?"
With nowhere else to turn, I followed Yan's words and cried for a while.
Yan pecked at the window again after pecking at my tears to his heart's content.
I asked in an anxious voice.
"S-so, are you going to follow my dad? Isn't it dangerous?"
"Baha High Priest won't do anything harmful to me."
Yan said confidently and spread his wings wide as if stretching.
Then he added.
"And he can't do anything to Icarus Chenelli either. I just scared you to make you cry. Laying a hand on the King's First Knight is nothing short of treason."
Ah, that's true...
If Icarus is away, the Princess's night escort will disappear.
'I was momentarily deceived by the name of Norbon.'
I finally came to my senses and glared at the con artist bird, but I heard Gabriella returning.
I quickly pointed at the window and shouted.
"Gabi! Yan wants you to open the window!"
Gabriella put down the tray and came in to open the window, and Yan flew away like an arrow as soon as she did.
'Ea, Baha, Shamash.'
Someone, anyone, please hear my prayer!
Please help me overcome this difficulty.
Please...!
* * *
Two days later, early in the morning.
It was a time when King Oblin had not yet risen from his bed.
A familiar and low voice echoed from behind the King's bed curtains.
"Forgive me, Your Highness. I apologize for intruding, but I have something urgent to tell you."
It was Icarus.
Fortunately, it wasn't a day when he had slept with his husband, but the King tensed up and pricked up his ears.
"Speak."
"I was followed on the way to and from Sei Palace."
"...What?"
"I had to protect the nanny and Princess, so I couldn't take appropriate measures. Looking back, I think there was a suspicious presence from the time I entered the palace last night. It is my fault."
The King asked in a voice that was barely audible.
"What do you think?"
"In my opinion..."
Icarus opened his mouth again after much deliberation.
"I don't know who it is, but they must have noticed that there is something in Sei Palace. However, I don't think they have found out about the other Princess or the nanny."
"Was it the Second Princess who came to the palace today?"
The King's voice as he asked was as faint as a mumble.
Even if a passing maid heard it, she wouldn't think anything of it.
"Yes, it was."
As always, preparing for the worst, the King's decision-making was quick.
"Track down Chelsea Morello's whereabouts."
"Understood."
"And..."
The King hesitated for a moment, thinking of his eldest daughter in the detached palace, but there was nothing he could do.
"I will close Sei Palace immediately today."
Icarus almost asked first what would happen to the First Princess and the nanny inside.
The King's voice was calm as he explained.
"I will start the long-delayed repair work. The First Princess and the nanny will remain in the building until the construction is finished."
Before Icarus could answer, the final order was given.
"Do not go near Sei Palace until I order you to do so again."
"...Understood."
Icarus disappeared like a shadow, true to his nickname.
* * *
The same day, morning, at the National Assembly Hall.
As several important agendas were being finalized, the King casually brought up the topic.
"By the way, I am going to start the long-delayed repair of Sei Palace."
While the Grand Duke wore a subtle, bitter smile, the Minister of Finance was overjoyed.
"You have made a wise decision. I noticed that Sei Palace looked particularly shabby during the Thanksgiving Festival. The cracks in the roof are critical. I will call the architect immediately."
The King nodded, pretending not to see her husband's expression.
"The head maid said that it leaked when it rained there recently. The maids living there are very dissatisfied, so I will move them out first and then close the building immediately."
"I will obey your command."
The Sei Palace repair project had been a frequent topic of discussion in meetings for quite some time.
So, to others, it seemed that the King was just looking for a place to spend the tourism revenue and taxes from the Thanksgiving Festival, but the Grand Duke's heart was heavy.
"That's why I asked Icarus."
What request did the Princess make to Icarus?
'In context, probably to get a fake bracelet?'
But why would that young child do that?
"Because I need it more than Rosa..."
Who is Rosa?
'What is the relationship between the name Rosa and the Sacred object?'
The Grand Duke pressed his chest with his palm, feeling frustrated.