Chapter 57
57
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‘I needlessly suspected the wrong person.’
I rushed to meet Chelsea Morello, and the things she said were absurd.
‘He didn't defend Chelsea Morello even once in front of me…….’
King Oblin believed in his wife, Chelsea, and tried to help her escape with a large sum of money.
‘The maid was terrified because of Marquess Norbon…….’
It didn't seem likely that she would dare to lie in front of me.
After hearing that, the Grand Duke ordered the King's First Knight to be monitored.
Marquess Norbon, who was still in Ruelle, said,
"As you instructed, I ordered them to follow the First Knight, but he was too perceptive and it was difficult. However, he went to the north annex twice at dawn."
First Knight Icarus Chenelli.
His existence had never been pleasant for the Grand Duke.
In my eyes, he's just a babe, but legally, he was an adult man.
As a man, it wasn't pleasing to have such a fierce and gloomy man called my wife's shadow.
"If it weren't for me, that child would have starved to death on the streets. Strictly speaking, he's a distant relative, but he's no different from a son."
However, even when King Oblin explained him with such indifferent words, I had to accept it.
It was fortunate for the King to have a First Knight as trustworthy as his own son.
"But he wasn't alone; he was escorting an old maid. He even used the underground passage for servants."
Icarus Chenelli escorted a maid at dawn?
‘Even going through the forbidden underground passage?’
If the person being escorted was young, I might have suspected him of having an affair with the maid, hiding from others.
"He went to the Main Palace with the maid, then went up to that annex with her again, and came out alone. After that, he returned to the Main Palace."
Icarus Chenelli is the King's First Knight and the Princess's night guard.
Why would he go in and out of the annex with an old maid at dawn?
Moreover, the north annex, called Sei Palace, was the oldest of the five palaces in Ruelle Palace and was used as a dormitory for maids.
‘I was going to investigate just in case…….’
But today, they're closing Sei Palace and starting repairs.
"Lilin, my baby. Thank you……."
My wife's voice calling the Princess rang in my ears.
‘Lilin. She said Lilin……?’
She called my child by a name I had never heard before in my life.
‘My child…… Our child has Healing Power…….’
Why wouldn't my wife tell anyone about the good news that our daughter had Healing Power?
Even if it takes time to announce it publicly, why wouldn't she tell me?
‘What exactly do you want to hide from me…….’
The Grand Duke couldn't bear it any longer and left the conference room without a word.
The King, left with the ministers, sighed secretly.
It was class time, but I couldn't concentrate at all.
"It seems the High priest has put the King's First Knight under surveillance."
Yan had been out all day yesterday and came back saying that.
‘It's only a matter of time before our secret is revealed.’
What if I can't keep my mother's secret Divination?
What about Father's wound?
‘Is he going to Nigel again?’
Not only was my head in chaos, but the Royal Palace itself was also in disarray.
The teacher couldn't stand the noise outside and said,
"I heard they're starting construction on the north annex because it's too old."
"……The north annex?"
Didn't others call Sei Palace that?
I had been daydreaming until now, but I finally came to my senses and looked at the teacher.
"So the maids who lived there are moving to the west Veslan Palace."
"Moving……?"
This was the first I'd heard of it.
I slept in the north annex last night.
The teacher opened the window wide.
"Yes, they're starting to move the luggage now."
I straightened my back while sitting and barely looked down at the garden.
The maids living on the first floor of Sei Palace seemed to be moving their luggage.
‘Are they really going to do construction? Then what about us……?’
While I was watching in bewilderment, the guards appeared in droves, carrying wide boards.
The teacher saw my expression and explained,
"It's dangerous during construction, so they're closing the building. Your Highness must also be especially careful when walking in the garden."
Closing the building altogether?
‘Then Gabriella and Rosa went somewhere else together earlier?’
I couldn't take my eyes off the busy scene in the garden, but the teacher finally urged me.
"Well, shall we start the lesson again now?"
I had no choice but to open the book.
I read the letters slightly faster than usual, hoping to finish the class a little earlier, and the teacher's eyes widened.
"Your Highness, you've already mastered the writing completely? When did you practice so much?"
Ah, I should have held back a little more.
I smiled innocently as if I didn't know what was going on.
"Jusht today…… dere were lots of easy lettews."
"That can't be."
The teacher simply denied my words, but still added as if she understood my intention.
"You're always diligent, so I'll finish a little earlier today."
"Tank you."
I smiled and added,
"I weally wanna go see da gawden."
"I thought so."
The teacher smiled and urged,
"But you mustn't go near Sei Palace. Understood?"
However, after class, instead of going to the garden, I decided to go to my mother.
‘I need to find out what's going on.’
But the steps I had been hurrying with stopped before I even reached the audience chamber.
"Baby, hello."
I met my father, who had a very uneasy look in his eyes.
Fortunately, the Tears of Baha had safely returned to my wrist.
"Ah, Daddy too…… hello?"
As soon as I closed my mouth, I realized that I had greeted him too awkwardly.
‘I couldn't even make eye contact with Father during the morning greeting…….’
Father must already think I'm strange!
‘I'm four years old. I'm four years old……!’
I recited my age like a spell, hoping that my face would become more brazen and thick.
Then I grabbed my father's sleeve.
"But Daddy."
"……Yes?"
"Teachah said, outside, da maids are movin'."
My father hesitated for a moment, but soon bent down deeply to meet my eye level.
"That's right, baby. The north annex…… it's called Sei Palace, but it's old, so we have to repair it now."
"Wepair?"
"Repair. Fixing leaky roofs and replacing old windows."
So, the repair of Sei Palace is a foregone conclusion.
‘Yeah, there's no need to ask Mother about this.’
The person who is most troubled right now is Father, no matter what anyone says.
‘I can't lose Father again……!’
In my past life, Father was shocked to learn that he had two daughters and left for Nigel.
‘That was when we were fifteen…….’
If the Hapaira War hadn't happened a few years later, I don't know when Father would have returned.
‘But I can't wait for the war, hoping that my departed father will return, can I?’
That war must disappear for the sake of me and our Ruelle's future.
‘Moreover, I'm only four years old.’
The price of struggling to change fate shouldn't be losing Father sooner and for longer……?
I swallowed hard and stretched out my arms to my father.
"Den me! Wanna go see!"
Was my action unexpected?
Father reacted more slowly than usual.
But in the end, he stretched out his arms and picked me up.
"But baby, if we go to see the place they're moving, the maids will be uncomfortable."
Father started walking slowly down the hallway.
"Instead, shall we go to the greenhouse? I happened to see it a few days ago, and the big cactus in the center bloomed for the first time in a while."
Cactus?
The moment the cactus took root in my mind, I came up with a decisive way to comfort my father.
‘What needs to be kept secret right now isn't my Divinity.’
What's secret is the fact that I'm a twin!
That's all.
‘Just like I did with Mother, I'll naturally show Father my Divinity…….’
I'm four years old, so it's not strange to show off my abilities to Mom and Dad in turn, right?
Father knows better than anyone that my power is not enough to perform a ritual.
‘I just need to show him that I didn't hide it on purpose.’
That was the plan, but my tense fingertips trembled.
‘You can do it, Lilin Rostel La Perca.’
And if I succeed this time…….
I might be able to make Father my ally.
Really.