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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: I Will Prove My Worth. (5)
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‘A month…’
Rachel glared at the calendar as she listened to her retainer’s report.
April 7th.
Exactly one month had passed since Ariana Bronte went missing.
By now, the Empire would be in the midst of social season, with parties held daily, but the Bronte family had no choice but to return to their estate without setting foot on Imperial land.
Helena whined endlessly about not being able to have her debutante ball, and Victoria still stared into space with a dark expression. Duke Jacob Bronte would lose his temper whenever his eyes met Rachel’s, and the days he didn’t return home grew more frequent.
Rachel had even sought the Western Duke’s help to find Ariana’s whereabouts, but she had vanished without a trace. While the bodies of the mercenaries who had fallen off the cliff were found, neither Ariana nor her maid was among them.
The people sent by the Western Duke reported that the mercenaries’ wounds were unusual. They seemed to have been dealt by someone skilled in martial arts.
‘That makes it even stranger…’
Even if a skilled knight or mercenary happened to pass by and save Ariana, there should have been news by now. Whether they demanded a reward for saving her or quietly returned her, it would have been normal for something to happen by this point.
But no one brought news of Ariana.
Ariana had vanished as if she’d sunk into the ground or ascended into the sky.
‘No matter how much Ariana revealed the blade she concealed, she’s still just a powerless child. She has no money and no escort, so where could she have disappeared to?’
The thought that she might have gone to the Eastern Territory had occurred to her just yesterday. As soon as it did, she sent a telegram to Chase Castle, but she thought the possibility of her being there was low.
‘The distance from the Western Territory to the Eastern Territory isn’t something a girl can travel alone. Besides, I’ve spoken ill of the Eastern Duke to Ariana, so she wouldn’t think of taking refuge with her father.’
The next thought that came to mind was Duchess Juliana Roventa of the Empire.
At the garden party, Duchess Roventa had formally invited Ariana.
‘But if she went there, there would be news by now…’
The Ariana who had revealed her hidden blade was unexpectedly sharp, and Rachel knew that if Ariana survived, it would cause trouble in many ways.
If Ariana found an ally somewhere who could become her wings, she would undoubtedly wield a sharp blade against the Bronte family without hesitation.
‘Perhaps she’s already met an ally and asked them to hide her whereabouts. In that case, I should send spies to any suspicious locations.’
+++
Ariana recovered enough to get out of bed after being sick for over a week. Only then could she properly take in her room’s interior.
‘Wow…’
It was entirely pink.
The bed, the curtains, the furniture, and the carpet on the floor were all pink or white.
Even when she was first led to this room, she thought it seemed overly extravagant, but she hadn’t realized it was entirely pink.
‘Whose idea was this, exactly?’
Ariana had met the former Eastern Duke and Duchess, Russell, Duke Langsty White, and Count Pelos White from the White family. None of them seemed like they would have ordered such an interior.
“Princess, the weather is lovely, shall I open the curtains?”
Catherine asked from the bedroom window. She was a lady-in-waiting personally chosen by Caradine for Ariana, and she was said to be the wife of Viscountess Catherine Ruel.
“Yes, please. But I’m not a princess.”
“You’ll be a princess soon, won’t you? When His Highness announces your return, everyone will be delighted.”
Would they, really?
Ariana didn’t have high hopes for that part.
When the curtains were drawn, bright sunlight streamed in. The sky visible outside the large window was dazzlingly clear.
“The sky is truly beautiful.”
“The breeze is warm and soft too. Shall I open the window?”
“Please do.”
As Catherine said, the breeze blowing in was warm and gentle. The scent of trees and earth carried on the wind pleasantly tickled her nose.
She should have been tense, as nothing was resolved yet, but the soft spring breeze kept dulling her senses.
“Today, Duke and Duchess White, along with Count and Countess White, and their children will be visiting. The Heir Apparent has been at the eastern battlefield, so he must have just received news about you, Princess.”
The Heir Apparent referred to the successor to the Duke.
Russell’s only biological child was Ariana, but after Ariana was taken by Rachel, he had adopted Jeor, the second son of Duke Obelion, a distant relative, due to the succession issue.
Before she died, Ariana had seen Jeor a few times.
His sharply upturned eyes and somewhat fastidious appearance that felt almost irritable, and the chilling smile that spread across his lips whenever he saw Ariana.
Jeor White, the Heir Apparent, was a valiant and clear-headed warrior on the battlefield. He had died saving the Eastern Duke when the Third Prince waged war against him.
‘Right, I brought down this family.’
To survive, to be acknowledged, to be loved, she had shattered the White family, who had abandoned and neglected her. When the Third Prince raised his sword against the Eastern Duke, she lent him her wisdom and, by following his commands, created cracks within the White family.
And now, Ariana was here to rely on them.
Various emotions complicated her heart.
‘I hate it…’
The White family members had been kind to Ariana so far. The consideration she had never received stirred her heart, but it didn’t make her happy.
The warmer they were, the more her past, cold life came to mind. Those lonely days she had to endure, unloved by anyone, used by everyone.
Caradine, who had visited a few days ago, said:
—“I should have gone to see you sooner… Your father found it difficult to visit the Western Territory, so I didn’t realize how hard you’ve been living.”
Theodore also said:
—“If I had known you were living so hard, I would have pulled you out no matter what.”
Those words, filled with regret and pity, simply felt repulsive.
Now?
It was the Eastern Duke, of all people.
If he had wanted to see her, he could have at any time, and if he couldn’t come himself, he could have sent a spy to find out.
‘Twenty-eight years.’
Ariana died at twenty-eight.
For twenty-eight years, no one in the Eastern Territory had tried to find her. For twenty-eight years, Ariana was utterly alone, utterly solitary, and in that darkness, she walked step by step towards death.
She didn’t regret bringing down the Eastern Territory for the Third Prince. She only resented her own foolishness and weakness for being used even by that Third Prince.
“The dress isn’t finished yet, so I bought a ready-made one. But I bought the finest quality, so I hope you like it, Princess.”
Catherine’s bright voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
Ariana smiled gracefully and said,
“I’m simply grateful for anything.”
+++
The dress prepared for tonight’s dinner was a pale pink, with a voluminous skirt and beautiful embroidery. It looked so luxurious it was hard to believe it was ready-made.
‘Pink again.’
Whose love was this love for pink?
“Did Catherine choose this dress?”
“Ah, His Highness the Eastern Duke chose this himself. All the furniture in this room was also chosen by His Highness the Eastern Duke.”
Ariana felt as if she had been hit in the back of the head.
To think that the seemingly aloof Russell had such a preference for pink. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t connect this pink extravaganza with Russell.
As if understanding what Ariana was thinking, Catherine chuckled and added,
“Of course, His Highness the Eastern Duke followed Lady Isabel’s advice.”
“Isabel?”
“Yes, the daughter of Count White, whom you’ll meet soon.”
“Ah.”
“There was a time when Lady Isabel was completely enamored with pink, and she advised that any girl would naturally love pink.”
“I see.”
Ariana recalled Isabel White, whom she had seen at parties before. She always appeared at parties in a vivid red dress, drawing everyone’s attention.
She remembered that a red dress, which could easily look vulgar, suited her remarkably well.
While they talked, Catherine finished her hair.
Her waist-length hair was neatly combed, half-tied up, and adorned with a pearl hairpin. Her light blue hair, flowing over her slightly exposed shoulders, was pure and beautiful.
“Oh, truly… you are truly beautiful.”
“Thank you. It’s thanks to you, Catherine.”
Ariana rose from the vanity chair. Catherine gently smoothed the wrinkled hem of her skirt, spreading it wide.
Ariana slowly walked towards the door.
A gentle smile played on her lips, but inside, she burned with the quiet intensity of a warrior heading into battle.
