Chapter 79

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I couldn’t remember what mind I had when I returned to my room.

When I came to my senses, I was already in my room, lying in bed without even changing my clothes.

It seemed that I fell asleep.

I couldn’t believe I could sleep peacefully even when something like that happened. 

I rubbed my face with my hands and got up.

It was dark outside the window. It meant that a lot of time had passed since then.

…hold on. What about dinner with Marquis Hutton?

When I belatedly remembered that while staring out the window, I got up in a hurry and pulled the bell rope.

As if waiting for my call, Eria came in right away.

“Did you call me, My Lady?”

“What about dinner with Marquis Hutton?”

“If it’s that schedule, it was canceled. Master said he would be home late due to port work.”

The master Eria was talking about was referring to Marquis Hutton.

“It’s for real this time, right?”

When I asked in case I was the only one who didn’t join again like before, Eria nodded her head.

“It really is. Master hasn’t returned yet.”

“Really?”

If so, it was fortunate. Only then did I sit back on the bed in relief.

“What would you like for dinner, My Lady?”

“I’ll pass.”

It’s late, and it’s obvious that if I ate dinner in this mood, I would have indigestion.

I didn’t want to suffer from eating for nothing.

“Then, should I help you with the bathing?”

“I’m just taking a bath, you don’t have to help me.”

Eria tilted her head.

“Are you sure it’s really okay?”

“Yeah. You can go and rest while I’m taking a bath.”

“I understand.”

After a while, when Eria said the bath was ready, I headed to the bathroom.

Soaking in the hot water seemed to wash away the fatigue of travel I felt.

But the concerns were still there.

“Huu.”

I sighed deeply and poured hot water on my face.

Although I was included in the delegation, the number of people who could participate in the meeting was limited.

Judging by Marquis Valdir’s attitude, it was highly likely that he wouldn’t include me in the meeting with Natsha Kingdom.

Then, what should I do?

If I couldn’t participate in the meeting, I couldn’t meet Duke Giltian’s conditions…

More than that, the fact that I might disappoint Kalian, who trusted me and entrusted me, came to me as a bigger concern.

“If I had known this would happen, I should’ve just said I wouldn’t do it…”

Because of it, I suffered hardships and suffered humiliation for no reason. 

As I was thinking about how to solve this situation, the water got cold.

Should I get out now? It’s not good to stay in the water for too long.

I roughly wiped off the water, put on my robe, and came out. 

When I sat down at the dressing table, Eria took a towel and dried my hair. 

“Didn’t I say it’s okay for you to rest?”

“I want to do my job until the end.”

That said, I couldn’t say anything. I left her to do as she pleased.

When Eria was almost done drying my hair, Tok Tok, knocks were heard.

Considering that I was still only wearing a robe, Eria went outside. 

“My Lady, there was a call from the Imperial Palace.”

Imperial Palace? At this time?

“Are you sure it was a call from the Emperor?”

“I’m not sure about that. I just heard there’s a call on the magic messenger bird.”

Unlike the magic communication tool, magic messenger bird was a magic tool that only conveyed the other person’s voice.

It had the advantage of being able to be used for a longer time than the magic communication tool, but it had a big disadvantage that it could only be contacted once it was connected. 

“Bring it.”

If it’s the magic messenger bird, there’s no need for me to change clothes.

In Eria’s hand, who came back in after going out, there’s a small toy bird with a spring.  

When Eria put the bird on the table and turned the spring, the beak moved as the spring slowly turned.

[Did you arrive safely at Hutton?] 

As expected, it was Kalian who contacted me.

After I sent Eria out, I answered.

“We arrived safely. How have you been, Your Majesty?”

[I’m always the same.]

Hearing Kalian’s voice, which was the same as usual, made me choked up for no reason. I felt like I was going to cry.

[It’s raining in the capital right now, what about Hutton?]

“It’s very clear here.” 

I couldn’t show Kalian that I was crying, so I answered calmly and gently pressed my eyes with the back of my hand. 

Tears that I couldn’t hold back flowed down my cheeks.

[I’m glad it’s clear. Because it’s near the beach, the damage will be worse if it rains.]

“You’re right.”

It was fortunate that it wasn’t a magic communication tool, but a magic messenger bird.

If it had been a magic communication tool, I would have shown this unsightly appearance to Kalian.

I thought it was really fortunate and wiped away my tears, but Kalian suddenly asked.

[Are you crying?]

How can he… 

I looked at the messenger bird in confusion.

I wondered if he could see me, but it couldn’t have been.

Because the messenger bird didn’t have such a function.

Then, how did he know?

Did I speak in a crying voice?

There’s no way. I spoke the same as usual though.

Then, was he just poking it?

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[As expected, you must be crying.] 

“…I’m not.”

It wasn’t a lie. I was so surprised that tears overflowed.

I continued, wiping away the tear marks left around my eyes.

“I have no reason to cry.”

[Well. What did Marquis Valdir say to you?]

Could it be that he has the ability to foresight other than the ability to handle water?

Kalian pinpointed the reason too precisely that it made me have such a ridiculous thought.

[Looks like I hit the mark.]

…I guess he doesn’t have the foresight ability.

I suddenly thought of telling Kalian what happened with Marquis Valdir, but I decided not to.

“No. Nothing happened with Marquis Valdir.”

If I told him, the problem in front of me would be solved right away, but that’s all.

It would only deepen the misunderstanding between Marquis Valdir and me.

In addition, if I worked as an aide, something like this would happen again, and it’s not right to expect Kalian to solve it each time.

I have to solve it myself.

…although there’s no way.  

[Did nothing really happen?]

“Yes.”

[Leila.]

Kalian’s voice became a little heavy. I got tense up and waited for him to speak.

[I hate people who lie.]

“…”

As I lowered my head, my gaze naturally went down a little more than the messenger bird.

Kalian’s words continued.

[I’ll ask again. Did nothing really happen with Marquis Valdir?]

I couldn’t answer.

To lie again, I was bothered by what he said, and I couldn’t even tell him the truth, so I kept my mouth shut.

Then Kalian let out a deep sigh.

I wiggled my fingers and apologized.

“I apologize, Your Majesty.”

[I don’t like hearing you apologizing, but I have to hear it this time.]

“I…”

[But I don’t want to hear it twice.]

Kalian cut me off firmly.

[Leila, do you remember what I told you to keep in mind before you go?]

What he told me to keep in mind?

I looked back on my memory for a moment before answering.

“Do you mean to not forget the fact that I joined the diplomatic mission as the emperor’s agent?”

[Right. And you said you’d keep that in mind.]

Right. 

[But now that I look at it, it seems you completely forgot.]

“Yes? There’s no way. I remember it very well.”

[So, are you acting appropriately as the emperor’s agent now?] 

“That’s…”  

I hesitated because I couldn’t answer yes confidently.

Then I heard a short click of tongue.

[Don’t forget, Leila. You are the emperor’s agent. You’re always…]

While listening to Kalian, the magic messenger bird suddenly stopped.

I panicked and tried to rewind the spring, but it didn’t work. It seemed that the magic had run out.

I returned the messenger bird to Eria and sat down on the sofa.  

Kalian gave me a tremendous right to be the emperor’s agent so that I could freely express my mind. 

“So that I could freely express my mind…”

Express? I can’t even participate in the meeting with the way things are going.

A laugh came out of nowhere because my situation was funny.

…but I still have to do something.

I came here as the emperor’s agent, so I couldn’t return without doing anything. 

Because that was an insult to Kalian.

It was unconditional to lead this diplomatic meeting successfully.

To do that, I had to participate in the meeting…

“…can I do it?”

I shook my head at the sudden worry.

It’s not ‘can I do it?’, but ‘I have to do it’.

I will definitely do it. 

*****

According to Mavel, the drug Misa used was quite expensive enough that ordinary people could barely afford it even though they saved half their lives.

As Misa was a maid, her income was better than that of ordinary people, but she wasn’t rich enough to buy such expensive drugs.

It would be possible if she was prepared to commit suicide and spent all of her wealth, but there were some things that weren’t clear. 

Thinking that there might be something he was unaware of, Philen tenaciously dug into Misa.  

In the meantime, he found out something unexpected. 

“Now… what did you say?”

Philen asked, doubting his ears.

The maid replied, down on the floor and trembling.

“That, that vial is the one that Young Lady Leila had.”

It’s the drug that Leila had…?

“There’s no lie in those words, right?”

“O, of course.”

The maid shook her head big and continued.

“On the day Young Lady Leila left the mansion, I clearly saw her holding the vial when I helped her organize her luggage. A, and this…”

The maid held out a small bottle with trembling hands.

It was the same bottle that came out of Misa’s room, and it contained a blue drug inside.

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“I, I found it in Young Lady Leila’s luggage that was kept in the storage.”

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