Chapter 10

“I feel so bored…”

I’ve spent time putting my chin on my hand. The ultimate reason for my boredom was partly because of my mother’s stay-at-home order. I’m also trying to keep the servants from finding out about my power.

Since moving here, the number of people guarding the house has increased significantly. No matter how big this mansion was, I still couldn’t avoid all of their eyes. The fortunate thing was that there was no more talk about moving to the capital.

“Lisa.”

“Yes, young Lady.”

Among the servants, the quickest maid approached.

“Bring me some hot tea.”

“Yes, please wait a minute.”

Anyway, it’s very convenient to have someone to do the work.

I endured the helplessness and anxiety under the guise of being relaxed until my mother returned. Only by the evening when mother returned, the helplessness and anxiety were relieved.

“…mother wants me to go to the capital?”

What I was afraid of was coming true. It was me, not my mother, who would be going to the capital?”

“Yes.”

“Ah… but my power isn’t manifested yet…”

I was hoping that Sir Shubart would say something about it, but damn it, Sir Shubart wasn’t here today. I think he didn’t come today on purpose.

“It doesn’t matter. Do you have any problems?”

“N-No. That’s not it…”

“I’m just trying to prepare in advance. First of all, I think you, whose face is less known, should move first. There are many people even in our family who didn’t know your face.”

I felt like I wanted to scream right away.

“It would be good for the first prince.”

“…Pardon?”

To make matters worse, my ears were numb as soon as that person who shouldn’t get involved was mentioned.

The time has come at last.

“You’ve developed a habit of asking back. Delkian Elova Kasinev, I hear he’s solidifying his position these days.”

“Really?”

“The other matters will be dealt with by Shubart and me.”

“Still, the prince is…”

I rolled my brain quickly. After the first prince, there is the second prince. What my mother wants is the fall of the Emperor and Empress.

The first and second princes are all dangerous for me to handle, but I would go with the second prince if I had to choose one of them. I’ve already saved his life for once, so there’s room to be still alive.

Should I be glad that I told him just to remember I had saved his life and make him forget the rest?

“I’m not asking you to do a lot of things. Just keep an eye on him.”

“…”

“Then it will proceed naturally. Look, it’s not that hard.”

I wanted to say, ‘Does mother think it would be that easy?’ but I put up with it.

“Uh, how about the second prince instead of the first prince?”

“Why are you bringing the second prince out of nowhere?”

“Honestly, I think the second prince has more potential.”

My mother laid down the fork and knife gracefully.

“Why do you think so? The Crown prince is Delkian.”

“Isn’t the talk about who will be the Crown prince not over yet? They said many people turned towards the second prince. Mother might want to check about it. And there is a saying that the first prince has a weak body… so we have to wait to see who will benefit us more, right?”

“You didn’t know anything until just now.”

I forced myself to cough up.

“Ahem, that’s true, but I have ears too. Looking back, I think I heard it the other day when I went to order firewood.”

Believe it, please believe it. Trust me.

“Well, there are times when that kind of information really helps. The second prince…”

“They said he is loved by the Empress.”

I added briefly, pretended not to know about the fact, sliced the mate, and put it in my mouth.

“Hmm, then, let’s think about it a little more. Anyway, prepare yourself to move. You can go at any time.”

“Yes.”

It’s time to stop my mother in earnest.

I sighed inwardly.

* * *

It’s already been three days since I had a conversation with my mother.

My hair was dyed red. In other words, my colorless appearance is covered with another layer of color.

I looked at the reddening hair. I dyed it with a special solution for two days, and my scalp was burning to death. I should have chosen something more expensive. Fortunately, even though it is painful, the color doesn’t fade. I looked a little closer into the mirror and pulled the eyelids under my eyes with my index finger.

“Can I change my eye color too?”

I think green would look better than red. But I was told that I had to have red eyes and red hair.

“Hmm…”

I still don’t like fulfilling my mother’s orders. But I should do it if my mother told me to. Of course, no one can stop her.

Isn’t that the reason why I exist?

I had forgotten the reason for my existence.

Let’s just block the important information and make my mother not notice it.

I frowned at the bitterness felt in my mouth. Even then, I felt alienated from myself, and I couldn’t stop looking at the mirror for a long time.

* * *

The next day, a man with a face I had never seen before came. My mother introduced him to me.

“He’s the one who will protect you from now on.”

“I’m Ian Videlike, who will serve the young Lady from now on. Please feel free to call me Ian.”

A slender man with one head taller than me approached. Gray hair, black eyes, and a remarkably low voice.

Gray hair, black eyes, and voice were remarkably low, reminding me of a cave.

“I think he’s too skinny.”

I murmured, pretending to be picky and looking at him. I know I have to show my mother that I will cooperate as much as possible. But her expression didn’t change even with my words.

“His skills are good. I can’t put attach Shubart on you. But he’s the person Shubart brought in, so he will be reliable.”

“I haven’t seen Sir Shubart these days.”

“He’s unnecessarily busy. You, follow Carbella like a shadow.”

“Yes.”

My mother introduced him to me, and she went out again. Ian followed me silently, wondering if he really wanted to follow me like a shadow. It was uncomfortable for people to be stuck with me, so I turned around instead of walking. I stopped just three steps away from him.

“You don’t have to do it when I’m at home, right?”

“I’m just doing as I have been told.”

“You’re so strict.”

I waved to him to do whatever he pleased, then closed the door to my room.

* * *

In winter, the roadway to the North is cut off. It’s not because the gate is blocked, but because of the massive amount of snow. This is because both roads and bridges are cut off. But this time, for some reason, the blocked bridge and road were restored faster than expected.

Did the Lord of this place come to his senses after being struck by lightning? Unfortunately, the date of my return to the capital will be moved up by a week. And I rode the black carriage going to the capital.

“I didn’t expect Sir Shubart would go with me.”

“You have to be relieved.”

“Then I should have said thank you to my mother.”

I rested my elbows on the window sill, putting my chin on my hand, and waited for departure. Ian, who had been following me like a shadow for the past few days, was also there. He never spoke to me unless I spoke to him first. It was only when I turned around that I remembered his existence. I haven’t felt anything really good about him yet, but the good thing he’s here is that I don’t have to bend over when I drop an object. Other than that, it was so-so.

Sir Shubart reached out to me and held out my palm to give me something.

Klang.

A heavy bundle of keys fell.

“It’s for the place to stay in the capital.”

“Wow, there are a lot of rooms.”

“Don’t bring too many men.”

His joke made me laugh. Counting the keys, it looks like the number of rooms is enough for me to bring a different man in a week. But I’m not interested at all.

“I’m not interested in that.”

To arrive in the capital, we stayed two times at the inn. We stayed up all night in the carriage the rest of the days, which made my body ache. Finally, we arrived at the mansion on the outskirts of the secluded capital.

After a few years, I came back to the capital, and it felt a new yet familiar feeling. Over the years, the roads and the surroundings have become very stylish. Maybe I see it like this because I had been familiar with the snow in the North.

Sir Shubart put down all the luggage and went somewhere, saying he would come back in the evening. Ian followed me into the mansion with my luggage in both hands. I was too lazy to climb the stairs, so I chose a room on the first floor.

“Just put it down. You can just tell someone to do it.”

“I understand, Lady Carbella.”

“Ian.”

I sighed and looked at him.

“I’m sorry, Lady Blake.”

Since I came to the capital, my name has changed to Blake Ariandel. This is the new identity created by Sir Shubart. But the person who guarded me has forgotten about it. Fortunately, he quickly noticed his mistake and corrected it. I’ll have to scold him for being distracted, but I let him go for now.

“Then move. I have a place to go first.”