Chapter 40

I’m sure there will be an accident on the cliff on the way to Denta. It was the only dangerous place on the way to Denta, and that person would be targeted there.

It will be fine.

I stared at the side table while lying down for a while,  then reached out to pull the string. Soon after, Lisa knocked on the door.

“Lady, it’s me, Lisa.”

“Yes, come in.”

“Do you need me to do something?”

“Can you bring me a letter, paper, and an envelope from the office downstairs?”

“Yes, please wait for a moment. I will be right back!”

Lisa left immediately.

Now that my ban was lifted, I thought I could ask Valery to meet me. I couldn’t pretend not to know because every letter he sent was a story he missed me. And it’s already been a month since I saw him. Our relationship could be tenuous. Besides, Valery always took me to a nice place on a date.

Lisa soon brought a bunch of stationery, an envelope, and a pen. There was another letter with her.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a letter that arrived for Lady today. I think it arrived when we went out. The envelope and seal were the same as the imperial letter that comes every week.”

“Is that so?”

Today is not the day for the doctor to come, so did he send it separately? But, there was no present attached to it. Is it something important?

I told Lisa to put them on the table and took the letter that came first to me.

“Ah.”

It came from Delkian. As Lisa said, an imperial seal was attached to it. However, what great me wasn’t Valery’s neat and elegant handwriting but rather splendidly scribbled handwriting.

There is only one reason for Delkian to send a letter to me. However, contrary to my expectations, there was only one letter. Shouldn’t he have sent at least a box? A box that contains something a little heavy?

“Did anything else come with this?”

“There was only this.”

“Okay…”

When I opened the envelope, I saw the contents of a short letter of four or five lines.

[To the Lady who has a knack for games.]

My eyebrows cured up naturally. Clearly, he wrote this letter with a somewhat exaggerated and mischievous expression.

[This letter is to let you know that all the magic stones you requested are ready. Aren’t you curious about what it would be like?]

Looking at him saying this, it seems the processing has been completed with pretty good results. I was annoyed, but as he said, I was curious about it.

[I’m going to attend a weekend exhibition this week. What do you think of seeing you there on Saturday? If it’s okay with you, I hope to see you that day.]

Then it was written that if there is another good day, please reply. There is really only one thing left to say.

Weekend exhibition. It’s perfect because it’s not too open and it’s not too cramped. The problem is that the day after tomorrow is already Saturday. Well, since it’s not something I can’t postpone anymore, it will be fine.

“Umm.”

I was going to ask Valery to meet me on Sunday if he had time. Unintentionally, I will meet Delkian first.

Wouldn’t that make him feel bad?

I laughed when I realized that I was looking after Valery’s mood without realizing it. He’s just one of the cornerstones of my life. Just like a minute extension of my life.

“Valery Ahibara Kasinev…”

After I wrote his name to send it to him, I stopped writing the next line. That man seemed to be writing the letter so well that I didn’t even believe writing a letter was such a difficult thing to do.

[How are you doing? This is Blake Ariandel. Thanks to you, I feel much better.]

I stopped again. It’s difficult to write a letter; I’m serious.  

* * *

“Did it hurt a lot? Are you okay now? Oh my god, your face looks thinner!”

Juri made a fuss.

As soon as my ban was lifted, I resolved the appointment that had been postponed one by one.

Every day, from morning until afternoon, I went out. It was no exaggeration to say that I had the busiest days of my life.

Juri del Chartero’s mansion was not far from Ariandel’s mansion, so I could meet her in less than 30 minutes. For my mother and Sir Shubart, the Chartero family was regarded as a family with no value. Still, their family was quite important to me.

“I’m okay now. You sent too many presents. I didn’t expect that one carriage would be full of presents.”

“I was thinking about sending more, but I stopped. What you had said before was much bigger than I expected. If things go well, we’re planning a big expansion. Then my father can be more confident in raising me to be the next head.”

Saying that, Juri’s face showed determination. Even though she always did what she was responsible for, Juri was always frustrated with her father, who was just one step behind the hill.

“Even if it’s not like that, you’re suitable to become the next head, Juri.”

“It’s all thanks to Blake.”

“I was just telling you my nonsense idea.”

“Actually, there’s something else more pleasant than that. You wouldn’t know how exhilarating it is to give a blow to the Gerdo family. Is there something you want? I feel sorry to just give you some presents.”

I didn’t know Juri del Chartero’s voice could become this low. She showed such enthusiasm that she would end the Gerdo family’s business at any moment.

“Is it really okay?”

“I don’t say empty words. I want to do everything I can. My father loved it.”

There was no reason to refuse if it came to that extent.

“Actually.”

Juri came closer, leaning her arm against the table.

“Tell me.”

“Actually, I want to try something, but I don’t dare.”

“Something? Is it like a business?”

I nodded and put on a slightly sad face.

“My father was very against it. When I talk to him, he just tells me to get married…”

Then Juri del Chartero’s face looked furious.

“I hate that! That kind of person who thinks that marriage is the only way for women to be successful! Ah, of course, I’m not insulting Marquis Ariandel.”

“It’s okay. I sometimes wanted my father to understand me. He was probably worried because I’ve been sick since I was young.”

“You must have had a lot of worries.”

I naturally nodded my head. The information that Sir Shubart sent me also indicated that Jury was running another business with three different names.  It seems she made it in case she couldn’t become the next head. Her business looked pretty good.

“I want to achieve my dream without my father knowing. Can you help me?”

Juri del Charter lit up her eyes.

“Why don’t you take this opportunity to create a double identity?”

I opened my eyes wide.

“Is that possible?”

“Of course, it’s possible as long as you don’t make a big problem. Out of all the young ladies I know, I do it little by little. It’s called spare money. If you’re single, regardless of gender, the property you have is your family property. May I help you?”

I put my hands over the shining Juri’s hands. And said desperately,

“Yes, please help me.”

The more holes you make, the better.

* * *

“Greetings to the First Prince.”

“Has it been about a month?”

“Perhaps.”

On Saturday, I came to the weekend exhibition to meet Delkian. Time was running out, so I hadn’t heard any news from the madame yet. I have no choice but to solve the rest, hoping things will go well.

It was less crowded and quiet than at the banquet, so it was not difficult to find Delkian. Valery and Delkian both were handsome, so they stood out even from the far.

“Are you all better? I was worried if there were any scars left.”

I smiled softly to mean not to worry. Oddly enough, I felt Delkian is friendly in other ways. More specifically, he made me regard him like Ian, who used to play with me when I was young.

“I want to show you that I’m completely healed, but I’m in a bad situation because of my knees.”

Then Delkian burst into laughter briefly.

“That’s a relief. Do you like to see paintings?”

Delkian turned halfway around to stare at the large painting in front of him. It felt grand because it was large enough to fill one wall. It wasn’t made with a brush stroke, but it felt like it was made with it. The painting was filled with a powerful look, just like an intense flame that seemed to be devoured and burn anything at any moment.

“I have little knowledge about it, and I don’t really like it… but I like this painting because it looks powerful.”

Delkian burst into laughter again.

“Lady seems to be very honest.”