CH 95

“Steal? What do you mean?”

I was a little stunned at Charlotte’s nonsensical remarks. 

It’s the first time I heard about being able to steal abilities, and if it was possible in the first place, I wouldn’t steal Eredia’s abilities. 

‘I might steal an ability like Hermann’s where he smashes everything by shooting them with fire.’ 

Reading other people’s minds and feelings just makes me uncomfortable. What was I even to do by stealing this kind of ability? 

“Blessings that breathe life into plants or eyes that discern the truth are abilities that only very special people among the priests of the sun god possess.” 

“And what about it?”

“There’s no way that such a power would be given to you, who doesn’t even serve Hera.” 

I chuckled at Charlotte’s stern face. However, it seemed that she hadn’t been able to find out that the true nature of my power belongs to Eredia. 

“There are demons with such powers among shadow demons as well, Charl.” 

I replied nonchalantly without showing even a hint of panic. 

It was then that her tight lips softened a little. She hesitantly opened her mouth.

“Really?”

“Yes. Is there a reason why I should lie to Charl?” 

“I have never heard of such a demon.”

“A priest wouldn’t be able to know all about the shadows of the north.” 

Taking back the arm she had grabbed, I added, “I can’t believe you’re pushing me away without properly knowing me. I’m a little disappointed.”

Charl’s eyes widened as if receiving a big shock from my words. I stepped back, lowering the corner of my lips that tried to rise after seeing her surprised rabbit-like eyes. 

“I’m hurt.” 

"!"

As if my words were some kind of an insult, Charlotte’s mouth dropped open.

“You’re h-hurt? Are you saying it’s because of me?” 

As if she had never hurt anyone in all her life, her lips kept moving hesitantly. 

“Yes.”

“...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Anissa. It’s the truth. I’m not that kind of person.” 

I didn’t know what kind of person that was, but for now, I nodded at her urgent apology. 

‘She isn’t as difficult to deal with as I thought.’

I set out to look for Dietrich after consoling her, who wore an even worse tearful face than me. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

I thought I would be able to go home now that the hunting competition had somehow ended, however, instead of ending, it led to a ball. 

‘I want to go home.’

Although I still felt awkward calling the capital mansion home, it was still preferable to staying in the imperial castle, which was like a bed of thorns. 

‘Still, they told us to come, so we should obey.’

I pressed on my eyes which were weighed down by fatigue and got off the carriage. 

“Lady Anissa! We were waiting for you.”

The maids with not a single hair out of order from their heads greeted me and Dietrich as we stepped into the imperial castle. 

“Your Grace, if you could please go this way. Lady Anissa, this way.” 

“Where are you taking her?”

It was Dietrich who blocked the maids from grabbing my forearm. 

At his sharp mood, the oldest-looking maid among them raised her eyebrows. 

“It is Her Majesty’s order. She told me to sincerely take care of Lady Anissa.” 

“I will also go with her.”

“Pardon? Even if you are brother and sister, do you mean to say that a grown man and woman should wash up together?” 

Of course not. 

I hastily waved my arms expressing my objection to the maid’s question. 

“I was sweating so I did want to wash up. I’ll be back.” 

Dietrich, who had been watching my reaction sullenly, nodded his head. 

I was soon led by the emperor’s maids and soaked in hot water with perfumed oil. 

“This is a very rare perfume that could only be found in the eastern colonies. It is because Her Majesty had told me to serve you with all my heart.”

“I see. Tell her I am grateful.”

“Please tell her yourself. She is probably waiting for you right now.” 

I nodded without hesitation at the maid’s words. 

‘Anyway, it’s been a while since I took a bath like this.’

In Dahlia, unfortunately, the hot water didn’t really come out properly. 

I rubbed my face on the marble bathtub, sighing in contentment at the luxury I had experienced for the first time in a long time. 

‘Why is the emperor doing me a favor?’

When I thought it might not be a favor and that I had to be careful, I moved my refreshed body and got out of the bathtub.

Soon, the maids bearing towels came to pick me up and dressed me in new clothes. 

Without checking the appearance of the yellow-green dress, I sat on the vanity table and they brushed my hair. My level of sanity was akin to that of a clown at this point. 

“Puff.”

When I opened my eyes after the fluttering touch of pearl power on the bridge of my nose, the maids held my arms and began to walk. 

“Can’t I go without you holding on to my arms?” 

“Her Majesty had said you are like a baby lark, so she doesn’t know where you might fly off to.”

‘Baby lark, my butt.’

As expected, that emperor with unknown intentions wouldn’t treat me well for no reason. 

‘Isn’t this almost like being taken to the authorities?’

Feeling strange, I looked around with a tearful face.

At some point, the sun had set while I was washing, the hallway was dark and only the heels of the maids echoed.

“Are we heading to Her Majesty?”

“Yes.”

“What about the ball…?”

“While the lady had been preparing, there was a meeting held regarding Countess Hilbert’s case.” 

“Already?”

“It was said that there was an unusual trace left on the bears.”

I tilted my head at the maid’s quick reply.

If it was such an easy trace to discover, there’s no way I wouldn’t have been able to find it myself. 

‘Dorothea nor the people, as I suspected, couldn’t even smell the shadows, let alone the beasts.’

Except for the dark red eyes, they were just ordinary wild animals. A common bear that Dietrich often knocked down behind the grove of withered roses.

“Once the suspect is identified, they would go into immediate trial.”

‘How could a trial be held so haphazardly like this?’

The closer I got to the emperor’s meeting room, the more anxious I became thanks to the maids holding my arms tightly. 

“Oh my. Ariel, aren’t you holding on too tight? Her Majesty told us to serve her devotedly.” 

Soon, a high-ranking maid began showing me a favorable aura. In a moment, they loosened their arms. 

“Lady Anissa Lagrange!”

The meeting room we arrived in consisted of a round marble table large enough to seat twenty people and a table set placed a little farther away. 

“Ohh! You look like a spring rose. It, without a doubt, suits you.”

The emperor greeted me with a big smile. I tried to ignore her blatant gaze as I looked around. 

“Come and sit.” 

‘The round table seemed to be a seat for high-ranking nobles.’

At the round table sat Duke Euclid, an elderly Count, and several middle-aged women with somber faces.

Meanwhile, Dietrich was seated in his chair as if it was something natural so I walked slowly to where the young women were gathered. 

“Anissa.”

“Huh?”

But without being able to take a few steps, Dietrich called me. With an apathetic expression, he pointed to the seat next to him. 

“Come here.” 

“...But someone’s already sitting there?” 

Next to Dietrich, a timid-looking man was preparing for the meeting and even had his notebook open. 

‘David Hilbert.’

I identified him by the eagle brooch flashing on his chest. 

‘He’s Dorothea’s husband.’

“Count.”

Dietrich called Count Hilbert and glared at him in silence. His eyes were so bloodthirsty that everyone in the room unwittingly had to swallow their saliva.

“Ah, ahh. Yes. Just in time, I had wanted to sit by the window.”

As timid as his impression was, his personality was likewise. The Count rose from his seat with an awkward smile. 

“I could have just sat over there…”

“What?”

“N-nothing.”

I ended up sitting on a chair so high it was difficult to climb. As if it was difficult for her not to sit still while seated next to me, the emperor smiled broadly like her lips would rip themselves and sniffed. 

“Hoho. The Duke’s sister even has a beautiful scent. She’s a girl who truly fits the metaphor of a spring rose blooming in the North.” 

When I leaned back a little, feeling burdened by the emperor’s continuous inhaling, Dietrich stretched his arm between us. 

“Stop smelling her.” 

He slowly moved his arm to create a breeze. The emperor, who was distracted by the strong smell of perfume, frowned.

“Why? Does it wear out?”

“Yes, it wears out. Stop smelling her.” 

“Ha! My goodness!”

In response to Dietrich’s blunt reply, the emperor chewed on her lips and leaned back. She immediately turned her gaze around and looked at the round table. 

“Now! All the key characters are here so let’s proceed with this meeting.”

The emperor glanced at Dorothea sitting across the round table and continued, “Countess.” 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Are you familiar with the scent worn by Anissa Lagrange?”

Dorothea’s eyes looked at her sister, visibly startled by the question.

“It smells like a precious quince that is only found in the Eastern colony.” 

Unlike her restless self, Dona Euclid opened her mouth with a calm countenance. Dona raised the corners of her lips elegantly. 

“It’s as Her Majesty said. It’s a scent that suits the young lady well.” 

“Thank you.”

I scratched my cheek at her sudden compliment. I thought her gaze lightly landed on my pale pink hair for a moment, however, she quickly continued.

“The perfume I gave to my younger sister also contained quince from the East. However, it doesn’t make sense that the bears only attacked Dorothea just because of the contents of the perfume.”