CH 13

It must have been less than a few months since Charelize graduated. She almost made a mistake.

“Shall we find out, Your Highness?”

“No. You don’t have to do that.”

Charelize was embarrassed and refused with a sharp voice. Then, a man who looked like a professor ran with an urgent knock.

“Dean! Prince Illenoi and Grand Duke Innovestin were having a battle, and the prince was seriously injured on his shoulder. I think you should go see it right now.”

“Oh my god… why did it happen when the little Duchess is here…”

“It’s okay, you can go. At this point, I will go to see Professor Hail. You have to deal with the urgent matters first.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

He bowed his head repeatedly and apologized to Charelize, then ran with the other professor to the training ground.

Charelize didn’t like being in an unattended room, so she went outside and walked down the hallway. Heading toward where Dean Pavel told her, she found a door with a lilac pattern painted.

“Professor Hail.”

“…”

“This is Charelize Elze Roxana von Marsetta.”

“Come in.”

She knocked gently, and after hearing his permission, she opened the door and went inside.

Professor Hail, the owner of the room, was decrepit. Her first impression of him was that he was a man of integrity. Even the paper and teacups were neatly arranged, just as the room was angled. The floor was clean with no dust. His usual habits were seen at a glance.

“May Goddess Resinia’s blessing reach Professor Hail.”

“…”

She greeted Profesor Hail first, who was older than her. Professor Hail didn’t respond to Charelize’s greeting. He just stared at her. Nevertheless, Charelize kept her head down, keeping her dress slightly raised to either side of her.

“Little Duchess… Do you believe in the Goddess Resina?”

“…”

After a long time, Professor Hail asked a question that didn’t make sense.

“I… don’t believe it. It was the goddess who took away all my precious people from me.” Charelize opened her mouth with difficulty after a while.

“Take a seat. It’s going to be a pretty long story.”

“Then, excuse me, Professor Hail.”

There was a vase on the table. Regardless of the color, only lilacs were put in there.

“It was said that blood cannot be deceived.”

“What… are you talking about?”

“When Her Highness Crown Princess Elizabeth first met me, she acted like you.”

Professor Hail contorted his face as if it was painful to even put her name in his mouth.

“This is Elizabeth Lobelia von Elioter. I would like to greet Professor Hail for the first time. May Goddess Resina’s blessing reach you.”

“…”

“Professor?”

“Why are you keeping your head down?”

“Because you didn’t reply to me. His Majesty said it was right to do this to whom you must show courtesy.”

When he saw the color of Charelize’s hair, which looked exactly like Princess Elizabeth, Professor Hail touched her hair and closed his eyes. His face turned pale, but he continued to talk.

“Princess Yekaterina… I heard she died.”

“…”

The atmosphere subdued in an instant.

“Now… her traces left in this world… is it really nothing but little Duchess?”

Charelize nodded her head reluctantly.

“I… was born as the eldest son of Count Hail. I had two younger brothers.”

“…”

Charelize didn’t say anything. She just listened quietly.

“After my father passed away, my life began to drop sharply. As my life, which hadn’t been easy for me… started to get worse, I couldn’t afford it with just a salary from becoming a professor.”

“…”

“My second brother died in a carriage accident, and the youngest was also lost due to a sudden epidemic… In that shock, my mother also died.”

“…”

“Nevertheless, I struggled to survive until the end, and I met my wife and gave birth to a beautiful daughter.”

As soon as he told the story of his daughter, Professor Hail’s lips were gently raised. He seemed to be smiling softly without realizing it.

“When I first met Your Highness Crown Princess Elizabeth at the request of the previous emperor… She was only seven years old.”

“I know Her Highness was a very clever person to be called a genius even at a young age.”

In response to Charelize’s reply, he suddenly clenched his fists.

“I had no intention of becoming her teacher.”

“But… Why did you accept Her Highness as your disciple?”

“Her two eyes that looked at me… It reminded me of my dead daughter.”

“…”

“From nagging me to stop drinking…”

“…”

“When we ate together, she gave me vegetables she didn’t like and smiled innocently… She looked so much like my daughter, which made me feel like my daughter has really come back alive…”

“…”

As Professor Hail recalled, happiness and despair coexisted on his face.

“After the loss of Her Majesty Empress Roxana, the previous emperor was busy with his work… Her Highness must have been very lonely even if she didn’t show it.”

“…”

“I didn’t want her to end up like my daughter who died without being able to do anything. I wanted… to protect her.”

Professor Hail, who had a dark face, burst into tears.

“What, what sin… did Her Highness, who was so kind, guilty of…”

“…”

“…for being beheaded… what the hell the emperor did…”

“…”

Charelize didn’t rush him. She just looked into his eyes and waited silently.

Perhaps he had calmed down too late, Professor Hail continued.

“This lilac… is the birth flower of Her Highness.”

“It’s a flower… my mother liked it the most.”

“I heard the news that the little Duchess had left lilacs at the funeral of Princess Yekaterina.”

Professor Hail’s eyes were very red.

“My mother… She was poisoned.”

“Poisoned… Are you saying that Princess didn’t die from her chronic illness?”

“Someone poisoned her with the root of valessium flower.”

“Vallesium flower… I’ve seen it in a book. It looks beautiful, but the poison from its roots melts the organs, causing them to die slowly.”

After hearing Charelize’s words, Professor Hail gritted his teeth.

“The Emperor… isn’t it?”

“So far, I only have one assumption. For Princess Veloche, her greatest opponent was my mother.”

How much greater sin is he trying to commit…”

“To take revenge on Her Highness Crown Princess Elizabeth and my mother… I need the help of Professor Hail.”

“…”

“Can you tell me in detail what happened that day?”

At Charelize’s words, his face turned dark.

“Yes. It happened when Her Highness Crown Princess Elizabeth was 16 years old, and Her Highness Princess Yekaterina was 14 years old.”

* * *

One day before the bloody tragedy.

Professor Hail was reading his book as usual.

“Teacher!”

“Today is a day without class… Did you come here to see me, Your Highness?”

When he heard a knock and looked towards the door, Crown Princess Elizabeth was there.

“My brother’s birthday is tomorrow, so I prepared a present for him. I came here to get Teacher’s opinion if it would be strange or not.”

To Professor Hail’s question, Crown Princess Elizabeth answered with a smile.

“I’m sure he will be delighted.”

“Will my brother really like that? He’s been cold to me lately…”

“He must be like that because he was worried about his marriage preparation. Isn’t His Highness Harbert famous for his kindness?”

“If so, then I’m happy. Anyway, it was really hard to leave Yekaterina behind.”

Crown Princess Elizabeth said, sitting in the chair, waving her legs.

She should be dignified and hide her emotions as the emperor’s successor. Oddly enough, she always seemed relaxed in front of her teacher.

Professor Hail smiled slightly and was about to prepare the tea. He suddenly lost strength in his hand and missed the teacup.