Chapter 21
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Chapter 21
The air grew cold in an instant.
"Sharp eyes, a jawline as if carved by a blade."
"...."
"A high nose and a refreshing smile—he appears to have been your preference. He was the only man with two dates on record."
A suffocating silence descended.
"...."
"Your... Your Majesty...?"
"The poor harvest from last year's crops dealt a blow to Count Stefan's finances."
Finally, his lips parted. His voice had grown even lower than before.
"Yes? The... the Count's house? Yes, that's correct."
"I understand Baron Laetia, the great landowner of the Western Region, has a daughter of marriageable age. Is that right?"
"Yes, that's precisely correct."
"Baron Laetia desires a rise in status. Meanwhile, Count Stefan's house has long been a power in the Eastern Region."
The Aide listened in silence, hoping it wasn't what he suspected.
"Yes, that's correct."
"Arrange the marriage."
"...! Yes? But, Your Majesty."
"Baron Laetia was cast aside by Duke Hexagon and harbors a grudge. He's cunning but lacks boldness. The Baron's daughter, who will become his heir, graduated from the Academy as second in her class—a talented woman. And she desires a marriage that would allow her to escape her household."
He pointed to a document on the table.
"So much so that she even commissioned the Northern Information Guild for it."
Most of the Empire's Information Guilds lay within Dale's grasp.
The Northern Region was an exception, but years ago during negotiations over mining rights, he had conducted covert dealings with them.
Dale tapped the table.
Count Stefan's house was one of the families that followed him.
If he could use this opportunity to pry away one of Duke Hexagon's limbs, it would be far from disadvantageous.
"Push forward with the marriage."
"...I shall handle it, Your Majesty."
Satisfied with the Aide's crisp response, Dale nodded.
"And Your Majesty, the general assembly where the nobility gathers is not far off."
"So it is."
"It's said that Marquis Schultz will be attending this time."
Dale's brow twitched. His expression grew thick with displeasure.
"Who extended the invitation?"
"Since you've finally inherited the Marquis title that you had been refusing all this time, there's no justification to forcibly exclude him."
Dale's eyes narrowed to slits.
"Make sure Kashion Schultz doesn't even notice the shadow of Lockhart's daughter."
His expression turned unnaturally cold.
"Marquis Schultz is out of the question."
* * *
'It's gone. The ring has sprouted legs.'
I'd searched for a week straight, but couldn't catch even a glimpse of the ring.
"Are you cold?"
Dale asked me as I wrapped myself tightly in a blanket.
"Oh, I'm cold... and drowsy too, I'm not sure? Ha, why is this happening? Do I have a cold coming on?"
Dale touched my forehead with his large, cool hand.
"You don't seem to have a fever. Are you experiencing any coughing or trembling?"
"Wh-what...? Are you...?"
I hid my finger where the ring should have been and quietly inched away from Dale.
His expression darkened in an instant.
"Ah, why is it so cold? I drank the tea well. I'll go up and rest first. Get some good sleep!"
"..."
I hurried up to the Second Floor Room.
The moment I closed the door, I threw off the blanket. My entire body was drenched in sweat.
I've done everything just to hide my hand without the ring.
Even after searching for days, I couldn't find the ring.
I searched the House, the Lord's Castle, the Herb Field—everywhere—and even looked while walking from the Lord's Castle back home, but found not a trace.
I lost it.
The ring Dale bought me—I've completely lost it.
"Ugh!"
I grabbed my head and rolled around on the bed.
This won't do.
"The best option is to get an identical ring made."
But there was a problem.
I'm not good at drawing. And while I remember the vague shape of the ring, I can't recall the intricate details of its craftsmanship.
I faced the situation with humble clarity.
'This is serious.'
I'm ruined.
There's a limit to how long I can hide my hand from Dale. How much longer can I live like this?
"Miss Enya."
Just then, Dale knocked on the door.
"*Cough!* Yes! Dale, I'm sleepy! Don't come in!"
"I'll leave some medicine. Take it if you happen to feel unwell."
"Yes! Thank you!"
Just hearing his voice made my liver tremble. The ring, the ring—where could I find it? Where was that ring...?
* * *
The next day, I searched through the Herb Field again, but there was no sign of the ring.
Instead, I'd only managed to trample perfectly good herbs. Footprints were etched across the verdant plants.
Several leaves were torn, and some were shredded as if a rat had gnawed through them.
"But these don't look like trampling marks."
I examined the herb carefully.
This wasn't torn from being stepped on. It looked as though someone had torn and eaten it away.
"Enya! Take a break!"
"Sophia."
I placed the herbs in a basket and approached her.
Sophia, who visited me frequently, had greeted me with an abundance of refreshments laid out.
She visited my field so often that she'd even brought a small tea table and set it up beside my herb patch.
"Sit down, Enya. Did you find the ring?"
"..."
"..."
Sophia laughed awkwardly and picked up her teacup.
"It's all right! I'll search again too. We'll definitely find it!"
"Sophia, I think someone entered the Herb Field."
"Really? Who?"
Sophia's eyes widened in surprise.
"There are traces of an intrusion in the Herb Field."
"You're right... I see it too."
Sophia's expression grew sorrowful as she observed the state of the herbs. She stared quietly for a moment, then her eyes widened.
"Then the culprit who ransacked the Herb Field must have taken your ring too, didn't they?!"
"That's what I'm suspecting as well."
"Since my house is closer, I'll come by often to check! Whoever it is, anyone who troubles you will answer to me!"
She clenched her fists indignantly and grasped my hand.
But this strange culprit had one peculiarity that differed from an ordinary herb thief.
If the herbs were the goal, they should have dug up the roots entirely.
What remained here were only traces of leaves nibbled away bit by bit.
Taking the roots would fetch more money than consuming them directly.
"Or could it be that an animal took them? A wild boar or something from the mountains?"
The work of a wild boar?
That was a plausible theory. But there were no animal tracks left behind.
All the footprints remaining in the Herb Field were human.
"Um, um, Enya. Then perhaps... are you too busy right now to spare me any time?"
"What is it?"
Sophia, who had been hesitating, spoke carefully.
"Actually, there's something I'd like to learn from you."
"Learn from me?"
"Yes."
Sophia's eyes had already begun to gleam. I wasn't sure what she wanted, but it was clear she had something to say.
"Look at this tea, for instance."
Sophia pointed to both our teacups.
"When I stir my tea, the spoon clinks against the cup—clang, clang, clang—but when you do it, there's not a sound, and it's so graceful."
Sophia spoke with unmistakable envy.
"How do you do it? The tea I brew tastes bitter, and I don't know how to stir without making noise."
"You can do it too, Sophia."
Sophia gazed at me quietly.
She seemed to be hesitating about whether to speak.
"I think I know who you really are. Can I be honest with you?"
I nodded, and Sophia leaned in close, whispering in my ear.
"You're actually a noblewoman who ran away from a loveless marriage, aren't you?"
Sophia whispered with eyes full of anticipation.
"This remote territory attracts many people with stories like that."
Sophia laughed with an excited expression.
"Actually, I think Yurta and Grandfather both believe you're an uncommon noblewoman. I do too."
"..."
"But it's a secret, so I'll never tell anyone. You're my precious friend, after all."
Sophia spoke shyly, twirling her hair.
It wouldn't be good if this became known.
I had the cover story of coming from a wealthy merchant family.
But since Sophia was The Lord's daughter, whom I would see frequently, it was better to bring her to my side.
"Thank you for keeping my secret."
"...! So you really were a noblewoman?"
Sophia gasped in surprise, covering her mouth with both hands.
"Oh! I absolutely won't tell anyone. I just couldn't help but exclaim. I'm sorry. So that's it... you came here to marry Dale... it's so romantic."
But if the fact that I'm a noblewoman leaks out, it will be problematic.
And Sophia is someone with a tender heart and deep compassion.
I set down my teacup.
"Actually, I'm the daughter of a fallen house that was wrongly accused."
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org