Chapter 6
“Here’s a handkerchief. I’ll wait outside. My Lady, the Head Maid said she put a hangover remedy in your clutch.”
“Okay, I understand.”
I got out of the carriage and put the handkerchief I received from Liche into my clutch. Then, I tilted my head as I saw two crystal bottles inside the clutch.
Why are these here? Ah, they must have been swapped with the hangover remedy bottle.
I regretted not looking when Hilda asked if these were correct and just answering without checking.
“Oh no. I won’t be able to drink much.”
“Pardon? Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing. Liche, I’ll be going now.”
“Yes, my lady. If you need to fix your dress, please send a servant to call me.”
Maids were always on standby in noble carriages in case they needed to touch up their makeup or adjust their dresses, but I had never brought Liche with me before.
That’s because I never stayed long at parties, so there was no need to reapply makeup or change into a different dress.
Originally, I had planned to go alone today as well, but Hilda seemed determined. With fierce eyes and strong force, she pushed Liche into the carriage.
Along with telling me to absolutely not come back early.
“Haa…”
A cold breath escaped me. I raised my head and looked at the sky. Numerous stars twinkled in the dark sky. It was a sight I had never seen in my previous world.
Nothing in life is easy.
Tearing my gaze away from the stars, I turned toward the glowing party hall of the Imperial Palace and began walking slowly, as if I had made a decision.
*
*
Several hours later.
“What should I do about this, Lady? Even after taking the antidote, I still feel like I’m going crazy from how lovely you are.”
“Pardon?”
“The antidote isn’t working. I feel like I’m going to die like this, so it seems you’ll have to take responsibility for me, my lady.”
‘I’m screwed!’
Thus, I was dragged into a nightmarish evening.
* * *
‘I feel like I’m going to die like this, so it seems you’ll have to take responsibility for me, my lady. If you refuse, I’ll have you executed for insulting the Imperial Family. No, that’ll kill me, so I’ll have to lock you in my room for life and prevent you from moving even a step. To do that, perhaps I should cripple your legs…’
“No… Don’t… No!”
Taking a deep breath, I sprang up from the bed.
“Ah, it was a dream… No, I even dreamed about it!”
I ran my hand over my face, which must have been deathly pale.
This happened because I fell asleep thinking about why this mess occurred. Yes, that’s why I even dreamed about it.
My suddenly awakened heart gradually calmed down. Wiping the cold sweat from my forehead, I looked out the window and saw the blue sky with the early light of dawn.
Ah, it’s already morning.
Staring blankly at the sky, I then looked at the empty crystal potion bottle neatly placed on the table before getting out of bed and walking towards it.
I picked up the empty bottle that had contained the antidote.
The bottle sparkled in the light coming through the window.
As if it was telling me the answer.
Yes, everything started here. So, I must find a way to end it here too.
“I need to see the old woman again. All I have to do is ask her to make the antidote again. Yes, everything will work out, so let’s not think too seriously about it.”
I smiled and returned to bed. I should sleep a bit more.
I pulled the blanket up to my neck and closed my eyes, but strangely, the sound of my pounding heart was loud.
Blink, blink. I opened my eyes and rolled them, tracing the pattern on the ceiling.
Why do I have this ominous feeling even though I think everything will work out, and I’ve found the answer.
In the end, I couldn’t fall back asleep until the morning sun was high in the sky.
* * *
“Ah, my lady. She’s not here right now.”
“Not here? Where did she go?”
“Well, that old woman often runs away from the facility, and this time too, she suddenly disappeared last night. We don’t know where she went.”
“Ah… do you know when she will be back?”
Please, please say she’ll be back soon.
At my desperate gaze, the director of the Capital’s Public Welfare Center recoiled, seemingly burdened.
“We don’t know when she’ll be back. It could be today, or it could take several months… She’s quite an elusive one.”
Oh God, why is it that my ominous feelings are never wrong?
I swallowed back the lump in my throat as tears threatened to fall. Not knowing when she’d return, when the most important person in the Empire was ill because of her! And I was about to be responsible for that illness!
I cried inwardly, but nothing changed.
I had even taken sick leave and came to the center early in the morning to find the old woman…
Unable to hide my despair, I turned my head away from the director.
The cold weather from a few days ago was gone, and today’s weather, unlike my current situation, was clear with warm sunlight pouring down.
The voices of the children playing in the front yard of the center were so bright, almost as if they were laughing at my foolishness.
Are you happy, kids…? What should I do now…?
Just when I thought I could finally make a living, this trial had come crashing down. And of all people, the opponent was the strongest man in the Empire and someone I truly didn’t get along with.
Honestly, if there were a god in this world right before my eyes, I’d want to grab him by the collar and shake him senseless.
“Um, My lady… Why are you looking for Grandma Kumil?”
At the director’s cautious voice, I turned my gaze away from the window.
So, that old woman’s name was Kumil. I wanted to complain to him about the unbelievable series of events that had befallen me, but thankfully, my sense was still functioning properly.
If the fact that I bewitched the Grand Duke with a magic potion were to spread throughout the Empire…
Just the thought made my head feel cool and clear, as if it were disappearing.
Crying inwardly, I answered the director with a smile on my face.
“I have something to receive. It’s nothing serious.”
Actually, it’s a matter so serious that my life might depend on it.
The director, unaware of my true feelings, chuckled and nodded.
“I was worried for a moment. Grandma Kumil sometimes does strange things to noble ladies. If Grandma Kumil returns, I will contact your mansion.”
Strange things?
Just as I was about to ask the director about the strange things, people came rushing in, urgently looking for him.
Reading the flustered look on his face, I got up from my chair.
“You seem busy, so I’ll leave now. Please contact me immediately when the old woman returns.”
Leaving the director’s affirmative reply behind, I walked out of the center.
Getting into the carriage waiting in front of the center, I let out a deep sigh and pulled out the magic-powered pocket watch from my small handbag.
Twelve o’clock. I won’t be late. Since I had only taken sick leave for the morning, I had to be back by one o’clock at the latest.
“What should I do about His Highness the Grand Duke… Do I really have to take responsibility… No, what kind of terrifying thought is that?”
I slapped my cheeks with my hands. But then, a scene from last night came to mind as I noticed a box neatly placed on one side of the carriage seat.
* * *
“Your Highness, I will somehow find a way. Something seems to be wrong, but I will somehow return your highness to normal…”
“My Lady, would you have lunch with me tomorrow?”
After leaving the lounge, the Grand Duke and I were walking in the garden in front of the ballroom.
The Grand Duke, who had been walking straight ahead, turned his gaze towards me. As clouds obscured the moonlight, a deep purplish hue seemed to blend into the darkness, creating the illusion of black.
The Grand Duke took off his jacket and placed it over my shoulders. Startled by his sudden thoughtfulness, I momentarily didn’t quite hear his words.
“Pardon…?”
“Tomorrow, I think I’ll miss you.”
A low voice echoed in the garden.
The moment the clouds passed and the moonlight revealed itself, a deep smile spread across his face.
At his gentle gaze, my heart plummeted once again.
* * *
“Haa… What am I supposed to do? If only the effects of the potion wore off slowly, and he’d be back to his senses today…”
Sighs of frustration endlessly escaped me.
Walking while only looking at the ground, I unknowingly arrived in front of my office. Opening the office door weakly, I saw a man with an extraordinary aura sitting cross-legged on the sofa.
“…Your Highness the Grand Duke.”
“My Lady.”
Seeing me, the Grand Duke rose from his seat and strode towards me. With an unexpectedly overwhelming momentum, I stumbled backward until my back hit the closed door.
“Your, Your Highness?”
The man, two heads taller than me, scanned me with sharp eyes. His gaze was so piercing that a chill ran down my spine.
Could it be, has the magic worn off? Is he checking if I have a dark magic aura?! Eek!
My pupils shook violently. I swallowed hard as I felt the invisible sword pointed of the Grand Duke at my neck, and at that moment, his eyes met mine.
The coldness that flickered in his eyes melted away as quickly as snowflakes in the spring sun.
“My Lady, I heard you were sick. What’s wrong?”
“Pardon? Oh, I, I’m fine.”
He was just worried I was unwell? If I said I was unwell twice, I’d die of a heart attack, not from illness.
At my answer, the Grand Duke took a step back. His suspicious gaze didn’t falter.
Only after his large frame moved aside did the figures of the other two people in the office come into my sight.
Sir Chent and Sir Tern, crumpled like shriveled figures in a corner of the sofa, as if the Grand Duke had threatened them, were covering their mouths and looking at me.
What on earth did I just see? Why on earth did the Grand Duke barge in here? Their eyes seemed to ask.
The Grand Duke, who had brought a huge storm into the tiny spirit user’s office, simply stared at me with an unperturbed expression.
When I looked at the Grand Duke, a faint smile played on his face.
Gasp. I heard Sir Tern and Sir Chent gasp heavily.
That smile also jolted me awake, as if someone had smacked me on the back of the head. His affectionate gaze was enough proof that the magic was still very much in effect
“You came for… our lunch appointment, didn’t you.”
Lunchtime at the Imperial Palace began at one o’clock. It wasn’t even time yet, but I certainly didn’t expect him to go out of his way to come to the spirit user’s office and wait.
Seeing the expressions of Sir Chent and Sir Tern, which seemed to ask what on earth was going on, I decided I couldn’t let this continue and opened the door.
“Your Highness, you came here in a hurry because of the important conversation we had yesterday, didn’t you? Shall we continue our discussion outside?”
I couldn’t create unnecessary rumors. If stories of the Grand Duke suddenly liking me spread, leading to talk of magic potions and dark magic, I wouldn’t be able to live a normal life.
Please, please, just quietly leave with me.
As I earnestly looked at the Grand Duke with desperate eyes, my gaze seemed to work. He glanced around the office once and then moved.
“Very well.”
