Chapter 17: Another Eina Candidate part 2
Duke Klein had kept his promise, returning as the seasons changed to purchase the wine. Would she ever have the chance to give Morgana the velvet muffler and gloves she had meant to send her? The Tower rarely allowed visitors, especially from devout monasteries like Beryl’s. And Beryl wasn’t even sure if Morgana would welcome her concern.
The poor girl, who had left just as Beryl had resolved to treat her better in the future.
Would she ever forgive Beryl’s cowardly silence?
‘Morgana…’
At the very least, would she reluctantly accept a gift from someone who had failed her so?
“I see.”
Kassel couldn’t press the Mother Superior’s further on Morgana’s whereabouts. As he left, he thought vaguely to himself:
‘Morgana. It’s the first time I’ve heard that name. It sounds strangely melancholic.’
If he were to picture it, the name Morgana conjured an image of a fragile woman sitting by a foggy lakeside, her hand trailing through the water while a small boat rocked beside her. If he called out to her from the shore, she’d likely disappear into the mist, like a fleeting figure from some long-lost legend.
Wherever she is, I hope she’s happy.
Feeling somewhat despondent, Kassel turned to see Duke Klein still deep in conversation with Hessen. Since it was a rare outing away from politics, Kassel decided to give him more time. He understood how much peace these moments of generosity toward the monastery brought to his father.
As Kassel wandered aimlessly, he noticed some people in the distance.
‘Hmm.’
Behind the barrels of wine being carefully transported from the underground storage, nuns and novices were working. Not wanting to disturb their tasks, Kassel didn’t approach, but he overheard bits of their hushed conversation.
“All of this is going to the House of Klein?”
“Yeah.”
“Dott didn’t show up?”
‘Dott?’
A name he didn’t recognize. But Kassel was quick to catch on to who they were referring to.
“Seems like it. Ah… Dott’s so lucky. I’m sure I’d do great if I became an Eina at the House of Klein.”
“Right? If I had known the Duke would be the one visiting, I would’ve tried to approach him like Dottricia did. She was so bold, but I kept my distance and now I regret it.”
“Yeah, I should’ve at least said hello too.”
“How did Dott know all of that in advance?”
“My aunt lives in the capital, and she told me Dottricia rode in the Duke’s carriage! She went to a noble salon under the name Dorothea.”
“Lucky…”
There was no need to listen further.
Dottricia?
‘So that’s Dorothea’s real name.’
Dorothea was a common name for a girl, but Dottricia… Kassel had never heard it before, at least not in the Empire or the lands of Rozia.
‘It doesn’t seem like a name given by the monastery. It’s unusual enough that I should look into it more. Morgana’s name too… neither is ordinary. They both warrant investigation.’
Narrowing his eyes, Kassel decided not to mention what he’d seen or heard to the Duke and spent the rest of the day dutifully attending to his father.
As the Duke had promised, the monastery’s wine was perfect, without a single bad bottle. Kassel had lost the bet, but his defeat felt satisfying. He was also relieved to have resolved any misunderstandings about Mother Superior Beryl.
Everything seemed in order. Everything except for that one girl with her improper ambitions directed toward the House of Klein.
‘They said she was at the Selphia House?’
Kassel’s footsteps turned toward the secluded place.
It seemed a class was in session, as the voices of Dorothea and Scholar Pochette engaging in a discussion reached outside through the window.
“And so, during the early days of the Arkan Empire, it was difficult for commerce to develop rapidly…”
“The reason!”
“…That is… um… Because the roads were poorly maintained…”
“Restoring the roads and sewers connected to the system wasn’t difficult! Oh dear, you need to read the book again.”
Even with just a brief listen, the lesson didn’t seem particularly remarkable – easy enough to let it go in one ear and out the other.
‘Hmm?’
A faint, but suspicious presence – or rather, feeling. Kassel quietly turned his gaze in the direction that had unsettled his senses.
‘Isn’t that an Undine?’
Near a small pond attached to the garden of Selphia House. There was an Undine floating on the water, straining to peer inside through the window. It’s rare for a spirit to appear naturally. More importantly, this was the Klein mansion.
He couldn’t just let such a suspicious being linger around. As Kassel reached for his sword, the little Undine’s body suddenly drooped and sank onto a floating lotus leaf on the water. It didn’t seem to have enough strength to remain here.
At that moment, the voices from inside Selphia House, where Dorothea and Scholar Pochette had been discussing, suddenly fell silent. The scholar had likely asked Dorothea to start reading the book again.
“…”
He deliberately avoided making eye contact with the Undine.
Was it just weak? Or had it come here on purpose to keep an eye on Dorothea?
If it were the former, he should obviously chase it away, but if it was the latter…
‘Hmm.’
Either way, as a low-ranking spirit, it wouldn’t be able to enter the mansion. Kassel wasn’t the type to pity the Undine for being stuck by the pond, unable to get any closer to the window.
‘Should I just leave it for a while?’
Before he had time to understand why he had such a change of heart, he turned away. He could only hope that whoever sent the Undine to stay near Dorothea would prove useful someday.
……
(T/N: Well, the master of that undine would likely refuse any dealings with your house so better not dream about it, Young Lord Kassel.)
