Chapter 87………………………….
Cordelia paused for a moment as she stepped into the garden, which was in full bloom with lilacs. Her sunset-colored eyes slowly scanned the surroundings.
Whenever the wind stirred the flowers, subtle waves of purple seemed to ripple through the garden.
“…This is truly a beautiful garden.”
“Is it? Thank you.”
Instead of making a fuss about having prepared it for her, Claire answered simply and led her to a pergola where tea had been set out.
She had already taken note that Cordelia disliked people showing off.
As Cordelia sipped her tea while taking in the beautiful scenery, she soon put down her cup and asked:
“So, why did Lady Ravello want to see me separately?”
She had chosen to skip the long introduction and get straight to the point. Claire didn’t mind at all.
“I heard that the Eldor Kingdom is preparing to trade Mana Herbs with the House of Muten.”
“That’s supposed to be confidential, yet you somehow found out.”
“Would you not rather trade with me instead of Muten? More specifically, with the Minerva Trading Company that I run.”
There was a brief silence. Cordelia, slightly smiling at the straightforward approach, slowly spoke.
“The House of Muten is a family blessed with extraordinary power. Does Ravello possess comparable strength?”
“My father conducted research on Mana Herbs. We are fully capable of producing them as well.”
When Claire gave the prepared answer, Cordelia drank her tea without changing expression. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
Trying not to appear impatient, Claire calmly added:
“Whatever terms Muten may propose, we can offer even better.”
“I understand, for now. I haven’t had in-depth talks with the House of Muten yet, so I can’t give a definite answer.”
Having given what seemed like a formal response, she once again stared intently at Claire.
Claire, meeting this gaze—which was perhaps even deeper and more persistent than at the eve-of-festival—asked:
“Is there something on my face? I feel like you’ve been staring at me quite a bit before.”
Startled, Cordelia fidgeted with her teacup and replied sheepishly:
“Oh, I’m sorry. Was it bothersome?”
“No, not at all. I’m just curious why, Princess.”
Her scarlet-orange eyes quietly fixed on Claire. Cordelia’s lips moved slowly.
“It’s just that… you resemble my first love.”
“…Me?”
“Yes. Long ago, I stayed briefly in the Empire, just like now. I happened to meet a boy then… but I had to return home suddenly, so we parted without even saying goodbye.”
Perhaps because the face reminded her of someone she missed, the story she had never shared with anyone flowed naturally before Claire.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to try finding him, if you knew his name or status?”
Though the princess was of age, she remained unmarried. Thinking of this, Claire suggested.
But Cordelia gently shook her head.
“I don’t know his name or status exactly. It was a truly chance encounter. I even used a pseudonym.”
“Ah…”
“Probably he did too. He told me his name was Pudding. I was Coco. Funny, isn’t it?”
Cordelia’s eyes briefly took on a wistful look as she recalled the memories of that time, then she laughed awkwardly.
“I’m saying such silly things in front of you. Anyway, I guess I couldn’t help staring at you since the eve-of-festival because you resembled that boy. I’m sorry if it was unpleasant.”
“No, not at all. Don’t worry about it.”
“You’re a kind person.”
Sending Claire a fond look, she continued:
“Even the way you speak reminds me of Pudding. I’m probably romanticizing my first love too much, huh?”
Cordelia winked playfully, and Claire let out a small laugh.
Afterward, their conversation flowed smoothly.
Claire deliberately avoided bringing up the trade again, not wanting to give the princess unnecessary pressure or discomfort.
After spending more time in tea than planned, Cordelia prepared to leave the Marquis’ residence.
Claire escorted her to the door. Before boarding her carriage, Cordelia extended her hand for a handshake.
“It was nice meeting you today. Next time, I’ll contact you first.”
“Thank you, Princess. I really enjoyed talking with you for so long as well.”
Claire lightly shook her hand with a smile.
Cordelia’s carriage slowly departed from the Marquis’ residence, while at the same time, Franz’s carriage arrived from the opposite direction.
Claire waited to go inside with her brother. Franz stepped out from the carriage parked at the central entrance.
“Dad, you’re back?”
“Yes. Is that carriage for the Princess of Eldor?”
Franz glanced at the carriage bearing the Eldor flag and asked.
“Yes, she just left. If you had come a bit earlier, you could have greeted her.”
Claire shrugged and gestured to go inside. Franz, tilting his head for a moment, followed his sister.
The two conversed comfortably, alone, in the Marquis’ office.
“How was the Princess?”
“She’s a nice person. Polite, witty, and her smile is very cute. It was nice to talk with someone my age after so long.”
“I’m also your age, though?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t make you my friend, does it?”
Being the younger twin, Franz could not argue and hung his jacket over a chair.
Claire leaned slightly against the sofa, chuckling softly.
“Even if the trade doesn’t go well, I want to get along with the Princess. I doubt Muten would let me, though.”
“Work and personal matters should be separate. Just because they trade with Eldor Kingdom doesn’t mean you can force a personal friendship with the Princess.”
For once, Franz spoke firmly. Perhaps worried his sister might be intimidated.
Of course, Claire wasn’t the type to be intimidated.
Seeing Claire give someone a positive appraisal after a while piqued Franz’s curiosity.
“Now that you say that, I want to meet the Princess too.”
“If there’s a chance next time, you can join. But be careful, since I told her you could create Mana Herbs through research.”
In reality, Franz didn’t know how to make them; he had said so to avoid revealing the blessing’s power.
“Got it. If time permits, I’ll join.”
Franz, having gained social skills as a Marquis, agreed willingly.
Watching his brother sit and clean his glasses, Claire suddenly spoke:
“Oh, the Princess told me I resemble her first love. It’s the first time a woman has said that to me.”
“Really?”
Satisfied with the clean glasses, Franz put them on and looked into the mirror.
There, reflected was a face harmoniously framed by golden hair that gleamed like sunlight and fresh green eyes like morning dew.
“Do we look rather common?”
“Maybe. Or perhaps the Princess’ first love also had blonde hair and green eyes, so she sees a resemblance.”
The siblings nodded, exchanging comments that might have sounded sarcastic to others without a second thought.
Claire closed her eyes and murmured:
“I hope we can achieve a good outcome.”
Cordelia seemed like a good person, which made her even more unwilling to let Muten take her.
Meanwhile, as Cordelia’s carriage left the Marquis’ residence, she saw a man step out of a carriage through the window.
He was too far to see his face clearly, but his slim back and hair were bright blonde like Claire’s, shining like pure gold in the sunlight.
“Who is that man?”
Cordelia muttered to herself. The maid riding with her turned to confirm.
“It seems to be the Marquis Ravello, the father of Lady Ravello.”
“Ah.”
Suddenly, Cordelia recalled the slander Evelyn had spread at the eve-of-festival.
“Don’t get close to Lady Ravello. She’s actually an illegitimate child whose mother is unknown. This happened before the current Marquis inherited the family. I worry you’ll lower your status by associating with her.”
Evelyn had shown an unusual hostility toward Claire.
Cordelia, unsure if she could trust her words fully, had investigated. Evelyn might have lied or exaggerated the truth.
But Claire truly was an illegitimate child.
Yet Cordelia wasn’t put off and still felt fond of her because of Claire’s upright and strong demeanor—
“The more I see her, the more she’s like Pudding.”
The face of her first love lingered heavily in her memory.
