Episode 61
I recited blankly and asked.
“Lenny? Did you just say Lenny? Lenny, who was Moghold’s assistant?”
It was a very small voice, but Ren heard it.
“Judging by the fact that it only occurs to you now, it seems your brain hasn’t grown along with your height, kid. Are you good at your studies?”
Hearing his provocative voice, something surged up inside my chest.
“Why all this time…! No, why are you Lenny…?”
Why didn’t you come find me all this time? Why didn’t you reveal you were Lenny sooner?
I wanted to voice those complaints, but in reality, he had asked me from the very first day.
“You, don’t you know me?”
Lenny just smiled without a word.
“Let’s go out.”
Hypnotized by his words, I stood up and left the classroom.
After that, it seemed she skipped class for the first time in her life and cleared the air with Ren.
Louise said she hadn’t recognized Len at all because his height and build had grown so much, and his behavior had become excessively rough.
Moreover, she never imagined he was old enough to become the Magic Tower Lord.
Saying it was long past the time to use childhood names, Lenny told her to call him Ren.
It was surprising that even Lenny—no, Ren—couldn’t easily get in touch with Moghold…
So, she decided to keep the summoning orb Moghold had given her a secret.
The diary entry that started with Ren ended with Moghold’s name.
‘Louise had a summoning orb from Moghold that even Rendo didn’t receive?’
That meant Moghold cherished Louise as much as he did Ren.
Probably because he knew about Rurik’s demonic sword, he paid more attention to her out of anxiety and guilt.
‘Is that why he cast a spell on the diary?’
I pondered deeply, but ultimately had to close the diary without any real gain.
Because I couldn’t find any special connection between the demonic sword and the diary.
The next day, Phoebe, heading out on an errand for the Princess to fetch snacks, encountered Crown Prince Ernst hesitating in the hallway.
“Your Highness, why don’t you go in?”
“Ah, well… How is Louise? The morning sickness?”
When Ernst asked after a moment’s hesitation, Phoebe beamed.
“It seems the morning sickness has really ended. After all that suffering, to think it would disappear overnight like this! It’s amazing and such a relief.”
Ernst finally smiled slightly and asked again.
“Then, do you think she can go out with me tomorrow?”
Phoebe narrowed her eyes slyly.
“Are you that disappointed because she only went out with His Grace the Grand Duke yesterday? You didn’t even join us for snack time.”
“More than disappointed…”
Ernst, who was about to make some excuse, soon sighed as if resigning himself.
“Well, I was disappointed.”
Phoebe defended her mistress.
“She enjoyed the lively market, picked out lots of fruit, and breathed the clean air by the lake—how wonderful!”
Like a veteran maid, Phoebe concealed the fact that her mistress had spent time alone with the Grand Duke by the lake.
Ernst asked with a faint smile.
“She didn’t get too tired from all the walking?”
Phoebe thought carefully before answering.
“Hmm… She didn’t seem very tired, probably because she was in a good mood. Although His Grace had preparations ready to call a carriage at any time.”
“Of course he would.”
Ernst chuckled in reply and added.
“I’ve heard it’s good for pregnant women to see many beautiful things. You know I invest in art, right? There’s an auction tomorrow, and I was thinking of taking Lu.”
An art auction.
Phoebe’s eyes sparkled.
“Oh, it’s here in Edessa? Won’t the two of you attract too much attention if you go together?”
“It’s held in Tortona, but it’s not far from here. It’s a private event with only a few nobles invited, so no worry about drawing attention.”
Ernst added another question.
“Louise has always been interested… But, can Lu ride a magic carriage now?”
“Perhaps you should ask her directly?”
When Phoebe asked after some thought, Ernst nodded.
“Yeah, alright.”
However, as he headed towards the Princess’s door, he quickly turned back.
“But Phoebe, about Louise…”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I heard from the maids that she has them clean the floor more than twice a day lately. Was she like that at the Imperial Palace too?”
Phoebe burst out laughing.
“You find it strange too, don’t you? It must be because of the pregnancy; she seems a bit sensitive. Since some time ago, she’s been so thorough about separating her indoor shoes, you wouldn’t believe it.”
“…Lu originally found indoor shoes bothersome. So when she had shoes made, she insisted they had to be comfortable enough to wear all day and even had cushions put in the soles.”
Phoebe smiled with a sly glint in her eyes.
“As expected, you know all sorts of things. Anyway, lately, maybe because of the baby, she’s sensitive to dust, so please make sure to wear your indoor shoes properly too, Your Highness. Don’t get scolded for no reason.”
Now that he mentioned it, not long ago, Ren had also been scolded after kissing Louise’s hand right after a flame teleportation.
“Pregnant women are sensitive.”
I had stepped in at that time to shut down Ren’s complaints.
Ernst tilted his head.
‘Can a person change this much because of pregnancy?’
Louise had even addressed his father as ‘Your Majesty the King’.
‘She seemed like a completely different person then.’
Fumbling in his pocket, his fingers brushed against the lucky note he had taken from Louise the previous day.
“Huh? It’s just for fun, Erni.”
Ernst recalled Louise’s voice, which had been echoing in his ears all day.
‘Could she have regarded the fortune as just fun?’
Then why were they all here?
“Moghold read the stars for me. The dream’s revelation is correct. I’m going to die…!”
Hadn’t he coaxed and appeased Louise, who was crying and carrying on like that, for over a year to come here?
If she hadn’t believed in death revelations or astrology, there would have been no reason for them to declare ridiculous truces and draw multiple parallel lines.
‘I’m crazy, what am I thinking right now.’
Ernst shook his head.
‘So what if Louise has changed.’
It was actually a good thing.
Even if she had changed, it was just that she had become more honest and more averse to physical contact.
‘Or more sensitive to hygiene?’
Those things were nothing, and if she had stopped believing in trivial fortunes, he should only be grateful.
But the seed of doubt, once planted, somehow wouldn’t settle easily.
All the more because every moment spent with Louise was always, unbearably vivid.
“Lu, what are you doing?”
It was probably during their freshman year at the academy, likely in winter.
Their schedules were almost identical except for one or two subjects, but Louise was acting strange that day.
Even after class ended, she sat blankly in her seat, and there wasn’t a single note written in her open book.
“…Louise?”
It was only when Ernst called her name a second time that Louise started and turned around.
“Ah, Erni…”
Her plump peach-colored cheeks were oddly pale.
“Is something wrong?”
“Wrong? Where’s the next class?”
But in the next class, and the one after that, Louise’s absent-minded attitude didn’t change.
Eventually, after all classes were over, Ernst grabbed the wrist of Louise, who was trying to flee to the dormitory.
“What is it? Is Princess Chirlilla bullying you again?”
At that, Louise smiled faintly.
“She hasn’t been? From what I see…”
Then she added shyly.
“I think Ren said something. Ren said that Jenais is apparently that scared of magic.”
“…She probably dislikes it.”
Ernst corrected Louise’s words, but she wasn’t interested.
Instead, she returned to her earlier gloomy expression and said.
“Actually, I had a nightmare…”
Ernst listened seriously to Louise’s words.
“I can’t forget it even as time passes; it’s too vivid. I’ve felt terrible all day.”
“What kind of dream was it to make you feel like that…”
Ernst comforted her kindly and wrapped his arm around Louise’s shoulder.
Louise’s pink eyelashes fluttered down like bird feathers and then rose again.
Ernst remembered that sight, always miraculously beautiful no matter how many times he saw it, and every moment of it, as if it had happened today.
Louise whispered very softly.
“A dream where I die.”
