CHAPTER~21
From the start, I never intended to accept his proposal. If I had, I wouldn’t have gone to meet Arno.
The fact that he met Mela was something I hadn’t anticipated, and it started to complicate matters, so I just needed a way to break through the situation.
‘That child is not a commoner, nor just any girl… she’s my precious daughter!’
Moreover, since Mela had declared that she was my daughter to drive Arno away, there was no turning back.
Ferzen said he had handled Arno and silenced everyone at the scene, but once word spreads from mouth to mouth, rumors never end.
Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t trust Ferzen, but no matter how much you try to stop it, rumors will eventually spread.
Then, naturally, people would take an interest in Mela.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the strength to protect Mela from that attention. But Ferzen was different.
At the very least, if I could protect Mela through Ferzen, that would be an opportunity.
Whether this judgment of mine would be a misstep or a masterstroke of fate remained to be seen.
“……I thought that, but now what should I really do? Why me!”
As soon as I tried to shake off the thought, I could only clutch my head in despair.
At that moment, the carriage entered a winding path at the foot of the mountains, rattling and lifting slightly.
Ha ha, I raised my head in a cold sweat and gazed out the window at the unfamiliar scenery.
Should I call it unfamiliar, or damn, familiar?
In other words, I was now heading toward the Decart Duchy in the north.
The scenery changed from dense green foliage to a dark forest where even crows would cry, and then to steep mountains.
Perhaps we were nearing the northern border, as the air felt colder than before.
I never thought I’d set foot here again.
“Auntie, is something wrong? Or are you sick?
You look really pale! You’re worrying me… …Oh, I guess I should call you Mom now, right? We promised.”
There was one difference from before: first, most of the family debt had been cleared with the advance payment from Ferzen.
Second, this time I was not alone—I had Mela with me.
Sitting across from me, Mela asked innocently, and I relaxed and smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Hmm? You can still call me Auntie or Sister when we’re alone.”
“Mm, then I’ll call you Sister! Hehe. That’s better. So, Evlyen Sister, are you okay?”
“Yes. It’s just that the road is rough, so my stomach feels a bit queasy. Are you okay, Mela? Not scared?”
“I’m super excited. It feels like going on an adventure with you.”
Mela shook her head vigorously, smiling brightly.
“Oh, really?”
Contrary to my expectation that she would be trembling in fear, she laughed gleefully whenever the carriage lifted.
She was definitely different as the female protagonist.
Despite her gentle and delicate appearance, Mela was very brave.
Wait, now that I see it, she’s a bit like a clear-eyed little madwoman……
There’s nothing I can’t say to this kid. Pull yourself together, Evlyen.
I put aside the thought and fastened the slightly loosened button of Mela’s cloak that had shifted while running earlier.
“Mela, once we enter the northern border, it will get colder. Make sure your robe buttons are secure. If any come loose, tell Sister immediately. Be careful not to catch a cold. Understood?”
“Mm, but Sister, my body feels so heavy……”
“You have no choice. What if you catch a cold? Just bear with it a little, okay?”
Mela pouted but nodded.
Unlike me, who was somewhat familiar with the north, Mela was wearing layers of winter clothing from fur to hood.
With at least three layers, it was natural that it felt heavy.
But the cold of Norskal was harsher than imagined. So this much was necessary.
After tidying her hair, I finally let go.
“Evlyen Sister, you were married to the Duke, right? What’s the north like? A few days ago, the butler told me it was really beautiful.”
“……Hmm, how to put it.”
As I pondered how to answer, the northern landscape began to unfold in my mind.
As Hubert had said, the snow scenery was incredibly beautiful.
Everything was dazzlingly white, as if floating above the clouds.
When stepping on the snow, the soft crunch tickled the ears, and the forest was magical.
“I’m not sure if it still exists, but when I was there, there was a glass greenhouse. Because the north is so harsh, plants and flowers can’t thrive unless they’re rare species.”
“A glass greenhouse?”
“Yes. Inside, it was as if the imperial garden had been perfectly transplanted. The former Duchess had been close friends with the late Empress. So the greenhouse garden resembled hers.”
“Wow, really…….”
I loved that glass greenhouse in the north.
Whenever I felt lonely under the torment of the elders or missed my family, I always visited it.
So when I decided to return to the north, the first place that came to mind was this greenhouse garden.
I wonder if it still exists. I hope it’s even more splendid than before.
As those memories resurfaced, a strange bitterness crept into my heart.
“Evlyen Sister.”
“……Hmm?”
Through my thoughts, Mela’s voice reached me.
Looking down, I saw her holding my thumb with her small hand.
“Sister, you look upset. Are you okay?”
I looked upset, huh. Well, the time I spent in the north hadn’t been very pleasant.
That was when it happened.
“Ugh!”
“Mela, be careful.”
The carriage jolted as if it had hit a large stone, shaking violently.
For a while, our ears felt muffled as if blocked.
Then, soon after, the heaviness faded and before us appeared the Decart family mansion, majestically framed against the falling snow.
* * *
“Uwaaah!”
After about an hour crossing the Norskal northern mountains, we arrived at the mansion gate.
The coachman hurriedly got down, seeming ready to complain. The road had been rough, and we had skirted areas where monsters appeared, so it was understandable.
Still, thanks to the coachman’s excellent skill, we arrived faster than expected.
As a result, my stomach had felt a bit queasy.
“Is this where the Duke lives? Sister, it looks scary. It’s snowing so much.”
Mela hid behind me, shivering. But strangely, no one came to greet us.
Had they not received word from Ferzen? That couldn’t be.
Before I could dwell on that thought, black birds flew over the gate and around us.
Caw, caw. They circled in the air, calling like crows.
“Mela. The birds are here, so the gate will open soon. Wait a little, even if you’re scared.”
Soon after, there was a loud creak, and the mansion gate slowly opened.
The northern black birds, ‘Atil,’ resembled crows at first glance, but with red eyes and large beaks resembling the Decarts, they looked more menacing.
Their wingbeats were fast and quiet, making them excellent scouts or spies.
They were highly intelligent and could even converse with humans.
Thus, when they circled above us three times, it signaled that we were not intruders.
Most of the Decart family understood this signal.
Then, footsteps approached.
“Welcome back to Norskal, Madam.”
It was Butler Fennel.
* * *
“This can’t be…….”
Guided by Fennel into the mansion, I was shocked by the sight.
Only five years ago, this mansion had been grand, magnificent, and imposing… now, it was so cold!
Not only that, but with the rotting wood, dried branches, flickering lights, and discolored stairs, there was nothing but black and white inside.
I questioned whether this was really the mansion of the powerful Duke Decart.
“Is this right?”
I rubbed my eyes several times, unable to believe it. Mela blinked her eyes along with me.
Standing still, Fennel smiled and spoke.
“The mansion has changed a lot in the five years since Madam left.”
“Even so, I didn’t expect this. What happened, Fennel?”
Fennel smiled awkwardly and adjusted his round glasses.
“If it’s an incident, ha ha… it must be the curse, I suppose.”
A curse? Could it be the Harmony Curse? I gave him a puzzled look.
“B-butler!”
A maid ran up, panting, and stopped in front of us.
“What is it?”
The maid gasped, “Huff… Madam is here too! I’m so sorry for interrupting, but the elders… huff, want to see you immediately.”
At that moment, I sensed it. The inevitable had come.
