Chapter 19
“Pardon?”
“I’m no longer royalty,” I said calmly. “That’s why I took a job with the Jeifron Merchant Guild. I’ll be working here from now on.”
Erkan looked at me with surprise. He asked if I had any prior ties to House Jeifron.
I explained that I had been doing business with their young master, Cassia. Erkan then asked if I could introduce him.
“Every time I’ve tried to get what I need since coming here, I’ve run into difficulties. But if the young master is anything like you say, he might just know how to get around those obstacles.”
“Introducing you won’t be difficult,” I said. “I trust you both. I think it’d be good if you got to know each other—and even better if you became close.”
Now that I was divorced and had left the palace, an entire world of possibilities had opened up to me.
“I hope Cassia arrives soon,” Beatrice said, her face glowing. “He was so worried about you. I can only imagine how happy he’ll be to see you looking like yourself again.”
Erkan, ever the realist, offered a word of caution.
“It’s probably best if people don’t know how much better you’ve gotten since leaving the palace. Avoid going out for a while, and only meet with people you absolutely trust.”
“Yes, that sounds wise,” I agreed. “If that sort of rumor starts spreading, it could give people the wrong idea—and the wrong people might come looking.”
“In that case,” Beatrice said, nodding ahead of time, “I’ll bring your meals here from now on.”
“That would be best,” I replied.
Erkan, who had been listening silently, suddenly turned to me with a serious expression.
“But… how much do you really trust Lord Cassia, Your Highness?—No, forgive me. I suppose I should start calling you Vice Leader now.”
“That’s right,” I replied with a smile.
I told him everything I knew about Cassia. It helped that Erkan and I had already performed a magical oath of trust—it made it easier to speak freely.
Perhaps thinking the same, Erkan offered thoughtfully, “If you’d like, I can perform the same oath with Lord Cassia. I’ll have to charge him this time, of course.”
He grinned, and I found myself truly hoping Cassia would agree to it.
“I’d like that,” I said. “We should bring it up with him as soon as he arrives. Once that’s settled, there’ll be nothing I need to hide from either of you.”
“Yes. I think that’s the right move,” Erkan agreed.
Beatrice looked just as pleased.
“I’m just so glad, Your Highness. It’s such a relief to know you have people you can truly trust now. No more worrying about what others might be scheming behind your back. From now on, we only need to speak with those we trust.”
I agreed wholeheartedly. The constant uncertainty—wondering who I could or couldn’t trust—had worn me down more than I’d realized.
Now, the king was out of my life. And in his place, I had Beatrice, Cassia, and Erkan. I felt strong. Supported.
A dream team, if I ever saw one.
With this lineup, I truly believed we could do anything.
Then, a name drifted into my thoughts—Lotron.
“Sir Erkan,” I asked. “Have you heard that my father escaped from prison?”
“Yes, Vice Leader. That’s actually part of why things have been progressing so quickly.”
“Do you have any idea where he might be hiding?”
“I tried to find out,” Erkan admitted. “But even with the magic I know, I couldn’t track him. I even consulted with the heads of other mage towers to see if anyone had a way, but they all said it was impossible.”
“I see.”
It was disappointing, but not unexpected. I never thought it would be easy.
“Are you worried, Your Highness?” Beatrice asked gently.
“No,” I said after a moment. “Not anymore. I think I can handle it now.”
“Right? I’ll be right here by your side to help, so hang in there.”
Erkan said he’d return around the time Cassia was expected to arrive, and that he would keep looking into ways to find Lotron in the meantime.
I watched him leave, struck again by how dependable he was.
Beatrice said she would go let the staff know I’d be dining in my room from now on, and left.
But time passed, and she didn’t return.
A part of me wondered if something had happened. Another part recalled Erkan’s warning—that I should avoid showing my face outside just yet.
But the longer she was gone, the stronger my urge grew to go check for myself.
I had just put on a hat and veil when the door opened.
Beatrice stepped inside, her face pale and dazed, like someone struggling to process reality.
“Beatrice?” I asked. “What happened?”
“Your Highness…”
She looked at me, but no words followed.
It was clear she had something to say, but couldn’t bring herself to say it. I took her hand gently.
“What is it, Beatrice?”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I… I can’t tell you. Not yet. Please understand. It’s not something that will bring you harm, I promise. But I still… I can’t talk about it. The time will come when I can tell you everything. I’m so sorry I can’t do more right now.”
Her words left me even more confused.
“Beatrice, what is it? Who did you meet? Did someone threaten you? Please, tell me—”
“It’s not that. Really. Just… please, trust me. Just a little longer.”
The way she said it—I couldn’t press her any further. I knew her well enough to understand: once she decided to keep something to herself, she wouldn’t speak until she was ready.
“Beatrice,” I said gently. “If something dangerous happens, don’t try to handle it alone. Promise me you’ll come to me. I need you by my side. Can you do that for me? Then I won’t ask any more questions.”
She looked at me, eyes wide, then nodded.
I racked my brain trying to imagine what could have shaken her so much. But nothing came to mind.
Eventually, Beatrice returned with the meal, and we ate in silence—each of us weighed down by words we couldn’t say.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” she finally whispered.
“There’s no need,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s alright.”
I steered the conversation to lighter topics, and slowly, she began to open up again.
When Cassia finally arrived, his reaction upon seeing me was immediate and dramatic.
“Y-Your Highness—no, Vice Leader! What in the world happened? You didn’t look like this at all the last time I saw you! Something must have happened at the palace—did someone try to poison you or something? That’s the only explanation I can think of for a recovery this sudden!”
He shook his head in disbelief, telling me how he’d spent the day searching for competent physicians.
“I really think getting out of that place helped,” I told him. “Everything feels… better now.”
Cassia smiled, saying good things were sure to keep happening.
I glanced at Beatrice, silently asking if it was alright to tell him everything. She gave a small nod.
So we told him about Erkan.
“What? That’s possible?” Cassia gasped.
When we explained the trust spell, he looked amazed.
“A magical oath? That’s really a thing? If I’d known earlier, I would’ve sought him out myself! If people knew I’d done that, they’d definitely trust me with their money.”
Cassia was practically glowing with excitement. Right on cue, Erkan arrived, just as promised.
“So we finally meet, Young Master,” Erkan greeted him. “I’ve heard a great deal about you.”
Cassia looked stunned. “Wait, this is real? You actually exist?”
Erkan laughed, brushing it off modestly.
Cassia quickly began asking him questions, clearly brimming with curiosity.
Erkan answered with ease, impressing Cassia more and more with every reply.
“It’s incredible,” Cassia said, wide-eyed. “I’ve heard of magic, but I’ve never been close to a real mage. Only charlatans pretending to be one.”
“It’s easier to trust when there’s proof,” Erkan said. “And if you want a trust spell, I can cast one.”
“Yes! Please do. I’ve never wanted to hide anything from the Vice Leader. And honestly, I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how to prove I was telling the truth—this solves everything.”
Erkan grinned, saying he liked Cassia’s straightforwardness.
He cast the trust spell between the two of us, and when it was over, Cassia couldn’t stop marveling at the experience.
“Alright,” Erkan said with a playful smile, “now it’s time to pay.”
Cassia laughed and handed him the fee without hesitation.
“I’ve got to work hard so I can afford more spell ingredients,” Erkan said, sounding just a bit sheepish. “The more complex the spell, the rarer—and pricier—the materials.”
He seemed worried about looking like a money-grubber, but none of us thought any less of him.
If anything, the dream team had just grown stronger.
