Chapter 21
If such items were common, rumors would have spread by now.
But judging by what I saw, it seemed that only Mikhail and perhaps the treasure hunters who discovered this had any knowledge of it.
Mikhail shook his head.
“This is only useful for storing paper items, so it’s not very useful to me. As I mentioned, the most important things in appraising are reagents and tools.”
He smiled awkwardly. It seemed he had other similar items that could store reagents and tools.
The Land of Death suddenly felt like a treasure trove.
“Do you think we could find more items like this near the Land of Death?” I asked.
Mikhail shrugged.
“Well… there are rumors of magical books… but nothing significant has been discovered yet. Since this is rare, finding more would be difficult.”
He put the diary back into the envelope. Even though it was the second time I’d seen this, it still felt amazing.
“Anything else you’re curious about?”
“No, I’m fine.”
As long as I had this envelope, I wouldn’t have to burn the diary. And once I could trust Mikhail a bit more, I could ask about the diary that only I could see.
If I wanted to bring someone to my side, Mikhail seemed like a perfect candidate.
Suppressing my fluttering heart, I shook my head. Mikhail put the envelope into his bag. Watching him, I remembered something I had almost forgotten.
“By the way, how should I give you the reward for the request?”
Mikhail blinked at my question, then broke into a bright smile.
“You do realize you already gave me this envelope, right?”
“Haha…”
I laughed awkwardly, and he continued in a cheerful tone.
“Just consider it buying tea here. Just letting me see something so wonderful is reward enough.”
Mikhail tapped his bag contentedly. Soon, it seemed a servant knocked to bring tea and pound cake.
Even after parting from Mikhail, the magic he had shown lingered in my mind.
‘So I really did enter a novel.’
My usually tense nerves had relaxed completely. If the Magic Empire were purified, could more of these relics be excavated?
Even if I couldn’t wield magic, could I live in a world with it?
But my excitement was quickly crushed. As soon as I entered the mansion, the servants rushed to me urgently.
“Miss!”
The relief on their faces only made me more uneasy.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Well…”
At that moment, the head butler approached from afar. As soon as he saw me, he bowed.
“Your Highness is in the reception room.”
“Your Highness? Damian?”
My mind went blank. I had hoped he wouldn’t be looking for me. I hadn’t even talked to Mikhail for that long.
“Since when?”
I quickly took off my robe and handed it to a maid, fixing my outfit. My heart was pounding.
“Thirty minutes ago.”
“Really?”
Thirty minutes ago… that’s not too long. Someone must have received the guests in my place, so it wasn’t a long period. Theo, perhaps? Later, I should take Estelle on a small outing.
I turned to the servants and spoke firmly.
“I went for a walk because I was feeling restless at home, okay? It just took a bit longer than expected.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Understood.”
I let down the hair flattened by the robe and headed toward the reception room.
The head butler knocked.
“Your Highness, the lady has arrived.”
Sometimes I don’t even know who the real owner of this mansion is. I chuckled to myself and quickly composed my expression. The door opened, and Damian was sitting on the sofa in the center of the reception room.
Several documents lay scattered on the tea table, as if he had just been reviewing them.
“Rose.”
When he made eye contact with me, his mouth curved slightly, but his eyes didn’t smile. When he called my name, I finally noticed who was sitting across from him.
My father.
When Duke Moore made eye contact with me, he rose and saluted Damian.
“I shall take my leave.”
Damian nodded lightly. The Duke walked briskly to the door, making eye contact with me.
Though his gaze seemed full of things he wanted to say, his lips remained tightly closed.
After the Duke left and the door closed behind him, Damian spoke.
“You went for a walk outside, it seems.”
It wasn’t a question but a statement, and I gave a short nod.
“Yes.”
A subtle smile appeared on his face. Whether it was sincere or teasing, he asked:
“Do you remember when our wedding is?”
“In two days.”
He leaned back and crossed his legs at my answer. The smile on his lips remained, but his eyes stayed serious. My palms grew sweaty with tension.
“I thought you’d forgotten.”
I slowly walked to sit across from him.
“How could I forget? It’s a day I’ve longed for so much.”
As I clasped my hands and whispered innocently, he closed his eyes. I knew he was busy with the royal wedding, but that was his matter, not mine.
There was no reason for me to feel discouraged after preparing everything. I raised my head boldly.
I had to look excited and carefree, like a young lady. Damian opened his eyes and gazed at me.
“…Where did you go for your walk today?”
Finally, he asked. I blinked.
“I went to a dessert shop Estelle recommended.”
He looked skeptical.
“Is it really necessary to eat desserts outside? Surely the Duke’s chef is excellent, as you said yesterday…”
“But sometimes you have to try street desserts too. Trends spread through the streets, after all.”
I spoke shamelessly. I hadn’t actually eaten from that shop, but I did eat something at a café today. There was no lie in my words.
Damian sighed.
“If that’s the case, then fine. But next time, it would be better to have the servants handle it.”
“Really?”
I said this, looking at him as if I knew nothing. Then I pretended to realize something and slightly opened my mouth.
“That’s true. I’m part of the royal family now… understood.”
I slumped my shoulders. Showing a weary posture seemed to soften his voice.
“It’s not strictly necessary, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful.”
Certainly, the Crown Prince’s fiancée going out just two days before the wedding could be seen as careless. But his reaction suggested there was something more behind it.
‘Is something going on?’
His expression hadn’t been good for some time. I put my hands together in front of my chest.
“Has it been dangerous lately?”
Instead of answering, he leaned forward. Just as the silence was about to become awkward, he shook his head.
“…No, it’s the same as usual. I’m just worried about you.”
A polite excuse, but his behavior hinted at something deeper. Recently, there had been no incidents or heightened danger in the streets.
I decided to investigate later. For now, I changed the subject lightly.
“I won’t do that again. By the way, what did you discuss with Father?”
It was surprising that the Duke, not Theo, had received the guests.
Of course, judging by the importance of the guests, it made sense. But usually, when I was absent, Theo handled Damian, my fiancé.
Damian paused, then spoke after a moment.
“Talked with the Duke? About the charity ball held yesterday.”
“You attended the ball?”
If Damian had gone, Father would have asked me to attend too. I asked in a surprised voice, and Damian shook his head.
“No, I did not.”
I nodded internally. As I thought, he hadn’t gone. Duke Lethe wasn’t a supporter of the Emperor anyway.
Considering the royal family was busy before the biggest royal event, it made sense for them to host this kind of event. This alone explained the Duke’s relationship with the royals.
They would explicitly tell you not to come. So why was Damian interested?
Seemingly noticing my curiosity, Damian explained.
“This charity ball was for refugees.”
“Refugees?”
Charity balls usually targeted the poor in the capital and regional areas. Once for the capital, once for the northern alliance, something like that.
It had never been specifically for refugees. Since the event was small, there was no need to distinguish from the eastern poor.
But suddenly, it was specifically for refugees? I looked puzzled, and Damian immediately began explaining.
“Do you remember what I told you before, that the Land of Death is expanding?”
