~Chapter 59~
Considering Prince Reyester’s usual personality, he would definitely be like that.
Because of that, I was always nervous every time Felix greeted me. There were many eyes watching. Someone would definitely report it.
So one day, I just bluntly said it to Felix.
“Don’t you worry about Prince Reyester noticing?”
I was trying to warn him to be cautious around the higher-ups, but he gave an unexpected reply.
“Why should I care if I didn’t do anything wrong?”
“…”
Felix was bold, with no sense of hierarchy or awareness.
I gave up explaining and just pleaded with him to ignore me while we were at the palace.
Felix didn’t understand but eventually agreed to leave me alone.
But by then, the rumors had already spread, and the day had come.
***
In the late afternoon, Reyester’s assistant came to my research room.
“Lady Relshiz, may I have a moment of your time?”
I had no choice but to follow, even if I didn’t want to. We arrived at the inner palace.
After a thorough security check, I entered. Passing the shiny hallways, I finally entered the sitting room and saw Prince Reyester sitting inside.
“Welcome.”
Since it was the inner palace, he was dressed more casually than usual. He wore a loose, roomy shirt, and his hair was let down instead of being tied.
Despite not wearing any accessories, he still looked strangely glamorous and alluring.
“Why did you call for me?”
“That.”
He pointed arrogantly to something on the table. I picked it up and saw that it was an invitation to a banquet, and the venue was quite unusual.
“There’s going to be a royal banquet soon, a cruise party. It’s a passenger ship designed with the magic source you created.”
“Oh.”
The memory of my research from a while ago came back to me, and I remembered how Reyester had given me trouble back then.
“Have you attended a party like this before?”
“Yes, but not often.”
“Well, now you can attend. Take this with you.”
I alternated between looking at the fancy invitation and Reyester, who was sitting arrogantly.
“So, you’re telling me to attend this?”
“Do I really have to explain again?”
I was sweating. The reason Prince Reyester was suddenly inviting me to this event was so obvious.
‘He’s probably trying to show that I’m now on his side.’
I didn’t want to go. I wanted to refuse. But I couldn’t.
I quietly sat with the invitation in my hand, and Reyester smiled slyly.
“If you don’t have anyone else to take with you, how about asking Investigator Guifero?”
I couldn’t believe he was suggesting that. It was such a childish and obvious joke that I couldn’t even laugh.
“I’ll go alone.”
“Fine, suit yourself.”
And so, I ended up being invited to a 5-day, 6-night cruise party with no one else but myself.
***
The next morning,
Philippa, with an awkward smile, poked at a thick blanket.
“Shiz, it’s lunch time.”
“Ugh…”
The blanket made a little noise.
“I made delicious sandwiches.”
“…Without vegetables?”
“…Sorry, I added a little bit.”
“Ugh…”
There were clear tear marks on the blanket. Philippa tried hard not to laugh.
Inside the blanket was Shiz.
Shiz had been betrayed this morning.
“You’re really upset?”
“I wanted to go on the ship too…”
Relshiz had suddenly told her that she was going to a 5-day cruise banquet. And that too, on the day of departure.
“You promised me you’d be fine on your own.”
“But…”
Surprisingly, Shiz didn’t throw a tantrum and even waved Relshiz off with a dignified look.
It was because she had been through several difficult situations before. Apparently, that bad prince was also coming.
But her outward behavior didn’t match her inner feelings.
A big, beautiful ship. The vast ocean.
The place Relshiz was going was Labota, the same magnificent place they visited last time, and that only made Shiz’s jealousy worse.
“And look at that!”
Shiz suddenly jumped out of the blanket, her tear-streaked face pointing at something nearby. On the table were many books and papers stacked like a tower.
“My homework is as tall as mine! You’re off to play while I have all this to do!”
“I guess I did overdo it with the homework.”
“Right! I hate you, mom!”
“But, the reason is that you lied about finishing your homework, didn’t you?”
Philippa gently comforted Shiz.
“See, it looks like a lot because it’s all stacked up, but if you do it over the next 5 days, it’ll be done in no time.”
“Still, it’s too much.”
Shiz’s lips stuck out in defiance. Philippa lowered her voice and whispered secretively.
“Hehe, don’t worry too much. I think young master Aska will come by soon.”
“Aska? Is Aska coming?”
Philippa nodded, and Shiz’s face brightened.
Before Relshiz left, she had already told Philippa.
‘Philippa, Aska will probably come around lunch today. He had promised to teach Shiz magic.’
‘Oh, I see?’
‘When he arrives, let him spend some time with Shiz. If he starts talking nonsense, stop him.’
‘Understood!’
Philippa was a bit surprised, even though she had answered normally.
Based on her experience working at the Duke’s household, she knew that young master Aska, a member of the Willovis family, wasn’t one to show much interest in others.
The only exception was Relshiz, whom he had known since childhood.
He was usually calm and indifferent, almost like a robot, but in front of Relshiz, he seemed alive, showing more emotion and even joking or teasing her.
‘He’s coming even though the mage is away…’
It seemed like he really liked Shiz.
Philippa felt a bit happy about that. It seemed like young master Aska could now care for someone other than Relshiz.
‘The Duchess would be happy to hear about this.’
Philippa had been subtly updating the Duchess on Relshiz’s life, though she avoided prying too deeply into her personal matters, only talking about Aska and Relshiz when there was something important to share.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
“Ah, he’s here!”
Thinking it was Aska, Philippa quickly ran to the door and opened it.
But it wasn’t who she expected.
She opened the door slightly, looking confused.
“Excuse me, who are you?”
The man outside flinched at the sound of the door opening and stared down at Philippa.
“…Is Lady Relshiz Baltain here?”
His low, rough voice caught Shiz’s attention.
“That’s me. But Relshiz isn’t here right now. Who are you?”
“Oh, I’m…”
Shiz, who had been inside, rushed out and recognized the visitor’s face. Her eyes went wide.
“Hey, it’s Investigator Guifero!”
“Little one?”
The unfamiliar visitor was Felix Guifero.
***
Felix, who had brought boxes of alcohol, wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around.
As soon as he set the boxes down, Philippa quickly handed him a glass of cold water.
“Ah, thank you.”
“What’s with all this alcohol?”
“I owe a debt to the mage. That’s why I’m delivering this as a token of thanks.”
“You brought all of this yourself?”
Philippa counted the boxes Felix had brought in. Ten boxes. Each containing 20 bottles of alcohol.
That meant, suddenly, 200 bottles of alcohol were sitting in a small house with two women and one child.
‘There’s no way we can deal with this without throwing a party.’
It was impressive that Felix managed to bring all that alone, but looking at his size, I figured it wasn’t a big deal for him.
Meanwhile, Felix finished his water and walked over to Shiz.
“By the way, little one, why does your face look like that?”
