Chapter 98
“……What?”
“That thing that controlled you ten years ago and made you kidnap me. The identity of that culprit, and the reason he could control you—it might be related to your bloodline.”
“……!”
Hannah went pale and closed her mouth. Rita explained calmly.
“To find the culprit who kidnapped me, I had no choice but to investigate your father. In the end, I found a way to verify it… but I thought it would be rude to proceed without telling you first.”
This much information was fine to reveal, even if Pascal happened to learn of it. And besides, Rita did not want to hide something as important as Hannah’s father from Hannah herself.
“Rude? How could you be rude to a maid like me, my lady? And this is about finding the culprit from ten years ago? Then of course, you should do it.”
Even with a confused face, Hannah answered automatically. Rita sighed softly and continued.
“Hannah, depending on the result, you might no longer be a maid.”
“……What?”
“After verifying your bloodline, your true identity will be revealed. If you wish, you might be able to reclaim that identity.”
“……”
Hannah’s pale face grew even more troubled. Rita quietly watched the dizzy-looking maid, then gestured.
“For now, go rest, Hannah. Rest and think about it. I won’t proceed with the verification until you decide.”
“Y-yes……”
Even without testing, it was almost certain that Pascal and Hannah were blood-related, and that Pascal was connected to Adikle. The only unknown was the exact relationship.
So this much consideration could be given.
‘Even if she didn’t know, I once used Hannah’s descendant Dorothy’s body however I wanted… and even led it to death.’
Rita gazed silently at Hannah’s staggering back as she walked away, then turned her eyes toward Lavinia’s revolver that had been taken apart.
Focusing on cleaning the gun slowly calmed her restless heart. Feeling a little better, she thought:
‘I should also prepare a revolver to give to Hannah.’
Ollin had said Dorothy’s body had no special qualities other than health, but Rita knew differently from experience.
When she had lived in Dorothy’s body as “Rita Pascal,” she had felt that its senses for shooting were not bad—actually, rather good.
Of course, her real body now was far smoother, more precise, and better suited to her. Remembering the past body now only made her feel frustrated.
‘Anyway, Dorothy’s body definitely had talent for shooting. Then her ancestor, Hannah, might also have similar talent.’
No matter how complicated things were, Rita felt a teacher’s anticipation rising within her.
May 17, 1770.
The first festival of the Empire’s social season—the May Pioneering Festival—was opening.
North of the capital Ramcard lay a low mountain, covered by a wide forest stretching far across the plains. Its shape resembled a dragon asleep, and so it was called the Forest of the Sleeping Dragon.
The forest bordered the capital, not connected to treacherous ranges like the White Mountains, so there were few monsters or dangerous beasts.
Inside, there was an Imperial hunting ground. Most areas were safe and well maintained, often visited by nobles and citizens alike.
Still, a forest was a forest, and since it was more than twice the size of the capital, there were plenty of hidden, quiet spots where people rarely went.
The Pioneering Festival was held in this Imperial hunting ground within the forest.
Colorful bunting (rows of decorative festival flags) stretched from the entrance along the roads. Luxurious carriages rolled in line down the path.
At the end, in the central camp of the Imperial hunting ground, there was a wide meadow surrounded by woods.
Tents set up by noble families lined the meadow. Nobles gathered at the outdoor banquet hall beneath a watchtower that overlooked the entire hunting ground.
At 10 a.m., the opening ceremony began.
The Emperor himself should have presided, but he did not appear. Instead, Crown Prince Gideon raised the Imperial Black Dragon banner atop the watchtower and declared the opening.
He also presided over the hunting contest, where each family’s representatives—mostly knights—competed for points by hunting monsters released into the grounds.
Meanwhile, during the hunt, the shooting contest held at the central camp would be presided over by Grand Duke Adikle.
It was said this division of roles was to ease the burden on the crown prince.
‘But really, it’s his duty as Emperor. He has no intention of doing the work himself, yet he still wants to check Gideon’s power however he can.’
Still, it was his own son.
Rita worried about how Gideon must feel and walked toward Lascaille’s representatives, who were waiting for the hunt to begin.
For the same reason she avoided the shooting contest, she also did not participate in the hunt. Among the three siblings of Lascaille, only the second son entered.
Richard, who was stretching with the family knights, looked at her curiously.
“Rita?”
Rita gave him a glance.
After nearly a month of daily rehabilitation, Richard’s stance had greatly improved. His effort was visible already. Today’s hunt would show the results of his recovery.
Smiling faintly, she said:
“Hold out your hand, Richard.”
“Why?”
Though puzzled, Richard held out his hand. Rita took out a pale violet handkerchief and tied it around his wrist.
“They say it’s tradition to give a ribbon or handkerchief to a knight you support, as a charm of luck.”
“…You’re giving me this?”
“Yes. I thought you might blame your injury on not having a good-luck charm, so I’m preventing that excuse.”
Rita tied the knot with a teasing smile. Richard noticed the initials embroidered at the end—clumsy and uneven.
“Hey, did you embroider this yourself?”
“Mother helped, but I couldn’t manage the full name, so just the initials.”
She wrinkled her brow, as if even remembering the work made her sick. Richard looked down at his wrist, then chuckled.
“You actually did something like this.”
“Yeah. So since I went through the trouble, you’d better come back safe.”
“Alright. I’ll prove both your charm and my training work. Just wait.”
Grinning, he waved the wrist with the handkerchief tied around it and left for the hunt. Rita watched him go and thought:
‘I hope no named beast appears this time.’
But considering the boating incident and the garden salon, the chance of a named beast appearing at a festival led by Gideon was high.
‘If no beast appears this time……’
She glanced sideways. A middle-aged man was stepping onto the outdoor stage for the shooting contest.
Curly black hair streaked with gray, golden eyes in sharp features—marks of the royal family, with a coyote-like impression.
Terrence del Naparoa Adikle.
The current Grand Duke Adikle, cousin of Emperor Lawrence, and father of Archduke Joseph.
‘…If no beast appears and the festival ends peacefully, it will boost the duke’s reputation. Then the connection and intentions between Pascal and the duke will become clearer.’
Whether or not that would be the outcome, one thing was sure: there would be no peaceful enjoyment of this festival. But Rita was used to staying battle-ready at all times.
‘The Trittoma agents are scattered all over the hunting ground, the Beacons are prepared. Even if a beast appears, it will be dealt with quickly.’
While the duke gave the opening speech, Rita scanned the crowd.
The unique pink hair of Lavinia stood out first—she was frozen stiff, nervously preparing for the shooting contest.
‘She looks too tense. I’ll have to calm her later.’
Near the stage stood the “actor,” Joseph del Duyereborg Adikle.
‘…Target confirmed.’
Rita suppressed the sigh rising in her throat and naturally moved through the crowd toward him.
Joseph, surrounded by young nobles of the duke’s faction, noticed the people’s gazes shifting as though entranced. He turned—and saw Lillieta del Nisa Lascaille approaching gracefully.
Her gold hair adorned with silver, her moon-white skin glowing with blue moonstones. Her mysterious violet eyes outshone the jewels. Her slim figure wrapped in an elegant gray-blue dress.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
Joseph could only stare, dumbfounded, as she approached, drawing every gaze in the crowd toward them. Then she spoke.
“Your Grace, are you perhaps busy?”
Her voice rang like a song, her faint smile shining.
Around them, people audibly gasped, envy and awe in their eyes as they looked at Joseph.
At that moment, the memory of how she had humiliated him at the boating party a short while ago vanished completely from Joseph’s mind.
