Chapter 26
Kalis Haneton mounted the horse and looked back. The enormous Berg Castle was now a speck in the winter fog. Kalis, aware of the jeweler in his pocket, said to his aide:
“Ben, go to the Capital first and control the rumors. It’s entirely my fault that Stern’s wedding was interrupted.”
“Yes, Marquis. What should I tell Marquis Kellyden?”
“No need to tell him. I’m sure he’s already heard the rumors, but he hasn’t contacted me at all.”
Kalis knew that Marquis Kellyden didn’t even treat Seria as his daughter, but when he finally felt this situation with his heart, he couldn’t help but feel bitter.
Besides, how noisy would imperial society become again? The next three years were going to be an enormous amount of gossip to worry about. It was natural because everyone expressed their interest in various ways.
Kalis knew that Seria wouldn’t remain married to Lesche Berg for long. This was already expected by many people, except for him.
Knowing that Lesche never did favors without a reason, everyone would have guessed that some sort of deal had gone back and forth in the process of marriage and annulment, and some of it was true.
Lesche entered the wedding hall to save Seria’s life. Stern’s divorce would be difficult, unlike other nobles’ because it was closely tied to the Temple.
It would be difficult, but a few years were still left.
It was Lesche Berg who became Seria’s husband, but Kalis was officially recognized by Seria’s family. Marquis Kellyden would have to acknowledge their marriage, even if he didn’t want to elevate Seria to the rank of Grand Duchess.
Divorce...
However, Kalis was also Lina’s husband. Once his divorce with her was finalized, Kalis would return to Seria and kneel again.
Before that, he should hand over the role of Lina’s guardian to someone else. It was then that he thought he’d find the right person.
The elegant and large carriage in which Lina and High Priest Amos were traveling suddenly stopped. Since this long procession was the main axis, the horses in front and behind stopped immediately.
“How could you lie to me?!”
Lina jumped out of the carriage.
“You said we were going to the temple in Haneton! I believed you, but why would you take me to the main temple in the capital?”
“Saint!”
When Amos shouted in a harsh tone, Lina’s tears fell from her eyes. Seeing her strangely reminded him of Seria crying, which made Kalis feel uncomfortable.
“If the procession stops, it will cause problems for those following. Let’s get back in the carriage and talk again.”
Kalis couldn’t understand why Lina was so reluctant to go there. In the end, Lina cried and got back in the carriage.
After hearing that Kalis and Lina had left, Seria slept all day. She didn’t sleep well, but she had overworked the past few days. When she heard that the High Priest, who was the most important guest in the castle, had left quickly, she felt as if her body had lost some of its strength.
The nobles who arrived at the castle were about to leave.
An estimated 500 or 600 people? Lesche seemed to want her to also see off the guests in the mansion. Seria thought she had signed a slavery contract in exchange for saving her life.
She told the maids to wake her up immediately if Lesche came to visit her, but it was at night when the maids finally woke her.
“My Lady, have dinner and go back to sleep. If you lie down on an empty stomach, you’ll be hungry.”
As usual, the tray the servants brought was abundant. The main dish was baked sole with butter sauce, grilled chicken with peppercorns, and tender steamed beef. After warming up with a light soup, she ate a salad with nuts.
Then she finished the meal with cheese and wine. She felt much better after a big meal.
“Has His Highness been looking for me?”
“Yes, my lady. Oh, by the way, the chief aide is waiting for you outside.”
The spoon stopped in mid-air.
“Linon…? Since when?”
The servant looked at the clock and said.
“It’s been about an hour.”
Linon’s hands froze when Seria called him frantically.
She asked the servant to hurry and bring a bottle of hot water and a hot stew and asked why they hadn’t woken her earlier. The servant said Linon told them not to, and Linon’s response was even more disdainful.
“Because I’m not a man who has the heart to wake a lady who fell asleep from crying!”
It was true that he wasn’t afraid to say things that could be misunderstood. When Seria cried in front of Kalis before, Linon also saw it. Seria sighed and asked.
“Why? Are you going to make me see off the guests? Are there important guests leaving at this hour?”
“Huh? No, my lady. Our guests have already left.”
“Oh. Have all the guests who were supposed to leave today left?”
“No, all the guests have left Berg Castle.”
Seria blinked slowly.
Linon was right. There wasn’t a single light in the many annexes. It was as quiet as if a typhoon had passed.
“You must have seen them off very well.” Seria said.
Linon shrugged. He looked at Seria with an aggrieved expression.
“Are you talking about me?” Linon asked.
“Well, if it wasn’t you, then who?” Seria said.
“It was His Highness’s order. I’m a powerless servant who obeys him, miss.”
She knew for sure that Lesche hated noises.
In an aristocratic society where appearances were important, was there anyone in the world who could tell people: “Have you enjoyed the banquet? Now leave.” Obviously, if it wasn’t Lesche, it would probably be the emperor of the Glick Empire.
“So, why did you come to see me?”
“Oh, there’s a place you must go tomorrow. You’ve probably heard of Laurel Manor.”
“Yes, I’ve heard of it.”
Laurel Manor was a secretly famous place in Berg Castle. Along the back garden of the enormous main castle, a horse-drawn carriage ride inward for a while through the white birch forest through the glacier would reveal the beautiful green marble mansion.
This was “Laurel Manor,” where only immediate members of the Berg family could live.
Rumors said that the underground warehouse was filled with treasures and decorated with luxurious ornaments. Not many people were invited.
That was a story Seria picked up after a long time in society.
And she knew one more thing.
Originally, Laurel Manor was described as a place completely evaporated.
The entire area of the manor, including the beautiful green mansion, was just a huge black hole. This was also the story Lina (in the novel) heard when she questioned the rumors she heard in social circles and begged Lesche to tell her. Lesche, that cold male protagonist, never once correctly mentioned Laurel Manor.
“You will go there tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes. Do you have any problem with that?”
“No, I don’t know.”
Seria was surprised that she was going to a place tomorrow that wasn’t even mentioned correctly in the original book.
Linon nodded and continued speaking.
“Anyway, the lady and His Highness will go together. You won’t spend much time, just stay a couple of days.”
“Understood.”
The next day, when Seria left the bedroom early in the morning, the number of people she saw had reduced to a tenth. The castle was much quieter. Somehow it seemed unfamiliar.
Then the iron door opened.
“Bibi!”
It was Abigail, who had been locked up for a week for insulting Marquis Haneton. As Elliot had said one day, she still looked healthy. She was a bit thin, but…
“Come on, this is the thickest cloak I have.” Seria said as she handed the cloak to Abigail.
Even so, she must have struggled. However, Abigail didn’t refuse and obediently wrapped herself with the cloak. Elliot, who came with Seria, took out a stew and a spoon from a heavy mahogany box. Seria gave Abigail a spoonful herself. The beef stew, which they brought early in the morning from the main kitchen, was still steaming.
“Eat this first. There’s more in the kitchen. Are you cold?”
“It’s less cold than when I was soaked in icy water for three days.”
“What? Who tortured you?”
“It’s a joke, my lady.”
Abigail said lightly and chuckled, but her hands were very cold. It was a relief that Berg was conscientious in managing the prisons, but she worried that there were many cases where people caught froze to death in dungeons during the winter elsewhere.
“My lady, you must have killed that man or woman while you were locked up, right?”
“…..”
“Did you?”
“…..”
“It would be better if you killed both of them.”
Seria chuckled. She was a bit tired from seeing Abigail early in the morning, but after seeing her, her fatigue seemed to have disappeared.
“I didn’t kill them.”
“That’s too bad. Do you mind if I kill them?”
“Do you want to be executed?”
“They won’t catch me.”
“Aren’t there two witnesses here?”
Abigail smiled at those words as she looked at Seria. Her smile disappeared the moment she turned around. Elliot, who was holding the stew, was behind.
Seria also turned and looked at Elliot. Elliot’s gaze was strangely fixed when he looked at Abigail.
He seemed to be upset by Bibi’s words. Well, Lina and Kalis were important figures anyway.
Besides, he was the head of security for the Grand Duchy of Berg; the words must not be very pleasant to hear.
“Sir Elliot?”
Elliot looked at her with a puzzled expression. But soon he waved his hand in a panic.
“I’m not going to press charges, Lady Seria.”
“Is that okay?”
