Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki
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Chapter 55
"Miss Selena! I found a store with available seats!"
Juna exclaimed as she jumped out of the carriage.
"Really? Where?""It's a place called Rumera. I heard it hasn't been long since it opened. I haven't been there so I couldn't recommend it before, but since I saw it on the way, I asked for available seats and they said there were vacant ones!""Oh, so all the places I asked you to have a look at weren't available?""I'm afraid so….."
Juna became cautious.
'It's worth watching.'
It would have taken Juna the entire day to go around the stores and eventually end up with nowhere to go. Not just one place, but all of them.
'I wonder if Irelle went through this as well.'
Of course, Irelle was new in the capital at that time so she wasn't mentally hurt, but what if she was shut off everywhere she went without her knowing? If that was the case, how did the people see her as and treat her?
The more Selena thought about it, the more she felt uneasy. So far, she heard that Irelle was the weakest scapegoat, a woman who didn’t even have an evil mentality.
‘That being so, why the hell did they kill such a person?'
To summarize the clues Selena and Kalcion had found so far...
There is a possibility that it’s because of Fionel’s jealousy.
A possibility that it’s because Rosalyn wants to remove any obstacle blocking her way by all means.
A possibility that it’s because the Queen’s obstructions must be gotten rid of.
A possibility that it was an accidental crime caused by an internal conflict between the servants within the mansion.
And a possibility that it’s due to someone in the society who had too much hatred towards her.
The more information Selena found out, the more she thought of Irelle as a leaf that could be easily blown off. Why did they kill a skittish woman when they could just push her away?
Selena wasn't a forensic scientist, so she couldn't exactly ask how Irelle's life ended. But she couldn't even get any hint from it.
However, with how the situation was progressing, she couldn't help but ask. Tonight, she decided to go to the room Irelle used to sleep in.
Meanwhile, as she realized her mood didn’t seem to be suitable for shopping anymore, she didn’t want to continue to shop, but at the same time, she wanted to see how far Juna could butter her up.
"It seems a lot of people came out to shop today, huh. Shall we go now?"
As she stood up, a large bird flew in her way.
"Huh? What—a bird….."
It was too big to be a bird. Then, it rushed towards a man.
'Don't tell me a bird is used in an assassination?'
A guard stepped forward and stretched his arms in front of Selena, who hardened reflexively.
The bird, which was flying in as if to snatch its prey, pulled its wings and slowed down as it approached the person. Then, it gently landed on the arm of the escort.
The bird looked heavy and massive as it spread its wings. It was as big as an eagle, but its feathers were blue. Apart from that, a crown shaped symbol could be seen on its head.
The escort proceeded to open a small box tied to the bird's ankle, pulled out a piece of paper, and immediately passed it to Selena.
"I think you should return to the mansion."
She read the note. Only a short sentence was written on it. However, due to it, she had no choice but to go back right away.
《The Queen is visiting.》
Battle
The visit came too soon. In a hurry to return to the mansion, Selena ran into Kalcion, who was standing on the porch with a displeased look plastered on his face.
"How can a sick person walk with such ease?""We both know it's an excuse.""No matter how many excuses you make, wouldn't it be less embarrassing if you pretend to be sick?""It's more embarrassing to face her after I refused when she insisted on visiting.
Selena glared at Kalcion, who stopped her from entering the bedroom and pushed her back.
It was because pretending to be sick was more embarrassing than actually feeling sick.
Kalcion's internal and external identities had a huge difference. Although there was no need to hide his innermost thoughts, he was originally a person who hated the duality in himself.
'That's the reason you can't live in the capital city without socializing.'
She understood what he didn't like, but because of the current situation, it was a must.
"Take off your clothes."
She shoved Kalcion into the room and began unbuttoning his jacket herself.
Kalcion broke into a panic.
"What...What are you doing?""Well, are you going to lie down with your clothes on?""I'll…I'll take it off."
Only then did Selena find herself holding a man's cloth in broad daylight.
"I didn't mean anything else.""It would have been awful if it had another meaning to it."
Kalcion then took off his coat and lied down in bed.
Selena watched him lie down on his back and shook her head.
"No, lean your back on the pillow. I'll be lying down, too."
Just as she instructed, Kalcion changed his position to that of a half-lying position as he leaned against a pillow.
"Is this enough?""Hmm….."
She studied the overall look of Kalcion on bed as though she was a director overseeing the stage. However, it still did not meet her expectations.
"It's not about the posture, it's about how healthy you look."
It looked natural, but lying down with his clothes on wasn’t enough to make him look sick.
She tried to change his overall look by ruffling his hair and loosening another button on his shirt.
It did not do any good to ruin his beauty.
"It's useless no matter what I do."
Kalcion chuckled at her, who felt like giving up.
The purpose of this performance is only to cover up his excuse, but both the Queen and himself knew each other well.
But without having to quell Selena's enthusiasm, Kalcion felt relaxed.
"A wet basin, a towel, a bowl of rice wine, an apple……. a fruit knife, and a plate.”
Selena called in a maid and asked for these.
In Kalcion's eyes, it was hard to tell whether she was excited or nervous.
"You don't have to be so determined on acting out the scene. Falling sick is just an excuse that everybody uses."
It didn’t matter if it offends the Queen or not since it’s only natural for her to step down after she hears such an excuse.
"Well….. she's one of the suspects we're after, though. We met Fionel and Rosalyn without prior notice, but she's a queen. I don't think we should let our guard down.""True. She looks sloppy on the outside, but she's still holding onto the position of a Queen in a palace where she’s gradually losing power.""No one is easy to deal with."
Selena sighed and stretched her shoulders. However, she did not appear to be lacking confidence.
"I won’t come forward for nothing today. I have to take care of most of what’s to come. You didn't forget I was targeted upon entering your world, right?""......Of course."
He was reminded of a memory of him saying unnecessary things in Dunfel. He, who had nothing to say about his performance, went quiet.
“That being the case, we can’t continue sitting still and staring at each other blankly until they come, so let’s start playing it out.”"Playing it out?""Oh dear, my Duke, look at your cold sweat. You're so weak. What should I do?"
She deftly dabbed a wet towel on his forehead and nose as she acted.
"What? Hahahaha."
Kalcion burst into a laugh at the words he had never heard before.
"I've never received nursing care even when I was a child.""You never got sick?""I've been sick before. However, I've never spent time lying in bed. Except when I couldn't get up."
That exception where he ‘couldn’t get up’ was due to a broken leg.
"That's too much for a child.""That's the fate of the Duke's heir."
Kalcion didn't pay much mind to such a tragic past. He accepted it because he was aware that it was his fate.
"Not because of how beautifully you were raised, but because you were strictly raised…….""There are a lot of families who are the same."“So, the Duke never had a memorable childhood experience?”"I didn't need one. I didn't grow up beautifully, but it doesn't mean that I wasn't treated preciously.""Oh…..."
Clearly, the duke who only cared about his honor wouldn’t have a care at anything else but that.
"But what about playing? I'm sure there was a time when you didn't feel like studying.""Well, in my case, I studied because I had to.""At such a young age?""That’s the exact reason why. I was too young to know of the other options I could choose.”
Kalcion was already an adult, but for a second, the image of a child seemed to overlap his face.
"It’s a shame that a child was so obedient."
She stroked his hair as if he was a child.
He flinched momentarily, but did not push Selena's hand away or dodge it.
"What?""What was dear Cion's heart like when he was young?"
Kalcion smiled blandly.
“Seeing as how I was able to travel to another world, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say you can go beyond time.”
Somehow, he felt as if Selena's warm touch was bringing back his childhood.
She didn't stop smiling and kept stroking his hair. Thanks to her touch, his body loosened up.
"Aren't you sleepy?"
Just as yawning was contagious, loneliness seemed to be contagious as well. Selena stretched as she tried to keep herself awake.
She had always been on a difficult march since she came to this world. That's how it always was. That’s why it wouldn’t be odd for Selena's thin body to have accumulated fatigue.
"If you're tired, you can sleep for a while.""I hope so."
Selena kept trying to keep herself awake, but her eyelids were already starting to feel heavy. She woke up early in the morning, made a fuss, and even had to face a war of nerves at the clothing store. It definitely wore out her stamina.
"Because the Queen won't push the door open with her own hands."
Selena decided to let it slide after those reassuring words.
"Then I'll take a nap for a while."
That would be better. She climbed onto the bed and lied beside Kalcion. Even in a dress, she thought she’d continue to live as long as she took a nap.
"Only for five minutes…..."
Without finishing her words, Selena's head fell on Kalcion's shoulder. Every time he saw it happen, he was amazed at how fast she could fall asleep.
Kalcion slowly closed his eyes, too. The weight on his shoulder gave him a sense of ease.
However, as soon as he closed his eyes, he heard a knock on the door.
"Her Majesty has arrived."
Perhaps because Selena didn’t hear the knock, she was still asleep.
He had to wake her up, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. The Queen would be waiting in the drawing room anyway, so it wouldn't taint his honor even if she waited for five minutes.
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