Chapter 42 Part 5: The Calm Before the Storm

Before they knew it, the new month was nearing its end.

Time had flown by in the blink of an eye.

Rosa, and the handmaidens Wendy and Rudy.

The three of them are together in a small greenhouse.

“Wow-“

Wendy exclaimed in admiration.

She is a noblewoman who turned eighteen this year.

A handmaiden of the Archduke’s family, and a daughter of the Variang family.

Her neatly braided blonde hair and blue eyes gave her a lively impression.

“It’s beautiful.”

Rudy also agrees.

She had a quieter personality compared to Wendy.

In front of the three of them crouching.

A small sprout is placed.

A little while ago, Rosa planted it herself.

Forget-me-not seeds emerged from the fragile soil.

Wendy chuckled softly.

“Your Highness. It’s amazing. How such a small seed becomes a flower.”

Rudy chimed in.

“It’s really pretty. It’s a bit of a shame that it’s an annual plant.”

Forget-me-nots do not have a very long lifespan.

But once the flowers bloom, they can withstand even the harsh winters of Elchen.

Still, with a hint of regret, Rosa asked.

“Since it’s grown in a greenhouse, won’t it live longer..?”

Wendy agreed.

“Maybe. It’s such a pretty flower, but its lifespan is short. It feels a little disappointing.”

“Do you know? Your Highness. The meaning of the forget-me-not flower.”

Rudy, who had been silent, joined in.

Of course, Rosa knew it well.

When she went to the capital for the Triumphal Banquet.

Count Anencia told her the story.

The Sainfortia River.

And the story entangled with that river.

When the Winslet Empire was still a kingdom.

There was a beautiful anecdote of the first king and queen.

The queen, who had long denied her feelings, finally confessed her love to the king as he headed for the battlefield.

Throwing a single blue forget-me-not flower across the river.

[Don’t forget me.]

“It was probably that, right?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Rudy, with a slight smile, continued.

“And there’s more. It means true love, eternal memory.”

“I see.”

Rosa nodded.

She glanced at the small sprout once more for no reason.

Next is the familiar hearing time.

For the past few days, Cayron has been busy.

The hunting festival was just around the corner.

Thanks to that, Rosa was having lunch with the handmaidens.

“Oh, please tell me. Your Highness.”

She hadn’t expected such an awkward situation.

Wendy, with shining eyes, repeated the question for the third time.

“Is that really true? That the Archduke and Your Highness are childhood friends.”

“Where did you hear that..?”

“Lady Mary said so.”

Whether there was a point of contact in just one day.

It seemed that Mary had said something unnecessary.

“If it’s rude, you don’t have to tell me.”

Next to Wendy, Rudy whispered softly.

“Wendy.. It’s already rude-!”

Rosa could hear that too.

Actually, even though it was a little embarrassing, there was nothing she couldn’t tell.

Eventually, Rosa agreed.

“That’s right.”

Childhood friends.

Strictly speaking, it’s true.

The two have known each other since they were young, so it’s not a special thing.

But the sisters Wendy and Rudy seem to think differently.

“What a big deal!”

“..Really?!”

Even the quiet Rudy opened her eyes wide.

“Then since when did you two know each other?”

At Wendy’s question, Rosa tilted her head.

She is nineteen this year.

Cayron is twenty this year.

“Probably.. since I was twelve?”

“Then, you two have been meeting for almost ten years.”

“It’s so romantic.”

Rosa was rather embarrassed by the sisters’ reaction.

“There’s nothing romantic about it. It’s an arranged marriage..”

So she said that.

But Wendy just chuckled.

“Yes. Of course.”

It seemed like she was having some strange imagination.

“It seems.. a little different.”

Rosa just let out an awkward laugh.

Still, lunch with the two handmaidens was not boring, so it was good.

A conference room with a round table.

“What should we do?”

Cayron was lost in thought.

Now only his final decision remained.

Theicia, Ritchel.

In addition to that, two more families moved.

“We must make an example of this opportunity. So that others who have strange thoughts do not appear.”

It was the claim of Welter Variang, the head of the Variang family.

He secretly entered the inner castle in the morning.

And his bold impression was hardening.

“Why don’t we just deal with it before the hunting festival?”

At Welter Variang’s words, the Archduke’s staff officer, Pavel Crouis, refuted.

“In just two days? It’s not a good idea. Not only is there no solid evidence yet, but moving troops ahead of the hunting festival is unreasonable.”

“The public sentiment will not be good.”

Cayron, who opened his mouth, agreed.

The hunting festival was such a meaningful festival, and at the same time, it was like a sacred ritual.

So even at this moment when there are signs of rebellion, it is difficult to act rashly.

There is no need to disturb the stable atmosphere.

“We need a valid justification. Circumstantial evidence alone is not enough.”

“But Your Highness. If we don’t move first..”

Cayron agreed with that too.

“We will fall into their trap.”

In the end, one uncertainty is the problem.

‘Where are they aiming for?’

Arnad, where he will be absent?

Or, the path leading to the hunting festival?

It wasn’t clear.

Both felt reckless, and.

“Actually, it doesn’t matter if we fall into the trap. If we can respond sufficiently.”

That statement from Pavel was Cayron’s true intention.

As he said.

The situation was already over when he noticed the movements of the four families.

Welter Variang also nodded in agreement.

“However, since the method is very clever.. We cannot let our guard down..”

It’s already been a year.

Cayron additionally dispatched informants throughout Elchen.

Especially after Rosa became the Archduchess.

He made them report more thoroughly and frequently.

To prevent any accidents in advance.

And similar intelligence came from the four territories.

[The knight on guard has changed. The nameplate and the records on the ledger are the same, but there is a possibility that it is a different person.]

[This is the recent situation of Ritchel. Mercenary groups are coming and going strangely often. The day before yesterday, I heard some of the mercenaries talking.. They said they were made to act as scarecrows. I’m trying to figure out what that means.]

[A group of people escaped out of the castle gate at dawn. This phenomenon has been going on for several days. Interestingly, they all wore hoods and walked out without riding horses.]

Welter Variang opened his mouth.

“They secretly took out their troops little by little. We almost missed it.”

What are they aiming for by doing that?

Pavel Crouis answered.

“We haven’t been able to locate the troops. If we tried to gather more information than this..”

“We would have been caught.”

“That’s right. We don’t know how they will react.”

“Good job.”

Cayron said.

“The hunting festival. That’s where they will appear.”

“No way..!”

At that, Welter jumped up from his seat.

“That can’t be.”

His expression was filled with astonishment.

Cayron fully understands why he reacts that way.

But he was already convinced.

If you think about it, it’s a rational conclusion.

“What if they are gathered there?”

When Cayron said that.

Welter Variang sat down roughly again.

“Even if it is Your Highness’s opinion. They are also lords of Elchen.”

Even if their intentions differ, the four families are also families of hunters.

They are the families that support Elchen, a land that has worshiped hunting for a long time.

Variang is at odds with them, but at the same time, he knows them better than anyone else here.

“Therefore. If that is true, they will be the first to receive Variang’s blade.”

He will stab his blade into their necks and watch them bleed.

However.

“If Your Highness’s prediction is wrong..”

Suddenly, Welter Variang’s blue eyes seemed to spark.

He is a man with great pride in his bloodline.

The bloodline of hunters that has been passed down through generations.

He was proud of it, and at the same time, he worshiped it.

So the reason why he, the most powerful lord in Elchen, follows Cayron is also very obvious.

‘But even if you are a descendant of Iolard.’

If you don’t know the pride of Elchen, or if you are looking down on it.

“So if you rashly predicted that something would happen at the hunting festival. This Welter will be greatly disappointed.”

The level of the statement was quite high.

For a moment, a sharp tension hung in the conference room.

Then, the tension was broken by a low, subdued voice.

“You are mistaken. Welter Variang.”

Cayron slowly rose from his seat.

His arrogant red eyes clashed with Welter’s blue eyes.

“It is I who will be disappointed. Not you.”

Welter Variang, who had been frozen for a moment.

He soon burst into a hearty laugh.

Because he realized the meaning of Cayron’s words.

The descendant of the first hunter, Iolard.

So he had the right to say that he was disappointed in those who abandoned the pride of the hunter.

And the fact that he brought up this fact means that the Archduke also values that pride.

“Kuhaha-“

The hearty laughter soon subsided into a fierce silence.

Variang is ready to punish those who have abandoned their pride.

“I understand. I will move the troops.”

Cayron nodded silently.

A quiet library.

The afternoon sunlight came in.

These days, Rosa has a lot on her mind.

Various realistic issues dominated her head.

‘First, the battle for the throne.’

Yes.

It will surely come someday.

When that battle comes, she must be prepared in advance.

After all, even after their arranged marriage, Anencia is a force of the Second Prince’s faction.

‘Then.. what I have to do is simple.’

She has to add strength to the family.

Fortunately, Rosa knew the knowledge of the original work.

Even though it was faint because she read it a long time ago, she roughly knows some major events.

It was the result of wrapping her head tightly for about a month after being possessed in this world.

The event of the original work that she remembered.

Numerous mineral veins were discovered in a mountain.

‘But..’

Until now, there was no way to use it.

She is just a count’s daughter.

If it were true, they would doubt how she knew, or if not, she just talked nonsense.

Of course, it’s different now.

As the Archduchess of Elchen, it wouldn’t be strange for her to hear any news.

‘Surely the mineral veins will be discovered, and a certain share should be made for the Archduke’s family.’

Rosa wrote the letter without hesitation.

Count Anencia, whom she saw, was not an incompetent noble at all.

‘He just didn’t have any greed.’

So he will definitely move this time.

She thought he would do well after that.

[I miss you. Father. I will write to you often. And.. please cut down on drinking.]

She ended with such a greeting.

After finishing the letter, Rosa put down the quill pen on the desk.

Thud-

After that, she was dazed for a moment.

Suddenly, she remembered a few days ago.

Without realizing it, she strokes the hand that was turning the page.

These days.

She really thought of Cayron at the drop of a hat.

I don’t know.

It’s because she became conscious of him.

If she lets her guard down a little, she ends up thinking about him.

‘I like Cayron.’

Yes.

She eventually admitted that fact.

‘But what is liking?’

Because she has no experience of liking someone.

If it’s a romantic meaning, she certainly hasn’t had it even once, even including before she was possessed.

Like.

Like.

But that’s not necessarily love.

‘So. At least it’s not love.’

Rosa was convinced of that.

Honestly, even thinking about the word ‘love’.

Her hands and feet curled up in embarrassment, and her face got hot with a sense of shame.

‘No way.’

She and Cayron.

The two childhood friends are not like that at all.

It’s just that they’ve become overly familiar with each other.

Because they are each other’s first opposite s*x.

First hand-holding, first hug, first kiss.

It’s just that everything was the first time for each other.

They just fell into it without realizing it.

Into that dizziness.

Into that pleasant act.

‘It’s a relief that we didn’t cross the line…’

Rosa thought so.

She accepted it because it was Cayron, and she didn’t have any particular resistance because it was Cayron.

Of course, she still doesn’t realize the contradiction in that thought.

‘To sum it up, somewhere between friendship and affection..’

That was the answer she came up with for the past few days.

She didn’t think deeply beyond that.

Cayron came to find her.

So it seemed that it was already dinner time.

“Let’s go.”

He naturally takes her hand.

Rosa, blushing, doesn’t refuse his hand.

To ease the awkwardness, she says the first thing that comes to mind.

“How. Did it go well?”

She knew that Cayron had come from a meeting.

At Rosa’s question, Cayron nodded.

“Yes.”

It was an unexpected clue.

A word Rosa threw at him.

It was already a few days ago.

Rosa, who was reading a book, said.

“Isn’t it amazing? Cayron.”

“What is?”

“That in those decades, nothing ever happened at the hunting festival.”

Why, in the usual case.

Something happens at a hunting festival or a wedding.

“They even had a truce during the hunting festival.”

Is the hunting festival such a ritual for the Elchen people?

‘But..’

Rosa wanted to let Cayron know.

She can’t just sit still.

Something will happen at this hunting festival.

So she is speaking in a roundabout way to give a sense of urgency.

Of course, from Cayron’s point of view, it will seem like pure curiosity.

“Because it’s almost like a religious worship. It’s a tradition that has been passed down for a long time to them.”

Cayron’s answer is correct.

All Elchen people were like that.

From the previous generation to the current generation, and from the current generation to the next generation.

It is a worship that is learned through generations.

“So. They can’t dare to plot anything.”

Because they will lose both public sentiment and justification.

In the first place, whether the subordinates below will accept it is also a problem.

Elchen is a country whose founder is a hunter, and the founders of each family are also famous hunters.

As such, there is pride in hunting.

“Hmm..”

Rosa, who was thinking for a moment, presented a completely unexpected view.

“Maybe.. there hasn’t been a situation to abandon that pride until now?”

“What do you mean?”

She answered.

“For example, like this.”

The pride of a hunter is important enough.

But what if something more important than that pride appears?

“Or, if they have to move for that pride.”

The expression of Cayron, who was listening, gradually became thoughtful.

Eventually, after days of distress.

‘They are looking at the hunting festival.’

Cayron judged so rationally.

A small movement of troops, a mysteriously vanished trace.

In addition to this, there was sufficient circumstantial evidence.

In the end, it was the movement of those who did not recognize him, the Second Prince of the Empire.

Rather, for the sake of Elchen.

To prevent Elchen from being subjugated to the Empire.

‘If it’s such a justification..’

It also meets their own justification.

Originally, when you see something that was not visible, things sometimes become easier.

So Cayron was grateful.

Of course, to Rosa.

So he squeezes her hand for no reason.

Flinch-

When the touch of a small hand trembling is conveyed, both hearts flutter.

Cayron looking straight ahead, Rosa slightly turning her gaze.

The two were walking quietly down the hallway.

Cayron liked this time of subtle sunset the most.

Of course, because he can be with Rosa.

“Hmm.. Come to think of it.”

He remembered one thing he had forgotten.

‘I heard a new handmaiden has arrived. She’s waiting in the drawing-room now.”

At that, Rosa’s eyes widened.

“What. Already?”

Where is this?

“You should have told me in advance when a new handmaiden is coming.”

Who it is, when she will come.

Such.

At Rosa’s reaction, Cayron stroked his chin.

It seems embarrassing even to him.

“Sorry. I was busy and forgot.”

When he said that, Rosa had nothing to say.

Actually, it wasn’t that important.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

So the two headed to the drawing-room.

Creak-

The door opened.

Rosa and Cayron entered together.

The woman who was looking out the window turned to the two of them.

“Hello.”

It’s a clear voice.

She’s also quite beautiful.

To the extent that Rosa was inwardly surprised.

Her blonde hair that curled to her waist and her jade eyes were pretty.

Her long limbs and curvy body were impressive.

Really, any man would fall for her, she was such a surprisingly beautiful woman.

The woman, who smiled, then bowed politely.

“Nice to meet you. Your Highness. My name is Freya Ruslanche. I will be Your Highness’s exclusive handmaiden from now on.”

Freya Ruslanche.

At that name, Rosa’s eyes widened.