Chapter 63
Part 4: The Witch and the Princess.
Bright sunlight poured through the circular gla.s.s walls, making the whole area sparkle.
Green gra.s.s, sweet-scented roses, lilacs, lilies, dahlia, rapeseed flowers, rudbeckia, petunia, and all sorts of other colorful flowers, statues with beautiful figures, and cool, peaceful sounds.
I felt like I was back in Romagna. At the same time, I realized that I was missing the nature and climate of the South, apart from my feelings for my family.
The golden sunlight and warm wind, siesta and sherbet, women with faded blonde hair, lace parasols, and men with tanned skin.
Maybe it was because it felt similar to where I lived in my previous life.
“We can go boating here.”
Ellenia, who followed me into the greenhouse garden, saw the magnificent waterfall from the fountain and said this calmly.
It was just like her, so I laughed.
“Ellen, you like lilies, don’t you? I’ll make you a wreath.”
“…Thank you.”
It was a vague answer, but it didn’t matter.
I wanted to see the brother and sister with a wreath on their head one day.
Ellenia sat on a rose-covered bench and looked around the surrounding landscape while I made a wreath out of lilies and other flowers. I couldn’t decide which looked more beautiful, the rose or Ellenia.
“This is a Southern garden. It may not be the same greenhouse from there, but is it similar?”
“It’s not exactly the same, but yes, pretty similar. Do you like it?”
“Yes, I think it’s wonderful. As you know, the style itself is different here.”
It must be different since this was a place where gnomes having fertility comparable to c.o.c.kroaches, dug tunnels in the yard to make a living.
For this reason, the gardener who managed the greenhouse was from the temple vineyard.
Instead of wasting budget and manpower to make more improvements, they were going to focus on increasing security.
“By the way, there’s already quite a stack of invitations. It’s all for Ruby.”
“Oh.. Thank you.”
“As you know, you don’t have to answer each one. You have a lot of things to pay attention to, so I think it’s okay for you to start social activities after the festival season is over. You need to learn how to keep track of these things.”
Social activities were a must in Romagna.
Considering my status and position there, it was natural, and I hosted more frequently, rather than being invited.
As a head group, the meeting hosted by my father’s group was more luxurious than the ones here.
Some made excuses of being busy or not having time, but everyone knew that they were secretly attending.
All the social activities that I’d attended so far were horse riding meetings and the St. Agnes’s charity event, but after my husband gave me a banquet, invitations flew from all over the place.
From simple tea-time invitations to all kinds of social gatherings, I was almost at a loss.
Of course, it was not only the banquet but also the fact that we were finally married.
Yes, I finally built a castle with my haughty husband and made a visit to the temple! Hehe.
Regardless of how holy the bell of the temple sounded, even the eyes of the archbishop, who usually seemed expressionless, looked warm.
(T/N: I have no idea why this a.n.a.logy was used.)
“Ellen is right. But, well, I was wondering if everyone would feel uncomfortable if I suddenly tried to interfere.….”
Ellenia’s voice immediately cooled as she lowered her head, clicking her tongue, “You’re the hostess of this family, who dares to think it’s interference? If there’s such an insolent person, I’ll kick them out immediately.”
Sometimes I don’t know the difference between these siblings.
Thank you, but it isn’t very realistic.
The servants of Omerta were all old and loyal, regardless of what they did to me, the possibility of being kicked out was very slim.
Obviously, if I suddenly started kicking them out, instead of discussing this with Ellenia, the problem would have exploded in some way.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t stay still forever. Even if it’s just an act, I’d pretend I was doing my best.
“Thank you. I don’t think I’ll be of any help. I don’t want to mess up the order that’s already been set up.”
“Do as you please. There’s nothing urgent. I’ll let you know step by step. You know, since I was a child, I’ve been doing the same……”
Ellenia’s tone grew soft as she lowered her eyes and clenched her hands together.
“But my nanny did it in the first few years. A year before my mother died….since my mother had never been in a sane state. Not only did she have that habit, but she was different from Ruby in many ways.”
“Oh…”
“As I said back then, the only people who knew her eating habits were me and a few others, but everything else was really weird. She was obsessed with her appearance, extravagant clothing, and she suddenly insisted on pouring huge amounts of money into donations. If one day she was extremely energetic, the next day she would be staying in bed all day.”
There was a bitter look in her ruby eyes.
Suddenly, I felt sorry for her. I wasn’t in a position to feel sorry for anyone, but I was also aware of how the combination of depression and the resulting eating disorders affected the minds of those around me, including myself.
My sister from my previous life went through a situation like that.
The fact that only a few people knew about my shaken mind was similar to that of my dead mother-in-law.
However, although my family desperately hid it, I had received help from modern medicine and understanding from other people, but depression was difficult to understand and define from the perspective of this worldview.
It is a world without the concept of human rights or mental illness.
“Why did your mother……”
“Well, I still don’t know about that. What made her so unhappy…..It’s because my mother died that my brother and father became like that.”
“Did your father do something wrong?”
“There were a lot of fights, but I don’t know for sure… I was young at the time. It’s just my thought, but I think it’s because of my mother that my brother became a paladin. The naive idea of getting to meet my mother, who would be a ghoul.”
I got gooseb.u.mps on my forearm and a corner of my chest ached.
I see, that’s possible. His mother, who had already turned into a being that he wouldn’t even recognize….
“I don’t know what it’s like now, of course. This story is a secret. I’m sure he’ll be furious if he finds out I told Ruby this.”
She had a rare joking tone. My hand weaving the wreath stopped and I gave her a smile.
“Don’t worry. It must have been really hard for Ellen.”
“It was. The cause of death and all… My brother refused to attend the funeral at that time. If Frey hadn’t managed to persuade her, he really wouldn’t have gone.”
Ugh, it’s going well, but suddenly Freya pops up. That’s the power of a childhood friend. It’s not too much to be special since they were together since they were young.
Someone entered the beautiful greenhouse garden with only two people.
“Madam, a guest is here.”
It was rare for someone to visit me in this house, who was it? As soon as I looked up, puzzled, Ellenia opened her mouth first, “Who is it?”
“T-They said that the Duke sent them, but…”
“What?”
“Longinus Knights, princess.”
What’s this? The Paladins came to see me on this sunny day? And my husband sent them? Something smells fishy.
It seemed the same for Ellenia, who looked confused.
“What’s it about?”
“It’s… I’m not sure……”
I lifted myself up with a half-finished wreath.
I think it has something to do with my secret.
“Since they’re here, I’m afraid I’ll finish the wreath later.”
“Would that be all right? What do you want me to do?….”
“No it’s okay, I heard Ellen has an appointment today. Since Iz sent them here, I’ll meet up anyway.”
“It’s not normal for them to come see you.”
That was what I thought too. However, Ellenia soon nodded, probably thinking anything was possible these days.
“You should ask them to come this way. It’s time for me to get going, so I’ll tell them to come here on my way out.”
“Thank you, Ellen.”
A moment later, instead of my beautiful sister-in-law, black-armoured Paladins appeared.
“Good morning, my lady. Were you making a wreath again today? I can smell the flowers.”
At least, Sir Ivan didn’t look as black as them. Well, he was always flowery.
(T/N: Black here referring to their aura.)
“Do you want me to make you one too?”
“Huh? Oh, well, yes, it’s an honor.”
Even Sir Ivan looked awkward in this warm and sunny garden.
The people accompanying him… was that Sir Camu?
The pale blue-haired paladin had the same harsh and sleek face as the last time, and was concentrating on taking care of the flowers under his feet.
And Sir Galar, like a brown bear… Well, he hadn’t said a word today. There was a b.u.t.terfly on his head.
“As a matter of fact, my lady, we didn’t come here just to visit you.”
Oh, really? I didn’t know at all.
“What do you mean?”
“Actually, I have a request… Izek wanted us to meet alone, in case anyone suspicious was around.”
So, the only reason they were here was because Izek sent them? Why did the paladins seem so weak?
“Oh, what kind of request?”