Chapter 190
Clara snapped out of her shock the moment she saw Adriana, who had descended from the sky, raining down fireballs and annihilating all the monsters.
At that moment, Clara couldn’t deny that Adriana looked like a savior.
And that wasn’t all. Adriana used an unbelievable healing spell that instantly healed the wounds of the injured.
Clara was no exception.
“…”
Clara slowly lifted her hand from her cheek, which was now smooth and soft, without a trace of any scar. Then she fiercely bit her nails.
The question that had been clouding her mind for days resurfaced.
‘Why would God grant Adriana such incredible powers?’
And the answer Clara arrived at was this:
From the beginning, she and Adriana were different by blood.
Adriana was born from the union of the Duke of Belus, whose family had produced generations of outstanding mages, and the Marquisate of Diapel, one of the most prominent military families.
The Duke was the only grand mage on the continent, and the Duchess had been a beautiful and exceptionally talented knight. Of course a child born of such parents would be extraordinary.
‘That’s why Grandfather loves Adriana more. Ascart, Uncle too…’
Clara sank into endless resentment, lamenting her own situation.
Her own parents were completely unremarkable in every way.
To feel inferior over something she had no control over—it was frustrating.
“Sigh. Pull yourself together, Clara Amber.”
Clara shook her head and reminded herself of the reason she was visiting the marquisate today.
‘I have to win Adriana’s favor no matter what.’
In fact, her path had been decided from the start.
It was just that Adriana’s fame had grown so great that the past could no longer be used to tarnish her reputation. Instead of trying to bring her down, the only choice now was to completely bow her head.
The mere thought was humiliating, and her jaw clenched tightly. But Clara reminded herself of all she could gain if she endured just a moment of disgrace.
Meanwhile, the carriage came to a stop.
“You’ve arrived, my lady.”
Clara hesitated when she saw the maid of the marquisate greet her warmly.
Since the Diapel marquisate was her maternal family as well, just like Adriana’s, Clara had stubbornly decided not to inform them of her visit in advance.
But regardless of that, they must have seen the emblem of the count’s family on the carriage. For a mere maid to greet her—it was a slight.
Normally, Clara would’ve let it go without showing any reaction, but she was already on edge and blurted out,
“Where’s the butler?”
“…Pardon? The butler?”
The maid looked briefly confused, then quickly answered,
“The butler is currently attending a guest from the imperial palace.”
Clara’s eyes widened at the response.
Was the emperor sending another gift to Adriana through an attendant?
Last time, she happened to be present as a guest and had the luck of witnessing it. But this time, the situation was different.
“Did the marquis… no, did Grandfather receive the guest? I think I should greet the elders first.”
It was likely the imperial visit was for Adriana, but Clara feigned innocence and asked with a naïve expression.
If the former marquis or the duke and duchess were with Adriana, she could naturally join them as an excuse.
Then the maid replied,
“The master went to the Duke of Elard’s estate with His Grace the Grand Duke and Her Grace the Grand Duchess. They were invited to a luncheon. Right now, Her Highness the grand princess is greeting His Highness the Second Prince alone.”
At that moment, Clara’s heart thumped wildly.
“I’ll take you to the reception room on the second floor. I’ll let Her Highness know you’ve arrived, so please wait a moment.”
Despite the maid’s words, Clara remained rooted in place, deep in thought.
Knowing a royal had arrived, it would be proper etiquette to offer greetings. A few words would’ve been enough to ask the maid to lead the way.
But she hesitated and it was for a simple reason.
At their last meeting, Clara had warned Nicholas that Adriana disliked him.
Yet here he was again… It was clear that he had completely ignored her concern because of Adriana’s remarkable abilities.
Not wanting to run into Nicholas under these circumstances, Clara forced a calm tone and said to the maid,
“You can go. I know where the reception room is.”
“Then I’ll go quickly inform Her Highness!”
Clara watched the maid disappear down the hallway with a quiet gaze, then began walking.
Just as she reached the second floor…
“…?”
She saw two maids from the Duchy of Belus exiting a guest room across from the reception room, holding cleaning supplies.
Knowing that the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess shared the duchess’s pre-marriage room, Clara instantly realized the current occupant of that room was Adriana.
She suddenly felt curious about how extravagantly Grandfather had decorated Adriana’s room.
But Clara quickly shook her head.
She remembered how her falling out with Ascart as a child started with entering Adriana’s room.
This was an important moment.
To win Adriana’s favor and avoid her hatred, even the smallest actions needed to be cautious.
Clara forcibly turned her gaze away.
***
“Clara is here?”
At the maid’s words, I instinctively looked across at Nicholas.
“It seems I picked the wrong time to visit.”
Nicholas said awkwardly.
Just a moment ago, I was preparing happily to leave for a luncheon invitation from the Duke of Elard’s family for the weekend when, out of the blue, a royal messenger arrived from the palace, announcing Nicholas’s visit.
The Emperor had been trying to reward me for my performance at the arena, but I kept refusing his invitations. So now, he had just sent Nicholas without warning.
Nicholas only found out that my family and I had prior plans with the Duke’s family after arriving at the marquisate. Though it wasn’t his fault, he apologized profusely, clearly feeling very embarrassed.
Seeing him like that made me feel sorry, so I told my grandfather and parents to go ahead to the Duke’s house without me, saying I would follow shortly.
After all, the Emperor’s true intention was probably to have Nicholas meet me, and I had something I wanted to tell him anyway.
So I sat down with Nicholas, and we were just starting our conversation when Clara arrived, making Nicholas look even more awkward.
I quickly shook my head and said,
“Not at all. I actually asked Your Highness to check the Emperor’s schedule for me so I could visit the palace soon, remember?”
“Yes, you did. But what brings Lady Clara here…?”
“Well, there’s something I’d like to present to His Majesty… I’m terribly sorry, but would you mind if I stepped out briefly?”
Just as I was about to get to the point, I looked at Nicholas apologetically.
I simply couldn’t focus with Clara on my mind.
“Huh? I could just leave if..”
“No, I haven’t even served you tea yet.”
Sending Nicholas away like this, royal or not, would be rude to any guest.
I apologized and promised to return quickly, then left the parlor in haste.
I was aware I was reacting a bit sensitively, but I couldn’t help it.
There was something important in my room, and hearing Clara was heading to the second-floor parlor made me tense.
‘She said she liked Nicholas. She must’ve heard he was here, so why hasn’t she come to greet him?’
I should’ve asked Jane to stay and guard the room.
Or just skipped the cleaning and set a ward spell instead.
‘Why now, of all times…’
It wasn’t Nicholas who had bad timing—it was Clara.
If I’d heard about this at the Duke’s house, I would’ve spent the entire meal distracted, wondering whether Clara had gone into my room.
I rushed up the stairs and paused in the hallway where I could see both the parlor and my room.
‘No way…even Clara wouldn’t just barge into someone else’s room like when we were kids…’
At that moment…
I sensed an unfamiliar presence in my room.
***
The sound of the door opening made Clara hurriedly duck under the desk, holding her breath as she covered her mouth.
Please… Please…
Please, just don’t notice me and leave.
Clara prayed desperately.
But…
“Come out.”
It was Adriana’s voice.
No longer soft and gentle, but burning with fury.
Her heart pounded wildly like someone guilty of a crime.
But she had done nothing wrong.
She swore, truly, she only intended to glance around the room for a moment and then leave.
If only she hadn’t seen the snowflower on the desk, the one Ascarte had treasured since childhood.
The flower that he had supposedly gone to the ends of the continent to find for Adriana had originally belonged to Ascarte.
When Clara had barged into Ascarte’s room as a child and begged to see it up close, he had firmly refused.
She had begged and cried all night, even dragging her mother in to plead—but never once got to see it properly.
Now, drawn to it like a moth to flame, she reached for the snowflower, only to accidentally knock the glass dome to the floor.
Thankfully, a powerful protective spell had kept it intact, not a single crack on it.
Relieved, Clara picked it up and tried to put it back on the desk…
Unaware of the light faintly leaking from the barely opened bottom drawer.
“Didn’t you hear me? Clara, come out right now!”
Adriana shouted again.
Now not only certain someone had trespassed, but also that it was Clara, there was no way to undo what had happened.
Clara slowly rose from under the desk.
She’d hidden in shock, but if Adriana had rushed over leaving even the prince behind, she must have been worried about this item.
That meant Clara had no reason to act weak.
She raised her chin defiantly.
“Adriana, I’ll admit I shouldn’t have come into your room and I apologize for that.”
Offering an apology she didn’t mean.
“But why do you have this? Care to explain?”
She held out the object in her hand.
