Chapter 149
“My Lord?”
Lucio had been staring blankly at the envelope for so long that his aide, Nyx, couldn’t hold back any longer and urged him.
Under normal circumstances, Nyx wouldn’t have dared to do such a thing. But with time pressing as Lucio was set to leave for the Kingdom of Riven shortly, there was no choice.
Lucio, fully aware of this, let out a small breath as if to loosen up, then tore open the envelope.
Inside was a smaller card.
The message was so short that Lucio finished reading it in an instant then let out a hollow laugh.
“…Ha.”
Despite his incredulous expression, his gaze remained fixed on the card, his fingertips tracing the letters absentmindedly. Seeing this, Nyx looked puzzled and asked,
“What is it?”
“…Feels like I got caught off guard again.”
“Excuse me?”
Nyx tilted his head in confusion, but Lucio ignored him and reread the words on the card.
***
I thought our deal was already concluded, but apparently not. A shame.
Use what I left behind for whatever purpose you wish.
I look forward to hearing good news from Belus in the future.
“…A deal, huh?”
‘But I’m sure I said relationship.’
Sure, we knew each other well, and we shared important secrets.
But technically speaking, Lia and I had no real relationship.
That’s why she couldn’t even send a letter under her own name.
Perhaps the clearest definition of what we had was simply that of a guild leader and a client.
“That said, she figured it out, after all.”
I had wondered if she might guess the real reason I established the guild.
Of course, she wouldn’t know the deeper reasoning behind it.
“…And her calculations are still as sharp as ever.”
I already knew Lia intended to transfer the remaining payment to Diana.
But I had held onto that thread, fearing that if I let it go, the last remaining connection between us would be severed.
Yet now, seeing her response, telling me to use it to help put Nicholas on the throne and benefit Belus, I found myself irritated at the thought of someone else interfering in what was between us.
And besides—
Even if she went through the guild, wasn’t this reply far too cold?
She never wrote like this in her letters to Diana.
Lucio frowned and turned to Nyx.
“You said she was angry with me? You’re sure you didn’t misunderstand?”
“No, my lord! She specifically said, ‘I am angry with your master.’”
“…Hmm.”
It didn’t make sense.
If anything, I should be the one upset.
Lucio had long relied on his naive friend to hear news about Lia.
It hadn’t been easy to get Ascart to lower his guard, but in the end, his friend—unable to resist boasting about his sister—had given in.
Thanks to that, Lucio knew all about Lia’s likes and dislikes, even the little things she took an interest in from time to time.
He had never seen her in person, but through Ascart’s enthusiastic descriptions, he could picture her.
Her delicate, well-proportioned features, her soft pink eyes that sparkled like jewels…
⟨She’s so lovely it’s ridiculous—she must be an angel⟩ Ascart had once said.
And yet, despite knowing so much about her, Lucio could never quite figure out her thoughts or feelings.
How could she write to Diana and her knight friend every week but never send him a single message?
Even after all this time?
“…Understood. Keep monitoring her. Report immediately if anything changes.”
“Yes, my lord. However, her security is incredibly tight…”
Lucio nodded knowingly.
He had tried to plant people near her, but Belus’ ducal estate was locked down tighter than a fortress.
The only reason his gifts reached her each year through Duke Elard’s family was because of Ascart.
If not for him, Lucio wouldn’t even be able to send a simple present.
With a quiet sigh, he was about to rise from his seat when…
“…Must you really go?”
Nyx asked, clearly displeased.
“You know what the princess is up to. She personally requested you for this, when you don’t even need to be involved. Honestly, you could refuse…”
“And why should I?”
Lucio scoffed.
Of course, he knew exactly what the arrogant princess, who acted like she owned the world, was plotting.
“There’s no reason to avoid her. I’m curious to see what card she’ll play, especially since she has no idea I’m backing Nicholas.”
“But still…”
“Besides, I need to see Riven’s new king with my own eyes. If I don’t like him, I’ll just replace him.”
“…Ah.”
Realizing his concerns were unfounded, Nyx bowed his head in shame.
Of course. His lord wasn’t the type to be manipulated by anyone.
Thus, lost in self-reproach, Nyx failed to notice—
How gently Lucio folded the envelope and tucked it carefully into his chest pocket.
***
“Always be careful when traveling abroad, especially in such turbulent times.”
The duchess’ words carried a heavy sense of warning, and Lucio nodded in acknowledgment.
Beside her, the duke wore an oddly disgruntled expression.
Lucio turned to him.
“What’s wrong?”
“…It’s frustrating. People are already whispering, and now they’ll have even more to say.”
The duke muttered under his breath.
“You know as well as I do that when an imperial decree is issued, I have no way around it.”
“The rumors will die down soon enough. I have no intention of seeking the princess’s position, so there’s no immediate threat…”
“I’M the one in a hurry!”
The duke burst out, then quickly lowered his voice, glancing around before continuing.
“The Grand Princess returned the sapphire bracelet. She has had an incredibly good memory since she was young, so she must have recognized it right away.”
The duke let out a weary sigh.
Lucio’s expression hardened.
“…You sent that to her?”
He couldn’t believe it.
Years ago, when his parents had subtly inquired whether he intended to marry, he had simply told them that there was already someone in his heart. And to please wait a little longer.
Lucio never imagined that they knew who she was. And he certainly never expected them to act without consulting him first.
Because Lia was young and her circumstances were unique, he had planned to approach her slowly, with patience.
Above all, knowing how much her family cherished her, he had been carefully working on winning them over.
If he had known they would send a family heirloom so recklessly, he would have rather given her something from his own collection…
‘Wait. Is that why she’s angry?’
‘Because they sent an heirloom without any prior discussion?’
A sigh escaped him, but at the same time, he could understand his parents’ desperation.
“I’ll handle it. Don’t do anything like this again.”
Leaving the duke grumbling behind him, Lucio made his way to Diana and Allen.
“Diana, happy birthday in advance.”
The delegation’s schedule was set for two weeks leading up to the founding festival, but if negotiations with the new king dragged on, his return could be delayed.
One thing was certain—he wouldn’t be able to attend Diana’s birthday party in a week.
“That’s okay! But you must bring back lots of presents!”
Diana beamed without a trace of disappointment.
Then, she leaned in and whispered,
“You remember what I asked for, right? You have to get silk scarves from the Kingdom of Riven. Two for me and two for my sister! Got it?”
“Got it.”
Lucio nodded, a small smile forming on his lips.
If Ascart unknowingly helped him, Diana was a full-fledged ally.
Still, for a girl turning only fourteen, she sure acted like she knew everything—right down to winking mischievously.
“Brother, travel safely! It’s not my birthday, but I wouldn’t mind a gift too.”
In contrast, Allen was just a boy in a growing body, pure-hearted as ever.
With their farewells, Lucio mounted his horse.
He had no idea.
That he would come to deeply regret leaving for the Kingdom of Riven with the imperial princess.
That a week later, everything would change.
***
Evening fell upon the Elard duchy, and Diana’s fourteenth birthday party was in full swing.
Surrounded by noble ladies at her table, receiving their congratulations, Diana inwardly sighed.
Though all these guests were here to celebrate her, the words felt empty.
The formal attendance, the rehearsed greetings, it was all so dull.
Bored, her gaze wandered around the banquet hall until it settled on the growing pile of gifts and bouquets by the entrance.
‘When will my sister’s gift arrive?’
Since the Belus principality was across the sea, Lia always sent her birthday presents in advance.
Just a few days ago, gifts from the grand duke, grand duchess, and Ascart had arrived.
But in Lia’s letter, she had written that her gift would arrive exactly on Diana’s birthday, along with strict instructions to open it in private.
Diana would have been thrilled with anything from Lia, but the added ‘Look forward to it’ made her restless with anticipation.
Just then—
“My lady, the package you were expecting has just arrived.”
Diana had specifically instructed the servants to inform her immediately when anything from Belus came.
Suppressing her excitement, she maintained a graceful smile as she rose from her seat.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Her elegance, despite her young age, left the gathered noble ladies momentarily speechless before they nodded in admiration at her composed demeanor.
***
BAM!
Clutching her dress, Diana sprinted to her room and slammed the door behind her.
On the table sat a small, pink-wrapped box.
It had traveled across the sea, yet not a single corner was dented, proof of preservation magic.
‘As expected, my sister is amazing!’
Grinning, Diana carefully untied the ribbon and opened the box.
“…Huh?”
The box was too small for jewelry or a doll, which was what she had expected.
Instead, inside was a transparent orb, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand.
Lia sometimes sent her fascinating magical artifacts, so without hesitation, Diana picked it up and examined it closely.
Then…
“What the—?!”
The orb suddenly flashed with light, blinking like a tiny lantern.
Startled, Diana instinctively tossed it onto the sofa and recoiled.
But before she could process what was happening, a gust of wind swept through the room, and white smoke billowed into the air.
Then…
Standing before her, just as she had imagined and longed for—
“Surprise! Diana, happy birthday!”
Was Lia.
Thank you Arwendolyn for the Ko-fi ♥️. I like your phrases so much, they are hilarious 🤣
