Chapter 31
I glanced at him and carefully continued speaking.
“…Do you remember the sacred tree I mentioned before? I’m sure my father knows about it. Maybe even Isabel knows. That’s why I felt like I needed to find it quickly.”
Originally, I was supposed to go to the forest with Cedric to look for it, but Isabel’s visit interrupted those plans.
“Also, I’m worried about the way Isabel left. The hail incident and the current weather outside…”
“Are you saying the blizzard outside is because of the princess?”
I nodded. I had no choice but to reveal the truth about the special abilities.
I wasn’t sure how Cedric would react once he learned about Isabel’s ability…
“As you might have guessed from last time, Isabel can control the weather at will. That’s her ability.”
“I suspected as much, but I didn’t expect her to use it so recklessly. I’ve heard that using such abilities comes with a cost.”
“Yes, but we don’t know what that cost is yet. Judging by how freely she’s using it, the price must not be too severe. Still, now that you know about Isabel’s ability, don’t you feel a bit disappointed?”
Cedric handed me a warm cup of tea and gently stroked the back of my hand.
“Did you think that would make me waver?”
I shook my head quickly. If Cedric were the type of man who would be swayed by Isabel’s ability, he would have already fallen for her beauty and seduction.
“Sure, the ability to control the weather is useful for the North. But the emperor wouldn’t have let her use it freely, so even if she has that power, it doesn’t concern me.”
“…That’s true.”
“In fact, the emperor might have tried to deceive me by making me think she had a different ability.”
He had a point. However, what I was worried about were the other people, not Cedric. Would others regret not having Isabel’s power?
“Not everyone thinks like you. That’s what scares me.”
“I’ll never leave your side. And everyone here shares the same opinion as I do, so don’t worry.”
As expected, he’s a responsible man. And now that I’m pregnant with his child, he won’t ever consider divorce. Not that he seemed like he ever would in the first place…
‘Thanks to Cedric’s consistent attitude, I feel relieved.’
His firm voice made me feel at ease. Now, I felt like I could finally have a proper conversation with him.
Right. How many novels have I read where misunderstandings piled up because the characters never talked? My heart started pounding again as I recalled the earlier situation.
“Your Grace, listen carefully to what I’m about to say. It’s important.”
I adjusted my posture and began to tell him everything I hadn’t been able to share before. My heart was pounding like it would burst, but I did my best to remain calm.
It was something I had never told anyone, not even animals.
“I have an ability. A power that no one knows about… The reason why there are so many animals at the Grand Duchy is because of it. I can communicate with animals.”
“Is that all?”
“…I can also heal their injuries. I can even communicate with divine beasts.”
Cedric’s eyes narrowed slightly. It looked like everything suddenly clicked for him.
Now he understood why animals flocked to me, why the number of animals in the garden kept increasing. Even though Sir Carven had captured and released them in the garden, they kept multiplying because of me.
“I didn’t intend to hide it. I just thought that if my father found out, I’d never be able to leave the imperial palace.”
“If you can communicate with divine beasts, then your ability is different from anything known so far. The emperor would surely want to exploit it. Unlike Isabel, who can control things from afar, your power requires direct interaction. That would make the imperial family even more eager to keep you close.”
He was right. While Isabel’s power worked from a distance, mine did not. If my father found out, I’d be forced to belong to the imperial family.
That’s why I’d been so determined to hide it. I’d also been trying to avoid getting involved with the main characters because I didn’t want to be tied to the imperial family.
But it seemed like that plan had been wrong from the start. There was no point in thinking about it now. What good would dwelling on the messed-up original story do?
“I awakened with the sacred tree, but I don’t yet know what new abilities that have given me.”
“Is there any way to find out what powers you’ve awakened? And does that mean you’ve formed a contract with a divine beast?”
“…Yes, though it’s not a perfect contract.”
Cedric briefly glanced at Zeno. After a moment of thought, he tilted his head to the side.
“Does that mean he’s…”
His voice took on a chilling tone. There was a hint of anger in the way he looked at Zeno.
“We need to protect the sacred tree. It could become a great asset to the North. According to Zeno, there are more sacred trees in the northern forest.”
After spilling everything, I quietly observed Cedric’s reaction. He was silent for several minutes after hearing it all.
“…Are you angry?”
Gripping the hem of my dress tightly, I peeked at Cedric. He took a sip of tea and gently shook his head.
“I’m not angry. You’ve told me everything, haven’t you? By the way, you didn’t make a permanent contract, did you?”
“I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. She wouldn’t agree to it, so it’s not a proper contract.”
Zeno answered sharply, clearly frustrated, while Cedric calmly gazed at him and then turned away.
“Well, if it were a permanent contract, he’d be in his full divine beast form by now. So, what’s our next step?”
“We need to find the tree in the northern forest. I’ve already used one to awaken, so Isabel and my father will definitely come looking for it. If they get their hands on it, they’ll use it to control you again.”
“I’ll move immediately.”
“But how? The snow hasn’t stopped…”
Cedric smiled as if telling me not to worry, holding my hand gently. I exchanged an anxious glance with Zeno.
Cedric was ready to head out to the forest. I anxiously paced near the door, watching him.
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Yes, don’t worry, and stay inside.”
“…But I’m worried.”
“My Lady, I’m not that weak. I’ve been to war and never lost. I’m used to storms like this.”
Even though he was the Grand Duke of the North, it didn’t seem safe to head out in this weather. I tugged on his coat and shook my head.
“No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think you should go today. I have a bad feeling.”
“It’s fine. If we wait until the blizzard stops, the emperor might come back, and it will be harder to go to the forest. Now is the best time.”
Cedric’s reasoning made sense, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was sending him into danger. His blue eyes softened as he looked at me.
“Warm yourself by the fire.”
He kissed the back of my hand and headed toward the door. Lien draped a thick shawl over my shoulders. I couldn’t hide my worried expression as I watched Cedric and Zeno.
When the door opened, a violent snowstorm howled outside.
‘Isabel must be really angry.’
It seemed like she had no intention of stopping. She was probably doing everything she could to avoid being sent to another country.
Despite the fierce storm, Cedric calmly tugged on Zeno’s leash.
“Wooowooowoo!” (Why are you dragging me along for this?)
“You’re noisy. I thought it would be better for you to go in wolf form. Or would you prefer to go as a human?”
“…Kiing.” (Master, I think this guy’s crazy.)
I felt sorry for the giant wolf being dragged by Cedric. But since Zeno knew the location better than anyone, they had to move together. Cedric’s knights saluted me before walking into the blizzard.
“Take care! Come back if it’s too dangerous!”
I waved my hand apologetically.
“Grrr, woof woof! Awooo!” (Master, you’re abandoning me again? Again!)
“I’m sorry. But we need you to find it quickly. I have to go to the garden to check if the others are okay.”
“Awoooooo!” (If you’re going to work me this hard, make the contract official!)
Zeno’s voice echoed throughout the mansion.
Even though I still felt uneasy, I had to find something I could do as well.
First, I decided to check if there was a place in the mansion to store the sacred tree so Cedric could take care of it as soon as he returned.
I couldn’t explain the sacred tree to the butler, Bahala, so I made up an excuse.
“There’s a valuable tree in the forest that would greatly help the North. But if the imperial family finds out about it, it will cause trouble. So, I want to move it to the mansion.”
“Is there more than one tree?”
Shaking my head, I answered Bahala’s question.
“Just one. If it’s only one, we should be able to replant it, right?”
“Yes, I believe so too. However, wouldn’t it be better to plant it in a hidden spot rather than the front?”
“That’s a good idea since it would be too noticeable in the front.”
After discussing with the butler and deciding on a location for the tree, I checked the clock.
‘It’s already this late.’
It had been hours since Cedric and Zeno left. The snow hadn’t stopped and kept falling.
“Your Grace, the snow outside is piling up. I think we should start the snow removal preparations.”
“Yes, please go ahead. Let the villagers know as well.”
I nodded and stretched my stiff arms. Leaving the office with the butler, we went down to the first floor.
“Well, I guess I’ll go check on the animals now.”
Now that I’d confessed everything I had been hiding, I felt much lighter. Feeling enthusiastic, I rolled up my sleeves.
Bang!
“…Butler, did you hear that sound just now?”
“I heard it too.”
Boom!
“…What’s that noise?”
It didn’t sound like an explosion, but more like something collapsing. My anxious eyes darted around nervously.
