She Was Sent by God

 

“Wait a moment.”

 

With words pouring out incessantly, it was hard to keep up with them.

 

Agnes’s cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment.

 

“Isn’t your tone a bit too harsh?”

 

Those who had been the princess’s mentors would usually express their dissatisfaction more subtly if they found her lacking.

 

Niall, who was speaking so openly, was accustomed to using such sharp words.

 

“The Madam told me to speak truthfully.”

 

“Well, that’s true. But it’s too blunt.”

 

Agnes pouted her lips in discontent.

 

“Then how should I adjust my tone? I spoke honestly about the ledger, which is in such disarray that it would be impossible to assess it, even with eyes wide open because you told me to speak frankly. If you prefer to hear empty words that don’t come from the heart, I can do that.”

 

The man with black hair remained stoic. Agnes almost wished he would show some anger.

 

Agnes had words on the tip of her tongue but lacked the courage to speak them.

 

“…I’m sorry. If you have something to say, please continue.”

 

As Agnes lowered her head, Niall opened his mouth again without hesitation.

 

“If you look at this fifth page here, two sheep were recorded as coming in for washing, but in the next month, there is no trace of where they went. What will the person reviewing the ledger think?”

 

“…Did the sheep run away?”

 

The silence grew so long that it became eerie.

 

“Or maybe they were eaten due to a shortage of meat?”

 

If he had asked about the qualities of a king, she would have given a clear answer.

 

Agnes struggled to find a plausible answer. 

 

Niall simply gazed at the princess in silence.

 

“Oh! I understand what you’re saying now.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Someone must have secretly taken the sheep! Right? We have to find the culprit immediately.”

 

Agnes straightened her chest and puffed out proudly. It seemed like she was proud of her answer.

 

Niall clenched his teeth more firmly than before.

 

“…Whether they were eaten, sold, or ran away, the reason should be detailed in the ledger so that others can understand the situation when reviewing it.”

 

“Do I have to know all that?”

 

“While the king may not need to know, the mistress of the castle should. Especially in Sutmar, even a single potato is valuable. Precise records make management easier.”

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

She nodded as if she had gained a great insight.

 

His tongue may be excessively sharp, but Niall was generally a good teacher.

 

Agnes, unlike in the past, held onto him tenaciously, seeking to learn from him and running to ask whenever she encountered something she didn’t know.

 

After spending more than ten days like this, Niall’s initially stern face softened little by little.

 

“There seem to be fewer discrepancies in the numbers today.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Initially, when the ledger was returned, it was filled with red marks, making it difficult to recognize the original numbers.

 

However, recently, the number of discrepancies had been gradually decreasing.

 

“If you’ve reached this level in just over ten days, you must have talent, don’t you think?”

 

Taking the ledger with a smile, Agnes noticed that there were indeed fewer red marks.

 

Niall remained silent.

 

Honestly, he was surprised.

 

He couldn’t have imagined that she would become so proficient in her duties in just over ten days.

 

He had underestimated her as a young princess, but at this rate, she would likely become proficient in all tasks within six months.

 

Sensing his subtle expression, Agnes straightened her back, lifted her chin, and put on a proud expression.

 

“That’s your problem. You’re good at pointing out others’ faults, but why are you so stingy with your praise?”

 

Naill’s mouth twitched.

 

Agnes was so delighted by his contorted face that she teased him.

 

“As the old saying goes, one must cultivate an eye for seeing strengths rather than weaknesses in others to recognize one’s own strengths.”

 

”…… ”

 

“So get on with it.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Praise me. Praise me. Quickly.”

 

Agnes said with widened eyes. 

 

Niall struggled to open his mouth.

 

“Madam, your ability to count numbers accurately is lacking, but…”

 

“What?”

 

“But, your ability to grasp the larger financial picture is quite good.”

 

He looked as if he were in agony, like a soldier spilling information under torture. 

 

Agnes chuckled and dismissed him.

 

“Please come up with some praises next time.”

 

Niall left with a heavily furrowed brow.

 

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

 

The next day, the person Agnes had been eagerly anticipating paid a visit.

 

“Welcome.”

 

Agnes greeted her with a trembling heart and welcomed Bushke.

 

She had instructed Ney to bring the best tea.

 

“Have you got the results?”

 

“Yes, Madam.”

 

Bushke took out a bundle of papers from her pocket and showed it to her.

 

It was filled with complex and incomprehensible formulas and diagrams.

 

“If you look here, this is the orbit of Ranunculus. According to this orbit, it passes Nirseg once every fifteen years.”

 

Agnes followed Bushke’s finger, almost forgetting to breathe.

 

“According to my calculations, Ranunculus will pass through Nireg again in seven years and eight months.”

 

“What?”

 

Her heart sank heavily.

 

“Well, to be more precise, it will be seven years, eight months, and forty-five days.”

 

“That… That can’t be. There must be a mistake.  Seven years later?”

 

Agnes couldn’t believe what Bushke was saying.

 

She did everything she could to refute it, shaking as she denied it. Her voice trembled.

 

“Again, try again. There must have been a mistake. How could it be seven years later? Does that even make sense?”

 

“Madam.”

 

Bushke called out to Agnes in a calm tone.

 

“Of course, my calculations may not be perfect. But the margin of error should be at most two to three days, not more than a month off.”

 

“Recalculate it!”

 

Agnes couldn’t contain her boiling emotions and stood up abruptly, shouting at Bushke.

 

Ney, who was standing at a distance, raised her head in surprise.

 

Bushke glanced at the princess’s face briefly, then hurriedly gathered the materials she had brought.

 

“I’ve done it several times. The result is the same.”

 

Bushke stated firmly. The sense of despair engulfed her like a tidal wave. Seven years.

 

She only has three years left.

 

In an instant, the image of Laslo’s arm hanging from a pole flashed through her mind.

 

“Madam.”

 

Agnes’s face turned as pale as that of a dead person. Bushke called out to her with a worried expression.

 

“…Are you sure?”

 

“It is certain that Ranunculus will pass Nirseg in seven years.”

 

“I see. I understand. You may leave now.”

 

After deeply bowing, Bushke left the room. 

 

Ney rushed in a moment later.

 

“Madam, are you okay?”

 

Speaking was painful for Agnes, so she could only nod her head slightly.

 

“Madam…”

 

Agnes left Ney in the room and walked aimlessly, without a destination in mind.

 

She just walked. Otherwise, she felt like she would go mad.

 

How happy she had been when she learned she could erase the sentence. She was excited by the hope that she no longer had to live flat on her face, avoiding Sebastian’s scrutiny.

 

She had lived the entire three years of her marriage trying to avoid getting on the nerves of Sebastian.

 

After marriage, she didn’t meet anyone outside and just hoped he would forget her existence.

 

‘What should I do now?’

 

She couldn’t let that dreadful past repeat itself.

 

The thought of witnessing Laslo’s end again was too terrifying.

 

Her hair fluttered wildly in the strong wind.

 

Absent-mindedly walking, she found herself at the edge of the western watchtower.

 

She glanced down and was startled by the sheer drop below.

 

‘If I were to fall from here…’

 

The thought suddenly crossed her mind.

 

Agnes took a step closer to the castle wall.

 

‘What will happen? Will I stop breathing immediately?  Or will my body contort? Perhaps if I’m lucky, I’ll end up like Chavolti.’

 

She felt sad but at the same time envious upon hearing the news that her brother, Chavolti, had become paralyzed from a fall.

 

Because he could escape from that terrible fate.

 

As if urging her to make a decision, the wind blew fiercely against her back.

 

Her grip on the castle wall tightened. Her body leaned forward little by little.

 

Agnes closed her eyes tightly.

 

‘Yes. Dying here or there is all the same.’

 

If she fell and died here or miraculously survived and became disabled, at least Laslo could live.

 

She could save that man at least.

 

Agnes slowly released the grip of the hand that had been supporting her body little by little.

 

That was the moment.

 

Someone pulled Agnes from behind with a strong and forceful touch.

 

“Princess!”

 

In an instant, Agnes was buried in his embrace.

 

Laslo’s rough breathing sounded loudly above her head without any filter.

 

“Princess, where on earth are you wandering off to? You almost caused a disaster!”

 

He shouted while tightly gripping her shoulders. 

 

Perhaps he was quite surprised, as his voice was louder than usual.

 

“I…”

 

By chance, she saw thorn vines and crows drawn on his inner wrist. Reminding her of the rotting arm, pierced on a pole.

 

At that moment, tears that she had barely held back burst out like a dam breaking.

 

“I-I don’t want to die. Duke.”

 

In reality, she was terrified. 

 

She knew that he could live if she died, but when it came to actually dying, it was too terrifying.

 

“Princess.”

 

“I don’t want to die. Ugh, I don’t want to die. I don’t want to live like this, struggling to hold my breath, living in fear. I want to live without being cautious. Ughh…”

 

Agnes buried her face in his chest and wept bitterly.

 

All the emotions that she had repressed burst out all at once.