Episode 41

“Goodness… I didn’t recognize such a distinguished guest…”

His slow actions were exasperating. There wasn’t time to waste.

I placed the entire pouch I brought on the table with a ‘thud.’

The old man’s eyes widened.

“Speak. If you give me proper information, this is all yours.”

“Oh… oh…”

“If you spout nonsense, I’ll call the man outside in. What happens next is up to your imagination.”

The threat seemed to work as his eyes darted nervously.

He glanced at the door and swallowed hard.

“I think you might be looking for Rosalind.”

“Rosalind?”

“She has no last name. She lived in our inn for about five years. She must be the one, as she was the only soothsayer in this area.”

“A moment ago, you said there were several.”

He had been trying to extract more money from me.

Caught out, the old man coughed awkwardly.

Anyway, what mattered now wasn’t whether I was being taken advantage of but getting the information.

“Alright. So, where is this Rosalind now? Is she still staying here?”

“I don’t know why you’re looking for Rosalind, but… she left a few years ago.”

“Did she leave the capital?”

“No. She didn’t mention anything about that. When I asked her destination before she left, she said she was moving deeper into the city to continue her business.”

“Does that mean she’s still doing soothsaying?”

“I don’t think so. Rosalind sometimes made and sold cosmetics, which were quite popular among noble ladies. If she’s still in business, she’s likely continuing that.”

A soothsayer who makes cosmetics and has a magician as an apprentice. How unusual.

I hadn’t learned much, but confirming that Rosalind hadn’t left the capital was something.

“I see.”

“Before she left, Rosalind gave me a bottle of perfume she made. It might not be much of a clue, but I’ll give it to you just in case.”

The old man retrieved a small bottle from a box on the corner of the desk and handed it to me.

The scent of roses wafted out as soon as I opened the lid.

“…I don’t know why you’re looking for her, but she might be dead. That old hag… I mean, Rosalind, was old enough to die any day now.”

The old man spoke with a hint of regret. It seemed he genuinely believed Rosalind might be dead.

“Was she that old?”

“Much older than me.”

If she was older than this old man, it was likely she could have passed away.

Suddenly moving and ceasing communication with her apprentice—all signs pointed to the possibility that Rosalind was no longer alive. Yet, I had a strange feeling that she was still out there somewhere.

“Thank you.”

I left the pouch on the desk and exited the room.

As I stepped out, Liam gave me a concerned look. Had he overheard our conversation? The wooden walls didn’t seem particularly soundproof.

“My lady, I know it’s not my place, but… you’ll find her.”

I had to find her—it was a matter of my survival. But Liam’s gaze was filled with pity.

Ah, he’s misunderstanding.

Liam probably thought Rosalind was my family member. There was no need to correct his misunderstanding.

“Yes.”

I nodded.

Unlike when we entered, Liam took the lead as we left. The musty smell of the inn seemed to cling to me. While it didn’t bother me, it might raise questions at the upcoming party.

I sprayed some of Rosalind’s rose perfume on my hair.

“The scent is lovely.”

It was as if I were standing in the middle of a rose garden.

* * *

The innkeeper’s attempt to extort more money nearly made me late for the party. I urged the coachman to hurry, and we managed to arrive just in time.

“Thank you so much for coming,” the baroness said, greeting me in the center of the salon.

She clasped my hands warmly, her eyes brimming with tears. It became clear why she was so effusive when I saw the sparse attendance.

“It’s nothing,” I replied.

“You have no idea how thrilled I was when you confirmed your attendance. After you did, fourteen more guests decided to join.”

I felt a bit embarrassed by this revelation but masked it with a gracious smile.

“Congratulations, Lady Shirore.”

“…Thank you.”

I handed a gift to the small brown-haired girl standing beside the baroness. Despite her lovely dress and neatly styled hair, she kept her gaze fixed on the floor.

As she accepted the gift, I patted her hand and smiled.

“Lady Shirore, you look beautiful today. The dress suits you perfectly.”

Her cheeks and ears turned crimson in an instant.

“No…”

“Oh, I’m sorry. She’s very shy,” the baroness interjected.

“No need to apologize. I was quite shy at her age too. By the way, you’ve done a wonderful job decorating the salon. I’d love to seek your advice for my next party.”

The baroness’s eyes sparkled with delight at my casual compliment.

Ah, did I say too much?

“I’m so pleased to hear that from you, my lady. I prepared all these decorations myself. The venue might be modest, but I wanted to create the best memories for my daughter. Have you heard of the shop run by the Countess of Miren? I got these from there…”

The baroness was evidently passionate about decorating the hall.

I had to endure almost an hour of the baroness’s lengthy explanations. When I finally managed to extricate myself, I was quickly seized by another group eager to hear about Igon and the princess’s gatherings.

“Is it true that Duke Rodore is stronger than the entire Royal Knights?”

“…I’m not sure. I’ve never seen him fight.”

“By the way, have you attended the greenhouse gatherings?”

“Yes.”

I shared some harmless details, but the questions began to escalate.

They started asking about the most absurd rumors concerning the princess.

“Is it true that Her Highness wears different earrings at every gathering?”

“What?”

“There’s a story that she has a jeweler brought in daily.”

“What? Are you talking about Princess Ulysses?”

What were they talking about?

The princess was indeed wealthy and received many gifts, but she wasn’t ostentatious. Like most noble ladies, she enjoyed beautiful and precious things, but she knew how to keep it moderate. She wasn’t overly extravagant, but she wasn’t frugal to the point of austerity either.

My expression hardened. Their comments sounded like slander against the princess.

“She’s not the type to indulge in such extravagance. It seems the rumors are quite distorted.”

“Then what about the rumor that she had a huge fight with Lady Isabel Margo? Is that true?”

“Who?”

“Isabel Margo, the Count’s daughter.”

I asked again, thinking I misheard, but I hadn’t. It was shocking.

The princess and Isabel?

Even if it were someone else, Isabel was unthinkable. She was known for her calm and gentle demeanor, practically the embodiment of peace in our group. She and her twin, Christina, were born on the same day but had very different temperaments. While Christina was lively and assertive, Isabel was quiet and composed.

They had never fought. The princess adored Isabel’s maturity, and Isabel respected and followed the princess.

Earrings and a quarrel with Isabel? The rumors about the princess were completely baseless.

“Where did you hear such nonsense?”

Determined to find the source of these rumors, I asked pointedly. Those who had been so enthusiastic about spreading unseemly tales of the princess suddenly became silent as clams.

“Who would spread such malicious gossip about the princess…”

“Lady Rodore.”

Ah.

The only voice I had been waiting to hear made me sigh with relief.

I turned around with a pleased smile, comforted by the support.

“Lady Stella.”

“Nice to see you here.”

As Stella approached, smiling, the other young ladies made their excuses and dispersed.

They had eagerly crowded around me for information but seemed afraid of Stella. I didn’t find it amusing at all.

I glared at their retreating backs with as much icy disdain as I could muster.

“What happened?”

“Up until now, they were asking me ridiculous things about the princess. It wasn’t genuine curiosity; they had already decided what they believed and were just looking for me to confirm their biases.”

I felt comfortable sharing the absurdity of the situation with Stella. She shook her head and smiled wryly, as if to say there was nothing to be done.

“People love their gossip,” she said. “It’s easier for them to believe the worst, especially when it’s about someone like the princess. But why are they so intent on these rumors?”

“Probably because the princess’s prominence makes her an easy target. The more visible you are, the more people want to tear you down.”

“That’s true. But still, it’s frustrating.”

“I know. But I think we should be careful. Whoever is spreading these rumors might have an agenda.”

Stella nodded thoughtfully.

“You’re right. We need to keep our guard up.”

I appreciated her understanding and solidarity. At least I wasn’t facing this nonsense alone.