The Peaceful Life of a Maid Who Hides Her Power and Enjoys It

<Episode 152>

 

My heart raced, and I could feel heat rushing to my face. Was it possible to make someone feel embarrassed by giving just one compliment?

 

“Did I almost engrave that name on a cold tombstone once? It must be fate that I only got to know it now.”

 

The sight of him solemnly muttering to himself without a trace of laughter tugged at my heart. To think he had given such a meaning to my old name. Leaning my forehead against Rue’s shoulder, I murmured.

 

“In terms of prettiness, I think Daisies are prettier.”

Rue chuckled and leaned against my shoulders, supporting me so that I wouldn’t sway.

 

“What Daisy? The Daisy I made bloom?”

 

“What are you talking about? I raised that Daisy!”

 

“I transplanted it.”

 

“You must have forgotten, but I was the one who moved it.”

“That was close to killing it. It was withering because it wasn’t getting any sunlight. Isn’t that right, Ash?”

 

My body trembled for a moment at that.

 

“Just call me Daisy. I threw away that name when I left Queen Island. Since leaving the island, I’ve never once considered Ash Fager my name. Because that name…”

 

It was ominous.

 

Ash.

The name meant ‘Ashes.’

 

The reason why a girl was named ‘Ash’ in a small, conservative island like Queen Island was simple. It was because the day I was born, lightning fell right in front of my house, striking the largest and oldest tree on Queen Island and causing it to burn to ashes. I only knew about this because a neighborhood lady had told me the story when I was young.

 

I know it wasn’t a name with a particularly great meaning. Yet, at some point, I started to despise this name.

 

Maybe Queen Island was engulfed in flames because my name was Ash?

 

Could it be that Andert’s warship sank and, in the end, Queen Island burned to ashes out of irony because of my name?

 

My name was Ash.

Charred, black ashes…

 

“If that’s what you want.”

While I was on the verge of falling deeper into my thoughts, a warm hand came up and patted my cheek.

 

“I just need to keep it in my heart, not on my tongue. I guess it’s even better if only I know.”

Rue pulled me by the waist and sat me on his lap.

“Yes, that’s right…  Ash, who has a connection to Dian Cecht.”

“What do you think? Do you think you know a little more now?”

 

“Not at all. It’s strange. If it’s a connection he put this much effort into, there’s no way I wouldn’t know. Dian, that guy, he never mentioned anything to me about an Ash aside from his hawk. I guess that means he’d been hiding it.”

 

Rue’s gaze shifted to the tag.

 

“Moreover, this name tag is too old. If it’s true that you two met, it would have been at least 150 years ago. Ash, the hawk this cage belonged to, lived around that time.”

 

If it was 150 years ago, that means it was before even my grandfather was born? That was a very distant past.

 

To think that my traces were engraved in a past so grandly distant. How on earth? What could make such a thing possible?

 

“No way… is it me? Am I… Dian Cecht?”

 

What if Dian Cecht somehow used the power of the guards to manipulate space and time and transformed into who I am now?

 

It was a plausible speculation, but Rue’s reaction was lukewarm, almost indifferent, which made me uneasy.

 

“You?”

“Mhm.”

“Well, it’s not a particularly interesting hypothesis. I’m not thrilled about it either. Let me ask you in advance, Daisy. Even if that hypothesis turns out to be true, don’t tell me. Because I want to know you as only you.”

 

I hadn’t expected Rue to dislike the idea of us being the same person so much.

Rue seemed so horrified at the idea that I wanted to take back the words I’d blurted out.

 

‘Yeah, to be honest, there’s no way a stupid swordsman like me is the same person as Dian Cecht.’

 

If it were me, I would have left more obvious traces. For example, on top of this large egg, I’d write something like <I am the Healer Dian Cecht. I died but will be reborn as Ash Fager. Be proud of yourself.>

 

Rue swallowed slowly, resting his chin on my head.

 

“If there’s one possibility… it could be the heart.”

 

I looked down near my heart.

 

The core of my being.

 

The precious thing that prevents the complete destruction of my soul.

Indeed, this heart was the only connection between me and Dian Cecht.

 

“It’s been a while since I encountered such a complex puzzle. I should return to Calepa and research the other Heart Crystals. One thing is certain though, Daisy. You must get the last relic in Dian Cecht’s legacy.”

 

“Of course, that’s what I’ll do.”

 

Collect all of Dian Cecht’s relics and ancient magic will kick in.

And then, somehow, you’ll see the results.

By any means, we had to.

 

* * *

The atmosphere of the city of Ragel has become much quieter compared to a week ago. 

 

With the end of the hunting festival, the entire city seemed to enter a short period of rest. This was especially noticeable in the upper class circles whose gatherings had been receding in size.

 

While I had to stay a few more days for the dinner with the emperor, it was different for other nobles.

 

In Penrotta, Autumn was usually known as the Hunting Season. After the hunting festival, the nobles would return to their country houses and enjoy an extended period of hunting. They would quietly spend the winter there and then return to the city when the weather became warmer, repeating this cycle.

 

Furthermore, before leaving Ragel, it was customary to visit acquaintances’ townhouses and invite them to their country houses. It was kind of like the final event of the hunting festival.

 

There were also countless visitors coming to see me. After all, I was the new head of the Weatherwoods family, the winner of the hunting festival, and the one who seduced four men… or something like that!

 

“Lord Weatherwoods! It’s really a shame to part like this. Where are you going this autumn? Won’t you consider staying in Calpenweaver? Father would really appreciate it. Of course, so would us sisters!”

 

“Unfortunately, that would be difficult, Miss Tara. After the meal with His Majesty the Emperor, I have to return to Midwinterre.”

 

“Ah! Goodness, that’s right. You had that kind of thing, right? A meal with His Majesty… But what kind of conversation usually takes place in such a gathering? Wouldn’t the tension make it difficult to swallow the food?”

 

“Hey, Tara. Be careful with what you say.”

 

For several days and hours, I spread rumors about who I would visit the palace with and what kind of discussion I would have with the Emperor, creating a buzz in all directions.

 

This was a scheme conceived by the Head Maid, not me.

 

“Let as many people as possible know, leave as many traces as possible. If more people know exactly where the master is going, the Imperial family won’t easily be able to threaten your life. The rapid and exaggerated spread of the matter in social circles will act as a shield for the master.”

 

After the hunting festival banquet.

 

I called the head maid separately and briefly explained the incidents and accidents that occurred during the hunting festival and the biological experiments the palace was conducting behind the scenes.

 

The maid, who was initially skeptical, only abandoned her doubts after confirming Rue’s wound with her own eyes. Her sensitive perception as a magician herself allowed her to detect the terrible energy emanating from the wound.

 

“Please take a good look at this map, my lord.”

“…Could this be the blueprint of the palace?”

 

“Lord Malcolm prepared it for you. However, it’s a very old blueprint, so it differs from the current palace in many ways. From now on, I will reveal to you the hidden passages and bunkers of the palace. As a former member of the Imperial family, I only know about half of the secret passages, but it will surely be helpful to you, my lord. And above all…”

 

The research laboratory where the biological experiments were taking place.

 

“If that laboratory is located in the palace, there are several possible locations.”

 

With the help of the head maid and Malcolm, I firmly embedded the palace’s blueprint and map into my mind.

 

Meanwhile, Rue had been busy going back and forth between the townhouse, the palace, and Calepa, while Jean devoted herself to recovery.

 

And before we knew it, a week had passed.

Drip, drip.

 

The raindrops fell incessantly, tapping the window.

The weather has become quite chilly lately. Late at night, the cold seeps into the bedroom, so I started keeping the fireplace on from two days ago.

 

I tightly wrapped my muffler and stood in front of the main gates. The sky beyond the open door was appropriately dark and gloomy.

 

The maid said autumn rain always falls in Ragel this time of the year. After a couple of days of rain, the piled-up fallen leaves would swirl on the ground, and the cold would truly set in. Winter was coming.

 

“My lord.”

 

As I was about to step outside, the head maid stopped me.

She handed me a letter I had never seen before.

 

“What is this?”

 

“It’s a letter I wrote. If something bad happens, please deliver it to my brother Ashernik. It should help you avoid immediate emergencies. Probably.”

 

The Head Maid looked worried.

‘I’m not exactly charging into enemy territory risking my life or anything.’

Still, I kept the letter with gratitude, just in case it might be useful.

 

“Are you going to be okay? It’s possible that staying here could expose you.”

 

“…I believe Brother Ashernik is a good person.”

 

After hesitating for a moment, she soon formed a small smile.

 

“But if Brother Ashernik has changed, and you were to suffer a great disaster, I would be haunted by guilt for abandoning my two families for the sake of personal peace. I don’t want that.”

 

So, let’s hope that such a change never happens.

I nodded vaguely and was about to leave when Jean, who’d followed behind the head maid, clenched her fist and earnestly pleaded.

 

“I will continue to keep watch near the palace. If you need any help, please give me a signal in any way. I’ll enter right away.”

 

Everyone seemed more solemn than me.

I nodded my head again and was about to leave.

 

“Viscount, don’t worry. If anything happens to you, I will gather all my connections and send the assassins to the palace…”

 

Oh my god.

 

“I’m not going there to die, so why bother?”

 

Unable to delay any longer, I ignored Malcolm’s reassurance and left the townhouse. The carriage raced through the rain, with the drops splashing against the windows. The weather was dark and gloomy. It was a perfect setting for something bad to happen.

 

And so, after a week, I returned to the palace.

 

“We meet again, Viscount Weatherwoods. Your complexion has improved a lot in a week.”

The swordmaster was waiting for me.

---

 

Love how the Weatherwoods family is always casually either carrying treasonous items or discussing treason openly. The Imperial family wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if they ever listened to one of their conversations.