It was a peaceful and monotonous daily life, as usual.
“I think I heard somewhere that fish that grow up with proper stimulation grow larger and live longer…”
Mumbling this like a habit, I quietly waited for my meal. Even the sumptuous delights of a feast lose their charm after a day or two, and I had long since lost interest.
Comparing it to the distant past before becoming Celeste, I was so full that I felt I might burst, yet, what could I do? Even the sweetest songs can become tiresome after a few repeats.
“Boring, boring.”
The words slipped out unknowingly in the midst of my dull routine. If it had been LaHart, I would have had escorts and gone out to explore, but here, apart from the Grand Castle, there was nothing to see in the Grand Duchy.
“Your Highness, the Grand Duchess. I’ve brought your lunch.”
Eating alone was truly unpleasant. I pleaded with Leev to join me, but she declined, saying one cannot dare share a meal with the Grand Duchess.
While it was a natural response from her position, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.
“Becoming higher in status isn’t necessarily a good thing.”
Before experiencing the class system firsthand, I thought that the lives of those in high positions were all about wealth, comfort, and happiness.
But it was not so. The higher the status, the more one possesses, the greater the worries that arise.
Having much to protect meant that one must also bear the burden and risks that come with it—along with the responsibilities.
“Where’s Valerie?”
“She had her breakfast and fell asleep, but she just woke up a moment ago.”
“Shall we bring her over?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Leev swiftly finished setting the table and quickly wheeled the trolley out. Once I clear the black magic from my body and ensure safety in the capital, I can return to LaHart.
In other words, it meant I had to stay here until then, unable to move. In this comfortable yet monotonous life, Valerie was my only source of vitality.
They say a child’s face changes a dozen times a day, and these days, Valerie was just like that. Watching the child grow day by day never ceased to amaze me.
Of course, the hardships of parenting were shared by others, allowing me to enjoy only the cuteness. I was truly grateful for this.
Taking on parenting alone felt like a trial.
Those in high positions could merely hire a nanny to glance after their child, fulfilling parental duty, while commoners had to raise their children solely through devotion and sacrifice.
It was as if a mother’s life was poured into raising a child. Even not having to do so was something to be thankful for.
“Um, ma. Mam, ma.”
Just as Leev left, Lady Cecilia appeared, holding Valerie.
“Miss Valerie, is Mother here?”
“Ma-ma-ma. Mama.”
“Valerie, come here.”
Now fully recognizing her mother, Valerie would giggle and wave her hands while making sounds like “Mama” and “Ma-ma” when she saw me.
She was so adorable that my heart swelled with love and affection, making it hard to contain my feelings.
But I couldn’t let my guard down. If I got too caught up in her cuteness and took care of her directly, I would be exhausted in just ten minutes.
I barely managed to bring Cecilia back inside, insisting that she couldn’t disturb Her Royal Highness’s meal.
Watching the cute Valerie was much better than blankly eating. Seemingly fascinated by the dishes on the table, Valerie reached out and waved at the bowls.
We began our meal while chatting about everyday things. Around the time we had emptied half the soup bowl and started on the main dishes, we felt something strange.
“Cecilia, why is Valerie’s arm… like that?”
“What? Oh my, oh my.”
Valerie desperately waved her hands to grab the food in the bowl, but the tips of her fingers had become slightly transparent. The bowls and food behind her translucent hands were faintly visible.
“W-What is happening?”
“Should I call a doctor? Oh my goodness. Liv, Liv! No, Hannah!”
What had started as a peaceful meal soon turned into chaos. The transparency that began at her fingertips gradually spread, now reaching her neck and jaw. Valerie’s whole body was slowly becoming transparent.
“Get someone, call for help!”
“We need not just the doctor but the Ministry of Magic as well.”
They say that words become reality. I never expected that my mumbled wish for something new to happen amidst the monotonous routine would turn into reality so quickly.
At Leev’s shout, knights guarding the corridor rushed in immediately. Soon after, Hannah, dripping with sweat from her workout, burst in, flustered.
“What’s going on? What happened to Miss Valerie…?”
Hannah’s gaze instantly turned to Valerie. Cecilia’s screams were nothing compared to her panic.
Hannah hugged Cecilia, who was holding Valerie, and shouted, insisting that they must contact the capital and take action immediately.
Amidst all this, Valerie just rolled her glass-like big eyes, bouncing around and watching the flustered adults in chaos.
***
Another place where a peaceful daily life is maintained: the palace of LaHart.
Having verified that Madame Pulcheria had fallen into a stupor, Laila cautiously stepped outside. After surveying her surroundings, she took out the note she had tucked away and checked its contents again.
“Canava. Three o’clock.”
Canava was a tavern located in the back alley of Kellever Square. The secret note suggesting they meet at 3 o’clock was sent by none other than Duke Toskur.
After a chance encounter in the palace square, the Duke had contacted her discreetly.
At first, considering her relation with Madame Pulcheria, Laila dismissed all his messages or replied with polite refusals. Yet, Franz persisted.
He began sending letters about trivial matters that didn’t require a response, mentioning the nice weather reminding him of her or finding something he thought she’d like during his trips.
Such messages didn’t necessitate a reply but filled her with enough anticipation for what he might write next.
Despite telling herself not to, Laila found herself waiting for his messages, blushing when she discovered letters secretly left by the Duke’s knights.
“Dear Miss Tooper.”
The term “dear” felt embarrassingly intimate for the first time.
While she had often encountered lingering gazes from men, the Duke was different. He displayed neither blatant interest nor deceit; he respected her while openly expressing his feelings, shaking Laila to her core.
She was not unaware of Franz’s reputation with women.
Initially, receiving his letters made her uncomfortable, thinking about how many women he might be contacting this way. However, as his persistent messages continued despite her polite refusals, her discomfort gradually morphed into excitement.
The guilt she felt toward Madame Pulcheria only fueled this thrill. People often desire what they shouldn’t have and long for what they cannot obtain.
Moreover, there was something undeniably captivating about Franz that transcended all these negative emotions. Whether it was charm or something akin to magic, it was difficult to say.
Regardless, it was clear that Duke Toskur possessed an allure no woman could resist. No one, including herself, could push him away.
As she busily made her way, Laila found herself justifying her actions endlessly.
Once she stepped outside the palace, she pulled her hood down to partially conceal her face.
It wouldn’t be good for Pulcheria’s confidants to be seen in Kellever Square during the bright day.
“You’re here! Please get in quickly.”
The carriage she had summoned awaited her at the promised location.
Laila, her face further concealed by the fabric she had draped over herself, double-checked to see if anyone was pursuing her or if any watchful eyes were secretly observing. After confirming her surroundings, she paid the driver and climbed into the carriage.
The carriage carrying Laila departed without heading directly toward the square. Instead, it took a detour, a decision made by Laila herself.
She intended to prevent any potential watchers from discovering her true destination by visiting various places instead of going straight there.
After a while of veering off course, the driver cracked his whip, increasing the speed. The sound of the rolling wheels grew louder, thumping in rhythm with Laila’s quickening heartbeat.
Whether it was guilt over Lady Pulcheria, fear of doing something she shouldn’t, or perhaps excitement about someone she would meet at the end of this journey, an unclear tremor accompanied her throughout, its nature remaining undefined.
