The advance team, including Minister Linke, has arrived. The carriage, accelerated by magical stones, traversed a distance that normally takes a full three days in just a day and a half.
Kendrick and Hannah, who were tracking Minister Linke’s location in real-time through the Louisette transmitter, directed that a dinner be prepared to coincide with the advance team’s arrival. It was a modest meal for welcoming the head of the Ministry, but it was the best they could manage in this place.
“It’s been a while. Your Highness, the Grand Duchess,” Linke said.
Having last seen each other when leaving the capital, this was the first meeting in about two months. I responded with a smile to the Minister’s warm greeting when another voice chimed in.
“I bring my regards to Her Highness, the Grand Duchess. May infinite glory be with you.”
The one who stepped down from the carriage behind Minister Linke was none other than Clovis. As the closest aide to Duke Albrecht, I hadn’t expected him to come all the way here. Hannah looked equally surprised.
“Sir Clovis, it’s been a while. It’s been ages since I last saw you, Minister.”
Clovis knelt on one knee, took my fingertips in his hands, and gently kissed them. I could never quite adapt to this sort of greeting. Feeling awkward, I instinctively tightened my grip.
“You must have had a long journey. The meal has been prepared, as you might be hungry.”
While the knights of the Grand Duchy moved to sort through the advance team’s luggage, they headed towards the dining area.
The number of the advance team accompanying Minister Linke was quite small. It seemed only a minimal number of personnel essential for assessing Valerie’s condition had been dispatched.
After all, having too many people moving around would draw attention.
I worried about whether Minister Linke could pinpoint the cause of Valerie’s unusual condition and what he would determine it to be, but I forced myself to remain calm and walked alongside them.
***
After the meal, I suggested that they should take a brief rest, but Minister Linke firmly declined.
Their purpose for being here was to quickly assess Valerie’s condition and identify the cause of her abnormalities, not to leisurely dine and rest.
His statement, that they should get to work since they weren’t on a leisure trip, was perfectly logical.
In fact, I was also extremely worried about Valerie’s condition, so I appreciated Linke’s firm stance.
“Thank you, Minister Linke.”
“It’s nothing to thank me for. I’m simply doing my job. Where is the young lady?”
“Over here… this way…”
Without hesitation, Minister Linke headed to the bedroom where Valerie and Cecilia were waiting. As he opened the door, Valerie greeted us, playfully engaged in her usual antics.
She was babbling sweetly, seemingly remembering Minister Linke, waving her hands with delight at his familiar face.
It was a sight that could easily elicit smiles, but when her waving hands disappeared from view, everyone’s faces turned rigid. Her once semi-transparent hands had become so transparent that they were now entirely visible through the back.
Recognizing that Valerie’s condition was unusual even from a distance, Minister Linke gestured to the Ministry officials accompanying him to quickly check on Valerie.
“…It’s definitely not due to illness.”
“In that case….”
“There isn’t a disease that makes the body transparent.”
As expected. The transparency of his hands and feet was not due to an illness.
“Could it be due to some magic?”
“We need to investigate further, but for now… I can sense a faint magical energy.”
“Magical energy?”
My fingertips trembled slightly out of fear. Could someone have cast a spell on Valerie? If there were anyone who would do such a thing to this young, small child, I would not let them go easily.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness; it’s not related to dark magic.”
Noticing my resolute intent, Minister Linke smiled and reassured me.
“That’s a relief, but…”
Then why has Valerie ended up like this? If no one is trying to harm him with magic, then why? I was only left feeling confused.
“Please draw the curtains. We must block out any light.”
“Yes. Is there anything else we need?”
“Ensure that there’s no unnecessary noise. It mustn’t be a distraction.”
I nodded. The knights who understood the minister’s instructions immediately stepped outside, and the bedroom was filled with only the essential personnel.
As the room suddenly darkened, Valerie seemed puzzled and burrowed deeper into Cecilia’s arms. Minister Linke moved closer to examine Valerie carefully, while Cecilia turned him around to hold him differently.
“Bubua.”
Valerie looked up at the large man approaching with a serious face, curiosity in his eyes. The faint smile on Linke’s face vanished.
Two officials from the advance team standing beside him began to mutter incomprehensible words, as if casting a spell.
Tension filled the room. At the request of the Ministry officials to step back, Hannah, Kendrick, and I had to draw a step away from Valerie.
Time dragged on slowly. It felt like ages had passed, yet only a minute or two had gone by. Between glancing at my pocket watch and at Valerie, I sighed endlessly. The silence was so profound that even the sound of someone’s breath felt intrusive in the bedroom.
Fearing that even the sound of my sighs might disturb the atmosphere, I closed the watch and handed it to Kendrick. Please, let Valerie’s condition not be serious.
As Linke’s fingers traced the incantation, a blue wave began to form. I bit my lip, watching the swelling wave form behind him. I felt anxious.
How much time had passed like that? Minister Linke, who had been completely focused on Valerie, suddenly turned around and asked a question.
“Your Highness, the Grand Duchess. Might you be… pregnant?”
“How could you…?”
I hadn’t even sent a telegram to Karl about the pregnancy yet. So how did he know? Linke’s gaze shifted from my belly back to Valerie.
The few attendants left in the bedroom exchanged bewildered looks.
How did the minister know? I hadn’t said a word. Could it be that the Grand Duchess’s pregnancy is related to this incident? Or did someone do something to Valerie, as well as to the unborn child who isn’t even in this world yet?
“Ah… how do I explain this?”
Linke shook his head, his expression grave. This was serious; fear bubbled up inside me.
“What’s wrong? Is it serious?”
Could it be that those who had cursed me had also done something to Valerie? If so, I would truly never forgive them.
“It would be best to draw the curtains and open the window.”
As if his diagnosis was complete, he nodded, prompting Hannah to quickly pull back the curtains and open the window. Bright light flooded the dimly lit room.
Valerie shielded her face with her translucent hand, possibly due to the brightness. Yet, perhaps because of that translucent hand, no light was blocked, and Valerie burst into tears, likely overwhelmed by the unfamiliar faces and environment.
“Shh, it’s okay, Miss Valerie. Shh, it’s alright.”
Cecilia rose from her seat and comforted Valerie skillfully. Valerie nestled into Cecilia’s arms, rubbing her face, and seemed to calm down quickly, reassured by the warmth of someone familiar.
“Everyone has their unique wavelength. Because it is a unique wavelength, each person’s shape and energy are different. In simple terms, it means there is no one with the same wavelength.”
After carefully choosing his words, Linke finally spoke. The more than ten pairs of eyes focused on his lips trembled slightly.
“That’s why if you can read the wavelength, you can tell who someone is without seeing their face.”
“What does that have to do with Valerie’s condition?”
“By checking how disrupted or chaotic the wavelength is, you can also assess the person’s physical state. I checked the wavelength of the young lady, but…”
Linke’s gaze returned to my belly, then quickly averted, likely out of concern for looking at the Grand Duchess’s body too carelessly.
“I sensed a wavelength identical to that of the young lady coming from behind me.”
“What? What does that mean?”
It felt like I was hearing a puzzling riddle that was difficult to comprehend.
“That is the reason I asked if Her Grace, the Grand Duchess, is pregnant.”
It was becoming increasingly difficult to understand.
“The life that Her Grace, the Grand Duchess, is carrying, Your Highness, has the same wavelength as Miss Valerie.”
“They say everyone has their own unique wavelength, right? But having the same wavelength…”
“Yes. Feeling the same wavelength means that the energies belong to the same entity.”
The same entity. Then the child in her womb and Valerie…?
My head was in turmoil.
