It was the next day. Pristin was in a hurry. Because today was the last day of her appointment with Akkad. After breakfast, Pristin asked Ashulla immediately.
“Let’s go out for a walk, Ashulla.”
Unable to go out for the previous day’s walk, Ashulla felt no particular strangeness and went outside with Pristin.
The ground was a little rough because of the muddy rain yesterday. Pristin walked slowly, glad she had worn her heelless shoes.
“You’ve been here two days ago. What’s so exciting?”
Ashulla asked, noticing Pristin looking around.
Pristin flinched for a moment, but shrugged it off.
“I’m just looking for something more interesting.”
“It’s all wasteland out here.”
“No growing plants or anything?”
Pristin questioned quietly.
“Like flowers or something like that.”
Ashulla looked pensive for a moment and opened her mouth.
“Well, there’s a kitchen garden just a short walk from here… I’m sure we’ll see some flowers there. There wouldn’t be any roses, though.”
“That sounds interesting, so you have a kitchen garden?”
“Yes. But I’m not sure if you’re allowed in.”
“Can’t we just take a look?”
If it was a garden, there was a good chance it had herbs growing in it. Pristin asked with a twinkle in her eyes, and Ashulla seemed a little embarrassed and nodded.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
After a while, the two arrived at the garden.
“It’s so early in the morning, there’s no one here.”
It was a relief. It would be a problem if someone suspected she was doing something weird. Pristin turned and looked around the garden which was much bigger than she thought it was going to be.
“It’s huge.”
“Of course it is. This is where all the vegetables for the castle’s people are grown.”
“…I see. It would take a long time just to look around.”
But that didn’t mean she had to explore the whole place. In the north, medicinal herbs usually grow by the lake or under trees.
“It would be interesting to see the vegetables that grow.”
Relieved to see more trees than she’d expected, Priestin started walking around, pretending to explore the seemingly huge garden.
‘What if I can’t find any herbs?’
Even so, it would also serve as a clue. Pristin walked on, thinking to look around calmly.
Then it was at one point.
“…Huh?”
An embarrassing sound came out of Pristin’s mouth.
“Why is that here?”
“What?”
Pristin finally came to her senses at Ashulla’s voice and changed her words.
“Doesn’t that grass look so cool?”
“What grass?”
“Look at that,”
Pristin said, trying to hide her trembling voice.
“The leaves are shaped like stars.”
“Ah.”
“Let’s get up close and look.”
Pristin quickly approached the grass with star-shaped leaves. Squatting down in front of it, she looked at it with trepidation.
If her knowledge was correct, this was the plant Sesleria caerulea*. A plant that grew in extreme aridity, its leaves split in five directions.
*TN: 섹투아르라 which came up as nothing real. However judging on the vague description, I found Sesleria caerulea which seems to resemble the description as a grass that’s good for droughts and vaguely looks like a star.
Of course, the north was mostly dry, but not all of the north could see Sesleria caerulea.
“It’s amazing. How does it look like this?”
Pristin carefully dug the plants with a curious look on her face as if she had never seen them before. It could be another plant that looks similar in shape.
After some rough yet meticulous handling, revealing the plant’s roots, Pristin realized her eyes had not deceived her.
‘It is Sesleria.’
Her heart began to race as if she had made a significant discovery.
However, Ashulla’s expression next to her was very dry. Seeing this, Pristin hesitantly asked.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
“When you see it for the first time, you may find it fascinating.”
Ashulla didn’t look too impressed.
“But you can see more of them if you go to that lake I told you about two days ago.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. It’s rather hard to see them from inside the castle… You were lucky.”
At that, Pristin no longer felt the need for a walk. She realized where she was.
“Shall we head back, Ashulla?”
“Already? You just came out.”
“I think I’m a little thirsty.”
Pristin smiled and said to Ashulla.
“I could use a cold lemonade, so let’s go back.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
And as time passed and the next day came, Akkad came back to Pristin.
“Today is the day we promised, Your Excellency.”
“I know.”
Pristin handed the letter she had written to Akkad.
“Please deliver it to His Majesty.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
After tucking the letter safely into his pocket, Akkad said sincerely,
“I hope things go well.”
“…”
At the end of the brief conversation, Akkad went back.
Now, the die was truly cast. Pristin clasped her hands together and bit her lip.
Hopefully, Jerald would understand what she meant.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Again, four days later.
“Brother, you’re really going to get yourself in trouble.”
Claret had come to the central palace after hearing that Jerald had barely slept or eaten in days.
“I understand it’s because of Pristin, of course, but… you can’t last more than a few more days like this.”
“You don’t have to worry about me, Claret.”
“You don’t want me to worry about you when you only do things that make me worry?”
Claret screamed as if she was frustrated,
“You’re not really thinking of abdicating to the usurper, are you? That’s not possible, Brother.”
Most aristocrats had already expressed opposition to the issue. And not simply out of loyalty to Jerald.
They had already chosen Jerald during the last rebellion. There would be a bloodbath if Albert returned.
“There must be another way.”
“I’m looking for it.”
Jerald smiled lightly and stroked Claret’s head.
“I don’t intend to hand over the crown to Uncle either, so you don’t have to worry, Claret.”
“…I miss Pristin.”
“Me too. You’ll see her soon.”
He said this to reassure Claret, but it was a frustrating situation. There was no clue as to where the countess was.
“Your Majesty.”
At that time, the servant came inside, urgently calling out Jerald.
“A letter has arrived, bearing the former emperor’s seal.”
“What?”
Jerald looked surprised and took the letter from the servant’s hand.
Hastily removing the seal, he sighed at the sight of the dark hair that now appeared before him. Claret recognized it, too, and exclaimed.
“It must be Pristin’s hair.”
But that alone could not be proof of having Pristin. It wouldn’t be hard to get a lock of black hair exactly like hers.
Jerald pulled out the letter inside, narrowing his brow.
Dear Jerald.
Just reading that one line brought tears to his eyes.
I don’t even need to see how worried you are right now.
I’m… I’m trying to be okay here, but honestly, it’s getting harder and harder.
I don’t know when I’ll see you, and that’s the worst part.
Because I might not see you anymore…
The last ball might have been our last meeting.
Jerald, I think you know me well.
So I’m sure you know what I want to say now.
Please come and save me, I don’t have the strength to stay here much longer.
I hope you’ll realize what I mean.
With love,
Pristin Rosewell.
P.S.
When I see you again, I want to go eat lemon tart that we ate together in the Perk Empire.
The terse letter was clearly written in Pristin’s handwriting. As he read it, Jerald felt an immediate surge of emotion, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and shaking.
Pristin was still alive.
“Thank God, Brother. Pristin is still alive.”
Claret, who read Pristin’s letter later, also spoke in a raised voice.
“But is this really it? There’s no hint as to where she is.”
“They must have censored it after she finished writing it.”
So even if she had something she really wanted to bring up—say, a clue as to where she was—she wouldn’t dare write it. It would give the impression of being uncooperative, and it would be deleted before it could be said.
But Jerald also didn’t think Pristin would have given up so easily.
‘I’m sure there’s more to this letter.’
But it was hard to tell right now. Jerald stared at the letter, black letters embroidered on white paper, as if convinced that if he kept looking, some answer would come.
Claret stared at Jerald like that.
‘…What?’
Claret sensed something was off and began sniffing. Just like someone who was persistent about looking for a certain smell. Jerald asked, looking perplexed by Claret’s behavior.
“What’s wrong with you, Claret?”
But Claret kept sniffing, delaying her response. She even snatched the letter from Jerald’s hand and stuck her nose on it. Jerald still watched Claret’s behavior in a panic.
After a few moments, Claret finally spoke up.
