Chapter 11: Tell Them Who I am
Surprisingly, it was very peaceful that day, which meant that no one told any stories. However, Adeline didn’t feel relaxed or comfortable. She knew better than anyone else that this was the calm before the storm. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Meanwhile, Colin went out of the annex and retrieved the royal newspaper for her, allowing Adeline to discover why Cesare had not visited her.
“An engagement ceremony?”
The royal newspaper primarily served to convey news about the royal family. Naturally, it also contained news about Crown Prince Cesare Dixon, the most popular figure in Marma.
“The banquet will be held for a week starting the day after tomorrow. It is said to take place in the Main Hall of Glory. Nobles are already crowding the palace… hmm…”
Colin, who had been chirping next to Adeline, suddenly fell silent.
The lady’s maid who brought the dinner glared at Adeline with her slitted eyes and clicked her tongue.
Adeline laughed and watched the two of them spar.
“A week.” Adeline laid herself on the bed, setting the royal newspaper aside. Her wound had not healed yet, so it hurt every time she moved, but she didn’t care because she felt fine after taking strong painkillers. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
The lady’s maid, who had been examining Adeline in silence, quickly left the room.
“Hmmmm.”
A banquet to celebrate the crown prince’s engagement. That was the reason Cesare had locked her in the annex and hadn’t come to visit her. It meant he wanted her to shut up and stay away because he was embarrassed to show her.
When she had been arbitrarily sold to Nova, she was treated like a precious princess, but upon her return, she was treated the same way again. ‘Thanks to someone, we were able to avoid war,’ Adeline’s lips twisted. Her sharp and venomous mind surfaced. The crown prince’s engagement—wasn’t that a perfect stage for the appearance of the mad princess?
“Princess? What are you thinking?” Colin asked.
Adeline’s lips twitched. “Bad thoughts.” She decided to advance her plans a little.
*
Adeline, who went to bed early after dinner, woke up in the deep dawn. Her shoulders throbbed with pain due to the decreased effectiveness of the painkiller. There was no one in the bedroom, nor was there anyone in the drawing room outside the door. In a way, she liked it this way. She felt comfortable in her solitude and was glad to be treated with contempt. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
There were nine candles that Colin had left behind. Three were placed irregularly on a cabinet, while the rest sat on a small table and the windowsill. Four of them had gone out. She chose the longest candle, placed it in front of the window, and blew out the rest.
She waited for a while, until the errand boy came. Her room was on the second floor of the annex. A large, beautiful tree stood outside the window, its stone pillars embossed with birds and covered in lush vines.
The errand boy suddenly appeared, making no sound and casting no shadow—just a feeling of darkness. The window was open, but there wasn’t even the usual squawk of birds.
“Greetings, Princess.”
As soon as the errand boy entered the room, he sat down on the floor.
“I’ve been waiting for you to call me.”
“For all that, you came a bit slow.”
“I’m sad. But this also came very quickly.” He smiled brightly and made a joke. He didn’t know which room she was in, so he had oiled all the windows in advance, including the room on the second floor of the annex. He was glad he did.
However, Adeline had no time to chat. She had business to attend to and needed to get out quickly. She sat down on the bed. “Just bring the one I left with you.”
“Which one? There are so many. What should I bring? Deadly poison? A royal palace secret map? The stolen will? Confidential diplomatic documents? Or… people?” The errand boy’s eyes sparkled in the dark. He seemed very excited, almost giddy with anticipation for what she would do next. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Too bad it was all wrong. What Adeline wanted was a dress.
“Red box. The white ones.”
“What?”
“They’re all good; just bring the flashiest one.”
The errand boy’s face instantly became glum. He squatted on the floor, resting his chin on his knees. “Princess, are you really going to the banquet?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“I think that’s a very, very scary idea… There’s no one in this country on your side yet. Isn’t it too conspicuous?” The errand boy seemed genuinely worried.
Adeline tilted her head to one side. “Nowadays, it seems like errand boys are taking care of all the worries of their clients, doesn’t it?”
“Excuse me, Princess. Even though I’m a poor person, I’m still smart. No one has lost anything by listening to me.”
“Then I guess you’ll bring a good dress.”
It was no use urging him to hurry. The errand boy sat by the window and continued to complain. After going through all the trouble to join Orde, he found his client cold and difficult to get along with. Now, even his first task for her was to choose a dress. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Red box. White. The flashiest one? Okay.” The errand boy, who had been talking for a while, finally lifted himself up.
Adeline gestured toward the window. “Get out of here.”
“By the way, Princess…”
“Do you still have something to say?” It was said that Orde was an organization that handled information, so they typically employed tight-lipped, cautious people. Yet the errand boy talked a lot.
“Don’t be sad. You think no one in this country is on your side, but I’m still here, Princess. I’m on your side. One and only.”
“How do you know that?”
“Ah, it’s cold. So cold. Phew. Cold.”
“Don’t joke around and go away.”
“Take this.” He threw a small pouch. It contained powdered medicine and ointment. “They’re very expensive. You must be grateful, right?”
Adeline would have appreciated it if he hadn’t bragged. She poured the powdered medicine into her mouth without saying a word. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Don’t get hurt.” He opened the window silently, just as he had appeared. As his body hung half out of the window in the darkness, Adeline spoke on a whim.
“Adeline.”
“Huh?”
“My name is Adeline. Stop calling me ‘Princess.’”
She narrowed her eyes. He lingered outside the window for a moment and stuck his tongue out. “I don’t want that. I like ‘Princess’ better.”
‘Fucking bastard.’
***
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