Chapter 33: Just The Two of Us [unedited]
The first thing they did upon leaving the auction house and getting into the carriage was to pull down all the curtains. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Let’s go back.”
The Lion King cut off the chains restraining the Starkeeper’s wrists.
The atmosphere was too gloomy for people who had just purchased a slave in a large sum of 300,000 gold coins.
Adeline sat across from the Starkeeper after covering all the windows without leaving any gaps. A small lantern hung from the carriage’s ceiling, but no one turned it on. They looked at each other in the dark for a while, gathering their thoughts in silence.
Adeline was the first to speak. “What is your name?”
“There is no such thing as a name.”
“Should I call you Starkeeper too?”
“I am no longer a starkeeper.”
The Starkeeper had a stern expression from the moment she was sold to Adeline. She seemed very disappointed as if she would have preferred to be sold to the dirty nobles rather than be bought by Adeline.
Adeline knew why.
“You….”
“Did the Lion King ask to save me?” The Starkeeper asked the Lion King a question. But he closed his mouth and eyes, then shook his head without saying a word. Her expression became as solemn as a priest on the verge of martyrdom. “Please send me back to the auction house.”
“Why?”
“I have to go back.” The Starkeeper’s tightly closed eyelids trembled as she spoke. She remained silent for a while, ignoring Adeline and the Lion King. Her hands were clasped so tightly that her knuckles turned white and trembled.
The Starkeeper had been kidnapped on her own accord.
Adeline knew this fact through Ringo.
“Go back to the auction house and do what? Are you planning to pretend to be a slave and save the other gypsies who were taken before you?”
The Starkeeper didn’t answer.
“Or… are you planning to kill that pervert yourself and then commit suicide?” Adeline asked her final question. “I’ve heard that a Starkeeper is the heart of the gypsies. So, no matter how capable the human traffickers are, it wouldn’t have been easy to kidnap you who is protected by such a tight closed group of people. Am I right?”
“I….”
“Did you deliberately make yourself get kidnapped?”
The Lion King, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. His face was horribly stiff. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Adeline closed her lips and held her breath for a moment. What she was about to reveal was something she had never told anyone before.
“Do you have any idea why I bought you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m not a very kind person, yet I rescued you. Now, what I hope for you is to go home safely. Just get rid of your idea of getting revenge—no, I’m not saying that….the greatest revenge in the world is forgiveness. No, that’s not what I mean… What I’m saying is, in reality, you can’t do it alone. Right now, you have to focus on staying alive.”
“You… who the hell are you?”
“Answer me one thing.” Adeline ignored the Starkeeper’s question. Instead, she revealed what she wanted. “That Southern noble who runs the human trafficking organization, the hidden power behind the slave auction. That dog, nineteen years ago, sold a pair of mother and her nine-year-old daughter with cloud-white hair in one go.”
Her grim voice filled the carriage, which shook slightly. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
The Starkeeper felt as though she had forgotten how to breathe as she looked at Adeline.
“Give me her name.”
Nothing else mattered. Adeline didn’t care whether the woman before her was a real prophet or not; what she wanted was the name.
“Adeline Vita.” The Starkeeper mentioned her name.
Adeline smiled as she gazed into the Starkeeper’s trembling eyes. “That’s right. I am that unfortunate princess.”
***
The emperor willingly covered the 300,000 gold coins that Adeline charged to his account. It indicated his contentment that she and the Lion King were so close that she even purchased an expensive slave for him.
Very stupid.
Adeline smiled crookedly, recalling the disapproving expression of the palace financial manager while he informed her that the payment had been processed.
Now that she had secured the Starkeeper’s release from the auction house, she began to notice something peculiar happening within her palace. They say that change always begins with small things.
“Princess. Collin is here.”
Collin was the first. She suddenly reappeared after staying secluded in her room for a while. Her severe bruises were gradually fading. Previously, she used to keep her hair down or her head lowered to conceal her wounds, but now, as if having a change of heart, she walked around with her face exposed. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
There was another one.
She used to be a little clumsy, possibly because of her young age. However, she somehow seemed more composed. Her voice was calm and her eyes were clear. While she still showed signs of nervousness when making eye contact with Adeline, she displayed a confident attitude when interacting with others.
“May I come in, Princess?”
Collin now politely asked for permission outside the bedroom door before entering. Unlike before, she would enter the room before Adeline woke up, draw the curtains, and proceed directly to check the bathroom.
“New decoration items have arrived again. Now the princess’ palace would be brightened. I heard from older sisters that those are very expensive.”
The most surprising change was in her behavior towards the queen’s palace maids. She was no longer as conspicuously shunned as before; in fact, she was often seen socializing with them.
What was she thinking? It was clear that in general, her atmosphere had improved, but it was hard to interpret her development.
“Pri.. princess?”
“What?”
“Is the Lion King coming today?” Collin hesitated to ask.
Adeline observed Collin closely, wondering if the girl had regained her old boldness. She noticed Collin glancing at other maids decorating flowers in the drawing room, seemingly asking them something.
Adeline purposely said, “Razie prefers the scent of fruit over flowers. Lime or tangerine…”
The maids swiftly left the drawing room, likely to reapply their perfume.
Adeline wasn’t sure what scent the Lion King preferred. Lime was more her cup of tea. To her, even if things looked ugly, at least they could smell good. As for that guy, seemed oblivious to the maids spraying expensive perfume and lingering around him. Adeline might as well use this situation to her advantage.
“When is he coming?” Collin came closer.
Collin was the only one left in the drawing room. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Adeline lay on her side on the long sofa, saying bitterly, “He’s not coming.”
“Yes?”
“He’s not coming. We don’t have an appointment for the time being.”
But then, there was a harsh knocking on the door, and then the door burst open.
“The Lion King has arrived.”
This time, Richard guided the Lion King himself. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
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