ALL NOVEL Chapter 61
Doloret never intended to marry anyone in the first place.
Even if she wasn’t committed to staying single, she probably wouldn’t have shown any interest in Lord Hargen, who wouldn’t have been of any help to her business…
His efforts to earn even a single of Doloret’s smile, despite being a head taller, made him resemble a large, eager dog.
“
Um,
Dolo, I mean, Lady Benichi. If it’s alright with you—”
“I’m sorry, but I only prepared handkerchiefs for my brothers and the major investors of the Benichi Corporation.”
“
Ah
… I see.”
The cold rejection was embarrassing enough for the friends watching. Lord Hargen’s bold request quickly withered away.
“Well, I guess I was too presumptuous to ask…”
“As I’ve repeatedly said, I have no intention of maintaining a relationship with a gentleman not involved in business.”
“
Uh-huh
, right. I remember now…”
“I hope we don’t have to argue over the same issue again.”
“…”
It looked as if Lord Hargen was about to cry, beaten by Doloret’s impenetrable defenses.
“Right. We haven’t contacted each other for so long, and now that I’ve finally found you, being the successor to Benichi might make me seem like a vulture only interested in your status.”
Urihi Hargen was surprisingly self-aware.
“I’m not asking to be by your side. I just hope when we occasionally see each other, I can at least ask how you’ve been. And…” A faint blush spread across his cheeks, still speckled with light freckles. “And, someday, it would be nice if you could call me by my name again, like before.”
After finishing his sentence, Urihi Hargen awkwardly bowed to the friends and hurriedly left the scene. The large man’s departure somehow made the space feel empty.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“There’s no need to feel sorry for him. He’ll come again even after being treated like that.”
“…Right. He seems ready to present you with his hunting trophies.”
“Doloret would probably appreciate a business rather than a hunting trophy…”
“Is he skilled in martial arts?”
“His academic performance in martial arts wasn’t bad during his academy days.”
“Was there anything about him in the original story?”
“What do you expect from a childcare healing story?”
Doloret shrugged. There was not a speck of affection for the character from the novel she had read three times in her previous life. This was the rationality of a childcare novel’s heroine, who had dedicated this life to business.
“By the way, how is Nesia?”
“She said she’s hiding in the tent. She’ll just attend the opening ceremony and come out when the main competition starts.”
Doloret, who corresponded with her friends through letters, answered. “Shouldn’t we ask the tower master to make another one of these for Nesia?”
“It won’t work because of her priestess robes.”
“Right, right. And if she speaks, it’ll give her away.”
Michi fiddled with her glasses, and Selleana and Rosalli firmly cut her off. Laughter broke among the friends.
“But, about that prince…” Rosalli glanced around before lowering her voice. “To take care of Michi too… By the sounds of it, he’s already a follower of Lea Kim. Right?”
“Seriously… Even if he rolls back, it’s clear he likes her, but maybe he’s sworn to lifelong celibacy to the imperial family.”
“Did your father say there’s still no progress?”
“No matter how good Elard’s informant is, how can they find something that Doli couldn’t?”
“
Hmm
, that does make sense.” Doloret smiled proudly at Selleana’s sincere words.
Rosalli approached Selleana, whispering suggestively. “Try to seduce him a bit. Not just with words, but maybe use your beauty as well,
huh
?”
“Seduce?”
“If words don’t work, try to charm him in other ways. You’ve seen each other’s best and worst, right?”
“What?” Selleana burst into laughter at Rosalli’s teasing.
If seduction would have worked, it would have happened by now…
Selleana thought back to the last day she met the tower master.
“Let’s make a bet, Master of Tower. I believe the situation will be easier than you think.”
Relying on his goodwill to act spoiled was somewhat embarrassing.
Of course, since the tower master likes me, he won’t think badly of me.
But she also felt a bit resentful towards him for not explaining anything clearly. If she hadn’t expected anything, there would be no reason to feel let down. Yet, the warmth in those blue eyes kept raising her hopes. Maybe he would eventually give in to her request.
Perhaps that’s why, since that day, Selleana hadn’t been able to visit the magic tower. She had to stay at the campsite for a week for the hunting competition, using preparation as an excuse.
If the situation changed, she thought of using it as an excuse, but there had been no progress. No new information about his relic or any message from the royal family.
It’s been over a fortnight since my father met with His Majesty. He wouldn’t have forgotten such an important matter…
It had also been a while since she last saw the tower master.
I guess I’ll have to visit him after the hunting competition is over.
In the end, she was the one who missed him. Thus, Selleana resolved to share her vivid experiences with the man who had never attended the hunting competition as soon as it ended.
* * *
“By your equitable rule, O Orot, overseeing our empire, promises us peace.”
In the late afternoon, as dusk approached, the opening ceremony of the pre-night festival was held in the center of the campsite. All attendees filled the space to witness the requiem service conducted by the Orot church.
Everyone’s attention was focused on the stage set up in the middle of the crowd, two stories high. In front of the altar on the stage, Agnesia, representing the church, knelt and offered her prayers.
“Lead our souls to paradise following your teachings as we begin to unfold your providence from today for the next five days. Demons to the underground, righteousness to the sky, returning all things to their rightful place….”
Regardless of the circumstances below, the ceremony started during the magical twilight hour and continued until the sun completely set in the west, as the Orot church considers the time of day and night transition to be most sacred.
“Under your blessing, may the lambs of Nepelsian achieve what they desire… the blessing of equilibrium.”
“The blessing of equilibrium.”
Finally, the lengthy blessing ended, and following Agnesia’s lead, everyone in the crowd recited the final prayer.
After a moment of silent prayer, lights began to emerge from the crowd, and the emperor, carrying a torch, started ascending the stairs to the altar. He lit one of the candles on the candelabrum in the center of the altar before descending. The flame from this candle would be used in the final sacrifice on the last day of the hunting competition.
Subsequently, Pavellian ascended the stairs next, following the emperor’s lead by lighting another candle and then descending. The second prince, followed by the third prince, continued the ritual. The imperial direct descendants participated in this lighting ceremony.
…Why are there still candles left?
The ceremony typically concluded with the third prince, but unusually, there were two more unlit candles.
As the crowd murmured with curiosity, an exclamation arose.
“Oh.”
“Is the fourth prince also participating this year?”
Following this, a young boy appeared on the stairs, causing a small wave of excitement among the attendees. The ten-year-old fourth prince, the sole child of the current Empress Arshilla.
He’s dressed so cutely.
With dark gold hair and eyes that greatly resembled his mother’s, the boy climbed the stairs in a hunting outfit adapted from formal attire, appearing quite dignified.
Then, is the empress planning to stay at the campsite this year?
Historically, the empress only attended the opening and closing ceremonies of the hunting competition and did not stay at the campsite.
Curious about what the empress might be wearing, Selleana glanced towards the lower area where the imperial family’s tents continued when she heard whispers.
“What’s with that person?”
“Could it be…?”
Selleana, sharing the crowd’s curiosity, caught a glimpse of something unexpected beyond the silhouetted heads. Silver hair atop a head…
Ma-Master of Tower…?