Knock knock.
"Come In."
As soon as permission was given, a skinny man came into the room. There were no windows in the room, so no light came in, but the magic lights installed on each wall softly illuminated the room. Inside the neatly and antiquely decorated room, there was a man who was completely covered in black clothes. He was wearing a black mask on his face and black gloves on his hands. Even the gems on the ring he was wearing were black. The man, who was painted all over in pitch-black, was sitting on a chair with his long legs crossed in a leisurely posture. The skinny man bowed his head politely and spoke to him.
"Master, I have information about what you mentioned before."
"Is that what you were asking me to find out about the Grand Duchess of Colesberg before?"
"You're right."
The thin man answered politely.
"There was nothing particularly special."
The thin man who handed the documents over to Perso added further explanation.
"After getting married in the capital, they moved north and stayed at the Grand Duke's house. They lived quietly for the first month while staying at the Grand Duke's house, but it is said that the Grand Duchess's behavior changed after a birthday banquet held by an acquaintance."
"Banquet?"
"Yes. It is said that right after that banquet, a merchant who had traveled north was abandoned in the northern forest for deceiving the Grand Duchess. Since the Grand Duke's sister had introduced the merchant, she suffered great humiliation that day."
"Hmm."
"After that..."
Pie reported in detail about Karina. Perso looked through the documents and listened to the entire report. It was something he had vaguely heard, and it was not much different from what he already knew. However, the more he looked into the case, the more he felt that he had to revise his evaluation of the Grand Duchess. The Grand Duchess risked her life to rescue the northerners from the hostage crisis.
'I thought it was a greatly exaggerated or made-up story.'
He thought that might not be the case. Karina's appearance when he met her in person and talked to her was different from the Grand Duchess' appearance that he had previously heard about.
"The Grand Duchess seems to be quite different from what I had expected."
"It seems so. It is quite different from her behavior in the capital, where she was often criticized as being timid and quiet."
Pie agreed with Perso's words.
"I don't know why the Grand Duchess suddenly changed like this."
Pie shook his head as if he was sorry.
"There was nothing special about her. However, it is said that during the month that she was quietly living, she was harassed by the Grand Duke's sister within the Grand Duke's household. It is said that not only the Grand Duke's sister but also the maids and servants ignored and treated the Grand Duchess coldly."
"I guess so."
Perso picked and sneered. The North couldn't look kindly on a Grand Duchess from the capital, and especially one from the Marquis of Millainer. And the Princess of the Colesberg family was not as good of a person as she looked. It was not particularly surprising that she had her subordinates harass Karina.
"The Grand Duchess has always lived in the capital, and it is said that she grew up in the Marquis of Millainer, receiving only love. She was raised like a Princess by the Marquis, so it is possible that her true nature was revealed through blatant bullying..."
Perso shook his head at Pie's words.
"No matter how much she grew up like a Princess, bullying is worse in the capital's social circles. Isn't that where they stab you in the face with a smile? It's absurd that someone quiet even in the capital would show her true colors in such a sloppy manner in the north."
Perso continued snorting.
"And it wasn't just a matter of a day or two that the nobles of the capital were checked and attacked by the opposing forces."
"But the capital has Marquis Millainer as a shield, and he also has the Emperor's favor on his back. The situation is different."
"That's true, but..."
Perso knew all too well about the factions, power struggles, and political interests among the capital's nobility. And yet something did not feel right.
"The question is whether a person can change this much in just a month or so."
Perso muttered. Besides this, there was one more thing he was curious about.
"And how does the Grand Duchess know about 'Perso'?"
No matter how much he investigated, he couldn't figure out where she knew the name Perso. She said she came here looking for Perso, even though she had no connection with him. At least, the fact that she came here knowing the name Perso meant that she wasn't some random person. That's why he allowed the meeting despite her sudden visit. However, the request the Grand Duchess gave him was completely different from what he had expected.
"By the way, how is the case she entrusted to you going?"
"Ah, that's..."
"Yes?"
Pie's reaction to the backbiting was unusual.
"Finding the source of the wishing potion is not as easy as it sounds."
"It's not as easy as you think?"
Perso's eyes changed. He didn't believe in love potions, wish potions, or anything like that. But the fact that Pie was having trouble investigating their source was another matter.
"That's strange. That you would have such a difficult task?"
"I apologize. I will put more effort into the investigation."
"There is still time left, so don't be impatient."
As things turned out this way, interest in the Grand Duchess grew even more.
'It's amazing. The more I know, the less I know.'
Perso smiled, one corner of his mouth raised as he thought of Karina.
"For now, keep an eye on the Grand Duke."
"Yes, I understand."
As Perso was lost in thought, Pie brought up another agenda.
"Master, this is related to 'that matter'."
"What?"
"They say that no one showed up at the place where they were supposed to trade the magic stone."
At those words, Perso's face hardened and he asked back in a low voice.
"Did the information leak out from somewhere?"
"That's absolutely not the case. After looking into it, it seems like there was a problem with those who were supposed to hand over the magic stone."
"What's the problem?"
"They say the mine where the magic stone was buried collapsed."
The persona behind the mask frowned.
"How did that happen?"
"We couldn't figure out what caused it. Our people could do nothing but go and check the collapsed mine."
"I see."
Perso tapped the desk with his index finger as if lost in thought.
"Let me find out more details first."
"Yes, I understand."
Perso clicked his tongue inwardly as if he had a headache.
***
Karina bought flowers and headed to the charnel house. The public charnel house building with an open roof. Since a certain amount of money had to be donated to the charnel house managed by the temple every year, the people buried here were by no means ordinary. High-ranking nobles, wealthy merchants, famous mercenaries or artists...
People who had received money, fame, or respect were buried here. The huge dome-shaped charnel house where many famous people were buried was already like a huge tomb in itself. Karina's mother, Diana Milliner, was also there. It was a private and cozy place inside the charnel house. It was a quiet place where only high-ranking people could ask permission. And a little away from her mother, her nanny's grave.
"Wait here."
Karina had her guards wait outside the chanel house. It was under the care of the temple. Armed persons were not permitted to enter the charnel house unless there were special circumstances. Karina first looked for the nanny. The nanny was in a large circular hall where wealthy merchants and mercenaries were buried.
"I'm here, Nanny."
Karina greeted her in a small, awkward voice. She placed one of the bouquets she had brought in front of her nanny's grave. A faint fragrance wafted from the purple-lavender bouquet. This was the first time Karina had visited her nanny's grave. She was afraid that seeing her nanny buried in the cold ground would make her realize that she was left alone. She was afraid that the two people who loved her would not be by her side and that she would relive the pain of loss. That's why Karina had never visited this ossuary since her nanny died.
'No, I did come here once.'
Just once. Before the regression, in the past when even her memory was now hazy, she had visited this place. Karina swallowed as she recalled that memory.
'It was all in vain.'
Karina tried to shake off the memories that came to mind with a hollow laugh.
'I'll come again next time. Next time...'
After saying goodbye to her nanny, Karina headed to her mother. Diana, the legitimate wife of the Marquis of Milliner, was placed in a separate room, unlike her nanny. The first thing that caught her eye upon entering the wide, light-filled space was a large marble monument. The marble headstone was decorated with pure white lilies. It was neat and tidy, as the charnel house caretakers had been maintaining it steadily.
Karina had more memories of her nanny than her mother. However, in this place, her mother's grave was more familiar than her nanny's. When she was young, it was difficult to get permission to go out, so she often went there as if she was going on a picnic, using the excuse of going to the charnel house.
"Mom, I'm home. Long time no see."
The greeting flowed more naturally than in front of the nanny's grave.
"This is lavender, my mom's favorite."
Karina offered the lavender bouquet she had prepared at her mother's grave. She had brought a lavender bouquet with her whenever she visited her mother's grave since she was very young. This was because her father, the Marquis Milliner, had insisted that Karina and her nanny make a lavender bouquet and take it with them whenever they went to the charnel house. Karina, as a child, naturally believed that her father had brought her lavender in memory of her deceased mother, but the truth was different. As she later found out, the Marquis had only been using expensive lavender flowers to show off his status and wealth at the shrine that managed the grave. On top of that, it seemed that he wanted to create an image of himself as a respectable nobleman who never forgot his ex-wife and mourned her loss by regularly offering a bouquet.
Karina snorted with a crooked expression.
'It lost its meaning when he took a woman who was pregnant with the Marquis's child as his wife before he could even formally remarry.'
Karina, who was young, was excited and even a little excited when she heard that she would have a stepmother. But the moment she met her stepmother, her expectations were completely shattered. Karina thought back to her first meeting with her stepmother, who the Marquis had brought her.
***
"Hello, my name is Karina Milliner. I heard that your new mother has arrived, so I came to say hello. I am so happy that you have a new family member."
Karina took out the greeting she had prepared with great care. Isabella asked Karina, who greeted her brightly, with a blank expression on her face.
"Mother? Why am I your mother?"
"Yes?"
"I never thought of you as my daughter."
"Ah... I..."
"Don't worry. Still, since you are the Marquis's own daughter, I have no intention of kicking you out of here. However, I don't have any particular reason to like you, do I? That's why I would like to avoid meeting you in the future as much as possible. Do you understand what I mean?"
It was a voice and expression that conveyed no emotion, but to young Karina, it felt like a cold stab more than anything else.
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