“Why are you suddenly talking about my friend...”
The answer that came back without any boundaries was refreshing.
“You seem happy when you talk about your friend.”
“Did I do that?”
I felt ashamed for doubting him for no reason.
Callius asked, looking ahead as he spoke.
“Are he a man?”
It was a very simple question, but I was speechless.
"A man? I've never thought of Karl as a man."
He was about my age, so he could be called a man, but his appearance was closer to that of a young boy, so it was difficult to readily answer that question.
'But it's true that he's a man.'
I nodded a little late.
Then Callius spoke as if he had been waiting.
“Then he must be handsome.”
That was the quickest answer I could give about Karl.
I was so happy to finally have the chance to answer clearly, after having been so uncertain about my precious friend, that I put strength into my voice.
“Yes, of all the people I’ve seen, the most...!”
As we were talking, I suddenly remembered what I had said to Callius earlier about his resemblance to Karl.
I glanced up at him, wondering if Callius might be thinking the same thing, then lowered my gaze in a panic.
Because Callius was smiling proudly.
He insisted on saying the words I had started, word for word.
“Are you saying that he is the most handsome man Your Highness has ever seen?”
"Yes..."
“I’m curious about the face of that person who said he looked so much like me.”
“I took the bait.”
“I’m from a mountain village, so this is my first time fishing, but it’s not as difficult as I thought.”
“Stop teasing me!”
He laughed out loud. He had a mischievous expression.
'You look even more alike when you smile like that.'
As I was thinking about that, he asked me calmly.
“Does that friend know that Your Highness, the Princess, is married?”
“Yes. I told him before anyone else.”
Callius tilted his head.
“You mean you’ve been in contact with him recently?”
I wondered if it was okay to talk so much about Karl, but it wasn't anything specific, and it seemed strange to avoid such trivial matters.
“Yes.”
"Yes..."
“Why are you like that?”
"Actually, after hearing various stories, I thought maybe that friend was someone I knew. But since you've been in touch with him until recently, I think I was mistaken."
I burst out laughing.
There's no way Callius and Karl knew each other.
“That can’t be true. My friend didn’t know anything about the Marquis until recently.”
"Yes."
He muttered faintly, “A handsome and precious friend of the opposite sex...” and smiled.
It was a smile that felt strangely cold.
'Is this a mistake?'
I blinked and looked up again, and it just looked like a nice smile.
'I must have seen it wrong.'
He asked.
“How did he react when he heard the news of our marriage?”
“He was a little surprised because it was so sudden...”
I remembered how, when I told him about my plan to break off my engagement with Viscount Pelsus and marry Callius, Karl had been surprised and asked how I could suddenly come up with such a thought.
“He was worried too...”
Karl had been worried about things like what I saw in Callius and whether I could carry out my plan.
“More than anything, he was happy.”
Anyway, Karl was delighted that I was thinking of giving Andrea a big blow.
Before, he was so frustrated with me for moving around like Andrea's puppet.
“Is that the answer?”
“What else could have been there?”
Callius shook his head and smiled.
"No. He seems like a good friend. Just a good friend. That's fortunate."
“What’s fortunate?”
“It’s great to have such a good friend.”
“Oh, yes. That’s right. That’s right.”
During the short break to catch our breath, we continued to have a fruitful conversation.
Meanwhile, the titles we used to address each other had changed from Your Highness, the Princess, and Marquis Rodrian to our respective names.
'What's so funny?'
Vanessa pouted as she heard continuous laughter coming from Callius and Chloe, who were leading the way.
But her discontent was short-lived, as the horse she was riding stumbled violently as it jumped over a rock jutting out from the road.
"OMG!"
Vanessa gripped the handle on her saddle tightly.
Her hands were shaking from the exertion.
She was walking now, but just a moment ago, they were running at a terrifying speed and were holding on to the handrail with all her might, so she was feeling weak.
'If you fall off your horse, you're finished.'
Vanessa tried not to look down.
Her right foot, resting on the shackle, was floating on a dizzying cliff that looked like the entrance to hell.
The procession was moving along the narrow road without any obstruction.
A tearful face formed on her face.
'I wonder if I'll really die like this?'
It hadn't even been half a day yet, and she had that thought.
The maid riding behind her had been crying quietly for a while now, showing how difficult it was.
At least the saddles of the horses ridden by the maids had handles, but the knights of Callius were able to advance on their horses, holding on solely with the strength of their thighs.
None of them looked tired.
Perhaps the reason they had slowed down now was not because the group was tired, but simply because of Chloe.
That made Vanessa feel even more depressed.
"To have to survive among these monsters, relying on a single handhold? Could it be that I didn't realize this was the path of exile for the Princess, and so I volunteered to follow along?"
Vanessa trembled with anxiety as she watched the group advance along the deep, deep mountain path.
'It was clear that the Marquis of Rodrian was being watched for suspicious behavior, and if I was caught, I would be returned to the capital...'
The mission given to Kavala was like this.
But how on earth does she get back out of this road?
The further they advanced, the more gloomy it became.
She was brimming with pride when Kavala specifically singled her out and gave her a secret mission.
It seemed that among the Princess's maids, she was chosen as the one from the most respectable family, so she took on the role of leader and even felt a sense of superiority.
She felt like a Princess, since she didn't have to worry about Chloe, who was rumored to be an idiot or suffer from delusions.
The high-class maid uniform made Vanessa's nose go up in the sky.
But Chloe wasn't stupid, and as she went forward, a feeling of unease crept in that she might never be able to turn back.
She felt like everything was going wrong.
'I wondered why they had entrusted such an important task to me, who had only been in the palace for a few days!'
She thought she had struck it rich because she was lucky enough to get a chance for a quick promotion.
But along with the strength in her arms, her pride and loyalty were slowly disappearing as well.
Vanessa felt like giving up and running away at any moment, but she finally pulled herself together.
'No. There's no way Her Majesty the Benevolent Empress would abandon us.'
She remembered receiving the high-class maid uniform and showing it off to her parents.
"Our clever Vanessa, I knew you could do it. Her Majesty the Empress has recognized your ingenuity."
"Wherever you go, whatever you do, you must never disappoint Her Majesty. Understood? We only trust you. You are the future of our family."
Vanessa gripped the handle tighter, thinking that she had to be strong for the sake of her delighted parents.
'What are the other kids thinking?'
Vanessa glanced at Lamia and another maid following behind her.
In her eyes, she saw Lamia humming a tune as she looked around as if she were out for a walk.
She was amazed at how relaxed Lamia looked, unlike her, who was barely able to calm her anxious mind.
'What makes that kid so peaceful?'
Even Lamia had almost been in trouble just last night, when an intruder took Chloe's place.
But Lamia didn't seem to have any worries.
She looked around leisurely, stroking the horse's mane, as if she were neither cold nor tired.
'What on earth is this guy?'
Lamia, who was suddenly added to the group of maids that was thought to be just the three of them, was a subject of suspicion from the beginning.
'I heard that she was a distant relative of Her Majesty the Empress, but she was afraid of going to Ronheim, so she kept refusing to do this, but was forced to come here by her father.'
Vanessa was looking at Lamia funny.
That's understandable, because even though she was a distant relative of Kavala, she was said to be from a noble family that had fallen into decline several generations ago, and her behavior and manners seemed to be devoid of any refinement.
Vanessa really disliked the way she acted so recklessly and wildly.
"Last night, you stayed with the Princess without even reporting to me, and you almost got kidnapped instead of her. And you still haven't come to your senses yet?"
Vanessa honestly couldn't believe that Lamia was a distant relative of Kavala.
Since she had suddenly joined them as they were leaving the palace, there was no one to vouch for Lamia's identity.
They just have to believe what she says.
There was no way to know whether Lamia was lying or not.
'Why on earth would Her Majesty entrust such an important task to such a child?'
Vanessa glanced at Lamia with a disapproving look whenever she had the chance.
Then, suddenly, her eyes caught sight of Lamia's black hair, which was shining in the sunlight, looking somehow reddish.
Looking at that, something came to mind.
'I think I've seen that red-haired figure somewhere... Was it a painting? A person? Where did I see it?'
She had just been selected as a palace maid and spent four days in the palace, seeing countless people and portraits, so all the faces were jumbled together that she couldn't quite remember them.
'I can't quite remember...'
The answer that came back without any boundaries was refreshing.
“You seem happy when you talk about your friend.”
“Did I do that?”
I felt ashamed for doubting him for no reason.
Callius asked, looking ahead as he spoke.
“Are he a man?”
It was a very simple question, but I was speechless.
"A man? I've never thought of Karl as a man."
He was about my age, so he could be called a man, but his appearance was closer to that of a young boy, so it was difficult to readily answer that question.
'But it's true that he's a man.'
I nodded a little late.
Then Callius spoke as if he had been waiting.
“Then he must be handsome.”
That was the quickest answer I could give about Karl.
I was so happy to finally have the chance to answer clearly, after having been so uncertain about my precious friend, that I put strength into my voice.
“Yes, of all the people I’ve seen, the most...!”
As we were talking, I suddenly remembered what I had said to Callius earlier about his resemblance to Karl.
I glanced up at him, wondering if Callius might be thinking the same thing, then lowered my gaze in a panic.
Because Callius was smiling proudly.
He insisted on saying the words I had started, word for word.
“Are you saying that he is the most handsome man Your Highness has ever seen?”
"Yes..."
“I’m curious about the face of that person who said he looked so much like me.”
“I took the bait.”
“I’m from a mountain village, so this is my first time fishing, but it’s not as difficult as I thought.”
“Stop teasing me!”
He laughed out loud. He had a mischievous expression.
'You look even more alike when you smile like that.'
As I was thinking about that, he asked me calmly.
“Does that friend know that Your Highness, the Princess, is married?”
“Yes. I told him before anyone else.”
Callius tilted his head.
“You mean you’ve been in contact with him recently?”
I wondered if it was okay to talk so much about Karl, but it wasn't anything specific, and it seemed strange to avoid such trivial matters.
“Yes.”
"Yes..."
“Why are you like that?”
"Actually, after hearing various stories, I thought maybe that friend was someone I knew. But since you've been in touch with him until recently, I think I was mistaken."
I burst out laughing.
There's no way Callius and Karl knew each other.
“That can’t be true. My friend didn’t know anything about the Marquis until recently.”
"Yes."
He muttered faintly, “A handsome and precious friend of the opposite sex...” and smiled.
It was a smile that felt strangely cold.
'Is this a mistake?'
I blinked and looked up again, and it just looked like a nice smile.
'I must have seen it wrong.'
He asked.
“How did he react when he heard the news of our marriage?”
“He was a little surprised because it was so sudden...”
I remembered how, when I told him about my plan to break off my engagement with Viscount Pelsus and marry Callius, Karl had been surprised and asked how I could suddenly come up with such a thought.
“He was worried too...”
Karl had been worried about things like what I saw in Callius and whether I could carry out my plan.
“More than anything, he was happy.”
Anyway, Karl was delighted that I was thinking of giving Andrea a big blow.
Before, he was so frustrated with me for moving around like Andrea's puppet.
“Is that the answer?”
“What else could have been there?”
Callius shook his head and smiled.
"No. He seems like a good friend. Just a good friend. That's fortunate."
“What’s fortunate?”
“It’s great to have such a good friend.”
“Oh, yes. That’s right. That’s right.”
During the short break to catch our breath, we continued to have a fruitful conversation.
Meanwhile, the titles we used to address each other had changed from Your Highness, the Princess, and Marquis Rodrian to our respective names.
***
'What's so funny?'
Vanessa pouted as she heard continuous laughter coming from Callius and Chloe, who were leading the way.
But her discontent was short-lived, as the horse she was riding stumbled violently as it jumped over a rock jutting out from the road.
"OMG!"
Vanessa gripped the handle on her saddle tightly.
Her hands were shaking from the exertion.
She was walking now, but just a moment ago, they were running at a terrifying speed and were holding on to the handrail with all her might, so she was feeling weak.
'If you fall off your horse, you're finished.'
Vanessa tried not to look down.
Her right foot, resting on the shackle, was floating on a dizzying cliff that looked like the entrance to hell.
The procession was moving along the narrow road without any obstruction.
A tearful face formed on her face.
'I wonder if I'll really die like this?'
It hadn't even been half a day yet, and she had that thought.
The maid riding behind her had been crying quietly for a while now, showing how difficult it was.
At least the saddles of the horses ridden by the maids had handles, but the knights of Callius were able to advance on their horses, holding on solely with the strength of their thighs.
None of them looked tired.
Perhaps the reason they had slowed down now was not because the group was tired, but simply because of Chloe.
That made Vanessa feel even more depressed.
"To have to survive among these monsters, relying on a single handhold? Could it be that I didn't realize this was the path of exile for the Princess, and so I volunteered to follow along?"
Vanessa trembled with anxiety as she watched the group advance along the deep, deep mountain path.
'It was clear that the Marquis of Rodrian was being watched for suspicious behavior, and if I was caught, I would be returned to the capital...'
The mission given to Kavala was like this.
But how on earth does she get back out of this road?
The further they advanced, the more gloomy it became.
She was brimming with pride when Kavala specifically singled her out and gave her a secret mission.
It seemed that among the Princess's maids, she was chosen as the one from the most respectable family, so she took on the role of leader and even felt a sense of superiority.
She felt like a Princess, since she didn't have to worry about Chloe, who was rumored to be an idiot or suffer from delusions.
The high-class maid uniform made Vanessa's nose go up in the sky.
But Chloe wasn't stupid, and as she went forward, a feeling of unease crept in that she might never be able to turn back.
She felt like everything was going wrong.
'I wondered why they had entrusted such an important task to me, who had only been in the palace for a few days!'
She thought she had struck it rich because she was lucky enough to get a chance for a quick promotion.
But along with the strength in her arms, her pride and loyalty were slowly disappearing as well.
Vanessa felt like giving up and running away at any moment, but she finally pulled herself together.
'No. There's no way Her Majesty the Benevolent Empress would abandon us.'
She remembered receiving the high-class maid uniform and showing it off to her parents.
"Our clever Vanessa, I knew you could do it. Her Majesty the Empress has recognized your ingenuity."
"Wherever you go, whatever you do, you must never disappoint Her Majesty. Understood? We only trust you. You are the future of our family."
Vanessa gripped the handle tighter, thinking that she had to be strong for the sake of her delighted parents.
'What are the other kids thinking?'
Vanessa glanced at Lamia and another maid following behind her.
In her eyes, she saw Lamia humming a tune as she looked around as if she were out for a walk.
She was amazed at how relaxed Lamia looked, unlike her, who was barely able to calm her anxious mind.
'What makes that kid so peaceful?'
Even Lamia had almost been in trouble just last night, when an intruder took Chloe's place.
But Lamia didn't seem to have any worries.
She looked around leisurely, stroking the horse's mane, as if she were neither cold nor tired.
'What on earth is this guy?'
Lamia, who was suddenly added to the group of maids that was thought to be just the three of them, was a subject of suspicion from the beginning.
'I heard that she was a distant relative of Her Majesty the Empress, but she was afraid of going to Ronheim, so she kept refusing to do this, but was forced to come here by her father.'
Vanessa was looking at Lamia funny.
That's understandable, because even though she was a distant relative of Kavala, she was said to be from a noble family that had fallen into decline several generations ago, and her behavior and manners seemed to be devoid of any refinement.
Vanessa really disliked the way she acted so recklessly and wildly.
"Last night, you stayed with the Princess without even reporting to me, and you almost got kidnapped instead of her. And you still haven't come to your senses yet?"
Vanessa honestly couldn't believe that Lamia was a distant relative of Kavala.
Since she had suddenly joined them as they were leaving the palace, there was no one to vouch for Lamia's identity.
They just have to believe what she says.
There was no way to know whether Lamia was lying or not.
'Why on earth would Her Majesty entrust such an important task to such a child?'
Vanessa glanced at Lamia with a disapproving look whenever she had the chance.
Then, suddenly, her eyes caught sight of Lamia's black hair, which was shining in the sunlight, looking somehow reddish.
Looking at that, something came to mind.
'I think I've seen that red-haired figure somewhere... Was it a painting? A person? Where did I see it?'
She had just been selected as a palace maid and spent four days in the palace, seeing countless people and portraits, so all the faces were jumbled together that she couldn't quite remember them.
'I can't quite remember...'
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