(111) Unexplained feelings (9)
"Don't be too sad. You won't have any reason to meet the Princess until her debutante, anyway, and she'll probably feel much better then. If you apologize, then she'll accept it."
“I guess so? I miss my sister.”
“The Princess will understand your heart someday.”
A commoner maid, without any title, was easy to handle, which was nice. Commoners were a dull and shallow bunch, believing everything a nobleman said was true.
Victoria swallowed a laugh and thought about Cyrus, whom she would soon meet.
'Eating the fox's heart was the right answer.'
Cyrus and Andrei seemed completely captivated by Victoria. She wasn't sure about Cyrus, but Andrei was certain. She saw the sudden shift in his gaze.
'Should I have one more before dinner?'
The heart that had been stored for some time wasn't as effective and didn't last long. She was worried she didn't have much heart left, but then a bright idea suddenly struck me.
“Ronia. Do you have any pets raised at Maho Castle?”
“Only horses are raised in Maho Castle.”
“I like foxes... I was looking forward to it because I heard that the white fox of the North is really cute.”
“Then should I tell the soldiers to catch a few white foxes?”
“Yes, then I’ll go out and talk. Just wait a moment.”
Ronia's expression hardened as she emerged from the room. After she had moved far enough away from the room, she called out to someone in a low voice.
“Rihan.”
The man who had been hiding revealed himself. Rihan was one of the vice-captains of the Black Knights.
“Yes, Captain.”
Ronia, no, Louis said, looking at Rihan with sharp eyes, unlike when she was with Victoria.
“The Princess wants a white fox.”
“How many should I catch?”
“First, catch four of them alive.”
After Rihan left, Louis turned around and glared at Victoria's room.
Throughout her time with Victoria, there were many times when she almost felt sorry for her.
Louis, who had been living under the guise of Ariana's maid at Bronte Manor, knew better than anyone how they treated Ariana.
And yet, it was like that. She felt sorry for Victoria, and she felt sorry for her, and she wanted to take pity on her.
When she realized it belatedly and came to her senses, one thing came to mind.
Blood Ritual. Paganus. The Power of Amanthal.
She was sure when Victoria asked her to bring the fox alive.
'If I had noticed, my lord would have noticed too.'
But so far, she hasn't heard from Cyrus.
'What is my lord planning to do?'
Isaac welcomed Ariana, who had suddenly visited.
“Princess Consort! How did you end up in a place like this...? If you wanted to see me, you could have called me, right?”
Seeing Isaac's bright smile, her heart, which had been churning because of Cyrus, felt a little better. It was good that she found Isaac.
“I want to see Isaac’s lab.”
“Of course, the lab is open for the Princess Consort, but it probably smells bad.”
"It's okay."
She's been to worse places than this.
Ariana looked around the lab under Isaac's guidance.
“I am currently researching a medicine to treat the damage caused by perfume made from heron flowers.”
“Are you doing well?”
"It should be effective enough to completely cure you with just one bottle, but it won't be easy. But I'll make it before something happens, so don't worry."
“I always feel safe when Isaac does it.”
Isaac smiled broadly, then suddenly withdrew his smile and asked.
“By the way, is Princess Consort alright? I heard the Princess of Bronte is here...”
“It’s okay. That’s what I told him to do.”
“Isn’t that so? If Princess Consort had said you didn’t like the Princess of Bronte, he wouldn’t have allowed her to even set foot in the North.”
“Yes, I know.”
For some reason, Isaac sighed in relief at the word "I know."
"Princess Consort, it's frustrating just staying in the lab. Would you like to go out with me? The Snow Festival is opening soon, and preparations are underway. It would be fun to see it."
Ariana also knew about the Snow Festival, having heard it from the maids.
This festival, held in mid-January in the northern part of the country, is said to be a celebration of beautiful ice and snow sculptures. She heard that the person who creates the most beautiful sculpture receives a grand prize.
“That’s good. But I’m not ready to go out...”
“I do have a lot of warm clothes. Oh, but you don’t feel like wearing mine, do you?”
“No, it’s okay. I’d appreciate it if you could lend it to me.”
Ariana donned Isaac's coat and climbed into the carriage with him. As they rode, they gazed at the streets. People were making huge snowballs and ice blocks in front of their houses and shops.
Although she hasn't started carving yet, it was fun to watch the bustling, lively streets.
She thought everyone would stay indoors because it was so cold, but it was surprising to see that the North also found its own way to enjoy themself and held a festival.
Perhaps the pleasures discovered by his predecessors have been successfully inherited and maintained by the current Northern Lord Cyrus.
“What kind of person was the former Northern Lord?”
Isaac's heart pounded at Ariana's question.
'Princess Consort is curious about who her in-laws will be!'
Then he should answer honestly.
"I only met him when I was young, so I don't remember much, but he was a very kind person. He had a quick temper and a loud voice, which was sometimes scary. But when he laughed heartily, everyone who saw him would feel good."
Hearing the evaluation of the previous Northern Lord, Ariana was reminded of her uncle, the second son of the White family, Fellowes. Her uncle had a loud voice and a quick temper. Was that the feeling?
“In contrast, the former Northern Lady was calm and collected, and she often scolded the former Northern Lord. He told her not to frighten the children.”
Isaac smiled warmly as he remembered that time.
"They were good people. Those were good days. I naturally assumed those times would last forever, but nothing in life is for granted. Oh, my lady. That restaurant over there sells the best venison in the North. Would you like to have dinner with me?"
Cyrus was already at the Ice Palace banquet hall. She thought she was enjoying dinner alone with Cyrus, but Andrei was sitting next to him.
Andrei woke up as Victoria entered.
“Princess, the dress suits you very well.”
"Thank you."
The attendant pulled out a chair for Victoria. Cyrus sat at the head of the long table, with Andrei on his left and Victoria on his right, facing each other.
Victoria sat down in her chair and glanced at Cyrus.
His eyes, which stared quietly at Victoria, were red and intense, and every time they met, her heart pounded.
“His Excellency said he wanted to sit close and enjoy a conversation, so I prepared a slightly narrow space. Is that okay?”
Victoria blushed at Andrei's words.
'The Northern Lord wanted to sit near me.'
This time, she mustered up her courage and stared straight at Cyrus.
“I like it very much. Thank you for your consideration, Your Excellency.”
Cyrus nodded slightly.
The silver hair, swaying slightly, was so dazzling that Victoria thought it was dazzling.
'No, this won't do.'
She had to remember to capture Cyrus's heart, not be captivated by him. But Victoria thought, judging by his attitude, he seemed halfway to her.
When Andrei rang the bell, the maids came in with food. Many of the dishes seemed to be unique to the North, dishes Victoria had never seen before.
“How is the villa? Is there anything missing?”
Victoria shook her head at Andrei's question.
“Not at all. It’s perfect.”
Actually, it was a little cold. No, it was quite cold.
The people of the Northern Territory didn't seem to be particularly affected by the cold, and her maid, Ronia, didn't seem particularly bothered by it. Victoria didn't reveal her true feelings, fearing that it would annoy Cyrus.
"Thank goodness. His Excellency was very concerned because the Princess was coming. If you were to catch a cold, it would be a disaster."
"I'm healthy, so don't worry. By the way, Your Excellency, the Northern Lord. I heard you visited my grandfather earlier this year..."
Cyrus nodded slightly.
“If you had sent me a message, I would have gone to see you and said hello. It’s too bad.”
“His Excellency must have been very sorry. I’ve heard many rumors about the Princess since then.”
It was obvious what the rumors about Victoria were this year. Victoria blushed, not knowing how to explain herself, but Andrei continued.
"I was very worried because I thought the Princess was in a very difficult situation. Accused of murder, accused of abusing her family..."
"That's right."
Victoria said quickly.
“It was really difficult. People were making up stories so randomly... We had our own circumstances, too....”
“That’s right. It’s not good to meddle in other people’s household affairs.”
"It's true that my mother and Helena were a little annoyed with Ariana. After all, my father had remarried, and they felt bad for bringing Ariana, who was born to another man, into their lives. But I... I really liked Ariana. She was so kind."
“Of course you would have.”
"But I think she hated me. I should have been more assertive and helped her... I'm so sorry about that. And I feel regretful."
Victoria choked back tears and glanced at Cyrus. Cyrus, who had been expressionless, moved his lips as if about to say something, then nodded to Andrei.
"No, Your Excellency. You did the right thing. Thanks to you, Sister Ariana will now be at peace."
"But the Princess suffered great damage. He was already concerned about the Princess, and was considering visiting the West, so he is very pleased that the Princess has come to the North."
Is that true?
Cyrus hadn't said a word of his own until now. But since he hadn't even rebuked Andrei, it seemed like his words were true.
'That's true. They say the Northern Lord is a man of few words.'
Her confidence has soared.
She always thought Cyrus was on Ariana's side, but she was flattered to hear that he had always cared about her.
Look, Ariana. The Northern Lord didn't particularly like you. He was just being fair and impartial. And now he's having dinner with me.
Victoria decided she could be a little more courageous.
"Don't be too sad. You won't have any reason to meet the Princess until her debutante, anyway, and she'll probably feel much better then. If you apologize, then she'll accept it."
“I guess so? I miss my sister.”
“The Princess will understand your heart someday.”
A commoner maid, without any title, was easy to handle, which was nice. Commoners were a dull and shallow bunch, believing everything a nobleman said was true.
Victoria swallowed a laugh and thought about Cyrus, whom she would soon meet.
'Eating the fox's heart was the right answer.'
Cyrus and Andrei seemed completely captivated by Victoria. She wasn't sure about Cyrus, but Andrei was certain. She saw the sudden shift in his gaze.
'Should I have one more before dinner?'
The heart that had been stored for some time wasn't as effective and didn't last long. She was worried she didn't have much heart left, but then a bright idea suddenly struck me.
“Ronia. Do you have any pets raised at Maho Castle?”
“Only horses are raised in Maho Castle.”
“I like foxes... I was looking forward to it because I heard that the white fox of the North is really cute.”
“Then should I tell the soldiers to catch a few white foxes?”
“Then I'm truly grateful. I love those who are alive. I want to see them playing.”
Ronia's expression hardened as she emerged from the room. After she had moved far enough away from the room, she called out to someone in a low voice.
“Rihan.”
The man who had been hiding revealed himself. Rihan was one of the vice-captains of the Black Knights.
“Yes, Captain.”
Ronia, no, Louis said, looking at Rihan with sharp eyes, unlike when she was with Victoria.
“The Princess wants a white fox.”
“How many should I catch?”
“First, catch four of them alive.”
After Rihan left, Louis turned around and glared at Victoria's room.
Throughout her time with Victoria, there were many times when she almost felt sorry for her.
Louis, who had been living under the guise of Ariana's maid at Bronte Manor, knew better than anyone how they treated Ariana.
And yet, it was like that. She felt sorry for Victoria, and she felt sorry for her, and she wanted to take pity on her.
When she realized it belatedly and came to her senses, one thing came to mind.
Blood Ritual. Paganus. The Power of Amanthal.
She was sure when Victoria asked her to bring the fox alive.
'If I had noticed, my lord would have noticed too.'
But so far, she hasn't heard from Cyrus.
'What is my lord planning to do?'
***
Isaac welcomed Ariana, who had suddenly visited.
“Princess Consort! How did you end up in a place like this...? If you wanted to see me, you could have called me, right?”
Seeing Isaac's bright smile, her heart, which had been churning because of Cyrus, felt a little better. It was good that she found Isaac.
“I want to see Isaac’s lab.”
“Of course, the lab is open for the Princess Consort, but it probably smells bad.”
"It's okay."
She's been to worse places than this.
Ariana looked around the lab under Isaac's guidance.
“I am currently researching a medicine to treat the damage caused by perfume made from heron flowers.”
“Are you doing well?”
"It should be effective enough to completely cure you with just one bottle, but it won't be easy. But I'll make it before something happens, so don't worry."
“I always feel safe when Isaac does it.”
Isaac smiled broadly, then suddenly withdrew his smile and asked.
“By the way, is Princess Consort alright? I heard the Princess of Bronte is here...”
“It’s okay. That’s what I told him to do.”
“Isn’t that so? If Princess Consort had said you didn’t like the Princess of Bronte, he wouldn’t have allowed her to even set foot in the North.”
“Yes, I know.”
For some reason, Isaac sighed in relief at the word "I know."
"Princess Consort, it's frustrating just staying in the lab. Would you like to go out with me? The Snow Festival is opening soon, and preparations are underway. It would be fun to see it."
Ariana also knew about the Snow Festival, having heard it from the maids.
This festival, held in mid-January in the northern part of the country, is said to be a celebration of beautiful ice and snow sculptures. She heard that the person who creates the most beautiful sculpture receives a grand prize.
“That’s good. But I’m not ready to go out...”
“I do have a lot of warm clothes. Oh, but you don’t feel like wearing mine, do you?”
“No, it’s okay. I’d appreciate it if you could lend it to me.”
Ariana donned Isaac's coat and climbed into the carriage with him. As they rode, they gazed at the streets. People were making huge snowballs and ice blocks in front of their houses and shops.
Although she hasn't started carving yet, it was fun to watch the bustling, lively streets.
She thought everyone would stay indoors because it was so cold, but it was surprising to see that the North also found its own way to enjoy themself and held a festival.
Perhaps the pleasures discovered by his predecessors have been successfully inherited and maintained by the current Northern Lord Cyrus.
“What kind of person was the former Northern Lord?”
Isaac's heart pounded at Ariana's question.
'Princess Consort is curious about who her in-laws will be!'
Then he should answer honestly.
"I only met him when I was young, so I don't remember much, but he was a very kind person. He had a quick temper and a loud voice, which was sometimes scary. But when he laughed heartily, everyone who saw him would feel good."
Hearing the evaluation of the previous Northern Lord, Ariana was reminded of her uncle, the second son of the White family, Fellowes. Her uncle had a loud voice and a quick temper. Was that the feeling?
“In contrast, the former Northern Lady was calm and collected, and she often scolded the former Northern Lord. He told her not to frighten the children.”
Isaac smiled warmly as he remembered that time.
"They were good people. Those were good days. I naturally assumed those times would last forever, but nothing in life is for granted. Oh, my lady. That restaurant over there sells the best venison in the North. Would you like to have dinner with me?"
***
Cyrus was already at the Ice Palace banquet hall. She thought she was enjoying dinner alone with Cyrus, but Andrei was sitting next to him.
Andrei woke up as Victoria entered.
“Princess, the dress suits you very well.”
"Thank you."
The attendant pulled out a chair for Victoria. Cyrus sat at the head of the long table, with Andrei on his left and Victoria on his right, facing each other.
Victoria sat down in her chair and glanced at Cyrus.
His eyes, which stared quietly at Victoria, were red and intense, and every time they met, her heart pounded.
“His Excellency said he wanted to sit close and enjoy a conversation, so I prepared a slightly narrow space. Is that okay?”
Victoria blushed at Andrei's words.
'The Northern Lord wanted to sit near me.'
This time, she mustered up her courage and stared straight at Cyrus.
“I like it very much. Thank you for your consideration, Your Excellency.”
Cyrus nodded slightly.
The silver hair, swaying slightly, was so dazzling that Victoria thought it was dazzling.
'No, this won't do.'
She had to remember to capture Cyrus's heart, not be captivated by him. But Victoria thought, judging by his attitude, he seemed halfway to her.
When Andrei rang the bell, the maids came in with food. Many of the dishes seemed to be unique to the North, dishes Victoria had never seen before.
“How is the villa? Is there anything missing?”
Victoria shook her head at Andrei's question.
“Not at all. It’s perfect.”
Actually, it was a little cold. No, it was quite cold.
The people of the Northern Territory didn't seem to be particularly affected by the cold, and her maid, Ronia, didn't seem particularly bothered by it. Victoria didn't reveal her true feelings, fearing that it would annoy Cyrus.
"Thank goodness. His Excellency was very concerned because the Princess was coming. If you were to catch a cold, it would be a disaster."
"I'm healthy, so don't worry. By the way, Your Excellency, the Northern Lord. I heard you visited my grandfather earlier this year..."
Cyrus nodded slightly.
“If you had sent me a message, I would have gone to see you and said hello. It’s too bad.”
“His Excellency must have been very sorry. I’ve heard many rumors about the Princess since then.”
It was obvious what the rumors about Victoria were this year. Victoria blushed, not knowing how to explain herself, but Andrei continued.
"I was very worried because I thought the Princess was in a very difficult situation. Accused of murder, accused of abusing her family..."
"That's right."
Victoria said quickly.
“It was really difficult. People were making up stories so randomly... We had our own circumstances, too....”
“That’s right. It’s not good to meddle in other people’s household affairs.”
"It's true that my mother and Helena were a little annoyed with Ariana. After all, my father had remarried, and they felt bad for bringing Ariana, who was born to another man, into their lives. But I... I really liked Ariana. She was so kind."
“Of course you would have.”
"But I think she hated me. I should have been more assertive and helped her... I'm so sorry about that. And I feel regretful."
Victoria choked back tears and glanced at Cyrus. Cyrus, who had been expressionless, moved his lips as if about to say something, then nodded to Andrei.
"His Excellency also feels sorry about that matter. He worried deeply, wondering if he had acted too rashly by siding with the Princess of the East without fully understanding the circumstances."
"But the Princess suffered great damage. He was already concerned about the Princess, and was considering visiting the West, so he is very pleased that the Princess has come to the North."
Is that true?
Cyrus hadn't said a word of his own until now. But since he hadn't even rebuked Andrei, it seemed like his words were true.
'That's true. They say the Northern Lord is a man of few words.'
Her confidence has soared.
She always thought Cyrus was on Ariana's side, but she was flattered to hear that he had always cared about her.
Look, Ariana. The Northern Lord didn't particularly like you. He was just being fair and impartial. And now he's having dinner with me.
Victoria decided she could be a little more courageous.
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