(89) Should I die? (1)
“Sini. It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?”
“Yes, master. It’s a nice day.”
While Isaac was treating Sini, he taught her many things: how to speak, manners, and more. Sini was a smart girl, so she learned quickly.
“I told you to call me Princess, not master.”
"You saved me, Princess. You gave me the world and good weather. So, you are my master."
Sini, who listened to Ariana well, was stubborn about the title.
“Sini, we will soon leave the East and head to a place called the North.”
“Isaac said that the North is a very cold place.”
"That's right. It'll be very cold. But they say it's a very beautiful place."
“Will it be more beautiful than you, Master?”
Ariana smiled slightly.
“Am I beautiful?”
“Master, the weather is nice.”
Ariana couldn't figure out why Sini called her 'good weather,' but it warmed her heart every time she heard it.
Ariana is not a good person, but she only thinks about using everyone, and she been miserably used and then abandoned. Yet, to Sini, Ariana is a good person. She's the only one who sees Ariana that way.
Beyond the white tent, several shadows appeared.
“Princess, Princess Obelius, and several young ladies have come to visit.”
The maid who was guarding outside the tent reported.
Ariana said to Sini.
“Sini, don’t interrupt anyone and stay quiet.”
“Yes, master.”
When Ariana called in, white curtains were drawn on both sides.
Four young ladies, led by Wiona, entered the tent. Ariana sat on a chair, staring at Wiona.
The young ladies bowed slightly and greeted Ariana.
“Hello, Princess.”
“Yes.”
“Sini. It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?”
“Yes, master. It’s a nice day.”
While Isaac was treating Sini, he taught her many things: how to speak, manners, and more. Sini was a smart girl, so she learned quickly.
“I told you to call me Princess, not master.”
"You saved me, Princess. You gave me the world and good weather. So, you are my master."
Sini, who listened to Ariana well, was stubborn about the title.
“Sini, we will soon leave the East and head to a place called the North.”
“Isaac said that the North is a very cold place.”
"That's right. It'll be very cold. But they say it's a very beautiful place."
“Will it be more beautiful than you, Master?”
Ariana smiled slightly.
“Am I beautiful?”
“Master, the weather is nice.”
Ariana couldn't figure out why Sini called her 'good weather,' but it warmed her heart every time she heard it.
Ariana is not a good person, but she only thinks about using everyone, and she been miserably used and then abandoned. Yet, to Sini, Ariana is a good person. She's the only one who sees Ariana that way.
Beyond the white tent, several shadows appeared.
“Princess, Princess Obelius, and several young ladies have come to visit.”
The maid who was guarding outside the tent reported.
Ariana said to Sini.
“Sini, don’t interrupt anyone and stay quiet.”
“Yes, master.”
When Ariana called in, white curtains were drawn on both sides.
Four young ladies, led by Wiona, entered the tent. Ariana sat on a chair, staring at Wiona.
The young ladies bowed slightly and greeted Ariana.
“Hello, Princess.”
“Yes.”
Ariana answered briefly, checking the faces of the young ladies. Wiona expected Ariana to invite her for a cup of tea, but Ariana didn't. She simply stared at Wiona, as if asking why she'd come.
In the end, Wiona spoke first.
“Would you allow me the honor of having a cup of tea with the Princess?”
“Yes. Sit down.”
The young ladies were visibly relieved by Ariana's answer.
There had been a lot of talk among the young ladies about Ariana, who hadn't been seen since the first party.
The White family would kill for Ariana. That's why she's so self-indulgent. She has no manners. She doesn't get along with women. She only hangs out with men.
It was a common rumor about an invisible woman, but the problem was that the subject was the Princess of this country.
It would be easy to avoid a woman with a bad reputation, but they couldn't treat Ariana, the Princess, that way.
Ariana called the maid and brought out some tea.
This time, too, Ariana didn't speak first and just quietly observed the young ladies.
This time too, Wiona spoke first.
"It seems the Princess doesn't enjoy hunting. The former Lord's wife, the Duchess of White, the Countess of White, and even Isabelle all went hunting."
“Is there any reason for me to hunt too?”
“I guess the women of the White family enjoy hunting, but I’m worried that the Princess, the daughter of His Excellency the Lord, might be bored while staying in the tent.”
“Thanks to all the young ladies coming to visit, I don’t have time to be bored.”
"That's true. I heard that the Princess's mother, the Duchess of Bronte, didn't enjoy hunting when she was the Lord's wife. It seems the Princess takes after her mother a lot."
The rumors about Rachel Bronte, who abused her own daughter, were unsavory. The intention was obvious, as if she were trying to imitate Rachel, but Ariana calmly responded, maintaining a perfectly formed smile.
“Since I was born with the blood of both of them, I would resemble both my father and mother. Isn’t that the case for you, Princess?”
“Of course I do too... but I’m just a little worried. I heard that the Duchess of Bronte married the Duke of Bronte immediately after divorcing His Royal Excellency the Lord...”
Wiona spoke up to that point and looked at Ariana. Her pretty, doll-like face, small and pretty, was turned towards Wiona with a gentle smile.
It seemed like she didn't notice what she was about to say.
Wiona said, swallowing a laugh inwardly.
“As you know, that's a rare case. Getting married to another man right after a divorce.”
"So?"
"If the Princess takes after her mother, I'm a little worried about that, too. Recently, rumors have been spreading that the Princess is staying with little Duke Hern of North and Lord Peren."
“Why would that be something for you to worry about?”
Wiona said it indirectly, but Ariana asked back as if she had no idea.
'You should understand by now! How stupid.'
Wiona said, swallowing her laughter.
"I'm worried because you only interact with men and not with us. They say daughters take after their mothers, and I'm worried you'll end up like the Duchess."
When Ariana pretended not to know anything and just asked questions, Wiona crossed the line. Everyone except Wiona realized this and turned pale.
“I guess the young lady didn’t take my advice to heart.”
"Yes?"
“I told you to be careful what you say.”
The moment she heard that calm, yet cold voice, Wiona realized that she had made a mistake.
“Not only does the young lady insult me, but you also ridicule my father, who married a woman like my mother?”
Wiona opened her eyes wide and shouted.
"That, that's not possible! How could I dare mock His Excellency the Lord? Don't frame me like that."
"Frame? I'm only speaking based on what the young lady said. You call it framing. To insult my mother in front of me is to insult my father, who kept such a woman by his side."
"No. You're overthinking it, Princess. You're the one who's pushing me with unnecessary words. I didn't mean it that way. I was just saying this out of concern for you."
"Yes?"
Ariana looked back at the young ladies.
The young ladies held their breath with pale faces, then lowered their heads when they felt Ariana's chilling gaze.
"Do you think so too? Do you think the young lady's remarks were without any ill intent, just a sign of concern for me?"
Wiona looked at them, pleading for help, but no one answered. It was clear that any miscommunication would result in severe punishment.
Wiona could somehow escape, but the young ladies of lower status had no way to escape the Princess's wrath.
"A commoner who insults a nobleman is sometimes sentenced to death, depending on the severity of the insult. So, what punishment should a young lady who insults a lord or a princess receive?"
Insulting a nobleman was a different matter from insulting the King's family, the vassal of a feudal lord, in person. A single mistake could lead to the misunderstanding of treason, putting the entire family in danger.
Wiona realized she was trapped, with no escape. Because Ariana didn't get angry, she didn't even realize she was crossing the line.
“I don’t know the laws of the East, so I will have to ask my father.”
As Ariana stood up, as if she were about to go out to find her father, Wiona jumped up and ran to Ariana, kneeling.
“I’m sorry, Princess. I was foolish and made a slip of the tongue.”
“I don’t think it was a slip of the tongue.”
“Please forgive me. I was wrong.”
Ariana's answer did not come back, and Wiona could not raise her head until Ariana responded.
The young ladies were left speechless at the sight of Wiona, who had been the highest-ranking young lady in the East just a few months ago.
After a long time, Ariana opened her mouth.
“Is there anything else you’re worried about?”
"Yes?"
“I asked if you still had any concerns about me.”
“No, there isn’t. There isn’t, Princess.”
“That’s what you should do. Isn’t it the young lady’s place to be concerned about me?”
Wiona pursed her lips.
"I take after my mother—petty and vicious. I'll remember today's events for a very long time, Young Lady."
“I will take the Princess’s advice to heart and follow it.”
“Yes, young lady. Now, please get up.”
Ariana spoke again, softly, but her voice no longer sounded so gentle.
Wiona had no choice but to admit that Ariana was beyond her reach.
***
Isaac, who was walking through the open space, encountered Duke Obelius.
Duke Obelius approached with a friendly smile.
“Doesn’t Sir Peren enjoy hunting?”
“I don’t really enjoy it. Don’t you hunt, Your Grace?”
“I wasn’t originally good at it, so I left it to my son.”
“I see. I heard that the two young Dukes are exceptionally skilled.”
"How could my son possibly match Averaster's skills? Last year, Averaster killed two large black bears."
“Oh, it won’t be easy to catch a bear with just a gun.”
The rules of hunting were to catch prey using only guns, without using swords.
Guns were powerful but not very accurate, so you had to get close enough to kill your prey.
“By the way, the East is great because there are a lot of good medicinal herbs growing there.”
“I heard that there are many rare medicinal herbs in the northern part of the country.”
"Yes, that's true, but it's not as abundant as the East. However, perhaps because the environment is harsh, the medicinal herbs that have grown there are quite potent."
Duke Obelius walked deeper into the forest, talking with Isaac.
"Our family's doctor is also very interested in medicine, so he often comes to this forest to gather herbs. I heard there's a place deep inside where rare herbs grow. Would you like to go check it out?"
Isaac responded with a twinkle in his eye to Duke Obelius's subtle suggestion.
“Yes. Where should I go?”
Duke Obelius smiled coldly as he watched Isaac, who was only thinking about gathering herbs.
***
After Wiona and her group left, Ariana also came out of the tent with Sini.
A few ladies came over and chatted for a bit, then went to her father's tent for a cup of tea. When they returned, there was an envelope on the table that had not been there before.
A white envelope without even the sender's name written on it.
Ariana absentmindedly picked up the envelope and took out the letter inside to check it.
Ariana's expression hardened as she read the letter.
If you wish to save Isaac Peren, come alone to the birch forest to the west. If you see your companions, I will kill Isaac Peren on the spot.
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