Chapter 81
As the hunting day drew nearer, Serwin’s face grew darker. Alie was worried about him and asked Serwin what was going on, but he only replied that he was okay, so there was nothing she could do.
‘What’s wrong with you that you’re not saying anything?’
Alie was worried, but also a little disappointed. Originally, she knew that Serwin wasn’t the kind of person who talked about his thoughts and things to others, but she felt strangely uncomfortable.
While she was holding herself together, she heard the news that a letter from Renia had arrived from her maid. After dinner, Alie began to read her letter.
The letter contained an answer to what she had asked Renia the other day.
Renia said she still communicates with the old lady who worked in the imperial palace for a long ti. The old lady was a woman who beca an Imperial maid during Serwin’s grandfather, and she retired more than a decade ago and spent the rest of her life traveling. Renia said she would never et strangers, but she decided to co to the capital.
‘The problem is that day is also Hunting Day…’
The old lady returned to the capital’s house only around hunting day. Because of Renia’s schedule, it was difficult to take a place unless it was a hunting day.
‘I was going to follow Serwin around… It got complicated.’
Alie turned into a hamster that day and tried to follow him in the front pocket of his jacket. She didn’t talk to Serwin, but she had been secretly trying to keep an eye on him because he seed unusually unstable these days.
‘And Serwin can’t follow either.’
The Emperor was obliged to attend the hunting competitions on Hunting Day every year.
“Your Majesty, Young Lady Renia is coming to the capital for a while. We were supposed to et then, but it’s a hunting day. I was going to follow Your Majesty, but I’m eting with Young Lady Renia for sothing important—”
“It’s okay.”
“Yes?”
Alie doubted her ears. It’s okay? About what?
“You don’t like hunting. If you’re next to , you’d have to watch everything about hunting. In that case, it’s better to et the Young Lady Manvers.”
“Will it be okay?”
“What else wouldn’t be okay?”
“Being apart from makes you feel anxious.”
Serwin, who was writing down, stopped his hand for a mont. Serwin continued to talk, moving his hands again as if nothing had happened.
“I can’t force and take you if you don’t want to. The hunting ground is much more cruel and dangerous than you think. It’s common to shoot arrows at soone you hate pretending to be a mistake. I’m more relieved that you remain in the imperial palace.”
“Yes..”
Alie nodded her head. He was a person who put Alie’s safety first, and the anxiety he felt was also due to safety. There was no contradiction in his words.
‘But I thought you stopped just now…’
The appearance was strangely stuck in her mind. However, it was ambiguous to consider that part. Alie decided to put off the uncomfortable feeling for a while.
“Then I should write a reply to Renia.”
“Do it. If she’s behaving badly, be sure to tell , and, oh, the last ti I saw you, I might as well tell your maid. She’s very reliable.”
“I told Milena never to do that again. Please don’t praise her for strange things.”
Alie opened her green eyes. Serwin smiled and made eye contact with the black cat staring at them. Lira did sothing else by licking her front paws.
“Are you going to keep that cat here?”
“Oddly enough, it is said that it’s not the cat the Marchioness was raising. There don’t seem to be any injuries… But I don’t want to release what I picked up again. It will get colder there.”
“Nyaah.”
Lira acted cute as she passed between Alie’s legs.
“Can I raise it?”
“You can do that if you want.”
“Then I’ll raise one.”
Alie stroked Lira’s neck. Lira opened her eyes like a real cat and made a purring sound. In fact, Lira felt very good.
‘It’s hunting day. Whoops.’
Lira smiled happily. Alie, who doesn’t even know what she was thinking, made a fuss that the cat seed to like her.
*****
A few days later, Marchioness Lewin visited Alie. On the day they had a tea party, she promised to hand out the herbs she had grown, but she rembered that and she brought her herbs herself.
Alie went out to the front door and greeted her.
“Welco. It’s nice to see you again like this.”
“That’s what I’m going to say. Thank you for welcoming .”
“Should we go in?”
“Yes.”
Serwin looked at the friendly conversation between the two.
‘She likes that woman enough to turn into a dog.’
Alie turned Serwin into a dog, saying that the Marchioness would be uncomfortable with Serwin. He showed off his sulky face without shaking his tail. However, Alie was more distracted by the Marchioness, so she didn’t even look at Serwin.
Alie guided Marchioness into the sa tea room as last ti. The hastily prepared refreshnts were served, and Marchioness Lewin took a sip of her tea.
“Is it a different tea from last ti?”
“Yes. It’s a tea made of pickled ginger in honey. Ginger can warm your body.”
“You took care of it. Thank you.”
Marchioness Lewin smiled with her eyes bent.
“I brought so herbs for Miss Alie.”
The Marchioness put the box, which she had brought with her own hands, down on the table.
“The more freshly picked, the better the scent, so I ca to see you all of a sudden. If it’s not now, it will pass the hunting season, and then the taste will go down.”
“I’m thankful. But where are you going on hunting day?”
“The Hunting Day is not just an event for the nobility, it is an event for the whole country. I was thinking of giving a little at to those in need. I’m going to be busy for a few days.”
“You are doing a good thing.”
“It’s just self-satisfaction.”
The Marchioness said as if it was nothing special. She looked embarrassed to be praised for what she had done.
‘She’s a really good person.’
Alie was amazed. Serwin was suspicious of the Marchioness, but Alie liked her quite a bit. The conversation with the Marchioness was comfortable. It felt like she was hanging out with people without them flattering her as the Emperor’s lover or ignoring her as commoners. She thought she would be a good friend.
“Actually, herbs are a bribe.”
“For ?”
Alie opened her eyes roundly. Serwin stared at the Marchioness, correcting his posture. He’s going to bite her if she says nonsense.
“There is a lake next to Enrique Hall. I wanted to go there.”
“If it’s Enrique Hall… The place where the imperial palace party is held?”
“Yes.”
“Why there?”
It was a really strange request. No one tried to get close to the lake. The water was strangely dirty and disgusting, and rumors abounded that if they fell into it they would get sick.
“Didn’t you hear the rumor yet? I heard that the lake water is so good for you.”
“Yes?”
Alie asked back.
“Since a while ago, the water has suddenly beco clean, and it is said that soaking in the body will cure skin diseases, and drinking it will make you feel comfortable and boost your energy.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. So I wanted to check it out.”
“Ah…”
Marchioness Lewin was weak, so when she heard such a story, she would want to check it out at least once.
“If that’s the case, why don’t you ask Marquis Lewin?”
“That’s… my husband would say it’s a little difficult. He’s busy, but I don’t want to be in the way.”
The Marchioness face darkened. It felt like a complicated family life.
“I asked a silly question! So shall we go right now? Let’s go quickly!”
Alie rose from her seat in a hurry.
The Marchioness was very pleased, not knowing that Alie would gladly say yes. Only Serwin barked, saying he was against going to the lake, but was lightly ignored.
*****
Alie was surprised when she arrived at the lake. The lake was completely different from what Alie rembered.
In her mory, the lake was in a sowhat shady atmosphere. The water was a dull, dark green color that looked like it could get sick. She beca even more reluctant when she found out there was a corpse underneath.
‘This is the lake I fell in?’
It was definitely the sa lake, but the atmosphere was completely different. The wind shook the grass leaves gently. The sky was clear, and the sunlight shone as it broke over the water. It was a relaxing landscape.
Even the air was clear, so it was perfect for a walk.
So of the attendants were on the water of the lake, and when they saw the arrival of Alie and Marchioness Lewin, they quietly left.
“Let’s go closer.”
Alie approached the lake with the Marchioness.
Serwin ran wildly around Alie, wondering what she was worried about.
‘What’s wrong?’
Alie put her hands together to the lake water. When the cold lake water touched her hand, she felt refreshed.
“Oh my. The water is very clear.”
Alie was amazed. Marchioness also followed Alie to the water.
“Really. Wasn’t this lake really dirty?”
“Didn’t the lake change around the ti of the Imperial Palace party?”
“Yes. I heard that.”
When exiting the lake, the experience of clearing it in front of her own eyes was not Alie’s illusion.
‘I did use purification magic. I didn’t know it would clean up the lake. Or did the lake beco clean by purifying the energy of disaster that had been stuck in the lake?’
There was no way to know for now.
“Should we try to drink so?”
The Marchioness suggested. Alie pondered for a mont.
‘I felt toxic, so I used purification magic, but… No way, it doesn’t have dicinal effects like a magic potion, right?’
She wanted to drink it and test it. However, she couldn’t dare to drink because she thought of what was at the bottom of the lake.
“You’ll get sick if you drink just anything.”
“That’s true.”
The Marchioness also followed Alie’s lead to abandon the water.
“I’m going to take a little water and take a look.”
Alie asked her maid to take so water, and she continued to watch the lake. Then, Serwin grabbed Alie’s sleeve and pulled her away.
‘Do you hate being around the lake that much?’
Since she almost drowned here, he could have overreacted. It was around the ti she fell into the lake that he began to change and behave strangely.
Unavoidably, Alie followed Serwin’s lead. The Marchioness looked at the lake and approached Alie.
“Since we’re here, shall we take a walk?”
“Right.”
The two began walking slowly along the lake. The weather was chilly, but the sun was shining so it was perfect for a walk.
Serwin followed them with a little distance. He wanted to walk next to Alie, but he couldn’t help it because the Marchioness was afraid of him.
‘Why do you like that woman?’
He glared at the Marchioness with jealousy. The more he did, the more the Marchioness distanced herself from Serwin.
“Even if he looks a little scary, he doesn’t bite people.”
If he wanted to kill, he would’ve killed them. Alie swallowed back her words to reassure the Marchioness.
“I’m sorry. It’s the first ti I’ve seen a dog that big…”
“I understand. He’s a little big.”
She tried to make him smaller, but it was the size that was the best either because of the large body or because of that image.
Alie glanced at Serwin.
Serwin made an extrely unhappy expression on his face.
“It’s amazing. That the lake suddenly changed.”
Marchioness Lewin continued to look out at the lake.
“I’ve seen the imperial palace dirty, but it’s the first ti I’ve seen it clean.”
“Huh? Do you know anything about the anomalies that happen in the Imperial Palace?”
Alie looked surprised when the Marchioness knew about the abnormality of the imperial palace.
“Even if you’re not curious, I will tell you the story.”
“I see.”
“In particular, there are many stories about that lake. For example…”
The Marchioness dragged her words. Alie was completely focused on the words of Marchioness.
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