Volume 4, Chapter 56 – A Calm Yet Uncalm Morning

The autumn morning breeze billowed the pure white curtains. The morning sunlight that shone into the room and the fresh air that drifted into her nostrils gradually woke Fia from the sea of dreams.

Outside was both noisy and quiet. The noise came from the servants and the Imperial Guard dealing with the aftermath. The quiet was because everyone, when passing the luxurious palace where the Eldest Princess lived, would unconsciously slow their steps and their breathing. Even the gazes that secretly glanced at the palace windows had become filled with reverence. People knew what had happened, yet they had to pretend they knew nothing.

Her internal clock, which she had set, woke Fia up at seven in the morning on the dot. She opened her subdued, red eyes. Her gaze did not linger on the pink canopy above her, but swept directly to the four maids who should have been waiting by her bed—or rather, five, because there was also Anastasia.

In response to their salute, her tense expression relaxed. She waved her hand and, as if she had grown accustomed to the life of a princess, stepped barefoot onto the soft, plush carpet and walked to the mirror. While casually chatting with the maids, she waited for her clothes to be put on. It wasn’t until everything was ready, and the four maids began to make the bed at Anastasia’s instruction, that Fia and Anastasia walked towards the dining room, and the strange calm finally ended.

Anastasia first looked back and forth to see if anyone was watching, then very formally straightened her long golden hair and her black and white maid’s uniform. She bent over slightly and asked cautiously.

“Did Your Highness have everything calculated?”

Here it comes.

Fia smiled internally. Prince Schain had made such a big commotion last night; it was hard for people not to know. Because the true identities of Erin Slate and the others could not be exposed, she had not told Anastasia the full details of the plan to lure him into a coup. Anastasia only knew that Fia was prepared, but she did not know the specifics.

For example, that Prince Schain had been killed by Erin Slate, that the false information about the King’s death had been spread by her, and that Godley, who had “died tragically during the coup,” had actually died in prison long before—Anastasia knew none of this.

As for when to tell her, Fia was not yet sure. Although the problem of Schain and his faction had been resolved, she still hadn’t found out who had killed Greyan, so she felt it was better not to tell Anastasia, Liti, and the others about Erin Slate’s group for now.

Of course, besides this reason, Fia had also vaguely understood something else. She had not understood the former princess’s choice before. Anastasia and Erin Slate were so similar in many aspects, even in their past experiences. Why had she arranged for them to be one in the light and one in the dark? Even if she didn’t want the two to work together, she should have at least let Anastasia know Erin Slate’s true identity.

But after spending some time with Erin Slate, Fia understood. The princess’s arrangement had its own deep meaning. Anastasia and Erin Slate were similar in form, but not in spirit. Anastasia was not good at hiding her feelings, while Erin Slate could hide her inner thoughts in the deepest, unseen layers. And when she was with Anastasia, the feeling was more relaxed.

Anastasia was suited to be in the open. If she were told about the dark things, she would be plunged into the pain of self-conflict. But Erin Slate was different; she was naturally suited to do things that could not see the light of day.

Fia was actually a little conflicted about the princess’s judgment. Anastasia, putting her aside for a moment, was naturally unsuited for work in the shadows, so there was no need to consider her. But Erin Slate was different. She didn’t know if she actually liked her current job. Perhaps she was actually very envious of Anastasia being able to stand in the light and didn’t want to stay in the dark forever. After all, if they had a choice, everyone would want to be successful and respected.

But what kind of impact would that have on the future? Erin Slate was the second-in-command of the entire organization. To let her stand in the open might paralyze the entire organization and expose it. But then again, now was not like before. The former princess had not been strong enough, and some trump cards had to be hidden well. But the current her was far stronger than the past. Perhaps in some areas, she could try to make some changes.

Telling Anastasia about the organization would be postponed indefinitely. She should first ask Erin Slate if she had any thoughts of leaving the organization and returning to a normal life. Now that Schain was dead, and only The Sovereign was left as an enemy, there was no need to be so tense all the time.

To be fair, Fia felt that everyone in the organization should experience the life of a normal person, and not have everything revolve around her. Over the past few days, she had been secretly healing the Darkborn patterns on the others, and had therefore met with everyone in the organization in Erin Slate’s company. Those people either looked at her with awe, or their expressions were filled with admiration and intimacy. In short, everyone was exceptionally submissive.

This made Fia feel constrained, and also a little like she had become a parent overnight. From the perspective of a leader, she felt that these people should have their own private lives. She often thought, these people had no secrets in front of her. Didn’t they feel that this was not free, that it was very oppressive? Even from a mental health perspective, she should let them relax.

“Your Highness?”

Anastasia’s soft question brought Fia back to her senses. She realized that she was still talking to her and quickly answered.

“What are you referring to specifically, Anastasia?”

“Mmm… I mean, about Prince Schain. No, about the traitor Aldrich rebelling.”

“Ah, yes. I had calculated some of it. After all, he spread false news to lure me away from Blossom, and then used that item that can use magic in the Royal Castle to assassinate Greyan and frame me. All signs pointed to him making a move. Besides, Erin Slate had also found out that those minor nobles hiding weapons in the noble district were connected to him. It would be an understatement not to have guessed what he was going to do.” Fia answered with a wry smile.

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Although the idea of spreading the false news of the king’s death had been proposed and publicized by Erin Slate, and Greyan had indeed not been killed by Prince Schain, pinning everything on him was the best choice. The dead can’t argue, and it was logically self-consistent. Not to mention, his strong supporter, Count Reinhardt, would soon confess. In the eyes of those who didn’t know the inside story, he was the main culprit.

As for how to make Count Reinhardt confess and “expose” the crimes that Schain had not actually committed, the method was simple. Fia would go and see him this afternoon.

At this thought, Fia couldn’t help but sigh for the fate of these people. They had chosen the wrong person to follow, and had thus ended up in this state. If she could, she actually didn’t want to kill these people she had almost no impression of. They had had no power to resist from the beginning and had been played from start to finish. Killing them would not bring any pleasure. She had chosen to cut the weeds and pull out the roots only to eliminate any possible hidden dangers in the future.

“So when you had me go and protect Her Highness Liti last night, you were actually going to the Holy Tree to deal with Aldrich?”

“That’s right. I killed him,” Fia said lightly.

As if she had something on her mind, Anastasia’s mature and beautiful face first showed a hint of hesitation, then she let out a long sigh.

“Hah… although the former king had set a rule that the royal family could not kill each other, Aldrich was in the wrong first, and the circumstances were pressing. As long as you explain it properly, His Majesty will probably not blame you. However, he will probably still symbolically punish you, by transferring you to a place far from the capital to recuperate for a period of time. The kingdom is about to enter winter. It seems I will have to prepare more winter clothes. The other parts of the kingdom are not as warm as the capital.”

By the end, Anastasia already had a gentle, wry smile. Although she was being “exiled,” as long as she could be with Fia, she didn’t think the days would be hard.

To her surprise, Fia’s eyes suddenly lit up.

There’s such a good thing?

She almost said it out loud, but out of the dignity of an imperial princess, she covered her mouth and coughed twice, awkwardly changing her tone.

“Ahem, can I choose my own place of recuperation?”

“If you tell the Prime Minister where you want to go in advance, and have him propose it when His Majesty gets angry, I think it should be no problem.”

“There’s actually such a method…”

“You seem very happy?”

“No, not at all.”

As Anastasia had already turned to look at her, Fia quickly resumed a serious expression. Although life in Blossom was prosperous, as she had said long ago, she did not find this kind of life, where she was constantly being watched, comfortable. Since she had the [Transmission Beacon], she could come back whenever she wanted. To hide away in a remote place and live her own life was the ideal state.

“By the way, has anyone come to see me today?”

“Not yet. Besides the maids in the palace, no one knows you have returned from the southern army. Neither the Royal Consorts, nor Kalsey and the Prime Minister, have come to see you. However, I heard from Colita that because of the sudden coup, the entire Royal Castle was in chaos last night. It wasn’t until early this morning that everyone figured out what had happened. I imagine they are already in the grand hall consolidating information. When you appear there, everyone will surely be shocked.”

“I can indeed imagine their expressions,” Fia smiled. “Is Claire up yet?”

Although Fia felt that since they were already lovers, it was fine for them to sleep in the same room, the conservative Claire was very shy about this and believed that they should only sleep in the same bed after they were married. So, except for the first night, the two had always slept separately.

“Miss Claire is already waiting for you in the dining room. It’s just that since she has come back, she has taken over the job of the maids who make breakfast. Those maids seem very unhappy.”

“Then let them learn from her how to make a breakfast that suits my taste.”

“No… I don’t think they can learn that, no matter what.” Anastasia covered her mouth and chuckled like a lady, her long eyelashes even trembling slightly. Anyone could see that it was only because the breakfast was made by Claire that Fia found it delicious, not that Fia had her make it because it was delicious.

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Only Fia herself didn’t see it.

At this thought, Anastasia suddenly put on a coy expression.

“Whose cooking do you think is more delicious, Your Highness, mine or Miss Claire’s?”

“Uh…”

This was truly a death question, leaving one at a loss for how to answer.

Generally speaking, one should say what the person wanted to hear. That is, to praise Anastasia’s cooking as being delicious—which was indeed the case. Anastasia was a properly trained maid, familiar with the properties of various ingredients, and could accurately control the heat and the amount of seasoning. However, Fia was also worried that Claire would find out if she said that, and that she would get angry and stop making breakfast for her.

However, before Fia could answer, Anastasia had already withdrawn her gaze with a look of satisfaction. She puffed out her chest like a male bird that had won a courtship battle, her face full of happiness.

“It seems my cooking is more delicious.”

I didn’t say anything. How did she come to that conclusion?

Although Fia was curious, she was too embarrassed to ask. Because once she did, it would be tantamount to affirming her words. She couldn’t help but glance at Anastasia, whose lips were curved upwards.

It seemed that since she had fought Greyan, Anastasia had become more daring.

Of course, this “daring” was not a negative term. Perhaps she had more or less understood that she did not see her as a subordinate. The plan to reform her perception was considered to have taken its first step. It would not be long before Anastasia truly became her older sister.

“Miss Claire is such a gentle and beautiful woman. Why would I forget her… even with a forgetting curse, if you really try to remember, and review it every day, you surely wouldn’t forget, right?”

Seeing Anastasia’s troubled expression with an index finger to her chin, Fia, her black hair tied into a shawl-like twin tails, sighed softly.

“That’s just how the forgetting curse is. Every time you forgot her before, Anastasia, I would remind you. But as long as you took a nap, you would forget what I had just emphasized again.”

“I don’t remember at all… Why would Miss Claire be burdened with such a curse?”

Fia paused for a moment, then shook her head lightly.

“I don’t know either.”

In the past, she had thought the reason was just as Claire had said: because she was an unnaturally born life form and had violated the laws of life set by the gods, she was cursed. But the current her was no longer the Fia who had just arrived on the World Tree Continent and knew nothing. She had seen many things along the way. Both she and Laplace’s Demon were, strictly speaking, not life forms of this world, yet neither of them had been cursed in any way.

This could still be explained by the fact that they had only transmigrated their souls. But Milu’s existence emphasized that the curse on Claire was too powerful, to an incredible degree.

Compared to Claire, Milu was not even born in nature, but was a self-aware puppet created by Laplace’s Demon. She was definitely not a naturally born life form. Yet not only was she not burdened with a forgetting curse or a fear-inducing curse, but she even had the “blessing” of immortality, which countless people yearned for. In comparison, Claire’s curse seemed all the more abrupt.

“But once Mizuki has restored the Holy Tree Dance, we can get a conclusion from the Elf God. I observed her before; she’s progressing very quickly. It shouldn’t be long before we get a result.”

“I hope Lord Elf God can give you an answer, Your Highness.”

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As if she were praying for Fia, Anastasia’s eyes lowered.

And then, the two of them arrived at the well-lit and spacious dining room.

Just as Anastasia had said, Claire, who looked like a girl of seventeen or eighteen, was busy at the dining table. At the table was also Milu, dressed in a white short top and short skirt. The latter seemed to be learning Claire’s cooking process, her bewitching red eyes fixed on Claire’s swaying silver-haired back.

Although Claire had been back in Silvar for several days, Fia still couldn’t help but feel a sense of novelty. It seemed she could never get tired of looking at her… If they were living in a wooden house in the countryside, she could have snuck up behind her and hugged her by surprise, right? But this was the Royal Castle, where maids were watching. How annoying.

As if sensing Fia’s presence, Claire, who had had her back to her and was about to go to the back kitchen, suddenly turned around, her clear, jade-green eyes filled with surprise.

“Fia? You’re up already?”

“I don’t oversleep every day,” because she had dealt with so many things, she had actually only slept for less than three hours. Fia didn’t say this out loud, but changed the subject. “No one disturbed you last night, right, Claire?”

When Prince Schain had launched his coup, Fia had ordered Anastasia to protect Liti’s safety, and had asked Claire to help look after her own palace. Although the timing of the false news of the Elf King’s death and Claire’s return had coincided, which had prevented her from having a good talk with her about what she had done in Dragonfall, Claire had once released a spell with the power of an Eighth-Rank spell, so Fia wasn’t too worried about her encountering danger.

In fact, on the several nights they had been intimate, Fia had personally felt that Claire’s strength was far greater than anyone she had ever met. Mana could strengthen a person’s constitution, so from her stamina and endurance, Fia could deduce that her mana was terrifyingly high.

Of course, she was still a little weaker than her—perhaps more than a little. But she hadn’t yet tried to see what her limit was, how many days it would be, so she couldn’t make a rash judgment.

Wait, so I can think about this kind of thing openly now?

When she came to her senses, Fia discovered that she hadn’t blushed at all when thinking about these things. If Claire knew, she would surely be scolding her for being shameless.

It was all Claire’s fault for teaching her bad things. Or I had been influenced by the books in the princess’s library. Yes.

Fia nodded with deep conviction. It was all the fault of the princess for putting that kind of book in her library, letting her see it by accident, and then reading it by accident.

Looking at Fia’s deeply convinced nod, Claire tilted her head.

“I didn’t encounter any disturbance… Why do I get the feeling you’re thinking about something bad, Fia?”

“Ahem! I was thinking about business,” Fia answered shamelessly, puffing out her chest. Her mouth curved into a ‘=w=’ shape as she sat down in her chair, her mood also becoming cheerful.

“Now that Prince Schain is dead, no one will dare to gossip anymore. It’s about time to bring Liti out. But I still have some scheduled things to do today, so I can’t show you around Blossom properly—by the way, if you want, you can go and see the Witch Sanctuary first.”

“Can’t I just go to the grand hall with you?” Claire, who was wearing an apron, placed a piece of fried bacon on Fia’s plate. As usual, a medicinal scent wafted into Fia’s nostrils from her side.

Fia secretly breathed it in and said with a troubled look.

“You can, but I don’t think there’s anything interesting there.”

“Compared to being feared by others, it’s better to be with you.”

“Eh…”

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Fia was at a loss for words.

Although Claire was shyer than anyone else when it came to embarrassing topics in private, in public, she could say such things with a straight face. It was baffling.

“Nu, nu, nu… the sour smell is wafting all the way over to me.”

Like a cat, Milu, biting a silver spoon, let out a dissatisfied sound from her throat, her cute brow even knitting together.

“Ah… sorry,” Claire apologized with a mature, big-sister-like smile. “As compensation, when you find someone you like, Milu, let me see them too~”

“Pfft.”

Although the sound was very quiet, Fia still caught a sound like a laugh from Colita behind her. She couldn’t help but turn her head, only to find that Colita had already turned her face away.

“What’s wrong, Colita?”

“N-nothing. I seem to have caught a cold.”

“Then you should go back and rest today. There’s nothing for you here.”

“Eh? N-no, it doesn’t need to be to that extent,” Colita’s expression suddenly became a little flustered, and there was even a sense of unease as if she had done something wrong. “At least I should wait until Your Highness has finished your breakfast…”

Her strong reaction made Fia a little puzzled.

“…If you think it’s alright, then fine. Take care of yourself.”

“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

After adjusting her emotions, Colita tilted her head and gave Fia a sweet, maid-like smile.

Although there were many maids in the residence, it was not necessary for her to go to this extent. But then again, as an apothecary, would Colita really let herself catch a cold?

Burying her doubts in her heart, after Claire had also taken her seat, Fia began to enjoy her breakfast. Of course, because she was at the same table as Milu and Anastasia, she and Claire did not do the “ah~” feeding each other—originally, Anastasia had been unwilling to sit at the table, but Fia had forced her to, and she could only sit there reluctantly, as if she were extremely unaccustomed to it, while also occasionally glancing at Colita and the other maids behind her, as if she were on pins and needles.

From Fia’s observation, unless it was a special situation, such as when Mother Yulisha had asked her to sit at the table, Anastasia would never eat with her when there were other maids around. She didn’t know if she was trying to set an example, or if she was emphasizing something.

In addition, the maids in the palace, including Anastasia and Colita, would not start eating until she had finished her breakfast. Unless she was not in the palace or woke up at noon, even if she woke up at ten o’clock, they would go hungry until past eleven before eating their “breakfast,” which made her feel guilty. Therefore, Fia had set her biological clock for seven in the morning and would wake up on time.

The dining table was exceptionally quiet, which made Fia a little unaccustomed to it.

Although so many things had happened last night, everyone was silent. They were probably waiting for her to speak first.

At this thought, Fia asked casually.

“What did you do when you went back to Dragonfall, Claire?”