Chapter 72

"Yes. Lady Bilson sent it."

Iberin, sitting with Lyssel, quickly took the letter.

"Mind if I read this one first?"

"Of course not."

"Then I'll start with the marquis's."

She slipped the letter out and ran through it fast.

"What does it say?"

"It's about the eggs and Cheongyangs we sold him a while back."

"Ah — what about them?"

"He released a trial batch to his territory residents — they say it sold cheap and it tasted so good they're already out."

Iberin's face lit up.

It hadn't even been a giveaway price, the way they'd sold things in Alketa territory.

Even so, the price was low.

And though the marquis had cleaned out the storehouse in one go, it was already full again.

"They didn't push back on it?"

"At first they hesitated since it came from Lecashe, but they trusted the marquis and tried it anyway."

That said something about how well the marquis had treated his residents over the years.

"One or two ate it, and now word's all over — they can't keep it in stock."

"Good news."

If sales held up, he'd keep buying — that was the gist.

That was the whole reason the marquis had written.

He closed with a note saying he hoped they'd keep doing business together.

After that, Iberin tore open Lady Bilson's letter next.

"She's asking me to come to a charity party."

"Charity party?"

"Yes. A party to help people in need."

"Good cause."

"Sounds like it."

Iberin looked intrigued.

She'd been to parties before, but she'd never heard of a charity party.

Attendees brought items to auction, and the nobles in attendance bid on them.

When the buyers took their items home and paid, the proceeds were used to buy relief supplies, which were then sent to the slums in the south under the names of the attending nobles.

It was a good thing. She wanted to see Lady Bilson again, too.

"Can I go?"

"Of course."

"Thank you."

"When is the party, by the way?"

"A month from now. What should I bring? I think I should pick something nice…"

The only thing of real value in Lecashe was the ijet.

Iberin made a mental note to track something else down before then.

---

She figured the party would be a good experience for the kids too, so they'd all go together.

Most of the auction items were going to be jewels, so Iberin set hers aside accordingly.

Unlike the first trip to the capital, Ether and Lyssel had grown a lot closer, so the journey actually looked like it might be enjoyable.

Of course, Lyssel couldn't leave the territory for long, so they'd need to make it quick.

"This is going to be fun, right?"

"Yes."

But his face said the exact opposite of his answer.

Iberin shot him a look that wasn't quite hostile.

Lyssel hurried to backpedal.

"I really am looking forward to it. It's my first party."

"Right — and you've packed your mask?"

"Of course. Take my hand."

With Lyssel's help she climbed into the carriage, and the kids piled in after.

"Are you sure I can really come…?"

Kal kept glancing around as he climbed in, eyes restless.

What he was so anxious about, she couldn't guess.

"It's fine. Nobody's going to know you once the mask's on anyway."

She'd have brought him without the mask too, honestly.

There was no world where Ether and Rozelia went and Kal got left behind.

Iberin wouldn't have stood for it.

"I'm just worried I'll bring more trouble down on Lecashe…"

"Lecashe is already up to its neck in trouble."

She shut down Kal's mumbling with one line.

It was true — Lecashe had been chewed on and shredded by everyone forever, regardless of what they did.

"Kal, don't worry about what other people think. No matter what anyone says, I love you to bits."

She'd meant it as reassurance — she'd thought he'd been deflated by the nobles whispering about him and Rozelia at the party.

"Wait, that's what you've been moping about all this time?"

Rozelia chimed in flatly from beside her.

"That's what…"

"Hey — do you know any of their faces?"

"No."

"Their names?"

"No."

"You think those people know anything about us?"

"…Also no."

"They were just running their mouths."

Iberin had known the nobles were whispering, but she hadn't actually heard what was said.

She'd asked a few times what it had been about, but the kids wouldn't tell her.

When she'd thought Lyssel might tell her, the kids had glared at him and he'd shut up too.

"You're really not going to tell me?"

"……"

Mouths sealed shut like glue, sure enough.

"What if I go up to one of those nobles smiling, with no idea?"

"You wouldn't, though."

"Excuse me? Yes I would. I'll go ask them straight out."

She had a feeling those nobles would turn up at this charity party too.

Even with the mask, the odds were good they'd recognize her and come over.

Because Lyssel had a build no mask could disguise.

He and Ether were the only ones around with black hair, too.

Mask or no mask, there was no missing him.

"They were saying it might be a child born outside the marriage."

"Outside the — what?"

"They were wondering whether I'd already had several before you officially came over to marry me."

"What?!"

The leap involved was staggering.

"By noble standards — Lecashe standards especially — I married late."

It was true; nobles here tended to marry before turning twenty.

By that measure, Iberin had been on the late side too.

"And you just let that slide?"

Iberin demanded, suddenly hot under the collar. Lyssel just shrugged.

"They weren't insulting you, Iberin."

"They were absolutely insulting me! What do they think Lecashe is, exactly?!"

"Probably nothing good."

Iberin's face screwed up and she glared at him.

Lyssel winced and closed his mouth.

Children born outside marriage were an open secret among nobles.

Better not to have one, but not the end of the world if you did.

That said, the children born to a mistress, rather than the official wife, were usually raised as commoners — unless the official wife couldn't bear children.

The same went for any kids the wife might have had outside the marriage.

"Ugh."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. This is exactly why."

"Yeah."

Ether added a small, sheepish mumble.

"I almost went up to those nobles and chatted with them, completely clueless. Lyssel, you remember their faces?"

"Of course."

"Good."

If they tried to act friendly, she wouldn't even pretend to know them.

"The nobles who said that were already cut out of the ijet decision, by the way."

"They were?"

"Yes. Why would I reward them?"

"Still — there are probably nobles who think that way."

"There would be."

Iberin ground her teeth.

---

That aside, the trip was normal.

It wasn't as far as the capital, but it wasn't a one-day ride either, so they had to stop in several towns along the way.

After the last time she and Lyssel had snuck out to the neighboring territory, the towns they passed through now were the ones she wandered with the kids to her heart's content.

There were skewers like the ones she'd had in Alketa territory, and the market here was livelier — they got carried away buying things and snacking.

"This is so good."

It was like they'd come for the food alone, the way they ate.

When they stopped at a café, Rozelia took to the place like a fish to water.

"Try this too."

Iberin held something out to Rozelia, whose cheeks were already bulging with cake.

"Lady Iberin, you have some too."

Rozelia urged a piece of cake on her, mouth so full the words came out garbled.

"Ahhh."

They were happily feeding each other.

"Mommy, Ether…."

Ether was the same.

Lyssel and Kal, neither of whom cared much for sweets, just sipped their tea.

The two looked baffled that anyone could fit another bite in after wandering the market grazing all day.

After polishing off the café snacks, they used "settling our stomachs" as an excuse to keep walking, and by afternoon they were all wiped out.

When they got back to the inn where they'd dropped their things earlier, they collapsed straight onto the beds.

"Iberin, you need to wash up before you sleep."

"…So sleepy."

"The kids are going to copy you."

Glancing over, she saw the kids had indeed dropped down in a perfect imitation of her.

Only then did Iberin haul herself upright.

Her eyes were already half-shut.

When Iberin got up, Ether and Rozelia, who'd been sprawled out next to her, dragged themselves up too and went off to wash.

The way they shuffled along behind her like little ducklings was adorable.

Any other day Iberin would've been all over them about how cute they looked, but she was tired enough that she just washed without reacting.

After washing up and changing, Iberin went straight down again.

Rozelia and Ether naturally settled in on either side of her.

They'd picked a large room since they were sleeping together because of the kids.

Two beds.

"I'm sleeping with Mommy."

"Rozel too."

"…I'll take whichever bed is free."

Kal was the only one who answered like a sensible person.

But Lyssel didn't exactly want to share a bed with Kal instead of Iberin.

So he naturally started laying out a quilt on the floor.

"Why are you spreading a quilt on the floor?"

Iberin, who'd been nodding off, snapped her eyes open and asked.

"Your Highness, I'll sleep on the floor."

Kal said it, reading the room.

He didn't look thrilled about squeezing into the small space the kids had carved out, but sleeping next to Lyssel seemed to make him uncomfortable too.

After turning it over a moment, Iberin grabbed the quilt out of Lyssel's hands.

{"Sleep with me."}(#g9t6ce66ae3u)