There were several small guest rooms in the Castana Marquis Estate. It wasn’t a room meant for high-ranking people such as nobles, but it wasn’t so modest that the servants would stay there either; it was just an average-sized room. Though the occupants were technically “guests” of the Marquis of Castana, the room was assigned to those deemed unworthy of much effort.
A certain white-haired girl sat quietly on the bed in the guest room, gazing out the window.
“…..”
She said nothing. It was early morning, and a cool breeze drifted through the open window, but she paid no attention to it. Her melancholy eyes remained fixed on the scenery outside, unfazed by the wind brushing through her hair.
Everyone who had come to question the white-haired girl stood in silence, captivated by the scene. It was an unspoken feeling, as if they were under a spell. Her sculptural beauty was part of it, but there was something transcendent about her presence, surpassing human beauty with ease.
As Iris observed the girl, she recalled the image of the “Witch of Winter” she had seen on the murals of the temple in her youth. There was a divine and majestic aura surrounding the girl, and Iris couldn’t think of a more fitting name for her than “Aria.”
The room remained quiet for some time, the stillness thick with tension. It was Marquis Castana who finally broke the silence. Like most mages, he was a cold, antisocial figure, with little empathy or tact. He was eager to get to the point.
“…Your Highness. Didn’t you say you had a question for that girl?”
Marquis Castana’s voice carried a slight magical edge, and his words snapped everyone out of the enchantment brought about by the white-haired girl.
Iris was no exception, though she continued to regard Aria with a different, more thoughtful gaze. She had already been convinced that the maid who accompanied Cain was someone not to be underestimated.
“I believe your name is Aria. We’ve known each other long enough to be considered familiar, haven’t we?”
At Iris’s question, Aria gently closed her eyes and gave a slight nod, her demeanor calm but distant. It was an attitude that bordered on disrespect, especially in the presence of an imperial princess.
“…How dare she…”
Kris, ever loyal to the princess, bristled at Aria’s demeanor and was about to raise her voice, but Iris stopped her with a glance. Right now, Aria’s behavior toward her was irrelevant.
“Yes, well then. There’s something I’d like to ask you personally. About the events that took place during your journey with Sir Cain to the Estel duchy that night.”
At the mention of the incident, Aria’s expression shifted. Her gaze lowered, and her voice trembled as she murmured softly.
“I don’t…”
“…What?”
“I don’t remember anything. Nothing at all.”
Iris caught sight of Aria clenching her fists tightly, a small but telling sign.
“…Young Lord Cain and I were on our way back to the Duke of Estel’s estate in a carriage. But suddenly, the carriage shook, and the sound around us disappeared. And…”
“And?”
“I don’t remember anything after that. It’s as if someone has cut away that part of my memory.”
“…..”
Iris glanced at Marquis Castana, who met her eyes and gave a soft nod, confirming Aria’s words. His father, the former head of the Castana family, had verified that Aria wasn’t lying.
“…I see.”
Iris acknowledged Aria’s response without showing disappointment. She hadn’t expected much from the beginning. A woman as meticulous as Bianca del Castana would never leave behind such an obvious witness.
‘This brings us back to square one.’
Still, it wasn’t entirely fruitless. It was now confirmed that Bianca del Castana had some form of technology or magic capable of manipulating human memory. Even though this was a valuable discovery, it didn’t bring Iris any closer to resolving the current dilemma.
“…..”
Marquis Castana, however, observed Iris with a detached expression. From his perspective, he couldn’t comprehend why the princesses of the empire were so concerned with the matter about Heir Estel and Bianca. He didn’t consider the situation as serious as they did.
The Marquis hadn’t been overly concerned with the incident. He couldn’t imagine a scenario where Bianca del Castana, the masterpiece of the Castana family, could be bested by anyone. To him, Bianca had likely taken advantage of the situation to escape with Cain von Estel, who was near death.
Nevertheless, the Castana family had a thousand-year history of supporting the empire alongside the four dukes, and the Marquis understood the need to resolve the matter swiftly to prevent unnecessary trouble with the imperial family.
In his view, the simplest way to divert the princess’s attention was to direct her focus elsewhere.
“Then, might I suggest a visit to the Duke of Estel’s estate?”
“…The Duke of Estel? And why would that be?”
Things are Not Looking Good:
Yes, things are not looking good. As you know, translation requires a lot of time and energy. I translate, edit and proofread the chapters on my own. I will be honest here, I started translating as a hobby, then it evolved to a hope of earning a living by doing something I enjoy.
However, I suffered a chain of misfortunes during and after the pandemic, and earnings from FSM and RTV helped me a lot. It became a significant part of my life. As long as my monthly income bordered around $200, I could make the time to translate in the middle of other works. Then RTV ended, and the earning decreased. Now, it has decreased to around $90-$100. And with PETTV nearing completion, that would decrease even more. A*dsence gets me about $ 0.50 per day, and you can’t get the payment until it reaches $100, so I can’t depend on that either.
It wouldn’t be an issue in normal circumstances, but it matters a lot to me since I am still dealing with a lot of financial troubles. I am currently looking for a job, and will have to invest my time and energy in it once I get it.
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Thank you for the chapter 🙂
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