LSOV Chapter 07 — [R15]

 

007. A Few New Facts

After several teleports and intervals spent traveling by carriage, we finally arrived at Arsen, the capital of Owen. During the journey, I came to realize a few new things.

First of all, traveling back and forth between Lundra and Owen requires a little over a week, even when using multiple teleports.

From this, I naturally learned the second fact, Rachel had called for Cedric before we decided to hand over the kingdom's treasure. It seemed she was confident she would return carrying the treasure of the kingdom.

Lastly, it became clear that Rachel and Cedric were extremely close.

Rachel often whispered old stories that only the two of them would know, or exchanged jokes with Cedric during conversations. She behaved unusually familiar toward him. Especially, the way she touched Cedric was incredibly natural.

Since I was a princess officially visiting from a foreign nation, I had to greet the Emperor before resting. We had gone straight to the imperial audience as soon as we arrived in Arsen, and were now just coming out.

"I am Daisy Lund of the Kingdom of Lundra. I pay my respects to Your Majesty, Emperor of the Strongest Land."

"Princess Daisy, it is a pleasure to meet you. Lundra still calls this place the Strong Land, I see."

"It has been a very long time since I last met someone from the Lundra royal family. Are you a mage, Princess?"

"No, I have almost no magical power."

"Hm, I see."

The Emperor looked at my hair for a moment before continuing.

"I heard the imperial princess proposed a study abroad arrangement to you. I hope the culture and customs of our empire will become a meaningful experience for you."

Meeting James Widnes, Emperor of Owen, for the first time, I noted how different he looked from Rachel's sharp features. His face was gentle and mild. He also spoke only what was necessary, with a very practical manner.

Throughout the audience, the Emperor spoke as though I had visited the empire with no ulterior motives whatsoever. Besides Cedric, several attendants were also present in the hall. As promised, the Emperor never once mentioned the kingdom's treasure.

Internally, I admired his finesse.

Instead of confronting me, who had come to Owen bearing the true name in place of the treasure, he kept a calm, expressionless demeanor throughout. Because of that, it became even harder to guess what he thought about me or about the relationship between our nations.

To me, that was… slightly uncomfortable.

"Oh, right! Princess Daisy, welcome to Owen! I hope you'll come to like this place!"

We exchanged greetings inside Owen's imperial palace.

"See you next time, Princess Daisy!"

With a light laugh, Rachel said that and walked off.

As soon as we crossed the border, Rachel's attitude noticeably softened. She acted kindly, as if she had forgotten all about the kingdom's treasure.

She now smiled at me with that mischievous grin again. She giggled while making playful jokes, and even packed little snacks for me. At one point, she even found a Lundra-style restaurant along the way. Every time she did, she felt so much like Daimond's friend Rachel—the Rachel I used to know.

Whenever Rachel laughed, I found myself laughing with her before I realized it. Then I would quietly remind myself that I was a princess of the Kingdom of Lundra.

I was coming to Owen according to the agreement between Rachel and the imperial family. I didn't know a single person in Owen. And Rachel… she wasn't the girl I used to know anymore. I quietly caught my breath.

Cedric was the one escorting me. He never spoke first unless I did.

"Duke, are we going straight to your manor now?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

When Cedric answered, he lowered his head slightly to look at me before facing forward again. I found the gesture gentlemanly. Since I was on the smaller side even among the women of my kingdom, if he didn't lower his head like that, I'd have to crane my neck sharply just to meet his eyes.

Silence filled the carriage. With his reserved speech and upright posture, I had no idea what to say to him. Instead, I kept my eyes on the unfamiliar architecture passing outside the window.

Buildings in Owen lacked the decorative elements found in Lundra and were somewhat larger. Practical, I thought to myself.

The carriage ran much longer than I expected. The scenery outside changed multiple times; buildings thinned out, and soon only green fields and trees filled the view.

I lowered my gaze to my lap. My chest felt tight and uncomfortable somehow. Well… come to think of it, I had never ridden alone in a carriage with a stranger before.

I twirled the embroidered hem of my dress around my index finger. The fabric curled softly along my fingertip. I moved my foot slightly, and the sound of my shoe scraping the carriage floor felt unusually loud.

I'm on my way to a strange man's house.

I turned my head a little. Cedric's eyes met mine. Even in the shade of the carriage, his eyes still resembled ripe cherries.

"Are we still not in the capital yet?"

Since our eyes had met, I had to say something. Cedric replied a beat later.

"Yes. The duke's estate is part of the capital, Arsen."

His voice had the perfect pace, a proper tone, and polite diction, pleasant to hear. And yet, Cedric's demeanor remained extremely emotionless.

"So you mean, once we leave the duke's estate, it's no longer considered the capital?"

"That is correct. This is Benetton, the territory of House Deirton."

Oh? I hadn't expected the Deirton duchy to be situated directly beside the capital. I nodded and turned my gaze back to the window. Which direction leads to Benetton? That way? Or maybe that way?

I felt eyes lingering on my cheek and turned back to Cedric. As expected, cherry-colored eyes. Cherries that dark are usually sweeter.

This time I had nothing to say, so I tilted my head slightly and simply smiled. He held eye contact a little longer with those cherry-colored eyes, slowly closed them, then turned his head away. Cedric lifted an arm and rested it on the carriage window frame, propping his chin as he looked outside.

I quietly let out a breath.

The carriage gradually slowed as it approached its destination. Before I even realized it, we had passed through the gates of the duke's estate. As soon as I stepped down from the carriage, a neatly built structure stood right before me.

I inhaled sharply. The texture of the air, already shifting subtly since crossing Lundra's border, felt distinctly different here in the capital of Owen. Though it was spring in both regions, central Owen was noticeably warmer. A scent unlike that of Lundra brushed past my nose.

I turned toward the carriage to look around. A garden. Tall, well-maintained evergreens stood in orderly rows. Along the walking path were shorter trees, and trees blooming with colorful flowers. There was even a walking trail lined by precisely trimmed living hedges. It was a garden with many facets, immensely charming.

"Wow! The garden is truly beautiful!"

Cedric's emotionless eyes swept across the garden for a moment.

"I'm glad it pleases you."

I walked with him past the ornamental trees. A rich fragrance drifted from a tree I had never seen before.

"It smells wonderful."

"It is lilac, Your Highness."

A servant who had approached unnoticed answered. He was an elderly man dressed in a black suit, and he politely introduced himself as Mason, the house butler. He then proceeded to introduce the attendants beside him.

Sir Kerner, Captain of the Knights, Baron Hudson, the administrator, and Madam Knox, the head maid, each stepped forward to introduce themselves and greet me in turn. With the butler, the knight captain, the estate administrator, and the head maid, they were essentially representatives of the house's entire system. I slowly memorized their names and faces. These were the people I would be living with for the next three years.

"Please take good care of me. I'm Daisy Lund."

I then introduced the two knights from Lundra who had been standing beside the carriage. I hadn't brought any other servants besides the two royal knights assigned to escort me to the Empire. I thought the Deirton household wouldn't be short-handed, so there was no need to bring a large entourage. But Shade insisted that a princess should not travel to a foreign land without royal knights, so I brought only the two.

"They are knights of the Lundra Royal Knights Order. Please also take good care of the royal attendants."

"We have already prepared facilities for the kingdom's knights to continue their training here in Deirton."

"Thank you, Sir Kerner."

A spring breeze swept past. We had departed Lundra in late winter, and somewhere along the way, it had become full spring.

From here and there drifted unfamiliar scents I had never experienced in Lundra. I turned my head and saw flowers blooming in the garden. This fragrant garden… was the Deirton estate where I would be living for the next three years.

By calling myself the treasure of the kingdom, half willingly and half forced, I had come to Owen. But since I was here, I resolved to enjoy my life in Owen, and in the Deirton household, as best as I could.

***

…Well, I really tried to enjoy it.

But barely three days into living at the duke's estate… I had already failed to carry out even the determination I made on my first day.

Today, less than an hour after lunch, I threw up everything I ate.