Chapter 49. Ailexia

After what happened with Chase, Iella never once left her bedroom. Every time she went outside, she inevitably faced unwanted confrontations, so she endured the stuffiness. Fortunately, Chase hadn’t summoned her during this time.

“Would you like me to bring you something to drink?”

“I’m fine.”

Iella, who had been staring blankly out the window, answered with a small smile at Vanessa’s voice beside her.

That night, Vanessa, who had returned late to the secondary palace, had gasped in shock after hearing everything that happened at the banquet. Part of it was because the sorcery, which they thought would be fine for a while, had activated imperfectly, but she showed the most surprise at the Grand Duke’s behavior. Saying that he had never been so forceful before.

The 5 million gold contract was the same. Usually, when Ailexia purchased items at auction houses, the Grand Duke would pay for them and immediately send them to the secondary palace, so this was the first time they had gone to his hands first.

When Iella asked if it was because the price was too high, Ailexia explained that she had occasionally spent even higher amounts, so that didn’t seem to be the reason.

‘Surely the Grand Duke’s change in attitude isn’t because of me.’

That was her first thought after hearing those words. She couldn’t help thinking it.

Allen, the Grand Duke, all of them—the point when they started changing was after she entered Ailexia’s body.

‘Even if that’s true, there’s nothing I can do about it…’

Iella sighed. Even if they had changed, there was nothing she could do for them. The emotions they had built up were directed toward the real Ailexia, not her.

For her, the best solution was simply to find a way to return to her original body quickly so everything could go back to its proper place.

“By the way, Vanessa. Do you know what relationship Ailexia had with the late imperial consort?”

Suddenly remembering something, Iella called out to Vanessa. She had meant to ask about this later but had forgotten until now. Chase’s intensity at the banquet hall had been too overwhelming.

“Both the Emperor and the Grand Duke mentioned the late imperial consort in front of Ailexia. But I have no idea what their relationship is.”

“They’re mother and daughter.”

“Ah, mother and daughter… Huh?”

“Mother and daughter relationship.”

Momentarily stunned by what she had just heard, Iella asked blankly, and Vanessa drove the point home again. Iella unconsciously closed her mouth, which had been slightly open, pondered Vanessa’s words about three times, and then asked again.

“So, you mean the blood relationship I’m thinking of?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The question burst out reflexively. There was a clear reason why she had judged they absolutely couldn’t be mother and daughter.

“You said Ailexia’s mother was a sorceress. Are you saying the late Emperor brought a sorceress in as his imperial consort? Even though they’re still not well-regarded?”

“Um… I don’t know why either.”

Flustered by Iella’s interrogative question, Vanessa thought for a moment before explaining what she knew.

“Ailexia needed some connection to stay in the imperial palace. But if we made her the Empress’s daughter, Allen would become a killer of imperial family members, so I was wondering what to do. The conclusion was to make her the imperial consort’s daughter. But since she couldn’t be part of the imperial family, a daughter without imperial blood.”

“You mean the imperial consort already had a daughter before the Emperor brought her in?”

“I think so?”

What in the… Iella was left speechless at this jaw-dropping setup.

“You… really were committed to your desire—ah, no, I mean your purpose with this setup.”

“Haha.”

Looking at her friend’s embarrassed laugh, as if caught, Iella let out a sigh. By this point, she vaguely understood why she hadn’t properly read that novel. She couldn’t have endured a content so full of selfish desire.

“But I really don’t know.”

“What?”

“Why the late Emperor brought in a sorceress as his imperial consort. Actually, when I was writing, I barely mentioned the previous generation. Especially the late Emperor—he was practically nonexistent. There was no need to delve that deeply into a mature novel.”

After thinking for a moment, Vanessa shook her head, apparently unable to recall anything.

“But it’s clear that Ailexia first set foot in the imperial palace following her mother.”

“Would that have been possible with the late Emperor’s permission?”

“It must have been. Otherwise, it would be impossible. Since she wasn’t part of the imperial family.”

“Then what was the reason Ailexia could continue staying in the imperial palace after the late imperial consort’s death? Don’t tell me the late Emperor……”

One of the rumors floating around in Iella’s mind flashed by. A rumor so sordid she could barely bring herself to mention it—that she was the late Emperor’s mistress. Fortunately, her thought was immediately denied by Vanessa.

“No! Absolutely not! Of course, one reason Ailexia could enter the imperial palace with the imperial consort was because she closely resembled her mother in appearance, but that was all. Besides, the late Emperor died before the late imperial consort. Not by much, but…”

At Vanessa’s vehement denial, Iella breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, if that were the case, both the content and the characters would have become too convoluted.

“Before the late imperial consort died, she arranged for Ailexia to continue staying in the imperial palace. Ailexia had only entered the imperial palace following her mother; she wasn’t adopted into the imperial lineage, so other means were necessary. But I glossed over it with a simple narration, so even I don’t know what it was.”

Seeming embarrassed, Vanessa averted her gaze from Iella’s eyes. Just then, someone knocked on the terrace door.

Startled by the sudden sound, the two looked toward the terrace, and soon Nix opened the door and peeked in.

“Hello, it’s been a while.”

“Nix.”

Entering with familiarity, he sat down in the empty seat beside the two and quickly spread out what he had brought. Maps of the Empire and the imperial capital filled the table.

“Since it’s urgent, I’ll get straight to the point. I have one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. The good news is that I found the inn where Ailexia stayed.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Fortunately, it wasn’t too far from the imperial capital. Thanks to that, it didn’t take long.”

Nix pointed to one of the areas circled on the Empire map, a territory close to the imperial capital, and smiled proudly at Iella. Vanessa, who checked the location, asked from beside them.

“Then what’s the bad news?”

“That Ailexia left that inn a long time ago, so I’m tracking her anew?”

“…Doesn’t that make finding the inn meaningless?”

Iella, who had brightened up at the good news, fell silent for a moment before quietly muttering. Vanessa nodded with a sigh beside her. However, Nix shook his head.

“It’s not completely without results. Now that we’ve found the starting point, it’ll be easier to trace her subsequent movements. And the innkeeper had an excellent memory.”

Nix took out a note from his bosom and spread it on the map. The note was filled with indecipherable markings.

“What is this? Some kind of symbol…”

“I recorded what the innkeeper told me.”

“…Nix, you have remarkably bad handwriting.”

“Why are you embarrassing me?”

It was an impression Iella couldn’t help but blurt out as she examined the note again. A beat later, she realized her mistake and was about to apologize, but he laughed bashfully as if he had received a compliment. Vanessa, who was looking at Nix with contempt, examined the note.

“When she first arrived, she came by carriage, but when she left the inn, she couldn’t call for one. It seemed like she had no money. The innkeeper was wondering what she would do when she approached a merchant with a cargo cart and asked for a ride. There were many merchants around, but the innkeeper remembered it because he was amazed at how she managed to pick such a kind-hearted merchant.”

“How can you read that handwriting?”

“Well, it’s not like I’ve only seen it once or twice.”

At Iella’s amazed reaction, Vanessa responded as if it were nothing special. Nix, also familiar with it, nodded before raising his index finger.

“But isn’t it strange? Usually, merchants don’t give rides to strangers. There’s no reason to trust them. But the innkeeper said Ailexia wasn’t even polite when asking. At this point…”

“At this point?”

“She must have an exceptional talent for spotting pushovers.”

His brightly smiling face seemed to have no malice. Whether that was really the case or not was uncertain.

When there was no response, Nix seemed to lose interest and lowered his finger, rolling up the maps he had spread out.

“Anyway, I came today for this interim report. I’ll let you know if I find the merchant or discover anything else while tracking her route.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“I originally planned to chat a bit before leaving, but on my way here, I realized that wouldn’t work.”

Having packed all the rolled-up maps, Nix quickly grabbed a macaron from the snack plate he had pushed aside.

As the two looked at him with questioning expressions, he chewed and swallowed the macaron in one bite before speaking.

“The Emperor’s chief chamberlain is on his way here.”

As he spoke, a knock sounded on the bedroom door.

Between Iella and Vanessa, who turned pale, Nix diligently gathered another macaron and even an éclair.