77. Fate with Nora

Larael entered the mansion holding the count and countess’s hands, one in each of hers. Everyone went up together to Larael’s bedroom and unpacked her things. The countess hugged Sasha and Joanna, who were helping to organize, one by one. She was sincerely grateful that they had cared for Larael in place of her parents.

The count and countess watched Larael chatter away with fond smiles. She wasn’t quite as pure and endlessly cheerful as she’d been when living in the county, but seeing glimpses of her old self put their minds at ease.

“I heard there was a monster attack. Are you hurt anywhere?”

The count asked with a worried expression. Since the Hedway County was so far from the capital, it was hard to know about things that only spread as rumors, not in the newspapers. It was only after one of the retainers, who had heard that Larael and Edward had been attacked by Fenrir and that the culprit had been executed, passed the news to the count.

Naturally, his first concern was Larael’s health. Hearing that she was safe, he let out a sigh of relief. He’d tried to keep it secret from the countess, who had been suffering from insomnia out of worry for Larael, but the countess had already heard the news from a maid. While he was trying to calm her, saying she wanted to go to the capital right away to see Larael, they received word that Larael was coming to the estate.

“When I heard the news, I truly thought my world was falling apart,” the countess said, stroking Larael’s hand.

“I’m all right. Thanks to His Majesty… Actually, because of me, His Majesty…”

Larael trailed off, the memories of that day coming back to her.

Seeing Larael’s expression darken, the countess quickly changed the subject.

“Larael, I invited your childhood friends for dinner when I heard you were coming.”

“Really??”

Larael tried to recall her childhood friends. The memories weren’t clear, but as she tried, they started to come back one by one. Her heart fluttered.

Just then, there was a knock, and Nora entered the bedroom.

“Mother, you know Nora, right?”

Larael introduced Nora, who was greeting the count and countess.

“I didn’t get a chance to greet you earlier.”

“Oh my!”

Recognizing Nora, the countess stood up in surprise and welcomed her.

Larael told the count and countess about how she’d met Nora by chance, how Nora had entered the Tower, and so on.

“Nora will be staying here and returning with us.”

“I’ll prepare a guest room.”

The countess nodded at Nora. Larael, guessing the reason Nora had come to her room, smiled at the count and countess.

“Father, Mother, I’ll change into something comfortable and come down again. Please go ahead.”

“We’ve been keeping you too long, haven’t we?”

The count and countess hurriedly stood up from the sofa.

“Not at all.”

Larael smiled, saw them out to the bedroom door, and came back. After they left, she sat on the sofa again, and Nora sat down beside her.

“How did the matter I asked you about go?”

“I actually came to talk about that. It was hard to persuade Ferma.”

“Ferma??”

Larael looked puzzled at the unfamiliar name.

“Oh, I mean the Tower Master. Sorry, it’s a habit…”

Larael was briefly surprised that Nora, as the Tower Master’s disciple, called her by name so casually, but considering Nora’s age, she thought it understandable. She also figured the Tower must be a rather informal place.

“The summer palace was under the Tower’s management, but after the recent incident, inspections have become more frequent. The wizards were very displeased. But I persuaded the Tower Master, so I’ll manage it alone until this winter. I’ll arrange for the person Your Highness mentioned to stay at the summer palace.”

“Thank you. That’s the only place I could think of that’s truly safe.”

“What if His Majesty the Emperor finds out…?”

“I’ll take full responsibility for that.”

If Edward understood the circumstances, he would surely accept it. She hadn’t prepared a good excuse for Krauf disease or Hobbs, but she believed that if Edward knew her intentions, he would support her.

“All right.”

“My mother must have prepared a guest room for you. Unpack and rest a bit, then take Hobbs to the summer palace and return.”

“Yes.”

Nora accepted Larael’s instructions as if it were only natural. If Ferma found out, she might ban Nora from going out. Larael felt uneasy about using royal property without Edward’s knowledge, but Herwen was more deeply involved than she’d thought, so it was necessary to hide and protect Hobbs thoroughly. She was certain that in her previous life, it was Herwen who had killed Hobbs. Right now, Hobbs was hiding in Nora’s room in the Tower.

Larael looked at Nora with eyes full of trust. She hadn’t expected to receive so much help from her.

“Aren’t you happy to be back in your hometown after so long, Nora?”

“This actually isn’t my hometown.”

Nora laughed awkwardly. Larael, surprised, covered her open mouth with her hand. Now that she thought about it, Nora had never said this was her hometown. Larael had simply assumed it.

“I see. We really do have a strong connection, don’t we?”

They’d met by chance while Nora was working in a place that wasn’t her hometown, and after becoming a wizard at an older age, she’d met Larael again. Larael had never doubted the odds of meeting her again, but now, hearing that Nora wasn’t from here, she suddenly found it strange.

As Larael’s gaze took on a curious light, Nora gave a faint smile and stood up.

“Then, I’ll be going now.”

“Joanna, please check if Nora’s room has been assigned and show her the way.”

At Larael’s words, Joanna led Nora out of the bedroom.

***

Edward couldn’t focus on his work, distracted by many thoughts.

As expected, the reason was Larael. Just knowing she wasn’t in the palace left him feeling so empty that he couldn’t pay attention to the piles of documents on his desk.

Marquis Argen, unable to watch Edward staring into space any longer, leaned over and whispered in his ear.

“Your Majesty, if you’re going to be like this, why not drop everything and visit Hedway County? I mean it sincerely.”

At his words, Edward’s eyes filled with both resentment and embarrassment toward his friend. He straightened his posture.

“Still no word from Duke Nox about returning?”

“No. The Grand Duke’s engagement to Lady Nox is coming up soon…”

Even if he did return, it would be after that. Edward nodded, but he felt a wave of disappointment toward the Duke, who hadn’t even shown his face. He would soon be facing Herwen directly, and he wasn’t sure if the Duke would side with him. Blood is thicker than water, after all.

“If Duke Nox turns his back on me, I’ll lose a major source of support.”

Edward muttered this to himself as he gazed into space. Marquis Argen bit his lip at those words. It wasn’t wrong. He also knew how much the Duke of Nox cherished his daughter—everyone did.

But there were still ways to increase his support. The position of empress was still vacant. He could marry an empress or several consorts from powerful families, as emperors had traditionally done. Everyone knew this, but no one dared mention it. Even Marquis Argen, who was closest to Edward, didn’t bring it up. Besides, knowing how devoted Larael was to Beatrice, he couldn’t possibly say such a thing.

“It’s almost time for Herwen to arrive.”

Edward had brought up the Duke of Nox because he was scheduled to meet with Herwen soon. Edward leaned back deeply in his chair and slowly turned his gaze from the papers on his desk to Marquis Argen.

“Why do you think Herwen is seeking an audience at a time like this?”

This was the question Edward had asked Marquis Argen ever since receiving Herwen’s request for an audience, but Argen couldn’t give a clear answer. Even now, he couldn’t meet Edward’s gaze with a confident reply.

Edward always used a private reception room to meet Herwen, but this time, he would meet him in the audience chamber. This was an expression of Edward’s changed feelings toward Herwen.

When the scheduled time for the audience arrived, Trix entered the office.

“Your Majesty, it’s time to go to the audience chamber.”

“All right. Let’s go,”

Edward said, rising from his seat.