Chapter 58

Lia recalled the time she met that mage—no, the Interim Empress’s lady-in-waiting, Carmen.

Their first encounter was in the early spring of the year she died.  

It was not long after the path for ordinary people reopened, following the subjugation of the monsters.

“I’m a mage from the south. My name is Carmen.”  

One day, she came out of nowhere and knocked on Lia’s door.

“I told the village headman about my situation, and he said you know a lot about herbs.”  

Carmen spoke, blinking her big eyes.

“I’m a mage who makes potions, and I heard there are rare herbs on this mountain.”  

She smiled bashfully and scratched the back of her head.

“So as soon as the road opened, I came here.”  

Looking into those blue eyes, filled only with pure passion for learning, Lia felt a kinship, thinking they were alike.  

She didn’t realize it was all an act.

“The Mage Tower I work at is nothing special, and I don’t need a lot of herbs since it’s just for research, so don’t worry.”  

When Lia expressed concern about the mountain being ruined, Carmen reassured her.

“…I’m doing research to save people.”  

She said this while picking herbs with Lia’s help.

Hearing that, Lia was genuinely happy she could help Carmen.  

She’d always wanted to use the knowledge she learned from her grandmother to help people, and now she could, even in this way.

“Lia, have you always lived here?”  

Carmen asked on the way back from gathering herbs.

“Yes, as far as I remember. I haven’t even been to other regions, hardly even to cities in the north.”

“This is my first time leaving the south, too.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I only came to the Capital for the first time on this trip north.”

“You haven’t even seen the palace?”

“…I was too busy coming north, so I haven’t even been near it.”

Carmen made a sad face.

“When you go back, you should definitely take a look. They say it’s so magnificent and beautiful.”

“Yes, I’ll have to look around when I go.”

As Lia helped Carmen, she gradually became closer to her.  

Even Alma was sometimes jealous.

“At this rate, I might lose my spot as your best friend.”  

Alma glared at Lia.

“No, Alma. Don’t say that.”

“If you keep ignoring me, who am I supposed to hang out with? Oh dear, what do I do now?”  

Alma whined, teasing Lia.

“…Lia. You know, it’s just a feeling but—”  

Suddenly, Alma lowered her voice.

“Hm?”

“I find that mage strangely unsettling.”

“Alma, Carmen is really a good—”

“I know, you’re going to say she’s a good person, right? But sometimes, I really don’t like the way she looks at you.”  

Alma cut her off and shared her thoughts.

“Maybe you’re just seeing it that way because you don’t like her?”  

Lia, who thought Carmen was a good person, felt a bit offended.

“Yeah, I hope it’s just my prejudice. Anyway, Lia, don’t get too close. That’s my advice as your best friend.”  

Alma replied, grumbling.

After hearing Alma’s words, Lia tried to observe Carmen more closely, but she never got that impression.  

‘Alma must be misunderstanding.’

Time passed like that.

About two months after Carmen arrived, one night, Lia drank alcohol with her.  

It was to celebrate that Carmen had finally gathered all the herbs she wanted.

“But Lia, how did you end up raising a child alone?”  

Carmen asked after they’d had some drinks.

“…My husband abandoned us.”  

Lia, with a red face from the alcohol, answered.

“Your husband left?”  

Carmen’s eyes flashed as she leaned in.

There was something predatory, like a hyena, in her persistence, but Lia didn’t notice.  

She was already tipsy, her mood floating.

“Do you know why he left?”  

Carmen asked, and Lia began to spill her story.

How she met her husband, when they married and had a baby, when he left, how she found out his identity, and how she ended up selling his sword—everything.

Carmen’s questioning felt like an interrogation, but Lia thought it was just the alcohol making her feel that way.  

If she’d been sober, maybe she would have noticed something was off.  

She didn’t realize that Carmen’s attitude had changed after she got drunk.

Unfortunately, Lia suspected nothing and fell asleep, intoxicated.

The next day, she woke up with a hangover.  

Carmen, who had gotten up earlier, suddenly said goodbye.

“…You’re leaving now?”  

Lia asked, her voice still sleepy.

“Yes. I didn’t expect to leave so soon, but something urgent came up.”

“Still…”

“I’ll miss you a lot, Lia.”  

Carmen lightly hugged Lia, then let go.

“Thanks to you, I think my research will make real progress. Thank you.”  

Carmen smiled and pulled something from her pocket.

“This is a small token of thanks.”  

It was a bottle of perfume, clear as crystal.

“It’s nothing special, just perfume I made myself. It’s also good for calming the mind and body.”

“Oh, thank you.”  

Lia placed the perfume on the table.

“Try it now.”  

Carmen picked up the perfume and handed it to her.

“…Now?”  

Lia hesitated, still hungover.

“My stomach’s upset, so I’d rather not right now. Maybe later…”

“This scent is very refreshing, it even helps with hangovers.”  

Carmen’s eyes flashed as she pressed the bottle into Lia’s hand.

“…Really? Then I’ll try it.”  

Lia, half-believing her, opened the bottle.

“Smell it, too.”  

Carmen said, stepping back slightly.

“Okay.”  

Lia sprayed the perfume on her wrist and brought it to her nose.

A unique yet subtle scent entered her nose.

“How do you feel?”

“How do I feel? I think I’m okay.”  

Lia answered, puzzled by the sudden question.

“…I guess you don’t feel much. Well, I really have to go.”  

Carmen, looking relieved, waved her hand.

For some reason, her attitude made Lia a little sad, as if she’d never come back.

“It’s been fun, Carmen. If you come by again, stop in.”  

Lia waved, hiding her disappointment.

“…Well, I doubt I’ll ever come back.”  

Carmen muttered to herself and turned away.

Lia watched Carmen walk away.  

Carmen never looked back, not even once as she left the village.  

She seemed focused only on leaving, as if there was no reason to return.

After that day, Lia’s health began to deteriorate rapidly.  

Neither healers nor healing mages could cure her.

‘Thinking back, the timing was too perfect.’  

Lia took a sip of her now-cold tea.

“At the time, I thought it was just the hangover making me feel sick…”

Remembering now, the way Carmen insisted she use the perfume, her eyes—everything had been chillingly persistent.

‘Stupid, Alma even warned me and I didn’t notice.’

She let out a deep sigh and rubbed her face with her hands.

“…Even while drinking, she kept asking about me.”

Why would a woman who was the Interim Empress’s lady-in-waiting disguise herself and ask so many questions?  

‘…Wait, because she’s the Interim Empress’s lady-in-waiting, she was asking all that. She must have known who I was.’

Lia sat up on the sofa in shock.

“How did she find me all the way out in the mountains?”  

She didn’t know how they found her, but she could guess why.

Because she had a child with the Duke of Blumhart, and they were worried she might become an obstacle to the imperial princess’s future.

‘If necessary, they’d even kill me…’

But instead of k*lling her, they made her use the perfume and left.

About a month after using the perfume, she died.

Goosebumps ran from Lia’s waist up to her neck.

* * *

Normally, attendants should wait in their designated areas in advance.

Johann didn’t want to trouble Lia, who came with Rafaella, with such chores.  

So he stopped the attendant who said he would fetch them from the guest room and went to the lounge with Rafaella himself.

“Why are you standing there?”  

Johann asked, seeing Samuel in front of the lounge.

“I was waiting for you, Your Grace, because I have something to report.”  

Samuel replied, already knowing Johann would come himself.

“What is it?”

“I’ll tell you in the next room.”  

Thinking it was no light matter, Johann sent Rafaella into the lounge and went with Samuel to the adjoining room.

“Your Grace, on the way to the lounge with Miss Lia, we ran into Her Majesty the Interim Empress.”

“What?”  

Johann’s eyebrows twisted.

As Samuel explained everything that happened, Johann’s expression hardened.

“…Of all people, the Interim Empress.”

Johann let out a deep sigh.

‘I shouldn’t have granted Rafaella’s request this time. I thought I should do anything my daughter asked, but…’

With a heavy heart, Johann opened the lounge door.

“You’re here?”

“Are you all right?”

“…You heard, didn’t you. My legs shook, but I’m fine.”  

Lia answered with a smile.

Her attempt to reassure Johann only made his heart heavier.

“…Don’t smile like that.”  

He snapped, unable to help himself.