Chapter 4 (Part 10)

As soon as Meia exited the teleportation, she was in awe.

The vast sea and port spread out before her eyes filled her heart with excitement.

“Juan, look, it’s a seagull!”

“Yes, Lady.”

“Juan, it looks like a ship is coming into the port!”

“Yes, Lady.”

Meia spoke excitedly, looking around. Juan was on guard.

He sensed the filthy gazes of lecherous flies fixed on her beautiful smile.

“Lady, please put on your robe.”

“Huh? A robe?”

“Flies are gathering.”

“Oh, I was so excited that I forgot to put on my robe.”

The Grand Duchy of Florence is surrounded by the sea on three sides, making it a place where fishing, trade, and tourism thrive. However, the frequent appearance of pirate ships in the straits connecting to other places means that the security situation is not good.

But to Meia, rumors were just rumors. Talking about things not personally experienced was very foolish.

“The smell of the sea is nice.”

“Lady, shall we go directly to the Grand Duke’s mansion?”

“Yes, let’s go.”

Meia was curious about the expression Theodore would make when he saw her.

No, she missed him terribly. She even dreamed of him last night.

In her dream, he was hesitant to part, looking reluctant. In reality, Meia had bid him farewell at the Mage Tower, but she had watched his lingering back from the window for a long time before he finally left.

‘Will his face turn red? Will he be surprised? Will he laugh? He won’t faint from shock, will he?’

She was so curious about Theodore’s expression. Thinking about it made Meia smile.

At the same time, her heart fluttered.

‘My heart feels tingly… It’s pounding. Could it be arrhythmia at this age?’

Come to think of it, Theodore had once mentioned he felt like he had arrhythmia. Well, diseases don’t choose their victims, so she should take better care of her health.

“Lady, you seem to be in a good mood.”

“Thinking about Grand Duke Theodore’s face makes me feel happy.”

Juan had never seen Meia smile so genuinely.

Of course, she often smiled at people, but her eyes never smiled.

But now, Meia was humming a little tune and smiling.

Especially since she hadn’t smiled much after her parents, David and Violet, passed away, Juan felt both unfamiliar and relieved to see her smiling now.

“Are you happy at the thought of meeting the Grand Duke, Lady?”

“Yes, I think so.”

While at the Mage Tower, even when making artifacts and scrolls, Meia often thought of Theodore’s face and laughed.

Though there had been many sad events, thinking of that man made her laugh and feel better.

“Lady… does your heart race when you see the Grand Duke?”

Meia couldn’t understand Juan’s question. If a person’s heart didn’t race, they would be no different from a corpse.

A person’s chest! The heart naturally beats!

“Juan… If a person’s heart doesn’t beat, wouldn’t they be dead? How could they be alive? I don’t understand the intent of your question, so please ask more clearly.”

Juan sighed at Meia’s answer.

“Never mind.”

“Next time, ask only questions I can answer.”

“Yes.”

Meia tied her hair with a ribbon and tucked it inside her robe, securing it tightly so it wouldn’t blow away in the wind, and spoke to Juan.

“Juan, can you see my face well?”

“It’s well covered.”

“Juan, now go into the shadows.”

“Yes.”

Juan melted into the shadows.

Meia stood to the left of the brown horse in front of her. She patted the horse’s cheek.

“The horse is gentle.”

Meia stroked the reins and the horse’s mane, then grabbed them, placed her left foot in the stirrup, held the back of the saddle, and pushed off the ground with her right foot to mount the saddle.

“But how do I get to the Grand Duke’s mansion?”

Thinking about Theodore, she didn’t know the location of the mansion and just mounted the horse.

Eventually, Juan scouted the Grand Duke’s mansion first and informed Meia of its location.

***

Since the artist Quini came to the Grand Duchy of Florence, Theodore had regained his vitality.

Though he couldn’t receive a reply from Meia, he kept writing letters because he felt suffocated if he didn’t.

Every time he wrote a letter, he couldn’t erase the aching longing.

But looking at Meia’s portrait, which Quini lent him, Theodore consoled himself.

And after ten days, the Mage Tower sent a wizard.

“Your Grace! A wizard has arrived!”

Butler Venable received the acceptance certificate at the entrance of the Grand Duke’s mansion and immediately went to find Theodore.

“Escort the wizard to the reception room, and we’ll discuss the request fee.”

“Understood.”

Venable was excited, thinking that perhaps the wizard from the Mage Tower would bring news of Lady Meia, which might cheer up Theodore.

“Ten days… It’s been ten days after a wizard came…”

Thinking of the word “wizard” made Theodore press his palms against his eyes, trying not to cry as Meia’s face came to mind again.

Head Maid Hannah looked at him with pity.

“Master, I will escort the wizard to the reception room.”

“Yes.”

Venable and Head Maid Hannah went to the entrance of the mansion to greet the wizard.

It was a 30-minute carriage ride from the mansion to the entrance.

The carriage stopped. Venable got off the carriage and ordered the front gate of the mansion to be opened.

The thick iron gate of the mansion opened, and Venable warmly welcomed the wizard on horseback.

‘A wizard on horseback.’

Wizards weren’t incapable of riding horses, but it was rare to see one arrive on horseback.

The wizard was covered from head to toe in a dark red robe, making it impossible to tell their gender, but it was clear that the robe was quite expensive.

“Welcome. I am Butler Venable of the Grand Duchy of Florence.”

“Hello. I am Head Maid Hannah, wizard.”

Meia removed her feet from the stirrups and gracefully slid off the horse.

“Oh, wizard, you ride very well.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

A clear female voice reached Venable and Hannah’s ears.

“I’ve been riding since I was young.”

As the dark red robe of the wizard was removed, Venable’s eyes began to widen.

He couldn’t say a word.

The hair color of the wizard who removed the robe was an uncommon silver.

And the blue eyes that were so coldly beautiful were familiar.

They were very familiar. No, they were indeed familiar!

Venable’s heart began to race.

The person in the portrait that Theodore cherished so much was standing right in front of him.

“Nice to meet you. I am the wizard Meia Hatzbellua, who has come on a request from the Mage Tower.”

The wizard who had dismounted introduced herself as the name Venable had heard countless times while taking care of the lovesick Theodore.

Venable and Hannah were frozen on the spot.