Chapter 26

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 26

Chapter Title: Treasure of the Golden Lion and the Polluted Water (10)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Roxiana couldn't understand why she was saying such things.

Perhaps it stemmed from the faint hope that if she—who had failed to protect her family by doing nothing—could safeguard someone else, God might take pity on her and embrace her loved ones in His arms.

Floyd frowned.

"No."

"I might be able to help."

"That power is incredibly useful, but I never want to see you use it again. Do you have any idea what state you were in when you collapsed?"

"But I'm alive and well now. I'll be your sword and shield, Your Highness."

"What about playing the fox spirit?"

"That too, if you wish."

Floyd burst into loud laughter.

"Playing fox spirit might actually work. Sharing a bed with you would at least mean I'd get a fluffy blanket. But no, Princess. Right now, you don't look like a cheeky fox spirit—you barely seem fit to play the part of a proper noble lady."

Floyd scanned Roxiana from head to toe before speaking.

"Unless you want me to carry you all the way to Lily Palace, get up now and go back to rest."

Roxiana realized that stubbornness wouldn't get her anywhere. She also reminded herself that she wasn't in any position to act willfully.

Just a short while ago, she'd had no desire to live and only wished for death. Breathing itself had felt sinful, leaving her unable to swallow even a bite of food.

She was bewildered by her own behavior—acting like a perfectly fine person just because she'd saved a few lives.

Nothing's changed.

She still couldn't do anything worthwhile. She'd collapsed after accepting the spirit, troubling Floyd in the process. A body that crumbled after briefly hosting a spirit could hardly be useful for slaying magical beasts.

Floyd silently watched as Roxiana slipped out of bed and headed quietly for the door.

It felt odd. Moments ago, she'd been burning with the fighting spirit to charge onto the battlefield, and now she looked like a ghost.

Why's she like this again? Did I say something wrong?

He was grateful that her power had saved those on the brink of death. But he never wanted to go through what followed ever again.

A body turning as cold as frost!

He'd only been able to save her thanks to that capricious, mad entity. She'd called it the fire spirit, but whatever it was, it had scarcely ever acted as Floyd wished.

If her body froze over again, there was no guarantee he could save her as luckily as before.

Yet the sight of her opening the door without a single glance back, utterly listless, gnawed at him. Without thinking, Floyd called out.

"Princess."

Roxiana turned her head, hand on the doorknob. Meeting her downcast eyes, Floyd asked cautiously.

"Are you upset?"

Roxiana's eyes widened, then narrowed. She furrowed her brow slightly as if annoyed by his words, then smoothed her expression back to blank and replied evenly.

"Your Highness truly is absurd."

As Roxiana walked back to the main palace, she felt the servants' gazes upon her. She noticed them glancing her way and whispering among themselves but pretended not to see or hear, keeping her eyes forward.

Passing the expansive garden beside the main palace, she spotted the archway leading to Lily Palace's garden. For the first time that day, Roxiana truly took in the Grand Duke's palace grounds.

Floyd's bedroom had been stark and barren, but the palace gardens were vibrant and beautiful. Even late November—when winter sapped the life from plants back in Kanta Kingdom—the air here wasn't so harsh, and the greenery still thrived vividly.

Roxiana trailed her fingers along the vines clinging to the arch as she entered Lily Palace's garden. She passed the pond where the child had collapsed and stepped inside the palace, where the working servants startled and bowed deeply.

"Princess."

She couldn't fathom why these servants, who had treated her so indifferently before, were now so courteous, but Roxiana dipped her head lightly in return.

"I'm not a princess. Just call me Roxiana."

She didn't understand why everyone insisted on "princess" when she no longer was one. Likely because the palace's master called her that—but the title weighed heavily, oppressively.

Roxiana left the speechless servants behind and climbed the stairs. Entering her second-floor bedroom, Petria—who had been cleaning—rushed over in a flurry.

"Roxiana! Are you all right? I heard you collapsed. Does it hurt badly?"

Roxiana studied Petria's face with a newfound warmth.

Petria had always been polite, kind, and attentive toward her from the very start. Just like Rasha.

A gratitude she hadn't registered amid her mental exhaustion now welled up in her chest.

"I'm fine. Thank you for worrying, Petria."

"I'm so relieved, truly. I heard you accomplished something amazing. Jackie wouldn't shut up about it—now everyone in Lily Palace knows what you did."

"Jackie?"

"Oh, the apprentice cook in the kitchen. He collapsed from the polluted water yesterday. He asked me to pass on his deepest thanks and say he'll pledge his lifelong loyalty. He'd be over the moon if you just acknowledged him sometime."

Roxiana wasn't sure how to respond to Petria's effusive excitement.

She'd only done what she could. It didn't feel like she'd bestowed some grand favor on them.

"Aren't you hungry? The cooks are dying to whip up anything for you."

"For me?"

"Yes, everyone wants to do something for you. You're their benefactor."

"Ah..."

At a loss for words, Roxiana fell silent, and Petria flushed.

"I get it, Roxiana—your feelings make perfect sense. After treating you so dismissively, for us to flip like this now that you've done us a favor... it's absurd, even to me. You have no idea the things I said."

The servants' rough treatment had felt natural to Roxiana. Politeness toward someone with a visible slave brand would have been the oddity.

"So, Roxiana, anything you'd like to eat? We still can't use water freely, so nothing extravagant, but we'll pour our hearts into it."

"Just... some fruit."

After Petria left, Roxiana sank onto the sofa, drained.

She hadn't realized channeling a spirit into her body would sap her strength so thoroughly. Her body still shivered with chills, her legs refused to hold her weight, and her lungs felt stiff, making every breath a struggle.

But everyone made it through safely.

Roxiana clutched the cushion embroidered with the Adelia Flower.

Even as she deemed it fortunate, she couldn't shake the thought of how good it would have been if she could have helped when her own family was dying.

Roxiana buried her face in the cushion, striving to escape the bitter despair.

Just recently, she'd let it consume her unchecked; now she fought to break free—but she didn't yet realize it.

It's a good thing. My family would have praised me if they saw. God must think so too. That's why He showed me Ekyon in my dream.

As Roxiana recalled Ekyon's gentle touch, Petria returned carrying a fruit basket. She set down the basket brimming with fresh fruit and said,

"Roxiana, a guest is here. They're waiting in the drawing room..."

"A guest?"

Until now, the only visitor had been Floyd—and he always barged straight into her bedroom without ceremony. Who could this polite guest waiting in the drawing room be?

"Yes, Sir Hexston."

When Roxiana entered the first-floor drawing room, Hexston—who had been seated on the sofa—sprang to his feet.

Usually wandering about in shabby attire, Hexston now wore his knight order uniform. His tousled hair was neatly combed back, golden epaulets gleaming, making him look every bit the knight come to pay audience with the king.

He stood before Roxiana, clenched his right fist, placed it over his left chest, and bowed his head.

"Hexston Lenadro of the Golden Lion Knight Order humbly greets the Princess of Franche."

Not expecting such formality, Roxiana halted and stared at him before saying,

"I'm no princess, Sir Lenadro. Please, raise your head."

"You are a princess. No matter what anyone says—to me, you are."

Hexston kept his head bowed as he spoke.

"You saved my daughter. Without you, my family would be drowning in despair before her corpse right now. In saving her, you saved me, my wife, my son... and my treasure."

His resolute voice trembled ever so slightly.

"Since you rescued my treasure, please permit me to pledge my knight's oath to you."

"A knight's oath...? Sir Lenadro, I'm nothing but a slave now. For you to swear it to me would be the gravest insult—not just to you, but to your family and your knights."

"I've already secured their permission—family and knights alike. All I need is yours, Princess."

Flustered by Hexston's unyielding stance, Roxiana hesitated. He showed no sign of rising until she consented.