Chapter 33

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 33

Chapter Title: Star Festival and the Ashen Wolf (5)

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“Why don’t you want to return to the gods’ embrace?”

“Pardon?”

“I understand why you want to die, Princess. Anyone in your shoes would. But I can’t for the life of me figure out why you’re fighting so hard not to be laid to rest in an Adelia casket.”

“……”

“What’s the reason? Is there something I need to know that you’re not telling me?”

At the time, she hadn’t been in her right mind, so it hadn’t occurred to her that he might find this strange.

Of course there was something he didn’t know. But it wasn’t something he needed to know. Not right now, at least.

“There’s nothing, Your Grace. I simply thought that I, the sole survivor who couldn’t protect anyone, didn’t deserve to join my family in the gods’ embrace.”

Floyd stared at Roxiana for a long moment without responding, then nodded.

“I see. So you’ve changed your mind now?”

“I finally remembered my father’s words, and I’ve decided to accept my fate. So now, I need to do what I can.”

“And that’s the laundry?”

“You said you don’t need my sword or my shield. What else can I do?”

With that, Roxiana recalled his bedroom, barren of even a single blanket, and added,

“Shall I tend to your bedchamber, Your Grace? So you can sleep soundly under covers.”

Floyd’s face flushed red.

“What are you saying right now?”

“You said you slept deeply because of me, that I might have value in bed……”

“Don’t take my jokes seriously.”

“Ah……”

Roxiana flushed as well. Floyd, seeing her bow her head in embarrassment, quickly added,

“It’s true I slept well because of you, Princess, but calling you a succubus was just a joke. Did I really look that serious when I said it?”

Roxiana tried to recall his expression from that moment, but it wouldn’t come to her. Floyd burst into laughter at the sight of her head bowed deep in serious thought.

Gazing at her bewildered upward glance, Floyd thought she looked like a rabbit and said,

“No need to rack your brain that seriously. You’ve got a surprisingly quirky side, Princess.”

“Am…… I quirky?”

“Yes. Very quirky, Princess.”

“That’s a new one for me.”

“Does it bother you?”

Does it?

Roxiana tilted her head slightly to the side.

In the past, it might have irked her a little. Back then, she’d had to maintain her royal dignity, leaving no room for flaws.

But now, having lost everything, others’ opinions hardly mattered.

“No, it doesn’t bother me.”

“Good. I was worried I’d put my foot in my mouth again.”

“You can say whatever you like to me, Your Grace.”

“No. I don’t want to see you upset, Princess.”

Roxiana didn’t know how to respond, so she lowered her gaze. Her long, thick lashes cast shadows over her eyes.

“You’re so kind to me, granting every request I make, so why won’t you honor this one? Why won’t you stop calling me Princess?”

“Well……”

Floyd looked at her profile, remembering the cheerful girl from his childhood.

The one who’d handed her umbrella to a total stranger without hesitation, smiling brightly even as she got soaked in the rain.

Years later, when they met again, that girl no longer smiled—no, she couldn’t smile. Floyd wanted to see her shine as brilliantly as before.

“If you want to do something so badly, come out with me tomorrow. There’s a circus troupe that only comes during the Star Festival, and I saw they’ve already arrived.”

Roxiana blinked at the sudden suggestion but nodded readily. Confirming her agreement, Floyd rose and headed for the parlor door, only to pause and look back.

Roxiana stared blankly down at her skirt, lost in thought, her face expressionless.

“You’re the only one I’ve ever truly thought of as a princess in all my life. So no matter where you are, what you have, or what mark is branded on your shoulder—you’ll always be Princess to me.”

He flashed a grin at her puzzled look and added,

“That’s the answer to your question earlier, Princess.”

After Floyd left, Roxiana lingered alone in the parlor, gazing down at her feet. The warmth from when he’d held her hand came rushing back, heating her cheeks.

He’s like a storm.

He harbored flames within, yet he was a storm of a man. Facing him felt like being swept up in a typhoon beyond human control.

She’d get caught in his words, his demeanor, his gaze, his emotions—helplessly carried away until she came to her senses and realized she’d done or said things she never thought herself capable of. Somehow, without realizing it, he’d pulled her bit by bit from the darkness she’d thought inescapable.

A circus……

Roxiana had never seen one.

Whenever a circus troupe visited the capital of Kanta Kingdom, she’d longed to go, but permission was always denied. The grounds were dim, crowded with strangers, and security was lax—too risky, they said.

One day, unable to bear it any longer, she’d tried sneaking out of the palace with her youngest brother, Lanian. Naturally, they hadn’t even set foot outside before her escort knight, Robert, caught them. On the way back to her room after a severe scolding from her father, she’d promised Lanian,

-“Someday, when I’m stronger than Robert, I’ll take you to the circus.”

She’d never kept that promise.

If she was going to die anyway, wouldn’t it have been better to go seeing the circus she’d always wanted rather than under Lucas’s blade?

No, there were so many good things besides the circus. Lanian got to experience those, so maybe……

She couldn’t bring herself to think he’d been happy. Her little brother, not even an adult yet, had died screaming—hard to imagine happiness in that.

Roxiana buried her face in her hands but didn’t cry. She simply breathed slowly, trying to quell the renewed longing for death creeping over her.

I can’t die yet. There are things I have to do.

As she soothed herself, a knock came, and Petria entered, arms full of bundles.

“Lady Roxiana. I bought some clothes.”

It was far more than “some.”

Petria unwrapped the bundles, laying out the contents on the sofa one by one. They were winter garments—nothing flashy, but warm-looking.

“I was going to go with you, but you seemed busy, so I went alone. I hope you like them. My taste might not be great……”

Petria spoke apologetically, but Roxiana could tell she’d put in real effort. She didn’t need to be told how hard it must have been to scrape together the money for these.

“Thank you. I love them all.”

“I wanted to get you better ones, but the grand ducal palace’s finances are tight these days.”

Roxiana shook her head at Petria’s excuse-like words.

“No, I really do love them. And please, don’t say anything to His Grace.”

Petria bowed her head, feeling as if her thoughts had been read. She’d been thinking that if she hinted to the man who carried Roxiana around so proudly that the lady lacked a proper dress, he might do something about it.

Sticking to the budget from Head Maid Elledrun, she hadn’t been able to buy anything fancy. Petria had dreamed of seeing Roxiana in a beautiful dress suited to her, but warmth was more urgent now.

These were the best off-the-rack items, but no noble lady would touch them. Nobles always wanted to stand out as the most special.

“Oh, Petria. I’m going to the circus with His Grace tomorrow.”

Petria, folding the clothes, jumped at Roxiana’s words.

“Tomorrow? What will you wear? You don’t have anything suitable!”

“What do you mean? There’s all this.”

Roxiana fiddled with a thick white dress made of plain fabric—no patterns, no colors, no lace. Utterly ordinary.

“This will do just fine.”

Petria’s eyes trembled at the sight.

His Grace, going to the circus with a lady for once, and that’s all she had to wear?

Roxiana seemed unconcerned, but it wasn’t that simple. With the festival, noblewomen would flock to the streets too, and if they saw her beside Floyd in those shabby clothes, their thoughts were obvious.

Of course, our princess is far more beautiful than those women……

But a dress was a dress.

Noble ladies proved their worth through their attire and jewels. Petria didn’t want her sweet, lovely princess mocked by the others.

After agonizing, Petria confided in her close maid friends. One who’d been at the laundry earlier that day pulled a lace remnant from a box under her bed.

“A noblewoman who stayed here once left this. Maybe we can fancy up that dress with it?”

The kitchen maid exclaimed “Ah!” and fetched her own box, full of shiny beads.

“I’ve collected beads dropped by noble kids. We could make the hem sparkle.”

“I’ve got ribbons. Hold on, I’ll grab them.”

One by one, they offered their treasured items, and Petria joyfully retrieved the white dress from Roxiana’s wardrobe.

Unbeknownst to Roxiana, the plain white dress began to transform, little by little—like the feelings of the Lily Palace staff toward her.