Chapter 50

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 50

Chapter Title: The Dead Forest and the Fairy Garden (7)

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Roxiana staggered to her feet, brushed the dirt off her skirt, and composed her expression. She didn't want to show any signs of exhaustion to Elledrun.

At Roxiana's call, Elledrun emerged into the garden and looked around her garden with wide eyes, as if she couldn't believe it. The foul stench that had stung her nose was gone, and the blackened soil had returned to its original color.

Elledrun covered her face with both hands and sobbed.

"Thank you, truly, thank you."

Roxiana had no idea how to react to Elledrun, who was shedding tears of joy even though the dead trees hadn't truly come back to life and the flowers weren't blooming as lushly as before.

-"There's nothing the princess can do."

Floyd's voice echoed in her mind. Along with the profound despair she'd felt back then.

'That I can't do anything?'

Roxiana looked at the landscape she'd changed and at Elledrun, who was weeping with joy. A faint smile briefly touched Roxiana's lips before fading away.

'I can do anything.'

"When I won the Fairy Garden Contest, I was even happier than when my son received his knighthood. Because I'd done it all by myself."

On the terrace with a clear view of the garden, Elledrun spoke as they sat across from a small tea table. She gazed down at the garden with eyes full of affection.

"I'd truly given up by now, but thanks to you, Princess, I can challenge the contest once more. Thank you so much."

"No need to thank me. I just did what I could."

"No. You must have felt that I treated you poorly. And yet, you moved for my sake anyway. Not just anyone could show such kindness to someone who dislikes them."

Elledrun let out a sigh.

"The first thing His Grace the Grand Duke did after entering Torkan was to proclaim a ban on slavery. I thought that was wonderful. Because all people are equal under the love of God. But I was the biggest supporter of the slave system. It was just a brand—what did it matter?"

Elledrun set down her teacup and bowed her head.

"I apologize for my attitude up until now, Princess."

"No, what are you talking about? The Head Maid and I have never even met."

"Didn't you notice, Princess? Petria was just a lowly maid. His Grace ordered me to send a skilled maid to the Lily Palace, but I didn't obey."

Roxiana had long realized Petria wasn't from a noble house, but it wasn't something worth making an issue of. Petria was diligent, kind, clever, and quick. Roxiana had never once felt uncomfortable.

"You never even reported that to His Grace, so I've been in your debt from then until now."

"Head Maid."

"Please, call me Elledrun."

It was deeply uncomfortable seeing Elledrun, who was around her mother's age, unable to lift her head. After a moment's hesitation, Roxiana spoke.

"You were just doing what you thought was right from your position, and I just did what I could. As for Petria, I'm actually grateful. You could have sent an incompetent maid to mess with me, but instead, you chose a clever one."

"Princess......"

"Women from good families wouldn't have served a slave-branded girl like me properly either. Your judgment was correct."

Elledrun was so moved she nearly swooned.

How could this beautiful, clever, elegant, and kind princess also be so considerate?

She'd thought her decades of life had honed her judgment of people, but she realized anew how lacking she was. To have slighted and mocked such a person just because of a slave brand.

'If only such a woman became my son's wife—there'd be nothing better.'

She quickly dismissed the sudden thought.

To have such a horrible idea about her benefactor.

'Where would I even stick that bear of a boy who's only interested in swords and martial arts without proper grooming? It's not like repaying kindness with enmity.'

Roxiana deserved a more elegant, handsome man who knew etiquette well. Someone like Arsen Chetek, for example.

'Yes, she'd pair perfectly with Sir Chetek. Standing together, they'd look like a goddess and god side by side.'

Just imagining Arsen's silver hair and Roxiana's platinum locks shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight made her dizzy.

Having no idea what Elledrun was thinking, Roxiana sipped her fragrant black tea and said,

"Ah, Madam. I have one request......"

"Of course, anything."

"Please don't tell anyone about what happened today."

"Yes, of course. Naturally."

Elledrun was quick on the uptake, so she figured the power Roxiana possessed wasn't ordinary.

A power that drove out demonic energy.

Normally, only holy knights and priests who had offered their bodies and souls to God Weden should possess it. And the Empire and the Temple wouldn't leave someone with such power alone.

They'd drag them into the Temple—or kill them if they refused.

Well aware of that reality, Elledrun had no intention of spreading word of today's events.

"But...... couldn't you tell His Grace the Grand Duke?"

But with Floyd, it would be different. If the Grand Duke learned of Roxiana's power, he'd surely grant her even greater authority and status.

"Yes, not yet. Please don't tell anyone for now."

Roxiana had her own plans, so she hoped Floyd wouldn't learn of what she'd accomplished here. If he did, he might assign someone to watch her and prevent her from overexerting herself.

"Yes, I will. Don't worry—my lips are sealed."

Afterward, Elledrun talked at length about how she'd redesign the garden. Listening to her vibrant, joyful stories wasn't boring at all, so Roxiana spent quite some time there before returning to the Lily Palace.

And there, in front of the Lily Palace archway, she spotted a man with long silver hair crouched down. The silver-haired man held a large bone in his hand.

Arsen intended to distract the wolf at the Lily Palace.

As Floyd had said, that cute and lovable baby wolf was under Roxiana's care. Whether it stayed small its whole life or collapsed somewhere sick, it wasn't Arsen's problem.

'Right, I just need to take care of my own dogs.'

But every time he saw his own dogs growing healthily, that tiny young beast came to mind, stirring his heart.

Gray wolves native to this region grew to the length of an adult woman. If that wolf was three or four months old, it should have been at least as big as the dogs Arsen raised.

While watching his knights train at the training grounds, Arsen heard that Roxiana had gone to Head Maid Elledrun's residence. Unable to bear it any longer, he headed to the Lily Palace.

Before arriving, he stopped by the kitchen to get a large bone covered in meat. He wasn't trying to kidnap the wolf. He just wanted to lure it out with this and check on it briefly. Or maybe take it to a veterinarian in the city.

Fortunately, the gray wolf was out in the Lily Palace garden. It lay on its back in the particularly beautiful garden lawn, sleeping contentedly.

'It's definitely small. Is it really a wolf and not a dog?'

Even though he'd approached quietly, the wolf sensed him, snapped its eyes open, jumped up, bared its teeth, and glared at Arsen. Even when Arsen offered the meaty bone, the wolf didn't let down its guard.

"I won't hurt you."

Even speaking in the gentlest tone didn't help. The wolf lowered its upper body into an attack stance.

"I'm just checking why you aren't growing. Just looking. It won't hurt. Tsk, tsk, tsk."

No matter how much he coaxed and soothed, the wolf wouldn't relax. Its brown eyes glaring at Arsen held a hint of irritation and anger.

"Hey."

The small, slender voice came just as Arsen resolved to offer his forearm and grab it. Too focused on the wolf to notice anyone approaching, Arsen jumped in fright and turned around.

"Woof!"

The wolf barked happily, brushed past Arsen, and ran to Roxiana. Unlike with Arsen, it stopped in front of her, wagging its tail furiously and acting cute. It even wiggled its hindquarters as if reuniting after a century.

"Yes, yes."

Roxiana bent down, stroked the wolf's head, then picked it up. Arsen was dumbfounded by the wolf, which narrowed its eyes in pleasure and purred.

'How the hell did this woman tame that baby wolf?'

Then he realized what ridiculous sight she'd caught him in and flushed red. Fortunately, she was focused on petting the wolf and hadn't looked at him.

Arsen quickly composed his expression, cleared his throat with a hem-hem to announce himself. Roxiana slowly raised her head, and their eyes met in midair.

Roxiana started to say something but tilted her head slightly. Only then did Arsen realize he'd never introduced himself to her and opened his mouth.

"Arsen Chetek. Captain of the White Eagle Knight Order."

"Ah, I'm Roxiana. What brings you here? Did our Lion do something wrong?"