Chapter 12

Today’s weather was quite nice. The sun shone down on the plaza as people bustled about. Some carriages drove by while merchants hawked their goods.

Elphie decided to take a stroll and immerse herself in the atmosphere. The shops here were made of mostly the same mold: painted blue wood that gave the entire plaza a light pastel color. It made everything seem slightly more vibrant.

At the center was a fountain. Though it wasn’t as large as the one within the palace, kids flocked around, splashing water and creating some mini puddles. Other people sat on the benches, reading newspapers that were just bought from the newsboy running about.

It was the perfect day to relax. Elphie bought a paper from the newsboy nearby and sat on a bench. There wasn’t anything particularly of note of late, and the previous headliners had gradually faded. The most recent news was speculation on what was rewarded to the Marquis’ family during their audience at the palace, and how Crown Prince Troy led the latest court meeting.

Then there were the gossip articles, rumors on the marital status of the Northern Duke, whether this noble had a mistress, or if the Church would be sponsoring the next community event.

As she briefly glanced through the newspaper, she caught a hint of black out of the corner of her eye. Within the bright square, this black was rather noticeable. She frowned and folded the paper, following it to a nearby alley.

Despite it being right next to the plaza, with a turn, the alley seemed to be in a completely different place. A few stores with heavily-tinted glass lined the street, and there weren’t any pedestrians around–save for one.

Northern Duke Kael slowly turned around, his red eyes meeting her gaze. It was as if he was waiting for her.

Elphie rubbed the tips of her fingers together, ready to use magic to escape if necessary. Before then, she wanted to figure out what this man had to say to her. She quipped: “Quite a place to have a conversation, isn’t it?”

“The young lady also eludes me with her penchant for home.”

Elphie’s mouth twitched. What a way of calling her a homebody! Needless to say, considering the Northern Duke kills the entire Elraba family in the original story, she did not have a great impression of him.

Although the same could be said of Ariadne and the Crown Prince, they weren’t her direct murderer. The psychological pressure was a bit bigger facing the stalwart Duke.

She snorted, “I believe the Northern Duke didn’t lead me here just to exchange jabs.”

“I’d like to cooperate.”

“Cooperate?”

The Northern Duke elaborated, “As Marquis Elraba’s daughter, I’m sure you’re already aware of the true reason for my return.”

While the Marquis didn’t discuss politics with her, Elphie recalled directly from the novel. The Northern Duke’s troops discovered a magic mine along the border of Praetor, and Praetor was threatening war over ownership of the mine.

The court was currently divided into two factions: one supported selling the mine to avoid war, while the other made a call to war in order to protect their country’s pride.

Crown Prince Troy stood on the pro-war faction. Others may assume the Northern Duke would be anti-war, but in truth, he was neutral. However, this neutral party was swept up within this political battle, getting tossed left and right. Now the storm had come to him whether he liked it or not.

Elphie thought for a moment before saying, “You’re unsure of which faction to side with?”

“Yes. I’d like to seek the Marquis’ advice.”

“Then you can simply send a visitation letter. Why the need to sneak around?”

“It’s not that simple.” Northern Duke Kael frowned, his glare appearing almost menacing. “Since I stepped into the capital, my every move has been monitored by the royal family.”

Currently, the Northern Duke appeared to be leaning towards the anti-war faction, pitting him directly against Crown Prince Troy. The latter would undoubtedly find ways to sabotage him, guarding against potential allies he could find and luring others in his party away.

Elphie wanted to retort by asking the royals to not drag the Marquis and his family into this mess, but held her tongue. After all, the Duke himself hadn’t wanted to be involved, but hadn’t the storm come to him on its own?

At present, Marquis Elraba leaned towards the anti-war faction, but he was a figure of great respect. If the crown prince managed to sway him, many others would likely follow.

To war or not to war…

“I cannot give you a guarantee now.” Elphie closed her eyes. She was just an ordinary corporate worker before her transmigration. All these loops and ties were too intricate for her to untangle in a short period of time.

The Northern Duke didn’t flinch at her rejection, merely nodding. Elphie quickly offered some middle ground, “But I can pass on messages between my father and you. Is there anything you’d like the Marquis to know?”

He seemed to mull over it for a while before saying, “Please pass on to the Marquis that the crown prince’s motivations do not seem to lie solely with the mine.” With that said, he turned and disappeared into the alleyways before Elphie could say anything else.

Next time, I’ll have to ask if this battle has more national or personal vendettas involved…

The Crown Prince vs. the Northern Duke. Considering her goal was survival, it seemed that neither party was good to get involved with. If she sided with the Northern Duke, he may not kill her directly, but he may lose to the crown prince ultimately. In that case, Crown Prince Troy would still persecute her family.

On the other hand, if she chose the Crown Prince, Northern Duke Kael may very well kill her family tomorrow. In the novel, Marquis Elraba remained largely neutral, but his family was still implicated and killed.

Right, Elphie suddenly remembered. The Crown Prince’s true goal is to get rid of the Northern Duke.

Did this motivation arise due to their political stances, or was it motivated by threats to his throne?

Elphie briskly walked out of the alley and back into the colorful square. She must return home quickly and sort out her thoughts using the original novel as guidance. Then, she would consult the Marquis.

“Miss Elraba?”

A voice jolted her out of her thoughts. Elphie quickly glanced in the direction of the voice. It was a young lady in a white robe. Platinum-blonde hair flowed beneath the white hood, and her blue eyes twinkled with light as she greeted: “I’ve been waiting for you.”

…What’s with everyone looking for me today? Outwardly, Elphie greeted flawlessly, “Saintess Lyon.”

“Lyon is fine.” The saintess strolled towards her, “Would you have some time now?”

Although Elphie was in a rush to go home and sort out the plot, a chance to speak with the saintess didn’t come easily. She answered, “Yes.”

Seeing the saintess from up close, she was a petite woman, shorter than herself who was of average height, and rather resembled a doll. She looked young for her age, appearing like 18 when she was in her twenties.

Her lashes curled up gently as she smiled, leading the way towards the cathedral. As the busiest plaza in town, the main church was built just outside of it for accessibility.

Passerby bowed and prayed towards the saintess as the two walked down. A gentle smile hung on Lyon’s face the whole time, not minding the distractions or growing impatient at the prayers.

Elphie watched the proceedings, trying to gauge the saintess’ character. While the Church of Mother Earth had been mentioned in the novel, it didn’t play a major role. The Saintess had also hardly been mentioned, and even her death was only mentioned in passing through gossip Ariadne overheard.

How did the Saintess die again…? As Elphie struggled to recall, they had arrived in front of the church, walking up the wide steps. A priest bowed his head as Lyon passed, murmuring a prayer. Nobody asked about the guest as the saintess led her around the hallway.

Elphie raised a question, “Are we not heading inside?” She had thought that the saintess would bring her inside the nave, but they instead circled around it.

“No…” Lyon’s voice was airy, “We will be going to Lyon’s private garden.”

How strange it was to refer to oneself by name. Elphie didn’t quite understand, but it was presumably a quiet area to keep from prying ears and eyes.

Soon they arrived in front of a white gate. There weren’t any guards nor clergy around, leaving the area rather desolate. Lyon seemed unfazed as she lightly unlocked and pushed open the gate, smiling at Elphie to beckon her inside.

After entering, Lyon closed the gate. Inside was a magnificent garden with vibrant flowers and lush greenery. Vines grew entangled around trees, stretching up before hanging down like willows. It was like a garden out of a fairytale, or perhaps, Eden.

“It’s a spectacular garden, isn’t it?” Lyon stepped next to Elphie, her eyes closing slightly as if enjoying something. She continued, “This is a garden reserved for Lyon, so we can talk freely here.”

Elphie followed Lyon to a small table amidst the flowers and trees. Red and pink flowers bloomed from a vine hanging above her seat, and she was tempted to reach out to feel it.

Two seats were placed near the table, and they both seated themselves. While there were no desserts served, the lush greenery served as a feast of sorts for the eyes. If she closed her eyes, she would be able to hear the birds chirping, and the sound of the church bell from not far away.

The peace shattered.

“I know that you’re not from this world.”