Chapter 121: Chapter 121

“It looks like the crown prince has thought much about you. He wants to talk with you… If you are worried about any possible encounter with Mrs. Hazlet, don’t worry too much. If she is conscious of others present at the coronation, she won’t do anything reckless. As she witnessed her daughter’s punishment, she will not forget my warning. So, will you believe me and attend the coronation?”

Wendy nodded faintly at his offer. Although she didn’t want to go, she felt it hard not to attend. If she decided not to go, she would feel heavy. As she already witnessed her mother’s death, she knew how the prince who lost his beloved father must be feeling. It was difficult for her to refuse his invitation.

“Thank you,” said Lard, picking up a bottle of water on the table and pouring water into the glass. Like a thirsty man, he gulped down a glass of water.

“The day before his death, I met the emperor. Although he looked tired, I couldn’t find any sign of impending death. ”

“Don’t blame yourself because it’s not your fault… You still haven’t found any clues about Duke Engre’s involvement?”

“… No, not yet. If I could know what he talked about with the emperor, I think I could find some clues. According to the testimony of the emperor’s attendant, the emperor felt very displeased after the duke’s visit.”

“Didn’t they talk about the crown prince’s new legislation? I guess Duke Engre’s faction was driven into a corner with one more day to go before the emperor proclaimed it.”

“Duke Engre said he just had an everyday conversation with the emperor. Who would believe that? I could suspect his motivation behind the meeting, but I couldn’t find any solid evidence about his involvement. According to the doctor, the emperor died from heart failure, but I don’t have any clue to link it to him. After the duke left, several other officials also met the emperor… So, I can’t directly link his death with the duke without any solid evidence,” he said, pressed his temples as if he was tired. His hollow eyes seemed to reflect how distressed he had been for the past few days.

She stood up first, so that he could take a rest. She needed time to reflect before attending tomorrow’s coronation ceremony. Above all, she had to be ready to face Mrs. Hazlet.

Maybe Earl Hazellet would be there, too. He would likely attend. Isn’t he the head of the Hazlet family? It was the moral duty and customs even for the ordinary head of the nobles in the provincial areas to attend the new emperor’s coronation.

Wendy grabbed the invitation card from the crown prince off the table.

If she had to confront this kind of situation someday, this might be a welcome occasion, she thought. Vague fear was supposed to turn into more fear over time. What she got instead was growing nervousness. She hoped that her encounters with them in quick succession would relieve her fear.

The next day she braided her hair, let it down over one side and put on a noble gray-white dress. The moderately bare-necked dress made her look like a neat lady. When she was fully ready, she took Lard’s hand with a determined expression.

Before leaving home, Wendy, who was conscious of people’s attention, did not forget to hide her dress with a long cloak over her dress. Lard also left the house, holding his uniform jacket in hand.

There were no more people in black on the streets. Perhaps because of the coronation of the new emperor, people felt restrained amid the excitement. The new emperor’s taking office was auspicious, so the coronation should take place in a festive atmosphere, but as the coronation was taking place as soon as the state funeral was over, the people could not rejoice freely.

Wendy and Lard headed for the Imperial Palace in a carriage waiting in a remote place outside the alley. As soon as he got into the carriage, Lard put on his jacket and buttoned it up one by one. She also removed her cloak and readjusted her clothing.

On the way to the palace, Lard continued to touch the inner collar of his summer uniform as if he felt stuffy. She laughed a bit, seeing him.

“As I’m with you, I think I’ve gotten used to wearing comfortable clothing. I feel it’s uncomfortable because I’ve not put it on for a while.”

Unlike the knight’s uniform that emphasized mobility, Lard’s formal uniform had many decorations and emphasized ceremony and prestige. He sighed unconsciously.

“If Duke Engre comes to approach you, try to avoid talking to him as much as possible. You had better assume that he already knows your identity. My subordinates and I entered this town numerous times, it might be impossible to hide your identity no matter how careful you are.”

After her house was intruded by strangers, many knights came to protect her, which increased the risk of her identity being discovered to the outsiders. Although she trusted them, she also had to prepare for the possible exposure of her identity.

After a while, the wagon slowed down and the horse stopped. Soon the horseman told them he arrived at the palace. Lard took her hand to escort her and headed for Cheddar Palace where the crown prince stayed.

“Oh, Wendy!”

When she entered the innermost part of Cheddar Palace, she heard a familiar voice first. She knelt before him and formally greeted him.

“It’s been a while since I saw you.”

Unlike his bright greetings, the prince looked very pale. His cheeks were no longer vibrant, and his forehead, which once shone brightly, had wrinkles. His smiling eyes, which once looked so intelligent, also seemed gloomy.

Although she didn’t have a good feeling about the crown prince, she was very heartbroken to see him. She could feel he was very sad, but it was familiar to her because she had been there.

“Let me go to Sher Palace and check the coronation hall. Please have a conversation.”

Looking at the two, Lard spoke casually. As she nodded, he greeted the prince and went out of the room.

“I asked Sir Schroder if I could see you briefly. Please have a seat first. ”

The prince asked her to sit down. She cautiously lifted the hem of her gown and sat on the couch across from him.

“… Do you know what this is? ”

As soon as she sat down, the prince pulled out a square boxe. It was an antique box with a colorful ivory trim on the outside. When he opened the lid of the box, half of it was filled with cigars.

“This is … ”

“It’s a cigar. The late emperor used to enjoy them. Can you see if there is anything strange about this tobacco leaf?… I was thinking about getting advice from Jeddah Academy professors, but I gave up. I wanted to find this out in secret because I don’t know who the enemy is. ”

The prince seemed to suspect that the cigar leaves favored by the emperor may have caused his death. She looked at his face with a worried expression.

The prince looked more desperate than ever, but she couldn’t figure out how she could help him. What could she find in the ripe cigar leaves? After hesitating for a minute, she picked up a cigar at his desperate look. The rolled cigar leaf spread out when she opened it.

“… What do you think?”

“Well, all I know is this is a top quality leaf…” She said with an unconfident tone.

The prince lowered his head a bit as if he was disappointed.

Then she, feeling uncomfortable, picked up another cigar and carefully spread it.

At that moment, she knitted her brows.

She hurriedly spread other cigars and separated some of them.

“… What’s the matter?” The prince hurriedly asked, noticing her unusual actions.

She glanced at him and said, comparing the leaves in her hands.

“I’m certain that different kinds of leaves are mixed here. If you look here closely, you can see the shape of the leaf veins is different. You see the difference between the angle of the leaf veins and its shape finely spread out, right? This leaf was inserted between the cigar leaves. ”

“Can you find out what the heck this leaf is?”

The prince asked, leaning toward her, but she shook her head with regret.

“I can’t judge by looking at the shape of this leaf alone… It was already ripened and cut off little by little…I don’t think it’s easy for a Jeddah Academy professor to find it out. ”

The prince shut up, feeling regretful about it.

“But I can grow this plant… As I’ve only seen its leaf, it will grow incompletely, though.”

Prince Isaac straightened up after listening to her. He nodded with a serious expression.