Chapter 58: Chapter 58

Translator: Latte Editor: Sasha

Elody guided the princess inside.

“This is my lab, and this is the greenhouse.”

“Wow, this is the lab? It’s astonishing,” Princess Larissa said as she looked around the lab.

On the other hand, Carolina was scanning the room to see if there was anything suspicious.

“The greenhouse is this way,” Anna pointed at the door leading to the greenhouse with a stern look on her face.

Princess Larissa and Carolina then headed for the greenhouse.

“Wow… it’s lovely,” Larissa exclaimed.

As soon as she entered the greenhouse, the aromas of fresh grass lingered around the air.

“It’s full of plants that I’ve never seen before in my entire life, princess!” Carolina said.

Then, Elody explained what each of the plants was, from the herbs that grew in the mountains, ginseng, wheat, and even the peach seeds. She was genuinely proud of her research.

Meanwhile, Princess Larissa stopped when she saw an area full of beautiful flowers.

“Oh my god! What is this flower, princess? It’s the first I’ve ever seen this before…” Carolina pointed at the flower with a curious look.

“It’s the Aperia… right?” Princess Larissa asked, smiling.

“Yes, that’s right,” Elody nodded.

The Aperia flower was a flower that only appeared on the eastern continent.

Its stem was like the hue of spring grass, and its brilliant blue petals were so thin that even the air, made dim by the plumes of debris and smoke, could shine through them, bestowing an unearthly glow.

It also had a sweet fragrance that could prevent pests from coming near it. Also, the stem of the flower could be used as a hemostatic agent.

Elody thought of planting the Aperia flowers in the pink rose garden after giving them to Iris.

She wanted to use the stem as a hemostatic agent since it could be useful in the future.

Plus, the seeds of the Aperia flower were provided by Sirka himself.

“I thought I would never see it again….”

Princess Larissa began to cry.

When she still lived in the Castle of Dayev, the greenhouse she kept with her mother was full of Aperia flowers.

As her mother loved the Aperia flowers, Princess Larissa grew to love them as well.

However, after the Empire of Urta colonized the empire, the greenhouse was burned, and the beautiful castle was also demolished.

It was impossible to reconstruct the castle back.

That was one reason why Princess Larissa did not want to return to the Dayev Empire.

‘I thought I wouldn’t be able to see the Aperia flowers again but to see it again in such a distant place… ‘

Princess Larissa loved this greenhouse very much.

The duchess’ greenhouse was much broader and better than the greenhouse she had with her mother.

If she planted all the Aperia flowers in this spacious greenhouse, it would surely be as beautiful as her mother’s greenhouse.

“You seem to like the Aperia flowers.”

“Yes… it’s a flower that my mother loved.”

Elody picked a few flowers and handed them to Princess Larissa. Princess Larissa gladly accepted.

Then she asked carefully.

“Well, the duchess. Can I come to see the greenhouse again next time?”

“Oh… Well, the greenhouse is not always open. So please tell me through the maid, and I will guide you again.”

At Elody’s words, Princess Larissa slightly raised her eyebrows.

“Why isn’t it always open?”

Larissa’s mother had always opened the castle’s greenhouse for everyone to see.

Because of that, Princess Larissa could not understand the duchess.

‘Why don’t you want other people to see the greenhouse? Is there any other reason?’

“Well… I have a puppy running around the entire castle. The ginseng field is locked so that it doesn’t step on it.”

“…I see.”

Larissa had never seen the puppy during her stay in the castle.

‘She’s obviously lying… ‘

Princess Larissa thought that her assumption was right.

‘Wouldn’t it be nice if I could stay in this greenhouse all day…’

Princess Larissa wanted to smell the flowers there all day long.

She would be so happy to drink tea while recalling the memories she had with her mother…

“Princess, I’m sorry, but there’s research that I have to continue working on. I’ll show you more next time.”

“…Yes, duchess. Thank you.”

After returning to the lab with Elody, Princess Larissa paused and looked around.

“Can I also look around the lab…?”

“Yes, you may,” Elody shortly replied.

As Princess Larissa looked around the room, she stopped to see the magic tools on her desk.

‘This is a divine magic tool from the Temple of Thysser….’

It was a communication device used only by the imperial family and high priests. Larissa had never used it herself, but she had seen the emperor use it.

‘But why….’

Seeing the divine magic tool that was in pieces, Princess Larissa held her breath.

Suddenly…

“What is this? Argh!”

Carolina spilled a glass beaker while looking at the herbs that had been dried on one side of the room.

Carolina screamed after seeing the unknown liquid on her arm.

“It’s weird, princess! Ahh! It’s a strange poison!”

“It’s just water…” Elody replied kindly.

Carolina, who was making a fuss, widened her eyes at her words. Then, she whispered to Princess Larissa’s ears.

“Princess… she’s lying. It must be the tears of the servants.”

“……”

Princess Larissa glanced at Elody with a tense look.

It was definitely possible. She destroyed the divine magic tool… she locked the greenhouse and also…

Carolina grumbled and wiped her arm with the handkerchief that Anna handed over.

And then…

Something came into Princess Larissa’s sight. As she reached out her hand to the suspicious piece of paper…

Tak—!

But Olivia’s hand was faster.

She grabbed Princess Larissa’s wrist.

“How could you touch it so carelessly…”

“Are you crazy?”

Carolina slapped Olivia’s hands away from Larissa’s wrist.

‘I have to punish her for this,’ Carolina thought.

She thought that it would be best for her to educate the maid in front of the duchess.

“Olivia, we’ve been taking care of you all this time, but how dare you grab the princess’s hand?!”

Carolina raised her hand and tried to slap Olivia’s cheek.

The servants of the imperial palace were usually beaten for bad behavior and were strictly educated.

She knew that Olivia had lots of injuries and wounds already, but Carolina thought,’Is this how the duchess and maids scolded her for being so spoiled?’

She wanted to test that, so she tried to slap her.

When Carolina raised her hand, Olivia curled up in surprise.

Her father and brother had abused Olivia for a long time, so she would remember her trauma when someone raised their hand towards her.

Suddenly.

Elody blocked Olivia from harm’s way by gripping Carolina’s hand as she was about to strike.

“……”

Not knowing that the duchess would stop her, Carolina immediately lowered her hand and hid behind the princess.

“…I’m sorry, duchess,” Princess Larissa said, concealing Carolina on her back.

“That’s alright. But, from now on, it seems that Olivia will not be able to take care of the princess anymore. From my point of view, that maid from the imperial palace will be enough….”

“…Yes, I got it,” Princess Larissa replied, but Carolina was dissatisfied.

“But…”

“Carolina,” Princess Larissa stared at her as if it was alright.

Elody sighed and asked, “No, princess. Carolina? Tell me. What’s wrong?”

“…Isn’t it right to educate servants who are impudent by at least smacking them?”

The duchess was abusing the servants and making magic potions with their tears…

‘But now she’s trying to cover for her?!’

Carolina thought that the duchess pretending to protect Olivia was absurd. That’s why she was able to confidently ask even if she was a bit afraid.

Elody replied firmly, “I’m sorry, but we never educate the servants that way. It’s difficult to apply the rules of the imperial palace in this mansion…”

Princess Larissa looked at Elody with anxious eyes.

In her eyes, she felt as though Elody would oust Carolina at any moment.

She didn’t want that to happen, so she decided to step up.

“I’m sorry, duchess. Please don’t blame Carolina anymore!”

‘I’m not even angry…’

When Princess Larissa put it that way, Elody was embarrassed. It was as if she was the bad one.

Elody stared at Princess Larissa, looking at her with worried eyes, and said to Anna, “Anna, take Olivia to the mansion.”

“Yes, madame.”

Anna hugged Olivia and left the lab with growing resentment towards the princess and her atrocious maid.

A heavy silence fell for a while.

Then, Princess Larissa asked without thinking, “But, duchess… What are you hiding?”

“Hiding?”

“The moment I was trying to check the paper, Olivia grabbed my arm. Is there something that you’re hiding?”

“……”

Olivia simply hated that the princess touched Elody’s things.

And so, Elody handed the paper to the princess.

“……”

It wasn’t anything much. It was just a piece of paper that she wrote for her research.

“Check it yourself.”

Elody handed the paper to Princess Larissa, and the princess checked the writing with a serious expression.

“…This is in the ancient language.”

But Larissa couldn’t read a single letter. It was because they were all written in ancient languages.

“Yes, this is a study on magical drugs.”

“…I see. I’m sorry for doubting you, duchess.”

“It’s alright.”

Elody had a headache.

‘How the hell did it come to this…?’

She recalled the details of the original novel, but she couldn’t remember whether there was a maid with such a terrible personality beside Larissa, the heroine.

She was tired. She just wanted to study the magic tools quickly…

Unfortunately, she couldn’t get rid of the female protagonist because she would eventually become the mansion owner.

However, it would be difficult for the other maids to continue serving Larissa as her maid would condemn the rest of the servants in the mansion.

‘To try and slap another maid in front of the princess…’

It was ridiculous. She would never let a maid like her reside in the mansion.

After Elody left, she didn’t just want Caville to be happy. She wanted the servants to live a blissful life as well. Therefore, she could never condone acts, such as bullying in the mansion.

While she was deep in her thoughts, Princess Larissa suddenly spoke to Elody, “Well, duchess. If you don’t mind, can I ask for a request?”

“…What is it?”

“Can you teach me the ancient language?”