Chapter 43

Crows of the Night (3)

Just as Theore’s birthday banquet had been, Aaron’s birthday also saw countless nobles flocking, illuminating the road to the mansion as if it were midday. On this path, where nobles supporting Vestein and nobles supporting Slyveig intertwined, under an unspoken agreement that no blood would be shed on anyone’s birthday, Legina also sat quietly in her carriage, awaiting her turn.

“Theore probably didn’t even know about that agreement.”

If he had, he wouldn’t have performed a sword dance on his birthday. It was such an impressive event that just hearing the word ‘birthday’ would reflexively bring to mind the nightmare of that day, causing Legina to shake her head slightly.

Legina was alone in the carriage. According to protocol, Selma should have been with her, but Selma had stayed behind at the palace, saying she couldn’t bear to witness Legina not only clinging to him but even confessing first. Legina slightly lowered the carriage window and called Johan. Johan, riding his glossy dark brown horse, approached the carriage.

“What were you talking about with Selma earlier, my lord?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Johan, it seems you no longer need my help?”

“She told me to throw my glove right there if Sir Aaron rejects Your Highness.”

Legina let out a small laugh at his immediate, unhesitating reply. She had thought they were discussing something serious, given his incredibly solemn face and silence after their secret conversation with Selma, but it was about Legina after all.

“How are things with Selma? She seemed fine at Theore’s birthday.”

“Don’t even ask, Your Highness. I barely got her to agree to be my partner after acting as pitiful as possible.”

Legina nodded, seeing Johan, whose severely stiff face had vanished, replaced by his usual sly expression. She knew Johan would have acted even more pitifully than he claimed, just to stir Selma’s sympathy, disregarding his knightly dignity.

“You don’t have to worry about what Selma says. Others might not know, but you two know, don’t you?”

“Because there’s always a ‘what if.’”

“Do you have so little trust in Sir Aaron?”

“It’s not that, but rather that Selma cherishes Your Highness more.”

“Anyway, don’t worry and enjoy yourself, my lord.”

“I will try.”

He was light in words but not light in action. He was the most honorable knight, who had stayed by her side until the very last moment before her regression. How much did she trust him? After watching him die, she had mocked the traitor and his sorceress, then slit her own throat. It was because she had realized there was no one left she could trust. If Johan had been alive by her side then? She wouldn’t have done something like believe the First Emperor’s legend and slit her throat. Because she had truly had nothing left, having only returned by luck.

…I think it’s thanks to the necklace… but what exactly was that necklace?

She believed the necklace was the key to her regression, but she didn’t know exactly what it was. She had taken the time to search all the Imperial Palace records but only found a single line of record mentioning a necklace with such a legend.

After I proceed with the annulment, I’ll have to find out more about the necklace.

Legina closed her eyes, resolving this as she closed the carriage window. She felt the vibrations of the carriage, slowly moving and then stopping repeatedly. After a long wait, Legina, escorted by Johan, alighted from the carriage and handed her invitation to the ducal soldier guarding the main gate. The soldier, recognizing her as an invited guest, summoned a mansion attendant to guide her inside.

“Her Highness Legina B. Alpere enters!”

The attendant guarding the hall entrance raised his voice, and the gazes of the already gathered nobles simultaneously turned to Legina. It was something that would burden an ordinary person, but Legina was accustomed to being the center of attention. She elegantly walked into the hall, escorted by Johan, and stood before Duke Vestein, the lord of the mansion.

It seemed the main banquet hadn’t officially begun yet, as Duke Vestein and his two sons were gathered in the same spot.

“Greetings to Your Highness.”

“It’s been a long time, Duke. I heard the Duchess’s condition has improved.”

“The medicine you sent through Aaron was helpful.”

“That’s a relief, my lord.”

Duke Vestein was a man of extremely few words, but fortunately, he knew how to adjust to the time and place. Gissley, who had been slightly tense, wondering if his father, who rarely appeared in public, would greet Legina with his usual ‘Long time no see, thanks,’ as he did with them, involuntarily let out a sigh of relief. It was because he had forgotten that his father, whom he hadn’t seen in public for a long time, was still capable of having a conversation like an ordinary person.

“Sir Aaron. Happy birthday, my lord.”

“Thank you.”

“This is my birthday gift.”

“You’ve already sent many things.”

“I can’t express my feelings for you with just that much.”

Legina took the box she had briefly entrusted to Johan before entering the hall and offered it to Aaron, subtly glancing around. She could feel the gazes of those who were pretending not to look. At first, she had intended to choose a discreet yet not-so-discreet spot where people could see, to give him the gift and confess. However, that thought changed the moment she entered the hall. Having arrived and entered almost last, the attention she drew was extraordinary. Legina decided to use the gazes of the many people who showed no sign of wavering from the moment she appeared.

“Won’t you check it, my lord?”

“Then, if you’ll excuse me.”

Aaron’s reaction was somehow more rigid than usual, but Legina was too preoccupied with the surrounding people to notice. The sound of the ribbon on the flat box being slowly untied, accompanied by someone’s dry gulp, could be heard. It was just opening a gift box, yet a tense atmosphere filled the air. And finally, when the box’s lid opened, Legina, seizing the moment, shyly turned her head and covered her face with a fan.

“I made it myself, my lord.”

“Thank you.”

It wasn’t a grand gift. In fact, the gifts inside the gift boxes that had begun piling up in the Vestein mansion’s garden since early morning were likely much more lavish. However, it was a gift sufficient to make those who had been watching breathlessly gasp in astonishment. The Imperial Princess made it herself! And not just one, but two! Both the sword tassel and the hand-embroidered silk handkerchief were typical gifts exchanged between lovers, wishing for the safety of the man.

“Indeed, Sir Aaron…”

“He’s an adult now, so he’ll head to the eastern border, won’t he?”

“There are trials he must undergo to inherit the Margrave’s position in the future.”

“Good heavens, then Her Highness Legina put such feelings into it…!”

“Shh! His Highness’s fiancée is still the young Duke of Slyveig!”

“Oh my goodness, how could… Her Highness Legina is so pitiful.”

“His Majesty is being too much too…”

Various sounds from around could be heard. It was as she expected. Furthermore, seeing the young ladies huddled together far off, wringing their handkerchiefs in frustration, filled her chest with pride, as it seemed to have definitely helped Aaron as well.

Now that I’ve officially announced that I like Sir Aaron, there won’t be any brazen women who dare approach him and bother him.

She was surprised to feel not just satisfaction but even exhilaration, but Legina thought it was merely the joy of a successful plan and subtly glanced around. Indeed, this timing seemed to be the optimal moment to give the gift.

“Happy birthday once again, my lord.”

“Thank you.”

Legina, lightly stepping out from the center of the hall, using the numerous gazes and whispers of those around as background, looked at the people inside. The number of women was slightly higher than at Theore’s birthday banquet. Were they all here for Aaron? Legina, who had strategically crushed their ambitions, was humming to herself and about to turn her eyes when a person she absolutely did not want to face appeared before her.

“Greetings to Your Highness.”

“…I didn’t expect to meet Sir Hermann here.”

“Is there any reason I shouldn’t attend a celebration of birth?”

Hermann, who brazenly kissed the back of Legina’s hand, smiled. If he was going to act, he should do it properly. What was the point of just smiling with his lips? Legina, with a disgusted expression, pulled her hand from his grasp and frowned.

“Then you should just celebrate and leave.”

“Still, I am Your Highness’s fiancé. I cannot pretend not to be.”

Although it hadn’t been officially announced, it had been a long time since the documents signifying the annulment of Legina’s engagement had been delivered to the Slyveig family. He had even handed over the sapphire mine as alimony, so why was he clinging like this? Legina, covering her mouth with her fan, scanned his surroundings. Annetta, who usually stuck to him like a set, was nowhere to be seen.

“Annetta is not feeling well and is resting at the mansion.”

“I wasn’t curious about the young lady’s condition, but thank you for informing me, my lord. Would you tell her I wish her a speedy recovery?”

“Yes, I will. But Your Highness.”

“What is it, my lord?”

“Could you spare me a moment?”

His request, made in a small voice, was very suspicious. Legina glared into his murky sky-blue eyes, trying to guess his intentions, but it seemed impossible to read any thoughts from his unwavering gaze.

Aaron is still meeting guests… and he’s not the kind of person who would let me ignore him.

Legina clicked her tongue, loudly snapped her fan shut, and turned. Hermann, his eyes following her retreating back as she moved towards a nearby terrace, subtly turned his head and looked towards Aaron. Aaron’s red eyes and his own clashed in mid-air, indicating how long Aaron had been watching.

Hermann was the first to look away. He bowed slightly to Aaron in greeting, then turned and walked towards the terrace where Legina had gone. And Aaron’s red eyes continued to watch his retreating back until he disappeared.

– Mochinuna.