NOVEL NEXT Chapter 176
Chapter 176. Childhood Friend – Sierra Guidan
The Guidan family’s estate was situated on a hill (丘陵, a slightly sloped and elevated piece of land).
The Rodran mountain range ran along the southwestern coast, and characteristic of the Orun Kingdom where the elevation gradually decreased towards the central part of the continent, the area around the Guidan family’s estate near the Belita Kingdom was filled more with hills than mountains.
These hills were densely packed with forests that had shed their colorful autumn leaves, which served as the livelihoods of the Guidan estate.
– Hiiing! Prrrrr.
Kuss, pulling the carriage up the steadily inclined road, neighed happily. He turned back, sweating with his thick neck, looking proud.
“You did well.”
– Hihiing?
For nothing?
“I’ll give you a carrot once we arrive. Let’s go a bit further.”
Lev lightly slapped Kuss’ butt with a whip. Though Kuss shook his mane displeased, he continued to pull the carriage dutifully.
Soon they arrived at the estate.
The Guidan estate, centered around a modest lord’s castle on the hill, had piles of timber everywhere, befitting an estate that thrived on logging and sawing. Most were in their natural state, while some were being dried after being sawn.
This was the busiest time of the year.
The snow that would hinder work hadn’t fallen yet, and with trees absorbing less moisture from the ground after shedding their leaves, it was the ideal time for lumbering.
Lev crossed the estate filled with workers bustling about and carts laden with timber coming and going.
“One! Hoo, two! Hoo, one!”
Then, a loud shout came from a sawmill they passed by. Two young men were lying down a long saw to split a large log in half.
Lev paused momentarily, finding them somewhat familiar, but as a cart finished unloading its logs and cleared the way, Kus pulled the carriage out of eyesight.
“Lena, Leo. We’ve arrived.”
Lev tapped the carriage.
The lord’s castle was right in front of them. Leo and Lena, having prepared themselves, gracefully alighted from the carriage.
The guard, staring blankly at the noble-looking siblings, asked.
“…Who, who are you?”
Lena and Leo did not respond. Lev, assuming the role of attendant, spoke.
“Summon the steward.”
Under the emblem of Princess Danizela Tatalia.
The guard, not knowing what Lev had shown but recognizing it must be someone of high importance, dashed inside.
Soon, Leo and his party met the steward managing the Guidan estate.
The steward, while remaining courteous, eyed them suspiciously.
‘Princess Danizela?’
The elderly steward knew of Princess Danizela.
Before coming here with the Marchioness, he worked at the estate in the capital and had even served the previous Marquis Guidan. There was no way he wouldn’t know the much-talked-about ‘Princess Danizela de Lognum.’
But the steward pretended not to know and led the siblings to the reception room, offering them warm tea while mentioning the cold weather, but his mind was in turmoil.
Were they fraudsters relying solely on their golden eyes, symbols of the Achaean Imperial family? Or were they truly messengers sent by Princess Danizela who had married into the Belita Kingdom?
No, if that were the case, they would have said so promptly.
What further puzzled him was their contrasting attitudes.
The ‘alleged’ princess, though pretending to be calm, couldn’t even touch her teacup and shifted her gaze nervously, while the young man, who hadn’t disclosed his identity, displayed a demeanor befitting a true royal…
The steward reviewed the royal genealogy he knew.
There were no royal siblings of their age in the Orun Kingdom. The same was true for the Conrad Kingdom, and while he had heard of such in the Belita Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom of Jerome, they weren’t blond. Surely, no royal barbarians from the north would have come down.
‘Aisel Kingdom?’
The steward’s memory reached out to the Magic Kingdom. That kingdom in the eastern continent had Princess “Elika Isadora” and Prince “Oscar de Isadora.” They had blond hair and golden eyes.
The steward cautiously began.
“Forgive any lack of formality in hosting honored guests. If given notice, we would have prepared in advance… Are there any more of your party to arrive?”
“No. There are not.”
“…I see. It seems you enjoy modest travels. You must be weary from the long journey… Princess Danizela must be quite exhausted.”
Lena couldn’t respond, turning her head away. Just as a deep suspicion began to settle in the steward’s eyes, Leo spoke.
“She is not Princess Danizela Tatalia.”
“Is that so?”
The steward waited patiently.
If their revealed identities were not as expected, he intended to call the knights immediately and have them punished accordingly.
However, the answer from this suspicious man deviated significantly from his expectations.
“I am Leo de Yeriel. This is my sister, Lena de Yeriel.”
The steward’s face went blank for a moment. He recollected that the reportedly deceased prince and princess also had blond hair and golden eyes, and adjusted his expression.
“…Hard to believe. Then, what is this emblem of Princess Danizela?”
“We received her help. We were hiding in the Belita Kingdom and have now arrived in the Orun Kingdom. We wish to see Marquis Harvey Guidan.”
The steward realized this was beyond his decision mandate.
However, there was no reason why the Marquis of Guidan, a high noble of the Kingdom of Orun, should rush over just because a foreign prince called. Since it was still possible that these could be clever swindlers, the general manager decided to reserve judgment.
“I see. Understood. I will contact the Marquis of Guidan. We will prepare a room for you. You should receive a reply within a few days.”
“Thank you. And I heard that the wife of the Marquis of Guidan is here. Since I am now a guest, I believe it would be proper to greet the hostess.”
The general manager bowed respectfully.
“I’m sorry. The Marchioness is ill. She is not in a condition to welcome guests, so I apologize on her behalf. I’m sure she will understand.”
“Then I will also take my leave.”
Leo returned the bow.
His actions, expressing regret, were impeccable in terms of etiquette, so natural that the general manager couldn’t help but believe that he had the help of Princess Danizela.
That’s right, Princess Daniezela was married off, but she didn’t actually marry.
In the past, she had married the ‘Prince Cmean de Tatalia’ of the Kingdom of Belita but was soon abandoned.
Disappointed at not being chosen as the heir, the 1st Prince suddenly decided to become a priest the day before the wedding and left for the Holy Church, leaving Princess Danizela de Lognum lost in a foreign land.
Since she had to serve as a testament to the peace between the Kingdom of Orun and the Kingdom of Belita, she did not remarry but lived quietly as ‘Danizela Tatalia.’
A meeting between such a person and the prince of the long-thought-dead Kingdom of Conrad was too dramatic for the general manager to fully accept.
He assigned rooms and maids to the prince, the princess, and the young man who appeared to be their escort.
And as he went to inform the Marquis of Guidan about this strange incident, something truly unbelievable happened when he returned to the manor after finishing his communication.
[Achievement: The Man Who Melted Sierra Guidan’s Heart – Gained mild favor from Sierra Guidan]
“It’s been a while… should I say that? You’ve been through a lot.”
The Marchioness, who had been in a daze for seven long years since losing her son, greeted him with a clear mind.
* * *
I had heard that I was a princess.
On the day we left Orville, I poured out whines and questions in the carriage, starting with “What is this letter? You were going to leave me behind?”
My brother calmly explained. He emphasized that we were originally of royal status and that I was a princess. The letter referring to me as ‘princess’ was meant to inform me of my status.
It was hard to believe and still somewhat confusing, but since arriving here, it was gradually becoming real to me.
“Princess, are you awake?”
As soon as I stretched, warm washing water was placed in front of me. The woman who introduced herself as ‘Marisa’ applied rouge to my lips and said she would braid my hair today.
I said “Thank you” and moved my head around, feeling her gentle touch.
An effortless morning. A day filled with thoughtful care began. A fully-dressed Lena walked carefully to avoid wrinkling her pretty clothes and headed to the dining room.
“Oh my, you’ve braided your hair today. It suits you well.”
In the dining room stood a frail yet elegant middle-aged lady. Apparently waiting for Lena, her plate was still empty.
Clink-
The meal began under the watchful eyes of a dozen maids. The food was as fantastic as ever, but Lena felt a silent pressure. No one blamed her, but each time a maid corrected the position of her fork, she knew she was continuously making mistakes.
She wasn’t even sure if the food was entering her mouth.
The Marchioness gently smiled. Watching the princess’s clumsy dining, she got up.
“Princess Lena, if you don’t mind, could we change places? I’m not feeling well… It’s difficult for me to eat at the dining table.”
The Marchioness led Lena to the salon. Seating the princess on a cozy sofa, she sat across from her and instructed the maids to prepare ‘Fondre.’
It was a meal where you dipped bite-sized pieces of meat, fruit, or bread into melted cheese, with no specific dining etiquette.
Gathered around the table, eating this snack-like meal, such formalities were even less needed.
“Is it to your taste?”
“Yes, it’s delicious.”
Much of the pressure disappeared.
Only then did Lena appreciate the flavors and fill her stomach, while the Marchioness offered her simple tea and snacks, saying,
“When I feel better, I’ll cook for you. I don’t know if I can still cook well, but in the past, I used to…”
Her words broke off.
As thoughts of her deceased son almost made her cry again, she steadied herself. She recalled the comforting words of the young man who seemed to have grown into a fine young man, much like her lost son.
“…I used to cook often. It was my only hobby. Princess, do you have any hobbies?”
“Yes. I like theater.”
Lena said with confidence.
The experience of becoming someone else on stage and the memory of shouting towards Azra, who disappeared as she became a saint, along with the applause that followed, made her feel proud.
She was chattering away, talking about her involvement in theater. The Marchioness, who had assumed that the princess enjoyed watching plays, was surprised. ‘As expected… she hasn’t lived an ordinary life,’ she thought, listening attentively. However, there was something puzzling.
In her story, there was no awareness of her status as a princess. The Marchioness realized that it seemed as though she had only recently discovered that she was a princess.
No matter how bedridden she had been for seven years, she was still a noble. She had spent her whole life in the ruthless aristocratic society and was the mistress of the high-ranking Guidan Marquisate.
What in the world was going on?
However, it was clear that there was no malice in this pretty young lady. The Marchioness could only arrive at a vague conclusion.
‘There seems to be some story here…’
Her husband was expected to arrive in the territory within a month. He wouldn’t harm the benefactors who had awakened her, but it was necessary to understand what was happening.
This innocent young lady seemed to know nothing…
The Marchioness decided she needed to ask ‘those young men’ as she sent the princess to her room. She then sat down the battered Leo and Lev, who had returned after nearly a week, and asked them a question.
“Who are you?”