Episode 42
The Imperial Palace’s rose garden was utterly magnificent.
It was bursting with flowers, all stunningly beautiful, with an exquisite fragrance—truly overwhelming in every way.
Honestly, the details were a blur.
She hadn’t been in the right state of mind to take it all in properly.
Learning Kierne’s true identity had dealt Cheshire a massive psychological blow.
She had no idea how she’d managed to keep up the pretense of normalcy in front of him, chattering away as if nothing was wrong.
Fortunately, she’d pulled it off somehow and made it back to the estate unscathed.
Then, her mind had churned with thoughts until her head throbbed.
If the Basilian Count was the lord of the underworld…
So many puzzling pieces from before suddenly fit together perfectly, clearing up all the mysteries.
Like why the count’s family, holed up in the eastern Black Forest, still commanded respect from the imperial court and held a place among the empire’s three great houses, among other things.
But discovering the Basilian family’s hidden secret brought Cheshire no joy whatsoever.
“Lichesia!”
The next night, Hata appeared in the bedroom in puppy form, tail wagging with a cheerful jingle.
“Hata’s back! Hata, who successfully carried out Lichesia’s orders!”
He seemed thrilled, probably because he’d made a hat he was proud of.
Wiggling his rear, Hata pranced forward with rhythmic steps, like he was dancing.
“I made a great hat, brewed a fine potion, skillful Hata’s here…”
Singing a little tune he’d made up, bobbing along to the beat, Hata suddenly gasped and froze.
He’d spotted Cheshire slumped on the child-sized sofa, her eyes hollow and exhausted.
The toddler looked as if she bore the weight of every hardship in the world, and Hata stammered as he called out to her.
“Li-Li-Lichesia?”
“…Hata.”
Cheshire, who hadn’t slept a wink since the day before, had dark circles under her eyes.
In just a day and a half, her cheeks had grown gaunt, and the pitiful sight of her prompted her to say,
“We need to run away.”
“Run away? All of a sudden? Hata hasn’t finished the potion to turn adult yet… It needs more time.”
He fretted, explaining he’d been busy with the hat and hadn’t gathered all the ingredients.
Since the plan wasn’t to escape in adult form anyway, Cheshire held up her hands wide to stop him.
Hata clamped his mouth shut with a snap.
“The Basilian Count…”
“Yes!”
“…seems to be the Master.”
“What?”
The puppy’s ears, which had been flapping, went rigid.
Then, clutching his face with his front paws, he let out a wail.
“Whaaaat?”
Hata looked on the verge of fainting.
He turned ashen, collapsing right there wouldn’t have been surprising, and he repeated Cheshire’s words in a stutter.
“The Ba-Basilian Count is… the Master…”
The sorceress Lichesia was part of the underworld.
It might not be the most fitting term, since the place drew in the world’s rejects on its own, but that’s how she saw it.
In truth, she felt a certain sense of belonging there.
The daughter of a mad fairy.
Born with twisted powers, an existence defying nature’s order.
Cheshire fit the underworld better than anyone.
It was where she felt the most at peace.
And now, she’d deceived its very lord.
She’d been able to act boldly when meeting the Master because she genuinely hadn’t done anything wrong.
She’d stood her ground confidently, but the moment she learned the trouble was caused by Hailon, she’d backed down immediately and promised to fix it.
She hadn’t stubbornly denied any fault.
That’s how much she wanted to avoid needless enmity with someone like the Master.
But this situation…
It amounted to pulling off a massive con.
And against none other than the Master himself!
He’ll kill me.
If he learned the truth, he’d undoubtedly kill Cheshire.
For toying with him and discovering his identity.
There’d be no reason to spare her.
He’d lop off both her and Hata’s heads without hesitation.
Even if they managed to escape alive.
She already had enemies in the Holy Empire and various other factions.
If she made an enemy of the underworld on top of that…
Cheshire would truly have nowhere to go.
She’d be completely isolated.
No place to return to at all…
Cheshire had no home.
Wandering from place to place in search of information on fairies, she’d never felt the need for one.
Still, the underworld had been like a mental anchor, a place she could always think of as somewhere to return.
She didn’t want to be chased out of even there.
“It’s okay. We still have a chance.”
She just needed to slip away before her identity as the sorceress Lichesia was exposed.
Conveniently, Belzeon seemed planning to send her away, so she could use that to her advantage.
She’d leave the estate as naturally as possible, then vanish as if she’d gone missing.
Once the fuss died down and the Basilian family stopped looking for her…
She could quietly resume her life as a sorceress.
Cheshire and Hata discussed fervently, plotting their escape from the Basilian estate.
For a fleeting moment, a pang of regret crossed her mind.
The hats and accessories Hata had made.
The suits and dresses redesigned and tailored by Mia.
They were bound to be splendid, no doubt about it.
She imagined the Basilian family making a stunning entrance at the banquet, dressed more elegantly than any other noble house…
“She’s not a Basilian.”
Belzeon’s voice echoed clearly in her mind.
Cheshire shook off the pointless thoughts.
Baroness Malein was a governess Kierne had scoured far and wide to find.
She’d initially intended to refuse the Basilian family’s request to educate their children.
But Kierne had offered an amount too large to turn down.
Coupled with her subtle curiosity about the Basilians, she’d ultimately accepted after much deliberation.
Given how secluded the family was in the east, she’d worried reforming them to fit capital standards might be tough.
Surprisingly, though, the Basilian children were remarkably refined and clever.
Thanks to that, Baroness Malein was enjoying days filled with high job satisfaction.
“Hmm, very good.”
Karuha stepped slowly in time to Ishuel’s violin playing.
His movements to the slow dance tune felt a bit stiff, but they were precise and angular, giving them a unique flair.
He was quick with his body, so he picked up the dance steps rapidly.
Watching Karuha absorb everything like a sponge, Baroness Malein marveled.
Karuha couldn’t hide his boredom, but he diligently completed what was asked.
Then, he swiftly passed the turn to Ishuel.
“Your turn.”
Having finished dancing, Karuha sat at the piano.
He played a dance piece for Ishuel.
Ishuel always performed flawlessly in such things, leaving nothing for the baroness to critique.
When Ishuel danced, it was practically a time for appreciation.
“Good, just a bit smoother there… Yes, like that.”
As the piece ended, Baroness Malein clapped generously.
“Oh, I’m so looking forward to it. At the banquet, all the young ladies will be asking you gentlemen for dances.”
Baroness Malein immersed herself in delight alone.
While she envisioned the future and reveled in it on their behalf, the twins exchanged quick glances.
Their target was Cheshire, sitting on the sofa munching snacks.
“Let’s wrap up today’s dance lesson here.”
The moment Baroness Malein declared the end of class, they bolted toward Cheshire.
Or tried to.
“Young masters, follow me. We’ll proceed straight to etiquette lessons. Master Belzeon specifically requested it of me.”
The twins were dragged away by Baroness Malein once more.
The etiquette lesson was Cheshire’s doing.
She’d lied to Belzeon that lately, the twins spilled everything when drinking tea.
Using Baroness Malein to effectively shake off the twins, Cheshire moved quickly.
Before leaving the Basilian estate.
She intended to dig up every bit of information she could.
Now that I know Kierne is part of the underworld, I need to completely change my investigation approach.
The underworld had its own ways, after all.
Its residents thought in ways utterly different from ordinary people.
For a moment, Cheshire worried inwardly: What if Kierne is more normal than I think?
But she quickly shook her head.
No way that’s possible.
Viewing it from a distinctly underworld perspective.
Cheshire decided to head to the eastern Black Forest.
