Chapter 126

"...What is all this?"

Gifts were piled high enough to fill the entire dining room—ranging in size from small to enormous.

Given that Rozental Castle's dining room was not a small space to begin with, the sight was genuinely overwhelming.

"The small ones will be jewels, the medium ones accessories. The large ones are likely dresses."

"...That's not what I was asking, Elsa."

Even so, I opened one of the smaller boxes—and inside sat a diamond the size of a baby's fist.

A card bearing Marcella's name was enclosed with it. I snapped the lid shut and asked:

"I want to know why anyone is still trying to ingratiate themselves with someone who has retired to the countryside."

"The nobles of the capital, of course," Joachim answered simply.

I furrowed my brow.

"And what exactly do they hope to gain from still trying to impress me?"

"They assume you might…