Me, a Princess? My Lord! - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 6

“What exactly do you want to hear? Hm?”

The middle-aged restaurant owner glared at Desion and Noah with a disgruntled expression.

Seemingly conscious of the rumors that he had unfairly driven out the previous owner, his wariness toward strangers was extremely intense.

Nevertheless, the reason he couldn’t drive the two away was probably due to the aura that emanated from them even while wrapped in drab-colored cloaks.

Just looking at their neat and refined features, it was clear they were precious children from extraordinary families.

“As I said again, I have no intention of discussing your business ethics. I simply want to know about the former owner couple.”

Eventually, the owner opened his mouth with a reluctant expression.

“I don’t know much about those people either. We weren’t close enough for that, were we? All I know is that the wife of that house was very sick.”

“The wife?”

The owner nodded and answered.

“That’s why her husband went around the whole neighborhood borrowing money. In the end, he sold the restaurant for a pittance and left the village. It was more than 5 years ago.”

“You don’t know where they went when they left the village?”

Then the shop owner crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, I didn’t hear it directly, but I can roughly guess. It’s obvious.”

Desion and Noah’s eyes widened slightly.

“Obvious?”

“If you look around roughly, you’ll see that this village isn’t very prosperous either. But if they were pushed out even from here, the place they could go is obvious. It would be Everton over there.”

“Everton?”

“It’s about an hour by carriage from here. If you pass through the western forest, you’ll reach a hill road, and the village is on top of it. Poor people live there packed together.”

“…”

“The road is rough, so I don’t know if the carriage you gentlemen came in can enter…”

An hour’s distance.

It was much closer than Desion had thought.

‘There’s a high chance this will be another dead end too.’

Noah patted Desion’s shoulder and said.

“Don’t make such a discouraged face already. It’s only an hour’s distance. Let’s go see.”

* * *

Half expectation, half doubt.

The village they arrived at with hope slowly blooming in a corner of their hearts, Everton.

Even to Desion, who had traveled every corner of the empire, Everton’s scenery felt somewhat unfamiliar.

A hill so steep it was difficult to climb by carriage. Old houses densely packed on top without even a small gap.

‘Was there such a place here…’

The scent of poverty wafted strongly from the haphazardly hand-built huts that clearly showed signs of being constructed by their owners.

While climbing the hill, Noah wiped away the sweat that had sprouted profusely and said.

“I thought it would be easy, but it’s going to be harder than expected, isn’t it?”

Desion nodded as well.

“When I checked on the map, it didn’t seem very large, so I thought we could look around quickly… I didn’t expect so many people to be living here.”

“Where should we start looking? It might be better to split up and search around.”

“Yes, that would be better. You take the western area. I’ll handle the east.”

“Got it. Let’s meet back here later.”

After parting with Noah, Desion went from house to house inquiring about a woman with similar appearance to the princess. But no matter how much he walked around searching, he couldn’t find anyone who knew about such a woman.

Blonde hair and purple eyes.

These were distinctive features. Not colors you could commonly see either.

Yet no one had seen such a woman.

‘The idea that she would be in Everton was just that shop owner’s guess, so maybe we were barking up the wrong tree from the start. Things that haven’t worked out so far wouldn’t be solved that easily.’

Desion let out a bitter laugh.

He had harbored a faint hope that perhaps Noah’s side might bring different news, but seeing his face walking over dejectedly from the other side, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Desion spoke calmly, hiding his disappointed expression.

“Looks like you didn’t find anything.”

“You too? This is serious.”

“No matter how many people live in this neighborhood, seeing that there’s no one who’s even seen her coming and going…”

Noah clapped his hands loudly to draw attention.

“Now, now, it’s too early to give up. We haven’t even been to that village at the very top of the hill, or the village beyond it.”

Then Desion nodded and replied.

“Let’s call it a day for now. It’s almost dinner time.”

It was the time when the sun was setting beyond the hill. The sky had already been dyed a vivid orange color.

Since Everton had neither a proper inn to stay the night nor a restaurant to have a meal, the two men began descending the hill with regret.

Noah stretched to relieve his stiff shoulders.

“More than anything else, it’s scary that we have to climb this tremendous slope again tomorrow.”

Unlike Noah, Desion, who still looked fresh and neat, clicked his tongue lightly.

“Stop exaggerating. That’s what you get for neglecting physical training.”

“Not everyone in the world is a monster like you, Desion. I’m just extremely ordinary and normal…”

Noah’s grumbling words stopped abruptly.

“But that young lady is climbing up energetically even with so much luggage in both hands.”

Desion’s gaze naturally followed where Noah’s eyes were directed.

Down below, a woman wearing a dark gray cloak could be seen climbing the hill carrying luggage as big as herself. As Noah said, it was a slope that even adult men would find burdensome, yet she walked briskly without stopping even once.

Just as he was about to look away.

Whoosh.

A wind from the west swept across Everton hill. The woman who had been walking without rest also stopped briefly.

Slip.

The wind blew off the cloak that had been covering her head.

“…!”

Golden hair fluttering in the wind.

Desion’s eyes widened greatly upon discovering that vivid color even in the darkness.

The next moment, Desion instinctively began moving toward her. His steps down the hill were hurried, leaving Noah behind.

From a distance where the woman looked as small as a finger, to where she looked as big as a palm. Soon to a close distance where he could clearly see each of her features.

Unusually white skin and a slender face shape.

Doll-like pretty features.

Desion’s steps stopped abruptly after confirming the woman’s face up close.

Because her face seemed somehow familiar.

‘…Eloise’s maid?’

* * *

“Ugh.”

Heidi readjusted the luggage filling both her hands. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she climbed the steep hill road.

“Once I get home, I need to wash and hang all the blankets first, and oil the floors too…”

The house that had no one to properly care for it had become dilapidated everywhere. All the dishes were chipped, and the wooden walls were warped in places, letting wind seep through.

‘Even before, our circumstances weren’t very comfortable, but I don’t think it had deteriorated this much.’

Heidi let out a deep sigh. If she hadn’t stopped by the house for this matter, she would never have known.

‘How fortunate that the young lady gave me generous spending money. I barely managed to cover this month’s living expenses.’

While climbing the hill road drenched in sweat, Heidi suddenly looked up. She could see a tall silhouette approaching her from afar.

Heidi’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the tall man.

‘He doesn’t seem to be from this neighborhood?’

Heidi tilted her head inwardly.

Since the man was backlit, she couldn’t properly examine his features, but she could tell just from his silhouette.

The clothes the man was wearing were luxury items that didn’t match this neighborhood.

‘Why would such a person be in this neighborhood?’

While Heidi was wondering, the man approached her with large strides.

Close enough to identify each other’s faces.

Heidi’s eyes widened.

“…Master?”

No matter how many times she looked, the man standing before Heidi was Count Haizen—in other words, the master she served.

It seemed the unexpected encounter was just as bewildering for him as well. He pointed at Heidi with his hand and parted his lips.

“You…”

Heidi quickly bent her knees in greeting.

“Good day, Your Lordship. I am Heidi Dalton, the maid who serves Lady Eloise.”

“Heidi Dalton.”

Desion, who had been muttering as if engraving each letter into his mind, met Heidi’s eyes.

“What brings you to this place?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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