The Eldest Daughter Walks Down The Flower Path - Chapter 62

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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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The Eldest Daughter Walks the Path of Flowers Episode 62

 

At her words, Olivier burst into laughter and generously placed bread pieces in Radis’s hands.

 

Then the swans, catching the scent of bread, slowly gathered around her.

 

Crouched down with both hands extended, Radis let out squealing screams.

 

“Their beaks are so ticklish!”

 

Watching Radis surrounded by swans and letting out happy screams, Olivier smiled with incomparable gentleness.

 

A wind deeply infused with winter’s scent blew over.

 

The singing voices of children running along the riverside, their spirits lifted by the silver coins they’d received, carried on that wind.

 

‘Ah…’

 

Radis, who had been laughing frantically, suddenly realized.

 

‘I’m happy right now.’

 

She was happy enough to forget, at least for this moment, her unhappy past, uncertain future, and even disturbing secrets.

 

Radis slowly rose and stood upright. Then she looked at Olivier.

 

Olivier was also looking at her.

 

His face was flushed red, and his eyes were infinitely warm.

 

Seeing the smile that appeared on his lips made the throbbing in her chest feel even more intense.

 

Olivier’s lips moved slightly as he called her name.

 

“Radis…”

 

Trembling was evident in his voice.

 

The brief silence that followed felt as long as eternity.

 

Radis wanted to know. The words that would come after that silence.

 

So she approached him and stood before him.

 

Just then, something flew toward them.

 

“…!”

 

Without even having time to identify what it was, Radis swung her hand and struck it away.

 

Having unconsciously drawn up mana, a sharp metallic clang rang out.

 

Olivier’s face turned pale.

 

“Radis!”

 

Commotion erupted.

 

The five knights who had been waiting nearby split up.

 

Two ran off to pursue the attacker, while the rest rushed toward them.

 

“Your Highness! Are you alright?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Olivier, his face not just pale but blue with shock, grabbed Radis’s hand and examined it thoroughly.

 

But making his worry seem pointless, Radis’s hand was perfectly fine.

 

“I’m fine too.”

 

Radis released his hand and ran to pick up the object she had struck away.

 

It was a sharp dagger.

 

Whether it was coated with poison or not, the area around the blade was glistening.

 

“Your Highness, here it is!”

 

Olivier frowned as he received it.

 

And immediately handed it to a knight.

 

However, the knight seemed not yet to grasp the seriousness of this incident.

 

The knight casually tossed the dagger into a bulging pouch that clearly contained various other items.

 

Startled, Radis spoke in an urgent tone.

 

“It may not have any special features, but it’s important evidence, Your Highness!”

 

“Radis, it’s dangerous here. We need to return to the carriage immediately.”

 

“Ah, yes!”

 

Radis looked around with wide eyes, worried that something else might come flying.

 

Olivier protectively pushed her into the carriage and let out a deep sigh.

 

“That was almost a disaster.”

 

“Your Highness, it was an assassin, wasn’t it? Right?”

 

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Olivier, seemingly not reassured by Radis’s words, touched her hands and arms here and there before sighing.

 

“Thank goodness. You were lucky. But don’t ever do that again.”

 

“Your Highness, what do you mean by that? If something like this happens again, I’ll do the same thing.”

 

“No, you mustn’t. Don’t do that!”

 

At his unexpectedly strong opposition, Radis stared at Olivier with wide eyes.

 

Something was strange.

 

The 3rd Prince of the Empire telling her not to protect him, and the knights who didn’t seem surprised despite an assassination attempt on the 3rd Prince – it was all strange.

 

Most of all, Olivier worrying more about Radis than himself was the strangest thing.

 

Olivier spoke quickly.

 

“This happens all the time. I’m used to it, but if you try to stop it, you’ll get hurt.”

 

“Used to it…!”

 

Radis unconsciously grabbed Olivier’s arm.

 

“You’re saying this kind of thing happens all the time?”

 

At her words, Olivier’s lips, and then his entire face, hardened stiffly.

 

Like a forcibly hardened plaster statue.

 

He spoke in a rapid tone as if giving a report.

 

“Not always… Since the guards are always on high alert, usually attempts are discovered by the knights before they happen. Since we came outside the Imperial Court today, I thought there might be an assassination attempt, so we were taking full precautions.”

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“But I didn’t think you might be put in danger too. It’s all my fault.”

 

“Lord Olivier.”

 

Radis called him in a firm tone.

 

And while meeting his gaze, she spoke slowly.

 

“I’m fine. And this isn’t Lord Olivier’s fault.”

 

“…”

 

His violet eyes seemed unwavering even in this situation.

 

‘That can’t be right.’

 

Radis thought he must be shaken.

 

However, Olivier’s mask was solid.

 

He slightly lifted the corners of his mouth in something resembling a smile, then took Radis’s hand and placed it back on her lap.

 

After a brief silence, the carriage that had arrived at the town house stopped.

 

Radis looked at Olivier and said.

 

“Your Highness, please have a cup of warm tea before you go.”

 

“…Would that be alright?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Radis led Olivier to the small drawing room with the fireplace.

 

After adding more logs to make the fire blaze brightly, she placed a large mug of warm herbal tea that Lina had brought into Olivier’s hands.

 

She wondered if she might be treating the Imperial Prince too much like a child, but it couldn’t be helped.

 

Olivier had returned to his usual composed expression, but beneath that rigid mask, his real face didn’t seem to be the same.

 

A moment later, one of the knights approached Olivier.

 

“Your Highness, we’ve captured the assassin.”

 

“Dead?”

 

“…I’m sorry. We couldn’t prevent the suicide.”

 

Olivier spoke with his eyes closed.

 

“How could you prevent that? It’s fine. Now that blood has been spilled, things will be quiet for a while.”

 

After the knight withdrew, Olivier looked at the crackling flames in the fireplace with a tired expression.

 

His profile looked like a mask made of porcelain.

 

Radis asked.

 

“Is this the end? Someone tried to assassinate a member of the royal family, but it ends just because the assassin committed suicide?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“How can that be? We need to find the person who commissioned the assassination!”

 

Olivier slowly turned his head.

 

His face was still like a mask.

 

“I know who it is.”

 

“What?”

 

“I know who wants to kill me. That’s why we can’t find them.”

 

“…!”

 

Knowing but being unable to find them.

 

Why would that be?

 

Radis felt like she somehow knew the answer.

 

‘The royal family…? So, his family? His family is trying to kill him?’

 

Radis closed her mouth.

 

Because it wasn’t a matter she dared to speak about.

 

For a while, they said nothing.

 

In the drawing room, only the sound of sparks crackling from the fireplace echoed.

 

‘Teacher…’

 

Radis suddenly thought of Armano.

 

On days when she was tormented by Margaret, there were times when being alone felt unbearably painful.

 

At such times, Radis would scrub her face with cold water and then go find Armano.

 

Armano used the attic room in the servant’s quarters, and unlike what you’d expect from a swordsmanship instructor, his room was filled with the scent of paper, books, and ink.

 

Armano loved writing and spent most of his alone time writing.

 

But when Radis came to his room, Armano would put down his quill and spread his arms wide to welcome his young student.

 

‘Well, well, my most beloved and adorable student.’

 

He would pour hot tea into a large wooden cup, seat her in the warmest spot in the room, and then speak to her in a gentle voice.

 

‘What story shall I tell my dear student? Ah, shall I tell you about the secret underground chamber beneath the Imperial Capital?’

 

The stories Armano told at such times were mostly made-up nonsense ghost tales, but there was nothing better for pulling young Radis out of the marsh of sadness.

 

Having made up her mind, Radis opened her mouth.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

At her voice, Olivier raised his head.

 

“The Empire’s…”

 

Having said that much, Radis realized her mistake.

 

How foolish would she look telling ghost stories about the Imperial Capital’s underground chambers in front of the 3rd Prince of the Empire who lived in the Imperial Capital?

 

Radis quickly changed course.

 

“…In this estate, there’s supposed to be something mysterious. Have you heard about it?”

 

“What?”

 

That story was something Eve had told her while showing her around the estate on the day they arrived at the town house.

 

“There’s… a mummy in the basement here!”

 

Radis stared intently at Olivier’s face.

 

Hoping for some meaningful change.

 

But Olivier seemed not to understand what Radis was saying.

 

He slightly furrowed his brow and asked.

 

“A mummy… ?”

 

“Yes! Lord Russel tried to throw it away several times, but Lady Meriel absolutely refused. It seems to be some ancestor’s mummy.”

 

A bewildered expression crossed Olivier’s face.

 

“An ancestor of the Russel family… is in the basement here instead of being buried in a tomb?”

 

“It seems so. I wanted to go see it once, but Lord Russel absolutely refused to go. Would you like to go see it together?”

 

After being lost in thought for a moment, Olivier nodded.

 

“If that’s what you wish to do, then I’ll do so.”

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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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