The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 101

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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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10. You Wouldn’t Know

 

“Please, maid. I’m embarrassed! I’ll wash myself! Go! Rest!”

 

I barely managed to send away the maid who insisted on helping me bathe and washed alone.

 

When I came out wearing a robe, I saw Lina having her hair done by a maid.

 

She looked so natural being attended to by others that it made me realize anew.

 

That my friend is a princess.

 

Then suddenly I noticed something piled high beside the bed and my eyes widened.

 

“Lina, what are all these snacks?”

 

The amount is incredible…?

 

“I asked the maid girls. They said when friends sleep together, you put food by the bedside like this.”

 

I don’t have friends either so I wouldn’t know, but even so, it doesn’t seem like you’d eat a whole cart per person.

 

I was dazed by the mountain of snacks when I turned my head at the sound of the maid leaving.

 

Before I knew it, Lina was sitting on the bed, patting the spot next to her.

 

“Come here, Elisha.”

 

Is it okay to get on the princess’s bed?

 

But I had no way to refuse the princess who personally poured and offered me juice.

 

I sat obediently beside her, eating snacks and drinking while asking.

 

“Aren’t you tired?”

 

“…I do feel a bit drowsy. But since the main event is still ahead, I can’t let my guard down yet.”

 

Despite preparing a whole cart of snacks, Lina seemed to have no appetite and only ate a few cookies.

 

“As you said, it’s a bit early to celebrate in advance, but I definitely want to tell you that you worked hard.”

 

I knew from what Ailren told me. That Lina had been busy preparing all along.

 

“You were truly beautiful today. Both the banquet hall and you, Lina.”

 

“Mm, I decorated it with a restrained and modest atmosphere, so I’m glad it looked good.”

 

“…Restrained? Modest…?”

 

“Since it’s a fundraising event for the poor, I thought an overly splendid banquet would go against the purpose. Uncle opposed it though.”

 

Regardless of Lina’s thoughts being very proper and admirable unlike someone else’s, my mouth fell open.

 

Then what happens when you deliberately decorate it splendidly…?

 

While I was inwardly surprised, Lina gently leaned against my shoulder.

 

“So what was the secret story, Elisha?”

 

Oh no, I haven’t made one up yet!

 

I was about to decide to honestly confess that it was just something I said.

 

Lina murmured in a small voice.

 

“Friends are supposed to… keep secrets for each other, right? So what we talk about here is only known to the two of us, right?”

 

Oh.

 

‘It seems Lina was the one who wanted to have a secret conversation.’

 

I nodded.

 

“Of course, naturally.”

 

“While preparing for the event, I thought I’d think of Mother a lot. But I thought of His Majesty a lot instead.”

 

Casper Rohan Pressliffe.

 

The Emperor of the Empire and Princess Katarina’s father.

 

It was the name of the man who, struggling with his wife’s death, eventually left on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

 

“Taking on this work was partly to escape Uncle’s influence, but actually…”

 

Lina hesitated before continuing.

 

“I also had hopes that His Majesty might hear the news and contact me. I thought either encouragement or reproach would be fine.”

 

“…But no contact came.”

 

“Yes. My communicator was quiet. He must have no interest in whatever I do. Just like it’s been throughout the year he’s been away.”

 

No, perhaps he never had any interest to spare for her from the beginning, Lina smiled bitterly.

 

“His Majesty doesn’t trust me either. He didn’t even tell me exactly where he was going for his pilgrimage.”

 

Lina’s red, lustrous hair flowed down.

 

Tears fell drop by drop onto it.

 

“Mother was always frail, they say. She became even weaker from the aftereffects of giving birth to me. His Majesty loved Mother so much, so he probably hated me, right? Since Mother died because of me in the end.”

 

“Lina…”

 

“Maybe, maybe you know. His Majesty didn’t go on a pilgrimage but ran away from me. Because he hated me for killing Mother. Because if he kept looking at a daughter who happened to resemble his beloved wife so closely, he might come to hate his wife too…”

 

Just listening to Lina’s story, he seemed like a very irresponsible father.

 

He may have lost his wife, but his daughter lost her mother, yet he left her behind without looking back.

 

But I had doubts.

 

Was the Emperor of the Empire really such an impulsive and heartless person?

 

‘The Emperor’s reign was quite reasonable.’

 

He even made enemies of conservative nobles by making laws on the side of the imperial citizens.

 

Of course he put effort into relief for the poor.

 

He punished noble crimes even more strictly.

 

‘That’s why the dissatisfied nobles sided with Crodil.’

 

Of course, family matters are unknown.

 

He could be a good emperor and good husband but also a bad father at the same time.

 

But.

 

‘I know that Crodil sowed discord between the two. Then…’

 

Ah.

 

A sudden realization came to me.

 

“Lina, this is a delicate topic, but at least His Majesty doesn’t seem indifferent to you.”

 

“How do you know that? If you’re just trying to comfort me…”

 

I could see confusion, resignation, and a bit of hope in Lina’s expression.

 

“No. If he really hated you and didn’t care what happened to you.”

 

Taking a breath, I said to Lina with emphasis.

 

“He wouldn’t have left Sir Ailren by your side when he left.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

“That’s right. He was leaving on a long journey, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land no less, but he didn’t take the Captain of the Royal Knights with him and left him by your side.”

 

It had been bothering me all along.

 

Why was Ailren, the Emperor’s sword and shield, by Lina’s side?

 

“He left his greatest strength and most loyal retainer entirely by your side. Don’t you know what that means?”

 

The conversation made it clear.

 

“His Majesty was trying to protect you. With treatment equivalent to His Majesty the Emperor himself.”

 

“Such… such a thought…”

 

“Yes. You might not have had it.”

 

‘Lina also had a hard time, and moreover Crodil sowed discord.’

 

“But sometimes a person one step outside can see the situation accurately.”

 

Lina spoke in a trembling voice.

 

“Then His Majesty might… not hate me? But there hasn’t been a single contact…”

 

“This is also just my thought, but maybe he has been in contact all this time. However.”

 

“However?”

 

“Someone might have intercepted His Majesty’s messages in between, don’t you think? To isolate you.”

 

The communicator Lina mentioned would be a dedicated line between the Emperor and Lina.

 

But what if Crodil intercepted the signals from that line?

 

What if Crodil has been replying on behalf of them?

 

‘Then everything would be explained. If he cared enough about Lina to leave Ailren behind, but there was no contact all this time.’

 

Not only that.

 

‘Didn’t you say he didn’t tell you his whereabouts?’

 

You said the Emperor didn’t even tell you which Holy Land he was staying at.

 

Because he dislikes you? Because he hates you?

 

No.

 

‘Crodil didn’t give any information at all because he was afraid he might interrogate Lina. Since Lina had no idea about the Emperor’s whereabouts, the questioning stopped there.’

 

I thought that too was probably to protect Lina.

 

If so, it meant the Emperor also secretly suspected and was wary of Crodil’s schemes.

 

‘Though I don’t understand why he left Crodil, the most dangerous person, by Lina’s side… Anyway, the Emperor must have had some plan. A plan that had to be carried out in secret.’

 

Perhaps even the pilgrimage to the Holy Land was a smokescreen?

 

I was thinking rapidly when

 

Lina suddenly hugged me, interrupting my thoughts.

 

“Thank you. Thank you so much, Elisha. You’re like someone the World Tree sent just for me…”

 

Had I been of comfort?

 

The praise-like gratitude was embarrassing, but I silently patted Lina’s back.

 

“You don’t know how much I like you.”

 

“Oh come on, I’m quick to notice things. You like me enough to share half your bed, don’t you?”

 

“I wish you liked me that much too… Is that being greedy?”

 

“My sleeping spot is too hard, so if I offered it to you, the Knight would probably scold me, haha. But if you want, I’ll make you a spot. I’ll lay out lots of cushions.”

 

I was joking around, but Lina’s arms around my waist tightened.

 

“But you know…”

 

Lina continued slowly.

 

Her tone was a little different from usual.

 

“Who was that person earlier?”

 

“That person?”

 

I had no idea who she meant, so I asked, and Lina raised her head.

 

“A little while ago, at the banquet hall.”

 

Green eyes that looked cool with pooled moonlight stared at me.

 

“The woman who smiled and talked to you. …Who was she?”

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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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