The Munchkin Princess Wants to Run Away - Chapter 33

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

‘I can’t afford to make a mistake.’
Ivanna examined the Tea Set with meticulous care. She’d heard that the white teacup, adorned with crimson petals rendered in brilliant detail, was the work of a renowned painter.
Yet she hesitated to simply reach for the finest piece.
Selecting only the best would itself be improper.
If she appeared to slight House of Lavern, she’d be judged as lacking refinement.
She needed to show that House of Reynolds held House of Lavern in genuine favor.
Not that one, then…
“How about this one?”
Ivanna carefully pointed to the teacup that had been troubling her mind.
The cream-colored cup bore flowers rendered in lush greens and pale yellow blossoms.
It was lavish enough not to seem contemptuous of House of Lavern, and the green and yellow were the colors carried in the House of Lavern crest.
Neither excessive nor wanting—it seemed perfectly suited to entertaining the Countess.
‘I hope I chose well.’
As Caterina gazed steadily at her selection, Ivanna discretely wiped her damp palms against her skirt.
“You’ve chosen a refined and elegant set befitting the Countess of House of Lavern. You possess excellent taste.”
Through—she’d passed!
When her eyes met Anthony’s, the woman offered her an encouraging smile.
“Now let’s select the dinnerware.”
At Caterina’s softly laughing words, Ivanna swallowed hard.
She’d thought she’d cleared one mountain, only to find a whole range waiting beyond.
Did the lady of a house truly choose all these things herself?
Undertaking the task for the first time, Ivanna was kept busy examining and selecting items as Caterina directed.
House of Reynolds had decided to hold a party, inviting the southern nobility within the duchy’s domains to celebrate the Countess of House of Lavern’s recovery.
House of Lavern and House of Reynolds maintained remarkably close ties.
Caterina’s friendship with the Countess seemed particularly deep, and since the current Duke, Cedric, had studied etiquette under the Countess herself, everything had to be flawless.
‘Why is she entrusting such an important task to me?’
Ivanna released a shallow breath.
“Let’s call it a day here.”
“Thank you for your help.”
In the course of selecting necessary items, Ivanna had also shared lunch and tea with Caterina in the Garden.
Spending such a long day in constant tension, maintaining perfect posture throughout, was something Ivanna had never done before, and she was utterly spent.
Exhausted though she was, she bowed respectfully to Caterina before departing the Garden.
‘I wish I could just lie down.’
After sitting upright all day, a dull ache radiated through her lower back.
The Royal Family were naturally sturdier than most, yet even she found this grueling—how did other noble ladies and young women manage to sit like that all day?
Marveling inwardly at the resilience of others, she was passing through the Garden toward the Main Building when—
“It’s heavy, so be careful!”
“Yes!”
Several servants were clustered around an enormous Wooden Box, apparently moving decorations for the party.
The object didn’t seem to have Lightening Magic applied to it. Most antique pieces were like that—reapplying Lightening or Preservation Magic was exponentially harder than it had been originally.
Since there was risk of damaging the work, sometimes people had no choice but to move things manually.
“It would be best if you stepped aside.”
Normally, the servants should have waited for Ivanna to pass. But seeing the line of boxes stretching ahead, Anthony advised her to move out of the way.
They’d just come from the Garden and were heading toward the building now, where the passage was slightly narrower than elsewhere.
“Look out! Be careful!”
As Ivanna waited for a particularly large box to pass, a loud cry suddenly erupted.
Crash!
“Ahhh!”
“Oh no?! He’s trapped! Tobin’s been crushed!”
At the panicked shout, Anthony moved to shield Ivanna. Without thinking, Ivanna reached for her Water Authority before stopping herself.
A stream of water rose from between the shrubs, then vanished just as quickly.
Realizing that her Authority had nearly been exposed in the crisis, Ivanna’s face drained of color.
“Fetch the physician at once!”
The servants hurried to move the box, then rushed about urgently. Ivanna confirmed the man was unharmed and stepped forward.
“How is his condition?”
“Gasp! My lady!”
At the graceful voice, the servant who had turned froze upon seeing Ivanna.
“Would it not be better to move him directly to the Medical Office if the injury is serious?”
“Improper movement could make recovery difficult, my lady.”
Ivanna nodded at the servant’s explanation. The injured servant whimpered, clutching at her leg.
“May I examine the wound?”
“Yes.”
The injured servant carefully showed her unmoving leg. The room fell quiet, but Ivanna paid it no mind and gently sat beside the servant to inspect the injured area.
Fortunately, no part of the body had been severed. Still, it appeared to be either fractured or badly bruised.
“M-madam. It’s not a pleasant sight. Perhaps it would be better if you went inside.”
A servant of apparent rank cautiously suggested this to Ivanna. She withdrew her hand from the injured servant’s body and nodded.
It would be safer to wait for a physician rather than attempt treatment herself.
“Given that this injury occurred while preparing for the Welcoming Party, grant leave until full recovery is assured, and provide additional compensation.”
“Yes. I shall keep it in mind.”
Ivanna gazed down at the fallen servant.
“I hope you recover without complication.”
Even in his daze, he nodded at the fact that the Duchess—a member of the Royal Family—had spoken to him.
‘I hope it’s not serious.’
Ivanna wished for the servant’s swift recovery and withdrew. Suddenly, strength drained from her body.
‘Have Caterina and I been pushing too hard with the Welcoming Party preparations?’
It seemed that surprise had compounded her existing exhaustion. Ivanna decided she needed to return and rest, and she moved forward with that thought.
* * *
“Where is my wife?”
“She fell asleep early.”
Cedric, who had returned in the evening after finishing his work, looked puzzled as he asked Anthony, who stood waiting outside the door.
“I heard there was an accident this afternoon.”
“It seems she was rather startled when a servant was injured right before her eyes.”
“I see.”
As before, it appeared the Royal Family member truly was tenderhearted.
“Mmm…”
Upon entering the bedroom, Cedric heard a faint moan and moved toward the bed. The Duchess lay there, her face drained of color, cold sweat beading on her skin.
There was no way to prevent people from becoming injured or ill in front of the Duchess.
Yet she had taken on the Welcoming Party for House of Lavern, and he could not ask her to abandon it.
“Tsk.”
Cedric clicked his tongue softly, went to the washroom, dampened a towel in water, and returned.
Could someone truly be this frail?
Cedric, who had never caught so much as a cold in his life, could not fathom how Ivanna could be so frightened by another person’s injury.
As he wiped the Duchess’s forehead with the damp cloth, she seemed to gradually settle, and soon her breathing became steady and even.
Once he finished cleaning up, Cedric sat on the edge of the bed and exhaled a quiet sigh.
He had thought protecting the Duchess would be straightforward, yet he kept running into obstacles.
Apart from the covert outing in the Capital, the Duchess had been reasonably well-behaved.
This Welcoming Party, too, was something his mother had insisted upon.
‘In the end, the Duchess bears no fault.’
Since setting out on inspection of the duchy with the Duchess, his plans had begun to unravel piece by piece.
Cedric could not stand by and watch his plans derail further.
Healing Authority, no less.
The Countess’s recovery was surely coincidence. He did not believe his mother’s suspicion.
There had never been a case of the Royal Family failing to notice when they received Authority, nor had any of them ever received Authority twice.
His mother’s suspicion was certainly false.
Yet seeing the Duchess collapse after the servant’s injury, a troubling doubt crept in.
On that day, too—when the Countess had nearly collapsed—had the Duchess not been at her side?
“Mmgh…”
Cedric halted the thought extending through his mind at the sound of Ivanna’s moan.
The Duchess would not be unaware if she possessed Authority.
He detested complicating matters with baseless suspicion. All that mattered was that the Duchess recover.
For now, he was doing his utmost to honor the contract.
Going further for the Duchess’s sake would be a loss. Already, because of the Duchess’s fragile constitution, was he not already watching over her more than he had anticipated?
He absolved himself of his actions.
As he carefully wiped her round forehead, beaded with cold sweat, Cedric convinced himself that he had already shown enough consideration.
Observing the Duchess and overstepping into unnecessary concern were two different matters.
He resolved to draw that line clearly going forward, then lay down beside Ivanna and closed his eyes.

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