The Peaceful Life Of A Maid Who Hides Her Power And Enjoys It - Chapter 195

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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 195

“…Lu?”

The fourth marriage decree’s partner wasn’t Count Sereniye, but Lord Caleph Lu?

Had the Emperor truly gone mad?

No, no. No matter how much authority the Emperor had, he couldn’t inscribe Caleph’s name on this paper. That meant Lu had directly written his own name!

“Is, is this okay? It’s not written wrong, is it? He’s Lord Caleph. Was Caleph allowed to marry?”

Lu, who had somehow prepared warm tea that hadn’t cooled, offered me a teacup while asking back indifferently.

“Any reason he shouldn’t be?”

Well… that was true too.

After drinking the steaming hot tea and calming down, I asked him with a much lighter heart.

“So now we’re getting married with His Majesty the Emperor’s permission?”

“Not permission, but consent. It’s not a marriage decree but a marriage consent form. Don’t forget that the Emperor cannot give me orders. And let me say this in advance – you’d better not think about running away. Even if mutual trust is enough, I need to feel secure by binding us with legal institutions…”

“I signed it.”

I hastily scrawled my name and held out the marriage consent form to Lu.

He silently stared at ‘Daisy Weatherwax’ written on the paper, then took the marriage consent form and gazed at that signature once more.

Wondering if something was lacking, I asked cautiously.

“Should I add my seal too?”

“…Daisy.”

“Yes.”

“Give me permission to devour you.”

“Are you crazy? There are other things to give permission for!”

Lu threw down the marriage consent form and pulled my face toward him for a kiss.

“Wait! The tea…!”

The kiss continued for quite a while.

But going any longer would be problematic. I calmed Lu down by persuading him that ‘since marriage is planned, we need to make plans now,’ and picked up the teacup rolling on the floor while asking.

“So what’s the wedding date? Do you have a schedule in mind?”

“Tomorrow.”

…Huh, really?

Bang!

Just then, the door burst open with a tremendous noise like thunder and lightning. Berdand appeared suddenly with disheveled hair and shouted without any explanation.

“Absolutely not!”

What?

‘Surely not the marriage?’

Perhaps reaching the same conclusion, Lu smiled eerily and threatened Berdand.

“Are you in your right mind, Berdand?”

Berdand flinched and hastily smoothed his hair while answering calmly.

“No, no. I don’t mean the wedding can’t happen. I meant tomorrow can’t happen. Tomorrow’s wedding absolutely cannot happen! Absolutely not!”

It was such an earnest cry that all we could do was quietly nod our heads.

* * *

Four months.

That was the minimum ceremony preparation period that Berdand declared must be guaranteed.

“If you cannot honor even these four months, we have no choice. We’ll just follow divine will anyway, so Lord Caleph can handle the first Caleph ceremony in Rogues history or whatever himself. After that, we’ll all leave Rogues and go into seclusion!”

Lu regarded Berdand’s declaration – no, protest – as childish tantrum but agreed without much comment.

Berdand left with an infinitely pleased expression, while Lu clicked his tongue saying those who couldn’t even pass the fourth wall were becoming more stubborn by the day.

About three days later.

The Head Maid accepted Natasha’s proposal.

However, she took my permission and brought all the household retainers, including the Assassin Butler, to the Imperial Palace.

The household retainers contracted with the imperial family as the Head Maid’s exclusive employees for one year. This was also the period I would be away from Weatherwax Manor for a while.

“You’re right, my lady. Since they’ve lived so freely, I worry they might cause great trouble at the Imperial Palace. But… I don’t want to make them wait endlessly for you while guarding the estate. At least they’ll have people to be with, so they’ll be less lonely.”

The final farewell I shared with the Head Maid seemed almost like words she was saying to herself.

Not long after the Head Maid’s departure to the Imperial Palace was decided, Jin cautiously came to me and shared her thoughts. She wanted to travel for a year.

“No, it’s not a sudden decision. Ever since returning from Astrosia, I’ve been thinking about wanting to experience a wider world. Though it was a short time, I gained much enlightenment there by receiving Caleph’s teachings and experiencing new culture… Huh? Money? Well, won’t it work out somehow? I’ll earn it even if I have to work myself to the bone!”

Jin, who scraped together what little belongings she had and packed them up, took the train the very next day and departed on her long journey. She asked me to look forward to her return as a stronger person after a year… I just hoped she’d return with all her limbs intact and without major incident.

That was probably because I felt affection for Jin.

The most unexpected decision came from Andert.

Actually, to me, Andert was someone who wouldn’t be strange if he disappeared without a trace. But he showed behavior that exceeded expectations. He returned to Berkleighton and began receiving succession training for the ducal title.

Thinking it was a judgment that didn’t suit his temperament, I asked for his reason.

“None of your business.”

That was the only answer I got.

Well, having experienced quite a few significant events, I thought he must have had his own realizations. He might have felt the necessity of power, or judged that a place that keeps you warm and well-fed was the best.

Weatherwax Baroness seemed to have noticed something in Andert’s attitude that had flipped like a card, but didn’t seem inclined to tell me.

“A man’s heart is always like a reed. Don’t think everyone will be as simple as you, Baron. By the way, that was a compliment.”

Weatherwax Baroness’s thoughts remained difficult to understand.

Though I had received Dian’s legacy from him, broken through walls, and even saved Natasha… the existence called Jigharke Berkleighton was still a complete mystery to me.

Weatherwax Baroness was someone who remained faithful to his role as the Emperor’s sword while being more independent than anyone else.

In fact, the full story of the Irigel Villa terrorist incident was also said to be a smokescreen to steal what was presumed to be Dian Ket’s relic from the Irigel imperial report…

But Natasha didn’t seem to pay much attention to Weatherwax Baroness. Her concerns lay elsewhere entirely.

“Daisy, let me speak of one selfish desire. I don’t want to drag you into this dirty mudslinging fight. Having been born and raised in the Imperial Palace, I know better than anyone how terrible and sordid the struggles that the supreme power of the imperial throne incites can be. We just want you to rest. Now… that’s okay. No, please do so.”

I don’t know if the plan of the group that tried to bring down the Emperor is still valid.

But with the disappeared Princess Natasha emerging to the forefront, the divided forces within the empire were entering a new phase. Raphael remained strong as the leader of the pro-Jenail faction, and the Emperor kept him in check.

Mephistopheles’s complete death had merely prevented the revival of the demon army. It was a natural result since it was an incident involving only a very few people like the Emperor, Raphael, Weatherwax Baroness, and Natasha.

For everyone’s will and beliefs to be unified under the reason of eliminating a common enemy, too many things were already tangled and intertwined.

And Raphael, who stood at the center of it all.

“…My words about always being behind you were sincere. It wasn’t some lightly spoken childish whim. I won’t ask for anything else, so just know that.”

He carefully kissed the back of my hand and promised our next meeting.

For now, that’s it.

Shall we talk about Lu and my story now?

We’re departing for the northern continent.

Our destination was the village of the Hawk Claw tribe where White was born and raised, a remote place far from Astrosia Kingdom that would require a long journey.

The tribe that continues the traditional hawking methods using the endangered grey hawks now only has the Hawk Claw tribe left. I plan to learn as much as possible there before returning.

And the planned departure point is right here, Quin Island.

Whoooosh.

The wind atop the cliff that I’m facing after so long is fierce.

I stood before the stone cairn I had built 14 years ago, brushing away the dust and pebbles that had accumulated in layers like the time that had passed.

When I finally finished tidying the stone cairn to my satisfaction, I opened my bag to check the condition of the egg buried in the blanket.

Good, it’s doing well.

I took out the knife that had been carefully placed next to the egg. That knife inscribed with ‘Ash’ was worn but remained as sturdy 160 years ago as it was now. Just like Dian.

After pondering how to place it on the stone cairn, I eventually called Lu to ask for help.

“Lu, the sea wind on this cliff is so strong that the knife might fall. Could you fix it in place with magic?”

Lu walked over slowly and looked down at the knife with a displeased expression, then turned toward me with a beautiful smile.

“It might be better if it just blew away.”

“Don’t say such mean things.”

“Yes, Daisy. How could I, a wicked slave and merely a handsome husband, refuse your request? But before granting your demand, I must hear one answer. Is it me, or Dian Ket?”

“Really now. Why are you pretending to ask for the first time? You’ve already asked the same thing three times.”

“Is it me, or Dian Ket?”

Sometimes I think about it.

Did Lu start asking childish questions recently because his youthful memories returned, or because the emotions he could feel became much richer?

This question always reaches the answer that it’s a pointless doubt the deeper you dig into it.

Whichever was the answer, it didn’t change that it was ultimately Lu’s essence.

“Even if you ask a thousand times, ten thousand times, my answer will always be you, Lu.”

Sorry, Dian.

If Lu asks ‘Between me and Dian Ket, who has better character?’ then I’ll definitely mention your name.

As I answered and rose on my tiptoes to lightly kiss him, gentle yet rough hands reached out to embrace my waist.

He didn’t let go of my lips until I was gasping for breath. Only after I hit his chest with my fists with all my strength did he reluctantly let me go with a regretful expression.

Sometimes I think about it.

Did Lu, who was already uninhibited, become more proactive because his memories of youth returned, or because the emotions he could feel became much richer? …It was still a pointless question after all.

We hung a nameplate on the stone grave.

Even when fierce sea winds blew or sharp typhoons raged, the nameplate that would only flutter endlessly but never fall watched over me and Lu.

Ash, returns to Quin Island.

Together with my beloved Lu.

After stretching long, I clasped Lu’s hand.

The now-familiar blue hair and golden eyes, along with warm warmth, blocked the strong ocean winds that blew ceaselessly and protected my side.

We’re going to the Northern Continent.

No, we’re departing for wherever our feet can take us.

Until the fallen star loses its light.

Until we reach the end of the eternity we promised to share together. Continuously, continuously.

“…Mm, good. Shall we go?”

【The Peaceful Maid Life of Hiding Power and Enjoying Life – Complete】

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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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