Chapter 38

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The transfer magic tool was inside the Duke Luc Michel's mansion.

Luc is famous in every sense.

The great mage holds the position of Chief Court Mage and is also a duke.

He serves as the chairman of the Lord's Council, although he apparently dislikes it. The decision for the ducal family to take turns serving as chairman made it impossible for him to refuse.

Noel has always been indebted to Professor Theo Michel, Luc's younger brother, and despite having almost no personal acquaintance with Duke Luc, she felt a sense of gratitude towards him.

Luc's wife is the sister of the previous king, a beautiful woman named Fisis, as Sirius had told her.

"Uncle is a bit unusual," Sirius had said, which made Noel somewhat nervous.

This would be their first meeting.

In the luxurious reception room of the Michel mansion, which resembled a castle, Noel was introduced to Fisis.

A petite lady with lustrous silver hair and emerald eyes. Despite her age, she looked very young. Noel felt a sense of familiarity due to her petite stature.

"Oh, you're so cute," Fisis said at first, but her expression was almost blank.

If Noel hadn't heard from Sirius that "Uncle doesn't like fake smiles and often looks expressionless," she might have been even more nervous.

Noel greeted her with the manners she had learned from her royal education, paying attention to every detail.

"Let's chat without being so formal. The men are out of the way."

"Huh?"

Noel was wondering what "out of the way" meant when the head of the household, Luc, arrived and took Sirius somewhere.

Sirius, who had intended to support Noel, was led away with a reluctant look.

Noel wasn't particularly anxious because Fisis had a serene demeanor. However, she was unsure if she could carry on a conversation with such a noble and much older woman, but she could at least use the tried-and-true method of "smiling and nodding."

"Well, it's been a while since I've talked to a young lady.

I read the romance in the newspaper, and it was quite enjoyable."

Noel, who hadn't even considered that it would be read in the ducal household, blushed intensely.

"Ah, that, well, it's somewhat exaggerated..."

She stammered, trying to explain.

"Oh, I checked with a friend's daughter. She said it was very true to life.

The princess was famous for being cute, and Sirius was worried about her.

In an interview, Sirius said, 'I was worried that someone might propose to her before me.'"

— Sirius! What kind of interview is that!

Noel's mind was boiling, and she could only mutter, "I'm not famous."

Several strange rumors had circulated, but being famous for being cute was a new and delightful one. She wondered which cute lady they were mistaking her for.

"Hehe. Is that so?

The current princess seems to be a good girl.

The previous princess was terrible.

Have you met her?"

"No, I haven't."

"That's fortunate.

She was impossible to talk to. I think the temple doves were smarter."

"Is that so?"

Noel imagined the plump doves pampered in the temple.

"To think my brother would choose such a woman.

Her character, intelligence, and family background were all bad.

Her face was beautiful, but there are many beautiful women.

Roses, lilies, and dahlias are all beautiful. He could have chosen any of them.

Yet he chose a woman with only her face as a redeeming quality.

Perhaps her bedroom manners were that good?"

Noel blushed at the word "bedroom."

Fisis stroked Noel's hair with her slender white fingers, saying, "Oh, you're so innocent."

The gesture was so graceful and sensual that Noel was captivated.

She realized that even women can be charming.

"Even an unattractive woman can captivate a man with clever words and gestures.

But that princess had nothing."

Fisis shrugged.

"Conversation is difficult, isn't it?"

Noel felt she wasn't doing a good job at it.

"But at least you listen and understand me.

You see, I couldn't have a conversation with that woman.

She didn't listen, and even if she did, she didn't understand.

She loved watching plays, especially operas.

She would boast about all the plays she had seen.

But when I asked for her thoughts, she would only recite the plot.

And the plot was often strange, as if she had been sleeping.

That's not what I mean by thoughts.

Noel, don't you think so?"

"I do. But I've never seen a play."

"Really? Sirius doesn't take you to the theater?"

Fisis looked puzzled, as if Sirius was pitiful.

Noel panicked.

"He was busy.

Actually, he said we would go to the circus and the imperial theater when we travel abroad."

"Using busyness as an excuse, that boy is hopeless.

Well, let's enjoy the play through conversation.

For example, one of the operas that woman saw was a tragic love story. I saw it too.

It's actually a play about beautiful actors' sweet love dialogues and intimate scenes, but let's just stick to the plot."

Noel nodded and said, "Yes."

"The protagonist is a beautiful girl whose parents were killed by her uncle. She is confined in a separate mansion by her uncle.

She is supposed to marry her uncle when she comes of age.

But she manages to escape through a secret passage.

She goes out through a back door and often goes for walks. There, she meets a young man.

By a beautiful pond.

The stage of the royal theater was magnificent."

Noel imagined a picture-perfect stage.

Whether she could enjoy the actors' love dialogues was another matter, but she wanted to see the real thing.

"The man is an apprentice pharmacist. He has a promising future, but he is poor now.

He tells the girl he goes to his uncle's house to hone his skills because his family is poor.

Their meetings were brief, a summer romance.

He gives her a simple ring and promises to come back for her when he becomes a pharmacist.

She smiles and says she will wait.

But she knows she can't wait because she has to marry her uncle.

Still, she smiles and says goodbye to him.

On the night before her wedding to her uncle, she puts on the dress she wore when she met him, kisses the ring he gave her, and jumps from the balcony to her death."

Noel frowned after hearing the plot.

"What a terrible tragic love story."

She couldn't help but comment.

Fisis widened her eyes and laughed lightly.

"An interesting comment.

Is it the uncle who makes you feel bad?"

"The uncle is the worst, but why didn't the girl consult him?"

"Because he was poor," Fisis answered immediately.

"But wouldn't he be shocked when he returns?"

"Indeed.

But which would be more painful for him, finding her married to her uncle or finding her dead?"

Fisis asked, and Noel thought for a moment.

"It depends on his character and values, but death is irreversible."

"True. But don't you think she is at peace? She no longer suffers."

"Yes, well, that's..."

Noel hesitated before continuing.

"Both are tragic, so it's best to avoid both."

"How?"

Fisis asked, sounding amused.

Noel thought and searched for words.

She no longer cared about the pretense of being a princess, having become engrossed in the conversation.