Chapter 19

* * *

I sat in front of the mirror, rubbing my sleepy eyes and yawning repeatedly.

"You must be very tired."

"Yes, a bit..."

"Still, please bear with it for a little longer. Today is a very important day."

When Roina spoke soothingly, I nodded.

I heard that the nobles and elders were in an uproar when they learned that the duke had brought a young girl with him.

However, he did not change his mind and insisted on introducing me.

Roina believed that thorough preparation was necessary for my first meeting with the elders and nobles.

Four people worked hard to dress me up.

After some time, just as my body started to feel stiff, the preparations were finally complete.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and widened my eyes.

'I know they worked hard, but...'

It was beyond my imagination.

My neatly combed hair shimmered as if it held sunlight, and the light pink dress fit me perfectly.

I had never really thought much about my appearance, but honestly, I looked quite cute.

The four people's reactions were the same.

"You're so cute, Lady Ellie!"

"Your skin is so fair, it looks like it would be full of sugar powder if you poked it."

"Can I poke your cheek just once...?"

"Azel, if you poke Lady Ellie's cheek, you'll be in trouble!"

However, the one downside was that it made the listener feel embarrassed.

I looked at Azel, who was secretly wiggling her fingers, and smiled awkwardly.

'Being pampered is quite tiring, too.'

* * *

Time passed, and just as Ellie finished getting ready.

Knock, knock, knock.

A servant entered the room with a knock.

"What is it?"

In response to Roina's question, the servant said,

"Excuse me, Lord Corvino wishes to greet Lady Ellie."

"Lord Corvino?"

Roina frowned slightly.

Lord Corvino was a man with a dark heart.

He always wore a friendly smile, but in reality, he only thought about what he could gain from me.

The fact that he came to see Lady Ellie before the meeting began was concerning.

'He's either here to curry favor or to size me up. One of the two, I suppose.'

Whatever the reason, it couldn't be good.

Just as Roina was about to send him away, claiming that Ellie wasn't fully prepared,

"There you are."

Lord Corvino pushed his way in. Roina, taken aback, tried to stop him.

"My lord, Lady Ellie is not yet fully prepared."

"Prepared? She looks perfect to me."

Lord Corvino looked at Ellie with a somewhat eerie smile.

"Surely I haven't been rude, miss?"

The endearing title was out of place for the current Ellie.

She was a commoner and had not yet been married, so it was appropriate for him to use informal language.

However, Lord Corvino used a formal title that even servants didn't use, addressing Ellie with respect.

'And that look in his eyes...'

Ellie stared intently at Lord Corvino's eyes. Usually, such a look indicated a greedy motive.

'He has an agenda.'

Was his sudden visit simply to curry favor?

"No, my lord. I was just about to finish getting ready."

Ellie pushed aside her complicated thoughts and smiled.

"Isn't that right? I must have perfect timing."

Lord Corvino grinned.

"Come in."

He gestured to someone behind him.

A servant entered the room carrying a blue velvet box.

"I didn't want to come empty-handed, so I brought a gift for you, miss."

Inside the box was a small, palm-sized gem.

"It's called Blue Hope. It's a mana stone found only in our territory. With this, you can cast spells like a mage. I specially chose it for you..."

Lord Corvino, who had been excitedly boasting, suddenly paused.

He turned to the maids behind him.

"Go on, you can leave now. I have something to discuss with the miss alone."

"Huh?"

Roina's eyes widened.

"But we..."

"Tsk. Go on, I won't do anything foolish, will I?"

Roina wanted to say, "I think you will," but held back.

He was Lord Corvino, a vassal of the Schuetz family, and she couldn't speak rashly.

Roina looked at Ellie hesitantly.

Ellie nodded, her gaze so sincere that Roina had no choice but to agree.

The maids left the room.

Lord Corvino suppressed his smile.

'Stupid girl.'

To dismiss potential witnesses so easily.

Once alone, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"What do you think, miss? Aren't they beautiful gems?"

"Yes, they are beautiful."

Blue Hope was a mineral mined in the northern mines.

It was very beautiful but infamous for being cursed. Those who possessed Blue Hope met mysterious deaths.

Despite the terrifying rumors, Duke Schuetz used Blue Hope as a mana stone.

It could hold a large amount of mana because it was a pure mineral.

'But this girl in front of me doesn't know it's a cursed gem.'

As expected, Ellie couldn't take her eyes off the blue Blue Hope.

'The color is just like Damian's eyes.'

If she told him his eyes were like hers, Damian would blush as usual.

A soft smile appeared on Ellie's face.

'Of course.'

Lord Corvino chuckled.

Who would have thought the daughter of a thief would be so naive.

Blood is thicker than water, after all.

'I wonder what the duke was thinking, bringing in such a girl.'

It was fortunate to have discovered this in advance.

'Now that I've laid the groundwork... '

Lord Corvino pushed the box.

Thud. The heavy velvet box closed with a loud sound, and Ellie blinked in surprise.

"Stop looking at it."

"Excuse me?"

"It's not something you should covet so freely."

Ellie was speechless at the sudden change in Lord Corvino's demeanor.

But he didn't flinch.

With no one watching, he had no reason to maintain his facade.

Lord Corvino gestured to the servant behind him.

"It seems our miss wants to see the gem more."

He rudely handed the box to the servant.

"Help her look at it."

The servant, as if he had touched something unholy, shook his hands and nodded at Ellie.

"Then I'll leave now. See you later."

Without waiting for a response, he left the room.

Thud. The door closed with a loud sound.

Now, only the servant and Ellie were left in the large room.

Ellie stared at the closed door, showing no significant change in her expression despite the sudden shift in attitude.

"The lord said that, but he chose it himself, thinking of you."

The servant opened the velvet box again, trying to sound convincing.

Ellie's gaze moved from the closed door to the gem.

The servant, taking the opportunity, swallowed hard and looked down.

As Lord Corvino had said, the girl was wearing a frilly dress that was popular in the current social circles.

The frills had pockets where small mirrors or accessories could be kept.

The servant remembered Lord Corvino's order.

"Find the right moment to put it in the girl's pocket. She's uneducated, so she won't notice."

Lord Corvino's plan was to make it look like Ellie had stolen the gem.

'But when should I do it?'

He couldn't grasp the right timing.

Just as the servant was nervously biting his lip,

"Lady Ellie, it's time to go."

A servant waiting outside knocked on the door.

Ellie stood up and walked past him.

The servant's eyes widened.

If not now, he would never get another chance to put the gem in her pocket.

In a hurry, he opened the box and, as Lord Corvino had instructed, placed the gem in the pocket inside the frills.

'Please don't notice...'

At that moment,

Ellie stopped in her tracks.

Did she notice? The servant tried to calm his racing heart.

Ellie turned her head and looked at him.

"Aren't you coming?"

She tilted her head.

"Y-Yes...?"

"You're not staying here, are you?"

Her informal tone was natural, but the servant didn't notice.

"Y-Yes, sorry."

The servant, taking advantage of Ellie turning her head, placed the box in a visible spot and hurriedly left the room.

He took a deep breath, looking around. Ellie still said nothing.

'Did she not notice?'

The servant sighed. His mission was complete.

Just as he was about to leave the tense situation,

His clothes suddenly felt heavy.

The servant instinctively turned around.

Ellie was holding his clothes.

Their eyes met, and she grabbed his arm. The sudden heaviness was due to her.

"Miss?"

"Sorry, there was something on your clothes."

Ellie smiled faintly and let go of his clothes.

"Excuse me. I'll be going now."

With that, she walked away with the waiting maids.

Phew. The servant sighed.

Fortunately, she hadn't noticed.

He hoped she wouldn't realize the gem was in her pocket. The servant hurriedly left.

For some reason, his body felt heavy.