Chapter 81

As the hunting day drew nearer, Serwin’s face grew darker. Amelie was worried about him and asked Serwin what was going on, but he only replied that he was okay, so there was nothing she could do.

‘What’s wrong with you that you’re not saying anything?’

Amelie was worried, but also a little disappointed. Originally, she knew that Serwin wasn’t the kind of person who talked about his thoughts and things to others, but she felt strangely uncomfortable.

While she was holding herself together, she heard the news that a letter from Renia had arrived from her maid. After dinner, Amelie began to read her letter.

The letter contained an answer to what she had asked Renia the other day.

Renia said she still communicates with the old lady who worked in the imperial palace for a long time. The old lady was a woman who became an Imperial maid during Serwin’s grandfather, and she retired more than a decade ago and spent the rest of her life traveling. Renia said she would never meet strangers, but she decided to come to the capital.

‘The problem is that day is also Hunting Day…’

The old lady returned to the capital’s house only around hunting day. Because of Renia’s schedule, it was difficult to take a place unless it was a hunting day.

‘I was going to follow Serwin around… It got complicated.’

Amelie turned into a hamster that day and tried to follow him in the front pocket of his jacket. She didn’t talk to Serwin, but she had been secretly trying to keep an eye on him because he seemed unusually unstable these days.

‘And Serwin can’t follow me either.’

The Emperor was obliged to attend the hunting competitions on Hunting Day every year.

“Your Majesty, Young Lady Renia is coming to the capital for a while. We were supposed to meet then, but it’s a hunting day. I was going to follow Your Majesty, but I’m meeting with Young Lady Renia for something important—”

“It’s okay.”

“Yes?”

Amelie doubted her ears. It’s okay? About what?

“You don’t like hunting. If you’re next to me, you’d have to watch everything about hunting. In that case, it’s better to meet the Young Lady Manvers.”

“Will it be okay?”

“What else wouldn’t be okay?”

“Being apart from me makes you feel anxious.”

Serwin, who was writing down, stopped his hand for a moment. Serwin continued to talk, moving his hands again as if nothing had happened.

“I can’t force and take you if you don’t want to. The hunting ground is much more cruel and dangerous than you think. It’s common to shoot arrows at someone you hate pretending to be a mistake. I’m more relieved that you remain in the imperial palace.”

“Yes..”

Amelie nodded her head. He was a person who put Amelie’s safety first, and the anxiety he felt was also due to safety. There was no contradiction in his words.

‘But I thought you stopped just now…’

The appearance was strangely stuck in her mind. However, it was ambiguous to consider that part. Amelie decided to put off the uncomfortable feeling for a while.

“Then I should write a reply to Renia.”

“Do it. If she’s behaving badly, be sure to tell me, and, oh, the last time I saw you, I might as well tell your maid. She’s very reliable.”

“I told Milena never to do that again. Please don’t praise her for strange things.”

Amelie opened her green eyes. Serwin smiled and made eye contact with the black cat staring at them. Lira did something else by licking her front paws.

“Are you going to keep that cat here?”

“Oddly enough, it is said that it’s not the cat the Marchioness was raising. There don’t seem to be any injuries… But I don’t want to release what I picked up again. It will get colder there.”

“Nyaah.”

Lira acted cute as she passed between Amelie’s legs.

“Can I raise it?”

“You can do that if you want.”

“Then I’ll raise one.”

Amelie stroked Lira’s neck. Lira opened her eyes like a real cat and made a purring sound. In fact, Lira felt very good.

‘It’s hunting day. Whoops.’

Lira smiled happily. Amelie, who doesn’t even know what she was thinking, made a fuss that the cat seemed to like her.

*****

A few days later, Marchioness Lewin visited Amelie. On the day they had a tea party, she promised to hand out the herbs she had grown, but she remembered that and she brought her herbs herself.

Amelie went out to the front door and greeted her.

“Welcome. It’s nice to see you again like this.”

“That’s what I’m going to say. Thank you for welcoming me.”

“Should we go in?”

“Yes.”

Serwin looked at the friendly conversation between the two.

‘She likes that woman enough to turn me into a dog.’

Amelie turned Serwin into a dog, saying that the Marchioness would be uncomfortable with Serwin. He showed off his sulky face without shaking his tail. However, Amelie was more distracted by the Marchioness, so she didn’t even look at Serwin.

Amelie guided Marchioness into the same tea room as last time. The hastily prepared refreshments were served, and Marchioness Lewin took a sip of her tea.

“Is it a different tea from last time?”

“Yes. It’s a tea made of pickled ginger in honey. Ginger can warm your body.”

“You took care of it. Thank you.”

Marchioness Lewin smiled with her eyes bent.

“I brought some herbs for Miss Amelie.”

The Marchioness put the box, which she had brought with her own hands, down on the table.

“The more freshly picked, the better the scent, so I came to see you all of a sudden. If it’s not now, it will pass the hunting season, and then the taste will go down.”

“I’m thankful. But where are you going on hunting day?”

“The Hunting Day is not just an event for the nobility, it is an event for the whole country. I was thinking of giving a little meat to those in need. I’m going to be busy for a few days.”

“You are doing a good thing.”

“It’s just self-satisfaction.”

The Marchioness said as if it was nothing special. She looked embarrassed to be praised for what she had done.

‘She’s a really good person.’

Amelie was amazed. Serwin was suspicious of the Marchioness, but Amelie liked her quite a bit. The conversation with the Marchioness was comfortable. It felt like she was hanging out with people without them flattering her as the Emperor’s lover or ignoring her as commoners. She thought she would be a good friend.

“Actually, herbs are a bribe.”

“For me?”

Amelie opened her eyes roundly. Serwin stared at the Marchioness, correcting his posture. He’s going to bite her if she says nonsense.

“There is a lake next to Enrique Hall. I wanted to go there.”

“If it’s Enrique Hall… The place where the imperial palace party is held?”

“Yes.”

“Why there?”

It was a really strange request. No one tried to get close to the lake. The water was strangely dirty and disgusting, and rumors abounded that if they fell into it they would get sick.

“Didn’t you hear the rumor yet? I heard that the lake water is so good for you.”

“Yes?”

Amelie asked back.

“Since a while ago, the water has suddenly become clean, and it is said that soaking in the body will cure skin diseases, and drinking it will make you feel comfortable and boost your energy.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. So I wanted to check it out.”

“Ah…”

Marchioness Lewin was weak, so when she heard such a story, she would want to check it out at least once.

“If that’s the case, why don’t you ask Marquis Lewin?”

“That’s… my husband would say it’s a little difficult. He’s busy, but I don’t want to be in the way.”

The Marchioness face darkened. It felt like a complicated family life.

“I asked a silly question! So shall we go right now? Let’s go quickly!”

Amelie rose from her seat in a hurry.

The Marchioness was very pleased, not knowing that Amelie would gladly say yes. Only Serwin barked, saying he was against going to the lake, but was lightly ignored.

*****

Amelie was surprised when she arrived at the lake. The lake was completely different from what Amelie remembered.

In her memory, the lake was in a somewhat shady atmosphere. The water was a dull, dark green color that looked like it could get sick. She became even more reluctant when she found out there was a corpse underneath.

‘This is the lake I fell in?’

It was definitely the same lake, but the atmosphere was completely different. The wind shook the grass leaves gently. The sky was clear, and the sunlight shone as it broke over the water. It was a relaxing landscape.

Even the air was clear, so it was perfect for a walk.

Some of the attendants were on the water of the lake, and when they saw the arrival of Amelie and Marchioness Lewin, they quietly left.

“Let’s go closer.”

Amelie approached the lake with the Marchioness.

Serwin ran wildly around Amelie, wondering what she was worried about.

‘What’s wrong?’

Amelie put her hands together to the lake water. When the cold lake water touched her hand, she felt refreshed.

“Oh my. The water is very clear.”

Amelie was amazed. Marchioness also followed Amelie to the water.

“Really. Wasn’t this lake really dirty?”

“Didn’t the lake change around the time of the Imperial Palace party?”

“Yes. I heard that.”

When exiting the lake, the experience of clearing it in front of her own eyes was not Amelie’s illusion.

‘I did use purification magic. I didn’t know it would clean up the lake. Or did the lake become clean by purifying the energy of disaster that had been stuck in the lake?’

There was no way to know for now.

“Should we try to drink some?”

The Marchioness suggested. Amelie pondered for a moment.

‘I felt toxic, so I used purification magic, but… No way, it doesn’t have medicinal effects like a magic potion, right?’

She wanted to drink it and test it. However, she couldn’t dare to drink because she thought of what was at the bottom of the lake.

“You’ll get sick if you drink just anything.”

“That’s true.”

The Marchioness also followed Amelie’s lead to abandon the water.

“I’m going to take a little water and take a look.”

Amelie asked her maid to take some water, and she continued to watch the lake. Then, Serwin grabbed Amelie’s sleeve and pulled her away.

‘Do you hate being around the lake that much?’

Since she almost drowned here, he could have overreacted. It was around the time she fell into the lake that he began to change and behave strangely.

Unavoidably, Amelie followed Serwin’s lead. The Marchioness looked at the lake and approached Amelie.

“Since we’re here, shall we take a walk?”

“Right.”

The two began walking slowly along the lake. The weather was chilly, but the sun was shining so it was perfect for a walk.

Serwin followed them with a little distance. He wanted to walk next to Amelie, but he couldn’t help it because the Marchioness was afraid of him.

‘Why do you like that woman?’

He glared at the Marchioness with jealousy. The more he did, the more the Marchioness distanced herself from Serwin.

“Even if he looks a little scary, he doesn’t bite people.”

If he wanted to kill, he would’ve killed them. Amelie swallowed back her words to reassure the Marchioness.

“I’m sorry. It’s the first time I’ve seen a dog that big…”

“I understand. He’s a little big.”

She tried to make him smaller, but it was the size that was the best either because of the large body or because of that image.

Amelie glanced at Serwin.

Serwin made an extremely unhappy expression on his face.

“It’s amazing. That the lake suddenly changed.”

Marchioness Lewin continued to look out at the lake.

“I’ve seen the imperial palace dirty, but it’s the first time I’ve seen it clean.”

“Huh? Do you know anything about the anomalies that happen in the Imperial Palace?”

Amelie looked surprised when the Marchioness knew about the abnormality of the imperial palace.

“Even if you’re not curious, I will tell you the story.”

“I see.”

“In particular, there are many stories about that lake. For example…”

The Marchioness dragged her words. Amelie was completely focused on the words of Marchioness.