Chapter 152 : Chapter 152
Chapter 152. Inette’s Letter
The Imperial Capital of the Cretian Empire.
Celiana Dastion Cretian, the 3rd Imperial Consort, was enjoying tea time on the terrace.
“Your Highness, a letter has arrived.”
“Has it?”
An attendant approached and handed over a letter placed on a silver tray. Celiana smiled when she saw the name written on the envelope.
It was the name of the person she loved most.
“That child really is something. She only writes now.”
Celiana murmured as she opened the envelope. One day, her daughter had said she was going to visit the 8th Prince’s Palace, and then she had simply left on a journey. She had sent news through attendants, but after that, there had been no word.
No matter how strong Inette’s Ability was, royalty was still royalty. She was one of the most noble bloodlines in the Empire.
Yet she had gone traveling on a whim without even a single escort knight. It was very much like Inette.
Celiana did not panic and quietly assigned people to watch over her. Building friendships with companions was also a valuable memory. She did not want to stop her daughter from traveling during her first vacation just because it was dangerous.
“Now then, let’s see what she wrote.”
Celiana already knew through her own people that Inette was doing well in Radel’s territory. Still, it was nothing compared to hearing it directly from her, so she looked forward to the contents of the letter.
To Mom.
Mom, how have you been?
I am doing well in Raviedel.
At first, there was nothing in the territory, so it was boring, but now I am adapting in my own way.
Honestly, I thought there was no place worse than the Academy, you know?
But this place is even more intense.
At first, there was nothing to eat, so we only had bread and soup. But it was actually pretty good.
Where else would I ever get an experience like this?
Now I catch meat at sea and hunt in the mountains, and I am having fun.
And the lake here is really beautiful.
So beautiful that I wish you could come and see it too…….
“Hehe, she must be doing well.”
Celiana’s lips curved into a gentle smile as she read the letter. It was endearing that even while traveling, her daughter was thinking of her.
Moreover, seeing Inette, who had enjoyed only good things since childhood, adapt so well to a harsh environment made it clear how much she had grown. Celiana recalled Inette’s childhood.
She had been a little shy, but she was a bright and lively child.
However, after awakening her Ability, she began distancing herself from people and always kept her guard up.
That had always pained Celiana’s heart.
Of course, Celiana herself had not grown up without keeping distance from others, having been raised as the sole daughter of a ducal family.
She had been born with many things, and thus had lived a life where she had to protect herself. A life of constantly worrying about who was an enemy and who was an ally.
By the time she realized that there were no eternal enemies and no eternal allies, she had already become an Imperial Consort.
“The aroma is especially nice today.”
As Celiana set down her teacup, the attendants refilled it without being told. She savored the fragrance of the tea, pondered for a moment, then snapped her fingers.
SNAP!
Someone appeared before her. They were people secretly employed by the Dastion ducal family.
“I hear there is a lake in Raviedel.”
“Yes, Your Highness. We will look into it.”
“Find a capable architect as well.”
“Understood.”
After giving those simple instructions, Celiana continued reading Inette’s letter. Thinking of her daughter writing excitedly after discovering a beautiful lake filled her with warmth.
“I should give Radel a small gift.”
After meeting Radel, Inette had been changing a great deal.
Celiana lifted her teacup once more.
***
“So you are building a temple of the Supreme Deity Order?”
It was dinner time.
Inette asked Radel as she cut into her steak.
Recently, the meals served at the Lord’s Castle had become much more abundant. The steaks placed before everyone today were made from kelpie caught at sea.
Kelpie were sea monsters shaped like horses. Unlike sea serpents resembling giant snakes or kraken that were practically giant octopuses, kelpie meat tasted closer to land animals, so everyone preferred it.
Radel answered while cutting his steak.
“Yes, they are building it near the tents. They said they need a permanent place to stay since it is good for training. Did Gusto tell you?”
“Hmph! I just found out myself. The area has been noisy lately.”
When the Apprentice Holy Knight Order arrived in Raviedel, Gusto joined them.
As a result, everyone was dining together in the Lord’s Castle dining hall except for Gusto and Ishan Rau, who was immersed in his research.
That also meant that Shartea, whom Inette could not stand, was present.
‘She really is not leaving.’
Inette glared at Shartea. She had never imagined that the real 3rd Princess would come all the way to Raviedel. She knew Shartea had a lot to do, so she wondered whether it was really fine for her to stay in Radel’s territory for so long.
Shartea noticed Inette’s gaze but ignored it. She had known from the beginning that the 7th Princess was in Raviedel, and also that the 7th Princess did not like her very much.
But what did that have to do with teaching Radel?
Thus, the two of them had not exchanged a single word until now, pretending the other did not exist.
‘It takes time to get close to people.’
Radel did not think much of it.
He himself was not particularly close to Leon either.
At this point, he was grateful that Leon no longer said he would kill him on sight.
From Radel’s perspective, Inette and Shartea had a perfectly acceptable relationship.
At that moment, Inette spoke up.
“Let me build a villa too.”
“A villa?”
Radel asked, and Inette nodded.
“Yes! It is not only the Apprentice Holy Knight Order that needs a place to stay. I also need a livable villa instead of staying in this gloomy Lord’s Castle.”
If she thought this place was gloomy, she would faint if she saw the old 8th Prince’s Palace.
Radel thought for a moment and then spoke.
“Well, to build something that suits your standards would be difficult with the current state of our territory.”
Just as Inette was about to respond, someone cut in.
It was Shartea, speaking in a cold voice.
“If you are going to complain about something like that, why not just go back?”
“What did you say?”
Inette bristled at Shartea’s words.
“Who are you telling to go back? We are both guests here!”
“Even guests should act like guests. Is it not unsightly to complain when you are being fed and housed?”
A cold tension flowed between Shartea and Inette.
“I never complained!”
“And who said the Lord’s Castle was gloomy?”
“The exterior color is gloomy, that is a fact!”
“Saying that in front of the lord like that is impolite.”
Shartea gracefully set down the knife she had been using to cut her steak and looked at Inette.
“If you are also a member of the imperial family, I would like you to maintain some dignity. Do you not think you are being unfair to a lord who is honestly explaining the situation of his territory?”
At that, Inette suddenly stood up.
“No, who asked him to build me a villa? I said let me build one! I will build it myself, myself! My mother is coming too!”
Inette shouted while looking at Radel.
“You are the lord here, so say it clearly! Can I build a villa here, or not?”
“……Of course you can.”
When Radel answered in a daze, Inette immediately put on a triumphant smile.
There was plenty of unused land in Raviedel, so lending some was not a problem.
More importantly, a villa built by the 7th Princess and visited by the 3rd Imperial Consort was no small matter.
Watching all of this, Armandy was so shocked that he poked Pirenzo in the side.
‘What in the world is this?’
‘How would I know? Does this even make sense right now?’
The two exchanged glances. Though they had worked for years as secret agents of the Ability Management Bureau, it was their first time seeing members of the imperial family gathering like this in a private setting.
Not only were three members of the imperial family present, but now even the 3rd Imperial Consort was coming.
And to a remote territory like this.
If this reached the capital, it would be enough to turn the Empire’s social circles upside down.
***
CLANG, CLANG!
The sound of metal echoed through a dark cave.
RUMBLE!
A cart heavily loaded with something rolled across the damp ground.
Those moving busily inside the cave could barely make out their surroundings by the faint light of magic lamps hanging on the walls. Iron helmets with small magic lamps attached were also fitted onto their heads.
“Boss, is this ever going to end?”
“Did you not say it was easier than planting potatoes?”
The Lizardmen grumbled but swung their pickaxes as naturally as breathing.
CLANG!
With dirt covering their lizard-like faces, the Lizardmen looked exactly like seasoned miners. If Armandy had cast explosion magic a few days ago, the progress would have been much slower.
“Someone get this cart outside!”
“Got it!”
The Lizardmen pushed out carts filled with stone materials. Since they had been digging the cave for quite some time, the path leading outside had grown fairly long.
“To think we would dig a tunnel this long. We really have become moles.”
“Us, of all people. The mighty Lizardmen.”
Lando Chau, who had become the acting chieftain after the death of the Chau tribe’s leader, raised his voice at the complaining Lizardmen.
“Stop speaking weakly! We are proud warriors. Think of this as training as well.”
Encouraging the warriors, he pulled the cart outside.
When they emerged from the dark cave into the open, the sudden sunlight made their eyes sting.
“Oof, that is bright.”
“ACHOO!”
As they unloaded the stone materials from the cart while swallowing dust, the Apprentice Holy Knights appeared.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Please excuse us again today.”
They hoisted the stone materials needed for the temple onto their shoulders with their bare hands. Seeing the apprentice holy knights refusing to use carts because this too was part of their training, the Lizardmen felt their fighting spirit reignite.
“Seeing them makes the blood of a warrior boil! Shall we go back in and dig some more?”
“Sounds good!”
“Let us eat and drink to our fill once we are done!”
Lando Chau led the warriors back into the cave.
As they lived like this, Raviedel even gained a separate district where Lizardmen resided.
When the exhausting day ended, they returned not to the mountains but to their own homes, where they could rest comfortably. Compared to the days when they roamed the Tsar Mountain Range hunting, it was a far more stable life.
Though they were working day and night as the price for what the previous chieftain had done, this life was not so bad.
CLANG, CLANG!
The Lizardmen returned to the cave and continued swinging their pickaxes.
It felt different from picking stones out of the soil or pulling weeds from the ground. It was not easy work, but seeing the path gradually open up was satisfying.
CLANG!
Then, at the moment someone brought down their pickaxe, a Lizardman sensed something different from usual and swung the pickaxe with all his strength.
BOOM!
The cave wall crumbled, creating a very small gap. Light seeped in through the crack.
Outside, it would have been nothing but blinding light.
But here, it was a light that ignited hope in everyone’s hearts.
“Aaaaah! Light!”
“It is done! We can see the end!”
The path was finally open!
The Lizardmen embraced each other and cheered as if the cave itself would collapse.
The most intense beam of light they had ever seen illuminated the dark cave.