Chapter 136
Chapter 136: Morning Affairs
***
In the dream, rippling light drifted softly, carrying faint wisps of fragrance.
Vaguely, I heard the sound of Goat Cheese.
"Caw—"
"Caw—!"
The hoarse cries came in wave after wave, growing clearer as they reached my ears, until my brows knitted together and I fumbled drowsily with my hand in front of me, trying to grab whatever I could to throw at that damned bird outside the window.
A warm, soft sensation spread from my palm.
...?
What is this... a doll? A pillow? No, that's not right...
My half-asleep little head couldn't quite process it yet.
Sniff sniff... smells so nice...
Not the familiar clove scent I'm used to...
After my lashes fluttered a few times, I opened my eyes.
A rich golden color filled my vision.
I stared blankly for a few seconds before realizing it wasn't sunlight.
It was... someone's hair! Someone was sleeping with me!
I jolted fully awake and sat straight up, looking over at the spot beside me in a daze.
A golden-haired woman lay quietly at my side.
She had her back to me, her tall yet slender figure curled slightly inward. One fair shoulder peeked out from beneath the covers, her smooth long hair fanned out in a mess across the white sheets, a few strands spilling over her profile and brushing her lips, rising and falling with each calm breath.
It was Victoria.
Asleep like this, she had none of that heart-stopping aura she carried during the day. She was like a quiet, insecure cat of a particularly fine breed. The hand that poked out from under the covers clutched the sheets tight, and whether or not she was having a nightmare, the gentle furrow of her brows gave her such a fragile look that it made my own brows crease in sympathy.
A mild ache came from my lower belly.
I pressed it gently with my left hand and lifted my head to take in my surroundings. The familiar wardrobe, the familiar full-length mirror on the vanity... yes, this was definitely my bedroom.
What happened last night?
I tilted my head and thought for a moment as the memories came back in fragments.
Last night... Victoria and I were on the balcony. She got drunk, and I had her teach me to sing. After that... after that I got a little thirsty while snacking and couldn't help but take a sip of wine... then another glass of wine... Victoria and I started clinking glasses like a pair of idiots, babbling nonsense, I've already forgotten what we even said, and then I got sleepy...
And that was the end of that.
I had absolutely no memory of how I ended up in bed, nor any idea why Victoria was sleeping here too.
I gently lifted the covers and found I hadn't even changed into my pajamas, I was still in the dress I'd worn last night... Victoria must have carried me here. But she was drunk too, so in her foggy state she just lay down here and... fell asleep?
Alcohol really is something else...
With that thought, some inexplicable impulse took over and I raised one finger, quietly poking it toward Victoria's cheek.
Pat.
Before I even touched that porcelain-white skin, my wrist was snapped up in an iron grip.
...Huh?
While I was still frozen in shock, a sudden gust of wind erupted through the bedroom, and then a sharp pain shot through my wrist. In the next instant, a dainty yet fierce fist, riding a blast of air, came straight for my face.
Oh, shit!
I jerked my head to the side to dodge, scrambled off the bed on all fours, and shouted at the top of my lungs: "Don't hit me! Victoria, it's me! It's me!"
Whoooosh—
Amid the sheets and pillows flying in every direction, Victoria launched herself into the air.
She slowly opened her eyes mid-air. Those brilliant golden irises, radiant as the sun, cleared from a moment of confusion and returned to their usual icy composure.
That aura was back.
"What are you doing." Victoria fixed her gaze on me, asking in a flat, detached tone.
She let her guard down. That pale right arm, raised in front of her, carrying a terrifying amount of Order power, slowly lowered, and only then did I finally let out a breath of relief.
Nearly scared this little... this manly man half to death.
I rolled my eyes at her, annoyed, and repeated her question right back with extra emphasis: "What are you doing?"
Victoria's elegant brows furrowed slightly.
She floated down to the floor and settled at the bedside, her gaze sweeping coolly around the room. After a few seconds of looking around, she seemed to piece together what had happened.
"Don't do that again," she said.
Again?
Even if you asked me to, I wouldn't do it again! Who has a wake-up reflex like that?! This woman is way too dangerous... this is my house, you know!
...Hmm? Again?
"I'll take you for an assassin."
"Since when is there such a... cute... assassin!" I huffed indignantly.
Does Victoria run into assassins that often?
Thinking back on yesterday's situation... there must be a lot of people who want her dead.
What an exhausting way to live.
I looked at the woman before me, beautiful to the point of being otherworldly, like a divine work of art, and felt a wave of sympathy wash over me.
Victoria, just like me, hadn't changed out of her clothes either. After sleeping through the night and then all the commotion just now, the thin, wrinkled emerald dress she had on had slipped, leaving half a shoulder bare in the soft morning light, along with a neckline that, while not especially deep, was deep enough to make me envious.
...Tsk.
If only I'd gotten a good squeeze in just now.
Wait, that dress of hers is dirty!
She didn't even wipe down the lounge chair on the balcony before sitting in it yesterday! That thing was covered in dust!
Aaaargh! My sheets!
I immediately widened my eyes and was about to rush over to inspect them, but the moment I took a step forward, that familiar, thick sensation between my legs returned.
I froze.
"What's wrong," Victoria asked.
"No, it's nothing."
I forced the corners of my mouth into a smile and swept a quick glance over the sheets... good, no stain.
My thick-padded anti-leak sanitary belt wasn't just for show, thank goodness I had the foresight, or I would have completely died of embarrassment.
The ache in my lower belly was getting worse... something felt a bit off this time.
Victoria could probably sense something was wrong with me, but she wasn't the type to pry. Seeing that I didn't want to talk about it, she let it go and walked over to open the bedroom door.
A row of young, pretty maids had already been waiting outside. At the sight of her, they all bowed their heads in greeting.
Victoria said nothing, she gave them a gentle wave, then turned and walked to the vanity. The maids filed silently in after her, heads lowered, carrying wooden basins and holding combs and hairpins, beginning to wash and dress her. Others stepped forward with arms full of exquisitely crafted formal gowns to attend to the Queen.
I stood to one side, staring at her near-perfect figure, slightly lost in the sight. Then I noticed one of the maids sneaking glances at me, her expression carrying what seemed like... a suggestive look?
I pressed my lips together.
Are you all misunderstanding something here... whatever, it doesn't matter.
I turned and headed to the washroom, cleaned myself up, and when I came back out, Victoria was already fully dressed.
An elaborate dark formal gown, a wide-brimmed hat adorned with fine feathers, gem-encrusted boots... the image of a proud and noble queen, perfectly embodied by the outfit.
She had someone summon Lecter.
"How are the preparations coming along?" Victoria asked.
"The Advisory Council will convene at noon today. They've requested your presence."
Lecter said from where he stood at the doorway. Victoria gave a nod at that.
"To the palace."
"Yes, Your Majesty..."
Lecter seemed to hesitate, something clearly left unsaid. The look on his face made Victoria glance at him a beat longer.
"As for the Church, don't worry," she said.
"Understood."
I heard Lecter let out a quiet breath of relief.
Click, click.
Victoria's clear, steady footsteps carried her toward the door, and just as she was about to leave, she turned her head back as if something had just occurred to her.
"Sylvia." She had dropped the "Miss" from how she addressed me. "Thank you."
A completely out-of-the-blue remark.
"Mm..."
I answered in a daze, my little head still turning over the meaning behind those words, but Victoria had already left, swept away in the company of her entourage.
Shortly after, the sound of the front door closing drifted up from downstairs.
What a... puzzling woman.
But not someone I find unpleasant anymore.
She's probably going to deal with those troublemakers from yesterday... no, there'll be even more of them today, and the situation will be far more difficult.
I couldn't help but feel a little worried for her.
From what I'd gathered yesterday, Victoria had now made an enemy of the entire upper echelon of Isenbell's power structure, her own mother included. The road ahead for her must be incredibly rough.
I was in no position to get involved in the power struggles of Isenbell's upper class, nor did I want to. The fight for power is a battlefield without smoke, and I trusted that Victoria wouldn't pick a fight she didn't think she could win. But if... someday something really did happen to her, I would do everything within my means to keep her alive.
As for me... today I was heading to the Cataloma orphanage.
It had been a while since I'd seen Elle, and I found myself missing that lively, adorable girl.