Chapter 71
The capital, or rather, the duchy’s mansion near the imperial palace, came into view just as the sky was painted in deep red hues of sunset.
After arriving, we each washed up and finished our meal.
The room I was to stay in while in the capital was the very last one on the second floor. It had the largest window in the mansion. Through it, I could see the capital’s nightscape and, in the distance, the imperial palace.
I spent a long while staring at the unfamiliar scenery, so different from the duchy’s lands. But exhaustion eventually set in, and I headed to bed.
As I lay down, Jane, who had been unpacking nearby, spoke up.
“My lady, is the bed comfortable for you?”
“Yeah. I like it.”
It wasn’t as nice as the one at the duchy, but I wasn’t the type to be picky about where I slept.
A hospital’s narrow cot, a guardian’s chair, even a cold, hard storage room in the dead of winter—those were all places I had slept in before. What reason did I have to be particular now?
As I buried my face into the soft pillow, the smooth fabric wrapped around my skin.
“My lady!”
Jane hurriedly ran over and flipped me onto my back. Anyone watching would think I was trying to suffocate myself against the pillow.