Chapter 88 — How Ironic
The once green, colourful trees of Erion had turned yellow and red. Some lay on the ground, while others still hung onto the branches despite the occotional wind blowing them, causing them to tremble.
Outside of the mansion, Cynthia was seated, observing the garden which was nearly dead now. In her past life, she had put a lot of effort into keeping it alive— rather, creating a greenhouse that could preserve her once favourite flowers— roses. However, now, she had no interest in gardening, not in a land she wished to destroy for ruining her life.
She then shifted her gaze, staring at the clear brun liquid in her tea cup. It was bitter. Even the sweet cake beside the cup tasted bitter.
Is it perhaps poisoned?
Cynthia thought, only to scoff inwardly. She would have preferred it if it were poisoned. At least, poison could be cured. But no antidote could fix what she was feeling at the moment.
"Your Highness..." Anni who was standing beside the grand duchess finally said, breaking the silence.
The silver-haired young woman glanced at the young girl whose hands were fidgeting, making her nervousness evident to Cynthia.
"What is it?" She demanded, her voice unusually cold.
"I know I don’t have the right to meddle... however..." The brown-haired young girl barely managed to speak, for fear of angering the grand duchess. She didn’t want to see her wrath as its possibility terrorized her. She had merely heard the grand duchess yell just a few nights prior and she didn’t want Cynthia’s anger to be directed toward her.
"If you know you shouldn’t, then don’t meddle," Cynthia coldly interrupted her, closing her eyes as she tilted her head to the back against the chair. She simply wanted some peace however, was there anything but peace in this vaste building?
Anni nodded, her lips quivering. The Cold War that had been going on between the grand duke and the grand duchess was unbearable for her. She did expect such to happen when she first heard of the grand duke’s marriage with the evil princess of Eldoria; however, when she watched Cynthia try her best to make this marriage work, she was relieved. She believed Grand Duke Lucian would eventually return her efforts; yet, that didn’t happen.