The Grand Duchess Escape - Chapter 124.1
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Mariel looked happy as she savored the strawberry in her mouth. Asella lovingly watched her little sister and then turned her gaze towards Roshan.
“I’m sorry to bother you.”
“No, not at all. It’s rewarding to see the little one enjoy it.”
Roshan’s modest laughter brought a gentle smile to Asella’s face as well. Then, suddenly, a thought came to mind and she let out a short gasp.
“You said your name was Roshan, right?”
“Yes. Were you surprised because it’s the same name as a certain priestess?”
“How did you know?”
Asella, taken aback, widened her eyes, and Roshan answered with a smile.
“It’s the same person, so it’s only natural that the name would be the same. I guess I played a trick on you, unintentionally of course.”
Roshan swiftly pulled the curtains shut, preventing anyone from looking in from outside, and released the magic that had covered their faces.
Then, her hair turned back to its original color, a pure white. Asella’s mouth slightly fell open, unable to believe what she was seeing.
“When you live as a priestess, there are many restrictions you become subjected to, so I occasionally change my appearance when needed.”
“I had no idea.”
“It’s quite convincing, isn’t it? With this disguise, even other priests won’t recognize me. It comes in handy when I want to play tricks on them.”
Roshan chuckled mischievously and cast the transformation magic on herself again. She opened the curtains she had closed earlier, and the room brightened as the young handsome man she had portrayed earlier appeared.
“Actually, I’ve seen you before, Your Highness.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Back then…”
Roshan paused for a moment and gazed at Asella intently.
“You were still Lady Chartus.”
“Ah.”
Asella’s gaze shifted slightly, and a faint smile appeared. Hearing the name that had been erased from her memory, it felt like a sharp thorn pricking her heart, causing a slight tingle of pain.
“I knew you had come of age, but I didn’t expect you to marry so quickly. Nobles usually have long engagement periods.”
“…”
“Moreover, I was so surprised when I learned that your betrothed was Grand Duke Benvito.”
Asella felt the same. She smiled bitterly and replied in a subdued voice.
“We followed the typical… marriage procedures of the nobility.”
It was a roundabout way of expressing that it was a strategic marriage. It was also a subtle way of saying that she didn’t want to discuss the topic further. Roshan nodded.
“I apologize. I asked something obvious.”
Roshan quickly apologized. However, Asella became more uneasy.
‘I didn’t say anything wrong, but…’
The fact that they had a strategic marriage was not something to be ashamed of. It was common for marriages to be driven by the considerations and gains between noble families.
However, for some reason, she had a strange feeling that Calix Benvito would have been displeased if he had heard this.
‘He must have someone monitor us from somewhere.’
An outing with just Mariel and herself? Without any attendants? She couldn’t possibly believe that Calix would have allowed it to happen that way; that was an overly naive and complacent thought.
Though they may not be visible, there would be guards hidden around the building, keeping a watchful eye on them.
‘Even if she might be a priestess, first and foremost, Roshan is someone summoned by the Grand Duke.’
Asella couldn’t fully trust her, even if she was keeping quiet about the truth about Mariel’s awakening.
‘For all I know, she might have just said that but already informed the Grand Duke about everything.’
Asella tightly clasped her hands under the table. Thoughts of needing to ask and the notion of it being a futile action intertwined within her. After enduring countless mind struggles in a short period of time, Asella, who had made up her mind, spoke up.
“You mentioned that you knew my mother, didn’t you?”
Mariel, who had been quietly poking her fork until then, paused her actions. The noise that had been persistently interrupting their meal disappeared, leaving a calmness in the otherwise empty space.
Mariel silently gazed at the two of them, alternating her gaze between them. Roshan stared at Asella with a slightly tense expression. However, after a moment, she relaxed her face and spoke.
“I knew her well.”
***
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