Chapter 191

TL: Zimmings

I stared intently at the woman who covered her mouth with a handkerchief.

‘Is she unwell?’

I thought so, but I also coughed and frowned several times.

She was not the problem. My condition was getting worse and worse too. It’s a familiar pain.

‘This is obviously…’

I looked around and at the flowers blooming behind the podium.

Haro flower is a rare flower that can only be seen in late autumn to early winter.

It blooms only in cool weather, but unfortunately, it is vulnerable to snow, frost, and strong winds, and it withers quickly when touched by a human.

However, once it sprouts, it quickly spreads to the surrounding area.

‘It has spread from the Empress Dowager’s garden to here.’

I have a halo flower allergy, so I covered my mouth with both hands and took a step backwards.

I just found out my birth and my real family, I can’t die here.

“I’ll be in trouble if there are haro flowers everywhere.”

After muttering, I went back to where Cecilia was.

***

The next day.

It took me a short time after I thought that something was going to happen because of the haro flower. I groaned as Cecilia changed the towel on my forehead and said.

“Are you really okay with not calling the doctor?”

“It’s a disease that doctors don’t know about. Besides, I might be kicked out of the Imperial Palace if I get sick…”

Haro flower allergy is very rare. Among the people, less than 10% have divine power, and among those 10%, only those with high purity divine power are affected. If you look at the probability, it’s probably about 0.0001%.

‘I’m glad I prepared medicine just in case something like this happened.’

This can be used because my condition was not serious. When it becomes serious, it cannot be used unless I call a priest or a very special doctor.

“I’ll let His Excellency know.”

“No!”

I quickly grabbed Cecilia’s hand.

“You know how they will act.”

‘They wouldn’t even know the name of the disease, only the doctors will suffer.’

“Don’t worry there is a cure. I could take my medicine and take a day or two off.”

“If so, I’m glad.”

She pulled the blanket up to the end of my neck and patted my chest.

“Rest until you’re well.”

“I’m sorry. I became like this at an important time.”

“What are you saying? If it wasn’t for you, how could I have gotten here?

Cecilia is so kind.

I laughed and dug into the blanket.

‘First of all, improving the condition of my body is the first priority. I don’t want anything to happen before that…’

Thinking so, I fell asleep. The condition was worse than I thought, and I couldn’t open my eyes properly for almost two days.

And on the morning of the third day, I barely got up from the bed and narrowed my brows looking at the empty bulletin board.

‘The second test has not yet been evaluated.’

None of the contestants surpassed Cecilia’s score. In addition, there is no reason for the evaluation to be delayed so much since the second test was a simple test that ranked by score.

‘It’s strange.’

I went back to my lodging and contacted the chairman.

[Yes, lady.]

“There is no second test evaluation yet. What’s wrong with it?”

[I don’t know. We haven’t heard any news from our people who have been placed in the Imperial Palace.]

“Is there a man who has a cheap mouth in Deglid’s palace?”

[I heard that there is a man with a cheap mouth there. He’s a servant called Elgar. He came from the Empress Dowager Palace.]

“It would be quicker to find out by those lind of people in the Imperial Palace.”

[Are you talking directly? I don’t think it’s a good idea. It is dangerous to go out on your own. Isn’t the information on my side enough?]

“It’s taking a long time.”

[Is her condition really that important?]

“What I’m concerned about is that Deglid’s health deteriorated and the second exam was canceled.”

The second test was like a gift laid out for me and Cecilia. There, we took the perfect first place no one could reach.

It’s like a golden opportunity for Cecilia, who already didn’t do well in the first exam..

“We need to make Cecilia an empress quickly. Mina will be here soon. Even in my first life, she and Empress Yvonne had a good relationship. If I also made Cecilia an empress-”

[Is that really all?]

“What are you talking about?”

[It’s unlike you to be so impatient. The results will come sooner or later. There’s no reason to be so hasty. By any chance, is this about the second prince?]

“…….”

[You’re trying to finish this sooner to focus on finding the second prince right?]

“… Adrian must be suffering because of me.”

[I understand your heart. However, it is his choice.]

“But if it wasn’t for me, there was no reason for him to stay in the past.”

[Yes, he stayed for you. But if you do something recklessly and go wrong, wouldn’t his sacrifice be meaningless?]

“…….”

[It will be more rewarding to create an environment where he can live more comfortably when you bring him back, rather than bringing him in a day or two earlier. A normal girl would have thought so.]

The chairman asked in a soft voice

[Isn’t it right?]

I replied sullenly.

“That’s right…”

The chairman is right. I couldn’t be patient when I thought that he was suffering in the past because of me.

I slapped my cheeks.

“I reflected!”

As I spoke, a laughter was heard from the communication device.

[You’re not going to be discouraged because of this right?]

“My mom’s a Lisette Dubblede and I’m embarrassed to say that I was impatient for a moment. I am the daughter of the most courageous person in the world.”

[Of course. The Duchess’s daughter will not be discouraged by this.]

I ended the conversation with a smile and ended the call with the chairman.

While I was putting the communication device in my pocket,

“The duchess’ daughter.”

Cecilia said that.

When I turned my head, Cecilia was looking at me with a stiff face, holding a plate of fruit as if she had prepared it for me.

“What do you mean by going to the past?”

“…….”

“Lady!”

“I was going to tell you about it when the contest was over.”

“What. Why…?”

“I’m the Duchess of Dubblede’s daughter.”

The plate fell out of Cecilia’s hand as it broke.

“It’s a very, very long story. Cecilia.”

Cecilia’s face flushed with astonishment as I began to tell the story of the past.

***

Holding my hand, Cecilia cried for a long time.

“Cecilia…….”

“You gave me the opportunity to become a knight. Lisette said the precious child she always sees in her dreams has done many things that even men could not do, and always smiled bravely. She told me that age and gender can’t be chosen.”

“…….”

“Those words gave me courage and made me take my sword.”

“…….”

“So it was you, the one who gave me courage.”

Cecilia looked at me with wet eyes and gently stroked my cheek.

“It was all thanks to you that I was able to move on from that terrible day until I met my nephew and had a new dream.”

“But because Cecilia protected me as a child, I was able to live as well.”

Why can’t I stop crying when I think of what happened on the mountain where my mother died?

‘I told Adrian that I would never cry again.’

Cecilia smiled as she watched me cry with a sad face.

“Thank you for being alive, and for coming back.”

But no matter how much I think about it, it wasn’t my fault that I kept crying. They are such good people.

I hugged Cecilia and she hugged me back warmly like a mother.

Just then,

“Olga, Lady Dubblede…!”

The maid of the Imperial Palace, bought by Dubblede, rushed into the lodging. As I lifted my head while sniffing, she said with a pale face.

“I know I shouldn’t contact you, but I have to tell you something urgently, so I apologize in advance.”

“What’s going on?”

“The Knoxtain sibling bribed Elgar, the servant of Deglid’s palace.”

As soon as I heard the story, I gasped and thought,

‘Wow, that was close!’

Elgar was the one I tried to buy information from before!

‘If I was one step faster, it would have been me, not the Knoxtain siblings, who got caught.’

If it’s the Knoxtain siblings, aren’t they the same candidate and recommender that I disgraced last time?

“Have those two been arrested?”

“Yes. But the problem is…”

“Are you saying there’s more trouble?”

When Cecilia spoke with her brows narrowed, the maid gulped and answered.

“Deglid formally raised an objection to the Empress Dowager. Elgar was given by the Empress Dowager’s palace, and it must have been thought that the Empress Dowager had planted a spy.”

Me and Cecilia exchanged glances.

“Lady, then…”

“Yes, Since they have formally raised an objection, if the Empress Dowager does not provide a proof, she may be taken as responsible and step down.”

“It is important that all the power of the Empress Dowager goes to Deglid…”

It was a big deal.

The Empress Dowager was not on good terms with Duke Marche or Empress Yvonne and was a bit foolish, so they can stand her. But if the power goes to Deglid…

‘Maybe the temple will again infiltrate the Imperial Palace. In this situation, if Mina comes, Cecilia alone cannot stand up to the Deglid – Empress Yvonne combination.’

I hurriedly told the maid.

“Is the Empress Dowager preparing to counterattack?”

“That…….”

The maid said with an expressionless face.

“It is true that the Empress Dowager planted him.”

“What?!”

“Elgar did not only hand over the information to the Empress Dowager, but also sold the information to the candidates…”

I fully understand why the Emperor cannot stand the Empress Dowager.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks and got up.

“Lady? Where are you going?”

“I have to get things done.”

Whether it’s solving the Empress’s affairs and getting help, I have to solve this case somehow.

***

“You are mistaken, Your Majesty!”

The Imperial Palace was in a chaos. The Empress Dowager was screaming until she was out of breath, and Deglid spoke to the emperor with a cold face.

The emperor covered his eyes with one hand.

“Aunt, do you really need to make things this big?”

“The fact that she planted three spies in my palace seems trivial to the emperor. Or did you even get involved in this matter?”

“You know it’s not like that.”

“It’s three spies, they could even poison my food.”

“Aunt, how could you say such a thing?”

“So please be clear. Should this old woman put the imperial affairs on the agenda of the temple and bring them back to the palace?”

The emperor became mad.

If the temple enters the imperial palace, he will be disgraced. I understood why the emperor’s mad

‘I don’t think he’ll ever let it slide.’

Oh, how do I get things done?

‘But why does Deglid’s face look pale? Wait a minute…’

She pressed her forehead with her hand. And…

“Deglid!”

Deglid, who was trembling, collapsed as soon as the emperor shouted.

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