Etra's sharp gaze towards the two maids also became harder, asking how they could let Ilyin do something for them.
Two maids, although scared, thought it was unfair.
Even if their lady was so kind, how could they expect her to order them to sit down and get chairs on top of that.
“Can you tell me more about Elo?” Ilyin asked.
"Oh yes!" This time, the two maids talked freely, as Ilyin herself ordered them to talk more about it, they didn't need to worry about Etra shooting daggers out of their eyes.
"Great!
You're Mary and you're Jean, right?" smiled Ilyin.
The two maids Delrose, Mary and Jean looked at each other in shock, there was no greater honor than their master knowing their names before introducing themselves.
“Correct, ma’am!” The two bowed repeatedly with joy.
Etra sat watching the two maids' movements for anything disrespectful and they both also sat down like her.
“I heard that Elo’s territory is close to the monsters’ territory, right?” Ilyin continued.
Mary nodded, "Yes.
If it had been Mille or North, they wouldn't have survived."
“They are able to withstand it because of Bright Elo’s ‘Wall of Light’, right?” Ilyin asked.
This time, Etra replied, "Yes.
The 'Wall of Light' surrounds their main fortress.
If anyone has any intention of harming them, the wall will not let them pass."
“What an envious divine object,” Jean clasped her hands together as she spoke, her eyes shining with interest.
Ilyin tilted his head, “The ‘Wall of Light’ is the ability of a divine object?”
‘Just like how does Blue North’s cloth block the cold?’
Jean nodded: “That’s what I heard.”
“So Delrose’s divine object is…?”
Etra pointed to the necklace around Ilyin's neck and told her, "It can start an eternal fire."
A fire that does not go out until its master wants it to, Ilyin's eyes widened.
"Wow."
It was a beautiful skill and absolutely befitting Red Delrose.
While Bright Elo's wall was also a very charming skill for a place with many monsters, Ilyin couldn't help but feel that Red Delrose's eternal fire seemed more enchanting.
“The fireplace of this mansion was lit with the divine object brought by the first bride.”
‘Wow, the fire in the fireplace was an eternal fire.’ Ilyin thought as he looked at the fireplace.
As she thought about it, she realized that if the fire went out while Aden, who held divine power, was not there, the mansion would freeze instantly and considering that, it was very strange that there was no one guarding the fire.
Since it was a very important fire, they could have had someone take care of it.
“They don’t need to keep it because it’s eternal.”
Ilyin's hand instinctively went to the divine object around her neck.
“Maybe you know how to use it?” Mary asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.
“The divine object’s ability?”
Mary and Jean shook their heads simultaneously.
“I heard the brides knew.”
Was it a secret passed down by the elders of each family?
Many Biflten brides were probably from the winter region, so this was likely, but what about brides from the warm region?
Ilyin remembered the Duchess before her who couldn't get used to winter perhaps people from the warm region couldn't use it then?
Ilyin couldn't help but feel a little disappointed about this.
“Can I tell you about Elo’s other fortress?” Jean spoke brightly as if she realized the disappointment Ilyin felt and was trying to cheer her up and Ilyin smiled.
"The second fortress is deeply hidden.
It doesn't have the 'Wall of Light', but it doesn't need it because it's so secret that no one knows where it is."
“Only a few people at Elo know the location and the army,” Mary chimed in.
Ilyin had a hunch where it might be, but it was just a hunch.
She had never been on a battlefield, but logically she knew that it was strategically smarter to surround the enemy's fortress to completely take control.
Being able to send someone while being attacked if not surrounded was impossible unless one had a spy.
“That’s how Elo was able to get the message across to us, because there are Elo people outside of Elo’s ‘Wall of Light’.” Ilyin said as she felt as if a mystery that had been bothering her was finally solved.
“That's right,” Mary and Jean said with admiration and respect for how quickly she was able to put it all together.
“So that’s why all the Elo knights left the mansion…”
And that's why the mood of the other families was restless.
When Ilyin brought the tea to her lips, she realized that it was now cold.
Etra quickly handed Ilyin some hot tea that she had just poured.
"So when Den comes back, I'll have to help him not be so tired.
Let's clean the mansion first," Ilyin smiled.
***
The atmosphere in the mansion was certainly different with Ilyin there.
The participants from each family felt this, the Duchess before her longed for the warm region and contributed to the depressive atmosphere, but this one was curious about the winter region.
“At your service, madam,” they bowed deeply to her.
When Aden left for Elo's territory, the Delrose knights had banned outsiders, but there was one guest.
If it was someone from a different family they would have rejected them, but this was someone they couldn't as it was a Delrose.
“I am waiting for your orders.”