There was a very bad smell in the palace.
Smells similar to what my grandmother smelled when she was sick.
[I heard that there was a strange incident at Grunwald Palace, maybe it was something to do with the Lord, I don't know what it is, but be careful, ma'am.]
“Instead, tell me one thing I want to know.”
“I can tell you anything!
As long as it’s not related to the Imperial Palace.”
“Why not about the Imperial Palace?”
Rosanna's face turned pale.
“If I say that, my throat will be cut.”
I touched her neck.
“Because His Majesty the Emperor is a man without mercy.”
Rosanna, trembling suddenly, looked at Dale.
Dale was in the kitchen chopping vegetables as usual.
He looked a little sad.
When our eyes met, he smiled weakly.
I looked again at Rosanna.
“What's going on, is something wrong?”
“Nothing, I just felt cold suddenly.”
Rosanna looked at me and coughed.
“What do you want to know from me?”
“I want you to tell me about Grunwald.”
“Hmm, Grunwald.
Isn’t this the land you live in?”
Rosanna tilted her head.
“I'm not from Grunwald, I was born in the capital and I've been here for a while.”
“Regarding the Lord, I heard that he is very ill...”
“I already know that, I suppose.
It's a common story.”
Rosanna stroked her chin and looked at me.
“Then I suppose you want to know what happened to his lordship rather than what happened to Grunwald.
And, by the way, are you curious about Kydland?”
I smiled at Rosanna's words.
Since she was born with the qualities of a merchant, she was quick-witted and had good intelligence.
"I was wondering why you were sitting so uninterested at Adeline's party.
I take it you were interested in Kidland?"
“I heard that the vacant land in front of the palace also belongs to Kydland.”
“Maybe Kydland made the purchase after the Lord fell ill.”
"how?"
“Normally, Kydland couldn't take the land so easily, but when the lord fell, Grunwald was in desperate need of money.”
Rosanna told me everything she knew.
“Kydland helped Grunwald all he could, and the lord seemed to have improved a little.”
“Is this true?”
"Yes.
But in the end, the result was the same: the potion quickly wore off, and Count Grünewald never woke up, and yet Grünewald gave Kydland the vacant land he requested in exchange for his loyalty.”
“Do you know why?”
"I don't know."
Rosanna shook her head firmly, as if she didn't know much.
But there was a sparkle of interest in her eyes.
Rosanna also seems curious about why.
“If I knew why, would you be willing to pay more?”
"impossible.
I bargained once.”
Then I smiled broadly.
“But information is more valuable than money.
It's hard to call it a bet, but if I find out, you'll give me more for the necklace.
Or, if I need your help in the future, you can help me at any time.”
“That's a good idea.”
“Shall we do this then?”
“Okay”
Rosanna promised.
When I looked at the pots of herbs lining my house, she opened her mouth as if something had occurred to her.
“But Viscount Kydland is not a man who can lose.
I have met him before, I am sure.”
I agreed with her.
I knew why Viscount Kydland had bought the vacant land, so it was a losing bet for Rosanna.
'He got it as a price after the Lord fell ill.'
Slowly, I became convinced.
“Is Adeline Kydland by any chance the Lord's adopted daughter?”
“No, Viscount Kydland is very fond of his only daughter Adeline.
Did you know that the two fiefdoms were originally one land?”
When I nodded, Rosanna continued
“The Lord only cares about his granddaughter’s little cousin.”
“……He has lost family members before, so I’m sure she is as dear to him as his granddaughter.”
“Yes, Lord Grunwald is known for his kindness.”
“So where is his real granddaughter?”
“She is always in the palace.
Didn’t you see her that day?”
What?
Surely now that I think about it, there was a woman who called Adeline her sister.
But Adeline was the only daughter of Viscount Kydland.
"What was it?
I think I remember the name of the Count's granddaughter.
Wait a minute."
Rosanna looked through her personal directory and stopped at one page.
"here."
She pointed to a name.
“Sofia, Sofia Grünewald.”
* * *
“That woman was the lord’s granddaughter, she was very thin.”
Dale put down the cocoa and came to sit next to me.
The cocoa was mine of course.
Dale was drinking pure herbal tea.
“I put in five marshmallows.”
"Okay!"
I put my lips to the cocoa that Dale brought me.
He knew my taste without me saying a word.
It would have been better to put five marshmallows in, because too many would cover the warm cocoa.
“Del, you said you were going to work at the Lord’s Mansion, right?”
"Yes."
Dale hesitated for a moment before answering.
“I go to the palace most of the time.”
“It's not dangerous, is it?”
“It's simple work.”
I was relieved by Dale's answer.
Now that he is my husband, his life is no longer his alone.
“Dale I told you I wanted vacant land.”
“Yes, I remember that.”
“But it is very expensive.”
Dale looked sad at my words.
“But now there is definitely a way to get one.”
“What do you mean?”
“Dale, can you take me to the palace tomorrow?”
I looked at him frankly.
Dale avoided eye contact and blushed.
“Enya, your clothes are messy.”
“Really?
I’m sorry.”
The hem of my dress was a little wrinkled.
'Dale doesn't like to see any part of my body exposed.'
I made a mental note to myself.
I better be careful!
“If you want to go to the palace, I will take you there.”
"truly?"
“Yes.
But I'm afraid I won't be able to stay with you.
Enya.”
“I can take you there.”
“…….”
Dale gave me a pitying look.
“What is Dale doing there anyway?”
“I'm cleaning up hunting grounds that haven't been maintained for a long time.”
“You mean like building fences in case of an unexpected monster attack?”
"Yes."
How could someone who couldn't even kill an ant do that?
What happened to the mercenaries?
'I can't imagine that nice person doing that.'
* * *
“Thanks for the ride.”
Dale, who took me to the palace, looked at me sadly.
“Are you going to be okay alone?”
He seemed worried about me.
“I'm not a child, I don't mind being alone.”
“If it weren't for work, I would be with you, I'm sorry.”
Just then, I saw something through the palace window.
It's Adeline.
She's pressed to the window, staring at me
“Dale, thank you for taking me here.”
I gave Dale a very big hug.
Then Adeline frowned and went inside.
I made sure she went inside and left Dale.
“I'm sorry, I did that because Adeline..., Del?”
His face was red and as hard as stone.
“Sorry.
Were you surprised when I suddenly hugged you?”
“No……No, I’m fine.”
He answered in a low voice.
“I will be right back.”
Dale waved goodbye awkwardly and led his horse away.
I looked at Dale's back and admired his broad shoulders and stable posture.
He must have been a mercenary who traveled a lot on horseback.
If he was from the north, he probably rode a lot, especially when traveling long distances between cities and off-road roads.
But it's strange...
‘His riding posture looks like he learned to ride from a noble.’
It was very similar to the way my jockey brother rides his horse.
In fact, I think it's even cooler.
‘I feel like I've seen it before.'
She stared at Dale and then looked away.
It must be an illusion.
Dale is very handsome, so the way he rides the horse is special.
I took off my hood and entered the palace.