EEA Chapter 2

A wizard had drawn a massive formation around the castle, and as soon as Roylin' group departed, it burst into flames. Ailea died in those flames. But whether there was some problem with the magic meant to burn everything hastily, or for some other reason, Ailea opened her eyes again.

She had even found herself back two years in the past, to exactly one month before she would be driven out from the imperial capital.

A whole week had already passed since returning to two years ago, but Ailea still couldn't adapt at all. She got up from her bed and looked around.

"What on earth happened...?"

Even after returning, Ailea had spent the entire week huddled in a corner of her room, trembling with fear from Roylin' betrayal and the blazing flames.

But today, she finally resolved to pull herself together. Looking around, everything she had when living in the imperial capital Calise was still there. She could even see the birdseed she always kept by the window.

As she took a deep breath and opened the window, she heard birds chirping. The outer castle where she'd been banished was a wasteland where birds rarely flew. When she held out her hand with seeds, birds flew to Ailea's spotted hand. Two years ago, before the curse had spread severely. Her body had spots here and there, but it wasn't completely black like it had been just before her death. Ailea greeted them warmly.

"Hello? Good morning."

As if understanding her greeting, the bird that had been eating seeds from her hand perched on Ailea's frail shoulder, fluttered around the sky once, then landed back on her hand. At the bird's light weight, Ailea realized once again that this was reality.

She had no idea why this had happened. But being able to start life over again, even if just for two years, was a wonderful thing. She decided to be grateful for this time.

Now that she understood Rylin's true intentions, Ailea couldn't simply flee back home. If she fled, Roylin would make excuses to the Emperor that Ailea had run away on her own, and there was no telling what would happen to her family then.

Her future was set. Death in two years. But what was different from before was that she knew this fact. Ailea thought it was fortunate to know the day she would die.

When I go to the wasteland outer castle in a month, I won't just collapse and cry like before. I'll prepare as much as possible during the remaining month and live happily for two years before I go.

Having fed the bird in her hand to its heart's content, Ailea finally steeled her resolve and left her room. As she passed through the corridor, Cathy the maid, who had been cleaning, jumped back in shock.

"Oh, Lady Ailea! Why have you come out at such an early hour!"

It wasn't really that she was asking because it was early. It was because Ailea, who only very occasionally took walks in the garden late at night with her face covered, was now out when the sun was very bright, so she asked out of curiosity.

"Cathy."

Ailea looked at her with an apologetic expression for startling her, then said.

"Go back to your home now."

"Pardon me?"

A month later, when Cathy was to go to the outer castle with Ailea, she had cried pitifully as if she'd been sentenced to death. It was understandable, having to live in the dilapidated outer castle with a sick master.

Still, Cathy had been the last maid to flee when they were at the outer castle. She had loyalty.

Ailea was about to unfasten the necklace around her neck, but thinking Cathy wouldn't be happy about it, she said instead.

"I really want to be alone. Everyone else ran away and you've been working hard serving me all by yourself."

Ailea had always felt guilty about how Cathy had cried pitifully after being banished to the outer castle along with her like baggage.

Meticulous and sincere Cathy was someone who could live well anywhere. Ailea sincerely hoped she wouldn't be sad like she had been for those two years in the past.

Ailea called her into the room and pointed to the first drawer.

"Open that."

When Cathy nervously opened the drawer, inside were accessories so meager that one could hardly imagine they belonged to a woman engaged to the Crown Prince.

The jewelry set she had received when formally engaged at fifteen, which included the necklace Ailea was currently wearing, and a brooch bestowed by the Emperor on his 50th birthday - these were essentially all she had that was worth any money.

After pondering, Ailea pointed to a bracelet with a single small emerald.

"Take this. It should be enough money to open a small shop."

"Lady Ailea, this is too much..."

"I'm dismissing you. So you can go home angry."

Most of the maids at Teniac's imperial castle were sent from powerless, poor noble families, so even if they were expelled from the imperial castle, there was no reason they wouldn't be welcomed back if they returned with plenty of money.

With those words, Ailea gathered her dress skirt in both hands and walked outside. Cathy stared blankly at her retreating figure.

Having left the castle, Ailea walked for quite a while, intoxicated by the sunlight she had missed so much. Since falling ill, she had never wandered around during such sunny hours. But now that she knew she would die soon anyway, she had no intention of cowering in her room, afraid of such humiliation.

Ailea smiled, happy at the sunlight she was seeing after so long.

"I feel good..."

Wandering around with light, butterfly-like steps, fully enjoying spring, Ailea stopped.

She could hear a woman's moaning.

Thinking someone might be hurt, Ailea hurried toward where the sound was coming from. Then she was startled and hid behind a tree.

"Clint, a little more... mmm?"

"I told you I have to go. I'm way past the promised time."

"Just one more kiss, please."

Ailea was shocked. A noble lady, no less! Outdoors! With her chest exposed, leaning against a tree, and in front of her was a man properly fastening his belt. The back view of a man with neatly trimmed black hair and broad shoulders.

Clint Rishers. A man famous for being a playboy.

No way. That can't be. Surely not... Ailea covered her face with both hands as if she had seen something she shouldn't have.

Actually, it really was something she shouldn't have seen.

He was already a man famous for meeting women indiscriminately, but to do this in front of someone else's castle!

Ailea fled from the spot in shock.