LADAD Chapter 33

"Oh my!"

It must have been time to nurse Ian, because the wet nurse who opened the door and came in was startled to discover an unfamiliar person and couldn't help but cry out. At that sound, Mrs. Howard, who had been dozing, snapped her eyes open, and Amelia also turned her gaze away from beyond the window.

"I-I'm terribly sorry."

Her single exclamation had startled two people. Realizing this fact, the wet nurse hurriedly bowed her head and apologized.

"Sacred Maiden, this is Karen, Master Ian's wet nurse. Karen, this is the Sacred Maiden of Escliffe."

"Good heavens."

Mrs. Howard, who had hastily shaken off her drowsiness, straightened her clothes and rose from her seat. Then she explained Amelia's presence to the wet nurse, who was still looking around bewildered and uncertain.

"This humble one dared not recognize you properly."

"It's fine, so don't be so nervous. I also bear some fault for appearing suddenly before receiving a proper introduction."

Amelia soothed the wet nurse with a gentle voice. She wasn't angry, nor did she want to be angry with someone who had been nursing Ian several times a day during her absence.

"Thank you..."

But the wet nurse seemed moved by such kindness, and could only stare at Amelia with sparkling eyes. Feeling somewhat burdened by that gaze, Amelia turned her head away to avoid it. Cautiously, her eyes drifted to where Ivan had been standing earlier.

"..."

However, he had already vanished without a trace. As if no one had ever been there in the first place. Even knowing this, she found it hard to tear her gaze away from that spot.

"What am I supposed to do if you disappear while I'm just unpacking for a moment?"

Louise scolded Amelia without hiding her displeasure. Louise's room was right next to Amelia's, and Amelia had vanished just as she was ordering her to organize the luggage they had brought.

"This isn't the temple. You need to be careful about every single action and behavior."

They had many secrets to keep hidden. Amelia's identity in particular was shrouded and protected by multiple layers of secrecy within the temple. Yet even under such circumstances, Amelia was the type of woman who would stir up trouble. Louise couldn't help but feel uneasy, never knowing where Amelia might dash off to the moment she turned her eyes away.

"From now on, whenever you go somewhere, you must tell me first. And you must always take me with you."

That's why she had to emphasize several times not to act alone. In fact, since she hadn't yet heard the story from Aaron, even Louise didn't know the exact reason why they had come to the imperial palace.

"It would be best if you don't speak carelessly here. We have eyes and ears within the imperial palace as well."

"..."

"And as I told you before, since the imperial family has been in conflict with the temple, their feelings toward the Sacred Maiden won't be very good either."

All she could do was educate Amelia's mindset in advance to prevent her from causing trouble.

"Whatever the Emperor whispers to you, it won't be sincere. Bringing the child here is also because he's worried it might become a weakness for the temple. So don't even think about playing along with his nonsense. Do you understand?"

Louise fired off her words in rapid succession. Amelia didn't believe what Louise was telling her. Ivan had put his life on the line twice for her sake. So she thought the Ivan she knew could never be capable of such things. Because he was Ian's father. She believed that was why Ivan had brought Ian here.

"Why don't the temple and imperial family get along?"

But there was one thing that made her curious. Ivan had also once asked Amelia why she disliked the imperial family. It did seem the relationship between the imperial family and temple wasn't good, which made her feel anxious. She hoped Ivan didn't dislike or hate her. She didn't want her love to be repaid in such a manner.

"The Emperor is the bad one. He keeps trying to take away our rightful authority."

"..."

"The fact that you've come to live this kind of existence, generation after generation, is actually because of the imperial family's greed."

Louise swept aside the entire explanation with just that much. For Amelia, it was all incomprehensible.

In truth, it had always been this way. Louise and Aaron would only issue commands without any context, and Amelia followed their will like a wooden puppet with strings tied to her hands and feet. All Amelia knew was the portion of the role that had been assigned to her.

"Sacred Maiden."

It was while Amelia was mulling over her thoughts. With a knock, Mrs. Warner appeared.

"There is a message sent by His Majesty the Emperor."

"I'm ready to hear it."

It was difficult to get a sense of what the content might be. However, Amelia had caught on that Ivan, who had barged into her bedroom without warning, hoped that Louise and Aaron wouldn't discover his relationship with her. At the very least, it probably wouldn't be the sort of talk that revealed their closeness.

"Since there was no advance word of your visit, the preparations have been somewhat lacking. He has instructed that everything be put in order by day's end, so he hopes you will find it in your heart to forgive him, and he would like to dine with the two of you this evening."

"..."

"That is what he said."

It was a kind invitation.

"My feelings aren't hurt in the least. Even though I'm an uninvited guest, I'm only grateful that he's taking such care, and please tell him I will definitely attend the dinner?"

There was no reason to refuse. Although she had accepted Ivan's invitation without permission, Louise didn't interfere with Amelia's words or glare at her.

"I really don't know what he's thinking."

After Mrs. Warner, who had delivered Ivan's message, left, Louise sighed out her words.

"Please remember what I said."

And she warned Amelia again while looking at her. Amelia reluctantly nodded. Then, as Louise had said, she changed out of the dress that had been wrinkled from riding in the carriage and redid her hair.

"I shall escort you."

About an hour later, Mrs. Warner came again. She said she would personally guide them to the banquet hall of the main palace where the Emperor was staying.

"His Majesty will..."

"He will be here soon."

Mrs. Warner whispered thus and stepped back a few paces from the banquet hall entrance. Then the heavy door opened, revealing a banquet hall that seemed too grand for just three people.

"I heard the chandeliers in the imperial palace banquet halls were famous."

The first thing that caught the eye as the door opened was undoubtedly the chandelier. The chandelier, modeled after a fountain, was formed with countless crystals holding up candles. Each section was connected like flower petals linked to stems, and even the crystals that hung down from the chandelier's base like dangling feet swayed and fluttered gently. So when what must have been hundreds of candles burned bright, they cast their light in every direction, creating such brilliantly dazzling radiance it was blinding to behold.

Beneath it stretched a long table that could easily accommodate dozens of diners at a glance, yet only three place settings and floral arrangements had been prepared for a mere three people.

"It's really magnificent."

Louise purely desired and marveled at it with genuine admiration. There wasn't the slightest hint of displeasure in her voice. As the daughter of the influential Count Skipper family, she was well accustomed to costly and magnificent things, but witnessing the grandeur of imperial buildings so blatantly crafted with wealth was bound to be astonishing. All the more so when it belonged to the very imperial family she had been disdaining.

"Is this your first time too, Louise?"

"Only Father gets to come to places like this."

Louise answered somewhat indignantly. As if asking how a mere young lady from a noble family could be allowed into a place where one dines face-to-face with the Emperor.

"I didn't mean it in a strange way..."

Though there was no malice, she had ended up slighting Louise. Just as Amelia was about to apologize, the banquet hall door opened again. Naturally, the gazes of Amelia and Louise, who hadn't yet taken their seats, turned toward the door.

"I apologize for being late."

Ivan appeared in crisp military dress with his hair slicked back neatly. This was only the second time she had seen him in such immaculate and refined attire. His beauty shone more stunning and effortless beneath the chandelier than stained glass reflecting the light of a splendid dark night's moon. So much so that it seemed laughable how she had regarded Ivan as nothing more than a novice priest until just recently.

"I greet the Sun of Escliffe."

Louise hurriedly offered her greeting. Regardless of the fact that the temple's relationship with Ivan wasn't particularly good, Ivan was the Emperor of Escliffe. Louise, as the daughter of Count Skipper, had to show him proper respect.

"Greetings are unnecessary, so stop."

Ivan naturally passed by Louise and approached Amelia's side. Then he pulled out the chair closest to the head of the table for her.

"Ah, thank you."

Amelia at first only stared at the chair, then noticed his gesture indicating she should sit and understood his intention. She carefully lowered herself into the chair Ivan had pulled out for her. Ivan pushed the chair inward to match her position.

"..."

Then Ivan let go of the chair. His long fingers clad in white silk gloves gently grazed Amelia's arm. At the sensation of the fine hairs on her skin bristling, Amelia unconsciously grew tense and glanced up at Ivan.

Ivan flashed Amelia a brief smile and took his seat at the head of the table. It was hard to detect any sense of discomfort on Ivan's face as he settled into his place. Even Amelia, who knew nothing of Ivan's true feelings, grasped just one thing through intuition.

He was a master of acting.