085. Forest of Fog (3)
With Bella’s words, silence enveloped the carriage.
The carriage, moving quietly, stopped once for a meal, and after eating, Kyle and Owen mounted horses instead of the carriage.
The knights who accompanied them glanced around, wondering if there was any discord among the three, but none of them, not a single person, brought up the matter.
Thus, in the atmosphere of silent tension, after three and a half days passed, the group arrived at the Taylor Viscount’s estate.
“Welcome, Duke Verdin, and Archbishop. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Lady Saint as well.”
As soon as they set foot inside the estate, Viscount Taylor came out to greet them.
To Owen and Kyle, Viscount Taylor was overly deferential, while with Bella, despite an apparent parent-child relationship on paper, he maintained a formal respect.
“It’s been a while, Viscount.”
Bella, too, drew a clear line and addressed Viscount Taylor formally.
Her cheerful smile and the way she addressed him as “Viscount” showed the distance between them.
“You’ve come to set up a barrier. Let me first escort you to the mansion.”
Contrary to the original, Viscount Taylor did not prod Bella or demand money or anything else.
He simply guided them with deference.
Owen looked at the scene with a somewhat unfamiliar gaze.
Then, as Bella passed Owen, she said, “You’re not the only one who can change the original. Remember that.”
It was a clear warning.
Just like Owen had done, using the information from ＜Empire’s Flower＞ to change the future at will.
After leaving only those words, Bella swiftly passed Owen.
Owen stared coldly ahead for a moment, then followed behind Kyle.
Following Viscount Taylor’s guidance, the group was shown to the rooms where they would stay.
To create the ‘Barrier of Protection,’ it was necessary to understand the Forest of Fog first, and for that, about two days were needed.
They had to identify the forest’s structure and where the monsters mainly appeared, and then painstakingly set up a large barrier at the forest’s entrance.
Hence, the group accepted Viscount Taylor’s invitation and decided to stay.
Even if the Viscount had not wanted to invite them, it was an obligation they had to fulfill.
“When you finish lunch, please take a look around. We have prepared a meal.”
After the room assignments were done and they unpacked, Viscount Taylor put his hands together and said.
“Shall we do that?”
Bella turned to the group, smiling, and asked.
The knights and maids who had come along all agreed.
Of course, the knights and maids would have their meals elsewhere.
In the Empire’s caste system, commoners and nobles eating in the same space only happened in unavoidable situations like war, secret missions, or while traveling.
“Yes, Your Holiness.”
“We will do as you wish, Your Holiness.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
With the voices of the knights and maids, Owen and Kyle also showed gestures of agreement.
Lord Taylor led them to the dining hall, praising the glory of the place.
Perhaps due to this being his domain, Lord Taylor’s mansion was quite large, boasting a total of three dining rooms.
The knights and maids were ushered into the largest dining room, while the remaining three members of the party were guided to the second largest dining hall with the Earl.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Duke Verdin and Lady Topaz. And it’s been a while, Miss Saint.”
“An honor to meet Duke Verdin and Lady Topaz. It’s been a while for me too.”
Inside the dining hall, Lady Taylor and Taylor’s daughter were already present.
Lady Taylor, like Lord Taylor, greeted Bella with courtesy.
The only one who greeted Bella comfortably was Taylor’s daughter, growing up as the future successor to the Taylor family as the young lady of the house.
“Yes, it has been a while. Lady Taylor, and Young Lady.”
Of course, Bella seemed indifferent towards the young lady.
Even when the young lady clearly distinguished herself as an outsider, she smiled unaffectedly.
“It’s been so long! How have you been all this time?”
“I’ve been busy with various matters. Since Young Lady also attended the Imperial Ball, you can imagine the reasons, right?”
Although they referred to it as “a while,” Bella had last met the Taylor family and them in August.
It had only been a month, but they hadn’t even exchanged proper greetings during the royal ball.
Bella had deliberately avoided them, and the ball ended in a feud within a day, so it was only natural.
“Oh… I heard. There were people who did terrible things to you!”
“Yes, thanks to them, I’ve been kept busy.”
Taylor’s daughter was truly carefree.
At just sixteen years old, it was understandable, but being overly curious was tiring.
Bella cut the conversation short and turned her gaze towards Kyle and Owen.
“Duke Verdin, Lady Topaz. The meal is ready, let’s go in together.”
As all eyes were on them, Bella spoke with utmost politeness.
Kyle looked surprised, while Owen sat at his designated seat as if nothing was amiss.
The dining table was shaped like a long oval, with Lord Taylor, Lady Taylor, and Taylor’s daughter on one side.
On the opposite side, Kyle, Bella, and Owen were seated in order.
Bella sat between Kyle and Owen, facing the members of the Taylor family.
“It’s modest, but please enjoy. You need a hearty meal if you plan to venture into the forest.”
Once Owen and Kyle were seated, Lord Taylor put on a friendly face and spoke again.
It was a rather awkward sight, but no one pointed it out.
The dishes prepared by the chefs and maids were laid out on the table, and drinks were poured into the already placed water and wine glasses.
Water with a slice of lemon in the water glasses, and fine aged wine in the wine glasses.
“Um, Duke Verdin.”
Owen was about to take a sip of water when Taylor’s daughter suddenly sparkled with curiosity.
“I heard you’re engaged to Lady Edel.”
It was a sudden question.
Owen hesitated on how to respond, merely nodding his head.
But that seemed to satisfy Taylor’s daughter.
Excitedly, she exclaimed, “You two look great together, I’ve been rooting for you since three years ago. Congratulations!”
Praised by a stranger, Owen felt uneasy, but he nodded appropriately in response.
At the sudden remark, the Taylor couple seemed flustered, coughing and diverting the conversation towards the girl, suggesting what she should eat or drink.
And naturally, Bella…
“…”
Silently sipped her wine.
Her silver eyes exuded a chilly aura.
That aura was directed fiercely towards Taylor’s daughter.
“Miss.”
From Noble mtl dot com
As if scolding a child and shooing it away, the unexpected Kyle called Bella shortly.
Bella quickly put on a different expression and turned to Kyle.
“Lady Topaz, do you have something to say?”
Despite her cold silver eyes, her expression was surprisingly gentle.
It was evident how skilled and familiar she was with acting.
“I… thought it might snow soon. I was going to say it’s best to finish the meal quickly if we want to explore the forest.”
Caught off guard by her remarkable acting, Kyle stuttered out his words.
Kyle was not adept at concealing his emotions or expressions.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t, he simply didn’t know how.
He didn’t know the reasons behind it.
To him, Bella’s actions and the nobles’ way of life were difficult and incomprehensible.
I didn’t like it.
It was because it felt like living while acting out a suffocating melodrama.
“Oh, the sky is completely painted with white clouds.”
Bella murmured as she looked beyond the restaurant window.
Then she picked up her fork and stabbed the cooked steak.
Blood seeped from the rare-cooked steak.
“It would be better to finish the meal quickly and go see the forest. If we miss today, the return day will be delayed.”
“Yes.”
“Well… even if we’re a bit late, it might cause a lot of trouble. Then it will be quite inconvenient.”
After exchanging a few words with Kyle, Bella turned her head to look at Owen.
“I heard your engagement ceremony is in two weeks. Is that correct?”
“…Yes.”
“If we return late, it will cause various problems….”
The voice trailing off was filled with a sense of regret and worry.
But the emotions within were different.
“If a snowstorm hits, the roads will be blocked. Then we might be late altogether.”
It was a clear mockery, a sneer.
There was also a hint of anticipation for how far I had prepared.
“That won’t happen.”
Owen briefly retorted Bella’s words.
“The North is always cold, but snowstorms are only possible around November.”
“Yes, that’s correct. So, Your Highness, there’s no need to worry about such things.”
Lord Taylor chimed in with Owen.
He seemed quite concerned about impressing Owen.
“But even last time….”
Despite the Lord’s assertion, Bella brought up a new topic without giving up.
With a worried expression, tinged with guilt.
“Sudden events also occurred in the Forest of Eyes.”
Bella brought up the story of when she awakened.
Although she didn’t actually awaken there, that’s what the public believed.
“So we had to burn down the entire forest, and it rained to put out the fire.”
“It was an unavoidable situation back then.”
This time, Kyle spoke up.
“But it’s not the same now, is it? Your Highness, you are not as inexperienced in your powers as you were back then.”
The blue eyes stared coldly.
With a wry smile, Bella locked eyes with him and pursed her lips.
“…Of course.”
It was a matter-of-fact statement, but there was no certainty in it.
“Several months have passed.”
Bella was not ‘Bella’.
While Owen was gradually becoming ‘Owen’, she had received nothing from ‘Bella’.
Neither memories, experiences, nor thoughts.
Of course, the current ‘Bella’, unlike the ＜Empire’s Flower＞, had no experience as a saint.
Yet ‘Bella’ remained ‘Bella’.
For that one reason alone, ‘Bella’ knew and could do more than her.
“It seems I was overly worried. I brought up unnecessary topics. I’m sorry.”
It was unfair, but there was nothing to be done.
Since what they had to do in the forest this time had nothing to do with power control, it was fine.
‘No, it’s not.’
It was better to be immature.
That way, they could prolong the time.