Chapter 37

𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔: 𝕰𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖞𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕳𝖆𝖘 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖉 𝖇𝖞 𝕿𝖆𝖞𝖑𝖔𝖗 𝕾𝖜𝖎𝖋𝖙

***

After Father's conversation with Henry alone in his office, that very same day, he had some business to attend to while Henry was in the knight's quarters.

Few of the servants knew that Henry was in the household and those few people were most trustworthy including Sir Francis and Anna.

The rest didn't know because the moment that I handed Henry a bottle of medicine that I'd formulated, he took it with one gulp changing his hair and eye colors, making us the same, having golden blonde hair and silver eyes.

Everything was mad perfect, and when I headed to my room, Anna immediately came and notified me of another letter that arrived.

"Milady, there are letters that arrived..." Anna showed me her tray and indeed there were letters but the corners of my lips moved upwards knowing that they came from the people that I also treasured even if they were far away.

The simple act of sending me letters, through simple envelopes and no seal, made my heart flutter.

It's not all about the extravagance of one thing, how much seal of any nobles were imprinted in the stamps of the envelop but it's all about the content and how sincere one was to send a letter.

I remember one back in the past, when I helped a young boy who became my commoner friend, and as he sent some letters, it wasn't of extravagance but I could see the sincerity from him through his contents.

But that didn't last long... after a tragic event from a neighboring war, the letters that he had been sending to me came to a halt. If Verfeil had been the first noble friend I had back in the day, Lexus was the first commoner friend I had before I met Caliere.

By the time Lexus disappeared, it was Caliere who captured my appearance.

I didn't know back then that I would be chasing him and forgetting who I am and who should I be.

Shaking my thoughts off from the past, I chuckled as I held the letters. One by one, I could feel how much effort the children made for these letters, and I knew that I could count on them when that time came.

"Dear Sister Vestia, I'm writing you a letter now because I wanted to say thank you for everything you've done until now. I am grateful to have met an amazing person like you and I hope that you won't stop smiling in your heart. I wish you the best..."

"Dear Lovely Sister, Sister Cristine told me a lot of things about you, I'm grateful that you were the one giving us donations and establishing a small school near our village. We have been learning new things every day and it's all because of your generosity and sincerity"

"Dear Sister, we appreciate you for continuing to shower us with your grace and kindness, we are grateful that you will always give us time and visit our place even if it's far away from yours. I hope that you never change, Sister. We love you"

"Dear Sister, I hope that one day, you will be able to find someone who truly loves you like we do, someone who will be with you romantically. I said this because even if I like you sister Vestia, I know that there will be someone more deserving to come to you..."

"Dear Sister, we appreciate you and love you for who you are and not for your title. We are glad to meet a genuine person like you. It's my birthday next week and I hope you will be able to come with your friends. I know that I'm not worthy to invite you but at the very least, I hope you come visit us again... we love you, sister Vestia..."

Then the letters went so on and so forth that I had half of the day to finish all of the letters and ended my day with a huge smile

Who says you're not worthy? Every one of you are worthy because you are all created with life. I wanted to say that to them and so I've decided...

When I asked Anna about the schedule of the engagement, I still had three days left before Hamilton's birthday. That's why I have to do what I must now to spare the week for my little friend's birthday.

Even if there were rumors about me spreading within the empire of disappearing and reappearing, these rumors must not have been heard from the other small villages because of how remote their area was.

Sighing, I couldn't help but narrow my eyes when remembering what my father said in the past. He said he would investigate the matter about the donation of the emperor and the temple to the small orphanage but up until now, he wasn't bringing that topic.

Was it confidential, or was it dangerous to know?

Whatever it is, I have to find out since it's not only my life that's involved here, it's also the lives of innocent people.

Looking at my clothing, the vast place, and every piece of jewelry I have, for the past years, I managed to maintain a decent life by not spending much and only getting to dress enough clothes for myself.

Considering that the money I would have spent, would have been given to my people, to the small villages and my first move was on the Austuria, it's not the only place I have to help but others as well.

"Anna, can you give me a map of the empire?" I asked. Anna nodded and went away for a second.

I looked at the large window from my room and got to see how Henry and Claudius spar. Claudius had been training every time he had a chance despite his duties within the household.

Henry would come and train with him, but in the end, he would eventually argue whenever Claudius would beat him up.

Even if Henry was a Senior Knight and Claudius was still a junior knight, it's not as if the ranking of title determines their strengths. It's just because Henry was fast enough to be called a Senior Knight.

Considering that Claudius, in the past, was Caliere's mad dog. He had always been Caliere's loyal knight to the point that he would take no for any mercy, he wouldn't spare anyone if Caliere wouldn't order him.

"Milady, here's the map... but may I ask what would you do with it?" Anna asked and I averted my attention from the outside to Anna.

I chuckled because the events kept building in my head and I how to avoid the tragedy of the past, I didn't notice Anna's presence.

"I plan to help every small village I can with a donation and enough supply as well as education so would be called the people of the empire..." since people who live from the remote places of the empire, were considered outcasts to begin with.

They shouldn't have been treated like that.

They didn't even do anything but live peacefully and they were being discriminated by the people living off being parasites to their own greed and temptation.

If the noble ladies had what they wanted, clothes, pieces of jewelry, a noble household, power, and status, I couldn't help thinking of the people who starved their stomachs just to eat a piece of bread every day, work their body nonstop and even incur illnesses from it.

I don't want to repeat the past and so, from that moment on, I swore to protect the people of the empire from those unruly greedy people.

When I looked at the map and wrote on my paper about the place, I heard some sounds of crying. I looked at Anna and she was indeed crying.

"Anna, are you okay? Do you need----" but before I could finish my words, she immediately hugged me almost making the papers fly away from the table and I just sighed as I patted her back.

"Tell me if you're not feeling well and I will----"

"The Duke and Duchess are indeed lucky to have a child like you, Milady. We are lucky to meet you because you are an amazing person who would never stop doing what she knows is right and just by doing this you help a lot of people than you could ever imagine..."

This was the first time Anna broke down again after that event.

I chuckled as I caressed her back gently.

"I am just honored to be alive and be helpful to the people who need my help. Besides, I like helping people Anna, and if one day, I grow old I hope that the people I helped will do the same thing..." I wanted to leave a legacy of faith and hope as well as love...

"Milady, don't speak as if you'll be leaving us one day! I can't bear to live without you! No, I can't bear to live without you!"

"Silly, I'm not. I just want to remind people of kindness again..." Though I never intended on what the future might bring I intend to change the fate of the people who live not being able to see the light of tomorrow.

***

"I know it's my time to say everything about my household but..."

"But...?" Claudius asked Henry

"Are you prepared to hear everything?"