Chapter 65

Two days later, Baron Avery visited Amelie’s Palace. It was because today was an important noble meeting that Serwin must never miss. Amelie comforted Serwin, who did not want to go, and then forced him to go.

Amelie left the Imperial Palace with Milena and Chad on either side. She was going to buy materials to use for witch’s summoning magic.

“What ingredients should we buy?”

“I need the unscented and uncolored goat blood, poppy flowers and seeds. Some parchment.”

“The ingredients are very unique. What kind of magic is it?”

“Originally, it is a magic used to call for a gathering of witches. It is a magic to inform the witches by writing the meeting place and date on parchment.”

“Miss Amelie, are you using it to summon witches?”

“Yes.”

“You use parchment instead of letter paper—. What do you use poppies for?”

“Poppies are used to make oil.”

“Oil? It sounds kind of dangerous. The liquid from the seeds is opium.”

“That’s right. I’m going to do it like I did when I made a potion, so it won’t be like a drug, but it’s said that it smells great after making it.”

“Then I’ll have to get some easy-to-find parchment and candles first. You can buy candles together at a church that sells items, and you’ll have to go to the parchment shop for parchment. Please follow me.”

Milena knew the geography of the capital well. She went ahead of Amelie, finding the way. Had Amelie been alone, she would have wasted time by getting lost or by getting duped by sellers. Milena was good at bargaining, so she quickly bought things cheaply.

Amelie followed Milena around and suddenly realized that this was the first time she came out of the main gate.

“Come to think of it, this is the first time I proudly came out of the main gate.”

“It’s better to come out the front gate from now on. Because the security at Miss Amelie’s palace has been strengthened, there are more eyes watching.”

Chad said.

“But why did you suddenly increase the number of guards? If strangers come frequently, it will be difficult to be vigilant.”

Milena asked.

“That’s His Majesty’s orders. There were some unpleasant things at the party, so I guess he’s being careful.”

“Well, His Majesty must be very worried about Miss Amelie.”

“There may be one more knight to escort Miss Amelie soon.”

“I wish someone I know would come.”

“Well, I don’t think Sir Roen will be able to do it.”

Chad made a subtle expression.

“That’s a relief. I’ve had enough of my brother. I can’t believe I’m seeing him from where I’m work—”

Milena was disgusted and stopped. Amelie followed her and almost bumped into a passerby.

“Ugh!”

“Be careful. There are a lot of people.”

Chad skillfully stood in front of Amelie and protected her. Thanks to this, Amelie was able to walk comfortably even on a crowded street.

‘I think I’ve become a very important person.’

Amelie was rumored to be the Emperor’s lover, and was the only one who could put an end to the disaster. But she was still unfamiliar with her position, which had been raised unintentionally.

“All that’s left are the poisonous plants.”

Milena sighed with an uneasy face. She got used to the fact that Amelie was a witch, but it was still awkward and uncomfortable to treat poisonous plants casually. She’s worried about what if something bad happens like that.

“I will go and buy it. Miss Amelie, Sir Chad, please go to the Imperial Palace first. Buying poison in person would be easy to misunderstand.”

“If it’s such a problem, I think it’s better to stop by somewhere else and make an alibi rather than go back to the imperial palace right away.”

“That’s right. Well, why don’t you go to Monet’s dressing room? Caroline just said that she has something to deliver to Amelie.”

“I see. If it’s a dressing room, it’s a good place to make an alibi. It’s not weird to spend a long time, and it’s good to have more witnesses.”

Milena and Chad were in sync.

“Then let’s go to the dressing room.”

Amelie decided to follow the will of the two.

*****

As Milena disappeared among the people, Amelie headed off with Chad to Caroline’s Monet’s dressing room. When Amelie arrived, Caroline greatly welcomed her.

“Welcome Miss Amelie! It’s my first time seeing you since the party. You must have had a hard time. Did you rest well?”

“Yes, Caroline, you worked hard, too.”

“I worked happily, so I’m not tired at all. By the way, you don’t know how worried I was when I heard that you fell into a lake. If I knew this would happen, I would have made a waterproof outfit!”

Caroline’s chatter was starting so Amelie changed the subject quickly.

“You said you have something for me, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. I forgot. I’ll bring them right away. I prepared matching shoes that fit Amelie’s size.”

While Amelie was looking at the shoes, Caroline returned.

“The wet dress at that time was taken away by us to fix it. But it was in the clothes.”

Caroline handed over a small box to Amelie. What was in the box was a locket-shaped pendant. Complex patterns were embossed on the surface of the locket. When she looked closely, small gold beads were molded to it artfully.

“I wondered if it was a gift from His Majesty, so I thought I should return it right away. Oh, I haven’t opened the pendant so don’t worry.”

Amelie stared at the pendant from afar. It was her first time seeing the pendant.

‘Why was this in my clothes?’

She definitely didn’t have anything like a pendant until she met Renia by the lake. It seemed to have occurred when or after entering the lake.

‘But after I got out of the lake, I stayed with Serwin— it was Mrs Enard and Milena who changed my clothes—. Unless someone put it in my clothes, it’s from the lake—.’

However, it made no sense that such a precious pendant suddenly appeared. Wouldn’t it be possible if the pendant found its way into her clothes when she fell into the lake?

‘Should I open it first?’

Amelie opened the lock on the pendant. With a click, a ring fell from the inside of the pendant.

‘Ring?’

Amelie looked at the ring. There was a red jewel embedded in the platinum ring. Inside, there was a sentence in an unknown language and the initials H.B.

‘I don’t know what it is, but let’s take it.’

Amelie kept the pendant well.

“Have you seen all the shoes? Try on some more. There are accessories that go with them. Recently, a very cute headdress has been released. Wait a minute.”

Caroline made a fuss and asked the staff to bring everything they could. She said that once she started, she never stopped until she made the perfect outfit. Amelie wanted to leave the dressing room at once and hide in the attic of the imperial palace.

“Sir Chad, let’s go to the Imperial Palace—”

“It’s better to stay in the dressing room for a long time.”

“Ugh.”

In response to Chad’s firm answer, Amelie was forced to give herself up to Caroline.

*****

Amelie was released after they put together five outfits that Caroline was satisfied with. Still, Caroline was suddenly struck with inspiration and let Amelie go on her way, so she was able to get out of the dressing room.

‘I’m not going to do anything else today. I’ll soak in hot water as soon as I get back.’

Amelie got off the carriage thinking of the bathroom. Somehow, the expressions of the knights guarding the entrance were strange.

While greeting Amelie, they kept glancing around tensely.

“Oh, my. His Majesty must be waiting. Let’s come this way.”

At Chad’s words, the knights of the Imperial Palace took a step back, one step at a time, to save themselves.

Serwin was seen approaching from afar. Of all things, he wore black and in the midst of blackness, only his yellow eyes shone splendidly. When he found Amelie, he approached her faster.

“Ugh—”

Serwin’s momentum was so terrifying that even Chad, who stood by her side, was speechless. Only Amelie looked at Serwin blankly, and she moved forward.

“Amelie!”

He suddenly hugged Amelie. Amelie’s ears turned red when their bodies touched tightly.

“Y, Your Majesty?”

“Where have you been?”

Serwin’s deep voice sounded like a wild beast’s growl.

“Outside the Imperial Palace. I told you where I was going—”

“You didn’t tell me.”

“Yes?”

“Tell me first wherever you go. Don’t ever go alone. I’ll come with you.”

“There is Sir Chad and Milena— And I didn’t go out alone—.”

Serwin is saying weird things!

Amelie was embarrassed and patted Serwin on the back.

“Calm down. Did something happen?”

“You don’t come even if I wait for a long time.”

Serwin bent his back and hugged her tighter. Then, Amelie took a deep breath and she wrapped her arms around his back.

‘Is it okay to leave this alone?’

Amelie patted Serwin’s back lightly, waiting for him to calm down.

‘It’s somewhat similar to what he looked like in the Fidelia forest.’

At that time, Serwin was just as hectic as he is now, clinging to her. The only difference was that he was not sane at that time, and that now he was at least aware of himself.

“Your Majesty! If you run out like that—Ah.”

The servants followed Serwin late, found Amelie, and quietly walked backwards.

‘Ugh, so we’re just like a couple.’

Amelie blushed because she was ashamed of the reactions of such servants.

“Let’s stop and go in.”

As Amelie slightly pushed Serwin’s chest, Serwin took Amelie’s hand instead of stepping back as he released his hug. Amelie held Serwin’s hand and led him to the palace.

*****

The next day, and the next day, Baron Avery came to pick up Serwin.

Baron Avery had the opposite image of Serwin. With a dry and pale impression, he looked weak as if he had never held anything heavier than a book in his entire life.

However, his tight mouth and unshakable eyes revealed his stubborn side.

Although he was a low-ranking aristocrat, he skillfully used imperial court manners, and although he spoke very politely and did not behave rudely, Amelie felt scolded whenever she encountered him.

As if what Serwin was doing was her fault.

‘Serwin is the one not going!’

However, Amelie felt pressured because it was true that Serwin neglected his work because he didn’t want to be apart from her.

‘Okay, okay. You just have bad habits. If you don’t go, I’ll kick you out!’

In the end, even though Baron Avery didn’t come this morning, Amelie sent Serwin to the Imperial Palace. Serwin looked at her pitifully like an abandoned puppy, but she didn’t care. It was a secret that some magic was used in the process.