Chapter 44

Chapter 18 The Duke and the Lady

The carriage rattled as it sped forward, and I sat upright in my seat, looking solemn as I took out a cake and sniffed it delicately. I turned to Carlos seriously and said, “Carlos, this cake smells so good.”

Carlos glanced at me, annoyed.

“You can’t eat any more.”

“…Just one piece.”

I looked at him with pleading eyes.

“Please, if you keep eating, you’ll finish all the cake. That’s an entire Valen gold coin, Miss! Are you afraid of getting stuffed?”

“But it really is delicious.”

This cake was so good that it surpassed every other dessert I had ever tasted. It made one want to devour it all at once, no wonder so many people were eager to buy it.

“The Duke of Skaliger sent a letter specifically, saying we should have dinner with him and his wife tonight. If you can’t eat later, it would be quite embarrassing.”

“Just one piece.”

“No, give me the cake.”

Seeing that I was shamelessly trying to put the cake in my mouth, Carlos moved to grab it. Realizing what was happening, I clutched the bag tightly.

“I won’t eat anymore, don’t take it!”

“If you dare eat another bite, I won’t tell you about anything delicious from now on.”

Carlos threatened me. I looked dejectedly at the remaining cake, wanting to tell him it wouldn’t affect my performance later, but fearing he might not share good food with me in the future. After a moment’s hesitation, I put the cake away obediently.

“That’s better.” Carlos patted my head, and I glared at him.

This guy has been quite full of himself lately. I need to think of a way to teach him a lesson; he needs to understand that you can’t touch a tiger’s backside.

Although I was unhappy with Carlos’s behavior, I didn’t push his hand away as usual.

For some reason, I’ve been thinking about that girl mentioned by the shop clerk. This bearded swordsman seems to have stayed in the Valen Empire for quite some time. Maybe he knows something.

“Carlos, who is Peylo?”

“Peylo? Oh, you mean the girl the shop clerk said was very similar to you?” Carlos finally retracted his hand and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “I don’t know… I’m just a wandering swordsman. Although I’ve lived in the Valen Empire for a few years, I rarely pay attention to noble affairs. I remember a girl with that name… Ah, I remember now.”

Carlos smacked his palm as if he had a sudden realization, then immediately frowned deeply.

“What?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve heard of that name before. Peylo, there was a pretty girl in the City of Winter, named the same. She was quite famous for a while; you could hear people talking about her in taverns. But that was a long time ago. I haven’t seen her myself, and I don’t usually pay attention to such gossip, but hearing you ask makes me realize I haven’t heard about her in a long time, so I couldn’t recall immediately.”

“Did she leave here?”

“How would I know?” Carlos shrugged innocently, “I told you I don’t pay attention to these things. Maybe she married someone far away?”

Alright, it seems this guy is truly a recluse who doesn’t care about the outside world. From our interactions, he doesn’t seem like someone who is married or has a family. I wonder what he does when he’s alone.

Forget it, don’t think about it. Anyway, this girl named Peylo probably has nothing to do with me; she might just look similar.

Why be so concerned about a stranger?

Putting aside those trivial thoughts, I turned to look out the window.

The sky was beginning to turn slightly yellow.

The carriage galloped through street after street. Just as I felt the population was thinning, the houses suddenly stopped, and the view opened up to a vast expanse of snow-covered land.

In front of us stood a towering, majestic snow-capped mountain.

I stared at the dark, fortified castle at the foot of the mountain and widened my eyes. I grabbed Carlos’s shoulder and shook him awake.

“Carlos! Look! That’s it!”

Carlos rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked out dazedly.

“What? Oh, we’re here.”

“No, that! The castle! That’s it!”

Yes, the standing bell tower, the black walls, and the long bridge. Everything in front of me was exactly like the castle I saw in my hallucination not long ago.

At this moment, even I doubted—could I really have the ability to foresee the future?

“Oh, you mean the previous hallucination? How was it, did it happen again?”

“No, it didn’t.”

“When it happens again, let me know.”

…………

The carriage crossed the bridge,

At the entrance of the castle.

I stopped the carriage.

The moment I stepped down, my mood was so exhilarating that I couldn’t express it in words.

Looking back, since we left the small village, I had been traveling non-stop with Carlos. We spent most of our time on the carriage. The thought of finally being able to bid farewell to the annoying ostrich-drawn carriage made me want to jump for joy.

The guards standing at the entrance were still those workshop hunters, and there was also a man dressed like a butler who immediately came forward when he saw us.

“Two Revered Knights, please come inside. Lord and Lady have been waiting for you for a long time.”

Carlos and I were both wearing iris cloaks, and we arrived here in the Church’s carriage. Our identities needed no explanation. The butler didn’t even need to confirm and led us inside.

The castle was enormous. It took us about ten minutes to walk through a garden filled with birdsong and flowers before we finally reached the internal buildings.

Upon entering, I found the entire structure seemed like a maze. Apart from the beautifully crafted floor-to-ceiling windows, almost all the buildings were pitch black, adding a mysterious hue under the dim evening light. This reminded me of the ancient castles of vampire counts in movies.

It seems the royal family of the Wallen Empire has a particular fondness for black. Is it because of their black hair and eyes?

There’s something very gothic about this place, which I find quite appealing.

The butler led us around until we stopped in front of a door on the top floor.

“Please come in, Your Excellencies.”

Carlos nodded at the butler and then pushed open the door. A scent of books wafted over.

It looked like a study. There were bookshelves everywhere, filled with various books. In the middle of the bookshelves was an old yet grand wooden desk, and in front of the desk sat a man in his fifties who looked full of vigor. Beside him stood a woman of regal bearing.

“Ah, Duke Scarliger, long time no see! Lady Catherine is here too.” Carlos greeted casually.

“Hah, Carlos. You finally showed up. I thought you’d make us wait until dinner was served.”

Duke Scarliger had been signing documents when he heard Carlos’s voice. He put down his quill and joked loudly, seemingly very happy.

“I wouldn’t dare keep His Grace waiting. I was just delayed by some matters on the road.”

“Sure, when have you ever been punctual?”

The duke had black hair mixed with silver strands, neatly combed backward. He smiled and teased Carlos, then turned to look at me, who was fidgeting uncomfortably.

“Is this… Miss Silviga mentioned in the letter?”

I nodded.

“Your Excellency, Lady, hello.”

Realizing that my hood was still on, which seemed impolite, I quickly removed it.

My hair flowed down like a black waterfall. Duke Scarliger’s pupils constricted sharply in an instant. His slightly trembling fingers seemed to be suppressing some emotion.

“Hello, Miss Silviga. You’re so young, ha ha. May I ask how old you are?”

“Sixteen.”

I looked at the composed duke in front of me, feeling somewhat puzzled. Asking my age right away, what could he be planning? He didn’t seem this excited when he saw Carlos. Why would he react so strongly to someone he’s never met?

… Could it be that he thinks I’m pretty and has some bad intentions towards me?

A chill ran down my spine, and I quietly stepped back two paces.

“Young enough to become a Revered Knight, truly admirable!” The duke seemed unaware of my discomfort and continued talking, “I heard from His Eminence that you have no parents?”

Hmm? How did Angel explain this to them?

I glanced at Carlos, who understood immediately.

“Yes, she doesn’t remember her past. We found her in a small village in Silgaya. She had just fought a monster from the Abyss and was nearly dead. The Church saved her.”

“Oh, I see. I heard… your frost order talent is very high?”

“Not really.”

Actually, I didn’t know if my talent was high or not, but I answered obediently.

Given the current situation, my frost power can at least compete with the Abyss when fully unleashed. Angel said there’s still a lot of potential to be tapped, so it shouldn’t be too bad.

“Then, can you…”

Seeing the duke seemed to have endless questions, even Carlos noticed his discomposure. Lady immediately interrupted him, “Let’s have them rest in the guest room first. After such a long journey, you must be tired.”

“Right, haha, I overlooked that.” The duke suddenly realized and immediately called the butler, “Take them to the guest room first. I’ll be there shortly.”

“I’ll make tea for you.” The duchess smiled sweetly at me and walked out.

I turned around and saw her wiping her eyes as she turned away.