How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 30
The mage, with a pale face, could barely string words together. He looked like he might faint and foam at the mouth at any moment.
“This should be enough to avoid being turned away at the door, right?”
Angelina smiled, feeling reassured by the mage’s reaction.
In truth, she had been a bit anxious until she arrived here. While it was a sweet enough bait that the Tower Master couldn’t refuse, she couldn’t be certain if he would take it.
Fortunately, it seemed to be effective bait even now, two years before the original story began.
The mage swallowed hard, audibly enough for Angelina to hear, then wrote down what she had said on paper.
Then, as if the paper was some deadly poison that would kill him if he touched it too long, he quickly stuffed it into a file and jumped to his feet.
“We’re finished. You may pass.”
He hurriedly took the documents and headed somewhere. Another mage took over escorting Angelina.
Angelina returned to where Haley was, once again receiving all sorts of sidelong glances.
“I’m done, Your Grace.”
“…The mage seemed quite surprised.”
Blake indirectly asked Angelina. As if to say, what exactly was that ‘secret’ to cause such a reaction just now?
Unfortunately, since the walls were all glass, Blake had seen everything.
Instead of answering, Angelina lightly placed her index finger on her lips.
Indicating that a secret is a secret.
Blake didn’t ask further and moved his steps following the mage.
After watching him walk away for a moment, Angelina called Haley.
“Do mages usually try to please nobles this much?”
“Mages trying to please nobles?”
Haley asked back as if it was nonsense.
“I may be a mage myself, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a group as haughty as us.”
“Is that so?”
Then what was this strange sense of discomfort she was feeling?
Only then did Haley quickly scan the surroundings and let out a groan.
“But they don’t meet nobles often, so they might be nervous about not knowing the proper etiquette. Remember how I was when I first met you, Miss?”
“Hmm… I see.”
So, they’re the type who hate to lose face, but they don’t know noble etiquette, so they’re being careful not to make mistakes and embarrass themselves?
Angelina felt she could understand a little.
But regardless of understanding, the gazes she still felt were quite uncomfortable.
“Let me know when we’re leaving.”
She retreated into the carriage.
As soon as she disappeared from view, mages everywhere let out the breaths they had been holding.
Watching them, Laura clicked her tongue.
‘How naive they all are.’
The servants of the Marquis’s household were all trained for years and accustomed to deceiving Angelina.
But the mages who had no need for such things were inevitably clumsy.
At this rate, it seemed better to be out of sight than to act so poorly and be completely exposed.
“Haley.”
“Yes, I’ll send word.”
At Laura’s call, Haley moved with a small communication device in hand.
“This is worse than just hiding everyone away. Sheesh.”
They were of one mind. The plan was to tell everyone to clear out before they were discovered.
***
Crown Prince Aiden’s hand stopped midair as he was lifting his teacup.
“Where did you say Blake went?”
Aiden interrogated the informant who had just reported.
“He entered the Dark Forest, Your Highness. We tried to follow, but…”
“Of course you couldn’t. It’s the Dark Forest.”
Aiden could guess what would follow without hearing the informant’s full report.
“Ha, trying to join hands with the Magic Tower to revive his duchy?”
He let out a mocking laugh as he set down his teacup almost throwing it. A few drops of clear tea spilled onto the saucer.
“Aiden.”
However, unlike him who was fuming, the Empress sitting across from him remained calm without a change in expression.
“Haven’t you been taught many times to set down your teacup without making a sound?”
The Empress chided him in a languid voice, demonstrating perfect etiquette by gently setting down her own teacup.
“Mother, the teacup isn’t the issue right now. Didn’t you hear that Blake fellow has gone to join hands with the Tower Master?”
“I heard, Aiden.”
The Empress said to Aiden with a gentle smile.
Though they shared the same red hair, facial features, and eye shape, the atmosphere they exuded was completely different.
The Crown Prince, at first glance sharp and fierce, but up close like a stone flower containing the refreshing feeling of a whirlwind.
The Empress, so dazzling that she drew all eyes even when doing nothing, but like a rose that pricks when one tries to break it.
“But is that reason enough to let your teatime manners slip?”
The Empress smiled sweetly. Her fresh smile made the surroundings fragrant.
Unlike the Empress who knew how to make the most of her appearance, Aiden, who inherited her beautiful looks, frowned.
“Mother, do you still think that fellow has no chance of recovery?”
“Nothing is impossible in this world, Aiden.”
“Then how can you be so calm about this?”
“While nothing is impossible, there are indeed many things that are extremely difficult to achieve.”
This means that while there’s no guarantee the duchy can’t rise again, it’s not something to expect much from as it’s no ordinary challenge.
She believed Blake lacked the ability to revive the duchy.
“Haven’t you heard about the recent discovery of a mana stone mine in Kadenhart’s ‘Dead Lands’?”
The ‘Dead Lands’ of Kadenhart referred to the mountainous area attached to one side of the Kadenhart territory.
That place with its threatening landscape began to turn black several years ago, killing plants and animals. Its pitch-black appearance, hideous and eerie, earned it the nickname ‘Dead Lands’.
At one time, they made hefty donations to the temple to receive the ‘service’ of the priests to prevent this black land from expanding.
But after the death of the previous Duke and the former Duchess’s squandering of the duchy’s wealth, they could no longer afford to do so.
So the land kept growing.
Since they didn’t know what effect it might have on people, all the Kadenhart duchy could do was prohibit entry.
Still, they occasionally sent scouts and researchers to find methods other than holy power.
But lo and behold.
A few weeks ago, deep in that barren land, mana stones were discovered.
Whether they had always been there or were an effect of the black land was unknown, but the quantity was enormous, and each mana stone was very dense and of high quality.
“He’s surely gone to negotiate with the Tower Master using that. And the Tower Master would have no reason to refuse.”
Mana stones had many uses, but naturally, it was the mages who valued them most highly. Especially such concentrated mana stones would more than pique the mages’ greed.
“You know how complicated things will get if the Magic Tower crawls into the political arena, don’t you, Mother?”
Aiden couldn’t understand how his mother could be so calm about this.
After taking another sip of tea, Empress Penelope smiled gently again.
“Our Aiden needs to look at the world a bit more calmly.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The world doesn’t revolve as simply as Aiden thinks.”
Aiden furrowed his brow at the Empress’s words.
“Are you saying the Tower Master won’t want the mana stones?”
The Empress smiled instead of answering.
Aiden bit his lower lip hard, his brow still furrowed.
Seeing her son like this, the Empress soon let out a small sigh. Then, reluctantly, she gave him a hint.
“The Tower Master won’t deal with Kadenhart. No matter how sweet and tempting an offer Kadenhart makes.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because stepping into politics means revealing one’s identity.”
“…Are you saying they’re reluctant to reveal their identity to the point of turning away from a mana stone mine?”
“Everyone has secrets they want to keep, and only the individual knows their true value.”
Aiden couldn’t understand.
Even if their identity was exposed, what could be so troublesome besides nobles clamoring to form alliances?
Perhaps they’re of common birth? Doesn’t the position of Tower Master make such things irrelevant?
Or are they from another kingdom? A fugitive who betrayed and fled?
What identity could be so crucial to keep hidden?
And…
“Mother, do you know the Tower Master’s identity?”
The Empress clearly knew. There was no other way she could be so certain.
“Since when…”
“Aiden, hasn’t this mother told you many times? Knowing too much can be harmful. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.”
“…”
Her voice was filled with sticky affection.
But when Aiden’s distorted expression didn’t soften, the Empress let out a regretful sigh.
“Aiden, my proud son.”
The Empress whispered in a voice thick with emotion as she stroked Aiden’s head.
“I will bear all the hardships, so our Aiden only needs to focus on attending to state affairs alongside His Majesty, without being distracted elsewhere.”
