Chapter – 44
At 「Lorelei」, the rumors about Kiana and Marquis Cesare’s relationship were published quietly, but they did not attract much attention.
The entire capital was in an uproar over the upcoming imperial banquet.
Especially since it was Hiten’s birthday banquet—the man most frequently mentioned as the next emperor—how grand would it surely be?
Of course, the banquets hosted by Hiten had not been this extravagant from the beginning.
Five years ago, they had been exceedingly modest.
The reason was that the Crown Prince had gone missing, so Hiten claimed he could not joyfully celebrate his own birthday.
But as one year passed, and then another, and another…
There was still no news of the Crown Prince, while Hiten’s influence only continued to grow.
The Emperor spent far more days unconscious than conscious.
The Empress, saying she grieved her son’s disappearance, participated in none of the imperial palace events whatsoever.
And so, there was no one left capable of stopping Hiten.
Larger than the year before, and after more time passed, even more luxurious than before that.
Eventually, the banquet celebrating Hiten’s birthday became more splendid than even the Emperor’s birthday celebration.
“Lady Kiana! Young Master Joshua sent over tons of dresses!”
Alice, Kiana’s personal maid, had been excited since early morning.
Sadly, Kiana still did not know Alice’s name.
However, unlike the other maids whom she completely failed to remember, she at least recognized Alice as “the one with the solid muscular body.” Though she always called her “spy.”
“Really? Let me see.”
Kiana, who had woken up late and had been playing chess by herself, rose from the chessboard and casually glanced through the dresses Alice brought.
“It’s so nice that Young Master Joshua personally takes care of all your dresses with only the finest quality.”
“What are you talking about?”
Without even examining them properly, Kiana replied grumpily.
“They’re not my style. Hurry and sell them back to Joshua after taking his money. He’s probably the only person willing to buy them again at a markup anyway. Why are they all basically the same dress?”
“……”
Alice found it difficult to argue with that opinion.
Joshua had sent around thirty dresses completely plastered with designer logos.
Along with an extremely unpleasant note.
“And I’m going to wear the one I picked myself from the latest catalog last time.”
“Pardon…? Th-that… ch-checkered pattern? Again?”
“Again?”
Kiana widened her eyes.
“There’s no such thing as the same checkered pattern in this world.”
“You know something?”
Alice sighed deeply in disappointment.
“You and Young Master Joshua are actually strangely alike. Your tastes are incredibly consistent.”
At those words, Kiana slammed the table with a bang.
“How dare you say something so outrageous? I’m seriously furious right now. There’s only one way for you to atone for this sin. Cof—”
“Did you not sleep well again last night? I’ll brew some herbal tea right away!”
Before the word “coffee” could even fully leave Kiana’s mouth, Alice abruptly cut her off and fled the room.
Watching her leave, Kiana gasped painfully.
That maid was absurdly quick-witted.
She had pretended to be angry just to somehow trick her way into getting a cup of coffee…
Kailon, the physician of the ducal estate, had ultimately declared that any more caffeine would be dangerous for Kiana.
She had even tried bribing him, but Kailon would not so much as look her in the eyes.
Kailon was an elderly physician who had served at the ducal estate for many years.
So perhaps he had reached an age where even bribes had become too bothersome.
After sending Alice away, Kiana let out a deep sigh.
It was because she had another nightmare last night.
“Ppiyak originally belongs to Kiana as her summoned beast!”
Not only Ppiyak appearing while sobbing…
“You always talked about wanting a daughter who resembled me, and in the end your wish came true. Hyde, are you really that happy?”
“I’m so happy, Enerus. How can there possibly be a baby this beautiful?”
Dreams with no beginning or end involving people who seemed to be her parents—people she could not even remember.
And those dreams always ended with a young Enerus crying bitterly.
“It’s unfair. This is so unfair to me…”
After the day she first met Ppiyak, young Kiana suffered from those dreams so frequently that her nanny eventually brought her to the ducal estate’s physician.
Kailon, who had been the estate’s physician at the time, diagnosed it as “dreams caused by overwhelming psychological pressure and desperate wishes.”
He also advised that it would be better not to inform the family elders.
Kiana had agreed as well, because she did not want to become a child so greedy that she even dreamed about such things.
She had not experienced those dreams while at the Academy, but now that she had returned to the ducal estate, she was dreaming them again just like in childhood.
To forget last night’s dream, Kiana slowly moved her fingers and picked up a bishop piece.
Alice, who had returned carrying herbal tea before she knew it, stared at Kiana’s hand holding the chess piece as though mesmerized.
“My lady? That’s…”
“A bishop.”
Kiana was still far too thin.
Anyone could tell she looked pale and sickly.
And she passionately loved checkered accessories.
Moreover, that unusually lovely young lady…
Was far more intelligent and bold than others.
That was why people often found themselves impressed whenever they stayed by her side.
So much so that it was hard to understand why she had spent six years locked alone inside her room.
“I’m sorry, my lady. I don’t know much about chess… so I can’t really become a good conversation partner for you.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m used to talking by myself.”
Whenever Kiana said things like that, Alice could not help recalling Kiana’s childhood.
At some point, whenever there was a social gathering, Kiana would pretend to become ill midway through and hide away.
‘Why exactly was she like that? No one at the ducal estate ever said anything to her, so why…?’
And yet, despite that, she relentlessly bullied Melissa to the point where people clicked their tongues in disbelief.
Normally, Kiana quietly went to the Pubbs Ducal House and followed Rodrigo around.
Alice had heard that only Judith, Rodrigo’s younger sister, had become Kiana’s friend.
“And, my lady.”
While looking at the chessboard Kiana was playing against herself, Alice quietly relayed the head maid’s message.
“The Duke wishes to see you for a moment.”
“Ah, really? Wait a second… let me finish this game first. But why is he calling me?”
“He said he still hasn’t properly repaid you for curing Hou…”
At the word “repay,” Kiana threw down the chess piece and immediately stood up.
“Let’s go right now. Coincidentally, there’s something I want from Grandfather before the banquet anyway.”
Pubbs Ducal Estate.
Rodrigo had come to visit his younger sister Judith’s room and asked in surprise,
“Judith? What are you doing?”
“I’m writing a letter to Kiana. The imperial banquet is tomorrow, after all.”
Judith grinned and lifted her quill pen.
Naturally, Judith was not pleased by Kiana’s return.
There were only three ducal families in the Empire: Prelai, Pubbs, and Isinis.
Since House Isinis had no daughters, there were likewise only three young duchesses.
And naturally, wanting to be the most admired among them was an understandable desire.
The Prelai family had, for generations, controlled summoned beasts and also maintained close ties with the imperial family, giving them the greatest authority among the three ducal houses.
That was why Judith had hated since childhood how everyone always regarded the daughter of House Prelai as above her.
‘That’s why I liked this ending more than anyone else—Kiana leaving for the Academy and Melissa leaving for the convent.’
But in some ways, Kiana had always been an easier opponent for Judith than Melissa.
When they were children, Kiana constantly came to the Pubbs Ducal House just to see Rodrigo, and every time, Judith kindly welcomed her.
Because of that, Kiana followed her around while believing Judith was truly her good friend.
It had also been easy to coax Kiana into bullying Melissa even more.
Especially when Kiana behaved viciously toward Melissa in front of others—it had been unbelievably thrilling.
And every time that happened, the Duke and Duchess of Pubbs were extremely pleased as well.
“In your generation, Pubbs will surpass Prelai. You may write a new history for House Pubbs.”
Like Judith, the Duke and Duchess of Pubbs both acknowledged House Prelai while simultaneously envying them.
So when Enerus, the daughter-in-law of House Prelai, died disgracefully, the Duke and Duchess of Pubbs spread those scandals more enthusiastically than anyone else.
And behind the scenes, they openly circulated rumors asking,
“Is Kiana Prelai really even a Prelai?”
Because Kiana Prelai, who looked exactly like Enerus, was practically a stain upon the proud House of Prelai.
Moreover, the Duke of Pubbs had been greatly pleased upon learning that young Kiana had feelings for Rodrigo.
Hyde, the eldest son of Scari, could not return to the capital.
Alex was insane.
Joshua was a delinquent.
And in the middle of all that, if Kiana were to marry Rodrigo…
Then while House Prelai collapsed, House Pubbs could absorb all of Prelai’s immense wealth and glory.
Because Scari Prelai was not the type of person who would discriminate among his grandchildren, even if Kiana could not summon a beast.
