Chapter 57: Winter Orchid
I strolled past a few people, coming to stand in front of Sophia, giving her a wink.
“Uh…”
Reaching up to scratch my cheek, I suddenly found myself at a loss for words. After a moment of contemplation, I asked, “Are you alright?”
Of course, I knew she was fine; a quick glance told me that. Her hair was just a bit messy, and her extravagant gown was slightly stained from the floor’s leftover drink. But she probably hadn’t noticed that yet… Otherwise, she was perfectly unharmed.
She just seemed a bit spooked. Her lips were pale, and her pupils were trembling. When I asked her, she merely pressed her lips together, shaking her head stiffly.
I needed to distract her a bit…
So, I pointed at her feet. “They’re dirty.”
Sophia blinked in surprise, looking down as she softly gasped, quickly shaking her skirt. Seeing it wouldn’t come clean, she promptly looked back up, nervously saying, “Forget that! Peilo, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“But I was hiding under the table, and I saw you with those people… You’re really okay?”
“Really, I’m fine.”
“Oh… Who were those people? What happened tonight? One moment everything was fine, and then it suddenly turned into… what even was that? I thought I was going to d*e… Peilo, did your dress tear? Are you hurt? Why did you have to get so close…?”
Sophia unleashed a barrage of frenzied questions, and I couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly.
“I’m really fine…”
I’d never seen her this flustered; she was genuinely rattled…
“Sophia, we need to get out of here quickly.”
A middle-aged nobleman with a goatee approached, taking her hand and turning to me. “Miss Peilo, I regret having to meet you under such circumstances. I’m Sophia’s father. Thank you for looking after my daughter at the academy. The banquet has concluded, and we don’t know if further dangers lurk; would you please come with us?”
Hearing this, I scanned my surroundings.
The brief skirmish had clearly ended, and the guests’ panic was slowly subsiding. They were currently evacuating the venue in an orderly fashion under the guard’s guidance. The assassins’ corpses had all been removed, leaving behind a chaotic scene with shocking bloodstains everywhere. Rect stood not far away, quietly conversing with several bloodied individuals; it seemed someone had been injured, but thankfully, they were all okay. He exchanged a few words and then headed toward Victoria.
Aside from him, I noticed a few others walking this way, but most guests seemed ready to leave. After the earlier ruckus, not many dared to linger, and Her Majesty the Queen clearly had little desire to continue the banquet.
But I didn’t want to leave…
“No, Uncle. You all go ahead.”
Sophia’s father nodded and didn’t say more, leading her away.
“Peilo…”
Sophia seemed like she wanted to say something but then turned to look at Victoria and shook her head. “It’s nothing; just be careful.”
“Mm.”
After they left, I turned back to find the old duke’s figure had already vanished. He must have been taken out of the hall and sent to the dungeon.
Meanwhile, Victoria was comforting the two royal women. She patted the little girl’s head and chatted with the mother for a bit. Once they left, she turned back to speak with the old knight. During this exchange, a few familiar faces I recognized from the recent meeting gathered around Victoria.
“Your Majesty, are you well?”
“I’m fine.”
“As expected, everything unfolded just as you predicted…”
“It’s our honor to have such a young and prescient king in Ethanbel…”
“Tonight truly opened my eyes…”
“Now that we’ve lost Duke Lex, the Clive family is essentially a headless fly. I’m curious to see how those youngsters will flounder…”
A round of flattering words didn’t seem to faze Victoria; her breathtaking beauty remained as calm as a still pond, responding in a bland manner. After a moment, Rect approached her side, but he didn’t linger, merely whispered a few words before turning to leave. He flashed me a brief smile and waved to a few members of the Sword of Kanli, leading them away quickly.
“Miss Peilo, thank you for your assistance tonight!”
“You sent Commander Bart flying in the blink of an eye; I saw it!”
“That punch was so powerful, it’s both admirable and alluring! Amazing! Truly amazing! Haha!”
I simply smiled and shook my head at their compliments, not really wanting to engage in the conversation. I found a chair not too close, not too far, pulled it out, and rested my chin on the now uncovered shiny tabletop, staring blankly at the brilliantly lit yet gradually emptying banquet hall.
The hefty commander’s body was already gone.
Before I realized it, he had been carried away… at that point, he probably had no chance of survival.
I really didn’t intend to k*ll him…
It felt like something heavy was stuck in my chest, suffocating me like holding my breath too long.
…I wasn’t pitying him, nor did I think he deserved to live or any of that. I had no such thoughts. He was just a nobody. Before tonight, I almost forgot he existed. But he suddenly attacked me… It was natural to retaliate, right?
Right?
But I just casually killed that guy.
Not out of desperation; he wasn’t a person like Teresa, someone who had to be eliminated.
But I killed him with one punch, as easily as breathing.
I accidentally took out a “nobody’s” life, effortlessly snatching away existence, and when I became aware of what had happened… I only felt a bit nauseous about that fact. But more than that, what troubled me was how everyone seemed to think this was just the way of things. No one condemned me or told me it was wrong; I certainly didn’t have to worry about being thrown in jail for it.
Because they believed it wasn’t wrong; one should handle enemies like that. Some might even be secretly pleased that finally, Shanter Castle was tied down, and we all rise together. Not to mention Miss Peilo is also a Pope Knight, and she might just be furious… This is fantastic news for the Royal City.
I didn’t have to account for this “unintentional killing”… well, that’s how I see it.
I didn’t need to pay for this. Killing is just killing; there seemed to be no legal consequences, as if everything had to be this way.
But I could’ve chosen not to k*ll him…
It feels like…
I’ve become capable of killing someone without changing my expression…
…Oh no!
Stop thinking about it.
How melodramatic…
Yet I was feeling gloomy, my heart heavy and unsettled.
This feeling lingered until the moment a delicious goose dish was placed in front of me.
When you’re unhappy, you need to adjust your mood…
Eating something can cheer me up.
“…If you ask me, given Duke Lex’s temperament, he wouldn’t stake everything on just this one opportunity, even in dire circumstances…”
“I didn’t see him bringing many of his confidants tonight; his notoriously cruel son didn’t even make an appearance. We mustn’t let our guard down; we need tight security…”
“We need to confirm the Iron Guard’s stationed locations outside the city as soon as possible. Investigate their scale, troop deployment, and supply situation, and keep an eye on the movements of neighboring towns…”
“If possible, quickly evacuate all residents of towns like Rochel and Vandome… Take away everything you can, leaving them with nothing…”
Victoria and the others were having a small meeting nearby. I was half-listening while my attention quickly shifted back to the scrumptious food on my plate.
The goose was steamed, fatty yet not greasy, melting in my mouth, and it tasted divine. I polished off the entire platter, licking my lips with a hint of longing.
I still wanted more…
But it seemed like there was none left, and I couldn’t find the butler who delivered the food earlier. So, I eagerly cast my eyes over to Victoria—
She was still busy.
Oh well…
Time for a little break.
I got up and dashed to the restroom on the left side of the hall, washing my greasy mouth and cream-covered hands, tilting my head to look in the mirror, playfully adjusting my bangs till I was satisfied. I then made my way back through the corridor to the earlier dressing room, pushing the door open.
“Pe—Miss Peilo!”
Two maids were left inside, and when I pushed the door open, they jumped up from their chairs, looking quite nervous.
I had them fetch my black gown from the first fitting, and after changing back into it, I returned to the banquet hall. I found the old knight was already gone, and Victoria was getting up, seeming ready to head outside.
Is it over?
I jogged to catch up, gently tapping her shoulder, and she turned in surprise.
“What are you doing?”
“Where are you going?”
We almost spoke in unison, then paused together.
“Changed my dress.”
“Going out for some air.”
Uh…
After standing there for a moment, I flashed a sweet smile. “I’ll join you.”
The grand gathering was long gone.
The banquet hall was now desolate, leaving only the maids and butlers bustling about; it was no longer meaningful to remain there.
Victoria’s birthday celebration had ultimately been ruined… Speaking of which, I hadn’t even prepared her gift.
But…
There was still plenty of time before midnight.
………
As night deepened.
The rain had stopped without me noticing.
The sky outside the palace gloomed ominously. The moonlight was hazy, with no stars in sight.
Stepping out of the towering palace doors and through the damp courtyard square, Victoria and I paused for a moment under the lush green trees.
It was quiet here, filled with the scent of spring rain.
A squad of armored guards trailed silently behind us. When we stopped, they stood about ten meters away, not approaching further.
“Hey?”
I tilted my head back, gazing at the vividly green leaves perched on the branches above. They looked like butterfly wings ready to take flight, elegantly spreading out from the center, tenderly pale white, with droplets of dew beaded on them.
“This is so beautiful!”
Bouncing in place, I reached up, trying to pluck a branch, but I just barely missed it.
“What kind of tree is this?”
“Winter Orchid, a tree that only blooms during heavy snow.” Victoria replied softly.
Her words puzzled me, and I halted my third jump mid-preparation, turning back with a look of confusion.
“But Ethanbel has no heavy snow.”
“So, this tree is planted here, and it will never bloom.”
“Then why plant it?”
“Because its leaves are vibrant and its shape is lovely. The palace’s florists went to great lengths to bring a few over from far away, planting them here for people to enjoy. They say it’s the perfect ornamental tree for Ethanbel’s climate since its flowers are ugly and inconspicuous. People hope it will never bloom, and that’s the true value of the Winter Orchid.”
“Oh…”
What kind of tree remains ugly when it blooms?
Such a strange tree.
I looked up again at the greenery above, suddenly finding it not as beautiful as I thought.
