Noticing the serious expression on Elus’s cheek, Darlian’s face grew cold, her brows furrowing as she asked.
“What’s wrong?”
Elus quietly came over and then bent slightly, lowering her voice.
“According to the news from Lord Gelemex, the Theocracy of Saint Margaret is currently embroiled in internal strife.”
“Oh?”
Darlian skillfully raised one eyebrow, her expression calm and composed.
It seemed she had anticipated this happening all along.
“So, Lord Darlian means that…”
Darlian lowered her gaze, picked up the teacup beside her, and took a light sip of the lukewarm dark tea.
“Who started it?”
“The conservative faction led by Barden Morberg is using the banner of defending divine authority to support Pope Doloff Teziris in reclaiming supreme power.”
“The regime maintained by Mas Beardsley now faces a tremendous challenge and could collapse at any moment.”
“Mas Beardsley…” Upon hearing the name, Darlian curled a finger around a strand of her hair with a look of utter boredom. “He really is a useless man.”
“Now Mas Beardsley is seeking our assistance. Lord Darlian, should we respond to this request?”
“No.” Darlian’s reply was decidedly cold, her finger stopping its movement through her hair. “We will not involve ourselves in this matter. Tell the others in the Cabinet the same.”
“Understood.”
Elus responded softly, then picked up the teapot and refilled the empty cup with a beautiful amber-hued black tea.
As Darlian savored the rich aroma, she shifted her gaze out the window, inadvertently noticing the confused expression lingering on Elus’s face.
“What’s the matter? Is something troubling you?”
“I just don’t quite understand Lord Darlian’s current thoughts.”
“Hm?”
“Please forgive my bluntness.” Elus bowed her head respectfully.
“Mas Beardsley was personally supported by you to rise to power. Aren’t you worried about losing control over the Theocracy by letting things slide like this?”
“I never intended to control them. I don’t have the time to deal with human nations’ politics. There’s already enough trouble here among the demons.”
“We’re troubling you,” Elus said simply, then continued her questioning, “But if Pope Doloff Teziris regains supreme power in the Theocracy, aren’t you worried they’ll tear up the Treaty we signed earlier?”
At these words, a calm, almost teasing smile curved Darlian’s cherry lips.
“Tear it up? Only if they’re insane.”
After a brief, somewhat deeper conversation with Elus, not long after, Elus, under Darlian’s signal, gathered the heavy pile of official documents before her and quietly left toward the Cabinet to continue with affairs.
Darlian stood by the half-open window.
Raindrops splashed onto the back of her hand, a faint chill spreading through her skin.
The rain fell steadily.
She didn’t know how long she’d stood there in a daze. When she finally regained her composure, she moved toward the door.
Just as she pushed it open, a soldier’s voice reached her ears.
“Lord Darlian.”
A soldier standing to the left of the door saluted and then handed over a wooden box held in his left hand.
Darlian examined the simple, rustic wooden box—seemingly a brocade box—with a hint of puzzlement in her eyes.
“What is this?”
“A lady named Finihiya asked me to deliver it to you.”
Finihiya?
Darlian’s lowered gaze lingered on the box, an unusual expression flashing across her face.
Hearing this, she lifted her eyes and glanced up and down the corridor.
Seeing no sign of the petite figure, she withdrew her gaze and looked back at the soldier, asking hurriedly,
“Where is she?”
“She left on her own after handing this box over to your subordinate.”
“When was this?”
“About… one or two hours ago.”
The faint joy that had just begun to stir inside her quickly evaporated upon hearing the answer. She frowned in dissatisfaction.
“Why wasn’t I informed immediately about something like this?”
“Ah, my lord…” Perhaps affected by the sudden chill in Darlian’s tone, the soldier broke out in a cold sweat. “You said not to disturb you unless it was important. You wanted to focus on your documents.”
Though she knew her reproach was somewhat unreasonable, Darlian still maintained a cold expression.
“Finihiya is my friend. If she comes by next time, you come straight in and inform me immediately.”
“Yes, Lord Darlian.”
Having given her instructions, she picked up the wooden box and was about to leave.
But after taking just a few steps, she abruptly stopped, then half-turned to look at the demon soldier.
“Give this order.”
“Yes! We will obey His Majesty’s command.”
The soldier’s solemn response echoed through the long corridor.
***
After Darlian’s figure disappeared at the end of the hallway, the soldier standing upright finally relaxed and sighed deeply.
At that moment, another soldier standing on the right immediately complained.
“I already told you to go inside and ask Lord Darlian what she wanted. That girl clearly isn’t an ordinary noble.”
“You speak so easily, but why didn’t you go? Afraid of Lord Darlian’s reproach, right?”
The quiet corridor echoed with their low-voiced argument.
Along the red brick path, Darlian walked alone to the courtyard pavilion.
She placed the wooden box she carried on the cool stone table and slowly sat down on the long stone bench.
Rain was still falling.
In the garden beds, vividly visible were roses of pale purple, light blue, and soft pink swaying in the rain.
Darlian lifted the lid of the wooden box.
Inside lay a milky white food that looked like cheese.
Suddenly, she noticed a small folded piece of paper tucked into a corner of the box.
She picked up the paper and patiently smoothed its surface.
(This is “Dumpling.” I hope Lord Darlian will like it.)
On the wrinkled paper, Finihiya’s delicate handwriting appeared in the demon’s Mihol Script.
“Dumpling?”
Darlian pinched the corner of the strange food with her fingers, curiously examining it.
As she stared at the dumpling, the image of that exquisite, delicate face suddenly appeared in her mind.
Like a porcelain doll, with glossy, golden long hair flowing like a velvet scarf down to her feet.
Darlian’s lips unconsciously curled into a faint smile before she pulled back her thoughts and brought the dumpling to her lips, biting into it.
The fresh, juicy meat instantly flooded her mouth.
The novel taste sparked a touch of surprise in her eyes as she looked straight at the dumpling she had bitten.
“Delicious!”