“Do you know who she is?”
Lynn lowered her voice to ask Flora only after they had put some distance between themselves and Lisette, but Flora, already ready to relax, chose to remain silent.
“Sigh, never mind.”
Lisette’s warning gaze was enough to make Lynn drop the matter.
Since Flora was unwilling to explain, she wouldn’t press it.
Instead, she focused on fulfilling her duties as a maid attendant, occasionally checking on the trackers Marlier had assigned to ensure they didn’t behave suspiciously enough to attract attention.
Flora then led her on a leisurely stroll through the city.
After a while, feeling the walk had lasted long enough, they arrived at the central square of Doran City and casually sat on a bench.
“How much time do we have left?”
She glanced at the Adventurers’ Guild building in the middle of the square and asked softly.
“There’s no strict rule that it has to be within half an hour. The etiquette training is scheduled for half an hour later, so we just need to be back before then.”
“Looks like we have plenty of time.”
Flora chuckled lightly, relaxing her body against the back of the bench, her eyes fixed on the building that represented the city’s central functions.
【It’s already been six years. How fast time flies.】
Having died once and now standing before the Adventurers’ Guild again, she felt as if she had stepped into a different world.
Memories spontaneously surfaced in her mind, uncontrollably stirred by the
scene.
The moment when she, Moliyaer, and the others formed the Emerald Heart right here seemed to freeze before her eyes.
She closed her eyes, pressing her fingers to her forehead.
【The past feels more and more unreal. Hmm… when exactly did everything start to change? It feels like a dream.】
“Feeling stressed?”
Lynn noticed the gesture and spoke softly from beside her, reaching out to massage her temples, but Flora gently blocked her hand.
“It’s just… unbelievable. I have no one to confide in.”
Or rather, it was simply a case of being unable to voice her feelings.
Bound by Moliyaer’s enchantments, it was impossible for her to reveal her past as Fros to Lynn or anyone else.
In truth, she no longer cared to try.
Even if she escaped Moliyaer’s control, she could never return to being Fros.
To her, the life of “Fros Camille” was definitely not one she wanted; otherwise, she wouldn’t have chosen self-harm.
Some changes were irreversible.
All she wanted now was to preserve her dignity and stubbornly resist Moliyaer and her tyranny.
【Just bringing misery upon myself.】
She defined herself as such, then after a long while opened her eyes and looked at the maid sitting upright beside her.
“Miss Lynn, let’s continue with the topic you wanted to discuss earlier.”
“I’m always ready.”
Though Lynn didn’t fully understand Flora’s current mindset, she could somewhat empathize with someone who had been imprisoned for a long time needing time to calm their emotions.
So she kept her usual calm demeanor.
But Flora’s words caught her off guard.
“I’m not sure who she is, but I know she’s probably some noble.”
“Then why did you…”
Lynn couldn’t quite understand.
In her eyes, Flora was clearly dissatisfied with her current situation under Moliyaer’s control, but it was not simply personal dislike of the lady.
It was a strong aversion to the arrogance of the nobility.
Compared to dukes, the royal family was equally, if not more, sinister in their nobility’s dark dealings.
If Flora knew roughly who that person was, she would definitely suspect her to be a member of the royal family.
Yet she chose to respond proactively instead of brushing it off.
Wasn’t she afraid of jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
“Because I have no choice.”
Flora smiled at her, and those simple words dimmed Lynn’s gaze.
“Yeah.”
Only then did she realize how much she had been changed.
In the past, she would never have questioned Flora’s behavior.
More importantly, Moliyaer’s granting Flora this bit of free time could just as easily be revoked without warning.
If Flora didn’t take some risks now, she might never have such opportunities again.
So nothing she did was surprising.
Flora smiled again and said:
“I never said I had to go out, but once she gave me this right, it was almost like she was forcing me to leave the villa. I really don’t understand her intentions, but I know she would never do anything meaningless.”
Having lived with Moliyaer for years, Flora was well aware of her strong sense of purpose.
Whether as an adventurer or as a noble oppressing her, Moliyaer always made every action achieve some effect.
Flora took off her sun hat and placed it on her lap, leaning back and gazing at the sky.
Lynn was drawn to the gesture and looked at her instinctively.
Just then, the drifting clouds in the sky reflected in the clear aqua blue of the girl’s blue hair and eyes, as if she were the embodiment of the vast azure sky itself.
Feeling this, Lynn suddenly realized that although she and Flora sat close together and even held hands, there was a vast distance between them.
She couldn’t help but squeeze her hand tighter, her intuition telling her that if she didn’t, the girl beside her would just float up into the sky and merge with that blue color.
The thought made her uneasy.
“You’re holding on too tight. What’s wrong?”
Flora winced slightly and turned her head to look at her, a hint of confusion in her voice.
“Your heartbeat is so fast.”
For some reason, Lynn felt that look of confusion was a façade.
At this moment, her feelings were more transparent to Flora than when she had faced that princess.
“Nonsense.”
Lynn awkwardly avoided her gaze, forcing herself to calm her racing thoughts.
【Her influence is strong. She unconsciously affects my mind. Even though we’re working together, I have to stay alert. Lynn Aris, don’t forget your mission.】
She silently repeated to herself, just as the girl beside her sighed softly.
“The sky’s so beautiful. Why did I never notice it before? I wonder if it’ll look even better at night.”
That vague, melancholic romanticism was impossible not to affect one’s heart.
Lynn bit her lip tightly.
Flora didn’t notice the subtle change in her and just stared at the sky, thinking of the nights spent stargazing with Moliyaer when she was a child.
She had thought the sky was beautiful back then too, but for her at that time, there was someone even more beautiful…
Pushing that past aside, she thought as Flora now—her current identity.
【If I complete my revenge and gain freedom, I will definitely become an adventurer and truly enjoy the scenery.】
That thought flashed through her mind before she tucked it away, turning instead to the maid who was struggling to compose herself.
“Don’t doubt what I said, okay?”
She handed her sun hat to Lynn.
“See? She gave me this hat specially. Isn’t that strange? There’s no tracker on it.
Actually, she’s using it to let that little girl know who I am, to arrange for me to meet her.
But she probably doesn’t realize that the girl has already investigated me and Mefi a bit.
By dragging me into this noble vortex, she’s definitely furthering her own goals.
If nothing goes wrong, I should be able to meet that Lily at the upcoming ball.”
Lynn nodded, having regained her composure.
“Yeah, she is Princess Lisette, heir to the empire’s throne. She has the ability to read minds. I can’t be sure what kind of person she really is—after all, nobles are often two-faced… But her appearing here definitely means she’s attending the ball.”
“As a servant, you can say such things. I really admire you.”
Flora laughed at that, and Lynn simply snorted and turned her head away, saying no more.
Her duty was to understand what Moliyaer was planning.
Now that she had uncovered a clue connected to the royal family, she didn’t know what impact this would have.
She only knew that the innocent girl beside her had undoubtedly become a piece on some chessboard, possibly even a sacrifice.
Lynn wanted to set aside her own position and sympathize with her, but didn’t know how to do so without seeming insincere.
Flora, on the other hand, looked cheerful.
Being able to confirm the girl’s identity lifted her spirits.
She didn’t know much else, but she had heard that Lisette was a very approachable young lady.
Whether true or not, good or bad, at least combined with her reputation and the impression she’d given today, Flora was certain Lisette was no fool and could be an ally.
That was enough.