“Who do you say she is?”
“Wait, you’re Linko?!”
The two of them simultaneously turned their gazes toward the maid who had just stood up again, then looked at each other.
“So you must be… Miss Flora Emerald?”
The girl spoke first, her golden eyes full of excitement, but Flora took a half step back to keep her distance.
“Do we know each other?”
The title of “Second Miss” implied that this person was Moliya’s younger sister.
Setting aside the principle of ‘different families don’t enter the same door,’ Flora instinctively felt that if this wasn’t a trap prepared by Moliya, then casually interacting with this so-called Second Miss might drive someone insane to do strange things.
This was probably the awareness of private ownership?
Though uncomfortable, Flora was willing to stick to the plan she had set for the evening’s event to avoid unnecessary trouble in the upcoming actions.
She only wanted to interact with List and Meifei; as for others, better to avoid them.
Besides, chatting in a carriage that was nearly falling apart seemed too strange.
“Let’s get out first.”
Just then, Linko steadied Flora by her waist.
Flora immediately lost the will to speak, her gaze dropping to the side, not looking at Emia.
Seeing this, Linko took the initiative to speak to the Second Miss, who was at a loss with Flora’s coldness: “Second Miss, where are your guards? Allowing such an accident to happen must be severely punished. But there should be patrol personnel on the streets—how did you arrive here first? This carriage is about to completely fall apart; you’d better keep your distance.”
These were exactly the questions Flora wanted to ask, somewhat dispelling the suspicion that they were cooperating to set a trap for her.
【After all, Linko belongs to the duke’s household; I need to understand this clearly. She even said not to trust her easily—I can’t just ignore that.】
Still, Flora’s mood improved a bit.
But Emia’s words left her confused.
“That’s true, then hurry and get out.”
Emia looked troubled.
After the two came out of the nearly destroyed carriage, she pursed her lips and said, “As you’ve seen, my guards are checking on the coachman’s condition and the surroundings… Just now, I don’t know if he was poisoned or what, but he suddenly lost control of the carriage.”
“There should have been patrol personnel on both sides of the street, but maybe I came late and couldn’t meet them. The street being so empty is quite scary. Luckily, you’re unharmed, or else I, as the one my father sent to attend the banquet, would have gotten into big trouble. Miss Flora, I apologize to you!”
With that, Emia bowed to Flora.
Her uneasy demeanor made Flora think highly of her.
At first, Flora thought this accident was too deliberate, but glancing around, she saw that the Second Miss’s guards were seriously investigating, and no one else resembling the banquet’s security personnel was in sight.
【Could it really be as Moliya said—that Dolan City is fraught with dangers now, and keeping me from going out is for my own good?】
But no matter what, Flora preferred to believe this young lady’s methods.
How could a banquet gathering so many noble children have such poor security?
“This matter is indeed suspicious. It may require a thorough report to the young lady.”
Linko clearly hadn’t received relevant orders; she hesitated a moment before suggesting to Emia: “The hall isn’t far from here, and it’s inconvenient to find a new carriage now. Why don’t you walk with us?”
“Eh, really?”
Emia looked at the sullen main character of the banquet with a hint of trial.
Flora, sticking to her plan, silently watched the two and turned her head without answering.
The master and servant were in sync; she had no say in the matter.
“Then we’ll walk together. My guards will clear the street. Please wait a moment.”
Emia smiled brightly, not angered by Flora’s demeanor.
Instead, she eagerly took Linko’s hand and chatted with her, showing no intention of approaching Flora again.
This made Flora breathe a little easier.
She looked around; under the dusk sky, Dolan City gradually lit up with lanterns.
The sunset’s afterglow, paired with scattered lights and the empty street alongside the broken carriage, gave Flora no warmth—only an inexplicable desolation.
A cold evening breeze blew.
Linko felt the chill through the tear in her clothes on her back.
She paused her conversation with Emia, took a shawl from her handbag, and draped it over Flora, then quickly changed into a new coat herself.
“Your injury—how did it…”
Emia noticed Linko’s torn clothing but no visible wounds on her back, only bloodstains, and asked in concern.
Linko was about to explain when Flora spoke first.
“My healing skills. What’s the matter? Are you also versed in healing?”
“I’ve just never seen wounds healed to this extent. Usually, even minor injuries take some time before the scars disappear.”
Emia was pleased Flora spoke to her and naturally said, “Seeing your abilities now, I understand why my sister went to such lengths to host this grand banquet.”
“Heh…”
Flora chuckled softly, her gaze sweeping the houses lining the road.
She faintly saw residents peeking from behind windows, curiously watching and seemingly whispering among themselves.
The empty street was lit by street lamps; she stood alone beside the damaged carriage, undoubtedly drawing attention.
It was like standing under the spotlight on stage.
If this accident was indeed Moliya’s doing, could it simply be understood as a display—like an exhibit of a captive similar to a commodity?
This moment marked the beginning of showing off the new member of the Emerald Heart.
Before the nobles inside the banquet, this was a preview for those unable to attend, to see how dazzling she really was.
【I really don’t get you.】
Flora resignedly walked forward.
The maid responsible for driving the carriage stood silently by the roadside.
As the coachman, Flora doubted the maid’s injuries were minor.
Since Moliya wanted her to heal those around her, then so be it.
It was just a matter of responding move by move.
The true night in Dolan City would only arrive after all the banquet guests reached the venue and the streets outside were cleared.
Flora felt no ease in enjoying such privileges of the upper class.
But by using this discomfort—disrupting everyone’s normal lives—to heal others’ wounds, she could at least feel a bit better.
“Miss Flora is colder than you said, Linko.”
Emia whispered quietly to Linko.
Linko was troubled.
She had a clear understanding of the family’s young masters and misses, and none in the Delan family was simple.
She didn’t ask stupid questions like how the accident happened.
Whether the eldest or the second miss did this deliberately, it was all the same.
What mattered now was fulfilling her duty as Flora’s guarding maid.
“Second Miss, putting that aside, according to the plan, shouldn’t you have already arrived at the banquet hall? Surely not…”
She knew Flora wanted to find out whether Emia was deliberately creating a chance to meet them.
But Emia’s reaction was flawless, her face full of distress.
“The task my father gave me, I’ll do well, but it’s not that exaggerated, right? Among so many guests, I must be the most obedient one.I just left a bit late, and that coachman probably took a detour on purpose. He went mad just now…”
Before she finished, Flora returned to stand beside the two of them.
“Where is the coachman? I can help take a look.”
It wasn’t out of kindness.
Flora simply wanted to see what could be wrong with the coachman driving the duke’s Second Miss.
Right now, everyone seemed like they were performing.
If Emia wanted to talk to her using lies as a tactic, no matter how she and Linko spoke, tonight’s banquet was the last time she would interact with the Second Miss.