Chapter 74: Celebration

When Darlian heard Finihiya’s words, she fell silent for a long time before finally sighing with apparent helplessness.

“If only all humans were as upright, kind, beautiful, and gentle as you, Finihiya~”

Before the last note of her words had faded, Darlian stood up on her own, and then, quite unexpectedly, a gentle smile softened her previously chilly expression as she looked at Finihiya.

“It’s getting late. Let’s go back.”

When she opened the door to the room, Darlian still didn’t forget to look back at Heruglin, who was slumped on the ground.

Though her tone was quite gentle, her voice spread with a greed as if it had sunk into the depths of hell.

“Mr. Heruglin, please come to the castle tomorrow. There are many, many things our Empire would like to cooperate with you on in depth.”

Perhaps it was just an illusion.

After Darlian finished speaking, Finihiya felt that the man seemed to have aged a great deal, and the aura emanating from him was now thick with deep, heavy despair.

Outside, even though it was midsummer, the sky was already pitch black, and the deep night was pulling down a dense curtain of darkness.

The young coachman waiting beside the carriage had already hung two bright oil lamps at the front.

He looked unusually tall, his lean figure leaning against the side of the carriage, his left hand casually tucked into his trouser pocket, and his right hand lazily holding a lit cigarette.

The thin smoke, under the soft yellow glow of the oil lamps, swirled and drifted in a dreamlike manner.

Perhaps he keenly noticed their presence; the coachman flicked his cigarette to the ground.

The cigarette’s glowing ember went out beneath the coachman’s boot.

“Lord Darlian, Lady Finihiya.” The coachman greeted them politely as he opened the carriage door.

After politely nodding to the coachman, Finihiya returned to the carriage compartment.

With the sound of turning wheels, the carriage moved forward through the night, as if dispelling the darkness with its light.

Recalling Heruglin’s miserable appearance, Finihiya tilted her head slightly, staring directly at Darlian, and then asked in a soft, sticky voice.

“Wasn’t that a little too much just now?”

“Was it?” Darlian didn’t care much. “I think it was just fine.”

“Why do you keep looking at me?” Darlian turned her head in this direction. “Is there something on my face?”

“No.”

Hearing that, Finihiya shook her head gently, her lush, long hair cascading down her chest.

“Then why are you still looking at me so strangely?”

Finihiya was silent for a while, then slowly explained in a quiet tone, “It’s just that I can’t quite figure out your character, Darlian, so I wanted to look at you and think about it.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than she saw Darlian move closer.

Their shoulders pressed tightly together.

“Darlian?”

Just as Finihiya was feeling a bit puzzled by Darlian’s actions, she saw Darlian’s lips curve into a calm yet teasingly strange smile.

“If you want to look, wouldn’t it be better to observe from this close?”

Darlian’s face was so close that Finihiya could distinctly smell that lingering, faint scent that belonged to Darlian.

“…No need.”

“Why is your face a little red?”

As she said this, Darlian mischievously poked Finihiya’s cheek with her index finger.

“You’re so close, it’s getting warm…”

“Hehe~” Darlian chuckled softly, then sat upright again, though her body still leaned against Finihiya.

“Recently, there have been quite a few reports of unfair competition from the Castelli Emerald Chamber of Commerce. I think it’s a good excuse to thoroughly investigate their operations.”

“Darlian…” Hearing this, a hint of surprise appeared in Finihiya’s eyes.

“What is it?”

“I sincerely feel now that you truly are a good king. I didn’t expect you to be thinking about this, even at a time like this.”

“Hehe~ Thank you.”

Darlian grinned at her playfully.

Two o’clock in the afternoon.

The thick branches of the Oak Tree stretched outward, and the beams of sunlight filtering through the leaves cast patterned shadows on the exposed roots and the pale green lawn.

Finihiya sat quietly beneath the tall Oak Tree.

Two squirrels clutching pinecones lingered on the hem of Finihiya’s skirt, which bloomed like a rose, and occasionally even boldly climbed up to her delicate shoulders along her clothing.

As still as a doll, Finihiya silently gazed at the heavy book pressed on her lap.

Ever since the drizzling downpour had ceased, she had mostly returned to this little hillside as her place of rest.

The wide view and the moist sea breeze blowing in her face made her feel truly relaxed.

She had no idea how long she’d been sitting there, until finally, the last page of the heavy, almost torturous book was turned.

Only then did Finihiya stare blankly at the book’s spine, and, as if belatedly coming to her senses, she slowly lifted her head.

In the distance.

Light brown boats bobbed with the waves, while white frothy blooms danced. The horizon where the sky met the sea was tinged with a blend of soft blue.

“Lady Finihiya.”

As Finihiya gazed so intently, a gentle, slightly soft voice suddenly called from behind. It was Danila, so she shifted, turning her body slightly to look.

“It’s getting late. Let’s go change clothes.”

“Change clothes?”

Danila’s words left her tilting her head in confusion.

“Weren’t you planning to go watch the festival with Lord Darlian today?”

As Danila spoke, she took two steps forward, frightening the squirrels perched on Finihiya’s dress back up into the tree.

The sea breeze that blew in slightly stirred Finihiya’s golden hair.

It seemed she remembered at last, and a flash of realization swept clearly across Finihiya’s face. She slowly stood up and lightly brushed the grass clinging to her skirt.

Lifting her head to gaze at the clear sky, Finihiya walked toward Danila while speaking in a calm tone.

“The sky still looks early.”

“It’s already half past two, Lady Finihiya.” Danila led Finihiya along the little path back toward the manor.

“Just changing clothes will take us to three o’clock, then we’ll have to take the carriage to town. By the time we arrive, it’ll be past four, and the festival will already be underway.”

Perhaps because the festival was approaching, the servants in the manor had all seemed vaguely cheerful and excited these past couple of days.

Noticing this, Finihiya had suggested to Danila that the servants be given the day off.

However…

Such a large manor still needed some people to stay and help, so a few couldn’t have the day off today.

To make up for it, those few would get an extra day of rest over the next two days.

After changing into another still-elegant dress, Finihiya sat demurely at the dressing table.

Through the irregular metal-framed mirror in front of her, she watched Danila, who wore a gentle smile on her face.