# 34
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“Now, we will go directly to the capital through the magic circle.”
As soon as the wizard finished speaking, a fierce light began to spread from the magic stones installed in the shape of a hexagon around the area.
The moment I opened my eyes wide when I saw the advanced magic stone emitting a golden light, my body floated in the air.
I closed my eyes without realizing it due to the scattered light, and I felt my heart beating and getting hotter as if it was reacting to something.
Did you look cloy at the magic circle a moment ago? The magic circle ran through my head, and this pattern came to mind clearly.
The moment I felt an insatiable thirst, as if I could grab onto something, my feet touched the ground.
When I opened my eyes, the surrounding scenery completely changed.
Lunderhill was the capital of the empire.
* * *
“Tsk, of course the weather is always like this.”
As soon as he exited the teleportation area, the Duke clicked his tongue.
Even without saying a word, the Duchess also looked disappointed.
Although I was expecting a warm spring day, the rain was falling steadily in the capital.
Thanks to advance notice of his return, servants from the Duke's residence in the capital came to meet him with carriage and horses.
The Duchess looked very upset when she saw the Duke wearing a raincoat over his uniform.
“Do you have to ride a horse? We can just take the carriage to the front of the Imperial Palace, drop you off, and then we can go to the palace.”
“Then you won’t be able to arrive on time to enter the palace. Don’t worry, get into the carriage quickly, because it’s cold.”
On the contrary, the Duke was concerned about the Duchess's light outfit, as if she were going on a spring walk.
'He's so cute.'
Although time seemed to be running out, the Duke put us in the carriage before getting on the horse.
Since we were going in the same direction but had different destinations, we had to part ways without saying goodbye, so we said hello in advance.
“See you at home.”
“Yes, please be careful.”
There doesn't seem to be any special expression of affection, it's just normal conversation.
As I looked at the Duke and Duchess of Elad, my cheeks turned red for some reason.
'No, because the car is too warm!'
As I blamed the warming wave inside the camper, the camper started to move.
Although it was raining, it was green and had a certain charm, perhaps because it was spring rain.
After a while, when the carriage passed the relatively quiet entrance to the capital, a busy street appeared.
When I entered a place where the air was familiar, I immediately felt my heart beating violently.
Terenceum's headquarters and first-floor café on the capital's busiest street are also located nearby.
These were places I knew so well that I could walk around them even with my eyes closed.
'Well, I've lived in the capital half my life.'
In the past, after Duke Elad left, the orphanage children and I, who had nowhere to go, went down to the village.
However, the small border village had nothing to share with the sudden influx of orphaned children.
Eventually, I started walking and walking the streets, wondering if life would be better if I went to the capital, the largest city.
However, even in the capital, there were not many places where children who were no better than outcasts could stay.
Naturally, he joined a group of ars, living a narrow life between what is permissible and what is illegal.
I was young and didn't know how to do anything.
Since she wasn't even pretty, she couldn't receive any offers, which made her even more annoying to the kids.
However, I never thought about leaving the group.
Because I felt like I was going to starve to death alone.
'It wasn't a bad idea.'
The day I reached my limit.
The day I first thought it would be better to die.
That day, when it was raining, the group left impulsively and fell into the street.
There was no one to help.
If Master had not picked me up at that time, I would have truly died.
After a moment of strange remorse, the carriage passed a huge arched bridge.
As soon as I did so, I saw the huge golden imperial palace located in the center of the capital in the distance.
The higher-ranking the nobles were, the closer their palaces were to the Imperial Palace, and Duke Elad's residence was particularly close to the Imperial Palace.
Unlike Diana, who never left the duchy, Allen went to Elad Palace in the capital several times and raised his voice, telling Diana that we will arrive soon.
For some reason, a cold sweat broke out on my palms.
To be honest, I didn't expect to use teleportation, so I thought it would be a few more days.
'I thought I had already prepared my mind enough.'
Contrary to how I was confidently planning to practice monasticism, my physical condition seemed a little strange.
And when the green roof finally began to appear.
'. …I can't breathe.'
The front door opened wide as if waiting for the carriage to appear.
The carriage we rode passed through the labyrinthine garden of the Ducal Palace and stopped in front of the wolf statue.
When I got off the cart, I felt relieved.
Because of the rain, there was a misty fog that made the church tower where she died appear foggy.
When I hurried to the courtyard of the main building to avoid the rain, I saw employees waiting in line.
Behind it is a huge spiral staircase, a ceiling so high that you have to crane your neck to look up, and an imposing column supporting it. She appeared inside the palace, which was filled with golden chandeliers, antique furniture, and paintings.
'This place is exactly as I remember.'
Although I was accustomed to the ducal nature of the area, this was the Elad Palace I had known so far.
It was a place I had only visited once before my last mission, when I received a request to infiltrate Diana's birthday party, but I remembered it clearly.
Although ten years have passed since then, the atmosphere of the palace has remained almost intact, perhaps thanks to good maintenance.
“Are you here, ma'am?”
At that time, the old butler who was standing at the head of the workers bowed down with a red face.
“Albert, it's been a long time.”
“Yes, hello ma’am.”
The Duchess smiled weakly at his greeting.
From the face of the old butler in charge of the Elad Palace in the capital, it was clear that he was sincerely waiting for the Duchess.
It was a moment when I looked cloy at that expression.
In shock, she looked at the woman standing upright behind the butler.
For some reason, I felt hostility towards the Duchess from the woman.
'No way, it must be an illusion.'
I must have felt that way because her expression was extremely harsh.
My old judgment from my previous life keeps coming back and I try to recognize and judge people.
I was shaking my head internally, thinking that this was never a good habit, but the butler suddenly shouted loudly.
“Ah! This is Miss Diana, she looks just like Mr.
He greeted Allen briefly as if he already knew him, and continued to admire Diana as she looked around while holding Allen's hand.
At these words, the gaze of the woman behind the butler also fell on Diana.
“Miss, nice to meet you, my name is Albert, the butler in charge of Elad Palace in the capital.”
The old servant smiled kindly and bent his knees.
The woman also took a step forward and bowed.
“Nice to meet you, miss. I am the maid...”
“Ahhhhh!”
Suddenly Diana burst into tears.
The staff who were paying attention to the new young miss were stunned and didn't know what to do.
“Diana?”
The Duchess also opened her eyes wide in embarrassment and tried to calm Diana down.
Diana ran towards me as if she was running away and hugged me.
“I'm not a big crybaby.”
The Duchess, who spoke with an embarrassed look on her face, looked at Diana in confusion and called out to Aline.
“Allen, take Diana and go up first.”
“Huh? Huh!”
Allen nodded and the butler quickly took the lead.
“I decorated a new room for you, so I'll show you around.”
And of course, the Duchess caught me as I was about to follow the children.
“Leia, please stay here for a moment.”
I tilted my head.
I must go with you, at least for the sake of crying Diana.
Allen also had a puzzled look on his face, but he seemed to think that Diana was his priority, so he picked up Diana, who refused to let go, and took her into the room.
When the two children and the butler who were walking up the stairs had disappeared, the Duchess spoke to the woman who introduced herf as the head maid.
“Helen, it's been a long time.”
"Yes."
“Thank you for always taking such good care of the palace.”
“I just did my job.”
The Duchess smiled awkwardly at the harsh answer that came immediately.
“All this time, I've been able to trust and rely on Helen, so this child is Leia...No, Leia, what's wrong with your face?”
The Duchess looked at my face and asked in surprise.
I touched my face without knowing why.
“Your face turned completely white, from what I saw before, I thought I didn't get motion sickness, I wonder if my condition got worse because it was my first time using teleportation?”
She worriedly said that some people sometimes react negatively when suddenly exposed to such a large wave of magical power, and that Diana might have cried like that too.
However, regardless of my nervousness, I was in excellent physical condition.
Thanks to this, I was able to hear it all with my sensitive ears.
“Who is that child who used the teleportation to come with the lady?”
“She is dressed like a maid...”
“Did you see him hugging her earlier?”
The maids' voices whispered very softly from the moment they entered the Duke's house.
I could hear it very clearly in my ears, but the Duchess was busy examining my body.
“...Ma’am, I’m fine, I think it’s because I’m a little nervous.”
I did my best to pretend like nothing was wrong.
The Duchess patted my head affectionately, as if she understood.
Then the curiosity and wary look became stronger.