บท 79: Chapter 38. Not far from the truth
Aveline Nevita Ashelot was coming out of the emperor's palace, but barely had she done so when she saw the empress heading straight here. The surrounding people hurriedly bowed in greeting the mother of the empire, but the princess only stood still in place.
— Mother, are you here...? — Stammering, the girl uttered excitedly.
— Oh, my Aveline!
The Empress said: 'My Aveline,' and reached out her hand, touching the girl's cheek affectionately. Aveline unconsciously twitched at this touch, but did not move or budge, as if she was already used to it.
— Mother, why did you come like this?
Aveline pointed puzzledly at the empress's loose hair, which was not arranged in an elegant style as usual. Julia did not have time to fully complete her morning toilette as she was in a great hurry to get to the central palace. Nevertheless, the empress smiled softly.
— I heard some unusual news, so I couldn't sit still and just wait. My Aveline's affairs are more important to this mother than anything else.
The elegant and beautiful woman had no heart for her only daughter. At least that's how it looked from the outside in the eyes of others. Julia Ravelia Ashelot was considered a model mother within the walls of the imperial palace. But the Crown Princess looked at her mother with a frozen expression.
— So, what did you discuss with His Majesty just now? — Although the woman's tone was soft, only Aveline could sense the danger coming from it.
'.....'
In the next instant, the Crown Princess averted her gaze. For some reason, she remained silent.
The empress, who was already not known for her great patience at this moment, was gradually losing her temper. Despite that, the cold smile on her face remained unchanged.
— My Aveline. What's the matter? You don't want your mother to worry, do you?
— Mother...
Aveline took a deep breath, as if what the Empress said was a hidden warning. It was a moment of extreme tension that remained completely invisible to those around her. Although she had already made up her mind when she took this step, but right now, the Crown Princess continued to feel anxious. Even more so when she saw the clear shadow on her mother's face.
— Mother... — After hesitating for a moment, Aveline spoke up: — It's not worth your worry. You don't have to worry about this matter, which is only between me and the emperor.
'...'
At this moment, Julia's violet eyes opened wide as if she was amazed at what she heard. For the first time, she received something that was like resistance from her daughter. In other words, this wench meant that their affairs with the emperor shouldn't concern the empress? But after all, who is the mother of this disrespectful child?
Pressing her lips together, Julia remained silent for a few seconds. She gazed inquisitively into her daughter's face, while she struggled to keep her composure and not give up under that gaze.
Finally, the woman's scarlet lips stretched into a smile once more.
The Empress reached out her beautiful hand, studded with jewelled rings, and placed it on her daughter's shoulder. Her fingers continued to clench painfully on the girl's shoulder, causing Aveline to struggle to maintain a steady expression.
— My Aveline. Anyway, with all the troubles lately, it's been so long since we've spent time together, right? You know that mother is terribly depleted.
'.....'
The empress continued to speak softly, and the words flowed from her lips like a song. The woman's voice was light but firm, and had a strangely persuasive effect.
In the end, the Crown Princess, who was going to object from the beginning, was unable to resist it. She simply swallowed her tongue and continued to stare at her, looking at the gentle expression on the empress's face.
Immediately afterwards, Julia whispered softly.
— How about we spend some time just the two of us? I could treat you to some tea that a good friend of mine brought from abroad not long ago. It's a very expensive and high quality red tea that you will definitely like.
'.....'
If the empress was really a mother who cared for her child, she would know that the crown princess had never liked red tea, due to its bitter taste, which was not to the girl's liking.
However, Aveline Nevita Ashelot only closed her mouth at those words and remained silent.
***
— Still no news?
— I'm still investigating, but so far, if you'll excuse me, nothing, ' replied the young order head's aide, Orson, with the utmost regret.
He hadn't slept properly for two days now, his whole face looked haggard, his cheeks sunken and the dark circles under his eyes even worse in appearance.
At the same time, Liana Daehsin couldn't sleep a wink either. Be that as it may, she continued to ask:
— How far has the investigation progressed?
— I sent people out to check the lady's route and the places where she might have stayed. However, there's too much territory to search, and we'll need at least a few more days to fully check everything...
— You're telling me that those clueless people you hired can't even find one girl?!
Even though even Liana Daehsin was sitting down, but at this moment, she was still able to suppress and intimidate with just her gaze. When Orson opened his mouth, he suddenly flinched and swallowed his own words.
— Madam, don't say that. This is the best search guild in our empire. I paid them a lot, and they promised that they would definitely find the young lady in the very next few days... — Orson fell silent.
The supreme astrologer's successor firmly clenched her jaws.
— It's been two days and still no news. Is that how good they are at their job?
Orson couldn't deny it. The servant didn't answer. He continued to remain silent.
Continuing to stare at him directly, Liana exhaled heavily.
— You just wasted your money. Instead, gather our men and personally lead the search party. Do whatever you want, but you must find my sister at any cost! — When Liana lost control of herself, her feelings came out again and her hands clenched into fists.
— The young mistress will be fine. I am sure that the best knights we sent to escort the carriage will be able to keep the young mistress safe, ' Orson tried to say, pausing so that the young head could calm down a bit.
But the servant's words had no proper effect.
Liana Daehsin, whose face had become quite alienated, cried out:
— That's why I'm worried! If my sister were safe now, I would be able to contact her. Somehow. I know her well, and Gardenia certainly wouldn't have gone missing, making the family worry about her. But there's nothing! Absolutely nothing!
Barely having become quieter, the voice of the Order's successor began to grow louder again.
Liana was the kind of person who rarely expressed her feelings. For the most part, no matter what was going on around her, her face always remained impassive. As the heiress of the family, the woman could not afford to show weakness.
But now, after the disappearance of her younger sister, Liana Daehsin could barely control her feelings.
Liana knew she should restrain her feelings, but she had no control over her heart.
Her little sister was as beautiful and defenseless as a flower.
Even though she was no longer a child, Gardenia was still one in Liana's eyes. And Liana didn't know where her little sister was now, didn't know if she was in danger, so the anxiety building in her mind caused her vision to blur.
— I'll try to find out anything else as soon as possible! — Bowing repeatedly, Orson hurriedly left the office.
From the weight of the burden of her worries, Liana hid her face in her palms.
'Gardenia, where are you now...?!' — she exhaled.
The mere thought that all of this could have been her fault was hurting Liana.
Originally, she was going to participate in this charity event with Gardenia, but it was cancelled at the last minute. Due to some urgent matters in the central tower, Liana was unable to travel with Gardenia to the eastern region.
However, the youngest daughter of the head of the order insisted that she go alone, and assured that everything would be fine.
At first, Liana did indeed think everything was going smoothly, until there was suddenly no longer any communication from her younger sister.
When Liana received the news that Gardenia was missing, she felt like her world had shattered into pieces. She loved her only little sister very much, so much so that she could be less responsible for everything else. Ever since she was a child, the eldest daughter of the head of the order had genuinely cared for the girl's well-being and had done everything she could to keep her safe.
The reason for this was that when Gardenia Daehsin was born, she was forced to grow up without a mother. Being deprived of her mother's affection, as well as having a perpetually busy father who was constantly busy running the affairs of the Order, the little girl was forced to grow up very lonely.
Nevertheless, Liana wanted to do her best to make up for it for her. Liana vowed that she would take responsibility for her sister while standing at her mother's grave, and said that she would take proper care of Gardenia.
Liana tried to be perfect to protect her sister — and it didn't matter what it all cost.
However, despite all her vows, she still made this oversight.
Her beloved little sister, Gardenia, was missing.
Liana should never have let Gardenia go alone. Had she known something like this would happen, she would have travelled with the girl together, despite all her duties...
The young head's anxiety and worry grew with every new second. There was no way the woman could control it.
— Ah, ' Liana clutched her chest with her hands and her heart fluttered with agony.
— Mistress!
At that moment, the door swiftly opened, and Orson stepped inside again.
Orson, a loyal assistant, would never open the door without knocking. The fact that he'd stormed in like a hurricane indicated that the investigation was making progress.
— Did you find anything else? — The woman with sparkling emerald eyes immediately enquired.
— Madam, just now, we received an urgent message...! — Barely catching his breath from excitement, the servant hurriedly held out the letter he was clutching in his hand to her, ''Please take a look at this!
As soon as Liana thought that this letter might have something to do with Gardenia, she immediately printed the letter. In the next few moments, she quickly read it.
The contents of the letter were truly shocking.
It stated that the youngest daughter of the Order Head who was travelling to the eastern region had been attacked and was suddenly discovered at the northern border.
It was the progress report of the search guild Orson had approached. In the end, they had managed to do their job by figuring out the girl's location, but at the same time, they didn't have the courage to personally enter the northern territory and rescue her.
After reading this report to the end, Liana Daehsin clenched her jaw tightly. She crumpled the letter she was holding in her hands.
— Immediately click the guards from the gate and gather a squad! — Liana ordered in a voice that didn't hide her anger.
— I will go to the border of the north at once.
The pale Orson only managed to nod at his mistress's order and hurried out of the office. But on the very exit, he was unexpectedly confronted by the wife of the eldest daughter of the order head.
'Oh...!'
Orson bowed to her, but Katrina Eloen Daehsin didn't even look at him. Instead of responding to the servant's greeting, the young woman, not hiding her annoyance, only commanded briefly:
— You're free to go, so you can go.
It was an order given in a dry tone.
— Yes...
Sighing briefly, Orson only gave another glance at his mistress before removing himself from the place. Liana was about to do the same. But just as she got up from her desk, Katrina's expression twisted sharply.
— Wait! ' before Liana could take a single step, her consort stopped her.
Liana Daehsin slowly turned her head and looked at her alienatedly.
— What's the matter? — She asked coolly, looking at the woman in front of her, ''I'm in a hurry right now, so unless it's something urgent, you can come to me with it later.
Katrina interjected nervously at this time:
— Did I mishear just now? Are you really leaving?
'.....'
The young head of the order didn't answer her anything and was just about to pass by. But at that moment, Katrina grabbed her arm, not allowing her to leave, and looked desperately into the woman's face.
— Let go, ' Liana commanded coldly.
— No!
— I told you to take your hand away. Or I'll do it myself.
Katrina Dehsin turned pale.
— But, my dear, you promised me that tonight we would go to Countess Erlo's dinner party together. I have waited so long for this day. You can't... You can't break your promise so easily!
The expression on Liana's face became even darker. She gave a cold chuckle.
— So what? — The woman spoke, and her voice was like ice shards, ''Are you trying to say that some party could be more important than my sister's life!
Katrina stammered half a word, faced with an angry remark from her spouse. Her face flushed red with shame and anger in an instant.
'.....'
She slowly let go of Liana's hand, and afterwards spoke in a trembling voice:
— No... But I think that perhaps all the things in this world are more important to you than me.
Spitting out these words that had been lurking in the back of her mind for a long time, Katrina froze with tears in her eyes. She felt that she was simply tired of putting up with all of this, and should do something about it.
But... What stunned her even more was her wife's reaction. After hesitating for a moment, the young head of the Order soon parted her lips and spoke:
— Well, perhaps you are not so far from the truth.
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