Royal Dot (9)

“Did your family send you out traveling or anything like that?”

“No.”

“Ah. Doesn’t matter. My lady, run away quickly!”

“Pardon?”

Alicia became certain that Ingrid’s memory now was different from this morning’s Ingrid.

“There should be girls in bonnets outside. If they speak to you, pretend you can’t hear and run. If you say the wrong thing, they might catch you.”

“I beg your pardon, but…”

“Why? Is it because you’d have no money to live on if you left here? Don’t worry.”

Ingrid looked over her slender hand, slipped off the ring with the largest gem, and pressed it firmly into Alicia’s palm.

From her expression as she removed it, she seemed not to know exactly what ring it was.

“Madam?”

The ring Ingrid had just given Alicia was the one Reichardt had given her for her birthday.

Only yesterday, Ingrid had said that once she died the ring would be meaningless, but she hoped it would be the ring to accompany her to the end.

“Take it. It’s fine. I have lots of these. Now—where was I? Right. You have to run from here. If you slip up, your life could be over. Never trust what the bonnet girls say. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“That ring will only keep you going for a little while.”

Alicia first watched Ingrid, who kept looking back at the door, worried someone might come and discover them.

“Remember what I’m telling you. First, get out of here and sell the ring. Once you have money, hire about ten knights and ten workers. There’s a place called Restin—the village at the very end of Tessen—and the terrain there is rough. In one of the valleys there’s a place named Blueville. ‘Blueville’—doesn’t that give you a feeling?”

Ingrid was the same whether she had her memories or not: kind and cheerful.

To Alicia, it was moving and surprising that Ingrid treated a stranger like herself so warmly.

She treated someone she had met today as if they had been friends for ten years.

“I’m sorry.”

But she shook her head, because what she didn’t know, she didn’t know.

She felt nothing at all.

What was in Blueville?

Ingrid smiled, comforting Alicia for her deflated answer.

“It’s all right. Not everyone would know. It’s a salt mountain.”

“Pardon…?”

Speaking in a hush, Ingrid then quickly gestured for Alicia to lower her voice when she startled.

“A salt mountain. I know, I know—it sounds absurd. But it’s true that there’s a salt mountain around Blueville. That ring ought to be quite valuable, so at least try. If you run from here, you need something to live on.”

Ingrid kept trying to get Alicia to flee.

“Must I really run?”

Alicia asked carefully.

Ingrid gazed at her with an unreadable expression.

Perhaps her frail body had met its limit; she offered Alicia the sofa.

Alicia skillfully helped Ingrid sit.

Ingrid looked at Alicia, who sat down beside her, with a pained gaze.

“Lady Alicia.”

“Please call me Alicia.”

Ingrid’s kind smile and voice spread softly.

“I’m Ingrid, Alicia. Don’t ask about my status. How old do I look right now? Fifties? Seventies? Do I look like I’m in my eighties? …In truth, I’m twenty-eight. And yet I’m like this. Do you know why? Because I married a cursed husband.”

Twenty-eight-year-old Ingrid did not seem to like her husband.

“I know. I must sound mad. But you have to believe me, my lady. You must get out of here, quickly.”

Ingrid urged her again to run.

At her earnest advice, Alicia suddenly said:

“That husband of yours is a bastard.”

“Oh my… What a forthright temper you have. Saying that here will get you in real trouble, Alicia. Don’t say such things anywhere. But you’re not wrong. He’s a bastard. He’s bad—and they’re bad too.”

Ingrid clenched her wrinkled hand and vented her complaint.

Just when it seemed she might flare up, she gave a sheepish smile.

“I’ve never seen someone with violet eyes before. My face must be unpleasant to look at, but may I see you up close? How curious.”

“Please do. Your eyes are beautiful too, Ingrid.”

Ingrid, peering into Alicia’s eyes, gave a short laugh.

“You’re saying the exact same thing as my husband.”

“Because it’s true.”

“Before the wedding, anyone would tell me my eyes were pretty. But now? Even I don’t think so. He says he loves me while looking at this face that’s all gone old—it must be a lie. It must just be something he says because he feels sorry.”

Casting a glance at the door, Ingrid spoke in a low, gloomy tone.

“It could be sincere.”

“I hate to admit this, but though he’s a bastard, he’s truly handsome. Like a statue. His personality isn’t cute, but his face is the best. To me, he’s the best-looking among his brothers.”

Lowering her voice even more, Ingrid whispered.

Feeling something familiar, Alicia replied:

“His personality isn’t cute?”

“After the wedding, I suddenly began to age rapidly. What do you think people said? ‘Cursed woman.’ ‘Cursed bride.’ And that uncute man—my husband—said it was all because of him. Isn’t that stupid? Why tell me that? Though I had begun to suspect it myself.”

Alicia nodded at Ingrid’s words in agreement.

He resembled someone.

“A man who doesn’t say ten words a day tells me he loves me while crying—how am I supposed to believe that? Isn’t that so? I’m a granny, and he’s far too handsome… Crying won’t make me believe it. He’s probably trying to pay off his guilt with tears.”

While speaking, Ingrid fluttered her fingers near her eyes.

Her eye rims flushed; tears seemed to be gathering.

“He cried?”

Alicia, pretending not to notice, asked quietly.

Ingrid nodded.

He really resembled someone.

Alicia held back the urge for her brows to knit.

On second thought, it was not strange.

The Grand Duke of Tessen had to bear the same pain.

He shared the trait of being the one with an outlying appearance among his family.

By the yoke of punishment, he dragged others into tragedy.

So it was no wonder they resembled each other.

It also made sense that when Ingrid saw young Reichardt, she had cared for him well, and that their bond had deepened.

“I think it’s true that he loves you.”

“Do you think so? In any case, my lady must run. Find that salt mountain and get rich. And you mustn’t marry Reichardt—… Reichardt? …If I know Reichardt, then Rud…”

Ingrid’s green eyes trembled as if losing focus.

Alicia could tell that the “Rud” she spoke of was the former Grand Duke of Tessen.

“Ingrid, are you unwell? Would you close your eyes and rest a little? I’ll bring you some water.”

“Thank you… I think I should lie down a while.”

Confused, Ingrid lay down on the long sofa with Alicia’s help.

Alicia spread a blanket over her and stepped out.

It seemed Ingrid needed a moment alone to think.

As Alicia left the study, she found Reichardt standing at the door.

“Are you going in?”

“In a moment.”

“I’ll bring her water. And—this.”

Alicia handed Reichardt the ring Ingrid had given her.

“Thank you.”

Reichardt started to say something, then settled for thanks.

Alicia knew what he had wanted to ask.

How much time does she have left?

Ingrid did not have much time.

Alicia did not say it, but Reichardt sensed the answer as if he had heard it.

Alicia gave his hand a firm squeeze once and left.

“……”

Reichardt could not take his eyes off the ring he had once given Ingrid.

When Ingrid woke from sleep, her memories had returned.

She sent word that she was sorry for showing an unseemly state, and took both meals and rest in her own room.

After much thought, Alicia went to Ingrid’s chamber.

“Come in.”

Ingrid sat propped against the bed.

Seeing Alicia, she shifted aside to make space.

“Are you resting well?”

Apparently Reichardt had returned it; the ring Ingrid had given Alicia was back on Ingrid’s finger.

“My life has been one long rest. Don’t worry. I only hid because I got a little frightened.”

Ingrid patted Alicia’s approaching hand.

Alicia gazed quietly at the wrinkled hand overlapping hers.

She had wondered if, as with Reichardt—whose pain ceased when he touched her—Ingrid might feel some effect too.

But whether they held hands or embraced, nothing changed for Ingrid.

Alicia knew she could not solve everything.

She considered having Ingrid take a magic stone, but did not say so.

It was hard to bring up rashly.

If the result differed from their hopes, it might deal a greater disappointment.

“Alicia, am I frightening to look at?”

Ingrid asked the silent Alicia.

“……”

Alicia only shook her head.

In truth, she was frightened.

If she did not know the future, she would have run away on Ingrid’s advice.

But she could not answer honestly.

“You’re different from me, Alicia. I was afraid of myself. I had all the mirrors removed from my room because every time I looked in one, I was terrified.”

A bitter smile flickered over Ingrid’s face.

“After the wedding, I grew older by the day. I couldn’t believe it, and one day I tried to die. The only thing that had changed in my life was marriage, so I suspected it was the cause of my torment. His Grace the late grand duke treated me truly well. That made me suspect him even more.”

Alicia could say nothing.

“He was sincere with me, and I took that sincerity for granted. Wouldn’t you? He made me like this. I took his heart for granted and hated and resented him. And each time, he wept and begged my forgiveness. He said that had he known it would come to this, he would never have married. Rei likely tries not to marry you, doesn’t he?”

Listening, Alicia slowly nodded.

“Yes. Because he likes me. He says he won’t marry me.”

“And he didn’t cry?”

“He cried.”

Hearing Alicia, Ingrid let out a light laugh.

“It seems the royal men who become Grand Dukes of Tessen are crybabies. Their apologies always start with tears. Still, they’re decent lads. Rei is an especially good child.”

Ingrid spun the ring on her finger round and round as she spoke.

“Yes.”

Alicia recalled the words Reichardt had spoken with all his heart.

“Don’t marry me.”

He had truly said it for Alicia’s sake.

“Will you stay by Reichardt’s side? He is a very lonely, desolate being.”

Alicia wondered if these words were Ingrid’s last will.

“I will.”

Seeing Alicia answer without hesitation, Ingrid gave a faint, troubled smile.

Leaning against a large cushion, she tilted her body slightly to the side.

Alicia, too, leaned slightly toward her.

“Marry fifty years from now. Thank you for coming to me. Thank you for going to that child.”

Smiling, Alicia listened to the words carried on Ingrid’s fragile voice.