A Hard-Won Invitation
In the end, after all the bickering, the duke let out a heavy sigh. That meant I was almost there.
The duke turned to Dominic with a weary expression. "What is it?"
"Ah, um, well..." Dominic was glancing at me.
It meant there was something he couldn't say in front of me, the duke's daughter.
The duke, by virtue of his position, had to handle plenty of dirty business. In other words, he was a father with many secrets to keep from his young daughter.
I knew that all too well, which made me press even harder. "What? Something you can't say in front of me?"
"N-no, Lady Abigail." Dominic hastily hid the letter he was holding behind his back.
I fixed Dominic with a relentless stare. Finally, the duke raised the white flag.
"Hoo, Dominic."
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Revise the invitation for the Magic Tower. Add one more name."
"Pardon? Ah, understood. Whose name?"
Dominic asked, momentarily flustered.
"Ren Magicus."
"Pardon?"
Dominic's mouth fell open in a perfect O, his eyes blinking rapidly. He knew full well what kind of family the Magicus were. And he knew the duke despised them so much he'd never once invited them to the Magic Festival.
Whether he was shocked or not, a swell of triumphant pride washed over me. I'd done it.
"There. Satisfied?"
"Yes! Thank you, Father." I winked at the trembling duke.
I flashed a bright smile at Dominic too, who still looked baffled with his eyes wide. They probably had no idea what I'd just pulled off—or how drastically it would change their lives.
With a cheerful expression, I slipped out of the duke's study.
* * *
I took a rare stroll through the garden. The north had long winters, so it was only recently that spring had truly settled in. Under the warm sunlight, the garden bloomed with all the flowers Abigail loved.
I wasn't particularly fond of flowers one way or the other, so they didn't move me much.
"They planted so many things you can't even eat."
I just wondered where the Carpoem family's extravagance would end, gazing at the endless sea of blooms.
Then someone approached from behind. "Um, miss."
"..."
I recognized the man, but his name escaped me—awkward. He looked like the gardener?
He fidgeted with his gloved hands and asked cautiously, "Shall I pick some flowers for you? Your favorites..."
"Hm." I pondered for a moment. I didn't care much for flowers, but Abigail would've thrown a fit and demanded armfuls right then. She'd been dying to see flowers blooming outdoors after the greenhouse confinement of winter.
Come to think of it, Abigail had bossed the gardener around a lot. She'd practically managed the garden herself to show it off to visitors at the ducal residence. That must be why he was approaching so timidly, even though he knew he'd get an earful anyway.
"Sure. Pick one bouquet to decorate my room."
"J-just one bouquet?"
"Yeah."
The hesitant gardener nodded vigorously and began clipping flowers with careful hands. Being morning, the dew-kissed blooms sparkled like jewels.
I watched intently as colorful flowers piled up in his hands: vivid red roses, pink tulips, yellow peonies—an extravagantly gorgeous bouquet taking shape.
"H-here you are, miss." The gardener held it out, eyes darting nervously to gauge my reaction.
Annie, standing beside me, took it instead. "I'll put it in your room, miss."
"Yeah, it's pretty." I found myself tilting my head at the bouquet, admiring it.
Before possession, I'd been too busy to appreciate flowers. I didn't even know types or flower meanings—zero interest.
But now, with so much at my disposal, maybe it was time to savor it all properly. The thought crossed my mind.
"Hm...?"
I chuckled and looked up to find the gardener gaping at me like an idiot. He was staring straight at me.
I cocked my head. "What?"
"Ah! S-sorry, miss." He bowed his head in a rush, ears turning beet red.
Hm, well, fair enough. Abigail was beautiful. Even I'd been stunned staring at the mirror at first.
I decided to forgive the gardener's blunder generously.
"It's fine. Thanks for the flowers."
"Any punishment would be sweet... Pardon?"
I looked down at him indifferently as he lifted his head in bewilderment. His saucer-wide eyes suited his honest face perfectly.
I chuckled again. "I said thanks for the flowers. Keep up the good work."
"Ah, y-yes. Yes..."
The dazed gardener mumbled his reply, still out of it. His unfocused gaze made me wonder if he even saw me.
I spun on my heel and took a few steps before glancing back. "Oh, and."
"Yes!"
I swept my eyes over the garden, ablaze with intense colors. Staring too long might hurt.
"Try planting something besides flashy ones like roses or tulips."
"..."
Caught off guard, the gardener was speechless.
I ignored it and kept walking wherever my feet led, with Annie holding the bouquet and the other maids trailing quietly behind.
I glanced at Annie with the flowers. She was basically my head maid now. I'd wanted to make her one officially, but the butler said no. Instead, he guaranteed her position as my personal maid with authority over the others—and generous pay for her ten years of service.
No wonder her once gloomy face had brightened up lately. People really do need a taste of power.
I muttered inwardly as I walked on—until an unfamiliar path appeared.
"Where does this keep going?"
"To the training grounds, miss."
"Training grounds?"
Annie's answer sparked my curiosity.
"Are there knights there too?"
"Yes, probably."
"Ooh."
I couldn't hide my excitement, which left Annie flustered. "Miss, shouldn't we head back to your room?"
But I wasn't about to miss seeing the famous northern knight orders up close.
"Just a quick look."
"Ah, miss."
Whether Annie stomped her feet or not, I marched ahead briskly. The rich earthy scent hit me, but I didn't mind. Truth was, I loved moving my body. Before possession, I'd even taken up kendo as a hobby. Watching knights train would bring those memories flooding back.
"Miss, are you really going?"
"Yeah, why?"
"If the duke finds out..."
"Hm."
Annie was already panting, struggling to keep up with my stride. She's weaker than she looks.
I glanced around. "He won't get mad over a little sightseeing at the training grounds, right?"
"St-still..."
"I said it's fine."
Passing a thicket of trees, a vast clearing opened up. There it is!
Thrilled, I hurried toward the training grounds.
"M-miss!"
Annie called out softly. We'd gotten quite a distance apart by now. She'd been the closest follower; the other maids lagged even further.
I waved and smiled at them. "Be right back!"
Then I turned and broke into a run.
The clearing stretched endlessly, divided into sections. The north didn't have just one knight order, but three.
The 1st Knight Order—Spina—the 2nd, Kalta, and the 3rd, Belio, were the officially recognized elite of the north.
Spina was a monster squad of elites, practically the duke's personal guard. In the novel, they'd been the first to jump ship to the crown prince after the duke's death, with no one left to serve.
Kalta and Belio might not match Spina's prestige, but they were still top-tier northern knights. Plenty strong, no doubt.
As I approached, someone glanced my way. He scanned me curiously, then his eyes bulged in shock.
"Uh, so, um, are you...?"
I confirmed his guess. "The duke's daughter, yep."
"Gasp! What brings you here, Lady Abigail...? Hey, go fetch the captain!"
The flustered knight jabbed a finger at another knight standing dazed nearby, who snapped out of staring at me like the gardener and bolted off.
I cleared my throat with a hem-hem. "Just here to watch for a bit."
"Watch?"
The young knight's eyes went wide. "Yeah. Is that so shocking?"
"N-no, not that, but... Ah, Captain!"
I turned at his words. Someone was approaching me.
I gaped at the sight. It was a face from Abigail's memories.
He'd always been by the duke's side in those recollections.
"Lady Abigail?"
"...!"
Ah, now I remembered. It was from when Abigail was younger. This man, a bit more youthful then, had comforted her as she sobbed.
She'd wailed endlessly in his arms. What day was that?
I studied the knight captain's face closely. His long, deep navy hair made him look more scholar than soldier. Fine, delicate features—more beautiful than most women.
"Ugh!"
A sharp headache hit me then.
"Lady Abigail!"
I clutched my forehead and staggered; the nearby knights panicked.
At the same moment, a memory sliced into my mind like a blade.
[That's enough! Father hates me. He'd be happier if I disappeared.]
[That's not true, Lady Abigail.]
[It is! Even Ser thinks so!]
The man Abigail called Ser was this beautiful navy-haired knight captain.
Tears streaming, she kept yelling at him.
[Father never came to my birthday party once! Everyone laughs at me—the duke's pathetic daughter he doesn't even love. Because I killed Mother coming into the world, Father hates me!]
[Lady Abigail...]
Serrian Sinus. Before becoming 1st Knight Order commander, he'd been young Abigail's bodyguard.
When the duke fell ill and confined himself to the ducal lands, the detail ended. Abigail never sought him out after.
Serrian's regretful eyes lingered vividly in her memory.
[Enough now. I don't need any of it. You mock me inside too, don't you, Ser? You do!]
[No, I would never...]
[Get out! I don't need anyone! Get out!]
That day had been Abigail's 8th birthday party.