IRMDH 26

Chapter 26

When I stepped out of the Crown Prince’s palace, it began to drizzle.

I glanced up at the sky, heavy with dark clouds, and suddenly remembered the day of Blake’s funeral.

‘It rained just like this that day too…’

Everything had happened so quickly in a daze that I hadn’t even been able to collect my thoughts.

But now, Blake had come back to life, and Ian, who was nothing more than an extra, was dead.

It struck me once again that this really was the world of a novel.

Right after Blake was imprisoned, Ian Harmel’s funeral had been held.

What I still didn’t understand was why Marquis Harmel had invited me to that funeral.

Of course, I hadn’t gone…

I thought he would see me as the wife of the criminal who killed his son, but I couldn’t fathom his intentions at all.

Perhaps… Blake might have spoken with the Marquis about something.

Or maybe, the Marquis had thought of me as the woman who could have been his daughter-in-law.

“Your Highness! Did you have a good meeting with His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince? You’ve had a visitor while you were away.”

“A visitor? There’s really no one left who would come to see me…”

Lily ran toward me with an umbrella in hand.

But truly, since Ian’s death, no one had come to visit me.

Puzzled, I hurried to the parlor—and the moment I saw the person sitting there, I froze in shock.

Light gray hair, sky-blue eyes, a neat appearance.

He was a bit thin, but had a friendly impression that people would easily warm up to—a middle-aged man.

“Father?”

“Ariel.”

My father looked around the parlor curiously, then stood up the moment his eyes fell on me.

Right after my wedding, Father had come to visit me with bundles of food I liked, to greet me.

But the nobles had laughed at him harshly for it.

That even though his daughter had become the Crown Princess, he still treated her so casually.

That he was ignorant of proper etiquette, that being “from commoner blood” couldn’t be hidden.

Since then, Father had never set foot in the Crown Princess’s palace again.

So why had he suddenly come today?

Could something have happened…?

“Are you all right? With Ian dead… and people saying His Highness the Crown Prince was the culprit… I couldn’t stop worrying about you.”

“Ah…”

Yes, in the original story, Ariel had been close with Ian.

And Father probably believed Ariel had been forced into marriage.

So upon hearing of Ian’s death, he would have thought I’d be deeply heartbroken.

And then to hear that the one who killed him was my own husband, the Crown Prince?

For Father, who only heard rumors about the world at large, it must have been shocking and painful.

“Yes, I’m fine, Father. Please, sit down.”

I nodded and took Father’s hand, sitting across from him.

On the table was a bundle that seemed to be something Father had brought.

Had he once again packed the foods I liked?

I thought he might have changed after being mocked that time… but—

An unexpected swell of emotion rose inside me.

Father, looking awkward, opened the bundle and handed me skewers and sandwiches.

“You’ve grown even thinner since becoming Crown Princess. Here, this is the famous chicken skewer from Teshilo Street you always loved. Eat up.”

“My weight’s the same as ever… But thank you.”

Ariel’s tastes were strangely identical to mine.

The things Ariel liked, I liked too; the things she disliked, I disliked as well.

Thanks to that, no one had ever suspected that I wasn’t truly Ariel.

The sweet-sauced chicken skewer Father handed me somehow carried the flavor of memories.

And here, only Father and Lily were watching.

There was no need to act refined or observe etiquette—I accepted Father’s affection as it was.

“It’s delicious, Father.”

“That’s a relief.”

While I was chewing, Father looked me up and down with a pained expression.

“Why are your clothes so drab? You’re the Crown Princess—don’t tell me you’re skimping on dresses?”

With all the gossip about my lowly origins and my supposedly poor marital relationship, it wasn’t strange that Father thought that way…

But this was an expensive dress.

“Before I leave, I’ll give you the details of a bank account in your name. All I have is money, so you should use it. Buy something bright and splendid to wear.”

“It’s just because His Highness the Crown Prince is currently imprisoned. I really am doing fine.”

In the eyes of the nobles, Father might still seem an uncultured upstart with no refinement, etiquette, or taste.

But to me, he was a father whose love for his daughter was second to none.

That thought made me smile softly.

“Is that so? You know I’ve never understood politics, never cared about it. I don’t have the talent for it either.”

Looking awkward, Father lowered his voice like he was sharing a secret gift.

“But we have plenty of money, don’t we? Don’t go around being timid, always watching others’ eyes. Spend freely.”

Well, Ariel was rich.

So rich, in fact, that she could have bought herself a noble title with money alone.

If that had been common, Ariel wouldn’t have been mocked by everyone, and she wouldn’t have risen to the position of Crown Princess through the Empress’s schemes.

Father may have had no eye for fine fabrics or art…

But he was a shrewd businessman who owned several banks across the capital and beyond.

I smiled faintly and nodded.

“Yes, thank you. I will. But Father, actually… there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

Since he was here, a question came to mind.

The original Ariel had been shrouded in mystery, and the mention of a necromancer had startled me.

Could it have something to do with her parents?

Father was clearly just an ordinary man.

But what about the mother who had passed away long ago?

“Mother—what was she like?”

“Your mother? Out of nowhere? Well… she was just a gypsy.”

“A gypsy?”

“Ah, not just any gypsy—she was a beautiful gypsy. She did have a bit of an obsession with strange spells, but overall she was cheerful and lively.”

“I see…”

Strange spells.

Something told me Mother might have been connected to necromancy.

I gestured to Lily, who was standing behind me, to bring me something.

Since Father was here, I wanted to ask about everything I could.

Father owned several mines, and he also processed and sold valuable minerals.

And among them, what had filled his coffers the most was…

“Your Highness, is this what you asked for?”

“Yes, that’s the one. Thank you. Father, do you think this is valuable?”

What Lily brought me was the magic stone pendant I had taken from Seira’s room.

I still didn’t know why Seira, who couldn’t even use magic stones, had owned it…

But Father owned several magic stone mines, and sold the finest processed stones to mages.

So he should know about such things.

Taking the pendant from me, Father turned it over in his hands for a long time before speaking with a startled look.

“Where did you get this?”

“Oh, is it expensive?”

“Expensive isn’t the issue…”

Father fell silent.

His sky-blue eyes, so much like mine, grew hazy and red-rimmed as though remembering something painful.

Startled by his reaction, I stared at him as he asked in a hushed, trembling voice:

“Did you find the one your mother gave you? Is that why you asked?”

“What? No, no. I got this from someone completely unrelated.”

“That can’t be. This is… without a doubt, your mother’s.”

“What?”

“Yes, I remember it. When I first met your mother, she was wearing this.”

His words were unbelievable.

How could something from Seira’s room be connected to my mother?

“I told her it wasn’t made of any rare stone, that I’d buy her a new one. But she insisted this was precious, and refused.”

“That doesn’t make sense… It’s such a common design. And if it’s only a low-grade magic stone, it’s not worth much. Aren’t you mistaken?”

“Look at the back. See the faint burn mark?”

“Oh… you’re right.”

“Your mother made that while trying to cook for me once. She was terrible at cooking.”

A gypsy who couldn’t cook, yet my mother?

No—more importantly, could this really have been hers?

How did Seira get it?

“Before she died, your mother put it around your neck. When you lost it, you cried so much I had to comfort you. And now you’ve found it again… Where did you really find it?”

Of course, I couldn’t confess, I snuck into the Saintess’s room and found it while rummaging around.

So I just shook my head.

Father seemed to take that as me not remembering where I picked it up.

Still, he seemed content that it had been found.

Caressing the pendant with a pained look, Father returned it to me and said:

“If you really want to know whether this was your mother’s, you’ll need a mage. I don’t have magic, so I can’t tell—but mages say magic stones retain traces when they’re used.”

“What? Are you saying Mother used this stone once?”

“Yes. She used it… once, to bring you back to li—”

He suddenly cut himself off.

As if realizing too late that he had said something he shouldn’t have.

“What?”

“I mean… she once used magic on you, yes. That’s all…”

Looking flustered, Father hurriedly changed the subject.

“Oh dear, look at me rambling. I even brought you a walnut cake…”

I sat there, stunned.

I didn’t press him further, since he had already given me the information I needed.

But my fingers trembled, as a thought I had never considered before struck me.

That maybe…

Perhaps young Ariel had already died once.