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Chapter 17
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
Panicking, Ivanna frantically apologized as she bowed her head. Every time she did, her forehead lightly bumped against Cedric’s chest with a thump.
“It is alright, so just… calm down for a moment!”
To steady Ivanna, Cedric wrapped his arms tightly around her body.
Startled by Cedric’s touch, Ivanna scrambled about frantically, only to end up sitting directly on top of his stomach.
“Gasp!”
“Your Highness?!”
Hearing Ivanna’s shriek from inside the tent, a startled Anthony rushed in, only to freeze in his tracks.
Anthony’s brown eyes flickered wildly in shock, and her cheeks flushed bright red in an instant.
“Pardon my intrusion!”
No! Anthony, come back!
Ivanna stretched her arm out toward Anthony, who was slipping out of the tent with a gleeful look before she could even catch her.
“Whew.”
“I-I can explain the misunderstanding.”
At Cedric’s low sigh, Ivanna mumbled a sheepish excuse.
“I understand that you were startled by the sudden situation.”
The Duke’s speech was somehow faster than usual. That made it even more embarrassing.
His eyes were averted, unable to look directly at her.
Let’s just escape for now.
Scrambling to her feet to step aside, Ivanna’s leg caught on Cedric’s body.
As her body tumbled forward, Cedric hastily caught her.
“Are… are you alright?”
“Gulp. Y-Yes.”
I should just die. Cause of death: embarrassment.
Ivanna trembled all over, her face beet-red.
“Are you going to stay like that? Ahem.”
A trace of laughter echoed at the end of his low clearing of the throat. Ivanna, who had her face buried in the blanket, slowly turned her head.
The Duke was covering his mouth with one hand, laughing as if thoroughly amused by the awkward situation.
Although his smile was hidden behind his massive hand, his grey eyes—which usually seemed cold as ice—were gently curved, brimming with laughter.
For a moment, Ivanna forgot her shame and couldn’t tear her eyes away from Cedric’s smile.
Cedric carefully helped Ivanna sit upright.
“Since I didn’t realize it until morning either… it wasn’t a mistake solely on your part, Your Highness.”
Having finished speaking, Cedric hesitated briefly before adding,
“So please do not take it to heart too much.”
With that, he headed straight for the bathing area.
“Ugh.”
The moment Cedric vanished into the bathing space, a low groan escaped Ivanna’s lips.
She was ruined.
To think she had cuddled up to the Duke in her sleep, of all people!
What if he thinks I’m some kind of weird woman?!
She had slept stiff as a board throughout the trip, so this was the very first time she had ended up clinging to his side.
Swear to God, she had zero intentions behind it!
Ivanna yanked the blanket clear over her head at the sound of water coming from the bathing area.
She desperately wished he would just leave.
Just as Ivanna wished, the Duke, having finished getting dressed, stated he would head out first and left the tent.
Ivanna failed to notice that the gaze Cedric cast toward the bed right before leaving the tent was still laced with laughter.
“Is it safe to talk now?”
A good while later, once Ivanna got up and signaled her presence to the outside, Anthony stepped inside.
“I knew it—when young men and women stay close together, something is bound to…”
“Anthony. Stop right there. It’s nothing like that.”
Ivanna rapidly shook her head at Anthony’s wicked face, which was brimful of expectations.
“I made a mistake because it was cold.”
“Really? But still.”
Considering that, His Grace’s face looked rather red, too. Anthony’s eyes narrowed at Ivanna’s appalled expression.
She must be embarrassed.
Hohoho. Then I should pretend not to notice. Swallowing her laughter inwardly, Anthony decided to change the subject for Ivanna, who was trying to digest her embarrassment.
“It seems a problem arose because it rained heavily all night.”
“What?!”
At Anthony’s words, Ivanna’s eyes widened into circles.
Did you do this, Your Highness?
At the unspoken question in Anthony’s eyes, Ivanna froze. That can’t be? I carefully controlled my divine power so a massive amount of rain wouldn’t fall all at once?
“That can’t be true?”
“They say a landslide occurred because too much rain poured down all of a sudden during the drought.”
“Oh, my goodness.”
Ivanna covered her mouth at the words tumbling out of Anthony’s mouth.
I didn’t ask for this much rain to fall! Protesting inwardly to God, Ivanna immediately asked,
“Is the damage severe?”
“They say a portion of the mountain along the path leading to the next village collapsed.”
Anthony read Ivanna’s reaction carefully.
She was ruined.
Don’t You know moderation? Moderation?!
Ivanna called out to God in complaint. She definitely hadn’t released that much power, so why on earth did so much rain pour down?
She knew full well that if water was poured onto dried-up ground, the land wouldn’t absorb it and would end up washing away.
That was why she thought she had adjusted her power just enough for the rain to seep gently into the soil and provide enough for the villagers to use.
To think she had botched the use of her divine power.
Ivanna’s face drained of color, turning pale and rigid.
“Still, they say enough water was gathered to last for a month.”
Seeing Ivanna’s grave expression, Anthony added that it wasn’t entirely bad news.
“A whole month’s worth?!”
“Yes. It was enough to cause a landslide, after all. They say the reservoir His Grace built in a hurry yesterday was filled to the brim.”
Ivanna, who had been berating herself at the thought that people might have been hurt, opened her eyes wide.
“The Duke built a reservoir yesterday?”
“Everyone is marveling right now, asking if His Grace possesses the power of foresight.”
Knowing the truth alone, Anthony pouted, grumbling that nobody knew a thing.
It was an event brought about because Her Highness had used her divine power, yet some unrelated guy was taking all the praise, making Anthony feel thoroughly displeased.
“I feel like opening the tent door and shouting the truth to everyone outside.”
“Please hold it in for my sake.”
Ivanna shook her head in sheer horror. Being dragged back to the Imperial Family after revealing her divine power was out of the question.
The Imperial Family would never leave someone with the divine power to break a drought alone.
On the other hand, it wasn’t as if the Duke would protect her, either.
Rather, he might attempt to extract even greater benefits in exchange for handing her back over to the Imperial Family.
Anthony looked at Ivanna with a pitying gaze.
“Phew, still, what a relief. But what about the landslide?”
Should she secretly use water to clear away the mud underneath? Ivanna pondered how to resolve the landslide.
To think her divine power was causing such troublesome complications.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
Ivanna rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
She worried briefly whether stepping forward unnecessarily would draw criticism, yet the guilt of it being her fault refused to fade.
“Let’s wash up and head outside first.”
At the touch of Anthony’s hands nudging her into the bathing space, Ivanna slowly set her feet in motion.
“Hey! Watch out over there!”
“Wahahaha! Clearing away a pile of dirt like this will take us half a day at most!”
Even as the villagers hauled away mud piles and tangled wooden debris, not a single one showed a hint of displeasure.
Though the path connecting to the neighboring village had been cut off by the rain that fell through the night, thankfully no one was injured, and everyone was thoroughly satisfied to see their drinking and agricultural water replenished.
To think the reservoir built by His Grace had been filled to the brim.
With both preservation and purification magic cast upon it, they wouldn’t have to suffer from water worries for at least the next month.
“Our Duke really is the best. Problems get solved just by him showing up.”
“Now that it rained, I finally feel like I can live again.”
The knights nearby chuckled softly as they listened to the villagers’ conversation.
In truth, they hadn’t been particularly keen on the task of building a reservoir in the village at first.
However, faced with a situation far more severe than what the local lord had reported, they had no choice but to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
Yet to think it would actually rain right after they built the reservoir.
“G-Greetings! Watch your step!”
While working so cheerfully, a commotion suddenly broke out behind them.
When the knights turned their gazes, they spotted the Princess holding a white parasol embroidered with floral patterns. She had appeared at the restoration site.
The people shoveling dirt also stood up straight, watching the Princess approach.
It was the very first time the villagers had ever seen royalty up close like this.
“I heard a landslide occurred. Was no one injured?”
“They say no one was out wandering around at night because it rained so heavily yesterday.”
“What a relief.”
At the flustered knight’s response, Ivanna paused her steps and surveyed her surroundings.
Beside her, Ethan was sending welcoming winks to the knights.
“Thank you for your hard work handling the aftermath of last night’s event.”
Ivanna’s gaze as she commended the workers swept over them before locking onto a single spot.
“It looks as though your hand is injured. Are you alright?”
One of the villagers had hands covered in scrapes from hauling piles of dirt without gloves.
“S-Scratches like this heal up in no time!”
The person under her gaze hurriedly bowed deep as he spoke.
“Are there no gloves among the supplies?” Ivanna asked the knight overseeing the work.
“Since this was an unexpected occurrence, none were prepared.”
“If people get hurt, the restoration will only be delayed.”
“It will be wrapped up by tomorrow.”
At Ivanna’s concerned words, the knight answered with a soft smile.
“It seems it cannot be helped, then. If there are any injured, please ensure they receive treatment. And that tree over there looks dangerous, so it would be wise to clear it away in advance.”
Looking at a tree standing precariously with its roots exposed, the knight replied that he understood and issued instructions to the workers.
“Carry on, then.”
Ivanna tried her best to walk with a composed stride. She felt the gazes of the crowd following her back, yet she did not look back.
