Chapter 91

A week passed since then.
A week may be short, but it was enough time for a lot to change.
Citrina was busy, and it also seemed like Desian had a lot to do. So that was the reason they hadn’t met.
She didn’t know why Desian was so busy. But there was only one reason Citrina was so busy.
The results had arrived from the imperial palace.
She received the title of an individual aristocrat. Along with the aristocratic title, she was awarded some land that would be returned to the state after her death.
She had also received a new surname and was no longer Citrina Foluin.

“Citrina Flang….”

Citrina took a small, deep breath. It was a last name without much significance. But it was enough.
Baron Foluin had not approached her oddly, and Baroness Foluin had briefly shown her face at the ceremony before disappearing.

“Citrina.”
“Yes?”
“…Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”

She let the words come out slowly.
There was much to do after being awarded a title and surname.

“Now go live your life.”
“My life?”

For a moment, she froze in place, unable to move.

‘I wonder if she remembers when I said I wanted to live my life.’

But before she could ask, the baroness turned and walked away.
A few days passed.
She had cut off her past ties, met people she liked, and was building her career.
For Citrina, it was like the beginning of an era.
It was definitely a good thing.

“It seems strange, Citrina-nim.”
“Lita? Why?”

Lita, who suddenly stopped working, whispered.

“Nothing has happened.”

Genfiros was strangely quiet as well. Desian would be chasing after Genfiros now.

“Yeah. Maybe this is the eye of the storm.”

It was too quiet to be called the eye of the storm. At her title ceremony, she thought Elaina would show up to smack her around.

– She cursed you, but it’s not a big deal.
– Really?
-Well, Genfiros is no match as a villain.

Citrina caught a small flaw in Gemma’s words. Gemma’s sentence had no subject.

– Who is he no match for as a villain?
– Ah……. Nevermind.

Please read only on salmonlatte.com

Gemma shifted quietly. Citrina spoke calmly.

– You’re saying he’s no match for Desian, right?
-Oh, n, no way!
“I’m right, it’s Desian.”

After realizing this, it seemed like there were a lot of answers all over the place.
Citrina was deep in thought.

‘What in the world have you been doing?’

Citrina liked the current Desian. Even if he hid something, it was his business.
So she wasn’t concerned at all.

‘Everyone is acting like it’s a big deal, which is kind of…interesting.’

Gemma rolled her eyes and quickly changed the subject.

-But shouldn’t we do something about them?
-Them?
-I’m talking about Adilac.
‘Ah, that’s right.’

Citrina looked out the atelier window. Not a single ant could reach Citrina’s atelier.

“Okay, stand in a line here.”
“Yep!”

The cause was Adilac and her brothers. It was a method devised by Adilac, who was quite furious when Citrina left.

‘It’s too much!’

It was overwhelming affection, but it didn’t feel bad.
Men with broad shoulders lined the area around Citrina’s atelier.
So Dartrin Street cooled down.
Adilac stepped through the glass door with fierce eyes.

“Citrina, I’ve got an ironclad defense. The curse absolutely won’t seep in! It’s a human barrier.”
“Thank you, Adilac.”

She didn’t think humans could stop the curse, but she was grateful to Adilac, so she gave a small smile. Her heart was in the right place.
Citrina quietly went back to work on the draft for a jeweled casket.
It was for Princess Iana to send to a friend in another duchy.
So she was going to make it more beautiful.

– Aren’t you worried about the curse?
– I am worried. But Desian…
– Oof, I’m tired. I should hurry up and go to bed.

Gemma rubbed her eyelids in a hurry.
Citrina carefully stroked the music box in front of her.
It had been at her fingertips ever since she left the empire.
It was the music box Aaron had given to her and that Desian had enchanted.
Whenever it played its steady, soothing notes, she felt enchanted and relaxed.
It felt as if someone was stroking her heart. Citrina closed her eyes, feeling more at ease.
With this music box, it seemed as if she was sharing her emotions with someone.
She also had a hunch that Genfiros would soon disappear.

There was no word from Desian, but Citrina went on with her day.
And word came not from Desian’s mouth, but Adilac’s.

Please read only on salmonlatte.com

“Citrina.”
“Yes.”
“Well, there’s a letter from Baroness Foluin.”

Hearing that name was unexpected.

“A letter?”

Her mother had walked away with a shabby glance, as if she was someone she would never see again.
Citrina asked cautiously, and Adilac answered back patiently.

“Yes. I think it’s urgent.”

Adilac handed the letter over carefully, and Citrina took it slowly. She read through it thoroughly.
It was baffling.
As Adilac watched curiously, Citrina whispered.

“It says that Elaina is in custody and that the leader of the paladins is missing.”

Missing.
No wonder it had been so quiet recently.
Citrina rubbed the corners of her eyes slowly. Adilac’s eyes widened as she looked at Citrina.

“Missing? In custody? What the hell is going on? Do you want me to find out, Citrina?”
“No. I’ll find out.”

She said with a sigh.

“I…need to meet with someone.”
“Who do you need to meet? Right now? I don’t know if it’s okay to go out.”

Adilac stood by the exterior, glancing at men about twice her height.
Citrina knew what Adilac was worried about.

“If this letter is real, I think I’ll be fine.”
“Real or not, let me check it out!”

Rita, who was by her side, approached carefully. Lita knew how to distinguish whether the letter was real or not. The boy’s tan fingertips touched the letter.
Citrina stood still and watched. Lita took a deep breath and spoke.

“The letter is legitimate.”
“The letter is real, Lita?”
“Yes.”

And just as Lita finished reading the letter, Adilac’s buff brothers opened the door with a bang.
Citrina knew what they were going to say.

“Adilac-nim, there’s breaking news in the capital.”
“Breaking news?”

Adilac glared at the strong young men and then looked at Citrina.

“It’s breaking news about the leader of the paladins.”

Please read only on salmonlatte.com

Right.
This is exactly as she had guessed.
Citrina pushed herself up gracefully. Though reluctant, perhaps it was time to prove herself.

“I’ll be back, Adilac.”

Citrina smiled picturesquely.
After two lifetimes and many efforts to ‘rehabilitate’ Desian, Citrina had come to a very subtle conclusion.
This was the verdict she had come to through her experiences-
You can’t fix people.
But you can yank them by the leash.

“Oh… where are you headed?”
“I’m going to the imperial palace.”

Hearing her destination, Adilac tilted her head.
What was going on here, she wondered.