For Romantic Superpowers - Chapter 70 -Cowardly Excuses (4)

#70. Cowardly Excuses (4)

“Secret?”

Everyone was surprised at the word “secret” regarding the method of cultivating the Miracle of the Desert. This reaction was expected. Lia smiled leisurely and got to the main point.

“If I can re-enter the greenhouse, I will revive the rest of the miracles of the desert and also tell you how to do it.”

“Are you proposing a deal with me right now?”

“When I first entered the palace, the first prince said that if I could grow the Miracle of the Desert within three months of training, I would be allowed to work formally.”

The queen asked Alfonse as if to confirm.

“Is this true?”

“Yes, this was the condition I proposed when I first brought Lady Penelope to the palace.”

“I accomplished it within the deadline, so please allow me to re-enter.”

Lia requested as if she had been waiting for this moment. It was a bold request, but it wasn’t wrong. Abigail, who had been watching the situation, thought hard to find a gap.

“But she damaged the queen’s Miracle of the Desert!”

“I never did such a thing. My palace life depended on that Miracle of the Desert. Why would I harm the plant?”

The queen’s head was starting to hurt. The count, who had been standing quietly in front of her, began to speak.

“Your Majesty, I think it is right to identify the culprit.”

“Are you defending her because she is your daughter?”

“Before she is my daughter, as a citizen of Psychedelia, I have a small wish that no one would be unfairly framed.”

The count finished speaking and smiled faintly. Perth, who had been below the podium, approached and bowed.

“Your Majesty, may I also speak?”

The queen lowered her gaze to look at Perth. The attention of everyone in the banquet hall had been drawn to Abigail’s outburst. Naturally, everyone’s eyes were now on Perth.

“Go ahead.”

Ordinarily, this would be an extremely rude situation. However, the queen had trust in him. Believing he wouldn’t speak nonsense in this situation, she permitted him to speak.

“Thank you. First of all, I also regret that one of the miracles of the desert, which you cherished, was damaged. Therefore, isn’t it even more important to identify the culprit?”

He showed a rare look of regret. Unlike his usual expressionless demeanor, he was quite a good actor in official settings. Alfonse’s acting skills were also a result of his guidance.

“The Miracle of the Desert is not just any plant. It is a plant cherished by the queen. To care for it properly, Prince Alfonse brought someone from outside who could cultivate plants. That person is Lady Lia Penelope.”

“That’s correct.”

Alfonse affirmed Perth’s words, lending strength to his statement. Abigail, standing next to him, glared fiercely at Alfonse. The best he could do was pretend not to notice.

“But the culprit specifically damaged only the plants under Lady Penelope’s care. Unless Lady Penelope orchestrated this to leave the palace herself, this appears to be an attempt to expel and humiliate her from the palace.”

“This is a ridiculous accusation! Lady Penelope is now blaming others for her own negligence!”

Unable to hold back, Abigail jumped up and shouted. She turned to glare at Perth this time, but she couldn’t read any emotion in his eyes. As she became agitated, the hall grew noisy. The reasonable question everyone was thinking came out of his mouth.

“Lady Ferdinand, why are you so agitated? Do you have a direct connection to this matter?”

His gaze was as sharp as a spear aimed at Abigail. Instinctively, she shook her head. Her heart pounded. Could he always make such a cold expression? She had only ever seen his business smile because she was always treated as Alfonse’s fiancée.

“May I continue speaking then?”

‘If you don’t want to be revealed as the culprit here, I suggest you quietly sit down and close your mouth.’ 

This is how Perth’s words sounded to Abigail. She plopped back down in her seat.

“Even if it was not someone’s interference and Lady Lia Penelope herself damaged the plants, the truth must be uncovered.”

He glanced at Lia as if seeking her consent, but Lia believed that whatever he said wouldn’t harm her. What he needed to secure now was fairness. That would make his words credible.

“This matter also concerns the honor of the prince who recommended Lady Penelope. Therefore, as the loyal chief aide to the prince, I, Perth Versier, insist that the culprit must be revealed.”

Finishing his long statement, he portrayed himself as a loyal servant of Alfonse, calling for justice solely to restore his master’s tarnished honor. This was the purpose of his speech. The naïve nobles nodded in agreement with his words. Alfonse, too, might have been moved by his perfect loyalty had he not known the truth. His sincere and unwavering gaze was impeccably staged. 

The count looked at Perth with a slightly hardened expression. Indeed, he was no ordinary man. Thinking that such a person was standing by Lia’s side made him feel both reassured and concerned.

“As expected, Mr. Perth is shrewd. Mentioning Prince Alfonse’s name there—since Lady Lia achieved the condition set by Prince Alfonse, the royal family cannot retract their word.”

Shaking her head, the queen smiled as if she had no other choice. Her smile brightened the expressions of Lia and her party—a hopeful sign. In contrast, Abigail’s face darkened.

“Very well, Lady Lia Penelope will be reinstated to the greenhouse. Not as a trainee, but formally.”

This declaration came from the queen, the owner of the greenhouse. No one could oppose it. Lia held the hem of her dress and bowed slightly.

“Thank you.”

“And we will ensure that the person who damaged the Miracle of the Desert under her care is found. If it turns out to be you, Lady Penelope, remember that you will be expelled from the palace again. This time, no threats involving the Miracle of the Desert will work.”

“Of course. I will do my utmost not to disappoint you.”

The queen then turned her gaze to Perth.

“Advisor Perth Versier, request a thorough investigation from the investigative department and report the results directly to me.”

Perth also placed his right hand over his left chest and bowed.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The investigative department was composed of individuals with the ability to investigate incidents, known for their fairness, with strict selection criteria. Had Perth not become Alfonse’s aide, he might have joined the investigative department. They were known for their accuracy in investigations. The king, who had been watching the events silently, looked down with a satisfied expression. He had given the queen full authority over matters related to the greenhouse. Whether it was a small issue or a significant one, he simply observed her resolve it.

“Is everything resolved now?”

As the king spoke, everyone bowed their heads. The queen smiled as she faced him.

“Yes, we have caused a commotion.”

“Not at all, my dear. It is your birthday, and a little noise makes a celebration. I am also very pleased to see the plants you cherish blooming so beautifully.”

With these words, the king looked at the queen with loving eyes. The queen embraced him in gratitude. Their affectionate display was familiar to those present, except for Lia, who merely blinked at the sight of their tenderness.

“Would you two please stop? Everyone is watching.”

Alfonse, looking exasperated by his parents’ display of affection, spoke up. Yet, everyone around laughed at the sight of the loving royal couple. 

In this warm atmosphere, Abigail alone could not smile. She felt as if the ground were falling away beneath her. Once the investigative department began its inquiry, her actions would quickly be revealed. Though, as a duke’s daughter, she might find a way to avoid punishment. But the queen’s trust? Her future was meant to be in that position. No matter who she allied with or how she played the game, the outcome had to be the same.

Lia’s face hardened at her harsh expression but Lia had no reason to sympathize with her. After all, Lia had done nothing wrong; her job was unfairly taken from her, and she was falsely accused. Coldly turning away, Lia confidently descended from the platform. Below, Perth greeted her with a smiling face. It was a perfect victory. Lia wanted to embrace Perth right then and there, but it was difficult with the Count standing right next to them.

“Why don’t you go to the balcony?” 

It was difficult for the Count to extinguish the flames that were starting to burn. Eventually, he pretended not to notice and turned away. They both nodded politely and bowed to the Count before heading to the balcony.

“We did it!”

As soon as the attention shifted away, Lia embraced Perth. He, too, opened his arms to welcome her. The tender lovers remained silently intoxicated by each other’s scent and warmth.

“To be honest, I was halfway giving up.”

“Why?”

Perth gently pushed Lia away to face her, his expression curious. She looked down, her expression uncertain.

“My abilities are mediocre at best. Besides, I didn’t enter the palace based on my abilities from the start; it was because of my background.”

“But you have already proven your abilities sufficiently, Lady Lia. That’s why you were reinstated.”

Encouraging her with his words, Perth slowly stroked her cheek with his thumb.

“Thank you, Mr. Perth. If you hadn’t recognized my ability to make the Miracle of the Desert bloom, it might have been impossible.”

Upon hearing Lia’s comment about knowing how to grow the miracle of the desert, Perth immediately made a plan—to demonstrate it by cultivating a new miracle of the desert. However, as an ordinary person, Perth found it difficult to distinguish between fresh plants and others. So he suggested trying to make flowers bloom dramatically. Lia doubted it would work with a plant that didn’t respond to her ability, but he insisted on trying. The result was a huge success. Not only did they make the miracle of the desert bloom, but they also discovered that it wasn’t an ordinary plant but fully grown.

“Both making the miracle of the desert fresh and making flowers bloom are all Lady Lia’s abilities.”

However, Perth attributed all the credit to Lia. He knew she would ultimately succeed. Watching her confidently speak in front of everyone, he fell for her once again.

“Now I can see Lady Lia at the palace every day again. It was so difficult without you.”

Perth leaned his face against her shoulder as if playfully, though Lia felt his hair tickling her, she embraced his face.

“Now it’s back to dormitory life.”

Entering the dormitory felt more welcoming than the mansion, despite its narrower confines and simpler menu in the dining hall. It had been only a short time, but Lia missed it.

“…Do you really think so?”

Perth whispered to Lia, his face close to hers. Because of the breeze, Lia couldn’t quite hear his words.

“Pardon?”

He chuckled at Lia’s puzzled expression.

“It’s nothing.”