The Abandoned Empress

Chapter 28

"Please accept mine!"

"Mine, too!"

"Here you are!"

"Don't you have anything to give us, lady?"

The knights, who lined up on the field, came running and reached out to me all at once.

I saw one of their sleeves loosened and fluttered in the wind. I was too embarrassed to respond.

What should I do? Then, my father ordered them sharply, "We're leaving now!"

"Wait a moment, Captain!"

"Can I give it to her before I leave?"

"We, too, would like to hear the lady wish that we can return safely."

I hesitated at their desperate requests. It was understandable that they felt sorry for my failure to wish them well. They had been training with my father in the training field everyday. Nonetheless, I only prayed for my father's safe return.

"Please come back safely, everyone!"

"Yes, we'll be back safely!"

"You have to keep well, young lady. Watch out for good-for-nothing guys! "

"That's right. Although Verita's son is going to the border, you never know who else will hover around you. You should watch out, lady. "

"Pardon? Ah, yes. I will be careful. "

I nodded, overwhelmed by their excessive interest in me. Watching the knights often looking back at me after walking several steps, I smiled gently at them.

When they finally disappeared, silence fell on the noisy field. I looked at the platinum cufflin in my hand for a while and turned back slowly. It seemed that I could feel my father's warmth through the button.

After my father left, I could not get by as usual for the first few days. As I had no regular trainer, I got nowhere in my fencing practice. No matter how hard I tried, I didn't see any progress.

I idled away 15 days, and in the end, I sent a letter to Duke Lars, asking if I could visit. The next day I received a reply, asking me to attend a tea party at his mansion. I tried not to cause any trouble to him, but I couldn't help it.

"I am honored to meet you, Duchess. My name is Aristia La Monique, the eldest daughter of Marquis Monique.

"Nice to meet you, Monique. I'm Ernia Shana de Lars. Have a seat."

Duchess Lars wasn't that different from how I remembered her. Unlike the duke or Sir Lars whose warm impressions stood out because of their red hair and eyes, she had dark blue hair and blue eyes and looked very chilly due to her expressionless face.

"I heard about it. Your father asked my husband or son to teach you fencing. "

"Yes, that's true."

"Oh, I see. I've sent someone to bring my son. He'll be here soon. "

"Ah, thank you, Duchess. "

I flinched at her chilly tone, but I expressed gratitude with a smile. It wasn't the first time I saw her chilly attitude. Wasn't she unusually chilly to me in the past? I don't know why, but unlike the duke, she hated me very much even though the duke's family shared the same political faction with mine.

While I was drinking tea in the cold silence, I heard the door opening suddenly.

When I slowly turned my head, I noticed a boy looking like Allen walking in with a nervous expression.