Finding Lisa

S1 CH. 9

The Marquis looked at Lisa, deeply moved. Lisa was not a child that asked for anything, she never expressed her desire. This was a rare moment when she looked up at him, full of hope and sparkly eyes for a favour.

"Lin, do you want to go to the academy that much?"

"Yes!" said Lia eagerly.

He considered Lisa his daughter despite how she was raised. The Marquis sometimes regretted raising her like a son when he heard about what other girls her age thought about Lisa. Perhaps he could raise her as his daughter still, it wasn't so late. But letting Lisa be more exposed around people could prove to be dangerous. He held Lisa's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"I will discuss it with Tiffany and then look for a place near the academy," said the Marquis.

Lisa brightened. He could not refuse her one request that she asked of him. While the Marchioness might not agree, Lisa still couldn't hold her eagerness that she might finally be able to go to the capital.

The schoolmasters and the Dean smiled. Things had gone their way. The Marquis sighed and dismissed them all. He stood up and thanked the schoolmaster. The schoolmaster was happy because this meant that the academy would have another very powerful sponsor.

"Shall I arrange things so Sir Lin will enter the academy after three weeks?" asked the schoolmaster while leaving. "I will inform you of the entrance and donation fees."

"Right," said the Marquis, "Thank you."

The Marquis waved at them as they were allured by the Marchioness' beautiful garden which grew very lush, especially in the warm weather. The Marquis considered closing down the mansion since it was usually Tiffany who handled the visitors, but she was no longer there. She was up north. He turned to Lisa.

"I heard you had been quite unwell," said the Marquis.

Lisa smiled awkwardly; she scratched her head at his words. "I am alright now after a week of rest. Thank you for your concern."

The Marquis knew why Lisa insisted on going to the capital. She wanted to find her mother. He had tried to find her, but she had disappeared without a trace. He was uncertain if he should say this to her. He decided against it.

"The academy will not be easy," said the Marquis, "The young noblemen gather there to create lines and factions. Of course, you do not need to worry about your position since you're my son, but others may come at you with ill intentions."

"Ill intentions?" asked Lisa.

"Yes, people might have differing opinions and wish you harm," said the Marquis.

The Marquis poured a drink. Lisa glanced at the newspaper on the desk. He knew that Lisa read the public paper but the one published by the Imperial family differed from the rest. The headline was of the Duke of Ihar's secret visit to Geore and the neutral lands. That was the main news. The serial murders of young ladies in Etear Streets in broad daylight were given only a small box at the side. People were requesting the Imperial family to intervene since the police investigations had not been able to find out anything.

"Master," appeared the butler, Anher, after escorting the schoolmasters to the carriage. He smiled at Lisa, an indication to take her to leave.

"Then I will also take my leave," she said.

Lisa went out of the reception room, confident that she would finally be going to the academy. The Marchioness hasn't given her permission yet, but Sir Heechul was positive that Lisa had worked so hard and learnt so much that she might even be beyond the seniors of the academy. Lisa had worked harder in her studies after she heard of a place from Jungkook. She realized that that might be the only chance for her to go to the capital.

Lisa left the mansion and walked in the fresh air toward Eunwoo's outhouse. She had been ruffling her hair when a stranger approached her. He was one of the deans, a nobleman in his thirties.

"I see you again, Lisa."

"Hello, sir."

"You can call me Jinyoung."

Lisa murmured her apologies that she needed to be elsewhere and started to walk away. But the man with slick, brown hair asked her a question even before she could take a step.

"How is your brother doing?" asked the young dean.

"I heard he is getting better," Lisa replied politely.

"It's a shame to lose such a youth to Geore..."

The man shook his head as he stroked his short beard, and his eyes slowly drifted over to Canillian. She stepped back. She knew that gaze. Lisa had felt such gazes when she passed the training fields at the back of the Marquis's estate. They were the eyes of men who enjoyed the beauty of both sexes. The dean's blazing eyes on her made her feel naked.

"Lisa. Things with too much beauty tend to break. Flowers are picked regardless of their gender," said Jinyoung.

Lisa felt uncomfortable. "I am sorry I don't understand."

"Don't take my words too seriously," said Jinyoung, "I want you to attend the academy. However, be careful. There are always those who do not like young, well-off boys like you."

The young dean walked past Lisa, not taking his eyes off her even for a moment until he had to turn and walk away.

Then, why did Jungkook...

The schoolmaster had told her that Jungkook wanted her to come and attend the academy with him. She had not met him since that snowy day four years ago. The schoolmasters might have set that up to convince her to attend the academy. She had wounded Jungkook and the Marchioness had slapped her across the cheek. Eunwoo had left for North on that day as well. Lisa desperately wanted to see Eunwoo. She prayed for him every day. Would he have changed much? It had been a while since Lisa circled Eunwoo's outhouse. It reminded her of him. She was just thinking about him when Rosé rushed over to her, running.

"Young master! You're going to the capital? You can't go without me!" she said, hurriedly, "Who will take care of you?"

"Of course!" said Lisa, "Father won't let me go alone, anyway."

Rosé brightened a little. Rosé loved dressing up Lin Bale in outfits. She said she didn't have a doll to play with in her childhood, so she was showering it all on Lin. Rosé had joked that she would have liked to dress Lin in a dress once, but Lisa had never given her approval. But she was not a child anymore, and the Marchioness will not be able to force her any longer. After she went to the capital, she could live however she wanted. She wouldn't need to pretend to be a boy.

She could see leaves rustle in the gentle breeze. The season when the world turned the colour of her eyes was coming.

***

The wait for the Marchiones's answer wasn't very long. Her letter from the north had come a fortnight after the schoolmasters had left. She had approved that Lin could indeed go to the capital for a year and informed them that Eunwoo's health was improving.

The Marquis went to the capital right after receiving the letter. To prepare the accommodations, he said. While he had a place, it was too big and a little far from the academy. He bought houses near the academy. Lisa would stay in one of them, the rest would be for the guards who would be stationed there. The Marquis also wanted to find Lisa's mother through Lisa. The houses he bought for Lisa and the guards could also allow him a secret place to meet Lisa's mother, if he found her, without the servants finding out. Besides, he couldn't let an innocent girl like Lisa live in the capital without protection, hence, the guards.

"Mother really allowed me to go?" asked Lisa. She was, of course, referring to Tiffany.

The Marquis nodded, smiling. "I will soon let you know about your living quarters," he said, "First we need to visit the tailor."

"Tailor?"

"The tailor who works in the palace makes the academy uniforms," he explained, "Eunwoo's was made by him, too."

"That means we are going to the capital?" asked Lisa, stunned.

The Marquis smiled as he looked at her. "Don't worry, you won't see the emperor," he chuckled. "We're just going to visit the tailor's outhouse."