[√]Lady of the White Rose

53: Treason

VESPER

"All problems that need immediate solution are all taken care of. We can at least breathe for a while."

Napasalampak ako sa upuan ko bago pumikit dahil sumasakit na ang ulo ko. I can finally rest. I haven't even return to my room for a week now. I miss the kids. I wonder how they're doing these days.

"Your Grace, you have a mountain of invitation sent to you even after what happened to the Dukedom." Alfonso announce. "A lot of young nobles are sending gifts and letters, saying how worried they were and hoping that you'll survive this trials."

"They're not concern about me, they're just looking for something to talk about. Decline all invitations. Burn them, throw them, do whatever you want." Sagot ko ng hindi pa rin binubuksan ang mga mata ko.

Ilang sandaling namayani ang katahimikan bago muling nagsalita si Alfonso. "The Caliber sent an invitation,"

Natigilan ako. Ngunit bago pa man ako makasagot ay nagpatuloy ito sa pagsasalita.

"And the palace also sent one,"

I grimace mentally. How troublesome.

I open my mouth to speak when he continues, "And the Magic Tower, too."

I snap. "Burn them all, I don't care at all! I'm done!"

Bayolenteng nalukot ang mukha ko bago napunta kay Alfonso ang paningin ko. Nakita kong isinara nito ang bibig niya at tumikhim sabay tago ng isa pang invitation.

"Kanino naman 'yang isa yan?" Naiinis kong tanong dito.

He clear his throat once again, "From the Everett Dukedom, Lady Guinevere De Everett's birthday."

I massage my temple as I sigh, exhausted. "Didn't they know that we're in the middle of a crisis? Well, it's not that the Frontera will fall with just this but..." I sigh once again. "And the Magic Tower, ang kapal naman ata ng pagmumukha nila magpadala ng imbetasyon pagkatapos ng ginawa nila sa mansyon ko?"

Bigla akong may ideyang naisip. Lumiwanag ang mukha ko bago dali-daling naghalungkat sa mga gamit sa mesa ko. Naghanap ako ng malinis na papel at nagsulat. After a few moments I'm done writing, a smile form on my lips as I fold the paper neatly and sealed it with our family emblem. A white rose.

Senenyasan ko si Alfonso na lumapit sa pwesto ko bago ibigay sa kanya ang sulat. Nagtataka nitong tinanggap. "Send that to the Magic Tower,"

He stared at me for a few moments then back to the letter.

"Oh, wait a minute!" Another great idea came to mind. Mabilis akong lumabas ng opisina at dumiretso sa kwarto ko. I ask Abby to get me a white box for gifting. While she went away to get what I ask her, I started rummaging through my things and look for the largest pearl I had within my jewelry set.

Ilang sandali ko itong sinuri bago balutan ng aking mana. I inserted enough divine power, just enough for it not to break apart. I set something withing it before putting inside the box, wrap with a red ribbon before handing to Alfonso.

"There, send that to the Magic Tower." Humagikhik ako. Iiling-iling namang tinanggap ni Alfonso ang binigay ko bago umalis.

Later that evening, I just read from a newspaper that the Magic Tower suddenly exploded earlier that day. When the reporter tries to ask for the Grand Mages opinion regarding the matter, both of them didn't comment anything or simply just didn't face the reporters at all.