The Seed Thief

Vol. 2 Chapter 8.1 - Epilogue

A group of women gathered in a beautiful garden, their laughter and conversation filling the air.

They were the elite of the kingdom—duchesses, countesses, renowned scholars, and celebrated artists. Any one of them could command a room, but today, their attention was focused on a single person. A woman with fiery red hair, seated at the head of the table.

It was Lulu.

“So, the Tower Master won’t be able to attend our gathering for a while? Such a shame.”

The Duchess’s face was etched with genuine disappointment. Today’s gathering was hosted by her. It was also a gathering that any woman in the kingdom would long to attend.

It was a privilege to be invited. It wasn’t because of the duchess’s social standing, but because of the guest of honor—The Tower Master, Lulu, was someone everyone wanted to meet.

Of course, the duchess hadn’t always been so welcoming.

After Prince Ervandas had retreated from public life, rumors had spread like wildfire. They whispered of his wife, a commoner with no family name, a witch with the dreaded red hair.

When the Duchess first heard these rumors, she thought they were absurd.

Ervandas, married? It was unthinkable. He, who had always shunned the company of women? Married, with a child?

It was only after the marriage was officially announced that she realized it wasn’t just idle gossip. However, only the marriage itself was announced, with no further details revealed.

So people didn’t know who his wife was, or even if the child that was born was a girl or a boy.

Despite the public’s curiosity, Ervandas remained quietly secluded in a separate palace near the capital.

About a year into his seclusion, the Duchess received a secret summons from Ervandas.

* * *

“Can you help my wife?”

The Prince, who was rumored to have not only defeated but completely annihilated the enemy forces, retained the handsome features she remembered from his youth. No, rather, those features, combined with a mature composure, held an even more captivating allure than before.

The Duchess, momentarily captivated, quickly recovered her composure.

“You mean Her Highness the Princess Consort?”

“Yes. Her name is Lulu. She doesn’t like being called ‘Your Highness,’ so it’s best to just call her by her name. If you don’t like that, His Majesty recently bestowed a separate title upon her… You can just call her ‘Lady.’ She prefers that.”

As he spoke, a loving smile spread across Ervandas’s face, revealing his affection for his wife. The smile was so bright and tender that the Duchess, forgetting her manners, stared blankly at his face.

Then she realized.

“Wait a minute. Her Highness’s name is… Lulu?”

“Yes. She doesn’t have a surname.”

The Duchess was speechless with astonishment at his reply. Good heavens. So the whispers circulating in secret were actually true. The rumor that she was a commoner without even a proper name.

“Is that name… perhaps a nickname, or…”

“It’s her real name.”

“…”

“I know what you’re thinking. For the record, she does have red hair, and she is a mage.”

The Duchess, who had been dazed, remembered why Ervandas had summoned her.