Chapter 204: The Words of a Noble

"Olivia and the Second Prince are coming?"

Sitting inside her Lair, Valdrova looked up at Luri after hearing her report.

"Yes."

"Olivia... you mean that... incredibly beautiful woman?"

"That's right."

"The one who came to the festival?"

"Yes. The very same person who almost danced with Master Ferda, and who was constantly by his side."

"I-I don't think it was quite like that..."

Bright golden hair.

Clear blue eyes.

Even her smile was flawless.

Even without trying to remember her, Olivia's presence was like an awl tucked into a pocket.

It would inevitably poke through.

The radiance she gave off made even Valdrova feel shabby and insignificant by comparison.

"Shall I tell the princess that she isn't allowed inside?"

Luri's question made Valdrova jump.

"Why?"

"I assumed you were worried Mr. Ferda might take a liking to her. If that's the case, shouldn't we prevent them from meeting?"

Valdrova was horrified.

"Mr. Ferda isn't that kind of person."

"True, he isn't."

"Then why would you say something like that?"

"My duty is to prevent anything that might disturb my master's peace of mind before it happens."

Valdrova flinched.

"As the saying goes, there's no smoke without fire, and trees without roots bear no leaves. If Princess Olivia stays close to Ferda long enough, he may one day be captivated by her."

"But I spend far more time with him."

"That's just how men are."

"...Is that really so?"

"Yes."

Valdrova couldn't understand why Luri sounded so certain. She had never even dated anyone herself, so how could she know men so well?

Still...

The moment Olivia's name came up, anxiety began creeping into her heart.

She imagined Olivia standing beside Ferda.

And...

She couldn't help but think they looked perfect together.

Valdrova didn't want to doubt Ferda.

That was why, just as Luri had suggested, the ideal solution was for Olivia never to meet him at all.

If she continued worrying like this, Ferda would surely notice.

Then... he might think I'm a troublesome woman.

The thought that he might someday grow tired of her and leave filled her with fear.

How could she rid herself of these feelings?

After thinking for a long while, Valdrova finally reached a conclusion.

***

Valdrova Castle.

Guided by Luri, Olivia walked through the castle.

The route differed from the one she usually took, making everything feel strangely fresh.

Valdrova...

The dragon who protected the Far East.

She had even accepted the human-bestowed title of Grand Duchess, willingly becoming the dragon who guarded those lands.

Yet who truly treated her as a guardian dragon?

She was still branded an evil dragon.

Nothing more than a watchdog.

There had even been a time when Olivia believed Valdrova's achievements were exaggerated—that perhaps she wasn't such an extraordinary dragon after all.

But that had been nothing more than arrogance.

Having participated in the campaign against the monsters, Olivia understood the truth.

When the army marched out, everyone desperately sought hope.

Yet Olivia herself hadn't been enough.

She could inspire the masses...

But she couldn't sustain them.

What completely overturned the army's morale had been a single gesture.

The crimson dragon standing alone atop Lonely Mountain.

No matter how many speeches Olivia delivered...

No matter how loudly she raised her voice...

She could never have accomplished what that single sight had.

That...

Was unquestionably the choice of a Monarch.

And now... a dragon like Valdrova has summoned me...

Why would someone like her bother calling for an insignificant human?

No...

She already had a rough idea why.

If Valdrova was also a woman...

Then there could only be one reason.

She's probably going to tell me to stop flirting with another woman's fiancé...

She had heard it countless times before.

Ever since puberty, boys her age, elderly men, engaged men, even married men had all shown interest in her.

'That little hussy's already chasing after other women's men.'

'So shameless... Who would ever marry a girl like her?'

To Olivia, who had never once viewed any man romantically, it all felt unbearably unfair.

She had always maintained proper boundaries just as she'd been taught in etiquette lessons.

She behaved with dignity to avoid misunderstandings.

Yet it was always the men who crossed the line.

Sometimes...

No one crossed any line at all.

Even then, jealous women still directed their resentment toward her.

Men looked at her with lust-filled eyes.

Women glared at her with jealousy.

Olivia was always exhausted.

If Red Dragon Valdrova truly was a woman...

Then this meeting was undoubtedly born of jealousy.

In that case... this is simple.

All she had to do was promise never to interact with that man again.

Not exchange even the simplest greeting.

Walk past him as though he were nothing more than a stone.

Swear upon the name of the gods that she would do so.

Then everything would be resolved.

Olivia would no longer need to endure pointless jealousy.

...But I don't want to do that.

Her relationship with Ferda wasn't that of a man and a woman.

He was someone she trusted.

A reliable partner.

At the same time...

He was almost like the god she worshipped.

She couldn't casually promise to sever that bond.

Then what should I do?

Perhaps... I won't be leaving here alive today.

The absurd thought made Olivia chuckle to herself.

"Master, Princess Arken has arrived."

Luri led Olivia into the castle garden.

It was maintained with such meticulous care that even the Imperial Palace gardens, tended by dozens of gardeners, couldn't compare.

At the center stood a roofed pavilion.

A table had already been prepared for tea.

A woman dressed in crimson sat waiting there.

So... that's Valdrova.

Olivia had already seen Valdrova's human form twice.

Her voluptuous figure.

Her flawless white skin.

And...

The two pairs of terrifying horns that contrasted against her beauty.

The sharpened tips of those horns gleamed ominously, making Olivia tense.

I can endure this much.

No matter what happened...

She couldn't lose her composure.

Even if she found herself inside a dragon's jaws...

She had to remain calm until the very end.

Olivia bowed respectfully.

"It is an honor to meet the Great Aspect of Fire, Lady Valdrova."

"..."

Valdrova merely nodded without speaking.

That alone told Olivia everything she needed to know.

She seems displeased.

She definitely hadn't been summoned here with friendly intentions.

The pressure tightened around her chest.

Luri pulled out a chair behind her, and Olivia took the seat opposite Valdrova.

"It is a great honor to behold Your Grace, the Grand Duchess. I had heard rumors that Lady Valdrova was a woman, but I never imagined I would have the privilege of meeting you in person before even my elder brothers."

"..."

"My apologies. I've spoken far too much without knowing my place."

"N-No..."

Valdrova's first words came out in an awkward stammer.

Her voice was surprisingly gentle.

Then, as though forcing authority into it, she straightened herself.

"Not at all."

To Olivia...

It almost felt like watching a child unnecessarily pretending to be a king.

She chose to ignore the impression.

"Then I am relieved. To think that Your Grace wished to speak with me—I, Olivia Arken, am deeply honored."

"Th-That's... good."

"If it isn't presumptuous, might I enjoy some tea with Your Grace?"

"Y-Yes..."

As soon as Valdrova finished her hesitant reply, silence settled between them once more.

Ordinarily, Olivia could shatter awkward silences with ease.

She had mastered every conversational skill expected of the future mistress of the Imperial Palace.

Yet somehow...

She couldn't begin.

I can't read her...

The more she sat before Valdrova, the more confused she became.

The hostess Valdrova who had captivated everyone during the Festival of the Beginning of Spring.

The dragon Valdrova who stood proudly atop Lonely Mountain.

And the Valdrova before her now...

Like a young noble lady experiencing polite society for the first time.

All three had to be the same person.

Yet they simply refused to overlap in Olivia's mind.

If only she could determine what kind of person Valdrova truly was...

But even that proved impossible.

So she carefully guarded every word.

She focused on a single question.

Why did Valdrova summon me?

She refused to jump to conclusions.

Right now...

Olivia had to appear innocent.

An innocent Olivia knew nothing.

So she cautiously tested the waters.

"Your Grace... wouldn't it have been better to speak with the Second Prince rather than me?"

"...Why do you think that?"

"I am merely a princess. A princess is little more than the lady of the palace. If you spoke with someone like me, our conversation would inevitably revolve around trivial, personal matters. As a wise ruler, Your Grace must place affairs of state and the Empire above all else, so surely my elder brother would have been the more appropriate choice..."

"Ah... um... well..."

Valdrova fumbled over her words.

"Those sorts of discussions are... well... someone like Mr. Ferda—no, what was it again... Anyway... someone like Ferda should be the one handling them...!"

"I... see."

What exactly had she been trying to say?

Now even Olivia found herself bewildered.

Behind her composed expression, Valdrova looked strangely flustered.

"...I wished to speak with you because you are intelligent... and beautiful."

Olivia's heart sank.

Whenever another woman praised her for being intelligent and beautiful while they were alone...

Nothing good had ever followed.

Still smiling, Olivia pretended not to understand.

"I am deeply honored that an Immortal would think so highly of a mere Mortal. Yet humans are ultimately beings modeled after the gods. We could never surpass the beauty of dragons, who stand so much closer to divinity."

"..."

Valdrova said nothing.

Her gaze remained fixed on Olivia's eyes beyond the mask.

What was she thinking?

The pressure only intensified.

"You truly are intelligent. Intelligent enough that you seem perfectly suited to Ferda."

At those words...

Olivia could no longer smile.

Perfectly suited to another woman's fiancé.

From the moment those words left Valdrova's mouth...

Everything was effectively over.

Suppressing her pounding heart and forcing back the cold sweat threatening to form, Olivia spoke.

"Olivia Arken offers her sincerest apology to Your Grace."

"U-Um...?"

"It is improper for a young man and woman to spend time alone together. More importantly, it is only natural that one should never be alone with someone who already belongs to another. I have been terribly foolish."

"Huh...?"

"However, my meetings with Lord Regent Ferda have always remained strictly political. Lord Regent has always maintained clear boundaries, to the point that even if misunderstandings or scandals arise, they are quickly dispelled."

"I-Is... that so?"

"Yes. Surely it is because he loves Your Grace so deeply."

"...Love..."

Valdrova softly repeated the word like an innocent young girl.

"He speaks about Your Grace quite often."

Valdrova leaned forward.

"W-What does he say?"

The forced dignity vanished from her voice, revealing its naturally gentle warmth.

Startled, Olivia continued.

"He often says that Your Grace is so beautiful that you are far beyond what he deserves. He says that every day he discovers something new about you... that you are his muse."

It was, of course, a lie.

Ferda rarely spoke about Valdrova.

Whenever they met, he discussed only official matters.

Even so...

Olivia told the lie solely to soothe Valdrova's heart.

As soon as she finished speaking, regret crept in.

Did I overdo it?

Exaggeration made lies far easier to expose.

With a dragon's Insight, Valdrova should have immediately realized Olivia was lying.

"R-Really?"

Apparently not.

Valdrova's shoulders wiggled ever so slightly.

Then she lowered her head completely.

The information conveyed by that tiny action stunned Olivia.

Is she... embarrassed?

An ancient dragon...

Embarrassed simply because her fiancé had supposedly spoken fondly of her?

It was absurd.

She wasn't some young noble girl squealing over a prince on a white horse.

Olivia concealed her astonishment behind a gentle smile.

"Still... there's a saying that one shouldn't even stop to retie one's shoelaces in an apple orchard."

"...?"

Valdrova looked puzzled, so Olivia explained.

"It means one should avoid actions that invite misunderstanding. I used an expression only humans would understand."

"Ah... I knew that..."

"In any case... if it troubles Your Grace that Lord Regent Ferda and I continue to meet..."

For some reason...

The words refused to leave her mouth.

She had never imagined saying them would hurt so much.

Yet she forced herself to continue.

"I shall stop meeting with Lord Regent."

Though she had spoken the words herself...

It felt as though someone had just broken up with her.

"Huh? T-There's no need for that!"

"...Pardon?"

Olivia looked up.

"You may continue meeting Ferda. Didn't you say your meetings were necessary?"

"However... wasn't it my meetings with Lord Regent Ferda that troubled Your Grace? If so, then surely it would be best if I ended them."

Valdrova had called her intelligent.

Beautiful.

"You even said we looked well together."

"I did."

To Olivia...

Those words had sounded like a warning not to covet another woman's fiancé.

"So..."

Valdrova continued.

"I invited you because I want to become as beautiful and intelligent as you."

What Valdrova showed her...

Was not jealousy.

It was pure admiration.