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The next morning, Iana diligently cleaned the stables as usual.
Ru now only lingered around Andre, no longer running up to people who approached.
She was in the middle of cleaning when a familiar voice spoke from behind.
"I thought you only pretended to work, but you actually do clean."
Turning around, Iana saw Carrion standing in front of the fence, covering his nose with a handkerchief.
"Did you come to check if I'm really cleaning?"
"Iana, you told me to check if I didn't believe you, didn't you? So, that's why I came."
"If you've checked, then leave! You're in the way."
Iana turned her back and vigorously swept the floor.
"How pathetic. Whether it was a disguise or not, you divorced me and now you're cleaning this dirty stable."
"..."
"Iana, try harder. If you don't become the Grand Duchess, you'll be stuck cleaning horse manure here for the rest of your life."
Carrion sneered.
"Ha...!"
Iana stopped sweeping and let out a big sigh.
"Why does Count Dietrian care if I spend the rest of my life cleaning horse manure or rabbit droppings?"
"You think I wouldn't care?"
"..."
"What will my reputation be if my ex-wife is having an affair and cleaning stables?"
At his ridiculous words, Iana scooped up horse manure with a shovel and threw it at Carrion.
"You'll be covered in shit!"
"Iana, are you crazy?"
Carrion recoiled in disgust, and Andre spat at him repeatedly as if he was dirty.
"Carrion, stop bothering me and leave! I don't want to see your face!"
Iana and Carrion were bickering when.
"What are you doing!"
Mule entered the stable and shouted.
"Archmage, you're here?"
Iana put her hands together and greeted him politely.
Mule glanced at Carrion with a pout, then scolded Iana loudly.
"Secretary Iana, I told you not to act like a noble lady here. You clean as you please and have no sense of time."
"I'm, I'm sorry."
Iana lowered her head, watching Mule's expression.
"What time is it now? I told you several times that we're going to survey the monster habitat today!"
Mule kept winking at Iana as he spoke.
"...Oh, right. I forgot."
Iana caught on and pretended to be flustered.
He was probably taking her to the monster habitat because Carrion seemed to be watching her.
"We're leaving right now, so get ready quickly!"
"Archmage, don't overdo it."
Carrion warned in a low voice, probably realizing that he was being scolded on purpose.
"Then I'll stop here."
Mule immediately pretended to back down. Then, as he led his horse out, he grumbled as if for everyone to hear.
"Is this a playground? Why is everyone coming in here and making a fuss?"
"Archmage, are you saying that to me?"
Carrion crossed his arms and questioned him, and Mule turned around with a kind grandfatherly expression.
"No. I'm talking to myself. Old people tend to talk to themselves a lot."
While Carrion and Mule were arguing, Iana quickly picked up Ru and left the stable.
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana left Ru with the healer Karen and headed to the monster habitat with the mages.
Mule and Johan, along with three magic trainees, formed a procession. Khan rode in a small wagon connected to the magic trainee's horse.
Thump, thump, thump.
Iana rode Andre, struggling to keep up with the mages. But since she had only recently learned to ride, she kept falling behind.
After about an hour, they saw the entrance to a dark valley with a dense forest at the beginning of the mountain path.
Iana clung to Andre, struggling to get down.
"Secretary, grab my hand."
As Johan tried to help Iana, Mule stopped him and said.
"Iana, do you know what is needed to learn something quickly?"
"Wh, what is it?"
"Desperation. Then we'll go ahead, so you come on your own."
After speaking, Mule took the other mages and walked away.
"No! Wait for me."
Thinking that there was no one to help her, Iana calmly got off her horse and followed them.
As the group entered the dense forest, Mule cast a blue shield over the group of mages.
Iana looked around at the path leading to the dark valley.
A dense forest where not a single ray of light could enter. Sharp and large black rocks. A stream that looked black as it flowed over black pebbles.
In the gloomy atmosphere, they had to walk through muddy patches here and there.
"Is this the monster habitat?"
Iana asked Johan, who was holding Khan's leash.
"It was until recently, but not anymore. The monsters suddenly changed their habitat and disappeared, so we're investigating."
"The monsters disappeared?"
"Yes. So, the Archmage seems to have brought you here. This is a relatively less dangerous place."
Khan wasn't barking, so there seemed to be no monsters around.
Swish-.
The sound of rushing water grew louder, and the dark valley seemed to be getting closer.
Iana suddenly felt a dizzying sensation that shook her vision.
It was then.
Thud!
She tripped over something and fell.
"Ah!"
"Secretary!"
Iana got up with Johan's support.
Looking down, she saw a black vine tangled around her foot.
She cut off the black vine and brushed the dirt off her hands and robe.
"Iana, are you alright? How clumsy. You should have looked straight ahead."
Mule spoke reproachfully, but his eyes were full of concern.
"I did look straight ahead. There are many vines here, so I tripped."
"There are many vines here?"
"Yes. There are many on the ground and on the rocks."
Iana pointed to the ground and the sharp black rocks with her hand.
"I must have missed something...."
Mule looked as if he had been hit on the back of the head.
"What? Missed what?"
"There are many black stones here, so I naturally thought it was black because of the stones, but perhaps it's black because of the vines."
"What's the difference?"
Iana tilted her head.
"The cause and effect are different. I only thought that the existence that enhances the monsters' magical power would be a mutated monster, many rocks in the habitat, or old trees."
Mule snapped off a vine lying on the ground. He then lifted the vine in front of his eyes and looked at it with a sharp gaze.
"This is a vine called Arika, which has very weak magical power."
"Arika?"
"I need to check. This guy has weak magical power, but it exists everywhere in Ervin. With tenacious vitality."
Iana carefully examined the Arika that Mule was holding.
It was a vine with a dark green color close to black and fine thorns like hairs.
Iana felt dizzy again. A subtle dizziness like the thorns of Arika...
✦ ✦ ✦
At sunset, Iana and the mages arrived at the Ducal Palace.
The atmosphere of the guards guarding the castle gate was unusual.
A senior knight who had been waiting quietly approached and said.
"Please follow me for a moment."
"What's going on?"
"The investigation team is looking for Iana. First, Your Highness is waiting, so please follow me."
Iana was guided by the senior knight and went down the underground stairs of the castle gate. Then, she headed to the secret passage that led to the main castle.
After waiting in the underground room, Charles entered shortly after.
"Your Highness, I heard the investigation team is looking for me? What's going on?"
"They said they're investigating the operating costs of The First Order of Knights and called Karen and you together. It seems they're planning to find out how your illness was cured."
"Riel has been my attending maid since I was young. She knows a lot about my illness, so she must have found it strange."
Iana replied with a thoughtful face.
Ervin's altitude sickness.
Iana had agreed with the healer Karen that it was the same symptom as the disease that the people living in the highlands of Ervin had difficulty breathing, and that she had cured the disease with a Medicinal herb that only grew in Ervin.
"I'm telling you in advance because they said they would investigate as soon as you returned."
"Yes, I'll try to deal with it well."
"But your shoes..."
"Yes?"
Charles lowered his gaze, and Iana also lowered her head.
The Arika Vine, which seemed to have stuck from the black valley, was attached to her leather shoes along with the mud.
"Just a moment."
Charles took out a handkerchief, knelt on one knee, and brushed off Iana's dirty shoes.
"Yo, Your Highness, I'll do it."
Iana waved her hands in embarrassment.
"Your shoes are different from the ones I saw at the Count Dietrian's estate."
She recalled Charles picking up her shoes at the Count Dietrian's estate.
"Here are your shoes."
Iana smiled slightly, remembering Charles's appearance at that time, as if he were carrying out a secret mission.
But his face was full of apology.
He seemed to think that she was suffering in Ervin because of her dirty shoes.
"I found out for the first time after coming to Ervin."
"What are you talking about?"
Iana said in a clear voice, sticking out one foot.
"I didn't know my footprints were so pretty. I had never stepped on mud or horse manure before."
"What?"
Charles smiled softly.
Iana gently grabbed the hem of her robe and playfully greeted him.
"Thank you for letting me know that my footprints are pretty."
After speaking, she smiled brightly.
With a face that showed she was living happily in Ervin, contrary to his worries.
Then Charles reached out and caressed Iana's cheek.
"Your footprints are pretty, and you speak so beautifully."
"...!"
Iana looked at him with a stiff face.
Surprised, she stumbled backward and stepped on the Arika Vine lying on the floor.
Snap-.
It was that moment.
A blue light appeared on Iana's right hand.
Ru now only lingered around Andre, no longer running up to people who approached.
She was in the middle of cleaning when a familiar voice spoke from behind.
"I thought you only pretended to work, but you actually do clean."
Turning around, Iana saw Carrion standing in front of the fence, covering his nose with a handkerchief.
"Did you come to check if I'm really cleaning?"
"Iana, you told me to check if I didn't believe you, didn't you? So, that's why I came."
"If you've checked, then leave! You're in the way."
Iana turned her back and vigorously swept the floor.
"How pathetic. Whether it was a disguise or not, you divorced me and now you're cleaning this dirty stable."
"..."
"Iana, try harder. If you don't become the Grand Duchess, you'll be stuck cleaning horse manure here for the rest of your life."
Carrion sneered.
"Ha...!"
Iana stopped sweeping and let out a big sigh.
"Why does Count Dietrian care if I spend the rest of my life cleaning horse manure or rabbit droppings?"
"You think I wouldn't care?"
"..."
"What will my reputation be if my ex-wife is having an affair and cleaning stables?"
At his ridiculous words, Iana scooped up horse manure with a shovel and threw it at Carrion.
"You'll be covered in shit!"
"Iana, are you crazy?"
Carrion recoiled in disgust, and Andre spat at him repeatedly as if he was dirty.
"Carrion, stop bothering me and leave! I don't want to see your face!"
Iana and Carrion were bickering when.
"What are you doing!"
Mule entered the stable and shouted.
"Archmage, you're here?"
Iana put her hands together and greeted him politely.
Mule glanced at Carrion with a pout, then scolded Iana loudly.
"Secretary Iana, I told you not to act like a noble lady here. You clean as you please and have no sense of time."
"I'm, I'm sorry."
Iana lowered her head, watching Mule's expression.
"What time is it now? I told you several times that we're going to survey the monster habitat today!"
Mule kept winking at Iana as he spoke.
"...Oh, right. I forgot."
Iana caught on and pretended to be flustered.
He was probably taking her to the monster habitat because Carrion seemed to be watching her.
"We're leaving right now, so get ready quickly!"
"Archmage, don't overdo it."
Carrion warned in a low voice, probably realizing that he was being scolded on purpose.
"Then I'll stop here."
Mule immediately pretended to back down. Then, as he led his horse out, he grumbled as if for everyone to hear.
"Is this a playground? Why is everyone coming in here and making a fuss?"
"Archmage, are you saying that to me?"
Carrion crossed his arms and questioned him, and Mule turned around with a kind grandfatherly expression.
"No. I'm talking to myself. Old people tend to talk to themselves a lot."
While Carrion and Mule were arguing, Iana quickly picked up Ru and left the stable.
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana left Ru with the healer Karen and headed to the monster habitat with the mages.
Mule and Johan, along with three magic trainees, formed a procession. Khan rode in a small wagon connected to the magic trainee's horse.
Thump, thump, thump.
Iana rode Andre, struggling to keep up with the mages. But since she had only recently learned to ride, she kept falling behind.
After about an hour, they saw the entrance to a dark valley with a dense forest at the beginning of the mountain path.
Iana clung to Andre, struggling to get down.
"Secretary, grab my hand."
As Johan tried to help Iana, Mule stopped him and said.
"Iana, do you know what is needed to learn something quickly?"
"Wh, what is it?"
"Desperation. Then we'll go ahead, so you come on your own."
After speaking, Mule took the other mages and walked away.
"No! Wait for me."
Thinking that there was no one to help her, Iana calmly got off her horse and followed them.
As the group entered the dense forest, Mule cast a blue shield over the group of mages.
Iana looked around at the path leading to the dark valley.
A dense forest where not a single ray of light could enter. Sharp and large black rocks. A stream that looked black as it flowed over black pebbles.
In the gloomy atmosphere, they had to walk through muddy patches here and there.
"Is this the monster habitat?"
Iana asked Johan, who was holding Khan's leash.
"It was until recently, but not anymore. The monsters suddenly changed their habitat and disappeared, so we're investigating."
"The monsters disappeared?"
"Yes. So, the Archmage seems to have brought you here. This is a relatively less dangerous place."
Khan wasn't barking, so there seemed to be no monsters around.
Swish-.
The sound of rushing water grew louder, and the dark valley seemed to be getting closer.
Iana suddenly felt a dizzying sensation that shook her vision.
It was then.
Thud!
She tripped over something and fell.
"Ah!"
"Secretary!"
Iana got up with Johan's support.
Looking down, she saw a black vine tangled around her foot.
She cut off the black vine and brushed the dirt off her hands and robe.
"Iana, are you alright? How clumsy. You should have looked straight ahead."
Mule spoke reproachfully, but his eyes were full of concern.
"I did look straight ahead. There are many vines here, so I tripped."
"There are many vines here?"
"Yes. There are many on the ground and on the rocks."
Iana pointed to the ground and the sharp black rocks with her hand.
"I must have missed something...."
Mule looked as if he had been hit on the back of the head.
"What? Missed what?"
"There are many black stones here, so I naturally thought it was black because of the stones, but perhaps it's black because of the vines."
"What's the difference?"
Iana tilted her head.
"The cause and effect are different. I only thought that the existence that enhances the monsters' magical power would be a mutated monster, many rocks in the habitat, or old trees."
Mule snapped off a vine lying on the ground. He then lifted the vine in front of his eyes and looked at it with a sharp gaze.
"This is a vine called Arika, which has very weak magical power."
"Arika?"
"I need to check. This guy has weak magical power, but it exists everywhere in Ervin. With tenacious vitality."
Iana carefully examined the Arika that Mule was holding.
It was a vine with a dark green color close to black and fine thorns like hairs.
Iana felt dizzy again. A subtle dizziness like the thorns of Arika...
✦ ✦ ✦
At sunset, Iana and the mages arrived at the Ducal Palace.
The atmosphere of the guards guarding the castle gate was unusual.
A senior knight who had been waiting quietly approached and said.
"Please follow me for a moment."
"What's going on?"
"The investigation team is looking for Iana. First, Your Highness is waiting, so please follow me."
Iana was guided by the senior knight and went down the underground stairs of the castle gate. Then, she headed to the secret passage that led to the main castle.
After waiting in the underground room, Charles entered shortly after.
"Your Highness, I heard the investigation team is looking for me? What's going on?"
"They said they're investigating the operating costs of The First Order of Knights and called Karen and you together. It seems they're planning to find out how your illness was cured."
"Riel has been my attending maid since I was young. She knows a lot about my illness, so she must have found it strange."
Iana replied with a thoughtful face.
Ervin's altitude sickness.
Iana had agreed with the healer Karen that it was the same symptom as the disease that the people living in the highlands of Ervin had difficulty breathing, and that she had cured the disease with a Medicinal herb that only grew in Ervin.
"I'm telling you in advance because they said they would investigate as soon as you returned."
"Yes, I'll try to deal with it well."
"But your shoes..."
"Yes?"
Charles lowered his gaze, and Iana also lowered her head.
The Arika Vine, which seemed to have stuck from the black valley, was attached to her leather shoes along with the mud.
"Just a moment."
Charles took out a handkerchief, knelt on one knee, and brushed off Iana's dirty shoes.
"Yo, Your Highness, I'll do it."
Iana waved her hands in embarrassment.
"Your shoes are different from the ones I saw at the Count Dietrian's estate."
She recalled Charles picking up her shoes at the Count Dietrian's estate.
"Here are your shoes."
Iana smiled slightly, remembering Charles's appearance at that time, as if he were carrying out a secret mission.
But his face was full of apology.
He seemed to think that she was suffering in Ervin because of her dirty shoes.
"I found out for the first time after coming to Ervin."
"What are you talking about?"
Iana said in a clear voice, sticking out one foot.
"I didn't know my footprints were so pretty. I had never stepped on mud or horse manure before."
"What?"
Charles smiled softly.
Iana gently grabbed the hem of her robe and playfully greeted him.
"Thank you for letting me know that my footprints are pretty."
After speaking, she smiled brightly.
With a face that showed she was living happily in Ervin, contrary to his worries.
Then Charles reached out and caressed Iana's cheek.
"Your footprints are pretty, and you speak so beautifully."
"...!"
Iana looked at him with a stiff face.
Surprised, she stumbled backward and stepped on the Arika Vine lying on the floor.
Snap-.
It was that moment.
A blue light appeared on Iana's right hand.
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