Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 53

“Lord Cladnier, it’s an honor to meet you. I am Kayla of the Manere family.”

“Mrs. Manere, thank you for all your assistance. Please, make yourself at home,” Eirik replied graciously.

Blushing at the warm reception, Mrs. Manere couldn’t help but glance at the odd couple seated before her. Lord Cladnier’s tall, sturdy frame and composed demeanor contrasted sharply with the pale woman next to him, who was busy chewing on a flower stem. It almost felt like a divine joke.

“You mentioned you met my mother this morning?” Eirik asked in his calm voice, snapping Mrs. Manere out of her thoughts.

“Yes, she was leaving for a meeting, so I saw her as soon as I arrived,” she replied, quickly regaining her composure.

“It would have been nice to meet together, but I was tied up with my duties at the knighthood, and my wife tends to wake up late,” Eirik explained.

“No problem at all. I must say, Lady Cladnier looks much healthier,” Mrs. Manere commented, her eyes widening in surprise.

All she remembered was seeing the princess crouched in corridors, lingering in maidservants’ quarters, or being dragged away by Dialle. But now, she looked well-nourished, with smooth, well-brushed hair—a testament to the Cladnier family’s care. Her attire, though reminiscent of what she wore in the palace, was made of soft, fine fabrics, akin to those worn by noble ladies.

“Then, should I address her as the young madam?” Mrs. Manere asked.

“Our staff refers to her that way,” Eirik replied vaguely.

“I’ll do the same,” she decided warmly.

Just as Mrs. Manere thought Lady Cladnier was behaving, she spat out what she was chewing and sprawled on the sofa, kicking her feet. Eirik deftly attended to her and turned back to Mrs. Manere.

“When is your next report to the palace?” he asked.

“In ten days. I was also instructed to get acquainted with the servants here,” she replied.

What could the king be plotting now? Eirik wondered but agreed readily. “Then, you should speak with the head maid and my wife’s maid, Gella, for more details.”

“Yes, and I will compile the report and consult with you before sending it to the palace,” Mrs. Manere continued smoothly, then hesitated, looking troubled.

“And…”

Eirik said gently, “Please, speak freely.”

“My brother-in-law, Lord Manere…” she began, clearly distressed.

Once a promising individual, he had become a burden to the family with his reckless behavior and debts.

“Thanks to the medical certificate you provided, we managed to send him to a sanatorium. But he keeps writing letters, claiming he was wrongly admitted, and causing us considerable trouble by contacting various people.”

“What exactly do you require?” Eirik asked calmly.

“We’d like him moved to a more remote monastery while he’s still in good physical condition. However, due to his suspicious nature, if he ends up in Cladnier territory, he’ll likely cause a scene,” she explained carefully.

“I understand. We’ll find a suitable place and relocate him within two weeks,” Eirik assured her.

Grateful, Mrs. Manere bowed and took her leave.

“I recognize her face,” Miesa said with a smile as she returned to the bedroom.

“She’s always been stuck to Mrs. Namirea, the chief lady-in-waiting. I never knew her name, though.”

“What do you think of her?” Eirik asked.

“She tends to be very cautious. She seems completely loyal to Mrs. Namirea, but she draws a line when it comes to anything unseemly,” Miesa replied.

“I see.”

“I heard that she’s from a family where sons are highly valued. She has three sons and wields significant influence, even over her husband. She didn’t concern herself much with palace affairs, but she stayed close to Mrs. Namirea for her sons’ advancement.”

“Interesting.”

“She doesn’t belong to any faction, does her job well, and is very loyal to Mrs. Namirea. So, she seems like a good fit,” Miesa concluded.

“That’s good to hear.”

Silence fell between them, and Eirik turned back to his desk, pretending to organize his papers.

Miesa stopped flipping through her book and closed her eyes. She reflected on past conversations and the hidden meanings within them. Piecing together the palace conversations she once memorized was incredibly satisfying. Being in Cladnier, she had started to take an interest in people’s emotions and relationships, and it began to reveal things she hadn’t seen before.

As the rainy season ended, visits to the Cladnier estate became more frequent.

“Oh, by the way, did you know that a letter arrived from Count Tilberg’s estate?” asked Margavine Cladnie.

“I suppose I wasn’t the intended recipient,” replied Eirik.

“It was addressed to the estate, so I received it. Edil, please bring the letter.”

Edil retrieved the letter and handed it to Eirik, who, after glancing at it, turned to Miesa on the floor with a changed expression.

“The captain of the guard will visit in two days. The letter doesn’t specify the purpose.”

“It does mention at the bottom that he intends to visit and pay his respects to the Margrave and Margravine and the Young Lord and Young Lady.”

Given that they had already been updated on the progress of Mrs. Dialle’s investigation by Tilberg’s messengers, there didn’t seem to be a need for an actual visit.

“It can’t just be a courtesy call. We’re not exactly on small talk terms with him,” Eirik said, chuckling at the thought but then pausing. He remembered that Miesa had mentioned being friends with the captain.

“It seems to be taking a long time to gather information about the captain of the guard at Tilberg,” Eirik mused. The question was directed at Edil. She had promised to look into it, but it was not like her to go this long without a report.

“Indeed. Edil, what have you found out?” Margravine Cladnier asked, turning her attention to Edil.

Edil hesitated before responding, “The captain was quite favorable towards the princess, now the young madam. He doesn’t have great ambition for advancement but is deeply loyal to the royal family for generations…”

“A straightforward man who serves the royal blood without question. That’s not a bad thing.”

“Is that all?” asked Eirik.

Margravine Cladnier nodded, but Eirik seemed to want more clarity.

Edil’s response seemed insufficient to him, so he thought of another source. “Perhaps we should call Mrs. Manere. She was in the palace until recently and might have more information.”

“Are you sure? She’s still new to working with us. We don’t want to reveal that we’re wary of Tilberg,” Margravine Cladnier cautioned.

Eirik didn’t want to burden his already overworked mother with this trivial matter. “Alright. I’ll learn more when we meet Tilberg ourselves,” Eirik decided.

***

Two days later, Tilberg, the Captain of the Guard visited the Cladnier mansion, bringing a belated wedding gift.

On the pretext of hearing the progress of the investigation, Eirik met with him privately in the parlor.

“I wasn’t sure what you’d like…” Tilberg began, presenting a gift upon sitting down. It was a goddess statue made of the rare and valuable malachite.

“They say malachite protects the bearer and breaks into two when danger approaches. It’s also used to decorate cradles to prevent nightmares…”

“I see,” Eirik replied.

Tilberg cautiously inquired, “Has Lady Cladnier been sleeping well lately?”

As long as you don’t show her the goddess statue you gifted, Eirik thought, but he expertly concealed his amusement, responding with a calm expression, “Yes, thanks to your concern. Miesa has been eating well and sleeping soundly.”

“That’s good to hear,” Tilberg smiled weakly.

“Thank you for your care,” Eirik said.

After exchanging pleasantries, Eirik got to the point. “You mentioned last time that you confirmed how the Marchioness of Crispin acquired the item.”

The Marchioness of Crispin initially denied the allegations, but the evidence was undeniable, and they eventually admitted to the charges.

Tilberg nodded. “Yes. The substance mixed in the cosmetics was a venom extracted from a poisonous spider, which causes nerve paralysis over prolonged exposure.”

“Our findings concur,” Eirik nodded calmly before addressing Tilberg again. “And the punishment?”

“That’s where it gets complicated,” Tilberg sighed. “Charging her with attempted regicide is tricky since Lady Cladnier is no longer considered royalty.”

“Indeed,” Eirik agreed.

“It’s lamentable, given our country’s laws,” Tilberg said, shaking his head.

“Viscount Maleca also claimed ignorance, stating he had been deceived by his wife. Regardless of their relationship, he denied any involvement. They have taken her body and held a quiet funeral.”

Tilberg seemed genuinely indignant. Eirik observed his demeanor, noting the apparent sympathy for Miesa, but something felt off.