Chapter 103

Chapter 103

It was the first time Cassis had been absent from the Blue fortress in a while, which obviously meant that we hadn’t been apart in an equally long amount of time. In the days leading up to his departure, he had spent even more time transferring extra energy into me.

Thanks to that, I felt like I was in the best physical shape of my life. Or at least healthy enough to hold out until his return. Once he was reassured that my health had improved enough, he finally left. Then the time I had been waiting for arrived. I walked out of my room after preparing everything I would need for the journey.

I didn’t get very far before Olin sidled up to me. “Going out for a stroll, Miss?”

Both of the Fipellion guests had already left the Blue castle, so there really wasn’t any reason for her to still guard me. But I supposed she had taken Cassis’ order about looking after me to heart, so she continued serving as my protector instead of seeing to her other duties.

“No, I plan to go a little ways.”

“May I ask how far ‘a little ways’ is?”

“To the Vertium compound.”

“Pardon?” Her eyes became so wide from shock that I imagined a fly might accidentally blind her.

“I received an invitation from the Gold Master.”

I had already informed Cassis’ mother Jeanne of my decision since both he and Roussel had already left for Yggdrasil, and it was only proper that I inform the lady of the castle of my comings and goings. Of course, I didn’t go into any detail about what the invitation letter said or my true purpose for taking the trip.

I simply said that I had received an invitation from the Vertium master to visit the Gold clan and that I had decided to accept it. And sure I could have very likely slipped away in secret, but I didn’t want to since that would cause the Pedelians to wonder why I had chosen to flee as well as worry about my safety. More than anything, I didn’t want Cassis to get the impression that I was deserting him. Although that knowing expression he gave me just before his departure may have been an indication that he already suspected I might do exactly what I was preparing to do.

Of course, he had also encouraged me to do whatever it was I wanted, which essentially meant he wouldn’t just let me vanish into thin air. In fact, he had gone the extra length to remind me that no matter where I ended up, he would come find me. Just thinking about what he had said filled me with a warm glow. Then my mind returned to Noel Vertium and my impending journey. Needless to say, I was not thrilled about it.

“Then I shall accompany you.”

“No, no. You needn’t trouble yourself, Olin. Someone from their clan is on their way here to escort me.”

I had no intention of taking a single Pedelian along with me, but Olin hadn’t been as easy as I had hoped to discourage. After I gave her a definitive no, she stopped dead in her tracks, and I made my way out of the annex.

* * *

“Good day, Miss. My name is Dante. I am one of Master Noel Vertium’s loyal subjects.” A Vertium envoy had arrived just as I reached the main castle.

“Welcome, Gold clan delegates.” The Blue Madame, Sylvia, and I were at the head of the welcoming party, and as the most senior member of the Blue clan present, Jeanne offered a greeting to the visitors first. “I’m curious, will the Vertiums not be in attendance at the meeting in Yggdrasil this time?”

“That is correct, Madame. As many know, our master is rather shy when it comes to making public appearances.” The man with the snow-white hair who had introduced himself as Dante addressed Jeanne rather respectfully.

I couldn’t help feeling somewhat negatively about Noel as I considered the fact that both the Blue Master and the Blue Heir had left without delay for Yggdrasil, while the Gold Master Noel Vertium was preoccupied with inviting an unknown woman to his compound. As I stood there, I was certain even this Dante fellow found Jeanne’s curiosity to be more than understandable. Still, she readily accepted his half-baked excuse for his master’s lax behavior. I assumed she did so since she had likely already heard about how much of an oddball the Vertium leader was.

After the brief exchange, Dante turned to face me. “Thank you so much for accepting our invitation, Miss Roxana. We shall ensure your journey to our territory is both safe and quick.”

I took note of the fact that he didn’t address me as “Miss Agrece.” It was a clear indication that Dante was well aware of my standing with my former clan. There was an equal probability that every Vertium clan member was equally in the know. As I was finally able to see him up close, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he looked familiar. Then I remembered that he was the very man who had been at Noel’s side during the previous gathering’s grand banquet. Not only that. Right then, the memory of him bringing me flowers outside the banquet hall flashed through my mind.

Our encounter had hardly registered, but I suppose I would have recognized him much sooner had I not been consumed with thoughts of what was to come at the Black mansion throughout the gathering. I couldn’t quite remember, but he had said something to the effect of, “A gift from my master,” which must have meant that the flowers were from Noel himself.

“I am so honored...” I attempted to hide my astonishment at this revelation by forcing a smile as I spoke. “...that the Gold Master would send me a letter of invitation personally, and that he even sent his most trusted steward to escort me into your territory. I struggle to find the words to express my gratitude.”

I watched as Dante’s eyes became thin slits as I assumed he had caught the tone of sarcasm in my voice. Quite frankly, the situation at that moment wasn’t at all what Noel had expected when he first invited me to the Vertium compound. It was definitely a far cry from the secret rendezvous he had been hoping for. He had taken the liberty to express his desire that I leave the Blue fortress to go to him with the utmost stealth.

Of course, I saw absolutely zero reason to oblige him, so I didn’t. And sure, Grizelda’s letter had helped me make up my mind about visiting the Gold clan in order to ascertain things, but that didn’t mean I had to do as their master wished. So instead, I shared the information with the Pedelians both publicly and officially.

Dante and his men were only there because I had specifically requested an escort. Noel must have been a little surprised and likely annoyed that I wasn’t foolishly following along with his idiotic scheme. Once he saw that I would not budge without having my demands met first, he gave in to them almost immediately. His second letter had been visibly composed in haste as its tone was quite different from his first one. I had already suspected as much since he chose to open our correspondence with coercion, but his second letter had made it abundantly clear that he was hell-bent on having me at the Vertium compound.

“I was told you brought me a most precious gift. I look forward to seeing what it is.” A statement that was true as I stood there surrounded by the Pedelian witnesses to my departure with Noel Vertium’s men as my escorts. I directed my gaze more pointedly at Dante, then offered him a smile with absolutely zero warmth.

Dante bowed before answering me. “You will not be disappointed, Miss.”

I continued to smile as I thought how little they would want to disappoint me if they knew what I was capable of. Even then I had to admit to myself that what Noel had achieved was quite remarkable for he had succeeded in prompting me out of my hibernation and into action. Nevertheless, I was prepared to make him suffer my full wrath should he disappoint me in any way.

“Roxana... Wouldn’t it be better to wait for Cassis’ return, then go with him?” The worry that was so plainly etched into Sylvia’s face was endearing. Her voice was almost pleading with me, but I couldn’t take Cassis there.

Besides it being a personal matter, I could not accept having him or any of the other Pedelians suffer a potential fallout with the Gold clan on my account. I smiled at my silver-haired companion in hopes of soothing her concerns. “Don’t worry. I won’t be gone for long.”

Just as she was about to speak up, Dante interjected. “Forgive me, Miss Pedelian, but our master only extended the invitation to Miss Roxana.”

Sylvia’s brow knitted together as she turned from me to glare at Dante with all the anger she could scrunch into her delicate face. I had only known her as the sweet, angelic, young beauty, but it was becoming painfully clear that she could be mean quite effortlessly. Then again, her mother did say that she had been a tomboy for most of her childhood.

“I shall return in no time at all.” And with that, I left from Jeanne’s and Sylvia’s sides.

“I expect you to treat her with the utmost respect and dignity as she is our esteemed guest as well.”

Dante bowed at Jeanne’s final admonition, but I noticed something like uncertainty in his eyes. I didn’t know exactly what Noel was after but making the entire affair public ensured that he would have to keep everything above board as well. It would also ensure that he wouldn’t be able to get away with anything funny.

I smiled bitterly as I climbed into their carriage to a place where there was no trace of Cassis at all.