The Abandoned Princess, Yet She Is Loved - Chapter 62

‘It might be safe for her to stay within this estate, but…’

 

As long as he was around, and as long as she didn’t go off alone into the woods, he was confident he could keep her from danger.

 

But was it really okay to just leave things as they were?

 

Grace had been seriously ill after being covered in the divine beast’s blood early on, and there was that strange energy coming from her body when she was attacked by strangers in the forest.

 

He wasn’t sure if it was something that could just be ignored.

 

— Your wife might need help learning to manage her power. She probably needs guidance from the Armento.

 

If Grace truly needed to meet the Armento, as Rubens had said, then she would definitely need his help.

 

Most of the Armento were under the control of the Imperial Family.

 

Should he accept the crown prince’s offer to become commander of the Imperial Knights? Really?

 

“Damn it…”

 

Frederick let out a sigh, lost in deep thought. He was completely confused about what to do.

 

 

Grace was struggling with something. Lately, she kept having the same dream over and over again.

 

She was wandering aimlessly through a foggy forest. With no destination, she would just walk, until she began to hear unfamiliar voices from somewhere nearby.

 

“It’s Ennis.”

 

“She has Ennis’s energy.”

 

They were the same words the bird from the Sertil estate had spoken.

 

“Who is Ennis?”

 

She tried asking out loud, but there was no answer. She wandered through the forest, searching for the source of the voices, but never saw anyone.

 

Who were they? Who could it be? She would always wake up in the morning after aimlessly wandering around. It was frustrating, but she didn’t know why it was happening.

 

“…Ugh.”

 

Sitting on the sofa reading a book, Grace suddenly groaned and held her head.

 

“My lady, what’s wrong?”

 

Sally, who had been cleaning the room, rushed over in alarm.

 

“I… I’m not sure. Lately my body’s just been like this.”

 

Grace had been experiencing sudden bouts of dizziness lately. They didn’t last long, so she hadn’t said anything, but this time the pain was too much to hide.

 

“Maybe you’ve been overworking yourself lately? You should take a break from managing things…”

 

“I haven’t really been working that much, though…”

 

The dizziness had grown worse, and she hadn’t been painting as much. She could barely keep up with her estate duties.

 

“I’ll go get a doctor, my lady.”

 

“It’s not that bad. I think I just need to go out and get some fresh air.”

 

“No, I really think you need one. Please wait.”

 

Sally put down her cleaning supplies and left the room. A few hours later, she returned with a physician.

 

“May I examine you?”

 

“Yes, of course.”

 

The physician checked her with a stethoscope and thermometer.

 

“There doesn’t appear to be any obvious issue… It’s strange. How long has this been going on?”

 

“A few weeks, I think.”

 

“It’s hard to determine the cause. I’ll prescribe something for the headaches, at least to help ease the pain. Please take it regularly.”

 

“Alright… Thank you.”

 

After the physician left, Grace continued to rest, waiting for the pain to subside. It was only after quite some time that the headache finally eased.

 

“Are you feeling okay?”

 

Meanwhile, Frederick had only just found out that Grace had called a doctor due to being unwell. Surprised and worried, he came home before dinner.

 

“Frederick…”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

He had already heard from the maids that Grace had been looking unwell recently.

 

“Well…”

 

Grace hesitated.

 

“I didn’t want to worry you… and I didn’t know what was causing it. The doctor said he didn’t know either…”

 

“I wish you wouldn’t keep it to yourself.”

 

Frederick took her hand in his. Grace was a little surprised when she saw his expression—it was more serious than she had ever seen.

 

“Frederick…”

 

“If you’re in pain, say so. If you’re struggling, say so. That’s the only way I can take care of things in time.”

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

It was the only thing she could say. She wasn’t used to saying she was in pain or having a hard time. She had always endured things quietly. Even as a duchess, it wasn’t easy to break that habit.

 

“There’s nothing to apologize for. Just tell me. I’m your husband. I want to be able to do what you need.”

 

“Okay, Frederick.”

 

Even though his words were blunt, she could feel his sincerity. Grace gently hugged him, and Frederick held her tightly, as if he would never let her go.

 

“I’ll find a way to help you, no matter what.”

 

“Thank you, Frederick. There’s something else I want to talk about.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“Actually, I’ve been having these dreams lately…”

 

And so, Grace began to tell her story.

 

 

A few days later, Frederick brought an elderly man to the house, saying he had something to discuss that afternoon. Since it was unusual for him to invite anyone over or arrange meetings, Grace was surprised but welcomed the guest.

 

“My name is Amon Draph. I spent a long time in the capital with the Armento, but now I’ve returned to my hometown.”

 

“Armento?”

 

The elderly man introduced himself politely. Grace’s eyes widened. She had only ever heard about the Armento—now one was standing in front of her. She wasn’t sure why Frederick had brought him, though.

 

“Yes. I’m an Armento—one who wields the elements.”

 

“What’s your ability?”

 

“I can control water. Among the Armento, we’re called ‘Aquans.’”

 

Curious, Grace looked at him intently. The old man opened his palm, and water droplets began to form and rise, eventually merging into a large floating ball of water.

 

“Wow, that’s amazing! You can move it freely, right? I’ve read about this in books.”

 

“What kind of books?”

 

“Books that describe how Armento use their powers in battle.”

 

The old man chuckled softly at her words.

 

“It’s been a long time since I fought in battle. These days I just amuse myself with tricks like this. Now then, my lady, may I see your wrist?”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

When Grace looked at Frederick, a bit confused by the sudden request, he gave her a calm nod. Not knowing the reason, she held out her wrist.

 

“Pardon me, just for a moment.”

 

The old man gently took her wrist, pressing his index finger to her pulse and closing his eyes as if meditating.

 

“Ah… such an incredible flow of energy. It’s like a wellspring of endless power.”

 

He opened his eyes shortly after, clearly impressed.

 

“You have such immense energy within you—it’s no wonder your body is having trouble.”

 

It was a conversation Grace didn’t fully understand. She glanced at Frederick, but he didn’t seem surprised, as if he understood everything.

 

“I’ll share some of my energy with you to help calm the energy inside you.”

 

The old man closed his eyes again. As he held her wrist, Grace felt something flow into her body. It was a strange sensation, and she shivered slightly.

 

“What… what is this?”

 

“I shared some of my energy to help soothe the energy flowing inside you. It may not last long, but it should help for now. Duke, may I speak with you privately?”

 

The old man turned to Frederick.

 

“Of course.”

 

Frederick followed him out of the room. Left alone, Grace sat there in a daze, unsure what to make of everything, then slowly stood up.

 

 

“I have something to say.”

 

A few days later, Frederick spoke in a firm tone to Grace in their bedroom.

 

“Yes, Frederick?”

 

She answered readily, although she wasn’t sure why he looked so serious.

 

“What would you think about going to the capital?”

 

“The… capital?”

 

Grace’s eyes widened at the unexpected question. Frederick hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke.

 

“I found out what’s been making you sick. That white energy that came out of your body when we were at the Sertil estate…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“They say it’s divine energy—like the one that fox, your pet, had. It’s apparently the source of the four elemental powers the Armento use, and it’s a truly immense force.”

 

Immense force… Grace was stunned. She had that kind of power? She… had gained an ability?

 

“I also spoke with His Highness, the Crown Prince. He said you need to come to the capital to properly identify this power and learn how to control it. Those strange voices you heard in your dreams—they might be other divine beasts.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“I think you got this power when you were covered in that fox’s blood. That’s probably why you were so sick afterward. And now, it seems you’ve gained the ability to see glimpses of the future, too.”