Chapter 2 - Why Are You Leaving? (1/2)
Chapter 2 – Why Are You Leaving?
The carriage, which was full of quality mana, ran at a terrific speed as soon as it left the capital.
Ashia looked around in the carriage and soon fixed her eyes on the man sitting in front of her.
The man seemed to be busy as he was handling important documents even inside the carriage.
‘Given the quality and quantity of the mana stone, I am certain that this man is very rich…..’
Who the hell sent this man here?
No symbols were engraved on this carriage. It meant that there was no way for one to know who the owner of the carriage is. Moreover, he probably did this as he didn’t want to draw the attention of anyone.
I am curious about who the master is of that man, but it seems like he wouldn’t let me know any detail about him even if I asked.
‘Well, I’ll see him soon anyway.’
I decided to stop worrying about such meaningless things.
I moved closer to where the window of the carriage was located and looked out the window.
Ashia, who hasn’t left the capital for a long time, was a little excited.
The man, who was looking at the documents, lifted his head slightly. He stared at Ashia, who was busy looking out of the window.
‘Ashia Bliss…..’
The investigation into that witch has been blocked off. It was not easy to know whether it was because the tower did something about it, or there was really no information to dig out.
In the past, she recklessly used her magic, which caused both big and small accidents. But, one day, she just quietly started to make potions.
Due to her glamorous and beautiful appearance, there were many scandalous rumors tying her to the opposite gender, but it is said that such rumors were quickly disbanded after she had strictly discredited everything.
“But what kind of disease does your master have to the point that he even had to find me?”
Ashia asked him, still looking out of the window. She didn’t expect him to answer, but she couldn’t resist asking him because she was curious.
The man looked down at the documents, then answered her question.
“You’ll see him soon. You can know it by then.”
“Ah, of course.”
He didn’t seem to have any intention of spilling a grain of information as expected. At this point, I wondered if this could be any different from kidnapping, but Ashia decided to still follow.
‘Come to think of it, we’ve been in the carriage for quite a while….’
Having a trade with many secrets is always dangerous. The bigger the risk, the shorter the gold earned from the request, but this seems to be the way out of the capital.
Ashia didn’t like to get out of the capital. No, to be exact, it was dangerous for her to get out of the capital.
It was deeply related to the main characters of the original work.
When the original characters, which had been forgotten for quite some time, suddenly came to mind, a fever of anxiety began to rise in her heart.
‘Oh, I don’t think I’ll be ever run into them in this vast piece of land.’
TL/N: You really think so?
She shook her head to shake off the worries she had.
Not long after, the carriage’s speed dropped noticeably. Only then did the territorial landscape come into sight.
‘Wow…..’
At first glance, it was a vast land.
With its white houses and vibrant shops, it seemed as good as the capital, Carmian.
‘Wait, a territory that has a similar territory as the capital?’
Realizing that, deeper anxiety began to settle in Ashia’s head, which was full of thoughts that scare her the most.
As the carriage slowed down, it finally stopped in front of a large mansion.
‘Oh my…..’
Ashia, who got off the carriage, was speechless for a while. Her eyes shook in disarray as she gazed at the picture-like mansion in front of her as though she was hypnotized.
[The size of the territory of Etous was comparable to that of Carmian, the capital of the Karhan Empire. The magnificent and enormous mansion, comparable to the Imperial Palace, contained the greatness of defending the Karhan Empire for many years.]
A place often described in the novel, even rumored to be located in the capital.
‘….It’s the Grand Duke’s residence!’
Obviously, this land and mansion were places she had never gone to before, but Ashia could tell at once what this place was.
Grand Duke Etous’s territory Etous Boer is where Ashia had just stepped foot in.
‘There’s a lot of families I can run into. Yet…..it had to still be the Grand Duke.’
Not a Count, not a Duke. It’s the one and only Grand Duke of this Empire.
Ashia frowned and sighed. The man, who was looking at her expression, took a step closer and leaned over her.
“I’ll introduce myself formally. My name is Redin Karantes. You can call me Redin.”
Ashia’s gaze, which was fixed on the mansion, turned to Redin. I was annoyed at this man. However, I had no choice but to hide my anger.
“…..Ah. I see.”
Seeing her expression and tone was as cold as ice, Redin added.
“No need to be nervous. He’s not as scary as what the rumors say.”
“He better not be.”
Ashia’s attitude towards the Grand Duke will depend on how he was going to act. If he behaved kindly, then she would be kind. If he behaved overbearingly, then she would be overbearing too.
Of course, she has the power and the ability to do that.
“…….”
Because of her blunt tone, the butler, Redin, was a little curious about her.
Most people usually only looked at the main gate of the Grand Duke’s mansion before being stricken by fear, running away as though they had seen a monster. Some would abandon their carriages and just run around empty-handed, scaping their knees on the dirty road.
However, she wasn’t like most people. Instead, Ashia sank into a deep and cold atmosphere.
‘Is she not scared because of the current rumors? That’s impossible.’
The Grand Duke was notorious for being a tyrant and a rascal. He can’t sleep without a woman, and he even thinks that human life is equivalent to that of a bug.
But he changed a few years ago after having a near-death experience.
Not only did he stop whatever evil deeds he had been doing, but he also began collecting and giving money instead of wasting away his fortune. It was as though he had become someone else.
But…