Chapter 4
Everiel let out a heavy sigh. There wasn't much she could do with her small frame right now.
Plus, the shield had torn when Everiel was just fourteen years old.
Fourteen was the age to debut in high society. It was too much to establish her own power.
'Judging soberly, I'm just a powerless child.'
At this point, there was only one thing Everiel could hope for.
"Dawd…"
That was to make her father, Duke Herwin Solgren, regain his power.
'After all, if Dad protects the territory that he couldn't protect in the past and recovers his power as a reputable duke, then Solgren won't collapse suddenly, and I won't die.'
If the duke regains the appropriate power as a reputable noble, neither Solgren will collapse suddenly nor Everiel will die.
'Yeah. All Dad has to do is protect me! That's all there is to it…'
As Everiel continued her thoughts, her eyes clouded over.
‘There’s only one problem.’
My Dad is too frail...
"Ah, Milady? Why are you suddenly tearing at your hair? Did I make a mistake?"
Lily, who was brushing, grabbed Everiel's hand in surprise.
"Oh, no. It's nothing..."
Everiel, flustered, swallowed a sigh.
Although he was stripped of the noble's seat, Herwin Solgren was the head of the esteemed Solgren family.
There were several reasons why there was no proper support base for such a Solgren, but the main cause was undoubtedly his health.
Wouldn't the response be, without a doubt, "Ah, the frail lord of the northern domain?" if anyone were to ask about Solgren.
A guardian of the north who couldn't walk for ten minutes due to weak lungs and suffered from illness as naturally as eating.
'A truly fragile body.'
That was Duke Herwin Solgren.
Everiel turned her gaze to the window. The landscape of the north filled her sight.
Vast coniferous forests and snow-white plains chilled her eyes.
Beyond that, the towering and sharp twelve peaks of the Kima Mountains looked down arrogantly upon the world.
Everiel engraved the rippling azure waves flowing between rugged ridges into her eyes as if etching them onto her mind.
Between the first and the next peaks of the Kima Range, a brilliant aurora shimmered day and night, unabated.
In the north, the shimmer that appeared like a barrier was called the 'shield'.
Everiel recalled the words she heard from the crown prince before she died.
'Two weeks ago, the eastern part of the shield was broken. The Duke of Solgren failed to contain the pouring miasma, resulting in the corrosion of half the northern expanse.'
The shield was not a simple weather phenomenon.
In the sealed darkness of the Kima Range, unimaginably strong magics lurked in every corner.
The only barrier holding them back was the shield.
What would happen if the shield failed one day?
'Solgren will pay the price for their mistake…'
A dreadful sensation came to mind, and Everiel closed her eyes briefly.
Solgren, burdened with the duty of the shield, failed to guard it.
Isn't it too convenient?
'Why would a perfectly-fine shield suddenly tear apart? Why didn't I, in the palace, hear any of this news? Why did the imperial family abandon the north without sending reinforcements?'
Perhaps it was all Emperor Kaizen's scheme. The moment she thought so, Everiel felt a shiver down her spine.
‘Helplessly enduring is not an option.'
To restore the duke's authority for the future, Herwin Solgren must somehow shake off his illness.
At this moment, that was Everiel's only lifeline.
'If that's the case, then from now on, my top priority goal is...'
Everiel tightly clenched her small hand.
'Dad's recovery!'
* * *
Lily escorted Everiel, who had finished her lessons, to the dining room.
"Please, have a seat over here."
On the long table were set a simple breakfast and a birthday cake. Everiel's impression of the table was singular.
'It's so modest...'
The table was well-polished yet it still looked modest, but to be blunt, it was a small table, hardly recognizable as that of a noble family.
'At first glance, it's evident. Thin soup, tough meat lacking in juice, and wilted salad probably from using stale vegetables. All the dishes and utensils are of cheap quality.'
Having lived in the palace until recently, Everiel noticed the duchy's shortcomings one after another.
The only thing in decent condition was the cake placed in the center. It seemed extra care had been taken because it was her birthday.
Everiel glanced at the empty seat at the head of the table.
Normally, Herwin should have been sitting there, but due to his poor health, he never went to the dining hall and was taking all his meals in his room instead.
'Does Dad also eat such poor meals?'
Everiel worried whether his frail body was due to malnutrition.
"I-It may be lacking, but I've done my best."
The head chef, Alex, wore a troubled expression. Despite his dejected demeanor, Everiel concealed her concern and smiled.
"Lacking? Look at how splendid the cake turned out! Thank you, Alex. It's wonderful."
Everiel emphasized her pronunciation as she gave him a thumbs-up.
"Oh, Milady..."
The burly figure of Alex sniffled, wiping his apron with a sigh. It was a mixture of amusement and sadness in his demeanor.
It wasn't due to any inadequacy in the chef's skills. No. The issue lies with the ingredients themselves.
'It must be because the estate's finances, controlled by the duke, are in such dire straits that we need to cut down on the food budget.'
As Everiel made her way to the dining room, she noticed the lack of decorations in the castle's corridors.
The walls were bare, devoid of tapestries or even a single painting, and the windows were covered in dust and grime.
'Our estate is truly in disarray...'
With mixed emotions, Everiel blew out the candles on the cake. Lily and Alex applauded.
"Happy birthday, Milady!"
"Happy birthday!"
Setting aside the modest birthday wishes, breakfast began.
Despite Alex's diligent cooking, Everiel was lost in deep thoughts, hardly tasting the food.
The Solgrens were corroding into darkness, with still nine years left until Everiel faced death.
But that was far from reassuring.
"Since my birthday is on October 27th, today is Lavenkell 147, October 27th."
She vividly remembered what had happened around this time.
'Dad said so. Lady Tillien will soon arrive at the castle.'
Tillien Seymour, the governess appointed by Count Seymour, was Everiel's first household tutor.
‘I can't let Tillien Seymour bring me to the palace.’
It was solely due to that household tutor that Everiel ended up in the palace before the regression.
Following Lady Tillien to the palace had been the worst decision in Everiel's short life.
Everiel sensed the timing.
‘Lady Tillien will arrive in five days.’
Time was scarce. To cure Herwin's illness, Everiel had to stay with the Solgrens.
‘Right now, the person you need the most isn't me but your governess.’
Everiel, recalling Herwin's words, wore a melancholic expression.
'Dad is a fool. He knows nothing. The one I always needed was Dad,' she thought.
To Everiel, Herwin Solgren was undoubtedly an affectionate and kind father.
But if asked if he was a close father, Everiel would shake her head.
There always existed an invisible boundary between Herwin and Everiel.
Due to a long-standing illness, Herwin Solgren often fell ill, and Everiel, being quicker-witted than her peers, realized that Herwin kept his distance from her to avoid tiring him further.
"But now, things must change," she muttered.
Everiel set down her spoon and rose from her chair.
"Lily, Lily is my maid-in-waiting, right?"
Lily, who stood by, chuckled at Everiel's sudden question but kindly replied.
"Yes, I am Milady’s maid-in-waiting."
"Are you on my side no matter what?"
"Of course, I'm always on Milady's side."
"Does that mean you'll do anything I ask?"
"If it's from you, I will."
At that, Everiel chuckled, her eyes twinkling. Innocent Lily.
"Anything, you say?"