Invitation of the Crescent Moon - Chapter 97

Ashika’s mind was still in turmoil. Though she had stepped deep into the truth, she still couldn’t find an answer to the question of ‘why.’

‘Did Iben really know nothing about what I was trying to do?’

It wasn’t a coincidence that Iben’s trading company had made a contract with Igraine at such a timely moment, or that they had said they would deliver goods to the Grand Duchy. Going to the Grand Duchy was an extremely dangerous thing for Ashika to do, yet she had given her no warning whatsoever.

What had Iben expected from Ashika? Even knowing the reason why Iben had been hiding her identity, she couldn’t shake the thought that she too was using her.

‘How long was she planning to hide her identity?’

No, was such a thing even possible to begin with? How exactly?

“My lady.”

Jeanne’s voice awakened Ashika from her deep contemplation. Her slowly blinking eyes were still filled with confused doubts. And then a completely unexpected question popped out.

“Is it possible to change parts of one’s body?”

“What kind of parts, for example?”

Jeanne tilted her head.

“Hair can be dyed, and I’ve heard there are temporary methods for skin too. But what about eyes? Is it possible to change the color of one’s eyes?”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing. It would probably be difficult.”

There was no certainty in Jeanne’s tone. Nile, who had been sitting across from Ashika, stepped in.

“No, it’s possible. It’s hardly known within the Empire, though.”

“How?”

“I heard there’s a medicine for that. Made by alchemists.”

“Ah…”

A gasp escaped Ashika’s lips along with a hollow laugh. How could everything fit together so perfectly?

Nile continued his explanation in a calm tone.

“Alchemist medicines are powerful but dangerous. Medicines that transform parts of the body have severe side effects, so they’re practically taboo within the Empire. That’s why alchemists have almost disappeared from the Empire, being secretly ostracized.”

“What kind of side effects are there?”

“They say traces are left somewhere on the body. On the extremities like hands or feet.”

Jeanne narrowed her eyes at Nile. Though she didn’t guard against him as much as before, she still thought of him as a suspicious fellow.

“How does Lord Nedrov know so much about this?”

“It’s also a story I heard long ago.”

“Then.”

Ashika wasn’t curious about how Nile had learned of it. Her attention was entirely focused elsewhere.

“With alchemist medicine…”

When she hesitated and couldn’t continue her words, Nile urged her on.

“My lady? Please speak.”

“Well…”

Even she thought it was absurd, so the words wouldn’t come out of her mouth.

“No, never mind.”

She had chosen the wrong person to ask. This wasn’t something to ask Nile about. With that thought, she turned her gaze to the window.

Even though it was midday, the sky was full of clouds with no sun visible. Due to the gloomy weather, even the air felt heavy. It was one of those days when the people walking the streets looked clear but somehow felt strangely alien, like the world beyond a mirror.

Passing through familiar streets, Iben’s art shop came into view. As they reached their destination, she could feel the carriage gradually slowing down. But before it could even stop completely, the coachman’s scream rang out.

“Whoa!”

Following the coachman’s scream, there was a rough collision sound, and the carriage shook. Jeanne quickly grabbed Ashika, who was sitting on the opposite side.

The slightly tilted carriage found its balance and came to a stop. Jeanne opened the window on the coachman’s side and shouted.

“What happened?”

“I’m sorry. Another carriage suddenly came out and we collided. The road isn’t even narrow, so I don’t know what they were thinking.”

The coachman was flustered looking at the other carriage. Though it was the other side that had crashed into them, it was a carriage pulled by no less than four horses. The carriage, with a noble family’s crest ornately carved on it, was obviously that of a high-ranking noble, making him feel intimidated.

Sure enough, the coachman of the opposing carriage started yelling first.

“How dare you block the road with that tiny carriage?”

“Who said anything about blocking? The road isn’t narrow, yet you’re the one who came and crashed into us!”

“This person! You block the road and then raise your voice?”

“Where in the world is there such unreasonableness?”

At the unexpected carriage accident, people walking the streets stopped. Since one side was an ordinary carriage without a crest, it drew even more attention. If it was an accident between a noble and a commoner, it could become a bigger issue.

“My lady, I should go out.”

“Since we’re here anyway, let’s get out together.”

Following Jeanne as she got out of the carriage, Nile and Ashika also rose from their seats.

Ashika’s attention was directed toward the building across rather than the onlookers. Since it wasn’t far from the art shop, the accident would have been visible from inside the building.

Ashika asked the coachman of the opposing carriage.

“Where is the master, and why is the coachman’s voice so loud?”

“What? Are you the carriage owner?”

The coachman didn’t even think of getting down from his seat and looked down at Ashika.

Though made of high-quality material, her clothes were plain and unremarkable in design, and she wore no jewelry on her body. Moreover, since she rode in a carriage without a crest, thinking she wasn’t of noble status, the coachman’s attitude was brazen.

“You’re the one who blocked the road, so the accident is your fault too.”

“You’re being unreasonable. Let’s settle this quarrel with the master. Where is the master?”

At Ashika’s pressing, the coachman smirked. With an expression that found it absurd, he glanced back briefly and then shouted loudly.

“My lord, they’re asking for the carriage owner over there.”

The coachman’s attitude of asking for the master as if he had been waiting was suspicious. The moment she felt something was strange, the door of the carriage with ornate gold decorations opened. Then, seeing the face of the man who came out, Ashika’s eyes widened.

“I almost didn’t recognize you, Lady Igraine.”

She couldn’t manage her expression momentarily. Ashika clamped her parted lips shut and hid her shock.

“It’s been a long time….Lord Oclein.”

It was Coral. Her former fiancé, whom she had forgotten about because there was no time to look back.

They had parted when roses were in full bloom and met again in the deepening autumn season. She had hoped never to see him again for the rest of her life, but who would have thought he’d pop up unexpectedly in such a place.

“Why such an expression? Aren’t you even happy to see your former fiancé after so long?”

“To think that of all the carriages in this vast capital, I’d have an accident with my former fiancé’s carriage—I was thinking what an unlucky coincidence.”

A strange light flickered in Coral’s eyes. The Ashika he remembered was a woman accustomed to restraint. Even if someone she disliked was in front of her, she would avoid them if possible, but she wouldn’t openly display hostility.

“Whether it’s a coincidence or not, what matters is that we’ve met again.”

The woman whose calm restraint had felt like a wall had changed. Her attitude of casting aside her aristocratic mask and not hiding her displeasure was rather pleasing.

Gray eyes looking at Ashika revealed intense emotion. It was joy, or anger, or perhaps something else. Because it was burdensome, Ashika wanted to leave the place as quickly as possible.

“This isn’t a conversation to have in the middle of the street. If you have something to say, send a letter to the ducal mansion.”

As Ashika tried to leave, Coral extended his hand. It was Jeanne who blocked that hand.

“Lord Oclein, please observe propriety.”

Only then did Coral notice Jeanne and frowned.

“Lady Igraine. You’ve changed, changed too much. For the past six months, I’ve been terribly struggling, but Lady Igraine has a face blooming like a flower that’s met its season.”

Startled, Ashika erased the expression from her face. It seemed that freely displaying emotions when dealing with Drushia had somehow become a habit.

What had changed about Ashika wasn’t just her face. Even the scent that wafted from her felt different. Why had this woman, who had seemed like an iron wall that would never change, become different?

‘Could it be because of that?’

About a month ago, there had been rumors that Duke Talion’s marriage proposal had arrived at the Igraine mansion. He had thought it was merely a political arrangement, but perhaps it wasn’t.

However, no more emotions could be read from Ashika’s coldly cooled expression. Coral skillfully changed the subject.

“Have you heard? That something big happened to our family?”

“I heard something unfortunate happened to your brother. I pray for the deceased’s soul.”

“And I became a marquis.”

Coral smiled with a face that wasn’t the least bit sorrowful. His lingering gaze coiled around Ashika’s body like a snake. It was an unpleasant gaze that made her want to shake it off immediately.

More people had gathered around than before, watching the two of them. For some reason, Nile had stepped back and was observing Coral with an interested expression.

Just when she thought she should wrap up the situation, another person got out of Coral’s carriage. It was a woman.

“We’ll be late for the performance at this rate, Coral.”

Upon discovering the woman, Jeanne and Nile’s expressions became strange.

Though not flashy, the dress she wore was from a top-class boutique’s design, and her jewelry was the same. What was most unusual was the woman’s appearance.

Dark eyes and dark hair, a calm feeling that resembled Ashika exactly.

“Oh my, hello, Lady Igraine. I’ve heard many rumors, but really…”

The woman seemed to feel that Ashika’s appearance was similar to hers. The woman glanced at Coral and smiled brightly.

“You’re a beautiful person with an uncommon appearance.”

The woman greeted her with an unrestrained attitude but didn’t reveal who she was. Seeing that she didn’t even know basic etiquette, there was a high possibility she wasn’t a lady from a noble family.

‘His womanizing habits are still the same, I see.’

Ashika tried to shake off the unpleasant emotions that surged up. It wasn’t that the woman resembled Ashika, but that Coral’s taste had always been like that.

She had no mind to respond kindly to a woman who didn’t observe etiquette. Ashika ignored the woman who looked her up and down with the same brazen and rude gaze as Coral.

“Lord Oclein, let’s say the accident never happened. No one was hurt.”

“You damaged a ducal carriage, so you should naturally take responsibility. There are plenty of witnesses…”

Suddenly, Coral’s gaze stopped somewhere across where people were gathered. At a point where there was nothing worth his attention.

Ashika’s gaze also followed Coral’s toward where the people were. She almost lost control of her expression management in her shock.

‘Why did you come out?’

The person standing in front of the art shop was none other than Iben. She could recognize her at a glance because she was wearing a black dress and a black veil-draped hat as always.

Come to think of it, it had been almost a month since she had left the capital with Iben’s help. She realized she hadn’t sent any separate news during that time.

‘But why is Coral…?’

There was no way Coral would know Iben’s face. Iben never revealed her face when leaving the shop, and it was Rine who greeted the customers visiting the shop. Moreover, the two had no connection whatsoever.

But Coral, though uncertain, didn’t withdraw his gaze from Iben. Only then seeming to feel something was strange, she could see Iben naturally passing by the building and going around to the back.

“Lord Oclein.”

In her anxious state, Ashika called Coral first.

“There are plenty of people who saw your carriage crash into mine, and I don’t want compensation. There’s no need to send a letter either, so let’s end it here. Jeanne.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

Ashika got into the carriage immediately without waiting for Jeanne’s help. Jeanne followed and climbed in, lowering her voice to ask.

“The art shop is right in front, aren’t you going?”

“Let’s go home.”

There were too many watching eyes. She felt it would be dangerous to enter Iben’s art shop like this.

‘I should definitely avoid coming during the day.’

No matter what Nile said, she thought it would be better to come alone. It wasn’t a reckless act. She knew that even if she came out to the streets alone, there were eyes watching from somewhere. Drushia would never leave Ashika alone.

“Nile. What are you doing?”

“Ah, yes.”

Nile, who had been outside until the last moment, moved his steps leisurely. Coral seemed to have just noticed Nile, with a puzzled expression.

‘He’s not a knight, is he a mercenary?’

She was a lady thoroughly protected by the family’s knights. There was no way she would keep a mercenary close, he thought, quickly scanning Nile.

Perhaps feeling the piercing gaze, Nile turned his head toward Coral. In the brief moment he passed by, Nile let out a quiet laugh. The laugh, so brief it was hard to notice, strangely grated on his nerves.

“You…”

Watching Coral’s face contort menacingly, Nile calmly climbed into the carriage.