Chapter 83

“Karen!”

The moment she stepped down from the carriage, Stella rushed over and leaped into her arms.

“Princess Stella.”

Karentina felt a wave of relief wash over her as she caught the sweet, milky scent of the child.

As soon as they arrived in the north, they were ambushed by assassins again. Fortunately, Zion had already informed Joseph and the imperial knights, who were prepared and swiftly handled the attack.

“So, I’m completely invisible now, huh?”

Karentina forced a dry laugh as she looked at Ignis, whose words carried a bitter edge.

Was he really that unaffected by an assassination attempt? Karentina shook her head to herself and bent down to quietly whisper to Stella.

“Princess Stella, go quickly. His Highness seems to be sulking.”

The little girl’s eyes grew wide, and she quickly slipped down from Karentina’s embrace and ran toward her brother. It was only then that Ignis’s tense expression softened. He picked Stella up and held her tight, letting out a breath of relief as he closed his eyes briefly.

“Nothing happened, right?”

Stella’s face lit up with a bright smile as she giggled happily.

“Nothing! I was with Sion and Leah, and we had a great time.”

As Ignis lowered her to the ground and scanned the surroundings, Stella’s eyes drifted to Karentina, who was talking to her dolls from a distance. What was going on? For some reason, the atmosphere between the two seemed even more awkward, and the child’s expression darkened.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. But did you fight with Karen again, Brother?”

She looked up at her brother with a serious expression. Ignis’s eyes instinctively flicked toward Karentina.

“No.”

“But it looks like things between you two are even worse than before you left…”

As Stella murmured under her breath, he let out a small laugh and ruffled her small head.

“It’s nothing like that. I’ve got some things to take care of, so I need to head out again.”

“Already…? But you just got back.”

Seeing the child lower her head sadly, Ignis knelt down to her level and ruffled her hair again.

“I’ll finish up quickly and come back so we can have dinner together.”

“Alright! Then, I’ll ask Karen to play with me while you’re gone.”

Ignis leaned down, speaking softly to Stella.

“The lady… She might be tired from the carriage ride, so why don’t you study in the morning and then politely ask her to play afterward?”

“Oh, right. Okay.”

Ignis, who had been smiling proudly at Stella, turned his gaze back to Karentina. She was holding a rabbit doll in her arms while standing next to Sion, and for some reason, she kept lingering in his mind. She must have been terrified. Was she really alright? Just looking at her, so fragile like a little deer, made his emotions stir uncomfortably.

After leaving Stella with Gemma, Ignis slowly rubbed his neck.

“Joseph.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“We’ll move discreetly.”

“At your command.”

Joseph bowed and followed behind Ignis. Karentina watched as their figures gradually disappeared into the cold northern wind.

“Let’s go inside now.”

Stella’s voice snapped Karentina out of her thoughts. At some point, the little girl had quietly approached her side.

“Alright.”

Karentina walked slowly alongside Sion, Leah, and Stella. Despite the relief of finally being home, her heart remained uneasy, torn between that comfort and the lingering concern over Ignis dealing with the assassins.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ୨ৎ ໒꒱ ‧₊ ୧‿︵

After returning from the west, Karentina found herself caught up in the chaos of preparations for the upcoming New Year’s festival. Rebuilding the northern territory in such a short time was a daunting task, but with the information from the original story and the help of the dolls, she managed to handle it without much trouble.

‘Zion and Leah were a huge help.’

The estate residents who had been dragged to the magic stone mines due to Uncle Maurice’s greed were finally reunited with their families.

Karentina pictured the north gradually changing, a content smile forming on her lips. She wished they could find some peace and happiness until the harsh winter ended and the warmth of spring came.

“Zion, how are the residents doing?”

“Apart from a few who were badly beaten and some who were malnourished, they’re mostly in good shape. Everyone’s happy to be back with their families. We made sure to pay them generously. The injured have been taken to the temple and the clinic for treatment.”

She nodded with a satisfied expression.

“Great. How’s the situation with Baron Rodon?”

Zion responded in a cheerful tone.

“All taken care of. Just as you instructed, we’re getting food supplies at almost cost price for now. No one’s going to starve before spring comes. That guy who looks like me is already making plans for a storage warehouse. He’s been buying up a massive amount of magic stones. I’d bet most of the newly mined stones are probably in his hands by now.”

When Karentina waved her hands, he tilted his head and stepped closer to her.

“Thank you.”

She softly ruffled his sky-blue hair. His shoulders lifted proudly, as if he had just been praised.

Karentina chuckled, seeing him act like a happy puppy wagging an invisible tail. He really had done a great job handling everything she asked.

“I’m going to head out now. Get some rest. Should I make you some milk tea before I go?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Sion bowed and quietly slipped out of the room. The door closed with a soft thud, and the room instantly fell into silence.

“….”

Karentina quietly sorted through the remaining papers before rising from her desk. She made her way to the plush sofa by the window and collapsed onto it, leaning back. Through the window, the castle tower was blanketed in a thick layer of snow. The sky was a heavy gray, looking as though it could start snowing any minute.

While absentmindedly gazing out the window, someone caught her eye.