The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Episode 24: The First Appearance of Black Magic (IV)

Before Eristella was trapped in the body of a fox by an accident.

The days when she was a free-spirited princess.

When the word ‘worst’ became appropriate to describe their relationship.

Until even when they were sitting facing each other, the only time their mouths parted was when they lifted their teacup.

And neither of them looked at each other.

It got to the point where it would be better to just stare.

There was a decisive incident that made the relationship between the two of them become so cold.

The sudden death of the former Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Adelasia, which happened just a few years ago.

In that incident, Princess Eristella intervened without permission. So Heinricion’s anger was understandable.

‘Because I stirred everything up before Heinricion, who was at the borders, came back.’

By the time Heinricion returned, the funeral was already over.

However, Eristella did not give any explanation to Heinricion, who was desperate and sad.

She neither clarified nor apologized. She didn’t do anything. No, she couldn’t.

Instead…

“I just did what I had to do as the prospective daughter-in-law of the Grand Duchy of Adelasia. I’ve taken them to the grand ducal cemetery, you can go see them there.”

The moment she said that, she knew that her relationship with Heinricion was over.

It was fine though. Someday, somehow, it would be.

Only, she hoped that his anger would be greater than the wounds he would have received. But he must have suffered more.

The guilt of not being able to properly watch his parents’ last path.

The confusion of not knowing what the hell happened. Frustration, even.

It was not something that could be resolved just with the passing of time.

Eristella knew what he meant today. It was that he was trying to trust her until the very end.

Nevertheless, Eristella shut her mouth, leaving him scarred once more.

‘I can’t help it. It’s best to bury their deaths until the end.’

Eristella’s thoughts never changed. It wouldn’t change.

The circumstances of the deaths of Grand Duke Adelasia and his wife must be hidden.

‘…The words ‘black magic’ should never come up.’

Eristella squeezed her shut eyes tighter.

It was a secret that no one knew.

The deaths of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Adelasia were related to black magic; they had worked with black magic.

Eristella had been looking into black magic for a long time, and whenever an event whereby the exact cause was unknown, she checked to see if it had anything to do with it.

She always moved alone in case someone noticed.

Then she found out.

That Grand Duke Adelasia and his wife were involved in black magic.

Even more so, she couldn’t let other people discover it.

When a person who used black magic dies, traces were left behind.

Heinricion knew nothing of his parents’ work.

If he had been even a little aware, things wouldn’t have gone this far.

Nevertheless, Eristella had to end the funeral quickly so that Heinricion could not see their bodies.

‘That must have been when he started to have insomnia.’

In the meantime, she didn’t know because her relationship with Heinrich became estranged.

For a long time…

Eh, keuk!

Why was she suddenly coughing? Ah, keuk! When she coughed too loudly, something formed around her eyes.

‘If anyone sees it, they’ll think I’m crying. It’s not like that…’

After that, the fox continued to cough several times.

Until something in the fox’s eyes swelled up and eventually fell to its feet.

*******

The aftermath of the death of Count Azurdi and his wife continued even after that.

“We have received a request for cooperation from the commander of the knights.”

“Please cooperate as much as you can, within your capabilities.”

After Heinricion gave a brief answer, he erased it from his interest.

He handled his work much more thoroughly and completely than usual.

He showed no agitation or confusion.

“And along with this incident, they have also asked for our cooperation in the investigation into black magic.”

In any case, the rumors of the Count and Countess of Azurdi’s involvement of black magic came as a shock to the whole empire.

It was inevitable.

The County of Azurdi had a good reputation. Although their talents as businessmen or as wizards were not outstanding, they were well-known and accepted.

So no one could have expected that they had joined hands with black magic.

Besides, the emergence of black magic was something that had been pretty much completely forgotten.

The sudden appearance of black magic brought fear to everyone.

“Of course we have to cooperate. Tell them that we will cooperate whenever there is a need. Let’s be prepared for the unexpected.”

“Yes. I will.”

The issue of black magic came to the surface. It was when Heinricion, who measured what was to come, rubbed his eyes and sighed.

Meanwhile, on one side of the office, the conversation filled with lonely sighs between the aides, who were having a meeting, could be heard.

“Isn’t the mansion too quiet these days?”

The Grand Duchy of Adelasia was always quiet and serious. However, with the recent appearance of the fox, the atmosphere in the grand duchy had changed tremendously.

But in the last few days it has quieted down again, as if the change had been a lie.

“I know right. I feel empty for no reason.”

“I haven’t seen the fox today.”

Anessa muttered helplessly with a despondent face.

“Me too. It was nice to be able to see it everywhere…”

All this was due to the fox’s absence.

To be precise, the fox was still in the grand duke’s house, but it didn’t run from place to place as before.

That alone made the mansion quiet and seemingly desolate.

Heinricion, who had been listening to the conversations of his aides, fell into thought.

The other employees still seemed to see Eristella once in a while, but Heinricion never saw her.

Since that day, Heinricion had spent his nights in the office. He didn’t step into his bedroom except when he needed to get something essential.

So he naturally assumed that Eristella would be staying in his bedroom.

‘She’ll be fine. Because she’s like that in the first place.’

Heinricion shook his head slightly, erasing Eristella from his mind.

*******

Eristella fled to the library and took a seat. This was where she spent most of her time lately.

She was not angry or upset with Heinricion.

The reason he resented and hated her was valid.

She knew all too well that he hated her anyway.

However, she was no longer able to hang and play around as casually as before.

‘I’m not that brazen.’

Just like how they used to be, it was right to return to an uncomfortable relationship where they kept their distance from each other.

‘Actually, I’m more used to this state.’

A relationship where they avoided each other even when they were in the same mansion.

Despite being in the same space, they would turn their backs on each other without meeting the other’s eyes even once.

Heinricion and Eristella were like that.

She had become a fox and had forgotten about it for a while.

But no matter how much she looked like a fox, she was still Princess Eristella.

‘Heinricion realized that what happened in the past did not change.’

‘Once he realized it, he couldn’t stand it any longer.’

‘So let’s hurry.’

She needed to find a way to get back to her original form as soon as possible.

‘That’s how I can leave this place.’

Eristella had to keep moving.

‘First, I should check the books in the mansion, starting with the library.’

At night when everyone was asleep, Eristella was busy studying what was written in the books.

There were certainly a lot of unusual books in the house of Adelasia, which she intensively checked for several days.

They were independently written by the Grand Duchy of Adelasia, so they couldn’t be found anywhere else in the empire.

Among them were books on black magic. But there was nothing Eristella was looking for.

‘It can’t be that easy to find.’

It was when Eristella turned her head in disappointment…

A book that was stuck among the history books stood out.

‘Is this the founding legend?’

Come to think of it, the founding of the country was during the period when black magic was most prevalent.

In the founding tales, the achievements of the founding emperor are well documented, and in particular, the story of cutting off black magic was still being talked about.

‘I’ll take a look at it just in case, no one would ever know.’

Nonetheless, even if she looked through everything, she might not find any clues.

In that case… 

‘I have to leave.’

There was no way she could stay here.

If she came to the conclusion that she couldn’t find anything here, then she would have to find a way to do it on her own.

Therefore, she had no choice but to check as thoroughly as possible.

Eristella concentrated, eager to immerse herself in the book about the founding emperor’s travels before he established the empire. It was then.

Hwing— Suddenly the door opened from behind and a cold wind came in.

Eristella was surprised to find the identity of the huge shadow.

‘Why did Heinricion come here?’