The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Episode 60: Precious Things (VIII)

Watching Eristella’s face completely collapse, Heinricion opened his mouth slowly.

“It doesn’t matter.”

As if he didn’t care about Eristella’s frustration, he continued speaking firmly.

“Don’t you remember what you said?”

“…….”

“You don’t lose a fight just because you don’t have the strength.”

That’s what Eristella said to Heinricion when they were both young.

Perhaps because Heinricion displayed strong abilities at an earlier age than others, when he was very young, he was weak compared to his peers.

Those were the words Eristella said to Heinricion, who was injured all over by mischievous pranks while playing with other young lords of his age.

‘I can’t believe I received those words back like this.’

“Besides, you have me too. Are you short on power?”

“…No.”

‘Yes. I can do it.’

Eristella quelled her swirling agitation and returned to a calm, sober state.

Befitting of the real ‘Princess’ Eristella.

“You’re right. There is something else to be done. The power I have right now is not enough to deal with a black wizard, even if it doesn’t matter much.”

Eristella raised one corner of her lips arrogantly. There was a strong tone in her voice.

Her clouded head cleared. Then something flashed in her mind.

“Stop it now.”

With a calm, subdued face, Eristella shook the arm held by Heinricion.

“Cion. I’m really fine. I remember what I have to do.”

“…….”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to cause any trouble. Not right now anyways. I’ll leave at least one footprint though. Isn’t it a pity to just go back?”

Apart from being calm, Eristella’s eyes shone dangerously with madness.

“How many times have I told you?”

Heinricion urged Eristella.

“Think in moderation. You know, right?”

“I know.”

Worry crept into Heinricion as he took in Eristella’s shamelessly innocent expression, but it was fortunate she didn’t look as anxious as before.

“This is better.”

Heinricion’s hand, which was holding Eristella’s arm, loosened its strength.

“I’ll be back real soon.”

Eristella gave Heinricion a sly smile.

Her pretty smile was full of the confidence she always had.

Eristella, who went forth alone, slowly strolled through the corridors of the Imperial Palace.

Lightly and gracefully.

‘I can’t stand in front of everyone right now.’

Instead of the flashy lights that used to illuminate the banquet hall, a space where the moonlight came through the windows was all she needed.

Despite walking through a hallway where anyone could see through the window, Eristella continued on proudly.

Relaxed as if taking a walk on a moonlit night.

‘At least, it would be a meaningful reminder of my existence in this empire.’

‘Even if I’m not alive.’

Eristella walked around the hallway like that.

That was all Eristella did that night. It was not a big deal.

*******

At some point, Madam Eslenta was walking out of the banquet hall leisurely.

As if she was drunk, she was humming as the cold wind blowing in from the slightly open window cooled her blushing face. Then, suddenly, her gaze went to the other side of the oval-shaped hallway.

She could see someone passing through the windows.

Somehow, it appeared familiar.

“Uh…? Who is it? She looks like the princess…”

It was when Madam Eslenta mumbled blankly and took a few steps forward.

Hiccup. She covered her mouth in surprise.

“What did I just say? Nonsense… How could the princess be here…!”

Madam Eslenta turned around trying to check, but she was terrified momentarily and crouched under the window.

Eventually, she carefully raised her head to peer through the window.

…Clearly, there was no one there now.

‘What did the person look like?’

She felt so beautiful and mysterious that she was unreal. And silver hair… yes, Madam Eslenta seemed to have seen that.

However, no matter how much she dug through her memories, Madam Eslenta, who was already drunk, could not tell whether what she had seen was real or fake.

“What did I see?”

She carefully pinched her cheek to get her act together.

“Ah, ah!”

It hurt. It was definitely not a dream.

Her face slowly turned pale blue. Soon after, a thin, high-pitched scream resounded from one side of the palace.

*******

Heinricion greeted Eristella when she returned leisurely from her walk in the Imperial Palace.

He appeared to have been waiting for her, despite it having been some time since he left the banquet hall.

As soon as she saw him, she stopped and stared at him.

“What did you do? You’re fast.”

Heinricion urged, slightly crumpling his brows.

“I’m back.”

Eristella, who had returned to Heinricion’s side, unexpectedly greeted him. 

Seeing Heinricion waiting for her, she realized that there was a place to return to even if it wasn’t the Imperial Palace, so she wanted to look at him a little more.

‘Of course, I wouldn’t tell him these feelings.’

“Where did you go?”

“I went for a walk and looked around.”

“Is there something to see here?”

“As I was walking, I realized that this was the first time I had wandered around without care while living in the Imperial Palace. I just wanted to organize my thoughts in a familiar place.”

Come to think of it, from a young age, Eristella’s maids always moved with her.

Even when she secretly moved alone, Heinricion followed her.

When she was a little older, she would sneak out of the Imperial Palace alone, but it was impossible to freely roam inside the Imperial Palace.

Because wherever she went, someone would notice her.

The Imperial Palace, which she wandered around unnoticed like today, was splendid but empty and lonely.

She wondered if the original palace was like this.

“You went off so solemnly, but only took a walk in the Imperial Palace? Was that all?”

“Yes.”

Even though Eristella answered confidently, Heinricion’s gaze was full of doubt.

“I didn’t do anything other than that. Really.”

Eristella’s proud face caught his mind, but Heinricion decided to move on.

‘Today must have been a difficult day for her. Even if something happened, I can fix it somehow.’

It was the moment when Heinricion took a deep breath and extended his hand to Eristella.

As if a promise had been made, the sky grew redder and the sun came up.

At the same time, Eristella, who had returned to her fox form, was lifted by Heinricion.

“How the hell did your dress get so dirty?”

As Heinricion lightly brushed off the dress, a lot of dust flared up.

“You’ll have to wash up as soon as you get home today.”

‘Wait a minute. This time again, you…!’

Although Eristella protested strongly, she was again dismissed by Heinricion.

*******

The very next day after the Imperial Palace banquet.

Eristella’s previous actions entered Heinricion’s ears.

Immediately afterward at the Imperial Palace banquet, ghost stories began to circulate through Madam Eslenta’s account.

In addition, one of the maids working in the Imperial Palace also bolstered the madam’s words, giving the unexpected testimony that she made eye contact with Eristella.

The maid also rubbed her eyes in surprise and saw Eristella’s back strangely disappearing when she opened her eyes again. That solidified Madam Eslenta’s story.

The ghost story about witnessing the spirit of Princess Eristella in the Imperial Palace. The frightful tale that the dead princess seemed to be wandering around the Imperial Palace.

Hearing the rumors, Heinricion noticed at once; this was the footprint that Eristella talked about last time.

Naturally, Eristella’s movements materialized in his mind.

‘Yes, I guess she did just go for a walk…’

He didn’t believe she didn’t do anything, but this was unexpected.

“Was she confident because she knew this would happen?”

Eristella, having suffered from anger and helplessness, returned as if she had always been calm.

No, more than that, she was serene and full of self-assuredness. Even Heinricion had doubts if the Eristella in front of him was an actual ghost.

The corners of her lips twitched, as if she knew Heinricion would come and ask.

And eventually.

“Ahahahahaha! Yes!”

Eristella grabbed her belly and laughed. She laughed so much that her stomach hurt and she was almost salivating.

She was sure it would be like this from the beginning.

Even after seeing her, people would believe that her soul was floating rather than thinking that she was alive.

“Won’t there be a lot of interesting things in the future?”

And surprisingly, she wasn’t wrong.

Ame: wonder if eri was wearing a white dress *cackles* and if her silver hair was free flowing

AP: Eristella is the ultimate troll. I could imagine her climbing out a tv with a black wig on and all wet.