The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Episode 63: A Ghostly Reunion (III)

*******

A ghostly operation.

Eristella ran wild like a fish in water, and the plot succeeded as planned.

Happily returning to the grand ducal residence, Eristella played more pranks on Heinricion.

“Hehe. Do I still look like Princess Eristella?”

“Aren’t you going to stop?”

Having already suffered enough, Heinricion pushed her away in distaste.

“Never do it twice.”

He muttered as if swearing and wiped Eristella’s face.

It was clear that she would not remove the ghost makeup until morning if he let her be. He had to erase it so that others wouldn’t see it.

Even as Heinricion wiped her face, Eristella didn’t stop laughing as if she was having a lot of fun.

The ridiculous appearance of the two ironically opened the curtain on what would happen the next day.

*******

As expected, Eristella’s ghost show produced an effect that exceeded expectations.

Rumors had power. Most people began to believe that Eristella’s soul was wandering.

Everything occurred as Eristella intended.

Thanks to this, Heinricion had no choice but to watch Eristella raise her chin and smirk at him.

‘How could this be?’

The ridiculousness Heinricion felt was so great that he let out a ‘hah’ without realizing it.

Eristella grew more elated.

‘We just have to keep fanning it like this and see who moves first.’

Of course to see it, she would need to be able to sift through a lot of information in real-time.

But that wouldn’t be a problem for the Grand Duke of Adelasia.

And soon, reports of people showing abnormal behavior began to come in one after another.

“I’m surprised?”

Eristella, who was checking the report, muttered to herself.

Frankly, she had already thought of a few candidates who would react strangely after the ghost commotion.

However, the most agitated among them unexpectedly was Lady Greta.

“Although Lady Greta is doing a bad thing… Is black magic also involved?”

“Well…”

The ghost commotion was an attempt to narrow down suspicious candidates among numerous nobles.

However, even if they weren’t involved in black magic, there was a possibility they might have done something to earn Eristella’s resentment.

Lady Greta was probably the latter.

Everything needed to be verified.

“Anyway, there’s one more chance to check.”

It’s just a matter of searching out there.

“Still, I might need to keep an eye on what Greta is doing.”

To not miss a single possibility.

*******

The ‘other opportunity’ that Eristella had mentioned was the consolation meeting held at the Imperial Palace.

A place prepared for the deceased princess to leave comfortably.

‘So superstitious.’

Whenever there was a strange phenomenon like this, an event was held in the Imperial Palace to alleviate people’s anxiety.

“At a time like this, someone will approach the Princess Palace.”

The fox, Eristella, was convinced.

“That person is most likely to be questionable.”

The consolation meeting was attended by many people and had an overall chaotic atmosphere. It meant that each of them had a little bit of something to contend with.

The hall was filled with songs for the dead.

It was when Heinricion was quietly watching from the side.

Sophia of the Marquisate of Haveling approached him.

“Your Excellency the Grand Duke. Long time no see.”

“I didn’t know you would be here.”

“I was curious, so I came. I don’t know what’s so scary about the already dead princess.”

Heinricion greeted her warmly, but the expression he had as he looked at her was one of surprise. Glancing at anxious-looking people at this meeting, Sophia laughed softly.

“I just got a letter saying that Leighton is doing well at the academy.”

“His skills seem to have improved a lot too.”

Heinricion also received a letter. Every time he received a correspondence, he was delighted to know that his nephew was growing up with joy.

Perhaps Sophia felt the same way because a smile appeared on her lips. But she soon caught her expression and opened her mouth saying,

“Since we’re talking about Leighton, I have something to tell you.”

“What happened?”

Sophia’s eyes narrowed in thought.

“At that time, someone tried to prevent Leighton from going to the magic academy. Do you know?”

“What do you mean?”

“I put my trust in that damn bastard and left Leighton to him. But what a piece of work he was. He was afraid of losing his influence.”

Deputy Marquis Haveling, who was Leighton’s guardian, was fond of drinking and gambling. And… he had a connection with the Marquis of Lateran.

Marquis Lateran had persuaded the deputy Marquis Haveling not to send Leighton to the magic academy.

He claimed the academy was a place where the empire provided all kinds of support to train wizards, and in the end, for the children who grew up there, it was the same as having their abilities stolen by the empire.

If Leighton had such an ability, shouldn’t he use it for his family and repay the favor to the deputy marquis who took care of him?

So Marquis Lateran expressed that there was no need to send a child who already showed a talent for magic to the academy and learn more.

“That’s why… a gullible, greedy bastard. That’s why he insisted on raising Leighton as a knight to prevent him from attending.”

She clicked her tongue, recalling the former deputy Marquis of Haveling.

“Besides, when I asked Leighton, Marquis Lateran seemed to have approached him directly.”

In the guise of a good guardian.

He reached out to Leighton with a kind face, saying that if Leighton wanted to learn magic, he could help find a way.

However, Leighton said that he would refuse the offer because if he learned, he wanted to be taught by Heinricion.

“Anyway, you seem very much loved by your nephew. How do you find it?”

“Yes. I’m very happy about that.”

Heinricion showed Sophia a proud smile.

But deep inside, he was angry at Marquis Lateran for daring to reach out to Leighton and was busily gauging what the Marquis’s purpose was.

After saying this, Sophia went back leisurely as if she had nothing more to do.

‘I feel uncomfortable, knowing that Marquis Lateran dared to contact Leighton.’

The fox, which had been quietly listening to the conversation between the two, was also concerned.

To think that Marquis Lateran who was not even a wizard dared to call himself a sponsor. She had a very bad feeling.

“Let’s think about this later. Right now, we have to focus on the situation in front of us.”

At Heinricion’s low voice, Eristella lifted her little furry head and examined the consolation meeting for herself.

As she listened to the chorus singing that was meant to console her, Eristella became filled with indignation.

Even if she really died and became a ghost… 

‘It’s like sprinkling salt on my resentment.’

It was a song for them, not for her.

She practically created this situation, but seeing it in person was not very pleasant.

Heinricion heard the fox’s displeased growling and parted his lips, speaking to everyone in the hall.

“Will the consolation here reach the princess? As someone who has watched the princess since she was young, if I had to add a word…”

What Heinricion was saying were Eristella’s words. At this place today, Heinricion took on the role of instigating.

“If you want to bring even a little comfort to the princess, it would be better to head to the princess’s palace. Wouldn’t it be better to give a sincere apology there?”

People nodded in sympathy to Heinricion’s guidance. Everyone seemed to agree with his opinion that even if they couldn’t enter the princess’s room, they should ask for forgiveness at the entrance.

‘Then let’s go.’

The fox on Heinricion’s shoulder twitched in anticipation and wagged its tail.

It was time to go catch the prey.

*******

Meanwhile, there was already someone visiting the princess’s palace.

The woman moved familiarly as if she knew the inside of the dark palace well.

“What power does a dead person have? It’s an unfounded fear.”

Despite saying that, she was unable to hide her impatience, opening her mouth as if begging with a little sorrow.

“So please don’t show up in front of me.”

There was no way anything would change. But if she did not do this, it seemed that she would not be able to sleep due to anxiety.

She carefully put something she had brought with her into the princess’s room and turned around.

In the hallway, rows of candles were lit for the consolation meeting. The soft light lit up her face.

The moment she hurriedly turned around.

“Lady Greta?”

Her eyes darted around, nervously, at the sound of the voice calling out to her.

“…….”

She realized she was being watched. It was unknown how long everyone had been here.

These people showed up as if they were waiting for an intruder to appear.