Whispering Verse

"What's wrong with you today? You hurriedly brought Agelina to my place for breakfast early in the morning, and you looked restless."

On Sunday morning, at Carina Manor outside the city, the duchess was sitting on the sofa in the study with a tea cup in hand, frowning and looking at Lesia across the coffee table.

Her Royal Highness the Princess pursed her lips and said nothing, tilted her head and looked out the window, as if there was some beautiful scenery there, with a somewhat uneasy look on her face. So the witch joked again:

"You look like someone put a bean under the sofa cushion. If it's uncomfortable, how about I ask Tifa to get you another cushion?"

After she finished speaking, the black-haired maid really went to prepare the cushions, but was stopped by Lesia:

"No, I just..."

She was not embarrassed to talk about what happened at Shade's house last night, nor was she comfortable talking about what "phantom pain" was - it didn't actually hurt. Instead, she asked:

"Have you decided on a time to go to the Green Lake area?"

"Yes, it's been half a month since the negotiations started, and it's time to leave. Today is Sunday. The plan is to leave before the weekend of next week. There are many people accompanying us, so we will move slower. By then, there will be many people to see us off. Yes, this kind of treatment doesn’t happen every time.”

She looked at her two nieces and nephews with a smile:

"Lecia, it is impossible for you to go to the Green Lake area with me. Your father will not allow it. But Agelina, do you want to go with me? Just treat it as a long-term experience."

The little princess was a little tempted, but she still looked at her sister. Lesia didn't care:

"You can make your own decision, but if you really follow me, I won't let you play."

The ladies of the Cavendish family were talking, and the maid outside the door knocked on the door to inform them that Shade had come to visit and had entered the courtyard in a carriage.

A bright smile appeared on the red-haired duchess's face. She stood up to let Tifa check her clothes, and then went downstairs to greet Shade with a smile.

Lesia and Agelina sat motionless, and five or six minutes later, they were seen coming back together. Tifa held the rose brought by Shade and hugged little Mia, while the witch held a small gift from Shade - a metallic gradient red rose.

This is made from metal pieces of eight relic derivatives. The gift is not very expensive, but unique enough.

Although Lecia knew yesterday that Shade was no longer so angry, she still felt a little worried and guilty when she really saw Shade at this time. She stood up from the sofa, pursed her lips and didn't know what to say. After Agelina said hello to Shade, she said hesitantly:

"Good morning, Shade...I'm sorry."

The witch who walked to the sofa with Shade raised her eyebrows and looked back and forth between the two of them. Shade also looked at Lesia:

"What did you promise last night?"

"I won't do that again in the future. Even if I have to do such a reckless move, I will make it clear to you in advance."

She said and Shade walked up to her and hugged her gently. This action was more effective than any words, and the red-haired princess finally breathed a sigh of relief:

"Absolutely, absolutely there won't be a next time."

Shade asked Lecia and Agelina to come here last night, of course, not to let Carina, an elder, scold Lecia again, but to determine whether Agelina Cavendish, who was on the verge of awakening, was Going to study at Zalas Literary Academy or follow the witch. Lesia and Miss Carina have already discussed this point, and have also consulted Agelina's own opinion.

"There are two ring wizards in the royal family in the same generation. This is the first time since the founding of Delarion. From my standpoint, I don't really want Agelina to become a witch, although it means power. But there’s a cost too.”

Miss Carina said, still looking at Shade and Lesia with great interest, guessing what happened yesterday.

Lesia sat opposite Shade, with Agelina next to her. The sadness on her face since she came this morning finally disappeared, but her behavior was still strange at this time, and she blushed when she saw Shade. But other than the two of them, no one else here knew why.

She also said to Shade:

"Agelina herself wants to become a witch. After testing, she does have a unique talent. But the problem now is that Aunt Carina said that all the great witches have no intention of recruiting apprentices."

Shade looked at Agelina. The seventeen-year-old princess wearing a sky blue dress had some disappointment on her face.

Miss Carina explained:

"For the great witch, a formal apprentice means a possible heir in the future. For example, I have been training Tifa. If there is no accident, I will not recruit a second apprentice for decades. The other great witches are in a similar situation. , either he doesn’t intend to train new apprentices, or he is not suitable to be Agelina’s teacher.”

She shook her head:

"Sylvia is the youngest witch. She doesn't have an apprentice now. I asked her, but unfortunately, Agelina's math scores are not good, at least not according to Sylvia's standards. Excellent level. The great witch of space does not want an apprentice who is not good at mathematics. What's more, it is difficult to judge whether she has space talent now."

"So, you are planning to let Agelina enroll in Zarath School of Literature?"

Shade asked, pointing to the sky, which represented the floating city.

Lesia nodded:

"Yes, let her go to Zarath Academy of Literature after she officially awakens. However, although she cannot become a witch's apprentice for the time being, she can become a follower of the witch and give her part of the witch's power."

Possessing the power of a witch does not come without a price. Lesia had never considered it, but Agelina seemed to be ready.

"The Speaker agrees with this approach. She thinks it is a good thing to maintain a relationship with the royal family. Since Agelina wants to be close to the Parliament, the Speaker is also happy to do so. Besides, it will be easier to come into contact with the power of the witch when she awakens. It takes a lot of effort. The cost is also smaller.”

The Duchess said again, and Lesia was thinking of something else:

"When Agelina officially awakens, her father will no longer worry so much about her marriage. After all, the values ​​of ring magicians in the family and ordinary princesses are completely different. Agelina, the thing you have been worried about, It’s finally over.”

"Sister, I don't want to go to school in Zalas, can I still stay in Tobesk?"

Of course Agelina was also happy about this, but she didn't want to leave just like that. She glanced at Shade while speaking. Of course, Lecia could understand her sister's thoughts:

"Of course, you can become a correspondence student like Shade. I just didn't want to be in the college all the time, so I chose to switch from a formal student to a correspondence student. After all, staying away from Tobesk means staying away from the political center. But you have to think carefully. , that floating city is really nice, and the experience of living with a different race and classmates is not something you can have at any time... That will all happen in the future, after all, you haven't officially awakened yet."

"We'll make plans for the future later. I think it's fine as it is now."

The witch said, pointed to the door neatly, and said in a commanding tone:

"Okay, your business is finished. Lecia, Agelina, let's go back to the city now. The weather is so good today, girls, don't waste your spring time by staying here."

She held the hand of Sha De, who was sitting next to her, with a thick smile on her face:

"Shad came to see me for a date today, so don't waste my time. When I leave for the Green Lake area next week, I won't be able to see him.

The expressions on Lecia's and Agelina's faces were very similar at this time. Before Lecia and Shade said goodbye, they were quite reluctant to leave. The reckless behavior of her and Dorothy last night had left a deep lesson for these two girls. In Shade's opinion, this was a good thing, at least it would not happen again, he was sure of this.

As for Lesia's worry about being disliked by him, he could understand her worries about gains and losses. But in a few weeks, this matter will be completely over, and the family will not have any unresolved conflicts.

As for the date with the witch this Sunday afternoon, it lasted until about three o'clock. Duke Carina Cavendish, who has been busy recently, also needs to adjust her condition. After driving away the princesses, seeing that the weather was good today, she took Shade and his maids out for a horseback riding outing.

Although the area of ​​Carina's manor is only within the wall, in fact, most of the nearby farms, orchards and land belong to her.

The Duchess took Shade to confirm the boundaries of her land, raced horses on the forest paths in early spring, walked in the orchards, and returned to the manor at noon to have a picnic on the grass in the courtyard.

In the afternoon, they read together in the study room, talking about new topics in their lives, and planning an action plan for the Green Lake area. Even the arrival of Yin Luna, who came to study every week around 1:30, could not disturb the witch's good mood.

When Yin Luna opened the door and entered the study, she happened to see Shade sitting on the chair behind the desk, with the witch sitting on his lap and kissing him. This made Yin Luna a little unhappy. However, looking at Yin Luna's expression, she no longer had the hesitation and panic she had when she suddenly visited Xia De at noon on Friday. She had completely returned to her normal state.

The witch did not postpone Yin Luna's class today because of her date with Sha De. As Sha De happened to be there, she guided Sha De and Yin Luna in sparring. Of course, this is no longer a cold weapon fight between Shade and Sister Devlin, but a battle between real spellcasters.

Both Sha De and Yin Luna deliberately kept their hands open, and neither used powerful thaumaturgy, but the training in the afternoon was still very effective. Yin Luna also pointed out Sha De's "giant" attack method again, and the witch also gave her own ideas and suggestions, which were very useful.

However, around three o'clock, the eunuch attendant of Yodel Palace sent a letter, asking Miss Carina to go into the city to see His Majesty the King:

"There's been a lot going on lately."

Even if she was reluctant, she still had to leave. So Miss Carina arranged for Yin Luna to complete the new witch secret learning task she left in the manor, and then asked Shade to walk around the manor casually, or go to the bedroom to rest. The date would last all day, We can't let Shade go now. She did not take Tifa into the city with her, but asked her head maid to take care of Shade and Yin Luna in the manor.

And when the duchess and the other two maids left in the carriage, and Yin Luna took the parchment recording the new witch's secrets to the basement to prepare for the ceremony, the black-haired maid stood at the door of the manor house and gently tugged on Shade. corner of clothes:

"Shad, what are you going to do next?"

Shade turned to look at her. Tifa's smiling dark brown eyes were beautiful.

He thought for a moment:

"I wonder if Mia woke up from her nap. Or maybe it would be good to go to the study to read and wait for Carina to come back."

Tifa's beautiful eyes continued to stare at him, but there was a hint of hesitation and charm in the depths of her eyes:

"Any other plans?"

She playfully winked her left eye at Shade, and Shade also winked:

"you mean......"

She pursed her lips and smiled, then took Shade's hand and motioned to follow her. The two quickly arrived at the second room on the right on the third floor, which was very close to the master bedroom and was Tifa's room. Although she was a maid, she did not live with other maids, and Miss Carina never really regarded her as her maid.

The layout of this room is very similar to the guest room that Shade lived in before, but with some decorations unique to the girls' rooms. The interior decoration is not that luxurious, but it is simple and has Tifa's own style. The desk was neatly tidied, and her apron was hung on the back of the chair that was pushed into the table. There are some landscape paintings on the wall, and the only photo is of Tifa, who looks no more than 13 years old, and the Duchess.

There is a special fresh fragrance in the room that is not found in the corridor. It was the first time for Shade to enter here, but he failed to observe the room more carefully. The maid in a black and white maid dress stepped back, looking at Shade with a smile, and pressed her body against the door, closing the door. Locked up.

There was a rose-red glow on her face, which was a more alluring color than any cosmetics. Looking at him with big eyes, she put one hand behind her back and paused deliberately to let him see the slight movement of her shoulders. Then she locked the door with a click and raised her other hand to unbutton the first button under her collar. Buttons:

"Since the Duke is not here for the time being, we..."

All in all, it was indeed a fun, laid-back spring weekend afternoon.