Cecilia still had many things to do. Therefore, after spending a night resting in the palace, she intended to return immediately to Erebos Forest.
Early in the morning, Cecilia set off with Sir Robert. This time they went by horse-drawn carriage. This was because Cecilia still had to assess several documents along the way, and she would not be able to do so if she went by horse.
"....."
Silence enveloped the horse-drawn carriage throughout the journey. Sir Robert sat across from Cecilia. His eyes never left Cecilia, who was currently writing something on the document she had brought. The scratching of the pen could be heard regularly inside the carriage. Now and then, Cecilia would frown, then write something on the document in her hand.
At one point, Cecilia stopped writing for a moment. She lifted her face, and her gaze met Sir Robert's gaze, which never left her face.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked. Cecilia did not seem angry. She even smiled slightly when she caught Sir Robert not stopping staring at her.
Sir Robert flinched slightly, but quickly covered his nervousness with a smile.
"I just wonder… You always seem so busy thinking about others. This kingdom, its people, even the trade routes," he said honestly. "But I never see… You're giving yourself a break."
Cecilia lowered the document in her hand. She took a deep breath, then smiled helplessly.
"I have no time to rest, Robert," she said quietly. "This kingdom is on the brink of its destruction. And that's because I never took this matter seriously before."
Robert tilted his head. "You're not one to take anything lightly, I'd say."
Cecilia's smile was deep, full of bitterness.
"You have no idea who I really am," she said in a half-whisper.
Sir Robert paused, but not out of offense. There was longing in her eyes. Sir Robert bowed his head slightly. He didn't want Cecilia to see what was reflected in his eyeballs.
"Then, how do you see yourself?" he asked in a low voice.
Cecilia turned to him. The sun reflected warm colors in her cold eyes. She stared at Sir Robert for a long time, as if she was about to whisper all the secrets she had kept in ninety-nine lifetimes. But in the end, she just smiled.
"Someone who is trying to be more useful this time," she replied.
Sir Robert looked down, his hands clenched lightly on his knees. There were so many things he wanted to say. About how he admired Cecilia's strength and resilience, about how Cecilia's mere existence was enough to make a person like him feel he could still live.
But Sir Robert chose to remain silent. He was not sure that his mere existence was enough to make Cecilia feel she was more valuable than she thought.
"If I can bring this kingdom beyond its darkest hour..." she murmured, "I might be able to die in peace one day."
Sir Robert turned his gaze out the window. He didn't know why, but those words made his chest feel tight.
"...You'll live a long time," he whispered, barely audible. "At least... I'll make sure of that."
Cecilia paused, then smiled afterward. Sir Robert didn't like the kind of smile Cecilia was showing now. Cecilia smiled as if she didn't believe she would live happily for a long time.
"Thank you, Robert."
Sir Robert was silent. At that moment, he couldn't help but feel that Cecilia's plan might not stop until the Magenta Kingdom became a powerful kingdom.
***
The morning mist still hung low among the trees of Erebos Forest when Cecilia finally arrived at their campsite in Erebos Forest. Sir Robert got out of the carriage first. Out of habit, he almost reached out to help Cecilia get off the carriage.
Cecilia smiled, then quietly got off herself. Sir Robert pulled her hand back. He then followed Cecilia in silence.
Cecilia's destination was the main tent, where the leaders were overseeing the progress of the trade route construction project. Damian was there. Dressed in his royal white robe, Damian stood like a carefully carved statue.
Damian turned to Cecilia as she entered the tent. His gaze was blank as their eyes met. He didn't say anything. Thanks to that, the atmosphere inside the tent seemed a bit awkward for both of them.
"Busy morning, isn't it?" Cecilia greeted lightly, trying to lighten the mood that Damian had made uncomfortable.
Damian didn't answer. He just glanced at Cecilia, then turned around and walked towards the strategy table that was set up inside the tent. Cecilia approached him without being asked. Compared to her old life, Cecilia knew that the current Damian had a soft spot for her.
"Are you still angry about what happened back then?" Cecilia finally asked when Damian remained silent.
"Why should I be angry?"
After a while, Damian finally spoke. His voice was flat, and his eyes didn't move from the map of Erebos Forest, which seemed much more interesting to him than Cecilia.
"You asked for this attitude. I'm just adjusting to your expectations."
Cecilia smiled slightly. Of course, compared to the usual Damian, the Damian in front of her was just a sulking child.
Damian seemed to like intelligent people. Therefore, Cecilia had prepared another bait to make Damian return to his original self.
"Nerva's Blossom and Mira Root last for two weeks at most after being harvested. Even with careful care, they will last for a month at most. However, I know a way to keep them fresh twice as long as usual," she said casually.
Damian stopped his movements. His gray eyes turned to Cecilia, who smiled slightly when she saw his reaction.
"Nerva's Blossom and Mira Root are plants that grow in humid areas. People tend to try to keep them moist to maintain their freshness. However, drying them is the most effective way to make them last longer."
Damian frowned. "That would change the components of the substances inside."
"No. I've researched that, so you don't have to worry."
Damian fell silent. Since Nerva's Blossom and Mira Root were so rare in their kingdom, they never bothered to find a way to keep them longer than letting them grow in a damp place like mold. But Cecilia did. From Damian's experience, he could tell that Cecilia would never lie when she spoke to him.
Damian raised an eyebrow. "Why are you telling me this?"
Cecilia shrugged her shoulders slightly. "Think of it as... my way of apologizing to you," she said.
Damian frowned. "Apologize?"
Cecilia looked him in the eye deeply. "I offended you in front of others that day. I know I was wrong. That's why I apologize to you."
There was a moment of silence. Then, slowly, Damian's lips curled into a smile. This time, it wasn't the usual mocking or manipulative smile. Damian smiled almost genuinely, a smile that almost made Cecilia suspect there was something wrong with his eyes when she first saw him.
"I'm glad you didn't betray my expectations, Cecilia," he said. "I thought you would come back just for the sake of formality. But you apologize and give me what I need instead."
Damian walked closer then lowered his head slightly as he spoke in a lower voice to Cecilia.
"If this is your way of bribing me to forget my anger... Congratulations, you succeeded."
Damian patted Cecilia's shoulder once. Just by looking at the smile that didn't fade from his face, Cecilia knew that she had succeeded in regaining Damian's interest.