Chapter 9: Finally, I’m Going to See You
“This mansion, you see…”
It had already been three hours.
The butler and head maid had been excitedly dragging Lobelia around the entire mansion, showing her every corner. Lobelia already knew most of what they were telling her, but she played along politely—and that turned out to be a mistake.
“Um… haven’t we seen almost everything now?”
Lobelia asked with a tired smile, but the head maid shook her head firmly.
“We haven’t seen the top floor yet. You need to know everything if you’re going to be the lady of this house.”
That again.
Lobelia sighed and looked at the head maid. She’d told them many times not to call her that, but they just wouldn’t stop. She was too tired to correct them anymore, so she just looked away to show her feelings.
“You can take care of the small things, Head Maid.”
“Oh, miss, I told you to call me Mary!”
The older maid, who had introduced herself as Mary, gave her a pouty look. At that, the butler chimed in and pointed to himself.
“I’m John, miss.”
“You’ve told me before.”
This must’ve been the fifth time. Every time Lobelia addressed them politely by title, they insisted she call them by name. It felt awkward. From the beginning, the staff here had seemed far too close to their employer.
“I’ll use your names when I’m more used to it.”
Lobelia replied awkwardly. Mary let out a small sigh and smiled faintly.
“We’re probably just strange to you. Until recently, all of us were living together in a crumbling old building with no formal titles or anything.”
A crumbling building? All crowded together?
Did she mean they used to be poor? In a place like this?
Lobelia tilted her head, not fully understanding. It didn’t make sense to have so many servants if they had been poor. Then John scratched his neck and explained with an embarrassed smile.
“Well… we’re all here because the master saved us during the war. Every one of us owes him our lives.”
Ah. So that’s why they all seemed so close. They had been through the same struggles, and that likely created a strong bond. They hadn’t started out as employees. And Kyle wouldn’t have left behind the people who followed him. Lobelia gave a bitter smile.
“We only moved into this place recently. The master was really poor until then…”
“John! Don’t say things like that!”
Mary quickly covered John’s mouth as if being poor was some terrible offense. John ended up biting his white beard and grimaced in pain.
“You brought it up first! Besides, the miss should know the truth. What if she finds out later and thinks it was a scam marriage?!”
“Well, that’s true, but still…”
Mary covered her own mouth and looked at Lobelia as if hoping she’d say something. Was she supposed to say “it’s fine even if he’s poor”? Or maybe, “no, it’s not fine”? But it wouldn’t matter after she met Lupin anyway…
Then suddenly, an idea hit her. Something flashed in her mind.
Kyle’s weak point. If she could learn something inconvenient about him, maybe she could use it to negotiate. She couldn’t just wait forever, not knowing when he’d let her meet her son.
“It’s good to know in advance. Please, tell me.”
Lobelia asked calmly. Mary hesitated but then opened her mouth.
“Well, the master isn’t very wealthy. His title… well, it can’t be passed on, and the lands he owns are pretty much useless.”
“Huh… that’s strange. One of the servants said he was rich.”
Lobelia said with a puzzled expression, remembering what someone told her when she first arrived. Mary shook her head.
“That was just to impress you. It wasn’t true.”
“But didn’t he earn a lot of merit in the war?”
Lobelia remembered the grand parade and celebrations. If he had that much honor, surely he must’ve been rewarded. Wasn’t he even a commander? What about his salary?
She looked at them suspiciously, and Mary sighed deeply.
“Oh, he earned plenty of merits. He went to war continuously for ten years.”
“But even if you fight well, it’s useless if the rewards are trash.”
John added with a grumble.
“Do you know what he got in return? The lands of Durno, Chator, and recently, Sahala.”
Durno, Chator, Sahala… They were all barren lands in the southeastern region. Full of rocks, dry like a desert—impossible to farm or even live in. The government didn’t even manage those areas. Lobelia looked around the beautiful mansion. She had thought the emperor must trust Kyle to gift him such a place, but maybe that wasn’t it after all.
“This mansion… the master won it from a bet with His Majesty.”
Mary explained as she noticed Lobelia looking confused. It was a bet about whether Kyle could return from the war faster than expected. He had won many things that way—including food, spices, money, even the prince’s palace repairs, and high-ranking positions.
“Wait, hold on.”
Lobelia raised her hand. She’d caught a specific word that stood out.
“Did you say he repaired the prince’s palace?”
“Yes. The palace was a mess, and only the prince and his nanny were living there. There was only one decent room. So the master talked to the emperor and got it all fixed up.”
“…”
So that’s why the place looked so neat.
Lobelia pressed her lips together tightly. She had hoped the emperor had at least done his duty as a father. But even that wasn’t true. Was it too much to expect even a little affection from him?
Her chest ached. She wanted to march up to Ostro and grab him by the collar. How could he abandon his child like that?
But then again… she had done the same. She wasn’t there for ten years. That long stretch of time felt cruel. Why had God sent her back now—after so long?
Was the emperor still out of his mind? Was that priestess still by his side?
If Lobelia met her again… could she stay calm?
Her heart wasn’t ready.
“Miss, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Lobelia answered quietly.
“Let’s continue the tour another time.”
She hurried down the stairs. She needed to find Kyle. She needed to see her child.
Even from a distance—she just needed to confirm that he was alive and well.
She had given her life to protect him. And now she learned that no one had properly taken care of him.
Her heart was breaking.
***
“Let me see the prince. Now.”
Lobelia burst into Kyle’s office.
Two men in the room looked up at her in surprise.
The room was calm, decorated in shades of green. Kyle sat at the main desk, surrounded by stacks of papers. Another man sat at a smaller table nearby—he had messy light green hair and quickly stood up.
“What’s the meaning of this?!”
“I’m sorry. I was just in a hurry.”
Lobelia raised her hand apologetically toward him. But her gesture also seemed to say: “Don’t come any closer.” Kyle looked at her and spoke calmly.
“Mejang, leave her.”
“But—!”
“It’s fine.”
Kyle’s firm tone made Mejang step back, though he didn’t look happy about it. Lobelia didn’t care. She walked straight to Kyle’s desk.
“You want to see the prince?”
Kyle leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands. Lobelia looked him in the eye and nodded.
“Yes.”
“I already told you, it’s not time yet.”
“I’m not asking blindly. I’m offering a deal.”
“A deal?”
Kyle rubbed his chin, his interest piqued. Before Lobelia could explain, Mejang shouted again.
“What kind of nonsense are you trying to pull?!”
It was obvious he didn’t like her. He stomped forward angrily. Lobelia narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down. He was probably around Kyle’s age from ten years ago. The way he flared up—it was almost cute.
Then she said calmly,
“There’s a way to make the Sahala land usable.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
Mejang shouted, blocking her way. Ridiculous, huh? Lobelia smiled bitterly. She had thought the same at first.
Back when she was empress, she had met a scholar who studied barren lands. He told her about a way to use Sahala, and even showed her salt crystals from there. But she had died shortly after sending his research to her father.
“There’s salt there.”
She explained exactly what she’d heard. That Sahala had once been part of the sea, and that deep underground, there were deposits of salt.
“But where is it?”
Kyle asked, now clearly interested.
“I don’t know exactly.”
“That sounds like a lie.”
Mejang glared at her. Kyle stroked his chin silently.
Before Lobelia came, they had been racking their brains trying to figure out what to do with that useless land. They even considered planting rare herbs—but nothing would grow there.
Salt, though…
If true, it could fix their financial problems.
‘I should check it myself.’
Now that the idea was out there, he couldn’t ignore it.
Then he heard Lobelia say quietly to Mejang,
“I don’t know where, but I know where the research documents are.”
That was good news.
Kyle lifted his head.
“Where are they?”
“I’ll tell you after I see the prince.”
Ah, right. This was a deal.
Kyle smirked at her firm tone. Behind him, Mejang was shaking his head wildly. Kyle glanced at him, then opened his mouth with a bitter smile.
“…Fine. But you can’t meet him yet.”
The reactions of the two people in front of him were very different.
***
Two days later, Lobelia was in a carriage with Kyle.
She had wanted to leave immediately, but Kyle said he needed time to check on the prince’s condition. Then a storm delayed them another day.
Clunk, clunk.
The rough road made the carriage shake—just like her heart.
The cold winter air outside was meaningless. Inside the carriage, the warmth came from Lobelia’s excitement.
“You look very happy.”
Kyle said as he looked at her glowing face. She couldn’t hide her excitement, just like a child.
“Of course I am.”
Lobelia replied brightly, imagining seeing Lupin. Her smile was so pure and joyful that Kyle’s eyes widened.
That smile—it was exactly the one he had fallen in love with. The empress’s smile.
Her blushing cheeks, her soft eyes—it was all the same. He’d fallen for her once… and now again.
“Smile again.”
Kyle suddenly said. Lobelia was looking out the window now.
“Huh?”
She turned and raised her eyebrow at him. What a strange request.
Kyle shrugged and chuckled.
“I just want to see it again.”
“Like this?”
Lobelia smiled awkwardly, lifting the corners of her mouth. Kyle smiled too, even if it wasn’t the same as before.
“That’s not quite it.”
“It is.”
She gave him a look like he was being ridiculous. The tension between them had eased a lot. It wasn’t awkward anymore.
Back when they first traveled to Château de Chartres, it felt like walking on nails. But now…
‘I guess I’ve gotten used to him.’
Lobelia admitted it to herself. She no longer saw the boy she once knew in Kyle.
She didn’t know about the others yet, but at least with Kyle…
“Ah!”
Through the window, she saw the Grand Nord Palace—the prince’s residence.
They were almost there.
Lobelia leaned forward excitedly. Watching her bounce like that, Kyle’s smile faded a little.
He wasn’t sure how she would handle what she was about to see.
“Bella.”
Kyle said with a serious face.
“Yes?”
“Before you see His Highness… there’s something you need to know.”
