Clunk.
The carriage shook momentarily as if it had hit a rock.
Lost in thoughts of the past, Neris was slightly surprised to find that the scenery outside had changed.
The dense forest and rugged cliffs had disappeared, replaced by a gleaming silver river and a white city built in a form that pierced through on both sides.
The white city seemed to have higher buildings towards the center from the city walls, and indeed, an elegant stone castle built in the center of the city could be seen with people bustling at the entrance from a distance.
The slender spires, colorful pointed roofs, and the bright white surfaces shining in the clear sunlight were beautiful, like swans about to take flight.
"Miss."
The attendant who had been driving the carriage as a coachman until now, politely informed her from outside.
"That over there is Fenmwick, the capital of Mainland. We will arrive at the castle in a few hours."
He was kind.
His orders were simply to bring her to Mainland. However, despite spending a few days bedridden due to sudden illness, he had taken care of her needs as much as possible without showing any signs of annoyance.
And even when Neris suddenly started wearing a black veil that didn't reveal her eyes, he didn't ask anything.
"Got it. Thank you for your hard work."
Neris replied softly and returned to her interrupted thoughts.
Considering the existence of a counterexample like Cledwyn Mainland, it didn't seem like Nellucian had told Neris everything at the time.
Had he missed the existence of counterarguments? It didn't seem likely. Nellucian was a thorough human.
And if, as Nellucian had theorized, "the Palos Duchy was eradicated for giving birth to a descendant with a gray jewel," then why did the Elendria family maintain their glory?
Why did the royal family welcome Neris as a princess and cleverly utilize the abilities of the purple jewel?
Nellucian, who had taken advantage of all kinds of benefits behind the scenes of the royal family, declared independence and eventually made his "dear" younger sibling the new princess of Vista.
Undoubtedly, there was some kind of collusion. Well, the important thing was what that content was.
'While Nellucian's assumption about not drawing the jewel in the marriage commemorative portrait is correct.'
When Abelus and Neris got married, a renowned painter naturally came and painted a grand portrait. Both sides were depicted with symbolic items of their families layered like armor.
In the portrait, Neris's eyes were drawn as normal eyes, not with the jewel. Even Neris, who had heard from Nellucian, and the Elendria family, who had their own intentions, did not object.
In the portrait gallery of the Elendria family, there were ancestors who were born with and lived with the same eye colors as Neris. According to Nellucian's speculation, those who had the same eye colors as Neris were likely owners of the jewel.
And just as the royal family did with Neris, the paintings and official documents would have only left dry technical details about their life trajectories and lineage, excluding records related to the purple jewel.
"It's complicated..."
It would be good to have more clues.
But it wasn't necessary to uncover that secret right now. It was fine to just think about meeting her mother after a long time.
With a rare joyful smile, Neris gazed at the distant white city.
***
"Miss, I am Ellen."
The first person to greet Neris as she got off the carriage was the lady-in-waiting of the castle.
The older the family, the more strict they were even with the status of the lady-in-waiting. It was difficult for a humble person to satisfy the family's expectations, and who would be worthy of the family's honor.
So, by the time one became a lady-in-waiting to a duke, she was a noblewoman or at least someone who received such treatment.
It was beyond common sense for a lady-in-waiting to come out to greet the newly arrived castle lord's entourage.
Although inwardly surprised, Neris liked Lady-in-Waiting Ellen's demeanor. She appeared to be a kind middle-aged woman, and her neat appearance suggested she was meticulous in her work.
"Pleased to meet you."
Not forgetting that Cledwyn valued her, Neris greeted without any breach of etiquette. Ellen smiled broadly at Neris.
"I am truly delighted to meet you like this. If His Grace had not left the castle unattended, he would have undoubtedly come out to greet you."
That's absurd, Neris thought.
They had a senior-junior relationship at the academy and had a certain level of friendship, but now that Neris had graduated and come to Mainland, she was just one of Cledwyn's many subordinates.
For a lady-in-waiting to personally come out and announce the absence of the castle lord was a very rare treatment reserved for esteemed guests. Neris suspected that Ellen might be mistaken. Was someone else coming besides her?
Even though she didn't voice any suspicions, Ellen chuckled as if she had read Neris's thoughts. And naturally, they started walking inside from the courtyard where they stood.
"Indeed. If His Grace knew how long you had been waiting, he would be pleasantly surprised. Is the sunlight bothering you? If so, shall we close the outer shutters in the West Wing?"
Since the manifestation of the jewel, Neris had been wearing a black veil over her hat. While she had no problem conversing with people, the reflections from the jewel made it difficult for others to see.
Seeing this, Ellen asked. Neris responded firmly.
"No, I just wanted to wear this hat. I don't like people remembering my face on the way here."
"You truly are a beauty. I can tell even beyond the veil."
Naturally extended hand and silent footsteps. Neris followed Ellen into the castle.
"You will be staying in the West Wing, Miss. It's a serene place, but we have prepared it to be as comfortable as possible for you. If you have any discomfort, feel free to call me or the steward, Gilbert."
"Thank you. But do I trouble the lady-in-waiting?"
"Not at all."
As she said that, Ellen's eyes looking at Neris were very warm.
Having received a lot of neglect from elderly ladies in this life, Neris had improved, but she still remembered the treatment she received from Lady Elendria, who was her stepmother in her previous life.
"So when I see middle-aged women, I sometimes find myself shrinking or trying to be obsequious to match their tastes, but Ellen's gaze contained an affection that was truly difficult to believe was that of someone meeting a stranger for the first time.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Neris turned her gaze as naturally as possible to take in the atmosphere of the castle.
The castle, which was beautiful on the outside, was also splendidly decorated inside. The overall color scheme was dark and heavy, not as flashy as the social circles in Vista, but the dignified and elegant style was even more outstanding.
The black and white diamond-shaped marble floor in the alternating corridors had the Mainland Ducal House's emblem drawn at specific intervals, and the sleek palace corridors had delicate golden decorations on a white background.
In the rest of the empire's lands, architecture that did not emphasize the palace corridors had been in fashion for a long time, and it was common to decorate both the ceiling and pillars densely with paintings. However, such decorations felt chaotic and lacked elegance.
While tastes may vary, Neris found the grand yet dignified interior very appealing.
The attire of the passing servants was neat as well. Seeing their quiet footsteps and straight shoulders, Neris could tell how competent the steward was and how carefully the people working in the castle were chosen.
The peculiar thing was that fewer people were visible than the number required for a castle of this size. Neris could guess the reason.
Traitors.
The vacancies left behind when Cledwyn purged the elders were yet to be filled.
It was better not to use people than to use them wrongly. If the number of heads was absolutely necessary, people could be temporarily hired from the village below the castle. As the princess responsible for the prince's palace within the royal palace, Neris agreed with the employer's judgment.
As they passed through a small room at the entrance of the castle, Ellen moved westward in a square hall. Neris followed Ellen and passed through a neat door at the western end of the hall.
"From here is the West Wing."
As they stepped into the corridor beyond that door, they entered a courtyard. It was a space made of white marble, open on both sides with small but beautifully landscaped areas.
The north had long winters. An open courtyard like this, completely open to the sky, was not ideal in a region where glass greenhouses were not made.
Especially if it was a garden with lush green leaves as seen by Neris now.
Undoubtedly, it would have been costly to create, and if the trees survived the winter, it was likely an enchanted garden. Even the maintenance costs would be astronomical, yet strangely, the trees in the garden were not pruned at all.
"Is this garden also part of the West Wing?"
If it were for display, it should have been better maintained than it is now. I understand that there is a shortage of people, but still. Ellen sighed as if embarrassed at Neris's question.
"Yes, that's correct. In fact, the reason I mentioned the West Wing's serenity... Please forgive me."
"How is the garden? It looks beautiful even though it's sprawling."
"Thank you for saying so."
In fact, the garden was currently in full bloom with summer flowers, so it had its own natural beauty. So Neris's words were not empty.
Not long after the corridor ended, a door leading to the entrance of the West Wing building appeared. Again, a door frame made of white marble, with a door inside adorned with intricate golden handles.
Creak. Ellen opened the door.
The reason Ellen mentioned the West Wing's serenity was not just the garden. The entrance hall of the West Wing, where people entering the West Wing first encountered, did not feel the warmth of people anywhere, unlike the main palace. There were no paintings or sculptures brought in separately.
However, none of that registered in Neris's eyes.
Because the sight of the woman who had just descended into the West Wing's entrance hall filled her vision.
"Liz, my baby!"
Seeing her healthy and happy mother, Neris smiled broadly."