Chapter 96: The Courage to Choose

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The Courage to Choose

The medicinal broth was no simple dish.

From selecting the herbs to controlling the heat, every step demanded patience. Preparing a single pot took hours.

Whenever Vaelen fell ill, he would eagerly drink every last drop.

Then, once he recovered, he would wrinkle his nose at the lingering herbal scent, complain that the room smelled awful, and impatiently shoo her away.

Looking back now, Elysia couldn’t decide whom she wanted to scold more.

Vaelen for taking her devotion for granted...

Or her former self for giving so much to someone who had never truly cherished it.

Fortunately, those days were behind her.

She had no intention of dwelling on the past.

Smiling, she held out the invitation she had drafted.

"My lord, would you look this over for me? Does anything need changing?"

Cassiel lowered his gaze to the parchment.

The handwriting was elegant and graceful, much like its owner.

Several phrases had been crossed out and rewritten. A few words had been squeezed neatly between the lines.

It was obvious she had revised it over and over before bringing it to him.

For some reason, that small realization pleased him.

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

"It’s well written."

Elysia’s eyes brightened immediately.

She quickly selected a quill from the brush stand, dipped it into the inkstone, and offered it to him with both hands.

Cassiel accepted it without a word.

He read through the letter once more before making several precise corrections. Here and there, he replaced a phrase with one more suitable for formal correspondence. In two places, he merely circled a word, silently suggesting a better choice.

After giving it one final glance, he set the quill aside.

"That should do. Simply make a clean copy and it’ll be good to go."

Elysia leaned closer to study his revisions.

The more she read, the more impressed she became.

"My lord..."

"These changes make the invitation far more elegant than my original. As expected of the Duke of Draevenor."

Cassiel looked at her, amusement flickering in his dark eyes.

"Sweet talker. I’m only speaking the truth."

She smiled brightly before carefully gathering the draft.

"Then I’ll take my leave. I’ll have it copied and sent immediately."

She turned to leave.

"Wait."

Cassiel spoke just as she turned towards the door.

His first instinct was to catch her wrist.

Halfway through the movement, however, his hand paused.

The next moment, it shifted naturally to her waist instead.

His arm settled around her slender figure with effortless familiarity.

Elysia stiffened.

A faint blush spread across her cheeks.

"W-what is it?"

Cassiel’s palm rested lightly against the curve of her waist.

"There’s one more matter. It’s about the Crown Prince."

Elysia thought for a moment.

"Don’t tell me..."

Cassiel looked at her expectantly.

She lowered her voice conspiratorially, her eyes shining with unmistakable curiosity.

"Did he catch something so serious that..."

"...he’s gravely ill and won’t recover?"

A low laugh escaped Cassiel’s lips.

"No."

Elysia’s shoulders drooped ever so slightly.

"Oh..."

Cassiel’s eyes curved with amusement.

"From your tone, one would think you were wishing him ill."

Elysia let out an embarrassed laugh.

"Of course not. I was only making a guess."

Cassiel studied her for a moment before continuing.

"The royal physician has already prescribed medicine. He should regain consciousness soon. What I wished to tell you concerns the palace."

"I’m listening."

"The King and Queen have reached a decision. They intend to have the Corvis girl marry into the Crown Prince’s Wing as his Crown Princess."

As he spoke, Cassiel watched Elysia closely.

He observed every subtle shift in her expression.

Yet there was no disappointment.

No bitterness.

Not even surprise.

She merely considered it for a moment before nodding.

"It seems a fitting match."

The answer left him unexpectedly satisfied.

Then Elysia’s cheeks reddened again.

"My lord..."

"Is there anything else? If not..."

She shifted awkwardly.

"Could you let me go? I’m rather ticklish..."

Cassiel’s gaze drifted to the waist beneath his hand.

His eyes darkened almost imperceptibly.

He held her there for another heartbeat before finally releasing her.

"Go on."

Elysia let out a quiet sigh of relief before leaving the study.

She carefully copied the invitation onto fresh parchment and had it delivered to Madam Rennor that very afternoon.

The reply arrived sooner than expected.

Along with Madam Rennor’s acceptance came another letter introducing her nephew.

Inside was a brief account of his upbringing, education, temperament, and current position, accompanied by a small painted portrait.

Elysia couldn’t help smiling as she studied it.

Cassiel, seated beside her, happened to glance over her shoulder.

His gaze settled on the portrait.

"Do you favor that type of man?"

The question sounded casual.

Too casual.

Unfortunately, Elysia completely missed the trace of jealousy hidden beneath it.

She smiled honestly.

"What’s not to like? He’s young... And quite handsome."

Cassiel fell silent.

Young.

So...

She preferred younger men.

Not older men like him.

Meanwhile, Elysia carefully rolled the portrait back up.

"Well then. I should go find Lillian."

She instructed Clara to invite Lillian from Rose Hall and arranged to meet her in the receiving parlour.

---

When Lillian arrived, Elysia immediately noticed something different.

There was still timidity in the young woman’s manner.

Yet compared to before, her eyes held a faint spark of life.

It was as though rain had finally fallen upon long-parched earth, allowing the first tender shoots of green to emerge.

After offering a respectful curtsy, Lillian asked softly,

"You wished to see me, Your Grace?"

Elysia smiled warmly.

"Your mother asked me to help look for a suitable husband for you. I’ve found someone who seems rather promising..."

"His name is Evren Soren. He’s close to your age, comes from a respectable family, and studied at the Royal Abbey."

"Two years ago, he earned a position in the Royal Archives because of his remarkable knowledge of ancient texts."

Lillian blinked in surprise.

"The day after tomorrow, he’ll be visiting Draevenor Manor. I thought the two of you may meet."

As Elysia reached for the portrait, she noticed Lillian’s expression change.

The girl’s fingers tightened unconsciously around her sleeves.

She looked conflicted.

Elysia paused, only halfway through unrolling the portrait.

"Is something troubling you?"

Lillian lowered her head.

Her lips parted slightly before closing again.

The words seemed caught in her throat.

Seeing her hesitation, Elysia’s voice became even gentler.

"It’s alright. This concerns your future. I only wished to introduce the two of you if you were willing. If you like the idea, we’ll proceed. If you don’t, we’ll simply pretend as if I never mentioned it..."

"I would never force you into marriage."

Her reassuring words finally gave Lillian the courage she needed.

She bit her lip.

After gathering her resolve, she slowly dropped to her knees.

"Your Grace..."

"I..."

She lowered her head.

"I already have someone in my heart."