ATPL 32

“Ah, right.”

Before Anais could ask, Judy rummaged through her clothes and pulled something out.

“It’s a letter from Lord Cesar. He sent it here.”

A letter…?

Anais squinted at it as she took it. Then her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the recipient line.

<My Queen>

Her brow furrowed deeply.

But thanks to the mask, Judy couldn’t see her expression.

“Mother thought it was a misdelivered letter at first, you know. She was going to return it, saying no queen lives here, but I knew it was from Lord Cesar and accepted it separately! Wasn’t that smart of me?”

Judy looked at Anais with pride and expectant eyes.

But Anais barely registered Judy’s expression as she tore open the letter. She didn’t even think to ask for a letter opener.

<My beloved>

The moment she saw the first line, Anais sank to the floor. The neatly written opening was unmistakably a lover’s letter.

The rest was the same. Skimming through it, she found it filled with words like ‘beloved’, ‘darling’, ‘trembling’, and ‘waiting’.

Unable to contain her racing heart, Anais clutched her chest.

“This crazy…”

She barely stopped herself before vulgar words slipped out.

That crazy Number 33!

What is this!

Now it made sense. It was clear. Number 33 had come to ruin her life. Otherwise, how could something like this—

Mom. Anais is practically married off…

Even setting aside the unfamiliar name, sending a letter like this meant they weren’t just casual acquaintances.

Good heavens. To think she’d made a lover while she’d lost her memory. She must’ve been incredibly busy.

Or maybe she wasn’t alone anymore? Since she’d been in a relationship?

‘How could this happen after how Grandfather raised Anais!’

Her hands trembled. She was stunned.

This was Anais, who had been treated like a princess without a single fiancé until nineteen because she was too preciously raised to be given to just anyone.

And now she’d been involved with someone whose name she didn’t even recognize. And at the villa, no less!

‘Could it be that I came to the villa for romance? No, wait.’

But the more she thought about it, the odder it seemed. Would Number 33, who’d been busy scamming people in Belfast, really come to Reims just for love?

Even with the gate, it took two days from Belfast to Reims. And that’s assuming there were no military checkpoints.

‘Could this be another scam too?’

Thump. Anais felt herself sinking deeper into confusion.

She’d already heard tales of swindlers who conned others out of money by pretending to marry them.

That’s when it happened.

“Um…”

Judy, who had been fidgeting with her fingers, finally spoke up. Only then did Anais come back to herself.

She must’ve been waiting nearby, expecting something in return for delivering the letter.

After a moment of thought, Anais unfastened one of the decorative buttons on her sleeve. It was silver—worth a decent amount.

“Thank you!”

Judy’s face lit up immediately.

“Then I’ll take my lea—”

But Anais had no intention of letting Judy go just yet. In fact, Judy was probably the key to understanding everything.

“Judy, I have something to ask.”

“Oh, yes. Please, go ahead.”

“This is a secret…”

Judy’s eyes widened at the word secret. Anais hesitated a moment before continuing.

“Anais currently has no memories of the past year.”

“…Pardon?”

“Exactly as I said. Even going to the Grand Duchy of Neuze now…”

After a pause, Anais removed her mask.

There was no need to explain the entire story to Judy. She’d probably just assume Anais was going to see a doctor.

As expected, Judy gasped.

“My Lady , your face…”

“Yes. I suffered some burns.”

“Oh my… No wonder. Then your hair too?”

“Yes.”

Shocked, Judy gently reached out and touched Anais’s short hair.

“So that’s why your hair is short… I thought it might be a new fashion from Belfast.”

Still, Judy’s gaze flickered toward her own braided hair, and the corner of her mouth twisted slightly.

Naturally, Anais felt offended. But since she’d anticipated this kind of reaction, she calmed herself. Patience.

And she thought:

‘How lucky I didn’t take off my mask in front of Abelard. Getting hit with one spiteful look after another would’ve been too much, even if I expected it.’

“It was an unexpected accident. That’s why your words and this letter are so baffling to me now.”

“Ah, so you’ve completely forgotten?”

“Yes. To be honest, I’m hearing the name Cesar for the first time now.”

Judy’s eyes filled with curiosity. Anais hated that look.

She wanted to ask, ’Are you enjoying this?’, but saying that would make it harder to get the information she needed.

“So… could you explain what you know about what happened? And who Cesar is?”

“…Isn’t it written in your precious diary?”

That diary? How do you know about… Anais was about to ask, when something came to mind.

‘I heard she even criticized you for putting on airs by keeping a diary!’

That’s what Anne had said angrily.

So now you’re mocking me, are you?

‘I’ll write this in my diary too!’

Anais thought bitterly, holding back her irritation.

“…It seems Anais hasn’t been keeping records very diligently lately. Perhaps she was too busy with romance…”

It was true. Anais had read her diary thoroughly before leaving but there wasn’t a single hint of romance in it.

There were a few hastily scribbled notes about fraud victims, calling them idiots, slaves, and fools, but even those were careless fragments.

“Ah, I see…”

Judy replied while eyeing Anais’s hand hoping the other decorative button might be handed over too.

‘My goodness, trying to milk this for all it’s worth. What, are you saving up for your dowry? Why not ask me to build you a house while you’re at it?’

Despite her thoughts, Anais forced a laugh.

“Ah, right. And could you remove the lace from this bonnet? I don’t like it. You can keep the leftover lace.”

“…Really?”

“Of course.”

Judy eagerly took the bonnet, her eyes gleaming.

‘Last time she was going on about how Belfast lace was inferior to Imperial lace! She definitely said that after seeing my lady’s dress!’

This, too, Anais recalled thanks to Anne’s gossip. People who criticize what others own usually just want it for themselves.

Anais resisted the urge to fan herself dramatically.

In truth, she could have generously given away buttons or lace if she wanted to. If she were still the former Anais Fleur, that is.

But now she didn’t have much travel money left. No. 33 had embezzled everything.

Even the expenses for this trip were cobbled together from what remained in the household funds.

Normally, she would’ve written to her grandfather for help but there hadn’t been time.

She’d had to leave the mansion immediately with Elliot.

So giving away the lace was the only option.

‘Besides, I never liked that bonnet anyway! It only matched my walking dress!’

She consoled herself with that thought.

“Um, my lady. Actually, I don’t know much.”

But the moment Judy said that, Anais wanted to snatch the bonnet right back from her hands.

Hey! If you’re going to say that, give me my bonnet back right now! It was such a cute bonnet! It won’t even be cute without the lace!

Of course, since Anais was a kind and gentle lady, she restrained herself.

‘Let’s recite the mantra. Anais is kind. Anais is gentle. Anais is kind. Anais does not violently snatch bonnets from people…’

“Well, my lady, um. Just that you hit Lord Cesar…?”

What’s this now?

Anais’s eyes grew so wide they looked like they might pop out.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the third floor of the Fleur villa.

Elliot was holding a letter. He’d received it via the Dragon Knights’ magical communication channel during a brief stop in Reims.

It was from his lieutenant, Atlas.

When Elliot and Atlas had left Fortuna, there’d been no accusations against Anais, but now reports were slowly starting to surface at Quisac.

Atlas noted that he’d filtered out most of what he heard but there was something unique among the rumors, something potentially serious.

<You’re stopping by Reims? That’s perfect!>

With that message, Atlas had forwarded a report concerning a certain magic merchant named Cesar—currently staying in Reims.

“Cesar? That name sounds familiar.”

Abelard, sitting beside him, scratched his chin. Elliot’s gaze darkened.

“He’s the second son of the magic city of Rezaie.”

“Ah.”

Abelard’s mouth dropped open.