ITIF Chapter 11

An Unexpected Encounter

Thanks to Kavelaseth securing multiple rooms, and thanks to him offering one of those rooms, Giselle Grante and her party were able to rest comfortably.

The next day, she immediately boarded a carriage heading straight for the imperial capital.

The carriage that had left Count Fortress’s territory passed through several small villages before entering Marquis Kedwick’s domain.

‘Now I just need to pass through here to reach the imperial capital.’

Thanks to hurrying to avoid the same situation as before, fortunately this time they were able to secure an inn without much difficulty.

“Miss, what would you like to do about dinner? Shall I have them bring it up to your room?”

Lindsey, having finished organizing the luggage, wiped the sweat from her forehead and approached Giselle Grante.

‘What should I do.’

Giselle Grante pondered for a moment.

She could have dined quietly alone in her room, but having been cooped up in the carriage all day, she decided to go down to the first floor, wanting to get some fresh air.

Since it was still a bit early for dinner, there were no guests yet on the outdoor terrace.

‘I’m glad I hurried after all.’

Giselle Grante sat in a suitable spot and ordered her food.

“Would you like to order?”

“What do you recommend?”

“I recommend today’s special course.”

The server added that the chef used fresh seasonal ingredients to prepare different menus each day.

“I’ll have that. And a bowl of water to wash my hands.”

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

She looked up at the distant sky where the evening glow was slowly fading.

Not that she could see the imperial palace from here anyway.

All she wanted was to arrive at the imperial capital quickly, before all the evidence related to her death disappeared.

‘How strange this is……’

Watching the people busily coming and going, Giselle Grante suddenly had such thoughts.

When she lived in the imperial palace, she had always been curious about the world outside.

So whenever she was given a brief moment to catch her breath, she would gaze at the squares far from the palace or the mountain ranges in the distance.

The clarity brought by nature’s greenery seemed to lift her spirits.

But as soon as she was able to leave the imperial palace, she was trying to return there again.

‘What an ironic situation.’

As she was thinking such thoughts while washing her hands in the water bowl, the door opened and a clear bell chimed.

Ding-a-ling.

Soon a noblewoman adorned with fancy dress and jewels walked in.

Beside the noblewoman was a woman around Giselle Grante’s age who resembled her quite a bit.

“Welcome.”

Soon a server approached them and bowed politely.

Giselle Grante turned her gaze outside the shop. A fancy carriage was parked a short distance away.

But the crest drawn on the carriage was unfamiliar.

‘It’s probably not a powerful family.’

As she was thinking this while drying her wet hands, the noblewoman who had been looking around the hall spotted Giselle Grante and widened her eyes.

“Oh my!”

“Mother, what’s wrong?”

When her daughter looked at her with a puzzled expression, the noblewoman covered her mouth with the fan she was holding.

She seemed to have recognized Giselle Grante’s face and was telling her daughter about her.

‘I suppose my guess was right.’

Whatever she heard made the young lady smirk. The mother and daughter, after exchanging glances, soon walked toward Giselle Grante.

“Oh my, meeting you again like this? This is my daughter Evelyn. Evelyn? Please greet Lady Amaterasu.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Amaterasu. I am Evelyn of Swider, paying my respects. You are indeed as beautiful as I’ve heard.”

Evelyn curtsied slightly to Giselle Grante.

‘Ah, so they’re from Viscount Swider’s family.’

Giselle Grante nodded inwardly and pulled up the corners of her mouth.

“Nice to meet you, Lady Swider. Viscountess Swider.”

No sooner had they exchanged greetings than Viscountess Swider stepped closer to Giselle Grante.

“If you don’t have any companions, would it be alright if we joined you? Since we’ve met like this by coincidence.”

It was phrased as a suggestion.

However, Viscountess Swider subtly pushed her daughter toward the seat across from where Giselle Grante was sitting.

Though she felt a bit displeased by Viscountess Swider’s rude behavior, it seemed best to politely decline.

“I appreciate the offer, but I have some things I need to think about quietly……”

But before she could finish speaking, Viscountess Swider cleared her throat.

“……?”

“I, I’m sorry. Perhaps it’s from being in the cold wind for too long? My throat feels a bit dry.”

After making her excuses, Viscountess Swider shamelessly sat down across from Giselle Grante.

Naturally, her brow furrowed slightly.

Ahem.

Viscountess Swider subtly watched Giselle Grante’s expression while clearing her throat. Then she coughed several more times.

“Here. Some water.”

Giselle Grante pushed the small water bowl in front of her toward Viscountess Swider.

“……Why this?”

Viscountess Swider was initially puzzled, but then quickly rolled her eyes and tried hard to control her expression from contorting, when once again a clear bell chimed.

Ding-a-ling.

Lady Swider’s head quickly turned toward the door. Then she gasped and widened her eyes.

“Mother!”

“What’s wrong?”

At her reaction, both Viscountess Swider and Giselle Grante naturally turned their heads in that direction.

A tall, handsome man walked inside.

The moment they saw the man’s face, joy and disappointment were divided between Giselle Grante and Viscountess Swider.

‘Oh, again……’

“Oh my…… Duke Cardia!”

Giselle Grante bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, while Viscountess Swider rejoiced and winked at her daughter.

Without hesitation, the Swider mother and daughter jumped up from their seats.

And they scurried over to Kavelaseth.

“I never thought I’d see you in a place like this…… It’s an honor to meet you, Duke Cardia.”

Just as she had done with Giselle Grante moments before, Viscountess Swider greeted Kavelaseth warmly.

However, Kavelaseth just stood there quietly, looking at Viscountess Swider with indifferent eyes, not giving any response.

“…….”

One might have been intimidated and fled at his ice-cold reaction, but Viscountess Swider seemed to be no ordinary opponent.

“I’m late with introductions. I am the lady of the House of Swider. This is my daughter Evelyn…… Evelyn, greet Duke Cardia.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Duke Cardia. I am Evelyn Swider, paying my respects.”

It was astounding.

Just moments ago she had been showering unwanted attention on Giselle Grante, and now as soon as Kavelaseth appeared, she went scurrying over to him.

‘No, wait. Maybe this is better?’

It was true that they had made her comfortable dinner time somewhat uncomfortable, but if they hadn’t been there, Kavelaseth would have ruined her mood.

Rather, their intrusion could actually be helpful to Giselle Grante. They would willingly monopolize Kavelaseth’s time.

While Giselle Grante was quickly calculating, Kavelaseth’s gaze reached her.

“…….”

Giselle Grante gave Kavelaseth a light nod and then turned her gaze forward.

‘But still, why do I keep running into Kavelaseth……!’

It was truly regrettable.

She had resolved to be careful not to catch his eye in the future!

But from Count Fortress’s territory to the imperial capital, taking the shortest route naturally leads to Marquis Kedwick’s domain.

This naturally means her route would overlap with Kavelaseth’s.

So Giselle Grante had sped up the carriage coming to Marquis Kedwick’s domain.

And that wasn’t all.

It was quite predictable that Kavelaseth, upon arriving in Marquis Kedwick’s domain, would seek out the finest inn in the commercial district.

To avoid speculation that she was still obsessed with him and even following him around, she deliberately chose the second-best inn in the commercial district.

‘But…… who would have thought Kavelaseth would make the same choice as her.’

Giselle Grante’s delicate brow furrowed involuntarily.

‘I should ask them to bring dinner to my room.’

Giselle Grante was about to pick up the bell on the table that the server had left.

But just then, a server approached pushing a trolley.

“I’ve brought your meal.”

In the awkward situation where her food arrived just as she was about to leave, Giselle Grante’s dilemma continued a bit longer.

It was annoying to deal with those rude people from the House of Swider, but if things continued like this, it was obvious she’d be treated like a stalker by Kavelaseth.

‘I’d better return to my room before that happens.’

While the Swider mother and daughter were keeping Kavelaseth occupied.

The room would smell a bit of food, but it was an unavoidable choice.

Having finished her brief deliberation, Giselle Grante turned her head toward the server.

“…….”

But he had already left, and the person standing beside her, looking down at her with quiet eyes, was Kavelaseth.

“We meet again, Lady Amaterasu.”

Kavelaseth sat across from Giselle Grante quite naturally, without even asking her opinion.

First the Swider mother and daughter, and now Kavelaseth.

‘Why is everyone acting like this today?’

Naturally, Giselle Grante’s eyebrow rose crookedly as she looked at him.

“Ah, should I have asked for permission to join you first and then waited anxiously for your answer? Is that it?”

At his perfectly reasonable question, Giselle Grante smiled slightly.

“You know very well. Though you didn’t do so.”

“I didn’t particularly feel the need to.”

Kavelaseth, speaking curtly, picked up the bell on the table and shook it lightly.

Ding-a-ling.

Following the clear, bright chime, a server approached.

The server, who had been glancing at Giselle Grante with a puzzled expression, asked Kavelaseth.

“Would you like to order?”

“What’s this?”

Kavelaseth asked, looking at the plate in front of Giselle Grante.

“The lady ordered today’s special course.”

“The same thing.”