At the sight of Amber’s arrival and approach, Jeit bowed his head to greet her. Amber did the same in response before walking towards Kalix.

She was able to understand the conversation between Kalix and Bella as soon as she approached.

“You don’t look very well. Did something happen last night? What did the little girl say to make you look like this?”

“Nothing happened.”

“As if nothing happened! Your complexion looks terrible, how could nothing have happened?”

As usual, Bella did most of the talking while Kalix only responded with short answers.

Though Amber couldn’t see Kalix’s expression with his back towards her, she was familiar with him enough to know that he desperately wanted to remain silent but was forcing himself to respond.

“I heard you left the bedchamber quite early. Did the little girl not stop you from leaving?”

“I simply decided to leave early.”

Bella tried to tease an answer out of him, but Kalix continued to answer her inconsiderately.

“Goodness, Kalix! You really test me with the way you avoid answering properly…” As soon as Bella raised her voice after reaching the limits of her patience, Amber let her presence be known.

Kalix and Bella turned around at the same time.

“Good morning, you two. I’ve also come to see the subjugation forces leaving for battle off.” Amber greeted them with a smile.

As soon as Bella saw Amber, she frowned and plainly shot looks of discomfort towards her. It was a reaction that Amber had predicted well in advance. But Kalix’s reaction was different from Amber’s predictions.

“Madam…?” At a loss for words, he simply stared at Amber. Seeing his eyes widened, it was clear that he was surprised at her presence.

His wavering gaze stayed on Amber’s lovely face. With perfect timing, the clouds that had covered the sun moved just enough to let the clear, winter sunlight shine upon Amber.

“How can she be so…” Kalix mumbled with a dazed look. After mumbling some words and trailing off, he remained silent for a long time.

“Your Excellency?”

“Son? What’s wrong?”

It was only after the two women spoke up at his silence did Kalix finally come to hijs senses.

“It’s nothing,” Kalix hurriedly responded.

Bella continued to prod him for answers to satisfy her curiosity, Kalix kept his silence until the very end.

Though it was obvious that Bella had reached the absolute limits of her patience and was about to lose her temper, she refrained from displaying any outward anger towards Kalix and instead directed her glare at Amber.

Amber could feel Bella’s heated glare resting on her cheeks.

Kalix was still in a state where he couldn’t tear away his gaze from her, so Amber was on the receiving end of two different gazes at the same time.

“Shall we go to Sir Jeit now? If we delay any longer, the sun will rise above the horizon.”

For the subjugation forces to travel the furthest they could in the daylight, they needed to set off before the sun was high in the sky.

“Let us go then,” Kalix spoke coldly and turned quickly. He walked at a brisk pace, as if creating as much distance between him and Amber as possible.

‘He didn’t even attempt to escort me this time. Perhaps it’s because of my words last night.’ Though she wasn’t particularly bothered by it, she couldn’t help but to ponder it in her mind.

“Grace!” As Kalix left to see Sir Jeit, Bella took off her social mask and called upon her maid with a sharp and irritated voice.

Grace hurriedly ran towards her and opened a parasol for Bella.

Watching from afar, Jenia also tried to approach Amber with a nervous expression, but Amber lifted up her hand to prevent her from coming closer.

It was a personal lady-in-waiting’s job to tend to the needs of a noble in an official setting. For Jenia, who was simply a higher ranked maid, to step up and tend to her would cause whispers throughout the castle.



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