Chapter 542
The slightly elevated wall, visible in the distance, created a division between the beautiful greenery and the blue sky. The endless sky was a breathtakingly beautiful deep blue, marked sporadically with drifting white clouds.
A horse was leisurely walking along in the midst of the expansive grassland.
Riding the horse were a young boy and girl. The girl who was sitting behind squinted her clear blue eyes in the gentle sunlight. The girl held back her hair that was dancing in the breeze with one hand and smiled cheerfully.
To avoid any misunderstanding, this was not the portrayal of some well-raised and sheltered noble girl. Rather, it was a depiction of Mia.
And here was the evidence.
“Hehehe, those clouds up in the sky look almost like sheep. One , two…” She was muttering such things.
It was unmistakably Mia. None other than Mia! Q.E.D.![1]
Well setting aside Mia’s behaviour.
Mia and Abel leisurely moved through the grassland, riding on Tofu, the horse formerly referred to as the equine version of Mia.
By the way, Abel was riding in front, while Mia in the back, wore a heroine-like expression on her face. It seemed unbelievable that she was the same person who was counting sheep clouds a moment ago. Mia’s ability to switch gears quickly was one of her good points.
‘Anyway, hehe, I can’t help but remember that incident— the first time we rode a horse together. The mood around us at that time was incredibly good. Abel gently supported me, who was an inexperienced rider. We looked at each other and expressed our love.’
Mia’s memory had been tampered with.
Well, setting that aside…
‘Anyway, I feel like Abel’s back has grown broader again.’
Mia stared intently at Abel’s back.
‘When I rode with him for the first time, he still had the slender lines of a boy. But, as I look at his back now, it is firm, and I can sense that he has become a gallant knight who can protect the princess.’
‘Maybe going somewhere far away like this wouldn’t be so bad. Hehe, it could turn into a romantic escapade.’
Mia wasn’t exactly sure what she was running away from. She was at an age where one naturally yearns for such experiences. That’s right, Mia was a fifteen-year-old maiden—a pure one at that.
‘Hmm. While I feel safe riding in front, I must admit, I prefer this way. It makes me feel protected. Hehehe, I’m satisfied.’
After indulging in her long-awaited romantic desires for a while, Mia called out to Abel.
“Hey, Abel. What exactly happened?”
“What do you mean?”
Without turning around, Abel spoke. Mia sensed that his voice was stiff and devoid of emotion.
It was clear that after speaking with Malong, Abel was acting a little strange. Even today, until Mia called out, he seemed absent-minded and spoke very little.
Abel was a gentleman. Whenever they went for a long ride, he would engage in conversation with Mia, ensuring she wouldn’t be bored. He was a caring person. However, today, he wasn’t his usual self and remained unusually quiet. Mia was concerned.
“Please don’t play innocent. You’ve been acting a little strange since yesterday.”
“Is that so? That wasn’t my intention.”
Mia nodded solemnly at Abel, who turned around to glance at her briefly.
“It’s obvious from my perspective.”
When Mia said that, a smile appeared on Abel’s face for the first time.
“Well, well… I can’t hide anything from you.”
Then he let out a small sigh and spoke.
“Actually, Malong-senpai informed me that my elder sister and the man with the wolf were seen together.”
“The man with the wolf… oh, you mean….”
“He’s not aware of the details. Malong-senpai heard about it from someone else. It was a member of another clan who actually witnessed the incident.”
“Is that so? That is indeed worrisome. When you say your older sister, are you referring to Her Highness, Princess Clarissa?”
Mia asked, recalling the names of the members of the Royal Family of the Remno Kingdom. Abel responded with a subtle shake of his head.
“No, that’s not accurate. It was my sister Valentina who was seen with him.”
“Oh? But I’m sure that Her Highness Valentina is…”
Abel gave a small nod to Mia who tilted her head.
“Yes, my sister Valentina is dead. She was supposed to have died five years ago, but…”
Abel hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“No body was found.”
“Is that so?”
“She fell off a cliff. The remains of the carriage were discovered later, leading to the conclusion that my sister and her companions fell to their deaths. It was believed that their bodies were devoured by wolves, as they were seen circling the wreckage.”
Abel said that almost as if he were letting it all out. Then, he turned around and looked at Mia.
“My older sister, Valentina Remno, who is supposed to be dead, was seen walking with the man with the wolf. I came to the Equestrian Kingdom to confirm if it was true.”
As she looked at those eyes that were on the verge of tears, Mia felt an unexplained tightness in her chest.
Realising she had to say something, Mia felt anxious and pondered. When she finally spoke, she ended up stating the most obvious thing.
“That’s good.”
“Huh?”
Abel looked stunned as he was unprepared to hear those worlds.
Mia continued to speak slowly, as if to reassure him.
“I’m glad that your older sister, whom you believed was dead, is still alive.”
Saying it out loud helped her think through it.
‘Yes, it’s definitely a good thing.’
“That’s something to be happy about. Abel, you should be happy.”
Even if Abel’s sister happened to be connected to the Serpents, as long as she was alive, there was a chance to talk to her. Interacting with her might even help bring her back to her senses. After all, if she had died, there would be absolutely nothing that could be done.
“It’s something to be happy about.” Mia repeated.
“Is that so? Is it okay for me to be happy?”
After a brief silence, words slowly spilled from Abel’s mouth.
“That’s right. You should be more delighted.” Mia affirmed confidently.
“If that’s the case, I must absolutely meet your sister and offer her my greetings.”
‘I’ll use this opportunity to make my future sister-in-law an ally!’
Mia declared to herself with a resolute exhale.
Translator Note:
1. Q.E.D. is an acronym for the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum, a way to show that you just logically proved something.