CH 33

Starry sky. A cool sea breeze hits my cheeks.

The ship, which sailed late at night, was now heading vigorously across the sea towards the Lund kingdom.

It was late, so there was no one left on the wide deck.

The cabins were spacious, but I was admiring the spread sea and the beautiful sky as I went out to breathe.

“Milady. The winds are cold. I’m afraid you’re going to waste so much,” Helen said anxiously, following me.

“I’m fine, so go. I’m not here for long.”

“Then I go to bed. Don’t stay here.”

Helen left and I took a deep breath. When I took cold air into my chest, my tired head relaxed a little.

I told my father not to worry, but how can I not worry myself?

I’ve never done such a thing as escape from an empire or abdicate a title before.

I was afraid of how I would be the one to raise the child and how to live.

“You need to do it. You have to be strong.”

Only then can I protect my child.

I put my hand on my stomach. I was worried and afraid of the future, but the thought of my child gave me strength and patience.

If only my child grew up in prosperity, I could give up at least a hundred titles.

“Let’s live happily, my baby.”

While I whispered, I looked up at the sky.

Countless stars shone in the clear sky without a single cloud. And I saw my favorite constellation.

The constellation that always stays in one place, Stella.

“Today your favorite star is visible. It’s always in the same place. And sometimes she reminds me of you, Ellie.”

I remembered what Raymond had told me then.

He spoke without a second thought, but when I heard it, I was so happy that I couldn’t sleep that night.

Do you still think about me, looking at this star?

I suddenly thought so. This star will always be there, but will Raymond remember me at least once?

But what nonsense I’m talking about.

This time it’s over for sure.

The last time I looked at this star, which only in vain drove me into useless thoughts. When I looked around the deck, my gaze lingered on a certain man.

Platinum hair shines even in the dark. His profile was familiar.

The man looking out to sea turned his head as if he sensed my gaze.

“It’s you again.”

The man froze, surprised.

“I never imagined that I would meet you here, Lady Croft.”

At the party, he wore an expensive tailcoat, but now his outfit betrayed him as a commoner.

“You know who I am.”

“Of course… Only few in the Empire don’t know Lady Croft.”

“Why don’t I know you?”

I didn’t know the name or identity of this person. All I knew was that he had already helped me out of a delicate situation twice already.

“Oh, well, if this is what you want…”

The man reached out to me.

“Our greeting is a little late. My name is Jeremy.”

“Jeremy…”

Without a surname, it means he is commoner.

Of course he cannot be a commoner. Despite the fact that he was dressed in rustic clothes, it was possible to follow the mannerisms that had become a habit.

As I felt it during our dance, his movements were not like a commoner, only imitating aristocrats.

Are you hiding, are you hiding too?

I looked into those amber eyes and took his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Jeremy.”

“Are you going on a trip to the Lund Kingdom?”

“You can say that’s right.”

I let go of his hand and smile nervously. I don’t know who he is yet, so I’ll have to draw a line right here.

“The Lund Kingdom is small, but good for travel. It’s safe there, and they welcome foreigners generously.”

Fortunately, Jeremy didn’t continue with questions.

“This is a good place.”

“Yeah. This is a great place for a quiet life.”

“Lady, do you know that star over there?”

Suddenly Jeremy pointed to a star shining in the sky. Unfortunately, this was exactly the star I wanted to forget about.

“…Stella.”

“Yes. In the empire, it is called that. And in the Lund Kingdom it’s Agi audita. It is said to mean ‘divine star’. There is a story in the Lund Kingdom that if you name a wish on this star, it will come true.”

“Is it so?”

“So let’s make a wish for the young lady. Who knows if it will come true?”

As if he found out that I was floating away forever.

However, further he only folded his hands on the railing with a gentle smile on his lips, and wasn’t going to continue.

We stared into the night sky without saying anything.

It was so quiet.

The shaken mind gradually relaxed. There was a sense of peace from Jeremy.

I looked at that platinum hair swaying in the wind and turned away.

And I looked at this star.

“Agi audita…”

This isn’t Stella anymore, this is Agi audita. This was its new name.

As well as my new beginning in the Lund Kingdom.

Please just let me live there happily with my baby.

I, making such a wish in my mind, looked at the sea with Jeremy for a while.

6 years later

Warm sunlight flooded the flowers in the courtyard.

The knife in the hands of the pink-haired woman cast glare in the sun.

From cute little buds to beautiful blooming flowers. There was the creak of a flower shop door, planted with colorful flowers and trees.

When the bell rang, I woke up and quit watering the little flower.

“Welcome.”

“Eli, good morning.”

A middle-aged woman with the yellow skin of the Lund Kingdom smiled sadly as she held a basket.

“Good morning, Marge. You don’t have to worry about it every time…”

I saw what was in the large basket that Marge brought. It always included freshly baked bread and fresh fruit.

Marge, the first roommate I met when I settled down here. She kept a bakery and fed me every morning.

“Ah, I come here more than once or twice. I come to you every day. Aren’t you tired of saying that?”

“This is because every time I regret, as I am grateful.”

“What is there to regret? We are all neighbors, we help each other. This is how we live. And besides, Eli gives us beautiful flowers for nothing, and saves the dying fruit trees.”

“It’s not a burden for me.”

“Oh yeah? And it’s not hard for me to bake a few loaves of bread. I still bake every morning.”

Marge smiled and handed me the basket.

“I’m having a good meal today, Marge.”

“Yes, yes. Oh my God, this lepori tree has finally come to life. It was dead a few days ago.”

“Alas. Yes, it’s better now.”

“Is Eli a secret doctor of botany? How else did you save those dead flowers and trees?”

Marge said, surprised when she saw a tree with red flowers in the window.

“As always, just sincerity and love, haha.”

I had my own abilities.

But if I told her, rumors would spread throughout the kingdom.

What I have learned using this ability for 6 years is that my abilities are much higher than I expected.

I not only saved dead plants, but also had the ability to cleanse and fertilize the soil.

It was an ability similar to that of an advanced earth mage. But when I first started to study plants, my abilities were already stronger than those of advanced magicians.

Marge laughed out loud when she saw my brilliant smile.

“Oh yeah. Even flowers feel love. Oh, but Eli.”

“Yes?”

“Last time, that floral perfume. Could you do more? My daughter liked the smell.”

“Of course. I’ll prepare it by tomorrow.”

“Thanks to. What’s the price?”

Marge looked into her pocket as if she was about to pay for the perfume.

“No. As you said, we are all neighbors, we help each other. That’s how we live.”

“No, take it. I know how expensive perfume is, and that’s not the point.”

“Then bring me some cream buns tomorrow.”

I grabbed her hand tightly to keep Marge from opening her pocket.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Marge.”

“No… Okay. Then I’ll bake delicious bread tomorrow.”

With her head bowed, as if she had suffered defeat, Marge soon went to the bakery opposite.

I was looking forward to a busy day, watching the shops in the neighborhood open one after another.

It was a shopping street in Erund, the capital of the Lund Kingdom.

Since I had to hide my identity, I initially tried to settle in a quiet village, but it was difficult to earn money there.

It has been six years since I left the empire.

Now the name of Eli, the owner of a flower shop in the Lund Kingdom, was more familiar to me than ‘Mrs. Ellie Croft’.

“Mom!”

A clear voice rang out in the street. I turned and with a bright smile hugged the child running into my arms.