Chapter 76: A Tale of Two Excursions

Chapter 76: Chapter 76: A Tale of Two Excursions

Salome’s face darkened.

"Why are you always contradicting me?"

She planted her hands on her hips.

"Have you spent so many years following behind the Hartwell family that you can’t bear to see your own daughter succeed?"

Gideon’s temper flared at once.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Who exactly is anyone’s lackey?"

Salome gave an inelegant snort.

"Who else could I possibly mean?"

She turned back toward Deborah, her expression instantly transforming into one of motherly pride.

"My precious daughter. This afternoon, Mother will take you shopping for new gowns."

Her eyes swept critically over Deborah from head to toe.

A slight frown appeared.

"You’ve put on a little weight. From tonight onward, no supper. And tomorrow, you won’t eat either. Only water. We’ll continue your diet until the boating excursion."

Deborah stared at her mother in disbelief.

"Nothing at all?"

Before she could say anything else, Gideon exploded.

"Are you trying to starve our daughter?"

Salome rolled her eyes impatiently.

"What do you know? Missing a few meals won’t kill her. A slimmer figure is more elegant. The Crown Prince will naturally find her more pleasing."

Gideon shook his head.

"Elysia was always slender. That didn’t make His Highness fall for her."

"That’s because Elysia couldn’t compare with my daughter!"

Salome retorted immediately.

"All she ever did was create trouble. My daughter is graceful, talented, and well-educated. I’m doing this for her own good. Do you think I’d deliberately harm my own child?"

Seeing another argument brewing, Deborah quickly stepped between them.

"It’s alright, Father."

She smiled reassuringly.

"Skipping a meal or two won’t hurt me."

Then she turned toward her mother with determined eyes.

"I’ll do my very best. I’ll make sure His Highness sees no one but me... I won’t lose to Elysia."

The weather was far too hot for planting vegetables.

Anything planted now would simply wither beneath the scorching sun.

So the vegetable garden was postponed for the time being.

Instead, all attention shifted toward renovating the courtyard.

The furniture Cassiel had ordered was of the highest quality.

Many pieces couldn’t even be purchased within Aveanlor and had to be transported from distant cities.

While awaiting their arrival, Cassiel ordered the existing rooms emptied.

The windows were enlarged to allow more sunlight inside.

The walls were freshly plastered and whitewashed.

Elysia claimed she was supervising the renovations.

In reality...

She spent most of the afternoon seated comfortably beneath the shaded corridor, leisurely sipping chilled minted pea broth while occasionally glancing toward the workers.

Meanwhile...

Cassiel remained inside his study.

He finally finished reading Legends of Cassiopeia.

Along the way...

He also felt he had learned quite a bit about how one might properly court a wife.

During dinner, Elysia suddenly asked,

"My lord, where will we be paying our respects to General Asheford the day after tomorrow?"

Cassiel looked up from his meal.

"East of the city. Near Oren Lake—There’s a wooded hillside nearby where many fallen soldiers were laid to rest."

A thought occurred to him.

"I heard a new lakeside tavern recently opened there. They even rent pleasure boats."

He looked at her.

"After we’ve paid our respects... Would you like to go boating together?"

The suggestion hadn’t come out of nowhere.

One particular scene from Legends of Cassiopeia had remained vivid in his mind.

Veron and Cassiopeia drifting across the lake beneath the moonlight.

Cassiopeia, slightly intoxicated...

Looping her arms around his neck before standing on tiptoe to kiss him first.

The scene had been written with such tenderness and intimacy that it lingered long after he’d finished reading.

Just imagining Elysia taking the initiative...

Cassiel immediately forced himself to stop thinking any further.

His heartbeat had already become noticeably uneven.

Still...

A quiet boat ride with her sounded rather pleasant.

The moment Elysia heard the words "Oren Lake," she froze briefly.

In her previous life...

She had gone boating there once.

It happened only a few days after Princess Sylrienne’s birthday banquet.

Following the misunderstanding that drove a wedge between them, Vaelen had refused to see her.

He ignored every request to meet.

He wouldn’t even speak to her.

When Zephyrus learned of the growing estrangement between them, he arranged a leisurely outing, hoping to reconcile the pair.

The place he chose...

Had been Oren Lake.

She and Vaelen had gone together.

There, they unexpectedly encountered Deborah Corvis and her elder brother, Barek Corvis.

By chance, Elysia overheard Barek mocking her late brother.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she’d walked over and thrown an entire cup of wine straight into his face.

The result...

Was utter chaos.

Vaelen arrived shortly afterward.

Yet instead of asking what had happened...

He publicly reprimanded her.

"Why can’t you behave with a little more grace? Why can’t you be more like Deborah?"

Even now...

She could still remember the burning humiliation on her face.

And Barek’s smug, triumphant smile.

She wondered...

Would the Corvis siblings appear there again in this life as well?

"What are you thinking about?"

Cassiel’s voice gently pulled her back to the present.

Elysia blinked before offering a small shake of her head.

"Nothing."

Cassiel studied her quietly.

"You don’t wish to go?"

She shook her head again.

"No, It’s not that."

Looking into his eyes, she smiled softly.

"I’d like to go."

After a brief pause, another thought occurred to her.

"Should we invite Lillian as well? After all... General Asheford was her father too."

Cassiel nodded.

"That’s a good idea. We’ll ask her."

Elysia immediately sent Clara to Rose Hall with the invitation.

Before long, Clara returned.

"Lady Melissa was quite excited at first. She assumed Your Grace had already found a suitable husband for Lady Lillian. When she learned it was merely an invitation to attend General Asheford’s memorial..."

"She looked rather disappointed."

Elysia couldn’t help smiling faintly.

"And Lillian?"

"Lady Lillian agreed immediately. She said she’d accompany you."

"Good."

Elysia nodded.

Once Clara had left, she called Miriam over quietly.

"Tomorrow... Go into the city. I want you to find out whether the Corvis family intends to visit Oren Lake the day after tomorrow."

Miriam asked no questions.

"As you command, Your Grace."

The following afternoon, Miriam returned with her report.

"They’re going."

She smiled knowingly.

"His Highness the Crown Prince personally invited Lady Deborah to accompany him on a boating excursion at Oren Lake. Lady Deborah even spent today shopping for a brand-new gown specifically for the outing."