2 Season 01 - Chapter 002 | Secret Novelist
Season 01 - Chapter 002
"It's a pleasure to meet you, your Royal Highness, Crown Prince Ishmael." I stood straight and tilted my head.
One of the most prominent qualities of the Crown Prince is his pyro mana and immense aura. If I was an ordinary person, I would have trembled in fear and dropped to my knees because of the intensity. I must say, Asteria's body is very strong despite not having any amount of mana or aura.
"Follow me."
Prime Minister Beumont remained in his office while we left for the Crown Prince's daughter.
"May I ask the Royal Princess's name?"
"Is it your job to pry into people's business?"
His personality is just like in the book.
"My, my. How will I help cure the princess if I don't know her name?"
He stopped walking and faced me. "Why?"
"What do you mean why?"
"Is the princess's name an ingredient to some sort of medicine you have to procure. Why do you need her name?"
"But the princess doesn't need medicine. What she needs is far beyond what doctors and healers could give her."
Crown Prince Ishmael continued walking. "Her name is Princess Aisril."
"What a beautiful name…"
"Don't do anything weird to my child."
I coughed. "What? Hah. Your royal highness shouldn't have let me come with you if you don't trust me."
"Trust is not that valuable. Whether I'll benefit from you or not is what matters."
I remained silent and chose to end the conversation. We reached the princess's room. Unlike the norm, the princess's room was secluded and no one was around to tend to her. When we entered, the room was dark making it hard to see.
"Aisril, I came to see you." The Crown Prince sat beside the bed and held his child's hands.
When I walked closer, I saw how the child was covered with a thick blanket.
I adjusted my mask and made it so that my voice sounded feminine. "Princess? Nice to meet you," I slowly said. Her measly hand grip the Crown Prince's fingers.
"Fairy?"
I smiled even though she couldn't see my face. I adjusted the mask and made my voice a little bit high-pitcheed. "Yes. I'm the Fairy of Salvation. I'm here to save you, Princess Aisril."
She uncovered her body and revealed her scar-stained skin and bony structure. Her eyes were tired and dark from sleepless nights. I can't help but curse at whoever did this to her.
"Can you heal her?"
I motioned my hand towards the door, away from the Princess. Crown Prince Ishmael followed.
"The Princess' sickness stems from her experiences. She will need a lot of time, effort and understanding. I could offer all the possible support to help her heal, but it would be a huge help if your highness, Crown Prince, spent time with her as you are her father after all," I said and lowered my head slightly. "Princess Aisril is in a worse condition than I expected. It'll take months, even years maybe, for her to cope and heal from all the trauma she experienced."
Surprisingly, he looked very understanding and compliant. "I understand. We shall proceed to my office to continue our discussion. Excuse me for a moment."
He returned to Princess Aisril and looked at her lovingly. I heard his goodbye and soft whispers. What a good father.
After bidding the Princess goodbye, we went around the palace to reach his office. It was less extravagant than what I expected. To my delight, the room was covered with books. It seemed he noticed my glances. "I forgot. You are a novelist after all."
"Ah, yes. There are books in your office I haven't read." I was a little bit surprised. I forgot that my voice was still a feminine.
"So, Fairy of Salvation, discuss whatever cure you have for the princess."
I'm no doctor in my past life, so in reality, I don't really have any experience. If ever I make the Princess' situation worse, I'll lose my life.
"I will start to visit the princess once every day. The goal is to help her interact with me, your Highness, and whoever's taking care of her. After two weeks, I will come back to report to your Highness what's needed to help the princess." I said this because I have no way of knowing how to help with the conflicting mana in her body.
He looked convinced, so I sighed in relief.
After some minor discussions, he called for an Eagle Knight. The Eagle Knights are the knights responsible for the safety of the Imperial Palace. I heard him call the knight Leman.
"Uhm, may I ask how I should address the esteemed guest?" Eagle Knight Leman asked while we were walking down the hall outside the Crown Prince's domain.
"You can address me as Secret Novelists." He froze and stopped on his tracks.
"You're the author of The Eternal Pursuit of Knowledge?!" he exclaimed.
I chuckled and realized that he probably read my novel. "Yes, Sir Leman. I am. I am honored that you've read my novel."
"Oh, haha. I'm more honored that I've met the author of my now favourite novel. I really admire the way you word your meaning. It's different from the usual novels in the city. And no matter how great and wise the novel is, it's fun and easy to read." He went on and continued complimenting my work.
It's no wonder that he finds my novel different from the rest. It was a novel made for the people from Earth after all.
"A lot of commoners like me appreciate that you made your novel affordable as well. Novels are usually difficult to obtain when you're a commoner. They are very expensive since it requires magic to produce paper."
"That's because I wanted more people to know about my novels. The population of commoners is larger than the nobility. Stories spread faster in the commoner's world. I was just thinking of how to gain reputation fast."
Sir Leman nodded his head and probably realized that I was just trying to make profits. "I understand. Secret Novelist is really smart."
When I reached the gates of the Imperial Palace, a royal carriage was already waiting for me.
"Can you tell us where you are headed, esteemed guest?" the coachman asked.
"To the Light Hall."
-
"SN! How did it go?" Dessi asked when I stepped out of the Royal Carriage.
I changed the voice of the mask to a more masculine voice and replied, "I wasn't in trouble. Don't worry. Can I continue writing my next novel?" I asked him respectfully.
"Yes, of course. I will be in the main hall if you need me."
I'm really thankful that Dessi doesn't meddle with my business. As long as I provide him profit, everything is completely fine. I went back inside the secret room Dessi prepared for me and continued writing my next novel. The next novel I'm working on will be the complete opposite of the first. Eli was a righteous character who strived to find a solution for poverty and cure for the sick. The main protagonist of my next novel is the complete opposite: an average morally grey character named Cyrus. Cyrus' story starts when she picks up a purse and never returns it to its owner. As a poor person, Cyrus decided to spend the money inside the purse, not knowing that the owner is a government official.
While trying to escape from her pursuers, Cyrus unravels the corruptness of her government. The novel ends with her killing the owner of the purse and taking the owner's position in the government to try and straighten the corrupt system in place.
This was why I made her story a series. It can't just end with that. In the second book, a new character appears and finds out the truth about the owner of the purse's death.
I stopped writing after finishing Cyrus's first novel. I looked at my pocket watch and was shocked to see it was almost midnight. I arranged my items in a hurry and left the secret room. Dessi was still in the main hall attending to guests, so I didn't bother saying my goodbye.
After walking for a while, I found the carriage from Duke Virada's carriage.
"My lady, what took you so long? I was worried sick wondering why you still weren't here!" Rosebeth exclaimed.
I took off my mask and cloak. "Let's get home. I'm tired. Next time I won't take so long."
-
"Asteria, you are late, child."
Asteria's father, Duke Aster, greeted me. He's a man who worked hard to build his reputation and name, but that didn't consume his time for his family. As the Emperor's closest aide, many might think that he's busier than most, but that's actually the opposite. The Emperor takes good care of his favourite aides.
After greeting them back, I noticed that the food was already served. I slightly bowed and offered my apologies for making them wait.
"We don't mind, child. Come and ask for blessings with us."
Asteria's mother, Duchess Mihala who was dubbed as the most beautiful lady of her time, smiled. Like Duke Aster, Duchess Mihala also loves Asteria unconditionally.
I felt uneasy. Maybe because my mind thinks that I'm technically deceiving these two doteful and lovable parents. In the end, I'm not Asteria, their one and only daughter.
"Yes, of course." I replied and sat beside the duchess.
We asked God for blessings and ate peacefully. After transmigrating, the major adversity I faced was getting used to the taste of food in Polaris. People of Landel, the continent where I live currently, prefer bland or lightly seasoned food, unlike where I used to live on Earth, where intense flavor and spices were the norm.
"Does the food taste better today, child?" asked Duke Aster.
Duke Aster saw the look on my face when I first tasted the food in Polaris. It was a look of disgust. I felt guilty when I heard that the chef was reprimanded for not being able to satisfy my taste.
"Yes, father. I'm grateful that you considered my preferences." I smiled to show my appreciation.
He looked satisfied with my answer and nodded. "I'm glad. I heard you went out today as well. May I know the reason you frequently leave the residence these past few days?"
"Ah, yes my child. Did you meet someone who ignited your heart? You are at the appropriate age, after all." Duchess Mihala looked excited.
Ignite someone's heart. That was one of the most used phrases in "The Ones Fated to Love." It meant that someone gave you a purpose in life. Unlike the usual "I love you" or "I like you," igniting someone's heart means a deeper level of connection and familiarity that transcends all barriers. When someone ignites your heart, you will do everything it takes to live your life to the fullest for them. You'll have a deeper understanding, and sometimes even a simple glance can pass on a message to the other person.
"I'm afraid not, mother. I just found a new fun hobby."
"That's interesting. Does it have anything to do with the Light Hall?" Duchess Mihala asked.
It seems what I was worried about came true. They didn't ask me about my rendezvous because they were curious. They were asking to confirm what they already know. Of course, a knight and a servant from the dukedom wouldn't be loyal to a young miss.
"Yes. I've heard the maids and servants talk about a literary piece that seemed to catch the attention of not only the commoners, but the other aristocratic ladies as well. I've figured that the Light Hall published the literary piece, so I decided to invest in the new trend," I explained.
Duke Aster had a surprised look after my explanation. "Are you talking about the Secret Novelist?"
I nodded. It shouldn't be a surprise anymore since I was just scouted by the Prime Minister a while ago. I'm sure a close aide to the Emperor will also know about it.
"Indeed. Are you also interested in his works, father?"
"Yes. The prime minister gave me a copy of the novel. He seemed impressed."
"Oh, maybe I should also inform myself of this novel," the duchess added.
After inquiring with me, they continued to talk about matters I had no idea about. The lunch ended without a hitch.
"Young Miss, shall I escort you again to the Light Hall?" the knight my father assigned to me asked.
"Yes. Please wait for me like you did yesterday."
When I arrived at the Light Hall, a carriage from a count's house was waiting outside.
"SN, they're waiting for you." Dessi informed me.
I glanced at the knight waiting in front of the carriage and entered the Light Hall without walking towards him. It was Sir Leman. Prime Minister Beaumont probably sent a count's carriage so as to not gather unwanted attention.
In the back room in the Light Hall was another exit. I used that and walked around the building to reach Sir Leman while avoiding the eyes of the knight from the Virada dukedom.
"Secret Novelist. The Prime Minister is waiting for you in the palace."
"Thank you for escorting me."
The trip to the imperial palace was quiet. I expected Sir Leman to be a little bit more chatty, but I expected too much.
"Esteemed guest, please follow me." A maidservant led me to a completely new room from the one before.
Immediately, I realized what was happening. With the strange yet respectful gazes of the other maidservants who passed by and the familiar looking palace: the Roan palace, I mentally screamed at what the Prime Minister and Crown Prince schemed.
"Esteemed guest, if you need help in the powder room, I'll be waiting outside."
I'm an esteemed guest. A Roan guest.
In the history of the Zaltana Empire, every guest of Roan palace was either a lover of the imperial family or the imperial officials.
Now which of the two was I?
"I apologize. It was the only way for you to meet the Crown Prince and I frequently without being suspicious and risking the Princess' safety." Prime Minister Beaumont looked dejected, but I guess since it's for the Crown Prince's daughter's sake, it has to work.
I was dubbed as the Crown Prince's secret lover who he cherishes deeply. This was the reason why my face couldn't be revealed to anyone else but the Crown Prince. The Prime Minister explained that they were planning on making me the Prime Minister's secret lover, but then I wouldn't have any reason to meet with the Crown Prince. In the end, they had to risk the Crown Prince's love life.
"I understand. It's a little bit awkward however. What if they discover my gender?"
The Prime Minister looked surprised. "Are you implying that you're a male?"
"No. Anyways, can I see the Princess now?"
-
"Fairy, why can't I see your face? You must be ugly right?"
It's been a week since I started visiting her highness, Princess Aisril. Surprisingly, she opened up to me pretty quickly.
"No, princess. It's because you're still a little bean. When you grow strong and healthy like your father, you'll be able to endure my beauty," I said with my high pitch and feminine voice.
"That's right. Father is strong and healthy and handsome and cool."
-
