The Reincarnated Girl Will Live Quietly

 

Seeing Sable with a forlorn smile as she told her story, Isadora wanted to reach out and hold her, but she was unable to move her arms. 

 

Isadora didn’t want to believe her story. No, she couldn’t. 

 

This was the same girl who had helped Isadora’s family multiple times without complaint. The same girl who helped them at the risk of her own health. The same girl who was so desperately fighting against her own father. 

 

She couldn't believe that this was the same girl who could speak about doing such terrible acts. 

 

To Isadora, Sable was simply an innocent girl with a dysfunctional family. 

 

Yet, the story that she was hearing now proved that Sable wasn’t as innocent as she seemed. The doubts about her strangely intimate knowledge of poisons were finally cleared. 

 

At that moment, Sable felt like a stranger to Isadora. 

 

…But then she saw her expression. 

 

Sable looked so vulnerable and afraid, so lost and full of regret that Isadora was suddenly and inexplicably filled with the feeling that if she didn’t hold on to her, Sable would disappear somewhere far, far away. 

 

True enough, Sable leapt up and tried to run away. In a panic, Isadora hurriedly pulled Sable into a hug and mentally scolded herself for not responding and scaring the girl. 

 

There was no way that she could leave her alone right now. 

 

Isadora was someone who believed that actions spoke louder than words, and, in her opinion, Sable had done more than enough to redeem herself. Her mother had told her to be patient and understanding towards Sable, yet she still allowed a small shred of doubt to enter her heart. 

 

Rather than continue to scold herself further, Isadora turned her attention back to the sobbing girl in her arms and tenderly stroked her hair. 

 

Eventually, her short, shuddering breaths turned into a steady rhythm. Seeing that the girl was still tightly gripping onto her nightgown, and Isadora, herself, was unwilling to let her go, Isadora gently laid down onto the bed with Sable. She was careful not to wake the sleeping girl. 

 

Compared to before, Sable’s expression was… peaceful. 

 

When she was asleep, Sable looked much more relaxed and carefree, and Isadora desperately wished that she could take away even a little of the pain that Sable always seemed to carry with her. 

 

Gently touching their foreheads together, Isadora whispered a quiet promise to Sable. 

 

“I’ll always be on your side, Sable. No matter what.”

~~~

 

After getting cleaned up, Sable and Isadora headed to the dining hall to fill their empty stomachs. 

 

As they walked through the halls, Isadora glanced at the younger girl holding her hand. Her eyes unconsciously softened. 

 

Sensing her gaze, Sable turned to look at her, but when their eyes met, Isadora blushed and looked away in embarrassment. Sable tilted her head in puzzlement. 

 

Floating silently behind them, Bel felt her right eye twitch as she watched the strange scene in front of her. 

 

When they arrived at the dining hall, Grand Duchess Adelaide greeted them with a smile. She raised a brow when she saw the lingering red on Isadora’s face but chose not to comment. 

 

“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better, Sable.” Adelaide glanced down at their interlocked hands with a gentle smile. Sable seemed much more relaxed and gentler than before. 

 

“Thank you, Your Grace.” Sable bowed. 

 

As they were waiting for the food to arrive, Sable decided to ask the Grand Duchess about their new plan. 

 

“Isadora said you had something you wanted to discuss with me?” 

 

Adelaide nodded, and her expression turned serious. 

 

“Unfortunately, we were unable to locate the assassins that got away so, assuming the worst, it’s likely that the Marquis knows that you’re alive.” 

 

Sable frowned. 

 

“Do you think he’ll try another assassination attempt?” Adelaide questioned. 

 

Sable leaned back in her seat and sighed. 

 

“This won’t end until one of us is dead.” She answered. 

 

The dining hall fell silent for a moment. Adelaide grimaced, and Isadora clenched her hands into fists. 

 

“Sable.” Adelaide called out. “Sebastian and I came up with a plan, but we both agreed that we needed to discuss it with you first.” 

 

Sable looked at her questioningly. 

 

“What do you think about us leaking information to the Capital of the Marquis’s actions?”

 

Sable furrowed her brows in thought. 

 

“Would the nobles believe the rumors so easily?” She voiced her doubts. 

 

“Perhaps not, but the main goal is to plant the seeds of suspicion in their minds. If he’s willing to do this to his own daughter, then what about the other nobles he’s working with? Those corrupt bastards should know what he’s like.” Adelaide cursed before regaining her composure. “Anyway, once he’s exposed, the nobles and the citizens won’t just sit idly by. While he’s trying to deal with that, it buys us time to wait for Lord Auberon’s return, and you might have an easier time returning to the Capital.” 

 

Sable glanced to the side and met Bel’s eyes.  

 

“It might just work.” Bel nodded. “Better than sitting around and doing nothing.” 

 

Sable contemplated for a moment then gave her approval to the plan. 

 

“If you’re sure, Your Grace.” 

 

“Sable, dear, he thinks he can get away with attacking us in our own home.” The Grand Duchess narrowed her eyes with a sharp smile. “We have no choice but to respond in kind, don’t you think?” 

 

Sable blinked then let out a small laugh. 

 

“I couldn’t agree more, Your Grace.” 

 

“Good.” Adelaide stood up from her seat and smoothed her skirt. “I’ll speak with Sebastian. Isadora, I trust that you’ll keep her company.” 

 

“Of course, Mother.” Isadora responded earnestly. 

 

“When the two of you are done eating, come join us in the study.” With that, Adelaide left the dining hall. 

 

~~~ 

 

While the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess carried out their plan, Sable spent the next few days with Isadora. Occasionally, she would be called to discuss some things with the Lione couple, but most of her time was spent accompanying Isadora while she trained, studied in the library, or visited Isaac and Aly. 

 

While they were conscious and no longer in any serious danger, most of the poisoned victims still needed to rest in order to fully recover from the after-effects of the poison. Upon waking up, both Isaac and Aly immediately asked if Sable was okay and heaved out sighs of relief when they saw that she was fine. 

 

It was one day when they were visiting Isaac and Aly when Isadora came upon a sudden revelation. 

 

“Ah, my Lady!” Aly looked truly apologetic. “Your birthday was a few days ago, wasn’t it? I apologize for not being able to get you anything.” 

 

Isadora and Isaac froze and stared at Sable in shock. 

 

“I’m just glad you’re okay, Aly.” Sable shook her head with a small smile. 

 

“Eh?” Isadora mumbled. “Your birthday?” 

 

 Sable nodded. 

 

“Why didn’t you say anything? I would have gotten you a present.” 

 

“I’ve never really celebrated it.” Sable confessed. 

 

Even without Bel’s memories, Sable couldn’t remember the last time she celebrated her birthday. The Marquis, of course, didn’t care, and she was estranged from the rest of her family, rarely interacting with them. 

 

After a while, she simply regarded it as the day that she became a year older. 

 

People like Aly, who bothered to remember her birthday, were rare. After she died in Bel’s life…

 

Sensing their gazes, Sable waved her hands in a placating manner. 

 

“Really. I’m fine.” 

 

“Sable.” Bel suddenly called out to her, interrupting their conversation. Her gaze was directed elsewhere. 

 

Before she could respond, Sable heard footsteps approaching her. 

 

“Lady Sable.” It was Pierce, the old butler. 

 

In the aftermath of the attack, Sable was surprised to learn that Pierce was trained in martial arts and had fended off some of the assassins by himself without getting injured. Even the knights claimed that he was similar in strength to the vice-commander. Thanks to him, the lives of several servants were saved. 

 

First, the Grand Duchess, then Pierce. Sable was forced to wonder if there were any other powerhouses that were hidden in the North. 

 

Seeing him, Sable and Isadora stood up. 

 

“Has something happened?” Sable furrowed her brows in concern. 

 

“Lord Auberon has returned.” Pierce replied with a smile. 

 

Sable and Isadora looked at each other excitedly. Glancing to the side, Sable could see Bel nodding at her. 

 

“Please, follow me.” Pierce spun on his heel and began to lead them out to the back courtyard. 

 

Both nervous and excited, Sable was unable to hold back and jogged past Pierce when she saw Auberon. The courtyard was empty save for the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess, who were already waiting for them. 

 

“Lord Auberon!” 

 

Sable examined the dire wolf’s appearance. Unlike the last time she saw him, there were a few new scars on his body. 

 

“I am glad to see you are doing well, child.” Auberon greeted her with a light bow. “I apologize for taking so long.” 

 

“No, you’ve done more than enough.” Sable shook her head. 

 

Auberon stared at her for a moment. 

 

“You have changed, child.” He tilted his head. “Have you fallen in love, perhaps?” 

 

Astonished, Sable opened and closed her mouth several times, but her voice wouldn’t come out. A light red appeared across her cheeks. 

 

Isadora was in a similar situation, and the two girls were silent, not daring to make eye contact. 

 

Auberon blinked  and glanced at Bel, who shrugged with a blank expression. He then glanced at the Lione couple. Grand Duke Lione had his brow raised, and Grand Duchess Adelaide had a knowing smirk on her face. 

 

“Do you have the flower?” Eventually, Bel spoke, saving the two girls from any further embarrassment. 

 

“Ahem.” Auberon coughed. “Here is what you wanted. The Winter’s Tear.” 

 

There was a flash of light as Auberon casted his spell. A small, delicate flower encased in ice slowly floated in front of Sable. Each of the flower petals shimmered in the sunlight, creating a subtle but dazzling display of colors. Although she couldn’t sense mana, Sable could tell how powerful the flower in front of her was. Even the air around seemed to be purified, and Sable could feel her breathing grow lighter. 

 

Overwhelmed, she hesitated to reach out and hold it, fearful that she would damage it in some way. 

 

“It is alright, child.” Auberon encouraged. 

 

She slowly reached out and gently held onto the Winter’s Tear. 

 

Sable felt her throat go dry. 

 

With this, she finally had the means to save her mother. She turned to look excitedly at Bel but found that her older self had narrowed her eyes at Auberon. 

 

“You.” Bel suddenly spoke. 

 

Auberon raised his brow. 

 

“You’re a Divine Beast, aren’t you?” Bel stared at the dire wolf with an unyielding gaze. 

 

“Oh?” Auberon grinned, revealing his sharp canines. “If you have figured out that much, then I do not need to answer your question, do I?” 

 

Bel glared at his roundabout way of answering. 

 

“When do I get to meet the Archangel?” 

 

“When you prove yourself trustworthy.” Auberon replied. 

 

His answer confirmed her suspicions. Then her eyes landed on the flower in Sable’s hands. 

 

“Which means that, now, we owe her one.” Bel muttered to herself. 

 

With a sigh, she shook her head. 

 

“I have one more question.” 

 

Auberon nodded. 

 

“Who, or what, exactly is the Marquis working for?” 

 

“...” 

 

This time, it took a bit longer for Auberon to respond. He seemed to contemplate his answer as his gaze flickered between Bel and Sable. Finally, he opened his mouth. 

 

“...Have you heard of the Fallen One?”