met free Chapter 18 Staying in the Rain Period
Chapter 18 Staying in the Rain Period
It rained heavily for five days, making the roads muddy and difficult to travel.
If they insist on joining the procession in such weather, the wooden wheels of the carriages will most likely sink deep into the soft, damp ground.
Therefore, the wedding procession had to stay at the farm.
Aure sat in the simple wooden house, gazing wistfully at the orchard outside the window in the rain.
Everything in the rain gives a sense of unfamiliarity and freshness, just like Aure's face at this moment.
Even if Natalie suddenly appeared in front of her now, she would definitely not recognize her.
Auréli is playing Rosa Montero, an identity that will allow her to easily get close to the king and assassinate him.
Fearing that the killer cannot exact revenge, Aurelia seeks to kill the king to complete her vengeance.
Although Aure's desire to avenge her enemies was extremely strong, her mood was not affected by the rain.
On the contrary, Aurelia likes rainy days.
The pattering rain allowed Aure to clear her mind and find a moment of peace amidst the melancholy brought on by hatred and longing.
A sudden knock on the door shattered Aure's rare moment of relaxation.
"Miss Rosa, the Count has sent me to take you to lunch."
Hearing the maid's call, Aure closed the window:
"OK!"
Upon opening the door, the maid who had been waiting outside curtsied to Aure and then helped Aure put on the raincoat that had been prepared in advance.
Aure arrived at the restaurant, which was originally the village's council hall but had been temporarily requisitioned by the wedding procession.
As soon as she entered the room, the people who were already seated stood up and bowed to Aure.
Count Pena Montero stepped forward with a broad smile, knelt on one knee before Aurée, took Aurée's right hand, and gently kissed her fingers:
"We eagerly await your arrival, Your Majesty the Queen."
Aurelia blushed—or rather, Rosa's personality blushed—and looked away shyly as she helped Count Pena to his feet.
"Oh, Father, don't talk to me like that! I will always be your daughter, and besides, I'm not the Queen yet."
Pena stood up, turned around with a smug look on his face, and boasted to his subordinates behind him:
"See that? That's the Daughter of the Montero Hills!"
Then, the guests at the table raised their wooden glasses one after another:
"Homage to the Montero Hills!"
"Homage to the Earl!"
"Homage to the Queen!"
"Homage to the King!"
Pena took Aurée's arm and walked to the back of the restaurant to sit down.
This position should have belonged to Count Pena's wife, but not long ago, the lady and a singer suddenly disappeared.
Just as Aurée had expected, Pena didn't say a word about it, but Aurée also sensed that Pena must have taken some measures behind the scenes.
However, even if the lady were present, she would probably only be second in rank.
Aurée glanced around and saw that those now seated were all important figures in the wedding procession; they were Count Pena's vassals and their families.
Faced with the glorious mission of escorting the future queen into the capital, these vassals not only answered the call immediately, but many even volunteered.
The only one who seemed to be absent was Baron Hubert Peyton of Chow Harbour.
However, Hubert's absence was not because he did not value this glorious mission, but because he had other reasons and was too busy to attend to it.
Aurelia knew a little about this matter.
Before summoning his vassals to escort the bride, Count Pena summoned Hubert alone for some private reason.
However, shortly after Hubert arrived, something seemed to have happened at the port, forcing Hubert to immediately lead his troops back.
His absence from this mission seems to be a continuation of that incident; well, hopefully Baron Hubert will be alright.
The only person at the table who was not Montero's subordinate was a man sitting at the end of the banquet.
He was the Knight of the Tale of Thomas's Twin Rivers and the owner of this farm; I think his name was Mike or Michael.
Aulet ordered a charcoal-grilled smoked pork chop, which was topped with homemade jam from the village, so it could be considered a local specialty.
The jam is made from citrus fruits grown in the village, and it tastes three parts sweet and seven parts sour.
The pork chop itself was a bit too greasy, but the jam neutralized the flavor perfectly, making Aulet particularly fond of this sour pork chop.
Although Aure was very engrossed in enjoying the food, she did not relax.
She always kept her goal of revenge in mind, so she needed to gather as much intelligence as possible. Men often lacked vigilance at the dinner table and would often inadvertently talk about important information.
"It's a real shame that the loyal dog didn't come," said Baron Fige.
Sir John Trudeau said with a smile, "Yes, his rigidity and stubbornness always provide a good laugh; he's definitely a perfect accompaniment to drinks."
"Don't make fun of him, he's in trouble now," Count Pena said, peeling a large tangerine. "The harbor has been plundered by pirates, and all the soldiers guarding it have been killed."
Feige put down his glass: "I've heard about it to some extent. I hope his losses aren't too severe."
"It's none of your business."
Trudeau leaned back in his chair, a wine glass in his left hand, a nonchalant expression on his face.
"Everyone knows he's a dog with a gold mine. The monthly tax in the port is equivalent to half a year's income for us. One robbery won't cripple us."
"Money is a small matter; what matters is honor," Pena said, breaking the peeled tangerine in half and giving it to Aure.
"Thank you, Father," Aure accepted the gift, bowing slightly.
Pena smiled kindly, but his expression instantly turned serious as he faced the knights in front of him:
"How dare you, mere pirates, invade the kingdom's territory! You are also part of the Montero Hills; don't you feel ashamed?"
Virgil chuckled twice upon hearing this: "Don't worry, Your Excellency, a loyal dog is far more vengeful than a hungry wolf. He will definitely track the fugitive's scent until he bites the man's throat."
"He was indeed prepared to personally lead the pursuit by ship and requested that, in my name, we seek military assistance from the coastal nobles."
"Did you agree?" Fei asked.
"Of course, I always grant the requests of loyal subjects, especially since this concerns my honor."
Virgil's smile grew even wider: "Hehe, this will blockade the coast, and capturing those pirates will only be a matter of time."
"If those kind-hearted gentlemen were willing to do me this favor..."
Pena stuffed half an orange into her mouth and began to chew it vigorously.
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, you are the King's future father-in-law; they will not ignore your request."
As he spoke, Trudeau raised the glass he had been holding for a long time.
"Well then, gentlemen, may Baron Hubert enjoy great military success, and also pay homage to our beautiful Queen!"
Upon hearing this, Aulet had no choice but to put down the half-eaten citrus fruit and raise her glass in response to the toasts from the gentlemen.
I don't know when it started, but the dining table was already a mess of cups and plates.
The women gradually left, including Aulet, leaving only the men enjoying the lingering effects of their intoxication, reluctant to put down their glasses.
I opened the door to the cacophony of rain and the misty rain.
Men need entertainment, and women also need relaxation.
Aure put on her raincoat and walked on the gravel path in the village.
Despite walking very carefully, she still couldn't help getting her shoes covered in mud.
There is a small church in the village, and for the past five days, Aure has been praying in the church every afternoon.
Aurée had her maid wait under the eaves outside the church while she went inside alone.
The statue stands deep within the church; it is the Lord, whose name cannot be uttered.
Hanging behind the statue are portraits of the seven human beings created by God Himself.
Aurée knelt before the statue of the god, bowing her head in repentance.
For the mistakes she has made, and for the sins she is about to commit.
The Lord said that murderers will not have a good end, but Aurelia did not seek a good end, fearing that murderers would not be able to take revenge.
But to say that there was no hesitation in one's heart would undoubtedly be self-deception.
Aure is not afraid of any fate that may befall her, but she does not want to implicate others.
If he succeeds in assassinating the king, then Count Pena, who sent her to the king's side, will inevitably be labeled a traitor.
Regardless of whether Aure ultimately reveals her true identity, Pena is likely doomed, and the Montero Hills will inevitably suffer devastation.
Just then, memories that didn't belong to her began to flash through Aure's mind.
This is a special effect of Catherine's ability: after consuming someone's blood, she only needs to impersonate that person and do some of the things that person did in the past to awaken their memories of that time.
Mr. Mosley said that the ability to read, write, and remember was extremely rare and powerful, but Aure had not yet realized it.
The reason why Orei triggered this effect at this time is probably because Rosa, like Orei now, once knelt devoutly before the statue in the church to pray.
Just a few days ago, this memory was very blurry, but now it has finally become clear.
Driven by curiosity, Aure decided to delve into the details of this memory.
As her thoughts led her, her soul seemed to travel to another time and space.
It was still a church, and Aure's soul resided in Rosa's body.
She can share Rosa's senses, but she cannot control this body.
After all, it's just a memory.
The girl Rosa met in the woodshed was younger than Aurelia, probably only eleven or twelve years old.
In other words, this memory occurred three years ago?
Why did Rosa pray three years ago, and why is the memory so vivid?
Suddenly, Aure heard a call from behind:
"Rosa."
Upon hearing this, Rosa turned around, stood up, and faced the other person.
Only then did Aurée realize that it was Rosa's father, Count Pena Montero.
However, Pena was fully armed at this moment, wearing a gleaming steel armor, with a unique rhinoceros horn shaped on the top of his helmet, and a two-handed cross sword hanging at his waist.
It seems that Pena is about to go to war.
Rosa walked towards Pena and then threw herself into his arms. Aure felt the coldness of the armor against her face and palms.
"Father……"
"Rosa, what are you doing here? You should be with your mother to see me and my brothers off."
Rosa lowered her head: "But Mother said you're going to a dangerous place, and you might even die."
"No war is without its deaths, my little darling," Pena stroked Rosa's head, "but those who survive will gain victory, glory, and power."
"I don't care about any of that," Rosa shook her head and pouted. "Father, I don't want you to die, so I'm here to pray to the Lord to bless you with a safe return."
Pena's large, stroking hand suddenly stopped. After a long while, Pena finally spoke and asked:
"So, that's why you didn't go to see us off?"
"Um……"
"My dear daughter, Rosa, I swear, I will make you the happiest woman in the world and find you a good husband."
"But if you go to war now, you might die."
"I will return safely, I promise, you know Uncle Hubert will protect me."
"Can I not go?"
"No, all the lords of the land have responded to His Majesty's call and gathered at the foot of the Laines Plateau. As the lord of the Montero Hills, I have no choice but to go."
Then, the father and daughter kissed goodbye, and the memory came to an abrupt end.
What a loving father and daughter.
Aurelia smiled as she stepped out of her memories, but it was a cold and mocking smile.
It turns out that Peña Montero was not innocent either.
Aulet realized how cheap and worthless her previous hesitation had been, to the point of being laughable.
She resolved never to repent again.
Those who fear killing cannot seek revenge.
Hesitation prevents one from killing.
Aurée got up and walked towards the church door.
I pushed open the door, and the rain had stopped.