Wrapped in a strange emotion she could not put into words, Talia stared at the city gates gradually drawing nearer.
Soon, she would finally be freed from this agonizing pain.
Not some quack healer too busy watching Gareth's mood, but the Empress Palace's finest magicians would restore her to the flawless state she had once possessed.
Moistening her dry lips, she cautiously lowered her gaze and examined herself.
The body wrapped in a thin cream-colored dress could not be called beautiful even as an empty courtesy.
The crude outline of ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the thick bandages wrapped from her thighs to her ankles showed hideously through the thin skirt. The burns on her palms had healed cleanly through magic, yet her fingernails remained dark and bruised, stained a deep reddish-black.
The fact that she had practically starved herself throughout the journey only added to her wretched appearance.
Suddenly, anxiety washed over her.
What if everyone laughed when they saw me like this?
The memory of maids cackling that she had only reaped what she had sown made cold sweat bead down her spine.
Talia hurriedly drew the curtain across the carriage window. If someone saw her and snickered that divine punishment had finally struck her down, she did not think she could remain sane.
Pulling the thin linen blanket tangled on the floor over herself, she covered her head completely.
A short while later, she heard the carriage pass through the gates.
Peeking through a gap in the blanket, Talia listened to the countless sounds outside. The clatter of hooves and the booming commands of infantry officers echoed all around her, while the slow funeral march had somehow become even more mournful.
Mixed into it was the murmur of the crowd.
It sounded like thousands of insects buzzing at once.
Feeling her nerves sharpen little by little, Talia pulled the blanket over her head again.
How long had she remained like that?
The carriage, which had been rolling slowly across the cobblestones, finally came to a stop, and the commotion outside intensified. It seemed as though every servant in the Imperial Palace had poured out to greet the procession.
Curled up in a corner of the carriage, she waited for the noise to die down.
She intended to remain hidden here until Gareth and Aila left to pay their respects to the Emperor according to palace protocol. She had no desire to expose her pitiful appearance to the followers who swarmed around the two of them.
Rubbing her throbbing legs, Talia quietly held her breath.
Then, without warning, the carriage door flew open.
A dark shadow invaded the carriage.
Looking up, Talia widened her eyes when she recognized the familiar silhouette standing with the sunlight at its back.
Her nanny clambered awkwardly into the carriage and threw her plump arms around her.
"Oh, my poor young lady. What has happened to you?"
Then she cupped Talia's face in her large hands and looked her over from every angle before tears began streaming down her cheeks.
"How did you become so thin? Being injured wasn't enough? Your face has become half of what it was..."
Talia stared at her blankly for a moment before suddenly twisting her face and throwing her arms around her neck.
Like a young animal burrowing into its mother's embrace, she buried herself against the woman's soft chest.
Her nanny stroked her back gently.
The soothing touch, as though comforting an infant, broke something inside her.
Tears burst forth.
Burying her face in the curly hair scented with cinnamon, Talia sobbed uncontrollably.
"Nanny, I... it hurts so much. It hurts so much I think I'm going to die."
"Don't worry, my lady. Lady Senevier will make you completely well again."
After wiping away the tears on her cheeks, the nanny pointed toward the carriage entrance.
Talia followed her gaze and shrank back when she spotted an unfamiliar man standing there.
A man with the lower half of his face concealed behind white cloth slowly examined her with dark gray eyes rimmed in gold.
The way he looked at her felt as though he were inspecting merchandise.
Instinctively, Talia pressed herself closer to her nanny.
Patting her back soothingly, the older woman spoke in a reassuring tone.
"The moment Lady Senevier heard that you had been injured, she summoned the magicians of House Taren. They'll return you to your former appearance."
Then she firmly removed Talia's hands from her and stepped aside so the magicians could enter.
Watching the approaching shadow, Talia awkwardly retreated.
The wariness that had become second nature immediately raised its head.
"I-I can walk on my own. Stay back."
"On those legs?"
The thin man bending toward her tilted his head.