“What do you mean? I had completely forgotten about it since my great-grandfather presented it to the late Emperor.”
“Hmm. It’s not like it grew legs and crawled away on its own.”
The follow-up words were closer to a mutter. Drushia realized that there was some problem.
“What happened?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
It was something he would learn about when it was returned later anyway. There was no need to spoil the mood by mentioning it in advance.
There had been a time when that object, stored deep in the imperial palace’s warehouse, had disappeared. In fact, it had been a forgotten item, so no one even realized it was missing. Only when it was found lying around carelessly in the palace did it cause quite a commotion.
“Tell that to the Duke’s grandfather as well. He will likely be pleased.”
Drushia could neither affirm nor deny this. It was surprising enough that the Empress Dowager had stepped forward at his wedding, but he never expected that she would also put forth the family heirloom that had been taken from them as hostage.
“Let me know when the wedding date is set. I’ll personally attend to congratulate you.”
The Empress Dowager left after saying what she needed to say. It seemed as if she was giving Drushia time to think, but in truth, it was because she found his emanating presence difficult to bear.
Even though he kept his gaze lowered, suffocating anger flowed from Drushia.
‘Such arrogance. I should have broken his spirit earlier.’
But this was the Talion Duchy, whom even the Emperor could not treat carelessly. She didn’t want to stir up a hornet’s nest unnecessarily.
After the Empress Dowager left the reception room, Drushia also rose from his seat, without saying a word to Shafri.
“Dru. Let’s talk.”
Shafri grabbed him as he turned away coldly. Drushia stopped and looked back. His deep blue eyes were struggling to suppress his anger.
“I will not marry you, Shafri. Knowing that, did you still have to go this far?”
“You know what my position in the family is like. The only person who can support me is you.”
“So you’re asking me to sacrifice myself for you?”
“That’s not what I mean. You have to get married anyway, and what do I lack as your partner?”
Shafri’s words weren’t wrong. After all, marriages among high nobles were made through thorough political calculations. As long as the family balance and interests aligned, nothing else mattered.
However, Drushia didn’t want to consume Shafri in such a way. A beautiful person but one for whom he felt no affection as a woman. He didn’t want to push Shafri into the position of a wife that would be merely for show for the rest of his life.
That was the best consideration Drushia could show to a friend he had known for 14 years. But to be stabbed in the back like this…
“Grandfather kept warning me. That Maiheller’s status is different from what it appears.”
Despite the rank of Marquis, Maiheller was inconspicuous everywhere. However, Neoren questioned that quiet presence. Though he didn’t interfere due to the connection that had continued since childhood, Neoren found Shafri uncomfortable.
“Now I understand why Grandfather was wary of Maiheller. Was it His Majesty the Emperor or Her Majesty the Empress Dowager who the Marquis Maiheller set in motion?”
Shafri could not find words to retort and closed her mouth.
“Just because we broke off the engagement didn’t mean our relationship had to end. But I never thought you would try to hold my leash like this. So this is how you end 14 years of connection, Shafri.”
Drushia was the Duke of Talion. A steadfast sword and shield of the Empire that did not align with any political faction. The Talion whom even the Emperor of the Empire could not deal with carelessly.
And she tried to grasp him. Daringly, with the imperial family at her back. Anger bubbled up inside him. Drushia could not possibly accept such malicious intentions.
“Let’s end our conversation here. I’ll send Kalf to handle the rest.”
“Drushia!”
There was not the slightest gap in Drushia’s attitude as he turned away. Even the escort knights averted their gaze from his imposing stride as he crossed the corridor.
Something was going awry. The solid world he had lived in, everything he had taken for granted. No, perhaps even the things he had thought solid were actually an illusion. Like a fortress built without pillars, had everything been wrong from the start?
Drushia remembered where that starting point was. That night at the imperial palace. That Igraine woman had shaken Drushia to his core.
Questions and realizations that had begun to grow unknowingly in his heart. As time passed, they spread their branches wider, adding more questions.
‘Something is wrong. Very wrong.’
Drushia couldn’t get his bearings because he was anxious about what he was missing.
****
In front of the wall where the shade of dense trees blocked the hot sunlight, Ashika lightly took the hand of the escort knight and got out of the carriage.
Six knights from the family, not those who usually accompanied her. Their cautious attitude, not saying a word, put her at ease.
‘Except when necessary, they probably won’t come close.’
They had been brought along with that calculation in mind. Ashika glanced briefly at the knights surrounding her and headed toward the main gate.
Inside, servants were waiting to welcome their master. Due to the small size of the villa, there were fewer than ten staff.
“Welcome, My Lady.”
“Has everything been alright?”
“Yes. In such a quiet place, what could happen? It’s just been lonely without the regular visitor coming to rest.”
The elderly villa manager expressed his regret while looking at Ashika. This was a villa just a day’s journey from the capital, a place they had frequently visited when her father was alive. But that had all become a story of the past.
Ashika quietly nodded and entered the building. With six escort knights, only one maid, Marilyn, had accompanied her.
The manager followed behind, asking about various necessities.
“Your party is quite small. How long do you plan to stay?”
“Probably more than a week? I came here to be in peace, so send everyone except the minimum necessary staff back home. Make sure no one comes near my room except Marilyn.”
The manager looked surprised but didn’t question further. He thought that after the recent noisy news about the broken engagement, she had finally come to sort out her feelings.
Ashika instructed Marilyn to unpack, then spent a quiet time taking walks around the area and dining alone. Fortunately, no one questioned her sudden visit.
Shortly after sunset, Ashika called Marilyn to her bedroom. Marilyn’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw that Ashika had changed into pants instead of a nightgown.
“My lady, don’t you like the nightgown I gave you? Should I prepare something else?”
“Marilyn, I’ll be away from the villa for a while.”
“What?”
Marilyn was horrified at the unexpected announcement.
“W-what are you saying? Leave the villa?”
“Your job is to prevent people from approaching the bedroom and make sure no one discovers that I’m not here.”
“B-but…my lady. Where are you going alone?”
Marilyn was so shocked that her mind went blank.
If Jeanne had been there, she would have absolutely stopped this. But Marilyn, being just a maid, couldn’t stop Ashika. She must have deliberately left Jeanne behind knowing this.
Looking at the surprised Marilyn, Ashika continued in a gentle voice.
“I’m not going alone.”
“Who are you going with? Perhaps Sir Berth? Or is Sir Blanco coming with you?”
“No.”
A brief answer with no room for explanation. Marilyn clutched her hands together anxiously and asked.
“Then at least tell me where you’re going.”
“Marilyn.”
The quiet but chilling voice drew a line, telling her not to ask any more questions.
While Marilyn didn’t know what to do, there was a small noise from outside the door connecting to the terrace: tap, tap. When Ashika opened the door, Nile waved his hand from beyond the terrace.
“Oh, isn’t that Lord Geness’s assistant?”
Nile, who had cut his shoulder-length gray hair short, was smiling mischievously like a boy.
‘I wasn’t told that person would be coming along.’
Marilyn looked back and forth between Nile and Ashika with a bewildered face.
“Marilyn, keep quiet. Don’t forget what I said.”
“Ah, My Lady.”
“Please.”
Ashika left the maid who was stamping her feet anxiously and opened the door leading to the terrace.
Since her room was on the first floor, she could immediately reach the garden by just climbing over the terrace railing. Nile, as always, silently guided the way, leading Ashika out of the villa.
“Why are you making this so complicated? I had a hard time following quietly.”
“The horse?”
“It’s in the forest. I prepared as instructed, but can you really ride a horse all the way to the Grand Duchy?”
“Have you forgotten who I am? During regional tours, I have to ride a horse not for a week but for a month.”
“Usually… don’t ladies ride in carriages?”
Nile looked utterly disbelieving.
“That would take two months instead of one.”
Igraine’s territory was vast, and to complete the tour in a short time, she had to move at the same speed as the knights. That’s why Weive had pushed his only young granddaughter even more harshly. Ashika shook off the memory that suddenly came to mind.
“We’re not just going; we need to quietly follow Talion’s carriage that went ahead.”
Nile’s face became incredulous at Ashika’s calm explanation.
“That’s my specialty. But it’s not something I can do while bringing a lady along.”
“If you could do it alone, it should be possible with two. Guide me properly.”
Ashika’s attitude remained consistently the same. As elegant as if directing a servant, “Pour me some tea.”
Nile belatedly felt regretful. It felt like pushing a curious young lady and shoving her into a fire pit. The problem was that he was being dragged into that fire pit with her.
“You know that sounds really forced, right?”
“You wanted to go to the Grand Duke’s Castle. It might not be possible alone, but with me, it’s a different story.”
“Wait, are we going to the Grand Duke’s Castle now?”
Nile, who had been hesitating, opened his eyes wide.
“No. But I need to know why Duke Talion is going to the Grand Duchy at this particular time.”
Unlike Drushia, Ashika had never been to the Grand Duchy. All the business she handled was just paperwork.
Her grandfather Weive extremely disliked Ashika going to the Grand Duchy. She had brought it up several times but was firmly rejected and had given up. However, now she could no longer leave it alone.
‘If only my relationship with Talion had been ordinary.’
Then she could have at least proposed to go together.
Even if she were caught following him, she didn’t think it would be a problem. She was an Igraine, and when it came to the Grand Duchy, Talion should not monopolize information.
“I’ll just go by myself. Seriously, what lady in the world would personally step into something like this?”
“If I were just going to sit quietly and give orders, I wouldn’t have needed you.”
Nile closed his mouth at the quiet but firm tone. It sounded like she would tell him to leave immediately if he didn’t do as told—a cold voice.
‘Ha. This lady is quite stubborn.’
He thought she was timid, but once she made up her mind, she jumped in without considering the consequences. Her attitude of not caring for her own safety seemed dangerous rather than bold.
“Do you know the way?”
“If we’re going to the Grand Duchy, there’s only one road anyway. If we hurry, we’ll catch up soon.”
Yet the look in his eyes as he gazed at Ashika was clearly worried.
‘This isn’t what I had in mind.’
Moving freely in the Grand Duchy with Igraine’s backing—that was all Nile wanted, but things had gotten quite complicated.
Holding the horse’s reins, Nile gave an awkward smile.
“Should I help you, perhaps?”
Ladies receive assistance even when getting in and out of carriages. Could she possibly mount a horse without even a footrest?
“Why, do you want to offer your knee?”
In cases without a footrest, knights would willingly sit on the ground and raise their knee for ladies to step on and climb up.
Nile openly made a face.
“No, that’s a bit…”
“Then at least offer your hand.”
“Offer my hand?”
Ashika’s eyes narrowed. One could also mount a horse by stepping on the other person’s hand instead of their knee. Seeing his disgust, it seemed he hadn’t even considered that.
‘Acts so rough but might actually be a proper gentleman.’
Thinking this, Ashika grasped the horse’s reins and the front of the saddle, stepped on the stirrup, and mounted the horse in one swift motion.
Compared to the large horse, Ashika’s figure was small and delicate. However, her elegant posture as she held the reins and looked down was typical of a noble.
“Lead the way.”
Ashika gently patted the horse and instructed.
Realizing that his help wasn’t needed, Nile mounted his horse with an embarrassed face.
‘Please let us return safely.’
Nile prayed inwardly, extremely tense.
