61. I Must Take Care Of That Thing.
“That was a pointless act…”
The high priest lowered the hand resting on his chest and gave a faint smile.
He understood it was something driven by a restless heart.
In truth, he had been in a rather unstable state for a while—enough to lock himself in the prayer room. But did the saint know this?
Sometimes, it was better to feign ignorance and let things pass.
A crack ran along the place where he’d been abruptly scratched, splitting wide open.
He could distinctly feel the things he had kept suppressed spilling out through the gap.
“Ha…”
A heavy sigh escaped him in his frustration.
“What should I do about this?”
The high priest lifted his head and looked at the distant sky.
The northern sky, in his line of sight, was pitch-black, with snow falling endlessly.
‘The suggestion that person gave… It’s certainly intriguing.’
Despite trying not to waver, his heart was slowly tipping toward one side.
Having left the social circle, he thought he’d never again bother weighing and analyzing intentions.
***
Bianca released her tightly pursed lips and let out a small sigh.
She had no choice, did she?
“Julie, bring out my dress. I need to meet them.”
This absurd opportunity wouldn’t come around twice.
At this moment, Bianca wanted only two things: news of the capital and updates on the Marquis of Elien’s household.
Having left the imperial palace in a rush, she had no way of knowing what had happened to the Marquis, her only family.
She wondered if the ship they had sent out had been taken care of properly.
Had the Emperor pulled any tricks since then? Was Deborah still in the imperial palace, or had she been sent away?
There were too many unanswered questions. She could ask Jillian to look into it, but…
‘I can’t do that.’
After all, it was Bianca’s family who had executed Sylas Baloch, Jillian’s only blood relative. There was no way she could shamelessly ask for his help.
Her face hardened. This was absolutely out of the question.
Even though Jillian had encouraged reconciliation, Bianca had no intention of complying.
If she reconnected with them, the Emperor would surely use the Marquis of Elien as leverage to bare his fangs at Baloch.
‘Never.’
She refused to become anyone’s shackle. Suppressing the rising worry and curiosity, Bianca kept it all bottled up.
She vividly remembered how her affection had brought ruin to the Marquis of Elien’s household.
If something had happened to the Marquis, Jillian wouldn’t just ignore it—he would have given her a hint.
“It’s fine.”
If she was lucky enough to hear news of the Marquis’ household, that would be great; if not, she could manage.
What she truly needed to uncover today was the imperial family’s movements.
‘They won’t sit still once this wave is over.’
After all, Jillian had destroyed an entire imperial palace, and the Emperor was undoubtedly furious.
He was likely keeping a close eye on this region, trying to find something to nitpick.
The Emperor, who struggled the most with enduring the long, dull winters, always took a particular interest in the North during this time of year.
He had always been that way, and now it was probably worse.
If news of the fortress collapsing reached him, his reaction would be unimaginable.
“Ha…”
Although nothing could be done during the current wave, it was easy to guess that he would summon her as soon as winter ended and demand a harsh reckoning.
While it would be ideal to cut off news from Baloch’s territory, that wasn’t realistically feasible.
At the very least, she needed to understand the capital’s atmosphere and the imperial family’s movements to strategize a response.
The Emperor, who valued his reputation above all else, would surely adjust his attitude based on public opinion.
But would these merchants really have that kind of information?
In the capital’s social circles, items made of ‘monster leather’ were becoming secretly popular.
Judging by the trouble they had caused in acquiring monster leather, it wasn’t just an empty boast.
“Greetings.”
The polite greeting interrupted Bianca’s endless stream of thoughts.
“Oh, you’re already here.”
Before she knew it, she had arrived at the second-floor reception room.
Bianca took her seat and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment of the merchant’s greeting.
Thankfully, he didn’t repeat the act of kissing her hand like he had the first time they met.
Instead, he simply waited for her to sit before moving to his seat across from her.
Unlike the flustered man who had bustled about offering his help earlier, this time he was composed and elegant, leaning back in his chair with poise.
“…”
While waiting for the tea to be prepared, Bianca initiated the conversation.
“How are you managing? The cold in Baloch’s territory is quite harsh—have you been able to adjust?”
“Thanks to your generosity, I’ve managed to endure.”
The man answered rather candidly.
‘Endure,’ he said—as though barely surviving after nearly freezing to death wasn’t worth mentioning. Yet his straightforward tone made it seem less offensive.
“I see.”
Bianca smiled faintly, prompting the man to suddenly shake his head.
“May I speak more honestly? Truthfully, it’s terribly cold. But with the Duke on a campaign, how could I, resting comfortably in the castle, dare to complain?”
“You’ve already said it, haven’t you?”
“Ah, have I?”
Feigning innocence, the man responded playfully to Bianca’s pointed remark.
“But wouldn’t it be pretentious to claim to be fine when facing such cold for the first time?”
He took the tea Julie offered and sipped it lightly.
“For those born and raised here, perhaps it’s bearable. But for me, this is a first.”
“…”
“And you? Are you holding up well?”
His dark gaze pierced straight into hers, catching Bianca off guard.
She felt as though her innermost thoughts were being unraveled.
“Ah.”
Before she knew it, his expression had shifted, as if her reaction had been a mere misunderstanding.
“The aroma is delightful.”
His words flowed naturally, pulling her focus away from him.
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”
Something felt off.
The man maintained a constant smile and spoke with a composed demeanor. Yet, for a fleeting moment, Bianca felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
What was that, exactly?
Tilting her head, she scrutinized the man seated across from her without a trace of emotion.
Receiving Julie’s service with tea, he seemed utterly at ease.
A ferocious wind howled outside, resembling the cry of a beast. A severe snowstorm raged beyond the walls.
Inside the reception room of the modestly elegant yet refined ducal castle, the atmosphere was cozy.
Bianca, however, was the only one visibly tense within this sanctuary.
“Aren’t you going to drink?”
The man asked with a faint smile.
***
“No news of any significance, I take it?”
His voice was relaxed, his expression equally unconcerned. Jeremy, loosening the cravat constricting his neck, sank deeper into his chair.
“None at all. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“You’re sure of that?”
“Of course. We’ve verified it multiple times already.”
“Well… if that’s the case.”
Jeremy sighed heavily, a sound of weariness more than relief, as his posture slackened.
Maintaining a straight posture had become taxing as his body drained of tension.
“Are you all right?”
At his aide’s question, Jeremy gave a dismissive wave of his hand.
The satisfaction of outmaneuvering the Emperor had been fleeting. The thought of the fortress collapsing left a lingering unease.
How could something so solid since the nation’s founding suddenly fall apart like this?
The fortress had stood even during Sylas’s time, yet in just a year, they claimed it had crumbled due to aging?
‘Impossible.’
Jeremy’s doubts were growing louder in his head as time passed, paralyzing him with unease.
‘Baloch, freed from its long-standing chains after gaining Termina…’
The thought of this prophecy being fulfilled consumed him.
In his agitation, he had sent men to Baloch’s territory repeatedly. However, the responses he received were always the same.
“Aging, they said…”
“Yes, Your Highness. Parts of the roof on the fortress had apparently been rotting away and falling off for years.”
“The Duke of Baloch must have been careless. Facing wave after wave, and yet he neglects the defensive walls that hold the line? Is it his habit of trying to solve everything with his sword?”
His annoyance spilled out without restraint.
How could it all be so perfectly timed? That the fortress collapsed right after Bianca was sent to Baloch’s lands?
Fortunately, the snow had stopped just in time to allow repairs to proceed smoothly. Jeremy could only be thankful for that.
“The repairs were completed properly, I assume?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Very few stones had broken from the collapse, and since the materials remained intact, it only required refilling gaps with fresh mortar and stacking them back up.”
Though he’d heard this report multiple times, both Jeremy and his aide acted as if it were the first.
While the Emperor seemed to have completely forgotten about the fortress’s collapse, Jeremy hadn’t.
Even with multiple confirmations, his unease wouldn’t dissipate.
“And the Duke?”
“The Duke has already departed to prepare for the second wave.”
“Already?”
“Yes.”
“This is strange…”
Jeremy frowned slightly.
Normally, the waves began with the heavy snowfall of midwinter. But now, the snow had arrived unusually early, and the waves followed close behind.
Something felt off-kilter.
The execution of Baloch.
Princess Termina, offered as a scapegoat to Baloch’s hands.
The relentless waves and the crumbling fortress.
Even laid out plainly, the facts were profoundly unsettling.
‘Being crushed under his own dog’s weight… pathetic.’
Jeremy, struggling to suppress the irritation bubbling inside, placed the blame squarely on the Emperor.
“And the Emperor?”
“I believe he has official engagements scheduled.”
“Engagements, huh.”
Winter had arrived early in the Termina Empire with the snowfall, dragging them into this long season of idleness. Any ‘engagements’ likely involved nothing more than idle chatter with a few nobles.
The thought of him living carefree while leaving such chaos in his wake was infuriating.
‘…How disgusting.’
Jeremy thought bitterly.
The Termina Empire would soon be his. He couldn’t afford to stand idly by and let the Emperor’s decisions wreak havoc.
If left unchecked, both minor and major problems would arise in the empire. Letting it fall into disrepair wasn’t to his taste.
Like it or not, he had to act.
“Send someone.”
“The investigation team is ready, Your Highness.”
At the familiar command, his aide instinctively replied, his answer dutiful yet naive.
Jeremy curled his lips into a sly smirk.
“Not that kind of people.”
“Then…”
Staring at the innocent face of his aide, Jeremy whispered slowly.
“Bring me skilled assassins.”
The aide flinched. He tried to mask his reaction, but his shoulders gave an involuntary jerk of tension.
Watching the pale-faced aide, Jeremy narrowed his eyes as if savoring the moment.
“Bianca… I must take care of that thing.”
