Chapter 144
After Killian fell asleep, Sophia received a summons from Mikhail and went to meet him at the royal palace.
“Lady Sophia!”
Mikhail greeted Sophia warmly and offered her a seat.
Although Mikhail had been fully briefed on Killian’s condition, he still seemed worried. Yet, he also looked relieved that Killian had been proven innocent.
“How is Killian?” Mikhail asked.
“We need to keep an eye on him for a bit longer. He’ll probably have to stay at the Grand Duke’s residence for about half a month,” Sophia replied.
“Still, he seems to be doing well. You seem to speak about it quite comfortably,” Mikhail said with a relieved smile, noticing the lightened expression on Sophia’s face.
“I owe you a debt of gratitude, Lady Sophia.”
“Oh, no… All I did was worry about His Excellency,” Sophia said, awkwardly fiddling with the handle of her teacup.
“Still, I want to express my thanks. No one else may recognise your efforts, but I feel I must,” Mikhail added. He still seemed to feel guilty about the fact that without Sophia, Killian might have been left to suffer.
“If calling it a debt feels burdensome, think of it as a commemorative gift for Killian’s safety,” Mikhail said with a smile.
“Is there anything you want, Lady Sophia?” Mikhail offered, willing to grant any wish within his power out of genuine gratitude for Sophia’s trust and care for Killian.
Under normal circumstances, Sophia would have politely declined, but she had something in mind to ask Mikhail. She had come to the palace intending to make this request.
“Actually, it’s not something I want for myself, but I have a favour to ask of Your Highness,” Sophia began.
“Feel free to speak,” Mikhail encouraged.
“Have you heard that the Black Moon has resurfaced?” Sophia asked, placing her teacup down completely.
She had come to seek Mikhail’s help with the ongoing matter, with a small twist of truth.
“Of course. It’s the reason Killian was released,” Mikhail replied.
“Do you know that the Black Moon targeted Lady Estelle this time?” Sophia asked.
Mikhail nodded. Given Killian’s involvement, he had read the reports about the Black Moon incident that had occurred the previous night. Estelle was the first to discover the Black Moon, and Ian had pursued them in her stead when she was injured.
Sophia, seeing Mikhail’s understanding, continued with her prepared words.
“The Black Moon seemed intent on killing Estelle,” she said.
‘As expected, Mikhail’s eyes wavered. He seemed worried about Estelle.’
Without Sophia knowing, Mikhail and Estelle had developed a certain degree of friendship.
Although their relationship wasn’t yet deep enough to be called ‘love,’ they weren’t indifferent to each other. Sophia had noticed the perfume in Estelle’s room, a gift from Mikhail, when she had visited Niore.
Mikhail often disguised himself and roamed outside the palace.
In the original story, Estelle, as an Orhelin knight, would accompany him during these outings. Even in the current situation, fate seemed to have brought them together.
Sophia was grateful for the growing bond between Mikhail and Estelle. She decided to entrust Estelle’s safety to Mikhail, believing he would be the best protector, as even Empress Beatrice couldn’t touch him.
In the original story, Mikhail’s closeness to Estelle had also posed problems for the Empress, who couldn’t meddle where Mikhail was concerned.
Therefore, Sophia involved Estelle in the Black Moon incident to give Mikhail a reason to protect her.
“I’m not sure of their exact motive, but so far, the Black Moon has always targeted specific individuals for assassination. Estelle’s exceptional skills likely saved her this time. It was probably similar to Sir Nicholas’ case,” Sophia explained, recalling the previous incidents involving the Black Moon.
The Black Moon’s murders had always been deliberate. They wouldn’t have infiltrated Fideut’s estate unless they had a specific target. Sophia reminded Mikhail that Nicholas was still alive, but Sir Liam had been sacrificed.
“Nicholas survived, possibly because he wasn’t the primary target. The Black Moon was after Liam, and Nicholas got caught up in it,” Sophia speculated.
“So, you’re worried that Estelle might be targeted by the Black Moon again?” Mikhail deduced.
Sophia nodded slightly. “As you know, I don’t have the power to protect Estelle. His Excellency isn’t in good health either… I hope you can help ensure her safety.”
Sophia conveyed that Mikhail was the only one she could rely on for this request.
Listening quietly, Mikhail finally responded.
“This wish isn’t for yourself, but for Lady Estelle, is it not?” Mikhail enquired.
“If Estelle is safe, then I am happy. So, isn’t it a wish for myself?” Sophia replied confidently.
Mikhail smiled. When he offered to grant her a wish, he had expected Sophia to ask for something material. Most people would ask for land, a title, or, at the very least, money or some prestigious item. But Sophia’s response was unexpected and made her appear even more charming to him.
“Very well. I will take all necessary measures to ensure Lady Estelle’s safety,” Mikhail agreed.
Coincidentally, Estelle had recently been offered a position within Ruchtainer.
As long as there are no major problems with Estelle, she will recover from her injuries to the Black Moon and join right away.
Mikhail planned to have Estelle move with other knights through Ruchhtainer or have someone else, such as a squire, accompany her.
“Thank you so much for granting my request,” Sophia said, finally lifting her teacup with a sense of relief.
“No need to thank me. I was worried about Lady Estelle myself after hearing the news,” Mikhail replied.
“Are you close to Estelle?” Sophia asked.
“No, not really… We’ve only met a few times since the ball,” Mikhail said, then sipped his tea, trying to seem nonchalant.
His reaction made it clear that they had more than just brief encounters.
Sophia speculated that by this time, their mutual respect and interest might have deepened, even if it wasn’t love yet.
She was relieved to have set up a shield against the Empress targeting Estelle.
Furthermore, Ruchtainer was independent of the Empress’s power.
Unlike Orhelin, directly under the royal family, or the military police, Ruchtainer had its own ecosystem. The order was known for its pride and stubbornness.
Ian’s recognition within the order was a testament to this. Even if some knights had ties to the Empress, there was almost no chance of encountering a Rosarphi member there.
“Now, it’s time to hear what you truly desire, Lady Sophia,” Mikhail said with a smile, setting his teacup down as he ended their conversation.
Sophia looked at him, puzzled.
“But I already told you…”
“That was something I should naturally be doing, protecting the citizens of the Empire from dangerous rebels like the Black Moon,” Mikhail said with a mischievous tone, reminiscent of when he teased Killian.
“I was already considering how to protect Lady Estelle, so your wish remains unfulfilled,” he added.
“There’s really nothing I want. If anything, I just wish His Excellency would recover quickly,” Sophia insisted.
At that moment, all she truly wished for was Killian’s swift recovery and for things to return to normal.
Ideally, she wanted to spend peaceful and happy times with him, not a life constantly on the run. However, this was not something Mikhail could grant.
“You are not a greedy person, Lady Sophia,” Mikhail observed.
“It’s not that I’m not greedy; it’s just that my most urgent wish has been fulfilled, so my mind feels blank,” Sophia explained.
All she had desperately wished for was Killian’s safe release, and now that it had happened, her mind was clear.
If she thought about it practically, money would be her next choice, but the Fraus family already had plenty.
Pursuing honour or power now would only attract the Empress’s attention, which wouldn’t be beneficial.
Given her recent involvement with the Black Moon, she felt it was best to lay low for a while.
“If you come up with a good idea later, feel free to tell me anytime,” Mikhail offered, ready to assist Sophia whenever she needed.
Sophia gave a shy smile, realising she had more people willing to lend her a hand than she had thought.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” she said, nodding slightly.
(T/L: Wow, these past few chapters were such a roller coaster. Not me preparing for the upcoming drama too. Ugh!!!)
