112. The Riddle

At my words, Edan’s hand hesitated.

But soon, he clasped my hand and leaned forward. With a lowered voice, he asked seriously.

“How can I help you?”

“Help me prepare to leave the empire secretly, without the Emperor’s knowledge. I also need a permit for foreign travel and travel expenses.”

The title “Emperor” felt strange and didn’t easily roll off my tongue no matter how many times I said it.

Edan remained silent. He just looked at me with that usual mysterious expression.

“Is it too much to ask? Of course, I understand that it will be hard to escape Deon’s watchful eyes, now that he’s the Emperor…”

As my words trailed off under his intense gaze, he shook his head.

“No, I will do my best. No, I will ensure you cross the border safely and protect you, My Lady.”

In Edan’s eyes, I could see his determination and resolute commitment.

“But why…”

Why do you look at me like that?

Even while speaking, Edan didn’t avert his gaze. He stared at me with such intensity that it felt almost unnatural.

When I didn’t look away, he trembled slightly and bowed his head deeply. Then, with a bitter smile that I’d never seen before, he spoke.

“I’m sorry. I fear if I take my eyes off you, you might disappear again.”

* * *

“You will stay here.”

Edan led me to a room at the far end of the mansion. Even within the lifeless mansion, this was the darkest room.

He meticulously checked every corner of the room, removing sharp objects and ensuring the windows were closed. Only after circling the room a few times did he return to my side.

“Do not draw the curtains. Although this room is rarely visited, if someone notices an outsider has entered, it could start unnecessary rumors.”

Just as he did in the office, Edan drew the curtains. His hands were meticulous as he closed them.

Not a single ray of light seeped through the closed curtains. Despite it being bright outside, the room looked as dark as night. Even the green table in one corner was swallowed by the darkness.

“Though it may be stifling, please endure it until we cross the border. If you need anything, pull this cord.”

Edan extended a long cord next to the bed.

“Since I’ll only be here briefly, I don’t need a maid.”

I planned to leave the empire as soon as Edan arranged the travel documents.

But Edan firmly shook his head at my words.

“This cord is connected to my room. Call me, and I will come immediately.”

Saying that, Edan tied the cord to the head of the bed.

“I will also assign a trustworthy maid to accompany you, though I wish I could bring the maid from the duchy…”

Although he trailed off, I could guess whom he was referring to.

“What happened to Suren?”

I had left her behind at the villa. Did she move to another household with a recommendation letter, after the noble she served disappeared overnight?

I was relieved that at least no one would blame her for my disappearance since she wasn’t around when I left. But a late worry about how she endured the long nights with insufficient firewood arose within me. I had no time to bid her farewell, as I boarded the ship immediately after slipping away from the banquet.

“She entered the royal palace. She must be working as a maid.”

Seeing my worried expression, Edan added.

“A maid?”

Ah, she must be serving the Empress with the red hair. I immediately understood and nodded.

“She must be close to the Empress then. It would be hard to bring her here.”

Edan tilted his head at my words.

“Who are you referring to?”

“Isella.”

I let out a bitter smile, and Edan tilted his head further.

“Are you referring to Lady Snowa? That lady is not in the palace.”

Edan genuinely seemed confused. Though it was hard to trust, his face appeared completely sincere without a hint of deception.

“I heard rumors that a red-haired woman has ascended as the new Empress.”

I had heard it clearly, even if it was from Timo. It wasn’t likely just a baseless rumor.

Moreover, the scenes I saw while fleeing showed red-haired people scattered here and there, a sight uncommon in the empire before. Red hair was no longer a rare color in the empire.

“No. I’m not sure what rumors you’ve heard, but they seem to be false. Neither Isella being in the palace nor there being a new Empress is true.”

Edan’s response made my heart feel even heavier.

I had returned to the capital, but they still had no intention of telling me the truth. Even now, when there was no one to eavesdrop.

“Edan, this time you can tell me the truth.”

I suppressed my rising anger and spoke calmly.

“I’m about to leave the empire. Even if you reveal the palace’s secrets to me, I have no place to spread them. Besides, hasn’t my role ended with Deon becoming the Emperor? Isn’t my role as a shield finished as well?”

I tried to stay composed, but my words had an edge. My cold words made Edan stop tilting his head.

“A shield? What do you mean…”

“You’ve been using me as a shield for Lady Isella all this time. To protect her. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

I couldn’t just sit there while Edan continued to pretend. Frustration surged, and I stood up abruptly. Edan’s dazed eyes followed my movement.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I found out accidentally. So now you can tell me the truth.”

Edan, who had been staring blankly at me, suddenly seemed to come to his senses and began to speak.

“My Lady, I believe you are misunderstanding something. Although it was confidential, now that the Prince has reclaimed his title and is acting as regent, I can tell you.”

Edan calmed me down and guided me back to the sofa.

“There was a reason Lady Isella stayed by His Majesty’s side.”

“A reason?”

“There was a certain arrangement. To be honest, I was afraid that revealing the truth might harm you, My Lady. I don’t know what shield you’re referring to, but if we were protecting anyone, it was you.”

Edan stammered as he spoke, his face clearly troubled.

“To protect me?”

Were all the injuries I suffered meant to protect me? It felt like nothing more than a weak excuse to console me.

“Edan, if you’re trying to comfort me, you can stop.”

I forced a twisted smile, but Edan shook his head vehemently. His face had become noticeably stern.

“Because the capital was left unattended for so long, the Prince’s territory was riddled with spies. Not only those sent by Prince Ajanti, but also servants secretly planted by the late Emperor’s Empress, as well as external merchants and gardeners. There was no one who wasn’t an enemy’s eyes and ears. And they thought you were the weak point to manipulate Prince Deon.”

“So, Lady Snowa staying at the Prince’s residence was to protect me? Is that all?”

I had seen the relationship between Snowa and Deon clearly in the courtroom.

A deep bond forged with mutual trust and love. The ties between the two were not something that could be simply explained away.

“You might find it hard to believe, but ever since coming to the capital, you’ve been under constant threat. The threats only ceased once you moved to the villa.”

“I just can’t understand… Since when?”

The unbelievable words made my strength drain away. I slumped into the sofa and gripped the armrest tightly.

When did their arrangement start? When Deon was imprisoned? Or when they got permission for their engagement and moved in?

I pressed my forehead, trying to recall the days gone by.

Perhaps it was because I tried to erase those bad memories. The days at the prince’s residence with Deon were so dark and murky that they were difficult to recall. As I shook my head to clear my complicated thoughts, I heard Edan’s voice.

“I learned about the arrangement between the two of them when I was ordered to deliver false news to the empire’s press.”

“False news?”

“…I once followed an order to deliver a letter to the empire’s largest gossip magazine. The next day, a rumor about His Majesty was published, and I realized what I had delivered.”

I remembered now. There was a rumor that Deon had fallen in love with a red-haired woman.

Although the exact names of Deon, Isella, and myself were not mentioned, anyone in high society could easily guess who the story was about.

“Are you saying that rumor was spread by His Highness?”

When I asked in a daze, Edan took my hands and held them tightly. His hands were warm.

“It’s true. Not just us, but Lady Snowa did her best to protect you, too.”

His sudden statement was bewildering. I thought everything would be resolved if I talked to him, but my mind only became more tangled.

It felt as though I had been struck on the back of my head. Edan seemed to notice my confusion and continued.

“I understand it’s hard to believe. Even if everything goes smoothly and you never have to face Lady Isella again, My Lady, if you ever do meet her…”

He hesitated, then spoke.

“Please, don’t feel guilty. It’s not your fault. That’s the only thing I can add.”

* * *

His words were like a riddle.

I wanted to hold onto Edan and press for the truth, but our brief conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door.

A soldier entered, carrying an urgent message. He whispered something to Edan, who listened with a grim expression while still holding my hand. Then Edan let go and left, promising to return soon.

“Take care. I’ll be back soon.”

He donned his coat over his uniform and left the room, looking at me with concern as he went.

As the captain of the royal guard, Edan couldn’t stay away for long.

He didn’t explicitly tell me, but I knew. Until Edan arranged for travel documents and a destination, I would have to hide in this vast and lonely space again.

I watched his brief procession disappear from the window, then closed the curtains again. The spacious room was quickly engulfed in darkness.

I slumped into the armchair. The weight on my shoulders made the chair creak.

Even here, I am confined every day. When will I ever attain true freedom?

A sigh escaped my lips.

Knock, knock.

I had closed my eyes tightly in the armchair when I heard a knock on the door.

I opened my eyes slightly. A maid entered cautiously after knocking.

The maid appeared to be of advanced age. Her graying hair gave me the illusion that Suren had entered.

“I am the maid who will be serving you for the time being. Master Edan assigned me to you.”

Noticing my wary gaze, she smiled, easing the tense atmosphere.

“I am a discreet maid, so you need not worry. Master Edan has given me many instructions, including taking good care of you as you are very precious to him.”

She carried a tray with food. The steaming soup looked delicious.

I quietly picked up the spoon she handed me.

“I will call for the physician. Your ankle is swollen.”

As I pulled the chair closer to the table, my skirt lifted, revealing my swollen ankle. Her observation brought back the pain from twisting my ankle during my fall.

She immediately summoned the doctor and another maid waiting outside the door.

When the doctor entered, I paused with the spoon in my hand.

The maid who followed the doctor had hair that shone like a soft sunset—an elegant shade of red.