Episode 55

【 The Arranged Betrothal 】

I slowly opened my eyes to the murmur of voices around me.

Looking down, I realized that my body, completely given over to Chris, was nestled in his arms.

“…Your Grace.”

I managed to lift my head, and Chris gently steadied my shoulder. I noticed the crowd staring at us with a mix of surprise and confusion from a distance.

‘We’ve returned to the imperial hunting grounds.’

Quickly, I scanned the atmosphere around us, particularly that of the Reinhardt family.

Seth, with a triumphant smile, stood off to one side, while Servi and the Duke glared at me disapprovingly. Aria, on the other hand, merely stood wide-eyed, her gaze fixed on Chris’s hand resting on my shoulder.

‘What happened to the horse I was riding?’

I had seen it run off… but it might have been quietly dealt with by now, leaving no trace.

After a moment of thought, I leaned toward Chris and whispered softly enough for only him to hear.

“Your Grace, let’s say I fell from the horse by accident.”

Chris’s expression immediately hardened.

“But… Mindia.”

“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”

I added, placing my hand gently on his arm. He leaned closer and whispered in return.

“This wasn’t your fault. Someone tried to harm you…”

“I’m fine. I know who’s behind it.”

“Which is all the more reason…”

“But we lack solid proof.”

The white horse I had been riding was no longer here. Nor were the attackers or their weapons. If I claimed I had been ambushed without any evidence, it could easily backfire.

Even though Chris had witnessed the situation, there was no certainty the imperial court would side with him.

Chris, his voice filled with regret, whispered in a low tone.

“I should have captured them.”

“But then you would have lost me.”

“……”

“Perhaps you wouldn’t have been able to find me again.”

It wasn’t just an empty thought. I had lost consciousness back there, and if the mercenaries had found me…

“You did everything you could to help me, Your Grace.”

For some reason, acknowledging that filled my chest with a strange ache. I brushed off the feeling and continued to whisper.

“I overheard the mercenaries’ conversation earlier.”

 

‘Better not say that in front of the guild master.’

‘I don’t care about that woman’s opinion.’

There was a clear mention of “that woman.” From what I gathered from their conversation, it seemed like there was some internal discord within the mercenary guild.

‘That makes things easier.’

This job might have been the result of a few mercenaries acting on their own. There was a possibility that the guild leader could still be negotiated with.

“Do you happen to know of any mercenary guilds that have recently experienced internal conflict? They wear blue clothes, and the guild leader is likely a woman.”

Chris, being more familiar with military and mercenary matters, seemed the best person to ask. As expected, he nodded calmly.

“There is one place that comes to mind.”

“Please tell me later. It will be very useful when the time comes to expose this.”

“And the mastermind behind this?”

Chris’s gaze shifted to the Reinhardt family members. He seemed to have his own suspicions, and his voice dropped as he whispered to me.

“Do you want me to send you back to them?”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“…And should I trust you when you say not to worry?”

I sighed softly, leaning against Chris’s shoulder as I saw more people approaching. I decided to change the topic slightly.

“You were with the Crown Prince’s group earlier, right?”

“Yes.”

“How did you know I was in danger?”

“…The horse you were riding ran past us, injured and frantic.”

“That was enough.”

Chris looked at me as though he didn’t understand what I meant by “enough.” I said nothing further and leaned more heavily into his shoulder as we neared the others.

Chris dismounted first and gently helped me down. I was immediately met with the Crown Prince’s furious gaze.

“…Grand Duke Elzerian, Lady Reinhardt.”

The Emperor called my name in a low voice.

I tried to bow, but the sharp pain in my side caused me to falter. Gasps and cries echoed around me.

“My goodness!”

“Is there a healer? Anyone?”

While people panicked, the Emperor calmly signaled for attendants to come and assist me.

It was only then that I caught a glimpse of my own appearance.

The hem of my pale green dress was torn, exposing my swollen ankle, and my entire body was caked in dirt. I could only imagine what my face must have looked like.

“Are you all right, Lady Reinhardt?”

“I apologize. I fell from my horse by accident.”

Chris still looked dissatisfied, his expression dark. Just as he seemed about to speak, I stumbled into his arms.

“Milady.”

Chris caught me gently, and I noticed both Aria and the Crown Prince’s expressions harden as they watched.

“She seems to be quite injured.”

“I’m sorry for disrupting the hunting festival because of this…”

I turned my gaze to meet the Crown Prince’s eyes, trying to appear as pitiable as possible.

Then, I looked toward the Reinhardt family.

Seth caught my eye and immediately sneered.

“Yeah, it’s your fault.”

“……”

“You dared to ruin the hunting festival. What will you do now?”

“…Is it Lady Reinhardt’s fault that her horse was attacked and became agitated?”

It was the Crown Prince who spoke, his voice cutting through the tension.

“Someone injured her horse. Its eyes were glazed over as well.”

The Crown Prince’s words sent a ripple of murmurs through the crowd.

“My word.”

“That can’t be…”

Even Chris, as well as those who had been with the Crown Prince, began to speak up hesitantly.

“Come to think of it, wasn’t there something lodged in the horse’s flank? I couldn’t see it clearly, but…”

“That’s why His Grace and His Highness moved so quickly…”

Of course, the Crown Prince and Chris had gone separate ways during the search.

The Crown Prince had ended up with Aria and some other ladies, who were observing rabbits at the time. The ladies had gushed about the fated nature of the encounter, but both Aria and the Crown Prince hadn’t seemed pleased at all.

The Emperor, who had been listening calmly, finally spoke.

“An attack, you say. That is a serious accusation.”

“……”

“Are you certain of what you saw, Crown Prince?”

The Emperor’s tone seemed to carry a hint of doubt toward the Crown Prince’s statement. Sensing this, the Empress Dowager quickly intervened, eager to support her son’s claim.

“Who would dare harm a noble lady’s horse at the hunting festival?”

The crowd stirred once again. I spoke up, my voice laden with fatigue.

“It was likely a mistake. It’s easy to confuse targets during the hunt…”

“…Why are you blaming others for your fall?!”

Seth suddenly yelled, drawing the attention of everyone around him. Moments later, someone whispered.

“Come to think of it, didn’t Sethril have a conversation with Lady Mindia earlier?”

 

‘Don’t you have any friends? Well, who would walk around with filth like you?’

 

The whispers spread further, as people began to talk.

“If he wanted to tamper with the horse, that would’ve been the best time…”

“But she’s his sister.”

“Not by blood, though. Besides, didn’t he hit her before, too?”

As the murmurs grew louder, Seth’s face turned pale. He quickly grew agitated and shouted, “What is this nonsense! Do you have any proof? Any evidence?!”

There was no evidence.

Even if we retrieved the white horse I had been riding, the arrow lodged in it wouldn’t be linked to the Reinhardt family. That’s why I hadn’t outright accused them of the attack.

‘But his reaction is evidence in itself—he’s feeling guilty.’

Seth was known for his foul temper and impulsiveness, unable to control himself in heated moments.

That’s why I had deliberately provoked him.

‘I didn’t think he’d fall for it so easily, though.’

A heavy silence fell over the crowd as people began to look at Seth with open suspicion.

Just as Seth was about to retort again, Chris stepped forward, his arm still around my shoulder, and spoke sharply.

“Whether there is proof or not, your attitude toward an injured lady is inappropriate.”

‘Chris?’

I hadn’t expected him to intervene, and his sudden action startled me.

Even the Crown Prince, who seemed just as surprised, added, “Indeed. I’d think any gentleman would know better than to speak that way to a lady.”

“Your Highness…”

“Is that how you treat a sister who has returned injured?”

‘Of course, leave it to the infamous womanizer to make that remark.’

Even so, I let the Crown Prince continue his argument with Seth. Meanwhile, the Duke and Servi had already turned white with fear.

“Your Highness, I apologize. Sethril… he didn’t mean to…”

“Raising your voice to the Crown Prince, Seth? How dare you!” the Duke scolded, trying to contain the situation.

I lowered my head quietly. I didn’t feel the need to absolve Seth of the suspicion that had now clung to him. Honestly, I could barely focus on the conversation; the ringing in my ears made it hard to follow.

Noticing my state, Chris quickly turned to the Emperor and bowed his head.

“Your Majesty, with your permission, I’d like to take Lady Mindia to rest.”

“Yes, do so, Grand Duke Elzerian. Provide her with one of the guest chambers in the palace.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

As we slowly made our way to the palace, I could still hear the murmurs behind us.

People were speculating whether I had truly fallen by accident or if Seth had caused it.

I whispered to Chris.

“It’s settled now, right?”

“……”

Originally, I had planned to sweep everything under the rug and later deal with the mercenaries. But if Chris hadn’t shown his discontent—if his concern hadn’t touched me—I wouldn’t have revealed so much.

His consideration for me, in whatever form it took, warmed a part of me that I didn’t even know needed it. I felt an odd sense of lightness in my chest.

Chris sighed softly.

“For now.”

“……”

“For now, I don’t have to hand you over to them.”

Chris’s grip on me tightened slightly, supporting me more firmly.

“And for that, I’m grateful.”

Hearing his words, the tension left my body.

Leaning against him, I let go of my consciousness entirely.