I thought it was too much for him.
“No need to be nervous. You just have to finish your job properly,” said Mother, slicing the steak with her knife.
I felt I was about to sleep, so my hands were slow as I forced myself to get together. But it looked like I was nervous about my big job. It wouldn’t be bad for her to misunderstand like that, so I raised the corners of my lips, forcing a smile.
“I’m okay. So will the second prince… proceed as planned?”
“That’s right.”
“But is that the only way?”
I didn’t tend to argue with my mother’s words. I did something when my mother told me to and didn’t do it when she told me not to.
“See, that’s why I told you not to give him affection. Is this the time for you to play with love for nothing?”
My mother’s dark, burgundy eyes pointed at me.
“It’s not like that. I’m just asking.”
Perhaps because Valery resembled the empress, my mother’s face became cold whenever she talked about the second prince. Do I have time to play love? I’m indeed especially concerned.
“…Then Duke Rudbihi? What are you going to do?”
“He’s already a toothless old man. He can’t even stand in front of my face. We can clean him up after work. Too much time has already been wasted on pruning other twigs.”
I hoped that Duke Rudbihi would be gotten rid of, even if I saved others, but my hopes were all wrong.
“Mother.”
“Say it.”
“What are you going to do if everything succeeds as planned? Come to think of it, I don’t think you ever told me.”
When I was young, I thought my mother’s goal was to take the empress’s seat. However, I became more and more convinced that it was not like that, and it seemed that she wanted nothing but revenge.
It didn’t seem like my mother would sit on the throne, no matter how I thought about it. When I asked Sir Shubart at breakfast, it looked like they already had in mind who would temporarily ascend to the throne.
My guess would be either Marquis Radwike or Duke Rave. Marquis Radwike was an ambitious man and didn’t get along with the imperial family. On the other side, Duke Rave had been famous as a noble family that had been around since the empire’s founding.
It was clear that Duke Lige and the Chartero family probably didn’t even choose a side. And when the chaos subsided, I didn’t know if they would choose the right side.
“There’s nothing to worry about. Just focus on your job.”
My mother always did that when I asked a hopeful question. It was a shame, but I decided not to ask more before my mother said anything else.
I walked around Bei for a while after eating with my mother before going back. The building where my mother resided was just like a mansion, but there was nothing to get from there.
I beckoned to one of Sir Shubart’s men as I walked by.
“Yes, Lady. Do you have anything to order?”
“Sir Shubart, has he gone far?”
“He said he would be going to Savoy for a while.”
“Savoy? Didn’t he say he was going to Shiseta?”
Savoy is a must-pass road when going to north Shiseta. Sir Shubart was also close with the noble who managed that estate, so I thought he would stop by there when he came to the North.
I heard that he also used storage there when there was a lot of luggage to move. But since I left the North, I haven’t been able to go to Shiseta at all, so there’s no reason for him to go there, right?
“No, he only said that he has work in Savoy.”
“Did he go alone? It’s still dangerous.”
“No. Ah, I think he said he had something to bring.”
“Something to bring? Is it important?”
“I don’t know that far. I’m sorry, Milady.”
The man apologized for giving the same answer as before. I waved my hand at him as he bowed down. It was not his fault. It would be strange if the leader talked about his move to his subordinate, who had only guarding duty.
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. So that’s why my mother said it would take a few days.”
“Yes, I think so.”
“I see. I have to go in the meantime. Take good care of my mother.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take you to the entrance.”
Ian was waiting when I went out, escorted by the man.
“Ian, let’s go back.”
“Are you going home right away?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’m so tired that I’m going to sleep immediately.”
After I spoke enough for the man to hear, I immediately got on the carriage.
* * *
“Sir Shubart went to Savoy. We have to stop him from coming back in time.”
As soon as the carriage departed, I spoke to Ian in a low voice. Since Ian had been with me since morning, it was only natural that he didn’t know Sir Shubart had gone away in a hurry.
“I will do it.”
“No, I have to move. You must fool my mother’s eyes, so if I prepare a gift in time, bring it to her.”
If only Sir Shubart was prevented from coming on time, even if Valery didn’t attend the fox hunting, she could be stopped. My mother’s feet were like being tied up without Sir Shubart by her side.
Ian held out something to me as I tried to close my eyes and lean on my back, thinking that I should go to Iskar as soon as I got home.
“What is this?”
“I prepared it just in case you feel sick.”
What he brought out was digestive medicine.
When I ate with my mother, there were more days when I had an upset stomach than when I pretended to have an upset stomach. I used to take this medicine well in the past, but I don’t even think about taking it all these days.
“…Thank you. Still, I feel frustrated.”
“It’s nothing.”
I got the medicine from Ian, opened the lid, and emptied the bottle at once. In an instant, my face frowned.
“Can you prepare something more delicious next time?”
“I’ll take care of it.”
I could see a slight twitch on the corner of Ian’s mouth, but I pretended not to know and turned my head. I felt like I had eaten moss, but by the time I got home, my stomach was already better, and I felt relieved. As I got home, I immediately looked for Nina. When I said I already had a meal, Nina brought a tray of light fruits in her hand.
“Milady, did you eat well?”
“Yes. Nina, I have a question.”
“Yes. Say anything!”
“Iskar handles explosives too, right?”
“Explosive? Yes, I think so. I’ve used a small one, but it’s not under my jurisdiction.”
“Then I’m sure I must go.”
“Why? Do you have any place to pop it?”
Nina tilted her head and asked as she was curious.
“I need some of it.”
“Ah, then, should I bring it to you? You need a small one for escape, right?”
Nina got excited as if she would change her clothes and leave immediately. I shook my head.
“No. I need something to destroy the bridge.”
From Savoy to the capital, it took about three days if you drove non-stop through the fastest road, which was the bridge. Therefore, Sir Shubart, who left this morning, hadn’t yet arrived in Savoy.
If I destroy the bridge, I can put out the urgent matter first.
If he didn’t arrive within a week, things would go wrong. It seemed I just needed to wait until Sir Shubart arrived in Savoy, then get my job done.
“…W-What are you going to do?”
I grinned at Nina, who was somewhat surprised.
“Sometimes, ignorance is better. I will go, so tell them I’m going to sleep. I will be back soon.”
“Then I will prepare the pajamas and put them on the bedside table.”
“Do it.”
I asked Nina to take out the second teleportation stone as she went out.
“Ah, Nina.”
Just then, I called Nina again.
“Yes? Do you need anything?”
“Tell Ian to get me a map. Then I will go.”
“Yes, Milady!”
* * *
“Sleepy…”
With one hand, I pressed down my eyelids and opened the door to Iskar, which was so familiar, like my neighbor.
“Ah, I was in a hurry earlier, so I couldn’t even organize it properly.”
Before I went back to the mansion earlier, I glanced back and saw that I didn’t organize the books as I read them every day here. But when I returned to my room again, the books I had laid out were neatly organized.
I’ve been grateful to Shale, who had been helping me without being paid for no reason. In fact, I couldn’t deny that I met Shale Iskar with the idea of using him, just like how Sir Shubart used someone and threw them away later, as he was noble on the outside but leader of the underworld on the inside. However, considering that he still helped me, even though it was already a few years since I helped him with his mother’s pocket watch, I thought his loyalty must be real.
“Ah, XXXX, I was surprised.”
Shale Iskar was in front of me as I pulled the doorknob and smiled. He widened his eyes wide and said cursing words, surprised to the point where he was about to jump out of the door.
