“…What did you say?”
“There was a poisoning attempt… last night.”
“Really? It’s not wrong?”
“I’m aware of Milady’s exact circumstances, but a poisoning attempt indeed took place.”
Ian no longer heard the news from Sir Shubart. It was ever since the day I told Sir Shubart everything and convinced my mother. Or, to be precise, from around the time Sir Shubart began to suspect me and exclude me from work. So the current situation wasn’t conveyed accurately.
I couldn’t help but be astonished at the news that spread like a rumor. It wasn’t accurately conveyed whether Valery was fine, whether it was true there had been poisoning, or whether it happened to both the emperor and empress, but it was clear who did it.
“…”
There was only my mother.
Obviously… she said she would stop. She said yes. Was I a fool to believe her? Or was I forcing myself to believe that my mother was convinced?
I bit my lips. Now we’ve crossed a river where we can’t come back. To think that I would end tie with my mother. Still, I thought she would listen to my request just once. I didn’t know she would use me until the end.
I turned a blind eye until the end and burned all my feelings for my mother. Now, there was no reason for me to love and cherish her anymore. All the feelings were burned down. Like my mother, I had no choice but to use the same way.
“…So then, where about my mother, Sir Shubart!”
“We still don’t know their whereabouts.”
“Ha.”
I was full of emotions.
“Tell them to find out what poison they used. No, you know what to do. There’s a place I need to go.”
Then I hurriedly put on my hood and called her, holding the red communication stone Blake Ariandel had given me. The red light flashed several times, and the connection was established after a while.
“What’s going on?”
“…I have a favor to ask of you. I’ll go there, so just tell me where you are.”
“All right. Wait a minute. I will contact you again.”
Fortunately, Blake Ariandel gladly allowed me to visit. She seemed a little taken aback by the sudden contact, but she said she had been waiting for a call for a long time.
“You said you have a lot of ties with the imperial family, right?”
“Is it because of the news that came out today? No way, is it what Sister’s mother did?”
I bit my lips for a moment and then agreed. “Yes, that’s right.”
Blake Ariandel was surprised for a moment, turned her head, and covered her mouth. I know it was a flagship, especially since the victim wasn’t just one person but two.
“How did it happen?”
“…If I had known, I wouldn’t have come looking for you. I have a favor. Can you look into the situation in the imperial family?”
“I understand. I will do what I can. What is Sister going to do?”
“I have to find the culprit.”
Maybe it’s because I used the word ‘culprit’ instead of mother. Blake Ariandel’s mouth closed shut as if she was surprised. I smiled and said that I was fine.
“I’m used to this, so there’s no need to be surprised. I’m just someone who’s got priority on what I need to do now.”
“…Will it be okay?”
“Do you remember your request to me?”
Then she nodded.
“Maybe… I should let you know too. Who worried about who now? I will just say this once. I haven’t forgotten your request, so don’t worry.”
Blake Ariandel was very concerned about me. We didn’t have that kind of relationship, but she seemed to care more about me than I thought.
When I was about to say goodbye to her and go back, Blake suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Hold on a second.”
“Why?”
“Don’t go and wait. By all means!”
Then she disappeared in a hurry. She appeared a while later and snapped her pouch at me.
“Those are teleportation stones. They might come to catch Sister.”
“…Those are expensive.”
Then Blake Ariandel laughed. “Is that important now? The more important thing is to hide yourself. Use them if you need them.”
“Why are there so many?”
“I was looking for something small and profitable to get away from my family, so that’s why I collected them. They’re really hard to get, so please use them well.”
I didn’t accept it and handed it back to her. “I know I look pitiful, but I’m okay.”
Then she gave it back to me as soon as I handed it. She stretched out my palms, put the pouch on the top, and then forced me to grab it with both hands.
“Did Sister think I didn’t investigate you? You’re just someone who lived a similar life to mine. I told you, it’s not because you’re pitiful, but just because you’re like me.”
“…”
“And you promised to do me a favor. So hurry up, get out of here, and find them. That way, I can get out.”
In the end, I was at a loss for words. I grabbed the pouch she gave me and came back after saying thank you. As soon as I came back, I started looking for my mother’s trace.
I asked Shale to stop by and help me locate her. As if he had been waiting for me, he asked what he could help with, and he kept an eye on the imperial family and Shubart Rivaho after I left the mansion.
I didn’t forget to take Nina with me. The others were in the same boat with Sir Shubart as they were chosen and hired by him, so I couldn’t avoid them. But Nina wasn’t the case. Shane was the one who gave her to me, so I couldn’t let Nina be taken away. That’s why I brought her and returned her to Iskar.
Nina was puzzled to hear that she didn’t have to visit me again, but she shut up when she saw Shale.
“But you. Shouldn’t you hide yourself first instead of looking for your mother?”
Since I was the one most closely related to my mother and Sir Shubart, it seemed that if they couldn’t find the two of them, they would come and target me right away.
“Will I be imprisoned? Or will they kill me right away?”
“Hey…”
Then Valery would have no choice but to encounter me. The thought of it made me feel suffocated again.
“Even if I am imprisoned, I’m going to do what I must do before getting imprisoned.”
“I will do my best to track them. I will give you a few people, so take them with you. You can’t be imprisoned when you know nothing. I’ll buy some time and tell the truth where you were.”
“…Thank you.”
It probably won’t be easy. Mother said that if her plan wasn’t successful, she would reappear, but if she succeeded, she might never reveal her traces again.
There were a few places I could guess where they were. If the plan failed, we were going to run away to a few places where Sir Shubart had told me to hide. They were places to stay for a while anyway, and they won’t go away before figuring out the situation.
Since they weren’t people like me who moved with teleport stones, they could be seen moving in the capital for at least a few days. So I thought I could find the whereabouts of the two by then.
If the emperor and empress didn’t die until then, I would be able to stay alive. The most terrifying result would be me facing Valery in this situation.
“Ian, let’s move.”
“Yes, Milady.”
I stared at him, who nodded his head without any hesitation. Now, Ian was the only person left who was completely at my side. After I found my mother and Sir Shubart, I thought I should let him go too. He was living this life because I saved him.
Why are all the people I saved… I shook my head quickly. There was no time to be preoccupied with strange thoughts.
* * *
We continued to search for the two of them. Thanks to the teleportation stones Blake gave me, there was no problem moving with Ian.
The first location was empty. It was the closest place, so I thought they were going to hide there for a while, but I didn’t feel any warmth in it.
The second location was completely inaccessible. It was because I had already seen those sent from the imperial family searching around that place. It was fortunate that we moved through the forest, but we were almost caught on the spot and taken to the imperial palace.
“There’s no way they won’t be in the capital.”
Then something struck my head like a thunderbolt.
“Carbella, come here.”
“Mother, where are we?”
“Let’s stay here for a few days. We’re playing hide-and-seek because no one can find us here.”
“Hide-and-seek? With whom?”
A hazy but clear memory came to my mind. A place I only went to when it was the most dangerous time. When I was young, I thought it was just a way to go on a picnic, like going to a villa, so I always enjoyed it. It was only later that I realized that place was where we went whenever our lives were threatened.
“…”
It must have been there.
“Ian, I think I know where they are.”
After saying that, I grabbed Ian’s arm and tried to move again, but strangely, as soon as I felt sure I would be there, I paused, and my feet hardened.
“Milady?”
“If my mother is there, it’s going to be the end of her and me, right?”
“…” Ian shut his mouth. Even though his master asked him, he kept his mouth shut.
I forced my lips up. “…Now let’s go to end this hell.”
