“What’s the dessert menu?”
“Oh… It’s a dessert with cinnamon powder mixed into baked pie topped with preserved berries and drizzled with lime juice.”
“It must be very sweet.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Why are you suddenly asking this?” Karl’s expression seemed to say. The stewardess, who didn’t understand English, blinked her eyes and stood there while Karl seemed to be finishing his meal by placing his fork down.
There was still more than half of the meat left… The stewardess began to ponder whether she should bring a different dessert.
“Please prepare the dessert. Just don’t set it here.”
“Yes? Then where should I prepare it?”
“Please pack it so I can carry it with me.”
Responding like that, Karl started organizing the documents he had been working on, as the stewardess cleared the dining area.
He had been curious about what Celeste was doing. So, using the dessert as an excuse, Karl decided that he would visit her room.
“Your Highness.”
Clovis, sensing the direction of the dessert, called Karl with a heavier tone. Despite Clovis calling him in a more serious manner, Karl continued tidying up without hesitation.
Using gestures, Clovis dismissed the stewardess and other attendants from the room and then made a slight clearing of his throat.
“Viscount Louisette… is that you?”
“What?”
Clovis’s lips, lowered near his ear as he leaned over, seemed almost to touch Karl’s ear. Karl, feeling uncomfortable, moved away from Clovis’s lips.
“Are you Viscount Louisette?”
“Why are you asking that?”
There was a trace of anxiety in the voice trying to ask. As the awkward silence lingered, Karl finished organizing the documents and stood up from his seat.
“The baby who was with Viscount Louisette… the one you mentioned at the estate last time, is that the same child?”
“Well, I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I see. I mentioned that the child resembled Your Highness a lot.”
Karl’s steps towards the room’s exit came to a halt.
“Resembled? Me?”
“Yes.”
Could not you feel that? Clovis blinked from a distance. No, that resemblance, as if it were stamped on his forehead, how could you not feel it and have to ask?
Even if they didn’t know, all the knights who entered the viscount’s cabin must have thought the same as me. That child, for some reason, looks so much like our commander.
“You were talking about the lady, the Viscountess Louisette, right? Somehow, it seemed strange to us that you would go as far as this remote countryside, claiming it was a serious matter. All just to see the Viscount in person…”
Clovis finally understood. He might be moving under orders, but Karl himself is of royal blood, after all.
Clovis had thought it unreasonable for someone of royal blood to personally move so far for a mere summons, not even an arrest, to investigate a suspect. However, he had to act in accordance with the instructions regardless of his thoughts.
The Viscount Louisette and our Grand Duke? It was truly an unimaginable combination. Didn’t the Grand Duke despise the Viscount? How on earth did these two come into contact and end up in this situation?
Using all his brainpower, Clovis could not fathom how the connection between these two could be explained.
***
The capital is LaHart.
A large mansion on the hill. The Count of Louisette’s mansion was bustling after a long time.
The news of the owner returning home after more than half a year of no contact spread, although it was a bit unsettling that the message came through the knights of the Imperial Palace rather than directly from the owner.
Among them, the butler Mueller was the busiest. He was frantically preparing the mansion and organizing a welcoming procession to meet the owner who was due to arrive in three days.
“Mueller, is it really true? The message has arrived!”
Libby, who had been shouting loudly from afar seeking Mueller, rushed over and asked. She was originally a maid who served the Count directly. Now, she was overseeing all the odd jobs at the mansion due to losing the master.
“Is it true that Lady Celeste is returning to the capital?”
“If the message from the Imperial Palace says so, it must be true.”
“Oh my, I can’t believe it. There was no mention of this when Lady Hannah came last time. But now, so suddenly…”
“Stop dawdling and go call Kendrick from the knights immediately. We need to prepare for the welcoming procession in three days.”
“Yes, of course.”
Finally, the master of the mansion was returning. Mueller let out an excited sigh.
Six months ago, Celeste had been in a sudden carriage accident and remained unconscious for over ten days. The doctor said there were no major injuries, but for some reason, she had slipped into a coma.
There seemed to be no major physical harm, but worries arose about any serious issues in her brain. Just as they were fretting, Celeste opened her eyes.
The carriage accident happened exactly 11 days ago.
Yet, as Celeste opened her eyes, she behaved completely differently from before. Her mannerisms and speech were unfamiliar. On top of that, she spoke incomprehensibly.
The servants at the Count’s mansion lamented the tragedy of their last descendant of the Louisette lineage facing misfortune, fearing that the noble line would end with the Count’s family.
Upset by the infamous accident, coupled with the strange behavior of their illegitimate daughter Celeste, the Count’s mansion was naturally in turmoil.
But then, after waking up and spending a few days in bed, Celeste suddenly declared that she would be leaving for care.
“I think I need to leave for care for a while.”
It was a Wednesday, ten days after the accident and two days after she woke up.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Celeste abruptly left the mansion. Who could stop her when the owner decided so? Furthermore, in the early hours of dawn, Hannah and Kendrick had quite a hard time chasing after Celeste, who had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind no escorts or servants.
If Celeste hadn’t seen the letter left by Kendrick, she might not have known that Kendrick could have turned the whole city upside down.
Fortunately, Hannah, who found Celeste before she left the station, ended the brief turmoil by accompanying her.
“I need some time to recuperate alone. I will quietly come and go without informing anyone, so please don’t try to find me.”
Mueller was still keeping the note Celeste left behind. They kept it in case any problems arose later.
He thought she would be back in a month at the most. But one month passed, then half a year went by without Celeste returning or any word from her. Mueller even developed insomnia worrying about Celeste.
Despite Hannah sending reports once a month and trying to find her in the city, it wasn’t enough to reassure Mueller.
It was about time that escort knights had to be sent, as whispers among the departed started to spread.
Finally, the Viscount has returned. To the mansion! Mueller instructed to clean Celeste’s bedroom with a smile on his face.
Upon holding the torch and entering Celeste’s room, Karl witnessed an unexpected scene.
“My Lord!”
Even before opening the door, cries of a child could be heard, and it was no mistake.
The child sat alone on the floor, tears streaming down their face. Celeste was nowhere to be seen.
Karl quickly searched the room and found a strand of purple hair scattered between the bed and dining table.
“My Lord, are you alright?”
Celeste looked as pale as death as she lay with her eyes closed. Her face, already pale, seemed even more lifeless due to the lack of color.
“Clovis!”
Upon Karl’s call, Clovis swiftly entered the room, also visibly shocked by the scene before him.
“Is there a medical station in the room?”
“There should be one for emergency treatment.”
“Hurry and bring it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Under Clovis’s command, room attendants ran to fetch the medical station. Karl gently adjusted Celeste to face him and felt a weak pulse under her chin.
“Celeste, Celeste?”
Lightly tapping on the cheek but no response. Suddenly, what’s going on?
He gently tilted his head to ensure Celeste could breathe properly and created space for prayers. While waiting at the hospital, Karl searched for any clues around Celeste.
Before Celeste boarded the train, he had checked the train in advance. The interior of the room then and now had not changed. The only difference was the food Celeste had brought from outside, placed on the table.
Karl stood up and checked the plates and forks on the table.
Where did the Viscount’s aide go? The muscular woman who always stuck to Celeste like a shadow was nowhere to be seen.
“Celeste, Cele! Wake up.”
He gently shook her shoulders, but still, there was no movement. He quickly unbuttoned one of her shirt buttons, feeling for shallow breath under her nose and seeing her throat constricted.
“Master!”
At that moment, with a force as if the door was about to break, it swung open. Amidst the booming sound, the Viscount’s aide, who had not been visible before, appeared.
