The knight, who had vowed not to take any questions until there was a new directive from the Duke, finally revealed himself after a long time. Without a window, I had no idea how much time had passed.
Worn out from waiting, I pleaded through a tiny hole in the iron door to be allowed to go to the bathroom, but it was futile. I realized firsthand that neither threats nor persuasion worked on the loyal knights and was about to give up when the knight appeared, saying he would guide me somewhere on Karl’s orders.
“Your Highness… Duke.”
The place I arrived at was an expansive reception room, incomparable to the cramped cell I had been locked in. Although it couldn’t compare to the grand mansion in the capital, this place felt like paradise after the endless darkness of my previous confinement.
I shuddered, recalling the suffocating little room. I never wanted to go back there.
“Please sit down, Count Louisette.”
His tone was unusually rigid. Two years ago, Karl was much more brusque and cold than he was now. I had often wondered how he could maintain such a cold poker face when I first met him in Urentum, and now I was surprised to realize that his expression had softened significantly since then.
“I apologize for your confinement. However, I cannot kindly welcome an intruder who has invaded my territory without permission.”
He spoke casually, as if addressing someone beneath him – which I was, but it was unsettling to hear such natural condescension from Karl. Everything felt awkward.
“How did you find this place?”
The question I had feared finally came. Even when we first met, Karl had asked how I had located him. But the answer I could give was predetermined, and it was clear it wouldn’t convince him now.
What should I do? The fact that “you brought me here” was the answer seemed truthful, but saying that would arouse even more suspicion. He certainly wouldn’t believe it.
“Answer me, Count. Surely you didn’t come all the way here alone; did you bring mercenaries from your family?”
Two years ago and now, Karl asks the questions, and I provide the answers – yet my responses, then and now, wouldn’t make sense to him. I had no real alternative; all I could do was stay silent and invoke my right to remain silent.
“You’re not answering.”
Karl’s voice lowered further. This must be his usual demeanor when interrogating a criminal. It struck me again that he was the head of the royal investigation unit.
“How long do you intend to stay silent? If you think you can just avoid the issue, you’re mistaken.”
I couldn’t think of a convincing excuse. I simply bit down hard on my lower lip, keeping my mouth shut tight.
“You won’t be able to move an inch until you answer.”
Hearing this, I knew I had to think carefully and come up with a plausible response. What kind of excuse could I possibly come up with to gain even a sliver of understanding from this cold man? What had happened two years ago?
I gathered all my memories and tried to recall what had occurred in the Empire two years prior. Of course, I hadn’t experienced it firsthand, so I had to rely on the news I’d heard from others.
***
“Rumble.”
The once clear sky turned overcast. Menacing clouds gathered, threatening to pour rain at any moment, and distant thunder began to rumble. It was when lightning flashed a couple of times that the bustling crowd, busy organizing their luggage, started to look for Celeste.
“Where did the Count go?”
Celeste was nowhere to be seen. Hannah was the first to sense something amiss and began scanning the area. Not knowing how long they would be at this place, everyone had packed as much as they could. Because of that, Hannah had been preoccupied with unpacking, so she hadn’t thought to check on Celeste.
“Oh? Now that you mention it, where did she go?”
Realizing they had been assuming someone was attending to her, Hannah and Kendrick’s faces suddenly turned to a pale hue.
Then, they heard from a royal guard that she had been seen with the Grand Duke’s aide, causing the two to breathe a sigh of relief.
“She’s with the Grand Duke’s aide? What are they doing?”
“It seems they’re sightseeing the Grand Duke’s castle.”
“Is it that aide with brown hair, the one as tall as this?”
Hannah nodded. Confirming their Countess’s safety, Kendrick refocused on what he was doing. Since they were in an unfamiliar place, it was essential to ensure the Countess’s comfort and well-being.
After all, they were on a retreat for her health, so they felt it was imperative to prepare everything meticulously to prevent her from being startled or distressed.
In truth, the recent terror attack had made Hannah and Kendrick feel deeply guilty for not fulfilling their duties towards Celeste.
Though Celeste offered comfort by saying it was an unavoidable incident and anyone would have been caught off guard, their sense of responsibility as her closest aides couldn’t be soothed by that.
They should have been more vigilant and alert. Had they done so, they could have anticipated the old woman who approached the Countess with a friendly greeting, as well as the man who threw a flowerpot at her before fleeing.
Though endless self-reproach can be burdensome, Hannah blamed herself fiercely.
“I still can’t shake this uneasy feeling. I’ll go out and see if I can find where the Countess is.”
“But you said she’s with Sir Clovis, the Grand Duke’s aide.”
“Even so, I have to check. It’s still uncertain if they’re really together.”
Hannah’s sense of responsibility spoke volumes, being the eldest daughter among the ten sisters.
The sense of responsibility that she had for Celeste, her younger mistress, was likely comparable to the weight of caring for all nine of her younger siblings whom she had washed, dressed, fed, raised, and even sent off to marriage.
“Count, Count?”
She began to search every corner of the castle for Celeste. Being her first time in the Grand Duchy, she felt quite out of place, but such feelings didn’t hinder her search.
There is always a way through. Even if she got a bit lost within the castle, walking continuously would eventually lead her somewhere.
“Count…….”
Her calls echoed in the empty corridor. The building, designed more for defense and attack than as a living space, lacked any feeling of coziness or comfort. It felt gloomy, imposing, and silent. A chill ran down Hannah’s arms, prompting her to rub them.
“Count?”
Tap, tap. The path indeed converged. From the end of the seemingly deserted corridor came the sound of footsteps. It was our lady! Brightening up, Hannah ran towards the source of the sound, only to meet the gaze of its owner as she turned the corner.
“Clovis…… sir?”
“Ah, Hannah.”
Despite having exchanged messages a few times, they acknowledged each other casually. Hannah, who was about to greet him warmly, was taken aback when she noticed someone who should be by his side was missing.
“No, sir. Why are you alone?”
“Excuse me?”
“I heard you were with the Count. Is that not true?”
Clovis turned with a look of realization.
“I was only showing her around because she wanted to explore.”
“Only showing her around? So, you’re saying she isn’t with you now?”
“Yes. She wanted to enjoy the scenery alone.”
So, the Clovis she trusted had left our dear Count alone in the castle! Alone, especially given it was her first time here! Hannah’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“No, how can you leave the Count by herself? Someone who doesn’t know this place at all!”
“It’s not a difficult path. I told her about a door that leads directly inside, and she’s just enjoying the sights, not wandering far…”
“Even so, would you leave our Count alone, even if it were His Highness the Grand Duke?”
She was so furious that she was practically huffing. Hannah’s rising anger gauge flustered Clovis.
“Look here, Lady Hannah. This is the Grand Duke’s realm. In fact, it’s inside the Grand Duke’s castle, known only to a handful of knights. What exactly are you so worried about that you’re getting angry?”
They just weren’t connecting. Hannah muttered her response to herself and stomped loudly, passing Clovis. Since she said she would enjoy the scenery, he guessed she would be outside.
“Lady Hannah, where are you going?”
“It’s raining outside! Our Count doesn’t even have an umbrella. If he gets caught in the rain while sightseeing and gets sick, who do you think will be responsible?”
Clovis seemed to realize it was raining for the first time and pretended to look out the window.
“Oh, I see. I was short-sighted. I’ll hurry and bring the Count back,” he said.
“If our Count even catches a cold…”
Hannah’s shaking fist was an alarming sight. Anyone would be intimidated by a warning like that, especially from someone with arms as thick as a child’s head. Clovis swallowed hard.
