“I think it’s best if we stay here for a while.”
“What do you mean, Mother?”
“I got a letter from your father.”
Joanna handed Pristin a letter from Count Lamont. Pristin began reading the letter with her brow narrowed.
Dear Joanna, look.
Things are not very good in Limburg right now. Prince Albert III revolted and ascended the throne while His Majesty was sick.
The crown prince is now missing. The new emperor has announced that the crown prince is dead, but rumors say that they are making every effort to find the crown prince. I’m not sure what the truth is…
Anyway, the situation is chaotic both inside and outside, so the borders are heavily guarded. It would be better to return after the situation has stabilized, rather than risk getting caught up in this. I will write again when the time is right.
Take care of yourself, and send my regards to Pristin and Christine too.
– Your William
“A rebellion, my God!”
Pristin shrieked first. Christine, who was next to her, also asked in a worried voice.
“So… when can we go back?”
“Maybe we’ll have to wait a month? I’m not sure as well.”
“There won’t be any harm to Father, right?”
“Don’t worry too much. Your father doesn’t have any ties with either the emperor or Prince Albert.”
Joanna comforted her worried daughters and reassured them.
“It has nothing to do with us. Let’s calmly wait here without worrying too much.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
The Count of Lamont then sent a letter back to his family in the Perk Empire just a little less than a month ago. The three of them, mother and daughters, were able to board a ship headed for the Limburg Empire without delay as they were prepared in advance for their return.
On the day they were finally leaving, Pristin handed a letter, written with all her heart the night before, to a maid.
“If a man named Jerald comes by looking for me after I leave, please give him this letter. Can you do that? It’s very important, I beg of you.”
“Absolutely, Miss. Don’t worry and leave.”
“Thank you.”
At least until then, Pristin had hope. Hope that Jerald would come to find her.
And the hope of seeing him again.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Pristin fortunately returned home safely with her family.
“Father!”
“Ah, Christine.”
The Count of Lamont went out to meet his family directly at the port.
He said, hugging his daughters in his arms, whom he had not seen in nearly half a year.
“I’ve missed you guys so much over the past half year. I hope I’m not the only one.”
“We missed our father so much, too.”
“Next time, Father should go to Perk with us.”
“Okay. When I have time, we’ll go. Did you enjoy your time in Perk?”
“Very much so! I was a bit surprised when our return was delayed though…”
“Don’t worry. Everything seems to have returned to normal. The new emperor also appears to have handled the aftermath of the coup.”
After briefly explaining, Count Lamont changed the topic with a somewhat embarrassed face.
“Well, let’s talk about something brighter. Pristin, did you have someone you were seeing while staying in Perk?”
Of all the topics to switch to, it had to be this one.
Trying to hide her surprised expression, Pristin responded, “Why would you ask something like that all of a sudden?”
“Oh, from your hesitation to answer, I’m guessing there is?”
“No, there isn’t.”
She couldn’t possibly answer “yes” given the current circumstances.
Pristin sighed inwardly then diverged the conversation.
“We should try to depart before sunset.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
After returning to Limburg’s Lamont Estate, Pristin spent her day as usual.
To anyone unaware of the situation, Pristin looked unchanged, whether it was before or after her trip to Perk. But a small change had occurred in Pristin’s everyday life after going to Perk.
“Is there any news from Perk?”
“No, Miss.”
She checked daily whether a letter from Perk had arrived. The results mostly ended up being disappointing, but every day Pristin hid her disappointment at hearing the same answer and carried on with her day.
Then came a certain day.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“Long time no see, William.”
“I know. How long has it been?”
Count Tumon, a friend of Count Lamont, was to visit Count Lamont.
“Right, you’re back in the capital?”
“Thankfully, I got back to working in central politics safely.”
Count Tumon was working in central politics during the time of the previous emperor, Ferdinand IV, but he was naturally displaced by the power struggle a few years ago and was living in his estate.
But this time, Albert hired him again.
“That’s wonderful. To be honest, I knew you would eventually return to the capital. It seems the new emperor realized your capabilities early on.”
“Capabilities, huh. You’re so kind. I don’t have such a thing, I just got lucky.”
“You’re so humble! Anyway, I’m glad things turned out well. The countess must be thrilled.”
“As you said, she’s already having a commotion with the central social circle to get a dress made. But I understand her feelings.”
“Indeed. Anyway, make yourself comfortable while staying in this castle.”
“Thank you, William. You’re always a good friend.”
–Knock, knock
Then the door opened in the drawing room of the two, and someone came inside. It was Pristin with a tray of teacups. With a subtle smile, she came to the table in front of them and put down the teacup.
Count Tumon, who was looking at Pristin, admired her.
“Pristin, you’ve become quite the lady while I wasn’t looking.”
“I had my coming-of-age ceremony half a year ago.”
“You’d do well even if you got married now. Just the other day it seemed you were at my waist, and now already…”
Then, Count Tumon paused for a moment.
As Pristin bent over her upper body to put down the teacup, Jerald’s ring, which had been hanging around her neck, flowed out of her dress, which he saw.
And the tragedy began in earnest there.
‘Isn’t that the ring of the previous empress?’
He had been active in central politics since Ferdinand IV’s first wedding, so unlike Count Lamont, Count Tumon was able to quickly recognize the identity of the ring around Pristin’s neck.
‘Why is that ring with Pristin?’
Count Tumon was surprised and suspicious.
‘Could it be that she secretly made a connection with the previous emperor or the crown prince without my knowledge? Otherwise, how could such a precious ring be around Pristin’s neck!’
However, he chose not to express his surprise and casually changed the topic.
“Speaking of which, did you hear about it, William?”
“What are you referring to?”
“Well, I heard a strange story yesterday… someone claimed to have seen the living crown prince.”
“The crown prince? But the new emperor clearly announced that the crown prince had passed away…”
“I’m not sure. It could be a rumor. Nonetheless, what is important is…”
Count Tumon went on, slowly examining Count Lamont’s expression.
“If indeed the crown prince is alive, it will deeply undermine the legitimacy of the new emperor. He declared him dead when he went missing, but what if he returns alive now?”
“Yes, even if that rumor was true, if I were the new emperor…”
And then there was a silence between the two for the first time.
Perhaps thinking that he had broached an unnecessary topic, Count Lamont swiftly steered the conversation elsewhere.
“Anyway, it wouldn’t be good. The entire empire would be shaken. Particularly since the news of his death had managed to quell dissatisfaction about legitimacy.”
“Right. That’s why I’m also hoping that rumor is false.”
“Let’s change the topic. We’ve been talking too much about the imperial family for a meet-up among old friends. It’s rather dull.”
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea.”
The two immediately changed the subject to a different one. However, insidious thoughts were already creeping up in Count Tumon’s mind.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Count Tumon stayed at Count Lamont’s for a few more days afterward; and after a few days of staying, he came to some ill-advised conclusions.
First, it was impossible to determine whether the Count Lamont was related to the crown prince on the run, and secondly…
‘This situation could be greatly beneficial if used correctly.’
Maybe it could make a good impression on the new emperor.
If the crown prince is alive, as rumored, the imperial family, specifically the current emperor, would be desperate to find him. The crown prince was a serious threat to the legitimacy of the current emperor.
What if he whispered to the new emperor, ‘I found people who seemed to be in communication with the crown prince’?
It wouldn’t be a distant future for the current emperor to grant me a higher position.
Count Tumon’s eyes glistened with desire. The guilt of selling his friends for success had long since vanished from his face. Count Tumon was okay with anything if he could succeed. After a few times being demoted and living in his fiefdom, he couldn’t go back to that anymore.
If he could be more successful than before, he was willing to sell even more than his friendships.
‘I should tell His Majesty about this immediately.’
Count Tumon decided to go straight to the capital to meet the new emperor and narrate the tale he had spun. The truth didn’t matter. As long as it’s a story related to the crown prince, the new emperor will surely react sensitively.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
And Count Tumon’s idea was right.
“Lady!”
One morning, someone rushed into Pristin’s room in a hurry.
“We’re in trouble!”
Pristin, who was reading with a cup of warm tea in front of the table, immediately turned to the side.
“What’s going on?”
“That, that…!”
Although the maid seemed to be in a hurry, she couldn’t respond for quite some time. Eventually, Pristin, feeling frustrated, furrowed her brows and urged.
“What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you answering?”
“That’s…”
Eventually, the maid, stomping her feet as if she were about to cry, opened her mouth.
“Soldiers from the imperial palace have come, and it seems they have come to arrest your parents.”
