And after a while.
“Ah, no matter how much you say it… … ! For guys like us, secrecy is essential… … ! “I would be in trouble if there were rumors that I sold customer information.”
Even though the subject was kneeling and raising both arms, Yang Chi complained in an embarrassed voice as if it was difficult to answer the question while looking at Candace’s eyes.
“Uh?”
Sitting comfortably on a chair with her arms crossed, Candace straightened up at his answer.
“let’s go.”
“yes? “You came this far and just left without answering, sister?”
In response to her words, the information merchant who came with her asked with a big question mark drawn on his face.
“Okay, let’s go. Oh, let’s take them too. We should hand them over to the government and get a bounty.”
When Candace summoned a strong rope with magic and said this, the gangster got scared and screamed.
“Okay, I’ll answer. Who are you looking for?”
It was supposed to come out like this a long time ago. Candace sat down on the chair again and explained about the people who were looking for her.
“… … “Are you talking about the one who has no right hand?”
“Yes, the one without a right hand. A guy with a big scar around his eye. “I will have a thirteen or four-year-old girl with me.”
“Well, I haven’t seen those guys… … .”
The boy answered obediently while sweating.
“Really?”
“yes… … ! “Why would I lie about my safety?”
When she looked into the groveling guy’s eyes, it didn’t seem like he was lying.
At this, Candace glared at the information merchant who came with her.
“I heard he’s holding on tight to smuggling?”
“Well, that…” …! “That is usually the case.”
Candace murmured as she watched the information dealer mention that if a higher-ranking official was involved, they may have chartered a different boat.
“You.”
When Candace pointed at the gangster with her chin and called out, he answered in a very nervous voice.
“Um, you mean me?”
“Yes, you. From now on, I will mobilize all of your connections to find the people I mentioned. okay?”
“Yes, yes!! I understand!”
Leaving behind the gangsters who were in high spirits, Candace left the bar.
She left a request to the intelligence dealer to look into the trade ship Natalia mentioned. If she does that, something will come out.
‘… … If it doesn’t work, kick it.’
She stretched her arms upward, stretching, and strolled back to the inn room.
* * *
Winfred, who returned after completing his first diplomatic mission as the crown prince, was having a hectic day. This was because he had a lot of work to do at home while he was abroad.
He had to quickly find the Duke’s house and tell them the story of how he met Ayla, but he just didn’t have time to do that.
After taking care of urgent matters for several days without any time to relax, Winfred was able to visit the Duke’s house.
“The duke is away from home, so why are you rushing to a long-awaited holiday?”
His father, Hiram, grumbled and complained.
He couldn’t even see his son for a while because he went abroad, and he was disappointed when he said he would go to the duke’s house instead of hanging out with him on his first holiday after returning.
‘I somehow feel like my son was stolen by my friend.’
That friend is even leading the knights to the border to protect the country.
“Ah, I heard about the duke. The Sekim tribe invaded, right?”
Winfred looked nervous as he heard his father’s story.
He wanted to convey the news of Ayla to Roderick and Ophelia, but why would a war suddenly break out?
Fortunately, after the Weishafen Knights joined, the conflict situation is reportedly swiftly improving, thus Roderick’s returning home won’t be a long way ahead. Yet, he can’t help but feel disappointed.
“Why then would you like to visit someone’s house without your teacher present? Do you miss Noah so much?”
Hiram asked, his lips still sticking out with a pout on his face.
“That is… … “I’ll tell you when I get back.”
Until now, as Ayla had requested, he had not told anyone except her parents about her.
However, once he became convinced that this matter was related to Byron, he could no longer hide it from his father.
Publicly, there was a reason that information related to the rebellion could not be hidden from the emperor, and the same was true in private. Whether one liked it or not, the fact that Byron was his father’s older brother did not change.
Of course, Winfred is incapable of taking action alone, so he plans to discuss it with Ophelia first and then talk about it.
“… … “There must be something I don’t know about.”
Hiram, who had been pretending to pout, saw that his son’s face seemed to be hiding something important, so he took away his mischievousness and put on an emperor’s face.
Winfred neither confirmed nor denied, and Hiram smiled and patted his son’s head.
“Have a nice trip.”
“… … “I’ll be back.”
Winfred, who must have received his father’s permission, hurriedly set off for the Weishafen duchy.
He thought that Ophelia would be very surprised by the news he brought about Ayla.
But unfortunately, the news to Ophelia was… … It wasn’t new news.
Natalia was not certain that the child she saw was Ayla, but she had already heard that Ayla might have headed to the Kingdom of Inselkov with Byron.
“… … “I’m not surprised.”
Winfred, who had expected Ophelia to be surprised, scratched his cheek feeling embarrassed.
“Oh, that’s… … . “There was already someone who told me the news.”
Ophelia brought up the story she heard from Natalia and the story of Candace leaving for the Kingdom of Inselkov to find Ayla.
“It’s not like there was any solid evidence… … . “Thanks to His Majesty the Crown Prince, who met Ayla, he is now confident.”
She smiled and gathered her hands neatly and placed them on her knees. This was to hide the fact that her hands were shaking from Winfred.
It was truly fortunate. If she hadn’t heard of this in advance, wouldn’t the young crown prince have looked ugly in a situation where there was no one to calm her down?
“Ah, for some reason I couldn’t see Director Eposure. That’s right.”
Winfred answered in a somewhat lethargic voice.
He tried so hard to convey this news as quickly as possible, but the news he had prepared turned out to be a failure. Feeling empty, he relayed the following information.
“According to Ayla … … “They said the spy planted by Byron would be here at the Duke’s house.”
“Ah, I see.”
However, Ophelia was not surprised by the second piece of information. It was what Candace expected.
“It looks like you knew this too… … .”
“Yes, I was expecting it.”
Winfred became depressed for no reason. He feels sorry for not being able to bring Ayla even after meeting her, but all the news he delivers is too late.
He opened his mouth in a somber voice and offered words of apology.
“I’m sorry, Duchess.”
“Yes? What on earth… … .”
“… … This time, he wanted to bring Ayla, but she seemed to have some circumstances and said she had to go back to Byron. So he couldn’t bring her.”
He wants to help Ayla, but all he can do is deliver the news to her parents.
Even that is just belated news that everyone already knows.
In response to Winfred’s apology, Ophelia tilted her head and asked back.
“… … “What are the circumstances?”
“Yes, she seems to be scared of something… … .”
He didn’t know it at the time, but now that he thinks about it, he thinks Ayla looked somewhat sad and nervous when he said, ‘Let’s go back together.’
Was he being threatened by Byron? Is that why he can’t leave him?
As the unforgivable uncle came to mind, Winfred gritted his teeth and clenched his fists without realizing it. He had no idea how he could be so cruel and vicious.
“… … Okay.”
And Ophelia, who suffered more from Byron than anyone else and knew his viciousness well, chewed her lip and was lost in thought.
Otherwise, he would never have left Ayla alone. It was clear that he would have done whatever it took to make sure she couldn’t escape from his side.
“Your Highness, could it be…” … Didn’t Ayla talk about Byron’s purpose? Why did he kidnap the child? etc. … .”
“Oh, that’s… … .”
Winfred swallowed dry saliva. No matter how much he thought about it, it was such a terrible act that it was difficult to say it out loud.
“They said it was to kill the duke with Ayla’s hands. With the intention of revenge.”
“… … .”
And when he finally opened his mouth in a hushed voice, Ophelia had to clench her fists to keep from expressing her anger.
Byron could not have kidnapped Ophelia and Roderick’s daughter with good intentions, but I never thought he would make such an evil plan.
It wasn’t anything new, considering the past in which he tried to kill his father with his own hands, but the thought that her precious daughter, who wouldn’t hurt even if he caught her eye, was involved in his immorality, made her so angry that she couldn’t bear it.
And speaking of revenge, why on earth would Byron have such a deep grudge against Roderick that he would want to take revenge so cruelly?
He is tired of arbitrarily misunderstanding that Roderick betrayed him and arbitrarily claiming that she was ‘stolen’ by Roderick.
Ophelia tried her best not to show her discomfort in front of the young crown prince, but Winfred was depressed when he saw her, perhaps because she was not able to control her facial expressions well.
“… … I’m sorry.”
He apologized in a tone of shame. Ayla told him not to worry, but being related to Byron was truly embarrassing and upsetting.
