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“I was waiting for you, Duke.”

It was Rezef.

“How did things go?”

Raphael had intended to ask the emperor to be merciful with Rezef from the beginning.

If the emperor penalized the prince for his efforts to save Cayena, Rezef’s supporters would have been highly dissatisfied. That discontent may have caused them to attack Cayena, and Cayena lacked the power to defend against them.

“Fortunately, His Majesty was understanding.”

Rezef raised his brows as if he hadn’t expected this.

“I’m curious about the sort of deal you made so that the emperor wouldn’t punish me.”

Raphael said in a slightly lower voice, “It wasn’t much. His Majesty must have seen Your Highness’s true intentions.”

That could never be the case, but Rezef did not ask further.

At least the emperor would not hold him responsible this time. He could protect his sister with his own forces.

“I owe you, Duke.”

Raphael did not dare to answer.

Rezef asked, “What are you going to do with the Gillian viscountcy?”

“First, since I’ve only taken over my title, I will take care of my household before summoning Viscount Gillian.”

Raphael never knew how hard it was to act normal. His head kept on switching from hot to cold. Even so, he seemed to finish talking like usual.

“Then, I’ll go now.”

He came out of the waiting room. But he couldn’t see his aide, who should have been waiting outside.

“Where is Jeremy?”

One of the attendants reported, “The vassals called him outside of the palace in a hurry, so he stepped out for a moment.”

Jeremy was not the type of person to leave like that.

Raphael went down to the first floor of the castle. He was able to find Jeremy running from the other side.

“Your Excellency!”

His expression looked more serious than it had been when he gave Raphael the report about Henverton Gillian.

Raphael felt the many eyes on him and quietly walked out. Jeremy walked beside him. Covering his mouth, he said, “You ordered people to watch Clarence Elivan, and a message just arrived.”

“What happened?”

“Baroness Elivan is dead.”

“How?”

“It was framed as a suicide, but it was definitely murder. I also obtained the reply Madame Elivan wrote to Her Highness.”

Raphael’s head was throbbing.

Before exiting the grounds, he lifted his head and looked toward the princess’s palace.

“Is the princess still unconscious?”

“So they say.”

His chest felt stuffy.

He received the letter from Jeremy as he climbed into the carriage waiting for him.

A picture was drawn on the envelope.

A girl with golden hair rode on a tree swing as a woman in a green dress pushed her.

This was probably drawn by Madame Elivan herself.

Cayena would hear of her death as a suicide.

Raphael felt conflicted.

If Cayena was informed that Madame Elivan was murdered and given this letter, would she be all right? She looked tough, but Raphael knew that it wasn’t possible to stay strong all the time. She may collapse at any time, just like when she faced Henverton.

But wouldn’t it be deceitful if he didn’t tell her?

“Do you know who did it?”

“We’re investigating, but it was a skilled job. It isn’t easy to track down what happened. However…”

Jeremy added carefully, “It is certain that someone on Prince Rezef’s side arranged it. This was a move to place Madame Relevance Dotty into the vacant position of the head maid.”[1]

Relevance Dotty was Rezef’s nanny.

She had already retreated from the front lines, but it seemed Rezef’s forces wanted to bring her back as the head maid.

“…Ask Her Highness for an audience.”

Jeremy looked at Raphael with pity. He felt even more pity for the princess who would learn this sad news.

Didn’t they say that all bad things happened at once? He sighed.

***

The more they investigated the Gillian viscountcy, the more ridiculous it became.

Then, Henverton’s collection of stuffed corpses were discovered, and the matter became uncontrollably serious.

While the kidnappers were being interrogated and the Gillian viscountcy flipped inside out, the princess’s palace was peaceful. It was as if the abduction had nothing to do with this place.

Cayena spent her time leisurely, looking nothing like the person who had threatened Henverton with a gun the day before.

She looked fine on the outside, but inside, she was a mess. She had to look fine.

Her body and mind were both already exhausted.

Cayena wanted to be a run-of-the-mill princess and not think about her helplessness for a moment. She just wanted to look forward to her coming-of-age celebration, living a normal life and staring happily at her finished dress.

Hence, she was trying to make flower arrangements in a vase. Maybe it was an odd piece because she was dizzy or because she lacked skill, but she enjoyed it.

Vera, who was standing by Cayena’s side, asked anxiously, “Your Highness, are you really going to have the coming of age ceremony without a chaperone?”

The ladies-in-waiting prepared most of the invitations and began to deliver them through messengers.

Yet, Cayena still did not have a chaperone.

“If it’s not Madame Elivan, I don’t want them.”

‘Speaking of which, I haven’t received a reply yet… Well, she has been away for a long time. Why would she still think of me?’

Still, at this moment, it would have been a little easier if she had a nanny.

Cayena scolded herself.

‘Let’s not think so weakly.’

If she endured a little more, it would be her coming-of-age.

She intended to spread rumors in society about her fictitious husband.

Raphael’s cooperation might be needed, but Cayena somehow felt he would help her.

Snip.

Cayena trimmed the stalk and cut off the blossoms. She felt a bit strange with the red blossoms falling onto the table when Olivia knocked on the door and entered.

“Your Highness, Duke Raphael Kedrey has arrived.”

Yesterday in the afternoon, Raphael sent a messenger asking for an audience as he had something to tell her. Cayena had to thank him anyway, so she immediately accepted.

“I brought him to the same parlor as the last time.”

“Good work.”

Before Cayena left the bedroom, she unintentionally found herself in front of the mirror. She wore a light pink dress to match the warm weather.

It was so lovely and beautiful that she couldn’t feel gloomy.

She stopped looking at her appearance. Like this, didn’t it seem like she was trying to meet him for another reason?

“He’s waiting inside.”

Cayena nodded and went inside the parlor. Raphael was standing in the center of the room.

When Cayena saw him, she felt relieved, even though nothing had happened. Was this the kind of sentiment one had when meeting a strong ally?

Raphael turned his head and met Cayena’s eyes. Warmth soaked into his frigid face.

He realized what it felt like to be alive. He was living right now, the moment he saw Cayena.

Cayena slowly blinked as she witnessed the moment. He was looking at her and smiling. There was a fissure in her heart, which she thought she had fortified.

After hesitating for a moment, Raphael greeted Cayena.

“I greet Her Highness, the Princess.”

She greeted him back, grabbing the hem of her skirt.

“Congratulations on your succession, Duke.”

“Thank you.”

They exchanged formal greetings. It was nothing special, but the strange atmosphere that filled the room was unordinary.

She realized that something had changed in Raphael’s feelings. The way he looked at her felt more profound.

Little by little, she was running out of breath.

Cayena hid her thoughts in a smile.

“Thank you for your generosity despite my rudeness that day. I will not forget this kindness.”

She seemed to be keeping a firm distance from him. Raphael had no intention of leaving that distance be.

His heart was now well aware.

Cayena was special to him.

His heart quickly fell deeper the more he thought about her.

“I heard that there was some fuss yesterday. Are you all right?”

“It wasn’t a big deal. You don’t need to worry.”

“I worry.”

Cayena shut her lips tightly. It was because she felt that a sigh would come out involuntarily.

Raphael looked at her with a straight gaze that she could not avoid.

“I can’t stop worrying about Your Highness.”

“…Duke.”

“Forgive me for being foolish.”

He held Cayena in his arms.

Sharing warmth was something very special.

The sharp nerves gradually dulled, and the world that had been shaking anxiously became tranquil for an instant.

Raphael embraced Cayena cautiously but intensely, like he was holding something precious. Cayena hesitated, then slowly put her hands around his back.

“Are you all right?”

Raphael let out a low, distressed laugh at those words. Even in this situation, Cayena was helping him. Raphael realized that he was deeply addicted to her kindness.

“No,” he replied childishly.

It was true. He wasn’t well at all. He felt worn out by the truth that Emperor Esteban had violently revealed to him.

Sincerity that he could not convey filled his chest up to his throat.

Did you know that your brother is also my brother?

And that the emperor intends to use both you and me to torture Prince Rezef until the end?

Why should you become a scapegoat for others?

Run away with me. From this terrible place, right now.

~~~

[1] Relevance Dotty: It’s kind of an awful name, but it’s the one that makes the most sense from the Korean. “Relevance” may have been an attempt at a virtue name, and it’s interesting how there’s a slant rhyme with “Elivan.”