As if she had lifted the question off his mind, Annette answered his question as if she had read his mind.
"It's nothing. You seem to be a bit more flexible."
"Oh, did you meet Simoren?"
"He's easier to find than you are. There wasn't much gain, though."
"Even if you come looking for me, it won't be much different. I have nothing to tell you."
"Is that so? I don't think so."
Annette chuckled at Noah's words. The black-haired woman, smiling faintly, reminded Noah of a wisp swaying above a river. The atmosphere, which seemed ephemeral and would disappear quickly, contributed to that impression. Noticing the moment when Noah seemed momentarily captivated by that fact, Annette continued speaking.
"You're a person closely associated with Rowell Hessen after the Emperor. Noah Ernst, valedictorian of Bluea Private School 14th Class. I know that your brother burned down with the Hessen family mansion."
".....!"
"Your brother seemed to be very close to the Hessen brothers, right? If you can visit a friend's house during the vacation, it means you were quite close. Well, both you and your brother were commoners, so it's better to visit a friend's house during the vacation rather than..."
"Enough. Stop it."
As Annette spoke, Noah's expression, which had been awkward until now, suddenly stiffened. If he had shown signs of discomfort until now, now his face was cold and solid like a forged blade.
"How do you know about that?"
"There's a way anywhere."
Noah felt his blood run cold. No matter how Annette was a Martinek, and she had influence behind Opera, she couldn't possibly know more than the Emperor. However, what Annette just said wasn't information she could know just because she was Opera.
He could understand that she knew he was originally from a commoner background, but stories about his deceased brother were something no one else had known so far.
Except for Peter, who had personally covered up the fact, and Simoren, who had been close since private school.
'At least unless she's a survivor of Hessen...'
He couldn't possibly know this story, which was impossible to know unless she was not a survivor of Hessen, and yet, how did Annette Martinek know about it?
As Noah stared at Annette with a rigid expression, she responded with a wry smile.
"It seems I've surprised you. There's no need to be so guarded."
"Do you... expect me to believe that?"
"If you don't believe it, what can you do about it?"
Annette's seemingly gentle atmosphere instantly turned sharp. Her expression and posture remained unchanged, but in an instant, she shifted from a docile young lady to an atmosphere resembling a ruthless assassin.
"Don't worry. I didn't come here to threaten you. I'll keep the secrets I know to myself."
"Well, what...?"
"I just want to hear answers. No one has given me answers."
It was such a trivial question. Annette, as if disappointed, averted her gaze and soon smiled.
What flowed out was indeed a simple question.
"If Rowell is alive, would the Emperor seek her out?"
However, no one could provide an answer to that question.
"Annette Martinek. What do you... want?"
As Noah asked in astonishment, Annette smiled a somewhat lonely smile.
"I guess I won't hear an answer this time either. Don't be too guarded."
Our goals are the same.
"I will calm the Emperor's madness."
* * *
'Noah Ernst is the last one.'
In her mind, Rowell reviewed the people she had encountered today.
Since realizing that Peter would never answer her questions, Rowell had thrown the same question to several people. If someone observed, it might seem like Rowell was persistently seeking Peter's answer, but the question was just a pretext.
What Rowell truly threw out was the premise, 'If Rowell is alive.'
'Peter thinks I know something about Rowell.'
Strictly speaking, it seemed more like Peter believed that someone else had told Rowell's information, but fundamentally, it wasn't different.
At this point, she was the only one who knew information about 'Rowell.'
If someone like her subtly hinted at knowing something, perhaps about Rowell's survival?
'Surely, signals will come from somewhere.'
Rumors in the palace spread quickly, and in this beautiful palace, with numerous desires entwined, surely someone would take the bait of the fishing line Rowell had cast.
Now, all that remained was waiting.
Rowell returned to the palace assigned to her. There, an unwelcome guest awaited.
"Lady Annette, while you were away, Her Majesty, the Empress... has come to visit."
Entering a palace where the owner was absent was impolite. Aware of this fact, the maids showed considerable displeasure.
"If you wish, I can send her away now and arrange for a future appointment..."
"No. It's impolite to turn away a visitor in the owner's absence."
A chill ran through Annette's eyes as she spoke.
"If you wish, I'll guide her."
The first prey.
* * *
Sun Huangbi, Monique Mongomancy.
Her reputation could be summarized in one line. As everyone perished when the current Emperor ascended to the throne, she happened to be fortunate enough to seize a palace, pretending to be the Empress's confidante, with no one left in the imperial family.
Of course, someone might suggest that Monique's position was due to her good relationship with the current Emperor.
"If you were going to bring a bride, you should have consulted with me at least once. I don't understand how Peter managed to proceed without even discussing it with me. Still, I'm practically like that child's mother."
Even someone who knows nothing about Monique would be able to tell in just 10 minutes of meeting her that she and Peter didn't get along.
"Still, I waited, thinking that Lady Annette would visit, knowing the courtesy. But there was no contact at all. It's disappointing. The Martinek Duke and Duchess were originally good people."
"...They were good people."
Rowell answered with a faint smile. In the remark that the Duke and Duchess of Martinek were good people, there was an implicit meaning that their daughter, Rowell, was far from a good person.
'Quite talkative for a guest who rushed here after only two days.'
Rowell felt a bit annoyed for the first time in a while. When she entered Martinek, the Duchess had already passed away for a long time, so Rowell never had the chance to see her, but Jurgen was undoubtedly her benefactor.
If it weren't for Jurgen, Rowell wouldn't have come this far. No, perhaps she would have been captured in front of the burned mansion and faced execution.
So, Jurgen meant more to Rowell than just a benefactor. Even if he didn't know, it might not be good to bring up the story of deceased parents in front of their child.
Monique, living as the Empress, was a woman who had mastered the etiquette of the social circle. Therefore, she probably didn't bring up such simple etiquette in front of Rowell, who knew nothing about the Martinek couple.
"That's right. They were really good people. Since we have this connection, we can talk about these things and enjoy it."
"...Connection?"
"When I was very young, you must have seen it. I was around one or two years old."
Oh.
Now Rowell finally understood why Monique had brought up the story of the Martinek couple in front of her.
'She wanted to somehow mention that we have a connection.'
'Annette Martinek' was not just a person existing for Rowell's status laundering. She was a real person who had existed. She was the same age as Rowell, a girl with black hair and eyes, who died before reaching her fourteenth birthday due to illness.
Rowell didn't hear more detailed stories. Since both the Duchess and 'Annette Martinek' were already dead, Rowell could speculate that if she was born from the Duchess, there was no reason for her hair to be black.
"Anyway, it was fortunate for me."
'Annette Martinek' was said to have been frail since childhood, and except for a very young age, she grew up without going outside. So, Rowell could take her place.
Martinek, especially Operta, was a closed place. If the decision had been made by Martinek Duke, hiding the death of a child would not have been a big deal.
Thanks to that, Rowell could maintain her noble status. If she had been known as an adopted daughter, she wouldn't have been able to enter this place.
"To have the daughter of a friendly family become Peter's bride, what a joyous occasion. I wish to be friends with Lady Annette."
"It's an honor, Your Highness."
As Rowell's attitude remained dignified, Monique's attitude softened a bit.
In other words, it became a little less stiff.
"I had more than enough worries about Peter's affairs, but now that Lady Annette is here, I can be relieved. I didn't like the idea of that child being infatuated with a woman like Rowell. I don't even know if that child is alive or dead... Isn't that right?"
"Well, the world is full of uncertainties."
Rowell smiled, running her fingers along the edge of the teacup. With black pupils hiding her true feelings, the dryness in the woman's face made that smile seem pale.
"Somewhere out there... she might be alive."
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