.jpeg)
"Iana, I missed you and was worried about you."
Iana quietly gazed at Charles.
His words calmed the unease that had been surging like waves in her heart.
"Didn't you miss me?"
"......"
Iana couldn't find the words to answer Charles's blatant question.
When there was no reply, Charles smiled and changed the subject.
"Then let's pretend you only wanted to see me today, and now let's tour the house."
"Now?"
Iana hesitated.
Of course, Charles had visited her room alone even at the Ducal Palace. But somehow, letting him into her house alone bothered her.
"Ah, I haven't finished unpacking yet."
Charles didn't back down and approached the wooden door, saying,
"Then I'll help you unpack. I'm quite good at packing, having been on the battlefield often."
"How can I ask Your Highness to unpack!"
Just as the two were bickering.
Annie's wailing voice was heard from beyond the fence.
"Bunny! Annie, gonna see the bunny!"
"We're going now. Annie, why are you being so fussy today?"
"What should I do? It looks like the neighbors are coming."
Iana looked at Charles in surprise.
If it became known that the Grand Duke had secretly come to her house without guards, there was no telling what rumors would spread.
But Charles, unconcerned, straightened his clothes to greet them.
"I guess I'll end up greeting the villagers after all."
Growing impatient, Iana grabbed Charles's hand and led him into the house.
"No! If Your Highness is here alone, people will think it's strange."
Iana quickly opened the wooden door and pushed Charles inside.
He muttered as he was reluctantly dragged in.
"You're inconsistent. When I asked for a tour, you seemed reluctant to show me......"
"Y-You can go inside and look around now."
Thud!
As footsteps approached, Iana quickly closed the wooden door.
At the same time, Rita, holding Annie's hand, appeared over the fence.
"Bunny!"
Annie, with tears welling up in her eyes, ran into the yard.
"I'm sorry, mage. Annie doesn't usually act like this, but she must have really liked the bunny."
Rita apologized, bowing repeatedly.
"Then let Annie play with Ru for a bit."
Then Ru scratched at the wooden door as if trying to chase after Charles.
Annie frowned and asked with a serious face.
"Baby bunny! Wanna go inside the house?"
"......!"
Iana awkwardly said, handing Ru to Annie.
"O-Our Ru gets stuffy being inside."
Just then, her eyes met Charles's, who was watching from beside the curtain by the window.
He was smiling, finding the scene amusing.
Iana gestured for him to go further inside, worried that he might be discovered.
"I see. Then let's play in our yard."
Annie took Ru and settled down in the middle of the yard.
'What should I do?'
Iana stared blankly at Annie, who didn't seem like she would leave anytime soon.
Charles laughed again at the sight.
Iana was about to glare at him with a displeased expression when Rita approached and cautiously called out to her.
"Um, mage......"
"Yes?"
Iana replied with a tense expression to Rita's serious voice.
'Did she see the Grand Duke?'
Iana swallowed hard. But Rita said something unexpected.
"Actually, I saw you earlier, mage. You passed by the jeweler's on your way back from the well."
"The jeweler's?"
"Did you hear the women at the jeweler's gossiping about you?"
Iana suddenly remembered the women talking.
"In the end, she was abandoned because the Imperial Family opposed it."
Iana's gaze went straight to the window. She was worried that Charles might be listening.
Fortunately, he was nowhere to be seen.
Rita carefully took Iana's hand.
"The people here are just so grateful to Your Highness. They think they're doing it for Your Highness."
"......"
"But people's words are just words. So don't be hurt by meaningless words."
There was a deep regret on Rita's face, as if she had a story to tell.
"Rita, thank you."
Rita looked up at the sky and said.
"Today is passing without incident. I guess the monsters knew that the mage came to our village."
"Thank you for saying that."
Iana was gazing at the sky when she felt a small touch tapping on the window.
She glanced over and saw Charles giving her a small smile.
Her first day in the village was passing like that.
With kind neighbors and a cute child. And with Charles.
✦ ✦ ✦
The next day at dawn, Riel woke up in a small monastery and headed to the prayer room.
Tap, tap.
Riel's footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway. In her hand, she held an old, faded letter.
Riel had come to the monastery to avoid Franz, who was full of expectations.
The monks willingly opened the monastery doors to her, acting as a pitiful mistress abandoned by a noble man.
"Riel, stay at my townhouse. I'll prepare the money and come."
She found Franz's behavior amusing, treating her like a mistress in exchange for lending her a few coins.
From the beginning, her goal was information, not money.
Now that she had obtained the information she wanted, Franz's existence was useless.
Creak-.
She opened the prayer room door and entered.
Several monks were quietly praying.
Riel took a seat on one side of the prayer room and became lost in thought.
'I caused a commotion at the casino, so the Count must have heard about it.'
Now, a gamble was needed.
Riel took out the letter she had brought and slowly read it.
It was a letter that her father, Marquess Estina, had left for her like a will the day before the Crown Prince's poisoning.
[If something happens to this father, go there.]
That place was the Rechelles family.
He hadn't written it in letters in case it would harm the Rechelles family.
But her father had already hinted at it.
Fabrication.
She had to use this point, which was open to interpretation.
She was going to create a fictitious family that was involved in the Crown Prince's poisoning but whose existence had not been revealed.
To the Diane Ducal family, the Empress's family.
There was a small connection between the Diane Ducal family and the Estina Marquess family.
When Riel was seven years old, the First Monster War broke out, and the number of orphans in the orphanage run by the Estina Marquess family increased rapidly.
One of the noble families that sponsored the orphanage at the time was the Diane Ducal family.
'If I give them a cause, Duke Havel will be the one to add flesh and tear it apart.'
She repeated Franz's words, who had boasted at the casino as if he were showing off.
"My father is going hunting with His Majesty the Emperor tomorrow morning."
Today was the opportunity.
A golden opportunity to make her existence known to the Emperor.
If she was hit by Duke Havel's carriage and the appointment was delayed, he would have to explain the situation to the Emperor.
Riel stared at the statue of God hanging in front of her with fierce eyes.
'If God exists, he must help me.'
Then, a monk who had finished praying in the front walked towards her.
Riel put her hands together neatly. As if she was a woman obeying God's will.
As the monk passed, Riel's expression changed.
'If you don't help me, I won't forgive God.'
✦ ✦ ✦
That morning, Riel arrived near Duke Havel's townhouse in a carriage.
As befitting the most powerful figure in the Empire, the townhouse was larger and more luxurious than most nobles' castles.
Riel got out of the carriage and instructed the coachman.
"Coachman, return to the Dietrian residence."
"Alone? What about you, madam......"
The coachman asked with a puzzled expression.
"I'll get there on my own, so do as I say."
When Riel spoke sharply, the coachman glanced at her and got into the carriage.
Clatter-.
A moment later, the carriage drove back the way it had come.
Riel looked at the road leading to Duke Havel's townhouse.
Large trees lined both sides of the road leading to the main gate.
'That's where I need to be.'
Riel hid behind a tree.
How much time had passed? She heard the sound of the townhouse's main gate opening.
Thump, thump.
She saw a carriage with Duke Havel's crest and an escort procession rushing towards her from the front.
She didn't know if she would be killed by the horse or become disabled.
But one thing was clear.
'You have to risk your life to show sincerity.'
The procession increased its speed as it exited the main gate.
Riel watched the approaching procession with sharp eyes.
'Now.'
Riel jumped into the lead of the procession with a determined face. With her father's letter in one hand.
"Dangerous! Get out of the way!"
The bodyguard at the front shouted.
It was that moment.
Bang!
The sound of something colliding echoed down the road.
Iana quietly gazed at Charles.
His words calmed the unease that had been surging like waves in her heart.
"Didn't you miss me?"
"......"
Iana couldn't find the words to answer Charles's blatant question.
When there was no reply, Charles smiled and changed the subject.
"Then let's pretend you only wanted to see me today, and now let's tour the house."
"Now?"
Iana hesitated.
Of course, Charles had visited her room alone even at the Ducal Palace. But somehow, letting him into her house alone bothered her.
"Ah, I haven't finished unpacking yet."
Charles didn't back down and approached the wooden door, saying,
"Then I'll help you unpack. I'm quite good at packing, having been on the battlefield often."
"How can I ask Your Highness to unpack!"
Just as the two were bickering.
Annie's wailing voice was heard from beyond the fence.
"Bunny! Annie, gonna see the bunny!"
"We're going now. Annie, why are you being so fussy today?"
"What should I do? It looks like the neighbors are coming."
Iana looked at Charles in surprise.
If it became known that the Grand Duke had secretly come to her house without guards, there was no telling what rumors would spread.
But Charles, unconcerned, straightened his clothes to greet them.
"I guess I'll end up greeting the villagers after all."
Growing impatient, Iana grabbed Charles's hand and led him into the house.
"No! If Your Highness is here alone, people will think it's strange."
Iana quickly opened the wooden door and pushed Charles inside.
He muttered as he was reluctantly dragged in.
"You're inconsistent. When I asked for a tour, you seemed reluctant to show me......"
"Y-You can go inside and look around now."
Thud!
As footsteps approached, Iana quickly closed the wooden door.
At the same time, Rita, holding Annie's hand, appeared over the fence.
"Bunny!"
Annie, with tears welling up in her eyes, ran into the yard.
"I'm sorry, mage. Annie doesn't usually act like this, but she must have really liked the bunny."
Rita apologized, bowing repeatedly.
"Then let Annie play with Ru for a bit."
Then Ru scratched at the wooden door as if trying to chase after Charles.
Annie frowned and asked with a serious face.
"Baby bunny! Wanna go inside the house?"
"......!"
Iana awkwardly said, handing Ru to Annie.
"O-Our Ru gets stuffy being inside."
Just then, her eyes met Charles's, who was watching from beside the curtain by the window.
He was smiling, finding the scene amusing.
Iana gestured for him to go further inside, worried that he might be discovered.
"I see. Then let's play in our yard."
Annie took Ru and settled down in the middle of the yard.
'What should I do?'
Iana stared blankly at Annie, who didn't seem like she would leave anytime soon.
Charles laughed again at the sight.
Iana was about to glare at him with a displeased expression when Rita approached and cautiously called out to her.
"Um, mage......"
"Yes?"
Iana replied with a tense expression to Rita's serious voice.
'Did she see the Grand Duke?'
Iana swallowed hard. But Rita said something unexpected.
"Actually, I saw you earlier, mage. You passed by the jeweler's on your way back from the well."
"The jeweler's?"
"Did you hear the women at the jeweler's gossiping about you?"
Iana suddenly remembered the women talking.
"In the end, she was abandoned because the Imperial Family opposed it."
Iana's gaze went straight to the window. She was worried that Charles might be listening.
Fortunately, he was nowhere to be seen.
Rita carefully took Iana's hand.
"The people here are just so grateful to Your Highness. They think they're doing it for Your Highness."
"......"
"But people's words are just words. So don't be hurt by meaningless words."
There was a deep regret on Rita's face, as if she had a story to tell.
"Rita, thank you."
Rita looked up at the sky and said.
"Today is passing without incident. I guess the monsters knew that the mage came to our village."
"Thank you for saying that."
Iana was gazing at the sky when she felt a small touch tapping on the window.
She glanced over and saw Charles giving her a small smile.
Her first day in the village was passing like that.
With kind neighbors and a cute child. And with Charles.
✦ ✦ ✦
The next day at dawn, Riel woke up in a small monastery and headed to the prayer room.
Tap, tap.
Riel's footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway. In her hand, she held an old, faded letter.
Riel had come to the monastery to avoid Franz, who was full of expectations.
The monks willingly opened the monastery doors to her, acting as a pitiful mistress abandoned by a noble man.
"Riel, stay at my townhouse. I'll prepare the money and come."
She found Franz's behavior amusing, treating her like a mistress in exchange for lending her a few coins.
From the beginning, her goal was information, not money.
Now that she had obtained the information she wanted, Franz's existence was useless.
Creak-.
She opened the prayer room door and entered.
Several monks were quietly praying.
Riel took a seat on one side of the prayer room and became lost in thought.
'I caused a commotion at the casino, so the Count must have heard about it.'
Now, a gamble was needed.
Riel took out the letter she had brought and slowly read it.
It was a letter that her father, Marquess Estina, had left for her like a will the day before the Crown Prince's poisoning.
[If something happens to this father, go there.]
That place was the Rechelles family.
He hadn't written it in letters in case it would harm the Rechelles family.
But her father had already hinted at it.
Fabrication.
She had to use this point, which was open to interpretation.
She was going to create a fictitious family that was involved in the Crown Prince's poisoning but whose existence had not been revealed.
To the Diane Ducal family, the Empress's family.
There was a small connection between the Diane Ducal family and the Estina Marquess family.
When Riel was seven years old, the First Monster War broke out, and the number of orphans in the orphanage run by the Estina Marquess family increased rapidly.
One of the noble families that sponsored the orphanage at the time was the Diane Ducal family.
'If I give them a cause, Duke Havel will be the one to add flesh and tear it apart.'
She repeated Franz's words, who had boasted at the casino as if he were showing off.
"My father is going hunting with His Majesty the Emperor tomorrow morning."
Today was the opportunity.
A golden opportunity to make her existence known to the Emperor.
If she was hit by Duke Havel's carriage and the appointment was delayed, he would have to explain the situation to the Emperor.
Riel stared at the statue of God hanging in front of her with fierce eyes.
'If God exists, he must help me.'
Then, a monk who had finished praying in the front walked towards her.
Riel put her hands together neatly. As if she was a woman obeying God's will.
As the monk passed, Riel's expression changed.
'If you don't help me, I won't forgive God.'
✦ ✦ ✦
That morning, Riel arrived near Duke Havel's townhouse in a carriage.
As befitting the most powerful figure in the Empire, the townhouse was larger and more luxurious than most nobles' castles.
Riel got out of the carriage and instructed the coachman.
"Coachman, return to the Dietrian residence."
"Alone? What about you, madam......"
The coachman asked with a puzzled expression.
"I'll get there on my own, so do as I say."
When Riel spoke sharply, the coachman glanced at her and got into the carriage.
Clatter-.
A moment later, the carriage drove back the way it had come.
Riel looked at the road leading to Duke Havel's townhouse.
Large trees lined both sides of the road leading to the main gate.
'That's where I need to be.'
Riel hid behind a tree.
How much time had passed? She heard the sound of the townhouse's main gate opening.
Thump, thump.
She saw a carriage with Duke Havel's crest and an escort procession rushing towards her from the front.
She didn't know if she would be killed by the horse or become disabled.
But one thing was clear.
'You have to risk your life to show sincerity.'
The procession increased its speed as it exited the main gate.
Riel watched the approaching procession with sharp eyes.
'Now.'
Riel jumped into the lead of the procession with a determined face. With her father's letter in one hand.
"Dangerous! Get out of the way!"
The bodyguard at the front shouted.
It was that moment.
Bang!
The sound of something colliding echoed down the road.
.jpeg)