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Duke Spelman's gaze returned to the portrait hanging on the wall. His beautiful wife, Sudella. Duke Spelman licked his lips.
"You give me a great gift."
As always. Based on Sudella's wealth, who had lost her parents early, the Spelman family leaped one step higher.
Sudella had given him two children.
'I... I'm okay. Save Evelyn, honey. I'll give you everything. I'll give you everything.'
It was Sudella who made the deal in exchange for Evelyn. She begged for Evelyn's life, who had a fever, in exchange for turning over all the hidden wealth to him.
If Sudella hadn't taken Evelyn on a trip to the south, she wouldn't have caught a pointless epidemic in the port city.
In fact, in those days...
'Yes, that's right.'
He thought it was an opportunity. When Sudella died, all her authority would pass to him.
Sudella's maritime trade, the bank. All of it.
From the beginning, he thought she was dying at the right time.
'I have a slush fund hidden in a place you can never find. My father prepared it... no, it was prepared since my great-grandfather's time. Even the imperial family won't be able to track it.'
Sudella had more golden eggs.
A forgotten, old memory popped up.
Sudella saved Evelyn's life, and it was Sudella who brought her back into Spelman's arms.
"I'm always grateful, Sudella."
Duke Spelman smiled bitterly.
* * *
Cerden ran a hand over his face. After taking a clean bath and putting on clothes, his fatigue was much relieved.
Mortega handed him his coat. Mortega, who was tidying up his clothes, said.
"Today's schedule includes a dinner with the General Affairs Department, followed by a private meeting with the head of administration."
"...Cancel everything."
Cerden said quietly.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"This morning, I will visit my mother, and after lunch, I will visit my father. Finally, I will meet with Grand Duke Augustine."
Augustine was currently detained in the imperial palace. He was accused of pushing the director of the Natural History Museum.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"How is Father these days?"
"He has brought in new gamblers and courtesans, and three of the previous ones have died."
"...Did Father do it himself?"
"No. It was a drug overdose."
Cerden let out a hollow laugh. Duke Spelman was the one who made all of that possible. He filled the strict imperial palace with women, drugs, and gamblers.
There was a reason why the Emperor fell for Duke Spelman's words.
"Tell the chamberlain that I will visit."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Cerden fiddled with his lips. He felt like today would be as long as yesterday. His shoulders felt heavier.
"...Is there any news about Her Highness?"
"I understand that Her Highness has not yet woken up."
Cerden nodded briefly.
Mortega glanced at Cerden. He didn't care about Rozalina at all, but he was curious about Evelyn.
What was even stranger was that he didn't feel as much resentment as before. It was an inexplicable thing. When he first learned of Evelyn's existence, he wished that woman would rather die.
He thought she was holding Cerden back, and he felt endlessly sorry for Rozalina. But as time went on, he became more and more confused.
Both Cerden and Evelyn were showing reactions beyond his expectations.
Mortega asked cautiously.
"Is Her Highness alright?"
"She'll be fine."
Cerden replied indifferently.
"...Perhaps, Her Highness..."
Mortega hesitated. He was not a fool. It was not difficult to grasp the reality of what had happened at the banquet hall.
Duke Spelman and Grand Duke Augustine had no reason to kidnap Evelyn. Evelyn was friendly to her family, so she would have followed them if she wanted to.
There was no need to set a trap like yesterday.
Veronica, wearing the same clothes as Evelyn.
And Veronica, who left her seat at a good time.
All of these circumstances proved one thing.
"Perhaps, yesterday, Her Highness... did Her Highness Princess Veronica save you?"
Cerden turned his eyes to stare at Mortega.
Most people thought of yesterday's events as a coincidence. They didn't think that a crazy idiot could do such a thing.
It was a natural thing.
It was not easy to break the prejudice that had been ingrained in their minds for a long time.
"Surely not, right? That can't be, Your Highness."
Mortega shook his head with a blank expression.
"That's impossible... how is that possible?"
"What's impossible about it?"
"Your Highness..."
Cerden chuckled. The world's prejudice was so strong that it easily obscured even the obvious truth.
Just like now.
Mortega denied it even though he knew that his suspicion was reasonable.
"Originally, there are things that don't make sense in the world."
"I really don't understand..."
"You don't have to understand. Evelyn doesn't need to make anyone understand. Whatever you're thinking, whatever you're guessing, keep it to yourself."
Mortega nodded, holding back what he wanted to ask. He didn't want to tire Cerden, who was already exhausted.
Because today was going to be a long day.
"I will contact the Empress's palace in advance."
Cerden nodded.
Cerden's back, as he fastened the cufflinks on his shirt, looked tired today.
Mortega bit his lip tightly.
* * *
Veronica stared at Cerden with a tired face.
"How is Mother?"
"She's fine. Where were you doing all day yesterday? Evelyn? I heard she's back. What happened?"
Veronica continued to ask in a tired voice.
"Do you know how much Mother was looking for you?"
"So."
"Pardon?"
Cerden sighed deeply.
What happened yesterday? He had hidden it from everyone and kept it secret, so they wouldn't know.
But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel resentful.
Veronica didn't know what Evelyn had sacrificed to save her yesterday.
She didn't know anything.
"...Where did Evelyn go? People say she seems to have gotten lost."
Mortega did it.
He covered up Evelyn's actions and hid her achievements. Mortega did what he had to do.
It was better to move secretly in a situation where he didn't know what Spelman would do.
Besides, Augustine stayed in his place until the end, so it would have been difficult for Veronica to grasp the situation.
Nevertheless, the question itself felt tiring and unfair.
"She got lost very far away. Evelyn is fine."
"Hmph. I should have been more careful. I should have put more people on her. So, were you looking for Evelyn all day yesterday?"
Cerden nodded briefly.
Veronica didn't doubt Evelyn at all. Or she had erased even that suspicion.
"But why so late... What will happen to Grand Duke Augustine? Mother was so surprised that she collapsed..."
"Stop, Veronica."
"Brother...?"
"I know everything, so you can stop."
Cerden stared coldly at Veronica. Veronica flinched. Her mind went blank.
There was a faint hint of contempt in Cerden's eyes.
Why...?
"Cerden, brother. Wait, what's wrong? What happened? I heard you kicked people out of Evelyn's palace yesterday..."
"I already know that you and Mother are weak and need to be protected. So, you can stop showing off your incompetence and ignorance."
She doesn't try to find out anything. She doesn't try to do anything herself.
That fact felt new and tiring. Even more so today.
He wanted to see Evelyn.
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