“The more I see her, the more I’m tormented by the inferiority I feel toward Adrian, but if I don’t see her, I feel an inexplicable emptiness and find myself looking for her. If she says she’s sick, I worry even though I know it’s a lie, and if she’s smiling, I unconsciously stare at her blankly.
āEven though her gaze has never truly met mine.
“Damn it!”
Ashid, drenched in sweat, dropped to the ground and plunged his sword, Villardwell, into the training yard floor. Beyond the high walls of the training ground, the bright rising sun was visible.
A short while later, he got up, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His knights would soon begin their morning training. He didn’t want to show them his disheveled state.
As he was leaving the training yard and passing through the arched gate that led to the main building, he ran into the butler, who was carrying a water bottle and a cloak. It seemed the butler had come to call Ashid and had been waiting for him all night to finish his training. The butler looked at him with a worried gaze and asked, “I’ve never seen you train through the night like this before. Was something bothering you, Your Highness?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Ashid replied gruffly but coldly and walked toward the main building. He went straight to the bathroom next to his office and quickly washed his sweat-soaked body with the hot water that had been prepared. The butler, constantly watching his visibly displeased master, silently attended to him.
A short while later, Ashid was in his office, changing into the uniform a squire had brought, when a knock sounded and Lowell entered.
“Good morning, Your Highness.”
“What is it?” Ashid asked coldly, getting straight to the point. Lowell, used to Ashid’s attitude, replied amiably.
“I came to report to you about today’s training and the news from the North, and I also have something important to discuss.”
“…The report is one thing, but what is this important matter?” Ashid raised an eyebrow, and Lowell replied with a smile.
“Remember the game you worked so hard to hunt during the last hunting festival? The craftsman who handled it sent a letter. He says he’s completed a very unique and beautiful coat for a woman.”
Come to think of it, after the hunting festival, Lowell had asked him what to do with the game. At that time, he was busy dealing with Daniela’s poisoning and must have told him to do as he pleased. It seemed Lowell, interpreting his words as he saw fit, had gone ahead with the work.
Ashid said in a cold tone, “When did I give such an order? I don’t recall.”
“I was afraid the valuable hides would rot if I waited for your command, so I took it upon myself to handle it… I apologize. If you wish to reprimand me for this, I will accept it.”
“…Tsk, it’s fine. What’s the point of apologizing now that it’s already done?”
When Lowell apologized with a serious attitude, Ashid clicked his tongue and shook his head. After all, he had hunted those animals with that intention from the beginning. So, there was no need to punish his beloved subordinate for acting ahead of his orders.
Ashid turned to the butler and said, “Around this afternoon, go to the craftsman’s workshop and pick up the completed coat. Then, just hand it over to the head lady-in-waiting; she’ll know what to do with it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” It was at that moment that a voice called out.
“Your Highness!” Wellard rushed into the office. Lowell glared at him disapprovingly and said, “Sir Wellard, don’t you know how to knock?”
“That’s not important right now! Your Highness, just a moment ago, the Grand Duchess left the mansion, accompanied by her head lady-in-waiting and Baroness Gray, the administrative officer!”
“…!” Ashid’s eyes widened in surprise. Could she possibly be trying to escape, using yesterday’s incident as an excuse?
Even though he knew it was a wild guess, his heart raced with impatience and anxiety. He asked urgently, “Where did she say she was going?”
“According to the gatekeeper, the Grand Duchess didn’t say a word. Instead, the head lady-in-waiting secretly handed him this.”
Wellard offered a small folded piece of parchment to Ashid, who quickly unfolded it.
[I will be accompanying my lady and Baroness Gray to the Asland estate. If His Highness the Grand Duke asks about the lady’s whereabouts, please inform him of this immediately.]
Ashid let out a short, hollow laugh and crumpled the parchment in his hand. The Asland estate, the purpose was obvious. Daniela had gone to find the evidence left by Duke Enchantor.
‘Why now of all times? I told her not to, but she must be so desperate to get away from me as soon as possible, right?’
Was that why she hadn’t requested an escort and had run away? Or was she trying to find and destroy the evidence secretly because she hated him?
The thought made a surge of anger well up inside him. It was at that moment, when Ashid had decided to follow her immediately, that…
“My lord, I have something urgent to…”
Dare opened the office door, which hadn’t been fully closed. He stopped mid-sentence, looking at his assembled colleagues with a puzzled expression. “There are a lot of visitors in your office today, my lord. Did something happen that I don’t know about?”
Ashid answered Dare’s question on behalf of the other knights. “The Grand Duchess went to the Asland estate without an escort.”
“…Pardon? She went alone, without anyone accompanying her?”
“According to the gatekeeper, she was accompanied by her head lady-in-waiting and an administrative officer.”
“…Hmm.”
“I can’t let the Grand Duchess travel without an escort. I’m going after her immediately. So, unless your business is urgent, I’ll hear it later, Sir Dare.”
He then grabbed his cloak. As Ashid was about to leave the office, Dare replied with a stern face. “I apologize for blocking your path, my lord, but my business is so urgent that it cannot be delayed for a moment, Your Highness.”
Ashid stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Dare. “What is it?”
“Just a moment ago, Count Alban sent an urgent letter. He says the elite troops of the Kingdom of Achilla have entered the small castle of Chambers. He believes their intention is to disrupt the rear before attacking the main castle, which our knights are defending.”
“…!”
Ashid’s expression hardened at Dare’s report, and Lowell asked in disbelief, “Is that really true?” Dare nodded and quickly continued. “Yes. To quickly suppress the situation, he asks that you, Your Highness, lead the charge yourself.”
“…”
“So, please leave the matter of chasing the Grand Duchess to Sir Wellard and me, and I ask that you, Your Highness, go to the small castle of Chambers with Sir Lowell.”
A heavy silence descended upon the office. Dare added persuasively to a silent Ashid. “A moment ago, Your Highness said that among the people who accompanied the Grand Duchess was Baroness Gray. If that’s true, then there’s no need for Sir Wellard or me to chase after them… because she is a person with the ability to single-handedly take down most assassination squads.”
“…”
“So, please prioritize suppressing the elite troops of the Kingdom of Achilla who have invaded the small castle of Chambers over chasing the Grand Duchess, Your Highness.”
At Dare’s advice, Ashid frowned and bit his lower lip. Dare was trustworthy. Therefore, he had to believe his words and make a decision. Ashid, steeling himself against his wavering heart, spoke with difficulty.
“…Understood. I will leave the matter of the Grand Duchess to you, Sir Dare, and I will lead the charge with the other knights to the small castle of Chambers.”
“Thank you for making a wise decision, my lord.” Dare responded with relief at his decision.
Immediately, Ashid left the office with Lowell and Wellard. As Lowell went to summon the knights, Ashid, who had mounted his horse and was contemplating the shortest route to the small castle of Chambers, suddenly recalled Daniela’s words.
[I heard that Count Cyril Alban is a hot-tempered and belligerent person.]
[Rather than trying to talk or negotiate when he wants something from someone, he prefers to use coercive methods like authority or violence.]
[I noticed that he only chose words that would be pleasing for Your Highness to hear.]
[I think such a person is not only of no help to Your Highness but also someone who should not be trusted recklessly.]
Someone who should not be trusted recklessly.
For some reason, those words kept swirling in his head. Now, thinking about it carefully, he wondered why she, who didn’t easily judge others, had spoken so surely about Cyril.
‘Did she know something I don’t? Is that why she said it so indirectly?’
Ashid fell into deep thought.
Knight Dare is about to totally regret convincing him to go to war instead of following the duchess. Please PLEASE I hope that he doesnāt ignore his inner self thatās reminding him of Daniellaās words about the count. Until now sheās been the one pushing and convincing him not to be violent, I hope that this time he follows his gut feeling that sheās rightā¦..