DSFL | Chapter 51

~Chapter 51~

Ricardo clenched his teeth and rode his horse hard.

When he arrived at the Imperial Palace, he immediately found Bianca. But the atmosphere was cold. At the center of it all was a scene that, ironically, he had once wanted to see…

…Idette and Bianca.

“Hm, to be honest, there’s no reason for Lady Bianca to copy the dress. Lady Idette is clearly favored by His Highness, isn’t she?”

“No, that woman’s scarier than she looks. She forced her engagement to the Duke by persuading the Marquis.”

The whispers Bianca had been enduring rang clearly in his ears.

This was all his doing.

He had wished for a breakup.

But ironically, because he didn’t break up with her, everything became twisted.

Just one word of denial from him could’ve stopped it all. None of this would’ve happened if he hadn’t caused those rumors with Idette.

“Don’t apologize. You told me before you never apologize, didn’t you?”

“Please… just a moment, just a little bit of your time…”

He had to apologize. For everything.

At some point, the once-indifferent eyes of the woman who’d always acted like she didn’t care had filled with hatred.

Why had he assumed… that she would wait for him?

Why on earth did he believe that?

“Oh dear, the Duke must be having a hard time, getting stuck with a fiancée like that.”

“She’s the one suffering.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m the one acting pathetic and clinging right now.”

Ricardo wiped a hand down his face and walked up to Erkessian.

“It’s been a while.”

His gaze briefly flicked to Idette, and she clenched the hem of her dress with pale, trembling hands.

“You went too far just now.”

“…Harsh. Fine, I’ll apologize to the marquis.”

“I don’t think you realize who really deserves the apology.”

Erkessian tilted his head.

“I thought I did what was right.”

“By holding a young lady hostage, despite having so much power and status?”

As their conversation continued, Erkessian’s expression slowly darkened.

“Eyes are watching.”

“Which is exactly why I’m saying this in public.”

Ricardo tilted his head with a smirk.

“You know this won’t help your reputation, right? You’ll just spark more scandals.”

What’s the point now?

Could things possibly get worse?

It was already the worst it could be.

Ricardo let out a bitter laugh and turned to Idette.

“That dress looks like one made by the palace. Do you really think a noble lady could steal a design from the imperial wardrobe?”

“My lord!”

“If it were me, I’d assume the opposite.”

At his words, the mood in the hall turned chaotic. Ricardo heard the murmurs and clenched his fists.

‘So this is what she’s been hearing all this time…’

“W-why would you do something like this…?”

Idette’s face flushed red from shame.

“When I spoke about Lady Bianca, I really…”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Ricardo frowned and turned his head away. From a distance, Harness’s expression had stiffened into a grim line.

…Could he really end everything cleanly?

Originally, he hadn’t cared what came after—he had only wanted to die. To get revenge on Harness, and then follow him into death.

But things were different now.

He wanted to finish everything on his own terms. Harness would die peacefully, in a way no one would question—just like his mother.

Ricardo could fall into hell after that.

But first… he wanted to live a little longer.

At least long enough to apologize to that woman.

At that moment—

Boom! Boom!

The ballroom shook violently. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling swayed dangerously.

“Your Highness, there’s been an explosion in the main palace!”

Before the knight had even finished speaking, chaos broke out in the ballroom.

Everyone rushed to escape.

But Ricardo’s eyes searched the room.

…Where’s Bianca?

He was reminded of the time at the lake, when he failed to save her. That day he did nothing, unaware she was in danger—now the memory consumed his mind.

His vision went white as Cedric’s voice rang out.

“It’s a good thing Bianca left earlier.”

…She left early?

“Your Highness, you need to see this.”

A knight approached Erkessian, his hands trembling, and handed over an arrow.

It had a strange shape—its arrowhead bent and curved unnaturally.

The Kingdom of Orphen.

 The type of arrow used only there proved that the dreadful magic war wasn’t over yet.

When Ricardo checked the evidence in his hand, Idette’s eyes widened in shock.

“Idette, you need to get to safety—now!”

The kingdom wanted the power of Dremokan.

 More precisely, they wanted to break the seal of Ailins that lay inactive in Dremokan.

If that happened, another war would begin.

 Ailins would join with Orphen and destroy Carpea.

“Duke!”

 Just then, Idette grabbed Ricardo’s arm.

“I should’ve told you earlier—about Lady Siren.”

 She whispered into his ear, careful not to let Erkessian hear.

“She’s somewhere in the empire. I’m sure of it.”

 “…Why are you telling me this just now?”

Ricardo felt frustrated. Idette looked awkward, and Erkessian led her away.

Ricardo drew his sword.

“The First Knight Order will track down the intruders in the palace!”

“Then we’ll head toward the outer castle?”

 Just then, Leon walked over, rubbing his shoulder.

“Am I supposed to take that as an answer?”

 “Why so grumpy? Just saying communication’s important.”

He didn’t like Leon at all.

 Still, because of him, Bianca hadn’t entered the ball alone today.

 …Though it still annoyed him.

“Good luck in battle.”

 Leon said that and moved his knights. Ricardo also headed toward the main palace.

***

“What do you think these guys are after?”

 Elliot scratched his forehead.

 The intruders in the palace had only planted bombs and left after killing the guards.

“…Could they be headed to Dremokan?”

 “No, they wouldn’t have gone there yet.”

 Their goal today was probably Idette.

“Right? Doesn’t seem like they had many people either.”

Ricardo frowned.

 …Siren is somewhere in the empire.

 She must’ve been the one leading them.

“Ugh, I guess we’re working overtime this month.”

Ricardo ignored Elliot’s whining and exited the palace.

 They must have left traces—he believed that as he walked.

 Then, something caught his eye.

“…A carriage from the Roygin family.”

His blood ran cold.

Cedric had left earlier with his assistant to the outer city.

 That meant… this carriage…

Please, Bianca.

Ricardo didn’t even try to hide his trembling hands.

He kept telling himself everything would be fine, but all he could picture was Bianca—

—wearing the same dress as Idette.

There weren’t many places near the palace she might go, but nothing was certain.

 The awful truth was—he didn’t know much about Bianca.

“…Come to think of it, didn’t a priest visit the Roygin family?”

It was rare for priests to visit a noble house.

 Even for holy trials, nobles typically went to the temple instead.

One thing stood out.

 “Bianca had access to Dmokan.”

Cedric, the marquis, going there wasn’t unusual.

 But if the priest had visited in response to something, it was probably because of Bianca.

“She might’ve gone to Dremokan out of curiosity…”

Tonight, the full moon was out.

Having decided on a destination, Ricardo immediately rode off.

This time, he prayed he wouldn’t be too late.

 He wanted to be by her side.

Even though he tried to suppress this selfish desire, it kept growing.

 No matter how much he denied it, he couldn’t look away anymore.

If only he could remember when it all began, maybe he could deny it. But he didn’t know.

 He just found himself constantly looking at her.

At this point, he had to admit it—

He loved her.

For the first time, he gave that unfamiliar feeling a name: love.

 But he still didn’t know what to do with it.

But at the very least, he wanted the love he showed her to be free of mistakes.

That’s why he hesitated. 

Why did he say nothing, hoping she would wait for him?

Because part of him was still stuck in the past— Afraid he was becoming more and more like Harness.

But if he could end everything…

 Maybe then he could finally break free from Harness.