Chapter 9. Take Me… Out of Here
Ahntrus looked at the flower vase.
The flowers Elia had last changed were still there, now rotting.
They gave off a foul smell as time passed, but he couldn’t throw them away.
It was one of the few things Elia had left behind.
“Your Grace.”
Ahntrus’s eyelids trembled slightly.
He still believed that Elia would recover.
That she would return to him and Luisha soon.
“Buckley.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The aides looked toward the Duke.
“The Emperor told me to consider remarrying the Princess.”
“What? But the Duchess is still alive, isn’t she?”
“Exactly. I don’t know why everyone insists Elia is dead. We never accepted that.”
Ahntrus spoke bitterly.
More people were starting to desire his position and the Cloveus name.
Even the Emperor.
“So… will you marry the Princess? You can’t disobey the Imperial Family.”
“I can’t disobey. But the beloved daughter of the Empire can choose what she wants.”
He still didn’t know why the Princess wanted to marry a man who already had a child.
If he met her directly, maybe he could figure it out.
“Elia will wake up. Even if I can just delay the wedding until then, that would help.”
“…Yes, Your Grace.”
They couldn’t afford to go against the Imperial Family.
That could put Luisha in danger too.
‘Why is the Emperor pushing this marriage so hard?’
It would help to find out the reason.
Ahntrus gave Buckley a secret order.
The Imperial Palace was large. Someone there might be willing to sell information.
Just as Ahntrus and the aides were about to discuss their original matters—
The door opened slightly.
Only one person could enter like that without knocking.
Ahntrus held back the aides who were bringing him papers.
After the accident, Luisha became his first priority. That was different from before.
Ahntrus opened the door himself and saw a small child who couldn’t reach the doorknob.
“Luisha.”
“Daddy!”
Luisha smiled brightly, holding her stuffed bunny.
Since the accident, she hadn’t let go of that toy.
She used to speak well, but now she only talked in front of the Grand Duchess or Ahntrus.
A doctor had checked and said it was a mental issue.
Luisha thought the accident was her fault.
And Elia’s absence was hurting her even more.
All the adults could do was try harder to care for her.
Ahntrus hid his pain and hugged Luisha.
“Luisha waited to eat with Daddy…”
“Sorry, sweetheart. Daddy had some work.”
“Mmm… It’s okay.”
“Thank you.”
Words like “sorry” and “thank you” came easily now.
And then—
“Luisha, Daddy loves you very much.”
“I love you too, as big as the sky and space!”
Ahntrus kissed her little forehead.
Luisha’s smile was like a light in this dark situation.
Maybe Elia had kept going just by watching this smile too.
‘Should I have let you go, Elia?’
His lips trembled with regret.
The things Elia had said before the accident still pierced his heart.
‘Let’s get divorced, Ahntrus. I think we’ve done enough to satisfy the Emperor.’
‘Elia, what are you talking about?’
‘…This isn’t sudden for me.’
Her bitter smile was burned into his memory.
Ahntrus realized she was serious.
And maybe he couldn’t stop her.
‘I think I’ve done well, Ahntrus. I was a proper Duchess and a good wife. So this time, please let me choose for myself.’
If only he had let her go then…
Maybe she wouldn’t be lying like that now.
‘Elia! I don’t understand! I’ve done my part too! I never cheated, never hit you, never asked too much. Why do we need to divorce?’
‘…Because I’m not happy, Ahntrus. The gap between us keeps growing. I… I can’t take it anymore.’
Back then, Ahntrus just tried to avoid the situation.
‘…We’ll talk later, Elia.’
The way she looked at him that day—
Those golden eyes full of pain—
That memory became a scar he couldn’t erase.
It was the guilt he never shared with anyone.
He swallowed all the pain and smiled at Luisha.
“So did you eat alone today?”
“Uh-huh… That’s why I came to ask something.”
“Ask what?”
“Eat dinner with me tonight, Daddy.”
“Of course. I promise.”
Luisha nodded with a big smile.
Behind her, the nanny who had brought her bowed deeply to Ahntrus.
Now, he could finally see what he had missed—
Luisha’s loneliness… and Elia’s too.
* * *
That Night
I had made up my mind.
I couldn’t just stay hidden in the room anymore.
If I wanted to escape the palace like Ailish, I had to act.
‘This is something I need to check for myself.’
Even if I asked Ailish, she wouldn’t answer right away.
She didn’t trust me yet—even though I was in her body.
If Ailish was naturally suspicious, she wouldn’t speak until she was sure I noticed.
So I decided to go outside.
[Where are you going?]
Ailish asked.
I pointed toward the garden.
“Chelsea, bring my parasol.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
[You’re really going out? Wow. Brave.]
Ailish giggled.
[You don’t know what might happen out there.]
What could possibly happen?
This was the Imperial Palace.
I was a royal.
They might ignore me, but they couldn’t hurt me.
So I confidently rested the parasol on my shoulder.
[You might meet something scary, Elia.]
What, a person?
[Haven’t you heard about the scary beasts in the palace?]
I glared at her.
I’d never heard anything like that.
Ailish laughed and waved.
[Well, enjoy your walk.]
I confidently opened the parasol.
The walk from the Princess’s Garden to the main palace garden was longer than I expected.
Still, I kept walking without showing any signs of struggle.
My goal was to see how people reacted to me as Princess Ailish.
Many nobles came and went from the palace.
They all had their own agendas.
Even a small clue would make this walk worth it.
And I had the social skills I gained as a Duchess.
As I expected, I met a few noble ladies.
“Oh my, Princess Ailish. I heard you were better. I’m so happy to see you well.”
“Thank you, Countess Ratana. Maybe I got better because of your kind thoughts. What brings you here?”
I asked kindly.
“Oh, Her Majesty the Empress is planning a tea party. She invited me to help discuss it.”
“I see. A tea party… If I attend, I’ll greet you again then.”
“Y-Yes, Your Highness!”
The countess suddenly looked flustered and left quickly.
‘That’s strange.’
I tapped my lips lightly.
Wouldn’t a royal princess be invited to a palace tea party?
[You can’t go, Elia.]
Ailish answered calmly, like she was praising me for trying.
[The Empress wouldn’t present someone who isn’t ready. Just the fact that I was in bed for five years already made my value drop. Who’s next?]
Value?! I bit my lip hard.
I thought I was lucky to survive.
But now, it felt like I’d stepped into something more dangerous.
I walked slowly, lost in thought.
That’s why I didn’t see the person coming ahead.
A voice called out and snapped me back to reality.
“Princess Ailish.”
“…Ah.”
I looked up.
A woman appeared with sunlight behind her, her face slowly becoming clear.
“…Crown Princess.”
I bowed my head politely.
In our ranks, the Princess and the Crown Princess were equal.
The current Crown Prince was Seltor.
And the Crown Princess was Lenora Biensty Tombritch from House Biensty.
Lenora had arrived.
Finally, after nearly an hour and a half, I met someone important.
Lenora was respected in society.
She had charm, pride, and the status of the Imperial Family behind her.
She had even created her own powerful social circle.
I had never joined that group—our values didn’t match.
Before the accident, there were three main groups in high society:
One led by Lenora.
One led by Duchess Siegfried and me.
And the third formed by nobles from the provinces.
Seeing someone familiar from that time was a little comforting.
But Ailish didn’t feel the same.
Her voice shook like a ghost whispering behind me.
[Promise me… Take me out of this palace… no matter what!]
Now that I thought about it, even after I woke up, the Crown Princess never once came to see me.
And even now, Lenora’s eyes were filled with disgust.
