Chapter 70
The Possessed Villainess Doesn’t Want a Divorce
“I can do it myself.”
Monica was about to say that she didn’t need his help. If she hadn’t heard Taylor giggling, she probably could have continued speaking.
Embarrassed, Monica slightly turned her head toward Liam to signal that he could stop.
Seeing this, Liam looked at Princess Taylor with a displeased expression. Contrary to his expectation that Taylor’s gaze would be directed at him and Monica, her eyes were fixed elsewhere.
Naturally, Liam followed her gaze and saw Teodoro in the distance, staring sharply at Monica.
“This kind of provocation is unfair,” Taylor said, laughing loudly this time before raising her hand and turning her body toward where Teodoro stood.
Monica’s eyes followed Taylor’s and soon met Teodoro’s directly.
Then Taylor’s voice rang out again.
“How strange. He came all the way out to greet me.”
Yes, it was strange.
From the very beginning, it was unusual that Teodoro was here at all. Monica instinctively felt uneasy.
Suddenly, her view was blocked by Liam’s hand, and she heard his whisper.
“Teodoro is absolutely not allowed.”
“Well, I know that too.”
Monica pouted, and Lucky, cradled in her arms, kicked Liam’s chest with its hind legs to push him away.
Ahead, Marquis Andre shouted at the knights who were ready to cross the desert.
“As you all know, disobeying your commander in the desert is tantamount to death! So if anyone isn’t fully committed to following my orders, step out of this envoy immediately!”
Although Marquis Andre was addressing the knights, his message was reflected to Taylor and Liam.
Taylor’s expression twisted, perhaps due to discomfort. At the same time, the knights muttered, “By God’s will.”
Seeing the knights’ reaction, Liam’s expression hardened. He bit his lip and muttered to himself.
“This is maddening.”
The camels began moving slowly, leading the way, with the knights and workers following behind.
Before long, Teodoro, who had been watching Liam and Monica from afar, was out of sight.
Teodoro was on the verge of exploding from the unfamiliar discomfort and dissatisfaction he felt. The only consolation was the deal he had made with Marquis Andre.
‘I never intended to go this far…’
It was an unavoidable choice.
He was already well aware that his twin sister, Taylor, had a temperament similar to his. She had an excellent eye for business and superior judgment of people.
But she could never be more competent than him.
If someone more capable than him were acknowledged as worthy of succeeding the Emperor, it would be disastrous.
By chance, Teodoro discovered through a fortuitous route that Princess Taylor was involved with the Riart trading guild.
The thought alone brought him unbearable anxiety.
‘Has she already reached out to such a small guild?’
No matter how he racked his brain, he could find no answer. He thought continuously, his mind working rapidly to process the situation.
A few days ago, he realized that the situation had subtly twisted when Marquis Andre had granted Taylor’s absurd request.
Taylor, who lived solely in the princess’s palace, was now involved with the Riart guild and suddenly wanted to join the foreign envoy to explore the Eastern Kingdom.
Did she really just want to sightsee?
Teodoro doubted Taylor’s intentions sincerely.
Yet, contrary to his suspicion, Marquis Andre reported Taylor’s actions positively to the Emperor and Empress.
Naturally, the Empress, who valued Andre’s political sense and loyalty, mentioned to the Emperor that she would approve if both the Marquis and Princess were fine with it.
The Emperor, wanting to maintain good relations with the Empress, granted her request.
Everything proceeded rapidly and smoothly, without any apparent obstacles. On the surface, there was no reason for suspicion.
Then why did all of this feel so uncomfortable?
Teodoro was so tense and fatigued that he couldn’t sleep. He raised one hand and pressed on the bones around his tired eyes. That’s when he noticed Marquis Andre’s letter rolling on his desk.
Unconsciously, Teodoro grabbed the letter with one hand and crumpled it. Recently, nothing seemed to go smoothly.
The letter concerned a royal servant named Rain, written a few days ago.
It was completely unrelated. Yet the sight of Andre’s name on the letter, which he kept holding, drew his attention.
‘Could this be a coincidence?’
A loud pounding reverberated in his chest as he felt an instinctive pull—time to make a decision.
A heavy silence fell over the room as Teodoro called for Marquis Andre before it became too late.
“Your Excellency, you’ve arrived.”
In the dark night, the Marquis entered the palace discreetly, as Teodoro had intended.
Following Taylor, he was already in a sensitive state, aware of every nerve in his body.
“Marquis, come closer and sit.”
Teodoro gestured him to sit while pressing his tired eyes gently with his fingers.
“Your Excellency, what is the matter?”
Like a cat on alert, the Marquis warily spoke, his directness causing Teodoro to chuckle.
‘Could it be that even the Marquis is under Taylor’s influence?’
Teodoro’s eyes sharpened at the awkward tension. He felt it necessary to speak with careful attention.
“Marquis, are preparations for the Eastern Kingdom envoy proceeding well?”
“Yes. Since it’s our first time, we need to be cautious. But with Sean, the desert guide who escorted Your Excellency before, and Paul, the camel driver, I am not overly worried.”
“Of course, you’ll rest at Bariana Oasis, right?”
“Yes. The guides informed me that it’s the only oasis in the desert, so we’ll rest there for a day or two before heading to the Eastern Kingdom.”
“Good. Without resting at the oasis, the desert’s dry winds and climate could kill you before reaching the Eastern Kingdom. Are you familiar with the village there?”
“Well, I haven’t been briefed in detail by Sean and Paul yet, but as the chief of the envoy, I know it’s practically a native village.”
“Good. They set up tents around the oasis to live in.”
The Marquis nodded as if he already knew. Teodoro continued.
“Anything else you know?”
“Sean and Paul are scheduled to visit the Marquis’s residence tomorrow, so I expect to learn more then.”
“No need to wait until tomorrow. Explain it to me now.”
“Then, may I have you share the information needed for leading the envoy through the desert?”
“Of course. That’s why I summoned you personally.”
Teodoro spoke with an almost merciful tone but stared coldly at the Marquis before continuing.
“The oasis is essential for merchants, trade guilds, and envoys traveling between the Great Kingdom and the Eastern Kingdom. That’s why we take responsibility for the villagers’ safety. Naturally, they are incredibly self-sufficient, yet dependent on outsiders for survival.”
“Perhaps because others provide for their livelihood while they manage the oasis, that makes sense.”
“Yes. However, something I’ve learned over the years—every year, someone goes mad trying to invent something to sell to merchants or guilds. In my experience, there’s always one each year.”
“Desert life must be harsh for that to happen.”
“Normally, they stay in their tents, so we can’t tell if they’re sane or insane. But when outsiders enter, they miraculously hear about it and emerge from their tents.”
“In that case, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“No, listen to me until the end. You won’t regret it.”
Teodoro stared directly into the Marquis’s eyes, speaking as if giving a command.
“In our circles, someone who goes mad in the desert village is called a Valhemura—‘mad inventor.’ Last year, the Valhemura I met claimed to have invented a technique to create another oasis in the desert.”
“Is that true?”
“Who would believe a madman? Every year, the person changes, but any child could tell by their eyes that they are insane.”
Teodoro drank from a glass on the table before continuing.
“I asked the Valhemura to prove it, honestly curious. Until now, no one had ever claimed to invent a method to create an oasis. But that afternoon, he danced in the sand, singing for an oasis to appear. I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.”
The Marquis looked at Teodoro, eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions, wondering why he was being told this. He decided to follow Teodoro’s lead.
“…What did you do?”
“So I sent him back to his tent. But the Valhemura became aggressive and attacked us. You know, to use the oasis, it’s prohibited to kill the desert people. So I roughly dealt with him and sent him back to his tent. This happens every year, so I didn’t pay much attention.”
“Did it resolve smoothly?”
“No, quite the opposite. The Valhemura I met had completely lost his mind and attacked our tents day and night.”
Teodoro rolled up one sleeve, showing the Marquis a wound on his wrist.
“See this? What do you think it is?”
“Isn’t it a cut from a knife?”
“Exactly. The Valhemura tried to attack me with a knife. I had no choice but to kill him.”
