WPVMVA Chapter 56

Not long after, they found Mella unconscious and buried among various documents in the luggage compartment of Daniella’s carriage. Deciding there was no longer any reason to stay, he immediately drove the carriage out of the Asland territory. Of course, he didn’t forget to leave a few knights behind to deal with the assassins who had attacked Daniella.

After returning to the townhouse in the capital, Ashid first carried Daniella like a princess to the main building’s Grand Duchess’s bedroom.

Daniella, her face flushed with embarrassment, said to Ashid, “I told you I’m fine! I can walk!”

“I told you. I’ve decided not to believe your ‘I’m fine’ anymore.”

He gently laid her on the bed and ordered the butler to bring Martin, the ducal family’s physician. The butler, his face pale, quickly went out and brought Martin. Martin was shocked to see Daniella lying on the bed, covered in dust, and said, “What on earth happened…! I was just relieved that the detoxification was over…!”

“…I’m sorry.”

Daniella apologized to him in a voice that was almost a whisper. She truly had nothing to say but an apology.

Ashid moved to give space to Martin, who was rushing toward the bed where Daniella was lying. Then he said to Daniella, “I have some things to finish, so I’ll have to go now. Rest. I’ll have the maids come, so if you need anything, ask them.”

“…Wait, Your Highness. Mella, and Gray, they’re okay, right? Are they all… safe?”

Daniella urgently asked, grabbing the hem of Ashid’s clothes. Ashid let out a short, hollow laugh. He found it absurd to see her so busy worrying about others in a situation where she herself had almost died. On the other hand, he also thought that this side of her was very much like her.

Ashid covered her hand with his and said, “They’re both fine. So don’t worry.”

He deliberately omitted the details, as he didn’t want to tell Daniella the full situation. It was obvious that she would insist on going to see Mella and Gray, saying it was all her fault, while neglecting her own treatment. He would rather die than see that happen.

“That’s a relief.”

Daniella, who had no idea what he was thinking, let out a deep sigh of relief and smiled faintly. It was a huge relief that the two of them were safe. She finally felt like she could rest easy.

Ashid squeezed her hand once, then took it off his clothes and placed it on the bed. Then, he brushed the hair that had fallen on her forehead back and said, “I’ll come back as soon as I finish the urgent matters.”

“…!”

With those last words, Ashid left the bedroom.

Daniella watched him leave with wide, surprised eyes. His words and actions were unusually gentle for him.

‘What’s wrong? Why, why is he acting like that?’

She was flustered, but she didn’t completely dislike it. Her face gradually turned red as she replayed his actions in her mind.

The bedroom door closed, and Ashid’s face, which had come out, was colder than ever.

He and his waiting knights left the main building and headed toward the North Annex. The place, which looked like an ordinary annex, was actually an interrogation room and prison that Ashid used to secretly summon and interrogate criminals.

Ashid quickly passed the entrance and went down to the basement. When a stone door more than a hand’s breadth thick opened, dozens of cells with bars on one side were revealed. Ashid, along with Rowell who was waiting for him, headed to the innermost cell.

Inside, the maid they had caught in the Asland territory was sitting tied to a torture chair. Her face was ashen, and she was biting her trembling lips, looking down.

Ashid looked at the maid with a look of contempt and said to Rowell, who was standing beside him, “Fortunately, she’s conscious. You haven’t started the interrogation yet, have you?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ve only made the preparations so we can proceed as soon as you arrive.”

“Good job. I’ll interrogate her myself.”

Ashid said so after hearing Rowell’s answer, and he himself opened the cell door and went inside. He sneered, twisting one side of his mouth toward the maid who was looking at him with terrified eyes.

“Who hired you to do this? What were you planning to do to the Grand Duchess?”

“…”

“You won’t answer? …Strange. I’m sure what I pierced with this sword was your left shoulder, not your tongue.”

“…!”

“Since you won’t open your mouth until the end, I have no choice. I’ll have to cut off that useless tongue right here.”

Ashid immediately took out a dagger from his pocket, menacingly showed the blade, and said in a low voice. At his actions and chilling voice, the maid’s face turned even paler.

In the end, the maid, unable to overcome her fear, screamed and confessed.

“It was… it was Count Olborn! He… he bribed me and the butler to orchestrate this!”

At that, Rowell and the knights who were watching the situation from outside gasped in unison in shock. They looked at the maid with an expression of disbelief.

Ashid let out a short, hollow laugh. He had vaguely expected it, but when Cyril’s name actually came out of the maid’s mouth, he felt a powerful sense of anger and betrayal that was hard to bear.

At the same time, an equally intense sense of self-blame and fear crushed him.

‘Was her judgment right this time as well?’

If he had ignored Daniella’s words and sortied to Chamber’s fort, she might have lost her life. No, she would have.

Afterward, he would have endlessly blamed himself for not believing her words, and before long, he would have been caught in another trap laid by the traitor, Cyril Olborn, and destroyed himself. He would have lost everything before he could even begin his revenge properly.

Ashid shuddered at the thought of that terrible situation and gritted his teeth. Believing her at the last moment was a stroke of luck for him.

He truly believed so and interrogated the maid again in a cold voice.

“Do you have evidence? Is there any solid evidence that he bribed you?”

“Yes, yes! …In the closet of my quarters in the Asland territory, there is a letter that Count Olborn sent to the butler. …Actually, the old man told me to secretly burn it, but… The money he gave me was so little that I thought I could extort more later-”

“Can I believe that? If it’s not true, this time it won’t be your shoulder that gets a hole, but your heart.”

“Please, believe me!”

The maid bowed her head submissively and confessed her sins even though he hadn’t asked. Then, when Ashid asked sharply, she screamed and answered in a hurry.

Ashid put the sword back in its scabbard and commanded Rowell, “Sir Rowell, send someone to the Asland territory immediately to confirm if this testimony is true.”

“I obey your command, Your Highness.”

Rowell, who had bowed his head in respect, gestured to one of the knights behind him.

Ashid confirmed that the knight had left and then left the cell. Rowell quickly followed him and asked, “Could what she said really be true? If so, why would Count Olborn do such a thing…?”

“I don’t know either. But one thing is for sure.”

Ashid paused for a moment, then continued.

“Anyone who betrays me and my knights must be punished. Even if he is the only blood relative of my benefactor.”

“…!”

“As soon as the knight who went to Asland returns, bring him to my office.”

If Cyril Olborn had indeed sent the letter as the maid said, he was the person who could best determine the authenticity of that letter.

Ashid finished his words and silently walked toward the main building.

A few hours later.

The knight who had left for the Asland territory on Ashid’s command returned. He held the letter the maid had mentioned in his hand.

Ashid immediately unfolded the letter and, at the same time, was sure that the person who wrote it was Cyril Olborn. He roughly crumpled the letter he had read and threw it on the floor, saying in a cold voice, “The maid’s testimony was true.”

“Is that… is that really true?”