The Grand Duchess Escape

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“I understand this doesn’t happen often and I recognize your concern, Your Highness, but we’re still investigating the matter, so please wait a bit longer.”

There was a note of firmness in Margo’s voice that left no room for further comment.

Asella was certain of it,  Margot was definitely hiding something.

‘What in the world?’

Suddenly, a horrifying thought flashed through her mind like a bolt of lightning, making her tremble with fear.

‘Don’t tell me…’

The beasts’ behavior was far too bizarre to be dismissed as a mere anomaly. Lord Kadan urged them not to leave the carriage in the name of safety, the knights moving further and further away despite their screams.

How Calix Benvito, who was supposed to be going to and from the palace, had managed to be there at the right time, at the exact moment when she and Mariel’s lives were in danger as if he had been waiting for this moment.

In retrospect, it was strange, and she wondered how she had never stopped to question it.

‘If, if that’s the case…’

Asella held her own hand, which had begun to tremble uncontrollably. Fortunately, her long sleeves were covered by the table. Otherwise, Margo would have seen her fidgeting.

‘If it was all the Grand Duke’s doing…’

The thought alone made Asella feel sick. She almost lost her balance as a wave of dizziness washed over her and she began to panic.

‘…That would explain his behavior back then.’

Even on reflecting, his actions back then, checking on her and tending to her wounds, had been incomprehensible. He even picked her up and carried her back to the barracks when she couldn’t walk properly despite the fact that he had no reason or obligation to do so!

‘Maybe he’s trying to lull us into a false sense of security to get information out of the Chartus special powers and then get rid of us.’

Though a shadow of its former glory, the Chartus were still one of the Empire’s prominent families. This was due to their status as one of the Empire’s founding families, and the unique abilities that had been passed down through the family for generations.

However, much of the information surrounding these abilities was kept under wraps. There were countless tales, but most of them were merely wild fantasies. The real truth remained completely unknown to the outside world and was only passed down to the head of the family.

‘I met His Excellency the Grand Duke. He seemed like a nice person.’

Mariel had been pleased by a few carefully calculated words of praise from Calix Benevito and thought he was a nice man. She hadn’t realized she’d been fooled by his fake kindness and consideration to open up and tell him all her secrets.

Asella swallowed hard at her rising anxiety and barely managed to speak.

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I don’t need any further treatment.”

“Good to see you again.” A sound came from behind.

Asella’s head turned, moving like an ungreased cog in a wheel, to find the middle-aged Priestess who had visited and healed her the last time standing there, wearing a beaming smile.

“Welcome, we’ve been expecting you.”

Margo greeted the Priestess in haste as if she had been waiting for her.

* * * *

Upon returning to her room, Asella’s expression darkened.

She settled into the seat Margo had guided her to, lowered her head, and bit her lip bitterly. The desperation reflected in her blue eyes like that of livestock being led to the slaughterhouse.

The sight of Asella like that made Roshan feel uncomfortable, yet she couldn’t show it. She turned to Margot with her signature gentle smile painted on her face and asked.

“Would you mind getting me a glass of warm water?”

“Of course. I’ll have it ready in a moment.”

“And I’ll need you to clear the room for today’s treatment.”

“That will be difficult.”

Margo flatly refused. Although she was here to treat the Grand Duchess, she was nonetheless an outsider– There was no way she could be left alone with their mistress.

“But it’s difficult to have someone present while I’m examining the Grand Duchess. Didn’t the Grand Duke instruct you to carefully examine every detail of Her Highness’s health?”

“There will be no interference with the treatment.”

Roshan continued with a gentle smile, “This treatment needs to be done with great care, and it’s quite difficult to concentrate when there are people around.”

Margo couldn’t help but ponder. It was too risky to leave the Grand Duchess alone, but it was also hard to ignore the Priestess’s words after her previous interaction with Ryzen.

–

“It seems that the first treatment Her Highness received was insufficient.”

“That’s impossible. The person who performed it was a high-ranking priestess with the power to grant blessings.”

“That’s what His Excellency believes. Also, even after the treatment is over, please continue to pay close attention to Her Highness’s health.”

After a moment of silence where he seemed to choose his words carefully, Ryzen managed to add a final remark.

“His Excellency is deeply worried about Her Highness– Perhaps even more than you and I realize, Margo. I dare not presume to fathom the depths of His Excellency’s mind, but I can only assume that maybe…”

–

His statement was vague, but it was clear enough for Margo to understand. At the same time, it carried a significant weight.

To put it in other words, their master, Grand Duke Calix Benvito was worried about someone! 

Was there anyone before who had ever made the young Grand Duke, ruler of the vast province of Benvito, worry? There wasn’t. 

Calix Benvito was a man who hadn’t even attended his own father’s funeral when he’d been informed of his death, and now he was ‘worried’ about someone?

It was unusual, very unusual.

“You will have nothing to worry about, I swear on my name and honor, as a servant of the Goddess Hernia.”

In the end, Margo gave in to Roshan’s wishes, though she couldn’t shake away her worry. Instead, she placed the summoning crystal on the table where Asella sat, which was an unspoken signal for her to call them immediately if anything happened.

The door closed with a soft click, leaving only the two of them in the room.