Chapter 28
“Hello, Kasia. I heard the news about the Third Prince almost immediately. It’s become the talk of the Empire overnight.
With both the Duke of Hwidrian and Nick by your side, I imagine things have become very uncomfortable for you.
If I could, I’d come take you away this very moment. But I’m worried it would only make others suspicious.
I want to see you again as soon as possible. I’ll always be waiting, so if things become too overwhelming, don’t hesitate to contact me.
—Mikael”
Mikael’s letter lifted my spirits immediately.
He really was a kind man.
With warmth filling my heart, I carefully wrote him a reply, pouring my sincerity into every word.
“Hello, Mikael. I received your letter safely.
Things have become rather complicated since the Duke of Hwidrian and Nick arrived… but I’ve finally made up my mind.
I’m not going to endure it any longer. No matter what happens, I’ll protect the life I’ve built here with my own hands.
If the day comes when I truly need your help, I’ll reach out to you then. Thank you… always.
And… I miss you too.
—Kasia”
The knights were meticulous.
They insisted on reading every letter I sent to Mikael before allowing it to be delivered.
I couldn’t very well put them in an awkward position. They were only following orders.
So I silently handed over my letter for inspection.
They weren’t the ones at fault.
If anyone deserved blame, it was the person who had given those orders.
After the letter was sent, I turned to them.
“I’d like to see His Grace the Duke.”
* * *
“Leave my space.”
The moment the gallery door opened, I strode straight toward the Duke and spoke.
Silence descended over the room.
Within that silence, I looked around the gallery.
It no longer resembled my gallery at all.
Since it had become the headquarters for the search, every corner was filled with unfamiliar objects.
Maps of Lorencia and the entire Empire.
Weapons.
Military insignias.
Documents and equipment used for directing the search.
The familiar atmosphere had vanished.
The Duke of Hwidrian stepped toward me through that foreign air.
“What is it?”
“The more I think about it, the more unfair this feels.”
I met his gaze without backing down.
“If you need a base for your search, use another building. You can do that, can’t you?”
“…Kasia.”
“And reduce the surveillance around me.”
“I have knights watching me every moment of the day.”
“It’s suffocating.”
He looked at me with faint surprise.
Perhaps because I wasn’t behaving the way I usually did.
“I don’t care about compensation for potential damages.”
“What I want…”
“…is the right to be alone in my own home.”
“I want the freedom to live my own life.”
The Third Prince.
House Hwidrian.
None of it had anything to do with me.
Honestly…
What I wanted more than anything…
Was for every one of them to disappear from in front of me.
Was it truly such an impossible dream…
To quietly run my gallery in Lorencia…
Sell coffee…
Paint…
And live peacefully without being dragged into anyone else’s conflicts?
“Kasia.”
The Duke answered calmly.
“This concerns the Empire.”
“And solving the disappearance of the Third Prince is His Majesty’s direct command.”
He continued.
“Every citizen of the Empire has a duty to obey the Emperor’s orders.”
“I am participating in this search for that very reason.”
I looked at him in silence.
He went on.
“The same applies to you.”
“You are obligated to provide assistance.”
“We could establish another headquarters elsewhere.”
“However…”
“In cases involving disappearances, every moment matters.”
“And since the Third Prince visited this place before…”
“There’s always the possibility he’ll return.”
“…”
“I understand that you’re uncomfortable.”
“So I’ll order the surveillance around you to be reduced.”
“But I hope you’ll cooperate with us in this matter.”
“…All right.”
“…Pardon?”
Perhaps he hadn’t expected me to agree so quickly.
One of his eyebrows twitched.
“I said all right.”
“But make sure the surveillance is truly reduced.”
“My daily life has become far too inconvenient.”
“…Very well.”
“I’ll see that it’s done.”
“Then excuse me.”
I offered him a polite smile and bowed before quietly leaving the gallery.
Only after Kasia had gone…
Did the Duke finally realize something.
She had never come to interfere with the investigation.
She had intended to lend them the gallery from the very beginning.
What she had actually come to do…
Was issue a warning.
From now on…
She would no longer yield so easily.
And in that silent battle of wills…
The Duke had lost completely.
* * *
As I walked home with the escorting knights…
I found myself in a much better mood.
I had never intended to oppose the Emperor’s search.
The Duke was right.
Every citizen of the Empire had a duty to assist in the search for the Third Prince.
That was simply the responsibility of living in this nation.
In truth…
Simply knowing where the Third Prince was while concealing him from the Imperial Knights could itself be considered a crime.
I was fortunate that Emperor Fontrich and the Duke, who commanded the search, were both reasonable men.
What mattered to me…
Was showing the Duke that I would no longer surrender even the smallest part of my life without resistance.
I wanted him to understand.
I intended to protect the life I’d built here.
Entirely.
Thankfully…
My message seemed to have gotten across.
Hadn’t he agreed to lessen the surveillance?
One of the knights walking beside me spoke.
“Once the security level is reduced, we’ll no longer remain inside your home, my lady.”
“We’ll monitor you from outside instead.”
“However…”
“If you leave the house, we’ll still need to accompany you.”
“We would appreciate your cooperation.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
“Thank you for explaining.”
“You’ve all been working very hard.”
“It is our duty.”
Relieved, I smiled warmly at the knights.
When I returned home…
Something immediately caught my eye.
A small white note rested atop my dressing table.
Meet me tonight.
77 Liben Village.
—Arwin
P.S. The Imperial Knights change shifts every night at midnight. Keep that in mind.
* * *
I spent the entire afternoon in a daze.
I could hardly believe Arwin had left me a message.
Had he come while I was away?
How had he managed to get inside?
My heart pounded.
While I’d been gone for only a short time…
Arwin had entered my house.
Ever since he disappeared…
I hadn’t stopped worrying about him.
I’d wanted to help him somehow.
And now…
He had reached out to me instead.
The fact that the knights had withdrawn from inside the house…
Couldn’t have come at a better time.
The first thing I did that afternoon…
Was cook.
I couldn’t help wondering whether Arwin had been hiding somewhere without eating properly.
So I prepared simple meals I often made at home.
Stew.
Sandwiches.
A few side dishes.
One by one, I carefully packed them into a basket.
When I finished…
The basket was surprisingly full.
If I’d had my way…
I would have brought him hot coffee…
Along with the desserts he used to enjoy at the café inside the gallery.
But this would have to be enough.
What else could I do for him?
No matter how much I thought about it…
Food was all I could offer.
His note hadn’t mentioned needing anything.
It hadn’t even explained why he wanted to see me.
There was nothing else I could prepare.
Most importantly…
I had to leave without the knights noticing.
“Before bed…”
“I’d like to take a short evening walk.”
“Then we’ll accompany you, my lady.”
Using a walk as an excuse…
I left the house with the knight assigned to me.
As we walked leisurely through the village…
I quietly memorized the route from my home to the gallery…
And from there to Liben Village, where Arwin had asked to meet me.
Fortunately…
Liben Village wasn’t far.
I simply needed to cross the broad country road that stretched past the gallery.
Arwin had thoughtfully left me another clue.
The Imperial Knights’ guard would be at its weakest…
At midnight.
“I think I’ll turn in early tonight.”
“Thank you all for your hard work.”
Smiling naturally at the knight…
I closed the front door.
Then…
I reviewed the route one final time.
All that remained…
Was to wait.
* * *
Midnight arrived.
Like any quiet countryside village…
Everyone had gone to bed early.
The night was deep.
Dark.
Even the birds had fallen asleep.
Not a single chirp broke the silence.
With a faint…
Click.
I slowly pushed open the rear window of my house and peeked outside.
No one.
After making sure the coast was clear…
I opened the window completely.
Holding the basket prepared for Arwin tightly against my chest…
I climbed onto the windowsill…
And jumped softly to the ground outside.
It felt strangely adventurous.
If anyone who had known me as the Duchess of Hwidrian saw me now…
They would probably faint.
The sight of me climbing out a window in the middle of the night…
Even I found myself unfamiliar.
But…
More than anything…
I wanted to do this for Arwin.
Staying in Lorencia had been his own decision.
Even so…
I couldn’t help feeling partly responsible.
The Duke had come to Lorencia because of me.
And because of that…
Arwin’s location had nearly been exposed.
The Duke was always a courteous gentleman.
Except when he was working.
Back when I was still the Duchess…
I had seen the relentless look in his eyes as he hunted for Arwin.
Like a hound following a scent.
I truly hoped…
Arwin would never be cornered.
That no one would discover where he was.
Because…
I understood exactly how it felt.
To wish with all your heart…
That no one would find you.
And if there was anything…
Anything at all…
That I could do to help him…
Then I wanted to help.
That…
Was why I was willing to take such risks for Arwin.
