Chapter 16

The Emperor spoke venomously to his wife: “The throne belongs to First Princess Yvonne. No one other than the First Princess possesses the rightful bloodline!”

At those words, the Empress could no longer hold back and screamed: “Please stop this nonsense! Bentley is Your Majesty’s son! The throne belongs to our son!”

“Silence!”

Now on the threshold of death and tormented daily by nightmares, the Emperor could not hear the Empress’s words. Once again, as if seeing someone who wasn’t there before his eyes, the Emperor muttered:

“Forgive me…… Even now…… We must bring the First Princess quickly……”

The Empress glared at the Emperor and rose from her seat.

Exiting the Emperor’s chamber, she walked down the corridor, biting her lip.

“Now that his time to die has come, His Majesty has gone completely senile.”

At her words, Crown Prince Bentley held onto his mother with a gentle, amiable smile.

“You must watch your words, Mother.”

“Calling senility what it is—what else should I call it? Why on earth is he spouting such nonsense now……”

“Anyone is bound to grow weak-hearted when facing death,” Crown Prince Bentley said in a calm tone.

‘Because once a person is consumed by a single thought, their judgment deteriorates.’

Bentley didn’t particularly feel resentful toward the Emperor. Rather, he felt relieved to learn of her existence now.

‘Had she appeared after Father passed away, it would have been quite a headache.’

A daughter born between a fairy and a human—First Princess Yvonne.

The story of the former Emperor, who was cursed by a witch while trying to save a beautiful fairy, was romantic and immensely popular among the common folk. So much so that even now, long after the Emperor had changed, tales of the former Emperor were still told.

It was entirely predictable that if his daughter actually existed, it would cause a massive stir.

‘However, handing over the throne is out of the question. Just because she’s a fairy’s daughter doesn’t mean she can rule a country well.’

Right now, she was the sole threat to his succession to the throne.

‘Whether she is dead or alive, her whereabouts must be confirmed……’

The Crown Prince walked with a kind-looking face. Yet within his mind, only chilly thoughts lined up one after another. Just as he turned a corner, his aide called out to him: “Your Imperial Highness, a moment please.”

Bentley gracefully kissed the back of his mother’s hand.

“Then I shall see you later, Mother.”

The back of the Empress’s hand, who had guarded the bedside for a long time, carried a faint trace of medicine. Moving away from the Empress, Bentley waved his hand as if brushing off that smell. He then turned back to his aide: “What is it?”

“Duke Christopher has sent a message.”

“Dante?”

The letter delivered by a trained hawk was as small as a single finger joint.

‘Is this good news or bad news?’

It wouldn’t be easy for a young girl who had fled without parents to survive on her own. If someone had recognized her and hidden her until now, they were surely aiming for the throne. If so, he considered it highly likely that even with Dante stepping in, they might fail to secure her custody.

‘I suppose that would be my own fate.’

Bentley took a small deep breath. He then unrolled the letter. Its contents were so brief that they could not be misread. Bentley let out a soft chuckle.

“It seems fickle Lady Luck intends to take my side this time.”

Carved onto the white paper was Dante’s angular handwriting, which clearly reflected his blunt personality: Found.

***

Having scoured the entire territory by mobilizing every single soldier, Emile spoke to Count and Countess Cline in a heavy, somber voice: “It seems Yvon has left the Cline Countship.”

“My goodness.”

Countess Cline’s face turned deathly pale. After stumbling for a moment, her expression suddenly turned fierce, as if she had become a completely different person, and she yanked on Emile’s arm.

“What on earth have you been doing?! How could you not notice any sign until Yvon disappeared?”

“I am sorry.”

Emile bowed his head to his mother, but in truth, he felt just as frustrated.

‘How on earth did a woman who couldn’t do anything manage to escape the Countship?’

If a quiet, gentle girl like Yvon had moved this quickly, she had undoubtedly made up her mind firmly. Emile bit his lip hard. After all, there was only one thing he could think of.

‘Just what on earth did Roseanne blabber to her……!’

Roseanne.

It was clear she had sensationally exposed the relationship between him and herself.

‘It’s only natural for naive Yvon to suffer a huge shock upon learning her fiancé cheated on her with her close friend.’

In truth, the reason he had established such a relationship with Roseanne was intended to plunge Yvon into shock. But it was never meant to be like this.

‘I wanted to plunge her into despair more perfectly, when she couldn’t run away.’

Her despair and her resentment were meant to belong entirely to him. What he anticipated was Yvon breaking down completely within his grip; running away like this wasn’t amusing in the slightest. Furthermore, to think his parents were now aware and reproaching him like this.

He would have to bring her back to his side quickly while she was feeling down.

‘……Though that in itself is quite an exciting situation.’

Thinking about dragging her back against her will made his heart beat dangerously fast. Yes, Roseanne doing something stupid was one thing, but he could find his own enjoyment in this situation.

And right now, the biggest problem was that he had no idea where Yvon was.

‘First, I must drag her back to my side.’

This current situation where he couldn’t control her at all was deeply unpleasant. Emile clenched his fist tightly. The Count, who had been lost in thought for a moment, spoke slowly: “It would be best to ask Yvon’s maid. Whatever the case, she is the child who stayed with her until the very end.”

“You are right!”

The Countess, who had been clutching her head, agreed out loud. Thus, the maid who had run over holding the letter stood directly before Count and Countess Cline.

Though the maid spoke in a trembling voice, it was as if she had been waiting to pour out everything she wanted to say: “Yesterday, My Lady looked terribly anxious. Saying she had exercised indoors, she was drenched in sweat, and she was even pacing around the room covered in dirt.”

At her words, Countess Cline’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Covered in dirt? You said she was in her room the whole time due to a headache.”

“Yes, yes. It’s true she said she couldn’t go out due to a headache when I informed her of Miss Roseanne’s visit. But when I went to change the bedsheets, My Lady was in her room covered in dirt. Her chemise was completely torn as well.”

“So you’re saying Yvon had gone outside while Roseanne was in the drawing room. Roseanne, do you have any idea where she might have gone?”

At the Countess’s sharp question, Roseanne hastily shook her head: “I don’t know. I was with Emile.”

“With Emile……”

At this point, it was clear that something had occurred to make Yvon certain that Emile and Roseanne were lovers.

Mulling over Roseanne’s words meaningfully, the Countess narrowed her eyes: “Could it be that the two of you were holding hands? Or perhaps embracing?”

“Th-That couldn’t be!”

The sharp deduction was close to the truth. At that time, Roseanne had kissed Emile in the drawing room—deliberately provoking Emile by acting like Yvon.

Although Emile had fallen for that provocation and kissed her on impulse, Roseanne actually knew that Yvon was peeking at the two of them from outside.

‘To think that girl acted so unnerving yesterday, unlike her usual self. Usually, no matter how much I dropped hints, she never picked up on them.’

In truth, this wasn’t the first time Roseanne had pulled tricks. Right in front of Yvon, she would subtly fix Emile’s outfit or drop suggestive comments. Yet every time, Yvon merely blinked her eyes in utter innocence.

That was what turned Roseanne’s stomach inside out. It felt as though Yvon was saying that even if she acted that stupidly, the position of Countess would still be hers.

‘It was pitiful to see a foolish girl marrying without knowing anything, so I merely showed her a bit more actively. But to think she would actually run away from home right after……’

Although flustered, she felt it was rather for the best. Beneath her hidden hands, Roseanne raised the corners of her lips in a secret smirk.

‘Yvon was never suitable for the position of Countess Cline anyway. The Countess will realize it this time, too—that Yvon doesn’t have what it takes to be Emile’s wife.’

She only had a pretty face; she possessed no charisma to captivate subordinates, was poor at calculation, and lacked the aptitude to manage internal affairs well. Nor could she cater to the whims of the venomous Eastern noble ladies.

Roseanne looked at Countess Cline with subtle expectation.

However, Countess Cline spoke in a firm tone unlike anything heard before: “Emile’s wife is Yvon and Yvon alone. If by any chance you harbor feelings for my son, give them up. And do not set foot in this Cline Countship ever again.”

“……!”

Roseanne’s fingernails dug deeply into her palms.