Chapter 40

Edelis had thought Lord Frache’s words were no more than light conversation—something like, “Thanks for spending time with my sister, I hope you continue to get along.” But she had never imagined they would carry such weight.

“I simply like Lady Eliana.”

“I’m sure my sister felt the same.”

“……”

“I swore to protect Her Majesty. My parents will understand.”

Eliana had lived cut off from society, buried in books. She only went out to borrow or buy books, rarely for anything else. Even when Johannes thought she’d gone shopping, it turned out Eliana had gone to get books. If someone like her had opened her heart to the empress, then surely Johannes had to repay that trust.

“Thank you, though… I’m just a bit overwhelmed…”

“You were ambushed on your way to the palace before, weren’t you?”

Edelis tensed instantly.

“Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”

“……In that case, I’ll gratefully accept your support, Lord Frache.”

She was still dazed. All she’d done was try to change her future, and somehow things were turning out better than expected. She’d gathered quite a bit of information about the epidemic from Eliana. Now, unexpectedly, even Lord Frache, heir to a powerful noble family, was siding with her. There was no reason to refuse.

The problem was: if it wasn’t Lord Frache, then who was trying to kill her? She had no clue.

The only one who might benefit from my death is the saintess—but surely even she wouldn’t stain her hands with blood… right?

If not a major character, then it had to be someone outside the story… yet another complication. Edelis had prepared to defend herself from Lehan, believing he’d be the one to kill her. But now, with no idea who her real enemy was, trying to guard herself against an unknown threat felt exhausting.

For now, she had no reason to reject Lord Frache’s goodwill.

“I’ll be in your care, Lord Frache.”

“The honor is mine.”

Johannes reached out a hand to her. As Edelis placed hers atop his, he brought it to his forehead. Then, rising, he curved one corner of his mouth into a smile.

“Your Majesty, may I entertain you with an amusing tale?”

“What kind of story?”

Edelis had been about to review her notes from her conversation with Eliana but paused.

“I’m one of the few who witnessed the days before Keirhan ascended the throne.”

“Yes, please.”

She accepted Johannes’ offer immediately. She could study her notes later, but who knew when she’d get the chance to hear about Lehan’s past?

“Then… where shall I begin? Ah, yes. Let me tell you how I first met Keirhan.”

“I heard the general story—you were kidnapped, and Lehan rescued you.”

“Indeed. I could talk about it for three whole days.”

Seeing Edelis’s interest, Johannes began his tale with enthusiasm.

“But I’ll keep it brief, lest His Majesty disapprove.”

“He wouldn’t.”

“I’m aware how much he dislikes anyone spending time with Your Majesty.”

Edelis was momentarily speechless. She didn’t have the courage to deny it outright.

“It was five years ago…”

He started in an exaggerated, theatrical tone, and Edelis nearly burst into laughter. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep it in.

“It was right before Keirhan entered our estate.”

Edelis’ eyes sparkled as she focused on him.

“As usual, I had skipped my lessons and dressed as a commoner to wander the bustling streets.”

“What?”

“As you know, I’m the only heir to a ducal house, so I had more freedom than others. No brothers to compete with.”

“Still… to dress as a commoner…”

“It was fun. I made many friends among them.”

Most nobles, even with free time, wouldn’t disguise themselves as commoners. Edelis had gone out often, but always well-dressed. Johannes really was something else.

“Unfortunately, the now-destroyed Marquis Remberin had ordered my kidnapping. The mercenaries hired for the job were people I knew from my time mingling among commoners.”

Which meant he’d been betrayed by his so-called friends.

“They locked me in a storage compartment aboard a ship. When some of those friends found me…”

“Did they help?”

“They beat me. Said I’d mocked them. Lied to them.”

“…….”

“I thought we were really friends.”

Edelis had lived her whole life waiting to die, but this—being betrayed by friends—seemed just as tragic.

“Then a stranger with a sword showed up to rescue me.”

“Did your father send him?”

“No. If anything, he was more dangerous than the kidnappers.”

“Johannes Frache, right?”

“Who are you?”

“Your father’s looking for you.”

“My father?! I’ll pay whatever you want. Just get me out of here!”

“I don’t need money. I already have more than I can spend.”

“I’m the heir to House Frache!”

“And I’m the heir to the Grand Duchy of Raksid.”

“…You look like a commoner.”

“You wander the slums in low-ranking noble attire and this is when you get kidnapped? Impressive.”

The stranger—none other than Keirhan Raksid. Johannes seriously debated asking not to be saved. He’d heard rumors that the heir of Raksid still lived, but also that the emperor was trying to assassinate him. Johannes didn’t want to get involved and risk drawing the emperor’s ire. But Keirhan was the only one who came for him.

And the odds of survival? Slim.

Do I fight the emperor or die like a dog here?

He figured if he was going to die, it might as well be as someone who resisted tyranny—a death worth a line in the history books.

“What do you want?”

“Your future. You were going to die anyway.”

“…Can’t argue with that.”

“Join me—or stay on this boat.”

“You could at least offer one reasonable option.”

“I did. One.”

Everything was strangely quiet outside. Surely the kidnappers had stationed guards. Did this man—this noble—take them out? If so, maybe he was worth betting on.

“If I make it home alive… then I’ll cooperate.”

“Good. We have a deal.”

“Even while escaping, I felt oddly at ease with this stranger.”

When Johannes got off the ship, Keirhan’s men had already seized control, and the Frache family butler had arrived to collect him—flawless execution.

“Wow… that’s amazing.”

“You flatter me.”

“Lehan…”

“Yes.”

Johannes could feel his excitement fading.

“So Lehan wasn’t sent by the duke?”

“That’s what I thought, but no.”

Later, when Johannes asked Keirhan why he’d come, the answer was unsettling.

“Thought it’d be good to have you owe me.”

How did he even find Johannes?

“The Raksid Intelligence Division found out instantly.”

Keirhan had planned from the start to win over House Frache. If Johannes had disappeared, the house would weaken. It would be better to marry Eliana and take the entire duchy.

He even rejected the idea of making Eliana a royal consort in exchange for the duchy’s support…

Back then, no one imagined Keirhan would take such a difficult path for love. He had always been the type to move with maximum efficiency.

“Then, Your Majesty—may I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“About Keirhan, before he became a grand duke.”

“Of course! That story deserves a reward.”

Johannes nodded eagerly. The Keirhan he’d first met had been bloodless, emotionless. Occasionally he’d stalk women through town with fleeting interest, but nothing ever came of it. The current Keirhan was almost unrecognizable.

“You know where Lehan came from, right?”

“I heard he was sold into a gladiator arena.”

“Yes, I brought him from there.”

“……Is that it?”

“No! That’s just the beginning!”

“Whew. I was worried that was the whole story.”

Edelis smiled at the memory, already heavily rose-tinted.

“He was so wary—like a little kitten, constantly on edge.”

“A kitten…”

“Yes, a kitten.”

“That’s an… unexpected image. But I’ll allow it.”

“But once a cat opens up, it’s deeply affectionate, right?”

“…True. Cats are.”

A kitten?! Johannes had to suppress a shudder. A tiger would be more fitting. Kittens didn’t lead purges against treasonous noble houses.

“Lehan was so loyal while living with us. Like a faithful puppy.”

“A puppy…”

A wolf was more like it. If anything, a war dog, not a pet.

“Your Majesty, I think that’s enough storytelling for now.”

“Oh no! I haven’t even gotten to the good part!”

Johannes couldn’t take it anymore. Just like when she doted on Eliana, the empress had a way of idealizing people’s best traits.

At that moment, footsteps echoed from outside.

“What amusing tale are you all enjoying?”

It was the baby kitten himself—wearing a very unamused expression.