Chapter 99
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 99
Yurien de Harden Kirie returned to Agenka at dawn on June 14th. His return was delayed because he had stopped by the Mage Tower to discuss the Nodule and collect his compensation.
After a brief rest, he processed the mountain of documents that had accumulated. The servant who brought him breakfast in his office was the Intelligence Agent directly under the Commander.
While eating, Yurien de Harden Kirie heard a rough summary of Echinacea Loaz's recent movements from the agent. It was a compilation of observations made by Intelligence Agents working as servants or citizens throughout Agenka and the Changtian Knights.
"...So he says she's meeting with Teresa today. That's all."
"Good work."
"And this is the result of the investigation into the 'Wedge' that you previously ordered. There's urgent information that came in on the first page. Please refer to it first."
"Understood. Go rest."
"Yes, sir."
The Intelligence Agent set down the documents, which were thick as a booklet, and withdrew, collecting the empty dishes. It seemed the investigation into the organization that had been ordered since the commission to the Wedge was now complete. Before picking it up, Yurien de Harden Kirie sipped his tea in a daze, lost in thought.
[I can roughly guess what you're thinking, so hold back.]
"What do you think I'm thinking about?"
[Because of the report that the Demonic Sword Owner visited the Dress Shop, you're thinking of having a dress tailored for that woman, aren't you? How obvious.]
"...That's a good idea, Rangiosa. Thank you."
[What? ...Oh no.]
Yurien de Harden Kirie set down his teacup and began writing a letter. It was addressed to that Dress Shop that Echinacea Loaz had visited. Tailoring a dress in such a tight timeframe was difficult, but there were few things money couldn't accomplish. Rangiosa realized he had spoken unnecessarily and felt deflated.
[Wait, then what exactly were you thinking about?]
"...."
Yurien de Harden Kirie fell silent. As he finished the letter and called a servant to deliver it, the Holy Sword pressed for an answer, and only after dismissing the servant did he respond quietly.
"It was nothing in particular."
[What is it that you're hiding from me? You weren't having improper thoughts, were you?]
"It's not like that, so don't worry."
He had been thinking that he wanted to see her. More than ten days had passed since he last saw her. The urge to seek her out immediately clashed with reason telling him to handle urgent matters first. To be precise, reason was barely containing emotions that flooded over like a torrent.
Unable to answer that way, Yurien de Harden Kirie closed his mouth and unfolded the documents the Intelligence Agent had left behind. There was a note folded on the first page. It seemed to be the urgent information the agent had mentioned. His eyes widened as he casually unfolded it.
[The Demonic Sword Owner has made a move.]
An Intelligence Agent staking out the Wedge had witnessed a woman in a hood visit and then leave, and while the surveillance failed, the circumstances strongly suggested it was almost certainly Squire Echinacea Loaz, who had stopped by Ollabart instead of returning directly.
'There could be only one reason for her to visit the Wedge.'
She must be searching for the origin of the Demonic Sword. Why? To take revenge? How much had she discovered? Did she know the Demonic Sword came from the Imperial Family? If she learned that, what would she think of him, a member of the Imperial Family? An inexplicable terror seized him.
'I am the brother and son of those who cast her into the abyss. She must find me repulsive. And the truth is, I am the reason she was chosen in the first place.'
For a moment, he wanted to obstruct her commission. If Echinacea Loaz learned that truth, he could never have her. Over his resolve to reveal everything and apologize if she could only endure it, selfishness and desire began to encroach.
'Am I going mad and becoming ugly?'
Yurien de Harden Kirie washed his face with dry hands and crumpled the paper. Then he wrote a new order. It was a command to find out what Echinacea Loaz had commissioned from the Wedge. First, he needed to confirm how much she already knew.
After reviewing the report on the Wedge and processing more of the backlogged documents, it was around lunchtime. Yurien de Harden Kirie rose from his seat for a lunch appointment. His appointment was with Rosalind Diasante.
The meal took place in the VIP Dining Hall at the Knights Headquarters. It was the first time they had met in nearly three weeks since when the Princess had visited Echinacea Loaz. Only ceremonial greetings were exchanged while the appetizers and main course were served. Then the Princess spoke first.
"It's customary to discuss the main topic after the meal, but I'm curious, so I'll be a bit rude. Have you made a decision, Yurien?"
"I apologize for making you wait so long."
Yurien de Harden Kirie set down his knife. He asked Rosalind Diasante a question.
"Is what you said on the day you arrived still valid?"
"Which statement are you referring to?"
"You said that if I provided compensation, you wouldn't mind not becoming engaged."
"...Are you truly refusing?"
When I glimpsed what 'Echinacea Loaz' meant to him, I had anticipated this might happen. Yet I never imagined it would become reality. I struggled to hide my racing heart.
"The engagement date will be announced, and publicly you will become my fiancée. Until the engagement ceremony, you'll be my prospective fiancée. However, the actual engagement will never take place. Do you understand what I mean?"
"You're saying we'll merely pretend to be engaged? That can't possibly work...."
"I've already settled the matter with the Crown Prince. I only need your agreement."
I was dumbfounded. How on earth had he persuaded the Crown Prince? I spoke in bewilderment.
"Even if you've persuaded the Crown Prince, my father won't accept it. You know that, don't you?"
"That's something I'll handle. What do you want in exchange for your cooperation, my lady?"
Duke Diasant, who would become the Crown Prince's father-in-law and was Rosalind's father, believed that no human existed who couldn't be seduced by the allure of power. Therefore, the Duke was more wary of Yurien than even the 2nd Prince. Because he was so thoroughly cautious, he had decided to send Rosalind to Yurien.
The Duke knew well that even if Rosalind married, she would faithfully serve as Yurien's leash and watchdog. It wasn't that he trusted her because she was his daughter. Duke Diasant held her weakness in his grasp.
I fell into prolonged silence. Never did I imagine the day would come when the 3rd Prince, the Commander of the Changtian Knights, would ask me to refuse the engagement and tell him what I desired. I had completely given up hope. Yet hope lifted its head. I asked with a trembling voice.
"You haven't informed my father yet?"
"I thought negotiating with you came first."
"Then, only the Crown Prince knows that you intend to enter into a false engagement?"
"That's correct. If it became known, it would be ineffective. This false engagement will be known only to an extremely small number of people."
The gap in his words was Echinacea. He wanted to tell her. In truth, she was the one he most wanted to inform that this engagement was false. Yet perhaps such words would be meaningless in a situation where, regardless of the truth, a fiancée ostensibly existed. Moreover, he couldn't speak of the plan to replace the Emperor. Because the Demonic Sword incident was the core of that plan.
How much to reveal was also a problem, and whether she would believe him was questionable. It might be better to resolve everything quickly without her knowledge. Yurien had not yet decided how to handle this matter.
I, who had been silent, lifted my wine glass. I drained the full cup in one gulp. Though it was a low-alcohol dining wine, I needed even a little courage now. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.
"Don't tell my father."
"Why?"
"Lord Yurien. I'll cooperate with all your plans. Whether it's a false engagement or anything else. So in return, help me."
"What kind of help do you need?"
"You're the owner of the Holy Sword. So I'll speak to you in confidence."
Beneath the table, my hands clenched with force. Yurien's face remained calm. Relying on that composed expression, I spoke while turning deathly pale.
"Lord, I have a daughter and a husband."
[...What is she saying?]
The Holy Sword murmured in apparent confusion. Yurien was also quite startled. I swallowed dryly and continued.
"My husband is a painter who was painting my portrait. He's a commoner. I had loved him long before, and when my father belatedly discovered this, he was furious. But I eventually obtained his permission."
"Duke Diasant permitted you to marry a commoner?"
"To be precise, it was less permission than abandonment. He said to consider myself dead and do as I pleased. So I left the Capital with him, held the ceremony in secret, and lived quietly."
The words were simple, but the process was not. I laughed bitterly.
"Back then... I was truly happy. A daughter was born between us. But that happiness lasted less than a year. From the beginning, my father had no intention of releasing me. When he said to do as I pleased, he believed I would return, unable to endure such a humble life."
"But you didn't return."
"No, it was my father's miscalculation. I was perfectly capable of supporting myself."
Though I couldn't match the luxurious life I had lived as the Duke's daughter, I was living well enough. I had made steady plans for the future. Now it had all become meaningless.
"In the end, I was dragged away by my father's knights, and my husband and my daughter, not yet one year old, are still imprisoned somewhere. That was last year. To the outside world, it was announced that I had merely gone away for health reasons and returned."
I clenched my trembling fingertips into fists.
"Only after being dragged away did I understand why my father needed me. Lord Yurien, he needed a woman to send to you."
"...Was there a particular reason it had to be you?"
"I was the best choice. A woman who wouldn't love you even while marrying you. A woman always prepared to betray you, yet could never betray my father. Isn't that right? Because I have a hostage."
"Surely, you didn't release both you and your husband on the Duke's orders as well?"
"I couldn't say. I'd rather not believe he'd go that far. But it's impossible to know for certain."
Rosalind twisted her lips.
"What I do know for certain is that while the Crown Prince trusts you, my father will never trust you. That's why he chose me as your leash."
It was shocking. The Holy Sword released a breathless gasp of exasperation in Yurien's mind. Across from him, Rosalind's face contorted as she swallowed back the surge of emotion welling up inside her.
"I was... giving up everything. He said that as long as I married you and obeyed his orders, my daughter and husband would be safe. He said if I behaved well, he'd let me see my daughter and him occasionally...."
She breathed lightly for a moment, then bit her lower lip. With tears glistening in her eyes, she looked at Yurien.
"Sir, I'll do anything. So please... give me back my husband and daughter."
Yurien swallowed his gasp. Now he understood why Rosalind Diasante, sent as his betrothed, had spoken from the beginning as though she wanted the engagement broken, and why she'd demanded compensation. Why she'd quietly waited while taking an interest in Echinacea Loaz, investigating her, probing Yurien, yet deliberately avoided meeting Echinacea herself.
The lady was searching for hope. The possibility of reclaiming her family by Yurien's refusal of the engagement.
Yurien answered the lady with a firm voice.
"I swear to you as Commander of the Changtian Knights and Lord of Agenka—I will rescue your husband and daughter and support them in living somewhere safe."
Rosalind's lips trembled. She bowed her head deeply. Her voice came through thick with tears.
"Thank you... I truly, sincerely thank you. Sir Yurien."
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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