Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Berthas couldn’t bring himself to tell Isilis, who widened her eyes in surprise, that he had to leave immediately. Unbeknownst to her, she said nothing though she could not hide her hardened expression.

“Then…”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Nonsense.”

“Isilis.”

She couldn’t say anything to Berthas, who called her. What should she do? Should she stop him not from not going? If she stopped him, would he let her?

“Berthas.”

“If you tell me not to go, I won’t go.”

Seeing him talking as if he had entered and exited inside of her, Isilis couldn’t stop talking even more. She wasn’t that shameless to spit out what was inside.

“…There must be something you have to go to.”

“It is important to me.”

“Is it important enough to leave me, no, our child behind?”

“It is to stand by you and the child.”

Isilis closed her eyes tightly.

It was miserable. She had been casually saying, ‘my child,’ when did she start saying it was their child? As she shuddered at her cowardice, Isilis closed her eyes before opening them and making a decision.

Having witnessed the man’s eyes shining with determination, she could not block his path… She couldn’t ask him to stay here and be the consort. She couldn’t say that the consort she had in mind was him.

“The necklace is in my place. I will bring it to your room.”

“I will definitely come back.”

“It’s okay even if you don’t.”

Seeing the smile on her face, Berthas affirmed.

“I will come back to you after everything is done.”

“Berthas, Don’t say anything you can’t take responsibility for.”

“No. I will do that. So, please wait for me.”

“The Empress’ time is not the time to wait for someone.”

“Isilis, wait for me in your time.”

She was unable to answer his words.

Seeing that, Berthas smiled bitterly at her and turned around. Isilis stared endlessly at his back as he disappeared after leaving a message to see her later. That was until the knight, who came inside the office, sensed a strangeness and called her.

Late at night. Isilis, taking the necklace from her drawer, held it up in the moonlight.

“It is a magic tool.”

It was a magic tool with sophisticated ancient magic. The necklace was full of magic circles only high-level wizards would be able to see properly.

“Why didn’t I know this?”

It was something she couldn’t find unless she looked carefully.

As she blamed herself for not being that interested in it, Isilis examined the two necklaces. One seemed to be made for men and the other for women. Transformation magic was applied to the men’s necklace, and protection magic was applied to the women’s necklace.

It was an unnecessary item for a powerful wizard like her.

“I’ll have to give it to the Princess.”

Picking up the two necklaces, she slowly moved on. She stopped by the Princess, and then she thought she should go to Berthas.

“Your Majesty.”

“What is the Marquis doing here at this late hour?”

The floor where the Princess’ room was located was a place where others were not allowed to access except the nanny and those who were permitted were restricted late at night. However, to see Marquis Cyrka on that floor…?

“I asked what happened.”

“I was on my way to inform Your Majesty that the Margrave had come.”

“He should arrive after dawn tomorrow.”

“Looks like you were in a hurry…”

“It’s okay to come tomorrow. Marquis.”

Marquis Cyrka asked, smiling at her.

“Where are you going?”

“Ah, I was going to go to the princess.”

“I see.”

Isilis was wary of the strangely dangerous-looking eyes. Even though she pretended to be unconcerned and maintained her expression, the current Marquis Cyrka did not seem to be the Marquis she knew.

“Is something wrong?”

Hearing her worried voice, Marquis Cyrka took a step back.

“No, Your Majesty.”

“Go ahead and rest. I guess it’s because you’ve been working too late.”

“Understood.”

It seemed that she could see a glimmer of darkness in Marquis Cyrka’s eyes as he bowed and walked away, but she passed it off as a mistake.

When she opened the door in front of the Princess’s room, energy flowed from inside.

“What the hell is this?!”

Meryl, who was lying down, came into her eyes as she hurriedly applied a magic spell to defeat the dark energy. Thankfully, there was no particular problem in the crib where the Princess was.

It seemed that it was magic that took time as the curse to ride up.

It was cruel magic… magic that slowly approached and spread dark energy throughout the body to kill slowly.

With just one glance, she grasped the magic and embraced the princess. Isilis hurriedly put the necklace on the sleeping baby. The protection magic hanging in front of the Princess’s room had been destroyed a long time ago.

“Who…?!”

She couldn’t hide her trembling body. Afraid that her arms holding the baby would strain, she tried to calm her anger.

“Is no one there!”

“What is the problem…!”

The guards patrolling the corridor jumped in at her voice.

“An intruder broke into the Princess’s room. Bring the video stone and call the chief wizard.”

“Understood!”

Watching the guards hurry out of her room, she cast a healing spell on Meryl. Meryl, finally conscious, spoke to her.

“Your Majesty…”

“What happened?”

“I do not know. I suddenly lost consciousness.”

Her expression grew serious. It wasn’t something to just pass on. It was already the second time that the Princess’s safety was threatened.

“Ah!”

“Do you have anything in mind?”

“I heard footsteps.”

“Footsteps?”

“Yes. It was the sound of a knight’s footsteps.”

“How do you know that?”

“The person my sister met with was a knight, so I know since I heard it often. The sound of footsteps is unique to knights. It’s probably right.”

‘…A knight.’

Isilis remembered Marquis Cyrka, whom she had just encountered. He, too, was a knight and was the only one she saw in the hallway.

“No way, the Marquis…”

“Do you have any doubts, Your Majesty?”

She didn’t answer the question.

She had to make sure. If Marquis Cyrka was a rebel, the Margrave could not escape from that suspicion. One of the true name guardians was Duke Verus, so she thought the other was the Margrave, but it might not be.

Meryl, who was looking at Isilis, who was holding the Princess and not letting go, spoke to her again.

“Please give me the princess.”

“Ah.”

As she handed over the baby, her eyes fell on the necklace. It looked too long for the baby.

“I think this might be a little dangerous.”

“I think so, too. Then, I guess we should do it this way.”

Soon, the strings of the necklace were enchanted to change according to the wearer. Meryl exclaimed in surprise as she watched the string shrink in an instant.

“Magic is really amazing.”

“Haven’t you seen it?”

“I have seen magic tools, but this is my first time with magic.”

It was hard to laugh at Meryl, who has had a really normal life.

Seeing her face smiling as she tried to reassure her, Isilis smiled back as well. It might have been fortunate if the people of the Empire hadn’t seen magic up close. It meant that the danger of war had not reached them.

“Have you ever been through a war?”

“Since Your Majesty is in the Capital, I have not experienced such a terrible thing.”

“That’s a relief.”

“But, sometimes, it can be worse than war.”

“Worse…?”

“Yes.”

She smiled again as Meryl had hoped Isilis would ask her.

“What is going on…”

“Your Majesty!”

Isilis’ mouth fell shut, seeing Duke Verus bursting open the door. Meryl didn’t even mention it anymore. It was a bit pitiful to see him sweating as if he had come running in a hurry.

“What is this?”

“There is someone who has cast a curse spell on the Princess.”

“A curse?”

The barriers of the Imperial Palace were reinforced to prevent outsiders from entering. In the current situation, saying that something had happened to the Princess was the same as saying that it was the work of an insider.

“I’ve seen it with my own eyes, so I can’t hide the truth… A traitor is entering and leaving my palace, Duke Verus.”

“…Unbelievable.”

He looked dumbfounded, as if he had faced a completely unexpected fact.

Upon Allure, the chief wizard’s appearance, Isilis entrusted him with Meryl and the Princess’ safety. After watching the Princess and Meryl leave the room following the chief wizard, she spoke again to Duke Verus.

“Do you remember the past, Duke?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The moment I was kidnapped.”

“…Your Majesty.”

Her eyes were dark.

Isilis was clearly drinking tea alone in the garden of the Imperial Palace. She was drinking her favorite rose flower tea, as always, but she couldn’t remember after that.

It didn’t seem like much time had passed, judging from the bitter rose scent remaining in her mouth. She heard a buzzing sound all around her, and she couldn’t think properly. Something was stuffed into her wrists, judging by the weight on it.

“Is she the Princess?”

“Look at that. It’s red hair.”

“Did you check the eye color?”

“I can’t tell yet because her eyes are closed, but I’m sure from the color of her hair.”

It was difficult to understand what they were saying. To harm her, the Princess… how did this happen?

“The money?”

“Here.”

The sound in her ears went far away. Trying to recover her mind, Isilis tried to move her still body. It was evident that her tea was drugged.

If so, there were at least five people involved in this. Someone who had access to her tea, someone who could get her out of the Imperial Palace, someone who knew the geography of the Imperial Palace, someone who could grasp the movements of the Imperial Family, and finally, someone who planned all of this…

‘Who…’

She tried to get her thoughts through her restless head. It was obvious that she would lose her mind if she didn’t think.

As she continued her thoughts, her head was filled with only burning anger. Selling the imperial family of Larchen for money… to think that such people exist in her empire. Those were her and her mother’s protected imperial subjects!

“Take her. She is important, so handle it carefully.”

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