CH 44

And Raymond was powerless to do anything. Ellie really dumped him and left.

The only one who has not let go of this relationship is himself.

If Ellie had the desire to return, she would already be on the land of the Empire.

“Your Majesty, please leave Ellie alone.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Raymond said, looking into the same purple eyes as Ellie’s.

“I can’t leave her. Now she has become my everything.”

All this wouldn’t have happened if it had been so from the very beginning.

“If she comes back, if the struggle for the throne begins… You know how it happens.”

The death of the former crown prince was the most brutal death of a member of the royal family in history.

At the time, Raymond thought he was just angry. He didn’t really understand what it was.

“You’d better stop talking about it. It is more important now to correct your situation.”

Then Raymond changed the subject.

The Duke sighed heavily.

“There are protests raging among the nobles, as I heard. You shouldn’t have postponed the trial indefinitely, Your Majesty.”

The Duke seemed to be doing his own work for the Emperor. Raymond laughed at this loyal attitude.

Only Duke Croft was capable of something like that.

“Soon there will be a trial. As you said, it is no longer possible to postpone.”

“Wise choice.”

“Take better care of your health. Or else the funeral will take place before the trial.”

“Your Majesty, don’t go too far. I’m just one of Your Majesty’s servants who can always be replaced, but you are not the only capable leader in our Empire.”

He told Raymond without blinking.

“By your grumbling, I can tell you will soon be back in shape. Then I leave. I will let you know when the court will be appointed.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Raymond rose from his seat.

“Oh, and the lawyer I found you… don’t even think about rejecting him.”

When Raymond spoke, as if threatening, the Duke laughed indignantly.

“As you wish, sire.”

Raymond shook his hand and left the office.

The servant handed him the cloak.

Leaving the mansion, he was about to sit in the saddle and turn towards the palace. But a new thought stopped him.

Then he turned to the mansion.

The woman who ran into him…

Brown hair, brown eyes. The most common color among commoners, and there was nothing special about her face.

But this voice.

It was so familiar.

At first he thought it was an illusion, but the more he looked back, the more this voice…

Raymond summoned the captain of the knights.

“David.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“That woman I ran into earlier. She was with the merchant. And how often do they come here on the estate?”

“Sire?”

David was confused by the sudden question.

“This is the first time I saw this woman today.”

“First?”

“Yes, sire.”

David bowed his head. Raymond was in a strange mood.

He felt that there was something in her.

The familiar look that stared at him and the voice that sounded like Ellie, it all bothered him.

By now, even if she was overseas, she had already found out about the Duke’s troubles.

And if she knew that his father was teetering on the edge, with her personality, Ellie would have no choice but to return.

“…No way.”

Raymond thought about magic, but didn’t remember seeing any magic trinkets.

Moreover, in addition to the color of her hair and eyes, her face was also not the same.

‘Must be just a stranger.’

‘And why am I thinking about it at all?’

“David, find out about her.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Raymond took one last look at the Duke’s house and mounted his horse again.

* * *

“Ellie!”

On my return to the estate, Helen and Lumont met me.

“Everything went smoothly.”

“Oh my God. I’m so glad luck is really on our side.”

Lumont sighed with relief.

“I swore that nothing would happen, but who could have guessed…”

Lumont scratched his cheek with an awkward smile on his face the opposite of his confidence when he promised nothing would happen.

“Of course, I thought of everything from start to finish. But does that even make sense?”

Duke Croft’s estate is a place that the knights of the Emperor guard day and night. Ellie got there safely and was very lucky to get out.

“Have you seen your father? Did the knights interfere?”

Helen asked about this and that, taking my hand.

“No, first, why do you have such cold hands?”

“I was nervous.”

“So what was there in the estate?”

Everything went quite calmly, but after meeting with Raymond I could no longer recover.

“I met His Majesty.”

“What?!”

“His Majesty the Emperor!”

Lumont and Helen reacted expressively.

“No, but wait, is he here too?”

Lumont hastily looked at the carriage. Astonishment and fear streamed from his eyes.

“I wouldn’t come back if he knew who I was.”

“Well… Haha, really. His Majesty would not have arrived in such a wretched carriage…”

Lumont smiled awkwardly and took a few steps back.

“Let’s talk in the office, Lumont. I will change and go down immediately.”

Lumont went to the study, and I went up to the room with Helen.

When I entered the room, I took off my tattered clothes and changed into a comfortable blue tunic dress.

“Tell me honestly, are you okay?” Helen asked anxiously.

“Fortunately, His Majesty didn’t find out anything. We only met by chance.”

“I’m glad it ended well.”

“Ha. My father is very emaciated, but seems to be doing well.”

“His Excellency must have been surprised to see you.”

“Yeah. My father told me to leave, but… How can I leave?”

“Has the court date been set yet?”

“Soon. This case turned out to be too high-profile to continue to ignore the discontent of the nobles.”

“Everything will be fine. I believe in Ellie.”

My heart warmed as Helen smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Helen. What about Carlisle?”

“He’s still asleep.”

“Helen, I need to talk to Lumont, so please watch Carlisle for now.”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

Entering the office, I saw a sofa and a table, which were not there at night. There was also a bookcase and a mahogany writing desk.

“When did you arrange all this?”

“I got everything set up this morning while Ellie went out to investigate. Well, now it looks like a genuine noble cabinet?”

I wouldn’t have to stay here for long, and I didn’t have to decorate it like that. However, I couldn’t just ignore Lumont, who was clearly begging for praise.

“Looks much better. Good job.”

“Thanks.”

Lumont brought the teapot to my cup. The scent of lavender teased the tip of my nose.

“Good for relieving stress.”

“Thank you for your care.”

“Have you reviewed all the materials that I gave you yesterday?”

I nodded.

“Everything is well organized in detail.”

But there was one oddity.

“Foreign traders disappeared as if they had evaporated.”

“Yes, and in just a few days. In addition, the knights raided with a raid right at dawn, as if they knew everything in advance…”

“Someone told them when and where to go.”

“Yes. You have to understand that our enemy sits in the highest offices.”

He spoke with a serious face.