Chapter 43

Jody’s dark, expressionless eyes stared at Aurelia. With a faint smile, Aurelia lightly plopped down on the sofa, her slender arm resting elegantly on the back.

“Well, I could overlook the chandelier incident as mere clumsiness on your part…” Aurelia’s golden eyes sparkled.

“But what about the Pincheser incident?”

“I’m sorry. But it seemed like the assassins were about to fail, so I—”

“Then you should have made sure to finish the job.” Her eyes, sharp like a cat’s, gleamed.

“And yet, you just set a half-hearted fire?”

Jody bit her lip, her arms crossed tightly, gripping hard.

“Do you even realize how much more complicated that made things? Especially without knowing what kind of powers the Duke possesses?”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I just—”

“You just what?”

Aurelia’s sharp voice cut in leisurely.

“Are you scared or something? Or don’t you care about your remaining siblings?”

Aurelia’s lips curled into a twisted smile.

“How do you plan on paying back all that debt?”

Her voice dripped with disdain, and Jody clenched her fists even tighter.

“And one more thing… I’m just curious—why is R.D. so desperate to destroy Rohana?”

“Why do you care, Your Majesty?” Jody retorted.

“What?”

Aurelia let out a short, mocking laugh.

“Look at you. Do you think you’re better than me just because you have a reason, while I don’t?” Jody’s eyes wavered.

“If you’re so righteous, why don’t you go to Rohana right now and beg for forgiveness? Tell her that evil R.D. forced you into it.” Aurelia lifted the layered ruffles of her elaborate dress and crossed her legs.

“All we ever wanted was one very simple thing,” she said, her eyes flashing.

“But you keep messing it up.”

“Rohana is from the Arin tribe. Even with the drugs, it should have been impossible for her to recover and escape so quickly.”

“But she did escape, didn’t she?” Aurelia’s face hardened.

“And she’s walking around perfectly fine, isn’t she?”

Aurelia abruptly stood up and walked over to Jody, stroking her hair.

“Two mistakes,” she said softly, looking down at her.

“Did you secretly want to fail? Couldn’t bring yourself to actually kill your master in the end?” Aurelia’s wide eyes feigned curiosity. Jody bit down harder on her lip.

“If your mother knew, she’d be so disappointed. How could you?”

Jody’s eyes filled with anger, her trembling jaw barely able to hold back her fury.

“Stay put.”

Aurelia whispered coldly.

“At the very least, report her location to R.D., like you did last time.”

As Aurelia brushed past her, Jody’s frail body swayed as if she’d collapse, and tears fell silently from her eyes.

***

A delayed evening.

The darkened sky was adorned with the constellations of winter. The grand dining room, with its high ceilings, displayed a massive gray marble table, capable of seating dozens. Yet only four people sat at it.

“It’s nice to dine with just the four of us,” came a cheerful voice. The empire had scrambled to prepare a lavish welcome ceremony at the emperor’s command, only for him to suddenly decide he didn’t want to meet anyone.

Rohana barely touched her food, staring down at the table.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Kaiden asked in a low voice, remembering how she had been coughing earlier. Rohana silently shook her head, not even offering her usual faint smile. Seeing her expressionless face, Kaiden felt a strange unease he’d never experienced before.

“We have meringue galettes with strawberries and cherries for dessert,” the servant announced, bringing out the final course. At that moment, Bardi said something that caught everyone’s attention.

“Oh, I just heard from Rohana earlier.”

He began, a slight crack forming in Kaiden’s composed expression.

“About the incident at Pincheser.”

Rohana, who had not even touched her dessert, simply raised her wine glass, seemingly uninterested in Bardi’s comment. She stared briefly at the emperor, unaware of Kaiden’s gaze.

“Yes,” Kaiden replied, clenching his teeth.

“There are limits to incompetence. How could you let Rohana be in danger like that?”

Though he tried to sound composed, Bardi’s voice was filled with a mixture of anger and excitement. His blue eyes locked onto Kaiden.

“And you still haven’t found the culprit.”

“The investigation is ongoing,” Kaiden responded coolly.

“Still?” Their eyes met again, tension thickening the air.

“I don’t see how someone like you is called the great lord of the East.”

Kaiden’s lips curled into a smirk.

“I’ll handle the investigation,”

Bardi declared, his body swelling with arrogance. Beneath his silver hair, his sharp eyes glinted with hostility.

“And how exactly does Your Majesty plan to investigate?” Kaiden’s tone was colder than usual.

Silence fell over the table, breaking the usual decorum.

“What did you just say?”

Bardi unknowingly asked again, stunned. To think someone would contradict the emperor— even Aurelia had wide eyes, surprised by Kaiden’s unexpected behavior.

“Do you know what the Kark tribe and the thing called ‘magic power’ are? Ah, it used to be called ‘magic’… but the term changed, didn’t it? When was that again?”

Kaiden swirled his wine glass leisurely as he spoke.

“Since the Ardgold Empire, wasn’t it?”

Bardi looked at his cousin with a face that said, “Of course.” A sense of relief, along with a faint instinctive fear, washed over him as if he had been waiting for Kaiden to finally bare his teeth.

“Those who have tried or succeeded in harming me, my subordinates, and most importantly, my wife.”

Kaiden narrowed his eyes and straightened his posture.

“Will beg me for death, as I am as infamous as they say, so don’t worry.”

*Crash.*

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass echoed.

Everyone turned their eyes in that direction.

Rohana had dropped the wine glass she had been holding, smashing it to pieces on the marble floor.

“Rohana?”

Kaiden looked at her. Even the previously cold Bardi turned his gaze to her with concern.

“I’m sorry. I’m not feeling well today…”

Her pale and cold face supported her words.

“Please excuse me, I’ll leave first.”

“What?”

Even Bardi, watching Rohana abruptly stand and leave, couldn’t respond properly.

Kaiden watched her retreating figure. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, her steps were hurried.

She was heading somewhere.

Just as he was about to follow, a voice, almost like a song, held him back.

“Duke Delcliff.”

Aurelia’s eyes gleamed like jewels.

Thinking that Heath was waiting at the door and would likely follow her, Kaiden sat back in his chair, leaning sideways again.

“Yes.”

“And Your Majesty.”

Aurelia leaned forward as she spoke.

“You both spoke so menacingly that it seems the Duchess couldn’t handle it.”

Bardi knew all too well that this wasn’t true, but seeing Kaiden sit back down at Aurelia’s words filled him with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

While worrying about Rohana, he hadn’t paid attention to what kind of relationship these two had or what their reunion would be like.

“That can’t be.”

“Surely, you wouldn’t think of leaving the emperor and empress alone as guests, would you?”

Aurelia tilted her head as she asked.

“The celebration seems to be starting now…”

She glanced at the orchestra standing by the door.

Heath is there; it’ll be fine.

Kaiden nodded slightly as he sat back in his chair. Aurelia smiled at him, satisfied. The celebration began with a vibrant string performance.

Kaiden, watching Aurelia whisper all sorts of things to Bardi, unconsciously glanced at the empty seat Rohana had left behind. A strange sense of unease hit him.

Surely not.

A sigh escaped him.

***

Standing in front of the small room where the maid stayed, Rohana clenched her fist.

Knock, knock.

Before long, the door opened in response to the knock.

“My lady, shouldn’t you still be at the dinner banquet? What brings you here?”

Jody, with a welcoming face, widened her eyes.

Rohana quietly closed the door behind her. It was Jody’s room—small, clean, and devoid of anything.

Rohana calmly recalled her memories.

When the chandelier fell.

That day, Jody had not been able to attend the party. It was because her father, Gregory, had hurt her.

On the morning of their departure for Nopthal from Pincheser, Jody had disappeared after being fine, only to suddenly show up later with a basket of sweets.

Come to think of it, that was right after the destination was revealed.

And on the night of the fire, she had also been absent. Only the maids of Pincheser were guarding their quarters.

Why was she well enough that she didn’t even need to take the medicine?

Jody stared at Rohana, wide-eyed, with a look of confusion. She truly seemed no different than usual.

A moment of silence passed.

“Jody.”

Unexpectedly, Rohana’s voice came out calm.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Jody replied slowly, pursing her lips as if curious about what was going on.

“I’m going to ask you some questions now.”

Rohana thought carefully. Even if Jody was involved, she had to use her to reach the core.

There was no way Jody could have orchestrated the appearance of assassins alone. If she was part of R.D., Rohana needed to find a clue to reach the heart of it.

But really? Is it true?

Despite her fast-moving mind, Rohana’s heart was still struggling to accept the situation.

Is it really true?

As her calm thoughts caught up with her racing emotions, Rohana sat down across from Jody, with a small coffee table between them.

“Answer me honestly and directly.”

Rohana’s purple eyes looked coldly into Jody’s.

“My lady, what’s the matter? Did something happen at the banquet?”

Jody asked with a face full of concern.

“From the chandelier to Pincheser.”

Rohana’s voice lowered, steady and cold.

“I know you were behind it.”