Stepping outside after closing the door, it felt unusually warm for winter. It seemed as if spring was on its way, warming up after the rain.

“What did the Emperor say yesterday?”

At Heath’s question, Rohana slowly began to speak. She had to leave out the part where he asked her to return.

“He said he would annul the marriage with Aurelia, using the fact that she’s from Kark as a reason.”

Rohana furrowed her brow at Heath’s follow-up question.

“He really seems to want a war.”

When Rohana looked up at Heath, she paused for a moment. It was the first time she’d seen such a harsh expression on his usually calm face.

“Back then, when you left with Crown Prince Bardi…”

Heath smiled bitterly as he spoke.

“Someone should have stopped you.”

Rohana thought carefully for a moment before slowly speaking.

“You can go see the Empress.”

“What?”

“She may be an enemy to me, including Gregory Hanover, but she’s still a friend to you, isn’t she?”

Rohana recalled that Kaiden, Heath, and Aurelia had grown up together.

Though Aurelia was her enemy, she could still be considered an old friend and a peer to Heath.

Some people might criticize her for being naive, but she couldn’t tell Heath not to worry about Aurelia, especially when his face was so tense.

For someone of Kark origin, being cast aside overnight by the Emperor must have been a bitter experience. From the perspective of someone from the same bloodline, it was infuriating.

Even though she was trying to act magnanimous, Heath’s expression grew even more rigid, and Rohana turned her gaze away, wondering if she’d made the wrong choice.

“No, it’s not like that,” Heath said in a low voice.

“We were never friends, not then, and especially not now.”

Rohana looked up at him again. The familiar friendly smile had returned to his face.

“Well, I guess I should go meet Lieutenant Phelts now. I’m really busy,” she said.

Heath nodded.

Rohana recalled what Kaiden had said right before he departed. Although she was anxious about the upcoming confrontation with her family, she had to fulfill the terms of their agreement for independence.

Her meeting with Phelts was one of the steps necessary to capture Gregory Hanover.

Rohana took the bag that Heath had been holding.

***

Two days earlier.

The morning of their departure for the imperial palace, Kaiden slowly walked up to Rohana, who stood by the table.

His sharp yet composed demeanor that morning made Rohana even more tense.

“You’ve really outdone yourself. When did you manage all of this?”

Rohana glanced at the table as she spoke. A substantial pile of documents was stacked in front of them.

“I was careful,” Kaiden replied.

“Combined with my own shares… this will give us more than enough to secure a majority.”

The ownership of the Hanover Trading Company and guilds was represented by certificates of stock.

Though slightly different from traditional stocks, these certificates were pivotal in establishing the Hanover family as the wealthiest in the land.

The system, introduced during Rohana’s childhood, was considered an innovative idea in their world.

As a result, vast sums of money flowed into the Hanover family, multiplying their wealth. She had believed that having more money would increase their chances of survival. However, it had only fueled her father’s evil deeds.

Even Rohana hadn’t known that Kaiden had been gathering funds using Nopthal and various names from across the empire.

“Are you sure about this?” Kaiden asked.

The blackmail materials Kaiden had presented to Gregory for their marriage, as well as the secret funds Rohana had prepared for her escape, were now laid out on the table, ready to be used as weapons against Gregory.

“About what?” Rohana looked back at him.

A faint unease flickered across Kaiden’s handsome face.

“Are you worried that betraying my family will be hard for me?”

Kaiden’s eyes darkened.

“This is something I should have done much sooner.”

Rohana spoke decisively. If she had any regrets, it was only that she had acted too late. She should have toppled her father’s power long ago.

Because she hesitated, two people had died in front of her, and she had almost been used as a pawn.

“I’ll take my share now,” Rohana said, carefully reviewing her portion.

Kaiden gave her a peculiar smile as he gently pulled her close with his large hands.

His familiar scent of fresh wood filled the air. Their lips softly touched. The mere sensation of his lips brushing hers sent a tingle from her neck down to her toes.

“You can deal with Emily’s matter and come back.”

His whispered words sent a shiver through her chest.

“Or you don’t have to go at all.”

Rohana chuckled at his uncharacteristic joke. A faint smile played on his lips as well.

“I’ll take care of both,” she said.

As soon as she finished speaking, his lips met hers again, this time with a stronger pull. She surrendered to the kiss, his lips pressing firmly as if gently biting her.

***

Whoosh.

Thud.

The arrow flew swiftly, hitting the target dead center. Phelts snapped to attention at the sound.

Rohana Hanover, dressed in a gown, lowered the bow she had been holding. Despite the uncomfortable outfit, she appeared remarkably skilled.

When she spotted Phelts, Rohana lowered the bow and smiled with genuine warmth.

“Hello. I believe this is our first proper meeting.”

“You’re quite good with a bow.”

“I taught this to the women as well.”

She looked healthy and bright, just as the rumors said. In fact, she seemed even better than when she was the lady of the Hanover family. Her shoulders were elegant and straight, with her back perfectly upright.

She was the first to sit at the table, lightly placing down a heavy bow and arrows.

“I came to deliver something to Lieutenant Phelts.”

Rohana, speaking directly to the point, had red lips.

“From the Duchess to me?”

“You can consider it as something from both of us.”

Rohana took out a thick stack of documents and placed it on the coffee table.

“Please propose this at the political meeting later.”

Unlike Rohana’s calm expression, Phelts’ eyes widened as he looked through the documents.

“T-This is…”

Even for someone as capable as Gregory Hanover, facing so many internal documents wouldn’t be easy. Embezzlement, personnel corruption, illegal profits, assault, threats—the list went on.

“Yes, just as you’re seeing.”

Rohana’s purple eyes gazed steadily at him.

‘Phelts was confused. Wasn’t this a political marriage forced on her by Kaiden Delcliff because he had some leverage over her? Why was Rohana giving this to me?’

Rohana spoke calmly.

“Don’t worry, it’s not a trap. Kaiden also asked me to give you this letter.”

Her long, delicate fingers handed over a neatly folded letter, sealed with Kaiden’s black insignia.

“All you need to do is present this at the political meeting.”

Phelts stared at Rohana for a moment before lowering his head.

“Is Duke Kaiden Delcliff doing well?”

A year after the princess’s son disappeared, he suddenly sent word from Nopthal that he was safe and well.

The news that Kaiden Delcliff was alive was shocking to those who had known of his disappearance.

The disappearance had been kept quiet, so the younger generation only knew that Kaiden Delcliff had safely returned to his hometown after his parents passed away.

And now, fourteen years had passed, soon to be fifteen.

“Yes, he’s doing well. Thank you.”

How much did Rohana Hanover know?

The duchess’s face was as serene as could be, like an archer drawing a bowstring with the certainty of hitting her target.

Did she know what the Hanover dukedom meant to Kaiden Delcliff? The situation was so unpredictable that Phelts felt a little dizzy.

“He wanted me to tell you it wasn’t your fault.”

Rohana spoke as she stood up.

“I don’t know what happened, but if Kaiden said that much, it seems you did something wrong, Lieutenant.”

‘She doesn’t know.’

Phelts, unsure of Kaiden’s true intentions, simply nodded his head in silence.

There was no need for her to say it was alright. After all, he could never be forgiven by Delcliff. But one thing was clear—this matter must succeed.

Phelts tightly grasped the stack of documents.

***

As Phelts left, Heath entered.

“It’s already lunchtime.”

It was a sandwich. Rohana smiled and shook her head.

“Do you always take such good care of meals?”

“Do I?”

Heath replied playfully in a low voice. Rohana took a big bite of the sandwich. Watching her for a moment, Heath crossed his arms and spoke.

“Won’t Gregory say something to the lady if he finds out?”

Rohana leaned back deeply in her chair. Swallowing the sandwich with an impressive appetite, she lifted one corner of her red lips and continued.

“He should’ve said something already. The Hanover trading company, especially the port, will soon belong to Delcliff anyway.”

Heath raised an eyebrow.

“With Kaiden’s share and the control rights they tied to me, Gregory has already lost. He just doesn’t know it yet.”

Rohana stretched her body, letting out a yawn.

“We only found out this morning too, once we tallied the numbers. I was mainly managing the tokens, but I had no idea Kaiden had acquired so much.”

“Looks like Gregory didn’t manage to take your money.”

“I’m the safe, after all. He never imagined this would happen.”

Rohana muttered with a cynical smile.

“People often think that the ones they torment will stay passive forever. They never expect them to fight back.”

Heath felt a weight settle in his heart at Rohana’s words.

Did she know that Kaiden Delcliff’s marriage to Hanover wasn’t just about wealth? Did she understand what kind of person Gregory ‘Hanover’ was to Kaiden?

Should he tell Rohana Hanover the truth?

Heath quickly dismissed the thought, shaking his head. What nonsense. That was Kaiden Delcliff’s business, not his.

Besides, there was no need to care about someone from Hanover.

At that moment, Rohana suddenly sat up straight.

TL NOTE: Visit and bookmark the story at dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and updates of its latest release.