Chapter 9. The Owner of the Cage (2)

“Considering how long this has been going on, it doesn’t seem like a common whim. Are you tired of him?”

“…What does it matter?”

Iella slowly opened her lips, pondering his words.

It wasn’t hard to figure out who he was referring to as the beggar. There was only one person it could be. He was probably talking about the male lead of the original story. According to Allen, Ailexia had continuously summoned him.

However, there was no need or reason to answer his question straightforwardly, especially when she didn’t know who he was.

“You’re still the same. But, you know…”

Far from being flustered by her attitude, he smirked as if he expected it. He retracted his finger from her chin and then extended a large hand that could easily envelop her entire cheek.

The back of his hand lazily brushed against her cheek.

“Considering whose things you are currently enjoying, shouldn’t your attitude be different?”

Iella’s body stiffened.

Her deep pink eyes, which had been staring at him, shook violently without her even realizing it.

‘…No way.’

No way.

She hoped her immediate thought was wrong. But the high-quality fabric, his imposing yet relaxed demeanor, his access to the secondary palace monitored by imperial knights, and his recent words…

The puzzle pieces all pointed to one thing.

He was the owner of this well-decorated cage.

‘I never expected to meet him like this.’

After learning about the Emperor’s surveillance, she had vaguely considered this possibility.

But that was in the scenario where she failed to escape and was dragged before the Emperor by knights, not in a meeting like this.

She had no experience or quick wit to navigate such a situation. She had lived a small, civilian life in a minor estate without any connection to the capital or the imperial palace.

“Why are you trembling?”

In the unexpected situation, her mind went even blanker, and her hands began to shake. Iella only realized her anxious behavior when he spoke, having noticed something amiss.

Fortunately, his voice pulled her back to reality. Iella bit the inside of her cheek hard. She swallowed the metallic taste of blood and gripped the book tightly until it hurt.

‘I need to act composed.’ She repeated this thought over and over in her mind as she slowly lifted her head, which had instinctively bowed.

“When have I ever…”

“Hmm?”

“When have I ever acted obediently?”

She drew a crooked smile on her lips, just as he had done.

“You should wish for things that are possible.”

She couldn’t lower her stance now. Even if she were genuinely Ailexia, she wouldn’t have done so.

If Ailexia were the type to bow before the Emperor, she wouldn’t have caused any trouble and would have lived quietly in the secondary palace.

Her deep pink eyes glared at him. He responded with a sharp gaze, a light scoff escaping his lips. His red eyes now held a faint trace of anger.

“…Miss Ailexia!”

How long had they been staring each other down? The silence, longer than expected, made Iella’s heart shrink and nearly disappear.

From afar, the sound of the library door being roughly opened and a voice calling her name reached them. The hurried footsteps quickly approached where they stood.

“Miss Ailexia, here, huh.”

Vanessa, who had been approaching quickly upon spotting the platinum blonde hair, gasped when she saw him standing close to Iella.

Upon hearing Vanessa’s gasp, Iella twisted her body to slip away from him. Now’s my chance!

“I don’t think we have anything more to discuss, so I’ll take my leave first.”

Iella gave a curt farewell and moved toward the library exit. Vanessa, flustered, glanced between the two before hastily bowing to him and following Iella. The man watched her retreating figure with a persistent gaze.

A faint thrill flickered and then faded in his red eyes.

* * *

Entering her bedroom, Iella collapsed onto the bed. Her body, on the verge of losing strength, felt incredibly heavy. Her heart felt like it had shrunk halfway.

‘As expected, an Emperor is an Emperor. His presence is overwhelming. Phew.’

Iella clutched her chest and took a deep breath. She desperately wanted to lie down and rest until at least tomorrow.

“Miss Ailexia, why did you go to the library?”

Vanessa spoke, seemingly unaware of Iella’s desire for rest.

“I told you through the maid that I was going to organize the library…”

Her demeanor was different from her usual calm self. As Iella listened quietly, she pieced the situation together once more.

‘So, it was indeed him that Vanessa was trying to organize. The reason it wasn’t properly organized was that Vanessa couldn’t handle someone of his stature.’

Despite having sorted things out, Vanessa’s rapid-fire words showed no sign of stopping. In the end, Iella, who desperately needed rest, lifted her face from the soft bedding and looked at Vanessa.

“You didn’t organize it properly.”

“That’s…”

Finally, Vanessa’s torrent of words slowed and her lips pressed into a thin line.

Vanessa cautiously watched Iella’s reaction. Since entering Ailexia’s body, Iella had always been the one watching others, so this reversal felt a bit unfamiliar. Not that she minded, though.

“I know. He’s someone you can’t handle.”

Vanessa wasn’t at fault. Since the opponent was the Emperor, there was nothing Vanessa could do. The term ‘organize’ was probably a euphemism for informing Ailexia of his visit.

The only problem was that Iella wasn’t the real Ailexia and didn’t understand the code.

‘Still, it’s a relief I managed to get out without any major issues.’

The memory of his red eyes brought a wave of exhaustion. For now, she needed to rest. Just as Iella was about to bury her face in the bedding with a deep sigh, Vanessa spoke again.

“But usually, when the Grand Duke visits, you don’t go near the library. Why today…”

For a moment, Iella doubted what she had just heard.

“Oh, of course, I know you sometimes meet the Grand Duke personally, but you usually give prior notice. Ah, Miss Ailexia?”

But when Vanessa mentioned the title once more, as if to confirm, Iella abruptly sat up. Vanessa, startled by her sudden movement, stepped back in surprise.

Iella ignored her and approached, grabbing her by the shoulders.

“What did you just say, Grand Duke?”

“Huh? Yes. His Grace, Grand Duke Chase von Rubalt. Why… what’s wrong?”

Her hands, which had been holding Vanessa, fell limply to her sides. Iella placed a hand on her forehead, unable to respond as her mind reeled from a different revelation.

‘It wasn’t the Emperor?!’

She barely managed to swallow the scream of shock that almost escaped her lips, thanks to Vanessa’s presence.

* * *

Grand Duke Chase von Rubalt.

The only Grand Duke of the current Behart Empire and the ruler of the Rubalt Duchy in the eastern part of the empire.

He was the sole imperial family member to survive with his title, wealth, and territory intact during the current Emperor’s ascension, which saw the execution of both direct and distant relatives.

He was the youngest son of a late Emperor, born to a young Empress at an advanced age, and the half-brother of the former Emperor.

In terms of blood relation, he was the current Emperor’s uncle. However, the age difference between him and the current Emperor was smaller than that with the former Emperor. In fact, he was so young that people often believed they were brothers.

His striking appearance and the dangerous aura that radiated from him even when he stood still only accentuated this perception.

‘Why is he in the imperial palace instead of the duchy?’

Of course, what puzzled Iella at the moment was not his appearance but the situation itself.

Even though her family had a modest estate, a low rank, and not-so-wealthy finances, they were still nobility. This meant they received basic etiquette and education befitting their class.

Stories about the Grand Duke were particularly impossible to ignore. Every book her tutor opened always dedicated a section to him.

However, the educational books focused more on official matters related to him rather than his appearance, which is why she hadn’t recognized him immediately.

Iella suddenly found herself curious. According to what she had learned, the duchy had not gained official autonomy, but it was not entirely independent either. This was evident from the fact that the Grand Duke was addressed as Your Grace, which signified recognition as the ruler of a state.

So, here’s the question.

Is the ruler of a duchy an idle position?

‘Of course not.’

The answer didn’t require much thought.

If this had been the first occurrence, she could have dismissed it lightly. She could have assumed he had some business in the imperial palace and they had coincidentally crossed paths. Although, it was a place where coincidences were unlikely.

‘He wouldn’t have come out of boredom… right. …Was he curious?’

He had always been overshadowed by his brother and nephew, never ascending to the throne and remaining a member of the imperial family. Realistically, he had no further chance to claim the throne, so perhaps he wandered in search of entertainment…? Realizing her thoughts were becoming far-fetched, Iella shook her head.

‘But this isn’t his first visit.’

Indeed, it wasn’t his first visit. It had already happened multiple times. Despite Ailexia’s disdain and refusal to meet him, he persistently, and without showing any signs of weariness, continued to visit.

What could that mean?

It meant that, as a ruler of the duchy who should be busy, he was showing an excessive, borderline obsessive interest in Ailexia!

“…Why are there no sane people?”

Iella staggered to the bed and plopped down, feeling despondent. Vanessa’s anxious fussing beside her went unnoticed. The realization from the recent encounter left her mind in a daze.

[“Considering whose things you are currently enjoying, shouldn’t your attitude be different?”]

The Grand Duke had decorated the cage, and the Emperor was monitoring it. The collaboration between the two had trapped Ailexia in this secondary palace.

The world was full of crazy men.