Would he accuse Sarr and demand her return immediately?

And what if they never found her?

The blame would fall on that bastard Lutz.

His reputation as the envoy’s representative would be tarnished, and his status as a war hero would plummet.

‘I only need to get Hinael, so I’ll let him deal with the aftermath.’

Chetter took a gold pouch out of the desk drawer and tossed it up and down to confirm its weight.

“I’ll give you the other half once you complete the mission. Here, take it.”

The mercenary leader smiled faintly at the sound of the clinking gold in his hand and replied.

“I will return soon with the desired results.”

The man, who had pocketed the gold pouch, bowed sharply and left the study like the wind.

The paper knife on the desk spun again in his hand.

“Hinael. That bastard isn’t sincere with you. He just wants to boast about his spoils. That’s why he took you from me.”

Come to me.

Only I can give you true love.

You were mine from the beginning.

His white skin reflected the cool moonlight, turning a bluish hue.

* * *

After disembarking from the ship, they rode for a long time.

They relied on torches to navigate the bumpy road through the night.

Hinael smiled faintly at Dea, who slept soundly despite the jolting carriage. She had boasted about protecting her but couldn’t fight off sleep.

It was nice to have a moment to smile thanks to Dea.

‘There will be more moments of tension, crying, and feeling miserable in the future. But having someone to comfort me gives me strength.’

She shuddered to think what she would have done if she had left Dea behind.

After covering Dea’s lap with a blanket, Hinael closed her tired eyes.

She dozed off while thinking about how to adapt to the Trycas imperial family. Time passed slowly again.

If the sun had been up, she could have gauged the passage of time, but in the dark night, all she could do was wait.

How much longer did they travel?

Just as both Dea and Hinael woke from their sleep and were enduring the weariness, Evan’s voice was heard.

“Your Highness. We will soon arrive in Dwen.”

“Alright.”

Her tongue stiffened with sudden tension, but she managed to answer. Hinael pressed her chest and took a deep breath. Dea mimicked her.

“Whew… Although it’s Your Highness who will be with the prince, I’m more nervous.”

“I’m very nervous too.”

“Hopefully, His Highness will treat you well today.”

Hinael gave Dea a bright smile on purpose.

The envoy, approaching the castle, crossed the moat with the Trycas imperial flag held high.

The long procession passed through the castle gates and headed directly to the Viscount’s mansion.

In front of the mansion, Viscount Ted of Dwen, his family, and his servants were all waiting.

“Your Highness the Princess Consort. You must have had a hard time traveling until late at night.”

“Thank you for welcoming me. Is His Highness inside?”

As a prince, Lutz didn’t need to come out to greet the envoy. However, his continued absence was puzzling.

The fleeting glance the Viscount gave Evan also suggested something unusual had happened.

At that moment, Evan, standing next to Hinael, spoke in a low voice.

“Your Highness, I have something to tell you privately.”

“Right now?”

“Yes. I think it’s better to tell you before you go inside.”

Hinael looked back at the envoy waiting behind her. They must be eager to rest their weary bodies.

When she agreed, Evan nodded to the Viscount.

The Viscount gestured to his servants.

“Guide our guests to their rooms and prepare a meal!”

As she watched the people move efficiently, Hinael turned her gaze back to Evan, who quietly led the way.

He took her to a path behind the building, stopping at the entrance and checking the surroundings.

“There’s no one around.”

“Did something happen to His Highness?”

Furrowing her brow with worry, he kindly explained further.

“I mentioned that he had to confirm matters related to the treaty. During that process, he unexpectedly collapsed.”

“He collapsed?”

“Well… it’s more accurate to say he fell into a deep sleep. It seems there was poison in the food His Highness consumed, likely from a spy within the envoy.”

Hinael was horrified by the unbelievable news.

“Poisoned? Poisoned, you say?”

“It’s a grim reality. His rivalry with his half-brother is indeed terrifying.”

“Is His Highness alright?”

“Fortunately, the antidote was administered quickly, so his life is not in danger, but he cannot get up immediately.”

Evan smiled awkwardly, as if asking for understanding.

Though he had just portrayed his master as weak, he only needed to deceive the Princess Consort.

Unaware of this, Hinael imagined the struggles Lutz must have endured.

Lutz’s health was at risk. If his half-brother learned of this, he might seize the opportunity to eliminate Lutz. Being in a foreign land, they were naturally more vulnerable, making this an ideal chance.

The rival must be Kyle Viant.

“Publicly, we stated that His Highness left for Sarr a day early, angered by the high priest’s treatment of him as a monster.”

Evan smiled again, seeing Hinael listening intently.

He couldn’t reveal Lutz’s true condition, and it would be too harsh to say he was so angry that he rejected his newlywed wife. So, he had shown some leniency.

“With adversaries watching us closely, we had to be cautious. And since the envoy wasn’t informed, we had to keep His Highness’s condition a secret. Rumors spread quickly and insidiously.”

“With a spy in the envoy, we mustn’t disclose anything.”

“Indeed. Oh, and the Viscount of Dwen is loyal to His Highness, so you can rest assured.”

“So that’s why you brought His Highness here first and then rejoined us.”

Evan smiled broadly as Hinael quickly grasped the situation.

“Exactly.”

“Then, has the matter with the high priest been completely forgotten?”

“Though His Highness was very displeased with the high priest’s remarks, maintaining the peace between the two countries is more important. He won’t take it out on the Kingdom of Sarr. I’m truly sorry for not informing you earlier.”

“It was an unavoidable situation.”

“Thank you for understanding. Given the secrecy of His Highness’s condition, I couldn’t return to the palace.”

“After hearing the explanation, I understand.”

To appease Hinael, Evan exaggeratedly sighed in relief, then looked apologetically at her.

“Since His Highness needs rest, you will likely need to sleep in the room next to him tonight.”

“I don’t mind at all.”

“Your Highness is truly the perfect match for His Highness. Ordinary people couldn’t handle his difficult nature.”

Despite his cold demeanor, Evan could be quite sociable when needed.

Even then, he repeatedly apologized, and Hinael consistently reassured him that it was fine.

She wanted to go inside and rest now, but Evan stopped her again.

“Forgive my impertinence, but please keep this matter confidential, Your Highness.”

Who else would she tell besides Dea?

“Even to the maid, Dea.”

Feeling a pang of guilt, Hinael calmly replied.

“She’s like a sister to me, but I know I can’t tell her everything.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Having achieved his goal, Evan composed himself and addressed Hinael with a formal demeanor.

After bowing respectfully, he excused himself and left.

* * *

Hinael, along with Dea, followed the servant’s guidance to the bedroom. Her room was on the second floor.

A bath had been prepared in the room.

“Shall we set up the meal in the dining room?”

At the servant’s question, Hinael shook her head.

Honestly, she wasn’t interested in eating; she just wanted to wash up and sleep quickly. After being jostled around in the carriage all day, every part of her body ached.

However, it seemed better for Dea to eat the precious food rather than skipping a meal.

“We’ll eat in the room, so bring it here.”

“Then I’ll have it ready for you to eat right after your bath.”

After the servant left, Dea opened the luggage box.

“I’ll prepare your clothes, so please get in the bath.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Hinael responded with a warm smile to Dea, who was smiling brightly despite the exhaustion. She undressed behind the screen.

Then she dipped one foot into the steaming bath. Even though she wasn’t fully immersed, the warmth spread through her entire body.

Hoping to relieve her fatigue, she put her other foot in as well. Leaning back in the tub, the hot water pleasantly enveloped her skin.

“Ah, this feels wonderful!”

Her eyes closed involuntarily.

‘Didn’t they say His Highness is in the room next door?’

She felt a pang of sympathy knowing that the man who seemed invincible had been poisoned.

‘He must have always lived exposed to danger…’

To avoid being a burden to Lutz, she needed to take care of her own health first.

For now, she prioritized rest over worrying about Lutz’s condition and sank deeper into the bath.

Dea, who had placed a negligee on the bed, crouched by the tub and poured water over Hinael’s shoulders.

“Are you sleeping separately from His Highness again tonight?”

Hinael almost mentioned Lutz’s poor health but stopped herself. She wasn’t brazen enough to break her promise to Evan.

Since she didn’t answer right away, Dea asked more directly.

“What did you talk about with Sir Renov earlier? Was it about His Highness? Are you not sharing a room tonight?”

Though she was often impulsive, Dea was usually discreet and perceptive. She followed Hinael well and knew her boundaries.

Feeling a sense of duty to protect her mistress in a foreign land, Hinael decided she needed to curb Dea’s uninhibited behavior.

No matter how close they were, their statuses were different.

Hinael didn’t mind the difference, but others might criticize Dea’s actions. She needed to be cautious to prevent any backlash against Dea.

Hinael stared at Dea, who was prying too much.

Sensing Hinael’s stern look, Dea quickly bowed her head.

“Oh! This foolish mouth of mine… I overstepped. Forgive me, Your Highness.”