Now, Go Ahead and Stamp It - Chapter 31

At Gillian’s shout, Kaiden, who was quickly leaving the arena, turned around.

“I will show her to the family’s doctors. We don’t know what dangers might be outside.”

“No, Gill.”

Kaiden shook his head. His eyes were blazing like fire.

“I will keep the lady with me for her safety for the time being. Gill, you should think a bit more calmly as well. Nothing has been revealed about who instigated this.”

“That’s why…!”

“Gill!”

Kaiden shouted.

“Right now, who do you think would gain from assassinating ‘Lady Krembell’?”

At his sharp words, Gillian finally faced the current situation properly.

Not Duke Krembell, but Lady Krembell.

There were no other nobles with political interests tied to her.

And did she create any grudges that would lead to assassination?

That wasn’t the case either.

So, in this situation, the threat wasn’t external…

Kaiden’s cold gaze pierced Gillian.

“I am keeping silent because I must remain neutral above all, and because you are my friend… But the investigation will be thorough and rigorous. I swear on my name. Of course, Miss’s safety as well.”

Although not direct, the Crown Prince voiced his suspicion.

People, as if waiting, began to voice their speculations.

“Isn’t the recent divorce rumor the issue? If they divorce, Krembell loses a strong ally in Crient, but if only the wife becomes unconscious before the divorce…”

“Shh. Watch your words.”

“Isn’t it true though? As long as she’s alive…”

“I’ve been uneasy since the friction between Crient and Krembell began.”

“Krembell’s reputation is in shambles now.”

“Right. Regardless of the outcome, Krembell will find it difficult to show their face for a while.”

That wasn’t all.

“Oh my, really? Did Duke Krembell do it?”

“I heard he followed Lady Crient around like a stalker, trying to harm her somehow.”

“I saw it earlier too. I was so scared I had to look away.”

“To anyone, it looks like Duke Krembell…”

With all the chatter around him, Gillian clenched his fist and left the noisy arena.

* * *

Gillian walked without any intention of calming his fiercely beating heart.

To instigate an assassination!

His steps quickened in rhythm with his pounding heart.

He wasn’t the culprit.

He swore he never once thought of killing his wife.

He intended to take her back from the Crown Prince, not to kill her.

But didn’t he have enough motive to render her unconscious to deal with the divorce rumor?

‘It’s certainly a good method. But why would I need to do that?’

She was supposed to be dragged back to the mansion today anyway.

He hadn’t even considered such a method yet, but people were crafting the most efficient path and fitting him into it.

‘Since I didn’t order it, this assassination must be someone else’s plan.’

But there was no one who would benefit from touching Ellen.

It wasn’t something the noble faction would do. It would take a grand noble to do such a thing to Lady Krembell, and there was nothing to gain.

So if we change our thinking, and assume that the goal wasn’t Ellen’s removal, but the result of today itself.

To deepen the rift between Krembell and Crient, leading both families to ruin.

If we assume the story this way, there are places that would benefit.

First, the noble faction.

At least one of Krembell or Crient is likely to jump out of the Emperor’s faction, and where they would head is obvious.

‘Come to think of it, Duchess Tria recently showed interest in Ellen.’

But he soon shook his head.

Just for that, to cause trouble at an event hosted by the imperial family. It was too reckless.

Look at what just happened.

The Crown Prince made a declaration, mentioning the Emperor, that he would investigate thoroughly.

If he had planned such a thing, he would have chosen a different day and method.

He felt his thoughts sinking into a labyrinth and roughly took off his hat.

“Damn it!”

The attendants of the Krembell family, unaware of the events at the venue, just bowed their heads at their master’s seemingly mad behavior.

* * *

Kaiden, who had come with Ellen to the emergency medical tent, ordered everyone to leave except the doctor and sat down.

“Is your leg alright?”

“…Of course. You don’t need to worry.”

Her voice sounded fine at first glance.

But her complexion was pale, and cold sweat was constantly forming on her forehead.

Yet she said not to worry.

Kaiden let out a hollow laugh and spoke through clenched teeth.

“If you don’t want me to worry…”

His hand gripped his knee tightly.

“Then don’t do things that cause worry. You just did it again…!”

He shouted, truly angry.

The gunshot echoing through the arena, Ellen falling from the horse…

In that moment, he experienced what it meant for his mind to freeze.

He was scared.

He was suddenly afraid of losing another person like this.

His mother, the betrayal of a friend, and finally this woman.

His body moved on its own out of fear. When he came to his senses, he was already holding her in the middle of the arena.

Fortunately, he found no sign of a gunshot wound on her.

There were only bruises and some swelling.

Only after confirming this did the burning sensation in his head finally subside.

As relief set in, anger surged up.

“Miss, please… I don’t want to lose anyone anymore.”

“Your Highness?”

Kaiden, not even knowing what he was saying, began to pour out what was rising inside him.

“I somehow felt that you understood my feelings. Because your words seemed like experiences gained from directly going through that pain.”

Ellen’s face briefly hardened.

“Perhaps that’s why, although it’s funny even to me, I felt a sense of kinship from your every word.”

Each syllable Kaiden uttered was filled with his emotions.

“I thought, ‘She must have been betrayed too, most likely by Gillian Krembell. She must have gone through such things earlier than me, and it must have been really hard for her.'”

He clenched his fist tightly.

“So we could be the kind of people who don’t hurt each other.”

“……”

“But I was foolish. You didn’t sympathize with my feelings at all, not even a bit. You didn’t even consider what it would be like for me to hear and see all this!”

He shouted as if he was about to pour out everything that had been swirling inside him.

Ellen faced the greatest bewilderment since her return.

The Crown Prince had accurately pinpointed it.

The betrayal that came, the compassion for it, and the kinship.

These were indeed the emotions she projected when looking at this man.

But to have understood all that and thus placed such significance on her…

“Still, if we made a contract, we should keep our promises. We said we’d ensure each other’s safety not long ago. Are you someone who takes promises so lightly? Hmm?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause Your Highness any trouble…”

Caught in confusion, Ellen blurted out her thoughts from that time, but seeing Kaiden’s face contort even more, she quickly closed her mouth.

“Oh, trouble.”

Kaiden’s gaze slowly turned to her.

“So this isn’t trouble for me, is it?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Realizing she had misspoken again under Kaiden’s piercing gaze, Ellen closed her mouth.

“That’s unlike you. So you do get flustered, huh?”

He sarcastically remarked.

“Congratulations. You’ve just gone from being an extraordinarily suspicious woman to at least having some human traits.”

Kaiden coldly spat out his last words.

“Though I’m not pleased that the catalyst was this incident.”

He straightened his clothes and seemed to be leaving, heading towards the outside of the tent.

“Your Highness!”

Kaiden stopped at Ellen’s call.

“I’m sorry for causing you concern… and thank you.”

“No, it’s me who should apologize for getting angry, Miss. Please take care and receive good treatment.”

With that brief farewell, Kaiden left the tent without looking back.

* * *

Kaiden ruffled his hair roughly as soon as he came out.

“Damn it!”

He should have realized from the start.

The woman who insisted on coming to the scene even when Sir Cheshire warned it was dangerous.

She had taken the gun and powder from him with this in mind from the start.

Planning to throw herself in to create evidence if there was none to trace the source.

‘What? She’s a step closer to divorce, and the investigation is a bit easier for me?’

The grass under his feet was trampled and crumpled.

“Your Highness!”

A knight ran towards him, seeing his tense face.

“What is it?”

“We found traces believed to belong to the culprit at the location where the smoke rose. Powder that seemed to have been spilled while loading, and used cartridges were found.”

“Is that all you found?”

“That’s all for now. But we are tracking the traces of movement, so we believe we can find the culprit soon.”

“Keep pursuing. Who knows? When the net closes in, they might discard the gun and flee to survive.”

Surely, that would be the case.

If she planned this, she would have set it up so both the powder and the firearm could be collected as evidence.

Kaiden reminded the knight to definitely bring back evidence and sent him off.

He saw the doctor coming out of the tent, having just finished the treatment.

“You there!”

“Oh, greetings, Your Highness.”

“Never mind that. How is she?”

“Yes?”

“The patient. Answer quickly.”

“Oh, she should fully recover if she rests well for a while. I’m just going to get a splint…”

“How long is ‘a while’?”

“It varies, but I think about a month should be sufficient.”

“A month? Does she need a month to recover?”

Kaiden asked, his face filled with disbelief.