Chapter 10 – Part 4

The Emperor’s treacherous schemes were all too familiar.

When the Davis family’s key figures were purged, the Emperor proposed a bet to the young Evan.

After Anne had gone with Ailon for the ritual, Edwin, worried for her, also headed to the temple.

The blessing ceremony.

As a temple affair with Ailon Terossa by her side, Evan believed Anne would be safe.

But he also wanted to see her one last time.

Following a childhood memory, Evan walked through the daisy field.

He considered this stealth mission an extension of secretly watching her from the field hospital.

As time passed, Evan wondered if he could ever stop loving Anne when she became a full-fledged lady, but he never answered himself.

Years later, he longed to see Anne with slightly faded red hair and a few wrinkles, still beautiful.

The weather was disgustingly sunny.

***

Four statues.

Among the four guardians of the goddess, there was a secret passageway to the underground—a secret Evan had discovered alone as a child.

He had called out to Ailon, but the ever-virtuous Crown Prince had only watched from a distance.

Entering the secret passage, Evan heard Anne’s trembling voice faintly from the underground.

Thinking something might have happened, Evan’s vision went white. He rushed down the stairs with a serious expression.

The scene he saw was Ailon Terossa standing by a fallen priest with Anne.

Ailon’s gaze towards Anne was unusual. Evan spoke calmly.

“Lady Vanessa, come here.”

Anne, tears brimming, looked at him with small relief in her eyes.

“Commander!”

“Aaron, don’t go.”

The name was given to a squire who had become a bait during the battle of Vorenia.

A name given by the Crown Prince, similar to his own, for someone he cherished.

Before the return, after losing that boy, the Crown Prince had cursed everyone in despair.

Evan couldn’t understand why the Crown Prince had lost his mind now.

All Evan could do was feel sorry for Anne as

“I… I…”

She had hastily covered her exposed back with a cloth.

Evan walked over to her, not wanting anyone to see the seal.

After laying the unconscious Ailon aside, Evan grabbed Anne’s arms and scrutinized her body.

“Are you hurt?”

“…No.”

“Let’s go.”

Evan didn’t ask what had happened inside.

He had a rough idea of what was to come.

With Ailon having killed a priest, the Emperor wouldn’t overlook an incompetent Crown Prince.

As they stepped out into the bright light, they were met by guards at the temple entrance.

“Surrender now, traitor! Kneel immediately!”

Anne, visibly distressed, shouted.

“Who are you calling a traitor? You don’t even know what happened inside…”

“Evan Davis, you are charged with treason against Ailon Terossa. Surrender now!”

Evan showed no sign of resistance. He was simply relieved that the gun was not pointed at Anne.

One thing that worried him was Anne’s attitude, clinging to his waist as if he were someone special, as if she had come to the middle of the battlefield just to save him.

Recalling that moment, Evan felt the need to act quickly.

“Anne Vanessa, it’s time to go home now.”

Evan turned his back on Anne and was surrounded by guards, escorted to the interrogation room.

He could hear Anne’s sobs from behind, shaking his resolve, but he forced himself not to look back.

With news of the truce and Anne under the protection of the Vanessa family, he had achieved his goal. Now, he only needed to keep today’s events a secret to ensure her safety.

***

The ceasfire was officially declared.

The streets were filled with people celebrating and throwing paper flowers, with a mix of hope for an imminent end to the war. The excitement was visible even from the mansion windows.

The celebration wasn’t limited to the citizens. The palace also hosted a banquet to commemorate the truce. Anne couldn’t bring herself to attend and returned to the Vanessa mansion.

Back at the mansion, Anne called Joseph aside for a private conversation.

Propping her chin on her hand, Anne questioned him.

“Why is Duke Evan being accused of treason?”

“…Lady Anne Vanessa, please stop investigating.”

“How can you expect me to stay quiet? He was your superior officer.”

“He is currently a traitor. Everyone in the palace knows this.”

“You know that’s not true.”

“…I don’t know anything.”

Anne’s frustration grew as she watched Joseph avoid her gaze.

There was no one who could help him in this situation.

Evan was under house arrest. Edwin had assured her that Evan wouldn’t be seriously harmed until the trial, but Anne couldn’t stop worrying about what might happen in the meantime.

“You’re a coward, Joseph.”

“I know.”

After Joseph left, Anne tried to cool her boiling emotions with cold water. Then Suen rushed into the room.

Anne stood up quickly to greet her.

“Lady Anne!”

“Suen! Did you come back? What did they say?”

Suen hesitated before speaking.

“Rumors on the streets suggest that, aside from the priest’s death…”

“That was the Crown Prince’s doing!”

“There’s more… The commander is accused of various crimes, including conspiracy to rebel and smuggling medical supplies. They even suspect him of trading the banned substance Mecarte.”

Anne lowered her head at Suen’s words. The smuggling of medical supplies was her doing, not his.

At that time, she believed it was the right thing to do, even if it meant breaking the law. But now it was putting his life at risk. Anne felt a bitter taste in her mouth.

Thinking that he had taken the blame for her actions, Anne quickly began to dress.

“Miss Anne, please. What are you planning to do?”

“I need to take responsibility for what I’ve done.”

“But Baron said there’s still time, and Duke Evan is under house arrest. Please, just wait a little…”

“I can’t just wait. It feels like it’ll be too late.”

“No, Lady Anne!”

Suen grabbed Anne’s arm, pleading. The other servants watched helplessly as Anne tried to leave the mansion.

“Don’t you know it’s dangerous outside?”

Just then, the voice of the Baroness echoed down the hallway.

“Anne, can’t you wait a little longer? We have a guest.”

“Mother, but this is not the time to…”

Anne stopped mid-sentence, lowering her head. She couldn’t refuse the couple who had taken her in.

“Lady Anne!”

A familiar voice called out from behind Evelyn. The person entering with the Baroness was none other than Carly Dehart.

Anne, surprised by Carly’s gaunt appearance, embraced her and asked,

“Carly, why are you here…? What happened?”

Tears welled up in Carly’s eyes as she hugged Anne tightly, her face scrunched in distress.

“There are rumors about more survivors from the Battle of Vorenia. I came to find them…”

“You were in great danger.”

The man next to Carly continued.

Anne narrowed her eyes, recognizing the familiar gaze, and then exclaimed in surprise.

“Oh my, Kyle!”

Despite the unkempt beard and disheveled hair, Kyle’s light brown eyes confirmed his identity.

“Yes, it’s good to see you too, Lady Vanessa.”

“What… what happened?”

Anne, near tears herself, listened as Kyle explained, his fatigue evident.

“After you left, the Carl Hessentz Field Hospital was raided. They claimed it was for embezzlement. All the illegal medical supplies were discovered, and everyone was replaced.”

Anne couldn’t lift her head, remembering the illegal supplies she had acquired.

Her actions had caused her colleagues to be dishonorably discharged, a fact she couldn’t bear.

“Kyle…”

Kyle shrugged, seeing Anne’s distress.

“You probably didn’t know. You were just an incompetent superior who had no idea about any of this.”

“What… what do you mean?”

The soldiers in the hospital, including Kyle, had deliberately excluded Anne from the investigation.

They had coordinated with the commander, understanding her genuine concern for the patients.

“It wasn’t necessary to mention someone who had already been discharged.”

Anne’s face went pale.

“But it’s all fallen on the commander. As soon as I heard, I knew I had to find you.”Upon learning the full extent of the situation, Anne staggered, and Suen supported her, speaking gently.

“Miss Anne, are you alright? You should rest.”

“No, Suen. I need to meet the smuggler immediately.”

“Anne, the smuggler fled a long time ago. I already checked.”

Anne covered her face with her hands, overwhelmed by the burden her colleagues had to bear.

“…Then I must go and confess that I was the one who smuggled the supplies.”

“Anne! Please, pull yourself together.”

Carly grabbed Anne’s shoulders and shook her. In her past life, Evan had done this; now, Anne looked equally unwell, as if she might collapse at any moment.

“Carly, I can’t bear the thought of Evan being falsely accused.”

Anne finally admitted it. She loved Evan Davis.

Seeing his gaunt figure made her heart sink, and she couldn’t bear the thought of him dying.

Carly looked at Anne with pity.

‘The Duke said he wouldn’t let Anne fall for him again, but it’s already too late. What can we do now?’

Suppressing her inner thoughts, Carly spoke.

“If you’re determined to go, I’ll go with you, Anne.”

“What?”

Both Anne and Suen looked at Carly in surprise.

“What are you saying, Lady Carly?”

Kyle raised his voice, alarmed by her reckless decision.

“Do you really think the commander took the blame for a few medics?”

“……”

“He must have wanted Anne to be safe. That’s why she must stay here.”

“But, but the commander is innocent, and yet….”

Evelyn, who was comforting Anne, spoke up.

“Not only is Duke Davis under house arrest, but the Crown Prince is also confined in the palace. There’s a lot of talk about this, so there’s still time. Anne, don’t rush.”

“Kyle, Mother, what if it’s too late? What if it becomes irreversible? I must confess…”