Chapter 70

70. Whose Fault Was It?

It was the longest time in his life. From leaving the Grand Palace to finding Adelaide, who was held captive by Marquis Flanders. Callion prayed to a god he didn’t even believe in.

“Here, Your Grace.”

Following Lirkan to the spot where Adelaide had disappeared, Callion frantically searched for her tracks.

Footprints were stamped into the soft soil. Two were shod, one barefoot. There were multiple footprints in the same spot, as if there had been a struggle.

Scanning the area, he picked up the jewelry from the floor with a trembling hand. It was a dozen or so black pearl eggs.

“Her Grace told us to…… follow these.”

Callion’s lips curled at Larkan’s explanation.

After another long search, he found the tracks of a carriage. With hope that the grass under the wheels was still fresh, Callion resumed tracking until he had to stop at a crossroads.

The road branched off in four directions. There was no sign of the carriage on the well-paved road.

“We’ll split up and search.”

“Wait.”

Without knowing the numbers on the other side or Adelaide’s situation, he couldn’t act rashly.

If they were targeting him by using her as bait, wouldn’t they send a threat letter? Then Adelaide would be safe.

But if their goal was him, they would not have attempted to kidnap her while he was away.

Thousands of thoughts crossed his mind in a short moment. Though he knew she was in danger the longer he waited, he couldn’t make a decision.

At that frustrating moment, a man appeared.

“Are you chasing the carriage?”

A man appeared in front of him. Callion’s gaze sharpened.

“I saw two men carrying an unconscious woman onto a carriage.”

“Where did they go?”

“That way. Follow me.”

The man led the way, claiming to know where the carriage had gone.

They followed him to a small hut in a remote location. A carriage stood at the back of the hut. It was Adelaide’s carriage.

Without hesitation, the knights broke down the door. Just before running into the cabin, Callion looked back at the man and said,

“Thank you for your help, you too, stop doing dangerous things.”

“…Please save her.”

As he rescued Adelaide, the man vanished into thin air.

‘Sycamore Venture…….’

Callion thought about how he found him in such a remote place. He had been worried since there had been no contact after delivering the letter through Margaret, but at least he handled one task accurately.

Though Sycamore hadn’t realised Callion had been aware of his presence.

***

“How long have you known……?”

“Since that man disguised himself as a grocer and entered Tiflis Castle.”

“But why…….”

Callion smiled faintly when asked if he’d kept it a secret all this time.

“It seemed better that way.”

Adelaide nodded, searching his thoughts. If Callion had turned a blind eye to him, it was probably out of remorse for the Marquis of Alberden, who had lost his life defending his side.

“We owe that man a great debt.”

“I can repay him.”

Callion replied calmly. It was a response filled with many implications.

To repay his debt to Sycamore, he would have to overthrow Elkius and ascend to the throne, and even then, Adelaide would have to be his wife.

There was no reason to repay a debt owed to a woman with whom he had no relationship.

Adelaide laughed quietly.

“Don’t smile like that. I dislike it.”

Callion grunted and pulled her into another hug, savouring her scent. She smelled sweet, even though she was covered in ointment.

“Let me say it again.”

“…….”

“I’m not willing to be emperor if it means putting you in danger.”

“…….”

“Just remember, the only reason I chose this path is because of you.”

The head behind him shook ever so slightly. It wasn’t a cool answer, but it was enough for Callion.

“Now, let’s rest.”

Callion scooped Adelaide up in his arms and headed for the bedroom, setting her down gently on the plush mattress and resting his head on the pillow himself.

The aftermath of the chaos came flooding back all at once. Callion held her close and closed his eyes.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“Idiot!”

Elkius exclaimed as he read the investigative report from the guard. The fifty-page report spelled out the Marquis of Flanders’ charges.

Kidnapping the Duchess of Tiflis, attempted murder, exploitation of the lords, hiring illegal mercenaries, and a list too long to mention.

This was only the first two days of the investigation, and there was no telling how many more crimes would be added to the list.

Two letters sent in the emperor’s name prevented Elkius from participating in the investigation.

Adelaide’s letter was found to have been forged by the Marquis of Flanders, but the person who had written to him and manipulated him was never found.

He could do neither of these things, as any pressure on the guards would have led to him being accused of being behind it.

Furthermore, the investigation related to Valido, found in the Marquis’s residence, hadn’t even begun. If the Marquis were to speak, it would also be troublesome.

Because Elkius himself was the one who granted permission for the production and distribution of Valido.

“He should have at least finished what he started!”

Rather than kill Adelaide Cornwall, didn’t he just give Callion an excuse?

Since Callion submitted evidence to the Imperial Council and left, he hadn’t shown up in the Imperial Council or the palace. But everyone involved in the investigation was clearly cautious of Callion’s movements.

And rightly so. It’s the Duchess, not anyone else. The most powerful woman in the empire, with the position of empress vacant, has been kidnapped and nearly killed.

Moreover, the culprit was someone who had recently been the head of the Imperial Council, so the Imperial Council had to be cautious as well.

“How can he mess things up like this!”

With a bang! Elkius slammed his hand down on the desk. He felt like chewing the Marquis of Flanders to pieces for his rashness.

“Don’t lose your temper, Your Majesty.”

Rosaline whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. Elkius brushed her hand away in annoyance. Unperturbed, Rosaline knelt down beside his chair and looked up at him.

“Is the Marquis of Flanders a problem?”

Elkius looked down at Rosaline. She met his gaze and folded her brows in a comforting way. Elkius barely controlled his temper.

“The Imperial Council and the Guard have been pestering me to allow them to interrogate the Marquis, and I’m afraid I don’t know what kind of nonsense he’ll come up with.”

“But this incident wasn’t your directive, was it?”

“It’s not just about this incident. He knows too much.”

From his relationship with Rosaline to the slave auction, most of what Elkius had done had been executed by his hands.

It would be easier to just shut his mouth forever.

As if reading his thoughts, Rosaline smiled wryly and patted his thigh.

“Don’t worry too much, darling. Everything will be fine.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The Marquis of Flanders looked up at the sound of the prison door opening with a dull thud. A woman with her hood pulled down low stepped into the cell, carrying a tray.

“I have brought you a meal, Marquis.”

The Marquis, his hands and feet bound and his mouth gagged, looked at the woman with questioning eyes. The woman set the tray down and quietly removed her hood.

“……?”

The Marquis’s eyes widened at the red head hidden under the hood. The woman put her finger in front of her mouth.

“Shhhh, I’m going to ungag you, so be quiet.”

The Marquis of Flanders nodded. The woman untied his gag and took a couple of steps back.

“You’ve caused great trouble for Hid Majesty, Marquis.”

“I… I… did as he instructed…”

“Don’t drag His Majesty into this. Don’t you realise that His Majesty is in trouble because of the Marquis’s sloppy handling of things?”

“Give me one chance, I’ll make it up to him.”

“It’s too late.”

Rosaline cut him off coldly.

“The Imperial Council is digging up all the Marquis’s crimes, and you know what the verdict will be if it goes to trial.”

“…….”

The Marquis of Flanders’s throat moved wildly. Death, perhaps, or, if lucky, relegation to slavery and a trip to the workhouse.

“Wouldn’t it be better for you to go honorably as the Marquis before that?”

In a low whisper, Rosaline took out the vial she had hidden under the dome plate and slipped it into the Marquis’s robe. He shuddered at the cold touch, as cold as her voice.

“There will be an interrogation by the investigators tomorrow morning. Clear hisr Majesty’s innocence and preserve your honor.”

It was a silent command for him to bear all the sins alone. With a confused look, the Marquis looked at her.

“His Majesty, let me see him. There is something, something wrong…….”

Rosaline’s eyes narrowed. She whispered in his ear.

“I heard today that your wife has given birth to a son.”

“……!”

“The wife and child must live, mustn’t they?”

A shiver ran down the Marquis of Flanders’ spine. The grim smile gave him no choice. The Marquis of Flanders finally shook his head.

“Tell His Majesty that he need not worry.”

Rosaline Harper’s lips quirked upward.

The Marquis of Flanders stared at her in dismay. Suddenly, an ominous thought flashed through his mind.

“Was that letter…… by any chance from you?”

Without answering, Rosaline pulled on her hood and left the prison.

“Rest.”