She was a daughter of the Belest ducal family, known for their close family ties, so reading her psychology was simple.

“Let me organize my thoughts.”

He rang the silver bell on the office desk, and a servant promptly appeared.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Send for Peterson.”

“Yes.”

Soon, Peterson, the duke’s confidant, appeared and bowed his head.

“The carriage to the convent seems to need a bit more preparation.”

At these meaningful words, Peterson raised his head. He had already secured untraceable mercenaries and a carriage.

All that remained was to send the lady and Briana to the convent under the cover of night, so what more was needed?

“My lovely sister and niece are going on a journey, so I should see them off.”

“Will Your Grace…… also be going?”

Peterson’s gaze turned to the vial in the duke’s hand. Then he nodded.

“Yes, I’ll prepare accordingly.”

The implicit agreement was concluded.

* * *

On the day the carriage was set to depart, Elia’s expression was peaceful.

Daniel smiled with satisfaction at the report from the servant who had secretly peeked into her room.

Tonight, even the parts of his plan that had momentarily become disorganized would be settled.

“Briana, are the preparations going well?”

“Yes. Since we’re going to the convent, there’s not much to prepare.”

“Yes, that’s right. After you enter the convent, I will certainly through patronage……”

“No, brother. When I return to the convent, I must put down the family name.”

Briana wore a faint smile.

“I’ll cherish the medicine you prepared for Elia. Honestly, I was worried because we can’t get expensive medicine at the convent.”

“I also got this medicine with difficulty just before coming to the capital when I heard Elia injured her leg. The apothecary said that at first the effect might be too strong, so she should take it mixed with just one drop per day……”

“I know, you’ve reminded me several times already.”

Daniel made an awkward expression. The uncle’s expression, appearing as if he wanted to provide something more for his niece who was losing everything and entering the convent, seemed quite convincing.

“It’s precious medicine, so I hope Elia recovers by following the dosage instructions well.”

“Yes, I’ll take good care of her.”

“Good. I’m glad you’re here.”

Briana smiled gently and left his office.

“How you use medicine is more important. Well……”

Of course, there was another reason why the dosage was important. If she drank all the medicine at once, she would die before crossing the third gate of the convent, so time was needed.

Daniel had already heard the detailed instructions for the medicine from the apothecary. It was a medicine he had deliberately prepared for effective use, but thanks to Cecilia’s suicide, everything about the medicine had been blamed on the former ducal couple.

“Two months, that should be enough.”

He had heard that with one drop per day, it would take more than two months to gradually lose strength and die.

“If a delicately raised duke’s daughter, heartbroken over her injured leg, dedicates herself to God and then falls ill and dies because she can’t endure the poor conditions of the convent…… it would be natural.”

Daniel intended to leave no loose ends.

It would be Elia’s own fault if she defied the Emperor’s order, fled to the convent, and died from illness due to her wrong choice.

“The declaration that the former emperor’s marriage proposal is valid has already been made. Even if Elia disappears, there is one more ‘Lady Theon’ who can marry the Emperor.”

That was his lovely daughter, Kayla.

Conveniently, she was two years younger than Elia, so it wasn’t much of a problem, and if Elia was properly dealt with, she would be the only true Lady Theon.

“Whatever the case, it’s better to be certain.”

Daniel wore a satisfied smile.

“I wish I could show this to my brother. The spectacle of me destroying the unfairness of the Theon ducal family.”

Countless opportunities that had been taken from him simply because he was born later flashed through his mind.

“I broke my chains with my own power.”

In the end, the winner was Daniel, not his brother. Also, his children would overcome the limitations of being mere collateral descendants of the second son.

“I have sufficient qualifications to become the true head of the family.”

The corners of Daniel’s mouth curved upward. He seemed to feel nothing but pride in overcoming the trials given to him through his efforts.

He had already forgotten the sacrifices made in the process.

And nothing would change in the future.

* * *

Darkness finally descended. Though it was the full moon and should have been bright, the thick clouds threatening rain made the darkness feel even deeper.

“Elia, are you…… certain about your decision?”

Briana asked with kind but firm eyes.

“The decision you make now will change your life. Forever, and it can’t be undone.”

“Yes…… I know.”

Elia had to make decisions that would change her life and everything several times. Now again, that crossroads was before her.

But this time…… this time she couldn’t make the wrong decision.

“I’ll ask one last time. Is your resolve unchanged?”

Blue eyes stared at Briana.

“Yes.”

Elia’s voice trembled faintly, but the will in her eyes was unwavering.

After confirming that will, Briana nodded.

“May this decision bring you happiness and peace…… let’s pray to God.”

Slowly, Elia closed her eyes.

Though none of the options could be perfectly what Elia wanted, it was time to leave the rest to fate.

* * *

In the darkness, there were men moving quietly and quickly on horseback.

With black hoods pulled down, neither their identity nor appearance could be discerned, but their unusually swift movements were extraordinary.

“Your Majesty, it looks like it will rain soon.”

Jayden cautiously reported, but Rockfort ignored him. Mere rain couldn’t stop him.

The Emperor had come out under the cover of night, and he had not listened to dissuasion that his reason was too reckless.

“You could use the Crimson Knights for this kind of thing……”

“Jayden, I won’t return until I confirm it with my own eyes. So stop trying to persuade me.”

“Yes……”

At Rockfort’s firm words, Jayden clicked his tongue.

He felt quite pathetic, hiding in the bushes with the Emperor alone at this late hour.

“What if the carriage doesn’t come?”

“Then we wait.”

Rockfort’s purple eyes gleamed brightly even in the darkness.

Whether it was anger or some other emotion, it was impossible to tell yet.

“How did Your Majesty know…… that the lady would flee to the convent?”

“I didn’t.”

“……Pardon? But you ordered us to monitor closely and discovered the hiring of an unidentified carriage……”

Hoo, Rockfort exhaled a short breath.

“I simply didn’t fully trust.”

At this calm statement, Jayden nodded.

As Rockfort had suspected and ordered close observation, and indeed, one cargo carriage that had entered the ducal residence today had not come out.

And it happened to be an unregistered carriage with no known owner.

“Even if that carriage comes out, no one knows when. We can’t keep waiting like this, can we?”

“If my suspicion is correct, it will definitely come out today. And soon.”

Though it was dark and he couldn’t be seen, Jayden’s puzzled expression was easy to imagine.

“The only place the lady could possibly escape to would be the Amas Convent.”

“Yes, because Your Majesty happened to summon the lady’s aunt who is a nun there……”

Hmm, at Jayden’s additional comment, Rockfort cleared his throat unnecessarily.

“A lady who can’t use her legs would need to move by carriage, and since she wouldn’t flee in broad daylight, she would have to depart by midnight to reach the convent under the cover of darkness.”

“Ah……”

At Jayden’s delayed realization, Rockfort sighed.

“When will you ever……”

“Oh, Your Majesty. Look, I think a carriage is coming?”

At those words, Rockfort’s eyes gleamed sharply. Having ambushed on a slope where carriages had difficulty moving quickly, only part of the party was visible, but someone was clearly approaching.

“Three men on horseback…… two of them following behind, so the one in front must be of quite high status. For instance, Duke Daniel Theon.”

Tsk, Rockfort tasted bitterness.

If Elia’s escape went beyond a mere lady’s deviation, the matter would become serious.

“Your Majesty, if…… I mean, if that party really is Lady Elia escaping…… and the duke is with her……”

“He cannot escape punishment.”

Instinct answered before reason. It would become an incident that might require the annihilation of the family.

“I have already issued an order in the Emperor’s name, and I cannot allow someone who refuses it and flees to go unpunished.”

No matter how deeply Elia had impressed him, if it became a matter of shaking the Emperor’s authority, he could not easily overlook it.

“But you liked the lady. You came here in person to persuade her……”

“That’s if the lady acted alone. If the duke is involved, it’s a matter between the Emperor and his subject.”

What he could forgive extended only to the deviation of an immature lady. Of course, that was only possible if no one knew about it.