Chapter 48

Kalik, who had departed with great determination, stopped not long after. It was before he reached the third corner. It wasn’t due to nerves or distance.  

Like most prominent noble families, the Odillias also had a mansion in the royal capital, so it was only a few hours by carriage or an hour on horseback. Furthermore, he was confident that they hadn’t taken Marie to their main estate. It was impossible to travel long distances with the little preparation they had made in such a short time. This was a reasonable deduction.  

The problem was Dawson, who had caught up with him and was trying to stop him.  

“Please go with a strategy.”  

Dawson clung to Kalik, who was ready to charge ahead.  

It was unclear why Dawson insisted on injecting strategy into a situation where both the goal and the purpose were clear, but his expression was deadly serious.  

Though he couldn’t provide a specific reason, he demanded that Kalik be thoroughly prepared. Whether he feared the process, the people, or the outcome, it was unclear, but Kalik couldn’t blindly accept his words.  

“If that’s too difficult, at least take Lily with you.”  

And yet, the person Dawson suggested was the one most unrelated to strategy.  

Unexpectedly, Dawson emphasized that Lily would be helpful for their strategy.  

It wasn’t as though he was recommending Lily for emotional support.  

“Are you suggesting we send a vanguard?”

“Something similar.”  

Meeting Kalik’s gaze, Dawson’s eyes shifted subtly. Well, using Lily as an advance party would indeed be a waste. So, what Dawson meant was…  

“A decoy… ah, or a shield. By the way, I brought your sword, Sir Kalik.”  

Why the sword?  

“You seem to have forgotten that Lily is a woman.”  

“Isn’t her ability far too exceptional to be classified merely as a woman?”

The horses they rode walked at a slightly brisk pace. Since the two families’ estates were on opposite sides of the royal capital—Escael to the west and Odillia to the east—the distance was somewhat significant, but the path was straightforward.  

Kalik assumed that Dawson was worried about a physical confrontation and reassured him that there was no need to worry. At most, they might refuse to open the door. Regardless of their hatred for Escael, the Odillias would maintain at least the minimum decorum.  

For the Odillias, who were involved in public enterprises, appearances were of utmost importance.  

“If necessary, you should use both men and women.”  

“You talk as if we’re heading to a battlefield.”  

“Isn’t that the case?”  

“What exactly do you think of the Odillias?”  

“At the very least, it’s clear they won’t welcome us.”  

Dawson’s expression turned wistful as he spoke. He seemed to be imagining something Kalik didn’t know about—a moment when he had nearly suffered at Natalie’s hands.  

She had said that if they divorced, she wouldn’t leave quietly. She had declared she’d take an arm or a neck with her. This situation felt eerily like walking into a trap, so Dawson couldn’t help but worry.  

“If you’re so concerned, you don’t have to come along.”  

“No, no. Numbers are the basic measure of sincerity, so it’s only right that I accompany you. Honestly, I wish I could bring an army!”  

“That would be asking for a fight.”  

“If necessary, I’d even consider that. Haven’t we endured enough until now?”  

Kalik silently stared at Dawson, who was passionately arguing. If he told him to leave, Dawson would refuse. If he sped up, Dawson would probably deliver his speech while running.  

“I assure you, they will never open the door. And they won’t hand over Lady Marie, either.”

Dawson’s face was grave. His every word and action resembled that of a soldier preparing for war. Because of this, Kalik, who had been trying to remain optimistic, gradually lost his momentum. What was the point of praying for a smooth resolution when someone beside him was so pessimistic?  

“If you’re going to keep cursing, go back.”  

“Ah, no. I’ll restrain myself.”  

After a long-winded explanation of why things wouldn’t work, Dawson finally realized his mistake and shrank back. Come to think of it, he might die before they even reached the Odillias.  

From that point on, the two men increased their speed in silence. Kalik’s mind was consumed with excuses for being three days late, while Dawson was vaguely pondering how to respond if the other side attacked first.  

Despite everything, they both shared one hope: even if they were turned away, they would at least get to see Marie.  

However, when Kalik arrived at the Odillia mansion in the royal capital, he had to turn back at the gate.  

Elise personally came out and told him that Marie was not there but at the territory.

“Bring a stretcher! A stretcher!”  

The maids, following the butler’s orders, gathered poles and fabric. Ideally, someone healthy and strong would carry the injured person, but the one who was hurt was the largest maid in the mansion, so it wasn’t something an individual could handle.  

“Damn it! Her face is a mess.”  

“Woah, woah, woah, woah…”  

“Lady Marie isn’t even human!”  

“Woah, woah…”  

“Woah?”  

The maid lying on the floor barely moved her lips. Beck, a servant who prided himself on being a veteran, leaned closer, struggling to understand her words.  

“This is… normal…”  

After leaving those words, the maid fainted. The diagnosis was a sudden sugar shock caused by a spike in blood sugar. She had consumed an excessive amount of snacks and sweet drinks, leading to temporary shock.

“Open the door!”  

And the culprit who had caused the maid’s collapse was making an even bigger commotion inside the room, demanding to be let out. The maid had collapsed because the culprit had laid hands on her.

“I’ll guarantee food, clothing, and shelter for life to anyone who opens the door!”  

At the young lady’s shout, all the maids froze. They hesitated, tempted by the enticing promise, and began to move toward Marie’s room.

“All you have to do is open the door!”  

There was no need to do anything complicated—just unlock the door, and they’d be set for life. How tempting!  

“Open it! Open it already!”

But as they hesitated, their master appeared, and the maids scattered without a word.  

“Wow… she’s my daughter, but she’s really something. Ruthless.”  

Albrecht clicked his tongue as he stood in front of the door. The firmly locked door rattled as if it might break at any moment. Marie was pounding on it so violently that all sorts of words spilled out through the cracks.  

Among them were unexpected insults, such as calling her father bald and impotent.  

“Damn it! That guy ruined my daughter…!”  

“Ruined? Ruined what? Go ruin your beer belly instead, Father!”  

“Beer-belly…”  

He instinctively touched his stomach, trembling in shock. Lately, he’d been worried about his weight, as drinking and eating meat to drown out the metallic smell of the smithy had turned into fat.  

If he wore a thick belt to hide it, they mocked him, calling him wrapped bread. If he wore baggy clothes, they teased him, calling him a scarecrow. And now, even his daughter…!  

“Forget it. I was going to let her out, but now she can stay in there longer.”  

“W-wait, Father! Father!”  

“I’ll come back with dinner.”  

“Fatheeerr!”  

Albrecht smacked his lips as he walked away. Somehow, he had a bitter taste in his mouth. It wasn’t just because of the harsh words. What truly troubled him was the unfamiliar sight of his youngest daughter, who had grown into an adult in ways he hadn’t noticed.  

He hadn’t locked her up from the start. Albrecht had initially proposed a peaceful resolution, which required Marie’s cooperation.  

Without her cooperation, he’d just be a one-sided tyrant. If they were to be happy together, mutual cooperation was only natural.  

Albrecht’s insistence on divorce wasn’t due to some petty, childish reason like considering Escael his mortal enemy. There was something deeper and more serious behind it.  

It was a kind of lingering resentment that had been festering for three years, leaving scars on its rough surface over time. In other words, the Emperor wasn’t the only one who felt indebted to their marriage.  

Though in different ways, Peter also cared deeply about Marie, and Albrecht, of course, carried immense guilt toward his daughter. While it had manifested as this strange push for divorce, his intention to give her true happiness, even now, was unquestionable.  

Marie tried to convince him, saying her memories had returned long ago and that there was no problem now. She even exaggerated, claiming she was so happy it made up for the past three years. Calmly, she told him to just leave her alone—that being with Kalik alone was enough for her.  

But to Albrecht, who had already decided not to listen, all of this sounded like the result of brainwashing.  

As Marie listed a hundred reasons why Kalik was a good man and why the two families didn’t need to fight anymore, Albrecht looked at her with pity.  

The moment she saw those moist, wavering eyes, she realized:  

Ah, this isn’t going to work.  

This man won’t listen.  

A warning bell rang in her mind: this was serious.  

Marie shut her mouth. She also shut the door to her heart.