15. Will You Be My Spring Bride?

Around 7 PM when clumsy darkness began to settle.

“Prince Laine.”

Knock, knock, a voice calling Laine was heard along with knocking.

It was a very familiar voice.

Laine put down the documents he was reading and answered.

“Come in.”

“Hello, Your Highness.”

The one who opened the door and entered was Virtanen, his loyal servant.

“Have you been well, Count Virtanen?”

Laine greeted him and then offered him a seat.

“Did you handle the matter well?”

As soon as Virtanen sat down, Laine got straight to the point.

He looked uncharacteristically anxious, as if all his nerves were focused on that matter.

Virtanen nodded without hesitation.

“Hah……”

Laine exhaled a sigh of relief.

For a while, he had felt stuffy like he was choking, but now it seemed to be clearing up all at once.

“You’ve handled things well, starting with Duke Kyle.”

“Not at all, Your Highness.”

“From now on, don’t try to do anything on your own and just do as I tell you. Understand?”

Though there was playfulness in his voice, his words hit the mark.

After all, he became Laine’s loyal servant because he was caught embezzling from the national treasury.

Virtanen bit his cheek and lowered his head without answering.

“Now all that’s left is how to use Amber.”

Tap, tap, Laine drummed on the table.

Since she was someone who held a grudge against Aaron, the matter would be resolved if he just brought Aaron before her.

“Hmm……”

What would be a natural way to make the two meet?

As Laine’s thoughts deepened, the tapping noise grew louder.

It was then.

“Um…… Your Highness.”

Virtanen, who had maintained silence until now, carefully opened his mouth.

“What is it?”

“What about holding a masquerade ball?”

“A masquerade ball?”

When Laine frowned, Virtanen quickly continued.

“With masks covering faces, no one would know who is who.”

“Ah.”

“If Amber wears a mask and enters the party venue, no one will recognize her.”

As soon as Virtanen finished speaking, Laine rose from his seat.

“Count Virtanen, did you secretly receive some training while in Bereut without my knowledge?”

“Haha. No, I didn’t.”

“I should bestow a great reward upon you when we return.”

Laine took out his pocket watch to check the time.

8 PM.

The emperor would still be awake.

The sooner the execution, the better. The more time passed, the harder it would be to bring down Aaron de Monston.

Laine put the pocket watch back in his pocket and ordered Virtanen.

“I’ll send a letter when preparations are complete, so please wait.”

* * *

“Hmm.”

The emperor read through the mountain of documents one by one.

Most of them were about the Kingdom of Kunda. The achievements that Eileen and Aaron had made over a considerable period were tremendous.

“As expected!”

His eye for talent was accurate. And the small fortune that came with it.

The emperor stamped the imperial seal with a satisfied expression.

Even humming along with it.

Just as he was processing one document after another.

“Your Majesty, Prince Laine has requested an audience.”

A dull knock and the voice of an attendant echoed.

“Hmm?”

The emperor paused for a moment and looked at the clock.

9 o’clock.

It was an unusual time for a sudden audience.

Moreover, he still had a pile of documents to process.

“Let him in.”

But being in a good mood, the emperor decided to be generous.

It would be unbecoming of an emperor to treat ungraciously a guest who had given such substantial gifts.

When the emperor granted permission, Laine opened the door and entered.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for the late hour.”

“No, sit there. Would you like some tea?”

“I’m fine.”

The emperor put down his documents and approached Laine.

“So, what brings you here so suddenly at this hour?”

“I came to make a request of Your Majesty.”

A request?

It was a word that didn’t suit Laine.

Quite some time had passed since he had traveled to Bereut, but he had never even made a personal favor, let alone a request.

“Let me hear what it is first.”

The emperor straightened his posture.

“I would like to hold a masquerade ball.”

“A masquerade ball?”

It was quite disappointing for a request. As the emperor let out a hollow laugh, Laine added solemnly,

“I believe you will grant it since I have given you gifts.”

What was so important about a mere masquerade ball that he would make such a request?

The emperor spoke in a deflated voice, as if let down,

“Prince Laine, I can easily grant such a request.”

“……Really?”

“Yes, it’s not difficult at all.”

The emperor answered and reached out to ring the bell. Immediately, an attendant opened the door and entered.

“Please prepare for a masquerade ball.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Prince Laine, do you have a specific guest list in mind?”

“I have a few people.”

At the emperor’s gesture, the attendant addressed Laine.

“I will visit the annex tomorrow morning with preparations.”

“Yes, understood.”

The stage was set, and all that remained was for the main characters to appear.

Laine secretly curled up the corners of his mouth behind the two people’s backs.

* * *

In a time when dark gloom had settled everywhere.

In an abandoned warehouse where the only light was moonlight, conversation sounds flowed out.

“You’re telling Amber to go to a party now?”

The owner of the sharply echoing voice was Amber. She was irritated, looking at the invitation held out before her.

“Didn’t you say you would do as instructed?”

The owner of the intimidating voice was Virtanen, who had wrapped himself in a robe even in the darkness.

He shook the invitation as if urging her to take it quickly.

“Tch.”

She needed to take revenge, but a party?

Amber grumbled as she took the invitation.

“What’s this? This is a party hosted by the imperial family?”

Though Amber had been looking only at Aaron’s portrait every day, even she recognized the imperial emblem. Amber asked with round eyes.

“Yes, it’s a party to celebrate the visit of the prince of Kunda to Bereut.”

“Why would Amber need to go to such a party……”

“Lady Eileen and Duke Aaron will be attending.”

As Virtanen finished speaking, Amber’s blue eyes flashed.

“……What about a dress for Amber to wear?”

“Of course, I’ve prepared everything. It’s a masquerade ball, so you won’t be discovered.”

“Good. Amber will send them to hell.”

Just as Amber had been sent there.

Amber muttered softly and clenched her fist.

A rustling sound flowed between cunning laughter.

“But who are you to know all this?”

Suddenly, Amber became curious about Virtanen’s identity.

Because he was wrapped in a robe even in the middle of the night, she couldn’t see his face or even know his name.

Amber asked while unfolding the crumpled invitation.

“You don’t need to know such things. Be grateful that I’m helping you get revenge.”

The voice that delivered the answer was sharp.

“What?!”

“You just do as I tell you, Amber de Rozley.”

Though not even his hair was visible, Virtanen pulled his robe to cover his face.

“I’ll bring you the wig, mask, and dress the day before, so you just practice stabbing here.”

Virtanen spat out the words irritably and left, leaving Amber behind.

* * *

Unlike usual, security was tight from the entrance of the Ceres duchy.

Armed Ceres Knights patrolled regularly.

Everyone from mail carriers to visitors to the ducal family had to have their identities thoroughly verified before being allowed to pass.

“What happened?”

Matthew, who had come to visit, asked about the sudden change.

He had just undergone a thorough inspection, including a check for any weapons he might be carrying.

“Well, you know that person who kidnapped our Miss Eileen before? What was the name?”

Caroline frowned as she tried to recall the name that was on the tip of her tongue.

“Are you talking about Amber de Rozley?”

“Yes, that’s it! That was the name!”

Caroline clapped her hands and continued.

“Duke Kyle sent that person to a convent, but I heard she escaped.”

“What?!”

It was news he hadn’t expected at all. Matthew let out a scream-like sound with his mouth wide open.

“That person has quite a grudge against our miss, you know.”

“I heard she blamed Lady Eileen for everything even when she was being taken away……”

“That’s why the madam and Duke Aaron ordered security to be strengthened.”

He immediately understood the situation.

Matthew nodded as he looked at the knights patrolling outside the window.

“By the way, why did you come to visit?”

“You know very well, don’t you?”

Matthew giggled and pointed to the bread dough that Caroline had been making for some time.

There was a reason he had visited close to lunchtime.

“You smooth talker.”

Caroline clicked her tongue and put the finished dough in the oven. After setting the exact time, she sat down.

“Have you heard that news?”

“What news?”

“Well, Duke Aaron and Lady Eileen……”

Meanwhile, Eileen and Aaron, who had become the talk of the residents, were busy working at the imperial palace.

“I think the existing route will be very dangerous.”

“The existing route passes through the Defron Strait, right?”

“What about going around this way?”

When working, all three of them were filled with more passion than at any other time.

Today too, around the time the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the long meeting ended.

“Duke Aaron, thank you for your hard work today.”

Laine’s voice as he expressed gratitude was dry. It was as if he was greeting him reluctantly.

“Not at all, Prince Laine.”

Aaron’s response was equally dry.

After exchanging bland greetings, the two quickly moved away from each other without any prompting.

Laine turned toward Eileen.

“Lady Eileen, thank you for your hard work until such a late hour.”

Gone was the dryness from earlier; his voice was full of vitality.

“Tsk.”

At Laine’s blatant attitude, Aaron clicked his tongue strongly. He looked quite displeased.