Chapter 67

At that moment, inside a shabby carriage.

Gerard, who had been looking out the window, lowered his eyes. Seeing the fluffy clouds outside made him long for the Grand Princess even more.

It had been quite a while since he’d seen that cute face.

Gerard asked Stephanie, who was sitting across from him.

“Do you think the Grand Princess liked our gifts?”

“I told you she would like them.”

“Why the sudden informal speech?”

“This is the thirtieth time I’ve heard the same question. Aren’t you annoyed?”

Stephanie replied curtly and rubbed her aching b******s. The problem with this cheap carriage, above all else, was the pain it caused to her backside.

After riding for several hours straight, her tailbone felt like it might fall off, yet Gerard, sitting beside he,r seemed perfectly fine.

‘He must have trained himself for this.’

Stephanie looked at Gerard with envious eyes. His body under those clothes must be all muscle.

“What is it?”

“I’m envious that you have muscles.”

“If you wish, I could train you as well.”

As if I would be crazy enough to accept that.

Gerard’s gently curved eyes gleamed sharply. The shiver that ran through her body at his predatory gaze was unmistakable.

That man could use training as an excuse to kill her. What a detestable man, pretending to be nice only in front of the child.

“If you have complaints, feel free to speak. I’ll listen.”

“No thanks. Who would benefit from that?”

“I’m the one who’s endured you with your absolute lack of life skills. You should trust me.”

“You have a very unpleasant way of saying you want to abandon me.”

“May I abandon you?”

Gerard tapped the window with his finger. It was a warning that if she didn’t quiet down, he would throw her outside.

‘Life is just too miserable.’

How did the little one tame this man to be her servant? Apart from feeling slightly reassured when traveling together, she couldn’t find any advantages to his company.

Moreover, the scale of his nagging was dozens of times that of the child’s. Just recalling yesterday’s scolding while cooking made her head ache.

“If you don’t intend to stab me with that knife, please put the kitchen knife down.”

“I told you I’m going to cook.”

“The only thing you can cook is that foolish mindset of yours.”

“I can do it too!”

His treatment was harsh just because she had failed at cooking a few times.

It was just ordinary cooking that didn’t taste very good. Was it really worth getting angry over starting a small fire while frying ingredients?

‘No one even got hurt.’

And after she had been swept away by rapids while trying to do laundry, he wouldn’t even let her near water. His overprotectiveness was just too much.

Gerard, who had returned to looking out the window with concentration, called to her again.

“Lady Stephanie.”

“What?”

“Perhaps I should have given something more impressive than a hairpin after all.”

Ha. This is driving me crazy.

Changing the form of his words didn’t change their content. Her suppressed anger exploded at the thirty-first repetition of the Grand Princess gift talk.

If she had known it would be like this, she would never have given advice about the gift.

“I told you she would like it! Very! Very much! She would like it!”

“I understand, but why are you angry?”

Stephanie, who had stood up abruptly to grab Gerard’s collar, sat back down due to the sharp pain. She didn’t have the energy to waste on this man.

They were currently following traces left by her daughter, Juno.

“Mom. There’s someone I absolutely must meet.”

Before her disappearance, Juno had repeatedly said those words. Thinking it might be about her future partner, she had been secretly excited.

If only she had asked Juno more details about that person, then the situation might be very different now. She never imagined she would go this long without seeing her daughter.

Gerard’s indifferent voice reached her ears as she was lost in thought.

“Do you believe there are traces of Her Highness where we’re going?”

“Yes. You saw the note the child left with me.”

She and Gerard had discovered a note in the dark mage’s experimental tower.

[Southern streets of Keron.

200-Hamilton Street. Third line from top to bottom. Five shelves and seventeen memories.]

Gerard seemed to think the note might have been left by someone else. The handwriting on the paper was smudged beyond recognition, so it was understandable.

But Stephanie had felt a strong conviction the moment she saw the paper. That note was clearly some kind of signal Juno had left for her.

“Lord Gerard. Have you ever played treasure hunt as a child?”

“Not really.”

“I used to play it often with my daughter. She would leave written clues about where she was hiding.”

By following the notes, she could always find where her daughter was hiding, no matter how far.

“So that’s why you’re certain.”

In truth, it might be a false hope created by futile wishfulness. Stephanie didn’t mention this fact.

Aren’t there some things one can’t let go of until the very end? She wasn’t entirely without guilt for involving Gerard in her stubbornness.

‘I’ll thank him properly later.’

It seemed it would take longer than expected to return to the little one and listen to her stories.

***

I knew about the object similar to the earring hanging from the Grand Duke’s ear.

‘A slave’s shackle.’

As an experimental slave, I never wore one since I never left my cage. But other slaves were fitted with shackles to prevent them from escaping.

Though the forms of the shackles varied, the magical formulas engraved on them were all the same.

The slave’s master could use the magical tool they wore to command the shackled slave to come to their location.

‘It was abolished in the Empire for being inhumane.’

When the magical tool was activated, the master’s location information was forcibly injected into the mind of the shackled slave.

If the slave didn’t reach the master with the magical tool within a certain time, an electric current would flow, causing pain to the slave.

The Grand Duke had voluntarily worn such a terrifying item. He calmly said to my shocked self.

“A swordsman can’t locate their opponent as easily as a mage can.”

“So that’s why you have that?”

“It seems you know what this is. Have you worn one before?”

“No. But I know about it.”

The Grand Duke brushed his hair back to reveal his ear. The silver earring attached to his snow-white earlobe looked like just an ornate accessory on the surface.

‘But it has magical formulas engraved on it.’

Even if the slave system was banned, those who knew would recognize it. When I showed a worried expression, the Grand Duke playfully ruffled my hair.

“A symbol is just a symbol. No one will see me as a slave just because I wear this.”

“But it will hurt you.”

If I turned the handle to activate the magical tool and he couldn’t find me right away, an electric current would flow.

Designed as a slave punishment, it wasn’t pain that could be easily endured. The Grand Duke knew all this and still didn’t retract his choice.

“Yes. That’s why you should only call me when absolutely necessary.”

“What if I say I won’t accept it?”

“I’ve already given it to you, so it’s up to you if you want to throw it away.”

What a cunning villain of a Grand Duke.

As if I could throw away such a dangerous item just because he said that.

I must never use it.

The Grand Duke, who had outdone Lucas and Tristan by giving the worst debutante gift yet, disappeared with a stride. With mixed feelings, I clutched the dagger-shaped magical tool hanging around my neck.

It felt unsettling, like holding the shackle of the villain Grand Duke.

“Grand Princess! I have something important to tell you!”

At that moment, Sen came running urgently toward me.

“The departure preparations are complete, but Young Master Lucas and Young Master Tristan are nowhere to be found.”

“I’ll go look for them.”

I had an idea where those two dejected people might be.

‘Since we’re about to leave for the capital.’

I went to the place where the Grand Duchess’s grave was located, which I had visited before. Behind the Kar flowers that bloom all year round, I could see two small heads.

They were here after all.

As I approached quietly, keeping my presence hidden, I could hear their conversation.

“Actually, I think it would be better not to attend this ball.”

“Attending a ball hosted by the imperial family would only be disgusting. Are you confident, brother?”

“Confident about what?”

Tristan, who had been silent for a moment, leaned his head against the tree trunk.

The setting sunlight settled on his purple eyes, deep in thought. His red hair swaying in the wind looked like flickering flames.

Tristan concluded with a tone tinged with hesitation.

“Confident about protecting the little one.”

“No.”

“What?”

“I said I don’t have it.”

Tristan staggered at Lucas’s brazen answer. Tristan grabbed Lucas’s collar and shook him.

“Brother, how can you say that now? We agreed to protect her!”

“I’ll do my best to protect her. But I can’t guarantee it.”

“What do you mean?”

“In the Empire, the imperial family is absolute. And they are openly keeping the Grand Duke’s family in check.”

“I know. That’s why we should prevent those imperial bastards from coming.”

Tristan frowned upon recognizing the contradiction in his own words.

If the imperial family said they would come, they had no right to stop them. They were merely the Grand Duke’s sons, not the Grand Duke himself.

It was just as Tristan was about to snap at Lucas. Thinking we couldn’t delay the schedule any longer, I made my presence known.

“Tristan. Lucas.”

At my call, both of them in the flower garden turned around simultaneously.

Tristan’s pupils dilated like a cat’s when he spotted me. Pieces of Kar flower petals fell from his head as he stood up in surprise.

“Little one. How much did you hear?”

“Everything?”

“Don’t mind what my brother said. I’ll figure something out.”

“That’s not necessary.”

I shook my head and approached Lucas, extending my hand. His light-colored eyelashes lifted, revealing sunken golden eyes.

Lucas took my hand and kissed the back of it.

“I’ll protect myself.”

Even if it became dangerous, it wouldn’t be these children’s fault. After organizing my thoughts, I extended my other hand toward Tristan.

Tristan just stared at the outstretched hand.

“The maids and knights are waiting. Let’s go back, Tristan.”

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Because you’re here. I’m not scared. Are you scared, Tristan?”

“Not at all. Not one bit, not even a little. I’m your big brother.”

Tristan, having shaken off the faint shadow of anxiety, grinned.

“Yes. That’s all that matters.”

It was impossible to perfectly prepare for the future. The best we could do was pretend not to be scared.

‘But will I meet him when we go to the imperial palace?’

The original male lead, who would later suppress the Grand Duke’s rebellion alongside the female lead.

This was an opportunity to see the young Prince Michael.