Chapter 170 – Sovieshu’s Shock (3)

How could we break this? How could we get through that wall of knights?

I lingered in the corridor, occasionally glancing out the window and looking at the barrier. No matter how hard I thought, however, I couldn’t come up with a plan. The knights thoroughly inspected anyone who entered and exited the grounds, so covering my face was out of the question. If I tried to go over the wall, I’d only be pushed back, and the road for the carriages was blocked.

Hope of escape seemed distant. As Heinley said, our only choice was to wait for the Western Kingdom to lodge an official complaint.

Was I too selfish in remarrying? Heinley’s name was tarnished because of me, and my heart grew heavy.

Just as I was passing by a window, a strange sight caught my eye. A large black carriage was coming in!

‘How?’

All carriages had been kept out in case of any escape attempts. I rushed down the stairs towards the front gate.

‘Is it Sovieshu?’

The guards wouldn’t allow him in if it were anyone else. However, the carriage door opened, and the person who stepped out was not who I expected.

It was Duke Elgy. Heinley’s—and Rashta’s—friend.

“Heinley?”

Duke Elgy spoke to a servant who tied up the carriage, then when he saw me approach, he smiled. The servant seemed relieved by my presence. He seemed confused by the fact that a stranger would suddenly visit the mansion without prior notice. I signaled for the servant to continue his work and walked up to Duke Elgy.

The Duke scratched his cheek in embarrassment, but he offered me his hello.

“Greetings. How are you?”

“…As you can see.”

I offered him a light smile.

“I’m not sure whether that’s positive or negative.”

“It depends.”

“I don’t think you’re doing well.”

“Are you here to see Heinley?”

Duke Elgy’s mouth twisted slightly.

“Yes. How’s Heinley doing?”

He called Heinley by name as I did, even though he had already been crowned king. As far as I knew, Duke Elgy didn’t even go to Heinley’s coronation. Did the Duke still have a close friendship with him?

If I asked Duke Elgy this, I knew he would not answer. Anyway, their friendship was irrelevant right now.

I nodded and spoke again.

“Did the Emperor tell you to come see Heinley?”

“!”

“I supposed as much.”

“I’ve always had this inkling, but you have a sharp intuition.”

The guards wouldn’t have let the carriage in if it weren’t on Sovieshu’s orders. There was nothing particularly clever about the observation, but I said nothing of it, and instead pointed towards the garden with my eyes.

“Before you meet Heinley, I want to talk to you first.”

“Well, that’s not the Emperor’s meaning, but…”

“Your meaning.”

Duke Elgy glanced away as if he were considering the idea, then smiled and gave a bow.

“If you command me.”

***

I took him to a garden that was not often used, and looked around to confirm that no one else was here. Duke Elgy burst out into laughter, as if he found my behavior amusing.

“So, what’s the secret story?”

“Something that people don’t know. Something that I hope my family doesn’t know more about.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he strode near me, and his eyes shone as he leaned against the red brick garden wall with one hand. He looked like a picture of a popular socialite, smiling flirtily as if the whole world centered around him.

I suddenly wondered if Heinley acted the same way as he swept through the social circles all over the world.

‘I should ask him later.’

“You’re not speaking, so it must be something difficult to say. How do you know I like that?”

“Duke. Are you friends with Miss Rashta?”

“…Ah. That’s not the way I thought it would go.”

Duke Elgy was a frivolous character, but not a thoughtless one. He pulled down his arm and looked at me seriously. The corners of his mouth were still playful, though his mood had changed. I looked around again and spoke.

“It doesn’t matter if Miss Rashta does this accidentally or not.”

“?”

“But if you think she will harm the people of the Eastern Empire, tell me as soon as possible.”

On the day of my divorce, I noticed that Rashta wore an ostentatious dress that did not fit the context of the situation. In addition, her juvenile speech was unchanged from the day she first came to the palace. Clearly there was no one near her who would give her any real advice, even if she was willing to fight. It would be less of an issue if Rashta were to remain a concubine, but Sovieshu intended to elevate her as Empress.

As I just told Duke Elgy, I didn’t care what Rashta did alone. I’ll hardly ever see her now. However, I did not want Rashta to destroy her position or the people of the Eastern Empire. Although I was now the Queen of the West and will now live for the West…

The Eastern Empire was still my motherland, even if I didn’t become the empress in the first place.

Duke Elgy, who usually had an answer for everything, just sighed at my words.

“Oh my.”

“Is that too hard?”

Duke Elgy was a friend who helped Rashta during her hard times.

“Why do you want this to be a secret?”

I wasn’t asking this to benefit Rashta, but my parents or Heinley would be upset if they heard my request. I thought I’d look too soft if I told Duke Heinley that, so I responded with an impassive look.

“I don’t think it’s difficult.”

Duke Elgy looked at me as if I’d said something wrong, then pivoted the conversation in another direction.

“As I was in the carriage, I was struggling with a dilemma.”

“?”

“I just barely came to a conclusion.”

‘What does he mean?’

“It’s difficult for me to come forward like this. It’s like you’re picking up a knife and stabbing my conscience.”

“Conscience?”

Duke Elgy sighed again and muttered something about it. I still didn’t follow the meaning of his words. I looked at him with raised eyebrows, and he waved his hand and chuckled.

“Well, it’s not my place to interfere between Miss Rashta and the former empress.”

“!”

“Go to your room quickly, take as few items as you can, and come to the back entrance.”

I didn’t even think that Duke Elgy knew where the back entrance was. His face lit up as he remembered something else.

“Ah, where is Heinley?”

“Why the back entrance?”

“Because you are the wife of a friend, this has to be done secretly.”

Secretly…ah, then!“Are you trying to get me out of here?”

My eyes widened in surprise. Of course, Heinley did have a friendship with Duke Elgy.

“Your reaction is really not fun.”

“Thank you.”

“Was that praise I heard?”

“For helping me escape. You may be a little shady, but you have a good side.”

“!”