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nAs soon as Skyla heard the news that Marquis Luden had died, she escaped from the envoy.

nShe was sorry for the collapsed Garnet. But the situation was so dire that she couldn’t afford to think about it.

nThe Emperor’s investigators would not be able to suddenly attack the special envoys. But since she returned to the vicinity of the Capital, she had to think she was within the Emperor’s sight.

n‘You have to hide it before it’s too late.’

nFortunately, Skyla was good at horseback riding. From the port to the Capital, it could be reached in less than half a day by a skilled rider on horseback.

nSkyla barely reached the Capital before the gates were closed.

nShe headed straight for the house.

nAs expected, Ian had left a letter in the house. He briefly wrote about the things that had been done to him, and it was written that he went to Grand Duchy Evron.

n‘Haa.’

nSkyla was exhausted and sat there for a moment.

nShe herself advised Ian so. Ian will be safe, but by putting Ian in Grand Duke Evron’s residence, she intends to keep the ties with Artizea.

nBut she didn’t know back then that Marquis Luden would be dead.

nThe coarse salt crisis is progressing too quickly. The death of Marquis Luden also had an effect on this.

nIt was reckless. Marquis Luden knew that Grand Duke Roygar had decided to take over the coarse salt business. Had he been alive, he would have defended the Duchy of Riagan in advance.

nBut he died. Grand Duke Roygar’s faction was fragmented. They were trying to not let their own family get entangled, far from working together to protect the Duchy of Riagan.

nHer mind went round and round.

nMarquis Luden was like a huge wall that had been there since Skyla’s birth.

nSkyla used to dream of breaking it down. She also thought that if only Marquis Luden died, her mother would be liberated.

nBut Skyla had no intention of assassinating Marquis Luden. She wasn’t really prepared for that.

nIf Marquis Luden were to collapse, she thought it would be the result of a complete defeat in a dispute.

nHe was either defeated and purged in the succession battle, or he was purged after Grand Duke Roygar ascended to the throne.

nConversely, Marquis Luden had to be alive until a conclusion was reached.

nWhat the hell was her mother thinking?

n‘I need information.’

nSkyla did not yet have a personal information network. If she has any questions, she has been using the information network created by Marchioness Camellia.

nShe couldn’t decide now. And she has no information, so whatever she thinks is just speculation.

nIt is dangerous to act on baseless reasoning. Right now, Skyla was as good as standing on a single wooden bridge.

nShe felt her arms getting hot. Of course it couldn’t be, but she was overly sensitive, so it bothered her.

nEventually, Skyla went to Grand Duke Evron’s residence.

n“You’re back so early, Miss Skyla? I thought you went as a special envoy.”

nHaving received a contact from the secret contact line, Alice came out to greet her with a bewildered face.

n“No outsiders are allowed to enter the mansion. Madam doesn’t go out of the mansion anymore. I’m sorry, but if you have something to say, write it down and I’ll deliver it to her.”

n“No. I didn’t come to see Her Grace. Sir Ian Camellia. He must be staying at this Grand Duke’s residence, please tell him of my visit.”

nAlice also had a slightly awkward face this time.

nShe knew that Ian had come to Artizea because of Skyla’s advice.

nBut it was not in her authority to bring people into the mansion. She also knew that Artizea was advising Ian not to meet people.

n“I’ll tell him right away.”

n“…… I hope it doesn’t take too long.”

nSkyla bit her lower lip and held back her energy. It wasn’t good.

nSuspicions grew and spread.

nShe didn’t want anyone to know that she was meeting Ian, if possible. Ian was the last card she held.

nBut since she had to go to Grand Duke Evron’s residence, she couldn’t hide it from Artizea no matter what.

n‘It would have been the same if I had made another contact. I do not have time.’

nThis issue must be resolved tonight.

nSkyla waited quite a long time in the warehouse where she met Alice. It was already dark when Alice returned.

n“Follow me.”

nSkyla wore her hood up to her head and followed Alice’s footstep into Grand Duke Evron’s residence.

nEach stone lantern in the garden was lit up brightly. She didn’t even need to light her way with a lamp.

nInstead of guards everywhere, knights were standing with guns. It wasn’t about patrolling, it was about having people’s eyes stay in all places.

nEven when Artizea collapsed in the great temple and the treason charges were mentioned, the guards weren’t this tight.

nAlong the way, the knights held Alice several times and confirmed her identity. There were also several guards in the annex where Ian was staying.

n“Don’t worry, there aren’t that many people inside.”

nAlice said so.

nAs she said, the inside of the annex was quiet and dark. They were only cleaning near Ian’s place because they had sent out all the employees, leaving only the trusted ones.

nIan was waiting in the living room. He had a look of relief when he looked at Skyla. His face was a little thinner than before.

n“Miss Skyla, when are you back……, ugh!”

nBefore Ian could finish his words, Skyla ran to him and hugged him.

nIan was shocked. He almost reflexively put his arm around Skyla’s waist, but before that he could barely stop his hand.

nSkyla spoke quickly in a low voice.

n“Pretend to be happy.”

nBeing between a man and a woman is convenient at times like this. There was no more convenient excuse for them to be alone than this.

nAlice won’t be fooled anyway, though.

nIan hesitated and finally embraced Skyla. The escort knight averted his gaze.

n“Would you mind leaving the room?”

nIan asked awkwardly. The escort knight was a little hesitant.

n“Because she’s my fiance.”

nIan spoke again. Until then, Skyla was still burying her face in Ian’s chest. Ian’s embarrassment was getting bigger and bigger.

nThe escort knight smiled with a slightly red face. Even Ian could roughly guess what he was thinking.

nIan, who was about to lose his life at the hands of Marquis Luden after fighting Marquisate Camellia, is secretly meeting with Lady of Marquisate Camellia.

nFor an escort knight who did not know the circumstances, that alone would have been romantic enough.

n“I will leave the door open.”

n“Please.”

nThe knight opened the door and went out into the hallway. He couldn’t hear a small voice, but his figure was in a position where he could see whenever he lifted his head.

nOf course, the knight was a polite person, so he wouldn’t deliberately keep an eye on the lovers.

nAlice would not have been deceived, but she withdrew with the knight. Perhaps she went to report to Artizea.

nSkyla then lowered her arm around Ian’s neck. Ian let out a tense breath.

nAnd he tried to clear his blushing face.

nSkyla took off her cloak and sat down on the sofa. She then grabbed Ian and sat him next to her.

n“You can talk in a lower voice. There will probably be a sound collector. The Grand Duchess may be listening directly.”

n“It seems that I have outlived my usefulness for Grand Duchess Evron.”

n“Not yet. Even if she decides she doesn’t need you anymore, she’ll wonder why I’ve come to see you in such a hurry.”

nIan nodded his head to signify that he understood. Skyla could only speak then.

n“I’m glad you’re safe.”

n“Thanks to Lady, you saved my life. I regret that I did not take the advice sufficiently.”

nIan bowed his head. Skyla let out a small sigh.

n“Did nothing happen in the Grand Duke’s residence?”

n“Yes. There is no discomfort in food, clothing, and shelter, and there is no restriction in actions. Outings and guest visits are restricted, but that is unavoidable because of the Grand Princess.”

n“The cost was substantial.”

n“It’s not overdone. I wonder if it was because of the Grand Princess that Marquis Luden was assassinated.”

nSkyla looked at Ian in surprise.

nIan was also surprised. It was because he thought Skyla would have known what happened at the Harvest Festival.

nHe told Skyla about this because he wanted to see if his guess was convincing.

n“Tell that story in detail. No news reached the South. After leaving that, while I was coming here, I was on the ship of the Eimmel Kingdom the whole time.”

nIt was the first time she heard the news that a girl was born.

nWhy is the birth of the Grand Princess related to the assassination of Marquis Luden?

nIf it weren’t for a real accident, Skyla thought that it was caused by the faction’s infighting with the absence of Grand Duke Roygar.

nIf not, someone has a grudge. There was not one or two people who harbored resentment on Marquis Luden.

nEither way, something happened.

nIan lost in thought for a moment.

nSkyla thought that he was measuring, just as she had measured him the last time.

nShe got goosebumps. Skyla also had a plan, but the plan was built on the premise that she could lead Ian to the end.

nIronically, the plan is meaningful while there is power in Grand Duke Roygar.

nMarquis Luden died. Grand Duke Roygar is entangled in a smuggling case. Ian established a relationship with Artizea.

nIan may have decided that he would betray her in a situation like this.

nFor a moment, Skyla regretted it, even though she had advised him, she knew that Ian had nothing to do with her if he wanted to survive.

nBut before she was completely engulfed in anxiety, Ian said,

n“The Grand Duchess told me that I should learn to be more mean.”

n“…… So, did you decide to learn?”

n“No.”

nIan looked down at his hand for a moment.

nHis hand was rough. He was born of the bloodline of the great nobles, but it seemed that he could not have even the heart of a nobleman.

n“I don’t feel like I want to be a person like Marquis Luden.”

n“…….”

n“If that’s a real noble, then I wouldn’t be a noble.”

n“Sir Ian… … .”

n“You saved my life, Miss Skyla. This time, it is my turn to help you.”

nIan said so and looked into Skyla’s eyes.

n“I am now under the protection of Grand Duchess Evron, but that was also by your arrangement. I am in your boat.”

nStrength slowly drained from Skyla’s body.

nShe rested her head on Ian’s shoulder as if collapsing. Ian cautiously placed his hand on Skyla’s shoulder and leaned forward.

n“Did you have a hard time in the South?”

n“I thought I was going to die. I don’t think it’s the worst, though.”

nSkyla closed her eyes and mumbled in reply.

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