It was a particularly unlucky day.
For one thing, it was a rare day when an urgent messenger arrived just as she was about to leave for the party.
Ellen unfolded what the messenger had offered her. Written in the crisp, clear handwriting of her beloved Spaniel Cheshire, there was a long message.
<Ellen. I apologize.
Only my father will be attending tonight’s party, as he has some business to attend to, and we’ve been informed that the manor is on fire, and the winds are too strong to contain the flames.
My brother and I will be leaving as soon as I finish this letter. It looks like there will be a lot of damage, and we need to make arrangements for the displaced, as well as fight the fire.
But, Ellen, I’m afraid you’re going to be in trouble for nothing.
You’ve always been so independent, but when Krembel is involved, you cower as if you need someone’s approval for every word you say.
Of course, I know it’s out of consideration that you don’t want to cause Mr. Krembel any trouble.
I’m just saying, don’t hold it until it’s festering.
If there are things that make your mouth move without knowing the topic, please remember. It would be very enjoyable to come up with words that they cannot even respond to together.
If possible, I’d like to go and listen to your stories.
Then please be confident Ellen again today.
—Sweeney, who loves you.>
“… That’s it. Let’s depart.”
With a long sigh, she crushed her friend’s letter in her arms.
In fact, since she rose to the center, she hasn’t had many lucky days.
Especially not on the day of this palace party, where everyone, enemy or favored, was in attendance.
No one else was there except for her.
Ellen really didn’t want to go to the party.
But parties at the palace are supposed to be attended unless there’s an excuse.
Because of that unwritten rule, Ellen was stuck in a rut.
It was quite funny that she hated parties because she didn’t like being left alone as a woman with a husband.
With a self-deprecating smile, Ellen piled on the thoughts she would normally have tried to banish from her mind.
Her husband, Gillian, had become a social pariah. He’d said hello to the central nobility once and then tell her it was her business from here on out. All he’d done was attend the occasional function, speak to a few people, and then leave.
Knowing this well, she didn’t hope for her husband to come back and be with her on that day.
It was just that she still disliked such parties even though she knew.
“Oh my, you’re alone again today.”
“What did I tell you, there must be something solidly wrong between you and your husband?”
“Yeah, there’s such a clear difference in attitude between the first time and now. I wonder if she brought in a lover at such a young age…”
No lover. If you’re going to suspect one, it shouldn’t be me, it should be the Duke, the one you’re so envious of.
The words rose to the top of her throat, but she managed to hold them back.
Eventually, she found the right moment and slipped out of the party alone.
She was sighing in frustration when a familiar voice called out to her from behind.
“Ah, Mrs. Krembel. There you are.”
“Your Highness?”
It had taken her quite a bit of effort to keep a low profile, but it was the Crown Prince who knew where she was.
“Your Highness, how are you in this place…?”
“It’s the Imperial Palace, for one thing.”
Caden shrugged and approached.
“You must have been bored at the party.”
“… Ah, no, of course not, I was just out enjoying the cool night air.”
“It’s still cold out here.”
He smiled softly and chuckled to himself.
“Yes, you’re not alone… Speaking of which, you said you like painting. Would you like to take a look at my gallery if you don’t mind?”
It was a friendly question.
The reason she was out alone was obvious to anyone with a passing interest in socializing.
So he, knowing everything, had come out here for her.
It was the kindness of a stranger she hadn’t seen in a very long time and probably would have forgotten forever if not for this moment.
“… Yes. Thank you.”
“Haha, I can’t wait to show it off.”
He smirked.
They walked along the long corridor.
There was an awkward distance between them as they walked.
But Caden jokingly recounted stories of Gillian and him as children, and Ellen laughed at the stories of her husband she didn’t know.
There were many things in the Crown Prince’s gallery.
The most notable were the paintings that his mother had painted before she was alive.
There was a young Prince sitting in a chair with a rather stately form, holding a small wooden sword alongside Gillian, who was a foot taller than him, and then sitting side by side at a desk, both of them having grown to be about the same height.
As Ellen stood there, unable to take her eyes off the part of her husband that she hadn’t seen, the part of him that was younger. Caden approached and said.
“The lady seems to love traveling a lot. I’m sorry, and grateful as well.”
“…Is that what your Highness thinks.”
“Because Gil, though he is a cousin, is like a brother to me. He is family, and so is his wife, of course.”
“…”
“You seem to like the paintings, so if you think of them often in the future, just stop by. I’m sure my mother-in-law would be even more pleased to have someone visit often.”
“… May I?”
“Why not.”
He smiled wryly at Ellen’s cautious demeanor, then opened a drawer behind him and brought out a small box.
“Here you go, madam.”
“This is, the late Empress’s…?”
“Yes. I inherited it, and it’s been given to me by the imperial family for generations as a wish for the well-being of my successor. It is an imperial treasure.”
“Why would you give such a thing to me…”
“Rather than that, it’s actually just a red ruby ring. I can’t even wear it because it doesn’t fit.”
He shrugged nonchalantly.
“You may not be royalty, madam, but we are family, after all, and on a day like today, when the party is boring and uninteresting, you could use a little breathing room.”
“…”
“And since you don’t seem to realize that, nor do the rest of your family.”
There was a chill in his voice as he smiled as he said that.
Now that I think about it, it seems that it was his true intentions that leaked out because he couldn’t kill his temper.
“I suggest you wear it on your hand, properly, if you may. But if you’re uncomfortable, you can wear it around your neck.”
“… Thank you.”
Ellen was incredibly grateful for his favor.
The favor of saying that he would step in and do for her what her husband, a man with a dukedom, would normally do for her. A warning against those who would belittle her with words that were not.
“Later… I will definitely return it with gratitude. My father taught me that you shouldn’t forget favors.”
“Well, as far as returning it, it’s good enough that you’ll pass it on to my servant later.”
“… Ah. I see, then the messenger will be my servant.”
“Haha, that’s great. They will become very good friends.”
* * *
The imperial red ruby ring she had received then.
And how she had pretended not to notice Gillian stabbing her in the back while wearing that ring.
As Ellen’s face stiffened at the sudden flood of memories from the past, Caden’s expression hardened as well.
“This is an item that even my late mother personally wore and used. No one should disrespect it, especially not someone who is just holding it. Not even His Majesty the Emperor.”
“I know…”
“Is that so. May I understand that you have accepted it?”
“…”
Ellen hesitated.
There’s no point in risking it.
But because of the old memories the ring brought back, she realized that her mind was already tilted.
‘I’d like to hear if I could, but somehow…’
Maybe this will lead to repeating the same mistakes as before.
‘But Gillian doesn’t know our approach yet. It’s true that when they don’t know these things, we have to attack them all at once to be effective.’
Ellen weighed the risks and benefits.
‘The prince seems to be the type to take some risks in order to get results… It’s not something to just blindly close our mouths and let it dry. Rather than that, it would be better to keep it in sight and move together. Maybe it will also help build a bond.’
She thought for a moment, then spoke up.
“Sounds good. I’ll let you know.”
“I knew you’d know more.”
Caden smiled contentedly.
“Just so you know, this is the first and last time I’ll be doing anything this adventurous. Do you understand?”
“If you’re that close to the core of the information, you won’t have to do this to dig deeper.”
Ellen’s reprimanding tone was interrupted by Caden’s enthusiastic response, as if to say, ‘Just get on with it.’
Thinking it was condescending, Ellen rolled her eyes and told him where she thought best to go at the moment.
“Let’s go to the Tempt loading dock.”
“Tempt? I’m a little surprised it’s so much closer than I thought. Haa Krembel is…”
Caden opened his mouth to speak, then shut it.
He seemed embarrassed that he’d unwittingly said something that implicated Krembel.
Ellen picked up the pieces for him.
“Because the Tempt Grand Canal is used as the main cargo transport route.”
“… Yes.”
“I guess you didn’t know that the Tempt Canal, which borders the Istazan, would be mentioned.”
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.”
Caden said, not hiding his discomfort.
“They say it’s dark under the bridge, and it is. Come to think of it, they even built a gambling house in the capital…”
“Basically, money flows to the capital, and besides, the Tempt Canal is the border between Istazan and Krembel.”
Then Morris, Lord Coenheim, who had been listening silently in the back, asked.
“If it’s a loading dock… we’ll need to secure the cargo, but if we don’t time it right, it’ll be after all the goods have been shipped. Do you have any information on that as well?”
“I’m only saying that because today was the day the ship came in. By now, the cargo should be on its way to the warehouse, and transportation should begin this evening at the earliest.”
“Is the time…”
“Yes. The clock is ticking. But wouldn’t that make it a proper raid?”
Ellen didn’t hesitate, her mind already made up.
If she was going to do it, she’d do it right.
It was then that Lord Terriod Cheshire spoke up, looking very worried.
“Ellen. I think we should move right along and see what’s going on. I’m so sorry I can’t take you home, but I’ll drop you off at a nearby stagecoach house…”
“No.”
Ellen shook her head.
“I’m going there with you.”
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