Marie looked up in surprise, but then she saw Alberto’s face and made up her mind.
The moment their horses were next to each other, she jumped over to cling to Alberto’s neck.
Albert held Marie firmly, skillfully managing the horse they were riding as it became startled and bucked, and he embraced Marie tightly until it calmed down.
Marie’s skin was sweaty as she clung to him. Her hands gripping his neck were also trembling. He hugged Marie again, thankful that she was safe and sound as she called Alberto’s name breathlessly.
He brought Marie, who had been riding tirelessly, to a room in the knights’ quarters and laid her on a makeshift bed. He also instructed an apprentice to prepare a light meal for her.
Although he was somewhat concerned about the presence of Risel in the other room, Alberto wanted to prioritize Marie.
Marie, still showing signs of exhaustion, asked, “Where’s Reynaldo?”
From her appearance, Alberto guessed that she had realized the truth.
However, the plan cannot be halted.
“At this moment, the plan has yet to be set in motion. For now, let’s concentrate on getting you back in good health.”
Alberto heard that she rode her horse without rest from the Rose territory to the royal capital.
Marie’s reckless behavior irritated Alberto. One wrong step could have led to her being captured by bandits, never to return again. It was too much for Marie to undertake such a risky journey, especially considering she couldn’t even ride a horse. He wanted to admonish her for her reckless behavior, especially since she was usually level-headed, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsh to Marie, who was clearly exhausted.
Additionally, the fact that Albert couldn’t be there with Marie when she conceived her reckless plan was another cause of his irritation.
“Alberto is involved in the plan, aren’t you?”
Marie, who had already regained her composure, asked after understanding everything. Alberto nodded his head honestly.
“The current King is corrupt. Purging him is also for the sake of the people.”
“It is true that there is corruption. Purging him may be necessary. However, don’t you plan to escalate the situation even further?”
Alberto fell silent in response to her apt words.
The loyal vassals could have advised the current King and guided him back to the right path.
There were also ways to solve the problem without making it bigger by getting Risel’s cooperation.
But Reynaldo deliberately did not do so.
Because it was one form of their revenge.
“Alberto.”
Marie looks at Alberto with firm intention.
“I need to see Reynaldo. Right now.”
“But…”
“Please.”
The intensity of her honey-colored eyes gave him a terrible sense of déjà vu.
From the time he started interacting with Marie, he would occasionally sense traces of Rosemary’s presence, but the eyes looking at Alberto now seemed to be exactly the same as the ones Rosemary had when she was still alive.
There’s a certain forcefulness in her words that doesn’t match the usual impression he has of Marie during their interactions.
With an unspoken intensity, she relentlessly challenges Alberto, who, unable to agree, cannot shake off the feeling of unease.
As Alberto hesitated about what to do, he heard a commotion and a loud echoing sound coming from outside the room.
Alerted, he pulled his sword from its scabbard, then opened the door slightly.
While it doesn’t look like an intrusion from the outside, there is a clamor within the inside of the place.
“Please wait here.”
Alberto calls out to Marie and runs to the room where Risel was locked up, not believing what’s happening.
Although he had caught him off guard and locked him up, Risel is also a talent that Alberto has trained since he was little.
Alberto himself knew that he was not the kind of person who could be locked up so easily. He had only been ordered by Reynaldo to buy time against Risel.
However, as he wondered if it was too early, he looked straight ahead at the room where Risel was supposed to be.
A knight was lying down in the hallway.
And in front of him was Risel, holding the sword he had taken from the knight.
With a regal determination that the Prince rarely displayed in his usual mild demeanor, he glared at Alberto.
Despite the situation taking a turn for the worst, Albert saw in Risel the regal presence of a true monarch, nurtured by his guidance in a manner reminiscent of a mentor and disciple.
Deep in his heart, Albert felt a sense of pride.
At the end of the day, he was not only a person seeking revenge but also a knight.
