Chapter 271
Chapter 271
As I was about to put on a thick coat over my outfit, I remembered a robe that Kaichen had gifted me not long ago.
Instead of the coat, I draped the robe over myself. It was not ostentatious but delicate. Embroidered in golden thread on the black background were thorny stems and a single rose, giving the impression that Kaichen himself had embroidered it with his heart.
I had proudly worn it despite his explanation that it wasn’t meant to convey any such message and that he couldn’t use black embroidery on a black background.
His excuse, with his flushed ears, only made me find his face incredibly cute, and I found myself kissing his face multiple times.
Although it had a simple design, the robe’s flowing form at the bottom made it resemble a dress. I couldn’t help but smile as I looked at myself in the full-length mirror. It was an unmistakable imitation of the dress I had worn when I confessed to him.
I brushed off my straight bangs, braided my long hair lightly, and put it down lightly on one shoulder. I fastened the bracelet on my wrist, feeling the cool touch of metal and took a deep breath.
I didn’t know what Exchetra’s plan was in orchestrating all of this, but it seemed evident that she wanted to inflict considerable pain on me.
‘I’m glad I read the Imperial laws thoroughly.’
I recalled the hundreds of volumes of Imperial legal texts that filled a whole shelf at the Acrab Library. I hadn’t had anything else to read, so I had resorted to reading those dull tomes.
Sending knights from the palace to find a person accused as a suspect was no longer within the scope of a mere preliminary investigation for a casse. It meant that the crime was far from trivial, and bringing in the suspect in person was tantamount to an arrest.
Barristan said they wouldn’t detain me, but I knew better, having read over a dozen thick law books. They would most likely imprison me.
And using the pretext of being a suspect, they would interrogate me through torture until they got the answers they wanted.
“Countess…”
Barristan, who had come out from behind the partition and saw me, looked at me with pity in his eyes. Seeing that look, I could tell that Barristan was aware of all these facts as well.
Having served Julius for a long time, he was well-versed in the palace laws. But despite that, he reassured me that they wouldn’t detain me.
His concern was so warm that it brought a small smile to my face.
“I’m fine. It’s not a situation I completely didn’t anticipate. I’ve always thought that I might experience something like this at least once. I didn’t expect it to happen so suddenly, though.”
“…”
“Please keep an eye on Princess Suran. It might be a good idea to inform His Majesty and have him check on her regularly.”
“Yes…”
“She might be worried. Anyway, since the incident at the Garden Party, she might blame herself. I’d prefer to keep her in the dark, but it would be more shocking if she finds out later, so be honest about the current situation. Oh, and if you can get in touch with Master, please tell him not to forcibly try to get me out of there. I’ll try to gather as much information as I can from my end.”
“Countess, that…”
“Please, Barristan. Make sure to convey it to my Master.”
As I left the room, I gave Barristan instructions on what to do while I was away. I had a stern look on my face, and I continued talking without waiting for a response.
“Tell him not to overdo things.”
When I opened the main gate of the mansion and stepped outside, I saw a group of knights standing in perfect formation. The face of the man at the front looked very familiar.
Until now, I had thought that the reason Barristan had rushed in such a hurry was solely because of this news. Such a shocking event required immediate attention. But now, I understood.
Why he had been so shocked and rushed, why he had tried to reassure me.
A cold and expressionless, eerily beautiful face stared at me.
He was Exchetra’s loyal servant and most likely her shadow. With his jet-black hair neatly tied and dressed in a knight’s uniform, he exuded an eerie atmosphere.
Asta, who stood at the forefront, was waiting for me.
“Thank you for your cooperation. Will you come with us?”
It didn’t seem like he was expecting an answer. Asta made a half-nod with his lowered eyes. However, the two knights behind him stepped forward as if they intended to restrain me.
It was akin to a warning that not following them would lead to trouble.
I reached out to the two knights attempting to grab me and stopped their movements with my outstretched hands. Their faces stiffened as they saw the clear refusal in my gesture.
While Asta watched with half-lowered eyes, the two knights hesitantly stepped back, clearly wary of Asta’s reaction.
I heard that Asta did not have a strong enough position to lead the Knights, but it was funny to see them waiting for his order. That’s how powerful Princess Exchetra was.
I shrugged my shoulders to Asta, who was waiting behind them. “There’s someone who doesn’t like strangers touching me,” I said.
“Let’s go together.”
This time it wasn’t a question.
I shook my head slightly at Barristan, who had an anxious face, and lightly waved my hand to Asta.