“Who would dare to drag her around by force?” Rezette retorted.
“Of course, Lady Irrien, isn’t it?” Lady Petisson replied.
“She could have refused if she wanted to. If she was struggling, you should have intervened, Rebecca,” Rezette countered.
“It’s not as simple as that. I mean to say, it’s not solely because Lady Irrien took her along without asking,” Rebecca explained.
Rezette frowned, puzzled. “Then what’s the reason?”
“Her Highness simply allowed it,” Rebecca responded.
This explanation was hard for Rezette to accept immediately. He had repeatedly encouraged Elise to do as she pleased within the castle, not to be bothered by his absence, to speak up if she felt uncomfortable, and to voice her dislikes. So, why would Elise let this happen? For what reason?
Lady Petisson turned her head and instructed the servants, “You may all disperse.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the servants replied, and they scattered like water flowing in different directions. Lady Petisson took a deep breath, preparing to share some unsettling information before a storm erupted.
“Lady Irrien seems to have discovered Her Highness’s secret. We didn’t expect it to be revealed at this time, but considering that Her Highness fainted after arguing with her, I suspect Lady Irrien somehow confirmed it,” she began.
Rezette’s frown deepened, and he asked, “What do you mean?”
“It’s the secret His Highness himself is aware of—the fact that there’s no child,” Lady Petisson revealed.
Only then did Rezette realize why Lady Petisson had dared to dismiss the servants without consulting him. Lady Petisson continued in a matter-of-fact tone, explaining the situation further.
“If you examine it closely, even I can see it. As time goes on, more and more people will discover the truth, just as the moon waxes. Her Highness is apprehensive about that. She might start viewing everyone as potential enemies.”
Rezette remained silent, absorbing this information.
“Her Highness understands Genovia’s nature well. She specializes in ruthlessly exposing others’ flaws without hesitation. It’s not hard to guess which words may have provoked Her Highness.”
Rezette recalled the irritating smile of Genovia Irrien, who often pretended to be innocent, and let out a frustrated sigh. That troublesome woman had truly gone too far.
“I couldn’t return with Her Majesty’s orders in hand. Alfred and the supervisors responsible for the tribute transport are under thorough investigation. Please review their reports and send Lady Irrien back as soon as we catch the culprit. Ensure she doesn’t cross paths with Her Highness again,” Lady Petisson’s voice began to rise, her irritation becoming evident. Even though she didn’t hold great affection for the princess, Genovia Irrien had crossed a line this time.
Rezette remained quiet.
“Anyway, that’s the situation. The Princess has already reviewed the ledgers written by Alfred and Sobeul and confirmed that everything is in order. There won’t be much work left,” Lady Petisson concluded.
“Did the Princess oversee the documents during all this?” Rezette inquired.
“Well, that…” Lady Petisson hesitated.
“She didn’t volunteer to review them, did she? Who was it?” Rezette pressed.
Sobeul, who had been waiting nervously by the office door, shivered at the tense atmosphere. Sensing his unease, Rezette swiftly turned his head.
“If you lose your temper now, you won’t be welcome in the bedroom tonight!” Petisson urgently stepped in to rescue Sobeul from a potential crisis.
Rezette let out a bitter laugh, finding it hard to believe the situation. Was there nothing worth getting angry about, from one to ten? He wiped his clammy hand across his forehead. The cryptic words Elise had whispered just before fainting continued to echo in his mind.
“I don’t want to be alone here….”
In this place, there was no one who could compel Elise to utter such words, not even the emperor or Irrien.
Rezette clenched his fist tightly, emitting an audible noise, and the faint black scales on the back of his hand glistened ominously.
“Step back, all of you. Right now,” he commanded.
Without hesitation, Sobeul, Alfredo, and Lady Petisson quickly retreated, giving Rezette some space. He took a deep breath, struggling to calm his surging emotions, and then turned toward the office door. Just as he was about to open it, a voice from the end of the corridor interrupted.
“L-Lady… Please, just for a moment…!”
Alfred’s voice urgently stopped someone who was boldly advancing towards the office without fear. It was clear who the intruder was.
Rezette, still gripping the door handle, froze in place and slowly turned his head. The troublesome blonde figure was unmistakable.
“It appears I won’t be able to sleep well if I receive such a half-hearted welcome,” she remarked.
“…Lady,” Rezette responded tersely.
“Would there be time for a little chat, my Lord?” Genovia Irrien asked with a bright smile.
