"Not only did you visit suddenly, but you're even asking about my ex-fiancé. How absurd."
I rubbed my arm with my hand, not hiding my displeasure.
"……Are you trying to say that you don’t know Ricardo’s whereabouts? And you want to believe that?"
"Then may I ask you a question in return."
As I took a step toward Erkishian, the curve of his lips, which had been relaxed, turned into sothing closer to a sneer.
"What reason do you think I have to hide Ricardo?"
"Weren’t you two close enough that words weren’t needed? To my eyes, you were unmistakably lovers."
"I’m not sure which part made you think that. I believe we were ‘close enough not to need words’ in a different sense."
At my words, Erkishian couldn’t answer.
No, I couldn’t tell whether he didn’t or couldn’t.
Only an unreadable gaze lingered on my face.
Just as that chilly silence continued—
"Your Highness! You must co to the fourth floor!"
A knight hurriedly called out to Erkishian from the top of the stairs.
He had been silently watching , but at the knight’s call, he moved up the stairs without a mont’s hesitation.
"The fourth floor……!"
The mont Allen tried to block Erkishian’s path, I stopped him.
"But, my lady, there is……."
"Let’s go up too."
As I cut off his words, Allen bit down on his lip and withdrew the hand that had been reaching for his sword. I patted his shoulder and followed after Erkishian.
The place the knight led us to was none other than a room on the fourth floor.
"What is the aning of this rudeness! This is Lord Blua’s room!"
The attending physician who had been caring for my grandfather was visibly flustered and tried to stop them alone.
The knights hesitated to enter the room where he lay bedridden.
"What do you think you’re doing?"
Erkishian, who had arrived just in ti, shouted with a voice like a whip, and the knights jumped in, startled.
Despite the commotion spreading through the room, Grandfather didn’t open his eyes.
I desperately prayed that he wouldn’t have to face this situation and covered both his ears.
Erkishian, who had co beside at so point, gave a warning.
"……If what I seek is here, you will not escape punishnt either."
"Thank you for personally reminding of sothing everyone already knows."
At that mont, the knights reached toward the bed where Grandfather lay.
Anger overtook , and I couldn’t help but speak forcefully.
"Show proper respect to the Forr Marquis!"
"……."
"I hope you haven’t forgotten what he represented to the Empire."
At my words, the knights hesitated. Erkishian stroked his chin and spoke in a domineering tone.
"It seems you don’t yet understand the situation……."
I didn’t avoid Erkishian’s gaze.
"No matter how glorious a hero he may have been in the past, I won’t tolerate such conduct before ."
"Lady Bianca!"
Atticus’s voice rang out. As I turned my head, I saw Cedric behind him, his face drained of color.
But the mont our eyes t, he quickly regained his composure.
"Marquis, isn’t this far too late?"
Cedric approached without hesitation, pulled behind him, and stood between and Erkishian.
"I greet you on behalf of the House of Roygin."
"Now we can finally talk properly. Judging by your expression, it seems you’ve already heard the news?"
His crooked tone suggested that the anger directed at was now likely to shift unfairly to Cedric.
As I tried to step out from behind him, Cedric held back.
"Marquis, the young lady of your house tried to instruct . Is that the teaching of the Roygin family?"
"I understand Your Highness’s anger, but that anger must not be misdirected."
Cedric continued in a level voice.
"If your goal is to find the whereabouts of a traitor, then the dignity of the hero lying in that bed must co first."
At his words, Erkishian let out a short, dry laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.
"If the purpose is a search, then it could be done while maintaining proper decorum. My sister rely raised that point."
"……."
"Please consider her words as coming from a place of affection for our grandfather, and I ask that you show her your understanding."
Cedric gave a slight nod to Atticus. As if waiting for it, he opened his mouth.
"I will accompany the search of Lord Blua’s room."
"Do so."
Before I realized it, Erkishian was looking at .
Not with eyes of reproach, but as if trying to judge whether I had truly hidden Ricardo.
But he didn’t seem certain.
After all, he had co here based only on vague suspicions, without solid justification.
‘If he had any proof, he would’ve acted more aggressively than this.’
Or he would’ve shoved it in my face first.
I opened my mouth to speak to him.
"I have no reason to help the Duke of Hessen. As Your Highness ntioned earlier, I wouldn’t be able to avoid punishnt either."
"……."
"Everything I need to protect is here, in the House of Roygin. So there’s no way I’d do anything to harm my family."
Erkishian’s brows furrowed. His eyes, which had been fixed on , shifted to Grandfather. Then, lastly, to Cedric.
"In accordance with the will of the Imperial family, the House of Roygin will cooperate with the search."
At my words, he, who had been silently deep in thought, let out a small laugh.
It was a laugh whose aning I couldn’t quite decipher.
Leaving only unease behind, I wondered how much ti had passed since then.
Erkishian thoroughly searched the estate with his knights, but he didn’t gain anything of value.
……Which, of course, was only natural.
"Ah, perhaps I was mistaken. You two were so close, after all."
"Ha ha."
"Let’s end it here for today. Thank you for your cooperation in the search. I’ll rember the Marquisate’s innocence."
Erkishian raised one corner of his mouth.
"I hope there won’t be a need to confirm it again."
"……."
"If there is a next ti, you won’t co out unscathed."
It was a warning that sounded quite nacing.
And with that, the sound of boots from the Crown Prince and his knights echoed as they exited the estate.
Thud!
The mont they were out of sight, my legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor.
‘They’re really gone, right……?’
No, Ricardo’s really okay, right?
Even though I had already confird his safety, facing Erkishian made it feel like I was being suffocated.
I panted, staring blankly at the floor.
"Bianca!"
A pale hand touched —it was ice cold. Cedric, startled, rushed over to .
I clenched my trembling hands into fists and forced a smile.
"Brother."
"……."
"……I did well, right?"
"You did well."
Cedric answered imdiately. The mont his firm voice echoed, relief washed over .
"Haa……."
Alright, that’s enough.
That was the best I could’ve done.
Still, I didn’t make any mistakes… right?
Did I manage to keep my expression under control?
A hundred thoughts raced through my mind.
"……!"
Cedric gently pulled into a hug. For so reason, he seed to be trembling too.
As I blinked, startled by the unexpected gesture, his voice, filled with rare self-bla, reached my ears.
"I’m sorry I was late."
The hand patting my back was off-beat.
An awkward gesture, like soone who had never comforted anyone before.
For a mont, I thought his face looked deathly pale.
"You’re really bad at comforting……"
But that clumsy side of him felt like Cedric, so I buried my face into his shoulder.
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