The thin sandwich with crunchy vegetables was quite edible.
Even though she had lost her appetite, she was still hungry because one sandwich disappeared in no time.
“Would you like to have one more?”
“No, this is fine.”
As the empty plates on the table disappeared, a new tea appeared.
“There’s a rumor going around these days. It’s said that the relationship between Marquis Aratus and his wife has grown distant or something.”
As she was smelling the scent of a moderately warm herbal tea, Anthony suddenly brought up a rumor going around in high society.
“It hasn’t even been half a year since you got married.”
Agatha could read the hidden worry in Anthony's exploration.
“I know that rumor, Your Highness.”
Rumors were already circulating that they had not appeared together at any official functions for just a few days.
It was just a groundless rumor that would have died down as soon as they showed up together even for a moment.
Instead of going out with Enoch, Agatha let the rumors go. They weren't going to cause much damage anyway.
“Seeing you leave it alone, I guess there really was a problem.”
Anthony clicked his tongue as he saw Agatha just shrug her shoulders.
“Agatha, wouldn’t it be better not to give any excuses?”
“Are you saying that they will use this rumor as an opportunity to send assassins?”
“That’s what they always do.”
It was a reasonable story. Agatha took a sip of tea and pushed her hair back.
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Until their divorce, Enoch, her husband, had a duty to protect Agatha.
In fact, he even increased the size of the escort.
“The Knights of Aratus are not that strong, so they won’t be able to easily draw their swords.”
"Yes?"
At the moment, she felt like it wouldn't matter if an assassin came.
Anthony stared at Agatha with a suspicious expression.
“Do you know that there are problems within the Aratus family these days? The Marquis even reported to Father that he intends to revoke some of the titles of his relatives.”
“Really? It seems like the internal problems are more serious than I thought.”
“A few days ago, the Knights of Aratus even took action.”
After a moment's hesitation, Agatha put down her teacup without saying anything.
Agatha also knew that there were problems within the Aratus family, as reported by Ethel.
She also heard that some of Enoch's relatives who had been staying in the territory came up to the capital and made contact with her husband.
She instinctively knew it had something to do with Esther, but she didn't really feel like doing anything about it.
Her senses returned and she began to wonder if she was misunderstanding something.
"I don't mean to dislike you."
Agatha quietly lowered her gaze. She wanted to refuse to think about it any further.
“My husband is also staying at the mansion. Where can I be safer than where the war hero is staying?”
“You know I’m not talking about that now.”
“Then, can I spend some time at the Crown Prince’s palace today? Since you said it’s dangerous, I should spend more time in the safe palace.”
Agatha remained in the Crown Prince's palace for several more hours.
After drinking tea and playing chess, she caught Anthony trying to escape the palace and watched him work, so he looked like he was getting angry.
Even though she had lost her appetite, she was still hungry because one sandwich disappeared in no time.
“Would you like to have one more?”
“No, this is fine.”
As the empty plates on the table disappeared, a new tea appeared.
“There’s a rumor going around these days. It’s said that the relationship between Marquis Aratus and his wife has grown distant or something.”
As she was smelling the scent of a moderately warm herbal tea, Anthony suddenly brought up a rumor going around in high society.
“It hasn’t even been half a year since you got married.”
Agatha could read the hidden worry in Anthony's exploration.
“I know that rumor, Your Highness.”
Rumors were already circulating that they had not appeared together at any official functions for just a few days.
It was just a groundless rumor that would have died down as soon as they showed up together even for a moment.
Instead of going out with Enoch, Agatha let the rumors go. They weren't going to cause much damage anyway.
“Seeing you leave it alone, I guess there really was a problem.”
Anthony clicked his tongue as he saw Agatha just shrug her shoulders.
“Agatha, wouldn’t it be better not to give any excuses?”
“Are you saying that they will use this rumor as an opportunity to send assassins?”
“That’s what they always do.”
It was a reasonable story. Agatha took a sip of tea and pushed her hair back.
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Until their divorce, Enoch, her husband, had a duty to protect Agatha.
In fact, he even increased the size of the escort.
“The Knights of Aratus are not that strong, so they won’t be able to easily draw their swords.”
"Yes?"
At the moment, she felt like it wouldn't matter if an assassin came.
Anthony stared at Agatha with a suspicious expression.
“Do you know that there are problems within the Aratus family these days? The Marquis even reported to Father that he intends to revoke some of the titles of his relatives.”
“Really? It seems like the internal problems are more serious than I thought.”
“A few days ago, the Knights of Aratus even took action.”
After a moment's hesitation, Agatha put down her teacup without saying anything.
Agatha also knew that there were problems within the Aratus family, as reported by Ethel.
She also heard that some of Enoch's relatives who had been staying in the territory came up to the capital and made contact with her husband.
She instinctively knew it had something to do with Esther, but she didn't really feel like doing anything about it.
Her senses returned and she began to wonder if she was misunderstanding something.
"I don't mean to dislike you."
Agatha quietly lowered her gaze. She wanted to refuse to think about it any further.
“My husband is also staying at the mansion. Where can I be safer than where the war hero is staying?”
“You know I’m not talking about that now.”
“Then, can I spend some time at the Crown Prince’s palace today? Since you said it’s dangerous, I should spend more time in the safe palace.”
Agatha remained in the Crown Prince's palace for several more hours.
After drinking tea and playing chess, she caught Anthony trying to escape the palace and watched him work, so he looked like he was getting angry.
“Just go away now.”
“You said you were worried?”
“When did I? Even if I had, I put that worry behind me a long time ago.”
“I was thinking of going back soon anyway.”
The sky was turning red with the sunset. For Antony, he was quite patient.
“I'll come again.”
Agatha left the palace after paying her respects to the Crown Prince, who was too lazy to even see her off, so she just waved.
“Sir Leon.”
First Vice-Captain Leon Takran was waiting in a carriage at the palace entrance.
“Are you here, Ma’am?”
“Don’t go straight to the mansion, stop by the shopping district for a moment.”
Since she's been harassing Anthony for so long, she should at least send him a gift.
Otherwise, she never knew what the long-winded Crown Prince would do next.
“The Marquis said he would be a little late today.”
Leon Takran advised her to hurry home with a worried look on his face.
“I think it would be better to go back before the sun sets.”
“I guess things are quite busy these days?”
"Yes?"
Although he was momentarily flustered, Sir Leon's facial expression management was quite good.
“I don’t quite understand what you’re talking about.”
In her experience, in these cases, it is best to follow the advice of her escort.
“Okay, then I’ll do as you suggest.”
As soon as Agatha agreed, the carriage headed straight to the newlywed mansion.
The mansion was more heavily guarded than usual as Agatha had returned while Enoch was away.
“Madam, shall I come up to your room so you can wash up and eat right away?”
“Please do so.”
Agatha spent the rest of the day in her room, quietly staring out the window.
After washing up and having dinner in only her indoor dress, she collapsed on the sofa and continued reading the book she had been reading since she was in the palace.
“Madam, your fingernails seem to have grown a lot. Should I trim them now?”
Before going to bed, her close maid, Jessie, came in, took out a nail file, and showed it to her.
“Will you do that?”
She looked down to see that her fingernails were very long.
Jessie sat in front of Agatha and trimmed her fingernails. The sound of her nails being sharpened rang out, and Marie appeared before anyone knew it and lit the incense.
While intoxicated by the cozy atmosphere, Jessie finished manicuring her nails and carefully applied oil to them.
“It’s all done, Ma’am. Shall I make you a bed so you can sleep now?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
“What should I do with the incense?”
“It smells good. I think I’ll turn it on and sleep tonight.”
“Then I’ll put it next to the bed.”
After the maids who had drawn the curtains, lowered the drapery, and made up the bed left, Agatha went straight to bed.
Could it be because the warm light and gentle scent linger throughout the bedroom?
Unlike the days when she tossed and turned without being able to sleep, she fell asleep quickly as if it were a lie.
It was a deep sleep after a long time.
A shallow breathing echoed through the cozy bedroom as if no matter what sound was heard outside, it would never wake her.
Agatha woke up because of her intuition, which had been honed through a long period of being attacked.
When she opened her eyes, there was a commotion outside.
“...Another intruder.”
An assassination attempt that had been quiet for some time occurred today.
She remembered Anthony's words about not giving her any excuses. Agatha sighed.
There's nothing she can do.
Agatha was now standing at a crossroads.
Should she continue her marriage now that trust has been shattered, or should she be satisfied and live on?
Maybe ending it is also an option.
Agatha pulled at the thin gold string at the head of her bed. It was the string she used to summon the knights waiting nearby on days like today.
Then she took a dagger out of the bedside table.
She doesn't think she ever has a chance to use this though.
“...It’s better than just being bare-handed.”
Agatha sat blankly on the bed, holding the cold hilt of her sword.
Did Enoch return to the mansion?
She checked the time and it was close to midnight. It was late so there was a high chance he had come home.
Outside, a loud noise was faintly echoing.
“Don’t let anyone enter the mansion!”
The voice she just heard seemed to be that of First Vice-Captain Leon Takran or Second Vice-Captain Hubert Karwen.
By the way, why aren't the knights coming?
It seemed like a long time since the signal was sent, but no one came to inform her of the situation or to find her.
The moment a cool breeze runs down her spine.
Srrrr-
The bedroom door opened without a knock. Agatha slowly turned her gaze to the side.
Beyond the dim light, intruders in pitch-black masks were wielding chilling blades.
Agatha smiled faintly as she discovered several intruders blocking the inner room door.
“I was wondering why the knights weren’t coming.”
“...”
Break down the door! Break through the door!
Outside the room, the knights' shouts could be heard.
The intruder standing at the very front opened his mouth.
“You’re so relaxed. Do you have something else in mind?”
“No, that’s not it. I just laughed because the question was answered.”
“Nobilis, indeed. I’m surprised you can think like that in this situation.”
Suddenly, an intruder came across the bedroom and lifted the curtain.
“... It seems that she is more beautiful in appearance than rumored.”
Agatha looked up at the intruder in silence. Her black-gloved hand rubbed her smooth white cheek.
“Will you follow me? Then I promise to bring you back alive.”
Some made such suggestions among those who attacked her during that time.
This is because sometimes the client requests an assassination, but sometimes they try to kidnap her.
Or maybe the intruder himself finds her attractive.
Or maybe because he thought of receiving a ransom.
There were various reasons, and while Agatha normally wouldn't have provoked the intruders, today was different.
“What’s the point of following someone like me?”
“...!”
“Just kill me. I was starting to hate living anyway.”
Agatha let out a groan as her hair was grabbed. The intruder, who had just thrown her onto the marble floor below the bed, approached her, swearing.
“To urge orders. I guess a noble lady can’t even be afraid of a sword.”
“Ugh...”
She went around pretending to be fine, but there was no way she was really fine.
Even though she had been wary of it, she ended up floundering around, deluding herself into thinking they were a real couple.
Sometimes, she felt like her heart was going to burst because of the hopes that were dashed and the expectations that she couldn't let go of.
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