'How strange.'
Mikhail thought to himself.
Before the banquet.
Karina ordered him to memorize the list of nobles separately and gather several nobles in the venue to the room next to the study. She also told him to let her know when everything was ready using flowers as a signal.
She also gave him an incomprehensible order to wait quietly and pretend not to notice anything in the study.
If all the strange orders Karina had given him were countermeasures for this, it would be right.
'How did she know and prepare in advance?'
He was convinced that Karina had known and prepared in advance.
He wanted to go and ask her directly, but he didn't think she would tell him the truth.
Mikhail wanted to become closer to Karina.
'Enough for her to tell me everything she really felt.'
He wished that Karina would completely rely on him.
'Whew. I want to set her free quickly.'
Mikhail's determination deepened.
***
“Your Highness.”
Mikhail was standing next to Karina, who had not yet arrived.
“Ah...”
His expression was a mixture of worry and relief.
‘I was worried that you might get into trouble.’
Karina deliberately patted him more cheerfully.
“You worked hard. It’s thanks to you doing everything I ordered. Thank you.”
As Karina smiled brightly, Mikhail’s eyes furrowed gently.
“But it’s not over. There’s still work to be done.”
Karina whispered quietly so that only Mikhail could hear.
“We have to follow Lord Genon and monitor him.”
“Surveillance?”
Mikhail asked, looking confused.
“Are you telling me to monitor someone who’s going to be imprisoned anyway?”
“There must be someone secretly approaching Lord Genon.”
Even for Caroline, dealing with Lord Genon, who had close relationships with high-ranking ladies, would be burdensome.
However, it wouldn’t be possible to completely keep his mouth shut.
Caroline was going to secretly contact Lord Genon at any cost.
She had to catch her then.
“He’s probably one of the people in the Grand Duke’s family. We have to prevent him from making contact.”
“Ah...”
Mikhail’s expression as he looked at Karina was strangely strange.
Karina asked in a serious voice.
“Why? Do you think it’ll be hard?”
“No. It’s not like that, but...”
Mikhail made a meaningful expression.
At that moment, Jeremiah suddenly approached her and stood in front of her.
“Please talk to me.”
“...?”
Karina was a little flustered.
She didn’t know Jeremiah would come first and ask her to talk.
‘I already had something to say to him, so that’s good.’
“Yes.”
Karina lightly accepted.
“I’ll go with you too.”
Mikhail said, following closely behind Karina.
“I won’t allow it.”
Jeremiah spoke before Karina could respond.
Surprised, Karina looked at Jeremiah.
Jeremiah had a hardened expression as if he was very angry.
'It's understandable that you're angry since this kind of unpleasant incident happened again at a banquet hosted by the Grand Duke's family. Are you calling me now to warn me to do the right thing?'
Even his gaze toward Mikhail was quite fierce.
'What? There's no need to be so openly hostile toward my bodyguard.'
Karina thought dissatisfied.
However, Mikhail did not back down at all, just like at the beginning.
He faced Jeremiah head-on, showing caution and hostility.
"The Grand Duchess is very surprised. She'll need time to calm down, so let's do it later."
Jeremiah's eyes sparkled at Mikhail's words.
"Who are you to say such things?"
A fierce voice flowed out of Jeremiah's mouth.
'Ah..!'
The timing was bad.
'There are still noble ladies watching, so there are many eyes. I can't let a fight break out here.'
Karina urgently separated the two.
“He did it because he was thinking of me. What’s wrong with my escort worrying about me?”
“What?”
Jeremiah made a face of bewilderment.
In the meantime, Karina quickly whispered to Mikhail.
“Michael. You go and do what I said earlier.”
“But...”
“Please.”
“...”
Mikhail made a face that seemed uneasy about leaving Karina alone.
“I’m fine, don’t worry,”
Karina reassured him.
“...I understand.”
Mikhail’s expression still didn’t look comfortable as he answered.
“So. What’s your business?”
Karina asked as soon as she was left alone with Jeremiah.
Karina’s voice as she asked was very businesslike.
“...”
Jeremiah stared at Karina with a stern expression before opening his mouth.
“Aren’t you the one who has something to say?”
His voice was calm but somewhat sullen.
“Before the event started, I’m sure I ordered the escorts out of the banquet hall. Did you not listen to me and stay with him all this time?”
“Did you ask me to meet you separately just to ask that?”
Karina asked back with a dumbfounded expression.
“Answer me.”
Karina swallowed a hollow laugh and answered indifferently.
“The study isn’t inside the banquet hall. Is that the answer?”
“So you’re saying you were always together.”
Jeremiah looked at Karina with sharp eyes.
Karina couldn’t understand.
The escort was just doing his job next to her, so why should he be tripped up like that?
Karina sighed and shook her head.
She thought that if that was what he wanted to say, there was no need to listen any further.
“More than that, please postpone Lord Genon’s punishment for a while.”
Karina got right to the point.
“Postpone his punishment?”
“Yes. And I want you to hand over to me the authority to investigate him directly.”
Jeremiah’s eyebrows, which had been slightly furrowed, were now blatantly warped.
“Why?”
“Lord Genon needs to be investigated separately. Lord Genon wouldn’t have planned this on his own.”
“Are you trying to say that someone is behind it?"
"Damn you!"
Karina let out her anger as soon as she left the room.
She didn't think she would be able to obtain the right to investigate easily from Jeremiah, but she never imagined that he would act like that.
Karina, who was breathing heavily and grumbling, bit her lip.
'Calm down. I don't have time to waste being swept away by my emotions.'
There was something she had to prepare before Caroline started talking.
Since she didn’t have the right to investigate, he had to catch Caroline at the scene of her contact with Genon.
That way, she could prove that Caroline was involved in this matter.
If that didn’t work out, she had to make Genon confess to Caroline himself.
‘If he can’t confess, then at least some circumstantial evidence. He must have evidence since he’s a dirty bastard.’
A promissory note saying she’d pay if things went well, or a secret letter saying she’d like to meet him in secret, away from the public eye.
He must have left behind at least one piece of evidence as a countermeasure.
Karina took a deep breath.
‘This isn’t a completely unexpected situation. Just do as planned.’
Karina suppressed all her anger toward Jeremiah.
With a little composure, Karina headed to the prison where Genon was being held.
“Grand Duchess, are you okay? Your complexion is really bad.”
Mikhail asked Karina as soon as he saw her.
Despite his worried words, Karina had a hard time controlling her expression.
“What happened?”
“No. Nothing happened.”
Karina asked, forcing herself to keep her expression straight.
“By the way, was there anyone trying to contact Genon?”
Instead of answering, Mikhail smiled meaningfully and searched through his bosom.
He then took out a note from his inside pocket and handed it to Karina.
“Here it is.”
“Ah!”
“I knocked out the maid who had the note and put her in a separate room.”
Mikhail said triumphantly.
Mikhail thought to himself.
Before the banquet.
Karina ordered him to memorize the list of nobles separately and gather several nobles in the venue to the room next to the study. She also told him to let her know when everything was ready using flowers as a signal.
She also gave him an incomprehensible order to wait quietly and pretend not to notice anything in the study.
If all the strange orders Karina had given him were countermeasures for this, it would be right.
'How did she know and prepare in advance?'
He was convinced that Karina had known and prepared in advance.
He wanted to go and ask her directly, but he didn't think she would tell him the truth.
Mikhail wanted to become closer to Karina.
'Enough for her to tell me everything she really felt.'
He wished that Karina would completely rely on him.
'Whew. I want to set her free quickly.'
Mikhail's determination deepened.
***
“Your Highness.”
Mikhail was standing next to Karina, who had not yet arrived.
“Ah...”
His expression was a mixture of worry and relief.
‘I was worried that you might get into trouble.’
Karina deliberately patted him more cheerfully.
“You worked hard. It’s thanks to you doing everything I ordered. Thank you.”
As Karina smiled brightly, Mikhail’s eyes furrowed gently.
“But it’s not over. There’s still work to be done.”
Karina whispered quietly so that only Mikhail could hear.
“We have to follow Lord Genon and monitor him.”
“Surveillance?”
Mikhail asked, looking confused.
“Are you telling me to monitor someone who’s going to be imprisoned anyway?”
“There must be someone secretly approaching Lord Genon.”
Even for Caroline, dealing with Lord Genon, who had close relationships with high-ranking ladies, would be burdensome.
However, it wouldn’t be possible to completely keep his mouth shut.
Caroline was going to secretly contact Lord Genon at any cost.
She had to catch her then.
“He’s probably one of the people in the Grand Duke’s family. We have to prevent him from making contact.”
“Ah...”
Mikhail’s expression as he looked at Karina was strangely strange.
Karina asked in a serious voice.
“Why? Do you think it’ll be hard?”
“No. It’s not like that, but...”
Mikhail made a meaningful expression.
At that moment, Jeremiah suddenly approached her and stood in front of her.
“Please talk to me.”
“...?”
Karina was a little flustered.
She didn’t know Jeremiah would come first and ask her to talk.
‘I already had something to say to him, so that’s good.’
“Yes.”
Karina lightly accepted.
“I’ll go with you too.”
Mikhail said, following closely behind Karina.
“I won’t allow it.”
Jeremiah spoke before Karina could respond.
Surprised, Karina looked at Jeremiah.
Jeremiah had a hardened expression as if he was very angry.
'It's understandable that you're angry since this kind of unpleasant incident happened again at a banquet hosted by the Grand Duke's family. Are you calling me now to warn me to do the right thing?'
Even his gaze toward Mikhail was quite fierce.
'What? There's no need to be so openly hostile toward my bodyguard.'
Karina thought dissatisfied.
However, Mikhail did not back down at all, just like at the beginning.
He faced Jeremiah head-on, showing caution and hostility.
"The Grand Duchess is very surprised. She'll need time to calm down, so let's do it later."
Jeremiah's eyes sparkled at Mikhail's words.
"Who are you to say such things?"
A fierce voice flowed out of Jeremiah's mouth.
'Ah..!'
The timing was bad.
'There are still noble ladies watching, so there are many eyes. I can't let a fight break out here.'
Karina urgently separated the two.
“He did it because he was thinking of me. What’s wrong with my escort worrying about me?”
“What?”
Jeremiah made a face of bewilderment.
In the meantime, Karina quickly whispered to Mikhail.
“Michael. You go and do what I said earlier.”
“But...”
“Please.”
“...”
Mikhail made a face that seemed uneasy about leaving Karina alone.
“I’m fine, don’t worry,”
Karina reassured him.
“...I understand.”
Mikhail’s expression still didn’t look comfortable as he answered.
***
“So. What’s your business?”
Karina asked as soon as she was left alone with Jeremiah.
Karina’s voice as she asked was very businesslike.
“...”
Jeremiah stared at Karina with a stern expression before opening his mouth.
“Aren’t you the one who has something to say?”
His voice was calm but somewhat sullen.
“Before the event started, I’m sure I ordered the escorts out of the banquet hall. Did you not listen to me and stay with him all this time?”
“Did you ask me to meet you separately just to ask that?”
Karina asked back with a dumbfounded expression.
“Answer me.”
Karina swallowed a hollow laugh and answered indifferently.
“The study isn’t inside the banquet hall. Is that the answer?”
“So you’re saying you were always together.”
Jeremiah looked at Karina with sharp eyes.
Karina couldn’t understand.
The escort was just doing his job next to her, so why should he be tripped up like that?
Karina sighed and shook her head.
She thought that if that was what he wanted to say, there was no need to listen any further.
“More than that, please postpone Lord Genon’s punishment for a while.”
Karina got right to the point.
“Postpone his punishment?”
“Yes. And I want you to hand over to me the authority to investigate him directly.”
Jeremiah’s eyebrows, which had been slightly furrowed, were now blatantly warped.
“Why?”
“Lord Genon needs to be investigated separately. Lord Genon wouldn’t have planned this on his own.”
“Are you trying to say that someone is behind it?"
“There’s no benefit to Lord Genon putting me in a difficult situation, right? If you think about who gained the most from this, you’ll understand.”
Jeremiah didn’t look convinced by Karina’s serious explanation.
Instead, he raised the corners of his mouth and asked.
“Aren’t you the one who gained the most from this?”
“...What do you mean?”
“I heard that Peggyson Genon is quite popular among the noble ladies because of his pretty face and eloquence.”
“So? What are you trying to say?”
“You really never told him to become your mistress?”
“...What did you say?”
“No one would suspect you and Lord Genon of something happening today, right?”
“Ha!”
Karina touched her forehead in shock.
“Are you trying to say that this was all my own doing?”
“Didn’t you say that you wanted to investigate Lord Genon yourself and postpone his punishment? When I hear that, I can’t help but have such doubts.”
“...Do you think I won’t punish Lord Genon under the pretext of investigating?”
“First of all, isn’t it true that you don’t plan on punishing him right now?”
Karina gritted her teeth.
Her stomach felt like it was turning upside down with the rising anger.
“Whew.”
Karina took a deep breath and tried to maintain her composure.
“That’s funny.”
“Funny?”
“Even if I really created a government, why are you acting like this when you’ve never been interested in me?”
“I’m your husband.”
“Yes. A husband in name only. We’re going to get divorced soon.”
Jeremiah’s expression turned cold at Karina’s words.
“Just tell me for sure whether or not you’ll give me the authority to investigate Lord Genon.”
“I can’t. You’re asking the obvious.”
As soon as Jeremiah finished speaking, Karina jumped up from her seat.
“Then since our business is done, I’ll go.”
Karina turned around fiercely and slammed the door shut.
“Haa...”
Jeremiah, who was left alone in the room, rubbed his forehead with a frustrated expression.
Earlier, Karina’s bright smile towards her escort had greatly upset his temper.
It was the first time he saw that expression on Karina's face.
'And that escort...'
The way the escort looked at Karina was so annoying.
That gaze was not ordinary.
When he saw the escort blocking his way and surrounding Karina, he felt a fiery heat burning inside him.
Jeremiah's cheeks twitched with anger that he couldn't shake off.
'You're not going to meet that guy again, are you?'
Jeremiah gritted his teeth.
He got up from his seat and walked in the direction Karina had gone.
Jeremiah didn’t look convinced by Karina’s serious explanation.
Instead, he raised the corners of his mouth and asked.
“Aren’t you the one who gained the most from this?”
“...What do you mean?”
“I heard that Peggyson Genon is quite popular among the noble ladies because of his pretty face and eloquence.”
“So? What are you trying to say?”
“You really never told him to become your mistress?”
“...What did you say?”
“No one would suspect you and Lord Genon of something happening today, right?”
“Ha!”
Karina touched her forehead in shock.
“Are you trying to say that this was all my own doing?”
“Didn’t you say that you wanted to investigate Lord Genon yourself and postpone his punishment? When I hear that, I can’t help but have such doubts.”
“...Do you think I won’t punish Lord Genon under the pretext of investigating?”
“First of all, isn’t it true that you don’t plan on punishing him right now?”
Karina gritted her teeth.
Her stomach felt like it was turning upside down with the rising anger.
“Whew.”
Karina took a deep breath and tried to maintain her composure.
“That’s funny.”
“Funny?”
“Even if I really created a government, why are you acting like this when you’ve never been interested in me?”
“I’m your husband.”
“Yes. A husband in name only. We’re going to get divorced soon.”
Jeremiah’s expression turned cold at Karina’s words.
“Just tell me for sure whether or not you’ll give me the authority to investigate Lord Genon.”
“I can’t. You’re asking the obvious.”
As soon as Jeremiah finished speaking, Karina jumped up from her seat.
“Then since our business is done, I’ll go.”
Karina turned around fiercely and slammed the door shut.
“Haa...”
Jeremiah, who was left alone in the room, rubbed his forehead with a frustrated expression.
Earlier, Karina’s bright smile towards her escort had greatly upset his temper.
It was the first time he saw that expression on Karina's face.
'And that escort...'
The way the escort looked at Karina was so annoying.
That gaze was not ordinary.
When he saw the escort blocking his way and surrounding Karina, he felt a fiery heat burning inside him.
Jeremiah's cheeks twitched with anger that he couldn't shake off.
'You're not going to meet that guy again, are you?'
Jeremiah gritted his teeth.
He got up from his seat and walked in the direction Karina had gone.
***
"Damn you!"
Karina let out her anger as soon as she left the room.
She didn't think she would be able to obtain the right to investigate easily from Jeremiah, but she never imagined that he would act like that.
Karina, who was breathing heavily and grumbling, bit her lip.
'Calm down. I don't have time to waste being swept away by my emotions.'
There was something she had to prepare before Caroline started talking.
Since she didn’t have the right to investigate, he had to catch Caroline at the scene of her contact with Genon.
That way, she could prove that Caroline was involved in this matter.
If that didn’t work out, she had to make Genon confess to Caroline himself.
‘If he can’t confess, then at least some circumstantial evidence. He must have evidence since he’s a dirty bastard.’
A promissory note saying she’d pay if things went well, or a secret letter saying she’d like to meet him in secret, away from the public eye.
He must have left behind at least one piece of evidence as a countermeasure.
Karina took a deep breath.
‘This isn’t a completely unexpected situation. Just do as planned.’
Karina suppressed all her anger toward Jeremiah.
With a little composure, Karina headed to the prison where Genon was being held.
***
“Grand Duchess, are you okay? Your complexion is really bad.”
Mikhail asked Karina as soon as he saw her.
Despite his worried words, Karina had a hard time controlling her expression.
“What happened?”
“No. Nothing happened.”
Karina asked, forcing herself to keep her expression straight.
“By the way, was there anyone trying to contact Genon?”
Instead of answering, Mikhail smiled meaningfully and searched through his bosom.
He then took out a note from his inside pocket and handed it to Karina.
“Here it is.”
“Ah!”
“I knocked out the maid who had the note and put her in a separate room.”
Mikhail said triumphantly.
“Good job.”
Karina looked over the note and asked with delight.
“Where is Genon now?”
“This way. Follow me.”
A musty, unmanaged smell wafted out.
Mikhail led her to the end of the prison corridor.
Karina looked over the note and asked with delight.
“Where is Genon now?”
“This way. Follow me.”
A musty, unmanaged smell wafted out.
Mikhail led her to the end of the prison corridor.
“Your Grace!”
When Genon saw Karina, he jumped up and came near the bars.
“Your Grace! Please tell His Highness the Grand Duke to let me out!”
Genon shamelessly shouted for help.
The New Series, God Bless Your Ruin is out now! You can check it HERE!
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment