Charlotte looked dazed as she swept her clothes and belongings into her carrier. Mrs. Dunst's whispers still rang in her ears.
"Listen carefully, Charlotte. As soon as Grand Duke Winston becomes the next Emperor, right after the mourning period, the current law that did not recognize illegitimate children will be revised. This is to register the illegitimate children born to the government and grant them succession rights. If Lord Kyle passes away, Michael will become the next Duke as the legitimate eldest son. Unfortunately, Madame Leticia has no heir, so her marriage will automatically be terminated and she will have no choice but to leave the Dukedom. What will become of you, Charlotte? You will become the Duchess of Blackwell overnight. I will do my best to help you and Michael ascend to that position smoothly."
Charlotte's heart pounded again. She tried to suppress her excitement, completely ignorant of the truth. Charlotte Randall really knew nothing. So for that moment, she could dream of her future as a Duchess and be completely excited.
Angie sat in the café on the train station platform and scribbled a letter. Bryn had also objected to seeing Michael off at the station. She said she shouldn't go to crowded places. It was okay, Uncle Anton would take him by carriage. After several attempts, she finally managed to get to the station.
Her heart was pounding because she was already missing Noah. The child was in his mother's arms for the first time in a long time, and then he dozed off. Even after watching the nanny put Noah to bed, he didn't move.
Bryn, who was so anxious about something, held Patty in her arms and did not leave the gate until the carriage left. She was uneasy even as Angie got into the carriage as if she had a vague sense of her secret journey. It was fortunate that Martin was at the police station. If he had been there, he would have followed her to the station.
Angie put down her pen and looked up. Michael was buying a ticket on the platform. The train would be leaving soon. Uncle Anton, who had been sent to the distant store on an errand, would be back soon.
A few servants were standing in front of the newsstand. Angie raised her hand in their direction. A boy who looked to be in his late teens came running up to them, his eyes shining. Angie looked like she was from a wealthy family, so he seemed to expect a pretty hefty reward.
“Take this to this address, Rubenville Street, and give it to Bryn Silva. It must be given directly to Madqm Silva.”
The servant nodded his head in delight at the money Angie handed him. Normally, it was customary to receive half of the advance payment from the client at the destination. However, the advance payment he had just received was twice the normal amount. The boy felt as if his feet had wings and he left the station. After a while, Michael came over and showed him the ticket.
“Angie, now is the time. Hurry up.”
She had to hurry before coachman Anton returned. She tied her hatstring tightly and climbed onto the train, led by Michael. The transfer car via Citadel was already more than half full. The train moved without hesitation.
Angie finally sighed in relief after sitting across from Michael. She had deliberately purchased a first-class ticket to avoid being noticed so that she and he could sit in a private cabin together.
“Angie. Are you okay? You look pale.”
Michael asked worriedly and handed over the water provided in each first-class seat. Angie took the water, drank it, and untied her hatstring. However, she left her brown wig on. Her heart was beating like crazy. There was really no turning back now. She was already worried that Noah would wake up and look for his mother.
“Have you definitely been in contact with Uncle Jerome?”
“The secretary is to meet me in Trieste across the border. I’m sure he’ll be very happy to know you’re here.”
“Is that so? When he brought me to the Citadel at dawn, he asked me to stay hidden in Armitage’s house for the time being...”
“He must have thought of your safety. He must have felt the same way. As you know, no one has been more loyal to Blackwell than he is... From his days as Edward’s butler on Cullinan Island to his current position as the Duke’s secretary, he has taken great care of Kyle.”
Angie nodded in agreement. But she still couldn't shake off her anxiety. She just hoped that nothing would happen. She looked up at Michael with a big sigh.
“Michael, thank you so much. I owe you a lot right now, but I hope that one day I can repay your kindness. I really mean it.”
“Don’t say that, Angie. I also want Trieste to change like Vintergar, not go against the flow of the world. I realized this after coming to Vintergar this time. If Kyle is also cleared of charges and the cabinet system is established as planned... I want you to be happy too, Angie.”
“Thank you, Michael.”
At that moment, Leticia's face came to mind.
“Michael, you said that you first came to Revan under Leticia’s orders, right? You ended up disobeying that order... Are you okay?”
Angie bit her lip. She was embarrassed to face Michael now that she was thinking about his safety. But he answered nonchalantly.
“It doesn’t matter at all. After all, my master was a Duke, not a Duchess. I don’t have to worry, Angie.”
And then he smiled brightly again, just like on the island.
“Everything will be okay, Angie. Just relax.”
Angie responded to his comfort with a faint smile. As the train picked up speed, the scenery outside the window also passed quickly. The Citadel River, which was just around the corner in November, was beautiful with the blue water and the branches with fallen leaves here and there.
But Angie's heart could not be calmed even while looking at that peaceful scene. She could not suppress the anxiety that kept creeping up on her. Her heart felt heavy as if she was walking into a den of monsters on her own two feet as if she was crossing a river from which she could never return.
It's okay, everything will be okay. I told you that there are far more people on Kyle's side, so he will definitely be cleared of his charges and released.
Angie pressed her chest as if trying to calm her heart, and looked out the window. Michael stared at her silently. One corner of his mouth was slightly drawn into a smile, barely visible.
The police station was in an uproar since morning. Martin had just heard the news that the delegation from Trieste had crossed the border with the body of the Emperor and the body of the Duke of Blackwell, who was accused of being the murderer.
“Isn’t this an unprecedented incident? The royal family of Vintergar must be quite flustered to have suffered such a national disaster while the delegation was visiting.”
“How fortunate that the only suspect was an insider. If it had been an assassin from a neighboring country like Vintergar, Vicentine, or Azerbaijan, the Third Continental War might have been declared. By the way, it’s really surprising that the culprit is the Duke of Blackwell. He’s a high-ranking noble from Trieste and the Emperor’s right-hand man.”
Everyone was busy putting off their work and sticking out their tongues to argue about the incident. Martin left the noisy kitchen alone and returned to his desk. The man who had come to visit earlier in the morning kept coming to his mind.
When they exchanged brief greetings, Martin couldn't see him clearly because he was wearing a bowler hat pulled down low. A passing police car honked at him, so he didn't even see him take off his hat and bow his head at the gate. According to the butler Helen, he was a handsome man with a very sad and gentle expression.
Michael Randall, you say? That's strange. Why am I so nervous? He looks familiar, but where have I seen him before?
At that moment, Martin slammed the table. His eyes were shaking as he belatedly realized the truth. How could he be so stupid? If he hadn’t seen it in Vintergar, he must have seen it while he was on Cullinan Island!
The moment he realized that fact, the threads of his memory began to unravel as if they were lies. He clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on the desk, trying to focus on the past. Think of the boys he had met at the Duke's residence or in the village before he escaped on a boat sixteen or eleven years ago.
The man named Michael looked to be in his early to mid-twenties at most, and he looked three or four years younger than him. So when he was sixteen, he would have been around twelve or thirteen.
Several scenes in his memory appeared and disappeared one after another like hallucinations. The afterimages of the past flashed through a spring day and stopped there.
It was a day when he was sitting on the edge of a gently sloping hill, a low cliff that seemed to have been cut down below, and feeling the spring breeze blowing gently. When he lowered his head, Martin could clearly see the village below and the yards of the houses.
There were always things he would see whenever he sat there, like a cat curled up in a sunny spot, a woman nodding off on a chair with her knitting needle in her hand and a boy who always sat alone.
Martin's eyes, which had been tightly shut, opened wide. At the edge of the village, there was a boy of about twelve or thirteen who always stayed at home. It was said that he had suffered from albino disease, and his eyes were of a very peculiar color.
He had purple eyes.
Underneath the bowler hat pulled down low, the color of his eyes that could be seen was clearly a pale purple. Martin unconsciously kicked the desk and stood up.
"Listen carefully, Charlotte. As soon as Grand Duke Winston becomes the next Emperor, right after the mourning period, the current law that did not recognize illegitimate children will be revised. This is to register the illegitimate children born to the government and grant them succession rights. If Lord Kyle passes away, Michael will become the next Duke as the legitimate eldest son. Unfortunately, Madame Leticia has no heir, so her marriage will automatically be terminated and she will have no choice but to leave the Dukedom. What will become of you, Charlotte? You will become the Duchess of Blackwell overnight. I will do my best to help you and Michael ascend to that position smoothly."
Charlotte's heart pounded again. She tried to suppress her excitement, completely ignorant of the truth. Charlotte Randall really knew nothing. So for that moment, she could dream of her future as a Duchess and be completely excited.
***
Angie sat in the café on the train station platform and scribbled a letter. Bryn had also objected to seeing Michael off at the station. She said she shouldn't go to crowded places. It was okay, Uncle Anton would take him by carriage. After several attempts, she finally managed to get to the station.
Her heart was pounding because she was already missing Noah. The child was in his mother's arms for the first time in a long time, and then he dozed off. Even after watching the nanny put Noah to bed, he didn't move.
Bryn, who was so anxious about something, held Patty in her arms and did not leave the gate until the carriage left. She was uneasy even as Angie got into the carriage as if she had a vague sense of her secret journey. It was fortunate that Martin was at the police station. If he had been there, he would have followed her to the station.
Angie put down her pen and looked up. Michael was buying a ticket on the platform. The train would be leaving soon. Uncle Anton, who had been sent to the distant store on an errand, would be back soon.
A few servants were standing in front of the newsstand. Angie raised her hand in their direction. A boy who looked to be in his late teens came running up to them, his eyes shining. Angie looked like she was from a wealthy family, so he seemed to expect a pretty hefty reward.
“Take this to this address, Rubenville Street, and give it to Bryn Silva. It must be given directly to Madqm Silva.”
The servant nodded his head in delight at the money Angie handed him. Normally, it was customary to receive half of the advance payment from the client at the destination. However, the advance payment he had just received was twice the normal amount. The boy felt as if his feet had wings and he left the station. After a while, Michael came over and showed him the ticket.
“Angie, now is the time. Hurry up.”
She had to hurry before coachman Anton returned. She tied her hatstring tightly and climbed onto the train, led by Michael. The transfer car via Citadel was already more than half full. The train moved without hesitation.
Angie finally sighed in relief after sitting across from Michael. She had deliberately purchased a first-class ticket to avoid being noticed so that she and he could sit in a private cabin together.
“Angie. Are you okay? You look pale.”
Michael asked worriedly and handed over the water provided in each first-class seat. Angie took the water, drank it, and untied her hatstring. However, she left her brown wig on. Her heart was beating like crazy. There was really no turning back now. She was already worried that Noah would wake up and look for his mother.
“Have you definitely been in contact with Uncle Jerome?”
“The secretary is to meet me in Trieste across the border. I’m sure he’ll be very happy to know you’re here.”
“Is that so? When he brought me to the Citadel at dawn, he asked me to stay hidden in Armitage’s house for the time being...”
“He must have thought of your safety. He must have felt the same way. As you know, no one has been more loyal to Blackwell than he is... From his days as Edward’s butler on Cullinan Island to his current position as the Duke’s secretary, he has taken great care of Kyle.”
Angie nodded in agreement. But she still couldn't shake off her anxiety. She just hoped that nothing would happen. She looked up at Michael with a big sigh.
“Michael, thank you so much. I owe you a lot right now, but I hope that one day I can repay your kindness. I really mean it.”
“Don’t say that, Angie. I also want Trieste to change like Vintergar, not go against the flow of the world. I realized this after coming to Vintergar this time. If Kyle is also cleared of charges and the cabinet system is established as planned... I want you to be happy too, Angie.”
“Thank you, Michael.”
At that moment, Leticia's face came to mind.
“Michael, you said that you first came to Revan under Leticia’s orders, right? You ended up disobeying that order... Are you okay?”
Angie bit her lip. She was embarrassed to face Michael now that she was thinking about his safety. But he answered nonchalantly.
“It doesn’t matter at all. After all, my master was a Duke, not a Duchess. I don’t have to worry, Angie.”
And then he smiled brightly again, just like on the island.
“Everything will be okay, Angie. Just relax.”
Angie responded to his comfort with a faint smile. As the train picked up speed, the scenery outside the window also passed quickly. The Citadel River, which was just around the corner in November, was beautiful with the blue water and the branches with fallen leaves here and there.
But Angie's heart could not be calmed even while looking at that peaceful scene. She could not suppress the anxiety that kept creeping up on her. Her heart felt heavy as if she was walking into a den of monsters on her own two feet as if she was crossing a river from which she could never return.
It's okay, everything will be okay. I told you that there are far more people on Kyle's side, so he will definitely be cleared of his charges and released.
Angie pressed her chest as if trying to calm her heart, and looked out the window. Michael stared at her silently. One corner of his mouth was slightly drawn into a smile, barely visible.
***
The police station was in an uproar since morning. Martin had just heard the news that the delegation from Trieste had crossed the border with the body of the Emperor and the body of the Duke of Blackwell, who was accused of being the murderer.
“Isn’t this an unprecedented incident? The royal family of Vintergar must be quite flustered to have suffered such a national disaster while the delegation was visiting.”
“How fortunate that the only suspect was an insider. If it had been an assassin from a neighboring country like Vintergar, Vicentine, or Azerbaijan, the Third Continental War might have been declared. By the way, it’s really surprising that the culprit is the Duke of Blackwell. He’s a high-ranking noble from Trieste and the Emperor’s right-hand man.”
Everyone was busy putting off their work and sticking out their tongues to argue about the incident. Martin left the noisy kitchen alone and returned to his desk. The man who had come to visit earlier in the morning kept coming to his mind.
When they exchanged brief greetings, Martin couldn't see him clearly because he was wearing a bowler hat pulled down low. A passing police car honked at him, so he didn't even see him take off his hat and bow his head at the gate. According to the butler Helen, he was a handsome man with a very sad and gentle expression.
Michael Randall, you say? That's strange. Why am I so nervous? He looks familiar, but where have I seen him before?
At that moment, Martin slammed the table. His eyes were shaking as he belatedly realized the truth. How could he be so stupid? If he hadn’t seen it in Vintergar, he must have seen it while he was on Cullinan Island!
The moment he realized that fact, the threads of his memory began to unravel as if they were lies. He clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on the desk, trying to focus on the past. Think of the boys he had met at the Duke's residence or in the village before he escaped on a boat sixteen or eleven years ago.
The man named Michael looked to be in his early to mid-twenties at most, and he looked three or four years younger than him. So when he was sixteen, he would have been around twelve or thirteen.
Several scenes in his memory appeared and disappeared one after another like hallucinations. The afterimages of the past flashed through a spring day and stopped there.
It was a day when he was sitting on the edge of a gently sloping hill, a low cliff that seemed to have been cut down below, and feeling the spring breeze blowing gently. When he lowered his head, Martin could clearly see the village below and the yards of the houses.
There were always things he would see whenever he sat there, like a cat curled up in a sunny spot, a woman nodding off on a chair with her knitting needle in her hand and a boy who always sat alone.
Martin's eyes, which had been tightly shut, opened wide. At the edge of the village, there was a boy of about twelve or thirteen who always stayed at home. It was said that he had suffered from albino disease, and his eyes were of a very peculiar color.
He had purple eyes.
Underneath the bowler hat pulled down low, the color of his eyes that could be seen was clearly a pale purple. Martin unconsciously kicked the desk and stood up.
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