This was the first time I had ever been outside the palace alone. The problem was that I didn't know the geography of the capital very well.
I had to get out of the capital as quickly as possible. While His Majesty was trying hard to hide his symptoms and hold on...
If His Majesty's condition is discovered before then, security will become tighter.
To do that, I had to find a pawn shop, exchange my jewels for money, and find a suitable carriage. From there, I just had to somehow get to the north...
“...”
Was it a problem that I was walking while lost in thought? It wasn't long before I realized that there was a presence following me.
At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but when I stopped, he stopped, and when I slowed down, he followed along slowly.
It was at a moment when even the number of people was decreasing. A cold sweat ran down my back.
I looked around as if I hadn't noticed and quickened my pace ever so slightly.
I took advantage of the moment when my body was hidden from my pursuers' view as I turned the alley and started running.
And the sound of footsteps following me also began to get faster.
This made it clear. It was I whom they had been following. I ran like crazy down the alley. Right, left, right, right, left...
Because the alleys all looked similar, it felt like I was going around in circles, unable to leave the same place.
The sound of footsteps was getting closer. I threw the bag I was holding back with all my might.
One of the people following behind stumbled and fell over, making a loud noise and spitting out a series of vicious curses.
“Haak, hak, haak...”
My breathing was getting harder and harder. My legs, which had long since forgotten how to run, were starting to shake.
Now it was really the limit.
The sound of footsteps was right behind me. It felt like the tips of the man's rough fingers were brushing against the back of my neck.
When I realized that I had almost been caught, my hair stood on end. I squeezed my eyes shut and mustered the last of my strength. And just as I turned the corner, I collided head-on with someone.
“What is this...”
I thought I would just roll over, but the person I had bumped into quickly stretched out his arm and wrapped it around my waist. In an instant, I was running into his arms and hugging him.
My teeth chattered with extreme fear. Was this person in cahoots with those who had tried to capture me?
As I instinctively tried to scream, a large hand covered my mouth. I twisted my waist, kicked his leg with my foot, and tried to bite the palm that covered my mouth.
But the man was a little quicker to ask back.
"... Your Highness?"
The voice... sounded really familiar. Only then did I manage to raise my head and look up at the man.
It was Dmitry. As soon as he realized that the crazy woman who had flown into his arms was me, he immediately threw me out of his arms.
“What are you doing here at this hour of the morning? Where is Lord Enoch?”
“Me, behind me, who...”
I gasped and pointed behind me. Dmitry narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then craned his head to look in the direction I had come from.
“Who are you talking about?”
“Who, who are you, me, those who were following me...”
“There is no one on the street.”
“Uh, uh, none?”
I couldn't believe it. I turned my head and looked in the direction I had run from.
It was just as Dmitry said. There was no one on the street. Was I possessed by a ghost?
As the tension suddenly subsided, the strength left my legs. Dmitry quickly supported me as I was about to collapse.
“What on earth were you doing here?”
“That’s what I, I, have to say.”
I said through gritted teeth. Now, even Dmitry was suspicious.
Why on earth did we meet at this time? It's too much of a coincidence to call it a coincidence...
“The Privy Council meeting was delayed due to the prolonged discussion about the judging ceremony to be held tomorrow.”
You were in the middle of retreating? At those words, I took a closer look at where we were standing.
...It was just as Dmitry said. The high iron bars of the imperial palace were only about thirty steps ahead.
I thought I was just going around in circles in the same place, but it seemed to be true. Before I knew it, I had run back to the front of the palace.
As I burst into empty laughter, Dmitry spoke firmly.
“Your Highness, I must hear why you are here.”
“If we talk about it, it’s going to be very, long...”
I explained to Dmitry very briefly what had happened so far.
He hesitated a bit when I said I wasn't the real Princess, but he seemed to have concluded on his own that there had been some kind of misunderstanding.
If he had tried to hand me over to the guards, it would have taken a long time to convince him... It was a good thing.
“So you’re saying you’re going to rent a carriage and go north by yourself? Are you serious?”
Dmitry said with a look of astonishment on his face.
“The Marquis can just pretend not to know me and let me go.”
I timidly insisted on returning to the building. Dmitry's eyes narrowed even further.
“You said you were going all the way north, yet you didn’t even have any luggage.”
There was no excuse for that. In fact, I had taken it with me. It was just that I threw my bag away while running away earlier...
Anyway, it was just as he said. Right now, I don't have even a single gram of money in my hand.
"If..."
As soon as I opened my mouth, he burst out laughing.
“It’s not difficult to lend you money, but will you be able to pay it back?”
“When I come back again...”
“I will accept anything that is yours, but I do not want to accept anything that is from Lord Ashkabad.”
“...”
“I will go to my carriage and lend you the money.”
I was led by his hand and walked to Batistan's carriage.
I was thinking of just taking the money and leaving, but he opened the carriage door and said.
“Get in.”
“It’s okay. I’ll just lend you the money...”
“I will escort you to the gates of Osmungand. At least I will accompany you to a safe place.”
“But, if this continues, you will be in danger too...”
Dmitry gently interrupted me.
“You cannot pass through the Osmungand Gate unless you have a clear identity. Your ID... you probably didn’t bring it with you.”
I was speechless and frozen. Dmitry's words seemed to have hit a point I hadn't even thought of.
I had completely forgotten about the Osmungand Gate, the great and strict gateway leading to the capital where the Emperor resided.
Dmitry urged me once more.
“There is no time to delay. If word gets out tomorrow that Your Highness has disappeared, surveillance will intensify.”
He was right. It was important to get through the gate when there was less surveillance.
Besides... some were chasing me. I didn’t want to feel that spine-chilling feeling ever again. At least not tonight.
I held Dmitry's hand tightly and climbed into the carriage.
“You cannot pass.”
The gatekeepers standing guard in front of the Osmungand gate blocked the carriage's entrance with long spears. Dmitry asked coldly.
“Since when has Batistan needed permission to cross the Gates of Osmungand?”
At those words, several of the gatekeepers flinched. But they did not back down. The oldest of them, the old gatekeeper, stepped forward and said.
“I know this is presumptuous. However, an imperial decree has been issued to strictly control entry and exit ahead of the Princess’s judging ceremony.”
“...It is the Emperor’s command.”
The gatekeeper respectfully presented a piece of gold-leafed parchment with both hands. It was the unmistakable royal emblem, the Emperor's seal.
But the handwriting was not His Majesty's.
Duke Kairak. I gritted my teeth. That snake-like man dared to impersonate the Emperor.
But how could they act so quickly?
“If you wish to pass, please obtain His Majesty’s permission.”
We had no choice but to retreat without any gains. I bit my lip.
Lisa has probably noticed by now that I'm not in bed. It'll probably be thirty minutes at most before the palace turns upside down.
“First, we need to move the location.”
Dmitry said so, lifting his tired face from his palm.
“No one was able to get through Osmungand’s gates last night, so a massive search will begin soon.”
“...”
“I know a place to stay not far from here. It would be easier to avoid people’s suspicion if we find a place to stay before rumors of Your Highness’s disappearance spread.”
“Yes, then. Thank you.”
I barely moved my pale, tired lips to answer.
Now there was really no way out. The pursuers were a problem, but as Dmitry had said, avoiding people's eyes was the top priority.
I had to get somewhere before rumors started spreading that the Princess had disappeared.
Not the Marquis Batistan's residence, or the Ashkabad's residence... to a safe place that could avoid even a search.
The atmosphere in Duke Kairak’s residence was strange. The employees who had experienced the Duke’s wrath right after the first competition seemed to be taking care of themselves, but the Duke himself seemed calmer than ever recently.
There was no verbal abuse, no breaking of objects, not even a single drunken slap.
But even with that extremely ordinary daily routine, Veronica often felt suffocated as if she was being pushed onto thin ice.
“Your Ladyship.”
Veronica just looked up, still combing her long hair. The maid's face reflected in the mirror was noticeably pale.
“His Excellency is looking for your Ladyship.”
“...”
“Oh, he looks happy today...”
His eyes were very downcast, as if he felt guilty just saying those words.
"I see."
Veronica added a colorful ribbon to her combed hair. She looked up at the maid as if asking what she should tie it with, and the maid, who was waiting, added impatiently.
“I’m sorry, but he asked me to call you right now.”
“...”
Veronica twisted her lips into a smile. The Duke's status in the family was superior to that of His Majesty the Emperor.
So it was only natural that the maid would feel anxious because the Duke's order was not carried out. If Veronica did not come before the Duke, the maid would be dragged in and beaten right away.
The maid moved busily despite Veronica's silence.
“I, I... I’ll, I’ll tie you up.”
"Yes."
Veronica pushed the maid's hand away. Her head was going to be caught by the Duke anyway.
Just before she stood up from the vanity, she clenched her sharp cosmetic scissors tightly and put them down as if she had some regret. It was a split second.
"Let's go."
I had to get out of the capital as quickly as possible. While His Majesty was trying hard to hide his symptoms and hold on...
If His Majesty's condition is discovered before then, security will become tighter.
To do that, I had to find a pawn shop, exchange my jewels for money, and find a suitable carriage. From there, I just had to somehow get to the north...
“...”
Was it a problem that I was walking while lost in thought? It wasn't long before I realized that there was a presence following me.
At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but when I stopped, he stopped, and when I slowed down, he followed along slowly.
It was at a moment when even the number of people was decreasing. A cold sweat ran down my back.
I looked around as if I hadn't noticed and quickened my pace ever so slightly.
I took advantage of the moment when my body was hidden from my pursuers' view as I turned the alley and started running.
And the sound of footsteps following me also began to get faster.
This made it clear. It was I whom they had been following. I ran like crazy down the alley. Right, left, right, right, left...
Because the alleys all looked similar, it felt like I was going around in circles, unable to leave the same place.
The sound of footsteps was getting closer. I threw the bag I was holding back with all my might.
One of the people following behind stumbled and fell over, making a loud noise and spitting out a series of vicious curses.
“Haak, hak, haak...”
My breathing was getting harder and harder. My legs, which had long since forgotten how to run, were starting to shake.
Now it was really the limit.
The sound of footsteps was right behind me. It felt like the tips of the man's rough fingers were brushing against the back of my neck.
When I realized that I had almost been caught, my hair stood on end. I squeezed my eyes shut and mustered the last of my strength. And just as I turned the corner, I collided head-on with someone.
“What is this...”
I thought I would just roll over, but the person I had bumped into quickly stretched out his arm and wrapped it around my waist. In an instant, I was running into his arms and hugging him.
My teeth chattered with extreme fear. Was this person in cahoots with those who had tried to capture me?
As I instinctively tried to scream, a large hand covered my mouth. I twisted my waist, kicked his leg with my foot, and tried to bite the palm that covered my mouth.
But the man was a little quicker to ask back.
"... Your Highness?"
The voice... sounded really familiar. Only then did I manage to raise my head and look up at the man.
It was Dmitry. As soon as he realized that the crazy woman who had flown into his arms was me, he immediately threw me out of his arms.
“What are you doing here at this hour of the morning? Where is Lord Enoch?”
“Me, behind me, who...”
I gasped and pointed behind me. Dmitry narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then craned his head to look in the direction I had come from.
“Who are you talking about?”
“Who, who are you, me, those who were following me...”
“There is no one on the street.”
“Uh, uh, none?”
I couldn't believe it. I turned my head and looked in the direction I had run from.
It was just as Dmitry said. There was no one on the street. Was I possessed by a ghost?
As the tension suddenly subsided, the strength left my legs. Dmitry quickly supported me as I was about to collapse.
“What on earth were you doing here?”
“That’s what I, I, have to say.”
I said through gritted teeth. Now, even Dmitry was suspicious.
Why on earth did we meet at this time? It's too much of a coincidence to call it a coincidence...
“The Privy Council meeting was delayed due to the prolonged discussion about the judging ceremony to be held tomorrow.”
You were in the middle of retreating? At those words, I took a closer look at where we were standing.
...It was just as Dmitry said. The high iron bars of the imperial palace were only about thirty steps ahead.
I thought I was just going around in circles in the same place, but it seemed to be true. Before I knew it, I had run back to the front of the palace.
As I burst into empty laughter, Dmitry spoke firmly.
“Your Highness, I must hear why you are here.”
“If we talk about it, it’s going to be very, long...”
***
I explained to Dmitry very briefly what had happened so far.
He hesitated a bit when I said I wasn't the real Princess, but he seemed to have concluded on his own that there had been some kind of misunderstanding.
If he had tried to hand me over to the guards, it would have taken a long time to convince him... It was a good thing.
“So you’re saying you’re going to rent a carriage and go north by yourself? Are you serious?”
Dmitry said with a look of astonishment on his face.
“The Marquis can just pretend not to know me and let me go.”
I timidly insisted on returning to the building. Dmitry's eyes narrowed even further.
“You said you were going all the way north, yet you didn’t even have any luggage.”
There was no excuse for that. In fact, I had taken it with me. It was just that I threw my bag away while running away earlier...
Anyway, it was just as he said. Right now, I don't have even a single gram of money in my hand.
"If..."
As soon as I opened my mouth, he burst out laughing.
“It’s not difficult to lend you money, but will you be able to pay it back?”
“When I come back again...”
“I will accept anything that is yours, but I do not want to accept anything that is from Lord Ashkabad.”
“...”
“I will go to my carriage and lend you the money.”
I was led by his hand and walked to Batistan's carriage.
I was thinking of just taking the money and leaving, but he opened the carriage door and said.
“Get in.”
“It’s okay. I’ll just lend you the money...”
“I will escort you to the gates of Osmungand. At least I will accompany you to a safe place.”
“But, if this continues, you will be in danger too...”
Dmitry gently interrupted me.
“You cannot pass through the Osmungand Gate unless you have a clear identity. Your ID... you probably didn’t bring it with you.”
I was speechless and frozen. Dmitry's words seemed to have hit a point I hadn't even thought of.
I had completely forgotten about the Osmungand Gate, the great and strict gateway leading to the capital where the Emperor resided.
Dmitry urged me once more.
“There is no time to delay. If word gets out tomorrow that Your Highness has disappeared, surveillance will intensify.”
He was right. It was important to get through the gate when there was less surveillance.
Besides... some were chasing me. I didn’t want to feel that spine-chilling feeling ever again. At least not tonight.
I held Dmitry's hand tightly and climbed into the carriage.
***
“You cannot pass.”
The gatekeepers standing guard in front of the Osmungand gate blocked the carriage's entrance with long spears. Dmitry asked coldly.
“Since when has Batistan needed permission to cross the Gates of Osmungand?”
At those words, several of the gatekeepers flinched. But they did not back down. The oldest of them, the old gatekeeper, stepped forward and said.
“I know this is presumptuous. However, an imperial decree has been issued to strictly control entry and exit ahead of the Princess’s judging ceremony.”
“...It is the Emperor’s command.”
The gatekeeper respectfully presented a piece of gold-leafed parchment with both hands. It was the unmistakable royal emblem, the Emperor's seal.
But the handwriting was not His Majesty's.
Duke Kairak. I gritted my teeth. That snake-like man dared to impersonate the Emperor.
But how could they act so quickly?
“If you wish to pass, please obtain His Majesty’s permission.”
We had no choice but to retreat without any gains. I bit my lip.
Lisa has probably noticed by now that I'm not in bed. It'll probably be thirty minutes at most before the palace turns upside down.
“First, we need to move the location.”
Dmitry said so, lifting his tired face from his palm.
“No one was able to get through Osmungand’s gates last night, so a massive search will begin soon.”
“...”
“I know a place to stay not far from here. It would be easier to avoid people’s suspicion if we find a place to stay before rumors of Your Highness’s disappearance spread.”
“Yes, then. Thank you.”
I barely moved my pale, tired lips to answer.
Now there was really no way out. The pursuers were a problem, but as Dmitry had said, avoiding people's eyes was the top priority.
I had to get somewhere before rumors started spreading that the Princess had disappeared.
Not the Marquis Batistan's residence, or the Ashkabad's residence... to a safe place that could avoid even a search.
***
The atmosphere in Duke Kairak’s residence was strange. The employees who had experienced the Duke’s wrath right after the first competition seemed to be taking care of themselves, but the Duke himself seemed calmer than ever recently.
There was no verbal abuse, no breaking of objects, not even a single drunken slap.
But even with that extremely ordinary daily routine, Veronica often felt suffocated as if she was being pushed onto thin ice.
“Your Ladyship.”
Veronica just looked up, still combing her long hair. The maid's face reflected in the mirror was noticeably pale.
“His Excellency is looking for your Ladyship.”
“...”
“Oh, he looks happy today...”
His eyes were very downcast, as if he felt guilty just saying those words.
"I see."
Veronica added a colorful ribbon to her combed hair. She looked up at the maid as if asking what she should tie it with, and the maid, who was waiting, added impatiently.
“I’m sorry, but he asked me to call you right now.”
“...”
Veronica twisted her lips into a smile. The Duke's status in the family was superior to that of His Majesty the Emperor.
So it was only natural that the maid would feel anxious because the Duke's order was not carried out. If Veronica did not come before the Duke, the maid would be dragged in and beaten right away.
The maid moved busily despite Veronica's silence.
“I, I... I’ll, I’ll tie you up.”
"Yes."
Veronica pushed the maid's hand away. Her head was going to be caught by the Duke anyway.
Just before she stood up from the vanity, she clenched her sharp cosmetic scissors tightly and put them down as if she had some regret. It was a split second.
"Let's go."
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