Episode 47. My Cute Cat
After laughing for a long time, the Empress suddenly lifted Seira’s chin with the tip of the whip.
“Your Majesty!”
“Your tongue is really long. If you try to deceive me like you manipulated my foolish daughter, your neck will be cut off first. Do you understand?”
Seira’s face turned pale at the terrifying murderous intent emanating from the Empress.
“D-Deception... That’s ridiculous, Your Majesty.”
“You told my daughter to vomit as if she had morning sickness?”
Seira was surprised and quickly knelt before the Empress.
“That was short-sighted of me! I was thinking too hard about helping the Princess.”
The Empress waved her hand as if it was annoyed.
“That’s fine. I found out that Stone became a diplomat because the former Marquis requested it. Some people say that he often argued with the former Marquis. So it’s not like he became a diplomat because he was suffering because of Adele.”
Seira quickly changed her words.
“I’m sorry. I guess I got confused because it happened a long time ago.”
The Empress snorted as if she had expected that.
“But was it really a coincidence that Adele fell asleep in the reception room?”
“Yes?”
“I called Adele when you asked and made her wait. And then your brother came by while Adele was asleep. It all seemed like a well-written script.”
“W-what do you mean...?”
“We confirmed that Stone likes Adele, but we don’t know Adele’s feelings. She was asleep.”
Seira shouted as if she were cornered.
“She must have pretended to sleep on purpose to seduce my brother!”
“If you’re not an idiot, what’s the harm in that? It wouldn’t be good if Count Weiss heard about that, right?”
“T-that is...”
“I think you might have bribed someone to drug Adele in advance, right?”
Seira’s face paled noticeably.
“As expected.”
As if she had expected that, the Empress smiled and got up from her seat.
Seira, who had been kneeling in front of the Empress, bowed her head so that it touched the floor.
“Your, Your Majesty... I will explain everything. Please listen to what I have to say!”
“Enough. That’s why I decided to join hands with you.”
“Yes?”
“Be my maid from now on. Seira Oswald.”
Seira’s eyes widened at the unexpected order. However, she quickly came to her senses and greeted the Empress politely.
“Yes, I am now Your Majesty’s person.”
***
Adele stumbled out of the Empress’s palace, and when she saw the fountain railing, she quickly sat down to catch her breath.
What if Stone had just come by?
'Did he come back from Orbis after hearing the news of my engagement? If so, he wouldn't be staying quiet like this.'
Should she ask Christine for help? She didn't want to drag him into that man's business...
There were many things to think about, but her mind was too confused.
'Let's just go to where the carriage is.'
She thought she could catch her breath if she just got to the carriage where Tanya was waiting.
However, Adele, who barely managed to get up, got dizzy and collapsed again.
She thought she would lose consciousness here. If she met Stone in this situation... The thought alone was terrifying.
Adele quickly took off the ice cube from the fountain. Rubbing the cold ice on the back of her neck would help her come to her senses.
However, the moment she was about to put the ice on her neck, a large hand grabbed her wrist.
"...!"
A tall man with his back to the sun entered Adele's field of vision as she turned around in surprise. She couldn't see his face because of the backlight, but she instinctively got goosebumps all over her body.
"I missed you, Adele."
Just hearing that voice made Adele feel nauseous. The right hand he was holding was visibly shaking.
“Oh. You don’t seem very happy?”
“S, Stone...”
“Oh, are you so happy that you can’t even speak?”
Stone lowered his head and smiled, bringing his face close to Adele’s.
The man with dark blond hair tied up in a ponytail had a sharp jawline and a high nose like a sculpture. With deep, dark eyes, he had a rather manly impression.
With that face, showing off his white teeth, most women easily felt favorable toward him.
However, Adele knew. How cruel he could be when he smiled so kindly.
“Let go of me...”
Adele tried to pull away from his wrist. The more she tried, the more Stone’s grip on her wrist tightened.
Bam!
In the end, Adele let go of the ice cube she was holding in her hand, and her face distorted.
“You still have that habit of not screaming, Adele.”
Adele glared at him as if she were going to kill him without making a sound. Both eyes were bloodshot and red, and tears welled up in her eyes. As if stimulated by Adele, Stone tightened his grip.
“I wonder. Even if your wrists are crushed, you won’t scream.”
At that moment, the corners of Adele’s mouth went up.
“You’re the one screaming!”
Before he could finish his words, the blade flashed, and then,
Swish!
The dagger in Adele’s hand cut his arm.
“Ugh, you bitch!”
Stone quickly shook Adele off and pulled his arm away.
Boom!
Adele’s body was thrown to the floor with a force greater than she had expected.
“Cough! Cough!”
She coughed in shock and glared at Stone, laughing.
“What a shame. I should have cut off your arm.”
With Stone holding one arm, Adele took out the dagger hidden in her skirt with her other hand. Unfortunately, it only cut his sleeve and slightly grazed his skin.
In fact, the reason Adele started carrying a knife in her garter belt on her thigh was because of Stone. So that she could fight back against those who tried to do bad things at any time.
“Adele, my cute cat. You’ve gotten even angrier since I last saw you. How could I not like that?”
But Stone calmly laughed, licking the blood seeping out of his skin.
“Stop talking nonsense and get out!”
Adele held out the dagger and prepared to swing it again. However, all of her strength drained from her body, so she couldn’t stand up.
Meanwhile, Stone strode over to her, crouched down, and met her eyes.
“The rumor that you’re engaged is true?”
“Yes. I’m going to marry him soon.”
Stone furrowed his brow as if in trouble.
“Did you... Forget what I said? I said your soul was mine.”
“That’s crazy! I’m his woman now. Do you think the Count would let you live if he saw you?”
Adele shouted louder and stronger to hide her trembling.
But it didn’t work on Stone.
“Well, I guess you’re not his woman yet?”
“What?”
He took out a handkerchief from inside his jacket and showed it to her. The handkerchief with the initials ST engraved on one corner was the one he had received from April earlier.
“If he had seen the tattoo on your back, his expression would have been really funny the moment he saw this handkerchief. But he was just indifferent.”
Then Stone laughed brightly.
“Adele, you haven’t even shown him your back yet? And you’re his woman?”
Adele’s lips trembled as she watched him giggle.
“...Did you meet him?”
“From afar. I was curious. Did he know about the mark on your back? Did you two sleep together?”
Then he whispered in Adele's ear in a creepy voice,
"You were waiting for me, after all?"
Adele pushed Stone away with all her might and stood up.
"Shut up! And if you touch him even a little, I won't let you go!"
But Stone clapped his hands as if it were fun.
"That's great, Adele! But you're not his woman yet. You haven't slept together, and you haven't even made a vow to God to get married. You're not even related yet."
"No. He and I are already each other's souls..."
Stone put his finger to Adele's lips.
"Shhh! Adele. There are still many chances to turn back."
"Turn back?"
"You have to come find me. The cat that ran away."
"...!"
Adele had forgotten for a while how cunning and cruel this man was.
"I'll treat you really well now, so you won't even think about running away."
As he said that, Stone reached out to grab Adele's neck.
Swish.
The long, cool blade of the rapier blocked his hand.
“Step back, Marquis.”
“Chris...!”
Christine, who had approached without him noticing, drew his sword and created a barrier between Stone and Adele. Behind him were three or four guards, including Zimmer.
“Are you okay, Adele?”
Christine put his sword back and helped Adele up from her slumped position.
“Yeah, I felt dizzy for a moment.”
Stone then agreed with Adele.
“Don’t misunderstand, Count. I was just trying to help my fallen mother up.”
Christine looked back at him with eyes as cold as ice.
“Adele is no longer related to your family. Do not call her by that title.”
“Oh, right. But the Emperor expelled her from the family without my permission. I will raise an objection to this through the Nobles’ Council.”
Christine’s eyebrow rose.
“You’re going to use the Nobles’ Council to pressure the Emperor?”
Stone was a member of the five senior nobles. The powers the Emperor most wanted to keep in check.
“If you have power but can’t use it, isn’t that foolish? Until the verdict is made, your marriage and engagement will be invalid.”
Stone then smiled very kindly and handed Adele a handkerchief.
“Here, wipe the dirt off your hands.”
As if on purpose, he handed it over so that his initials were clearly visible. When Adele was flustered and refused to accept it, he smiled and put it in her hand.
“Then I’ll come to see you later, Mother.”
And then, as he turned around.
Whoosh!
A cool breeze brushed Stone’s cheek, and it was stuck vertically into the tree right in front of him.
It was Christine’s rapier. The tip of the sword pierced Stone’s handkerchief.
“What is this?”
When Stone looked back coldly,
“That handkerchief would be more suitable for wrapping a cat’s leg, Marquis.”
Then, she quickly picked up Adele and passed Stone. The guards followed behind him as if they were escorting him.
Stone’s blue eyes, watching them disappear, gradually became fierce and cloudy.
“Count Christine Weiss... I really like it.”
His red tongue greedily licked the corner of his mouth.
***
When she got away from Stone, Adele felt like she could barely breathe. Her mind was gradually becoming clearer as the medicine began to wear off.
“Let go, I’ll walk by myself.”
“You said you fell because you felt dizzy.”
“That... I actually tripped on a rock and fell, but I was embarrassed and made excuses.”
Adele whispered as if making an embarrassing confession, and Christine’s steps stopped.
“Adele.”
The voice calling her name sank lower than ever.
“Why?”
Adele looked at him with some inexplicable anxiety.
“You’re really not related to Stone?”
At that moment, something struck Adele’s heart.
“Not related to him? What do you mean?”
“Because you two seem special.”
Adele strongly denied it with a look of bewilderment.
“What kind of horrible things are you saying? You know how much I hate him!”
Christine raised his hand and made a sign as she put Adele down on the ground. Zimmer and the guards following him retreated far behind.
It was still daytime, but the sky was darkening as dark clouds gathered. The lingering sky looked ominous. It seemed as if something was going to fall from the sky.
“Then what is this sign?”
The voice sounded eerie, perhaps because of the low-hanging sky.
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