Byron looked around and watched his daughter's back as she left the prison.
Although the term "daughter" was still awkward, he liked it because Binka's appearance seemed like a good opportunity for him.
‘...I have a very nice hunting dog.’
He leaned against the wall, smiling contentedly. Whether it was his real daughter or a fake, it made no difference to him.
Aila and Binka were just pieces on a chessboard to be used for his purposes.
'... Where on earth is the cave? According to my father, it seems to be around here.'
Binka grumbled, wiping the sweat from her chin. Climbing the mountain at dawn to find the cave Byron had mentioned was no easy feat.
How many hours has she been wandering around?
It was not easy to find a cave on an unfamiliar mountainside, without a map, and only having heard the general location.
It was when she started to doubt whether this was the mountain or whether she had come to the wrong mountain because she couldn't find it for so long.
“Oh, I found it!”
After searching the entire mountain, Binka finally found the cave entrance that Byron had mentioned.
The entrance to a sinister cave of unknown depth was hidden in a place obscured by dense trees and bushes.
‘...Is it okay to come in?’
Binka swallowed with a terrified expression. She felt like she'd come to the wrong place.
The dark cave, where she couldn't see even an inch ahead, stimulated her imagination. It seemed as if some monster or witch she'd only heard of in stories might suddenly burst forth.
‘...What are you thinking? That’s not important right now.’
She had to do this right and rescue her father from prison. Only then could she live a life worthy of her noble lineage.
Binka lit the torch she had brought and cautiously entered the cave.
She was hesitantly walking inside, her mind racing with tension, when she suddenly felt a presence behind her, freezing. She was so startled she couldn't even scream.
“Who are you? How did you find out about this place?”
The figure who appeared from behind was holding a blade to Binka's neck. From the sound of her voice, it sounded like a woman about her mother's age.
The cool sensation on her neck made her swallow dryly in nervousness.
“Ca, Capella...?”
"...You know that name. I thought you were some unfortunate child who had wandered astray, but apparently not. I guess I should just kill you."
Of course, even if she was someone who had just happened to be here, she had no intention of letting her live, but if she knew her name, she couldn't let her live even more.
Capella raised her arm, holding the blade. She planned to kill her in one fell swoop by stabbing her blood vessel.
At that time.
“I, I was sent here by my father, that is, your master!!...”
Binka shouted in an urgent voice.
It was too much pride to speak politely to Capella, his father's subordinate, so she lowered her voice. Then, remembering that her life was in her hands, she hastily spoke with honorifics.
“What the hell is that?”
Capella frowned in disbelief.
She said, "Father," then "Your Master." It was hard to understand because she kept repeating this and that, but according to her words, wasn't the girl in front of her Byron's daughter?
"I, I have a letter from my father in my pocket. Just take it out and check it!"
At Binka's words, Capella fumbled with her clothes and took out a piece of paper hidden in her inside pocket.
Still holding the sharp blade in one hand, Capella unfolded the paper and read it. In the dark, with the torch in Binka's hand, the writing was hard to read.
At this, Binka turned around slightly and said.
“Uh, should I shine a light on you?”
“...Stay still. Don’t move.”
Since her identity had not yet been confirmed, Capella coldly pushed Binka against the wall.
And after checking the letter with gloomy eyes, she put away the weapon she had been holding to Binka's neck with a slightly softened expression.
Because Byron's handwriting was clear, and the contents of the letter confirmed that Binka was his daughter.
“I’ve been very rude, Miss. Please forgive my rudeness.”
Capella apologized, sticking the awl-like weapon she was holding into her hair. It seemed to be a weapon usually disguised as a hairpin.
"...You know what? If you had trusted someone you didn't even know, you would have been disappointed. I understand, so I will forgive you."
Binka spoke with a proud expression, as if she had never been afraid before.
A gaze that seems to judge others, an attitude that turns oneself into the center of all conversations.
Capella let out a chuckle without realizing it, seeing that familiar sight.
"They say you can't steal seeds. It seems like the saying about you being the master's daughter isn't a lie."
Well, if she were simple like her father, it wasn't a bad thing for her. She was the type who would be satisfied with just a little bit of effort, so it wouldn't be difficult to manipulate her to her liking.
“I’ll take you this way. It’s a shabby temporary shelter, but it’ll be better than this place.”
Capella gently guided Binka to a hidden hideout deep within the cave. Pushing aside the thick cloth hanging on the wall, a rather cozy hideout emerged.
There was only a small cot that could barely be laid out, a small table, and a box used as a chair.
However, for Binka, who had returned to her home country alone and was struggling during her time there, and who had lived in places even worse than this, this was an acceptable environment.
"Are you the only one who hasn't been caught? What's going on? Give me a report."
Even though Capella hadn't even asked her to sit down, Binka sat down on the relatively soft cot, crossed her legs, and gave an arrogant order.
She thought she was being too arrogant towards someone who was her mother's age, even though they had just met, but Capella suppressed her discontent and spoke in a calm voice.
The only way to contact Byron now was through Binka, who worked at the palace, so she had to please her.
"No. A few knights besides me escaped and joined us, my lady. They're out seeking outside help, so they're not here right now."
Allied forces within the Peles Empire were being captured one after another, leaving no one to help. So, they were asking for military support from foreign allies.
“Hmm... So it’s not like there’s no hope at all?”
“Yes, my lady. We will never abandon our lord.”
Capella clenched her fists with a fierce expression.
In fact, her foreign helpers were those who had only provided financial support, as if they were insuring against a rebellion that might or might not succeed, so it was possible that they would not accept her support request.
However, Capella was acting independently and seizing their weakness. Therefore, to prevent this weakness from being revealed to the world, they had no choice but to send troops.
Of course, this was a story that neither Cloud, Byron, nor even her daughter Laura knew, so she had no intention of telling Binka.
“That’s all for my story. Now... wouldn’t you like to tell me your story?”
Capella, with her dark skin concealed, smiled broadly and looked at Binka. If she resembled Byron, she probably wasn't very smart, so she probably wouldn't have cleaned up after herself.
Capella planned to listen to the story and carefully advise if there was anything that needed to be done.
“...Are you talking about me?”
Binka looked at Capella with a puzzled expression.
Honestly, she wanted to tell someone how hard her life had been. But since no one was on her side, she kept it to herself.
How tempting Capella's offer must have been to Binka.
“Then I’ll make it short.”
She shrugged and began her story. Despite her promise to keep it short, Binka's story was long and rambling.
But Capella listened patiently to the story, interjecting empathy here and there.
“I see. You must have had a hard time.”
“Yes! I went through so much trouble to find my father...!”
After such a long and drawn-out story, Capella finally got the information she wanted.
It was the story of how Binka infiltrated the palace and gained access to the heavily guarded prison.
'...Forged documents and bribed a maid. It was handled better than I expected, but I still need to keep my mouth shut.'
Capella stroked her chin, lost in thought.
Currently, only Binka could move within the palace, so if she were caught disguising her identity or approaching Byron, she would be in trouble.
“You’re very clever, Miss. But... if you forged documents or bribed the cleaning maid, you might be caught... wouldn’t it be better to silence the broker and the maid?”
When she confessed these thoughts, Binka's eyes widened.
“How can you keep their mouth shut?”
“...There’s only one way to keep your mouth shut forever, you know?”
Capella said with a grin. Her red eyes seemed to glimmer with madness.
“Ki, kill? Me?”
"For your father and for your future. If you do this well, you will live as the Emperor's only daughter."
Capella whispered sweet future promises into Binka's ear. Binka, who had seemed terrified, soon seemed to be swayed by the sweet whispers, her expression filled with determination.
“What should I do?”
Capella smiled contentedly at her words. She truly was an easygoing person.
“...Here it is. It’s a deadly poison that leaves no trace. You can kill with this. Just two or three drops is a lethal dose, so this amount should be enough.”
Although the term "daughter" was still awkward, he liked it because Binka's appearance seemed like a good opportunity for him.
‘...I have a very nice hunting dog.’
He leaned against the wall, smiling contentedly. Whether it was his real daughter or a fake, it made no difference to him.
Aila and Binka were just pieces on a chessboard to be used for his purposes.
***
'... Where on earth is the cave? According to my father, it seems to be around here.'
Binka grumbled, wiping the sweat from her chin. Climbing the mountain at dawn to find the cave Byron had mentioned was no easy feat.
How many hours has she been wandering around?
It was not easy to find a cave on an unfamiliar mountainside, without a map, and only having heard the general location.
It was when she started to doubt whether this was the mountain or whether she had come to the wrong mountain because she couldn't find it for so long.
“Oh, I found it!”
After searching the entire mountain, Binka finally found the cave entrance that Byron had mentioned.
The entrance to a sinister cave of unknown depth was hidden in a place obscured by dense trees and bushes.
‘...Is it okay to come in?’
Binka swallowed with a terrified expression. She felt like she'd come to the wrong place.
The dark cave, where she couldn't see even an inch ahead, stimulated her imagination. It seemed as if some monster or witch she'd only heard of in stories might suddenly burst forth.
‘...What are you thinking? That’s not important right now.’
She had to do this right and rescue her father from prison. Only then could she live a life worthy of her noble lineage.
Binka lit the torch she had brought and cautiously entered the cave.
She was hesitantly walking inside, her mind racing with tension, when she suddenly felt a presence behind her, freezing. She was so startled she couldn't even scream.
“Who are you? How did you find out about this place?”
The figure who appeared from behind was holding a blade to Binka's neck. From the sound of her voice, it sounded like a woman about her mother's age.
The cool sensation on her neck made her swallow dryly in nervousness.
“Ca, Capella...?”
"...You know that name. I thought you were some unfortunate child who had wandered astray, but apparently not. I guess I should just kill you."
Of course, even if she was someone who had just happened to be here, she had no intention of letting her live, but if she knew her name, she couldn't let her live even more.
Capella raised her arm, holding the blade. She planned to kill her in one fell swoop by stabbing her blood vessel.
At that time.
“I, I was sent here by my father, that is, your master!!...”
Binka shouted in an urgent voice.
It was too much pride to speak politely to Capella, his father's subordinate, so she lowered her voice. Then, remembering that her life was in her hands, she hastily spoke with honorifics.
“What the hell is that?”
Capella frowned in disbelief.
She said, "Father," then "Your Master." It was hard to understand because she kept repeating this and that, but according to her words, wasn't the girl in front of her Byron's daughter?
"I, I have a letter from my father in my pocket. Just take it out and check it!"
At Binka's words, Capella fumbled with her clothes and took out a piece of paper hidden in her inside pocket.
Still holding the sharp blade in one hand, Capella unfolded the paper and read it. In the dark, with the torch in Binka's hand, the writing was hard to read.
At this, Binka turned around slightly and said.
“Uh, should I shine a light on you?”
“...Stay still. Don’t move.”
Since her identity had not yet been confirmed, Capella coldly pushed Binka against the wall.
And after checking the letter with gloomy eyes, she put away the weapon she had been holding to Binka's neck with a slightly softened expression.
Because Byron's handwriting was clear, and the contents of the letter confirmed that Binka was his daughter.
“I’ve been very rude, Miss. Please forgive my rudeness.”
Capella apologized, sticking the awl-like weapon she was holding into her hair. It seemed to be a weapon usually disguised as a hairpin.
"...You know what? If you had trusted someone you didn't even know, you would have been disappointed. I understand, so I will forgive you."
Binka spoke with a proud expression, as if she had never been afraid before.
A gaze that seems to judge others, an attitude that turns oneself into the center of all conversations.
Capella let out a chuckle without realizing it, seeing that familiar sight.
"They say you can't steal seeds. It seems like the saying about you being the master's daughter isn't a lie."
Well, if she were simple like her father, it wasn't a bad thing for her. She was the type who would be satisfied with just a little bit of effort, so it wouldn't be difficult to manipulate her to her liking.
“I’ll take you this way. It’s a shabby temporary shelter, but it’ll be better than this place.”
Capella gently guided Binka to a hidden hideout deep within the cave. Pushing aside the thick cloth hanging on the wall, a rather cozy hideout emerged.
There was only a small cot that could barely be laid out, a small table, and a box used as a chair.
However, for Binka, who had returned to her home country alone and was struggling during her time there, and who had lived in places even worse than this, this was an acceptable environment.
"Are you the only one who hasn't been caught? What's going on? Give me a report."
Even though Capella hadn't even asked her to sit down, Binka sat down on the relatively soft cot, crossed her legs, and gave an arrogant order.
She thought she was being too arrogant towards someone who was her mother's age, even though they had just met, but Capella suppressed her discontent and spoke in a calm voice.
The only way to contact Byron now was through Binka, who worked at the palace, so she had to please her.
"No. A few knights besides me escaped and joined us, my lady. They're out seeking outside help, so they're not here right now."
Allied forces within the Peles Empire were being captured one after another, leaving no one to help. So, they were asking for military support from foreign allies.
“Hmm... So it’s not like there’s no hope at all?”
“Yes, my lady. We will never abandon our lord.”
Capella clenched her fists with a fierce expression.
In fact, her foreign helpers were those who had only provided financial support, as if they were insuring against a rebellion that might or might not succeed, so it was possible that they would not accept her support request.
However, Capella was acting independently and seizing their weakness. Therefore, to prevent this weakness from being revealed to the world, they had no choice but to send troops.
Of course, this was a story that neither Cloud, Byron, nor even her daughter Laura knew, so she had no intention of telling Binka.
“That’s all for my story. Now... wouldn’t you like to tell me your story?”
Capella, with her dark skin concealed, smiled broadly and looked at Binka. If she resembled Byron, she probably wasn't very smart, so she probably wouldn't have cleaned up after herself.
Capella planned to listen to the story and carefully advise if there was anything that needed to be done.
“...Are you talking about me?”
Binka looked at Capella with a puzzled expression.
Honestly, she wanted to tell someone how hard her life had been. But since no one was on her side, she kept it to herself.
How tempting Capella's offer must have been to Binka.
“Then I’ll make it short.”
She shrugged and began her story. Despite her promise to keep it short, Binka's story was long and rambling.
But Capella listened patiently to the story, interjecting empathy here and there.
“I see. You must have had a hard time.”
“Yes! I went through so much trouble to find my father...!”
After such a long and drawn-out story, Capella finally got the information she wanted.
It was the story of how Binka infiltrated the palace and gained access to the heavily guarded prison.
'...Forged documents and bribed a maid. It was handled better than I expected, but I still need to keep my mouth shut.'
Capella stroked her chin, lost in thought.
Currently, only Binka could move within the palace, so if she were caught disguising her identity or approaching Byron, she would be in trouble.
“You’re very clever, Miss. But... if you forged documents or bribed the cleaning maid, you might be caught... wouldn’t it be better to silence the broker and the maid?”
When she confessed these thoughts, Binka's eyes widened.
“How can you keep their mouth shut?”
“...There’s only one way to keep your mouth shut forever, you know?”
Capella said with a grin. Her red eyes seemed to glimmer with madness.
“Ki, kill? Me?”
"For your father and for your future. If you do this well, you will live as the Emperor's only daughter."
Capella whispered sweet future promises into Binka's ear. Binka, who had seemed terrified, soon seemed to be swayed by the sweet whispers, her expression filled with determination.
“What should I do?”
Capella smiled contentedly at her words. She truly was an easygoing person.
“...Here it is. It’s a deadly poison that leaves no trace. You can kill with this. Just two or three drops is a lethal dose, so this amount should be enough.”
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