(90) Should I die? (2)
Ariana's heart sank.
She wanted to run out right now and call Isaac's name to check on his safety.
Ariana stared at the letter and took a deep breath. She cleared her head of the ominous foreboding and asked the maid outside.
“Has anyone come in while I was away?”
The maid hesitated, avoiding eye contact.
“Why can’t you answer?”
Her voice became sharp, worried about Isaac's well-being. She shrugged her shoulders slightly.
“Uh, please forgive me, Princess. While you’re away, I’ll be there for a bit...”
Even without listening to the end, she could tell the maid hadn't been keeping her post. Ariana swallowed a sigh and went back into the tent.
Sini said, sounding worried.
“What is it, master?”
“It looks like someone kidnapped Isaac.”
"Kidnapped..."
Sini looked up into space as if trying to remember what 'kidnapping' meant.
“It means that they took him away forcibly for a reason.”
“Ah...! Then, is Isaac in danger?”
“I guess so. If you believe this letter.”
“Master, if I eat the heart of a rat or a bird, I can quietly look around this area.”
Sini knew she was Paganus. She had been aware, even from birth, of the powers the blood flowing through her body gave her.
Ariana looked at Sini with stern eyes and said.
“I hope you don’t use that power, Sini. And...”
Ariana looked down at the letter.
“I need time to think.”
She almost ran out of the tent, panicking at the thought that something might have happened to Isaac. Her heart was still pounding, and she was still dizzy, but at the same time, she felt something strange.
'You're messing with Isaac? Not even Isabelle, but Isaac, the Northern Lord's closest confidant?'
Everyone knew that the Northern Lord cherished Isaac so much that he always kept him company. Yet, touching Isaac was tantamount to declaring war on the entire Northern Territory.
'To touch Isaac to harm me is like burning down your house to kill ants. Whoever sent the letter, they're lying about having Isaac.'
Perhaps he thought that Ariana would be startled as soon as she received the letter and would run to the meeting place to rescue Isaac.
Isaac might be somewhere she can't find, but he's probably not in danger. Even if there were a real kidnapping attempt, Isaac, who's traveled countless times with the Northern Lords and through treacherous terrain, wouldn't be easily defeated. There would have been at least a small disturbance.
This forest was teeming with nobles and their retinues, hunting for their livelihood. If a disturbance were to break out, it would be difficult to bury it quietly.
Ariana was confident that Isaac was out of danger.
'Then this must be a letter meant to trap me... Who sent it?'
The first person that came to mind was Wiona.
'No, there's no way Wiona would do something like this. If that's the case...'
The next person who came to mind was Geor.
'Even if it's not Geor, there must be someone who wants to make Geor the Eastern Lord. Could it be Duke Obelius?'
Although Geor was adopted as the son of the Eastern Lord, Duke Obelius was Geor's biological father and held considerable power in the East. If he coveted the position of the lord, he would likely covet it.
'If something goes wrong, the entire family will fall apart. Would Duke Obelius be so greedy? I haven't taken any action yet.'
If Ariana had shown her skills and become more popular than her step-brother, Geor, then that would have been fine, but in this situation, Duke Obelius was moving too quickly.
Fearing something like this might happen, Ariana had been keeping herself safe and not going to social gatherings until she had enough strength.
'There's only one way to find out.'
Ariana took the letter and went out of the tent.
She summoned a nearby knight and informed him that she had urgent news for Geor. The knight told her to wait a moment and disappeared into the forest. After about thirty minutes, Geor reappeared with the knight.
“What’s wrong, Princess?”
Geor asked with his usual inscrutable smile. Ariana didn't answer and went into the tent, so Geor followed her.
As soon as Geor came in, Ariana handed him the letter.
“What, did you write me a letter full of love?”
The expression on Geor's face as he received the letter, speaking playfully, did not change even when he read the letter.
Geor said.
“That’s a bad joke.”
“Is that so?”
"Yeah, I think it's a bad joke. Isaac isn't the type of person to be kidnapped easily, and even if he were, he wouldn't be taken away quietly like this."
“What would have happened if I had believed this bad joke and headed for the birch forest?”
"Nothing much happened. With so many people, what could possibly happen? However, if the lord finds out that the Princess received this letter, your trip to the northern region might be canceled. Wouldn't it be best to keep quiet for the sake of the Princess's trip?"
"Well."
Ariana stealthily took the letter from Geor.
“I think I should keep quiet, not for my sake, but for the sake of the little Lord.”
Geor shrugged.
“What are you talking about? I don’t care if the Princess can’t go to North.”
From the moment he read the letter until now, Geor's expression was impeccable. A stranger might have assumed there was no connection between Geor and this letter.
But Ariana thought Geor was giving a perfect performance.
'This is not ordinary.'
Even if it was just for a moment, he would have revealed his true feelings, but he didn't.
‘But keeping silent was a mistake, little Lord. If little Lord cherishes me and cherishes the Lord as well, he should never have suggested hiding this letter.’
Ariana's heart sank.
She wanted to run out right now and call Isaac's name to check on his safety.
Ariana stared at the letter and took a deep breath. She cleared her head of the ominous foreboding and asked the maid outside.
“Has anyone come in while I was away?”
The maid hesitated, avoiding eye contact.
“Why can’t you answer?”
Her voice became sharp, worried about Isaac's well-being. She shrugged her shoulders slightly.
“Uh, please forgive me, Princess. While you’re away, I’ll be there for a bit...”
Even without listening to the end, she could tell the maid hadn't been keeping her post. Ariana swallowed a sigh and went back into the tent.
Sini said, sounding worried.
“What is it, master?”
“It looks like someone kidnapped Isaac.”
"Kidnapped..."
Sini looked up into space as if trying to remember what 'kidnapping' meant.
“It means that they took him away forcibly for a reason.”
“Ah...! Then, is Isaac in danger?”
“I guess so. If you believe this letter.”
“Master, if I eat the heart of a rat or a bird, I can quietly look around this area.”
Sini knew she was Paganus. She had been aware, even from birth, of the powers the blood flowing through her body gave her.
Ariana looked at Sini with stern eyes and said.
“I hope you don’t use that power, Sini. And...”
Ariana looked down at the letter.
“I need time to think.”
She almost ran out of the tent, panicking at the thought that something might have happened to Isaac. Her heart was still pounding, and she was still dizzy, but at the same time, she felt something strange.
'You're messing with Isaac? Not even Isabelle, but Isaac, the Northern Lord's closest confidant?'
Everyone knew that the Northern Lord cherished Isaac so much that he always kept him company. Yet, touching Isaac was tantamount to declaring war on the entire Northern Territory.
'To touch Isaac to harm me is like burning down your house to kill ants. Whoever sent the letter, they're lying about having Isaac.'
Perhaps he thought that Ariana would be startled as soon as she received the letter and would run to the meeting place to rescue Isaac.
Isaac might be somewhere she can't find, but he's probably not in danger. Even if there were a real kidnapping attempt, Isaac, who's traveled countless times with the Northern Lords and through treacherous terrain, wouldn't be easily defeated. There would have been at least a small disturbance.
This forest was teeming with nobles and their retinues, hunting for their livelihood. If a disturbance were to break out, it would be difficult to bury it quietly.
Ariana was confident that Isaac was out of danger.
'Then this must be a letter meant to trap me... Who sent it?'
The first person that came to mind was Wiona.
'No, there's no way Wiona would do something like this. If that's the case...'
The next person who came to mind was Geor.
'Even if it's not Geor, there must be someone who wants to make Geor the Eastern Lord. Could it be Duke Obelius?'
Although Geor was adopted as the son of the Eastern Lord, Duke Obelius was Geor's biological father and held considerable power in the East. If he coveted the position of the lord, he would likely covet it.
'If something goes wrong, the entire family will fall apart. Would Duke Obelius be so greedy? I haven't taken any action yet.'
If Ariana had shown her skills and become more popular than her step-brother, Geor, then that would have been fine, but in this situation, Duke Obelius was moving too quickly.
Fearing something like this might happen, Ariana had been keeping herself safe and not going to social gatherings until she had enough strength.
'There's only one way to find out.'
Ariana took the letter and went out of the tent.
She summoned a nearby knight and informed him that she had urgent news for Geor. The knight told her to wait a moment and disappeared into the forest. After about thirty minutes, Geor reappeared with the knight.
“What’s wrong, Princess?”
Geor asked with his usual inscrutable smile. Ariana didn't answer and went into the tent, so Geor followed her.
As soon as Geor came in, Ariana handed him the letter.
“What, did you write me a letter full of love?”
The expression on Geor's face as he received the letter, speaking playfully, did not change even when he read the letter.
Geor said.
“That’s a bad joke.”
“Is that so?”
"Yeah, I think it's a bad joke. Isaac isn't the type of person to be kidnapped easily, and even if he were, he wouldn't be taken away quietly like this."
“What would have happened if I had believed this bad joke and headed for the birch forest?”
"Nothing much happened. With so many people, what could possibly happen? However, if the lord finds out that the Princess received this letter, your trip to the northern region might be canceled. Wouldn't it be best to keep quiet for the sake of the Princess's trip?"
"Well."
Ariana stealthily took the letter from Geor.
“I think I should keep quiet, not for my sake, but for the sake of the little Lord.”
Geor shrugged.
“What are you talking about? I don’t care if the Princess can’t go to North.”
From the moment he read the letter until now, Geor's expression was impeccable. A stranger might have assumed there was no connection between Geor and this letter.
But Ariana thought Geor was giving a perfect performance.
'This is not ordinary.'
Even if it was just for a moment, he would have revealed his true feelings, but he didn't.
‘But keeping silent was a mistake, little Lord. If little Lord cherishes me and cherishes the Lord as well, he should never have suggested hiding this letter.’
Whether or not this letter was a prank, the fact that a Princess received a threatening letter was a major issue, enough to stir up the entire nation. But Geor insisted on keeping it a secret.
“Princess, can I go back hunting then?”
Ariana smiled brightly.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Geor nodded slightly and leisurely left the tent. The farther he walked from the tent, the darker his expression became.
The smile that always appeared on his lips disappeared, and his eyes shone coldly.
Geor wanted to scream.
Duke Obelius!
He said it was just a joke, but Ariana couldn't have taken it seriously. Geor didn't think Ariana would be that stupid.
'The Princess must have already figured it out.'
The smile Ariana gave him just before she left was relaxed and sweet, which made it feel even more intense.
'This is driving me crazy!'
If he could, he would run right now and grab Duke Obelius by the collar.
What on earth are you thinking? Why are you being so impatient? The Princess doesn't even go out to social gatherings and lives quietly. Why are you acting like this? He wanted to nag him.
But that couldn't be done.
'I should show my sincerity.'
Ariana will now observe how Geor behaves. Depending on Geor's actions, Ariana will decide whether or not to tell others about the letter.
Geor wanted to at least let it be known that he had nothing to do with this matter, that he was doing his best to protect Ariana.
So he put on his cloak and headed towards the birch forest, avoiding people's eyes.
The birch forest to the west was not a hunting ground and was a place where people rarely visited because there were many places where they were cut down.
'After killing the Princess, he probably planned to throw her somewhere in the hunting grounds. That way, it could be passed off as if she had wandered into the forest and been shot.'
The ambushers would attack anyone who entered the birch forest without properly checking them.
'If only I could die...'
Wouldn't Duke Obelius give up, too?
'Then, Mother will also be able to escape this quagmire.'
If only the Duke of Obelius had abandoned his greed, the Obelius family would have had no problems. But the Duke of Obelius's greed was dragging the entire family into a swamp of filth.
The White family was pure and affectionate, and never suspected anyone they trusted. Duke Obelius undoubtedly believed Ariana was no different from the White family.
So he must have thought he could lure the Princess in such a shallow way.
But Ariana was different.
Even though she received a letter saying that Isaac was in danger, she didn't rush into the birch forest, but rather had the leisure to call Geor over and ask him about it.
Duke Obelius was unaware of the danger his actions were putting his own children in.
'I need to buy some time.'
Ariana must be sent to the North. This will give him time to convince Duke Obelius to abandon his plan.
'Would one or two shots be enough?'
After being shot, kill all the assassins.
'Duke Obelius must have contracted assassins through several people.'
There is no way that the assassin's mastermind will be connected to the Obelius family.
'If they found out that the thieves were hiding to harm and steal from the nobles who came out hunting, then that would make sense. The Princess wouldn't believe it, though...'
They will not hold Geor, who was shot and died, accountable.
'Are you really not going to ask?'
Geor recalled Ariana's clear eyes. Her blue eyes were so clear and pure that they felt cold, like the water filling a lake in midwinter.
'I can only hope that the Princess will receive that much recognition.'
***
Only the White family knew that Geor had been shot in a run-in with bandits who had been hiding in. Geor, shot in the waist and arm, told his worried family.
"It was just a passing brush. There's no need to spread anxiety during this rare hunting season, so I'll quietly get treated and return."
Geor and Ariana's eyes met.
Geor smiled faintly.
“Don’t worry too much, Princess. If you’re really worried, just pray to God.”
“Yes, little Lord.”
Ariana's answer relieved Geor. A positive response likely meant she'd keep quiet about the letter for now.
He told his family it was only a graze, but the gunshot wound to his waist was quite deep. Geor stifled a groan as he climbed into the carriage.
Looking out the carriage window, he spotted the Duchess of Obelius, laughing cheerfully as she mingled with the ladies. Her innocent, innocent smile made his heart flutter.
Geor closed his eyes and let out the groan he had been holding back.
Without realizing it, his hand went to the inside pocket of his jacket. Inside was a small blue silk handbag, and inside it was a handful of hair Ihe received from Ariana.
Geor thought, clutching his pockets tightly.
'Wouldn't it be better if I just died?'
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