CHAPTER 91………………………
Kyle and Everett walked silently down the alley for a while, weighed down by the hollow conclusion.
Then, from the direction of the alley leading to the square, shouts of people rang out.
It wasn’t cheering—it was chaotic and rough yelling.
“Awaken, Emperor! A new era is coming!”
Kyle, who had stopped walking, turned toward the square.
“Everett, stay here for a moment. I’ll go see what’s going on.”
“No, Sir Kyle. Please, don’t go.”
At the end of a long stick, a dark blue scrap of cloth was fluttering.
It was a guerrilla protest by the Neo-Empire League, who would appear suddenly and disappear just as quickly.
Since the fire in the square, their blue flags had been appearing more often.
Before, they would just scatter some poorly made pamphlets and vanish, but lately they were becoming increasingly violent.
Sometimes they clashed with citizens in the square, causing accidents.
One of the things the Neo-Empire League shouted about was their anger toward the royal family.
They had chosen blue as a symbol of defiance against Bartman.
If Kyle’s identity were revealed there, it was impossible to predict what might happen.
Everett tugged at his arm.
“Let’s just leave, Sir Kyle.”
Then came the loud crash of something breaking, followed by screams and more shouting.
“Yeah! Seize the square! This doesn’t belong to Bartman! It’s ours!”
At the word seize, something you’d expect to hear only in war, Kyle’s face twisted in disgust.
From the sound of the crowd, it was obvious there weren’t nearly enough of them to talk about “seizing” anything.
It was all just to spread fear.
At their cheap, base objective, Kyle wanted to rush out into the square immediately.
But feeling Everett’s firm grip on his arm, he decided instead to leave this place quickly.
“Uuuaaah!”
Just then, members of the League burst into the alley, waving their flags.
“Everett, this way.”
Kyle wrapped his arm around Everett’s shoulder and quickly led her into an alley on the opposite side.
Just as they slipped into the darkness of a dead end—
The men, spewing rough curses, stopped at the entrance of the alley they had just entered.
“How much longer do we have to keep doing this crap?”
“Damn it, my throat feels like it’s ripping from all this yelling.”
“Hey, if you’ve rested enough, let’s get moving. Feels like they’re waiting for us.”
It seemed they weren’t protesting at all, but just ducking in to rest.
Kyle pulled Everett tightly against him, shielding her from the filthy alley wall.
Pressed fully against Kyle, Everett struggled to hold her breath as much as she could.
“Hm? What’s that?”
One of the men talking glanced deeper into the alley.
“What? What is it?”
“I don’t know… thought I saw something.”
As their gazes shifted toward the darkness, Kyle’s nerves sharpened.
He wouldn’t have cared if hundreds of such men came—
but Everett was here.
Everett could feel the strength tightening in the arm holding her, and she carefully glanced up at Kyle.
Afraid they might enter the alley, Kyle slowly turned, shielding Everett completely with his body.
“There’s nothing there. Probably just a cat passing by. Let’s go. The noise is dying down, looks like it’ll disperse soon.”
Even after the men hurried away, Kyle remained perfectly still, eyes fixed on the alley’s entrance.
By then, the brilliant sunset had vanished, replaced by heavy darkness.
“Um… Sir Kyle, I think they’re gone now.”
Everett spoke carefully first.
Only then did Kyle step back, though his arm still circled her.
Still in his embrace, Everett stumbled a little as she walked.
“Sir Kyle, your arm…”
“Ah…”
Freed from his hold, Everett let out a long breath she had been holding in and slowly straightened her wrinkled clothes.
“Were you very frightened?”
Kyle’s voice was lower than usual.
“No, I’m fine.”
She smiled deliberately brighter, but his deep green eyes didn’t leave her face.
“Sir Kyle, did you hear what those men were saying earlier?”
Everett, trying to change the awkward mood, looked at him.
At that, one corner of Kyle’s lips softened into a faint smile.
Just then, a crude pamphlet, carried by the wind, landed at his feet.
“Not a single guard showed up despite all that commotion…”
Kyle picked it up, glanced at it, then crumpled it violently in his hand. Looking at Everett, he said:
“Good. With things this messed up, I don’t have to feel guilty about coming back again.”
“Welcome, Lady Everett.”
Madam Charlotte lifted her cheeks in her signature cheerful smile.
“Sir Kyle, what took you so long? You said you’d be here before dinner.”
“Some so-called League was protesting in the square.”
“Oh my, so you ran into the Neo-Empire League. They’ve been causing trouble everywhere lately.”
Kyle frowned as he stepped into the drawing room.
“Madam Charlotte, I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you properly when you visited me. And thank you for the tea you sent.”
“Not at all. I’m just glad to see you healthy again.”
With warm affection, Madam Charlotte linked arms with Everett and led her inside.
Alfred, who had been waiting, rose to greet them.
“Lady Gronji, it’s an honor.”
Kyle pulled out Everett’s chair and gestured for her to sit.
“The food may have cooled a bit. Please overlook that and enjoy.”
Throughout dinner, the conversation was filled with praise for Everett’s idea, which had helped shift suspicion away from the true culprit.
“When I heard it from my brother, I was shocked. That you’d come up with such a bold and clever plan!”
“I was surprised too, even sitting right there. Especially the way you called it seasoning—very memorable.”
At Alfred’s dry remark, everyone burst into laughter.
After the pleasant dinner, Madam Charlotte served fragrant tea.
Kyle took a sip, then looked at Alfred and Charlotte.
“The reason I asked us all to dine together tonight is…”
The two of them, who had been waiting for Kyle to begin, quickly set down their cups.
“…to properly introduce Lady Everett Gronji, here.”
Up until now Everett had been calm, but suddenly her throat felt parched.
She clenched and unclenched her hands on her lap to steady herself.
Noticing, Kyle gave her a faint reassuring smile.
“Lady Gronji is none other than the capital’s—no, the empire’s foremost fortune-teller: Naz.”
For a moment, silence blanketed the room.
“No wonder! I knew you didn’t feel unfamiliar!”
Madam Charlotte’s excited voice shattered the quiet.
She grasped Everett’s hand tightly.
“Naz! I had my suspicions… and I was right.”
Hearing her so easily called Naz, Everett gave a shy smile.
“When I first heard your voice, it was so familiar. I suspected, but I never imagined Naz would be such a young lady.”
Charlotte wiped away the tears welling in her eyes.
“Oh dear, how silly of me. I’m sorry. I worried so much when your tarot shop burned down and I couldn’t contact you. These tears… they’re tears of joy.”
It hadn’t occurred to Everett, as Naz, to let Charlotte know she was safe. She felt a pang of guilt.
Though the tarot shop had started with Masha, it was largely thanks to Charlotte that Everett became Naz as she was now.
“I was thoughtless. I should have reached out.”
“No, no. You were injured, and had other things to deal with. Any hurt feelings are gone now.”
Alfred, who had been quietly observing, spoke up.
“I always thought you weren’t an ordinary young lady. But Naz, the fortune-teller….”
“Right? I was so shocked when I first learned, too.”
Kyle, who had been silently watching, curved his lips into a soft smile.
“The noble ladies who visit my salon often ask if Naz is all right. Can I tell them she’s fine, and that they’ll be able to see her again soon?”
Charlotte asked carefully, and Kyle answered in her stead.
“That’s why I revealed she is Naz.”
“Is it because Lady Gronji might be in danger?”
Alfred had heard she’d been attacked by someone just before the explosion.
“Exactly. That’s why I’d like Everett to hold her consultations at Madam Charlotte’s glass garden from now on.”
Charlotte covered her mouth and let out a small, excited squeal.
She had always hoped Naz would return under her patronage.
“Please, Madam Charlotte.”
“Please? Sir Kyle, it is I who should be grateful. Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for Lady Everett—no, for Naz’s safety.”
“Ventus will always be by Everett’s side. You won’t notice him, so you needn’t concern yourself.”
Charlotte beamed at Everett.
“I’ll create a consultation room for you even more beautiful and mystical than the old salon.”
“Thank you. And… from now on, I think I’ll meet only with nobles.”
“Only nobles?”
“Yes. Since it’s in Madam Charlotte’s house, I think that’s necessary. And… it seems nobles need this guidance more than commoners do.”
Everett gave Kyle a look, urging him to say it.
“Everett will be with us from now on.”
Charlotte clapped her hands softly.
“The capital’s greatest source of information, Naz, is just what you need, Sir Kyle.”
“And also…”
Kyle finished his tea.
“…I intend to reclaim my place.”
