Chapter 72
After I Died, My Little Groom
As Nadia had expected, Charlotte despised Epion. The foundation of Charlotte’s pride came from her noble bloodline, and to someone like her, the fact that the Emperor had an illegitimate child was far from pleasing.
What made it worse was that Epion, as the firstborn and a prince, had even earned the support of several nobles.
Had Epion been kind and humble, perhaps Charlotte could have tolerated him—but he was every bit as arrogant as a “true royal.” There was no way she could like him.
Charlotte gave a faintly intrigued expression, then gestured for Nadia to sit.
“Sit down.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“I’d invite you formally to the reception room, but you look like you’re in a hurry, so let’s skip the formalities for now.”
“I appreciate your consideration.”
Charlotte rested her chin on her hand and observed Nadia closely.
The young lady before her—until just this afternoon, she’d only been a baron’s daughter, not even a viscount’s. And the House of Hess was from the North, practically the countryside. It wouldn’t have been strange if Nadia seemed more rustic than a commoner from the capital, yet there was nothing clumsy about her.
Her manners were slightly old-fashioned for her age, but that somehow made her seem even more graceful.
“I heard her circumstances changed not long ago. If she learned all this since then, she’s a genius. If she taught herself from childhood, her effort is remarkable.”
Charlotte gave a brief evaluation and continued.
“Unlike Epion, I’m not a fool. I have no intention of making you my subordinate.”
“That’s a wise decision, Your Highness.”
“But if I help you without getting anything in return, word will reach His Majesty the Emperor. I need a reason to do so. So, you’ll do something for me.”
Nadia waited quietly for the princess’s instructions. Charlotte fell into thought for a moment, then decided.
“Knights will be heading to the Marquisate of Desmond. The family will likely be arrested soon. Before that happens, I want you to smuggle out the Marquis’s daughter and bring her to me.”
Smuggle someone out?
That was a bold command, not something one could justify easily. Nadia asked calmly,
“May I ask the reason, Your Highness?”
“That wretched girl sold me gemstones at an outrageous price. She dared pull a trick on me that she’d only dare with lesser nobles. The more I think about it, the more furious I become—so I’ll punish her myself. Bring her back alive. If you bring me a corpse, your father won’t be released.”
Nadia pretended to hesitate while quietly reading Charlotte’s mana. The princess was lying—but within that lie, there was concern.
She wasn’t worried the Marquis’s daughter might die, nor that Nadia might refuse.
“Is she… worried about the Marquis’s daughter’s safety?”
To confirm, Nadia asked carefully,
“Do you mean the young lady committed a crime of deceiving the royal family?”
“That’s right. Shameless girl.”
A lie.
Nadia silently swallowed a breath. Charlotte didn’t want to punish the Marquis’s daughter—she wanted to save her.
Nadia bowed deeply. Since there was no personal grudge against the Marquis’s daughter, and the mission didn’t involve harming anyone, she could accept it.
“When you enter the palace again, use my name,” Charlotte said.
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll return soon.”
Nadia left immediately, exiting the Agnès Palace.
“I’ll bring the Marquis’s daughter myself,” said Vivian. “It’ll be safer that way.”
“It’ll be dangerous.”
“That’s exactly why I can’t let you go. This sort of work is my specialty.”
Vivian was an exceptional assassin. If anyone could sneak the girl out unnoticed, it was her.
Nadia gripped Vivian’s hand tightly.
“Thank you, Vivian. Really.”
“Heehee, you can thank me more if you want.”
Nadia ruffled Vivian’s hair affectionately, then spoke seriously.
“I’ll wait in a nearby building. The Marquis’s daughter won’t come willingly unless she understands the situation, and I want to deliver her to the princess as soon as possible.”
“Understood. If it’s near the Marquis’s estate… the toy shop on the main street would be perfect. It’s a busy road, so a parked carriage won’t look suspicious.”
“Got it.”
Nadia nodded.
The two climbed into the carriage and left the palace. As they passed through the main gate, Vivian gave Nadia a brief nod and jumped out of the moving carriage. Nadia leaned out the window, anxious—but Vivian had already disappeared.
The coachman stopped near the toy shop as instructed. The street was bustling, with many carriages passing by—no one paid them any attention.
The problem was that all Nadia could do now was wait and pray.
She nervously twisted the hem of her dress, praying for Vivian’s safe return—and for the Marquis’s daughter to be rescued unharmed.
How long had it been?
Knock, knock.
A sound came from the carriage door.
The coachman asked, “Who’s there?”
Nadia peeked through the narrow window slit—but the voice that answered was instantly recognizable.
“Ah, tell her it’s Arkis—Nadia’s friend, Lady Hess’s friend.”
“I’ll ask the young lady, sir.”
Before the coachman could move, Nadia opened the door and peeked out.
“He’s my friend. Let him in, please, Arkis.”
Perhaps noticing her anxious tone, Arkis looked around warily, then quickly climbed into the carriage.
His blue eyes met Nadia’s golden ones.
“I’ve been looking all over for you, Nadia.”
“For me?”
“Yes. I heard that your father, Lord Hess, was in trouble. I figured you wouldn’t just sit still, so I came to help.”
Nadia’s eyes trembled with gratitude. Even in this difficult situation, knowing there were people willing to help her eased her heart.
“Thank you, Arkis. Fortunately, things might turn out well.”
Arkis frowned in confusion.
“I heard Prince Epion was interfering. What happened? And where’s Vivian?”
“Well…”
“Are you hiding something from me again?”
When Nadia hesitated, Arkis gave her a hurt look.
“No, it’s not like that. Actually, I asked for help from Her Highness the Princess.”
“Do you mean Princess Charlotte?”
Arkis’s eyes widened. He cracked the window slightly, as if checking for eavesdroppers, then closed it tightly again.
“I heard you had some dealings with Prince Epion, but now Princess Charlotte? That’s too dangerous—they’re political rivals.”
“I know… But I didn’t want to become one of Prince Epion’s people.”
Arkis sighed deeply.
“I should’ve known you’d say that. What is Vivian doing, then?”
“I can’t tell you. Not because it’s you— I wouldn’t even tell my parents.”
Arkis groaned softly and lowered his head halfway. His lips parted several times, as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t.
“Arkis, really. It’s because this task was entrusted to me by Her Highness. If it involved me directly, I’d tell you.”
“That’s not it… I just wondered what you’d do if Duke Baldwin asked you the same thing.”
“Huh?”
Nadia blinked in surprise. Why was Heinrich—Duke Baldwin—suddenly being mentioned? Arkis turned his head away and muttered, “It’s nothing.”
The air in the carriage instantly grew awkward.
If only Nadia could’ve said, ‘Even if it were Duke Baldwin, it would be the same.’ But when it came to Heinrich, lying always became difficult for her.
Just as Nadia parted her lips to speak—
Bang!
The carriage door burst open. Two figures stumbled in, bringing with them the sharp scent of blood.
“Vivian! Oh my god!”
Nadia hurriedly shut the door again as she saw Vivian—and the small girl she’d brought with her.
“We have to go now,” Vivian gasped. “They’re after us.”
Nadia pounded on the wall to the driver’s seat.
“Don’t go straight home—take the main road!”
The coachman gave a quick reply and whipped the reins, setting the carriage in motion.
Inside the jolting carriage, Nadia checked over Vivian and the young girl, while Arkis helped support them.
“This child is…”
“Yes, my lady.”
Quick-witted as ever, Vivian shot Arkis a look and nodded before he could ask further.
The daughter of Marquis Desmond looked no older than ten. Whatever she’d been through, her face was pale, and the hem of her dress was stained with blood.
“She’s not injured,” Vivian said quietly. “But she’s terrified…”
The child’s body trembled violently. The situation was growing worse by the second.
