Chapter – 31.
The Decision of Marquis Bitern
The face of Marquis Bitern gradually hardened as he listened to the full story from Yessica. In all his years serving as a knightly family that guarded the frontier, he had never once heard of a knight betraying the lord he served.
“Where is that bastard?”
“Sir Cern took him away.”
“Wait here.”
So enraged was the marquis that he forgot Saliphe was still in the study where he had ordered Yessica to stay, and he hurried outside.
Watching the marquis’s retreating figure, Saliphe gave a slight nod to Yessica, who was staring blankly after him, then spoke to Alter standing behind her.
“Step outside for a moment.”
“I cannot leave my charge.”
Alter’s different attitude made Saliphe narrow his eyes.
“Please step out.”
“This is neither an open space nor is His Excellency present. I cannot comply.”
At Alter’s sharp reply, Yessica looked at him in surprise. Alter did not even glance at her, keeping his eyes fixed on Saliphe. Their gazes collided in midair, sparks seeming to fly.
“That is an impertinent look for a bodyguard to give a prince.”
“If Your Highness perceives it that way, I apologize.”
Alter spoke with a face that showed no remorse whatsoever. Snorting softly, Saliphe stepped closer to Yessica. As he took one step forward, she retreated one step back, and he pulled her by the waist.
“Your Highness, this is a bit—”
“I believe I told you to call me by name.”
Saliphe’s low voice brushed against Yessica’s ear, and her body stiffened. Alter’s gaze grew icy, and as Saliphe noticed it, his own eyes darkened.
Just as his hand around her waist was about to tighten, a thin voice was heard.
“Saliphe.”
He could not refuse Yessica’s call. Saliphe looked down at her face, and his brows twitched slightly at her somewhat pale complexion.
“Yessica, you—”
“I have something to say.”
Cutting him off before he could continue, Yessica gently slipped out of his arms and held out her hand.
“Will you escort me?”
“Of course.”
As Saliphe extended his hand, her slender white hand rested upon it. Why did their touching hands feel so unusually warm? Saliphe could not understand.
Passing through the corridor, the two stepped into the garden, where they encountered knights bustling about in confusion. Once they were out in the open air, Yessica had Alter fall back.
Now able to speak alone with Saliphe, Yessica whispered to him.
“You already knew, didn’t you, Your Highness?”
“Knew what?”
“That the security of House Bitern is worse than expected.”
Yessica, who had been watching the knights moving in the distance, turned her gaze to him. When her sapphire-blue eyes met his, Saliphe found himself unable to even breathe deeply.
Tension hung in the air, and Saliphe chose his words carefully. He wanted to say that House Bitern was far too exposed for all it possessed, but he could not bring himself to say that to Yessica with eyes like those.
Eyes filled with sorrow and grief—yet within them burned unmistakable flames of vengeance.
Who exactly is she seeking revenge against?
He wondered who her target was. The third prince, Darten Erdt, came to mind, but according to Saliphe’s investigation, Darten had not done anything particularly suspicious.
Above all, Yessica was a young noblewoman who had not even made her debut yet. Though Darten was trash enough to commit discourtesies, Saliphe had heard no reports that he had treated Yessica lightly or that her “use” had already been decided.
“Yessica.”
“Your Highness, I want to protect those people.”
“They are my people as well, as long as Marquis Bitern stands on my side.”
“Then I will stand on your side too. So please give me the power to protect them.”
“Yessica.”
Saliphe gently lifted her chin. Meeting her blue eyes, he shook his head.
“Power is not something that is given. It’s something one takes for oneself. You know that well enough, don’t you?”
“I know.”
No one knew that truth better than Yessica. Still, her heart grew restless. Now that she knew something was happening within the marquisate beyond her sight, she could not remain idle.
The wind fluttered, scattering her hair. As Saliphe tucked the loose strands behind her ear, he smiled faintly and whispered.
“I’ll lay the foundation for that power. At your debutante.”
“All right.”
That was enough. Just receiving a royal escort at her debutante would draw the attention of the nobility. What came after would be her responsibility. Saliphe’s role ended there.
When Saliphe made his promise, Yessica returned his smile.
“And the contract?”
“I’ve added a few extra clauses. All that’s left is for Your Highness to sign.”
“Additional clauses?”
“That’s right.”
Covering her lips with a fan, Yessica smiled enigmatically. Saliphe looked at her with unreadable eyes as a gentle breeze passed between them.
After hearing Cern’s report, Marquis Bitern covered his eyes in despair. To think that a knight had been freely entering and leaving the room of his young daughter, who had not yet even made her debutante.
Though only a squire, he had been a knight of House Bitern. The one kneeling before him was someone the marquis himself had taken in. Basel and Alter—both the same age—had been granted the position of squire by the marquis himself.
To think I entrusted my daughter’s security to someone like this.
For now, it had ended with theft, but there was no guarantee it would not escalate in the future. His heart pounded violently. For ten years he had been absent from home in the name of defending the nation. In that time, he had lost his wife and much of his fortune.
“To think I attend to affairs of state while failing to properly govern even my own retainers.”
The words, half a lament, spilled from his mouth. Hearing them, Cern bowed his head deeply.
Cern’s words, blaming himself for failing to discipline the knights properly, did not reach the marquis’s ears. The marquis continued to think—about how to resolve this matter.
“Strip him of his knighthood.”
“That’s unjust!”
Ignoring Basel’s cries, the marquis issued his order.
“Throw him out of the marquisate.”
“Yes, sir.”
Worried the marquis might impose an even harsher punishment, Cern rose and took Basel away. To him, Basel and Alter were like disciples. Though Basel had been expelled, at least his life was spared—or so Cern thought.
Watching it all, Marquis Bitern realized that once he himself left the estate, Yessica would be left alone. After much thought, he came to a conclusion.
“I must take a second wife.”
In the very direction Yessica least desired.
Several days passed after Basel was expelled from the family. He had not merely been dismissed; he was branded as a knight who betrayed his lord. His name was erased from the rolls, and he was forever barred from the path of knighthood.
That was not all. He left the marquisate alive and unharmed, but the moment he entered a back alley of the capital, he was killed. As the illegitimate son of an insignificant noble house, he would never again set foot in the world of nobility.
“Killed?”
“Yes.”
“Hm. He didn’t seem like someone to use once and discard.”
“I nearly had my identity exposed.”
“In that case, it can’t be helped.”
Darten nodded as he received the report from his trusted subordinate planted in the marquisate. Today’s news was particularly interesting.
That the first prince, Saliphe Erdt, had been frequenting House Bitern—and that Saliphe had shown interest in Yessica Bitern.
“They seemed quite close.”
At his subordinate’s words, Darten’s lips curved upward. If played well, he might be able to use Yessica to control Saliphe.
“I should go meet Yessica.”
After Basel’s expulsion, a cold air settled over House Bitern. The servants moved cautiously, as if walking on thin ice. Once it was revealed that Basel had betrayed the marquisate and passed information elsewhere, the servants could not escape suspicion either. Starting with Anna, who served Yessica most closely, they were all summoned by Cern one by one.
Only after every servant had met with Cern did the atmosphere seem to ease—until that incident occurred.
It was a day of heavy rain. Marquis Bitern was wandering through the back alleys of the capital. Cern accompanied him, honoring his wish to reexamine the place where Basel had died.
As they were searching the alleys, they heard a sharp woman’s scream.
They rushed toward the sound and found a woman collapsed on the ground. She appeared unconscious, and they could not touch her carelessly. They called the guards, but all the guards in the capital were men.
“My lady!”
A woman dressed as a maid came running from afar, and Cern blocked her path.
“She’s my lady! I stepped away for a moment to buy something, and this happened!”
“Which family does she belong to?”
“The House of Baron Ryussel!”
That day, Marquis Bitern escorted the young lady of House Ryussel back to her barony, then returned to the marquisate with Cern—remembering how pitifully insignificant that so-called noble house had seemed.
A few days later, Marquis Bitern met Marianne Ryussel again. She came to him personally, to the place he was inspecting.
