chapter 12
Before I knew it, a week had passed since I kidnapped Dietrich.
“How long exactly are you planning to stay like that?”
I asked while looking at Dietrich, who was lying comfortably on the bed as if it were his own bedroom.
“Hm, do you want me to leave? I thought that was the whole reason you brought me here.”
“Well… I can’t say that’s not true. But aren’t you busy? You’re a young duke, aren’t you?”
“The lady is correct. I am indeed a very busy man.”
“Then why don’t you go out that door? I’ll let you go. You should head back home.”
I stretched out both arms in a gesture telling him to leave, but Dietrich only smirked and shook his head.
A refusal.
Seriously, what is wrong with him?
I was offering to personally release him and send him home, yet he was refusing. I couldn’t understand why.
At first, I thought maybe he planned to take this opportunity to rest after being kidnapped—but now that didn’t seem to be the case.
If he really wanted to rest, he wouldn’t be bothering me every single day like this.
Was the quiet and well-behaved version of him from the day I kidnapped Melfis just a dream?
Since then, Dietrich had become even more persistent in following me around.
Even when I got angry and told him to stay still, he said the promise only applied for one day and ignored me.
So I kept trying to persuade him to go back every single day…
And it’s not working at all.
Letting out a sigh with my head lowered, I looked back up at him.
“No, you said you’re busy. So why aren’t you leaving? Don’t you have a schedule or something?”
“A schedule… hmm. Now that you mention it… I did have a high nobles’ council meeting today.”
A high nobles’ council meeting.
Just hearing those words, I widened my eyes.
“What? Then why are you still here? Shouldn’t you leave immediately?!”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. There’s something more important right now.”
Dietrich, who had been lying arrogantly on the bed, sat up and pulled me toward him.
“Miss Vivian. It seems you’ve forgotten our agreement.”
“Huh? What agreement did I make with you?”
I tilted my head, confused.
“So you really forgot. And yet you’re still calling me ‘that person.’ Didn’t you agree to call me ‘Dietrich’ instead?”
As I continued to look puzzled, he shook his head.
“It seems you’re good at kidnapping, but not so great at remembering. Ah, come to think of it, they say seeing a handsome face too often lowers your memory.”
“…What?”
“Now that I think about it, this must be my fault. I should apologize.”
At his utterly ridiculous statement, I forgot my original purpose and just stared at him with my mouth slightly open.
What on earth is going on inside this man’s head?
* * *
The grand conference hall inside the imperial palace was filled with people due to the quarterly high nobles’ council.
Nobles sat in rows around a long table, with their aides standing behind them.
At the very end of the hall sat the Emperor, along with the First Prince, Siegfried, and the Second Princess, Veronica.
Within the solemn atmosphere, an invisible battle of nerves unfolded silently.
Siegfried and Veronica.
Everyone present knew that the two were fiercely competing for the imperial throne.
Originally, Veronica had been considered the closest candidate for the next emperor.
However, everything changed when she took charge of the serial handsome men kidnapping case.
While she was tied down with the unresolved case, Siegfried—who had been lying low—rose rapidly.
He took over responsibilities that would have originally been Veronica’s and quickly gained the Emperor’s favor.
Rumors even circulated that Siegfried himself was behind the kidnapping incidents.
Veronica, born of the Empress, and Siegfried, born of the Second Consort—
Their already distant relationship had only grown more strained as they competed for the throne.
Just like now.
The prolonged tension ended when Veronica finally turned her head away first.
I’ve stooped to something so childish without realizing it… This isn’t what matters right now.
She pressed her aching temple.
What she needed now wasn’t petty rivalry—it was the Emperor’s favor.
Her father, the 34th Emperor of the Agrian Empire, was extremely capricious.
Though he was considered a decent emperor, he was a terrible father and husband.
He had taken multiple consorts despite having the Empress, her mother.
She had never expected affection from him in the first place.
But gaining his favor was a different matter entirely.
She had a reason—one that justified any means necessary—to become emperor.
With a calm and cold expression, Veronica swept her gaze over the nobles.
Among the tightly packed seats, only one stood empty.
The seat of the Belvedus family.
Behind it stood the aide Nils, but Dietrich himself was absent.
The seat was too neat to suggest he had only stepped away briefly.
Dietrich Belvedus. Absent again.
The young duke of Belvedus was an arrogant man.
Despite not officially inheriting the title yet, he acted as though he were already a duke.
He frequently skipped imperial meetings at will, and his attitude was thoroughly insolent.
And yet his work is flawless, making it hard to find fault…
Perfectionist Veronica did not like him.
And neither did the Emperor.
In the quiet and tense hall, the Emperor cleared his throat—a signal for attention.
“I shall begin the 113th High Nobles’ Council. However… there appears to be an empty seat.”
His low voice was filled with displeasure.
Nils, standing behind the empty seat, calmly endured the Emperor’s sharp gaze.
He should have brought Dietrich no matter what—but who could have predicted a kidnapping?
Failing to account for such a variable was still his fault, so he silently accepted the reproachful stares.
At the same time, he vowed internally that he would quit this job someday.
“Since the one you serve is not present, you may leave. After the meeting, you will explain in detail what happened.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Nils bowed and quietly exited the hall,
Praying that Dietrich would be released as soon as possible.
* * *
After finishing his private audience with the Emperor, Nils quickly left the hall with quiet steps.
During the audience, he reported Dietrich’s kidnapping and explained that it was the reason for his absence.
The Emperor said he understood—but his expression remained stiff.
It was a mix of anger and displeasure.
The moment he was dismissed, Nils hurried out, eager to avoid becoming collateral damage.
Outside the hall, he delivered the Emperor’s message to Princess Veronica von Agrian, who had been waiting.
“His Majesty has ordered that you enter alone.”
At his words, Veronica felt her throat go dry.
A private audience. That meant the Emperor was quite displeased.
And the moment she stepped inside, she realized her assumption was correct.
“Because of you, what kind of disgrace is this?!”
His anger came flying along with a cup of cold tea.
Even as the cup hurtled toward her, Veronica simply closed her eyes and took the hit.
It struck her temple, leaving a red mark.
Tea splashed all over her as well—fortunately, it had already cooled.
With her head bowed, she spoke repeatedly.
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I will correct this.”
“Do you even know what you’re apologizing for?! The young duke of Belvedus has fallen victim to that kidnapper! If you had caught the culprit in time, this wouldn’t have happened!”
“….”
At the words that the empire’s greatest magic swordsman had been defeated, her body stiffened instantly.
So that was why the culprit had been impossible to catch.
She bit the inside of her cheek.
“Three months.”
“….”
“Catch them within three months.”
The firm words fell heavily over her like a freezing storm.
…If I fail, there won’t be another chance.
Realizing the severity of the situation, Veronica carefully chose her words.
She needed a plan the Emperor would acknowledge—something different from before.
At that moment, a suspicion formed in her mind.
Does it even make sense that Dietrich Belvedus was kidnapped?
It was him, after all.
Even if he had been captured, breaking out of a building would be trivial for him.
Her thoughts raced rapidly.
And in that brief moment, she reached a conclusion.
“…I will host a banquet.”
“A banquet? What are you talking about?”
Carefully watching the Emperor’s reaction, she continued:
“There is someone I suspect as the culprit. I will invite everyone connected to that person and observe them closely. We will surely find a clue.”
Dietrich, who had been captured far too easily.
Veronica focused on the possibility that he had allowed himself to be kidnapped.
The easiest way to escape suspicion is to pretend to be a victim.
Moreover, Dietrich was currently involved in marriage talks with nobles aligned with Siegfried.
He had plenty of motive to oppose her.
All signs pointed to him.
Even if he isn’t the culprit himself, there must be at least some connection.
The Emperor listened silently, staring at her resolute expression.
Fortunately, his anger seemed to ease, and he nodded.
“I thought you had nothing to show for chasing shadows, but it seems that’s not the case. Do it.”
Watching him, Veronica’s teal eyes burned quietly with determination.
