#140. Deceiving and Being Deceived (5)
“W-wait a moment!”
Sensing things were going badly, Naina cried out desperately.
Of course, Pavel did not stop. Naina’s face crumpled with worry as he kept coming.
“Why, why are you doing this?”
She backed away, step by step, from Pavel’s approach.
He replied as if it were obvious.
“How can I trust someone who traveled with a monster for so long?”
“I’m innocent! I’m just a victim!”
Tears welled in Naina’s eyes as she pleaded, causing the knights nearby to waver.
Part of it was chivalry—reluctance to be harsh with the weak. But the subtle influence of her charm magic played a role, too.
Naina, who wielded enchantment magic that bewitched her opponents, inspired in the knights a vague sense of goodwill and sympathy.
If it had been anyone but Pavel threatening her, someone would have stepped forward to stop him.
Noticing the shift in mood, Naina seized the chance to plead her case.
“What just happened—I volunteered to be the bait, to reveal the truth. His Grace already knew; he can vouch for that!”
“Were you really the bait?”
“What?”
“If so, why do you look so unharmed?”
Pavel glanced her over. Her hair was messy and she was covered in dust, but aside from a few scrapes from falling, she wasn’t injured at all.
“If you were truly a powerless civilian, how could you come out of such chaos without a scratch? Unless you colluded with the monster or used sorcery so the monsters wouldn’t come near.”
Indeed, it was strange that, being so close to the fight between Gregory and Pavel, she was left untouched.
Naina’s face showed a flicker of realization.
“I was just… lucky. His Grace blocked the monster, and the knights protected me from the monsters!”
She spoke awkwardly.
“And you know I can see the future. I avoided getting hurt because I already knew what was going to happen.”
“So.”
Pavel asked, a mocking smile on his lips.
“You knew everything that would happen—blades flying blind, monsters charging in, every danger—and dodged it all?”
“Y-yes!”
She nodded hastily.
Pavel looked at her as if her excuse was laughable.
“If you knew everything, why were you so shocked when I triggered the trap? You looked completely blindsided.”
Naina’s eyes darted, searching for an excuse. She hadn’t expected him to pay such close attention to her reactions.
“Run out of things to say?”
“N-no, that’s not it.”
Realizing that staying silent would only look more suspicious, Naina blurted out anything she could think of.
“It’s just, um, I don’t know every detail of the future. I saw there would be a fight and what would come after, but I didn’t know exactly how it would start… That’s why I was caught off guard when things didn’t go as I expected—His Grace never told me about the new plan.”
Before Pavel could press further, she abruptly changed the subject.
“I can still help you! Ah, I saw the future again this morning!”
She began listing all the ways she could help govern the North, desperate to prove her usefulness.
But…
‘Why isn’t he reacting?’
No matter how she boasted about her abilities, Pavel didn’t budge.
His face was bored, almost as if to say, Is that all?
Naina grew anxious.
‘This isn’t working! There has to be something to catch his interest…!’
After thinking hard, she found what she was looking for.
“Your wife, the Grand Duchess, will soon face a great danger. A crisis that could even threaten her life.”
Pavel flinched.
If it was about Sasha’s safety, he couldn’t just brush it aside.
Seeing his reaction at last, Naina breathed a sigh of relief.
With the tension easing, she had a new thought.
‘So you ignore everything I say until it’s about her? Only care when it concerns that woman?’
Naina hated Alexandra Volkov.
She believed Sasha had stolen her rightful place.
Even if she didn’t care for Pavel himself, she coveted the title of Grand Duchess. All this scheming—this ridiculous theater—was just to win back what was supposed to be hers.
It wounded her pride deeply to know that, no matter what she did, she always lost out to Sasha.
‘What does she have that I don’t? I changed everything to be like her—my face, my voice, my mannerisms! What am I lacking?’
Simmering inside, Naina sought a way to relieve her frustration.
But she didn’t have time for more thoughts—the situation suddenly changed.
“You.”
With a darkened face, Pavel strode toward Naina and swung his sword.
Whoosh!
The blade sliced through the air, seeming as if it would take her head.
“Kyaaah!”
Naina squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.
Everyone watching held their breath, thinking Pavel was truly going to kill her.
But—
Stop.
Pavel’s sword left only a thin scratch on her neck before he drew back.
“You’re not allied with the monster after all. Even in a corner, you didn’t resort to dark sorcery.”
Just as suddenly as he had attacked, Pavel sheathed his sword and stepped away.
“Fine. I’ll take you back on the way home.”
He signaled to Igor.
“But things will be different. You’re not a member of House Volkov. After aiding the monster and deceiving us, you’ll be treated as a closely watched prisoner.”
The truth was, Pavel didn’t want to take this suspicious woman back to Bellicordo Castle at all.
He disliked the idea of bringing such an unsettling person anywhere near Sasha—her safety had to be absolute.
But Sasha had insisted.
“If that so-called prophet faces mortal danger and still doesn’t use monsters or sorcery, could you at least bring her here?”
Pavel wanted to grant all his wife’s wishes, but this time, he hesitated. Sasha explained her reasons quietly.
“There are things I need to check for myself—her immunity to your abilities, her supposed prophecy, and so many other oddities. I want to see with my own eyes.”
Pavel, not wanting Sasha exposed to danger, objected.
“Don’t worry. As long as I’m careful, nothing will happen to me. I promise to stay on guard, because I know you worry.”
With Sasha’s assurances, Pavel couldn’t refuse.
So, even though he was still uneasy about Naina, he agreed to bring her to the castle.
Meanwhile, ignorant of the circumstances, Naina fumed at being treated like a prisoner.
‘So annoying!’
She had no choice but to nod at Pavel’s harsh order, but she was furious.
‘Just wait. I’ll get my revenge soon enough!’
She ground her teeth in frustration.
After Gregory, the monster, died by Pavel’s hand, the monsters vanished from the battlefield.
They waited another half month just in case, but the monsters remained quiet.
And so, it became clear—the long war was finally over.
“It seems he truly was the one behind this whole war.”
Gregory Volkov.
No, he could no longer be called a Volkov—he was a vile criminal and a monster.
So many people had suffered because of his evil, and the knights were filled with fresh rage and resentment.
But as the news spread, they also felt relief and joy.
“We’re finally going home!”
The thought of returning to their long-missed families put everyone in high spirits.
With the war over, the soldiers grew relaxed and even chatted among themselves.
“Are we really going to take the prophet back in chains?”
“She hasn’t caused any trouble while in custody. Shouldn’t we let her go? She seemed like a victim, forced to help the monster.”
There was debate over Pavel’s decision about Naina.
Many agreed with his judgment, but some sympathized with her.
“Shouldn’t we credit her for revealing the monster’s identity and ending the war?”
“That’ll be settled after we return to the estate.”
“She’s a rare and dangerous talent. We can’t let her go so easily.”
“Maybe that’s why His Grace visits her so often.”
Just as they said, Pavel checked on the woman in Igor’s custody frequently.
He was simply ensuring she didn’t use hidden magic or attempt escape, since he was the strongest and best equipped to do so.
But that wasn’t what others thought.
“His Lordship and madam were close before. But after all this time apart, and with a woman so similar to madam suddenly appearing…”
