Chapter 50
“We agreed to receive it as a wedding gift, but I swear on my honor—we know nothing of this matter!”
Duke Abiche made his explanation to the Imperial Family and the Temple.
Abiche truly hadn’t known. His daughter was of marriageable age, so he’d proceeded with arranging her match—and it just so happened that they were to receive a fine ship as part of the dowry.
That was all there was to it.
But—
“A ship used for smuggling as a wedding gift? And it looks like it’s even been modified to make smuggling easier?”
It was impossible to escape suspicion entirely.
The only fortunate thing was that there was no direct evidence linking Abiche to the affair.
Still, that didn’t mean they could escape all consequences.
[Abiche Family’s Spirit Stone Negotiations Canceled!]
The Temple broke off its negotiations with the Abiche family over the Spirit Stone.
[Right of first negotiation to be given to another family.]
Damian’s expression hardened.
Katrina let out a silent scream.
The situation had taken a turn for the absolute worst.
“Damn it!”
Bang!
Duke Abiche slammed his desk in fury.
“Because of those damned Carlo people—what the hell is going on here?!”
His anger was white-hot.
The ship they were supposed to receive was gone, and now even the Spirit Stone had slipped through their fingers.
“Damian, is there no way to fix this?”
Damian hesitated, unable to answer easily.
“Another family has been granted priority negotiations. We can only hope those talks fail.”
A very slim possibility.
“And even if they do fail, there’s no telling when Abiche’s turn might come again.”
“Damn it… so there’s no way.”
Duke Abiche seemed unable to shake off his sense of loss.
Katrina was also troubled.
If the Spirit Stone went to another family, she wouldn’t even be able to touch it.
It would mean she was stuck in this world forever.
…Was there really no way?
“Katrina, you said you were going to the palace today?”
Duke Abiche fixed his stern gaze on her.
“Make absolutely sure you don’t make any mistakes. We can’t afford to give them any more ammunition. Do you understand?”
“…Yes, Father.”
Katrina felt heavy-hearted.
She was just about to step into the carriage bound for the palace when—
“My lady! Please wait!”
A maid came running from afar.
It was… the one who had only recently become Katrina’s personal maid, Louivi.
“Your shoelace has come undone! Let me tie it for you.”
Louivi smiled brightly as she knelt to tie Katrina’s shoe.
“And, I prepared a hairpin for you.”
“…”
With an innocent smile, Louivi pulled a pin from her pocket and held it out.
“It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a butterfly pin that’s very popular in the capital right now. I thought it would go well with your outfit today.”
“…”
“It was really expensive—I spent my entire two months’ salary on it.”
Katrina was taken aback. Why go this far?
She stared at the butterfly pin in Louivi’s hand. When she didn’t immediately take it, Louivi’s expression shifted little by little.
She looked uneasy.
Ah, so she just wants to get on my good side.
Not that it will do her any good.
“Would you put it on for me now?”
“…Yes? Yes!”
“Thank you, Louivi. I’ll use it well.”
“It’s nothing! Just remembering my name makes me so happy.”
When Katrina fastened the hairpin, Louivi beamed like she’d just received the greatest joy.
Katrina felt a strange twinge.
Katrina returned once more to the Imperial Palace.
She only hoped that today, Raymond wouldn’t be late.
“My lady…”
But the attendants looked at her with troubled faces.
Don’t tell me—again?
Has he still not fixed that habit?
Today, she decided she would just endure it. This was an important meeting for her.
Who could have guessed that a marriage arrangement could blow up into something like this?
After a long wait—
“Welcome, Katrina.”
Raymond arrived sooner than she expected.
“I heard the news. My condolences.”
His expression, however, showed no trace of sympathy.
“That’s what you get for associating with a man like that.”
“…”
“I should have stepped in to stop you.”
“Please, Your Highness, sit. Let’s finish this quickly.”
Katrina found the entire situation ridiculous.
Why was she being interrogated about the Spirit Stone possibly going to another family—by Raymond, of all people?
“Even if Your Highness questions me, Abiche has no ties to Carlo. We simply didn’t know. That’s all.”
“…”
“There’s no evidence. So let’s keep this short.”
“That won’t work for me.”
Something about his tone made her uneasy.
“Unlike Abiche, you have some suspicious circumstances.”
Katrina frowned, not understanding.
“I got a report from Cardinal Lucife.”
That name alone was ominous.
“They say you’re suspected of stealing a relic from Asius.”
“That was…”
Katrina let out a sigh.
She had once been bewitched by a relic in Asius—playing a flute before vanishing.
She’d testified that she had been under the relic’s influence, but no one had believed her.
“I made no mistake.”
“I purified everything.”
Because of Niel’s lies.
Fortunately, the scandal had been buried thanks to the corruption of Asius’s lord—but now it had resurfaced.
…Damn you, Niel Franche.
You’ve made things even worse!
“With your track record, it’s only natural to be suspicious.”
“…”
“I think it’s perfectly reasonable.”
Raymond smiled faintly.
“I imagine His Majesty would agree with me…”
“…”
“So what should I do about this?”
He pretended to ponder, quite deliberately.
Back in Asius, no one had properly investigated whether it was Niel’s blunder or Katrina’s deliberate crime.
There was no one willing to arbitrate between House Franche and House Abiche—except for the mad Lord of Asius, Gilbert.
But the capital was different.
Crown Prince Raymond had powers that didn’t exist in Asius.
“…What do you want?”
It seemed this wouldn’t be resolved smoothly.
House Abiche had maintained friendly relations with the Imperial Family for centuries.
One setback wasn’t going to shatter that trust.
This wasn’t just about Katrina—it involved her entire house.
Which meant he must have a reason…
A demand…
“There’s no way I’d want anything from you.”
At that moment, she remembered something Raymond had said in the past.
“Because it’s fun.”
Ah, right.
Why had I even bothered to ask, knowing this already?
For this man, even this moment was just entertainment.
How could he not have changed at all?
“…You bastard.”
The words escaped before she could stop herself.
When she glared at him, Raymond’s smile only deepened.
“Mm, that’s right.”
Then he reached out and adjusted the hairpin in her hair.
“It’s so much fun, I just can’t stop…”
You really are a vile man.
Katrina repeated the thought she’d always kept in her heart.
I hope you one day suffer exactly what you’ve done to others.
I hope you hurt just as much.
She wished it with all her heart.
