Chapter 72
Everett gently held Hilde’s hand resting on the table.
“I understand now, the feelings with which you’ve been protecting this.”
Hilde felt as though she might burst into tears—the warmth of Everett’s hand and voice was too comforting.
Why did they take the gunpowder?
Everett’s mind raced.
It wasn’t just for decoration. They must have intended to cause an explosion.
Once Hilde seemed to have calmed down, Everett quietly asked,
“Hilde, do you happen to know how they plan to use it? Did you overhear them talking?”
“Well… they did talk about it, but I was too scared to listen to everything. What I remember is… they said fireworks.”
“Fireworks?”
It was true that fireworks used small amounts of powder.
But to steal it by threatening Hilde? That didn’t add up.
“To threaten you just to make fireworks…”
Everett muttered, and Hilde gave him a puzzled look.
“They don’t make fireworks with my powder.”
“Huh? Don’t you need that powder for fireworks to explode?”
“No. Fireworks are made with magic. All you need is bright light and loud noise. There’s no need to risk using powder.”
Everett had momentarily forgotten that this place was different from the one he had lived in.
Then—
“Ah!”
A realization struck him.
Maybe fireworks weren’t the goal, but rather a signal for time or location.
“Hilde, fireworks are usually set off for festivals or celebrations, right?”
“Yes. You’ll probably see them soon. The imperial banquet is coming up.”
“That’s right. The banquet at the palace is tonight.”
Everett muttered under his breath and nodded.
Their target is the palace.
But it wouldn’t be easy.
Under the suspicious emperor’s orders, security at the palace was tighter than ever.
Most of the capital’s knights were stationed inside.
They said even if the palace were buried under the knights’ bodies, it would still stand. Attacking such a place seemed insane.
“To blow up the palace—it’s reckless…”
Hilde frantically waved her hands.
“No, not the palace—the square.”
“The square?”
“Yes. I remembered while talking to the fortune-teller. They mentioned the square, the time of the fireworks.”
The conclusion Everett had reached about the palace crumbled in an instant.
“But on banquet days, the square is closed, isn’t it?”
“Yes, almost all the shops shut down. Even the fortune-teller takes the day off.”
It was frustrating, like the purpose of the explosion had vanished into fog again.
But at least now he knew something was going to happen—he had to warn Kyle.
Even an empty square would have passersby. And it was the economic heart of the capital.
How could he get word to Kyle?
Everett’s expression grew increasingly grave.
“I deliberately mixed the formula wrong. Even if it goes off, it’ll only be a small explosion.”
Watching Everett deep in thought made Hilde nervous.
“I never imagined they’d try to blow up the square… What if the knights come after me? I really tried my best not to give them anything, I swear!”
The little courage she’d had from drinking had already faded.
Everett was about to speak to the trembling woman when—
“Young lady, let’s go home now.”
The tarot shop door swung open, and Masha walked in.
“Oh, there’s still a customer here.”
She was about to step out again when she sniffed the air, catching the scent of alcohol inside.
Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Hilde.
If Hilde had been harassing Everett while drunk, she was ready to throw her out.
“You… aren’t you Hilde?”
Masha marched over with a stiff posture, then stopped in surprise.
“It is you, isn’t it? Hilde?”
“Masha?”
The two women, reunited after a long time, greeted each other warmly.
“You two know each other?” Everett asked.
“We used to be pretty close. After we lost contact, life just got too busy.”
Hilde had nowhere to go.
If the square really exploded, she might be branded the culprit.
And if the powder failed to ignite, the men might come back for revenge.
Seeing them together brought a faint smile to Everett’s lips.
He had been worried about what to do with Hilde, but now Masha had appeared—a trustworthy solution.
Everett briefly explained Hilde’s situation to Masha, saying she needed a place to stay.
“Don’t worry. I live alone, plenty of spare rooms. And if she gets bored, she can help me out at the tavern.”
Everett stepped closer to Masha and whispered softly,
“Boss, I’m Naz.”
Masha winked reassuringly.
Even after returning to the mansion, Everett kept thinking about how to reach Kyle.
“Should I write a coded letter in runes and send it to Lord Alfred?”
He pulled out pen and paper, then realized Alfred had also been summoned to the palace.
And without an invitation, there was no entering before the banquet began.
Even if she did meet Alfred somehow, he wouldn’t know she was Naz, and he’d never believe the words of a noble lady.
“The only way is to meet Kyle in person…”
Lost in such thoughts, Everett eventually drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
“Young lady, are you awake?”
Everett woke with a start at the sound of knocking.
“What time is it?”
Daisy peeked in carefully.
“It’s lunchtime, my lady. Please get up and eat something.”
“Did I sleep that long?”
“You’ve been working so late without rest. Of course you’re tired.”
Daisy placed a plate with warm bread and a cup of heated milk on the table.
“You must be hungry.”
Everett sipped the milk, slowly waking up.
“I don’t have time for this.”
The memories of last night’s events came rushing back.
“You said you wouldn’t attend the banquet. Do you have another consultation?” Daisy asked.
“It’s not the banquet that’s the problem…”
Chewing on the small bread pieces Daisy had cut for her, Everett spoke like a baby bird.
“Daisy, the palace must be swarming with guards for the banquet, right?”
“Yes, I heard all the knights are there.”
“Hmm… So there’s no way to meet Kyle at all…”
“My lady, are you thinking of attending the banquet?”
At the mention of Kyle, Daisy’s face brightened.
She had secretly hoped Everett would accept Kyle’s invitation and had even prepared a dress in advance.
“No, not the banquet. I need to meet him before that, but I just can’t think of a way to get into the palace.”
Daisy’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.
“There’s no way to borrow a servant’s entry pass either…”
Everett suddenly grabbed Daisy’s hand.
“Daisy, you’re a genius!”
“M-me?!”
Everett quickly rose, changed into outdoor clothes, and threw on a cloak.
“My lady, where are you going in such a hurry without finishing your meal?”
“I left something at the tarot shop. I’ll be right back.”
The mention of a servant’s entry pass reminded Everett of something Kyle had once given her—
A special pass.
He had told her, If you ever want to see me, just show this. They’ll let you through the palace gates immediately.
“So it’s true—everything’s closed for the banquet day.”
Arriving at the square, Everett froze at the unfamiliar sight.
The place, usually bustling day and night, was so silent it felt eerie.
On the way to the tarot shop, Everett kept thinking.
Why blow up an empty square?
What would that accomplish? Was it symbolic?
“At least no one will get hurt, I suppose.”
The tarot shop was just as he had left it that morning.
The drawers, which he hadn’t had time to organize, were a mess.
“I’m sure I put it in here somewhere…”
When Kyle had given her the pass, she hadn’t thought she’d ever need it.
She’d tossed it into a drawer and completely forgotten about it.
“I never took it out after putting it here. Where is it?”
Clatter.
Suddenly, the locked downstairs shop door rattled violently.
Everett froze, listening intently.
A cracking sound of wood splintering followed, along with crude curses from a man’s voice.
Certain no one was inside, the man stomped upstairs without hesitation.
A thief?
Everett slipped behind a curtain, hiding in the corner.
“Damn, it’s so dark in here.”
The man left the door wide open and strode toward the central table.
“They’re making me do all this trouble when blowing it up would just solve everything…”
He rummaged around, then spotted a deck of tarot cards in the display case.
“This it? The fortune-teller’s cards? If I destroy these, it’s done.”
He grumbled as he began ripping the cards apart.
Peeking through the curtain, Everett’s eyes widened.
My tarot cards!
She couldn’t stand idly by as her precious cards were torn to pieces.
Grabbing a nearby wooden chair, she charged straight at the man.
“You bastard!”
With all her strength, she swung at his arm.
“Argh! Who the hell are you?!”
He glared at Everett furiously.
