Chapter 85
A pitch-black dawn without even moonlight.
Kyle stood in the shadows near the secluded eastern tower with Alfred and Ventus.
Once the knights who had been making their final rounds departed, Ventus stepped forward first to survey the area.
“No one’s here. No more guards will come this way.”
He unlocked the gate with the key he had obtained beforehand.
“Sir, I’ll stand watch here.”
Alfred went ahead, and Kyle followed him down.
A small torch barely lit the darkness.
They descended a long way down the rough-hewn stone steps that spiraled downward.
At some point, the earthy scent of soil and grass gave way to a damp, moldy stench that stung their noses.
“To think Everett is in a place like this…”
Kyle ran a rough hand through his hair.
When Alfred opened the door, the stench of filth and decay assaulted his nose.
The underground prison was smaller than Kyle had imagined. There was only a stained wooden table and a single rusty cell.
Just as Alfred had said, it hadn’t been used for a long time—cobwebs hung thick across the ceiling.
Unable to bear the smell, Alfred pressed his lips tightly together and cleared his throat with a couple of coughs.
“Kyle?”
Everett called to him from the center of the cell, standing completely still.
“Everett, are you alright?”
“How did you come here, Kyle?”
Alfred bowed his head slightly toward Everett.
“Daisy must have told you.”
“Are you alright? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
Seeing the concern shining in Kyle’s green eyes, Everett gave him a faint smile.
“Yes, I’m fine. Perhaps because I’m a noble, they let me ride in a carriage, and they didn’t treat me rudely either.”
She glanced around the small prison as she spoke.
“Even though it’s underground, the fact that they let me stay alone… perhaps that’s their way of being considerate?”
“Considerate? Hardly. More likely, they’re just afraid of being found out.”
At Kyle’s gruff tone, Everett let out a small laugh.
“You really are alright… aren’t you?”
Everett met his worried gaze with a warm smile, as if to reassure him.
“Yes, I’m alright. I was just… a little surprised. It’s my first time in an underground prison, so I was a bit shaken, that’s all.”
She was clearly putting on a brave front so he wouldn’t worry.
Seeing her like that made Kyle’s chest ache.
He wanted to break apart the rusty bars and take her away right this instant.
Rage boiled in him at the thought that there was nothing he could do.
“Everett, did they tell you why you were captured?”
“No. They didn’t explain, but… I do have a guess.”
“What is it?”
“Ever since I first heard about their plan to blow up the plaza, I’ve wondered about something.”
“An explosion?”
“Why would they go through the trouble of obtaining gunpowder, only to set it off in an empty plaza?”
Kyle nodded.
“Right. That puzzled me too. Why the plaza of all places?”
“I kept thinking about what their goal might be. Every action has a purpose.”
“Exactly.”
Everett’s dark eyes glimmered.
“I think there were two purposes.”
“Two?”
“To attract attention—and to divert attention.”
It was a reasonable deduction.
Not only Kyle but Alfred, who had been silently listening in the back, nodded slightly.
“Attention… So which of the two do you think the plaza explosion was for?”
Everett’s lips curved in a sly half-smile.
“There are too many variables to be certain, but I think it was to divert attention.”
“And because of that diversion, you were framed as the culprit and dragged here?”
Everett gave a small nod.
But who had pointed her out as the arsonist?
Kyle wanted to find out immediately, but right now, getting her out of this cell came first.
“Everett, remember what I told you before? That there’s a guest in Alfred’s estate.”
The true arsonists were imprisoned beneath Alfred’s mansion.
Kyle’s plan was to hand them over and free Everett from here.
“Hmm… but how will you deliver them? By ordinary means, it sounds risky.”
“Risky? How so?”
Everett stepped closer and lowered her voice.
“Someone must have informed them I was at the scene of the fire. But since only I was taken, it means they didn’t mention your presence, Kyle.”
Kyle’s expression grew grave.
If he handed over the culprits, the Emperor would seize the chance to nitpick and twist the situation.
“Alfred has someone planted inside the Imperial Guard, the Emperor’s knights. I planned to deliver them through him.”
“But the Emperor is suspicious by nature. Would he really believe it, when he hadn’t even given the direct order to capture the culprits himself?”
Kyle let out a groan instead of answering.
He had been so focused on rescuing Everett, he hadn’t fully considered the Emperor.
“Then… how should we hand them over?”
“My thought is… we need to add a little seasoning.”
“Seasoning?”
Alfred gave her a puzzled look as well.
“Yes. When dealing with someone suspicious, the most straightforward method is best.”
Everett grinned mischievously.
“We make the culprits cause an explosion where the Emperor will hear about it immediately.”
Kyle’s eyes went wide, then he chuckled.
“It doesn’t have to be the palace itself. A guard post, or anywhere nearby where the explosion will be heard should work.”
“Alfred, we still have all the gunpowder, right?”
“Uh, yes… but are you truly planning to cause an explosion in the palace? It could spiral out of control…”
“We’ll only use a tiny bit, just enough to imitate the real thing. If we mix in loud fireworks, it’ll sound grand but cause little harm.”
“That’s a solid plan. You hear that, Alfred?”
Alfred couldn’t hide his surprise at Everett’s bold suggestion.
“If the culprits are caught at the scene, it would be perfect.”
“Did they ever see your face, Kyle?”
“No, I kept it hidden.”
“Good. Then there’s no worry about your identity. The story will be: they caused the explosion, failed to escape, and were captured unconscious. How does that sound?”
Kyle’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
“That would be an undeniable crime scene.”
Alfred couldn’t take his eyes off Everett.
The prison was dark and filthy, yet she seemed to shine so brightly.
From the first moment he saw her, he’d thought she wasn’t like ordinary young ladies—but now, she was proving to be far more.
What shocked him more was Kyle.
Kyle never revealed his thoughts or shared opinions with others—yet here he was, accepting Everett’s advice.
Then suddenly, Kyle shrugged off his coat and pushed it through the bars.
“The ground is filthy. Spread this out.”
“No, it’s fine, Kyle.”
Everett waved her hands, refusing his coat.
So Kyle turned and looked at Alfred.
“Alf, your coat.”
Before the words had barely left his lips, Alfred too removed his coat and handed it inside.
“Lay Alfred’s coat on the ground, and wear mine—it’s warmer. Mine’s better anyway.”
Kyle winked, and Everett gave him a soft smile and a small nod.
“Everett, just endure a little longer. By morning, you’ll be home.”
After leaving the dungeon, Kyle instructed Ventus to guard Everett and then left the palace with Alfred.
“Lord Yankeller, you’re here?”
Angellus’s attendant priest bowed his head.
“The Saint isn’t here yet?”
“She said she’d be out shortly.”
Yankeller, weary from soothing angry nobles, was ready to fetch her himself if she delayed again today.
“Good. At least the temple will be quiet today.”
Just then—
“Oh my, Lord Yankeller, what brings you here?”
The shrill, buoyant tone unique to Angellus reached his ears.
Yankeller’s brows creased almost imperceptibly—she was the last person he wanted to run into.
“Good morning, Saint. Did you rest well through the night?”
“Yes, thanks to the priests, I always rest comfortably.”
Though he had received reports that her temper had worsened recently, her face was beaming brighter than ever.
“Saint, you look even more radiant today.”
“My, even Lord Yankeller can say such things?”
Angellus covered her lips with her long sleeve and let out a girlish laugh.
“Did something good happen? Your complexion is especially healthy today.”
“Ah… you haven’t heard yet, have you? It’s still early.”
“Heard what?”
“They caught the culprit of the plaza fire.”
Was catching the culprit really something to be that delighted over?
“I see.”
Angellus stepped closer and whispered in a hushed voice.
“The culprit is actually a noble lady who once visited the temple.”
Yankeller’s eyes widened as he stared at her.
“Back then, I thought she was brazen and ill-mannered. And now it turns out she’s done something like this.”
“So you know who she is, Saint?”
Angellus put on a grave expression and nodded.
“Since it’s you, Lord Yankeller, I’ll tell you specially.”
Leaning closer, she exhaled a soft breath against his ear and murmured—
“She’s Everett Gronji, the baron’s daughter.”
Yankeller stiffened from head to toe. He blurted out in shock, unable to contain himself.
“Are you certain?”
“Goodness! Lord Yankeller, why shout all of a sudden? You startled me.”
As Angellus rubbed her ear in annoyance, Yankeller ignored her complaint and pressed again instead of apologizing.
