Chapter 31
A woman wearing a robe ignored this and helped Agatha, who was crouching, to her feet.
Seeing this, Gobard’s knight frowned.
“My words just now—”
Thud!
Despite his fierce demeanor, he collapsed before finishing his sentence.
His guard had struck his vital point with the scabbard, knocking him unconscious.
“Phew—.”
The guard looked around nervously, constantly glancing about.
Looking closely at his eyelids, there was a faint bruise, as if someone had hit him hard.
“We almost got caught.”
“That would have been a big problem for you. My father would never let you off.”
At Brillint’s harsh words, the short guard trembled, then grudgingly led the two onward.
“Since it’s quiet around here, it seems the Sandelin Duke’s knights have finished off the remaining knights. This way.”
“Alright. Come on, Agatha.”
“W-wait a moment.”
Agatha, still unsure of the situation, looked at the robed woman, Brillint, with a confused expression.
Brillint gently stroked Agatha’s cheek and whispered:
“I’ll explain everything on the way.”
“I don’t want to go to the Crown Prince’s villa.”
“You’re not going there. Don’t worry.”
“You have to move quickly. They slipped in because the palace was distracted by the wedding. If you hesitate even a little, they’ll catch you.”
“Did you hear? Let’s go.”
At those words, Agatha unconsciously followed Brillint.
She had no idea what was going on.
Why, why would the maid—?
Even while confused, the three hurried forward.
The room where Agatha had been imprisoned was one of the deepest, most secret places within the Crown Prince’s palace.
If Neroli hadn’t provided extra information, they would never have known such a place existed.
“How does Her Highness know such detailed, classified information?”
Muttering while looking at the map of the Crown Prince’s palace annex given by Neroli, the Sandelin Duke was somewhat puzzled.
Brillint was a little suspicious too, but the source of the information didn’t really matter much.
“Whatever the method… she’s doing her best for our family.”
“Yes, that’s right. We owe an unerasable debt to Her Highness.”
Taking advantage of the distraction caused by the wedding guards, the Sandelin family sneaked into the Crown Prince’s palace.
With forged official letters prepared in advance and the guards passed on by Neroli leading the way, they caught the Gobard knights off guard and subdued them without much commotion.
So smoothly… could the heavens be helping Sandelin?
Before they knew it, masked Sandelin knights appeared and followed closely around the three.
Escorted by them, Agatha and Brillint safely exited the Crown Prince’s palace and climbed into a small carriage waiting behind the annex.
“Hurry, Agatha.”
“Y-yes.”
Once inside the carriage, the small, plain carriage began to quietly leave the palace.
Agatha quickly removed her robe and looked at Brillint with urgency.
“Maid! What is going on? Did Her Highness call for me…?”
Agatha couldn’t finish her sentence.
Brillint had already taken off her hat and was crying, looking down.
“See, I wasn’t mistaken before. Her Highness was right.”
At that murmured phrase, Agatha also looked down.
As she hurriedly sat in the carriage, her skirt had slightly lifted.
Brillint was looking at her exposed calf.
“Uh, um…”
Then Brillint lifted her own skirt.
“Look at this.”
“!”
This time it was Agatha’s turn to be surprised.
On Brillint’s exposed calf was a birthmark identical to Agatha’s.
“My mother had the same mark in the same spot.”
“W-what does that mean…?”
“And I have a younger sibling I lost at birth.”
Brillint brushed Agatha’s eyes with trembling hands.
“A younger sister the same age as you…”
“Ah…”
“You, you are my sister.”
Brillint saw traces of their parents on Agatha’s face she hadn’t noticed before:
The thick double eyelids that resembled their father, the nose shaped just like their mother’s.
Unable to hold back, she hugged Agatha tightly.
“You’re really my sister! I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you earlier, I’m so sorry!”
Sobbing, Brillint’s voice was full of emotion.
Agatha, staring blankly, muttered quietly.
“Are you saying… I’m the maid’s sister?”
“Yes, Agatha. We’re family.”
Family!
At that word, tears finally welled up in Agatha’s eyes.
Though it was hard to keep up with the situation, Brillint’s tears and sobbing voice were heart-wrenching.
Agatha sniffled with Brillint, and without realizing it, had this thought:
This is the last chance.
She had a premonition that this was her final opportunity to leave her love behind.
If I really am the maid’s sister… if my real family is by my side! I can forget everything. I can escape…!
This time, she would finally abandon Gobard.
She wouldn’t be toyed with anymore.
She would say goodbye to this tiring palace forever!
Inside the carriage moving farther away, Agatha vowed silently.
“Today is the day of the grand event.”
After much preparation and fuss, the day of Abwa and Gobard’s wedding finally arrived.
Royal weddings were always held in the temple inside the central palace where the emperor lived.
“During the first emperor’s reign, they even held worship services there.”
But as the influence of the Dalia religion waned, the current temple was no longer open except for events like this.
On the carriage heading to the central palace, I called Modeway.
[You called, Master!]
How’s Moren?
[He’s still with Hist!]
Will he come to the wedding?
[Nope! Looks like he has no intention of attending! But Hist is keeping him company so he doesn’t look lonely!]
I sighed softly.
I never thought Moren would skip Gobard’s wedding too.
I was starting to worry about Moren’s reputation.
Even if he was the youngest prince who recently lost his mother, staying secluded for so long would lead to harmful rumors.
There are already rumors that Moren is showing signs of madness.
Madness can appear not just as obsession but also as insomnia or depression, so the rumors weren’t entirely unfounded.
…I wish that were true.
Since Moren was born into royalty, he couldn’t avoid madness entirely.
If it were a mental illness that was somewhat manageable rather than obsession, it would be easier for everyone.
Kinia, for example, only has mild depression and hallucinations.
I was also known to have slight insomnia publicly.
Well… no matter what I wished, it wouldn’t change anything.
Fortunately, Hist was taking good care of Moren, so I would meet Moren later and judge for myself.
It’s fortunate the emperor isn’t interested in Moren.
The emperor took great pride in the blessings of Lornod.
Normally, he wouldn’t tolerate his son showing weakness.
But while Moren secluded himself, the emperor didn’t force him out.
Usually, the emperor would have sent knights to drag Moren back like a criminal.
Why wasn’t he?
Has he decided to treat Moren like a non-entity now?
Well, on reflection, the emperor never showed any affection toward Moren, who resembled himself.
With Moren’s mother gone, the emperor may have thought spending time on Moren was a waste.
After all, he only needs me.
Thinking like this, I understood why the emperor didn’t react strongly to Moren’s refusal to attend the wedding.
Of course, the emperor treating Moren like an invisible person was beneficial to me.
It allowed me to focus more on this wedding.
Today is the day Sandelin Duke rescues Agatha.
Having prepared thoroughly, I must see it through perfectly.
I gently stroked Modeway’s head as she was arranging her wings beside me.
Modeway, do you remember the map of the Crown Prince’s palace I showed you before?
[Of course! I patrol there every day!]
Good, then wait there and help the pink-eyed woman if she appears.
[Are you sure you’re human who’s always with me?! Trust me!]
Modeway shouted confidently, then flew through the closed carriage door.
At that moment, Marin quietly appeared beside me.
[Hmm~ Should I go with Modeway to help too~?]
Marin, you?
[I’m a bit curious if that Agatha person will get out safely.]
Then Nesgal showed up and nodded.
[Marin is saying something reasonable for once! I’m worried about Modeway being totally taken in by that purple-haired one, Master!]
Indeed, swiftly subduing Gobard’s knights was key to Brillint rescuing Agatha.
No matter the wedding, Gobard wouldn’t drop his guard regarding Agatha.
Marin, help the knights with Brillint and disrupt Gobard’s knights. Can you tell them apart?
[Master, please~ I’m not Modeway~]
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Then I’m counting on you.
With my permission, Marin flew through the carriage door like swimming through water.
Left alone, Nesgal chuckled and disappeared.
At that moment, the carriage stopped.
Swish.
The carriage door opened smoothly, and a hand reached out to escort me—but then hesitated.
