Chapter 10
“L-Lancaster young lady….”
After that, everything only got worse.
Blensia came to find me, where I was still standing blankly in the hallway.
“Lady Belcia….”
I thought she came alone—but Hildred was with her.
“Where’s Emil Calixt?”
He looked at my pale face and quickly guessed what had happened.
“The Duke of Calixt took him, didn’t he?”
“……”
“And something must’ve happened while taking him.”
“I don’t want to talk to you right now.”
“Well, if that’s what you want. But if you keep standing here like this, something worse might happen—you might not be there when we go to greet His Majesty.”
That was true.
After the banquet, we had to greet the Emperor and Princess Elsi.
Maybe… I could see Emil then.
“I-I’m sure he’ll be okay… and….”
Blensia tried to comfort me softly.
“The young lord isn’t weak….”
I didn’t know.
The Emil Calixt I knew was strong—someone who endured pain and humiliation.
But today… he felt unstable.
Thanks to Blensia and Hildred, I returned to the playroom.
There, I saw Rastain cooling his bruise with ice.
He looked at me and muttered,
“So you’re treating him like he’s some kind of treasure.”
No… it’s the opposite.
The image of Emil being slapped flashed in my mind.
I shouted without thinking.
“At least to me, Emil is a better person than you, Rastain!”
Back when I first debuted, Rastain Lucretius wasn’t a bad match.
I even got engaged to him without issues.
He treated me well.
He even said he would marry into my family if needed.
We were preparing for marriage.
Even without love, I thought we could live together peacefully.
But now… it’s different.
“So don’t act so petty.”
“…What?”
“I don’t want to be more disappointed in you.”
I have to save my family.
And Rastain… would become a problem.
Right now, Emil was more important.
If conflicts with Rastain continued…
Emil’s madness might awaken again.
“I don’t want to see you again today.”
I turned away coldly.
Rastain stayed silent.
* * *
Even as the banquet came to an end—
Emil never returned.
Did he already leave?
That shouldn’t be possible.
Important nobles were all gathered here.
And yet…
Neither Emil nor the Duke was anywhere to be seen.
Soon, the children lined up to greet the baby princess.
She was too young to even babble.
I secretly glanced around.
I was standing in the front row with Rastain and Hildred.
But since we were bowing, no one noticed.
After a while, the Emperor finished his long speech.
“You may raise your heads now.”
Even under the chandelier, his black hair looked dark and heavy.
He was the same man who, in the original story, appeared as the Crown Prince.
The one who despised Princess Robellin—
and demanded her execution.
Beside him was a cradle.
The baby princess slept peacefully.
“My daughter will grow up with your support and lead this empire well.”
In short—
he was telling us to support the princess in the future.
After the audience ended, my mother came to me.
“I heard what happened earlier.”
My father was still with other nobles.
“Mother, the Duke of Calixt…”
I asked, hoping he might still be here.
But she shook her head.
My fear was right.
Even after the banquet ended—
I couldn’t see Emil.
* * *
I heard news about Emil—
a whole week after the banquet.
Detained? Just for fighting another child?
Rastain was a high noble—
but Emil was also of equal rank.
Even more—he had royal blood.
And yet… detention?
Something was clearly wrong.
Why is the Duke treating Emil like this?
Because he’s the son of a villainess?
No.
If that were the case, the Duke would never have sent Emil to our house.
He would’ve ignored my request completely.
Was it for reputation?
No… that didn’t make sense either.
If anything, our family was the strange one for treating Emil well.
The Duke’s reaction felt more like…
annoyance.
Like Emil had caused an unexpected “problem.”
“It’s like he’s trying to control Emil…”
My nail snapped.
Blood came out.
But I didn’t even feel the pain.
Only anxiety.
The metallic taste of blood spread in my mouth.
Then my father spoke after returning home.
“They’re not just detaining him for a few days… they plan to take him to their territory and confine him there.”
No.
If Emil left the capital—
I didn’t know when he would return.
“Should I speak with the Duke of Calixt?”
My mother asked seriously.
But my father shook his head.
“That won’t change his mind. For now, he’s still in the capital.”
That was at least a small relief.
I quietly stepped away from the door.
Is there a way to sneak into the ducal estate?
On the way to my room, I felt sick from stress.
I barely held it in before calling Ilena.
“My lady… your face looks terrible….”
She quickly brought medicine.
Then Isana came too.
“You’re not sick, are you? Please wait.”
She gave me medicine mixed with warm water.
Then she asked carefully,
“Is it because of the young lord?”
I froze.
Am I worried about Emil… or my future?
I hated myself.
Isana gently hugged me.
“It’s okay. Emil will be fine. Please take the medicine.”
After taking it, my stomach calmed—
but guilt filled my chest.
I could barely breathe.
“I’m fine now. You can go.”
I wanted to be alone.
After a while, I calmed down.
I looked at my hand wrapped in cloth.
“There are two things I need to find out.”
- A way to sneak into the ducal estate before Emil leaves.
- A complete cure for Emil’s madness.
* * *
If there were magic to change appearance, I would’ve used it.
But such magic was forbidden.
So the only realistic option—
was bribing a servant.
“Lady Bel, my acquaintance knows someone named Tilly.”
“Tilly?”
“She’s worked at the ducal estate for about two years. She used to fear the young lord… but recently she started questioning if her thoughts were right.”
Perfect.
If her beliefs were wavering, she might help.
“Let’s meet her.”
A few days later, I went to the marketplace with Ilena.
Instead of wearing a hood—
I dressed like a commoner.
I looked like a pretty young boy.
“Lady… you look like my handsome little brother.”
“Well, today I am your brother. Right, sister?”
Ilena immediately denied it.
We arrived at a small restaurant.
And there—
I saw a familiar face.
“You’re…”
It was the maid from the ducal estate.
“Lady Belcia…?”
“Your name is Tilly?”
“Yes….”
I took out a simple hairpin.
“If you take this to the bank, you’ll get money equal to a year’s salary.”
“Th-that’s….”
“In exchange, help me meet Emil.”
Tilly swallowed nervously.
“Is it… possible?”
“…Yes. It is.”
Then she explained.
Every day at 4 AM—
a food cart enters the estate.
I could hide inside it.
While the assistant chef checks supplies—
she would distract them.
Then I could sneak out.
Near the carts, there were empty oak barrels.
I could hide there until she came.
Later—
she would take me to Emil.
Ilena added,
“We need to find out which merchant supplies the food.”
She would handle that.
After finalizing the plan—
I went to a pharmacy.
“I need something harmless to animals.”
“What kind of medicine is that?”
I smiled.
“Something horses would love the smell of.”
I bought the strongest one.
Then returned home.
That night—
I entered Emil’s room.
Am I doing the right thing?
The more Emil valued our family—
the safer we would be.
I knew that.
But…
This isn’t just for him… I’m also doing this for myself.
It felt like I was deceiving him.
Still—
I have no other choice.
I took the cufflinks I once gave Emil—
and left the room.
