CHAPTER 61……………………………………………….
The worst part was knowing that regretting it now wouldn’t change anything. Zegna pressed her throbbing temples with her hands.
“You’re letting us into the palace even though you know all of this.”
“Yes.”
“You know what we plan to do?”
She was too agitated to bother with polite speech. But the Count didn’t frown; instead, he gave a faint, almost amused smile.
Seeing that half-crazed expression, Zegna finally realized: the Count wanted her party to do exactly what they intended.
“My family’s deaths are all their fault. I want them all to be ruined.”
The Count spoke with vivid emotion.
“In that sense, Princess, you’ve come to the right person.”
A sharp exhale escaped her. Why did she have no normal people around her? Perhaps it was that she attracted only people like this. After all, she had chosen the Count herself.
Zegna suppressed the urge to scream.
“Do you really think I’d believe you?”
“Well… believing is up to you, Princess. But right now, you do need my help.”
After that, silence filled the room, broken only by a sudden cheer outside.
-Your Majesty!
The shout gradually became clear, and the Demon Lord stood from his seat.
“It’s time to move.”
There were many questions Zegna wanted to ask, and many stories she needed to hear.
But to gain something, she would have to give something in return. For now, she decided to set aside her doubts and anger.
No one spoke while riding in the Count’s carriage—not even Lerajezo.
Even though the streets were crowded due to citizens watching the royal procession, they traveled in silence. Eventually, the carriage came to a stop in front of the palace gates.
The knight guarding the gate confirmed the Count’s crest and politely opened the doors—then flinched in surprise. There were four individuals inside the carriage with their faces concealed.
“Count?”
The knight looked to Count Granon for an explanation, but he spoke calmly.
“Open it.”
The knight nearly stumbled under his commanding presence but quickly complied.
“Count, we need to verify your identities.”
A crease formed on the Count’s brow.
“Can’t you tell from the masks? This is an order from His Majesty.”
“But…”
When the knight hesitated, Granon glanced at the family crest on the knight’s shoulder.
“Ah, it’s your house. Then you should already know—what His Majesty is currently doing.”
The knight’s eyes widened at the cold words.
“…Ah.”
The words, lost on Zegna’s party, were immediately understood by the knight.
“You also know this is something that must be kept quiet.”
The knight, who had looked troubled until now, nodded gravely at the Count, then asked somewhat innocently:
“But His Majesty is away. If we enter now, we’ll have to wait quite a while. Why come now?”
The Count clicked his tongue at the persistent knight.
“Who doesn’t know that? Everyone’s attention is on the Temple, so now is the right time.”
Then, as if unwilling to say more, he turned his gaze straight ahead.
“His Majesty said he would personally see it and decide.”
It seemed like that was the end—but the knight noticed Zegna, clearly a woman despite wearing a robe, and addressed her.
“That lady is…”
“Do I really have to explain everything? Are you sure you know what you’re talking about?”
Although his tone was stiff, the Count answered. The knight’s expression flickered with surprise, and he took a step back.
“…I’m sorry.”
Once the knight closed the gates and stepped aside, the carriage moved forward again. Breaking the silence, Zegna immediately asked:
“What is the Emperor doing these days?”
“Oh, that.”
The Count looked at her as if surprised she had spoken, a faint smirk on his lips.
“Nothing.”
“Excuse me?”
“The Emperor does not completely trust the nobles. He tells some of his plans to certain nobles, and stays silent with others.”
The Count glanced out the window.
“The more you appear to know, the more it proves to the Emperor that he can trust you. So if there seems to be something going on, you just pretend to know.”
In other words, what he said to the knight earlier was a lie. The knight had fallen for it completely.
It was incredibly sloppy.
“You could get into trouble if discovered.”
“Information is valuable. I won’t blab it to just anyone. And if I’m found out, I’ll handle it myself.”
The lack of concern for the consequences was shocking. Zegna sighed and swallowed her doubts; for now, she couldn’t worry about anyone else.
The carriage moved deeper into the palace and soon stopped in a quiet, sparsely populated area.
Thanks to the absence of the royals, there seemed to be far fewer servants. As Zegna stepped down, the Count asked:
“Shall I wait for you?”
“No.”
The Demon Lord answered.
‘Has he prepared some other way?’
Perhaps they would leave using magic. After obtaining the object, it wouldn’t matter if a commotion arose.
Without a word to the Count, the Demon Lord moved ahead. Zegna glanced back, greeted the Count, and followed him.
After a few steps, the sound of the carriage departing reached them.
Letting someone whose intentions were unknown go freely seemed dangerous.
“Will you let them leave like that?”
The Demon Lord didn’t look at Zegna as he replied.
“Leraje.”
“Yes.”
As if rehearsed, Lerajezo vanished in an instant.
“Can we use magic inside the palace?”
According to what Zegna knew, anyone not an imperial magician would trigger an alarm by using magic in the palace.
‘Is that just a rumor?’
As Lerajezo vanished in a blink, Zegna grabbed the Demon Lord’s cloak. He answered calmly:
“It’s not magic.”
Could that really be his physical ability? She looked back, and the Demon Lord spoke down to her:
“The robe?”
Ah. As she reached for her hat, the Demon Lord removed it first and stared at her.
Before he could speak, Zegna removed the robe completely and handed it to him.
“Please keep this.”
Though the Demon Lord’s gaze lingered on the crown of her head, she averted her eyes. She wasn’t the sort of person capable of casually holding a conversation after hearing all that.
Simply not letting go of what she had to do was Zegna doing her best.
“Do you know the way?”
She kept her gaze fixed, ignoring the persistent prickle of unease as a shadow fell overhead.
Lumiere stayed close to her side, breaking the Demon Lord’s gaze. The Demon Lord scoffed at Lumiere and turned his attention ahead.
“This way.”
Zegna gave Lumiere a soft smile in thanks and followed the Demon Lord.
How long they walked, she didn’t know—but despite expecting to encounter others, the path remained empty.
Even with the royals away, the lack of people was no coincidence. The Demon Lord seemed to choose routes with fewer people, like Lumiere had in the past.
Still, even he could not avoid everyone.
“We’ll encounter them.”
At his brief words, Zegna sent the Demon Lord ahead.
Straightening her back and recalling the etiquette she had once learned, she moved a few steps forward.
Having confirmed things with Lerajezo the day before, she saw nothing unusual.
‘Act confidently.’
As she composed herself, a group of what appeared to be servants emerged from around the corner.
Upon seeing Zegna, they bowed quickly in surprise.
“Your Highness, the Princess.”
Though she hadn’t done anything, the servants immediately acknowledged her as a princess.
Naturally—unless they were part of the princess’s household—they wouldn’t often see her up close in such a vast palace.
Zegna merely nodded. The servants remained bowed until her party passed. No one questioned the two men who looked openly suspicious.
‘Is Jeremiah a strict master?’
Or perhaps it was simply shock at seeing someone unexpected.
Zegna glanced at the Demon Lord ahead and asked Lumiere:
“How is Jeremiah usually? Does he speak politely, or casually?”
“…He doesn’t speak much. Usually, he listens. He probably lowers his tone to servants.”
Unsure speculation made her uneasy, yet she was oddly glad that Lumiere seemed unfamiliar with Jeremiah.
‘What a handful.’
Even a child wouldn’t behave like this. Half resigned, Zegna accepted her reaction.
She shook her head, and the Demon Lord slowed, moving slightly to her right. She stared in curiosity, only to see knights appear at the end of the hall.
“What about the knights?”
Glancing left toward Lumiere, she asked. He replied:
“If they hold the title of knight, they wouldn’t be rude. They were considered models for noblewomen.”
Feeling her neck stiffen with tension, she watched as the knights approached and saluted a few steps ahead.
“Your Highness, the Princess.”
“Very well.”
Zegna gave a slight bow, hoping for luck, but the knights stopped in place.
“Why are you in the palace?”
