Episode 14
The next night at midnight, the Grand Duke sent someone to take me to him.
Even though there were guards at the duke’s mansion, someone had managed to sneak in without anyone noticing. It was completely silent. There were guards stationed outside my room, but it made no difference. I guess people from the political world are just on a different level. They live in a world of silent battles, after all.
“Good evening. I’m Koa, a subordinate of His Grace the Grand Duke. Please follow me.”
The person the Grand Duke sent was a woman. She wore tight black clothes, and her long red hair was tied high in a ponytail. She had entered silently, hiding in the shadows along the balcony railing.
I had spent the whole day wondering what to wear. In the end, I didn’t wear a fancy dress. Instead, I wore light activewear like I would for exercise. I also hid my bright pink hair inside a cap.
Koa looked relieved when she saw what I was wearing. A big dress would’ve made it much harder to sneak out.
“Please place your arm around my shoulder.”
I tightly held onto the unfamiliar woman’s shoulder. She grabbed my waist and, like a bird, leapt off the terrace with ease.
She stepped lightly a few times and quickly escaped the large mansion with me in her arms.
Wow. She’s so cool.
As I admired her in my head, Koa gently set me down in a forest nearby.
“Miss, please walk with me a little.”
“Yes, alright.”
She panted lightly as she led the way. After about five minutes, we reached the back alleys of a town.
This is the shortcut to the Grand Duke’s secret base.
I remembered a map I had seen in the original novel.
If you go through the forest next to the duke’s mansion, you’ll reach a big marketplace used by the people. The Grand Duke’s secret hideout was hidden in that market.
Koa walked a few more steps and opened the back door of an old pub. Lively sounds came from inside. Even though it was after midnight, people were still drinking and having fun. She led me straight to the second floor and knocked on the last door before opening it and letting me in.
“Your Grace, I have brought the lady.”
“Lady Cowett.”
There he was. The man I had missed so much even in my dreams—my favorite character, Raymond. He still had his silky black hair and sharp blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence.
As soon as the Grand Duke noticed me, he stood and walked toward me. I almost ran to hug him.
Can I say it was a Western-style greeting if I hug him?
But I took a deep breath and managed to control myself. I walked over to him gracefully.
“Good evening, Your Grace.”
I pretended I was wearing a dress and lifted the sides of my clothes a little with my fingers as I greeted him. I had never properly greeted him before, and I really wanted to do it at least once.
The Grand Duke paused briefly and then welcomed me with, “Welcome.” He guided me to sit down. I think he was a bit surprised by my graceful greeting.
“I didn’t expect you to respond to my request so soon.”
It was hard to tell if he meant it sincerely or was just being polite.
Of course, I had to come right away if you called me.
Honestly, I was so thankful that Raymond had called for me that I wanted to kiss him. But I knew that was just my selfish desire, so I calmed myself down.
Since Oki arrived just the day before, maybe it was a bit early. But I had chosen this day because I really wanted to see Raymond as soon as possible.
“It wasn’t difficult at all. Besides, you gave me such a lovely gift. Oki is so cute.”
“Oki?”
“Yes. The owl messenger. It didn’t seem to have a name, so I gave it one.”
“Ah…”
The Grand Duke looked a bit troubled and hesitated before saying,
“Actually, her name is Elizabeth…”
“Oh, really?”
Elizabeth? That’s such an elegant name. Oki sounds so plain in comparison.
“So it’s not Oki, it’s Elizabeth…”
When I looked disappointed, the Grand Duke quickly changed his mind.
“Well, the name was given just recently, so it should be fine to change it. Your name sounds better anyway.”
“Really?”
I smiled brightly.
I had always wanted a pet, so it made me happy—like a dream come true. Even if the owl wasn’t mine, it was close to me and I could talk to it.
“Thank you for giving her water.”
“That’s nothing to thank me for.”
I remembered the cute sight of Oki drinking water and smiled. The Grand Duke seemed pleased to see my happiness.
He cleared his throat and sat up straighter, as if he was ready to talk about something more serious.
“My lady, I have something I want to ask you.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“How did you know about Kargo?”
As he asked, he looked nervous. I saw his throat move as he swallowed hard.
I had expected this moment to come.
After all, if someone tells you that your trusted servant is planning to betray you, of course you’d want to know more.
Answering him wasn’t hard. But the important thing was making him trust me—because only then could I help him avoid the emperor’s schemes.
How can I make him believe me?
The best way, I believed, was to use “divine power” as the reason.
So I gave him the answer I had prepared.
“I have the power of foresight.”
“Foresight?”
“Yes.”
He couldn’t hide his surprise at my calm reply.
It made sense that he was shocked.
He might’ve thought I had overheard something at the palace or spied on Kargo secretly. But ‘foresight’ was totally unexpected!
But sometimes an unexpected answer is more believable.
If I claimed to be one of the emperor’s people passing on information, then I’d be the first suspect. He might think I was pretending to help just to trap him later. That would only make him distrust me more.
“Foresight… Can you explain more?”
“My foresight comes in dreams. I can’t choose when or what I see, but the visions are usually accurate.”
“So, in your dream, Kargo betrayed me?”
“Yes. More exactly, Kargo gave away your schedule, and because of that, the emperor’s people attacked you.”
“…Ha.”
The Grand Duke let out a short laugh. I knew it was a laugh of disbelief and surprise.
Because Kargo really had tried to give away the Grand Duke’s schedule. That part was true.
“Just as you said. Kargo betrayed me.”
“Are you okay? You didn’t get hurt, right?”
I had completely forgotten to ask earlier. No matter what warnings I gave, they were useless if he hadn’t listened.
I looked over his body. I didn’t see any injuries. That could only mean one thing: He believed me.
“Yes. Thanks to your advice, I got proof and confirmed that he was a traitor.”
“Whew. I’m so relieved.”
I placed a hand on my chest. I was truly relieved.
The Grand Duke was safe, and his faction had avoided a huge downfall.
Even with everything going on, he was clearly trying to process it all.
“Honestly, it’s hard to believe. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s only natural that you’d feel that way. I’d be the same.”
“Then… can you show me proof of your foresight?”
“Of course.”
I answered without hesitation.
I had read some side stories in the novel about what would happen to the people because of the emperor’s cruelty. I could use those as examples to prove my “prophecy.”
The Grand Duke seemed very relieved and met my gaze directly.
“Then… when can we begin?”
I saw hope and expectation shining in his blue eyes. And I had come here just to answer that hope.
“Shall we go right now? There’s a person nearby whose future I saw.”
I stood up and prepared to lead the way. But just as I turned, the Grand Duke grabbed my wrist.
Surprised, I froze and looked up at him.
He was much taller than me, but our eyes met in the space between us.
“There’s one more thing.”
His eyes were serious—almost as if he was trying to see through my soul. Even his voice trembled slightly.
“You’re not working for the emperor, are you? Why are you helping me like this?”
This was a deeper and more serious question than before.
But I couldn’t tell him the truth. That this was all just a story, and I had watched his life unfold in a novel.
So instead of answering, I asked him a question back.
“Do I really seem like someone who works for the emperor?”
I kept my voice calm and low.
It was both the truth and my honest feeling.
We looked into each other’s eyes in silence for a while.
I’m sure my answer wasn’t what he hoped for. He was just trying to escape his own fear.
But even with my vague reply, he didn’t ask any more.
