I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 196

As the morning dawned, the two walked towards the Imperial Palace under the pretense of a courteous visit to meet the Emperor.

Yikes.

And sure enough, upon arriving at the palace, they bumped into Albrecht.

‘He’s come to check up on things.’

Edgar guessed that Albrecht would know he was alive. After all, the assassin who attacked him yesterday—specifically Dana, under someone’s control—had been just like Ariel in her speech and mannerisms.

It certainly implied that the puppeteer had subtly controlled her actions, meaning that when Dana’s consciousness faded, the puppeteer would have noticed it too.

Naturally, he’d also realized that the ambush had become utterly useless.

If he were to take any action now, it would likely involve confirming with his own two eyes that Edgar was truly alive.

After all, it wouldn’t be hard to figure out that he had shown up, even just by having one person loitering at the entrance of the palace.

He must have intended to run into Edgar by chance.

‘It’s actually great. I don’t have to entertain any unnecessary doubts.’

After all, in this world, there’s always a slim chance that Albrecht wasn’t behind the assassination attempt on him yesterday.

But Edgar thought his appearance here signified he brought his own proof.

Perhaps, in a way, it was also a show of confidence that he wouldn’t hide anymore.

“Good morning to you both. I hope you slept peacefully last night.”

‘What a performance.’

As the two approached, Albrecht bowed his head and greeted them first.

On the surface, he looked far too tranquil for someone who had committed such an act yesterday, but Edgar caught a fleeting glimpse of a cold expression.

“Yes, good morning, Your Excellency. By the way, I see you didn’t return to the castle yesterday.”

“Well, it seems the Emperor wasn’t feeling well, so I couldn’t help but stay by his side a little longer.”

It was likely just a casual excuse from Albrecht, but Edgar narrowed his eyes at those words.

No matter how slippery a serpent might be, it was hard to spew nothing but lies unconsciously.

‘So that’s how it is.’

Something clicked in Edgar’s mind, and with a now certain gaze, he nodded along.

“Indeed, I apologize for not being able to help.”

“Not at all. I heard you had a word with Her Majesty the Empress.”

Edgar squinted, wondering where that information came from.

If someone else had said it, he would have easily dismissed it, but coming from Albrecht himself, every word felt unnervingly uncomfortable.

“Yes, indeed. She poured us some tea, and I didn’t know how to express my gratitude. Right, Ariel?”

Ariel, who had tried her best to hide her disdain, was glaring at Albrecht with eyes full of animosity.

Thus, Edgar discreetly nudged her side, signaling her to lighten up.

“Uh? Ah… Um, yes. That’s right.”

“Well then. It seems I’ve heard Her Majesty has that kind of hobby…”

As Ariel stammered a response that was uncharacteristic of her, Albrecht’s pupils darkened.

‘Have these two met with the Empress?’

He hadn’t received any reports about it.

From the start, the Empress preferred to stay locked away in the Imperial Palace rather than be with her husband, meaning there were naturally few chances for meetings unless someone specifically sought an audience.

And the grand duke standing before him was notorious for not showing his face at the palace, just like his father.

Even if he wasn’t meeting her for the first time, it was odd that he had been personally served tea.

It inevitably raised uncomfortable questions.

‘But then again, no need to dig too deeply.’

Shaking his head, Albrecht easily brushed away the thoughts that had crossed his mind.

After all, being close to the Empress wouldn’t interfere with his plans.

If the Emperor was merely a puppet, what power could a lowly woman, hovering around him, possibly wield?

“In any case, I’m glad to see you’ve been keeping well. Now about yesterday’s incident…”

“I received a letter from the Emperor, so let’s discuss that later, Your Excellency.”

Albrecht surprising them by bringing up the previous day’s events was unexpected, but Ariel decided to hold back for the time being since she had already heard what the Emperor had to say.

When the two finished their meal yesterday and returned to their respective rooms, a letter and a messenger sent by the Emperor had already awaited them.

The content written was simple.

If there was a misunderstanding between Albrecht and them, they should clear it up, and he assured them he would look into the matter closely, suggesting they put off further discussions for later.

Since there was no immediate evidence to discuss, Ariel understood, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling of Albrecht’s smugness that rubbed her the wrong way.

How could someone who was merely lucky enough to be alive thanks to the Emperor’s mercy be so brazen?

“His Majesty… I see. Well then, I hope to see you again soon.”

“Indeed. It would be nice to meet again, Count.”

“…”

Ariel made no move to take Albrecht’s outstretched hand and instead brushed past him with an openly disdainful look.

‘Such a brat.’

Watching her retreating figure, Albrecht clenched his fist tightly in irritation.

Just who did that little girl think she was looking down on, after managing to rise to her current position with the help of her parents?

He turned, looking forward to the day when she would bow her head before him.

* * * * * * *

Thus, the two decided to seek out the Emperor’s chambers on foot, not through the customary audience room.

Of course, they didn’t just barge in; they had sent someone ahead to request permission.

They just happened to have favorable personnel who could make a request without raising any suspicion.

“Welcome. You may enter now.”

A woman with light blue hair bowed her head and greeted them.

This was none other than Dana, who had left her room earlier to change into her uniform and return to work as usual.

Since this was where she was supposed to be, there was no reason for anyone to have suspicions.

Moreover, she was friendly with the other users stationed around, making it easy for her to gain permission for a polite greeting.

In other words, she was a perfect ally for the two at just the right moment.

“Thank you.”

Edgar expressed his gratitude and promptly entered with Ariel.

Dana couldn’t accompany them as a guide, so she politely bowed to their retreating figures, and the two in turn expressed their thanks with a nod.

With a gentle yet slightly tense silence, the door closed, revealing a spacious area.

Even though it was a chamber, it didn’t immediately open into the Emperor’s personal quarters; instead, there was a space set aside for welcoming those who came to see the Emperor, much like an audience room.

“Your Majesty, his Grace the Grand Duke and his beloved have come to pay their morning respects.”

“Very well, let them in.”

With the lady’s guidance, the two arrived where Bartheus was already seated in the main seat.

Upon seeing them, he offered a bitter smile along with an apology.

“Welcome. I regret showing such a poor sight yesterday due to my ill health.”

“Still, it seems your complexion has improved, which is a relief.”

“I heard from my father that he was quite worried about you, Your Majesty.”

“Ha! Has Yulken already reported on yesterday’s events?”

Bartheus burst out laughing, dismissing the concern as excessive.

Seeing him looking better, Ariel felt relieved that she could tell her father some good news, but Edgar’s gaze only sharpened.

“By the way, I hear you spent time with my wife yesterday? Thank you for that.”

“We were merely keeping the Empress company while she felt lonely.”

Edgar replied gently while closely observing Bartheus’s demeanor.

And sure enough, when Beatria’s name popped up, his expression soured noticeably.

Not to mention Ariel likely picked up on it too.

“Not at all. I’m simply grateful that my wife had someone to talk to, so there’s no need to be humble about it.”

“Indeed. It seems you haven’t had much time lately with Her Majesty, have you?”

“…That’s right. There are circumstances for each of us, after all.”

Bartheus agreed, but Edgar could roughly guess the underlying meaning.

It wasn’t so much an affirmation as it was a silent pressure to not probe any further.

It implied he had no reason to reveal details to Edgar and hinted at a different reason for his reluctance to speak to others.

“By the way, Grand Duke, you must have received a letter I sent to you yesterday, but I would like to reiterate my request.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty. Please, speak.”

As Ariel’s lips moved in silence to look up at Bartheus, he narrowed his eyes at her.

“Rest assured, the matters concerning our two families are under investigation on our end. Therefore, for the time being, I would like you to refrain from getting involved and wait patiently.”

“If you could do that, I would ask for nothing more, Your Majesty.”

It was unexpectedly comprehensive support.

Ariel had anticipated he would want to wait and see, or at least not address the issue here, so this was a surprise.

Noble power struggles had always existed since time immemorial.

It merely happened behind the scenes, and when anyone drew their sword against another, it would turn the royal family into an enemy.

To Bartheus, this incident could merely mean it had come to the surface, something light to accept.

However, the fact that he hadn’t acted that way was not only unexpected for Ariel but also an immensely pleasant development.

“…”

Meanwhile, Edgar’s eyes darkened slightly in a manner reminiscent of Albrecht’s from earlier.

He bore the look of someone who grasped something significant, but Ariel was too focused on Bartheus to notice.

“And, Your Majesty, in fact, last night there was something regarding my beloved that… uh!?”

“Hmm? What… was that?”

Just as Ariel was about to relay what had happened the night before to Bartheus, Edgar suddenly pinched her arm subtly, interrupting her words.

Bartheus looked on in confusion, but Edgar stepped in to shake his head and added, “It’s nothing, Your Majesty. I think she simply misspoke.”

“Is that so? That can sometimes happen.”

As the Emperor smiled, seemingly understanding, Edgar also forced a wry smile and exchanged glances with Ariel.

His gaze communicated a warning to keep last night’s events under wraps.

Then, he pressed down on the ring on his finger.

Knock, knock.

As if on cue, someone knocked at the door from outside, and it was none other than the lady-in-waiting who had assisted them earlier.

“Excuse me, Your Majesty, but someone wishes to speak to you, so kindly send them away for now.”

– I’m terribly sorry, but they asked me to inform you when the carriage arrives…

“Oh, that was our request. I apologize for causing confusion.”

As a voice that seemed to belong to Dana filtered in from outside, Edgar quickly reacted.

Whether or not the carriage had indeed arrived was uncertain, but he had instructed her to signal through the ring, asking her to create an opportunity for them to slip away.

Feeling grateful to Dana for following through, Edgar immediately turned to the Emperor, bowing respectfully as he spoke.

“Your Majesty, I’m sorry, but it seems the time for us to depart has come.”

“Already leaving? Well, I suppose it’s only natural to not be able to hold onto the both of you, who are busier than I am.”

Bartheus made no effort to stop them and instead gave a nod to the lady-in-waiting beside him.

Without hesitation, she came closer to guide them.

“Once the affairs of the families are settled, I will pay you a visit again.”

“I’m fine, but if an opportunity arises, do visit my wife.”

“I will do so. Please take care.”

As Ariel offered her polite farewells and stood, he said only that he wouldn’t be far away from departing and sent them on their way.

Feeling that the last gaze he cast at them was unusually odd, Edgar stared intently at Bartheus as the door gradually closed.

Though Ariel shot him questioning looks from beside him, he merely hushed her with a finger over his lips, signaling to wait until later.