Chapter 119

“…Well, the thing is…”

Hadel’s pink eyes were filled with embarrassment and awkwardness.

“No, um… I was so distracted.”

“And?”

“I ordered all the maids and guards in the palace to be… locked up, but…”

Hadel glanced at me nervously as he continued.

“I didn’t have the presence of mind to… think about the children.”

Oh, for goodness’ sake.

No matter how distracted you were, how could you imprison children too!

I hurriedly pushed Hadel away and got up.

“Let’s go right now!”

“Wh-where…?”

“To the prison. We need to get the children!”

Hadel couldn’t even attempt an excuse and separated from me with a dejected expression.

I thought I saw a drooping tail behind him, but… let’s ignore that for now.

Including the time I was asleep, it had already been three days.

I had planned to check on the imprisoned maids when dawn broke tomorrow, but…

“I’m foolish too for forgetting about the children all day. How could I have done that?”

It’s true that I hadn’t paid much attention to the children in the past because Dobae always took good care of them.

But now, even Dobae is gone…

As soon as I woke up, I had asked Hadel to confine Dobae to the maids’ quarters.

Through Hadel, I learned that she was somewhat involved with the ducal family, which strengthened my suspicions.

However, since I didn’t know how deeply she was involved, I needed to keep her unaware that I had awakened.

I would have to interrogate her separately later.

Thinking about her made me feel conflicted.

“I’m sorry, Asha. I really messed up.”

Seeing my expression darken, Hadel’s eyebrows drooped as he spoke in an even more dejected voice.

I held his hand firmly and shook my head.

“It’s not just about the children. It’s Dobae.”

“Ah, the head maid.”

“Didn’t she find it strange to be suddenly imprisoned?”

This was a question I hadn’t been able to ask earlier because I’d been so busy running around all day.

I’d heard that Teiman was managing Dobae completely. Surely Hadel had received reports as well.

“Well, I heard there wasn’t much resistance.”

“I see…”

I was still puzzled. Hadel had said that Dobae was someone he had personally verified.

That’s why I had trusted her.

I desperately hoped she wasn’t involved.

When had it started? Had she been persuaded midway? Had she been threatened?

Once I started thinking, one question led to another.

Various hypotheses formed in my mind. I also recalled some of Dobae’s behaviors that I had found suspicious.

‘Perhaps Dobae is… No, no. Let’s think about this later.’

I lightly shook my head.

“The children come first for now, and as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow, I’ll need to go see Dobae right away.”

Whatever the case, I’d need to confirm it personally.

By this time, we had already entered the prison. The damp, unpleasant air made me frown involuntarily.

It was the middle of the night, and most prisoners were asleep. As we quietly passed them and went deeper inside, two small, round heads came into view.

“Rilsha, Dalsha.”

As I approached, calling their names, I had to quiet my footsteps.

The two children were holding hands tightly, breathing softly in their sleep.

“Hadel, can you move the children to the palace?”

At my quiet whisper, Hadel immediately nodded and opened the cell door.

The children seemed to be in such a deep sleep that they remained peacefully asleep even as Hadel lifted them.

Returning to my side, Hadel naturally turned his back to me and lowered his waist.

It was a sign for me to climb onto his back, but I shook my head in refusal.

“Go ahead. I’ll talk to another maid and then come up.”

I had planned to do this when day broke, but since I was here, it seemed best to get it over with quickly.

Worry clouded Hadel’s face at my words. I could see his reluctance to leave me alone in this dark, unpleasant underground prison.

I smiled faintly and lightly tapped the clanging iron bars.

“The prisoners are locked in such sturdy cells, what problem could there be?”

“But…”

“If you’re really worried, just take the children to the Lily Palace quickly and come back.”

Hadel blinked a few times as if considering, then nodded.

“Alright. I’ll be back soon.”

After a light kiss on my lips, Hadel vanished instantly.

His familiar scent lingered in the space he had just occupied.

I moved deeper into the prison.

It was time to meet Helin, the maid who had pointedly handed me the Crea flower pot.

“Today seems to be a day of uncovering many things.”

* * *

“Confinement… confinement.”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The butler swallowed hard at the rhythmic sound of his master tapping the table.

His master, Duke Balkyrino, had been lost in deep thought for quite some time.

Ever since receiving the shocking news that Princess Nella had been confined to the imperial palace as a suspect in the attempted poisoning of Silver Lily.

The atmosphere in the ducal household had already been like walking on thin ice recently, and today’s incident was like taking a hammer to that ice.

‘If something happens, it will be catastrophic.’

The butler wiped away cold sweat as he watched the Duke cautiously. Dealing with his master, who had skipped dinner and maintained a ferocious expression, was still a difficult and challenging task.

“Butler.”

A chilling voice, like metal scraping against metal, emerged from the Duke’s lips.

The butler bowed his head, trying his best to maintain composure.

“Yes, my lord.”

The Duke’s purple eyes, immersed in darkness, shifted slightly toward the butler.

“How long have you been working here, butler?”

It was an unexpected question. Nevertheless, the butler quickly recalled and answered.

“Thirty-seven years, my lord.”

Thirty-seven years. By no means a short time. One could say the butler had dedicated his life to the Balkyrino ducal family.

“I see.”

The Duke raised the hand that had been tapping the table and stroked his chin. His eyes sank even deeper.

“Nella was adamant. She said there couldn’t possibly be any evidence.”

“Yes, my lord. I’m sure everything will be fine. Please don’t worry too much.”

“Yes, it must be fine.”

“The young lady is a clever person, after all.”

“She absolutely must be. That child is destined to become a member of the imperial family, isn’t she?”

Imperial family.

Duke Balkyrino used the vague expression “imperial family” rather than saying “empress.”

The butler was not one to miss such meaning. Instead of asking the Duke to clarify, he bowed even deeper.

“Your words are most wise, my lord.”

The Duke looked down at the top of the butler’s head and sank deeper into his chair.

“But there’s always the possibility of ‘what if.’ If things do go wrong…”

The face of a man appeared in the Duke’s mind.

A man from over a decade ago, with pitch-black hair and red eyes, who had seduced him.

A man who had laughed lightly, saying he had no interest in the throne and would yield that noble position to the Duke. His actions and words may have been as light as a feather, but what he harbored in his heart was certainly not.

“His concerns have finally become reality.”

But preparations had been made. If something happened to Nella, if the very existence of the Balkyrino ducal family were to be threatened.

Then they would have no choice but to seek ‘their’ help.