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Chapter 4
All the children at the Dolleen Orphanage were like my brothers and sisters, but among them Chaedi was special.
Chaedi was extremely shy. She mostly stuck by the director’s side and hated talking to the other kids or even having her hand brushed by them.
She had an almost unnatural obsession with cleanliness for a child. The only person Chaedi allowed to touch her hand was me. Even then it was only to hold hands — for everything else she wouldn’t let anyone, not even me, interfere.
So when I was adopted into Erdona and said my goodbyes, I was surprised to see Chaedi clutching at me and sobbing loudly. If she liked me that much, she should have told me sooner. I felt a belated regret, but it was already too late.
“Saya, snif, don’t go, okay? Don’t abandon me.”
Her tear-streaked face became clearer and clearer.
Because the Guild was more favorable to nobles, I wanted to look there while I was still posing as a noble.
“I’d like to find a child who used to be in an orphanage.”
“And which orphanage do you mean?”
“The Dolleen Orphanage that disappeared twelve years ago.”
“Oh! I remember.”
The Dolleen Orphanage had been run by Sylvia Dolleen, a woman who truly loved children. The orphanage vanished without a trace one day, about a year after I was adopted.
“She’s a girl, about… twenty-three years old. Her name was Chaedi, but I don’t know if she’s still using that name now.”
“Chaedi. A woman of around twenty-three, you say.”
“That’s right. How much is the advance payment?”
The woman hesitated for a moment at my question.
It wasn’t exactly a job involving nobles, so surely it wouldn’t be outrageously expensive…? Even though I was nominally a noble lady, it was only in name. I’d been selling jewelry and dresses I could spare, but buying a country estate and covering guild fees on top of that would strain my budget.
I was turning over in my head just how much money I could manage when the woman smiled faintly and shook her head.
“I won’t take an advance on this. I’ll contact you if we find any leads.”
I was taken aback — she said she wouldn’t take an deposit, which was unexpected. Not taking an advance felt risky.
“Why won’t you take an advance?”
“Because I want to.”
The woman’s smile, as if nothing could be simpler, made me suspicious.
“If this is a difficult case and you generally don’t accept such jobs—”
“Of course not. We’ll definitely get back to you soon.”
If the Guild doesn’t take an advance, the chances of thorough work usually drop; clients normally demand a percentage back as a penalty if the mission fails.
But the woman spoke with such conviction that I had nothing to say. She wasn’t asking for more money — and she was refusing payment.
Even if they didn’t complete the task, I wouldn’t lose out; I could just try another guild.
“All right, then. Please take care of it.”
“Leave it to us.”
I left the Guild, turning my back on the woman who’d stayed kindly smiling to the end.
As soon as Saya disappeared from view, the woman who’d been smiling continuously wiped the smile from her face in an instant. She tilted her head and tapped the tabletop with the tip of her fingernail.
“What’s this.”
She frowned deeply, then spoke again.
“I couldn’t find anything suspicious…”
As if genuinely puzzled, she cocked her head.
“Has your skill fallen off?”
At that moment, a man’s voice came from behind her. She turned without showing the least surprise. A man had appeared, leaning against the wall.
“Why would that woman be looking for the Master?”
“No idea.”
“Huh? Say that again. I don’t think she’s from Dolleen. I’m seeing her for the first time.”
The man stopped there, remaining ambiguous. The woman scowled even more.
“What the—. If you know, say it; if not, then don’t.”
“I don’t remember.”
“Then is it some imperial matter?”
The man shook his head at her newly serious expression.
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“Then what is it! Think a bit!”
When she finally raised her voice in anger, the man shrugged his shoulders.
“We’ll find out.”
I was curious too.
The man’s amethyst-colored eyes flashed dangerously. The woman, showing no hint of intimidation, shook her head.
A few days passed.
Preparations for leaving Erdona were proceeding smoothly. The thing taking unexpectedly long was Bangeger’s engagement-breaking ceremony. How much longer would he drag out apologies?
Tired of waiting, I sprang up from my bed. I couldn’t just sit around — I should at least go to the Guild and see whether my request was being handled.
I got dressed to go out without needing to tell Jessi, left a short note saying I was going out, and slipped from the room.
It was my misstep that Giselle happened to open her door to go out at that exact moment.
“Where are you going?”
“None of your business.”
“Caring about you is my business. I won’t stand by and watch you tarnish Erdona any further.”
I dismissed her words curtly.
As I came down the stairs, a man was waiting on the first floor.
He had his back to me, so it took a moment to recognize him. By the time I knew who he was, it was already too late.
“…His Highness the Crown Prince.”
I descended obediently and bent my knees in a bow.
He looked at me with narrow, serpent-like olive-green eyes. His carefully combed blond hair glinted in the sunlight. If I hadn’t known there was a monster lurking beneath that beautiful face, I wouldn’t have felt so unnerved.
A crooked smile spread across his mouth.
“How delightful to see you. Red Erdona.”
If Redick Bangeger was a piranha, this man was a true predator. Even his simple greeting filled me with fear.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Pavel was the 26th Crown Prince of the current Emperor Cyrilka.
Thanks to the blessing of the first Imperial Mage, the Vichern emperors had lived on for nearly five hundred years. Pavel oversaw the affairs of the royal household in place of an active emperor.
Everyone’s evaluation of him was consistent: he was a born ruler. People said if the throne of Vichern were up for grabs he would surely be the emperor. But the throne there was unchangeable.
Pavel was decisive yet compassionate, generous and ascetic. Wickedly handsome, flawless in ways that made many young ladies’ hearts flutter.
But I now knew what was hidden beneath that sacred-looking face.
It was pure luck that I’d stopped tormenting Giselle when I did.
“I’ve been hearing nasty rumors about you.”
At first listen it sounded like concern, but in truth it meant the opposite. The one thing I’d kept in mind while planning to run away was not to offend Crown Prince Pavel.
To avoid becoming that predator’s prey, I had to be careful about everything.
He would not hesitate to threaten my life in the future. The man who had acted as if it didn’t matter that I bothered Giselle could at any point suddenly change and try to kill me.
I had to escape before his mood could swing.
The story that I was having an affair might be, in his eyes, a perfect excuse to pull me away from Giselle. That was something I, too, wanted. I said as politely as I could,
“I will take responsibility for my mistake. Giselle will not be harmed in any way.”
“That’s only natural.”
Pavel scrutinized me like someone searching for a fault. I kept my mouth shut and waited for his interest to wane.
“Shall we go, Your Highness? Leave the household matters to me.”
Giselle was standing by Pavel now and suggested gently.
“How unfortunate for you, innocent one.”
“…That’s the role I have to play.”
Their eyes landed on me. Once his curiosity faded, Pavel removed his gaze.
“Shall we be off, then?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
When they left my line of sight, the tension drained from my body.
Pavel Isaac Vichern. He was Giselle’s leading engagement candidate. If Pavel would draw Giselle into the light, Kiril would support her from the shadows.
Pavel and Giselle would be engaged within the year. People envied Giselle Erdona, who balanced Kiril, Duke Dvonik, against Pavel Vichern. In the end, Pavel won, but Giselle did not give up her ties with Kiril.
I once felt sorry for Kiril. Now I knew I had no right to pity anyone.
All three of them would ultimately get what they wanted — but I would not. One wrong move and my life could be at stake.
‘I won’t die. I’ll run away before that happens.’
What I needed now was only one thing: Chaedi’s whereabouts. That gave new energy to my steps.
