SWRD 27

Chapter 27

I studied Kaiden’s expression. He didn’t seem particularly shaken.

Another guess surfaced in my mind, and I voiced it.

“Did Your Highness suspect it too?”

“…Roughly.”

His affirmative answer surprised me a little. How did he know? I had figured it out based on what the culprit of the disappearance case said, and also from the person who broke into my room last night…

At first, I thought he might have learned it from the criminal who had been imprisoned in the royal dungeon, but I quickly realized that wasn’t it.

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have used the word “suspect.”

Sure enough, Kaiden mentioned that point.

“But I wasn’t certain. There was no way to verify it. The culprit who could’ve confirmed my suspicion died before he could do so…”

“…”

“This orb, it doesn’t seem to have any power left.”

Kaiden had apparently already tested the orb’s capabilities. The conclusion must’ve been that it had none.

The reason for that…

“It seems the orb is broken. Actually, the culprit I saw during the disappearance incident said something similar.”

“A coincidence, then.”

“Pardon?”

“Looking at the circumstances, it seems the orb the culprit had was broken after meeting you.”

I corrected the flaw in Kaiden’s assumption.

“No, I heard a sound first and figured out where the culprit was. The orb had already been broken before I showed up.”

“Was that the case last night as well?”

“Last night?”

“I’m asking whether the orb was already broken when the intruder entered your room.”

“Yes, it was…”

The guards posted outside my room drank the sleeping drug the intruder had prepared without resistance.

That meant the orb was still functional up until that moment.

Did it break right after he put the guards to sleep?

It was an oddly specific timing.

Kaiden fell silent, deep in thought, then spoke again.

“We should inform the Kroforth family about the orb. Have you told them already?”

“No.”

“I’ll speak to them myself before I leave… No, I’ll take care of it directly.”

I blinked. I appreciated him taking the trouble, but…

“Is it that important? Letting the family know about the orb?”

“That way, Kroforth can better protect you.”

“…What?”

It was a loaded statement. I frowned, trying to parse the meaning behind Kaiden’s words.

Could it be…?

“Are you saying people will continue to come after me? Maybe with another orb?”

Kaiden didn’t hesitate to answer.

“That’s correct.”

An uneasy feeling spread in my chest.

I had considered that the intruder from last night might belong to a larger organization.

That was the dark hypothesis I had in mind.

But what reason would such an organization have to keep targeting me…?

Then Kaiden continued.

“Some people may not consider what happened between you and me to be a coincidence.”

I felt the blood drain from my face.

I understood immediately what Kaiden was trying to say. What was worse, I found his reasoning credible.

“I’ll have the orb I possess analyzed externally. I hesitated because I feared it might be lost or destroyed, but there’s no need to worry anymore.”

…Because now he had a spare orb.

Kaiden rose from his seat, leaving the orb on the table. He must be planning to entrust it to Kroforth.

As I looked up at Kaiden standing, I spoke.

“I have a question.”

“Yes?”

“How did you guess the orb had a power?”

It wasn’t particularly important. But there was no reason not to ask.

I was simply curious. Once Kaiden left, I might never get another chance to talk to him.

In fact… I hoped I wouldn’t.

I didn’t want to have any more face-to-face encounters with Kaiden.

I just wanted the days to pass without incident… and eventually escape from here safely.

Maybe that wish was hidden in my question.

Kaiden met my eyes and answered.

“When Killid took over the case and people still kept disappearing, I thought it was strange.”

“…Why?”

“Because Killid wouldn’t have failed to uncover something.”

“…”

“He definitely discovered something, and yet he couldn’t stop the disappearances. That’s what I thought.”

“You must really trust Killid.”

Kaiden didn’t seem to care that I referred to Killid by name. He responded without pause.

“Anyone who knows Killid well would trust him.”

“…”

“Anyway, that’s why I suspected some unknown force was at play—one that hadn’t yet come to light. And then the culprit was caught, and the orb was found.”

Kaiden concluded by explaining that, upon seeing the orb, he suspected it was what had blinded Killid’s eyes.

“I see. Thank you for answering.”

“You’re welcome.”

After a brief silence, Kaiden broke the stillness in the room.

“Take care of yourself.”

It was more heartfelt than any blessing from a god.

I stood to see Kaiden off, but this time he declined the gesture.

I remained seated, watching him leave. Once he was gone and I was alone, I buried my face in my hands.

“This can’t be happening…”

The scenario I had imagined when I first thought about the orb’s power went like this:

There’s an orb with strange powers, and two people or groups—A and B—possess such orbs.

A uses the orb’s power to make people disappear and is eventually caught. Then A is killed by B or the group.

B wants revenge on whoever disrupted their plans—whatever those plans are—and chooses a relatively easy target instead of someone like Kaiden or Killid: me, the Kroforth noblewoman.

So B uses another orb to try to harm me.

But right before they succeed, the orb breaks by accident, and B’s revenge fails…

The end.

‘I hoped it would be the end… but what if it’s just the beginning?’

I recalled what Kaiden said.

That some people may not think of what happened between us as coincidence.

‘In other words, if a group with orbs really exists, they might start suspecting me.’

They might believe I possess some special power that destroys the orbs.

“But I don’t have anything like that!”

I couldn’t show it in front of Kaiden, but I was honestly frustrated.

My body belongs to the villainess, Velago!

My soul is that of a regular Korean citizen, Princess An!

How could I possibly do something that would shake up a mysterious organization?

But the problem is… that organization doesn’t know that.

Kaiden’s judgment is correct.

If the assumption that the culprit and the intruder both had someone backing them is true…

Then someone will come again. Someone targeting me.

“My popularity just shot through the roof… Is this what they call the prime of youth?”

I joked, but the situation didn’t become any lighter.

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion washed over me.

*

Kaiden Eos kept his word.

He personally informed the Kroforth family about the orb before returning to the capital.

Thanks to him, once Kroforth learned about the orb, the mansion went into an uproar for a second time.

After Kaiden left, the same people who had gathered in my bedroom last night assembled again.

This time, the group was a bit smaller.

It felt like only the key figures had gathered.

I looked around at those who were seated or standing—Duke Kroforth, Ethan, Killid, and Enfi…

For reference, Killid had arrived at the mansion earlier this morning with Kaiden.

I glanced at Killid briefly but quickly shifted my gaze to the Duke before our eyes met.

It was the Duke who had called everyone here. He soon spoke.

“I agree with His Highness’s belief that a mysterious group with the orb may continue targeting Ellie.”

“Therefore…”

The Duke’s gaze turned to Ethan.

“Ethan Kroforth, from today on, you will use the room directly to the right of this bedroom.”