APML 05

Chapter 05

“Why is that? Aren’t you coming in?”
“Well… I’m not sure how this happened.”
“Is there a problem?”
Jade asked with a gentle smile, turning the question back to her.

The room was spacious, clean, and warm.
It wasn’t the kind of room one would normally assign to a suspiciously appointed personal fortune-teller.

“I… I think this room is far too nice for an intern to stay in.”
“Really? I thought it would be suitable for a lady to stay in.”
Jade tilted her head as if she couldn’t quite understand.

The room was one of the better ones in the castle, but from Jade’s noble perspective, it wasn’t extravagant enough for Evelyn to decline.

Watching Jade hesitate, Evelyn suddenly had a chilling thought.
“…Could this be one of those meals they give you the day before an execution?”
“Huh?”
“You know… like, just live comfortably until the day you die?”

Evelyn eyed Jade suspiciously.

“No, Miss Evelyn. This is—”
“?”
“A small token of appreciation for your pure kindness.”
“Ugh.”

Hadn’t they just talked about this?
Evelyn glared at Jade, who was smirking as if teasing her.

“Don’t worry. There’s no ulterior motive. You just need to stay comfortable—until the bet is over.”
“…”

That final remark from Jade sounded like the last mercy given to a condemned prisoner.

‘Well, if you think of it that way, there’s no reason to refuse.’

Evelyn nodded and accepted it cheerfully. Then, in a better mood than before, she looked around the room.

“By the way… what exactly is a personal fortune-teller—or rather, a counselor—supposed to do?”
“Eh? Um…”

In truth, Jade didn’t know either.
Above all, he didn’t even believe in divination or prophecy, so a fortune-teller wearing the title of “counselor” was even stranger.

“You said visions appear in your mind, right? Then you just let me know whenever that happens?”
“But as I mentioned, I can’t control it. I don’t know when or how they will appear.”

Time flowed steadily in the world of the novel.
But the events Evelyn had read about didn’t happen immediately.
Of course, they wouldn’t—daily routines aren’t detailed in the novel.

At least this attempted assassin incident was clearly set during the spring festival in the Snowfall region.
But as for the other future events Evelyn might predict—how many days or months would actually pass before they happened? She didn’t know.

In other words, she was essentially unemployed for the time being.

“I’m just worried I’ll end up wasting food.”
“…”

Evelyn should have been worrying about her life, not meals, but she didn’t have to inform Jade of that.
He smiled gently, as usual, and comforted her not to worry.

“Miss Evelyn, you’ve already spoken about that, and Lord Cain took it into account before deciding. So, rest easy.”
“Oh, in that case, that’s a relief.”

Jade looked around the room again and spoke cheerfully.

“By the way, aren’t you cold?”
“I’m fine. Much warmer than a prison cell.”
“Hm, that makes sense.”

It was said almost jokingly, but Jade smiled with a hint of apology.

After thoroughly checking the curtains, he suddenly turned to Evelyn.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Jade. Jade Ransel, aide to Lord Cain.”
“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you. You can just call me Evelyn.”
“Very well, Evelyn.”

Jade Ransel, loyal subordinate and strategist to Cain, eldest son of a count, and Cain’s most trusted man.
Always gentle and kind, but with a cold ruthlessness hidden behind his smile, capable of dealing mercilessly with enemies.

‘I can’t be fooled by that smile. If there’s any suspicion, he’ll deal with me immediately.’

Evelyn smiled innocently without showing any hint of fear.

“Mr. Jade, can I roam around the castle?”
“It’s still a bit chaotic since the war just ended. It’s best not to wander too much.”
“I see.”

Evelyn pouted briefly, disappointed. Jade thought for a moment. Since he planned to assign guards anyway, she could probably wander inside the castle safely.

“Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“Welcome back, Lord Cain.”
Jade, waiting in Cain’s office, greeted him as he returned after the meeting.

“I’ve taken care of Miss Evelyn as needed.”
“You spared her, right?”
“Do you take me for something else? She’s in a perfectly comfortable state.”

Cain leaned back on the sofa, rubbing his tired eyes.

When Jade didn’t continue speaking, Cain looked at him with curiosity.
“What is it?”
“Oh, nothing.”

Jade always wore a smiling expression, but it was different this time—more like discovering something amusing and intriguing.

Having spent a long time with him, Cain noticed the subtle difference that most others wouldn’t.

“Funny, is it?”
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
“What’s so amusing?”
“That woman.”
“That woman?”
“What about her?”

Jade’s face turned serious, unlike the playful expression he had shown Evelyn.

Cain, who didn’t believe in gods, wouldn’t trust prophecy, and had no way to verify her identity, certainly wouldn’t trust a woman calling herself a counselor.

“Why did you call her a personal fortune-teller—or rather, a counselor?”
“She described the attack situation in detail, and she’s convinced she’s right.”
“I see.”
“So now, with this attack, she’s trying to gain my trust and latch on for a chance, right?”

Jade’s theory about Evelyn wasn’t surprising.

“Then wouldn’t it be better to make her confess outright? By force, if needed.”

Cain glanced at Jade, who was standing beside him.
The same Jade who had been so kind to Evelyn could casually speak such cruel words—a side Cain knew well.

“Interesting. I thought you liked her quite a bit.”
“Oh, that’s true.”

Jade’s frank admission made Cain raise one eyebrow.

“It’s rare for someone to speak freely in front of me.”
“So that’s why you like her?”
“Even with an enemy, respect can be felt. For example, for someone who won’t confess even under torture.”
“That woman would be terrified if she heard that. That’s why you’re a bad man.”
“Not compared to you, Lord Cain.”

Cain chuckled, straightening from the sofa.

“Check that woman’s identity.”
“I’ve already instructed Kate and put surveillance in place.”
“Handle those small things yourself.”

Cain, with a tired expression, picked up the documents he had thrown into the office.

“Was the meeting tough?”
“Always. My father’s loyalists are everywhere.”

The meeting reviewed the postwar agreements with the Shuran Kingdom.

Cain’s father, Duke Gregory Lewis, who had seized command of the imperial army, preferred a ceasefire over a peace treaty for budgetary control over the military.

But Shuran no longer had the capacity for war. Considering the morale of soldiers awaiting discharge and shortages of supplies, Cain decided on a full peace treaty.

“Once we return to the capital, I can’t avoid my father’s scolding—or reprimand.”
“Officially, I doubt it. You exceeded expectations with the peace agreement.”
“What matters to him isn’t that. It’s whether everything can remain under his control.”
“So the problem is that you’ve grown too much, enough to defy the Duke’s orders.”

Cain smiled faintly.
Until now, he had never defied his father. But in this war, he had been entrusted with full authority and felt confident in his decisions, even if they went against the Duke’s will.

‘I’ll gradually step out from my father’s shadow until I fully hold the power to protect myself and my people.’

“Being controlled by the old men is tiring. Let’s wrap this up and return to the capital.”

Cain’s father’s loyalists, whom he disparagingly called old men, were seasoned commanders under the Duke. Experienced and respectable, but their blind loyalty, opposing peace, annoyed Cain.

Moreover, they reported all the details of the situation here to the Duke behind Cain’s back.

“If the prophecy proves true…”
“Hm?”
“Will you really take Miss Evelyn to the capital?”

Jade cautiously asked to confirm Cain’s intentions.

“I promised. Judging by her desire to go, her backers must be in the capital.”
“She said she wants to earn money.”
“And the price will be money, I presume.”
“Are you sure there are backers?”
“She’s too careless to have planned this alone.”
“Could be pure goodwill.”

Cain gave Jade a skeptical look.
“Claiming prophecy, yet ‘pure’? Really?”
“Exactly. Pure.”

Cain fell silent, staring at Jade suspiciously.

“What’s with the change in attitude? Earlier, you wanted her tortured.”
“Lord Cain, she’s too careless. I sense no hidden malice.”
“You’ve already transferred your hunch to her? Uncharacteristic.”

Jade glanced away awkwardly.
Going to the capital would trap him at his desk, but he had a feeling Evelyn would stir up some excitement.

Cain, eyeing Jade’s subtle smile suspiciously, finally asked:
“By the way, what is that woman doing right now?”