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Chapter 3
Judging from the atmosphere, it seemed that Kyleigh’s timely arrival here had also been arranged by Belita. When Kyleigh looked ready to inflict a terrible punishment on Lena at any moment, she began to weep and beg.
“Crown Prince, please spare me. I’ll confess everything that happened! Please…!”
But Kyleigh coldly kicked aside Lena, who was clinging to him and weeping, and ordered the guards.
“Drag that criminal away and throw her in the dungeon this instant!”
The guards who had ignored Anellia when she spoke now seized Lena without mercy and bound her. Even as she was dragged out amid the crowd’s murmuring, she cried out desperately.
“I was only doing as I was told! I’ll tell you everything I know! Your Highness, Your Highness!”
As Lena’s voice gradually faded into the distance and could no longer be heard, Kyleigh clicked his tongue and glared sharply at Anellia.
“Do not blow things out of proportion needlessly, Anellia. You know well enough that you’re not worth that much.”
“What will you do with the criminal? She clearly said someone ordered her.”
“You believe the words of a criminal? It’s nonsense. And even if there were someone…”
Kyleigh irritably swept his blond hair back.
“That is a matter for me and Belita to handle—not something the likes of you can involve yourself in. Keep that in mind.”
The one who had nearly been poisoned was Anellia, and yet she couldn’t involve herself. It was a strange thing to hear even with one ear, but no one thought it strange. Because that was the kind of existence Anellia was in this imperial palace.
Having said his piece, Kyleigh addressed the people gathered around.
“You all must have too little to do. You even have time to stand around gawking.”
The crowd dispersed in an instant. Kyleigh, as if he had never worn a cold expression, returned to a tender face and firmly took Belita’s hand.
“My softhearted Rita. Punish that criminal in whatever manner you wish, whenever you wish.”
Kyleigh gently stroked Belita’s white hair as if handling something precious beyond measure, then turned away.
“Thank you, brother!”
Belita waved cheerfully at the departing Kyleigh, then turned to Anellia and bit her lip hard.
“Anel, don’t worry. I will absolutely never forgive the criminal who tried to harm you!”
Belita clenched both hands into fists, her golden eyes sparkling as if firmly resolved. Anellia’s golden eyes, identical to hers, sank coldly instead.
“Yes. I’ll look forward to it, Bel.”
Her red lips slowly drew a semicircle, forming a smile. Because this would be the last time Belita felt happy that things had gone her way.
Soon now, what she had been preparing would be complete. The revenge she had prepared while holding her breath all this time, ever since that day fifteen years ago when she learned that Belita had in fact been using her.
The imperial palace is a place where the stories of countless people gather. From simple gossip to confidential matters on which the life and death of a whole family depends, everything passes through. As a child, having secretly slipped out of the palace to experience life outside—because she wanted to run away—Anellia learned that information was money.
After that, hiding her identity, she began slipping into the underworld whenever she had the chance to sell the information she possessed. Even “predictive information” inferred from information she already held.
It all hit with a 99% probability, and people increasingly bought information from Anellia.
All of it became money. It took a great deal of time, but she was able to establish a proper information broker’s shop. That soon became a massive information guild that held the underworld in the palm of its hand, and now…
‘It’s time to move.’
Anellia was truly looking forward to it. What kind of expression Belita would make when her ugly true face was exposed to the world.
Immediately after parting with Belita, Anellia tied a navy-blue ribbon to the railing of her bedroom terrace. It was the signal to summon the branch leader of the information guild she had built.
And that night.
In the darkness so deep that even owls would fall asleep, a small breeze blew through the window. Then a long shadow fell before the bed.
“I heard about the commotion during the day. Are you all right?”
At the worried voice, she gave a light nod and handed over the documents she had prepared.
“I’m going to carry out the plan.”
“Your safety has not yet been secured, Branch Leader.”
“That’s why I need a shield. I’ve narrowed down a few candidates, so bring me more detailed information.”
“…Understood. I’ll investigate and report back.”
“As quickly as possible, please.”
“Please be careful as well, Branch Leader.”
The shadow vanished with its answer.
She had set three candidates. One of them was the conqueror of the North, Grand Duke Luane Argenté. He was the only person who had shown no reaction upon seeing Anellia’s black hair.
[What strange power could there be in something that is merely a color?]
He was also the one who had so casually uttered the very words Anellia had wanted to shout to the whole world.
‘If possible, I’d like the Grand Duke to accept my deal.’
Anellia, recalling a past encounter, let out a soft laugh and refocused on the documents. About a month remained until Argenté’s victory banquet upon his return from pacifying the North. To finish all the preparations within that time, she had to move diligently.
Whoooosh.
In the cool breeze, the trees rustled their leaves. The moonlight was hidden by clouds, and darkness settled thickly; it was a time when even the birds held their breath at the dreary air.
“Keugh…!”
With the sound of clashing steel, red blood split the air. One, two, three, four… Following the sharp sounds that continued several times, a total of seventeen bodies collapsed onto the dirt ground. At the same time, with a flutter, the birds around them took flight, scattering black feathers about. One of them landed on a place brightly radiant even in the darkness—atop hair that received praise for being woven from silver thread.
“Stop watching and come out.”
The man brushed the feather off his head and muttered in a low voice. Then a small shadow dropped with a thud from the massive tree behind him. The shadow, wearing an awkward smile, shuffled forward to stand before the man.
“No, it’s not that I was watching for fun. I came because I had something to report, but…”
“If you came, you should have helped. You’ve got a lot to say for someone who just stood and watched.”
“I didn’t even have time to help, did I! You just went papa-pow and wiped them all out before anyone could see!”
Tsk, this one didn’t even leave a bone intact. The shadow clicked his tongue at the corpses with broken backs. He scratched his red hair roughly and made a joke of it, but the silver-haired man only frowned deeper.
“Rivain. Get to the point.”
“Yes, sir! The Emperor says he will hold a banquet to celebrate Argenté’s great victory!”
The silver-haired man, who had been composed throughout, paused for a moment. He stared intently at the shadow, Rivain, as if telling him to say more. Receiving the gaze, Rivain explained the information he had obtained in a brisk manner.
“And he says he will bestow a special reward upon Your Excellency.”
“Ha. That uptight Emperor—a banquet for me, and a reward on top of that.”
One of the man’s eyebrows twitched minutely, and his head tilted slightly to the side. The Emperor was someone who couldn’t bear to watch Argenté do well with both eyes open. In fact, he couldn’t be certain these assassins weren’t fully connected to the Emperor. Carrying out work like this down below while holding a grand banquet up above. There was surely some scheme at play, but…
“This works out well, actually.”
Luane gripped the hilt of his sword as if he had resolved something, then raised his head and looked up at the sky. The glittering starlight layered over the pitch-black color resembled that day.
[I saved your life, so now you’re mine! You mustn’t throw your life away carelessly!]
That small white face, eyes rimmed red and wet, crying out with all its might for him not to die. The afterimage of black hair, soaked through and shining like obsidian, kept flickering before his eyes. Back then, he had no power at all—he could neither protect nor save her. But now. Now…
“I feel like I could tear down the entire imperial palace.”
At the outrageous words, Rivain started in surprise and looked around. The man himself merely wore a faint smile, gazing far off toward where the imperial palace stood. Rivain stole a glance at his master’s expression.
A man born a bastard, who had endured every kind of hardship yet ultimately seized the position above the Grand Duke—Luane Argenté. Rivain admired and followed him, but now and then there were times when he simply could not tell what his master was thinking. Rivain swallowed hard and whispered low in a solemn voice.
“If there is anything we must do, please tell us, Your Excellency.”
But there was one truly important thing Rivain did not know. That Luane’s attainment of the position above Grand Duke, his volunteering for the long expedition to pacify the North, his strengthening of Argenté—all of it—
“No. You all just eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves.”
Luane’s red eyes, turned toward the imperial palace, glinted in the moonlight. There was only one thing in them. The master of his life, whom Luane had tried to protect with everything he had.
“What remains is my work to do.”
The voice, tinged with a hint of solemnity, scattered through the night mist. He had gained everything else, so now it was time to win her heart. So that she could willingly come into his arms. So that she could willingly take his hand.
