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Chapter 70
A few days had passed.
Back in the capital that Maybel had left, chaos had erupted, albeit belatedly.
The families of the Empress’s steward and the handmaiden close to her had collapsed overnight.
Of course, this had nothing to do with Maybel.
At least, that’s what she thought.
But Maybel had a different problem.
It happened while she was sitting across from Zigmunt, discussing the redox reactions of copper oxide and carbon.
“So… Aunt Sophia asked to meet me?”
Just as she had told Zigmunt right after leaving the banquet, Maybel no longer called Kesar “Dad.”
Zigmunt, of course, and everyone at the Grand Ducal Castle welcomed this change.
They said there was no need to call those so-called parents “Dad” or “Mom.”
That aside, Dean began sweating as Maybel asked the question.
Lately, he felt pitiful that he was always the one delivering news like this to her.
“Yes. The Duchess herself requested an official meeting. Here is the formal letter.”
The envelope Dean handed over bore the Ashilonia family seal.
Zigmunt took it and let out a wry laugh.
“I expected them to go to war… but this soon?”
It had only been a week since Maybel had made a scene at the banquet.
‘I thought at least a month would pass before anything happened.’
Sure enough, Kesar and Sophia were far beyond what any reasonable person might expect.
“Is… this unavoidable?”
Maybel glanced at the letter in Zigmunt’s hand, her expression as if it were filthy and disgusting.
Recalling how she had fussed over Kellic’s treasure collection, it was clear how much she disliked Sophia.
“Do you want to avoid it? Then don’t.”
Zigmunt answered readily.
He no longer wanted to force Maybel to do anything she didn’t want.
Even though she was the one involved, he couldn’t stand the dirty, petty tactics of the others.
Honestly, part of him wanted to storm in and take care of everything, ignoring family honor.
But the only reason he refrained was because of Maybel.
‘To erase Ashilonia behind Maybel’s name, it has to be done legally.’
Even if Kesar and Sophia were removed, Maybel would still be a princess of Ashilonia.
Without direct heirs, she might even have to return to the mansion as acting head.
‘She could renounce her title as acting head and give up her nobility…’
But he hesitated. Maybel was still a minor.
Who knew what stray opportunists might claim to be her guardian?
And if that happened, she might not choose Zigmunt again.
Being under his protection and having him act as her father were not the same thing.
‘Honestly… I already think of Maybel like a daughter… hmm.’
Zigmunt hurriedly tried to organize his scattered thoughts.
Anyone hearing this might scold him, saying it wasn’t something to think about lightly.
In any case, all of this was, ultimately, the concern of adults.
Ten-year-old Maybel didn’t need to worry about any of it.
So Zigmunt wanted, as much as possible, to prioritize Maybel’s wishes in this matter.
Yet he also knew something.
“No… it’s not something you can avoid forever.”
Maybel was not a child who would run away just for comfort.
She faced challenges head-on, with no hesitation—so much so that he sometimes wondered if she simply didn’t know how to escape.
‘No, it’s more like she doesn’t know how to lower her expectations…’
Sometimes, Zigmunt’s chest ached just watching her.
Meanwhile, oblivious to his concern, Maybel simply let out a long sigh.
‘So annoying…’
She thought as much.
Time passed, and the day Sophia came to the Grand Ducal Castle arrived.
Even here, where the warm season was slightly late, the air carried the unmistakable signs of spring.
‘The sky is high, the breeze fragrant…’
And yet, she had to meet Sophia on such a beautiful day.
It felt like a waste.
In fact, Aselt and Kellic were firmly against Maybel meeting Sophia.
- “Why meet that woman?! Don’t meet her!”
- “Yeah, Maybel. Kellic’s right. I think it’s better not to meet her either.”
- “Ah! I wish she couldn’t move at all!”
- “Good idea, Kellic. I’ll turn Sophia Ashilonia into stone.”
- “Nooo! Don’t, Aselt! Lady, Lady!!”
They had broken into a sweat trying to stop Aselt from running off again.
Both Aselt and Kellic strongly opposed Sophia even entering the castle.
Having once raided the laboratory, who knew what she might do next?
Maybel secretly shared their concerns and considered changing the meeting place.
‘But if I did that, who knows what she might do to me…’
Zigmunt insisted that the meeting take place in the castle to ensure Maybel’s safety.
With Zigmunt insisting, Aselt and Kellic’s opposition faded.
‘Tch… he promised he’d sneak me out…’
Just days ago, Kellic had whispered he would secretly take her away.
But today, on the day of the meeting, he was nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps the plan to sneak her away had been discovered.
Walking through the gardens lost in thought, they eventually reached the edge of the grounds.
“Miss~”
From a distant gazebo near the mansion, Ella waved.
“Don’t go too far~”
Today, the knight’s positions had been rearranged in preparation for Sophia’s visit.
Ella had warned them repeatedly that gaps could appear during every shift change.
“Y-Yes~ I’ll stay right here~!”
Maybel clasped her small hands and called out.
Ella returned to arranging the table in the gazebo.
After having lunch there, they would go to meet Sophia.
Though Jacques had prepared the lunchboxes with care, Maybel had little appetite.
“Haah… I wish someone would just kidnap her.”
Not me… Sophia.
“I wish they’d take her far, far away….”
Not me… Sophia and Kesar.
And yet, the ghosts… do nothing.
“I really wish someone would just kidnap her…”
Maybel muttered like a sigh, crouched near the flower hedge.
Meanwhile, Ella paused while arranging the food.
“Hm~?”
Rustle!
A rough brush of leaves sounded unusually close.
A cool spring breeze swept through the garden, carrying the scent of flowers and flicking through Ella’s hair.
As her partially blocked view cleared… CLANG!
The sandwich plate Ella had been holding crashed to the ground.
At the same time, her scream echoed through the previously peaceful garden.
“Miss!!!”
The garden, where Maybel had been toddling just moments ago, was suddenly empty.
Drip… drip… drip…
What is that sound?
Through her groggy mind, the sound kept nagging at her.
It was like water dripping from a half-closed faucet.
‘Why is there a faucet in my room…?’
Strange as it was, she was too sleepy to think deeply.
‘Mmm… don’t know… just… sleep a little longer…’
What did I do yesterday?
Why does my whole body hurt like this?
She didn’t know, but she didn’t want to get up.
As usual, she rubbed her face against the blanket.
Then, something rough scratched her face.
“Ah!”
The sting jolted her awake.
She tried to grab her cheek, but her body wouldn’t move.
It was different from waking while wrapped in her blanket.
“What… what is this?!”
Now, Maybel saw that her hands and feet were tightly bound with rope.
And she wasn’t in her own room.
It was damp, dark, and musty—like a deep cave.
‘Why… why am I here?’
She scanned the dimly lit surroundings, illuminated by a cheap candle, trying to recall what happened.
‘I was definitely in the garden moments ago.’
She had walked to the edge of the garden, squatting near the flower hedge, and… she thought she heard a voice.
- “Alright. I’ll grant that wish of yours.”
Before she could turn, a thick hand clamped over her mouth.
That was Maybel’s last memory.
‘No… no way… I’ve been kidnapped?!’
In broad daylight, inside the Grand Ducal Castle?!
Impossible!
But Maybel wasn’t shocked because she’d been kidnapped.
She was shocked because she wasn’t the one who asked to be kidnapped!
Those idiotic kidnappers!
