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CHAPTER~04
“Who is the target?”
“Elisha Lowell. She is the niece of Baron of Burns.”
“Hmm, Elisha Lowell…”
“Yes, if the Duke of Lindbergh summoned her, the rumor seems credible.”
Havel frowned and stroked his chin.
Her face did not immediately come to mind.
For a high priest not to know a noblewoman, she must just be an ordinary young lady.
“Why would the Duke of Lindbergh be interested in such a woman?”
“That’s why it’s unusual.”
“In any case, it works in our favor. Even if Lindbergh tries to expand his political influence through marriage, it would only be disadvantageous to us.”
Havel slowly nodded at the subordinate’s remark.
He tapped the table lightly with his fingers, lost in thought.
His subordinates, knowing this gesture meant a new plan was forming, watched expectantly.
Under the hood, Havel’s eyes gleamed ominously.
“When is the day she’s going to the Lindbergh estate?”
“Next week.”
“Good. Move the assassins we planted in advance that day.”
“…Excuse me? High Priest, are you serious?”
The subordinates murmured nervously.
They had planted people for a future operation, but they hadn’t expected to act so suddenly.
Seeing the murmuring, Havel tilted his lips in a sly smile.
He already had the entire scenario in mind.
“The story that will spread in the world will be: ‘It turns out that Blane, who had a serious conflict with his father, brought an assassin disguised as a fiancée to kill his father.’”
A triumphant smile spread across Havel’s lips.
She was just a noblewoman by blood, with nothing else to boast of.
There could be no more perfect scapegoat.
…
One week after the proposal incident.
Elisha was formally invited to the Duke of Lindbergh’s estate.
She chose the most proper attire she could and visited a flower shop near the square.
Since she was invited, she wanted to show proper manners.
But what the merchant presented was a pot densely filled with long grass that looked like weeds.
“This is a weed―”
“Nonsense, madam! This is a rare pot where a lucky tree grows.”
“…This?”
Elisha looked at the pot in disbelief.
How could these thin blades of grass grow into a tree?
But the merchant, not giving her a chance to breathe, spoke forcefully.
“You may not know, but this is also used as a gift for the royal family. For important occasions, nothing compares.”
“For the royal family too?”
“Yes! We rarely have it in stock, but today you are lucky. The high nobles recognize it immediately.”
Elisha’s eyes spun at the merchant’s extravagant sales pitch.
After all, she wasn’t a high noble herself.
Perhaps the Duke’s household would recognize it?
Tempted, Elisha asked, “How much is it?”
“Normally 300,000, but I’ll give it to you for 270,000 Dery.”
“2… 270,000?!”
Elisha was shocked at the unexpectedly high price.
Her monthly allowance from the Baron of Burns was 300,000 Dery.
Spending almost all of it on a single gift seemed impossible.
“I’ll come back next time…”
“Nonsense, madam!”
As Elisha stepped back, the merchant grabbed her quickly.
“Then 235,000 Dery! Don’t tell anyone!”
Elisha froze at the words.
He’d cut 35,000 off the price?
She wanted to honor such sacrifice, yet it was still a burden.
Seeing her hesitation, the merchant slammed the counter.
“Fine! 230,000! How about that? We really can’t go lower!”
Faced with a second discount, Elisha had no excuse to refuse.
Eventually, she spent her entire allowance on the pot and left the store holding it tightly.
‘Well, he cut the price this much, so it would be rude not to buy…’
Although the pot’s actual cost was less than 30,000 Dery, Elisha didn’t know that.
With the gift ready, it was finally time to go to the Duke of Lindbergh’s estate.
“Phew…”
Her nerves heightened as she approached.
Lila was lying down claiming stomach pain, and Baron of Burns fussed over her.
So Elisha had to walk alone, without a carriage.
‘Riding the Duke’s carriage would be too bold.’
Elisha’s personality wouldn’t allow that.
It was easier to walk herself.
She looked down at the pot in her arms.
‘I hope it really brings luck… maybe just a little to me too.’
Hurrying, she moved forward.
…
Duke of Lindbergh Estate.
A grand mansion praised as more beautiful than the imperial palace in the Ornia Empire’s capital.
Sunlight reflected softly off the marble building and the central fountain in the garden caught the eye.
One side had a rose garden, full bloom releasing a gentle fragrance.
Under the pergola in the garden, the Duke of Lindbergh and his wife sat with stern expressions.
Opposite them, Elisha hugged the pot tightly, crouching low in her seat.
“I sent Blane out for a while. I wanted to talk privately.”
“Y-yes…”
Elisha nodded nervously.
Her mind spun in confusion.
‘How did things come to this…’
She was facing the Duke and his wife as a potential daughter-in-law, unable to meet their eyes.
It felt like the world had gone mad.
But what drove her crazier was that she had created this situation herself.
No matter how she thought, she couldn’t find a good way to escape.
“Hmm.”
Duke Hugo Lindbergh scanned Elisha coldly with his violet family eyes.
“I must admit, I was surprised. That Blane would marry, and of all people, a niece of the Baron of Burns.”
His words carried the nuance of ‘how dare you.’
Felesia pulled a white envelope from her arms.
“I hope Elisha resolves this marriage. That should be sufficient in return, right?”
“Ah, you are impatient even before the tea is served.”
The Duke raised his hand to scold but the wife intervened.
Yet, he too was displeased with Elisha.
The Duke’s gaze shifted to the pot in Elisha’s arms.
“…What is that?”
“Ah! Th-this―”
“Your Grace, the tea is here.”
As Elisha tried to explain, maids served the tea.
While the cups were being filled, Elisha stared blankly at the pot.
Carefully, she placed it down.
A leaf fluttered off and fell into the Duke’s cup.
Elisha’s eyes widened.
“Huh!”
It was unintentional, but she panicked at causing trouble and grabbed the cup herself.
“I’ll drink this!”
“What? You can’t…”
The maid looked shocked at Elisha.
She couldn’t serve tea with foreign matter to the Duke.
Elisha refused to step back.
“This cannot go to the Duke! Something shouldn’t be in it!”
At that moment, the maid’s eyes turned cold.
“…Tch, caught.”
“Huh?”
Elisha looked up in shock.
The maid drew a dagger from her arms.
“No choice! Final measure!”
Everyone froze at the sudden situation.
“Duke! Fall into hell!”
The maid charged at the Duke with the dagger.
In the split second,
“Aaah!”
There was no time to react.
Elisha reflexively lifted the pot beside her.
Without thinking, she hurled it at the assassin.
Thud!
The heavy pot struck the assassin’s forehead squarely.
“Aaah!”
“W-what?”
The assassin fell, clutching his head, screaming.
The garden instantly became chaotic.
Everyone was stunned by what had just happened.
But the most shocked was Elisha, who had thrown the pot herself.
‘What… did I just do?’
She couldn’t believe her own actions.
The assassin lay unmoving, and the pot had fallen on the table, breaking.
Soil spilled onto the expensive marble tea table.
“Ah! W-what do I do!”
Elisha bent down to pick up the pot in a panic.
And at that moment―
“You brat! Trained… aaah!”
Another assassin rushed her, swinging his arm.
But because she ducked, he lost balance and fell.
Hitting his head hard, he remained on the floor, unmoving.
Elisha had unexpectedly handled two assassins alone, her own face full of surprise.
‘…Oh no…?’
