Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Hermia would be mistaken if she thought I’d blush and be ashamed because of that.

“I didn’t even have that kind of gamble in mind from the beginning.”

“Oh, a gamble?”

She scoffed at my reply.

“What could be more certain than this? If you really have children, you’ll have a lot more time to clear his name and the false accusations. If you pretend to be pregnant like now… what, you’d only have two or three months?”

I swallowed dry saliva. There was nothing wrong with Hermia’s words. Yes, she was exactly right. As she said, I should actually get pregnant in order to save Cassius Brudenell’s life, and I couldn’t make it up virtually like now in the future.

Hermia stared at me.

After a while, the words that came out of her mouth were quite unexpected.

“I see you don’t like it. You could rescue Cassius Brudenell, but you don’t want to have his children. Isn’t that right?”

“….”

I was speechless. Though it wasn’t because Hermia hit the nail on the head.

Rather…

‘…It’s the complete opposite.’

I thought bitterly. Nonetheless, I couldn’t bring myself to say it because I felt strange that I didn’t feel as creepy about having his child as I used to.

“Oh, I see.”

Hermia smiled brightly.

“It seems that the Young Lady hasn’t completely fallen for that person yet, to the point that you’d actually get pregnant… right?”

​​

“No.”

I opened my mouth with a trembling voice.

“…I don’t love him enough to risk my life and the safety of my children.”

Hermia rose from her seat.

“It’s too unfortunate. Preparing medicine with a doctor is also quite a hassle. Wouldn’t it be difficult to borrow the power of the Count family?”

“My parents will be against it.”

“Of course, you won’t be able to leave the Duchy of Brudenell because you’ll be under strict surveillance. Yes, there’s going to be only me who can help you.”

Fortunately, Hermia gave me everything I wanted—an imperial family doctor to fool everyone throughout the period to fake the pregnancy and a pill to stop menstruation—these were essential to prolong Cassius’ life.

“The Young Lady should make the announcement… Will you be all right?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“It might be a little noisy, but… I have to accept that much.”

Well, in conclusion, my predictions were completely wrong. I thought as I glanced down at the newspaper fluttering in my hand.

Ha, I was really naive…

Did I think I could afford something like this?

The newspaper with headlines on the front page wasn’t a gossip magazine but the most popular daily newspaper in the Empire.

Well, even with such a title, the content was even more spectacular.

‘This… this is too much.’

Speculative reports that Cassius had forcibly drunk me and impregnated me, who was mentally ill, were far from reality. In addition, the Duchy of Brudenell was soon described as a mansion no different from a lustful pleasure house, and I was portrayed as a naive and pitiful idiot in some articles while a lustful woman in others.

‘I really can’t even carry my face around anymore.’

Of course, that didn’t make me depressed or angry. It’s less than this, but I’d been through various insults so it was rather fortunate that the attention was focused on me, not Cassius. Besides, it meant that his sentence would also be safely postponed.

However, the problem was…

‘Where do we start?’

In order to clear the name of Cassius, we must track down the person behind Kitty.

‘…It’s almost certain that it’s the Bynell Kingdom.’

Nonetheless, Lucifer Bynell, the link between me and the Kingdom of Bynell, was already dead. In other words, it would be impossible to prove Cassius’ innocence by using him, so there was only one way left for me…

‘I need to send someone to the Kingdom of Bynell.’

I had no intention of going there myself. To the Kingdom of Bynell, I was the fiancée of the murderer who killed their prince. So even if I went directly, I’d only be guarded against.

As I thought so, I threw the newspaper into the trash can. It was time to move the ‘Aisle.’

‘…In the past, I came here to deliver a warning letter.’

I strode slowly down the alley that could be called the entrance to the Aisle.

I was only thinking of keeping Cassius from dying and meeting Ophelia, but I ended up getting involved with him because of the warning letter. I would’ve only regretted it if it had been me recently. After all, if only I hadn’t done anything, if only I had killed Cassius, or if only the house itself had been moved…

But now, it is different.

It’d be a lie if I said I didn’t have any regrets at all, though that didn’t mean I felt pessimistic about my current situation.

The moment I finally reached a dead end, I touched the walls of the alley, remembering the various signs written in the novel. Of course, it wasn’t a movie but a novel, so it was impossible to actually manipulate the devices installed here.

But at least, grabbing their attention…

“Why did you come here?”

My body stiffened. It was because even though I didn’t feel any presence, at some point, a cold blade was near my neck.

“I’ve come to hand you the documents that Lord Cassius had written himself to you guys.”

I answered confidently.

While the opponent’s face was hidden by a black hood, their identity was certain.

…A member of the Aisle.

Right now, the ones I need the most… Those who would never move without a word from Cassius. Therefore, Cassius was needed to move them, but it was impossible to get him out of prison.

“…Please, come this way.”

Fortunately, the man didn’t refute my words and quietly moved the secret device. A narrow and dark passageway was soon revealed, barely enough for one person to pass through. I thought I wouldn’t be able to resist even if someone stabbed me in the back and killed me… Still, what could I do?

​​

This was the only way to save Cassius.

I made up my mind and stepped into the aisle.

‘Uh…?’

Contrary to what it looked like from the outside, the inside of the aisle was quite spacious and flat.

“It’s an optical illusion.”

The man responded bluntly.

“Please come quickly. I don’t think you’d have time to admire it.”

The place we finally reached was a spacious hall. Only their faces weren’t covered, but there were groups of people dressed in black, like the member who guided me.

“Everyone was waiting.”

“For the Lord’s instructions?”

“Yes.”

He nodded.

As I gazed at him carefully, now that I saw it, being able to conceal their faces seemed to have been a privilege to indicate their high rank in the Aisle.

The man held his hand out to me.

“Please give it to me.”

“Ah.”

I handed him the sealed envelope.

According to Cassius, ‘Aisle’ wouldn’t even treat it as a letter unless it was an envelope sealed by himself, so I didn’t even know what was in it. Of course, if I had asked him, Cassius would have answered, but since the visitation time was almost over, I had to leave without even asking properly.

“….”

The member who tore the envelope and saw the letter inside instantly froze.

​​

“…What is it about?”

I stared at him softly.

Even though his face was covered with a hood, his eyes were still pierced, so his expression was somewhat unrecognizable. The next moment, a word slowly flowed from his mouth, who seemed surprised, or even more shocked beyond that.

“…From now on, the Young Lady is our master.”

​​

​​I blinked.

​​

“What did you say…?”

“Master.”

The man knelt in front of me. At the same time, others in the hall followed and began to kneel as well.

“Just give me your order. We’ll risk our lives and follow the master’s command.”

My mouth, that was opened in shock, closed again. Those who swore allegiance to me like flipping their palms just because of one letter from Cassius. It was the power to move the Aisle I wanted so much, but to receive such blind loyalty like this.

How could I say…

‘…I’m scared.’

I swallowed dry saliva.

Now was not the time to think of such things. Like it or not, Cassius gave me what I wanted. Therefore, I should use them to achieve my goal.

“I want to receive a report on the Kingdom of Bynell.”

“Cesare.”

As soon as someone’s name was called, they rose up.

“Report to the master.”

At the same time, the member who guided me handed me a thick leather list.

“This is a list for all of us. Originally, the late Duke had it… Now, the master will be seeing it.”

“Then, Lord Cassius…”

“He’d never seen one before.”

I clenched the roster.

…It was something that even Cassius had never seen before. Still, I didn’t have time to ponder that fact because I had to hear the report about the Bynell Kingdom.

As soon as I entered a quiet room, I asked Cesare.

“How many people are currently in the Kingdom of Bynell?”

Cesare didn’t hesitate to answer.

“There were twelve of us, but… they’re all dead now.”

__