CH 165

“Find out where he wants us to come.”

There were two letters.

Dear Prince. You can’t even catch me. If I knew you were so weak, I would’ve attacked you sooner. There was no point in testing your power. My client made such a fuss that I thought maybe that blood runs thick in you, but I am guessing it doesn’t. Or is it because of your “weakness?”

One letter was a provocation to the Crown Prince. What about “the blood,” though? I couldn’t come to any conclusion when I didn’t have any clues yet. So I opened the other letter to see if there were any other clues. And in there…

“Marina!”

My headache was so bad that my eyesight became dim. My body swayed. I didn’t fall thanks to Chelleno grabbing me, but what was on the letter was shocking.

Marina von Harrant, my pretty. The game is getting more interesting thanks to your participation. But seeing that you’ve sent your knight, one of the few chess pieces you have, all by himself, just to catch a pawn, it seems you don’t mind losing him.

If you want to prove that’s not the case, come find me.

I’m at the place where the tears of Undine fall. If you come to me, I’ll free your knight alive.

PS You’d better come before the sun sets, if you wish to see the dawn of morning.

From your future husband.

Tear of Undine. It was easy to guess where he meant. But it was also clear that he was provoking the Crown Prince to come. I freed myself from Chelleno’s hands and walked over to the Crown Prince. Then I looked straight into those purple eyes and said, “This is a trap.”

“He insulted me.”

His purple eyes were full of rage. But I shook my head and spoke to the one I adore, “We have to go back.”

Yes. An officer needed to make small sacrifices for the greater good. Even if that small sacrifice was a knight who’s like my precious brother…

My gums seemed to bleed from biting so hard onto my teeth. My nails stuck into the palm of my hand from clenching too hard. It was painful. It was so painful, but I was an officer who had to advise the most beneficial way to my king no matter the case.

“You are the future of the empire. You shouldn’t volunteer to walk into a trap for a mere knight of a noble family.”

I saw his mouth opening in response to me. But before he could even try to say anything, I strongly shook my head and firmly continued, “It’ll be a great loss to the empire if anything happens to you, the sole successor to the throne. So you must go back.”

The Crown Prince sighed at my plea. It was the face that I liked so much, but what was important right now was what he was going to say.

“Alright. I will heed your advice. But this is because I trust you. Find a way to deal with this man, Marina von Harrant.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best.” I was relieved because of his permission, and we returned to the Grand Duke’s mansion.

***

The Crown Prince went up to his room to find a way as soon as we arrived. I looked at him, walking away with a dumb expression, then looked down at my hands. The whole mansion was talking about what happened to Rey. It was Beth and Mion, the current masters of this mansion while the Grand Duke and Duchess were missing, who appeared through those people.

“What’s going on?” Beth asked a servant, and he walked closely up to her and answered.

“A knight had been kidnapped.”

“A knight? Who? We must gather up all the knights of the house and-”

“It’s Sir Reyan.”