CH 72

Riett stood in front of the door and took a deep breath.

‘Why am I getting so nervous all of a sudden?’

Knock, knock—someone knocked on the door, and Evan’s aide appeared.

“Oh, Duchess Marren. What brings you here…?”

“Is Duke Kreutz inside?”

The place Riett visited was Evan’s office. Riett had been to Evan’s office quite a lot in the past three years, but it felt different now.

In a bad way.

The aide looked embarrassed and glanced inside before speaking.

“He is, but there’s a guest with him at the moment…”

Behind the aide, cheerful laughter could be heard. It was the laughter of the most detestable person recently.

Riett crossed her arms and asked, 

“Count Terrator?”

“Yes…”

The aide replied cautiously.

The aide felt unjust for having to be so cautious, even though he did nothing wrong.

‘But if it’s Duchess Marren and Count Terrator, they’re the two biggest whales in the palace…’

Not to mention that they didn’t get along well. The aide had to be careful not to get caught in between them, as he was nothing but a mere shrimp.

“As expected, Duke Kreutz communicates well with them. Well then, I’ll get up now.”

The sounds of a conversation finishing could be heard from inside. Then Evan and Count Terrator walked out together.

The aide was startled and stepped aside, only then realizing that there was someone outside.

“Duke Kreutz, there’s a guest outside…”

The Count, who was saying so, noticed Riett standing outside the door.

“Duchess Marren.”

“Count Terrator.”

The surrounding air chilled in an instant. Riett was the first to speak.

“I was just planning to come and see you soon. It’s good timing.”

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Riett wanted to punch Count Terrator’s shameless face. There wasn’t a person in the palace who didn’t know that he was the source of the recent absurd rumors.

“Do you think I’m a spy for the Haren Empire?”

Riett didn’t turn the words around. Both of them knew each other’s moves, so there was no need to turn it around and see.

“Recently, such rumors have been circulating.”

“No one in this palace is unaware that you’re at the center of those rumors, Count.”

Hah, the Count exclaimed in disbelief as if blowing away empty words.

“Do you have any evidence to support your claim?”

“The treasury that you’ve been secretly collecting taxes from all this time is evidence.”

Riett’s blunt and bone-shattering words seemed to startle the Count, as his eyes widened.

“D-Duchess Marren. Your words are harsh!”

“Whether my words are harsh or not, you’ll find out when the tax reform proposal comes out. If it passes, the nobles who have been illicitly accumulating wealth will not escape unscathed.”

As Riett taunted, the Count unknowingly gulped down his saliva.

Just as Riett was about to mock him with a smirk, Evan intervened.

“Duchess Marren, it would be wise to be cautious with your words and actions within the palace.”

“Well… No, yes?”

“To accuse Count Terrator without any evidence… I’m concerned about Duchess Marren.”

Riett was speechless when Evan mentioned Count Terrator. 

‘Is Evan really in his right mind?’

Count Terrator, now on his side, exclaimed angrily.

“Well said, Duke Kreutz! How can you accuse someone so rudely without any evidence?”

“…”

“Well, they say that when a hen cries, the country will fall. Seeing women like you moving around the palace, the future of the Truto Empire doesn’t seem promising either.”

Eventually, a forbidden word slipped out.

Riett’s gaze turned instantly fierce.

“What did you just say…”

“Count, the aide is waiting over there. It would be good to go quickly.”

As soon as Riett opened her mouth, Evan interrupted and pointed to the distance. Riett discovered the aide who was waiting far away and had a frustrated expression.

“Oh, I almost missed my next schedule. Thank you for letting me know, Duke.”

Before leaving, Count Terrator didn’t forget to give Riett a sly smile.

Hellfire blazed inside Riett’s heart. She should have said something, but Evan interrupted her smoothly.

As the anger surpassed a certain threshold, Riett’s mind seemed to grow colder. She had to talk to Evan about this right now.

“Let’s talk.”

Riett grabbed Evan’s wrist and entered the office.

Evan gestured to his aide, and the aide quietly left the room after closing the door.

“What’s been on your mind lately?”

Riett pressed Evan fearfully as he sat down.

“What do you mean?”

“Your recent actions.”

Although it was a somewhat broad criticism, Evan would have understood it well enough. It wasn’t the first time they had a conversation on this topic.

‘It always ends up being brushed aside.’

Since becoming a noble member, Evan had taken a completely different path from Riett.

While Riett led as a representative of the progressives and took the lead in reforming the empire, Evan worked on refining the existing system and laws from the conservative faction.

Anyway, there was no right path in politics, so Riett respected Evan’s decisions. However, recently she couldn’t understand Evan’s actions at all.

Ever since Evan got involved with the conservative faction, he had maintained a steady friendship with Count Terrator. It wasn’t strange. Despite their dislike for each other, Count Terrator was a person with political power and had opposition to tax reform, which many nobles supported.

But the Evan that Riett knew was not someone who would stand with Count Terrator for such reasons.

“You know that Count Terrator is the rotten root of the Truto Empire. And…”

Riett paused. The next words she wanted to say might have sounded somewhat emotional.

Although they always bickered back and forth, Riett had felt a deep affection since childhood. Evan, who had been with him through the ups and downs of life, was an irreplaceable friend and family member.

If someone had pushed Evan to become a spy from behind, Riett wouldn’t have been able to bear it.

In fact, she had scolded the nobles who complained about Evan’s birth more than once.

But it seemed that she was wrong.

‘Count Terrator is spreading rumors that I am a spy, and yet… How can I casually talk and laugh with him as if nothing is wrong?’

“And then?”

When Riett didn’t continue with her next words, Evan urged her on with a questioning tone.

But in the end, Riett swallowed what she wanted to say. She realized that she shouldn’t let her emotions take over. 

If she started, it felt like all the pent-up feelings would pour out like a flood.

Riett took a deep breath and calmly spoke up.

“Evan, do you think it’s wrong to pursue tax reform?”

“Tax reform is a significant task that Truto Empire will eventually need to accomplish, but now is not the right time.”

“Then when do you think is the right time?”

After the pockets of the common people have been emptied and left empty? Riett silently complained about Evan’s words in her mind.

“Anyway, it’s not now.”

Riett realized she wouldn’t gain anything from her conversation with Evan. He always maintained an ambiguous stance, neither firmly agreeing nor opposing. And regardless of whether it was a statement from the same side or a friend’s opinion, he consistently held the same attitude.

Yet, she came here hoping to hear at least one comforting word amidst the current situation where she felt falsely accused.

But Evan didn’t mention anything about it.

“Evan.”

“…”

“Do you have nothing to say to me?”

Evan remained silent. Riett finally missed her last opportunity.

Riett got up from her seat.

“I was mistaken. There’s no point in having these meaningless conversations anymore.”

“Riett.”

Evan grabbed Riett’s arm as she tried to leave.

His gesture seemed urgent, but whenever he touched her, he was careful as if handling precious porcelain.

That’s why even though she sometimes resented him, she couldn’t genuinely hate him.

“Not now.”

“What?”

Riett asked in response to Evan’s words. He was hiding something from her.

Outwardly, he always maintained a composed appearance, but when she glanced at him, she could see flickering pupils or an anxious gaze like now. She had seen it since their childhood, so she was sure.

“…Don’t provoke Count Terrator.”

But in the end, he still hid his true feelings.

“By any chance… Are you being threatened by Count Terrator?”

Evan furrowed his brows at Riett’s sudden question.

“What’s this all of a sudden?”

“If that’s the case, tell me right now. Otherwise, I’ll be greatly disappointed in you.”

Riett’s voice turned cold. Evan did not explain.

The suppressed anger finally erupted.

“Evan, do you think it’s my fault that Count Terrator is provoking me like this, that he accuses me of being a spy? Do you think it’s ultimately my fault?”

“…”

“You won’t say a word until the end.”

Riett stared silently at Evan, who remained speechless.

She felt like a fool, losing control and causing a scene all by herself. Riett forcefully freed her arm from Evan’s grip.

“I’m telling you, if someone spreads rumors that you’re a spy, I wouldn’t stand idly by and do nothing.”

“…”

“I know you would never do that.”

Her voice trembled, but she couldn’t contain the hurt feelings.

“And because of that, like a fool, I believed you would do the same.”

Evan wasn’t betraying them; he was betraying her.

A bitter smile formed on Riett’s lips.

“I’m leaving.”

Riett swiftly left Evan’s office.

Bang!

As the door closed with a loud sound, Evan was left alone, sinking into his chair.

“Ugh.”

He put his head in his hands and sighed deeply.

* * *

Once Riett stepped outside, she realized tears had welled up in her eyes. Swiftly, she casually wiped them away with her sleeve.

‘Am I crying?’

More than that, it had been such a long time since tears fell from her eyes. The memory of crying had become so faint.

Her personality had always been stoic, and she rarely shed tears. Even on the day her parents went down to the territory, while it was undoubtedly sad and lonely, she didn’t shed a tear even as she bid them farewell with a warm hug.

‘But crying because of someone like Evan…’

Regret suddenly gripped her. Hadn’t her voice trembled in front of Evan just now, like a fool? A momentary sorrowful emotion had poured out from deep within her heart.

‘But at least my tears aren’t visible. That’s a relief.’

That would have been an embarrassing chapter in her life.

She couldn’t help but think that perhaps, unknowingly, she had relied on Evan quite a lot.

Lately, she hadn’t been able to see her parents or the mister who had been her emotional support. And around her, there were people like Count Terrator lurking, waiting for her to make even the slightest mistake.

The Emperor was a good person, but he was an overwhelmingly high figure, far from being a comfortable presence.

While thinking about the Emperor, Riett suddenly remembered something she had forgotten.

‘Oh, by the way, the Emperor has an important guest coming, and he wants me to meet him at three o’clock.’

She almost forgot because of that damn Evan.

Suppressing the emotions that surged due to Evan, Riett quickly changed her course.