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Archduke Richard, who had appeared at some point, stood behind me.
He caught me, as I was stumbling and about to fall.
A smile spread across his toned lips as he watched me struggle with an amused expression.
“Don’t refuse, just do as I say and eat some bear bile.”
I stared at the man in front of me blankly.
I never imagined meeting him in front of the palace.
As I stood there transfixed, the Archduke's eyes fixed on me and he studied me carefully.
He sighed after making sure that my physical condition was fine.
“What on earth happened?”
“Vivian invited me to a tea party.”
He frowned at the ridiculousness of it, his voice a little confused.
"Tea party?
Nothing happened there, right?"
“Hmm...”
I narrowed my eyes, remembering the not-so-pleasant tea party.
Then suddenly, I looked up at him.
“But why is the Archduke here...”
“After you left in the palace carriage, I followed you directly.”
"I …?"
I asked, blinking slowly.
The Archduke looked a little embarrassed by my question as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Yes.
I was worried something would happen to you...”
Only then did I notice that the Archduke was fully armed.
The long sword hanging at his waist gleamed in the early summer sunlight.
“Could it be… that you waited all this time because you were worried about me?”
I looked at his forehead, reddened under the hot summer sun, and felt as if a corner of my heart had been stung by that heat.
“I… it’s not that I was worried about you… I was worried that if you made a mistake on your first visit to the palace, wouldn’t it be a disaster?”
He complained for no reason, then quietly added something else.
“…our contract.”
The mere mention of 'our contract' made the corners of my mouth twitch.
I don't know about anything else Vivian said, but maybe she was right when she said he was cute.
I calmed down the trembling of my cheeks and slept.
“There was nothing alarming about the tea party.”
“Well, that's a relief.”
He answered briefly and started walking slowly.
I quickly followed him, slowing his steps a little.
“Ah...”
Now I finally understand.
The reason why I could always keep up with his big steps with my small steps.
He always adjusted his pace when I walked with him in my footsteps.
Realizing this made me feel a tickle on the tips of my feet.
At the same time, the question that had been nagging me throughout the tea party suddenly exploded.
I couldn't quite figure out why.
“Mmm, Your Excellency.
At the summer party... you said that I was your first partner, right?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Huh?”
He turned his head and looked at me, as if listening to a strange question.
Then he quickly turned his gaze back to the front, his face devoid of any expression, and he said indifferently.
“Because no one wanted to be my partner yet.”
"no one?"
"no one."
This answer brought back to mind what he said to me at the summer party.
“Dance with me.
Let me be your first partner at the dance party.”
Nothing important has been resolved yet, and today's tea party may have added to the misunderstanding. ومع ذلك، تحسّن مزاجي الذي كان قد تدهور بشكلٍ غريب.
Suddenly, I looked up at the sky, and felt refreshed by the clear, sunny weather.
I understood why the Archduke suddenly brought up the topic of the weather in the garden yesterday.
“Isn't the sky pretty blue today?”
He looked at the sky.
Then, perhaps realizing it was a pointless gesture, he let out a short laugh.
“Yes.
Exactly the same color as your eyes.”
At that moment, a strong wind blew.
I grabbed my hair, which was blown hard by the wind, and tucked it behind my ears.
The moment our eyes met, I felt as if the wind might carry me away.
* * *
After a few days.
Victor, who had been absent, returned to the Archduke's house.
He came to see me immediately, not Archduke Richard.
His face was a little pale, probably due to a stressful schedule.
“Your Excellency, I have read your instructions.”
“How was it?”
I looked over Victor's shoulder, made sure the door was closed, then lowered my voice.
A few days ago, I secretly summoned him and asked him to investigate the relationship between Baron Haydn and the Empress.
Victor approached me and whispered.
“Baron Haydn worked as a laborer in the Empress’s household in his youth, even before her marriage to the Emperor.”
"Is this correct?"
“Yes.
The Baron was a servant of the Marquis Bardi, the Empress’s family.”
My eyes widened in surprise.
As I listened to the conversation between the Empress and the Crown Prince during the summer ball, I suspected that the Empress and Baron Haydn were more than just in-laws.
They have known each other since before she became empress.
Victor raised an eyebrow suspiciously and continued.
“But I heard that he left Marquis Bardi shortly after he started working there.”
“Why?”
"No one knows the exact reason.
But it's clear he left for bad reasons.
They say he almost ran away."
مسحتُ ذقني ببطء.
It was not clear whether the Empress was the reason Baron Haydn fled the palace where he worked, but it was clear that there was a bad history between the Marquis Barde, the Empress's family, and Baron Haydn.
“When did he leave the Pardee family?”
“I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure that was more than 25 years ago.
That was before the current empress became empress.”
Twenty-five years later, could anyone in the Pardee family have any motive to kill Baron Hayden now?
I stared.
‘It is possible that Vivienne’s installation as Crown Princess has revived the poor relationship between the Baron and the Empress’ family.’
Thinking about this, I became even more curious about Baron Hayden's past actions.
‘I would like to hear the stories directly from those involved…’
I fiddled with the end of the report Victor had handed me.
I smiled at Victor, thinking of inviting him to join me on a trip to the Marchioness of Bardi next time.
“Thank you, Victor.
It must have been difficult, but thank you for your effort.”
“You don't have to be so grateful.
Isn't this all for the Archduke's happiness?
Oh.”
He nodded with a proud face, then suddenly grabbed the back of his neck and groaned in pain.
I looked at him worriedly, and his face looked pained.
"Are you okay?
Did something happen during your investigation?"
“Oh…actually, the Bardi family tends to be pretty closed.
But it seems they sensed that someone was investigating the family affairs so they sent people over.
Thanks to that, while I was hiding, I strained my neck a little.”
“Oh my God… something serious could have happened.”
I furrowed my eyebrows in shock.
Victor laughed heartily, his face beaming with confidence.
“Hahaha, Your Excellency, what do you think of me?
Of course I would have won if we had fought.
I avoided them for fear of causing trouble for Richard in the Pardee Region.”
“Anyway, get some rest for the next few days.”
“Yes.
But just in case, please keep the fact that Your Excellency is conducting an investigation in the Bardi area a secret for now.
If Bardi finds out, we might get into trouble.”
“Yes, I will.”
I nodded obediently to Victor, who was seriously asking, and smiled innocently.
At the same time, I decided to go to the Marchioness of Bardi alone.
* * *
A few days later, I made thorough preparations to go to the Marchioness of Bardi alone.
Of course, I kept the fact that I was going to Bardey a complete secret from Archduke Richard's people.
If Archduke Richard or Victor found out, they would undoubtedly be angry.
In addition, even within the Archduke's household, it would be undesirable for it to be known that Archduchess Richard had made an unwarranted visit to a region ruled by the Empress's family.
In the end, all secrets leak from within.
However, I was planning to investigate the Pardee family, right?
“I'll be back then, Lady Perona.”
“Have a good time, ma’am!”
Mrs.
Perona completely believed me when I told her I was going to the capital to see Claire.
I lied to her and said I was going on a walk with Claire.
And of course, I added that Claire would prepare all the escorts.
As I got into the carriage and waved to Lady Perona, my eyes suddenly met those of the Archduke, who was heading to the training grounds with Victor.
At that moment, my heart beat hard, as if my heart had fallen between my feet.
I felt a strange feeling, as if I had different feelings for him.
I suddenly shivered and quickly moved away, trying to regain my composure.
'no.
'It must be because I'm worried about being caught secretly going to the Marchioness of Bardi.'
Even then, I didn't know what would happen to me.