The Villainess Captured The Grand Duke - Chapter 68

Chapter 68

“Isn’t the primary cause the monsters? Sir Silcaro, you took action to avoid increasing casualties.”

“Yes, it’s related to the monsters…”

Emperor Lemos handed over the document and asked, 

“The temple was certain that there were no monsters.”

“We have evidence.”

“Where is it?”

“It’s included in the analysis, and it’s challenging to confirm definitively, but I assert that this is related to the monsters.”

Duke Nettri included several testimonies from knights who witnessed the scene during the incident. Raygrain casually scanned Nettri’s side profile, somewhat resembling Scheuer but not quite.

If Nettri meant the magic stones that came from the bodies of monsters, his words might be correct. Raygrain hadn’t sensed anything similar even in the recent subjugation. Not to mention that Naveed, who emerged from the belly of a monster, had not witnessed such a thing.

Emperor Lemos asked Raygrain,

“What does the Duke think?”

“Our stance aligns with the temple’s.”

“And about the treaty?”

“It was to save the Duchess from danger, not an intervention in central politics.”

“Ah, Pavel. If it’s the Duchess, it’s your eldest daughter.”

At these words, Nettri’s body twitched for a moment. Presently, the North didn’t have much influence on central public opinion. Most people in the central region had no experience seeing monsters, and that was enough to understand.

However, in this case, it was highly likely that Silcaro, who had stepped down from the role of a mediator, would be the target of criticism. Emperor Lemos wasn’t a remarkable ruler in history, but he wasn’t a foolish person either.

Emperor Lemos concluded that the North had no involvement in this incident.

“Since the families of the deceased knights didn’t bring it up, we can overlook this matter. Pavel, can you just stand by when your daughter is in danger?”

“…Yes. I am sincerely grateful to Your Majesty for that.”

“If the evidence of monsters is confirmed, then let’s talk again with Blenga. If it’s true, it’s an important matter.”

After Raygrain left the audience room, Silcaro called to him, 

“Duke, are there any injuries?”

Raygrain asked what he had wanted to know for a long time, 

“Are you asking intentionally?”

As someone who knew well about the role of a mediator, Silcaro understood that he had maintained a friendly relationship with Nettri between Blenga and the North.

After a brief stare, Silcaro Slightly swept his own nape, saying, 

“I couldn’t deceive the Duke. It seemed there was no way out since the treaty seemed likely to be broken.”

“Thanks to Your Excellency.”

Raygrain’s obligatory thanks only received a wry, disappointed smile from Silcaro. 

“If you’re thanking me, how about sparring sometime?”

“For the time being, I think it will be challenging.”

Silcaro sighed belatedly.

 “Ah, now I’m not alone.”

“In many ways, it’s a lot of work.”

“Well, you could say that emotions have returned. Isn’t it good that good things happen?”

Silcaro playfully patted his old friend’s shoulder.

***

[As I received advice from the Duke to refrain from going out, I ask that instead, you, Sir, come.]

Sevi lay on the bed, propping his arm up and gazing at neat writing. Holding a heart-shaped paper close to Koa’s face, he asked, 

“Koa, what does this look like to you?”

“You’re being summoned.”

“What did I say?”

“You said to come.”

Sevi nodded emphatically as if he had seen something remarkably new, having sent a letter beforehand.

 “Exactly! I said to come. But why is the response like this?”

“Perhaps you don’t want to come.”

“Our Koa. Did I ask you that?”

Sevi lifted Koa’s side hair and showed a beautiful smile, making his eyes close. Despite the pain, Koa followed without any expression, just as Sevi pulled him up.

Scheuer, who was expected to be the first to talk about the forgery on the slate, was actually ignoring his summons. Sevi wrote again beneath Scheuer’s casually written words on the letter.

[Come to me.]

Scheuer looked at her hastily written and barely readable handwriting. The mentioned time for the secret meeting in the first letter was in the early morning. The reason was that she had reversed her day and night due to her lifestyle. However, Scheuer couldn’t move in the evening. 

‘If rumors spread that I’m meeting the lovely Duke at night…’ 

During the day, there might be more than one person who would scold her, but the situation was different in the early morning. Considering her past misdeeds and not wanting to give an excuse to the Nettrri Marquis, Scheuer didn’t want to be disturbed during that time, especially since Raygrain usually came in the evening.

With no paper left, she lazily wrote on the heart-shaped paper Tiolla had brought, and now they were endlessly repeating the words, “Come to me,” without bothering to find new paper. Frustrated by the now filled paper, Scheuer picked up the pen irritably. 

“I’ll say it again; I am currently not allowed to…,” she began.

Suddenly, a long hand reached from behind and swiftly snatched the letter. When he turned, Raygrain was there, holding the cute heart-shaped paper, reading the serious message inside. 

“Your Grace! When did you arrive?” 

It was an unexpected visit, as Raygrain usually didn’t return to the room during the day.

Scheuer’s face, which had been crumpled when reading the letter, turned red as if asking when she had arrived. Reading the nutritionally deficient letter, Raygrain asked, 

“Who is it?” 

“It’s the Duke. He keeps asking me to meet him secretly at night.” 

Due to Naveed’s presence, he hinted vaguely. Naveed, who didn’t know the content, jumped up instead of just standing in front of the door. 

“The Duke encourages adultery?!”

“No, I’ve never said such indecent things!”

Without even looking at him, Raygrain firmly said, 

“Leave.” 

“Yes.” 

Performing a proper salute, he had to leave the room without questioning or investigating. After the door closed with a thud, Scheuer, not suited to his hand, pointed at the cute letter and said, 

“The Duke told you not to go out. So, he said to come in.”

The repeated letters had long lost their original purpose. The writing, nearly running, only gave birth to several worms as it approached the end of the paper. Now, it had become a fight over who would come to whom. Therefore, when Koa delivered the letters, he bowed deeply each time to express an apology. A temple, and so disrespectfully treated to the Duke. Sevi wasn’t a faithful person, but he was the one leading the temple.

Scheuer’s eyes, as if pondering, swept through the air without an answer. After a long time, without a clear answer, he responded, 

“Well done.”

“Smile Love”