Chapter Twenty Seven

“Your Excellency already knows my weakness.”

The members of the de Ach Viscounty, that was.

With a twinkle in his eyes, Duke Valkirino asked me, “I’m also curious about that. You said you were a distant relative of the de Ach Viscounty, but how exactly are you related to them?”

I knew this question would come.

Without being taken aback, I told him the answer I’d prepared beforehand.

“It’s a bit complicated… My grandmother’s grandfather’s grandmother is the half-sister of the previous previous previous previous Viscount de Ach.”

The Duke looked a bit bewildered by my words.

He must not have expected such a long and complicated relationship to come out of my mouth.

However, since I had the family tree memorized, he couldn’t exactly find fault in my response.

“…I see.”

Predictably, the Duke looked suspicious of me.

Even if he investigated it, though, most of the de Ach family’s documents had burned in the fire ten years ago and no longer existed.

The only things remaining were government documents of official marriage records, so it’d be difficult to find anything specific.

Frowning, the Duke let out a small sigh before pressing hard onto his temple.

I spoke up, not missing a beat.

I needed to get rid of his suspicion.

“I always thought I was from a commoner household, so when I found out I was related to a noble family, I was touched and memorized the family tree so I could brag about it wherever I went.”

Wanting to seem embarrassed, I made sure to look down.

“When I was young, my parents passed away and I lost all connections, but then the de Ach family searched for me and helped me. That’s why I feel especially fond of them.”

This time, I made sure to don a reminiscent expression, as if recalling old memories.

I focused on getting as teary as possible and bit my lips tightly.

The suspicion in the Duke’s expression slowly faded as he watched me.

“I don’t know specific details about the noble adults because I’m just a weak commoner, but… Since it’s come to this, I’ll admit that I simply found a way for me to protect the de Ach family while also living comfortably in the palace.”

“…”

The Duke seemed to be lost in thought.

I threw out my last decisive card.

“Why don’t we test him to see how far His Majesty’s favor extends?”

* * *

For the first time in a while, Rahu lay down on the rooftop of the Lily Palace.

It hadn’t even been that long since he’d received the task of monitoring and guarding the Silver Lily, but this place already felt like home.

It had been extremely difficult for him when the Emperor unexpectedly arrived at the Lily Palace and stayed for an extended period of time, requiring Rahu to remain far away.

The Emperor’s power transcended imagination.

No matter how well he hid his presence, he would get caught if he was inside the Lily Palace, so he had no choice but to stay as far away as possible to prevent that from happening.

The Emperor had left this morning, allowing Rahu to finally return to the Lily Palace.

“Phew…”

Currently, Duke Valkirino was inside the palace meeting the Silver Lily.

His eyes were busy scanning around due to the Duke’s command to ensure no one was hiding near them like a rat.

“You truly never know what’ll happen in this world.”

When she first entered the palace, it wouldn’t have been strange if she died immediately.

It had been tough for him because her faint and wan face kept making him sympathize with her.

Who would’ve known she’d suddenly gain the Emperor’s favor?

It was strange that the Emperor would suddenly visit out of nowhere.

Back then, he’d assumed that each visit would be the one in which the Emperor killed her, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

‘Huh?’

While Rahu was lost in thought, the Duke must have finished his conversation, seeing as he came out of the palace.

He also noticed the Silver Lily slowly following after him.

Her face had become very thin because she’d been sick for a few days.

While he silently watched them, the Duke suddenly looked up at him.

Rahu flinched in surprise at the sharp purple gaze directed at him before revealing himself.

“You called, Your Excellency?”

He appeared in front of the Duke, kneeling and bowing his head.

He felt the Silver Lily startling in surprise from beside the Duke.

“You will be working as the Silver Lily’s official guard from now on. I plan on recommending you to the Emperor as someone who has helped her when she was in trouble. Do you understand?”

What was he talking about?

It seemed he was saying that it was okay for Rahu to show himself in front of the Emperor from now on.

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Rahu nodded his head and replied in a low voice.

“Okay. Then, if something happens, report it to me through Rahu. I’ll be waiting.”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

The Duke and the Silver Lily must have struck a deal because they both wore satisfied expressions.

Watching the Silver Lily escort the Duke out of sight, Rahu slowly rose from his position.

The moment he was about to go back up to the roof, the energetic and kind voice of a woman stopped him.

“You’re Sir Rahu, right?”

“…Yes.”

“I heard you’ll be protecting me from now on. I’ll be in your hands.”

The woman smiled brightly.

Starting with an unexplainable palpitation of his heart, he felt a strange feeling flow throughout the rest of his body.

Was it because her smile seemed sad?

“…I’m just doing what I have to.”

In the end, Rahu could only respond in a cold voice before jumping to the rooftop of the Lily Palace.

From below, Ashella had a joyful smile on her face as she entered Lily Palace.

* * *

“Yes? Y-Your Majesty, I think I misheard what you…”

“No, you heard me correctly. Starting tonight, go to the Lily Palace and guard the Silver Lily.”

Taimon’s jaw dropped, his eyes blinking as if the Emperor had gone insane.

Even if many whispered about how the Emperor was crazy, Taimon and his subordinates all knew the truth.

It wasn’t that their master was crazy, but that he was going crazy…

Actually, no. He was mentally unstable, but he was definitely not crazy.

However, at this single moment, Taimon had to confirm what he’d just heard.

It was absurd for the Emperor’s exclusive secret guard to protect the Queen.

She wasn’t even the Empress!

Not to mention, that Queen was a person of Duke Valkirino, who the Emperor was working hard to destroy!

“Y-Your Majesty. Perhaps I’ve gone senile…”

“No, you’re fine. Stop this and go. Who knows what kind of dangers the Silver Lily might be exposed to while you’re here acting like this?”

Taimon was at a loss for words.

What kind of danger could there be for the Emperor’s woman—the Queen—in the middle of the Imperial palace?

This alone was confusing enough, but then the Emperor gave him another command.

“When you go to the Lily Palace, there will be a guard assigned by Duke Valkirino. When you arrive, start a fight with him immediately.”

“…Pardon?”

“Taimon, why have you been struggling to understand what I’ve been trying to say this whole time? Do I need to repeat myself?”

Honestly, it was reasonable not to understand him this time!

Taimon felt thoroughly wronged, but there was nothing he could do.

Since he was the Emperor’s liege, he had to obey his orders.

In the end, he swallowed all of his questions and bowed his head.

“…I’ve received your command.”

Hadel let out a deep sigh while watching Taimon’s shadow as he disappeared into the darkness.

By now, the Duke must have left the palace.

Luckily, Asha was safe.

He knew rationally that nothing much would have happened, but he wanted to get rid of anything that could pose the slightest danger to Asha.

He never wanted to go through the terrible experience of losing her again, after all.

Never again.

Within the darkness, Hadel’s pink eyes glinted sharply.

* * *

Thud.

Thud! Thud!

Crash!

Boom!

Late at night, a weak vibration rang through the air from the rooftop of Lily Palace.

Although it was very weak, I could tell from the sound that the knight sent by Hadel had started fighting with the guard assigned by the Duke.

I had no idea how long it would last, but this was my only chance.

I hurriedly pulled on the bell rope above the bed.

“Miss Silver Lily, you called?”

“Ah, Dovea.”

Dovea was the temporary Head Maid that Hadel had assigned to me. As the first daughter of a countryside Baron, she was close to me in age and was one of the Emperor’s people.

Formerly, I couldn’t trust a single person in the Lily Palace, but thanks to Hadel, I at least had one person.

“I need to go down to the prison. Just the two of us.”

Dovea was silent for a moment after I spoke.

However, she nodded shortly after, as if comprehending my words.

“Understood. Please wait just one moment.”

Dovea left the bedroom and ordered the nearby maids to do assorted tasks.

Because all of the maids had witnessed how the previous Head Maid—Madame Chunet—had been chased out, they listened closely to Dovea’s words.

“Come this way, Miss Silver Lily.”

Guiding me to where there were no maids, we quickly left Lily Palace in order to meet Madame Chunet, who was jailed for embezzlement.

* * *

Rahu was slowly getting sleepy.

It was quite nice and comfortable, lying on the rooftop as he watched the endless stars.

There was also the fact that he had received a new command from the Duke as a result of some deal between the Duke and the Silver Lily.

‘Killing the Silver Lily is now postponed. Until there’s another order, cooperate with her as much as possible. Your task to surveil her will continue.’

It was the message the Duke had secretly sent after returning to the Duchy.

What could that weak silver-haired woman have done to make the Duke change his plans?

The Duke Valkirino he’d known until now had disposed of any elements that could get in the way of his plans. He was not the kind of person to change the plans themselves.

However, it was different this time.

For some reason, his plans had changed—and in quite a big way, at that.

‘What kind of woman is she?’

Most people frowned when they saw Rahu because of his dark complexion. Not to mention, his yellow eyes resembled those of a beast, so people often didn’t even treat him like a human.

After the continued discrimination, the people of battle—the Ru tribe—kept being chased toward the South.

Yet, for some reason, this woman had never shown any sign of discomfort when looking at him. She didn’t even frown.

If anything, she spoke to him kindly and treated him like a human; with respect.

Because this was so unfamiliar to him, Rahu couldn’t stop thinking about Ashella.

‘Hm? Someone… is quickly approaching!’

Right when he was lost in thought about Ashella, he felt someone rapidly drawing near from the Sun Palace.