The Grand Duchess's Wish
In the end, Ariel chose not to tell Elfelt about the events of that day. Because the matter concerned Edgar of all people, she had briefly considered speaking to him, but she feared it would only complicate things. The presence of an enemy within their own ranks was now all but certain. Yet fighting a hidden foe differed in one crucial way from battling an external one: perspective.
When two houses clashed openly, both sides knew the other was the enemy. An internal threat, however, created a dangerous asymmetry. Ariel viewed the infiltrators as enemies, but they were unlikely to see her the same way. Of course, if they realized their cover was slipping, the situation might change. Still, those who had operated in secrecy for so long tended to overflow with confidence.
This was exactly what Ariel kept in mind. If she revealed the truth to Elfelt now, he would quickly deduce that schemers lurked inside the duchy. He would then feel compelled to make it public. In her judgment, that would be the worst possible move. Without solid evidence, the culprits would simply pull back into the shadows. Even if Yulken returned and launched an investigation, their tracks would be long gone.
She could have kept Elfelt in the dark and sought secret assistance elsewhere, but in her heart she trusted no one. Have I grown too sensitive?
Lying alone in bed, Ariel closed her eyes and a bitter smile touched her lips. She felt guilty for suspecting her father’s right-hand man, someone who had served him since before she was even born. Yet with Edgar’s life hanging in the balance, she could not afford to be complacent. In all honesty, she saw no true allies around her.
At least there’s Shuri.
Because she could trust her, Ariel had secretly given the maid one quiet order. Whether it would prove useful she did not know, but it was better than doing nothing.
“Hup…!”
Still lying down, Ariel stretched, then sat up abruptly. The weight of worry had made her long to see his face. Dinner was already over, so there was time to spare. Simply catching a glimpse of him would ease her mind.
Having made up her mind, she did not head straight for the door. Instead she stepped to her dressing table and looked into the mirror she had begun paying attention to only recently. “Recently,” of course, meant since she and Edgar had become lovers. After all, a woman in love always wants to look beautiful.
“…Oh, right.”
After tidying her appearance and preparing to leave, she paused and draped a thin shawl over her shoulders. Her outfit revealed more of her shoulders than she had realized. In truth, Ariel cared little about such exposure. The only problem was that Edgar would not overlook it so easily.
Normally, having someone dictate her every move would have irritated her, but for some reason she found herself glad when he commented on these things. It felt like proof that he truly saw her as his lover.
Recalling a memory from about a month ago, Ariel smiled softly and left the room. Edgar’s quarters were right next door, one of the greatest advantages of their situation. She could visit him whenever she wished.
Knock, knock.
“Ed, may I come in?”
“Yeah, come in.”
A remarkably simple exchange. In the past she might have burst in without asking, but since becoming lovers Ariel had grown more considerate in her actions.
“You weren’t sleeping yet.”
“It hasn’t been that long. Besides, I still have a few things on my mind.”
Understanding exactly what he meant by “things,” Ariel gave a small nod and sat down close beside him.
“What about that matter?”
She asked quietly, thinking of the assassin they had stuffed into a sack earlier. Edgar lowered his voice in reply.
“I put him in the basement.”
“No one noticed?”
“Doesn’t seem so.”
Satisfied with the answer, Ariel smiled warmly and scooted even closer until their hips touched.
“I’m sorry. This is because of me.”
“It’s not because of you. Don’t blame yourself.”
At her brief apology, Edgar could only chuckle. He was no fool; he had already inferred much of what had happened. While Ariel’s additional explanation had been needed to turn inference into certainty, he had known from the beginning that this was no ordinary assassination attempt on the Grand Duke’s daughter.
Who could possibly assign blame here? Edgar believed neither of them had done anything wrong. The only true culprit was the unknown figure behind the plot.
They’re striking faster and harder than I expected.
When he had resolved to pursue a relationship with Ariel, he had anticipated outside interference. He simply had not imagined it would be this brutal. Their ultimate goal remained hidden, but their desire to remove him, even through violent means, was unmistakable. The first attempt was always the hardest; what might come next was impossible to predict, and that uncertainty gnawed at him.
“Still, it’s a little surprising.”
“Hm? What is?”
When Ariel tilted her head at his sudden murmur, Edgar’s serious expression melted into a playful smile.
“I thought you might ask if I regretted dating you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course part of me wants to ask, but…”
“But?”
As he echoed her, the smile on her lips grew deeper. Ariel reached out and wrapped both hands around his, which were easily twice the size of hers. Without a word, he placed his left hand over hers, gently enveloping them both.
“It would be rude to say such a thing to the person you are now. Besides, if you truly regretted it, you would have grabbed me by the collar already.”
She added that she simply saw no point in asking. Realizing how much she had matured, Edgar nodded with a warm smile.
“Oh, and Ed. Just as you suggested, I’ve decided to take escorts with me whenever I leave the castle from tomorrow onward.”
“That was fast.”
Contrary to his expectation that her personality would make her hesitate, the decision had come swiftly. Today’s events must have left a deep mark.
“I don’t care about my own life, but I hate the thought of losing yours. I’ve already spoken to Elfelt about it.”
“You did well. Regardless of what happens to me, it was something that needed to be done eventually.”
“B-but I still didn’t like it… I wanted to go out alone with you. Having escorts follow us around feels so inconvenient.”
When it became clear that her only real objection was having someone watch their private moments as lovers, Edgar found himself unable to laugh or cry. He simply stroked her hair.
If only he had known the true reason, he might have used a different approach. He had assumed she simply disliked feeling constrained by others, but her concern had been far sweeter than he imagined.
“Still, let’s be careful for a while. Once this is resolved, we can go alone whenever we’re not traveling far. How does that sound?”
“If it’s like that… I’d like it.”
Though the matter was already decided, offering her this small comfort was wise. It was the kind of thoughtful consideration he had cultivated over nearly twenty years at her side.
“You’re clinging to me longer than usual today. Were official duties exhausting?”
Ariel had already buried her face in his chest and showed no intention of moving. The sight was not unlike a cat demanding affection. Yet tonight Edgar did not tease her. He simply let her stay as she wished.
“Mmm… It’s not that. I was just a little scared.”
“Scared?”
“During the attack earlier. The moment I realized they were only targeting you, I kept thinking… what if you died?”
Ariel knew Edgar’s strength and her own abilities. Even so, she understood that a human life could be extinguished as easily as a candle in the wind. The fear that he might suddenly vanish had gripped her heart.
“Don’t worry. I’m right here, alive and well.”
As he gently patted her back, Ariel lifted her head to study his face once more. Then she gave him a quick, bird-like kiss.
Chu.
With that small, adorable sound their lips parted. She buried her face against his shoulder again, eyes shining in the quiet light.
She had missed this warmth. The sensation she had nearly lost to those worthless attackers, his gentle voice, the solid comfort of his body. She could not lose any of it. Even if heaven itself tried to take him, she would defy fate.
Just as he had protected her when they were children, now it was her turn to protect him. She wanted him to remain in this room, smiling warmly, waiting peacefully without knowing anything. She had no desire to stain his hands with the extermination of vermin.
I wish we could stay like this forever.
She wanted him to remember her only as the spoiled young noblewoman from before he knew the truth. No matter how much blood she spilled, in his heart she wished to remain the pure childhood friend she had once been.