Chapter 28 Invitation (3)
Invitation (3)
Her mind was in turmoil.
What on earth did it mean to bring down the Imperial House? And why would someone who called herself a princess cooperate with such treasonous acts?
The fact that she hadn't anticipated even a fraction of Abel's involvement in such plans made her head throb even more.
Adel closed her eyes tightly for a moment.
First, she needed to focus solely on the question at hand.
"Are you truly on Abel's side?"
The intention behind the question was simple. It was essentially asking whether she could cooperate in rebelling against the Imperial House.
She could have lied to get out of the situation, but she doubted the princess would be satisfied with such smooth-tongued deception.
Above all, this meeting was shrouded in secrecy.
A clandestine encounter arranged late at night, complete with a disguised carriage—every precaution had been taken to ensure discretion.
The princess had likely gone through all this trouble just to ask this very question.
'Lies won't work here.'
Her regressor's intuition warned her.
If she lied now, she might die. She had never imagined that the place she had come to so casually would turn out to be a tiger's den.
It seemed her recent lack of deaths and regressions had made her mental state dangerously lax.
"My patience isn't that deep," the princess said with a faint smile.
Yet behind that smile lurked a chilling coldness. This wasn't the time to get lost in regretful thoughts.
She had to answer the princess's question with complete sincerity.
'What is my true answer?'
Did she trust Abel enough to stand by his side?
She didn't know much about him.
A ruthless man who saw others as mere tools to fulfill his own goals.
Yet at the same time, someone who teased her playfully whenever he got the chance.
The man who had saved her from death and then scolded her. Though their engagement was bound by contract, he had faithfully played his role and helped her.
If he was planning to overthrow the Imperial House, there must be a reason. And if she could fully understand that reason, she would gladly cooperate with him.
It wasn't unconditional trust—it couldn't be, nor should it be.
But for now, that was enough.
"It depends on the reason."
"...The reason?" The princess tilted her head, prompting her to continue.
Adel steadied her trembling hands and went on.
"Yes. If I can understand why he wants to bring down the Imperial House..."
She nodded resolutely.
"Then I'll stand by Abel's side."
The princess stared intently at Adel's face, her piercing gaze as if trying to see straight through her. Adel felt an instinctive sense of rejection under that scrutiny.
But she didn't look away. The princess chuckled softly at her response.
"Not a perfect score... but you pass."
"Pass?"
"If you had lied just now..."
The air grew unnervingly cold. A faint, murderous aura manifested around the princess.
Dark blades, as if materialized from the princess's very will, hovered ominously around her.
It was less like magic and more akin to a curse.
Had she lied, those blades might have pierced her throat. The thought sent a shiver down Adel's spine, and she instinctively rubbed her arms.
"Well, it's a good thing you didn't lie."
"So it was a test?"
"Yes. I despise lies more than anything."
With a flick of her wrist, the dark blades dissipated. Adel inwardly sighed in relief, confirming her judgment had been correct.
The princess rested her chin on her hand, studying her.
"Are you curious about why Abel wants to overthrow the Imperial House?"
"Yes. My cooperation depends on his reasons."
Despite her trembling, Adel spoke firmly. The princess watched her with interest, as if amused by her determination to maintain control even in this situation.
Her earlier answer had been bold in more ways than one.
"That's a relief. Then you needn't worry."
At the very least, the princess no longer had to fear that Adel wouldn't cooperate.
Once Adel saw the countless atrocities and rivers of blood the Imperial House had spilled throughout history...
She would realize there were more than enough reasons for its downfall.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Hmm."
The princess smiled meaningfully.
"I won't tell you. After all, I might be lying to lure you in, right?"
Adel frowned at what was essentially a warning not to trust her. She couldn't fathom why the princess would say such a thing.
Whether she knew the girl's thoughts or not, the princess slowly continued speaking.
"Find out the truth about the Imperial House for yourself. You could consider this your next test."
"...Understood."
Adel rose to her feet as she answered.
"Leaving already?"
The princess asked, sounding almost regretful.
"Yes. As Your Highness said, I must uncover the truth myself."
"What a shame. I was hoping to converse a little longer—it's been so long since we last spoke."
Muttering to herself, the princess fell briefly into thought.
"Ah, wouldn't you like to know more about Abel?"
"Not particularly..."
Adel shook her head in denial, and the princess grinned slyly.
"For example, his taste in underwear..."
"It was a pleasure speaking with you."
Thud!
"Oh my. She's gone."
Watching the girl storm out after slamming the door shut, the princess chuckled. It had just been a joke—she hadn't expected such an easy fluster.
Unlike that Abel, this one seemed delightfully naive, fun to tease.
'Seems she does have some affection for him.'
Otherwise, she wouldn't have reacted so strongly. Whether Abel felt the same remained a mystery.
Then again, it was hard to imagine someone like Abel ever falling in love.
'...Things are getting interesting.'
§
A night bathed in faint moonlight.
At the heart of the Rose Garden, where white and crimson lights mingled into an enigmatic glow.
Resting a teacup lightly on the table, Adel leaned back against the chair.
Though a chill lingered in the air, the fur coat draped over her shoulders kept the cold at bay.
As always, it was a solitary tea time.
"Sigh..."
She tried to soothe her tangled thoughts with warm tea. When she opened her eyes slightly, she noticed Lily fidgeting beside her.
Come to think of it, Lily had been there the whole time. Lost in thought, Adel's memory of it was hazy.
"Um, Lady Adel... If I may..."
"What is it, Lily?"
The maid hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly.
"If you're troubled by something... I may not be able to help, but I can stay by your side. You can take a moment to breathe."
"...Thank you."
Adel smiled weakly and stroked Lily's hair. The silken texture, no less smooth than her own, seemed to loosen some of the knots in her mind.
Just as she was regaining her composure, movement caught her attention from the garden's entrance.
'...Abel?'
"I—I should go now!"
Lily hastily stepped back, then leaned in again to whisper, Have a good time, before quickly retreating.
After bowing to Abel, she hurried out of the garden.
"You seem close with your maid."
"Yes. She takes good care of me."
"...I see."
He sank into the opposite chair with a tired exhale, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as if ready to sleep. Then, he spoke.
"You seem troubled."
"I am. There's a lot on my mind."
'Thanks to someone.'
Rebellion against the Imperial House, its secrets, Abel's reasons for treason—countless pieces of information floated in her mind like buoys, stirring chaos. Whether he sensed her thoughts or not, he remained silent, eyes shut.
Part of her wanted to ask him directly, but she held back.
Even if she knew little of medieval customs, she understood how dangerous it was to speak carelessly of treason against the crown.
More importantly, he hadn't outright confessed his rebellion to her.
'He still doesn't trust me enough.'
So unless he broached the subject first, she wouldn't either.
"If you ever need to talk, you can always—"
Before she could finish, Abel drifted into sleep, leaving her momentarily stunned. His face slightly scrunched, he leaned against the chairback, already lost to slumber.
Only then did she notice the dark circles beneath his eyes.
'...He looks exhausted.'
Come to think of it, he'd been pushing himself lately, buried in paperwork. Had it finally caught up to him? He must have been utterly drained to fall asleep the moment he sat down.
And yet, he'd come to the garden in the dead of night just to comfort her.
Truly, he was a man who showed kindness in the most confusing ways.
With a sigh, she removed her coat and draped it over him. The fur-lined garment would keep him from shivering through the night.
His slightly furrowed brow relaxed.
'That's better.'
In every sense, he was someone she couldn't just ignore.