Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Rescuing Duchess Elena (1)
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...
It's strange.
I'd thought a letter from Elena would arrive by now, but no word had come.
I'd been waiting patiently, not wanting to seem pushy by sending one myself... but three months passing without any news felt off.
"Your Highness."
"...Yes. Any word from Elena?"
"Not yet."
"Haa. Have the Shadows look into it... No, if I do that and her little brother finds out and clings to her..."
"...Your Highness, first, allow me to apologize for disobeying your orders. I have something to report."
"...What is it."
I hesitated slightly before nodding. If Hadi had disobeyed me, it must have been for a damn good reason.
"Against your orders not to monitor Lady Rozier or Young Lord Rinel, I dispatched a few informants into the Rozier territory."
"...And?"
"Rather than infiltrating the mansion directly where they might be noticed, we gathered information from within the territory itself. We've confirmed that Lady Rozier hasn't left the mansion once in the past three months."
"...That doesn't seem so unusual. A noble lady of just twelve staying inside her home."
"No, Your Highness. She usually goes out once or twice a month on pretext of territory inspections to gather magic books or potion ingredients. She's built rapport with the locals that way."
"...That sounds like Elena. So, the territory folk think it's odd she hasn't gone out in nearly three months?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
...Three months since she left for her mana aptitude test, with no letter.
And her territory inspections stopped around three months ago too.
"Even if it makes me seem impatient, we need to get a read on the situation."
Having made that call, a week passed since I sent the letter arranging to meet Elena.
What came back from the Rozier mansion was a single, coldly formal reply.
「I apologize, Your Highness Prince Cedric. I'm quite busy for the foreseeable future and won't be able to meet. Please correspond by letter for the time being.」
"...Hadi."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"We're heading to Rozier territory right now. Make up a suitable reason."
"...Understood."
The moment I read that reply, I knew I couldn't rely on endless waiting.
The letter from Elena—no, from her mansion—was written in handwriting utterly unlike any she'd sent before.
"...I didn't expect such a sudden visit, Your Highness Prince Cedric."
"I happened to be passing nearby, Duke Rozier. I couldn't resist detouring to see Elena's face."
"...I see, Your Highness."
His expression was as coldly impassive as ever, but his eyes trembled oddly.
That reaction alone confirmed he was hiding something. And it involved Elena.
"Speaking of which, is Elena busy right now? She'd usually be the first to greet me."
"I apologize, Your Highness, but she's under house arrest and can't meet you."
"...What does that mean?"
"I can't go into details. It's a family matter."
"...I see."
The duke delivered his firm refusal with unyielding resolve.
I'd never been fond of him to begin with... and lately, he'd only grown more disagreeable.
'Come to think of it, Elena once mentioned the "original" version of her had a nasty personality.'
That he'd torment Rinel, planting seeds of mistrust toward women.
I wasn't sure of the details, but growing up under a father like this might twist anyone.
I didn't know why Elena was under house arrest, but it surely wasn't her fault. Knowing the future as she did, she'd never commit an offense warranting such punishment.
Probably some misunderstanding. Not that I could persuade the duke without knowing more.
"Even under house arrest, can't you let her fiancé see her face once?"
"I apologize, Your Highness Prince Cedric. If you have words for Elena, I can pass them by letter instead."
"No need. It's nothing that important."
...Even if I sent a letter, it probably wouldn't reach her.
Someone else would write the reply again, like last time. No point asking.
"Instead, may I impose on the Rozier household for a night's stay? The journey was long; the horses need rest."
"...Of course."
...Which meant starting my search for Elena from within the mansion.
Whether I could take her back to the palace would come later.
That evening, after arriving at the Rozier mansion to find Elena.
I wanted nothing more than to locate her and rush back to the palace, but it proved harder than expected.
'The surveillance is tight. They know I'm lingering to search for her.'
Duke Rozier was sharp enough for that.
Whenever I probed suspicious spots, servants or the duke himself intervened. Investigation was tough.
I hadn't even seen Elena's room. ...My gut said she wasn't there anyway.
'If she had any way to contact me, she'd have used it by now.'
Recalling her expression when I invited her to the palace last time—she hadn't seemed opposed.
I had Hadi and the escorts search discreetly too, suspecting it wasn't just me under watch. No results.
"...Hoo, damn it."
This stifled frustration was a new feeling.
If I could just meet her once, things would fall into place after that.
I'd scoured everywhere a guest might go, but Elena was nowhere.
'Maybe she's not in the mansion at all.'
Exile to a rural estate wasn't unheard of for house arrest. Elena probably wouldn't mind.
But I couldn't ransack every Rozier branch on suspicion alone. No pretext or justification.
'Should've just summoned her to the palace that day.'
Mana aptitude tests could be done there easily.
As I pondered if she'd gotten tangled in something needless, a knock came from beyond the door.
-Knock knock.
"Come in."
-Creak.
"...Huh?"
I'd assumed it was Hadi and let them in without suspicion—but it wasn't.
"Wow, Your Highness."
"...Rinel."
Black hair, red eyes.
Elena’s stepbrother and Rozier heir, Rinel Rozier.
His face was unusually shadowed without his sister nearby.
"What brings you here at this hour?"
"Your Highness... did you come looking for my sister...?"
"...Yes."
He was Rozier blood, so suspicion flickered—but he was just eleven.
Better to be honest. He might even help find her.
"Uh, where Sister Elena is... Ah, I'll tell you..."
"You know?"
"...Yes."
...Hard to say.
Probably not a trap, but who knew.
Smarter than most boys his age, already wielding dark magic with his immense aptitude.
"What do you want?"
"I-I'll tell you where Sister Elena is. So, Your Highness..."
"...?"
"Please take Sister Elena to the palace."
"...That's all?"
"Yes. Th-that's... all I want."
Following Rinel led to a warehouse behind the mansion.
Locked with a dark mana mechanism.
With few who could wield dark mana, only the Rozier family could open it.
-Rumble.
"...Is Elena really inside?"
"...Yes."
Rinel nodded, his face still uneasy.
Regrettably, I couldn't bring Hadi. Someone had to cover my brief absence from the bedroom.
I could cast enough magic to protect myself anyway; I'd manage if trouble arose.
"It was around here... Just a moment..."
He led me deep into the warehouse, then channeled mana into the floor again.
-Click, grind.
"...!"
Soon, the floor parted, revealing stairs downward. My head began to ache.
...If Duke Rozier had confined Elena here, I wouldn't contain my rage.
"It's dark. Mind if I light it?"
"...It's fine once we're underground."
We descended the dimming stairs. At the bottom, I conjured a small fireball to illuminate.
Now I saw what darkness had hidden: a scene that hit all at once.
"...!"
A prison for criminals? Or the Rozier family's dungeon?
Beyond cells with iron bars, deeper in, a familiar figure appeared.
"S-Sister Elena..."
"Rinel, I told you not to keep coming here. What if Father finds out?"
"...Elena."
"...Ah."
She startled at my voice, turning my way.
...Seeing her again after so long brought no joy to my heart.