Assassination Attempt
"Very good, Daniela. Thank you so much."
"Is this what you wanted?"
Wink—to the smiling Daniela, I could only express my gratitude.
I needed a justification. Anything that could properly bridge the North and South would do.
The pretext of protecting Daniela and helping them was rock-solid. Plus, the other nobles wouldn't have any room to meddle. "The North is dangerous," "No reason to let her travel there"—all that nonsense would vanish before a strong justification like this.
Daniela was in the North. It wasn't just about marriage; her mere presence there would silence everyone.
We needed a market, influence in the South. And the Bart family needed backers to replace the imperial family. A win-win, you could say.
"You okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"Right now. The Bart family, the Crown Prince, all that."
I was worried. Even if we were boosting her spirits, if Daniela couldn't pull it off, I would have backed off.
We returned to Daniela's room. She'd naturally guided us there already.
Leor was standing guard at the door, ensuring no one entered.
"Doesn't the black outfit suit you well?"
"Eh? Yeah, black suits you. Wear it more often from now on."
"I should thank my brother for that."
Daniela's brother. First I'd heard of him. The one who'd died young, the Bart family's second son who never even made it to the Imperial Academy.
I didn't pry into the reason. But that outfit had helped save Daniela. Though she'd saved herself, really.
Daniela sat back down beside me. By the bedside, she laid her hand over mine. A few seconds of eye contact. Her blue eyes brimmed with sincerity—I could feel it.
We'd gained a lot.
"And you too, Grand Duke."
"Me?"
"Of course. You landed a solid hit. There's only one person here who could pull that off, right?"
I nodded. Felt a bit embarrassed for no reason. Scratching Cartina de Bosch had been satisfying, but it felt like revenge on the Crown Prince too. Daniela's eyes were saying as much.
"So, feeling refreshed now?"
"Thank you, Grand Duke."
"I had something I wanted to ask, but it looks like I don't need to anymore."
"What?"
"If you wanted, I was gonna leave you here. This is your home, after all?"
Daniela nodded. After just over a month, she couldn't fully call the North "home" yet.
But now, I couldn't leave her behind. At least the timing was off.
"No choice, then, Grand Duke."
"Yeah. Looks like I'll have to take you North."
"Really?"
The mood turned a little strange. Like she'd already let go of the South.
I couldn't ask for details. Her actions had already told me everything. Short blonde hair, pants, black outfit—anyone could see she was tied to the Northern Grand Duke.
I didn't want to ruin her humming, happy mood either.
"Grand Duke."
"Yeah?"
"The Bart family has beautiful flowers. Want to go see?"
"Flowers? Sounds great."
Daniela stood first, tugging me along slowly.
Opening the door, Leor glanced back in surprise.
Even as we walked the corridor, Daniela didn't let go of my hand. Her warmth seeped right through. Northern hands were always cold. Nothing to do with the weather. Hands gripping cold steel or desperately clinging to something felt that way inevitably. Not a physical issue. Just... warm.
"Wh-where are you going, Your Highness!"
"Just out for a bit."
"I-I'll accompany you, Your Highness."
"Don't be so oblivious."
I grinned as I said it. But Leor stubbornly trailed us anyway. From a very distant spot.
It was a signal not to be seen, but Leor had no choice but to nod.
The flower garden. Daniela said the Imperial Palace had an even bigger one, blooming year-round in eternal green.
The garden stretched right behind the Bart family castle. Not huge, but filled with flowers unseen in the North.
"So warm that flowers bloom even in winter, huh."
"Well... truth is, we bought expensive magic stones and did some post-processing."
"Ruins the magic, Daniela."
"But they're pretty, right?"
Daniela and I strolled the garden. It brimmed with flowers of every color. Definitely more beautiful than the North. In this moment, at least.
The loveliest were the violets. Tiny purple petals, so pretty. I lingered in front of them for ages. Pretty enough to want to take back North—modestly blooming.
Daniela skipped about the garden. Night had deepened; it should have been pitch black. But moonlight chased away every shadow.
"Staring awfully long."
"Yeah, they're pretty."
"Didn't expect you to be so sentimental."
"If I weren't the Grand Duke, I'd have gone into art like Cartina."
"Doesn't suit your face, Grand Duke."
Flinch—Northerners aren't emotionless. The environment just made us that way. Now with the Central Forge Reactor running, our streets overflowed with artistry. Even if we were teetering on bankruptcy.
"You said I was gentle before?"
"Your heart?"
"Unexpected for a Northerner?"
"For anyone on this continent."
We walked the garden slowly again. Till midnight passed, I watched Daniela reveling amid the blooms. Petals scattered in her footsteps.
Good thing I'd brought her. A poem might even strike sometime. That fluttering violet of a woman, knocking on my heart with a thud. Ah, first love.
"Y-Your Highness, the night is far too late now."
"Mood was perfect. Why ruin it."
"I-I know, but you must return North tomorrow..."
"Fine, fine. Just a bit longer. Ah, and Leor..."
That night ended like that.
Midnight. An ominous metallic clang echoed.
The Bart family's security was laughably lax. Too many people around the Crown Prince had spread the guards thin.
Seizing the gap in the Crown Prince's protection, someone scaled the castle wall unseen.
Daniela's room wasn't high up, making entry from the window child's play.
Narrow room. A figure lay sleeping.
The black-masked man crept cautiously to the bedside. The dagger from his bosom was coated in poison. A mere graze meant death.
No need to confirm the target. Orders were to kill anyone.
Man, woman—it didn't matter. Just stab with the dagger, claim unimaginable wealth.
He edged to the bed. Certain he'd made no sound.
Stab anywhere, and this person was done for.
As he carefully drew and raised the dagger...
"The Grand Duke's words are never wrong."
An arm shot from the blankets. It was Leor, seizing the assassin's hand at the bedside.
The dagger plunged into Leor, but to no effect. The leather armor he wore—Grand Duke's orders, just in case.
They'd surely use tricks beyond a simple stab. And by placing the elite guards upfront, they'd lured the assassin into thinking the Grand Duke and Daniela were there.
Leor smashed the assassin's head.
The assassin flailed once, twice, aiming for gaps in the leather. The whoosh of air slicing filled the room.
He had to escape. Northern elite guards were flooding in at the noise.
Resistance was futile. Leor had to be careful, but the armored guards were untouchable.
Soon, the assassin was pinned.
Leor whispered to him. Begging the Grand Duke for life wouldn't help—the assassin would never see him.
"I won't ask where you're from."
"Sp-spare me, Your Highness!"
"Won't ask who sent you either. But this crime demands your life."
"Your Highness! I truly didn't know! They said just stab with the dagger for money! Please, spare me, Your Highness!"
The door shut.
"The world has all sorts of things. Rare, but they happen."
"An assassin really coming tonight?"
"Who knows. If one does, Leor won't sleep."
The elite guards' quarters. Where they took shifts resting—but in Bart territory, it felt like the most secure spot under Northern influence.
Inconvenient for them, but they'd given up a noble lady's room, so they'd make do.
"The Crown Prince pulling something like that..."
"Not him—the Bosch bitch probably orchestrated it. If an assassin shows."
"Do they hate us that much? I don't think..."
Some people just can't stomach being slighted. And Cartina de Bosch, that Bosch bitch, was surely the type. My guess, anyway.
"Won't matter. Don't worry."
It'd all be fine.