The Price of Saving A Wicked Beast
Translator: Rae
Bonus Chapter 2/2
Thank you Sigyun for the support! One more bonus chapter for one of my loyal readers~
***
After the necklace incident, many things changed.
Adelaide, who had lived quietly within the Crown Prince’s palace until then, began to move in earnest through high society, while Katarina, on the eve of her wedding, abruptly canceled all engagements and shut herself away in her residence.
Adelaide, who had lived quietly within the Crown Prince’s palace until then, began to move in earnest through high society, while Katarina, on the eve of her wedding, abruptly canceled all engagements and shut herself away in her residence.
Publicly, the excuse given was that the long journey from the North to the capital had left her exhausted and bedridden, but few believed it. By then, what had happened in the Glass Garden had already spread widely through society.
As if the two women’s fates had been completely reversed, the nobles began carefully watching one another, weighing which side—the Crown Prince or the Grand Duke—would be more advantageous to support.
This morning, suspicious posters were discovered throughout the streets of the zodiac. Those who had posted them had clearly waited for a night without moonlight to act.
The poster began by condemning the current emperor's incompetence and went on deny the legitimacy of the imperial family itself. The content alone was shocking enough, but there was something else that truly stunned people.
“Dame Romeo. Please confirm this.”
At Bertholdt’s words, Rose examined the posters with a tense expression. The numerous sheets spread across the table had been collected by the imperial household, but there had been too many to retrieve them all completely, Bertholdt explained.
“Dame Romeo. What do you think?”
Rose’s lips trembled. She did not want to believe it, but the seal stamped beside Viscount Romeo’s name at the bottom of the poster was unmistakably her father’s.
“It is… my family’s seal.”
Bertholdt let out a heavy sigh. A seal was a precious item possessed only by the head of a family, making it the most critical factor in determining the authenticity of letters or documents.
Pushing aside his troubled thoughts, Bertholdt turned his gaze to Killian. Killian’s expression was just as conflicted.
“Your Highness. I recommend that Dame Romeo be immediately removed from Her Highness’s escort duty.”
At Bertholdt’s words, Adelaide looked at him in shock. Noticing her gaze, Bertholdt added an explanation for her.
“You believe that Viscount Romeo could not have done this. I feel the same. However, with evidence this clear, it is impossible for Dame Romeo to continue serving as Your Highness’s guard.”
Bertholdt was right. Adelaide, who had been about to protest, closed her mouth.
It was impossible to believe, yet if even Rose could not deny it as false, it was obvious how it would appear to others. The daughter of a man accused of denying the imperial family and inciting rebellion serving as the Crown Princess’s guard was unthinkable.
“Dame Romeo.”
“I understand. I will comply.”
“This does not end with dismissal from duty. Until the count’s innocence is proven, you will be placed in custody.”
At Bertholdt’s words, Adelaide’s mouth fell open in shock.
“Wait a moment. Is that really necessary? You just said you don’t believe the count did it.”
“Precisely. Adelaide, this is to protect Dame Romeo.”
Killian continued, seeing that Adelaide did not yet understand.
“If the Viscount truly wanted to overthrow the current imperial family, there would be no need to loudly spread his name like this. He could simply march quietly on the capital with his forces.”
From the count’s perspective, there was nothing to gain from posting such notices. It was therefore more reasonable to assume they were false. Going further, one could even infer who would benefit from staging such an act.
“We don’t yet know how they obtained the Viscount’s seal, but this is the work of the North.”
Killian spoke as though there could be no other explanation. Only then did Adelaide understand his meaning.
“Could it be because of Lady Brundell’s necklace?”
“Yes. They would want to prevent the fact that it is a Serrem gemstone from becoming an issue.”
The posters bearing Count Romeo’s seal denied not only the emperor and the Crown Prince, but even Grand Duke Fabian Nachtmann. To those who believed them, it would naturally appear that even the path by which Selm gemstones reached Lady Brundell was part of Count Romeo’s scheme.
“I know Fabian well. He always sets double and triple traps.”
If he had begun to act, it would never have ended with mere posters. Bertholdt nodded beside him.
“The western border and the capital are far apart. If the North is scheming between the count and the imperial family, they will certainly reach for Sir Romeo.”
Just then, the head maid approached in haste and handed an invitation to Adelaide.
“An invitation has arrived for Your Highness from the Grand Duke.”
Everyone in the room stiffened. Adelaide opened the invitation with trembling hands.
“It says that the Marquis’ daughter has recovered her health. They intend to hold a ball to celebrate.”
The timing was uncanny, as though they had been waiting for the moment. Adelaide looked at Killian, whose expression was much the same as hers.
***
Katarina hummed to herself inside the bath.
“My Lady, are you in such good spirits?”
The nanny asked as she scattered rose petals into the bath where Katarina lay. Katarina lifted her eyes as if it were obvious.
“Of course! Do you know how many weeks it’s been already?”
What had happened in the Glass Garden had long since been erased from her mind.
“I never thought even Father would treat me that way. What’s so special about a mere necklace?”
Grumbling, Katarina slapped at the bathwater, sending it splashing everywhere. The water soaked the maids and the nanny, but no one complained.
Because of this incident, Katarina was scolded harshly by the marquis for the first time. Yet what angered her more than her father’s reprimand was Fabian’s attitude.
“That’s why he’s always lost to the Crown Prince, being so small-minded.”
"Oh, my Lady!”
The nanny looked around in alarm. Seeing her flustered only irritated Katarina further.
Her father had bowed to Fabian, who was far younger than himself, begging for forgiveness. At the sight of it, and Fabian’s cold response, Katarina’s pride was shattered.
Even if he was destined to become Grand Duke, her father was also a great noble of the North. Fabian’s unblinking indifference had long since cooled her feelings toward him.
“Let them hear if they want! I’m not afraid at all.”
It was far too late to turn back the marriage now. Just as she had no other option, neither did Fabian.
“I’m truly upset for you. You two were so close,”
One maid said, trying to placate her. Katarina scoffed.
“It was a match made for convenience from the start. That’s how political marriages are.”
A political marriage only held meaning as an alliance between families. Among high nobles, it was common to take separate lovers even while married.
Once, she had thought that a marriage with someone like Fabian might be tolerable. Now, she felt differently.
“I’m sick of it all now. The North, the capital, everything.”
After safely completing the marriage and bearing a few heirs, that would be the price of becoming Grand Duchess. After that, she intended to leave the empire entirely.
As the marquess’s only daughter, possessing immense status and wealth, she had no reason to bind herself to Fabian for life.
“If that’s how you feel, perhaps you should postpone the marriage even now—”
"Are you insane?”
Katarina laughed in disbelief.
“You expect me to watch another woman become Grand Duchess? I won’t allow that.”
Even if she no longer wanted it, she could not bear to see someone else take it. Aside from the Crown Princess, Fabian’s wife would hold the most exalted position in the empire.
“Enough talking. Bring me more rose petals. It’s been a long time since I’m attending a ball, and I’m the main attraction. You should be more attentive.”
At Katarina’s words, the maid quickly bowed. Breathing in the fragrant scent of roses, Katarina smiled in satisfaction.
***
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