Chapter 18
The two of them arrived at the imperial palace and decided to part ways at the fork in the road leading to the knights’ dormitory.
No matter that they were a married couple, the knights’ dormitory was a restricted area where outsiders could not enter for security reasons.
Clyde glanced at the large bag beside Beatrice and raised one eyebrow.
“So you’re really going to split here and go to the Neuria Palace alone?”
“Ah, yeah.”
“Why don’t you just come with me? You’ve got luggage too.”
“It’s fine. When we were checked at the palace entrance, I already contacted Lady Kaya. She knew I had luggage and said she’d come to the bridge square.”
“Then we can just split there. Let’s go.”
At Clyde’s words, Beatrice looked at him like she couldn’t believe he was serious.
From where they were standing, the bridge was only a stone’s throw away.
Before Beatrice could even respond, Clyde grabbed her bag and started walking.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”
“I am, I am.”
Well, nothing would be exposed just because they parted ways there anyway.
To be honest, Beatrice felt a small sense of gratitude toward her second brother, who had completely overturned the situation for her.
Thanks to him, she no longer had to stay in tense confrontation with perceptive Clyde, and tomorrow’s plan was also no longer at risk.
‘I was worried about how to time everything if my family came to see Clyde off with me.’
And not just that.
She had even imagined her family insisting on escorting her all the way to her meeting place with her “friends.”
‘And then we’d keep arguing and end up running out of time and everything would be over before it even started….’
“Bia.”
“…Ah, huh?”
“What are you thinking about so seriously?”
“Ah, no… I was just imagining what would’ve happened tomorrow if we hadn’t run off to the palace…”
“Ah. That. Well… probably exactly what you’re imagining.”
Clyde answered briefly as if he understood.
Then, he slowed his pace slightly to match Beatrice’s steps.
He created a half-step distance—close enough to hear each other clearly, but far enough to hide their expressions.
Lowering his voice, he said,
“We can’t really talk about it properly here… I’ll tell you everything when we get back.”
“…What?”
Beatrice tilted her head in confusion.
Clyde looked at her as if she had already forgotten everything.
Then he quickly clarified.
“That thing. The thing where you grabbed my collar and forced me to explain.”
“Oh.”
“Damn, I’m too honest for my own good. If I’d just ignored it, you probably would’ve forgotten.”
“What are you talking about.”
Beatrice instinctively lifted her fist to punch his side, but instead only raised her chin proudly as if she were being generous.
“Fine. Do that. I’ll wait that long.”
“…You’re being unusually obedient. I thought you’d complain about not knowing when I’ll leave or come back.”
Because she wasn’t planning to wait anyway.
“And you were also annoyed before because I told you not to come to the Downer marquessate.”
Not anymore. She had already made her own arrangements.
But she obviously couldn’t say that.
Beatrice raised her brows and shot him a sharp look.
“Who are you calling childish, seriously? Am I a kid? I was being considerate and you—!”
“Ah, alright, alright.”
“And I’m busy too. I told you I’m doing research with Her Majesty the Empress. I’ll be leaving early, so I can’t even see you off tomorrow.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I’m telling you in advance so you don’t get all pouty like some stingy husband who came all the way to my house because he felt neglected.”
“That’s quite an honor.”
As they exchanged teasing remarks affectionately, they soon reached the bridge leading to the central palace.
Waiting there was Kaya, the head maid of the Empress’s palace. She lifted her skirt slightly in greeting.
Clyde returned a light nod with his eyes and looked at Beatrice.
“Then this is goodbye for a while.”
“…Yeah, I guess.”
“……”
A brief silence fell.
Time, relationship, circumstance—all of it felt different, and yet this moment strangely reminded them of the past.
Of when Beatrice, after the Hartwell count family’s estate had burned down, had been taken in by the duke’s house and saw him off like this.
In that moment, Clyde stepped forward and pulled her into his arms without hesitation.
Beatrice stiffened at his sudden action.
“…Hey, you bastard, are you doing this because I got you earlier?”
“Yeah.”
“Ugh, you’re so petty…!”
“Just realized? I plan to win the bet quickly and make you do whatever I want.”
“Hey.”
As Beatrice struggled in his arms, a quiet whisper fell near her ear.
“It won’t take long this time.”
“……”
That was all.
Beatrice hesitated, then lightly grabbed the edge of his clothes with her fingertips.
Hugging back felt too embarrassing, and pulling away felt strangely wrong.
After a few seconds, Clyde released her naturally and stepped back.
“Alright. Go on.”
“Huh? Wait, what do you mean ‘alright’?”
“A proper newlywed farewell. You’re facing away, so you don’t see it, but Lady Kaya’s expression is something else.”
…Kaya?
‘Ah.’
Beatrice blinked, returning to reality.
She cleared her throat and lightly punched Clyde’s shoulder.
It was just to hide how awkward she suddenly felt.
“…Seriously. Say things like that first.”
“You’ve been telling me to get used to it for a while now, darling.”
“Stop messing around. I’m leaving.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t embarrass me as a regressor, alright? Behave yourself. I’m watching you.”
“And how exactly are you watching me, honey? With the power of love?”
“Ugh, that’s not what I meant! You always twist everything!”
Beatrice spun around and marched off.
Not saying a proper farewell didn’t matter. That was just how they were.
The real important matter was…
‘Phew, that was close at the end! Can I really not get caught? Maybe avoiding him is the best option! Should I ask Her Majesty for a map of the marquessate?’
She was thinking about how to avoid Clyde Dalton entirely in the Downer marquessate.
To be honest, she had briefly—just for about three seconds—considered telling him the truth.
Since Clyde said he would explain things properly, maybe she should too.
But…
‘…It’s Clyde Dalton, though.’
There was a reason they were so perceptive with each other.
They had been tricking and being tricked by each other since childhood.
They had even used each other’s names to get extra allowance from their parents, and thrown each other under the bus in emergencies.
‘I did say we should trust each other, but what if he only tells me part of it again?’
Like at the masquerade.
So she decided it was only fair she got to investigate on her own terms too.
‘If you’re mad, you should’ve behaved better in the first place!’
With that self-justification, she headed toward the Empress’s palace with the head maid.
She needed rest.
For tomorrow.
Meanwhile
“Alright, since there are many people, servants should gather according to their departments!”
“Kitchen staff to the left, attendants and maids to the center…!”
…Maybe I worried too much?
With so many people here, I probably don’t even need to try hard to avoid being seen.
Beatrice, who had already joined early thanks to staying in the Empress’s palace, scratched her cheek while watching the busy crowd through the carriage window.
She was confident she wouldn’t recognize anyone even if someone she knew was mixed in.
“Ah, Bia… no, Lady Ria. Is something bothering you?”
At the question from Naod, the head maid of the Crown Prince’s palace, Beatrice quickly shook her head.
“No, it’s just more crowded than I expected.”
“Ah… yes, that’s true.”
Sensing her concern, Naod leaned in slightly and whispered,
“The Crown Prince and Lord Clyde will be moving with the main unit. You won’t meet them, so please feel at ease until we reach the marquessate.”
“Oh…”
That was reassuring. Beatrice relaxed her stiff shoulders and sat back comfortably.
But as the saying goes—plans exist so they can be revised.
Knock knock.
“Lady Naod.”
“Yes?”
“The Crown Prince has called an emergency meeting. There seems to be a problem at the entrance to the marquessate.”
A variable had appeared after all.
