TEWRIT 171🍒

Episode 171

Eliano opened her eyes late and let out a long yawn.

‘I’m so sleepy… should I sleep more?’

Her eyes began to close again, but the faint sound of a conversation reached her ears. She thought she heard the name “Bastian.”

Meanwhile, Flint had heard from Gilbert that Jane was busy dealing with Bastian’s tantrum. Flint nodded.

“Next time, have Lady Eliza deal with Bastian. Tell her to fulfill her duties as a maid.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Gilbert chuckled and closed the door. Flint walked over to the bed and smiled thinly at the sight of Eliano waking up with messy hair. Her green eyes were full of sleep. Flint tucked her back in and whispered.

“Sleep more. You must be tired.”

The man who had kept her awake all night looked remarkably shameless.

“But if Gilbert came all this way, something must have happened… I thought I heard Bastian’s name…”

“You misheard.”

Flint spoke brazenly and coaxed Eliano back to sleep. Eliano blinked her sleepy eyes. He smelled fresh, as if he had just washed. Because she was truly exhausted, she fell fast asleep again.

Listening to her steady breathing, Flint slipped under the covers. He moved to hug her as usual but suddenly froze. Since she wasn’t wearing a single stitch of clothing, he could feel her soft skin vividly.

He looked troubled for a moment before quickly scrambling out of bed. Cursing himself for feeling desire toward a sleeping person, Flint went back into the bathroom.

Eliano finally woke up properly a few hours later. Looking at the empty bed, she hugged her pillow. Looking at the window, she saw the sun high in the sky.

She had dismissed it earlier in her sleep, but it seemed Bastian was indeed causing a scene. What was he complaining about now? Surely he wasn’t fighting with Flint?

Recalling the events of last night, Eliano let out a deep sigh. Flint’s words haunted her again. All night, he had held her and whispered that he loved her. But she couldn’t stop thinking about what he had said in the basement.

“I didn’t know loving you would be this hard. If I had known…”

What had he intended to say after that?

‘If he had known… he would have said he wouldn’t have loved me, right?’

Contextually, that made sense. Eliano felt that even she would dislike a person like herself. She was so selfish. In her previous life, Marcel had said similar things whenever they fought.

— You need to know that I only put up with this because I love you. If I could turn back time, I would never be swayed by your tears. I wouldn’t even fall for you!

Eliano cursed and threw a pillow. Just thinking about it made her angry. He was the one who fell for her, so why take it out on her? Who asked to be loved?

Was Flint thinking the same thing as Marcel? Eliano’s face turned gloomy.

Marcel was a man who had poured out passionate confessions, promising to love her forever. Those feelings hadn’t been fake. Yet even a man like that grew to hate her once she started touching politics, claiming she was invading his territory.

Yesterday’s clash with Flint happened because Eliano had dipped her toes into politics. Furthermore, she had conspired with Prince Valdemar, a man Flint clearly loathed.

Should she stop if she wanted to avoid being hated by Flint?

But Eliano couldn’t stop if she wanted to survive. First and foremost, her husband’s position had to be secure for her to live in peace. By marrying her, a Lady of Rosana, he already had to carry a heavy burden. Eliano couldn’t just sit idly by. Since she was a variable that had entered his life, she felt she had to take some responsibility.

Actually, she hadn’t known Flint’s situation would be this complicated. If she had known…

Eliano chuckled. She still would have chosen him. At first, she wanted him for his future—the man who would destroy the House of Rosana. But there was another, more decisive reason she chose him as her husband.

She couldn’t forget the unwavering look in his eyes from her previous life. The way his eyes moved her when he had secretly snuck into the Empress’s palace in Jacador to offer her a way home and a promise of peace.

When Eliano pulled the bell cord, Lina hurried in to help her to the bathroom. Steam was rising from a bathtub filled with hot water.

“When did you prepare this?”

“The Duke told us to prepare a bath so you could use it as soon as you woke up. He said you would be very tired…”

At those words, memories of last night flooded back, and Eliano’s face flushed. Lina remembered Flint’s words and relayed them exactly.

“The Duke has gone out to help with the relief efforts for the people. He said he hoped you wouldn’t be upset that he was absent when you woke up.”

“How thoughtful…”

“He did say, however, that more conversation is needed regarding yesterday’s matter.”

Eliano sighed at Lina’s added remark. Right. There was no way he would just let it go.

“I think the Duke has also noticed my true identity,” Lina muttered with a dark face.

The moment she had been summoned by Flint, she had seen him threatening Max. At that time, Flint had taken a magic communication device from Max and was activating it.

The figure appearing in the crystal ball was Astin, who had recovered a device from Valdemar. Flint glanced at Lina once and spoke coldly to Astin.

“Another life I saved last night has arrived. Make it worth the price of three lives.”

Those three lives meant the assassin Sauveur, Max, and Lina.

Flint’s eyes were so full of murderous intent it looked like he might smash the crystal ball at any moment. Max and Lina trembled, fearing Astin would abandon them. Fortunately, Astin was not entirely without honor.

— You already know everything, so what more do you want to know? Should I even bring Lord Valdemar here?

— I don’t need that bastard. Just tell me what she wanted!

At that moment, Valdemar suddenly appeared behind Astin. Flint’s expression turned hideous. Valdemar, wearing a loosely draped robe, had a languid face.

“Your wife wanted my brother’s death. Unlike you, she supports me. Astin and I are busy having fun, so hang up. How rude.”

When the connection cut off, Flint threw the crystal ball. Looking at the shattered glass, Max let out a silent scream.

Lina couldn’t tell Eliano about this because she was under a gag order from Flint. She was mentally exhausted from Flint’s interrogation.

Unfortunately for Flint, Lina and Max didn’t know much. The cooperative relationship between Astin and Valdemar was only known to a few at the top of the guild, and those two weren’t at that level. Therefore, Flint was unable to learn the specific details of the deal between Eliano and Valdemar.

“What is Prince Bastian doing?”

At Eliano’s question, Lina snapped back to reality and replied.

“He is having a conversation with Lady Eliza.”

“Eliza must be suffering. Where is Jane?”

“She is with Viscount Jimenez. I believe they are discussing relief supplies.”

As soon as she finished her bath, Eliano went to the dressing room. The maids worked quickly. They knew Prince Bastian was waiting anxiously to meet the Duchess.

“Your Highness, the Duchess has arrived.”

At the secretary’s words, Eliza’s face brightened. The Second Prince of Jacador talked too much! Furthermore, his words were nothing but complaints and grumbles; she was sick of it.

“Duchess Howard! Please, come in. I’ve been waiting so long for you!”

Contrary to Bastian’s impatience, Eliano entered very gracefully. As soon as she sat down, Bastian began to protest. Eliza quickly bowed and left the drawing room.

“You heard the news from last night. If the Duke had accepted my request to hand over the assassin immediately, we would have made that wretch open his mouth even if we had to kill him!”

If the Howard knights couldn’t make him talk, how could you? Eliano replied indifferently.

“I didn’t know your delegation included a torture expert.”

“Duchess, those assassins dared to target my life—a member of the Imperial family! Moreover, my brother almost died!”

As soon as Emperor Alexander of Jacador learned that Marcel had nearly died, he ordered his return. Along with the statement that the role of deputy head of the delegation was too much for him, a generous order was given to leave everything to his older brother and come home. Marcel had no choice but to return, unable to disobey his father’s worried command.

“Thanks to that, Your Highness survived. Because your brother acted as a shield.”

Bastian faltered at Eliano’s words. He hadn’t even thanked Eliano for saving his life yet.

“Ah, yes. Thank you for saving me back then.”

Bastian spoke with a voice that was slightly embarrassed but full of sincerity.

“It was truly a wonderful judgment. I was impressed by your wit. Of course, my life is more valuable than Marcel’s.”

If Marcel had heard that, he would have grabbed his own neck in fury. But Marcel wasn’t here, so no one interrupted their conversation.

“Of course. You are someone who will do great things in the future. Anyone would have made that decision.”

Bastian’s eyes sparkled at Eliano’s kind words. The Princes of Jacador, who eyed the throne, were very weak to this kind of flattery. Bastian said with a wide smile.

“You truly understand the flow of power. You are very clever.”

The political situation of the Great Empire of Jacador was a topic of interest for every country on the continent. Although the competition for the throne was still moving quietly beneath the surface, many countries were carefully predicting the next Emperor and preparing for the future.

The only exception was the Vianteca Empire, where peaceful succession had continued for generations. Vianteca considered Jacador’s bloody competition for the throne to be vulgar. Perhaps because of that, whenever the competition in Jacador intensified, they took delight in criticizing the behavior.

Therefore, Bastian was extremely pleased by the words of Eliano, a citizen of Vianteca. To think a high-ranking noble of Vianteca, and the Duchess of Howard at that, viewed him as the next Emperor! Is she supporting me?!

The Duchess’s beautiful and gentle face seemed full of goodwill. At least, that’s how it looked to Bastian. He spoke freely.

“So, Duchess. Why don’t we stop this business of attaching Lady Eliza to me? Since you saved my life, I’ll tell you something special. I made a promise to my wife. I won’t take another wife until I ascend to the throne.”

An idea flashed through Eliano’s mind. Was there any need to use only one blade to remove Marcel? Bastian, standing right in front of her, was also an excellent blade.

Eliano spoke meaningfully.

“You may have gained the support of the military by marrying the daughter of Marquis Waldheim… but you made too big a promise. There is so much a man can gain through marriage. Even the First Prince, Valdemar, has married twice.”

Bastian clicked his tongue. Valdemar had one primary wife and one secondary wife. And their families were supporting Valdemar with their lives. Since Valdemar’s primary wife had already given birth to a son, the First Prince was well-equipped as a successor.

In comparison, Bastian had no sons and only three daughters. However, he lifted his chin and said.

“Hmph. I have no intention of having many maternal relatives.”

Eliano scoffed inwardly. Marcel had said the same thing at first. But he changed after ascending the throne.

“Shall I tell you a good way to seize victory? I’m curious why you aren’t using the best method available.”

Bastian pricked up his ears at Eliano’s words.

“What is it?”