Chapter 04
Raynard ordered the maids who had been waiting nearby to properly attend to Evelyn.
The maids bowed politely to Evelyn with the utmost respect.
Evelyn awkwardly accepted their greetings, trying her best not to show her discomfort.
For someone who had never been treated with respect by anyone, even receiving greetings from maids felt unfamiliar and awkward.
It was because, until now, there had never been anyone she could face while holding her head high.
However, since she was currently Princess Ophelia, she had no choice but to become accustomed to accepting others’ greetings with dignity and composure.
She could not afford to have her identity discovered over something so trivial.
“First, it would be best for you to wash and receive treatment.”
“I will prepare everything immediately.”
The moment Raynard finished speaking, the servants left to heat water.
After watching the servants move with an indifferent expression, Raynard turned his gaze back toward Evelyn.
“You seem to be badly injured.”
“I am fine.”
The pain continued to the point where she wanted to scream at any moment, but she could not show it.
Because right now, she was not the daughter of a maid.
She was Princess Ophelia.
Contrary to the rumors Evelyn had heard, the Emperor of Vite and his army were not much different from ordinary people.
They had saved Evelyn from danger at a critical moment.
Even so, the fact that Vite was Hesta’s enemy country did not change.
On top of that, if the fact that she was a fake Princess Ophelia was discovered, it would become a disaster.
“Your voice says otherwise.”
“……”
“There is a female military physician here, so do not feel uncomfortable and receive treatment properly. After that, you should rest enough.”
“I will gratefully accept your kindness.”
Thinking that repeatedly refusing would be rude, Evelyn expressed her gratitude.
The Emperor of Vite was paying much more attention to her than she had expected.
Of course, it was probably because he believed her to be Ophelia, the princess of Hesta.
After receiving her thanks with only a slight nod, Raynard quickly turned his gaze away and looked over the soldiers moving busily around them.
Evelyn also had nothing else to say, so she simply remained silent and looked around.
There was no particular topic she could bring up, yet the continued silence was extremely awkward.
Evelyn wondered if she should say something and slightly opened her mouth.
Her thoughts were entirely occupied with one thing.
If she were truly Princess Ophelia, how would she behave?
How could she avoid having her identity as a fake discovered?
Her mind was filled with such thoughts.
“The preparations for bathing are complete.”
A maid who approached at the right moment informed Raynard and Evelyn.
Evelyn, who had been sweating while desperately trying to think, was relieved and stood up.
A maid approached and supported Evelyn, who was staggering.
“Then, excuse me, but I will leave first.”
After greeting Raynard, Evelyn limped away.
Raynard watched her leave before turning around.
“I need a horse.”
“It has already been prepared.”
Raynard’s adjutant Martin followed behind him as he walked away.
After mounting his horse, Raynard selected several people and began retracing the path they had come from.
Those following Raynard did not say anything.
After continuing back from the place where he had first helped Evelyn, Raynard finally arrived at the location where the tragedy had occurred.
The first thing Raynard saw upon arriving was a mountain of corpses.
Among them were people wearing armor that Raynard recognized.
They were most likely members of Princess Ophelia’s escort.
“It appears there are no survivors.”
“Seems so.”
“Were those the only ones Your Majesty killed earlier?”
Raynard shrugged his shoulders.
There was no way to know.
From the beginning, what Raynard and his group had seen were only the eight people chasing Evelyn and the pile of corpses now before them.
“But there is one thing that is certain.”
After getting off his horse, Raynard kicked over a corpse wearing ragged clothing.
Then he stepped on the sword that had been held in the corpse’s hand.
The swords carried by those suspected to be bandits were identical to those carried by Hesta soldiers.
Of course, it was possible that bandits had stolen weapons from soldiers and used them.
But the fact that every single one of them carried the same type of sword was suspicious.
“That Hesta intentionally tried to kill Princess Ophelia.”
Yes.
It would make sense if the so-called bandits were actually Hesta soldiers.
Raynard let out a quiet scoff.
In the end, they had made the offer first, but they never truly intended to hand over their own daughter.
It did not matter since he had never wanted her in the first place, but he could not ignore the unpleasant feeling it left behind.
At that moment, Martin suddenly stopped.
He had a dissatisfied expression on his face.
“What is it?”
“Your Majesty, if…”
Martin hesitated, struggling to continue.
Raynard waited patiently, allowing him enough time to speak.
After gathering his thoughts for a moment, Martin cautiously opened his mouth.
“What will you do if the person at the outpost is not Princess Ophelia?”
After a long hesitation, Martin finally asked whether the current Princess Ophelia could be a fake.
The situation before them suggested two possibilities.
One was that the king had truly sacrificed Princess Ophelia.
The other was that the Princess Ophelia they had saved was merely a substitute.
Raynard and his group had witnessed everything with their own eyes.
From Hesta soldiers disguised as bandits slaughtering the other escorts to their attempt to kill Princess Ophelia.
There were countless suspicious points.
That was what Martin wanted to say.
“If.”
Raynard’s voice was firm and certain.
“It is not an ‘if.’”
“She is not Princess Ophelia.”
“……May I ask how Your Majesty can be so certain?”
Martin had also considered the possibility, but he had not been certain.
Seeing how confident Raynard was, it was clear that Raynard knew something beyond what Martin had considered.
“I have seen Princess Ophelia before. Although her circumstances were very different at the time.”
Raynard let out a scoff.
Raynard had once visited Hesta as an envoy from Vite.
No one in Hesta knew that among the envoys was the imperial prince.
Regardless, he had seen Princess Ophelia while in Hesta.
And he had also seen an unfortunate maid who had the same hair color and eye color as Princess Ophelia.
“A maid, yet she was so admirable.”
The image of Evelyn, who had been unable to even say that she was not Princess Ophelia and had only trembled helplessly, appeared before Raynard’s eyes.
Raynard could not forget those frightened eyes looking at him.
The Princess Ophelia he had saved was undoubtedly the same maid from his memories.
“What do you intend to do?”
Hesta had intentionally sent a substitute for Princess Ophelia and attempted to disguise the incident as a bandit attack.
This was nothing less than openly looking down on and deceiving Vite.
“Hmm.”
Raynard, who Martin expected would say they needed to retaliate against Hesta for mocking them by sending an army, gave an ambiguous answer.
“Are you planning to cover this up?”
Martin’s voice grew sharper.
“Hesta was the one who first offered to send Princess Ophelia as a gesture of reconciliation. Yet they still deceived Vite, deceived Your Majesty, and dared to commit such an act. If we let this go, they will surely become arrogant. Just as they did during Your Majesty’s coronation.”
Martin’s anger toward Hesta had not yet cooled.
Not only him, but most people of Vite held cold and hostile feelings toward Hesta.
It was only natural.
The country they believed to be an ally had suddenly attacked them.
“Let us wait and see a little longer.”
“Wait and see? May I ask why?”
Their military strength was sufficient, and the timing was perfect.
Hesta was already terrified of Vite’s army, while Vite’s soldiers were filled with morale.
If they marched now, reaching the capital would not take long.
Even so, Martin could not understand Raynard’s hesitation and asked in frustration.
To him, this decision made no sense.
After hesitating for a moment, Raynard looked directly at Martin and spoke.
“Well, for now, let us say it is because of compassion.”
