Chapter 20
For a while, the imperial palace was in an uproar. Just like the time when Mother passed away.
The Emperor had fallen off his horse and was seriously injured. Meanwhile, a thief had broken into the Empress’s palace, and a treasure vault filled with vast wealth had been burned down.
It seemed that Dneprov Blansko, Kabala’s younger brother, was rummaging through the palace in an attempt to catch the thief. Even so, the culprit had yet to be caught.
Naturally, in this situation, the wedding was canceled as expected.
With a series of disasters in the palace and the Emperor bedridden, it was impossible to hold a celebration.
“Everything went exactly as expected. Just as I planned.”
I was very satisfied.
No one would ever guess that the real victor, unseen by all, was quietly smiling.
And so, the day came for me to depart for Ronhaim.
The morning of departure, I paced nervously in my bedroom.
The time for Kallias to come pick me up was approaching.
The maids assumed I was anxious about the journey, but truthfully, I wasn’t worried at all about going to Ronhaim with Kallias.
The only thing that bothered me was—
“Kal…”
He hadn’t appeared since our engagement ceremony.
I thought I’d at least get to see him once before leaving.
“He wouldn’t just leave without saying goodbye.”
I couldn’t help but worry something might have happened to him. This was the first time he hadn’t come to see me for so long.
“Stop that. That’s disgusting.”
One of the maids stopped what she was doing and smacked my hand.
Without realizing it, I had been biting my nails from the nerves.
“Ah, sor—…”
I almost apologized instinctively, but shut my mouth.
“Don’t apologize unnecessarily, Chloe.”
Still, I wasn’t in the mood to be angry either.
I kept glancing out the window.
“Maybe he’s nearby but can’t show himself because of the maids?”
With that in mind, I pushed the packing maid out of the room.
“That’s enough packing. I won’t even be able to wear these clothes in Ronhaim anyway.”
“But those were gifts from the Empress especially for you!”
The maid scolded me, asking if I was disregarding Kabala’s kindness.
Shortly after my engagement with Kallias, Kabala had gifted me with a mountain of dresses.
But none of them were suitable for Ronhaim. They were meant only to show how much Kabala supposedly cared for me.
If she truly wanted me to wear her gifts, she wouldn’t have sent sleeveless and low-cut summer dresses to someone going to a place where it’s winter all year round.
“I’ll save them. I’ll wear them if I ever come back to the palace.”
I replied casually.
“Who could wear such beautiful dresses in Ronhaim anyway?”
After sending the maid out, I went to the window and called out softly.
“Kal! Are you there?”
But no matter how long I called, he didn’t appear.
I was on the verge of tears.
“You said you’d be with me wherever I go…”
His smile as he told me not to worry because he had a way was still vivid in my mind.
I should’ve asked him what that way was.
“Is he really coming to Ronhaim with me? Or were those just empty words?”
At this point, I didn’t care if he had lied—I just wanted a chance to say goodbye.
As I sniffled in longing, the maids outside announced that it was time.
I tried to compose myself and erase any signs of crying.
And then—
Thud!
Something flew in through the window and landed at my feet.
“…!”
It was a tightly folded note, small enough to not take up space.
I didn’t need to check to know who had sent it.
I snatched the note and rushed to the window, looking around.
But Kal was nowhere in sight.
Instead, I saw unfamiliar maids and knights gathering in the garden.
They were people sent by Kabala.
Apparently, she didn’t fully trust the maids Andrea had assigned me and chose new ones from her own circle to accompany me.
“He must have disappeared after dropping the note because of them.”
I anxiously opened the note.
The handwriting was rushed and messy, containing only a short message:
[Don’t worry. I’ll follow you.]
“….”
All my efforts to erase my tears were in vain as I burst into tears again.
This time, they were tears of relief.
I was comforted to know Kal was unharmed—and that he truly intended to follow me.
“Is it true, Kal? You’ll really come after me?”
I hugged the note tightly, then hid it in the narrow gap behind the drawer.
It would be risky to carry it on me in case someone found it.
Just as I stashed it away, the maids burst in angrily.
“We told you to come out! Why didn’t you?”
Their faces darkened even more when they saw my teary eyes.
They must’ve thought I was crying because I didn’t want to go to Ronhaim.
“It’s no use resisting.”
“Come out! Everyone’s waiting for you!”
Worried I might suddenly change my mind and refuse to go, they practically dragged me out of the bedroom like hunters chasing prey.
But thanks to Kal’s note, I felt at peace. So I left the room without protest.
Outside, Kallias, his subordinates, and Kabala’s people were waiting for me.
“Your Highness.”
Kallias dismounted and greeted me politely.
The maids by my side hesitated when they saw him.
Unlike before, when he wore plain black attire, today he was dressed in full armor.
He was already a large man, but the thick fur cloak over his shoulders made him look twice his size.
Wearing thick black leather gloves, boots, and armor, he gave off an overwhelming aura.
His subordinates were similarly dressed.
“They look like crows.”
Considering their size, eagles would be more appropriate, but their sharp expressions were more crow-like.
I liked crows. Crows were strong and clever.
Kallias reached out his hand to me.
The maids were too intimidated to move.
I brushed them off and walked confidently to take his hand.
Even if the maids were afraid, I had no reason to be.
“Shall we go, Marquis?”
The words left my mouth effortlessly.
There was no regret or anxiety in my steps—only anticipation.
Kallias’s lips curled into a faintly amused smile.
He looked like the kind of man who could punch a bear barehanded, yet he held my hand with surprising gentleness and helped me into the carriage.
Just before I stepped in, I whispered to him,
“I have a favor. Could you ask one of your knights to bring the green cushion and teddy bear on my bed? They’re very important to me.”
Despite the sudden request, he nodded without a word.
“Understood.”
He called the red-haired knight—the same one who’d helped me find the Flatus bracelet—and instructed him to fetch the items.
Though the maids looked uneasy about him entering the palace, they didn’t dare stop him.
Before I had even settled inside, the red-haired knight returned with the cushion and teddy bear.
How could he be so fast?
“Are these the ones you mentioned?”
The cushion and teddy bear in his hands looked small and almost absurdly light.
“I can’t even carry those both at once…”
“Yes. Thank you. Please set them beside me.”
He obediently followed my instructions.
Once the knight stepped back, Kallias entered and sat across from me. He was apparently riding with me.
The spacious carriage suddenly felt cramped with his presence.
As the door closed, he let out a soft chuckle.
“Are those precious to you? So much that you can’t be apart from them even during the journey?”
I placed my hands on the bear and cushion and nodded.
“Yes. Very much.”
I had pretended they were just ordinary keepsakes because I couldn’t trust either the old or the new maids Kabala assigned to me.
I could leave everything else behind—but not these.
Because hidden inside were all the jewels I had stolen from Kabala over the years.
A bit worried by how lightly the red-haired knight had carried them, I lifted them slightly to check.
“Could the contents have fallen out…?”
…No. Still heavy.
“If I were as strong as that knight, I’d have taken everything from the treasure vault.”
I sighed in regret.
As I fiddled with the teddy bear, Kallias kept smirking to himself.
“What…?”
What’s so funny?
In the meantime, the carriage began to move.
With a heart full of nervous excitement, I looked out the window.
At last, I was escaping.
