AWLITEB Chapter 32

"Nothing will happen. Everything will be fine."

Rosalie paced around her bedroom, biting her nails—tap, tap.

The capital's underworld should have been in an uproar at the news that Grand Duke Genos Perdian had been attacked by monsters, and that everyone except the Grand Duke had been annihilated.

The Grand Duke's fiancée, Isabella White, who had been wearing the Blue Diamond, should have been announced to the world as a cold corpse with the diamond missing!

But contrary to her wishes, the Empire was far too peaceful.

Only daily newspaper reports that the Grand Duke and his fiancée had safely arrived at the Northern Grand Duchy were delivered.

She sent carrier pigeons again and again to contact that damned monster trainer, but received no reply.

She was so frustrated she wanted to go see him directly, but she was too frightened because of the crime she'd committed.

If it were discovered that she had used monsters to attack the Grand Duke's party, it would be treated as a grave crime among crimes—high treason.

Rosalie shook her head frantically.

No, that can't be. That absolutely won't happen. By what means?

She'd made painstaking efforts not to leave evidence. She hadn't brought a single maid with her, and had moved about by hiring private guards directly.

Worried she might be caught by the White family's luxurious carriage, she'd even made that bastard rent a carriage.

Throughout this entire process, she had never once shown her face, and had burned all the clothes and jewelry she'd worn.

There was no evidence. There was absolutely no way to be caught.

That's when it happened.

Knock, knock.

At the knock, Rosalie startled as if she'd heard thunder—flutter—and glared at the door.

"What!"

When Rosalie screamed with a voice that seemed to tear, a frightened maid's voice came from outside the door.

"M-Miss Rosalie. Someone has come to see you."

"What? Who?"

Rosalie stomped over—stomp, stomp—and threw open the door.

The maid trembled as she barely managed to speak.

"They said they came to collect payment for a dress."

"What?"

Rosalie frowned in irritation.

Rosalie and Martha only purchased dresses from Evelyn's salon. Because it was the most prestigious and popular salon in the capital. That meant only young ladies from high noble families visited Evelyn's salon.

At such a high-class salon, if you didn't pay for a dress on time, you'd lose even the opportunity to purchase goods.

So what payment were they talking about collecting?

"Don't talk nonsense. What dress payment?"

"But they definitely said so. They said they came to collect dress payment from Miss Rosalie. And they also said they came to find a gem as dazzling as the ocean."

"..."

A gem as dazzling as the ocean?

An ominous premonition swept past Rosalie's toes.

Rosalie could guess who the visitor was.

"Where is this guest now?"

Rosalie asked as calmly and casually as possible.

"In front of the back gate of the estate, inside a carriage."

"Did you happen to see their face?"

"No. They had the coachman call for someone. So I didn't see their face at all, miss."

"I see. Good. Besides you, is there anyone else who knows about this person's visit?"

"No one. They asked for you to be summoned discreetly."

"Good. Very good."

Rosalie calmly pulled out a money pouch from her drawer. Then she held out a single gold coin to the maid.

When the maid waved her hands in confusion, Rosalie forcibly stuffed the gold coin into her pocket.

"Take it. I'm giving it to you as a token to keep secret that I bought an expensive dress without my mother and brother knowing. Understand?"

"...Yes, miss."

When the maid accepted the money with an uncomfortable expression, Rosalie walked past her and left the room.

She crossed through the servants with an unconcerned expression and headed toward the back of the estate.

Behind the dark garden without a single candle, a carriage stood.

Rosalie looked around once. Naturally, guards were standing there.

Since having them withdraw would be too suspicious, Rosalie deliberately burst into laughter as she knocked on the carriage door.

"Coming all the way here to collect dress payment. I was rude. I must have forgotten the payment date. You're not doubting the White family's credit over something like this, are you?"

At her words, the carriage door opened slightly from inside.

"Well, since you've come all this way, I suppose we ladies can have a short chat."

Rosalie entered the carriage with a bright expression.

The moment she did, cold darkness descended over her face.

"Are you really insane?"

Rosalie asked, baring her teeth like a vicious hunting dog.

Sitting in the carriage was a Southern nobleman whose face was covered by a lady's hat with a long black mesh veil hanging down.

The widower Saento, who had once been promised marriage to Isabella.

He was the one sitting in the carriage.

"I tried hard enough!"

Saento tore off his hat while spitting as he shouted. Looking now, he was even wearing a black dress.

Rosalie let out a scoff as if she couldn't believe it and crossed her arms.

"Yes. Your effort to wear a dress is commendable. But even if you'd worn not a dress but rags to cover your entire body, you should never, never have come here!"

"I'm frustrated too! You clearly said that if I just rented the carriage from that rental place, Isabella would fall into my arms! But there's been no news, so of course I'm going mad! As the ringleader, shouldn't you take responsibility?!"

Rosalie glared at him with murderous intent. Saento was twice her age, but he involuntarily flinched.

"Wait just a little longer. Isabella got engaged to the Grand Duke, didn't she? Since we're pulling off something big, there were inevitably some minor errors. So wait a bit longer, and please never make the reckless move of visiting the White estate again. Understand?"

"..."

"I asked if you understand!"

Saento nodded reflexively. Then he glanced at Rosalie and opened his mouth slightly to ask quietly.

"B-But really, I can marry Isabella again, right? Right?"

Rosalie gritted her teeth and forced a smile.

"I said so, didn't I? I said I'd kidnap Isabella for you. Trust my word and just wait."

"...Really? You're not trying to kill that girl because you hate her, are you? When I heard you talk before, you seemed ready to kill her completely."

At Saento's muttering, Rosalie's expression gradually hardened more terrifyingly.

At that hellish expression, Saento involuntarily looked away.

"No, I mean, it's just that I wanted to make sure."

"Making sure is fine, but perhaps you should refrain from such horrible words that would be rude to a lady?"

"...If you wish."

"Thank you. Then, farewell."

Rosalie opened the carriage door to get out, then suddenly turned back to look at Saento.

Saento, who had been sneaking glances at her, turned his gaze away in surprise.

"And if possible, it would be better if you used honorifics with me to show respect. You haven't forgotten we're holding each other's lifelines, have you?"

"...I will, Lady Rosalie."

"Much better to hear."

Rosalie stepped out of the carriage.

Only after Rosalie left did Saento glare at the carriage door and curse under his breath.

Rosalie firmly pushed away the coachman's hand trying to help her and clutched her dress tightly as she strode toward the estate with large steps.

"That ridiculous bastard wasted all my time. Son of a b*tch."

Rosalie's body trembled at Saento's face lingering in her mind.

Yes, that's the kind of bastard who's perfect as a groom for Isabella, so how dare she aim for His Grace Grand Duke Genos!

Rosalie bit her lip hard. Blood flowed down from her lower lip.

Stones flew wildly with each of her stomping steps—thud, thud.

"He cursed about women, and wore a ring that was too small on his pinky finger?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

Genos was having a private meeting in his bedroom with Paile, who had just returned from the carriage rental place.

The Grand Duke slowly but completely drained his whiskey glass, then handed it to Paile.

Paile received the glass, refilled it with strong whiskey, and handed it back.

"I am regretful that it does not seem to be the results you desired."

At Paile's words, Genos looked up at him with a laugh as if to say what are you talking about.

"Don't say such things. I obtained everything I needed."

"You said you obtained everything?"

"Yes. Now everything is clear."

Genos raised an eyebrow lightly and smiled.

"Rosalie White did this alone. The other family members weren't involved."

"Rosalie White... that young woman, by herself?"

"Yes. The fact that Rosalie White was the culprit was sufficiently guessed from her targeting Isabella's Blue Diamond, but the fact that the White family wasn't involved together and who the accomplice was became clear from the information you brought today."

"How did you determine that Rosalie White's siblings and mother weren't involved?"

"If it had been done with family, there would have been plenty of hands, so she wouldn't have needed to recruit another accomplice. The baron and baroness run businesses and have many people they could pull in. But Rosalie isn't involved in the business, so she wouldn't have anyone to use separately. That's why she used that person as an accomplice."

"That person... who is the accomplice?"

"Ha, how sordidly romantic."

Genos muttered with displeasure.

"Romantic?"

"There's someone like that. You wouldn't know the name even if I told you, so later. Go rest now. You must be very tired from going all the way there."

"Understood, Your Grace."

Paile hid his curiosity, then bowed respectfully to him and withdrew.

As the door closed, Genos drained his whiskey glass in one gulp and collapsed onto the bed.

'Rosalie White and a widowed nobleman.'

Genos couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.

That such people had dared to try to hold his and Isabella's lives in their hands and shake them.

Beyond absurd, his pride was nearly wounded.

But of course, even this could be used as an opportunity. Another person's weakness had fallen into his hands.

"Would have been better if it were someone more important's weakness."

Genos clicked his tongue—tsk—and covered both eyes with one hand.

As his vision was captured by darkness, thoughts of Isabella naturally came.

They'd be moving to the West soon—would Isabella like the food there?

"Seafood is the main ingredient and they add lots of spices. She might not like it at all..."

Genos trailed off as he murmured.

Then maybe he should prepare some food from the North.

"Choosing only what my warhorse especially enjoyed."

In his mind, Genos recalled the dishes Isabella had cleaned her plate of. Then he considered ways to safely transport them all the way to the West.

He also had reasonable worries about whether preparing only monotonous things might bore Isabella, who had a small appetite.

During all this, Genos fell asleep, but until the moment before sleep, he didn't realize he had been endlessly thinking about his warhorse.

"Oh my, Rose. Your face is glowing again today? Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, Mother. Did you sleep well?"

Even while exchanging learned etiquette greetings, Rosalie's face was completely crumpled.

In the dining room, delicious-looking food was laid out—salad piled high with well-prepared crab, sweet chocolate sauce drizzled over wheat bread, savory lamb chops cooked just right—but Rosalie felt no interest at all.

Though she sat in the chair the butler politely pulled out and picked up her utensils, Rosalie didn't touch any of the food.

"Rose. Mother is really worried sick about you."

Since the palace party, Rosalie's mood had been continuously scraping the ground.

So Martha had deliberately ordered the table set with only foods Rosalie liked, but Rosalie's face showed no signs of brightening.

"It's morning so I don't have much appetite. Plus this is too extravagant for breakfast. It's burdensome."

Rosalie spoke as she stabbed at her salad ungracefully—poke, poke.

Martha sighed and had the butler pour sweetened milk into Rosalie's glass.

"Don't be like that and at least drink a glass of milk. You might feel better."

"..."

"Come now. Won't you grant even this request from your mother?"

"Haa."

Just as Rosalie finally lifted her glass and took a few sips of milk—

Ethan burst through the dining room door, throwing it open wide.

At his noisy entrance, Rosalie spit out milk with a cough—cough—and glared at him.

"Move more quietly!"

At Rosalie's furious shout, Ethan giggled. He'd clearly entered aggressively on purpose to annoy Rosalie.

"You seem especially sensitive today, Rosalie?"

"Do you want to die?"

"No. I can't die at my younger sister's hands—that would be too humiliating."

Ethan sat down across from Rosalie with a laugh.

Rosalie glared at Ethan with an expression that said she might grab a knife right now.

"Ethan. When your sister is going through a hard time, you should comfort her. You used to look at your sister lovingly before. Why are you like this?"

At Martha's words, Ethan answered shamelessly.

"That's because these days my younger sister's reactions are too fun. So today too, I'm really looking forward to seeing what reaction she'll have."

Ethan dropped a newspaper onto Rosalie's plate—thunk.

"Hey!"

Rosalie screamed at the newspaper touching her food.

As a maid who had stepped back a few paces hurried to remove the newspaper from the plate—

Rosalie's eyes caught the newspaper's headline.

It was a daily from the Northern region.

Rosalie urgently snatched the newspaper from the maid's hands and checked again the letters that had just passed before her eyes.

『Isabella White Shows the Perfect Image of a Future Grand Duchess!』