Chapter 71

Viera was sent directly to the Ambrosch Duke's residence without stopping at the palace.

The moment Albertina landed in the backyard, not only the Duke and Duchess but also the servants rushed over from the mansion.

Everyone shed tears of joy and welcomed her back.

Feeling both apologetic for causing so much worry and happy to be reunited with the people who cared for her, Viera hugged her sister Emma tightly and burst into tears.

"I don't want to be away from you for a while," Emma said.

There shouldn't be a sister in this world who could refuse such a cute request from her younger sister. However, reality doesn't always go as one wishes.

Today, she was allowed to return directly to the Ambrosch residence out of consideration for the victims' mental state, but from the next day, she would have to go to the palace for questioning. She considered bringing Emma along but didn't want her to hear about the abduction.

While she was pondering what to do, the Duke of Ambrosch arranged for the palace officials to come to the mansion.

There was a possibility of an insider in the palace, especially within the Magic Bureau, which was close to Viera.

To prevent any further danger, it seemed best for Viera to stay at the Ambrosch residence until the matter was resolved.

"Ruka, I'm going to the palace again. Let's go together in the carriage."

The Duke, who had quickly tidied himself up, invited his son.

Unlike Viera, Rukas was still on official duty and had a mountain of reports to file.

(He's leaving again...)

Even though they wouldn't be apart for days, a feeling of reluctance crept over her. She could understand how her fiancé felt before the experimental expedition.

"Viera, don't look so sad. We'll see each other every day from tomorrow, so go to bed and rest tonight."

Rukas lowered his eyebrows and kissed Viera's forehead to comfort her.

From nearby, Emma's silent whistle could be heard. The embarrassment made her forget her sadness and tears.

"I-I'm fine! Ruka-sama must be tired, so please don't overwork yourself."

"Thank you."

Rukas smiled and turned his gaze to Emma.

"Since I can't be there, can I leave Viera in your care?"

"Yes, Brother-in-law! I'll make sure to put my sister to bed properly."

Emma's way of addressing Rukas had changed, but he nodded in satisfaction. Something must have happened while she was away.

After seeing Rukas and the Duke off, Viera ate a hearty meal and decided to sleep with Emma that night. It had been ten years since they last shared a bed, and while it felt a bit embarrassing, the warmth was comforting.

Viera hugged Emma tightly.

"Emma, don't stick so close."

"But I love you so much."

"You should do that for Brother-in-law."

"Ah! That's—"

"As a thank you for this time, you should at least do that much for him. Brother-in-law worked very hard for your sister."

Rukas had been shuttling between the palace and the mansion, even at night, and had been concerned about Emma. He had thought about what they could do together when Viera returned, like eating something or going somewhere, to keep her hopes up.

He had even sent a magic express message to Viera's family, the Yubert family.

"Ruka-sama...!"

She was moved again by the kindness of her future husband, who was so considerate of her family. It was no wonder that the usually guarded Emma had started calling him "Brother-in-law."

However, when she pointed out that Emma should also show her gratitude...

"I thought that if I could make Brother-in-law happy, that would be my way of thanking him."

"But what about my mental preparation!?"

"I don't care about that. Brother-in-law's happiness comes first."

Her angelic sister had turned into a devil offering sacrifices to a demon.

***

Viera's kidnapping was orchestrated by Levan.

His motives were personal grudges against the previous king and dissatisfaction with the government's focus on popularity. It seemed that the king's personal biases affected not only the palace's personnel but also the treatment of domestic territories.

The plan was set in motion immediately after the war, and he used his connections from his time as the former team leader of the Barrier Division to gradually gather like-minded individuals who were dissatisfied with the king.

Those who had lost their positions due to the king's whims, those forced into retirement by the war, those sympathetic to Levan's situation and stirred by a sense of justice, and those who wanted to change the poor conditions of their hometowns—his organization numbered thirty members, both inside and outside the palace.

However, there was no mage who could deactivate the Great Barrier, so he had to find one.

Previously, when Levan tampered with his prosthetic leg's magic formula and overlaid a monster-attracting spell on the eastern region's barrier stone, it was to find a mage with the talent to deactivate the barrier.

Though Levan claimed he couldn't use magic well, he had actually regained considerable skill through rehabilitation.

Viera fell into both traps he set. Using an ally within the Magic Bureau, he guided her to a hotel where his accomplices worked and abducted her.

He intended to guide her to deactivate the barrier alone but planned to work together with Levan to deactivate the Great Barrier once she understood the magic formula and grasped the sensation of deactivation.

He threatened her with a dagger to expedite the plan but claimed he never intended to take her life.

Levan spoke in detail about his motives and plans, as his goal was to make the king realize his mistakes and change his ways.

The king took the situation seriously and was reportedly terrified of further rebellion, seeking advice from the Duke of Ambrosch and General Gerald daily.

Viera didn't get all the details, but Rukas had apparently done a lot to help, and it seemed to be effective, as her future father-in-law laughed.

"I plan to gradually correct the course of the country. The Crown Prince was sent abroad to avoid the king's influence, but he seems to be growing into a good ruler. The next generation will surely be better. By the time Viera becomes a lord, the country will be more conducive to managing a territory."

While it might seem like the Duke of Ambrosch had taken over the country, it would be fine as long as the government improved.

Since the original purpose of the plot was thwarted, the existence of the Great Barrier was kept confidential. Officially, the incident was treated as a kidnapping attempt by a group trying to recreate an event in the eastern region, aiming to recruit a palace mage. It was also announced that the kidnapped mage had refused to cooperate, preserving Viera's honor.

Thanks to the smooth interrogation of Levan and the efforts of the capable people around her, the case was wrapped up in about a month. The members of the criminal group would likely spend the rest of their lives in prison.

In other words, Viera was finally returning to work. She would resume her life as a regular employee in the Technical Division next week.

So, she wouldn't be dressing up like this for a while.

Wearing a cute floral day dress and pink diamond earrings, Viera looked at her reflection in the mirror, gathered her resolve, and headed to the entrance. The carriage would be arriving just as she stepped outside.

"Ah, you're here."

Rukas stood beside her at the perfect moment, dressed in his usual uniform.

They greeted the carriage together. Two familiar men stepped out.

One was a tall, red-haired young man, and the other was a middle-aged man with glasses.

Viera straightened her back and smiled warmly.

"Lord Clement, Director Dressel, welcome. I will do my best to entertain you today."

Today, she had invited the two men who helped rescue her from the kidnapping to express her gratitude. Incidentally, this was Viera's first time hosting a tea party.