Chapter 58

I am now alone with Ellie in a small room where no one is likely to come, facing each other.

Ellie seems to have realized why she was summoned. She lowered her head, avoiding my gaze, and appeared to have shrunk, losing her usual vigor.

"Ellie, I have a message from Lady Delphine. She said, 'I will not allow you to die. When I step down as queen, serve me again.'"

"Yes... That the princess would say such things... But, Kate, I don't have the right to do that, do you understand? If I stay by Lady Delphine's side, I might cause her more trouble. You called me here because you know my situation, didn't you?"

Ellie thinks I am a member of the Third Knight Regiment.

"Ellie, not poisoning Lady Delphine was the right choice. Poisoning her wouldn't have cleared your family's debt. Instead, it would have been immediately linked to your family's debt. If that happened, your entire family would have been executed by order of the state. Or the people who gave you the poison might have killed your family to silence you before the state could."

"Surely not, such a thing!"

"This is the world we live in."

"How terrible! Are you saying that I might have been complicit in killing my own family, thinking I was helping them?"

"Yes. It was a close call. Ellie, do you know why the poison didn't kill you even though you tried to take your own life?"

"No. I thought it was because I used the poison incorrectly."

"Lady Delphine knew she was being targeted. She also knew you were chosen as the perpetrator. So, she had the poison switched. She assumed you would choose to die rather than poison her, and she acted preemptively."

"Oh, Lady Delphine..."

Ellie said this in a pained voice and then broke down in tears.

The door was knocked on, and Mike appeared.

"It's time to take her."

"Mike, please don't be rough with Ellie..."

Instead of answering, Mike's usually expressionless face showed a slight smile. Ellie, accompanied by Mike, left the room with her head bowed.

The next day's report stated, "Ellie confessed everything without the need for a truth serum."

Lady Delphine said, "Kate, please. Go see how Ellie is doing. Make sure she hasn't been beaten. I can't sleep if I worry about her." I waited until late at night to visit Ellie.

When I went to the designated room in the west wing of the castle, Ellie was in a room without windows, and a guard stood in front of the door.

According to Mike, Ellie's situation was handled as a "resignation from the position of lady-in-waiting to the Crown Princess due to illness." This was undoubtedly Lady Delphine's wish. Ellie was to be sent to a retired Third Knight Regiment member's home far from the capital.

"Otherwise, Ellie might have been silenced. Ellie is an important living witness to Minister Brian's treason and the plot to assassinate the Crown Princess. We can't let her die," Mike's superior had decided.

"The official report to the king and Prince Conrad will be that she resigned due to illness. The truth will be revealed when the time is right."

Hearing Mike's calm words, I wondered if the Third Knight Regiment was actually running the country. However, the military still controlled the security of the royal family, so they didn't have that much power yet. But it was clear that the Third Knight Regiment had significant authority.

Late at night, a carriage carrying Ellie, hidden in the darkness, left the castle, surrounded by several mounted guards.

I watched the carriage from the window and prayed, "Ellie, please be safe."

Mike has been busy ever since he heard from Lady Delphine that Deputy Minister Brian Wilks of the military was connected to the anti-royalists in Eagar.

"I won't be able to come here for a while."

After saying this in the small room used for regular reports, I haven't seen Mike since.

※...※...※

Finally, the day of the Saint Floren Festival arrived.

People started gathering in the square in front of the castle early in the morning.

Today is the annual grand festival. To provide entertainment for the common people, who usually have few pleasures, stalls are lined up around the square. Not only from the capital, but also from all over the Ashberry Kingdom, famous shops set up stalls. Selling local delicacies is one of the reasons this festival is so popular.

Smoke from cooking rises from dozens of stalls.

Nonna wanted to come to this festival. Next year, we'll come together. I thought of Nonna for a moment while looking in the mirror.

Under Nina's watchful eye, I started applying makeup.

To ensure that even if my hat is taken off, no one would recognize my facial features, I carefully drew my eyebrows and lines around my eyes. I also made my lips slightly larger to resemble Lady Delphine.

Good, this will do.

I put on a blonde wig and a netted hat. I changed into Lady Delphine's dress and borrowed her jewelry. After completing all preparations as her shadow, I stood before Lady Delphine.

"Kate, I'm counting on you today."

"Leave it to me."

Lady Delphine changed into a servant's uniform and left with several male servants in similar attire. I don't know where she's going. Probably to a safe place in case the castle is attacked.

Mike is by my side. The First Knight Regiment surrounds me, but I wonder how the Third Knight Regiment managed to get Mike here politically. I'll have to ask about that later.

Now, it's my turn.

Surrounded by thirty members of the First Knight Regiment, I slowly made my way from the castle to the square. As I appeared, a thunderous cheer rose from the crowd.

I stood tall, raised my head, and walked with Lady Delphine's stride. The leading members of the First Knight Regiment lined up in a row, and the Second Knight Regiment members formed a C-shape around me. Only a single row of the First Knight Regiment separated me from the crowd.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Lady Delphine!"

The shout spread through the crowd, and soon dozens, then hundreds, and eventually almost everyone in the square was waving their arms and shouting, "Lady Delphine! Lady Delphine!"

The sound washed over me like a wave.

I had a fine mesh net covering my face down to my nose, but my smile should be visible. I smiled and slowly waved to the crowd.

The First Knight Regiment members were holding back the crowd, which was trying to surge forward. It could turn into a dangerous situation with just a small trigger. I kept a watchful eye on the crowd.

Then I saw it. Mike, dressed in the uniform of the First Knight Regiment, seemed to have noticed it at the same time.

A stall owner, who was crouching down doing something, suddenly drew a bow.

"Get down!"

Mike shouted and tried to cover me.

"No!"

I pushed Mike away, lifted my dress, and pulled out a short sword attached to my thigh.