Chapter 24
“I Really Can’t Take It Anymore”:
“Then the tree… ugh!”
At that moment, Mikhail, who had been moving his arms wildly to explain what he had seen, suddenly turned pale as if he had come face-to-face with a ghost.
“Y-Your Majesty… Grandmother…?”
Seeing the Empress Dowager and the Empress suddenly appear, Mikhail stammered without realizing it.
“W-Why are you both here…?”
Then the boy’s breathing became irregular. His lips twisted strangely, as if he was about to burst into tears.
It was because he realized why Anette had stepped in.
‘If that shaking tree had actually fallen, Grandmother and Mother would have…’
At the thought, Mikhail’s face turned pale.
He remembered his father’s warning that, since his own strength was dangerous at the moment, he should be careful until he could control it properly. He should keep his distance not only from Audrey but also from the people around him.
“It’s all… my fault…”
Mikhail, looking pitiful with his face drained of color, tried to apologize, but suddenly covered his mouth with his small hand.
He even remembered that the strange noise he had first heard had come from the bushes.
There was no need to ask when exactly the Empress Dowager and Empress had arrived.
“Ugh…”
Just realizing that the Empress Dowager and Empress could have been in danger because of him was shocking enough, but when he understood that everything he had said had been overheard, tears of frustration and helplessness welled up despite it being his fault.
For eight-year-old Mikhail, born as a precious Crown Prince and always doted on by his family, it was an overwhelming situation.
Then—
“What on earth is going on here?”
A voice suddenly spoke from behind, without a sound of approach.
The strangely familiar voice made Anette’s heart skip a beat. She turned her head in surprise.
“Uncle!”
At the same time, Mikhail spotted Kardin and called out to him, his voice breaking.
It didn’t matter why he, who should have been in the Grand Duchy, was in the capital.
All that mattered was that someone reliable and on his side had arrived, and he was overwhelmed with relief.
Without hesitation, Mikhail ran toward Kardin, intending to embrace him.
He would have—if the Emperor hadn’t appeared and blocked him first.
“Mikhail.”
“F-Father…”
Lucius didn’t demand any explanation for the ruined garden. He simply looked at his son, who was trying to hold back his tears, with a troubled expression.
“We should first get the young lady out of here.”
At that moment, the Empress Dowager, who had recovered the quickest, began organizing the situation.
Hearing her mention Audrey, Mikhail perked up and ran to her.
“Grandmother, Audrey didn’t do anything wrong! I insisted on coming here!”
He knew that only royalty could enter this place. He had insisted because he wanted to be alone with her, without servants or guards, secretly meeting while avoiding his father’s gaze.
But now, fearing that Audrey might get scolded because of him, a fear stronger than being scolded himself made tears flow from Mikhail’s eyes.
Seeing her grandson like that, the Empress Dowager clicked her tongue softly.
“I know the young lady isn’t at fault. But we can’t keep her standing here like this.”
She didn’t want him to collapse.
At her words, Mikhail quickly looked at Audrey.
Her complexion, which had seemed calm earlier, was now pale.
From the sight of the shaking tree to the sudden appearance of the Empress Dowager and Empress, it must have been shocking for frail Audrey.
“W-What… should we do, Audrey…?”
“I’ll take her with me. Don’t worry.”
As Mikhail stomped his feet again, the Empress Dowager calmed her grandson.
“The Marquess will be waiting at the garden entrance.”
Nodding to Lucius’s words, the Empress Dowager looked at Audrey.
Though clearly tense, Audrey took gentle steps. Just as she seemed about to follow the Empress Dowager to the exit, she suddenly changed direction and ran toward Anette.
“I was embarrassed earlier. I’m sorry, Princess.”
“…!”
Anette froze, watching Audrey bow slightly and run off as if fleeing.
A moment ago, she had completely misunderstood the situation, and she had no idea what clue had led Audrey to recognize her identity.
‘Red hair? Red eyes? Or maybe seeing her handle a sword?’
…It can’t be because of him, right?
Anette glanced at Kardin, who was standing silently beside her.
Since he had suddenly appeared, he had approached her without a word, just looking down at her.
“Marquess Melin really did boast about his daughter. She is quite clever indeed.”
Charlotte, watching Audrey’s back, commented.
She clicked her tongue at Mikhail, who looked bewildered even after hearing how Audrey addressed Anette.
“Can we let her go like this?”
Anette worriedly asked if she should request Audrey to keep her identity a secret, though she didn’t know how Audrey had figured it out.
“It’s fine. She can tell right from wrong, so she would never mention it to anyone.”
Probably not even to her father. Not Audrey’s identity, nor what happened in the garden.
Charlotte thought she would have to call her again tomorrow to explain the situation properly. For now, there were more pressing matters.
“Thank you. If it weren’t for Anette, a serious accident could have happened.”
Anette had thought that the Empress Dowager and Empress might not have seen everything due to the bushes, but Charlotte had witnessed the huge tree falling, casting a shadow over them.
Frozen in fear, she had leapt aside just in time.
“I owe a great debt to the princess.”
Meanwhile, Lucius, who had heard a brief explanation from his son, also expressed his gratitude.
“Mikhail, you should thank her properly too.”
“Thank you.”
Mikhail, now calmer and having wiped his tears, bowed politely, a different attitude than before.
Seeing how the Emperor and Empress treated Anette, and knowing how close they had come to an accident, he felt truly grateful.
“No, it was only what I was supposed to do.”
Anette smiled awkwardly at the polite thanks from the imperial family and shook her head. She thought:
‘If you’re really thankful, could someone please get this man out of my face…’
Kardin, still standing beside her, stared at her intently. A cold sweat ran down Anette’s back.
‘Why isn’t he saying anything?’
She wished he would at least ask what had happened, but instead, he simply stared, as if waiting for something.
‘Could he be angry…? No, that’s impossible.’
Yet somehow, the Duke seemed uncomfortable. Though his mask hid his expression, she could sense it.
Unable to endure the awkward tension, Anette tried to shift the topic.
“But why earlier—”
“I really can’t take it anymore.”
Kardin, who had been silent all along, spoke coldly.
“……”
The air froze instantly.
Mikhail, who had realized he was the cause of the strange phenomenon, didn’t need explanation, but Anette, deliberately wanting to understand the situation, fell silent.
She sensed that the Duke was angry, though she didn’t think she was the cause.
The events in the garden hadn’t happened because of her; the walk had been suggested by the Empress Dowager.
‘Was it wrong for me to step in on my own?’
Yet, as the Empress had said, a serious accident could have occurred. She had no choice but to intervene, and the results hadn’t been ideal.
Even after the Emperor thanked her, why was the Duke angry?
Feeling flustered, Anette clenched her fists, and Kardin let out a deep sigh.
That sigh made her feel an unexpected surge of sorrow.
‘I did my best, so why… can’t I even get praise…?’
Anette pouted unconsciously, realizing she felt childish and helpless.
Even if her mind understood the situation, her emotions couldn’t be controlled.
Unable to shake her frustration and hurt, she tried to avoid his gaze. But just then, Kardin suddenly grabbed her hand.
His touch was gentle, but the sudden contact startled her.
Her heart pounded.
Kardin, now kneeling slightly to meet her gaze, said:
“You’re bleeding.”
She hadn’t even realized how badly her hand hurt.
Finally, Anette noticed the bandage on her left hand, which had been holding her dagger, was stained red.
It seemed the earlier incident had opened the wound.
“You said it was for self-defense, but why does it feel like it made it worse?”
Kardin gently loosened her fist and removed the dagger.
“I know it couldn’t be helped just now… but it’s upsetting.”
Anette almost asked, “Why?”
But she had a strong feeling that such a question would only make things worse, so she suppressed it.
Instead, she offered a vague apology.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
…And then she remembered that the Duke had a very persistent personality.
If he had begun refuting her words one by one, he wouldn’t have accepted even a vague apology.
Anette bit her lip, thinking she should have simply asked why he had been so kind instead.
