Chapter 7

Knoxus, who had intervened to halt Juan's escalating disapproval, turned his attention to me. Hearing him say my name felt oddly foreign, yet he silenced the conversation and looked at me expectantly.

Juan still looked skeptical, but there was a glimmer of compassion in his pink eyes. Meanwhile, Knoxus maintained his perplexed expression.

“This is quite unusual.”

“Your Highness?”

“Back then, I assumed you fled simply because I was unfortunate. Wasn't that the case?”

Are you referring to our initial encounter? It's true that I fled because you were unfortunate, you jerk. It seems you're currently quite mistaken about something.

"What do you mean? This girl hasn't…"

“Why were you alone here?”

"What?"

“I thought they'd never leave you alone. Why did they leave you alone?”

They left me alone because I accidentally got separated from the group during a horseback riding event with the other young ladies.

Are you trying to insinuate that someone deliberately abandoned me to test my abilities?

In the next instant, his purple gaze trailed down my neck, fixating on the gleam at the hem of my red cloak.

"I knew it... Is that your exclusive pendant?"

As I had anticipated, Knoxus' reaction aligned with my expectations. I maintained a steady gaze, attempting to gauge his emotions.

Was it the sympathy that I had anticipated? Or perhaps, was it remorse?

Suddenly, it struck me.

It was him.

Despite my previous assumptions, it was him all along. I had never worn this necklace during my encounter with Knoxus. The last time I wore it was during the hotel's opening ceremony.

Knoxus hadn't attended the opening ceremony. I hadn't even seen the Second Prince there. Even without knowing his identity, I would have recognized my special room neighbor.

When did he see this necklace? And were his eyes filled with regret? It seemed rather futile.

Knoxus was behind the attempt to poison me.

These questions remained in me:

Why? Why would he engage in such a prank he hadn't even originally planned in the novel?

He didn't seem interested in retaliating for our first meeting, so was it merely curiosity?

Was he observing my reactions?

So, what conclusion did he draw from that encounter, and what conclusions was he drawing now? Did he feel guilty and regretful for his actions?

I smiled and reached for the hunting rifle slung over my shoulder. It was an elegant weapon, its sleek white barrel and ruby-adorned handle resembling the toy guns sold at the event.

Earlier this morning, Benya had handed me this rifle before I left the duke's residence.

The clicking sound had a light-hearted rhythm to it, much like the expressions on the faces of the two perplexed men. After a brief moment of internal silence, I squeezed the trigger.

Bang!

The sharp sound resonated, causing flocks of birds that had been perched on trees to scatter into the air. Shooting it stung a bit, but I hit my target. I should bring Valentina a present.

I won't bother describing the expressions of the two men as they turned to face me. I let out a sigh as I addressed them.

“My hand went for it first.”

A flurry of barking followed, as dogs that had been a step behind started to surround the fox's lifeless body in a sort of makeshift funeral.

And then, with the resounding thud of hooves, the person whom I had stolen the prey from arrived.

“Oh, so you've learned to shoot? You keep surprising me more and more. I thought the gun was just a prop.”

“That's what I thought, too. Until I actually fired it just now.”

I replied with a bashful smile, prompting Assad to break into hearty laughter as he rode his horse closer. He was mounted on a splendid brown stallion.

“We might have a deficit for our team this year.”

"Your Highness was chasing it, so it's as if Your Highness caught it."

"Don't do that, you obviously showed your naturalness. Speaking of which, I was wondering where my brother was, but it appears he's been bothering you here?”

Knoxus, who had been inspecting my gun with an expression that seemed beyond description, gradually turned his gaze toward his elder brother.

His deep purple eyes flickered, and a twisted smirk formed shortly after.

“I didn't know Hyung would come looking for me. Or were you not seeking me, but Little Red Riding Hood?”

“I think being treated as a wolf suits you better than it does me. What were you even doing here?"

(**The exchanges above have double meanings. Sasha is in red so Knoxus referred to her as “Little Red Riding Hood,” so Assad used that same reference to somehow insult Knoxus in different ways as if gauging his intentions. If Knoxus will respond in retaliation with the Little Red Riding Hood and Wolf deceiving her reference or if Knoxus will respond in retaliation to Assad calling him a “wolf” which is basically Assad kinda calling out Knoxus if he’s preying on Sasha. To know more about this Korean idiom, please read here.)

"I was seeking refuge as the pervasive fishy scent of snakes filled the air. Why would I even lay a finger on Hyung's cherished viper's treasure?"

"If that were the case, wouldn't your face be riddled with holes by now? You witnessed her skills firsthand, didn't you?"

His tone was playful yet tinged with a hint of bitterness. I never expected Assad to adopt such a tone, so it felt unfamiliar and odd.

While I knew they weren't on good terms, I didn't anticipate them baring their teeth openly like this.

"She certainly did an impressive job. Some couldn't even pick a bone clean. Makes you wonder what she was thinking when she picked up that gun."

"It seems she acted on impulse, leaving me with numerous questions. Does her superior skill make you envious?"

"... it."

Aside from my curiosity, Knoxus glanced at me, gauging my thoughts, then turned away with a smirk. He spurred forward and swiftly departed like a tempest.

Subsequently, Juan followed with hesitation, leaving me alone once again with the Crown Prince, to whom I was indebted.

Before I could speak, Assad turned to me, offering a smile that carried an air of concern.

"You seemed a bit lost. As you know, our relationship is somewhat strained."

More than being strained, it felt as though their relationship barely existed.

"All siblings have their moments."

"I'd like to believe that, but... If my younger brother were even half like Benya, I'd have no other wish. Though if he truly were my brother, we'd likely clash incessantly."

"Are you and Benya frequently at odds?"

"Should a character like Benya hold the title of imperial prince, my position as Crown Prince would be endangered."

I chuckled softly at his lighthearted jest. Assad regarded me in that manner and suddenly uttered something unexpected.

"Yet you seem like you're still not free from it."

I froze. Truly, I was frozen. While I knew he might bring it up, something about it made my mind go blank in an instant.

"Naturally, breaking free won't be easy for you, considering what you've been through at a tender age."

"...I..."

"Occasionally, I feel a sense of remorse. If only I had acted back then—"

He locked eyes with me, pausing midway through his sentence. A peculiar glimmer shimmered in his deep purple eyes, almost as if I were being drawn in. He felt remorse. What did he mean?

"If I had confronted you right then and there, inquired why you were there... If I had questioned why the child who went in Fzeia with the Ducal children were hidden there..."

What?

"If that were the case, I wondered if the Princess could've survived, and perhaps everyone would've been better off..."

My eyes widened in surprise. One, two. Whoa, when I finally opened my mouth, a sound akin to a groan escaped.

"Your Highness... ...So, in that case, on the balcony..."

"Yes. Initially, I assumed a servant was observing, but it took me a while to recognize you were concealing yourself... I eventually realized your identity."

I was speechless. Yes, you saw me then. So...

"Your Highness, it might sound absurd to ask now. How on earth did you predict we'd be confined to that tower?"

It was a question that had long eluded me.

Prior to my departure for Vibrato, Estelle's death had preoccupied my mind, and during my time at Vibrato, despite exchanging letters with the others, we had skirted around the topic.

Recalling those times, especially with Estelle's demise entangled within, proved too emotionally challenging. And upon my return...

Well, it seemed that the matter had now been relegated to insignificance.

Assad's smile held a touch of bitterness, causing his golden eyebrows to slightly crease. A self-deprecating chuckle of embarrassment escaped him.

"After that night, a sense of unease lingered with me. As a precaution, I discreetly inquired with the Duke's faction, and I was told the child had gone to Fzeia alongside the Princess. So, was I hallucinating, or did I truly witness something? Clearly, my instincts were accurate."

"…"

"My discovery about the tower wasn't particularly remarkable. Given the significant historical ties between the bell tower and the first Duke of Serpente, as well as the Imperial family, I suppose it could be attributed to a sort of sixth sense that guided me. The idea emerged as I delved into the complexities of your situation."

"What does that imply…"

"Hasn't the tower served as a well-preserved hideout for quite some time?"

I nodded fervently, so engrossed in his words that I failed to notice his hand reaching out to brush away a fallen leaf from my shoulder.

"It became a pivotal turning point in elevating the Serpente family to ducal status. Someone sought refuge within the tower and safeguarded their lives exactly two centuries before your imprisonment. The Crown Princess and her young imperial descendants, fleeing from the Princes' rebellion."

"…"

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