Chapter 29 – Love’s Escape (2)

“About the diplomatic issue…”

“That’s none of Miss Alice’s business. I’ll come pick you up tonight, so leave the windows wide open.”

“The window?”

“Yes, the window.”

After saying that, Lawrence waved to Plein, who was standing nearby. At his beckoning to him, Plein stepped forward and greeted her.

“I am called Plein.”

“Hello.”

“You can speak comfortably.”

“No, it’s still a first meeting…”

As Alice panicked, Lawrence stepped in.

“I will leave Plein in case something happens while I’m gone.”

“Ah yes.”

As Lawrence stood up and left the living room, Alice let out a deep breath.

‘It’s starting now.’

How long did it take to leave this Erha Empire? The excitement, joy, and fear of going to a new place captured Alice.

The Erha Empire was a place full of bad memories for Alice. She had sparsely good memories, but overall she had more bad ones.

“Ma’am Alice.”

“You can just call me Miss Alice.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes?”

“You will find out later.”

“Later?”

‘What is this again?’

She stared at Plein, who called her with a sullen smile, but he did not return an answer to her question.

“The Nakran Empire is a very rich place.”

“I know.”

It was Alice who dipped her toe at the top, so she knew.

“I thought you would know. That is why the battle for succession to the throne is very fierce.”

“The throne, right of succession?”

She couldn’t understand Plein’s motive of saying these all to her.

‘But perhaps in case I get involved in that fight?’

That is impossible, rather she want to live a long and happy life. That was the same reason why she wanted to leave this empire. She didn’t want to live in anxiety, but in leisure and comfort.

“And it is a country where the princesses also have the right of succession.”

“Oh yeah?”

‘I kind of like this.’

Alice nodded her head. The Erha Empire did not recognize a woman as its successor. If there is a daughter in a household, the daughter marries and adopts her descendant son as its heir.

“So, you have to be more careful.”

“Me?”

“Yes, Ma’am Alice.”

Unable to pretend she didn’t know what her worried Plein was saying, Alice eagerly shook her head up and down at him. Plein looked at her happily then took out a book.

“This is a book that contains the manners of the Nakran Empire.”

“Why….”

“Studying will help.”

“Me?”

“Yes, Mam Alice.”

Staring blankly at Plein, who answered too sternly, she opened the book that was pushed in front of her. It was fortunate that the Erha Empire and the Nakran Empire used a common language.

Alice, who had been skimming through the book, stood up from her seat. All she had to do now was go to bed early and wait for night.

“Where are you going?”

“Going to my room.”

​

Plein followed her out of her living room, so did Benedict escorting Alice. Benedict had become Alice’s personal escort at some point.

No one ordered him to return to the Knights, but the Marquis of Hamilton left a word of good wishes.

“What is it?”

“It’s a book of etiquette from the Nakran Empire.”

“Why do you need that?”

It was a bruise disguised as a question but Alice only blinked her eyes at Benedict’s words. She answered the question so naturally, but she blamed herself for answering honestly.

‘This is the only way I’m spreading rumors that I’m suspicious!’

Alice, who was not familiar with books, hated reading the most. She was a writer but she didn’t read. It also helped that she had read a ton of books before that.

“Yeah, I will.”

Her cowardly grin turned away from Benedict, who looked at her suspiciously after hearing her weird reply. Now, determined that she really wanted to go to her room, she took her stride.

She wondered how long the road to her room had been. Benedict’s gaze in her back was stinging her at some point.

‘I guess he didn’t notice something?’

There’s no way he did, she needs to escape tonight.

Alice opened the door, left Plein and Benedict at the door and went into the room alone. Fatigue set in as the soft bed caught her eye.

Since morning, Lawrence’s visit has put her on nerves, and the stress she has received from that attendant from the Imperial palace had made her more tired. Unable to overcome the temptation of her bed, Alice fell asleep as she placed her body on it.

***

“… Up!”

Alice pulled the covers over her head at the sound of sleep, and wondered which sassy maid had opened her door. As a noblewoman, it was the maid’s custom to wait for her to get up if she didn’t, but the Marquis’s people didn’t know that.

‘I’m not the one who will wake up just because I’m told to wake up.’

Alice calmly hugged her pillow and dug deeper into her blanket.

“Wake up!”

“Hmm? Your voice is a bit thick, haha!”

Alice jumped up. She got up so fast that she banged her head on the bedpost, but that didn’t matter.

Standing by her bedside, Lawrence looked down at her with a puzzled look on his face. There was a look of misery in that gaze, and Alice didn’t know what to do.

“Wh, why?”

“You slept very well.”

“There… I slept with the window open.”

​

By the end, her voice had become so low that it was barely audible. At Alice’s words, his brows twitched.

“I hope so. Otherwise, I would have woken up all of the Marquis’ knights.”

“Why would you wake the knights!”

“Because you didn’t leave the window open.”

“I left it open!”

“Isn’t that why you didn’t wake then?”

It was only then that Lawrence’s mischievous words seemed to bring her to her senses. Her mind, dazed by her sleep, brightened and Alice stood right in front of Lawrence.

“Are we leaving now?”

“Anything to pack?”

“This one.”

Alice took out a red robe from her closet and checked her pockets. Fortunately, the magic bag containing all her possessions was inside. Alice laughed inwardly at the touch.

‘Now, as long as I go to the Nakran Empire, I can live without doing anything!’

It was a little disappointing that she could not continue her work at the top, but from time to time she would send letters to the Marquess of Hamilton. Because she was willing to give advice on the operation and policies of the upper ranks.

“Is that only one or all?”

“Yes.”

​

Lawrence slowly scanned Alice. He smiled as he checked the necklace hanging around his neck, which was revealed in light casual clothes.

Alice, who was wearing her robe before she knew it, was startled when she saw that smile.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because you’re pretty.”

“Hey.”

Her Alice’s voice lowered.

“Now it’s just the two of us, so can we stop talking like that?”

“No?”

“Yes, so we… what?”

“I don’t want to.”

Lawrence’s pretending to be her lover was to his liking. It was also how he could best protect her. Pretending to be her lover was the best means she could stick by Alice’s side.

“Then how long will you be like that?”

“Until we arrive at the capital of the Nakran Empire.”

“Maybe?”

“Then did you just try to settle down in an outlying estate? I know who the lord of that territory is.”

“Ah, yes.”

She vaguely thought she was going to the Nakran Empire, but she didn’t make any detailed plans. No, it was too hard to come up with a plan.

“I must go to the capital.”

“It’s the easiest place to settle down there. It will cost some money, but…”

Lawrence, who continued her speech, looked at her up and down again.

“It’s pretty much in that magic bag, so you don’t have to worry about money.”

“Uh? How did you know?”

Alice asked, startled, but Lawrence did not answer. It was because there was a pouch in his pocket that had the same magical power flowing through it.

Lawrence was a sword master and magic swordsman. He was a knight who could use both magic and sword. His skills were so great that he could be counted on one hand in the Nakran Empire. He, who put Alice’s safety first, couldn’t help but care about the flow of her magical power in her pocket.

“Meow.”

A thin sound came from outside her window as Lawrence suddenly imitated a cat’s meow. The sound, like that of a kitten, was somehow familiar.

“Meow.”

Confirming the sound, Lawrence jumped on her windowsill. Alice was instantly mesmerized by his handsome face reflected in the moonlight, making her stare still at the hand that was in front of her.

She always waited for this moment. The moment when someone recognizes her staying in the room and extends his hand. She waited for someone to take her out of this d*mn room.

Alice held Lawrence’s hand tightly.

“Then, shall we go?”