Translated by Yonnee
Angelus froze.
He never imagined that such words could leave Bunny’s lips.
Bunny. That Bunny.
Even if she was about to die, she was the kind of person who’d leave a will asking them to bury her body at the graveyard where only people with Credel blood could be buried under.
Did she just say that she wanted to leave the castle?
She wants to leave Credel?
Impossible.
‘Right. That can’t be true.’
Where would she go if not here?
The only place she could return to was that land filled with criminals, aptly called the ‘Garbage Dump’.
Though she got caught, she went ahead and pursued sorcery all for the sake of never setting foot at the garbage dump ever again. That’s how desperate she was.
‘What kind of ruse is this?’
This was what Angelus thought.
Judging that it was impossible for Bunny to be this way, he arrived at only one obvious conclusion.
‘Did you think I won’t let you leave?’
What an idiot.
He wouldn’t possibly hold on to her.
Such a trick would only work with a person who felt even the slightest goodwill towards her.
He was already suppressing the urge to kick her out of Ophelia’s room right this second!
What she’s saying was so stupid that he couldn’t even laugh at the attempt.
“The reward you want. It’s to leave Credel?”
“Yes.”
“How I wish.”
The icy tone sounded as if nothing would be able to warm it up.
It was as sharp as a knife that could cut through someone cleanly.
As if he was expressing that there was truly no room for warmth.
But instead of finally cutting out on her trick, far from showing her true colors and saying, ‘How can you say that?!’, she looked even more comfortable.
‘You’re smiling?’
One corner of her lips was raised.
As if relieved, she let out a small exhale.
This expression disappeared in an instant, but Angelus definitely saw her smile.
“I’m glad you think so.”
You’re glad?
“But the one who has the authority to decide on this is the Grand Duke. I would like to see him at once.”
“……”
Strangely enough, those words sounded sincere.
“Thanks for letting me know that you approve.”
Without any hesitations, Doah rose from the bed and walked past Angelus.
Her strides were consistent.
As if she didn’t want to be in that place for even a second more.
Angelus remained motionless in that same spot until Doah had left the room and slammed the door behind her.
He wondered how long she’d be able to keep up this disgusting act. It was obviously a lie.
She’ll be back soon.
She’ll beg him not to kick her out. She took a few steps out, but she didn’t mean any of this.
He was sure of it. So, he waited.
And waited.
Five minutes. Ten minutes. An hour.
He didn’t know that Bunny wouldn’t come back until the sun had already set.
Angelus looked at the pocket watch in his hand, which had already become warm from his body temperature. He had been holding it so tightly that it threatened to break.
His aide had been waiting impatiently in front of the door all this time, and eventually, he knocked.
“With all due respect, Young Duke, we cannot postpone your next scheduled agenda anymore.”
“…I’m going now.”
He rose from his seat and shoved the heated pocket watch into the inside of his coat.
It was the first time that his schedule, which was completely packed without a moment’s leisure, fell through.
* * *
‘He should be at his office around this hour.’
Bunny already knew the palace’s structure to some degree.
She never officially stayed in this palace.
It was all thanks to her ventures into hiding here a few times.
When she thought of how to go to the grand duke’s office, the information was available in an instant, as if there was a map ready in her mind.
‘Amazing…’
Doah was truly impressed.
In her past life, she had a terrible sense of direction.
‘Right, Bunny was only eight years old when she uncovered the secret passages inside the palace.’
If Bunny had been brought up normally, she could have used this talent in a better way. Instead, she used this talent to steal instead.
Feeling a bit sorry for the kid, Doah continued walking.
“Princess!”
“Huk, P-Princess!”
Then, they fell silent.
Everyone who saw Doah walking at a fast speed were taken aback.
The nearest attendant ran over to her and tried to stop her.
“Princess, you mustn’t already be up when you’re still recovering! And it’s cold out…”
Instead of answering, Doah brushed past the attendant and smiled at him.
“Ah.”
The servant stuttered and stopped speaking like that, as if a fuse had blown in his brain.
Doah belatedly remembered.
‘Come to think of it, Ophelia’s appearance was quite famous.’
Ophelia’s biological mother was known all throughout the empire as the rose of high society and the beauty of the century.
Since she resembled her mother, Ophelia’s looks were also rumored from the moment of her birth.
She was as lovely as a baby angel from heaven.
‘Child of Peace’. That was her moniker.
Even Bunny, who had been born and raised in the garbage dump, heard the ducal princess’ great reputation.
‘And she was adopted for looking like Ophelia…’
With a strong, vivid red glimmer, Bunny’s eyes shone like jewels.
Her skin was fair and her cheeks were pink. Her eyes were coy, and anyone who’d see her would think that she’s like a delicate peach blossom.
Though she was young, there was an air of melancholy surrounding her, even if she was only staying still.
Anyone could see that Bunny would grow so beautifully that she could even rise to fame in the empire.
‘I don’t know if that’s a good thing.’
In modern times, she would have been a celebrity.
But in this place where human rights were shot and those of lowly birth were treated like insects, such a face and a slim figure wouldn’t benefit her at all.
With these idle thoughts in mind as she trudged forward, she soon arrived in front of a black door engraved with silver patterns.
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