Chapter 9 - You’re Elena Blaise (2) (2/2)

Carlisle’s gaze headed towards his right arm. Elena’s brow furrowed with worry but she hesitated to ask about it in detail. When she did not respond, Carlisle spoke to her again in a solemn voice.

“Think carefully before you answer the question. This may be your last chance to escape.”

Seeing Carlisle’s expression of loneliness, Elena sensed that it was not yet time to dig up the secrets about him. There was no need to be in a hurry. She would spend a little more time later unraveling his mysteries.

“I don’t care if you’re a monster.”

“Why? Do you really want to be an empress?”

“Yes. If you can become emperor, I can do even more than an empress can do.”

Carlisle’s facial expression changed subtly, as if his answer was unexpected.

“For example?”

“If you think that an empress is a position that I do not deserve…”

“I don’t think that.”

“What?”

“Don’t forget this. It was you who came to me.”

Elena felt strange when she heard Carlisle’s answer. He was looking at her as if he was looking at prey, as if the chances of escaping had already disappeared. Silence hung in the air as they faced each other.

Suddenly, she could hear the sound of horses’ hooves gradually getting closer. Someone was coming this way. Elena quickly pushed herself from the ground, preparing herself for the assassins that may have followed them. Then came a cry.

“Your Highness! Crown Prince!”

“Where are you?”

She could see a flag flying in the distance from the direction of the searching voices. It was splendid flag with a golden border and in its center had black dragon baring its teeth. It was the symbol of the crown prince’s guard. Carlisle frowned in disapproval at his men who had just appeared.

“…Late.”

“Your Highness, there still may be assassins mixed in with them,”

she said warningly.

“It doesn’t matter now. My men are here.”

“But–”

“Because of our first meeting you think I’m a weakling.”

Elena winced at his accusation. He was not wrong. She was so worried about his safety now she couldn’t afford to trust trust anything. Carlisle casually picked up Elena’s helmet despite his injury.

“The man you choose to marry is not a weak man. Don’t worry about anything and go. If you don’t disappear now, you’ll be caught. “

“Your Highness…”

“Try to hide your sword fighting abilities as much as possible. It would be safer. “

“…I understand.”

Elena agreed with his assessment. She could easily become a target if her abilities were known. It was better to act in the dark.

Even though she made to go, she still felt uneasy about leaving Carlisle. Carlisle then took hold of the horse’s reins and pressed it into her hands as if in a hurry.

“I’ll visit you in ten days.”

“Please….take care, Your Highness.”

Elena forced herself to get on the horse then looked at Carlisle for the last time. He stood completely still while his blue eyes gazed at her. She finally tugged the reins of her horse and galloped away, leaving him with a warning.

“Beware of the Duke of Lunen.”

Paveluc was a treacherous king that conquered the throne in the future, but now he was a great duke over the duchy of Lunen.

Carlisle looked at the retreating figure of Elena on her horse, then mumbled in a questioning voice.

“Beware of my uncle? What matters to me now isn’t him…”

However, the person who could answer the question had already left. Carlisle stood motionless, until she was completely out of sight.

*

*

*

Inside a splendid castle.

A white carrier pigeon skillfully flew into a corner of a room boasting a dazzling collection of treasures from around the world. A handmaiden carefully retrieved the letter from the bird.

In the center of the room was a luxuriously decorated sofa, and sitting upon it was a middle-aged woman, a lady of grace from head to toe. The woman wordlessly received it the letter and slowly read the short passage. Suddenly, she crumpled the paper in her fist.

“…What a failure!”

Her voice of displeasure caused to handmaid to look up.

“Is there something the matter?”

“It’s nothing, go back.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

The woman was Ophelia, the wife of the current emperor Sullivan and the 12th empress of the Ruford Empire.

She was also Carlisle’s stepmother.

Ophelia watched the handmaiden disappear, then placed the edge of the letter in the flame of the nearby candle. The words on the letter gradually began to darken and burn.

Failed to assassinate Crown Prince Carlisle.

“Prince Carlisle, you will find it was better to die there.”