A week had passed since the Duke and his entourage returned to the capital. During that time, Will and Xenos managed to grasp the situation clearly.
“We never anticipated they would resort to such a tactic. We don’t know who started this rumor, but the imperial family benefited without lifting a finger.”
“What sort of talk is circulating now?”
“They say Miss Arsene clung to you and followed you to an active military operational site while you were away from the duchy. A rumor is also spreading that she relied on your authority when you went with the imperial knights from the ducal palace to Count Arsene’s residence, just to avoid blame.”
Valerie Figel spoke, lightly patting her chest in sheer frustration.
“They are saying Selina Arsene was always trying to win the Crown Prince’s heart, but after Miss Hazel became an obstacle, she harassed her and even attempted to kill her. When her scheme failed, she supposedly clung to Your Grace instead, attempting to seduce you—since you are unfamiliar with women—in order to become the Grand Duchess. They say she defied her family's wishes, ran after a man, pursued you outside the capital all the way to a military site, and only recently returned without an ounce of shame.”
Then Matthew Figel asked with immense curiosity,
“And a few days ago, a new rumor surfaced. They say she took the initiative to kiss you brazenly in front of everyone… Is that true?”
The moment he heard the twins’ words, Xenos flushed crimson.
As he coughed to mask his embarrassment, Will spoke up from beside him,
“If Your Grace reacts like that, it’s only natural for everyone to believe it. And it isn’t improper for a married couple to show affection toward each other indoors, rather than out on the public street. Luce is definitely the one who spread this talk. A contemptible man… but clever, damn him.”
Hearing that, the twins exchanged glances.
‘So… they really kissed?’
‘Our master kissed a woman in front of people?’
‘And Selina was the one who initiated it?’
After regaining his composure, Xenos asked,
“How is Miss Arsene doing right now?”
“Word is the Count’s family placed her under house arrest. We attempted to visit her several times and sent letters regarding it, but the reply was that she refused due to her poor health. And listed as the acting head of the family was the name Brandon Arsene, not Selina.”
“Which means we don’t know her true condition.”
Xenos remarked anxiously, taking a sip of his tea.
“What’s most concerning now is the prospect of an imperial military summons.”
Will sighed as he spoke, but Xenos answered in a resolute tone,
“Now that I know who my true partner is, there is no need to bend to the imperial family’s wishes and march out on campaign. I will tell them I will not return to the border until my father has recovered.”
“That might buy us a few days, but we won’t hold out for long. We fear the imperial family might mistreat Count Arsene’s family if we refuse to comply with the order.”
No sooner was this said than Xenos slammed his fist on the table, as if categorically rejecting such an outcome.
After calming down a little to think, he said,
“Striking the ducal house is harder than targeting the Count’s. But since Count Arsene is known to be a close friend of the Emperor, they will need a substantial pretext before making a move against him.”
Will nodded in agreement.
“In fact, it may be fortunate that Count Arsene will soon depart on a merchant vessel. It’s difficult to touch someone so far away. What worries us, though, is that the Grand Duchess is confined. And there is no one to protect her within the family.”
“Perhaps I should meet the acting head of the family.”
“Brandon Arsene… He was a commoner who became the eldest son of the family after the Count’s second marriage. Not much is known about him. He isn’t socially active like the Grand Duchess.”
“It is enough to look at what is being said about Selina and me to see that gossip cannot be trusted. It’s better that I see him for myself. Can you arrange a meeting?”
“We will host a tea party in the Figel family’s name and invite him. Your Grace can meet him inside the manor without anyone noticing.”
“Good.”
‘I hope I can have a proper conversation with him so we can get Selina out quickly.’
Ever since he turned to leave, Xenos had been fingering the ring hanging around his neck, thinking of Selina, whom he yearned to see.
“How long are we going to keep serving the young lady such foul-smelling food?”
one of the maids fretted as she carried the repulsive food brought from the main building.
“We can’t disobey the mistress’s orders.”
As if stung by her conscience, the other maid spoke in a muted tone, lowering her head in silence.
The servants of the Arsene estate knew very well who their true master was. For that reason, they had never neglected their service to Selina, who had looked after all the manor’s servants with meticulous care alongside the Count and as his representative.
Yet now, they felt intense guilt over having to serve that very young lady food even the servants themselves would not eat.
Brandon and Flora had never stopped complaining while sending that food to the East Wing where Selina was confined.
“To send three meals a day to such a wretch…”
“We replaced it with food that was going to be thrown out soon anyway, but it’s still a waste.”
“Why don’t we leave her to starve for a few days to punish her for looking down on us before?”
“That venomous thing will survive even if we leave her without food for days. In any case, people are watching us, so we must pretend to send her food daily. Only then can no one say we mistreated her. And if we’re questioned about the spoiled food, we’ll claim we had no idea. No one can blame the servants if they acted on their own out of fear of us.”
Brandon had gained the servants’ compliance not because Selina was incompetent, but because her reputation was deteriorating with each passing day.
For Selina, this was a time to yield and observe quietly to avoid any provocation.
A week had passed since she was locked in the East Wing without even a single maid provided. The pair had expected that she would bow her head and beg to be let out by now.
Contrary to their expectations, however, Selina was entirely composed. She picked through the wretched food brought to her, selected the least spoiled pieces, and gathered them onto a large plate.
Then, sitting on the parlor sofa, she ate with her bare hands, paying no heed to table manners.
In her other hand, she held a book about the Dragon Power, reading it with rapt attention.
It was the same intense focus Selina always displayed before academy examinations.
‘Princess Christa’s ability was telekinesis, and Xenos’s is the “Command Language”—the power that compels others to obey. Depending on how it’s wielded, it is the most formidable of all.’
Selina set the book on the table and rested her head on her hand, deep in thought.
‘But what about the partner? Is possessing power limited strictly to the wielder of the Dragon Power? Does the partner never possess any ability at all?’
While lost in thought, she heard a soft tap on the window.
‘She’s here.’
She made her way to the second window on the left and opened it cautiously. Tied to a small stone was a slip of paper.
That elegant handwriting was something Selina had taught Cassi herself, step by step.
Every day at a set time, Cassi would slip past the estate guards, deliver brief news to Selina, and return to her hiding place.
Flora and Brandon had confined Selina by pressuring the servants, then placated Count Arsene with a hasty promise that they would release her soon, urging him onto the merchant ship.
Yet the moment he left, they acted as though they had said nothing at all, expelling Cassi and Nora at once and assigning Ben to duties in the main building.
Selina, however, had foreseen all of it.
‘They must be thrilled, thinking they’ve severed my limbs. But their intellect only reaches this far.’
She had already given clear instructions to Ben, Cassi, and Nora on what must be done should this happen.
She burned the note over the candle and sat back down on the parlor sofa.
‘I hope her meeting goes well…’
Involuntarily, her hand reached up to touch the pouch hanging like a necklace around her neck—the one holding the Marriage Proof and the ring.
