53 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
“Yes.”
Alisha, surprised, could only manage a short reply.
“I will escort you to the crossroads leading to Ludern in my carriage.”
Reikart took Alisha’s hand to help her into the carriage.
“Thank you.”
Only after getting into the carriage did Alisha have time to think.
The carriage door closed, and Reikart sat opposite her.
Suddenly, it occurred to her.
Heime was on the way to the southwest.
She felt pathetic for remembering and caring about such things.
While watching Reikart diligently respond to the Marquis's invitation after his inspection, she was conjuring up suspicions that could only be pieced together after much convoluted thought.
Alisha stared at Reikart silently for a long time.
He didn't reach out to her anymore.
“Did something happen at the banquet?”
Reikart spoke, breaking the quiet gaze.
Alisha didn't answer.
“……”
Something was happening, right now.
“Alisha?”
Alisha reached out to Reikart and took the hand of the man who had braved the cold wind to rush to Marquis Reine's estate.
“Are you in pain?”
Reikart felt burdened when he was away from Tessen.
The forced march to the key areas of the southwest, followed by returning to Baden in time for the invitation, was exhausting.
“No, I’m not.”
Reikart was taken aback by Alisha's sudden touch.
It seemed as if the earlier touch had been entirely accidental.
He tried to pull his hand away.
“There’s no way you’re not in pain.”
Alisha didn't yield, stubbornly insisting like a child.
Her slender hands clasped Reikart's hand, preventing him from pulling it away.
“It’s not that painful…”
Alisha's face darkened rapidly at Reikart's words, spoken out of concern for the person he was worried about.
“It may not be that painful, but it’s still painful.”
There was a hint of loneliness in her words of comfort.
“……”
Reikart had received Marquis Reine's invitation when he reached the far end of the southwest.
Even the far end of the southwest wasn't that far compared to Tessen.
The original schedule had plenty of leeway.
But to make it to the time specified in the sudden invitation, he had to pack up immediately and return to Baden.
The invitation sent by the Marquis included a list of the banquet attendees.
The Marquis had formally informed Grand Duke Tessen, his daughter's betrothed, of his plans in detail, but he had played a significant trick with the timing of the invitation.
Reikart forgot the buzzing in his head and rode his horse at full speed.
So he didn't even know if he was in pain or not.
It seemed Alisha had some misunderstanding about him.
Namely, that he only frantically sought her out when he was in pain.
He felt like he was being misunderstood, but he couldn't ask if she was misunderstanding him.
Reikart knew his own situation well.
If Alisha misunderstood him and treated him as a callous person who only appeared when he needed her, he would naturally be abandoned, which would be a good outcome for both of them.
Even if he did something foolish like hesitating to hold her hand, she would think of him as a painful and pitiful person.
That would be better for Alisha.
“Did you enjoy the banquet?”
Reikart's voice was heavy as he asked the question.
“Just so-so.”
Alisha replied with unfocused eyes.
She seemed to be in a daze.
“What should I give you in return for holding my hand today?”
Reikart asked again.
The question had a distinct twist to it.
Alisha looked at Reikart with a puzzled expression before slowly returning his hand to its place.
“Give me White West Arlik of Tessen.”
“Alright.”
The two spoke like cold-hearted traders.
Just then, the carriage stopped.
They had arrived at the crossroads.
Alisha opened the carriage door herself and got out.
Reikart followed Alisha out of the carriage.
“Thank you for the ride.”
“Take care.”
After exchanging greetings, they headed their separate ways.
Alisha got into her carriage.
Reikart got on his horse instead of the carriage.
The chilly early spring wind blew on the parting night road.
Henrik, who guarded the Grand Duke's Residence in the Imperial Capital, always greeted his master with a smile.
Especially on days like today, his cheeks were raised to the sky.
“Have you arrived, Your Highness? How was the banquet with the Princess Consort? Was she surprised by your arrival?”
As soon as Henrik received Marquis Reine's invitation, he sent it to Reikart via the fastest messenger.
The atmosphere between Alisha and Reikart had been unsettling lately, so he tried not to expect too much, but he still wanted to do everything he could.
Contrary to expectations, Reikart reacted immediately to the invitation.
Henrik was overjoyed when he heard that the Grand Duke had headed to Baden as soon as he received the news.
His choice was right after all.
“Princess Consort? Who? We are not yet married.”
Reikart's face was cold as he turned to look at Henrik.
Henrik, who had been excited about his excellent choice, was startled and only rolled his eyes to find Roderick.
“……”
Roderick met Henrik's eyes and cautiously shook his head.
Give it up.
That was roughly what he meant.
Roderick understood the bewildered Henrik.
He felt similarly to Henrik.
Reikart had been in a good mood until he went to attend the banquet.
When Reikart left Marquis Reine's estate and came to the carriage with Alisha, the atmosphere was not just good, but quite pleasant.
He thought that if things went well, the Grand Duke would finally get married in the summer.
It was a vain excitement.
He didn't know how it happened, but by the time they got out of the carriage, the atmosphere between the Grand Duke and Alisha was as frozen as midwinter.
The Grand Duke's atmosphere was worse than Alisha's.
He showed a sensitivity akin to that before a battle and drove the horse roughly home.
Poor Baron Langs.
Roderick followed Reikart, who was heading home with a cold wind, and lamented.
His worries were becoming a reality before his eyes.
“What should we do with the Drein painting you bought at the banquet?”
Henrik was steadfast.
He continued to say what he had to say, even after being subjected to Reikart's fierce reaction.
Roderick looked pitifully at his frustrating superior and inflexible comrade.
Now was not the time to bring up anything related to or reminiscent of Alisha.
Roderick secretly took a step back, thinking that the Grand Duke would issue a harsh order.
“Send it to Ludern.”
After a brief silence, Reikart spat out the words.
“Yes.”
Henrik bowed respectfully.
He was not a naive rookie who said tactless things.
Having attended to the Grand Duke, he watched Reikart, who said he would go alone, and then approached Roderick.
‘What happened?’
Henrik asked, mouthing the words.
‘I don’t know…….’
Roderick responded with an expression that showed he was the one who was frustrated.
The two pitied each other and exchanged sympathetic glances.
Then they both thought of the same words at the same time.
Novice in love.
Incompatible prude.
Innocent.
But they didn't say the words out loud.
After exchanging secret glances, the two headed out of the house.
This quiet mansion was dangerous.
There was a guest in Ludern.
Judith, guided by Annie, paid her respects to Alisha.
“Lady Alisha. Master Perlman has sent the revised draft of the new design.”
Judith confidently referred to herself as a master without betraying any emotion.
“Welcome, Judith.”
Alisha greeted Judith calmly, though she was puzzled.
Judith was still young.
So, although Judith herself was known as a promising embroidery artist, she was so young that she was said to have a teacher.
Superficially, Alisha's teacher was Master Perlman, and it was known that Master Perlman's disciple, Judith, came directly to Ludern to teach.
Master Perlman and disciple Judith were the same person.
As soon as the workshop door closed, Judith got straight to the point.
“Lady Alisha, the investigation is not yet complete.”
“Then what’s the matter?”
“It needs to be organized, but I came because I thought you should know in advance. You ordered me to look into the Marchioness of Luar. There is something strange about her movements.”
Alisha, who had been nodding absentmindedly, paused.
“Something strange?”
“The Count of Luar as well. Count Luar of Turen does not actually govern Turen. No, the Count seems to be a non-existent person. Currently, the Emperor's tax collector visits Turen to collect taxes and take care of things. The rest is handled by those under the lord.”
There were not many places directly ruled by the Emperor.
Some Emperors even ordered their brothers or relatives to govern Baden, the Imperial Capital, on their behalf.
The current Emperor was very interested in current affairs.
The fact that the Emperor's tax collector visited directly meant that the place was being managed quite strictly.
And it was not a normal situation.
“That’s really strange.”
Alisha had an unpleasant thought.
A place directly ruled by the Emperor, the Marchioness of that place could be someone the Emperor had hidden.
Perhaps an Imperial Concubine who had not been officially recognized.
“Those who are currently attending to the Marchioness of Luar belong to the Great Temple.”
“The Great Temple?”
“People often forget, but only the scribes of the Great Temple within the Empire handle the records of the Imperial Family and the Imperial Family. If the Marchioness of Luar is served by girls belonging to or training at the Great Temple, then she must be a member of the Imperial Family or someone equivalent to the Imperial Family.”
Alisha's expression grew worse and worse.
“Who is it?”
Alisha deliberately sank deep into her chair.
Otherwise, she felt like she would show her impatience.
“I don’t know. First, I looked into the late Emperor's Imperial Concubines, but the late Emperor's Imperial Concubines all mysteriously fell ill one after another and died. The Great Temple monopolizes information about the Imperial Family, so there may be some parts I missed. But the age range doesn't match for them to be the late Emperor's Imperial Concubines.”
There was an incomprehensible frustration in Judith's expression.
“How old is the Marchioness of Luar?”
Alisha, who had asked the question, paused at a sudden thought.
Come to think of it, when the scandal between Grand Duke Tessen and the Marchioness of Luar briefly circulated in the first timeline, nothing was known about the Marchioness of Luar.
Even then, it was not known how old the Marchioness of Luar was or what she looked like.
“I don’t know the exact age, but she looks to be around 80 years old.”
“What……?”
“That’s why I said this part is strange.”
Judith said in a strong tone.
“80s……”
Alisha's face, which had been seriously hardening, scattered in dismay.
Judith nodded at the moving words.
It was an action that made one wonder what she was agreeing to.