Chapter 52: Chapter 36.3

Theodore smiled in a good mood, and stood in front of the door, looking down at Rishe.

“It’s a shame that you’ve been abducted by the maid you’ve brought up so lovingly. I heard from Elise that the new maids are getting faster at their jobs.”

“…”

“There’s a lot of talk among civil officials that once the system you’ve devised is in place, our castle’s servant shortage problem will be solved. I envy you for contributing to the problem that has been bothering Brother, and for being an excellent bride.”

After he said that, the smile disappeared from the boy’s beautiful face.

“You are the kind of person my brother needs.”

“…”

Rishe spoke in a daze.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Of course, I did it to upset Brother.”

“Did you send Elise and the others just for this?”

“Yes.”

Theodore admitted with a relaxed tone.

“The only people of value to Brother are those who have something outstanding to offer. A skilled knight; a good squire; a bride who can reform the castle. And a useless brother like me is of no use to him.”

Rishe suddenly realized.

All this time, she had thought that Theodore hated Arnold. But that wasn’t the case.

“Then he should at least hate me. Otherwise, Brother won’t even look at me…”

“Your Highness.”

“Fufufu.” Theodore hung his head down and laughed heartily and ludicrously.

“It was amazing how Brother looked at me properly when I got in touch with you. Even that cold look he gave me, as if he was looking at something abhorrent, was much better than being ignored!”

Theodore’s body trembled; not in fear, but in ecstatic rapture.

“As long as I’m pissing off my brother, his feelings will all be directed at me! I’m deeply relieved whenever I think that my brother is thinking of me!”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Theodore stood in front of Rishe, who was lying on the floor, and peered at her malevolently.

So Rishe smiled back. She suppressed her wavering vision and the nauseating headache, and smiled openly.

“You’re lying.”

“What?”

Theodore’s face contorted at her claim.

But he quickly regained his composure and restored his expression.

“I guess you’re frustrated for being captured, that was just sour grapes. That’s not cute.”

“Then, as a way of dealing with my pathetic captivity, can you tell me just one thing? Why do you and your family get along so poorly?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“I was caught up in the brawl between brothers, and was thus held captive. You can’t just say I’m entirely irrelevant.”

“…”

Theodore’s expression turned sullen, then turned childish, as if he had come up with a prank.

“That’s true. Let me tell you something. Didn’t I once tell you that Brother killed our mother?”

“Yes, I perfectly remember.”

“There is a premise to that story. The premise is that Mother tried to kill him years ago.”

Rishe remembered the scars on Arnold’s neck.

It was a myriad of old scars that must have been more than 10 years old. It was his only weakness, and something that was usually hidden behind clothing and other things.

“Mother has always hated Father and Brother. And Brother hated Mother just as much – so much that he wanted to kill her one day.”

“…”

“Maybe, that man is planning to kill Father someday, too… If he’s planning to do that, no matter how much of a felon the Crown Prince is, he’ll still be a felon, and he won’t get away with a capital crime.”

Theodore who was unaware of the future three years later, jokingly uttered, “The Imperial Family is so scattered because first off, our father considers his children to be political pawns. Secondly, Brother has cut off all contact with his siblings. My sisters were even sent to live in different places under his orders.”

“What made His Highness Arnold hate your mother so much that he killed her?”

“I don’t know. But isn’t it normal to hate someone who’s been trying to kill you?”

Is that so?

At least the Arnold that Rishe had seen in this life didn’t seem to be the kind of person who would hate anyone for doing so.

But…

She tried to think, but her thoughts turned mangled and warped.

“That ends my story. Did you understand?”

“Yes, I understand, totally.”

Rishe mustered her willpower and smiled at him.

“Your Highness Theodore wishes to be on good terms with His Highness Arnold.”

“Wha…”

“You didn’t speak ill of His Highness when I asked you why your family doesn’t get along. This is a far cry from the time you warned me to stay away from His Highness.”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

Theodore stood up and turned his back on Rishe.

“I’m going to go play with Brother, and you should be quiet at best. There’s no point in trying to escape when there are guards, okay?　Bye.”

The door closed and the sound of the lock clicked.

As Theodore’s footsteps drifted away, about four or five people were left in the hallway.

“…”

Rishe exhaled deeply and opened one of the boxes piled in the corner of the room that she had found earlier.

There were many winter curtains tucked away inside.

She pulled them out and settled into a corner of the room and slowly plopped down there.

It was a bit hard, but it was nothing compared to camping in the wilderness back in her knightly days.

Rather, such pleasure brought joy to her heart.

I can finally sleep!

In the time it took Theodore to get here, she had been desperately trying to stay conscious, in case she couldn’t wake up from a sound sleep.

The splitting headache and nausea was caused by severe drowsiness, but most of all, she was really sleepy.

She sighed in relief and with a sense of peace knowing that she could take a nap.

She closed her eyes and some time later…

“――…”

She woke up with a snap.

It was only a short nap, but her thoughts were much clearer.

Although she couldn’t say that she has fully recovered, she felt much better than just before she collapsed.

Um, there was … there it is.

She took out her stash of pills and swallowed them, putting up with the bitterness. It was a stopgap measure, but once it worked, she would be able to move more easily.

Rishe then quickly tugged up the hem of the dress she was wearing and removed the dagger that was strapped to her thigh with a ribbon.

This dagger that Elise prepared for me is quite a good one. I’m sure it’s His Highness Theodore who distributed these weapons in the slums.

With that in mind, she pulled out another thing she had hidden away.

The two golden pins were originally hair ornaments.

But she could use it to pick locks.

This was all thanks to her life as a handmaiden, where she was obliged to take her reclusive master out for an evening party or study.

Well now…

She had all the information she could draw out of Theodore.

With the dagger and picking lock pins in hand, Rishe stood up.