Resetting Lady

Raymond shook his head, changing the subject.

“Anyway, there’s no other way but to plant explosives in the palace. The underground area is definitely connected to Crown Prince Gueuze’s room. We can’t officially investigate such an unofficial place, and my relationship with Carynne isn’t formal. Even if it’s extreme, this is the only method. I’ll try to keep you as uninvolved as possible, Sir Zion.”

“What about you, Sir Raymond?”

“If it doesn’t work, I’ll die. Sir Zion, don’t you think dying for love is quite romantic?”

“Are you planning to blow yourself up?”

“Not exactly, but I’m not afraid to risk my life. And this is the best way right now. Will you help me? No, do help me.”

Zion sighed deeply while looking into Raymond’s eyes.

If Raymond hadn’t been hurt because of him, he wouldn’t have felt so obligated to help.

“There’s a party that Crown Prince Gueuze will attend the day after tomorrow. I’ll ask Count Landon to prepare Miss Isella Evans for it. You should enter with her, keep an eye on the situation, and inform me about the Crown Prince’s whereabouts—when he arrives, how long he stays, and when he prepares to leave. Use the second gap in the seventh terrace, like before.”

“Based on past behavior, he will. He has always attended that day.”

Raymond wrote the date on a piece of paper.

“People’s actions have inertia.”

* * *

“Isella, we’re almost at the palace.”

“Y-Yes.”

In the jolting carriage, Zion nervously adjusted his scarf. He loved attending parties, but he had never been this tense.

Zion’s task was simple: confirm that Crown Prince Gueuze attended the party and inform Raymond how long he would stay.

Zion pictured in his mind where the second gap in the seventh terrace was. It was a rarely used spot, secretly utilized by couples for discreet meetings. Guards often avoided that area on purpose, making it a convenient place for Raymond and Zion to exchange messages discreetly.

Zion checked the time and took a deep breath. While his task wasn’t significant, the gravity of what Raymond was planning made him anxious.

“I’ll plant small bombs in various locations. While the chaos and distraction spread, we’ll extract Carynne.”

“Hopefully, we’ll succeed in one go and succeed in rescuing her.”

Let’s hope so.

No one wanted this incident to escalate beyond a small explosion. Zion’s hope was to rescue Carynne safely, then have Raymond and Carynne disappear to live quietly on Raymond’s estate, while he and Isella returned to their lives in their own domains.

“D-Don’t tremble.”

“I am not trembling, Isella.”

Isella’s face was pale. Although her dark green dress was quite expensive, it seemed uncomfortable. It was borrowed from Countess Landon since Isella had left home with nothing. The fit was slightly off in the chest and sleeves.

More than anything, Isella’s excessively stiff expression created a stark contrast.

“I-I am. Not, not t-trembling… o-or am I?”

“Yes.”

Despite frequenting social gatherings, this was her first royal ball, and she was evidently nervous. The debutante ball in the palace marked the true beginning of one’s social debut, so high society would think she was only now properly entering the social scene.

And more than any other nobles or famous people, Crown Prince Gueuze would see Isella. If he knew that the one who escaped him was attending the party, he wouldn’t let her go.

“It’s dangerous.”

“I know. But you can’t hold His Highness’s attention alone. You need to act when everyone’s eyes are on Miss Isella.”

“It’s only been a day since Miss Evans was kidnapped.”

“Of course, if she refuses, I won’t ask any further.”

Zion didn’t like it at all. Isella was the prey that had slipped through the Crown Prince’s fingers once. What would he do when he saw her? Zion fully expected Isella to refuse to attend.

But contrary to his expectations, Isella agreed to go to the party.

‘Even though she’s trembling so much.’

Zion disliked how people around him seemed to get too involved because of Carynne Hare. Perhaps because he had always relied on his looks to get by, Zion disliked people who were like him. From the moment he was introduced to Carynne, he had recognized her as one of his kind, and she made him uneasy.

It seemed like his mentor had started to falter after meeting her, and he didn’t like her presence next to Isella, who he was currently focused on. Even though he was participating because of Isella and Raymond, Zion resented Carynne for relying on her looks to gain favor.

Should so many people risk themselves for one woman? Zion didn’t think so.

“Isella, I still think… I don’t want you to be in danger. Just informing us of Miss Carynne’s whereabouts was enough.”

“N-No… it’s because we have to, d-deal with, with His Highness the C-Crown Prince…”

Despite her trembling, Isella continued to fix her makeup and check the heels of her shoes.

“My father and mother want to hide me from H-His Highness, but they know it’s useless… It’s better to show my face… If Carynne manages to escape, I’ll be the first to face his wrath.”

“That makes sense.”

Isella seemed to be stabilizing as she checked her rings and necklace. The saying that a woman’s accessories are her weapons seemed true in her case.

While adjusting the angle of her necklace like a knight preparing for battle, she said,

“It’s better to be in the palace, pretending to be unrelated to this matter. Even if there are suspicions, it might lessen the danger. When things go wrong, I’ll scream and pretend to faint.”

The logic was sound, but she was still willingly walking into the lion’s den. Zion wanted to click his tongue but found himself admiring her bravery.

“…Isella, I kind of wish you had been born a man.”

“What? No way.”

“…Right.”

Zion extended his hand to Isella. She took it and stood up. As they walked together, Isella looked at the distant palace.

“By the way, Sir Zion, I always wanted to be a knight.”

“It’s not a great job.”

“Not as a job, but like in stories. Protecting the weak and upholding justice… I know it’s not possible in reality, and I can’t live like that, so I wanted to marry a knight.”

Isella smiled slightly despite her tense face.

“But it’s more thrilling to do it myself.”

“Then let’s go uphold justice.”

“Yes.”

They were going to rescue someone captured by a villain. Just like knights.

Even though the one they were rescuing wasn’t a princess but a country girl. And even though they weren’t particularly close.

***

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