There was a good reason for taking Count Tocino as the starting point for my escape journey.
First, the County of Tocino was north of the Capital. Passing through here would take me back a bit, but I’d be able to get to the temple without crossing any mountains.
Second, Countess Tocino, despite being a wealthy woman, had a poor standing in the family. She thought it’d be a disgrace to reveal it publicly, so she kept it to herself and intended to gain dignity and authority by befriending me. In short, she was in the position to do everything I wanted. I could tell by the way she was constantly hovering around me, asking if I needed anything.
On the other hand, I was very sensitive to the idea of really leaving. Thankfully, such an appearance helped to support the setting of ‘the empress whose health has deteriorated recently.’
While drinking tea with Countess Tocino, I sighed.
“I feel dizzy because there are so many strangers in the mansion.”
At my words, the Countess’s smiling face froze. I could see how desperate and trepidation my favor was in her eyes.
“Ha, have I caused you any inconvenience?”
“I don’t mean to imply that your sincerity is misplaced.”
I sighed slightly again.
“I didn’t know myself, but I’m just now realizing that when I’m not feeling well like this, rather be taken care of by a bunch of people…”
I glanced at her face for a moment. I knew that she built a villa on the outskirts of the estate after she and her husband had a bad relationship. This was a part that Cisen and Eden had already investigated.
I wanted to stay right there.
And Countess Tocino quickly fell into the trap I had laid at once.
“You-Your Majesty, I have a very quiet villa for you to stay in.”
I felt sorry for her because she was so desperate to please me that she didn’t see the world around her, still—that was that, and this is this— and I didn’t want to mess with the plans because I felt sorry for her.
I asked back with a bright face.
“Really?”
It must be a look of delight because I was actually happy since this was going the way I wanted it to. On the other hand, seeing my expression, Countess Tocino smiled brightly and nodded as if she had finally found some peace of mind.
“It’s small but secluded, with a few guards…”
“That’s okay. I’m pretty good at archery myself. While Cisen may be weak, she’s sensitive to the presence of others, and Sylvia and Daniel are the people of Actilus by nature.”
I flatly rejected Countess Tocino’s offer. Even if there were some dubious parts, she wouldn’t be able to resist. However, the Countess’s expression darkened slightly as if this was a condition she was reluctant to bite into.
I put my hand on the back of hers and spoke sweetly.
“There shouldn’t be any problem. Word of mouth spreads throughout the capital that the County’s security is well policed.”
“Is, is that so…”
“Of course. That’s why I chose this place as my retreat.”
As the Countess blushed at my praise, I drove the final wedge.
“If you allow me to spend a few days quietly at the villa with my people, I’ll grant you one of your wishes.”
For Countess Tocino, who was eager to get acquainted with me, it’d be a hard temptation to resist. She gazed at me with a rosy, dreamy expression.
So, that was how I was able to leave for Countess Tocino’s villa that very day.
In the meanwhile, contrary to me, who had a heavy heart, Cisen was uncharacteristically talkative.
“It’s a really nice estate.”
It was a strategy to cheer up Countess Tocino.
I also glanced around the estate after the feast was over while riding a horse. It was only a short distance from the mansion to the villa where the Countess would always come and stay after a fight with her husband. I liked it very much. Not only that it was located away from the main residence, but the stone walls were high, making it difficult to see inside.
‘Well, it does look a little bleak and dangerous, but…’
In the case of the Countess, she would have been accompanied by knights, but I had Eden. No matter how much the Actilians were endowed with strong bodies, the rabble robbers in this place would be no match for Eden.
Things were going smoothly.
I smiled.
“I know it must’ve been an unreasonable request, but thank you for understanding.”
Countess Tocino blushed.
“Not at all. I’m just glad I could be of assistance since I want Your Majesty to have a comfortable time during your stay at the estate.”
“Then, leave me the keys to the village and the Countess should return now.”
I said something to her that must’ve sounded like thunder in the blue sky with a smile on my face. Well, she couldn’t stay here.
Countess Tocino became momentarily dumbfounded.
“Yes…?”
“I told you I was tired of being surrounded by strangers. I never meant to treat you as a hindrance, though…”
My heart was pounding like it was going to jump out of my chest, but I calmly concluded my words.
“…You can understand, right?”
At my words, Countess Tocino had no choice but to reply that she understood. It was because that was the difference in power between her and me.
Finally, there were only four left to do the work. Having stood on the edge of my seat because of the difficulty of lying, I felt a little relaxed now. Lying down on the green velvet sofa that Countess Tocino cherished, I stared blankly at the ceiling.
“Let’s rest for a bit.”
When Eden, who was in charge of this escape operation, said this, Cisen also relaxed her posture and let out an earth-shattering sigh. It seemed that she was very worried.
Then, I glanced at Sylvia.
Unlike me and Cisen, she didn’t seem worried at all and rather seemed to be enjoying herself. She joined the party shortly before the escape operation was carried out. I was furious when I learned that Eden had divulged the Actilus escape plan to her without my consent. Even if she had found him first, shouldn’t he have sent her back before asking for my consent first? What if she had a different mindset? How could he judge her so arbitrarily?
However, when he told me that he believed in Sylvia’s hatred for the emperor, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
…A hatred so intense that someone as intelligent as Sylvia couldn’t have resisted it without telling me, the Empress. She seemed to think that my escape would give Raniero a good shot.
‘…He’ll see his destined partner before he even realizes that I’m gone.’
I felt a little cynical, but I wasn’t about to throw cold water on her. If you think about it, he would turn around and take a hit… by the sword in Seraphina’s hand.
In fact, it was fortunate that Sylvia helped us escape while being immersed in such fantasy.
Running away was actually a small part of what Eden and I needed to do. The most important part was to get to the temple, meet Seraphina, and deliver the contents of the original work. Only then could she kill Raniero so that Eden and I could leave this world and return to the world we came from. Nonetheless, I still couldn’t figure out exactly what to say to Seraphina. I honestly thought Eden’s words would have more impact on her than mine, but…
Eden’s position was problematic.
Once he returned to the temple, having confessed his improper feelings for the Saint, it would be complicated for him to approach Seraphina.
Of course, he would try first, but if it didn’t work, I’d have to tell Seraphina a series of stories myself. I couldn’t rule out the possibility that my words would just sound crazy to her. It would be easier to convince her if there was some evidence to point her towards.
‘…I didn’t realize it would be a problem if the book in the old sanctuary could only be read by me.’
I sighed as my chest was stuffy.
Anyway, there was still time left before we reached the temple, so until then, we needed to do what we set out to do here first.
Countess Tocino’s eyes were now gone.
As I thought so to myself, I raised myself up and sat down on the sofa.
“First of all, shall we write a regards letter?”
I needed to let Raniero know that I’d arrived safely.
˚ ·: * ✧ * :· ˚
There was no Angelica in the Imperial Palace.
That realization made a bigger difference than he thought. In addition, the atmosphere in the palace suddenly became murderous and chilly, and Raniero was mostly to blame.
Not only that, but he had gotten a little strange.
He slept in the Empress’s Palace even though Angelica wasn’t around. Even knowing her absence, his footsteps turned in that direction every day. He found himself losing focus and daydreaming more often. No one expressed concern, but some worried that there might be a problem with this winter’s expedition.
Fortunately, those worries didn’t last long, and something ‘good’ happened by their standards. Angelica’s absence had rekindled a feral thirst in Raniero that seemed to have been temporarily quenched after their marriage.
His senses sharpened, and his appetite grew even more voracious.
He continued to complain of emptiness. There were also frequent complaints that it was boring. Because of that, preparations for the expedition, which were already at the end, were further accelerated because of his complaint.
In the meantime, two days before the departure, a letter arrived from Count Tocino.
It was a letter from Angelica.
The letter wasn’t long. It mentioned that she’d arrived safely, wasn’t ill, and that everyone was friendly. However, it didn’t mention the nightmare that he was most curious about. Raniero gazed at the letter, which was not even a few hundred words long, for about two hours.
He kissed the letter.
After crossing the mountains and conquering the territory of Sombinia, he’d go to Count Tocino’s estate to pick up Angelica before returning to the Capital.
Little did he know that Angelica was no longer in the Count’s estate.