My Sweet Deceiver - Chapter 48

Mathieu was nervous. The execution will be carried out next week, and he couldn’t die without accomplishing anything like this.

 

He couldn’t close his eyes in vain without fulfilling his daughter’s wish.

 

Whenever the Heretic Inquisitor questioned him, Mathieu said with a desperate look.

 

“Let me meet the Pope.”

 

But the priest refused with a cold face.

 

“The Holy Father is praying right now, so no one can meet him.”

 

“No, then, the King!”

 

Then the priest snorted and said, “Where is the King who wants to meet pagan? Wake up, Duke of Briem.”

 

The priest looked at Mathieu and smiled.

 

For a moment, Mathieu’s face contorted.

 

Mathieu paced around the prison. He had to find a way.

 

Then he heard the sound of footsteps coming from behind. Mathieu was convinced that he was the one who came to save him. The steps stopped in front of Mathieu’s prison.

 

Mathieu raised his eyes and looked into the face of the visitor.

 

He was the king’s servant. A man who has served the King for decades and knows every inch of his heart.

 

‘That’s enough.’ 

 

Mathieu thought

 

Yes, the King can’t abandon him recklessly.

 

He must put Fabrice on the throne.

 

The biggest force supporting Fabrice was the Duke of Briem.

 

Mathieu said, clasping his hands tightly, looking at the visitor.

 

“Why are you here so late? How long have I waited!”

 

A shrill voice came out.

 

The servant said, “Duke of Briem.”

 

It was a cold voice.

 

“His Highness was very angry, but he has shown mercy, and said that he will not bring charges of treason.”

 

Mathieu eagerly waited for the words to come out of the servant’s mouth.

 

“But there is clear evidence that the Duke worshipped paganism. He said he would leave it to the judgment of the temple.”

 

“What?”

 

Knowing that the end of the pagan was death, Mathieu was not pleased with his words.

 

Mathieu shouted and caught the servant who was about to go back after saying that.

 

“Let me out of here! If you let me out, I can explain everything to the King.”

 

Then the servant turned and looked at him with contempt.

 

“Duke of Briem. Thank his highness for his mercy. For all pagan worship, you are a sinner who deserves to die. Don’t expect salvation, admitting to your sin is a way to die without being disgraced?”

 

Having said that, the servant turned and went away.

 

Mathieu shouted and called the servant.

 

“Hey! Look at me!”

 

But the servant never looked back.

 

Admit your sins…

 

Mathieu was embarrassed.

 

Mathieu recalled the wealth, power, and honour in his hands, and he was the one who had it all.

 

And he was going to have greater power as a close relative of the King in the future.

 

However, from the moment he was driven to paganism, things in his hands escaped like grains of sand.

 

If he was driven to paganism, his title and property would be confiscated. And it will be a supreme disgrace to be called a pagan in the religion of Valloise, Nateism.

 

What about this power?

 

Mathieu made a mockery of his situation.

 

There was no news from the old nobles who were quite close to him.

 

Those who tried so hard to show him a face.

 

For Mathieu, their betrayal was more humiliating than the King’s refusal.

 

“I cannot die here. I must not die here…”

 

Mathieu’s mournful self-talk echoed through the dark dungeon.

 

***

 

Giselle was lost in thought.

 

The most important thing in order for Fabrice to ascend to the throne was to deal with the First Prince. In fact, what was more urgent than that was to remove the risk factor.

 

First Princess, Tehez Ingeliger.

 

As all the schemes were coming out from there, it would be easier to bring the First Princess down.

 

She had to deal with Tehez first.

 

Wasn’t it her fault that Fabrice and her family were in danger?

 

If she thought about her future, she must not leave that woman alone.

 

If so, in what way?

 

At that moment, a knock was heard.

 

“Miss, this is Anghel.”

 

“Come in.”

 

Anghel bowed respectfully, and held out a folder to Giselle.

 

“This is the report of the investigation of the First Princess you mentioned.”

 

“Thank you, Anghel. It came out sooner than I expected.”

 

“Yes, Miss. We did it as quickly as possible.”

 

The bandage was still wrapped around Anghel’s forehead, but he was full of energy.

 

Giselle smiled sweetly and fluttered the file folder.

 

“The youngest daughter of the Marquis of Ingeliger. Can we use Marquis of Ingeliger as bait?”

 

Giselle spoke to herself, and Anghel answered.

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. The Marquis is unconscious, so it will be hard to have our hands on him… the Marquis has been abusing the Princess since she was young, so she might not have a close bond with her father. But on the contrary, she likes him from the bottom of her heart, but she might let him go.”

 

“Oh, dear….”

 

Giselle said in a voice of no pity.

 

“Then what about the First Prince?”

 

“After the disappearance of Prince Fabrice, their alertness has been strengthened. No access.”

 

“Oh, no. I should have planted a spy sooner.”

 

“Sorry, I couldn’t think of that. The preparations for the engagement ceremony…”

 

Anghel scratched his head and said sorry.

 

Anghel was also mobilized at Giselle’s engagement ceremony and worked on shredding his bones.

 

In line with Giselle’s taste, who has been picky in everything, there were many items that were not available in Valloise, so he had to stay up all night every day.

 

As a result, he was able to celebrate the engagement with Giselle wearing a diamond necklace, which had not yet been introduced to Valloise.

 

Giselle’s diamond necklace was Anghel’s tearful achievement.

 

“That woman, does she not have a baby?”

 

“That’s right. I know she gets regular checkups by the courtiers.”

 

Anghel answered correctly.

 

“How many years has she been married?”

 

“I think it’s been more than five years. It’s close to six years, if you count the engagement.”

 

“What…? It was a thing to do while she was engaged. It’s been more than 5 years since she got married, but there’s still no news.”

 

Giselle made a crack sound as she grabbed the handle of the sofa.

 

“…”

 

“Even a woman of high status can lose her self-esteem if she is despised for many years. Wouldn’t she be worn out by now?”

 

Somehow Giselle’s words were imbued with laughter.

 

“You’re right, Miss.”

 

Anghel agreed.

 

“Then shall we aim for that? It would be more interesting to watch her burn down on her own than to set her on fire ourselves.”

 

“All right.”

 

Anghel replied, bowing his head.

 

Giselle laughed as if she was satisfied.

 

“Oh, it’s Prince’s meal time soon. Get out, Anghel.”

 

“Yes, Miss.”

 

Giselle rose from her seat and hummed into the depths of the mansion.

 

There was a room with a large lock.

 

Giselle chuckled, picked the lock and opened the door.

 

Stuffy atmosphere.

 

There was not even a sound of rats moving in the room.

 

Giselle walked through the thick curtains, which had been tightly drawn, and opened the window.

 

All the windows were covered with thick wooden planks and locked with padlocks.

 

Giselle opened one of them and turned her back to the bed.

 

The noonday sun shone into the room.

 

A man was sleeping on the bed, motionless.

 

She didn’t know if he was sleeping or just lying down.

 

Fabrice looked pale because he had not seen the sun for a few days.

 

“Prince, wake up. It’s meal time.”

 

Fabrice was still lying face down without moving.

 

It was because the wounds on his back had not healed yet.

 

“Wake up quickly, Prince.”

 

Giselle spoke in a clear voice, and grabbed Fabrice’s arm.

 

Then Fabrice, who had remained still as if dead, got up in a panic, and looked around and said, “This is-”

 

It looks like he hadn’t gotten used to it yet.

 

Then he looked at Giselle’s smiling face and answered as if he had come to his senses.

 

“Already… Is it time to eat?”

 

“Yes, of course. Come on out.”

 

When Fabrice couldn’t stand up properly because of his shaky legs, Giselle supported him.

 

“Are you tired, Prince? Would you like me to bring food to your room?”

 

“Oh, no! It’s okay. It’s okay. I can walk well.”

 

Fabrice gave strength to his legs and walked desperately.

 

Then he arrived at the dining hall.

 

Before he knew it, the table was full of food.

 

“I have it all set up already.”

 

When Giselle said so in her feminine voice, Fabrice was startled and said, “Ah, I’m sorry I didn’t wake up sooner, Princess.”

 

“The food is going to get cold. Please have a seat, Prince.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Fabrice, who turned into a docile sheep, sat face to face with her, and Giselle picked up the tableware and began to chew her food gracefully.

 

Fabrice also looked at Giselle and picked up the food.

 

It was an incredibly quiet meal time.

 

“Prince.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Are your wounds almost healed now?”

 

“Yes, yes! Of course, Princess.”

 

“I’ll see you again after the meal.”

 

“It’s okay, it’s okay…”

 

“Do not turn down my sincerity, Prince.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

“After seeing the wounds, you will be able to return to the palace.”

 

When Giselle said that, Fabrice widened his eyes.

 

“Well, are you sure? To send me back to the palace…”

 

“Prince, when did you see me talking nonsense?”

 

“No, no.”

 

Fabrice answered calmly.

 

“I think you’re done with your medical treatment, so you should go back to the palace. Do you want to stay with a girl?”

 

“Oh no! Thank you for taking good care of me, but I’m more used to the palace…”

 

Giselle smiled and said when Fabrice made a poor excuse.

 

“Of course, you would. If you are diligent, you will never come here. Do you understand?”

 

“Of course, I will. Princess.”

 

Fabrice’s face had a hint of seriousness.

 

‘Can I trust him?’

 

Giselle decided to trust Fabrice one more time.

 

(To be continued in the next episode)