My Sweet Deceiver - Chapter 71

Giselle was sitting in the middle, surrounded by ladies of her own age. It was a tea party arranged by Giselle.

 

Despite the midwinter weather, the hearth and fireplace were burning brightly, so it was hot in the tea room as if it were summer.

 

Giselle wore a light, thin dress that showed through, not a winter dress. Her figure in the sheer dress suited her very well.

 

The young ladies invited to the tea party were looking around the tea room, pretending not to be surprised.

 

Expensive paintings and sculptures were scattered everywhere as if to reflect the owner’s exquisite and elegant taste.

 

“My father sent it to me after hearing that we were having a tea party.”

 

Giselle beckoned, and servants came in and put down desserts made of exotic fruits that were hard to find in Valloise.

 

With one bite, the fresh and sweet taste burst into their mouth.

 

A lady spoke to Giselle.

 

“As expected, it’s a nice tea party. You’re going to enter the palace soon, right? Congratulations.”

 

The ladies congratulated Giselle.

 

Giselle stoked her stomach while waving her hand.

 

It was watched by the ladies at the tea party.

 

Giselle, stroking her belly, was somehow proud.

 

In the meantime, the daughter of the viscountess spoke to her cautiously.

 

“I heard that Second Prince treats you so nicely. Please brag about it.”

 

Her ladies awaited Giselle’s words with shining eyes.

 

Giselle covered her mouth as if in trouble and laughed, then started in a hurry.

 

“He is a very kind person. He also fits well.”

 

Of course, the ‘fitting well’ she said did not mean what the general public thought. It meant that Fabrice was ‘a good fit’ for her, physically.

 

However, people who could not know the inside story gave Giselle envious eyes.

 

“Oh my gosh.”

 

“Then why Miss Yvonne Dubois…”

 

Their words implied, ‘Why did she break off the marriage with the Second Prince?’.

 

Fabrice’s history was so splendid that some people still distrusted him.

 

They wondered where that passion had gone.

 

It was a tone mixed with envy and jealousy.

 

“Oops. Is Miss Yvonne still at Valloise?”

 

“There was a talk that she had gone abroad.”

 

“Oh, that’s a shame.”

 

Giselle answered in a tone that was not at all regrettable.

 

“…”

 

For an instant, silence fell over the tea party.

 

Giselle raised the teacup with a feminine expression.

 

Because of Yvonne’s misfortune, Giselle took the place of the princess-to-be, and Yvonne’s misfortune equalled her good fortune.

 

“Would you like some more? We have a lot.”

 

All of them agreed with Giselle’s words which evoked the atmosphere.

 

The subdued atmosphere was because everyone wanted to decline.

 

In the midst of a friendly conversation, someone approached Giselle from the other side and whispered in her ear.

 

“I’ll be away for a while. Because my father came.”

 

Giselle excused herself and rose from her seat.

 

When she went to a corner room out of sight, Anghel was waiting for her.

 

“Didn’t I tell you not to call me when there are people around?”

 

Giselle’s tone was rather ferocious.

 

“I’m sorry, Miss. It is an urgent situation.”

 

Anghel bowed his head several times to apologize to Giselle, who was not even half as big as his gigantic body.

 

“Tell me quickly. I don’t have time for a long talk.”

 

“The Prince has been blamed as the culprit of a serial murder case in the capital.”

 

“Now, that…”

 

Giselle’s expression crumpled in an instant.

 

“And as the culprit of the Marquis Ingeliger attack case…”

 

Anghel was speechless until the end.

 

“You got that all sorted out, right? Why are you talking about it again?”

 

When Giselle spoke in a strangely calm tone, Anghel couldn’t even meet her eyes.

 

“Do not disturb me until the tea party is over. I’ll take care of it later.”

 

“Okay, Miss.”

 

Giselle went back to her musket, the tea room.

 

Anghel erased his submissive expression as he watched Giselle turn away.

 

Anghel’s eyes turned dark in an instant.

 

He lifted his chin and stared at Giselle insistently until she was gone.

 

As he slowly turned his stiff neck, the geometric tattoos on Anghel’s neck wriggled as if they were alive.

 

“Enjoy a lot when you can, Miss.”

 

* * *

 

As soon as the tea party was over, Giselle went to Fabrice’s palace.

 

She was going to ask him about everything.

 

However, Fabrice’s palace was empty without an owner.

 

As if a herd of buffaloes had just passed by, clothes and things were scattered all over the place.

 

If it were not for the maids working, as usual, she would have suspected a robbery attempt.

 

When she arrived at Fabrice’s bedroom, the maids were cleaning the mess.

 

“Why is it like this again?”

 

Giselle asked questions, and the maids came before her, greeted her, and gave her words.

 

“HisHighness has left for the South.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I do not know the details. All I know is that it was ordered by His Majesty the King.”

 

Giselle couldn’t figure out what had happened.

 

She can’t go to the King and ask questions.

 

Giselle immediately left the palace, and headed to Lemac’s mansion, where her father was.

 

It seemed the fastest way for her to check it herself.

 

Something she didn’t know was happening.

 

Her heart beat erratically at the sinking anxiety.

 

“The road is blocked. Shall we go back?”

 

Anghel looked at her and said troubledly.

 

This was already the second time.

 

Giselle bit her nails in nervousness.

 

She had to meet her father quickly, but protesters were blocking her way everywhere she went.

 

Protesters were marching, chanting slogans.

 

“Punish the murderer Prince!”

 

“Punish!”

 

“…”

 

Giselle silently watched the people outside the window.

 

As people held up signs and chanted slogans, police officers ran from the other side and took the protesters away.

 

There was also a confrontation between the people who did not want to be dragged away and the police officers.

 

“Let go! Let go!”

 

Protesters flinched as police fired live ammunition at protesters. In the meantime, police officers with steel shields beat the protestors mercilessly.

 

“Let’s go back to the back road.”

 

“Okay, Miss.”

 

As Anghel spoke to the coachman, the carriage, which had stopped, moved again.

 

After struggling on the road, she managed to reach Lemac’s mansion, and it was already several hours later.

 

Giselle hurried up to her father’s room.

 

“Father!”

 

However, there were already guests in the room.

 

“Giselle, wait a moment.”

 

Giselle’s nails, which had been finely organized, were already chewed well, and nothing remained.

 

How long must she have waited in the small room next door?

 

The Count of Lemac, looking tired, came out to meet her.

 

“Giselle, what happened?”

 

“The Prince is gone! Do you know where?”

 

“Yes, I know. I know that His Majesty the King ordered it.”

 

“Why? Father, do you know why?”

 

“Giselle, sit down for a minute.”

 

Calming the restless Giselle, Count Lemac, with his haggard face, summoned someone and asked for coffee and tea.

 

Until the steaming cup was placed in front of them, Count Lemac sat silently.

 

He seemed to be struggling with what to explain to her.

 

“Giselle. For the time being, I think it would be right to stay away from him.”

 

“Please explain why, father.”

 

“The first is that the Second Prince is accused of being the culprit of a murder in the capital. Second, this is really surprising, and they said that he was also behind the attempted assassination of Marquis Ingeliger. Besides, accidents caused by the Second Prince in the past have come to the surface again, so public opinion is not good.”

 

“…”

 

“And His Majesty sent the Second Prince to the South first to cover it up. It’s a New Year’s banquet soon, all of this now… It should be fixed before the Crown Prince is appointed. Let’s wait a little bit.”

 

“Yes, I see, father.”

 

* * *

 

When Tehez returned from a long walk, someone was waiting for her in her office.

 

Marquis of Ingeliger.

 

As soon as she saw him, Tehez’s face hardened.

 

“Where are you coming back from?”

 

The Marquis pretended to be friendly and called her.

 

He seemed to have recovered much of his stamina.

 

He approached, limping on a cane with an eyepatch on one eye.

 

“What brings you to my palace, Marquis?”

 

Tehez said, distancing herself from the Marquis.

 

“What happened? Must there be a reason for a father to come to see his daughter?”

 

Tehez felt goosebumps all over her body.

 

The way he behaved so friendly was the first time she had ever seen him in her life.

 

She suppressed the rumbling in her stomach and led the Marquis to the tea room.

 

It was different from the usual reception of guests in the office. She didn’t want to show him the space where she worked.

 

When the watching eyes disappeared, the Marquis said, putting aside the respect.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I heard that the Duke of Briem died.”

 

The only people in the tea room where the maids had left were the Marquis and Tehez.

 

Only then did the news arrive.

 

“Yes. It’s been a while. Marquis.”

 

“A Marquis. Are you going to call me that?”

 

Tehez did not answer. She just turned around.

 

“What are you here for?”

 

“The Second Prince. Did he do that?”

 

“Yes. You’re right.”

 

Tehez readily admitted.

 

The capital has been noisy lately because of Fabrice.

 

Fabrice’s approval rating fell terribly due to various incidents.

 

He fled to the South on the pretext of feeling unwell.

 

It was said that it was the King who condoned his escape. In any case, he had nothing to do with her.

 

She dealt a significant blow to Fabrice.

 

Unlike in the past, the King seemed to have a hard time dealing with it.

 

For a week, newspapers featured the case of Fabrice as front-page headlines.

 

The Marquis Ingeliger looked at her with a big smile.

 

“As expected, it’s the blood of Inzeliger. It’s my daughter! I love it!”

 

“…”

 

“And you said it was him who attacked me. Huh? How did you find that?”

 

“I was just lucky.”

 

Tehez answered calmly.

 

But the Marquis looked at her and smiled.

 

“All I can trust is you, my daughter. All my sons are useless! The reason I taught you so severely is that you are the best. You resemble my bright brain the most! You know well, right?”

 

Tehez jumped up from her seat.

 

It was because she didn’t want to talk to the Marquis anymore.

 

“Please go back, Marquis. And please do not come to my palace if possible.”

 

“Already? Then will you come to my office?”

 

The Marquis looked at his watch.

 

He had been in her palace for less than half an hour.

 

“That won’t happen. Please take a look while you are here, Marquis.”

 

Tehez left first, leaving the Marquis behind.

 

Tehez, who stormed out of her seat, felt bewildered. It was the first compliment she heard from the Marquis.

 

“All I can trust is you, my daughter.”

 

Goosebumps were all over her body.

 

It was as if she could hear the Marquis’ laughter in her ears.

 

Tehez stopped her steps and hesitated.

 

But she never looked back.

 

(To be continued in the next episode)

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