My Sweet Deceiver - Chapter 83

Tehez came down alone at Max’s call and exchanged greetings with other servants lined up to see her.

 

Even though she had left for six years as the Princess and the mansion had been empty, the servants still treated her as their master. She didn’t forget and bid farewell to each of them, calling them by name.

 

As they stepped out in front of the mansion, an unmarked carriage awaited her.

 

Tehez, Danielle, Yarol, and Max got into the carriage together.

 

Tehez initially refused to take Yarol, the knight escort, all the way to the estate. But Max insisted that Yarol come along in case of any emergencies. It was for precautionary reasons.

 

Following Max’s advice, Tehez eventually agreed to take Yarol with her. However, she had him change out of his uniform, which clearly resembled that of a knight and instead wore the shirt and coat that Max had been wearing. With the coat on, Yarol simply looked like a well-built gentleman.

 

The small carriage was filled with four adults. As they travelled to the central station of Lubern, they caught glimpses of the destroyed city centre through the windows.

 

The Lubern Square they had often passed before was so heavily damaged that it was difficult to imagine its original state. Tattered banners were hung on the crumbling walls, and the slogans written on them were barely legible.

 

As they listened to the rhythmic sound of horse hooves striking the ground, Tehez was overwhelmed by thoughts.

 

‘Am I doing the right thing by running away as the Princess?’

 

‘If I leave like this, I feel like I’ll never be able to see Dennis again.’

 

‘I won’t be able to return if I miss this moment.’

 

If this were a book, she could casually flip back and return to the previous page to read again. And if this were a game of chess, even if she lost now, she could do better in the next opportunity.

 

But this was neither a book nor a game.

 

Tehez absentmindedly played with the necklace hanging around her neck. Her fingers touched the pendant beneath the thick fabric.

 

‘I have to stay here.’

 

The course of her decision-making couldn’t be clearly explained. The only thing certain was the conclusion. Unlike before, when she had made judgments based on reason, this time, she wanted to follow her heart entirely.

 

‘Because he is in Lubern.’

 

“Turn the carriage around, brother. I will stay here.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Max looked at Tehez with an expression as if he had heard something he couldn’t believe.

 

“I won’t leave Lubern. My safety is-“

 

“What nonsense is this?”

 

Max shouted at Tehez in a loud voice. Danielle and Yarol’s eyes widened in surprise.

 

“…Take me back, brother.”

 

“Are you out of your mind? Did you doze off during the explanation earlier? You’ll die! I clearly said that!”

 

“Yes, I’m perfectly sane, brother. But running away alone is cowardly. And he is in Lubern. My husband.”

 

Max burst into laughter as if he had heard something absurd.

 

“Wow, man, you.”

 

Only Max’s incomplete exclamation filled the carriage.

 

“Are you crazy? Is he worth it? A man who can’t even protect you properly?”

 

“Don’t you know? I’ve been secretly in love with the Prince for a long time.”

 

As Tehez replied with a smile, Max stared at her in a daze, losing his words.

 

“That’s why, please take me to my safe haven.”

 

It was a decisive request.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

For a few minutes, Max stared at Tehez without saying a word. Then, he let out a sigh as if giving up and spoke.

 

“Give me the address.”

 

“Thank you, brother.”

 

“Alright, enough. The address.”

 

As Tehez provided the address, the horses’ heads turned around.

 

“Don’t let anyone in the capital find out about this.”

 

“Yes, I’ll be careful.”

 

“Hah! Seriously.”

 

Max frantically tousled his hair, seeming frustrated.

 

“It would be troublesome if other people found out you’re here. Ah, I really can’t handle this kind of thing.”

 

“I’ll trust only you, brother.”

 

Tehez smiled and replied, causing Max to become even more frustrated. He finally released the tie that was strangling his neck and loosened it.

 

“Hah…”

 

Meanwhile, familiar alleyways gradually appeared in her sight. It was a mansion located on the outskirts of the capital. It was a place with few people who knew about it, as she had recently acquired it.

 

“Is there anything else you need?”

 

“I have some inquiries about the recently purchased mansion to discuss with Miss Delphine, the manager of Rocher Department Store, so could you ask her to come to the mansion as soon as possible? You can have an errand boy do this.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Soon, a carriage arrived in front of the mansion’s main gate. Max was still looking at Tehez with a complicated expression on his face.

 

“If you need anything, make sure to… hah…”

 

It was an expression of reluctance.

 

“Make sure to contact me. Got it?”

 

“Yes. Thank you so much for today, brother. I’m really grateful that it was you who escorted me. It wouldn’t have gone well if I had asked Brother Richard to drive the carriage.”

 

Tehez joked as she got off the carriage.

 

“I’m always at your service, isn’t that right?”

 

Max also took Tehez’s words as a joke.

 

“No, really. Thank you so much, and I’m really relieved that it was you, brother. Please take care and go back safely.”

 

“Sure. You take care, too. Even if there’s no trouble, make sure to contact me at the mansion. You know I have nothing else to do but idle around, right?”

 

“Of course. Of course. Please go inside quickly.”

 

As Tehez entered the mansion, the carriage slowly departed.

 

The recently purchased mansion was quite spacious but looked dilapidated, like a haunted building. It had been vacant for a long time, so the people living nearby paid no attention to it.

 

Yarol took the lead with a sword in his hand, inspecting the surroundings.

 

“It seems like a very old mansion.”

 

“Sorry, it’s below your standards, Princess. The interior is a bit lacking.”

 

Danielle bowed her head, and Tehez raised hers.

 

It was impossible for Danielle to take care of the newly purchased mansion amidst her busy schedule.

 

Nevertheless, the condition wasn’t too bad. Although they couldn’t refurbish the entire interior, they cleaned it up and performed minor repairs to make it habitable.

 

“That’s enough. It should be fine now. Let’s look for a room to stay in.”

 

After thoroughly searching the mansion, they found several rooms that could be used as bedrooms. The only problem was the lack of bedding. Since they had left in a hurry, it seemed they would need quite a few necessary items to stay here.

 

“Princess! Are you there?”

 

Then, a familiar voice came from downstairs. It was Delphine. Looking down, they saw Delphine holding many things, accompanied by a female servant standing behind her.

 

“Welcome, Miss Delphine.”

 

Delphine grumbled and put down the things she had brought.

 

“Of all places, you came here!”

 

“It’s possible that other safe houses may have been compromised.”

 

“Well, that may be true. Are you really going to stay here?”

 

“That’s the plan. But there are a lot of things lacking here.”

 

“I thought so. That’s why I brought everything. Hey, please arrange that room.”

 

When Delphine instructed her maid, she quickly cleaned the bedroom and spread the bedding on the bed. Then she placed logs in the bedroom fireplace and lit a fire.

 

Once everything was tidied up, Delphine dismissed the maid. The room was now filled with warmth.

 

“Thank you, Delphine.”

 

Delphine retorted with a proud expression.

 

“Do you have any idea how surprised I was when I heard you went missing? I never imagined you would be here.”

 

“I see. You must have been worried. As you can see, I’m not in perfect condition.”

 

“How did you manage to come here?”

 

When Delphine asked, Tehez looked at Danielle and Yarol, who were standing behind her, and then spoke.

 

“Well, Danielle, Yarol. Please excuse us for a moment.”

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

Tehez chose her words carefully, considering what to say to Delphine alone in the room.

 

“By any chance, is there…?”

 

“Do you want to know if the Prince is doing well?”

 

Tehez nodded.

 

“The situation is not great. The rebels are negotiating with the King. There are rumours that they have imprisoned the Prince. I don’t know what’s right. All sorts of unverified rumours are taking over Lubern.”

 

“I see. Delphine, there might be a spy in Flamingo. I left the disposal to Danielle, but we must be cautious until the spy is caught. Thankfully, I managed to escape the palace with the help of someone.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Delphine furrowed her brow. Then she clapped her hands loudly.

 

“I’ll look into the situation further. Just thinking won’t give us the answers.”

 

“I’m counting on you.”

 

“Of course. Am I not the most famous department store manager in Luben? Don’t worry too much. Would you like to see what I brought?”

 

Tehez wanted to respond to Delphine, who was trying to lighten the mood, but she didn’t feel like doing so.

 

When she gestured with her head, Delphine quickly realised and left to inspect the mansion.

 

Now alone, Tehez sat in the awkward room and contemplated.

 

She wished someone could give her the right answer.

 

Throughout the countless unanswered events, she gradually lost confidence in herself.

 

The purpose of everything she had done so far was to secure Dennis’ place on the throne. When she only focused on that, the right answers came easily. It was a long and challenging path, full of shortcuts and obstacles that she broke through.

 

But now, she didn’t know what was right and what was wrong.

 

She had never made a decision to prioritise herself. As a child, she did things for her family, and after marriage, she made choices only for him.

 

But everything has crumbled.

 

He will not become the King.

 

Tehez blamed her own foolishness.

 

Everything felt like her fault. She should have realised that the world was changing rapidly.

 

Could she have prevented it?

 

‘No. Could I have prevented it?’

 

Tehez felt herself shrinking.

 

[“Use yourself to the fullest!”]

 

Suddenly, the voice of the Marquis brushed past her ear.

 

‘Now I have nothing to give him.’

 

‘Neither a child nor the throne.’

 

‘I have nothing to offer him.’

 

Tehez stood up from her seat.

 

Beyond the dusty window frame, there was a garden. The neglected glass windows didn’t provide a clear view of the outside.

 

Nothing was visible with clarity.

 

Through the hazy window, Tehez fixed her gaze on the garden. There stood withered trees, including a sycamore tree.

 

Ah.

 

Tehez caressed her necklace.

 

(To be continued in the next episode)

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