Noxia received news from Andrew, who commanded the private soldiers within the estate, that contact had been made with Orland, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Whew—thank goodness.’

Even though she had believed everything would be fine, lingering doubts kept making her anxious.

Now that she confirmed Orland was unharmed and safe, she could finally shake off the worries that had weighed on her.

But the next piece of news Andrew delivered was shocking.

[It has been confirmed that the head of the household mobilized all of Brellof Family’s intelligence resources to annihilate the Pelmira Family.

By the time I arrived, the Pelmira Family’s territory, their generational business, and even their residence had all been transferred into Brellof ownership.

The head of the household said he will explain the details personally, but I thought you might be curious, so I’m giving you this brief summary first.]

The first thought that flashed through her mind was that the Pelmira Family was undoubtedly connected to Charles’s death.

Otherwise, Orland would never have annihilated them.

‘Could it be… they killed Mother?!’

Noxia, uncharacteristically, trembled with rage, her face twisted in fury.

She might forgive many things—but never the person who murdered Charles.

She barely restrained herself from rushing immediately to wherever the Pelmira Family resided.

Even if she went, now was the time to calmly assess the situation. Though reestablishing contact with Orland was joyful news, Tanashia’s whereabouts in the Calua Empire had gone silent.

Noxia took a deep breath, sat at her desk, and wrote a letter to Andrew.

She requested more detailed information about the Pelmira Family and asked that, once Orland’s affairs were settled, he use the Brellof intelligence network to locate Tanashia.

Previously, Andrew and Noxia had maintained the relationship of an ordinary retainer and young lady, but it had subtly changed after Noxia recently took independent command of the private soldiers.

Andrew no longer treated her merely as “young lady”—it felt as though he now followed her with genuine loyalty.

‘Stay calm. With Father and Sister away from the estate, I must keep my wits sharper than ever.’

Rather than fixating on the uncertain affairs of the Pelmira Family, she needed to focus on what she could do right now.

After learning that Orland and Tanashia were tracking down the true culprits behind Charles’s murder, Noxia had begun investigating everyone who had been present at the villa twenty years ago.

She had just turned her attention to personnel records of those who had once worked for the Brellof Family.

‘Huh? This person…’

Her childhood memory was hazy, but she was certain she recognized this face.

‘Housekeeper Harrison?’

She recalled Harrison, who had been middle-aged at the time—his gentle face and ever-kind smile stood out vividly in her memory.

‘Come to think of it, he’s retired now and living in the countryside.’

Given his age back then, he must now be an elderly man with a head full of white hair.

She carefully noted the outlying region listed as Harrison’s current residence. As a former steward, he would know more than any maid or servant.

Once Orland and Tanashia wrapped up their affairs, she planned to visit him personally.

At that moment—

Bang! The head maid of Brellof Estate barged into the room without knocking.

“Young Lady Noxia, it’s a disaster!”

“What’s happened?”

Noxia stood up from her seat, puzzled. Nothing short of an emergency would make the head maid rush into her room like this.

“Ta, Tanashia Young Lady…”

“What about Sister?”

She had just been worrying about losing contact with Tanashia in the Calua Empire.

Staring at the head maid with concern, she watched as the woman struggled to speak, her face filled with despair.

“Rumor has it… she was negotiating a marriage proposal with His Majesty, the Emperor of Calua Empire.”

“That’s impossible…”

Noxia was bewildered.

She had been in contact with Tanashia until recently, and not a single word about marriage had been mentioned. Suddenly hearing about a marriage proposal was unbelievable.

“The problem is, the Imperial Guard Commander of Calua Empire allegedly kidnapped the young lady just before her wedding night and fled.”

Unconsciously, Noxia slammed her fist onto the desk.

“That’s absurd!”

Tanashia… kidnapped?

She couldn’t believe it.

As her vision darkened and she froze stiff in shock, the head maid’s trembling voice reached her again.

“The Calua Emperor has placed an enormous reward for anyone who captures the Imperial Guard Commander and returns the young lady. The rumor is already spreading wildly even here in Arwen Empire.”

By now, the malicious rumor spread by Helsion had swept across the entire continent.

The rumor Helsion spread did not reach only Noxia’s ears.

It also reached Orland, who was staying near the Pelmira Family’s territory.

“…What did you say?”

Orland stared coldly at the subordinate who had delivered the rumor.

This was utterly absurd.

First of all, the notion that marriage negotiations had occurred without him—the head of the household—was nonsensical.

Moreover, through Zen, he already knew that the childhood companion Tanashia had searched for over ten years had become the Imperial Guard Commander of Calua Empire.

Helsion had once sent a marriage proposal to the Brellof Family. At the time, Orland had politely replied that he respected his daughter’s wishes.

There were many reasons, but it was glaringly obvious that Helsion wanted to marry Tanashia to obtain her magical engineering weapons.

He had tactfully declined because he found the idea distasteful…

‘Now that I think about it, I did hear that Tanashia was offered the position of Empress by the Calua Emperor.’

Since Helsion had even sent a formal proposal, Orland had assumed that if he met Tanashia personally, he might propose again.

‘Was I too complacent?’

Orland’s expression hardened seriously. He looked at his subordinate and spoke in a low voice.

“If the Imperial Guard Commander kidnapped Tanashia, then conversely, it means Tanashia is no longer in the Calua Empire.”

“Yes. We investigated urgently, but found no trace of the young lady or Zen.”

Clearly, there was some hidden backstory.

But right now, he couldn’t know what it was. His communications with Tanashia had been severed while he focused on annihilating the Pelmira Family, so he couldn’t even guess the situation.

Orland felt his heart tighten with worry.

Though Tanashia was no pushover, no father could hear news of his daughter’s kidnapping without concern.

“Find out immediately where Tanashia is.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Since the Pelmira Family is already finished, mobilize every intelligence resource we have.”

“Yes, I obey your command.”

Just as the subordinate turned to leave after receiving the order—

The door suddenly burst open, and someone rushed inside urgently.

“M, Master, someone from the Calua Empire has arrived!”

“Who?”

“They say they’re from the Imperial Guard.”

Orland stood up abruptly. He had just heard the rumor that Tanashia had been kidnapped by the Imperial Guard Commander.

It wasn’t just any unit—it was the Imperial Guard itself coming directly. He couldn’t help but wonder why they were here.

Orland strode forward briskly. “Take me to them immediately.”

“Yes, Master. Please follow me.”

At their destination stood several men in plain clothes with robust builds. At a glance, it was clear they were Imperial Guards disguised as commoners.

The unusual detail was that they had imprisoned people inside a large cage typically used to confine wild beasts.

When Orland arrived, one of the guards stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

“Are you Marquis Brellof of the Arwen Empire?”

“Yes. Why has the Imperial Guard of Calua Empire come seeking me?”

“We were ordered by our Commander to escort these criminals here.”

“Criminals?”

This was completely unexpected from Orland’s perspective.

He naturally assumed this concerned Tanashia, so hearing the word “criminals” instead left him puzzled.

The guard pointed to a man locked inside the cage.

“Our Commander said you could hear the full details from him.”

“Do you know who he is?”

“We only know he’s a mercenary named Andro.”

“Andro?”

The same Andro—the man who had dragged Ascan to the Calua Empire ten years ago, and who had recently been captured as a witness at the location connected to Charles’s death and Cain’s whereabouts.

Hearing their conversation, Andro quickly rushed to the bars of the cage and thrust his face forward.

“M, Marquis Brellof! I’ve already told you everything I know—please release me! I’ve confessed every mercenary who infiltrated the villa twenty years ago!”

Twenty years ago… the villa?

Orland instantly realized these people captured by the Imperial Guard were connected to Charles’s death.

A glint flashed in Orland’s eyes. He didn’t yet understand exactly how this had happened, but one thing was certain: Tanashia was involved.

If it weren’t for Tanashia, no one else would have sent those connected to Charles’s death directly to him.

Orland turned to his subordinate and commanded,

“Take them to the dungeon immediately. Find out exactly what happened, in full detail.”

“Yes, Master.”

Having fulfilled their duty by handing over the criminals, the Imperial Guards bowed respectfully and turned to leave.

Watching their retreating backs, Orland urgently called out,

“Do you know where the Imperial Guard Commander and my daughter are right now?”

One guard halted mid-step. He turned his head slightly and replied,

“We also heard the rumors on our way here. But since we were dispatched on official duty, we don’t know what actually occurred.”

“If you manage to contact the Imperial Guard Commander, please tell him I wish to speak with him.”

The guard silently bowed his head. His silence implied he couldn’t guarantee anything.

Orland didn’t detain them further. Whether they truly didn’t know Tanashia and Ascan’s whereabouts—or simply wouldn’t reveal it—he could tell these men wouldn’t speak.

Orland sighed deeply and gazed up at the clear sky.

‘Tanashia… what on earth has happened to you all this time?’

Noxia and Orland weren’t the only ones shocked by the rumors about Tanashia.

The Arwen Imperial Court was thrown into chaos.

Tanashia was a genius in magical engineering and the continent’s foremost arms dealer. Her becoming Empress of Calua Empire would impact national security.

Emperor Lucellion of Arwen flushed red with anger and shouted,

“Didn’t I tell you exactly this?! Why didn’t you send a marriage proposal to Lady Brellof long ago?!”

The one being harshly scolded by Lucellion was Crown Prince Roel.

With fiery red hair like blazing flames and strikingly handsome features, he was the true male protagonist of the novel .

In aristocratic society, no bond was stronger than marriage alliances. Though the Brellof Family didn’t know it, Roel had long been pressured to propose.

“…The Brellof Family is already too powerful. If they become imperial relatives, who could possibly restrain them in the future?”

As befitting a crown prince, Roel dreamed of building a great empire and resented the privileges enjoyed by high nobles.

Above all, neither Tanashia nor Noxia appealed to him.

When he was younger, Roel had carelessly confided his true feelings to Regard.

─I don’t want to play childish games. When I become Emperor, I want to make Arwen Empire even stronger.

─I understand. That’s precisely why an alliance with the Brellof Family is necessary.

─Ha, it’s my birthday ball, yet I’m forced to mingle with Lady Brellof, whom I don’t even like.

─Harmonious relations with nobles are also virtues of an emperor.

─That’s lofty talk—but isn’t it just flirting with a woman I don’t care for?

He admitted it.

From Roel’s perspective, it was an honest expression—but had the当事人 heard it, they would have been offended.

Unfortunately, Tanashia and Noxia overheard Roel’s words at that moment. Though he felt responsible and tried to explain himself, all he received in return was a dousing of water.

Though it was long ago, for the Crown Prince to be drenched by Tanashia and Noxia conspiring together… it was an utter collapse of imperial dignity.

Even afterward, whenever he occasionally encountered Tanashia or Noxia, their first meeting cast such a shadow that he always felt uncomfortable.

Tanashia’s intentions were inscrutable, impossible to read, while Noxia never hid her hostility toward him.

He had no desire to accept such a woman as Crown Princess.

It might have been immature thinking, but Roel wished to marry a woman who shared his vision and together lead Arwen Empire forward.

Lucellion sneered incredulously.

“So this is what you wanted, is it? Now that Calua Empire has seized all the magical engineering weapons created by Lady Brellof, are you satisfied?”

“…….”

Roel had no answer.

Had Tanashia married any noble within their own country, perhaps it would have been different—but choosing the Emperor of Calua Empire changed everything.

Ultimately, as Lucellion said, Roel should have entered a political marriage with Tanashia.

That was the path that served Arwen Empire.

Lucellion, furious at Roel’s silence, shouted in rage,

“As Crown Prince of Arwen Empire, you must fix this somehow! Whether it’s the eldest or second daughter of Brellof Family—by any means necessary, you must secure a marriage engagement!”

When Roel still gave no reply, the enraged Lucellion grabbed the nearest object and hurled it.

Thwack!

A heavy ornament struck Roel squarely on the head.

Blood began trickling from the wound, but Roel stood motionless, not flinching.

Lucellion turned his head away as if unable to bear the sight and said,

“Leave now.”

“…Yes.”

Roel bowed respectfully and exited the room where Lucellion remained.

Outside, Regard, who had been waiting anxiously, hurried over upon seeing Roel emerge with blood streaming down his head.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Roel stopped Regard from examining the wound with a gesture of his hand.

“Find out immediately where the eldest daughter of Brellof Family is.”

Regard frowned at Roel’s injury but ultimately bowed submissively and replied loyally,

“Yes, I understand.”

“Use any means necessary. As quickly as possible.”

Finding the missing Tanashia was no longer just the Brellof Family’s concern.

It had become the focus of the Arwen Imperial Court—and indeed, of every nation across the continent.