# 21
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“Sirten, Evelin seems to be very shocked. You’d better go back first.”
He heard Veronica's voice. She was by my side too.
“It has to be. But since there are guests, it is best to restrict access to this place and postpone the arrangements. Send my mother, Veronica, first.”
A faint smile appeared on Veronica's face.
As far as I know, the Emperor has not been attending these official occasions for a long time. Once Cyrtain became an adult, he gave up everything and occupied himf with gambling, alcohol, and women, as I read in the novel.
That's why the Empress was the one who often attended these places, but now she was frozen and looking at this place.
The Empress was depressed because of her husband, and because she was a weak person, she didn't know what to do.
Fortunately, no one was hurt, and everyone was fine.
Sertin continued
"You'll take over the place, and ensure the party continues. Can you do that, Veronica?"
“Yes, no problem.”
"good."
Sertin nodded as he carried me and left the concert hall. I wasn't too heavy for him, and his arms supported my thighs and waist tightly.
There was no reason to be upset or sad, but why did I shed so many tears?
Slowly, my tears stopped.
As I gasped, trying to control myf, Sirtain pressed my trembling back firmly.
“Stay calm, you troublemaker.”
“I, I'm not naughty!”
“And the smell of chocolate?!”
"There was something on my foot. Evelyn didn't do anything wrong!"
“That's right. Evelyn did nothing wrong.”
I don't know why I felt comfortable hearing that in a low voice. I put my head on Sirtain's shoulder and felt a little comfortable.
Does Sertin know anything?
I don't know.
If Cyrtain finds out that I'm not stupid, he'll suspect me as a spy. The situation would seem very suspicious to anyone.
Sirtin carried me directly to the Crown Prince's Palace. The servants seemed to have known in advance, as Serena and Rosie greeted us with pale faces.
Serena and Rosie ran towards us and bowed respectfully in front of us.
“Your Highness, let us take care of her!”
“No, no need. Is the hot water prepared as you requested?”
“Yes, yes!”
Sertin entered with long strides and put me in my bedroom. Then he gently squeezed my messy cheeks.
The warmth in his hands seemed to dissolve my fear, stress, and tears. My heart beat happily.
For some reason, this was reassuring. His smile, and the twinkling lights in the room that shone between us.
Sertin looked at me and said in an uncharacteristically gentle tone
“Shower and check if you have any injuries. You can do that, right?”
My voice rose because I felt embarrassed for no reason.
"Of course! I'm not a child!"
Sertin laughed a little and left the room. There was something strange about him today, as if he was unusually calm. Even bringing me here was unusual.
…Performing uncharacteristic actions makes kindness seem unsettling.
I was biting my nails when Serena and Rosie hurriedly entered. Even as I was being led to the bathroom by the servants, I could not stop thinking about Sirtine.
I wish I knew what was really going on inside him.
***
After changing his clothes, Sertin returned to the concert hall.
Fortunately, Veronica seemed to handle the situation well, as people continued to enjoy the party as if nothing had happened.
There was a reason the party wasn't stopped. He had to check something.
What was Evelyn trying to achieve with all this?
He had to know that.
Cyrtain returned with a frozen face, and Duke Roger approached him with a worried face.
“How is Her Highness?”
“She's fine, she's not hurt.”
“That's good. Julia was very worried too.”
“…but I do not see young Duke Augustin.”
"Looks like he left in the middle of the party. Do you have something you'd like to check on?"
Sertin shook his head calmly. He could see people casting glances at him. As he patted Roger's shoulder as if to encourage him, he whispered to him in a low voice
"You need to get people's attention. There's something I need to check."
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Duke Roger nodded without asking further questions. He exchanged glances with two women, as if they had agreed without needing to speak.
Cyrtain returned to his place next to Veronica and sat down again. Veronica looked at him with a worried face and asked
“How is Evelyn?”
“It's fine.”
“Wouldn't it be better if you stayed by her side? She is your wife, after all. She was looking for you first a little while ago.”
“It would be better if I wasn't with her.”
Veronica looked at him with an expression of confusion. At that moment, Duke Roger and his wife were attracting everyone's attention.
“We would like to express our devotion to the Empire and thank the Imperial Family for organizing this event.”
Cyrtain looked calmly at the center of the ceremony as the couple became the center of attention. He also took a look at Duke Spindle's whereabouts.
'The Duke has not left yet. Could it be that Augustin acted alone?'
If not, he might have moved on Duke Spindle's orders.
'What on earth were they planning?'
Sertin narrowed his eyes in concentration. Fortunately, Duke Spindle was busy chatting with someone else and didn't notice anything. Sertin moved quietly and returned to the site of the previous incident.
There, amid the hardening chocolate, he found something strange stuck. He picked it up and put it in his pocket naturally without attracting anyone's attention.
The site still had some ruins, as Duke Spindel had not sent anyone to clean the place yet. Sertin's quick comeback was worth it.
Cyrtain returned to his place quietly, without arousing anyone's suspicions.
Everything was done at the moment when no one suspected anything.
***
After the party was over, Sertin sat in his room and took what he found out of his pocket. A sweet smell was coming from him, and the thing he was carrying was a small bomb that had lost its explosive power.
The wick was partially frayed, as if it had stopped burning at the last moment.
“Huh.”
Sertin's doubt turned into certainty.
He grabbed the bomb and started turning it over in his hands. Duke Spindel was not going to leave a mark behind him easily. It is likely that Augustin's sudden disappearance was to deal with the remains of evidence.
Cyrtain recalled the memory of Evelyn's face, covered in chocolate, and the look of fear on it. And also the hot heat of her body as she clings to him.
The smell of green apples that exuded from it is still stuck in his memory, amidst the heavy smell of chocolate.
She was like a small animal, weak and terrified.
The echoes of her shaking voice as she cried still resonated clearly in his mind.
“I did nothing wrong!”
In fact, Evelyn was not guilty of anything. If it weren't for her, many people in the concert hall would have been harmed, especially the Empress.
"It hurts! I'm in pain!"
He remembered her whiny voice echoing as if it was deliberately repeating itf. He raised his hand and touched his neck, where her tears and breath had touched.
An unexpected presence like this was constantly cluttering his mind. Sertin let out a weak sigh.
There was a slight hint of confusion at the hand that touched his forehead.
What should I do with this cute thing?
Augustin returned home late at night.
The Duke of Spindel was waiting for him, and called out to him as soon as he arrived. Augustin sat on the sofa, leaning back with a tired face.
During today's festive party, Augustin withdrew midway through it to deal with one of the servants. Getting rid of a servant working in the imperial palace was a very complicated matter.
Fortunately, a servant was working in the main palace, which made it possible. He bribed the emperor's chief servant to handle his resignation.
As Augustin sat leaning back on the sofa, he started fiddling with his fingers.
“What happened today? The Empress has returned safely and is leaning on her ladies-in-waiting. I told you that if you are going to do something, you must do it right.”
Augustin shook his head annoyed and answered in annoyance
"I don't know what happened. I was out the whole time. Maybe that stupid servant made a mistake and ruined everything."
Augustin began to mutter angrily, complaining of the effort he had made in vain. Then Duke Spindle spoke coldly
“No, the servant did everything right. The problem was Evelin.”
"That idiot? What does she have to do with it?"
“Augustin, no matter what, remember that she is the wife of the Crown Prince. Watch what you say. You shouldn’t show this attitude in front of others.”
Augustin nodded indifferently, showing no sincere intention of committing. Duke Spindle's brow narrowed slightly at this behavior.
“So, what exactly happened?”
“Evelyn was passing by, but she tripped and dropped the chocolate fountain and all the drinks that were on it. Because of that, the fuse went out.”
“That idiot!”
Augustine gritted his teeth.