[TKOSINM] 186 - Cold Corpses

“Duke, Duchess. I’m ashamed to let you return after having suffered such an unfortunate incident. This lowly servant has no excuse for this shameful behaviour.”

At dawn, the front gate was bustling, in preparation for the Ducal couple’s departure. Several carriages were lined up, and the mercenaries and knights were vigilant to avoid being attacked again.

This morning, the head butler, and the servants, who were released from confinement, bowed their heads as they saw Noel and Irene off. They did not ask anything about the missing Lina. Because it seemed that they knew without receiving a clear answer. They never thought that the maid they had been with for many years would try to assassinate the young Duchess, so it was hard to handle the shock.

“Next time you come; I will do my best to serve you.”

Despite having said that, the butler was convinced that this castle would be abandoned. There were assassins among the servants. In fact, he was in a position in which he could be fired at any moment for not managing his employees properly.

However, the words that came from Noel soon shattered the head butler’s negative thoughts.

“I will make sure to come in winter next time...my wife likes the rooms here.”

“...!”

The old butler raised his head at the completely unexpected words. His eyes rounded, so wide that he felt like they were about to pop out.

“...Your Grace…”

“Until then, please take good care of this place.”

“Yes, of course…! We look forward to your next visit and will do our best to manage the castle!”

“Let’s go, wife.”

Perhaps the head butler’s sparkling eyes were burdensome, Noel turned his head and walked. After looking at Noel’s back with a pleasant smile on her face, Irene spoke to the castle’s butler, who was still moved.

“Tell the chef that the food was delicious. I want to taste it again next time.”

“Absolutely! He will definitely be delighted!”

“That’s a relief. Then I hope you all will be doing well until then.”

Smiling brightly as her last farewell, Irene followed Noel. After getting on the carriage, Irene looked at Noel and spoke.

“As expected, you are truly a kind person.”

“...What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“You said that because you were afraid the head butler would be upset.”

“...I was also serious. Didn’t you like the room? I thought it would be nice to open the fireplace in the winter.”

“...Oh.”

Irene’s eyes grew wide; she did not think he would remember it. Noel continued in a soft voice, looking at Irene, who was a little bewildered.

“If I’m a kind person, then only in front of you, am I kind.”

“That…”

Irene’s eyes shook. The size of the carriage was too small to move around greatly, so her distance from him was close. When she looked up, there was Noel right in front of her. She cast her gaze around nervously. Then eventually, she gave a slight nod.

“I see…”

Noel smiled quietly at her reaction. For some reason, the situation seemed to have been reversed.

Soon the carriage departed. Irene raised her head and looked out the window. As she retraced the way she had come, Kreisen Castle grew further and further.

Irene kept the exceptionally towering snow tree in her view until the very end.

What on earth is its true nature?

With those doubts in mind, the carriage headed back to the Grand Duke’s residence.

♔ Vol 3. Part 8. Succession of the Grand Duchy♔

Upon their return, they reached the destination one day earlier compared to when they first departed because they travelled at a faster pace. Instead, it was rather a rough journey with a tight schedule, so the condition of the mercenaries and soldiers who had just returned was not very good. The same went for the exhausted Irene.

“Irene, here, come down carefully.”

“...Yes.”

Irene blinked her drowsy eyes and took Noel’s hand, who was assisting her to the ground. “You’re both back”

“You must have received the letter.”

“Yes. Where are the assassins?”

As soon as Tom asked, he heard a hoarse scream from the side carriage nearby.

“Wha-what is this!”

“What is happening…argh!”

At the sudden commotion, Irene turned her head. The gathering crowd was also perplexed as they turned towards the carriage the scream had come from.

What’s going on?

“...As expected,” Noel muttered as if he knew what had happened before seeing it. Tom approached the carriage curiously, his eyes widened.

“...what on earth is this…”

It was because of Lina and the assassin. They had been brought, bound in the carriage, but had now turned into cold corpses.

“I-I swear they were still alive when I checked in the middle of the trip…!”

Dan, the member of the mercenary corps guarding them, shouted. With that cry from behind, Tom entered the carriage and checked the condition of the bodies.

“They were shot in the neck. With just one aim, they were killed on the spot. The perpetrator is not of any ordinary skill.”

His gaze fell. After examining the body a little more, he jumped off the carriage and spoke to the bewildered mercenaries and knights.

“They have already been dead for over a day. The culprit must have already escaped.”

“Damn it, I should have figured out who was behind it...!”

The mercenaries and soldiers were indignant at Tom’s words. After ordering the knights to remove the bodies, Tom tapped the frustrated Tag on the shoulder and said in a very quiet voice.

“There is no need to be so displeased. The Lord had already expected this to happen.”

Tag’s eyes rounded at his words.

“Th-that’s not...”