I’ll Be the Heroine’s Competent Divorce Partner - Chapter 155

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 155

 

* * *

 

Joshua was secretly staying in Calais, a major city in the south.

 

Port of Calais.

 

It was the Empire’s largest international trading port, and also the harbor most teeming with stowaways.

 

In fact, it couldn’t be helped.

 

Not only was it an enormously large port, but it was also currently the only port in the Empire that officially allowed departures.

 

If Marquis Bartsen were to stow away, he would have no choice but to use Port of Calais.

 

Moreover, the hint Elodie had left proved effective here.

 

Duchy of Maltz.

 

Joshua concentrated his investigative forces on the shipping routes toward the duchy, and obtained testimony that the marquis had attempted to stow away on a ship bound for the duchy.

 

However, after that deal fell through, the marquis completely disappeared from sight.

 

And so, at present.

 

“The current methods of stowing away at Port of Calais are…”

 

The Chief of Security, faced with the Crown Prince who had suddenly arrived, was tensely explaining the stowaway routes.

 

A situation where a high-ranking noble of the Empire had kidnapped another noble and disappeared.

 

Moreover, there was a high possibility that this noble was currently hiding at Port of Calais.

 

Naturally, discipline had to be tightened.

 

“Then what are the escape routes?”

 

Even the questions the Crown Prince occasionally threw out were quite sharp.

 

Just as the security department was continuing their meeting for some time.

 

Knock knock.

 

An urgent knock sounded.

 

At the same time, the faces of those attending the meeting stiffened slightly.

 

And for good reason, interrupting a meeting with the Crown Prince in attendance like this…

 

It must surely be an extremely urgent matter.

 

“Come in.”

 

With Joshua’s permission, a security officer entered the meeting room.

 

The security officer, who showed proper courtesy, cautiously spoke.

 

“A letter has arrived at the security department.”

 

“A letter?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The security officer who nodded respectfully presented the letter to Joshua.

 

Joshua, who received it with impatient hands, hardened his twitching eyebrows.

 

Although the sender of the letter wasn’t written, the handwriting itself was very familiar.

 

“…Marquis Bartsen.”

 

Joshua, grinding his teeth, whipped around to look at the security officer.

 

“Did you investigate the person who brought the letter?”

 

“Yes, it was a ten-year-old child. He said someone gave him a coin and told him to take this letter to the security department.”

 

The security officer shook his head.

 

“We kept asking about the person who handed over the letter, but he didn’t know anything particular. He said he met them for the first time today.”

 

Joshua, swallowing a sigh, looked down at the letter envelope again.

 

Upon checking again, the shape of the envelope was somewhat strange.

 

The middle was bulging, as if something like a ball of thread was inside.

 

He urgently tore open the letter envelope.

 

At that moment, the first thing that rolled down onto his lap was…

 

‘Elodie!’

 

Joshua’s eyes widened greatly.

 

His trembling hands picked up the pink bundle roughly tied with string.

 

Fine-textured pink hair.

 

…It was Elodie’s.

 

‘No way.’

 

It felt as if blood was rushing backwards.

 

His vision turned bright red with surging anger and despair.

 

Joshua roughly pulled out the letter inside the envelope.

 

【Joshua, how dare you ignore my words?】

 

From the carelessly scrawled handwriting, Marquis Bartsen’s desperate state of mind was fully revealed.

 

【I clearly told you not to chase me, didn’t I?</p】

This time it’s hair, but next time I don’t know which limb I might send.

 

Show some restraint. Hmm?

 

If you keep this up, I might really kill this wench!>

 

The letter ended with the threat.

 

Joshua squeezed his eyes shut.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

Worried that Elodie might get hurt, he had withdrawn the wanted notice for Marquis Bartsen.

 

Instead, he had strengthened security around the port and was secretly deploying people to search.

 

But this alone seemed insufficient to deceive the marquis.

 

In fact, it couldn’t be helped.

 

Since stowing away was completely blocked, from the marquis’s perspective, he had no choice but to think Joshua was chasing him.

 

But even so, he couldn’t comply with the marquis’s threats.

 

It would be terrible if he took Elodie and escaped to a foreign country.

 

However, in the midst of this, one thread of hope still remained.

 

‘He said he might really kill her.’

 

That meant Elodie hadn’t been seriously hurt yet.

 

‘Please.’

 

Joshua forcefully closed and opened his eyes.

 

His blurred vision became somewhat clearer.

 

‘Please wait just a little longer, I will somehow definitely save you…’

 

Just as the bones stood out white on Joshua’s hand gripping the pink bundle tightly.

 

“Huh? That string…”

 

One of the security officers spoke in a surprised voice.

 

Everyone’s attention focused on him.

 

“What is it?”

 

Joshua asked the question on everyone’s behalf.

 

“Well, that string. Of course it’s a common item, but…”

 

The security officer who trailed off slyly rolled his eyes.

 

He became anxious, wondering if he might be unnecessarily disturbing the Crown Prince’s mood with something trivial.

 

Joshua nodded patiently.

 

“It’s fine, so speak up.”

 

The security officer, gaining courage, carefully continued.

 

“That string is made by twisting hemp. It’s usually used when organizing straw or grain sacks. I know because my family farms.”

 

“So you’re saying it’s farming string?”

 

“Yes. It’s strong and tough, but weak against moisture. So it’s not usually used in warehouses that store seafood.”

 

“That means…”

 

Joshua’s eyes flashed in that instant.

 

Calais is a city adjacent to the sea.

 

Of course, the people of Calais would consume grain too, so naturally there would be grain warehouses there.

 

But if limited to ‘grain warehouses,’ the scope of investigation would be significantly reduced.

 

“Kenneth.”

 

“Yes.”

 

A man who had been standing quietly behind them showed proper respect with disciplined manners.

 

He was an informant that Richard had assigned.

 

“Search all the warehouses in the vicinity. Focus mainly on places that handle grain or dry goods like hay.”

 

“Understood, Your Highness.”

 

The informant bowed his head and immediately left outside.

 

Joshua let out a shallow sigh.

 

‘Please don’t get hurt.’

 

How difficult and frightening must it be for her right now, all alone.

 

Just thinking about it made his vision grow dark.

 

…If only he could, he wanted to embrace Elodie in his arms right now.

 

* * *

 

Crash!

 

The loud sound of objects rolling and hitting the floor rang out noisily.

 

The Marquis, unable to contain his anger, roughly spewed out curses.

 

“Damn it all!”

 

Recently, Marquis Bartsen had been on edge about everything.

 

In the past, it was still possible to exchange a few words with him, but now he would get irritated to the point of hysteria if anyone even spoke to him.

 

It was probably because the situation kept getting worse.

 

During this time, I continued to hold my breath and look for an opportunity to escape.

 

However.

 

‘…If only he would forget to lock the door just once.’

 

The Marquis’s surveillance was extremely strict.

 

All the windows were completely blocked with wooden planks, and the single entrance was perfectly sealed with a lock.

 

The Marquis even periodically checked to make sure the door was properly locked.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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