On Official Duty with My Tower Master Ex-Boyfriend - Chapter 98

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 98
Vivian Solling and Cade exchanged startled glances before both turned their attention toward the window.
Against the murky night sky, a red signal flare burst briefly before vanishing.
“That’s a Security Forces signal, but……?”
Vivian had barely stepped toward the window to look out when a white signal flare rose into the sky.
This one signaled the end of the situation.
“……?”
The moment Vivian leaned her head out the window in confusion, Cade grabbed her and pulled her back inside.
At the same instant, Security Forces personnel gathered outside with murmurs of conversation.
Vivian, who had nearly been caught sneaking in at this late hour, let out a relieved sigh and pressed herself against the wall beneath the window to eavesdrop.
“What’s going on? What happened?”
“Wasn’t the signal flare just now in the direction where the prison is?”
One of the guards stationed at the 2nd Detached Palace asked, and a guard who had ridden up from elsewhere answered as if it were nothing serious.
“Some prisoner tried to escape and got caught. It would’ve been settled quick, but a rookie guard got panicky and fired off the flare.”
Escape attempts by imprisoned inmates occurred frequently enough.
Before becoming a civil servant, Vivian hadn’t even known such attempts happened. Not a single prisoner had ever successfully escaped.
‘I’ve heard they always try this whenever important state guests arrive, and it’s really true.’
As more visitors arrived, the Security Forces naturally became busier, and prisoners exploited the resulting distraction and disorder in the Imperial Capital.
“Who was the guard on duty at the prison today? It’s unfortunate they fired off the flare right at a time like this.”
“They’ll have to file some kind of report with a reflection statement. There’s nothing to be done.”
“We’re tired too. Now that we have distinguished guests here, we’ll have to increase patrol frequencies and check everywhere more thoroughly, just to make a good show of it.”
The Security Forces continued their conversation with exhausted sighs.
Vivian, who had been quietly listening in, drew the curtain closed and stood up.
“If security’s getting tighter, I won’t be able to come sneaking in at such late hours anymore.”
Since she couldn’t tell what the Grand Duke and the dark wizard were thinking, she’d planned to come straight to the detached palace if anything urgent arose, but even that had become difficult.
As Vivian mumbled her concerns, Cade shook his head and opened his mouth.
“Vivian. The thing you’re worried about won’t happen, so don’t worry.”
“……Do you have some plan of your own?”
At his optimistic reply, Vivian asked with a hint of displeasure, and Cade merely shrugged. It was unclear whether he had a countermeasure or not.
Vivian checked on Tris’s condition and looked at the time, then startled.
“It’s too late. We can talk about the rest later. Don’t go acting independently on your own.”
“You’re right it’s late — why not just sleep here and head to work in the morning? There are plenty of empty rooms.”
Vivian was horrified at Cade’s suggestion.
“Are you insane? I’d rather die than have a scandal with the 3rd Princess’s provisional fiancé.”
“‘Rather die’ — you don’t have to say that much.”
“I’ll bring Tris’s antidote tomorrow. They said his life wasn’t in danger, but I can’t just take that at face value. Since he’s a servant beast, he’d be better off staying with his master when he’s not well.”
Vivian peered out through the curtain gap.
“The guards are all still gathered over there, so I should be able to get out through the entrance.”
“The entrance is this way.”
Cade pulled back the red cloth and led her toward a small hallway extending from the room.
As Vivian followed him, she spotted a garment hanging beside a large mirror and stiffened.
“…….”
A coat adorned with small crimson jewels arranged in rose patterns hung there, glittering elaborately.
In the Gaianan Empire, tradition dictated that betrothal ceremony robes be red and wedding ceremony robes be white.
Vivian cast a sullen glance at what was obviously Cade’s betrothal ceremony robe.
“It doesn’t suit you at all.”
She hastily covered her mouth at the words that had escaped her unconsciously, but Cade didn’t seem to mind — he let out a soft laugh and replied.
“Right?”
“…….”
As she passed by the mirror in silence, she noticed a ring placed beside the robe.
This ring, too, was elaborately crafted from crimson jewels. It was the ring meant to rest on Cade’s ring finger.
At the sight of it, Vivian’s chest stirred like ripples on a lake, and unable to bear the silence any longer, she opened her mouth.
“About the ring — the catalyst for the Central Barrier Stone. Are there conditions to adjusting it?”
“……It seems the Grand Duke said something unnecessary.”
“What do you…….”
At his subdued tone, Vivian turned to face him but couldn’t bring herself to continue her question.
Cade’s mood appeared decidedly unpleasant.
‘He finds it absolutely repugnant that the Grand Duke would make mention of his fiancée’s ring.’
The conversation between the two ended there.
Vivian ultimately didn’t receive proper answers to the things she’d wondered about.
But rather than confront the fact that Cade still showed such a defensive reaction toward his fiancée, she couldn’t press further and had to leave the Imperial Capital.
***
The next day, as promised, Cho Yun left an antidote in front of Vivian’s residence.
Only after having it tested separately, unable to trust the Grand Duke’s word, could Vivian administer it to Tris, and fortunately he recovered his strength quickly.
Thanks to jerky that Yani had brought with concern and consideration, Tris could eat the jerky he loved so dearly the moment he opened his eyes.
After that, several days passed in an oddly quiet and peaceful manner.
While preparing for the betrothal ceremony, neither the Grand Duke nor Cho Yun interfered with me. Unexpectedly, the 3rd Princess was also cooperative with the magical beast placement in the Central Banquet Hall.
Only Simona, who had taken leave in her capacity as a guest of the 3rd Princess and was staying in the Imperial Capital, kept complaining of boredom and sought me out.
And I had to humor her conversation while checking on the creatures’ condition.
“You said we’d pick out jewelry for the 3rd Princess together. Why are you bored?”
“The Grand Duke cherishes the 3rd Princess so dearly that he gave her a crystal jewelry set as a gift — and this is just the betrothal ceremony, not even the wedding.”
“……From a Crystal Whale?”
“Yes. Imagine how beautifully transparent, glowing crystal jewelry would suit a red dress. The Princess was so pleased with it that my job disappeared, really.”
I covered the magical beast cages with cloth and ventured a question.
“Making a jewelry set would require quite a bit of crystal. I wonder where he procured it?”
At that, Simona narrowed her eyes knowingly and glanced at me.
“Are you now investigating the capture situation through me? Crystal Whale Investigator?”
“Oh, no. I’m just curious. I haven’t heard reports of whaling ships sailing out lately.”
I waved my hand to deflect, and Simona chuckled and answered.
“There are gifts from distinguished guests on other continents, and the Grand Duke might’ve prepared it long ago. After all, it’s the betrothal ceremony of the 3rd Princess — not just anyone.”
……Not just anyone. The 3rd Princess.
Everyone in the Imperial Government spoke of the Grand Duke’s devotion to the 3rd Princess in that way — as if one phrase explained everything.
Over the more than a year I’d spent as a civil servant in the Imperial Government, I’d heard countless times how much the Grand Duke cherished the 3rd Princess.
It didn’t seem he had such an affectionate relationship with the other princesses or princes.
“Senior, why does the Grand Duke hold the 3rd Princess in such particular regard?”
“Do you know that the succession to the title of Grand Duke of Melgote was originally supposed to go to the 2nd Prince?”
“Yes. The 2nd Prince had some magical power, but he died in an accident while traveling…….”
“Right. From that shock, the 3rd Princess, who was traveling with him, lost her memory of the accident.”
“What? I had no idea about that at all.”
As I covered my mouth in surprise, Simona laughed as if it were obvious.
“Who’d tell a first-year civil servant something like that? By now, there are more people who don’t know. If it got out that an imperial princess suffered memory loss, it’d be nothing but a blemish on the empire.”
“That’s true, I suppose.”
“After that, the 3rd Princess seemed to particularly seek out the 2nd Princess. I think she unconsciously came to see her as the most reliable older sister.”
“From what I’ve heard, the 2nd Princess’s awakening of her magical power occurred around that time as well.”
“Right. There’s a story that her magical power manifested strongly from the shock of losing her brother. The two princesses came to rely on and care for each other, and grew quite fond of one another.”
Perhaps it was because I’d come to know what kind of secret the Grand Duke carried.
To others, it would be a heartwarming and tender tale, but to me, it only left an unsettling and eerie feeling.

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