Garett walked me back to my dorms while holding my hand. We parted a few ways before that, and Garett gave me a light peck on my forehead.
"Let's ride together in my carriage," Garett said.
"Yes," I answered him.
I went towards my dorm. My doorknob was perfectly aligned for some reason. I usually left my doorknob slightly unaligned before leaving to make notice if anyone came and tampered with my room. That set went missing from my room during that time at Kaya Ouchi's judgement day, so I have to be careful about surprises.
Today, I definitely felt it.
There was a presence in my room. I do not want to alert authorities. It is better if things are settled quietly.
I opened the door and threw in my scarf. I then pulled my dagger and pushed the assailant towards the wall and held a dagger by his neck.
"My Lady..."
"Vance?"
"Yes..."
I removed my dagger from his throat and closed my bedroom door.
"Would you like some tea?" I offered.
"After all of that?" Vance asked as he held his throat. "Some tea would be nice..."
After I made him some tea, I sat on my bed. I then loosened up my clothes and took off my coat.
"Why are you in my room?"
"I had something to discuss with you. There are suspicious movements around Kaya Ouchi."
"Suspicious movements? I did not think it was over...Could it be because of Prince Erik's birthday party?"
"She has been gathering followers of her father Baron Otis and rebels of the kingdom behind the scenes."
"Rebels...Are they the same group from the first cycle?"
"I believe so...I have written a list of the names I remembered from my execution and some descriptions and drawings of their faces," he said as he handed me the list. "I believe that this is more than half of them on there."
I took a look at the list of names and the faces depicted.
"As I thought, I know all of them...I can probably guess accurately about the rest of them."
I thought that I might as well tell Vance the major points from the moment I met Erik...how I first met Kaya Ouchi, how Garett died protecting me, and all of the details that led to my death.
"...He wanted me to forget my pain for a moment. His methods were rough, but I eventually forgot about how I was the one who killed Garett and was able to focus on the war preparations."
"I am sorry," Vance said as he stood up and lowered his head. "I pressured you to go back with His Highness because I thought you were the perfect couple. I had no idea that I had caused you so much pain from my words."
"I loved Erik...I still do even after everything. He had always saved me like a hero. However, each time he saved me, a piece of him died each time. The only one who could cause him so much pain was me. I always resented myself for it. I still do...A relationship where there is only pain between two people should just not happen, yet it does because people are ignorant and unable to rid their emotions."
"My Lady..."
"...Let's focus on other things."
Vance sat back down.
"I believe that your kidnap attempt involved Kaya Ouchi..."
"Why do you say that? I suppose there was the recent incident..."
"There is that...You got married...Shortly afterwards, Kaya Ouchi was expelled from school, and then there was the kidnapping incidence. I assumed she got acquainted with rebel forces and the Balik Empire after getting expelled from school."
"The Balik Empire is involved...Everything is going too fast. Kaya Ouchi was supposed to meet with the rebels sometime after my wedding. We moved things up the timeline with the recent incident! Vance, things are going to get very complicated at Prince Erik's birthday party. At this rate, the final confrontation will happen much sooner and possibly occur there."
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