Laila’s body swayed and she leaned weakly against Milley. Then, holding her shoulders firmly with both hands, Milley whispered softly, as if telling a secret.
“Princess, listen carefully. Your problem is not about whether you get engaged or not.”
His voice, so soft it demanded concentration, made Laila lift her head to look at him. Milley’s expression was incredibly serious, devoid of any jest.
Unconsciously tensed, Laila swallowed dryly.
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means the circumstances surrounding you, or rather Wessex, are increasingly becoming unfavorable.”
“…Has something happened to Wessex recently?”
Wessex’s king, her father, held the old-fashioned belief that daughters should not interfere in politics. Naturally, Laila was somewhat in the dark about such matters.
But it wasn’t that she was entirely disinterested. She diligently read books written by renowned diplomats and political scientists and, whenever there was time and permission, she sought conversations with foreign dignitaries visiting Wessex.
Confined to the palace, she had pursued these interests partly out of boredom, but as a result, she had a better grasp of various knowledge and external political situations than her sisters.
Currently, Wessex was an easy target for powerful nations like Hankin and Fitzroy.
However, since Wessex’s king had sent his daughters to form alliances with neighboring countries, it seemed unlikely to fall too easily.
But had something changed while she was in Filmer? Laila sent a questioning look to Milley, prompting him to explain.
“Do you know Isabella Fitzroy?”
“Isabella Fitzroy… You mean the first princess of Fitzroy?”
“That’s right.”
Isabella’s imposing image came to Laila’s mind.
“Of course. I’ve met her before.”
She remembered Isabella entering Wessex’s palace with a dignified stride, undeterred by the winter cold, her white cloak fluttering, leading a host of attendants.
Isabella Fitzroy, the most likely next successor in Fitzroy, had exchanged only a few words with Laila, but she had admired Isabella’s confidence.
She was the most impressive woman she had ever seen, someone Laila envied and aspired to be like.
Then, Milley shared shocking news.
“That woman… that first princess is planning to occupy Wessex and kidnap Prince Cedric.”
Occupation, kidnapping.
These were unexpectedly serious words from him, something she couldn’t have imagined hearing.
And Cedric was her youngest brother’s name. A dearly loved, cheerful child who adored her.
The association of such an innocent child with the word ‘kidnapping’ was inconceivable, an utterly unacceptable combination.
Tension filled Laila’s grip in Milley’s embrace. Slight wrinkles formed on his neatly pressed clothes, but there was no time to worry about that.
“…What are you talking about?”
“Exactly what I said.”
“Why?”
She tried to think through her stunned mind and recalled a recent remark by her father about Fitzroy.
“Merewen is to marry the first prince of Fitzroy.”
Her father had casually added this while announcing her betrothal to Filmer’s seventh prince.
There had been a fleeting unease about sending her sister to Fitzroy’s first prince, but without further news, she’d assumed it was settled.
In reality, how quickly and accurately could news reach her, secluded in a corner of the palace?
But could it be that as expected, my father’s decision upset Princess Isabella, the first princess?
As Laila was diligently organizing her thoughts, Milley added his opinion.
“If that happens, you would lose your value in this country. So, it’s not the time to be idly waiting here. You need to quickly come to your senses and hurry back to Wessex.”
If Milley’s story is true, then his interpretation is not far-fetched.
Already disregarding her, Prince Reynald, the seventh prince, would likely strip her of everything she owns and leave her on the streets if Wessex falls.
“Where did you hear such a story? Could you explain in more detail?”
“News includes plans made by Princess Isabella of Fitzroy to assassinate the king of Wessex as part of her plan to usurp the throne.”
“Such a thing…”
Shocked, Laila felt her hands trembling.
It was all too incredible to respond to. It seemed too far-fetched to blindly believe.
“Prince Reynald seemed unaware of such news; how did you come to know of it?”
Milley responded with a lowered voice, hinting at a trace of anxiety that she might suspect his true identity, fearing she would refuse his help. Fortunately, Laila did not recognize him.
Her face grew pale with concern.
“I’d like to see that report.”
It was a natural request considering her skepticism. Milley willingly took her hand and led her out of the room.
In the nearly deserted, dark corridor, Milley walked with her effortlessly, as if escorting a lady was a commonplace task. His silent, measured steps exuded dignity.
‘For a mere upstart noble… his manners are too naturally aristocratic.’
Walking towards the office, Laila, partly to gauge Milley and partly to dispel the silence, initiated a conversation.
“What achievements earned you the title of duke, Milley?”
“It’s more about… my father was a count ruling over a rural area in Hankin’s eastern Eterial Duchy. A few years ago, when the duke went to handle a Wave that occurred in the east, he went missing.”
“A Wave, as in monster appearances?”
“Common in Hankin.”
Laila nodded. Thankfully, Wessex had been spared such troubles in recent years. But recalling her father’s and royal members’ occasional departures to other regions to handle Waves, she understood.
“To put it simply, I saved that duke and received the title of duke from the royal family on his recommendation. After my father passed away, I inherited it.”
Laila immediately voiced a sudden question.
“Milley, are you a psychic?”
Recalling the incident in the garden behind the banquet hall sparked this question.
Suddenly, a stone rolled. Witnessing it, Laila wondered if a psychokinetic was nearby.
It didn’t seem to be caused by someone passing by or a strong wind. The stone, seemingly heavy, rolled unexpectedly between them.
Although the princes of Filmer are psychics, their power is mainly remote viewing, and Reynald is known to be almost powerless.
Additionally, there weren’t many people around at the time.
Suddenly, Milley paused in his steps. Whether it was because they had reached the office or in reflexive response to her question, Laila couldn’t tell.
His nonchalant reply as he opened the office door made it even more unclear.
“I wish I had such a power. Then the world might have seemed more amusing.”
“Then I’m curious about how you rescued the Duke of Eterial.”
He turned on the desk lamp, narrowing his eyes with a soft smile.
“You’re quite curious, Princess.”
He then extended a stack of documents to her. This gesture felt like a signal to Laila, perhaps inevitably.
A warning not to pry further into his identity.
This stubbornness only fueled Laila’s suspicion that Milley might be concealing his true status.
‘Is it right to trust someone who lies?’
Despite knowing that he appears dubious, why does he reveal nothing? This bothered her, yet Laila first looked at the title of the documents.
“Isabella Fitzroy’s Movements Report”
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
