Locking the palace gates, Carson, unable to withstand, left the castle and joined the Monstera army. In the meantime, the abandoned son of Folden’s king appeared.

The people of Folden did not mourn the death of the tyrannical king. And though he resembled the old king, the new king, who killed his father and took the throne, was welcomed.

Because he drove out Monstera’s army that had taken the capital and was still engaged in a relentless fight.
He drove out the Monstera army that had taken the capital and is still engaged in an unyielding fight.

Even to Noah’s question, Ines only rolled her eyes and remained silent. Frustrated, he sighed and asked again. He wanted to resolve his suspicions that he had been carrying all day.

“Could it be that what you’re preparing for is not external but internal?”

When she didn’t deny and tightly bit her lower lip, Noah covered his eyes with his hand.

At the moment, Cains was truly in a state of chaos. The crown prince had died, and the empress was determined to elevate her second son to the position of the crown prince. But even that was not going smoothly.

Though it was too far away to know the exact details, the situation was vividly painted in his mind without the need for much thought.

Cains had always been a country where power struggles for the throne were fierce. So far, the crown prince had firmly held his position, but now, influential nobles and outsiders wanting to take advantage of the current crisis were overflowing.

But preparing for another war from such a distant place…

“Could you be planning to turn the sovereign into a puppet?”

“What?”

As if someone who had never heard words like schemes or war in their entire life, a pale face turned towards Noah.

“Absolutely not.”

Soon, she blushed and vehemently denied with an innocent face. However, it had been a long time since Noah had been deceived by a face so obviously tainted.

“But everything seems to indicate that. Are you not preparing for a civil war right now?”

“Yes, I am. But… it’s not to launch an attack or to seize the imperial family.”

What on earth does this mean? Is the sword sharpened but not swung?

“It might be hard to understand. But I’m just taking minimal precautions.”

“Minimal precautions?”

The woman, who owned the largest gold mine in the empire, had a far more immense idea of what minimal precautions meant than Noah thought.

“All I want is safety.”

“Safety…”

“Yes, if Her Majesty the empress is pushed into a corner, she will surely cling to Lord Noah.”

“…”

“Unless there is a change, the empress’s second son will become the crown prince. I’m not trying to prevent that. If she clings to you, she can pass it on. However.”

“However?”

Noah thought that Ines’s gaze had changed for a moment. And that wasn’t the first time he had seen such a scene.

“If someone tries to devour her, then it can’t be helped.”

“What do you mean by ‘it can’t be helped’?”

“If there is a threat to his safety, I will trample on anything, no matter what it is.”

The end of her words was as sharp as a blade, and he couldn’t move at all. If he made even a slight mistake, it felt like the finely forged sword would cut through him like a breeze.

He waited with a foolish face for what Ines would say next.

“If necessary, you should climb to the highest place.”

‘He is someone worthy of that.’ There was no trace of doubt on Ines’s face as she spoke.
For a moment, a chill ran down Noah’s spine.

It was, so to speak, a shudder.

“Uh… but, is that what you have to say to me?”

In response to the calm voice that sounded gentle, Noah exhaled a thin breath, pausing in his tracks. And he moved his body to address the matter he had forgotten.

“No, it’s nothing. A letter has arrived.”

Two letters had come to her. One was from Sweden’s artisan, and the other was from Hansen, the priest. Both brought good news, and a bright smile appeared on her face.

“If you’ve said what you need to say, can you leave now? I have to read the letters, and today is the day for changing the beddings.”

Ines, who had suddenly become a maid from a capable staff officer, hurried as if washing the beddings was the most urgent task in the world.

“Yes, please do so. Oh!”

As she was leaving, she turned around again.

“Lord, you will return within a month.”

For a moment, emotions that could not be concealed were revealed on his entire face. Noah looked at the brilliantly smiling Ines and lost his mind for a moment. That moment was exactly the same as the feeling he sometimes experienced when seeing Carson.

Ines, who returned to her room, opened her father’s letter first.

As always, Andrew began with the words, ‘My beloved daughter.’

Even though it was just writing, the excitement was clearly felt in his words. The news that the Sweden Line had been opened was the reason.

Next came inquiries about her mother’s health, and in the part where Susan conveyed her greetings, Ines held her breath for a moment, pressing the letter to her chest. Every time she heard it, it was a heartwarming phrase. Everyone is healthy.

And there was news about Susan. She had finally married Bernie Scott, a maubu two years younger than herself. Thinking of Susan, who might have smiled shyly at the wedding venue, Ines found herself smiling unknowingly.

You’re doing everything as I told you, but this father is worried.

I still can’t understand why supporting Count Grandel is the way to support my lord.

As you say, the situation here is on the brink.

But don’t worry about this place. Landhill is more peaceful than ever.