When Latil asked again, Klein this time told his story in a slightly aggrieved voice, leaving nothing out and as accurate as possible.
It was obvious that he was trying his best to express it as close to the truth as possible, grateful for Latil’s trust in him.
Latil nodded as she listened up to the part where Acxian appeared. But as he was about to tell the story behind it, a presence was felt from somewhere.
As Latil covered Klein’s mouth and looked around, Klein was surprised and just rolled his eyes to the side.
Latil didn’t remove her hand from Klein’s mouth and continued to look around.
‘Did I just feel a presence nearby?’
The lounge was not very small, but it was not large either. Apart from a soft, low couch and a small round table, there were no other furniture to hide behind.
But could a presence have been felt? Latil sprung up, removed her hand from Klein’s mouth, and quickly went outside. There was no one.
‘It’s not someone outside the door. I definitely felt a presence from inside.’
“Why are you doing this, Your Majesty?”
“Didn’t you feel the presence?”
“I don’t think so…”
‘Klein is usually good at sensing others’ presences. He didn’t feel it, was I mistaken?’
“Where did you feel the presence?”
Klein made a face that indicated he didn’t know, so Latil thought for a moment and then murmured, “No,” and sat back down on the sofa.
Seeing Latil act strangely, Klein hesitantly returned. However, as he was about to sit down next to Latil, he suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!”
“Did you find it?”
Thinking that he had found the source of the presence, Latil quickly got up and grabbed the hilt of her sword.
“No, the attacker.”
“We were talking about that. Why are you shouting it out like it’s news?”
“The first attacker.”
“You said he ran away.”
“I hit his face with a tree branch. Very hard. Unless the regent treated him, the mark would have stayed on his face. It was a tree with lots of small branches.”
As soon as she heard this, Latil hastily left the lounge.
“You’re right.”
Matching his pace to Latil, who had praised him for recalling well and was looking around as if searching for something, Klein said, “The direction is over there.”
The direction seemed off, so Klein pointed out that the direction to Servat was the other way, but Latil continued to walk in the same direction.
“No, the regent first.”
“Eh?”
Why the regent? As Klein wondered,
The regent, who was having a serious conversation about the incident with the wellbuilt nobles, smiled brightly like the sun that had been temporarily hidden behind a cloud when he saw Latil approaching.
“Your Majesty.”
The several perceptive nobles who saw his pleased smile had a bad feeling.
But now wasn’t the time to look at their faces, so Latil straightforwardly called the regent.
“Over here. Let’s talk.”
As the regent hastily followed, Latil went to a less crowded place and checked meticulously to make sure no one was around.
“What’s the matter?”
The situation didn’t seem ordinary, so the deputy governor asked with concern. Latil spoke in a soft whisper.
“Do you know the deputy consul has died?”
“Yes. We were just discussing that.”
“Never treat anyone with a facial injury.”
“Pardon?”
“That person is the culprit.”
After Latil explained to the deputy governor what had happened to Klein, he immediately believed her, even though he couldn’t read her innermost thoughts like she could.
“I understand.”
As he responded seriously, Latil patted the deputy governor’s shoulder in approval before turning away.
Unconsciously, the deputy governor attempted to follow Latil, but stopped when Klein joined her side.
Next, Latil sought out Sonnaught, who was in the midst of an investigation. After calling him over, she again lowered her voice to give orders.
“Look for someone with a wound on their face caused by a tree branch. It won’t be an old wound.”
“Yes.”
Sonnaught glanced at Klein but said nothing as he turned to leave.
“Is it okay to search for him so openly?”
Klein, who had been silent all along, asked anxiously once Sonnaught had left.
He was worried that the perpetrator might hear about the emperor’s attempts to apprehend him and flee even further.
“The deputy consul of your country died in ours. If it was completely our affair, it would be easy to handle, but it’s a matter of your diplomat’s death. We need a criminal that can be presented to Karisen.”
“I… I apologize. I should have handled it more thoroughly.”
As Klein looked dejected, Latil patted his back and shoulder, reassuring him that there was no need for him to feel disheartened. She then walked towards the chief steward again.
But this time, Klein couldn’t follow Latil because he felt his heart pounding. He gently placed his hand on the same spot on his shoulder where Latil had just touched.
[This is the time separator]Even though the party was over and time had passed, Latil remained in the banquet hall to continue directing affairs after seeing off the nobles.
Although Sonnaught and the chief steward would handle everything well if she just gave the orders and left, Latil intended to personally investigate the attacker who had initially targeted Klein.
She assumed that the attacker was connected to the deputy consul and planned to identify him as the perpetrator and imprison him.
The murderer of a foreign diplomat should be sent straight to Karisen, but because she wanted to first inform Hyacinth and then send the criminal, she stayed in control of the investigation.
‘Given Klein’s involvement with the Duke, Hyacinth should be understanding of this.’
“Your Majesty, you must be tired. Please rest a while.”
The chief steward repeatedly suggested this, worried about Latil, but she replied that she was fine, pressing her heavy eyelids.
Around two in the morning, the captain of the guard entered, followed by guards roughly dragging someone with their arms bound and face covered.
Hearing the commotion, Latil looked their way, and the captain approached to report.
“Your Majesty, we’ve captured a man with a wound on his cheek.”
“Well done.”
By the time Latil approached the culprit, he was already being forced to kneel by the guards.
At a nod from Latil, the captain of the guard hurriedly ripped off the cloth covering the criminal’s face.
The face that was revealed was unexpectedly familiar.
[This is the time separator]A familiar face.
Walking around the room with a portrait discovered among the spare fox masks of Tilla in her hand, she was puzzled.
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t understand why this portrait was here.
Even Tilla herself did not know the protagonist of this portrait well. The protagonist of this portrait was of noble birth and popular in social circles, but because Tilla hardly mingled in social circles, she didn’t recognize him.
If Tilla hadn’t fought with this portrait’s protagonist’s younger brother, she might not have recognized his face either.
‘Ranamun. The eldest son of Duke Atraxil.’
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.
