The letter from the north that Betty brought was a letter-cum-report sent by Baron Sudown from the north.
The reclamation in the north is going successfully, and he mentioned that he should visit the capital soon to discuss the details in person.
He also requested some money and resources under the guise of research funds.
I slowly read through the contents and let out a small sigh.
At least one thing is going well, I suppose.
“The abbot will be coming to the capital soon. When he arrives, we need to receive him immediately like last time with Deimar. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As I spoke while handing over the letter, Betty nodded as if telling me not to worry.
“I have also informed Lady Hayley. Please don’t worry too much.”
And after reading the letter, Betty added that she would provide the necessary support as well.
“But it’s a relief that at least one thing is going well. Just when I thought I could relax after the issues in the east were resolved, another problem arises…”
“Still, it’s fortunate that the east is getting better. Were there any other news?”
“Not really. The support projects seem to be going smoothly for now.”
The issues with the support projects that gave us some headaches in the beginning also seem to be resolving quite well.
I nodded and looked over the first investigation report from the Knight Order that Betty brought.
“The belongings do indeed belong to Arianna Valois, no one saw her leaving the house. There wasn’t even anyone passing by that road at that time…”
No evidence, no witnesses, and no one even knows exactly when she disappeared.
Since she had an appointment to meet me, it’s unlikely that she disappeared of her own will.
“The Knight Order seems to be focusing their investigation on the possibility of abduction. Given the circumstances, it seems more likely that something happened due to someone else rather than her disappearing voluntarily.”
“It’s a situation where that’s sufficiently possible. But there are no suspicious individuals, right?”
“That’s the problem, there are more than a few.”
Duke Valois had many enemies, not only because of his position but also due to his arrogant and sharp personality.
He had many enemies both politically and personally, so even he would always double his escort compared to others whenever he left his mansion.
However, that’s his father’s situation.
There’s no reason for Arianna, who is relatively less known in high society compared to her father, to have personal grudges…
“Someone might want something from Duke Valois. Tell them to check if any suspicious individuals have entered the mansion, just in case.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
If it really is an abduction, they’ll likely want something.
“But it’s strange. Duke Valois himself doesn’t seem to care much.”
“Even though his daughter is missing?”
“I found it odd too, so I double-checked. The servants are restless, but apparently Duke Valois’s expression didn’t change at all.”
…The father’s expression doesn’t change even though his daughter has been abducted?
But he should be a father who cherishes his daughter quite a bit, at least outwardly.
“Any other notable points?”
“Nothing yet. They don’t seem to have found anything else either.”
Betty shook her head.
Then she wrote down a few things on some papers.
“For now, since we’ve placed someone in the ducal residence, we’ll wait for any contact from there. And we’ll also assign someone to keep an eye on Duke Valois separately.”
“Okay. Since there are no other clues right now, there’s no other way except to monitor him. Explain it well to Hayley too.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I hope nothing bad has happened.
As I thought that and was about to turn my eyes to the pile of documents in front of me, there was a small knock and Leoprick’s voice was heard.
“Amelia. May I come in?”
[This is the timeline separator]As time passed, the case was falling deeper into a mystery.
Leoprick, who rushed to the office as soon as he barely changed his clothes and got up, had been silent until now as he reprimanded Arnold.
“I heard the incident occurred early at dawn, so why didn’t you come report it?”
“It was too early. It wasn’t even clear whether it was a simple disappearance or an abduction.”
“This happened not just anywhere, but in the heart of the capital, on the road leading to the imperial palace. Whether it was an abduction or a disappearance, reporting should have been the priority, don’t you think?”
“…I apologize. I was short-sighted.”
When Leoprick sharply retorted, Arnold simply bowed his head without making any further excuses.
Leoprick understood that Arnold’s intentions were to be considerate of his master in his own way, but if he had known the gravity of the matter, he should have prioritized following protocol over such consideration.
Leoprick lightly patted Arnold’s shoulder and went to sit where the reports were piled up.
“Is the Knight Order still searching?”
“Yes. They are securing eyewitnesses while investigating the surrounding area.”
“I heard it’s a road with little traffic. Are there any eyewitnesses?”
“Not many, but at least it’s certain that the young lady came out alone without any servants.”
A noble young lady headed to the imperial palace on foot without any accompanying servants…
Leoprick tilted his head as he looked over the brief initial report.
“It seems a bit different from what I heard earlier from the crown princess’s maid?”
Betty clearly said that nothing was found except Arianna’s belongings.
There were no eyewitnesses or clues, so they were searching here and there.
But unlike what he had heard, the report he was reading contained slightly different information.
“The items found at the scene were Lady Valois’s hand mirror and… a watch?”
A watch?
What business would young ladies have carrying around a watch?
Noble men often like to wear them as accessories and show them off, but young ladies prefer to wear earrings, necklaces, or hairpins instead.
Watches were still strongly perceived as being exclusively for men, so the fact that a watch was left behind where a young lady disappeared meant it didn’t belong to her.
“It’s a pendant-type watch that is carried in the pocket. It doesn’t seem to be the young lady’s, but the problem is that it’s not a recent design.”
“So it means it’s an old one?”
“That possibility can’t be ruled out either.”
Arnold nodded at Leoprick’s words.
And after looking over the report for a while like that, he tilted his head.
“Can I see this watch?”
“Yes. It’s right here.”
The watch that Arnold handed over, saying the Knight Order brought it along with the report earlier, was…
“…”
A familiar object that even he had forgotten about for a while.
[This is the timeline separator]“I wanted to have breakfast together.”
Leoprick went to see Amelia as if nothing was amiss.
She received him gladly, albeit puzzled.
In fact, ever since he saw the watch Arnold presented earlier, Leoprick had been feeling his heart stirring.
It was partly because he knew who the watch belonged to, but also because he knew what kind of object it was.
As soon as he saw the item that served as an opportunity for him to plan all of this, he immediately thought that he wanted to see Amelia.
After all, his entire motive, reason, and driving force was solely Amelia Reinhart.
“Is something the matter, Your Highness? You don’t look well.”
She, who had initially kept a thorough distance and put up walls against him, had been gradually opening up to him recently.
Talking with him, worrying about him, and willingly spending time together.
A daily life where they fall asleep in each other’s arms at night and greet each other while looking into each other’s eyes in the morning.
Leoprick recalled the things he had done until now for this daily life.
All the plans to protect her, which might be his biggest mistake and only blemish.
And the only person who knows all of that, Lloyd Alois, disappeared while leaving behind the watch as if warning him.
And it was clear that he was rushing towards Amelia, together with Arianna Valois.
“It’s nothing serious. I just reprimanded Arnold and the Knight Order on my way here.”
“It’s because they didn’t report to you in the morning, right? I found it strange too that there was no contact.”
Nodding as if it was to be expected, she made him feel affection.
Someone who is more versed in politics than anyone else and can meticulously prepare weaknesses to render each and every aristocrat immobile.
Someone who leads those around her with unparalleled competence as a leader, not a ruler or dominator.
At the same time, someone who never forgets to be considerate of others and maintains perfect etiquette.
Leoprick devised a plan that required transcending lifetimes to be completed, all for this person.
Showing a fierce determination to prepare for even the slightest of possibilities.
This time and opportunity that he had barely managed to create could not be taken away by such a sudden threat.
Leoprick smiled at the woman sitting in front of him.
Lloyd Alois.
I don’t know what he’s thinking, but whatever it is, it probably won’t go as he wishes.
This life that has returned once again was something that took place entirely under his own plan.
Even this very moment, if it weren’t for him, Lloyd would not have been able to enjoy anything.
If he dared to let him see Amelia again, he should have kept his mouth shut quietly.
Leoprick recalled the events of ‘that day’ while filling his eyes with Amelia.
My Ex-Girlfriend Is The Regent In The Female-dominant World (Male lead transmigrates to the matriarchal world)
Two years ago, Gu Sui picked up a homeless woman in ancient costume from the street.
Apart from occasionally claiming to be a princess from a female-dominant country due to illness, her figure, appearance, intelligence, and martial arts skills were impeccable.
Naturally evolving from roommates to girlfriends, as time went on, Gu Sui found it increasingly difficult to tolerate her queen syndrome.
“Mu Jiulu, can you stop controlling me inside and out? Let’s break up.”
Gu Sui made a breakup call, and since then, he couldn’t find any trace of her.
A year later, Gu Sui, who was planning to move, woke up the next day and found himself in a different place.
“Young Master, today is the day you choose your Wife-master through martial arts competition at Jade Dew Pavilion. Please get up quickly.”
Gu Sui: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
As the only son of a general’s mansion in a female-dominant dynasty, the young empress personally issued a decree allowing Gu Sui to select his Wife-master through martial arts competition. Whoever could defeat him could marry him.
Gu Sui: “……”
He didn’t inherit the original owner’s martial prowess, so anyone could defeat him! And what the hell is a Wife-master?
Forced to come to Jade Dew Pavilion, the densely packed women below made Gu Sui’s agoraphobia act up, and his face was full of resistance.
Until he saw the Regent sitting on the second floor, with a smile on the corner of her lips, her eyes wicked and nonchalant.
Hmm… she looked a little familiar.
It turned out that the Regent also found him a little familiar.
Mu Jiulu fiddled with her bone clasp, her deep gaze locked on the man who was out of place in this world.
“Finally, I found you.”
Male transmigrates into female-dominant world
One-sentence summary: What goes around comes around, taking turns in the crematorium