Please Answer Me - Chapter 103

“…Why give this to me?”

“The recipient of this note is not me, but you, Your Grace. It seems to be from the Quat chieftain.”

The slight hardening of Iselle’s expression at this information indicated his understanding that the Quat tribe was already aware of his presence.

Iselle took the note and quickly scanned the words written in a sharp, clear hand.

Duke Iselle Scalion,

If you have any demands, come directly to Edirne Castle.

Look at this…

A faint, twisted smile played on Iselle’s lips. Noticing his unusual expression, the chieftain began to feel uneasy.

“I have followed your instructions to the letter. It’s not my fault that Nazar Quat did not come here…”

Thud!

Iselle placed the note on the table with a soft but firm sound, causing the chieftain to flinch involuntarily.

“Leave.”

The chieftain felt a surge of relief. In such a delicate situation, it was better not to face each other directly.

“Understood. Rest well, Your Grace.”

With the chieftain gone, only Iselle and his knight remained in the tent. Iselle stared at the note for a long while before crumpling it in his hand.

“You will leave for Quat territory immediately.”

The knight appeared slightly puzzled by Iselle’s command. He hadn’t seen the note’s content, but the recent conversation had made it clear that something had gone awry. He had expected to depart with the duke at dawn, but now the duke was giving him a different order.

“Is there somewhere specific I should go?”

“Yes.”

Iselle unfolded a sheet of paper and began writing. Shortly, he sealed the letter with wax and pressed his signet ring into it.

“Take this letter to the chieftain here. After that, you are to head to Edirne.”

He pointed to a spot on the map, a small estate west of Edirne. The knight carefully tucked the letter into his jacket, bowed respectfully, and left immediately.

Now alone, Iselle stared at the flickering candle on the table with a fierce gaze. A mix of shame at having his intentions so easily read and fury at being ordered about by a tribal chieftain surged within him.

“A barbarian chieftain dares…,” he muttered through clenched teeth, his fist tightening. Even without the goal of retrieving Rosetta, he could no longer tolerate the affront.

***

Allen remained in a daze the entire time he was in the cell. From the start, he had been separated from the others and placed in solitary confinement. Despite being a prison, the facilities weren’t bad. There was a bed and a chair to sit on, indicating this was likely a place meant for those of some status.

Lying on the bed, Allen couldn’t stop thinking about the moment last night when the princess ran into that man’s arms.

What on earth had happened between them? For the princess to voluntarily embrace such a man instead of avoiding him. Why? What kind of relationship did they have?

Could it be that she had feelings for him?

Allen quickly shook his head. No, perhaps the princess had been brainwashed. Otherwise, she would never follow such a brute, especially with Iselle around.

Just then, the door creaked open. Allen, still staring blankly into space, recognized Rosetta as she entered and hurriedly stood up, rushing to her.

“Your Highness.”

Allen immediately knelt on one knee before her, as per palace etiquette. Rosetta looked around briefly before raising a finger to her lips.

“It’s okay here because there’s no one else, but outside, don’t call me that. Only Rashid knows I’m the princess of Lysa.”

“Rashid?”

“I mean Nazar Quat.”

A surge of anger boiled within him. She was addressing that man by name so familiarly. Allen wanted to grab Rosetta and shake her, asking if she was in her right mind.

“And don’t call me by my name. Just call me Rigaina.”

“R-Rigaina? What does that mean?”

“It’s the title for the wife of the chieftain.”

The wife of the chieftain. The words made Allen feel dizzy, almost causing him to faint.

Rosetta continued, “Allen, if you promise me one thing, I’ll get you out of here.”

“What do you want me to promise?”

“Promise to obey my orders unconditionally. If you do, I’ll set you free.”

“What do you mean? Of course, I’m supposed to follow your orders.”

“You disobeyed my orders yesterday,” Rosetta pointed out.

Allen flinched, recalling the persistent young boy who wouldn’t let go, and muttered in a small, defensive voice, “But I couldn’t save you if I put down my weapon…”

“Would you have done the same if it were Tanit or Arman’s orders?”

“Your Highness…”

“Had it been an order from Tanit or Arman, you would have thought there was a reason and followed it. You didn’t obey my order yesterday not because it was an impossible situation, but because you didn’t trust me. You doubted your master’s judgment.”

Allen’s face turned pale. But at the same time, he realized she was right.

To him, Rosetta was someone he needed to protect and care for above all else. He had always guarded her preciously, like a flower in a greenhouse. Because of that, he had thought she knew nothing. Yesterday, he hadn’t trusted Rosetta’s judgment. He had believed her order to put down the weapon was a poor decision.

“…I’m sorry.”

Allen immediately knelt on both knees. Defying one’s master was an unforgivable sin. If Rosetta chose to punish him and cast him out for this, he would have no excuse.

“I understand why you didn’t trust me until now. But Allen, if you ever do something like this again, I can’t keep you by my side. I don’t need a guard who might disobey my orders at any moment.”

“I will never defy you again, Your Highness. I swear on my life.”

Rosetta finally smiled. “Good, then stand up. Sit in the chair and let’s talk.”

“No, I can’t possibly sit with you. I’ll just stay here…”

“Are you already going to disobey my order?”

Allen jumped up and sat down on the chair immediately. Rosetta gently seated herself on the chair opposite him. She gazed at his face for a moment and then let out a small sigh.

“You’ve been worrying about me a lot, haven’t you? I’m really sorry for causing you such concern… Allen?”

Seeing Allen suddenly break into tears, Rosetta was startled. “Allen, why are you crying?”

Allen wiped his wet face with his hand. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I feel so guilty about what happened to you. It’s all my fault for being incompetent…”

“What are you talking about? Incompetent?”

“If it had been someone else guarding you, none of this would have happened. It’s my fault that you had to go through such a horrible experience.”

Being an escort for the Lysa royalty was a highly coveted position. Even though Rosetta was the youngest princess and had less influence compared to her siblings, she was still a direct member of the royal family. Becoming her guard meant being in close proximity to the king and other royals, which was a great honor and an unparalleled opportunity for advancement.

However, that prestigious position was given to the mere grandson of a doctor. When it became known that Rosetta had personally requested Allen for the role, he had to endure jealousy and suspicion from others who believed he lacked the skills necessary for the position. Thus, Allen had worked even harder to prove himself, diligently training in swordsmanship and dedicating himself to protecting the princess. But after this ordeal, he couldn’t help but feel he had indeed been undeserving of the role.

“Don’t say that. Horrible experience? Allen, look at me. Do I seem any different to you?”

At her words, Allen looked up and examined her closely. Seeing her for the first time in about a month, she still appeared as beautiful, kind, and gentle as ever. Yet, there was something subtly different about her.

She looked much healthier than before. The frail body that seemed like it would break with a touch had become more robust, and her face had a healthier complexion.

“See? I’m not hurt, and I’m healthy. I’ve been doing well here. So, there’s no need for you to feel guilty.”

But the most significant change was the overall aura she exuded. Rosetta, who had always seemed youthful even after reaching adulthood, now had a mature elegance about her. It was as if a bud had fully bloomed under the natural sunlight. In essence, she had transformed from a girl into a woman.

Could this change be because of him?

“Your Highness,” Allen said, swallowing hard. He finally voiced the question that had been nagging at him since they met.

“What is your relationship with Nazar Quat?”

Rosetta looked at Allen with a calm gaze. After what felt like an eternity, she finally replied, “We are already like a married couple.”

“Y-Your Highness!”

“I love him, and he loves me.”

Despite having prepared himself mentally, the shock of her answer was overwhelming. Allen struggled to speak, finally managing to stammer out his question.

“C-Could it be….”

He didn’t know how to phrase it. He had heard stories of women who, after being kidnapped and subjected to unwanted advances, eventually accepted their circumstances in despair.

“…Did he touch you?”

After a long, painful silence, Rosetta nodded. “If you’re asking if we’ve spent the night together, yes. I told you, we are already like a married couple.”