Please Answer Me - Chapter 112

One day, Asion had brought a red stone from the temple within the Lysa palace. This stone was quite similar to that one, in size, shape, and texture. The only difference was its color being black. Given that it had caused such an explosion and still remained black, it seemed it wasn’t a one-time-use item.

Rashid wrapped the stone in cloth and asked, “Did you hear anything else from those men?”

The two men who had brought the stone were already dead, their remains scattered around the area. The boy’s father shared the same fate. Therefore, the only way to gather information was to rely on the memories of those who had interacted with them.

In response to Rashid’s question, the jeweler thought for a moment before speaking. “They did mention that there were more of these stones scattered in the forest near Edirne. That’s all I remember…”

Rashid regretted Sika’s absence more than ever. Sika was excellent at gathering crucial information in such situations. If Sika were here, he would have already tracked down the men’s lodging and found out what they had said.

Still, the jeweler’s memory had narrowed down the search area significantly. If the stones were in the forests southwest of Edirne, it was a manageable search. Given the fear of monsters, they likely didn’t stray far from the main paths.

[Why haven’t you gotten treated yet?] Rashid suddenly shifted his focus to the boy, noticing his injured arm.

The boy looked at his arm and replied weakly, [People keep saying the explosion was my father’s fault… I’ve been running around trying to clear his name…]

[I understand your grief. It’s hard not knowing where your father’s remains are. I’ve experienced the same.]

Realization dawned in the boy’s eyes. Rashid had also never recovered his father’s body.

[Still, you need proper treatment. That right arm of yours is not just for you.]

[…Huh?]

[To me, a blacksmith’s right arm is as valuable as a warrior’s. I want you to become a better blacksmith than your father and make fine weapons for my soldiers.]

[……]

Leaving the boy stunned, Rashid turned and walked away. The boy, staring after him, finally broke into tears.

***

The group traveling from Edirne stopped early at an inn in a nearby village. The innkeeper, recognizing them as the Basque envoy escorting Rigaina, was visibly anxious. He had heard the rumors flowing from Edirne and kept glancing at Rosie’s face with curiosity.

“Do you know what the Duke told me in private yesterday?” Fertan, heavily drunk, slurred his words as he started to ramble.

“He said everything went well thanks to me. All thanks to me!”

“Of course, young master. You played a crucial role.”

“Yes, it’s all thanks to your efforts.”

Listening to the flattery, Rosie slightly shook her head. Throughout the journey, Fertan kept boasting that the success was all due to his actions. While the overall outcome was favorable—Rosetta agreed to keep quiet about the incident, and Nazar Quat released the envoy without any conditions—Fertan had been more of a hindrance than a help.

Now it was clear. Duke Iselle must have fed Fertan these delusions. At least Fertan’s good mood meant less trouble for Rosie. Without Allen around, there was no one to protect her from Fertan’s potential violence. She hoped Fertan’s good spirits would last until they reached the Basque. His high spirits even made him unusually lenient towards Rosie.

‘What on earth is the Duke’s real intention behind his words?’

Rosie, already predisposed to view anything the Duke did with suspicion, couldn’t help but question his motives. It was unlikely that he made such a request without some underlying benefit.

“The Duke made a personal request of me.”

Rosie perked up her ears at Fertan’s words, sensing that the Duke’s true intentions were about to be revealed.

“Well, for the Princess…”

“Oh, brother!”

Rosie hastily covered his mouth. Fertan realized he had almost let something slip and burst into laughter.

“Ah, yes, yes. So, the Duke wants to give her a gift and asked me to procure a sapphire, a specialty of Burga, along the way. So, I said I would.”

“…He asked you to get a gem?”

“Yes.”

“Is that why we came to this village?”

They could have camped further along, but Fertan had insisted on staying in this village, complaining about the discomfort of camping. Rosie had thought it was just a whim, but now it seemed otherwise.

“Yes, but apparently, the Duke was mistaken; they don’t have sapphires here. No matter, as long as I get the right gem, it’ll be fine. It’ll take some time to find a proper one, so we might as well enjoy our stay here.”

Rosie remembered seeing the emerald bracelet the Duke had given to Princess Rosetta. The bracelet, enclosed with a letter, had been breathtaking. The shimmering emerald embedded in it was so mesmerizing that staring at it felt like being drawn into another world. It was the kind of gem that made one think if the devil himself crafted jewelry, it would look like this.

Knowing this, the idea that the Duke would settle for a hastily purchased, inferior gem for the Princess didn’t make sense. The Duke she knew, Iselle Scallion, was not that kind of man.

The problem was that Fertan didn’t find anything unusual about it. He even seemed proud that the Duke had personally asked him for this favor. If Rosie mentioned the Duke’s suspicious intentions, it would probably lead to Fertan losing his temper and lashing out.

At that moment, Rosie realized the truth: the Duke had seen right through Fertan’s character and made such a request knowing Fertan would be thrilled and unthinkingly comply.

“…I’ll head up to my room now.” Rosie stood up from her chair.

Fertan waved her off dismissively. “Alright, you must be tired. Go get some rest in your room.”

Rosie went up to her room and lay on the bed, her mind turning over the Duke’s possible intentions. If he had another motive behind his request to Fertan, what could it be? What benefit could he gain from such a seemingly trivial task?

Suddenly, Rosie’s eyes widened. Of course. The answer might be simpler than it seemed. She recalled how Fertan had almost let something slip earlier. Fertan was known for his loose lips, impulsiveness, and forgetfulness. Surely, Iselle had seen through that. He would be the most vigilant about avoiding any scandal involving Princess Rosetta.

Requesting a local sapphire wasn’t about the gem itself. It was a pretext to keep them in this village. But why? What was here that warranted such a scheme?

No, that wasn’t the main issue. Think from the beginning. What was the Duke’s primary goal? To return to Lysa safely with the Princess and ensure no rumors followed them. Could he wish for the death of everyone who knew the truth? That alone wouldn’t suffice. Considering the potential aftermath, that wouldn’t be enough…

“Ah!”

Rosie shot up from the bed, her hands trembling as she clutched the blanket. Now she understood what the Duke was aiming for. It was the death of the entire envoy and the subsequent chaos it would cause. If the envoy perished on their way back to Basque, what would happen? The chieftain, losing his only heir, would certainly not remain idle. A conflict between the Basque and Quat tribes would benefit the Duke. The Quat chieftain would be too occupied with the Basque to focus on the princess.

Rosie got off the bed and dressed hurriedly. She opened the door and saw that her companions were still in the downstairs tavern, drinking heavily. She counted them all; not a single one was missing. At least there was no traitor among them, as it would be hard to plot anything while that intoxicated.

Even if there weren’t, this envoy was composed of the most trustworthy members of the tribe. The likelihood of betrayal was minimal. So what trick could the Duke be planning?

Seeing the innkeeper pass by, Rosie approached him.

[Are there any other guests staying at this inn besides us?]

When their envoy arrived, Fertan had evicted several guests. However, it was possible that new guests had checked in afterward.

[No, the only guests here are you and your party, Rigaina. We’ve turned away any other potential guests.]