Please Answer Me - Chapter 135

Rosetta quietly observed Sika, who stood smiling before her. Despite the gentle smile on Sika’s face, it was impossible to discern what thoughts were hidden behind it.

“…Do as you wish. If you need anything, speak to this maid.”

With those words, Rosetta stood up. Although she wanted to talk further with Sika, having a private meeting with a mere merchant, especially one not planned in advance, was highly unusual. For Sika’s safety, it was better to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

More importantly, she realized belatedly that even if she did meet with Sika now, what would be the point? Rosetta smiled bitterly and turned away.

After Rosetta left with her escort knight, Sika finally allowed himself to relax and exhale. The maid approached him and spoke, “Please follow me. I will issue you a pass.”

As he followed the maid, Sika took in every detail of the palace’s interior—how it was structured, the number of soldiers present, where they were stationed, and where they moved.

To say that he wasn’t nervous would be a lie. Although he trusted Rosetta’s sincerity, it remained to be seen how she would handle the fact that someone from a foreign land had secretly infiltrated the royal palace.

However, the moment he looked directly into Rosetta’s eyes, all those worries dissipated. Her green eyes, filled with concern, repeatedly glanced at the area where he had been severely injured. It was clear she was worried about him.

‘But her complexion didn’t look good…’

Despite being adorned in gold and jewels, her face was somehow shadowed. He had never seen such an expression on her face in Edirne. She had always been so cheerful that he had assumed she would be the same here.

“This is a special pass.”

The maid led him to the captain of the guards responsible for the security of the palace. Sika was given a palm-sized pass, with a golden bird seal stamped on it.

“Present this whenever you enter the palace. You must return it in three days.”

“Does this mean I can enter and leave at any time for the next three days?”

“Only between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Even if there are special circumstances, you must leave the palace by 9 p.m. If you fail to do so, you will be subjected to an investigation. This is only allowed temporarily due to the princess’s upcoming wedding, so be careful not to lose it.”

Sika grinned. “Understood.”

Sika quickly left the building. As he stepped out through the large doors, he saw a man waiting for him at the bottom of the marble steps. Dressed in the uniform of the Artz Trading Company with a large sword strapped to his waist, the man looked every bit the part of a merchant’s bodyguard.

Sika hurried down the stairs and nodded, signaling to the man. Only then did the man let out a sigh of relief.

“How did it go?”

As they walked towards the carriage, Rashid, who had been keeping a lookout, spoke in a voice that seemed calm yet betrayed a sense of urgency.

“I spoke with the princess directly. I delivered your message, and as you predicted, she responded immediately to the scent from the fabric.”

Even though it had been difficult to arrange a direct audience with the princess, that alone wasn’t enough. If their goods hadn’t been chosen from among the many presented to the princess, they would have had to pack up and leave. While contemplating a solution, Rashid had come up with an idea. If everything looked visually similar, they could differentiate themselves through scent.

“Did Allen recognize you?”

“Ha, that guy didn’t seem to have a clue. He doesn’t have much of an eye for faces, does he?” Sika snorted lightly.

Rashid nodded. “That’s good to hear.”

Sika gazed intently at Rashid. “But why didn’t you ask about Rigaina? Isn’t that what you’re most curious about?”

Sika had expected Rashid to ask first about Rosetta—how she looked, how she reacted to his message.

Originally, Rashid had considered entering the audience chamber himself, but it was too risky. Allen would undoubtedly recognize him, and if the Duke of Hezen was present, everything would be over.

In contrast, Sika, who had disguised himself as a woman and infiltrated enemy territory multiple times, was confident he wouldn’t be caught.

“…How was she?”

Finally, Rashid spoke. Sika sighed softly. “She didn’t look well. Her complexion was dark. Although she maintained her composure after recognizing me, it’s clear that something is wrong with her.”

“…I see. Thank you for your hard work.”

Rashid asked no more questions and lightly patted Sika on the head. After watching him for a moment, Sika propped his chin in his hand and said with curiosity, “But you really do look like one of the people here.”

Rashid had cut his hair short, like the men in this country. That small change had completely altered his appearance. When Sika had seen him standing at the bottom of the stairs earlier, he hadn’t felt any sense of unfamiliarity. If Rashid had kept his long hair, it would have undoubtedly attracted attention.

“At least this way, I won’t stand out too much…”

At that moment, they heard someone whispering nearby. With their heightened hearing, they could pick up even the faintest conversations.

“Isn’t that blue-eyed man handsome?”

When they turned their heads, they saw some maids passing by, chatting about them. When Sika stared at them, they were startled and quickly fled the scene.

“…So much for not standing out.”

Sika became deeply thoughtful. From the merchant’s daughter to the maids, it seemed Riga was quite popular here. He had been somewhat popular in Arden as well, but here, his popularity seemed to be skyrocketing. Why was that?

Ah, come to think of it, Rigaina was from here too. Perhaps Riga’s appearance aligned perfectly with the tastes of the people in this country.

While Sika came to this somewhat satisfactory conclusion, they arrived at the stables. There, they found Mark, arm in arm with other coachmen, drinking.

“Oh, welcome… Miss…”

They were momentarily at a loss for words. This was a familiar sight in Edirne, but they hadn’t expected to see it here.

“Mark! Let’s drink together again next time. Let me know when you’re free!”

As Mark stood up, the other coachmen shouted at him. Mark enthusiastically waved back at them. Even though they had only known each other for a few hours, they acted as if they had been friends for over ten years.

When Mark reached the two of them, he cleared his throat. “Hmph, I only had one drink. I swear.”

Sika let out a deep sigh. “The old saying was right: don’t carry water in a bamboo basket. If it leaks inside, there’s no way it won’t leak outside… Ouch!”

Mark immediately hit Sika on the head with his fist. Sika glared at him with wide eyes and bared his teeth. “Old man! You’re not supposed to hit a lady!”

“A lady? Do you think just wearing a skirt makes you a woman?”

Then Mark turned to Rashid, his voice filled with frustration. “Riga, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t drink because I wanted to. I made them drink so they would spill information. Thanks to that, I learned the exact times when the guards change shifts at the palace. There’s no one more reliable than the coachmen who handle the horses.”

Rubbing the sore spot on his head, Sika made an impressed sound. “Turns out you’re more useful than I thought. I guess bringing you along was worth it.”

When Mark raised his fist again, Sika quickly changed the subject. “Riga, I also checked everything I could see inside today. If we come back two more times, I’ll have everything confirmed. How did it go on your end?”

While Sika had been meeting with Rosetta and surveying the palace’s interior, Rashid had been observing the security setup outside. As he waited, posing as a bodyguard for the merchant’s caravan, he had carefully monitored the movements of the guards outside the palace.

“I’ve gathered the necessary information. Let’s head back and plan our next move.”

They hurriedly climbed into the carriage. The carriage, driven by Mark, quickly disappeared from the scene.

***

When Rosetta returned to her room with Allen, the nanny had already returned. Rosetta quickly approached her.

“Nanny…”

The nanny hurriedly raised her voice as Rosetta ran toward her. “Princess, please don’t run. You must be especially careful in the early stages.”

At that moment, Allen stopped in his tracks. He stood there, staring at them with a bewildered expression. What did I just hear? Early stages? What’s in the early stages?

“Nanny, are you alright?” Rosetta asked, checking the nanny for any signs of discomfort. Fortunately, there seemed to be nothing wrong.

“I’m fine. Nothing happened, so please don’t worry.”

“Why did Mother summon you?”

The nanny clasped Rosetta’s hand tightly with her wrinkled hands. “The Queen thought the incident at dinner the other day was a bit strange. She asked me if you were carrying Lord Iselle’s child…”

Rosetta’s face turned pale. “And what did you say?”

“I firmly denied it. After that, she sent me away immediately.”

“Do you think she believed you?”

“She must have, or she wouldn’t have let me go. The Queen isn’t someone who’s easily fooled.”

As the nanny said, the Queen was a kind-hearted person, but she could be very shrewd when necessary. It was precisely because of this quality that she became the crown princess, despite not coming from a powerful noble family, and was able to maintain control over the haughty aristocrats as Queen.

“That’s a relief, but…”

At that moment, a trembling voice echoed from behind.

“…Princess, what… what are you talking about? A child?”

When Rosetta turned around, she saw Allen, his face completely blank as if he were in shock. Rosetta sighed softly. She had planned to tell him once she was more certain, but given the situation, she had no choice.

“It seems that I’m carrying Rashid’s child.”

“……”

Allen still looked like he couldn’t comprehend what she was saying. He seemed as if he might faint at any moment, so Rosetta spoke again.

“I’ll tell Iselle once I’m sure. For now, you and the nanny are the only ones who know.”