Please Answer Me - Chapter 142

“Haah…” Sika let out a deep sigh. There was no need to ask what had happened with Rigaina; Rashid’s expression, that of the happiest man in the world, said it all.

Realizing that Rashid was in no mood to listen to anything, Sika simply kept his mouth shut. How had such a rational person ended up like this?

As he pondered this, Rashid spoke, “Rosetta is carrying my child.”

Sika’s eyes widened in shock. “She’s pregnant? Did she just tell you?”

Rashid nodded. “As a result, I’ve caused you worry and trouble. I’m sorry.”

Sika now looked at Rashid with eyes full of pity. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how painful it must be to leave behind a wife who was expecting his child.

“How did Rigaina seem? Was she healthy?”

Rashid chuckled. “She seemed fine. She was furious that I had cut my hair, which I suppose is a good sign.”

“That old man will be overjoyed when he hears this. He’s been eager for Riga to become a father for a long time now.”

Sika laughed, pointing toward the coachman’s seat before pounding his chest with a fist.

“Don’t worry about getting through the main gate. If all else fails, I can always use my charm on them. Or maybe just bribe them. There’s always a way out, don’t you think?”

But that way out came from a place they hadn’t expected.

“……”

Allen stood in front of the palace’s main gate, his eyes darting between the three men standing before him. To be precise, one of them was a man dressed as a woman. The disguise was so convincing that Allen only just realized he’d been fooled all along.

Returning to the palace after visiting his grandfather’s house, Allen had never expected to find himself in such a situation. He had initially paid little attention to the group at the gate, who looked like merchants arguing with the guards.

However, something about the woman seemed familiar. Realizing she was the representative of the Artz Trading Company who had sold silk to the princess, Allen dismounted his horse and approached them to find out what was going on. He assumed it had something to do with the princess’s wedding preparations.

“Hey, what’s going on…?”

But then, Allen’s eyes met those of the man leaning nonchalantly against the carriage with his arms crossed. The dark-haired man looked slightly surprised but didn’t avert his gaze. However, the moment Allen recognized the man’s face, he was so shocked that he almost screamed.

Though his hair was cut and he wore the clothes of a merchant, there was no mistaking it—this was Nazar Quat. That glowing gaze and that accursed face couldn’t possibly belong to anyone else. This man had boldly walked in and out of Lysa Palace, as if it were nothing more than a tiger’s den.

Wait a minute, then who is that woman supposed to be?

Allen scrutinized the woman’s face closely. She tried to avoid his gaze and hide her face, but Allen soon realized that he also recognized her. Though she appeared to be a woman, she was actually the young boy with whom he had crossed swords in the dark of night.

And so, he found himself facing all three of them.

The guard, noticing Allen’s shifting expression, asked in a puzzled tone, “Sir Allen, do you know these people?”

“……”

Should he say yes, or should he say no? Allen was so dumbfounded that he simply asked another question.

“Is there some sort of problem?”

“These individuals have overstayed their permitted time. We were about to take them elsewhere to investigate why they remained in the palace until this hour.”

At that moment, Rashid smiled at Allen, lifting one corner of his mouth. Allen glared back at him.

Smiling? In a situation like this? Smiling at me? How can you even smile right now when your cover is about to be blown?

Rashid suddenly pointed at Allen with his long finger. “Sir Allen here will explain everything about why we were delayed.”

“W-What…?”

Just as Allen was about to protest, Rashid leaned in close and whispered in his ear, “I spared your life last time, so now you should repay the favor, don’t you think?”

He was referring to the time Allen had infiltrated Edirne Castle, causing casualties, and Rashid had spared his life instead of killing him. Even if Rashid had punished him then, Allen would have had no grounds to complain; he knew full well that his actions had been far from justifiable. Not only had Rashid spared Allen’s life, but he had also granted him freedom, all because of Rosetta. It had been an extremely lenient decision.

So damn it, it was true that he still owed Rashid his life.

In the end, Allen ground his teeth and spoke, “…Let them go.”

Even if it weren’t a matter of life debt, the princess would be in serious trouble if this man were captured. No, it would be more than trouble—she would be heartbroken. If this man were executed, Allen would never be able to face the princess again.

“It’s because of my grandfather’s visit today that the trading company’s work was delayed. It’s understandable, so let them go right now.”

“Yes, Sir.”

The guard immediately opened the gate. Without delay, Rashid moved to assist Sika into the carriage.

Just before the carriage departed, Sika opened the window and winked at Allen. “Sir Allen, you’re a much better man than I thought. I won’t forget this favor next time we meet.”

A shiver ran down Allen’s spine. Sika might look and act like a woman, but knowing that there was a man who wielded a pair of swords underneath that appearance gave him the chills.

In any case, the carriage safely exited the palace. After making sure it had disappeared into the distance, Allen rode toward the princess’s palace. As he dismounted and headed straight for the princess’s chambers, the nanny approached him.

“Allen, the princess said you don’t need to greet her and that you should go straight to rest…”

But Allen grabbed the nanny’s arm and pulled her along. “There’s no time for that. You need to come with me.”

Allen knocked on the door to the princess’s chambers. Shortly after, Rosetta’s brief voice called out for him to enter.

When Allen stepped into the room, Rosetta, who had been lying in bed, sat up. She yawned slightly, but her actions seemed oddly awkward.

“I told you there was no need to come to me. What’s the matter, Allen?”

Allen quickly scanned the room. He checked under the window and beneath the table, but everything appeared normal. Then his eyes settled on Rosetta, who was sitting on the bed. As he stared intently at her face, he noticed that her lips were slightly swollen and that her lower lip was injured. Not only that, but there was a red mark on her neck, as if something had grazed it. These were definitely not there when he had left the room earlier.

Allen clutched his head and let out a scream, “Ahhh! That bastard!”

The nanny was startled and shrank back at Allen’s sudden outburst. Rosetta, equally shocked, looked at him as he shouted, “You met with him, didn’t you?”

“…Who?”

“Nazar Quat!”

Rosetta and the nanny both gasped.

“Nazar Quat? What on earth are you talking about… Princess?”

Instead of answering the nanny’s question, Rosetta jumped off the bed and grabbed Allen’s sleeve. “How did you know? Did Rashid get caught while leaving?”

Allen was taken aback by how pale Rosetta’s face had turned, worried that Rashid might have been caught.

“I saw him at the main gate and let him go. And now I deeply regret doing so.”

He had anticipated that Rashid might have sneaked into the princess’s chambers, but he hadn’t expected him to leave such obvious traces behind. Was he completely out of his mind? Entering the palace was reckless enough, but what had he done while he was in there?

“Oh, thank goodness…” Rosetta let out a deep sigh of relief and clasped her hands together, her eyes welling up with tears. “Thank you, Allen. Truly, thank you. I’ll never forget what you did today.”

Allen’s heart sank. He realized that there was no turning back now, that he had no choice but to accept their love.

“…Please, sit down.”

After seating Rosetta on the bed, Allen knelt on one knee before her.

“What did you talk about with him? You know we’re on your side no matter what, right? Please, tell us the truth.”

The nanny chimed in to support Allen. “Allen is right. We need to know in order to help you.”

Rosetta finally spoke, her voice strained, “We promised to leave together.”

Both Allen and the nanny let out a sigh at the same time. They had somewhat expected it, but it was still shocking to hear it confirmed.

Tears began to fall from Rosetta’s eyes. “I tried to do what they wanted. I was going to marry as my family and Iselle wished, but I just can’t do it. I can’t. Even if I only live for a year, I want to be with Rashid.”

“…How do you plan to leave together?”

“I’m going to the jousting tournament in three days. Rashid said he would come for me then.”

Allen rubbed his aching head. It would certainly be easier to make their move outside the palace than within its walls.

“All right. I’ll help you.”

Rosetta gasped in surprise, and so did the nanny.

“…Allen?”

“And on that day, I’ll leave with you, Princess.”