Please Answer Me - Chapter 96

“She’ll love it,” Rashid said.

“Yes, they say eating fresh food helps with pregnancy, so make sure she eats a lot,” the man said, then received a sharp elbow from the woman next to him.

“You’ve got it backward. You crave fresh food when you’re already pregnant.”

“Oh, really?”

The group burst into laughter, and Rashid joined in. Given how often he and Rosetta had been together, it was possible she was already expecting. The thought of little children running around the castle warmed his heart.

At that moment, another merchant spoke to Rashid. “The father of that child has been grinding his teeth about you lately. Be careful.”

Rashid immediately understood that the merchant was referring to Ethel.

“Are you talking about Ethel’s father?”

“Yes, he’s been coming to the castle because of the divorce. He’s been ranting about how you’ve ruined his life and caused his divorce whenever he passes by here.”

Ethel’s parents had officially started divorce proceedings. Originally, they should have gone through the legal process at the village temple, but Ethel’s mother was afraid to meet her husband outside. So, they arranged for the proceedings to take place in the castle, where there were many people to watch, preventing him from doing anything. That was why he was making such a fuss outside.

“I’ll be cautious.”

After finishing his conversation with the merchants, Rashid headed back to the castle. Once the crowd dispersed, Allen, who had been hiding in the alley, emerged.

“So, that’s Nazar Quat?”

The man standing next to Allen was from the Basque tribe, part of the envoy, along with Rosie.

The man replied, “Yes, that’s him.”

A moment ago, Allen had almost drawn his sword. Opportunities to face the one who stole the princess were rare.

But he quickly regained his composure. Attacking Nazar Quat wouldn’t solve anything immediately. It could put the princess at risk.

“He’s different from what I expected. With his notorious reputation, I thought he’d look like a monster…,” Rosie muttered, tilting her head, and Allen agreed silently.

If not for the name Nazar Quat, the man would be considered quite handsome. Tall and well-built, with a handsome face. There was no visible sign of the cruelty and brutality from the rumors. Instead, he appeared gentle and dignified while chatting and laughing with the merchants.

It was laughable to find kindness in the man who had abducted a woman in the dead of night. Allen couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

“Anyway, you did well to hold back. Soon, the duke will draw Nazar Quat out of Edirne. Then, we can enter the castle and rescue the princess.”

Nodding in agreement, Allen remembered the message from the duke. He had successfully persuaded the Katan tribe and was ready to implement the plan.

Yes, soon they would rescue the princess from this place and return to Lysa.

“Judging by how he handled the Grand Elder, Nazar Quat seems to have a solid grip on internal matters. I thought his position would be unstable due to his origins.”

Fortunately, there had been no trouble when the soldiers moved. The Grand Elder was imprisoned without any unpleasant incidents. Along with that came an astonishing rumor.

“Could it be true that Nazar Quat entered the Monster Forest to rescue the princess and they both came out alive?”

At Rosie’s words, Allen gritted his teeth. “It can’t be true. Princess Rosetta has never even been near a horse. How could she have ridden into the forest to save a child? Nazar Quat must have plotted something to trap the Grand Elder. If he put the princess in danger, I swear I’ll kill that bastard with my own hands!”

Rosie tended to agree with Allen. The Rosetta she had seen was as delicate as a flower. Rosie had saved her from being devoured by a monster just a month ago. It was hard to believe she had done something even warriors struggled with. It was likely a false or exaggerated story.

“Let’s go.”

With a clenched fist, Allen turned away, following Rosie’s lead.

***

Fertan had been quite satisfied with his life in the past few days.

While the other members of the group had returned to hiding in Edirne, he had been lounging around in a small village called Delos, located between the Basque and Quat territories. Without the eyes of surveillance that had been following him, he finally felt alive again.

Ever since people from Lysa and Hezen had swarmed in, he hadn’t had a moment of peace. Now, drinking and spending time with women, he felt like he had returned to his original lifestyle.

Yes, this is what living is all about. What a hardship it had been because of that Rosie.

Even as he chewed on his meat, Fertan ground his teeth. Once the princess rescue mission was over and he returned home, he wouldn’t spare Rosie. He planned to beat her thoroughly and marry her off to the oldest and most hideous man, ensuring she never caused any trouble again. The humiliation she had put him through was too much to bear.

If only that woman hadn’t ridden off on her wedding day, none of this would have started. She wouldn’t have met that damn princess from Lysa.

As he thought of the Lysa princess, Fertan paused and scratched his chin. What kind of woman was this Lysa princess to cause such a commotion?

He could understand the Duke of Hezen’s actions. After all, she was his betrothed, and he had to get her back, even if she had been tainted and damaged. A princess of Lysa was worth the trouble.

But why was Nazar Quat so obsessed? There were plenty of women in the world, yet he turned away the envoy for her. Had he fallen for her in that short time? How beautiful could she be?

Fertan regretted not attending Rosie’s wedding. He had stayed behind, using the excuse of guarding the castle while his father was away. If he had known, he would have gone to the meadow. The princess was famed for her beauty in ballads sung by bards. It would have been a good opportunity to see that fair face.

“Damn it!”

Fertan threw the half-eaten chicken leg across the room in frustration. The woman serving him wine giggled.

“Why is my lord suddenly so angry?”

Leaning back in his chair, Fertan vented his frustration. “I’m curious and angry about what it tastes like.”

“It doesn’t sound like you’re talking about food. Is there a particular woman you’re after?”

“There is a woman whose face I can hardly see, let alone taste.”

“Oh, my! A man as wealthy and handsome as you can’t even get a glimpse of her? Is she a noble from Lysa?”

Fertan laughed at the woman’s coquettish remark. What would her reaction be if he told her it was actually a princess? He was itching to reveal the secret—that the Lysa princess had been kidnapped by Nazar Quat and was now in Edirne.

But his father had strictly warned him never to speak of it. The moment the secret got out, he would be executed.

Once, he had considered it. If the princess’s knight continued to harass or beat him, he would spill everything. He wanted to see the shock on their faces. The lofty duke’s face would also be priceless. He wanted to see that.

“My lord, why don’t you play with me instead?” The woman linked her arm with his and leaned on him. “All women are the same. What makes her different?”

Fertan pushed her onto the long chair and climbed on top of her, thinking she was right. Once undressed, the Lysa princess would be no different from this lowly woman.

“You’re right. No matter how noble, a woman’s purpose is to lie beneath a man and whine.”

Just as he was lifting her skirt, the door creaked open. Without looking, Fertan shouted, “Leave it and get out.”

It was probably an inn staff bringing food. Focused on undressing, he felt a sudden cold blade under his chin.

“Ahh!”

The woman screamed and fled the room. Only Fertan stood there, his pants hanging loosely around his waist, as still as stone.

“W-who do you think you are…?”

All his bravado vanished as the sword’s tip pressed into his sagging jowls. He began begging immediately.

“Why, why are you doing this? You must have the wrong person. I am…”

“The eldest son of the Basque chieftain, Fertan.”

Hearing his identity and name called out accurately, Fertan realized this was serious. He gulped and looked up. The person holding the sword was someone he had never seen before.

“Who…who are you?”

“You were ordered to return to Basque, yet you’re here. Why?”

Fertan guessed who this person might be. Someone sent by Nazar Quat to ensure he had left.

“I-I was on my way back but needed to rest…”

“Where are the rest of the envoy?”

“Th-they…”

As the sword pressed closer, Fertan screamed, “I’ll tell you everything!”