𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝟔: 𝐈 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐭?

“Onii-sama! Viara is heading to the capital. . .Wait, what happened? What’s with that expression?”

As soon as I returned to the mansion, I rushed into the study and was surprised to see Onii-sama, who had dark circles under his eyes. 

He looked more exhausted than I was when I woke up.

“Viara. . .”

“Is there anything bad?” 

In his hand were several letters with the royal seal stamped prominently on them. 

Reports were also scattered on the desk, and Onii-sama seemed weary from looking at them. 

“Well, there’s good news and bad news, but which do you want to hear first?” 

What kind of choice is that? 

It’s an impossible dilemma. 

“Just tell me everything at once.” 

If you’re going to do it, do it all at once. My heart has reached the point of resignation. It’s just bad news anyway, and I’ll act to destroy everything that comes my way.

Sighing, Onii-sama looked troubled.

“Noah has taken over the Strand Marquis family. His two older brothers were imprisoned for gambling and illegal slave trading, and his father retired and secluded himself. It seems he resigned as the chief priest and became the head of the Strand Marquis.”

“Noah-sama?!”

I was worried about the amount of antacids he was taking. I was shocked to hear that such a thing had happened.

“Onii-sama, didn’t you know?”

“I had some idea. But Noah and I usually talk about magic tools and good ingredients for antacids. . .We don’t really talk about family matters.” 

“That’s right. You’re just pure friends.”

Onii-sama also uses a lot of antacids.

It seems that their friendship is not befitting of nobles, so it seems I found out about it after the fact.

“The problem is, Noah wants to marry you, Viara.”

“What?!”

I snatched the letter from Noah, which my brother had received, and indeed, it was written there that he hopes for a marriage with Viara Marcus. And there was even the King’s signature.

“What does this mean. . .? I’m just a fallen noble daughter.”

“Viara, right now you are considered a powerless young lady who has been taken away by Cid.”

I see.

The arrest warrant for Cid is still in effect, so I need to resolve that quickly, or the lie will become the truth. No matter how much I deny it, people won’t keep their mouths shut.

“In that case, I’ll go and save Cid right away! If I plead with them, they will understand the truth, right?”

“I can’t let my precious sister be put in harm’s way! Besides. . .this is the bigger problem.”

He showed me another letter, and I was speechless.

――Magician Cid will be executed in three days.

It was the first time I felt dizzy with anger. 

The reason is the date on the letter.

Calculating the sent date and the “three days later,” it meant tomorrow morning.

“Only twelve hours left. . .?! Why?!”

I slammed the letter on the desk and immediately tried to leave the room. But Onii-sama grabbed my arm tightly. 

“Wait! I’ll go! I don’t want to believe it, but Noah is pulling the strings behind the scenes. He manipulated the church as he pleased and made Prince Roque his puppet to gain control of the royal family. If Cid disappears, Viara will be within his reach.”

Why me?

I have no memories of being approached as a romantic interest.

“I don’t understand the meaning.”

“Just appearing together doesn’t mean it’s a romantic relationship.”

“Stop pretending to know everything.”

“I had a hunch that Noah had feelings for you . . .But you’ve always been engaged to Prince Roque. Besides, Noah is a commoner and a former priest, so he can’t marry a duke’s daughter due to too many complications.”

Even a priest can marry if they are a commoner. Marriages with nobles are not recognized from the perspective of power concentration and corruption.

However, if Noah-sama resigns as a priest and inherits the Marquis family, it’s a different story.

“I don’t know when he started planning all this, but it seems that it was a miscalculation for Cid to abduct you immediately after the engagement was broken. That’s why he gave advice to Prince Roque and issued the order to capture Cid. If Cid disappears, Viara will be within reach for him.”

“Then, did he also kidnap Elsa? And is he manipulating His Majesty and the Queen? It’s all Noah-sama?”

Onii-sama nodded with a bitter expression.

“Why would he go to such lengths. . .?”

I was skeptical, but Onii-sama seemed to be convinced. 

He gently released his hand from my arm and placed his left hand on the desk, wearing a troubled expression.

The sunlight shining through the window made his beautiful golden hair sparkle.

“The darkness in the hearts of gloomy people like us. . .runs deep.”

“Why are you trying to act cool?”

I was annoyed by his attempt to be a little cool. 

Onii-sama turned towards me and gave instructions Rosso who was waiting .

“As a friend, I want to stop Noah. I’m heading to the capital right away. Rosso, issue the order for the first unit to deploy.”

“Understood.”

Of course, I was also fully determined to go.

As I was about to prepare immediately and head towards the door, Onii-sama stopped me.

“Viara, you can’t. Wait here.”

“What?!”

“We have our own plan here. Viara, just wait. Cid also wants that.”

It all started with the cancellation of my engagement, so why am I being left behind?

I grew frustrated with Onii-sama, who didn’t tell me anything.

“I’ll go on my own!”

――Bang!

I lifted my dress skirt and stormed out of the room. 

There, Onii-sama’s fully armed subordinates were lined up.

“Miss, sorry about this.”

“We were told to keep Miss locked up and not to let her leave the mansion under any circumstances.”

“Please don’t kill me.”

Why is there someone already begging for their life? 

Facing a weak duke’s daughter like myself, there were twenty strong men standing in my way.

“Get out of my way!”

I glared at them with bulging veins, but Rosso approached me from behind and restrained me.

“Let go of me!”

“Ojou-sama, please wait quietly. We will bring Cid back.”

“No! I’m going too!”

I shouted throughout the mansion, but I was restrained by Rosso and pushed back into the room. 

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