Raised the Villainous Daughter and Ran Away

153. The mask is torn off.

It was a sunny morning, and the birds were chirping. A homing pigeon flew into Frances’ bedroom window.

Knock knock. Knock knock.

A hawk-bill pecked at the window with its beak and turned its head around. France tilted her head and opened the window.

“Where did you send it from?”

France took out the letter. The letter, which had completed its mission, flew away without looking back, spreading its wings refreshingly.

“What is this…?”

Frances’ eyes widened when she saw the pattern on the scroll. It was engraved with the mark of Exceed.

Her heart rate was rising with anticipation. Frances hurriedly opened the book.

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We arrived at the border between Geneva and the Empire.

I’m a bit tired from running nonstop from the Pantheon in the City of Liberty to get back quickly, so I’ll just take a short break and then move on.

Expected to arrive at the Duke’s Office in two days.

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“at las…!”

Frances was so moved that she covered her wide-open mouth with her hand.

How long have I been waiting for this day? My emotions are welling up and my whole body is shaking. However.

“…no.”

Frances, who was overcome with emotion, shook her head and calmed her mind. It wouldn’t be too late to feel these emotions when she reunited with Jin later.

There is something I have to do right now.

Daughter-

When I rang the bell on the table, the bedroom door opened and the servants came in.

“Have you coughed, Your Majesty?”

“Good morning!”

Two servants who followed Helena. They are new recruits who came in during a major reshuffle at the Duke’s household.

“Yes, good morning. Today is a busy and important day. Wear a dress that is comfortable to move in but still classy.”

When Helena answers “Yes!”, the two new employees move hurriedly to prepare.

The dress she was wearing today was a dark shade of blue that was loose and comfortable, yet had a calming feel. Frances nodded, satisfied with Helena’s choice.

“Lenya will take care of the Duke’s hair, and Malina will take care of the accessories.”

Helena said so and laid out makeup tools such as brushes and sponges. Frances sat still and closed her eyes.

After a while, when the make-up time was over, France opened her eyes and looked into the mercury-covered mirror. The newbies’ skills were not bad.

“You all said you came here for your career?”

“yes!”

“Yes.”

“Your skills are good.”

When Frances smiled slightly and nodded once, Lenya and Malina smiled brightly.

“thank you!”

“I will work hard.”

Frances got up from her seat and started moving. Everyone, including Helena, followed her.

When I arrived at the office, everyone was waiting inside. Kale glanced at Frances and said.

“It’s today.”

“It’s today.”

Kale shrugged and shook his head.

“I’m finally going to end this horrible relationship with the royal family.”

As Kale said, from this moment onwards, the imperial power that opposed Descartes will collapse.

“Everyone, take note. A great chaos of a different level than before is about to descend upon the Empire.”

The sudden news of the deaths of the Emperor and Empress caused great confusion, but this time, an even greater catastrophe is coming.

The saint who had been consecrated to all the people of the empire, regardless of whether they were royalty, nobles, or commoners, assassinated the previous emperor and empress in order to inherit the throne. And then she even attempted to assassinate the Duke of Descartes. The entire continent will be in an uproar.

“Khazar, have you gathered the journalists who will publish the article as you said?”

“Yes. It will only gather famous people and spread quickly throughout the empire.”

Before relaying the news to the Imperial Court, France will gather Imperial journalists and make an official statement announcing the connection between the two.

The saint, Empress Somire, is the mastermind behind everything.

“Kale, have you brought all the duke’s knights with you?”

“You can get ready from dawn and get moving right away.”

The arrangements for the deployment of knights to carry out the overall escort have also been completed.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

* * *

Descartes Square.

At the very front, the duke’s knights stand solemnly in a row with their swords drawn.

Even though it is the largest space in the dukedom, it is packed with journalists from all over the empire and residents who have come to see what is going on, so there is no empty seat.

“What’s going on?”

“I heard there’s big news?”

“Could it be that the Duke has passed away?!”

“Oh, this guy is making disturbing noises.”

The people of the territory were in turmoil because they couldn’t figure out the purpose due to the lack of information. The atmosphere in the Duchy of Descartes was currently in turmoil.

Trade with other realms has been cut off, word has it that the Duke has missed a catastrophe in the kingdom, and rumors are circulating that inhumane magical experiments are being conducted on humans in the Magic Tower.

The duke who went to the palace to seek reconciliation was in a coma due to a recent noisy assassination incident. It would not have been strange for the dukedom to be in a state of great depression.

“I hope it’s not a big deal.”

“There is no place better to live than the Duke’s domain.”

“It’s definitely big news since journalists are also gathered here.”

“When on earth does it start?”

The Duke’s agent, who had not shown up for a long time. On the platform that could easily accommodate dozens of people, there was only one magic tool.

At that time.

“uh?”

“Aren’t you the Duke?”

“Does that seem right?”

The eyes of the people of Yeongji widened. It was because France Descartes, who was known to be in a coma, had come up to the stage with her escorts in perfect health.

─We have important news to inform the residents of the dukedom and the journalists who came to see us today.

Frances’ elegant voice resonated throughout the plaza. Journalists quickly opened their notebooks, and the people of the city fixed their gaze on the stage.

─I visited the palace to attend a reconciliation conference earlier, and as you all know, there was an assassination attempt there.

Buzz, buzz. There are so many people talking that I can’t hear what they’re saying.

─The sudden death of the previous Emperor and Empress. The new imperial power’s hostility toward Descartes. The assassination attempt on me in the palace. All of these are connected.

Square, square. Square, square. Journalists who keep their gaze fixed on the stage and only move their hands to write something in their notebooks.

─Let me tell you first. The one who attempted to assassinate me was none other than the saint who was consecrated by the Empire, Somire.

Stop. Everyone standing in the plaza froze at the absurd news. Even the journalists who had been moving their pens without rest could not hide their bewilderment, their mouths open.

─The saintess had been hiring assassins from the Dark Guild to kill me for a long time, and when that didn’t work, she assassinated the previous emperor and empress to take over the throne and put pressure on Descartes.

Frances Descartes continued her explanation: all the events that had caused chaos in the empire up to that point had occurred for one purpose.

─I will say this on the basis of my honor and Descartes’ name. Saint Somire is an evil person who does not care about the means and methods for her own power. She targeted Descartes and me for the sake of her own unique position.

The journalists swallowed heavily and wrote down the contents in their notebooks. There is no reason for someone like the Duke of Descartes, who has more authority than the current royal family, to tell such a lie, so the contents are true.

─Also, all the bad rumors that have been circulating in the dukedom are slander led by the new emperor and empress who have seized the imperial throne. For their own power.

Descartes Square was silent. Everyone was speechless, their mouths wide open, shocked as if they had been hit in the back of the head with a giant hammer.

─That’s all.

When Frances Descartes had finished speaking, she walked down the platform with a dignified and elegant gait, as befitting a duke.

* * *

Duke Descartes’ announcement was first heard at the Imperial Court, but it was quickly spread throughout the Empire by journalists and messengers, to the point of being meaningless.

“… I didn’t want to believe it.”

A truth he absolutely did not want to believe. Rezef, whose whole body was shaking as if an earthquake had occurred, tightly shut his eyes.

The first question that came to mind was, “Why?”

What is lacking, and why did you do this? … … .

However, these worries and thoughts were a luxury. The imperial investigation team and the knights who heard the news immediately took action.

“Your Majesty, the criminal Somire has been arrested.”

The Minister of Investigation came to deliver the news. The Commander of the Imperial Knights was also present.

“I am sorry, but even Your Majesty cannot avoid arrest.”

Rezef bowed his head and remained silent.

“…Commander of the Knights, please.”

“yes.”

Clank! Thick handcuffs were placed on Rezef’s wrists. They were special handcuffs prepared considering that he was a sword master.

“Go.”

The Minister of Investigation and the moving commander of the Imperial Knights. The place they arrived at was the ‘Gungnaegam’, a prison inside the palace.

It was so ornate and old-fashioned that it was hard to believe that it was a prison for the royal family, but it was a place to imprison criminals. As Rezef entered, the door slammed shut.

There is a gap made of iron bars as the door was made so that the criminals could be seen from the outside.

And then a man walked in. He had blond hair like Rezef and jewel-like eyes that symbolized royalty.

The second prince was Raja Fedelian.

“Ha… Brother, what the heck is this?”

Raja furrowed his brows and frowned as if he was embarrassed. There was no answer from Rezef.

“Even if you sometimes act foolish and naive, I never said anything. After all, you were educated by the monarch and became a sword master. But what on earth is this?”

Rezef stared blankly at the floor and remained silent. Raja clenched his teeth and frowned.

“Say something! You must have known something, since you loved that dog-like saint who assassinated your mother and father and almost ruined the empire!”

Even if I speak strongly, he doesn’t respond. Haa, Raja sighed deeply and shook his head.

“Brother, did you also agree with me and help that damned saint while keeping Descartes in check?”

Rezef shook his head with his lips pursed.

“So you knew all this?”

Rezef carefully lifted his head. His cloudy jewel eyes met Raja’s.

“I… didn’t know… everything… was just… everything…”

Raja opened his eyes shallowly and examined Rezef. Soon, he clicked his tongue and frowned.

“I knew a little bit.”

“… … .”

Reze’s eyes were accurate. Rezef was simply turning away, saying no, that couldn’t be true, and was hypnotizing himself.

“Since when? Since the saint entered the palace ten years ago?”

Rezef shook his head.

“… It was a year ago.”

“Is it time for war with Barenberg?”

“okay…….”

There’s something to ponder. Raja, who was suffering from a migraine, closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.

“That must have been the time. When she suddenly declared that she wanted to go back, and asked to be sent back home. The saintess went mad from that point on.”

Was the cruelty of war a great shock to her? It would be so, considering the Somire Raja had seen. She was more delicate, pure, and honest than anyone else.

“Anyway, since this is an emergency, I will temporarily take over the throne. Once the investigation is over, you may return or something… … .”

As Raja continued speaking with a pitiful look in his eyes, bang! The imperial investigator burst in through the door and shouted urgently.

“Your Highness! The sinner Somire has disappeared!”