ICM Chapter 99

“Right now, that’s… what kind of nonsense…”

Ashika’s face turned pale. Nile confirmed the office door was closed and repeated once more.

“It was definitely the Marquis Maiheller’s mansion.”

Unable to continue speaking, Ashika slumped into her chair. Her body trembled so violently that even sitting felt difficult.

“My lady.”

She could no longer hear Nile’s voice calling out to her.

Though he had told her not to wait, Ashika waited for Nile. With unprecedented anxiety and unease, she couldn’t sleep. When Nile didn’t return by dawn as he should have, her anxiety grew even greater.

After waiting like this, Nile finally returned around noon.

“It’s because of me, I…”

She should have been careful as usual. She should have gone to find Iben at night when no one would know, not during the day. But why was it Coral? What connection did Coral have with Maiheller?

No. This wasn’t the time to be lost in such distracting thoughts. Ashika gathered her trembling body and stood up from her seat.

“We need to find her right away. If something happens to Iben…”

“My lady.”

“Where is Grandfather? No, he’s out. What about Pelburn? If we mobilize the knight order…”

“My lady!”

When Ashika hurriedly got up and opened the office door, Nile quickly closed it again. Standing in front of the door, Nile wore an unprecedentedly resolute expression.

“Calm down and think. This isn’t a problem that can be solved by acting recklessly like this.”

“Nile.”

“What can you accomplish by rushing out right now? Will you mobilize the knight order? The command authority of the knight order belongs to Duke Igraine.”

Nile coldly pointed out the reality.

“Even if you had command authority, what would you do? The opponent is the Marquis Maiheller house. Do you not know what would happen if you suddenly barged in with the knight order? Moving the knight order in the name of the family is tantamount to declaring war. They could use that as pretext to declare territorial war.”

Moving the knight order was no different from moving a family’s army. That’s why only some high-ranking nobles possessed knight orders, and even then, they couldn’t exceed the permitted numbers.

Families with territories could declare territorial war when there were clear acts of aggression, such as attacks on their territory or harm to their relatives.

In the capital, which wasn’t a territory, each family’s private estates were considered territories. Therefore, a knight order entering another family’s mansion without just cause was a serious matter that could escalate into war between families.

Of course, if there was just cause, the story would be different. Reasons like family members being kidnapped, for instance.

“That’s ridiculous.”

Ashika wasn’t unaware of this. However, her heart was too urgent to think that far ahead.

“A direct approach won’t work. We need to find another way.”

Ashika had no strength left to stand and crouched down right there in front of the door. She couldn’t even think about how pitiful she must look or about proper etiquette.

Nile continued in a somewhat softer tone.

“They won’t kill her. If they were after her life, there would have been plenty of opportunities before kidnapping her. There’s still time.”

“Of all places, it had to be Maiheller. Do you know how thoroughly they exclude outsiders? It’s so difficult to plant even a spy that hardly any nobles know anything about Maiheller.”

The Maiheller family had long been secluded in their territory. During the decades the marquis had been in seclusion, none of the capital nobles had ever seen the Marquis Maiheller’s face.

They were so closed off that even the laborers working in the mansion were brought directly from the territory. Therefore, there was no way to obtain information about the interior of the Maiheller mansion, no matter how trivial.

Nile looked down at Ashika and offered a simple answer.

“Then how about finding someone who’s already inside?”

“Someone who’s already inside?”

“Stagnant water tends to rot. The older and more closed off it is, the more problems arise from within rather than from outside. Wouldn’t there be at least one person who holds resentment against the Marquis Maiheller house?”

“Ah!”

A thought of “perhaps” flashed through her mind.

While she searched somewhere in her memory, Nile extended his hand. Lost in thought, Ashika unconsciously took his hand.

“Do you have someone in mind?”

“I know someone who knows the internal affairs of Maiheller well and has recently had problems.”

She didn’t know if they would cooperate, but it was worth approaching them. No matter how important the family was, if they were in a position where they had to sacrifice their life without receiving anything in return, couldn’t she expect at least a little, just a tiny bit of help?

Ashika quickly got up and began writing a letter.

****

A space where a noble lady could enter alone without it being awkward and where secrecy was guaranteed. Places often used as meeting spots for lovers were private rooms in opera houses or galleries.

Among these, Ashika chose a gallery where an exhibition was in full swing and many people were coming and going. It was essentially a unilateral notification rather than an appointment. Since there was no time to wait for a reply, she threw out just the time and place and waited.

Just one day. After only confirming that the letter had been delivered to the person in question, she hadn’t heard an answer. In a situation where she didn’t even know if the other party would show up, Ashika sat on the sofa in the private room and quietly held her position.

Click. The moment the door opened, she could tell. The person she wanted had appeared.

“Welcome, Lady Maiheller.”

“I can’t say it’s nice to see you.”

Shafri didn’t hide her uncomfortable feelings. Only after confirming that Ashika was alone in the private room did she enter and close the door.

It was rare for the two to face each other at such close distance. Even at banquets or balls, they usually only exchanged formal greetings and didn’t mix even a word of conversation.

Ashika understood Shafri’s attitude. It was just as uncomfortable for Ashika.

“I acknowledge that we’re not the kind of relationship to exchange pleasant greetings.”

“I’m glad we’re in agreement. Let’s skip the pleasantries. More importantly, what does this letter you sent me mean?”

Shafri tried not to show her emotions, but Ashika could see it. The fact that she had rushed out without refusing despite the rude notification, and the desperation visible in her eyes as she looked at Ashika.

“You said you could help if I don’t want to marry Count Granati? Is that really true?”

“It’s exactly as I wrote.”

In truth, Ashika had no interest in who Shafri’s marriage partner would be. However, the story she had heard through the grapevine was shocking even for Ashika.

A middle-aged man’s third wife. Moreover, a marriage she was being pushed into while the whereabouts of his previous wife were suspicious. She had thought Shafri was a precious daughter of a marquis house, but apparently that wasn’t the case.

Whether one became the heir to a family or remained a lady, high-ranking nobles couldn’t escape arranged marriages. And in most cases, it was the women who were used like consumables in the marriage market.

Men without titles or property to inherit were completely excluded from the marriage market, so at least they weren’t forcibly sold off. It was truly a pitiful irony.

Though her desire to avoid marriage was desperate, Shafri found it difficult to fully trust Ashika’s words.

“How? What method does Igraine, who has no political power, have?”

“I’ll handle that myself. Isn’t it enough if the desired result comes out?”

Methods could be created. Igraine possessed the most funds and trading companies within the empire.

They could cut off Count Granati’s main income source by blocking the distribution channels of his revenue streams, or they could ruin his business by taking away all the major clients of his trading companies.

Whatever benefits Count Granati might gain from a marriage alliance with Maiheller, the losses from Igraine’s pressure would be far greater.

Only then did Shafri sit down on the sofa. She seemed both relieved and angry.

“I’m envious. I had to be dragged along like a leashed animal with no choice. To think you can prevent a marriage so simply.”

Though she spoke easily, it was by no means a simple process. Igraine would also have to endure losses and prepare appropriate sweeteners to smooth things over.

However, all of that wasn’t important right now. What mattered was getting Shafri completely in her grasp.

Just preventing the immediate marriage wouldn’t be the end. The same situation could repeat at any time. Therefore, what Ashika planned for Shafri went beyond that.

“And if there’s a man from a family you want, I’ll help you proceed with the marriage.”

Whoever it was, instead of marrying Shafri, they would receive Igraine’s full support.

Shafri avoided Ashika’s gaze and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

“Now I’m starting to get scared. That Lady Igraine would help me to this extent.”

“Even if not right now, if you have a desired marriage partner anytime…”

“That’s a problem Lady Igraine can’t help with.”

Shafri, who had been going along all this time, cut her off decisively. For a moment, something flashed through Ashika’s mind.

“Perhaps…”

“Don’t misunderstand. At least I don’t want to fight over the same man as you. I never have.”

Shafri clearly cleared up any possible misunderstanding. In fact, from Shafri’s perspective, there was no need to explain.

Drushia had only given up his place beside her; he hadn’t given his heart to Shafri. That’s why she thought he was naturally callous and cold-hearted, but how surprised she was to hear about the marriage proposal.

‘So this woman was the exception.’

Most of the capital nobles gossiped that Drushia must have extended his hand first because the benefits from a marriage alliance far outweighed the two families’ antagonism. Those who knew Drushia’s character would naturally think so.

However, having observed Drushia most closely, Shafri couldn’t agree with those words.

‘Drushia is sincere.’

On one hand, she envied Ashika for receiving sincere love. If she had had the leisure, she might have been spiteful enough to interfere with their relationship. However, putting out the fire that had fallen on her own feet was more urgent at the moment.

The blue-green eyes looking at Ashika darkened.

“All of this won’t be free, will it? What do you want from me?”

Here it comes. Ashika observed Shafri while calculating the slim possibility.

‘I can’t accept refusal.’

In that case, she would pressure her by any means necessary. Even if it was petty and evil, it couldn’t be helped. Ashika was that desperate.

“I need help.”

“What kind of help?”

When the main topic was brought up, Shafri was surprisingly calm. Ashika moistened her dry lips and continued.

“I’m trying to get someone out of the Maiheller mansion. Can you help?”

“Someone?”

“I know they’re in the Maiheller mansion, but I don’t know where they’re confined. Help me find that person and get them out.”

Shafri looked confused.

“Lady Igraine, are you trying to take someone from the Maiheller mansion?”

“No. They were kidnapped. I don’t know who orchestrated it.”

“Who? Who was kidnapped?”

“It’s a woman I know.”

“That can’t be…”

Shafri couldn’t believe it. The marquis never caused noticeable problems. Because he cleverly orchestrated things through other people, he was never directly connected to any problems that arose.

Erwin couldn’t have done something behind the marquis’s back either. He was a man raised to be unable to even think such thoughts.

‘The marquis kidnapped a woman? That person who seems indifferent and detached from all worldly affairs?’

Whether Ashika was mistaken or not, what mattered was that Shafri’s help was needed. Ashika brushed off Shafri’s agitation and opened her mouth.

“First, let’s find out where that person is…”

Shafri, who had been calmly responding to the conversation, stood up from her seat. Before Ashika could wonder why, she turned to look at Ashika while pulling the door handle.

“I have conditions too.”

The door opened and a shadow large enough to dwarf the tall Shafri fell into the room.

For a moment, Ashika was overwhelmed by the fear that she might have made a mistake. However, the person who appeared from behind the door was someone she had never expected.