CHAPTER 120
When the head maid returned after putting her to sleep, Philip intended to have his subordinates remove Selina's carriage.
If the other ladies wondered about Selina's absence during the test, the head maid would say that she insisted on returning home and had no choice but to let her go.
'If word got out that she disappeared within the palace, it would cause a commotion...'
The Empress spoke to Philip, who was lost in thought.
"This is a proper Crown Princess test. When it ends, I will truly select the Crown Princess."
"It's fine. We have to choose a Crown Princess eventually anyway, don't we?"
It was a marriage that had to happen sooner or later, so he used it as a cover.
He planned to focus on summoning demons after finishing the temple business, but wasn't Lewis interfering?
Thinking about the humiliation he had suffered made him angry, but the thought of what was to come cheered him up.
How anxious would Lewis be when the person he needed was gone?
He would feel relieved to see that face in person...
Philip was taking a sip of tea when it happened.
"Your Highness."
Sir Schuster called Philip from outside the door.
"Come in."
With the Empress's permission, Sir Schuster approached.
What he whispered into Philip's ear was something he hadn't anticipated.
"Your Highness, Lady Elsner has disappeared!"
* * *
I stared at the ring Lewis had enchanted for me.
"He said it would activate in dangerous situations..."
I couldn't understand why it was so silent.
The door suddenly closed, trapping me in the room. Isn't this a crisis?
I grabbed the doorknob again, but the door wouldn't budge.
"Maybe if I look outside..."
I opened the window and looked down.
Since it was a window at the back of the building, there wasn't a single person in sight.
"Ugh... If only there was someone to call for help."
Clearly, I couldn't stay in this room, trapped. At least the window was open, so maybe I could escape that way?
The room I was in was on the second floor.
Jumping down was scary, but at least it wasn't higher than the third floor!
Thinking positively, I surveyed the area below. There were small trees about waist-high planted there.
Even if I fell, it seemed safer than landing on bare ground.
"I don't have a rope, so..."
I decided to use the blankets as a makeshift rope.
"Alright!"
I tied two blankets together with the curtain cord and draped them out the window.
The length was quite long, almost reaching the ground.
It was still a bit short, but I could jump from that height! It was better than jumping directly from the second floor.
But getting out of the window was challenging.
Sitting on the windowsill, I barely managed to get fully outside, but my arms trembled from the strain of holding the blankets.
"Ugh..."
If I knew this would happen, I would have exercised like Bella!
I glanced at the ring, but the protective ring only sparkled beautifully.
Marquis, this ring seems defective!
When I returned, I would ask Lewis to check it.
There was no way back into the room, so I clung to the blankets, slowly making my way down, when suddenly my arms gave out.
"…!"
"Lady Elsner!"
If I got hurt here, everything would be ruined!
Using every bit of strength I had left, I clung to the blanket just as a familiar hand grabbed my ankle from below.
A voice I recognized made me look down with relief.
To my delight, Charlotte had raised her arms high to catch me.
"Lady Yaniels!"
"What on earth are you doing? Why are you at the window..."
"Well, uh... Ah!"
"Oh, no!"
I slipped, and Charlotte hurriedly caught me.
Thanks to her help, I landed more smoothly than if I had been alone.
"Lady Yaniels! I was so scared..."
With my feet firmly on the ground, I finally felt at ease.
Charlotte, hearing my shaky voice, asked,
"What happened? It's lunchtime, and you weren't around."
"I was locked in. The door wouldn't open."
"What?"
Charlotte's face showed shock.
Surprised? I never thought I'd be trapped in the Empress's palace either!
"We don't have time for this."
I quickly moved, taking Charlotte with me.
We needed to get as far from the Empress's palace as possible.
Charlotte said she had come to the flowerbed for flowers needed for her afternoon schedule when she found me.
She explained how she found me and then asked,
"Who on earth locked you in?"
"Well..."
"Something serious has happened, hasn't it?"
Seeing my bewilderment, Charlotte seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation.
I nodded in response to her questioning gaze.
"Yes. I told the head maid I wanted to go back and was packing when the door locked."
"That's unbelievable!"
I needed to get to the Duke's mansion, but was it safe to go to the carriage storage in this situation?
What to do...
While I hesitated, I heard multiple footsteps.
I turned around and hid behind a nearby building with Charlotte.
Peeking out, I saw knights.
The problem was, they weren't ordinary knights.
These were the same knights assigned to my floor. They were with Sir Schuster, looking serious.
They must have realized I had escaped...
"Isn't that Sir Schuster?"
Charlotte murmured, peeking out from behind the corner like me.
"But why..."
"Lady Elsner's carriage is still within the palace."
As Charlotte tensed and looked at me, one of the knights, who had been out of sight, reported.
Sir Schuster, looking troubled, instructed the other knights.
"She must still be in the palace. Find her quickly."
"Yes, sir!"
At Sir Schuster's command, the knights scattered.
I came here to refuse the Crown Princess test, and now this...!
I stopped peeking and fully hid behind the corner.
Charlotte, with a startled face, asked,
"Is His Highness involved in this?"
Yes. I nodded with a troubled expression.
I can't explain everything now...
"Lady Elsner is in trouble, so let's get out of here first, and I'll explain later."
Charlotte peeked out from behind the corner again.
Then she said,
"They're coming this way!"
"What?"
Did they notice we were hiding?
"Hurry, go."
Charlotte urged me to leave.
"What about you, Lady Yaniels?"
"They're not looking for me."
"But how can I leave you behind?"
Hesitating, she urged me again.
"Hurry. I'll pretend I haven't seen you. I didn't see you during this time."
"Lady Yaniels..."
Her loyalty moved me. Such a steadfastly good person!
There was no time to hesitate.
I decided to take her advice.
"Thank you, Lady Yaniels!"
I whispered and immediately ran.
As I turned the corner and ran, I kept thinking.
What about the main gate?
No, I'd get caught trying to reach it.
Then go to Michael?
The magic department seems too risky.
What to do?
While catching my breath and walking briskly, someone suddenly appeared from the side.
"Ah!"
Of all people, it was Philip, the face I didn't want to see.
"Where are you going?"
He spoke with his attendants behind him.
"Uh..."
I avoided the knights, only to run into Philip!
I was thinking about how to escape this situation.
"Roaming alone during the test. I know you intended to drop out, but..."
"…What?"
I expected him to immediately order people to seize me, but he casually started a conversation.
What was he thinking?
"You still don't seem interested in the Crown Princess position. That's disappointing."
Philip openly showed regret.
His demeanor reminded me of when he approached Charlotte, wanting to befriend her.
It felt even more unsettling.
'What's with this act...'
Why not be straightforward? Why this obvious lie?
"Haha, sorry. I don't think I'm fit for the Crown Princess role..."
I didn't know what he was thinking, but if he didn't intend to show his true feelings...
There was no advantage for me to reveal my hostility in the palace filled with his loyal followers.
So I matched his pretense.
"Wouldn't it be better if the opportunity went to someone who truly wants it? So, I—"
"If you're not taking the test, let's have a chat. I have something to say to you."
Ah...
I thought I could subtly withdraw by telling him to count me out!
I didn't expect him to let me go easily, but still.
I had no interest in hearing what he had to say. What good would it do?
But if I tried to run now, there'd be no more pretense...
The palace was full of people ready to follow his orders.
Having encountered him directly, and knowing I would be caught if I tried to run, I had no choice.
Better to go willingly than be dragged.
"What is it you want to talk about?"
* * *
Philip and Selina sat in the Crown Prince's reception room.
"What?"
Selina's expression turned strange at his question.
It was understandable.
He had asked about her impressions of the ladies during her three days in the palace.
"While staying in the Empress's palace, didn't you see sides of them the maids wouldn't know?"
"I did, but..."
Selina looked suspicious.
'Is this what he wants to know?' she seemed to think.
"If I talk about the other ladies, it won't affect their scores, will it?"
"It shouldn't. It would be unfair to reflect that in the scores."
In truth, Philip didn't care at all about the ladies' characters.
He was just stalling for time.
'I need to ask Count Madden to erase her memory of our conversation as well.'
The sleep spell he intended to cast in the room could be done here instead.
The important thing was that he had successfully detained her.
Before entering the reception room, he had secretly summoned Madden, who would soon arrive.
Just then, there was a knock on the reception room door.
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