Marius had been investigating the attack, but three days have passed and he still hasn’t found a possible culprit. The clues only lead him to other criminals, but not to the guilty party. Meanwhile, in the palace in the capital, the Empress was having a tea party and Delia was present, since she had to learn to interact with ladies of higher status, although for Delia, it was still difficult to do so, they didn't give her the respect she deserved.
Baroness Roger was present at that event, so she and her friends wasted no time in bringing up what they had witnessed at the party.
"Lady Delia, I heard that Lord Escalante was your fiance before His Royal Highness, is that true?" asks a friend of the Baroness.
"T-that's right, but we've been on good terms, because we've been friends since childhood," Delia replies.
"Well, it's not as if the breakup affected him," adds the Baroness.
"Right, at Lady Roger's birthday party, Lord Escalante arrived with Lady Von Hansen and they both looked too affectionate," mentions one of the Baroness's friends with a mocking smile.
Delia was silent upon hearing that, it was not possible when Ritter was near that woman, Ritter always witnessed the times when she attacked her. She clenches her hands into her dress, but looks up with a brief smile.
"Maybe Lord Ritter just wanted to be nice to her." She tries to stay calm.
"Maybe, although I witnessed everything and they seemed so close, like a couple in love," the Baroness reiterates.
"How unexpected, but both are free of commitment, they are not doing anything wrong, although it would be a shame for Lord Escalante, if he marries an exiled woman," mentions the Empress.
"Get married? I don't think it will go that far," Delia replies.
"You never know, Lord Escalante is a desperate man and so is that woman. But there is no need to be bitter about it," says the Empress again.
To calm all that down, she changes the subject and mentions the progress of Delia and the Crown Prince's wedding. But Delia was left thoughtful because of what she heard, it was not possible that Ritter was with Alesha, because he was always against her, he always defended her from that woman, he cannot now be thinking of marrying Alesha. Delia then remembered the last day she saw Ritter and he said that there would be nothing between them anymore, maybe Alesha asked him to stay away from her? What if Alesha was actually threatening him somehow? At these thoughts, Delia was feeling worried.
On the other hand, Prince Johan, also learned about the event that happened at the Baroness's ball, Johan was informed by his secretary, who heard the rumor from the maids.
"With Ritter Escalante? Of all people... did she choose him?"
They are not supposed to get along and Ritter has always been against Alesha because she bothered Delia. It can't be possible that after breaking off his engagement with Delia he would look for the woman who hurt his ex-fiancee, are they consoling each other? Somehow, knowing that caused Johan some discomfort.
"Perhaps you expected her to cry for you, forever? Or to come back begging for forgiveness?" asks the secretary.
This man, was older than Johan by a few years, but had been his friend since childhood, his name was Peter Fort, the son of a Duke.
"No, but I don't understand how two people who hated each other can be together now," Johan replies.
"Perhaps because they share the same sorrow, their engagement partners left them. Everyone knew that Lady Von Hansen is in love with you," replies Peter.
"I don't think it was love. Still, I find it hard to believe that they are together, I don't think Lady Delia would like..."
"Why should she care? She already broke up with Lord Escalante, she is free to choose the woman she wants, even if she doesn't like her."
It seems that both Johan and Delia refuse to accept that they have done wrong, only thinking about themselves and their own happiness. Ritter and Alesha are within their rights, perhaps in their case, from hate, they fell in love, because they share the same pain, losing the one they loved in the arms of someone else.
At Alesha's mansion, she reviews the reports that one of Ritter's guards has given her, apparently there is still no progress on finding the culprit in the attack, she also has no idea who it could be, she even informed her father about that fact and he investigated, but in the capital, there seems to be no suspect.
"It's too strange, what if it was the prince? He seemed very upset when she was only exiled," Laurie mentions.
"If it's him, they're hiding it very well. Laurie, send two spies to the palace, I want to know if it was the prince's doing..."
"Of course, my lady, I'll ask them to bring the information as soon as possible."
Laurie leaves the study to carry out Alesha's order. While the butler, Gerald, helps Alesha review the Duke's documents. Alesha instructs him to finish only a few, while she must go out, it's not like she's going to sit around doing nothing, she also wants to find the culprit of the attack and finish off that person.
She put on a cloak and took a horse, ordering that no one follow her, she prefers to go alone and the guards simply obey the order, they know perfectly well that the young woman can defend herself.
Alesha covered herself with a hood as she reached a town, known for having a black market, a place where criminals often gather and where you can buy all kinds of merchandise, from stolen jewelry and imitations to the deadliest poisons. Of course, it is also the best place to obtain information. She walks through the streets, observing the stalls, but as she passes through a small alley someone pulls her arm and presses her against the wall, while cinching her waist.
"You seem to like danger, Lady Von Hansen..." a manly voice whispers to her.
Alesha looks at the face under the hood of that person, it was Ritter who was looking at her seriously.
"Life would be boring without a little danger..." she replies with a sly smile.
"I like your way of thinking..." Ritter stares intently at Alesha.
He never imagined having that kind of emotion around the girl, which pleases him, since Alesha is not a boring woman who sits around waiting for someone to protect her, just like Delia does, who only knows how to cry and bow her head. He feels sorry for the empire to have her as its future empress.
Ritter steps back a bit, but holds her hand to guide her down the alley, while telling her that he has found a possible informant who can give them the information they need about the attack.
"It will be fun to hunt the hunter," says Alesha.
"I guess so..."
They both arrive at an old building, where there were two men guarding the entrance, Ritter shows them a badge and they let them pass.
...
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