13 - Tour
The bells still rang.
Their deep, reverberating chimes rolled through the capital like a tide that refused to recede. Servants paused in the castle corridors. Guards murmured among themselves. Even the court officials passing through the halls could not hide their excitement.
A Saintess in Forebros. It was the only thing anyone spoke about.
Inside the drawing room, the conversation had gradually shifted away from trade and politics. Grand Duke Maximus now discussed the logistics of protecting the chapel while scribes hurried in and out with reports from the city.
Crown Prince Zafiel listened politely. But his attention had already moved elsewhere.
After a moment, he stood. Maximus looked up. "Your Imperial Highness?"
Zafiel inclined his head slightly. "Forgive me. Sitting for too long dulls the senses." A faint, courteous smile touched his lips. "Would the Grand Duke permit me to tour your estate?"
Maximus blinked once before breaking into a warm laugh. "Of course! The Vernon estate is one of the prides of Forebros." He rose immediately. "I would be honored to show it to you."
Duchess Darelene stood as well, graceful and composed. "Then allow us to accompany Your Highness."
Zafiel nodded politely. "I would appreciate that."
Eirwen and Alistair remained behind as the small group left the drawing room. Servants quickly stepped aside as they passed through the long marble corridors of the castle.
The estate was vast. High ceilings, crystal chandeliers, polished floors that reflected the light from tall windows overlooking the gardens. Portraits of past Vernon rulers lined the walls, their painted gazes watching silently as the Crown Prince passed.
Maximus spoke proudly as they walked. "This wing was rebuilt after the winter fire twenty years ago. The western gardens were designed by imperial landscapers."
Zafiel listened with polite interest. But beneath his calm expression, his senses were far more alert than they appeared.
Because Zafiel was not simply a Crown Prince.
He was a Sword Saint. The highest level a swordsman in the empire could reach.
His body had been refined through decades of relentless training.
His senses were far beyond those of ordinary knights.
Even whispers could reach him. Even from far away.
They turned down a quieter corridor where servants were busy carrying linens and trays of food. The moment the nobles approached, the servants bowed deeply.
But whispers lingered after they passed. Soft. Careful. Almost inaudible. Almost. Zafiel heard every word.
"Have you heard?"
"Yes! About the Saintess?"
"No, not that."
"What then?"
"It's about the young lady."
There was a pause. "Grand Princess Mariana?"
"Yes."
Another servant lowered her voice further. "They say she's changed completely."
Zafiel's steps did not falter. But his attention sharpened.
"Changed how?"
"She's been quiet lately."
"Quiet?"
"Yes. No tantrums. No complaints."
"That's impossible."
"I'm serious! The maids in her wing say she even apologized to one of them yesterday!"
"What?!"
"And this morning she refused to meet the Crown Prince and claimed illness."
"That part sounds like her."
"But they say she seemed... different."
"Different?"
"Calmer."
Another servant whispered nervously.
"Almost like a different person."
Maximus continued talking beside him, completely unaware. "These halls lead toward the eastern courtyard, Your Imperial Highness-"
But Zafiel had already heard enough. His lips curved. It was subtle. Barely visible, but unmistakably a smile.
Ah.
So the rumors had reached even the servants. Grand Princess Mariana. The notorious villainess of high society. The woman who had spent years loudly announcing her engagement to the Crown Prince.
The same woman who had mysteriously vanished this morning. Zafiel's gaze drifted briefly toward the distant city beyond the windows. Where bells still rang. Where a Saintess had suddenly appeared. Where a golden-haired woman was currently surrounded by half the population of Forebros.
His smile deepened slightly. He murmured so quietly that even Maximus beside him could not hear. "All according to plan." The words disappeared into the quiet corridor.
Because while the empire believed fate had suddenly revealed a Saintess, Zafiel knew something no one else did. Long before this visit. Long before the bells. Long before Mariana's sudden "change." He had already begun setting certain events in motion.
And if his calculations were correct, then somewhere in the city right now... his runaway fiancée was probably panicking. The thought amused him far more than it should have. Behind him, Duchess Darelene noticed the faint smile and raised a curious brow. "Your Imperial Highness?"
Zafiel looked at her calmly. "Yes?"
"You seem pleased."
He looked ahead again as they entered the castle gardens, sunlight spilling across the stone paths. The bells rang once more across the city. Zafiel's eyes gleamed faintly. "Forebros," he said lightly, "is proving to be a very interesting place."
Far across the capital, inside the overcrowded Luminaris Chapel, Mariana sneezed suddenly. Then she looked around suspiciously. "...Why do I feel like someone is enjoying this?"