When the Villains Unite - Chapter 16: Trace (1)

The next day, I boarded the carriage Belhark had arranged for me and headed to the imperial palace.

While entering the palace typically required several formal procedures, I was certain Belhark had already taken care of everything in advance.

Although the situation hadn’t gone exactly as planned, at least I had managed to clear up Belhark’s misunderstandings, which was a relief.

Still, Damian seems particularly sensitive this time around…

Leaning back against the cushion behind me, I let out a small sigh. As the carriage rolled along, the knight accompanying me asked if I was comfortable. I assured him everything was fine before turning my gaze to the scenery outside.

The reason for the smooth passage became clear as the palace guards waved the carriage through without question. Belhark had even arranged for a royal carriage to ensure there would be no delays.

It was my first time visiting the palace since the New Year’s celebration, and I hadn’t realized how much the change in season had brought the gardens to life. Flowers bloomed brilliantly all around, vibrant and fragrant.

From the main entrance, however, the rose garden the crown prince had prepared for Aria wasn’t visible. Not that I particularly wanted to see it.

It was midday, so I figured there was still some time to spare before I needed to meet Damian.

“Taran, stop the carriage here,” I instructed.

“Understood, Lady Rose,” he replied, pulling the carriage to a stop by the roadside.

Stepping out, I took a moment to take in the grandeur of the imperial palace. It was almost overwhelming, with its opulent and imposing architecture.

Honestly, who thought embedding gold into statues was a good idea?

I paused as my eyes landed on a familiar statue.

It was the Orca family’s crest—a soaring eagle, remarkably similar to the emblem Belhark always carried.

Unlike the white tiger representing Euracis, which was adorned with extravagant gold decorations, the eagle was encrusted with diamonds. Even its eyes were set with gemstones.

Was the first Duke not gold-eyed?

At the very least, it seemed their eyes were considered beautiful, though I wondered if they had been blue instead.

Back at the estate, the Orca sculptures were carved in simple stone. I hadn’t expected such intricate details to exist in the original setting.

“Lady Rose?”

A familiar voice called out from the distance, pulling me from my thoughts.

When I turned, I saw a tall figure quickly approaching. For some reason, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and familiarity.

Ashik. Looks like being in love is doing wonders for him.

Sure enough, he wasn’t alone—walking behind him was Dianne. When Dianne noticed me, he bowed his head politely. The sight of the two of them together was almost dazzling, a pairing of beauty that was truly a treat for the eyes.

Taran, my escort knight, stepped back about ten paces to give us space.

“How have you been, Duke?” I greeted Ashik with a small smile.

“Thanks to you, well.”

Well, I suppose I did have a hand in bringing them together.

The thought made me laugh, even though it was just a simple exchange of pleasantries.

Of course, Dianne, unaware of the backstory, tilted his head slightly, puzzled by my amusement as he stood beside Ashik.

“So, what brings you to the palace alone, Lady Rose? And why aren’t your brothers here to greet you?” Ashik asked, his curiosity clear.

“I didn’t want to disturb them while they were working,” I replied nonchalantly.

“Their work wouldn’t be what’s stopping them…” he muttered, narrowing his eyes as if to assess my words. It seemed he had already caught on to the unusual nature of my visit.

“I came to scold the youngest for running away. I figured he’d at least show up for work,” I said with a mischievous smile.

“The youngest…?”

“You mean Sir Damian?” Dianne asked coolly, his voice as level as ever.

At Dianne’s blunt response, Ashik’s expression hardened, and he glanced at me as if waiting for confirmation. When I nodded, he sighed heavily, as though hearing some deeply troubling news.

“Well, if we’re being technical, he is the youngest,” Ashik admitted begrudgingly.

“And he’s actually quite affectionate at home,” I added teasingly.

“Stop. I don’t want to know.”

At my comment, Dianne’s normally steady gaze wavered slightly, and I decided to end my little joke there. I was well aware of how the Orca brothers were perceived at work, and Damian’s supposed affectionate side was certainly not part of that image.

“Lately, the Duke and the Commander of the Royal Knights seem to have been in a tense atmosphere. Is your visit related to that, Lady Rose?” Dianne asked, his tone measured.

“The Commander of the Royal Knights?” I repeated, confused by the unfamiliar title.

“Yes… Sir Damian was promoted to Commander just a week ago.”

“Suddenly? Why?”

“Well, he’s contributed significantly to the empire, after all. Did he not tell you?”

Of course, he didn’t tell me. At that time, we were barely speaking to each other.

Hearing about Damian’s promotion from someone else left a strange pang of disappointment in my chest.

Noticing the shift in my expression, both men exchanged a glance, clearly unsettled.

“Ah… I didn’t realize he hadn’t mentioned it. My apologies, Lady Rose,” Dianne said carefully.

“It’s fine. I’m not upset,” I replied, though the heaviness lingered.

“If he didn’t even mention something as important as a promotion, it must mean you two fought, right? No wonder the Young Duke’s mood has been so sour lately. But, Rose, are you sure you’re okay?” Ashik pressed, his tone half-serious, half-concerned.

“I said I’m fine…”

“You don’t look fine,” he countered.

He wasn’t wrong. Normally, Damian would’ve been quick to come to me, wagging an invisible tail and asking for praise, if not outright demanding it.

Was my expression really that bad? I didn’t think I was that upset about it.

Determined to put their concerns to rest, I forced a smile at them.

But to my surprise, Ashik flinched and took a step back.

“It was like seeing Belhark just now…” he muttered under his breath.

“What was that, Duke?” Dianne cut in swiftly, trying to rein him in.

What kind of smile did I just give them? Surely, Ashik didn’t mean Belhark’s infamous “murder smile,” did he?

As I glared at Ashik, his bluster quickly deflated, and he mumbled, “It’s nothing… forget it.”

Dianne stepped in smoothly, speaking in his usual calm tone. “Lady Rose, if you’re on your way to see the Commander… I mean, Sir Damian, would you mind if we accompanied you?”

“That would be wonderful. How kind of you,” I replied.

“It’s nothing. We were headed that way anyway,” he said with a polite smile.

I accepted the Marquis of Fessil’s offer and naturally placed my hand on the arm he offered. Ashik, trailing behind us, seemed a little disgruntled by the sight but didn’t voice any objections.

What, are you jealous or something?

Today, for some reason, I found Ashik particularly irritating, so I decided to ignore the annoyed look in his eyes.

The First Main Building, where I was heading, was located deep in the central palace, close to the Sun Palace where the emperor resided.

It was a longer walk than I had anticipated, but Dianne’s way of speaking had a surprisingly soothing quality to it. Even though we weren’t particularly close, the conversation flowed easily, and the journey didn’t feel awkward.

Despite his aloof and cynical exterior, Dianne had a warmth that I was starting to understand—Ashik’s constant praise of him as a “kind person” suddenly made sense.

“You two should visit my estate sometime,” I said lightly. “It’s by the seaside, quiet and secluded. It’s very popular with couples.”

“Oh, no, we’re not—”

“Really? That sounds nice. The location is perfect. Dianne, you haven’t taken your vacation yet, right? How about a trip next month, when the weather’s good?” Ashik interrupted smoothly.

“I haven’t… but—”

“Perfect! Let me know the dates, and I’ll inform the lord of the estate,” I said with a grin.

“…Thank you for the generous offer,” Dianne replied, his tone polite but his expression clearly overwhelmed.

It was amusing how easily he got pulled into the conversation, unable to escape Ashik’s casual suggestions.

As we continued, the topic shifted to how the Orca brothers’ dispute had canceled my planned trip. That naturally led to a discussion about estate management, and I realized their secretive relationship made my estate the perfect getaway for them.

Of course, Dianne had no idea I was aware of their romantic relationship, which explained his flustered reaction.

Ashik, on the other hand, found Dianne’s embarrassment endlessly entertaining. He chuckled quietly, clearly enjoying the moment, though he didn’t seem inclined to reveal their secret anytime soon.

Before we knew it, we had reached the First Main Building. As they guided me toward the staircase, a man who appeared to be an administrator came rushing down the steps, his face pale as if he had seen a ghost.

So preoccupied was he that he failed to notice us until he was practically nose-to-nose with Ashik. Only then did he stop abruptly.

“Ahhh!” he yelped, startled, and lost his footing, landing heavily on the edge of a step.

The loud thud echoed through the hall, but his expression suggested his mortification far outweighed any pain from his fall. He looked utterly horrified, likely more concerned about the spectacle he had just made in front of high-ranking nobles than his bruised tailbone.

“Excuse me…!”

The administrator hastily apologized, but before any of us could say a word, he bolted, practically tripping over his own feet as he disappeared down the hallway.

I watched his retreating figure in bewilderment, wondering what on earth had caused such a reaction.

Next to me, Ashik let out a resigned sigh.

“Well, we probably won’t be seeing him for a while.”

“Why was he acting like that?” I asked.

Ashik shrugged. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure until recently, but I think it has something to do with the argument between you and Damian.”

“Partly, yes,” Dianne added. “Though some of it stems from administrators misinterpreting the Commander’s mood and voluntarily running laps around the training grounds to atone.”

“How does someone jump to that conclusion?” I asked, genuinely baffled.

They quickly explained the situation. When Damian returned from his expedition and started his week of night shifts, he had seemed his usual self at first. But after a few days, his demeanor began to change.

Suddenly, he was radiating a sharp, oppressive energy, which only grew more intense as the week went on.

During this time, a junior administrator made an unfortunate slip of the tongue in front of Damian. His icy glare had terrified the poor man so much that he’d decided to punish himself by running laps around the training grounds.

The rest of the administrators, perhaps thinking this was the appropriate way to deal with Damian’s wrath, followed suit. One by one, they started running laps in self-imposed penance.

“And now,” Ashik concluded with a slight smirk, “we’re stuck with this ridiculous situation where the administrators are taking turns running laps around the training grounds.”

“Damian probably didn’t even bother to comment on their behavior,” I said with a faint smile.

“He didn’t,” Dianne confirmed.

It wasn’t surprising. Damian had never been one to pay much attention to others, let alone meddle in their self-inflicted choices.

Still, imagining such a scene left me feeling unsettled. If he was already that angry, there was no guarantee he’d even talk to me when I showed up today.

Ashik and Dianne escorted me to the fourth floor, stopping in front of an imposing door that stood out prominently in the hallway.

I learned that while Damian was originally meant to stay near the crown prince, his promotion and frequent night shifts had earned him a private space here.

“Thank you for escorting me,” I said, offering them a polite nod.

They returned the gesture, stepping away to give me privacy. Now, it was just me and the door to Damian’s room.

After Ashik and Dianne left, I lingered outside Damian’s door, pacing nervously. For some reason, even though I had resolved to come here, standing right in front of him felt so much harder.

What am I doing? I told Belhark I’d handle this myself, and now I’m hesitating like this?

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to grab the doorknob and swing the door open.

Inside, Damian sat at his desk, staring straight at me.

But my attention wasn’t immediately drawn to him—it was the mess of empty bottles strewn across the desk and even spilling onto the floor around him.

He’s been drinking like this at work? For days, it seems.

Just as I processed the scene, Damian picked up a large glass and poured vodka into it as if it were water.