Perched properly on my lap, Bertia gave a solemn nod and whispered, “As expected of you, Lord Cecil.”
“Well,” I said with a sigh, “that’s where we stand for now. The key is to make sure he doesn’t realize we’re onto him. It’s best to let him keep believing his own fantasy until the moment we expose him. That’s why I’ve been pretending to play along with his schemes. Unfortunately, that probably made him think he had my blessing to pursue you, and that’s likely why he did what he did.”
Of course, much of that was my deduction.
Bertia had been too distraught, too certain I was about to divorce her, to tell me everything clearly. But judging from her scattered words, his behavior, and the timing of it all, I was confident in my conclusion.
“So, that’s how it is…” she breathed. “So, when he said that you wanted me to leave you and marry him instead, that was—”
“His misunderstanding,” I cut in gently. “I have no intention of leaving you, Tia. Not now, not ever.”
After all the effort I had put into convincing her to stay and demonstrating I wasn’t going anywhere, she still trembled with relief at the smallest reassurance.
“Y-You don’t know how relieved I am!” Bertia burst out.
The breath she’d been holding finally escaped in a ragged little sob. She’d been so busy fuming about Prince Ramtak’s schemes and worrying over Princess Lysonna and Crown Prince Aleis that the looming dread of divorce had clung to her the whole time.
Now that she understood the situation and I’d denied the idea of separation again, the tension in her body finally melted away. She leaned into me, weight and warmth transferring like a physical apology, and I felt my own shoulders loosen as if someone had unclenched them for me.
“I’m glad,” I murmured. “But because this whole mess is… delicate, I do need you to help me a little.”
“What do you want me to do? Infiltrate their camp? Go full villainess and dazzle everyone with my evil schemes? Leave it to me. I’ll make a grand entrance worthy of a top-tier villainess!” Bertia straightened with military precision, eyes sparkling with earnest determination. I couldn’t help the small, fond smile tugging at my mouth.
No, you are spectacularly unsuited to stealth, darling.
She was the Crown Prince’s consort, for heaven’s sake, a familiar face to every noble, never without attendants and guards. How could she possibly slip into the shadows and spy?
“Actually, I want you to do nothing.”
“Wha—?”
Her vigor deflated like a popped balloon. Seeing her slump felt almost pitiful, but this was not the time for heroics. If she moved now and Ramtak noticed, he could erase evidence. Worse, he could create the very rumor he desired: that she and he were “truly in love.”
Bertia was too honest by nature to convincingly lie her way through a charade with him, and I didn’t trust her to keep our plan secret if she confronted him directly.
“Prince Ramtak is acting bolder precisely because he thinks I’m on his side,” I explained gently. “So, he’s been courting you in public, making it obvious to everyone. That’s part of his strategy.”
“If I set a honey trap, it’ll be perfect!”
Bertia’s eyes lit up again, and she flashed a cocky smile as if the phrase villainess pastime were engraved on her soul. I watched her and made a mental note to tell Cynthia to keep a very close eye on her later.
“No. If you do that now, even if we deny it later, people will start whispering that you and Prince Ramtak met in secret. In short, it raises the risk of the Crown Princess of Alphasta being forever dogged by rumors of infidelity.”
Bertia’s face went white at the idea. “I’d hate that! I am devoted to Lord Cecil!” she cried, springing up as if insulted on principle.
Tears blurred at the corners of her eyes. It appeared the earlier sobbing had loosened her dam of composure. I leaned over, stroked her hair, and murmured softly, “I know you wouldn’t do such a thing.”
Her innocence made her incapable of lying. The thought of betraying me had likely never even formed in her mind, and if anything untoward did happen with another man, she’d give herself away the moment it touched her heart.
“But Ramtak thinks he must seduce you publicly within this short time and convince everyone that some great true love has bloomed between you two. Tia, if you come into contact with him now, I can’t predict what tricks he might try to manufacture a scandal.”
I could imagine the standard schemes, of course, but when I thought about Bertia and Ramtak together, the chemistry felt dangerously unpredictable; they might do something so outrageous that even common tactics wouldn’t cover it. They both had a worrying tendency to leap past even the options one would normally dismiss with a laugh.
“So, there’s only one thing I need from you, Tia. Cooperate with Cynthia and the others, and avoid Prince Ramtak completely.”
“Avoid him? That would be desertion in the face of the enemy.”
“It’s a strategic withdrawal.”
I cut her off before she could voice her displeasure further. Years of friendship had taught me how to motivate her. If I could frame the retreat as meaningful, she would put her heart into it rather than sulk.
“Listen. The important thing here is to avoid Prince Ramtak completely. Don’t get close to him under any circumstances, and don’t openly reject or provoke him either. Just… don’t let there be any contact. In a way, that makes this a very difficult mission for your bodyguards, for Miss Cynthia, and everyone watching over you.”
“Is that so? Hehe. Leave it to me! I’m excellent at tag and hide-and-seek, you know.” Bertia clenched her fist with a determined little grin.
Her enthusiasm is a touch too much for my taste, but frankly, if she’s going to avoid him with that level of commitment, I’ll take it.
“Sorry to put you on the spot, but thank you. While you keep your distance from him, we’ll finish our preparations properly.”
“Understood. I’ll leave it to you. Please, do it for the people of Seahealby and for Lady Lysonna, too.”
“Consider it done.”
She threw her arms around me in a tight hug, offering words of encouragement as she clung to me. I returned the embrace gently.
Funny, I thought as I held her. A little while ago, I wanted to crush him out of anger, and now I just want to do my best.