The Concubine Does Not Love the Emperor - Chapter 6.2

“Oh, thank goodness! The Lord has not forsaken us!”

Caterina, relieved, slumped back into her seat, and the prince embraced her. He, too, relaxed and turned his gaze to Margaret, who sat quietly as if relieved of tension.

“Thank you. If it weren’t for you, we would have endured hellish times.”

“I only did what I had to do.”

There was still time until dawn. At this moment, they could slip out of the palace unnoticed and escape from the public eye. Sensing Margaret’s thoughts, Caterina stood up and personally opened the door for her.

“Even if you arrive late to the palace, I will understand.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness,” said Margaret, standing tall and bowing to Caterina. It was difficult to recognize the anxious young girl from earlier in the composed and dignified demeanor of the princess.

Regaining her composure as the princess of a nation, Caterina bid farewell to Margaret with elegance and restraint. As she stepped out of the prince and princess’s bedroom, Margaret hurriedly moved her steps. Some of the candles on the wall were still burning, but others had been extinguished, leaving the hallway dim.

The sky was brightening enough to see silhouettes as she hurriedly crossed the garden. In her anxious state, she hastened her pace, but suddenly a sturdy man emerged from behind a pillar. Reactively, she drew the knife at her waist and aimed it at the man’s throat, but he raised both hands above his shoulders.

“It’s me, my lady.”

It was Klein, her loyal servant. He was dressed as a black employee, with his jet-black hair hidden. She put away the knife with a sigh of relief. Even Klein shouldn’t be within the palace at this hour.

“What’s going on? Depending on your answer, there might be consequences.”

She spoke with a firm tone, putting Klein on alert.

“Soldiers have invaded the mansion. They were disguised in the attire of the Royal Guards, but they were all unfamiliar faces.”

“!!!”

“They were looking for you, my lady. The Count was not present, so you decided not to open the door for the time being.”

Klein’s voice faltered toward the end.

Tonight, the king would die.

Her father, who had led the family for generations, had prepared for unforeseen circumstances. However, he had mentioned that the king had overcome the crisis. Margaret recalled the face of the maid who had delivered the message. The maid had bowed her head, making her face impossible to see.

Her heart sank.

A maid had come to inquire about the king’s well-being. And at this early hour.

Margaret swiftly turned her body

“Follow me. We need to find out what’s happening.”

Her heart pounded with a sense of foreboding. Tonight, the king would die. Her father had spoken so calmly, as if it were a fact that had already happened. Even though it was early morning, the palace felt strangely still and quiet.

Her brisk steps quickened as her thoughts raced.

“What is it?” The prince, who was already awake, erupted in anger as the door was opened without a knock.

“I apologize, Your Highness. It seems I must wake Her Highness.”

When he saw that it was Margaret who had entered, the prince fell silent. Princess Caterina also woke up and sensed the unusual atmosphere. She hurriedly put on a gown.

The couple’s bedroom was situated at a place in the palace where they could see the vast and beautiful garden at a glance.

Margaret lifted the heavy curtains slightly to peer outside. In the slightly brighter garden, armed soldiers were moving quietly into the palace.

“So, the Duke of Orléans must have caused this commotion!”

Margaret took out a piece of paper from her chest and quickly wrote a short letter.

On one side of the bedroom, there was a small cage with a carrier pigeon inside, to secretly request help when a major crisis occurred. After putting the note in the carrier pigeon’s message tube, she released the bird to fly away. Caterina, who had been watching, asked in a trembling voice, “What is happening?”

“Not yet,” Margaret replied. “Nothing has happened yet.”

Before she could finish her sentence, someone attempted to open the door.

When the locked door wouldn’t open, the person knocked on it urgently.

“Your Highness, please wake up. It’s an urgent matter.”

Behind the unfamiliar voice, she heard the soldiers’ footsteps stopping in front of the door.

Klein quickly dashed toward the bookshelf. Margaret nodded lightly when she saw him push the bookshelf toward the door. After confirming that the bookshelf blocked the door, she turned to the prince and princess, quietly saying, “Follow me. We need to seek refuge for now.”

“Your Highness, are you awake? It’s an urgent matter, and I will have to force the door open. Please forgive me.”

Despite their attempts to open the door roughly, the bookshelf seemed like it wouldn’t hold for much longer.

Margaret led the way into the study located within the bedroom. Pushing the large fireplace, which seemed out of place in the small space, to the side, a hidden staircase was revealed, leading downward.

“I didn’t know such a place existed,” Caterina marveled softly. Klein, realizing that the bookshelf alone wouldn’t hold, pushed one more bookcase and quickly followed Margaret into the study.

“Klein, lead the way. The staircase is steep, so be careful,” Margaret instructed.

Nodding, Klein picked up a candlestick from the table and began descending the stairs. The prince followed closely, and Caterina didn’t hesitate to follow as well. Meanwhile, Margaret went back inside the bedroom and returned the fireplace to its original position, hoping they would discover this passage as late as possible.

The hidden passage was their only escape route for now.