The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Episode 68: Bait-and-Switch (II)

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An hour past midnight. Eristella, who had returned to her human form, headed to the designated location with Heinricion and Sonia.

In preparation for an unexpected situation, the knights of the Grand Duchy of Adelasia were waiting close by.

Instead of stepping out first, they hid nearby and watched the situation.

When Greta arrived, Marquis Lateran was with her.

Looking at the immediate situation, it seemed that Greta had clung to Marquis Lateran.

The appearance of her laughing and conversing with the marquis bore no signs of hostility.

Due to the distance between them, Eristella and Heinricion secretly eavesdropped on their conversation using magic.

“After finishing this properly, I will leave everything to you from now on.”

“I only need to be recognized by Father.”

“Haha. Okay. Ignore the social gossip. You are the only person I can entrust my future work to. Everyone will have no choice but to admit it later.”

The conversation between the two people was serious.

Just by looking at the scene, Greta seemed to have forgotten her resentment towards the marquis. Rather, it appeared more likely that she made a trap to capture them to regain the trust of the marquis.

Sonia gritted her teeth.

“As expected, they tricked us.”

She continued in an even lower voice.

“There may be other traps nearby. Let’s step away for now…”

If it was an ambush, it would be a huge disaster.

However… Eristella’s eyes narrowed as she watched Greta closely as if something was bothering her.

“It’s still too early to judge. Let’s keep an eye on the situation.”

Eristella quietly calmed Sonia and looked closely at Greta.

The situation was suspicious.

“There might be some guys who will ambush us, but don’t worry. I told the knights in advance.”

The grand duchy’s knights weren’t just on standby; they were monitoring for dangers like ambushes.

It was then.

“There’s someone else coming.”

Heinricion pointed to one side and whispered.

“…Who is it?”

The person was wearing a cloak and the hood was tightly covering his face, so it was difficult to tell who he was. Even whether it was a man or a woman.

The hooded person stopped in front of Greta. Then he grabbed her by the shoulder and started muttering something.

‘I have no idea what they’re talking about.’

As Marquis Lateran took a step back, the cloaked person started to do something to Greta. But Greta’s reaction was very strange.

“What is he doing?”

At first, Eristella couldn’t figure out what was happening. However, as the seconds ticked, the outlines of his actions were gradually drawn. Eristella hissed out, guessing what it could be.

“Th-That person… It’s like he’s casting a spell?”

“I’m sure.”

The eyes of Eristella and Heinricion became fierce.

Brainwashing.

Now, Greta Lateran was on the verge of being brainwashed. Eristella’s face grew serious as she grasped how the situation was going.

She couldn’t just watch. It was when she was about to step out.

Heinricion grabbed her by the shoulder.

“You took a risk and came all the way here. You can’t ruin it by making a hasty move.”

Heinricion was right. Eristella had to endure until the right moment came.

The more she watched the situation, the more convinced she was that the person was brainwashing Greta with black magic.

It was a time when the bottom of patience was gradually being revealed.

Greta grabbed the black wizard’s wrist. Perhaps it was the final act of holding on to her last consciousness.

It was a signal.

Eristella and Heinricion’s gazes met. With that as a signal, the two moved at the same time.

“Stop.”

The actions of Marquis Lateran and the black wizard stopped at the cool breeze blowing around and the crackling voice that cut through the air.

“Who knew and came… Your Excellency…?”

The marquis, who became tense after seeing Heinricion, looked at the person next to him and screamed as if he would run out of breath right away.

“How could the princess…?”

Marquis Lateran muttered in a state of disbelief and fascination when he spotted Eristella.

He checked several times to make sure he was seeing the right thing. However, he became even paler once he realized the princess was not an illusion and still in front of him.

But now was not the time to deal with him.

Eristella ignored Marquis Lateran and hurriedly examined Greta’s condition.

The focus in the eyes was gradually disappearing.

‘She’s probably not completely dominated.’

After checking nervously, she sighed lightly.

Fortunately, Greta was on the verge of being completely consumed. Before the magic was fully activated, Eristella could block it with stronger magic power.

Eristella stopped it with her magic right before the brainwashing was complete.

There would be some damage to Greta’s mind, but she would soon be back to normal.

After a while, the focus slowly returned to her eyes.

“Are you insane? What would have happened if you had been brainwashed!?”

Even after confirming Greta was fine and feeling relieved she managed to stop it, Eristella was still somewhat nervous.

In the proposed deal, there was never the condition of being directly subjected to brainwashing. Eristella never dreamed that Greta would do something like this.

“Rather than tirelessly searching for records, it’s more certain to catch the person you were looking for when he’s right in front of you, right?”

But Greta was rather calm.

Is she insane? Right when Eristella’s eyes were about to roll…

“Besides, if that happened… there would be another piece of evidence. I didn’t think that was bad either.”

“……?”

It was only then that Eristella noticed that Greta’s expression was unusual.

“I had to bring out Marquis Lateran no matter what.”

“You…! You dared to betray your family! Are you insane!”

Marquis Lateran, who had been listening to the conversation, let out an angry roar. But Greta only snorted at him.

“I’m so stupid, I’ve never imagined it before.”

Greta looked at her father, the Marquis of Lateran, with a self-deprecating smile.

“I only thought my mother got sick after giving birth…”

It was clear to Eristella.

The awkward reaction of the marquis, who was reflexively nervous at Greta’s words.

“My eyes were opened when I found out that you were collaborating with black magic.”

“What are you talking about now? How dare you speak like this to your father!”

The marquis yelled at Greta and tried to block her mouth, but to no avail.

“My mother also assumed that you might kill her. Even after decades have passed, the evidence comes out so easily that it’s futile.”

The marquis could not hide his agitation. Seeing his shaking eyes, Greta gave another self-deprecating smile.

“To the extent that I think I’m so stupid for not noticing it all along.”

This was the real reason Greta had been shutting herself up in her room for the past few days.

She had a vague realization. That Marquis Lateran might be involved with black magic.

So she deliberately feigned despair over her loss and embarrassment to find out more about her mother’s death, avoiding the marquis’s surveillance.

And the instant everything became clear, Eristella came looking for her.

It wasn’t that her vengeance toward the marquis burned right then.

“Perhaps I’m tired of being angry with you no matter what you brainwash me to do.”

A lot of time had already passed. She was so tired.

“If only you hadn’t killed my mother!”

Greta let out her anger. The pain and longing she had been harboring now flowed desperately.

“Come on, my daughter. Listening to what daddy is saying…”

The marquis, perplexed, said whatever came into his mind.

However, the more he did, the more Greta’s face sank coldly.

“But how can I just leave it alone?”

Greta’s determined voice flowed quietly.

*******

While Greta was holding the marquis, Eristella and Heinricion were chasing the cloaked individual.

‘As expected, it’s Marquis Lateran.’

She guessed so, but she had hoped it wasn’t.

Eristella bit her lips and accelerated.

No matter what happened, she must catch him now.

The black wizard running away seemed to be specialized in brainwashing and hypnosis.

Besides, she hadn’t seen the face yet, so she hadn’t been able to confirm his exact identity.

She must catch him somehow and find out who he really is.

‘But why is he so good at running away?’