"Send them away."

The two were immediately kicked out of the house after Alicia's words fell.

Alicia, of course, knew this was not the end. Her father would try to reclaim the estate by using all of his resources, but he would eventually realize that all means of resistance would be futile.

"Let's get you treated, Latty. Was it painful? ”

Alicia looked at James after giving Latty a warm hug.

"I'd like to speak with you after Latty's treatment, James."

"Certainly, My Lady."

Alicia dragged Latty into her room with her small hand. It appeared to be a child dragging a large, cuddly bear.

"Why did you do that, Latty?"

Alicia inquired, tapping Latty's cheeks with a cold towel.

"What exactly do you mean?"

”

"How come you allowed yourself to be hurt? Like a fool..."

"You're a young lady, Miss. You're petite. If the Count really hit you, you'd die, and he'd go to... I'd rather take the risk and be sick for a few days."

Alicia looked at Latty with affection and anguish. Latty was pure and kind-hearted, freely giving her goodness to others. She was unique to Alicia.

"Will you accompany me to Coulson, Latty?"

Latty's eyes widened as she made the unexpected suggestion.

“What? Why was everything happening so quickly? ”

"I'm going to Coulson as soon as I can." Will you accompany me? ”

Latty had spent the majority of her life as a maid. She was an orphan at the time and was given the opportunity to work at the mansion. She was later put in charge of Alicia and grew fond of her over time.

"It's fine if you decline my offer. You can stay here and continue working in the mansion if you want, or I can write you a recommendation letter."

Latty was from Ehrlich, not Coulson. Alicia knew it would be difficult to ask her to leave her home country, so she had low expectations. In fact, Alicia thought Latty would prefer to stay in the mansion. But, much to her surprise, Latty immediately responded to Alicia's cautious suggestion.

"What nonsense are you talking about, Miss?" Of course, I'll follow you wherever you go."

“….Really?"

Latty nodded incessantly.

“Yes. I don't have any family here. I was able to serve you because of your late mother. If you don't mind, I'd like to follow you."

A bright and carefree smile gradually appeared on Alicia's face; it was the kind of smile Latty hadn't seen in a long time. Latty returned the smile before blurting out something concerning.

"But shouldn't you first notify the Queen?"

Queen of Ehrlich, Anna Corty

Ehrlich's very own Queen and Princess, her mother's cousin, and Alicia's godmother.

"Yes... I should..."

"So, before we leave, we should notify the Queen."

Alicia had previously followed her mother to the royal palace. She thought the Queen was a scary person at the time, because she was the woman who jumped directly into a battlefield full of corpses and blood to reclaim the throne... she also suppressed the aristocratic forces that revolted against her after she became Queen.

Ehrlich was long regarded in the region as a particularly strong and powerful country with a somewhat backward system.

The Council of Nobility wielded more power than the King, with each noble representing a region.

So Ehrlich remained at a standstill with the previous system while neighboring nations transformed into a powerful, centralized state.

One person who wanted to change Ehrlich's fate was the Queen's father, Edgar II, who had numerous conflicts with the nobles throughout his reign, which lasted until his death.

At the time, the nobles attempted to downplay her rule by crowning her cousin over Anna Corty, the rightful heir to the throne. Though one reason was that she was a woman, and the nobles were concerned that she would carry out her father's vision.

The reduced aristocracy appeared to expand again after Anna handed over the throne to her cousin on the condition that her son succeeds the throne, but the King died young, much to their dismay.

And her son, who was crowned King at the time, was young and inexperienced, so Anna regained her power by cleaning up the convergence. It was also done naturally.

But then the nobles struck again.

The nobles who supported the previous King, Anna's cousin, abandoned the treaty and chose one of his sons to be the next King. The nobles plotted in secret, and it appeared that they would be successful, but...