The Secretary of the Northern Grand Duchess Has Run Away

Chapter 65: The Black Swan (6)

The next day.

The Empire that had ended all wars and achieved peace.

On the otherwise quiet streets, a flood of breaking news suddenly began pouring in.

The streets, once clean and calm, were now filled with newspapers from Gold Morning.

Being a special edition, the newspapers were distributed for free, filling the clear blue sky.

"Extra! Extra!!"

People of all ages picked up the papers or received them and began reading.

And the moment they looked at the front page—

"Oh my, what on earth is going on…!!"

"What is it? No way, this person…?!"

They couldn’t hide their shock.

Because a shocking incident had broken out at the third-largest entertainment agency.

"Robert Fellows, Director of Nordique, sued for serial sexual harassment!!"

The victims were his female secretary, Penny, and two former secretaries.

They had recently confessed everything at the Silver Truth Church’s confession booth.

And the person who had listened to everything was…

"Saint Istina, ‘Victims were subjected to severe threats and silenced…’"

None other than the beautiful saint boldly depicted on the front page of the newspaper, Istina.

The way she comforted them with intelligent, compassionate eyes left a deep impression.

"Confessions are meant to be kept between the believer and the saint."

Istina gave interviews to reporters with great poise and skill.

Her statement was confidently printed on Gold Morning’s front page.

"However, the crime committed by Director Robert cannot be easily overlooked."

A compassionate saint who loved the people more than anyone else.

No matter her worldly flaws, she fulfilled her duty perfectly.

"Therefore, with the victims’ consent, I have decided to report him."

"To think Director Robert was that kind of person…!!"

"We still don’t know for sure. Since it’s only a report for now, let’s wait for the trial!!"

People calmly moved on to the next article.

But their neutral stance was soon shattered.

"Trucie Mansachs secures decisive evidence through an anonymous tip-off. Will present it in court."

Next to Saint Istina appeared the portrait of a man.

It showed him standing confidently among a crowd of reporters, making a firm declaration.

Decisive evidence.

That word, boldly highlighted in the newspaper, reached an office in Nordique as well.

"……."

A man standing in front of a desk nervously watched the hand holding the breaking news.

Soon, as the newspaper was lowered, he met Robert’s cold, expressionless face.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Well… We had no idea either, Director."

Faced with a crisis, the Director maintained a cold and emotionless expression.

In his pitch-black eyes, there was only one thought: who dared to strike him first?

"Why couldn’t Gold Morning stop this?"

"As you can see, the first to report this was the second son of President Terry Mansachs. Not even the executives could stop it…"

A connection even higher than his own had stepped in.

At that, Robert let out a deep breath.

Like a wolf burning with vengeance.

"This is absolutely revolting."

The Director stood up.

With his hands behind his back, he looked down at the street overflowing with special editions, his gaze chilling.

"Penny hasn’t come in to work?"

"No, sir. She hasn’t shown up at all since two days ago."

Robert calmly stroked his chin.

"That means someone must have met her at least three days ago and persuaded her to report it. Someone capable of moving the second son of Gold Morning."

"What should we do…? Now that even the Saint has stepped in, it’s too late to overturn this in the media…!!"

The Director turned his head from the window.

Then, with a cynical look, he replied.

"What happened with the message I sent to Archduke Eric?"

He still had someone to rely on and tried to walk out to the hallway without panic.

But in that moment—

He faltered for the first time.

"The eldest son… he’s absent today."

Even the eldest son, whom he had served like a god and supported in every possible way, was now gone.

"What… did you say?"

"It’s true. He reportedly requested time off…!!"

He had served faithfully ever since joining the company.

And yet, when things finally exploded, that very man had left without a word.

It was only then that the Director truly realized the gravity of the situation—his pupils lost focus.

"What do we do now? The guards will be storming in any moment!!"

The interim secretary shouted in alarm.

But the Director didn’t hear a word.

Even on vacation, he would have been informed of the possibility of Robert’s arrest.

And yet, he had taken no action whatsoever.

"Right… He hasn’t contacted me because… there’s nothing to worry about."

As if trying to calm himself, Robert gently touched the medals on his jacket.

The Black Lion Medal from Eric clinked softly, producing a clear sound.

"How are they going to arrest me, anyway?"

He was certain he hadn’t left behind a single piece of evidence.

Even with the Saint’s backing and the secretary’s testimony, there was still no solid physical proof.

So he believed there was no way they could proceed with a formal arrest.

However—

"They said they secured decisive evidence."

"Ha, that’s just a bluff. They’ll arrest me and try to scare a confession out of me, that’s all."

The Director shook his head dismissively.

But what the secretary said next made him reach a decision.

He had to run. Right now.

"Gold Morning executives say… the evidence is a voice recorder…"

"A voice recorder…?"

The secretary reached into the back pocket of his trousers.

Then, pulling out a spare button, he said—

"I went to pick up your jacket from the cleaners, but someone had already picked it up."

Hearing that, the Director's eyes lit up with sudden, sharp insight.

"Don't tell me… inside that…"

"There was a spirit stone inside the envelope with the spare button."

Robert Fellows, Director of the third-largest agency in the industry.

His eyes, which had always been calm until now, began to tremble violently.

He had finally realized who was tightening the noose around his neck.

"Julius Roger…!!"

Only then did Robert recall the face of the man who had been excessively kind to him at the party.

That fox-like, sly, and cunning smile.

"Tommy. Call a carriage to the back gate immediately!!"

"Yes, sir…!!"

It felt as though the hand of the Grand Duke's house was creeping closer behind him.

Gripped by that fear, Robert frantically opened the bottom drawer of his desk.

Then, he began retrieving gold bars from the safe inside.

"Damn it… To throw the whole game over a single dancer, have they lost their minds?!"

Clutching the now-heavy briefcase, the Director hurried down the stairs.

Then, he climbed into a black carriage waiting at the back gate of the company.

"Where should we go?"

The secretary asked anxiously once he was aboard.

To that, the Director responded in a cold voice to the interim secretary who had been loyally following his orders.

As if, cornered at last, his true nature had surfaced.

"And what would you do with that information?"

"Excuse me…? Well, I thought… later, when things settle down, I could report to you…"

The man’s formerly handsome face twisted into something terrifying as he gave a dry laugh.

Then, pulling out a gold bar from his bag, he handed it over.

"You stay behind and testify that I headed to New Luton Bank. When things calm down, I’ll come back for you."

"…Understood."

The interim secretary pushed up his glasses.

Then, picking up the gold bar, he solemnly watched the Director’s carriage roll away.

―――――

The road the Director had chosen was far too narrow for a carriage.

But he pointed the way for the coachman with practiced ease.

"Go left. Then keep going straight until you reach the main road—that’ll take us to the city outskirts."

"Understood."

The coachman, unaware of the situation he was in, calmly drove through the narrow path.

To avoid reporters who usually trailed his affiliated artists, Robert was familiar with many backstreets.

Thanks to that, they moved quickly—and just as they reached the distant sight of the main road—

"What the…?!"

――――――!!

Startled by the shadow suddenly looming ahead, the coachman pulled on the reins.

A massive black horse had reared up, blocking the carriage’s path.

Riding that mighty beast was a single woman.

Her radiant hair flowed in the wind as she drew her sword.

The proud Luton Sword.

"Who the hell are you to block the way like this?!"

Robert, still seated inside, stuck his head out the window in alarm.

Then, with a deeply contorted expression, he shouted:

"Are you insane? Do you want to get run over?!"

Robert immediately tried to jump out of the carriage and rush toward her.

He had always believed that women were easy to deal with.

But—

“You’re the mad one here.”

What he faced now wasn’t a secretary or a dancer he had exploited.

“To call me that within the Empire... how dare you.”

Flowing black hair.

And within it, a pair of beautiful yet deadly golden eyes that shone fiercely.

The Grand Duke’s daughter of the North had wrapped her sword in deep blue mana and aimed it straight at the Director’s throat.

“L-Lady Echina…?!”

Realizing he was face to face with the daughter of the continent’s second-most powerful man, Robert’s legs gave out.

He collapsed before the massive black horse.

Then, from between the horse’s thick legs, the knights who had been waiting in advance revealed themselves.

And between them, my face appeared silently, watching the Director.

“Just like you said, Roger.”

Echina elegantly swept back her bangs with her free hand.

Then, glancing at me, she asked,

“How did you know he’d come this way?”

“How could I possibly know for sure?”

I approached with my hands behind my back, giving a faint smile.

Toward Robert, who finally looked a little more like a disgraced Director.

“Our boss said this was a route no Nordique employee could possibly be unaware of.”

Even the president had already drawn a line between himself and Robert’s crimes.

At those words, the Director’s face turned completely pale with a look of utter devastation.

“There, that expression finally suits you a little, Director.”

I stepped closer to the man with his head hung low and bent my knees slightly.

Then, with the pitch-black eyes I had as Chief Secretary, I spoke.

“When you first laid eyes on the Northern Grand Duke’s house, that’s the face you should’ve worn, isn’t it?”

“Why are you doing this to me…? Just to put some dancer on stage, you ruined a man’s life…”

The man looked up at me and pleaded desperately.

I looked down at him in silence.

Then, just like he always did, I let out a dry chuckle and calmly replied.

“And that’s exactly why you ended up like this.”

Robert’s pupils shrank, as if he couldn’t grasp the meaning of my words.

So I kindly explained it to him—using the same pitch-black gaze that belonged to a villain like him.

“His Grace the Grand Duke gave an order to put the Gehenna dancer on stage. And you got in the way of that.”

Robert hadn’t realized it.

That no matter how mighty the eldest son Eric—the lion he had backed—might be, he couldn’t protect him forever.

In the North, once you cross the line, your throat will be torn out before you even realize it.

That’s what the Northern Grand Duke’s house is.

“Arrest the suspect, Robert Fellows.”

“Yes, sir!!”

Knights in white uniforms began to restrain him.

Robert, expression vacant, didn’t resist at all.

He simply stood there in a daze, submitting to the arrest.

Echina, arms crossed, watched from the entrance of the main road as Robert was escorted away.

Citizens nearby had gathered, openly gawking at the scene with great interest.

“By the way, Roger—why did you order the knights to mobilize?”

The Grand Duke’s daughter asked while watching the knight order in black uniforms march forward.

Their imposing presence made the citizens hastily clear the way.

“Wasn’t it a bit excessive to scare people just to catch one Director?”

A commendable thought—just like a true leader’s daughter.

But I was someone closer in nature to the arrested Robert than to her.

“It’s fine. They may be scared now, but…”

The difference between Robert and me was simply this:

I cared more about wealth than women, and I had just enough of a conscience to achieve my goals.

“Thanks to this, Lady Echina’s knights will gain a reputation for absolute discipline and efficiency.”

A man who had tried to intercept a contract from the Northern Grand Duke’s house was exposed and arrested within days.

That news would soon spread across every region of Nord.

“That image will serve as a powerful weapon in future succession battles.”

I looked over at the crowd watching Robert being taken away through the main road.

Among them was the escort knight of the Grand Duke of Luton, disguised in everyday clothes.

Soon, he pulled down his hat and left the scene.

To report back to the continent’s second most powerful man.

As I watched his back fade into the distance, I thought to myself—

‘With this, my debt to Echina is fully repaid.’

I mounted the black horse and silently watched Echina riding at the front, commanding the unit.

Then, pulling my fedora down low, I quietly slipped away alone into the dark back alley.