"DO YO-"

Before she could finish, Brandon clamped his hand back over her mouth firmly.

"Shh. Be quiet or you’ll be in trouble."

She struggled again as muffled protests vibrated against his palm, but he held steady, keeping her pinned against him on the narrow ledge.

After a few seconds of tense resistance, she finally stopped fighting and went limp in his hold.

Brandon kept his voice low "I’m going to remove my hand again. If you scream, the guards will come running and you’ll be arrested. Or worse. Nod if you understand."

She hesitated, then gave a single, reluctant nod. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He slowly eased his hand away from her mouth, ready to cover it again at the first sign of trouble.

The woman took a shaky breath, keeping her voice to a furious whisper.

"...You bastard. You just groped me."

Brandon let out a faint sigh "That was an accident. I was checking for weapons."

She let out a soft scoff "By squeezing my breast? Very thorough search."

He ignored the jab and pressed on "Answer the question. Who are you and why are you sneaking into the castle?"

She lowered the hood, revealing her blonde hair and hazel eyes.

The hooded figure slowly lowered her hood with her free hand.

Blonde hair spilled out and a pair of hazel eyes turned to look at him over her shoulder.

Brandon stepped back in surprise and the woman turned her head fully toward him, "I am Amelia Bleaufort... princess of the Eurasania Empire."

H-Huh?

His mind went blank for a second.

’It is the same woman I saw in the town... Florence.’

The resemblance was even more striking up close. The same gentle hazel eyes, the same soft curve of her lips and the same graceful line of her jaw.

His eyes widened in sudden realization ’Don’t tell me... I am looking at Florence’s family’s great-great-great-great-great grandmother?’

Bleaufort.

The same noble house name that Florence and Eira belonged to in the modern era.

This woman, Amelia Bleaufort, is almost certainly an ancestor.

Amelia’s lips twitched in clear frustration and embarrassment "How dare you?"

"First you grope me like some common pervert, then you hold me hostage on a castle ledge? Who the hell are you?"

Brandon released her completely, stepping back on the narrow ledge to give her space.

"I really was checking for hidden weapons. I didn’t expect-"

Amelia cut him off with a sharp glare, rubbing her chest where his hand had been "You didn’t expect a woman to be sneaking around the castle at night? How very progressive of you."

She straightened her cloak and adjusted her hood "So who are you? And why are you skulking around the castle walls at this hour?"

Before Brandon could answer, Amelia’s gaze flicked nervously toward the guards patrolling below.

"First I need to get into my room."

She turned away from him and began climbing toward the nearby balcony that belonged to her chambers.

Her movements were practiced, but the stone was slick from the evening dew and halfway up, her foot slipped.

Brandon reached out and grabbed her... his hand landing firmly on her butt to steady her and push her upward.

Amelia’s entire body stiffened and her face flushed bright red in the moonlight.

"Y-You... scoundrel!" she hissed, her voice trembling with embarrassment and indignation.

Brandon smiled dryly, still supporting her weight "Sorry. I just instinctively..."

He gave her another careful push while still holding her butt, helping her scramble the rest of the way onto the balcony railing.

Once she was safely up, she turned around and glared down at him.

He quickly climbed up after her, landing lightly on the balcony beside her.

Amelia immediately grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close so their faces were only inches apart.

"Now tell me," she whispered furiously, "who the hell are you?"

Brandon opened his mouth to reply... but before any words came out, he turned his head slightly.

Another hooded figure was climbing the castle wall below them, moving along the same path Amelia had used earlier.

Brandon: -_-

Amelia: -_-

He blinked. ’A real thief?’

As the figure reached the balcony, Amelia lent her hand "Here..."

The woman looked up with a soft smile and took her hand "Thank you, dear."

Brandon’s eyes widened in surprise as Amelia pulled the woman up onto the balcony.

She was beautiful... a mature woman in her thirties with striking blonde hair and vivid green eyes.

Amelia helped her over the railing and gently stepped back.

The woman dusted off her cloak and looked between the two of them with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, this is unexpected... Amelia, darling, I didn’t realize you had company tonight."

Huh? Amelia turned to her and shook her head "No, Aunty. It is not what it looks like."

The woman tilted her head with a teasing smile "Are you sure... seems like there are things you have been hiding from me."

"When did you get a secret lover behind my back?"

Amelia’s cheeks burned even brighter and she gently smacked her aunt’s arm, muttering under her breath.

"As I said, it’s not like that, you dumb woman."

Freya Bleaufort just laughed, seeing her niece getting triggered so easily.

Brandon stared at them with a wry smile ’Kinda reminds me of Eira and Florence.’

The woman finally turned her full attention to Brandon, "And who might this tall, mysterious young man be?" she asked in an amused voice.

"The one who was helping my dear niece climb into her own room... and apparently getting quite familiar with her in the process."

Amelia groaned and covered her face with one hand.

"Aunty, please..."

Brandon cleared his throat, "I’m... a companion of Rheanne. We’re guests of the Emperor. I saw someone climbing the wall and thought it might be an intruder. That’s all."

Hm? Upon hearing this, Freya frowned slightly ’Goddess Rheanne’s companion?’

Amelia pointed her finger at him, her eyes flashing with anger "You? Goddess Rheanne’s companion? Do we look like fools to believe your blasphemous lie?"

With a soft sigh, Freya replied "Young man, don’t use Goddess Rheanne’s name like that."

"You would be sentenced to death if you say this outside. Just tell me your real identity and what you are doing here."

"This is the first time I have seen you inside the castle."

With a shake of his head, Brandon replied "I am not lying... I really am-"

*shiink* In the next instant, Amelia took a dagger from a hidden sheath on her leg and pointed it at his throat.

Looking into his blue eyes, she uttered coldly "Don’t you dare disrespect Goddess Rheanne."

Freya’s gaze narrowed slightly looking into his nonchalant eyes ’He didn’t even flinch from that. This young lad...’

She raised her hand and grabbed Amelia’s wrist, pulling the dagger away from Brandon’s neck "Dear, calm down."

Looking at him, she spoke "She admires Goddess Rheanne greatly. That’s why she got a bit upset."

"So don’t lie, young lad."

Brandon glanced at Freya and replied "As I said-"

Amelia’s gaze trembled with anger "It’s no use talking to him, Aunty. Let put him in jail for trespassing into the castle. Call the guards."

"Kael..." A soft, familiar voice echoed and Brandon turned his head.

Rheanne was now standing gracefully on the balcony railing as the cold night breeze gently ruffled her long white hair.

Amelia and Freya’s eyes widened in shock and both women immediately dropped to one knee, bowing their heads.

"Goddess Rheanne!"