Please Kill Me - Chapter 170
A few possibilities flashed through Leonid’s mind, but there was no time to ponder them deeply.
The footsteps were getting closer by the moment. Just as he was about to take action, Yuri struggled to get up from the wall and spoke up.
A hurried exchange of words passed between the two, and soon the door was knocked on.
* * *
“Excuse me for interrupting, Your Highness!”
Click, the door to the lounge swung open. This space was one that only those permitted by the First Prince could enter, but when urgent information—especially regarding the Emperor—needed to be conveyed, such a breach of etiquette could occur.
The fact that the Emperor would soon be arriving at the banquet hall made it even more critical to address this situation, allowing for such rudeness.
As those who entered took in the scene inside the lounge, they were taken aback.
“Y-Your Highness?!”
“Duke Rostislav!”
Not only did the acrid smell of blood hit them the moment the door opened, but they also saw the seriously injured First Prince, Yuri Oleg, being supported by Leonid Rostislav.
“Do, Doctor!”
“Your Highness, what is going on?!”
“I was told that Miss Yekaterina Offenbach was here—”
Some among those who had come to the lounge had been tasked by Dmitry. As they murmured in confusion, Leonid’s brow furrowed.
“Yekaterina Offenbach? She left long ago.”
“W-What do you mean by that…?”
“Yekaterina Offenbach was attacked while trying to return to the banquet hall after leaving here. Yuri’s condition is serious, so we were seeking refuge in the nearest lounge to call for help, but I didn’t expect you to arrive first.”
“An attack? Here in the palace?”
“Is there some law that prevents assassins from moving within the palace?”
As Leonid shot back sharply, the others fell silent. It might have been a bit aggressive, but it was effective. The panicking individuals quickly shifted their focus to the existence of an assassin.
Moreover, the fact that Yuri was in a serious condition contributed to the urgency of their concerns.
In a situation where someone was bleeding profusely right before their eyes, it wasn’t easy to maintain calm thoughts.
“An assassin attacking the prince…?”
“We need to inform the Head of the Interior quickly!”
“Where is His Majesty? We must reinforce security immediately! Search the palace!”
The attack on Yuri could merely be a consequence of the Arlan war, but it could also mean a potential threat to the Emperor. As this thought occupied their minds, they easily forgot about Yuri in front of them.
They also overlooked the simple suspicion that Leonid might be the culprit who stabbed Yuri.
‘It seems to be working to some extent.’
And that was precisely what Leonid and Yuri were aiming for.
Just moments ago, when the footsteps had not yet reached the door, Yuri shouted at the frozen Leonid,
“What are you doing, Leonid! Hide Yekaterina right now!”
With those words, Leonid’s mind snapped back to focus. It was as if he had cut through the myriad of conflicts tangled in his head.
Of course, Leonid’s honest feelings were that he wanted to hide Yekaterina and willingly take the blame himself.
But would Yuri truly allow that?
Yuri had never permitted anything that would harm Leonid, and Leonid knew this all too well.
So, if Leonid hid Yekaterina and Yuri pointed her out as the culprit, the meaning of hiding her would be lost.
That was why Leonid had been hesitating.
But now, Yuri’s shout brought him back to reality.
At the same time, he realized how foolish his previous concerns had been.
‘…Hiding Yekaterina doesn’t necessarily mean the blame will fall on me.’
Leonid and Yuri were known to be so close they were like family. So even if the injured Yuri and Leonid were in the same room, who would suspect Leonid?
By exploiting that blind spot, they could naturally create openings in people’s thoughts.
‘And if there are openings, I can extract the hidden Yekaterina.’
Without delay, Leonid lifted Yekaterina into his arms. It was easy to find a place to hide her.
There was a large box behind the partition meant for storing clothes, and once he placed Yekaterina and the dagger inside and covered them with clothing, it looked as if no one would ever suspect anyone was inside.
And the plan between Leonid and Yuri worked flawlessly. The injured Yuri was carried out, and people’s attention turned to the assassin who might be lurking somewhere in the palace. Given that the banquet was in full swing, urgent movements began to stir as they aimed to resolve the matter before word spread among the nobility.
Just as the crowd that had gathered around the lounge was about to disperse quickly, someone interjected,
“The prince was attacked.”
The voice, with its characteristic monotone and an underlying chill, reminded Leonid of a woman he knew well.
However, Yekaterina was unconscious and certainly wouldn’t speak in such a low tone.
