Chapter 3

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In the bustling streets of the capital of the Kingdom of Elora, a small, hooded figure was silently sipping their watery tea and diligently watching a certain dark alleyway.

It had already been a week and a half since the hooded figure had started to watch the alleyway. The activity had been slow, but once in a while large, burly men could be seen entering and exiting.

Changing stakeout spots to avoid suspicion, the hooded figure had noted down the appearances of the men, when they left and arrived, who they were with, and whether they were carrying anything.

That hooded figure was none other than Lunaria.

This was the start of her plan to escape that suffocating mansion.

3 weeks ago, thieves had broken into the palace and stolen the Heavenly Jewel, a symbol of the royal family. A week after Lunaria had returned to the past, by chance she heard a maid talking about the reward the king was offering for any information that could lead to the capture of the thieves or the location of their hideout.

Instantly, Lunaria's eyes had brightened.

This is it!

She had been discouraged because children below the age of 18 would not be able to leave their families without their express consent.

So she had spent a lot of time in her cramped, dusty room wracking her brains for a plan.

She had even sent away all the tutors that she had been taking lessons from with the excuse that she wanted to recuperate.

Not really caring for the youngest Miss of Duke Collaris, the tutors didn't question it because they would still get paid even if they didn't teach her.

So Lunaria had regained a bit of freedom - just enough for her to move without being noticed.

In her past life, she remembered hearing that Prince Leandro had actually been the one to find the hideout and catch the thieves.

They had been hiding in plain view - right in the heart of the capital.

Of course, she knew no one would believe her if she just said it, so she resolved to getting as much material evidence as she could. If she remembered correctly, it would take Prince Leandro a long time to even find the trail of the thieves, so she knew she had time to prepare.

Her neat handwriting filled pages of the notebook she had recently bought - putting a large dent in the money she had saved up.

After finishing her last sentence, she closed the book and sighed deeply.

How sad was it that a Duke's daughter could barely afford a notebook? Even when staking out, all she could buy was a watered down cup of tea.

She was truly stupid to even think that she could ever win their hearts over.

Securing her hood, she stood up from the table and left some small change in payment for the tea before heading back to the Duke's mansion.

Just a little more, and I should have enough to submit to the King and the Court.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Satisfied with how events were progressing, Lunaria was in a slightly good mood as she entered the mansion and headed up to her attic room. On her way, she didn't notice that there were more servants around than normal.

Too late, she raised her head and saw the Duke and Dane walking her way.

Instantly, a wave of nausea swept over her and an intense, heartrending pain struck her heart - a pain similar to the one she felt when the Duke turned his back on her when she was being tortured in the cell.

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