(Last chapter was in Leila's POV, first POV. This will be in third POV)

"Father, I think I may have an idea of who was behind this."

"Who could it be? Who would be brazen enough to do something so risky?" He asked. 

Leila paused, letting her family members trying to think about who. She then swallowed her food and continued to speak. 

"There's only one person who comes to mind who would be crazy enough to do something like this. Marquess Viril from the marquess Gashner family. If he was crazy enough to come here and through a tantrum for me breaking up with him when he's the one who got caught sleeping with another woman, what is stopping him from kidnapping me?"

The others thought on it and pondered on that possibility. 

"However," she took a piece of her waffle for breakfast and stuck it in her mouth. After chewing and swallowing her food so as to not talk while having food in her mouth, she continued her sentence. "we mustn't act rashly. Not only is kidnapping illegal, but doing so when I, the Imperial Princess, is the victim can be more serious and would ultimately cost his life. There's no way he could have done this by himself. There's one other thing that is hindering me." 

"What is it?" Her brother asked her with curiosity in her eyes. He was raging with anger and almost gave off a bloodlust feeling. 

"All of my senses were hindered. I was blindfolded so I couldn't see, my mouth was gagged so I couldn't talk. I am not familiar with the outside so what I heard was not only unfamiliar but also limited. But, my sense of smell was not hindered whatsoever. 

Every time I met with Marquess Viril I smelled spearmint. Every time I visited the Gashner estate, I smelled spearmint, so it is only obvious that anyone else associated with the Gashner estate and family to smell like spearmint. 

There are two possibilities that I can think of. One, Marquess Viril was smart enough to hire mercenaries who don't know what the Imperial Princess looks like. I've met with tons of mercenaries, almost all there were in this country. For him to find mercenaries that don't know me would be near to impossible. 

Or, the second option. Someone else was conspiring with him and they were the ones who took me so that Marquess Viril would have an alibi should we were to investigate him. That's what I've come up with."

"I am both amazed and flabbergasted. Our daughter is so smart, but for her to be smart when it comes to crimes, and her own situation at that makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable." Her mother, Empress Lucia said. 

"I'm okay, mother. I guess reading all of those books on true crimes helped out immensely. I refuse to stay ignorant and will do whatever to educate myself." 

"I have an idea. Let's act as if this is an ongoing investigation that we've put aside. We'll focus on the upcoming events and use my age ceremony as the first distraction. We can come up with ways to distinct who was involved and who is innocent." 

"That sounds like a great idea. My dear Lucia," Emperor Ruther said. "we made some intelligent and amazing kids." 

Empress Lucia lovingly smiled back at him and they became lovey dovey. Unlike Rayner who was looking away from the mushy scene, Leila looked at her parents with loving eyes. 

She was glad that she's still alive, and she's glad to see her parents who are in love with one another. She's happy knowing that her father, Emperor Ruther didn't accept any concubines and only loved her mother, Empress Lucia. 

She was relieved that she did not have to live like her ancestors, who had to see their parents married but not in love, in love but not married, having wars with other concubines, and having wars with their own siblings that shared half of the same blood. 

Breakfast soon ended and the emperor went back to work along with the empress. They were so in love that Emperor Ruther had Empress Lucia share offices together. 

"Leila, let's go outside to get some fresh air. Shall we go look at the flowers?" Rayner suggested to Leila, after setting her in her wheelchair. 

"Sounds great! Let's hurry and go! The weather seems to be wonderful today, just my favorite weather as well!" 

They started their way to the royal guardian that had the best and the most beautiful flowers. Just when they reached the entrance to the garden, the two met up with their personal knight guards. 

All of a sudden Leila's personal knight guard had kneeled down on one knee with his head hanging very low. 

"Your Highness, the Imperial Princess. I have no words to say how sorry I am. I am so competent that I could not keep you safe and protect you. It is my job to keep you from harm and danger, yet I failed to do my job. I deserve to pay the consequences with my life, Your Highness." 

"Izekiel!" Leila yelled, with a frown on her face. "Stand up right now." 

"I cannot do that, Your Highness the Imperial Princess. I have failed to do my job and do not deserve to face the Imperial Princess, let alone stand in front of you." 

Leila rolled closer to Izekiel. He had bright red hair, the hair that shows he is clearly from the Duke Nimerto family. His eyes were slightly slanted downwards, his nose was quite sharp, his cheekbones defined making him even more good looking. 

Almost all of the maids would swoon over him at first sight. A lot of them said that he was like a puppy that you wanted to protect no matter what. 

His shoulders were broad and his arms showed muscles, proof that he would work on his swordsmanship everyday, nonstop. He was quite tall, standing at 183 cm (6 feet) and was still continuing to grow.

Leila, with her soft hands, cupped Izekiel's cheeks and guided his head to look up at her. Softly, she called out to him with his name. 

"Izekiel. Look at me. I'm not mad, and I know you did your best. They drugged you, so there was no way you could have done anything. I don't blame you nor do I resent you. Please, stand up and continue to be my personal guard. You are the second person I trust my life with, the first place being taken by my family."

Izekiel started to cry, silent tears strolling down his face. 

"Izekiel, I'm glad you're alive. I'm glad I was saved, and I'm glad I can see you again." 

Izekiel stood up, wiped his tears, and took Leila's right hand in his own. 

"I vow, again, to give up my life for Your Highness, the Imperial Princess."