Chapter 54

“But how is the butler here?”

 

I had heard that personal attendants were not allowed to accompany guests to the Hunting Festival. Jaybil smiled kindly at my question and answered.

 

“Because I am also an employee of the Imperial Family.”

 

Although he was Freyer’s personal butler, Butler Jaybil was also an imperial servant. It appeared he had been mobilized to help with the Hunting Festival. Jaybil pointed to a chair next to me with his finger.

 

“May I sit next to you?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Jaybil sat down beside me and said.

 

“I heard that thanks to Lady Nazlee finding you collapsed in the forest, His Highness was able to find the right direction and rescue Lady Lilithia. It is truly a relief.”

 

“Lady Nazlee was the first one to find me…?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Jaybil hesitated as if he had something more to say, then spoke to me.

 

“May I perhaps ask how you came to be collapsed in the forest?”

 

“Ah…”

 

“If it’s inconvenient, you don’t have to answer!”

 

Seeing my distress, Jaybil waved his hands and said. It seemed even the imperial side didn’t know exactly what had happened.

 

“The truth is, servants are currently under suspicion, so I asked because I thought if the Lady would testify, we might be cleared of suspicion.”

 

Innocent people were being suspected because of what I had experienced. But the story didn’t come out easily.

 

‘Is it okay to tell him…?’

 

Since he was a person close to Freyer, it was right to trust him, but one could not know a person’s inner thoughts, so caution was appropriate. However, I couldn’t stand by and watch innocent people be framed as the culprits.

 

“Actually, someone came to my tent.”

 

“……?”

 

An expression of doubt crossed Jaybil’s face.

 

“A person dressed in a priest’s robe came and used divine power on me, saying they would treat me.”

 

“Perhaps it wasn’t divine power but rather a sleeping spell?”

 

“Yes. I think so.”

 

“In that case, it means they were a magician, not a priest… May I ask for a description?”

 

At Jaybil’s question, I furrowed my brow, trying to recall the memory. Everything was blurry as I lost consciousness, but there were details I remembered.

 

“Blond, he was a man with blond hair.”

 

Jaybil recalled the faces of the magicians participating in the Hunting Festival. There were about ten magicians who attended this Hunting Festival. The number of priests was about two. Among the total of twelve people, there were about three with blonde hair.

 

‘I can’t identify him with just this.’

 

“Are there any other distinguishing features?”

 

Jaybil asked me again, and I carefully replied.

 

“I saw it while passing out, so I’m not certain, but I think he had a large scar on his forehead…”

 

Among the blonde magicians and priests, there was no one with a large scar near their eye. Then, an image flashed through Jaybil’s mind.

 

“What color were his eyes?”

 

“…Hmm. I think his two eye colors were different… but I don’t remember the exact colors.”

 

Blonde hair, a scar on the forehead, heterochromia. This matched the description of a northern magician who had followed them at the auction house last time. Jaybil answered, pretending not to know.

 

“Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone matching that description.”

 

This incident involved a northern magician and the Crown Prince. He needed to inform His Highness right away that all of this was a plot devised by them.

 

“Thanks to Lady Lilithia, it seems we won’t be under suspicion anymore.”

 

Jaybil smiled brightly and spoke to him. Just then, Freyer entered the tent.

 

“Now that the Hunting Festival is over, let us return to the capital.”

 

 

***

 

 

Other people were crossing over to the capital using the gate without any trouble. But the memory of collapsing the last time I used the gate a few days ago came back to me.

 

‘What if I collapse again…?’

 

I was afraid of using the gate. I needed to prepare myself, so I stepped back from the gate.

 

“Could I pass through a little later…?”

 

“We will go together.”

 

Freyer, who was standing beside me, said.

 

“Can we use the gate together?”

 

“If we can’t, we will make it possible.”

 

“Eh…?”

 

Freyer took my hand and approached the gate magician, saying.

 

“We will travel together.”

 

“The gate can only be used by one person at a time.”

 

“……”

 

Freyer scowled with a displeased expression. The magician also looked troubled, as this was the first time such a proposal had been made.

 

“I’ll travel alone.”

 

I stepped up to the gate and said to Freyer.

 

“I was a little scared, but I’m fine. Your Highness.”

 

“…Then go through first. I will follow right away.”

 

‘He’s following?’

 

I tilted my head at Freyer’s words. Freyer needed to use the gate headed for the Imperial Palace. Before I could ask what he meant, the magician closed the door. I felt a vibration and the sensation of being pulled somewhere.

 

“Oh?”

 

This wasn’t the feeling of using the gate before. It was clear that there was something wrong with it, which was why I had collapsed.

 

‘That’s strange.’

 

While I was pondering, I stepped out of the gate. As I was about to move outside the building, I sensed a presence behind me, as if someone else had just used the gate.

 

“Your Highness, why did you come here…?”

 

“I was worried about sending you alone.”

 

I glanced at Freyer and walked out of the magic tower. I met Winnie and Norman, who were waiting in front of the tower. Winnie immediately rushed into my arms as soon as she saw me.

 

“Milady!”

 

“Winnie.”

 

“Do you know how worried I was…? When the Imperial Knights suddenly reported that you had disappeared, I thought my heart would stop.”

 

Winnie hugged me even tighter, her voice tearful. I felt my shoulder getting damp. I patted Winnie’s back.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“Thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness!”

 

“Milady. I was worried, too…”

 

Even Noman, usually expressionless, had red eyes.

 

“I said I’m fine.”

 

Noman wiped his eyes quickly when he noticed Freyer nearby.

 

“I—I’ll go take my seat in the carriage first.”

 

Winnie sniffled and stepped aside.

 

“Walking will be difficult for you.”

 

“……?”

 

I blinked in confusion at Freyer’s words. The moment he spoke, before I could resist, I was instantly lifted into the air again and held in his arms. Winnie, standing beside me, widened her eyes.

 

“I—I’ll wait in the carriage!”

 

Winnie covered her face with her hands and ran toward the carriage. Freyer carried me and boarded the carriage. Soon after, he called out to the coachman.

 

“Let’s depart.”

 

I thought this was just his way of helping me into the carriage. But Freyer didn’t get out of the carriage and sat down next to me, so I asked him back in confusion.

 

“Aren’t you getting off…?”

 

“Didn’t I say I was worried about sending you alone?”

 

“Norman and Winnie are here now, so I’m not alone.”

 

Freyer crossed his arms and looked at me meaningfully.

 

“Do you want me to get off?”

 

It was practically a request—but he turned it into a question, making me flustered.

 

“…I don’t want you to.”

 

“Ah…”

 

He closed his eyes as the carriage began to move.

 

 

***

 

 

Freyer helped me out of the carriage and then spoke to Norman, who was descending from the coachman’s seat.

 

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Norman nodded in response.

 

“Winnie. Please guide the mistress to her room.”

 

“Lilithia’s legs aren’t well, so be careful.”

 

Freyer exaggeratedly added to Norman’s words. Winnie stammered in response.

 

“O-oh… Yes!”

 

Winnie, who didn’t know what had happened at the Hunting Festival, took Freyer’s words literally and began to assist me.

 

‘It’s not bad enough to need assistance…’

 

Norman and Freyer walked toward the garden, and Winnie asked me with a worried look.

 

“Milady, are you in a lot of pain?”

 

“I’m not in pain, so don’t worry! Winnie. His Highness exaggerated.”

 

I had been treated by the priest, and I could walk alone without any problems. Freyer seemed concerned about me collapsing.

 

‘But what does he need to talk to Norman about, inviting him aside like that?’

 

I tilted my head, looking at them. Freyer and Norman were talking quite far away, so their voices couldn’t be heard from where I was standing. But I could guess what they were talking about.

 

‘Is he trying to explain what happened at the Hunting Festival?’

 

Since the Imperial Knights likely hadn’t explained the accident in detail, I suspected that Freyer wanted to tell him the full story.

 

“Let’s go up.”

 

I averted my gaze and, with Winnie’s assistance, went up to my room. I was finally back in my cozy bedroom and wanted to jump into bed immediately.

 

But I couldn’t sit on the bed in this attire. Although it had been washed by the rain, it was still covered in dirt and dust in various places.

 

“Winnie. I think it would be best to wash first.”

 

“Of course. I will help you with your bath.”

 

I headed straight to the bathroom, and Winnie, after taking off my dust-covered clothes, made a tearful face.

 

“Milady…”

 

Winnie lowered her head and headed for the bathtub after undressing me. Although I had received treatment from the priest, it was focused on my ankle, so unhealed scratches were still visible. They were the wounds from passing through the thorn bushes. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and thought.

 

‘It’s a miracle I made it back alive.’

 

Winnie started to adjust the temperature of the bathwater. Soon, she spoke in a low voice.

 

“…Milady, I think you can get into the tub now.”

 

Perhaps because the sound echoed in the bathroom, Winnie’s voice was different than usual. I sat in the bathtub where warm steam was rising. My entire body relaxed, and I felt pleasantly languid. Winnie gently wiped my arm with a soft towel.

 

“Ouch.”

 

The foam stung the scratches on my arm, and a small moan escaped my lips. Winnie jumped in surprise, raising her hands.

 

“A-are you alright, Milady?”

 

“Sorry. It just stung a little.”

 

I gave a faint smile and looked down at my arm. The scratches on my fair skin were noticeable. Since the wounds on my arm weren’t pretty, I spoke calmly.

 

“It would be best not to wear short-sleeved dresses for a while.”

 

The weather was getting colder, so there weren’t many days left to wear short-sleeved dresses anyway, but it would be best to avoid them as much as possible.

 

“……”

 

“Right, Winnie?”

 

There was no reply from Winnie, so I turned my head and saw her clenching her lips, shedding transparent tears.