Chapter 55

“Hrk.”

 

The moment Winnie saw the wounds on my body, her heart dropped with a heavy thud.

 

“I only heard that you’d gotten lost in the forest… I didn’t know you were hurt this badly….”

 

Taking the story of being attacked by a monster to my grave sounded like the wisest choice. I smiled at Winnie.

 

“It’s just scratches from branches.”

 

“…Do scratches from branches look like this?”

 

Winnie stared at my wounds with swollen eyes.

 

“It must hurt….”

 

Covering her face with both hands, Winnie sat down on the floor.

 

“Do you… not trust us because we’re servants…?”

 

“What are you talking about, Winnie?”

 

“If that’s not it, then please tell us everything. The Baron has changed ever since he put you in charge of the trading company.”

 

Winnie hunched her shoulders and kept her gaze lowered.

 

“We thought the Baron wanted you to continue what he built, so we tried to support you as much as we could. But why won’t you tell us when you’re hurt or when you’re struggling…?”

 

I had lived carrying countless responsibilities. Even while living as Lilithia, I felt I had to protect what was mine.

 

Including Winnie and Norman, I saw my hired workers not as people I should rely on, but as people I had to take care of. So I told myself I had to endure. But seeing Winnie cry made my heart heavy.

 

“Winnie…”

 

I didn’t know what words would soothe her.

 

“You’re not planning to go to the trading company tomorrow in this condition… are you, my lady?”

 

“I have to go.”

 

Winnie’s expression became blank with shock; she shook her head.

 

“I think I need to tell Butler Norman that you require a formal restriction from leaving the house.”

 

I couldn’t begin to understand how she jumped to house arrest. I stared at her, speechless.

 

“……?”

 

“You won’t rest unless we restrict your outings.”

 

I was worried about the trading company without me—but more importantly, I had to attend the post-hunt banquet tomorrow. “House arrest” meant I couldn’t attend. I had to stop Winnie.

 

“Winnie, that’s not a good—”

 

I tried to speak, but Winnie picked up a towel again.

 

“I’ll help you bathe now. It’s bad for your wounds to stay wet too long.”

 

Her hands moved so fast I was dizzy. By the time I came to my senses, I was freshly washed, my wounds treated with ointment and wrapped, and already changed into pajamas. Norman, apparently agreeing with Winnie, spoke.

 

“You are forbidden to leave the estate until your body has fully recovered.”

 

‘No! I need to attend the banquet tomorrow!’

 

In the original story, the winner of the Hunting Festival was the Crown Prince. He wished for an engagement with Nazlee as his prize. But things were different now—this time, Freyer would be the winner.

 

‘Freyer killed the orc; the victory is guaranteed.’

 

I needed to hear what Freyer would ask of the emperor.

 

If it followed the crown prince’s precedent, he would ask for an engagement with Nazlee. I thought Freyer and Nazlee liked each other, but the atmosphere between them at the campsite felt… off.

 

‘Was it just because I was sick?’

 

I must have been too distracted during the hunt. The banquet would be the perfect place to confirm Freyer’s and Nazlee’s feelings. I had to attend.

 

“You wish to go that badly, my lady?”

 

“Yes!”

 

At Norman’s question, I nodded vigorously. After a moment of thought, he spoke.

 

“Then tomorrow, a healer will examine your condition. We’ll decide based on their assessment.”

 

My bruises hadn’t fully healed yet, but I’d been treated by a priest, and with good food and a warm bed, I was sure I’d feel fine tomorrow. The healer would definitely say I was fit to attend.

 

“Alright!”

 

I readily agreed to Norman’s terms.

 

 

***

 

 

After all the participants of the Hunting Festival departed, royal magicians and the imperial knights tracked the orc’s trail. They searched from early morning until the sun turned red in the west, but found nothing. Returning to the campsite, they reported to Ivailo.

 

“There are traces of blood all over the forest, but we cannot tell whether they came from beasts or from an orc.”

 

“We cast detection spells, but sensed no presence of an orc.”

 

Ivailo stared at the forest as though trying to pierce through it.

 

‘…Could Freyer have defeated the orc?’

 

The orc lord was difficult even for him to handle. It was absurd to imagine, but recalling Freyer returning unharmed, the idea didn’t feel entirely impossible.

 

He had never expected Freyer to come back in one piece.

 

‘And he even saved Lilithia Baimery.’

 

Seeing them both, Ivailo tried hard not to show his shock.

 

‘I need to contact the northern magicians at once.’

 

The knight commander asked when Ivailo didn’t reply.

 

“Your Highness, should we sweep the forest once more?”

 

Ivailo shook his head.

 

“Nothing was found. We’ll dissolve here.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

As the knights and magicians prepared to leave, one magician hesitated and stepped toward Ivailo.

 

“Do you have something to say?”

 

“Your Highness… something feels strange.”

 

“What does?”

 

“It’s odd that the Red-Fur orc said to appear in the northern woods was here. And the defensive magic circle—it wasn’t broken.”

 

‘He’s digging too deep.’

 

Ivailo’s eyes sharpened.

 

“Did I not tell you to stop.”

 

“But Your Highness, ignoring something suspicious may cause more trouble later. If we want to prevent incidents like this—”

 

“Let me ask you. What happened during the Hunting Festival?”

 

“Well… the orc appeared and disrupted the event.”

 

“Was anyone seriously injured?”

 

The magician fell silent. No, no one had been harmed to the point of losing their life.

 

“…No.”

 

“That is why I said we should drop this matter.”

 

Ivailo patted the man’s shoulder.

 

“It’s not that you’re wrong. I’m thinking of everyone who’s already exhausted.”

 

“…Understood.”

 

“You’ve done well. Let’s return to the capital.”

 

Outwardly calm, Ivailo was roiling inside. He needed to speak with the northern magicians immediately.

 

 

***

 

 

Ivailo visited the northern magicians’ hidden lodge. As though expecting him, the deputy tower master was already waiting.

 

“Explain everything.”

 

“That is what we wish to ask you, Your Highness.”

 

“…What?”

 

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

 

“…Be precise.”

 

“About the second prince’s swordsmanship.”

 

Judging from his tone, Ivailo’s assumption seemed correct—Freyer had indeed defeated the orc lord.

 

“That bastard Freyer… he was hiding his skill….”

 

Ivailo muttered, stunned. An orc lord required a top-tier knight to fight, and even then, victory wasn’t guaranteed.

 

“Please keep your promise, Your Highness.”

 

“What nonsense? What promise?”

 

Ivailo looked at him sharply.

 

“You failed to carry out your mission, yet you dare ask that?”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Your Highness. Your promise was simply to provide us with the card that could kill the second prince.”

 

The deputy tower master folded his arms and scoffed.

 

“And you say we failed? We lost two valuable cards in our effort to assist you.”

 

“Two?”

 

He had only asked them to use the orc to eliminate Freyer.

 

“You know we used Lilithia Baimery as bait to lure him.”

 

“I do.”

 

He knew about the plan to disguise a magician as a priest to knock Lilithia unconscious.

 

“The magician who used magic on Lilithia Baimery can no longer draw mana.”

 

“That makes no sense. How could a magician—”

 

“Come out.”

 

At his call, a blond magician with a scar on his face stepped forward.

 

“Channel mana into the orb.”

 

He pointed at a clear sphere—a mana gauge. The magician placed a trembling hand on it.

 

Vrrrrm—

 

A faint shimmer rose inside the orb, then—

 

Psssh—

 

The light blinked until it was out.

 

“Do you see?”

 

“…How is this possible.”

 

“The mana pathways are blocked.”

 

“!”

 

Ivailo had never heard of such a phenomenon.

 

“This man can no longer be called a magician.”

 

“Did Lilithia Baimery have poison on her?”

 

“Poison? If it were poison, do you think we wouldn’t have cured him?”

 

The deputy tower master smirked.

 

“Lilithia Baimery clearly possesses an unknown ability.”

 

“…An ability.”

 

A power he had never seen before. Intriguing.

 

“Do you know what it is?”

 

“No idea. We’ve never seen anything like it. We’d like to study it.”

 

A spark flashed across Ivailo’s mind.

 

‘If I keep Lilithia Baimery by my side… she could be very useful.’

 

If she used that power for him, he could subdue Freyer, and anyone who tried to rise above him. Taking the world would become much easier.

 

“I must have Lilithia Baimery.”

 

Ivailo smiled at his new plan.