Chapter 49

Perio stopped Elena.

 

“Are you pouring oil on a burning house? Stop it.”

 

“But isn’t he wrong? Sometimes patience is necessary. Do you not trust the young lady?”

 

“Elena.”

 

“Yes. Go ahead.”

 

Sparks of tension crackled between Elena and Evan.

 

“I’m only worried that Lep might get hurt somewhere.”

 

“That’s suspicion and obsession. Sometimes you need to trust and wait.”

 

“Hah…! I’ll take Elena out for a moment.”

 

Before the situation could get any worse, Baron Perio pushed Elena out of the room. Then he asked: “What was that about?”

 

“The young lady is doing her utmost for the young master. But the young master always tries to bind her. With an attitude like that, isn’t it natural she hid things from him? Who do you think she entered that dangerous den for…?”

 

“They’re both acting that way because they care too much about each other.”

 

Elena pursed her lips, unable to refute that.

 

“Still. The young lady trusts him no matter what he does. But the young master never trusts her from the sidelines. He wants to know every little detail! Hogging all of her attention!”

 

Perio didn’t exactly fail to understand how she felt. Seeing Lepina with her own eyes, it was natural she’d resent Evan for not trusting her actions.

 

“He wants to protect her, not be protected.”

 

“With that attitude?”

 

Elena turned her head sharply, unable to understand. She spoke stiffly, wanting to seem mature like Lepina, but her heart was still tender and young.

 

“Well, it’s their love. We should just stand back and watch.”

 

But Evan’s patience was rewarded with news that Count Clies had fainted—and that Lepina had been attacked.

 

 

***

 

 

Drip—drip—

 

Water was falling somewhere. A drop landed on the bridge of my nose. My eyes snapped open.

 

Blinking away the dimness, I recalled what happened before I fainted.

 

“…!”

 

I tried to jump up, but my hands and feet were tightly bound with rope. Even wriggling was hard. But fortunately, I could still move my fingers and toes.

 

“The drug’s worn off. Anyway…”

 

I had no idea where I was. It was too dark to distinguish anything.

 

“A storage room?”

 

It seemed like a food-storage hold. The lower deck of a ship had spaces for cargo. I could hear the creaking of wood and waves hitting the hull. The faint sway beneath me confirmed I was still on the ship.

 

“…Funny I’m not seasick now.”

 

I shook my head at the ridiculousness of it and struggled until I managed to sit up. Then I looked around.

 

“Pat? Ben? Fran? No one?”

 

My voice echoed faintly. No answer. Then I heard groaning somewhere. I tried to move toward it, but it wasn’t easy. I scooted along the floor, dragging my hips.

 

“Pat…?”

 

It sounded like Pat.

 

“Pat, are you okay? Are you hurt badly?”

 

The pained groans made me more anxious.

 

The door burst open. Light flooded in and I squinted, unable to open my eyes fully from the sudden glare. With a thud, Ben was thrown inside.

 

With the light, the room became visible. Pat’s face was swollen from repeated hits, and in the corner, Fran was shackled with iron cuffs, not rope.

 

Ben, who had just been thrown in, let out ragged breaths. The uneven rhythm of them told me his ribs were broken.

 

“You should’ve handed it over earlier.”

 

There was a note of self-blame in the man’s tone, but it didn’t change the fact that they had done this to him. Ben had ended up like this trying to protect the lily of the valley.

 

Tears welled up.

 

“Ben!”

 

“…You’re awake already?”

 

I raised my head to see the mercenary’s face. He used to tell funny stories to lighten the mood. I stared blankly at him, and he clicked his tongue and started closing the door.

 

“Wait! Who are you? Who’s after me?!”

 

I shouted, begging him to tell me. My voice shook with fury. His hand froze for a moment, and he muttered: “…I can’t tell you that. Hate us if you want. We… value our comrade more.”

 

The door closed with a creak, the sound ominous.

 

‘Their comrade is more important?’

 

I racked my brain. But more urgent was—

 

“Ben? Are you okay?”

 

“Cough—! Forgive me… I let the precious herb get taken.”

 

His voice trembled with anger, teeth grinding. The thought that the antidote ingredient we had fought so hard to obtain was gone made my mind go blank, but I forced myself calm.

 

“It’s fine. …It’ll be fine.”

 

It was for him, and for myself.

 

Fortunately, Pat and Ben both had resistance to sedatives. Pat was used to poisons; Ben’s past made it natural for him. I fainted quickly, so I didn’t inhale much. But Fran had fought to protect me in that mist. He had inhaled too much. It would take time before he regained consciousness.

 

“Evan…”

 

His name left my lips as I steadied my weakening heart. Think of Evan. I can’t fall apart here!

 

I pieced together the clues and reached a conclusion.

 

“They waited until we found the herb. That means they need it too.”

 

No one should’ve known I came to find the lily of the valley that blooms under the full moon. Who? Someone afraid of Evan being cured?

 

“I—cough!”

 

“Ben?!”

 

The smell of blood drifted toward me. I wanted to check him, but I couldn’t.

 

“Forgive me. I never imagined they’d be bribed… I was careless…”

 

“No. I never imagined they’d betray us either. And you’re not good in direct combat. You did everything you could to protect the herb.”

 

He had clearly fought until wounded to protect me and the herb. They were all injured.

 

Ben had sworn never to harm again, yet he fought. Pat, who struggled even to speak with others, had fought for me.

 

“Let’s think calmly. Ben, who do you think it is?”

 

I trusted his information and judgement. Ben caught his breath and said: “…Only one person. Someone for whom Young Lord Weiss recovering would be troublesome. Someone whose path would be easier if the young lady disappears.”

 

“Someone with the power to uncover information we buried deeply.”

 

I bit the inside of my cheek.

 

‘It’s come to this. I only hoped the empress—who blocks the heroine’s future—wouldn’t block mine too…’

 

I had achieved a grand success with the trade agreement with the Zeiran Empire. She believed such achievements belonged only to the imperial family. And she would obviously hate the future mistress of a ducal house she despised.

 

“The Empress.”

 

“I think so too.”

 

Maybe bringing so few people was a mistake. Or maybe I’d underestimated her.

 

“The Empress made her move. Mr. Apol said he’d give his life for what he values most. Did she threaten someone precious to him…? But she’s not someone who dirties her own hands…”

 

I stopped thinking. Who orchestrated this mattered less than how to escape.

 

A cold breeze cleared my head.

 

“To protect someone important… as if I don’t know that feeling.”

 

I wasn’t about to be taken quietly. Or die here. I exhaled slowly.

 

“Ben, there’s only one way. There’s no path where all of us escape. But there is a way to save the herb. And a way to call for help.”

 

“Young lady…?”

 

Ben sensed something wrong. I met his trembling eyes and smiled.

 

“Ben, you alone can get out of here. Saving everyone is impossible. But you can steal back the herb and return to the Alterun Empire. In my room, there’s the image orb. Take it. Ask my father for help.”

 

Bringing the image orb was the best decision I made. Father had been right. We could call for rescue sooner, and prove our identities.

 

I felt bad that Evan would hear the news this way… He would be terrified.

 

“W-wait…!”

 

Ignoring Ben’s panic, I continued.

 

“I know it’ll be hard. But we prepared for possible accidents. Borrowing the merchant ship with the emergency skiff was the right call. Use it to go back. You might meet merchants on the way—ask for help.”

 

“You want me to leave you behind?!”

 

Ben lowered his voice, afraid someone outside might hear. I nodded calmly.

 

“I’m fine! I only relaxed for a moment—!”

 

“With those injuries?”

 

I let out a heavy sigh. I understood his feelings, but we had to face reality.