Chapter 23
It would have been nice if he had trained in healing magic early on, but unfortunately, Rian had only just mastered Blink, a third-circle spell, for the first time.
Although healing magic was also classified as third-circle, it wasn’t something that could be cast recklessly without proper training.
So the solution Rian came up with was to carry Rakhia on his back while riding a horse, minimizing the shock to his body. Naturally, for a fifteen-year-old boy, carrying a fully grown man with a sturdy build was an overwhelming task.
However, true to his title as a mage, Rian had a clever workaround. He cast Lightweight Magic on Rakhia, planning to use Hold Magic as well to keep him from falling.
Both spells were relatively simple, but perhaps because it was the first time he was casting magic on someone other than himself, Rian found himself breaking into a slight sweat.
Still, he successfully cast the lightweight spell on Rakhia’s body without any mistakes.
“Whew.”
Before lifting him onto his back, Rian cupped his hands and drank a few mouthfuls of stream water. As the cool water slid down his throat, the tight knot in his chest eased a little.
Carefully, Rian hoisted Rakhia onto his back. Thanks to the magic, he barely felt any weight at all.
All that remained was to get Rakhia to a safe place and treat him as quickly as possible—before the pursuers discovered them.
Rian chose his own bedroom as that place.
Surely, he reasoned, they wouldn’t dare storm into the lord’s personal chambers.
As the saying went, darkness lay right beneath one’s feet. If he stayed cautious, Rakhia would remain safe until the pursuers withdrew.
He had briefly considered taking Rakhia to the lair where the healing hall was located. But no matter who Rakhia was, Rian hadn’t yet decided whether he could fully trust him.
Everything Rian knew about him came from stories passed down by others, not from personal experience.
Under those circumstances, he judged it too dangerous to reveal the lair’s existence to Rakhia.
If he hurried with treatment as soon as they returned, saving his life shouldn’t be too difficult.
“Hyah!”
Grabbing the reins tightly, Rian urged the horse forward. Revived by the brief rest, the horse broke into a powerful run, and Fisher Forest gradually faded into the distance behind them.
* * *
After riding day and night without pause, Rian arrived at the castle a day and a half later.
He had only stopped briefly when the horse needed rest. Aside from that, Rian barely slept at all.
There were moments when exhaustion tempted him to stop, but each time, he steeled himself by thinking of Rakhia on his back.
Rakhia’s condition grew increasingly critical. Even though Rian had reduced the shock as much as possible, the forced travel seemed to take its toll—Rakhia never regained consciousness before they reached the castle.
Every time Rian noticed even the slightest change in the sound of Rakhia’s breathing behind him, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
The moment they arrived, Rian headed straight for his bedroom. Thanks to Shadow Dance, no one—not even the servants—noticed his return.
Only after laying Rakhia down on the bed did Rian release Shadow Dance from around his neck.
Just as he finally exhaled in relief, the door burst open without warning.
“……!”
Rian’s body was in terrible shape after the forced march. Letting his guard down for just a moment, he nearly jumped out of his skin when the door flew open.
But the one even more shocked was the person who opened it.
Madeline, who had entered the bedroom absentmindedly, froze in horror at the sight of Rian.
Ever since that past incident, she had been doing everything she could to avoid him.
For the sake of fairness, the maids responsible for cleaning the castle rotated their assigned areas weekly. Because of this, Madeline occasionally had no choice but to clean Rian’s bedroom.
Each time, she managed to swap assignments somehow. Plenty of maids were eager to clean the lord’s bedroom in hopes of catching his favor, so it was never difficult.
But when Madeline continued making such requests week after week, people began giving her strange looks.
In the end, she decided to clean his room while Rian was away on his inspection tour. Though the memories of that place still made her shudder, she was only a maid—she had no other option.
Yet the moment she opened the door, the lord who was supposedly away stood right in front of her.
It was a miracle she didn’t scream.
Though stunned at first, Rian quickly grabbed Madeline and shut the door. Thankfully, no one was outside.
“M-My lord!”
Startled by his sudden action, Madeline trembled violently. The forgotten sensation from that day resurfaced, and the arm he was holding felt like it might tear off.
“P-Please…”
Large, bitter tears streamed down her face. If she went through something like that again, she felt she wouldn’t be able to go on living.
Her reaction confused Rian for a brief moment, but he soon realized what she was thinking. He immediately released her arm and stepped back.
“Madeline, I won’t do anything. You can relax.”
He hurried to calm her.
“I startled you by closing the door so suddenly, but honestly, I’m the most surprised one here. Do you see that person over there?”
Only then did Madeline notice that someone else was in the bedroom besides herself and the lord. Her tears stopped, replaced by a look of bewilderment.
Who could possibly dare to occupy the lord’s bed?
And his condition was horrific. Even a prisoner rescued from a battlefield would look better. She turned her head away, frowning at the sight.
Come to think of it, the lord himself didn’t look well either. His eyes were hollow from lack of sleep, his skin rough, and his usually pristine attire was caked in dust.
“As you can see, his condition is very bad. I need your help so I can treat him.”
“……Me?”
She still looked frightened, but her voice had steadied considerably. The presence of a dying patient reassured her that the lord wouldn’t do anything.
Rian nodded.
“Yes. First, I’ll need a lot of warm water and towels. Could you bring them quietly?”
Of course she could. Whose orders would she follow, if not the lord’s?
But quietly? Why secretly?
Seeing her confusion, Rian explained.
“I don’t want anyone to know there’s someone else in my room. I’d like today to remain a secret between the two of us… would that be alright?”
“……!”
She didn’t understand why it had to be secret, but hearing the word request left Madeline dazed.
A request—from the lord?
It didn’t suit him at all. How could a noble make a request of a mere maid?
He was someone who only needed to give orders. That was how it had always been, and no one had ever resisted—it was only natural.
If the lord commanded it, Madeline had no choice but to comply.
As she turned to leave, Rian spoke again.
“And from now on, it would be best if you handled cleaning this room permanently. That way, the secret will be safe. You can do that, right?”
Was this what it meant to be enchanted?
Faced with Rian’s gentle tone and soft smile, Madeline could only nod blankly.
“Oh, and prepare some food suitable for a patient as well. Remember, Madeline—make sure no one notices.”
Rian emphasized his words one last time as she opened the door and left.
The original plan to keep everything hidden had suffered a small setback, but Rian wasn’t overly worried. Though he hadn’t been particularly close to Madeline, he knew her character fairly well.
She was discreet and careful in her actions, often seeming more mature than her age.
In a way, this might have worked out for the better. As the lord, Rian couldn’t tend to Rakhia all day.
Once the pursuit squad arrived at the castle, he would have to stay with them and pretend to search for a traitor. He needed to appear cooperative until they returned to the imperial palace.
He had considered asking Oswald or Scott, but a woman like Madeline was better suited. And as a maid, she was the most capable of acquiring whatever was needed for nursing care.
Given what had happened before, it would be good to take this opportunity to offer her some form of compensation.
Rakhia… all that’s left now is for you to wake up.
Though the danger wasn’t completely over, Rian finally allowed himself a look of relief as he gazed down at Rakhia lying on the bed.
* * *
“What? The lord has returned?”
Alman blurted out in shock at the servant’s message. He had only just arrived at the castle himself, having departed earlier at Rian’s command.
And yet, the lord was already back—and looking for him?
How could the lord, who should have left later, arrive before him? Alman couldn’t make sense of it.
Besides, if the pursuit squad had arrived as well, the castle wouldn’t be this quiet.
“He’s waiting in his office right now. Please go at once.”
“…Understood.”
Still confused, Alman nodded anyway.
He would find out soon enough.
Without even changing clothes, Alman headed straight to Rian’s office.
“My lord, it’s me.”
“Yes, come in.”
Rian’s voice truly came from inside. When Alman opened the door, Rian was there waiting.
“My lord, what is going on? I clearly remember departing first. When did you return to the castle? And where is the pursuit squad?”
Questions poured out of Alman’s mouth. Understanding his confusion, Rian calmly explained.
“Something came up, so I arrived alone this morning. The pursuit squad should arrive tomorrow or the day after.”
“Something came up?”
Looking closely, Alman noticed how worn his lord appeared. Gaunt, perhaps.
It made sense.
Rushing ahead while barely sleeping, Alman had taken two days to return. For Rian to leave later and arrive sooner, his condition was bound to be far worse.
Whatever had happened, concern filled Alman’s eyes.
“That can wait. I’ll explain later. I called you because I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
“Yes. You’ve served as my butler for a long time, so you must know many trustworthy people. There’s something I want to obtain discreetly through them.”
“If it’s something you wish to obtain, what exactly…?”
“Someone around their twenties. Over one-eighty in height. Gray hair, and dark blue eyes. If that’s too difficult, the eye color doesn’t have to be dark blue.”
“…Are you talking about a person?”
Alman frowned. He had assumed Rian meant an object.
Rian gave an awkward smile, as if he understood the reaction.
“Yes, a person. But a dead one.”
“…Pardon?”
Perhaps he had overexerted himself during the journey. Alman wondered if his ears were malfunctioning.
Surely his lord hadn’t just asked him to procure a corpse.
Yet, disturbingly, that was exactly what his ears continued to hear.
