Chapter 013
I forced my stiff eyes away and looked around.
Now that I looked closely, there were some familiar faces. That large man over there resembled the Head of the Great Merchant Guild. And the man next to Baron Jopis, with a beard like a swallow’s tail, looked like a famous doctor.
They must be their kin.
I understood why someone as prominent as Baron Jopis had led them all the way here.
‘Stella must be ill.’
They must have come seeking medicine. Fitting for the heroine of a game with dating simulation elements, she had a weak constitution.
She likely wasn’t in a life-threatening crisis yet. At that stage, they would be hunting for me for an organ transplant, not searching for herbs.
“My, my. Should I call this a delightful coincidence? Or a terrible fate?”
At Baron Jopis’s words, I replied in a flat, monotone voice.
“A terrible coincidence would be more accurate.”
“Your way of speaking has become quite rough. Is it the influence of the Irregulars?”
I flinched at the mention of the Irregulars.
‘He knows.’
Of course he did. Last time in the shopping district, the Captain had saved me. He had revealed the inverted cross, the mark of the Irregulars. So, this man would know I was involved with them. After all, he was the head of the Andres Intelligence Department.
‘I can’t let him talk about the Irregulars anymore.’
“Is there any reason for us to talk further?”
“I wonder.”
“If not, shut your mouth and get lost. It’s nauseating.”
As I spoke coldly, he paused. Then, he looked at me with eyes reflecting a strange, interested light.
It must be his first time seeing me speak like this. In his mind, the greatest insult I could muster would have been something like “a terrible coincidence.” That was how I lived in the Andres house.
Elegant and demure.
Aiming to be a lady no one could criticize, I wore high heels and dresses that choked my neck even on days when I felt like collapsing. The one who taught me all of that was Baron Jopis. It was this Rafael Jopis.
He probably never imagined in his dreams that the “docile” me would ever use a word like “nauseating.” After staring at me for a moment, he eventually let out a chuckle.
“Entertaining.”
Then, he suddenly yanked my wrist. I was pulled toward him in an instant.
“Your beautiful fingers have become rags, and your cheeks, which never had a speck of dust, are covered in dirt—yet why do your eyes shine brighter than they did in the mansion?”
“Let go.”
“And yet, a pride that still hasn’t broken.”
“I said let go.”
“Open the carriage door. I must take her to my jurisdiction.”
What?
What is this crazy man talking about? I put all my strength into my body to avoid being dragged by him.
“Rafael Jopis!”
But it was useless. I hadn’t rested properly for two days and had been wandering the streets. My body was not one that could withstand the strength of an adult male. Eventually, I was loaded into Baron Jopis’s carriage. The door closed behind me.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
I shouted, but Baron Jopis maintained a casual attitude. He merely opened the window slightly and commanded:
“Use whatever means necessary to get the answer from the old man. You must not return to the Family Head without an answer.”
“Yes, sir.”
The large man and the man with the swallow-tail beard bowed their heads. The carriage began to run immediately. Baron Jopis sat with his legs crossed, simply smiling broadly.
“You’ve gone completely mad in the time I haven’t seen you.”
“I have many things I want to ask. Shall we start with the Irregulars?”
“…!”
He wasn’t taking me for no reason. The Irregulars, who were said to have a hand in all sorts of affairs in the Empire. Yet, no one had obtained useful information about them. I was the link to finding out about those Irregulars. A snake-like man would never miss such prey.
Seeing me stiffen, he raised an eyebrow.
“How did you meet the Irregulars?”
“…”
“Did you become a member?”
“…”
“Where are they now?”
I stubbornly kept my mouth shut.
“Have you not become more interesting, but rather more foolish? You know me.”
“I know. I know that once we reach your territory, you’ll force truth serum down my throat, so it would be better for me to answer obediently.”
He laughed out loud. I continued, glaring at him.
“And I know that if I’m going to spill it anyway, it would be better to say it with my own mouth to gain something.”
“That is correct.”
“I know you, Baron, but it seems you don’t know me.”
“No. I know the Young Lady. I know that you are very weak to my praise.”
It was true. Back then, a single “Good” from him would make me happy as if all my efforts had been rewarded.
I looked out the window. The carriage was reaching the edge of the forest. Baron Jopis looked at me.
“You must be a good child. My cute Young Lady.”
“Please be a good child. My cute Young Lady.”
…Just like when I was a foolishly obedient disciple.
“There was a time when I was happy to hear those words.”
“Yes. Therefore…”
“It means I am not anymore.”
I flung the carriage door wide open. The speed of the carriage, embedded with magic tools, was much faster than I imagined. A sharp wind rushed into the carriage.
“I pray we never cross paths again.”
“…!”
I jumped straight out. In the final moment, I saw the Baron’s expression freeze coldly. That face was Rafael Jopis’s true self. I knew that very well.
‘If I go to his jurisdictional castle, I will end up confessing about the Irregulars through some horrific means.’
My body, having jumped from the carriage, tumbled along the ground. Fortunately, the grass absorbed some of the impact, but that was only partial. Blood flowed from my face where I had hit something wrong. But there was no time to feel the pain.
‘I have to run.’
I scrambled away. From behind me, I heard Baron Jopis’s voice.
“Stop! Catch the Young Lady!”
Faster. Please…! I couldn’t be caught like this. I couldn’t be caught and give up the names of the Irregulars. Some might think it’s ridiculous, but to me, that place was warmer than any fairy-tale world.
“Little Teacher, thank you.”
When I worked hard, they said thank you.
“Travel safely.”
They told me to come back. They gave me a room and said I could come again.
“Is it a difficult thing to answer if asked?”
When I ask a question, I get an answer.
‘I can’t cause trouble for those people…!’
The dripping blood clouded my vision, but it didn’t matter. I intentionally ran through areas where the trees were dense. So they couldn’t pursue me with horses or carriages. I didn’t even notice the pain as sharp thorns pierced my body.
I ran until I half-lost my mind and was gasping for air, not knowing how long I had been running. Suddenly, hands reached out from behind me.
‘No, no…!’
In front of me was a cliff. A dangerous river with a fast current and plenty of rocks.
‘But rather than being caught….’
“Young Lady!”
Hands latched onto me from behind. Startled, I shook off the hands and ran toward the cliff.
“Stop!”
“Let go! I won’t tell! I won’t say anything!”
“Young Lady!”
“I don’t want to! The Irregulars are good people! I will never tell…!”
It was at that moment. Whish, my wrist was pulled back. It was only after I was held in someone’s arms that I could take a breath.
“Calm down.”
Now I could see what was in front of me. It wasn’t Baron Jopis. It wasn’t his subordinates.
“…Ah.”
The ones who were chasing me…. These people gathered before me…. And this man holding me….
“…Captain.”
…It was the Irregulars.
The Vice-Captain, Antonio, and the crew members were looking at me. I ended up sliding to the ground. The Vice-Captain and Antonio rushed to me as I collapsed like a sheet of paper.
“We came looking for you because you hadn’t returned for too long. But then we saw you were being chased, so we came to help.”
“We’ve dealt with those pursuing you.”
Hearing those words, my whole body trembled. No, it was because I saw them. I forced my stiff body to move and looked at the Captain.
“…I didn’t… tell them.”
“…”
“In the future… never… I will never say anything about the Irregulars….”
“…”
“So… please don’t… discard me….”
Tears surged. My tear ducts, which I thought had dried up since being kicked out of the family, poured out hot tears.
“…”
“…”
“…”
No one said a word. With that memory, everything went black. I eventually fainted.
* * *
Eustea was moved to her room in San Miguel Castle. A doctor, contacted in advance to wait at the castle, examined her.
“The right arm and ribs are broken. Judging by the lacerations on the arm and the head injury, it seems she jumped from somewhere.”
At that, a crew member who had captured Baron Jopis’s guard raised his hand.
“It was a carriage. According to the knight we captured, she jumped from the carriage.”
“A carriage?”
The expressions of Antonio and the other crew members hardened. It wasn’t hard to guess what had happened.
“Let go! I won’t tell!”
“I don’t want to! The Irregulars are good people! I will never tell…!”
He must have asked questions about the Irregulars. Fearing she would be forced to confess, Eustea jumped from the carriage.
“Why to that extent….”
While the crew members were in shock, the doctor spoke again.
“That is not all.”
“What else is there?”
To Antonio’s question, the doctor replied.
“There are multiple layers of deep self-inflicted wounds on the wrist.”
“Self-inflicted wounds? You mean she cut herself? Those bastards did that to her?”
“It doesn’t seem to be that. These are scars that have repeatedly formed and healed recently.”
“Then she was treated like that at the castle?”
While everyone was puzzled, Charie from Antonio’s squad suddenly looked up.
“Could it be that….”
“Do you have an idea?”
When Antonio asked, Charie quickly opened a drawer. What was inside was….
“The Myeongjeong Stone?”
What was in the bowl was clearly the Myeongjeong Stone. And what filled the empty space was blood. Charie spoke hesitantly with a face turned pale.
“The Young Lady made a request when she left the castle. She said it was a mixture of half blood and half holy water, and asked to put it in twice a day. I thought it was chicken or cow blood….”
It wasn’t. This was… in other words, this was….
‘She was trying to break the Myeongjeong Stone’s barrier with human blood.’
It was a significant amount of blood. It was a level where her life could have been in danger if something went wrong. Antonio let out a hollow laugh.
“She went back and forth to the Spiral Tower to look after the Captain in that state?”
“…”
The Vice-Captain squeezed his eyes shut. She had been struggling with all her might alone, without ever showing how hard it was. And even so, she had smiled as if she possessed the whole world at a single word of thanks.
After doing something like jumping from a carriage in that state, the only thing she said was….
“So… please don’t… discard me….”
“Stupid….”
Antonio spat out the word as if chewing it. After that, no one could say anything. Not even Captain Aslan.
* * *
I blinked my eyes. The first thing I saw was the ceiling of my room.
‘I’m alive….’
What a relief. It was something I did with the resolve to die, but it would have been a bit unfair to die like this. I didn’t want to die because of Baron Jopis, of all people.
“How much time has passed…?”
I muttered as I tried to get up.
“Three days.”
“…!”
I was so surprised I almost jumped. Quickly turning my head, I saw a figure alone by the window in the quiet room. A man so handsome it took my breath away, even his silhouette breaking in the sunlight. It was Aslan, the Captain of the Irregulars.
“Captain….”
“Don’t get up.”
Saying that, he approached me. Sitting on a stool, he spoke.
“Any other things you’re curious about?”
“Then, um… Baron Jopis…?”
“By the time we dealt with the guards, he had already retreated.”
“I see. By any chance, do you know what happened to the old man at the herbalists’ shelter? He wasn’t captured by the nobles, was he?”
“He was the one who guided us to where you were. We freed him from the hands of the nobles.”
“That’s a relief. I can ask the old man for an herb to replace Myeongjeong grass… Ugh.”
I tried to sit up again, but a groan escaped. It seemed the injuries were more severe than I thought. The Captain furrowed his brows.
“Do not move.”
“But….”
“They said to make you take medicine. Preferably with a thin soup.”
“Pardon? Uh… I can eat, but.”
The Captain pulled over a tray. Two trays were placed on it. A tray with a medicine bottle and thin soup. And there was also a tray with a prepared salad, and inside was….
‘Myeongjeong grass?’
The Captain, who placed a tray in front of me, took the tray with the Myeongjeong grass salad.
“…Are you going to eat it?”
“…”
“You don’t have to. It must taste horrific to you, Captain….”
“It tastes better than truth serum mixed with vomit.”
My eyes widened.
‘Did he hear it from the Vice-Captain?’
The Captain moved his fork. And looking at the Myeongjeong grass, he spoke quietly.
“It reminds me of my master.”
“…”
“The master who died to save me.”
“…”
So that was it. Contrary to the rumors, it seemed he hadn’t harmed his master. Rather, his master had sacrificed his entire life to save him.
Touching the medicine bottle, I said:
“I had a teacher too.”
He looked at me.
“It’s the same in that thinking of him becomes painful. Though my teacher is a horrific person, unlike yours, Captain.”
“…”
“So I’m envious.”
“…That old man wasn’t such a proper master either.”
The Captain put the Myeongjeong grass in his mouth. Scowling deeply, he said:
“He should have washed himself more often.”
Hm. So it doesn’t just taste like blood, but it also smells like his master. I grinned and picked up my spoon. There was only the sound of clattering utensils in the room, but somehow, it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. Because I realized that the reason he was eating the Myeongjeong grass, which brought back painful memories, was because of me.
‘See? The Captain is a good person.’
Ever since I cried on that cliff, my tear ducts keep malfunctioning. I rubbed my reddened eyes and sniffled.
“…”
The Captain flinched and looked at me. Then, after frowning for a long time as if agonizing, he asked.
“…Does it taste bad?”
“No.”
It was a bland soup with nothing in it, but why did it taste more delicious than anything else?
* * *
That afternoon, at the Spiral Tower.
The Captain, Antonio, and the Vice-Captain received a report from the elite performing information gathering.
[…So, including San Miguel, there are six participants for the Imperial Prince’s attendant selection in this district.]
Excluding Baron Olivan’s son, the remaining five were all girls. Since young Imperial Princes were coming, they likely aimed for the position of Imperial Princess Consort. The Captain, Vice-Captain, and Antonio were silent as they looked at the portraits the elite had sent in advance.
[They are more prominent families than expected… This is driving me crazy. Why are you all so quiet?]
The Captain and Vice-Captain aside, even Antonio was squinting his eyes and focusing on the portraits. Antonio, who had been silently staring at the portraits, spoke up.
“Isn’t something different?”
[What nonsense are you talking about now?]
“Isn’t it a bit different from our Young Lady? These girls have clothes that are more… like this.”
The skirts were much fuller, and the sleeves were more fluttery….
[They probably got them made at a famous dress shop in the capital. That’s what’s in fashion.]
“You said before that having dozens of ribbons attached was the fashion.”
[The fashion in the capital changes every month.]
Then, this time, the Vice-Captain furrowed his brows.
“Then are you saying our Young Lady has to go to the exam wearing clothes that are out of style?”
[Likely. But why does that matter?]
“I heard teenagers find such things embarrassing.”
[Yes. So what?]
Were these men crazy? Why were they suddenly worrying about clothes and mentioning “our Young Lady” in every sentence? The elite spoke with an exasperated expression.
[Those two seem to have mold growing in their brains, so I will explain it to the Captain. …Captain?]
For some reason, the Captain was also furrowing his brows while looking at the portraits of the girls.
