Episode 34
At that moment, Raymond had just defeated one of the masked attackers and ran toward the carriage. When hostages are involved, the situation becomes very dangerous. Raymond said he got hurt while protecting On’s family from the attacker’s sword. Because he had to fight while protecting others, he couldn’t use his full strength.
But the Grand Duke is one of the best swordsmen in the empire. He keeps his skills hidden because of the Emperor, but in truth, he’s incredibly talented. Even with hostages nearby, he used his strong sword skills and power to knock the enemy’s sword away.
Clang!
The sword flew far off and landed on the ground. The masked attacker, now unarmed, had no choice but to surrender.
There was a crisis, but in the end, it ended in a clean victory.
“Whew, that’s a relief. Who were the masked people?”
“They were a joint force from King Shale and the Emperor. I noticed their sword techniques were a mix of styles—some familiar, some not. After the fight, we questioned the survivors and got a confession.”
“I see.”
It made sense.
King Shale’s strongest force was Neverrest, so he wouldn’t have had enough power to stop them alone. That’s probably why he asked the Emperor for help—the one he had originally planned to sell them to.
And the border area was the perfect spot for a surprise attack from both sides.
Raymond said the victory was thanks to On, the leader of Neverrest.
“The ambush started without warning, but On blocked every single attack. No sound, no signs—it just came out of nowhere. His skills are amazing.”
Raymond talked about On like an excited kid with a new toy. He even said his own injury was just a small thing that could happen during any fight.
“Having On on my side now gives me peace of mind. And it’s all thanks to you, Eilene. I really appreciate it.”
“No, it’s because you worked hard, Raymond.”
Seeing him happy made my guilt fade a little. I had felt bad for suggesting the Neverrest deal, but now I was relieved. And thank goodness his injury wasn’t serious.
“Melas. Come in for a second.”
After finishing our talk, Raymond suddenly called for Melas. He had been waiting outside and came in right away.
“I just realized—I’ve never introduced my men to you. I should’ve done this sooner, but things were so hectic. Forgive me, Eilene.”
“Oh, you don’t need to apologize. It’s fine.”
Raymond smiled at me and then pointed to Melas.
“This is Melas. He’s like my right hand.”
“Nice to meet you, Lady Cowet.”
Melas bowed politely. It felt a bit awkward to greet someone I already knew, but I nodded back.
“If you ever need anything, just tell him. I’ll make sure he listens to you.”
“Alright.”
I was really grateful for Raymond’s kindness. I finally felt like a real teammate.
But then, Raymond suddenly clutched his chest and bent forward.
“Ugh…”
“Your Grace! Are you okay?”
“Raymond!”
I rushed to his side and checked his face. He looked like he was in pain where he had been injured.
“It… just hurts a bit.”
“You really need to rest now, Your Grace.”
“Yes, your health comes first. Everything else can wait.”
His injury didn’t look serious, but I was starting to worry there might be internal damage.
“I’ll be fine soon.”
Even now, Raymond was being stubborn. Melas, knowing his personality, sighed lightly and stepped in.
“I’ll take Lady Cowet to meet the others from Neverrest and our team. So please rest, Your Grace.”
“Yes, please. Sleep for at least two hours, no excuses!”
I nodded firmly next to him. Raymond looked at my serious face, then let out a small laugh and nodded.
“Alright, fine. Melas, I’ll leave it to you.”
“Good choice, Raymond.”
“But before that, I’d like to talk to Eilene for a moment.”
“Then I’ll wait outside.”
Melas looked more relaxed as he left the room. After the door closed, Raymond looked straight at me.
“Eilene.”
“Yes, Raymond?”
What was he going to say?
I waited, and then he blushed slightly and whispered softly:
“Stay with me until I fall asleep.”
“Eh? Oh… okay.”
I was surprised, but quickly nodded. It was a simple enough request.
“Then in return…”
I pulled a small bottle from my pocket. It was filled with a sparkling, clear liquid.
“Apply this to your wound after you wake up.”
“What is it? A potion?”
“Um, yes. That’s right.”
Potion! That’s a great word—why didn’t I think of that?
In truth, it was just regular water with a drop of my healing spit, but I didn’t want to ruin his trust with too much detail.
From now on, I’ll just call it a potion!
Thanks, Raymond, for the great idea.
“Thank you for giving me something so valuable.”
“Get better soon, Raymond.”
I pulled the blanket over him as he lay down.
He blinked a few times, then his eyelids slowly closed. Soon, I could hear his calm breathing.
I quietly looked at Raymond’s sleeping face.
His long eyelashes lay like curtains, his sharp nose was smooth and high, and his soft, full lips were perfectly shaped. Even though I couldn’t see his beautiful blue eyes, his peaceful sleeping face looked pure and graceful.
Letting someone see you sleeping is something very special. I wondered if Raymond thought the same when I had fallen asleep before.
I gently fixed the blanket again and quietly left the room.
I even turned the doorknob without making a sound. Outside, Melas was waiting and walked over to me.
“Lady Cowet. This way, please.”
As we walked, he explained:
“The people here are only a part of the team. These are the ones in charge of the capital. His Grace’s forces are spread out in different places so they can move quickly. There are several more hideouts nearby.”
“I see.”
It seemed Raymond’s trust in me was clear to Melas too, because he spoke openly about their forces.
We went downstairs and opened the door to the main room. Unlike Raymond’s room, this space was wide and full of bookshelves packed with documents. Many desks were set up, and some people were working at them.
They kept working even after Melas entered, but once they noticed me, they quickly stood up and bowed politely.
“These are Eden, Evan, Chloe, and Drew. They collect and analyze information. And as you all know, this is Lady Cowet.”
“Nice to meet you.”
I gave a small polite bow.
“These folks may focus on intel, but they’re all trained in basic combat.”
At that, Drew raised his hand and protested.
“Sir Melas, come on. Shouldn’t we make an exception for Eden?”
“Hm. Maybe.”
“What?! Hey, I can fight when I need to!”
The others all agreed with Drew, and Eden turned red, clearly embarrassed.
I couldn’t help but laugh. Drew’s joke helped lighten the mood in the room.
But not everyone was smiling.
In the corner, a tall man with light blue hair and sharp black eyes quietly stepped forward and bowed.
His eyes were sharp and serious. I recognized him instantly.
He was On, the leader of Neverrest.
The original novel had described him briefly, but seeing him in real life just as the story described felt surreal.
On looked extremely down, like he had committed a terrible crime. It must’ve been because Raymond got hurt while protecting his family.
Even though Raymond had said On blocked many attacks, he still blamed himself. That showed how responsible he was.
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
His dark face made sense now.
“Nice to meet you too.”
“I heard from His Grace that you recommended him to recruit me. Thank you for helping me meet someone who saved my life.”
He bowed deeply again.
Even though Raymond had gotten hurt and On felt guilty, in a way, it was a good thing. On was so skilled that it felt like we’d gained an extra life. As long as he was around, even the Emperor wouldn’t act carelessly.
“Please take good care of Raymond.”
“Of course. I’ll protect him with my life.”
I joined my hands together and asked him sincerely. On thumped his fist against his chest and answered firmly.
Melas, who was watching from the side, had a strange expression, but I didn’t pay much attention.
After Eilene returned to the Duke’s mansion, Raymond got some deep sleep and later called for Melas.
He held the bottle Eilene had left and shook it. The clear, watery liquid sparkled in a mysterious way.
“Eilene gave me a potion. She said to apply it to my wounds.”
“It must’ve been hard for her to get it. That’s really thoughtful of her.”
“Yeah.”
He didn’t know where she got it from, but he trusted her.
With Melas’s help, Raymond applied the potion to his wounds and lay back down. Resting properly while injured was the fastest way to recover. There were many things he still needed to do.
The next day, Raymond woke up with no trace of injury left. His body was completely healed.
