Chapter 25
“Deborah, how are you feeling? Are you feeling better?”
Winter’s question made Deborah flinch.
Her body had been drained from repeated high fevers and vomiting, but since docking at Mulanir, her condition had noticeably improved.
Of course, due to an unexpected storm, they had left the ship at Mulanir and taken a carriage instead.
“I-I’m fine. So, please, go ahead.”
Deborah answered curtly and quickly stepped away.
With her fur bristling like an alarmed cat, Winter could only smile warmly.
“Um, miss, could you spare a moment?”
Hirkan approached Winter at that moment.
He carried a map indicating the route, probably to explain the journey.
“We expect the trip to take at most a month. First, we’ll depart from Mulanir…”
As Hirkan spoke, Winter’s gaze was drawn to Medillien.
Even under the dreary, rain-soaked sky, he was smiling so innocently, as if nothing could trouble him.
His sparkling, beautiful smile had Winter’s attention completely captivated.
“After staying here for a day, we’ll head to the neighboring territory, Tesson…”
Hirkan pointed at the route on the map, speaking passionately, but then lifted his head.
At some point, he noticed Winter’s reactions had noticeably waned.
Sure enough, her eyes were no longer on the map but fixed somewhere entirely different.
Following her gaze, Hirkan frowned.
“Tsk, that, that one…”
He clicked his tongue softly. Winter finally came back to herself.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
Winter asked as she turned her head.
Hirkan quickly shook his hands.
“Ah, no, it’s nothing. It’s just…”
“Just?”
“Whenever that kid smiles like that, something bad tends to happen.”
Hirkan’s words made Winter’s eyes sparkle.
“You… you know Dylan well?”
Winter had only been able to observe the situation a few times through Naila, but she wondered what Medillien seemed like from someone else’s perspective.
Hirkan seemed quite familiar with Medillien, judging by how he spoke about him and how they were dispatched together this time.
“Yeah, well… I’ve been watching him since he was about this tall.”
Hirkan gestured to his waist with a small chuckle.
Naturally, Winter recalled the young Medillien.
“How was he?”
“Hmm? Dylan?”
“Yes. I’m curious if he’s doing well at his work.”
“Well…”
Hirkan trailed off, glancing at Winter.
He wasn’t sure where to start when speaking to the lady who was practically the master of the guard.
The silence stretched, and Winter felt a bad premonition.
“Um, when a new recruit arrived, Dylan always made sure they stayed disciplined.”
“Oh.”
So he kept order.
“After he came, discipline was enforced firmly.”
“I see.”
It seemed he didn’t hide his bad temper.
“Even long-time guards had to show proper respect to the newcomers.”
“Really?”
He probably threw tantrums regardless of rank.
“Thanks to him, everyone grew very close.”
“…That’s good to hear.”
Winter thought it meant that the others had banded together to oppose the formidable Medillien.
She laughed quietly, reflecting on the expected outcome.
“Miss, the preparations for departure are complete.”
At that moment, the coachman approached cautiously.
Hirkan nodded and escorted Winter toward the carriage.
“Shall we go, miss?”
“All right.”
Winter climbed into the carriage with Deborah, who was assigned as her close guard, and soon they departed from Mulanir.
Unexpectedly thick rain clouds had followed them, and though the downpour eased slightly after leaving Mulanir, it still fell as if the sky had a gaping hole.
Winter glanced up at the gray sky, worried. The rain showed no signs of stopping.
At that moment, an axe suddenly came flying toward her.
“Hah!”
“Miss!”
Hirkan shouted in alarm.
But what he feared did not happen.
A silent blast of magic rang out with a bang.
The man aiming for Winter found his hand instantly frozen white up to his shoulder.
“Hit!?”
Winter looked down at the magical tool given by Isel, smiling wryly.
Even in the rain, the timing was impeccable.
Everywhere their carriage went, bandits began to swarm.
It was as if someone had informed them of the route. Winter let out a sigh.
“How much is that Quvinus making off with, seriously?”
She spoke freely, even naming the regent emperor with no hesitation, her voice full of annoyance.
It had been 17 years since the death of Medillien’s mother, the former emperor.
The regent, Quvinus, greedy and corrupt, had been entrusted with power because the crown prince was still young.
After losing in the succession struggle in his youth and seeking solace in religion, he even extended his reach to the Papal Court.
The emperor and nobles turned their backs on the empire’s people, and the church was corrupt.
As looting became rampant in various territories, those who could not endure began robbing weaker people.
“I’ve heard bandits have been rampant lately, but I never imagined it would be this bad.”
Hirkan lightly brushed blood off his sword.
Even though their secret guard numbered only three, each of them was formidable.
After all, with Medillien, one of the strongest in the world, on their side, they had nothing to fear from mere bandits.
Furthermore…
“This is unexpected.”
“Hmm? What is?”
“Even with your great skill, I didn’t imagine you’d be capable of this.”
Hirkan said, his expression stern.
Winter, for some reason, was helping deal with the bandits herself.
She wanted to test the magical device Isel had developed.
Even though her magic had been sealed, it still occasionally ran wild and could explode.
But thanks to Isel’s device, the fine control she had previously struggled with became somewhat easier.
“Thanks to this.”
Winter lightly shook the magical tool in her hand.
Hirkan stared, captivated, at its silver body etched with blue runes.
“Does it amplify your magic?”
Hirkan asked, thinking of how easily Winter was handling the bandits.
“Hmm, something like that.”
Winter gave a faint, evasive smile.
There was no need to reveal that the tool didn’t amplify but actually suppresses magic.
“Can I take a look?”
Medillien, who had finished dealing with the remaining bandits, approached.
“Of course.”
Winter handed over the magical tool.
Medillien studied the runes carefully, his expression serious.
“So you cast magic with this? Seems like frost magic.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Frost magic was one of Winter’s specialties.
“I’ve seen plenty of fire magic in the Empire, but frost magic is rare. Truly impressive!”
Hirkan exclaimed beside him.
Yet Medillien’s expression showed worry.
“Is it safe for you to use magic now?”
“What? Oh, of course. Naturally.”
Winter nodded easily.
Though Medillien’s worry was understandable—he still remembered the time she nearly died from a magical overload.
Understanding his concern, Winter gently held his elbow and whispered,
“Don’t worry. I’m really fine now.”
Just as she said this, Medillien opened his mouth to respond.
“I…”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Before he could speak, Deborah swept past the two of them.
Startled, Winter stepped back, and Medillien quickly steadied the staggering Deborah.
“Oh my, I’m sorry.”
Deborah pouted slightly, clearly jealous of the closeness between Winter and Medillien.
“It’s fine,” Winter replied warmly.
But this seemed to bother her even more.
Seeing Winter completely unbothered, Deborah pouted and walked off in the opposite direction.
“Hmm.”
Medillien watched her retreating figure intently.
Feeling something unusual, Winter quickly spoke.
“Deborah is really cute, isn’t she?”
Since her actions were entirely motivated by loyalty, Winter could be generous.
However, Medillien did not seem to agree.
“What…?”
Medillien chuckled lightly, leaning toward Winter and whispering,
“You’re still unnecessarily kind.”
“…What?”
His low voice brushed against Winter’s earlobe briefly.
Startled, Winter grabbed her ear and stepped back, her face flaming red.
“You… you… again…!”
Medillien smiled beautifully, his eyes curling in amusement.
“For the record, that wasn’t just a greeting this time.”
“Mei!”
Winter, having forgotten to use the alias during secret guard operations, shouted in surprise.
Looking around nervously, she wondered if anyone had seen them.
Fortunately, no one was paying attention.
Winter breathed a sigh of relief—but it was entirely an illusion.
Someone had been watching them intently.
“Why is His Highness with such a weak human…!”
Deborah, hiding behind the carriage, fumed as she watched the two.
Having spent a long time recuperating on the island, she seemed a bit off.
No matter how much she tried to provoke Winter, she never cried and only smiled faintly.
Weak and seemingly in the way of Medillien’s path, she was increasingly irritating.
Seeing Winter use frost magic, she admitted it had some value, but without the magical device, it would all be useless.
Reaching that conclusion, Deborah hesitated.
“Wait, without the magical device…?”
Her gaze instantly sharpened toward Winter.
