Chapter 32
Mercenary, Daniel Soldier
It was late at night with the moon high in the sky when the knights began their journey back home.
As the horses escorting the carriage passed through the main road, citizens peeked at them secretly from inside buildings. The oak-pattern flag fluttered high in the wind.
Colorful banners for the upcoming festival hung all over the city streets.
I turned my gaze away from the window.
A heavy, suffocating silence filled the carriage. The two men sitting across from me were seated far apart.
Devon, whose hands were bound in chains, looked calm with his eyes closed.
Nicholas, however, sat with his legs crossed and an annoyed expression.
I knew exactly why he looked like that.
He hated sharing a space with anyone who wasn’t a noble. Because of that, it even took us a while to get everyone into this carriage. Still, at least he didn’t try to poison himself again.
Nicholas let out a frustrated sigh and said,
“So, you’re saying the real culprit is someone else.”
Devon opened his eyes halfway. I fiddled nervously with my hands and nodded.
“Yes…”
“And who is that?”
I swallowed hard.
‘The person sitting right next to you!’
The words almost slipped out, but those cold, lifeless black eyes staring at me from the corner stopped me. My throat tightened with fear.
When Nicholas asked again, “Natania?”, I lowered the hand that had been tearing at my skirt.
“I heard he’s someone from Bahal. He came into the room while I was asleep. And… I don’t know where it was exactly, but it was somewhere very high up…”
Half of Devon’s face was hidden in shadow, but I thought I saw him smirk.
Was he not scared that he might be executed if I told the truth? He actually looked like he was enjoying this situation.
‘He’s definitely not normal.’
When my voice trailed off awkwardly, Nicholas raised an eyebrow.
“Why? Is it hard to talk because he’s here? Should I kick him out of the carriage?”
“N-no… it’s not that.”
I took a deep breath and continued.
“I stayed in a really, really tall place for a long time, and when I finally went outside, some strange people attacked me. I almost got taken away, but Daniel saved me!”
I skipped the part where I met the two princes. Nicholas tilted his head, then told me something I already knew.
“Natt. The place you were trapped in was Durun’s Tower.”
I was shocked. If he knew that, why didn’t he come for me sooner? Or did he only find out later? I was thinking it over when Nicholas suddenly reached out and pulled off the lace cloth covering my eyes.
The world instantly became brighter. I blinked several times. Nicholas clicked his tongue.
“Wearing something dirty like that makes you look nothing like a noble lady.”
Before I could stop him, the blindfold Devon made for me flew out of the carriage window.
My face burned painfully. I asked, glancing at the person sitting beside Nicholas,
“The tower? You went there to look for me?”
“Of course I did. Someone made us arrive a bit later than the kidnappers. Anyway, no one else knows you were held there, right?”
“Yes. No one I know of.”
Nicholas muttered angrily,
“Duren… They’re like a plague in our kingdom. Once I become lord, I’ll wipe that dark guild off the map. I’m sure the Second Prince went to them again and plotted this whole thing.”
Nicholas clearly had no idea Devon was part of that guild. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be insulting them right in front of him.
Hearing my brother talk made me feel like I was sitting on a bed of needles. Cold sweat ran down my back.
Nicholas told both of us to keep quiet about everything that happened at the tower. I nodded, and Devon said he would too, then closed his eyes again.
***
Soon, the duke’s castle on the hill came into view. The knights entered the clean, paved road leading to the inner castle where the lord lived.
People were waiting in the courtyard, probably because they had heard the news. Butler Shuniel, the servants, and even Jen and Lily were there.
“Natania!!”
As soon as I got off the carriage holding Nicholas’s hand, Jen rushed over and hugged me. His soft brown hair brushed against my cheek. His familiar scent made me finally feel like I was home.
“Jen.”
Still holding me tightly, his shoulders trembled. He spoke in a choked voice.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I’m a useless brother. I’ll never leave you alone again.”
His tears soaked my shoulder. Jen was the only family member who visited me even after I was sent to the annex—every single day, until the Duke stopped him to prevent rumors.
While I was patting his back, I heard him mutter above my head,
“What is he doing here…? Why was he in the same carriage?”
His narrowed eyes were fixed on Devon stretching nearby.
‘Zenn knows him too? Daniel must be pretty famous.’
After Nicholas handed Devon over to the butler, he nudged Jen.
“Let’s go. Father is inside, right?”
“…Yes, brother.”
Zenn tore his gaze away from Devon. His eyes looked strangely sharp.
Lily hurried over and wrapped a blanket around me. As we entered the mansion, I felt countless stares directed at me.
In the first-floor drawing room, the Duke and Theodore were waiting.
My breath caught the moment I saw them. But the Duke walked toward me quickly, limping.
“Natania…? Is it really my daughter?”
Deep wrinkles lined his forehead. His cane clattered loudly onto the floor as he reached me.
His rough hands touched my face and brushed my hair aside.
“Yes, Father. It’s me. Nat.”
At that moment, as a faint light passed through his gray eyes, a burning pain exploded in my cheek as my face was slapped to the side.
“Ah!”
I staggered, and Nicholas immediately caught me and told the maids to close the door.
Theodore smirked as if he had expected this. Zenn shouted in shock,
“Father! She came home safely and you hit her?!”
“Be quiet! Do you know who you’re raising your voice to?”
Rolling up his sleeve to reveal a gold watch, the Duke snapped at Zenn. Then he looked down coldly at me, who had fallen to the floor.
“Listen carefully, Natania.”
His icy eyes made old memories flash through my mind.
“I heard you snuck out of your room many times. I don’t know how you wandered the castle alone, but someone must have seen that your eyes are not well. The family’s reputation has already fallen to the ground.”
“…Father.”
“You caused this kidnapping by behaving carelessly! Our enemies think we’re weak. You should thank your second brother for taking revenge on the mastermind. You will stay in your room and reflect on your actions until I tell you otherwise.”
As my cheek swelled, my senses slowly returned. I had never forgotten the kind of man my father was, but even now, after confirming his daughter was alive, he remained cruel.
‘Everything is your fault, Father. You locked me away. Are you scared the prince will blame you?’
I wanted to say that, but instead I acted like the Natania they expected.
“I don’t want to leave home again. I’ll do everything you say. Please… please don’t send me away.”
Tears welled up—not just from the slap but from anger so strong it turned my mind white.
‘I lost my eyesight trying to save people like this.’
The thought filled me with bitter self-mockery. But what could I do? I had already chosen this path.
The Duke of Mermandi and his eldest son, Theodore—minor characters who would be killed by the male lead in a few years.
Family ties were stronger than I expected. I wanted to stop their tragic end.
So I planned again and again. If my plans were written in a notebook, it would be torn to shreds by now.
