Chapter 70
Noah had already unfolded the map and was searching for something.
My heart began to race too, so I pressed close to Noah and looked at the map with him.
“Father’s point of departure was Dive.”
Noah pointed at Dive, one of the Winter territories, on the map.
“And the place that became a contaminated zone this time, Mendel, is here…”
Noah drew a red line from Dive to Mendel.
“It’s close…”
It didn’t take long to get from Dive to Mendel, and since Father mentioned he stopped somewhere on the way, it was very likely he passed through here.
Especially given Father’s personality—if he had heard that something happened in Mendel, there’s no way he would’ve just passed by.
“If he stopped in Mendel, and that’s where all contact was cut off…”
Then something serious must have happened.
Every merchant had said in unison that Mendel’s forest was dying.
The fact that Ethan had gone there himself already showed how grave the situation was.
Noah spoke.
“I have to go to Mendel.”
“I’m going too.”
“Siena. Didn’t you hear me? Mendel is contaminated ground right now. It’s dangerous for patients.”
“I’m not a patient anymore. I’m cured, and unlike before, I’m healthy now. I’ll be fine.”
In the past, I wouldn’t have dared, and I’d only have been a burden. But now that I’d been healed, maybe I could actually help.
But Noah thought differently.
“If you step into contaminated ground and fall sick again? Absolutely not.”
“But…!”
“No matter what you say, this is the one thing I won’t allow.”
“I’m worried about Father too!”
“Worry about yourself instead.”
“…Are you saying my worries don’t even count?”
I was healthy now—so why was I still being treated like I was weak?
Was I not even allowed to worry about Father?
“Siena, that’s not what I meant—”
“Forget it. I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”
Noah, flustered, tried to soothe me, but I glared coldly at him and turned my back.
Noah quickly organized an expedition heading to Mendel and finished preparations the very next day.
But Siena didn’t come to see him off.
“She must still be really upset.”
With a bitter face, Noah glanced toward the part of the mansion where Siena’s room was.
It wasn’t as though his heart was at ease after being harsh with her.
But this was the one thing he could never compromise on, no matter what.
The memory of Siena coughing up blood and collapsing kept flashing before his eyes.
If she went there and fell sick again?
“…Unthinkable.”
Even if she hated him for it, that was a situation he had to prevent.
Right before departing, Noah gave orders to the remaining knights.
“Do not let Siena step outside. Until I return, she must not take a single step beyond this mansion.”
“Yes, young lord!”
“Then let’s go.”
Noah set off for Mendel with the expedition.
The remaining knights tightened security around the ducal residence.
So thorough, even a mouse couldn’t slip through.
Contrary to Noah’s worries, I was perfectly fine.
Of course, I was angry, but I didn’t have the time to sulk forever.
“So, they’ve finally left.”
Pulling open the curtains, I sharply surveyed the outside.
As expected, Noah had left strict instructions—knights were everywhere, at the front gate and along the outer walls.
Not just stationed there, some were even patrolling the grounds.
“Knew it. He’d do this.”
There was no way I could leave on my own.
But that was fine. I had already prepared.
“Heren! Ban! Lina! Let’s go!”
“Woong!”
“Ready, my lady!”
“The young lord will be furious if he finds out.”
Unlike the two brimming with enthusiasm, Heraise dampened the mood.
I shot him a sharp glare.
“So you’re saying I should just sit still while Father is in danger? How could you say something so cruel!”
“Heraise, you’re heartless!”
“I didn’t think you were like that, Heraise…”
Once I opened my mouth, the others joined in, ganging up on him.
“…Are you done talking?”
His cold retort shut everyone up.
But I wasn’t about to give up so easily.
Stretching my hand toward the outside of the mansion, I shouted:
“Let’s go! Heraimong! Door to anywhere!”
“…What now.”
“Teleportation. We’re teleporting. Hurry up.”
I stomped impatiently, urging him, and Heraise curled his lip.
“When we get back, teleportation magic lessons start.”
“…I haven’t even succeeded at shields yet…”
“Shields and teleportation, both assignments.”
“Ugh.”
Burdened by the suddenly increased homework, my shoulders slumped.
“Come here.”
Dragging my feet, I reached him and took his hand.
Ban immediately hopped onto his shoulder, and Lina hesitantly grabbed his shirt hem.
To teleport, we all had to be in contact with the caster, Heraise.
“Where to?”
“The marketplace!”
With a snap of his fingers, Heraise activated the spell.
When I opened my eyes again, we were at the market entrance.
Since Heraise didn’t know the exact location of the warp gate, he’d brought us to the closest possible spot.
“Wow…”
It was Lina’s first time experiencing teleportation, and she looked around in wonder at the sudden change of scenery.
Then, remembering herself, she hurried off.
“I’ll fetch us a carriage!”
After grabbing a nearby carriage, we quickly rode toward the warp gate.
We arrived at the Winter family’s private warp gate.
As descendants of Agav, the Winter family owned many magical artifacts, and the warp gate was one of them.
“I need to use the warp gate right now. Where’s the administrator?”
“L–Lady!”
Hearing of my arrival, the administrator came running, flustered.
“I need to go to Dive. Activate the gate immediately.”
“I’m sorry, but I cannot allow that. The young lord ordered us to block its use if you came…”
He bowed his head deeply, watching me nervously.
‘So he knew I’d sneak out and try to use the warp gate?’
I blew out a sharp breath through my bangs.
“Hah, no wonder the mansion security seemed loose for one of Noah’s orders.”
With Heraise at my side, he must have known escaping the mansion was trivial for me.
‘So he reinforced the gate instead!’
Since not even Heraise could teleport all the way to Mendel.
‘He got me there.’
The administrator paled at my twitching expression.
“My lady! Forgive me! But the warp gate cannot be used!”
With that, he bolted away before I could grab him.
Only the gate guards remained.
I looked blankly at the spot where he disappeared.
“…Now what. Without the administrator, the gate can’t be activated.”
“What’s there to worry about? I’m here.”
I whirled on Heraise.
“You can operate this?”
“Of course. Who do you think built it?”
“…Don’t tell me…”
At his confident voice, I clasped my hands together like in prayer.
Seeing the mix of hope and desperation on my face, Heraise smiled brightly.
“I made it.”
“Unbelievable…”
I threw my arms around him, patting his back as I hopped up and down.
“Heren, you really are the best!”
Looking flustered, he raised his hands, but soon let out a pleased laugh.
“You hugging me first—guess I should thank the young lord.”
But when his hand slyly slid around my waist, my brows twitched. I slapped his arm.
“Bad hand, off.”
“Bad hand? That’s harsh.”
He pouted and rubbed his arm, but I ignored him.
Then Lina leaned close and whispered.
“My lady, Heraise… should we deal with those knights first?”
At her words, we all glanced at the knights.
Beads of sweat trickled down their faces.
“Sorry, nothing personal.”
“M–My lady, please don’t—”
“Sleep.”
“Ughhh—”
With one spell, I knocked them all out, twirling my staff with a satisfied grin.
“Not bad, right?”
“Thanks to my teaching.”
“…Yeah, you did teach me.”
The memory of endless training under Heraise’s merciless guidance made my face darken.
“Siena, that guy’s running back here.”
“What? Why is he coming back? Let’s hurry!”
At Ban’s urging, we all quickly activated the warp gate and headed for Dive.
“A–Ah, my lady?!”
“How did you…?”
The knights stationed at Dive panicked when I stepped out of the gate.
But only for a moment.
Quickly regaining composure, they slowly moved to surround me—like hunters trapping prey.
“My lady. Please stay where you are.”
“Forgive us, but we must ask you to return—”
“Sleep.”
“Ughhh—”
Once again, I knocked them all out with Sleep, then pulled my robe over myself with a sigh.
“How much did Noah tell them? At this rate, I’ll be caught every time I take a step.”
“Then how about we change your appearance?”
I looked up at Heraise, startled.
“How?”
“With a potion.”
“If you had something like that, you should’ve given it to me from the start! Hand it over.”
I snapped my fingers, demanding, and Heraise chuckled.
“You’re such a little thug.”
He shook his head with a smirk.
