~Chapter 112~
“Kyaaah!”
I squeezed my eyes shut, covering my ears and lowering my head.
A scream burst out of me before I could stop it.
My heart pounded wildly. What was that sound? Something breaking?
The carriage came to a halt, as though it had suddenly frozen in place.
Did we crash?
“Lady Irene! Are you alright?”
“What is this…?”
The knights escorting us leaned close to the carriage, worried.
When I blinked my eyes open and lifted my head, one of them spoke.
“It seems there’s a problem with the carriage wheel. Please take my hand and step out—”
But the moment he opened the carriage door—
Boom!
Another sound rang out, and the carriage tilted sharply.
“Eh…?”
My eyes widened.
‘Wait… this road…’
I realized too late. This was the stretch between the Magic Tower and the Duke’s estate where the path clung to a cliff.
A chill ran down my neck.
That meant—the carriage was about to fall.
“Kyaaah!”
“My Lady!”
Before I could even finish the thought, the carriage plummeted downward like a roller coaster.
The knights’ voices grew faint behind me.
My insides lurched as if my organs were being pulled upward. I shut my eyes tight.
What is this? Am I going to die like this?
It was already unfair enough that I was fated to die within a year—
But to die now, in an accident like this…?
Time seemed to slow. My gaze turned hollow, empty.
[Damn it!]
The divine beast cursed, then I heard it slip out through the window.
And then—
Bang!
A blast of smoke erupted outside. The carriage slammed against something and came to a sudden stop.
The divine beast must have transformed into its true form to shield us.
But the backlash was greater than expected.
“Kyaaah!”
I lost my balance and rolled painfully inside the carriage.
Thud!
My head struck a handle, and everything went dark.
Crash!
The door of the Hartmann estate flew open as Albert rushed inside.
The Duke and Duchess, seated by the bed, stood in alarm.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“How did this happen?”
Albert looked in shock at the scene before him.
Irene lay unconscious on the bed, her head wrapped in heavy bandages.
[Your Highness, Lady Irene’s carriage was in an accident not long ago. On her way back after training at the Magic Tower.]
That report had reached him about an hour ago.
A carriage accident.
So sudden, so senseless.
The moment he heard it, Albert had abandoned all his work and rushed here.
Now, seeing her injured—lying so still—his chest tightened unbearably.
“…Will Irene be alright?”
“Fortunately, aside from a head injury, there were no severe wounds. We just don’t know when she will wake.”
The Duke looked at Irene with worried eyes.
“The guards say a giant bird appeared and caught the falling carriage. I don’t know what that means… but at least she wasn’t gravely hurt.”
Albert’s gaze shifted toward the chick, sitting innocently by the bedside.
It tilted its head at him as if clueless, but he could guess the truth.
At least she hadn’t been badly hurt. That was a relief.
“But what caused the accident? Has it been investigated?”
“Yes. The wheel came off. But…”
The Duke frowned, his voice uncertain.
“Your Highness, our family has always been meticulous about carriage safety. Especially for our daughter. Why would such an accident happen now…?”
“…Hmmm.”
Albert frowned deeply. Something didn’t sit right.
After a moment, he lifted his head.
“First, send word of this accident to Fabian and Eric.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“And show me the damaged carriage. I want to see it for myself.”
Albert went to the place where the broken carriage had been brought.
Thanks to the divine beast, the damage was not as bad as it could have been. But the left front wheel had come off completely, and that side was badly crushed.
Albert crouched to examine it closely.
At first glance, nothing looked unusual.
But since it was already broken, he couldn’t know exactly how it had been joined before.
He called for a servant to fetch the carriage keeper.
Soon, a trembling man appeared, clearly fearing punishment.
“Y-Your Highness…”
“I hear you maintained this carriage. You’re ready to take responsibility for this accident, aren’t you?”
“Your Highness, I swear I’m innocent…!”
The man fell to his knees, voice shaking.
“The Duke and Duchess are extremely strict about safety—especially regarding Lady Irene. We check more thoroughly than any other household. I personally inspected the wheel this morning before departure. There were no problems.”
“…Is that so? Then was it the coachman?”
Albert’s voice was cold as he shrugged lightly.
“No wheel so tightly secured would come loose—unless someone loosened it deliberately.”
“But, Your Highness, that coachman has served this house for decades. He would never… And he was injured in the crash himself.”
Albert narrowed his eyes.
The man didn’t seem to be lying.
“Go back for now. Until we know who is responsible, you may not leave this estate.”
“Yes, Your Highness. But please believe me—I am innocent…”
The man bowed low and left.
When he was gone, Albert turned back to the carriage, his brow furrowed.
‘The Duke and Duchess care deeply for Irene’s safety. There’s no way they neglected the carriage. The keeper didn’t seem to lie either.’
‘Which only makes this more unsettling. Someone tampered with the wheel on purpose.’
Who? The coachman? Someone else?
And why would anyone try to cause such an accident?
“…Magic.”
A voice came from behind. Albert spun around in shock.
Fabian Alfonso stood there, pointing at the broken wheel.
“There. Around the damaged wheel—I can sense traces of magic.”
“…!”
Albert’s eyes widened.
He had only just asked for Fabian to be notified. How was he here already?
But more shocking than his sudden arrival were the words themselves.
Magic?
“You mean… someone sabotaged the wheel with magic?”
“The chances are very high. …And perhaps by the same person.”
“Same… person?”
Albert frowned, not understanding Fabian’s muttered words.
But Fabian stepped closer, his expression grim.
This wasn’t just concern for Irene’s safety. He had discovered something bigger.
“I have something to tell those involved in Lady Irene’s treatment.”
He pulled out a paper.
In his hand fluttered the mana test results.
“It’s about Lady Irene’s illness… something very important.”
