Episode 5
“Are you insane?”
It was Solon, the captain of the knights standing beside Arden, who raised an objection.
Mount Taiter was just ahead.
Once the monsters there were dealt with, the emperor’s orders would be fulfilled.
The Kreshmir territory had many barren mountains, and for the people to survive, they needed their lord’s strength.
His military power was directly tied to the domain’s finances.
Most of those finances came from the emperor, using monster subjugation as a pretext.
The magic stones obtained from slaying the monsters also contributed.
There was no way their lord was unaware of the situation.
He also knew it would take a great deal of money to restore the territory after the harsh cold wave that struck last winter.
“My lord.”
A reprimand for insubordination should have followed immediately, but the lord remained silent.
Solon cautiously spoke again, observing the lord’s unusual demeanor.
Though his face was handsome enough to turn heads, it always looked indifferent to everything.
That indifferent face turned toward Solon.
Was it an unremarkable letter?
Whether it was good or bad news, nothing could be read from the lord’s expression.
“Cancel the order given to Eunice. Tell him to return.”
“…Pardon?”
Solon’s mouth dropped open in disbelief.
He hadn’t even asked why Eunice was being recalled when a more puzzling order followed.
Who was Eunice Parviz? He was the only one who had left the order, following the lord’s command to find Lady Aicel alone.
Since he was still out there, it meant the lord hadn’t given up on Lady Aicel.
That was something not just Solon but everyone in the Aegis Knights knew.
Eunice was the vice-captain, after all.
After nearly ten years, perhaps even the lord had grown weary.
The more one clings to hope, the smaller it becomes, and everything outside it begins to feel like despair.
In truth, Solon wanted to stop his lord as well. To ask him to let the lady go, at last.
If they hadn’t found her after all those years, perhaps she was already dead.
But he couldn’t bring himself to say such words in front of his lord. Solon, too, hoped the lady was still alive.
But now, a command that sounded like true resignation had come.
He wanted to ask something—anything—but because it was about the lady, he couldn’t speak carelessly.
Solon watched the pensive lord, hoping he would explain more.
“No. I will return alone. From now on, you are the leader. Fulfill the emperor’s orders.”
It wasn’t a difficult task, yet Solon still didn’t respond right away.
In the past nine years, it was rare for the lord to leave the battlefield. Each time, it had been related to the lady.
No way. Solon’s pale blue eyes widened in doubt.
“Aicel has returned.”
As if to confirm Arden’s words, the bird perched on his arm let out a sharp chirp.
***
The next day after arriving at the Grand Duke’s residence, Lucy and Aicel moved into the annex.
They had planned to move after dinner yesterday, but Lucy had fallen asleep during the meal, completely exhausted.
It seemed she had finally relaxed, realizing they had safely crossed the mountains and arrived.
When she opened her eyes in a strange place, the maids helped her wash and get dressed.
It was the first helping hand she’d received since her mother had done so when she was six.
It felt awkward, yet the tidy appearance reflected in the mirror brought a smile to Lucy’s face.
Her mother had already moved to the annex, and the luggage from the carriage had been unpacked.
Lucy wanted to thank those who had helped with her duties, but Emmet said it was fine and led her to the annex.
“I can share a room with Mom.”
Lucy shook her head at Emmet after looking around the room assigned to her.
She didn’t need a grand and spacious room.
The room Emmet gave her was as large as the one she had shared with her mother in the mountains.
Whether it was originally like this or newly furnished, the bed decorated with pink bedding had a fluttering canopy, and the sofa and desk were small to suit her size.
Delicate embroidery swayed on the curtain by the spring-lit window.
It felt too much.
She had already incurred a debt from receiving the holy water at the Grand Duke’s house.
The doctor was also taking good care of her mother. She couldn’t afford to owe more.
“Still, this is the room for the young lady. You must stay here until the master arrives.”
“I’m not a young lady.”
At the cringeworthy title, Lucy pouted.
She had already said it wasn’t necessary to call her that, but Emmet kept using the term with a sly smile.
“Of course, you can stay with Lady Aicel too. But please understand this room is solely for you, Miss Lucy.”
As if he knew she felt burdened, Emmet added a long explanation.
“And this is Melody. She will take care of both Lady Aicel and Miss Lucy. If you need anything, you can ask her or me.”
At Emmet’s explanation, Melody, who had been standing at the door, approached and bowed deeply.
“I’m Melody. Please let me know if you need anything.”
“Melody…”
Lucy repeated her name, then returned her bright smile in response to the greeting.
Time had changed her face a little. In her mother’s memories, she had looked like a mere child, but now she seemed mature and capable.
Melody was one of the few maids who had treated her mother well.
She had said she was fourteen back then.
It was no wonder Lucy hadn’t recognized her right away.
Knowing Melody was still here made Lucy happy, and she stepped closer to her.
“Please take care of me.”
Lucy opened her arms and hugged Melody.
Startled, Melody glanced at Emmet. He too seemed surprised, adjusting his slipping glasses with his fingers.
After a moment of hesitation, Melody returned the hug. The eight-year-old was smaller and thinner than others her age.
Had no one cared for the child while the lady was ill?
Melody hadn’t heard all the details from the steward, but she now felt a strong sense of duty.
She would at least help this child grow healthy and well-fed, enough to bring a smile to Lady Aicel’s face when she awoke.
“I want to go see Mom.”
After the hug, she sent off the oddly motivated Melody and asked Emmet.
Emmet had intended to show her around the annex and its beautiful garden, but instead, he took her hand and led her to the adjacent room.
“Wow.”
The room, filled with sunlight, felt warm just by looking at it.
The gratitude came first—thankful that such a good room was given. Lucy let go of Emmet’s hand and ran over to her mother.
A cure for Vapour disease hadn’t been developed yet.
It wasn’t easy to make both oral and topical medicine. The process of refining the butterfly herb took time.
In the meantime, the doctor had brought an ointment with a calming effect.
Since it was best applied frequently, Lucy chose to do it herself instead of relying on the maids.
Having just entered the Grand Duke’s house two days ago, the access to this ointment was already an incredible benefit for Lucy.
Even though her mother was sleeping, she sometimes frowned due to the Vapour disease.
Lucy had felt helpless, unable to do anything for her. That time of pain now turned to relief.
“Mom, does that feel better?”
As she applied the ointment to her mother’s arm, she asked, knowing no answer would come.
Still, she spoke out of habit and believed her mother could hear everything.
As she gently spread the white ointment, the redness in her mother’s skin seemed to fade a little.
“Mom, you’ll get better soon. They have holy water here, so they’ll make the medicine soon. Just hold on a little longer.”
The child’s softly encouraging voice was as warm as the spring sunshine.
Emmet looked at her with deep affection.
The child’s love for her mother was admirable, but he was also filled with questions about how they had lived until now.
He wanted to sit her down and ask everything, but Emmet refrained—it was his master’s place to do so.
Besides, repeating the story wouldn’t be easy for the child either.
“Oh, here you are. I was just about to come looking for you.”
Dermot entered the room, his face lighting up.
Lucy paused her hands and turned to look at the doctor.
Their eyes met perfectly. It seemed he had been looking for her, not Emmet.
“My assistants are refining the butterfly herb. It’s a crucial ingredient, and even with many doctors working on it, it’ll take about two days.”
Lucy nodded at the doctor’s explanation.
Just as Sylph had told her.
Without skill, it would’ve taken a week, but thankfully the doctors at the Grand Duke’s house were reliable.
“Do you happen to know how long the young lady has had sleeping sickness?”
Dermot cautiously asked, observing Lucy’s reaction.
The symptoms didn’t suggest a good prognosis.
They had arrived yesterday, and she hadn’t woken once.
That meant the disease had likely progressed for over three years.
There was nothing doctors could do for sleeping sickness.
The best they could do was keep a magic stone nearby to maintain life and occasionally administer nutrients.
How had this child lived with a mother in such a state?
As a doctor and a father, he was deeply concerned and wanted to know more.
But Dermot kept his curiosity in check and chose his questions carefully.
“She’s been asleep for a year and a half.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Sleeping sickness doesn’t matter. Just focus on the Vapour disease.”
Dermot was left speechless by the clear demand from an eight-year-old. All the questions he had prepared vanished.
Did she not know that sleeping sickness was incurable?
Or did she know better than he did and thus dismissed it as unimportant?
Either way, it was a dilemma for the doctor.
Whether to tell the child her mother was going to die, or accept that this child might know a way to cure an incurable disease.
Dermot paused in thought, then spoke.
“For now, I will devote myself to treating the Vapour disease. The medicine is being prepared.”
“Yes. Please do.”
As Lucy smiled brightly, seemingly satisfied with the answer, Dermot managed an awkward smile in return.
A shadow had been quietly listening to the conversation from Aicel’s room.
The small figure quickly and silently slipped out of the annex.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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