EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 120

Chapter 120

 

“But as a sick child… Where could she have gone…? Ah! Maybe she went to see the physician?”

Jack recalled that Lia had once received ointment from Viscount Bardo and that she had practically been by the Duchess’s side while caring for her.

But Allen clutched his chest in frustration.

“It’s not that, she’s really gone! Her clothes, her belongings, everything is missing. Even her suitcase!”

“…!”

Jack’s eyes widened, and it felt as if his heart had dropped.

Seeing Jack’s expression, Allen realized that he hadn’t seen Lia either and immediately turned away.

Jack, who had been momentarily frozen, quickly followed Allen as they ran toward the main building.

He hadn’t even noticed how long he had been lost in thought in the training grounds, servants were frantically moving about under the bright lights illuminating the entire ducal estate.

At that moment, the Duchess and Bianca, who were standing near the entrance, spotted Allen.

“Allen.”

“Jack doesn’t know either.”

“Ah…”

Bianca swallowed hard.

She had thought that since Jack was a friend who had come with Lia from the orphanage, he might know something.

“The guards at the main gate said Lia returned from the marquis’s estate in the afternoon and hasn’t left again since…”

The Duchess bit her lip anxiously.

Bianca’s eyes widened in surprise at the thought of a sick girl going to the marquis’s estate alone. Allen was equally puzzled.

“Then that means she’s still somewhere in the ducal estate, right?”

“That is…”

The Duchess hesitated to answer.

Just as the girl had unexpectedly saved her with an unknown power, there was a possibility she had left unnoticed.

The state of her room suggested she had packed her things and left of her own accord rather than being taken by force…

At that moment, a massive carriage passed through the main gates and entered the ducal estate.

They had contacted the Duke at the Imperial Palace, but could he have returned so quickly?

As the Duchess tilted her head in confusion, unexpected guests began stepping out of the carriage.

“Your Grace, the Grand Duke? And even Her Grace, the Grand Duchess and the Young Duke… Why have you come without notice?”

The startled Duchess asked, but the Grand Duke, looking almost dazed, spoke instead.

“Where is the girl? I need to see her immediately.”

“The girl? Do you mean Lia?”

“Yes. Is she in her room? Where is she?”

As if even the time spent sending someone to fetch her was too precious, the Grand Duke was already preparing to enter the mansion.

While the flustered Duchess struggled to respond, Bianca looked at the Grand Duchess standing behind him.

Her gaze seemed to ask what was going on, but the Grand Duchess only furrowed her brows and shook her head.

Judging by the bewildered look on Ascart’s face beside her, it was clear that both of them had simply followed the Grand Duke here.

“Your Grace.”

Finally, Bianca stepped forward on behalf of the troubled Duchess.

“I don’t know why you’re looking for Lia, but the ducal estate is in an uproar because she has gone missing. We are searching for her right now, so please wait a little longer.”

But as soon as Bianca finished speaking…

“Your Highness!”

The Grand Duke swayed and then collapsed onto the ground as if his legs had given out.

 

***

 

“When is he going to get here?”

I sniffled and mumbled softly.

It must be winter, the sun had already set, and it was so dark that I could hardly see anything.

Right now, I was sitting on a bench in the maze garden of the ducal estate, the place where I usually met Darel.

Rather than sitting, it was more like I was curled up, trying to shield myself from the steadily falling snow.

‘I should have taken my time coming out.’

After retrieving the communication device from my wardrobe, I had quickly contacted Darel and then stuffed clothes, snacks, a notebook, and a pen into my suitcase.

At that moment, the once-silent communication device flashed—a sign that he had received my message.

Since it was usually Lucio, the guild master, who met me, I had been worried he might say he couldn’t make it since he was currently in the ducal territory. But fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

He was probably planning to send another guild member instead.

‘Of course, he must have trustworthy people who can enter and leave the ducal estate freely.’

Feeling relieved, I put on warm clothes and quietly made my way into the maze garden, careful to hide my presence.

“…I should have at least said goodbye to Diana.”

I planned to resolve this matter and return, but I had no idea how long it would take.

Feeling a pang of regret, I mumbled and then shook my head.

I had left quietly, not wanting to burden the ducal family. Saying goodbye would have been ridiculous.

I knew full well the consequences of my impulsive decision today.

The enraged Grand Duchess might officially lodge a complaint with Duke Elard’s family.

Even if she didn’t, she would surely tell the Grand Duke, Ascart, and the Marquis.

I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing the Marquis, Ascart, and even the Grand Duke looking at me with the same contemptuous eyes as the Grand Duchess.

But I also couldn’t tell the ducal family.

Perhaps the Duke and Duchess would take my words seriously.

With Diana, who knew my true identity, they might even try to resolve this together.

‘But what if, in the process, Duke Elard’s family and Grand Duke Belus’s family end up at odds?’

“That can’t happen.”

Even I had no idea how things would turn out.

I had already caused a huge mess, and I couldn’t afford to cause any more trouble.

‘That’s why I have to handle this on my own.’

My plan was to go to the temple first and speak with a high priest or someone of similar authority to explain my situation and ask for help.

Given the strange phenomenon of my rejection of divine power and the fact that I was willing to pay a substantial sum, they wouldn’t just dismiss me as a liar and throw me out.

Of course, if they found me suspicious or treated me as an ill omen, I was prepared to run away immediately.

No matter how many holy knights were around, they wouldn’t be able to stop me if I set my mind to escaping.

‘The real problem is what to do if the temple can’t provide any answers…’

Where would I go then?

As I let out a sigh, lost in thought, a certain face surfaced in my mind through the mist of my breath.

“…Master.”

Should I go to him… to Terencium?

The master I knew was someone who knew everything and could do anything.

Although he hadn’t seemed to realize that I was the Grand Duke’s daughter, if I explained my situation, he might be able to offer some help.

‘If all else fails, I could at least ask him where the great sage who roams the continent is.’

My desperation dulled my fear of running into Jade or the other executives.

In any case, I was glad I had earned money in advance. Whether it was the temple or Terencium, I would need funds to solve this problem.

“But still… it’s freezing. I wish he’d hurry up.”

Now that I had a plan, I suddenly felt the chill seeping into my bones and the pangs of hunger.

I had taken the scarf, gloves, and earmuffs that Diana had gifted me, and I was glad I had.

Even so, despite being bundled up, the icy wind made my nose sting.

“…Sitting here like this makes me feel like I’m back in my beggar days.”

Letting out a frosty breath, I muttered bitterly.

Just then…

I heard the crunch of footsteps moving quickly.

‘My money! My money is finally here!’

Excited, I lifted my head from where I had been curled up, only to freeze on the spot.

“Ah, ah…?”

I was so shocked that my lips merely parted, unable to form words.

The person standing before me was someone who absolutely should not be here.

“You.”

Despite the heavy snowfall, sweat beaded on his forehead. Clenching his teeth, he took slow, deliberate steps toward me.

Seeing how furious he looked, I could only open and close my mouth soundlessly.

My face was probably just as pale as his.

“Y-young Master.”

He had not even used an artifact to disguise himself—he was Lucio, in his true form.

 

***

 

“Weren’t you supposed to be in the ducal territory? No, you must have gone. There’s no way you didn’t go.”

Lucio looked down at the girl who had driven him to the brink, her mere presence reigniting the anxiety he had barely managed to suppress.

The girl was rambling as if she couldn’t believe he was actually here.

But Lucio found it just as hard to believe that she was here.

While inspecting the ducal territory, he had noticed his communication device flashing.

He always carried it with him so he could immediately be alerted if something happened to the guild while he was away.

But unexpectedly, the person trying to reach him was Lia.

There were still days left before the agreed payment date, yet she had urgently requested that he bring the money as soon as possible. The message had caught him off guard.

He had no recollection of how he had managed to ride his horse to the teleportation zone and rush to the capital.

His duties in the ducal territory weren’t finished, but none of that mattered.

A terrifying sense of dread had dried his mouth, the fear that if he didn’t meet her immediately, he might lose her forever.

And if he let her slip away now…

Lucio had a gut-wrenching feeling that he would regret it more than anything. His mind had gone blank with desperation.

“Young Master, why are you even here…?”

But now that she was right in front of him, even he was bewildered.

What had he been thinking, coming all this way? What did this girl even mean to him…?

Yet, despite himself, Lucio acted on impulse—pulling Lia into his embrace, as if needing to confirm she was really there.

She flailed in surprise, as fragile as a startled bird.

Only then did Lucio finally exhale in relief.

‘No. There’s no way. You wouldn’t leave me again.’

The thought slipped from his mind so naturally that he almost didn’t notice. But when he did, he faltered.

That’s it for today. I have two exams coming up, so I will take a break for a week. See you all then 🤍