Chapter 20
I went straight to the hunting dog kennels in the village. Since hunting dogs have an excellent sense of smell, I thought they could help find Claude.
Fortunately, when I explained the situation, the owner agreed to lend me the dogs without hesitation. Since the dogs were trained to follow only their owner’s commands, the owner even accompanied us to the landslide site.
“Thank you. I will never forget this favor.”
I immediately sent the hunting dogs to search. Even Gillian, who would usually scold me, agreed without complaint. He must have judged that my plan was reasonable.
Luckily, the rain stopped soon. However, the problem was that the sun was beginning to set.
Winter days were short, and the evening after a rainstorm was especially cold. It was not the ideal environment for a rescue operation.
“My lady, why don’t we stop for today and resume early tomorrow morning?”
“It’s freezing, and it rained all day. If we stop now, he might freeze to death.”
“…Understood.”
Gillian reluctantly nodded. He seemed to realize that if Marquis Agris died near the Duke of Bellomon’s territory, it would cause political problems.
“I will save him.”
I will find him and bring him to Amelia. I promised.
With that determination, I followed the hunting dogs.
The dogs sniffed the wet soil and scratched at the ground with their paws, but most of their attempts led to nothing.
‘The ground will freeze by dawn…’
It had just rained. I could already guess how quickly the wet soil would turn to ice.
At first, I prayed that Claude would be safe. But as time passed, my prayers changed—I just wanted him to be alive, even if he was injured.
Just as my hope was beginning to fade…
“Woof!”
The brown hunting dog ahead barked loudly. It looked back at me, barking again, then started digging at a mound of dirt and branches.
“I think it found something!”
The dog owner’s excited voice gave me strength.
Gillian, the soldiers, and I rushed over with shovels and tools.
As we dug where the dog had indicated, a crushed carriage emerged. The shattered windows proved the severity of the accident.
I peered inside through a hole the dog had dug, but Claude was nowhere to be seen. The inside of the carriage was filled with dirt.
‘He couldn’t have been thrown out…’
Claude was too large to fit through the small window.
“Hurry up! Move faster!”
“Yes, sir!”
Gillian commanded the soldiers, who resumed digging. However, thick tree roots and heavy soil made the process painfully slow.
‘At this rate, it will take too long.’
A massive tree blocked the entrance, and removing it was no easy task. If we didn’t reach him soon, he would succumb to the freezing cold.
Unable to wait any longer, I removed my coat.
“What are you doing?!”
Gillian stared at me as if I had lost my mind. The knights around him looked just as shocked.
But I ignored them.
I removed my thick outerwear to make my body smaller, then draped my coat over the shattered window frame.
Then, like a swimmer diving into water, I slipped into the carriage.
My small frame fit through easily.
“My lady, what are you doing?!”
Gillian’s voice was frantic, and the knights were just as alarmed.
I dusted off my clothes and spoke.
“Do you know how long it will take to clear the entrance?”
The real problem wasn’t just the dirt. A large tree had been swept down by the rain and was blocking the doorway.
“We don’t have time. If someone has to do it, it might as well be me.”
The soldiers were too large to fit through the window.
I turned to a nearby soldier and extended my hand.
“Give me a shovel.”
“…What?”
“Hurry.”
I snatched the shovel from him and got to work.
Just then, the hunting dog that had jumped in with me scratched at the dirt-covered floor.
“Woof!”
“The floor…?”
I started digging where the dog indicated. As I shoveled, the floor beneath me started to vibrate.
“He’s here! He’s under here!”
I ordered the soldiers to stop digging outside. The soil was muffling the sounds—if we wanted to hear him, we needed silence.
“Are you okay?”
I shouted as loud as I could, hoping Claude would hear me.
“I’m fine!”
A response came immediately.
“Hold on just a little longer!”
Thank goodness. Thank goodness…
I swallowed my tears and dug even faster.
Seeing that Claude was alive, Gillian urged the soldiers to work harder.
My frozen hands ached, and my body, unused to hard labor, begged for rest.
But I couldn’t stop.
After about ten minutes of digging, we finally uncovered part of the carriage floor.
“Woof! Woof!”
The hunting dog pawed at the ground, revealing a small door with a handle.
“Woof!”
The dog barked again as if to say, ‘This is it.’
My trembling hands gripped the handle, and I pulled it with all my strength.
Finally…
“I found him!”
Claude was there.
Claude stared at his rescuer, bathed in light.
After being in darkness for so long, the woman before him seemed to glow.
He blinked several times, adjusting to the brightness.
Then, her face came into focus.
She had long eyelashes, and tears clung to them.
“Why are you crying?”
At his question, her eyelashes quivered. A tear slid down her dirt-streaked cheek.
She quickly wiped her face and spoke.
“Amelia is waiting for you.”
“…!”
“She believes her uncle will come for her. We need to get out of here and go to the orphanage.”
“Then you must be…”
Claude trailed off, but the answer was clear.
“Yes.”
“…”
“I am Lucella Rilfrey.”
Lucella Rilfrey. The name written in the letter that told him about Amelia’s whereabouts.
“Our Amelia is really there…?”
“Yes. She’s at the Busnie Orphanage, waiting for you.”
Claude sprang up, but his legs gave out beneath him.
Lucella quickly caught him.
“…Oh no.”
Claude’s right pant leg was soaked with blood.
“I thought I only hit my head…”
He must have been injured while taking cover in the cramped space.
“Does it hurt?”
“I didn’t even realize I was injured.”
Lucella grabbed the coat she had left on the broken window and wrapped it around Claude.
She then slung his arm over her shoulder and started walking.
Her legs trembled—first from exhaustion, then from the weight of supporting Claude.
But she kept moving forward.
“We’ve found the Marquis! Everyone, work faster!”
“Yes.”
As soon as Claude was safely found, Gillian and the soldiers moved even more quickly.
Before long, the huge tree blocking the way was cleared, and the tightly shut door was opened. The waiting doctors quickly covered Claude with a thick blanket and checked his wounds. Finally, the rescue was completely successful.
“His body temperature is a little low, but his life is not in danger. The wounds on his forehead and leg are not too serious either.”
“I understand. Let’s take him straight to the Duke’s mansion.”
Lucella got into the carriage, following the doctors who were supporting Claude. The carriage carrying the injured man sped down the road faster than ever.
“I’m fine. Please take me to the Busnie Orphanage.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you say Amelia is waiting for me? I can treat my wounds after I meet my niece.”
“No.”
Lucella firmly refused as she looked at Claude, who was wrapped tightly in the blanket. Earlier, it had been too dark to see properly, but now she noticed the blood covering half of his face from his forehead wound. His lips were also turning blue from the cold.
“No matter how strong you are, you won’t last long in this condition.”
“I can endure it.”
But Claude was just as determined.
“Please, let me meet Amelia first.”
The people sitting around him exchanged glances. His attitude was too firm.
Should they tell the coachman to change direction? As they hesitated, Lucella spoke up.
“Are you planning to make Amelia faint?”
“What do you mean?”
“You want to meet a seven-year-old child covered in blood? Have you thought about how terrified she’ll be?”
“Ah…”
Claude turned to look out the window.
His reflection in the glass was covered in blood. His face was pale from the long hours spent in the cold.
