Episode 73

Aiden arrived at Harriet Outer Palace, where the imperial infirmary was located.

Vitrain had been transported here and was likely receiving treatment.

After dismounting, Aiden grabbed the still-sobbing Melbrid by his side and sprinted up the stairs.

Just outside the room where Vitrain lay, a royal physician stepped in front of him, reporting that the patient had just regained consciousness. Before Aiden could brush him aside, Vitrain burst out of the room.

“Have you found Her Majesty?”

He asked as soon as he saw Aiden.

Aiden, who had intended to start with other matters, paused for a moment, swallowing his words.

Though Vitrain had changed out of his blood-soaked clothes and washed his face, half of his head and one eye were wrapped in bandages.

“Your eye…”

Vitrain touched the bandages with his hand and let out a dry laugh.

“Lucky, I suppose.”

He had lost his right eye completely, but he considered himself fortunate.

When Vitrain had collapsed from his injuries, he had assumed he would lose both eyes and never see Her Majesty safe again.

At least his left eye had been spared—he was truly lucky.

With his one remaining blue eye, Vitrain focused on Aiden and asked again, “What about Her Majesty? Have you found where she went?”

Aiden shook his head, his face set in a grim expression.

Vitrain, glancing around for his boots, said determinedly, “I’ll find her. I’ll start again from that spot.”

This time, he would likely lose both eyes, but he had already resolved to pay that price.

As Vitrain began to move, Aiden’s voice stopped him.

“I need to ask you something about your ability.”

“Is this really the time for questions like that?”

“It’s important.”

Seeing Aiden’s unwavering gaze, Vitrain sighed and turned back.

If someone like Aiden, who was more concerned for Sione than anyone, was bringing it up now, it must be for a good reason.

“What is it?”

“Your ability—does it have a limit of about twelve hours? And if so, do you think the serpent knows about that?”

The unexpected question made Vitrain’s expression grow serious.

As he prepared to answer, Vitrain glanced at Melbrid, who was still hanging from Aiden’s side, sniffling. Catching Vitrain’s gaze, Melbrid quickly extricated himself from Aiden’s grip and moved a short distance away, covering his ears as if to say he wasn’t listening.

Watching the young snake’s brother trying to distance himself in such an obvious way stirred some mixed emotions in Vitrain.

But now wasn’t the time for distractions—they had to be wary of everything.

Inside the infirmary, Vitrain lowered his voice and began to explain.

“I don’t usually use that power, so I wasn’t sure beforehand, but it seems my body can’t handle more than twelve hours.”

Vitrain had spent about thirteen hours following the traces of Sione, but that was the limit. He had pushed through with sheer willpower, but beyond that, it was impossible.

So, it was safe to assume that twelve hours was the boundary.

“I’m not sure if the serpent knows for certain, but he might. Even if he doesn’t know the exact time limit, he might be aware I have such a power.”

“It’s safe to assume he knows, then,” Aiden said.

“Yes, because it’s him.”

The tenacious and relentless serpent, Lian Zernia.

Aiden and Vitrain nodded simultaneously, their minds working through the same thoughts.

Vitrain had a feeling he now understood why Aiden had called off the search and returned to Brincia.

“If that snake anticipated that I’d use my power to track them, he might have deliberately lured us.”

“I think the same. It didn’t make sense for someone trying to hide to ride nonstop for thirteen hours toward the border.”

“Especially not down the main road instead of through the forest or mountains.”

As Aiden nodded, Vitrain clenched his teeth in frustration.

He had fallen right into the serpent’s trap and lost an eye in the process.

But the bigger issue was that even if they used the eagle’s sight again, there was no guarantee they’d find Sione.

If Vitrain returned to where he’d collapsed and sacrificed his remaining eye for another thirteen hours of pursuit, would they really uncover the serpent’s hiding place this time?

And if they failed again?

If Lian kept moving, even the full power of the eagle’s vision might be wasted.

“Damn it…”

Vitrain cursed, covering his face with his hands before sinking onto the bed.

Looking up at Aiden with frustration, he spoke.

“We’ll mobilize the imperial army. If we deploy all 150,000 troops and sweep the empire, we’ll catch him somewhere.”

If Sione had heard this, she would have been horrified, but Aiden, commander of the capital guards, agreed without hesitation.

“Good idea. But before that, there’s one more thing we need to confirm.”

“Confirm? What?”

“There’s a critical weakness the serpent has—do you know what it is?”

“A weakness… of the serpent?”

Vitrain frowned and sat up, his one blue eye staring intently into Aiden’s crimson ones, waiting for the answer.

“He’s extremely suspicious. He doesn’t trust anyone.”

“That’s his weakness?”

“The time between the announcement of Her Majesty’s engagement to that snake and her abduction was only a week. We don’t know exactly when he realized we were setting a trap, but his time to prepare must have been even shorter,” Aiden said, his thoughts beginning to crystallize.

Vitrain smirked as he caught on to Aiden’s line of thinking.

“He couldn’t have planned to stay on the run for four years, so he would’ve needed a place to hide.”

“And knowing that we’d mobilize the army, it would have to be somewhere so discreet and secure that no one would ever find it.”

“And being the serpent that he is, he’d want to personally ensure that it was safe.”

Aiden nodded in agreement.

The week had included a weekend, and while Lian had managed to shake off Teodor’s surveillance for a few days, Aiden trusted White Shadow’s Teodor. The snake had likely killed Teodor because it was easier than avoiding his watchful eye.

All they had to do now was confirm whether Lian had been at the Zernia residence the night Teodor went missing.

With a shared glance, Aiden and Vitrain rose from their seats and exited the infirmary.

At the end of the hallway, Melbrid was crouched down, hugging his knees. As they approached, he scrambled to his feet.

Aiden reached out as if to lift him again but instead placed a large hand on the boy’s head.

“Come with us.”

Melbrid didn’t understand but wiped his tears with his sleeve and followed Aiden.

They headed toward the barracks of the imperial guard.

Most of the White Shadow members had left Brincia to search for Sione, but the butler of the Zernia household was still being held there.

The butler, looking exhausted, was dragged into the interrogation room.

Upon seeing the terrified Melbrid, the butler broke down.

“Neither I nor this young master know where the duke has gone! And he is no longer part of House Zernia!”

Aiden ignored the butler’s outburst, his icy gaze steady.

“Forget what you don’t know and tell me what you do. There must have been a day when the duke left the residence before abducting Her Majesty. When was it?”

The butler’s initial bravado deflated. He hesitated, glancing between Aiden and Melbrid.

“The duke hasn’t left the residence at all recently,” he stammered.

“He could have slipped out at night. Tell me what you know.”

The butler’s eyes flickered nervously to Melbrid again.

Melbrid, who had been listening in distress, stepped forward and clutched the butler’s arm.

“That night… he went out that night, didn’t he? That’s why you told me not to wake him, right?”

“Young master…”

“Please, tell the truth, butler. I’m begging you!” Melbrid’s voice broke as he pleaded.

The butler lowered his gaze heavily. He hadn’t wanted to defend Lian’s crazed actions, but it felt like a betrayal to speak against the master he had served for so long.

With a sigh, he finally spoke.

“In the early hours of the morning, the duke’s bedroom was empty. I don’t know when he left or if he went out on other nights, but on that particular morning, he wasn’t in the residence.”

“And he had been there the night before?”

“Yes, until around ten in the evening.”

“When did he return?”

“He was back in his bedroom by seven in the morning. I remember because I had to prepare his morning medicine.”

“So, from ten at night to seven in the morning…”

Aiden rubbed his chin as he muttered.

Roughly nine hours.

The snake’s hideout was within five hours’ distance from Brincia.