Episode 103

I could feel Ludwig’s gaze fixed on me.

‘Ah… did I sound too certain?’

It was only natural—after all, I could still vividly recall the exact location where the golden flowers bloomed.

The placement of the trees, the shape of the land, the plants growing there—everything.

But it had only been a dream, so I couldn’t be too sure.

“Robert’s companion, the child he looks after, has a rough memory of where the fruit grows.”

I mentioned Sharon, forcing an awkward smile.

“I see. Even a rough location will make things much easier,” Ludwig said, nodding in agreement.

“When we begin our search, I don’t plan to bring the knights. As you know, Mount Teiosa is off-limits to the imperial family.”

Mount Teiosa had been a restricted area for a long time.

No one knew exactly when or why the restriction was placed—it had simply been a longstanding tradition.

But I knew.

The restriction had been imposed during Damon’s reign.

After that, no one had been allowed to enter.

‘The reason is obvious.’

It was where Tias rested.

To ensure her eternal slumber remained undisturbed, and so that only he could stand by her side, the mountain had been sealed off.

Unlike the strict enforcement of the past, there were no longer guards posted at its borders, and there were no major restrictions preventing entry.

Local villagers occasionally snuck in, as did Robert’s wife and Sharon.

As long as individuals entered discreetly, there was no real issue.

But bringing an entire order of knights up the mountain would be a different story.

It could be seen as a direct challenge to the imperial decree, drawing unnecessary attention.

For now, I planned to conduct an initial search with a small group. If necessary, we could bring in more people later.

Ludwig agreed with my reasoning.

“That makes sense. Drawing the imperial family’s attention would be a hassle.”

The moment the imperial family caught wind of our movements, they would stop at nothing to uncover what the Grand Duke of Karsian and the young Duchess of Drenihan were plotting together.

“When do you plan to begin the search?”

There was no reason to delay. I wanted to leave as soon as possible—even tomorrow.

But after spending three days unconscious, my body lacked the strength.

“I’ll begin as soon as I recover.”

* * *

Ludwig agreed to adjust his schedule to match mine and travel together.

With Karsian’s high-speed carriage, we could reach our destination in just half a day. Just having him accompany me was already a great help.

Before long, however, my awakening was discovered by Nella.

And then, within moments, a physician, several mages, and my father all burst into my room. I was subjected to a thorough medical examination that lasted for a grueling three to four hours.

In the end, their final diagnosis was simple: aside from a lack of nutrients from not eating for three days, I was completely healthy.

But even that minor issue seemed to cause great concern.

I was only freed from my captors after consuming an absurdly extravagant meal prepared by the head chef—one so grand that the table legs nearly collapsed under its weight.

My father and grandfather had clearly been deeply worried while I was unconscious. Their darkened eyes showed signs of sleepless nights.

It was to the point that they had even been preparing to summon an alchemist from the western continent who was said to have created an elixir for eternal life.

“Here, drink another bottle.”

“But I’ve already had two…”

“You haven’t had one since finishing your meal.”

That was true, but…

I was now on my third bottle of elixir—each one worth ten gold coins.

Each time I drank it, I could feel my strength recovering and my depleted nutrients replenishing, but three bottles seemed excessive!

Of course, elixirs were beneficial no matter how much one drank, but the taste was unbearable.

‘Still… he seems really worried. I should just drink it.’

Closing my eyes tightly, I forced myself to gulp down the disgustingly bitter elixir.

Seeing me drink every last drop, my grandfather’s expression finally relaxed.

“Well done. I had several more bottles prepared in your room, so make sure to drink them regularly.”

It seemed he was convinced that my collapse was due to my frail constitution.

I let out an awkward chuckle and nodded.

Grandfather had been staying in the Selbuk territory, where previous Dukes of Drenihan had mainly resided. But as soon as he heard of my collapse, he had rushed straight to Drenihan.

‘I heard that at first, he thought it was the work of the Banseverin faction and immediately drew his sword, saying he’d make them bathe in blood this time…’

That could have been a disaster.

“A young one like you shouldn’t be weaker than this old man. I’ll get you every tonic and elixir available, so don’t throw a tantrum just because it’s bitter.”

Though he spoke with a teasing smile, his gaze was filled with warmth.

“I understand. I’m sorry for making you worry, Grandfather.”

When I smiled up at him, he let out a quiet chuckle and gently patted my head.

* * *

When I returned to my room after the extravagant meal, I was greeted by an overwhelming sight—an entire display case filled to the brim with elixirs.

‘T-This is… a bit much.’

How many bottles was that?

I found myself wondering about the well-being of the healing mages who had produced them. Normally, it would take a significant amount of high-purity blood to extract that much.

As I stood there in shock, Nella, who had been arranging the remaining bottles, noticed me.

“Did you enjoy your meal, my lady?”

“Uh… yeah…”

I forced myself to look away from the elixirs and collapsed onto the sofa.

“Nella, do you know what happened to the ancient book I had with me in the carriage?”

“The book? There was no such thing in the carriage.”

She tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“There was no book?”

It was a rather thick tome—it should have been hard to miss. Maybe it had slipped under the seat when I collapsed?

“Shall I search the carriage?”

“Yes, please.”

“It won’t be any trouble.”

Nella smiled as she finished placing the last of the elixirs on the shelf.

“You look much better now. Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes, after eating so much good food, I feel like I’ll live a long life.”

At my lighthearted remark, Nella smiled in relief.

Then, lowering her voice slightly, she leaned in with a curious expression.

“But more importantly… are you really still ‘just friends’ with the Grand Duke of Karsian?”

“Hm? What do you mean? Of course, we’re just close friends.”

“Friends… Right.”

Nella seemed deep in thought before nodding to herself.

“It doesn’t seem like the Grand Duke sees you as ‘just a friend,’ my lady.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“While you were unconscious, the person who showed the most unexpected reaction was none other than him. I don’t know where he heard the news, but he was the first one to arrive.”

Nella tapped her chin as she recalled the events.

“And when you still showed no signs of waking up, he gathered the most renowned medical experts from across the empire. Of course, the Drenihan family also brought in top-tier physicians, but it seems the Grand Duke wasn’t satisfied with that.”

Ludwig did have a tendency to go overboard with his kindness.

But since I was used to it, I wasn’t particularly surprised.

“The Ludwig I know is someone who would give his heart and soul to the people he opens up to. And since I’m his only true friend, it probably just seems special. But it’s not like what you’re thinking.”

“Hmm… Would a person really lose their mind like that just because a ‘friend’ fell ill?”

“Lose their mind? Who? Ludwig?”

“Oh, don’t even get me started.”

Nella shuddered dramatically.

“He stayed by your side all day, and every single medicine given to you had to go through him first. I know this might be blasphemous to say, but he was practically like a loyal hound guarding his master.”

She whispered conspiratorially.

“Even the Grand Duke himself was so out of sorts that His Grace the Duke could only click his tongue in exasperation.”

Ludwig and I had always been close friends, and rumors had even started circulating about our relationship.

Since my father wasn’t entirely sure about our exact dynamic, he probably found it difficult to outright dismiss Ludwig when he insisted on staying by my side.

“If you hadn’t woken up today and stayed unconscious until tomorrow, the Grand Duke really might have lost his mind. Even today, he was already on edge.”

Nella gave me a knowing look, her expression utterly serious.

 

 

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