TISND Chapter 39

Chapter 39

It had been clear for some time that Helena was being followed.

After the “cliff” incident, he had assigned surveillance to Helena. This was a secret organization known to no one except the Crown Prince. It was the empire’s most elite unit, created under the Crown Prince’s orders.

After observing her for several days, the subordinates began their reports.

“What’s the risk level?”

“If I were to score it, it would be 2.3.”

The implication was clear: vigilance was necessary, but the danger level was minimal. Perhaps this was something he should have done from the moment she arrived in Frantor.

“She’s truly remarkable. It seems she’s quite knowledgeable in pharmacology.”

“I was worried at first, but it seems she’s been taking good care of the young masters.”

Over time, something strange occurred. Those assigned to monitor her started, one by one, to voice their admiration.

For his highly suspicious and vigilant unit to let down their guard so quickly was astonishing.

“Especially Master Jeremy. He seems to be very fond of the lady of the house.”

One by one, the people in Frantor began to warm to Helena.

“If there’s one concern, it’s that the bodyguard from Eskel isn’t doing his job.”

“He often abandons his post to go drinking.”

Eskel, who cherished his daughter, should not have assigned an incompetent bodyguard, especially considering the constant threats on their lives. Yet Helena seemed to be aware of the laxity and chose not to interfere.

“What should we do? Should we continue monitoring?”

Caligo had faced assassination attempts from political rivals and foreign agents. He had even dealt with a traitorous subordinate in person. Despite having survived so far, keeping an unfit bodyguard would inevitably lead to disaster.

“Keep watching. It’s too soon to judge someone who’s only been here for a few months.”

“Understood, my lord.”

Caligo had deployed his elite unit to thoroughly monitor Eskel. Originally designed for the Crown Prince’s covert operations, the unit was now tasked with keeping an eye on Eskel’s activities.

Eskel had committed heinous acts, such as selling debtors to foreign lands and abducting young women for their pleasure. Caligo intended to bring Eskel down entirely by gathering enough evidence. A mere handful of crimes wouldn’t be enough to topple them.

If anything were to happen to her in Frantor, the plan would face significant setbacks. Moreover, keeping an eye on Eskel’s daughter was entirely justified.

“There’s one more thing I’d like to report.”

“What is it?”

“It seems she’s been investigating Eskel’s movements through trade routes.”

“Eskel, not Frantor?”

“Yes, we found it puzzling as well.”

For a woman from Eskel to dig into Eskel’s affairs was peculiar.

Helena was an enigma. She was from Eskel, yet she didn’t seem to fit the mold of anyone from Eskel. She behaved with such innocence and warmth toward others, to the point of appearing foolish, yet she was unusually harsh on herself.

Why?

“For now, don’t get too close. Maintain your distance and observe carefully. Report in detail who she meets and what she does.”

“Understood, my lord.”

Once the elite soldier finished his report and left, the butler approached with a worried expression.

“Is it truly necessary to monitor the lady of the house?”

The loyal butler had served him since childhood, the only one who had been by his side from the very beginning.

“The soldiers don’t seem particularly wary of the lady, so wouldn’t it be better to speak with her directly and assign her a proper escort?”

In other words, the butler was the one person who had witnessed Caligo’s journey most intimately.

“If the escort keeps their distance, it’ll be difficult to respond in an emergency.”

Caligo hadn’t always been cold and ruthless. If anything, he was like fire: unrestrained in his emotions and relentless in pursuing what he desired.

But years in politics and the battlefield had taught him a harsh truth. While the emperor and the nobles praised him as a great warrior, they grew increasingly wary of his expanding power.

Though Frantor was called an impregnable fortress, it was the first place the capital would abandon if danger struck. Such was the nature of Frantor: a place where only the fiercest could survive.

Caligo was no exception.

He learned that if a ruler lacked cold rationality, their people would suffer and be lost. Tragically, it was only after losing someone precious to him that he understood this.

A brother, forced to sacrifice and yield everything because he was born of a concubine and deemed less legitimate. A brother he ultimately lost.

“Besides… the lady of the house would be deeply saddened if she found out she was being monitored.”

“What does that matter?”

He couldn’t allow such loss to happen again. At the very least, he had to protect his brother’s children. To do that, he had to remain a cold and unyielding ruler.

“You seem to wish nothing but the best for Helena and me, but I can’t afford to let my guard down.”

“Have you forgotten she’s from Eskel?”

“My lord…”

“She’s leaving Frantor in a year anyway. Getting too attached will only make things harder for you.”

Yes. He had to avoid growing attached. He couldn’t afford to be curious anymore.

Her monotonous, even dull, daily life seemed to include only one close companion: Aiden. But he shouldn’t let himself wonder about their relationship.

Caligo habitually brushed back his shortened bangs. He recalled the look on her face when he coldly told her to focus on her duties. Her expression often resurfaced in his mind, making his chest tighten. Frustrated, he let his hand fall away from his hair as though shaking off the memory.

—

Around the time he resolved to steady his heart, new information reached him.

“A tail?”

He learned that Helena was being followed.

“It’s been ongoing, not just for a day or two.”

“Who’s behind it?”

“We haven’t identified them yet, but it’s clear they harbor hostility toward Eskel.”

It also seemed Helena had noticed she was being followed. She started taking longer routes during outings and avoided stepping out of her carriage.

It appeared as if she were intentionally prolonging the situation instead of dealing with it directly—despite how easily it could be resolved by eliminating her pursuers.

It was behavior he simply couldn’t understand.

He, too, had faced countless tails and assassination attempts in the past.

Of course, he had the ability and confidence to endure all those attempts.
But he also knew how exhausting and terrifying it was to be watched.

“First, we need to devise a plan to capture them.”

“Should we launch a full attack?”

“If we can’t determine the scale of their operation, it’s better to use bait.”

He couldn’t even begin to imagine the fear she must have felt being followed while alone. And yet, she hadn’t asked anyone for help. That was what puzzled him the most.

—

Caligo accompanied her under the pretense of needing to meet with the merchant lord.
As expected, she seemed to have noticed the tail, trembling with fear.
Her hunched shoulders looked smaller and more fragile than usual.

Although her face remained expressionless, her clenched fists trembled uncontrollably.

‘Why didn’t you say anything? Even though you’re this scared? Why didn’t you tell someone? Why not have your guards deal with them?’

“I’ll be right back, so please let me go.”

Moreover, she kept trying to distance herself from him, coming up with ridiculous excuses to put space between them.

He grabbed her hand to stop her from pulling away.

She always kept Aiden close, yet she was determined to push him away. The thought of it made his anger boil over.

Why was she risking herself to create distance? Did she really distrust him that much? Caligo couldn’t understand her.

‘Don’t run away. Don’t move farther away from me.’

“Why are you always trying to run away?”

Even as she trembled in fear, she kept trying to flee.

The fact that she had turned her back on him drove him mad with rage.

“Why? Do you intend to conspire with them like you do with Aiden?”

“…That’s not it.”

After hesitating, she finally spoke.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“What? Are you saying you’re worried about me?”

“Not just you…” Helena murmured softly.

“I don’t want to hurt them either.”

“You’re worried about the lives of those trying to harm you? How noble.”

But what would happen if she lost her life in the process?
Worrying about the lives of those trying to kill you wasn’t kindness; it was arrogance.

It was foolish. Stupid.

Just as he coldly rebuked her and reached for his sword—

“You’re someone who has already lost someone precious to my father.”

But then—

“How can I order people like that to be killed again?”

“….”

“I can’t take from them a second time. That’s why…”

“….”

“The only thing I could do was run.”

Once again, it was the same.

‘Hate me all you want.’

How could a woman born with so much look so broken?

He tried to ignore it. He tried to look away.

But her vulnerability once again shattered the impenetrable walls he had built around himself.

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