“Sound the alarm!”
The aide of the viscount, who hurriedly greeted with proper decorum, had a distraught expression as he rushed out to call a doctor when the viscount suddenly collapsed but couldn’t find a doctor anywhere.
“How long has the viscount been in this state?”
“It hasn’t been long. About 10 minutes, I think.”
“Why suddenly?”
“Well, I… She was fine, then suddenly gasped for breath and just fell over.”
She was fine and then suddenly collapsed while gasping for breath? Karl furrowed his brow in deep concern.
“Did the viscount have any preexisting illnesses?”
“No, none. Your Highness.”
“Your Highness!”
As Karl questioned the aide further, Clovis appeared with people in tow.
“Doctor, this way!”
A white-clad medical attendant, with a face as pale as his clothes, hurried over at Clovis’s command and ran to Celeste’s side.
After examining Celeste for what seemed like an eternity, the doctor thankfully confirmed that she quickly regained consciousness.
Although there were moments of uncertainty where she seemed to faint again, as time passed, her overall complexion and pulse returned to normal.
According to the doctor’s report on Celeste, there were no visible external injuries on her body. It was speculated that something internally caused the disturbance, not a direct physical injury.
The mention of an internal disturbance suggested that her unconsciousness was due to a magical impact on her body.
Karl immediately interrogated everyone on the train. Since his retinue were the only passengers, the investigation focused on the crew. Yet, no suspicious evidence was found among them.
Where and how could someone have harmed Celeste’s body? Karl moved her to his cabin and meticulously searched her original cabin.
Surprisingly, the only suspicious thing found was the food Celeste had ordered.
She mentioned only having a bite of the pie among all the food she had received, as she was busy tending to the child. Karl remembered her words and promptly sealed the remaining pie in an evidence bag.
It was not uncommon to harm someone by enchanting food as a form of poisoning. Although black magic had been strictly prohibited at the imperial level, it was still an occasional occurrence.
When you want to harm someone, then black magic is what you can resort to by any means necessary. The fact that it’s originally illegal never completely disappears. It just lurks in the shadows.
Karl recalled the explosion incident that had happened in Urentum.
“The cabin in Urentum. There were magic stones there too, right?”
“Yes. Two unexploded magic stones were found.”
In a hurry to leave Urentum, some knights were left behind to investigate the explosion incident. Clovis communicated in real-time with the members left in Urentum using the Louisette transmitter.
It’s not a coincidence. Someone is trying to harm Celeste. Karl organized his thoughts up to this point.
“Contact the Capital Security Bureau. Have double the troops originally assigned to the train station.”
Once thoughts are organized, action must follow.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Also, contact the Ministry of Magic to summon the Black Magic Enforcement Unit.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“And….”
He brought Celeste and the child into the room with a window in between. Looking at Celeste through the window, Karl spoke.
Also, contact the Viscount to summon the soldiers under the command of Viscount Louisette.
In a state of confusion.
Just after taking a bite of delicious pie, my stomach bubbled as if I would vomit, darkness filled my vision with dizziness. When I opened my eyes again, the worried faces of the knights surrounded me.
Karl said I had been unconscious for over half a day. He asked what I did before collapsing, but apart from eating the pie, I had no other answer to give.
A tall brown-haired knight named Clovis brought a medical team to check my condition.
Until then, I had no idea why they looked at me with such fearful expressions.
Later, after arriving in the capital and some time had passed, I heard a terrifying story that the pie had black magic in it, and I almost fainted. At that time, I just thought I had fainted after eating a bite of pie.
“How’s your body feeling?”
“Thanks to you, much better.”
I shrugged in response to the medical team’s question. It felt overwhelming to receive so much attention just for fainting after eating a bite of pie.
“My body feels a bit heavy, and occasionally I feel queasy. But I can bear this much.”
Without trying to catch on to whether I was aware of my condition or noticing a worsening situation, Valerie quietly nestled into my arms.
Some flight attendants approached to take care of the child, but Valerie tried not to separate from me and Hannah.
With the house collapsed from an explosion and the mother collapsing on the way out, she must have been very anxious mentally. I was thankful she didn’t put on any airs.
Being so busy with the child that my arms felt like they would fall off was beside the point. Is this the destiny of a mother… I thought as I held the child in my tired arms for two whole days.
I even shuddered at my newfound adaptability to embracing the life of a mother.
Clovis would visit the room every few hours. Karl said to keep an eye on him as leaving him alone might lead to a bigger disaster.
Thankful or not, if I was worried, I thought he could come see for himself, but he was tirelessly working with documents in the adjacent room, separated by a glass door. I realized ascending to higher positions was not an easy task.
Before I knew it, the train had arrived in Lahart. Although it had been half a year since I returned, I didn’t feel any particular excitement. Perhaps my memories here only lasted about a week, or maybe I was completely engrossed in unexpected childcare.
The scenery outside the window had changed from before. The realization that we were entering the capital began to sink in. Large mansions, clean streets, stylish carriages, and steam locomotives.
I remember someone saying a lord was coming out. I wonder who it could be. Recalling when I left the capital six months ago.
At that time, I was so distracted by Celeste that I couldn’t focus. It was overwhelming just trying to figure out who was who, where I was, and who I was.
There was a middle-aged woman who seemed particularly worried about Celeste, perhaps even teary-eyed. Would that person come out? I watched the scenery drifting away, lost in various thoughts.
***
The capital train station was bustling with unexpected processions.
From the royal knights in golden armor carrying golden flags, to the procession holding the red flags symbolizing the Louisette family. Despite their different affiliations, they all awaited the same train.
People who had been waiting for the train since dawn suddenly buzzed with excitement, as if some long-awaited event was finally happening. The train they had been eagerly anticipating had finally arrived at the station.
The second royal knights approached the platform first. It was only natural that the Duke, shining as the second in line for the throne, had arrived.
“The train is arriving!”
The station master waved the flag and blew the whistle. At his command, the distant sound of the steam engine’s exhaust started to echo closer and closer.
As the train swiftly entered the platform on the rails, it gradually slowed down by half, then again by half, until it finally came to a stop perfectly aligned with the royal procession.
*Creak.* The train doors opened slowly.
“Just a moment. Your Grace, please step down in a bit.”
Clovis blocked my path as I carried the child, without giving me a chance to ask why. Since collapsing, Hannah and even Karl’s knights had been overly protective towards me.
Despite receiving such a grand reception, people kept an eye on me, ready to assist and watch over me.
Half of the knights disembarked first, then Clovis, followed by Karl, before I could step down with the remaining half of the knights from the train.
“Wow, who is this person…?”
The platform was packed with people, from armored knights to welcoming party members, and curious imperial citizens who had come to witness the unusual spectacle. It was completely different from when I had left the capital in secret.
Even though the Count had mentioned someone would come out from the mansion… leaving Karl, who was engaged in conversation with the royal knights, I scanned the crowd to find familiar faces.
