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Chapter 7
Allen called for his aide and subordinate knight, Perio Lycan.
At the same time, he ordered the knights he had brought from House Philemon to search for the woman disguised in men’s clothing.
The moment his gaze left the nobles’ tents, he vanished into the forest in search of Eleanor.
Isaac stared after Allen’s disappearing figure for a moment, irritably raking a hand through his hair before heading back toward Ren and the gathered nobles.
“A woman who may be allied with assassins has escaped?!”
“The knights guarding that area must be severely punished, Your Highness!”
“That wench must be captured again at once—!”
“Good grief, you lot are loud.”
Isaac jammed a finger into one ear, glaring at the shouting nobles as though their voices physically pained him.
“What did you say, Young Lord Elaim?!”
“I said shut those mouths.”
“How dare the son of Marquis Elaim—!”
“Nothing has been proven,” Isaac snapped sharply, his voice suddenly cold enough to freeze the room. “So stop treating her like a criminal. If not for that woman, His Majesty’s condition could have been far worse!”
The nobles fell into offended silence as Isaac turned away from them, his attention shifting to Sharmel—
Who had gone deathly pale the instant she heard her lady had vanished.
“That girl… Is she truly Baron Ricardo’s daughter?”
“We would never lie about something like that.”
“Then why is she here?”
“That is…”
Isaac narrowed his eyes.
He could tell.
Sharmel’s trembling wasn’t from deceit—
It was fear.
Fear for her missing mistress.
“…Enough. We end this here.”
“Your Highness!”
“I said enough!”
Ren slammed his hand onto the table, and the nobles immediately fell silent.
“The fact remains that had it not been for that woman, His Majesty might have faced greater danger. Leave.”
His icy tone allowed no argument.
“Once His Majesty awakens and is deemed fit to travel, we will head first to Winterfencer Ducal Castle. Make note of that.”
One by one, the nobles rose.
The last to stand was a blond, middle-aged man.
Duke Retron.
“If she is connected to the assassins,” he said darkly, “then she should face severe punishment.”
“Duke Retron.”
Isaac’s voice stopped him.
“What?”
“It would be wise not to touch that woman.”
Retron frowned.
“And why is that?”
Isaac smiled.
A dangerous smile.
“Because Count Philemon would not remain still.”
“…What?”
“Surely you haven’t forgotten that Count Philemon is heir to the Philemon Ducal House.”
Retron’s eyes sharpened.
“And what exactly is she to Count Philemon? His lover?”
Isaac’s grin widened.
“Something closer.”
Not his lover.
His sister.
If someone touched Allen’s blood—
That madman would never let it go.
After all…
He had spent years searching for her.
Duke Retron glared at Isaac before finally leaving.
As Isaac turned to go as well—
“Isaac.”
Ren’s voice stopped him.
“…Explain.”
Isaac sighed deeply.
“Must I?”
“Yes.”
Ren’s expression was merciless.
“Start with Allen’s connection to that runaway woman. Including the two with her.”
Isaac muttered under his breath before finally surrendering.
“…She’s Allen’s younger sister.”
Silence.
“…What?”
Ludwig and Ren both stared as though he’d gone insane.
“Allen’s sister is Lady Selena Philemon.”
“Right,” Isaac drawled. “That’s the only sibling you know.”
“…So there’s more.”
“Oh, there’s more.”
Isaac folded his arms.
“Allen is absolutely Duke Philemon’s son.”
He paused.
“But Lady Philemon…”
His voice dropped.
“…Is his half-sister. Different mother.”
The room stiffened.
“You all first met Allen at the Academy, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“Before he became Philemon…”
Isaac’s gaze darkened.
“His surname was Ricardo.”
Sharmel’s breath caught.
No way…
“Which means,” Isaac continued, “if that girl’s surname truly is Ricardo…”
He looked toward the forest.
“Then she is Allen’s half-sister. Same mother. Different father.”
Sharmel’s face drained of all color.
So the rumors were true.
Young Master Allen…
Wasn’t truly Baron Ricardo’s legitimate son.
Before she could speak—
“Stop there.”
Isaac pointed two fingers at her.
“Say nothing more.”
His voice was light.
But his eyes were not.
“Whether or not they reunite, remember this—never mention Allen’s birth mother in front of the former Duke Philemon.”
“….”
“He despises that woman.”
Then Isaac turned away.
“Come. We search together. Sunset’s coming.”
“Isaac,” Ren called, “take either Sir Killian or Sir Bedelius with you. Bring more knights. If they object, tell them it is my order.”
Isaac scoffed.
“I’m not so incompetent that I’d lose easily.”
“Even so. A forest at night is dangerous. It’s spring—hungry wolves will be out.”
Isaac waved dismissively.
“Thanks for the concern. Unnecessary, but thanks.”
And with that—
He disappeared into the forest.
Meanwhile—
Eleanor wandered aimlessly through the darkening woods.
“Which way…? Which way do I go to get back…?”
Meeting the Emperor—
And Grand Duke Einhardt—
The two people she had wanted most desperately to avoid—
Had shocked her so badly that her only thought had been:
Run.
So she had.
She fled blindly into the forest.
Now, at last, she wanted to return.
For Sharmel.
For Ranster.
But…
She had no idea where she was.
Awooooo—!
A distant howl echoed through the trees.
Eleanor froze.
“W-What was that?! A wild dog? No… a wolf?!”
Panic surged.
Where do I go?!
She hurried forward—
And tripped over a thick tree root hidden by darkness.
“Ahhh!”
Rolling down a slope, she tumbled painfully before crashing to a stop.
“Owow… At least it wasn’t too stee—”
Rustle.
She froze.
Slowly—
Very slowly—
She turned her head.
Two glowing eyes stared back from the bushes.
“…Hiiiiiik?!”
More rustling.
More eyes.
“…It’s following me.”
No.
Not it.
They’re following me.
“AAAAAH!”
Eleanor bolted.
She ran wildly through the forest, weaving around trees, stumbling, falling, scrambling back up—
Until, in sheer desperation, she climbed the nearest tree.
Panting, trembling, she looked down.
“…W-Wolves?”
Not one.
Not two.
A pack.
“Why are there so many?!”
Bark! Growl!
The wolves circled below, scratching at the trunk, snarling up at her.
“Go away! Go away, I said!”
Thwack!
One wolf yelped after being smacked in the face by her shoe.
“I’m not tasty! Seriously! If you eat me, you might get sick!”
…Please leave.
Will they go away when morning comes?
Or maybe—
Maybe someone will find me?
…No.
Sharmel and Ranster were probably still detained.
No one was coming.
“…Am I really going to spend the whole night up here?”
She hugged herself against the chilly spring wind and sniffled.
“I’m seriously not delicious…”
Eventually, exhaustion overtook fear.
Perched precariously on a branch, Eleanor drifted into a shallow, miserable sleep.
Morning.
“…Huh?!”
Eleanor jolted awake, nearly slipping.
“W-What the—?! I almost fell!”
She looked down.
The wolves…
Were still there.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Grrrrrr…
Her stomach answered.
“Before I die of old age up here, I’m going to starve to death!”
She hadn’t eaten since yesterday.
“This is so unfair! Why is this happening to me?!”
Her voice echoed pathetically through the forest.
…Actually.
This really was my fault.
If I hadn’t run…
If I hadn’t panicked after seeing the Emperor and Grand Duke…
None of this would’ve happened.
“…Found you.”
A sudden unfamiliar voice cut through the trees.
Eleanor whipped her head around.
From the shadows emerged a young man with silver-white hair and clear blue eyes.
“…Who?”
The wolves snarled and turned toward him.
And yet—
The man merely sighed.
“Honestly… Some things never change.”
“…What?”
“When you were little, and now too… All you ever do is cause trouble and make people worry.”
…Wait.
Did he… know me?
Before Eleanor could process it—
Yelp! Yelp!
Her eyes shot downward.
The situation…
Was already over.
Several wolves lay unconscious.
The rest fled in terror.
“…What.”
What just happened?
He didn’t even draw his sword.
…Did he really beat them down with the sheathed blade?!
“That’s amazing…”
Her awed whisper slipped out before she could stop it.
Then—
“Come down now, Ellie.”
“…Huh?”
Ellie?
That nickname—
How does he know that?!
“Look out!”
Behind him—
A wolf lunged.
Eleanor screamed instinctively.
In one blink—
Shing!
His sword flashed free.
The wolf collapsed.
He sheathed it just as smoothly.
“Unnecessary interference.”
Another voice answered from the trees.
“First time I’ve been scolded for helping.”
A second man emerged.
Grand Duke Einhardt.
“…I said I had it handled.”
Eleanor blinked.
One dead wolf nearby had an arrow lodged in its shoulder.
…So that was him.
“You might’ve been bitten if I’d been slower.”
“I could’ve handled it.”
Then the silver-haired man frowned.
“…Why are you here? You should be with His Majesty.”
“He’s conscious now,” Ren replied. “I ordered Kyle and Ruby to escort him ahead.”
“…So you stayed behind?”
Ren snorted.
“As if Kyle and Ruby would let me come alone.”
At his signal, Eleanor spotted more knights in blue uniforms.
Allen’s sharp gaze returned upward.
“How long do you plan to stay up there, my lady?”
Ren looked up too.
“The danger is gone now. Please come down.”
…I don’t want to.
I should…
But I really, really don’t want to.
“Come down, Ellie.”
Allen’s voice hardened.
“Before I come up there myself.”
Again.
That nickname.
…He really does know Eleanor.
No—
He knew the real Eleanor.
“Ah!”
A sharp sting pierced Eleanor’s left hand.
She turned—
And froze.
A snake.
Its fangs were buried in the back of her hand.
“AAAAAH!”
In blind panic, she flung her arm wildly.
The snake was thrown away—
But—
“…Huh?”
Why…
Am I dizzy?
“ELLIE!”
Allen’s horrified shout was the last thing she heard.
Then—
She fell.
Allen moved before thought.
He leapt forward and caught Eleanor in his arms.
“Ellie! Eleanor!”
His face turned white as he checked her frantically.
No visible injuries—
But—
Ren’s gaze dropped.
To her left hand.
Two tiny puncture marks.
“…Damn.”
Ren’s jaw tightened.
He grabbed Allen’s shoulder before he could move.
“She was bitten by a venomous snake.”
Allen froze.
“And because she thrashed her arm…” Ren’s voice darkened. “The venom spread faster.”
Allen’s face lost all color.
“If you carry her like this…”
Ren’s next words struck like a death sentence.
“She’ll die.”
“Bedelius!”
A blue-uniformed knight with braided golden hair stepped forward instantly.
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“Prepare the fastest horse. Ride to Winterfencer immediately.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Bring a physician.”
Ren’s voice sharpened with urgency.
“We need to extract the poison. Immediately.”
