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Chapter 55
Only a few people from the Lettern Territory and Uben were present on the second-floor hallway.
Idorian was probably inside his room.
“Your Highness.”
I knocked lightly and called for him, but there was no answer for a long time.
Where is he…
Letting out a deep sigh, I turned my head—only for my eyes to meet Uben’s.
Startled, the boy snapped his head away.
…Come to think of it, I remembered: I had been with Uben when Idoian had been looking for Renier.
If Idoian had gone into Renier’s room, then I had no choice but to wait until he came out.
It wasn’t as if he had taken a teapot with him. Surely he wasn’t having tea in her room…
I tried to soothe my growing anxiety, but it only worsened. I began to wonder whether I should just go find Renier’s room and knock on her door.
“His Highness is here, in this room.”
Uben pointed straight ahead.
“He’ll be out soon,” he added, sounding nervous.
Idorian seeking Renier early in the morning, and Uben guarding her door—everything was far too unnatural.
“Did something happen?”
Uben hesitated, searching for words. At that moment, the tightly shut door cracked open.
It was the room Uben had pointed to.
“Your Highness!”
Renier’s urgent voice called out to him from inside.
“Renier, do you really believe that makes sense?”
Idorian’s firm voice spilled from the narrow gap.
“In the end, you’re just trying to gloss over everything by saying you don’t remember a single thing.”
“But even if you ask the others, they’ll tell you the same! Things were too chaotic!”
Renier’s voice trembled with urgency—and a touch of irritation.
“I don’t need any more excuses.”
“I’ll decide that myself. Come downstairs.”
The door swung fully open.
A trace of disappointment and exhaustion shadowed his face.
The moment our eyes met as he stepped out, that expression instantly disappeared, neatly folded away.
“Uben. Penelope. To the sitting room.”
His tone was calm, but absolute.
“There’s something I need to confirm with the people of Lettern.”
He reached for Uben, whose fingers were nervously digging into his own palm, and held the boy’s hand.
“…What is it?”
“It seems they’ve lied to us.”
He stared into the open doorway at Renier.
He didn’t hesitate—not even a second—as he revealed his suspicion.
“Ah…”
Renier and I both let out small exclamations at the same time.
I didn’t know why things had suddenly escalated like this, but it seemed Idoian had finally realized their true intentions.
Was it because of Uben?
I glanced at Uben’s small hand held tightly in Idoian’s grasp.
It really did look like Uben had noticed something.
Idorian began moving, clearly intending to head downstairs, so I called to him quickly.
“Your Highness, Lumi should come too.”
Lillia and Heresdon were on the first floor.
After the commotion just now, almost everyone had come out into the hallway—except Lumi. His door alone remained shut.
Knock, knock.
“Lumi. It’s me, Penelope.”
A short reply came, and then the door opened.
“Oh, Penelope. …I enjoyed the tea you brought.”
He hesitated before quietly expressing gratitude.
So he had drunk the tea Jade prepared and I delivered…
“Did you finish all of it?”
Lumi nodded again.
“Ah…”
He drank all of it.
There must have been drugs in the tea too. Lumi would fall asleep soon.
I checked him carefully to see if he was okay.
I wasn’t sure when the effects would kick in, but for now, he seemed fine.
“Having warm tea on an empty stomach… it relaxed me. I feel good. …Thank you.”
“That wasn’t tea I made. Jade prepared it.”
He studied me for a moment, then let out a small sigh and nodded.
“…But why…”
He glanced around the hallway with a puzzled expression.
“Lumi, come to the sitting room for a moment.”
At some point, Idoian had quietly approached.
“Let’s go, Lumi,” I urged.
Lumi simply nodded and followed after me.
But I kept glancing around anxiously as we went downstairs, feeling like something might happen at any moment.
In the novel, these people had taken Lillia hostage and dragged her outside the fortress.
They were villains who did not hesitate to cross lines.
If they realized the situation was turning against them, there was no telling what they might do.
Sticking close to Idoian was crucial now.
As long as I stayed within his sight, I would be safer.
I held Lumi’s hand as he followed a few steps behind me.
But the hand I held grew gradually heavier.
“Lumi, are you alright?”
His eyebrows knit faintly.
As though he didn’t quite understand my question.
“Lumi?”
When he didn’t answer for a long time, I called again. Lumi only nodded faintly.
“I’m… listening.”
He ran a rough hand through his hair and sighed.
“…Sorry.”
Without warning, he murmured an apology, then glanced toward the bottom of the stairs.
Suddenly, he shifted—almost as if he was about to turn back and go upstairs.
Startled, I instinctively tightened my grip on his hand.
“Lumi, where are you going?”
“I… just need to go back to my room for a moment…”
He looked down at my hand gripping his—and then his whole body swayed.
He grabbed the stair railing for support.
“Your Highness, something’s wrong with Lumi!”
“What?”
He collapsed heavily onto the stairs.
“…It feels strange. My body.”
Lumi leaned his head weakly against the railing and murmured. His unfocused eyes drifted shut.
“Lumi, what’s wrong?”
Idorian rushed over and gently shook his shoulder, but Lumi only swayed helplessly before falling forward into Idoian’s arms.
“Lumi!”
He gave only a faint groan—no further response.
His breaths grew weaker and quieter.
Is he really okay? Did he take too much of the drug?
I knew he would fall asleep, but seeing him go limp so suddenly terrified me.
“He’s lost consciousness.”
I quickly scanned the surroundings, fear prickling up my spine.
What if someone attacked right now—
“Uben, come here.”
But Uben was standing far behind us—much farther than I expected.
He had been backing away in shock.
I reached my hand toward him—
—and a rough hand yanked my clothes hard.
A strong arm wrapped around my waist.
Idorian pulled me tightly into his embrace at the exact moment Renier lunged toward Uben.
“Aagh!”
With a sharp scream, the boy was lifted clean off the ground.
“Don’t move!”
Renier raised a cold gleaming blade into the air to threaten us.
He shook Uben violently.
“Keck—!”
“If you move, this child dies first.”
His eyes burned with rage as he glared at us.
He spoke with not even a sliver of hesitation.
The knife pressed against the nape of Uben’s neck.
Uben’s eyes were wide with terror. He couldn’t even scream, just bit his lip hard as he trembled uncontrollably.
“Lillia! Lillia has collapsed!”
Heresdon’s frantic shout echoed down the silent hallway, filled with confusion and panic.
Idorian’s arm tightened around my waist.
Lumi lay unconscious.
Uben dangled helplessly in Renier’s grip.
Heresdon’s desperate voice rang behind us.
A curse seethed through my mind, chewed rough like broken glass.
