TCTR 59

Chapter 59

I opened the prison door, looking at a man curled up in the corner like a caterpillar.

As I tried to get closer, Hian and His grabbed my arms from both sides.

“Where do you think you’re going, it’s dangerous.”

“Just because he’s tied up doesn’t mean you can relax, you know that, right?”

After calming them for a while, I was finally able to enter.

“Are you coming to your senses?”

“Ugh…”

The man lifted his head.

“Yes, you look perfectly fine.”

I wondered if he even knew that his tail had been cut off by his own master.

“I’m not going to untie the gag. So just answer by nodding to my questions.”

“…”

“Now, answer!”

The man, with anxious eyes, stammered for a long while before finally nodding. He seemed to think it would be a big problem if I untied the gag and he said something wrong, especially since he’d seen me exert myself.

I tried to kneel on one knee in front of him but was stopped by the twins.

‘Did I bring him here for nothing?’

From both sides, Hian and His muttered one word each.

“How could you think to sit in a place like this?”

“We’re not so weak that we can’t protect him from that crazy guy… but still.”

My nickname, “a greenhouse flower grown delicately,” actually seemed more suited to the twins who loved drinking and partying recklessly rather than to me.

Since I had no desire to argue here, I just stood.

“You want to live, right? I assume you didn’t risk your life trying to kill me from the start.”

Hian and His, who didn’t know who this man was, narrowed their eyes sharply.

Before they could say anything, I quickly continued.

“Your master has already cut your tail and run away. You couldn’t confess because of your family under him, but that doesn’t matter anymore. Speak now.”

I had learned just this morning that his family was being held hostage. Thanks to that, things became easier.

“If you do this one thing for me, I’ll give you a new identity and help you escape.”

The man’s eyes widened.

“Your family is in our duchy. As soon as I learned they were hostages, I brought them here.”

Hearing this, the man hesitated and stepped toward me.

Looking down at him, I opened the small pouch I had brought separately.

“Here, this is a fire scroll with a location spell. You just go to the places I indicate and set as large a fire as possible.”

The man flinched.

“Don’t worry. These are uninhabited houses. But make the fire big, and if people gather, shout loudly.”

The man took the pouch and, with trembling hands, gripped each item inside.

“Hadin Metro, Benesiata Midden, Tetra Asila…”

I recited a few more names.

“These are the factions your master belonged to. It won’t be hard, right?”

They were also supporters of the Emperor.

I untied the ropes that bound him and said,

“If you succeed, I’ll give you a new identity so you can live with your family in another country.”

Even after hearing this, the man hesitated, unable to leave the prison.

But few could refuse such a tempting offer.

After the man left, the twins and I stepped outside a little later.

“You… you really think fast.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

I made sure Hian and His stayed by the door, chattering endlessly, then went back into the room. I changed clothes and grabbed something to tie my hair.

Then, I opened the heavy door.

“Inerea, come to think of it, there’s something we haven’t asked…”

“What should we do…”

Simultaneously, the two men in silver hair and pure white clothes leaning against the corridor wall turned sharply to look at me and shut their mouths tight.

I tied my long hair up high and met the gaze of the two pairs.

“Let’s go.”

“…”

“…”

A neat and magnificent uniform that noblewomen would never wear.

Clean black trousers, ornate gold trims showing authority, and a well-placed family crest. Straightened white gloves.

“What should you do?”

I took the two men outside.

Just then, a “bang!” echoed, and the darkened world was set ablaze with brilliant fireworks.

“Guide the people to the public works.”

I pinned the brooch, engraved with the JPino Duke family crest, to their chests.

“I’ll make sure your story won’t be forgotten in the Empire for some time.”

Leaving the blazing fire behind, I approached the knights already prepared for the public works.

The horses were restless, eager to bolt.

The knights beside them, gripping swords and spears, anxiously watched the sparks that kept jumping from place to place.

I took my place in front of them.

“No need to worry.”

I grabbed the reins of the largest, most splendid, glossy black horse at the front.

I leapt onto the horse and sat firmly.

“You are the sword and shield of Mertiel.”

All the diverse eyes looked up at me on the horse.

The calm, confident smile that bloomed amid everyone’s anxiety left no room for other thoughts.

“We must go reassure the people.”

My high tied black hair swayed elegantly.

No one could look away.

A clean, neat uniform instead of a gorgeous dress.

A sharp, perilous sword instead of a waving fan.

A galloping horse instead of a comfortable carriage.

“Now, let’s put out the flames!”

From tomorrow, the rumors about the JPino twins would change drastically.

And today.

Inerea Mertiel, the 18th Duke of the Mertiel family.

The master of the frontier and a hero of the Empire.

The owner of the Asra guild and the first female duke to abolish slave auctions would once again announce to the world who she truly was.

✦ ✦ ✦

I had been busy putting out the fires in the duchy, so it wasn’t until today, long after, that I met the twins again.

I wasn’t going to meet the promised JPino noblewoman… I was blocked in front of her door.

“Sorry, Inerea.”

“If our sister doesn’t open the door, there’s nothing we can do.”

I watched the firmly closed door.

I glanced at Kischel, Hian, and His behind me.

“Hmm…”

My throat was sore.

I had just been knocking on the door, saying, “Lady, I am Inerea Mertiel. Could you spare a moment?” so my throat hurt.

Still, I didn’t give up and said,

“I’ll try persuading her one more time.”

“How?”

“I think I can. But I’ll do it alone, so step aside.”

The twins and even Kischel were surprised.

But the household allowed it.

“Just for one shijin, no more.”

“Any longer and it will be hard to block people’s eyes and ears.”

I had sneaked into the JPino Duke’s mansion with the twins’ help.

Remembering that, I nodded.

Since the noblewoman didn’t trust anyone and hid, I had no choice but to force her out.

As the three men turned to leave, I suddenly remembered something and grabbed Kischel.

“Master?”

Kischel, who had been too busy lately to talk properly, looked back at me in surprise.

I looked up at him and said,

“I’ll be back.”

“I’ll be waiting, as always, trusting only you.”

Kischel smiled, but I couldn’t.

I fixed my gaze on him and continued.

“When I return, I hope there’s nothing you’re hiding from me.”

Before he could answer, I sent him away and left.

Standing alone in the corridor, I opened my eyes wide.

“Recently, Kischel has been acting strangely.”

I knew he had been doing things secretly without telling me, like meeting someone or sending letters.

Of course, I knew who the other party was.

But right now, opening this stubborn door before me was the priority.