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Chapter 75
Carte was someone who could neither control nor conceal his emotions.
“Carte Young Master is definitely involved. And…”
It was highly likely that I, not Dania, had been the real target. Could it be that the hired men had taken the wrong person?
No matter how I thought about it, there was no reason for someone to sneak into a duke’s household and kidnap an ordinary maid like Dania. It wasn’t as if she were some great heiress.
“What if she was taken in my place?”
Lady Luella gently held my hand.
“Lord Tybern will help us. So don’t worry too much.”
I forced myself to nod.
Tybern was calmer than expected. I told him everything: that Dania had gone missing, that she hadn’t been seen since last night, and the conversation I had just had with Carte.
Tybern let out a deep sigh.
“This has to be Ietes’ doing. No wonder he showed up uninvited.”
He ground his teeth.
“Why would Ietes be after me…?”
“Because of the rumors going around lately. They say the Catieron family is hiding a fairy. I also heard that the herbs supplied to the Del Trading Company are provided by that fairy.”
My heart plummeted.
Had I grown too careless? I bit my lip. If that was true, then Dania really had been kidnapped in my place.
“W-what do we do? Lord Tybern, Dania is just an ordinary girl. What if Ietes realizes it’s not me and kills her?”
“…I’ll send people immediately to find out. We’ll save her for sure. If not—”
Tybern’s voice turned cold.
“—then the one who started this will pay for it. Luella, go send people to Dania’s family home. Place guards nearby to watch for anyone approaching.”
“Yes, Lord Tybern.”
“And summon that wretched brat at once!”
He pressed hard against his forehead. There was no need to ask who he meant.
The tears I had held back began to flow again. Lady Luella quickly left the study.
Tybern looked flustered.
“You’re crying now? Heavens, Lani.”
“If… if Dania really dies, what do I do? It’ll be my fault. What if she gets hurt?”
“…Since Luella’s gone, let me ask you one thing, Lani.”
I nodded, a hiccup escaping from me.
“When I was kidnapped, I received a certain blessing. I didn’t feel hunger, and even wounds healed quickly. Was that your doing?”
“Yes.”
“I knew it. Can you use that power on Dania too?”
On Dania…?
My tears stopped at once. How could I have forgotten that? Of course it was possible. Could I give multiple skills at once?
I had to try.
I selected Self-Healing Transfer to Dania.
[The caster’s experience is insufficient. Only one skill may be transferred.]
As expected, only one. I canceled the Druid skill and immediately granted Self-Healing.
That way, even if Dania was injured, she wouldn’t die. But wait.
There was another skill she might need—Maiden’s Strength.
With that, she could break free of ropes binding her.
And if she also had the Thousand-League Horse skill…!
As soon as the thought came, a fused skill appeared: A Maiden’s Love!
I pressed Skill Transfer.
[The caster’s ability is insufficient.]
The same warning popped up again and again. I didn’t have time to train my proficiency or raise my level.
In fact, I didn’t even know what level I was at! I bit down hard and frantically tapped my fingers.
The warning repeated endlessly.
[The caster’s ability is insufficient.]
[The caster’s ability is insufficient.]
[The caster’s ability is insufficient.]
After countless alerts, the message changed.
[Forced casting initiated by caster’s strong will.]
[Overload detected. Debuff applied.]
My vision went black. I staggered, but Tybern rushed to catch me.
“Lani!”
“Haaah!”
I clung to his arm and sucked in a breath.
“Cough!”
Blood spurted out.
[Cancel skill transfer?]
Absolutely not.
[Cancel skill transfer?]
No! Never!
I gritted my teeth and endured. If I fainted, the system might forcefully cancel something.
Right now, the one who needed skills wasn’t me—it was Dania. She must be terrified, not even knowing what was happening.
[Continued overload. Debuff applied.]
[All skills disabled.]
It didn’t matter what happened to me now, as long as Dania came back safely.
“Please… find Dania quickly, Lord Tybern.”
Skills weren’t omnipotent. They couldn’t bring the dead back.
A crushing fear squeezed the breath from my lungs.
“Please.”
Tybern nodded firmly.
“I promise. I’ll return her safe and sound to your side.”
At his words, all strength drained from my body.
[Continued overload. Debuff applied. Caster protection mode activated. Consciousness collapse imminent.]
Drowsiness overcame me. As I slowly closed my eyes, I caught a glimpse of Tybern’s alarmed face.
Earlier, I had won—but this time, the system won. My mind blurred.
[Resistance prohibited! Resistance prohibited!]
Those desperate words from the system were the last thing I saw before I lost consciousness.
News of Lani’s collapse and Dania’s disappearance also reached Hider.
He canceled his duties and stayed by Lani’s side. To him, it was the natural thing to do.
Lani, who was always busy doing something, now lay motionless with her eyes closed.
Her skin was so pale it was nearly translucent, her lips colorless. Hider stood guard with a grim face.
Ietes was the prime suspect, wasn’t he?
And Carte had supposedly spewed nonsense at Lani. It wasn’t hard to put the pieces together. Carte was the type who had to obtain anything he desired.
He must have pestered Marquis Ietes as usual—demanding that he wanted Lani.
No wonder Carte’s lecherous gaze had made me uneasy.
Hider wanted to storm over to Carte immediately, but Sir Hilden stopped him.
“And what will you do when you get there?”
“Demand Dania’s return. There are countless ways to frighten him.”
“Ietes will feign ignorance. We have circumstantial evidence, but no physical proof.”
“So we’re just supposed to stand by and do nothing?”
“No. I’m asking you to wait. Trust in Lord Tybern. He cherishes Lani as much as you do. And Tybern is a man who can be ruthless when needed.”
Hider clenched his teeth. He had worked hard to become a Sword Master, thinking that would bring him a step closer to Lani.
Yet he was still powerless.
He couldn’t even protect a single person—Lani.
“Then how do I gain true power?”
“Earn merit. Make it so no one can look down on you. You are of House Catieron—opportunities will come. And become the Duke.”
Hilden’s words pierced his heart.
“If you do, no one will ever dare belittle you.”
Hider pressed his lips to the back of Lani’s hand. It was a solemn, heartfelt vow made in solitude.
“I will protect you, Lani. I swear it on my soul.”
His gaze grew deep and resolute.
“I, Hider Catieron, will become your knight.”
As he spoke, his heart quivered. It felt like confessing something monumental.
His cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
His heart rippled with emotion.
