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Chapter 26
“Stop with the pointless chatter. What I asked—did you find it?”
“We tracked down the people in debt to the loan sharks, and we’ve got a rough tally of what they owe! But these guys are absolute scum. The interest rates are so outrageous, it’s clear they were out to bleed people dry!”
She jabbed a thumb toward the house we had just left.
“This is the last one to check.”
“I already know this one. The principal was ten gold. The interest now? A thousand.”
“What? How do you know that?”
“Did you find their hideouts or headquarters?”
At my counter-question, she fell silent. That silence was answer enough.
“My service ends tomorrow.”
“……”
“I suppose it was my mistake to expect too much.”
“J-just give me a little more time! I can do it!”
She bristled, unusually fired up—as if her pride had been pricked by my sigh.
“Enough.”
“Milady? Milady!”
“I have somewhere to be. But before that—send this letter to my father. Urgent, so make sure it arrives fast.”
“Just like this? If you’d only give me a bit more time, I could definitely track them down! Please, trust me!”
But my voice was flat.
“I’m busy. Send it, and catch up later.”
Her last attempt at persuasion failed. With a sulky face, she trailed after me, her footsteps light and reluctant.
Meanwhile, Mila went straight to the cardinal in the slums, just as she had promised Lize.
The man listened to her and Sir Leandros with wide eyes and a pained expression, every inch the portrait of compassion. No one could have guessed he was the one pulling the strings.
“To think such a thing was happening…”
He let his face twist in anguish before steadying his gaze on the two of them.
“This cannot be overlooked. If the city guard refuses to act, then the temple itself must intervene to save these poor souls.”
“Would the temple truly help?”
“The loan sharks must be tracked, arrested, and the debts restructured fairly. Even if we must petition His Holiness himself, I swear this will be resolved.”
“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!”
Mila pressed her hands together in gratitude. He smiled with gentle benevolence.
“As one who serves the will of the gods, how could I ever turn my back on such injustice?”
“Please… we’ll be counting on you.”
“Sir Leandros, you mustn’t worry either. I’ll shoulder this burden with you.”
The cardinal left, having given his promise. Mila finally exhaled, relief washing over her.
“I was afraid the temple would ignore us, but to think they’ll help… what a blessing.”
“Yes. A relief indeed.”
“I’d heard rumors about loan sharks before, but I never imagined things were this dire. I should have acted sooner…”
Her face crumpled with shame. Leandros offered words of comfort.
“Even now, it isn’t too late. You’ve spoken up, and the temple will act quickly.”
“You’re right… they will.”
But then, Mila’s expression hardened.
“Still… Lady Grace was simply too much.”
Leandros flinched at the sudden bite in her tone.
“How could she see Lize in that state and remain so cold?”
He had no reply. He had expected Grace to apologize, perhaps even extend a hand. Instead, she had watched in silence—calm, indifferent.
The memory of her once demanding, ‘What exactly did I do wrong?’ flashed across his mind, and his heart twisted.
Don’t be hasty. There must be something I don’t yet know.
He forced his doubts down.
“At the very least, she should have come here with us. What was so important about a mere letter…?”
Mila’s anger boiled, but suddenly she froze, her face draining of color.
“No… it can’t be…”
Before he could ask, she bolted. Leandros called after her, but she didn’t stop. Alarmed, he chased her, only to realize where she was headed—back to Lize’s house.
The door, once closed, now swung open.
Inside, nothing had changed—still the same chaos—except the overturned table, and beneath it, the trapdoor had been smashed open. From below came the sound of stifled sobs.
“Lize?”
Her trembling voice brought no reply. Leandros descended quickly, Mila at his heels.
In the small underground room, a single bed and a nightstand. On the floor, a middle-aged man knelt, sobbing.
“My gods! Are you all right?”
Leandros moved to help him, but the man resisted, his voice breaking.
“Take me outside! I must find my daughter—my daughter!”
“What do you mean?”
“They took her! They took my girl!”
Through tears, he recounted the scene: after the guests had gone, there was commotion above, then Lize’s scream. Strangers dragged her away.
“They said—‘Hurry, load her onto the ship.’ Please, take me to the harbor!”
Leandros gripped his shoulders firmly.
“If what you say is true, it’s too dangerous. You cannot go.”
“But my daughter—!”
“Then we will go. We’ll bring her back safely. Wait here for us.”
The conviction in his tone stilled the man. He saw the knight’s uniform and finally, slowly, nodded.
“Please. She is dearer to me than life itself. Bring her back.”
“You have my word. She’ll return safe.”
Mila too soothed him with a gentle voice before they climbed back up.
The moment they reached the ground floor, her tone hardened like steel.
“This is Grace’s doing.”
“What?”
“She was exposed—her past dragged out, her pride trampled in front of others. So she lashed out, made Lize pay the price.”
“That’s absurd.”
But Mila’s eyes burned with certainty.
“If we go to the harbor, we’ll know the truth.”
The memory of her darkest day surfaced—the day the one who gave her hope betrayed her. A shameless villainess, smiling even as she committed cruelty.
She had to stop her.
“You’re mistaken about Lady Grace,” Leandros said quietly.
“No, you don’t know her true face.”
“I know it better than anyone.”
His voice was calm but firm as he hailed a passing carriage.
“Still, I agree. We must go to the harbor.”
And when they arrived—their expressions split, hope and fury.
“For heaven’s sake… why are you here?”
Mila’s voice cracked. Just as she had feared—Grace was indeed at the harbor.
“You!”
Mila stormed forward, her face twisted with outrage. Behind her, Leandros followed.
How…? I hadn’t expected them here. I thought at worst they’d scurry to the temple, tattling to the cardinal. Not this.
But here they stood.
“You took her, didn’t you!”
Her voice rang like a blade.
“I don’t follow. What are you talking about?”
“Lize! You abducted her! Because she humiliated you before others—you wanted revenge, didn’t you? Isn’t that it?”
The accusation cut through the air. But before I could answer, another voice rose behind me, mocking and sly:
“Well, well. Milady, is that true? Publicly humiliated, pride trampled… no wonder you’d want to teach her a lesson.”
