Chapter 2.3
“Speak.”
“Around the afternoon, the knights stationed in Hyran brought back one more piece of information about… that person.”
At those words, the master’s green eyes turned sharply toward him. The knight swallowed dryly and continued.
“There was an incident at the market today. A young woman was beaten by her husband. It seems she hid the fact that she was pregnant with a child from the Aiger Count’s family and then remarried…”
“Just get to the point. Keep it short.”
“Yes. The woman who was beaten in the market…”
“She was beaten?”
His voice, usually flat, now had an edge to it.
Even in the brief moment it took to finish the sentence, his composure cracked as he asked again.
“Who?”
It was a question that asked both who was beaten and who did the beating.
Normally, he was known for his iron patience, but lately, he seemed like a different man from the one the knight used to serve.
The knight quickly continued.
“The one who got hurt was the young woman beaten by her husband. Lady Ines took her and her daughter to the place where that person is currently staying.”
In other words, she had taken in the illegitimate child of the Aiger family. The burst of aimless rage that had flared up slowly began to fade.
According to the reports, she had only gotten out of bed three months ago due to poor health. Even after that, she rarely left the house.
Despite being weak herself, she must not have been able to ignore a woman in a similar situation. Still as foolish as ever.
The knight, watching his master’s reaction carefully, added cautiously.
“But… it seems that the man, her husband, reported the woman to the police.”
“Reported?”
“Yes. They say he accused her of adultery… and now the guards from Hyran have been dispatched.”
Anyone who helped someone reported could easily be seen as an accomplice. If Ines didn’t send the mother and daughter away in time, she and the herb shop owner could be taken too.
If that happened… they wouldn’t even need to search. He could simply order them to send the arrested woman here.
All he had to do was give the order, and by tomorrow morning, she’d be on her way to the capital.
That would be easier.
Rayan’s eyes traced over the crumpled document he had crushed moments ago.
“October 3rd. Hasn’t left the house for four days. According to the herb shop owner, she fainted after going outside and catching a cold wind. He’s very worried…”
What flashed in his mind was the image of her when they met again in front of Lezan’s palace. Her body had been so thin, she seemed like she had no flesh at all.
Then he remembered the tiny, mouse-like figure he had seen in Jenaire eight years ago.
“…Damn it.”
Startled by his harsh curse, the knight stood up straighter.
Rayan roughly ran his hand through his hair and stood up.
“Troublesome illegitimate child. That’s exactly what she is. I’ll go myself. Follow me.”
If she got hurt while being dragged here, the thorn in his heart would only grow bigger.
It was better to go himself and bring her.
Rayan swallowed the curses he didn’t say and left the palace.
The woman Ines brought was named Neia, and the girl’s name was Ronya.
Neia said she had been a maid in the Aiger household. Ronya was the child born from a single night after catching the Count’s eye.
“If they knew she was a noble’s child… they might have cut off my head. That’s why I ran away before I could get rid of the baby.”
“I see.”
Ines quickly stopped her from speaking further when she saw a scab on Neia’s lip about to fall off.
“For now, it’s best if you rest. Don’t worry about anything tonight. I’ll feed Ronya, wash her, and put her to bed.”
Lying on the bed, Neia looked up at Ines with swollen eyes. Ines smiled as brightly as she could to help her feel at ease.
“…You have the same eyes.”
But something behind that smile must have shown, because Neia murmured with a fading voice,
“I’ve seen what happens to the Count’s other illegitimate children… many times.”
“If I’m wrong, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean you’re one of Aiger’s children… it just felt similar, that’s all.”
“…I see.”
“I’m sorry. And… thank you for taking us in.”
Maybe people in the same situation can understand each other without words. Ines gave a soft, pale smile.
“No need to be sorry. No need to thank me, either. I can’t do much anyway.”
She herself was just living under Robert’s kindness. He was the one who deserved the thanks.
Ines squeezed ointment and gently applied it to Neia’s cracked lips.
“Still, I hope you can rest well tonight. As for tomorrow, I’ll think it over with you.”
She gave Neia’s hand a comforting pat before leaving the room.
When she came down from the third-floor bedroom to the second-floor living room, Robert was not there.
‘Did he go to the herb shop…?’
Just as she turned toward the stairs leading to the first-floor shop in confusion—
“I told you! She’s not here! What do you think you’re doing coming to someone’s house this late at night—!”
She heard Robert’s angry voice from downstairs.
Ines took a small breath. Robert was arguing with someone.
“I said I don’t know anything!”
“A witness saw a young woman from the herb shop taking them. If you keep denying it, we’ll have to search the house.”
“How dare you—!”
Just hearing the conversation was enough to understand what was going on.
The guards had come to take Neia and Ronya away.
If they were guards, then that meant Neia’s husband really had reported her.
Ines bit her lip hard.
‘I should have left Kian with him till the end…’
Even if it meant losing half a year, she should’ve held on to that man.
Regret rushed in.
“Uh… Sister…”
Ronya approached and held onto the hem of her skirt.
The girl still hadn’t fully recovered from the shock of the day and looked anxious.
“…It’s okay. I’m just going downstairs for a moment.”
Ines calmed the child and sent her back up to the sleeping Neia on the third floor.
She had hoped they could sleep peacefully at least for one night. She had even promised they would be safe. She wanted to keep that promise tonight.
If that meant giving up half a year, so be it.
Whether she had 10 years left or 9 and a half, it made little difference.
Ines hurried down the stairs. Robert, who was blocking the door and shouting at the guards, turned to her.
“Ines?”
He frowned and motioned for her to stay back.
“You go back upstairs. It’s late.”
“No. They came because of me.”
Ines walked calmly toward the door with a smile.
“From what I hear, you’re here because of the people I helped earlier today.”
There were three guards outside. The one in front spoke bluntly.
“Black hair and blue eyes. You’re the woman who took them. Are they in this house now?”
“No. I’m sorry, but I took them to an inn near the plaza.”
“An inn nearby?”
“Yes. If you need, I can take you there. But please let go of my grandfather.”
Her thin hand pressed down on the guard’s sword hilt pointing at Robert and gently pushed it away.
Robert let out a soft groan.
“Ines, you—”
“I’ll just go with them for a bit. I’ll be fine.”
Ines smiled lightly. It wasn’t a fake smile.
She wasn’t particularly afraid.
She had been dragged off enough to be used to it.
Compared to the knights of Jenaire, these men weren’t even that threatening.
“I’ll be back before midnight.”
“What are you planning…”
“It’s late. Please go upstairs and get some sleep.”
Ines tightly hugged the pale-faced Robert. Then she turned to the guards with a determined look.
Her heart, ‘Kian,’ thudded irregularly.
With a smile, Ines stepped outside.
A light rain was falling.
“Shall we go?”
Her calm voice spread through the falling rain. With a clatter, the door to the herb shop closed.
Robert stared blankly at the shut door.
He had a bad feeling.
“…Ines!”
When he snapped out of it and hurriedly opened the door again, neither Ines nor the three guards were outside.
“Ines! Girl!”
As he looked frantically through the rain-soaked street, a flash of silver caught his eye.
The old man turned to his right again—and the glimmering silver that had been far away was now right in front of him.
Beneath the man’s cloak, a richly embroidered uniform peeked out.
“Ines.”
The way he said her name was filled with heavy emotion. It wasn’t a good kind.
“That woman. She’s not here?”
Bright green eyes swept up and down Robert. The man gave a bitter sigh as he grasped the situation.
“Still acting like a damn nuisance.”
“W-Who are you?”
Rayan didn’t answer.
All the frustration, anger, urgency, and longing that had built up exploded at once.
Turning his back to the old man, he gave a sharp order.
“Find her. Search the entire street if you have to.”
