Chapter 58: Found You, My Lord Baroah
Chapter 58: Found You, My Lord Baroah
“This is how you deal with villains.”
Lucius grinned as he looked back at her.
“They’re really coming out? Ice Wind!”
Following closely behind Lucius and Kassel, Fay finished her incantation and launched a Fifth Circle ice spell toward the door that had suddenly burst open.
At the sound of Lucius’s clear, melodic voice, the enemies, caught off guard, poured out of the doorway only to freeze, literally and figuratively. Even the ones with bows fumbled awkwardly, giving Kassel an opening to charge ahead.
“Be careful!”
No reply came from behind her, but there was no need for Fay to worry.
Thanks to their well-timed teamwork, all seven enemies who had rushed out were captured without exception, even the two who had been abandoned earlier. Not one managed to escape.
And, of course, not a single strand of hair was harmed on Lucius, Kassel, or Fay.
Fay’s first battle had ended in success.
“Hmph. Be grateful you’re being dragged away tied up instead of walking on your own.”
The bound bandits, trussed up tightly with rope, were magically transported like candy on a stick, curled up on a summoned wooden plank headed toward the manor. They would soon be delivered to the prison on the estate grounds. There was no room for pity.
One of the men at the back squirmed.
“Ugh…”
“Hey, I may be just another crook to you, but I’m an old man with aching joints. Could you at least let me travel in a more comfortable position?”
Lucius narrowed his eyes at the absurd plea.
“Spare me the whining. If you’ve lived this long preying on others, then it’s time to accept your end.”
“The end…”
Fay’s eyes wandered to the groaning old bandit lying on the plank.
Thump. Thump.
There was no regret or fear in his gaze. Only the chilling gleam of a predator searching for an opening, like a panther stalking its prey.
‘What is this? Something feels wrong.’
Even in this situation, he was still calculating an escape. Kassel caught on and barked a low warning.
“What do you think you’re staring at?”
“…”
“I…”
“What is it?”
Fay realized her own breath was unusually hot. Her heart was pounding as if possessed.
Is this just a coincidence? No… I think I know.
I’ve seen him before. Even if he doesn’t remember me, I’m sure of it. I…
She struggled to piece together the faint fragments of memory.
Her nanny had died horrifically before her eyes. She had tried to run, slipped, and slammed her head on a rock. Broken wooden shards from a wrecked carriage had scraped her body. Her head and elbow had bled.
She had been just a child, terrified, clawing her way through the dirt, trying to escape the stench of blood. That man… he had rifled through the abandoned carriage and then locked eyes with her.
Back then, he had a longer beard. He had walked toward her with heavy steps as she sobbed, crawling through the mud. And then, someone else had appeared. A completely different face from the bandits’.
Fay’s steps came to a sudden halt as a different figure emerged in her mind, someone entirely separate.
‘Ah.’
“…What’s wrong? Are you okay? Want to take a break?”
Lucius gently rested his hand on her trembling shoulder, a touch so light it carried no weight, only warmth. It was a touch that could rival the finest healing magic in the world. But only for her.
Fay placed her hand on the back of his and murmured, “He was there…”
“What?”
“The man who came that day.”
It was astonishing. Only upon facing the second person who had completely changed her life did the memory finally surface.
“Fay?”
Kassel, walking ahead, glanced back at her mumbling.
“…It’s nothing. Let’s keep going.”
Her voice had returned to its usual calm.
I remember now. It was you.
When I had been paralyzed with fear, soaked in dirt and blood, wearing the silk robe from the ducal residence, you had lifted me up in your arms and driven the bandits away.
[“You’re safe now. Don’t be afraid.”]
That gentle, soothing voice had reached my ears when I was completely spent.
Even if you were among thousands of people, I would recognize you anywhere.
You had taken the ruby pendant from my neck, removed my bloodied robe, and covered my trembling form with the white robe you had been wearing.
All the way to the Grace Monastery, you had patted my back, calming my sobs until I finally drifted off to sleep.
That’s why, even though I had forgotten you after being left at the monastery, I had never been haunted by nightmares. Your kindness had wrapped my sorrow in warmth.
Your face had been more radiant than the white robe you wore.
And your hair, silver like the coldest, brightest moonlight, was unlike any color I had ever known.
That’s what you looked like when you came to save me.
Exactly the same as the person standing beside me now.
Fay’s throat tightened.
My Lord Baroah…
You were Lucius all along. The man right in front of me, the one who wanted to say something but waited patiently for me to be ready.
She didn’t need to look at Lucius again. She could picture his face perfectly even with her eyes closed. She would never forget now, not for the rest of her life.
You, who pretended it was nothing when you approached me at the festival and introduced yourself as Momo’s owner.
Sometimes like a friend, sometimes like the best book, ready to answer anything I asked.
You tried to keep your distance, but the moment I was in danger, you would break through any barrier to reach me.
Lucius. Lord Baroah. And… whoever else you really are, the identity you’ve yet to reveal.
Why? Why did you look so sorrowful that day, even as you saved me? You were a good man to me, a teacher. There was no reason to hesitate in front of me…
‘Was that what you intended to tell me in front of the Prayer Forest?’
“We’re here.”
Kassel spoke as he stared at the stone wall surrounding the small outpost. The captured bandits groaned as they faced their doom, death or life imprisonment.
“Urgh… Ughh…”
“Will you shut up?”
Lucius snapped coldly.
Sensing something suspicious, a couple of soldiers rushed over. When Kassel showed them something, the matter was quickly resolved.
Hard to believe it had taken this long to end something that could be solved so swiftly.
Kassel, returning from inside the outpost, said the evidence against the bandits was overwhelming and that bounties had been placed on every one of them. Most would be executed. At best, they would never see sunlight again.
Fay felt the knot in her heart loosen, knowing that the bandit would finally face justice.
It was certain that he would be executed. She had agonized over it the entire way from the forest. Should she smuggle him away and keep him alive? Hide him somewhere until he confessed to the truth of that day?
Her mind churned relentlessly, but in the end, she chose to entrust everything to the laws of the Chionel territory.
Because there were suspicions that the Saintess hadn’t ordered the carriage attack herself.
‘If she had, surely they would have retrieved the ruby pendant. Anyone willing to kill for money wouldn’t have left something so valuable. They probably would’ve coaxed my nanny with promises to return it later, wouldn’t they?’
Her long-buried memories were returning, one by one. And now, Fay had decided to lay one of them to rest for good.
You will pay for your crime with your life, for the monstrous act you committed.
A killer whose name she didn’t even know.
One of the deepest wounds of her life would soon be gone.
Fay said quietly, “That’s a relief.”
“…If the innkeeper doesn’t speak clearly, don’t let it slide. After everything we’ve been through, I won’t forgive him for brushing it off.”
Fay laughed and shook her head.
“No way.”
That evening, after returning to the outpost and confirming the events, the innkeeper and his wife sat down at their table.
Momo had his snout buried deep in a bowl of meat stew the innkeeper had served as thanks.
Chomp chomp!
He’d done the least, but ate the most.
“My, I knew you were remarkable the moment I saw you.”
“Cut the flattery. If Fay has any questions, answer them all.”
Lucius grumbled from where he lay on the long bench, reading a book he’d brought.
“Of course. The word hasn’t spread yet, but the villagers will be grateful. Come back in a few months. Everyone will welcome you with flowers.”
“We’ll see.”
Fay replied vaguely.
Who knew if she’d ever return to this faraway Chionel territory?
The innkeeper began recounting what had happened.
“That day wasn’t even particularly windy. You wouldn’t know since you’re outsiders, but in our region, there aren’t many noble families with a long lineage.”
“So everyone knows each other.”
“Exactly. Take the Karris Viscounty. Everyone around here knows them. But then a fire killed the entire family in one night. Even the maid who lived with them died, so no one survived.”
“And there was no wind… The people inside never noticed the fire and died?”
Kassel’s tone was neutral.
People’s senses could dull easily when off guard. If the fire broke out at night while everyone was asleep, it wasn’t unusual for them to die of smoke inhalation before flames reached them.
“Yes. That family had its share of troubles, despite being nobles. Not wealthy, just two sons and a daughter. The younger son had a limp, and the daughter, Tricia, was quite pretty. But…”
“Tricia?”
“Tricia…?”
“…”
Kassel and Fay spoke in unison.
Tricia.
Dottricia…
The names were too similar.
Too soon to jump to conclusions. But the name matched far too closely with the viscount’s daughter living in this remote territory, the very person Dott had asked them to investigate.
As Fay’s gaze wavered, Kassel’s crimson eyes flicked toward her.
The innkeeper shrugged.
“Yeah, well. A few years ago, the younger siblings were headed to their regular doctor when the daughter disappeared. The younger son fell off a cliff, was severely injured, and only found three days later. Considering his limp, he probably had a hard time calling for help.”
“Did… did he die?”
If that Tricia was Dottricia…
You, Dot… you tried to kill your family even before you ran away? For real?
“No, he barely survived. But his health declined so badly after that, he’s been bedridden ever since. And he has no memory of what happened to his sister.”
……
T/N: We’re about more than ⅓ of the novel, and I’m glad they found something about Dottricia’s identity that fast
