Chapter 20

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 118

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My body had fully recovered.

As if word of it had spread somewhere, nobles had gathered in front of my room.

"I am from the Ekban family..."

"You're as beautiful as the rumors say! Your peerless beauty is blinding me..."

"This is a gem made from a rare ore found only in our territory..."

They had come to leave their mark on me, the future fiancée of Arjen.

It was the most annoying time I'd had lately.

But there was one strange thing.

"Miss! I am from Persen Territory...!"

The people from Persen Territory all froze the moment they saw my face.

They stared at me in a daze, looking utterly shocked.

And then, one by one, they said the same thing.

"...You look strikingly similar."

"Similar to whom?"

"...Ah, it's nothing."

It was odd.

'What on earth is going on with them?'

No matter how much I prodded, they clammed up tight. They wouldn't breathe a word, so there was nothing I could do.

But today, I didn't have the luxury to worry about them.

No, it was because of Rihart.

<See you next time.>

What did that mean?

It was a phrase that tugged relentlessly at my nerves.

'Good thing I tipped off Michel just in case.'

I couldn't afford to push all my chips on a single option.

I'd asked Michel to prepare a new identity and a means of escape for me.

To fulfill that request, she had left the Northern Region yesterday.

There was no reason for her to stay in the north anyway, now that the food deliveries were complete.

I stopped brushing my hair and turned my gaze to the window.

The outside felt unusually rowdy today.

The distance from the room to the grounds muffled their words.

More people than usual had been patrolling the area since morning.

Something must have happened at the castle.

I wondered what it was.

A flicker of curiosity arose, but I quickly dismissed it.

'It doesn't matter to me anyway. I'll be leaving this place soon.'

In a few hours, I would have left the Northern Region behind.

But as if mocking my expectations, someone called for me from outside the door.

"...You need to come out right away."

Why did ominous events always cling to me like this?

"...So you're saying the Holy Knight Captain, who came back to the Northern Region on the Pope's orders, was attacked?"

"That's what they're saying."

Arjen nodded as if it were a nuisance.

Rihart had been attacked? What was this about?

"It's a critical injury, apparently."

"..."

"He's still unconscious."

Until last night, Rihart had been perfectly fine, right there with me.

So this news was hard to believe.

"Transcendents heal quickly by nature, but his condition is so dire that regeneration isn't working well."

"Ah..."

"Someone from the temple will arrive soon to tend to him urgently."

"...I see."

I nodded for now.

But doubts lingered.

Was there anyone here capable of taking down a Transcendent like Rihart?

Yurta came to mind, but he wasn't the type to act so recklessly.

He always gauged the situation carefully before deciding when to step in.

"So, when can we leave?"

It was regrettable, but it had nothing to do with me. We were supposed to depart soon anyway.

But Arjen looked displeased.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?"

"...What is there to say in a situation like this?"

"Like what your relationship is with the Holy Knight Captain, for instance."

His sharp words stabbed like a dagger, leaving me unable to respond immediately.

Why was he asking this? No one should know I'd met Rihart yesterday.

He still didn't know that the Holy Knight Captain was the monster he'd imprisoned in his manor long ago.

I hadn't done anything that could give me away...

As I hesitated, a sneer curled at Arjen's lips.

My brief pause must have convinced him.

"What is your relationship?"

"There's no relationship."

"Then you should've answered right away. What is it?"

"We do have some connection. I ran into him a few times while I was with the Seyblin Baroness."

"Is that really all?"

Why was he pressing so relentlessly?

Arjen's green eyes darkened further.

Tap, tap. His well-manicured nails drummed irritably on the table.

I was about to deny any deeper ties to Rihart without hesitation.

But at that moment, a knock sounded.

The tension building between Arjen and me eased slightly.

He looked irritated.

"Something annoying has arrived."

"..."

"Come in."

At Arjen's word, the door burst open.

The count entered, followed by a man in clerical robes.

The cleric spotted me immediately upon entering.

"Are you Miss Rozhi?"

I nodded.

"Do you know about the incident that occurred at dawn today?"

He meant Rihart's attack.

"I do."

"That makes this easier. We have a few questions for you regarding the matter."

"Go ahead."

Something felt off.

What business did they have dragging me into this in Arjen's room?

"After the Captain was attacked, we found some odd details. He was struck with a hairpin that concealed a blade, and there's testimony that it belongs to you, Miss Rozhi."

Things were taking a strange turn.

The cleric pulled a handkerchief from his robes, something wrapped tightly inside.

When he unwrapped it before my eyes, a bloodstained hairpin was revealed.

...It was the hairpin I'd tried to stab Rihart with, only for him to take it from me.

"Does this belong to you, Miss Rozhi?"

With testimony on top of it, denial was pointless.

"...Yes, it's mine."

Having confirmed it, the cleric carefully rewrapped the hairpin in the handkerchief and pocketed it.

"There's more. Several long strands of pink hair were found on the Captain's body. Upon checking, you're the only one in the castle with pink hair."

"..."

"It's quite peculiar. Hair doesn't cling like that unless you've been in close contact."

Wait. So this was...

"Are you saying my fiancée is under suspicion right now?"

Arjen, who had been listening silently, curled his lip in displeasure.

Unlike with me, the cleric hesitated.

"...That's not what I meant. We just want to hear your side."

"What impudence."

"It's to uncover the truth. Please cooperate."

With such clear evidence, dodging like this wouldn't help.

Besides, since it concerned me directly, Arjen stepping in would only backfire and deepen the suspicions.

Arjen seemed to realize the same, falling silent as he pondered a solution.

"...I lost the hairpin some time ago."

I couldn't very well say Rihart took it from me.

The cleric slowly raised an eyebrow at my response.

"Then how did a lost item end up found like this?"

"That's what I'd like to know. And think about it."

"..."

"If I were the culprit, would I use my own hairpin as the weapon? Even if I grabbed it in a pinch, I'd never leave it at the scene."

"...I never said you were the culprit, Miss Rozhi."

"I know. The idea that I did it is absurd. How could I, of all people, ambush and successfully attack a war hero?"

"It adds up."

What was this now? I was momentarily stunned.

"The Captain had been poisoned."

"..."

"In his weakened state, even an old man could have done it."

The man who had been perfectly fine until last night suddenly attacked and poisoned?

At this point, only an idiot wouldn't see through it.

Rihart had set this trap for me himself.

<See you next time.>

I recalled his hazy whisper in my ear last night.

So that's what he meant.

"The Captain has opened his eyes!"

At that moment, someone flung open the door with urgent news.

"Is that true?"

The cleric interrogating me turned to the newcomer.

The cleric spun on his heel, clearly intent on rushing to Rihart's room.

I followed after him.

By the time we reached Rihart's door, the knights standing guard blocked Arjen and me.

"Outsiders may not enter. Apologies."

"Outsiders? Are you joking?"

Arjen raised his voice in anger, and the knight bowed his head.

He seemed aware of Arjen's status.

"Just wait for now."

I held Arjen back.

He looked unhappy but yielded to my wishes.

Moments later, the cleric emerged from inside.

His face was grim, as if something bad had happened.

"...The Captain wishes to see Miss Rozhi alone."

Arjen crossed his arms, clearly displeased.

"I'll go."

"Rozhi."

Arjen called after me, but I entered without hesitation.

I needed to assess the situation.

The room had a stark atmosphere.

The exquisitely handsome man lay limply.

Sensing my presence, he lifted his closed eyes, revealing brilliant blue ones.

"...Rozhi."

He called my name weakly.

His voice could fool anyone into thinking he was a true attack victim.

Even I, who roughly knew what was going on, felt a moment of doubt.

His pretty face clouded with sorrow made the act all the more convincing.

I approached his bedside.

He turned his head, reached out, and grasped my fingertips.

"...It was scary."

I yanked my hand free, refusing to buy his mournful murmur.

"Spit out whatever scheme this is."

"Ah."

His fragile demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by a picture-perfect smile.

"You've caught me."