OPDPS 113

Lady Merel furrowed her brows, thinking of the maid who’d been bitten by a snake.

“She’s in the hospital now, isn’t she?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Make sure she’s well taken care of. Spare no expense.”

“I’ll see to it.”

With a sigh, she walked to the window. Outside, the scenery looked like it wouldn’t be strange if the first snow began to fall. The bare, branch-stripped trees gave the world a bleak atmosphere.

“So winter begins.”

Winters in the North were unbearably long, dark, and cold. She couldn’t even remember how she survived it last year—and the thought of enduring it again this year left her disheartened.

One of her long-held dreams had been to go to the warm South during winter. But that was impossible now, and likely would always be.

Because she had to protect Sorel.

She had to find a way—any way—for Sorel to survive the Grand Duke. That meant she could not afford to leave the North for even a moment.

Times like this made her resent her husband. He should’ve looked after his grown eldest son instead of making a newborn the heir. Or if he insisted on naming a baby heir, he should’ve made it known publicly and taken responsibility. Dying without a plan—what did he expect the ones left behind to do?

She clasped her hands together. But they were already cold, and holding them only made her feel colder.

***

The carriage carrying Aeryl toward the inner quarters slowed to a halt as it passed through the busy district.

“Looks like there’s an accident up ahead. The road’s completely blocked,” the coachman said in a flustered voice.

Aeryl leaned toward the window to check the situation outside. As expected in a bustling area, there was a crowd of people, most of them looking confused and panicked.

“Please help! Someone’s been run over!”

“Is there a doctor here?! We need a stretcher or a wagon!”

The shouting echoed from somewhere nearby.

“Looks like someone’s been hurt,” Connie said.

Aeryl nodded. His legs twitched, ready to run over, but he reminded himself he was under escort. Charging into a crowded scene recklessly would only make things worse.

“Sir Knight, could you check the situation? See if it’s urgent enough for me to go.”

“Yes, sir.”

The knight riding beside the coachman jumped off and ran forward. Knowing Aeryl’s sense of duty, he was relieved the man hadn’t already dashed off on impulse.

Aeryl anxiously watched out the window.

“If we do have to get out, you’ll need to stay close to me,” Connie warned.

The knight soon returned with a report. A wheel had suddenly broken on one of the carriages. As it pulled aside for repairs, the startled coachman of the carriage behind it yanked his reins, causing his horse to bolt and crash into the stopped carriage. Then a third carriage, speeding from behind, couldn’t brake in time and caused a second collision.

The entire road was now blocked.

“The coachmen are badly hurt. Looks like they were thrown from their carriages,” the knight said, his face grim.

Though the scene was chaotic, the presence of guards and the fact that they were still within the town made it safe enough for Aeryl to intervene.

“You’d better go, sir.”

“Let’s go.”

With the knight’s permission, Aeryl immediately stepped out of the carriage and moved forward. Connie and the guards followed closely behind.

The situation was worse than expected. The second carriage, caught between two collisions, was almost completely destroyed. People were trying to pull the injured out, but it wasn’t going smoothly.

“Two of you, help over there,” Aeryl ordered naturally as he headed toward the most critical-looking patient—a coachman flung from the crash, bleeding from the head. He was conscious but unable to move, likely from the shock.

‘Stop the bleeding first.’

Aeryl was preparing to channel healing magic when—

“It’s falling—get back!”

The first carriage, teetering dangerously, suddenly tipped toward Aeryl.

The guards dashed forward, throwing their bodies against the wagon to hold it up. Aeryl and the others used the moment to pull the patient to safety.

As soon as they let go, the carriage crashed to the ground with a deafening thud, sending a plume of dust into the air.

Even in the chaos, the guards tried to stay alert and protect Aeryl, but the sheer number of people moving around made it difficult. And in a scene where lives were on the line, they couldn’t exactly start pushing people away just to clear space. All they could do was hover around him.

‘Focus on the patient.’

Aeryl realized he’d gotten separated from the guards, but the patient came first. As he began treating the wounds with magic, he called to Connie,

“We need something to stabilize his head.”

“Understood.”

While Connie searched, a local stepped forward.

“Use this.”

It was a wooden splint and a bandage. Aeryl quickly accepted them and handed part to Connie.

“Hold this side.”

Aeryl and Connie together used the splint and bandage to keep the patient’s head from moving. They’d have to examine him properly later, but for now, the emergency treatment was done—if they hurried to the hospital, he should be fine.

“Finish wrapping the bandage. I’ll……”

He stood up to see if there were any other patients. A sharp object suddenly pressed into his lower back.

‘Make a sound and I’ll kill you.’

It was the person who had just brought the splint and bandage. He threatened Aeryl with a dagger and gave an order.

‘Get up naturally.’

Tense, Aeryl slowly rose to his feet. Connie, who had been finishing the splint, looked up at him.

“We’ll need a stretcher.”

She didn’t seem to notice anything wrong. The person had been standing behind Aeryl like he was simply watching the treatment, and he’d hidden the dagger with his sleeve, so nothing seemed amiss.

‘Right. He probably can’t walk by himself.’

Aeryl answered calmly and signaled with his eyes to Connie. Go. Call the guard now!

“I’ll go get one.”

But Connie, pretending not to notice anything, stood and left to find a stretcher. Behind him, the man let out a quiet sigh, as if relieved.

‘Off the road. Don’t try anything.’

Once he stepped off the road, he’d be further from the guards and lost in the crowd. It was clearly meant to make pursuit more difficult.

‘If he meant to kill me, he would’ve stabbed me already. So the goal is kidnapping?’

Thank goodness Connie had moved away. If she’d been taken too, it might be okay for him as the target, but there was no telling if Connie would be spared. Aeryl walked in the direction the man instructed.

One step, two steps. And then—

“Ugh!”

The man suddenly groaned and fell away from Aeryl. Startled, Aeryl turned back—Connie had subdued the man.

What’s going on? Connie tried to take the dagger from him. She wasn’t overwhelmed at all in the struggle, and her every move was precise and practiced.

‘Connie, you’re just a maid, aren’t you?’

“Plan’s failed! Go with the second plan!’”

At the man’s shout, masked men popped out from all directions, drawing hidden weapons.

Were they all kidnappers? The guards moved to stop them.

Aeryl looked for somewhere safe to hide. He can’t fight. In moments like this, the best option was to stay hidden.

He scanned the area and spotted one man standing still in a corner, watching the fight quietly. His composed demeanor was in stark contrast to the people fleeing.

But that wasn’t why Aeryl noticed him.

Even though he was dressed completely differently, that face—he could never forget it.

‘An Imperial Knight… all the way here?!’

He’d heard from the Grand Duke that the Emperor’s knights had been acting suspiciously—but to think they’d appear right at the gates of the Grand Duke’s castle.

‘Did they come knowing I’d be here? Or was it a coincidence?’

He froze in shock. The Imperial Knight seemed to sense his gaze and turned toward him. Aeryl quickly turned his face away, but he couldn’t be sure he hadn’t been seen.

His heart thudded.

‘Am I okay? Was I seen?’

He didn’t dare turn back to check if the knight was still watching.

Then someone shouted—

“Grab him!”

Probably one of the kidnappers. But Aeryl, already on edge and in a panic, couldn’t tell. The moment he heard the yell, he leapt into a run.

‘I have to escape. Far. I can’t let the Imperial Knight catch me……!’

His head was filled with only one thought: to get away.

“Sir! You can’t go that way!”

“Damn it, he’s running! Get him!”

“Keep them from reaching him!”

Voices rang out—friend and foe alike—but none of it reached Aeryl. Fear that the Imperial Knight would grab him at any moment drove him to run, faster and faster.

‘Catch him! No matter what!’

The kidnappers began to chase Aeryl, only to be blocked by the guards. The knights who had been quietly protecting him from a distance also joined the battle and pursuit.

A sudden chase unfolded. And within it—was the Imperial Knight.

‘He said he’d protect me!’

Why was it, in a moment like this, that his thoughts went to the Grand Duke? Aeryl didn’t even know what he was thinking anymore. He just kept running.