TOPWL 116

The villagers, who had been so thrilled to see Yudit just moments ago, began glancing at one another nervously at his question. Yudit didn’t press them. Instead, he studied their shifting gazes. In the silence, eyes started to settle on a single person—that alone was answer enough.

And there he was, exactly who Yudit had expected.

Eden.

Yudit gave him a look of exasperation. Eden stood inside the cell, arms folded, wearing a relaxed smile. It was either him or Diego—Yudit had guessed as much from the start. But seeing his friend grinning like a fool behind bars for causing all this made Yudit’s blood boil.

His mind returned to what had happened two hours earlier with the village chief:

“What are we to do, Your Highness? The villagers…!”

“Is something wrong?”

“They saw the malicious article about Your Highness and rushed to the capital to protest outside the newspaper office… and they all got arrested—!”

The moment Yudit heard that, he had jumped into a carriage and headed straight to the constabulary where they were being held. And just as the captain had said, here they were—locked up for protesting on his behalf.

The newspaper had come out early that morning. With Khalid scrambling to buy up every copy across the nation, there were only a few people capable of not only finding one but also gathering the villagers, explaining the content, stirring up their outrage, and marching all the way to the city for a protest. Only Eden or Diego, Aldrich’s disciples, had that kind of reach.

There were plenty of legal vulnerabilities in this affair. Knowing that and still choosing to rouse people to action—Yudit couldn’t bring himself to forgive Eden for it.

Yudit pointed straight at Eden, then spun his finger in a small circle. After that, he extended his palm far away at eye level, then slowly brought it closer. It was a hand signal from the back alleys.

The meaning: “You’ll pay for this.”

Despite the obvious threat, Eden just shrugged nonchalantly. Yudit let out a quiet sigh, then turned to the villagers behind the bars—people with such clear, earnest eyes—and spoke.

“Don’t resist anymore. If this escalates, it won’t just be you in trouble—I’ll be dragged into it too. I’ll go speak with them now, so please, stay calm until then. I know it’s uncomfortable, but endure it a little longer.”

“We understand, Your Highness. We believe in you.”

“We’re all right, Your Highness!”

One of them, who looked like a blacksmith, leaned in and muttered to Yudit:

“If that constable captain tries to threaten you with any dirty tricks, don’t hesitate to punch him square in the jaw.”

Yudit turned away with an awkward smile. Outside, Khalid, Shane, and Huyan were standing by. Khalid mouthed silently, “Go on.” Yudit nodded.

Shane started to step forward, but Yudit shook his head—his way of saying he wanted to handle it alone. Shane seemed to understand and stopped. The constabulary, finally quiet, allowed Captain Hansen to breathe a visible sigh of relief.

“This way, please.”

The room they entered was too bare to be called a reception room. An interrogation room, perhaps.

“This is a small station, so we don’t have a proper reception room. Please forgive the state of things.”

“It’s fine.”

“That’s a relief. Would you care for some tea?”

He added with a faint smile, “It’s not much, but it’s a decent blend.”

“Please,” Yudit nodded.

Hansen scooped two spoonfuls of dried tea leaves into a cup. When he poured the hot water, a rich aroma immediately filled the room. Yudit took a cautious sip of the steaming tea. A unique scent, smooth and mellow on the tongue. He knew this tea.

It was from the Wuton region, made with tea leaves infused with ja. He’d served it once at a banquet, and it had become wildly popular ever since. He hadn’t expected to find it here.

“The man who came with you earlier…”

“The Duke of Khalid.”

“I thought so. I’ve heard of the close bond between the two of you.”

At last, Yudit realized why the capital’s constabulary captain was treating him with such courtesy. It was because of Khalid. If Khalid hadn’t been here, Yudit might have ended up behind bars with the others—accused of inciting unrest—and become perfect fodder for Reginald’s attacks.

“I’ve read that article myself,” Hansen said softly.

“Mm,” Yudit replied with a quiet sigh, setting down the teacup.

“I know… you’re not the kind of man it describes.”

“…?”

Yudit looked at Hansen, clearly taken aback. He hadn’t expected that kind of response. Was it just flattery? Or was he being sincere? Hansen’s eyes—blue and vivid like a young man’s, despite his age nearing old—gave nothing away.

“But if there’s any more unrest,” Hansen continued calmly, “I’m afraid we won’t be able to overlook it any further. I’d appreciate it if you took them and returned quietly.”

He was offering to let them all go, right now, if Yudit would leave with them. Just earlier, Yudit had been agonizing over how to handle this whole mess, but now the offer was so sweet it nearly hurt his teeth.

“That can be arranged immediately. However…”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“You—Have we met before?”

Hansen gave a faint smile at the question and replied,

“I’m afraid I can’t say.”

Hansen kept his word. Before the tea had even cooled, everyone was released.

Yudit tried to recall where he might have seen Hansen before, but nothing came to mind. The man didn’t seem to have an ulterior motive. If anything, it felt more like he was repaying a favor… though Yudit couldn’t think of anything he’d done that might warrant such a debt.

Eventually, he gave up the guessing game. If someone offered kindness while choosing to keep their identity hidden, then perhaps prying wasn’t the polite thing to do.

***

“Do you finally understand how dangerous that was?”

On the way back, Yudit deliberately chose to ride with the villagers in a public carriage . Khalid had intended to join him, but the look in Yudit’s eyes had been enough to make him rethink it—he quietly said he’d take the carriage he came in. As a result, two villagers ended up taking the spots originally meant for Shane and Yudit.

Spending quiet time with Khalid might’ve been unbearable for the villagers, but it wasn’t like the carriage Yudit rode in was exactly filled with joy either.

“You still don’t get it, so I’ll say it again. What you did was extremely reckless. Things could’ve gone very, very wrong. You might not have made it home at all. You’re all still young. Even if you don’t have families to care for, you’re responsible for yourselves. What you did today was plain wrong. Hey, are you even listening to me?”

He directed the question at a middle-aged man staring off into space. Judging by his unusually large hands, he was likely a blacksmith. The man touched his ear with a grimace, then lowered his hand apologetically.

“I thought my ear might be bleeding… Sorry.”

He bowed his head, and Yudit decided to let it slide. He turned swiftly, searching for his next target—but no one would meet his gaze. With no new victim to scold, Yudit launched back into another lecture.

“If you were in a shop with a hundred people and saw smoke rising—while the other ninety-nine just browsed like nothing was wrong—what would you do? Run? Probably not. You’d likely act like nothing was wrong too. Because everyone else is calm. Because it’s wrong to be the only one panicking. Even as the smoke chokes you all.”

“To be the kind of person who can run from that shop—to be that one in a hundred—you must think for yourself. You can listen to others, sure, but in the end, the decision must be yours. You have to trust your own judgment.”

He turned a sharp gaze to Eden.

“If you let others sway you too easily, you won’t avoid disaster. Do you really think the person who stirred you up would take your place in prison? Face the guillotine for you? Not a chance. You got lucky this time. Don’t expect another.”

“I can’t fix everything for you. And you shouldn’t rely on me to.”

His scolding was endless. The villagers who had once been thrilled to ride in the same carriage as Yudit were now staring out the window with the dead-eyed look of fish rotting in the sun.

“Y-Your Highness, it’s the village!”

“The village! We’re almost there!”

The moment they spotted their home, everyone pressed to the windows. Then, almost in unison, they clutched their stomachs and groaned dramatically.

“Ugh, I get motion sick—could you let me off here?”

“I-I’m about to throw up…”

“I’ve actually been vomiting since earlier.”

“I’ve been vomiting since yesterday. Please let me down.”

“Mercy! Please!”

They desperately wanted out, but still glanced at Yudit nervously for permission. He sighed and closed his eyes.

“As you wish.”

“Let us out!”

The moment his consent fell from his lips, they began pounding on the walls. The startled coachman slowed the horses, and even before the coach had fully stopped, the passengers leapt out like fish bursting through a torn net. Yudit watched them flee in disbelief.

And among the escaping herd, Eden tried to quietly sneak off—only for Yudit to grab him by the arm.

“And where do you think you’re going?”