Chapter 18

Feathers fluttered around her waist, with wings of the same color. Carlos, who had the appearance of a giant eagle, suddenly transformed into a human form.

The wind pushed through her hair, causing the long golden strands to rise into the air, obscuring her vision.

Reverting to his human form, Carlos reached out and ruffled her hair.

The wind gradually subsided, showing kindness only to her, much like the touch she felt now.

Carlos was relieved to feel the warmth in her arms. He couldn’t fathom how surprised he was to find her gone from the place he had returned to.

The only thing left behind was a scrawled note in her familiar handwriting.

“As soon as you find this, come find me.”

As soon as Carlos found the note, he transformed with his power of glory. With his giant wings spread, he soared through the alleys, searching every nook and cranny. 

He couldn’t recall what state of mind he was in when he flew. He was so consumed with finding her that he acted blindly.

It wasn’t far down the alley that he spotted Aneta. She was standing there without any sign of disturbance.

For a moment, he was relieved to see her. Then she saw the woman cowering against the wall in terror, followed by the men running towards Aneta.

After assessing the situation with furious anger, Carlos unleashed his abilities. He compressed the air around their throats, causing a dull crack as their bodies collapsed.

But his anger wasn’t yet quenched. If he could, he wanted to tear apart every dirty mouth that spoke ill of her.

Carlos wrapped his arms around her waist even more tightly to suppress his fiercely boiling anger.

“I was going to tell you that you should have waited until I came, but it seems like it wasn’t quite the situation for that.”

His gaze flickered towards the unconscious men, like prey. If she hadn’t been there, he would have used his sharp claws or sword to sever their heads from their bodies.

Aneta realized that it was not the time to feel the spreading vitality in the air. While still holding down the button she had pressed, she cautiously pressed another button on the opposite side.

After confirming that it vibrated briefly and then turned off, Aneta sighed in relief.

If she had been startled by the rupture and let go of the button, she would have had to bear the flowing current through her body.

“Carlos, can I borrow your coat?”

“Of course.”

Aneta, who had casually put the beads in her pocket, reached out her hand to Carlos. Understanding her intention, Carlos willingly took off his coat and handed it to her.

“Wait a moment, Aneta. I’ll take care of them.”

She started to move toward the woman leaning against the wall, staring blankly in their direction, but Carlos stopped her.

Unable to let Aneta physically step over their bodies, Carlos stalked over and stomped over the mangled mess.

Even in that series of actions, the life he couldn’t even finalize oozed out, and Aneta pretended not to notice. It was because she felt the same way.

‘It serves them right.’

Since they tried to violate the rights of others, it was only natural that their rights were not respected either.

“Are you okay?”

Aneta approached slowly so as not to startle the woman. Up close, the face was so worn that it was hard to tell if she was an adult or a minor.

As tears fell from that face, stained with such innocence, Aneta’s protective instincts, which she never knew existed within her, rose.

Fortunately, the woman did not fear Aneta’s approach. Still, Aneta carefully draped the borrowed coat over her shoulders with each small movement.

Aneta lowered herself without caring that her clothes were dragging on the floor and matched her eye level. Then, she slowly reached out her hand and gently guided the trembling body into her embrace.

“It’s okay now. No one will hurt you anymore.”

It wasn’t something that happened only in novels. This was the reality she and the woman faced—a danger lurking around everyone.

Many of the main characters bravely fight against situations like this.

But not everyone could do that.

Even if she was unable to speak properly due to the overwhelming fear that gripped her, it was not an unusual situation.

“Thank you. It must have been scary, but you held on well.”

Aneta repeated it softly in a reassuring tone. The trembling gradually subsided as a gentle hand patted her back.

As Carlos watched from a distance, his head turned to the men huddled in the corner.

To handle them, the city guard needed to be called, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave only the two of them behind.

However, it was not feasible to stay in that place indefinitely. Eventually, Carlos thought of another way and spoke to Aneta.

“It seems like we need to call the city guard with a loud voice.”

“Please,” Aneta replied, covering the woman’s ears.

Meanwhile, Carlos went to the alley entrance and, just as before, smashed a rock into pieces with the same method.

Crash!

A thunderous noise, incomparable to earlier, echoed out. It was indeed a rather primitive method, even by his standards, but there was no other way.

As he prevented the shards from flying out, he faced the guards rushing towards him from a distance. 

“What’s going on!”

Carlos explains the cause of the commotion and leads them into the alley. He didn’t reveal his identity in the process.

It was an opportunity to gauge their capabilities while he was bringing the guards. 

Aneta supported the staggering woman and watched as the guards approached the men.

“No, these people…!”

The guards, who had turned over the bodies to check their faces, expressed displeasure, even affixing honorifics unsuitable for those who had committed such heinous acts.

Seeing Aneta’s expression contort, Carlos asked on her behalf.

“Who are they?”

Their faces turned even paler at the casual treatment, as if it were water flowing.

“They are children of the richest merchant family in this area. So if you are the ones who made these people like this, then go ahead.’

“We’ll pretend we didn’t see you.”

“They are not to be messed with.”

The conclusion was that it would be difficult to deal with them because they were children of a wealthy family.

Aneta was stunned into silence.

“They’ve been caught for the same thing before, and they’ve always gotten away with it, so I’m sure this time will be no different.”

Since when did the guards start watching the rich closely? Aneta touched her forehead at the mention of being left alone without punishment, even though she was not a first-time offender.

She discovered a rotten root.

The anger was brief. Aneta and Carlos quickly regained their composure.

“If they’re from the wealthiest merchant families around here, they must be from the Philo and Folter families.”

As Carlos spoke with a flash of realization, the guards trembled.

Since it had become impossible to buy or sell titles after Russell’s ascension, merchants eager to show off their money had taken the next best thing. It was to create a surname after their name.

“Surely those two families must have accumulated a lot of wealth.”

If they couldn’t arrest them due to their wealth, then taking away their entire fortune would suffice.

The guards, who now seemed to understand what Aneta was thinking, nodded as if they were finally grasping the situation.

“There’s no point in punishing powerless commoners; it’s like hitting a rock with an egg. It’s better to give up on punishment since there’s nothing to gain.”

To give up on punishment because there was nothing to gain and simply walk away. It was truly ironic, considering it was said to the victims.

Aneta decided there was no longer a need to conceal her identity.

“Carlos, what do you think about what they just said?”

“It’s the worst. To think that the sword hanging on my waist would be wasted.”

Carlos. No one reacted to the name, though two of them glanced at each other, expecting it to be the same person, but not the others.

The observant ones looked at Carlos with pale faces. His stumbling, hesitant speech was unsettling, to say the least.

“Surely, are you Duke Baltimor?”

“And if I am?”

“How did you get this far……!”

The man who was stumbling over his words seemed like he might fall back at any moment, looking flustered.

“I came out on a mission with Lady Adenauer.”

It wasn’t just one noble. Moreover, both of them were close aides to the Emperor, a disastrous situation that made them want to faint.

“I believe you mentioned that it would be like hitting a rock with an egg. I wonder how much wealth they possess.”

Comparing the empire’s top power and wealth to an egg prompts them to quickly change their stance and kneel.

“Forgive us, for we have transgressed!”

“We didn’t know who you were because you didn’t reveal your status!”

“Is social status really necessary for punishing wrongdoers?”

When Aneta admonished in her shaky voice, the woman, who had been standing silently, grabbed her dress.

Feeling the cautious touch, Aneta turned to her with a relatively composed face, prompting the woman to hesitate before speaking up.

“Um… I, too, am a noble.”

Taken aback by the unexpected revelation, Aneta asked, trying to hide her confusion.

“I haven’t seen your face before. What’s your name?”

“I’m Chris. My name is Chris Deven.”

“Chris Deven?”

Aneta flinched as the familiar name came out of her mouth. Carlos looked at her as if to ask what was wrong, but she shook her head as if it was nothing.

She has scarlet hair and maroon eyes. She matched her original description in appearance, proving her claims to be true.

Chris Deven. The sub-heroine connected with Vernon, her cousin. It was unclear why such a person nearly encountered trouble in a place like this.

“Detain them immediately. Punishment will be carried out after a detailed investigation of their past crimes. The negligent guards will also face punishment, and if this incident is not properly handled, there will be severe consequences.”

As Carlos’ sharp warning continued, Aneta pushed away the complicated thoughts lingering in her head.

Reminding herself that she had a task to do first, she pulled out a handkerchief delicately embroidered with her family crest.

“It seems the only thing you can count on is the power of authority, so let’s play to their strengths. If anyone tries to get them out of prison, show them this.”

The family crest and the initials are engraved beneath it. The reason for presenting this significant item was clear and concise.

In simple terms, it meant that they would not stand idly by if someone opposed their intentions, even staking the family name on it.

The guard who took the handkerchief offered by Aneta with trembling hands instinctively realized that their lives and deaths were at stake in this matter.

Their minds flashed back to the nobles who had backed them, but as soon as they realized who they were dealing with, their hopes were dashed.

The only one who could stop them was the Emperor.

“Aneta, how about we head back now?”

“Okay. But before that, I need to give her something first, so please wait a moment.”

Aneta handed her self-defense beads to Chris, who was like a harmless herbivore.

“What is this?”

Taken aback as she held the bead carefully in both hands, Chris asked, and Aneta replied as if it were nothing special.

“It’s a self-defense bead. Use it if something like this happens again.”

When Aneta explained how to use it, Chris refused to accept such a thing.  Finding her reaction cute, Aneta gently placed the bead in her hand.

Without asking if she could make it back alone, Carlos pointed to one of the guards still kneeling and instructed him to take responsibility and safely escort Chris.

“Thank you for your help!”

The gratitude echoed behind them as they turned to head back to the carriage after settling the situation.

Unable to ignore it, they turned around for a moment, and there it was, the envious eyes shining brightly in the young girl’s eyes.

“I like her.”

“I’m a little jealous.”

“