“How did you make it all the way here?”

“There was someone who helped me. They didn’t reveal who they were, but they said I’d know once I met you.”

Jeremiah was the family physician of Rearbon. He was the one who had cared for Leticia, who had always been frail, more attentively than anyone else. The last time she had seen him was just before she was dragged away by Mathias’s soldiers after returning to Damian Academy.

Leticia immediately realized who that person was. At the reception, Viscount Damian Gorset had mentioned that there would be a gesture of goodwill from Kelsior.

“It must have been Princess Kelsior.”

She hadn’t believed it, as there had been no news until now, but to think the gesture would come in this form.

“I’m so glad.”

“I’m relieved to see you’re doing well too, Miss. You have no idea how worried I was. Especially when I heard you jumped into the Senat River…”

“It’s fine. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”

He was about to scold her, just like in the old days. Even that, she had missed. He smiled kindly at her.

“You’ve lost a lot of weight, Miss.”

Leticia gave a bitter smile. She couldn’t think of anything reassuring to say to him. After all, she had barely escaped Mathias’s grasp and was now leashed to the hunting dog he kept. She wasn’t even sure if her current situation was any better than before.

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on such sentiments.

“If I stay out too long, Christine will get suspicious.”

Jeremiah quickly handed her a packet of medicine.

“Here’s the medicine I prepared in advance. It’s the same as what you used to take.”

“Thank you, Jeremy.”

“Take care of yourself for the time being. You mustn’t come to see me again.”

“I know. Don’t worry.”

Just seeing him eased the tension that had gripped her heart.

“You be careful too, Jeremy.”

“I will. Don’t worry about me.”

Leticia left before Christine could knock on the door, wondering what was taking so long.

“So? Did they at least give you some medicine?”

“Yes. It was worth coming here. This matter… don’t…”

“I won’t tell Lord Maxis. You don’t have to worry.”

Christine spoke firmly. Leticia looked up at her quietly and then spoke sincerely.

“Thank you, Christine.”

“Pardon? Well… I’m glad you’re satisfied.”

Christine gave an awkward laugh and averted her eyes. She thought perhaps Leticia truly needed the medicine, or maybe this lady was much kinder than she had initially thought.

—

By the time they returned to the castle, the sun was already low in the sky. Christine took the medicine she had received and went to Leticia’s room first, while Leticia entered the castle afterward.

“Did something good happen?”

“…Things worked out well.”

As soon as she entered, Leticia ran into Callius and stopped in her tracks. His face was flushed, likely from being at the training grounds. He wiped his face with a towel and looked her over. His gaze was sharp.

“Don’t celebrate prematurely. You don’t know how things will turn out yet.”

“I know.”

“I said it because it seems like you don’t.”

Still looking displeased, Callius walked past her. Leticia realized she had been too elated because of Jeremiah. If Callius could notice her joy so easily, it was a problem. She worked to calm her fluttering emotions.

—

Callius wasn’t wrong.

The man had spoken as though he was willing to become friends with Leticia, but there was no way he was being sincere. Leticia had to confirm with her own eyes whether he would keep his promise. Only then would Callius at least pretend to trust her.

However, she felt uneasy about meeting him again. It wasn’t because she believed in the so-called sorcery of the Dorel tribe. It was just a strange, inexplicable discomfort. It was the way his gaze seemed to pierce through her, as if he wasn’t looking at her but beyond her. Leticia dismissed the feeling as her own hypersensitivity.

In the end, she went to see him again.

“You’ve come back quickly, Madam.”

“I came to see if you’d keep your promise.”

“I will. I told you, didn’t I? I think we could become good friends.”

“Then tell me what you plan to do.”

The man thought for a moment before speaking without hesitation.

“We’re not skilled at farming. But if we’re taught, we can learn. So, I’d like you to assign someone to teach us how to farm. If you do that, we’ll actively work on the land.”

This was something Leticia hadn’t considered. It seemed he had genuinely thought about her proposal.

“I’ll find someone suitable soon. Then…”

“You carry many wounds in your heart, Madam.”

“…”

At that moment, Christine’s uncertain voice came to mind. The supposed sorcery of the Dorel tribe—reading minds and foreseeing the future. The man’s voice was eerie enough to evoke such thoughts. But anyone could say such things.

“Is that so?”

“Especially regarding your relationship with your father.”

Leticia, who had answered indifferently, froze at his next words. There was no way he could know anything about her. So what was he basing his words on?

“Do you just throw out comments like that, hoping one will stick?”

“Even a broken clock is right twice a day. But I’m not a broken clock, nor do I speak carelessly.”

His words were hard to believe.

“I’ll be going now. Next time, I hope to see you keeping your promise.”

When she stood to leave, the man also stood. Once again, one of his arms was tightly bound to the chair’s armrest. Feeling reassured by this, she was caught off guard when his free hand grabbed her wrist.

“What are you doing…!”

“Oh, my apologies.”

But as if he had touched something hot, he quickly let go of her wrist, startled. The sudden incident left her too stunned to shout. He immediately admitted his mistake and sat back in the chair, making himself appear non-threatening.

“I acted rashly. I apologize.”

Since he acknowledged his mistake so cleanly, there wasn’t much else to say. But accepting his apology didn’t make the situation any less suspicious.

“…Why do you want me to stay longer?”

“Because if you’re here, the guards won’t bother us. At least not while a noblewoman like you is watching.”

He smirked and showed her the bruises on his neck with his unbound hand.

“…While you’re farming, I’ll make sure no one harms you. But this must not happen again.”

“Thank you, Madam. It won’t happen again.”

He expressed his gratitude and withdrew. Leticia finally left the inn.

—

Later, guards approached the man.

“Get up. Don’t dawdle.”

“Do you miss your runaway wife that much?”

The guard who had been teasing him turned pale in an instant.

“You crazy b*stard, spouting nonsense again…!”

“If you hit me now, I’ll tell the Madam everything. So don’t touch me. Not me, and not anyone else.”

The guard, who had raised his hand, let out a frustrated laugh. But the man was right. The lord’s wife had just told them not to harm him or the others.

“D*mn it. Just my luck!”

“Thanks. I won’t concern myself with your future anymore.”

The man walked off toward his quarters. Within the designated area, prisoners weren’t escorted individually.

“Don’t worry about it. You and your wife get along so well—why let his words bother you?”

“I know. Still, those Dorel bastards are so sly and unlucky!”

The guard, fuming with anger, stomped his feet. Another guard patted him on the shoulder and watched the man disappear into the distance. Every time they saw him, they felt uneasy. His talk of the future and other nonsense was surely just that—nonsense. Yet, it carried an unsettling weight that was hard to ignore.

The guard shrugged his shoulders, trying to shake off the ominous feeling.

—

Every morning at breakfast, the two of them sat together yet acted as though the other wasn’t there. Today was no different, as the meal proceeded in silence.

“I heard the Dorel tribe has started farming the land themselves.”

“That was the agreement.”

“They’re not the type to keep promises so easily.”

He spoke curtly. The crops hadn’t even been sown yet, but unless there was a famine, the rent collected this autumn would naturally increase. He was aware of this too.

“So, what is this wish you want so badly that you went to such lengths?”

Since he had promised to grant her wish, he had to honor it. Leticia’s answer came quickly. There was no need to think twice. She had known what she wanted from the start.

“Trust me. And make me believe that you’ll help me.”

Leticia was certain that Callius harbored resentment toward Mathias. But mere resentment wasn’t enough to topple the carefully built tower of Mathias’s power.

If Callius truly desired Mathias’s downfall, there had to be a stronger reason. He could have questioned why he should be persuaded, but he had promised to grant her wish. Breaking a promise was the act of a fool.

And Callius didn’t seem like a fool.

“I’ll think about it.”

That alone was enough for Leticia. She didn’t push further.

“Thank you, Callius.”

Her clicking footsteps grew distant. A faint smile appeared on Callius’s lips, but it soon faded, replaced by his usual stern expression. After a long pause, he muttered under his breath.

“Trust me.”

Repeating Leticia’s words, he let out a soft laugh, as though finding them absurd.