When Leopold came to his senses, he was drenched in sweat. It felt as though he had been tormented by a terrible nightmare all night, as he had subconsciously struggled to wake up several times. The only thing that lingered in his memory was Hazel’s voice. Her low, regret-filled tone was lodged in his chest like a knot.

He ran his hands over his face. The feeling of helplessness made it difficult to open his eyes. He wanted to jump on a horse and chase after her immediately, but he knew Hazel would never want that.

Still, wouldn’t it be acceptable to at least check if she had arrived safely at her destination? Surely, confirming that from a distance wouldn’t be too much to ask. He recognized that even this thought was greedy, but still…

As he rubbed his forehead, trying to roughly gauge her location, someone knocked vigorously on the door.

“Duke, Duke!”

It was Jayden’s voice.

His head throbbed, and his body felt heavy, as if he had just swum to the surface. Forcing himself to sit up on the edge of the bed, he replied in a dry voice.

“Come in.”

The door burst open noisily, as if it had been waiting for this moment.

“My lady, my lady has disappeared!”

Without looking at Jayden, Leopold rubbed his temples and replied wearily.

“I know.”

“Of course, you know… I mean, you really know?”

“Yes.”

An awkward silence filled the air.

After a moment of contemplation, Leopold, uncharacteristically showing his fatigue, spoke up.

“It takes at least three days to get from here to D’Agnon. If you leave now, you’ll catch up quickly. Go after her, but make sure Hazel doesn’t notice you. Just confirm that she arrives safely.”

He suppressed his desire to move himself. While he could hide his presence, he wasn’t confident he could overcome his impulse. He couldn’t trust himself to stifle the selfish wish for her to find him by chance.

In this regard, the knights were better off than Leopold. If they had their wits about them, they wouldn’t dare disobey their superior’s orders.

Seeing him urge for an answer, a voice full of resolve responded.

“Ah, understood!”

However, the news Jayden brought a few days later was nothing like what he had expected.

***

The path from the Denhaph Empire to the Principality of Rumatera was easy to find. Perhaps because envoys traveled it often, the well-trodden road served as an excellent guide, allowing them to reach the border quickly.

By then, the sun had fully risen, and instead of lush green fields, a vast sandy landscape stretched out before them.

Derrick, who had been quietly compliant due to exhaustion, suddenly seemed uneasy as they approached the checkpoint.

“But Hazel, I have no way to prove my identity. Can I pass through?”

“I told you, the Emperor’s seal will make anything possible.”

I responded confidently, though I was also nervous. Since being taken in by the Lawrence family, I had never ventured this far.

The checkpoint, with its low iron fences stretching out on either side, appeared very relaxed. The security wasn’t tight, but soldiers were scattered around since it was still a border area. One of them, who looked like a supervisor, noticed us and approached with a big yawn.

“Are you from the Empire or the Principality?”

“We’re from the Empire. I’m a healer.”

My voice was stiff enough for anyone to notice. Fortunately, the inspector casually extended his hand, as if accustomed to such situations.

“Show me your ID pass.”

I removed the bracelet from my wrist and placed it in his hand.

“This is the seal of His Majesty the Emperor of Denhaph. It serves as identification.”

After examining the pattern on the bracelet closely, he glanced at Derrick, who was on the horse, and nodded slightly.

“And him?”

“He’s my patient.”

“Why are his hands tied?”

“He kept trying to touch his wounds, so I had no choice.”

The excuse seemed to satisfy him, as he nodded in understanding and handed back the bracelet.

“Show me the patient’s ID too.”

“Actually, I lost it on the way here. We encountered a pack of wolves, and I must have dropped it while escaping.”

“Wolves? They often come down from the Whitia Mountains. That’s unfortunate. But without an ID, you can’t pass.”

Despite his vague demeanor, his refusal was firm. With no other options in mind, I reluctantly took out a few potions.

“Inspector, you look quite tired. I have some excellent potions here. They’ll boost your stamina so you can stay awake for days without a problem. If you’re married, your wife might appreciate it too…”

As I continued, his eyes narrowed. Still suspicious, he took the glass bottle and examined it closely.

At the top of the cork sealing the bottle was the emblem of the National Academy, symbolizing its esteemed talents and known across the continent.

Moreover, these potions from the academy were valuable trade goods, often sold at high prices, so most people never encountered one in their lifetime.

As expected, upon recognizing the emblem, the soldier’s lips curled slightly.

“Hmm, now that I see it, you do have a trustworthy face… And healers are always welcome guests in our principality…”

Relieved, I quickly handed him several small glass bottles. The inspector tucked them into his coat and stepped aside to let us pass.

“Thank you. By the way, do you know how I might request an audience with His Highness the Prince?”

“Go to the administrative office in the center of the capital. You can apply for an audience there. If you’re not a noble of the principality, you’ll have to wait your turn.”

“I see. How long is the usual wait?”

“At best, five days; at worst, about a month.”

“A month?”

Surprised by the unexpectedly long wait, I asked again, and the inspector explained generously.

“If you’re lucky, you might meet Marquis Aaron, the head of the administrative office.”

“Marquis Aaron?”

It was a name I hadn’t heard before.

That made sense, as after my marriage, I had been busy memorizing the names of all the capital’s nobles. Memorizing for research was easy, but linking unfamiliar faces to titles was pure torture. I did it solely to avoid embarrassing Leopold.

Given that, foreign nobles unrelated to him weren’t even on my radar.

“Even an imperial citizen should know this much. He’s His Highness the Prince’s brother and soon to be appointed heir. There’s no one closer to His Highness than him. Who knows? He might even need such rare potions.”

He chuckled, shaking the bottle.

“Thank you for the information.”

“It’s nothing. Good luck.”

Soon, the gate swung wide open. Having successfully crossed the border, we continued walking through the seemingly endless barren landscape.

“Hazel, you were amazing back there! When did you come up with that plan? Potions, wow!”

Once the checkpoint was far behind us, Derrick, who had been silent, suddenly burst out. He looked quite excited, as if the tension had completely lifted.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I maintained a straight face, pretending it was nothing. Somehow, I found it awkward to make eye contact, so I kept my gaze forward as we walked. Then, in a calmer, lower voice, he spoke slowly.

“Do you remember when I said it was love at first sight? I meant it, and I just fell for you all over again.”

That made me stop and turn my head. The sun, hanging high behind him, cast a harsh light, obscuring Derrick’s face.

There was a limit to teasing someone—what nonsense was he spouting now? Did I miss a head injury somewhere?

Shielding my eyes from the strong sunlight with my hand, I replied in a warning tone.

“Don’t be rude.”

“Was I rude? I was taught to express my feelings freely when I liked someone.”

If it weren’t for his incredibly innocent expression, I might have gotten angry.

Fortunately, I knew he had spent his childhood among pirates. Derrick probably hadn’t learned even the most basic social graces.

Exercising patience, I asked him calmly.

“Who taught you that? Those ruthless pirates who know nothing about manners?”

“Uh… yes.”

Derrick scratched his head. As expected, it was just an unfiltered remark from someone who hadn’t learned etiquette—like a child’s playful banter.

I mimicked the stern tone of my academy teachers and scolded him.

“Not considering the other person’s feelings and being so forward is very selfish and rude.”

“Why?”

“Because it might make the other person uncomfortable…”

“Does it make you so uncomfortable that you can’t stand the sight of me, Hazel?”

“Not to that extent, but—”

Strictly speaking, I was more taken aback, feeling much more sympathy for someone who had lost both family and memory. As I hesitated, he quickly interjected.

“Then I guess I want to be a little rude.”

His cheeky reply left me speechless, and I stared at Derrick. His shameless grin was utterly bewildering. If he had been an academy student, he would never have been a model one.

“You’re going to wear out your face, Hazel. Shall we get going?”

With the same expression, he nodded slightly.

Was that confidence a result of growing up among pirates, or was it just his nature? I wanted to say something, but the words formed and quickly faded from my mind. It felt completely different from when my mind went blank in front of Leopold.

Giving up on a response, I pulled on the reins stiffly, and a small chuckle came from behind me.