I Will Raise this Baby as Another Man’s Child - Chapter 27
Little did she know that Lutz could easily subdue about ten high-ranking knights by himself.
Chetter’s calculation was similar. Moreover, with his rationality cut off, he raged without knowing who he was up against.
Having called the knights, Chetter stood blocking the door with his sword.
“If you let her go, I will spare your life.”
“Shut up and attack.”
Lutz gently separated Hinael and drew his sword.
“Y-Your Highness.”
“Why are you trembling like that? Hah… I see how little everyone thinks of me. Tsk!”
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Lutz lowered his sword diagonally and then angled it to set the blade.
“Of course, I don’t want this to escalate either. It was quite a hassle to come this far, and the thought of returning to the palace and being questioned about the princess’s kidnapping is dreadful. Anyway, since I found the princess, you’d better keep your mouth shut.”
At this, Chetter ground his teeth and charged recklessly.
“I don’t care if a war breaks out now!”
“Even though I’m offering to cover this up?”
“I’d rather die than see you two together!”
“Haha!”
Lutz laughed openly. His thoughts were so one-dimensional that it was embarrassing to listen any further.
Suppressing his still-smiling lips with his index finger, he added,
“Who said anything about starting a war? Your lord has some sense; he wouldn’t self-destruct over one princess. The Trycas Empire will be watching with wide-open eyes.”
“……”
“But if you still want a war… This time, I will properly subjugate the Kingdom of Sarr with my own hands. That way, my sin of losing the princess will be forgiven.”
“You damned bastard. You son of a… Argh!”
Chetter’s eyes changed completely. Unable to control his anger, he raised his sword high and charged.
At that moment, Chetter fell without even exchanging a single blow.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
“Aaah! Aagh!”
Hinael blankly stared at Chetter, who was rolling on the ground clutching his hand. It took her a moment to grasp what had happened.
Blood drops were falling on the wooden floor, and also…
A long piece of flesh was lying next to the sword.
“You won’t be able to reveal today’s events either. You’ll have to confess that you kidnapped the princess. If you want to make a fool of yourself, go ahead and whine to your lord that the Second Prince cut off your finger.”
“H-Hinael… I should have just taken you… If I knew this would happen, I would have raped you and planted my seed, ugh!”
The hard toe of a boot struck Chetter’s mouth directly. As he struggled and coughed, two teeth flew out with the blood.
Despite the gruesome scene, Lutz didn’t even blink.
“For the sake of the peace treaty.”
He picked up the severed finger as if making a toast, then tossed it aside and calmly looked back at Hinael.
“I’m a busy man, so we should hurry. Don’t just stand there, let’s go clean up outside.”
As Lutz walked briskly away, Hinael snapped out of her daze like she had been in a fit. She carefully stepped around the blood and quickly followed him.
* * *
The guard knights who seemed like they would storm into the house were nowhere to be seen. Had Chetter rung the bell as a ruse?
But as they exited the villa and headed downhill, the reason became clear.
About ten guard knights were all lying on the mountain path, not moving.
“What on earth happened here?”
She looked around in bewilderment, not understanding who could have done this. In contrast, Lutz remained completely calm.
She was terrified that someone might suddenly jump out and ambush them, so she clung closely to Lutz. She wanted to link arms with him, but knowing he wouldn’t allow it, she refrained.
Unaware of her fear, Lutz quietly observed the fallen knights.
Wanting to stop seeing corpses, she fixed her gaze on the edge of Lutz’s cloak and cautiously spoke.
“Your Highness.”
“What?”
“We should leave here quickly before the Count calls for more men.”
Did he understand the terror of feeling like the spirits of the dead were creeping out to strangle her?
Well, he wouldn’t know, which is why he wasn’t listening.
“Your Highness.”
“I need to see the report first.”
“Report? What report?”
As she looked at Lutz in frustration, men in masks suddenly emerged from both sides of the path and knelt on one knee.
“Your Highness! We’re late!”
Hinael was more shocked than when Chetter fell and ended up grabbing onto the edge of his cloak.
Sensing the clingy touch, Lutz narrowed his eyes but pretended not to notice and turned his head.
“Rise.”
A hint of embarrassment flashed across the face of the man who seemed to be the leader of the group. He was embarrassed to have arrived later than Lutz.
Unaware that their master had found the princess faster than anyone else due to his abilities, they thought they couldn’t avoid their master’s rebuke for the princess’s misfortune. But Lutz didn’t say a word about it.
He simply gestured for them to hurry up with the report.
The man nodded sharply and began to speak.
“This place is the villa used by Count Phil when he comes to Smao for hunting. The late Count’s cousin is currently staying in Smao.”
“Is he involved in this matter too?”
“No, he’s not. We tracked his movements, but there was nothing suspicious. It seems Count Phil planned this alone.”
It made sense to reduce the risk by involving fewer people in the kidnapping. However, if things went wrong, he would have to bear all the consequences alone.
Regret washed over him deeply.
“Since he can’t reveal anything anyway, I should have cut off his wrist instead. Cutting off a finger feels like a loss.”
He spoke such ruthless words with a clean expression. Hinael bit her lips tightly as she listened to the voice devoid of emotion.
The man asked while staring at the villa.
“What should we do with the Count?”
“Let him roll around in the gutter a bit longer. You all can withdraw now.”
“Then please ride my horse.”
“That would be better. Since we have a long journey ahead, I’ll leave Metti in your care. Make sure he gets plenty of rest.”
“Understood. You’ll need two horses, right?”
The man glanced at Hinael with a doubtful expression. If she were a woman from Trycas, he wouldn’t have asked such a question, but since she was from Sarr, he wasn’t sure.
Lutz asked Hinael,
“Do you know how to ride a horse?”
“No.”
“Ha… Leave only one horse.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
At that moment, Hinael spoke in a trembling voice,
“Excuse me, but I really can’t ride a horse…”
Hinael looked at the building where Chetter was with fearful eyes.
Realizing she was struggling due to the memory of being kidnapped, Lutz ordered the man to get a carriage.
The man nodded briefly to his subordinates.
Just as they had appeared, the black-clad group dispersed and vanished in an instant.
Even seeing it with her own eyes, Hinael couldn’t believe their agility. She scanned the mountain path with a dazed expression, trying to find where they had gone.
But even the wild grasses, where people might have passed, were still.
“I understand you’re in shock, but I hope you can pull yourself together quickly. I’m not fond of sluggishness. We need to move quickly to get to the carriage.”
“Oh… Yes. I’ll be careful.”
Although she responded firmly, she couldn’t hide her dazed state.
Lutz, who had taken two steps, suddenly looked at the taut cloak with a displeased expression. His gaze was fixed on Hinael’s hand.
“Let go of my cloak now.”
“What? Oh, yes.”
Hinael quickly let go of the cloak.
The two of them started walking together.
As they left the dreadful situation behind, she finally noticed the beautiful scenery. Hinael closed her eyes and enjoyed the refreshing breeze.
The wind, which seemed to cut through her skin, was bearable when it carried the sunlight. When she tucked her fluttering hair behind her ear and opened her eyes, she heard a blunt voice beside her.
“When we get to the palace, learn how to ride a horse. Unlike Sarr, Trycas has rough terrain and heavy snowfall. Traveling by carriage has its limits.”
“I’ll try my best.”
“All women in Trycas learn equestrian skills. I don’t expect you to master it, but at least learn to ride on your own.”
“…Yes.”
For the first time in her life, Hinael thought she had lived like a delicate flower in a greenhouse.
Even though she was an insignificant princess, she had grown up in the palace without much physical hardship. Moreover, after being kidnapped by Chetter, she had developed a fear of horses.
The thought of riding a horse already filled her with anxiety.
She reluctantly agreed, but the idea of riding a horse felt like an insurmountable wall. Then, she was filled with determination, thinking that if she had survived the brink of death, she could surely do this.