Chapter 63

“If you mean the knight who was with you…”

“And Kaya too. I don’t know the details, but both of them.”

For a moment, Karina recalled the image of Ron being stabbed and closed her mouth, unable to continue. She had explained the situation after meeting Phyllis, but she couldn’t remember what happened afterward.

Was Ron severely injured? 

As she waited anxiously for an answer, the doctor spoke with a troubled expression.

“The person named Ron is currently being treated at the hospital. His injuries were very serious, but the surgery has been completed.”

Fortunately, Ron’s surgery had gone well, and they were only waiting for him to regain consciousness. However, Karina couldn’t feel relieved. The doctor’s subsequent words left her in a daze.

“There was no one else with him.”

The doctor looked at Karina with a puzzled expression, as if hearing this story for the first time. It was too early to make a judgment. Kaya might have gone elsewhere for treatment.

If it was her, she would surely be safe. Karina believed this and nodded. Finally, the doctor left, and only Laura and Asillis remained in the room.

Karina turned her gaze to Laura, who was sitting beside her. It was time to explain everything.

“Karina.”

“…Yes.”

But Asillis called Karina’s name in a heavy voice without saying anything more. Laura was the same. Karina quietly tried to gauge the mood.

At that moment, a knock echoed through the room. After exchanging glances with Laura, Asillis silently opened the door. The person who entered was none other than Phyllis.

Although his face wasn’t unexpected, Karina couldn’t help but feel flustered. As Karina froze, Laura got up and approached her, whispering softly.

“He said he has something to tell you.”

Sensing the subdued tone of her mother’s voice, Karina couldn’t respond immediately and simply looked at Phyllis. It was an uncomfortable situation for everyone, but there must have been a reason for it.

In the end, only Phyllis and Karina remained in the room after a short while.

‘What is he going to say… No, I should thank him first.’

In the silence, where neither could easily speak, Phyllis slowly walked over. His expression was grim. Whether it was due to emotions or another reason, Karina couldn’t tell.

Phyllis stopped in front of Karina and finally spoke.

“Kaya is fine.”

It was an unexpected statement. Karina asked again, confused.

“What?”

“After you collapsed, I followed your trail. That’s when I found the knight as well.”

Phyllis’s calm explanation raised many questions for Karina. Unsure of where to start, she hesitated, and Phyllis continued.

“The knight told me what happened. You briefly regained consciousness when we met.”

“…”

“I couldn’t go to the mansion myself, but I sent someone to check.”

“What was the situation like?”

Karina finally asked the question she had been holding back. Phyllis paused briefly before answering.

“There was no one there. It seemed the situation had ended before we arrived.”

“Then how can you be so sure Kaya is fine…”

“There were no signs of anyone being dragged away or overwhelmed. Most importantly, Ron said he saw one of them escaping.”

Phyllis calmly retraced the events, and Karina gradually calmed down as well. If one person had escaped, it was likely that Kaya had managed to get away safely.

As Karina leaned back in relief, Phyllis sat down on a chair nearby. Only then did Karina properly look at Phyllis—his disheveled appearance, and even her own bloodstains on his shirt.

“Thank you.”

It was Phyllis who spoke. Not asking if she was okay, nor expressing relief, but simply those two words. They left Karina speechless. She couldn’t say anything.

“For appearing in front of me.”

Oddly enough, for a brief moment, Phyllis seemed pitiful as he said those words.

***

Near midnight, hurried footsteps echoed within the Imperial Palace.

Under tighter security than usual, a knight stopped in front of a door guarded by soldiers.

“This is a message from His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

The knight spoke briefly and handed over a document bearing the Crown Prince’s seal. The soldiers immediately opened the door, and Noah headed toward the annex, surrounded by countless soldiers.

Although it hadn’t been long since he had returned after leaving the palace without permission, he was granted another outing.

[Both of them managed to survive. Well, that’s enough.]

Essis seemed indifferent. Perhaps it was because more troublesome matters had arisen.

“Ah! Hey, be gentle… Oh, Captain?”

Inside the infirmary, Kaya, who was lying on a bed, raised her head to greet Noah.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“P-please don’t move.”

Kaya waved her hand dismissively, as if the flustered medic wasn’t even there. Her nonchalant attitude didn’t match her splinted limbs or the deep cut on her cheek.

The soldiers exchanged surprised glances as they saw Kaya’s face.

“Why are you all looking like that? It’s just a scratch.”

Kaya joked as she lay down, then began to feign pain again at the medic’s touch. Noah approached her bed and asked.

“What happened?”

“You saw everything earlier, so why ask?”

“Kaya.”

When he called her name seriously, Kaya finally closed her mouth.

When Noah arrived, Kaya had already lost consciousness. She was barely alive, along with a masked man in critical condition. At the same time, the palace guards arrived, and Noah returned to the Imperial Palace.

Now it was time to hear the details. Kaya leaned her head back against the pillow and let out a sigh.

“They were after you, Captain. I was the bait.”

The infirmary’s atmosphere grew heavy. Kaya continued, staring at the ceiling.

“They probably planned to capture me and use me as leverage. It’s obvious.”

Shaking her head in disgust, Kaya clenched and unclenched her injured hand. The wound was deep, as even the small movement made her fingers tremble.

“Honestly, I almost died.”

“…”

“Don’t give me that disappointed look. They were really strong.”

“I know. I saw one of them.”

Still recovering, Kaya raised an eyebrow.

Noah didn’t bother explaining. What mattered now was the background that enabled such an ambush. Essis’s lack of criticism for Noah’s unauthorized actions was likely due to the same reason.

Very few people knew that Kaya would be at that location that day. This made Noah even more certain. Even with the First Knight Commander opposing the Imperial Family’s will, could such information have leaked?

“Your Highness. You must return to the main palace soon.”

The knight who had accompanied Noah spoke cautiously from outside the door. Even during his brief visit to the infirmary, the surroundings were on high alert.

Despite dozens of soldiers standing guard, the tension was palpable. Perhaps it was because they knew there was an enemy within.

“Ah, this is exhausting. I’m really suffering because I have such a troublesome captain.”

Kaya grumbled as she shifted on the bed. By now, her facial wound had been temporarily treated.

“The scar on your face will probably remain. It was a deep cut, and the treatment was delayed…”

“This is nothing. Just a scratch.”

Kaya’s bravado left the medic looking both exasperated and awestruck. Without a word, Noah sat on the edge of the bed where Kaya had been lying.

The faint smell of blood and an oppressive silence filled the infirmary. Despite the lack of leisure, the unbroken silence lingered until Kaya finally spoke.

“Lady Karina was there too.”

Even though she tried to sound indifferent, there was a momentary hesitation that she couldn’t hide. Noah picked up a bandage that had fallen on the bed. It was stained with blood.

“I don’t know how long she had been waiting, but she was with a knight.”

“Okay.”

“I saw them running away… Sorry. After that, I was too busy trying to save my own life.”

Kaya’s voice grew quieter, lacking her usual mischievousness.

Noah didn’t need an explanation. He had already encountered not just the enemy but also her. He hadn’t forgotten the trembling he felt in his arms. Noah clenched his fists tightly.

It was obvious why she had been there. She had come looking for him.

In truth, Kaya didn’t need to apologize, nor did anyone need to blame those who had caused it. The fact that Karina had been there and that Noah hadn’t arrived sooner to stop it was entirely his fault.

“She’ll probably be fine. She is surprisingly strong-willed, so I’m sure she escaped safely.”

Even as she joked, Kaya lacked her usual playful tone.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine.”

Noah nodded. He had seen it with his own eyes, so he had no doubt. Before returning to the palace, he had visited the spot where Karina had been. The injured man was gone.

All that remained were the bloodstains Karina had left on the road. Her trail ended abruptly with the marks of a hastily stopped carriage.

Whoever it was, Noah was grateful. Even without the carriage, there wouldn’t have been any greater danger.

Noah unwrapped the bandage from his hand, put it in his pocket, and stood up. As he walked toward the door without hesitation, Kaya called out to him.

“I heard about Commander Mathis. They said he recklessly went after you and got beaten badly.”

Her blunt comment left the medic and soldiers outside visibly flustered. As always, only the two of them remained calm. Kaya even added fuel to the fire.

“Keep an eye on them. Who knows, one of them might try to slit your throat.”

With a mischievous shrug, Kaya turned her head away. Despite the tense atmosphere, Noah continued walking toward the door without looking back.

The infirmary door closed, leaving Noah and the dozens of soldiers and knights escorting him in the corridor.

“Well then… Shall we head back to the main palace?”

The most cautious knight spoke nervously as he led the way.

Noah followed silently, his eyes flickering slightly—so subtly that no one noticed.