Chapter 10.6

“But Miss, why is your hair…?”

“Oh, this?”

Diashi lifted the ends of her short hair, a troubled smile on her face.

“I cut this myself. I almost died because of my hair, you know.”

She awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck and let out a sigh.

“What? Because of your hair… What do you mean?”

Unable to understand, Brienne looked at Diashi’s face. Diashi glanced around and frowned slightly.

“Well, when I woke up by the riverbank, my hair was tangled in a tree branch. It was heartbreaking, but what could I do? I had to survive first. I only meant to cut a little, but it ended up like this.”

Diashi mimed cutting her shortened hair. As Brienne listened carefully, a look of confusion appeared on her face.

“…Come to think of it, you were found by the western river, right? Lusell said it’s pretty far from here. How did you end up there?”

“That’s…”

After hesitating for a moment, Diashi shook her head.

“Honestly, I’ve been thinking about it, but I can’t remember.”

“What? You can’t remember?”

“Not at all. Some images come to mind, but it’s all blurry, like a dream. I don’t even know why I left the library.”

Diashi sighed deeply and gripped Brienne’s hand tightly.

“Miss, it’s so frustrating not remembering anything…!”

Realizing her voice was too loud, Diashi glanced around and spotted Garzen.

“Gasp.”

Diashi quickly pulled Brienne’s arm and darted her eyes.

“…Sorry to interrupt the serious talk, but who is that over there?”

“Hm?”

Only then did Brienne look toward the door and spot Garzen standing crookedly.

Just as Brienne was about to introduce him, Garzen raised his eyebrows as if to ask for permission.

“Oh, that’s…”

“I know this isn’t the time to say it, but… That person really looks like he gets things done. Even his body’s great. He’s so tall. Miss, am I dreaming right now?”

Diashi pressed her face to Brienne’s shoulder and mumbled as if entranced. The absurdity eased Brienne’s tension, and she let out a soft laugh, turning to Diashi.

“Miss Diashi, that’s Prince Garzen. He came with me.”

“What…?!”

Diashi blinked rapidly, as if she’d misheard, and hurried to rise from her bed.

“S-sorry. This is my first time seeing His Highness up close, so I didn’t recognize him…”

But Garzen strode over and waved off Diashi’s words.

“No need for formalities, don’t get up. I wouldn’t dream of scolding a patient who nearly died, so relax.”

Garzen dropped into the chair beside the bed and looked at Lusell. Without a word, Lusell nodded and whispered something to the nurse.

And then—

Nurses entered and began moving the other patients’ beds out of the room. The hospital room suddenly became busy. Brienne stared at Garzen in confusion, but he just raised his eyebrows as if to say, “What?”

Thud.

Within minutes, the door was firmly closed.

Suddenly, Diashi found herself alone in the large hospital room, mouth agape and blinking.

“…Miss, what just happened?”

“I’m not sure either…”

Brienne could only shake her head at Diashi’s dazed question.

For the second time, Brienne was struck speechless by Garzen’s power up close. She was reminded that Garzen, who always felt so friendly, was truly royalty.

At that moment, Garzen, legs crossed, draped his arm over Diashi’s bed and grinned.

“Alright, now that the distractions are gone, let’s have a real conversation. Start from the beginning. You said your memory’s fuzzy, like a dream?”

Diashi stared at Garzen as if mesmerized, then nodded.

“Ah… Yes, my head feels foggy, just like the day after drinking too much. My joints ache all over, so I must have fought with someone, but I can’t remember anything.”

“If your head is foggy and your joints hurt…”

Listening intently, Lusell’s expression turned grim.

“Miss Diashi, could you roll up your sleeve again, like before?”

“My arm?”

At Lusell’s urgent request, Diashi looked puzzled but rolled up her sleeve. On the inside of her elbow, among small scratches, there were two tiny red marks, clear as day.

“Your Highness, this is…”

Examining Diashi’s wound, Lusell looked at Garzen with a serious face.

“It’s definitely Hamartia’s handiwork. She was drugged. That’s why she can’t remember.”

Garzen’s face twisted at the familiar marks. These were the injection marks found on nobles who’d been targeted by Hamartia’s crimes. The drug wasn’t dangerous enough to require an antidote, but it did cause temporary memory loss.

Sometimes, there were side effects.

“Miss Diashi, are you feeling dizzy or is your heart racing?”

At Lusell’s worried question, Diashi blinked.

“Well…”

She glanced around at the group and spoke in a heavy voice.

“Sorry, but I always get dizzy and my heart races when I’m with handsome people, so I’m not sure.”

“…….”

With her awkward laugh, silence filled the hospital room.

* * *

At that moment.

Melosi Bailey was still locked in her room, biting her nails. Ever since she’d overheard the Duke of Bannon’s conversation, she’d tried everything to get out, but nothing worked.

Security only became tighter, with locks on the windows and knights standing guard outside her door, even at night.

Melosi spent all day buried in bed, thinking.

‘This can’t go on.’

How could she survive locked in this tiny room, eating nothing but bread and water?

No one knew when the Duke’s plan would end, and she couldn’t stay trapped forever. Besides, after falling out of favor, she couldn’t even be sure of marrying Kaiden anymore.

No matter how official the engagement was, Bannon could easily break it off if he wanted.

Melosi bit her lip, recalling the Duke’s words about making a bet.

<Earl Bailey, shall we make an interesting wager?>

<Excuse me? What kind of wager…>

<I’m putting my plan on the line that your daughter is in there.>

<P-plan on the line? What does that…>

<Why pretend not to know? You’re more curious about my plan than anyone. So, which would be more interesting? If you want to know, just ask. Do you want to know my associate’s identity in Roeta? Or Derrick Harrington’s whereabouts?>

She’d only heard his voice, but Melosi was sure the Duke’s eyes had gleamed strangely, just like that day.

Otherwise, her father wouldn’t have backed down so pitifully.

<…I, I’m fine. I won’t wager anything. I’m sorry, Your Grace.>

Her father’s voice trembled, shrinking in fear.

She’d never heard him sound so servile before. Her father, who always boasted that nothing under the sky could frighten him, was actually afraid of someone.

What was the Duke of Bannon planning?

Melosi kept thinking, but the answer didn’t come easily.

All she knew was Derrick Harrington’s whereabouts and that the Duke was somehow involved in the Roeta Academy explosion that the maids had been gossiping about.

But Melosi wasn’t the type to give up such information easily.

‘…Judging by the fact that I’m locked up, it must have been something absolutely forbidden to overhear. If things go wrong, I’ll be the first he disposes of.’

Was there anything scarier than death?

The day she was slapped by the Earl, Melosi realized she was even more useless in this family than she’d thought, and if she got in her father’s way, he’d punish her even more severely.

And her father was certainly capable of it.

Bad premonitions are rarely wrong.

Melosi, who had secretly watched the Earl’s actions under the Duke’s orders, knew just how far her father could go.

She rolled up her sleeve and looked at her bruised skin. If she got caught again, it might not just be bruises—her bones could break.

With a cautious face, Melosi glanced at the door. Fortunately, her father was too busy printing the newspaper to come looking for her. So the only problem was the knights.

Melosi peeked out the window. The Duke’s men were entering the mansion.

This was her only chance.

Clenching her fist, Melosi scanned the room and suddenly stopped at the curtain above the window.

Knock, knock. A small sound came just as Melosi crept over quietly.

“My Lady, I’ve brought your meal…”

When no sound came from inside, the maid’s voice outside sounded nervous.

“My Lady…?”

Hearing the increasingly urgent knocking, Melosi climbed onto the dresser beneath the window.

‘Now.’

“My Lady! Are you asleep? Or is something wrong?”

‘Don’t panic. Be graceful.’

“…Sorry, My Lady! I’m opening the door!”

Just as always, she only thought about succeeding.

Melosi grabbed the end of the curtain and wrapped it around her neck. After tying several knots, she heard the door creak open.

At that exact moment, Melosi stepped into the air.

“My Lady!”

Clang.

The pale-faced maid dropped her tray.

“Wh-what do we do…! Knights! The Young Lady is hanging herself!”

Tears welled up in the young maid’s eyes as she rushed to Melosi’s side and grabbed her legs.

But a single young maid couldn’t lift an adult woman.

“Hurry! Someone help!”

Watching the maid cry out for help, Melosi suppressed a smile.

Just as she’d expected.

“What is happening here!”

Even as the knights entered and found her, Melosi just kicked her legs and gripped the curtain around her neck.

‘Come on.’

‘Save me quickly.’

She whispered inwardly and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted.

A knight sat Melosi on the dresser and frantically tried to untie the knots. But the tightly bound curtain wouldn’t budge.

“My Lady, hold on…!”

As Melosi coughed and teared up, the knight drew his dagger and cut the curtain.

“Miss Melosi, My Lady! Are you alright? Look at me!”

Collapsing, fighting off nausea, Melosi closed and opened her eyes.

Every breath felt like her ribs were being crushed. Her throat, squeezed tight, seemed to taste of blood.

But in the end, she’d won.

Summoning her last strength, Melosi grabbed the knight’s collar.

He was the same knight who had handed her a handkerchief when she’d cried before—the Duke of Bannon’s knight.

“…Sir.”

“…”

“You saved me again, Sir.”

Struggling to rise, Melosi whispered, tears mixing with her smile.

The knight’s eyes wavered as he met her pale blue gaze.

Melosi didn’t miss that moment.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Sir. I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor… from me?”

“Yes, help me escape from here.”

Pretending to collapse, Melosi leaned on the knight’s shoulder and whispered softly. She felt his body tremble in surprise.

“M-my Lady. But that’s…”

As the maid outside called to report to the Earl and fetch a doctor, Melosi fired her last arrow.

“You know no one in this house will help me. You’re the only one who can get me out. Run away with me.”

“…….”

“Please, I beg you.”

A poison-tipped arrow struck the knight’s heart.