Chapter 4.12

“Then shouldn’t you have come officially?”

“That would be difficult. I can’t tell His Majesty the Emperor of Rontiano that your people are doing suspicious things in my country.”

“Ah…”

So there were diplomatic issues too. She didn’t know much, but Brienne could tell things were complicated on their side as well. She nodded in understanding.

Garzen dusted himself off and came over to Brienne.

“Well, enough about me… What about you, Miss? What do you plan to do about that mage?”

“…You mean Herace?”

Brienne frowned, recalling thoughts she’d barely forgotten. After a moment’s pause, she spoke cautiously.

“I plan to meet him as soon as I get back to the capital. I want to talk. I don’t think he’s that kind of person, but I need to speak with him to know for sure.”

“Hm, you trust him more than I expected. Have you known him long?”

“No, it’s not that…”

Now, what should she call this relationship?

Saying she was Kaiden’s friend didn’t work with Herace anymore. But she couldn’t say he was her friend either. Brienne narrowed her eyes and stammered,

“We’ve… received a lot of help from him. Even in the territory, he protected me and got hurt, so I treated him for a while…”

“What? Wait, wait.”

At that moment, Garzen raised his palm. Brienne stopped, puzzled, as he spoke carefully, without malice.

“Miss, I’m sorry, but I think you’re mistaken… For a high-level mage like him, that kind of injury is nothing. One healing spell and he’s fine.”

‘…Healing magic?’

Brienne’s eyes wavered slightly. Noticing this, Garzen added seriously,

“Think about it. He doesn’t get wet in the rain, can control earth and wind as he pleases. Healing a wound wouldn’t be hard, would it?”

“Well…”

“I’m not trying to turn you against that mage. I just think you should know.”

She should know. Brienne pressed her lips together, about to speak. Her expression darkened, and Garzen raised his eyebrows, concerned.

“Is he really someone you can trust?”

“…”

She didn’t have any reason not to trust him, so she’d never thought not to. But after hearing Garzen’s words, it did seem strange.

‘Of course, you can’t judge by just one side…’

Herace Belif had more than a few suspicious points.

The first day, when he came soaking wet. What was that excuse about the carriage wheel? He cast waterproof magic for her and cleared a huge tree right before her eyes.

The more she learned about magic, the more mysterious Herace seemed.

“…Hey, Miss.”

As Brienne’s expression grew serious, Garzen waved his palm in front of her.

“You said you’d talk to him anyway. Stop worrying and think seriously about learning magic. Like I said, it’s not too late.”

“…Huh?”

“Do what you want to do. Whenever you talk about magic, your eyes light up.”

“I… did that?”

Feeling a little embarrassed, Brienne looked at Lusell. Lusell nodded.

“You did, a bit.”

If Lusell saw it too, it must be true. Brienne looked down at the carriage floor, awkward. Actually, Herace was just Herace. She’d learned something from all this.

“True, after going through all this, I do regret not knowing more about magic… If I were better at it, I could’ve helped you both more.”

“What? You helped plenty!”

Lusell protested, raising his voice.

“If anything, His Highness and I did nothing. You infiltrated the heretics’ base, found the secret ledger, and got us back to the capital. It’s all thanks to you, Miss Brienne.”

“That’s right. We were able to rest at the inn because of you, too.”

Brienne looked between Garzen and Lusell, startled. She hadn’t expected them to think that way.

Garzen grinned slyly at Brienne, who blinked in surprise.

“So, Miss. When you get back, send me a letter anytime. If you ask, I’ll *buse my power and send you an admission letter to Roeta Academy.”

“An admission letter… Is that for real?”

Brienne’s eyes widened as she looked at Garzen. Mistaking her look for suspicion, Garzen sounded a bit offended.

“It’s true. I’m not someone who goes back on his word.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, that’s a fact.”

Lusell nodded, backing up Garzen’s words. Without realizing, Brienne finally laughed out loud.

“Even if you’re just being polite, thank you.”

Maybe because they’d worked together for hours toward the same goal, or maybe because, despite their differences, being together felt comfortable.

Was this what real friends were like?

‘Friends…’

Brienne mouthed the unfamiliar word, feeling a tickle in her heart as she turned to look out the window and held her breath.

* * *

“That crazy bastard…!”

As soon as Derrick Harrington was dragged out by the servants, Melosi rushed into her room. Her face, as she nervously rummaged through her jewelry box, was twisted in a way completely different from when she had faced Derrick.

“You, go to the newspaper office my father runs. Go and report what just happened.”

“Y-yes?”

Melosi, pulling out a small jewel from the jewelry box, turned to the maid who had followed her.

“Tell them that Derrick Harrington, while high on drugs, came to harm me, who was already suffering from my fiancé’s sudden disappearance!”

Frowning, Melosi waved the jewel in front of the maid’s eyes. Why was there never anyone who understood her at once? She pressed the jewel firmly into the hesitant maid’s hand.

“Take this, got it?”

“Ah, yes, yes…”

“You know you need to keep your mouth shut, right? If you understand, get out. Now!”

Only after that did the maid bow her head in understanding. Once Melosi saw the maid leave the room, she collapsed onto the bed, clutching her pounding chest.

‘Isn’t he truly insane? Who told him to get rid of Brienne Ford entirely?’

It was already nerve-wracking enough that Kaiden Bannon had vanished. The capital was in an uproar over Brienne Ford’s disappearance. All Melosi had wanted was a scandal about Brienne, not her disappearance. She had never even considered orchestrating something as dangerous as threatening the life of Marquis Ford’s young lady.

“So foolish…”

Who would actually do it just because they were told to? Melosi clicked her tongue and shook her head. Derrick Harrington was definitely a card to be discarded. She never even thought of him as an ally, so she couldn’t understand what nerve he had to ask for her help.

‘I almost got caught up myself. But at this point, even if things escalate, there shouldn’t be any problem.’

Melosi let out a relaxed sigh and rubbed her tired eyes. The only thing that bothered her was that people might think Kaiden and Brienne Ford eloped.

Nobles from different factions.

Brienne Ford’s one-sided love, famous for being pure and steadfast.

There were plenty of reasons for people to believe so. Frowning, Melosi got up and looked out the window at the maid leaving through the front gate.

A carriage she had never seen before stopped in front of the gate.

Upon seeing the visitor’s face, Melosi’s expression filled with confusion.

* * *

“Thank you for everything. Take care…!”

After saying goodbye to Garzen and Lusell, Brienne hurriedly jumped out of the carriage. Seeing her familiar mansion made her so anxious that she couldn’t act calmly.

The house must have been in chaos after she disappeared in the night. Her mother, her father, and even Shylo must have been terribly worried.

Brienne had always waited anxiously whenever her father left for estate inspections in bad weather. More than anyone, she understood the heart of someone waiting.

But this time, the situation was different.

She hadn’t left on business like her father, but had gone missing without a single word. The thought that her mother might have collapsed from shock, just like in the estate, made Brienne hurry even more.

Holding back tears, Brienne entered through the front gate. But strangely, there were no knights guarding the entrance.

‘…What’s going on?’

The mansion, with no one standing watch, felt eerily empty. There was no one on the path to the entrance, nor in the garden. Confirming that no one was around, Brienne, feeling uneasy, burst through the door and ran inside.

Then, the maids huddled in the hall recognized her and cried out in surprise.

“M-Miss…?!”

“Where’s Mother? Father? Oh, and there weren’t any knights outside—what happened…?”

“Oh my, Brienne!”

Upon hearing Brienne’s voice, Olivia rushed out from inside the hall. The Marquis Ford, following behind her, also looked nothing like his usual composed self.

“Brie?! Is it really you? You’re back!”

“M-Mother, Father…”

“What happened, where did you go…!”

Olivia and Damon, hugging Brienne and checking her face, had tears welling in their eyes. Brienne buried her face in her parents’ arms.

After all the hardship, seeing her parents’ faces brought on a wave of fear and sorrow that she could no longer hold back, no matter how hard she tried.

“I’m so sorry for worrying you. I tried to come back as soon as I could, but things kept going wrong…”

“No, no, dear. We’re just so glad you’re back. Are you hurt anywhere? Are you sick?”

“I’m fine. Really, I’m perfectly okay.”

“That’s such a relief. Truly…”

Damon let out a sigh of relief and gently released Brienne. As Olivia comforted her husband, Brienne glanced at them and spoke up.

“Father, actually, on my way home, someone kidnapped me… But I think that was…”

At that moment.

A sharp voice suddenly rang out from inside the hall.