“What about horses?”

“Horses?”

Now Mio looked puzzled. I mimed holding the reins of a horse, making the motions with my hands. 

“Oh! I can’t ride a horse.”

Mio said, waving her hands dismissively. So, there were no horses at this mansion—just that odd contraption called a bicycle. 

From our conversation, it seemed Mio used a bicycle to go to the market or commute to and from work. 

“Then… why to open the main gate?”

I asked, trying to incorporate the textbook into my questions. Mio’s face showed confusion. I glanced back at the textbook. Ah, I realized I had phrased it wrong. I tried again. 

“How do you open the main gate?” 

“Oh! Only nobles are allowed to use the main gate. Only those with the master’s permission can go through it. The gardener and I use the small gate on the back next to the main gate.”

It was a long sentence, and the only part I understood was that only nobles could use the main gate. When I showed her that I didn’t understand and asked her to repeat it, Mio neatly wrote it down on a piece of paper for me. As I compared it to the textbook, my expression became more serious.

My heart started racing. 

A back entrance gate! 

The biggest problem I had been worried about was solved. I could open the back door myself, and now I might have found a way to get through the main gate without needing Theo’s permission.

Wait… there’s a gardener? 

“Is there a gardener too?”

“Yes, Uncle Fran. He takes care of the flowering trees.”

“…” 

So, there was another employee I hadn’t seen or even noticed before. Were all of Seyon’s employees naturally good at staying out of sight?

“Uncle Fran trims the trees, waters them, and then heads home early. He takes care of several noble estates.”

Realizing I wouldn’t catch every word, Mio patiently wrote down the key points on paper. She was turning out to be a great teacher.

I knew I had made the right choice. After just one day of getting closer to Mio, I was already uncovering valuable information, like discovering a hidden gem. Unlike the three men, who were vague or unwilling to teach me much, Mio seemed eager to share whatever she could.

I’d have to suggest exploring the back entrance with her once we got even closer—when the three men’s guard was down just a little more. Though they seemed fairly relaxed already, I wanted to move cautiously, observing everything. It felt like I had finally found a place to anchor my boat after drifting aimlessly in a vast sea. For the first time, the idea of escape was taking shape and becoming a tangible possibility.

“I want to learn how to ride a bicycle, too.”

Mio looked surprised. 

“You’ve never ridden a bike?” 

“No, I haven’t.” 

In Arke, it was normal not to know how to ride one, but it seemed the people of Seyon weren’t very aware of how different their culture was from other countries. Perhaps because it was such an isolated nation, their customs stood out more.

“That’s interesting. I’ll teach you!”

“But Mio, aren’t you busy?”

“No, I’m not busy.”

“But with laundry, cooking, and cleaning… it seems like a lot of work.”

Just the size of the mansion was enough to make me feel overwhelmed. It was amazing that Mio could manage all of it.

“There’s an automatic cleaning system.”

I blinked in confusion, not quite understanding. Now that I thought about it, Cane had said something similar about the pool, that it was cleaned and the water changed daily. I had often wondered how such a large pool could be kept clean.

“Is that magic?”

When I asked, Mio glanced around briefly before nodding. She seemed to understand that people from Arkel generally disliked magic. I didn’t hate or despise it—I just had no interest in it. Of course, I had developed some resentment after Theo used magic to bind me against my will…

Theo had once mentioned that Mio was too busy to spend time with me… 

Recalling Theo’s teasing words, I let out a disbelieving laugh. He had also said there was no need to hire more helpers since there were only the two of us to look after. He was such an unfriendly man. He never provided clear explanations and always changed his words to suit his convenience.

According to Noel, Seyon’s magic had advanced significantly in recent years. In the past, it was mainly used to improve efficiency, but now it has become much more powerful, with features like automatic cleaning and purification.

“Can magic help find missing people?”

I asked, remembering Noel’s bold claim that he could locate me in just three days. I felt a little guilty for bombarding Mio with so many questions after only just meeting her, but my curiosity and anxiety wouldn’t let me stay silent.

“Hmm… that would be difficult. Magic doesn’t create something from nothing; it needs specific conditions and resonances to work. It requires the right environment to function. Magic technicians call that a formula.”

Although Mio carefully wrote down the information, many of the words were quite advanced and weren’t in the textbook. Still, I understood the word difficult.

“If finding missing people is possible, it would require very complex formulas. Even the magic technicians in the royal court wouldn’t be able to do it easily.”

Once again, I understood wouldn’t be able to do it easily. That gave me a sense of relief. Clearly, Noel had exaggerated his claim, probably just to intimidate me.

It wasn’t entirely impossible, so there was still a hint of anxiety, but I chose to stay positive, as I had before, and pushed the stress aside.

“Thank you, Mio. My curiosity is satisfied now.”

Mio’s face flushed bright red at my words of thanks. She often blushed whenever I complimented her or even made eye contact. It felt like I had gained an adorable younger sister.

My lessons with Mio were incredibly fulfilling. The information I had gathered today was far more valuable than anything I had managed to learn over the past 30 days while dealing with the three men.

I now knew about Seyonese, bicycles, the existence of a back gate, the presence of a gardener, and even some of the principles of magic—each a new piece of the puzzle.

As we continued talking, I learned more about Mio. She had an older sister and a younger brother. Her father had passed away early on, and her mother was working as a maid at another noble estate.

Mio’s sister worked as a beautician in the capital of Seyon, while her younger brother dreamed of becoming a magic technician, even though he didn’t have much talent for it.

“Magic technician.”

That was a term I hadn’t come across in the textbook, and it sparked my curiosity. Just a few years ago, people who used magic in Arkel were labeled as witches or warlocks and were heavily stigmatized. If someone was discovered to be practicing magic, the guards would immediately be dispatched to investigate.

While the old, barbaric practices of burning people alive or nailing them to trees were no longer used, a deep-rooted fear of magic still lingered in the hearts of the Arkel people.

However, from Mio’s attitude, it was clear that in Seyon, those who used magic were held in high regard. It was fascinating to hear that Mio’s younger brother aspired to become a magic technician as well.

It was astonishing to witness such a vastly different way of life, even within the same era. Seyon’s territory was only about half the size of Arkel, yet the quality of life here seemed far superior. Maybe it was just because I had only seen Theo’s mansion, but it was undeniable that Seyon had undergone a remarkable transformation.

“Seyon dreams of unifying the continent.”

Cane’s words echoed in my mind, sending a shiver down my spine. I started to feel uneasy about Seyon. Their ideology, combined with their potential, was intimidating.

Could I possibly learn more about this by asking Mio? 

But it seemed unlikely that a young girl from a small village like Mio would know anything about Seyon’s plans for war, especially if it was a closely guarded military secret.

I also began to question the reliability of Cane’s information. How could Theo, Noel, and Cane be so well-informed about Seyon’s position?

Then, I remembered Theo mentioning that he had struck a good deal with the King of Seyon, which allowed him to purchase this mansion. A chill ran down my spine.

Theo had extensive knowledge of weapons, military facilities, submarines, and fighter jets. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that most of the weapons circulating in Arkel passed through Theo’s hands. What could someone like Theo possibly trade with the King of Seyon?

Even with my limited political understanding, I knew this was far from a simple matter. 

Was Theo trying to collude with Seyon to start a war?

Given the attitudes of Cane and Noel, my anxiety only grew.

Cane had once said that war turns people into monsters. I didn’t want to see this peace shattered. Even though I had never experienced war firsthand, I knew all too well how devastating and horrific it could be.

Now, I had another reason to escape. I needed to uncover what Theo was involved in. If it was something that threatened the peace of the continent, I had to stop it, no matter the cost.

The three continental wars had already claimed countless lives and destroyed so much cultural heritage. The idea of Theo’s name being associated with ruthless dictators who sparked a fourth war was unbearable to me.