Carlo jumped into the river without hesitation.

In those few seconds it took him to get a drink and turn around, Lea, who had never left his sight, had vanished.

Violet also said that Lea had definitely been standing right there just moments ago, anxiously looking around in all directions.

He hurriedly searched for Lea through the crowd.

Though she disappeared easily, she was usually just as easy to find.

No doubt she had been distracted by some fascinating sight and wandered off like a child.

When he found her, he would need to warn her once more not to do that again.

But then again, how could he keep still a woman who moved as freely as a gentle breeze?

“……”

Carlo’s steps suddenly halted as that thought crossed his mind.

Something was wrong. No matter how thoroughly he looked around, her rose-colored hair was nowhere to be seen.

A new possibility emerged.

What if she hadn’t moved of her own accord?

What if Lea wasn’t among the crowd of joyful people?

“Stop.”

At Carlo’s command, the chief chamberlain raised his hand in surprise.

“Stop! Everyone stay where you are!”

People jumped in shock at the chief chamberlain’s loud voice and turned to look at him.

The protocol minister shouted for the fireworks machine to be stopped and lined up the magicians.

“Find Lea, now!”

Carlo’s shout echoed through the air.

Genevieve and Aiden, who had been enjoying the performance from their seats, stood up and looked at Carlo.

“What is this…!”

“The Grand Duchess has disappeared, Your Majesty.”

Carlo spoke in a low voice as he strode past her toward the highest point of the deck.

Surprised, Genevieve demanded to know what was happening from the chief chamberlain.

The chief chamberlain shook his head amidst the murmuring crowd, indicating he had no idea what was happening.

“The Grand Duchess is missing. Everyone search for the Grand Duchess!”

No sooner had Carlo’s thunderous order been given than the nobles scattered in panic and began searching for the Grand Duchess, while the servants ran off in different directions.

When Carlo instructed that all lights inside and outside the ship be turned on, everywhere was suddenly filled with dazzling light.

“……”

And then he saw it.

Looking at the river on a hunch, past the bustling people, he spotted rose-colored hair helplessly swaying in the current.

His eyes turned inside out.

“……”

As he swam at a terrifying speed, Lea disappeared from Carlo’s sight as if by magic.

Just as she had vanished from the ship in that brief moment.

All he could see was the river water surging under the white light of the sailing ship.

Splash!

Just then, after he had jumped in, the sound of someone else diving into the water echoed.

Carlo didn’t look back and swam deeper into the dark waters.

He would definitely find her.

He wouldn’t stop or rest.

Until he found his jacket,

Until he grabbed the cold, slender wrist and pulled it up,

Until he discovered Lea, limp as a dead person.

Just like now.

“Cough!”

With a rush of oxygen, my body instinctively flipped over and I vomited water.

“Kek! Cough!”

My chest felt like it was being stabbed, but I couldn’t stop coughing.

My head felt so heavy it seemed ready to hit the floor, but someone was holding my body firmly, allowing me to expel water steadily.

“Haa, haa…”

As I barely managed to lift my eyelids, something flickered in my hazy vision.

A bluish light surging like flames.

Intense eyes filled with anxiety and killing intent.

And a rigid face.

“……”

As my vision gradually focused, I saw Carlo’s frozen eyes looking at me.

At the same time, my mind snapped to attention.

Everything that had happened to me rushed in at once like dark waters.

My throat closed up with the fear that suddenly gripped me.

“Huk!”

I grabbed his neck desperately.

“Hic, hmph…!”

I began to sob bitterly, unable to control the tears that burst forth as I clung to him.

Tears welled up without pause and overflowed from my eyes.

My cheeks were wet and my entire body trembled like an aspen.

“Hic. Huk, huk. How… scared I was. Huk!”

“……”

“No one would listen, huup, just fireworks… constantly fireworks…”

“It’s okay.”

A strong hand hesitated before stroking and caressing my back as if to comfort my distress.

Soon after, he stroked my wet hair and exhaled a deep sigh that sounded like lamentation.

“Hic, I thought I was going to die… Hic, the ship kept leaving… I kept call-, ing…”

“You’re safe now, everything’s fine.”

“I begged… begged for help…”

In my delirious state, I muttered whatever came to mind, burying my face against his skin and rubbing my cheek against it.

I felt his warmth and heard his beating pulse.

Though grateful to be alive, my tears wouldn’t stop.

He held me tightly and continued to comfort and soothe me, patting my back, but I couldn’t forget the moment when those chillingly cold, damp arms embraced my neck from behind and we fell together.

“Huk!”

The memory of hands pulling me like a water ghost and dragging me underwater overwhelmed my mind.

The hands that had slapped my cheeks and pushed down my head seemed to be grabbing my head again.

My breathing became ragged involuntarily and my muscles tensed.

My head spun and my stomach churned.

My limbs wouldn’t obey my will.

Carlo, who was holding me, seemed to sense something wrong and quickly tried to separate my body from his.

“No…!”

As soon as I was separated from him, a chill penetrated my wet body.

Terrified, I clung more desperately to his neck.

I felt that if I let go of him, someone would grab my neck from behind at any moment.

They would push my face underwater.

I would sink into darkness and never wake up.

“Let me see your face. Okay?”

He tried to calm me while still holding me, attempting to gently separate us.

“Hic, no.”

“I need to see.”

“No.”

“Let me check your condition.”

He held my face, which didn’t even have the strength to shake in refusal, and slowly examined me with an expression of indescribable firmness.

Only then, looking into those familiar eyes that remained fixed on me, did I begin to understand where I was.

As I felt reassured, my breathing gradually returned to normal.

“……”

However, as he examined my face more closely, his expression began to distort fiercely.

Only after checking everything from my forehead to my lips, the tip of my chin, and even my chest exposed above the dress with increasingly fierce eyes did he withdraw his turbid gaze.

I thought I heard faint curses through his lips as he exhaled roughly.

“You’re okay now, it’s okay. I promise.”

He embraced me and spoke with his lips pressed against my earlobe.

His low voice, echoing like a spell, calmed me down.

He quickly covered me with a blanket before embracing me again.

I couldn’t tell if my body was really trembling or if my mind was playing tricks, but I felt as cold as if I were in the polar regions.

Even in my fading consciousness, I seemed to be struggling not to let go of Carlo’s collar.

Perhaps seeing my trembling fingers, he let me rest my head against his chest.

“Don’t go… Don’t… go anywhere.”

“I won’t.”

“Anywhere…”

“……”

“…Nowhere. Don’t… leave… me… like that.”

“I’m right here. I won’t leave.”

“……”

“Ever.”

He spoke through gritted teeth in a low, grinding voice, exhaling his rough, intermittent breaths.

Only now did I feel completely at ease.

Though the corners of my mouth wanted to turn up with the realization I had been rescued, my vision kept narrowing and scattering despite my sense of relief.

“…You seem… angry…”

“I’m not angry.”

“Liar…”

My body, feeling weightless, drifted toward some unknown place.

“How could I not be angry.”

“……”

“You should teach me how not to be.”

Why… I wouldn’t be angry…

I slowly opened and closed my eyes while leaning against his comfortable embrace.

In my blurred vision, I caught a glimpse of Violet, her face red and covered in tears, and shortly after, Dillan, who also appeared completely soaked, passed by.

Could Dillan have jumped into the river too?

Thump thump thump thump.

I suddenly listened to heartbeats, unable to distinguish whether it was mine or Carlo’s.

The sound of a rapidly beating heart through my head resting against his firm chest reverberated throughout my limp body.

“When I wake up… I think you’ll scold me again…”

“…You deserve it.”

“Don’t want that…”

Why scold me? I bravely survived.

Not even realizing how sharp and pointed his tone is.

Not knowing at all how many times a day he frightens people with those fierce eyes.

I can take it somewhat bravely because I grew up walking on eggshells. Someone else would have cried a hundred times more.

Really… This is real…

“Lea. Don’t fall asleep.”

A low voice quickly penetrated through my fading consciousness.

I barely opened my eyes through the small cracks and looked at him.

Carlo was looking down at me with trembling eyes.

“You need to stay awake until you’re examined. Can you do that?”

“…Don’t know…”

“You must, keep your eyes open.”

His prominent Adam’s apple moved up and down impatiently in my blurry vision, urging me when I didn’t respond.

“…I’ll… try…”

I sighed languidly and rested my forehead against his chest.

“Assist the Grand Duke and when daylight comes… search thoroughly…!”

Through my forcibly maintained consciousness, Aiden’s authoritative voice reached my ears intermittently.

We seemed to be passing near him.

At that moment, my body stopped moving.

No, Carlo, who was carrying me, stopped in his tracks.

“No. Right now.”

Carlo, passing in front of Aiden while carrying me, was speaking to him.

“We need to search now, Your Highness.”

“Don’t you think it’s too dark right now, which would actually take more time, Carlo?”

“We can use more people for the task.”

His low voice sounded threatening.

“Since this person tried to harm the Grand Duchess, it would be best to mobilize soldiers.”

“……”

“If necessary, I’ll also deploy St. Berte’s army. They’ll come running whenever called.”

“…I will first deploy the imperial guards and soldiers.”

“I trust you will find them.”

After calmly expressing his gratitude, Carlo deliberately turned back after taking just a few steps.

“Oh, and make one thing clear.”

Carlo’s tone while holding me was chillingly cold.

“They must be captured alive, not as a corpse.”