Chapter 74

74. How to Save Him

Despite Callion’s petition, Elkius’ order was not rescinded.

Once a day, a soldier of the guard would carry Callion’s petition to the imperial palace, and hours later, the emperor’s messenger would bring the order and deliver it to Regan Melkis.

The plea to rescind the imperial mandate and the order to carry it out clashed sharply. For the fourth day, Regan Melkis stared down at the same order and said.

“My lord, please stop.”

“I can’t.”

Even the men in the guard clicked their tongues at the stubborn reply.

“You have seen the order; please accept the imperial honour and preserve yourself.”

“I told you I would never leave this place until he revokes the decree.”

With a weary determination, Regan Melkis gave up trying to persuade him and shut up. At this rate, they’re all going to die without his help.

Dozens of soldiers surrounded the Velido field. They were on high alert, with orders that if they missed any of them, they would all be punished. They can’t get out, let alone in, and they haven’t had a sip of water in a long time.

Since last night, even the noisy children have been quiet. A few more days and the Emperor would see the results he wanted.

Regan Melkis stared at the dead Callion’s face and bitterly bit his lip.

What was the point of being an Duke and acting so foolishly when you could have just ignored it like the rest of the nobility?

He couldn’t understand why he would suffer for these lowly people when he had such a good cause, the kidnapping of the Duchess.

‘We can’t even point a sword at the imperial family…….’

Just as he worried about the consequences, a disturbance arose.

“You can’t go in there!”

“I’ll be right out; just give me a moment.”

A mild commotion erupted from the back of the line. Regan Melkis scratched his head and headed towards the commotion.

“What’s going on?”

“This person insists on seeing His Grace, the Duke…”

The man in priestly robes bowed his head.

“I’ve come to share God’s grace with the poor fellow; may I be allowed in for a moment?”

Regan Melkis, a devout believer, looked down at Samuel Dorfman with embarrassment, a basket of water and bread in his hand.

“Outsiders are forbidden, priest.”

“We are all children of the same God, so how can we be called outsiders?”

Given the Emperor’s orders, they shouldn’t have been allowed in, but priests follow the order of God, not the order of men.

Samuel Dorfman, in particular, was highly respected among the poor and the nobility alike. Even the Emperor would not want to be at odds with the temple, so he figured he could overlook him once.

Regan Melkis nodded as if he had no choice.

“Let them in.”

Samuel turned to Callion, afraid the soldiers would clear a path.

“Your Grace.”

“Cardinal Dorfman, how did you get here…….?”

“She sent me,” Samuel Dorfman winked.

‘It must be Adele.’ Callion smiled faintly. He pulled a water bottle from the basket Samuel had brought and held it out.

“Have some water first.”

“I’m fine, but you can share it with them.”

Callion held out his hand. The food they had brought was small, barely enough to fill a few people’s stomachs. Samuel looked troubled, and Callion glanced at him again.

He shouldn’t put anything in his mouth. To take even a sip of water in the presence of this many people would destroy the purity he had maintained.

Understanding his meaning, Samuel took the jug and turned away. The poor, desperate people looked at him with eager eyes.

Samuel distributed water and food to the children and elderly who were in poor health.

“God will take care of you,” he said.

After a short prayer, Samuel turned away with a sad look on his face. Callion, watching, spoke up.

“Thank you for coming; I know it wasn’t easy for you to get here.”

“I am sorry I could not be of more help. Your Grace.”

Samuel bowed his head and whispered in a low voice.

“Is there anything you wish to tell me?”

“Tell her I’m fine, don’t worry, and take care of herself.”

“I understand, and please take care of yourself.”

Leaving the field of Velido, Samuel made his way to a carriage parked nearby. He knocked quietly on the carriage without being seen, and the door opened as if it had been waiting.

Adelaide, waiting inside the carriage, asked urgently.

“How is he?”

“I don’t think he’ll last more than a few days.”

Adelaide’s face fell at Samuel’s answer, and he frowned as he continued.

“The water and bread we brought, he didn’t even touch them, giving them all away to the poor.”

That’s what Callion would do, she thought. Adelaide lowered her gaze in disbelief.

Twice a day, she received reports of Callion’s condition from the soldiers she had intercepted. She had sent Samuel, hoping to offer even a sip of water.

“It’s best to resolve this quickly. Two or three more days like this and he’ll be in danger, not to mention the poor.”

“…….”

If Samuel said so, then it must be nearing the limit. Adelaide squeezed her eyes shut and reached into her pocket.

“Thank you for your trouble, Cardinal Dorfman.”

“It’s nothing.”

Samuel, with his pockets stuffed, added quietly as he opened the carriage door.

“His Grace asked me to tell you not to worry and to take care of yourself.”

“……Thank you.”

Adelaide sat in the carriage for a long time after Samuel left. Samuel’s words that he wouldn’t last long echoed in her ears.

She fiddled with the necklace Callion had given her. She wanted to see him, but she couldn’t. After a moment of hesitation, Adelaide looked up.

“Come closer.”

“Yes.”

The coachman moved the carriage carefully. The area around the fields of Velido was cordoned off, but that didn’t stop curious onlookers from lingering.

Adelaide drew back the curtains a little and searched for Callion, though it was not easy to spot him through the curtains of the carriage.

“Ah.

If she hadn’t remembered what he was wearing, she wouldn’t have recognized him. Sunken cheeks, charred lips, tangled hair. As Samuel had said, he looked like he could collapse at any moment.

Adelaide wrapped her face in her hands, tears streaming through her fingers.

‘If only I had been there instead. ’

She had hoped for public outrage against Elkius after the first casualty, but at this rate, Callion would fall first.

‘This is a losing battle. It’s a fight we’re bound to lose. He’ll get another chance. I can’t leave him alone any longer. ‘

Adelaide raised her head, concluding. There was only one person who could stop this fight.

“Take me to Duke Howard’s.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“I apologize for showing up unannounced.”

“No, come in.”

Uncomfortable with the uninvited visitor, the Duchess of Howard swallowed what she was about to say to Adelaide’s distressed face

‘She’s in trouble.’

The scarf tied unseasonably around her neck stood out. The bruises beneath the rolled-up sleeves told of the day’s events.

“Come and sit down.”

The Duchess of Howard offered her a seat with a pitying look, but instead of sitting on the sofa, Adelaide knelt at her feet.

“Please, help me, my lady.”

“What do you think you’re doing? Get up.”

The Duchess of Howard tugged on Adelaide’s arm with a puzzled look, but the slender figure didn’t budge.

“You are the only one who can help him, my lady. Please save him. I will pay any price.”

The voice that came out of her mouth trembled badly. The duchess sighed.

How bad must the situation be for a child who had never bowed in contempt to be brought to her knees?

She’d heard of Callion’s defence of the poor and his defiance of Elkius, but she hadn’t expected it to get this bad.

She spoke with difficulty.

“I heard they’ve already raised a petition at the palace.”

“Petitions won’t work. The more they petition, the more His Majesty will push forward.”

The Duchess agreed with Adelaide. Elkius would take the petition as a challenge to his authority.

“Do you think he who refuses to listen to the pleas of his own people will listen to mine?”

“Your Majesty is a man who bounces back the more you press him. If you persuade him with good words, he may change his mind.”

“If he were that kind of person, things wouldn’t have escalated to this point.”

Adelaide shook her head.

“His Majesty knows this is futile. He’s just being stubborn because he can’t find a good reason to back down.”

“…….”

“This whole thing started when he cleared out the slums and created the Velido Fields, so if he tries to stop the rumours by killing innocents, the blame will fall squarely on him.”

“…….”

“So, my lady, please request to settle this matter quietly. His Majesty will reluctantly agree then.”

The Duchess of Howard sighed.

She didn’t think Elkius would budge an inch. But she also didn’t want to pretend ignorance and abandon her nephew in his time of need.

Above all, she couldn’t coldly dismiss a child who was crying and desperately clinging to her husband’s life.

“…Arrange to enter the palace tomorrow.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

Adelaide bowed her head nervously. The Duchess of Howard clicked her tongue.

“Don’t get your hopes up too high.”