The farewell was brief.

Compared to the long hours of hesitation that had preceded it, their parting words were painfully short.

As the carriage pulled away, Seraphina quietly lowered the window and looked back at the Imperial Palace, which gradually disappeared into the distance.

‘Goodbye, Damian.’

She gripped the window frame tightly. Throughout their farewell, he never once properly looked at her. The fact that he avoided her gaze until the very end left a deep mark on her heart.

‘This is for Lucas.’

Steeling herself, Seraphina opened the window once more. Brandt’s carriage was already approaching the forest road that surrounded the palace.

The Imperial Palace of Eisenbart was surrounded by a vast forest. Dense woods flanked the roads leading from the front and rear gates, making access difficult — a security measure.

After passing through the main gate, Seraphina’s party planned to cut straight through the forest. Their destination was Rosalynde’s family estate, located northwest of the palace.

A wide, well-paved road would have been far more comfortable for a carriage. However, such a road would have drawn too much attention. The forest path was rough and uneven, but precisely because of that, it was rarely used.

For moving quietly, it was the best possible route. They had no choice but to endure the discomfort.

“Waa—ng.”

As the carriage jolted, Lucas, cradled in Seraphina’s arms, began to fuss. She tried to soothe him at once.

“It’s all right, Lucas.”

She murmured gently and carefully rocked him. However, it was difficult to calm him with the carriage continuing to shake. At this rate, he would soon start crying. She needed to distract him with something he liked — perhaps his favorite doll?

“This won’t do. Rosie, take out Lucas’s doll.”

“Yes.”

Following Seraphina’s instructions, Rosalynde rummaged through the baby bag. But even as the carriage travelled deeper into the forest, she could not find what she was looking for.

Looking up at Seraphina, she saw that her expression was troubled, too.

“Why can’t I find it? We didn’t leave it behind… did we?”

“That can’t be it. Here—hold him for a moment.”

Seraphina handed Lucas to Rosalynde, placing the bag on her lap. The night before, she had carefully packed all of Lucas’s belongings. There was no way she could have forgotten his favorite doll. Yet no matter where she looked inside the large bag, she could not find it.

“That’s strange…”

She was murmuring in confusion when—

Jolt!

—the carriage lurched violently and came to a sudden stop. Seraphina and Rosalynde both instinctively curled up around Lucas to shield him.

“Brandt, what’s going on?”

After quickly checking on Lucas, Seraphina called out loudly. But there was no reply.

She strained her ears and heard Lucas begin to whimper. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to be hurt, but he was clearly terrified.

“Huaa—ng, aeng…”

“Oh my, Young Lord Lucas. Please don’t cry.”

Flustered, Rosalynde opened the carriage door. It was Lucas’s first time riding in a carriage, and he was clearly tired from being confined to such a small space for so long. Trying to soothe him, Rosalynde stepped down from the carriage.

Watching her tend to Lucas, Seraphina get her bag and followed her out.

That was when—

“…!”

Rosalynde, who had stepped down first, suddenly collapsed.

“Ros—!”

As Seraphina rushed toward her, a large hand shot out and clamped over her mouth.

“Mmph!”

Seraphina struggled desperately, trying to break free. When she saw her captor’s face, her eyes widened.

It was someone she had never expected.

“Shut up, you b*tch!”

Leoban?

With an irritated snarl, Leoban kicked Seraphina hard in the shin. As someone who had abused her for years, he was true to form in hitting her where it hurt the most.

“Ugh!”

Her leg gave way, causing Seraphina to collapse to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Leoban immediately bound her hands. As soon as he released her hands to tie them up, she screamed frantically.

“Brandt! Brandt!”

She screamed until her throat burned. But no matter how loudly she called, Brandt did not appear. Seraphina whipped her head around desperately, her voice trembling.

“Lucas! Rosie!”

“Shut up!”

When she screamed again, Leoban—having already tied her wrists and ankles—kicked her hard in the stomach.

“Ha—hk!”

Even as her body recoiled from the blow, Seraphina kept searching for them.

“B-Brandt! Lucas!”

“I said shut up! Shut up! Shut the hell up!”

“Ghk—ugh!”

As if venting his pent-up rage, Leoban beat her with manic enthusiasm. His blows were merciless, and his eyes gleamed with twisted exhilaration as he continued to hit her.

By the time Seraphina was barely conscious from the beating.

“Heh.”

A woman’s laughter rang out.

“My, just look at her.”

Seraphina groaned faintly and forced her eyes open. Lady Mireille was standing before her.

Her eyes sparkled as though Seraphina were nothing more than an amusing spectacle.

“It’s been a while. Have you been well, Your Highness?”

“Mi… Mireille… my lady?”

Seraphina’s pupils trembled as she recognized her. Leoban’s sudden appearance had been shocking enough, but now Lady Mireille was here, too. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

“Why are you here…?”

“Don’t be so happy to see me. We’re hardly on friendly terms, are we?”

Mireille replied coolly. The look she cast at Seraphina was laced with unmistakable malice.

Seraphina cried out to her desperately.

“Please—untie me! I beg you!”

“And why would I?”

Mireille snorted in response to her plea. Lifting her foot, she pressed the sharp heel of her shoe into Seraphina’s shoulder and ground it in as she spoke.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for the day you’d be crawling beneath my feet.”

“Ugh…!”

Seraphina squeezed her eyes shut. Leoban’s blows had left her whole body aching, and being crushed like this made the pain unbearable.

“Stop… please…!”

“My lady.”

Just as Seraphina began to plead in agony, a man dressed in black stepped forward. He held something in his hand.

When she saw what it was, horror washed over her.

“Lucas!”

The cloaked man was holding Lucas. He placed the baby in Mireille’s arms and stood beside her, apparently to protect her.

Meanwhile, Seraphina was struggling desperately to lift herself off the ground. However, with her wrists and ankles bound, she could barely move.

“Lucas—Lucas!”

“Why are you only calling for the baby? What a pity—for your knight and your maid. Serving someone like you. Don’t you think so, Egon?”

“I suppose.”

The man called Egon let out a sigh and removed his cloak. With a displeased expression, he said,

“Still, it might be better than doing something like this on one’s master’s orders.”

Smack!

Mireille struck Egon sharply across the cheek. Shaking out her stinging hand, she snapped irritably,

“It’s better than murder, isn’t it?”

Egon raised his brows and tilted his head slightly. Then, turning to Seraphina, he spoke in a calm, even tone.

“We didn’t kill either of them, so don’t worry. We merely knocked them out.”

“H-how…?”

Seraphina murmured, drawing in a sharp breath. Subduing Rosalynde was one thing, but Brandt — a knight — so easily?

Moreover, there had been no sound of a struggle. If he had fought back, she would have heard the clash of blades at the very least.

‘Now that I think about it… Rosalynde collapsed all at once too. How did that happen?’

Seraphina looked at Mireille, looking confused and shaken. Mireille, who was smiling, lightly touched her lips with a fist. She mimed blowing a whistle.

Fwhoo.

The sound of air rushing out followed.

“One clean shot.”

“Th-that can’t be…”

Seraphina muttered blankly.

‘A tranquilliser dart, then? That would explain why the carriage stopped so suddenly, and why Brandt never answered.’

Of course.

He must have collapsed unconscious on the spot.

Her eyes, filled with panic, drifted aimlessly. Seeing Seraphina’s disarray, Mireille burst into laughter once more.

“Puhahaha!”

She laughed so hard that she doubled over. When she finally stopped, she looked down at Seraphina and said something in a chilling voice.

“Don’t be so shocked. Compared to what’s about to happen to you, this is nothing at all.”