“What?”

“Why bother clearing this place out? Do you have any idea how much stuff is still here? If we clean up, everything will go up in flames and we can’t afford to lose all that.”

“So what? Are you saying you’ll defy his orders?”

“Orders, my *ss! I told you from the start—never get in too deep with nobles!”

The gaunt man, long seething with resentment, spat his words without restraint. The one who seemed to be their leader let his eyes glint with sudden cruelty, then forced his expression into something calmer as he spoke.

“Enough. I’m the one in command here.”

“Don’t make me laugh. Since when were you our leader?”

“…Are you challenging me?”

The leader drew his dagger. In response, the gaunt man slipped his hand inside his coat. They glared at each other, their muscles taut, the tension in the room palpable. But before either of them could strike, there was a bang! The door burst open and someone ran inside.

“Run! Now! The knights are coming!”

The words had barely left his mouth when the men, who had been standing tense and silent, sprang into action. Their movements became swift and orderly, honed by long practice, and the quarrel was instantly forgotten.

“Move, quickly!”

Flames soon erupted throughout the building. At the same time, the heavy tread of armored boots could be heard drawing near.

“Wil! Hurry!”

“Coming!”

The gaunt man who had stood up to the leader ran for the exit, but then stopped in his tracks. After hesitating for a moment, he turned back into the room where Aisha lay, muttering curses under his breath. He scooped her up in his arms. Her body sagged limply against him, her head lolling to the side.

“This girl…”

Alarmed, he pressed a hand to her nose. Nothing. No breath stirred against his skin. His face hardened. For a moment, he hesitated, torn, but the growing heat and smoke forced him to act. Grimacing, he lowered her to the floor of the room, which was already filling with flames. He dropped her carelessly and ran.

The flames spread swiftly, devouring the wooden structure. Motionless, Aisha lay where she had fallen. Her fingers did not so much as twitch. Only after a long, terrible stillness did a faint breath escape her lips.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

As Ian watched the building catch fire, he turned his horse away. He assumed that the duke intended to rescue Aisha — surely he would not leave her to burn?

However, just as he swung back into the saddle to head to another location revealed by Count Holtin, something caught his eye. From the side of a warehouse that had not yet been consumed by the flames, where rubbish had been piled up, he spotted something out of place:

A discarded dress, crumpled and filthy. Once soft and fine, the fabric was now caked with dust and grime, with dark blotches of dried blood staining it throughout. The hem was ragged, as though jewels had been ripped away.

Ian stared at the torn fabric, his lips tightening. He remembered the pearls he had found in the warehouse before. They had been taken from here.

Without hesitating, he leapt from his horse and ran towards the burning building.

“Your Grace! It’s too dangerous!”

One of the knights, who had been grappling with the fleeing men, saw Ian run straight towards the flames and shouted in alarm.

The knight grabbed Ian’s shoulder. Ian shook him off immediately, however, and sprinted through the entrance that had not yet been engulfed by the flames.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Thick smoke and blistering heat pressed in from all sides, threatening to take his breath away with every step he took. Ian raised his sleeve to cover his mouth and nose as he climbed the stairs.

Crash!

The moment his foot hit the second floor, the lower steps crumbled into flames. Without glancing back, Ian raced down the upper corridor, calling out.

“Aisha!”

Room after room lay open and empty, each bearing traces of a hasty departure which the flames were already consuming. Ian bit his lip hard. Maybe she wasn’t here at all, but the thought of her being left behind in the flames made his heart pound wildly.

At last, near the end of the corridor, he saw it: a door unlike the others, bearing three heavy locks on the outside. It was built for imprisonment. Ian knew at once where he had to go.

Thud.

The fire-ravaged building was shedding fragments from its ceiling and walls. Blackened debris rained down in front of him, and several holes filled with ash had appeared in the scorched floor. Yet he did not slow down, charging straight for the door. With one swift movement, he forced it open.

“Aisha!”

He had prayed not to see her, but there she was, collapsed in the smoke-filled room. Ian pushed through the searing air with his bare hands and rushed to her side. He lifted her from the floor and pressed his palm to her face.

There was no breath. No trace of life. For a moment, Ian froze, stunned, forgetting that he was standing in the middle of a fire. Then, trembling with desperation, he bent closer.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Relief washed over him. He could hear a faint but fast heartbeat. At the same time, he felt the barest whisper of air brushing against his hair — her breath. She was alive. Ian’s eyes lit up suddenly. Without hesitating, he pulled her into his arms and stood up.

The moment he did so, the flames surged higher, trapping them inside. Ian glared at the blaze, holding Aisha tightly against his chest, shielding her as though he could hide her within him. He turned and took the fire on his back. The heat seared through the cloth and onto his skin, causing him enough pain to make him faint, but he cared nothing for his own flesh. All that mattered was preventing even a single ember from touching her.

Crash!

The half-burnt door splintered under the force with which he pushed against it. Ian plunged through the flames, standing his ground and shielding her completely. But beyond lay more flames. The hall was engulfed in flames that lashed out at him like a living beast, leaving no space for him to put his foot down. He searched desperately for an escape route.

There was one. A single spot untouched by the flames: the open balcony railing at the end of the corridor. The fire was closing in fast, but there was still a narrow gap.

“Kh—!”

The flames clawed at his back again, this time burning into his shoulder and arm. The stench of charred flesh filled the smoke that surrounded him. Sweat poured cold from his body as he bit his lip until it bled, forcing himself to endure. Step by step, he staggered toward the balcony.

“Your Grace!”

The knights searching below spotted him at once. Ian measured the drop, holding Aisha tightly.

‘…Too dangerous.’

From the outside, the building appeared taller than it actually was. Jumping with her in his arms would be reckless. If he misjudged it, she could get seriously hurt. But there was no other way. The stairs had disappeared, and the floor was too weak to support his weight. The balcony was the only remaining option.

Ultimately, despite the intense heat which felt like molten metal searing his insides, Ian pressed his stomach and chest against the railing. Leaning forward with all his strength, he held out his arms — with Aisha in them — as far as he could despite the agonising pain.

The knights below quickly understood his intention and gathered around him. Ian swept his gaze over them once more, mistrust flickering in his eyes, before stretching his arms towards the nearest knight. When he reached his limit, he clenched his teeth and lowered her down as gently as possible.

“She’s safe! We caught her!”

Aisha landed in the knight’s arms without harm. Ian, who had watched that short arc through the air with a look of near-madness, exhaled sharply the moment she was secure, shouting hoarsely:

“Take her to a physician! At once—show her to a physician now!”

The knight holding her, along with several others, nodded quickly and sped away. Ian’s eyes lingered on her limp feet dangling in the air, worry etching his face. It was only when shouts rose from below that he tore himself back to the present.

“Your Grace! Jump! That floor won’t last!”

The building was collapsing from the edges inward; it had little time left. The remaining knights gestured frantically, fear tightening their expressions. Ian too knew the seconds were slipping away. He gripped the railing, ready to leap.

“Ugh—!”

His scorched hands screamed belatedly with pain. But he bit down hard, refusing to be swallowed by the flames.

“Careful, Your Grace!”

Just as he launched himself from the railing, the sound of splitting wood filled the air, followed by a series of thuds. One of the beams supporting the ceiling had broken, bringing burning timbers crashing down. Ian was thrown forward and the flaming wreckage collapsed on top of him.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Her body felt drained of all strength. Aisha lay still, turning her head with difficulty.

“Marie?”

She saw Marie slumped asleep in a chair beside the bed. Aisha tried to call out to her, but only a faint hiss escaped her lips.

After several unsuccessful attempts, she gave up and forced herself to concentrate instead. Then the flashes returned. She could feel the heat of crimson fire and the sensation of flying through the air, as well as the grip of strong hands holding her fast.

“What…”

But they were fragments only. Her memory refused to surface, her mind blank as white paper. Frowning, she was struck suddenly by a sharp pain in her head and let out a sound.

“Ah…!”

It was a cry of pain, but the fact that she could hear anything at all brought her a flicker of relief. Grasping at this, she forced herself to endure the stabbing headache and the dryness in her throat.

“Ma…rie.”

“My lady?”

Though faint, the voice reached Marie’s light sleep, and she jolted awake, rushing to Aisha’s side.

“Thank heavens… oh, thank heavens—”

Seeing that her mistress was truly awake, Marie burst into tears. Aisha watched the tears and worry in her eyes and gave a weak smile, as though apologizing. She tried to move, but her body felt paralyzed and too heavy.

“Please don’t strain yourself. You’ve been unconscious for more than ten days.”

Marie, guessing her intent, shook her head firmly. She told her to wait, then hurried out before Aisha could utter another word.