Inside the warm tent, the campfire burned bright.
Ariel took small sips of the coffee the maid had brought, her expression dazed.
Although it felt as if much of the fatigue from a month of living in the open had melted away in the warm tent and the sweet milk coffee, she still felt an empty place somewhere in her heart.
That feeling... was like punching a fist into cotton.
Or like confessing with all your might to the one you like, only to suddenly discover not only a ring on their ring finger but that they even already have a child.
My blood’s boiling, but I have nowhere to let it out!
"No, no, how can I be thinking like this?"
Ariel shook her head hard, driving all those messy thoughts out of her mind.
Lea got out of the forest safely—this is a good thing!
It’s something she should be happy about!
Although she had heard from Count Eller that Lea and that annoying Moen shared a carriage to the Holy City, which left a faint, inexplicable sourness in her heart, “shared” should only mean riding with the same caravan.
Hasn’t it been like that before? Riding in the same caravan—what is there to overthink?
In her memory, Lea and that annoying Moen Campbell had virtually no dealings at all, barely even exchanged a few words. Even if that Moen Campbell was a notorious playboy, with only a mere month, and in the Holy City, Lea’s home turf, what could he possibly do?
She was probably overthinking it.
Ariel let out a self-mocking laugh and quickly reined in her thoughts.
Failing in her plan to play the hero and save the beauty in front of Lea did leave her a bit disappointed and wistful.
But it wasn’t anything serious. Given the depth of her bond with Lea, turning friendship into something more, she believed, was only as hard as piercing a thin membrane.
Losing one small opportunity wasn’t enough to make her too dejected.
Childhood sweethearts with deep affection, everything ripening of its own accord; just the final push—the advantage is mine!
The corner of Ariel’s mouth quirked with a roguish curve, and a glint of confidence lit her eyes again.
"Many thanks for your help, Count Eller."
Setting down her coffee, Ariel spoke politely to Count Eller, who sat at the head of the long table:
"The Bugard family will remember this favor."
Although Ariel had always disliked the rigid formalities between nobles, she was, after all, the Bugard family’s primary heir now; she had to know at least some of the manners she ought to know.
"No, you needn’t thank me."
Count Eller did not accept Ariel’s thanks, not even lifting his head from the documents before him,
"I was merely following Young Master Moen’s orders."
"Moen Campbell?"
Ariel froze for a moment, thinking, What is that guy trying to pull now... Then she quickly realized:
"Did the Academy ask him to help?"
"On that point, I’m not sure. I’m just a soldier who obeys orders."
Count Eller shook his head, unconcerned.
"Then sending those commoners into the forest to search—that was his order too?"
Ariel asked casually in follow-up.
But perhaps that touched a nerve; Count Eller suddenly lifted his head and gave Ariel a cold, expressionless glance.
For a moment, the air turned a little cold.
"Did I... Did I say something wrong?"
"No. A month ago, a Disaster appeared in the forest. Although it caused no calamity, Young Master Moen is not the sort of arrogant man who disregards the lives of commoners."
Count Eller paused, recalling the gentle youth he had met a month ago, so different from what the rumors said, and said:
"He only told us to wait for you outside. What truly forced me to issue that order... was you."
"Huh?"
Ariel looked blank.
Me?
What the hell?
At that time I was still in the relic banging my head against those iron lumps—since when could she send messages out from inside the relic?
"Apologies—that was not quite the right way to put it."
Looking at Ariel, Count Eller said, with meaningfully:
"I should say... the Bugard family behind you."
...
...
"My lord Count."
After Ariel left, a maid suddenly entered the tent, presenting an exquisite casket.
"This was left by that lord. He said it was the promised token of thanks for you."
Count Eller cast it a cold glance and said, "Take it back. I don’t need it."
"But that lord..."
"..."
Eller sighed and rubbed his tired brow:
"Then sell it, distribute the money to the soldiers so they can buy some wine. They’ve had a hard time these days."
"Yes, sir."
"Those maggots really are..."
After the maid left, by the still-bright candlelight, Count Eller lowered his gaze to the letter he had read many times, and a rare cold smile touched his stern face:
"They hardly care about their own kin most of the time, yet the moment they smell meat, they move faster than stray dogs."
...
...
"Miss Ariel, I’ve finally found you."
As Ariel stepped out of the tent, she ran right into a well-dressed old man.
He looked advanced in years, yet his hair was combed to perfection, the strands so glossy they could almost be used as a mirror.
He seemed to have been waiting there all along; upon seeing Ariel, his eyes instantly reddened.
"Who?"
Ariel recoiled in disgust from the hand that tried to reach out. Once she saw the old man’s face clearly, her willow brows furrowed even more:
"You’re... the fellow who’s always tagging along beside my dear elder brother, aren’t you? What are you doing here?"
"Why, of course because I was worried about you, Miss Ariel."
Paying no mind to the visible disgust on Ariel’s face, the old man took out a handkerchief and dabbed at the corners of his eyes:
"Once we learned that you had gone missing, your lord brother was beside himself with worry. He specifically sent me to goad those lowborns into searching for you properly. Seeing you safe and sound at last, I can finally breathe easier."
"Beside himself with worry? Why does that sound so laughable to me? Isn’t he the one who most wants me dead?"
Ariel stared at the old man suspiciously:
"Did I beat him stupid back then? Does he need me to find him a doctor? As it happens, I know a few good ones—healers who are dab hands at treating mental issues. For my sake, I can even get him a special twelve-out-of-ten discount."
"..."
The old man’s mouth twitched, then he put on a sincere smile and said:
"Miss Ariel, what a thing to say—aren’t we all family? There were indeed some misunderstandings before, but your lord brother truly was worried about you this time, or he wouldn’t have sent me here especially."
"Cut the crap."
Ariel narrowed her eyes. Facing this shameless old dog, she said darkly:
"Say what you came to say. My patience is limited."
"Nothing! Nothing at all—truly nothing this time. I only came to check on you; there’s no need to be overly on guard."
So he said, yet rubbing his hands, he suddenly leaned in and asked respectfully:
"Then, Miss Ariel, are you next... going to the Holy City to look for Miss Lea? If you don’t mind, I can prepare a carriage for you..."
"No need. Get lost!"
"All right, I’ll go, I’ll go—going right now."
But before he rolled off, the old man leaned close to Ariel, his expression hard to read:
"The family thinks very highly of you, Miss Ariel. We hope you can always... maintain a deep friendship with Miss Lea!"
...
...
