Episode 31
If Cardinal was a full-on countryside village, then the Grand Forest was at least a little more developed. Nowhere
near the level of the capital, of course, but it did have a handful of shops.
Still, there were plenty of things it didn’t have. Even so, Emilia always felt a bit lighter when she came here. The place
might not be the safest, but it was still a town where people lived—laughter drifted through the streets every now and
then.
When she’d been living as a noble, Emilia never saw scenes like this. Not because she’d only visited the most
glamorous places, but because she’d never had the freedom.
She’d never been free to just walk outside into a crowded street.
I never thought I’d be coming to a place like this in my lifetime.
She hid the bitter tug in her chest and made her way down a quieter alley, the sword tucked away out of sight.
When she reached her destination, she examined the door for a moment, then knocked twice, paused, and knocked
three more times.
Knock-knock… knock-knock-knock.
It was an information guild Leo had once told her about.
He’d said, If you ever need to know something, come here. She’d never imagined she’d actually have to, so it felt
strange and surreal to be standing here now.
“What brings you here?”
“I’m looking for someone.”
“Someone?”
A voice came from inside, then disappeared. A moment later, the door opened, and a wave of cigarette smoke hit her
in the face. Emilia fought to keep her expression neutral.
A tall man appeared in the doorway. The whole place felt uncomfortable and a little unsafe, and she wanted to leave—
but this guild was the only lead she had on Henry’s location. She forced herself to step inside and got straight to the
point.
“Henry Hermann. I hear he’s in the Grand Forest.”
The man flinched at the name.
He gave her a suspicious look, and she could tell he was curious about her, but she stayed silent until he spoke first.
When it came to information, it was always a game—winning depended on how valuable your hand was, and how well
the other person understood its worth.
They stared each other down for a while before the man gave in.
Truth was, he didn’t even want to put a price on someone like Henry Hermann. To him, Henry was worthless.
Probably just another idiot who lent him money, the man thought, looking at her with faint pity.
He sketched a rough map on a piece of paper and handed it over.
Emilia reached for her purse, but the man sighed.
“Not worth taking money for that piece of trash. Just go.”
“Still, if you’ve given me something, I should pay you.”
She tried to insist she’d heard enough stories about how failing to repay favors in this business could cause trouble
later.
But he clearly wasn’t interested. With a dismissive wave, he ushered her out.
Once outside, Emilia unfolded the paper.
Karis’ Tavern—that was the name written there.
“So, he’s drinking his life away…”
She’d heard of the place before from the locals and shook her head. Losing your family didn’t mean your life had to end.
When she’d left Edwin, it had felt like the sky was falling too—but she hadn’t wasted the past year.
She’d worked to stand again, to forget Edwin, to forget that life, and to live on her own terms.
But Henry? He’d survived against all odds… only to spend his time in a tavern. It made her sigh.
The place wasn’t far from where she stood, so she headed there.
And the moment she arrived, she spotted a familiar figure.
“There you are.”
That stubborn, tangled thread still hadn’t snapped.
To cut all ties with the Hermann family once and for all, she needed to end her connection with the last remaining
member Henry.
Her hand tightened into a fist as she stared at him. She’d lost count of how many miserable days she’d suffered
because of Henry and his family.
To erase that past completely, she had to close this chapter.
The chapter of Emilia, daughter of the Hermann house.
She walked toward Henry, who was drinking alone at the most secluded table in the tavern his most prized sword
hidden under her cloak.
Edwin set out for Emilia’s house at first light.
His reason for going wasn’t anything major he just wanted to pick up Henry’s sword, which he hadn’t taken the night
before.
It had been too dark to find it last night when he left her house, and it wasn’t urgent enough to order his knights
already preparing to sleep to go search for it. He figured he could grab it early in the morning before Emilia was even
awake.
But when he got there… the sword was gone.
Something felt wrong. Cowardly as Henry was, Edwin doubted he’d come back here on his own. And if he had, he
wouldn’t have left with just the sword.
He quickly checked the house—no signs of forced entry—but that didn’t settle his unease.
“Emilia? Are you awake?”
He knocked on the door, harder and harder, but there was no answer.
She should’ve woken up from the noise by now… yet nothing.
Maybe she’d already gone out to work? He considered searching for her, then stopped. Better to ask someone who
knew her routine.
The missing sword and Emilia’s absence combined to knot his gut with worry.
“Village chief has anything special been going on today? Any gatherings?”
“If this is about Miss Amy, there’s nothing like that.”
The village chief had been surprised enough to see a duke at his door at sunrise, but Edwin didn’t seem to care. He got
straight to the point.
The chief studied him for a moment, then mentioned something—just enough for Edwin to click his tongue and turn
on his heel.
“What’s wrong? Has something happened?” one of his knights asked.
Edwin’s answer was grim. “Henry showed up outside Emilia’s house yesterday with a sword.”
The knights exchanged stunned looks.
When Edwin had driven Henry away the day before, he’d thought the scare would be enough. But clearly, Henry had
come back.
Edwin blamed himself for underestimating him.
“Where’s the carriage?”
“My lord?”
“We’re going to the Grand Forest.”
He’d only just found her—and now she was gone again. The fear that had haunted him for the past year surged back
even stronger.
If he hadn’t met her yet, it might’ve been different. But he had seen her alive. He’d thought she didn’t hate him, that
there was still hope.
Now she was gone, and he couldn’t stop wondering had she run because she really didn’t want to be with him? Had
her kindness last night been part of a plan to slip away?
If that was the case… he wouldn’t forgive it.
You’re not leaving me again.
Whether she’d been taken by Henry or left on her own, he was going to the Grand Forest.
If he’d been thinking clearly, he might’ve noticed that all her belongings were still in the house and realized she
hadn’t run away.
But neither he nor his knights thought to check, too focused on his mood.
The light in Edwin’s eyes from the night before had gone dark, and his men silently agreed: Emilia could not be
allowed to slip away.
Edwin spurred his horse forward, leading the charge toward the Grand Forest.
“This time,” he vowed under his breath, “you’re not getting away.”
