Chapter 18
A few days before Ludiana’s party arrived in Brno, at the mansion in the capital, Nuremberg.
“Master!”
Rupert burst breathlessly into Jonas’s office. The look of panic on his face made Jonas’s eyebrow twitch.
“Urgent news!”
“What is it.”
That was all. Jonas’s indifferent gaze returned to the documents before him.
“Ahem! A message from Branch Chief Lito.”
Rupert quickly approached and handed Jonas the letter.
“Lito?”
At last, Jonas’s eyes lifted from the documents to Rupert.
If it was Lito, wasn’t he the head of the Emden trading company in Brno? Jonas tore the letter open, and his face twisted.
“A plague?”
With irritation, Jonas tossed the urgent letter to the floor.
“Ugh… tell them not to return to the territory yet. Have them wait there.”
Jonas smoothed back his perfectly slicked hair and gave Rupert his command.
“And investigate all the workers’ families immediately.”
“…Yes, sir!”
‘So, he’s going to make the illness public…!’
Having watched Jonas since childhood, Rupert always felt sorry as Jonas grew more and more emotionally dry.
The Nuremberg family imposed strict heir education from a young age. That was why Jonas seemed to shut his heart more and more. But Rupert believed Jonas’s true nature was different. It was only the harsh upbringing that had made him cold, he thought.
But Rupert didn’t know. That as a child, Jonas had only pretended to be innocent—just to smooth the way for an easy life as heir.
‘Tidying this up without trouble will be a nuisance.’
Jonas rose abruptly from his seat, clearly irritated.
The next day.
Ludiana woke early at dawn and hurried her steps. She was heading to the container made of burba wood, where she had left the red liquid to mature—so she could complete the cure.
Gulp.
Ignoring the tickling anxiety in her palms, she opened the container.
“…It worked!”
The once-red liquid had turned into a deep violet. Clutching her pounding chest, Ludiana bottled the finished cure and set off again.
“Duke, please help distribute this in the quarantine zone.”
Allen carefully examined the bottle he received.
‘Judging by color alone, it looks like poison… but.’
He lifted his gaze and met Ludiana’s eyes.
Her eyes were filled with certainty.
‘She truly is the image of Roselin.’
“Understood.”
Allen’s lips curved gently as he nodded.
“Thank you. But please, make sure that everyone who returns from the quarantine washes and changes clothes.”
“Because of contagion?”
“Yes. Since the source of infection is saliva, it can spread through hands that touched the sick, or through clothing that came in contact with them.”
A few hours later, the knights and Robert returned from the quarantine zone. Ludiana, who had been waiting anxiously, ran to the gate as soon as she heard. Calros, Allen, and Roselin soon followed.
“My lady.”
Robert, dressed differently than when he had left, approached with a warm smile.
“How did it go?”
Ludiana’s throat tightened with tension.
According to the records, the cure should show visible improvement within a few hours. First the burning fever would break, then the bloodshot eyes would clear. Over time, the vomiting caused by dehydration would stop, and gradually strength would return.
‘If the fever and dehydration are cured…!’
For in truth, the real cause of death from Baltis wasn’t the illness itself but the dehydration caused by the fever and vomiting.
“The fever has broken.”
Robert’s face split into a wide smile that smoothed the wrinkles around his mouth.
“It truly worked. My lady.”
“……!!”
Ludiana clutched her skirt even tighter.
“Thank you. Truly… thank you.”
Robert’s voice trembled as he grabbed her hands.
“My daughter and granddaughter were in the quarantine zone. Especially my young granddaughter—she was in great danger. Sniff! Thank you, thank you so much. Ah…”
Seeing him, Roselin came up from behind and embraced Ludiana tightly.
“You did so well, my daughter.”
While Robert wept, Roselin patted her back as Ludiana wiped her own damp eyes.
“I’m so glad, Robert.”
“Sniff, thank you. Thank you!”
As Roselin and Robert held each other and cried, Ludiana turned to Allen.
“I’ve written down the recipe for the cure. Please send this to the East as soon as possible.”
“Thank you, Lady Ludiana.”
Allen bowed deeply. It was an overly formal gesture for one so young.
“Your Grace!”
“No, we owe you an enormous debt. I am simply offering thanks on behalf of the East.”
Despite her attempt to stop him, Allen only smiled faintly.
“…Then thank you, too.”
Unable to resist his earnestness, Ludiana also returned the gesture.
‘The immediate crisis is over…’
She looked around, searching for someone. Calros noticed and approached.
“Ludiana. Who are you looking for?”
“Have you seen Robert?”
Nod.
Calros led her to him.
“Robert.”
“My lady!”
Robert was still tear-stained as he spoke with the others.
“I have something to ask.”
“Yes, please, my lady.”
Though still crying, his mind was clearer than ever, and his heart was burning.
In the midst of despair, this young Roembec had appeared.
Robert’s eyes shone.
The little girl before him was surely the hope of Brno.
“How many of the Emden trading company are in the western forest?”
“Ha! Well! Those bastards, why—”
Robert’s face froze.
“Surely you don’t mean to give them the cure as well?”
“Yes.”
“……”
Robert trembled at the very mention of Emden. They strutted about as though Brno belonged to them, monopolized wholesale rights, and forced outrageous prices on market merchants.
Because of them, Robert had once resented Roselin for marrying into Nuremberg. Yet he would console himself, telling himself it was all because of that damned accident—that he had no choice. Still, the sight of them flaunting their power enraged him.
And when his daughter and granddaughter caught the plague brought by them, he wished nothing more than for every last one of them to die in agony.
“My lady, you mustn’t. They are…”
His voice shook.
The little angel who had just saved his family now wished to save his bitterest enemies?
“Robert?”
“My lady, they are Brno’s enemies. They’ve stolen everything from us.”
Robert swallowed the words that nearly followed: that Emden was a laundering tool for Nuremberg’s slush funds. He had endured it, telling himself at least it paid wages.
But his loyal gaze toward Ludiana turned cold.
Ludiana calmly laid her hand on his arm.
“Robert, of course I don’t intend to be kind to the enemies of Roembec.”
Her small, tender angelic face suddenly changed. The chill in her expression made it feel as if they were no longer in Brno, but in the middle of a frozen northern mountain.
“Then…?”
“We’ll discuss the rest with the others.”
Her delicate eyes narrowed, sharp and dangerous.
Inside the reception room of the Roembec castle in Brno.
Allen, Roselin, Calros, Robert, and Emma had gathered.
“Thank you all for coming.”
Ludiana rose from the sofa and bowed politely.
“I would like you to hear my plan.”
On her sweet face appeared an expression like that of a little devil.
“I want to bring the people of Emden trading into the Brno company.”
“My lady! That is—!”
Robert leapt up, shouting.
‘Not only save them, but bring them in…!’
“I know. This needs the approval of Brno’s master, Robert. And I know what Emden has done here.”
Ludiana glanced at Emma. While Robert had been at the quarantine zone, she had asked Emma and Roselin about Brno’s situation.
“But those people have been abandoned by Nuremberg. In truth, no rescue will come—they are only waiting for death. And they surely know it. I intend to offer them the cure, in exchange for their loyalty to Roembec—and for Nuremberg’s weaknesses.”
Her gaze shifted to Roselin. Clearing her throat, she continued.
“Even if we demand loyalty, I don’t plan to trust them completely. We’ll be in Brno for some time, and no matter what they plot, it will be hard to act under the watch of the ducal knights.”
At that, Roselin stepped forward to stand beside her daughter.
“And I will take charge of those from Emden and of Brno’s trading company from now on.”
“Madam!”
Robert’s voice trembled, trying to stop her.
“The divorce, everything… I’ve burdened young Ludiana too much because of her unworthy mother. But now, as her mother and as the head of Roembec, I intend to stand tall.”
Though only before four people, her voice shook as she confessed her resolve for the first time. Ludiana clasped her hand.
“And for that, we’ll need your help. But no longer will I allow anyone to trample you.”
Though Ludiana looked small and fragile, her eyes blazed.
“We are Roembec, and we will protect Roembec.”
The soft charisma radiating from her little body shone like the majestic stag that seemed to stand at her back.
‘Lord Eberhardt…’
In Ludiana’s figure, Robert and Emma recalled the former head of Roembec, Eberhardt Roembec.
