Chapter 17
He looked at me with a complicated expression for a moment before replying.
“Yes, understood, my lady.”
The field commander soon stepped down from the carriage, and I stretched my arms.
Now that the situation here is resolved, shall I prepare for the next?
On horseback, heading back.
Etias recalled the sight of Catrin Elemoer in the forest.
Perched in a tree, bowstring drawn—her posture was that of a highly trained and talented archer.
An exceptional skill even rare among the revolutionaries.
‘Catrin Elemoer… so she had such talent.’
A vague memory of the academy came to mind.
Even girls had to take basic self-defense classes back then…
—Pfft.
Catrin had once crossed her legs arrogantly and mocked the girls diligently practicing self-defense.
—Unless you’re too poor to afford competent bodyguards, why would a noble lady need to learn such unrefined skills? Ahahaha!
Her laughter overflowed with disrespect, but her infamy was so widespread no one dared to correct her arrogance.
Back then, like everyone else, he’d thought her a pathetic woman.
‘She must’ve had something to rely on.’
As Catrin had mocked, there were limits to what frail noble daughters could achieve through self-defense.
Even seasoned fighters had little chance against someone charging with a sword.
If you had the money, hiring armed guards was the most efficient route.
But in a situation where even guards couldn’t stop the overwhelming enemy, Catrin Elemoer had brought down several sword-wielding men with her exceptional archery.
With that same villainous expression as if nothing had happened.
That piercing gaze made his brow twitch.
—Etias.
As if her voice echoed in his ear, Etias’s eyes involuntarily twitched.
Catrin Elemoer, who had gracefully descended from the tree.
As she approached him, he caught the scent of fruit.
She reached toward his face and—
“……”
Etias raised a hand and gently brushed his wound.
He’d merely been scratched by a branch while pushing through undergrowth.
—What kind of bastard would do this?
Her lips, which uttered such foul words so easily.
Even now, the vulgarity came naturally—
—What kind of lunatic would scar such a pretty face!
‘Pretty?’
Why didn’t her words sting as they used to?
—Well, not that it’s any of my business.
Though she soon masked her expression again with prideful sarcasm—
“……”
Those teary purple eyes lingered in his mind for a long time.
Even knowing it was probably false, perhaps it was because it had been so long since he’d felt anyone’s warmth directed toward him.
‘Ridiculous.’
Etias scoffed at himself for almost grabbing her wrist, driven by a sudden impulse to uncover the truth. He swallowed the bitterness rising within.
A cool breeze rustled through his dark hair once more.
A soldier riding beside him glanced his way and asked in surprise,
“Your Highness, when did you get that cut? It’s on your cheek.”
Etias’s lips curled slightly.
He looked ahead and muttered,
“…It’s nothing.”
We arrived at the mansion after passing through Dobelton.
The underground prison of the duchy, which had been inspected after the funeral, was vast and capable of holding many prisoners.
Not a single one could be let go easily.
They would all serve as evidence to thoroughly indict Padelmon.
“Ugh… gah…”
Several of them groaned in pain as they were dragged away, wounded by my arrows.
I didn’t feel the slightest sympathy.
If they tried to kill someone, they should be ready to endure at least that much pain.
The Scavengers, having completed their task of imprisonment, saluted me and vanished quickly.
When I returned with a crowd of prisoners after supposedly being at the poorhouse, the servants and maids couldn’t hide their fear.
‘They’re all scared out of their wits. Well, that’s understandable.’
Since I brought uninvited guests unannounced, I figured I’d need to comfort them a bit.
“What are our damages?”
“A carriage is wrecked and needs repair, but we have others, so it won’t affect your travel, my lady. Two guards are injured.”
As I entered the mansion, arms crossed, I ordered Heros.
“Provide sufficient medical aid. Triple their salary until they recover.”
“Yes, my lady.”
In the past, he would’ve asked, ‘That much money?’ But perhaps due to my consistent practice of clear rewards and punishments lately, he accepted without question.
“And about those two guards who ran off.”
I usually moved with a minimal escort of four. This time was no exception.
They were likely scared by the ambush, but abandoning their duty meant they deserved punishment.
“Dismiss them. Sell their debts owed to Elemoer to a collection agency.”
They could’ve at least pretended to fight. If they had, like the other maids and servants, they could’ve split the estate once I left and had their debts repaid.
They’d kicked away good fortune that came rolling their way.
“There’s no reason to feed cowards who abandon their comrades.”
“I’ll follow your orders, my lady.”
Heros sparkled with amusement, as if saying “Of course you would.”
When the mansion doors opened and I stepped inside, the nervous maids bowed to me.
They were noticeably healthier than when I’d first arrived in this body.
The shadows under their eyes had lightened, too.
“Weren’t there guests at the mansion?”
“Y-Yes, two nobles claiming to be distant relatives of House Elemoer came to tour the mansion.”
“And?”
“We… sent them away. Then they shouted they wouldn’t let us off and left angrily…”
I chuckled dryly at what happened in my absence.
So they came to inspect the estate, believing I would die and they could divide up my wealth.
“Filthy hyena bastards.”
When I muttered the insult, the maids bowed their heads.
“Don’t worry. They’ll kneel before me long before they lay a hand on you.”
My confident tone made their shoulders twitch.
“And don’t mind the prisoners brought in earlier. They won’t be staying long. Just make sure they’re fed.”
They slowly raised their heads to look at me.
Their expressions were far more relaxed than before.
“Yes, my lady.”
“Then prepare for interrogation while I wash.”
Leaving Heros with instructions, I turned and stripped off my leaf-covered, dirtied dress and stepped into the bath.
—Did we hear that right? Did she just say…
—“Don’t worry,” she said.
The surprised whispers of the maids echoed behind me.
So dramatic.
Ssshhh—
Warm water poured from the shower I’d had installed not long ago.
Unlike modern devices that heat water automatically, maids somewhere were working hard to heat it manually.
Strangely enough, today the water felt more evenly warm.
They must be working hard.
In any case, the water eased the tension from my body.
‘Did Etias make it back safely?’
As I recalled the moment I’d touched the skin beneath his wound, my lips felt oddly dry.
‘He got hurt because of me…’
My precious boy had a scar on his face because of me.
For a fangirl, it was a tragic, depressing moment.
Just as I began to feel down, I straightened my thoughts.
It wasn’t a major injury that reduced his heart meter. No need to be so gloomy.
I had work to do. I needed to stay focused.
After the bath, the maids had prepared fresh clothes for me.
They were warm, soft, and fragrant.
Once I finished dressing, I headed to the underground prison where Heros had secured the man.
Moans echoed all around as I made my way to the deepest part.
The infamous Elemoer underground prison.
“Ugh…”
The man trembling in fear had his clothes torn to shreds.
Heros, in a white shirt with his jacket off and eyes glinting behind his glasses, looked different from usual.
“You’re here, my lady.”
He greeted me politely, then spoke in a gentle voice.
“I was just exchanging a few greetings with him before you arrived.”
Just greetings?
What’s with the whip, Heros?
“Now, my lady, please…”
He was about to hand me the whip when the trembling man rolled his eyes back, convulsing, and cried out.
“I-I’ll talk! Please, just don’t let him do that twisted, perverted thing he mentioned earlier! Ughhh…”
