Chapter 59
Except for one person.
“You sure are taking your time to say you don’t want to do it.”
At Lizbet’s indifferent voice, Bis slowly nodded.
In the end, what he was trying to say was that he didn’t want to torment the child anymore.
“If you’ve said everything you wanted to, I’ll be go—”
“Two days ago was especially awful.”
It was the day the sealing stone started to crack.
‘He’s so damn chatty.’
Just when she thought the conversation was over, it resumed. Lizbet decided to just give up on Bis.
Still, it hadn’t been a waste of time. At the very least, she’d learned where Eden was.
She had just passed by Bis, taking three steps, when—
“Two days ago… Captain Dale brought some hair.”
Then, two more steps.
“It was long, straight black hair.”
Lizbet froze.
“Someone said… it looked like Lady Elisha’s hair.”
Her head turned so unnaturally, she wondered if it made a creaking sound.
Bis was now looking up at the sky.
“The moment the Captain dropped the hair to the floor, the kid started trembling and crawled toward it.”
“……”
“He scrambled to gather the scattered hair all into one place.”
“……”
“Captain said, if he ever thought of escaping again… he’d send something else next time.”
It was a cruel statement, aimed at a child already broken in mind and spirit.
“After that, he stopped asking to be let out.”
But he still cries.
A chill ran down Lizbet’s spine.
What would “something else” be? She didn’t even dare imagine.
What Comes After the Hair
‘That madman.’
Lizbet shuddered at the Duke of Partine’s cruelty.
It was getting dark.
Standing not far from the main gate, observing the knights’ movements, Lizbet silently cursed the Duke.
No matter what, how could a father do that to his own daughter?
Lizbet hoped—just hoped—that the duke had at least a shred of decency.
But it was just that: hope. The Duke of Partine was more than capable of it.
“…zbet.”
If she just barged into Elisha’s room, it’d draw too much suspicion.
Not to mention, Lizbet didn’t even know where Elisha’s room was.
She stared bitterly at the mansion gates, unsure what to do.
“Lizbet!”
A voice called her name from behind, and a hand landed on her shoulder.
Startled, Lizbet spun around, brushing off the hand.
Her own hand was already on her sword’s hilt, ready to draw.
“…Ah. Lady Elisha.”
Her dilated pupils betrayed just how surprised she was.
“What were you thinking so hard about that you didn’t notice me come up?”
You do know how embarrassing it is for a knight to get caught off guard, right?
Elisha tilted her head playfully, her hair tilting with it.
Just as Bis had said.
Elisha’s long hair now barely reached her collarbone.
Thankfully, short hair suited her well.
That was the only solace—but Lizbet didn’t like it.
She frowned and clenched her fists.
“It’s been a while.”
Noticing Lizbet glaring at her hair, Elisha greeted her cheerfully.
That only deepened Lizbet’s scowl.
“Are you fully recovered?”
Elisha kept changing the subject.
“Not really. Probably not the best thing to say to someone with a bandaged head.”
“…And not something I want to hear from someone who might end up in worse shape soon.”
“……”
It could’ve sounded like a curse, but Elisha could tell from Lizbet’s twisted expression—it was said out of concern.
“Hearing it from someone else really drives it home.”
A summer breeze blew.
Sticky and warm.
“Whatever it is, he’s capable of worse.”
“Yeah. That’s just like my father. It’s not like I don’t know.”
“……”
“I’ve got a rough idea of what’s coming. But Lizbet, what I’m really worried about is what happens afterward.”
Afterward?
By then, wouldn’t everything be over?
Lizbet imagined the duke’s mansion as a smoldering ruin.
“What if I’m not enough, and he turns on Ariel?”
No way.
But with the Duke of Partine… it wasn’t impossible.
“Or worse… what if Eden breaks before then?”
So she was just pretending to be fine earlier.
Watching Elisha’s face gradually turn into a frown, Lizbet sighed inwardly.
If it got that far, Elisha likely wouldn’t be alive to see it.
And she knew that.
Yet, she seemed completely unconcerned about her own life.
“You should be worrying about yourself first.”
Elisha let out a bitter laugh at Lizbet’s reasonable response.
“I only ever worried about myself—and that’s how things ended up like this.”
“?”
Lizbet didn’t understand.
If she had conformed, would Eden and Ariel have survived like in the original story?
No.
From the moment the real Elisha entered Delphir’s body, the outcome had already changed.
Knowing that, Elisha couldn’t even bring herself to regret it.
She had to find a way to fix things.
Ever since her hair was cut.
Eventually, Elisha found the most straightforward solution.
But that solution had no shred of morality.
“Lizbet. I have a favor to ask.”
From the moment she found her answer, Elisha had been looking for Pii, not the basement door.
The problem was catching that agile cat.
She hadn’t even succeeded indoors, so she knew it was basically impossible.
“…Whatever it is, just say the word.”
Elisha was stunned by the obedient response.
Lizbet, seeing her reaction, let out a light laugh.
“After owing you my life, how could I not do a simple favor?”
She looked oddly cheerful for someone who’d nearly died.
A stark contrast to Elisha, whose burdens grew heavier by the day.
Elisha stared at Lizbet, then steeled her expression as if she were about to issue a grave mission.
Her lips moved slowly.
“Go catch the cat.”
“…Pardon?”
“You know Pii, right?”
“I do, but…”
After all that buildup, the request was… catching a cat?
Lizbet felt her shoulders lighten instantly.
“If we catch her… we can at least put out the fire.”
If Pii refused to take Eden, they’d have to force her.
No matter what it took.
Preparation for the Rescue
While Lizbet was out catching Pii, Elisha watched the knights to figure out where the basement entrance was.
She didn’t search openly—she was wary of word reaching the Duke.
Morning, noon, and evening—
Elisha made sure to eat all three meals without fail.
It was a strategy to walk the mansion freely without suspicion.
Thanks to that, she learned a few things.
“There are knights posted in front of the stairs on every floor.”
But they didn’t seem to pay much attention when others roamed the first floor.
That didn’t mean they were completely relaxed either. Their eyes were always on the stairs.
The stairs and the basement…
She had a rough idea where the entrance might be.
“Maybe there’s a passage behind the stairs on the first floor.”
To check behind the stairs, she’d need a mage.
Elisha was deep in thought, standing at the place she’d met Lizbet four days ago.
And suddenly, a red furball appeared before her.
“……”
It was Pii.
Elisha stepped back slightly and looked at Pii’s face, held by the scruff in Lizbet’s hand.
She looked utterly displeased.
“What’s with that look? You act like you’re the one who’s been wronged.”
Elisha scolded with a firm tone.
Pii, dangling limply, turned her head away with a flick.
“As expected, a knight is different. I’d never have caught her.”
Ignoring the uncooperative cat, Elisha turned to Lizbet.
A glance behind Pii revealed Lizbet, covered in mud and leaves.
Elisha quickly looked away.
“…She was fast. I had to cut down half the nearby branches.”
There was an audible clench of teeth.
Not only did Elisha avoid eye contact, but her gaze drifted down toward the ground.
“The gardener’s going to chew me out for this.”
Lizbet handed Pii over to Elisha’s arms as she spoke.
Surprisingly, Pii didn’t resist and snuggled into her hold.
‘She let herself be caught on purpose.’
Just as Elisha had suspected.
Feeling hurt by Elisha’s attempt to throw her into danger, Pii had stayed nearby, sulking to show her discontent.
She ignored Elisha on purpose—trying to make her fret.
But when she saw Elisha’s chopped hair, she lost her nerve.
“Let’s have a talk, shall we?”
Elisha placed Pii on the ground as she spoke.
It was time to pull Eden out of hell.
