Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Find Her!
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The first thing Lainen did to find Canibella was to investigate every place she might have gone.
For this, he used the intelligence shop in the capital run by Kashan’s younger brother.
“Hello, Your Highness.”
“It’s been a while. Cut the pleasantries and give me the information I want.”
“Of course, right away.”
Kashan wore an expression full of complaints. It was the kind of look that said there was no way his younger brother could know something he didn’t. But Lainen just snorted and ignored it.
“There isn’t actually that much information on Princess Canibella. The real story is she turned into a child six years ago—that’s it. It’s not that my brother lacks the skills to find her; there just isn’t any information out there.”
Lainen sighed as he looked over papers so thin they could double as a fan. How could a princess of a nation have so little information?
‘Someone’s deliberately blocking it...’
He let out another sigh. But he didn’t have time for that. First, he thought deeply about the woman he had seen.
She had sharp, intelligent eyes, and her whole body brimmed with vitality. She also exuded elegance, nobility, and grace.
‘How could someone like that turn into a child...?’
He decided to ask her about that mystery later, when he saw her again, and quietly studied the map Kashan’s brother had provided.
“You said the woman you’re looking for was headed to the Remus Kingdom but vanished midway, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then she definitely wouldn’t have gone there or to the Rasoni Kingdom. In Rasoni, plenty of people would recognize her face, and Remus would be desperately searching for her too. Why would she risk that?”
Lainen nodded. He didn’t know exactly where she was now, but she surely wouldn’t head toward Rasoni or Remus. Still, that was just logical inference.
“She’s probably still somewhere inside the Luminir Empire, or maybe she went to the Sistia Kingdom.”
“Sistia’s out of the question. Bandits there attack anyone crossing the border, killing everyone in sight, and it’s sparked a war right now.”
Kashan added his thoughts. Sistia Kingdom was Luminir Empire’s sworn enemy, and battles raged endlessly along their border. A woman alone couldn’t make it through.
That left only the option of staying within the empire.
“Then she’s still inside the empire. Any guesses on where?”
“Well... there are too many possibilities. If she has identification papers, you might as well assume the whole empire is the search area.”
“Focus on decent-sized towns, places frequented by tourists and strangers. Search there.”
“Brother, why?”
“It’s obvious. In crowded places with lots of traffic, fewer people remember any one face. It’s the natural choice.”
Lainen shot back at Kashan’s reasoning.
“Then why didn’t you figure that out sooner?”
“...Sorry.”
Kashan averted his eyes from Lainen’s sharp glare as he spoke.
“So, twelve candidates. But they’re all far from the capital. This is your personal errand, so no dispatching troops. What’s your plan?”
Lainen gave a cold smile.
“Round up all the women there. That’ll tell us.”
* * *
It didn’t take long for an official notice bearing Lainen’s name to arrive at the village where Canibella was staying. As someone who had worked in intelligence, she had access to information faster than most.
‘What is this...?’
The notice announced the appearance of a saintess with golden blonde hair and blue eyes, and it ordered the capture of every unmarried woman in twelve villages, including hers.
“Well, I’ve already seen this.”
“......”
She stood quietly. For once, the man’s eyes reflected nothing. Tension rippled through the shop.
“I know you’re blonde.”
It had been pure coincidence. The man, who had come to the inn on urgent business, had glimpsed her dyeing her blonde hair through a crack in the door. But with suspicions already cleared, he hadn’t pressed further—it felt off.
Besides, he knew she was a traveler of clear status hiding something. That’s why he had tested her right up to the end.
“The family said to grab any woman... but I have no intention of taking you in. I couldn’t beat you anyway.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re a swordswoman. And a skilled one.”
She gripped the dagger at her waist in shock. How did he know I can wield a sword?
But from the start, he hadn’t reacted to her killing intent, and he’d noticed the calluses on her hands. Long ago, he’d guessed her skill level—and thought that if he’d moved against her then, he’d be the one dead.
Even so, faced with her surging killing intent now, he chuckled wryly. I told you, I can’t beat you.
“What do you plan to do with me?”
“Simple. I’ll buy you time. If things go south, you’ll kill me to escape, right? But I’m the branch chief here. If I die, the family investigates immediately—and then you’re really done for.”
“Why help me escape?”
“You don’t need to know that. Just run before I change my mind.”
She bit her lip. She couldn’t make a scene here. She didn’t trust his motives, but escaping came first.
“Thank you... for everything.”
She hurried back to her inn, packed her things, and slipped out the back door toward the forest behind the village. The thick darkness hid her footsteps.
Having lived here for months, she knew the local terrain like the back of her hand. Her legs moved without hesitation.
‘I don’t know why the imperial family and temple are hunting someone who looks like me, but I have to get away as far as possible.’
Even escaping this village wouldn’t end the imperial family and temple’s inexplicable pursuit. They’d plastered wanted posters empire-wide for some reason—they wouldn’t give up.
‘What should I do?’
No matter how vast the Luminir Empire, staying within it meant hitting a wall eventually. Rasoni had too many who knew her face, and Remus was far too dangerous.
Her escape had already broken international treaties. No telling what chaos that might unleash. And Sistia was Luminir’s bitter rival—crossing there was no easy feat.
‘Then better to head deeper in, then slip to a port city.’
It meant entering the tiger’s den, but the darkest place was under the lamp.
The oracle had specified a “woman” with golden blonde hair and blue eyes. Her hair wasn’t blonde now, but the dye could fade and expose her someday.
If she disguised herself as a man... even with the same features, she might avoid suspicion.
Snip!
She decided to pass as a man. With swift cuts, she sheared off her remaining hair. What had swayed to her shoulders became a ragged, messy crop.
She gazed at the scattered locks for a moment, then turned and ran toward the capital. Along the way, she foraged in the forests for food.
Days passed. The capital drew nearer. A few more days, and she’d arrive.
Crunch, crunch.
Nothing but her footsteps echoed. Even in daylight, the gloom made travel easier. After hours of trekking, as evening fell, she climbed a tree.
‘It’s like that time.’
Similar to when she’d first headed to a village after parting from Lainen. The only difference was the urgency.
‘Once I reach the capital... I can gather more information.’
That would let her understand this situation. While fleeing, she’d focused on pursuers and hadn’t grasped the “why.”
If she learned why the imperial family and temple sought the saintess, she could plan countermeasures.
Without information, even her sharp mind was useless. She needed to reach the capital fast.
‘One more week, and I’m there.’
She checked her map by torchlight. It detailed the entire Luminir Empire. The man had given it to her personally. Using it, she crossed the forest swiftly.
She slept in the tree until morning. Dawn’s faint light touched her eyes. She stretched, then resumed her march to the capital.
But she didn’t know what had happened in the village she’d left behind.
“There really are no more unmarried women here. These are all of them.”
The village lord was a baron. He’d ordered his soldiers to bring every eligible woman before Lainen. But Lainen glanced at them indifferently.
“Are you sure no one here resembles the saintess?”
“Absolutely none! I swear it, Your Highness!”
The baron loved his small village (too tiny for a proper fief) and cared for its people. Now, with the crown prince barging in on a saintess hunt pretext, terrifying the women, he was at his wits’ end.
From the looks of it, this was the last stop. If no saintess here, he feared Lainen might slaughter the whole village. The prince’s face was grim, murderous. Beside him, Kashan sighed quietly.
‘This is really going nowhere.’
The saintess was truly someone immune to magic. But unable to reveal magic’s existence, they’d spun it as God’s chosen. That “official story” made her popular with the masses.
Thus, the imperial family and temple couldn’t let an antimagic person become an enemy—they eliminated or recruited them. Officially, they claimed protective searches.
But the emperor, pope, and Lainen’s inner circle like Kashan knew the full truth.
It was all because of Lainen’s absurd reason!
He’d created this mess just to find the woman he’d fallen for at first sight.
After grilling the baron awhile, Lainen sighed, dismissed the crowd, and returned to the castle. He slammed his desk and shouted.
“Damn it!”