Chapter 185: A Move at the Edge of the Cliff
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 185: A Move at the Edge of the Cliff
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Loik’s voice was terribly hoarse.
“I’m fine. I’m not hurt at all.”
His hands, seemingly at a loss for what to do, trembled violently as they frantically stroked down my back.
Thank God, thank you so much.
As Loik incessantly whispered his gratitude, the scent of the cold wind clung to him.
I wanted to see his face, but his arms were wrapped around me so tightly they wouldn't let go. His large frame was shaking so much that my own body swayed along with his.
“I must have given you quite a scare, didn't I?”
It was my first time seeing Loik this shaken. Then again, if the roles were reversed, I would have been just as shocked. Feeling guilty, I repeatedly patted his broad back and whispered that I was okay.
Only after a long while did Loik reluctantly pull away from me. He bit his lip hard before speaking.
“I wanted to get here sooner, but there were no mages at the castle...”
Only then did I remember that Enolius had gone on a business trip with the 9th Knight Division because of the Gate.
“You must have been waiting for a long time. Weren't you scared?”
“Loik, you came for me right away,” I said, using my clean hand to brush back his disheveled hair. “And I wasn't alone, so it wasn't that frightening.”
Belatedly, Loik’s gaze shifted to Lucion, who was standing behind me. His brow furrowed slightly when he saw the blood on the Prince’s forehead and shirt.
I spoke up cautiously. “It’s thanks to the Prince that I wasn't injured.”
At those words, Loik spoke to Lucion with unhesitating politeness. “I have incurred a debt to the Prince that I can never repay in a lifetime.”
As if the formal attitude felt awkward, Lucion replied somewhat hesitantly, “It was I who had my life saved thanks to Her Highness the Consort. Please, do not give it another thought.”
Loik turned back to the knights who had followed him in. “Where is the priest?”
“H-here! I’m here!”
Miel pushed past the knights and stumbled forward, looking utterly exhausted. His hair was a complete mess, as if he had ridden his horse at a breakneck pace.
“Is Her Highness the Consort safe?”
“I’m fine, so please look at the Prince’s injuries first.”
“Oh, my!”
Miel hurried toward Lucion, seeing him drenched in blood, but then he tilted his head in confusion.
“You’ve already been healed? I can feel holy power coming from the Prince...!”
In that instant, the gazes of the four of us—Miel, Lucion, Loik, and myself—intertwined.
Realizing the situation, Miel’s face instantly brightened.
Your Highness! You succeeded in healing him!
“...My apologies!”
As Loik gave him a pointed look, Miel quickly composed his expression and began to heal the minor scratches on Lucion’s body.
While Loik’s attention was briefly turned toward Lucion, Cecilia came running over. Her eyes were swollen and puffy from how much she had cried in that short time.
“I really thought something terrible had happened to Your Highness...!”
Looking around, I saw the wrecked backstage area beyond the people who were finally breathing sighs of relief.
“Your Highness, it is truly a relief!”
“The Goddess has watched over you!”
The theater staff were dripping with cold sweat.
Sigh, there’s going to be a lot to clean up.
The performance tomorrow was the immediate problem.
As I sighed inwardly, Loik approached and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
“Annette, let’s go back now.”
“Wait a moment.” I placed a hand on Loik’s chest. “There seems to be a lot to do, so before we go, I should briefly discuss how to handle the cleanup...”
“Did you just say... there is work to do?”
Loik’s voice dropped low, and I felt his hand tighten on my shoulder.
“Well... we have to tidy up to put on tomorrow’s show, and the backdrop needs repairing... and we need to set up measures so another accident doesn't happen...!”
Loik interrupted me firmly, though his voice remained gentle.
“Those who remain will take care of that.”
Forcing a smile as if trying not to lose his patience, he took my hand that was resting on his chest.
“So, Annette, you should go back to the castle and rest first...!”
Suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence as if the texture of my hand felt different. He lifted the hand he was holding. Loik’s sharp gaze landed on the dried red blood on my skin.
“What... is this?”
“I’m not hurt.”
Seeing his eyes shake violently, I quickly whispered so only he could hear. “It’s just a little bit of the Prince’s blood.”
Loik bit his lip hard at my words. He let out a heavy breath and closed his eyes tightly before opening them again, as if trying his best to calm down.
“Whoever is in charge, step forward.”
A chilling aura settled over the surroundings in an instant. Alcent stepped forward, trembling.
“...I-I greet His Grace the Grand Duke.”
“I will give you a chance—the first and the last.”
Loik spoke with a razor-sharp gaze. “Restore everything to its original state by tomorrow.”
Alcent bowed his head, unable to make even a peep.
“If there is any disruption to tomorrow’s performance, or if any rumors spread that might harm the show, I will hold you doubly accountable, including for today’s incident.”
“I-I will keep that in mind...!”
As if that was the end of the discussion, Loik turned back to me with a determined face. “Now, let’s go back.”
In the end, I had no choice but to nod.
The backstage entrance we had used to come in was blocked by the collapsed backdrop. Consequently, we had to leave through the lobby.
“If you carry me out, everyone will think it’s strange.”
I pushed Loik away as he tried to pick me up as usual. Since many audience members had seen the Grand Duke and the knights rushing into the theater, there were bound to be people left in the lobby.
Loik, who looked like he wanted to protest but held his tongue, eventually led me out into the lobby, holding my hand firmly so the blood on it wouldn't be visible.
Sure enough, quite a few audience members were still lingering in the lobby.
“Look over there, they’re coming out!”
Curious faces greeted Loik, who was in his shirtsleeves, and me with bows. Fortunately, perhaps because there were so many knights around, no one approached us.
Just a few more steps and we would reach the exit.
I was walking with a mix of relief and exhaustion, my hand in Loik’s.
Suddenly, a woman burst out from the crowd. Loik hurriedly pulled me to his side at the sudden intrusion.
Who is it?
The woman who blocked our path abruptly dropped to her knees.
Her hair was a tangled mess, and her pale face was devoid of makeup. Despite her disheveled appearance, the middle-aged noblewoman’s eyes held a clear, venomous glint.
Loik frowned. As the knights approached to pull her away, the noblewoman hurriedly shouted at me.
“Your Highness, please, save my daughter!”
Save her daughter? Is it someone I know?
“Oh my, isn't that Countess Arbor?”
One of the noblewomen who had gathered around spoke up in surprise. Hurried murmurs followed immediately.
“Goodness, it really is!”
“She hasn't shown her face for a while, how did she end up in such a state...!”
That woman is Meisel’s mother?
Only then did I recall the Countess Arbor I had seen at the lakeside tea time. Was that haughty, elegant noblewoman really the same person as the woman before me?
“I kneel before you and beg! Your Highness, please show mercy!”
“What is she talking about?”
“Isn't Lady Meisel at the monastery right now? What kind of trouble has she caused this time?”
The fact that Meisel had escaped the monastery and what she had done afterward was completely unknown to the public.
“The matter regarding the criminal is being discussed with Count Arbor, so do not worry too much about it.”
That was what Loik had told me when I asked about Meisel last time. I knew Meisel was locked in the dungeon, but I had no idea how her punishment was being handled.
Loik, his expression frozen cold, signaled to Norton.
“Escort the Countess to her estate.”
Just as Norton was giving orders to the knights standing on either side of the Countess, she violently shook off their hands and screamed toward the gathered crowd.
“Everyone! My daughter has threatened Her Highness the Consort!”
“What on earth is she talking about?”
The gathered people exchanged bewildered glances. Loik’s jaw tightened.
“Because of Meisel, Her Highness was kidnapped and almost lost her life!”
“Heavens! How could she be so lawless!”
“Has the Countess gone mad? Why is she saying such things here...!”
Quite a few people were gathered in the lobby. The Countess loudly proclaimed what her daughter had done, as if she wanted everyone to know Meisel’s crimes.
Why is she doing this?
I was blinking blankly at the incomprehensible situation. With bloodshot eyes, the Countess screamed.
“Listen, everyone! My daughter tried to become the Grand Duchess!”