The One Who Answers When I Call #1
The maids chattered without pause, and Daisy felt her nerves growing razor-sharp.
She wanted to snap at them, but held her tongue. Trying to silence gossip in a situation this grim was like trying to plug a leaking dam with bare hands. It might stop for a moment, but the flood would return soon enough.
“So who are the ones locked up in the tower or the dungeons?”
“Those are knights from even more powerful noble houses. I heard that even Sir Aiden, Lady Cately’s older brother, is imprisoned in that tower.”
“No way…”
“It’s true. A noble knight like Sir Aiden would never willingly join a rebellion. That’s why the lord had him locked away.”
The maids still hadn’t noticed Daisy’s presence. Otherwise, they would never have dared utter the word rebellion.
“Then what about Lady Cately?”
“It seems she had no idea either. Honestly, when has the lord ever consulted with her? She practically runs the entire castle by herself, yet he always treats her like that.”
The words made Daisy’s blood boil. She considered stepping forward, but stopped herself. After all, she didn’t hold any warm feelings toward her father, Alon, either.
I don’t know the details about Father starting a rebellion or whatever… but he’s trying to kill the priest.
A wanted notice for Emil had been issued throughout Iredain Castle. The gates were sealed, and soldiers were combing every corner of the grounds.
Daisy had gone to Alon to protest, unable to believe it, but she was turned away at the door.
The real problem is that princess… that wretched girl. So why is he after the priest…?
Unreasonable resentment toward Leni surged inside her. If it weren’t for that girl, Emil would have become Daisy’s exclusive priest. And if that had happened, he would be by her side right now, comforting her.
Emil had simply fulfilled his duty as a priest. Why should he have to die because of that girl?
“This can’t be happening…”
Depressed, Daisy retreated into her room.
The chamber was quiet. She had sent away all the maids she usually kept close. In any case, they were all paralyzed with fear; there was no point in trying to talk with them.
With a heavy heart, she was about to lie down on the bed when—
Click.
“…?”
She heard a strange sound and sat up.
It had come from somewhere… but there was no one else in the room.
“…Who’s there?”
Goosebumps prickled across her skin. If only Emil were here…
Daisy bit her lip and began walking toward a shadowed corner of the room.
“There’s no one, right…?”
At that moment, a figure burst out from the darkness.
“Kyaa—!”
She screamed immediately, but the intruder swiftly clamped a hand over her mouth. A powerful arm locked around her tightly.
Tears of terror spilled from her eyes. She wanted to beg for her life, but the hand over her mouth silenced her completely. All she could do was sob and struggle.
“…Please calm down.”
Yet the voice was familiar. It was the same voice that always brought such comfort…
Emil… Priest Emil!
When she opened her eyes, Emil’s face filled her vision.
Emil was covering her mouth with an expression utterly devoid of his usual smile. He had never once looked at her with such a face before. The strangeness of it brought fresh tears to her eyes.
“My lady, is something wrong?”
At that moment, someone knocked on the door from outside.
Emil narrowed his eyes and whispered directly into Daisy’s ear.
“If you promise not to scream, I’ll release you. If you understand, blink twice.”
Priest Emil… why are you being so frightening toward me? Why…?
Trembling, Daisy blinked twice.
Only then did Emil pause for a moment before slowly removing his hand from her mouth.
“Tell them nothing is wrong. Tell them not to come in. Quickly.”
Frightened by Emil’s completely unfamiliar demeanor, Daisy still obeyed reflexively. After all, Emil would never harm her.
“I-it’s nothing! Don’t come in!”
“Didn’t you just cry out?”
“There was a bug! Don’t worry about it…!”
Her voice cracked with a sob at the end, but the maid outside apparently suspected nothing. The sound of footsteps gradually faded away.
Only then did Emil release her and speak.
“Thank you, my lady.”
“Priest Emil…”
Daisy was overwhelmed—joy at seeing him, fear of his changed attitude, confusion. She didn’t know how to react.
But Emil paid no attention to her turmoil and asked directly.
“Lady Daisy, explain to me exactly what happened in Iredain. Right now.”
Emil had slipped back into the castle through the secret path Cately had used to send him away.
He couldn’t go to Cately. If something had truly gone wrong, there was no chance she would be alone.
That was why he had come to Daisy’s room through the castle’s hidden passages. Fortunately, her maids were absent, so he had waited patiently for her to return.
And when she finally did, he had used rather rough methods—but in the end, he was able to hear the full story from her.
“…That’s what happened. I wasn’t there myself, so I don’t know the details… but according to the maids, a man named Guildon has become king… and many people died.”
“Guildon… as expected.”
This escape plan had been built on the assumption that they could rely on Neil’s forces. If his older brother had betrayed them… then the chances that Leni had escaped safely were essentially zero.
Emil ground his teeth.
“…!”
Daisy flinched at his expression. It couldn’t be helped. Normally he would have spoken to her gently, matching her mood, but he had no patience left for that now.
“Am I the only one with a bounty on my head?”
“Probably. I’m not sure what happened to Leni… but there was no order to search for her. The maids said she might be locked in the tower…”
Then she definitely hadn’t escaped.
Damn it.
“Has no one seen her? She was definitely at the banquet…”
“So many people died…”
Daisy answered timidly.
“I… I was so worried that you might have been caught up in it and killed, Priest… But when Father issued a warrant for you, I realized you were still alive and felt relieved. I was truly so worried…”
His head throbbed.
What the hell was he supposed to do?
Find Leni somewhere in this vast castle, sneak her out from under heavy guard, and flee all the way to Myrdin before pursuers caught up?
It was impossible.
Even if he considered asking Pidea for help in the worst-case scenario… no. It simply couldn’t be done.
“Damn it, this is completely useless…”
Emil muttered to himself, but Daisy seemed to think the words were directed at her. Her face crumpled in shock.
“Ah, u-um, Priest. I-I’ll find out where that girl is. If I ask the servants, someone must know something. Right? For your sake, Priest…”
She spoke desperately.
Emil considered correcting her, but decided to let it be.
He needed her help right now.
“Can you really do that?”
“O-of course! I’ll help you, Priest. Yes… for you, Priest…”
At that moment, Pidea’s words echoed in his mind.
Treat her like you treat Lady Cately.
Did he really have to go that far?
Was it truly right to use this young girl in such a way?
Yet before he realized it, Emil had leaned close to Daisy, bringing his lips to her ear and whispering sweetly.
“Now you are the only one I can rely on, my lady… Truly. I beg you.”
“Ugh… Priest, of course. I… I will help you. I can do anything.”
Her small earlobe flushed bright red. Daisy’s voice had grown hot and moist.
As expected, a maiden’s heart was such an easy thing to manipulate.
The innocent heart of a girl still so young was like clay that could be freely molded.
Yet as he listened to her shy reply, something heavy settled in his chest.
“Thank you, my lady…”
But now was not the time to search for a conscience that had never truly existed.
If he had simply fled Iredain as he was, he might have lost all chance at wealth and glory, but he would have kept his life.
And that would have been far better for Emil.
Yet he had already crossed a river with no way back.
Now it was time to take responsibility for his choices.
So in the end, it’s not Knight Neil or Queen Alena, but the fake priest Emil… who must save Leni.