Chapter 13
After that, not a single sound came from inside the carriage.
Lorath stole a glance through the window, only to find the two passengers sitting in complete silence, each staring in a different direction.
His lord had always been a man of few words, his face rarely betraying emotion. But the young lady who was soon to become the mistress of House Carlisle seemed to be another story.
He had assumed she was timid, insecure, and lacking in confidence. Yet after hearing the conversation that had thundered through the carriage just moments ago, he wasn’t so sure anymore.
She said she’d fallen for him?
Just what in the world did you say to her, my lord?
He had been quietly skeptical when he heard that the young lady—who had gone so far as to run away rather than marry—had somehow changed her mind overnight.
His master was nearly perfect in every respect.
Except, perhaps, when it came to understanding people.
And Lorath knew that better than anyone.
“…Sigh.”
Overcome by an ominous feeling, he let out a long, weary sigh and rubbed his throbbing forehead.
By the time the setting sun disappeared behind the mountain ridge, they arrived at a small village within the Viscounty of Ruberk.
“We’ll stay here for the night and leave before sunrise tomorrow,” Lorath explained after paying the innkeeper. “The next village is quite a distance away.”
Turning to Eliana, he smiled.
“My lady—ah, I suppose I should say Madam now—you should head upstairs and rest first. I’ll have your meal brought to your room.”
“Ah, thank you, Mage.”
“Just call me Lorath,” he replied with a wry grin. “Being a mage isn’t my only job, unfortunately.”
He wore such a pitiful expression that it almost invited sympathy.
Tristan, long accustomed to the performance, didn’t react in the slightest.
Seeing his indifferent face reminded Eliana of how she had raised her voice in the carriage earlier. Her cheeks instantly grew hot.
“Then… I’ll head upstairs first. Please get some rest, everyone.”
Trying to hide her embarrassment, she hurried off to her room.
Lorath had arranged a separate room for her.
Even though they had signed the marriage contract, it was unreasonable to expect two strangers to share a room overnight.
Grateful for his thoughtfulness, Eliana gathered her long hair and twisted it into a loose bun.
The stubborn curls refused to stay in place, tangling no matter how hard she tried.
Cecilia’s hair was always so glossy and beautiful…
The moment even her hair refused to cooperate, an inexplicable wave of emotion welled up inside her.
It wasn’t just her hair.
She remembered Lorath’s horrified expression that morning when she had instinctively tried to open the carriage door herself.
Having never been treated like a proper noble lady, it hadn’t even crossed her mind that Tristan was supposed to help her into the carriage.
He hadn’t said anything…
But surely he had thought she was strange.
Perhaps it wasn’t obvious yet.
But once they arrived at the Duke of Carlisle’s estate, there was no way she could fool the countless servants there.
Eliana knew better than anyone how servants treated an incompetent master.
“…Sigh.”
The thought tightened painfully around her chest.
She wanted to tell Tristan how she had been treated all her life.
But after hearing that he had spent an entire year searching for her…
The words simply wouldn’t come.
Her throat felt dry.
Unable to bear the suffocating feeling in her room any longer, she headed downstairs.
“…Were you planning to… deal with that… from the beginning…?”
Through the murmur of voices, she caught fragments of Lorath’s unusually sharp tone.
It was nothing like his usual gentle voice.
“I’ll handle it myself. Once we reach the castle, I’ll find the right opportunity—”
“Ahem. Madam? Is something the matter?”
The instant Lorath noticed her, he jumped to his feet and walked over, the seriousness on his face melting into his familiar soft smile.
“Oh… I was just feeling a little thirsty. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’m sorry.”
Eliana smiled awkwardly.
Across the room, Tristan looked at her silently, his brows slightly furrowed.
It somehow felt as though she had stumbled into a conversation she wasn’t meant to hear.
“Interrupt? Not at all,” Lorath said warmly. “I’ll ask the staff to bring you something right away. Dinner will be ready soon as well. Or… would you like to join us?”
“No, it’s fine. Please don’t worry about me…”
“Eat with us.”
It was Tristan who stopped her retreat.
Without another word, he pulled out the chair beside him.
Still hesitating, Eliana let Lorath guide her to the table.
Dinner was served almost immediately.
While it wasn’t as luxurious as the meals they’d had in Azulen, it was surprisingly delicious.
The awkward atmosphere gradually softened, thanks to Lorath’s endless stream of lighthearted chatter.
By the time she returned to her room after the satisfying meal, the heaviness weighing on her heart had eased considerably.
She was curious about what Tristan and Lorath had been discussing so seriously earlier…
But she couldn’t overcome the pull of sleep.
The next morning, they left the viscounty at dawn.
Not long afterward, they encountered an unexpected obstacle.
The road they had planned to take had been closed after heavy rains several days earlier had weakened the ground.
“We’ll have to take a detour,” Lorath said with a troubled expression. “But that’ll take us three full days to reach the next village. Which means we’ll have to camp along the way. There aren’t any monsters in the area, but bandits and drifters occasionally show up. We’ll be fine… but…”
His worried gaze shifted toward Eliana.
“…We’ll take the mountain path.”
After a brief silence, Tristan pointed toward the steep mountain rising to their left.
“What? Not through the Robelia Plains?”
“There’s an old fortress halfway up that mountain,” Tristan replied calmly. “If I remember correctly, spending the night there will be much safer.”
He continued,
“Once we cross the mountain, we’ll arrive in Glyon. We can find another carriage there.”
“…Glyon?”
Lorath’s eyes widened.
“Then Carlisle isn’t far at all! Incredible, my lord. There’s nothing about that route on any map.”
He looked at Tristan with open admiration.
Tristan offered no reply.
Instead, he walked toward Eliana, who was still sitting inside the carriage.
“Can you ride a horse?”
“A… horse?”
Caught off guard, Eliana blinked.
She had never ridden one before.
Horseback riding was considered a basic accomplishment for every noble.
But she had never been given the chance to learn.
Unable to answer immediately, she hesitated.
Then Tristan simply held out his hand.
“Come down. We’ll have to leave the carriage behind if we’re taking the mountain trail.”
“B-but… I can’t ride.”
She finally admitted it in a tiny voice.
Heat rushed to her ears.
“I thought as much.”
His response was calm.
“We need to leave before it gets dark. Come down.”
His words made her heart sink.
Had he already realized there was nothing a noble lady was supposed to know that she could actually do?
Discouraged by the matter-of-fact tone—as though he had expected nothing from her in the first place—Eliana quietly obeyed.
The moment she stepped down from the carriage, Tristan let out a short whistle.
A massive black horse trotted gracefully toward them.
“Tis. I need your help.”
The horse called Tis was the largest Eliana had ever seen.
It dwarfed even the horse her father used to ride.
Yet despite its imposing size, it wasn’t the least bit vicious.
Instead, it carried itself with quiet dignity and remarkable gentleness.
She was still staring in awe when Tristan strode over.
Without warning, he slipped an arm around her waist—
and effortlessly lifted her into the air.
“Eek! W-wait! What are you—?!”
Before she could even struggle, the soft leather of a saddle settled beneath her.
“Hold onto Tis’s mane. Don’t fall.”
No sooner had he spoken than Tristan vaulted onto the horse behind her with practiced ease.
The sudden weight at her back made Eliana freeze.
“Being that stiff isn’t a very good idea.”
“I-I’m scared! It’s so high up… I feel like I’m going to fall—ah!”
As she flailed nervously, Tis shifted uneasily and snorted.
Seeing her lose her balance, Tristan reached around from behind, wrapping one arm firmly around her waist to steady her.
“Just breathe.”
His low voice remained calm.
“You won’t fall.”
The unexpected contact made every muscle in her lower body tense.
She wanted to ask how she was supposed to relax while being held like this…
But if she turned her head, their faces would be unbearably close.
She found herself unable to move at all.
“My lord,” Lorath called, approaching with a pack over his shoulder. “I’ve gathered only the essentials. I also instructed the coachmen to return to Carlisle on their own. They were hired as escorts from the beginning, so they’ll manage just fine without us.”
He smiled.
“Shall we be on our way?”
Tristan gave a single nod.
Taking the reins firmly in hand, he urged Tis forward.
With a powerful leap, the great black horse carried them toward the mountains.
