25
Eliza smiled. Nancy was weak to that kind of smile from her young lady. A gentle smile that seemed to say she was at a loss.
Nancy knew well that even if Eliza became irritable outside, she always wore such a gentle expression only for those who belonged to her.
“……Miss.”
In the end, Nancy was at a loss for words at that smile, and she let out a deep sigh.
She must have been insufficient on her own to soothe her wounded heart. There was no one in this mansion who was on her young lady’s side, so how difficult must it have been for her when she could not even speak about it?
‘It would have been nice if Sir Leopold were here…….’
Nancy unconsciously thought of Leopold and shook her head vigorously. Then, reluctantly, she nodded and accepted the pouch.
Only then did Eliza move without worry. Nancy bit her lip tightly and carefully fastened Eliza’s luggage.
A cuckoo owl cried in the distance. The time was drawing near for the stableman Eliza had bribed to make his move.
“When will you come back?”
“I’ll return someday.”
Though by then, she would have prepared herself to bring even the Waluer family down.
Repeating her resolve in her mind, Eliza handed Nancy the pen with the blue feather attached.
“I’ll contact you, at least. Always keep this with you.”
“This is…….”
“Yes. You know, right? If you have this, that bird will come looking for you.”
Nancy nodded and tucked it deep into her clothes.
Seeing Nancy burn with determination never to lose it, Eliza gave a small laugh.
“You know, Nancy.”
Eliza slowly took Nancy’s hand and held it. It was thanks to Nancy that she had been able to feel a little less lonely in the mansion.
“In this mansion, you were the only one I liked.”
“Miss…….”
Nancy’s eyes quickly reddened, and she sniffed.
In truth, Nancy also knew that Eliza regarded her specially.
Even though her allowance for maintaining her dignity was incomparably smaller than that of the other young ladies, she always set aside a little of it for her younger siblings.
She tried to hold it in, but in the end, Nancy began sobbing loudly again, just as she had that day. Eliza patted her shoulder with hands that had now grown considerably more mature.
With no more time to spare, Eliza took a letter from her clothes.
“If someone comes looking for me, give this to them. They probably won’t even know that I’ve left for the time being.”
“They’ll come looking for you. You’re the jewel of the Waluer family, after all.”
“You’re the only one who thinks of me that way.”
“I really mean it……. Anyway, don’t worry. I’ll make up as many excuses as I can.”
“Just don’t overdo it.”
Eliza and Nancy shared a brief embrace. Thanks to Nancy, who began to tear up again, Eliza was able to smile.
“Take care.”
“You must come back. Miss, please take good care of your health!”
Eliza headed inconspicuously toward the back gate. The stableman, who had been waiting there in advance, took the money and handed her the reins.
“Miss, nothing bad’s really gonna happen to me, right?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for everything.”
“Goodness, my heart’s pounding like crazy…….”
“If anyone asks, say you know nothing and that you simply did as Miss ordered.”
“Understood. I really don’t know nothin’.”
Eliza skillfully stepped into the stirrup and mounted the horse. She nodded toward the stableman.
“Then, open the gate.”
“Yes.”
At last, the world outside the mansion began to unfold before her. Eliza kicked the horse’s flank without hesitation.
Between the eastern and western gates of the capital was a small gate that mercenaries who had been close to Eli had told her about. The gate was no longer in use and was said to be opened only when a customer occasionally appeared.
Someone who, despite having no reason to do so if they were innocent, was willing to pay a huge sum to secretly leave the capital.
It was a gate for fugitives.
“Thirty gold coins, confirmed. May your escape be a comfortable one.”
The gatekeeper, who had secretly made contact with her, chuckled as he opened the gate. The moment she left the city, Eliza gritted her teeth and urged the horse onward.
With her current stamina, there was a limit to how far she could travel in one go, so she had to go as far as possible now, while her physical condition was at its best.
The vibrations of the ground being struck by the horse’s hooves traveled through her body. Her lower back began to ache, and her breathing gradually grew more labored as she raced onward.
Her pitiful leg strength had already run out, but Eliza urged the horse forward until she was on the verge of collapsing.
To a distant place. To where the dawn breaks.
‘I won’t forget my mistake. Leopold. Just as I moved to survive, from now on, I’ll move to keep you alive.’
She was a fugitive who had changed her fate, yet felt no joy.
***
The punishment for Hagen’s only heir became a subject of controversy among the people.
Although Hagen’s name had disappeared from the aristocratic register so that it could no longer even be mentioned, his last bloodline had survived.
While worries that it might bring disaster simmered among the people, on the other hand, they praised the Crown Prince’s merciful judgment.
The fact that the noble Crown Prince had defended the achievements of someone who had served the royal family enhanced his reputation.
However, in truth, it had not been entirely Magnus’s choice.
“She left.”
“Yes. There is no record of her departure, but it seems she has already left the capital. As you ordered, we helped ensure that Waluer could not track the young lady.”
“Good.”
Magnus looked at the wine glass as he listened to the captain of the knights’ report. Even after the captain withdrew at his gesture, he did not put it to his lips and merely stared at it for a long while.
His expression appeared indifferent, but his thoughts were not.
“Give all of my accomplishments to Leopold.”
The reason Leopold Hagen’s punishment had been concluded with five years of exile to the front lines was nothing else.
It was because of what Eliza Waluer had requested when she came to him looking as though she could collapse at any moment.
She said she needed no other reward. The only thing she demanded in exchange for handing over all her accomplishments was Leopold’s life.
Magnus brought the wine glass to his lips and sank into thought.
“When will she return?”
Magnus had also made a promise. He would look after that woman’s life for five years, but he would not interfere with her choices.
The reddish liquid rippled, holding an inexplicable emotion. Was the lingering image of that pale face in his mind the sensation of wanting to see her again?
Magnus buried his private thoughts beneath the rich scent of the wine.
***
“That’s him…….”
“Oh, dear, why did someone like that have to come to our unit? What if he brings bad luck?”
“But he isn’t a noble anymore, right? Then can we treat him however we want?”
“Of course! Isn’t he the bloodline of a filthy criminal? He should be grateful just to be alive.”
The soldiers who had gathered in the camp and were tearing into dried meat all looked toward one place and whispered among themselves.
The man walking toward the barracks behind the squad leader had his hands tied behind his back.
Even though he was wearing a proper military uniform bearing the insignia of the same kingdom, they treated him like a criminal rather than a newly arrived soldier.
‘Ah, so this is the atmosphere.’
Leopold looked around and chuckled. Immediately, hostile gazes poured toward him as though he were a madman.
The soldiers who had been observing him clamped their mouths shut when his piercing gaze turned toward them. Then, perhaps embarrassed at having been intimidated for a moment, some of them began pointing at him and hurling insults for no reason.
‘Five years shouldn’t be much of a problem.’
Leopold had received nothing resembling humane treatment during the journey to the front lines.
At least, because he was a soldier who required special supervision and therefore had to meet the platoon leader, they had allowed him to change his clothes just beforehand.
“So much for a noble upbringing. What the hell happened to you?”
His skin and clothes were caked with grime, making him look filthy, and he even gave off a musty odor.
The squad leader clicked his tongue at his appearance and splashed cold water over him, so Leopold smiled and thanked him for letting him wash.
Of course, he engraved that face into his memory so that he would not forget his gratitude.
“You’re here. Is this the soldier?”
“Yes! Hey, the platoon leader is here!”
The squad leader entered the barracks, hurriedly saluted, and kicked Leopold hard in the calf.
Leopold’s knees wavered for a moment, but he remained standing. A crooked grin appeared on his gaunt face, its cheeks sunken and shadowed with exhaustion.
Being treated roughly made him feel alive.
‘Pain is the privilege of living things.’
She had said that being alive even while in pain was better than being dead and feeling no pain.
Leopold never forgot Eliza’s teaching.
