Chapter 80

Despite Hizen’s absence, Leasis was very busy. Starting from dawn, she defeated local monsters with Kerian and could only enter the Imperial Palace in the evening.

Iddahak was accompanying her in his human form. She had told him to stay at the palace, but he was too stubborn.

He strangely hated the Imperial Knights, as well as the wizards and others people. However, he was a little bit favorable towards Max and Owen.

In the end, Iddahak did not leave Leasis’ side, even during her missions. Although he was not particularly helpful, he was watching silently.

Leasis thought that Iddahak’s interest was excessive. After returning to the Imperial Palace, she gave Iddahak his favorite magic worm and left the room. This time, she was alone.

Iddahak was disappointed, but she could not help it. Leasis knew that one day he would have to go back to the Dragon Mountains. His irresponsible attention would be a poison to him.

When she entered the Commander’s office, she saw Max. He smiled with papers in his hand.

“Sir Leasis, you did a good job.”

“I see the Vice Commander-nim.”

“Thank you for coming back safely without getting hurt.”

Would it be like this if I had a hometown or a family? Max was very warm and friendly even when he was just saying a few words.

Leasis bowed slighty and thanked him. Max grinned at her.

“The Commander-nim just sent words, saying he could return early.”

“R-really?”

“Yes. Really.”

How exciting! Max’s words made Leasis smile happily as if she were flying. While taking a break, Max told her to leave and wait for Hizen.

After reporting to Max, Leasis headed to Owen’s workplace. She tried to help Owen like she used to do as a maid.

The two cleaned the warehouse of the Imperial Elite Knights. Owen was restless when she saw her Unnie working hard with a broom.

“Go get some rest.”

“It’s okay. I’m doing it because I like it.”

She was already busy as a knight, so Owen wondered if she had time for this kind of chores.

Contrary to her worries, Leasis felt overpowered. Despite the laborious work, she could not stop smiling,

Owen smiled sadly at her. She was always shining. Even when she used to be a humble maid like herself, and even now.

‘It’s not strange for Jason to have a crush on her… Of course, she deserves to be loved.”

Jason’s ring was still in her apron pocket. Owen had kept it tightly. It was an item that contained the heart of a precious person.

It was her first time seeing a man as honest as Jason. He acted as if Leasis were everything in his life. Sometimes she thought it was too much.

At first, Owen had found it strange, but she had kept looking at Jason. At him who saw Leasis as the most special person in the world,

Unknown emotions were boiling in her stomach. She tried to suppress them, but it was difficult. Even if she liked Leasis, her heart ached.

Being disgusted with herself, Owen turned her head. She could hardly looked at Leasis.

“Unnie, I’ll do it… Let me wash the mop.”,

“Can I help you with something?”

“No. It’s okay.”

“Okay. Take care.”

Leasis, who did not know Jason’s heart, was harsh. Owen went out and closed the door, feeling uncontrollable emotions.

I wonder what’s going on. Instead of cleaning, Leasis raised her head. Then she saw the tightly closed door of the warehouse’s basement.

She was a little worried because it could only be opened from outside, but it was okay. Owen would be here soon, and there was no way there would be a problem.

Meanwhile, Owen’s face turned red, disappointed by her ugly thoughts. With a mop in her hand, she rushed through the Imperial Palace hallway as if to run away from the situation.

“There, maid.”

Owen’s body stiffened at the creepy voice. Turning her head, she saw a superior maid with a stern face. Her maid’s robe was decorated with five-colored patterns, and Owen’s face became as pale as white paper.

The five-colored patterns could only be used by maids directly serving the Imperial Family. Owen immediately bowed her head.

“I see the superior maid-nim.”

Slap!

Owen fell to the floor at the hand of the superior maid. The superior maid looked down at her and threatened her.

“You dare break the law of the Imperial Palace?”

“What…”

“Don’t you think low-ranked maids like you have to bow their heads lower in front of our superior maids?”,

It was a pointless accusation. However, Owen bowed her head silently because she could not say anything.

The superior maid dragged her away, saying she would break her habit.

Then, someone appeared from behind a pillar. He was a young man dressed in imperial clothes.

The man looked around, and hid in the warehouse of the Imperial Elite Knights. He was smiling insidiously, while taking some magic scrolls out of his arms.

They were all expensive ones, smuggled from the Rodmar Empire. The man was confident that they would be effective as much as they were expensive.

The man attached three magic scrolls to the tightly closed iron door leading to the basement of the warehouse. He then closed his eyes, touching the iron door with both hands. Black smoke slowly rose from his palms, and the magic scrolls began to burn.

The man removed his hands with a satisfied face. He looked at the iron door, rubbing his hands in front of the subtle fire. He had used the three magics of barrier, silence and sleep at the same time, so even the most outstanding knight could not survive.

The man shook his hand with a grim smile. He had a wand tattoo on his palm.

When did I fall asleep? Leasis blinked slowly and thought. The floor under her body was hot, and she kept coughing because her throat hurt.

Beyond her blurred vision, flames were rising as if engulfing everything. Leasis muttered with a blank face.

‘Owen… did Owen escape…’

She tried to move her heavy body, but it did not respond. The fear of death struck her when she saw the fire growing fiercely.

She tried to scream as hard as she could, but her tongue did not move as if it were paralyzed. Leasis tried to clench her trembling fists. She thought that if she hit her thighs or her cheeks, she would be able to regain her mind, but her body did not follow her mind.

It was dark before her eyes. Leasis coughed with a sharp pain in her throat.

She wanted to crawl to the window, but she could not move her stiff body. In despair, her whole body was wrapped by the fear of death.

Leasis muttered like she was having a seizure.

I don’t want to die.

I don’t want to die..

I don’t want to die…

Then, something appeared in her blurry vision. It was a red-haired man with blood on his forehead and around his mouth. He was carrying a little girl in his arms.

Crawling desperately to the window, he hugged the little girl. Her chest hurt as if pounded with a hammer.

Tears flowed down unknowingly. Leasis stretched out with all her might.

Please reach… Please…

[Ren Berman!]

A sharp cry rang in her head. Her consciousness became blurred before she could know who it was. Leasis curled up for the last time as she heard the voice.

At that time, the sapphire on Leasis’ neck let out a bright light that wrapped around her.

Hizen’s expression was relaxed as he arrived at the stables of the Imperial Palace. He was sure she was going to like the wooden sword he had bought for her after finishing his mission

He was excited at the thought of meeting Leasis after reporting to Nathan. Hizen left the horse to the stablekeeper and turned around.

But black smoke was rising from far away. Where in the Imperial Palace would a fire start in the middle of the night? Hizen murmured with a stiff face.

His blue eyes shook as he saw the huge smoke dominating the sky. The fire of the past seemed to unfold in front of him.

To Hizen, fire was an unwelcome thing. The red flames had swallowed everything at once. A beloved lover, a respected man, and a harmonious mansion.

He remembered his younger self crying and screaming, and the butler stopping him.

[Let go! Leasis is in there!]

[Master, please! You can’t enter!)

[Let go of me!)

[M-Master!)

Hizen’s fingertips trembled slightly. He took a deep breath, grabbing his right hand with his left hand. The bandages tied to his arms and legs seemed to be throbbing.

No, today was different from then. Hizen shook his head. In addition to the excellent wizards, the Imperial Palace was overflowing with servants and maids. A fire could be put under control at once.

Hizen turned around and tried to head to the Imperial Elite Knights. However, his feet refused to move as if they were stuck to the ground.

Why? Hizen stood on the road and breathed in. A hazy but unpleasant ominousness was filling his lungs.

He covered his face with his cold hands. He kept hearing someone screaming in his head. The people who were crying for help in the mansion… Hizen could not stand it anymore and ran toward the fire. However, his heart skipped a beat because the way was familiar. It was the weapons warehouse of the Imperial Elite Knights.

Hundreds of servants were already pouring water in front of the warehouse. But not a single imperial wizard was here.

“Commander-nim!”

“Max. What the hell is going on here? Why are the imperial wizards.”

“Don’t worry. Fortunately, there are no people inside.”

His words slightly relieved Hizen’s worries. The most fortunate thing was that there was no casualty. They could just use their money to get a new warehouse.

But then, a brown haired maid came running from far away. It was the girl named Owen.

“Count-nim! Count-nim!”

Owen’s cheeks were swollen blue, as if she had run out of breath. When Max, surprised, asked if she was okay, she could not even answer.

Owen grabbed Hizen’s arms. Then she shouted in a desperate voice.

“Unnie is in there!”

“…What?”

“Unnie was… cleaning up with me in there, and… I came out alone to wash the mop… Ugh!”

Hizen grabbed Owen’s shoulders.

“Is that true?”

Max clearly heard Hizen’s trembling voice. I need to calm him down. Max grabbed Hizen’s arm and spoke calmly.

“Commander-nim, calm down. According to the reports of the imperial servants, there is no one inside…”

“No! I’m sure she’s trapped in there! I’ve got the keys!”

Owen shouted at Max with a desperate voice. Hizen turned his head blankly at her words.

He felt like he could hear laughter coming from the warehouse where the fire had already spread everywhere. Hizen opened his trembling lips.

“No. No way.”

“Commander-nim, calm down! Miss Leasis can use her sword, so…”

“No, she can’t! Unnie has a phobia!”

He could not hear anything. Hizen ran to the warehouse in an instant. Then some knights, including Max, grabbed his shoulders and blocked him.

“Let go! Let go of me!”

When Hizen struggled, Max shouted to the point of making his veins visible on his neck.

“What stupidity is this! Do you want more burn marks on your body?”

“I know that Leasis is…”

In there… Hizen could not continue talking and opened his mouth. Half of the building began to collapse.

Even the knights, who were stopping him, stared blankly at the scene. Owen dropped to the ground and shed tears.

While watching blankly, Hizen pushed the knights and pulled out his two swords. He did not think of anything else, not even whether he would get burned. Just the thought that he had to save Leasis was filling his mind.

Hizen approached the burning building. Max went in front of him to block him.

“Get out of the way.”

“Commander-nim, you can’t.”

“If you don’t move now… I’ll cut your neck.”

A white glow thickened on the cool blade. Still, when Max did not move, Hizen said in a trembling voice.

“Don’t… make me regret it even more.”

“Commander-nim…”

“Please.”

Hizen passed next to Max and ran to the building. After that, Max shouted to stop.