CH 68

Chapter 68 – Uncouth lady, getting rid of the potatoes

When we rode to town on the Jenni, Lord Nazel's men had just gathered in the square and at the inn next door.

We had decided in advance to stop by Baron Quiggionne's house and use the inn as a resting place. Some of us were not going directly to the baron's house.

At the rest stop, there was a pile of potatoes that would serve as food for the magical beasts.

They had been carried back from the baron's mansion or and the ones scattered at the border between the forest and the town, the collection team was still gathering the remaining potatoes. If they were left behind, the magical beasts living in the forest would come to eat them.

Incidentally, what I was holding in my hand as I rode Jenni was the potatoes from the baron's house.

I had taken a few out just in case I was attacked by enemy soldiers outside the mansion.

"I'll release the magic and return the potatoes."

I released the potatoes I had into the crate containing the potatoes that had been confiscated from the Baron's house.

It would take me a while to get to the inn with Nazel, but it was a short trip.

A short time after arriving at the inn with Lord Nazel, Torre returned with Lilianne in his arms.

The baron and the soldiers on his side who were taking the count away were also with him.

They are all unconscious, but ......

When I looked at Lilianne, who looked exhausted, I noticed that her clothes were more tattered than I had expected.

"Torre. Take Lady Lillianne to this room, and I and Kelly will check her injuries."

We were allowed to temporarily use one of the rooms at the inn as a women's first aid room.

However, the doctor is in the next town, and Lord Nazel's men are in the process of calling for him on a horse. It seems that there was one in this town, but he was attacked by a magical beast a few days ago.

After carrying Lilianne to bed, Torre doesn't seem to be going away, so I open my mouth.

"Torre, would you mind stepping out of the room for a moment?"

"Ugh, but ....."

"I know you're worried, but this room is off limits to men! Here, get out!"

"Lillianne!"

I forcefully shut Torre out of the room, who looks as if he has no more left to say. Lilianne is sitting quietly on the bed.

Incidentally, I also cast a spell on Kelly to prevent any danger.

"Um, just relax your shoulders. We mean you no harm. I'm Agnes, this is my lady-in-waiting, Kelly."

"... uuu..."

Lilianne shrank back as if frightened and looked at us with a wary upward glance.

She didn't have the same wariness as when she went after Lord Nazel, she just looked scared of me and Kelly.

"Please ...... leave me alone ...... please ...... I'm done ....... it's over........"

"It doesn't work that way, I want to hear it from you properly. Why did you target Lord Nazel?"

But Lillianne was silent. Kelly and I let out a small sigh.

"Let's change first, shall we? Your dress is shredded."

She had torn it with her hair, but it was also torn and stained in other places. Something may have happened to her after she escaped.

Lilianne's eyes were sorrowful as if she had given up on the whole thing, rather than losing her will to resist.

After the two of us had removed the tattered dress, I gasped at the sight of Lilianne's arms. Her wrists were covered with painful scars.

The wounds were completely closed, but the bruises were visible.

"Are those...... whip marks? They're rather new."

There is no mistaking it. I used to be beaten by my mother, maids, and tutors whenever I behaved in a way that did not conform to family policy.

Kelly, too, seemed to have guessed something seeing the unusual wounds.

She was the first one to notice that I had been abused when I came to the duke's house, and she was the one who informed Lord Nazel.

"There don't seem to be any other wounds. In the meantime, the ankle needs to be treated. Lady Agnes......"

"We just have to be careful not to touch the wounds and clean her up, right?"

"Yes, I will go in the back and prepare some clothes for her to change into."

Lillianne remained silent while I wiped her body with a wet towel and put on a change of dress. The dress, by the way, was a spare one from my luggage.

I looked at her and asked Lilianne again.

"Hey, tell me why you targeted Lord Nazel. It's not personal, is it?"

I wondered if she had become slightly relaxed by being with me, or if she was concerned about me. Lillianne nodded hesitantly.

"...... yes."

"Did someone ask you to come here? Barons Quiggionne and the others?"

When I continued to ask, Lilianne frowned with painfully thin eyebrows and clasped her hands tightly.