CH 76

“Count!”

Lia saw the approaching prince and hurriedly bowed her head more deeply. I had a strange feeling when I saw her act like that.

“I’m sorry, I’m late.”

“… It’s not something you should be sorry for. It was all my fault.” Strangely, my words came out coldly. 

Enoch didn’t seem to care what I said because when he saw my injured foot, he immediately knelt down and inspected it. 

“Let’s go, I’ll have to treat your injury first.”

“…Wait a moment, Your Highness.” My heart softened at his restlessness, but I had to clarify things. “Your Highness, do you know Lia?”

Then Enoch glanced at Lia with a puzzled look. Lia looked at Enoch and immediately lowered her head. That was enough of an answer.

“Haa… Let’s go first.”

“The carriage will be coming.”

When I saw Enoch stand and reach out his hand to me, I turned away from him and limped forward. Lia quickly followed and caught me, and I reluctantly let her assist me.

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I thought Enoch would come after me, but he stood still. Finally, after taking a few steps, I turned back and said, “Your Highness.”

Enoch showed his palm and looked far away. I stared at where he was looking.

It was the cliff I fell from. There, men in black robes looked like they were searching for me.

In the distance, somehow, I felt as if my eyes met one of them.

And at that moment, something black shot and flew. Without even stepping backward in surprise, Enoch created a wind, stopped it, and snatched it with his hand.

When Enoch opened his hand again, a gooey liquid came out. After that, when I turned towards the cliff again, the men in black robes had already disappeared. 

“W-what is it? What flew?”

“It’s the blood of a demon. Throw away your bracelet.”

As soon as he said that, I took off my bracelet and threw it into the sea. I didn’t even ask why.

Enoch bent down and washed his hands with the seawater, then strode over to support me. Then, probably thinking he was taking too long, he suddenly asked for my understanding. 

“Excuse me.”

I didn’t blame him for holding me up. I had more questions about Lia, but now wasn’t the time.

If it weren’t for Enoch, I would have been hit by that flying object. 

“Did they also put magic on the bracelet?”

“That’s right, you get it.”

As Enoch walked, another group of men in black appeared with a carriage from when he had emerged earlier. Instead of robes, these men wore masks. 

They wore the same clothes as the people I met when I was attacked on the way to the bookstore. When they saw Enoch, they saluted lightly.

“It’s probably empty by now. But go and search thoroughly.”

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“Yes, Your Highness.”

And the only one among them who didn’t wear a mask approached Enoch and me.

“…You are.”

When I looked closely, he seemed familiar. A little taller and more mature. What was your name again?

“Count Damon Rosen.”

“Oh, you remember, Lady!”

“Hurry up.”

Enoch spoke to him in a harsh voice I had never heard before. Damon opened the carriage door, and Enoch hurried in and sat me in the seat next to him.

Once Damon sat across from us, the carriage set off.

“What about Lia?”

“She rode in the back.”

I had something to ask about her, but Damon interrupted. “Lady, it’s been a long time. You don’t know how relieved I was to know you’re alive.”

“Ah, yes. But what are you doing here?”

I looked at Enoch and Damon. However, Enoch didn’t say anything, a sullen expression on his face. Why was he like that?

“I heard you’ve been looking for a personal escort knight.”

“Oh, I was,” I answered, and looked at him blankly. Was he saying he’d do it?

“How about me? I have quite good swordsmanship skills, and I have enough stamina to carry you and run…”

Damon showed off his skills and moved his body closer to me. Then, suddenly, Enoch stretched out his arm in front of me and said, “Why don’t you sit up straight?”

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“Ah, yes, I’m sorry.” Damon sat back.

Still looking displeased, Enoch crossed his arms, lifted his finger, then looked back to the window. 

I also had something to ask him–why did he look so dissatisfied? 

Anyway, I started talking to Damon again. “Are you really going to be my escort?”

“Yes, well. You don’t need to compensate me as long as you feed me.”

My head tilted at his words. Beside me, Enoch’s eyebrows furrowed.

“No, of course, I should. But can Count Rosen be just my escort?”

“… I’m not doing this for money.”

“Well, of course. Whatever the reason, I’d appreciate it if you could take over. But I’ll pay you.”

Damon considered something seriously and sighed as if he had made up his mind. He said, “Hmm, all I want to do is escort the Lady… Ack!“

Suddenly, Damon’s body shook violently as if the wheels of the carriage rattled, and he banged his head against the ceiling.

Strangely, Enoch and I weren’t affected. Did the carriage wheel get caught in stone? But could only one side vibrate?

Anyway, I thought Damon would work fine as my personal escort. Enoch had chosen a very suitable person.

“Please take care of me from now on.” 

I reached out my hand lightly, and Damon looked at my hand, his face wistful, before taking it.

But did Damon know who captured me earlier and followed me? Could a swordsman deal with a black magician?

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“By the way, Lady, that could have been a real disaster. Black magicians, they’re trash. Things that aren’t even strong are despicable.”

“Right. Do you have any difficulties dealing with them?”

“Hmm, because the swordsmen develop some resistance to such impurities during the training process…” He trailed off for a moment, then continued, “Still, it will take some preparation to handle them properly. They’re no rookies.”

So he wasn’t mindless. I was satisfied with his attitude that he would really escort me properly.

“Can you give me some time? I think I need to do some tidying up and go to the temple to get some help.”

“Please. How long will it take?”

“I think a day or three would suffice.”

That’s how I made an agreement with Damon. But, as the conversation went on, Enoch remained silent. That’s why I ended up watching him instead.

Soon, Damon got off halfway, and when it was just the two of us, I finally said what I wanted.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, what is it?” Before entering the capital, Enoch answered but suddenly knocked on the car and brought the carriage to a halt. By now, it was getting quite dark.

“Why are you stopping all of a sudden?”

“You have to heal your wounds. You’ll be busy again when you enter.”

“Ah…”

I had forgotten about the pain.

Enoch got out of the carriage, and Lia got some clean bandages and herbal extracts from somewhere, put them on my feet, and bandaged them. It was then that I felt my throbbing feet.

Enoch didn’t even look my way. What’s wrong with him? It wasn’t even courtesy in this land, and it wouldn’t be a big deal if he could see my feet.

As I stared at the two, I felt even more troubled. The carriage door was open. Lia and Enoch would both hear my words.

“Now, tell me. What is the relationship between the two of you? and why does my maid, Lia, seem to be acquainted with Your Highness?”

I could even hear Lia’s breathing.

“Your Highness.”

Enoch slowly turned his head to look at me.

“I’m sorry, I’m a bit confused.”

“What for?”

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“It’s just, I’m a little upset,” Enoch said, looking colder than usual. It was awkward with his unusual attitude, but I still needed answers.

“At me?”

Lia got off the carriage, and Enoch got on again. The two didn’t ride in the same carriage, clearly showing their hierarchical relationship.

Enoch smiled faintly, shaking his head. Fortunately, it was the usual Enoch again.

“No way.”

“Then tell me. Lia is the maid I chose. But I guess it wasn’t like that.”

Enoch clasped his hands together and briefly stared at the Lia outside. After following his gaze, I continued, “I thought her experience working in the Imperial Palace would be helpful to me. I should have noticed then. Is Lia a person sent by Your Highness?”

Enoch slowly turned to look at me, a slight hesitation in his emerald eyes. But soon, he looked straight at me and nodded slowly. 

“You’re right. I sent her to you.”

“Why did you do that? You could have just given an honest recommendation. Like Damon now.”

“My purpose for sending Lia to the Count… was to monitor and protect you.”

As Enoch said so, he covered his face as if he was in agony. Monitor? Enoch had me watched?

When I heard the word ‘monitor’, I undoubtedly felt displeased. I didn’t think that the kindness or consideration that Enoch had shown was so pure.

Even so, monitor? I bit my lower lip for a moment and swallowed hard to keep the harsh words from coming out.