“What?”

Coco lifted her head, saw Hugh, and stuck out her lip.

Was it really that embarrassing to think about someone else?

Hugh laughed softly.

“I was truly surprised back then...”

“Back then? Ah...”

Coco nodded with a calm face.

“You mean the cliff?”

“Yes.”

Coco understood at once what Hugh was talking about.

It was the first time he had brought this up.

They had needed time. And if they were going to talk about Shawn, they would likely need still more of it.

Even now, thinking back on the shock of that moment made her knees go weak. Realizing Dell Belkerman’s true identity, the carriage exploding as if it had burst apart, Hugh jumping off the cliff while holding her in his arms—every part of it had been shocking enough to make her heart feel like it would shatter.

Hugh continued in a gentle voice.

“He threw himself down without the slightest hesitation.”

When Ren had thrown his body without a second thought, Coco had thought her heart would stop. Her face turned appalled.

“That idiot.”

“He looked like he had no fear.”

Coco lifted her eyes to Hugh.

Unlike his gentle voice, Hugh’s face was dark. Seeing his worried expression, Coco frowned with unease.

“What do you mean?”

Hugh paused, choosing the right words, then moved his lips.

“He looked prepared to die.”

“...There was a cliff below us. He threw himself down, so isn’t it obvious he would think that?”

As Coco waited for Hugh’s answer, she felt an inexplicable fear.

“Yes. But...”

“Say it. Why stop halfway?”

Coco snapped, urging Hugh on.

“I’m not sure how to explain it. But... that resolve was not something he decided in the moment. It was more like... composure, as though he had finished thinking about resignation, fear, and death long before.”

Hugh trailed off and closed his mouth.

“I apologize. I said something unnecessary... My lady?”

Coco was silently biting down hard on her lip. Clear tears gathered in her purple eyes.

“Haaah. Really. Why is he like that?”

Hugh did not ask back and only listened quietly to his lady. Coco wiped at her tears irritably. The handkerchief crumpled in her hand as she continued.

“...Why doesn’t he say anything? Hugh. Actually...”

‘Please don’t tell.’

Remembering Ren’s desperate plea, Coco could not bring herself to continue.

Coco, who had thought Ren was sick from an ordinary illness, found herself thinking the more she turned Hugh’s words over that it might not be so simple after all.

“Hugh. You’re good at observing people, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

Hugh nodded obediently.

“...When we meet Ren, will you watch him for me? From top to bottom.”

“From top to bottom, my lady?”

“Yeah. And tell me everything.”

“Understood, my lady. But following him around like a stalker...”

“Ah! Who told you to go that far?! I’ll make sure we can run into him naturally, so just follow me around and observe him!”

When Coco shrieked, Hugh quickly apologized. But he did not look especially sorry. Hugh had guessed it. His lady Coco was, in truth, entirely capable of ordering him to shadow someone. He had deliberately said that to rein her in. Her reddened face was not from anger, but embarrassment. Hugh looked at Coco with some pride for restraining her desire. Though that look did earn him a scolding from the now-bristling Coco.

When the maid who had left returned and sat beside Coco again, Hugh moved away.

He put some distance between himself and the busy servants and the knights standing guard. Then he stared blankly at the forest.

He thought of Shawn, who had bravely stepped forward, saying he would be of help to their lady.

‘Surely, the grace of God will be with the people you loved as well. Go... in peace.’

The reason those words suddenly came to mind was because Coco’s words just now had made him think of Ren.

At Shawn’s funeral, Hugh had been deeply surprised by what Ren said.

He had felt the pain and grief of Shawn’s death, and the sorrow for the future Shawn had never gotten to live. The anguish of losing his younger brother had tightened around Hugh’s throat. The only reason he had not suffocated was because he had been able to fulfill his brother’s wish to protect their lady.

As he comforted Shawn, telling him that Lady Coco was alive thanks to him and vowing to protect her forever, Hugh had not even imagined how heavy Shawn’s heart must have been with worry for those left behind.

The mourning Hugh had offered was for the ones left behind.

For himself, who had been left behind.

He could not say his love for Shawn had been small, but he had failed to consider the heart of the one departing.

So at the time, he had only been surprised.

But now, it felt strange.

How had a boy who was not even an adult understood so deeply the heart of one who had met death? Perhaps he was in a similar situation himself.

Hugh’s face stiffened.

“Hugh.”

“Brother.”

“Call me Commander.”

“I apologize.”

Hugh had been so lost in thought that he had not even sensed Seton approaching. Seeing his face, Seton asked what was wrong.

“It’s about Ren.”

“What about the boy?”

Seton looked beyond the forest.

His sharpened eyes stared persistently into the shadows among the trees, trying to rule out any possible danger.

“When we meet him, what do you think about showing him to a mage?”

“A mage?”

“It may be a hasty guess. But somehow... I get the feeling that child may be suffering from a serious illness.”

“Have you told my lady?”

“No.”

Hugh’s powers of observation were extremely keen. He was also cautious by nature, so the fact that someone like him had spoken meant there was a certain degree of possibility. Seton nodded.

“I’ll tell my lady.”

“...Yes.”

Seton tapped his shoulder. It was not that he did not understand what Hugh was worried about. But acting without telling one’s lord was precisely the thing that must never be done. The tyranny of saying “for your sake” sometimes became the sharpest blade.

Was that not why the duke and his daughter had become so misaligned?

After telling Hugh to clear his head for a while, Seton headed toward Coco.

***

Mine paused in thought with Ren in his arms.

Should he take him away and care for him until he recovered a little?

But the thought did not last long. He had many things to do. He needed to look for new slaves, and he also needed to make an effort to cut off any loose ends. He thought of the man who had given him and Ren a ride.

He had advised the man to leave Delfona for a while, but whether he had listened was unknown. It was difficult to guess the thoughts of that kind of contradictory person, softhearted yet greedy for money. People like that moved according to how they felt in the moment, so he might have already forgotten Mine’s words. If he had not left Delfona and they picked up his trail, things were certain to become troublesome.

Mine brushed the hair off Ren’s forehead.

Even with soot smeared on him, his beauty could not be completely hidden.

Wherever they went, beautiful people drew attention. And as for a beautiful person’s fate being unlucky, judging by the sayings passed down since ancient times, it was true a hundred times out of a hundred.

“It won’t be bad for you either, Ren. I’ll find you a better owner than before.”

If he found someone more gentlemanly than a person who beat him until his body was covered in wounds, would that not be good for Ren too?

This deal was especially important. That was why Mine had taken the risk of bringing Ren along even though it could leave a trail. He had helped cover Ren’s appearance even a little because he hoped Ren would not suffer some disaster before then.

It was his first deal with a foreign merchant group.

As the middle manager, Mine had to do the job properly. With the border so dangerous these days, opportunities to trade with a foreign merchant group were rare. He was sick of the kingdom. What use was fertile land? The king could hardly be called a proper king, and Mine knew the monarchy was rotten. So he had to leave.

Because of that, he had no room to care for Ren because of some private feelings.

In any case, they were short on slaves.

The leader had made such a damned fuss about bringing in the highest-grade slaves. This time, he had even boasted that no matter what trouble came afterward, he would deal with it himself.

Mine had to go out and look for more people. He also had to think of a new way to contact the foreign merchant group.

Once he had made his decision, Mine looked around.

Ren had probably only made himself sick for a little while by overdoing ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) it, so all they needed to do was find him the right medicine and feed it to him.

Just then, a boy caught his eye.

He was of a decent build and looked fairly strong.

“You there. Would you stop for a moment?”

The boy did not realize the polite words were directed at him and did not react to Mine’s voice. Mine strode forward and was quickly able to catch up to the boy, who was walking awkwardly with his legs bound.

“Oh, dear.”

Mine muttered without realizing it, his voice full of pity. The neck and face of the boy he had called were bright red. He had clearly been strangled. Otherwise, there would be no reason for the blood vessels from his neck to his face to burst and turn dark red like that. His fairly decent-looking face had become a complete mess. Clicking his tongue as he looked at the bruises rising in the shape of fingers, Mine ignored the boy’s glare and held Ren out.

“Would you take care of this child for me? I may be able to grant you a small convenience. Ah, for example, the girl’s safety.”

Mine smiled as he glanced sidelong at the girl standing beside the boy.