Chapter 83

“Why does it matter? It’s not important,” Elise fought to steady her voice, attempting to conceal the turmoil within. The Barnon she had glimpsed upon boarding the ship was an unrecognizable image of the once-resplendent duke of the grand empire. His once beautifully bronzed and healthy skin now bore a pallid, sallow complexion, marred by scattered blemishes.

This transformation left Elise grappling with uncertainty, making it difficult to ascertain if he was indeed the person she once knew. Were it not for the mention of Barnon’s name in her dream, she might not have identified him at all.

As the realization struck her, a wave of emotions surged, and Elise couldn’t help but think, If Barnon is truly here, then Andrei must be somewhere… She bit her lip, desperately suppressing tears. Any remnants of emotion on her face would not escape Rezette’s keen observation.

“How long have you been here?” Elise inquired, her voice trembling with a mix of apprehension and urgency. “When did you cross the Van Yela border? How many people are with you, and…”

Barnon, still with his back turned to Elise, let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s only been a few days since I crossed the border. Explaining the details is a lengthy tale.” He paused, sensing the need for discretion. “First, we need a place to talk away from prying eyes.”

Barnon untied the rope connected to the anchor. Elise observed the movement towards the farmhouse. Rezette’s cold profile was clearly visible from a distance. Feeling his gaze, Elise glanced at him, and instinctively, she waved her hand.

A chill raced down her spine, the sensation intensified by the uncertainty in the glances exchanged in the distance. Swallowing against a dry throat, Elise whispered, “This isn’t the opportune moment. If we’re discovered, there’s no turning back.”

Numerous questions clamored for attention within Elise’s mind, a multitude of inquiries she yearned to pose to Barnon. Yet, time was a fleeting ally. Before she could articulate the words poised on the tip of her tongue, a disturbance erupted from the nearby farm.

“You claim to have had a stronghold here for over 10 years, and yet you don’t remember the annual tribute procession passing through here? Is that a believable statement?” Ruben Diark’s harsh reprimand echoed, directed at two beleaguered peasants. Barnon’s face, scrutinizing the faces of the accused, swiftly transitioned into a frozen mask.

“By the gods, of all moments…” he muttered, the weight of the situation settling on him.

Elise sensed an impending anomaly, a premonition that rippled through her. There are more Argan people here, she thought.

Had the duke been aware of the Grand Duke’s impending visit, he could have preempted this predicament. However, this clandestine inspection, aimed at uncovering leaks in the tribute system, took everyone by surprise. Consequently, reconnaissance soldiers who failed to evade detection found themselves intermingled with the unsuspecting farmers.

“How many are there?” Elise inquired.

“Seven, including me,” Barnon replied reassuringly. “Don’t worry, the numbers aren’t significant. Even if we’re discovered, they won’t involve you.”

“Don’t speak nonsense.”

However, the reality was more daunting than Barnon’s attempt to downplay it. There were not just seven; there were seven individuals, right in front of the Grand Duke himself. Elise swiftly scanned her surroundings as she rose to her feet. Fortunately, she had strategically chosen a spot near the river, just in case. Despite her reluctance to become embroiled in such incidents again, she had no alternative.

Now was the only opportune moment, with Rezette’s attention redirected towards the peasants.

“Listen carefully, Barnon,” Elise began, her tone carrying a sense of urgency.

Elise’s mind raced through the ledgers and financial documents associated with Rotiara, her memory a repository of details. Adjusting her robe with swift determination, she whispered, “Last autumn, the overseer carrying tribute goods to Opel in Rotiara was Regan Beers. He replenished his water supplies here, stayed for a day, and then departed.”

“What?” Barnon responded, clearly taken aback.

“Ten cargo wagons and thirty-five escorts. Also, the crops sent to Norella and the Sevian territories exceeded thirty wagons each last month. I reported that they all traversed this route.”

Silence hung in the air as Barnon absorbed every ounce of information.

“Especially in the tribute bound for the Sevian territories, it included surplus from local farmers—wheat and herbs. If he can’t answer these details convincingly, it will raise suspicion. And…” Elise took a deep breath, delivering the next set of instructions in one continuous flow.

“From now on, no matter what happens, never attempt to rescue me. The Grand Duke will arrive promptly.”

“Elizabeth, what are you saying?”

“Blend in. Don’t attract attention. If caught, he won’t be merciful.”

Elise gauged the distance from her perch on the rock to the water’s surface with a calculating gaze. Memories of the incident on the way to Rotiara resurfaced, but she steeled herself against the fear.

Such fear was inconsequential now.

No matter how reckless it appeared, she would repeat it a hundredfold to safeguard her people.

“It’s an order, Duke. Step back,” she commanded.

Barnon, unable to defy his master, reluctantly took a step back. Oblivious to the impending sequence of events, he watched with bated breath as Elise leaped perilously to the edge of the rock. His face turned ashen when, without a moment’s hesitation, she plunged into the river.

***

Fortunately, the water was not cold.

“Are you out of your mind, really!” Rezette exclaimed, eyeing Elise, who now resembled a drowned rat. This marked the second occasion she had been branded as insane by Rezette.

As expected, it’s effective. Her husband, endowed with a beast-like intuition, sharply turned his head, sensing an ominous energy behind him. He observed Elise’s silver hair fluttering in the air as she vanished beneath the rock. In a swift motion, her body plunged into the river only to be promptly lifted by a force of remarkable strength. In the end, her time spent in the water amounted to mere seconds.

However, the shock experienced by Rezette and the others was understandably beyond words.

“Wha- How in the world, even for a moment…!” Rezette stammered, clearly startled. His attempts to conceal the confusion on his face were in vain as he urgently inspected Elise’s body, running his hand over her face to check for any signs of injury. Even his hand, trembling unexpectedly, betrayed the depth of his astonishment.

“Did you hit anywhere?” he asked.

Elise shook her head. “Nowhere. I’m fine.”

Originally, the river’s edge wasn’t that deep. However, the impact of her buttocks and waist hitting the riverbed had left some lingering soreness, even if she hadn’t fully registered it. Complaining about the pain would undoubtedly have drawn attention and risked a return to Rotiara Castle. There was no turning back now. To avert a crisis, Elise intentionally smiled, pretending everything was fine.

“Just wanted to dip my feet. There’s moss under the rock, you know.”

“You should have called me for whatever you wanted to do. Why would you sit up there so dangerously…!”

Inside the hastily donned robe, Rezette seemed to radiate heat, as if on the verge of bursting into flames. A familiar energy permeated Elise’s skin, warming her body. Tightly embraced by him, Rezette managed to regain his composure.

In his arms, Elise discreetly glanced at Barnon, who had successfully blended in with the peasants. Barnon was whispering something to the person next to him.

What is he up to?

Elise’s question was swiftly answered. One of the peasants who had been murmuring stepped forward hesitantly.

“While it’s rather modest for esteemed guests, would you consider a brief stay? There are matters that high-ranking individuals might wish to investigate, and the madam appears quite shaken. It might be beneficial for you to freshen up before departing.”

Barnon’s intentions were evident. The gaze he directed at the back of Rezette’s head held a foreboding quality.

What is he plotting…! Any impulsive actions could potentially lead to a massacre! Elise couldn’t expose the Argan people to the proximity of the Van Yela knights like this.

“Rezette, I…” Elise began, intending to persuade him to return across the river immediately. However, the moment she uttered a word, a sneeze forcefully burst out.

Elise hastily covered her mouth with her hand, attempting to stifle the inevitable sneeze, her face flushing. She quickly scanned the surroundings, but it was already too late.

As if the temperature had plummeted, the faces of everyone, including Ivetsa and Ruben, turned pale.

This is bad.

The culprit was unmistakable, and she didn’t dare lift her head as a freezing wind seemed to whip over her.

As Elise sighed inwardly, Rezette spoke, his voice lowered to a chilling tone that made hearts involuntarily shrink. “Where is it?”

***

The farm owner led them to a modest two-story house where the couple would stay. It was the cleanest and most spacious room in the place, though it still adhered to common standards. Rezette, dissatisfied with every aspect of the situation, seemed particularly perturbed.

Above all, the decisive blow came when Elise’s wet clothes were removed, revealing red bruises from her slender back to her buttocks and thighs.

With a terrifying expression, Rezette appeared ready to unleash immediate retribution. Elise, fussing in various ways, clung to Rezette’s embrace.

“It’s cold. Just a little longer like this. Hmm?”

“No matter how I think about it, it would be best to dismiss your maid as soon as possible. She has never properly accommodated the Princess before,” remarked Rezette with a tone of disapproval.

“Ivetsa has done nothing wrong. It was my lack of foresight. I’m truly sorry….” Before she could finish her sentence, Elise coughed.

As Elise sniffled, Rezette’s gaze turned even colder. The disorienting sensation that momentarily made the sky and the ground feel like they swapped places subsided, leaving a chilling atmosphere in its wake.

“This will be your last outing. Once you return, you won’t be allowed near the castle gates.”

“Yes. I understand.” Elise felt a sense of relief inwardly. If she could avoid immediate danger, this level of pretense was tolerable.

However, in the next moment, Rezette wrapped his hand around her neck, and a warm breeze seeped in. It felt as if she were ensnared by a predator’s claws, and suddenly, the atmosphere became chilly.