Chapter 77

Helmut's daughter, Ellis, set out on her way home, suppressing her anxious heart.

By Ellis's side, a knight always followed like a shadow.

He was Ellis's bodyguard knight, who was with her 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Though he was a bodyguard, in reality, he was a watchdog, monitoring every move Ellis made...

Still, it was a bit better on campus.

In principle, only one bodyguard knight could enter the grounds of the Royal Academy.

However, the moment she stepped out of the academy's main gate and into the carriage, the story changed.

Five more knights joined, and she had to be surrounded and watched by a total of six knights.

'Please.'

Ellis recalled the content of the secret note she had received secretly a little while ago.

We plan to rescue you on your way home today.

Please do not be surprised no matter what happens and act calmly.

This is your father's will.

She was very anxious, knowing all too well what could happen if the escape failed and she was caught.

Moreover, the fact that a rescue operation was taking place at all meant that the relationship between the family and the royal family had completely broken down, which was truly worrying.

'I have to get out of this suffocating life.'

On the other hand, the thought that this hellish life would end gave her a glimmer of hope.

Valdemar's life as a hostage was truly hellish.

Since the moment he became a hostage, his every move was monitored, his attempts to return home were rejected for various reasons, and he was not allowed to form any friendships or relationships with anyone.

How long?

Until a new hostage appeared.

The hostages of the Valdemar family had to live such a bleak life under the name of loyalty to the royal family, and Ellis was no exception.

"Miss, the carriage has arrived."

The knight who always followed her like a shadow guided her.

Around the carriage, four knights were mounted on horses, fully armored in full plate mail and helmets.

Moreover, the coachman was also a heavily armed knight.

Ellis got into the suffocating carriage she always rode, without a second thought.

However.

"Wh, who... is this?"

Ellis was greatly startled to see a blonde handsome man sitting inside the carriage.

"Shh."

The blonde handsome man put his index finger to his lips.

"I am carrying out your father's orders."

"Ah!"

"Let's go quietly."

"Ah, I understand."

Ellis was very flustered, but she had no doubt that the blonde handsome man had come to rescue her.

The carriage, which had set off, began to speed at a terrifying pace from a certain point.

Rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle!

The sound of the wheels and hooves was loud.

Rattle, rattle!

While the carriage was shaking incessantly.

"Ah!"

A scream echoed from outside.

"Don't worry about it."

The blonde handsome man calmed the startled Ellis.

"Probably someone fell off the carriage while sleeping, right?"

"Y...yes?"

"There was a guy who followed you around the school, wasn't there?"

The blonde handsome man, Otto, smiled.

* * *

Exactly two hours after Ellis disappeared.

"Lock the city gates!"

"Search the carriages!"

A state of emergency was declared in the capital of the Margret Kingdom.

After a considerable time had passed since the end of the academy classes and Ellis had not returned to the mansion, a warrant was immediately issued.

"Helmut, you finally did it!"

The king of the Margret Kingdom was extremely angry upon receiving the report that Ellis had disappeared.

The disappearance of the hostage Ellis was evidence that Helmut had deliberately rebelled against the royal family.

Since Helmut's rebellion was the most feared, the king's anger was entirely justified.

"Ellis, that damn girl, capture her alive! You must capture her alive! Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Furthermore, immediately mobilize the army and deploy them to the eastern border. Given that Helmut attempted to extract the girl, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he has already rebelled."

The response was very swift.

A lockdown was declared in the capital, and the army was on the move.

On the other hand, the Margret king was not the only one who was flustered.

The knights who were originally responsible for the rescue operation were equally flustered.

"What an unbelievable thing…."

The knight in charge of the rescue operation was dumbfounded, realizing that they were one step too late.

"Who on earth rescued the young lady?"

Who, why.

And two days earlier than the scheduled date?

There was no talk of another unit carrying out the rescue operation...

"How do we proceed? Shouldn't we inform our lord as soon as possible?"

"How do you plan to inform him?"

The knight wore an expression of disbelief at his subordinate's words.

"The capital is under lockdown. We are also restricted. How do you plan to report to our lord?"

"But... but..."

"First, we will look for an opportunity to escape the capital while hiding as much as possible. If we attempt a forced escape, we will be annihilated."

"I understand."

In the end, Helmut's subordinates had to hide like rats in the capital, their movements restricted.

They were prepared to risk their lives to escape and inform Helmut of this fact if there was even the slightest possibility.

However, with the entire capital under lockdown and soldiers and knights stationed everywhere, there was no way to escape.

For now, they could only hide...

* * *

Although a lockdown was declared, the carriage carrying Ellis had already left the capital.

"Go!"

"Neigh!"

Otto and his group immediately abandoned the carriage and mounted the horses they had hidden, galloping eastward to the Haver Plain.

Rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle!

The Tatar breed horses, a specialty of the Haver Plain, galloped at a terrifying speed, quickly outdistancing the Margret Kingdom's army.

In fact, the Margret Kingdom's army couldn't even catch up to the shadow of Otto and his group, as they were too fast.

"Who are you?"

Ellis, who had been riding in Otto's arms, finally spoke.

"You say you are following my father's orders... but I have never seen you before. You are not my father's knight."

"That's right. I am not my lord's subordinate."

"Then... are you a mercenary?"

Honestly, Ellis didn't think Otto was a mercenary.

'I don't feel the rough atmosphere typical of a mercenary. And that face... I've never seen anyone so noble and handsome. There's no way someone like this could be a mercenary.'

At the moment, Otto had a face so handsome that he could compete for the title of the most handsome man on the continent, making it hard to think of him as a mercenary.

"A mercenary..."

Otto smiled behind Ellis's back.

"No. I am not a mercenary."

"Then, what exactly are you? You said you are following my father's orders, but you are not his knight or a mercenary. Then you are..."

"A kidnapper."

"Huh?"

"Ellis de Valdemar. You have been kidnapped by me."

"......!"

"I, as a kidnapper, plan to demand a proper ransom from your father, the Margrave of Helmut. However, I promise that I will not harm you, no matter how things turn out."

"Ah."

Ellis's expression darkened.

She thought she would finally be free, but the blonde handsome man who rescued her turned out to be a kidnapper?

The escape that she thought was real turned out to be another prison...

Ellis shuddered with the overwhelming despair but tried to remain calm and start a conversation.

"Do you know what will happen if you kidnap me?"

"The relationship between the Margret Kingdom and Margrave Helmut will become extremely hostile. No, it might even lead to a civil war."

"Because of your irresponsible actions, how many..."

"Your father, Margrave Helmut, has already prepared to rebel. He has formed an alliance with the Kerait tribe, the largest force on the Haver Plain."

"......!"

"So, whether or not you were kidnapped, the war was going to happen anyway."

"Father... is planning to rebel?"

"Yes."

"That can't be! Our family has been a loyal servant to the Margret royal family for generations! With the nomads of the Haver Plain..."

"Are they slaves or loyal servants?"

"T, that's..."

"Loyalty twice over, and you'll be buried alive with the king when he dies."

Otto's sarcasm left Ellis speechless.

"Anyway, the events have already unfolded, and your kidnapping has nothing to do with the outbreak of war."

"Then why did you kidnap me? If my father really decided to rebel, threatening my life won't make any difference. He won't stop."

"No."

Otto shook his head.

"I do plan to pressure Margrave Helmut, but not to make him abandon the rebellion."

"Then... what is your intention?"

"To break the alliance between Margrave Helmut and the Kerait tribe and form an alliance with the Konyrat tribe instead. That's what I want."

* * *

At the same time.

"Go! Brave Konyrat warriors!"

"Roar!"

Amukan immediately led the cavalry into battle.

Although he had slightly overdrunk the night before,