Chapter 60

As Lionel gently lifted Adel, the Marquis of Veyta, who had been pacing around, quickly approached and said,

"I will escort you to the manor. Please follow me."

He then ordered his knight to prepare in advance and quickly mounted his horse. Lionel, still holding Adel, also mounted his horse and urgently asked Despoina, the Duke,

"She vomited blood from using magic. What should we do?!"

The Duke, Despoina, glanced at the weakened Empress and reluctantly spoke,

"Brünhild Alexa. You go."

Following his command, Brünhild mounted her horse, and Lionel ordered Henri in a deep, sleepy voice,

"Take care of the cleanup."

"Don't worry."

The knights glared at them, who were praising themselves. Henri Jacque clenched his fists tightly and, calming his boiling heart, raised his voice to the knight who had been guarding the Empress,

"How did Her Majesty overexert herself to this extent?!"

His sudden voice drew everyone's attention. The knight, taken aback for a moment, quickly responded with a sorrowful expression,

"She said she had to hold the monsters with magic... Despite her increasingly pale complexion, we begged her to stop, but she wouldn't."

The knights, their eyes brimming with tears, wiped them with rough hands.

"If it weren't for Her Majesty, our 1st Squad would have been wiped out."

"When the ogre charged, I thought I was going to die."

"Even after she vomited blood, she apologized to us."

The burly men looked away to the distant mountains to hide their tears. The mages, who had been praising Renox, were speechless in front of the vivid bloodstains.

"Our Empress seems to know many mysterious magic techniques. Don't you think?"

The knights of the Veyta Order nodded in agreement.

"It was truly an unreal sight! Did you see Her Majesty destroy the wyvern in one go?"

"I'm really worried. Is our Empress going to be alright?"

They were so engrossed in talking about the Empress that they didn't even notice as they turned to gather supplies. Despoina, the Duke, watched the knights' retreating backs and slowly turned his gaze to the bloodstains left by the Empress.

"..."

‘Ehmont’s way, get lost!!’

The Empress's face, glaring defiantly and shouting at him, flashed in his mind.

‘I’ve stepped on my own toes.’

He sighed, closing his eyes. After much deliberation to create a puppet, he never imagined it would backfire like this. Adelaide, that thorn in his throat, had dared to throw a stone into his world. Dared to. ＊ ＊ ＊ Lionel was unconsciously biting his lips until they bled. Adel's head swayed weakly with the horse's movements. While urging the horse forward, Lionel kept checking on her, cradled in his arms, and tightened his grip. Her pale, bloodstained face and small, frail body made him feel as if his blood was turning cold and his body was freezing. No matter how fast he rode, the manor seemed so far away.

‘I’ve walked into hell.’

The sight of the bloodstains, now clotted and stuck together, brought back those words. Though they were not directed at him, it felt as if he had broken her wings and dragged her into hell. The Veyta manor was in chaos, as people who had evacuated were returning. If it weren't for the Marquise, who had rushed out upon hearing the news, Lionel and Brünhild would have had trouble entering the manor due to the crowd. A room for the Empress was already prepared. After laying Adel on the bed, the doctor and Brünhild approached. Lionel stepped back and asked Brünhild,

"Will she be alright?"

"…I can only hope her internal injuries are not too severe."

"Minister, we need to start the treatment, so please step out."

At the Marquise's urging, Lionel had no choice but to leave the room. While the Marquise hurriedly fetched necessary items, the Marquis offered to show Lionel to a room where he could rest. However, Lionel politely declined.

"Please inform Sir Henri Jacque to come to me when he returns."

The Marquis did not press further, intimidated by Lionel's sharp, sword-like demeanor. Lionel leaned against the wall, his sharp eyes fixed on the door.

‘He’ Lionel Valdor becoming the Empress's advisor was a rumor that had reached Veyta. On the day he heard the news, the Marquis said,

‘The House of Valdor must be in dire straits. For the Duke to personally take the position of advisor to the Empress.’

The news that the Empress was a Striker also reached him, but he didn't give it much thought since he hadn't confirmed it himself. However, today, it seemed that the Duke's appointment as advisor had given the House of Valdor an opportunity. The Marquis had seen the knights' concerned looks as they watched the Empress, who had collapsed, vomiting blood. He turned and thought,

‘Finally, a crack in this stagnant situation.’

＊ ＊ ＊ The doctor and Brünhild carefully examined the Empress's condition. Though she had internal injuries, she was not in a life-threatening state. Just as overexerting the body can cause strain, overusing magic can also harm the body. Brünhild's role was to explain the Empress's condition to the doctor in detail to assist with the treatment. She answered the doctor's questions diligently, and after a while, the doctor prescribed a course of action.

"…For the time being, she should consume liquid food and get plenty of rest. I will prepare a medicine to aid her recovery."

"Is that the answer?"

When Brünhild asked, puzzled, the doctor revealed a slightly displeased expression and countered,

"Then what do other mages usually do in such situations?"

"…Rest until they recover."

At her response, the doctor shrugged as if to say, 'What else?' and instructed the maids before opening the door. However, as he opened the door, he was immediately overwhelmed by a pair of black eyes. The doctor involuntarily swallowed a dry mouth, his hands trembling and his legs shaking. As Lionel, who had been leaning against the wall, stood up and approached, the doctor involuntarily stepped back.

It wasn't that his attitude or expression was threatening; rather, the unrefined wildness emanating from his entire body was oppressive.

"How is she?"

The soft question from above made the doctor blink rapidly and hurriedly respond,

"She has internal injuries, but she is not in a life-threatening condition. With sufficient rest, she will recover. I will prepare a medicine to aid her recovery."

"How much rest is sufficient?"

"That depends on her progress, so I cannot give a definite answer now. Please understand."

"…Thank you."

"I will come again."

The doctor quickly disappeared like a frightened animal. Brünhild followed the doctor out.

"Will the internal injuries from magic use leave any aftereffects?"

In response to Lionel's question, Brünhild hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"From what I can see, there are no aftereffects. Since it seems she overexerted herself, let's trust the doctor's prescription and wait for a while."

As Brünhild followed the maid down the corridor, Lionel stood still, looking through the open door. The small face, visible among the maids, was still pale. He wanted to get closer and check on her condition, but he couldn't bring himself to enter. Their relationship only went this far. The Marquise, returning with necessary items, saw Lionel and widened her eyes. The anxious, worn-out man before her—was this Lionel Valdor?

‘He became an advisor for political reasons, but it seems there's more to it.’

The Marquise changed her expression and moved with grace.

"Minister."

Even when the Marquise called him, Lionel didn't seem to notice, so engrossed was he in the Empress through the open door.

"Ah, Marquise."

Realizing his state, he took a step back and straightened his posture. The experienced Marquise's gaze made Lionel feel as if his hidden thoughts were exposed.

"Perhaps it would be better for you to rest and then assist Her Majesty? I have prepared clean clothes for you in your room."

"Thank you, but I will stay here until my adjutant arrives."

"…In that case, I will bring you a chair."

The Marquise had a servant bring a chair for Lionel and then led the maids into the room. Lionel's black eyes, fixed on the closed door, were filled with longing. ＊ ＊ ＊ Following the doctor's instructions to clean the Empress's body and change her clothes, the maids carefully washed her and dressed her in clean clothes. The process took a considerable amount of time due to the need for caution with her internal injuries. The Marquise, who had finished her tasks, came out and immediately stiffened. The maids who followed her out gasped in surprise. Dozens of large knights were lined up along the corridor, filling the wide space. They had been so quiet that those inside the room hadn't even noticed their presence. The knights, who had been looking at the door with worried eyes, suddenly brightened at the sight of the Marquise.

The Marquise's gaze immediately turned fierce.

"The Empress needs rest. The most important thing in caring for a patient is cleanliness."

At the Marquise's authoritative words, the large men swallowed and lowered their eyes. Their armor was left outside, but they were covered in dust