Chapter 18

It was around the time when the sun was about to set.

Olivia, who had returned to the inn in Baymar from the excavation site, was spending her free time before dinner drinking tea with Cyraus and Alan.

Princess Florenzia was still not feeling well and was resting in her room.

While they were discussing the ruins they had seen today in the café area on the first floor of the inn, Colin, Cyraus's guard, came running in with a disturbed look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

Colin, who had been on guard duty but was supposed to be taking a break and having an early dinner, had just left with the other guards to eat outside. When Cyraus asked, Colin, who seemed to have been running, took a deep breath and answered.

"Just now, I received a call from the sergeant overseeing the prisoners working at the excavation site. One of the prisoners has escaped...!"

"What!?"

Alan's eyes widened.

The prisoners working at the excavation site were selected from those with minor to moderate crimes, who were considered unlikely to attempt an escape. Moreover, their sentences could be reduced based on their work attitude, so most of them worked diligently. Therefore, although the site was not surrounded by high walls like a prison, there were still guards on watch, and the location was far from town. Additionally, the border was fortified with high walls, making it highly likely that any escape attempt would be quickly discovered.

"What kind of person escaped?"

If the prisoner had escaped from the excavation site, it was likely they would try to flee in this area. As Alan started to stand up to arrange for checkpoints, Colin looked at him with a complex expression.

"It's... complicated."

His response was unusually hesitant.

Olivia tilted her head in confusion, and Alan furrowed his brow in puzzlement.

"Is there something wrong with this person?"

When Cyraus asked, Colin slumped his shoulders.

"In a way, yes, and in a way, no."

"Speak clearly!"

Alan, growing impatient, urged him on. Colin, pressing his temples, answered.

"She is the former Countess of Lemon."

"Huh?"

"Eh?"

"What!?"

"That's right... The former Countess Tiana, who was recently captured and is the former fiancée of the Prince, has escaped."

Olivia and the others exchanged glances.

Olivia had not even known that Tiana was working at the excavation site. The idea of Tiana quietly performing labor was hard to imagine.

Alan's face turned bitter, and he fell silent, while Cyraus shrugged his shoulders in exasperation.

"I knew Tiana had been sent here, but... it's impressive that she managed to escape."

"This is not a time to be impressed, Your Highness."

"You're right. Colin, please inform the town's patrol immediately and see if we can borrow troops from the Countess Zachville's domain. She shouldn't be able to cross the border, but we don't want any trouble."

"Understood."

"Also, I want to hear the details, so I'm heading to the excavation site. What about you, brother?"

"Of course, I'm going too."

"I'm going as well."

When Olivia said this, Cyraus slowly shook his head.

"It's too dark, Olivia. We'll just check the situation and return quickly. We can go again tomorrow."

Given that the road at night would be dangerous even by carriage, there was no arguing with this. Olivia reluctantly nodded and watched as Cyraus and Alan left, then returned to her room.

Taylor, who had heard the situation from Olivia, said with a stunned look.

"Really, that person... everything she does is out of the ordinary and just causes problems."

Olivia smiled wryly.