Chapter 76

When the carriage finally stopped, Lillis had concluded that she should not do anything for now.

It would be more certain to wait for the pursuers to come close, and Saul and the others would be on high alert tonight.

If she were to escape on her own, the best time would be when they were near the border with Fontae, when they would be most relaxed.

If the pursuers appeared, she should act to avoid being taken as a shield.

Lillis, who was desperately thinking, seemed to have appeared to be in a state of apathy, having given up on resistance.

With her hands still tied, Lillis was covered with a cloak that completely enveloped her head, and Morah led her out of the carriage.

However, Morah's hand, which pretended to support her, was very strong, almost painfully so.

She followed Saul, who had already gotten out, but Lillis, despite the limited visibility, observed her surroundings as much as she could.

This was probably the town of Cornatz.

Cornatz, as a transportation hub, was fairly prosperous, and this inn seemed to be quite high-end.

Even a quick glance up showed that it had at least five floors, and the higher the room, the less likely Lillis would be able to escape through the window.

Still being held by Morah, Lillis entered the inn, followed by two men who appeared to be guards but were actually lookouts.

There were four men in total who were armed, but it was clear that the driver and the relief driver were also capable of wielding a sword from their build.

However, if Saul was this well-prepared, there might be other accomplices nearby.

Lillis, having concluded that it would be impossible to escape in this town, obediently followed and entered the most luxurious room on the third floor.

The fourth and fifth floors seemed to be for staff.

Indeed, it would be difficult to climb that many stairs, so the third floor was a reasonable choice.

Even on the third floor, Lillis would not be able to escape.

Lillis was pushed into a bedroom with only one entrance, still with her hands tied, and she sat on the bed, exhaling deeply.

The sound of Morah moving around in the living room, presumably preparing meals and having maids bring hot water, could be heard.

From a quick glance at the luggage being brought in, it was clear that Lillis's travel preparations were thorough.

Lillis looked down at the dress she was wearing and frowned slightly.

The decoration on the chest of the dress had been ripped off, making it look quite unsightly.

It was fortunate that Saul had not mentioned this.

After finishing her meal, bathing, and getting ready for bed, Lillis was laid down on the bed.

Her hands remained tied during the meal and changing, and even in bed.

(How can I sleep in this state?)

Lillis gradually became angry, and her stomach also began to growl, so she sat up abruptly.

She had pretended to have no appetite due to shock and had hardly eaten.

Despite the difficulty in moving, Lillis got out of bed and approached the window.

Unfortunately, there was no tree to jump to. Even if there were, she had already proven in her childhood that she couldn't climb down.

Moreover, the moon, which had been illuminating the dark night, had disappeared behind the clouds, and there was no one on the road below.

Even if she called for help, no one would notice, and she might be treated even worse.

It was already quite late.

From the innkeeper's comment to Saul, "I hear the wheel was broken, quite a trouble," it seemed that a messenger had been sent ahead to inform them that they would be staying the night but would be late due to the carriage breaking down.

Sighing, Lillis turned away from the window when she heard a knock on it and turned around in surprise.

There, she saw someone clinging to the window.

"——!"

She almost screamed but quickly covered her mouth, realizing it was Hans.

She managed to calm her breathing and, with her tied hands, clumsily unlocked the window.

Hans then opened the window quietly and slipped into the room.

"Hans, how did you...?"

"I'm good at sneaking into houses. No, I don't steal or anything. Just when I need to meet a girl... sorry."

Hans answered proudly to Lillis's whispered question but apologized when he noticed her suspicious gaze.

Finding it amusing, Lillis's tension eased, and she almost burst out laughing, quickly covering her mouth again.

"It would be great if we could escape with you, but there are guards at the entrance and around the inn, so it seems impossible."

"No, it's fine. Just coming here... The ringleader is a man named Saul, a bureaucrat of the Fontae Kingdom. So, I think they intend to take me to Fontae."

"Yes, I heard that from Frederick."

"From Frederick?"

Lillis had wanted to provide as much information as possible, but it seemed Hans already knew.

Moreover, he had heard it from Frederick.

Confused, Lillis asked for an explanation.

"To be honest, it was good that you were attacked where you were. Sounds carry well in the night, and that place, in particular, amplifies sound. We could hear the neighing of horses and the clashing of swords from our kiln. I rushed over with my cart, but by the time I arrived, you had already been taken."

"Rese? Is everyone okay!?"

Hearing this, Lillis asked in a hushed but urgent voice.

Hans nodded reassuringly, and Lillis felt a sudden relief, collapsing on the spot.

At that moment, footsteps were heard from the next room, and Hans quickly picked up Lillis and laid her on the bed, hiding himself behind it.

Lillis, with her tied hands, managed to pull the blanket over herself just as the door opened, and a person, presumably Morah, holding a lamp, quietly illuminated the room.

Lillis held her breath, pretending to be asleep, and the light gradually moved away, and the door closed quietly.

"——That was close."

"Scary... So, everyone is really okay?"

Whispering from behind the bed, Lillis confirmed again.

However, Hans looked a bit uncomfortable as he answered.

"I can't say they're okay. Rese seems to have only bruises, but the knights are seriously injured. Frederick stayed behind to provide first aid, and Edgar went to the town for help with the cart, but he's not a good driver. It's faster than walking, but... I hope there are no fatalities, but I can't be sure."

"I see..."

"Actually, it would have been faster if I had gone for help on horseback. But Frederick asked me to follow you if I could, so I took the most energetic horse and came here. I've been good at riding since I was young, and the forest was well-trodden, so I could ride without any trouble."

"...Thank you, Hans. Your presence here is a great comfort..."

Thinking about the knights made her sad, but she couldn't cry.

Frederick had some medical knowledge, so he would be fine.

Lillis managed to smile and thank him, and Hans shook his head.

"You don't have to force a smile. It's okay to cry. But you left a mark, which is really impressive."

"...You noticed?"

"Yes, fortunately, the moon was illuminating the road. Thanks to that, when we reached the crossroads, I saw something shiny on the road leading northwest. Until then, I had been following the horse's hoof prints heading southeast. I didn't expect you to head north."

Saying this, Hans took out some pearls from his pocket.

The three shimmering pearls were the ones Lillis had ripped off the decoration on her dress before being put in the carriage.

Seeing the torn dress, it was clear that many pearls had fallen on the road.

Lillis looked at Hans with gratitude.

"The other pearls are still on the road. Edgar should be calling for help, and the pursuers should be on their way. The moon is hidden, which is a bit worrying, but I also left several branches as markers, so they should notice them."

"Thank you for everything."

"No, honestly, it would be great if I could rescue you heroically. I'm good at riding, but I'm terrible with a sword. I thought about asking the town guards for help, but I don't trust them, and they probably wouldn't trust me either."

Hearing this, Lillis laughed genuinely, albeit quietly.

It was funny to understand Hans's way of life.

Indeed, as Hans said, it would be difficult to suddenly ask the guards for help.

It would be better to wait for the pursuers who knew the situation.

"It's okay, Hans. I can manage like this. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Don't say that. The ones to blame are them, not you. I'll go out and gather information from the street urchins. They are more trustworthy. I'll also have them keep an eye on the inn. Get some rest. By the way, I'm basically a night owl, so don't worry about me."

With that, Hans stood up and slipped out of the window silently and skillfully.

Lillis hurriedly got up and watched anxiously as Hans skillfully climbed down the wall to the roof of the adjacent building and then safely reached the ground without being seen by the guards at the entrance.

The hidden moon was fortunate.

Then, Hans, hiding in the shadows, blew a kiss to Lillis.

For a moment, Lillis thought she might have seen wrong in the darkness, but it was indeed Hans, who, forgetting the situation, laughed softly.