Chapter 77

Perhaps due to the tension or the fact that she was bound, Lillis spent the night unable to sleep, greeting the dawn with wide eyes. She had dozed off a few times, she thought, but each time she would suddenly wake up, remember her current situation, and find herself unable to fall asleep again.

She had learned that Rese was safe, but the well-being of the knights was unknown. What about Tena? Tena must be worried and unable to sleep as well.

(But she must know that I’m safe. Yes, she should be fine. ...Still, I didn’t know that lack of sleep could be this exhausting...)

When she got out of bed, she was hit by a wave of dizziness and had to lower her head. Her body ached all over, and she felt weak and powerless. Realizing that she wouldn’t be able to run away in an emergency, Lillis decided to put on a good act and eat a hearty breakfast.

At that moment, a soft knock echoed, and Mora entered with a basin and a towel. Normally, this would be the job of the inn’s maid, but Mora probably didn’t want Lillis to come into contact with anyone else. Lillis hadn’t seen a maid even once the previous night.

"Good morning, Miss. I apologize for not realizing you were awake. Although you must be tired, Lord Saul has said that we need to leave early this morning to make up for the delay from yesterday. I will help you get ready."

Mora, who had been so quiet the day before, now spoke loudly to Lillis. Perhaps there was a maid in the next room. Lillis also realized that she was playing the role of "Miss" and Saul was playing the role of "Lord."

The breakfast that was prepared looked delicious, but Lillis couldn’t taste it and it didn’t go down easily. She had been hungry in the middle of the night, but lack of sleep seemed to have taken away her appetite. Despite her disappointment, she tried to eat as much as she could. Mora, perhaps feeling sympathy, asked if she should prepare an apple, which Lillis had finished eating the night before. Lillis shook her head in response and obediently put on the fine travel dress that was prepared for her.

Once she was ready, Lillis returned to the living room, where Saul, dressed as an old gentleman, was waiting. He smiled contentedly at the sight of Lillis. Without acting, Lillis looked frail and exhausted. However, seeing Saul’s smile, a rebellious spirit welled up inside her.

(I can’t give up! This, this... I won’t let this old man get his way!)

Lillis filled her mind with the worst insults she could think of to motivate herself. They soon set off, and Lillis obediently let Mora put a cloak over her head. As she got into the carriage, she noticed a child with dull reddish-brown hair staring at her. It must be one of the street urchins Hans had mentioned. The color of the child’s hair reminded her of Gesalde, and she felt a pang of sadness. Then, she suddenly became worried.

(Hans... Does he have enough money?)

If he had rushed to the kiln, he probably didn’t have any travel money. Even if he pursued on horseback, he would need to provide feed and water. The existence of the street urchins was a problem, but aside from that, they would need to be paid. After thinking about it, Lillis remembered Hans’s confident demeanor from the night before and concluded that he would be fine. Unlike Lillis, Hans had been through hardships and was more worldly. She decided to think about the street urchins later.

(Still, where are we heading...?)

They shouldn’t have had the luxury of staying at an inn last night. Perhaps they were confident they could shake off any pursuers. Indeed, the city of Cornatz seemed peaceful in the morning mist.

(If we continue down the road without passing through the forest, how long would it take to reach the four-way intersection from the city of Toisen? Maybe they didn’t notice Hans’s marker and took the southeastern road...?)

When people are anxious, they tend to overlook small changes. Despite her anxiety, Lillis realized she needed to stay calm and took a deep breath.

(I don’t know where this road leads or which direction we’re heading, but if I were to outsmart the pursuers, I would take an unconventional route. I need to gain as much distance as possible. Since we’re in a carriage and they’re on horseback, the speed difference is significant, so I can’t afford to be complacent...)

She visualized a map in her mind, recalling the roads leading from Cornatz. The smaller roads would be more noticeable, so they would likely take the main road. If so...

(That’s it! A boat! If we continue northwest from Cornatz, we’ll reach a small port on the Plac River in a short time. From there, we can quickly reach the sea. The Plac River flows west, so we’ll be moving further away from Fontae, but we can switch to another boat at a port and leave the empire...)

If they could get on a boat, which is faster than horses, they could shake off the pursuers. Moreover, there’s another river to the southeast of the four-way intersection, and items like Stoneware are transported by boat from there. If they thought of using a boat, they would likely expect the port to the northwest to be the destination.

(They might have used that route before, but I remember that the port became more heavily guarded after the Stoneware smuggling was discovered...)

The Plac River has a strong current, making it unsuitable for transporting fragile items, so the port is not heavily guarded. It was originally built for transporting timber, and there are no proper passenger ships. They probably stayed at the inn last night because no boats leave at night.

Lillis turned to look behind her, though she couldn’t see anything. She wondered if they would make it in time.

(Should I jump into the river? No, that’s impossible. I can’t swim. I’ve heard that a skirt can trap air and prevent you from sinking, but that won’t help me escape. Should I call for help in a crowded place when we reach the port? No, Saul would probably just talk his way out of it.)

The pain in her wrists interfered with her thoughts, and silly ideas kept popping into her head. Her wrists, even though bound with silk, were chafed and red. If they got on a boat, would Hans come after her? He would probably have to stow away on a cargo ship, which would be impossible. Her first boat trip was not going to be enjoyable.

In the end, no brilliant escape plan came to mind as the carriage slowed down and stopped gently. Outside, men were shouting, and unfamiliar sounds could be heard. Lillis, grabbed by Mora, got out of the carriage and was taken aback by the sight of the ship in front of her. She was surprised that the carriage had been parked so close to the ship, but more so by the excitement of seeing a real ship for the first time.

(This is a real ship...)

It was nothing like the boats used for boating on a lake. The shouting she had heard was just the lively interaction of the men, and the unfamiliar sounds were the waves and the ship rubbing against the dock. Lillis was momentarily lost in excitement, but she was brought back to reality when Mora pulled her arm forcefully. She quickly looked around and saw that the port workers were busy with their tasks and paid no attention to her. Perhaps it wasn’t unusual for people to board ships instead of carrying cargo.

A plank was laid out for boarding the ship, and several men were already on board, in addition to the armed men surrounding Lillis. There were easily more than twenty of them, and they were likely trying to blend in to avoid drawing attention.

(What should I do? What can I do...?)

As Mora pulled her arm and led her toward the ship, Lillis was in a near-panic. Once on the ship, escape would be almost impossible. The plank was a bit narrow, and Mora pushed her to go first. As she took a step forward, she glanced sideways at the river between the ship and the shore. The current here was not strong.

(I’ll jump in.)

This would cause a commotion and delay the departure. The port workers would come to help. There might be a chance to escape. Almost recklessly, Lillis stepped toward the river. However, she was quickly caught by a crew member waiting on the plank and pulled away from the river.