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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Discovered
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When she opened her eyes again, the world was strangely bright. It should have been pitch-black, hidden as she was in the carriage's cargo hold.
“…!”
The moment she sensed something was wrong, Lellia’s eyes flew open.
She shot up like a startled animal. Despair swirled in her eyes as she scanned her surroundings.
“…What in the world is this?”
“Where did she follow us from?”
“I'm telling you, I saw her. She's the kid from the capital.”
“So she followed us all the way from there? Without getting caught? Does that even make sense?”
“I don't know either. She's just a kid, not like she has any killing intent. How were we supposed to notice?”
Large knights in blue armor surrounded her, talking amongst themselves.
They were all scowling, which was more than enough to frighten Lellia.
*I’ve been caught…*
Overcome by a wave of fear, Lellia clutched her bag without thinking.
“Looks like she's scared.”
“…”
The knights grew flustered as they watched her.
Terrified, Lellia couldn't think straight. She was on the verge of crying like a child, a feeling made worse by the hunger that had gnawed at her for so long.
As her eyes welled up with tears, the knights became even more flustered.
In that moment, Lellia managed to scrape together a rational thought.
*The sleeping potion…*
Driven by the need to escape, she instinctively fumbled in her bag for the sleeping potion.
But her body wouldn't obey her mind. Just wiggling her fingers drained her of strength.
At this rate, even if she managed to get the potion out, she wouldn't be able to spray it at the knights.
It was then.
“What is the meaning of this? A child snuck into the carriage?”
A very low, dignified voice cut through the air.
As the owner of the voice appeared, the knights surrounding Lellia straightened their backs and bowed their heads.
“It seems she followed us from the capital.”
“The capital?”
Listening to the exchange, Lellia slowly blinked.
“…”
The owner of the voice was a tall, powerfully built elderly man.
He furrowed his brow and bent down to look at Lellia.
“It's a girl.”
“…!”
At the sight of him, Lellia ducked her head and trembled. The man before her had the intense gaze of a lion.
The knights fidgeted, feeling like villains who had cornered a baby wild animal.
“…Bring a physician.”
As the man commanded in a low voice, one of the knights replied, “Yes, sir!” and disappeared.
Then, the man lowered himself to meet Lellia's gaze. The old man watched her for a long moment before speaking.
“You followed us all the way from the capital… You must be hungry. Am I wrong?”
“…”
His voice was deep and low, but his tone wasn't hostile. In fact, it was gentle.
The kind tone of an adult—something she hadn't heard once since returning to her home country.
It was a strangely reassuring voice, and Lellia cautiously lowered her bag and lifted her head.
When their eyes met, the fearsome, tiger-like old man broke into a wide grin.
“…!”
Startled by his smile, Lellia quickly ducked her head again.
“…Pfft.”
One of the knights watching couldn't hold back his laughter and let out a snort.
“…Are you laughing at me?”
“Ah, no, sir. It's just that my nephew trembles just like that when he sees my face, saying I look scary.”
“Are you saying I look scary?”
“…Yes, of course…”
The knight said it firmly, as if that was one thing he couldn't lie about.
Even to his own men, the old man had a forbidding appearance. He was a ruggedly handsome man, but his eyes were piercing.
He must have been quite the popular heartthrob in his youth.
*But he probably looked just as intimidating back then, too,* the knight thought to himself.
If he weren't a titled nobleman, he would have surely looked like a member of some clandestine underworld organization.
“Hmm…”
The old man pondered for a moment, then softened the corners of his mouth into a gentle smile and spoke carefully.
“Are you not hungry?”
It was a question for Lellia. At his kind tone, she slowly raised her head again. Then, she cautiously nodded.
“Alright, then. Let's go. I'll get you some food.”
The old man held out a large, thick hand.
Lellia couldn't bring herself to take it, merely staring at the hand for a moment. He was the first adult to ever offer her one.
