It was a familiar figure. Even in the darkness, its gray eyes were clear and vivid.
"Enoch."
Her husband had gone south to fight in the territorial War.
“How did you get here...”
Agatha couldn't finish her sentence and trailed off.
It seemed as if he had been moving quietly until then, but when he and the knights started to move in earnest, the quiet forest began to vibrate.
The man who had run right up to her stopped his horse.
Dark blue hair.
In the black darkness, a sword mark stood out across the white skin.
Half of the knights are by his side.
The other half sped up and quickly disappeared behind Agatha.
Enoch, who had come down to the ground, was silent for a moment. His dark, ash-colored gaze scanned from her disheveled hair to her bare feet, one of which had lost its shoe.
He looked down and with trembling hands, he untied the cloak fastened to one shoulder.
"Still..."
Flutter-
“Thank you for being alive, Agatha.”
A thick cloak wrapped her frozen body warmly. Only then did Agatha lower her head.
“...Did you really come all the way here?”
“It’s been a few days. Did you fall off your horse?”
“I thought there was a war.”
“If you are wrong, what good is the land war?”
The man checked the condition of the horse Agatha rode once more and carefully lifted her into his arms.
"Haa..."
As the tension eased, no place didn't hurt. The man in front of her clenched his teeth at the slight groan. His jaw muscles were taut.
When she unconsciously placed her hand on his lips, her jaw relaxed. Instead, the man who had kissed her fingertips held her in his arms and got on his horse.
“Your hands have become very rough.”
His chest rose and fell greatly, although he didn't clench his teeth like before.
The man who had wrapped her tightly from head to toe in his cloak muttered again.
“Did you fall off your horse while running away?”
“Yes. I tried to buy time somehow, but it seemed like it wouldn’t work anymore.”
“...”
“Still, I’m glad you came on time.”
If Enoch hadn't come now, Agatha would have been dragged back to the cabin.
There would have been a real hostage situation there with Henry and Enoch facing off.
“I should have hurryed.”
Enoch roughly wiped his face. Before Agatha could continue, he opened his mouth again.
“Tell me where it hurts, Agatha.”
“...Actually, I don’t know. I rolled around on the ground about ten times when I fell off the horse.”
“...”
He held Agatha a little more loosely without saying a word, and with one hand on the reins, he began to ride very slowly.
It was in the opposite direction from the cabin.
He whispered, carefully burying his lips in her hair.
“Let’s go back to the mansion. The knights will take care of the rest.”
“Yeah, okay.”
The mastermind behind this kidnapping is Henry.
There was much more she wanted to say, but Agatha closed her eyes and leaned against his warm chest.
She was so tired that her eyes felt heavy.
Enoch rode his horse to the capital, holding Agatha, who was leaning against him, completely relaxed.
Until dawn, when they arrived at the capital, Agatha was fast asleep.
Even while she was sleeping, she could hear all kinds of sounds.
"Your Grace You have safely found your Madam!"
"She's lost a lot of weight. I need to prepare some nutritious food."
"Call the doctor. She fell off her horse, so she needs a thorough examination."
'Ah, this is Enoch's voice.'
The moment she laughed without realizing it, the surroundings became quiet. When Agatha, who had been tossing and turning for a while, became quiet again, Enoch carefully picked her up and held her in his arms.
“The bedroom.”
“I have prepared it. This way, Your Hrace.”
It was a return after about ten days.
Enoch arrived at the bedroom and carefully placed Agatha on the bed.
He sat down in the chair by the bedside and carefully ran a hand through her hair.
“...”
The Crown Prince's guess was wrong. No matter how precious a woman she was, there was no way she could be treated well once she was kidnapped.
He should have taken her to the South. Rather than feeling a sense of security or something, he should have fought better with her by his side.
“Your Grace, the doctor has arrived.”
“Come in.”
Enoch with difficulty withdrew his regret-filled hand.
The Nobilis family's personal doctor diagnosed Agatha with bruises, malnutrition, and a slight fever.
“Please keep her body warm and take care of her diet for a while. Fortunately, her bones are fine, so you should just apply some medicine to the bruised area.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
The butler, Allen, took the medicine and saw the doctor off. In Agatha's bedroom, the fireplace was already filling up with firewood.
After Enoch had been staring at her sleeping face for a long time.
The maid who came in with a small knock reported to him.
“Your Grace, the knights you entrusted with the pursuit have returned.”
“I’m going out now.”
Enoch left the bedroom right away. Enoch followed the waiting knight down to the dungeon and raised one eyebrow.
On the cold stone floor.
There were only two men on their knees. And they were both dressed in plain clothes.
The senior knight who had been leading the pursuit, Du-un, immediately knelt down.
“I’m sorry. I missed Baron Insidio and one of his men.”
“...”
Enoch touched his forehead without saying a word. It was a stroke of luck that he had rescued Agatha in the meantime.
“Report it.”
“...The one whom my lord shot with an arrow died on the spot. Of those who fled immediately after seeing that, the two closest ones were caught, but the one at the back was lost.”
“The Baron.”
“That’s right, it seems like he hid himself as soon as the madam ran away. They said that after ordering them to chase the madam, the Baron didn’t chase the madam, but rather ran away. They don’t know where he went.”
“...”
He is the one who orders the knights to pursue and runs away.
Enoch, who was laughing in vain, looked down at the knights of Insidio.
A few knights bowed their heads in surprise.
“...Well, I can guess where he went.”
“Is it true, my lord?”
He is a man who escaped from exile and planned kidnappings and even a war against the territory.
He could just disappear, but given his greed, Enoch doesn't think that's the case.
It would be possible to hide and wait for another chance to kidnap her, but the most likely way would be to aim for victory in the territory war.
In return, he will seek to absolve himself of the crime of deserting his place of exile.
'Hubert is going to have a pretty hard time.'
Enoch thought of his second lieutenant, Hubert Carwen, whom he had left behind on the battlefield.
Now that he has come to the capital, Hubert will be dealing with Getin Jennings' forces that have advanced to Nobilis Territory instead of attacking Jennings Territory.
The time to return was approaching.
"Alliteration."
“Yes, my lord.”
Enoch pointed to the knights of Insidio.
“Isolate each person and have them state what happened. Don’t discuss it.”
"All right."
“Offer only the one who tells more of the inside story to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Just one of the two?
Du-un tilted his head.
“Then what will happen to one of them, my lord?”
“I guess he’ll have to pay the price for choosing the wrong master.”
The eyes of Henry's men, who had raised their heads, shook violently.
“Report the results as soon as they come out.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Just as Enoch was coming out of the dungeon, the butler, Allen, came running and handed him a letter.
“Your Grace, urgent news has arrived from the south.”
"Second Vice-Captain, Hubert Carwen"
Enoch raised his hand after confirming the recipient. The knight waiting nearby responded immediately.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Prepare for battle. We must return to the battlefield.”
“I’ll let you know right away.”
The opened letter contained a detailed account of recent developments on the battlefield.
Enoch wrote a simple reply on the spot and handed it over to the butler, Allen, who was waiting nearby.
“I will send the messenger right away.”
“Is she awake?”
“Yes. She just got up, took a shower, and changed her clothes.”
“Prepare a meal. Something nutritious.”
“Yes, Marquis.”
Enoch immediately headed to the fourth floor.
Agatha slowly opened her eyes. A familiar curtain appeared in her blurry vision.
Crackling, the sound of firewood burning.
The familiar maid, Marie, was busy stirring the fireplace on one side of the warm bedroom.
"...Marie"
Marie's head immediately lit up.
"Lady!"
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Marie ran over and touched her forehead, then smiled brightly.
“You had a low fever, but it’s gone down now. You have a few bruises, but they’ll get better quickly if you apply some medicine. The doctor said that if you stay warm and eat nutritious food, your health will improve quickly.”
“You, not me.”
Agatha looked up at Marie, who was momentarily speechless, with a small smile.
“You fainted because of the intruders back then. Did the butler treat you well?”
“...Yes. He called the doctor. He said there was nothing unusual.”
“Thank goodness. Could you help me up?”
"Yes!"
Marie quickly sat Agatha up and brought her some water.
When she went out, there seemed to be a commotion outside the bedroom, as if she had informed them of her awakening.
“Madam, this is Jessie! May I come in?”
“Come in.”
Following Jessie, the butler, Allen, also showed his face through the crack in the door.
“Madam, may I come in too?”
“Yeah, of course.”
"Enoch."
Her husband had gone south to fight in the territorial War.
“How did you get here...”
Agatha couldn't finish her sentence and trailed off.
It seemed as if he had been moving quietly until then, but when he and the knights started to move in earnest, the quiet forest began to vibrate.
The man who had run right up to her stopped his horse.
Dark blue hair.
In the black darkness, a sword mark stood out across the white skin.
Half of the knights are by his side.
The other half sped up and quickly disappeared behind Agatha.
Enoch, who had come down to the ground, was silent for a moment. His dark, ash-colored gaze scanned from her disheveled hair to her bare feet, one of which had lost its shoe.
He looked down and with trembling hands, he untied the cloak fastened to one shoulder.
"Still..."
Flutter-
“Thank you for being alive, Agatha.”
A thick cloak wrapped her frozen body warmly. Only then did Agatha lower her head.
“...Did you really come all the way here?”
“It’s been a few days. Did you fall off your horse?”
“I thought there was a war.”
“If you are wrong, what good is the land war?”
The man checked the condition of the horse Agatha rode once more and carefully lifted her into his arms.
"Haa..."
As the tension eased, no place didn't hurt. The man in front of her clenched his teeth at the slight groan. His jaw muscles were taut.
When she unconsciously placed her hand on his lips, her jaw relaxed. Instead, the man who had kissed her fingertips held her in his arms and got on his horse.
“Your hands have become very rough.”
His chest rose and fell greatly, although he didn't clench his teeth like before.
The man who had wrapped her tightly from head to toe in his cloak muttered again.
“Did you fall off your horse while running away?”
“Yes. I tried to buy time somehow, but it seemed like it wouldn’t work anymore.”
“...”
“Still, I’m glad you came on time.”
If Enoch hadn't come now, Agatha would have been dragged back to the cabin.
There would have been a real hostage situation there with Henry and Enoch facing off.
“I should have hurryed.”
Enoch roughly wiped his face. Before Agatha could continue, he opened his mouth again.
“Tell me where it hurts, Agatha.”
“...Actually, I don’t know. I rolled around on the ground about ten times when I fell off the horse.”
“...”
He held Agatha a little more loosely without saying a word, and with one hand on the reins, he began to ride very slowly.
It was in the opposite direction from the cabin.
He whispered, carefully burying his lips in her hair.
“Let’s go back to the mansion. The knights will take care of the rest.”
“Yeah, okay.”
The mastermind behind this kidnapping is Henry.
There was much more she wanted to say, but Agatha closed her eyes and leaned against his warm chest.
She was so tired that her eyes felt heavy.
Enoch rode his horse to the capital, holding Agatha, who was leaning against him, completely relaxed.
Until dawn, when they arrived at the capital, Agatha was fast asleep.
Even while she was sleeping, she could hear all kinds of sounds.
"Your Grace You have safely found your Madam!"
"She's lost a lot of weight. I need to prepare some nutritious food."
"Call the doctor. She fell off her horse, so she needs a thorough examination."
'Ah, this is Enoch's voice.'
The moment she laughed without realizing it, the surroundings became quiet. When Agatha, who had been tossing and turning for a while, became quiet again, Enoch carefully picked her up and held her in his arms.
“The bedroom.”
“I have prepared it. This way, Your Hrace.”
It was a return after about ten days.
Enoch arrived at the bedroom and carefully placed Agatha on the bed.
He sat down in the chair by the bedside and carefully ran a hand through her hair.
“...”
The Crown Prince's guess was wrong. No matter how precious a woman she was, there was no way she could be treated well once she was kidnapped.
He should have taken her to the South. Rather than feeling a sense of security or something, he should have fought better with her by his side.
“Your Grace, the doctor has arrived.”
“Come in.”
Enoch with difficulty withdrew his regret-filled hand.
The Nobilis family's personal doctor diagnosed Agatha with bruises, malnutrition, and a slight fever.
“Please keep her body warm and take care of her diet for a while. Fortunately, her bones are fine, so you should just apply some medicine to the bruised area.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
The butler, Allen, took the medicine and saw the doctor off. In Agatha's bedroom, the fireplace was already filling up with firewood.
After Enoch had been staring at her sleeping face for a long time.
The maid who came in with a small knock reported to him.
“Your Grace, the knights you entrusted with the pursuit have returned.”
“I’m going out now.”
Enoch left the bedroom right away. Enoch followed the waiting knight down to the dungeon and raised one eyebrow.
On the cold stone floor.
There were only two men on their knees. And they were both dressed in plain clothes.
The senior knight who had been leading the pursuit, Du-un, immediately knelt down.
“I’m sorry. I missed Baron Insidio and one of his men.”
“...”
Enoch touched his forehead without saying a word. It was a stroke of luck that he had rescued Agatha in the meantime.
“Report it.”
“...The one whom my lord shot with an arrow died on the spot. Of those who fled immediately after seeing that, the two closest ones were caught, but the one at the back was lost.”
“The Baron.”
“That’s right, it seems like he hid himself as soon as the madam ran away. They said that after ordering them to chase the madam, the Baron didn’t chase the madam, but rather ran away. They don’t know where he went.”
“...”
He is the one who orders the knights to pursue and runs away.
Enoch, who was laughing in vain, looked down at the knights of Insidio.
A few knights bowed their heads in surprise.
“...Well, I can guess where he went.”
“Is it true, my lord?”
He is a man who escaped from exile and planned kidnappings and even a war against the territory.
He could just disappear, but given his greed, Enoch doesn't think that's the case.
It would be possible to hide and wait for another chance to kidnap her, but the most likely way would be to aim for victory in the territory war.
In return, he will seek to absolve himself of the crime of deserting his place of exile.
'Hubert is going to have a pretty hard time.'
Enoch thought of his second lieutenant, Hubert Carwen, whom he had left behind on the battlefield.
Now that he has come to the capital, Hubert will be dealing with Getin Jennings' forces that have advanced to Nobilis Territory instead of attacking Jennings Territory.
The time to return was approaching.
"Alliteration."
“Yes, my lord.”
Enoch pointed to the knights of Insidio.
“Isolate each person and have them state what happened. Don’t discuss it.”
"All right."
“Offer only the one who tells more of the inside story to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Just one of the two?
Du-un tilted his head.
“Then what will happen to one of them, my lord?”
“I guess he’ll have to pay the price for choosing the wrong master.”
The eyes of Henry's men, who had raised their heads, shook violently.
“Report the results as soon as they come out.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Just as Enoch was coming out of the dungeon, the butler, Allen, came running and handed him a letter.
“Your Grace, urgent news has arrived from the south.”
"Second Vice-Captain, Hubert Carwen"
Enoch raised his hand after confirming the recipient. The knight waiting nearby responded immediately.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Prepare for battle. We must return to the battlefield.”
“I’ll let you know right away.”
The opened letter contained a detailed account of recent developments on the battlefield.
Enoch wrote a simple reply on the spot and handed it over to the butler, Allen, who was waiting nearby.
“I will send the messenger right away.”
“Is she awake?”
“Yes. She just got up, took a shower, and changed her clothes.”
“Prepare a meal. Something nutritious.”
“Yes, Marquis.”
Enoch immediately headed to the fourth floor.
***
Agatha slowly opened her eyes. A familiar curtain appeared in her blurry vision.
Crackling, the sound of firewood burning.
The familiar maid, Marie, was busy stirring the fireplace on one side of the warm bedroom.
"...Marie"
Marie's head immediately lit up.
"Lady!"
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Marie ran over and touched her forehead, then smiled brightly.
“You had a low fever, but it’s gone down now. You have a few bruises, but they’ll get better quickly if you apply some medicine. The doctor said that if you stay warm and eat nutritious food, your health will improve quickly.”
“You, not me.”
Agatha looked up at Marie, who was momentarily speechless, with a small smile.
“You fainted because of the intruders back then. Did the butler treat you well?”
“...Yes. He called the doctor. He said there was nothing unusual.”
“Thank goodness. Could you help me up?”
"Yes!"
Marie quickly sat Agatha up and brought her some water.
When she went out, there seemed to be a commotion outside the bedroom, as if she had informed them of her awakening.
“Madam, this is Jessie! May I come in?”
“Come in.”
Following Jessie, the butler, Allen, also showed his face through the crack in the door.
“Madam, may I come in too?”
“Yeah, of course.”
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