Rabbit Hunt (6)
Three hours before the escape.
Baba disappeared, leaving a comment saying that the guard side would be more fun.
Oan laid Ellie, who was nodding off, on the bed.
"Your Highness."
When I reached out my hand to him, a calloused hand immediately took it.
Ian sat down in front of me on one knee and looked up at me quietly.
"Please speak."
"How long will it take from here to the capital?"
"If we stay one day in the intermediate city, it will take about three days.
"I think we should shorten that day as well. Let's try to arrive within two days."
There was a city that one had to pass through to get to the capital.
Oslo would have bounty hunters stationed in every area.
In that case, it would be safest not to go through the city.
Even though it's painful enough to kill me, it's better than going through something like today again.
However, there was no point in hiding my identity anymore. All I had to do was get to the capital faster than my pursuers.
"It must be so hard."
"Instead, let's change the carriage. The fastest carriage of the best quality. Do you think Your Highness could look into it?"
"Yeah."
"And I need supplies to live in a carriage for three days. Please give me those."
Ian just looked at me without answering. His lips, which had been tightly shut, opened calmly.
"Young Lady."
"Yes?"
"Don't be impatient. It's not Young Lady's fault."
As he said that, Ian put his hand on my shoulder. The stiffness in my shoulder disappeared under the firm pressure.
The planning of this trip was all my own.
But I was caught by Oslo, so I guess I was crushed by a heavy sense of responsibility without even realizing it.
This man is standing silently and watching me.
Thinking about it like that, my heart starts to flutter for no reason. I covered my mouth and laughed.
It was the first smile she had seen since Kalit and her party were taken away by the guards.
"Thank you. Your Highness."
"Am I a little Duke?"
"Huh? What does that mean..."
"Please call me by my name like the His Highness the First Prince."
"Ah..."
"Call my name too."
Ian tugged on my hand gently as if urging me.
I had no choice but to say his name. My voice became small, almost like a whisper.
“Hey, lan..."
"Yes, here it is, Millenia."
Why are my cheeks getting jot?
Strangely, I couldn't stand the embarrassment and turned my head away.
A soft laugh settled on the back of my hand.
"I'll be back soon."
"Be careful."
"If it is your will, Young Lady."
Ian kissed the back of my hand and stood up. I watched his back as he left the room and let out a deep sigh.
Then he glanced at the sleeping Ellie and spoke in a low voice.
"Nadia, can you see everything?"
"Hmm, hmm, what did I see?"
"That look on your face, it's clear that you're very suspicious."
When I rolled my eyes, Nadia, who had been holding back her laughter with an excited expression, suddenly started to speak as if nothing had happened.
"I just thought you two looked nice together?"
"Don't misunderstand. That's not it."
"Oh, I guess so. Most people don't know their own minds."
Not only Ian, but I also had feelings for Rahon and Kalit. Now, I'm even starting to take a human interest in Baba.
But it's not love, it's just feelings of respect, admiration, friendship, and sympathy.
Love was the most trivial and painful emotion I've ever experienced.
The thought of experiencing it again was suffocating.
My mouth felt bitter for some reason, so I changed the subject.
"Stop it and order me a lunch box?"
"Yes, Miss. How much would you like to order?"
"Enough for eight people to eat for three days. Have it ready by 11 o'clock."
"There are only two hours left. Isn't that too tight?"
"A lunch box doesn't have to be fancy. It just has to be enough to fill your stomach."
"Yes, I see."
A while later, Nadia, who had gone down to meet the innkeeper, returned, carrying a tray with a simple meal.
"The owner packed dinner for us because we didn't eat."
"Would he like to make a packed lunch?"
"Yes, he said he would put it on the carriage on time."
"Thank you."
Ian came back about an hour after we finished eating.
Nadia gave him the food she had prepared in advance.
Ian wiped his mouth after finishing his meal quickly but elegantly.
"Fortunately, there was a shop still open in the city center. It wasn't the most luxurious, but it was much more comfortable and faster than the old carriages, so I bought one."
"Thank God."
As Nadia went out to move her luggage to the new carriage, Ian lowered his voice.
"The carriage shop owner said something strange."
"What do you mean?"
"The con artists who impersonated the royal family and the guardians were locked up in prison. It seems that the rumor spread quickly in the small area."
"..."
At that moment, laughter erupted.
Even though it was difficult to confirm Kalit's identity, it was very easy to confirm Rahon's identity.
Because you can see the power.
But doesn't the fact that he accused him of being a fraud paradoxically mean that he knows Rahon's true identity?
"Baron Nokron has made a big mistake."
You claim to be loyal to Oslo, but you imprison not only Kalit but also the guardian, Rahon.
A sneer appeared on Ian's lips.
"They say he was originally a short-sighted and stubborn person."
"Now that I have such a good excuse, I should take advantage of it."
I had intended to only attack Oslo himself, but now that it has come to this, I have no choice but to attack his forces as well.
"The problem is the evidence. They probably detained us without leaving any records, and if they evade the claim, it will be difficult to find evidence that our group was on the guard."
"I think it would be easy. We have a genius painter who can paint any place he has been to."
“Ah...”
If Hugh later drew a realistic picture of the guard's prison, that would be proof that he had been locked up there.
Laughter broke out again.
Does Oslo know that he is now putting a weapon in my hands?
"It's a bit of a shame. If Baron Nokron had been a bigger figure, the Third Prince would have been greatly shaken."
"I learned to exploit the enemy's weak points, no matter how small. That way, we can minimize the casualties of our own forces."
'Young Lady is doing well.'
Ian continued talking and gently wrapped his hand around my hand. Feeling a little embarrassed, I changed the subject.
"Oh, I see you learned from a swordsman. You're a wise man."
"These are the words His Highness the First Prince spoke to me when I was ten years old."
"When you were ten?"
"Aren't I someone who has been called a genius since I was young?"
The reason I was surprised was not because it was something a ten-year-old said, but because it seemed like Kalit and Ian had a closer friendship than I thought.
After all, Kalit and Ian were cousins, and Ian lived in the capital until he was twenty. It was natural for the two to have known each other since childhood.
So maybe Ian and Kalit knew that each other had flower-shaped scars on their shoulders...
'Uh?'
For a moment, my mind flashed as if struck by lightning.
Wait, don't they both have the same tattoo? Like a friendship ring.
'... Is this a little strange?'
After all, if the flower-shaped scar was just a token of the friendship between the two men, Kalit would not have spoken of it as such a big secret.
'I guess I misunderstood.'
The excitement quickly died down. Ian tapped the back of my hand, which gave me a sense of emptiness.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I thought that Kalit and Ian had been close since they were young."
lan tilted his head.
"Do we look familiar?"
"Isn't it?"
"His Highness is only my lord."
There was no emotion in the flat voice. Even his facial expression remained unchanged and indifferent.
Something felt off.
Because it seemed to have a meaning beyond just the nobles' duty to be loyal to the royal family.
Can I ask you more?
As I was thinking for a moment, Nadia came running into the room.
"Miss, the lunch box is ready!"
"What time is it now?"
"It's almost 11 o'clock."
One hour left until the appointment time. It's almost time to leave.
I stood up, holding Ian's hand.
"Nadia, wake up Ellie."
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