As we left the corridor, where dim shadows had descended, the full view of the training ground, with soldiers bustling about, came into view.
After the assailants attacked Raedgo Castle, the security inside the castle became stricter than before.
The outer wall guardhouse was meticulously crafted with defensive magic tools by high-ranking magicians, and all entrances were equipped with double-barred doors.
The security investigations of those entering and leaving the castle were also made unprecedentedly thorough. This was a precautionary measure, taking into account the possibility that spies lurking within the castle could be leaking information to the enemy.
Of course, he had no intention of denying that his wife was the most likely suspect. Barcas, too, was aware that all the circumstances pointed to Thalia.
Thalia had shown open hostility toward the Eastern Order. The discovery of ancient tomes, paintings, and amulets containing the lore of Tiramer in her quarters was also not likely to be beneficial. Most damaging of all, there were eyewitness accounts of her attending pagan gatherings.
At the time, he thought it was an absurd accusation, but now he was calmly accepting the fact that she might have been steeped in heretical ideas.
Perhaps she had lost her child and wandered, falling for the cultists' seduction. Surprisingly, she possessed a certain vulnerability, and she couldn't bear to stand by and watch them be punished. It's also quite possible that the Zrams cleverly exploited her purely good intentions in helping the cultists escape.
She probably had no idea that the drug she was given was toxic. She believed it was a drug with a similar level of toxicity to the one she had given Ayla in the past.
Barcas, who had been lost in his ramblings, suddenly let out a hollow laugh. He realized he had lost his objectivity and was making speculative, far-fetched guesses that were aimed at her.
He washed his face dry and collected his scattered thoughts. Now was not the time to delve into her true circumstances. Even if she had simply been thoroughly exploited, if her involvement with the heretics was true, it would be difficult to avoid a fatal blow. Therefore, he had to destroy any evidence against her immediately.
He resumed his steps, having paused for a moment. Crossing the training grounds and passing through the inner wall, a lush garden, overgrown with the greenery of midsummer, came into view. Barcas, striding inside, stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a sharp cry.
Turning his head, he saw a maid facing three or four soldiers in front of the annex building. Recognizing that she was Thalia's personal attendant, Barcas immediately turned around.
“What’s going on?”
As he approached the woman from behind and spoke to her, the soldiers who had been roughly pushing the maid turned to look at him.
"Greetings, Your Excellency, the Grand Duke!"
The soldiers hastily saluted. Barcas ignored them and looked down at the young, weeping maid.
"I asked what was going on."
"That's... that..."
The woman, who had been lost in thought, opened her mouth with a solemn expression as if she had made up her mind about something.
"Her Highness was looking for Khan. I'm about to take her out of the isolation room, but these people keep blocking me."
The maid's voice grew fainter as they walked back. Barcas couldn't help but guess why. Rumors were rife throughout the castle that the Grand Duke had nearly died at the hands of his wife. Perhaps they feared that the poisoner, now repentant, was searching for a monster.
Barcas turned his gaze to the soldiers, his lips twisted cynically.
"Why did you stop this maid?"
"Well, that's because it's been in isolation for a long time and has become so vicious. I wasn't sure if I could let it go. It's been causing a lot of trouble inside."
"That's because you haven't taken good care of Khan! You've been preventing us from bringing him grass and food...!"
The woman, who had been raising her voice in a fit of anger, glanced at him with a start, then quickly lowered her eyes. Barkas, who had been quietly looking down at her, nodded to the soldiers.
"Open the isolation room door. I will check the condition myself."
The soldier, who had briefly looked surprised, quickly pulled a bunch of keys from his pocket. He then approached the arched iron door and unlocked it with trembling hands.
A heavy iron door opened, revealing the building's interior in ruins. He stepped through the threshold without hesitation. Then, a gruesome scene, reminiscent of a battlefield, came into sharper focus.
It was no exaggeration to say that there had been a riot, for in the middle of the room lay a large bundle of rags that seemed to have once been used as cushions, along with a pile of feathers, and the carpet on the floor was torn to pieces beyond recognition.
That wasn't all. The solid stone walls were riddled with indentations and claw marks, and the tiles on the floor were broken and scattered around the room.
As he was looking around the mess, he heard a rough breathing sound like boiling molten iron nearby.
Turning his head to the other side, Barcas spotted a pair of brilliantly shining blue-gray eyes and instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Khan's silhouette that had risen from the dark shadows was noticeably gaunt.
He had been detained for eight days, and it took him three more days to recover, so the wolf must have been left for close to eleven days. It was no wonder he looked so pale and emaciated.
He carefully studied the beast lumbering toward him. Despite its shrunken size, the wolf still posed a threat. The powerful bones characteristic of a beast of prey supported its massive body without a hint of disarray, and each step revealed the taut strength of its muscles.
He pulled the hilt of his sword upward slightly. It was foolish to expect submission from a long-starved beast. He tensed every muscle in his body, ready to subdue the wolf with force the moment it leaped toward him.
At that moment, the wolf lowered his head and folded his ears.
Barcas paused. The dire wolf's eyes, staring up at him, held a fierce, murderous intent, but its posture, lying on its belly and craned at an angle, showed no sign of attack.
He soon realized the wolf was offering a compromise. The creature clearly understood that unless it could prove its innocence, it would not be able to join Thalia.
The beast, its gaunt belly quivering as if it hadn't even had water for a long time, remained motionless, its head still on the floor. Barcas, who had been observing it closely, returned his sword to its sheath and gave instructions.
"Bring water and food for the wolf."
The soldiers, who had been watching their standoff with tense faces, immediately rushed outside. A moment later, a large chunk of meat and a canteen filled with water were placed on the floor.
The beast, which had been clawing anxiously at the ground, gulped down water. But the meaty creature didn't even glance at him as it walked toward the door. It seemed its desire to see its master was greater than the food.
He pressed hard against the scruff of the wolf's neck as it tried to escape. It was clear the beast possessed extraordinary intelligence, but that didn't mean he could send a hungry beast by Thalia's side.
"You can't leave here until you finish this."
The beast, which had been giving him a murderous look for a moment, took hold of a pig's hind leg lying on the ground. It seemed to have clearly understood his intentions.
The wolf, having devoured a large piece of raw meat, bone and all, growled softly, its lips dripping with blood. Sensing that the beast's patience was reaching its limit, Barcas waited at the entrance and winked at the soldiers standing by.
"Now take this wolf to the Grand Duchess."
As soon as he finished speaking, the wolf stormed out of the isolation room. The young maid and soldiers, panicking, chased after him.
As he stood there watching the scene, Barcas soon left the building and turned towards the gate.
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